#this is not okay. this is not something to be admired.

[hurtblossom]

On thin ice ln4

Pairing : Lando Norris x Female Iceskater!Reader

Summary : Lando is jealous of his girlfriend's iceskating partner.

Warnings : Angst, established relationship

The sharp scrape of skates against ice filled the cavernous rink, the sound bouncing off the empty seats and high ceilings. (Y/N) exhaled deeply, her breath clouding the chilly air as she steadied herself. Ethan skated toward her, his movements effortless, his presence as comforting as ever.

“You’re thinking too hard again,” Ethan teased lightly, stopping in front of her.

She gave him a weak smile. “I can’t help it.”

“You don’t need to. You’ve got this.”

He held out his hand, and she took it, their fingers locking with the ease of years spent practicing together. They moved into the opening position of their routine, the soft strains of music echoing through the rink as they began.

Every spin, every lift, every glide was a testament to their hard work, their connection honed over countless hours of practice. Ethan’s hand on her back, his voice low and steady as he guided her through a lift, was nothing new to her. It was simply a part of the dance.

But to Lando, it was something else entirely.

Lando had been her biggest supporter in the beginning. When they first started dating, he’d been captivated by her passion for skating. He admired her dedication, often comparing it to his own drive for Formula 1. They bonded over their shared understanding of sacrifice and ambition, and for a while, it felt like they were unstoppable.

But as their lives grew busier, the cracks began to form.

(Y/N) had always made time for Lando, traveling to his races whenever her schedule allowed. She’d spent hours in the paddock, enduring the chaos and noise just to be there for him. She cheered the loudest when he stood on the podium, comforted him when he didn’t, and never once complained about the toll it took on her own life.

Lando, however, struggled to do the same.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care. He did—deeply. But his jealousy over her partnership with Ethan was a wound that festered, growing more painful with each passing day. He hated the way Ethan’s name was always on her lips, the way she spent more time on the ice with him than she did at home with Lando.

He hated that Ethan got to see her in her element—the part of her life Lando could never truly understand.

The tension between them came to a head one evening when (Y/N) returned from practice later than usual. Lando was waiting for her, his arms crossed as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

“You’re late,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth.

“Practice ran over,” she replied, setting her bag down.

“With Ethan, I assume,” he added, his tone sharp.

(Y/N) sighed, already bracing herself for the argument she knew was coming. “Yes, Lando. With Ethan. Who else would it be?”

“That’s exactly the problem,” he snapped, pushing off the counter. “It’s always Ethan. You spend more time with him than you do with me.”

Her jaw tightened. “Lando, we’ve been over this. He’s my skating partner. That’s all.”

“And I’m supposed to just be okay with that?” he demanded. “You don’t see how weird this is? How it looks?”

She crossed her arms, frustration bubbling to the surface. “How it looks? Lando, this is my career. I’ve been skating with Ethan for years—long before I met you. Why is this suddenly a problem?”

“Because I see the way he looks at you,” Lando shot back. “Like you’re more than just his partner.”

(Y/N)’s heart sank at the accusation, her chest tightening. “That’s not fair. Ethan and I are teammates, nothing more. You’re my boyfriend. Why can’t you trust me?”

“It’s not you I don’t trust,” he admitted, his voice quieter but no less pained.

She stared at him, her tears threatening to spill. “Do you even realize how much I’ve sacrificed for you? How many races I’ve been to, how many times I’ve put you first? And now, when I need your support, all you can do is accuse me of things that aren’t even true?”

His expression faltered, guilt flickering in his eyes, but he didn’t apologize. Instead, he said, “Maybe I’m just tired of feeling like I’m coming second.”

The words hit her like a slap, leaving her speechless. She turned away, unable to look at him. “If you can’t handle my life, then maybe you shouldn’t be in it.”

For a moment, the room was silent. Then Lando grabbed his jacket, his movements abrupt.

“Fine,” he said coldly. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

The sound of the door slamming behind him echoed in the empty apartment, leaving her standing alone, her chest heaving as silent tears streamed down her face.

—

The day of the competition arrived, but (Y/N) felt hollow. The weight of Lando’s absence pressed heavily on her chest as she laced up her skates backstage. Ethan sat beside her, his presence steady and comforting.

“You ready?” he asked, his voice calm.

She nodded, though her hands trembled as she tied the final knot. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

The arena was packed, the cheers of the crowd echoing off the high ceilings as they stepped onto the ice. She scanned the stands instinctively, half-hoping to see Lando’s familiar face. But he wasn’t there.

The music began, and she forced herself to focus, moving through the opening steps with precision. But her mind betrayed her, Lando’s words echoing in her head. “Maybe I’m just tired of feeling like I’m coming second.”

Her foot slipped slightly during a turn, the mistake small but glaring to her trained eye. Ethan caught her immediately, his grip firm as he whispered, “I’ve got you.”

They continued, but the mistakes kept coming—hesitant steps, uneven spins, moments of faltering confidence. Each one felt like another crack in her resolve, the tears she’d been holding back threatening to spill.

By the time the routine ended, her face was damp with tears. Ethan kept her close as they bowed, his hand squeezing hers in silent reassurance.

Backstage, (Y/N) sank onto a bench, her head in her hands as the adrenaline faded. Ethan sat beside her, his voice soft as he said, “You did great.”

She shook her head, her voice breaking. “I messed up.”

“No one noticed,” he said firmly. “You were incredible.”

But his words did little to soothe the ache in her chest.

When she returned home that night, she found Lando sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked up as she walked in, his eyes heavy with guilt.

“I saw your routine,” he said quietly. “You looked beautiful out there.”

Her chest tightened as she dropped her bag by the door. “But you weren’t there.”

“I didn’t think you’d want me there after the fight,” he admitted, his voice breaking.

Her tears spilled over as she stepped closer. “I always want you there, Lando. Even when we fight, even when I’m angry, I need you to be there. But tonight, you weren’t. And it broke me.”

He stood, reaching for her hands. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I let my jealousy get in the way, and I should have been there. You deserved better.”

She shook her head, her voice trembling. “Do you even realize how much I’ve given for you? And the one time I needed you, you weren’t there.”

His voice was thick with emotion as he said, “I know. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.”

She stepped back, the pain in her chest unbearable. “I don’t know if you can, Lando.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and final, as she turned away, leaving him standing alone in the quiet apartment.

⁴

an : leave comments please 😞😞 i love to read them, i feel important

[parkerslatte]

The Purest Kind of Love | Part One

Azriel x Fem!Reader x Eris Vanserra

Word Count: 5.6k

Warnings: none

Summary: Two desperate friends make a bargain and that bargain comes into play.

The Purest Kind of Love Masterlist

A Court of Thorns and Roses Masterlist

NEXT

•••

In the large bed in the centre of the bedroom lay two figures, one with large wings and one without. Their soft whispers filled the silence of the room, gentle touches upon each other's skin, smiles lighting up their faces. The fire created a soft glow in the room, only accentuating the intimate atmosphere. 

The winged male brushed the female’s cheek with his thumb, guiding his movements down to her lip– a silent ask of permission.  The female nodded and the winged male let out a small sigh of relief before he connected their lips in a sweet kiss. Arms wrapped around one another until there wasn’t a space in between their bodies.

“What if–” The female began but the winged male cut her off with a brush of his lips over hers.

“Then we will go our separate ways,” the winged male said, caressing the curve of her hip.

The female thought for a moment before she nodded. “Then we go our separate ways.”

“But now, we are unsure if it will ever happen,” said the winged male, a smirk forming on his lips.

The female smiled. “So we can remain here in this bed and I can feel your touch every night.”

Their lips met once more as the fire within the room slowly became nothing but embers. By the time the fire was fully out, the winged male and the female were sleeping soundly in one another's arms, a bargain tattooed on their hearts. 

***

The research book on her desk was open and a page full of notes was directly next to it. The last sentence written wasn’t complete. Y/N never planned to fall asleep in the middle of her work but she had needed something to distract herself from the thought of her partner and family in the midst of a bloody battle.

The candles in the room had all burnt out with the exception of the one still burning on her desk. It would never burn out, it had been a gift from her partner for their fourth anniversary. It was the present she loved the most. 

The door to her office was opened slowly and two shadows creeped in, moving freely in the darkness before settling over her shoulders in a cool blanket. The master of said shadows followed a moment later, stopping to admire the sleeping figure at the desk. Despite the dried blood and dirt clinging to his skin, Azriel smiled at the sight. 

His footsteps were quiet as he stepped in the direction of her desk. 

“Y/N,” Azriel whispered, gently shaking her shoulder. “Wake up.”

A long groan left Y/N as she woke up. “What?”

“You fell asleep at your desk,” Azriel replied, standing back to his full height, not wanting to accidentally smear blood or dirt onto her. 

After blinking rapidly a few times and orienting herself, Y/N’s eyes shot open. “Azriel!”

Immediately, Y/N was on her feet as she wrapped her arms tightly around Azriel’s neck. Azriel didn’t return the hug.

“I don’t want to get you dirty,” Azriel said, keeping his arms and hands, which were covered in dried blood, away from her.

“I don’t care,” Y/N mumbled into his neck. “I was worried about you. Is everyone else okay? Did you all do it?”

The weight of Azriel’s arms settled around her waist as he encased her in his warmth, shadows lingering around her too, always keeping her safe. “Everyone is okay. There were a few minor injuries but that was all there was. The High Lord of Autumn is dead.”

“Who made the killing blow?” Y/N asked as she pulled back from the hug to look into Azriel’s eyes. 

“Eris did. It was all part of the agreement we had with him. We would only help him take out any obstacles to his father while he dealt with him himself,” Azriel explained. 

Y/N nodded. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“You knew I always would be,” Azriel teased, a crooked smile stretching across his face. 

“No need to be so cocky,” said Y/N, following her response with a quick kiss to his lips, the only place on his face untouched by blood or grime. “Now come and take a bath with me. No offense but you do smell quite strongly of death.”

“You don’t need to have a bath with me,” Azriel said. “You can go back to sleep if you want.”

“No, I need a bath as well after hugging you,” Y/N joked. “And besides, I can think of a few things we can do once you are clean.”

Azriel’s hands slid down to her hips as his voice lowered into a soft growl. “I like the sound of that.”

“Good, now–”

Before Y/N could finish talking, Azriel had lifted her up and draped her over his shoulder. Even though she knew that he would never let her fall, Y/N still clung to him regardless. “Azriel!”

“What?” He said innocently. 

“Put me down!” Y/N shrieked through her laughter. 

“You cannot make me,” Azriel said, amusement clear in his voice.

Y/N allowed Azriel to carry her into their bathroom before she lightly hit his back for him to set her down– which he finally did so.

“You can be a brute when you want to,” Y/N said as she balanced herself. 

As the bath filled, Y/N took a step closer to Azriel, her palms resting flat on his chest. Azriel watched her movements, heat residing in his eyes, if she allowed him, she knew that he would take her then and there on the bathroom floor whether he was clean or not. Y/N wouldn’t allow that, not until she replaced the scent of death that clung to his skin and clothes with a variety of her many citrus or floral scents. Scents that Azriel would never admit to liking. 

Buckle by buckle, Y/N stripped Azriel’s bloodied and torn leathers away from his body, suppressing a small giggle when his clean, undirtied skin revealed itself to her leaving only his head, neck and hands covered in blood and grime. Y/N dragged her nails down Azriel’s torso causing the shadowsinger to shiver at her touch. His eyes fluttered closed and he groaned at the pleasurable sensation. Once the bath was full, Azriel slowly stripped Y/N out of her clothes and let them fall into a pile with his clothes. Just at the sight of her bare body before him, Azriel groaned. 

“You can never get enough of me, can you?” Y/N teased.

“No, I cannot,” Azriel replied. 

It wasn’t long before they both sat in the bath, now clean and fresh. With a wave of her hand, the dirty water became clear as if there was no blood and grime at all. Finally, Y/N allowed herself to relax into Azriel’s hold, allowing herself to sink her body a little deeper below the water. 

Her life was never meant to turn out this way. Y/N had known Azriel for many years and a romantic relationship had never been in the cards for her. Of course she always thought the shadowsinger was attractive, but she never found herself pursuing him. Azriel always had someone else on his mind. First it was Mor, then Elain, then finally Gwyn. Once all of them had happily found their mates. Mor with Emerie. Elain with Lucien. Gwyn with Octavian; an author of one of the valkyrie’s favourite novels. 

Y/N had her fair share of romantic endeavours too, though none had lasted. Deep down she always knew that she was seeking the same thing as Azriel– a mate. The whole reason why Y/N and Azriel had formed their relationship in the first place. Their family and all others around the two were happy with their mates, starting families or thinking of starting one. It only left Y/N and Azriel alone together. 

When she agreed to be in a relationship with Azriel, she never thought she would become as comfortable as she was. There was some part of her that wished that this could be for eternity, it was easy and she adored Azriel. Actually there was a way that this could be forever, if neither of them found their mates. If one of them did, then their relationship would end. That was the matter of their bargain. 

Still, Y/N thought. Could a mating bond be better than this?

“Where did you wander off too?” Azriel asked, snapping Y/N back into reality. 

Y/N leaned further back into him, closing her eyes. “Nowhere. Just thinking.”

“About me, I hope,” Azriel said, pressing a kiss to her head.

“Of course,” said Y/N, tilting her head to look at Azriel. “Who else?”

The smile that brightened Azriel’s face was difficult not to make Y/N smile in return. “However, I do remember some things we could do once we were in here…”

Azriel raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me.”

A wicked grin spread across Y/N’s face as she slowly straddled Azriel’s lap, bringing her lips to the shell of his ear, whispering promises of where the night would take them. 

***

It was early that very next morning when Y/N found herself hunched over her desk once again. Notes and small sketches on a new kind of plant that was sprouting around Velaris covered her desk. She was sure that it wasn’t necessary for anything Rhys needed but she liked learning about it regardless. So far nothing was special about it. 

A piece of paper landed on her desk before a cold feeling wrapped around her ankle. Azriel’s shadow. Y/N smiled and picked up the slip of paper.

“I formally invite you to a celebration to commemorate the new High Lord of Autumn, Eris Vanserra. Celebrations will begin after the sun sets,” Y/N read. 

“Rhys demands that we must all go,” Azriel said, slipping into the room.

“Must we?” Y/N groaned. “I have too much work to do.”

“Take a break,” Azriel replied while sitting down on the chair in the corner of the room. 

Y/N snorted. “You are telling me to take a break? In the five hundred years I have known you, you have never told me that. You should be taking your own advice.”

Azriel shrugged. “I’m telling you now.”

Y/N stood from her chair, slowly walking over to Azriel whose face displayed a lazy smile. “And why would you, Azriel, want to go to the Autumn Court and converse with Eris Vanserra of all people?”

Arms wrapped around Y/N’s body as Azriel pulled her down onto his lap. “I don’t want to converse with Eris Vanserra. I would prefer it if we stayed far away from him.”

“Then tell me the real reason why you want to go?” Y/N asked. 

Heat filled Azriel’s eyes as he looked at Y/N. “Well this celebration is an excuse for you to wear the dress you bought last month. And it gives me an opportunity to show you off.”

Y/N stilled. Since getting together four years ago, they still hadn’t made any public appearances together. Being seen together in public would make their relationship more real; less like a final and desperate option. Y/N couldn’t help but smile at that thought. 

“Okay,” Y/N said with a soft smile. 

“Okay?” Azriel asked, a smile creeping onto his lips. 

With a nod, Y/N pressed a kiss to his lips, feeling utterly content. She pulled away for a brief moment. “Will I have time to finish off my work before we need to get ready?”

Azriel laughed, his hands squeezing her hips. “Only as long as I’m allowed to stay.”

Y/N pecked his lips and stood from Azriel’s lap to return to her desk. “Of course you are. Stay as long as you like.”

In the corner of the room, Azriel got himself comfortable as Y/N continued with her work. Shadows lounged on his shoulders as a soft smile toyed at Azriel’s lips. He was perfectly content. 

***

The dress Y/N wore was one she had been excited about wearing since she bought it. It was a deep red and adored with gold detailing simply making it more stunning. Jewels decorated her neck and ears and hair, sparkling everytime she moved. Y/N was sure that she had never felt so beautiful. 

The Inner Circle split off in different directions. Azriel’s hand rested on Y/N’s lower back, gently guiding her to the edge of the dancefloor. Y/N thought he looked exceptionally stunning tonight dressed in a dark blue formal outfit; she had even convinced him to put in his earrings that he never wore. 

“Refreshments?” an older male asked, offering two glasses of wine.

Y/N took one without a second thought. “Thank you.”

Azriel took the other and gave the older male a nod of appreciation. Y/N immediately turned to Azriel. “Did you know I’ve never been to Autumn before?”

“I actually didn’t know that,” Azriel admitted. 

“I have never actually been to any of the seasonal courts before,” Y/N said, looking at the ornate details of the ballroom. They stood next to a large window that gave her the most perfect view into the gardens and the night sky where all of the stars were visible. “I’ve always wanted to visit them before but the opportunity never arose. I must admit that the Autumn Court is rather beautiful so far. I don’t see how you dislike it.”

“It’s not that I don’t dislike the beauty of the court,” said Azriel, taking a sip of the wine. “It’s the people I find insufferable.”

“They cannot all be bad,” Y/N said. 

Azriel chuckled. “Just wait until you meet–”

Before Azriel finished his sentence, he was interrupted by the new High Lord sauntering towards them. Y/N put on a smile while Azriel looked as if he would rather be anywhere else. 

“What was it you were saying about people of the Autumn Court being insufferable?” Eris Vanserra asked, arching an eyebrow. 

“I was simply telling Y/N the truth,” Azriel replied. 

As Y/N’s eyes locked with Eris’s, she couldn’t help but be blown away by his beauty. There seemed to be a roaring flame behind his eyes that made them all the more striking. Faint freckles dotted around his nose gave him a look of innocence but from the stories Azriel and Cassian had told her, he was anything but. He was dressed in the colours of the Autumn Court with a circlet situated atop his head. The gold standing out from his dark auburn hair, not a strand out of place.

“And who is this gorgeous being, Azriel,” Eris asked. Even his voice was stunning. 

The hand on her lower back dug into her skin. “I’m Y/N,” she answered. “I am a researcher at the Night Court.”

“I don’t believe we have ever met,” Eris said. “I think I would remember such a stunning thing such as yourself.”

Y/N knew that all of Eris’s words were precise, dripping in honey. Even his flirtatious tone was picked out especially for her. This was simply a game and Y/N found herself wanting to play.

“No we haven’t,” Y/N replied. “Unfortunately for me.”

Eris smirked before offering Y/N his hand. Before she could take it, Azriel pulled her back. 

“What are you doing?” he asked, the grip on her waist tightening.

“Don’t worry,” Y/N whispered. “I already know it’s all an act. And Rhys did tell us to be on our best behaviour. If I reject the High Lord it won’t reflect very well on any of us.”

Azriel seemed to think for a second. “Fine. But if he does anything–”

“Az,” Y/N interrupted. “I know how to take care of myself.”

Finally Azriel nodded and reluctantly released his grip on her waist. “You owe me a dance after.”

“Wow, you want to dance,” Y/N said. “I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“Shut up,” Azriel said playfully.

Y/N turned back to Eris and placed her hand in his. She was shocked to discover how soft his skin was. Eris pulled her to the centre of the dancefloor as the orchestra began to play a song Y/N didn’t recognise. Almost immediately she fell in love with it. 

The smile Eris offered her was one she didn’t expect. It was softer than the fake one he had offered when he asked her to dance. Once she was swept up in the dance, her body seemed to move on its own, never missing a step and perfectly in time with Eris. 

“I didn’t expect you to be a talented dancer as well,” Eris remarked. 

“I have a lot of good qualities,” Y/N replied. “Do you always wear your circlet everywhere? Or is it just for this celebration?”

Eris looked taken back by the question. “I’m sorry?”

“You circlet, do you always wear it? It’s a little bit…conceited, don’t you think?”

“Excuse me?” Eris said, missing a step. 

Y/N smirked. “You heard me.”

As Eris fell back into perfect step, his hand felt heavier on her lower back, she could feel the warmth of it through her dress. “Yes I suppose it is.”

This time, Y/N was taken back by his statement. “You agree?”

“Of course,” Eris replied. “I wouldn’t be wearing this if it weren’t for this celebration. Though it does look dashing on me.”

“If that helps you sleep at night,” Y/N said. 

“It does,” Eris said with a smirk. “Now, what is the reason why I have never seen such beauty in this court before?”

“Are you well, High Lord? Because if I’m not mistaken, Azriel was in your court not long ago,” Y/N pondered.

A melodic laugh escaped Eris's mouth and it blended with the orchestra. “The shadowsinger may be pretty but you know exactly who I am talking about.”

“Well, I must be dense then because I have absolutely no idea who you must be talking about,” Y/N said with a smile. 

“Then you must be,” Eris muttered, a smile stretching across his own face. 

The conversation ended there but the smile remained on both of their faces. Y/N seemed completely unaware of hers as she danced with Eris. Though Y/N needed to admit to herself that dancing with Eris was fun, she was sure that she had never had a dance partner match her talents since Nesta. The two of them would dance together when they were bored or wanted to do something to ease tension. 

Of course Y/N danced with Azriel and she always enjoyed the way he would occasionally stumble and smile shyly at her– but he never wanted to stand out. Y/N was aware of every single eye on her as she danced with Eris and it was an exhilarating feeling. Even so, she still was not aware of the bright smile that graced her face. 

***

Hazel eyes bore into the hand Eris had placed upon Y/N’s back– a little too low for his liking– as he swept her up in the dance as the orchestra began to perform a new song, one Azriel knew was only played in Autumn. He wouldn’t admit to anyone but himself that the symphony was pleasant to his ears, even his shadows seemed to enjoy the sound as they danced around him. 

Still, the grip Azriel had on his glass of wine cracked under the pressure it was receiving. The grin on Y/N’s face as Eris spun her around the dancefloor was beautiful and Azriel wished that he had been the one to offer her such a dance before Eris. The two looked radiant together as they stood out in the crowd, even others around them stopped and watched the High Lord as he danced with someone unknown to them. 

Y/N had always enjoyed dancing, she would always make Azriel dance with her when the two were alone together. Despite his hesitancy to dance, Azriel always ended up enjoying himself– perhaps it was because it was with Y/N; he had never gotten the same pleasure while dancing with Nesta. 

The steps Y/N and Eris made were precise and elegant, as if that had practised them forever. Even though everything in him was screaming to intervene and sweep Y/N into a dance of their own, Azriel couldn’t help but stand there in awe watching the pair. 

Cassian stood close to him nursing his own drink while Nesta was swept into a dance by a Day Court advisor. 

“What did that glass ever do to you?” Cassian commented as the glass in Azriel’s hand cracked even more, small chips of glass digging into his thumb. 

Azriel tore his eyes away from Y/N and Eris and glanced down at the cracked glass he had in his hand. Slowly he placed it down onto the floor, making sure it was out of the way of anyone walking by and turned back to Cassian. 

“The glass didn’t do anything,” Azriel replied.

Cassian looked out at the dancing couples before his gaze found Y/N and Eris dancing together. Cassian whistled. “I see what has you so pent up. They are looking rather…close.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” said Azriel, forcing the words through his teeth.

A deep chuckle emitted from Cassian. “Tell that to the glass.”

In the middle of the dancefloor, Nesta bid goodbye to her dance partner before walking back over to Cassian, taking her place beside him. Her silver eyes looked Azriel up and down and Azriel felt as if he shrank under her gaze. 

“Be careful,” Nesta said, a hint of amusement in her dry tone. “Remember after I had one dance with him, Eris proposed to me. Y/N is an amazing dancer too, their wedding will be by the end of the night and their heir will be conceived by the morning.”

Cassian laughed loudly while Azriel only glared at Nesta before his gaze settled upon Y/N once more. Their eyes met and she offered Azriel the most gentle smile in the world and it was as if all of his worries disappeared in an instant. 

The orchestra finished playing and the room erupted into applause. Y/N slowly walked back to Azriel and Eris followed behind her, his gaze settling upon Azriel. No matter how hard Azriel tried he couldn’t help but let the Autumn High Lord’s gaze cut into him. 

“Shadowsinger,” Eris drawled as he stood in front of him. 

Despite Azriel being a little bit taller than Eris, the Vanserra still commanded the conversation. Azriel could feel his change in power. Y/N gently grasped his hand and Azriel looked at her, pupils dilating. 

Eris folded his hand behind his back as he addressed the small group. “I am glad you could all come tonight.”

Cassian suppressed a laugh. “No you’re not. You only needed to send invitations to us because it would reflect badly upon you if you didn’t.”

Eris’s gaze cut into Cassian. A wicked smirk forming on his lips. “As always you are wrong. You are really proving how uneducated you are.”

Cassian growled at Eris but it only made the amusement in the High Lord’s eyes grow. 

“I am glad you could all attend so you could witness how to throw a real celebration and a way to bring people together that isn’t a reason to show off your power to those poor souls trapped in the Court of Nightmares,” Eris remarked. The glare Cassian gave him would have been enough to put anyone into a grave. 

Eris clapped his hands, a smile replacing his smirk. “Well, now. Why don’t you all get back onto the dancefloor. I have a few tasks to do and conversations to have before the night is over.”

Eris’s gaze fell on Y/N. “It was wonderful dancing with you, Y/N. You are a beautiful dancer.” All words of flattery, no real meaning behind them. 

“You are an amazing dancer too, Eris,” Y/N replied genuinely. 

Eris scoffed playfully. “Don’t flatter me too much, Y/N, I can only take so much.”

Eris held out his hand to Y/N and Azriel fought the urge to smack it away. Beautiful rings decorated his fingers and Azriel couldn’t stop the urge to scoff. Eris didn’t even spare him a glance. Gently, Y/N placed her hand in his, Eris’s fingers tightening around hers. The jewels embedded in the gold on the rings were a perfect match to Y/N’s dress.

“It was a pleasure,” Eris said, no hint of deception in his tone.

A small kiss was placed upon Y/N’s knuckles. She smiled at him before pulling her hand away– fingers lingering for a moment too long. Taking a step back, Eris’s gaze fell upon Azriel. He frowned.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t bleed all over my ballroom floor, shadowsinger,” Eris said.

Azriel looked down at his hand and blood dripped from his fingers where the glass had cracked. He hadn’t noticed until now. 

“Oh!” Y/N exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

Azriel lifted his hand. “I’m fine.”

Eris rolled his eyes before flicking a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Azriel. “Make sure you don’t lose any more blood. My hounds will become accustomed to the scent and I can’t have that.”

Y/N gratefully took the handkerchief from Eris, their fingers brushing. The moment they touched, Y/N pulled away immediately as if she had been burned. Azriel didn’t question it as he looked at the blood continuing to seep from the small wound. 

“Thank you,” she muttered, turning to Azriel to wrap the handkerchief around his hand, keeping pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. 

There was no verbal response from Eris, much to Azriel’s surprise. With a small nod of his head, Eris walked away without sparing a glance back. He whispered something to one of the guards by the door before disappearing from the room. 

“How did this happen?” Y/N asked, her voice unusually quiet. 

“The glass cracked,” Azriel answered. 

Y/N only nodded before looking up at Azriel. Her features softened upon looking at him. The smile that made Azriel’s lips switch was a welcome feeling. Y/N pulled the handkerchief away once the bleeding had stopped. The bloody handkerchief was embroidered with Eris’s initials and it took everything for Azriel not to scoff. Regardless he pocketed it before offering Y/N his hand. 

“Will you dance with me?” Azriel asked.

Y/N placed her hand in Azriel’s, her skin soft against his scarred skin. “Of course I will.”

Despite Azriel not possessing the same dancing skills as Eris, the smile on Y/N’s face was the same one she always had for him. The two of them slowly walked to the centre of the dancefloor as the orchestra began playing once more. 

***

It was late into the night as Y/N changed into her night clothes. Everyone had retired to the rooms they were designated though if Y/N had her way, she would have run back to the Night Court and to lock herself in her room and never leave again. Her heart beat more rapidly and her palms were sweaty. If Azriel hadn’t picked up on anything amiss yet, he would soon. 

Y/N sat under the soft blankets as Azriel changed into his night clothes and slowly crawled into bed next to her. Her back was facing him so he hadn’t noticed the tears welling in her eyes. The night had been absolutely perfect; until it wasn’t. 

The blankets and sheets rustle as Azriel shuffled closer to Y/N, his hands wrapping around her while moving her hair away from her neck. His hot breath fanned on her bare skin and Y/N could hardly take it. 

If it had been any other night, she would have leant back in his touch and revelled in his kisses. Lips attached to her neck and everything in Y/N was screaming, her heart hurt and she found herself clutching her chest. 

Her chest moved rapidly as the first few tears escaped down her cheeks. Azriel pulled his head away, his dark eyebrow furrowed in concern. 

“Y/N, what’s wrong?” He asked, worry dripping from his tone. 

Finally, Y/N turned her face towards Azriel. Upon seeing the pure concern and worry in his eyes, Y/N broke. 

“I’m sorry,” Y/N sobbed. 

Warm hands cupped her face as Azriel wiped her tears away. “Sorry? For what?”

“Azriel,” Y/N said, looking up tearfully. Azriel immediately wiped them away. “I–”

The words were stuck. She knew that if she said them aloud, they would become real and Y/N couldn’t accept that, for some reason she couldn’t. The pain in her heart increased and she knew that it was only a matter of time before the claws of the bargain would close around her heart completely. 

Azriel rested his forehead against Y/N’s. “Tell me what it is, my love.”

“Eris, he–” Y/N cut herself off by a loud sob forcing its way through her lips. 

“What did he do? Did he say anything to you?” Azriel asked, rage building within him. If he needed to start a war with Autumn, he would; Y/N didn’t doubt him on that.

“No,  he’s–”

“Sweetheart,” Azriel said, gently but it seemed as if his words only made Y/N more hysterical. He had never called her that before now. “Please tell me.”

The claws sunk in even more and that last bit of pain seemed to force the words from Y/N. “He’s my mate.”

“W-what?” Azriel stuttered, not knowing if he heard Y/N correctly. 

“Eris,” Y/N said, her tears falling down her cheeks. “He is my mate.”

“No,” Azriel said, taking a step back from her, his heart seeming pierced by ice. “No, he can’t be.”

“He is,” Y/N whispered, finally opening her eyes. “The bond snapped in the ballroom.”

“Are you certain?” Azriel asked. 

Y/N nodded. If she spoke any other words, she was sure that she would only break down even more. The pain in her heart lessened but it was still prominent. It would be until one of them walked away. 

“So our bargain has been fulfilled,” said Azriel, his voice wavering, “once one of us leaves.”

“Az,” Y/N croaked. “We can still be together. This doesn’t need to be the end of what we have.”

“It needs to, Y/N,” Azriel said, avoiding eye contact. “Otherwise the bargain will hang over our heads just causing us pain until one of us eventually drops dead.”

“We will find a way to break it,” Y/N said, stepping close to Azriel. She stumbled over her feat, the pain worsening as she took steps closer to Azriel. “Please, Azriel…”

For a brief second, Azriel’s eyes softened. “The pain has already started for you. It must have started in the ballroom.”

Y/N encased Azriel’s hand with her own, trying her best to ignore the pain in her chest. “I can ignore it. We can– we can find a way to break the bargain.”

“And then what?” Azriel asked, his voice pained. “You have seen what has happened when someone finds their mate. Take Elain and Lucien for example. I never stood a chance in her eyes, even when I nearly kissed her, I could tell all she could think about was him– her mate. The same thing happened to Gwyn. I was courting her like she requested before she slowly began to cancel anything I planned for the two of us because she found her mate. No matter the connection you have with someone, they will always choose their mate. The bond connects your souls, it is hard to ignore that.”

“Azriel, please don’t do this,” Y/N said. 

For the first time since Y/N revealed the truth, Azriel looked her in the eyes and for a split second he considered returning to bed with her and acting like none of this damned night never occurred. But logic dominated over his heart. 

“We can’t, Y/N,” said Azriel, slipping his hand out of her grasp. “I will not allow myself to get in the way of what could be a lifetime of happiness for you.”

“What if the bond is wrong?”

Azriel nearly laughed. “I asked myself that at one point. It never is.”

Azriel fully turned his body away from Y/N, she wanted to reach out to him again but it was as if her body was rooted to the floor. 

“Az,” Y/N whispered. “What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going back ho– to the Night Court,” Azriel answered, nearly saying home. That cottage he shared with Y/N could never be his home now. Not anymore. “I will move my things back into the House of Wind.”

“Will you allow me to see you again?” Y/N asked, hope rising in her voice. 

“Perhaps. Perhaps not,” Azriel answered honestly. “It is too painful now to say anything for certain.”

Slowly, Y/N nodded her head. “Well then,” Y/N sniffed. “I hope you find your own mating bond one day.”

“Impossible,” Azriel said as he stepped closer to the door. “All hope of finding my mate dies here with you.”

Azriel was out of the door before Y/N could even reply. Her mouth hung open as she watched the door close with a soft knock. A single shadow remained in the room with her but before long it was seemingly pulled away. There was no pain in her chest anymore, there was nothing at all. 

Their bargain had been fulfilled.

Taglist:

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- strike through could not be tagged -

[xnalux]

I don't know if you're taking orders, but it doesn't hurt to try.

I was wondering what it would be like if the reader and (young) Violet were caught in the middle of making out (nothing too extreme, they're teenagers) by Vander/Silco and the two pull them into THAT awkward conversation. (I can imagine this so easily, it would be embarrassing and funny at the same time!!)

- that's it, a kiss on the ass

warnings: teens making out, fem!reader

an: this request was so cute I had to write it at soon as I got it. not entirely satisfied about this but I hope you like it ♡

In the warm, slightly messy confines of Violet's bedroom, the afternoon sun painted a playful pattern of light and shadow across the floor. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and the faint hint of cherry, a scent that clung to Violet from her favorite shampoo. The room was a testament to the tumultuous energy of adolescence: The walls were adorned with a mismatched collage of boxing posters featuring both legendary fighters and multiple polaroids featurings vi with her colest friends, some of them picturing vi and powder together.

The floor, a battleground of discarded textbooks, a few stray pieces of gym gear, and an ever-growing mountain of laundry that she always swore to tackle "later."

A worn-out punching bag hung defiantly in one corner, a testament to the countless hours she's spent working off her angst and energy. A rumpled bed in the corner with half-read comic books spilling onto the floor, and the faint smell of snack foods that had been hastily stowed away.

Violet, with her short hair sticking up in a halo of defiance, grinned mischievously as she danced around the room, throwing feigned punches at the air.

"Come on, cupcake" she goaded,

"I'll show you how to throw a real hook. You've got to keep your guard up, though."

You didn't know exactly how your sparring session started, one moment you and vi were bickering about who the best hero was in the last comic book you read and the next violet was circling you, fist raised in front of her face as she challenged you to ''show her what you've got''

Your eyes sparkled with both excitement and a touch of apprehension, as you mimicked Violet's stance, your hands held up in an awkward guard. you'd always admired Violet's strength and the way she could command a room, the way she'd stand up for anyone she thought was being bullied. You'd been inseparable since you were kids, but lately, you had been noticing something more, a spark of attraction that you hadn't quite known how to navigate.

Your playful sparring grew more intense, the air crackling with something electric and unspoken between you. Violet's movements grew bolder, and she began to enjoy the sight of you trying to keep up, your cheeks flushing a delightful shade of pink with every near-miss. As you circled, your foot slipped on a stray sock, and with a playful laugh, violet reached out, catching your wrist to stop you from falling.

In that moment, the space between you two seemed to shrink, the air growing thick with an unspoken tension. Violet looked into your eyes and saw something there she hadn't noticed before: a flicker of curiosity, a hint of desire. Her own heart began to race, and without thinking, she took a step closer.

The next few moments were a blur of movement as Vi playfully pinned you to the bed, your laughter echoing off the walls. your eyes went wide, but not with fear, with surprise and a thrill that you didn't quite understand. your body went tense for a brief second before you melted into the mattress, you hands fluttering to her sides, gripping slightly the fabric of her worn out t-shirt, like a butterfly unsure where to land.

Violet hovered over you, her grin turning soft and gentle as she looked down into your eyes. "You okay?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

you nodded, the nod turning into a shy smile.

"Yeah," you murmured, "I'm okay."

The room grew quiet, save for your panting breaths and the distant hum of zaun streets outside. Then, as if pulled by some invisible force, Violet leaned down, her lips brushing against yours in a soft, tentative kiss. It was a moment of discovery, a moment where the lines between friendship and something more began to blur. Your eyes closed, and you felt your inexperience show as your clenched hands hovered by her sides, unsure of where to go. The kiss grew deeper, more urgent, as you both gave in to the feelings that had been bubbling beneath the surface.

Your bodies pressed together, fitting in a way that felt so natural it was almost surprising.Your hearts hammering against your ribs like they were trying to escape.

She pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss to look down at you, her gaze searching for any sign of regret or discomfort.

''Truce?''

She asked, her slightly sweaty fingertips, a mirror of her own inexperience, caressing the skin of your wrists still pinned to the side of your head. You swallowed hard, feeling your heart pound in your chest.

"Truce," you echoed back, your voice trembling slightly with excitement and nerves.

Vi's smile grew, and she leaned back in, her eyes fluttering closed. Your hands, which had been frozen in place, started to move of their own accord, sliding up her arms to rest tentatively on her shoulders. Her skin was warm and soft beneath your touch, and you felt the muscles beneath. The kiss grew deeper as you both lost yourselves in the moment, the gentle pressure of her lips against yours making your head spin.

Your own hands grew more confident, moving up to tangle in her hair, which was sticky with sweat but still smelled faintly of cherries. You felt the softness of her strands between your fingers, the way they curled around your knuckles. Violet's grip on your wrists tightened slightly, a silent message of reciprocation and encouragement.

Her tongue brushed against your lower lip, and you gasped, feeling a thrill of excitement shoot through you. Without thinking, you parted your lips, and she took the invitation, deepening the kiss even further. Your tongues met, clumsily at first, but quickly finding a rhythm that matched the rest of your movements. She tasted of sour gummies, ''her favorites'' you tought, and iron due to her split upper lip.

In an instant, the heat of the moment froze as the door burst open. The sound of the door handle jolted you out of your daze, and your eyes went wide with shock. You saw Vander's surprised expression just before you had the sense to pull away from Violet. In your haste, you misjudged the distance and ended up headbutting her with a painful thud, making her yelp and clutch her nose.

''ouch'' violet groaned as your panicked gaze glanced between her pained face and vander amused one.

"Thy drugs are…are quick. Thus with…''

you squeaked high pitched as your tried to remember the lines from romeo and juliet you recently studied at school.

Vi looked at you, a bewildered gaze that screamed ''what the fuck are you doing'' scrunching her features.

''w-with a kiss I die."

you finished in a dramatic way trying to ignore the weight of the stare of vander still standing in the doorframe.

Vander glanced between the two of you crossing his arms on his chest, his right eyebrow slightly arched

''What's going on here?"

Before violet could utter a word you quickly shot up from the bed, your hand gesturing hastily in front of you.

''we were just…practicing…uh…drama for school!"

you looked at violet pleading her with your eyes to play along

"Yeah, for the school play''

she mumbled still holding her nose with a pained expression

''You know, the one about those two idiots who kill themselves by accident''

you glared at violet because she didn't sound convincing at all.

''romeo and juliet''

you hissed

Vander nodded slowly but it was clear in his eyes that he was reading through your ridicolous attempt at making excuses

"I didn't know you were in drama club?"

he said with a teasing tone

''I'm not'' violet responded

''it's for losers'' and you almost felt the physical need to headbutt her again because she was not being helpful at all.

you brushed your fingers over the dorsum of your nose trying to come up with something.

''yeah, we are not but…'' you said

"It's… it's just a new extracurricular we're thinking of joining,"

you blurted out, hoping that the desperation in your voice didn't give you away.

"You know, to… to expand our cultural horizons!"

Vander's eyes darted back and forth between you and Violet, the amusement in his gaze growing with each awkwardly constructed sentence.

The room felt as though it had suddenly shrunk, the air thick with the scent of embarrassment and the awkwardness of the situation. The punching bag in the corner of the room looked almost sympathetic as it swayed gently from your earlier playful exchanges.

"Oh, really?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"And here I thought you were just… I don't know, wrestling for fun or something."

Violet's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she shot you a look that was both apologetic and slightly exasperated.

"Well," vi began, trying to keep her voice steady, "it's like… a new form of sparring, to mix shit up. It's all about… emotional expression and… uh… trust?"

Vander's eyebrow quirked upwards, clearly unconvinced.

"And this… 'sparring' requires kissing?"

Violet's eyes grew wide with panic.

"It's a… it's a trust exercise," she blurted out, her voice nasally from her still-pinched nose. "We read about it in a book. It's supposed to… to make us more… emotionally connected?"

the silence that followed was as palpable as the awkwardness. You could hear the clock on the wall ticking away, each second feeling like an eternity. Vander looked at the two of you, his arms still crossed over his chest, his biceps flexing under the fabric of his shirt.

Finally, he spoke up again, his tone softer now,

"Look, girls, I know you're growing up, and you're gonna have… feelings for each other, but maybe you could save the… extracurriculars for when I'm not around, yeah?"

You both nodded vigorously, relieved that he wasn't as upset as you had feared.

''and you know'' vander cleared his throat a little awkward not expecting to do the talk to violet today ''if you need to talk about you know...kids your age...and hormones''

he started suddendly feeling awkward.

"Vander!" Violet's voice was a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, her hand shooting up to cover her face. "We're not doing that!"

She was blushing furiously now, her eyes pleading at him to drop it.

Vander looked at you both trying to find the right words

"you know the birds and bees...''

He paused, looking between you two before continuing,

"or a bee and tanother bee" he gestured awkwardly towards the bed, "ok maybe not the best example but you know two blossoming young girls like you two"

Violet's hand dropped from her face as she finally shot up from the bed hastily walking to vander pushing on his chest.

"oh my god please stop"

"It's all about the…uh…pollination of life,"

he continued, his cheeks growing redder by the second.

"And how it's a beautiful, natural process that happens between…uh…people who really care about each other."

Violet groaned, her movements stiff as she tried to compose herself.

"we get it all right...just leave us alone" she asked, pleading as her cheeks grew redder by the seconds

Vander's finally raised hi hands in front of his chest as violet tried to push him again out of her room

"all right all right, just wanted to let you know I picked up dinner. It's in the kitchen. Don't eat it all before I get a chance, okay?"

As he left, shutting the door behind him, Violet and you shared a look of relief and awkwardness. She winced as she touched her nose gently, checking if it was still bleeding.

you rushed over to grab a tissue from her nightstand and handed it to her. "Sorry," you whispered, feeling guilty for causing her pain.

"I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine," she said, taking the tissue and dabbing at her nose. She looked at you, her eyes searching. "So… that was… weird, huh?"

you nodded, trying to keep your voice steady. "Yeah, but… I liked it," you admitted, your heart racing.

Violet's eyes widened, and she looked away, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red.

“I… I liked it too," she murmured.

for a moment, you just stood there, the silence stretching out between u like a tightrope you weren't sure you could both walk on. Then she looked back up at you, a tentative smile playing on her lips. "Want to… try again?"

[ddaz3d-and-cc0nfused]

I’m obsessed with the Spencer and mean girl!reader!, i was wondering if you could expand a bit more and show the time she does bite back at the team for being rude or teasing Spencer?

plus size mean girl!reader, wc: 565.

a/n: decided to reopen my asks because the ones that you guys are sending are just too good! this fic was lowkey healing because i HATE when the team cuts spencer off.

Being able to go out all together was an incredible feat.

Most of the time everyone’s schedules didn’t align, but in this instance, you were able to catch a moment of peace.

The bar was bustling, live with people as music boomed from the speakers placed miscellaneously throughout the building.

You’re cuddled close into Spencer’s side, practically sitting on his lap as your sides touch. Spencer had thrown his coat over your lap because, admittedly, the bar was kind of cold, and your skirt was way too short to handle the chill.

You should be dancing, but you’re rather buzzed, the need inside you quelled by his slack covered leg that provided you with much needed warmth. You nursed the fruity cocktail in your hand, the sweetness a pleasant taste. 

“Ugh,” Voiced JJ. “If I drink anymore, I think I’ll spontaneously combust.” Her sentence ended with a groan. Emily patted her shoulder sympathetically, though that didn’t stop her from taking another sip of her whiskey.

“Did you know that it’s scientifically proven that you can’t actually spontaneously combust due to an excessive amount of alcohol intake. It’s a myth that’s long been -”

“Spence,” JJ interrupted. “I know. I was just being sarcastic.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

Spencer’s face bloomed a normally endearing red, but this time you can tell that being cut off flustered him. Your hand that was clasped loosely in his tightened, and his body grew rigid as he felt your long acrylic nails dig into his skin.

“That was rude.” You said bluntly. That broke JJ and Emily out of their conversation.

The drunken smile on her face slowly fell at the sight of your serious demeanor. “I’m sorry?” She asked, giggling awkwardly.

“He was talking and you cut him off. It was rude.” You said simply. Spencer softly called your name from your side, “It’s fine.” He had said. 

“No, it’s not fine. Even if you already knew, you shouldn’t have been an ass and cut him off.” Her mouth fell open, stunted. “I…” Emily, bless her heart, was as shocked as her.

“It’s fine.” Spencer made sure to put the emphasis on ‘fine.’ 

You threw a look to him from the side before pouting your pink gloss covered lips, crossing your arms. “I’m just saying.” You said dismissively, as if you hadn’t just caused a scene.

“Uh -”

“More drinks, yeah?” Emily interrupted with fake cheerfulness. “JJ?”

“Yeah, yeah…” She got up and left with her with an uneasy grin on her face, leaving both you and your boyfriend at the table alone.

“Why would you do that?” Spencer asks with a deep, exasperated sigh. “Because they’ve been working with you for years, and yet they still find it okay to cut you off.”

“Yeah, but… If I was bothered by her cutting me off, I would have said something.”

“That’s the funny thing about it, Spence. You still find it hard to stick up for yourself, especially to people you respect. You shouldn’t just have to sit there and take it. You’re not a dog.”

You’re fully looking at him now, and he’s just… gazing at you. “What? Is there gloss on my teeth?” You run your tongue over them. “No,” He chuckles breathily with a shake of his head. “I just… thank you.” 

It’s your turn to fluster at the sheer admiration in his voice. 

“I - you already know it’s nothing.”

[evajzcks]

between light and shadow ── tom riddle

summary: you ran away after discovering you were pregnant during your final year at hogwarts. three years later, you and your son are in danger, and to protect your child, you must return to him, your past lover, tom riddle.

warnings: tom riddle x reader, the timeline is a mess, both tom and reader are 21 in this

word count: 1,8k

the grand dining hall of the manor was illuminated by a cascade of floating candles, their warm glow contrasting with the heavy, imposing decor. you entered with mattheo’s hand in yours, the little boy wide-eyed as he marveled at the room’s grandeur.

tom was already seated at the head of the table, his piercing gaze softening slightly as he saw them approach. he gestured to the seats beside him and mattheo immediately climbed onto the one closest to tom.

“is this where you always eat?” mattheo asked, his voice filled with innocent curiosity as he looked at the vast table.

tom’s brow furrowed, clearly unprepared for the child’s inquisitiveness. “most of the time,” he replied carefully, his deep voice tinged with an awkward stiffness.

“do you eat alone?” mattheo pressed, his head tilted.

tom hesitated. “yes.”

“that’s sad,” mattheo said matter-of-factly, his bluntness drawing a stifled laugh from you. you quickly masked it with a sip of water, though your eyes sparkled with amusement.

tom shot you a look that was equal parts exasperated and confused before turning back to mattheo. “it’s… practical.”

“what’s practical?” mattheo asked, his small face scrunched in concentration.

tom blinked, clearly unused to being questioned so persistently. “it means… useful. efficient.”

mattheo nodded solemnly, as if tom had just imparted a great wisdom. “do you like being alone?”

this time, tom hesitated longer, his gaze flicking to you as though searching for an answer. you raised an eyebrow, smirking at his discomfort.

“sometimes,” he finally said, his tone quieter.

mattheo tilted his head again. “do you have any friends?”

you nearly choked on your water, quickly covering your mouth to suppress the laugh threatening to escape. tom’s lips twitched, his patience wearing thin.

“i have… associates,” he answered stiffly.

“what’s an associate?”

you let out a soft giggle, unable to hold it in any longer. “mattheo, darling, why don’t we let mr. riddle eat his dinner in peace?”

“but I like asking questions,” mattheo said, looking genuinely puzzled by your suggestion.

“and mr. riddle isn’t very good at answering them,” you teased, your grin widening as you met tom’s glare.

tom’s jaw tightened, but there was a flicker of something else in his expression—an unfamiliar warmth, even as he fought to maintain his composure.

“perhaps i’m simply not accustomed to interrogations during meals,” he said, his tone dry but lacking his usual sharp edge.

“that’s because you’re not used to dining with company,” you quipped, reaching over to ruffle mattheo’s curls.

tom watched them, his gaze lingering on you as you laughed with their son. for a moment, the cold, calculating mask he always wore seemed to slip. he looked almost…human.

“mattheo,” he said, his voice softer now, “do you enjoy living here?”

the little boy shrugged. “it’s okay but mama says we won’t stay forever.”

you stiffened slightly, your eyes darting to tom, who had gone very still. his gaze was sharp as he turned to you, the unspoken question clear in his expression.

“we’ll discuss that later,” you said quickly, your tone firm as you focused on your plate.

mattheo looked between them, clearly sensing the tension but too young to understand its weight. “i like the library,” he said cheerfully, breaking the silence. “it has so many books! did you read all of them?”

tom’s lips curved into a faint smile, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. “most of them.”

“wow,” mattheo said, his admiration genuine. “can you show me which ones are the best?”

“perhaps tomorrow,” tom replied, his voice softer now, though his gaze remained locked on you.

as the meal went on, mattheo’s questions continued, ranging from “do you like cats?” to, “if you’re so tall, can you touch the sky?”. you found yourself laughing more than you had in months, your heart lightened by your son’s innocence.

but every now and then, you would catch tom watching you, his dark eyes unreadable. you couldn’t tell if he was irritated by mattheo’s endless chatter or if he was quietly mourning the time he had lost with his son.

as they finished dessert, mattheo yawned, his head nodding sleepily against your arm.

“i think someone’s ready for bed,” you said, smiling as she scooped him up into her arms.

“goodnight, mr. riddle,” mattheo mumbled, his eyes half-closed as he rested his head on your shoulder

tom nodded, his gaze following them as you carried mattheo out of the dining hall.

when they were gone, tom leaned back in his chair, staring at the empty space where they had been. he was unaccustomed to the warmth that had settled in his chest during the meal, and he didn’t know whether to embrace it or push it away.

all he knew was that y/n and mattheo had a way of making him feel things he thought he had buried long ago—and it terrified him.

tom sat in silence for a long moment, his fingers drumming absentmindedly on the table. his thoughts swirled with confusion and something deeper, something he didn’t want to acknowledge. the little scene with you and mattheo had unsettled him more than he was willing to admit.

he had lived his life by control, by power—everything within his grasp, manipulated and ordered. but tonight, with mattheo’s innocent questions, the laughter in y/n’s voice, and the unspoken bond between them, it was as though everything he thought he knew had been turned upside down. the reality that he had a son—his son—was still too raw to fully comprehend.

he hadn’t expected this. he hadn’t expected them to feel so… normal. so human.

“this isn’t what i wanted for you,” he whispered to himself, though the words were not directed at anyone in particular.

what was it about you? why did you make him feel things no one else could? the thought lingered in his mind, clinging to him like a shadow. even as his cold, calculating side tried to push it away, something in him resisted, drawn to the warmth you provided despite everything.

minutes passed, and eventually, he stood up, smoothing down the fabric of his robes. his fingers brushed the edge of his wine glass, but he didn’t drink—he wasn’t thirsty. his mind was elsewhere.

fhe sound of mattheo’s soft laughter echoed faintly from the hall as you tucked him into bed, and for a brief moment, tom considered going to check on you—just to see, just to… but the thought vanished quickly, replaced by a sharp twinge of anger.

what would it even mean? to go to you now, to step into their world? was he really ready to acknowledge the life he had never asked for, yet was bound to in a way he could never escape?

he needed to focus, to remember his purpose. his empire, his power—those things mattered, didn’t they? everything else was secondary. everything else was just a distraction.

and yet, the more he tried to focus on his plans, on his goals, the more mattheo’s innocent voice echoed in his mind, asking questions about cats, the sky, and his tallness. it’s ridiculous. he wasn’t even sure how to answer a question like that, but the way mattheo had looked up at him with such trust—it had nearly broken him.

when you returned to the dining hall later, your footsteps barely a whisper on the stone floor, you found tom standing by the grand windows, looking out over the darkened grounds. the moonlight cast long shadows, the silence in the room almost suffocating.

you watched him for a moment before speaking. “you’re thinking too much, tom.”

he didn’t turn, but you could hear the soft exhale of air he released in response.

“i always think,” he replied, his voice low.

you took a few steps toward him, pausing just behind him. for a brief moment, you allowed yourself to watch the way the light hit his profile—the way the years had shaped him, the hard edge of his jawline that once seemed so cold, now softened in the moonlight. despite everything, despite his darkness, there was still something that called to you.

“i didn’t expect mattheo to… be so curious,” he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. “he doesn’t fear me like everyone else does.”

you took a breath, your hands folding in front of you “he’s just a child, tom. he sees the world through different eyes.”

“i suppose.” his voice was distant, but you could feel the tension building in him. “i didn’t expect him to want to talk to me.”

“he’s a little like you,” you remarked, your voice soft. “he doesn’t know any better.”

tom looked at you then, the intensity in his gaze sharper than you remembered. “and you? do you still think of me as someone who can be reasoned with?” he asked, his tone suddenly more biting.

your chest tightened, but you met his gaze steadily. “i think of you as a lot of things, tom,” you replied, your voice calm. “but the truth is… you’re not the person i thought you were. you’re not who you showed me you were back then.”

his eyes darkened, but you noticed the flicker of hesitation before he spoke again. “what does that mean?”

“it means that i’m not so sure about you anymore,” you said, your words carrying the weight of the past three years of uncertainty, fear, and betrayal. “you’ve changed… but so have i.”

tom’s gaze hardened, and he took a step closer to you, his presence consuming the space between you. “you still think i’m capable of the things i’ve done,” he said, his voice low, dangerous. “of course, you do.”

“i think you’re capable of more,” you answered, your voice steady. “but that doesn’t mean i trust you.”

tom’s jaw clenched, but there was something else there, something unreadable in his eyes.

“i never wanted you to trust me,” he said, his voice softer now. “i wanted you to understand me.”

you looked at him for a long moment, your heart heavy. “i don’t understand you, tom,” you admitted quietly. “i don’t think I ever will.”

there was silence then, a pregnant pause between them as the distance stretched thin, and yet, despite everything that had happened, there was something that lingered in the air—something neither of them could quite grasp. tom’s fingers twitched as if he wanted to reach for you, but he held back.

and in that moment, you realized that you might never truly understand tom—you might never be able to. but perhaps, just perhaps, that was the very thing that made him so dangerous.

this is my christmas present to y’all. got so excited writing this that I already wrote the part 2 but i might only publish it in 3 days, so comment if you want to be added to the tag list !!!!!

[inmyheaddd]

✦ steered your way — leo valdez x reader

wc: 2.0k summary: you and your friends have just finished a little quest and are heading back to camp, and you and leo are the only ones awake in the dark of the night. a/n: first leo fic... my baby he's so cute

you weren’t sure how you’d ended up alone with leo. again. not that you minded, but it was becoming something you couldn’t not take notice of. every time the group split up, it always seemed to be you and him. you didn’t think too much of it—at least, not until now.

yes, you'd come best friends as a result of just always being around each other, but now that its been a few months, you started to feel more than just platonic feelings.

now, you two were the only ones on your little quest with your friends taking the night watch. it was the freezing months of winter, but leo being leo, barely even felt the cold. 

you had suggested setting up a fire because your fingertips felt like they were literally about to fall off, and his brows furrowed momentarily like he was confused on why you would suggest that, then realisation hit him. 

“oh,” he said, his hand scratching the back of his neck, “right, yeah, of course— the cold, you're cold. i'll get a fire started!” he grinned, and 5 seconds later, there was a little campfire that you and leo were sitting by, your friends in their tents just a few feet away. 

“we’re heading home tomorrow, right?” you hated being away from camp for so long— it had become a home for you quicker than any place ever has. you finished your quest, but everyone was just so tired, you needed a few hours to just rest.

''yeah,'' he muttered lowly. he was tinkering with some scrap metal he brought with him that he'd been working on every moment of his free time, his knee bouncing as he worked. ''we'll head back first thing tomorrow, maybe get some food along the way.'' his voice was steady, clearly having all his focus on whatever he was doing with that object in his hands.

you liked moments like this with him, the oddly calm and quiet ones, where you could simply just admire him being him, doing the things he loved.

it was a new moon, so the sky was fully dark, save for a few stars and smaller constellations. the campfire cast a soft orange glow on his face, and for a second, you forgot what you were even planning to say.

“you okay over there?” he asked, not even looking up, the teasing back in his voice like he suddenly remembered how he had once declared it was his 'official job to annoy you at all times' a few months ago.

“yeah,” you said quickly, fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. you took a deep breath, trying to ignore the way your heart raced. “actually, uh, i wanted to talk to you about something.”

that got his attention. his hands stilled, the little gadget he was working on shoved into his jackets' pocket carefully as he finally looked up. “what’s up?”

you hesitated, your pulse thrumming in your ears. this was fine. it was leo. it was just leo. except it wasn’t just leo, and that was kind of the problem.

“okay, so, um,” you started, stumbling over your words. “i like you.”

silence.

he blinked at you, his head tilting slightly. "what?"

"i like you," you repeated, your voice softer now, but the words felt no less terrifying.

his brow furrowed, his expression caught somewhere between confused and wary. 

"i don't understand," he said slowly, like he was trying to piece together a puzzle.

you frowned, your confidence slipping.

"what’s there to understand? i just said i like you, leo." you tried to act casual about it, but your heart seemed to have missed the message and was beating like you had just sprinted at speed of a million miles per hour. 

for a second, he didn’t say anything. he just blinked at you, his expression unreadable. and then he laughed—a quick, nervous sound, like he didn’t quite believe you. “what, like, as a friend?”

“no, leo,” you said, your voice wavering slightly, looking him straight in the eyes for a moment. “like, like-like you.”

his mouth opened, then closed, like he didn’t know what to say. 

his eyes darted away from yours, and he shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of his neck. “i mean, a—are you sure?” he asked, and for all his usual cockiness, his voice sounded uncertain now. 

you frowned, leaning forward slightly. “yeah, leo. i’d say i’m pretty sure,” you said with a small chuckle, ”why wouldn’t i be sure?”

he let out a shaky laugh, his gaze still fixed on the gadget in his hands. “i don’t know, ‘cause like, you— we—” he started, then cut himself off with a sigh, “never mind mind, forget it.” 

you noticed the tension in his brows, the way his fingers kept tapping against his thigh, like he would do when he had a million thoughts running through his mind.

“leo,” you said, wanting to do nothing more than kiss the slight frown off his face. why was this so hard for him to believe?

"you're the guy who makes me laugh even when i don't want to. you’re the guy who makes up weird nicknames for me that i pretend to hate, you’re the guy who pretends to be annoyed when i break something, but then spends the whole day fixing it without me even asking. and you’re the guy who..." you trailed off, biting the inside of your cheek to stop your smile. "the guy who's way too hard not to like." 

he finally looked up at you, his brown eyes narrow and searching, like he was trying to figure out if you were messing with him. “you really mean that?”

you couldn’t even hide the stupid smile on your face, “of course i do.” 

for a moment, he just stared at you, his expression soft. then, slowly, that grin that you loved started to spread across his face. “well, uh,” he said, his voice lighter now, “good, ’cause, y’know, i kinda like you too.” he said, “like-like you.”

you couldn’t help but laugh, the tension melting away. “yeah?” you laughed, “that’s good to know, valdez.”

“yeah, well,” he said, his grin turning into a smirk, and you noticed his hands were no longer fidgeting around. “don’t go getting all mushy on me now. i’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

“right, your reputation as a total dork?”

“exactly,” he said, his smirk softening into something warmer. “but, uh, thanks. for, y’know, liking me anyway.”

you rolled your eyes, but your smile didn’t fade. “sure,” you giggled, “anytime.”

he stared at you for a second, then broke into a wide, lopsided grin that made your stomach do another stupid flip. he cocked his head his head to the side beckoning you closer. you happily obliged, leaning into his side as he wrapped an arm around you.

he was unusually silent, so you leaned back from his hold and looked up at him, in question.

''what?'' you asked, and he was biting back a smile like he always did when he was debating if he should saying something stupid. “nothing, i just knew the valdez charm would come through one day.”

you pushed his shoulder, “oh my gods, leo” you stifled a laugh, “nevermind, i take it all back.” 

“wait, wait, wait, i was just kidding!” he reached his arms back out, and it took a lot of self control you didn’t even realize you had to not fall back right into them.

“please come back, i’m sorry.” he said, his voice low and half teasing, and you shook your head as you laughed a little yourself.

“you’re so not funny.”  you mumbled into his chest, the cold air not being a problem anymore.

''yeah, yeah.'' you heard the smile in his voice as his arm moved up and down your shoulder. ''you say that a lot.''

''wait, but,'' he narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as he leant back a little, his arm sliding off. “didn’t you just say that i make you laugh even when you don’t want to? i'd say that means i'm pretty funny. "

''i lied.''

''right. did you lie about the rest too?'' he said sarcastically.

you huffed, biting back a smile as you thought back on that ramble-confession of yours.

''... no.'' you murmured quietly, not even bothering to make a remark as you looked at your hands.

when you looked up, leo had that one grin on his face that was more sweet than teasing. ''would you look at that?'' he said, ''you being all nice and sappy, seriously, i don't deserve it.''

''seriously, stop it,'' you grumbled, and he put his arm back around you. it wasn't unusual because even when you were simply friends, being physical wasn't a rare occurrence.

what was a new occurrence, though, was leo pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

you pressed your lips together to hide your smile, but you couldn't do anything to stop the reddening of your face.

''you know, uh, speaking of charm...'' leo suddenly said, removing his arm from around you and digging into his pocket. ''this was what i was working on earlier, its uh, its a charm.'' he started, ''i made you a bracelet to go with, but its back at camp, so...''

he pulled out a tiny object and held it in between his thumb and pointer fingers. you looked up from his hands to his face, ''can i?" you whispered, like anything louder would ruin the moment.

he mumbled a small, low, ''of course,'' his eyes trained on you as he placed the tiny object in your hands, his fingers brushing over your palm slightly.

he had made you a charm.

despite all of the weaponry and larger scale items he forged, he managed to design the daintiest little thing, about the size of your thumbnail. it was a bronze circular compass, gold edges, with a tiny ruby in the centre.

he watched your reaction, silently hoping that you'd love it. he'd been aiming to finish it before the quest, and give it to you just before you all left to start it off on a good note, but of course, with his luck, he accidentally broke a piece when it was halfway done, and had to restart the whole thing. he really hoped it was worth the wait.

''oh my gods, leo, its so beautiful. i can't believe you made this,'' you muttered, rambling other words of affection in awe as you fully took in the compass and turned it over in your hands.

''yeah, uh the pointer thing, it always points you to wherever you believe home is.''

he mentioned that fact so casually, as if the items importance didn't just increase a million times more in your mind. you looked at him in awe this time, amazement written over your features. he smiled a little awkwardly, and it was the cutest thing you'd ever seen.

with this new fact about the compass, you looked back down at it once more.

you wondered if it was pointing at camp, and you thought about all the times you had, midnight group rendezvous— meeting by the beach and laughing all night, leo persuading you to do karaoke with him which slowly turned into the whole group singing (and almost getting caught), and successfully sneaking back into your cabin and going to bed with a smile on your face.

the pointer seemed to flicker between your friends tents, which made you smile, because your friends really were your home. then you realised, home wasn't the place, but it was rather the people who took up that place.

you really hoped he didn't notice the way the pointer pointed directly at him now.

''i love it, thank you so much,'' you told leo, eyes flickering between his features, before carefully hooking the charm onto your camp necklace temporarily to keep it safe.

''i'm actually... i'm at a loss for words, leo.'' you said with a half hearted chuckle, shaking your head slightly.

he smiled sheepishly, like he didn't know how to respond to the compliment. his eyes flickered down to the charm for a moment, and his face seemed to flush.

''hey, its no problem.'' he grinned at you, ''i can talk enough for the both of us.'' he nudged your shoulder, then held his arm out once again, inviting you in for a side hug.

you nuzzled a little closer into leo's side, and you thought: maybe sitting by this fire, leo's arms around you while all your friends slept was worth the loss of sleep before your journey back home. you snuck another look at the compass, and you smiled a little. yeah— still pointing right at leo.

taglist: @lovethornes @littlemissmentallyunstable @midiosaamor @maybxlle @imaseabear @sheisntyou @off-to-the-r4ces @anintellectualintellectual @wish-i-were-heather @hxress23 @hermesenthusiast @that-daughter-of-hephaestus

[padfootagain]

Love in Verses (XXXIX)

Chapter 39: ‘He grew so tender and I so grateful which maybe tells you something about how it was’

Hi! Here is a new chapter! Alright, things can’t be perfect all the time, let’s spice things up a little bit…

I hope you like this chapter! Tell me what you think!

****

Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader (professor!AU)

Warnings: slow burn, angst, hurt, hurt/comfort, tooth-rotting fluff in later chapters, some scenes in later chapters will have heavy sexual themes even if it’s not explicit nsfw description, so no minors here

Summary: Your life seems perfect. You're engaged, your career is thriving as you become an assistant professor at Trinity College, and this Andrew Hozier-Byrne you're sharing an office with seems to be a nice guy you hope to call a friend soon. Life seems to be smiling at you... until everything goes sour. When your fiancé breaks up with you, your perfect world shatters. And when your colleague also gets his heart broken soon after, your shared office seems to be a curse rather than a blessing. But Andrew seems determined to mend your broken hearts... Will things finally go according to plan?

Word Count: 4508

Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s masterlist – Main masterlist

Here

After it ended badly it got so much better which took a while of course but still he grew so tender and I so grateful which maybe tells you something about how it was I’m trying to tell you I know you have staggered wept spiraled through a long room banging you head against it holding crushed bird skulls in your hands your many hearts unstrung unable to play a note their wood still beautiful and carved so elaborately maybe a collector would want them stupid collectors always preserving and never breaking open the jars so everyone starves while admiring the view you don’t own anyone everything will be taken from you go ahead and eat this poem it will help

Kim Addonizio

“You should bring Y/N over next Sunday.”

Raine’s invitation wasn’t the first one of this kind, and Andrew smiled as she offered to welcome you to Saturday’s family dinner. Still, he didn’t want to push you, you had been together for merely a couple of months, he didn’t want to rush you.

“Soon, I promise, mom.”

“You know we like her already… but your dad and I want to know her better.”

“I know, mom.”

“Then bring her next week.”

“I’ll think about it.”

The door of your shared office opened, and you walked in, smiling as you saw him. God, you were so beautiful today…

“I have to go, mom. I’ll call you later, yeah?”

“Sure, honey. Have a nice day.”

“You too, mom. Bye. Love you.”

“Love you, Andy.”

He ended the call and turned to you as you walked around your desk, putting down your bag.

“How was your meeting, babe?” Andrew asked, walking over to you, bending to avoid the lamp hanging from the ceiling and burying his hands in his pockets.

“It was… interesting.”

“That bad, huh?”

“We’ll see. For now, some professors are reluctant at the thought of organising a full set of conferences around women and the female gaze. They fear there ‘won’t be enough speakers’.”

“Bullshit.”

“Yeah… it’s okay, I can still convince them.”

“I’m sure you will. You can do it, babe.”

“Thanks, honey.”

You smiled up at him when he moved even closer, so close you had to lean against your desk.

“Did you want something else, professor?”

God, his heart was beating so fast… it was so fucking hot when you called him that…

He had to remind himself that you were working, that he couldn’t simply devour you…

“Professor…”

“Stop it… we can’t.”

“Hmmm… I know.”

“Then why are you teasing, professor?”

Your lips parted for a second, and he smirked at the tortured look on your face.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, until he rested his hands on your desk, right next to where your lower back was pressed against the furniture, enclosing you between his arms.

“I like it when you blush,” you confessed, making him laugh.

“That’s still pretty cruel…”

You let out a sigh when he connected his lips to your neck, when he bit and kissed your pulse, his hold on your desk tightening so he would keep his composure. Your fingers got lost in his hair.

“Was that your mother on the phone?” you asked, breathless.

He merely hummed in response.

“How is she?”

“Fine…”

Gently, you pulled him away from your skin.

“We can’t, not here…”

Andrew nodded, trying to hide how hard it was to pull away.

“How are your parents,” you asked while he took a step back, remaining close to you, but none of you touching the other anymore.

“They’re fine. Just… the usual. My mom is working on a new painting.”

“Amazing!”

He thought about asking you, then. But it was too soon… it was too soon…

Were you really over Frank? Would you really stay? He couldn’t get his parents involved if you simply chose to disappear…

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice.”

He shook himself, put his hands into his pockets again.

“I should go back to work,” he reasoned. “I need to go to the library this afternoon, will probably work from there for a few hours.”

“Yeah, I should go back to work too… I have so much to do.”

“You’re still coming over tonight, right?”

“Of course!” you answered with an excited grin.

“I might not come back to the office before heading home…”

“Okay, I’ll see you tonight at seven, then?”

“Yeah, sure.”

You rose to your tiptoes to peck his lips, before turning to your computer, and Andrew walked back to his desk to gather his things.

He kept on wondering if bringing you to his parents was a good idea or not…

Andrew was an overthinker, which meant that he had a special talent for ruining his own life.

His day had taken a bad turn after that shared moment in your office. He was frustrated with the article he was working on, and the conversation with his mother kept on being played on repeat in his head.

And he simply… doubted himself.

There were days when his brain got too busy, too loud, and darker thoughts and doubts were enhanced in those times. And now that he was torturing himself on whether or not he was going too fast, his own insecurities were coming back. Was he really good enough for you? So far, he hadn’t had to change to make you love him, wasn’t that strange? He was used to tune down some of his interests, to be quieter than he wanted to be, so Sam would love him.

Wasn’t it strange that you were still talking for hours? That you were still interested in him? That you… didn’t ask for him to change?

And what if you longed for Frank still?

Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed the knocking on his front door. Only when Elwood sprinted across the room and barked at the wooden surface did he realise that it was already 7 pm, that you were waiting on his doorstep.

He heaved a sigh, forced himself to hide his pain, before walking across his flat to welcome you in.

You greeted him with a grin, and a pizza box.

“Brought dinner!” were your first words, and he couldn’t refrain a smile as he took the box you were handing him.

“Thanks, baby.”

You went to your tiptoes to kiss him, and while he pecked your lips he wondered if it would be too much if he yielded to his impulse and hugged you now.

Yeah… probably… he would be too much…

“How was your afternoon?” you asked, taking off your shoes and jacket, before giving Elwood some scratches.

“Erm… yeah… it was fine.”

You looked at him, something expectant on your face, but he didn’t want to bother you with some unimportant problems. Sam was never interested in those anyway…

“Are you hungry, then?” he asked, already walking to his kitchen.

“Erm… sure! Yeah! Starving actually!”

“How was your afternoon?”

“Nothing very important happened… but I’ve found some interesting articles…”

He let you babble away for a while, nodding while he set the table.

You started eating, but then you grew quiet, and he wasn’t sure why. You had been excited, and then you simply… stopped talking.

Was he being annoying? Was that something he needed to change?

At the back of his head, his mother’s voice was still asking to invite you, and he was still debating on whether it was a good idea or not, and what about Frank? Did you still think about him? Did you still want him? Did you…

“Andy?”

He looked up at you, surprised that you were using his name. You hadn’t in a few weeks. The pet names were all you used when you were alone by now.

“Hmm?”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No… why?”

“I don’t know, you’re… you’re very quiet tonight.”

He couldn’t tell you that he was asking himself a thousand questions, that he was doubting himself, that he wanted to hold you close, because he would be too much then, and anyway he couldn’t talk about his feelings, he was never good at it and…

“Did something happen this afternoon? Are you okay?” you insisted, and he looked away, rubbing at his collarbone now.

“No, no… I’m okay.”

You remained quiet for a while.

“You can tell me anything, you know? I’m your girlfriend, I’m here for you,” you offered in a gentle, soothing voice.

“I’m fine.”

“Okay.”

“You… you were talking about your seminar… what about that speaker you wanted to contact, then?”

“Erm… I’ll contact her tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He waited for you to speak some more, but you didn’t, and the silence that settled was awkward, at best.

This was so unusual for you. It was supposed to be easy to be with you, what was happening,? What was he doing wrong?

Would you leave? Would you regret Frank all over again?

“Andy.”

“Yeah?”

“Please, tell me what’s wrong. Why aren’t you talking to me? Is there something bothering you? Have I done something?”

“No, no… nothing, I’m just… tired.”

You stared at him, but there was nothing else he could say without talking about his feelings, and he couldn’t do that. He didn’t want to bother you, to be too much, and anyway, he didn’t like talking about his feelings, so what was the point in burdening you with those…

“Oh, okay… do you want to go to bed early?”

“Erm… sure, yeah…”

“Okay… I’ll clean up with you, and then leave you to it, then.”

He blinked up at you as you got up and picked up your plate.

You were leaving? You were supposed to stay the night…

“You… you can stay, if you’d like.”

“It’s okay, I understand that you’re tired. We can have dinner again tomorrow.”

“Okay…”

You gave him a bright grin. Were you happy to leave?

He started fidgeting, hurried to clean up the table. He noticed the way you seemed disappointed when you moved to his hallway though.

He was doing everything wrong, somehow, what was he doing wrong?

You wanted Frank again, of course, because he would know how to hold you back, and Andrew didn’t, and…

“Andy?”

“Hmm?”

“I get that you’re not in the mood to talk, but… I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong, babe.”

“Please… you’ve barely said a word tonight. What’s going on?”

“Nothing, I just… wanted to listen to you.”

You frowned at that.

“You… you didn’t say anything.”

“I had nothing to say.”

“Now, that’s not true. Why are you lying?”

“I’m not.”

“Andy…”

“I said I’m fine!”

Your eyes grew a little round at his harsh tone, and he regretted snapping as soon as the words passed his lips, but it was too late to take the words back now.

“Why are you mad at me?” you asked, hurt evident on your features.

He heaved a frustrated sigh.

“I’m not mad at you, I’m… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Alright… well, I’m here if you change your mind.”

He watched as you grabbed your jacket, couldn’t refrain the words from passing his lips.

“Why are you leaving?”

You turned to him with a puzzled frown.

“You said you were tired, and you don’t want to talk to me… I thought you didn’t want me to stay.”

“I… I didn’t mean for you to leave.”

“Then… talk to me.”

He heaved a frustrated sigh, ran a hand through his hair.

“I… there’s no need, I’m fine.”

“That was almost convincing, I’ll give you another try.”

“It’s not funny.”

You put on your jacket, and he was so frustrated right now, by his own thoughts, by you leaving, by his stupid feelings making him vulnerable and overreacting and…

“Are you angry?” he asked, but you shook your head.

“No… disappointed, rather.”

You were disappointed in him… of course, you were. You thought he was worth the trouble, but he wasn’t, and you were realising it, and Frank was better even though he was a fucking jerk and…

His hurt came out of his mouth as acidic words.

“Right, leave then.”

You froze, flashed him a glare.

“What’s wrong with you?”

He rubbed at his neck, until it was painful, but he didn’t care.

“Nothing’s wrong…”

“Of course, something’s wrong! I’m not blind! I’m not an idiot!”

“Why are you leaving? You said you’d stay tonight…”

“That was before you acted like you didn’t want me here.”

“I didn’t…”

“Of course you did!”

You started to put on your shoes.

You were leaving… you were leaving…

“Alright then, leave!”

“That’s what I’m doing!”

You were leaving because you didn’t want him, because he wasn’t enough, because he hadn’t changed for you, because Frank was better, Frank…

“Well, then… go back to Frank!”

The look of horror on your face sobered him up, made all traces of frustration or annoyance vanish. Instead, he was just afraid.

“You don’t mean that.”

Your lower lip trembled, he saw tears glimmering in your eyes.

What had he done? What was he doing?

“Take that back. Andy, take that back…”

He remained silent, staring at you and rubbing at his shoulder and collarbone.

He was fucking up everything…

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you tonight, but I hope you’ll tell me once you’re calmer again,” you said in a cold voice, and he hated that tone.

And then you turned around, your hand on the doorknob.

You were leaving, you were leaving… because he couldn’t open his fucking mouth and be honest…

“Don’t… please, don’t leave.”

His voice was fragile now, and he hated it, he hated the weakness that transpired through it. You stopped your movements, turned to him, but your fingers remained on the doorknob.

“I just… I want you to stay,” he pleaded, but you raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

You crossed your arms before your chest. You were angry, but at least you weren’t about to open the door anymore…

“Really? Cause you don’t look like you want me around tonight.”

“I do. Please…”

“What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“I just… I’m sorry… my head’s all over the place… I do want you to stay though. I really do.”

You heaved a sigh, took off your jacket again.

“Talk to me, then, okay? If you don’t want to tell me what’s bothering you, then… tell me about your day. Or anything… I just… I want to understand what’s in your head right now. And please, stop this, your skin is all red.”

He was surprised when you reached for his hand, stopped his nervous gesture, and rubbed soothing circles in the back of his hand.

“Why did you talk about Frank?”

Andrew looked down at his feet. You were still wearing your shoes.

“That…that was really hurtful.”

“I’m sorry…” he mumbled under his breath.

“Why would you say that? Did you mean that? Do you… do you want to get back with Sam?”

“What?! Of course not!”

“Why would you say something like that, then?!”

“Because I… I don’t…”

He heaved a frustrated sigh.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Slowly, you nodded. He could see you were hurting though…

He was hurting you. He was hurting you… his silence was hurting you…

God, it was so painful to admit it all this out loud.

“I’m afraid.”

You gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, your expression softening.

“I’m afraid… about this. About you… leaving, and… I’m afraid you’re going to regret Frank. I’m afraid you’d choose him over me. And I’m… I’m afraid to go too fast, and to make you freak out. And I’m afraid because… I’m not changing for you, and that means I’m not giving you what you want, and…”

“Wait… what?”

“Sam… I was quiet with her, and I knew what parts of me she didn’t like, and so I tuned them down, but you’re… tonight you said you didn’t want me quiet, the way she wanted me, so… so what should I do? What should I do, so you can love me?”

He blinked tears away, and he hated it, he hated being so vulnerable before you, you could destroy him entirely with how much of his heart you owned and…

You reached up to gently stroke his cheek, and he was taken aback by your tender gesture.

“Andy… I don’t want you to change anything for me. I love you. Just as you are. I don’t want you to be quiet, I don’t want you to tune down any part of you. I just… want to be with you. That’s all. And I don’t regret Frank, not at all. I’m very happy with you.”

He blinked, trying to process your words.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. And I… I would choose you over him. If I had to make that choice, I would choose you. I love you, not him. Not anymore.”

He brushed the tear that had begun rolling down his cheek, nodded.

He wasn’t sure he believed everything you were saying, and yet he knew you were earnest, that you weren’t lying.

“I’m sorry for tonight, I just… got really into my head, and just… I really doubted… everything, and… I’m sorry. Please, don’t leave, Y/N. I don’t want you to leave.”

“What do you want then? Earnestly. What do you want?”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“Why would it be? I’m your girlfriend, you can tell me anything.”

He forced the words out of his mouth, despite how vulnerable it made him feel.

“I… I really want you to hold me, right now.”

He let out a wry laugh.

“Christ, that’s pathetic…”

But before he could add another word, you were holding him in a tight embrace. All he could do was to hold you just as tightly.

“What about we go to bed, and cuddle?” you offered.

“Yeah… please…”

“Alright, I’ll get changed, okay?”

“Okay.”

You took off your shoes, picked up the pyjamas you had left in his drawer a couple of weeks ago, and disappeared in the bathroom. Then, Andrew got changed as well, and when he walked inside his bedroom again, you were already in his bed, waiting for him.

“Come here,” you invited him, opening your arms for him.

Slowly, like he couldn’t quite believe it, Andrew walked around the bed, lied down and nestled into your embrace, burying his face into your neck. For the first time that day, he let his body fully relax.

“You’re okay?” you asked, and he hummed in response.

“Yeah… much better. I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay. We can talk about it again tomorrow. Let’s just rest now.”

You turned off the lamp on your bedside table, and in your arms, Andrew was out like a light.

Andrew woke up to the smell of coffee.

You had closed the door of his bedroom when you got up, to let him rest a little longer. As classes were over for this year, you could allow yourselves to arrive later at work. As long as the job was done, no one cared when you arrived or left.

He checked the time, it was almost 8 am.

He forced his body to move, to get up, groaned as he stretched the sleeping muscles of his long back. He almost hit his head in the doorframe, forgetting for a second that he needed to bend to avoid it.

You were there alright, in your pyjamas, putting butter on toasts and talking to Elwood. Andrew’s heart melted at the sight.

You fitted so well in his life, in his home… this was obvious, you and him. Everything about it was obviously right, so why was he sabotaging himself?

You turned to him as you heard him enter the room, welcomed him with a smile. But it wasn’t as bright as your usual ones, and a lump crept up Andrew’s throat.

“Morning, babe,” you greeted him, voice soft.

“Morning, love.”

He wanted to reach out, to hold you close, to kiss you and apologise, but he was too afraid of messing up everything again…

“Slept well?” he asked instead. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“Yeah, I slept well.”

You poured him a coffee, stared at him as if gauging his reaction.

He heaved a sigh.

“I’m sorry about last night,” he let out in a whisper.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not. It… it really is not. I’m sorry.”

“I just… I don’t really understand what happened.”

He started fidgeting, but he spoke anyway.

“I… like… I was stressed, and tired, and got stuck into my own head and… I think… I got really insecure.”

He heaved a frustrated sigh.

“I’m not… I’m not very good at talking about how I feel in those moments. I just… get stuck in my own ugly thoughts, and I fuck up everything.”

Slowly, you nodded.

“I see… is that okay if we talk about last night some more?”

“Sure… yeah…”

“Andy… Look, I’m sorry if I didn’t react well. Maybe I could have handled that situation better…”

“It wasn’t your fault, it was mine,” Andrew shook his head. “I told you, I got stuck in my head, and was a mess…”

“Maybe I’ve triggered this…”

“You didn’t. Really, Y/N… none of this is your fault. I’m sorry.”

“Last night… you said some things… we need to talk about them.”

“Do we?”

He averted his eyes, spinning his toast in his hand, without taking a bite.

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” you said in a weaker voice. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, it’s not your fault.”

He knew you were right. You needed to talk about last night. He needed to clear the air, make up for the stupid things he said.

The stupidest of all was easy to remember.

“I’m sorry I mentioned Frank. It was cruel, and uncalled for.”

“Why did you say that?”

He shrugged.

“I just… I don’t know.”

“It hurt.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Like… I’m scared, Y/N. I’m really scared you’re going to wake up soon and regret giving me a chance, and regret not fighting for him more and…”

“I’ll never regret you, Andy.”

He looked up at you again, let his heart bloom with hope.

“I… I don’t have everything figured out either when it comes to us,” you admitted. “Sometimes, I worry too… that you’re going to leave, that you’d rather be with Sam. But I need to believe that you’d choose me over her. And you have to believe me when I tell you that I would not hesitate for a second. I would choose you, Andy. Even if Frank came begging to get me back, I would not hesitate, and I would choose you. I don’t love him anymore, I love you.”

Slowly, he nodded.

“Do you believe me?”

He couldn’t lie to you, he simply couldn’t. He knew you were being vulnerable now, and he couldn’t answer with a lie, even if it meant to make things harder for you.

“I know you’re telling the truth,” he nodded. “But I… my brain just… like… I’m really struggling believing that’s the case.”

“Why? Don’t you trust me?”

“I do. Of course, I do. But I’m… I’m not used to having someone who loves me the way you do. And with how Sam left, I… I thought she was a safe place, and it turned out she wasn’t. It’s hard to come back from that.”

Slowly, you nodded.

“I understand.”

“It’s not that I believe you’re lying, or that you could hurt me on purpose. It’s more that… I feel like you’re going to wake up one day, and realise you’ve made the wrong choice, and you’re just going to leave…”

“The way Sam did.”

“Yeah…”

“I’m not her, Andy.”

“I know. And I’m not Frank. Could you love me the way you loved him?”

He was surprised when you smiled, and even more so when you got up and walked over to him. He pushed back his chair so you could stand between his parted legs, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“I don’t want things to be the way they were with Frank,” you answered, staring intensely into his eyes, and he lost himself in the shades of your gaze. “I want better than him. You are better than him. I want to love you better than Sam loved you, too. I want this to be better, Andy. I’m not going to love you the way I loved Frank. I’m going to be happier with you.”

His heart grew warm at your words, at the sincerity in your voice and eyes as you spoke them. He blinked tears away…

God, he was such a sap, these days… crying over everything…

“All I want is for you to be happy, Y/N,” he whispered.

“And I want you to be happy, too.”

“I’m happy with you.”

You held him close, he nuzzled his face into your chest, his forehead resting against your chin.

“I’m happy with you,” you confessed. “And Andy… last night… I meant what I said. I don’t want you to change. I want you. Okay? I want you to be yourself when you’re with me. I want to talk with you. I want to hear everything you have to say. And I… I don’t want you to be afraid when you’re with me. I love you. I want to be here, with you. I’m certain about this. This… us… it feels so right…”

He took a moment to let your words sink in. And perhaps he could learn to believe them. That you could love him fully, like that. Yeah… yeah, he could believe that, with a little bit of time…

“Loving you is… I feel like myself when you’re with me,” he admitted in a fragile whisper. “And it’s… it makes me happy. But I’m not quite used to that. I’m sorry, if it takes me some time to adjust.”

“I understand. You can take all the time you need. Just… just promise me you won’t use Frank and Sam against me ever again…”

“I won’t. I promise you, I won’t.”

“Okay… I promise I won’t either.”

“Thank you.”

You heaved a relieved sigh.

“We should get ready for work.”

“This is nice, though… give us five more minutes.”

You chuckled, making him smile.

And he thought back about his mother’s words, and he forced himself not to be so scared anymore.

“Baby?”

“Hmm?” you hummed, kissing his hair, holding him close to you.

“Would you like to come to my parents’ for dinner this weekend?”

He was surprised when you started laughing.

“So… we’re resolving our first real fight… and you directly jump to bringing me to your parents’?”

He couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Yeah… that’s a way to change the subject, I guess,” he joked, making you laugh again. “My mom asked for you to come, though.”

“Really?”

“Hmmm…”

“And you want me to come?”

“Yeah… but I’m worried I’m going too fast. I don’t mean to freak you out.”

“Who will be there?”

“My parents and my brother.”

“I’ve never met your brother.”

“No… but you’ve met my parents.”

“Yeah… and you have to warn your father, by the way… I will ask for our bet to be honoured. He lost. I was right about the rugby match we placed bets on. He owes me a beer.”

Andrew laughed.

“Alright… I’ll warn him. Do you want to come, then?”

“Of course, I want to come.”

“Is it not too soon?”

“No… it’s okay… I want to see them. And I want my free beer.”

You were laughing at your own joke, but he quickly shushed you with his lips.

Yes… perhaps, one day, he could believe that you loved him as much as he loved you…

[st4rrzynight]

𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔, 𝐈’𝐌 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘 — 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 — 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬/𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭– 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐫

𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

𝟏𝟎:𝟓𝟑 𝐏𝐌. i anxiously stared at the time on my phone. it has almost been an hour and paige still hasn't shown up. tonight is my birthday, she promised she'd show up after she washed up from tonights game.

i'm looking around as my friends converse around me in my apartment. my roommates have already questioned me on the absence of my girlfriend. i wish i knew why she wasn't here either.

i enter the passcode to my phone in a hurry as i pull up her contact and type out a message.

Paige 💜🫶

hey, where are you? everyone’s asking about you... are you on your way?

i'm so sorry, babe. i can’t make it.

what?

i know, i know. I feel awful about it, but something came up the team wanted me to come celebrate tonights win with them

its my birthday paige you promised you would be here. going out with the team is suddenly more important than your girlfriends birthday?

it's not just "going out". it's to celebrate tonights win, and it's kind of a big deal. if i don't show up, it could look bad. i don't want to let them down, you have to understand.

no paige, i don’t understand. I’m standing here, surrounded by my friends, and i have to keep making excuses as to why you’re not here. do you know how embarrassing that is? to not have my own girlfriend show up to celebrate my birthday??

i'm sorry, okay? i’ll make it up to you. i’ll take you out somewhere nice tomorrow just the two of us, yeah?

no paige it’s not about “making it up.” it’s about showing up when you say you will. but you NEVER do.

that’s not fair. you know how much pressure i’m under i just want to celebrate the win, look i'll make it up to you tomorrow i promise.

paige i am so tired of this. seriously, you keep making empty promises, you get my hopes up only for you to tell me a half assed excuse that you pulled straight out of your ass last minute.

please don’t do this right now. i’ll call you after i leave.

don’t bother, we're done.

what??

read 10:56

what do you mean were done??

read 10:58

y/n answer me please baby

read 10:59

please ill do anything ill make it up to you i promise please answer my message baby

⚠︎︎ not delivered

꥟

ᵖᵃⁱᵍᵉˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

two years. 730 days. i lost her two years ago today, i lost it all. i know it was my fault, i put everything above her and i deeply regret it. now i have to live life in regret watching from the sidelines as she celebrates her birthday once again. this time, with her girlfriend.

her laugh filling the air knowing i used to be the cause of that laughter. admiring her from across the bar, sitting in between my teammates as they make conversation yet i can't bring myself to take my eyes off of her.

i scan ever inch of her body my eyes stopped on her wrist, then her fingers, then her neck. every single piece of jewelry i got her, gone. none of it in sight as if it never existed.

a hand on her thigh from a woman who was a copy of me. blonde, blue eyes, tall, and she plays soccer. but its not me. it will never be me again.

i can't even blame her, thats why i hate it. i hate that i can't hate her no matter how hard i try because in the end i will always love her and it will always be her.

even if i'm not her happy ever after. i distract myself trying to find someone new but it never ends well. i always find similarities between the girls i've gone on dates with and her. thats what attracts me to them, the fact that they slightly even look like her. but they will never compare to her full look, no one will.

so for the rest of time ill find myself watching from the sidelines seeing her take on life with someone who isn't me by her side, someone who looks like me but is not entirely me.

it will always kill me, it's going to eat me alive till i die. knowing that i'm not hers anymore, i won't be looking for her in the student section knowing shes there. instead ill be looking for her in the student section in hopes she decided to show up, but i know she didn't. she's going to be in the student section of the soccer games watching and cheering on her.

i won't be able to buy her flowers anymore, instead i watch as she gets gifted flowers by another woman. except those aren't her favorite. they're the wrong flowers.

i wont be able to buy her the perfume she always wears when it runs out, her signature scent that i always loved. instead i watch as she gets gifted perfume by another woman. she sprays it into the air and by the time it reaches where i sit i know its not the one she loves. its the wrong perfume.

i won't be making late night sephora trips, picking out her favorite makeup products when shes running low. instead i watch as she gets gifted makeup by another woman. its the wrong brand.

because of my mistakes, ones that i regret so deeply, i now live with the gnawing feeling knowing that she now loves a woman who doesn't pay attention to small details and gifts her all the wrong things, on her birthday of all days, but she showed up. i didn't.

clearly i lacked attention to detail as well if i couldn't see how much i truly disappointed and hurt her and didn't even show up. i wish it went down differently.

every shooting star, every coin toss into a fountain, every time the clock hits 11:11, every fallen eyelash, every dandelion, my last two birthdays, my only wish was to have her back.

but i cant.

not anymore.

and it hurts.

i open up my phone clicking on her contact, i type out one last message, even if i know she won't ever get it. i type it out and send it as some type of closure.

𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐢'𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲.

⚠︎︎ not delivered

𝐚/𝐧 — 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐍𝐎 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫

𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 —

@uwupaige @jadasogay @sweetluna20

[clarkeyhill]

Makeup | George Clarke

Fluff

It was just past midnight when you stumbled through the front door, the sound of your heels clicking against the floor. The air outside had been crisp, but inside the apartment, it was warm and cozy, thanks to George, who had stayed home that night. He was curled up on the couch, scrolling on his phone, waiting for you like he always did when you went out with friends.

Hearing the door, George immediately looked up, his face breaking into an amused smile. There you were, slightly tipsy, swaying on your feet as you tried to untangle your coat. “Babe?” he called, standing up to meet you.

“George!” you giggled, arms flinging out for balance as you dramatically spun around. “I’m home!”

“I can see that,” he chuckled, catching your arms gently before you toppled over. “And very much enjoying yourself, I take it?”

You nodded enthusiastically, your words tumbling out in a happy slur about how fun the night had been. George, patient as always, listened with a fond smile, his hands steadying your shoulders as you wobbled.

“Alright, let’s get you to bed,” he said softly.

“But I’m not tired,” you protested, though the long blinks of your eyes told a different story.

With a soft laugh, George guided you to the bathroom. “Let’s get your makeup off first, okay?”

You grumbled something about being too sleepy for that, but he was already dampening a cotton pad. With the gentleness of someone who had done this before, George carefully wiped away your eyeliner and mascara while you swayed slightly in front of the mirror.

“You’re too good to me,” you mumbled, watching him through half-lidded eyes.

He grinned. “Someone’s got to take care of you, and it might as well be me.”

When your face was clean, he found your hair tie on the counter and began gathering your hair into a loose ponytail. It wasn’t perfect—George wasn’t exactly a hairstylist—but it was secure enough to keep your hair out of your face as you slept.

“There,” he said proudly, stepping back to admire his work.

You giggled again, the tipsiness making everything seem funnier. “You’re a genius, George.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he teased, ushering you toward the bedroom. “Now, pajamas. What are we thinking—fluffy penguins or stripes?”

“Penguins!” you declared, your choice decisive despite the way you almost tripped over your own feet.

George helped you sit on the edge of the bed and handed you the soft, penguin-covered pajama pants and matching top. You fumbled with the buttons, so he crouched down in front of you, taking over with a calm efficiency that warmed your heart.

Once you were snug in your pajamas, George pulled back the covers and helped you climb into bed. The cool sheets felt heavenly against your skin, and you let out a content sigh as he tucked you in.

“Water,” he reminded you, holding out a glass.

You groaned but obediently sipped, finishing half the glass before handing it back to him. “Thank you, George,” you murmured, your voice already heavy with sleep.

He slid into bed beside you, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you close. “Goodnight, love,” he whispered into your hair, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

You didn’t respond—you were already fast asleep, your breaths soft and even as you melted into his embrace. George smiled to himself, holding you a little tighter. Nights like this reminded him just how much he adored you, tipsy giggles and all.

-

🫶🏻

[deansbabyangel]

hidden treasures — a dean winchester drabble!

summary: dean discovers reader’s hidden stash of plushies during the day, leading to a playful and sweet moment.

includes: fluff, pet names (sweetheart, angel), ddlg vibes.

dean was walking through the bunker, looking for you. it was midday, and he was curious about what you were up to. as he passed the bathroom, he noticed the door slightly ajar. he peeked inside and found you rummaging through a cupboard, a soft blush on your cheeks.

“hey, sweetheart, what are you doing?” dean asked, stepping inside.

you jumped slightly at his voice, turning to face him with wide eyes. “oh, hi, dean! i was just… um… looking for something.”

dean raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “looking for what?”

before you could answer, a small plush bunny tumbled out of the cupboard and landed at his feet. dean picked it up, a smirk spreading across his face. “what do we have here?”

your blush deepened, and you nervously fiddled with your fingers. “it’s… it’s my collection. they make me feel safe.”

dean chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled out more plushies: a little lamb, a teddy bear, and a few others. “you’ve been hiding these from me, angel?”

you nodded shyly, looking down at your feet. “i didn’t think you’d understand.”

dean’s expression softened, and he walked over to you, pulling you into a gentle hug. “hey, it’s okay. everyone’s got their things. and if these make you feel safe, then that’s all that matters.”

you looked up at him, your eyes shimmering with affection. “really?”

he pressed a kiss to your forehead, his voice low and reassuring. “really, sweetheart. besides, they’re pretty cute.”

you giggled softly, snuggling closer to him. “thank you, dean.”

dean squeezed you tighter, his heart swelling with warmth. “anytime, angel. now, let’s find a nice spot for these little guys, okay?”

you nodded eagerly, and together you arranged your plushies on a shelf in your room. as you stood back to admire your handiwork, dean wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close.

“see? they look perfect there,” he said, a satisfied smile on his lips.

“they do,” you agreed, leaning into his embrace. “thank you, dean. for understanding.”

he kissed the top of your head again, his voice a soothing whisper. “anything for you, sweetheart.”

a/n: OMGGG this is my first thing on here!! i hope you all love it!! requests are open (please check my info linked to my pinned post before requesting) + anons are always welcome!! <33

[arixella]

How would the monster trio (and Ace) react to reader telling them “hold me beer” as she goes on fight someone or do something?

Yessss this is a good oneee!! <3

Them reacting to you telling them “hold my beer” as you goes on fight 'monster trio + ace

wc: 870 a/n: none one piece masterlist

Monkey D. Luffy

-Luffy would be absolutely thrilled and a little confused, but he’s always up for a challenge. The moment you say, “Hold my beer,” his face lights up with excitement, and he jumps at the chance to hold something for you.

“Hold your beer?” Luffy blinks for a moment, then laughs loudly. “Sure! I’m the best at holding drinks!” He takes the beer from you, but instead of holding it like you expected, he’d immediately start chugging it down, misunderstanding the request entirely. He might even finish it before you’re halfway through your fight.

-As you head off to face your opponent, Luffy’s attention would shift to you in an instant. He’s your biggest cheerleader, so he’d be shouting from the sidelines, encouraging you like you’re the most amazing person in the world. “Go [Y/N]! You can do it!” He’d probably distract the opponent by making loud noises and jumping around to cheer you on.

-If anyone dares to challenge you or tries to hurt you, Luffy would leap into action without a second thought. “You mess with [Y/N], you mess with me!” He’ll throw himself into the fray to make sure you’re safe, even if it means forgetting about the beer completely.

-Once the dust settles, Luffy would return to you with a huge grin, practically bouncing with energy. “I knew you could do it! I’m the best drink holder, right?” He’d give you a thumbs up, still proudly clutching the empty beer can.

Roronora Zoro

-Zoro would act annoyed, but he’d still take the beer without hesitation, just to avoid further argument. “Tch, I’m not your personal drink holder,” he mutters, but when you give him that sharp look, he grabs the beer, grumbling under his breath.

“Fine. I’ll hold your drink. Don’t make a big deal about it,” Zoro would say, still annoyed, but not willing to argue further. He’d stand there, leaning against something, taking a long, lazy look at the fight you’re about to take on.

-Despite his grumbling, Zoro’s focus would shift to you. His arms would cross as he watches with a calm, observant expression. While he’s not one to outwardly cheer or show much emotion, his eyes would follow every move you make, and if anyone were to get in your way, he’d be ready to spring into action without hesitation.

-If things get rough, Zoro would throw the beer aside, unsheathing his sword in one smooth motion, and dive into the fray. “Told you not to get into trouble,” he’d grumble, but there’s no doubt that his actions show how much he cares. He’s there when it matters.

-Afterward, Zoro would hand the beer back with little fanfare, though there’s a hint of something almost tender in his eyes. “Don’t make me do that again. You better not get hurt next time.”

Sanji

-Sanji would be absolutely charmed by your request, treating the beer as if it’s the most precious thing in the world. “Anything for you, beautiful [Y/N],” he’d say with a dramatic flourish, as if he’s being asked to hold a rare gem. “I’ll guard this beer like it’s my life!”

-While you head off to fight, Sanji would watch you with a look of admiration in his eyes, practically swooning. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ve got your drink, and I’ve got your back!” He’d keep his focus on the beer, but he’d also be checking in on you from time to time, making sure you’re doing okay.

-If the fight turns dangerous or looks like it might go south, Sanji would jump in immediately, tossing the beer aside with no care for it. “I can’t let you fight alone, my love!” He’d be there, protecting you and finishing off your opponent with a blend of flashy moves and smooth remarks.

-After the fight, Sanji would rush over, eager to check on you, offering the beer back with a gentle smile. “You were incredible, my darling. Let me treat you to something better than this beer—how about some food and a real drink?” His concern for you would be apparent, and he’d make sure you’re well taken care of.

Portgas D. Ace

-Ace would laugh and enjoy the moment, though he’d play along with a playful wink. “Hold your beer? Sure thing, [Y/N]. I’m your guy,” he’d say with a grin, clearly finding the situation amusing.

-As you go off to fight, Ace would keep an eye on you from the sidelines, supporting you with shouts of encouragement. “You’ve got this, [Y/N]! Don’t let them push you around!” He’d make sure the beer stays in one piece, but his real focus would be on making sure you’re handling the situation.

-If you end up needing help, Ace would jump in with his usual confidence, tossing the beer aside as he steps forward to deal with the problem. “Looks like you need a little backup, huh?” He’d tease you but be ready to back you up in a flash.

-Once you’re victorious, Ace would return the beer with a wink. “No problem at all! Your drink’s safe and sound.” He’d tease you about how easy it was, but it’s clear he’s just happy to see you succeed. "Next time, just let me know if you need me to hold anything else."

♡♡♡

[nieceeee]

MY LITTLE SECRET

Ony x reader

P/S: You and Ony had never really solidified your relationship with one another. It was all "my man my man my man" when yall were alone but in public, nobody knew the dirty little secret you shared. Not even Ony's little girlfriend. So when he pulls up to the party with her on his arm, will you be able to keep that secret under wraps? If he doesn't tell, you won't tell..

A/N: Angst. I heard the song and went with it. I DONT CONDONE CHEATING! I don't usually write hard angst so this is an interesting one for sure so let me know what you think. MNDI, small smut section in the beginning.

“Fuck Ony. Right there.”

You whine out in ecstasy. His lips pressed against your neck, peppering kisses all over you as his hips piston into you, tip driving into your cervix. You had been going at it for at least two hours. The way he fucked you, you would think you were mortal enemies. Your manicured nails dip crevices into his back and he strokes you deep. “Ony f-fuck baby please.” You beg. You have no clue what you’re actually begging for but you cry out anyway. “Take that shit mamas, I know you can.” He encourages as he fucks you. Your body is on the brink of collapse but you hold on for dear life as you ride out another orgasm. Pussy clenching tight against his length, you convulse as clear liquid spills out of you splashing against you both. 

Ony slows his hips but stays sheathed inside of you as you lock eyes. “Fuck.” you breath out. “You good?” he asks with a slick smile plastered across his face. You roll your eyes at him too weak to push him off. After a few breaths, he rises up from the bed and steps into the bathroom. Your eyes get heavy and you fight to keep them open as he reappears with a towel. He presses it between your legs and cleans you up as you fight the sleep calling you. You’re jolted awake once again at the sound of his phone ringing. 

“Shit.” you hear him mumble. “Aye I got to head out.” he whispers at you. You roll over to find him already out of the bed, walking to pick up his clothes from the floor. You take the time to look at his frame, enjoying the view. 

“So am I going to see you later?” You ask him. He plants a kiss on your forehead. “Don’t know yet. But I’ll hit you up if something changes.” You lay there and watch as he gathers his things and walks towards the door to leave. “See you.” Only calls out as he steps out. You cuddle back down into your covers and allow yourself to fall back asleep.

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

“Bitch hurry the fuck up!” Your best friend yells from the living room. You roll your eyes and finish applying your gloss to your lips. After Ony had left, you ended up sleeping off the rest of your sex coma. You were woken up a few hours later to your best friend beating on your door going on and on about some house party she wanted you both to attend. Your body was screaming no but for some reason, you stood here 2 hours later with a beat face and a new outfit. You take the time to admire your body in the mirror and the way the sleek black outfit accentuated all your features. After another once over, you slipped into your shoes and headed out your bedroom door. 

“Okay, bitch. How do I look?” you ask her as you step into your living room. She looks you up and down before a wide smile breaks across her face. “OKAY! Body tea! Hair long!” she hypes you up. You laugh to yourself and shake your head at her antics. “Girl, you so fucking over the top. Come on before I change my mind. You know I’m tired.” you say. “Ain’t nobody tell you to let that nigga ram you into the mattress. That's your own doing.” You laugh again as you follow her to her car. 

Yall pull up to a house on the outskirts of town. Car littered the yard and bodies were scattered in between. “Damn, who house is this?” you say as yall walk up. “Girl, Eren. His parents are away for the month so he been had this shit jumping for the past week. It's been party on party.” We walked to the front door and the music had the doors rattling. 

The bass of the music thumped so hard you could feel the vibrations in your chest, the frame of the walls seeming to shake with each thump. Laughter, chatter, the clinking of bottles--it was all a blur, a swirl of unrecognizable faces circled you as your friend lead you deeper into the house. Energy surrounded you both immediately as you danced your way through the crowd. You tried to put your best face on for your friend but deep down, your feelings were all over. Ony hadn’t messaged you back since he left your house earlier that day and it was unlike him. 

You tried not to think about it. You weren’t necessarily exclusive but there was…something. It was strange, not being able to be in his presence all the time. You chalked it up to good dick that had your head confused and focused on being present in the moment. You weren’t exactly expecting to see him but he at least could’ve messaged you back. “Bitch this party is crazy!” your best friend’s voice interrupts your thought pattern. “Yeah, this is some wild shit. White boy knows how to throw a house party.” you respond to her. “Come on let’s go get a drink. Then you can help me come up with an excuse to run into him.” she grabs your arm and pulls you. “Mikaaa. Just talk to him. You been feigning over this boy for too damn long.” you fuss at her. She shrugs as she grabs two solo cups and fill you both to the brim.

You are lost in the moment, enjoying yourself when it happens. You world comes crashing down on you as you turn to the door and see none other than Ony. His signature black tee and jordans fit paired with the same Ony chain that was dangling over your head earlier that day. 

Your heart skipped a beat. But there was something else in your chest too. Something dark, something tangled, like you were holding your breath while the air between you two thickened. He had always had this effect on you—the way his broad frame filled the room, the way his deep brown eyes searched the crowd like he was looking for something—or someone. His presence had always been magnetic, but tonight, it felt like the gravity between you two had shifted.

Because as you stood there, getting lost in his presence, you finally registered it. He wasn't alone. She was there, hanging onto his arm. A subtle yet possessive touch as she grinned up at him. You felt a knot in your stomach as the liquor threatened to resurface. Her. His girlfriend. Or at least who everyone saw as his girlfriend. The girl who didn't know

About you. The late night phone calls. The stolen moments when no one was looking. The texts that only said “you good?” but meant so much more. The one was unaware of the nights when you and Ony were tangled in sheets, whispering each other’s names as if it meant something more. Like you said, yall weren’t exclusive. Honestly, the whole thing had been a secret from the jump. But you knew the truth: you shared something between you that was deeper than just physical. Those nights with him… the tenderness mixed with heat, the way he would hold you after, his breath warm against your skin, his hands tracing every inch of your body as if he were trying to memorize you. 

Yet here he was. Casually conversing with his homeboys with an arm tossed over her shoulder. Laughing and smiling like nothing had ever happened between the two of you. And that thought alone let a very nasty taste in your mouth and lit fire underneath your skin. “You good boo?” a voice pulled you from your thoughts. You turned to see Mikasa standing next to you, a raised eyebrow and a concerned look on her face. “Yeah, I’m straight,” you lied, though your heart was hammering in your chest. “Right,” she said with a smirk. “I can tell you’re real straight with all the space you’re putting between you and Ony. What's up with that?" You shrugged, taking another sip of your drink. "Ain't nothing to it." Mikasa raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Well, if you say so. But I know you bestie. I'll find out sooner or later.” 

Your eyes flickered back to Ony and her as they made their way deeper into the house. Attempting to calm your nerves, you down the rest of your cup but just before you turned to go get a refill, his eyes found you. His posture stiffened the moment your gazes locked, and he froze for a split second. The smile dropped from his face as his eyes darted to her and then back to you. You didn’t look away. You couldn’t. But there was no way to stop the sting in your chest, the way seeing him so easily with her hurt, like it was a fresh wound that hadn’t healed. You both stayed locked in for what seemed like an eternity but in reality was barely a minute. “Yo,” he called, his voice a little louder than it should’ve been as he excused himself from her side. He pushed through the crowd, making his way over to you, but the nervous energy in his steps was unmistakable. You break contact first, turning to Mikasa. She was chattering with Eren, finally using the liquid courage. “Hey boo, going to get a drink and step out. Got my lo on.” you whisper to her. She gives you a squeeze of concern but you offer a smile. “All good baby.” you say before walking away. 

Ony tried to get to you but by the time he wormed his way over you were gone. “Fuck,” he mumbled under his breath. “Aye Mika, you seen y/n?” he asks her. “Uh, she walked off to get a drink. I’m sure she will be back soon.” she smiles at him, completely unaware of the weight of the situation. He looks around for you, a hint of desperation in his gaze. But before he could walk off and search for you, she grabs him by the arm. “Ony baby. You okay? You left me over there?” she whines. Ony looks down at her, “Uh…yeah. I was just looking for a friend. But they’re gone.” he mumbled. His arm lazily loops around her as they walk into the den. 

Later in the night, things were starting to get rowdy. The music had gotten louder, the dancing more erratic. You were standing by the wall, when someone approached you. “Hey beautiful, Care to dance with me?” a deep voice rang in your ears. You look up to see a tall man with blonde hair and honeyed golden eyes. “Names Reiner.” he smiles. You smile back, “Y/n and yes. I would love to dance with you.” you say. He leads you to an open space in the middle of the floor. Your fave twerk song comes on and you allow yourself to get lost in the music. Reiner was catching all you were throwing, thick hands wrapped around your waist. You could feel him pressing against your ass as you moved. 

Unbeknownst to you, Ony also saw the way you were moving. Anger bubbled underneath his skin as he watched you. He was a fucking hypocrite. How the hell could he be mad at you for dancing with someone when his literal girlfriend was sitting on his lap, talking to his friends, “Ony?” she spoke, hand waving in front of his face. His eyes cut to her. “Did you hear me? I said I was going to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.” she had spoken to him. “Aight.” he snipped. She took her that as her queue and walked off, accompanied by another girl. “So, how long you been fucking y/n?” Eren’s question cuts through the music. Ony’s head snaps to him. “What?” he lets out. “I mean with the way you shooting daggers at Reiner, it's obvious to see.” Connie laughed through a cloud of smoke. Ony bit the inside of his jaw. “It's not like that.” he mumbled slinking down onto the couch. “You only fooling yourself but aight.” 

You were in your own world. Body moving against Reiner as his hands caress your curves. You allowed yourself to get lost in the moment. “So, what do you think about getting out of here?” he leaned down into your ear. You smile but before you could answer, you were snatched up and pulled away from him. Ony dragged you around the corner and pressed you against the wall. “Ony, wha-...Have you lost your damn mind?!” you hiss. “Me?? You the one about to go home with a random ass nigga who was basically fucking you on the dance floor. You out YO mind?!” he snaps back, voice low. You let out a dry laugh. “That’s rich coming from a nigga here with his fucking girlfriend.” you spit out. His jaw clenched tightly as he stepped closer to you, invading your personal space. You hated the way your body reacted to his proximity. 

He took a step closer, and your breath hitched. His presence was overwhelming, as it always was. His large frame was mere inches from yours now, the space between you too small, but you still couldn’t bring yourself to say anything. You both stood in silence for a moment. “You good?” he asked after a while, voice quiet, almost too soft for the loud music. “I'm straight Ony. What do you want?,” you said, though it was a lie. You were miserable but there was no way in hell you would let it show. “Y/N I-... I'm just checking on you. Aight?” he spoke, his eyes darkening. You caught the shift in his mood immediately. Something was off with him tonight. His usual easygoing demeanor was replaced by an intensity you hadn’t seen before. Before you could ask him what was wrong, his hand brushed against yours, and the touch sent a shockwave through your body. 

“I didn't expect it to happen like this.” he says softly. “I bet you didn’t. Don't want your girlfriend knowing our little secret, huh?” You took a slow sip of your drink, keeping your face neutral, but the words felt like they were burning in your throat. “You’re with her now. In front of everyone.” The words came out too casual, too sharp, and you didn’t like how your voice cracked at the end of them. He looked back at you, clearly flustered, and his voice dropped another octave. “It’s not like that,” he muttered, like the words didn’t come naturally. “GF/N and I are just... doing our thing.”

You snorted quietly, the bitterness starting to seep in. “Your thing?” You repeated the words like they were foreign. “Funny, if this is your thing then what the fuck was last night and this morning? Just needed something to past the time? Was that another thing, Ony?” your words cut at him. The way you said his name sent a shiver through him, but it wasn’t the kind of reaction he was used to. It wasn’t desire. It was guilt. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He swallowed, his throat bobbing like he was trying to say something but couldn’t find the right words. 

"You know," you continued, voice softer now but still biting, "last night, it was just us. Just you and me. I mean where the fuck was this even going for you?” you start. “I mean I could see just the fucking but the other shit. The texts, the phone calls, the gifts. Why the fuck would you even take it this far?!" you try to keep your composure but the anger mixed with the alcohol was making it difficult. 

His eyes shifted nervously toward where his girlfriend had walked off then back to you, a conflicted look clouding his expression. He opened his mouth again, but you cut him off before he could speak. "You know what. I don’t want to hear it. The excuses," you said, shaking your head, frustration leaking into your tone. "I don’t want to hear you lie to my fucking face like you been doing. And I definitely and not in the mood for the ‘it wasn't meant to be like this’ bullshit. We both know that’s a damn lie too."

He took a deep breath, his jaw clenching, the weight of everything clearly sitting heavy on his shoulders. And just as you were about to walk away, he stepped forward quickly, grabbing your wrist gently, but firmly. " y/n just hold up. Please. Let me explain," he said, his voice tight. You could see the tension in his face, the way he was fighting against whatever emotions were threatening to bubble over. You stared down at his hand on your wrist, a thousand thoughts flashing in your mind. You had every reason to pull away, every reason to walk out of that house and never look back, but you didn’t. You couldn’t help yourself.

"Fine," you said through gritted teeth, “Start talking.”

Ony pulled you gently to the side, away from the main crowd, to a quieter corner of the house. The thumping bass was muffled here, the light dimmer, and for a moment, it was like the two of you were the only ones in the room. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, the anticipation of what was coming next. You should be stronger, should tell him go fuck himself but you didn't. Instead you let him pull you away, adrenaline mixed with anger flowing through your body. 

You leaned against the wall and watch him pacing, running a hand down his face like he was struggling to figure out where to start. “I don’t know how this got so messed up,” he said, voice quieter now, raw with guilt. “But I didn’t truly mean for it to be like this, not this way anyway. You’re more than just... whatever this is. I know that. I just—I didn’t know how to... how to deal with it.”

You couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped from your lips. “Deal with it? You didn’t know how to deal with it?” You stepped closer, your voice dangerously low now. "You didn’t know how to deal with the fact that we’ve been in bed together? That we’ve shared moments—intimate moments—over the past few weeks? You think you can just walk away and act like none of it happened? What the hell do you think this is?”

He looked at you, like he was seeing you for the first time. You could see the realization in his eyes that this was no longer something simple for you. It wasn’t just a few secret hookups. It wasn't just a simple mistake. It was about the betrayal. The quiet, lingering hurt that had been building inside of you every time he pulled away after you gave him everything.

"I can’t do this anymore, Ony," you whispered, voice trembling slightly. “I’m worth more than your fucking bed and I damn sure ain’t no side piece to a bitch who can’t light a candle to me. I will not be the little secret you keep stuffed in your fucking pocket until you want to get your dick wet.” He stepped forward, his hands reaching for you, but you held up a hand, stopping him. “Don’t,” you said, voice shaking now. “You made your choice. And now you have to live with it.”

For a long moment, he just stood there, looking at you like he didn’t know what to say, like he was hoping you’d just forgive him without question. But you couldn’t. Not anymore. "I’m done, Ony," you said quietly. He wanted to speak but before he could utter a word, her voice cut through. “Ony, baby where are you?” she called out. He steps back just as she turns the corner. “Oh! There you are. I’ve been looking for you. Oh, HI!” she says in a high pitched voice. She slung her body onto him kissing his face before turning to you. “I'm gf/n, Ony’s girlfriend. Who are you?” she asks with a smile. You look at him then back at her, “A former friend. It's nice to meet you.” you respond to her. Ony’s heart lurches forward at your words. Former friend, He tries to silently get your attention but you refuse to meet his gaze. “Excuse me. It was nice meeting you. Have a good day. A good life for you Ony.” you say with finality. 

And before he could respond, you turned on your heel and walked away, leaving him standing there with his words still tangled in his throat, the weight of everything between you hanging in the air.

[poppyquills]

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ Genshin women with a creator! fem! S/O HCs ⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚

⋆˚✿˖° characters -> Lumine, Ningguang, Furina, Arlecchino, Navia, Raiden Ei, Yae Miko.

⋆˚✿˖° warnings -> none.

⋆˚✿˖° content includes -> sagau AU, fluff, mentions of worship, the characters are like puppies in love.

LUMINE

⋆˚✿˖° Lumine is utterly devoted to you, to her you are the only good and constant thing in her journey. You are the only person she could truly rely on.

⋆˚✿˖° She is drawn to the warmth of your divinity but she also loves you as you, not just as the creator. Her quiet, affectionate nature shines as she stays close to you, offering her hand whenever you need her.

⋆˚✿˖° Lumine finds herself smiling more around you, like a puppy trailing after their favorite person. She seeks your approval and beams whenever you praise her for her efforts.

⋆˚✿˖° She likes quietly sitting by your side, savoring your presence. She'll bring you flowers from all over Teyvat, carefully choosing the ones she thinks best represent her admiration for you.

⋆˚✿˖° The instant someone disrespects you, Lumine's normally calm demeanor shifts into a protective, sharp edge. She would defend you without hesitation but afterward softens, asking if you're okay with a worried expression.

⋆˚✿˖° Your laughter is her favorite sound. She'll go out of her way to bring you joy, even if it means looking a little foolish. Anything to see you happy.

NINGGUANG

⋆˚✿˖° Ningguang is your most loyal follower and admirer; she also shows you the utmost respect while falling head over heels in love with you. Her graciousness melts into warmth around you.

⋆˚✿˖° She insists on building the most beautiful, serene places for you in Liyue, with elegance that befits your godly status.

⋆˚✿˖° Ningguang will often seek your company, becoming as eager as a puppy whenever you give her your attention. She treasured even the smallest fragments of affection, holding on to them like gems.

⋆˚✿˖° She's endlessly curious about your thoughts and creations, finding inspiration in every word you share. Ningguang loves it when you involve her in your divine works or at least let her watch.

⋆˚✿˖° Gifts are her love language, and she will always have something for you, be it some rare jewel or handmade trinket. But she is happiest when you wear or keep her gifts close.

⋆˚✿˖° Ningguang secretly loves it when you let her rest her head in your lap or hold her close. It's her rare chance to let her walls down completely and indulge in the joy of simply being with you.

FURINA

⋆˚✿˖° Furina is obsessed with you. The fact that the Creator—the divine being she's admired since she can remember—would deign to spend time with her makes her heart flutter every time.

⋆˚✿˖° She's melodramatic about her love, frequently declaring her love for you with great flair and flourish. But in private, she's surprisingly shy, her cheeks flushed as she leans into your touch.

⋆˚✿˖° Furina follows you everywhere like a puppy, always eager to be at your side. She becomes excited if you praise her and often tries to show off to garner more of your attention.

⋆˚✿˖° She has written poems and songs about you, performing them with all the passion of a bard in love. Even when she stumbles over her words, the sincerity in her voice makes it endearing.

⋆˚✿˖° Furina turns fiercely protective when anyone questions your authority or status, standing tall and defending your honor with fiery conviction. She even throws in her dramatic flair for extra effect.

⋆˚✿˖° Despite all the exuberance, Furina holds quiet moments with you dear. She adores lying beside you under the stars, your presence calming her restless heart.

ARLECCHINO

⋆˚✿˖° Arlecchino may have the reputation of being stoic, but when it comes to you, she is utterly devoted. She melts under your touch, her sharp edges softening as she gazes at you in wonder.

⋆˚✿˖° She becomes almost puppy-like in her protectiveness, sticking close to you whenever possible. Her love is fierce, and she'll stop at nothing to ensure your safety and happiness.

⋆˚✿˖° Arlecchino seldom displays her emotions, but to you, the softer side of her comes out. She is nearly shy when you praise her; her cheeks faintly flushed as she mutters a quiet "thank you."

⋆˚✿˖° She secretly loves when you call her pet names or give her affection. While she may act like it doesn't faze her, you'll catch her stealing glances at you with a small, fond smile.

⋆˚✿˖° Arlecchino feels not to be worth your love but strives with great vigor to prove her loyalty to you. She is the happiest when you acknowledge her effort; thus, words fill her with pride-a rare virtue.

⋆˚✿˖° She treasures moments of intimacy like combing your hair and holding you tight. It is then that she is fully at peace, and in her heart, a bottomless devotion toward you swells.

NAVIA

⋆˚✿˖° Navia is completely smitten with you, her usual confidence giving way to a puppy-like eagerness whenever she's around you. You are her source of comfort and happiness.

⋆˚✿˖° She adores including you in her daily life, often planning small, intimate outings where you can enjoy the beauty of Fontaine together.

⋆˚✿˖° Navia is touchy in the sweetest way, holding your hand or resting her head on your shoulder. She just loves cuddling up with you, her heart going on a flip at every little display of affection.

⋆˚✿˖° She's protective, yet gentle, always checking that you're comfortable and happy. And anyone who disrespects you will get a very firm yet polite warning from her.

⋆˚✿˖° Navia is interested in your creations, always wanting to learn more about your divine powers. She listens intently whenever you explain things, her eyes shining with admiration.

⋆˚✿˖° She's a romantic at heart, often surprising you with thoughtful gestures like handpicked flowers or handwritten notes. Every little thing she does is filled with love and care.

RAIDEN EI

⋆˚✿˖° Ei looks up to you so much, and her dedication to you is unshakeable. She approaches you with great respect but, as time goes by, she grows more comfortable and reveals a softer side.

⋆˚✿˖° She considers your immortality to be one connection that the two of you share, and she takes comfort in knowing she will never be separated from you. She is less afraid of loneliness when you are by her side.

⋆˚✿˖° Ei enjoys quiet time with you, whether it's meditating together or just sitting in peaceful silence. She values these serene moments, feeling a rare sense of balance by your side.

⋆˚✿˖° She is deeply protective, her blade always at the ready should anyone threaten you. But she is gentle with you, her hands steady and warm whenever she touches you.

⋆˚✿˖° Ei turns to seek your advice in things for eternity, many times musing over the course she has taken upon the reign of Inazuma with yours. She values your judgment the most.

⋆˚✿˖° Your smile is her biggest weakness; in order to see you smile, there's nothing that would hurt her from indulging herself from the smallest pleasure-to mankind-like pleasures, even. Which she earlier wouldn't do because it felt trifling and pointless from where she stood upon.

YAE MIKO

⋆˚✿˖° Yae is utterly enchanted by you; her usual wit softening into a playful yet deeply affectionate demeanor when you're around. She loves teasing you but always manages to show her adoration for real.

⋆˚✿˖° She's fiercely loyal and often compares herself to a fox guarding her den. Miko is always ready to protect you, though she trusts your strength as a divine being.

⋆˚✿˖° Yae likes to see you flustered, so she often sneaks in compliments or affectionate touches just for the look on your face. But beneath the teasing, her love is sure and steadfast.

⋆˚✿˖° She is fascinated by your creations and often offers to help, finding joy in being part of your divine work. Miko sees it as her way of being closer to you.

⋆˚✿˖° Yae loves to lay her head in your lap, closing her eyes as you stroke her hair. It is in these moments of intimacy that her sharp tongue falls silent, replaced by a quiet, unsaid love.

⋆˚✿˖° She especially loves taking you to the Grand Narukami Shrine, for it is a place of sacredness, and having you with her makes the place feel even more deep. Every prayer offered to you by the people fills her heart with pride, knowing you're hers.

[bunnybuunn]

Holiday spirit.

Summary: Agatha hates Christmas, but she loves little!reader too much to refuse celebrating it with her.

Warnings: Age regression, none!

Agatha was sitting on the couch while you were busy putting up Christmas decorations. It wasn’t a secret that Agatha hated Christmas. She had never celebrated it, since it wasn’t a common thing for witches to do. However, it wasn’t the exact reason for her hatred. The Christmas holiday was bringing too many positive emotions to some people, and Agatha had gotten sick every time, seeing those assholes with happy faces. 

So when you came up to her, offering to celebrate Christmas with you, Agatha meant to say no. 

She really wanted to say no. 

But when she saw your beautiful puppy eyes, she knew that she just wouldn't be able to refuse. 

And that is exactly how she found herself on the couch, unpacking new decorations that she had bought to see you happy. When you finished decorating the Christmas tree with the beautiful purple wreath, you turned around to look at the Agatha. 

 

„Do you like it, Mama?”

 

You asked, hoping that she was enjoying it just as much as you did. Agatha let out a sigh, raising her eyes from the box that she was opening. Her gaze softened when she saw a big smile and the proud expression on your face. It wasn’t a very hard task to do, but you did it perfectly. 

Agatha got up from the couch and approached you, leaving all those boxes and decorations behind. It wasn’t the main part of celebrating the Christmas for her, and it most definitely wasn’t the reason why she accepted your offer. The main part was you, and your happiness was all that mattered to her. Agatha crouched down in front of you, looking at you for a second before leaning closer to give you a soft kiss on the forehead. 

 

„It’s perfect, bunny. You’re such an artist.”

 

You giggled at her words and kissed your mama back, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Agatha smiled, petting your head before getting up and giving your work a last admiring look. 

Agatha looked down once again when she felt you tugging on her arm. You were looking up, holding a left piece of wreath in your hands. 

 

„What’s wrong, little one?”

 

She asked, raising an eyebrow. You pointed your finger at the top of the tree that wasn’t decorated. Agatha smirked and took decorations from your hands. It was obvious to her that you just couldn’t reach the top of the tree, therefore you couldn’t decorate it.

 

„Mama, I’m too small!”

 

She chuckled at your complaints, easily putting Wreath where it has to be by using her magic. It was funny watching you pout every time. Agatha liked to sometimes remind you how small you exactly were. 

However, your pouty face turned happy when you saw a fully decorated Christmas tree. 

 

„I know. It’s okay to be little, bunny.”

 

Agatha said, waiting for you to say something back or maybe argue a little. Her eyes widened when instead of doing that, you just reached out your hands, asking to be picked up. The witch nodded, instantly picking your small body up from the floor. 

You put your head on her shoulder, resting against Agatha’s body. The smell of her perfume and gingerbread cookies that she had baked earlier made you relax. A minute later, your eyes were closed, and you were slowly falling asleep while Agatha sat down on the couch, putting you on her lap and making sure that you were in a comfortable position for a little nap.

She caressed your back with her fingernails slowly, listening to the sound of your calm breathing. You were putting Christmas decorations on for a couple of hours, running around the room. No wonder why you fell asleep so quickly. 

After the hundreds of years of her long life, Agatha lost her faith in miracles, but she had to admit that your appearance in her life was a true Christmas wonder. 

Taglist: @tinylilacbun @aew-regression-cove @hikyiwid

[sosa2imagines]

Hii, Dad Bucky ask🫶🏼

What would he do with a few months old twins or triplets? And maybe it was mother's day so he wanted to make something really special for reader as it was her first🫶🏼

Hi, thank you so much for this lovely ask. Bucky would absolutely make sure to make Mother's day very special.

Warning- Pure fluff.

The first rays of dawn were peeking through the curtains when Bucky woke up. He turned his head to look at you, still sound asleep, a peaceful expression on your face. For a moment, he stayed still, memorizing the sight.

Today was special. It was your first Mother’s Day, and Bucky was determined to make it perfect.

Bucky slowly sat up, being careful not to wake you up, and smiled to himself, thinking about today and how it would all go. He softly stroked your hair before slowly climbing out of bed, making sure the comforter was wrapped tightly around you and wouldn't wake you up. He quietly walked out of the bedroom, closing the door to make sure that his movements wouldn't wake you up.

The real challenge, however, lay in the next room.

Samuel Steven Barnes and Natalia Anthony Barnes, your beautiful twins, were already awake and babbling in their cribs. Bucky smiled, running a hand through his hair as he prepared for battle. “Alright munchkins...” he whispered. “Let’s do this for Mommy.”

Dressing the twins was no small feat. By the time Samuel squirmed out of his onesie for the third time and Natalia decided to try her best impression of a gymnast, Bucky was sweating. But he persevered, and finally, both babies were dressed in matching outfits that read ‘World’s Best Mom.’

“Mission accomplished!” he muttered, placing them gently in their bouncy seats. “Now for phase two.”

Breakfast wasn’t exactly his forte, Bucky was grateful for the help from Steve, who had dropped off your favorite dishes from a local breakfast diner. Steve also had given Bucky an apron with the slogan, ‘World’s Best Dad, give Me a Kiss, Mom!’ on it. Bucky laughed as he tied the apron, appreciating Steve's humor, and thinking about how you would appreciate the gesture too.

When everything was ready, he returned to your shared bedroom with the twins in his arms. “Doll…” he called softly. “Wake up.”

You stirred, blinking your eyes open to find Bucky standing there, a baby in each arm and a sheepish smile on his face. Your gaze shifted to the twins’ outfits, and tears welled up as you read the words. “Oh, Bucky…”

“They insisted on dressing up for you,” he said with a grin, carefully handing Samuel to you while Natalia remained cradled in his metal arm.

You kissed each twin on the forehead, your heart swelling with love. “You did all this?”

“Of course!” he replied, leaning down to press a kiss to your lips. “But we’re just getting started.”

He led you to the kitchen, where breakfast was waiting. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit. You raised an eyebrow, and Bucky gave you a sheepish smile.

“Fine, I didn’t make it. But I did make the coffee!” He gestured to the steaming mug sitting on the table, pride evident in his tone.

It was no secret that learning how to use the coffee machine had been a two-month ordeal. You took a sip, smiling up at him. “It’s perfect.”

After breakfast, he handed you a piece of paper. It had the twins’ tiny handprints in bright colors, alongside a handwritten note:

Doll, I know this journey hasn’t always been easy, but you’ve faced every challenge with care, kindness, strength, and so much love. Watching you with our kids has shown me what it truly means to have a family. Thank you for everything you do, for them, for me, for us. I love you more than words can say. —Yours always, Bucky

Tears spilled down your cheeks as you hugged him tightly. “You’re incredible.”

You couldn’t stop admiring the tiny, colorful handprints on the card. You traced the edges of the prints with your fingers, a soft laugh escaping your lips as you glanced at Bucky.

“Okay,” you said, looking at him with a curious smile. “How on earth did you get the twins to do this? I know they don’t sit still for more than two seconds.”

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “It… uh… wasn’t exactly easy, doll.” He leaned back in his chair, the memory of the ordeal making him chuckle.

“First, I had to find non-toxic paint that they wouldn’t try to eat. That took me, like, a solid hour. I kept hearing Sam’s voice in my head lecturing me about safety.” he added with a smirk. “Then I thought, ‘How hard could it be?’”

You raised an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh. “Famous last words.”

“Exactly.” He shook his head. “I spread out an old sheet in the living room and put them in their high chairs. I figured it would contain the chaos.”

“And?”

“And I was wrong.” he admitted, rolling his eyes at himself. “Sammy decided paint was better on his face than the paper. I turned around for one second, and he had a red handprint right in the middle of his forehead. Talia, on the other hand…” He paused, groaning. “She somehow managed to grab the paint cup and fling it across the room. The wall might still have a little blue on it.”

You burst out laughing, clutching your stomach. “Oh my god, Bucky!”

“Yeah, laugh it up,” he said with a mock glare, though his lips twitched in amusement. “By the time I wrestled the paint cup away from her, Sammy was clapping his hands together and splattering paint everywhere. I looked like I’d just come back from an art war zone.”

“Please tell me you took pictures?” you teased, wiping away tears of laughter.

“Absolutely not!” he deadpanned. “I was too busy trying to keep them from eating the paint or smearing it in each other’s hair. But eventually, I got them to cooperate. I held Sammy’s hand over the paper and pressed it down while humming to him and he loves that, you know.”

You nodded, your heart swelling at the thought of Bucky patiently singing to your son.

“And Talia…” He shook his head fondly. “That little troublemaker fought me the whole time. She kept trying to grab the paper instead of pressing her hand down. I think she was offended I wasn’t letting her ‘help.’”

You laughed again, picturing your strong-willed daughter glaring at Bucky with her tiny fists covered in paint.

“But after a lot of trial and error…” he continued, “and a lot of cleaning up, I finally got it done. I think I scrubbed paint off my arm for a full hour last night.”

You reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, your smile softening. “You went through all that just to make me feel special?”

“Of course,” he said, his voice tender. “You’re the best mom in the world, doll. You deserve it.”

Tears filled your eyes again as you leaned in to kiss him, your heart full of love for the man who’d gone to such lengths to celebrate you. “Thank you, Bucky. For everything.”

“Anything for you,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “And, uh, by the way…”

“What?” you asked looking at him.

“There’s one more thing,” he said, pulling out a small box. Inside was a delicate gold necklace, the locket engraved with his and the twins’ initials.

Your hand flew to your mouth as you admired the thoughtful gift. “Bucky…”

“Happy Mother’s Day, doll,” he murmured, wiping away your tears before kissing you gently.

You spent the rest of the day in a blissful haze, playing with the twins, laughing with Bucky, and feeling more loved than ever. It was a day you would never forget, a perfect celebration of the family you’d built together.

Taglist- @imyourbratzdoll @blackhawkfanatic @ordelixx @sapphirebarnes @ilovetaquitosmmmm

@differenttyphoonwerewolf @vicmc624 @thezombieprostitute @nekoannie-chan

@mrvl-addict @mercurial-chuckles

@emerald-writes @caplanbuckybarnes

@redbloodedgurl @cjand10 @chemtrails-club @slutforchrisjamalevans @gracescor3

@ghostlythinggoingaround @princezzjasmine @3xclusivemariii @ephemeral-oasis @zuri-767-666

@geeky-politics-46 @dexter99 @calwitch

@caplanreblogsfics @winterslove1917

@pono-pura-vida @renegadesgirl1991 @iwudbutnah @ghalouha @sebastians-love @saranghaey @greatmistakes @baw1066

@bucks-babe @lolzies123r @kandis-mom @purplecolordeer @avioletkurt

@unaxv @pattiemac1 @lovely-geek @hzdhrtss

[pedrospookie]

it seems that the eldest daughters of tumblr all want Joel Miller to come and take care of them (dear god, please please please, my soul needs it). this inspired me to start writing a couple of little Joel tales but until then, i thought this might tide us over.

someone (I think it was @itsokbbygrl ) said in the tags that Joel is a fixer and is def into parental issues and i literally cannot stop thinking about that— cause you are RIGHT.

it’s not my best work but alas!

Joel Miller x eldest daughter!reader imagine

nothing wild, mostly fluff! Joel soothing an eldest daughter’s nervous system one day at a time.

Joel would wash the dishes every night just because he knows how much you hate washing the dishes. It’s the least I could do, darlin’ he’d praise, taking immense pride in seeing the relief fall on your face.

Joel would kiss you just to kiss you; in the comfort of your home as you pass in the hallway, or out at the stables while caring for the horses, even at the bar in front of all the folks who know you. It was his small way to show his unconditional love and appreciation for you. He’d spend all day kissin’ you if he could.

Joel would take the time to rub your feet and ask about your day. His genuine curiosity about the townsfolk you encounter or the adventures you have brought a warmth to your chest as he works on the knots along the arch of your feet. He would always remember the little details of where you’ve been or what you’ve seen, or the names of the people you mention in your stories. Joel wasn’t perfect and would often get confused between Jess, Jessica and Jessa, but he certainly would do his best to keep it all straight.

Joel would listen and hear you. If it was important to you, it was important to him. He didn’t care if it was about how you admired the pretty pink colour of the flowers you passed by on patrol or how you had to remember to mend your socks later. He listened and cared. So much so, that whenever he could, Joel would bring home a small bouquet of said flowers for you after his patrol.

On bad days, Joel would be there. He would hold you through your big, ugly feelings, and tell you that it is okay and that he’s got you. Joel would force himself to stay calm and to speak softly to you, keeping his own panic and worry at bay. He would tell you that he was proud of you and your “smarts”, and that the only thing that matters is that you made it back home to him. He would slowly and gently wash your body and hair clean of all the blood and guts from the nearly failed patrol, and would mend every scrape and wound, sealing each one with a kiss.

And on the nights where you were plagued with terrors, the kind that woke you in a panic, the cold sweat glueing your hair to your neck and forehead, Joel would be there. To hold you and coax you back to sleep, rubbing soft circles on your back, and softly murmur that it is okay, that you’re safe.

In the mornings, you always woke to the smell of coffee wafting it’s way into your room. Joel always made sure to wake up before you, to let you have those extra few minutes in bed because he knew you needed them. He’d greet you with a big smile and a kiss, the kind that made you feel like you were back in the early days of your relationship. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, he would say as he placed your meal in front of you. Joel never let you leave the house without something warm in your belly.

Joel knew that you were more than capable of caring for yourself. Hell, you had survived 20 years in that hellscape overrun by infected, raiders and god knows what else. You had told him time and time again, often through gritted teeth, I’ve got this. I can do this myself. I do not need your help. Can you just let me handle this, please!

Slowly, yet surely, with patience and kindness, Joel slowly broke down your walls until you were ready to let him in. To accept the peace and love he had to offer. Joel is not a perfect man, but he tries. Which is more than most. He tries his damnedest every day to keep showing up for you the way he knows you deserve. To show you and make you feel the love, peace and respect that you deserve. And that? Well, that makes Joel feel a deep sense of joy that he hasn’t felt in years. He will gladly do it until his dying breath and that is a promise he will never break. The easiest job he’s ever had was lovin’ you.

tagging some folks who may like this (if not/tags aren’t your thing, just tell me to buzz off! I wont be offended!): @slimybeth69 @itsokbbygrl @mrsmando @evolnoomym @sanarsi @marilovespedro @mrs-hardy-hunnam-butler-pascal