#torn on whether I want to have a friendship with this girl because while I know she has some more socially liberal views

[gotinterest]

Oh boy my high school best friend just texted me out of the blue, do I come out to her or do I just exchange niceties?

[wheezyseeker99]

Guilty as Sin

Warnings: pining, alcohol consumption (just a little), swearing, smut in many forms aka masturbation (female), oral (female receiving), penetration (fm), and multiple orgasm

18+, MDNI

Summary: based on my interpretation of the song. Also if you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with the way he was as a whole on April 11, 2024.

Anyway, good luck soldiers if you read.

I moved in with my best friend Cam a few months ago. Reason being I wanted to work on the east coast, and he isn’t usually home often. So I take care of the house while he’s on the road, and I get to spend time with him when he is home. It’s a win-win for the both of us.

The longest stretch for when he’s home is when hockey is in its off season, which is supposed to start soon here in Philly. With this losing streak, they are definitely not making playoffs. It’s sad because they really did have a good season up until now.

Tonight Cam has an away game. I decided to stay home since I had to work so now I have the place alone once again. Earlier he sent me a song that reminded him of me, and that made my day so much better. Work has torn me to pieces lately, but today was rougher than others. I’m debating whether I should take a personal day tomorrow just to recuperate.

I’m sitting here putting the finishing touches on graded assignments before the game starts. I’m feeling tense. Sometimes I can’t figure out why I put myself through the torture of teaching children for a living. It’s so hard to do, but in the end, it’s so rewarding. I close my laptop and shove it with the graded assignments into my bag and grab a bottle of wine from the kitchen. It’s a normal occurrence at this point to watch the games with a drink in hand.

Right when I make it back into the living room, I glance up at the tv to see that TK passed the puck to Cam and he scored. I gape at the tv for a second.

My best friend just scored.

I jump up off the couch and shout in excitement. I pull out my phone and pose next to the moment on the screen, sending it to Cam for him to see later. In the heat of the excitement, I sit back down and continue watching the game.

When the first period is over, the score is tied. I think it’s almost safe to say the losing streak is over but I don’t want to jinx it. I finally decide it’s time to eat so I go to the kitchen and make a sandwich. Though, when I walk back I see Cam on the screen doing an intermission interview. I paused my eating mid-bite.

Holy shit. He looks hot as fuck right now.

I stare at him for the rest of the interview, spiraling. This isn’t the first time I thought of Cam in that way. Honestly, it’s always been in the back of my brain, but I don’t have the balls to act on it. Cam has always been the one that’s there for me. He cares about me and he actually listens to me. That’s a rarity for a man. He’s so precious, and I’m not screwing up our friendship because I’m touch starved.

For the rest of the game, I kept thinking of the things that I shoved deep inside my mind. And they all had to do with my best friend. The wine didn’t help with that either. I turned off the game and went to brush my teeth.

Cam probably won’t be home until the middle of the night so I leave a light on for him and trail into my bedroom, closing the door behind me. I lay down and the thoughts are back immediately.

Maybe I should get it all out while he’s not here.

My inner voice usually doesn’t say yes to things so easily, but here I am, thinking about throwing my thoughts to the wolves. This is far too unhinged. Is it bad to think about him in this way? I rack my brain until my phone lights up with a message from Cam.

‘That’s my girl’ with a picture of him cheesing at the camera. My eyes trail over the picture, looking everywhere from his bare shoulders to his lips. It’s safe to say that I metaphorically want to jump his bones immediately. Feral as hell.

I plug in my phone and lay it on my bedside table, hoping that he doesn’t notice that I didn’t reply.

It’s helpless to be this way. I slide my shorts off, leaving me in a big tshirt, and lay down again. When I close my eyes, I see Cam. I let out a deep sigh. What if, just this once, I give in to it? No harm in rubbing one out while thinking about my best friend right?

I close my eyes again and trail my hand up my thigh. My fingers aren’t my own, they’re his. His lips messily attacking my own. I’m breathing hard, swirling my fingers around my clit.

Cam. Cam. Cam.

My mind is running wild with all of the things we’ve never did. The way he’d manhandle me sticks to my mind like glue. He’d mark my body as his. I tilt my head back and gasp when I press two fingers into myself, applying pressure to my clit with my thumb. Cam’s calloused fingers would feel so much better than my own. He would curl them in a certain way that would make me melt into the palm of his hand. I feel my body shaking and soon I’m chanting his name while I’m crashing through an orgasm.

When I open my eyes, I notice how labored my breathing is. I take a few minutes to regain my ability to breathe and fell asleep.

…

My dream is starting to feel so real. It’s like Cam is haunting me. He’s laying behind me in bed, sliding his hands against my bare thighs. I feel his lips against the back of my neck. But it’s not real. It can’t be. I keep my eyes closed while I whimper out his name. It really feels like I can feel his breath against the shell of my ear and hear him softly hum.

There are kisses being pressed down my neck onto my shoulder. The scratchiness of his beard scrapes the sensitive skin. I lean into the fantasy, reaching my hand behind me to grab onto his hair, moaning at the way his mouth feels against my skin. It feels soft against my hand. If only this was real.

I roll over and open my eyes, and the world stops. Blue eyes hold my gaze.

“This isn’t real.”

“It is.” He places a kiss on my jaw and then pulls away to look at me. “You called me and I assumed it was a mistake. I kept my airpods in just in case you just wanted company while you slept.” His hand goes back to stroking my thigh. “But then I heard you moaning and calling out my name. Care to comment on that?”

My skin is on fire when he touches me and his eyes are burning into me. I bite my lip, but he lifts his thumb up to set my bottom lip free from my teeth. I let out a deep sigh, trying to control myself. I have to be honest now. I lay onto my back and stare at the ceiling.

“I thought I only plugged in my phone to charge. I didn’t mean to call you. I’m sorry. I just-”

“You’re sorry for what exactly?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t think you’d ever find out.” I cover my face with my hands. “I really embarrassed myself and I’m sorry if it’s going to be weird between us now because of what I did.”

He pulls my hands away from my face and holds them. “I’m glad you did it. I’ve been holding back from this for a long time.”

I stared at him, more shocked than I’ve ever been before. “You’re not mad at me?”

“Think about it. Use that pretty brain.” He taps a finger to my forehead. “Was I not just kissing your skin baby?”

Oh wow.

I’m at a loss for words so I nod my head. He nods back at me, smiling broadly. “Exactly. I love you just as much as you love me. So tell me, may I kiss you some more?”

I nod again and press my lips to his. The world fades around us. Cam’s hands come to my hips and lifts me onto him. I’m straddling his lap and I gasp for air when our kiss breaks. I didn’t realize he’s only wearing underwear until now. My hands settle onto his bare shoulders, feeling his hot skin under my touch. This feels like a fantasy. He licks his lips, silently begging for more. There’s a spark in his eyes when he looks at me. He smoothes down my bed head, and tucks a stray hair behind my ear.

“This is what I wanted for so long.” His voice is low and it sends a shiver down my spine. “I’m sick of sharing you. You’re mine now.”

I gulp and mindlessly nod my head. I’m physically and mentally melting into him. His hands trail up and down my back, like he’s mapping out his territory, until they settle on my ass.

“Come on now baby. Cat got your tongue?” He smirks. “Tell me you’re mine.”

“I’m yours Cam.”

“Mine.” He says through gritted teeth while he smacks my ass. He brings his mouth back to mine. The kisses are growing more urgent and heated, and I grind down onto his lap, needing more friction between my legs. He lets out a strangled groan into my mouth, smacking my ass again.

Cam removes his mouth from mine and moves it to nip at my neck. His beard grazes my skin, making my head tilt back. I moan out his name when he bites down on my pulse point. He reaches a hand between us, feeling my wetness over my underwear while I continue to grind into him.

“Who did this to you baby?”

“You.” I gasp. His fingers pull aside my underwear and press into my clit. I scream out and lay my head on his shoulder.

“Fuck. So pretty.” Two of his fingers circle against my clit until he presses them into me. I rock greedily onto them. “Look at you taking me so good.”

His praise has me clutching onto him for dear life. I have no other coherent thoughts besides him. I’m chanting out his name again for the second time tonight when I slam into the most mind blowing orgasm I’ve ever had. He brings his fingers up to his lips and sucks them, moaning at the taste of me. My hands drop to the waistband of his boxers. I start tugging them down while I give attention to his chest, lips meeting any piece of his skin I can reach.

Once I freed him from his boxers, he flips me over onto my back and takes off my panties and tshirt, leaving us both stripped down to nothing but skin.

Cam’s gaze shows an expression I’ve never seen him have before. It looks like a look of untamed desire. Kind of animalistic. I want him so bad. He’s back on me in an instant.

Our chests pressed together, mouth attacking mine. His hand lifts my thigh over his hip, sinking into me further. His hips move in long strokes. I moan into his mouth as he thrusts into me at a slow and steady pace. He’s taking his time.

We lose ourselves in each other and forget everything else. The feeling of him on top of me, in me, has me at an intoxicating level of ecstasy. Reality feels so far away, but we’re in it. I try to commit this all to memory until Cam moans into my mouth, biting down on my bottom lip as he lets my lips go. He starts going faster. He takes my hands and holds them above my head while he tucks his face into the crook of my neck. I scream out in bliss. The snapping of his hips blurs my vision and my body is aching to release.

“Please.” I stutter out. I’m too overwhelmed to say anything else. It’s too much.

“Let go baby. I’m-“ his voice breaks and he lets out a guttural moan. His desperate thrusts are starting to stagger when I tip over the edge. His mouth crashes down on mine, muting the whine that’s coming out of his throat. A wave of pure pleasure washes over us as we ride out our climax.

“Fuck I’m so in love with you.” He whispers against my lips. His chest is still heaving while he slides out of me. I’m lying here breathless and mind-numbingly blissed out. He looks down at me like I’m the greatest thing to ever happen to him. He bites his lip when he looks down at the mess we made and quirks a brow at me. “Think I need to clean you up now.”

Cam shuffles down the bed until he’s face to face with my soaked pussy. He swirls a finger around, mixing his cum with mine.

Oh my god.

I throw my head back and moan at how sensitive it feels. I try to squeeze my thighs together but he pries them open and lowers his mouth to taste me. My legs start shaking immediately. I grab onto his hair as he shoves his face further into me, licking every place he can before sucking my clit into his mouth which elicits another breathless scream from me. He chuckles against me but continues his assault. I’m writhing in pleasure until I come apart again, breathing hard as he licks me through my orgasm. My hands fall to the bed and he stands to leave. I whimper but he shushes me, saying he’d be back. Cam comes back with a wash cloth and gently wipes me clean.

After he takes the wash cloth back to the bathroom, he comes back and lays down with me. He pulls me into him, both of us still very naked. I lay my head on his chest and snuggling close. I love this feeling. I lift my chin to rest on his chest and look at his face. He has an arm tucked behind his head and the other plays with my hair.

Cam looks so content. He removes his hand from behind his head and lifts my thigh over him. He traces patterns on my upper thigh. It kind of feels like he’s tracing out the word ‘mine’ on it. I kiss his chest and smile to myself as I lay my head back down. I listen to his heart beat for a moment.

“We’re not just best friends anymore, huh?”

“No baby, we’re not. We’re so much more.”

[gunnerkriggcritical]

The ambiguity in Annie's love life has always been really compelling to me. I'm gonna discuss some of the facets of this below.

First off, Annie responds to Mort's supposed romantic "claim" on her (via the blinker stone) with a level of anger that shocks both Mort and Kat. That's such a fascinating scene to me. I think it's the first time in the comic that we really get a taste of Annie's temper, and it's in the context of her not wanting to be claimed by a suitor against her will.

Then there's Jack. Annie doesn't seem to know how to act around him, while the question of whether she genuinely has a crush on him is left unanswered; she veers between acting awkwardly and not seeming to know how to treat him, to deliberately manipulating him to hurt him after hearing about her mother doing the same to Renard (and based on Irial's advice), to - this is my interpretation, anyway - offering him a kiss because she thinks that's what you're supposed to do in such situations, not because she genuinely wants to. The way Jack refuses her kiss and gives her a hug instead always seemed to me like, to a certain level, pity? He's learned over the course of the chapter that Annie is a mess who has no idea what she's doing, least of all romantically, and he doesn't want to take advantage of that. At least, that's how I always interpreted that moment.

"The Torn Sea" really makes a point of emphasizing that Annie has no partner while most of her friends have paired off. I'm still not sure why - and it's possible, I guess, that the chapter only does this for comedic effect. It's also more than possible that we haven't reached the point in Annie's arc that will make all these past moments make sense in retrospect. There's also, of course, the moment in "Dealing With HER" where the Annies briefly discuss having a crush on someone. And the moment in "Annie and the Forest" when Annie is asked if she has a "love back home," misunderstands the question and says "Yes, my friend Kat," and then, when it's clarified, mentally scrolls through the list of boys she knows before settling on Jack with a confused look on her face. And speaking of "Annie in the Forest," there is, of course, her crush on Kamlen, which is also contrasted with a (maybe?) crush on Jones in "Divine," hinting that Annie might be bi.

A lot is going on here, but it all fits into the broader context of who Annie is. This is way more apparent in earlier chapters than later ones, but socially, she's a strange, underdeveloped girl who was raised in isolation and doesn't quite know how to navigate the world of school-age drama. Her awkwardness and lack of experience in romance are part of a broader character arc that highlights her social ineptitude; while her peers pair off, she's left alone, and attention is drawn to this by the narrative, both in terms of friendships and romantic relationships (although she does have a small group of friends other than Kat by the later days of the comic).

She learns how to behave based on mimicry, which, in the romantic context, is especially apparent in "Faraway Morning," when she mimics her mother's behaviour and Irial's advice to manipulate Jack, to disastrous results, before eventually relenting and admitting she regrets it. She does have crushes, but she doesn't know how to act on them properly. In fact, since the question of whether she actually has a crush on Jack or was just trying to manipulate him for revenge is left unanswered, I don't know if we've ever really seen Annie acting on a crush at all.

With all this in mind, I don't really have a concrete opinion or theory on "who Annie will end up with," only my personal opinion that I would rather she didn't end up with anyone at all.

It's very very common for main characters to "end up with" somebody, but the way the comic has treated Annie's love life has, so far, been much more complex and nuanced than that. I don't think she's aromantic (although I totally understand and respect why someone would headcanon that) - I do think she has romantic crushes, that there's canon evidence for her being bisexual, and that the comic wants us to pay attention to everything it's doing in regards to her romantic leanings. I also think, and hope, that Gunnerkrigg intends to subvert the "who will the main character end up with?!" question that every other piece of media in history has asked, by saying: "No one." That answer is, to me, far more in keeping with the nuance the comic has managed towards Annie's romantic leanings than "she ends up with Kat," or any other possible pairing, would be. I would rather the answer be left cryptic instead of made concrete, like many other concepts in the comic have been.

To finish: I have long thought Gunnerkrigg is about the fierce, loyal, powerful platonic love between Annie and Kat. The dyadic friendship that unites forest and Court, technology and magic, fantasy and science fiction. The idea of them being in love with each other is nowhere near as compelling to me as the idea of them caring about each other so deeply they would do anything for the other, without being in romantic love.

(If Annie and Kat do get together, I would also question how quickly and unceremoniously Paz got booted out of the comic to make way for this pairing, but that's neither here nor there, lol.)

[glabbles-underscore]

MY SILLY ORIGINAL STORIES CAUSE I WANNA RAMBLE BOUT EM !!

if you have any questions/asks you wanna send me about any/all of my stories, feel free to do so !! I'd love to ramble more about my silly goobers and how happy they make me :]

~~

Memphis & Friends

Memphis & Friends is a psychological horror story in the perspective of a young girl named Carmen, who faces her fears of death and change, all while inside of the restaurant created by her distraught father and late uncle, filled with old and new animatronics that haunt her very soul.

I have a really big admiration for stories like Martin Walls’ Walten Files and Battington’s Harmony & Horror series and FNaF tapes, and i wanted to try and write (and possibly animate) my own. Over time, and as i created more characters, i began shifting my focus from Marianna (Carmen's older sister) to Carmen, to the point that i inserted so much of my own personal fears and challenges into Carmen’s character and arc. Im not the best at writing horror, and even it’s gotten to a point where i struggle to write for M&F cause i end up scaring myself , but i’ve really enjoyed writing it so far. just thinking about the little details and how I might animate it one day excites me !!

~~

Axelverse

Two best friends, Axel and Memphis (yep, the same Memphis ⬆️) are having the time of their lives until, unexpectedly, Memphis goes missing one day. Joined by acquaintance Bloom, a distraught Axel goes on a trip to the Center of the World to find his best friend, and meets many exciting people along the way, also wanting to find answers to their questions at the Center.

Axelverse, i feel, is a story that’s allowed me to heal over my own personal friendships, both lost and gained. It’s one of the things i love about it the most; the fact that it’s about finding your own family, as different as they all are, as well as coming to terms with the fact that things and people change, and not everyone in your life is going to stay with you forever. It’s a very melancholy and freeing story, and i cant wait to share it with the world one day, whether by comic or by web series :]

~~

Silver Shadow

amnesiatic wolf-hybrid Nikki finds herself unable to remember her life before joining her pack, getting constant migraines over her lost memories until, bit by bit, she remembers it all. With the help of her pack, she learns about the horrid people that took her from her father and turned her mother into the monster she is, and plans an uprising that will save them all.

Nikki’s story has been in the works for the past 8 years, almost a whole decade. She’s been with me through so many things, and i don't think i’d be here without her. She’s gone from fox to wolf, from having an older brother to having a father, from once being a young justice self insert oc to being her own fully fledged character with her own thoughts and emotions, from being a 12 year old that could do anything because i was once a 12 year old who thought i could do anything to growing older within her story and with me because change is inevitable; she and i have gone through so much together, and i wouldn’t have it any other way.

~~

White Rabbit

The (loose) sequel to Silver Shadow, White Rabbit takes place decades after [ SPOILERS ] and follows a, you guessed it, white rabbit hybrid named Alban, who’s world is torn between hybrids and humans, all trying to fix past mistakes.

sheesh I can't say much for this one cause it has heavy Silver Shadow spoilers, BUT I will say that when I first started writing this story I was HEAVILY influenced by the Divergent series, to the point where the 2 main characters felt like carbon copies of Four and Tris. of course, the story and characters are no longer like that, and as basic as the plot might seem (at least to me until I fix/add more things) the characters feel really interesting and fleshed out to a point that makes me happy.

~~

Universe Adventures

this episodic story takes place in the wonderful world of Universe, where a young boy (me !!) gets transported and meets his various creations !! as time passes on, though, they all learn that a big evil is targeting him and wants to send him back to the real world.

UA isn't like my other stories where it's full of lore and plot, it's mostly just character interactions with me and my ocs, until things start to change later on !! it's a very cozy thing where all my stories and characters converge together. a fun way of thinking about it is that outside of Universe and in their respective stories, my ocs are like actors, and inside of Universe they live regular, normal lives (as normal as they can be when most of them are non-human)

~~

thank you for reading !!

✨ reblogs appreciated !! ✨

[septembermorningbells]

personal life rant under the cut sorry the quickest therapy appointment i could get was monday

okay this is fundamentally so unserious. but it has been driving me absolutely bonkers and i cannot really tell my friends about it without also driving THEM crazy also its juvenile but. here.

ok so quick lore update the girl who made me realize I was gay is one of my best friends and i met her when she directed a play i was in freshman year. this is important. realized my feelings sophmore spring and I eventually told her how I felt the fall of my junior year, when i was in another one of her plays, and she kind of flipped out bc she was studying abroad that next semester and I don't think she was in an emotional places to process everything. it was very unclear whether she actually returned my feelings and she never told me but it was a resounding 'lets just be friends!!!' regardless. after we fought for a month 🤪

ANYWAYS the next semester she goes abroad and we continue texting like every day but i eventually kind of get over it and i still love her but it transitions a bit. She comes back and we are closer than ever in the fall, we do so many things together and basically keep developing our already very close friendship.

now it's senior spring. she applied for a grant that would take her to grad school in england and of course I assumed she would get it bc she is like fantastically talented. i have briefly dated other people in the period in between but nothing really worked out and so i just resign myself to the fate of just hanging out with my friends and actually looking for love ugh when I move in september. but also at this point i know im kind of still in love with her so i was like 'enjoy this time with her because its our last semester in college and we are never getting this time back etc' and even though i want her in my life forever i knew it would be SO hard to see her go and move to another country for a while and maybe date other people. so i figured she would move and i would cry and be torn up but i would get over it. also, in the meantime, I have been entering into a bit of a flirtation with a girl we have both known for a long time (who is lovely) basically as a distraction but we both knew that it was NOT serious.

also for context: the friend is directing ANOTHER play right now that both me and flirtation girl are in. we are playing love interests.

so last wednesday she found out she didn't get the grant. me and our very good mutual friend (calling her X she will play a role later, she is also very very close with the girl lol) are SHOCKED. this means she will likely be with us on the east coast of the US with us. the following night, I go to a party with X, our friends, and the girl i have been flirting with. She makes a move on me at the party, which i wasn't quite expecting bc the play is ongoing and I am worried about making rehearsal awkward but i was like 'ok fuck it i guess isnt this what i set up i made my bed'

THEN X pulls me aside and is like 'grace wtf are you doing' and i said 'you literally knew about this and its not serious, why are you mad' and X says 'grace, she's not going to england', basically implying something about my friend and me. naturally, I freak out. I blow off the flirtation friend and basically spiral for the rest of the night and weekend. I eventually make X talk to me bc WTF

okay so the entire problem is that X can't say too much without compromising my friend which is fair. but basically X validated YEARS worth of feelings that me and my friend do not have a normal relationship, we have basically been dating for who knows how long, and heavily implied that after she found out i made out with the girl at the party she was jealous. after year(s?) of repressing my feelings this revelation obviously made me insane. BUT X was like 'you guys need to talk but you should probably wait until the play is over to do it' which is in THREE WEEKS. she said it maybe wasn't necessary but she obviously can't say too much to me and I feel bad putting her in this position but also WHAT. WHAT.

okay so. I feel like there's been a chip made in the side of the hoover dam of my fucking repression and i am having such crazy feelings and I can't really express them. I know my friend would probably prefer that we wait bc she takes her shows very very seriously (something i love about her!! so much!!!) but also we graduate in a month and i don't know if i can just not talk about what's going on for that long. also there is a fair chance we talk and we still have to just be friends which would kind of murder me (oh context her mother is like very homophobic and until this year she has been SO wary of relationships which i thought was permanent lol until X told me many repeated times that 'now it is different' WHAT DOES THAT FUCKING MEAN) but i would almost want to get that over with now????????? jesus christ.

to make things worse we are, as i stated before, graduating and so emotions are just running very high in general. we need to have this talk but I also want to have it at the right moment so things don't go to shit. but i have had a very hard time concentrating on anything. will be back to buisness soon but until then. jesus christ. just pray for me at this point idk what else to say

[blog-name-idk]

Everything Falls (Into Place) | 20

*Banner by the incredible @bangtansmauyeondan

Pairing: OT7 x Fem Reader

Genre: College!AU, Roommate!AU, Fluff, Humor, Smut

Summary: Your new roommates are unbearably nice and unbearably hot. Good thing you're an adult who is fully capable of platonic friendships with the opposite sex, right?

Word Count: 2930

~~~~~

You

JIN

HELP ME

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO WEAR

Jin

Lol it's so cute how you always freak out like this

Whatever you choose will be fine

You

That's not helpful!

Jin

I know my beautiful wife will look good in anything

You

Your beautiful wife might end up going naked at this point

Jin

I mean, they might be a little surprised

But they're surprisingly progressive

You

Ew you're not suggesting swinging with your parents right?

Jin

Omg NO wtf

You

Lmao

Seriously though

What are you wearing

Jin

Ohhh you want to know what I'm wearing, huh? ;)

You

Kim Seokjin I am this close to losing it

Jin

Ok ok want me to come help you decide?

You

Please!!

Just let me get dressed

Jin

Lol are you STILL in your PJs?

You

Uhh in a manner of speaking

Jin blinked at his phone, glad that you weren't there to laugh at the way his ears were blazing. He had almost forgotten that little tidbit you had casually thrown out in the group chat so long ago. He tried not to dwell on your sleeping attire - or lack thereof - but it was fruitless. Were you wearing a shirt? Or just underwear? Or… nothing at all? While texting him?

Jin

Oh

Oh fuck, he was getting a boner and he was supposed to go to your room to help you pick out dinner clothes for tonight. You room, where you were currently - no no no don't think about her naked in her room. He wasn't a hormonal teenager anymore, why couldn't he control these intrusive thoughts?

Well, he knew why. The conversation with his housemates had been necessary, but now he couldn't stop hoping that the dreamy scenarios he had of you by his side would become a reality. And yet he was conflicted - he liked to think that he was a big enough person to be satisfied if you felt the same way he did, whether the others were involved or not. But he couldn't tell if he would really be fine with it in reality.

He had never really been a jealous person, but it was hard to predict how his feelings would go in that type of situation. On the other hand, if you did end up with only him, wouldn't he then feel guilty for causing his best friends pain? At the same time, it also seemed pointless to ponder too long on these theoretical questions, since he had no way of knowing how he would react until something actually happened.

He acted confident and nonchalant around the others - in a way he felt like he had to, being the oldest. But this situation had a part of him terrified. While he normally didn't have a problem asking people out, this was you, a real, flawed, wonderful person who had somehow become the girl of his dreams. And at the end of the day it wouldn't just affect the two of you, but a whole slew of the people he cared most about in the world.

Still, he knew it had to be done. They couldn't live in this state of limbo forever, no matter how cozily domestic everything currently felt. If you didn't feel the same way, you would be kind about it (which was almost worse, because if you were the type to be cold then none of them would like you this much). Things would eventually return to some semblance of normality. Though it could mean the potential loss of your teasing banter and gentle touches, since you would probably feel uncomfortable continuing to do so.

Jin's phone dinged, making him realize he had just been standing, lost in thought, for the last several minutes.

Oops. Well, at least his dick had calmed down. He sighed. One way or another, tonight was going to be an experience.

You

You coming?

Hellooooooooooo

~~~~~

"[Y/n]! It's so wonderful to finally see you again!"

Gee, it's great to see you too mom," grumbled Jin, crossing his arms and jutting his plump bottom lip out into a horribly cute pout. You were torn between the desire to kiss it and strangle him for making it so hard to control yourself. Instead of either option you smiled at his mother, who had come to greet the two of you at the door. She smiled back, also ignoring her son, and pulled you into a hug.

"Come in, come in," she urged, stepping aside so you could enter the impressive foyer.

"Wow, it's even lovelier inside than outside," you said in awe, hoping you didn't look like a complete bumpkin as you gaped at the lush interior. You would have felt like an out-of-place peasant had Jin not taken that moment to set his hands reassuringly on your shoulders.

"That's because they spent an unnecessary amount of money contracting an interior designer and an interior decorator," he quipped. You nodded, pretending you totally knew there was a difference between the two.

His mother led the two of you to the sitting room - you weren't actually sure what differentiated that from a living room, either - where Jin's father was lounging with a tumbler of what was probably some very expensive whiskey. As soon as you entered the room, he grinned and stood up to greet the two of you.

"[Y/n], we're so happy you were able to come," he said, giving you a quick one-armed hug before doing the same for Jin. He then made his way to a gorgeous, well-stocked bar-cart complete with a swanky ice bucket and tongs, and asked if either of you wanted anything to drink.

"Could I try what you're having?" you asked. You weren't normally one to drink liquor without a mixer, but that was more because you were a cheap college student who wasn't going to spend money on something expensive. You wanted to know what something actually nice tasted like. Jin echoed your preference and his father complied, pulling a beautiful crystal decanter from the cart.

"Ice?" he asked, and you shook your head, curious about the unaltered flavor. He raised his eyebrows and flashed a smile at his son.

"She might be a better whiskey drinker than you," he joked as he put ice in only one of the glasses. Jin rolled his eyes good-naturedly before directing you to sit next to him on a plush couch.

When his father came over with your drinks, you took a cautious sniff, expecting harsh fumes. Instead you were met by a more mellow, almost sweet aroma. It still burned your nose a little, but it was actually pleasant. The amber liquid seemed to glow in the light of the room, and when you took a tentative sip you gasped at how smooth it tasted.

"Wow," you breathed, stunned. So this was why people got so snobby and annoying about fancy alcohol. A small noise from Jin caught your attention and you turned to see him smiling at you.

"You're so cute," he teased. You couldn't tell if the heat you felt rising in your cheeks was from the whiskey or the unabashed fondness in his gaze. He shouldn't have been allowed to smile at you like that.

"Ah, young love."

That brought you back to your senses and you snapped your gaze towards his mother, who was whispering to her husband with a grin that was bordering on a smirk. Embarrassed by how obvious you were being, you took another sip of whiskey, then almost spilled it onto the dress you were wearing when Jin set his hand lightly on your knee. The fucker didn't even look at you when he did so, instead just laughing and redirecting the topic to summer plans.

You found it increasingly difficult to concentrate with his large, warm hand on your bare skin, but you did your best to look attentive and pay attention as his parents told you about the trip to Paris they planned to take soon. And then his thumb began tracing soft circles that left goosebumps in their wake and you knew you were in trouble.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but could I use the restroom?" you asked, desperate to escape that innocent yet horribly tantalizing touch.

"Oh! Of course!" Thank god, freedom.

"Jin, could you show her the way?" Fuck.

"Of course."

Your oh-so-loving not-boyfriend stood up first and gallantly held out his hand to help you up. Suppressing a hysterical laugh, you took it and let him lead you through the house, which was more like a manor. Because you couldn't leave well enough alone, you opened your big stupid mouth.

"Why were you doing that?"

"Doing what?" He looked confused, and you wanted to die at the realization that he hadn't even been consciously trying to fluster you.

"I… er… nevermind," you stuttered. He stopped walking and turned to face you completely, and you cursed yourself for being so unconvincing.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, concern shining in those gorgeous eyes. He was still holding your hand, and your heart began to speed up.

"Youputyourhandonmyknee," the words spilled out and you cringed at how juvenile you sounded. Couples did that kind of thing all the time, and you couldn't handle it because you were an idiot.

Jin's eyes widened and he let go of your hand, looking distraught.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, was that crossing a line? I just felt so comfortable that I didn't even think about it."

He looked genuinely ashamed, which in turn made you feel horrible because the problem wasn't that he had crossed a line. It was that your evil brain wanted him to. The longer he had innocently stroked your skin, the harder it had become not to imagine that hand inching its way further up. Ugh, he was about to hate you for this, but anything was better than being the cause of the distress on his face.

"That's not it, exactly."

"Is this too much for you? I'm sorry if I pushed you into seeing my parents again, I'm sure it can't be easy pretending to like me - "

"Oh my god," you groaned, cutting him off and covering your face with your hands. "Please shut up and stop being sweet for a second, Jin."

You watched his face go confused (and slightly offended), and he cocked his head to the side. Why did he have to be so perfect? Fuck. Well.

"It was just… really distracting…" you said through gritted teeth, hoping you wouldn't have to elaborate. Unfortunately the world hated you, because your beautiful not-boyfriend was looking at you expectantly, still bewildered. You closed your eyes so you wouldn't have to see his reaction, and let the life-ruining words come out.

"I'm not pretending to like you."

You waited in agonizing silence for his response. When none came, you opened your eyes to see him staring at you, lips slightly parted in shock. Your heart sank. He was probably speechless at the way you had completely broken his trust. You looked down at your feet, ashamed to realize your eyes were starting to burn.

"I'm sorry," you whispered. "I didn't mean to take advantage of the situation."

A hand cupped your chin and forced you to meet his gaze. His eyes were wide, with an almost wild light shining from them.

"You - you like me?" he asked, a tightness you'd never heard before permeating his voice. You gave a tiny nod, sure that if you opened your mouth you wouldn't be able to keep your tears at bay.

"As in, romantically?" You gave another nod, brows knitting slightly. What exactly was so hard to grasp about -

His lips descended on yours, effectively shutting your brain up. Before you could fully register what was happening, he pulled back, ears bright pink.

"Um," he started, but by then your shock had worn off. You grabbed his shirt, dragging him back towards you. Your mind was still reeling and you weren't exactly sure what was happening, but fuck if you were going to let that be how your first kiss with him ended.

Jin's lips were just as soft and full as you had imagined, and he gave a very satisfying little shiver when you nipped his bottom lip. He brought one hand to thread through your hair, angling your head for better access, and the other to your lower back, bringing you flush against him.

You gave a contented sigh at the way his warm body pressed against yours, and he took the opportunity to trace the sound with his tongue. Not to be outdone, you met it with your own, feeling the blood in your veins simmer more and more with each swipe. Your hands left his shirt to tangle into his hair, pulling him impossibly closer, and the hand on your back began to creep lower.

"And you're sure you don't want the guest room?"

The two of you sprang apart and you stared wide-eyed at his mother. Oh god, she had literally just caught the two of you making out like teenagers.

"Mom, uh -"

"Dinner's ready," she said, cutting off Jin's squeaky attempt at an explanation and looking like she was trying very hard not to laugh. "Jin, I thought we taught you to save dessert for last."

You both spluttered at the innuendo, and she gave you a wink that made your face burn even hotter before prancing - prancing! - away and out of sight, leaving the two of you in utter silence.

"I-" the two of you began at once, then stopped.

"Sorry, go ahead," you both said, again at the same. You finally made eye contact then burst out laughing, and the awkwardness dissipated.

"So… you like me?" His eyes were sparkling and he was wearing a big, goofy smile. He was so fucking pretty.

"I think we established that," you confirmed dryly, also unable to keep the grin off your own face. "I'm assuming you feel the same?"

"Nah," he said nonchalantly, his lips twitching even wider. You scoffed and punched him lightly in the chest, and he grabbed your hand and brushed his lips against your knuckles.

"Of course I do," he said softly, dropping his teasing and gazing at you earnestly. The look in his eyes turned your knees into jelly, and it was all you could do to pull him back down for another kiss.

~~~~~

The dinner went by smoothly despite the earlier… indiscretion. Besides some veiled teasing, Jin's mother thankfully didn't bring up the event. By the end of the night, though, your giddiness had faded into apprehension. It was incredible that Jin appeared to be just as enamored as you were, but it didn't remove the little issue of your still existing feelings for your other friends. His best friends.

You managed to keep your composure through goodbyes with his parents, but when you buckled into the passenger's seat of Jin's car, you felt the full weight of apprehension settle into you. You couldn't do this to him.

Your eyes burned at the thought of throwing away this happiness so quickly, and a sniffle forced its way out of you. Jin immediately took your hand, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" He asked frantically, his consideration making it even harder for you to maintain your composure.

"I-I have to tell you something," you managed to choke out, and before he could ask what you meant, you let it all spill out. That you didn't just have feelings for him, but every single one of your roommates. You took multiple deep breaths, trying to calm down. God, what must he think of you now?

"Huh, hearing that actually didn't bother me as much as I thought it would."

Your head whipped to look at him, and instead of looking angry or disgusted, he just looked thoughtful. And maybe a little relieved, which made zero sense.

"Uh, what?" The weak question escaped your lips before you could help it, and Jin laughed. The look he gave you was gentle, and his hand moved to stroke your cheek. What the fuck was happening?

"I'm not upset," he assured you, and astoundingly there was complete sincerity in his gaze. "I'm actually fine with it."

"What do you mean?" You asked, and he gave you a reassuring smile.

"I mean, I still want to try this. With you."

This had to be a prank. You half expected one of those douchey prank Youtubers to pop out of the trunk and yell "surprise!" When nothing of the sort occurred, you were forced to accept the fact that this was actually happening. Sensing your confusion, he continued.

"I don't mind if something develops with any of them," he explained. "As long as you're honest with me about it. And considering this conversation right now that's not really something I'm worried about."

You stared at him with your jaw in your lap as you processed this information. Uncertainty flashed across his face at your silence.

"Unless I'm getting ahead of myself? If you don't want - "

"How are you so amazing?" You blurted, cutting him off. His shoulders relaxed and he laughed again.

"I could ask you the same," he responded shamelessly, making your heart pound. Could this really be happening? Was this real life?

"Sooooo?" He looked at you hopefully, and you finally felt a smile take over your face.

"Yes, fucking yes," you breathed, and his grin was everything that was perfect in the world.

"Oh thank God," he sighed, and crashed his lips back down onto yours.

~~~~~

Next | Masterlist

Tags: @singukieee @persphonesorchid @xmochiloverx @taestefully-in-luv @meavie @silscintilla @forpunishers @jnghs

[warriorsbutnotreally]

Why Squirrelflight And Finleap Are NOT The Same - Discussion

I have a lot of opinions on this, do bare with me

because I can say now

if you put Squirrelflight asking Bramblestar about kits on the same level as Finleap pressuring Twigbranch

Assume I don't like you

Unless you have a legitimate reason to compare a domestic abuse victim to someone who was actively manipulating his mate to consider having his babies so that he felt 'like he could stay with her', I don't care what you have to say

Because there's a big difference and it's a little thing called context and power dynamics

That being said

disclaimer that I am aro/ace, so this is coming from the lens of someone who doesn't understand romance but knows a bad situation when I see one

///

tw; mentions of abuse and manipulation

Let's start with Finleap

As apprentices he has a cute friendship with Twigbranch and it's implied the two like each other as a little more than friends, though Twig doesn't seem ready for that commitment just yet

We first see the topic of kits come up in this conversation.

“I know.” Finleap spoke softly. “It’s scary having so much responsibility. And these are our first apprentices. But it’s okay for us to make mistakes and it’s okay for them to make mistakes. We’re learning together.” “But I’m supposed to know what to do.” A lump sat in Twigbranch’s throat like a stone. “Why?” Finleap wove around her and stopped as he caught her eye. “You’re a great warrior, Twigbranch. And you’re kind. You don’t have to stop being kind just because you’re a mentor. Trust your instincts. Push Flypaw when she needs pushing, but encourage her too. You must know how good a little encouragement can feel when you’re facing something new and difficult.” There was warmth in his gaze that touched Twigbranch’s heart. He really cared whether she’d be a good mentor. He wanted her to succeed. She purred and touched her nose to his. “Besides,” he went on, “mentoring will teach us patience. Imagine what good parents we’ll be when we have kits.” When we have kits! Twigbranch pulled away. Finleap’s gaze was misty. Was he really thinking about having kits already? They weren’t even mates yet. Twigbranch wasn’t ready to be tied to the nursery. She was barely ready to think about having a mate. She changed the subject. “Let’s check the border.” She didn’t want to hurt Finleap’s feelings. “Flypaw! Snappaw! This way!” she called to the apprentices, scanning the bracken until they appeared, then turned and headed along the trail toward ShadowClan’s border.

It's important to note the obvious negative reaction she has, even outside of her own thoughts. She was perfect fine with touching him until kits are mentioned. She's also quick to change the topic.

It's also implied here and in a couple other places that they hadn't even had this conversation before, as it's sprung onto her without any warning.

And if you don't believe me, consider this paragraph -

His confidence soothed her. He seemed so sure of himself. Even when he’d been pulling Puddleshine free, he’d known he could do it. He was sure they’d be mates too and that they’d have kits one day. And the thought didn’t scare him. Anxiety wormed beneath Twigbranch’s pelt. Then why does it scare me?

Twigbranch isn't ready for kits and the fact Finleap is shows that they're not seeing eye to eye on the issue. He's confident he wants to be a father, but she's not sure she wants to be a mother just yet.

He wants her to be on the same page, even if she isn't ready.

“I like it here, but I don’t feel like I belong.” Finleap glanced at his paws. “Which is why I want to start a family. Here, in ThunderClan. Then I’ll feel part of the Clan. I’ll feel like I have something here that is truly my own. I want to have kits.” “Kits?” Twigbranch’s mouth was so dry, she could hardly speak. Finleap watched her, his gaze expectant. “But you know how I feel about kits,” Twigbranch blurted. “I’m not ready. I want to concentrate on mentoring. I’ve told you all this.” “I know.” Finleap held her gaze. “But I need you to think about it again. I have to feel I belong here—that you want me. If you don’t ever want to have kits with me, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel at home in ThunderClan.”

"If you don’t ever want to have kits with me, I’m not sure I’ll ever feel at home in ThunderClan."

That's a really shitty thing to say to someone especially your bestfriend / girlfriend

"I'm worthless here unless you give up part of your young adult life to providing me with children"

This isn't even a Fernsong situation where he offers to live in the nursery when she's able to go back out. No. He wants her in the nursery with her kits.

.

Next time we see these two

.

She glanced at Finleap, wishing he would say something encouraging. “I’m glad Bramblestar picked us. What if it’s the last chance I get to see Violetshine and Hawkwing?” Please tell me everything will be okay. “I thought kin wasn’t important.” There was bitterness in his mew. Twigbranch flinched. Since he’d told her he wanted to have kits, Finleap had been distant. She always seemed to be the one to start conversations, while he only replied in short, vague phrases. Her heart ached, but what could she do? Promise to be his mate? Give up mentoring Flypaw so that she could have his kits? Anger pricked at her belly. He was pressuring her into something she didn’t want yet. But she loved him, and she could understand that he was acting out of unhappiness. If only he could find his place in ThunderClan. She’d planned to keep stalling—refusing to give him a straight answer—to give him time to adjust. But what if SkyClan left? It would force him to make a decision. Clan or kin? She changed the subject. “I hope Reedclaw has recovered from her cough.” Finleap didn’t respond.

Now Finleap is giving her the cold shoulder, being such a piss-ant about her not wanting kits that he's not even willing to comfort her when both their families might be being chased away.

And moments later

Twigbranch was unnerved. Sparkpelt had been her mentor. Had she always wished SkyClan would leave? Why didn’t I realize? “Do you think the other Clans feel the same way?” Finleap shrugged. “If they do, then SkyClan will have to leave.” Her mouth grew dry. Hearing Finleap say those words out loud made her realize that she hadn’t truly thought it was possible until now. But he was right—SkyClan would have no choice but to leave if none of the Clans were on their side. “I really might never see Hawkwing and Violetshine again.” Finleap didn’t speak. Didn’t he care? “Will you go back with them?” She stared at him, her heart pounding. “I don’t know.” He avoided her gaze. Was she going to lose her kin and her love at the same time? What would be left if they went? Feeling sick, Twigbranch followed her Clanmates to the tree-bridge.

Not only does he voice her fears out loud, but he doesn't deny that he'd stay with her if she isn't with him. This is a manipulation tactic and a very shitty and terrible one that that for him to use again the girl he allegedly loves.

.

At the end of the gathering -

“SkyClan!” Leafstar called to her Clanmates from the long grass. Harrybrook and Macgyver hurried after her. “We must go,” Hawkwing mewed huskily. He turned away. Twigbranch gazed frantically at Violetshine. “Is this the last time I’ll see you?” “I don’t know.” Violetshine touched her muzzle to Twigbranch’s. Her breath was warm in the chilly night air. “It’s up to Leafstar now.” “Good-bye.” Twigbranch could hardly speak. Her throat tightened as Violetshine pulled away and headed after Hawkwing. As she turned back to her Clanmates, she saw Finleap. He was watching Plumwillow and Sandynose disappear into the grass. She hurried to his side. “Did you say good-bye?” He didn’t answer. The sorrow in his gaze pierced her heart. “Are you planning to go with them if they leave?” She felt numb. He stared at her. “I love you, Twigbranch. But if you don’t want to have kits, I should go with my kin. At least I’ll be somewhere I belong, instead of chasing a dream that might never come true.”

His wording is honestly just terrible.

His dream with Twigbranch is only to have children with her. He may say he loves her, yeah, but according to himself, he's willing to leave her forever just because she's isn't committed to the idea of having babies with him.

I want to say this now

If someone you like is willing to ditch you because you don't want to raise a family, be it at the moment or ever? Leave them. They're not worth it.

You shouldn't feel obligated to have a family with someone.

.

After SkyClan leaves, Finleap decides to stay in ThunderClan.

Of course, his pity party isn't over.

In the days since SkyClan had left, Finleap had seemed uneasy. They’d talked after the Gathering and he’d decided to stay in ThunderClan. Twigbranch had been relieved. Of course Finleap was upset at losing his kin, and at first she’d tried to be supportive, but it was like he was clinging to the loss. He’d started to act as though he’d made the wrong choice. He’d begun to eat alone and go to his nest early instead of sharing tongues with the Clan. He was acting like an outsider. Frustration itched beneath Twigbranch’s pelt, growing stronger each day. How could Finleap ever feel like part of ThunderClan if he didn’t try to fit in? At least he’d stopped talking about having kits. Had he really accepted that they wouldn’t have kits until they were both ready? Twigbranch wasn’t sure the matter was settled. Part of her wondered if Finleap wished he’d left with SkyClan after all.

This is where communication between the two is an issue.

Of course Finleap is going to be upset that his family is, as far as he knows, gone forever.

However

He never once clarifies that he's only upset about his kin to Twigbranch, his girlfriend, making his breakdown seem torn between missing his family and not liking the idea that the girl he likes isn't ready to have babies yet.

Not only that, Twigbranch has a huge point here.

Finleap claims kits will make him feel like he belongs in ThunderClan. However, outside of Twig and the idea of kits, he hasn't done much to try to bond with anyone in the Clan. Even outside of the conversation about kits, he mostly interacts with his apprentice unless he's out helping someone.

He's not focused on making friends, or being a great ThunderClan warrior. His only focus is having a family with Twigbranch and nothing else.

Granted we don't see his POV, but we do his actions and what he says to the cats he apparently cares about.

Her talk with Tree expresses more of her concerns with her relationship while they're out trying to find SkyClan.

Twigbranch followed his gaze. “I can’t imagine having kits,” she mewed guiltily. “Finleap wants to already, but I’m not ready to give up being a warrior.” “You don’t have to give it up,” Tree reminded her. “Queens only stay in the nursery until their kits are weaned, don’t they?” “I guess.” Was she being selfish, wanting to focus on herself? “But I don’t want to worry about that yet. I like being a mentor. I’m learning so much every day.” “You’re young,” he mewed gently. “There’s no rush.”

For the first time she's being told that it's okay that she doesn't need to feel ready and that there's nothing wrong with taking her time on deciding what she wants.

Of course this leads to-

“Well done!” As Twigbranch purred admiringly, she saw Finleap padding toward them. He was carrying a bedraggled sparrow. It was skinny and looked more like crow-food than fresh- kill. He stopped beside Flypaw and laid it on the ground. “I was thinking that we could share this . . .” He eyed the fat rabbit lying, half-eaten, between Twigbranch and Tree. “But I guess you don’t need it.” Anger hardened his mew. Twigbranch shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t realize you were bringing me food. Tree just offered and I was hungry.” Finleap wasn’t listening. He was still staring at the rabbit. “I guess he knows where the best prey lives. This used to be his home. It’s easy to hunt when you know the territory.” Tree stared at Finleap coldly. “I could catch a rabbit anywhere.” “Did you used to catch rabbits to impress Violetshine?” Finleap mewed pointedly. “Or have you forgotten Violetshine?”

Immediately he's jealous of Tree because he was thoughtful enough to share a rabbit. And Warriors has shown us that there's nothing inherently romantic about sharing prey. It happens all the time and not specifically between mates or two courting cats.

It's a common social interaction between Clan cats.

But Finleap's acting like he caught them sharing a nest.

Tree had been hard on him, but Finleap had picked the fight. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, even though he was acting like a fox-heart. She hurried across the cave. Finleap was sniffing at the bedding, his pelt bristling. “Oh, so you can tear yourself away from Tree?” Twigbranch blinked at him. “What are you talking about? Tree loves Violetshine!” He glanced at her angrily and padded out of the cave.

He accuses her of liking Tree and when she denies, he walks away.

She chases after him and then this argument goes down

He stopped as he reached a swath of heather and turned on her. “I bet you don’t even want to find SkyClan! You’re probably happy to see Violetshine gone now that you’ve made Tree notice you.” Shock froze Twigbranch. “Do you have you bees in your brain?” She stared at him. “How could you say something like that? I would never betray my sister. And I’d never make Tree try to notice me. I told you! He’s just a friend. And he wouldn’t do that to Violetshine, either!” “You haven’t left his side since we left camp,” Finleap snarled. “I’m leading the patrol, and he knows the way!” Twigbranch snapped. “Every time I look at you, your muzzle’s in his ear.” “We were just talking! I’ve got to talk to some cat. Ever since SkyClan left the forest, I feel like I can’t talk to you.” Grief pressed in her belly. “I don’t know why you stayed with me. You’ve made it pretty clear that you wish you’d left with SkyClan.” “I stayed because I love you!" Finleap spat. “You’ve hardly looked at me. If that’s love, I don’t want it!” She lashed her tail. “You don’t know what love is!” He glared at her accusingly. “Of course I do!” Why was he being so mean? “I love you!” “Not enough to have my kits.” She stared at him, wind tugging at her fur. “Is that it? If I won’t have your kits, you don’t want me?” “I want you to love me enough to have kits.” Hurt sharpened his gaze.

Again what he's doing here is shitty and he's being jealous of another tom talking to his girlfriend, despite this tom just being a friend, all because he's being nice to her

Not a good sign

And, of course, the apology just sucks. It comes out of nowhere and it doesn't feel like he earned the right to be forgiven

he hurt Twigbranch, made her doubt what she wanted, and treated her like shit

`“But I thought you loved me.” He sounded surprised. “You told Violetshine you loved me very much.” “I do,” she mewed softly. “But not enough to have your kits. Not now. Maybe not ever.” Finleap glanced at his paws. “Let’s forget about kits, huh?” She blinked in surprise. “Forget?” “I was wrong, Twigbranch. Seeing SkyClan again made me realize . . . however much I love my kin, I love you more. I don’t want you to have kits if you don’t want to. I can live without them. But I can’t live without you.” Twigbranch stared at him. “Do you mean that?” “Yes.” Finleap’s eyes shimmered with love. “I’ve been so wrapped up in feeling hurt, I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you—or how much I was hurting our relationship.”

Now, not every character needs a grand realization

But

I don't think just a simple "I'm sorry" makes up for how he made her feel and the harm he did to their relationship and the fact it took this long for him to realize that his girlfriend his her own cat and not just a kit-making factory.

And this is one part of a very long story

.

.

.

Now let's talk about Squirrelflight

Specifically Squirrelflight's Hope, but I will also make references to Omen Of The Stars, as that's when her worse breakup with Brambleclaw/star happened where

may I remind you

he ignored her and treated her like garbage for many moons and when he thought there was a chance she might die was when he finally decided to make amends for her horrible crime of

*checks notes*

protecting her sister's kits from a system that punishes not only halfClan kittens, but the kits of medicine cats

"but she lied" I hear you cry

and to that I say

and?

Bramblestar lied about much worse things than where three kits came from and, may I remind you, he trained in cat hell with his very obviously evil dad who he had been judged for being the son of.

And cats lie in Warriors all the time and it's very rare that they're punished for it

and no, saying you find her annoying also doesn't justify anything

The punishment doesn't match the 'crime' here.

So

Let's get into Squirrelflight's Hope

.

The first time kits are brought up is by Bramblestar, him talking about it in a negative light.

... She didn’t feel old yet, but it had been a long time since she’d felt the rush of excitement she used to feel in her first moons as a warrior, whenever she was picked to go on patrol or attend a Gathering. She pressed closer to Bramblestar. “Do you miss being young?” He shrugged. “I miss being irresponsible. Back then, the only thing we had to worry about was our next hunt. That was before we became leader and deputy, and before we had kits to look after.”

Obviously, Squirrelflight doesn't agree there

Squirrelflight felt a pang of longing. Sparkpelt and Alderheart were grown, and she’d never had a chance to know their littermates, Juniperkit and Dandelionkit, who had died. She’d been hoping to have a new litter by now—tiny kits to nurture and love. But they’d had no luck. “Having kits didn’t make me feel old. I liked the responsibility. It’ll be good to feel that way again.” She glanced hopefully at Bramblestar. When he didn’t comment, she prompted him. “Don’t you think?” “Of course.” He didn’t look at her. Anxiety prickled beneath her pelt. She’d wanted him to sound more enthusiastic about kits. “Let’s pretend we’re young again now. It’s almost like we’re sneaking out of camp.” Squirrelflight kept her mew light. “Half the Clan are already in their nests, and the rest will be asleep by the time we get home.” “I wish we could.” Was that a sigh in Bramblestar’s mew? “But we can’t be late for the meeting. And we have to go straight back to camp afterward; Birchfall and Lionblaze will be waiting to find out what happened.”

It's important to note now that Squirrelflight wants to feel young and wants to feel important, something that she doesn't feel now as an older molly.

Things have been serious lately and she wants to lighten the mood, but this is brushed off by Bramblestar.

It should be noted that the leaders - and not Squirrelflight - are talking about how their Clans need territory because they have expecting queens. Squirrelflight has an internal reaction, yes, but doesn't say anything.

Bramblestar's also being a hardass here and Squirrelflight does have a good idea, but he's quick to make her feel bad about it.

“Might be.” Bramblestar’s tail twitched angrily. “Or it might be overrun with snakes, or dogs, or foxes. Warriors might die thanks to your idea.”

There was no sign the gathering was leader only. If it was, why bring non-leaders? And everyone had been having an open discussion about possible ideas.

But Bramblestar shames Squirrelflight for trying to be helpful.

And of course, we start reaching this scene

“But we’d all have bigger territories if SkyClan moved.” Squirrelflight hurried after him. “And you heard Harestar and Leafstar. The Clans are growing. There’ll be more kits by newleaf, more mouths to feed, more apprentices to train—” “More kits!” Bramblestar lashed his tail. “Is that all you think about now?”

She's not talking about her own kits. She's literally referencing something previously brought up by two other Clan leaders. However, Bramblestar turns this against her, lashing out about an already dead conversation that didn't last.

A conversation that he had brought up both the first time and this time.

His words stung like claw marks. She watched him disappear into the grass, her chest tightening. “Don’t you think about it?” She pushed after him, but he was already hurrying ahead. He was on the tree-bridge by the time she caught up to him. She followed him over it and jumped onto the far shore. She fell in beside Bramblestar, breathless as she tried to keep up. “Don’t you think about kits, Bramblestar?” “I have kits,” he snapped. “Alderheart and Sparkpelt? They’re grown up now!” “I know!” Bramblestar didn’t look at her. “They’re old enough to look after themselves. Why are you so desperate to be responsible for new lives? Isn’t being deputy enough?” “It should be, but it’s not.” Squirrelflight felt panic welling. “I’m getting older with each season. One day I won’t be able to have more kits. I just want another litter before it’s too late.”

Not only did he run off after bring this conversation back, but he continues to shame Squirrelflight after he stops running, implying that she's not content being deputy.

She's worried because she's scared that she's getting older.

The fear of growing older is a common fear and brushing it off as someone being irrational isn't fair to the person.

and to get to the scene where she's "like Finleap" according to those people out there with pebbles instead of brains.

“I know.” Bramblestar sounded weary. “And of course I want kits. Just not as much as you do.” Squirrelflight stopped and stared after him. “Don’t you love me anymore?”

She's not asking this to guilt trip or manipulate. We'd be seeing signs of that way before this question.

Instead this is given the context of being asked in desperation.

I remind you that Bramblestar had spent an entire arc being harsh and cold to her, making her feel small, and he had been making her feel small again, berating her and having her question her ideas.

He's being a piece of shit and she's scared that this is going to turn into all those moons of OotS again.

Even if she was trying to, the power dynamic isn't in her favor. Not only is he older than her, having been made a warrior before she was even born, he's the leader. He has 9 long lives ahead of him.

As shown here she's painfully aware of it, too

Bramblestar turned, his eyes sparking with exasperation. “Yes! But I am responsible for our Clan. And if the other Clans are planning to start up more trouble with SkyClan, I need to focus on that. I don’t have as much energy as I used to. I’m getting older too.” “No, you’re not!” Anger flared in Squirrelflight’s chest. “You have more lives than me—” She broke off as a realization washed over her like ice water. Was that why he didn’t care about kits? He had plenty of time to have kits in the future, maybe even with another mate, when she was dead. The thought made her feel sick. Bramblestar’s next litter might have a mother who wasn’t her. She stared at him, unable to speak.

She doesn't put it past Bramblestar to move on after she's gone, despite his older age and that was also proof in Bramblestar's Storm, where he was actively interested in courting Jessy.

Her fears here are valid. Not only is she older, but she only has one life to live. He doesn't.

And he's perfectly in the right to not want anymore kits

However, his attitude and behavior to his mate is absolutely terrible and instead of talking to her, he's belittling her and making her feel bad for wanting things.

And for having different opinions at that

His gaze shimmered suddenly as though he saw her pain. “I’m sorry.” He hurried to her side and pressed his muzzle against her cheek. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I was angry. I felt you weren’t on my side at the meeting. I was trying to protect SkyClan.” “So was I!” She pulled away indignantly. “I was trying to find a solution that would keep the peace.” “Maybe you’re right. But that isn’t the point. You’re my deputy.” His tail twitched. “You’re supposed to back me up in front of the other Clans. We need to look united. You know how quickly Tigerstar smells weakness, and how he exploits it.”

Then why make her deputy again?

“And you did the ShadowClan border patrol.” Squirrelflight’s tail-tip was twitching, though she kept her voice low. “And yesterday you trekked all the way over to RiverClan and risked your life rescuing that kittypet.” “So?” Bramblestar began to feel frustrated. “I’m fine. It’s not a problem.” “It’ll be a problem for the rest of us if our Clan leader collapses from exhaustion.” Bramblestar heaved a long sigh. “Remind me why I chose you to be my deputy,” he muttered through his teeth. “Because I won’t let you boss me around,” Squirrelflight retorted, her green eyes flashing. True, Bramblestar thought ruefully.

Oh yeah, cause he doesn't want a yes-man deputy

Or maybe he wants a deputy who only challenges him when it's convenient and/or doesn't make him look like an idiot.

Which is kinda

not great

“It looks a lot like weakness when a deputy disagrees with her leader in public.” Bramblestar shifted his paws. “You should know better! You should have discussed your idea with me in private and we could have taken it to the other Clans together.” “It might have been too late by then.” Squirrelflight paused. She didn’t want to argue. And besides, the issue with SkyClan wasn’t what was worrying her now. “I’m sorry I spoke up without talking to you first. But is that really why you said you don’t want to have kits?” Bramblestar gazed at her, his eyes round. “I’m sorry if I made it sound that way. I do want to have kits with you.” “Really?” Her heart lifted. “Yes. If that’s what you want.” Squirrelflight stared at him. There was resignation in his eyes. Grief twisted her belly as he stared back at her blankly. She turned away. I want you to want it too.

Here's where the argument that Squirrelflight, in any way, is equal to Finleap falls apart the most.

She doesn't need to be told that he doesn't feel the same.

She can see it in the way he acts.

She knows he doesn't and she lets the conversation die. Yes, she still thinks about how Bramblestar may move on and have a new litter after she's gone, but she doesn't talk about it, instead keeping her thoughts to herself, not wanting to rock their unstable relationship any more than it has been.

Most of this book has Squirrelflight second guessing what she wants and believing that maybe she was in the wrong for talking openly about a possible idea when everyone else had been doing it.

There's literally a scene where she's having what, in my opinion, feels similar to the start of a near panic attack where her thoughts spiral into a dark pit

But it hadn’t been just the kits he’d been upset about. She’d contradicted him in front of the others. But they were close to fighting! Squirrelflight flicked her tail indignantly. And I have a right to my own opinion. Her plan for SkyClan could be the perfect solution. She couldn’t have held her tongue even if she’d wanted to. Bramblestar had implied that a good deputy would have kept quiet. She shook out her pelt. Was that what Bramblestar thought—that she wasn’t a good deputy? Hurt sharpened its claws on her heart once again. She closed her eyes. Chasing thoughts like this wasn’t going to help her feel better.

The way Bramblestar spoke to her struck so deep that Squirrelflight feels selfish for having her own wants, as seen by her talking to her sister.

Squirrelflight let out her breath. Never mind the awkwardness—Leafpool will understand. And she needed reassurance. “He said he doesn’t want more kits as much as I do.” Leafpool’s eyes rounded with sympathy. “Oh, Squirrelflight.” Squirrelflight nodded. “I know. It’s—” Selfish of me, she was about to say. Because I’ve already mothered two litters. But Leafpool didn’t let her finish. “That must have hurt,” Leafpool said softly, dipping her head. “I know how much you want another litter.” “Bramblestar says he’s getting old and that the Clan is enough responsibility.” She trailed into silence, the memory of the argument stinging her afresh. “I’m sure he’d love kits if you had them,” Leafpool mewed. “But I can see how he finds the thought overwhelming.” Squirrelflight blinked at her. “Do you think I’m being unreasonable, wanting more kits? I know I . . .” “No, of course not. But you already have Alderheart and Sparkpelt. And, in a way, Jayfeather and Lionblaze.” Squirrelflight nodded, but her heart ached. “They don’t need me anymore.”

The power dynamic between Bramblestar and Squirrelflight aren't fair and, again, he's in his right to not want any more kits right now

but the way he spoke and made her feel like her wanting kits at all was terrible and that she should feel bad isn't the way to handle a relationship where two people have two different wants

And for more proof that Bramblestar doesn't make his deputy, who is also his mate, feel important

we have this line

And as far as kits went . . . Leafpool didn’t understand what it felt like not to be needed. Leafpool was needed every day. The Clan depended on her, sometimes for their lives. It was different for Squirrelflight. Even as deputy, she was just one warrior among many.

She's made to feel like another warrior, a replaceable cog in a machine, when Bramblestar had never been made to feel like that while he was deputy

In fact, in Squirrelflight's own words

"Who does Brambleclaw think he is, treating me like I'm still wet behind the ears? Toms are so much trouble! You don't know how lucky you are, Leafpool, not having to worry about things like that. Well I know there was Crowfeather..."

After becoming deputy his confidence and ego went up and he made it known that he wasn't just another cat

He was ThunderClan's deputy

But he never allows his mate to feel like that

In fact, he actively puts her down

He starts making up rules just to keep her in place and lashing out when she tries to fight back. Even when Squirrelflight is trying to be happy that Sparkpelt is expecting kits, Bramblestar brings up their conversation.

Yes, Squirrelflight did feel a little envious, she felt guilty about feeling that way and just wanted to be happy for her daughter

but he was the one who brought up how she wanted kits and he didn't, further making her feel shameful

he didn't even aid in comforting his daughter when her pregnancy brought pain after he sparked the fight with Squirrelflight. He was just watching as Squirrelflight helped their daughter, Squilf being the one to talk to her gently when she was worried about the intense craps she was feeling

When Sunrise, one of the Sisters, is actively dying, he refuses to allow anyone to help her until the medicine cats talk to StarClan and when they get an unclear message, he's more than willing to let her die

When Leafpool refuses to allow this, he actively challenges the medicine cat in front of the entire Clan and Squirrelflight snaps to her sister's defense once more.

Squirrelflight held her ground. “I have to do what I think is right.” “Even if it costs you your Clan?” “ThunderClan is stronger than that,” Squirrelflight spat. “At least I hope it is. If our future depends on letting a cat die, then it’s not the Clan I thought it was.” Bramblestar stared at her. Uncertainty glittered in his gaze. “Why are you doing this to me?” His words pierced her heart. “You’re my deputy. You’re my mate. You’re supposed to support me.” “Being a good deputy doesn’t mean blindly following orders.” Squirrelflight didn’t move. “It means standing up for what I believe, and this time, I believe I’m right.” The camp seemed to swim around her. She knew she was hurting him. But she had to convince him. As the Clan watched her silently, their eyes round in the moonlight, Bramblestar backed away.

Bramblestar tries to manipulate her and that's where the big power dynamic comes in

he's the leader

he's older

he had gone out of his way many times to make her feel small and weak compared to him, even imposing reckless rules just to try to keep her where he wants her

he wants to use her emotions against her

and when she refuses to let him hurt her more

he strikes her with more sharp and hurtful words

Around him, the Clan got to their paws. Mousewhisker and Twigbranch helped Tempest and Hawk lift Sunrise. Leafpool nosed her way into the medicine den. Bramblestar narrowed his eyes, his face like stone. Squirrelflight tried to drag her gaze from his, her heart cracking as he curled his lip. “StarClan wanted unity among the Clans,” he snarled. “Thanks to you, there’s not even unity in ThunderClan anymore.”

“Thanks to you, there’s not even unity in ThunderClan anymore.”

because she didn't want an needless death, he blames her for the discourse he created

this is only a portion of the Squirrelflight mistreatment in this book, but it's all that I'm going to mention since it deals with the topic at hand

and of course we know she decides she doesn't need more kits after all

but what I want to say is

these two stories aren't even

Finleap is manipulative and tries to make Twigbranch feel like she needs to have his kits to prove she loves him or to keep him around

Squirrelflight wants to have more kits, but is made to feel like her needs are selfish and that she should feel bad for these feelings

Twig and Bramble are valid for not wanting kits just as much as Fin and Squirrel are valid for wanting them

However, Finleap isn't in the right for pressuring his girlfriend to marry him and have kittens when she isn't ready

and Bramblestar isn't in the right for shaming his mate for wanting more kits and making a scene out of their relationship problems

and before any incels find this

their genders wouldn't matter in this

if Finleap was a she-cat harassing the tom she liked to have kits with her to make her feel like she belonged in a Clan, I'd still feel the same way

if Squirrelflight was a tom who wanted more kits, but his female leader mate berated him and made him to feel guilty for wanting that, I'd feel the same

it's not about toms and she-cats, men and women, or whatever terrible black and white gender binary lens you're looking through

it's about two different types of shitty mates in two different situations

those being Finleap and Bramblestar and their manipulation of Twigbranch and Squirrelflight respectively.

[lucemferto]

Hey girl, don’t mind me, I just quickly went and rewrote Dream SMP Season 2.

I’m focusing on the big plot stuff from Season 2, which makes it really easy for me to make it good, because I don’t have to contend with all the hard parts like dialogue and scene pacing and stuff. As an additional challenge to myself, I try to change as little as possible. If I don’t mention stuff (like the Egg-Arc) then that means I’m fine with them the way they are.

I wrote this in an hour, so don't expect it to be good, pls.

Whether you agree or think this is trash, I'd be so interested to hear your thoughts!

ACT I

Fundy’s early arc with Ghostbur, Eret and Phil is great and should stay the way it is. It sets up the character relationships and potential for conflict that we can explore in the future.

Similarly, I wouldn’t change too much about the conflict during Exile with one exception: Both Tommy and Quackity don’t want to include Technoblade. Instead, they believe that they can take one Dream by themselves – this is important for Techno’s, Tommy’s and Quackity’s personal journey later on. In this rewrite, Quackity also didn’t found El Rapids, but instead recruited George & Sapnap to L’Manburg – because his stated goal is to make L’Manburg the strongest nation on the server, so why would he make a rival nation with a plotline that goes nowhere?

What’s also important is that it’s revealed that Dream has a spy in L’Manburg around here. Maybe Tommy confessed his burning of George’s house during a cabinet meeting and word still got out to Dream. Who knows, but it’s important for later.

Something big that I would change about this Act I is that I would give Techno an actual B-plot. As it stands, Techno’s early plotline was just “Grrr, I’m angry that Tommy would use me like that! Someone killed my cows and robbed me! L’Manburg will know my wrath”

3 weeks later

“Nevermind, I’m a pacifist now and live in the arctic”

Instead, we pick up where S1 left off. Techno is intent on destroying L’Manburg and instituting anarchy. During that time, he comes into conflict with Quackity’s henchmen (Fundy, George, Sapnap, etc.) to establish that L’Manburg could be an actual threat to him.

We also have some conflict with Phil. They’re old war buddies, but Phil’s son built L’Manburg and Phil himself is unofficially Tubbo’s advisor. I think them reconstituting their friendship will take up this early part until Tommy’s exile – it makes for a nice foil to Tommy’s and Tubbo’s friendship falling apart.

Technoblade also tries to recruit people like HBomb and Niki to his cause, but they’re hesitant, because, you know, he sent Withers to destroy their home. Not the best first impression. Techno is hurt, but convinced it’s because of L’Manburg propaganda and they don’t want to work with him, because they don’t see him as useful.

ACT II Part 1

Exile-Arc basically stays exactly the same – with one notable difference. When Technoblade comes to visit Tommy it’s not to mock him – it’s as a final attempt to convince Tommy to join him. It’s a first culmination of Techno’s character journey so far: His previous interactions with the citizenry of L’Manburg has left him shaken, but not shaken enough.

Tommy truly does need “The Blade” right now and he has no reason to further believe L’Manburg’s propaganda. So, by Technoblade’s inner logic, Tommy should accept.

But he doesn’t. Tommy viciously rips into Technoblade and gets very personal (he’s in a bad space, understandably) – Techno can play it off nonchalantly, but either the cinematography or some later moment shows us that he was hurt by this.

Nevertheless, he gives Tommy a compass that points to his HQ, showing us that he cares about Tommy, like he did during their early days in Pogtopia.

This is where we implement some big changes. The story of Technoblade and the Butcher Army becomes the A-plot, while the Exile becomes the B-plot.

It makes perfect sense. The Exile-Arc is a very inward-focused, almost a character study of Tommy and Dream. It doesn’t have a lot of big narrative movement – so the perfect time to execute on that narrative movement in the storyline that has a lot of moving pieces.

So, after Tommy chewed him out, Techno is hurt and meets with Philza. Techno then explains that for him anarchy always was the natural order of things – to fight for a world where only the strongest survive – but pursuing anarchy like that has left him empty. Philza then explains that anarchy should be more about helping people and building an equal community.

We’re all but stating a major thematic conflict of this storyline: Fighting those who wronged you vs. Helping those in need. All this while also exploring the philosophy of anarchy with Techno and Philza serving as symbolic stand-ins for some different thoughts on the matter.

So, while Tommy’s Exile is going on, Techno refines his approach. This goes hand in hand with Quackity using his henchman to turn L’Manburg into a totalitarian police state in order to root out Dream’s traitor (told you it would become important later).

This will be the main conflict here in the first half of Act 2. Quackity and Philza will play shoulder-devil and shoulder-angel respectively for Tubbo and Fundy, pulling them in different directions. Ghostbur also hangs around L’Manburg – a constant reminder for Tubbo of the most sanitized version of President Wilbur and the lofty ideas he stood for.

This is another big thematic conflict for this storyline – externalized in part through Ghostbur’s presence: When do the ends no longer justify the means? It also feeds into the motif of Tubbo and Tommy becoming like Schlatt and Wilbur respectively (even if that’s still mostly superficial).

During this political turmoil, Niki is getting into Quackity’s crosshairs. She opposes his policing and brutal methods. So Quackity really focuses in on her and she has to live with constant surveillance, searches, etc. Niki tries to talk to Tubbo about this, but he says it’s necessary to keep L’Manburg safe. Slowly, Niki grows disillusioned with L’Manburg.

It is during this time that Niki gets into contact with Techno and the two start to form a bond and helping the citizenry hold out hope during this time (I don’t know who would be the citizenry, probably people that don’t have their own storyline going on such as HBomb, Vikkstar, Lazarbeam, etc.)

And we can have a few lorestreams like that, where the conceit is that Techno’s sneaking into L’Manburg to help people and there’s actual tension.

All this culminates in Hog Hunt. Fundy sees Phil, Niki and Techno team-up. He confronts them after Techno left and Phil begs Fundy to not out them – but their divide has grown too deep (and we’ve actually shown that during Fundy’s streams this time).

Quackity has Phil and Niki incarcerated (L’Manburg has a prison now, it’s not as good as Pandora’s Vualt). Tubbo is deeply disturbed that Philza and Niki would betray him by working with the man that took one of his canon lives and finally gives the Butcher Army his presidential approval. Quackity was already prepared and the events of Hog Hunt play out as we know them.

ACT II Part 2

Again, plays out relatively similarly, except for one major difference: Tommy comes to Techno with the explicit purpose of asking for his help. Exile has left him really hardened, probably more so than we have currently.

This would a.) make Tommy a bit more proactive in his partnership with Techno and b.) actually gives some weight to Techno’s later beef with Tommy, because now it’s based on more than just some flimsy phrasing during S1.

Otherwise, this plays out relatively similarly – Techno and Tommy maybe share a few more character moments, just to drive home that Techno cares about Tommy. Also, none of that dumb keeping it a secret whether or not we destroy L’Manburg – that’s some contrived nonsense and I hate it.

Tommy knows that Techno wants to destroy L’Manburg and while he’s conflicted, he ultimately goes along with. Once he gets his discs back, everything will be over after all. The destruction of L’Manburg will have been worth it.

Part of the rising action will be breaking Phil and Niki out of prison instead of the petty bullshit about Techno’s items that he doesn’t need. This is where we have the initial confrontation between Tommy and Tubbo (and Techno doesn’t ruin the moment by being his worst self).

Other plot points include: Techno receives the Wither Skulls over the course of him and Tommy working together by some mysterious benefactor. This is after he and Tommy confronted Dream. He doesn’t tell Tommy who the benefactor is, even though he knows (spoilers: it’s Dream).

Meanwhile, Tommy, Techno, Niki and Phil are secretly rigging New L’Manburg with TNT a la Wilbur, just to really drive that comparison home. Niki is getting really angry; she has suffered enough and she’s really gonna get revenge.

One of her big moments of terrorism before the Green Festival is burning down the L’Mantree (maybe we can include some character conflict Fundy, so we have these two people who were once really close friends now so warped and torn apart by these two sides at war).

Meanwhile, Quackity has figured out that Ranboo was the traitor and is pushing for Tubbo to execute Ranboo for the greater good of L’Manburg. Tubbo is hesitant, but as there’s no moderate voice in the cabinet anymore, he concedes to the idea.

Finally, the Green Festival is here. This part is really … tough to rewrite, because you have to accommodate so many different character arcs, but I’ll try my best.

In a move not unlike during the Red Festival, Ranboo is revealed as the traitor and put in the execution cage (because those parallels). Tubbo feels really bad about it.

This is when Tommy and Techno start their assault and unleash the whithers. L’Manburg is under attack and we have the big fight between Tubbo and Tommy. We get the big shout-out “The discs were worth more than you ever were” and the ensuing epiphany on Tommy part.

Techno’s calling for him to explode the TNT, but he doesn’t do it.

Quackity is calling for Tubbo to execute Ranboo, but Tubbo has an epiphany himself and refuses. Both their personal conflicts are resolved here. Also, we have some nice parallelism between Quackity and Techno as Tubbo’s and Tommy’s respective bad influences.

Techno – understandably this time – feels betrayed and hurt. He and Tommy have their shouting match. Quackity tries to attack Techno, but during their match they accidentally trigger the TNT. Quackity’s hunger for power has created the grave of his ambitions.

(Niki is also pissed at Tommy and Fundy is fully distraught, because L’Manburg was everything he had left from Wilbur).

Dream steps out of the shadows and reveals that he was Techno’s mysterious benefactor. He gets his hands on the second disc and gloats to Tommy. The scene from Doomsday plays out only that Techno shows some stings of remorse for helping Dream accomplish what he wanted. (Quackity flees the ensuing chaos).

Dream tries to goad Tommy with the discs, but Tommy doesn’t bite, because he has resolved his Want vs. Need now. Dream is frustrated, but retreats for now.

ACT III

In the aftermath of ACT II, I think it’s very important to hammer home that this wasn’t a win for Techno, Niki or Phil. For that to work I think it’s important to make clear that Tommy’s and Techno’s bond was genuine and that they really cared for each other during the Bedrock Bros thing. Neither of them is happy for how this turned.

Niki is plagued by nightmares and sleeps in a prison cell like in the current canon. She stands in symbolic for the emptiness that vengeance brings. Phil is shaken from his talk to Ghostbur and he’s the one who brings up that maybe what they did wasn’t for the best.

Then Techno and Phil have a discussion about the nature of anarchy again, calling back to that earlier conversation at the beginning of Act 2. Techno also feels empty – his vengeance and the destruction he wrought left him no happier.

Meanwhile, Punz and Tommy are actually spending some quality bonding time. Thanks to the medium, they could simulate that pretty well. Punz actually gets attached and when Dream mentions his coup-de-grâce, the cinematography shows that Punz isn’t too happy about it.

Tommy and Tubbo prepare to fight Dream on their own terms. They know, they have to stop him lest he hurts the people they care about (this makes both of them a bit more proactive in the finale). Punz (as per Dream’s orders) tells Tommy where Dream is hiding. Tommy thanks him, oblivious that Punz is a traitor, but Punz feels bad. He has grown attached to Tommy.

During the Final Disc War we actually get two perspectives: One is Tommy’s and Tubbo’s as we know it (only without the constant “Your discs or Tubbo”-stuff) and the other is Punz’s. He has decided to help Tommy even though there’s nothing monetarily in it for him.

First, he goes to Quackity, but Quackity says that Tommy has betrayed him and L’Manburg and that he gets what’s coming to him.

In a last-ditch effort, he goes to Techno. Here’s where we resolve that thematic conflict (Vengeance vs. Charity) for the Techno-Butcher Army storyline: Quackity has chosen to perpetuate the cycle of vengeance (because he will be the villain in S3), but we want some nice character development for Techno.

Niki is against it and stays put, but Techno and Philza ultimately decide to go with Punz and the others to help Tommy.

Finale plays out the same. Stuff’s still awkward between Techno and Tommy/Tubbo; they haven’t resolved all their problems, but it’s a first step. Some good set-up for S3.

And that’s my basic rewrite. It’s long and probably not the best.

[barnesandco]

Little Hands (II)

Series Masterlist

You, Bucky, and Anastasia pay Bruce Banner a visit. 

This is an entry for @star-spangled-bingo 2021. Word count: 1836. Square filled: “You don’t wanna know.”

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: More Sad Child. Needles, fear of. So much overthinking.

A/N: Gosh, I’m so glad I got this chapter edited in time. I hope you like it and I’m sorry for skipping out on y’all last week! To make up for it, there’ll be two updates this weekend, so look out for the next chapter tomorrow! Lmk what you thinkkkk

The Avengers Compound is every bit as spectacular as you could have possibly hoped, and yet you’re unable to fully appreciate it because of the sheer absurdity of the situation. Your hand is in the vice-tight grip of the supposed daughter of your neighbor, who happens to be an Avenger.

Said neighbor is pacing back and forth in front of you as you sit in Bruce Banner’s laboratory, with Anastasia beside you while you wait for Bruce to arrive. Ana is remarkably calm, her young features – the round cheeks, still-wet eyes – made mature by her abnormal silence. Something about her makes you think she’s used to this kind of tension. Something about her screams war-child. Perhaps this grip she has on you is the first demand she has made in a long time, the only tantrum she has ever been allowed to throw.

While you aren’t particularly experienced with children, you think you want her to feel safe with you, because it seems she hasn’t been elsewhere. Ana’s eyes flit around the room in the only behavioral indication of her youth – a childlike curiosity, shining in the face of this fancy, new place that gleams like a toy store. Every now and then, her gaze jumps back from the alien appearance of the lab to her father (?) who seems intent on wearing a hole in the tiles with his pacing.

It is beginning to wear on you: both Bucky’s pacing and Ana’s steadily increasing anxiety. He hasn’t said a word to her since he opened the envelope, only asked that you accompany him to the Compound seeing as Ana won’t go alone with him (You would have gone with him even if that hadn’t been so. Though the nature of your relationship is ambiguous at times, the strength of your friendship is not. You’ll figure this out. You won’t leave him alone). Clearly, there is some unspoken memory that has him convinced the claim in the letter is plausible. Neither of you would be here if it wasn’t.

Bucky doesn’t talk too much about his past. He has offered a few of the shattered shards of his past reflection to you in the few night-caped moments you have hammered on his door upon hearing shouts across the hall. Between that, and what you know thanks to Black Widow’s file dump, the big Avengers’ in-fight in Europe last summer, the consequent resolution to the Accords, and Bucky’s publicized pardon, you can guess at the traumas that lurk in the depths of him.

They’re traumas that are closer to the surface of his eyes now, pulled forth by this new life, this little soul that has no business with such dark things, and the implication that this holds. Ana, innocent as she may be, is an insinuation of what else might have been unwillingly torn from Bucky.

You don’t want to think about it, because it hurts to do so, because you care for him, in many, many ways. It seems that Anastasia is also starting to tire of it. With every step Bucky takes, her hand tightens on yours. Fortunately, soon, the door to your left opens, and Bruce Banner enters his lab.

He's appropriately disheveled for this hour in the morning. Under his pristine lab coat, one of his shirt buttons is done into the wrong buttonhole, but his eyes are alert, frantic even, though you get the feeling that this is a man always on the edge of escape.

Bucky lets out a breath he seems to have been holding at the same time as his shoulders tense. “Thanks for coming so early, Doctor Banner. I wouldn’t have called if—”

“You never call, so I know it must have been important. But it looks like I’ve kept you waiting anyways,” Banner says, his eyes widening as they move from Bucky, to you, to the little girl at your side. “What’s the matter? You know I’m not a medical doctor, right?” He asks, putting a work bench between himself and his visitors.

Bucky clears his throat, and doesn’t quite know how to say what he needs to. After a few more seconds of hesitation, in which Banner waits patiently, Bucky extracts the envelope containing the fateful letter from his pocket, and hands it over.

The furrows in Doctor Banner’s brow multiply spontaneously, and when he looks up, Bucky gestures with a subtle nod of his head to Ana. He has yet to explain your presence, but you think Doctor Banner is a smart man. It won’t take more than Anastasia’s tight hold on you for him to put two and two together. Sometimes, a scared child is just that, no matter how unusual.

Most of their ensuing conversation is held at a lowered volume, set by Bucky, probably out of courtesy for Ana. You can hear snatches and phrases, most of them confirmations of things you had expected and some, not so much. Lobby security cam footage… fingerprints… paternity test… serum… blood sample…

By the end of it, some facsimile of a plan seems to have evolved between the two men, because Doctor Banner turns away with a smile and you, taking it as a welcome, stand and approach him. He rounds his desk and shakes your hand, exchange introductions though he hardly needs one, and then, he crouches, the way Bucky had, and offers Ana his hand.

“Hi, I’m Bruce.”

“Ana.”

Bucky steps forward. “Anastasia—” the name is clumsy on his tongue, because he’s scared. You can see it, and you hope he knows you are, too, but you’ll stand with him regardless, “—Bruce is going to check that you aren’t sick.”

“I’m okay.”

“We need to be sure.”

“Okay.”

Banner pulls out a chair, and you’re about to sit Ana down on it, when she pushes you gently into it, and sits on your lap. You can do nothing but wrap your arms gently around her, so she doesn’t fall. The apology in Bucky’s eyes is melted with a sympathetic smile. It’s alright. A child developing an inexplicable affection for you is not the worst thing to ever happen to you.

Ana is warm and a comfortable weight on you, and you hold her as loosely as you can, feel the movement of her chest against your arms with each breath. Her hair is a mix of wool-thick and silk-soft against your chin, smelling faintly of the sugar-sweet strawberry scent found in children’s shampoos. Someone took care of her.

Someone she isn’t asking for. What kind of child doesn’t ask for their mother, past the initial, momentary heartbreak? How has she come to terms with the apparent change in custody, when the new custodian hasn’t?

Whether Bucky is to be the new guardian has yet to be determined. You can see Bruce pulling out a syringe and preparing a vial. You wonder if she’s scared of needles. Bucky flinches at the sight of them, even now. He’s said that his disdain for the cold clinicism of medicine dates back to long before Hydra. Medical equipment reminds him of worrying that his best friend was going to die. It’s the fear he has harbored longest, longer than his fear of war, of gunshots in the dark, of blood on his hands.

Ana shares it. When she sees the needle, she screams, and Bucky lunges forward to help you hold her in place. She’s so, so much stronger than you thought and while you can hold her limbs, her head thrashes about, and so does her torso, making it impossible for Bruce to get to the inside of her elbow.

In the chaos, your eye lands on a trinket on a nearby desk, sitting there like a peace offering, literally beckoning to you. “Hey, Ana,” you whisper-yell, trying not to get hit in the jaw by her head. “Do you like animals? Cats? I have a friend who has lots and lots of cats, and I could take you to see them.” It’s working. You’re out of breath, but she’s quieting. Most little kids love cats. You love cats. “I think Bruce has a toy cat. See, over there?” You dare to lift an arm to point at the maneki-neko on the table. Ana stills. Her eyes follow the hypnotic movement, and the syringe at Ana’s elbow does its job.

When the bandage is put on, you and Bucky let go with twin nervous chuckles of relief and disbelief, and Bruce puts the vial in a machine. Ana hops off to approach the desk, and bats at the paw waving at her like a mirror of it.

“We should have the results soon. I think the others are starting to wake up, if you want to say hi,” Bruce says, taking off his glasses and wiping them on the corner of his lab coat.

“Maybe later,” you say, seeing that Bucky is hardly in any position to converse casually with his teammates right now. Not to mention, it’d be a lot of work to explain Ana, especially before having any sort of confirmation of who she is.

Bucky pulls out a chair next to you while Bruce opens a laptop a few counters away, and an x-ray machine lifts its head behind Ana, who has moved on from the lucky cat, and is stroking the leaves of a flowering plant.

“Peace lily,” Bucky says, startling you. You look at him, the bags under his eyes, the way he almost looks his age right now, and fight the urge to hold his hand. “It’s the first flower I bought for my apartment. I put it in a community garden after a nightmare about the war. Didn’t feel right for me to have it.”

He's talking about the Second World War. The war always refers to his first war. You think he’s talking about peace, and not the lily, after what he’s done. After what he was forced to do.

“It’s not your fault,” is an automatic response, and never enough, especially for the war, because at least he was in his own senses, even if he was drafted. It always elicits a self-deprecating laugh, but right now, he’s too tired for even that.

Right now, he can only watch as the x-ray camera follows Ana around the room, from the peace lilies, to an Amazon elephant’s ear, to a strange sculpture made from Coca-Cola cans glued together by what looks like spider-webs.

Too soon, Bruce calls you over to his work station. You follow Bucky, one eye on Ana.

“She’s yours,” Bruce says, and Bucky inhales sharply. Now, you do take his hand, stroke the metal ridges with your calloused thumb. “But she has disproportionately more of your DNA than her mother’s.”

“What does that mean?”

Bruce wrings his hands. “She’s not a complete clone, but nearly a genetic copy. 80% of a clone, if you will.”

Bucky is growing increasingly uncomfortable, shifting next to you. “How’s that possible?”

“You don’t wanna know.”

[imherongraystairstrash]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while, do you think Charles,Barbara, Eugenia and Anna were close? Anna maybe less because she’s closer in age to the merry thieves set and she probably ghosted Charles after the Ariadne engagement. Would you consider a fic of them all growing up, starting with them 4 as little kids and then slowly becoming teens and adults and then dealing with Barbara’s death. I think it would be a fun idea since nobody ever considers them to be a older merry thieves.

You can thank my social anxiety for this one bc I stress wrote it in school 🙃

TW: panic attacks, death

Title: When we were young

Characters: Barbara Lightwood, Anna Lightwood, Eugenia Lightwood, Cecily Lightwood, Gabriel Lightwood, Alexander Lightwood, Sophie Lightwood, Gideon Lightwood

Anna was sitting by the fire when Charles came into the room. She hated him. She truly did. But, somehow, at that moment, she felt strange. He looked at her and it took her many years back, to when they weren’t exactly friends, but  they were far from what they are now to each other.

…

“And that was how Consul Wentworth fixed the crisis of 1687.” Charles said with a satisfied smile to himself.

The Lightwood girls were his audience. Well, sort of. Eugenia’s cheek was resting on her fist, squishing the right side of her face as her lidded eyes approached shutting completely. Anna was slumped against Eugenia, her lips pressed together tightly and her eyes opened wide, staring at a fixed spot on the floor. Their luminous dark blue glittered in the witchlight, looking exquisitely uncanny. Barbara was mid-yawn, leaning on the leg of a sofa.

“Wow, Charles. Thanks for the history lesson.” Eugenia said, monotonously. It was evident that she’d inherited her mother’s sass from the day she was born, when Barbara had woken her up by exclaiming at the sight of her newborn sister, and Genie responded by pulling her sister’s hair.

“Oh, and in 1690-“

“NO!” All three Lightwood daughters shrieked.

“I’m still not done, though.” Said Charles.

“Yes, you are.” Eugenia said, standing up and settling the matter. “We are positively bored. There is absolutely nothing to do except listen to Charles talk about politics, and if those are the only two options, frankly, I’d rather be bored.” 

Charles crossed his arms. “Being an intellect is not boring.”

Little two year old Anna looked at him with one eyebrow raised. 

“I swear, Thomas is having a better time than we are,” Eugenia said glaring at to where their parents were, with the tiny, almost invisible baby nestled in Gideon’s arms, his fingers wrapped around Sophie's thumb. The parents were all laughing about something, which made Eugenia scowl even more. 

“To be an adult.” Barbara said, with a martyred sigh. 

“We needn’t be adults to have fun.” Charles said.

“I suppose you’re going to torture us with more political trivia.” 

“No,” Charles said. “I was going to suggest we go through the attic.” 

The girls looked up at this and Charles smirked, clearly proud of himself at having come up with a good idea. For once. 

“What is in the attic?” 

Charles shrugged. “I don’t know, but there’s probably strange and obscure things. There’s a lot of that kind of stuff in our house.” 

Barbara and Eugenia exchanged a look before the eldest Lightwood sister turned to him. 

“We shall go and discover this mysterious attic you speak of.”

…

“What could this even be?” Barbara said, holding up a loose gear-like contraption. 

“Papa sometimes builds things out of clockwork.” Charles said, sitting cross legged. “Or, he used to at least.” 

 “That’s…” 

Genie and Charles looked at Barbara as she trailed off.

“Nevermind, I have no comment.”

Charles nodded as though that was a common reaction people had in terms of his father’s experiments. 

They rummaged through boxes upon boxes, finding momentos they didn’t understand such as papers upon papers of things that said many difficult words. They could distinguish a couple of words such as “infernal” and “devices”, however there were many that made no sense to them.

“What is a Mortmain?” Asked Genie.

“I think it’s an undead horse or something along those lines,” said Charles.

“Oh,” said Eugenia. “That’s disgusting.”

“Quite,” agreed Barbara.

Anna was toddling around the room, giggling. She almost tripped over a loose floorboard, and would have, had Charles not reached out and grabbed a hold of the back of her dress. 

“This is too dangerous for a small child like Anna,” Barbara said, ever the mother-goose. “I shall take her downstairs before she hurts herself.” 

Anna protested at first, but acquiesced once Barbara bribed her with the promise of dessert.

…

“What are you doing here?” Anna asked.

He looked up, his green eyes meeting her blue ones. 

…

Charles remembered that day like it was just yesterday. 

He and Eugenia had stayed behind rifling through boxes, which wasn’t unwelcome, as Eugenia and Charles had an easy, lighthearted and, at times, profound, friendship. Despite their age gap, they enjoyed each other’s company, though neither could say why. Perhaps, it was simply because they mocked each other. Or perhaps, it was sometimes they would occasionally talk about things such as philosophy, and whether what they were seeing was true, or the world was just a figment of their imaginations. Or a mixture of the two; they’d never really discussed it. 

Eugenia surprised him when she said, “do you ever feel… different from your parents?” 

Charles furrowed his brows, “in what aspect?”

“Love.” 

“Have you a suitor?” Charles inquired, intrigued.

“No. Actually, that was my question. I find that, sometimes, I don’t only enjoy the idea of a male suitor, but perhaps, I also enjoy the company of a woman. Perhaps.” She pressed her lips together tightly, as if forcing herself to stop speaking.

Charles looked at her, his bright green eyes wide. “I-um-…”

“But I’m not sure, of course.” Eugenia blurted out. “It’s not as if shadowhunters are precisely fond of that particular preference or-“

“Do you really think they wouldn’t like it?” Charles asked, softly. “Do you believe they will reject those who are like that?” 

Eugenia looked down. “I’m afraid I’m most sure of it.”

Charles had then realized that he couldn’t have both. There was no way around it. 

He knew his parents were happy and that love made them complete. However, they didn’t have to choose. They could be married and the idea wouldn’t affect their respective occupations. Charles, on the other hand, couldn’t be Consul and have the kind of love he wanted. He almost resented them because of it. They were able to do what they loved and nobody forced them to pick between one or the other. 

It was unfair. So incredibly unfair.

“I guess you better get rid of your feelings towards women than.” He said simply, “unless you’re willing to let something as simple as love get in the way of your dreams.”

“Dreams?” Eugenia asked, looking confused and a tiny bit hurt. 

 But Charles got up to go back downstairs to his parents, aunts and uncles.

… 

Charles slumped down in a chair and dug his fingers into his hair.

“She was just here.” He said quietly. “Babs, was just here.”

Anna felt sudden rage. “You are not allowed to mourn her.” 

Charles looked up. “Just because you don’t like me doesn’t mean I can’t be sad. She was my cousin too. Perhaps not by blood, but she was still a cousin.” He pressed his lips together angrily and stared fixedly at the witchlight stone that was illuminating the room. 

Anna, however, couldn’t find it in her to be diplomatic; she got up and left the room. 

…

Anna had never seen Eugenia look this way. She was always put together, posh. But now, she looked hollow. Like a shell of who she used to be. Anna wanted to go up to her, to say something, but she felt lost for words. What did you tell someone who lost a dear sister? If Anna felt sorrow, she couldn’t imagine what Eugenia was feeling. 

Her head was tilted upwards, looking up at the pyre where the corpse of her sister lay. Tears were streaming down her face, rolling down her cheeks, throat and chest, leaving streaks on her face that looked like the roots of a tree.

Sophie had her arm around her daughter. The sight of the four of them was very strange. There was a gap missing where Barbara should have been. She suddenly felt a hand take hold of her own. She looked to her right and saw her mother looking straight ahead, squeezing her daughter’s hand. Her father was looking down, holding Alex. Her baby brother was one of the few who looked up at the cousin who’d taught him to play simple songs on the piano, and had always let him sleep in her arms on New Year's eve.  

She didn’t know what he must have been thinking now, staring up at the pyre. 

Though, to be fair, she didn’t quite know what to think herself, as she looked up at the cousin who’s life was cut far too short.

…

Eugenia’s body didn’t feel like her own. She hadn’t felt this body was her own for a while. Even since Augustus and the secret she’d kept to herself.

This was somehow worse. To be torn away from your best friend, whom you’d shared a room with almost your entire life. Eugenia didn’t know how to live in a world without Barbara. Sometimes, in the rare moments when she forgot about her sadness, she’d call her sister’s name, ready to tell her about what had happened in her novel. Or find herself walking to Barbara’s room without thinking and then staring blankly at the door that has remained shut ever since the day she passed away.

A couple of weeks ago, she’d found a letter Barbara had sent her when she’d been in Idris. It was in between her copy of Jane Eyre. She couldn’t bring herself to read it in its entirety, but she stared at the signature blankly. 

Suddenly, she got the urge to run. So she ran. That’s how, an hour later, she’d gotten a small tattoo under her ankle that said “Sincerely, your favorite sister Babs.” 

It felt right to have Bab’s signature there, we’re only she could see. It made her feel accompanied everywhere she went, even though nobody else could see. 

Now, looking up at the pyre, her face tight from tears she’d left to dry, her mother weeping silently, she could almost imagine that her sister was there, simply caught in a slumber and that she’d wake up at any moment and come tumbling down, throwing herself in Eugenia’s arms.

Any moment now, she thought when the pyre burst into flames. 

“Ave atque vale, Barbara Lightwood.” The crowd said at once.

Eugenia shook her head and swayed on her feet. Her breathing became heavy and her fingers began prickling. Suddenly, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move. No nononono. 

She felt a hand on her shoulder, vaguely that it was her father’s. 

Not Barbara.

Not Babs.

“Calm down, Genie.”

Not her sister. Her sister couldn’t possibly be up there.

“Breathe Eugenia.”

She wanted to scream that she couldn’t, that she’d never breathe again, as long as her sister wasn’t breathing with her. Why did she have to live? She would have much preferred that Barbara live in her stead. 

The world was numb and fractured, never to be fixed again. 

…

(Don’t worry, Gideon was able to help Genie after the fic ends bc he’s the best dad)

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[curiousconch]

Chase You / Chase Me (Pt. 3)

Part 3: Remember when everything was different

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Aislinn, Gigi and Alex find friendship in the midst of the competition. One discussion led to another, pushing Alex to take a trip down memory lane, revealing the moment in her past where she and Gabe's paths crossed for the first time.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 1.7k+

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / alcohol consumption, language. Scenes/themes may trigger trauma for some, reader discretion advised.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

Sunday, downtown New York

"Wait, can you back up for a moment," Aislinn said across Alex, who was scooping the remains of her melted banana split. Gigi was sipping her ice-cold mimosa, their brunch table full of plates with scrapes of leftovers. The sun was out and so were they, dining al fresco under the shade of a huge white parasol and the gentle breeze cooling them every now and then. It was a perfect day so far.

The trio has agreed to meet up that Sunday to discuss what went down with the Rothswell case as well as to prep for the conference Sadie had invited them to. They were on some kind of a peace pact, all of them sharing the view that pitting women against women in the corporate world is just shitty business.

Alex has enjoyed their company. They exchanged imaginary one-liners that would have made Martin frown his heart out or Beau McGraw chortle his head off. And speaking of McGraw, they all concluded that the best strategic course of action was to let Beau enjoy his moment in the sun. One day, Alex would make sure to remind him that he tried to rain on her parade.

It was a refreshing and enlightening discussion, though she will forever be traumatized with how many swears Gigi can cram in a single sentence. But the sight of a flustered Aislinn while Alex and Gigi engaged in a battle of pick-up lines with their waiter was a strong second contender.

As their drinks flowed, the conversation naturally led to rhetorical questions, now settling at why they became a lawyer. Aislinn shared first, surprisingly, stating that her knack for analysis was just a natural fit to the demands of a career in law. Gigi's answer was simple - she can leverage her eidetic memory to earn herself some serious dough, allowing her to live it up and take impromptu vacations to Bali.

Alex tried to dodge the question. She had never needed to discuss her reason of leaving pre-med behind to attend law school. It wasn't a pleasant memory, and she doubted it will ever be.

The two ladies were quick to see her attempts of evasion. But together, they finally wore her down, Alex left laughing with their shenanigans as they cornered her to tell her story. So she told them that she knew Gabe Ricci. And that it was because of him why she was a lawyer. Alex decided that revealing the truth was worth it, seeing how their jaws just dropped to the floor.

"Girl, you have to explain yourself right now," Gigi demanded, to which Aislinn seconded.

Alex snorted as she went back to skimming what was left of her dessert. "It's a boring sob story, and I don't want to turn this lovely morning into a snooze fest."

"We're not going anywhere, right Gi?" Aislinn turned to Gigi beside her, who nodded whilst sipping another glass of cocktail.

"Fine, but only if you swear this won't leave this table," she said. The two held up their hands invoking a half-smiling Alex, sensing nothing but sincerity. So she drank down her glass of bloody mary and took a deep breath, composing her tale.

"Buckle up, ladies, you're in for a ride."

**

10 years ago, in a town near Boston

Alessandra Keating had never felt more alone than she did that day.

They said she needed to just move forward. But how can she, when every day since the crash, she felt nothing but emptiness? How can she feel alright, when the only life that she knew was suddenly taken away from her?

It wasn't long before she found out that the car accident was caused by someone being reckless, by someone who thought they were above the law. Then, she imploded. No way could she let her parent's deaths be forgotten. No fucking way.

For the past three years, she invested all of herself into this endeavor. Researching, studying, choosing the right counsel, even raising funds. It was what kept her breathing, what gave her purpose. Ultimately, it was what kept her sane.

From filing the lawsuit to attending mediations, to numerous settlement meetings and colliding with every legal roadblock possible - Alex made sure to see them through. Only for everything to be decided that day - the bench trial.

One sweltering summer morning in her hometown's courthouse, Alex sat on the side of the plaintiff, with her long brunette hair tangled in waves. She let her senses wander, taking in the dark wooden panels and pews, her sense of smell invaded by the scent of old mahogany. She sealed her lips into silence, hiding her nerves by straightening the bargain khaki suit that she borrowed.

She barely held it in as her eyes travelled to the table beside them, catching a glimpse of the man that caused her immeasurable pain. With jet black hair and looking as young as her, he sat with an almost mocking expression. He was wearing a crisper set of suit, creating an illusion of trustworthiness that Alex can easily see through.

Maximilian K. Cornell. The green-eyed teenager who swerved his sports car onto the same slippery road Alex and her parents were passing through. The very same boy who got out unharmed, but left Alex's family to die in the snow. Her opponent was a slithery snake who managed to screw the justice system so many times over, just because his parents had the grease to do so.

But after the crash, the town decided they can no longer turn the other cheek. Alex's decision to sue was propelled by the support of the countless friends and families whom her parents have helped in their hour of need. But that still proved not enough.

Her mind whirled back to the proceedings, and to how every strategy, every plan of attack was being thrown out. With every whip from the defense, she started to grow impatient. As another traffic expert from her camp was dismissed, Alex just snapped inside. She leaned to Mr. Leroy, a withering man on the brink of retirement who was her lawyer, asking for them to convene outside.

"I'm sorry Mr. Leroy, but your strategies were just scrutinized and torn into pieces," Alex said in a low voice the moment they stepped out into the hallway.

"Alex, I am doing my best here. We clearly don't have the upper hand, lacking the incriminating evidence that we need," the man replied, exasperated.

"Have we dug up his previous records? I mean, why on earth would he have a sealed history? Doesn't that mean something?" she continued.

She continued to dictate her litany of better-positioned moves, but even Alex knew she wasn't getting through. So she excused herself from the conversation, hoping a cup of iced coffee will somehow mitigate her frustrations.

As soon as she came back, she found Mr. Leroy convening with a much younger man in a dark navy suit. His aura screamed "big city hotshot", albeit the exhausted look in his brown eyes. Not wanting to interrupt, she held off from approaching. However, her curiosity didn't stop her from eavesdropping.

What she heard the charismatic man say was a legal precedent that would have opened the sealed records in question. And with all the mind-boggling legal jargon, that's just about what she understood.

"Gabriel Ricci? I'm looking for an attorney named Gabriel Ricci?" a female voice from a nearby window called out, which made the young man raise his head. She saw him end the conversation abruptly, where a flustered Mr. Leroy hastily thanked him. Alex took that as her queue to approach her lawyer.

"Alex, we might be able to turn things around," she heard Leroy say.

And by some miracle, things did turn around. With her lawyer using the precedent offered by the young attorney earlier, their side gained the needed momentum to tip the scales in their favor. By the end of the trial, the verdict was out - Cornell will never be able to drive another vehicle, along with paying her a hefty amount of damages and fees.

They won.

Alex had to pinch herself before the victory sunk in. When it did, she felt an immense burden lifted from her shoulders.

After a long, long time, Alex can finally breathe.

Broken free from her nightmares, she asked herself what's next? The answer came to her almost immediately. Right there and then, she decided what she wanted to be. Like that man from the courthouse, she will become a lawyer.

Fueled by this new sense of mission, she saw a future for herself. No longer held by the past, she finally was able to move forward.

Indeed, Alex became what she set out to do - a lawyer who took on hopeless, even impossible cases and won them. A lawyer her parents would be proud of.

A damn good lawyer, just like Gabriel Ricci.

**

Present Day, at a New York Penthouse

Gabe sat in his home office clad in nothing but his white bath robe, holding a worn manila folder.

Five years ago, Gabe saw this case as his opportunity to make Robbie proud. The defendant had all the parallels with his brother - a teenager, incarcerated young, where the punishment had presumed to be too harsh. He now knew it was rightfully just.

But at that time, he was blinded by passion and ambition. He wanted to prove to himself and to Sadie what he can do. Taking on this case that was practically unwinnable would give him more power, more control over the pro bono cases he wanted to take. Actually winning this though, that proved to be his fatal mistake.

Your cockiness got the better of you again, Ricci.

His mind went to Alex. That was the direction his every waking moment drifted to nowadays. Whether he liked it or not, he'd answer some other day.

He had to let her know. If he didn't, Alex would eventually find out herself. Once she discovers that he was the one who had set this man free, she would hate him.

Gabe can't bring himself to think of that happening, of losing that chance with her, or of losing Alex's trust.

Hell, I'm going to lose her entirely if she finds out.

These realizations devastated him.

But how can they both escape the looming shadows of the past unscathed? Even he couldn't figure that out.

Sighing, he rubbed his hand on his face, reeling at his lack of options. He then stood up, slamming the open folder on his desk as he turned to face the window, simmering in his own regrets. Papers slipped out to the carpeted floor, including a full-page mugshot of the defendant.

It was Maximilian Cornell.

Author's Notes: With Sadie being shady AF, I feel like we all need some dose of female friendship right? Also, this is my HC why Gabe constantly pulls away from MC, not only because of their working relationship. Did the reveal live up to the cliffhanger? Let me know in the comments! 👇👇👇

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@choicesficwriterscreations

Thank you for your continued reading!

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[nyrandrea]

Broken

Riding on that sweet Rift Apart hype so I’ve written a little one-shot that takes place during the events of the game. (So spoilers, obviously).

Summary: Ratchet and Clank have a bit of a heart to heart while they wait for Rivet.

Also available to read on AO3 here!

Enjoy!

Clank let out a rattled sigh as a wave of relief washed over him when the large prison cell that held Ratchet and Kit finally tumbled to the ground. Albeit a little more roughly than he would have liked, but they were safe, that was all that mattered.

He and Ratchet may have had a fair number of close calls during their dangerous endeavours, but even he had to admit that he was a little shaken up at how close this one had been. If it hadn’t been for Rivet…

The small robot shook his head, deciding just to be grateful that they were all alive and well.

He gave Ratchet a quick smile as the lombax hopped down before his optics wandered over to Kit, who was still sat in the cell, hugging her knees to her chest. Clank frowned, thinking back to what Rivet had said about Kit being the one responsible for the loss of her arm. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the weight of guilt she must have carried on her shoulders.

Silently, he thanked his lucky stars that he had been created as a defect from the get-go.

Clank knew Rivet was stubborn and slow to trust, but he had seen a softer side to her during their short time together. He only hoped she had taken his words on board about forgiving Kit, because he knew that, deep down, Rivet really wanted to be friends with her. To have a partner. Someone to watch her back.

“Thanks for the save,” Ratchet said with a smile before frowning and turning back to see that Kit wasn’t following. “Kit, are you—?”

“Give us a minute,” Rivet interrupted, looking a little forlorn.

Ratchet’s eyes shifted between her and Kit, and he looked like he wanted to assist in the situation, but Clank understood this was something the girls needed to sort between themselves. Luckily, it only took a shake of the head for Ratchet to get the hint.

“We’ll meet you at the ship,” he finally said, still looking torn as he took Clank from Rivet’s back, slowly walking away.

“I understand you only wish to help,” Clank said once they were out of earshot. “But we can’t interject too much into their personal matters.”

“…I know, pal,” Ratchet mumbled back as he climbed up to the co-pilots seat, giving Phantom a nod as he did. “It’s just…”

Clank angled his head to give him a fond look; one that they had shared many times as a silent understanding. Ratchet smiled back, though his eyebrows were still slightly furrowed.

“If they are anything like us, I am sure they will make up quickly.”

Ratchet scoffed. “If Rivet’s anything like me, she won’t make it easy. I know I didn’t.”

Clank felt a shiver go through the lombax as he was settled into his lap, probably cringing at some memory of his teenage-hood. Whether it was his stubborn pride or tendency to whip out the snarky insults and sarcastic remarks; their first adventure had been quite the rocky one.

“You were quite hard-headed,” the robot admitted. “But you always did the right thing.”

“Then there was that stuff with the Zoni—”

“Ratchet,” Clank warned. It was a little awkward to glare at this odd angle, but he still managed somehow.

“I know, I know,” Ratchet said, putting one hand up in mock surrender. “I must’ve apologised a thousand times.”

“And continue to do so to this day, you really must stop.”

“Sorry, pal.”

Clank playfully elbowed Ratchet in the gut, to which he replied with a flick to the antenna. The robot couldn’t help but giggle, already feeling his frazzled nerves starting to calm down from their daring prison escape. Even more so when Ratchet started chuckling along.

“Besides,” Clank started, his laughs dying down to something a little more bittersweet. “I have also made my fair share of mistakes.”

“Oh yeah? Name one.” Ratchet challenged.

“Trusting Quark.”

“To be fair, you’d just been ‘born’, you were naïve.”

“The time portal on Zanifar?”

“C’mon, pal, you were trying to save your dad. I would’ve done the same thing.”

Clank could detect a hint of dejection in Ratchet’s tone, no matter how much his friend liked to think he was good at hiding his emotions. It made him a little more nervous at his next choice of words.

“This.”

“…What?”

Again, there it was. He was soft-spoken, like he knew exactly what Clank meant, but feigned ignorance, because he didn’t want to admit that the robot was right. He hated how good he was at reading his friend.

“This,” he reiterated, throwing up his one arm to gesture at the neon cracks in the sky that led to who knows where. “The dimensions collapsing. Us ending up here. Why, I am probably the reason that Nefarious even came out of retirement!”

If Clank could breathe, he probably would have been hyperventilating by now. He had tried to accept that it had just been a simple mistake; parading the Dimensionator in front of the entire galaxy and placing it right where it was ripe for the taking. Oh, how could he have been so irresponsible—

“Clank,” Ratchet prodded, and it was only then that the robot realised he had been trembling with self-loathing so much that he hadn’t noticed the hand that had been placed on his head in a bid to calm him down. “You know I don’t blame you for any of this, right?”

“Yes, well, I do,” he said, and he couldn’t help the acid that was laced in his voice.

A silence fell between them then, and not one that felt comfortable in the slightest.

“Actually, y’know what? I do too,” Ratchet finally piped up, removing his hand from Clank’s head, and when he turned to look up at him, the lombax held a frown that was usually reserved for the likes of Nefarious or some other dastardly villain. A sharp pain jabbed up through his circuitry along with guilt and shame, and a dash of dread.

“I mean, if it weren’t for you, we’d probably still be retired.”

“Yes…”

“We wouldn’t have met Rivet and Kit.”

“I…what?”

Ratchet’s frown slowly morphed into a gentle smile.

“And I wouldn’t have found the courage to finally go look for the other lombaxes.”

Clank wasn’t sure how to respond to that, all he could do was avert his gaze down to where Rivet and Kit were still talking. He noticed they seemed to be getting quite flustered with each other. An odd feeling suddenly fluttered in his chest as he watched them; one that he couldn’t quite place.

“That’s all down to you, buddy,” Ratchet said, squeezing Clank a little tighter against his chest.

“Then I am more than happy to take full responsibility,” he said, responding in kind. “Even with the added complication of two Nefariouses and the impending doom of a Dimensional Cataclysm.”

Ratchet waved a hand. “C’mon, we eat dimensional cataclysms for breakfast!” His ears drooped a little. “Or, at least, we used to.”

“You are still under the notion that we are ‘washed up’?”

“Not you. You’re the one fixing all the dimensional whatchamacallits—”

“Anomalies,” Clank corrected.

“Right. Meanwhile I’m…”

“Re-building Dimensionators, rescuing monks from undead bone creatures and searching for me,” the robot stated matter-of-factly as he counted with his fingers, before adding a despondent, “Again.”

“Yeah, I really gotta put a leash on you, pal.”

Clank tried to appear unamused but, in spite of his mild irritation, found himself smiling.

“My point is,” he continued. “Despite what you may think, you are an irreplaceable hero that any galaxy, dimension or even universe would be incredibly lucky to have.”

For once, Ratchet didn’t have a witty comeback, and merely blinked in surprise as Clank patted his hand.

“And an irreplaceable friend that I am incredibly lucky to have.”

He couldn’t help but feel a little flustered; the two of them were never really this outwardly sappy with each other, but after everything they’ve been through, perhaps they could make an exception just this once?

Even though Clank’s little speech sounded like it had been recited from some corny poem book that he would sometimes read as a guilty pleasure, Ratchet smiled fondly.

“Thanks, Clank.”

“Ugh…get a room…,” a voice mumbled behind them, startling the robot a little. He had forgotten that there was someone else on the ship. Turning to get a better look, he blinked and narrowed his optics a little.

“Is that…?”

“Yup,” Ratchet said with a wry grin, before adding, “Pretty weird, huh?”

“Not any more bizarre than anything else we have seen, I suppose,” Clank replied. “Though it does make me curious as to who else might have a dimensional counterpart. Ooh, we could make it a game!”

“So long as we don’t have to see Helga.”

“Ratchet…”

“What? It’s bad enough having a Qwark—”

“If you’d stopped to help me that night instead of running away, things could have been different. Or if you just told the truth, maybe—!”

Ratchet and Clank were stunned into silence at Rivet’s outburst, and shared a worried look as Kit retorted back.

“Why do none of you understand?! I am broken. I will always be broken!”

“Oh dear…” Clank mumbled, his brief time with The Fixer flashing across his mind. It seemed like the term ‘broken’ was becoming something of a theme recently.

Just like Ratchet, he desperately wanted to jump down and act as peacemaker between them, make them see that regardless of their differences, they could form a friendship that would stand the test of time and provide them with something precious that a life of solitude had robbed them of.

But he held his nerve and stayed put; this was a delicate situation, and not one that forced friendship could solve. So, he watched on sombrely.

“Fine. Go hide. We have a universe to save,” Rivet snapped, before throwing her hands up in frustration. “Universes. Whatever.”

The silver lombax turned and started walking back towards the ship.

“I don’t need a partner, anyway.”

There was a brief flutter of hope as Rivet slowed to a stop and turned her head slightly, as if she were reconsidering. Perhaps she would take his advice and give Kit another chance. Then they could all face down their enemies as one unified—

The robot flinched as her face twisted bitterly and she strode for the ship again; her choice had been made. He couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous as she practically catapulted herself into the pilot’s seat and started the ship up, punching the buttons as if she were blaming them.

“Wait,” Ratchet started cautiously. “Where’s Kit?”

“She’s not coming,” Rivet bluntly replied, not even bothering to make eye contact with him.

“But…”

Clank felt Ratchet’s fingers unconsciously tighten against his body, and in turn, he laid his hand on top and patted it lightly to reassure him. Deep down, he truly believed they would reconcile eventually, even if they had to take their time to come to terms with their inner struggles. After all, Kit and Rivet were his and Ratchet’s dimensional counterparts.

Despite the universe’s sense of humour, it would always find a way to mend the broken.

 X

I’ve been a fan of this series since I was a kid and yet I’ve never written anything for it *shock horror*

Anyway, I know it’s a little short and sappy but hey, let me know what y’all think! Might write more in the future if my adhd lets me. :,)

[thewolfisawake]

Alias: Deianeira

Title: Sin of Lust

FC: R.oxana A.grece from How to Protect the H.eroine’s Older Brother

Personality:

Deianeira is as two-faced as they come. She can be the most captivating damsel, she can be the most sly of femme fatales. There can be quite a lot of condescension within her speaking that contrasts with her actions of letting others ‘lead the way.’ She likes to enable others, encouraging the ‘should I or should I nots’ with ‘why not?’ Which can come off as fun-loving or adventurous. She also can come off as loving, being the kind to spoil and share in her decadence. However, in the end, what she wants is her own pleasure. And how that comes about is known only to her. 

Background:

(cw: trafficking, rape and drugging mentions)

Deianeira prior to her ascension (or descension idk) was actually two different women that had fallen into the same tragedy. One of these women was Belinda, the second but favored daughter to an average family. Belinda was a typical ingenue whose soft demeanor had suitors fawning for her. This caused jealousy from her older sister, who could not find a man that wanted her and it was joked that she would have to ‘pay’ for someone to want her. Unfortunately, she took that as solution...of sorts. 

Belinda’s sister accompanied her to deliver lace she had finished making and led her to a place Belinda thought she might find a new buyer. Instead, her sister had handed her off to men she did not know and watched as they handed her a full bag of coins. Threatened to silence and stunned the betrayal, Belinda was quietly taken away from the home she had known all her life. She was transported along with other women and girls many miles from where they grown up and those that had loved them. Their captors were anything but warm and only care brought to them was if it were preparation for where they were to go or whom they would be serviced to. 

Belinda had been stalled at location in China due to inclement weather. And it was here that she met the other half of the later to be demon: Tamiko. Tamiko was the daughter to rice paddy farmers. She was said to be pretty but any beauty was ‘ruined’ by her outspoken attitude. It was disdained by her village and especially her father, who saw her as disrespectful. This led to her being ‘spirited away’ in the night...with some remuneration left behind. 

The transportation of Tamiko wasn’t easy and there had been talk of whether or not she was worth the hassle. Especially when they had torn a tendon because she tried running away. This debate had gone on through to their stop in China, where they were dealing with her unruliness with opium. Amidst a drugging for Tamiko’s behavior was when she and Belinda first met. They made contact during a night where Tamiko had been deprived of water and Belinda was the one to sneak her a handful of water. 

This started a connection that vaguely resembles friendship but as a lady of the den called a ‘ 老同’ although they hadn’t known each other long. They were opposing sides that held the same longing. A longing that they had attempted to act on but were ratted out by other women, which ended with their blood-stained palms pried from each other and put immediately on envoys opposite directions.

For both they did not live much longer than a few years. Belinda had been brought where she was ‘loved’ for her ingenue ways and forced to maintain it. Forced to give her love and self to people that did not love her. She wept about it and the seediness she was embedded in took root in her. For Tamiko, she was gawked for her ‘exoticness’ and her brazeness was seen as a challenge. The challenge brought about depravity she did not think could exist for people. It worn at her and the sights and experiences clawed at her heart. 

While they never saw each other again in life, they did draw their last breath moments from each other. Their last moments spent violated and stripped of their dignity. Both mirrored each other’s thoughts that cursed the vileness done onto them and that if there was an afterlife/another life, that they’d make the world only for their pleasure. This declaration, this malice ended up making the demon that is a composite of the two women. True to their word, the demon gained power by having others succumb to their will. To willfully, even joyfully, offer themselves up in the name of her satisfaction. Years of this and her own ambition, eventually dethroned the previous Lust and took their place. 

Deianeira is the name she took as she is no longer one or the other, possibly being more than those two. It was a name that appears sophisticated and sounds beautiful. However, it is also a very clear warning. One that she takes a joy in it being ignored until a victim is trapped in her web. 

[chudleycanonficfest]

Make a Move

Day 9, Story #2 is by @adenei

Title: Make a Move

Author: adenei

Pairing: Frank/Alice Longbottom

Prompt: You did WHAT?!

Rating: T

TW: mild language

**********

Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad. What have I done?

Frank paces the floor of the seventh-year boy’s dormitory. He’s not even sure what possessed him to do it. Since when has he actually proven himself as a Gryffindor when it comes to the opposite sex? He hasn’t—because he’s always been a blundering imbecile when it comes to women. And today has proven no different.

“Frank, mate, what’s wrong?” Robbie Burke shuts the door to the dormitory behind him.

“I—I asked—ah, don’t make me say it again!” Frank throws his hands in the air as he shakes his head from side to side, his sandy-blond hair falling in front of his eyes as a result.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad,” Robbie urges Frank to confide in him.

Frank takes a deep breath to ground himself as he sits on the bed and covers his face with his hands.

“I asked Alice to the Christmas Ball,” he mutters.

“Bloody hell, that’s brilliant, mate! Good for you!” Robbie claps Frank on the shoulder in celebration but pauses when Frank looks up at him, his caramel eyes wrought with dismay. 

“Oh, no, did she say no?” Robbie winces at the premature celebration.

“Not exactly,” Frank huffs.

“But she didn’t say yes?”

“Er…”

“Frank—”

“I ran away before she could answer!” Frank admits his wrongdoing and prepares for the onslaught of profanities that’s about to erupt out of his best friend’s mouth.

“You did WHAT? Bloody buggering hell, mate!”

“I know, I know, I was a coward! But she looked so surprised, and she’s so cool, and I’m so...not, and then I started thinking, ‘why would she ever want to go with me’, and I panicked!”

So much for being a Gryffindor, I can’t even ask a girl out! 

Granted, Alice Fortescue wasn’t just any witch. She was popular, kind, easy-going, and always friendly to everyone. Plus, she was the girl you went to if you were looking to smuggle food and Butterbeer from the kitchens.

Frank has been holding a torch for Alice for as long as he can remember. He recalls how she was the first person he locked eyes with after being sorted into Gryffindor, how she beamed up at him and patted the bench for him to sit next to her. That’s the moment that Frank associates as the beginning of their friendship.

Over the years, Frank and Alice’s friendship has grown into a strong bond of the pair looking out for each other. They’ve worked through countless assignments together, where Frank is always happy to help Alice out with Potions. And Alice teaches Frank about a new jinx or hex that’s been created to cause chaos in return since his shyness has often made him an easy target. 

It was probably sometime between fourth and fifth year that Alice’s infectious laughter and warm smiles began to stir something deeper within Frank. He’s grown accustomed to their study sessions, and late-night hangouts that include swapping stories of Alice’s experiences in the duelling club and gossip Frank overhears during his weekly Gobstones meetings. 

But now, he’s certain he’s ruined their friendship. After a year of wrestling with his feelings and trying to decide whether he should go for it and ask Alice out, he half-asses the invitation and throws their entire amicable relationship down the toilet. How is he supposed to face her for their biweekly revising session? Bloody hell, what’s he going to do if the two of them get accepted into the Auror Academy together? Frank lays his head back on the bed and grabs the pillow so he can smother himself with it.

“Frank, stop, I’m sure it’s not the end of the world.”

“You weren’t there. You didn’t see the look on her face.” His voice is muffled by the pillow, causing Robbie to grab it and pull it away.

“No, I wasn’t, care to describe it for me?”

“Mortification.”

Robbie smacks him with the pillow before tossing it aside. “Gonna need some more details than that.”

“I don’t know. It was clear I took her by surprise. She just stared at me, with her lips parted, but she didn’t say anything. Nora and Melanie were giggling. The last thing I remember seeing was her turning to them, and I used that moment to hoof it on out of there.”

“You are hopeless.”

“Thanks for the pep talk.”

“What do you want me to say? I’ve been trying to convince you to ask her out for ages. I’m telling you, Alice Fortescue has a smile that’s only for you. Never once in seven years has she seemed interested in any other bloke, and she chooses to spend all her extra time with you. Bugger if I know why.”

Frank ponders Robbie’s words but doesn’t allow himself to believe them. Alice is his brave and ballsy friend, the one who takes life by its wings and steers it in the direction she wants. If she fancied him back, why hasn’t she made a move first? And then it hits him.

“Merlin’s pants, Robbie, what if she isn’t into bl—”

A knock on the door cuts him off. Both boy’s heads swivel toward the sound as the knob turns and the door swings open. It’s Alice who peeks her head in. She observes the room and takes note of both seventh-years before she speaks.

“Oh, hi Robbie! I was wondering if I could maybe speak to Frank for a mo’?”

“Hey, Alice. Yeah, sure, I was just, er, leaving.” 

Robbie grabs his wand and school bag and slips past her. Frank notices that he pauses to turn back in the doorway to mouth a ‘good luck’ before shutting the door behind him. Standing in front of Frank now, Alice asks,

“Mind if I sit down?”

“N-no, go for it,” Frank stammers. “I—er, sorry about earlier.”

Frank’s not sure why he’s apologizing as Alice sits down. It seems like the right thing to say as he avoids looking at her at all costs. He picks at a nonexistent speck of dirt on his trousers to distract himself.

“You are?” 

Frank chances a glance in Alice’s direction and sees her eyebrows both raise and scrunch together in confusion. He’s not sure if he’s imagining it or if there’s actually hurt and disappointment in her eyes.

“Er, yeah. I mean, no? I mean—”

“You took off before I had a chance to answer you.”

Bloody hell, why do women have to be so damn confusing? 

Frank has no idea what she’s thinking, and despite being friends since they were eleven, he can’t seem to gauge her feelings at all. At this point, he’s torn between brushing the whole thing off and saying he was extending the invitation as a friend or summoning the last ounce of Gryffindor courage that might be hiding somewhere inside him to go for it and ask her out officially. Instead, he chooses neither.

“Did you come up here to give me an answer, then?”

“Yes.”

Frank waits for Alice to continue, expecting her to give him either a clear yes or no, but she just stares at him, making him feel ten times more awkward.

“Right, so…”

Alice lets out an unbecoming snort. “Frank, you really are slow on the uptake, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“My answer to your question is yes. I’d like to go to the Christmas Ball with you.”

“You—you would?”

Now, it’s Frank’s turn to be shocked. Only in his wildest dreams did he expect her to actually say yes!

Alice nods as she smiles before grazing her bottom lip with her teeth. “As a date, right?”

Frank’s heart momentarily stops, and he has to remind himself to breathe. “I—uh—I, y-yeah! I mean, only if you want it to be a—”

“I do,” she responds eagerly. Her knee is bouncing up and down.

He almost doesn’t hear her confirmation as he babbles on, “—because we don’t, not if it would make things—wait, you do?”

Alice chuckles at his nervousness. “Yeah, and you could have saved yourself all the misery that I’m sure you just put yourself through with overthinking if you’d waited for my response.”

Merlin, she knows me so well. “But Nora and Melanie—”

  “—were giggling because I’ve been hoping you’d ask me out for ages now.”

If Frank could look into a mirror, he’s sure his facial expression would match the one Alice had given him when he’d first asked the question out in the corridor. So many thoughts were racing through his mind that it was a miracle he was able to form a sentence.

“But then, why didn’t you ever ask me?’

Alice shrugs before leaning in and boldly pressing her lips to Frank’s cheek before whispering into his ear, “because I guess there’s still some old-fashioned methods I put stock in, like the bloke making the first move.”

Frank is frozen. He couldn’t move even if he wanted to while all his dreams were coming true. By the time his brain tells the rest of his body to react to Alice’s gesture, she’s already up and halfway to the door. Before exiting, she turns back and winks at Frank.

“I’ve got to go make some plans with the girls, but I’ll see you in the library at seven, yeah? That Auror entrance exam won’t study for itself, even though I wish it would.”

All Frank can manage is a meager nod as he processes the whirlwind of the last half hour. He is going to the Christmas Ball with Alice. She fancies him. Does that mean she’s his girlfriend now? So many questions flood his mind, but one thing was certain: Frank can’t wait to find the answers.

[atsumumiyasimpgirltm]

Driver’s License- (Atsumu Miya x F!Reader)

Pairings: Atsumu Miya x F!reader

Warnings: mentions of smoking, language

Genre: Angst

Type: Songfic

Word Count: 2972

A/N:  I totally didn’t write this for myself no way self indulgence wHO’s thAT??? Maybe I’ll write a part 2

Song: Driver’s License- Olivia Rodrigo

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

I got my driver's license last week

You had turned 16 a week before, and had gotten your driver’s license the day after. At the DMV, you took your photo, smiling through your pain like you always did, because you were a good girl, weren’t you? You didn’t get mad, or cry over stupid things, no, not you. 

Just like we always talked about

You remembered the late night sleepovers when you were kids, talking about what high school would be like, and making up funny scenarios based on the movies you saw on the television. It was during one of those late nights when Atsumu had asked, “do you love me?” and patiently waited for an answer.

'Cause you were so excited for me

He was older than you, and he always boasted about being able to drive before you. You always rolled your eyes and laughed, texting him to ask for a ride somewhere or to just pick you up so you could sit in the car and talk.

To finally drive up to your house

Atsumu swore to you that the day you got your driver’s license, you’d go somewhere together. Maybe find an empty highway and cruise for a while, going nowhere just to ease the stress off. Maybe it’d be a mini one day road trip, and you could hit all the spots that you had been to as kids. You could be kids again, just for a little bit.

But today I drove through the suburbs

He swore, he crossed his heart, he promised, but when you texted him to inform him of the news, he texted back with a simple “I’m busy,” breaking the illusion that you held on your friendship with him.

Crying 'cause you weren't around

Devastated, you got into your car and fulfilled the promise yourself, aimlessly driving through your neighborhood, no destination in mind. It was no empty highway, but it numbed the shock that you felt.

And you're probably with that blonde girl

Later, he texted saying he was with someone, and you immediately knew, it was that girl. The one who was so pretty, the one who everyone adored or admired, the one who no one could say a single negative thing about, because anything negative was automatically spun into a compliment. Atsumu had talked about her once or twice, saying that they did things together on the weekends.

Who always made me doubt

You used to be acquainted  with her, and she repeatedly insisted that ‘You and Atsumu would look so cute together.’ For a girl a year older than you to say that? It gave you reason, reason to think that maybe he’d want you. There was always something off about her, she was too sweet to be real, too perfect. Who would have guessed that she was a backstabbing bitch? But you couldn’t even say that out loud could you? Because if you did, everyone would tell you ‘she knows what she wants’ or ‘she’s ambitious and is willing to take necessary steps to get to her goals.’ 

She's so much older than me

In the year above you, she was a second year when you and Atsumu were in your first. It was a wonder how he ever met her in the first place, he never accelerated any classes. Maybe it was fate bringing them together, as many would say. Or maybe, it wasn’t fate for them to be together, but fate punishing you for being too passive, too much of a watcher.

She's everything I'm insecure about

She was tall, she had long unmarked legs and clear skin. A small waist and big eyes ringed a shifting color with brown in the center. Every time you saw her, you wanted to put her disgustingly pretty face into the floor for being everything you were not, for giving you just an ounce of hope and then taking it away. 

Yeah, today I drove through the suburbs

You needed to clear your head again. Still sitting on the hope that maybe, just maybe, Atsumu would realize she wasn’t for him, 

You started the car, senses perking up. The engine was loud, and drowned out your thoughts, the inside of the car smelled like mints, and the leather of the steering wheel cover was rough under your hands. 

'Cause how could I ever love someone else?

Driving in the direction of Atsumu’s home, you slowed when you saw his porch light on, grateful that the tint on your windows concealed you from any onlookers. 

And I know we weren't perfect

When you slowed at the curb opposite to his house, you saw Atsumu and the girl, sitting on plastic chairs, laughing about something, and smoking menthols. The girl pulled the rolled piece of paper from her mouth with French manicured nails, and placed her hand on his arm. He beamed, at the physical contact. Whether it was from the buzz the nicotine gave him or her you would never know. A sour taste, not too far from the taste of smoke, filled your mouth. Since when did he do illegal things?

But I've never felt this way for no one

The girl’s head raised, and she whispered something to Atsumu. He looked across the street at your car, making accidental eye contact- not that he knew-  through the driver’s side window. For a second, you watched him through the glass, contemplating whether or not to get out to confront him.

And I just can't imagine

Atsumu cocked his head to the side, most likely in recognition of your car, but if he wanted to communicate, he didn’t do so, instead turning back to the girl and reassuring her that “It’s nothing.” Ignoring the warnings from your parents telling you not to drive in platform shoes, you turned the car from your parallel parked position on the curb, and floored the gas pedal as hard as you could, escaping off of Atsumu’s street before the tears came. 

How you could be so okay now that I'm gone

The next day at school, you walked up to the roof, expecting Atsumu to be waiting with Osamu and Aran like he usually was. That was your routine, the routine you had formed back in elementary school, and had followed every single day since then. Every single day but today and the days to follow, because when you ascended the stairs to the roof, you spotted Atsumu and the girl, deep in conversation about something, Osamu and Aran nowhere in sight.  You felt yourself being torn apart as you watched their interactions, so effortless and easy despite having only met a couple weeks prior to this event. A feat that took you months of talking with Atsumu to get. Rage filled every crevice in your body, and it pulsed through your arteries. It was being pumped by your heart, and soon, you were so filled with it that with all the strength you had, threw your bento box straight between them.

Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me

They looked up at you, conversation having been stopped by your projectile bento box, and after registering the disturbance, both glared at you. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fucking fair. For this girl to come and take everything from you, your best friend, your closest friend, it wasn’t fair for her to come and break all the promises that you and Atsumu had made.

'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street

“So much for ‘friends forever!’” You angrily folded your arms, taking a final look at them before turning yourself around and untucking your shirt to wipe away tears. 

“What’s her problem?” You heard in a condescending high pitched voice. 

A scoff and then, in a much deeper voice:  “She’s just pissed about a promise we made when we were kids.”

You ran as far as you possibly could from them, and tried to find your other friends, your real  friends. 

And all my friends are tired

Entering the cafeteria, you found Osamu and Aran at a table in the cafeteria, most likely having been exiled by Atsumu to accommodate for his new friend. Seeing that you had no lunch, Osamu pushed an onigiri towards you, and Aran offered you half of an apple. They both looked at you with pity.

Of hearing how much I miss you

You spent that entire lunch talking about how much Atsumu’s new ‘just friend’ pissed you off. You talked about how much she angered you, how she was too perfect, how she was a bad influence on him, and how with her, you were always going to be the villain, the person who was keeping them apart, and the second place.

But I kinda feel sorry for them

Aran and Osamu, being the good listeners they were, ate up your words, and didn’t disregard a thing you had said. They didn’t tell you that she was ‘ambitious’ or ‘doing what she knew she had to do,’ they didn’t tell you to stop being oversensitive or that people come and go, They just sat and listened to you, and when it was over, patted your back and fed you lies about how “Everything is going to be okay.”

'Cause they'll never know you the way that I do, yeah

But nothing would be okay, not as long as Atsumu and the pretty blonde girl were together, Neither Aran nor Osamu knew the Atsumu you knew, the one who would call at midnight asking if you wanted to go to Walmart, the one who would drop everything he was doing to hang out with you. The Atsumu that was gone now all because of one person.

Today I drove through the suburbs

After school that same day, you waited until the sun was on the horizon, painting the sky around you pretty pinks and oranges, a contrast to the way you were feeling. You sat on your curb until you felt the time was right, then, you got into your car and drove to one of the only places you had ever felt safe.

And pictured I was driving home to you

And maybe it wasn’t the place, but the person who made it a safe space, because when you pulled into the street, seeing the familiar glow of porch lights, the sound of loud laughter, and the minty smell of menthol- different from the smell in your car, you were brought back to that night, and immediately wanted to turn back and drive anywhere but here.

And I know we weren't perfect

Ignoring the bad feeling that surrounded your mind, you slowly drove through the street, pulling into your spot on the opposite sidewalk curb.

But I've never felt this way for no one

Just in time to observe the silence that fell between the pair. This was it! This was when Atsumu realized that she wasn’t the one! Everything would be fixed now, and you could all go back to the way it was the before, the normal way, the better way.

And I just can't imagine

You leaned your arm against the window, and stoically watched the girl lean back into her chair. Atsumu did the opposite, and leaned forward. 

How you could be so okay now that I'm gone

He kissed the girl, and suddenly, you couldn’t hear anything. Not the soft music playing in your car, nor the buzzing of the street light. The only thing you heard was ringing, an alarm telling you your time was up. Vision filling with tears, the same taste from the last incident filled your mouth.

I guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me

Just like last time, you pulled off the curb, but Atsumu and the girl were too entranced with each other to notice. The joints on your knuckles turned white from your too tight grip on the wheel, and your eyes stung. You drove as fast as you could to nowhere.

'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street

Every morning while driving to school, you had to drive past his house. Involuntarily, your grip around the steering wheel always tightened when you passed the sign, and you would relax after you had passed it.

Red lights, stop signs

In his car, you’d always play red light games, seeing who could memorize the most license plates from the last light, or who had the stupidest bumper sticker. When driving, you hated the red lights, you hated every second that you had to wait for them to turn green, every second that reminded you of the tragedy you had witnessed in this very seat.

I still see your face in the white cars, front yards

Every white vehicle that passed by reminded you of him and his car. Regardless if it was a sports car or not, you always watched it until it passed out of your sight and turned the street’s corner, because you had to hope that maybe it was Atsumu, coming back to you.

Can't drive past the places we used to go to

You tried to sit down at the children’s park, at the top of the slide, another one of your safe spaces. It felt empty without your best friend at your side, and that same day, you saw Atsumu and the girl walking towards it. How could he have done that? How could he have the sacred space that you two had shared since you were kids with this outsider, because that’s all she would ever be to you. Needless to say, you left quickly, before you could be seen, and didn’t come back to the park again.

'Cause I still fuckin' love you, babe 

It was so painfully obvious that you were in love with Atsumu, that you still were. Everytime his name was mentioned, a salty look crossed your face, and you made a great effort to change the topic, taking leaps and bounds to avoid him, and when you could, ignoring him in favor of talking to Aran and Osamu.

Sidewalks we crossed

Even getting drinks at the 7-Eleven was painful. Every crosswalk and curb had a story revolving around the two of you, your entire friendship’s history could be traced here, and now, it was all gone with no one to remember it, because Atsumu had found someone else, and you were left in too much pain to even try.

I still hear your voice in the traffic

As you walked, you touched every light pole and stopped at every spot on the sidewalk that you had a memory on. You reaccounted the stories, the memories, the past, and tried to get lost in the good so you could push away the bad.

We're laughing over all the noise

Noise coming from a group of young teens, probably first years, entered your ears. It was loud, boisterous laughter, the type that you and Atsumu had shared outside this very 7-Eleven over the course of many years.

God, I'm so blue, know we're through

And as you walked into the small store and filled your Slurpee, you looked down at the tiled floor, a stain from where Atsumu had accidentally opened and spilled an entire hair dye packet. The dread that you had been suppressing came back in a wave, crashing over you.

But I still fuckin' love you, babe 

You exited the store with your Slurpee, drinking it slowly through the straw. The walk from the parking lot to the sidewalk felt longer than it ever had, even though it was only five seconds. Too many memories in this very place, and not nearly enough time.

I know we weren't perfect

What had you done wrong? It must have been something, because good things happen to people who do things right. If you do things right, you’ll get what you want, always, right?

But I've never felt this way for no one

But you hadn’t calculated for one factor: The perfect girl with the perfect life. The girl who had everything you didn’t, who was everything you were not. And even though you had done everything correct, she had ruined everything.

And I just can't imagine

Walking home, you stopped briefly at Atsumu’s street sign like you always did when walking this way, but unlike the other days, you had never thought of going back. It had always seemed like an impossible option for you, too much to bear for your fragile mind.

How you could be so okay now that I'm gone

Your hands shook as you held your Slurpee in your hands, either from the coldness around you or from the tears that threatened to ruin you. You didn’t get cold often, so of course you knew the answer to that question. 

Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me

Looking down the street you saw the same porch light on, and the same sounds and smells you always got when you had passed by in recent times: Loud laughter and menthol. 

'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street

You wished that you had told him “yes” that night at the sleepover. Maybe you could have avoided the heartbreak, and maybe he could have too, but all you had told him was that you’d be friends no matter what, too scared to tell him that you were most definitely in love with him. Or maybe you didn’t know, a childish mind unable to identify the feeling. It didn’t matter now, all you and he had done was stick out your pinkies to solidify the promise- “Friends forever.”

Yeah, you said forever, now I drive alone past your street

You crossed the street, traveling away from the laughter and menthol, away from your supposed forever, and didn’t look back.

[luvelyhs]

if i could go back

i’ve been telling you guys i am incapable of writing anything without angst so... enjoy 

Pairing: Y/N and Harry 

Warnings: angst lol, happy ending tho

Summary: Y/N caught feelings for Harry, who was already in love with someone else.

~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N groaned at the blaring sound of an alarm, reaching over towards her nightstand to grab her phone. In the process, a body shifted beside her and she realized she wasn’t alone. Sitting up, she looked at the person next to her and the memories from last night seemed to drown her. 

“Mm, hello?” Harry’s deep morning voice grumbled to the caller who dared wake him up on a Saturday morning. Y/N grabbed the covers and wrapped it around her to cover her nakedness, and she felt a little embarrassed.

Y/N couldn’t wrap her head around the fact she actually slept with one of her good friends. She was always adamant of never crossing that line with him, but somehow it happened and she basked in the memories of last night. He was so sweet and good to her, like how she imagined he would be, and honestly her imagination didn’t do him justice. 

“You okay?” Harry’s voice turned concerned and Y/N tilted her head slightly in curiosity of who was calling Harry at--she tapped her phone screen and it lit up bright in front of her--nine in the morning. 

“Don’t cry, baby, don’t cry. I’ll come over now, yeah? You’ll be okay.” The words rushed out of Harry and before you had a chance to process it, Harry was turning to you.

“Hey, Y/N, there’s an emergency.. I think you should go.” Y/N blinked in confusion, this was not how she was expecting things to go when she woke up.

“Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, it’s just Daisy. Her boyfriend just broke up with her and she needs me right now.” Of course it was Daisy, and as long as she was in the picture, Y/N would never mean anything more than a friend to him. That’s been how it was for as long as she knew him. He was wrapped tightly around Daisy’s finger. She couldn’t help but feel jealous of her, Harry was so in love with her but she just wouldn’t see it. If only Harry felt like that around her, Y/N thought.

“But.. last night?” He looked down at her beside him, pity gracing his features.

“It meant nothing.” Y/N sighed, embarrassed and full of shame. She shouldn’t have done this. 

“I’m sorry..” Harry reached out to grab her hand as she gathered her dignity and got of his bed, grabbing her items and stepping into her clothes. 

“Save it, Harry. I can’t believe after everything she’s put you through you’d still walk through hell for her. You’re only hurting yourself, I hope one day you’ll see that. But I won’t stand by you through it.” 

She raced out of Harry’s bedroom, Harry following behind her trying to explain himself, but Y/N wasn’t having any of it, not when Daisy still had his heart.

“Call me when you get your shit together.” She turned towards him one last time, regarding him with a look that was full of anger and heartbreak.

“Don’t do this, Y/N. Please..” Harry was torn between saving his friendship with Y/N and going to see the girl he was in love with, but he didn’t need to decide because Y/N decided for him.

Y/N exited his front door, and in that moment they didn’t know it would hurt them more than they expected it to.

~~~

A few months passed, Harry tried every possible way to get Y/N to talk to him, but she wouldn’t have it, not when he was still under Daisy’s influence and being stupid. She cut off most contact with Harry’s friends, only because she didn’t want to break and ask how he was doing. She already got enough of it through social media. 

Y/N was a stylist, and she worked herself up, booking celebrity clients left and right and eventually became good friends with a few of them. She liked her new life without Harry in it, but that’s the thing. She didn’t love it, she missed him deeply, but she wouldn’t succumb to his charms. She still had that one night burned into the back of her mind.

“Are you going to Max’s party tonight?” Y/N turned to her assistant, Emily.

“I’m not sure, I’ll probably just leave after I get him ready.” Max Graham was a good friend and client, he was a big producer and would occasionally host big parties. She rarely attends, even though he always begs her to stay and mingle. She just doesn’t want to risk seeing him again.

“Why don’t you stay? I heard some big celebs are gonna be there. Maybe you can book Rihanna or Ariana Grande.” 

“You already know Grande’s stylist is my friend, I’m not stealing her away. Although, the thought is tempting..” Emily giggled at her boss and continued putting together some outfits on her iPad.

“Just stay this time please! If you get bored I’ll leave with you and order you some take out.” Y/N thought about it, he most likely won’t be there, he never used to attend these parties. She thought one night wouldn’t hurt. Also, why was she letting him still have control over her life? She could go to a party that she wants to go to, whether he was going to be there or not. It was her life, her choice.

“Fine, but you’re treating for lunch on Monday.” Emily rolls her eyes but nods anyway, excited her boss was finally going to enjoy herself at a party.

~~~

“Y/N, my darling angel!” Y/N giggled at her friend and client and bowed down exaggeratedly. 

“Hello, good sir. I come bearing gifts.” Y/N stepped aside and the clothing racks full of designer clothes held in plastic coverings was pushed in.

“What look are you going for today, Max?” She came up behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders, holding his stare in the opulent mirror in front of them.

“Surprise me.” He boldly said, a sly smile on his lips. 

Y/N was excited. She loved dressing people up, she’s always had a knack for fashion and it was great that she enjoyed it as well. 

“Emily!” Y/N called, needing the help of her assistant. 

“Could you grab that new belt, I think it’s in the trunk.” She asked her while unzipping the bags she knew would look super well on Max. 

“Yup, be right back.” Emily walked away and Y/N held the two articles of clothing together, trying to picture it on her client and she shook her head, discarding the top she picked and plucked another from the rack. 

“Aha..” She whispered, grinning in excitement. 

“I have found the perfect outfit for you. You will love it!” 

Max turned around to grin at her, he loved the outfits Y/N dressed him up in. He was truly fond of his stylist, she was so caring and he knew she had been hurt in the past. He could tell from the way her eyes dimmed sometimes, looking to be in another world with a frown on her face.

He wanted her to have fun, and if there was one thing about Max’s grand parties, it was that you had fun. He prided himself on ordering the best hor’dourves for his guests and the best djs.

“I hope you’re coming tonight?” He basically pleaded with her, giving her his puppy dog eyes. She always said no, though. She didn’t like going to big parties, but he didn’t know why. 

He was prepared for her to decline his invitation, but Emily approached and answered for her.

“I got her to come tonight, you can thank me now, by the way.” She grinned at both Max and Y/N, and all Y/N did was roll her eyes at her perky assistant.

Max gasped over dramatically, turning his head to face Y/N.

“I’ve got a ton of people to introduce to you, my dear. Prepare yourself.”

Y/N laughed at her friend’s dramatic antics and switched the topic to the matter at hand.

“Alright.. I was thinking some stripes.”

~~~

Y/N decided to head back to her apartment really quick to change and get dolled up. She wanted to look good, not for anybody but herself. It’s been a while since she went to a party... the last time was definitely pre-Harry.

She swung by Emily’s apartment to pick her up, before heading to Max’s. His mansion was lit up with pretty colorful lights and multiple cars parked in his long round driveway. She and Emily greeted the valet and prepped herself mentally before heading inside.

She’s gotta give it to Max, this looked like a great party. Everyone was mingling and the atmosphere was nice, she decided she would have a good time, even if she had to force herself.

She caught the eye of the host and he quickly went up to her and greeted her with two cheek kisses and she praised his outfit.

“You look amazing, your outfit is to die for, who’s your stylist?” Max rolled his eyes at Y/N’s teasing and pulled Y/N and Emily along with him. He was giddy she finally made it and he wanted to show her off to a few major celebrities he had invited.

“Darlings, you both look absolutely stunning.” Max complimented them both and Y/N blushed, looking down at the short dress she wore. The little black dress with glitter sparkled under the twinkling lights above her. She hadn’t dressed like this in a few months and she missed it.

Max guided them to a few celebs, even getting to meet the Jonas Brothers who she was a big fan of when she was younger. She mingled with them and got into a deep conversation with Zendaya. She laughed and drank and danced, it was overall a fun time.

Until Max led her to a familiar figure. His back was turned to her in an all cream suit. She spotted Jeff first in front of him, who had a full view of the incoming people. She watched as his eyes saw her and they widened, pausing mid speech which made Harry confused.

Y/N wanted to run, she wanted to leave and forget she had ever saw him here. What the hell was he doing here in the first place?! The one time she had decided to have a good night and have fun he had to be there to ruin it.

Max held her hand and pulled her along as her feet reluctantly took the steps to their destination. Her mind was blank but then he turned around, and it was like everything she tried to repress came out again.

The feelings- the hurt, the pain, and the love? He was surprised to see her, that she could tell. His hand reached out to her and she watched as he pulled it back.

“Gentlemen! I’d like you to meet my beautiful and amazing stylist, Y/N Y/L/N!”

Silence. Jeff was the first to break it.

“Hi, Y/N. You look great! How are you?” He leaned forward to hug her and she reluctantly hugged him back.

“Jeff, hi. Yeah, I’ve been good, how are you? How’s Glenne?” They pulled back and Max clapped.

“You already know each other? Perfect! Y/N, do you know Harry?” She blanched, she hadn’t meant to, she just wasn’t ready to confront her feelings with Harry. She thought she could get away with never seeing him again but she should’ve known that in this industry, probably not.

“Yeah, uh, we met a year ago. Hi, love.” Then Harry had to give her that smile, that damn pantydropping smile. That damn handsome smile that made his eyes sparkle.

“Harry.” It was a whispered breath, taking him in. She missed him. They were friends, very good friends, before she caught feelings. And she missed him and their times together. But then the thought bulldozed into her mind. The reason she left him and everything about him behind- Daisy.

She assumed she was still in his life. And as long she was there, Y/N wouldn’t be.

The thought made her turn cold and rigid.

“Nice to see you again.” She smiled politely, turning her head to Max and seeing Emily wave to her to come in the background.

“Emily’s calling me over, bye guys.” She did a little wave and hurriedly walked over to Emily. She passed by Jay-Z and Travis Scott and she couldn’t believe she was in the presence of some big names.

“Girl, I just met Beyoncé. I died inside!” Y/N laughed at her assistant and they walked together to the bar.

“Should I introduce myself to Shawn Mendes?” Emily was a fan of him, and they were the same age so Y/N told her to go for it. But in all honesty she didn’t want to be left alone. Not while he was in the vicinity.

They grabbed their drinks and Y/N played with her straw while she watched Emily strut over to Shawn. Emily flipped her hair and turned her head back to look at Y/N, where she just gave her a thumbs up and a wink.

She took a deep breath in and let it out, shrieking and jumping a little in shock when the man she was hoping to avoid appeared beside her.

“Shit! You scared the shit out of me.” She clutched her chest and tried to calm herself from the fright.

“What are you doing here?” She mumbled, when she was around him now her confidence dropped and she became a nervous mess. She hated that. She hated he had so much control over her still.

“I miss you.” It was a simple statement, but her heart fluttered when he uttered those words.

Y/N looked away.

When enough seconds passed and Harry knew he wouldn’t be getting any response to what he said, he took a different approach.

“Dance with me.” Y/N laughed, startled by his request.

“Huh?” She was confused, they hadn’t talked in months and the first thing he wants to do was tell her he misses her and to dance with him.

“I’m not doing that.” She was being cold and callous but that’s how she did things. This was how she hid and masked the hurt. It was better that way, she thought.

“Y/N..” He uttered her name, she missed it. She missed him so much. But it also made her angry. If he wasn’t so far up Daisy’s ass, maybe they could’ve still been friends. Maybe they could’ve been something more. But Y/N was naive to think that they could’ve been. He wasn’t obligated to love her just because she loved him, no, it was her own fault for falling in love with her friend who was already in love with someone else.

“You can’t just do this, Harry! I cut off contact with you for a fucking reason. Can’t you take a hint?” He seemed hurt by her words, and she wanted to apologize but the words died in her throat.

“Just a conversation, lovie. Just tell me how you are.” She scoffed before thinking about it. He could tell she was weighing her options and the pros and cons so he decided to help a little.

“After, you can decide if you never wanna talk to me again. I’ll never bother you again, never contact you. You’ll be free of me.” That caught Y/N’s attention. That’s what she wanted, right?

“Alright..” He softly smiled at her before guiding her away from the loudness of the party.

“I’m so, so proud of you, lovie. You’ve made a name for yourself. I’ve heard people rave about you. Made me jealous how they got to see you and spend time with you and I didn’t.”

Y/N sighed. “Distancing myself from you was the only way I could cope. Truth be told, Harry, I really liked you. I mean.. it must’ve been obvious that morning. Seeing you hooked on Daisy just hurt me a little. It’s okay now, though.”

He stopped walking, turning to fully face Y/N. There was a light glow from the tennis court lights but otherwise they were wrapped in darkness.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t see it sooner. I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize your feelings, and I’m so sorry for making you feel like shit that morning. If I could redo that morning, I would’ve ignored the call, no, no. I would’ve answered and told her to fuck off, I would’ve woken you up with so many kisses all over your face and body. We would’ve made love that morning and I would’ve confessed my feelings, and all this pain and hurt could’ve been avoided. But that didn’t happen, and all I could say now is that I love you. And if you’ll give me another chance, I swear I’d never hurt you again.”

Y/N inhaled deeply at his confession. It was full of conviction and truth. Her eyes welled up and she couldn’t stop yourself from full on sobbing.

“Oh baby, no, don’t cry!” He wrapped his arms around her, which made her cry just a little harder.

Harry thought he was too late, thought he made her so sad with his words that she would never want anything to do with him anymore, and that broke his heart into pieces.

“God, I just- I just never thought I’d ever hear those words.” She giggled while crying.

When Y/N had left that morning, he was hurt, but he had to see Daisy. He had went to her house, and he had convinced himself that he loved her. When she opened the door, her boyfriend was wrapped around her, and she dismissed Harry rudely. And then Harry thought long and hard. He had Y/N, the sweetest most caring girl, and he had chose Daisy over her? The one who had always used Harry as her backup when her boyfriend would grow tired of her. Y/N had always been there for Harry, had been there to hold his hand when the going got tough. He went home to wallow in his thoughts and really only fully came to his senses when Gemma whacked some sense into his brain. He realized he didn’t deserve Y/N, but it didn’t stop Harry from trying to contact her. She ignored every call, every text, and then eventually blocked his number. He’s ask his friends how she was and they’d say she was doing good, gave some vague details about her life but that was it. He missed her so fucking much and now that she was in front of him, he would never let her go.

“These are happy tears. Do you, do you mean it?” Harry was carefully wiping the tears streaming down her face, leaning forward to press his lips to her cute nose.

“Of course, I meant every word. I love you so much and I hate that it took me so long to see it.” He wrapped his arms around Y/N and she hesitantly hugged him back and instantly sighed in relief. How she missed this.

“I love you too.” She smiled and initiated the kiss between them, the first kiss since that night. It was passionate, they kissed deeply and smiled happily into the kiss. Y/N pulled back a bit but Harry followed, pressing multiple kisses to her lips. She laughed and swatted him away.

“Wait.. that was the cutest thing ever!” She heard her friend’s voice and the sound of someone being hit, followed by a groan and a whine. Harry and Y/N both looked at the two people hiding behind a rose bush.

“Really?” Y/N groaned, embarrassed of her friends spying on their intimate and personal conversation.

They popped out, both appearing drunk as hell. Harry laughed at their appearances and wrapped his arm around Y/N’s waist, while Y/N tucked her head into his chest.

“Can y’all make some babies? They would look so adorable!!”

“Max!” Y/N scolded, cheeks heating up at his words.

“I’m down if you are?” Harry suggested, winking down at her. She rolled her eyes at her man, pulling him down for a deep kiss, her friends cheering her on in the background.