#vintage bath and body works hair care

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Bio Straight and Sleek

early 2000s

Found on Ebay, user ahyo-82

[femmeroll]

please could you write sevika dating a ballerina reader??? it can be headcanons (nsfwplss) or a short fic or whatever you like, thank uuu 🩷

i adore this!! thank u for the request my lovely ♡

sevika x ballerina!reader

cw: smut & fluff, hyperfemme reader, butch sevika, oral (r!receiving)

when sevika meets you, it’s like something out of a cheesy rom-com. it’s the middle of a cold, grey winter, and there you are at the bus stop. hair in a tight bun, legs adorned with light pink tights, and a frilly leotard to match. your zip-up jacket doesn’t conceal you at all from the bitter weather.

the second sevika sees you, she starts unzipping her heavy winter coat. the temperature was piercing, but she didn’t care. there was a cute ballerina freezing to death right next to her!

“hey…would you wanna borrow this? it’s way too cold for a light jacket like that, don’t want you to get sick or something.”

and the second you see sevika, light blush on her face with a hand outstretched to offer her jacket, a thousand lightening bolts shock your heart. you don’t yet know who this incredibly kind a wickedly handsome person is, but you know in your gut that you will find out.

you get sevika’s number so that you can ‘meet up’ to give her the coat back.

sevika asks you out after texting back and forth for a few days. she invites you to a cute cafe in town, one of those pretty ones that are covered in plants and vintage art.

you bring her coat to return it, but she insists that you keep it.

she pays for your drink and your pastry without hesitation. sevika is fidgeting with her sleeves the whole time. acting all shy as if she’s some high schooler who’s about to hold hands with a girl for the first time.

the two of you spend a whole afternoon getting to know each other. you learn all about her mechanic job and her two dogs and how she really likes doing crossword puzzles. she learns about how you’re a professional ballerina and you spend all your time at the dance studio.

sevika is so smitten it’s unreal. and when she sees you wearing her jacket when your ready to leave, she knows its game over. her heart can’t take it.

dating sevika is a literal dream. she’ll take you to every rehearsal and be in the front row of every single performance.

after every performance she greets you with a bouquet of flowers and the proudest smile plastered on that handsome face of hers.

“you were amazing as always, baby. i was cheering your name so loud at the end! did you hear?”

sevika will rub your sore feet after you’ve been in point shoes all day. every dancer knows just how fucked up your feet can get from those things. she’ll help you soak them in a salt bath and raise them up while she gently massages the pain away. she’s always gentle with you.

sevika prefers date nights at home. her perfect evening with you includes cooking you dinner, eating with you in the living room while watching a movie, and splitting you open in bed.

on the topic of the bedroom…

the first time having sex with sevika is after dance rehearsal. you come to her apartment exhausted and stressed about an upcoming performance.

while you’re trying to rant to your girlfriend, she gets a little distracted. every inch of your gorgeous body is on display in your tight leotard. and the way your legs are clothed in those sexy tights…she wants to eat you alive.

“…and the choreographer was being ridiculous. my feet were sickled for maybe half a second and-”

“can i help you relax?” sevika interrupts.

she gently grabs your hips with a smirk, peeling the straps of your leotard down.

“so worked up, aren’t you babe? let me make you feel better, please.”

sevika frees you from your tight dance clothes and nearly moans at the sight of your body. bare and needy, and it’s all for her. she gently lays you down on her bed, kisses trailing from your lips and throat to your stomach and thighs.

she licks a long stripe from your hole to your clit, warm tongue sending shockwaves through your veins. she groans at the taste, greedily lapping at your pussy. she can’t get enough of the sweetness of you. and your cunt is nearly drooling over the way she eats you like you’re her last meal.

“god, you taste so damn good,” she growls into you, eyes dark as she pushes her tongue inside you. her nose rubs on your clit with every movement.

you’ve never cum so quickly in your entire life. watching her eat your pussy like a woman starved, the feeling of her hot tongue, her nose on your most sensitive bundle of nerves. it’s no wonder your eyes are rolling back into your skull after only a few minutes.

you clench around her tongue, whimpering out her name as she works you through your orgasm. once you start squirming from overstimulation, she comes up to kiss you.

“that make you feel better, baby?”

[mythosidhesdollhouse]

What I'm working on today (ADHD brain can't stick to one project for long)--

The amazing @maleficentmrsofallevil kindly offered to share her recent Goodwill haul of Barbies in crocheted dresses with me, and they arrived yesterday. Our models are an auburn-haired Cut and Style Barbie from 1994 (ID'd by @dollsahoy); an unknown blonde Barbie of similar vintage judging by her face; and a no-name hollow bodied fashion doll sadly ravaged by an advanced case of poly rot. Plus a bonus Steffi Love along for the ride XD

These girls and their gowns are going to require a bit of work before they're ready for display, but I enjoy this sort of challenge.

A few closeups and some discussion of hair care--

The dresses are currently drying out after a thorough cleaning, so we'll talk more about them in a later post. As for our new/old Barbaras! It's been a long time since I handled dolls with this face sculpt, and I'd forgotten how adorable they can be. I wasn't sure I was going to use these dolls to display the dresses, but now that I have them in hand I wouldn't consider doing anything else. Though whether they will remain in the dresses they started out with is a question I haven't resolved yet.

Aside from washing the dresses, I also gave our girls a bath, and began the process of restoring their hair.

How it started....

...and how it's going XD

Not all the way there, but still a vast improvement from their original dull and frizzy state.

On their next spa day the ladies will be joined by the future occupant of the third dress, my old Starlight Carousel Barbie from 1997.

As for that dress's original occupant, aside from her hair turning to dust (THIS is the eventual fate of polypropylene hair!), I'm afraid she did not survive extraction from said dress, which she was sewn into, intact. We shall not speak of her again.

And then there's Steffi Love. Honestly not sure what I'm going to do with her at the moment. I don't have a Steffi in my collection already, so I might dress her and let her hang around as is...but she does have reasonably good articulation, so she might end up as a body donor for a more interesting head XD We'll see how I feel about it in a few days.

[cosmicwavelengths]

unusual asks

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? spotify all the way! i'm so sad i'll be losing my student premium in july :(

is your room messy or clean? definitely clean, i can't operate in a messy room

what color are your eyes? dark brown

do you like your name? why? i like it! it's unique but still professional

what is your relationship status? taken <3 been with my bf 5 years in march!

describe your personality in 3 words or less awkward, spicy (?), reserved

what color hair do you have? dark brown and curly (but i straighten it since its easier for me to manage 

what kind of car do you drive? Color? i drive a red hyundai! it's cute and has apple car play which is what i care about most - i really like driving but i'm often away at college in a city where i don't need a car

where do you shop? hollister, abercrombie & fitch, aerie, cotton on, zara, h&m, UNIQLO, pacsun lululemon, urban outfitters, victoria secret - my part time job don't be jobbin enough to support this lol

how would you describe your style? i wear lots of sweaters, jeans. i like to weat boots (doc martens or steve madden). i dress up in a suit for work and i love feeling fancy. when i'm around the house i like to wear sweats and tshirts.

favorite social media account i alternate between IG, tumblr, tiktok, and twitter pretty heavily these days - trying to throw reddit out of circulation

what size bed do you have? full bed at home, sentenced to a twin XL in college - a mattress topper really makes all the difference!

any siblings? yes, one older brother

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? Why? england for sure (im a massive anglophile)

favorite snapchat filter? i don't really use filters like that (nor do i keep up with snapchat like that - i mainly go in to maintain streaks from pre-pandemic days)

favorite makeup brand(s) fenty beauty, colourpop, clinique (black honey is my favvvv), summer fridays (i love their vanilla lip balm) urban decay

how many times a week do you shower? six to seven times a week! usually after i gym

favorite tv show? currently? smiling friends but it changes up a bit - you can find out more in my about me

shoe size? "...and i'm looking for a numbah nine like my shoe!"

how tall are you? 5’6”

sandals or sneakers? sneakers! i don't like having the dawgs loose ya feel

do you go to the gym? i do now! and i am ashamed to say that i feel much better after i go, despite dreading it

describe your dream date definitely a beach date! i'm a sucker for a nice dinner but i want to do a picnic so bad

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? $0 because i keep my money in my checking account - but i do have 2 $10 barnes and nobles gift cards!

what color socks are you wearing? these brown vintage looking knitted ones i found on amazon years ago

how many pillows do you sleep with? one because i only have one head, but ive found that sleeping with a pillow between your needs really keeps your spine aligned when you lie on your side!

do you have a job? what do you do? yes! i work part time while in school and i research counterfeit goods on the behalf of my client

how many friends do you have? a handful but its as much as i need - unfortunately less friends than when i was in high school, but my roommates are great!

whats the worst thing you have ever done? probably stole some girls camera in kindergarten

whats your favorite candle scent? probably the strawberry poundcake candle from bath and body works, but i love anything vanilla scented

3 favorite boy names steven [...] tbh i haven't thought of it much

3 favorite girl names heather, victoria, stacey

favorite actor? this is so hard but i'll always love taron egerton in rocketman

favorite actress? i'll never not love diane morgan as philomena cunk she kills it

who is your celebrity crush? ...probably kieran culklin

favorite movie? i have several outlined in my about me, but i loved everything everywhere all at once

do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? i don't read too much casually outside of readings for class and fanfiction (lol), but i really liked

money or brains? brains for sure, cant make money without it (usually)!

do you have a nickname? what is it? yes! call me maddi :)

how many times have you been to the hospital? maybe four times but probably more when i was younger though

top 10 favorite songs in no particular order - 1) happiness - the 1975; 2) wintering - the 1975; 3) l'amour de ma vie - billie eilish; 4) high in brighton - fizz; 5) fuzzy - waterparks; 6) coincidence - sabrina carpenter; 7) pink pony club - chappell roan; 8) dream sweet in sea major - miracle musical; 9) vroom vroom - charli xcx; 10) denial is a river - doechii

do you take any medications daily? birth control pills!

what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) its been dry lately due to winter

what is your biggest fear? the unknown of what happens after we die

how many kids do you want? two so the other kid isnt lonely - preferably two girls or one boy/one girl, but ultimately i want a healthy and happy kid

whats your go to hair style? straight, blown out

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) id say medium size

who is your role model? i dont think i have one

what was the last compliment you received? "those glasses look so good on you!" after i had to borrow my roommates glasses when the lens popped out of my own

what was the last text you sent? "writing" - to my bf wondering what i am up to

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? 10?

what is your dream car? i'd love a genesis or some fancy sports car

opinion on smoking? it kills! i don't like to do it, but to each their own

do you go to college? yes! studying politics in hopes of going into law :)

what is your dream job? lawyer

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? rural, but i'm about an hour and a half from the nearest city

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? no because they are too small and/or not sulfate-free

do you have freckles? naur

do you smile for pictures? ofc! i didn't spend 18 months in braces not to show off my teeth!

how many pictures do you have on your phone? 905

have you ever peed in the woods? yes

do you still watch cartoons? only smiling friends and bojack horseman

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? mcdonalds but i haven't had mcdonalds in FOREVER

Favorite dipping sauce? bbq, ketchup, cane's sauce or chick-fil-a sauce

what do you wear to bed? naked (sometimes, when i'm in my own room at home), but i wear pjs from hollister when i'm at school (or a t-shirt & shorts)

have you ever won a spelling bee? haha no

 what are your hobbies? writing, reading (fanfiction), going to musicals/plays, working out

can you draw? haha nope but i wish i could! what a lovely thing to be able to do

do you play an instrument? not so much anymore, but i used to play a few: flute, cello, ocarina, ukulele, recorder, guitar, and piano - not well (lol) i also liked singing in choir until i had to choose between choir and orchestra

what was the last concert you saw? i saw the 1975 in new york in 2023! it was amazing

tea or coffee? love me some lemon tea

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? dunkin

do you want to get married? sure! i would love to be someone's wife <3

what is your crush’s first and last initial? i dont really have a crush right now since i'm with my bf so I and E

are you going to change your last name when you get married?  maybe not, i cant imagine being anything else besides my own

what color looks best on you? black/gold

do you miss anyone right now? my bf! thankfully i'll be seeing him in a few weeks for my friend's baby shower <3

do you sleep with your door open or closed? closed

do you believe in ghosts? not particularly

what is your biggest pet peeve? chewing with mouth open, intentional incompetency

last person you called? my bf yesterday before i went out with my parents for dinner

favorite ice cream flavor? vanilla (how ironic) but i love strawberry

regular oreos or golden oreos? regular

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? rainbow!

what shirt are you wearing? a dark green/grey v-neck shirt from hollister

what is your phone background? a kitty swimming in water

are you outgoing or shy? probably more on the shy side, but when i'm with my friends i'm much less so

do you like it when people play with your hair? noooooooo (yes)

do you like your neighbors? ive always had pleasant neighbors but i recently learned that my former friend (who was my neighbor) was some kind of racist snake so... no?

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? both! in the morning and night

have you ever been high? yes and it's slightly more fun than being drunk

have you ever been drunk? yes and it's fun until it isn't

last thing you ate? chipotle bowl

favorite lyrics right now “i'm never gonna love again hey! oh!"

summer or winter? love summer to death but my best fashion is in the winter

day or night? night

dark, milk, or white chocolate? milk or dark - respectfully white chocolate isnt real chocolate

favorite month? i don't think ive ever had a bad june

what is your zodiac sign leo 

who was the last person you cried in front of? my bf i think but i don't remember why

[sn0wpetal]

My Sunday Reset Routine

°♡°

Self care is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves, especially in this day and age. Having a good reset day at least once a week is vital for our well-being and health! Why wouldn't we want to cherish ourselves? One of my fave self care activities is having Sundays all to myself to just indulge in.. me!

7 am ♡

I start by waking up around 7-7:30 am, opening my drapes, letting in each ray of sunlight bounce through the bedroom, I usually open the window to get rid of stale energy, and to let in fresh air <3

8 am ♡

Now, I usually hop in the shower and get some tea going, brushing my teeth while I shower, and washing my face. After drinking some tea and doing my skincare routine, I like to take just a couple of minutes to relax and ground myself.

9 am ♡

Breakfast is always light and something simple; lately, I've been loving brioche bread with avocado spread on top, with a sunny side up egg on top. I don't particularly like tomatoes, so I opt out for them; eating usually takes 20-30 minutes to really be present and mindful of my meal.

After breakfast I like to write in my personal journal, or take some time to draw. Allowing my creativity to flow in the mornings helps me throughout the day to think better and work more efficiently.

Misc. ♡

After my initial morning, there's a lot of space in between my morning and night. Here's some things I do; I don't do all these things every Sunday, but these are some of the things I choose from.

Cleaning my space

Spend some time in the sun

Take a walk

Read

Clean bedding; sheets, blanket, etc..

Work on vision board

Water my plants

Meal prep

Plan for upcoming week

Night 🌙

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ At night, I like to reset myself in my more digital aspect and mental ♡ This gives me a clear head while also keeping my phone clean!

8 pm ♡

Most Sundays I really love taking a hot bath, and adding some of my favorite epsom salts and or lavender & rose buds, and if I'm not in the mood for a bath, I take this time to clean up.

9 pm ♡

Around 9 p.m., I like to start my skin care routine. Before I start , I like to get in my vintage silky night set or gown so I can feel like my most feminine self. Afterward, I remove my makeup, braidmy hair, dry brush my entire body for increased blood flow, and then moisturize! I also like to go through my phone and delete any spam or any unneeded info.

10 pm ♡

Once I'm done with that, I like to finish my week by writing in my journal about the entire week and a general reflection. I usually go to bed by 10 or 11, so doing this helps me get into a sleepy mood ꒰ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ꒱

Overall, having a reset routine is important for your health, each and every aspect. The most important person in your world is you, so take care of yourself <3

⊱ ──────ஓ๑♡๑ஓ ────── ⊰

┆彡The end

┆ ┆ ┆ ┆⋆ The End

┆ ┆ ┆જ ✾ ˚ ₊⠀⠀ ᘏ⑅ᘏ ₊ ✩ ｡

┆彡 3lphi3

[imreadydollparts]

$3 will get you a lot in the salon.

This work order came in and got me thinking about a few things regarding the salon.

For one, this particular order frustrated me because I can’t get these ponies up to my standards. I don’t do stain removal for people because it takes so long.

These were sent to me with a warning that they had been used for bath time play for the past 4 years.

Caramel Crunch didn’t have any rust inside and I did manage to get her body color to be fresher, but she is stained.

Floater was a little more difficult because of how delicate the Magic Message cutie marks are. She was very mucky inside and cleaned up easily, which is always nice. I also got to try out some different types of swabs I had bought just for this purpose. They have long bamboo handles and made cleaning out hooves and the insides of Floater’s wings a lot easier. A little hair care and she was much better, but those stains...

Italian Starblossom’s tail had been cut, and she had both rust and bath muck inside her body that didn’t come clean as well as I would have liked. She has mold stains on the inside. Luckily for their owner the way that the Italian factory installs tails meant there was a LOT of hair inside her body (which contributed to the growth of muck inside, since hair holds water like a sponge). Once she was switched to the 2-zip-ties method of keeping a tail in, her tail was back to a normal length.

I did have to re-lay the tail one hair at a time, though, because both the large, metal crimp and the string that were originally in there had rotted and rusted to bits and everything fell apart in my hands as soon as I’d pulled it from her body.

Sky rocket had lots and lots of little, rusty, metal bits inside. It was very easy to clean with the new long-stemmed bamboo swabs, and moreso because I could actually see what I was doing.

Which brings me to the other thing I had been thinking about.

I charge $3 a head for a basic salon service which I’ve been told many times is much too low, and I agree. You get a LOT for $3 in my salon.

hair smoothing, conditioning, and resetting

a very, very good bath and if it’s a MLP I’ll remove rust and mold from the inside, too

If a few plugs of hair are missing, I’ll just put them in; for ponies I can take a few strands from their tail while it’s out for derusting or will take some from my vintage extra tails stash

if I happen to have the right color of tail for a pony that’s missing theirs, I might just install it

if the head and body no longer match they can spend a little time in my SunBox to be reset

But, this person is exactly the kind of customer I’ve priced my salon FOR. This was the parent of a child that had played with their ponies and wanted a little refresh.

[sirendusk]

Modern gods

I tried to portray them in an accurate but original way, speaking also about the things that are often overlooked

Zeus: lightning cracking the sky, going to the theater with your soulmate, rebelling for a right cause, laughing out loud, the most human of them all, family dinners, a walk in the mountains, the calm before a storm, sudden change of emotions

Hera: white dresses, bubble baths, staring at the milky way, peacock feathers hanged in your room, knowing you’re way more than what you show, diamonds in your hair, crying alone in the bathroom, still being the one people look up to

Poseidon: crabs that go back in the sea, drinking a cocktail on the beach, dance lessons, always understanding people’s emotions, sketching on books, listening to the waves to hear their secrets, riding a horse near the ocean, temperamental

Hades: holding hands, feeling the comfort of the darkness, a glimpse of past memories, a black dog watching and protecting you, knowing that everything is temporary and loving every second of it, embers, no one actually knows what’s in their mind, psychology books

Artemis: the moon on a winter sky, seeing a deer in the woods, wind in your hair, helping a child or a wounded person, feeling the stars on your skin, nocturnal walks, white moss, eyes that have seen more than you can imagine, making herbal tea

Apollo: sun warming your skin, laughing with your friends, having weird dreams, music that comforts your soul, trying on new clothes that make you feel confident, a hot summer’s day, glowing skin, even the shadows are their friends

Athena: libraries filled with old books, cuddling a cat, eyes grey like storms, going to the restaurant alone, staring at the horizon, being at war not with people but with your own thoughts, good at anything, gold earrings, dad’s favourite

Hephaestus: fireworks, advocating for disabled people, drawing with charcoal, smiling hearing your friend’s story, a vintage matchbox , sadly overlooked, eating chestnuts, autumn leaves, disappearing for days to work on a project

Demeter: caring so much about others, sitting under a tree, playing with your pet, poppies behind your ears, the countryside in summer, putting honey in milk, meditation in the morning, flower garlands, touching the earth, giving the best hugs

Aphrodite: walks by the sea, rose scented love letters, a free spirit, art museums, falling in love with life, small fish in a pond, canopy beds, wiping off tears with kisses, she knows what you think but she’s not gonna tell anyone, a presence that smells like incense and vanilla

Ares: leather gloves, late nights at the pub, rock n roll concerts, hickeys, knowing when something is wrong, cutting your hair at home, staring at your girlfriend because she’s just too beautiful, impulsive actions, a strong feminist, people don’t like them at first

Hestia: healing abilities, untouched beauty, making cookies for your friends, glowing eyes, making your room a sanctuary, putting lavender and amethyst under your pillow, reading for fun, lighting a candle, a welcoming smile, wearing your heart on the sleeve

Hermes: reading poetry in a bar, being able to manage any situation, social chamaleon, winning a race you trained hard for, funny jokes told in a ear, your parents’ favourite, flirting with your friends, lemonade, beach volley, caring about social issues

Dyonisus: drama lessons, leopard fur coat, feeling your body pervaded by energy, loyal to your loved ones, knowing what’s on the other side, embracing chaos, speaking by metaphors, red wine on your lips, laying drunk on a sofa

[barzzal]

between halls and thin walls → part four

summary: friends who fool around almost never works. almost.

↳ pairing: mathew barzal x you

↳ warnings: idiots, that’s all <3

↳ genre: fluff, angst, smut, roommates au, best friend’s best friend, friends with benefits, 18+

↳ length: series; part one, part two, part three, part four (6.7k), part five, part six

↳ masterlist: the barn

↳ track: my favorite part by mac miller, addicted by jorja smith, someone to spend time with by los retros

note: finally got myself to update this fic oml zzz quick psa tho, this will now be a six-part series! hope that’s okay and yenno as always, would love to hear what you think about this (validate me in the tags pls im lonely) happy reading babes! <3

“Yo, grandma. Haven’t you had too much tea to drink?” his voice echoes in the room as soon as he walks into it. You carefully set the cup down on the dining table and looked at him exasperatedly. 

“Haven’t you had too much care to give?” you snark back, earning yourself a disappointed look from him. 

“Really, y/n? That’s the best you’ve got?” he shakes his head at your appalling retort.  What a shame.

You were good at pissing him off to be fair. You just weren’t in the mood to throw teases back and forth especially now that you’re feeling particularly vulnerable.

The week has been far too dreadful for you and you know that you’re willing to grovel your way into the weekend to finally have the time to slack off, not worry about taking a bath, and just go crazy with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

However, just like always, Mathew seems to never run out of ways to get on your nerves. 

He carelessly puts his stuff on the table, causing a fairly loud thud on the surface. 

You let out a deep breath, massaging your temple. 

“Somebody’s cranky.” he grins. Not necessarily the kind you’d want to see from him. 

You try to ignore him for a few minutes but you can’t help noticing how his build easily took over much of the space you’ve already been occupying. You irkingly look up at him, closing the book you were reading. You meet Mat’s eyes who just innocently looked back into yours. Waiting. Possibly plotting on yet another sophisticated way to toy with you.

“You’re a child.” you roll your eyes and return to your reading. He says nothing and instead rests his chin atop his enclasped hands, continuing to bother you with his ridiculously beguiling eyes. He presses his lips together before sighing dramatically. 

“What?” you snap, finally shutting your book down as you look at him. 

“I wanna go out.” he looks up at you in an effort to make his huge physique smaller than it really was. 

“Then go out. You’re a big boy.” you breathe. 

“You just said that I’m a child.” he coos, mimicking a five-year-old’s voice. 

“Stop that.” you glare at him. Mat props himself back and laughs, “Come on. I’m bored.” 

You open your book again just as you reply in a tone that Mat’s getting used to hearing. “Boredom doesn’t give you the right to pester me, Barzal.” 

And as an exchange, he speaks in the same tone rather mockingly, “And so is that attitude, Y/L/N.” 

“Come on, y/n. Let’s go out.” he now pleads, looking up at you with what seems to be his worst impression of a ‘puppy eye’.

“Fine.” you finally concede and you see Mat’s beaming smile instantly. 

“Where’d you want to go?” you ask as you take your reading glasses off.

“Dunno.” He shrugs, obviously teasing. 

On the edge of being irritated, you say, “Are you kidding me?”

“Grandma.” he mumbles before saying, “Do you have anything you want to do? And please don’t say book hunt.”

You suppress a smile and maintain your composure. “I’m craving for pancakes right now but I also wanna drink. Go to a bar or something.”

He nods in agreement. Already stitching his game plan.

“We can do both.”  he bobs his all too fine brows.

He didn’t have a hard time getting you on board with his spontaneity. You actually haven’t gone out in a while and the thought of a possible night out doesn’t seem to be so bad of an idea.

You’ve been with Mat to parties and while the two of you don’t mingle as much as the other guys did, he does know his way around the club. The dance floor, however, he tries. He really does.

For about an hour Mathew waited patiently in the living room as he scrolled endlessly on instagram liking a few photos and laughing at posts the fans tag him occasionally. His eyes were peeled away from the screen when he heard the door to your room click. His irises trail onto your body even if he didn’t plan to originally. 

Mathew, albeit dressed simply in his black turtleneck sweater and a beige overcoat exudes just about the right ‘swag’ (as per how he puts it) to stop you in your stupor. Although what you didn’t know was how you weren’t any different in his eyes. You were dressed quite nicely in a black lace bodysuit with a pair of blackpants accentuated by the black boots you usually wear on a night out. Your coat was slung on your forearm whilst you held your clutch purse in your hand so you could close the door with the other. 

“What?” you blink just as you look down to eye yourself. Feeling a tad self-conscious under his gaze.

Mat immediately breaks it off. He clears his throat, pretending to wipe off the non-existent dust on the accent table. 

“What?” he mirrors with an arched brow.

You shrug off his demeanor, snatching your keys from the accent table before putting it in your purse. 

“Have you called a lyft already?” he nods, absentmindedly scratching his temple. 

“You ready? You look— decent.” He says, trying to act casual and distant when he gives you the compliment.

Not noticing the unfamiliar look his eyes had, you return the compliment and say,  “And so do you. Good job for not looking like you came straight out of an H&M catalogue.” you wink at him with a grin. A thing which was then reciprocated by a deadpan look on his end. 

Before he could even come up with yet another clever way to come at you, you start walking towards the door, looking at him once as you motion the way by curling your finger.

“Haul ass, buddy.”

𖥸

10:15 PM 

Mat decided to bring you to the usual place he goes to when he wants to be alone and just enjoy a couple of beers while he chats with River, the bartender he eventually befriends after years spent drinking in solitude. 

The bar had a rustic feel filled with wine barrels in the corner of the room. The seats were leather (mind you, it wasn’t the kind that gets easily worn out through time) and everything looked new to you regardless of all the vintage stuff displayed articulately on the brick wall. A turntable was set on the table stacked with vinyl records, most of which were from the 70s to 80s underneath.

It was obvious that it wasn’t the kind people would know about. Aside from it being located at such a secluded street leading to the suburbs, it wasn’t the type of bar kids would want to hang out in. It only had a few customers and most of them wore suits and came with company. No one really gave a hoot when you walked in with Mathew, aka, the face of the New York Islanders. Which is basically the reason why Mat kept coming back to the place. He felt comfortable and at peace. Almost in retrospect to being at home hanging with his father. 

“I can’t believe this place exists.” you say, mouthing your thanks to River as he hands you both of your drinks. The man that’s definitely aged like fine wine smiles, nodding his head over to Mat who was doing the same before he headed back to mix another set of drinks. 

“Me neither.” he grins, reminiscing about the time he’s found the small pub by accident. 

“This place looks expensive though.” you whisper, making Mathew laugh. 

“Well, it kinda is.” he sheepishly chuckles. “River’s filthy rich.”

“Is he really?” your mouth falls and you look back over the build of the old man. The way his salt and pepper hair was neatly slicked back makes quite a compelling case for what Mat had just said. 

Mat eventually explains who he was. Apparently, he was just another bored fancy man who happened to love making people drop dead and drunk with his over the top mixes. His dark deep set brown eyes are quite of a crowd favourite too. Case in point, the group of ladies seated from across you and Mathew.

“Hey.” you absentmindedly call on Mat who had just sipped on his drink. “I know what we should do.”

“All right.” he puts the glass down, “Lay it on me.”

“Let’s fix you up with one of the girls over there.” you suggest, leaning towards his body so you could get a better view upfront. Mat does not move and instead follows your finger subtly pointing at the other end of the room.

“What’s with the sudden fixation of getting me bagged tonight, huh?” he smirks, shaking his head at the idea of having to go home with some random girl. You give him a side eye as you move away from him. 

“Fixation is an overstatement. We’ll be here long enough for us to get sick of each other.” you explicitly told him. 

Mat eyes you intently. Searching if there was even the slightest doubt in your eyes. 

Long enough to get sick of each other. 

He clears his throat instead and looks across the room. “Which one?”

A gleeful cheer erupts from you just before you look over the girls in question. “What’s your type?” you ask him, not sparing a glance.

Mat looks down on you underneath the bar lights accentuating your features. Your eyes had a certain glint in them that Mat still can’t get a grasp on. Something that was just enough to spark something inside him. He didn’t want to overthink it nonetheless. It must have been just the lights. 

Once Mat sensed that you were about to look at him he immediately turned his gaze forward, squinting his eyes a little pretending to check out the women you’ve been eyeing for the last minute. 

“I don’t really have a type.” he shrugs, casually taking the fragile glass to his mouth. 

You dismiss what he said at once, “Do I look like a child to you? Just answer it.”

Mat shakes his head, “I told you. I don’t have one. If we vibe then we vibe. Simple as that.” 

You did not believe him but you decide to drop it off. Instead, you look back and return to your new found mission. Across the bar, seated were three girls busy talking to each other. 

“Got it.” you tell Mat, nodding your head towards the clueless girl sitting right across from where Mathew was. “The one in the center.” you add. “The one wearing a white bodycon.”

“She’s pretty.” he nods, validating your taste as his potential wingman. “Nice smile.”

Your hand met a firm slap on the table as you went on cheering for him. “Well? Go then!” you give him a nudge, taking it back quickly when you feel a slight hesitation on his part, “Don’t tell me you need me to introduce you?”

He takes the remainder of his glass and shaked off the kick it had in his throat. “You just sit and watch, babe.”

You do as you’re told and lean towards the bar, your elbow carrying all your weight whilst you sip on your half-full martini. 

Mathew’s stance and the way he carries himself immediately caused the girls to notice him coming. Of course, you weren’t really surprised. You watch him approach her,– reading along the words leaving his mouth. There was an exchange of proper ‘hello’s’ as Mat introduced himself to the girls. He reaches out his hand and the curly noirette in the center gives him a firm shake. 

Mat’s eyes momentarily locked with yours just as you see their hands linger in the air— tangled long enough for him to make a quick segway. He winks your way as he sees you grin from your seat, shaking your head just after you felt the need to take a deep breath. A thing you assumed to be because of the drink. So, while Mat leads the girl to one of the empty booths and sits across from her, you call on River and ask for another drink. 

Mathew must have lost track of time by the second drink he shared with Zoe. He learns that she’s from upstate and was just on the island to visit her friends. She’s still working on her major at NYU; coincidentally in the same field as Lianna so that was one of the things they’ve talked about first hand. She wasn’t really into sports so Mat steered clear of his job because he didn’t want to bore her. 

“So…” Zoe smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear. “What’s the deal with you and the girl you’re with?” 

By the time she asked about you, only then did Mat remember who he was originally with. 

“Oh! She’s—” he looks over to where you’re seated only to find you laughing— no giggling with a man that was obviously a few years older than you. He’s wearing a neat black suit and a button down shirt with a couple of its first buttons opened. Zoe sees him frown, evidently losing his train of thought. 

She calls him with her sweet voice, “Mat?” 

“Yeah?” he absentmindedly answers, not wanting to take his eyes off of your hand that was now gently pushing the man’s arm whilst the two of you continue to burst into laughter. 

“Are you okay?” she asks.

What’s so funny? 

Finally, Mat hears Zoe’s distant voice that eventually took him back to his seat.

“Oh. Y-Yeah.” he apologetically smiles. “Sorry. What were you saying again?” 

She hesitates to ask about you after taking a quick glance your way upon seeing the way Mathew looked at you. Nevertheless, she decides to go for it.

“Aren’t you two together? I don’t want to come off strong here or anything. It’s just that I don’t want to get in between something if there ever is.” 

Mat looks at you one more time and as if you’ve felt his eyes all along you turn your way and meet his gaze. You shoot him a quiet smile, eyeing the guy sitting beside you, mouthing what he assumes to be an exaggerated “So hot!” on your end. He reciprocates your smile and gives you an approving nod.

Once you looked away, that’s the only time Mat finally answered the woman waiting patiently for his attention. 

“What?” Mat shakes his head wildly, blowing out air off his lips defensively. “No no no. We’re just friends. She’s my roommate actually.” he shrugs you off his mind and instead tries to put his entire focus on her. 

The remaining hours were spent with you and Mat getting along with your respective potential hook-ups. Not that it wasn’t the endgame either of you were hoping for at the back of your minds. 

He’s got to admit that Zoe was the kind of girl he’d be interested in. Another fact he’s kept a mental tab not to mention to you because he knows you’ll just get cocky. 

She was sweet and obviously eloquent. He knows she’s way smarter than he’ll ever be. But out of all those qualities, she was just as passionate at her craft as someone he likes to think he knows well enough. And that alone made a small smile creep on his lips. 

Nonetheless, despite all the aforementioned, Mathew found himself a bit more reserved than he usually is whenever he gets to meet and talk to his potential ‘lady friends’ as how you’ve put it countless times. He just wasn’t his exact self.  And he was beginning to question it. 

There were no fancy hockey plays thrown subtly into the conversation. Neither mentions of golfing nor over the top league events.  No butchered french pet names swiftly tucked in his sentences. And no endless questions that would eventually lead to something along the lines of ‘Do you want to get out of here?’

Well, not until Zoe’s friends got up their seats and she told him herself. 

“Hey. The girls and I are meeting up with some friends in Brooklyn. D’ya wanna come?” 

Mat’s eyes trail down to her hand now gently caressing his. He raises both his brows thinking of a possible ‘out’ because he wasn’t sure if it was a smart thing to leave you alone with a stranger. 

He hums, “Sure.” 

Zoe shows him a delighted smile before eventually sliding out of the booth to walk towards the bar she and her friends were formally seated. 

“I gotta use the restroom first. Please excuse me.” she gives him a nod before going back to chatting with her friends. 

You, on the other hand, see Mat leave the table aiming for an archway you presume to be where the loo was. 

“Hey,” you call the man whose name you’ve already forgotten. Your pause was long enough for him to acknowledge the chances that you actually did forget who he was. Obviously.

“Chris.” The man in his early 30s answers with a submitting grin. 

You shyly laugh, squeezing his forearm as you try to apologize for forgetting. 

“Would you mind if I use the restroom?” you politely ask. 

“No, not at all.” he replies and immediately stands to help you get on your feet. Gentleman. 

Once you are in front of the men’s room, you anxiously wait for your wingman. You hug your purse close to your chest. Not a whole minute after, the door finally opens and you meet Mat’s irises with quite a gleeful look. 

A look he wasn’t a fan of for he knew what’s about to come next. 

“Are you taking off?” you eagerly ask, almost hopping on your feet. 

Mat eyes you from head to toe, looking for signs that would stink from a drunk y/n. When he sees none, that’s when he decides to say that he was. 

“Mkay good. I’ll be on my way too. Chris is taking me to New Jersey.” you tell him, briefly looking through the archway to see if there were people listening.

Once you know you’re clear, you lean towards Mat, your lips dangerously close to the sensitive skin of his ear. Mat feels your heated breath sending a familiar tingle up his spine. “I’ll get to ride a yacht tonight.” you bite your lower lip and giddily smile as if you were a cheeky 16 year-old usually depicted in a coming of age movie. 

“Who’s Chris?” Mat, in spite of taking rounds observing you all night, finds the need to ask. “And why are you coming with him to NJ?” he further questions. 

“Uh– okay, dad.” you step back for a second. You let out a scoff, checking if he was being serious about it. “I thought we’re supposed to go get laid tonight? Weren’t you about to take off with that girl yourself?” 

Mat averts your gaze and starts to scratch the corner of his brow. “Well yeah. It’s just that— he looks sketchy.” he pauses, “plus… isn’t he a little too old for you?” 

You roll your eyes as you’ve already expected to hear the words from him. 

“He’s 31. He’s not that old.” you say rather defensively so you turn the ball back on his court. “And what if he was?  Didn’t you ask one of the moms out??”

Mat’s eyes widens and you try to bite back a laugh. He whispers with a biting tone, trying to save himself. “She didn’t look like one! I’m gonna kill Beau I swear to god.”

“Come on Barz. Don’t be such a killjoy. Text me if you need anything, okay? Wrap things up while you’re at it.” you say at once. Mat doesn’t get the chance to talk you out of such a stupid idea because before he even could, you’ve already planted a kiss on his cheek and started walking away. 

Mat waited for the sound of the heavy doors of the bar, signaling that you and your friend have gone, before stepping back to where Zoe was. She waves him near the coat closet. 

“Hi.” Mat greets her friends before eventually turning his attention on the unsuspecting lass. She meets her with a smile (just like what she’s been doing all night). The same smile, however, drops the second Mat opens his mouth. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” 

Zoe nods and willfully abides, letting Mat take her gently by the arm. 

“What’s up?” she innocently asks. 

“Something came up.” he says a little too fast than what he’d originally intended. He was going to let her down either way might as well get it over with and rip up the asshole band-aid. 

“Oh.” she says in a tone Mat knew that she completely understood. 

“No worries.” she looks at him with a knowing look in her eyes. “I’ll see you around then.” 

He gives her a kind smile and nods. “Take care.” 

Mathew walks towards the bar, catching River’s teasing grin whilst he cleans up after the bottles left on the center of the counter. 

“What?” Mat reacts defensively, taking a seat in front of the lone bartender. River faintly shakes his head to leave just enough curiosity in Mathew’s mind. 

“You’re such a tool, old man.” the kid says aiming for the cold beer River has put away for himself. River did not mind because he’s grown fond of the star player for the past years he’s spent going on late night drinks at his bar. Years that even justifies a proper amount of time for him to know the in’s and out’s of one Mathew Barzal. 

“I haven’t said a thing.” he shrugs amidst the already wide grin on his face. 

There’s wisdom in his eyes that Mathew has always admired. He wasn’t the guy who’d want to talk about what’s going on inside his head but with how River’s pub seems to be just the right place, he eventually concedes and takes a shot to pick on the old man’s brain.

“Come on, spill it out. I know you’re going to anyway.” Mat gives in, running his thumb on the moist label of the bottle. 

River wipes his hands before resting it atop the counter. “Well, it’s just that– I ain’t used to seeing you turn down ladies like that too often. And you’re definitely not one to stick around watching me clean up.”

Mat stays silent for a moment, as if to gather the exact reason as to why he chose to stay. He still has a long way to go before figuring that one out. He wasn’t exactly as sharp as he was on the ice.

“I don’t know, man.” he chuckles tirelessly, “I guess I wasn’t in the mood. That’s all.”

“You?” River shots a brow and dismisses him, shaking his head. When Mat doesn’t answer, he carefully picks on his choice of words and lays it down carefully for him. After all, Mathew should have known that River was old enough to not know what’s going on.

“Though I gotta be honest with you, hijo. Never imagined you’d bring someone here.” he starts. 

What must have been a shot in the dark for the old man was just enough to tear Mathew’s eyes away from staring at the water beads on the bottle.

“What?”

“The girl, Barz.” he says, banging on the head of the bottle to knock the cap off. “She a friend?” 

“What? Y/N?” Mat quirks his brows trailing off where River was exactly headed, “What about her?— Oh, her? Yeah, no. She’s just a friend.”

“She pretty.” he speaks in a sound accent, not wanting to let Mat know he’s growing to like catching the young lad off guard. Mathew nods casually despite the continuous blabbering. “She’s y/n. But yeah— I guess, she is pretty.” 

“Then what are you doing being just friends with a pretty girl?” River inquires, taking a sip of his beer. When he sees him trying to register what he’d just said he then adds, “Why not be with her? Date her?”

“Psh. What? Date y/n? That’s crazy.” Mat shakes his head furiously, “You’re crazy.” 

“What’s so crazy about that?” River takes offense, laughing at the child’s naivete. 

“I can’t date her. I mean— I won’t date her.” he takes the bottle to his mouth, taking a large gulp before continuing, “We’re in this weird relationship thing. A setup, actually, and it’s— it’s crazier than dating her. I swear, you of all people won’t get it.” 

“What makes you think I can’t?” he smirks, “I’ve had my fair share of crazy.” River points out despite the hesitation in Mat’s eyes. “I got all night, kid.” he adds, letting him have the floor to himself. 

“You really want in on this?” he second guesses, not wanting to bore the man with his personal life.

River leans against the brass counter just below the lit rack of vintage scotch displayed on the bar. He then gestures him to give a piece of his mind and Mat finally submits to his offer.

“We’ve been in a few… prior engagements,” he starts trying to find the appropriate word. “Well, sort of.”

River hums, not necessarily getting on the same page as him so he decides to be upfront about it.

“We’ve… slept together.” he confesses.

“So you used to date her?” the old man asks. 

“No.” he answers, “I told you we’re just friends.” 

With furrowed brows, River takes a minute. And once Mat hears an all too familiar “Oh.” he sees him break a chuckle, shaking his head at the thought of what Mat had just told him. “You kids have way too much fun these days.”

Mathew shrugs, “Hey, I warned you. Told you you wouldn’t get it.”

“Okay, make me understand something here. You two sleep together, fool around, do all that shit.” he says, “and you swear you’re not in a relationship?”

“Nope.” Mat answers with pride, popping out the word with a hard ‘p’.

“Huh.” River clicks his tongue, “How long have you two been… engaged?” 

He rolls his eyes when River uses his word, “About two months.” he answers shortly.

“Is she seeing anyone since you two started this thing? You know, casual dates, the ones I presume she’s been getting before you got her into this mess?” he asks him in a tone that only fathers would ever dare to use.

Mat thinks for a moment, trying to recall the last time he’s seen a guy pick you up for dinner besides the old man you’ve successfully bagged for the night. He firmly shakes his head no and simply says, “At least not in my recollection.”

River willfully nods, walking Mat right into the trap. “Well have you been seeing anyone lately?” he asks again, this time slipping a hint of assertion. He hears a crystal clear ‘no’ from the forward and that’s when he broke a goading grin. 

“And you’re telling me you two aren’t together?” he asks yet again, getting on Mat's nerves as he continues to flood him with biting queries, building up the final point he was about to break on Mathew.

“Rivs, for the hundredth time, no. We are not.” he clarifies. 

Mat watches River pour himself a glass of scotch, still wearing a smug grin. “Imma give you a piece of advice, yeah?” he smiles rather teasingly and doesn’t wait for Mat to rebut, “I’m a happily married man so I don’t know a single squat about dating nowadays, but if you’re telling me that you kids aren’t sleeping with anyone else but yourselves? Looks like a damn relationship to me.”

With his brows all quirked in confusion (and denial in the very least), Mathew gathers all his might just so he could refute whatever madness River was trying to inflict on him and screw him up in the head. But before he could even open his mouth, the sound of the heavy doors was all it took to tear up both River’s and Mat’s attention.

“Hi.” you say the moment you were welcomed by unsuspecting men talking by the bar. River acknowledges you by raising his drink, his gaze landing on Mat the moment yours did. 

“Hi.” Mathew mirrors you in an attempt to drown his already racing heart. A smile impending to break loose at any moment but he manages to suppress it. Instead of dealing with his adrenaline, he gestures for you to take a seat beside him. 

“Where’s the sugar daddy?” he laughs the moment you drag yourself from across the room, mocking every word he said. 

“His wife called when I got into his car.” you cringe.

“Oof. Lovely.” Mat makes the distinct expression on his face just before the two of you share a laugh.

“He’s not very smooth with adultery. He needs more practice.” you casually state sarcastically, clicking your tongue. 

As you find the narrative funny, you take a sip on Mathew’s beer. “How are you not drunk? You’ve been drinking way too much the entire night.”

“Well. I’ve got some things to think about—” he cuts himself off upon seeing your mouth ajar, “And no, you’re not allowed to ask because none of it concerns you.” 

“I wasn’t going to.” you dismiss him, excusing yourself to River which he gladly took as his cue to leave.

When he disappeared into the kitchen, you turned your gaze on your friend wearing another one of your mischievous grins, “Hey, wanna get pancakes?” 

“Y/N, it’s almost 3 AM.” Mat sighs, the tiring night starting to creep up to him. 

“So?” you question, swatting his hand away when you catch him checking on his watch. 

“Come on. Stop drinking that.” you insist and take the bottle from his hand before putting it over to the side. 

The two of you said your goodbyes to the lone bartender who was just starting to clean up again. River gives the two of you a nod of acknowledgement before landing a knowing look on Mathew. One that he’s thankful enough not to be discerned by you. 

As you walk alongside Mathew, he unconsciously places a hand on the small of your back— feeling it graze on the fabric of your coat as if to guide you towards the door in an almost romantic type of way. Perhaps, a way someone would behave if they were actually in a relationship. 

Mat notices your body tense but he doesn’t move an inch. Instead, his hand travels to the curve of your waist just as he leads you through the brass doors.

Once you’re out on the streets, he lets go.

𖥸

After almost half an hour of fighting over which diner is better to eat and get sober at, you and Mat decide to just try the new diner three blocks from your apartment. Being that it was an ungodly hour, the diner was good as closed when you got in. There were a few people inside and besides the student studying alone in the corner booth, the people lounging in the vacant seats were mostly just staff. Too bad they had to work the grave shift.

Mathew, who was rather preoccupied digging in his breakfast platter, gets interrupted when you call his attention. 

“So tell me,” you ask as you take a forkful of syrupy pancake into your mouth. Finally satisfying your cravings. You put the food modestly in the insides of your cheeks when you ask him a question, “What are you like on dates?” 

Mat disgustingly looks at you. You easily get what such a look meant and you immediately roll your eyes. You let your hand fall in mid-air amidst still holding a fork in it to prove a point. “I’m not trying to ask you out, dumbass. Don’t be so delusional.”

He puts his silverware down and wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Why the sudden interest?” 

“Just curious.” you simply say.

He hums, thinking about how he pulls off a first date. He then clears his throat as he takes you down that road. “First, I’m not bringing her to a 24/7 Diner.” you nearly gag. “She deserves a formal one just in case there won’t be a second date.” he explains. 

You sit there, nodding your head every now and then as he further goes on the details of how he’s like on a date. “Of course, I’d put my best foot forward all the time. Talk about her stuff more than mine and make sure she has a good time.” 

“Have you ever had a bad first date?” you curiously ask. To which he only answers with a stubborn look on his face, the one only Mat Barzal could pull off. “What? me? I don’t do bad first dates.”

“Oh, fuck off.” you flick his forehead as you laugh. The sound of his laughter echoing in your ears, drowning all the existing noise inside the lone diner.

But as the laughter dies down, Mat catches your eyes as soon as it falls on his. And just like that, there it was again, the exact same glint it had back in the bar. This time, illuminated by the pink shaded light lining up the wall accents of the diner. 

When he realizes that he’s been staring for too long, he settles on turning the tables on you. 

“How about you?” he props in his seat, “What are you like on dates?”

“You know, apart from the fact that you’re obviously into old men.” he snickers and you throw a curly fry on his forehead.

“Excuse me, I don’t.” you say sticking up for yourself.

Mat takes the curly fry that has fallen on his plate and proceeds to eat it. “Sure you do.” 

You roll your eyes, finding it hard to suppress the fact that you might actually do. “There’s a reason why women like old men, chico.”

He leans back and answers with a level headed and quite teasing reply, “And why’s that?”

“Because they’re men.” you look at him with a jerky grin as you continue, “And men, especially of River’s kind, definitely knows how to eat his french fry.”

Mat’s mouth falls wide in disbelief, appalled that you’ve actually found a way to pick up a stone and throw it straight to his face just to rub more salt on the fact that you had to teach a 23-year-old grown man how to eat cunt.

 “You’re an ass.” he says, rolling his eyes. You let out a laugh and shake your head. You were proud of yourself, sure; but showing just that is far too much for a boy’s already hurting ego. Who would have known humbling this man was such a task. 

“I’m playing! You know how to now.” you tell him, “Thanks to me, of course.”

He scoffs and takes a bite off his pancakes, “Cocky.”

“But you still haven’t answered my question.” he reminds you whilst he wipes off his lips with a napkin. 

“There’s not much to tell. You know I’m not high maintenance.” you tell him, ignoring the fact that you haven’t been on an actual date for so long you’re almost sure you’ve forgotten how to be in one. 

“I know it’s cheesy and corny but I do think it’s still in the littlest things, you know?” you sigh. Trying to remember the last relationship (date even) you had wherein those little things, the ones that are merely the bare minimum, were actually given to you. 

“You know, it’s not much, really. Maybe just a good talk without having to watch him watch me talk all night when he’s really thinking about how I’d look naked, you know what I mean?” you laugh it off, “I know, it’s stupid.”

The arrogant man sitting before you was silent for once, profusely wanting to wash the pool of melancholy he sees in your eyes. There must have been a shit ton of guys who overlooked how great of a woman you actually are just because they couldn’t stop thinking with the head in between their legs even just for a second. 

Mathew knows. And he hates that he’s been ‘that’ guy at some point. Probably until now considering him thinking with his balls on was the very thing that got the two of you here in the first place.

You take a deep breath, smiling. “Anyway, that’s better than almost getting with a married man. Right?”

“Right.” Mat laughs, his gray eyes bright under all the lights as he plays with his silverware,— devoid of how much he looked like as if he was utterly and undeniably in awe of not just the energy of the woman sitting in front of him alone nor the fact that she was by far the most unbelievable woman he’s known, but most importantly, he’s yet to realize how much in deep he’s beginning to be for the woman she actually were. 

Just as she is. 

𖥸

You left the diner a good hour before the sunrise and what must have been a quick five minute drive if you had only taken a cab, became a twenty minute foot race between you and Mathew.

You knew that walking was a bad idea but somehow, Mat’s charm and persuasive antics had a better hold than you thought you had on your very capable cognition. 

As you drag your feet into the confines of the elevator in your complex, you hear Mathew chuckling behind you with a firm hand securely placed on your waist supporting your balance. 

“You know— and not just ‘cause I’m an athlete, can I just say that you’re in a very bad shape?” he says almost a whisper in your ear, his voice low and deep.

You roll your eyes, leaning on the steel cold mirror once he pulls away, “You do it in heels then tell me who’s in a bad shape.” 

“Fair point.” he chuckles yet again, shying away. He presses the number for your floor before resting across from you. As Mat watches you catch your breath, he jokes in the hopes of breaking the ice between the two of you. 

“So…” he clicks his tongue, playful eyes looking at you, “Wanna tap?”

Disgusted to your very core, you let out a scoff just as you shake your head. “You’re fucking sick.” you laugh upon meeting his dumb grinning face. Seconds into laughter, Mat’s silence kills off the humor. The two of you exchange glances, the smiles on your faces receding into quietude. 

Mathew didn’t want to end the night letting you in the apartment not knowing what he’s been feeling the moment you’ve let him drag you out for an impromptu night out. And stupid as it was, the only thing he could think of was to slide his foot across the enclosed space embracing the two of you, nudging on your boot. You on the one hand were rather puzzled as to what caused such language. You send him a mental query by arching a brow. He lets his head fall back on the cold metal surrounding the elevator finally deciding to speak his truth.

 “I’m glad we get to hang out now. You know, just like friends do.” he genuinely says. 

“Me too.” you say, smiling. “I really had fun tonight. Thank you.”

As you meet his eyes, you see a glimmer of softness in his gaze. 

“Good thing I got bored, eh?” he says with a smirk. 

“Good thing I came back for you.” you reply.

A quiet smile parts from his lips.

“Yeah. I’m glad you did.”

It was a few seconds when you and Barzy parted from your respective walls to meet the sliding doors as it opened on your designated floor. You were pulling him closer by the tie of his coat whilst his hand was instinctively placed on your hips letting him press his body on you. Your faces were inches from each other’s, evident of not wanting to prolong the totally unplanned foreplay that’s about to go down in a communal lift. 

But just like every film you’ve watched your whole life, the inevitable cliché befalls the two of you when the next words that filled the enclosed walls you’re currently caged in came from the man who has yet to miss a morning jog. 

“What the hell is going on here?”

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

BBW Sun-Ripened Raspberry Conditioner

mid-late 1990s

Found on Ebay, user blue_mantle_1

[onewithnomightypowers]

clandestine (chapter 5)

PAIRING: Tom Holland x fem!Reader

SUMMARY: Y/N is an up and coming actress, married to a once hotshot actor, Harrison (Haz). What happens when her co-star, Tom, makes her realise that she is stuck in a loveless marriage. A marriage starts crumbling and a new romance stars brewing.

chapter 5: the rumour has it

A/N: i do not encourage cheating. i hope you guys like this chapter!! feedback is always appreciated. thanks for reading <3

warnings: drinking, cursing

word count: 1.6k

important: bold and italic are character thoughts

series masterlist   main masterlist   chapter 4   chapter 6

The video of Y/N and Tom singing ‘SOS’ broke the internet. It was trending for at least four days. The whole internet, already on the witch hunt to find evidence of a relationship, was being fed. The paparazzi were circling around like vultures. The threat of being outed made them hide in their caves.

Haz was coming to London in two days. Y/N was trying to rid the house of anything and everything that hinted that Tom had been staying with her. Between the paps, shooting, and Haz, she couldn’t find time to meet Tom and give him his things.

There were Polaroids scattered all over the house. While she was packing a box to parcel to Tom, she found a Polaroid on her glass coffee table next to her ‘vanilla sage’ candle from Bath and Body Works. In the photo, Y/N was lying on her stomach on the hardwood floor in her living room, a gin and tonic next to her. Tom was sitting on the floor with his right arm extended to take the photo. They were both smiling.

She remembered when he took that photo. It was the same day she found a vintage vinyl of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s ‘on verve’, during her exploration of Camden market. They decided to have a listening party of that album on the floor. Tom found his new favourite song that day, ‘let’s call the whole thing off’. She smiled at the memory. Instead of putting it in the box, she went into her room to put it in her wallet where only she could find it.

Y/N noticed her phone vibrating next to her purse. It was Harrison.

“Bonjour mon amour”,

“Hi Haz, did you board the flight?”

“Just did; listen you don’t have to pick me up from the airport, I know you are busy at work”

“Fine. Text me when you land”

“Su-“, she hung up the phone.

I can’t believe I have to live with this man for a whole week.

Haz came in late at night, even though his flight was supposed to land at 5pm. Y/N was already sleeping. When she woke up around 8 next morning, she found, much to her surprise, Haz snoring next to her. Last night she made sure that there was a pillow and a blanket on the couch for him, a subtle way of saying ‘I don’t want you sleeping in the same bed with me’. Also because she thought he knew about the affair and wouldn’t want to sleep next to her.

God, I wish I had another bedroom

Y/N was sitting on the bar stool with her laptop on the kitchen island, going through her mail while drinking coffee. Haz had just woken up from his deep slumber, and found his way to the kitchen to fetch him some coffee.

“Good morning!” she said enthusiastically, without looking up from her laptop screen. She had thought it was a sleepy Tom, coming out of the bedroom to make himself tea.

“Morning”, Haz said as a reflex, rubbing his eyes. Y/N’s smile disappeared upon hearing the sound of his voice.

“Did you make breakfast?” Haz asked while pouring himself coffee into a mug Tom had gifted Y/N.

“I made myself breakfast when I woke up, three hours ago. Was I supposed to make breakfast for you too?” It was a rhetorical question. Y/N noticed the mug, it made her uneasy watching a man she doesn’t love drinking from a gift given by the man she did love.

“There’s eggs and bread in the fridge, help yourself”, she pointed at the refrigerator.

As Haz cracked open an egg on the pan, Y/N received an email from Greta.

“Good news, Netflix bought the distribution rights to Greta’s movie, she just sent me a mail”

“Oh”

Oh? Seriously, oh?

“They are planning the premier for this Friday, do you want to go with me?”

“I don’t think so, I don’t really like the people you work with” he was putting butter on cold bread.

There is nothing more tragic than love turning into hate. Tragedy had struck their marriage. The rest of the week, they only spoke when they absolutely had to. It was like living with a roommate, you share a bed with but cannot share your day with.

--

It was Friday, the day of the movie premiere. Y/N was excited to see Tom after a week without him, which felt like an eternity to her. She was wearing a silver colored floor length gown with heavily studded earrings. Her hair was up in a bun with two strands out, to shape her face.

Since it was Netflix, the event could afford to take place at the Royal Albert Hall. Y/N had only been there once, for an Arctic Monkeys concert. When she stepped out of the car, she was met by blinding lights of the cameras. She walked over to the whole cast on the red carpet. The only thing she could hear was the deafening noise of photographers screaming to look towards them and in between, tabloid journalists asking her questions about her life and rumours.

Y/N was still pretty new to walking red carpets because she had mostly worked on indie films that couldn’t afford a grand premiere as most of the money would go towards entering different festivals. Y/N was wearing a mask of pure joy on her face but Tom could see right through it. He could see how uncomfortable Y/N was feeling.

He walked towards her, “you look gorgeous darling” he whispered in her ears and for a second that mask she was wearing became real. They both posed together, but regretted it immediately. The whole media went on overdrive, seeing them together.

“Are you guys seeing each other?” a person from the left screamed.

“Y/N, did you leave Harrison?” someone from the right asked

The voices were coming from everywhere. All they could do now was walk off the carpet. Tom had arranged for Y/N to sit next to her during the screening. His hand was linked with Y/N’s the whole time. He could feel her shivering.

“Are you cold?” he asked her.

“Not really”, she took a long pause. “I am just nervous about my performance in the movie and I guess the questions really got to my head, it’s all making me very anxious”

“Don’t worry babe, everyone is going to love you in the movie, and those hunters out there are shell of a person, all they care about are these bullshit rumours. They don’t deserve a house in your thoughts”

“Shhhhhh” someone whispered from the row above theirs.

Y/N’s phone was vibrating, it was Harrison’s fourth call in fifteen minutes.

Why is he not getting the hint that I don’t want to talk to him

She ignored it.

A few minutes later, her phone rang again.

What if it’s serious?

She got up and went outside of the theatre to take the call.

“What is it, Haz? You know I’m busy right now”

“Umm, are you Y/N?” A man with a heavy, older voice said.

“Yes?” She was confused. “Who is this and how do you have my husband’s phone?”

“Your husband is trashed, ma’am. He passed out on my bar counter about half an hour ago. Your number was on his emergency contact list so I'm calling you to pick him up”

“I’ll be right there, can you tell me the address?”

“Yeah sure it’s 141 Albert Street, Spread Eagle”

Tom came out of the theatre.

“Is everything okay, Y/N?”

“I have to go pick up Haz, he’s splashed out on a bottle somewhere, bloody fool can’t even walk”, she said whilst texting her driver to pick her up.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, I need to deal with this alone”

She walked out the back gate and got in a black Audi.

The paparazzi had noticed her early departure, so they started following her recklessly.

It was a corner pub, the bar was at full capacity. Y/N saw Haz with his head down on the counter, an almost empty tequila bottle next to him.

“Haz wake up, come on, we need to go, get up darling” Y/N was trying to shake him awake.

“O-oh Y/N, y-you’re he-ear”, he was slurring his words.

“Yeah now let’s go”

He started to get up, Y/N had her one hand on his back and the other on his forearm, to support him.

“Honey I th-think I’m going to puke”, he looked sick.

“Is there a restroom here?” She asked the bartender. He pointed towards the corner of the room, a dimly lit area.

“Thank you”. She helped Harrison to walk to the restroom.

The washroom felt like their marriage. They were cramped up in it. The whole room was pure white but also yellow, caused by the lack of cleaning. There were no windows and had only one white florescent light. It was suffocating. The room made her realise that she could not hide from the inevitable, anymore.

Has was on his knees, holding on to the toilet seat with his dear life, puking all the poison out. Y/N was standing near the sink, taking off her statement earrings. She could see a vulnerable Harrison in the reflection of the mirror.

“I want a divorce”, she whispered, loud enough to be heard in this stifle room.

@mysticapples17  @storybookholland

[buntycake]

The Brothers and Wedding Day (Suit-Wearing MC)

Pride:

Diavolo having asked Lucifer to take care of some tasks before school, he met you at the entrance of RAD. On the steps of the school, illuminated by Devildom’s moon, Lucifer stood dressed up in a black suit and red vest that were tailored to perfection. He made you hope that you looked even a fraction as stunning.

The white and black embroidered suit that the two of you had picked out together had looked amazing – at least it had on the hanger. You owed it to Asmo for looking as good as you did. This morning he made it his goal to help you with your hair, makeup, and accessories this morning. Even if he was a few ideas away from going overboard, you were thankful.

So when his gaze met yours, eyes widening in surprise and a bright smile cracking over his face, your heart fluttered with happiness. He offered his arm as you reached the top of the steps and looked over your costume appreciatively. “Stunning, as always,” he’d complimented.

As you walked arm in arm through RAD, stares from the student body were abundant. Even Diavolo did a double-take when he met up with you two. He joked that you should hold a ceremony. After all, it would be a waste to look so good only for a school event.

 Greed:

Mammon had insisted on getting dressed together and ended up worming his way into your room. He claimed that he couldn’t risk someone seeing you in your outfit before him. You were his human and he had to be first in everything. So, he stayed, and you dressed in the bathroom.

The outfit you picked out was a dress shirt, fitted pants, and a simple tie. There was gold detailing on the shirt that made you shimmer under the light. You had thought that with all the gold accessories added on you would look garish, but looking at yourself in the mirror, you looked lavash. Like you bathed in money for fun.

Mammon was pacing nervously around the room when you exited the bathroom. He seemed to freeze and buffer when he caught sight of you. You couldn’t help but chuckle and took the chance to take in his appearance, too.

He looked roguish in a suit. Mostly because he didn’t button up his shirt, tighten his tie, or fix his hair. Of course, his black suit was accented with gold – you were his human, so you had to match. Honestly, between the two of you, you kind of looked like you were attending a mafia wedding.

He blinked furiously, finally breaking out of his daze. With surprising speed, he stepped forward and grabbed your hands, he got down on one knee. “Marry me.” You laughed out of surprise. Mammon insisted that he was serious and that he’d buy you a ring later.

 Envy:

You’d never seen Levi sew until the first day of Spirit Week. That morning, you had tried putting on the traditional black kimono and hakama he’d made for you, but with all the fabric you ended up tripping over yourself and tearing one of the layers while trying to put it on.

When you brought the torn kimono to his door, you expected him to be mad. Instead he just took it from your arms and shuffled you into his room. He pulled out a sewing machine from god knows where and within 10-15 minutes he had gotten it patched up.

You could barely hear him offering to help you put on the kimono as he murmured. Even so, you accepted the offer. As embarrassing as it was to be undressed in front of him, you had a feeling that Levi was even more embarrassed, if his flushed face was any indication. But he diligently helped you put on each layer of the outfit. His hands steady the entire time.

When he had finished, his gaze lingered on you for a moment longer than necessary. Then he excused himself and went to put on his own outfit. He exited his bathroom with a traditional black kimono and hakama – his sigil of envy embroidered on each shoulder. His blush returned when you told him he was handsome. From the corner of his room he produced a parasol and surprisingly bold this morning, he took one of your hands.

Even though your outfits weren’t as flashy as some others at RAD (looking at you Asmo), there was something more intimate to them. Walking hand-in-hand under a paper parasol, you almost feel like true newlyweds.

 Wrath:

Satan took a more historical approach to the prompt. Instead of dressing in modern wedding styles, he was set upon basing your costumes on a different era. So, the two of you researched weddings across the ages and decided on the Victorian Era. He had some suits fashioned for the two of you – with a couple of modern touches, like less scratchy fabrics.

The day of, you had expected to look much more uncomfortable in your suit. Afterall, the whole ensemble included the appropriate socks, high-waisted pants, an undershirt, a collar shirt, a vest, a cravat, a morning coat, and (of course) a top hat. The whole outfit was a bit stuffy, given all the layers, but you felt exceedingly charming in it. Maybe it was the top hat or the smart mulberry coat, but you were struck with a surge of confidence as you looked at yourself in the mirror.

You were startled by a knock on the door. On the other side you found Satan, looking absolutely princely. He wore a traditionally blue morning coat with a white waistcoat and green hellebore flowers tucked in his coat pocket. It looked as if he tried to slick back his hair, but a few troublesome strands still managed to fall in his face.

Admittedly, you had felt shy under his gaze as he seemed to take in every element of you. He took your hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.  “You look absolutely exquisite.” With how hot your face became; you could have boiled a pot.

It turned out wearing multiple layers in Devildom wasn’t the best idea. It was a blessing that Satan was around to remind you to drink water or to sit down and shrug off a few layers when you got too woozy. Even so, the two of you were the most elegant looking couple at RAD. It was like you had stepped out of a vintage photo.

 Lust:

Trust that Asmo has spent WEEKS planning for this day and you were absolutely dragged into that preparation. This included tearing through wedding boutiques looking for the perfect dress. Make no mistake, he gets to wear the wedding dress. Period.

Inevitably, none of the dresses met his expectations and he designed his own. Poor Levi was roped into helping make the dress. Once all that was completed, then it was your turn. He helped you pick out a chic suit. The two of you decided to ditch the plain, traditional suit for a sleeker vest suit.

You saw the dress on the hanger before you saw it on Asmo because he insisted you get ready together so he could help you with your ensemble. After Asmo’s 100 step self-care routine and getting dressed in your own outfit, he finally stepped out in his full costume.

Draped in silvery organza that gathered on a floor like a blooming flower, his modesty barely saved by the plunge line, stark white sheath underneath the transparent fabric, Asmo looked beyond stunning. He forwent the traditional veil for a giant, wide brimmed lace hat.

Of course, you complimented him, and he ate it up. However, the rest of the morning was devoted to you. Your brightly patterned vest was the statement piece of your outfit and Asmo was able to bring it all together with a few choice accessories. Together, the two of you were so dazzlingly, that the student body has a hard time looking at you directly.

At RAD, Asmo insisted on a photo shoot. Of course, he roped other students into it, too. He spent a decent part of the day photographing other’s outfits. When he showed you the glamour shots he took of you, you were floored. Even dressed in an outfit out of your comfort zone, Asmo had managed to capture you candidly – truly as yourself.

 Gluttony:

Honestly, Beel was just happy that you wanted to dress up with him. He went shopping with you to pick out outfits and worked to match his outfit to whatever suit you chose, but he didn’t really have an opinion on his own outfit. So, he ended up choosing a classical tuxedo.

The day of, he came to your door, a rose and a sunflower in hand, and looking like the sweetest thing in the world. You felt the heat rising in your cheeks as he tucked the flowers into your coat pocket and complimented your appearance.

The two of you weren’t the flashiest couple at RAD, but you sure did get a lot of looks when Beel decided to carry you bridal style for the rest of the day. The action had Lucifer in a tizzy, but it just made you feel warm and loved to be tucked into his chest. Asmo just had to take a picture of you two like that. You were glad he did, since you now keep that photo tucked in a safe place.

The highlight of the day for Beel was absolutely the massive wedding cake that Barbatos made for lunch time. It had to have had at least a hundred tiers to it. The cake was the traditional white with intricate pink and red frosting roses as decoration. Beyond Barb’s beautifully crafted cake, Beel seemed to really appreciate the tradition of couples feeding cake to each other. Especially when he could use it as an excuse to kiss the remaining crumbs off your lips.

 Sloth:

Belphie decided he was going to wear a pajama suit to Wedding Day. You know, the ones with a suit printed on the front? Yeah, there was zero effort to be had for Spirit Week. So, you just decided to roll with it.

You found a suit made of satin pajama material, some slippers, and used a bed sheet as a cape for some flair. Belphie couldn’t help but laugh when you went to retrieve him from the attic. It was enough to prompt him to go to school that day. BUT you had to bridal carry him there. (Don’t worry, Beel helped you out if you weren’t strong enough.)

The two of you were clearly out of place in your pajamas among the sea of white dresses and suit. You got plenty of odd stares from the other students as you passed them in the halls. Asmo was personally offended by the costumes you showed up in. Even more so because the two of you wouldn’t take a proper photo. The two of you looked like a walrus passed out on Ambien every time someone turned a camera on the two of you.

It wasn’t until the two of you started napping anywhere and everywhere at RAD that Lucifer began to rag on the two of you. The temptation was too much for Belphie. He was wearing pajamas and your bed sheet cape made naps easily accessible. It was just too easy for the two of you to cuddle up together.

Apparently, Lucifer had been holding back a lecture on proper attire because it was Spirit Week but sleeping in the middle of the hallway was the last straw.  The two of you got a scolding that was about half a day long, but according to Belphie, it was completely worth it. He could never regret spending a day creating mischief with you.

[svnflowervol666]

Wandering Hands (Harry Styles x fem!Reader)

Word Count: 1.9k

Warnings: smut

Author’s Note: Thank you all so much for the love on my first post! Here’s something short, sweet and smutty. As always, feedback is kindly appreciated as are requests and any ideas you all would like to shoot my way. Enjoy and tpwk!

If there was one thing that Y/N loved most, aside from her loving boyfriend, it was a good bubble bath. There weren’t very many things that a nice, warm, and well-scented tub couldn’t fix. It was her safe space, her time to decompress from whatever had happened that day or that week and just be. The water always welcomed her and worked away at the tension in her spine, something that seemed to be ever persistent as of lately. It also happened to be where she was currently.

Her hair was tucked away messily out of her face and her neck rested on the bathtub pillow that was a gift from her lover after he discovered her penchant for staying submerged in the water until her fingers were cold and pruney. The gentle scent of lavender wafted throughout the master bathroom, infiltrating her lungs and putting her even more at ease. A soft melody played in through the speaker of her cell phone that was propped up against the lip of the tub along with an assortment of hers and Harry’s favorite products. She couldn’t have felt more at peace with herself, allowing her mind to drift far off into its own world while she soaked her worries in the mountain of bubbles that surrounded her.

She missed Harry, her lover. It felt selfish to admit it, but she knew it was the truth. He’d been having long work days for past several months in order to put the final touches on his upcoming projects. Their bedroom door would quietly creak open far off into the night and she’d become aware of his presence when she felt his side of the bed dip under his weight and his arm wrap loosely around her waist. Come morning, the sheets would be ice cold. She wasn’t even sure if he’d been properly taking care of himself anymore seeing as she quite literally almost never saw him apart from the off chance she forced her eyes to stay open until he came home. He’d take an off day every week or so, but even then, it wasn’t enough. 

They both knew this, that they weren’t giving each other the time they deserved. They also knew this was only temporary. Just a few more weeks of this torturous work schedule and they’d have each other’s full attention for longer than just a few hours at a time. However, this didn’t change the fact that currently, Y/N had found herself missing Harry in other ways. 

It wasn’t uncommon for Harry to come home absolutely beaten and unable to hold any type of conversation before sleep overtook his body and he was out cold. Their time together lately had consisted of Harry would pulling Y/N from her sleep when he came to bed, his length laying heavy against her pajama-clad thighs. She’d always been so receptive to his touch, meaning she’d give into him at a moment’s notice. She would see in his tired eyes how much he needed her, all of her, but she could never find it in herself to come to Harry when she needed him. He works too hard. He doesn’t need anything else to be worrying about, especially not from you, she’d tell herself. She cast her desires aside. Which was exactly why, when her tender muscles relaxed into the warm, sudsy tub, her fingers soon made home in between her legs.

She worked the tips of her fingers over her heat slowly, savoring the tingling sensation that accompanied her own teasing touches. Tracing over the petals of her pussy that led right to her sensitive bundle of nerves. In her mind, it was Harry’s hand that stroked her gently and collected her wetness on his calloused fingertips. It was his palm massaging her soapy breasts with his other free hand, making sure to pay extra attention to her nipples in the way her knew that she liked. She needed him so badly. Her thoughts were so consumed by images of him taking her over the edge that she’d neglected to hear the door to hers and Harry’s home open and Harry himself step inside.

Harry had decided to head home from work at a normal hour and surprise his girl with some much needed time together. He would have been alarmed that she didn’t respond to his calls for her from the kitchen had he not heard the faint sounds of his girl’s favorite band coming from behind the bedroom door. Making his way up the stairs of the home he shared with his lover, he shook off his coat and tried his best to wipe the exhaustion from his face before stepping into the bathroom to greet her. Seeing as he’d expected to walk in on her humming along to the familiar tune or perhaps reading another chapter in the book he’d seen on her nightstand a couple of days ago, one could say that the sight he’d actually stumbled upon had rendered him speechless. 

He wasn’t stupid, he knew exactly what she was doing. The way her eyes were close yet he still knew they were rolled back into her head. The way the bubbles rose and fell with each of her quickening breath. The soft sighs that went unheard over the music, but he’d recognize in a heart beat. She was touching herself. And she was so far lost in her own fantasy that she didn’t even realize he was home. That he was right beside her, kneeling down beside the tub to finally make his arrival known.

When she felt Harry’s hand plunge into the water and rest over hers, the one that was working away at her now swollen clit and pushing in and out of her core, she shot up. Her heart beat in her ears at the foreign touch in the tub that wasn’t her own hand, though she quickly relaxed after realizing it was only her boyfriend. 

“Jesus, H! You can’t just fucking do that,” she panted breathlessly.

She huffed intensively as if to say his bombardment led her to believe an intruder was in their home, but they both knew it was more so out of embarrassment from being caught red-handed.

The green-eyed boy above her smirked deviously, licking his bottom lip with his tongue before speaking.

“Seems like I walked in on quite the show, hmm?” he toyed.

“Stop it,” she demanded as she felt heat creep further and further up her neck and onto her cheeks.

“Aww, come on, lovie. It was just gettin’ to the good part,” Harry couldn’t keep a playful chuckle from escaping his lips.

“Harry, it’s not funny.”

Even she was finding it hard to hide her nervous giggles.

Harry’s features quickly sharpened, his expression turning into one that she knew all too well. The dark circles under his eyes were still not enough to mask the lust they contained. His jaw tensed, breathing coming to an almost-halt. She couldn’t see from where she was sat in the tub, but having his girl naked in front of him also had his trousers feeling tighter and tighter as he fought to keep from hopping right in the tub with her and having his way with her.

“Can I?” his voice was firm, yet pleading.

With a nod of her head, Harry allowed his fingers to roam her body freely. He rubbed the slick skin of her ribs from underneath the water, his thumb catching the swell of her breast and nipple. His fingers traveled further, down to where hers had just been. He watched her facial expression change when his middle fingertip finally grazed over folds. How her breath hitched. How her eyelids fluttered. Harry continued running his finger up and down her sex, knowing good and well how mad it drove her when he didn’t apply enough pressure to her sweetest spots.

“Harry.”

Her voice was low and hoarse and sounded more like a whine, signifying just how much she needed him. Taking her call of his name as a plead, Harry’s fingers moved away from her clit and down towards her entrance. 

Just before sinking his long, skillful fingers inside of her, he leaned into the tub and pressed his lips against hers. Harry swallowed her moan as her walls enveloped him. She tasted like a few glasses of her favorite sweet wine, though her moan was much sweeter. He could feel her melting into his touch each time he pumped his ringed ringers in and out of her, how she quickly re-entered the euphoric state she was in before he’d interrupted her. 

Harry’s bicep tensed as he kept his pace, occasionally sloshing soapy water onto the sleeve of his casual, vintage blouse that was unbuttoned far down enough to expose the butterfly tattoo below his chest. He paid expert attention to how she reacted to the thrusts of his fingers, curling them upwards every now and then to earn an extra mewl from her that was far more addictive than any drug. 

She was getting close now, that much he knew. Her eyes were fighting to stay open and her walls began pulsing around his fingers; all directing Harry to move faster, to go deeper inside of her because she was unraveling at her seams. 

“Are you gonna cum f’ me, baby?” Harry asked through his own grunts.

The girl beneath him couldn’t tell him with words, but her mangled pants and the way her fingers grasped at his shoulder was a good enough answer for him.

“It’s alright, let go, princess,” he reassured her.

The coil that lied deep within her belly was so close to snapping, so close to taking her there and washing over her entire body. Harry’s calloused thumb then began massaging her neglected clit, and that was all she needed. 

She saw stars as she fell apart, as her warm, wet walls clenched down on Harry’s fingers that were continuously plunging into her up to the knuckle. He kept fucking her far into her orgasm, making sure she felt as good as she possibly could. Harry could feel her thighs shaking around him at which he then withdrew his fingers from her heat and rub circles against them with his palm to steady them.

“You good?” Harry asked, smiling smugly down at her.

“Yeah. Thanks,” she answered, still trying to catch her breath.

“Don’t go thankin’ me yet, bubby. I’m far from bein’ done w’ you for the night.”

This caused her to giggle and throw her head back against the bathtub pillow. It was then that she realized how cold the water had gotten since Harry had come home unannounced. God, how she loved him. Regardless of the circumstances, he always knew how to make her smile. 

“Wha’ are you still doin in there?” Harry broke her train of thought.

“Get your ass outta the tub so I can give you a proper shag,” he ordered before flicking a few droplets of water on her face and leaving the bathroom without another word.

It was a typical Harry move. He was her Harry.

[twstarchives]

Vil Schoenheit・Voice Lines

Additional Voice Lines: Scary Dress event card

School Uniform - R

Unlock Card “Every single one of you looks miserable. Where should I start disciplining you all?”

Groovy “Classes are still valuable lessons. Let’s try to enjoy them.”

Home Setting “Stop looking so sluggish. You should move with more of a bounce in your step.”

Home Transitions “I am the only one who can express myself. Even these designated uniforms are just tools I use for that.”

“If you’re going to dress yourself in Night Raven College’s uniform, I expect you to behave appropriately.”

“Isn’t that uniform too big on you? It’s unflattering to your figure if it’s not the right size.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Would you like to run to the store with me? I’d like some fresh fruit, and I could also use someone to carry my bags.”

Home Taps “Oh, no, don’t tell me that’s cat hair on your uniform—oh, wait. It’s Grim’s, is it?”

“You have a question for me? Heheh, I don’t give out my secrets for free.”

“It’s natural to need to work hard so that you make up for what you lack. I have no sympathy for you.”

“You want to know my diet? What are you going to do with it if I told you? You won’t become beautiful just by eating like I do.”

“Enough, stop pulling on me. I don’t remember saying you could mend my clothes for me.”

PE Uniform - R

Unlock Card “I spare no effort if it’s for the sake of beauty.”

Groovy “Are you ready? My regimen is very intense.”

Home Setting “Now, let’s begin our training.”

Home Transitions “You should do everything you can to preserve your beauty. Are you going to come running with me?”

“Hah, I’m worried about getting sunburnt during our outdoors classes... I’ll have to ask Rook to put on my sunscreen for me.”

“Every once in a while, I come across idiots who believe they can win against me if they use their fists. Of course, the tables always turn against them.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “How long are you going to stay here? I’ve already finished my daily workout.”

Home Taps “It’s good to do some stretches right after you’ve taken a bath.”

“Physical strength is an important factor in becoming a great mage. Make sure you work your hardest.”

“Sweating helps you feel refreshed. It isn’t good for your beauty to bottle up stress.”

“It’s important for there to be an agreement between your clothes and your body. You need to be careful not to build muscles for no reason.”

“You should direct any questions you have to Epel instead of me. Flying seems to be that boy’s strong suit.”

Lab Coat - SR

Unlock Card “You want me to teach you about magic potions? Will you even be able to keep up?”

Groovy “I could make any potion you could ever dream of. Hehe, should I tell you my tricks?”

Home Setting “I even pull this lab coat off beautifully.”

Home Transitions “I’m very confident in potions. It's helpful to know so much about herbs when making smoothies as well. It’s up to you to take care of your own body.”

“You want me to help you with your work? I’m impressed with how strong your will to study is. But research on your own first before asking me.”

“Rook is in the science club. In exchange for helping me with the film studies club activities, I lend him a hand from time to time too.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “True beauty is determined by strong intellect. You can always doctor your looks, but your true colors will still shine through right away.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Don’t I smell nice~? This is a perfume I concocted myself. It fits my image, doesn’t it?”

Home Taps “If you want to perfect your skill in pharmaceutics, then you need to have focus more than anything. It’s important to have a strong resolve to bring things to completion.”

“You can’t use magic, right? Then you should at least put all your effort into your studies.”

“I do my own cooking. I prefer to choose the nutrients my body needs.”

“You have wrinkles in your lab coat. Ironing is a must if you want to look polished.”

“Oh, you certainly seem to have a lot of free time. I’m not going to pity you if Crewel scolds you at your next exam.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “The ingredients I pick for my morning smoothies are always based on how I’m feeling health-wise that day. Hm? You want to know my recipes? That would take all day.”

Ceremony Robes - SR

Unlock Card “Being a student of Night Raven College is something you should be very proud of.”

Groovy “Don’t I look just as flawless in these ceremony robes as well?”

Home Setting “Chic clothing fits me well, doesn’t it?”

Home Transitions “Why are you so stiff...? Oh, are you nervous? You haven’t seen anything yet if you’re still getting nervous at school assemblies.”

“You shouldn’t strive to be like me. Try pushing yourself as hard as you can while keeping your experience level in mind.”

“Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. I wouldn’t mind you staring at me so mesmerized for a little longer.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “A mysterious makeup look with a monotone finish goes best with this unique outerwear. If the makeup doesn’t match the outfit, then your clothes are going to outshine you.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “The colors of our ceremony robes blend in nicely with the night. I don’t hate this deep and mysterious style.”

Home Taps “Just when I thought things were getting noisy... it’s you again. You’re always so full of energy. ...Hold on, that wasn’t a compliment.”

“Your figure is important with these ceremony robes. Tying this wide belt around your waist lets one show off an androgynous beauty.”

“You may not have magic, but you can still take care of your appearance, can’t you? It’s not an excuse to look sloppy.”

“At the entrance ceremony, I thought for certain you were going to get thrown out right away... But you seem to be adjusting to this academy.”

“I know you want me to entertain you, but I’m busy right now so can you wait until later?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “I like the ceremony robes. They have an eternal beauty that never goes out of style. You should be proud you get to wear them as well.”

Dorm Uniform - SSR

Unlock Card “Strength is what makes one beautiful. Allow me to present my power to you.”

“I presume you’re prepared to put your life on the line for the sake of beauty, yes?”

Groovy “Is it this uniform that’s captivated you? Or perhaps, is it me? Hehe.”

Home Setting “So? Do I look just like a queen?”

Home Transitions “What will you be off doing today? Would you mind helping with our shoot for the film studies club? I’m sure even you are capable of using the equipment.”

“The dorm leader’s work can be a lot to manage, but there is no person more suited for leading Pomefiore than me.”

“My skin has been on point lately. ...What? You want a closer look? It isn’t my fault if my beauty blinds you.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “The Ramshackle Dorm is just awful. It smells musty and there is dust everywhere. You do know the difference between “vintage” and “run-down,” right?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Have you met our vice dorm leader yet? I have full trust in his insight. ...There are times his conduct may be odd, but I’m letting it pass as of now.”

Home Taps “The Pomefiore dorm leader’s crown was designed based on motifs the Queen was said to fancy. Take a look—it’s perfect for me, don’t you think?”

“I swear, I always catch Epel staring at me in complete silence... Hehe. He must have so much going through his head.”

“The freshmen this year are nothing but potatoes. None of them know how to improve themselves and it gets so frustrating to deal with.”

“You think I look good in this uniform? That’s only natural. The dorm leader is meant to flaunt it even more beautifully than the other students.”

“Yes, there is no doubt that my beauty would make anyone unconsciously want to reach out and touch it...”

Home Tap (Groovy) “You think I’m stoic? ...It’s true I hear that a lot. I’m simply focusing all my efforts towards my goals. Wouldn’t this be the obvious outcome?”

Duo Magic Vil: “Leona! I don’t need anyone dragging me down.” Leona: “Ha! Who do you think you’re talking to, Vil?”

Birthday Celebration Outfit - SSR

Unlock Card “Now, how are you going to celebrate for me?”

“It seems my birthday will be especially wild this year. Well, it is nice to go over the top every once in a while. Just behave yourself.”

Groovy “It’s completely unexpected that you would bring me so much joy. ...That is a compliment.”

Home Setting “This outfit stands out. Well, I’m used to having attention on me.”

Home Transitions “Leona gave me a pen, and it was out of ink. Was it too much of a chore to throw it out so he handed it off to me? ...It figures.”

“My father sends me postcards on my birthday. He travels all over the world, so every year I look forward to which country the pattern on it will be from.”

“Epel, Rook, and the rest of the film studies club put together an opera for me. It was clumsy, but not too bad.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I’m beautiful as always today? Of course I am. But don’t think that I’m only trying hard because it’s my birthday. My beauty is flawless no matter what day it is.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Sometimes, the energy you and Grim bring can be useful. Please keep it up and breathe some more life into the party.”

Home Taps “My birthday reminds me of the auroras. When Jack lived in my area, he told me the best spot to see them as a birthday gift.”

“I posted a thank-you picture on Magicam for all my fans who sent me birthday wishes. I need to show appreciation for their support.”

“There exists no magic that can stop you from aging. However, it’s up to you how you grow. I’m just constantly pursuing beauty that matches my age.”

“Lilia gave me shoelaces. They’re flat and seem hard to come untied. I think I’ll start using them right away for my jog tomorrow.”

“I heard your wishes to me the first time. If you want my attention that badly, why don’t you let me do your makeup? I’m curious how much it could transform you.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Oh? Are you going to give me anything? Then list 100 things you find beautiful about me. Simple enough, right?”

Duo Magic Vil: “None of your schemes on my birthday, Azul.” Azul: “Of course. I wish you the best, Vil.”

Tutorial “Enough of that daydreaming. Let’s hurry up.”

Lv Up “Not bad. Let’s keep this up.”

“I’ve moved up a level higher, hm?”

“Don’t you think I’m someone worth dedicating yourself to?”

Max Lv Up “The fact that I can shine even brighter than I have before is because of your dedication, isn’t it? Heheh. Watch closely. I’ll show you I can be even more beautiful.”

Episode Lv Up “Hah. You’ve turned out nicely yourself. At this point, I’d even let you stand at my side.”

Magic Lv Up “Beautiful flowers are poisonous. But isn’t that just another one of their charms?”

Limit Break “My progress is far from over. I need to shine even brighter, even more beautifully than I do now.”

Groovy “Oh, I’m so sorry. Am I too dazzling for you now?”

Select Lesson “You’re only wasting time worrying. Please hurry up and pick.”

“You won’t rise to the top of this world if you lack intelligence. Study your hardest.”

“Neither our lectures in class nor the skills we learn firsthand must be taken lightly. Let’s put in all our effort.”

Lesson Start “Can you really afford to not pay attention?”

Lesson End “Well, that’s about it.”

Battle Start “Show me all you’ve got.”

Battle Win “This was the obvious result. You and I aren’t on the same level.”

Other

Profile Quote “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all? Of course it is me, isn’t it?”

January 2020 Trailer “If you want to be beautiful, then you’ve got to do your very best at this academy.”

Countdown Poster “At this moment, who is the fairest of them all? ...Of course, it is me.”

Login Bonus “Neither beauty nor power can be achieved in a single day. It’s crucial that you persevere through everything that comes your way, but that’s the most difficult to do. I wonder how you will fare?”

Player Birthday Wish “It’s your birthday? Oh, dear, I completely forgot. Only joking. Don’t underestimate my memory. Of course I got everything ready. You should feel honored that I’m celebrating for you.”

Magic History

Good ★

“Trends come in and out.”

“You look half-asleep.”

“Competition brings one to the top.”

“What a beautiful dress.”

“This is more self-improvement.”

“The qualities of a king... hm...”

“Please sit up straight.”

“My makeup is still intact this afternoon.”

“Even great figures worked their hardest.”

Great ★★

“Naturally.”

“I enjoy reading.”

“Too easy.”

“Even my handwriting is beautiful.”

Perfect ★★★

“Didn’t lift a finger.”

“Perfect.”

“These are reasonable results.”

“There’s no way I wouldn’t get a perfect score.”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“Oh, do you need something?”

“Please stay focused.”

“Not a problem.”

Flying

Good ★

“This is a nice workout.”

“If my hair’s a mess, my mind’s a mess.”

“Get me a hat, please.”

“Often reapply your sunscreen.”

“Just like a graceful raven.”

“Sound advice.”

“This is my after-meal workout.”

“Sunburns are my worst nightmare.”

“I’ve checked the new arrivals.”

Great ★★

“Staying hydrated.”

“So, what’s next?”

“Flexibility exercises are part of my daily routine.”

Perfect ★★★

“Elegant and graceful.”

“Beautiful? I know.”

“Just keep trying until you can do it.”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“You’d like to see an example, wouldn’t you?”

“I feel someone’s eyes on me...!”

“Did I mesmerize you?”

Alchemy

Good ★

“Be quiet and concentrate.”

“Understand the materials we’re using.”

“Measure carefully.”

“Did you read the textbook?”

“A practical recipe.”

“Crewel has excellent taste.”

“This is making me smell like chemicals.”

“Eternal beauty...”

“Carefully...”

“This stench is making me lose my appetite.”

“Don’t lose focus.”

“There is no way I made any mistakes.”

“Done in the wink of an eye.”

“Looking sharp in these white clothes is a must.”

“That’s wrong.”

Great ★★

“It’s easy if you just follow the recipe.”

“I’m worth more than jewels.”

“Well done.”

“One cannot live without desire...”

“Unrusted gold... Just like me.”

Perfect ★★★

“What a snore-fest.”

“Brewing is one of my specialties.”

“There’s not a chance in a million I’d ever fail.”

“Gold used for more than just a crown...”

“The fact that I can do this much shouldn’t be a surprise to you.”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“I can’t make any mistakes.”

“Stop talking to me right now.”

“You’re not done until you’ve reviewed everything.”

“Don’t rush anything.”

“This is what it means to work little by little everyday.”

[theyanderespecialist]

Sound Of The Devil~ 3 (Mini Series) Cajun Accented Human Alastor X OC Marie (Hazbin Hotel)

[Hello My Sexy Readers, back with another chapter this one is not so much smut but more plot this whole Sound Of The Devil~ It is now sort of a mini series. We hope you all enjoy where this is going!]

(Alastors pov)

I had one of the best sleeps I had in all my years, well since my mother that is. I smile, going to pull Marie even closer when I suddenly felt nothing as I shot up.

"Cher?! Cher where are yous? Cher!'" I yelled before seeing her outside as I ran out as she turned to me, she looked like she had been crying.

"Al..? What..." I was pissed. "Da heyll you think yous doing? Cher if you'd think you'd can run--" I was cut off when she ran to me sobbing, holding me as she sobbed.

"I-It felt so r-real I-I thought you chased me..I-I thought your use for me was up, S-So you tried to kill me.." she said sobbing.

(Oh come on how you gonna be pissed, look at the poor thing well least now he doesn't have to break her kegs)

(XD Yup no broken legs here XD)

(XD For Now)

(XD)

I wrapped my arms around her and stroke her hair. "Cher." I say. "No I nevur will tire of ya or hurt ya yur the belle of ma ball, the sweetness ta ma honey, the sugar ta ma spice. Ya are ma world mawn Ange and I will nevur tire of ya."

(Again shuddering XD)

(he probably don't even like honey because it's sweet xD And god I feel that)

(XD Yup)

She let out a whimper as she held onto me tighter as she sobbed as I realized she wasn't dressed save for the stockings she fell asleep in, she didn't even bother with shoes.

"Cher Didja sleepwalk all ta way out here? Yous know tats dangerous."

"I-I just know I had a dream..and woke up out here- please don't be mad " she said her voice shaking as she held in tighter

"Oh Cher~ I could nevuh be mad at ya. come on now, we will mousy on up ta the bath and get ya as clean as a whistle, cher~"

I picked her up, holding her close as I walked up the porch stairs and into the house, up to the bath as she still held me as I placed her on the counter as she grabbed a cloth for her makeup along with some cleanser before she stopped.

"What's wrong Cher?" "...No one but my parents have seen me without makeup..."

(oh that's some serious confidence issues But I don't I don't let joesph see me without makeup I think it's happened 2 times)

(GLOMPS)

"Cher ya are the most beautiful woman. I don care if ya have no make up." I tell her and help her wipe off her face. "There is that purty face, I was righ you are a true belle with or withou make up."

(Beauty)

She looked down at that as she did try to hide her face but I wouldn't let her. "Besides Cher, ya can't go wearing makeup in ta bed." I said kissing her as I moved my hands down, unclasping the garter straps from her stockings.

(that's what you think beside yes I have slept in full face of makeup before because of my insecurities)

(I believe it GLOMPS AGAIN)

She blushed darkly and I fell the tub with nice perfect hot water and bubble bath. I then light some candles and roll down her stockings slowly and then take off the garter. After that I get her in the bath and then climb in with her after taking off my undergarments and pulling her on my lap in the tub. She blushed darkly and I stroke her sides kissing the back of her neck.

"Le me take care of ya cher." I say and I wash her like the goddess she is.

I held her close to me as her face was still red.

"Cher..I hope ya forgive me for tat bruise. Ah didn't mean ta hit ya as hard as ah had, ah panicked, it won't happen again" I said as she slowly leaned back into me.

"I-It is okay.." She says. "Just promise you will never hurt me."

"I promise, cher."

(well unless he has to xD)

(XD Yeah XD)

I hold her close as she seemed nervous and something on her mind.

"Wats wrong mah belle?"

"....I don't understand how you find me attractive.. especially with my body.."

(Well I mean I feel that by the time she started coming into being a woman her body was not the ideal like my body works better for vintage after the 40s and 1910s but the 20s and 30s there were a few curvy and busty girls but the most popular look was the flat chest and slender body which looks amazing but xD I can't have that body)

(Mmmm hmmm)

"Cause it is you Cher~" I say and move my hands to her breasts. "Yur not as flat as a damn bored and I hav to say I luv laying my head awn your chest belle~ like the sweet rest~ dere are yur hips nice and gradable to the touch more of ya to luv~ this firm tush~ which I luv for ya to sit on ma face while I pleasure ya with ma mouth~ The Idea of dese thighs clamping around ma hips and neck~ Pulling me deeper into ya~ It is enough to make a grown man swoon Mawn Ange~ Not ta mention ya make me sweat in the passion like a sinner in church~"

She blushed darkly as she turned around in my arms as her hands rested on my shoulders as her hands held my face. I smiled and pulled her down into a kiss. I will spend the rest of my days making her feel like the beautiful woman she is~

She kissed me back as her hands run down my body as she arched into me as I felt my face burn. Despite the fact I initiated the first time, for her to initiate it..

"Alastor. Darling~ tell me~" she started, her hands gripping me.

"Y-Yeah cher?"

"What is it you want to do to me, if it was possible to do anything what would you do~" she asked looking at me, her eyes heavily lidded and her voice getting heavy with her accent, it actually took me a few moments to understand what she was implying as she leaned down biting my neck

"First off I marry ya~ then sexually I like being in control rough luv making spanking, bondage and oh so much more Cher~"

(wait for it

"I don't know how my parents would feel about their little girl marrying- you never met my parents." She said suddenly. Shit.

"Uh well--"

"you gotta meet them."

(her plan to get him and her out of the house or him distracted by her parents so she can leave xD)

(But like he will let that work XD No he is bound an determined~)

"Than we shall meat them." I say. "It will be a great time."

She smiled and nodded snuggling into me oh boy what am I gonna do she has me wrapped around her little finger.

[Wooo plans are set in motion and now we are moving the plot forward. I hope you all enjoyed and stay sexy all our friends!]

[whataboutthefish]

The Last Winter

With each new spring, it got harder and harder to say goodbye to his wolves. They all knew with each goodbye they were drawing closer to the last one, and each year Jaskier would promise them the same thing. “I’ll try not to die.” 

Vesemir had offered Jaskier the keep as his permanent home ten years past, the two of them enjoyed the company as they rattled around Kaer Morhen. Jaskier now looked older than Vesemir, his hair still mostly black with a shock of grey streaking through his fringe. It had thinned some in recent years and Jaskier kept a jaunty hat with a purple feather in it firmly atop his head all year round. 

He wore a beard as white as Geralt’s to cover some of the damage age had done to him. His wolves would swear he looked as beautiful as the day they first met him, and Jaskier would chuckle at their sweet words. But he couldn’t help but feel wilted among these men who hadn’t changed while he couldn’t seem to stop.

He spent most of his days in the library, determined to have the whole thing catalogued in his lifetime, he worked tirelessly or so he’d tell his wolves when they returned for winter. Vesemir would flash a knowing smirk his way before being prodded with a stick in the gut. He knew Jaskier spent more time sleeping on the comfortable lounge Lambert had purchased for him as a retirement gift.

The stick was new. Last winter his hip had started to ache and then one day he found himself on the ground one too many times for his wolves' liking. Eskel had presented him with a wooden staff, the head carved into a wolf, he’d carved it himself, polished it to a high sheen so the wood was as smooth as stone. Jaskier didn’t like to admit it but he needed to use it, he told himself he was honouring his wolves by carrying the gift.

Geralt was the worst for fussing if Jaskier so much as grunted while getting up he was lifted and coddled, the White Wolf holding onto his elbow like he was a fragile maiden. At least he told himself it was that and not an old crone which he felt on long nights when his wolves were all asleep around him, youthful and strong and him the shriveled shell with nothing but his memories of youth and adventure.

And what a life he’d had, his only resentment was he would have to leave this life. Not because he was afraid to die, no he was ready when death came knocking. He was afraid to leave his wolves. 

They loved him so fiercely, all in their own different way. They had grown so much since the first winter, they loved freely now and easily, they opened their hearts, their worries and fears. They shared with one another as well as himself, there was a calm around them that had taken decades for him to pull from them. To free them.

Their bed was not without fun though, he still enjoyed pleasure with his wolves. Vesemir had brewed a herbal potion that helped when things wouldn’t come as easy as they had in his youth, and he still took a cock like a champ. In those regards it was as if his wolves didn’t see him as old, yes they might have been a little more gentle but Jaskier could still give them a look and they’d toss him over one of their shoulders and they’d run to their room. 

Vesemir still got cranky when things escalated in the main hall, throwing a cloth at one of his pups, “You could at least clean up after yourselves.”

But the goodbyes, they were the worst. Jaskier saw the pain in his wolves’ eyes as they took their leave one at a time. The hugs were tighter, the kisses lingered and they would keep looking back until the path turned out of view. A little part of Jaskier’s heart broke every time.

This summer Jaskier got a cold, it started in his head like any other but he couldn’t shake it, it went to his chest and soon Kaer Morhen echoed with the rattling bark as he shuffled around. Vesemir tried all manner of potions and herbs to help soothe and cure, he even contacted Triss to see if she had some insight. 

Jaskier knew as soon as he saw her face after she had done her inspection. “No don’t say it, I will prepare myself.” Triss sat with him that night, leaving all manner of herbs and bottles to ease the pain that would inevitably come. She didn’t baby him but laid it all out with instructions so that Jaskier was in full control of his care. The final vial she slipped him was small and black, the last thing that would touch his lips.

Vesemir wanted to send word to the wolves on the path, but Jaskier was adamant that he shouldn’t. They would only rush back or worse be reckless on the path with their full attention broken by him. He would do nothing to hurt his wolves even if they might never forgive him for this. The world still needed Witcher’s and Jaskier, he’d had them for many decades in every way he could ever dream of. No, he would not have them off the Path because he was... because this would be his last winter.

The autumn was cooler than usual and Jaskier left his room less and less. His voice was ragged, which probably hurt worse than anything else. He could no longer keep his breath to sing so he would sit with his lute and will his knotted fingers to obey.

Vesemir would sit with him once his chores were done, they played gwent in the afternoons sipping the very best vintages and getting happily merry together to while the days away. When Jaskier could hardly breathe for coughing Vesemir would rub slaves into his chest and back and sit with him through the night. 

They didn’t talk about this, but they both knew why. Jaskier was afraid of dying alone, after all these years on the Path and in Kaer Morhen Jaskier didn’t want to leave without a wolf by his side.

Lambert was the first home, he didn’t even pause in time for Vesemir to warn him, the stench of sickness filled the keep and he sprinted to their room. He pulled up in the doorway dropping his swords and bundling Jaskier’s frail body into his arms. The tears were already falling freely from his wolf as he took long shuddering breaths from his neck. 

“How long,” Lambert asked, Jaskier was unsure if he meant since he’d known or, well.

He just held the wolf tighter, not long now, he just had to wait for his pack to all come home. 

Lambert barely left his side, he told him stories of this year, of his favourite hunts, of his favourite times with Jaskier. They kissed a lot when Jaskier was able to, drank deeply, bathed often and Jaskier felt a sense of calm come over him that had been lost in the previous months.

Eskel was next, his actions mirrored his brother’s except he didn’t bother to remove his swords before Jaskier was in his big strong arms. Eskel held his tears, not wanting to scare Jaskier, but even his strong bear couldn’t hold back when wrapped in Jaskier’s arms that night. Jaskier started to remind him of all the adventures they’d had together. When Eskel finally let go the sounds of his sobs filled the keep.

Lambert attended to the winter chores to give Eskel the alone time he’d been given before his arrival.

Eskel sang for Jaskier, his baritone drifting through the keep only halting when Jaskier’s coughs took hold. Then he would hold his bard close trying to ease him through the episode. Eskel would massage Jaskier’s weary back and chest, the pain sometimes too much even for the strong potions Triss had left for him. He wished every night for just one more day and sent prayers on the winds that Geralt would arrive soon.

Geralt arrived four days later. He stood at the entrance to Kaer Morhen, Vesemir was there to greet him but his brothers were not. He smelt it as he entered, his eyes seeking out Vesemir’s, seeking answers and finding none that satisfied him. Geralt didn’t run to their room, in fact, he didn’t move at all. He knew Jaskier was waiting for him, knew it in his very core, and couldn’t bring himself to be the one that brought death upon their doorstep.

He crumpled to his knees, hands palm up in supplication, a prayer on his lips to all the gods he did not believe in. It was Eskel that got through to him. “Brother, he’s in pain.” The words cut Geralt deeper than any other in the past. It was him, again, he always brought pain to those he loved.

Eskel picked him up under the arms, pulling him into a kiss. “This isn’t your fault.”

Jaskier’s face broke into a huge smile when Geralt walked into their room, he was having a good day, the coughs only troubling him when he lay down. Jaskier was sitting back against Lambert’s chest while reading a rather scandalous poem.

Jaskier held his arms out to Geralt, running a thumb over his brow to wipe away his frown. Geralt got to his knees and lay his head in Jaskier’s lap, not speaking, barely breathing. He stayed that way for hours, his bard running gnarled fingers through his hair and down his neck, soothing his wolf.

Lambert and Eskel left them alone the next day, Jaskier giving them a weary smile as they promised to be within ear’s reach if, well, they never did say it. 

Geralt was the quietest of his wolves, some things never change. Jaskier let Geralt hold him, perhaps tighter than was comfortable but now Jaskier was never without pain and the feeling of his White Wolf purring against his back was worth any amount of discomfort he should feel.

When the pack came back at dusk with tankards of mead and warm roast meats and vegetables, they enjoyed a meal together, his wolves laughing and joking with each other as they shared memories of their winters, of their times as a pack.

When the food was gone and the drinks empty Jaskier had them gather close. “My time has come, dear hearts.” He whispered. He took up each wolf in turn, kissing them deeply, tracing his fingers over their hearts. When he had taken each wolf into himself and pushed a part of his soul into them he asked Lambert to fetch Vesemir.

The old wolf bowed deeply at the door, “It’s been an honour, little lark.” Vesemir took a seat at the foot of the bed. Eskel sat at Jaskier’s back, Geralt tucked under both the bards and Eskel’s arm, Lambert lay with his head in Jaskier’s lap.

“My life has been a hell of an adventure, and as the poets of old say after all death is but the next great adventure.” He smiled at his pack and pulled the black vial from his pocket. Uncorking it with his teeth he held it up, “I will be waiting at the gates of the afterlife for you my wolves. Be sure to make me wait a very long time.” He choked down a sob before he pushed the vial between his lips and leaned his head back.

Cradled between his wolves Jaskier closed his eyes, a smile on his lips as he drifted off on his next great adventure.

Jaskier was given a Witcher’s funeral, his pyre stacked high and burned all day and all night. His wolves didn’t leave until Jaskier was returned to dust.  

In the great hall, Jaskier’s lute was hung amongst the swords of the Witchers of old. 

Also posted to AO3

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Bath and Body Works Pleasures Rainkissed Leaves Mini Shampoos, Mini Conditioner, Shower Gel, Mini Shower Gel, and Mini Body Lotion

2002-2008

Found on Ebay, user assilem488