#whenever i’m near where my aunt lives (not the best part of town anymore)

[ripley-ryan]

tattoo that says i <3 making friends. if my chosen career path did not rely on my appearance i would so get it. because truly i heart making friends

[justanotherwriter-fangirl]

He´s My Son (K. S.)

Words: 4,420 words

Warnings: Mentions of abuse, gangs, drugs and cheating, a little bit of violence and a couple curse words but overall I think it’s friendly.

Request: Can you write a imagine where kelly's girlfriend has Aiden her 5 years old son and kelly's been his father figure since he was two and then the reader's ex comes back and wants to be in Aiden's life and go to the firehouse where kelly is with Aiden to take the little boy with him because the reader doesn't want him in his life because he is involved with gangs and drugs so kelly tells him that Aiden is his son and that he won't take him and all 51 support him? You finished, please...

A/N: Hi!!! I’m so happy with how this turned out, hope you all enjoy it and like it as much as I do so let me know how you feel about it. 

Gif obtained from Google. All credits to its owner.

Thanks for reading

_______________________

Life had never been easy with you, leaving your home in a small town at age 17 to ran away from a place where nothing ever happened, arriving to the big city of Chicago where you didn’t know anyone with barely any money, looking for a job as a waitress to afford the expenses of your new life and last but not least, meeting the man who would later turn into your worst nightmare.

Once you arrived to Chicago and settled in a little apartment you could barely afford, you decided to enroll in Chicago’s Community College to become a nurse, it had been hard with a lot of double shifts at weekends and many many nights awake studying but finally you did it and got a nice job at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, that’s where you met the person who you thought you would spend the rest of your life with, Ryan.

He had entered to the ED after a motorcycle accident and you immediately felt attracted to him, it was crazy, he was your patient and there was more important things to think of,  like taking care of his multiple wounds, mostly cuts and scratches, but still, you couldn’t fell for a patient, that was basic.

But life’s funny like that so after Will cleared him off to leave the hospital, he asked you out, you tried to refuse even when you didn’t really want to saying that he was a patient and it was wrong, but he insisted, he wasn’t a patient anymore, he had just been released, so with that argument and a little flattering of his part, you agreed to go out with him.

One date turned into two and then three and without realising it suddenly 2 years had passed by and you were moving together. You loved him, you really did and that was the main reason why you stayed with him, even after learning that he was part of a gang on the southside of the city and his day job was selling drugs, yes it was bad but he had always been so good to you.

A year later and things started to change, every cell in your body often told you to run away from that guy, that he was bad news and he was going to get you killed someday but your heart couldn’t bare the idea of leaving him. You had passed many sleepless night trying to figure out what to do, always trying to convince yourself to leave but you couldn’t, you were sure you could change him and get him out from that life, after all, that was your job, to help people. That thought was kept you going every day, despite all your fights and all those times he would grabbed your arms so hard that you'd have to wear long sleeves to work to hide the bruises, despite the nights he would come home so high or drunk that he could barely pronounce your name and all the nights you knew he was cheating on you, because, after all, it wasn’t his fault, right? It was all the drug’s fault and the people he hang with.

And one day, right when you thought nothing was going to change, you took that pregnancy test, two lines staring back at you giving you the hope you needed, that little person growing inside you was going to be the light at the end of the tunnel, that little baby was the answer to all your prayers.

But that wasn’t how Ryan thought at all, when you told him the news he was so furious, yelling at you for being so sloppy, for getting pregnant to tie him up and finally for cheating on him because there was no way that baby was his. After that he just left with his friends, probably to get high again and sleep with some other girl, leaving you at home alone and crying your heart out.

You felt destroyed, how could he said all those things to you? You always were faithful, you always forgive him and, more importantly, you always stayed until suddenly something changed, your tears stopped and you realized now you really had to leave, if not for you then for your baby who now depended of you so grabbing a bag you started to pack all your stuff, leaving nothing behind that could be a sign that you ever lived there.

Once on the street, with the air hitting your face as you put everything in your car, you felt the weight of the world being lifted of from your shoulders for the first time in a very long time, taking your phone out to call April, your best friend in the world.

You had met her when you first started working at the ED, from the beginning she was nice and helped you to get used to the craziness you had to deal with everyday. Being the sweetheart she was, she let you stayed at her place through all your pregnancy, you insisted to stay just for a couple days, just enough until you could found another apartment but she didn't let you go, completely excited with the idea of being the aunt of your baby. 

Time flew by and when you least expected it, Aiden was born, the whole ED crew by your side, April and Will holding your hands, Natalie making sure everything was going fine and Maggie supporting you from the side with her encouraging words. 

In that moment, with your little baby boy in your arms and all your friends around you, life couldn't be better. 

After Aiden turned 1 you moved to a nice little apartment near the hospital where you met Kelly Severide, he was April's childhood friend and went with her at the housewarming party. He was sweet, charming and so handsome and you both really hit it off immediately but after Ryan and everything you had gone through you were a little bit wary of going back to the dating world, specially now that you had your little boy with you, Aiden being your number 1 priority. You knew Kelly was nothing like Ryan but that didn’t change the fact that you had some trust issues regarding guys.

It was really hard to say no to him when the boy was so persistent, going to visit you at the hospital whenever he had time in between calls when he was working or going to your place with some takeout to help you take care of the baby. 

Slowly but surely, he eventually won your heart, having all those little details with you made you warm up to the idea of dating him and break down all the walls you had around your heart.

One rare night when you had the opportunity to go to Molly's with Maggie and April after shift, he showed up, flowers in hand and a huge smile on his face, to ask you officially on a date, how could you ever say no to that? He was the perfect gentleman and more importantly than anything, he accepted you with all your baggage, trust issues and Aiden, willing to be his father figure.

He soon started to be there in every first of Aiden, his first tooth, his first steps, his first word, the first time you ever took him to a zoo or his first day at daycare, staying with you at night and helping you whenever he woke up at 3 am crying or taking care of him when he wasn’t on duty and you had long shifts at the hospital.

He was fully committed, not only with you but with Aiden too, so much that one day when you had stopped by the firehouse with Aiden to pay him a quick visit you caught him at the table of squad 3 reading a book about “100 things you need to know about babies”, the sight melting away all doubts and fears you ever had, leaving nothing behind but love because that was the moment you realized you loved Kelly and it was such a strong and powerful feeling you had never experienced before.

Time flew by and before you realized it you were throwing Aiden’s fifth birthday party, the theme: firefighters. Ever since he was aware of what Kelly did for a living and understood what it was about, all he wanted was to be a firefighter, rescue people and be lieutenant of the squad just like him and every time he would mention it the smile on Kelly’s face would only get bigger full with pride.

“Happy birthday to you…” you all sang to Aiden in front of his fire truck birthday cake, the whole firehouse and Med staff there to spent the day celebrating with you.

“Blow out the candles, champ” Kelly said ruffling his hair.

“Don’t forget to make a wish!”

“Done!” he yelled before blowing the candles while everyone laughed and clapped, the boy having everyone in the room wrapped around their little finger.

“So... tell us, Aiden, what did you wished for?” April said

“I wished…” he said slowly creating expectation in the room “to be just like dad! A firefighter!” he screamed before hopping off his chair to go play with his friends, everyone on the room celebrating and laughing without realizing what had just happened. They couldn’t know it but that had been the first time Aiden called Kelly his dad, bringing happy tears to your eyes. 

Even though Kelly had been there for you both since Aiden was almost two and Aiden couldn’t remember much before him, you had always told him the truth, letting him know that Kelly was your boyfriend and his biological father had disappeared long before he was born, it had been a little bit difficult to explain it to a 4 years old boy but with Kelly’s help you managed to do it avoiding all the ugly parts of the story and letting him know that no matter who his biological father was, you and Kelly would always love him. 

Since he was a toddler who was barely starting to speak you had taught him that honesty was the best policy so you always tried to teach him by example even when it came to situations like that, once you explained it all to him Kelly and you made sure he knew that you were his family no matter what, trying to clear all fears from his little head when he asked if Kelly would leave you just like the other man did, the question almost breaking your heart and leaving you without an answer, fortunately Kelly immediately told him that he would never leave either one of you, that he loved you both and that we wanted to be his dad if he let him. 

Around a year has passed since that day and you were more than happy to know that finally Aiden’s fears had gone away and he was ready to call Kelly his dad, sure that he would never leave you.

In that moment you felt Kelly’s strong arm around you waist making you come back to reality, proud and happiness all over his face as he looked down at you, that one look being more than enough to let you know what he was thinking, that moment in time being the proof that it was all worth it and without the hardest and darkest moments in your life you wouldn’t be standing there surrounded by the people you loved most.

“Who wants some cake?” you heard April in the background “Kelly, be nice and hand me some plates, please” she said while cutting the slices without realizing you were just having a moment when suddenly the doorbell rang.

“I’m coming” you said.

“Hey, (Y/N), if it’s Capp he better be standing behind that door with a really big present for Aiden, we will not tolerate him arriving just in time for the cake” Herrmann said making you laugh.

“I’ll let him know” you said opening the door still laughing.

“Miss me?” said the man at the door, his voice sending a chill down your spine and making you want to grab your son and run.

He hadn’t change a bit since the last time you saw him around 6 years ago but now all you ever saw in him transformed into disgust and fear.

“R-Ryan?” you stuttered closing the door as much as you could so nobody could see him “What are you doing here? How did you found me?”

“Well, it certainly wasn’t easy, especially since you left no trail behind you that time you left me but a couple days ago a friend of mine told me he saw you entering this building, I thought I would pay you a visit to check on you, see how are you doing now”

“I’m fine, thanks for the visit but I have to get back inside” you said trying to hide your nerves and closing the door when a rough push from his hand stopped you.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, (Y/N)? It’s not like everyday your son turns 5 years old” in that moment you felt like your soul had left our body and all color drained from your face.

“I-I don’t… don’t know what you’re talking about”

“Don’t play stupid and let me in, (Y/N), I want to meet my son” he said threatening when it reached you from the inside the sound of Aiden’s laugh, making you snap out of your fearful state.

“He’s not your son, you made that very clear 6 years ago when I told you I was pregnant” you said firmly taking back all your power, your mother instinct kicking in instantly. “So now leave before I call the police” you finished before closing the door in his face, still shocked from your outburst.

It took you a second to recompose yourself, still trembling from the encounter with the man that some nights still haunted your dreams.

“Babe, do you want some cake?” said Kelly approaching you when he noticed the state you were in “Hey, what happened? Are you okay? Who was it?” he quickly questioned putting his hands in your shoulders to look at you and make sure you weren’t harm.

“He’s back, Kelly” you whispered, the lump in your throat barely letting anything out “Ryan’s back”

"What?"

"It was him at the door, he said that he wanted to meet Aiden. Kelly, what am I going to do? What if he wants to take him away?"

"What we are going to do is talk to Antonio, hell we’ll talk to Voight if we need to, we'll put a restraining order and make sure there is no way he can get close to you again, you're not alone anymore, (Y/N), you have all of us, you have me"

"I'm scared"

"I know" he said enveloping you in a hug as if that way he could protect you from all the bad in the world.

“Mom, hurry! I want to open my presents!” said Aiden running to you and tugging at your hand. With your head still buried on Kelly’s chest you took a second to breathe and push all your worries to the back of your head, making sure to put in a smile for Aiden.

“Let’s go, honey” you said stepping back, grabbing Kelly’s hand and letting the kid guide you to the living room where everyone was sitting around a big pile of presents.

“Okay, champ, open up mine first” said Kelly sitting in the floor next to him and passing him a box.

“Kelly…” you said, you had told him that it wasn’t necessary at all, he had already helped a lot with the organization of the party.

As Aiden ripped the paper and took the lid on a big red firefighter helmet came into view.

“Mom, look!” Aiden exclaimed putting it on “Now I’m a firefighter!”

Everyone laughed, he was so happy and that was what mattered the most. He continued opening the rest of his presents: clothes, a superhero cape and a bunch of toys.

It was around 7 when you and the girls could finally just sit down in the living room to talk and drink some wine, the guys at the kitchen with some beers and a mess of chips and popcorn around them and the rest of the kids and their parents gone.

Aiden had fallen asleep in your arms half an hour ago with his firefighter helmet still on and you wished everything could stay just like that.

“Hey, Antonio, I need to ask you a favor” said Kelly taking him apart for a moment.

“Yeah, of course, tell me”

“I don’t know if Dawson ever told you anything about (Y/N)’s ex boyfriend, Aiden’s father”

“Not much, she once mentioned he was into drugs and gangs but not much more, he’s not in the system”

“Well, he came by earlier saying that he wants to meet Aiden and (Y/N)’s afraid he might want to take him away, is there anything we can do? I was thinking about a restraining order but I don’t know how much that can help considering his background”

“Well, we can start with that but there’s not much we can do without any evidence”

"Okay, thanks"

“If anything happens let me know, okay?”

“Sure, thanks Antonio” Kelly said going back with the rest of the guys.

When you least expected it it was already 10 pm and everyone was going, it was saturday but that didn’t mean anything being a nurse, doctor, detective or firefighter, most of you having to work the next day.

“Aiden was so happy, I think we did something right today” Kelly told you while you were getting ready to get in bed.

“Yeah, I swear I could see his little face lighting up when he opened your present, thank you, Kelly, for everything”

“It was nothing, really. I saw it the other day on my way back to the fire house after a call and I thought of him”

“I don’t know what I’d be doing without you”

“Handling it like you always have, sweetheart, I’m here because you want me around, not because you need me”

“You always have the right words, don’t you?” you said laughing a little bit.

“I hope so” he said getting into bed and extending his arms for you to crawl with him.

“What are we going to do tomorrow?” you asked once you were both in bed, your head on his chest and his hand playing with your hair “You have shift and I have to be at the ED”

“I can take him with me, come pick him up after your shift, we can even have dinner together there”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to cause you any trouble”

“Totally, I’ll speak with the chief and whenever we have a call he can stay with Connie, she’ll love him, don’t worry about it” he finished pressing a kiss on your forehead, the feeling of his fingers playing with your hair relaxing you and making you feel sleepy.

“Okay but if anything happens or you need me to go get him, just call me, okay?” you said suppressing a yawn.

“Just sleep, babe” was the last thing you heard.

That night was probably the worst you’ve had in a while, images of Ryan, your past together and him taking Aiden away constantly awakening you and keeping you from resting properly so you were more than happy when you noticed the sun was rising from behind your curtains.

Trying to not wake up Kelly you slid out of bed and headed towards the kitchen, coffee being your only thought after the horrible night you had.

Once you had a cup of coffee in your system you went to the bathroom to take a shower, the caffeine and the water helping you to feel completely awake and ready for the day. After you finished and put your nurse uniform on you found your way back to kitchen to start breakfast and since it was sunday you choose to spoil your boys a little bit with some nutella waffles.

You were halfway done when you heard steps coming from the hallway and then a pair of strong arms wrapped around your middle, Kelly resting his chin over your shoulder and leaving a small kiss on your neck.

“Morning” he said in a low husky voice.

“Good morning, babe. Can you go wake Aiden up, please?”

“Are you sure you want me to?” he said now peppering your shoulder with small kisses.

“Not exactly but you both need to get ready to go to the firehouse” you said giving a squeeze to one of his hands before going back to your current task “Puls, don’t forget that tuesday’s our day, we’ll leave Aiden with Matt and Gabby and then it’ll be just us to do whatever you want”

“Fine” he said finally letting you go “Can’t wait for it to be tuesday though” you heard him saying from the hallway.

You were setting the table when you heard laughter coming your way, Kelly appearing with Aiden on his back, the red firefighter helmet once again on his head matching his fire truck pajamas.

“Hey Aiden, tell mama what I was just telling you” Kelly said putting Aiden down on a chair and sitting next to you.

“I’m going to dad’s job today!” Aiden yelled raising his arms, a light on his eyes you would do anything to protect.

“That’s right, buddy, now eat your breakfast so we can get ready to leave”

An hour later you were saying goodbye to your boys and heading towards your car, ready for the day ahead.

“Ok, Aiden, let me give you the tour” Kelly told the 5 year old once they reached the firehouse, the toddler hand on his while they walk to the front door.

“Hey! Look who’s here” yelled Herrmann from the inside, the rest of the house coming out to receive Aiden.

“Look, I’m one of you” he let go of Kelly’s hand to go running to the guys, showing them his red helmet again.

Everyone there loved the little guy, he had won their hearts a long time ago and it was obvious as they all show him around and let him get into the fire truck, never treating him as Kelly’s partner son but as if he was his own because for anyone who ever had the pleasure to meet the three of you all they could see was a family, not mattering blood but the real connection you all had.

“Hey, Aiden, I need to tell you something” said Kelly in a moment of quiet, kneeling down to be eye level with him “Listen, champ, because it’s important, okay?”

“Okay” he said putting on his serious face and trying to cross his little arms over his chest almost making Kelly laugh.

“There will be a moment when the sirens will go on and we’ll be call to go do our job and I won’t be able to take you with me so you are going to stay with Connie, okay? She’s nice but you have to listen to her while I’m gone” he said pointing at her who was going over some papers at her desk.

“Ohh, I like her” he said now relaxing and getting closer to Kelly “She once draw with me while you and mom were busy but told me to keep it a secret” Aiden whispered to him and put his finger over his lip.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone” Kelly said playing along.

“Is that him? My son?” was suddenly being heard from the front, Kelly well aware of who was the owner of that voice and fire started to run down his veins.

“Hey, why don’t you go with Mouch to watch some cartoons? I’m sure he was looking for something new to watch” quickly said Kelly to the boy, Aiden running to the inside excited to show someone else his new favorite show and unaware of anything else.

Standing up and turning around he met eye to eye with the man who had hurt you so much many years ago and now was trying once again to do it.

“Leave, now” Kelly said angrily

“I’m not leaving anywhere unless it’s with my son”

By now everyone had already noticed the tension between the two and were getting around them, ready to back their lieutenant up or keep him from doing something stupid.

“Are you out of your mind? He never was and never will be yours”

“I have rights, he’s my son and I demand to see him” said getting closer to Kelly.

“You have no rights here, pal, you’re in my territory now and I’m not scared of you so before you do something you might regret just leave and leave my family alone because he’s MY son”

“Your family?” Ryan said before laughing “That dumb bitch will leave you just like she did with me, she’s not worth all the trouble, man”

“What did you just said!?” exploded Kelly pushing him back, everyone ready to break them apart.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you” said Matt getting in the middle when Ryan was about to push Kelly back.

“Yeah man, just leave” added Cruz, a halligan in his hands.

That’s when they both took a second to look around, almost everyone was there including chief Boden who was watching everything from behind, the only ones missing were the girls and Mouch, taking care of Aiden.

“I’m not done yet” said Ryan when he realized he was outnumbered.

“Yes, it is. Now leave and don’t ever come back” added Herrmann from the side.  

“Whatever, we’ll see about that” finished Ryan before leaving the fire house. 

“Are you okay, Severide?” stepped in chief Boden.

“Yes, sir” he said breathing and running a hand down his face.

“Good, now I suggest we let CPD know about this situation, it must be enough for them to do something. Back to work everybody”

Kelly knew it wasn’t going to be that easy but he didn’t care because no matter what he would always be ready to fight for his son, for his family.

_______________________

Masterlist

[purplesurveys]

1047

What’s the most historic thing that has happened in your lifetime? I can think of a few things. There’s 9/11 though I was barely conscious then, Osama Bin Laden’s death, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2011 Japan earthquake, and the H1N1 and Covid pandemics. In my country, there were typhoons Ondoy and Yolanda, the Manila hostage crisis, and the Hello Garci election corruption scandal. Out of these, though, I’d say the heaviest ones to bear have been 9/11 and Covid.

What happens in your country regularly that people in most countries would find strange or bizarre?

We use a spoon and fork to eat and only really fancy shmancy restaurants give you a knife and a fork. Many eat with their hands as well, though this is way more common in provinces.

Everyone is late to everything and punctuality isn’t a thing, which is a big culture pet peeve of mine and I still like arriving early/on time anywhere.

This applies to Asia in general lmao, but shoes typically aren’t allowed or at least frowned upon if they go beyond the main entrance of houses.

We start Christmas as early as September, and we end it by the last week of January

When families get together, aunts/uncles will usually greet their nieces/nephews by asking if they already have a boy/girlfriend and/or telling them that they got fat. Horror relatives will greet you with both.

People generally like to keep to themselves, so striking a friendly conversation with strangers even if you have the pure, genuine intention to be simply friendly will just lead them to think you’re being a creep lol

What has been blown way out of proportion? The effects of video games and the question of it increasing violence among kids. Sure there’ve been gruesome accounts and no one’s invalidating those, but the overwhelmingly vast amount of people who play video games end up okay. I had so many killing binges on GTA but to this day I can’t even look at a real gun without shuddering, lol. When was a time you acted nonchalant but were going crazy inside? This is me every morning at work. 9 AM-11 AM is always the busiest period and it’s a lot of shit happening at the same time and a lot of morning deadlines to meet, but unlike college I can’t exactly call for a timeout whenever I want and have panic attacks anymore.

What’s about to get much better? I hope my fucking life is next in line. I’m tired of being tired of being tired.

What are some clever examples of misdirection you’ve seen? Probably all the times WWE would mislead viewers on a rumored return or debut of a big name by saying they’re in another city, implying that there’s no way they’d be appearing on a WWE show. This happened with Ronda Rousey and it was so fucking exciting when she finally showed up, haha.

What’s your funniest story involving a car? I don’t know, really...I don’t try to be funny when I’m on the wheel lol. Probably the time I let Angela use my car on campus, and when she needed to make a u-turn she ended up doing an awkward 90º turn and had an SUV nearly crash towards us. She had only driven a handful of times at that point so she was a little clumsy, but neither of us had any idea she’d fuck up a simple u-turn as badly as she ended up doing lmao.

What would be the click-bait titles of some popular movies? I can think of more clickbait posters than titles, but I can’t seem to remember what those films are called right now.

If you built a themed hotel, what would the theme be and what would the rooms look like? Themed hotels generally make me cringe. The most theme-y place we ever stayed at was the lodge in Sagada and it was really just more homey than anything. I’m not into themes when it comes to hotels as I find it a little cheap lol and I’ve always preferred a straightforward experience in the places I stay at for vacations.

What scientific discovery would change the course of humanity overnight if it was discovered? A way to live forever. < This is a good one. Also, maybe a huge asteroid or meteor bound to hit the planet that will make widespread extinction a certainty? I can’t even begin to imagine the panic that will rise from something like that.

Do you think that humans will ever be able to live together in harmony? I doubt it. It sounds difficult especially when you realize we’re 7 billion in total.

What would your perfect bar look like? As long as there aren’t any annoying younger college kids, who are almost always the loudest crowd and not in a good way, I’m okay with any kind of bar.

What’s the scariest non-horror movie? Some shots in 2001: A Space Odyssey are freaky as fuck. There were several scenes that included sudden HAL shots, and I did not enjoy those. How the fuck Kubrick managed to make a computer scary is beyond me. I’ve also always skipped the vortex scene with the creepy face shots after seeing it once.

What’s the most amazing true story you’ve heard? This is a really vague question... a few months ago I watched this video diary of parents who had a child born at like 25 weeks. Just way too early, basically. And they recorded the kid’s weekly progress, how she kept fighting, and her journey of being transported from one machine to another while she still needed them. It was beautiful to see her get bigger and plumper with each week that passed and it was just such a feel-good story to watch. I was so relieved when they showed footage of her as a normal, healthy toddler by the end of the clip.

What’s the grossest food that you just can’t get enough of? I know balut is pretty unpopular in the Western part of the world, but I’ll gladly eat a dozen of them in one sitting. In general Asian street food is usually considered gross - pig intestines, chicken intestines, chicken feet, pig ears, etc., but all are normal in the culture I was raised in.

What brand are you most loyal to? It’s annoying and I can’t help it, but Apple.

What’s the most awkward thing that happens to you on a regular basis? I try not to make it regular, but sometimes a mistake on my end will slip through in an email I’m sending and I have to send another email correcting myself and apologizing for the oversight. One of my least favorite parts about work.

If you had to disappear and start a whole new life, what would you want your new life to look like? I’m not wishing for much. I just wish it was easier to remove any trace of me on social media sites and have it be as if I never existed because I think that would make it easier for me to move on from...well, you know what. I still have trouble verbalizing it and I don’t feel like mentioning it tonight.

But idk, I like staying connected to my family and friends, so idk if I can ever achieve that. And that said, I think I’m bound to always keep seeing her around.

What movie or book do you know the most quotes from? I memorize a pathetic amount of dialogue from Love Actually, Twilight, Titanic, and The Proposal.  What was one of the most interesting concerts you’ve been to? I guess Coldplay? They gave assigned lightsticks for each section and the crowd looked amazing when the production crew activated the lights for certain songs. I still have some of the clips because I posted them on Snapchat, so I’m really glad I did that; otherwise I would’ve lost the videos forever.

Where are you not welcome anymore? I’ve felt pretty unwelcome around her. How she could do a 180 and just not be interested in having anything to do with me is really soul-crushing.

What do you think could be done to improve the media? Fact fucking check, please. Also keeping sources balanced, avoiding clickbait headlines, being more objective than neutral, and don’t fucking sensationalize. How timely that this landed on a journalism graduate, hahaha.

What’s the most recent show you’ve binge watched? Start Up but I haven’t continued in the last two weeks :/ I think it’s because I know I’m nearing the finale and I subconsciously just don’t want to run out of Start Up episodes to watch lol but yeah, I still have four episodes left and I have no clue when I’ll watch it again.

What’s a common experience for many people that you’ve never experienced? Being close with their mom and considering them as their rock.

What are some misconceptions about your hobby? I don’t know enough about embroidery to know misconceptions about it.

What did you Google last? 2001: A Space Odyssey because I needed to be sure of the scenes I planned on citing in the question above that made me mention the movie.

What’s the dumbest thing someone has argued with you about? Not being able to find a restaurant to eat at. The backstory is a little complicated but it’s the same fight that led my younger brother to slap me across the face, and what subsequently led me to stop speaking to him.

If money and practicality weren’t a problem, what would be the most interesting way to get around town? Probably a tank.

What’s the longest rabbit hole you’ve been down? It’s always the ones on Wikipedia lol. I find weird and interesting articles on there all the time; there’s always something new to read.

What odd smell do you really enjoy? The rain, though sometimes it can be too overpowering when the humidity has been high. I like it for the most part, though.

What fashion trend makes you cringe or laugh every time you see it? Streetwear is so fucking dull to me. I never saw the appeal.

What’s your best story of you or someone else trying to be sneaky and failing miserably? Hahahaha this happened just a few weeks ago actually. My parents and I were headed out to have some ramen, and I opened the car door to hop onto the backseat. They didn’t prepare beforehand and they left the Christmas gift I asked for - a corkboard - in the backseat, so I was able to see the whole thing, unwrapped and with price tag and all. Their mortified faces knowing that their secret’s been blown were hilarious. They had no choice but to just give it up, and the corkboard has been on my wall since.

If you had a HUD that showed three stats about any person you looked at, what three stats would you want it to show? I guess the stability of our relationship, their general mood for the day, and erm how badly they need a hug because I’m always willing to give some.

What’s the best way you or someone you know has gotten out of a ticket / trouble with the law? My mom fake-cries her way out and it’s always been hilarious to see a grown ass woman do it and pull it off every time.

Tear gas makes people cry and laughing gas makes people giggle, what other kinds of gases do you wish existed? I don’t really want to manipulate people’s action in this way, so pass.

[artificialqueens]

Tree House Kisses, Chapter 10 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: Click here for previous chapters. xoxo!

Chapter Summary: Slumber party madness.

TW: Mild homophobia/biphobia based in ignorance

Chapter 10: Sleepover

Adore was determined to seal the deal on Violet and Pearl’s friendship. Her mom was out of town for the weekend, visiting her aunt, so Adore decided it was no better time than now. So, she invited Fame, Trinity, Willam, Violet and Pearl over to have a sleepover at her place. The two had been getting along better; Violet hadn’t been as harsh with Pearl as she had been during her first few days. Her snarky remarks and eye rolls whenever Pearl was near had declined immensely.

Pearl was the first to arrive, and helped Adore get her living room ready, pushing the couch and coffee table aside so that there was enough room for everyone and their sleeping bags, lining the floor with cushions and blankets, and setting out snack food.

“So, I never really understood what I did?” Pearl said as she popped a cashew into her mouth.

“Huh?” Adore looked at Pearl, confused.

“I mean, Violet…like did she ever tell you why she didn’t like me? It had to be a reason, other than just existing, right?” Pearl asked. She knew that Violet didn’t hate her like she did during their first few meetings, but Pearl also knew she was far from Violet’s favorite person, and it was driving her a bit mad.

“Look, Violet just has this thing with people,” Adore started shifting in her spot on the palate.

“A thing?”

“Yeah, she doesn’t really like people,” Adore tried to explain.

“You always say that, but she likes you and Fame and Trinity and Willam,” Pearl raised an eyebrow hoping that Adore would spill the secret to winning over Violet.

“Mhmm,” Adore nodded in agreement.

“So, you should probably tell me how to, like, win her over.”

“Oh, no. I having no fucking idea how to do that. I just figured that if I force you two to be in the same proximity enough, that she’ll eventually warm up to you,” Adore said, shoving a handful of chips in her mouth.

“I really hope you’re right, but I don’t know if-“ But Pearl’s thought was cut off by the doorbell ringing.  

“Party!” Adore smiled, hopping off the ground to answer the door, Willam and Trinity stood in the doorway, their pajamas already on, per Adore’s request.

“New girl!” Willam eyes lit up, pushing past Adore to sit next to Pearl.

“You know, it’s been like weeks. I don’t think I qualify for the ‘new girl’ nickname anymore,” Pearl drawled blinking slowly at Willam.

“Whatever,” Willam rolled his eyes.

“Willam, you can put your bag over by the couch,” Adore informed Willam, who had just dropped his bag at the door.

“Cuz can do it,” he said looking down at his fun.

“Do I look like a fucking maid?” Trinity shot back and when Willam turned, his mouth ready to say something smart, she added, “Don’t you say shit.”

“I got it,” Adore offered kindly, picking Willam’s bag up and then hurling it into the living room.

“Hey!” Willam exclaimed, and all three girls began to laugh at him.

-

Courtney arrived at Alyssa’s house, a little apprehensive about spending the whole night with these girls. It was one thing to eat lunch with them, but a sleepover without Adore there? She sighed. It wasn’t that she begrudged Adore her new friends - except maybe for Violet, who was a bitter little monster with some kind of weird ax to grind - but she just missed her. She missed having someone around who would always have her back. And sure, she had Roy, but it wasn’t the same thing. And sure, she had Roy, but it wasn’t the same thing. And it certainly wouldn't protect her tonight.

There were some girls who were just inclined to these types of groups. Alyssa, for example, was a Queen Bee. She always had a gaggle of followers. She was a girl’s girl. Same with Shangie, and Gia, and Laganja. And even Darienne, to some extent (although Darienne could hang with the boys too, but she was equally comfortable with this slumber party sorority stuff). Courtney liked being a cheerleader. She liked being part of a team. She liked fitting in. But there was no doubt that she’d never really belonged to a group of girls, not the way the others had. She and Adore had always just been a pair, perfectly happy to be all on their own.

“Courtney!” Alyssa snapped, waking her up from her thoughts.

“What?” Courtney blinked.

“I said, what do you want on your pizza? God, you are a bigger airhead than Gia sometimes. It’s exhausting.”

“Oh, uh...veggies? I guess? I’m a vegetarian, so plain cheese would be okay too.”

Alyssa rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Shangela put an arm around Courtney’s shoulders. “Come on, babe, don’t mind her. Sit over here with me and tell me all about that fine boyfriend of yours…”

Courtney looked at Shangie gratefully, not noticing the death glare Alyssa was shooting at the back of her head.

-

Fame and Violet arrived together, looking as beautiful as always. Fame wore a light pink nightgown, red roses decorating the bottom with matching thigh high socks, her blonde hair pulled on top of her head into a bun. Violet wore all black, satin shorts and top, her hair down for once.

As the girls settled in with the group, Fame greeted Pearl with a kiss to her cheek and compliments on her skin, which earned Pearl a glare from Violet.

“I have such bad skin sometimes, the past couple of days have been pretty good to me. And I’m like thank the deities,” Fame laughed.

“I’m sure you’re still just as gorgeous as always,” Pearl complimented her and Fame posed, hands framing her face.

“Why, thank you. Especially coming from someone as beautiful as yourself,” Fame giggled, squeezing Pearl’s thigh.

“Okay,” Adore groaned out, interrupting the two. “This is so gay and not the kind of gay I like.”

“Seriously,” Willam agreed, pulling out his phone.  

“What do you guys want to do first?” Adore asked excitedly , plopping down on the cushions beside Violet.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had a sleepover like this. Probably junior high or something, back when she and Courtney used to hang out at Dela’s house. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“We can watch some movies, play some board games, or do all that other girly shit that we’re supposed to do at sleepovers. Like paint each other’s nails, braid each other’s hair, have a pillow fight...” Adore trailed off with a light giggle.

Pearl humped her shoulders. Willam was busily texting on his phone, Fame looked deep in thought, Violet looked annoyed, and Trinity was prowling around the room in search of a liquor cabinet.

“Okay, so I think we should paint each other’s nails. I only have like three colors, but my mom has a shit ton of colors,” Adore said, trying to not let the others’ attitudes get to her. “Come on Vies, help me grab the polishes.”

Adore smacked Violet on the thigh before rising up, pulling Violet along with her. As they made their way to Bonnie’s bathroom, Adore decided to make sure that Violet was on her very best behavior.

“Violet, can you please just be nice tonight? Or like, at least try?”

“Why wouldn’t I be nice?”

“Violet,” Adore said, giving her a look.

“Fine, I just don’t like how she’s always all over Fame,” Violet said.

“Don’t act like Fame isn’t one of the touchiest, most flirtatious people there is,” Adore eyed Violet, who only rolled her eyes in response.

-

“Hold your hand still,” Willam growled out in frustration, fixing Fame’s hand on his thigh.

“I didn’t even move.”

“Then why is there nail polish on your finger instead of the nail?” He held Fame’s hand up to her face.

“Because you can’t paint,” Fame snatched her hand from Willam and crawled over to where Violet was getting her nails painted by Trinity.

“Where the fuck is the pizza? Has it been thirty minutes already?” Adore huffed out, moving slightly, earning a pinch from Pearl who was only doing slightly better than Willam.

“Halfbreed, get your ass back over here, so I can finish.”

“No, they already look horrible. Adore, where’s the polish remover?” Fame asked from her place behind Violet her chin on the girl’s shoulder.

“Don’t wipe my art off, halfbreed.”

“Shut up.”

Then the doorbell rang.

-

“Hold still, Gia, or I swear, your lashes are gonna come out even wonkier than usual!” April lectured as she glued Gia’s lashes down.

Alyssa cackled.

“Shangie, can you show me how you do that smoky eye thing?” Courtney asked.

“Sure! But do you even wear makeup?”

“I do! I don’t know why people always say that. I think my face just like, absorbs it,” Courtney laughed. “Adore once tried doing winged liner on me and it literally looked exactly the same as my regular face.”

“Speaking of Adore, I’m very proud that you’re branching out, Courtney,” Laganja said. “I mean, she was totally holding you back.”

“We’re still best friends, so watch it,” Courtney said sharply.

“Are you really?” Alyssa asked, one eyebrow raised, applying some pink lip gloss.

“Because she’s been eating lunch with those weirdo queer kids for weeks,” Gia added.

Courtney could feel her cheeks heating up. “It doesn’t matter who she eats lunch with. We will always be best friends.”

Alyssa yawned. “I mean, if you say so. Because it seems to me that she’s choosing to be friends with someone who insulted you and talks shit about you all the time. But what do I know?”

“She’s not responsible for Violet.”

Alyssa smiled deviously. “Of course not. But if someone treated my best friend the way Violet treated you...I’d probably murder them. But of course...Violet is doing other things for Adore that I’m probably not taking into consideration. And Adore isn’t me. Obviously.”

Courtney pressed her lips together, determined not to let Alyssa get to her.

-

“So, you think if Easy-E was still alive, that he would be as successful as Ice Cube and Dr. Dre are right now?” Adore asked Trinity, biting into her pizza.

“Yeah,” Trinity nodded.

Music was playing through the house on the speaker Bonnie had bought a few weeks ago as the gang all sat around trying not to burn their mouths on the freshly delivered pizza.

“Really?”

“It’ll be like Destiny’s Child. One would be the Beyonce, one would be Kelly successful and known, but not as good as Beyonce, then someone would be Michelle.”

Adore through her head back in laughter, “Don’t count Michelle out yet. She could still surprise us.”

“We’ll see,” Trinity shrugged.

“I think that if Left-eye was still alive, that TLC would be top of the charts.”

“Maybe, same thing with Aaliyah,” Trinity nodded.

“Rest in Peace,” Adore said crossing her chest then biting into her pizza.

-

“No, no, it’s like this…” Laganja demonstrated the dance move again. “Scoop your shoulder more…”

“You guys couldn’t find an accent beat if it bit you on the ass,” Alyssa snarked, shaking her head.

“Well...fuck…” Gia giggled, collapsing onto the couch.

“I mean, we dance in sneakers. If you had to put on heels and learn a real routine, you’d all probably end up with broken ankles and concussions.”

“Tell us how you really feel, Alyssa,” said Shangela.

Alyssa shrugged. “Whatever.”

Laganja laughed. “She’s right, though.” She pointed at Courtney. “You especially have no rhythm.”

“None at all,” Alyssa echoed. “Good thing you’re flexible.”

“I’m sure Roy appreciates it, too,” April giggled, covering her mouth.

“Gross,” said Alyssa.

-

“Draw two, Draw two!” Fame yelled at Trinity.

“Wait, is that on me? I thought somebody reversed it,” Trinity asked not wanting to accept the extra cards.

“Bitch,” Fame said grabbing the cards from the pull pile and trying to put them in Trinity’s hand.

“No, fuck that. I can draw my own cards,” Trinity knocked the cards out of Fame’s hand.

“Can you just pull the cards already?” Pearl spoke up.

“Shut up. Somebody, pull a draw four on this bitch, new girl only has three cards left,” Willam said leaning over in an attempt to look at Pearl’s card.

“Why are you trying to look at my cards,” Pearl whined playfully, leaning against Adore, hiding her cards in her lap.

“Willam is always trying to cheat,” Violet piped up. She was so concentrated on winning she had barely spoken a word throughout the game.

The girls had pulled down Bonnie’s wine and decided that a game of UNO would be better than watching a movie. It was only the first round and the game had already gotten intense. Willam had hid half his cards under his leg after being forced to draw six cards, thanks to Pearl putting down a draw four, Fame reversing the rotation and Trinity putting down a draw two card; which had lead to an argument about if they should start over or not.

“Fuck this,” Adore groaned, “Do we still have some pizza left?”

-

“Dare,” Gia said.

“Okay…” said April. “I dare you to...go upstairs and find something good from Alyssa’s parents’ medicine cabinet and bring it back down here…”

“Okay, fine!” Gia got up and sauntered up the steps of the rec room.

“Real mature, guys,” said Alyssa.

“Afraid of what she’ll find? Like your dad’s viagra?” Shangela dissolved into giggles.

“Please. My parents are so boring. I bet all they have up there is baby aspirin.”

The girls all looked up as knocking sounded at the sliding glass door. Alyssa jumped up and let Darienne in with her duffel bag. “It’s about time, girl!”

Darienne slipped inside, smirking. “Sorry. Thanks for covering for me. My mom didn’t call, did she?”

“No.”

“Darienne, you’re just in time for truth or dare. I think you need to choose truth,” said April, laughing.

“Okay, fine,” Darienne flopped down onto the sofa, grabbing a root beer. “Hit me.”

“What’s Jamin like in bed?” Shangela asked quickly, jumping in.

“I mean, I think he’s pretty good, but it’s not like I have a lot to compare it to,” Darienne answered thoughtfully.

“Okay, but how big is his dick?” asked Laganja.

“I thought you only ask one question at a time for this game…”

“No one cares about the game,” Laganja laughed.

Darienne rolled her eyes. “It’s big enough, trust me.”

“Why are you bothering Darienne about big dicks when Courtney is right there?” Shangela asked.  

All of the girls turned towards Courtney, who started blushing furiously.

“W-what?” she stammered.

Gia skipped down the stairs, shaking a bottle of pills. “Who wants Xanax?!”

“Shut up, Gia, Courtney was about to tell us about Roy’s dick!” April exclaimed.

“I...you guys...I don’t know what...we like, just started going out a few months ago…” Courtney said, embarrassed.

“You haven’t slept together?” Laganja asked.

“No!”

“Okay, but like, you must have at least blown him,” Gia stated.

“N-no…” Courtney looked around at their judgmental faces.

“What are you, like, some kind of born again Christian?” asked Gia.

“No, I just, I mean...we just…”

Darienne put a hand on her shoulder. “Guys, relax. There’s nothing wrong with taking things slow.”

“Thank you,” Courtney said quietly.

“I think people are just surprised, because you guys seem so...physical. I mean you practically get to third base at lunchtime,” Darienne tried to explain without piling on the judgment train.

Gia laughed. “Yeah, like you obviously don’t need to sleep with him. I’m just kind of shocked that you haven’t sucked his dick yet. You should probably do that before he gets bored and breaks up with you.”

“Yeah, listen to Gia. She totally knows what she’s talking about from her zero relationships,” Alyssa deadpanned, hitting Gia with a pillow.

-

“He’s gay?” Violet’s eyes were wide as she looked over her glass at Willam.

“Well, I sucked his dick,” Willam shrugged.

“But does that count?” Pearl asked, and Violet tried her hardest not to roll her eyes.

“Of fucking course it counts.”

“I mean, he could have just wanted to get his dick sucked,” Pearl shrugged.

“That’s some gay shit,” Trinity commented. Fame’s head was resting in her lap, and she was absentmindedly braiding her hair.

“We could say, that’s some gay shit,” Pearl gestured to Trinity and Fame’s position.

“I’m braiding her hair,” Trinity rolled her eyes.

“But, her head’s in your lap,” Pearl shot back, “Real close to the pussy.”

Trinity’s face scrunched up as form of disagreement, but she continued to play with Fame’s locks.

“That is kind of some gay shit,” Adore agreed, looking at the two.

“Plus, straight girls always hook up with lesbians just to make out, and because they know we eat better pussy. So it could be the same with guys. Well maybe not the making out part,” Pearl said, sitting back on her elbows.

“Look who’s the gay specialist,” Adore joked from her spot beside Fame and Trinity, “But really, if a girl hooks up with a girl and enjoys it, is she really ‘straight’ and same with a guy?” Adore looked around the circle.

“But aren’t all girl a bit bi-curious, so technically not into girls, but not not into girls?” Violet offered. “And this is a dude, which seems different.”

“Well, by the way he was fucking my face-”

“Woah!” Pearl held her hand up to stop Willam, “Too much information.”

“He could be bisexual,” Fame offered.

“Shut up, halfbreed. I told you that doesn’t exist,” Willam reached out, tapping Fame on the leg.

“Well, what do you call me? Because I love my boyfriend, but I also like girls-” Fame tried to sit up, but was motioned back down by Trinity.

“Greedy. You’re fucking greedy.”

“Will, you’re an ass and I don’t know why I still hang around you,” Fame rolled her eyes.

“Because us queers gotta stick together. Plus, I need to be there to console your boyfriend when you leave him for a girl,” Willam laughed, making a dick sucking motion.

“Whatever,” she huffed.

“Okay, but let’s talk about those girls that like to hook up with girls, but don’t actually want to be with them,” Violet said, her eyes flicking to Adore for the quickest second.

“Well, there’s variations,” Pearl said looking at Violet.

“Variations?”

“Yeah, girls who only want to make out with girls for a laugh or because some jock thinks it’s hot. Girls who like girls, but want to marry a man and have babies and shit. And closet cases,” Pearl wiggled her three fingers.

“Closet cases?” Trinity asked.

“Oh, shit, Pearl’s right,” Violet nodded in agreement shocked at herself for agreeing with the blonde. Pearl’s eyes lit up a bit, but she kept the smile off her face.

“A closet case. Is, well there could be different kinds, but basically someone who is in denial of their sexual attraction to other girls, for whatever reason, but totally likes girls,” Fame explained.

“But the most important rule to remember about this is never fall for a ‘straight’ girl,” Pearl said looking around at the group, before downing the rest of her drink.

“EVER,” Violet added, looking at Adore.

Adore looked down at her fingers, avoiding eye contact with Violet; ignoring the small voice in her head that was telling her otherwise.

-

Courtney shifted in her sleeping bag. She wasn’t used to this—being in a room with a bunch of girls, but feeling so alone. She wished that Adore was here. Adore wouldn’t make her feel like an idiot for waiting with Roy; Adore would probably make her laugh by calling the other girls a bunch of sluts.

“Darienne?” Courtney asked, turning to the older girl in the dark.

“Hmmm?”

“Do you think...do you think Roy is gonna get bored of me if I don’t...I mean if we don’t start...doing more…?”

Darienne smiled sleepily at her. “Courtney, you should just do what you want. You know how much he likes you, right? The real question is, do you want to take things farther with him? Like, sexually?”

Courtney considered this. She hadn’t really thought about it. The truth was, she really liked things the way they were. She liked making out with Roy, she loved kissing him and being held and touched and cuddled. She was aware that he wanted to take things farther, but she assumed that was just because he was a boy, and boys always wanted to have sex. She hadn’t really been worried about him being bored or frustrated, until tonight. She’d been so utterly happy when he said that he loved her, but now these girls had her second-guessing everything. What if he had ulterior motives for saying it?

The one thing that she knew for sure was that she wasn’t ready to have sex. Her mother had sat her down a few weeks earlier to try and discuss birth control, and it made her head spin and her stomach hurt. She’d promised Karen that she wasn’t sexually active or thinking about being sexually active, but that she would come back and talk to her if and when it applied.

So what if, for now, she wanted to keep things above the waist? Or at least, their pants on? That was her right. Wasn’t that, like, feminism? She closed her eyes, sighing.

-

Adore had woken up in the middle of the night, hungry for pizza. She carefully stepped over everyone, making sure not to wake them. Once she reached the kitchen, she was slightly surprised to find Violet at the table, a bag of chips open in front of her.

“You’re the last person I thought to find in my kitchen at 4 in the morning with the junk food,” Adore said keeping her voice low as to not disturb the others.

“Which is why you should have guessed that I would be that person,” Violet countered.

Adore grabbed a slice of pizza cold pizza from the box, sitting down beside her.

“Question…” Violet said.

“Yeah?”

“Why didn’t you invite Courtney tonight?” Violet’s pointed tone caught Adore off guard.

“Uhm, because I wanted it to just be us; and I think she had plans anyway,” Adore shrugged.

“It’s just that you’ve been real persistent on hanging with us and not them--not that I mind, actually I like it better this way--but it basically started the day she got together with Roy.”

Adore took another bite of her pizza, shrugging and avoiding Violet’s gaze.

“Do you hate him?” Violet asked suddenly.

“No, no, where did you get that from?” Adore shook her head, confused.

“You said that he tortured you when you were kids...”

“No, I said we used to fight when we were kids, because he was bossy and a know-it-all. Like how you fight with your siblings but you still love them,” Adore said with a smile.

“But he’s not your brother,” Violet countered. “He’s the dude who’s fucking your little bae. You’d totally skin him alive if you could.”

Adore bristled. Why did Violet always have to needle her like that?

“He’s not fucking her, Violet, and--”

“Not yet, maybe. Give it a month,” Violet said, brushing the crumbs from her hands and getting up from the table.

As Adore finished her pizza, she tried to convince herself that she didn’t care. She told herself that she wasn’t in love with Courtney and that it didn’t matter if she were because Courtney was with Roy, who she for sure didn’t hate. And she was very happy for both of them.

[softboywriting]

What Luck | Werewolf!Shawn Soulmate AU

A/N: So I was sick today and I have a splitting migraine but I had to get this out because I’d lose it if I didn’t. Anyway this probably sucks and is too rushed and shit but I don’t care. 

Word count: 2,200

| Masterlist |

Shawn and his mom moving in with you and your mom was possibly the best idea anyone had ever. First of all he was an alpha. A very big, very attractive, and very single alpha. Second of all you were an omega. A highly sought after werewolf, kind of adorable, very single omega. It just so happened the two of you would hit it off perfectly and you wouldn’t have to worry about finding the right one anymore because he was literally about to move in with you. What luck.

You had always grown up with just your mom. It was you and her against the world but when she got moved from a full time position at work to a part time one, the house became nearly impossible to afford. So your mom was faced with two options, move and find a small apartment or find someone to live with. The second option was a little off the table since her only sibling had half a dozen kids and she really didn’t want to have to squeeze into their already packed house. Getting an apartment was all good and fine in theory but finding one that was a two bedroom in a price range she could afford was nearly impossible.

When it seemed the only hope was to move into your aunt and uncle’s little chaos corner of the world, your mom got a phone call. Her best friend was moving back into town and she and her son were looking for a place to stay until she could get them an apartment. Of course this was perfect timing. Your house was plenty spacious for two more people and your mom could use the help. So two weeks later and you were helping Karen and her son who you hardly remembered as more than a brace faced dweeb that teased you about being so small, move into your house and that’s when your luck changed for the better.

“Sure you can carry that by yourself, pup?” Shawn asks from behind you.

You spin around, that voice and that nickname oh so familiar. Pup was what Shawn would call you because you were so small when you were a pre teen. You loathed that nickname but somehow now it seemed more endearing. You end up dropping the very heavy box you were carrying and staring at Shawn. He was six feet of well fit, mouth watering, jaw dropping gorgeous alpha. He was like those guys you saw on tv, the perfect guys with the handsome faces and six pack abs. He wasn’t real. This wasn’t Karen’s son. This wasn’t that kid with the braces and pierced ears you first met at a tupperware party when you were twelve. This had to be one of the movers...right?

“Oh shit, my books,” Shawn grumbles, walking over to where you dropped the box and an array of books were now scattered about your feet. “I’m Shawn by the way...you remember me right? Are you okay? Hello?” Shawn waves his hand in front of you, ducking down a bit to get at eye level with you.

“I’m not a pup,” you mumble, eyes cast down to the books. “I’m not twelve anymore, and I’m not a pup.”

“I know you aren’t twelve” He grins, squatting down and picking up the books while still looking up at you. He stands, an arm full of books as he reaches out and tilts your face up by your chin. “But you look like a cute pup to me.”

A flush spreads across your face and you turn away from him, all but running back into the house and up to your bedroom. The rest of the day goes by with your heart pounding every time he passed your bedroom door to put something in his room across the hall or you heard him talking. You had it bad for him. Real bad. But that’s okay, because he had it real bad for you too.

______________________________

Shawn invites himself into your room a few weeks later, casually walking in and laying down on your bed. You look over at him from where you’re sat with your laptop on your lap. “Hello?” you ask with a chuckle.

He looks over at you with a small smile and you can’t help but smile back. God why did he have to be so damn infectious? You were already, without a doubt, under his stupid charming alpha spell and he knew it. “Would you do me a favor?” he asks softly.

“A favor?”

“Yeah, a favor. I have a headache and the only thing that seems to help is when I rub my temples but I’m tired of rubbing them.”

You raise your eyebrows. “You want me to rub your head?”

Shawn rolls over, beaming at you with that adorable smile and those big brown eyes. “Please? I promise I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“You’d give me whatever I want anyways,” you smirk, remembering the other morning when he used all the milk for cereal and you complained you wanted cereal so he gave you his whole bowl. Then there was the day you were walking down to the corner store for snacks and you mentioned you were cold. He’d peeled his jacket off for you so fast it wasn’t even funny. He let you shower first every day, he let you eat the rest of his favorite ice cream, he even let you keep his fuzzy blanket that you fell asleep under on the couch while watching a movie.

Shawn bites his lip and looks down at your lap. “So what if I’m soft on you? I’ll give you more of whatever you want.”

“Alright, fine,” you giggle and put your laptop aside. Shawn crawls over and lays his head on the pillow you place on your lap and looks up at you. You can’t help but touch his jaw, ghosting your fingertips over either side as his eyes fall closed. You bring them up to his temples as start rubbing slow deliberate circles into the mess of hair there.

He purrs, mouth falling open a bit as you rub away. He grips the blankets and you can’t help but notice the way his toes seem to curl and uncurl. For a moment you stop so you can unfold your legs and reposition the pillow on your stomach as you lean against your headboard. Shawn’s hands find your legs and as soon as you start rubbing his head again he returns the favor, sliding his hands up and down your calves. His purring continues until they turn into soft snores and you just let him lay there and sleep. He looked so sweet, so tender while he slept. It made your stomach flip flop to know he trusted you enough to see him like this. It made you wonder what went through his mind when he saw you. ______________________________

Things go on like this for weeks. The two of you becoming incredibly close, but never saying anything about it. You go out to dinner together. He helps you with your homework. You watch movies together and talk for hours on end. It was as if the two of you had been together forever, it felt so comfortable, so natural. Hand holding became the normal. Forehead kisses in the morning and at night or just whenever became normal. Shawn somehow wiggled his way into your heart and settled there and you didn’t mind one bit. The first night Shawn stays in your room you think you know he is the one. You’d never slept well with another person before, but with Shawn you slept like a log. He held you close, arm tucked around your chest with his face pressed into your hair. It felt so right, so perfect. You wanted it every night.

The day after you share your bed you find yourself walking in the woods thinking about how you want to approach Shawn about the relationship the two of you had built. What were you? Just friends? A couple? Mates? You bite your lip and look up at the canopy over head. God, to have Shawn as your mate would be the best thing that ever happened to you. Deep down you hoped that was what he thought of you, that he felt the same way. He’d never indicated that he didn’t, but insecurity sucked and you couldn’t help but second guess everything.

You wander along a while longer, lost in your own thoughts when you hear it, a low growl from the trees beside you. You back up on the trail, stumbling over a branch and losing your balance for just a second. A large black wolf steps out of the tree cover and onto the path before you. Not once in your life had you ever encountered a wolf like this in these woods. Your heart races, panic setting in as you think this may be a werewolf that’s lost its sense of humanity. Those werewolves from horror stories your friends told each other in high school.

You turn and start to run. Branches and leaves whip by you as you make your way back to the flat stretch of grass that was your backyard. Your feet ache, slamming into the dirt and rocks that lined the earth below you. You were fast for an omega but not fast enough. A heavy weight slams into your back just as you step foot onto the lush grass of your yard. Your knees hit the ground first and then your chest, you’re pinned under the wolf. Before you can cry out for Shawn, the werewolf on top of you shifts and suddenly you feel teeth on your shoulder. Very not wolf like teeth.

“I got you, pup,” Shawn whispers huskily into your ear.

Relief washes over you as you realize the black wolf was just Shawn fully shifted. “You’re a jerk,” you grumble as you try to roll over under Shawn’s weight.

Shawn crawls off and rolls you over onto your back. “I was just playing with you,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair.

“Just playing?” you groan, rolling over and sitting up. You brush some grass off your knees and push at his shoulder. “You could tell me that before you scare the crap out of me. I thought you were some feral werewolf come to kill me in the woods.”

Shawn kneels in front of you and helps you clean your legs off. “I wouldn’t let any other wolves near you,” he looks at you through soft lashes, “You know I’ll keep you safe right?” You nod, knowing he would. He reaches out and picks some grass from your hair and off your cheek. Once he’s satisfied with his cleaning, he rests his hand on your knee. “Sorry I tackled you so hard.”

“It’s fine,” you smile softly. “I’m just not used to having an alpha around.”

Shawn stands up and grabs your arm as you reach out to him. He hauls you up with ease, pulling you close to him and smiling. “I’m going to be around for a while y’know.”

“I sure hope so,” you say with a little smile. Now would be the perfect time to ask him what you were to him but you just can’t seem to get it out. You turn and head for the house instead. He doesn’t let you go for more than a few steps before he’s falling in sync beside you and putting his arm around your shoulders. “What?” you laugh nervously as he looks down at you. You secretly hope he can’t read your mind or something because he looks like he wants to say something important but isn’t.

“Nothing, you’re just really cute.” Shawn says with a boop to your nose before he runs into the house. You chase after him and as soon as you get into the doors he scoops you up with his arms around your waist.

“Hey!” you squeal, kicking in his grasp and he gives a little nip the back of your neck and making you go still. “H-hey, that’s not fair. You know that’s my weak spot.”

“Of course I do,” Shawn murmurs, nuzzling your neck and biting again playfully. “I oughta know all my pup’s weak spot.”

You flush. He’d never called you his before. You liked how it sounded. “Say it again,” you whisper and he turns you around his his arms. You look up at him and he is grinning big.

“Pup.”

You shake your head.

“My pup,” he says putting emphasis on the ‘my’ part. You grin and he leans down, kissing your forehead. “My babe.” He kisses your nose. “My girl,” he whispers, lips brushing against yours before he captures them in the softest kiss you’ve ever received. It’s innocent, warm and gentle, and you never want it to end. You bring your arms up around his back and he stops for just a moment, lips still brushing yours as he says, “My mate.”

[pomme106]

Reunion (MC/Asra)

Summary: Asra goes to the Lazaret, following the magic of his lover he separated from after they chose to stay and search for a cure to the plague. Painful memories of their life drive him to search for a way to bring them back as he drives himself to the farthest points of exaustion.

Fluff/Angst

Feat. Apprentice Pomme (They/Them)

Word count: 3,230

“I’m sorry,”

The words echoed in some kind of space. Sorry for the pain, sorry they couldn’t do anything, sorry for the argument, sorry they didn’t just listen.

Asra felt it, though he couldn’t hear it. He felt the remnants of their fleeting magic clinging to the putrid air of the Lazaret and he knew he was too late.

The last pieces of his lover’s magic led him to their remains. If anyone could even call them that. Ashes mixed together from so many others, bones splintered and black that were crushed underfoot and buried unceremoniously by thin layers of other people’s remains.

The feeling of willow leaves brushing against his skin told the magician he was there, standing amid the remainder of them.

He fell to his knees, clothes stained with the ashes of those lost to the plague, gripping at the blackened sand as he dug. They had to be there. There had to be something left of them, something for him to hold onto or… Or say goodbye to.

Asra’s fingers bled and itched as the sand and ash mixed together over his cuts, but he didn’t wince. There was too much at stake for him to take even just a second away from his pursuit. They had been in much worse pain than he was, he owed it to them to keep going.

Something foreign poked just barely out of the earth beneath his hands and the magician dug as if his own life depended on the discovery of the treasure.

A single leaf from a willow tree twirled between his thumb and forefinger and he knew exactly what it was. Nothing green or pleasant grew on the cursed island where the sick were sentenced to die. Everything was charred black and dying on this disgusting piece of land in the middle of the sea, but not this.

This one green leaf shone so brightly in the dark decay of this world that Asra knew exactly what it was. A final manifestation of his lover, their favorite tree, the place they took Asra for their first kiss, the solid form that their magic took whenever they conjured or reached out to touch Asra’s mind.

His watering eyes were so focused on the leaf that he almost missed what else was unearthed in his frantic assault on the beach. A bit of yellow tassel sewn onto magenta fabric, the same he worn slung around one shoulder.

“It matches your outfit and travelling cloak! Come on, Asra, I’ll wear it too, if you’d like. There’s only four left and he said he would give us a discount! Think how nice it would be in the shop!”

A memory, a phantom tugging at his mind. So painful now he screamed as the tears fell down his cheeks. His heart pounded and ached, threatening to burst away from his ribs and tear itself apart.

Still, there was something else in the dirt. Asra didn’t want to pick it up, he didn’t want to see it, or know it still existed. If it wasn’t there, wasn’t real, then his lover would still be here, still be alive.

With trembling fingers he scooped up the last remaining piece of them and touched the gem that hung from his neck. A golden earring with a blue crystal dangling from the end, the crystal a near perfect twin to the one on the cord around his neck.

He remembered this earring so well, remarking at the clumsy craftsmanship that brought it together. He made it so many years before; before he thought any of this life was a possibility.

He sat behind a magic shop trying to sell masks and jewelry he made for extra coin. The night of the Masquerade would certainly bring him more business than usual. And it did! He already made enough money to buy he and Muriel a few decent meals and some fruit from the market.

Things might have been looking up for the orphan when a slender shape fell into his makeshift stall, swearing at the crowds just outside for pushing them around.

Asra stared in wonder at the stranger, never seeing anyone so beautiful in his entire life. When they noticed the dirty boy, they smiled and apologized for their harsh language and Asra knew he was lost at the way their bellchime of a laugh circled around his heart.

They looked at the things Asra sold and their face lit up as they noticed his simple necklace, the first he ever made. Asra offered to give it to the stranger, but they declined with a gentle chuckle.

“I would love some earrings with that same gem if you ever happen upon it again,” They had said and Asra eagerly agreed. The stranger slipping a hand into their pouch and setting more than enough coins on the tattered fabric the trinkets laid under. “I hope I can see you next year, your creations are beautiful.”

A down payment he hadn’t even asked for, all for some earrings. But he made them, dozens of them, just so the stranger would stay longer and Asra could just listen to them, talk to them.

They saw each other for so many years after that it seemed only natural that Asra would move into the magic shop the stranger (No longer a stranger, now) shared with their aunt. Great Aunt Fleur gave Asra a job immediately, complete with a room and meals and a safe spot to practice magic. The stranger he fell in love with had been known to use magic as well, making them an easy favorite at the theater where they lived as a dancer and performer.

They fell in love. And everything seemed wonderful. Their magic melded so nicely with Asra’s it was almost insane to think they weren’t meant to be. The stranger… No. Pomme. Pomme was a light Asra never thought he needed, and dare he imagine… He was happy and life could be happy, and he would continue to be happy.

Until life said otherwise.

The plague that chased through town after town finally took hold in Vesuvia and Great Aunt Fleur was one of its first victims. She tried to beat it, tried to mix remedy after remedy to beat it away from her Vesuvia, but she just couldn’t fight it anymore.

Great Aunt Fleur was all Pomme had left. The same plague ripping their family apart one by one until they were the last with the name Monell.

Asra was scared-- terrified-- of losing Pomme, too, and he begged them to run with him, to leave Vesuvia and find somewhere where they could live together away from the looming cloud death cast around them.

But Pomme said no.

Their whole family was gone and everywhere they looked, they saw other families being torn apart by the same disgusting sickness.

There was a group of doctor’s who were studying the plague, trying to find a cure, and a Doctor Devorak had agreed to take Pomme as an apprentice.

They weren’t a healer, but maybe their magic could do something.

There was yelling.

There was crying.

There was begging, bargaining, pleading.

And there was stubbornness.

And then there was a door slamming and the sound of rain on the roof.

Asra would always regret that night.  He could have stayed. He could have made them leave. He could have done a lot of things.

But now he would have to live with his choices as he dragged himself from the beach and into the boat that would take him back to his life.

The empty magic shop groaned in the night as Asra stepped through its door, still covered in ashes, still clinging to the last pieces of Pomme he found.

There had to be something he could do, something to reverse time, or the plague, or… Something to let him be with Pomme again.

It took time but Asra found Julian Devorak and learned that the Count Lucio had hired the doctor to cure him of the plague. Rumor had it that Lucio had brought the plague from some far distant land that he laid claim over in his pointless wars. Maybe if Asra couldn’t bring Pomme back, he could at least get revenge for them and their family.

Asra joined the doctor and marketed himself as an entertainer for the Count and a spiritual counsel, “Someone from beyond may have an idea how to stop this plague,” Asra had said. No amount of magic was needed to convince the dying Count, desperate to save his own disgusting life.

It took even longer for Asra to learn the patience he needed to deal with Lucio and Julian. Both whiny, both needy, all in different ways. His only solace was Countess Nadia, a level head to confide in and trust.

Days and weeks passed before Asra had found a solution. An old ritual talked about in an even older book stashed in the oldest part of the library of the palace. It was risky to say the least, but any chance he could take to bring back Pomme was well worth it.

It was difficult to convince Lucio to proceed with the ritual to contact the Arcana, but the dying man listened and forced his wife, doctor, and courtiers, to participate in whatever way the magician needed them to. Julian was making no headway with his science, and so magic seemed the best possible choice from there.

The night came and Asra tried his best to feign his nervousness. Any chance to be with them again, any chance to be with them again, any---

“It’s possible, but I’ll need something in return.” The Magician ran a nail through the hair on his chin, a sly smile dancing across his face.

“Anything,” Asra was almost too eager to reply. All caution thrown to the wind in his hunt for resurrection.

“My, my,” The Magician laughed. “So quick to make a deal before you know what I want. Then I’ll forgo my usually monologue and get right to the point,”

Asra watched as his teacher paced around the space between them.

“You’ll need to give up someone in exchange, not necessarily an equal just---”

“Lucio.” Asra wouldn’t hide the disdain in his voice and the intensity made the Magician laugh.

“Very well,” The fox continued. “And then you’ll need to give up something for Pomme to return, to live. It’s harder than you think to bring someone back from the dead.”

Asra felt his heart drum in his chest, pounding against his bones and sending blood rushing through his veins. His hand flitted up to cover the spot his heart was and felt the vibrations beneath the skin and muscle.

“The deal is struck.” The Magician cooed without Asra even needing to say a word. A brilliant light flashed before Asra’s eyes, blinding him, and a searing pain ripped through his chest, like his heart was being torn apart by greedy hands.

Asra woke on the floor of the magic shop a dull throb in his temples as his eyes stung against the morning sunlight. People were shouting in the streets about the palace, and nothing good was being said. A fire broke out mysteriously and the Count was dead, burnt so fiercely that nothing but ashes remained and settled in his chambers. Doctor Julian Devorak was to blame but he was nowhere to be found and the Countess--

Asra shut the windows, blocking out the sounds of the world.

Lucio was dead and Asra was still alone, no matter what he did or sacrificed. Pomme would never return to him.

The magician had given up, lost his lust for a future and delved into the darkness of his depression, thoughts occupied by memories of his lover and plans on how to join them in the afterlife.

But then… Then something happened. Faust slithered along the countertop of the shopfront and hummed eagerly until Asra looked at her. He felt something and could tell Faust felt it too.

The snake swayed anxiously, tail pointing towards the stairs until Asra woke enough to pay full attention to her.

Friend! She urged. Friend!!!

Up the stairs? Friend upstairs where Pomme’s things were? Pomme? Up?

Asra’s feet drove him to the stairs and up the cracking wood two at a time until he nearly fell face first into the wall of the small living area. The small bed was closed off from view by a woven tapestry hanging by a low hanging beam and Asra took hold of it roughly and ripped it from its resting place to reveal

Nothing.

Just the bed and mountain of pillows and blankets and thin layer of dust. Asra nearly collapsed as the icy grip of realization pulsed through his veins.

Faust slithered along the floor of the living space, tongue flicking as she went, he path clearly set to the small window facing towards the docks.

“Faust don’t do that.” Asra grumbled, a sob choking his words. “Don’t get my hopes up. Pomme isn’t here, they’re--”

There!!! The little voice of his familiar screamed in his head as she pressed her tail forcefully against the glass, pointing towards the docks.

No, past the docks. Out on the water. Out to the Lazaret.

Heart! Oh, if only the snake could communicate in complete sentences.

“Faust, do you mean?” He didn’t have to finish his sentence as the snakes head bobbed furiously up and down.

Pomme was there. Faust could feel their heartbeat, Asra’s heartbeat calling through the wind. Asra felt something familiar, too, and opened the small window only to feel a full force blast of the magic he would recognize anywhere. Leaves tickling his face and hair so urgently that he swatted at the feeling with no relief.

The sensation petered out but was still there, a faint trail that Asra could follow.

And follow he did.

The tapestry was still clutched in his hands as he ran full force to the docks, jumping in the first empty boat he found and setting the ocean into a frenzy as he forced the tides to carry him out to the island coated in death. The gondolier yelled obscenities at the young man from the dock but made no attempt at chasing the magician, especially when he realized the course his boat was set towards.

The sense of magic grew stronger the closer to shore Asra got and the boat had just barely touched the sandbank when Asra lept from the vessel and ran across the black sand, into the forested land, and out again onto the sandy plain he had been led to before.

What he saw made him drop onto his knees once again.

Covered in ashes and curled into themselves was the naked form of his lover, in the flesh, alive, breathing, trembling.

Hot tears rushed down Asra’s flushed cheeks as he crawled towards the form, each step brought Pomme’s name to his lips as he sputtered and grasped at their arms, shoulders, waist, anything he could feel to know they were real.

Their body was cold from the night in nature and Asra’s vague realization of the fabric in his hand came quickly as he covered their body in it, rubbing their arms to start heating them.

He was so excited to see them alive that he hadn’t noticed that they hadn’t noticed them. Pomme hadn’t lifted their head, hadn’t moved their arms, legs, body, anything even as Asra touched them.

Cradling their torso and head in his head, Asra lifted them into his arms and moved their long curls away from their face to see them, preparing for the worst. But what he got was somehow more terrifying than when he learned they had died in the first place.

Pomme was staring at Asra, awake and something that Asra would describe as alert, but their eyes were glazed over, staring at his face with no recognition of who he was.

“Pomme, are you alright? It’s Asra. It’s me, Pomme. Do you hear me?” Eyes searched the dirty face as empty eyes stared back, inspecting, analyzing.

They were alive but they were not much more than a shell. Their memories were gone, they couldn’t speak, couldn’t walk, couldn’t do much more than blink and breathe.

Asra carried them to the boat, set them in safely, and carried them up and along the docks towards their home.

People who knew the dancer gasped and hurried away from the sullied magician as he walked the streets of Vesuvia. They had never seen anyone return from the Lazaret, especially when they heard that no one on the island was alive anymore. But there they were, just as if they were never sick.

When Asra closed the door of the shop, he wasted no time taking Pomme up the stairs into the living space they shared. Asking the salamander in the stove to heat the kettle and some water as he balanced the form of his lover on their feet in front of the bathtub.

Barely did Asra even release his grasp on Pomme did the latter stumble and fall into Asra’s arms. He noted that they gripped his shirt for help, refusing to release the fabric even as Asra steadied them into the tub and lowered them to sit in the warm water.

For weeks the magician was patient and slow. He spoke to Pomme often, almost nonstop as he waited and hoped that they would reply. He helped them wash and feed themselves as the use of their arms and legs slowly returned to them.

When Pomme was sleeping, Asra would sit in the dark shop trying in vain to contact his teacher, the Magician of the Arcana, seeking answers and solutions. But the cards were silent, so the white haired magician poured over every magical text he had gotten his hands on.

No help would come from the books or scrolls, and Asra had pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes to fight off the overpowering exhaustion that plagued him, an irritated groan escaping his throat as he sighed in defeat, his patience for their recovery stretched to its breaking point.

Nothing would help and maybe Asra had done the wrong thing after all.

The creak of the stairs startled him out of his thoughts as he whipped his head to look at them, a dizzy spell causing his vision to blur momentarily.

Blinking the spots from his eyes, though, Asra saw something he never thought he’d see again.

Pomme stood at the bottom of the stairs, wearing nothing but his shirt, and bracing themself against the wall as they stared on in confusion and concern.

Asra had already stood from his seat and crossed the room to the beautiful figure, wrapping an arm around them to steady them as he cupped their cheek with his free hand. Tears filled his eyes as Pomme looked into his face with recognition of who he was, the person who cared for them in their lame state of being, the first face they saw, the first sensation of love they knew.

“As… Asra,” Pomme’s voice broke, sounding hoarse from months without use and Asra felt his breath stop, a smile pressing the corners of his cheeks as he kissed Pomme gently.

[rockpapertoast]

The Point

Mama told me not to swallow the pit of my cherry or else a big ol’ tree would grow right inside my belly. She told me that the deep red color made my lips look like Gran’s and that they were beautiful. I picked up the tiny fruits, one at a time, pulling off the green stems and piling them on the wooden steps. Mama sat in front of me so I watched her do it first. I ripped mine apart, turning my fingers pink and wet. I could see the little pit peeking through right in the middle. I ripped it out with my teeth, gnawing off all the little pieces that stuck to it, and spat it right in front of me as hard as I could. It hurt my mouth. She slowly turned back and looked at me with her big brown eyes and a smile. “Mama gonna getcha!” She growled at me as she squeezed me on either side. She tickled me red juice dribbles.

It was our first full day at The Point and we came in so late that we didn’t have time to get groceries, so cherries were all we had. There was a stick of butter left in the refrigerator, along with some squished old Wonderbread and a can of Krunzhmann’s Smoked Ham. Pop had probably left them. 

The Point was my great grandpa’s house when he was a little boy. His family grew up, all together, in this tiny house with one bedroom and one other room that held the furniture and kitchen stuff. No one can stay in the winter anymore because there’s no heat and the snow here gets really cold and deep, so Pop opens it in May for the summer months and me and Mama always come here to work after my school gets done. Mama works. I work more like part- time. The place is full of dust and old pictures- it gave me the creepies when I was little, especially after Dad stopped coming with us. He met a woman named Sherry and they have two girls together now, Shiva and Lillia. They sound like puppy names to me. Shiva would bark more. I see him once a month for strawberry milkshakes and a hug. He knows I like the cherry on top and extra whipped cream, so he gives me his. 

I remember Dad telling me stories about the pictures of Pop and his old friends. They are covered in dust and rusted-golden picture frames with warped glass covering the black and white figures. I would sit on his lap at night before bed and he would bump me up and down on his knee, telling me how many places Pops had traveled, how the blueberries that grow here are magic, and how the biggest fish in the entire world lived in the lake right outside. “He looks out for you when you’re out there swimmin’ like a big girl,” he’d say, “you can’t go out past the McDermott’s place or else he’ll come nibble on those toes!” I liked my Dad a whole lot even before the milkshakes.

After we finished our cherries, I sat on the back porch and tried to tie two stems together in my mouth. I always heard that was a sexy type of thing to be able to do, but I could never imagine how someone’s tongue could be capable of such a thing. Mine wasn’t. The back of my throat felt like it was tearing apart and the stems tickled the side of my tongue. Ripples of waves slowly moved towards the shore, just a few feet away from our deck. I could hear my tummy gurgling over the faint sound of the bird clock chirping inside, but I held it tight with both hands. I bet there were a hundred Bluegills out there in the lake just swimming around looking for breakfast, too. I don’t think they can eat cherries, or the pits. 

Mama and I left at five after nine to walk to town. The hills seemed much bigger than last summer. They were extra turny and the morning wasn’t fully gone yet so the clouds were stuck all around us, hanging on with all their might. Mama tells me that at night the clouds come in real close to hug us and keep us warm, just like a blanket. I don’t know if I believe her but I like the idea of extra blankets at night. I always get cold.  

“What kinda tree is this, Magpie?” Mama asked me as she let go of my hand and walked towards a dark green furry kind a few feet away from the road.

“How in the heck should I know that? It’s a green one, Suza, that’s what kind it is. A fuzzy green one that is not awake yet so he would appreciate it if you’d stop touchin’ him, thank ya very much!” I told her right back. She gets mad when I’m sassy to her but she woke up with big eyes this morning. That’s usually a good sign. 

“Miss Magapoo! You little devil, sassin’ your Mama first thing in the mornin’. Should’a left ya in Chapin!” Mama picked off a piece of the green fur tree and brought it back to me, sticking it right up to my nose. It smelled sweet, like most of the air up here. 

“Peeyeew!” I shouted at her. She knew I was joking and she laughed right back at me.

“Hemlock, Miss Magpie. He’s got some wide needles, round ends,” Mama said as she bent down next to me, holding up the needles to my face real close, “and if you flip ‘em over, you see he’s got two kinda white lines here.” 

“Hemlock. Hemmmlock!” I said, making up a song to help me remember. Mama always asks me about trees and I can’t remember them all. There’s so many up here so I try to make ‘em into songs or memories somehow. Like the Oak- I fell off of it smack dab on my bum when I was four and cried so hard I threw up all over myself. Mama wouldn’t dare let me forget that one. We don’t have the same kinda trees in South Carolina, so it’s hard to keep ‘em separate. 

We got to Tawny’s Market and I picked out the pink lemonade. I like the kind that looks like a jar because who doesn’t love the smack sound it makes when you yank off the top? I asked Mama if we could get summer sausage and she said we’d have some at Pop’s later. I always peel off the skin around it, the slimy clear stuff gives me the spooks, but the inside is nice and salty. We checked out and I helped put our food into the totes that Mama had brought with us. We ran into Tawny on our way out. She’s one hard lady to track down on a Saturday morning. 

Tawny had long brown hair that came almost all the way down to her butt and was tucked into one fat braid that swished side to side on her back as she walked. She saw us walking towards the bakery and opened her mouth wide, giving us big eyes and spreading out her arms. She jetted towards us full- speed. She smushed me with her fanny pack as she hugged me all kinds of tight and kissed my forehead. 

“Welcome back, so glad to see ya, Mags! Come down and visit anytime. We’re makin’ zucchini bread tomorrow if you wanna come help out while your Mama’s at work!” She was always real nice to me every summer and I usually came to visit about once a week when I got bored of Tommy Joe. She and Mama hugged and talked for a few minutes while I sat on the wooden bench right next to the bulletin board full of advertisements for lawn care, dog walkers and babysitters. I never understood who would just pick up somebody’s information at a market like that, but a lot of the flyers had been torn off where the tags stuck out. 

I wanted to ask for a jelly doughnut but I knew Mama would say no. Tawny used fresh raspberry jelly that was just the right amount of sweet and tart. Whenever I would disappear for an hour or so and come back home with a bag of sweets before dinner, Mama wouldn’t even get mad that my tummy was already filled up. She liked treats, too.  Tawny is TJ’s Mom and one of Mama’s best girls up here. They grill together sometimes and drink cocktails with booze in ‘em when me and TJ play sticks in the woods, or things like that. Tommy Joe is my best friend or something. I guess he’s my best friend when we’re in New London, so for three months of sunshine. It’s the same starting over every year. 

Mama has been working at the Toy Museum down the street ever since I can remember. Great Grandpa started collecting old antique cars and gadgets when he was a swinger and he kept ‘em all there. It’s made up of a few big garages jam- packed with old cars, creepy toys with painted faces, and a whole lot of spiderwebs. Uncle Don runs it now, since he lives here full- time, and helps Pop, who can’t do all that much heavy stuff anymore. Uncle Don is Mama’s older brother. His wife died of cancer two summers ago and ever since then, he only smiles with his eyes. He’s got one great big wrinkle that fits right across his forehead when he makes smile- eyes, but that’s all. Aunt Jill died of the same kinda cancer that took my Gran. Something happened to their lady parts. Uncle Don used to have real nice dimples on his cheeks, but they’ve been lost for a long time now. Auntie Jill had been sick ever since I was four, so I don’t remember her without a quilt on her lap and pink hat keeping her smooth little peach-head nice and warm. Her head was darn well near the softest thing I’d ever felt. 

TJ’s family lives three driveways down from The Point and his grandparents are friends with Pop. They used to own most of the North parts around the lake and Pop owned the South ones. Mount Kearsarge was the divider, smackdab across from our deck, way up in the distance. You can see the big hump of the mountain behind the clouds if you look at the right time. Our back wooden deck points right at the mountain, like an arrow, and the whole lake sweeps down and gouges into the land on either side of us. It’s like we get the best seats of all and the mountain points right back at us. 

After we got home and started unpacking our groceries, Mama said I could go find TJ to play before lunch. I laced up my new white keds that I’d gotten two weeks ago since my last tennis shoes were destroyed in the giant mud pocket that I found near my school three weeks before we’d left. I went into the bathroom and put sunscreen on my face since my nose always turns pink when I don’t wear protection in the sunshine. Tawny told Mama that it was supposed to be hot today, and she always knew the weather here exactly right. I smeared Coppertone right on my cheeks and nose while standing on my tippy toes and looking in the mirror. I could only see a few white and blue stripes of my shirt, since I wasn’t tall enough. This was my favorite shirt, with a stain on the bottom right from a cherry pit that got away. 

I grabbed my bike and started pedaling through the gravel to Tommy Joe’s. My face was still kinda sticky so I felt little smacks against my cheeks when I flew through the clouds of gnats. It was wide open around the house before the driveway took me into the woods for a while, leading out to the main road that I took to TJ’s. It had rained a few days ago so the sand- filled gravel was thicker, like gum was stuck to the bottom of my tires. I was out of breath as soon as I turned the corner to TJ’s house. 

The difference between the Point and TJ’s house is that they live there all the time, and we only live here for a few months. His house is dark green and about the same size as the Point. It’s just TJ and his Mom so they don’t need much room.

“Hey Tommy Joe! It’s me, I’m back here for ya!” I shouted as I dropped my bike next to his front porch and ran up the steps. The screen door was open and I knocked real hard on the chipped white painted part of the door. “It’s me- Maggie Smith! I’m back here for TJ!” I didn’t hear anything so I walked in and saw TJ on the couch playing some video game. It was beeping and speaking in video game words that I couldn’t much understand. 

“You could’ve answered the door,” I said to him.

“Hi Mag. Sorry, I’m finishing this,” He called back at me. His voice was deeper than I remembered and his nose looked bigger. His lips were pink and his skin was the same caramel that I remembered. I felt my chest get tight and roped up, as I stared at him shaking his Nintendo back and forth as he forcefully pressed the keyboard, like someone threw a rock and tickled it at the same time. My mouth got all wet and melted.

“I can come back later, It’s okay” I said to him, turning around and walking out towards the door again. 

“No, Maggie Smith, you come back here. Give me five seconds, I just need to finish level four with King Archibald,” he said to me as he ran up to me and grabbed my arm, pulling me back to sit on the couch next to him. He smelled salty and looked kind of sticky. I wondered if he’d put on sunscreen this morning, too.  

“That feels nice,” he said to me as I followed my finger along the side of his hair down by his ear. 

“Your head got bigger, Tom. How can you be so stupid and still have such a big noggin?”  

I looked over his shoulder for a few minutes as his little video game soldier fired away at dragons, crawled up stone walls and eventually found King Archibald. 

“Finished!” He said, “Wanna swim to the bank and look for frogs? I haven’t found any yet since it’s been kind of cold here.” 

“Sure- I don’t have my swimsuit here, though,” I told him. I usually wear it under my clothes, but I didn’t think we’d be swimming right away. And I don’t like how it feels on my bum when I bike.

“Here- just take this off,” TJ pulled at my shirt, so I slowly peeled it off to reveal my white camisole. It was too big for me, so it hung around. “Are you wearing underwear?” 

“Yeah I am, yuck- why wouldn’t I?” I hadn’t worn underwear all day yesterday. It felt nice to have a breeze. 

“Come on!” TJ said as he ran out of the living room letting the screen door slam right in my face. I grabbed a green and purple splotchy beach towel that hung on the coat hook and followed behind him, holding it tightly against my chest. 

He ran all the way to the dock and started taking off his shirt and his shorts. By the time I’d made it standing next to him he was bare chested. He was wearing whitey tighties that sat right on his hips. I never really knew the difference between boxer briefs and shorts, but apparently there is one. I saw the bulge between his legs and thought about what it would be like to touch it. I never understood how those things just fit all neatly right in there without popping out on accident. Like they just fold up when they’re supposed to. I think TJ saw me staring at him because he started fidgeting. I could feel my face getting hotter and I looked down at the rippling waves.

“Take off your shorts, come on,” He said as he kicked his pile of clothes and walked towards the edge of the dock. TJ dunked his foot into the water, sending a shiver through his body. He looked like he’d been electrocuted from the foot upwards. “Jesus Christ! Come here Mag!” He shouted at me, holding his crotch and pattering on his feet, one at a time like he had to pee really badly. 

I unzipped my shorts, tossed them right on top of Tommy Joe’s pile of clothes, and scooted up to grab his hand. 

“On the count of three. One, two, three- come on!” Shouted TJ as he fired himself forward, bringing me along into the greenish water. We sprung a few feet from the dock and both came up for air. 

“Woooo! This is way too cold!” I yelled, with my lips quivering. I could feel my goosebumps coming out and kicked my feet extra hard in the water. 

“Here, I’ll race you to Gull rock, it’ll get us warm!” Gull rock was the big boulder a few hundred feet away that had perfectly carved holes in it for us to climb out of so we could go searching for frogs in the marsh along the shore over there. We had to climb through a pile of rocks if we didn’t take Gull. I started throwing my arms, one after another, turning my head as fast as I could. TJ and I collided and I scratched his leg with my fingernail. “Sorry!” I said, but water was coming in and out of my mouth so fast that I’m not sure he heard a word I said. 

When we made it over there, TJ climbed out first, adjusting his boxers so they didn’t collapse on him. He reached down and stuck out his arm to help pull me up. The rock was slimy and my toes scrambled to find the right holes to push myself up on. My face felt hot and the sun toasted us as we bent down, crawling around in thick grass and muck to find creatures. We always found these tiny little green frogs with brown splotches on them and fat double chins. 

“Find any?” TJ hollered at me after a few minutes of silence. It was always a competition with us and whoever found the first one usually won, no matter how many more they found after that. My feet were making squaking squish sounds as I suctioned them out of the muck, like I had to fight to get them back even though they were mine. 

TJ spurted forward towards a shrub and dove into with his arms in front of him like he was ready to grab something. “Holy Jesus, look at this! Yeeehaaa!” He screamed as he clasped his hands real tight together. “Comere Maggie!” 

I teetered my way over to him, trying to keep from falling face first into the mucky grass. “Let’s see ‘em” I said, planting my two feet hard. TJ slowly brought his hands towards my face and moved his thumb down just a tad to show two big eyes and a beating chin. It’s mouth was sort of orange looking and it had two little lines that marked what should’ve been it’s nose, but i’m not too sure frogs have noses anyways. He was a real cute one. I stuck my fingers into TJ’s and touched his slimy back, it was slimy and just the right amount of bumpy. 

“Let’s take him back with us. I wanna keep him, look how cute he is- what a nice lil’ guy,” TJ said looking around, “Should we make him a raft or something? Can he swim?”

“He’s a frog, Tom, he can swim better than you!” 

“Shut your trap, Maggie Smith, let’s go. Here, you take him.”

I reached out my hands, cupping them just enough to take him without poking at him too much, and walked back to the rock. TJ jumped in first and I slid my way down, skidding my bum on the rock. 

The water felt much warmer now. I floated on my back, holding our new friend cupped snug in my hands while I kicked breaststroke. I learned how to do that in swim lessons- I’d been taking them ever since I was about four. TJ was probably swimming fast again but I didn’t mind. I was happy to be back here. The clouds were moving real speedy, and they looked extra puffy. I always wondered if they felt like Marshmallow Creme to touch. That’s how I imagined them. 

I kept kicking, looking back every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t going the wrong way or something. I was close to the dock and I saw TJ standing their waiting, his feet dangling along the surface of the water. 

“Almost there! Here, take ‘em,” I said to him, turning towards him and coming up straight. I reached my hands up and plopped him into TJ’s, climbing back up the ladder onto the deck next to him. I brushed the droplets of water off my face and shook my hair really fast. 

“Maggie. Look.” TJ’s voice turned higher, like the boy I’d known for the past nine years. I looked over into his hand- cage and got mine ready to catch the leaping frog as it came out. He lifted up his hands to show a lump of a frog, no leaps, no beating chin. 

“What happened?” I asked TJ

“I think he’s sleeping. He’s just tired from the swim is all, Mag.”

I swallowed hard and felt the sun all the way in my throat. I couldn’t look at it again so I told TJ to put him to bed somewhere else. TJ said okay and ran him back into the woods near his house while I stayed on the dock. He put the frog down by a tree and scattered some leaves on top of him. I sat down on the deck and wondered when he started falling asleep, I couldn’t feel it in my hands or anything. I knew that asleep meant dead, and so did Tommy Joe, but neither of us wanted to say it. TJ came back over and sat down next to me for a few minutes, but neither of us had anything to say. 

When I stood up, I wrung the water out of my camisole, sending it dripping out onto the deck. TJ’s face froze and he wiggled his lower lip like he was trying to fight with it. 

“Maggie? Are you okay?” TJ asked, looking down at my legs. I looked down, too, and saw a few red dribbles down my leg. 

“Is that from the frog?” I asked TJ

“Um, not unless you hurt him”

I knew that Gran and Aunt Jill had died because of problems with their lady insides and I hoped I would never have that stuff. 

“I’m dying, Tom,” I said quietly.

“Do you want to take a nap? Maybe you’re tired, too” He said.

TJ brought me out a blanket and a pillow from his bed. We layed on the deck and he traced his finger along my forehead. He was right, it did feel nice. If this was the way that I was going to go, it couldn’t be too bad. 

“Tell Mama sorry I couldn’t make it to dinner with Pop tonight. Bring me some summer sausage on Sunday mornings instead of flowers, just make sure to take the outside part off.” 

I’m coming, Gran, I’m coming Aunt Jilly, I thought as I closed my eyes tight. I could feel freckles growing on my cheeks and nose from the sun. Maybe i’d start to look like that frog, with splotches and orangey red all over my face. 

[danandphilsecretsanta]

Talk Me Down

To: @lessamazinggisonfire

A/N: Happy holidays!

Phil wasn’t gay.

He had definitely not made out with the captain of the basketball team, or got a handjob from his math tutor. Phil Lester was the straightest boy in the small seaside town he lived in, his father made sure of it.

He always told Phil the stare he stole at a boy was just a phase every teen went through, until they eventually found the proper heterosexual partner to settle down and raise a family with. And Phil believed what his father told him, because fathers did not lie to their children.

Then Dan Howell came sauntering into Phil’s life.

Suddenly, his father’s words faded from Phil’s memory when he saw Dan for the first time. His arms were linked with Louise Pentland’s, laughing and smiling at everyone he saw. Phil suddenly found himself staring the same way he stared at the countless other beautiful boys he saw. Dan shot Phil a sweet smile before turning the corner as Louise whispered to him.

Over the next few days, Dan had made it a habit to smile at Phil. Whether it was when they passed each other in the halls or from across the room in biology, Phil’s eyes met his and the whole world seemed to fade away.

They eventually started to smile at each other outside of school, texting nonstop about the stupidest things. When Phil’s father asked him why he was smiling, Phil would just shrug it off and avoid the question. His father didn’t need to know everything Phil did, this could be his own little secret.

We should hang out tonight. Phil nearly fell out of his chair. Sure, he and Dan talked during school and texted almost every night, but they had never been alone together.

Sure! Phil sent back, butterflies filling his stomach. He was overreacting, no one gets this anxious to just hang out with someone alone.

My place at seven? Parents are out on a date night. The butterflies became a swarm.

Sounds good. Just us?

Yeah.

Phil decided his father didn’t have to know that one insignificant detail, so when he asked where Phil was going tonight, Phil lied.

“I’m going to PJ’s with Felix.”

Phil had never lied to his father before.

“Alright, have fun.”

Phil’s father had never asked questions.

Dan’s house was a small cottage, tucked away near the sea, and in Phil’s opinion, was very aesthetically pleasing.

“Hi,” Dan beamed as he ushered Phil inside, hiding his hands in his sweater sleeves.

“Hi.” The two boys stood in silence as tension filled the air around them.

“Uh,” That’s when Dan kissed him. It was heated and rushed and Phil didn’t quite know what to do with his tongue but eventually Dan pushed away, flustered and stuttering.

“I-I’m sorry, I just-” Now it was Phil’s turn to kiss Dan. This time it was slower, and Phil could feel the heat radiating off of Dan. They kissed like this for a while, up in Dan’s room, and although there was a small part of Phil’s brain screaming at him to stop, he continued anyways. The two stopped when Dan’s phone buzzed, causing him to let out a groan.

“My parents are on their way home, uh, you should probably go now.” He said, still slightly out of breath. Phil nodded, grabbing his shirt from the floor.

“Thanks for uh, having me over tonight. It was fun,” Phil blushed.

“My parents are heading back to London in next weekend, wanna come over again?”

“Of course.” Phil left with a smile on his face and a hicky on the base of his neck.

He met up with Dan the next weekend, earning another hicky on his chest, and in between classes they’d steal kisses in the bathrooms. The two acted like giddy school girls whenever they snuck off. After about a month of sneaking around Dan had become Phil’s unofficial secret boyfriend.

“Do you have to go?” Dan groaned as Phil began picking up his clothes from Dan’s bedroom floor.

“Trust me, I want to stay as much as you want me to, but I have to get home before my dad does.” He pressed one last tender kiss to Dan’s lips.

“Text me when you get home, okay?”

“Will do!”

And Phil really meant to, but when he walked into the kitchen he saw his father waiting for him.

“Where were you?” He asked cooly.

“Uh, PJ’s house,” Phil managed to stutter out. His father’s expression hardened and he slapped Phil across the face.

“Don’t lie to me boy, tell me where you really were.” Phil’s cheek stung and he felt tears welling up in his eyes.

“I w-was,” Another slap.

“I don’t have all day Philip!”

“W-with Dan Howell…”

“That fag boy from London?” Another slap.

“Y-yes.” Tears were starting to fall from Phil’s eyes as his father stared at his neck.

“Is he the one who gave you those hickeys?” Phil didn’t have time to respond before he was punched in the stomach. He toppled over and groaned, his father standing over him with disgust in his eyes.

“I didn’t raise my son to become a fag.” He started to kick Phil, who lay helplessly on the floor with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Phil didn’t go to school for four days, waiting for the bruises to become less noticeable. He texted Dan to never talk to him again, and blocked his number. When Phil went back to school, he avoided Dan like the plague.

Then Veronica Lewis came sauntering up to Phil one day.

They began talking and sharing smiles the same way Phil and Dan once had. Phil’s father approved of her immensely, his expression towards Phil becoming less harsh. It did pain Phil to see the way Dan looked at him when he passed in the halls, holding hands with Veronica. But Phil reminded himself that with Veronica everything was normal, and he liked normal. His father liked normal.

It was half past twelve in the morning when Phil’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Phil Lester, Greg Lester’s son?” The voice on the other end was almost too nice for comfort.

“It is…” The voice sighed.

“I’m so sorry but- Phil your father’s been in an accident,” Phil’s blood turned cold.

“Did he make it,”

“Phil…”

“Did he make it,”

“I’m so sorry Phil.” He hung up.

The funeral was that following Tuesday.

It was small, much smaller than Phil’s mother’s funeral, with only close family and Veronica at his side. He watched numbly as they lowered his father’s casket into the grave, as his Aunt cried into her husband’s shoulder.

He walked through the cemetery alone, although Veronica had insisted on coming with. Once he was far enough away from everyone, Phil started to cry. He cried for what felt like hours until he heard his name.

“Phil,” He looked up to see Dan standing in front of him, wearing a wrinkled dress shirt and slacks. “They told me I could, uh, find you here.”

“What are you doing here, Dan?”

“You’re my friend, and you’re grieving. I came here to support you.”

“I’m not grieving, and you’re not my friend.” Phil responded cooly. Although he was grieving his monster of a father, and he loved Dan as more than a friend.

“I just want to know why you won’t talk to me. Why you’ve started seeing Veronica when you made it very clear to me that you did not like girls.” Dan’s voice cracked.

“Because I love you, and it’s best for you to just stay away from me.” They stood in silence, staring at each other with tear filled eyes. Then Dan stepped forward and placed a tender kiss to Phil’s cheek, then his lips. Phil heard a small gasp, and opened his eyes to see Veronica standing behind Dan. Before he could even begin to speak, she ran away.

“Shit,” he muttered. Phil knew a good, straight, boyfriend would run after her and apologize, but suddenly he didn’t seem to care anymore. Dan at him, brown eyes meeting blue, and whispered, “Where are you going to live.”

“With my auntie in Liverpool.”

“Is there some way you can stay here-” Phil stopped, pressing another kiss to his lips.

“Goodbye Dan.” He whispered, and left Dan standing alone.

It wasn’t until years later, when Phil was visiting London for work, did Dan Howell saunter back into his life, his smile still the same.

[inkdrinkershadowsinger]

One Direction Preference: Strong

Niall: “People always trying to escape it, move on to stop their hearts breaking.”

            Niall didn’t want to move on. He didn’t care who showed up at his place begging him to get out, or to just go out with this one new girl that was apparently perfect him, because none of that involved you. And you were the only thing that could fix him now, the only thing that he wanted. He didn’t understand how people thought that he could just move on, how he could just force his heart to stop breaking just because they wanted the old him back because the truth is, Niall knew that he couldn’t ever be that person again, because that was a person who had lost you. It was one stupid argument that got out of hand, and the worst part is, that you didn’t even fight back. You just sat there, and took it, refused to say anything against him, knowing that if his ship wanted to drift away from yours that you weren’t going to stop him, but you also weren’t going to force it further away. In the end though, the waves had pulled you both under, and you had left before he even had a chance to realize that he had fallen in. And now he was left with a dilemma. His friends wanted him to escape the pit that he fallen into without your presence, but Niall wasn’t certain if he wanted to escape it yet. He wanted to get you back, to make you believe, to make you feel that he was there, that he would always be there, no matter what he said, or how far you had drifted from one another, and he wanted to feel it for a bit longer. He knew that you wouldn’t come back, no matter what he did, or how long he drifted in the open water alone, he knew that you were done, but how could he be? He wanted to feel his heart break for a little bit longer, and in that, remember what it felt like to be secure in your love, he didn’t want to forget because when he came out of it, he knew that, that would be it. When he stopped feeling the jagged pieces of his heart try to pull him under then he knew that it would really be the end, but he just wasn’t ready to move on, not yet.

    Harry: “My hands, your hands tied up like two ships…I’d do anything to save it, why is it so hard to save it.”

              “Jenga!” (Y/N) shouted triumphantly, dancing around the living room like a complete lunatic. “I win! I win!” she cheers. “Aw, poor Harry,” she coos, coming over to nurse my poor self. “Losing is a natural part of life,” she says as she pushes my hair out of my face. “I still love you though, even if you have lost at not one, not two, not even three games tonight, but every single one that we’ve played. You should be grateful my future husband qualifications do not include being good at board games, or I’m afraid we would have to break up.”

            “Heyyy,” I called, indignantly. “I almost won that game of Clue.”

“Yes, my love, and “I almost won” is like the second most used phrase in the loser’s handbook, so….”

            “Oh, yeah,” I said, tackling her to the ground, lacing our hands together like two ships, filtering our bodies so close you couldn’t fit a slip of paper between us.             “and what’s the first?” I asked, brushing my nose against hers. I could hear the beat of her heart loudly against my own, and I knew that even if she beat me at every game we played for the rest of our lives that if I still had this effect on her then I would gladly take a beating every single time.

            Pulling away slightly she says, “The first is, you cheated,” she says, like that’s the obvious answer.

            “No,” I laugh, “I mean, what’s the first thing on your future husband list.” And I’m sure she actually had one, (Y/N) had a list for everything. She stopped for a moment, thinking about the best way to say it. Shifting her leg over my hip, she flips us so that she’s now beside me instead of under me.

            “The first,” she says, “is that his name has to be Harry Styles.”

“Oh,” I reply, “Well, then I’m glad that I at least fit that one qualification.” She kisses me quickly.

            “Me too,” she says, “because you are absolute shit at everything else.”

And with a loud laugh, she stands up and bounds away knowing that I’m going to be right on her heels, like always. Always right behind her.

  Louis: “So many words we’re not saying.”

              He was giving you the silent treatment. And when he had said that he wasn’t going to talk to you, you had brushed him off because frankly he had been pissing you off all day, and you were grateful for the little break that his silence would provide. But now, you were seriously getting the impression that you were losing it. It had been three days since he had talked to you last, and right now you were about five seconds from begging him to say, “Adidas” the wrong way over and over again just so you could feel a little bit of relief.

            But you were stubborn, and there was no way that you were going to lose to him on this, besides, isn’t he the reason that you guys were arguing in the first place? It sure wasn’t you who had broadcasted to the entire world that you drooled in your sleep. Sure, he hadn’t meant it like that. He had been in an interview, and was asked what was one quality of yours that he really found endearing, and while Louis’ definition of endearing was telling the entire world about your little drooling habit, you had been less than pleased. You had went off as soon as you heard from him again, calling him in the middle of an all day promo session, not even waiting for him to get home, and when he did, with a scowl, and the news that the others had been pissed at him all day because he had been in such a foul mood, he had announced that he wasn’t talking to you.

            And now you were starting to regret that hot headed temper you had, because it had officially landed you in equally as hot water, and were getting scalded. There were so many words that you weren’t saying, so many words that you wanted to tell him, and even more that you wanted to hear from him, even when the words that you wanted to say were, “I’m sorry”, which weren’t exactly words that you were comfortable using in your vocabulary. He was normally the one that messed up, and had to apologize, not you, but now the tables had turned. So after successfully luring him into the kitchen with his favorite meal, and plowing him with compliments and those little kisses near his hair line that he liked did he pull you into his lap.

            And with a look that said, “I’m waiting, love.” You had apologized for being such a complainer, and had thanked him for being the grateful recipient for all your drooly nights, and for never complaining about how gross that actually was, and with a kiss to your very apologetic lips, he had pulled you closer and whispered hotly in your ear, “Adidas.”

              Liam: “I’m sorry if I say I need you, but I don’t care, I’m not scared of love.”

              He had royally fucked this up.

He knew that you weren’t exactly comfortable with the whole lovey dovey couple thing, and now, he had absolutely blown all of that out of the water. You had been together for nearly six months, and so far Liam had done good, he had refrained from fawning all over you, hopping in your lap when you were out with friends, and suffocating you with cuddles whenever he got the chance, instead letting you come to him first, but now, there was no going back. After this, there was no pretending that he wasn’t absolutely infatuated with you, or that if it were possible to permanently attach you to his side that he wouldn’t find some way to talk you in to doing just that. Because now, he probably should have just bought you a one way ticket to Timbuktu himself because you were going to run for the hills. He had some family coming into town, something for his mom’s birthday, and really he should have done more to temper his excitement when you had agreed to come along. He was smiling from ear to ear, and you had looked equally as happy, but halfway through the night when he was introducing you to yet another great aunt, physically putting his foot in his mouth would have been a better option then introducing you as, “My wife, (Y/N)…”

            He had tried to catch the words, to force them back inside his mouth where the effect of them didn’t have you pulling away from his side, and your cheeks blushing like mad, and his throat instantly going dry as he wondered if you were going to say goodbye or if you were just going to run as fast and as far away from him as you could get before he could catch you. Thankfully, he had managed to pull you outside away from everyone before he started to further word vomit all over the place. For months he had been referring to you as his Mrs., as his wifey in his mind, and when he had talked to his friends, but he never thought he’d be stupid enough to say it out loud. Boy, was he wrong.

            It was halfway through his continued speech about how he knew that you were scared about letting him get too close, but how he couldn’t care anymore because he couldn’t keep it in any longer because he loved you, he really did, and yes, one day, he did want to marry you, he wanted to be your husband, and be able to smother you in affection and call you every cutesy nickname in the book because he loved you, he did. He absolutely loved you, and if you did ever decide to leave for Timbuktu that he was going to be right on your heels because he did lo….

            And you had kissed him. You kissed him, and told him that it was okay, that you felt the same way, and that yes, you were still hesitant, but that he would just have to help you work through it. That he shouldn’t hesitate to pull you into his arms, or call you his wifey, or Mrs., out loud because that was the only way that you were going to be comfortable with it, and that anything else you could work through because you had him, and if you had him, then that was the only thing that you needed in order to be strong.   

   A/N I'm pretty sure I put this up, but on the off chance I didn't. I'm cleaning out my ideas folder so here it is.