#which I always think is a funny mirror of Liv because for her being turned into a zombie meant the ultimate bad break in her life-plan

[langernameohnebedeutung]

#i feel like he looked so much more rancid in the first season#wish he looked like that the entire show

right??? thank you! He looks so damn scraggly and ratty and rancid in the first few episodes! And I mean, okay, I give him the spraytan so that he doesn't look entirely overfished but I also feel like his aesthetic generally underwent this giant shift between season 1 and 2 and I really like the season 1 look??

It's interesting bc if you really pay attention, the izombie characters' wardrobe is generally very consistent with pieces making frequent reappearances and everyone having a very specific aesthetic - even the minor characters like Don E. Which makes it more obvious how drastically Blaine's look changes between s1 and the rest of the show. There are a lot of pieces we never see him in again (like that dumb slutty grey shirt here lmao or that one leather jacket) and a lot of new outfits making an appearance in early season 2.

Generally comparing those looks and especially the way they changed his hair away from early Blaine's very spiky look makes me feel like in season 1, they leant more heavily into a punk/grunge inspiration (which makes sense bc Blaine literally says that that's where he sees roots) while in season 2, I think they polished it up more to match his more elegant surroundings at Shady Plots. But also outside of these surroundings, i feel like they leant more into some sort of vagabound-pirate undertone (they even explicitly draw some parallels between Blaine and pirate-characters in later seasons, like e.g. in the season 4 finale) with for example that distressed leather jacket we see him wear a lot.

I feel like there's a slight bit of a return to his roots visually when he moves over to the Scratching Post - at least, it's not as toned down anymore, but it's leaning more into a kind of a very put-on business-aesthetic. Comparing that to him getting dressed up 'smartly' in season 1 - where him getting fancy literally involved a ridiculously shiny silk shirt and a shiny black tie in reptile-scale optics? - it's a very different vibe.

I also think another reason for the overall change is that in season 1, I feel like they were leaning more heavily on his background in the drug-scene/the whole drug-dealer angle of his character - which is also reflected in his speaking patterns there a lot of the time (referring to brains as 'product' very regularly or even stuff like 'help a brother out' or the ep. 2 title "brother can you spare a brain?" - which is a line we never hear Blaine say, but it clearly references him. It's also very notable in the backalley scene in that episode when he speaks to the two dealers trying to bring him to Mr Boss. If you compare that to him talking to Speedy, a person from the same background and also an old acquaintance, in early season 2, that undertone is still there, but they clearly leant more into the whole "salesperson" vibe he has imo - "you know what I feel fear more than death? Unrealised potential!"/"We always said he wanted more!"

(I'm sorry, I have had a lot of thoughts on this and you kind of stepped on the landmine here). Overall, I think it makes sense and reflects the development of his character. But also, I really love the trashy aesthetic of season 1 Blaine and would have loved if they'd kept it alive a little more. He looks so crinkly and disastrous and it's just such a good look for a villain like him.

sometimes I think about the fact that this was. their first direct interaction.

[harringtonstilinski]

Always The Babysitter - Chapter Eighteen: Suzie, Do You Copy?

Author: @harringtonstilinski​ Characters: Steve Harrington x Olivia Henderson(OC) Word Count: 3,233 Warnings: fluff, some teasing, robin (yay!!) Smut: no | yes; A/N: Hi, friends! Season 3 is upon us!! WE FINALLY GET ROBIN!! If you like this chapter, please do not hesitate to reblog and give some feedback, whether it be in the reblogs, comments, or my inbox. As always, read at your own risk and enjoy 😊

prev | current chapter | next

season masterlist

series masterlist

series playlist 

“And if your path won’t lead you home, you can never surrender,” I sang, putting on a layer of mascara. I had to take the kids, minus my brother, to the mall. 

Hawkins got a new mall built; our very first one, and it was the new hangout spot. You either shopped or you hung out, which is what I did most of the time. 

When a knock sounded on my window, I knew it was go time. After I opened my bedroom door, I walked down the hallway and to the front door. For some reason, Mom was still awake, so I asked her if I could borrow the car to go see my favorite person, which she smiled and agreed.

When the kids piled in the car, I drove straight to Hawkins new mall; Starcourt. It literally had everything; shops, a food court, - hell, even a damn movie theater.

“Liv, hurry up, we’re gonna miss the opening!” Will groaned.

“Do I detect whining coming from a Mr. Will Byers?” I asked, looking at him through the rearview mirror. “Blame Mike. His ass had us waiting for him. Plus, I’m going the speed limit.”

“We’ll miss it if you keep complaining,” Mike said.

“Oh, look,” I said, pointing to the big ass building. “We’re here.” I parked in the closest spot I could find, the kids and I piling out before we walked inside the mall.

Lucas was making fun of Mike for being at El and Hop’s house… making out with her the whole time. Gross. But I guess I couldn’t say anything. Steve and I made out half the time.

Will and I laughed at Lucas’ tactics, the latter saying, “See? Even Will and Liv think it’s funny.”

“Because it is,” we said.

“Yeah, it’s so funny that I want to spend romantic time with my girlfriend,” Mike said. “And, Liv, you can’t say anything. That’s all you and Steve do.” “Yeah, but doing nothing but making out isn’t romantic,” I said. “You have to take her out, like on a picnic or something.”

He stopped and turned to face me, giving me a look that I chuckled at.

“Okay, I know it’s hard because of Hop, but you can take her on the front porch with a couple sandwiches or something.”

When we reached the escalators, we walked down them instead of enjoying the small ride it gave, everyone exclaiming out “Hey!” as we walked around them. We walked by a few people, me giving apologies to everyone the kids bumped into, someone saying, “Watch it.”

“Yeah, watch it, nerd,” Erica said. She was sitting by some plants, a waffle cone in her hand from the ice cream shop.

“Isn’t past your bedtime?” Lucas asked.

“Isn't it time you died?” 

“Erica!” I chuckled.

“Psycho!” Lucas said.

“Butthead!” Erica retorted.

A couple more names were thrown at each other before Lucas blew a raspberry at her, Max grabbing his arm and telling him that what he did was mature.

Mike went into the ice cream shop, Scoops Ahoy, walking up to the counter and ringing the bell. A girl I came to know as Robin, hollered out, “Hey, dingus, your children and girlfriend are here!” before the window doors opened up, Steve coming into view, saying, “Again? Seriously?”

Mike just rang the bell a few more times before Robin let them in the back, where we followed Mike to the back door that Steve opened up for us. The kids went out first, Steve telling them, “I swear if anyone hears about this–”, the kids replying, “We’re dead!”  before I tried to sneak by him, but failed as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

“Oh, no you don’t,” he said. I could hear the smile in his words.

I giggled as he walked me back into the back room of the shop, pressing my back against the wall. “Steve! I have to-” Kiss. “-get back-” Kiss. “- to the kids!”

“Later,” he breathed, diving back in for another kiss. “You have to kiss me stupid.”

I smiled, feeling his lips on my teeth before laughing.

Steve groaned, resting his head on my shoulder. “Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiv.”

“I’m sorry,” I laughed. Taking in a breath, I said, “I’m sorry, I’ll stop. I’ll stop.”

He looked at me, that look of really? in his eyes. I honestly couldn’t help but laugh at his look, him walking away towards the door to the front of the store before I walked up to him, grabbing his hand and turning him around. “I’m sorry.”

Wrapping an arm around my waist, he said, “Uh-huh, sure,” before kissing me again. He pulled away when Robin called, “Hey, dingus! Customers.”

“We’ll finish this later,” he said, nose brushing mine.

“I look forward to it,” I smiled, diving in for one last kiss before he disappeared. Not even five minutes later, the power went out. I stood up and went to the door that led to the front of the store, poking my head out as Steve came walking to the switch by the door. “What happened? Is there a storm coming?”

“I don’t know,” he said, flipping the switch up and down.

I watched Robin walk closer to him, watching him for a moment. “That isn’t gonna work, dingus.”

“Oh, really?” He annoyingly flipped the switch rapidly. 

“I give you full permission to murder him,” I said, looking at Robin. Looking back at Steve, I said, “It looks like you’re jacking off.”

When he flipped the switch for on, the power came back on. Steve walked back to the ice cream buckets, saying, “Let there be light.”

“You’re lucky you’re hot as fuck,” I muttered, walking back into the back room. I picked up a book I kept back here for when I came to visit Steve… which happened to be almost every single day.

I guess I had fallen asleep because I woke up to feather-light kisses on my cheek.

“Liv,” Steve said, gently. “Come on, baby, it’s time to wake up. My shift’s over. You have to take the kids home.”

I groaned, opening my eyes. “Shit. I forgot.” I stood, placing my book back in its hiding spot before walking over to Steve at the front of the store so that he could close and lock the door that almost looked like a garage door.

The kids knew to meet me at the front of the mall, so I knew they were there. What surprised me was that Erica was standing there with them, waiting. Then it hit me; I needed to take Erica home as well.

Before I walked to my car with the kids, I kissed Steve goodbye and told him I’d be at his house later. I always dropped the car back at the house before biking to Steve’s, where I slept like a baby in his arms.

~~~

I woke up with a start and sat up in the bed, the word shit on repeat out of my mouth. Steve woke up as I threw the blankets off of me before I got out of the bed. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” I swear I looked like a chicken with its head cut off as I ran around his room, opening drawers and his closet door, looking for clothes.

“What time is it?” he asked, groggily.

“Uhm… 7? I think,” I said, pulling on some shorts. I grabbed my favorite graphic tee and put it on before finding my socks and Converse, sitting on the bed to put them on. I felt Steve’s fingers under my shirt, lightly stroking the skin of my back above my shorts.

“What’s the rush?” he asked, yawning.

“I forgot I have to go with Mom today,” I said, standing up, running my fingers through my hair. “We’re picking up Dustin from that camp.”

Steve nodded, remembering what I told him earlier in the week. “Will you come see me?”

I smiled. “Of course.” Bending down, I placed my lips on his, feeling his hand on the back of my head. I squealed when he pulled me down on top of him, peppering kisses all over my face. “Steve! I have to go!”

“One more,” he said, bringing his lips to mine once again in a sweet kiss.

I pulled away, looking at him. We haven’t said those three words yet, mainly because I didn’t want to feel rushed. I do feel it, but with his track record of that four letter word, I wanted to make sure I actually felt it, and I do.

Smiling, I said, “I’ll see you later.”

He smiled back at me, repeating my words. 

I gave him one last kiss before getting off the bed once again to walk to the hallway then the staircase before going outside and getting on my bike to pedal myself home.

When I got home, I ran inside to my room for a moment, spritzing myself with my favorite perfume Steve got me for my birthday before my mom and I got in the car to go get Dustin.

Her and I talked about almost anything and everything, her main questions being about Steve.

“So,” she said. “Have you said it yet?”

I shook my head, forgetting she was driving. “No, not yet. I want to make absolutely sure.”

“Well, you have since you two were kids. What’s the holdup?”

I sighed. “His track record. The last girl he was with–”

“Nancy Wheeler,” Mom interrupted. 

“Yeah,” I breathed. “She didn’t love him, and it messed with him for a few days. I guess I’m just waiting for the right moment, the right time.”

Mom put her hand in mine, squeezing a little. “You’ve always waited for the perfect time or place to say or do anything.”

“I-is that a good thing?” I wondered.

She laughed a little. “A very good thing. When it comes to you. Now, Dusty on the other hand–”

“He’ll blurt things out without thinking, do things without thinking,” I chuckled. “But that’s what makes him our Dusty.”

“And that’s what makes you you,” she said.

I looked at her and smiled before looking at the sign for the camp Dustin had been at for the last month. Oddly enough… I missed the little shithead. I smiled big when I saw him before I got out of the car and gave him the biggest hug. “I missed you, shithead.”

“I missed you, wiseass,” he said. I could hear the smile behind his words.

Mom telling us to come on caused us to break out of our hug. He tried to go around me to get in the front seat, but I beat him to it. As he got into the backseat, he whined, “Mom, Liv won’t let me sit up front.”

“Okay, first of all,” I said, turning to face him. “Every single time we’re both with Steve, you always sit in the front. On the way to drop your ass off at camp-”

“Livvie,” Mom said, driving back towards Hawkins.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “You got to sit in the front. So it’s my turn. You can sit up front when we leave again.”

“I’m gonna try and hang out with the party today,” Dustin said. 

I groaned, turning and resting the back of my head against the headrest.

“He’ll understand,” Mom said.

“I know,” I dragged. “He was asking me about Dustin the other day on the phone.”

It was quiet for a moment before I heard Dustin say, “This is Gold Leader, returning to base. Do you copy? Over.” A few seconds later, he repeated his words. Since no one answered him a second time, I could tell he was frustrated when he repeated it a third time. No answer, so he proceeded to say, “I repeat: This is goddamn Gold Leader–”

“Dusty!” Mom and I exclaimed.

“What?”

“Relax, for goodness sake,” I said.

“Liv, I’m in range, they should be answering.”

“You’ve been away a whole month, honeybun,” Mom said. “Maybe they just… forgot.”

Tension rose in the car as Mom continued to drive us back home. When she pulled in the driveway, she parked the car under the awning. Dustin made his way inside the house as soon as Mom turned off the car, his duffle bag in his hand.

I went straight to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water, drinking about half of it before hearing Dustin say, “Liv, are you seeing this?”

Smiling to myself, I set the glass in the sink, rim side down before walking into the living room, seeing Dustin knelt beside his toys. Feeling hands on my arms and shoulders, I tried not to laugh as I counted from three on my fingers, five out of the six kids blowing their noisemakers.

I laughed as Dustin screamed and turned around, spraying something in Lucas’ eyes causing him to scream as well from the pain. “Dustin, stop!” I laughed. Grabbing Lucas’ shoulder, I led him into the kitchen. “Flush your eyes out.”

Max came in after us, turning on the water and sticking his eyes under the faucet.

I heard my phone ringing, so I ran to my room to answer it. “Hello?” “There’s that voice I adore so much.”

I smiled, laying on my back on my bed. “Steve,” I said. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I am,” he said. “But considering it’s only 10 o’clock, no one really comes in for ice cream this early.”

“Not even for some USS Butterscotch?” I asked, almost seductively.

He chuckled on the other end. “Not even for that. Hey, are you coming up here today?”

“Yes. You think I’m gonna miss you flirting with other girls just to get a sale?”

“I can’t believe you’re okay with that.”

“Well, as long as you don’t leave me for one of those other girls, I have no problem with it,” I smiled. I really did trust him. They really didn’t flirt back with him, which was honestly shocking.

“Dingus! Counter!” I heard Robin say. Steve sighed before saying, “I gotta go. But I'll see you two later?”

“Just me. Dustin wants to hang with the party today since he just got back. Not sure when I’ll bring him up.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you later then.”

I giggled. “Sure. Bye.”

“Bye.”

I hung up the phone, smiling to myself. I was so incredibly happy with Steve. I just hoped nothing would mess it up. I ran out of my room when I heard the word girlfriend come out of Dustin’s mouth.

Popping my head in his room, Will, Mike, El and myself all exclaimed, “Girlfriend?”

 ~~~

After Dustin had told us about his girlfriend, whose name was Suzie with a Z from Utah, I got on my bike and rode to the mall, needing to tell Robin about this new piece of information. She didn’t know Dustin all that well, so she wouldn’t judge… or really care. Steve, on the other hand, needed to hear this piece of information from Dustin himself.

I ran into the mall, running down the escalators and straight into Scoops Ahoy, where I ran past Steve with a customer. Robin was in the back, so I quickly rushed out my words, out of breath. 

She had her board in her hand, giving me a look that said I really don’t care.

Sighing, I said, “I needed to get this piece of information off my chest.”

She opened the window, the back of Steve’s head coming into view. I watched him scoop some ice cream on a cone before handing it to the customer, saying, “Alright, one scoop of chocolate, that’s a buck twenty-five. Anything else?”

The customer handed him some bills before he asked, “Ooh, Purdue. Fancy.”

“Yeah, I’m excited.”

He messed with the register as he said, “Yeah, ya’know, I considered it, Purdue, but then I was like, ya’know what? I-I really think I need some real-life experience, ya’know, before I hit college, see what it feels like.”

I facepalmed before looking at Robin, asking, “Why am I with him again?”

“Kinda like, uhh, I don’t know, see what it’s like to earn a working-man’s wage, ya’know? Uhh…” The register beeping distracted him for a second before he said, “I think that’s, like, really important.”

“Yeah, totally,” the customer said.

“Yeah, anyway, this was, like, so fun,” Steve said, almost throwing the girl's change back at her. “This is… my first day here,” he said, as the girl and her friend walked away.

“Aaaand another one bites the dust,” Robin said.

Steve turned around to face as she handed me her marker.

I looked at the board, counting the tallies as I marked one and said, “You are oh for six, Popeye.”

“Yeah, babe, I can count,” Steve said.

“You know that means you suck,” Robin said.

“Yep, I can read, too, but that doesn’t matter ‘cause I have my beautiful girlfriend right here,” he said, holding his hands out towards me.

“You can read?” I asked, feigning shock. “Since when?”

“Okay, you know what,” he said. I giggled before he added, “It’s this stupid hat. I am telling you, it is totally blowing my best feature.”

“Your heart?” I said, reaching over the counter to press my fingertips to where his heart laid beneath his chest.

He looked at me with a deadpan look. “My hair, wiseass.”

“Company policy really blows, doesn’t it? I mean, you don’t want your customers to eat Faberge with her USS Butterscotch.”

“Haven’t you considered… telling the truth?” Robin asked.

“Oh, you mean, that I couldn’t even get into Tech and my douchebag dad’s trying to teach me a lesson, I make three bucks an hour, and I have no future? That truth?” Steve said.

“Hey now,” I said. “Future is standing right here.”

“Hey, twelve o’clock,” Robin said, pointing behind Steve.

He turned, saying, “Oh, shit,” before turning back to face me, saying, “Gotta flirt.” He turned to Robin and said, “You know what?” before tossing his hat off in my direction. I caught it and placed it on my own head as he said, “Screw company policy.” 

“Oh, my god,” Robin and I said. “You’re a whole new man.”

Steve backed away saying, “Right? Ooh,” before turning around and yelling at the customers. “Ahoy, ladies! I didn’t see you there. Would you guys like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I’ll be your captain. I’m Steve Harrington.”

“Kill me,” I whispered. “Kill me now.”

“Can I get you guys a little taste of the Cherries Jubilee? No? Anybody? Banana Boat? Four people, four spoons?”

“Give me the marker,” I said to Robin.

“You still have it, dingette,” she said.

I looked down at my hand, the marker, in fact, still there. I walked over to the board, putting another tally on it before capping the writing utensil and going over to where my book was, grabbing it and sitting on the corner of the counter to lean back against the wall to begin reading.

Once Steve’s shift was over - like, always when I biked - we loaded my bike in the trunk of his car, or what would fit, and drove back to his house, where we took our showers, got dressed in our pajamas and fell asleep, teasing each other about his antics at Scoops Ahoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

prev | current chapter | next

season masterlist

series masterlist

series playlist 

~~~

A/N 2:  hi, friends! pls be kind and reblog! it really helps us content creators out <3

Additional Note:

~~~

Forever / Everything Taglist: @stiles-o-dylan24​​ @stixnstripesworld​ @fandom-princess-forevermore​​​ @quanticobae​​​ @mischiefandi​​​ @kellyashcroft @lauren-novak​​​​

Steve Harrington Taglist: @madaboutjoe

If you’re tagged and didn’t want to be, please let me know.

~~~

*Please don’t post my writing anywhere else without my consent. The author of this work will always and forever be @harringtonstilinski​.

All characters, story lines, and plot aside from y/n and her storyline & plot, are all of the work of The Duffer Brothers.

*These works contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

No part of these works may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher.

Posted on February 26, 2024

[ivyglow]

I don’t want you like a best friend - Andre Burakovsky

A/n: Sooo, I wrote this as some kind of gift to my best friend because she loves Andre and she was trying to get me on his train (I guess she did?). She’s always hitting me with “no but you should definitely write about Tito/Andre”. Here’s your piece @skarsgardswiftie​ I hope you like it! <3 I love you sm Also, a huge shout out to @sebs-aston​ for proofreading this with such an attentive eye! You’re amazing, liv! 

Requested: yes / no

Word count: 1.9k 

Warnings: brief mention of alcohol 

Summary: you’re friends with Andre, but things are about to change after you create a TikTok account and start doing challenges that may lead to news between you and your favorite hockey player.

When it comes to capturing a moment you’re usually the person your friends think about, not simply because you’re always carrying a camera -mainly because of it-, but because you’re great with what you do -either photos or videos-. That’s also why your Instagram profile has more followers than an ordinary girl would and it’s the only place people can find you -besides e-mail-. However, that changed when your best friend -Callie- convinced you to create a TikTok account. You, of course, hated it, but she had the perfect opportunity -you were a bit tipsy, all your friends around, sunny weekend and so it goes. 

“Mikko, do you think I’m pretty?” You direct the camera to his face while looking expectantly. 

Saturday evening rolled around, the hot weather forcing your friends either to the inside of the pool or under the sunshade and their hands busy with cold drinks. It was a happy day, everyone was around, and you were enjoying the vacation. You had met half of the Hockey team as soon as you moved to Colorado and Erik, your and your brother’s hometown best friend decided you needed to know his crew and the city around. Six months later and you knew pretty much everyone and everything.

“Of course I think you’re pretty” he gives you a confused look before you turn to Tyson giggling.

“Josty, do you think I’m pretty?” you ask and he looks straight at the camera “I would give you 5 out of 10 cause you’re bro.”

You laugh and turn to Andre this time.

“Andre, do you think I’m pretty?” 

He seems taken aback by the question and unlike Tyson, he stares at you. “Of course you’re pretty.”

You keep to your task and last but not least is Nathan, he’s sitting at a table while working on some drinks and you take him by surprise by jumping in front of him. “Mac, do you think I’m pretty?”

He rolls his eyes playfully and turns his attention to you for some seconds before looking at his drink again, “I would one hundred percent date you if you were not my sisters’ best friend” 

And then your time is over. 

“So you’re a tiktoker now?” Erik sits beside you and Nathan just as you uploaded the video. He raises his eyebrows and you roll your eyes lightly, “you know I hate TikTok, but it’s fun, so…”

“She’s gonna end up famous there too”, Andre announces leaning his body on the table and motioning for Nathan to refill his drink. Your eyes roam on his big hands grasping the red cup, his cheeks red from the sun, and the way you could see his dimples when he smiled at you, his hair messy in a cute way. 

“Why do you think that?” now he has three pairs of curious eyes staring at him.

You almost chuckled when his point finger scratched his chin. His skin glowing, “I mean, you’re funny and cute…cute girls get famous on TikTok” he reasoned. 

“Is this your best, Burki?” Erik asks and for the way his lips were tight against each other you knew he wanted to laugh.

“C’mon, let them be,” Nathan said after giving the blond American a new cup, and before you could ask what was the matter Callie was calling you at the door. 

Your best friend started a rant about how she was going to get Chinese take-out for dinner and when you told her she should get Thai too -because it was Andre’s favorite- she started another rant about how you should tell him you’re in love and how it was cute the way you two functioned but also annoying. All you could do was savor your drink and mentally play a Taylor Swift song while she went on, “I mean it, y/n! Just tell him already…”

“Have you seen Andre?!” you whisper-scream to her and Callie sights rolling her eyes, “what about him?” 

Swallowing the last sip of your drink you start to draw doodles on the glass with your fingers, “I’m just y/n, he’s Andre Burakovsky”. You usually were not insecure about your looks, but it was Andre, and the fact that he was a famous and good-looking hockey player made you question how in heavens he would like you back. Hell, you were not even sure how you two ended up in such a close friendship, he always being so affectionate and listening to everything you had to say. Your friendship seemed like the most you could take from the interaction. You knew he was ‘just Andre’ too when all your friends were gathered, but being ‘just Andre’ was as amazing as being Andre Burakovsky the hockey player. 

“You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met, y/n, and I don’t mean considering only your looks, but everything. You’re funny, smart, and always so attentive with everyone, you listen to everything and always have nice things to say, don’t you ever doubt your value, you hear me?” Callie’s words make you sit up straight in the stall and your eyes water. 

“In my defense, this is not me crying, this is tipsy me having an emotional moment”, you joke and it’s seconds before the two of you are laughing the way you used to during a John Mulaney show. 

…

It was night when you unlocked your phone only to find a bunch of notifications from TikTok, some of the comments from fans about how happy the boys seemed, but most were about the way Andre looked at you when you asked the question. According to the most liked comment “this is clearly a friends to lovers, mutual pining, unaware love and slow-burn situation” which made you giggle but also replay the video a dozen times trying to figure out if there was really something there and you were the unaware one. 

Needless to say, you weren’t able to reach a conclusion, but it felt different when you excused yourself to take a shower after spilling wine in your shirt and you felt Andre’s eyes on you all the way to the stairs. His hands on your shoulders felt heavier and the way he was attentive whenever you needed a refill or wanted a bite of food seemed more intimate and caring than ever.

Hitting the shuffle button, you chose your Taylor Swift playlist before entering the shower. The cold water cooled you off a bit, it was almost like washing out part of the alcohol in your system, but your tipsy mind kept finding evidence that Andre liked you back. 

You went through your clothes finding a floral summer dress and sipping on your wine while brushing your hair. Your body was still feeling hot and at this point, you didn’t know if it was from the sun on your face or the alcohol in your system, but when you heard the first notes of “Dress” playing you knew you were going to do something stupid, especially because your cell phone was one arm away. If someone asked you where the idea came from you wouldn’t know what to answer, and usually thinking about how you didn’t have an answer was enough to make you give up on some stupid ideas...not this one though. 

Reaching for your phone you unlocked it and walked to the body-length mirror in the room you were sharing with Callie. It took less than 2 minutes to snap a picture and send it to him and it took him less than 1 minute to answer it.

‘Woah’

‘You liked it?’ you sent back

‘Yeah, you’re looking good, cutie’ he answered just as fast, before sending a red heart emoji.

‘I don’t want you like a friend’

‘and I only bought this dress so you could take it off’

It was the exact line Taylor was singing when you reached the send button. You saw the dots appearing and disappearing and your body sobered up even more than before. 

“Fuck!” you almost voiced. How would he look at you after this? Could you pretend you confused him with someone else? Of course not, he was the only Andre you knew! And everyone knew better you were not the bold flirty type.

That was it, your secret was spilled just like your wine on your shirt earlier, but now you wouldn’t be able to clean off the stain. 

Would he believe it if you told him it was a prank to your new TikTok account?

You were lost in your thoughts before three knocks on your door startled you. And there he was when you pushed the door open. Standing with his hands inside his pockets and his hair still messy, he stared at you. It took maybe five minutes before he spoke, but it felt like an eternity considering his intense eyes studying you.

“You’re looking even better this close” for some reason his voice is low like he didn’t want anyone to hear and pop the bubble of the moment. 

You feel your body getting hotter, pretty sure your face is turning even redder, so you reach your hands to both of your cheeks. That gets a giggle out of Andre and you instantly move them to your back, your eyes now staring at his bare feet. 

All you wanted to do was bury yourself on a rabbit hole until Andre lost his memory, or you lost yours. You were thinking about the possibility of a secret society -Alice in Wonderland style- inside the rabbit hole that you could live in forever when Burki extended his hand, his palm facing you, silently asking you to put your hand in his. So you did. And it was only a blink of an eye before his body was closer, almost touching yours.

“You’re not that drunk, are you?” he questioned. 

You shook your head no and he moved his hand to your waist as a message that maybe -and only maybe- he wanted to be close too. So you moved your right one to his large shoulders. 

“I’m glad you’re not drunk…” 

“I’m just a bit hot and bothered” and dying out of shame! You screamed inside your head. 

“Oh sure you are”, he replied with a small smile playing at the corner of his pink lips. Your brows raised in confusion and before you could ask, he answered, “hot. You’re hot”.

“Does it mean you’re gonna take my dress off?” you have no idea when you got so bold, but Andre seemed amused with everything. 

“No, not tonight. You’re not drunk, but you’re a bit tipsy, I don’t want to start things like this” his fingers are in your cheekbone and you lean into him. “I’m gonna kiss you though, can I?” 

His lips, so different from his hands, were soft and hot. They found yours timidly, exploring the space while his body welcomed yours closer, he took his time before his fingers were in your hair and his tongue caught your lips. 

It felt good.

Like never before. 

For some seconds you wished to be able to capture the moment and save it forever. Repeat it in your head every day. 

Andre played with the strings of your dress, slipping it off your shoulders and you got into your tiptoes to peck his lips one last time. 

“So...I take you really liked the dress?” 

“I actually like you, the dress is a bonus” he shrugs and you giggle before finding yourself wrapped in another kiss. 

[atlafan]

Jordan I have an idea... what if college Harry wants y/n to be his model so he can practice his nude drawing or painting?!? 😉😘😘 and maybe they get caught?!?

a/n: okay, okay, okay, I got inspired by something else so I’m tweaking this a bit, but let’s goooooo. This just ended up being a quick fluff, I’ll put smut in the next blurb! 

Lock the Door - Blurb One - Harry Ran Out  of Canvas

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Harry groans while he searches under his bed. 

Y/N had her headphones and was studying on her own bed. She pauses her music when she notices his clear frustration. 

“What’s wrong, Harry?”

“I’m all out of canvas, and I’m supposed to paint something for class tomorrow...it’s late and all of the stores are closed. Shit, how did I not notice? Now I’m gonna have to go down to the fucking studio and it’s freezing out, and-”

“Slow down, what do you need to paint? Couldn’t you just use paper?”

“No, that’ll just get messy.” He sighs. “Fuck, I don’t have time for this!” He looks at you and squints. 

“What?”

“Take your shirt off.”

“Harry.” She scoffs. “I don’t think now’s the time to-”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I have to paint this scene of like a field or some shit. I can throw some tarp on the floor and you can lay down on it. Let me paint your back. Then I can just take a picture of it and show my professor. I’m sure she’ll be fine with it, she’ll admire the creativity or some shit.”

“Why did you wait to do this until the last minute?” She asks, already taking her shirt off. Harry blushes and clears his throat. 

“Because I’m an idiot, okay?” 

Harry lays a tarp on the floor and gets his paints out. He gently sits on Y/N’s bottom while he begins to make strokes with the brushes. She shivers underneath him. 

“Sorry...paint’s a little cold.” 

“Just a little.” She giggles. “Feels kinda nice though...” 

“Shh, if you talk you could move and mess it up. Just relax, alright?” 

“Mhm.” 

“Thanks for doin’ this, I owe you.” He leans down quick to kiss her cheek. 

“I think I know how you can make it up to me later.” She turns to look up at him, and he shoves her face back down, making them both laugh. 

Harry dips his brush in a new color and continues making gentle, yet precise strokes on her back. 

//

Liv and Chris were hanging out in the living area doing some homework. Liv’s stomach growls. 

“Was that you?” He laughs.

“Think so. I’m starving, I didn’t eat much today.”

“Not many places are open right now, but I bet we could order a pizza from Keith’s.”

“Oh! Good idea, baby. I think Y/N and Harry are still up, let me just ask them if they want in before we order anything.”

“Sounds good. They’ve been spending a lot of time together, huh?”

“Yeah, they’ve gotten really close. I guess they cuddle platonically sometimes.” 

“Aw, that’s cute.” 

Liv goes up, and then up again to the few steps that lead to Harry and Y/N’s room. Their door was open, so she goes right up. 

“Hey guys, Chris and I are gonna order a pizza, do you want...” She stops short when she sees the scene in front of her. “Uhhhhhh...”

“I ran out of canvas.” Harry says bluntly. “This was the next best thing.” 

“Okay.”  She swallows hard.

“Pizza would be great, Liv. I’m actually pretty hungry.” Y/N says.

“Oi, I said no talkin’, I’m almost done.” He scolds her and looks at Liv. “Yeah, order some pizza. I’ll give you some money later.”

“Alright...I’ll just go do that...” Liv practically sprints back down to Chris. “Oh my god.”

“What? Do they not want pizza?”

“No they do.”

“Cool, I’ll order online. Their delivery is faster that way.” 

“I think something more is going on between them.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Y/N was laying on the floor topless, while Harry was sitting on her painting on her back. He said he ran out of canvas or something, so maybe it’s for a class, but isn’t that a little weird to do with someone?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I mean they’ve clearly gotten close and comfortable with each other. Maybe it’s no big deal.”

“Either way it wouldn’t be a big deal. I mean, say they were hooking up or something, I don’t think you or I would care. I don’t want them to think they need to sneak around.” 

“Well, if something more is happening, maybe they’re just trying to figure it out before they start telling a bunch of people. You and I probably aren’t a factor in all that, Liv.”

//

“Done! Okay, let me just take a few pictures.”

Harry gets off of Y/N to grab his phone. He snaps a few shots, close enough that one couldn’t really tell whose back it was he painted on. He crouches down next to her.

“Look, it came out pretty cool.” She smiles at the photos and then at him.

“It’s a shame to wash it all off.”

“It’s okay. My professor will either accept this or have me paint it again on canvas.”

“Will you paint it either way? It’s really pretty.”

“Sure, when I have a little bit of time I could try to recreate it. Gimme your hands, I’ll help you up.” 

Once Y/N is on her feet she looks over her shoulder in the mirror.

“This is really cool, Harry.”

“Thanks.” He blushes. “You know...” He circles around her. “For one of my finals we have to sketch a live nude, and I could use some practice.”

“Oh no, no way. This was plenty.” She crosses her arms over her chest.

“I wouldn’t draw your face, come on, it would really help me out.”

“Mhm, and how come I always seem to be helping you out. What do I get in return?”

“Multiple orgasms.” He smirks.

“Oh, right.” She giggles. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Fair enough. Come on, grab a bathing suit or somethin’, and I’ll you rinse all this off. S’not good to have that on your skin for very long.”

“I can just shower alone.”

“But you might not get it all off.” 

“You can’t fuck me in the shower with them home, Harry.”

“Not where my head was at, but I like that that’s where yours went.” He smiles.

She rolls her eyes and grabs a bathing suit top from her dresser, and a bottom. Harry watches as she wiggles into the swim shorts and they both head downstairs. 

“Do you guys wanna see what Harry did to my back before he washes it off?” Y/N asks Liv and Chris brightly. 

She turns around and they both gasp.

“That’s so cool!” Liv says. “The detail you were still able to get is awesome.”

“Yeah, you’re really talented.” Chris says. 

“Okay, okay.” He blushes. “When’s the pizza gettin’ here?”

“Should be any minute.” Chris says.

He nods and leads you into the bathroom. Liv and Chris can hear them giggling while Harry washes the paint off. Later on they all settle in with the pizza. 

“How was the free skate the other night?” Chris asks, making Harry almost choke on his pizza. “Liv and I were thinking of going this Saturday, was it worth it?”

“Yeah! We had a lot of fun. It wasn’t too crowded, and they played music.”

“And Y/N fell on her arse a few times, which was pretty funny.” Harry says and she nudges him. “I would definitely recommend going.” 

“Maybe the four of us could go.” Liv says.

“Definitely, that would be a lot of fun.” Y/N says.

//

“Y/N, Y/N!” Harry barrels up the stairs to their room. 

She was laying on her stomach on her bed, doing some reading for class, legs bent and feet swaying to her music. 

“Y/N!” 

“Jesus!” She takes her earbuds out and sits up. “You scared me, what is it?”

“I got an A on my painting, the one you helped me with. My professor wasn’t even mad that she didn’t have a physical piece. She said it was very resourceful or some shit. Either way, I got an A.” He hugs her and kisses her a few times.

“I’m so happy for you!” She giggles. “We should celebrate.”

“I agree.”

“Go lock the door.” 

[turnupbrock]

Following//Colby Brock x Reader

This is a looong one. But I really likee it. 

One thing that Colby hasn't told anyone besides Sam is that, he was in love with another Youtuber. But he has never met said Youtuber. It might strike you as weird because 'you can't be in love with someone you've never met.' Right? That saying to Colby was bullshit, but only because he's  certain that he fell in love with you. He fell in love with your personality and who you were online, the only downside to his online lust was that he never met you in real life. Which means he doesn't know if you were the same person in the videos. What he didn't know was that you were the same in person as your online persona. You also had a crush on Colby. You started watching him two years ago. Colby watched and followed you for three years. For awhile, you two have been crushing on each other but never messaged each other or any of that. Afraid of rejection, maybe. But mainly because you both were so busy with your careers. But then Vidcon rolled around. A time where you get to meet all of your fans and Colby gets to meet his. A chaos filled weekend that always ended in creator parties that got a little too wild at times. But the best thing about creator parties is that no fans  are allowed, actually the majority of fans didn't even know about these. Now, nothing against your fans and supporters, it's just that it's nice to have a night or nights when you aren't being bombarded with supporters and crowds of people. The only people allowed there are staff and of course...the creators.

 The weekend of Vidcon came faster than Colby thought. As he rushed to get his bags ready to leave, Sam and all his other friends were already in the parking garage waiting for the late boy. You were already at the hotel, unpacking with some of your social media friends. "Guys, shut the fuck up," you laughed out when they continued to tease you about meeting Colby. Lizzie and Olivia both stopped teasing you and went back to unpacking their own luggage while music played in the background. Colby on the other hand raced down the halls of his apartment building, all the way to the parking garage where all his friends were already in their cars, ready to leave. "Sorry brother. Didn't realize how late it was," Colby spoke to Sam as he slid into the drivers seat and started to the hotel address. Sam shook his head and glanced back at Katrina, who was in the backseat before replying to his best friend, "It's all good, let's just get there and we'll be fine." Colby nodded and let out a deep breath. Arriving to the hotel, they all checked in and got settled in their rooms. The group split up into smaller ones, breaking off to their rooms. Colby and Corey walked into the door of their room, laughing and joking around with each other as they also started to unpack. "Is there one person that you are wanting to see here?" Corey asked laying down on his bed after placing his suitcase in the closet. Colby fell quiet for a second, debating whether or not to tell one of his best friends about his online crush. "uh- yeah. I really want to meet this one girl. Been watching her for awhile and I like her." Colby finally replied back to Corey. To Colby's surprise, Corey didn't make fun of him. Instead Corey just nodded his head and said, "That's cool dude, I hope you meet her." Colby was taken aback but smiled gratefully at his friend, "Me too."

 The first day of Vidcon went by smoothly. You and your friends had your first meet and greet. You met a ton of your supporters, which made you incredibly happy. Without them, you would still be in y/h/t. Everything that you have accomplished was because of your fans so it made every second of meeting them worth it. Sam and Colby had their meet and greet today as well. Except it was an hour after yours, and in the exact same spot that yours was held. Coincidence? Maybe. But you didn't know about this meet and greet, seems as it was fate. But fate didn't make sense, since it was Vidcon and they were running out of space for the meet and greets. You, Olivia, and Lizzie were walking in the back area, the section only meant for creators, security, and staff. You felt around for your phone, "Guys, does one of you have my phone?" you asked when you didn't feel it in your back pocket. Olivia stopped and dug through her purse, but it was no luck, "I don't." Lizzie wasn't carrying a bag, so she only had her phone in her back pocket as well. You swore under your breath, "I think I left it back at the meet and greet corner. You all sighed before bee-lining it back to the very corner you had held your panel. Breathing harshly, you made it before the next creators' meet and greet started. You spread out looking top to bottom, under neath the tables and water bottles. You were on your hands and knees, searching underneath one of the tables when someone spoke to you. "Umm, are you okay?" You swore you heard that voice before. It was familiar, but you couldn't quite put your finger on it. Jumping up from your place on the floor, you were met with blonde hair and blue eyes. Your mouth fell agape as you looked at Sam Golbach. One half of Sam and Colby. Your heart was racing and your mouth was dry, thinking that if Sam was here, Colby had to be there as well. But it wasn't only you that recognized the other. As Sam's jaw dropped, his blue eyes wide, searching your face like he couldn't believe that it was you. You cleared your throat awkwardly then reached down to dust off the knees of your jeans, "Uh, I'm sorry. I just had my meet and greet here and I think I left my phone somewhere around here." You said still dusting off the gray smudges from the black fabric of the jeans that covered your legs. Once you stood up straight, you held your hand out to the blonde that you knew from YouTube, "I'm Y/n," Sam shook his head, a shy smile crossing his face as he grasped your hand, "Sam." he replied. You smiled at him a little embarrassed, "Sorry that met me while I was on my knees," Your eyes went wide at the same time as Sam's, "Not no- not like that, oh dear god," you quickly scrambled to fix your statement, your cheeks burning a bright ruby.  

Sam shook his head again, laughter pouring out of his mouth. "Dude, I'm sorry, but that was funny as fuck," he gasped out. Your own laughter loud and gasping as you face palmed. "Uh, what's so funny over here?" Another deep voice asked. Your heart stopped beating and the laughter caught in your throat. Your head snapped up and saw Colby. His red/pink hair looked vibrant against the harsh lights in the venue. His face mirrored how you looked, mouth dropped open, eyes wide and unbelieving. You knew that he had to be close since you just met Sam but it still shocked you that the man you had been crushing on for damn near three years stood in front of you. Colby's heart was beating out of his chest when your eyes met his. His breath hitched, jaw falling open, and cheeks reddening. His voice seemed impossible to find when he tried to speak. Colby's eyes trailed over your body, taking in the red tube top you were wearing, black ripped jeans, and white air force ones. He swore that he began to drool just from looking at you. "Y/n! We found it!" Olivia called out to you, making your eyes snap to them and away from Colby's face. Your eyes met Lizzie's and Olivia's, and sure enough, there they were holding your phone. "Alright, be right there!" You yelled back. They nodded and made their way to the back area again. You turned back to Sam and Colby and gave Colby a shy smile, sticking out your hand. "Hi, I'm Y/n. You're Colby right?" He smiled shyly as well, his cheeks almost as red as your own. Colby reached out, connecting your hand, "Hey, yeah uh I'm Colby." You opened your mouth to say something but a girl's head popped out behind the guarder and looked at Sam and Colby, "Guys, come one. It's about to start." The girl's eyes lingered on Colby for second before returning back to the other side. "Go, good luck." You said smiling at the two. Colby looked at you, obviously not wanting to leave. Scared he wouldn't run into you again. Reluctantly, he smiled again and said his good bye before walking back. But before you could leave, Sam grabbed your hand pulling you back to him. "Here, put your number in and we can hang out sometime this weekend." Sam said while handing you his phone. You agreed and put your number into it, "I'll text you after the meet and greet." Sam promised before disappearing to the front of the guarder again.

"I can not fucking believe that you actually met them!" Olivia yelled from the bathroom where she was curling her hair. You shook your head to yourself. Honestly you couldn't believe it either. "Me neither Liv," You called back. "Can you guys shut the fuck up," Lizzie groaned from under the mountain of blankets on the bed. You chuckled and shook your head once again. You stood up and walked over to the mound, gripping the white comforter you swung it off her body. "Get the fuck up sunshine," you said in an over exaggerated chipper voice. You were met with yet another groan from the pink haired girl. "I hate you," Lizzie said finally rolling off the bed and landing with a thump. You rolled your eyes and sat back down to finish up your makeup, "Yeah. Sure. You love me bitchass," You said. Lizzie scoffed and rolled her eyes, "You wish bitch," You giggled at that and continued to finish up the application of your mascara. "So what? Yesterday, you met Sam and Colby and today you're going to meet up with Sam because he wants to talk to you?" Olivia asked walking out of the bathroom. You nodded and stood up to look over your outfit again. "Yeah, he said that he wants to talk before I go up for my panel." You explained to Olivia while looking in the mirror at your red and black plaid pants, the few chains you had hanging from the belt loops, cropped black shirt that showed some of your stomach, y/h/c pulled up into half up, half down hairstyle, and the silver hoops that hung from your ears. You, Lizzie, and Olivia all talked for a little while before a knock on your door brought you out of the conversation you were having. "That's Sam," You said standing up from your bed and making your way over to the door. The door flung open and you met face to face again with Sam, who had on a big smile. You returned the smile, "You ready?" he asked, earning a nod from you. "I'll text you guys," You called behind you before shutting your hotel door. You made your way down the hallway with Sam by your side, talking about how your guys meet and greet went. But by the time you reached the stairs, "So, for what I wanted to talk to you about..." Sam trailed off sounding hesitant and nervous. Your brows furrowed and turned around the look at Sam, "Yeahh, you didn't really tell me anything over the phone," I said shifting my weight to my other foot. He cleared his throat and continued, "So, um, Colby has like the biggest crush on you." Sam said bluntly. You were taken aback, stunned that the man you were crushing on, was also crushing on you.

"Uh, Y/n? You okay?" Sam asked his brows furrowed in concern. He waved his hand in front of your face, you snapped of your thoughts and looked back at Sam. Your cheeks heated up, "Deadass?" you asked. Sam snickered and nodded, "Deadass. He has liked you for awhile now. I checked last night, after I met you, I checked if he followed you. Once I saw that he did, I also saw that you followed him as well," Sam explained as you two resumed your walk down the stairs. "Huh. That's so weird." I thought out loud. "What's weird?" Sam asked, pushing the door open for you. You thanked him before replying to his question, "Just never thought that this how I tell Colby that I like him," you said giggling. Sam chuckled and shook his head, "Yeah, well now or never," he winked and smirked after using Colby's slogan making you laugh while walking to the private room that Sam, Colby, and all his friends were in. You stopped in front of the door, your hands now shaking, "Now I'm nervous," you said forcing a giggle from your shaky throat. Sam smiled, "Don't be. Everyone in here knows you from online and they all love you." He reassured you, placing a warm hand to your shoulder. You took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay, alright, I'm good." I said shaking out my hands and reaching for the door knob. Sam laughed at your dramatics and pushed the door open for you again, making you giggle. You and Sam walked into the door laughing, making Colby and some of his friends look up from their conversations or phones. Colby's yes went wide and his throat went dry from seeing you walk into the room. His eyes met Sams, but Sam just grinned and winked at Colby. His heart started racing when your eyes scanned the room nervously, then fell on him. Your lips tugged into a shy smile and a beautiful shade of pink rose to your cheeks. Colby watched as you looked away from him and back to Sam, whispering about something. He didn't like the sneaky looks that Katrina was giving him. Of course Kat knew what was going on, Sam had told her about Colby's crush and that they had met you yesterday. Katrina knew what Sam was doing and she wanted to see how this would play out. Finally you and Sam stopped whispering, your eyes were wide and nervous. Anyone who looked at you could see that. "You won't," Sam made a teasing remark to you, making you stiffen and raise an eyebrow at him, "Wanna make a bet, blondie?" You asked smartly. Sam's eyes and smile widened, "You really are the same person off camera," he said fondly. You blushed and cut your eyes to the ground, "Shut up Sam." You said making Sam chuckle. "Are you going to do it?" You nodded and looked over at Colby to see that he was on his phone and trying to take a glance at you but once he saw that you were already looking at him, he blushed and smiled.

Colby's heart was basically pounding out of his chest when he saw you walking over to where he was sitting. "This seat taken?" your soft voice asked. Colby shook his head and motioned for you to sit down. You sat down across from him, propping you elbows up on the table, your let your hands hold your face as you looked at Colby. You smiled wide then giggled, Colby swore that his heart melted right then from how cute and innocent you looked. "Hi," you said still smiling at Colby. He smiled back, "Hey," he said quietly. Neither of you noticed that all his friends were listening to them talk. "So, I heard something about you.." you said, your voice soft and nervous. Colby's eyes widened and he leaned forwards, "Yeah? What'd you hear?" He asked you. You smiled again, your eyes crinkling at the sides. "I heard that you have a crush," you stopped and leaned more on the table, "on me." you whispered. You watched as Colby's cheeks flushed and he started to fiddle with the rings on his hands, "I- uh, who? Sam?" He asked, turning his head to glare at his best friend, who just shot him a smile and a wink. You dropped your hands and pulled them into your lap, "Yeah, Sam told me. But what I wanted to tell you was that I like you.." you said softly, staring at Colby intently to see how he would react. Colby's face split into a giant smile, "Really?" he asked, his voice eager.  You nodded your head, smiling shyly at the amazing man in front of you. His smile widened impossibly further, you were afraid his face would split right in half. You took you phone out and texted the number that Sam gave to you last night. Colby's phone dinged and smiled once he saw, 'I really do." Just then your phone dinged with a text from Lizzie, 'girl you better hurry, you're on soon.' You swore under your breath, "Shit, I'm sorry, I have to go." I said standing up from the chair. Colby's brow furrowed as he stood up with me, "Oh okay, I'll uh see you soon?" He asked, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. You smiled and nodded, "Yea, just text me, you have my number." You stepped towards him and held out your arms, silently asking for a hug. Colby took the hint and smiled at you while wrapping his arms around your neck, your encircling his waist. You were content, it felt like you were supposed to be there. You took a deep breath, his cologne engulfing you. After a moment, you pulled away and leaned up on your toes, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. Colby's face heated up and he smiled, while watching you walk to the door. Once you reached the door you turned around and waved at Colby and the group of friends, then you walked out. Colby turned around to face his friends, "I'm so glad we came to Vidcon."

God damn this was long! I actually really like this one. Let me know what you think, I really want to know!🖤����

[lovemesomerafael]

El Amor Todo Lo Puede       Chapter 40:  In The Crater

Source:  @mforpaul

Chapters 1-35  Chapter 36  Chapter 37  Chapter 38  Chapter 39

Laura didn’t know how far she ran.  She didn’t care.  She ran and cried until she had leg cramps, and still she kept running. She had imaginary conversations with Rafael – out loud - puffing out the words with her breath and causing more than a few people on the street to give her some extra room.  She’d start to feel like she was cried out, and then think of something funny he’d said, or a romantic moment, or just the way he looked when he was fully relaxed and out of prosecutor mode, and suddenly be sobbing again as she pounded out block after block.  She could feel blisters forming on her feet.  She ignored them, ran further, and cried some more.  

She turned the situation over and over in her mind – how could Rafael believe that she would betray his trust, when she had done everything to show him that she was worthy of that trust? That she respected his need to protect his heart?  That she loved him?  No amount of running was going to untangle that knot.  She had never once pushed him to tell her whether he loved her back, thinking that was something he would have to come to on his own.  But what if he didn’t say it because he didn’t feel it? Maybe Peter was only an excuse?  

The thoughts bombarding her from every side could have kept her running all night, but what finally made her turn for home was that the blisters simply became too raw to continue.  She dragged herself up the stairs, threw herself on the bed still in her sweat-soaked running clothes, and cried herself to sleep. 

She woke up pissed.  She hadn’t had nearly enough sleep, she looked like hell, and somewhere in the night she had fully grasped the terrible injustice of what Rafael had asked of her.  Besides which, she had blisters on both feet, and they hurt.

 Rafael was afraid he wasn’t going to die.  He was afraid the horrible, painfully loud shrieking in his ears was only his alarm clock, and that he would survive to have to face the work day. He turned over to silence the alarm, immediately causing his head to double in size and begin throbbing, and his stomach to churn in a way that had him up and running before he could even hit the snooze button.  After he threw up until his stomach was sore, he stood to splash water on his face.  He saw himself in the mirror and swore violently. He wasn’t sure whether he looked worse than he smelled, or vice versa.  Every pore was oozing scotch and nicotine.  With the thought of nicotine, he threw himself back to his knees and vomited again.  

 “If there’s any running and punching to be done today, I’m there for it,” Laura told Olivia, handing her a stack of reports.

“Let’s keep the punching to a minimum,” Benson responded, too wrapped in her own work to pay much attention to Parker. 

“Even if they deserve it?”

“They all deserve it.  We don’t get to punch them.”

“I don’t know, I heard a story about you…”

“No punching.”

Olivia went back to her office.

“She didn’t say anything about kicking,” Laura muttered, almost to herself. 

Fin and Carisi shared a look.  Parker looked like death would be a relief, and they both knew crying-all-night eyes when they saw them.  They just hoped to avoid splash damage from whatever was wrong with her, because they thought they could guess what the problem was.  They’d know when Barba came in.

Amanda brought Laura a cup of coffee.  “Hey, I could use your thoughts on this Edison thing,” she said, trying to sound casual.  “Could you come take a look at something with me?”

Fin and Carisi glanced at one another again. Good.  Let Rollins handle the feelings stuff.  

“You want to talk about it?”  Amanda asked quietly as they reached the monitors in the meeting area.

“No, but if that offer to shoot Barba and make it look like an accident still stands, I’m interested,” Laura muttered back, shooting a look at the rest of the squad room to make sure they couldn’t be overheard.

“I was afraid that was what it was.”

“I really, really do not want to talk about it.”

“OK.  I’m always here.  You know that.”

“I do.  Thanks.  I’m just not ready yet.  I may never be ready.  Just… if he comes over here, run interference if you can.  That would help.  I cannot deal with him today.”

“You got it.  I’ll do whatever I can.”  Amanda made a move to hug Laura.

“Please don’t hug me.  I’ll cry, and I’ll never be able to stop.”

“Been there.  Want me to punch your lights out?”

“See, that right there is why I love you.” Laura actually smiled.  On her wrecked face, the smile was more like a grimace.  But it was a start.  

“Is it that serious?”

“Amanda, it’s over.”

“No…”

“Oh, yeah.  But like I said, I don’t want to talk about it.”

 Life seems to like to kick people when they’re down. Rafael absolutely could not avoid meeting with the SVU team that afternoon.  He briefly considered running away and starting a new life as a cab driver in Mexico, or perhaps faking his own death.  Both seemed beyond his current, very hung over, capacity. Anyway, he’d done what he had to do. Now he just had to face the consequences.  He didn’t think it was possible to feel worse than he already did, so today might actually be the best day to get this first post-breakup meeting with Laura over with while he was already fucking miserable.

The entire squad room felt the expectant hush when Barba walked in.  If they’d thought Parker looked bad – and they did – Barba looked like he should be hooked up to some kind of life support.  He was pale, a little green, moving slowly as opposed to his usual caffeine-fueled pace, with red-rimmed eyes and had a general dullness about him.

Carisi leaned over to Fin.  “Guess that answers that question.”

“I don’t usually pray to get called out to a crime scene, but…”

The meeting was tense and entirely devoid of any comments other than those directly on point with the topic.  Everyone wanted to get away from the table.  Olivia, having been working in her office all morning, hadn’t been aware that anything was amiss.  But one look at Barba and Parker, and she knew immediately why the atmosphere was so thick, and why people who work together should never, ever date.  She should have objected.  She should have given Parker an ultimatum: keep your hands off our D.A., or get transferred to a unit where you don’t work with him.  Hindsight.  She leaned her head on her hand and took a long drink of lukewarm coffee.  

To their credit, Rafael and Laura did try to behave normally.  They contributed to the meeting, and even interacted.  Maybe, in time, things would go back to normal.  But not today, and clearly not for a while.

When the meeting was over, Laura went to the break room to get a soda.  Rafael purposely followed her.  Seeing that, the other members of the squad pointedly avoided going anywhere near there.

 Laura turned from the vending machine, soda can in hand, to find Rafael standing a few feet away, looking… what? Anxious?  Determined?  A little of both?  In fact, he had simply decided to get all the firsts out of the way at once.  Since she hadn’t pulled her gun on him at the meeting, and had even spoken close to normally to him, he might as well try to have their first post-breakup one-on-one conversation at work.

“Are you limping?”

“Blisters from running,” she said, trying to go around him and escape.

He stepped in front of her.  “Are you… OK?”

“You don’t get to ask me that anymore.”

“I’m trying to establish a work relationship.”

“A work relationship could possibly involve ‘Why are you limping’, but it doesn’t extend to ‘Are you ok?’.  Can I get by, please?” 

“I’m just trying to be a friend.”

“We are not friends.  That’s kind of how ‘fuck you’ works.”

“I didn’t say fuck you.”

“Really?  Because I heard it.  Loud and clear.  So if you’ll excuse me...” 

“Laura-”

“Halfway doesn’t work for you.  You’re either in or out, remember?  You chose out.  So be out.”  

The barely-controlled fury as she hissed that at him left no doubt how she was feeling.  Good.  Having her hate him would be easier than having her try to reconcile.  He wasn’t up to trying to resist her.  He’d used up all his strength the night before.   

Amanda poked her head in the door just then. “Parker, Liv needs you.”

Laura stepped around Rafael and followed Amanda back into the squad room, leaving Rafael to breathe a sigh of relief and leave the station.

“Does Liv really need me?”  Laura asked Amanda as they crossed the squad room.

“’Course not.  Sorry, I didn’t see him go after you.  I woulda tackled him or something.”

“It’s all right.  We’re gonna have to figure out how to work together at some point.”

 ********

Mr. Barba was impossible that day.  One minute he was irritable and refused to be satisfied with anything.  The next he was telling Carmen how much he relied on and appreciated her.  Several times, she timed him as he just stood, staring out the window, and decided that half an hour at a time was enough.  She would interrupt him on a pretext and get him back to work, only to have him begin barking orders and starting the cycle all over again.  The only other time she’d seen him like this was just before he’d begun his relationship with Detective Parker.  The woman in her considered trying to help – she and Laura had enough of a friendship that a call might not go amiss, and Carmen would take a bullet for Mr. Barba – but this looked too serious for well-meaning interference.  This looked like an explosion potentially loaded with shrapnel, and she was smart enough to stay out of the blast zone.

She would just have to handle Mr. Barba, without him recognizing that he was being handled. Like she always did.  

Carmen finally decided to put through a couple of calls she normally wouldn’t have, just to give him a chance to yell at someone, maybe release some of that pent-up… whatever it was.  Rage?  Frustration?  Sadness?  All of the above?  When Trevor Langan called, the smile on Carmen’s face as she transferred the call unannounced could have been described as evil, but it was actually just the satisfied look of someone executing a well-conceived strategy. 

********

Peter didn’t know what the hell Laura thought she could accomplish here.  Pam was dead. He was responsible.  End of story.  Laura could yell all she wanted, but it wouldn’t change a thing.  And he wasn’t proud of the way he’d been treating her. He’d prefer not to have to look her in the eye right now.  But she just wouldn’t fucking let it rest.  He was doing the best he could.  He didn’t need her telling him he was failing utterly.  He already knew that.

The knock at Peter’s door, almost exactly at 7:00, ended his self-reflection. He let Laura in, neither of them saying a word.  Silently, they just stood looking at one another, Peter noticing immediately that Laura looked worse than he did.  Shit, she’s about to cry, he thought.  Cheap move.  But then he looked more closely.  Was that really all about him?  Because she looked like she hadn’t slept in a week, and was ill on top of it.  

Laura finally broke down and gave Peter a quick, hard hug.  

“It’s good to see you,” she said, adding quietly, “You dumbshit.”

Peter had to laugh at that.  “I’m glad to see you’ve decided to forgive me.”

“I’m stupid like that.”

As they settled on his couch and began to make casual conversation, she mentioned, as though in passing, that she and Barba had broken up.  He didn’t buy that casual act for a second.  So that’s why she looks so rough.  She and Barba had been together for a while, and she’d really cared for him.  She must be hurting.  Peter knew she’d get around to talking honestly about it if she wanted to, but he hoped she wouldn’t.  He had no idea what the rules were for talking to your ex-girlfriend about her new ex-boyfriend.  Wasn’t that what other women were for?  Anyway, he was going to have trouble pretending he wasn’t happy she was single again.  It had been torture seeing her get serious about another man.  

Soon enough, she came to the point.  

“So. What are we going to do with you?”

He leaned back, stretching his long legs out and crossing his arms.  “I know I need to cut back on the drinking.  I’m sorry you got called to bring me home. That’s embarrassing.”

“I’m always gonna be there for you.  Because I love you.  So why won’t you let me be there for you?  I can listen, or I can help you find someone who can help you work through this-”

Peter sighed irritably.  “Just because I had a few too many on a couple of occasions-”

“Don’t.  Just don’t. I know how often you drink, I know how much you drink, and I know about all the women.  So just don’t with me.  All right?”

Peter looked over at her, shocked.  “What, have you been investigating me?”

“Didn’t have to.  Everybody in your office and mine are talking about it.  And Jack at Forlini’s happened to mention it while we were shoving your drunk ass in a cab.  OK, I admit I asked someone at Maxwell’s, but it wasn’t like it was a secret.”

“Wow. I was nicer to you when you were drinking.”

“You’re nicer than I am, period.  Don’t change the subject.”

“So, it’s not the drinking you care about.  It’s that I’m seeing other women.”

“No. You were ‘seeing’ Alyson.  You’re not seeing these women, Peter.  You’re fucking them without even looking at them.”

“My sex life is none of your business anymore.”

“Agreed.  But it is my business why you’re sleeping with half of New York.  I care about you.  That isn’t who you are, and it’s dangerous as hell.  And, if you’ll forgive me for slut-shaming you, it’s kinda skeevy.” 

“Skeevy.”

“It’s a word.  Google it.”

He reached over and took her hand.  “I gotta deal with this in my own way.”

“You’re not dealing with it at all!”  

“Just…”  Peter struggled for words that would end this conversation and get her out of his business. “Just give me time.  OK?  Can you just… back off and give me some space to do what I gotta do?”

Laura sighed, rolling her head back in an overdramatized show of frustration. “Killin’ me here, Sparky. Seriously.”

“Oh, great.  So now I’m Sparky?”

“You’re acting like a Sparky.”

“Shit.”

“So how am I supposed to be OK with, ‘yeah, I got this’?  You don’t got this.”

“If I don’t right now, I will.  Promise. I will.  And if and when I need help, you’ll be the first person I call.”

Laura shook her head.  “Damn it, Peter.  You’re the most stubborn, inflexible, overconfident… What am I supposed to do if something happens to you?”

“It won’t.”

“It better not.  I need you.”

He squeezed her hand.  “Can the lecture be over now?”

“Might as well.  It didn’t do any good.”  She moved over and leaned on him, scooting in between his arm and his body.  He moved to accommodate her, putting his arm around her.

“Jackass,” she said, supposedly under her breath but purposely loud enough for him to hear.  He squeezed her.  

“But I’m your jackass.”  He chuckled.

They sat together in comfortable silence, enjoying being together without tension for a change.  He could feel that there was something she wanted to talk about, and he could only hope it wasn’t Barba.  

She looked up at him.  “So all these women… are you using protection?”

She was in the crook of his arm, looking up at him, which put her face very close to his.  The tone of her voice was odd.  

“There’s not that many women, Sunshine.  And I don’t always sleep with them.”

“Answer the question.”

“Of course.  I’m an idiot, but I’m not that big an idiot.”

“Good,” she said, throwing her leg over his and climbing into his lap, straddling him.  He was startled when she leaned in and kissed him, but instinctively wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.  What is this?  She has a… oh, yeah.  

The kisses heated up after a moment or two.  He spread his hands and ran them up her back, licking at her upper lip until she opened her mouth to him and scooted her hips forward, pulling herself into a position where she could rub against him.  

Until he felt a tear on his cheek.  He pulled back, taking her upper arms and pushing her gently away.  She tried to resist, but as soon as he saw her face, it was over for him.

“OK. What’s going on?”

“I want you.”

“Yeah, I got that, but the crying’s a little bit of a buzzkill.”

She collapsed onto his chest and just let her tears flow.

“I’m sorry, Peter.  I’m sorry. I just… wanted you to hold me. Because you like me and… he…”  

“OK, OK,” he soothed, pulling her to him and stroking her hair.  “All you had to do was ask.”

“I’m not trying to tease you.  I really do want to be with you…”

“Yeah, so do I, but that’s not a great idea.”

“It seemed like one a minute ago.”

“I know.  And Sunshine, I’d love to take you to bed for the next week straight.  But that’s not what you want.  And don’t think I’m particularly happy about it, either.”

“Then do it.”

“I can’t.  Not just because of … what’s going on with you and Barba, but because of what’s going on with me.”

“So you’ll sleep with anyone but me?”

“That’s what I mean.  I’m not going to use you like that.  Strangers are one thing.  You, Sunshine, are another.”  

Laura looked at him with tears brimming in her eyes.  She flopped back onto the couch next to him, slumped over with her arms and legs hanging limply.

“How pathetic am I?  I can’t even get revenge sex right.”

Peter laughed.  

“It’s not funny!  I mean, look at you!  Any straight woman with a pulse would be devouring you right now.  You’re… sex on a stick!”

“Thanks, but it wouldn’t make any difference.  You’re in love with someone else.”

They just sat side by side for a while, thinking their own thoughts.

“So, no revenge sex then.”

“Nope.”

“How about just dirty, on-the-down-low, because we can sex?”

“No.”

“Shit.  Then do you have any ice cream?”

[kellykadesperate]

just like the ones i used to know

(according to a few anons, ao3 won’t let them read my fic so here!)

Robert rolls over and the first thing he sees is the snow cascading down the window, the high trees practically coated in the white fabric and forming snowflakes against the glass. He smiles gently as he thinks about how picturesque the village will look, and then he wants to sigh because he’s definitely getting older if he genuinely thinks about stuff like that. 

He shivers against the cold, closes his eyes again and then shuffles down in the bed before Aaron’s arm wrap around him and the younger man’s face is right in the crook of Robert’s neck. Robert lets him settle there for a few seconds before he’s turning his body and forcing Aaron to move with him as he leans across. 

“What’s with all the moving?” Aaron’s voice is soft gravel and it makes Robert instantly smile. He wonders if it will ever not make him instantly smile one day. 

“It’s Christmas Day.” And yet Aaron just shrugs against him, moves his cold feet across Robert’s leg and rubs a hand against Robert’s groin suggestively.

“Hmm? You want an early Christmas present?”

And suddenly Robert realises he has a lot more willpower than he’s ever given himself credit for because he shakes his head and leans away, given Aaron a soft kiss and dealing with the sleepy confusion on his husband’s face.

“I need to prep the turkey if we want it done by two.” Robert says, because apparently all that chopping and slicing and dicing shit he was doing last night which Aaron knows he liked to call prep wasn’t all that much preparation after all was it? 

Robert leans out of bed, shudders against the cold as he wraps his dressing gown around him and then looks back down to Aaron laying out on the bed. Aaron’s struck by this feeling out of nowhere as he stares up at Robert standing over him with his hair all flat and soft and his eyes still a little puffy from sleep. He’s here. He wasn’t last year. 

There’s a lot of things that Aaron can easily forget about, push to the back of his mind because the present is so good and there’s nothing that can destroy that. But then he thinks about how his heart felt exactly a year ago, how he thought the love his life was going to die. It courses through him as he sees Robert staring.

“You alright?” Robert asks, the frown on his face still there as he sees how clearly Aaron is looking at him. It’s almost like he’s still dreaming or something.

Aaron nods though, very much conscious and then he smiles. “Of course I am.” He says, “Come here.” And it must be Christmas by the way Aaron kisses him, opened mouthed and tongues dancing and enough to make Robert turn bright red. “Now go, sort out the turkey or whatever you said. I’ll try and not hold it against ya.”

Robert ties his dressing gown and then looks for a pair of socks, he finds ones with Christmas trees on them and instantly knows they’re Liv’s. He stretches them out a little with his hands before putting them and turning towards Aaron again. “Uh hold what against me?”

“You wanting your hands all over some turkey rather than all over me.” Aaron’s only teasing and it shows by the way he suddenly kneels on the bed and has his hands against Robert’s shoulders. He holds down as he feels Robert laugh.

“I can make it up to you later.” Robert promises, and he turns to get a kiss. He gets one, softer this time and he needs to leave before Aaron romances him into bed again. 

—

The idea of Liv actually coming down to help him before eleven o’clock on Christmas Day was always going to be a long shot so he doesn’t hold his breath as he starts getting the turkey out of the fridge and slathering butter over it.

He’s got the radio on and feels almost so much like an old man that he sort of hates himself but then there’s a smile on his face and he catches himself in the mirror. It shocks him, in this really odd way. Just seeing himself genuinely happy is enough to make his eyes flicker and this weird thing get clogged in his throat.

Because yeah maybe he is being dramatic but he never thought that he’d be spending another Christmas like this with Aaron this time last year did he? He never thought he’d be cooking his family Christmas dinner and that they’d still love him.

Still.

He gets lost in his memories when Liv comes down the stairs with a hand in her hair and a frown on her face. “You starting already?”

“Oh and merry Christmas to you too Olivia.” Robert teases, rolls up the sleeves of his dressing groan and the young girl yanks out a head phone as she lingers near the kitchen. Robert feels her staring as he gets the turkey in the oven and turns up the radio a little and he’s half expecting her to say something about his socks but instead she goes and surprises him.

“Can I help?” He doesnt say anything for too long and she turns into Aaron as her scowl gets deeper and she retracts the offer. Only he manages to get her back on side by giving her some potatoes to get peeling and a promise of her getting the best slices of turkey. 

They’re like that, side by side until she decides to stare up at him almost exactly the way Aaron did only a few hours ago. 

“You alright?”

And this time she’s not Aaron, she doesn’t hide what she’s thinking. She says it.

“I didn’t think you’d ever be here like this again.” Liv blurts out, hand on a half peeled potato and a Christmas song blurring in the background. She looks so deep in the realisation and Robert clears his throat, he’s trying to pretend like it’s not that big of deal considering they got back together only two months after Christmas but —

 “After last Christmas.”

And ah, it sounds so dramatic when you put it like that. Or when you do a quick summary of all the events. Robert got run over and then dumped again in this really awful way and that was that. 

“Yeah well, I am now.” Robert says, eyes flickering as he moves away from the counter and mindlessly opens the fridge. He expects her to just drop the subject but instead she persists, sighs a little and he realises that they haven’t ever really spoken about what happened. 

“Aaron and me thought you were going to die you know.” Liv says, and she looks so small as she speaks. “Chas and him didn’t want me knowing, I guess they didn’t think I’d care but —“ She looks down and Robert is forced to turn back and look right at her. “I did.” 

It makes him smile a little faintly and he comes closer to her, draws a hand against her shoulder and squeezes. 

“It was all dark back then wasn’t it?” He says, like she’s five and he’s not trying to upset her. In reality she’s known so much more than he ever thought she should have, she’s been pushed in the middle of so much upheaval. She nods a little and he sighs. “But I’m here now.”

Liv rubs her eye and smiles. “Cooking us some posh Christmas dinner.”

Robert wriggles his eyebrow. “Well considering the last time I had Christmas here we ended up having turkey nuggets instead of the real thing. I’m considering this a step up.” He says, feigns annoyance  as he thinks about that perfect Christmas at Wishing Well and the fact that he nearly ate a pheasant. It gets a laugh from Liv at least. 

“Whatever.”

“Listen though I — it’s the first of so many more. Us here as a family.” 

He manages to say it as soon as Aaron appears by the stairs and the moment only manages to get softer. Aaron comes closer and kisses at his forehead and Liv decides to scram, headphones back in as she settles on the sofa. 

“What was that about?” Aaron asks, like he has to know. He’d been listening and everything inside him practically melted as he heard. 

Robert shrugs a little. “She just needed a nice word.” 

Aaron smiles faintly and then looks towards the living room, they’ve got their stockings filled up high and it’s sort of ridiculous considering no one believes in Santa in the house and yet it makes him feel warm inside. “You carry on with that and then we can see what Santa’s left.” He rolls his eyes like he hates it and Robert knows him better. He leans across and kisses him and then shakes his head.

“You love it.”

Aaron gulps hard. “I love you.”

Robert needed to hear it and it makes his face light up. “Good.” He says and Aaron’s mouth twitches a little. “Merry Christmas Mr Sugden.”

“Dingle.”

“Sugden-Dingle.” Robert mumbles as his mouth meets Aaron’s again. 

—

Chas and Paddy FaceTime for what feels like an hour and mostly complain about how hot it is on the beach they’re staying at. Robert can’t help but look out the window and not be able to relate whatsoever. But he doesn’t really mind. 

They’re both doing as best as they can considering. 

They send their love.

And that makes Robert’s heart skip a little in this odd way. He can’t help but remember that moment in the pub, him begging Aaron to take him back, Chas insisting he leave. It’s an ugly scar he keeps but it seems to be healing every time Chas smiles at him. 

Aaron’s disappeared upstairs only to come down again with the hoodie on. The one. He’s never seen it on him before, imagined what he’d look like yeah but this is different. And Aaron acts so casual it’s almost like he doesn’t realise. 

“I thought you’d burnt that or something.” Robert says and it makes Aaron look at him funny and shake his head. 

“What? Never. I love it.” He says, feels at the arms and then comes to sit next to Robert on the sofa. It’s surrounded by small little presents and trinkets and *love and he manages to push a cushion out of the way to get to Robert. 

“Why?”

“Because you bought it for me.” Aaron’s not the most romantic sweet person in the world but sometimes he really has his moments and it makes Robert’s head spin. He gulps unsteadily as Aaron leans his legs across Robert’s lap and looks towards the television. 

“Yeah. And then I embarrassed you in front of everyone in the pub by giving it to you.”

Aaron’s eyes flicker and he remembers what has turned out to be one of the most horrible memories he’s got of him and Robert. It feels strange considering how much else has happened between them too but seeing Robert so broken and hurt and alone is something that Aaron never wants to have to go through again. He clears his throat before he looks at Robert and then he pulls a hand out and lets Robert hold on.

“I wore it round Zak and Lisa’s.” 

“You didn’t.” It gets Robert’s eyes all glassy. 

“Yeah I did.” Aaron wrinkles his nose and then smiles. “Mum wasn’t best pleased but I was.” He looks down at the watch Robert’s wearing and then up at him. “Just more proof that you never really lost me.” 

He leans over and kisses Robert hard on the mouth and something definitely smashes against the ground but none of them seem to care. 

Liv does though. It’s the new phone case she got and suddenly Aaron’s got something else to look out for in the Boxing Day sales. 

—

They’ve planned to go round to Zak and Lisa’s only Lisa’s still not back yet and it’s looking more and more like Moira’s just bringing everything round their for them all to devour. 

Aaron likes that they’re in their own home instead. 

They can join the craziness later if they have to. 

Liv’s out with Noah when Aaron walks into the kitchen with a smile on his face and then sees Robert staring up at the fridge. It doesn’t take him long to realise what he’s staring at. Seb’s name written out in the magnets. It makes Aaron’s heart thud and he clears his throat before Robert turns around and looks sheepish. 

“She’ll call.”

“Yeah.” Robert rubs a hand across the back of his neck and now really isn’t the best time to admire how beautiful he looks in his spotty jumper and navy jeans but Aaron’s brain seems to think it is. “I know that.” He says, starts walking around the kitchen aimlessly as Aaron stares at him. 

“She’s probably just knee deep in wrapping up paper or something.”

Robert stops and looks up Aaron. He looks broken suddenly. “Yeah. And ours are sitting over there aren’t they?” They’d gone overboard, naturally, and yet they’re all stuck underneath the stairs waiting to be opened. Still. 

Aaron chews at his gum. 

“Just like last year.”

“It’s not like that.” Aaron says, comes forward and presses a hand against Robert’s chest. 

“I couldn’t give him his presents then either. I missed — missed his first Christmas and now I’m missing his second too.” 

Aaron gulps steadily. “The difference is, you have us now. Mr Happily Married.” Robert almost smiles and Aaron shakes his head. “It’s all going to be okay. I promise.”

He promises and Robert leans forward and lets his forehead rest against Aaron’s as he breathes in deeply and then shudders. “I’m sorry. Look I know it is — I’m just —“ he gulps. “Sorry. It’s Christmas.”

That makes Aaron laugh and then he kisses Robert’s forehead as he holds his face. 

“Our first proper one. I’m not going to ruin that.” 

Aaron frowns. “You’re not.” He tuts. “You’re upset and so am I but —“

“But we’ve still got you and me, and Liv, if she ever forgives ya for breaking her case.”

Aaron laughs again and pulls a face. “It was sort of your fault.” He shrugs. “Just way too irrestible for me these days.”

Robert gasps. “Is that a *compliment from Aaron Sugden?”

“Dingle.”

“Dingle.”

Aaron sniffs. “Yeah it is a compliment.” Robert pulls a face. “What? Like you said, it’s Christmas.” He leans away and actually slaps Robert on the arse and yeah —

Christmas miracles do exist after all don’t they?

—

He’s serving up, he’s standing there cutting turkey for his family and feeling really stupidly proud of himself. It’s not been a mad day, it’s been soft and quiet and *his and he’s here with his family for Christmas.

Last year he was in hospital.

The thought itself made him ring Diane and Vic just before serving up, he’d somehow got round to thanking them for being there for him last year. And then he’d told Vic he was there for her if she needs him. He gets it. That loneliness without the one you really love. 

She’d basically nearly cried down the phone to him and it had been really lovely and odd at the same time. She’s coming over tomorrow. 

“Right I get first dibs.” Liv waves her plate in the air and Robert looks towards the door. 

“We should wait for Aaron.” He says, because he’d disappeared for some beer way too long ago now. Liv just rolls her eyes and he starts slicing pieces on to her plate. 

He’s still got his head down when he hears the door go and then a soft gasp escape Liv’s mouth and —

Aaron’s standing there with Seb on his hip. 

He’s got this little Christmas outfit on, a green hat and everything and Robert’s mouth falls open as Aaron makes him wave and Seb’s little face comes alive. 

“Look who’s come to say merry Christmas.” Aaron says gently, like he’s trying to not make Robert get all emotional in front of the little one. It doesn’t work, Robert walks towards them and makes grabby hands for Seb. 

It makes the little boy gurgle and then he’s in his arms and touching his face. Robert shoots at look to Aaron and the younger man shakes his head.

“Don’t worry I didn’t do anything daft again.” He’s quick to say, and Liv gets up, rubs a hand across Seb’s hair. 

“Then how’s the Christmas elf here?” Liv says, smiles this big smile and Seb’s chewing at his hand and giggly at her face. 

Robert holds him closer as Aaron explains, taking his jacket off and sighing.

“Rebecca called me in a bit of a tizzy. Neither her or Ross can cook apparently so they’re going to some fancy Christmas dinner party and she reckons he deserves a proper Christmas dinner —“

“Oh how good of her.” Liv says, rolls her eyes as Seb leans over towards her and she takes him from Robert.

“Liv.” Aaron says before he wipes his hand across his face and looks back at Robert. “I was just happy to take him out of Ross’ hands. He proper smiled at me when I came in.”

And Aaron must have bombed it down to Liverpool. 

Robert smiles faintly. “You drove all that way, on Christmas Day?”

Aaron nods awkwardly. “Well I wasn’t helping much with the dinner was I?” He says and then he comes closer and holds at Robert’s waist. “I knew how much it would mean to have him here. Rebecca knew that too, she wouldn’t have rung me otherwise.”

“Or she was too busy thinking about having some posh —“ And Liv doesn’t even try to hide her annoyance. Aaron tells her off again and then she sighs, strokes a hand against Seb’s hair. “Whatever, who cares? He’s here now.”

Robert looks at Liv with Seb in her arms and he just smiles. She’s exactly right. 

That’s why he ends up with a stupid paper hat on his head, pulling crackers with Liv and bouncing Seb on his knee. He catches Aaron looking at him across the table, mouthing ‘I love you’ and it knocks him for sixth. He smiles, glassy eyes and all sorts and mouths it right back.

And then Seb gets a little too excited and a little too close to the gravy boat and —

Well it wouldn’t be Christmas without something spilling over, would it?

—

Seb gets everyone smiling as they turn up to Wishing Well, everyone wants a squeeze too and he’s great with all the over animated. He’s waving and pushing his new toys in Sam and Lydia’s faces and making them all laugh.

Zak also shoves Robert a glass of egg nog and a wink so everyone’s winning. 

Robert settles outside in the cold air, back against the wall as he takes a breather against the karaoke Belle’s set up. It makes him smile to think about how Aaron’s a little pissed, a little merry and it’s got a lot to do with having Seb. Even if it’s just for today. 

The stars are out to play tonight and Robert stares up at them and thinks again back to last year. It’s like he can’t control it.

“Oi, are you hiding from Mariah Carey on the karaoke machine?” Aaron says, leans against the wall and then comes a little closer to Robert. “Tell me you’ve had a good day.” 

It sort of comes out of nowhere and Robert spins towards him, frowns slightly. “Of course I have.” He says, leans closer and reaches out for Aaron’s hand. “What makes you —“

“You’re out here on your own.”

Robert opens his mouth and no words seem to come out. He looks down and then up again. “Just overwhelmed.” He blinks quickly, bites at his lip as Aaron pulls this soft face. “So much has changed since —“

Aaron has a hand against Robert’s cheek and he shudders. “I’m here now.” He says. “You’ve got everything back.” There’s that thought running through his head as Aaron rubs a hand across his cheek gently. 

Robert shudders. “I was so lost.” He frowns. “Without ya. Back then. I didn’t think I’d ever —“

“I know. I know.” Aaron’s eyes are glassy as he speaks. “But look.” He shrugs. “You’ve got a whole family who love ya, you cooked us this amazing meal that we’ll still be eating until New Years —“

Robert laughs, tears stretching down his face as he does. 

“I was so scared of never having this again.” He says, and Aaron shakes his head, holds Robert close. 

“You don’t ever have to think about that again.” Aaron whispers into his chest, wraps his arms right around Robert and just stays like that for the longest time. “I love you so much, always have.” He kisses Robert gently and then pulls away. 

“Is it because I made such an amazing dinner.” And it really really was the best thing in the world, Aaron couldn’t move for nearly an hour afterwards. 

Aaron nods. “Yeah that’s the only reason.” He whispers, grabbing him in for another kiss that’s ruined by Lydia awkwardly approaching them with Seb.

“He was a bit upset. Reckoned he was just missing his dadddys.” Lydia strokes his hair and passes him over with a kind smile on her face and Robert holds the little boy close to his chest to keep him warm. 

Aaron stares at the little boy and feels his heart swell, that phone call had been everything he wanted to happen. A little Christmas miracle of their own to deal with. 

“You know this isn’t going away.” Aaron whispers, still holding Robert close as the little boy looks towards the stars and gurgles. Robert nods faintly after staring for a few seconds. “Not ever.”

He believes it. 

It travels through him as he kisses Aaron’s head and then hears Liv open the door and wave for them to come inside because someone’s given Sam the mic. 

—

Robert rolls over a satisfied Aaron, done with giving him his extra special Christmas present and feeling sore when he grins, kisses Aaron’s bare shoulder.

“Best. Christmas. Ever.” Robert pants, rubs his feet with Aaron just to keep him close as they both try and calm down.

Aaron looks over towards him with this soft smile on his face, hair sticky with sweet and curling. “Yeah?”

Robert nods. “Yeah.” He realises within the moment that he’s never felt like this before. 

He feels absolutely, almost unimaginably complete. 

“Good. Because it’s just the start of many more.” Aaron whispers. “And one year I’ll get you to let me handle the dinner.” 

“Never going to happen.” Robert says, kisses him as he rolls over Aaron’s body and walks slowly towards the bathroom.

He’s staring in the mirror when he notices his jacket hanging on the door, he frowns against something red inside the pocket and pulls out his paper hat still inside. It hadn’t broken. He holds it like it’s made of glass and smiles before opening the bin and hovering over it with the hat in his hand. 

It takes a second before he closes the bin instead and decides to keep the stupid Christmas hat. He’ll make it his thing, keeping them every year, every good year of snogging and egg nog and mulled wine and Seb’s toys breaking immediately after being opened. 

For the many more years to come.

[xfirespritex]

Leave Your Mark

A Corey Graves one shot

Summary: A visit to the tattoo shop in Corey’s hometown leads to the reader and Corey growing closer. But, how close is too close and when will the truth come out?

Pairing: Corey Graves X Reader

Warnings: NSFW later in the story.

As voted by @wrestlingnoob

And now for the usual suspects:

Tag List:

@wwesmutdonedirtcheap @heelcharlie @thedeboniardevistation

@xxnobodyshero13xx @speedilyghostlycloud @fan-fiction-galore

@amaranthine-reign @lordoftheringsmyass @justtheaverageblog1

@alpha-american @aineslight @reigns420 @deajm2116

@redroseblackwolfpack96 @blondekel77 @shieldgirl95

@gelinas22 @vebner37 @banrioncethlenn @moxtiel

@caramara3 @fmlallthewayup @breezy14fan @secretagentfangirl

@crowleysqueenofhell @abominablestrowman279

@laochbaineann @wrestlingnoob @logandemico

@calwitch @sjwrites22 @georgiadean37

@houndsofjustice-imagines @neeadinghugs

It was three in the afternoon when I walked into the tattoo shop with Renee and Carmella at my side. It was a simple trip, just to check out the portfolios and meet the artists there. They’d come highly recommended after all.

“There you are Y/N,” came the familiar voice.

I turned and smiled when I saw Corey standing there, a huge smile on his face. My crush, present as ever, made butterflies form in my stomach but I ignored them.  “On time, as always,” he said, smiling before hugging me. He hugged Renee and Carmella and smiled down at me.

“Ready to meet everyone?” he asked. I laughed and nodded as Corey introduced me to the tattoo artists, like they were family and I smiled and waved, checking out the customers getting work done as we went and smiling when I saw Renee run her finger over the small amount of ink she’d gotten on her ring finger not too long ago for Dean.

Carmella looked intrigued but I knew she’d never get one.

“You getting any work done today?” one of the artists, Steve, asked me.

I shrugged, looking around the shop. “Who is available?” I asked.

Steve smiled and winked at Corey, an unspoken conversation passing between the two. “I’ve got about thirty minutes left here, if you’d want to wait around,” he said.

Corey immediately began pointing out the pieces Steve had inked into Corey previously and I smiled at the work, thinking it over.

“I’ve got a few idea, you sure you’ve got time?” I asked.

Steve nodded. “For Corey’s girl? Yeah,” he smiled.

I felt myself go read as Corey shook his head. “You know that’s not the case,” Corey grumbled at him, rolling his eyes.

“Right, whatever you say,” Steve laughed. I shook my head, amused, before walking off to Renee and Carmella.

“I’m going to stay and got some work done, I don’t know if you ladies want to hang or not.”

“Corey!” Renee yelled, getting his attention as she leaned around me.

“Yeah?” Corey said, coming over.

“You gonna get her back to the hotel later?” She asked. “We drove together.”

Corey smiled and threw an arm around me. “Of course,” he said, smirking.

I felt my face grow hot and ignored the wink from Renee and the eyebrow wiggle from Carmella as I went into my phone, finding the reference photos I’d need for the work I wanted.

When Steve finished he pulled me aside and sat down with me and I began explaining the idea to him. I printed a few photos to the wireless printer and as he set down to work Corey sat with another artist to work on one of his new pieces. I sat with Corey while Steve sketched and, when he called me over, I gasped in shock at how amazing it was.

“Ready?” he asked. I nodded and immediately got to work, Steve laying out the tattoo where I wanted it, on my forearm, and when it was set he began to work.

“What are you getting done?” Corey asked.

I smiled at him and winked. “You’ll just have to wait to see.”

--

A few hours later, I smiled down at the ink on my arm and felt my adrenaline pumping from the mixed pleasure and pain of getting the tattoo done. Corey had finished his just minutes before and as we both stood and looked in the mirror we eyed each other’s new pieces as much as our own.

“Little by little, one travels far,” Corey read aloud as he took my arm in his hands carefully, examining the words laid over the compass which had  a cracked glass face and rusted edges. He smiled at the piece before offering his most recent for inspection by me.

It was the words Steel City, written in a space of his arm that had been blank, but laid out in a way that made it look like part of the Pittsburgh skyline that hovered above the lettering. I smiled.

“Such a home body,” I teased. He laughed.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, smiling.

We paid for the work and, as we left I made Corey take a turn into the pizzeria next store and I bought five pies and walked back into the shop, leaving them on the counter with a wave and a wink. The workers let out a roar of approval and Corey just laughed, watching me practically skip as we left the shop.

“Now what?” I asked, turning to Corey, smiling.

He smiled back. “How do you feel about a home cooked meal?” he asked.

I stared at him, my eyes wide before nodding.

--

“Dinner was amazing,” I gushed, staring at Corey’s mom. She laughed and waved it off, beginning to gather plates. I jumped up and tried to begin helping clean up and she waved her hands at me, forcing me to sit.

“Guests don’t clean here, honey,” she said. I was about to protest but Corey covered my mouth and I glared at him.

When my mouth was free I smirked at him.

“Well, Corey is family so I guess he cleans up then,” I said. Corey’s jaw dropped and his mom, still laughing, dropped the stack of plates in front of him.

“You heard her,” she said, a smile on her face. Corey grumbled and took the plates into the kitchen and I heard the sink water begin to run.

“So, you and Corey both wrestled together, before his accident. He’s told us about you before but, forgive me dear, I wasn’t aware you and my son were an item,” he said as she sat beside me.

I stared at her and smiled. “Well, that’s a good thing, because we aren’t. We’re just friends.”

Her lips tugged upwards at the corners but she nodded. “Ah, I see. Well you are the nicest person he’s brought home ever, I do hope you’ll visit again Y/N.”

“I definitely will. Anytime we’re in the area it’s safe to assume I’ll be latched on to Corey so he can’t come here without me.”

She smiled and covered my hand with hers for a moment before standing and going to make sure Corey was cleaning up correctly. I giggled as I heard his mom chastise him for not drying a dish correctly.

--

When we got back to the hotel that night I was dead tired but had a goofy smile plastered on my face.

“Your family is so nice,” I said as I leaned into Corey while walking. He smiled down at me.

“Yeah, nice to you,” he said, jokingly. “I swear my mom was about to take my head off when you told her you and me weren’t together.”

I laughed. “It’s funny that so many people think it.” I felt my cheeks burn and was glad Corey was digging through his pockets for his room key. Truth be told I wouldn’t mind being with Corey, at all, but he’d never even flirted with me once so as we stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall towards our rooms I didn’t think anything of his hand on the small of my back. Or the kiss on my cheek at my door.

Once in my room and after a very careful shower to avoid messing with the new ink I was curled up in my pajamas and flicking through social media. I stopped when I saw Corey had posted a picture of us from earlier.

I couldn’t help but smile as my heart fluttered a little bit at the picture. We were smiling, my head tilted against his as the camera captured the moment. I liked the picture before reading his caption or anything underneath it, quickly taking a screen shot so I could save it.

As I scrolled I paused to read Corey’s caption. A great day, with a beautiful girl, new ink, pizza and time home with the family. What more could a boy from #Pittsburgh want?

Accompanying that were a few hashtags, mostly about being from Pittsburgh. I began to scroll through when one of the comments, written in all caps, caught my eye.

ARE THEY TOGETHER?

Underneath that was a series of responses.

DUH! LOOK AT THEM.

HE TOOK HER TO MEET HIS FAMILY, OF COURSE THEY’RE TOGETHER!

I laughed and took a screen shot of it before sending it to Corey in a text, admonishing him for breaking the fangirls. He responded with a wink face and I just laughed.

Once back on Instagram I liked a few fellow wrestlers’ posts and continued to scroll before deciding to add a picture of my own to cap off the night.

I posed so that my new tattoo was visible, smiling up at the camera as I snapped the photo. Quickly I typed my own caption. An amazing day spend with an amazing guy. Nothing like seeing the sights with someone from the area. Thanks @wwegraves for a great time.

I added a heart emoji and posted the photo, setting my phone down and turning on my side to turn off the light.

--

About a week later, I’d just finished a match on NXT when I walked through the curtain and saw Corey standing there, clapping, a band shirt and jeans on, his smile stretched across his face.

I felt myself smile immediately in return and when he opened his arms to me I immediately went into them, smiling against his chest.

“Great match, you did well,” he said, smiling.

I smiled up at him and our proximity made my heart race. Spending more time together lately was great except I felt my feelings growing deeper. While I knew it wasn’t the best idea to continue letting my feelings grow I refused to ignore Corey.

“Want to be my riding buddy?” he asked.

I nodded and stepped back, out of his arms. “I’m gonna shower and then we’ll be okay to go,” I said.

Corey nodded and walked with me to the locker rooms, him stopping just outside as I slipped in to shower and change.  Liv was in there and she smiled at me.

“What’s up?” she asked, popping the ‘p’ sound.

“Nothing, gonna shower and head out.”

“Shit, you’ve got a riding partner?” she groaned.

“Yeah, why you don’t?” I asked, frowning as I looked up from my bag, clothes in hand.

“Not sure yet.”

“I’m sure Corey won’t mind if you come with,” I started.

Liv raised her hands up and crossed them in front of her body in a negative gesture.

“No way, I will not be to blame for you and Corey dancing around each other anymore.”

I laughed. “What?”

“You both are crazy about each other. Can’t you see it?”

“Corey doesn’t see me that way,” I said, going to walk past her.

“But you see him that way,” she said, a smirk on her face.

“Do you want a ride or not?” I asked.

“Nah, I’ll find my own way. Enjoy three hours with Mr. Graves all to yourself.” As she left she winked at me and I heard her greet Corey in a very cheery voice out in the hallway. I rolled my eyes and showered quickly before changing and grabbing everything of mine. When I stepped into the hallway Corey was no longer standing there but I heard his laugh from around the corner. I walked that way but stopped when I heard Roderick’s voice.

“No, seriously, you gotta start opening your mouth around Y/N. She’s not gonna wait forever. The girl is practically blind to how you look at her but still, I’ve seen her look at you.”

I frowned and leaned against the wall, not wanting to listen in but not wanting to announce my presence just yet.

“Look, I’ve told you, she doesn’t see me that way. I’ve seen her around guys she likes and she treats me way differently.”

“Because she doesn’t just like you, you dumbass. That girl is head over heels for you. And you are for her. So why the hell are you not telling her?”

Corey was silent and I could hear him sigh, my own heart rate speeding up. “Look, I’m no good at relationships,” Corey began. “She deserves more than I can give her. Even if she does like me I can’t be what she needs. Can we just drop it?”

Roderick groaned. “You need to do something about it. You two should be together. And not just in a three hour car ride.”

I could picture Corey shaking his head and I took a few steps back from the corner, coughing as I walked back towards them. As I rounded the corner I smiled at the two of them.

“Hey guys,” I greeted, my eyes lingering on Corey for a moment. Roderick smiled and hugged me quickly.

“Hey, Y/N, I’ve gotta get running but I’ll see you all at the next show, yeah?”

I nodded and smiled at him. “Yeah, see you there.”

Roderick smiled and then turned to Corey. “You gonna think about what we talked about?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Corey said, quickly, his eyes flicking between me and Roderick.

Roderick smiled and walked off and I looked at Corey. “What was he talking about?” I asked.

“Uh, just some workout techniques.”

I nodded and, wheeling my bag behind me, walked with Corey to the parking lot where the rental car was. Corey grabbed my bag and put it into the trunk next to his own and I climbed into the passenger seat. Corey slid behind the wheel and, as soon as the radio was on he found an alternative rock station and we headed out.

The car was silent, unusual for us but I didn’t trust myself to speak just yet. What I’d overheard, and Corey’s reaction to seeing me round the corner, made me uncertain. Everyone seemed to believe there was something there but, until I saw it with my own eyes, I wasn’t so sure.

We both rocked our heads or drummed our fingers to the music. Corey’s grip on the steering wheel was tight and his jaw was clenched. I was worried but still, afraid to speak, I said nothing. Finally, just over an hour into the drive, Corey broke the silence.

“You heard what Roderick said, didn’t you?”

I stared at him, feeling my jaw drop. “What?”

Corey sighed and, checking the rearview and side mirrors, pulled over into an empty lot, all the store fronts black and void of people. Putting the car in park, he rested his forehead on the steering wheel for a moment before looking at me.

His eyes, normally bright and full of life, were dull, uncertain. I frowned.

“Corey, what’s going on?” I asked.

“Come on, Y/N. You heard something and that’s why you’re not talking to me.”

I frowned and turned in my seat more to look at him. “You are the one not talking to me. Remember the car rules? Drivers picks the radio and the conversation topic? I figured if you weren’t saying anything you didn’t want to talk.”

Corey laughed, the sound bitter. “That’s your story, huh?” he asked.

I said nothing and he laughed again before putting the car back in drive and pulling back onto the road, speeding slightly. I stayed quiet and Corey clenched the wheel harder the entire way. When we were two hours in I offered to drive and Corey just shook his head, his eyes locked on the road.

I frowned and slinked down in my seat, glancing at my phone and frowning deeper when I saw a text from Liv.

Liv: How is the drive going? Y/N: Terrible. He won’t talk to me. He accused me of overhearing him and Roddy talking about me. Liv: Well, did you? Y/N: Yes. But the point is he wouldn’t fess up when I asked him about it. He didn’t want to talk about it so why should I?

Liv’s response was one of those frustrated face emoji’s and I locked my phone, setting it down on my lap and looking out the window.

The rest of the drive was silent and, when we got to the hotel I groaned, remembering that Corey and I had agreed to share a room so I hadn’t called ahead for my own. Corey, seemingly realizing the same, sighed and handed me my bag before we walked inside, quiet and uncomfortable. I felt sick to my stomach as I felt Corey’s annoyance and frustration with me as he checked us in.

I followed him and once in the room I set my bag on one bed, him setting his on the other.

“I’m gonna shower,” he grumbled.

“Okay,” I said, my own voice soft, cracking slightly.

Without a glance at me Corey gathered his things and went into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. I flinched at the sound and changed into my pajamas quickly before setting my bag aside and sliding under the covers of my bed, torn between continuing the silence and feigning sleep when he came out.

Flicking through my phone I felt a twinge of pain as I found the pictures from last week.

The ache in my chest grew slightly and I frowned when I heard the bathroom knob turn. I stayed like sitting like I was as he walked out and, continuing to ignore me, Corey put his things in his bag and putting it aside before looking at me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice careful.

I sighed before looking at him, feeling my stomach knotting itself up. “I lied.”

His brows furrowed together. “Lied about what?”

“I did hear you and Roderick. I just…figured you didn’t want me to hear it. And I didn’t want to push. And now you’re pissed off and I’m upset and this isn’t how our travel time goes and I hate it.”

Corey’s face paled slightly as he sat down on the edge of my bed next to me. “I hated this whole drive too. I just, couldn’t get what Roderick had said out of my brain and then I was paranoid you had heard. And you did. So, now you know. And I get that you didn’t want to talk to me about it. I get it. But can we just, forget it all? I can’t lose you.”

“Lose me?” I asked, staring at him, feeling my eyes stinging with the tears that had started to form there.

“You’re one of my best friends. Every time we hang out it’s as natural as breathing and I can’t lose that. I get that you don’t want to be with me, that’s fine. I’m not what you deserve anyway but, just don’t tell me we can’t be friends because I have feelings for you, okay?” His voice cracked on the last word and I could feel my frown deepen.

Reaching over I grabbed one of his tattooed hands and let my fingertips drift over the designs on it, afraid to meet his eyes.

“What if…I don’t want to forget it? What if…what I heard in the hallway earlier was what I’ve been dying to hear since I met you?” I asked.

My fingers were near his pulse point as I finished my words and I could feel it quicken a little. He pulled his hand free of mine and it drifted slowly up to my chin, tilting my face up his, an unreadable expression on his face, like he was stuck between fear and hope.

“Are you being serious right now?” he asked, his hand molding around my jaw line and back along it, into the hair at the nape of my neck.

I nodded, swallowing as my throat tightened with anxiety.

“Thank god,” Corey mumbled. I was about to ask him what for when he leaned into me, crashing his lips onto mine. I whimpered and immediately my hands flew up to his shoulders, gripping him tightly. His free hand shoved the covered off of my lower body and he crawled to cover me with his body, the kiss deepening quickly. When we finally broke apart we both gasped for air and I felt a familiar throb between my legs as Corey looked down at my. Tracing my fingers over the tattoos on his neck I watched in fascination as he shivered.

“So,” I started, biting my lower lip. “Our friends were right about us.”

“That I’m absolutely in love with you?” Corey asked, a smile on his face.

My heart raced and I nodded. “Yeah. And that I’ve been head over heels since day one,” I added.

His smile was bright and I smiled up at him, feeling the ache in my chest ease slightly.

“Y/N, I…I want this. But I don’t want to ruin it either. I’m not the best at relationships so…can you accept that I won’t be perfect? That’ll I’ll forget things?”

I bit my lower lip as he laid his concerns out and reached up, my hand sliding through his hair without messing it up and he leaned into my touch, letting me think.

“If you promise to never forget about me, we can work on the rest.”

“I could never do that,” he said, a smile coming back to his face. “You’re all I ever think about.”

Corey’s smile faded a little as he leaned in and kissed me again, rougher this time, one hand sliding down to the hem of my t-shirt and tugging it up over my head, tossing it aside. I shivered at the new intensity, letting my own grip tighten on him. Corey bit his lip as he leaned down and began kissing along my bare chest, his teeth and tongue spending time on each nipple, making me whimper and groan in response.

Corey smirked against my skin and, feeling like this was definitely going in his favor I grabbed at the shirt on his back and tugged it off of him, pulling him up to eye level with me before I turned slightly, forcing him to lay on his side next to me. Before he could ask what I was doing I leaned down and bit on his neck, enjoying the fact that the skin there immediately began to color up under my teeth and lips.

“Marking me?” He groaned, his voice a little breathless.

I smiled at him and reached out, tracing my fingers over the tattoo he’d gotten the day we had been at the shop together.

“It’s not the first marks we’ve gotten together,” I said, winking. Corey laughed and pushed against me gently, laying me back, a devilish smile gracing his features.

“It’s not the last mark we’ll get together,” he said, his voice full of promise and desire. “But you, my dear, have all this gorgeous, unmarked skin.”

He dipped his lips to my skin again and I felt him biting along it, little red marks appearing here and there and I began to squirm, my hips shifting as I hoped for some kind of relief.

Sensing my need Corey brought one hand to my core and pressed against me through my shorts and underwear, a moan escaping me as I bucked into his hand, his teeth leaving a bruise just under my breasts along my rib cage.

Corey smirked and continued his ministrations and as he traveled lower I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. As my shorts and underwear disappeared and his mouth replaced his fingers I was barely stopping myself from screaming his name, the love bites and marks on my body having woken up my entire body to the edge and as his tongue worked over my clit I whimpered, so close to coming undone.

“Not yet love, wait for me,” He growled, a command in his voice. I bit my lip and whimpered.

“Corey, I can’t,” I whimpered, bucking against him.

A growl left him and he slid back up my body quickly, his hand gripping my jaw hard.

“I said you need to wait for me, love. Don’t you want to cum together?” he asked. His voice was commanding but there was a question there. Asking if this was okay, if I didn’t mind his rougher, dominant nature.

I nodded and I could see the relief that flooded his features.

“Good,” he said, sliding off of me and standing to shove his pajama pants and boxers off. He was on top of me instantly again, his cock, already heard and leaking against my entrance. I could feel my body pulse as it waited for contact and I gasped as his lips traveled over my neck to my ear.

“This makes you mine,” he whispered.

“I’ve always been yours,” I said.

The next instant Corey was fully sheathed inside of me, his hips snapping against mine. I let out a yell halfway between surprise and relief as he pounded into me.

“Corey,” I gasped, trying to warn him.

“Wait,” he commanded.

I bit my lip, hard enough to draw blood and he groaned at the sight, claiming my injured lip with his own, licking over the sore spot as I felt him tense.

“Now,” he growled out before reclaiming my lips. I came just as he did, our timing less than half a second off and I dug my nails into his back, clinging to him to ground me to him.

As he slid out and laid next to me Corey pulled me to him immediately and I let my head rest on his chest, feeling my own head struggle to break through the fog my orgasm had caused.

“So,” Corey began as he regained his breath. “Round 2?”

I laughed and slid my hand down his body, hovering near his hips and thighs, drawing circles there.

“That depends,” I said.

“On what?” Corey asked, his eyes meeting mine.

Rolling I straddled his lap and smirked down at him, leaning down to nibble on his chest.

“I get to be on top this time.”

Corey laughed and a smack echoed through the room as he soothed the skin of my stung ass cheek with his hand.

“Whatever you want, babe.”

[vintagemichelle91]

A Little Lesson in Joy: Part One

Authors’ Note: The time has come for Trevor and Alessia’s wedding!! I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend, especially with the happy news of SVU coming back for a 19th season!!! Hooray!!! @rauliskafan and I hope you enjoy this latest little lesson!! We so look forward to your feedback!!!

           “Are you sure you’re alright, hermosa?” Rafael kept fussing around her as they walked towards the lobby for Alessia and Trevor’s wedding ceremony. Natalia felt as if everyone was waiting for her in this the final stage of her pregnancy with the twins already “running late…”

           …and her parents unable to put off their big day for a third time.

           Waving her worrying husband off, Natalia gave him a small smile. “Atticus, I’m perfectly fine,” she stated as they made their way to the elevator, Natalia wearing a flowing, single shouldered light blue dress.

           “You definitely look it,” Rafael said as he winded an arm around her waist and placed a chaste kiss on one of the ringlets framing her face. “As beautiful as the night I met you.”

           “I’m at least three sizes bigger,” she quipped with a sigh.

           “And every inch of you is all mine.”

           For a second he seemed to relax, and Natalia stroked his face, hoping that he would remain this way until her parents were pronounced---

           “Now remember; if you feel any discomfort at any point, you need to---”

           “Let you know,” she said, finishing the thought for him and cupping his chin in her hands. “I promise.”

           “I’m going to hold you to that,” he said. Whatever state his nerves were or were not in, he still smirked, and Natalia leaned in to him kiss him softly in the hope of banishing any lingering stress to parts unknown.

“You are sweet. But you worry too much.”

           “Can you blame me, hermosa?” he asked.

           “No. But I had a long talk with your youngest daughters,” Natalia said, patting her tummy. “They know how important today is, and they promise to keep the backflips to a bare minimum.”

           Smirking again, Rafael guided his wife through the sliding doors of the elevator of The Plaza Hotel, the sight of a once magical New Year’s celebration and now this most special of days.

            “I’ll be on my best behavior, too, hermosa,” he swore. “Wouldn’t want to spoil the mood of the day… or later tonight.” His tone was seductive as the elevator doors closed, and Rafael’s fingers gently traced a small path down the length of her arm.

           “Guess you really will take me any way you get me,” she teased making him blush. “You are something else, Atticus.”

           “I am many things, mi hermosa flor.”

           “Oh? Care to elaborate on that?” Natalia took hold of his hand and brought it to her lips.

           “Now?” Rafael’s voice was low and full of sweet seduction, the challenge of the brief time needed to move from floor to floor one that he would obviously rise to…

           …but the loud ding followed by the swoosh of the elevator opening broke the heated spell surrounding them as newly arrived guests filtered in to make their own way to the main lobby.

           “To be continued, Atticus,” Natalia assured him, squeezing his hand. “Later tonight.”

Alessia paced back and forth before the golden doors that would lead her to the love that she had lost for so long, the man whose fate would now intertwine with hers once again.

“I still can’t quite believe that this is going to happen,” the bride-to-be said in a shaky voice. Natalia smiled at her mother knowingly as Violetta glanced back and forth between the two.

           “What you mean, Nana?” the little girl asked. “You plan this day. Not like it some surprise.” Violetta fluffed out her tulle skirt, and Alessia bent down to her eye level to pinch her cheek.

“Quite right,” she said. “I’m just very excited, sweetheart.”

           “As you should be, Mommy,” Natalia said encouragingly as her smile grew wider. Her parents reuniting and rekindling their love for each other after all this time brought with it a new sense of hope that happily ever after would always appear as the final sentence in any story no matter what.

           “I can’t help but think that maybe… maybe all those years ago…”

           “Mommy, don’t look back.”

           “But we could have been together. It’s just… his life scared me. And with you…”

           “Everything is as it’s meant to be now,” Natalia told her. “I can attest to that.” She placed a gentle hand over her swollen belly, her babies on their best behavior even as she swore that she could feel them smiling.

           “Funny how life leads you down the right path,” Natalia whispered as she fiddled with Violetta’s curls, not wanting a single strand of her honey-colored hair out of place for her march down the aisle.  

           “Not without some challenges here and there,” Alessia pointed out.

           “Part of the ride, Mommy. Makes the end of the road even more beautiful,” Natalia said, her mother’s smile mirroring her own.

           “Can we get this show on road, already?” Violetta demanded. “Harold getting heavy now.” Violetta adjusted her little basket filled to the brim with white rose petals while holding Harold under her other arm. A blue bow the same color of her Mami’s dress adorned the hippo’s ear, and the two older generations of women laughed at the little girl standing before them in ivory silk matching her grandmother.

           “Good thinking,” Alessia said. “We better get going before your grandfather gets anxious.”

           “Along with your Papi, sweet pea,” Natalia agreed.

           “I all ready!” Violetta said determinedly, adorably so as she considered herself an expert on all aspects of being a flower girl, prepared to leave a trail of petals with every step.

           Which she did with skillful ease when passing by the other guests, their family and friends in attendance wearing smiles along with their finest clothes.

           “Are you ready?” Natalia asked her mother.

           “As I’ll ever be.”

           Extending her arm to give her mother away, Natalia practically floated down the flowered path to the sweet strums of violin strings. The ballroom had been transformed into a whimsical scene straight out of a fairy tale with white flowers galore and streaming, sparkling lights suggesting stars, a moment so exquisite that no one watching would ever forget. As Natalia kept walking in time to the music, she saw her father’s smile, the hint of regret in his gaze so like Alessia’s. But when Maggie, serving as something of a “best woman” for the proceedings gently nudged his ribs, Trevor seemed to calm, his cheeks blushing and his smile broad.

           “How are we doing?” Maggie asked once Natalia had guided Alessia to her groom’s side.

           “Perfect,” Alessia said, peering deeply into Trevor’s eyes. “Natty?”

           For a moment, Natalia was lost in thought, her eyes raking the crowd where Rafael and Dodds sat in the front row with Violetta and Harold nestled between them. A tiny twinge of sorrow tugged at her heart along with the wish that the twins were already here in the flesh to mark the occasion. Not in the cards. Not that she could complain. Natalia had so very much to thankful for and---

           “Natty?”

           Now it was Maggie asking the question, and Natalia’s head snapped back around to find her sister’s smile, and she quickly nodded her head.

           “All good,” Natalia said. “Isn’t anyone going to ask our old man?”

           Trevor beamed at the label, and Maggie straightened his boutonniere.

           “No second thoughts I hope?” Maggie asked to which Trevor appeared stunned.

           “Of course not,” he said, speaking fast. “Why would you even say that?”

           Maggie waved one hand in the air and shrugged her shoulders. “Standard question. Someone asked me the same thing on my wedding day…” Her voice trailed off as she smiled at Rafael. “… and I just want to be absolutely sure that there are no cold feet.”

           “None here,” Trevor said. “Quite the contrary; they’re rather warm.”

           “Good. Because even if you did have an escape route planned, there was no way I was going to let that happen.”

           Trevor chuckled, and Violetta turned to her Papi to ask how she looked coming down the aisle.

           “You did an incredible job, muñequita,” Rafael whispered into her ear.

           “Thought so,” she said, smiling in triumph. “But it very nice to hear you say it.”

           With that she settled in for the ceremony, sitting ahead of Liv and the Chief and Noah… …who Violetta just had to wink at. Carisi and Rollins sat with Jesse in their laps, all smiles. Finally, there was Fin next to Lucia. Everyone they loved most in the world present and accounted for.

           “It’s time, Trevor,” Alessia said.

           “Wonderful. We’ve waited for far too long.”

           Listening to the celebrant, their smiles never wavered, and they echoed the vows. Each time the words rang out they seemed more loving with each syllable. Alessia’s hand trembled slightly as the gold band made its way to her delicate finger, and Natalia shared a quick glance with her sister, happier than ever to have her, happier still when she thought of all the beautiful days that simply had to lie ahead.

           “You may now kiss the bride.”

           Trevor wasted no time pulling Alessia into his arms. Natalia felt her heart soar for her parents, and she couldn’t help but feel a little proud of herself for helping them come back together, to this moment. As they basked in the applause, Natalia glanced at Rafael, and blew him a quick kiss until the happy couple made their way to the other end of the room.

           Only then did he pounce with Violetta and Harold at his side.

           “Still feeling okay?” he asked.

           “If you keep asking me that, no cake for you,” Natalia warned.

           “Oh, Papi, you better be good,” Violetta seriously said. “The cake the main reason why people have weddings.”

           “Like mother, like daughter,” Rafael sighed as they followed the others out. Suddenly Natalia felt the twins twist in her tummy. At least they made it through the ceremony. And maybe once she sat down and had something to eat, she would feel so much---

           “Mami… did you have a potty accident?”

           The other guests turned to see Natalia’s eyes traveling down her frame, finding her dress drenched along with Rafael’s shoes.

           “Hermosa?”

           He could barely speak as he gripped her hand, and Natalia slowly met his eyes.

           “I… my water just broke.”

[slayernina]

OP don't leave the full meta in the coments XD

#the thing is I actually think the in-universe reason is particularly prominent in ep. 2 is bc he was trying to perform the whole#'I was so high the night of the boat-party :( I don't know what happened/I don't remember nothing :( vibe for Ravi and Liv#while trying to investigate for himself the people who put up his picture on facebook and whether they were a threat#So I think he was really trying to downplay himself as a threat a little and just look like a down-on-his-luck lonely ex-junkie turned zomb#but also it's so funny that he had this whole operation running and didn't get a spraytan until his sugar mommy payed for it in ep. 4#bc - was he that broke or was he that blind?#I also think that's one shift: Later Blaine is actually often portrayed as very vain#(Peyton telling him that he clearly 'puts a lot of effort into his look' or Don E literally calling him a 'preening fop')#and I think that's a trait that really took off later and isn't all that big in season 1#which still brings up the matter of his outfit at the boat-party. But really I think he was at the end of his rope when the show starts#and it's actually all looking up for him and he starts recovering into the person into the healthiest horrible person he can be#which I always think is a funny mirror of Liv because for her being turned into a zombie meant the ultimate bad break in her life-plan#(at first glance)#where she was really up-and-coming and had everything figured out and was going to do a really important internship and then#lost all that and had to break up with Major and lost her job. Meanwhile for Blaine it meant a big break in a good way.#he even points that out to her in early season 2 how he was 'a loser. a nobody. an underarchiever. a joke' but then zombie-Blaine was a hit#and I also think that's why being turned zombie means entirely different things to the two of them#and why they deal with it in very different ways#but that's a whole different essay#wow I#m being so normal at 4 am#izombie#fandom#blaine debeers

sometimes I think about the fact that this was. their first direct interaction.