#some words are just WOWZA and i feel like that���d be one of them for her— COUGHS ANYWAY

[sunny-d-anomaly]

Wowza, I did not expect to get such a response! Thanks to all who reblogged! I really hope to make a lot of new art buddies during this coming challenge! I also want to say that I appreciate your patience for the official rules. I expected to have them ready sooner, but I was struck by my own arrow and had to do some internal healing. However, I digress. Without further ado, here are the

O🧡F🖤F💛I🤍C💜I🤍A🖤L

R🧡U🖤L💛E🤍S

of Sunny D’s Sketchtember ‘23 Challenge!!

1. Totally tag/@ me so I can see how awesome your work is, and probably follow you!

2. Any medium is allowed (unless you’re trying the super hardcore mode, but those rules will follow these, so you’re good) as long as you drew it! (Ex: digital art and paint are both acceptable, but sculptures should probably stick to Sculptember.

3. Use hashtags #sketchtember23 and/or #23wSunnyD

4. Anyone following me at the end of Sketchtember who has also completed it with me will be considered Official Sketchtember Finalists, and will be offered a chance to compete in an art-off with other Sketchtember Finalists. Third, second, and first place winners will be determined at the end of October (to give everyone a good month to complete their submissions and put all the finishing touches where they go). There will be prizes, those will be announced as September comes to a close and will be mentioned in the official rules for the Sketchtember Finalist Art-Off. You must be following me and have completed the Sketchtember challenge to qualify as a finalist. ♥️

And that’s pretty much it for the official normal rules!

For extra credit, honor, and mostly as a bigger challenge for those who like to push themselves harder, allow me to introduce to you…

Sketchtember 2023: SUPERHARDCOREMODE

Here are the rules for that:

1. Use the same tags mentioned above, though if you wish, you might also use the tag #uhc23wSunnyD to flex a bit & let everyone know that you’re not afraid of a little extra challenge.

2. You must use only BLACK INK and one other color, whichever color you like, but only one, so choose wisely. But it must be done 100% freehand, in ink, on paper, so remember, there are no mistakes in art, just happy accidents. 😬

3. You can combine two or more words to create a scene, however, you can only combine words that you can connect on the chart using a straight line (no bending, winding threads, just one point A to point B line, which is why I have divided the words into 3 columns. So, for example, you could draw 1. & 2. Because they connect by a straight vertical line. Or, you could try combining 1, 11, and 21 because you can tie them all together using straight, non-curving lines. If you really want a challenge, see how many of them you can combine into a single drawing by seeing how many you can connect using simple straight lines.

And I think that’s about it for those rules? Again, I am functioning on sleep fumes, or like the general idea of sleep, which isn’t actually good fuel for a working brain, so if you have any questions about these challenges, or the prizes, or if you cannot read my attempt at legible handwriting, feel free to reach out and I will do my best to respond.

OKAY, I’m literally forcing my eyes open right now, so good luck, have fun!!!

I’m posting this for now, official rules will follow after I get some of those elusive Z’s. Please join~ I’m excited.

[barrenclan]

I saw the red scribbley around redpelt and went :D. So cool to see you use that!!! It’s such a fun thing to do and I’m totally going to do it more lol.

I love this issue man, I actually like the wordiness of it, everything was well written and it was fun to see the girls go at it. Certainly wasn’t expecting them to actually fight eachother wowza. The expressions in this page made me lose my actual mind, especially the one w the four apprentices looking over to the fight like :3c and then that one with beeface after mallowstar broke them up lol. TFW you get yelled at.

Also that part where comorantpaw said bye to pinepaw unprompted when pinepaw turned to leave, cute!! I like how it shows his development somewhat, since he actually noticed pinepaw was leaving and actively chose to acknowledge that and speak. Dunno how to word that but YEAH. And clearly pinepaw wasn’t expecting it either bc of how he reacted haha.

It's! Such a good effect!! I saw it on that page with Doggo and was like "OH I need to use this immediately or I Will Die".

Haha thanks, I'm glad it wasn't too wordy. :) I wrote this issue a couple weeks ago and just couldn't find any ways to trim it down more than it already had been. So I just had to flavor it with some fun drawings! This issue was one of the earlier ones I planned while developing the story, it was centered around the idea of the fake, petty arguing Plumstripe and Beeface do turning into something real and dangerous.

Yesss Cormorantpaw starting to get out of his own head a little bit perhaps??... :> After putting out so much effort it feels very gratifying to finally get something in return, so it's a win for Pinepaw. I'm super looking forward to digging into Cormorantpaw some more.

[krysphycookiez]

stray kids | you as the female maknae

synopsis: you’re the female maknae of the infamous k-pop group stray kids! let’s see how you get along with these eight chaotic boys

genre: fluff, platonic, imagines

pairing: stray kids x maknae!reader

a/n: wowza another female maknae au post- yes i have an obsession with these types of writings and i have no regrets. expect a lot of these extra member au’s for boy groups and girl groups

❦

you’re his smol baby child and nothing will change his mind

chan just wants you to be happy and he’s really good at showing that, whether he makes sure you’re always healthy or just doing daily check ups on you

if you don’t end up taking care of yourself he’ll get really upset and probably give you a long lecture

one time you actually cried because of his scolding because you felt really bad and he started crying too

if he feels like there’s something up with you and you don’t open up, he usually plans with the other members to do little things to cheer you up

and those plans work all the time

he knows how much you struggle with the idol life because of his own past struggles so he empathizes with you very well

if you’re an english speaking foreigner, he’d be very chaotic with you and felix

but then it eventually just turns into chan being done with you and felix’s bullshit

nags you sometimes but he just wants you to be careful- so for the most part he just lets you be

when your time of the month comes he’s usually the best at handling the situation (jisung i’m looking at you)

he also let’s you mess around with his tracks, but he makes sure you don’t do anything stupid. as you once almost deleted a whole new track

hugs you from behind a lot to remind you that you’re loved and a precious cinnamon roll

he’s a soft leader for you and it’s just downright wholesome

ngl you had a crush on minho during trainee days, i mean- just look at him for crying out loud

that silly crush soon disappeared and now you see him as a best friend

though hyunjin knew about this past crush and obviously tattled to minho. now you’re his main target for flirting

speaking of flirting, he always tries to make you as flustered as he can cause he just loves your reactions

he also initiates a lot of skinship with you cause you’re like a small teddy bear to him, also he just likes cuddling with you in general

if you’re part of the danceracha, you and him would start a lot of weird shit with hyunjin and felix

hell even if you aren’t part of that sub-unit you still find a way to cause chaos with minho

also you ask about his cats all the time cause you love them a lot, and that just boosts his cocky attitude even more

he gets very possessive of you when it comes to your guy’s friendship

cause he’s the type to say “no one outside of stray kids is allowed to talk or even look at you”

ofc he’s joking though lmao

you two are like an old married couple. a lot of bickering goes on between the two of you and that just becomes the butt of stray kids inside jokes

and both of you are very petty with each other too. like- you know when your little sibling hits you so you hit them back? yeah that’s the two of you

overall both of you have a really strong friendship, and other people get jealous of it pretty easily, even stray kids themselves

you took felix’s spot as changbin’s favorite member overtime

he’s your number one hype boi, he always gets pumped up whenever you do something like singing or rapping cause he’s amazed by your talent

probably let’s you toy with side soundtracks so he can see your production skills

overtime you have gotten better because of him, and you’re very grateful for that

he does a lot of aegyo with you cause he just loves you so much, and he also hugs you a lot too

you tease him about this height but he reminds you that you’re shorter and this leads to bickering

also since he’s not the shortest he probably rests his elbow on your head to tick you off or to get a reaction out of you

most of the time he gets a fist to the stomach but it’s still worth it

he also makes sure you aren’t overworking yourself, even if he’s one of the more busy members

if you’re feeling down the drain he buys you some of your favorite food and snacks to cheer you up, and it works for the most part

because of the attention he gives you, felix sometimes starts petty fights with you and the other members get easily amused by this. especially changbin himself

you also just find a lot of comfort within him cause he’s really gentle with you

and because he smells good all the time too lol

changbin is an equivalent to an emotional support dog. loving and very energetic

the two of you are l o u d asf

hence why you and hyunjin aren’t allowed to share a room together anymore. you had a laptop in your shared room and you guys would watch horror movies that would scare the living shit out of y’all

hyunjin likes to take you on shopping dates so both of you can either eat something together or go on a shopping spree

and mini fashion shows start too lmao, he probably gives you like a million clothes to put on

if you’re one of the main dancers, he’s the reason why you are able to dance as well as you can today. cause you felt close to giving up but then he came in and encouraged you to keep going

during his trainee days, his fights with jisung would scare you. one day it got so bad you started crying cause you didn’t want them to hurt each other

they then realized what they did and hyunjin was the first to apologize, even buying you your favorite drink to make up for it

he tries to steal your attention from minho and that almost results in his deathbed

no one’s stopping this boy from doing anything to get your love and attention tho

whenever you guys aren’t together you text a lot, and you guys send each other cute memes in the process

you guys are just like north and south you can’t stand to be away from each other

he also loves to cuddle with you. whenever you get a nightmare you usually turn to him to sleep with so you can feel the comfort of his loving arms

the other members know about this and they get jealous of that sometimes

hyunjin sees you as the little sister he never knew he needed, and he just wants you to have the best possible life he can offer you

let’s be real here, jisung probably didn’t know how to talk to you during trainee days cause he thought you were really pretty

he’s never basked in the beauty of someone so elegant before

the only time you guys really started talking to each other was in the skz survival show, and in that span of time you two grew extremely close (and if you ended up getting eliminated he’d get really sad)

he’s scared to let you into his production studio cause he’s scared that your clumsy ass would do something, but you never really do anything

if you speak english you two probably have weird conversations in english. quoting vines and inside jokes

on break days he takes you out to get boba and just chat, and usually in the morning when it’s less busy and more peaceful

he lets you take his hoodies cause he thinks you look adorable in them, and also when you give them back to him they smell like daisies

if you get hurt in any way, shape or form he gets very upset cause he really doesn’t like seeing you in pain

one time he caught you crying to yourself because of hate comments directed towards you and his heart shattered

he actually ended up tearing up himself and offered to buy you something to make you feel better

if you’re one of the main vocalists you and him probably have high note competitions, since the two of you probably had iconic high note parts

you also pinch his cheeks a lot cause you like how he just looks like a cute squirrel

which results in him pinching you back

jisung would cherish you like treasure since you’re so valuable to him, and you’re one of the reasons he’s able to keep going in his harsh idol life

a few simple words to sum up your friendship; a cacophony of chaos and screaming

you and felix just have the weirdest but at the same time also one of the strongest friendships in stray kids

if you’re a foreigner the friendship is even stronger, cause you two can relate more easily, and ESPECIALLY if you’re an english speaking one

also if you’re australian like him, the chaos is just even worse. a bunch of australian slangs here and there as well as saying inside jokes

he definitely texts you at 3am to talk about something he thought of or just to send you stupid memes

also probably infected you with his dabbing and fortnite phase

you also probably tease him about his sexy moments on stage, like when he lifted up his shirt. which also made you want to see his abs again

to get back at you he lifted your shirt on stage in front of STAYs to show your own abs and everyone went crazy, and he ended up getting his ass kicked

you two are also like emotional support for each other

since you guys are some of the youngest and had some of the hardest times you know when somethings up, so you two just go and hug/cuddle with each other to let the other one know it’s okay

and you’ve also come up with a way to communicate with each other without the other members knowing to talk about personal things, like a secret language

and if you didn’t have supportive parents in the idol life, felix would automatically connect with you cause he went through something similar

this guy just also wants you to feel safe and loved cause he knows what it’s like to feel so alone

overall you and felix are like two peas in a pod, very alike in many ways but will turn to each other for emotional support or just to feel better

dandy boy seungmin is such a little shit around you

he always teases you and always finds a way to tick you off to see your reactions, such as playing with your hair or stealing your clothes

so you being the petty little bitch you are, you do some things that will trigger his pet peeves, like make a room dirty or not doing chores

and that’s how you developed your evil maknae side, all because of this devil puppy

but even then the bickering isn’t always that bad, that’s just how you two show your love for each other since you guys literally don’t know how to be nice to each other

unless it’s about food or games, then there’s civil acts going on

seungmin actually likes to hug you because you’re like a smol baby chick, but it never really goes further than that

INSULT BATTLES ALL THE DAMN TIME

and it’s usually seungmin who wins them, but when you do win them it’s always a very witty victory

seungmin also knows when something’s up with you. if you suddenly stop acting like a savage around him he knows something is up

so he then investigates, comforts you and caves in to take you out to the mall to make you feel better

he doesn’t think he’s helping that much when those times come to you but he actually helps a lot, cause he gives of this comforting aura that makes you feel safe

also he smells like roses too lmao

seungmin is your pretty and bitchy best friend, but at the end of the day he will always be there for you

the two of you are the; done with everyone’s shit duo, at least when the two of you aren’t causing chaos

you and jeongin are very close in age, so naturally all of the members baby you and while the attention is endearing, it can get out of hand sometimes

so the two of you team up to pull the ultimate pranks on all of the members to get back at them and record all of their reactions

of course this results in scoldings and getting chased by an angry hyunjin holding a broom but it’s still worth it

both of you also compete for who can get more attention if you aren’t getting tired of it

and this can also lead to petty bickering that the other members watch in amusement (and they probably fucking grabbed popcorn too)

jeongin has a good sense of judgement, so he knows when the mood is feeling down

and he usually drags you to the side to plan a way to cheer up the members or bring up a lighthearted mood, since he knows the two of you would make a good plan

he doesn’t really like skinship but he finds it cute when you hug him or hold his arm

and the other members get pressed about this cause you’re allowed to hold his arm but they can’t even touch him with their fingernails

both of you have definitely tried to cook together

and fail miserably, which resulted in MORE scoldings and a temporary banishment from the kitchen, but the way you guys cooked was very funny

you made him a smoothie to make up for the fact that you got him banned from the kitchen cause it was mainly your fault

jeongin would be a more chill and laid-back friend, but he’s still very caring for you and will protect you at all costs

❦

a/n: waeeeee another one done! i had a lot of fun writing this and i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i had fun writing it.

also lee felix get your sexy ass off of my twitter feed i don’t feel like simping

this is @/krysphycookiez logging off... ♡︎

[britishchick09]

my little pony: a new generation livewatch

what’s even better than livewatches being back after 2 months? mlp g5 being here!!! i haven’t watched g4 since the midway point of season 6, but i’ve kept up with all the pony news on equestria daily. at first i wasn’t too excited about g5, but since more clips and info have come out, i’m pumped to get the party started! :D

the orchestra is beautiful! very disney :D

IZZY BALL!!!! :D

HOLY FRICK TWI??????? :O

YAAAAAS!!!!! :D

i bet this is the show sunny watched as a foal! :D

twilight: “we’re the guardians of friendship! with the power of our friendship we will...” pinkie: “spread love!” flutters: “give hugs :)” rarity: “FRY BRAINS!” this is so sailor mo- WAIT WHAT DID RARES SAY????

did this just turn into a pony.mov video? or propaganda?

aww they’re playing!! :D

i didn’t expect sprout to be here!

OMG HITCH DEFEND SUNNY GEEZ

sprout wants to play pegasus bbq WUT

sprout kicked the rainbow dash doll RUDE

phyllis: ”you’re brainwashing their minds!” argyle: “it’s called research, phillys. and by the way, i leave all the brainwashing to you!” OHHHH NOT YET DEAD DAD JUST ROASTED HER!!!! :D

sprout wants to ‘keep everypony in line’ when he’s sheriff BOI

aww sunny wants her dad to see the unicorns and pegasi with her! :’)

OMG THIS IS SO CUTE!!!!!! :D

not even 5 minutes in and there’s feels!

twilight is ‘as bright as the sun’! :D

besties! :D

SUNNY SAID ‘PEGASUSES’ AWWWW!!!!!! :D

beautiful! :D

argyle: “one day, we’ll figure it out... together :)” OMG FEELS :’(

OMG THEY SAID ‘HOOF TO HEART’!!!! :’(

argyle: “good night, my little pony :)” roll credits! :D

sunny to her mane 6 toys: “good night, friends.” OMG!!!! :’)

things have changed around here! :o

sunny’s hair is like anna’s bed head! :D

:(

argyle’s death is sadder than most disney parent deaths and it’s just implied! :(

awww sunny said ‘wish me luck!’ to her dad’s photo! :)

ooh she’s a skater! :D

and this song is pretty cool! :D

sprout’s still alive :/

GEEZ HE JUST STOLE SOMEPONY’S DRINK!!! >:(

izzy? :o

;)

yay! :D

OMG THAT LONG NOTE THO!!!! :o

hey it’s hitch! :D

he’s sheriff! :D

aww he’s a critter magnet! :D

hitch: “give me some space.” the critters: *move half an inch* lol! :D

aww sunny and him have a hoofshake! :D

oh sprout’s a deputy :/

sunny tries to sneak into a show every year! :o

;)

canterlogic guy: “got any questions?” random pony: “where are the smoothies?” guy: “can’t answer that one.” lol! :D

it’s the show with propaganda devices! :o

rip balloon guy :/

hitch: “yikes, that’ll be a lot of paperwork.” omg lol!

THIS ISN’T YOUR DAY SUNNY

sunny: “let’s lend a hoof-“ *machine locks her in* “...that’s not what i meant.” lol :D

sunny trying to speak her mind while being trapped in a device tho!

DID SUNNY JUST SAY ‘EAT MY AAAAAAASS?’ :O

phyllis: “how do you think we should solve this? with hugs and cupcakes?” crowd: *laughs* pinkie pie’s about to go into a rage with that one...

omg sunny broke too many laws to count! :o

yeah sunny’s right hitch could be a good pony influence! :D

hitch: “all that unity stuff was just a foal’s bedtime story made up by your dad.” and a best selling tv show for foals in our world! :)

aww poor sunny! :’(

sunny: “...i wish you were here dad.” SAME :(

omg running ponies! :o

IZZYY!!!!! :D

izzy: “is everypony playing hide and seek? i see you!” aww! :D

hitch: “your kid is safe now ma’am!” pony: “...this isn’t my kid!” lol! :D

izzy’s never seen the sea! :D

sunny: “earth ponies hate unicorns!” izzy: “really? that seems a bit harsh!” yeah it does!

aww izzy’s skipping! :D

oh no she was captured in a box! :o

SHE PRESSED THE RED BUTTON! :o

izzy: “bye! it was nice to meet you all!” aww :D

hitch: “to the lighthouse!” sprout: *locks himself in the box* “oh no, i appear to be trapped!” hitch: “you’ve got to be kidding me.” lol :D

a smol bean! :D

aww sunny’s fangirling! :D

:)

she has so many questions! :D

izzy’s a great balancer! :D

hitch: “you’re completely surrounded!” *he and sprout are the only ponies there* lol! :D

izzy: *sniff sniff sniiiiiiff* sunny: “what are you doing..?” izzy: “you don’t smell!” sunny: “thanks! ...wait what?” lol! :D

izzy’s so cute!!! :D

ooh izzy and sunny have a song! :D

besties! :D

this sounds so 80s! :D

pretty scenery! :D (and balloon guy in the background!)

aww!!! :D

don’t arrest sunny, hitch!

sprout has pizza! :o

unimpressed :/

THAT SMIRK THO

hitch wants sprout to ‘keep the peace’ while he’s gone... hans much?

HITCH HAS ABS AND A PAID OFF MORTGAGE???

phyllis called sprout ‘sugarcube’! :o

sprout a literally foal child :/

omg sunny and izzy are in trouble! :o

and they’re in az! :o

zipp fab af! :D

wait how is she flying without magic?

she sounds kind of like rainbow dash! :o

zipp: “don’t tell them you saw me.” izzy: “there’s no way we couuuld we don’t even know your naaaame!” lol! :D

cuties! :D

so many moods! :D

the guard collects sneakers?

:D :D

check out the sony, cbs and t-mobile parodies! :D

ooh a royal celebration! :o

news host: “an excursive vid from pipp!” a news anchor saying ‘VID’???

look at those emojis! :o

aww izzy saying pipp’s slogan! :D

the queen’s...

a fluff ball???

there’s FAB, FAB AF and... fab phone addict!

cutie pipp! :D

aww cutie izzy! :D

zipp’s like ‘no no!’ and izzy just wipes her smile away lol :D

queen haven sounds like rarity!

queen haven: “nopony must know they’re here!” pipp: *INSTANTLY LIVESTREAMS IT* BOI

the guard took sunny’s book! :o

sprout calls his mom ‘mommy’... :/

sprout: *flings open the door* citizens! *door close* “AHHH!!!” lol! :D

somepony: “we want a real sheriff!” same!

ew sprout has a song :/

WITH HEAVY METAL YO

and NAZI IMAGERY WTF

BE PREPAAAAARED!!!!!!

PIPP PERFUME AD???

wowza! :o

and it’s playing on a big tv in the jail room! 101 much??

more like room 202 wowza! :o

zipp is here! :D

sunny: “i’m sunny!” izzy: “and i’m izzy moooonbooow!” lol! :D

the unicorns losing their magic ‘changes things’! :o

zipp has the journal! :D

their smiles though! :D

aww it was sunny’s dad’s journal! :/

zipp recognizes the star! :o

here comes pipp!

pipp’s here ‘for the content’ BOI

only royals can fly? zipp doesn’t seem so sure about that...

yay zipp unlocked them! :D

eyyy! ;D

aww hitch is beloved! :D

hitch is such a detective! :D

cutie bunnies!!!!! :D

BELOVED!!!! :D

hitch LOOK BEHIND YOU AT THE AWESOME MUGS!!!!

hitch: *smirk* “gotcha ;)”

zipp: “watch your step!” sunny and izzy: *fall* lol! :D

zipp found maritime bay and bridlewood maps! :o

wonderbolts! :o

zipp’s been faking flying? :o

WIRES AND LIGHTING???

wheee!!!! :D

she’s so happy! :)

omg twilight! :o

sunny: “oh my stars!” oms! :o

there are crystals!

beautiful lighting! :D

izzy: “we’ve gotten, like, a bazillion crystals in bridlewood!” wowza! :o

queen haven sings her own version of the mlp theme in the shower! :o

zipp is a spy at a pasta store! :o

press: “princess zipp! are you wearing-“ she’s not wearing anything tho...

press 2: “where’s the bathroom?” lol! :D

ooh a crown swap! :o

zipp: “swapping the crown will be easy breezie!” breezies! :o

zipp is gonna be queen since she’s older!

lies = safety in modern equestria... :/

pipp sounds like a modern pop star!

oh no the doggie suspects something! :o

OMG HITCH! :o

pipp’s song sounds like a blackpink song now! :o

aww hitch is wiggling! :D

oh no the power flickered out! :o

i think pipp was lip syncing since her voice cut out a bit!

lol hitch is singing! :D

oh no the wires have been exposed! :o

save her zipp! zipp: *doesn’t save her sis* ...oh :/

izzy: ‘her mom is the queen!” hitch to zipp: “you’re a princess?” zipp: “oh so the sheriff just became a detective.” lol :D (and how does she know he’s a sheriff?)

QUEEN HAVEN’T BEEN ARRESTED FOR BEING A PHONY PONY BALONEY!!! :o

and they lost the crown? NOOO-

oh thanks pissed off pipp! :D

oh no the princesses are gonna be arrested! :o

pipp’s voice crack is so cute! :D

the mane 5 is here!!! :D

hitch: “but i’m a sheriiiiff!” but you’re a mr. whiny pants!

construction isn’t going well in maritime bay...

OMG SPROUT SOUNDS LIKE DARTH VADER WHYYY

oh he’s just sipping a soda :/

phyllis: “oh dear. somepony’s getting a big head.” yeah you think?

zipp and pipp aren’t going through a good time right now but at least the scenery is beautiful! :D

hitch lost his badge! :o

izzy: “if you ask me, that badge was creating an unhealthy power dynamic! *sings guitar music*” lol :D

omg! :o

sunny: “once we find the crystal, you’ll get your magic back, you’ll have your fans and you’ll put me in custody!” lol :D

izzy knocked down a tree and saved the day! :D

it’s him! :D

zipp: “need some backup, sherrif?” hitch: “i’ve got it!” *barely makes a spark with some twigs* lol :D

cuties! :D

zipp called hitch ‘dude’! :D

aww izzy doesn’t want to leave her friends :(

OMG IZZY FOUND SUNNY’S MESSAGE!!!! :D

aww ‘hoof to heart’ :’)

hitch wants to do his part! :D

hitch: “the unicorn forest sounds pretty magical!” the forest: “is dark and scary* lol!

izzy’s house is stunning! :D

aww she calls it ‘la villa izzy’! :D

what a cool house! :D

the music machine plays the mlp theme!! :D

woah! :o

pipp: “i so wish i had livestreamed that!” sigh... :/

izzy’s song!!! :D

cutie!! :D

this song is so catchy! :D

smiley gals!!!! :D

lol! :D

hitch tho! :D

izzy rap!! :D

epic! B)

‘if we fail we’ll go to prison’ is really a line in the song lol! :D

the scenery! :D

izzy: “crystals! crystals! cryyystals!” lol! :D

people are depressed af around here! :o

british foal: “yoooou said a bad word! bing bong bing bong!” lol how random! :D

why is mayo a bad word tho?

they’re doing to a crystal dealer!

rubik’s cube! :o (it was also on the sheriff’s desk in maritime bay!)

and that pony is named alphabittle!

alphabittle: “deep talk for a little pony.” sunny: “you’ll find i’m average height,” lol! :D

omg he wants a dance off! :o

pipp: “feel the rhythm take you over! you feeling it?” sunny: “i’m feeling it!” DO YOU FEEL IT NOW, MR. KRABS???

epic! :D

yay she won! :D

OMG NO SHE DOESN’T GET THE CRYSTAL???

OMG hitch just said mayo! :o

they escaped tho! :D

QUEEN HAVEN???

and hitch’s badge! :D

queen haven wants them to ‘spin the story’ BOI

oh no queen haven and alphabittle are fighting over the crystals! :o

alphabittle threatens to use his powers but he doesn’t have magic?

sunny: “stop! you don’t have magic!” random pony: “bing bong!” lol! :D

omg...

aww cuties! :D

aaaaand......

it doesn’t work :/

maybe because there needs to be an earth pony crystal or a twilight star?

aww poor sunny :(

she’s about to cry!!! :’(

:’(

hitch: “i guess this is goodbye... friends.” zipp: “better hurry... sheriff.” :’‘(

sunny didn’t fix the crooked photo of her dad!!! :(

no she put her mane 6 figures away!!! :(

circle??? :o

the lights!!!! :D

CIRCLE??? :O

!!!!!!!!!

maritime bay hasn’t been treated too kindly i see! :o

oh no evil fireworks! :o

everyone has the unicorn mind hats on! :o

sprout is being treated like royalty now GREEEEAAAAT

and there’s more nazi imagery with that big mural of him!

sprout: “citizens of-“ *mural of him falls* lol! :D

the citizens didn’t want to fight in the first place! :D

OMG HE HAS AN EVIL LAUGH NOOOO

OMG ROBOT???

even phyllis thinks this is overdone! same mommy!

yay they’re reunited! :D

queen haven: “we need to get home!” alphabittle: “before we’re all jinxed!” queen haven: “excuse me, do you see my mouth still a-talking?” lol! :D

queen haven called sprout a ‘big robot pony’ lol :D

they need to stop it with magic! :D

sprout: “OH NO YOU DON”T” sassy man!

aww zipp has hitch’s back! :D

OMG SPROUT CRACKED THE LIGHTHOUSE??? :o

omg pipp and izzy fell! :o

queen haven saved alphabittle! :D

phyllis: “sprout! let’s put the toy away!” sprout: “mom, i’m in the middle of something!” lol! :D

HE WAS ABOUT TO RUN HIS MOMMY OVER!!!! :o

OMG THE LIGHT HOUSE IS CRUMBLING!!!!

omg! :o

aaaand it didn’t work! :o

magic of friendship it’s your tur-

OMG THE CRYSTALS ARE FALLING!!!! :o

THE LIGHTHOUSE IS FALLIIIIING!!!!!! :o

:(

everyone’s still alive though!

sunny: “it’s not the crystals that need to be brought together...” it’s us?

“it’s us!” knew it!! :D

yay choose friendship and love! :D

aww queen haven fixed the picture!

and so did alphabittle!

and phyllis!!! :D

uh guys what’s that over there...?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAAAAS!!!!!! :D

SONIC RAINBOOM!!!! :o

magic is back!!!!!! :D

they can fly!!!! :D

sunny’s flying with the princesses! :D

the unicorns are back! :D

the pegasi’s wings have such a pretty glow! :D

beautiful sunny! ♥

alphabittle says ‘hi there buddy’ to a little foal! :D

sprout: “mommy, was i a good sheriff?” phyllis: “oh look a flying dog!” lol! :D

hitch: “you did it sunny.” sunny: “no... we did it... together!” yas!!! :D

the gang’s all here!!! :D

izzy: “now we never have to be apart!” yay!!! :D

aww they all did ‘hooves to hearts’! :D ♥♥♥♥♥

balloon guy is back! :D

balloon guy: “hey guys! what did i miss?” *turns around and sees the mane 5* *SCREAAAAM!!!!!* lol! :D

and that’s the end! :D

besides the end credits scene...

;)

so that was the mlp g5 movie! i loved it a lot more than i thought i would and it wasn’t kiddie like g3. it was a lot like g4! the connection between that and g5 is awesome! the characters were fun and the story was really interesting despite it being a typical hero’s journey. it reminded me so much of disney! i can’t wait to see what adventure sunny and her friends have in store! :D

[matchamuffinmwuh]

Yayyyyy~~~!! Back to the good ol' Matcha and Akio Shenanigans™ Lmao, you're right. 😂 No worries, though, almost all of my posts are filled with you, too. Oh my goodness, that sounds wonderful! I looked up some traditional Indian-style weddings, and they look beautiful. My congratulations to your cousin and her groom! :D Oh, wow... I didn't even know that about western weddings (I've never been to one), I kind of just assumed they walked down the aisle together. :0 But, wow, an ENTIRE band? That sounds like one hell of an upbeat wedding. Thanks for sharing <33 -Btw I'm going to split that first reply into sections so that it's easier for u to read :DD

Ooh, that sounds like something I'd be interested in. It's on my To-Read list now, so I'll be on the lookout for it.

⇾ Ah, your balcony still sounds awesome. It sounds so... homey(?). Just being able to rest on the floor, covered in trinkets, an old, rickety stool - it creates a very nostalgic, warm vibe. Also, not having that feeling is spectacular, bro. Our old cat, Winston, used to climb into our attic and would legit never come down unless someone came and manhandled him down the stairs. Said someone, usually being me, and I swear every time I went up to get him, walking around on our house's roof beams(?), trying not to fall into the roof foam, and just looking up, down and around for my cat with my phone flashlight in the dark, I legitimately could not get over the impending feeling that I was going to crash through the wood and die. I miss the cat, but I do NOT miss those days.

⇾ Oh no, I wonder why Ushimaru is afraid of phones. Poor kitty. :/ That's great to hear about Mochiko and Shiko, don't feel pressured to take pics though! :D (Also btw, if u try to, and they get scared, dw that they'll hate u or stay mad at you because they only remember minor incidents like that for about 16 or so hours.) Awhwhh!! That sounds adorable! I'm not sure what it's called either, but there's a scientific term for cat/kitten cuddling (a cuddle-puddle!!!!🥺), so there's hopefully one for that, too. But grabbing them by their scruffs seems pretty accurate too. If I had to guess, though... maybe scruffing I think that usually refers to humans doing that to cats, but it includes cat-to-kitten scruffing as well?? Either that or I just made a brand-new word 😂

⇾ Wowza, your big sister is the same age as my big brother! :00 Oh, and uh... trust me... my little brother is something, alright. (You should check Chapter 21 of our texting fic - he came up in conversation - it's wild.) Also... I'd love to believe that, but we've known each other for over three years now, and they all love my younger brother. 🥲 I think it might be a me problem, though. (I legitimately haven't made a single irl friend because of social anxiety, and I always have trouble interacting with new people, especially if they're around my age.) I never really got comfortable around my step-sisters for some reason. So, I guess I'm the awkward one. :3

⇾ NO RICE COOKER BESTIES ASSEMBLE

<33

Oh, yay! I'm glad that dish is to your fancy~! Oh wow, talking over hot pot sounds amazing! I hope u have a blast! (Lmao, broth just super tasty in general. Salty broth sounds delicious for hot pot :D) Ah, thanks! They loved it, even had seconds! That sounds AWESOME! (Lol, I think all u need to do is attach a link and Tumblr will automatically embed it for you. Oh, yay, a lot of Indian dishes are [accidentally] vegan. I think it's because there are a large population of vegetarians in that area, but don't quote me on that. 😅)

OMG YES THEY R!! All of them are just little adorable models istg. Oh yay, that's to hear! It's always nice to experiment with kitty palates. We have one who LOVES anything with crab inside it, but is super picky with everything else, and another who devorés anything u give him besides freeze-dried salmon. The palate spectrum is insane. Ahhh, of course!!

With condolences because of how long this is,

Matcha <3 !!

What’s your favorite nostalgia-inducing possession?

Do you have a favorite hour of the night? If so, what is it?

Do u have a favorite type of candy? If so, what is it?

+bonus: what’s your favorite animal?

💯 original questions here. Hah. :333

omggg u saw my tag post!!!!! Hi matcha ily!!!!

• My favourite nostalgia-inducing posession has to be this rainbow dash plushie i got when I was like 4. Whenever I see it i remember seeing an ad about a mlp app where you could scan the leg of the pony and some hologram would appear and little me drew on the plushie but messed up horribly, I still have it and love it to death

• Fav hour has to be 2-3 am, i am nocturnal and have clinical insomnia so I find myself awake around this time alot, and it's just really relaxing to be cold in the ac at post midnight and doing random shit, it's fun

• My fav candy is those sour rainbow candy strips!!! Or js sour candy in general that shit BUSSIN (I found out im allergic to food colouring so I havvt had those in a while :[)

• My fav animal is for sure cats. Specifically black void kitties. And otters are up there too

Again ty for the question matcha ilyyyysmmm!!!!!! <3

[vanchlo]

The Firsts / #5, “The First Time Without”

*not my gifs*

---> NEXT BLURB: Um, not sure with finals coming up . . Check the series masterlist for updates!

READ THE ASSISTANT, AKA WHAT CAME FIRST

SERIES MASTERLIST    

READ ON WATTPAD

LEGEND:

+ : a break in the story; a time jump.

and i’m too lazy for italics bc tumblr ignores formatting like that i do in Docs so sorry

WARNINGS: Swearing, distressing topics, hella lotta angst and sadness

WORD COUNT: 16.5k words (WOWZAS!!!)

SONG: Hurts Like Hell by Fleurie (click to listen)

                                          * Sneak PeeEEEK! *

“‘ve rehearsed it so many bloody times in me head, but now, I actually get t’ talk t’ you and I can’t rememba,” he admits softly with shame painting his voice, and an out of place smile.

“All I know . .  ‘s that I miss you and it scares me how much I can miss you sittin’ at a meetin’ with you across tha table. I miss you like you’ve gone . . but inna way, you have. I miss you in so many ways, walkin’ in tha door at home t’ you, findin’ you’d claimed me sofa again fer anotha day workin’ t’getha, or even that you’d be usin’ one o’ me favourite coffee mugs or jumpers. I miss those small things, and then, I even miss wakin’ up next t’ you, talkin’ t’ you ‘bout songs, ‘bout art, or gettin’ yer advice on a recipe or an argument inna case. ‘d missed you like mad befo’, but nuthin’ compares t’ this. Didn’t know I could miss somebody so much that ‘m always sore from it, that I ache when I see you and can’t touch you or talk t’ you.”

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the ways we expect.”

- Luna Lovegood

*

“You can only actually help someone who wants to be helped.”

- Jojo Moyes, Me Before You

+

It smelled of metal and disinfectant around me, but I tried to drown it out with the images I scroll through. The electronic beeping wormed its way into my thoughts, but I welcomed the respite from the chaos toiling around in there. Images of friends and casual strangers litter my Instagram feed and instead of looking away when the dinging stops, I continue, distracting myself. That in itself seems to be my job for the last few weeks, owned by the number one job of not thinking about it. It’s followed by another important task of not crying in public, and saving it for at home despite the place owning that name changing recently. I’ve failed at all of those jobs the second I think about the person who I called my home for so long now, and can’t any longer. 

The new smell is what gets me at first, and immediately, the pictures are forgotten. I know before I look up that the facade is broken. Then, everything is shattered within a few moments, no matter how good I’ve gotten at ignoring him, or pushing down the feelings when I see him across the table at a team meeting. I’ve gotten good at the pretending part, but the only person I’ve never been able to do that around is the very one who accompanies me on the elevator now. My bad luck echoes when I finally chance a glance and I leave it for too long, because then he looks up and meets my eyes. 

Harry. My home . . but he’s not that any longer. 

“Hi,” he risks with a gentle curve of his lips, and a softness in his eyes that he holds in his hands for me too. A softness that never left him once I worked my way into his heart all of those years ago, it’s one that I still can’t allow myself to get rid of. 

“Hi,” I return curtly, tearing my eyes away from him, and his new suit. A mauve ensemble with a raven black button up underneath. Spiffy, indeed. It feels like a mini marathon to look away from him in that suit, and how it hugs him in all of the right places. The biceps, the chest, how it opens at his wildly attractive throat, reminds me of the base that we never hit when my eyes venture too low, and his bum. No, I can’t see it from my view right now, but I’d made sure to have seen it earlier today. 

“‘s good timin’, I was wonderin’ if we could talk,” he ventures out on a limb to say, and my eyes are rolling before he gets to finish. 

“I don’t want to talk, Harry.” 

“Becks, please, jus’ lemme finish, bug,” he says, and I wonder how he can be so gutsy to use those two coveted names within one sentence. Despite his bravery, the gesture does its job, and I gulp against the longing that climbs up my throat. 

“No, you don’t get to.” 

                                     Several Weeks Earlier . . . 

“And just what are you mmming about?” I giggle under the spray of kisses he scatters across my face. 

“‘ve been waitin’ all day t’ smother you in kisses, that’s why,” he hums against my skin, bringing goosebumps to the surface with his warm breath so near. A laugh sings from me when his fingers linger to a ticklish spot on my side. 

“Harry, don’t you dare!” 

“Sorry, swear I didn’t mean t’,” he giggles in between kisses that he sponges down my chest. “Mmmm, I love these so much.” 

“And why is that?”

“Why all tha questions, lovey?” he says, asking one of his own. He lifts an eyebrow at me from under the hood of his dark, thick eyelashes. A dimple collapses into his cheek while one corner of his mouth raises. “Can’t I love yer tits without havin’ t’ say why? Rather sure y’know why, anyways.” 

“Yeah, you’re obsessed with them,” I say, a laugh sputtering from my lips. A groan interrupts them when he teases me with those lips. “It’d be nice if you could not make jokes about them while our coworkers are around.” 

“Hey, I didn’t know My was in tha copier room, ‘s not me fault. Y’know he doesn’t give a shit about our PDA at work, and c’mon, Becks, they really did look incredible in that blouse t’day,” Harry winks from below me, lips venturing to the space above my belly button. “I love ‘em, they’re pink and perfect.” 

A redness sits in my cheeks as I titter, pressing the back of my hand against my shy lips, embarrassment coating them thickly. “We should be taking down the Halloween decorations instead of this.” 

“Hush you,” he murmurs. 

His hair is tangled and yet handsome when I catch my fingers in it, scratching my fingernails against his scalp. My eyes stay glued to it and his figure hunched over me, lips stopping at the hem of my underwear. I already know about the smirk lining his lips when he lifts his head to pose a question to me with his eyes. 

“Hmmm?” he murmurs, but I shake my head, again. “C’mon, Becks, it’d feel good, love. I wanna taste you.” 

Shaking my head once more, a refusal hums from me as my cheeks turn to the color of apples that I hope he can’t see. He sighs with a shake of his head, clucking his tongue at me while pressing kisses to the inside of my leg, soon reaching the pillowy flesh of my inner thigh. Closing my eyes, I press my lips together and sigh, my arm falling over my chest. I try to remember when I had lost my shirt and when he had lost his, but these days, it’s hard to remember if it was after the first kiss or the fiftieth. 

His lips reach further down my thigh and close to my blush colored underwear, a lacy part I’d bought recently. Once his lips had ventured down there, a knot inside of my stomach appeared, and it only grows tighter as his lips drop lower. It threatens to unravel when his nose brushes against the hemline, pushing it back to kiss the recently hidden flesh of my hip. 

“Harry!” I exclaim, tugging softly at the hair on the nape of his neck. 

“What? I was jus’ gettin’ t’ tha good part.” 

“You know I’m not-.” 

“I know,” he groans, situating himself high over top of me again like we had started, and with a kiss to the lips too. Despite the gesture, I can see the tension in his jaw and the annoyance in his eyes. “I can’t eat you out and I can’t fook you, so what ‘s there left fer me t’ do, huh?”

“Kiss me,” I say, and for some reason, it comes out sounding like a question. He huffs and bends down to place his lips on mine, but from the start, it doesn’t feel right. Now, I can feel the tension in his shoulders and the rigidness of his lips on mine. “What, are you not into this anymore?” I inquire after ending the kiss, twirling a curl of his around my finger on his neck. 

“No, ‘s not that,” Harry answers, eyes straying from me. A hand lifts from the bed and he draws invisible shapes on my skin with the lightest of touch until it runs loose on me. 

“Stop playing with my boobs and look at me,” I laugh, laying an arm across my bare chest and lifting his chin. The playful glint he so often holds in his eyes is there, but once my laugh falls away, it does too. “You’re being impatient again, aren’t you?”

“I jus’ dunno why we can’t do mo’, Becks, we’ve been t’getha ten months. Loads o’ couples have sex befo’ then and tha girlfriend lets their boyfriend eat ‘em out too.” 

“We’re not other couples, Harry, and I’m just not ready,” I say, combing the stray curls off of his forehead. My hand wanders to his smooth cheeks that already feel sandpapery despite him shaving this morning, right next to me as I washed my face. 

“I know, ‘m sorry.” 

“It’s okay. Does Mr. Impatient want some head?” 

“Nah, ‘m good. Let’s jus’ go eat dinna, ‘m hungry,” he says sadly, climbing off of me and the bed. 

“That’s not what your dick is saying,” I respond, sitting up and pulling my shirt over my head, watching as he pulls a pair of joggers over his briefs to hide the bulge in his underwear. 

“‘m fine. Now, what d’ya want fer dinna?” he continues, stepping in the hallway, forgetting his shirt on the bedroom floor. 

“Dick.” 

“Fine, you can make yer own dinna, sassy pants!” he calls to me, joined by the sound of his bare feet slapping on the wooden stairs. 

With a sigh, I close my eyes and fall back onto the bed with a little bounce, thinking about him. I think about the look on his face when it was between my thighs, then between my breasts, and nosing at my underwear. What is wrong with me to deny that man? I don’t know, I want to do the deed with him- I want to make love to him and for him to make love to me, but for some reason, I’m just not ready. I have a weird feeling about the whole thing, like I should wait. I just wish that I knew the why.

+

I hear it before I see it, like I so often do. It runs a trail down the hallway and to my ears, pulling my lips into a smile long before I see the one sitting on his. 

“What on your phone is so funny?” I inquire, stopping in front of his desk and dropping his mail next to his keyboard. Another giggle tickles his lips as he pinches his bottom lip between his fingers, staring at something on his phone. 

“Yer dad ‘s what.” 

“I should’ve known,” I sigh, falling onto one of the chairs in front of his desk, watching as his thumbs flit across the screen. “I swear, you talk to my dad more than I talk to him, and he’s my dad!” 

“Uh oh, ‘s somebody gettin’ jealous now?” he teases, lifting his eyes to look at me as he sets his phone down.  

“No, why would I be jealous of you texting my dad? It makes me happy.” 

“Hmm, not sure I believe you, bug,” he remarks, popping a mint into his mouth, immediately chewing it. Sometimes, I really don’t get him. “Then why d’ya get so bent outta shape sometimes, hmm?”

Clucking my tongue, I huff with a smile that hugs the corner of my lips, “Maybe because he doesn’t answer when I call because he’s talking to somebody else.” 

“Hey now,” Harry titters, gesturing a hand at me to come to him once I’ve stood up. “Don’t be that way.” 

“I’m not being any way,” I say, turning around after considering the books he’s added to a new shelf of his. These ones are music biographies, big surprise. 

“Sure ya aren’t. C’mere, me stubborn girl,” he beckons, and I obey, taking slow steps over to him until I walk between his legs. “Hi.” 

“Hi,” I return, just as softly as he had uttered it. His rose lips spread into a sweet smile, reminding me why it’s always so damn hard to stay mad at him. 

“Are you grumpy?” Harry asks with the most adorable of pouts poised on his lips, winking at me. 

“No, I’m not grumpy. Are you ready to get started on this case? We really can’t be dawdling, you know.” 

“I know,” he answers, sadness stuck to his words. It guides his actions that lead him to look away from me, pulling me closer until he rests his forehead below my collarbone. 

“Then why are you these last few days? I thought you were so excited that we got this case, everybody else fought us for it.” 

“I am, but ‘s intimidatin’. I dunno if ‘m cut out fer it,” he says, slowly extending his fingers along the small of my back, and then pulling them back into a fist. In and out. In and out. “What if we can’t win it, Becks?” he asks, lifting his head to meet my eyes, and I wish I couldn’t see the blatant fear held in them. 

“Then we can’t. We can only do our best, Harry, that’s what you’ve always told me.” 

“And what if my best isn’t good enough? Ev’rybody ‘cross tha whole bloody world ‘s watchin’ this case, waitin’ t’ see what happens,” he continues, avoiding my eyes entirely, now tracing the pattern on the front of my blouse. 

“It will be, and it is, Harry. I promise you.” 

His head slowly moves up and down, but no words leave him. His questions bounce off the walls in my mind, replaying themselves, and I only wish that I could express my worry too. I’d certainly grown more confident in my abilities since I started working with him, and I owed it not just to his teachings, but also the confidence that he’s instilled in me. I hadn’t given him the go ahead for us to split a case equal between us, and I never knew when I’d be ready for that, so I’d always leaned on him and his skills, but now I was worried to do that. I’m afraid to, and I’d never been before. 

“Everything will be okay, Harry.” 

“I hope so, Becks,” he croaks, laying his forehead on my chest and his closing eyes flutter against my skin softly. I hold in the sigh that I want to let fall, but instead, I run my fingers through his hair and down his back, unsure of what more I can do. If there was anything I couldn’t be sure of, it was the future and what it held, and how little I knew what was coming.

+

It started that night, daunting and unwilling to let go, and if only I’d known what it was the beginning of. 

I kept checking my phone, staring at the clock that moved like molasses, and waiting for the text that wouldn’t come. Exhaling loudly, I swipe across the screen until his name is waiting for me, and I do it before I can stop myself. 

Are you on your way home yet? It’s supposed to snow tonight, maybe it is already. I don’t want you to get caught in it with bad roads

The word ‘delivered’ appears and then stares back at me, almost taunting me. Before my eyes, it changes to ‘read’ and I wait for the gray bubble to pop up on his side, but it doesn’t. I watch and I wait, and nothing happens. No thumbs up, no text reaction, no ‘b home soon,’ like he so often sends. Not a thing. I forget how long I sit there watching my phone screen, tapping at it when it grows dark, and wishing he’d send something. It got even later when I finally press the lock button and set my phone down on the nightstand, glancing at the alarm clock beside it. 

11:38. 

I tried not to worry and I tried not to overthink it, but I was already past that when I turned off the light. My heart continued to ram against my ribs as I slid under the cold blankets in an empty bed, watching the steady glow of the streetlamp outside the window. I lied there and I tried and I wanted to, but I couldn’t fall asleep. I had a hard time remembering the last time I had slept in a bed without him, even before I moved in we had sleepovers at his. I wasn’t sure how I’d get any sleep for another day of work tomorrow, knowing that I’d be up in seven hours, and so would he. That’s if I could shut off all of this worrying and fall asleep, if only. 

I listen to the whir of cars passing along on the street, and I find myself wishing one of them is his, but it’s too long until it actually is. The space around me had grown warm, but if I move a leg too far, I’m greeted by icy sheets. It had never been that way, I could always move a little and find him and his warmth. Sometimes, I’d wake in the morning and he was all around me, clinging to me and my heat. 

It was in the middle of a long, sleepy blink that I heard a door open downstairs, and shut. It was loud, a clumsy kind of one, and so are the footsteps that soon come up the stairs. A sigh tickles my ears before the door opens slowly with a squeak, and his feet pad through our bedroom. I only see a flash of him before he ducks into the ensuite bathroom with what looks like a handful of clothes. I watch the shadows that interrupt the bar of light under the door, and listen to his whistling and humming amidst the sloshing of running water. 

His eyes are tired when he opens the door again, and they only look all the more exhausted when they find mine in the lit darkness. 

“Why aren’t you sleepin’, bug?” he rasps, stepping forward in his outfit of nothing but joggers donning his legs. He claims that he can’t wear a shirt without getting too warm, because I heat the entire bed, or so he says. Right now, I don’t believe it. 

“I couldn’t . . without you.” 

“Oh, Becks,” he frowns, padding across the hardwood floor and pulling back the sheets to slip under them. “Brr, ‘m cold, warm me up, would ya?”

“Ugh, you’re freezing!” I exclaim, my nervousness melting away into giggles that tickle his neck as he wraps me in his arms. 

“Mmmm, now that’s better.” 

I hum a reply into his chest, dragging my fingers along his spine, touching the wispy baby hairs that cover his body like down. The questions from before still rummage around in my mind, looking for purchase. 

“Why were you out so late?” I decide to ask, smelling the toothpaste we use on my own breath, and then his. 

“Didn’t mean t’, jus’ lost track o’ time with Rore. We had some drinks and I didn’t wanna drive home buzzed, so I waited it out and had some waters.” 

“Good boy,” I reply, nuzzling into his cozy chest, feeling the feathery hair there tickle my face. Yawning, I let my body relax now that mine is finally back with his, one specific question hiding in the back of my mind. “But why didn’t you answer?” I mumble without caution, feeling myself begin to melt into a puddle of sleep against him. 

“Answer what?”

“Your phone,” I drawl, losing the feeling of my fingers and then my feet. 

“Jus’ go t’ sleep, bug. It doesn’t matter.” 

“Okay,” I hum in reply, not even sure of what he’d just said. “Goodnight, Harry. Love you.” 

“Night, my Becks,” he responds with a peck to my head, sounding far away.

+

The tapping of my shoes against the tiling fills my ears as I flip through his mail, noting which ones should go on top for him to see first, and what can remain at the bottom to be forgotten about until later. Something I’d accidentally fall back into the habit of when I returned to the firm, despite being a lawyer now, and not his assistant. Humming a tune I had heard earlier today, I look up and stop in his doorway, finding myself in an odd moment. With his eyes bent down, I can tell that he doesn’t know I’m there yet, and that he does it because he doesn’t see me. 

“What are you doing? It’s nine o’clock,” I titter, covering my mouth when my voice scares him, causing the brown liquid to spill over the side of his mug. 

“God, can ya maybe not scare tha shit outta me next time?” Harry almost retorts, mopping it up with a napkin before screwing the cap back onto the bottle. 

“Harry, I said, what are you doing?” I repeat, click clacking my way into his office and dropping his mail on his desk, yet again. 

“What? ‘s jus’ whiskey. Can I not make my coffee a li’l irish ev’ry now and then?” he questions, lifting the tall mug to his lips to sip from, steaming wafting against his face. 

“I guess so,” I trail off, waltzing back to the sofa and picking up my laptop. Sitting down, I place it on my lap and open it back up, watching the long pull he takes from the mug. Bringing up the internet browser I was using before, I scroll through the document as I try to forget watching him fill the mug nearly half of the way with whiskey.

+

“Harry?” I call out, toeing off my chestnut colored winter boots, hoping he won’t notice the puddle of water next to the shoe mat. He’s such a dad with the things he gets cross about, I swear. “Hello, are you home yet? I brought you some leftovers from Skye’s, you know, for dinner.” 

Padding into the house, I’m met with darkness and a soft silence. I don’t find my boyfriend sprawled out on the sofa in the living room, a show on the telly. I walk past the large flat screen and knock on the door of his study before pushing it open, finding that that room is also dark. 

“Harry, hello?” I almost shout again, taking the steps two at a time until I reach our bedroom, wondering if he was taking a nap after his early morning, or if he happened to not be feeling well. Once again, I come up empty handed, and my head begins to spin as the cogs turn inside of it. 

“Hullo?” the voice on the other side says whilst I pad down the stairs quickly. 

“Hi, where are you?”

“‘m at tha pub with My, why?” he says, and I can tell by the sound of clinking glasses and loud voices coming from his side. 

“Oh, just wondering. I thought you said you were coming straight home to work more on the case,” I begin, intending to continue but I don’t get the chance to. 

“No, I spent all bloody day workin’ on it, why should I spend me night off pourin’ over it too?” he nearly retorts, and I stop in my tracks before the island, taken aback by his tone. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t say you had to or anything, Harry. Is something wrong?”

“No, ‘d jus’ appreciate not havin’ you nag me like yer me mother or sumthin’. ‘m an adult, can’t I go out fer a drink at tha pub afta work? Reckon ‘ve deserved it, dontch’u think?” he continues with a carry to his voice that I don’t like, and it only begins to make sense once I’ve picked out the slur in his words. 

“Yeah, of course, just don’t drink too much, okay? And drive safe. Maybe don’t stay out as late as last night, you have an early meeting.” 

“I jus’ said don’t bloody nag me, and look what ya start doin’,” he bites back and I shudder, taking a seat at the island to steady my feet. 

“I didn’t mean to, Harry, I just care-.” 

“If ya fookin’ care so much, Becky, then stop treatin’ me like a damn baby,” he spits at me, and I hear the dial tone. 

“What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath, pulling my phone away from my ear. I grimace at the image on my lockscreen that only makes the wound sting worse. 

Dinner went down harshly and so did the glass of wine that I had with it although regrettably. Watching FRIENDS without him was a bore and it didn’t last long, afraid I’ll only piss him off further if he came home to see me skipping ahead in our show without him there. I whittled away at the next things to be done in the case - research this, research that, take notes on this, get these statements, bladdy blah. All just to busy my mind and to make the clock speed along until he came home, and hopefully, when things would go back to normal. 

Before I knew it, it was getting late and I was still home all alone. A warm bath didn’t calm my nerves and it only made me wish that he was sitting across from me under the suds, but he wasn’t. He wasn’t lying in the bed waiting for me when I got out, skin all shriveled like prunes, no matter how badly I wished he’d be home after my long bath. He hadn’t walked in the door after I read a chapter from my book, spoke on the phone with my dad, or wrote in my journal. I at last flicked off the bedside lamp and tried to fall asleep in a cold bed, once again.

I woke with a start to a loud slam! downstairs on the main level of the house, presumably a door. Failing to ignore it, I turn over and tug the covers higher, unable to tune out the sound of his loud footsteps climbing the stairs. Sinking lower into the messy covers, I keep my eyes shut and listen to his sloppy movements before they arrive him in the bed next to me with a huff. Words sit in my throat, itching to be said, but I only let one of them out. 

“Harry?”

+

It had become old, very swiftly and very quickly. For the next few nights, I sat alone at home, wondering and waiting for texts that never came, only to fall into a fitful sleep in a cold bed, all alone. I’d awake the next morning to the sound of him emptying his stomach into the toilet, and either leaving for work without me, or being a monumental crab-ass on the drive there. As the days carried on, I couldn’t remember for the life of me the last time his coffees weren’t Irish. I ignored it, and after a few days of doing that, I knew that that’s where my mistakes had begun. 

The door slowly creaked open and dragged in was him, glossy eyed and surprise etched on his features. 

“What d’ya want, mum? Gonna chew me out fer stayin’ out past me bedtime?” he jokes at me, closing the bedroom door behind him as he waltzes in wearing a disheveled version of today’s suit. 

“What’s going on with you?” I ask, twisting the rings around on my fingers, lingering on a new one that had appeared on my hand last week. Sometimes, it hurt to remember that it was there, but I could never get myself to take it off.  

“Oh, here we go,” he sighs, slamming closed a drawer to his wardrobe. Avoiding my eyes, he unclasps his belt and lets his trousers fall to the floor. “Nuthin’s goin’ on with me, I dunno why ya think sumthin’ ‘s.” 

“Yes, there is, Harry. You’ve been out late drinking every night this week, and I’m sick of it!” I confess quietly, unsure of where to find the fervor in my voice, or well, the volume. An ironic laugh curves at his lips as he undoes the buttons of his crimson red shirt. 

“I don’t rememba askin’ how ya felt ‘bout it, or needin’ yer permission eitha,” he retorts, achieving malice and cruel intent in a matter of seconds. It’s all too much when he meets my eyes with his unforgiving stare, and I have to look away. 

“Why are you acting like this?” I say, the incoming tears already decorating my words. His heavy sigh only makes my throat burn worse with its impending dryness. 

“What, are ya gonna fookin’ cry now? Bloody hell, ya can be a brat when ya wanna be,” he slurs, slinking off his button down that hits the floor silently. Sniffling, I look up and watch him slide on pajama bottoms to cover his dark black briefs. 

His tattoos grab at my attention from across the room, but I don’t want to fall asleep tracing them like I would any other night, because that’s not him standing across from me. It may have taken me a few days too long to realize this, but it’s not. That’s not my Harry. No, it’s the Harry that I first met that September day when he barked his Starbucks order at me. 

“It’s the case, isn’t it? It’s taking too much of a toll on you, Harry. You should give it up, or hand it off to somebody else. I don’t like this you, you’re drinking too much and-.” 

“Did I ask fer yer opinion? Y’know what? No, I don’t rememba that. Now, my bloody god, would ya leave it be so I can get some sleep?” he interrupts in a retort, heavy feet padding around to the other side of the bed with a wobbliness to them. He rips back the covers and sits down, grabbing his charger to plug his phone in. Swiping at my cheeks, I grab my pillow and anxiously begin my trek to the door. “Goin’ t’ sleep on tha sofa, are ya now? Good, maybe you’ll stop naggin’ on me then.” 

His voice that usually would lull me to sleep and drive the demons away instead keeps me away, guiding me down the steps until I stop on the last one. My butt burns when it falls onto the wooden step and I bury my face in my knees, my chest shaking with a new sob. 

I eventually scrounge up the might and energy to pull myself off of the staircase and across the room until I collapse onto the sofa, and cry myself into an uneasy sleep. 

The smell of eggs and toast wakes me the next morning, but the illusion is broken when I hear the slam of the door to the garage, and the hum of his car pulling away.

+

The sounds of Mozart and Beethoven meander around my office, but they fail to drive away the incessant thoughts that have buried their way into my mind. They mask the signalling sound of his footsteps that I could pick out from a crowd. 

“Hey, ‘m done with me meetin’ now. Ya wanna come t’ mine and we can finish up the openin’ statement?” he says, but as much as my heart reaches out for him, I can’t do it after the other night. Sure, casual conversation had happened since then, but he had also been missing in action for almost the entire weekend recently. A nice dinner together last night wasn’t enough to wash away the hurt from that night, and all of the others. “Becks?” Harry repeats, taking a step into my office. The door closes with a squeak that I’ve been meaning to ask him to get fixed, but something as simple as that hadn’t seemed possible in the last week, and neither had a kiss or a hug. Not even on our official ten month anniversary that came and went uncelebrated yesterday, despite his urging last week that we should do something to celebrate it. 

“No thanks, I’m fine in here,” I say softly, feeling the eggshells underneath my feet as the words make their way out. 

“Uh, okay,” he answers. “‘ll grab you fer lunch with me mum in an hour then. She picked Henry’s down tha street fer pizza. We haven’t been there in a while,” he finishes, and I wonder how he can manage such small talk after the things he had said to me. I ask and come up empty when I question how I could even let him. 

+

“And again, why are you hiding out in my office?” 

“I’m not hiding out in your office,” I insist, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear before resuming my typing. 

“Uh, yeah you are. You have your own office, don’t you remember?”

“What, I can’t hang out with my friend and work together?” I say, lifting my eyes to meet Asher’s sky blue pair that squint at me in question. He shakes his head with his lips parted, ready to say something, but he just sighs without an answer. 

“What tha hell?” somebody shouts, the blinds on Asher’s door swinging and swaying after the initial shock of its opening. I see Ash’s look before the intruder’s, but I’m afraid that I already know what it will be. 

“Harry-,” I begin, standing to my feet and pushing my laptop to the side, unsure of how I didn’t see this coming. 

“I was waitin’ fer you fer half an hour at tha restaurant, and so was me mum. You stood us up and wouldn’t answer yer fookin’ phone!” he explodes, taking another step inside Asher’s office. Asher begins to say something to him, but I get lucky and push Harry out of the room before he can get a chance to respond. “And you’d been sittin’ in there tha whole fookin’ time?” he continues, his words soon sounding different when I push him into the lift. 

“Now, you know how it feels.” 

“Know how what feels?” he bites back, prying my hand from his arm and taking a step back. I press a button at random and try to push down the hurt I felt when he picked my hand off of him. 

“To be waiting around for you, and to be stood up by you. You’ve been doing it to me for the last week, so it’s only right that you feel a little bit of my pain,” I say curtly, swinging around to face him, watching the smug grin plaster itself to his face as he wipes at his mouth. 

“So, this ‘s ‘bout you, ‘s it? God, what’s fookin’ new?” he sighs with an ironic laugh that feels gross in my ears. 

“No, it’s not about me, Harry, I-.” 

“D’ya know how that looked t’ me mum? I couldn’t get you on tha phone and ya never showed up. Ya made it look like we’re havin’ problems, Becks,” he says, stepping into my sentence, and this only gets me going further. 

“Who’s to say we aren’t, Harry?!” 

“‘Scuse me? We aren’t havin’ problems,” he begins, denying my claim as he uses his hands to talk. “We’re fine!” 

“Yes, we are, Harry! You get drunk every night after work- wait, let me start over. You pregame with Irish coffees all day at work, and then disappear every night to the pub only to come home around midnight out of your mind drunk!” I exclaim, feeling my blood boil as he shakes his head in disagreement, but I wish I could say that I’m surprised. 

“Yer not turnin’ this ‘round on me,” he tuts, pointing a finger at me as ice coats his words. “I have a drink or two at tha pub, there’s nothin’ wrong with that.” 

“It’s not a few drinks, Harry, it’s more than that and it’s becoming a problem! You have a drinking problem!” I insist, wishing I knew the magic key for how to get my words across to him, but they falter and run off on me. 

“I don’t have a drinkin’ problem, Becks, and ‘m gettin’ real fookin’ sick o’ you always monitorin’ me like ‘m a bloody baby! ‘m not, ‘m a grown ass adult, and if ya forgot, ‘m yer bleedin’ boss ‘round here. ‘m not likin’ tha attitude yer havin’ with me and if ya continue it, ‘ll take ya off the Gellar case.” 

“Fine, take me off it. I don’t give one fuck, Harry, because it’s hell working with you on that case. You’re almost drunk all day at work, you give me the shitty jobs to do, and now, here’s a perfect example of you taking your shit out on me!” I argue back, but the fire soon disappears in my words, and with my next ones, I watch it extinguish on his face. “Why are you treating me like this? I-I’m concerned for you and I’m trying to help, and you’re being so mean to me. It’s inexcusable . . I want my Harry back . . I wish you’d never taken this high profile case, because it’s destroying you, and I’m scared that it’ll do the same to us.” 

A flash of my Harry appears on his face, but I don’t wait to watch it disappear, walking off the lift and back onto Seventeen and away from him.

+

My feet seem to have a mind of their own the next day, inching one way and then itching to go in another. I ignore them and remain in my office for another day of sulking, trying to apply myself to this new case with Rose, but it’s a swing and a miss. The buzzing of my phone is something I’ve learned to ignore, but when I see that it’s my dad or Skye, both of whom I’ve neglected to tell about Harry and I, it becomes all the harder. 

That thought is dislodged by the knock at my door, a simple gesture that as of late can send my stomach into somersaults, wondering who it is. I’m reminded too quickly of the times when I sat at that shitty desk in the corner, and how I feel far too much like that person right now. The girl who was unappreciated and who was treated like shit by her boss. 

“Hey. I thought today’s meeting was cancelled, something about Myles being out and the drunk that I regrettably call my boyfriend is well, drunk again,” I say, hoping the man of the hour isn’t passing behind Rose right this second to hear my speech. 

“No, um, it’s still off. I uh . . “

“Spit it out already. What’s wrong?” I ask, screwing open my water bottle and slowly pouring a small stream of water into the succulent on the corner of my desk. Harry’s plant, the very one he’d named Frankie all that time ago. For what reason, I don’t remember. “I don’t know what that look is for, it’s not like my life could get any worse right now . . or can it?”

“It can,” she says, breaking the ice, but I’m not sure if she’s doing it slowly or ripping off the bandaid in one pull. “Harry’s telling people that you quit the case because you were afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it.” 

“God, I really am going to kick the shit out of him one of these times,” I groan, setting down the steel water bottle loudly and haphazardly screwing the cap on. 

“Becky, don’t,” she warns me, stepping forward and trying to block my path to the door, but she hasn’t even made a dent. “Starting another row with him isn’t going to help anything. I just saw him and he’s practically asleep at his desk, he’s drunk so much.” 

“I don’t bloody care, I’m not going to let him spread rumors about me, his own fucking girlfriend,” I retort, taking the last step until she’s practically shoving at my shoulders. Huffing, I meet her eyes and for an instant, I feel bad for her and what she’s had to watch. “Rose, don’t. Please. I need to speak to him. I’m sick of his immature teenager act, he’s being a right asshole, and he deserves to be told it.” 

“Fine,” she sighs softly, hands dropping before she steps to the side. 

My feet pound around the corner and down the hall, taking only a few moments until I arrive at his door. I savor the way he jumps in his chair when I slam his door shut, only to sink back into the expanse of pricey leather. 

“What d’ya want? ‘m tryin’ t’ sleep here, haven’t ya noticed?” Harry drawls, sleepily. His eyes flutter closed again and he swallows before trying to get comfortable in his chair again. 

“Well, maybe if you came home at a half decent time each night you wouldn’t be falling asleep at work, but I guess you just can’t put down the bottle, Harry. By the looks of it, you can’t at work, either,” I say, curling my lip when I see the empty bottle of vanilla whiskey sat open on his desk. God, he really is going to get his ass fired or demoted one of these times, not to mention start a smear campaign for the firm. 

“This shit again? I don’t wanna fookin’ hear it, Becks. Give it a rest, ‘m a grown adult, I can do what I please.” 

“So talking shit about me to your coworkers is doing as you please, is it now?” I say, coming out and dealing it, right then and there. Something in him stills and his eyes slowly open and try to focus on me. I think I see apology and regret in them, but I whip off any rose colored glasses I still had on and chuck them to the side. “I’m your girlfriend, Harry . . What the fuck is wrong with you?” I exhale, feeling the first tear when I blink and turn away from him. I try to ignore the pang I feel in my chest when I don’t hear my favorite voice calling my nickname from behind me, but I guess it’s time that he stopped chasing after me. It seems to be coming to an end . . I just wish I’d known when the beginning was. 

After a quiet cry and a few YouTube videos, I meander my way to the break room for my lunch, bumping shoulders with somebody when I walk in the door. Automatic ‘sorrys’ leave our lips as I continue my mission to the fridge where my leftovers sit. Leftovers from another lonely dinner without Harry last night. 

“You alright, Becky?”

“What?” I ask in surprise, at last looking up to find the culprit of the question. “Oh, Myles, hi. I’m fine.” 

“You don’t look it. Harry doesn’t either lately, there isn’t a theme, is there?” he almost jokes, but I don’t laugh as I press random numbers on the microwave. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m alright, thanks. No offense, but you’re kind of the biased best friend. Trust me, I know. I have one of them too.” 

“Well, trust me, ‘cause I’m not,” he insists, and when I look around, pretending to take a gander, my eyes drift to the door habitually. “Here, maybe this’ll help.” 

I watch him cross the room to stick a key into the door and the lock flicks with a metallic sound. 

“What will people do without their tea and lunch? You may as well be starting a mutiny,” I say, trying to lighten the atmosphere around us, but I find it’s no use when he stops at my side with a grim expression. 

“I haven’t seen him drink this much, since well . . you left.” 

“Huh,” I hum, less of a question and more of a realization, one I hadn’t wanted to make. “He’s sure doing a good job of working towards that again . . I hear he’s been saying things about me.” 

“Swear I haven’t heard a thing, and if I did, I wouldn’t believe a word that comes from his drunk ass lately.” 

“It seems you’re the only one,” I laugh almost ironically, but it comes out sounding sad as can be. Hoping and praying, I try to hide the sniffle as the microwave door opens with a pop! 

“Sure I’m not.” 

“Rose told me he’s telling people I left the Gellar case because I was scared, when in truth, he kicked me off it because I’ve been on his ass about staying out late every night drinking,” I risk, staring down at the steaming container of food, forgetting the spoon set to the side to stir it at the halfway mark. “He’s my boyfriend, and my best friend. He’s supposed to protect me from the people who want to hurt me, not become one of them,” I reveal, each word becoming heavier with tears that try to swallow my voice. “Why is he doing this, Myles? This isn’t the Harry I know . . it’s that one I first met.” 

“Oh, Becky,” he sighs, stepping forward and pulling me into a hug. “I don’t know. I wish I could tell you why, I’ve wondered meself . . He’s got issues, even he knows it, but . . he has a hard time of dealing with ‘em. He ignores ‘em instead, with whiskey. You shouldn’t take it like this, it’s not fair to you.” 

“I try. I’ve tried talking to him and being nice about it, but he doesn’t listen to me. He won’t stop drinking and it scares me, how he acts and the things he says,” I confess in a blubbery voice against his suit jacket. “I never thought I’d have to do this and I hate that I have to . . but I don’t want him to be my mentor anymore, Myles, please. Maybe Rose, instead. Can you do it without him finding out and getting even more mad at me?”

“Yeah, I can sneak it past him, don’t worry.” 

“I wish I could,” I nearly whisper, pulling away and grabbing the hot container whilst I swipe at my wet cheeks, ignoring the burning heat against my skin, knowing that that’s the mildest pain I’ve felt in days.

+

A few days later, I’m greeted by darkness and silence after the key clicks in the lock, and my footstep is the first sound in the house. 

“You’re sure you want to do this?” the words echo inside of my skull, but I can’t find the confidence I had when I had first heard them, when I need it so badly right now. “I’ll support whatever decision you make, Ree, and you know you always have a place to stay here.” 

“Thanks, Skye,” I had said then, and I mutter now too as I stop in front of our bedroom door. The quiet embeds itself into every nook and cranny, but I welcome it and only wish that it could replicate itself in my mind. 

The pounding of my heart grows louder when I push the door open, and the beginning tears don’t mask it when I drop the suitcase onto the bed. The sounds only worsen as I open drawers and take items out to fill the zippers, leaving an emptiness behind that couldn’t compare to that I hold inside of me. 

My head moves every which way, trying to memorize the sights around me, but all I see and all I hear are the rows we’d had the last few nights here. In the kitchen after he tried to sneak inside reeking of whiskey, or the night before in the living room when he came home shouting at me about why I didn’t finish the opening statement, despite being dropped from his case. Then another over him growing mad with me for not answering my phone, deciding if he wasn’t going to answer my texts and calls, then why should I bother to answer his. 

I feel the grooves and the raised edges, sure I’d at least memorized those as I pull it from my pocket, watching the color blur before my eyes. My thumb slides across the medal wet from my uncontrollable tears, and at last, I place it on the island counter with a small clack!, finally letting go. 

“What’re ya doin’?” a voice says softly out of nowhere. Spinning around, I blink back the tears until Harry focuses in front of me. His thick eyebrows furrow above his murky greens, and only then do I see his boots kicked off by the doorway that had gone unnoticed by me, and his coat draped over the staircase newel. 

“H-Harry,” I stutter, swallowing against a dry throat that deprives me of any explanations I could muster. 

“Becks, what’re ya doin’? It looks like . . . ,” he trails off to look at the item, his words escaping him until they shine brightly in his eyes, and wrench at my heart. “Looks like yer movin’ out, and without even tellin’ me. What, was I supposed t’ come home t’night t’ find yer key on tha counter, and piece it all t’getha meself? And tha night befo’ I leave fer me case? How in tha hell ‘s that any fair, Becks?” 

“Harry, I- please-.” 

“No, why should I let ya explain? It doesn’t seem ya were gonna bother t’ leave me a note or even break it t’ me,” he continues quietly with astonishment wild on his face, and in his voice that smells rough and hard with alcohol. 

“Harry, I was just going to stay at Skye’s tonight and while you were away. I-.” 

“Then why leave tha key, huh?” he asks, voice growing firm and so does the green in his eyes. “God, ‘m so sick o’ arguin’ with you, seems that’s all we do lately. ‘m jus’, ‘m done, Becks. I really am.” 

“Harry, no. Please, don’t say that. You’re drunk, you don’t know what you’re saying,” I say hurriedly, stepping forward and dropping the bag. It hits the floor with a bang! just as he turns away while dragging a hand down his face. 

“I know what ‘m sayin’, Becks, and I know ‘m done dealin’ with all o’ this shit. Fer havin’ such an ungrateful girlfriend who nit picks ev’ry li’l thing I do, ‘cuz ‘s jus’ never good enough fer her.” 

“Harry, that’s not true,” I sob, following him with my steps that feel more heavier as I continue, but he seems to be moving further and further away from me. 

“It ‘s tho’, y’know it ‘s. ‘m . . . ‘m doin’ it fer you, ‘kay? ‘m doin’ what ya can’t do, ‘m callin’ it. We’re done, we’re breakin’ up. We both knew it was comin’,” he mutters, and I no longer can make out the sounds in his voice or what it holds, because I can barely see him through the waterfall of tears. 

“Please, Harry, I don’t want to break up. I’m sorry.” 

“Sometimes sorry doesn’t cut it, isn’t that whatch’u say t’ me?” he retorts, at last stopping to face me fully. The splashes of black and brown covering his body turn ashier and darker the longer I look, but it doesn’t compare to the look on his face. 

“But I love you . . and I know that you love me too.” His eyes run away from me and finally, so do his words. “Harry, say it back, please. We can just pretend this didn’t happen, and go to bed together. We can sleep it off and talk about it in the morning before your flight,” I cry, watching his face devoid of emotion show me nothing when I can’t stop showing him. When I could never learn how to close myself off to him, he finally learned how to close his book to me so I could stop reading him. 

He stares at the floor, his only movements are his eyes blinking and his hand scratching at the back of his head. The seemingly permanent glossiness to his eyes wavers and tears appear in them, but something pulls me backwards and away from him. I take the steps and wish that they could rewind time too, but they only bring me to the case that I place in my hand without deciding to. I look up and walk over to him, unsure of when my legs had begun to move, or if my body was doing all of this for me, because it figured out that I can’t. I just, I can’t. 

“Go, Becks, ‘kay? ‘ve made me mind up, we’re over. Leave befo’ tha snowstorm gets too bad,” Harry announces in an absent, choked voice, his hand falling from his head as my chest shakes with sob after sob. His eyes budge up a little but they avoid mine entirely, and so does he as he walks around me and up the stairs. 

I don’t remember deciding to walk out the front door, or getting into my car, but I’m there when I curl inward on myself as tears cascade down my face. I’m fully there as the stitches that he put in my heart are ripped open and all of the memories that he filled my heart with spill out, stinging one by one. I’m there as I watch the lights in the house turn off and the one for our bedroom turns on, and I immediately correct myself, knowing that it’s not ours anymore. I sit there until I can muster the energy to drive, telling myself that he’s not mine anymore, and I was a right idiot for ever telling myself that he was.

+

The sheets are cold when the blaring of the alarm awakens me, and I turn over, inching a foot across the mattress in search. It’s met with only coldness and I slowly peel my eyes open, searching with them now, for her. Sitting up, I rub a knuckle into my bleary eyes, trying to focus my sight on the emptiness on the other side of the bed. 

Questions fill me and answers fleet me as I pad down the stairs and past the front door, arriving in the kitchen. Turning a light on, I squint at the sudden brightness that sends throbs through my head. It’s accompanied by another throb when I spot the lone purple key sitting on the marbled countertop, away from the half burned candle and the cribbage board with a deck of cards atop it. 

I’m not sure how I got there, but I feel the cold of the wood floor all around me next, accompanied by the hot tears flowing down my cheeks. The answers come fast and painful in my insides, and opening my eyes, I watch last night replay before me, and what I did. What I did to her, and to us. Myles’ words over the last few weeks resound in my head, and they won’t stop. 

“The fuck are you doing? You’re going to screw everything up if you don’t stop before it’s too late!” 

“It is too late,” I mutter under my breath, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath my forehead as I curl inside myself, wishing she could come and save me. But that’s the last thing that’s going to walk in that door, because I made it so she has to save herself, and so do I.

+

Violins and harps dance around my empty office, and I try not to look up and lose myself in the images of memories that seem to stick to every corner of the room. Him opening birthday presents on the sofa, the makeout sessions on the same piece of furniture, the almost first kiss by my window, the first time I saw my office with him in tow, and all of the times he’d work over my shoulder planting kisses along my neck. So many more of them float around the space vying for my attention, but it’s stolen away when there’s a rap on my door. 

“Come in,” I say automatically, looking back at my computer screen, putting back on the mask that I’ve donned for however long it’s been now since it all started, and the three days since he left. The ‘I’m okay’ mask, something I can’t even believe. 

“Look at my pretty girl,” they say, and despite the way I could never mistake that very voice, for a split second I want to and wish that I could be right in my mistaking. It takes more than I have to look away and up at him, and the tears are already close and on their way when he smiles the saddest kind of one at me. 

“Dad, what are you doing here?” I ask in near alarm, standing to my feet, afraid of what his answer might be. His lips fall flat and my confirmation is right there, although I’m unsure if I ever needed it, because he speaks for it himself. 

“Skye told me what happened with Harry. I’m so sorry, sweetheart, I’m so sorry,” he almost coos, and holds out his arms before I could ask. They’re open for mere seconds before they close around me and my shaking figure. “It’s okay, Boops, I’m here. It’s all going to be okay.” 

“No, it’s not. I don’t know if there will ever be a time again that I feel okay,” I sob into his shoulder, gradually finding my words and feeling the sting of having to repeat it for the second or third time. The sting grows worse remembering the morning after crying on Skye’s lap and not knowing if I’d ever be able to stop. No matter what time it is, it never gets easier. I don’t think if I’d had any warning, it would’ve been any less harder.

+

The raucous of laughter, shouts, and praises sound outside the door and I wish I knew why. Shaking my head at the obscene volume, I flip to the next page of the magazine, finding DIY Christmas decorations that according to this magazine, everybody and anybody can make. 

“No, thank you,” I mutter to myself, completely vetoing Christmas this year, despite knowing that I’ll have to make it to Madley for the traditional weekend spent at my dad’s in only a few weeks. I just don’t know how I’m going to manage it knowing the person I can’t take with me anymore whose name will be on presents sitting under the tree. The same name claims gifts that I’d hidden in the attic at ho- at his home, long forgotten by now, or I wish. 

“Hell, you really do get prettier ev’ry day,” somebody mumbles from behind me, and I pause mid page flip. I’m glad that I wasn’t holding my tea, or else I know it’d be painted all over the front of my heather gray dress. Now, that would be a disaster, but I know it doesn’t compare to the one that intends to unfold within the next few moments. Swallowing hard, I silently turn to the next page and ignore the greeting. 

“Ya weren’t at me welcome home party that the firm threw fer me.” 

“There wasn’t enough room,” is all I say, neglecting to mention that I had no idea until now, despite should’ve knowing how the pieces went together. His appearance. The loud voices and cheering just outside the door that’s only a few steps from the lift. It’s my saving grace for how I was rarely ever late back in the day. “You won it,” I remark, sure it’s less of a question and more of a statement. 

“I did.” 

“Congrats, you put on a good defense from what I hear,” I announce in a voice devoid of the emotion that usually accompanies that word. 

“Thanks . . but I don’t deserve it,” he begins shyly, and I hold back my response that only eggs his self-deprecation on. “I dunno how I did it tho,’ ‘cuz all I could think ‘bout tha whole I was there was you. Ev’ry second fer that entire week it was, ‘what ‘s Becks doin’?,’ ‘what’ll I say t’ her when I get home,’ ‘what can I say t’ her,’ ‘I dunno what t’ do at this part, what would she do?’” he pours out, and I gulp past the impending desert that’s signalled its return. No, I’d made it a few days now without them, I can’t break that streak now. No, not now. Please. 

“It seems you didn’t need it, you did just fine without me,” I answer bleakly, aware of the knives that my voice holds and how they stab with the voice devoid of anything happy and bright. 

“That’s not true,” he argues, and I hear the first step, and feel it in the hairs rising on the back of my neck. I feel it in the squeeze of my heart and the goosebumps on my arms that long for his touch and also fear it. I hear the crack in his voice and the wet sniffle that plays in the empty room. “I couldn’t stop thinkin’ ‘bout you and how I fooked ev’rythin’ up, even befo’ I left. I woke up that mornin’ and knew ‘d done it . . ‘d jus’ been home befo’ here and all o’ yer things were gone, and I never thought comin’ home could be so fookin’ hard . . I-I tried so many times t’ get ahold o’ you but ya wouldn’t answer, and I can’t blame ya. I can’t believe how I treated you, Becks, and ‘m so fookin’ sorry . . . I haven’t touched a bleedin’ drop since that last night, and I never want t’ ‘gain. I never want t’ go that long without talkin’ t’ you ‘gain, it felt like I was losin’ me mind ev’ry fookin’ day missin’ you so badly. Meant it when I said ‘m not sure how I won tha case when I couldn’t get you off me mind.”

“Get used to it,” I retort, closing the magazine swiftly and spinning around. Flashes of color greet me, but I turn away from his figure and make for the door. 

“Becks, please, don’t,” he begs in a voice spilling with emotion. “‘m sorry, ‘m so sorry,” he whimpers, the warmth of his fingers pressed to mine feeling like the first rays of sun in the spring. Ripping my hand from his, I don’t let him try to melt the ice that he planted inside of me. 

“No, Harry, you don’t get to just waltz in here and sorry your way out of this. It’s not that easy this time,” I say, hoping he feels the bite of my words, but I see it when I take the leap and look into those endless greens. “You really fucking hurt me, Harry . . You were my best friend and you hurt me more than anybody I know . . You were supposed to protect me from others doing that to me, but you did it too. How can I ever trust you again?” I begin to cry, knowing that it’s about to be Niagra in here if I don’t skedaddle. Whimpering, I dash out of the door with the image of his flooded sage eyes stinging in my own, and how my heart lurches at the regret of not wiping them away.

+

His eyes drift repeatedly from the floor to ceiling window and back to his wrist, tapping at it only to walk away with disappointment. He may have closed his book to me, but I still remember so many of the pages, and I can’t figure out how I could ever stop knowing what they say. After Myles finishes speaking about the upcoming elder’s meetings, his bottom lip becomes caught between his teeth like a vice, and then I know it’s bad. I look away when a few too many seconds have followed, risking that he’ll catch my stare. If he’s found it in the recent few days since we last spoke in between tears and in between pages of a magazine, he hasn’t made it known. 

I feared this team meeting, the first one with him back and sitting at the helm with Myles. He looks fresher and no longer sporting the alcohol sweats and beard, but something is still missing. He’d gotten his hair cut and it’s hardly any different, but it’s not that. His suits are perhaps a little more wrinkled, but that’s not the last puzzle piece, either. I knew what it was, but I didn’t want to say it. No, not after I saw the way he smiled at his new intern, Frankie, she called herself. Francine something or other, it is. Beats me. I’m sure she probably had a name for each of her boobs as well, seeing as how they could probably be seen from space. I watched her admire him too, but I doubted she saw the circles under his eyes, or the way his lips looked like they’d never smile again. I was almost positive she couldn’t see the way his suits hung a little looser on him, or how he rubbed the naked skin of his left hand’s middle finger, missing something. 

I wondered whether or not to linger once everybody was dismissed, but even if I had wanted to, how could I? She followed him like a puppy. I hope I had never done that, or that somebody would have put me out of my impending doom- I mean misery, if I had been. He walked out of sight, and somehow, all I could think about is how the back of his head is still just as cute, and so is his bum. 

Several coffee refills and trips to the loo commenced until I found myself pulled to his doorway, pretending to be walking to Gwen or Rory’s office. God forbid, I ever give that asshole the time of day, I’d never hear the end of it. For the first time, Ms. Boobs is missing in action, and I never thought I could be more grateful for somebody’s absence. Last week only seemed to argue with that, now that I think of it, and how something inside of me warmed every time I saw him in the hallways. It sparks until a fire ignites when I catch sight of his backside facing me until it turns around, and at last, I’m caught. 

Defeat covers his features and the surprise inches away, leading him to look down at his messy desk. “Hi,” I say, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my slacks, still wishing they made fleece lined ones. 

“Hey,” he returns in a squeak that shrinks in comparison to his beautiful voice. 

“It’s today, isn’t it? Your gran’s surgery . . the hip?” I ask, taking one step forward, and then it’s two. 

“Ya,” he hums in reply, sorting through what appears to be an overflowing stack of mail that’s been forgotten since his trip. 

“How’d it go?”

“She’s still in. I keep waitin’ t’ hear sumthin’ but there’s nuthin’,” he answers plainly, tearing certain envelopes in half and others automatically go into the bin for shredding. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sure everything will be okay, she’s really healthy and strong, Harry.” 

“I dunno, Becks, ‘m so worried. It shouldn’t take this long,” he sighs, bringing a hand to his face while his head goes back and forth. It’s only a moment until I hear the hiccuping of his breath and the sound of tears shed against skin. 

Against better judgement, or any for that matter, he’s in my arms in seconds. My hands are running courses up and down his back, even daring a go at his hair now and then, whilst he sheds sadness into my neck. 

“Everything will be okay, Harry,” I insist, and which he only shakes his head at. “It will be, you just have to believe it. I have a feeling.” 

“How can ya say that? How ‘m I s’posed t’ believe that, Becks?” he whimpers, pulling away and staring at me bleary eyed with tears coating his cheeks. “I dunno that there’ll ever be a time ‘gain where things are okay,” he finishes, spinning on his heel and escaping down the hallway, leaving me high and dry. I only wish that my eyes could claim that truth, as well, but that’d be a lie.

+

It smelled of metal and disinfectant around me, but I tried to drown it out with the images I scroll through. The electronic beeping wormed its way into my thoughts, but I welcomed the respite from the chaos toiling around in there. Images of friends and casual strangers litter my Instagram feed and instead of looking away when the dinging stops, I continue to look, distracting myself. That in itself seems to be my job for the last few weeks, owned by the number one job of not thinking about it. It’s followed by another important task of not crying in public, and saving it for at home despite the place owning that name changing recently. I’ve failed at all of those jobs the second I think about the person who I called my home for so long now, and can’t any longer. 

The smell is what gets me at first, and immediately, the pictures are forgotten. I know before I look up that the facade is broken. Then, everything is shattered within a few moments, no matter how good I’ve gotten at ignoring him, or pushing down the feelings when I see him across the table at a team meeting. I’ve gotten good at the pretending part, but the only person I’ve never been able to do that around is the very one who accompanies me on the elevator now. My bad luck echoes when I finally chance a glance and I leave it for too long, because then he looks up and meets my eyes. 

Harry. My home . . but he’s not that any longer. 

“Hi,” he risks with a gentle curve of his lips, and a gentleness in his eyes that he once held in his hands for me too. A softness that never left him once I worked my way into his heart all of those years ago, it’s one that I still can’t allow myself to get rid of. 

“Hi,” I return curtly, tearing my eyes away from him, and his new suit. An ensemble a shade of mauve with a raven black button up underneath. Spiffy, indeed. It feels like a mini marathon to look away from that suit, and how it hugs him in all of the right places. The biceps, the chest, opens at his widely attractive throat, reminds me of the base that we never hit when my eyes venture too low, and his bum. No, I can’t see it from my view right now, but I’d made sure to have seen it earlier today. 

“‘s good timin’, I was wonderin’ if we could talk,” he ventures out on a limb to say, and my eyes are rolling before he gets to finish. 

“I don’t want to talk, Harry.” 

“Becks, please, jus’ lemme finish, bug,” he says, and I wonder how he can be so gutsy to use those two coveted names in one sentence. Despite his bravery, the gesture does its job, and I gulp against the longing that climbs up my throat. 

“No, you don’t get to. You haven’t earned that just yet.”

“What d’I have t’ do, Becks?” Harry questions in a sigh, a hand dragging through his hair. It falls with an impatient slap to his thigh. 

“I dunno, Harry, maybe you shouldn’t have become a neglectful drunk in the first place,” I retort, stepping forward to stab the button of the closest floor, so I don’t have to do this. 

“How many times d’I hafta say ‘m sorry? I could say it a hundred times and ‘s not gonna be enough, ‘s it?”

“No, it won’t,” I answer, continually hitting the button. 

“Stop pushin’ it, yer gonna break it or sumthin,’” he warns, and just like he said, the contraption lurches to a stop. “Now, look what ya did.” 

“I didn’t break the bloody elevator, Harry.” 

“Sure, ya didn’t,” he sighs and even in the near dark, I know that he’s biting at his lip beside me. 

Huffing, I step back until my back hits the wall, watching him in the soft glow of the emergency lights. Slowly, that night from Halloween comes back to me. I watch how he pulls his phone out and dials a number and talks to some invisible person, just like the time before. His fingers card through his hair similarly, and his lips utter sighs and curses like then too. 

“‘s tha snowstorm, ‘s shut off tha power in tha entire firm,” he announces after saying goodbye and pulling his phone away from his ear. “They’ll get t’ us but it might be a while.” 

“Doesn’t the firm or at least the elevator have a backup or something?”

“I dunno, ‘m tha lawyer, Becks, not a bloody mechanic. I don’t deal with that shit,” he mutters with a shake of his head, typing away on his phone. 

Groaning loudly, I slide down the sleek metal wall of the elevator until my bum meets the cold and dirty floor, just like before. 

“I guess we’re stuck with each other for a while then, it’s your dream come true,” I mumble while folding my arms across my chest. He flits his eyes over to me only to roll them before looking away. “Oh, so you don’t want to talk to me now?”

“No, ‘d rather not, if yer not gonna try and listen t’ me,” he admits sadly, stepping back and leaning against the wall. A similar sound leaves my lips and I look down at my lap until my eyes habitually return to him. I finally let myself look at him for the first time in, what, a month? It seems like a lifetime ago that I could at last look at him for however long I wanted without it being weird or him saying something. Without my hidden feelings being betrayed. “There’s mo’ t’ do than jus’ stare at me, y’know.” 

“Sorry,” I whisper, looking to my lap and turning a ring around my finger absentmindedly. 

“Ya still wear it?” 

My eyes dance to him without a decision to do so, like they so often did, and my nod is immediate as well. His smile seems rather instantaneous too, appearing before my eyes as I watch him. His ring on my hand had caught my eye, one of his I’d stolen at the before everything went to shit and slid it on my thumb. It’s the only finger it’d fit on, and I’d almost forgotten it was there, but it’d become a nervous habit of mine as of recent, although hypocritical in the slightest. 

“I thought you’d taken it off, hadn’t seen ya wear it.” 

“It felt too weird not wearing it,” I reveal softly, embarrassment fighting for a spot in my voice, but I’m not sure if that’s how it could be described. 

“I guess that says sumtin’, or ‘least I hope it does,” Harry says, looking to his feet with a sad laugh that’s short, like a staccato. This all feels like one, a standalone chapter. Perhaps an episode from The Twilight Zone, almost. 

“You were my best friend, Harry, that’s not something you just forget,” I say quietly, unsure of if he hears me, but his nod tells me so. If that hadn’t, the emotion that swells in his face does it for me. 

“Then why did you?” he asks, meeting my eyes and I find the pain in my heart matched in the greens. A shade I’ve missed so immensely, and that grows hazy in moments. “Why’d you forget about me?”

“You really hurt me, Harry. I never thought you could hurt me so much.” 

His sniffling encourages the tears that flow from my eyes to join his just as the sound of his footsteps initiates him sitting down beside me. At first, it feels too close and too dangerous, but then I look at the gap that separates us. It’s been larger and unbreakable before, but somehow, this feels exponential too. It somehow had returned after its departure when I had pressed my lips to his, because after that, neither of us let it live again, and we always took the step that wasn’t there. 

“So, what do I say if I can’t say sorry?” he says in a voice choked with pain, propping his arms on his bent knees out of the corner of my eye, holding his wrist with a circle of fingers. 

“I dunno,” I answer tearfully, wiping below my waterline, wishing I had the answers so that all of this could stop. “I wish I knew, but I don’t. If I knew I’d tell you, because then this all could be over, and I could stop missing you so fucking much every literal second. Then I could stop getting jealous of that booby intern who won’t stop throwing herself at you. I tried not to be jealous by not caring, but I couldn’t lie to myself, because I do care and I always will, Harry. I’ll always miss you . . in bed next to me with your arms always waiting for me, your face at our table at Pedro’s on Tuesdays waiting there for me, every day after work waiting on my sofa until I’m ready to go home with you . . ,” I trail off in a sob, thoughts bubbling inside of my lips but they become too hard to speak. 

“‘m still waitin’, Becks, ‘ve never stopped since that day I first met you,” he says in a voice softer than marshmallows and sweeter than honey. “‘ll always be waitin’ fer you.” Since that first day I had met him, you never could’ve made me believe that looking into his face I’d see a mirror, but I believe it more today than I ever thought I could. Because I am, in the way the tears silently fall down his cheeks, the openness of his eyes that beg for me, and the way that mine beg for him too. 

“‘s it true ya put in yer two weeks?” Quickly, I shrink and I avoid, ignoring everything altogether, but if I’ve learned one thing through this all is that I can’t do that as badly as I wish I could. “‘m still yer boss, Becks, sumthin’ like that can’t get away from me. I saw tha letter on My’s desk one day and when he saw me readin’ it, he told me . . Becks, please don’t leave. Yer learnin’ so much and we all love you here. Yer doin’ so well, and there’s so much I want t’ teach you. Turner and Jones ‘s . . . ‘s not yer home, love, this ‘s yer home.” 

“I thought you were my home once and I was wrong,” I don’t know why I say it, but I do, and immediately I regret it. Without seeing him, I know that he wishes I hadn’t said it too, by the intake of air and the way he turns away from me. 

“Y’know, I think ‘ll get sick o’ fightin’ fer you, but I don’t. I get tired, but I don’t get sick o’ it. I never wanna stop. I wanna tell our kids one day that I never stopped fightin’ fer you, and sometimes I think it’ll happen. But, I dunno- When I saw you kiss that bloke, I stopped believin’ in it.” 

Gulping, my eyes find him immediately and the tears ricochet throughout my body from his words. The sounds of his crying prick at my ears, but I don’t see them fall down his face, just the way he plays with his lips. 

“Harry-.” 

“I love you and ‘m sorry. ‘ll never stop showin’ you that fer tha rest o’ me life, what more do I hafta do?” he begs, turning to face me. My heart squeezes inside of my chest at the mere sight, and my lips press themselves together. “But if ya- if ya tell me that . . yer happy with him, then ‘ll stop. I want yer happiness mo’ than mine,” he croaks, words stolen from him at times as mine are drowned in salt water. 

Whimpering, the sight of my hands wringing each other appears in front of me, and then his pained sigh meets my ears. Hiccups rack my chest and I stop hiding the crying, listening to it echo off of the walls that remain still around us. 

“His name’s Ben-.” 

“I know who he ‘s,” he says gingerly, but with disdain that tries to push me back, and make me stop. “‘ve argued cases against him . . both lost and won.” 

“I met him during my clinicals there, he-.” 

“I don’t wanna hear ‘bout him, Becks, I-I can’t,” Harry announces firmly, standing to his feet and beginning to walk in circles. 

“I ended things with him last week, not that there was much to end . . that same day you must have seen us kiss outside the courts . . after he shoved me to the floor that night. And he wasn’t you, nobody else could ever be you.”

“What?!” he nearly explodes, the words ringing loudly in my ears again and again as they resound off of the walls. “Oh, that bloke’s not gonna know what hit him when I get my fookin’ hands on him.” 

“Harry-.” 

“Tell me that you don’t want me t’ beat tha shit outta him, Becks,” Harry insists, but with my eyes not looking at him, I remain silent. “That’s what I thought . . Bloody minute this lift starts workin’ ‘gain, ‘m gonna make him regret ever touchin’ you.” 

Nodding, I brush the back of my hand against my nose and feel a sob overcome me. My shoulders fall and I pull my knees into my chest, soon feeling the tears soak through my slacks. 

“Aw, honeybug,” he sighs pitifully, and at last, one of my dreams comes true when I feel him surround me with his warmth. Him. “I had no idea you’ve been dealin’ with that, ‘m so fookin’ sorry, Becks. ‘m so sorry you’ve had so much shit t’ deal with, ya don’t deserve any o’ this. He’s a fookin’ sorry excuse fer a man fer doin’ that t’ you and trust me ‘m gonna make him sorry. He’s a right wanker, and he only ever won one case against me, anyways. Damn idiot, he ‘s.” 

Swallowing dryly, I meet his eyes and receive anything but that. The green is drowned in tears nearly, and I know that my blue is, too. 

“Reckon ‘m not much betta than him, afta all,” Harry confesses with a fight played in his eyes. 

“No, you’re nothing like him, Harry,” I coo, reaching out a hand to cradle his cheek, thumb swiping at tears. 

“Yer right, ‘m much worse than him fer how I treated you.” 

“What? Harry, no, you’re not. I know you’d never lay a hand on me,” I confess in a voice that cracks, breaths laden with unsaid words, and so many that I don’t know how to say. Nodding, his eyes leave mine and his arms prematurely do too, and I only feel worse. “Talk.” 

“What?” he whispers, quirking a brow at the floor. 

“Talk, Harry . . like you had wanted to . . to me,” I explain, my hand lingering on my knee, so close to his. Bravely, it finds the courage and reaches out towards him, finding the warmth soon after between his fingers. 

“‘ve rehearsed it so many bloody times in me head, but now, I actually get t’ talk t’ you and I can’t rememba,” he admits softly with shame painting his voice, and an out of place smile. “All I know . .  ‘s that I miss you and it scares me how much I can miss you sittin’ at a meetin’ with you across tha table. I miss you like you’ve gone . . but inna way, you have. I miss you in so many ways, walkin’ in tha door at home t’ you, findin’ you’d claimed me sofa again fer anotha day workin’ t’getha, or even that you’d be usin’ one o’ me favourite coffee mugs or jumpers. I miss those small things, and then, I even miss wakin’ up next t’ you, talkin’ t’ you ‘bout songs, ‘bout art, or gettin’ yer advice on a recipe or an argument inna case. ‘d missed you like mad befo’, but nuthin’ compares t’ this. Didn’t know I could miss somebody so much that ‘m always sore from it, that I ache when I see you and can’t touch you or talk t’ you. I lost it when I saw him kiss you, I went and vomited in tha car park befo’ goin’ home t’ cry in bed. Our bed. I wanted a drink and thought ‘bout it . . I even had one and I felt worse, knowin’ that it only made it mo’ likely ‘d never get ya back then. Thought seein’ that I.T. intern flirt with you in tha copier room hurt, but god, that was nuthin.’” 

“You try seeing that intern who dresses like a hooker be all over you,” I tut, refamiliarizing myself with the grooves and peaks on his rings. 

“Are ya quite finished?” he almost giggles and I nod with a fleeting smile. 

“It hurt not seein’ you reject him and then ‘course My’ had t’ guilt me ‘bout it, and -.” 

“Okay, that’s enough talking,” I announce inside of my head with a shake of it, my lips parting to utter the same declaration. But I’m interrupted almost immediately, and so is Harry by the whirring and movement of the lift starting up again. 

“Looks like tha power came back on or sumthin’,” he mumbles, standing to his feet as the lights flick back on. 

“Yeah, looks like,” I say under my breath, so many more ready to be spoken but they’re whisked away when the doors part on Seventeen and soon, we’re ambushed with concerned colleagues who mistake our tears for fear. Quickly, so much was forgotten, but what hurt was how easily we both did it too.

+

The notes of cinnamon and nutmeg cling to my tongue, accompanied by the sweetness of the last traces of whipped cream. With a sigh, I set down the mug and hear its emptiness fill my ears. I continue to dance my eyes across the page, soaking up the words that I try to drown myself in. The dinging of the bell atop the door interrupts the words echoing in my mind, as do the clap of footsteps entering the cafe amongst the soft Christmas music. Without fail, they attempt to weed their way into my heart, making me think that they’re his, but everything sounds like him and feels like him as of late. 

Pushing it away, I shake my head free of the nagging thoughts and start the sentence over. At the sound of a voice that steps into my mind, the words are forgotten, and no rereading them could ever bring them back to me. 

“Since when d’ya read ol’ granny romance books?” 

Tearing my eyes away from the imaginative words, I find the pair of green eyes that I’ve been avoiding and longing within all of the same breaths. 

“I see yer mug ‘s empty. Can I buy you anotha?” he murmurs with his charming smile that finds its old way back to me, and into my heart. Just like all of those times before. 

“I uh, was actually just leaving,” I mutter, the book already having closed when my hands left it in shock. Picking it up, I drape my purse over my shoulder and walk away from him. No matter if it doesn’t take the cake for how much it hurts to do so, the pain still stings in my mind and every inch of my limbs. 

“Becks, wait!” he calls after me, the clanging of the bell loud and obnoxious in my ears. The winter cold shocks my warmed skin when I step back into it. “I wanna talk t’ you ‘bout sumthin’, yer two week-.” 

“I don’t want to,” I retort, rounding a corner and searching for the familiar sight of my car parked on the street. I’m feeling cold rather than hot in finding it before his always gentle hands settle on my shoulders. He turns me around to face him, once again finding those piercing greens that root me to the spot. 

“I thought we could still be friends, Becks. Y-Yer me best friend, I can’t lose you as a friend too, bug. Please,” he pleas, but I’m spinning around before the last of his syllables grace my ears. 

My head shakes from side to side, willing my eyes to dry up and forget their recent best friend that drowns my sights in a haze. My lips sing with pain from my teeth sinking into them as my face collapses from the debilitating weight of misery. 

“I-I can’t. We can’t, you know that, Harry.” 

“Why not, Becks?” he begs, the cool feeling of his rings welcomed by my flushed skin. 

“I shouldn’t have to tell you when you know why,” I spit back, sure that three seconds ago he had already heard the tears in my voice. The multitudes of words shared between our lips over the last ten months has only led me to open myself to him further, and I still can’t figure out how to close my book from him reading. 

“I dunno what yer talkin’ ‘bout, Becks.” 

“It only took you a month, Harry?!” I exclaim, unsure of whether I’m making a statement or posing a question. 

“Care t’ clue me in what yer talkin’ ‘bout, ‘cuz I still dunno?” he replies with an exasperated sigh. I rip my wrist from his gentle grasp, the sooner the better because I knew another second longer and I’d let it live there. If I stand here another second longer, I may let myself float back to him. 

“You’re already over me and with somebody new after only a month, huh?” I respond curtly, turning around slowly to face him as the first hot tear cascades down my cheek. 

“Becks,” he sighs, the emotion carried in his voice spreading across his unshaven face. A whimper escapes my lips as the sob trembles throughout my chest, my lips returning to their permanent frown. My heart shudders at his expression and the confirmation I hear in it, making my head shake quickly from side to side. “I still dunno what yer talkin’ ‘bout, love. ‘m not datin’ anyone, y’know tha only person I wanna be with ‘s you. N’body else in tha entire world I wanna date and love fer tha rest o’ me life . . Where ‘s this comin’ from, bug?” 

“Wait, what?” I exhale, blinking away the tears that I’m afraid to believe hold lies and forgotten fears. 

“‘m not with anybody new, Becks. I dunno what people are sayin’, but ‘m not. You know tha only person I wanna be with ‘s you,” he repeats with emphasis, stepping forward and pulling my hands into his. “What’s goin’ on, bug?” 

“I don’t know,” I exhale shakily, leaning into his hand that cups my cheek, wiping away the wetness coating my skin. “People at the firm were saying they overheard you talking about some girl you were gonna ask out and were trying to win over.” 

“Oh that,” he snickers, the dimples hinting at his cheeks when I dare a look. No matter how hard I’d ever try, the high pitched song that flows from his lips could never stop being my favorite, and my ears welcome it with a familiar warmth. “That was ‘bout you, bug. I was bouncin’ ideas off o’ sumbody ‘bout takin’ you onn’a date. Well, it was actually havin’ you ova t’ mine fer dinna and watchin’ FRIENDS, jus’ like tha old times. Reckon Rore misheard and his big mouth spewed it t’ ev’rybody. That fookin’ git, I swear t’ God, he’s a bloody bastard sumtimes.” 

“Yeah, it was him, now that I think of it,” I admit quietly, peering down at our joined hands and our mingling rings, just like all of the times before. 

“‘m gonna fookin’ knock him out one o’ these times, I swear t’ it. He’s been such an arse lately, and he thinks I didn’t see it, but I did see him flirtin’ with you tha otha day.” 

“It’s fine, Harry.” 

“No, ‘s not, Becks. You put yer bloody two weeks in, and yer last day ‘s t’morro’,” Harry sighs heavily, bringing my eyes back to his at last, and ever so briefly. The purple gemstone ring that I bought him as a late Valentine’s present grows blurry before my eyes, and only worsens when I see that he never took it off. My wrist feels all the more bare without the multicolored purple gemstone bracelet he gifted me after my accident, and that’s sat on my nightstand at Skye’s for weeks now. 

I’m issing that coffee right about now with the state of my throat. Perhaps it would push down all of the words that I have been aching to say for days and weeks now. 

“Please stay, bug. Not even jus’ fo’ me, but I don’t wantcha t’ lose a good job. Yer doin’ so well and e’rybody at tha firm loves you, babe . . ‘specially me. I know I fooked up real bad, but I promise it won’t happen again if ya gimme another chance-,” Harry begins in a plea, the same emotions that bubble inside of me echo within his voice. When I steal a glance at his olive green eyes, I find them swimming in tears, and that’s what pushes me to surround his lips with mine. 

His buttery soft curls feel like home between my fingers, and my rickety heart begins to slow at the smell of his sweet-peppery scent. Neither of those compare to the feeling of his lips upon mine for the first time in weeks, and the passion carried behind both of ours. Unspoken words, profuse apologies, and hundreds of ‘I miss you’s are left on the other’s lips. His nose leaves slippery marks against my cheek slick with tears, and I can taste them on his skin as well. 

Air trickles back into my burning lungs when I gasp for air below him, stealing whispery kisses from his sweet lips now and then. 

“Was that a random kiss or a ‘get back togetha’ kiss?” he rasps against my lips, finalizing his words with one last peck to my mouth. 

“A ‘get back together’ k-kiss,” I stutter with a soft titter, feeling it fill me with warmth at the sight of his dimples returning to his cheeks from their few week absence. “I missed you . . even r-right now,” I sob, the breath leaving my lungs when my chest collides with his after I dive into his arms. A surprised noise sputters from his mouth but his arms coming around me is instantaneous, and so is the comfort I feel in them. 

“Missed you mo’, bug,” he whispers into my hair, laying kisses on every inch of my head that he can find while I laugh at our inside joke. “Fook, ‘m so sorry fer how I treated ya and fer gettin’ drunk all o’ tha time ‘cuz o’ that stupid case. I meant what I said when I came back from me trip - I haven’t had a drop since that night we broke up, and I won’t fer as long as you want me t’. ‘ll do anythin’ ya want, we’ll do therapy or counselin’- jus’ want us t’ be okay, and fer you t’ let me love you ‘gain. There’s n’body else in this entire world that I wanna be spend me life with, or have babies with one day.” 

“Harry,” I chuckle against his neck, my forever favourite hiding place, whether happy or sad. “We’ve been back together for two seconds, chill on the baby talk.” 

“No, I mean it. I want ya t’ have me babies one day, nuthin’ eva changed ‘bout that, and nuthin’ eva will. Think I love ya mo’ now, Becks, so much mo’,” Harry sighs, and with his confession I can feel his body relax against mine. It’s quite contagious, really. 

“I reckon I still want you to be the father of mine . . teach them how to play footie, how to play guitar, and how to play a shit game of Scrabble.” 

“Hey now!” Harry exclaims, the words rumbling through his chest with his deep chuckle. When I pull away from him to peer into his glassy, green eyes, his lips quiet. The laugh disappears from them, but shouts of happiness and relief fill my eyes, and I think mine feel rather similar to his. “Bloody hell, if they’re as stubborn as you, we’re in fer some trouble.” 

“Like you’re any better,” I giggle, but it’s stolen away by his lips, and I couldn’t be more thankful. 

“This mean you’ll be me mentee ‘gain, and forget ‘bout that crazy talk o’ quittin’ tha firm?” he poses to me, dragging a few fingers through my hair, sending jolts of comfort through my limbs. “Please, Becks?” 

“Of course, Harry. There’s no other lawyer I’d want to learn from- don’t tell Rose that, because she’s been amazing, but she’s just not you. She’s not my favourite teacher or my best friend . . and I’ve really missed them,” I reveal softly, and sadly, the tears adorning my words. The both of them fall onto the pad of his thumb that nudges at my bottom lip affectionately. 

“‘ve missed me favourite lawyer as well, Becks. God, so fookin’ much. I can’t lose me best friend, not again,” he whimpers, the last word breaking under the weight of his tears that match mine. 

“And please, for the love of God, get rid of that intern before I do,” I groan, and a snicker springs from his angelic lips. “Because if I see her flirt with you one more fucking time, I will puke . . on her.” 

“Don’t worry, ‘ve been lookin’ fer a good reason t’ get rid o’ her, so this ‘s perfect, bug,” he coos happily, pulling me back into his arms where I’ve been craving to return for oh, so very long. “Hope y’know I still want ‘bout five kids.” 

“Shut up, Harry,” I titter, my arms tightening around his middle as I find the sweet spot in the crook of his neck. 

“Five babies, Becks, and all with you, honeybug. Li’l girls that look like you and li’l boys that look like me, all with yer gorgeous blue eyes. They’ll have tha best mum eva, they will,” my happy hum accompanies his, almost accentuates it as I toy with the cross sat at the junction of his throat and his shoulders. “Can’t say sorry enough, ‘m afraid, so ‘ll spend tha rest o’ me life sayin’ it t’ you. Promise you that.” 

“I’ll hold you to it,” I almost joke, and when I hear his songlike laugh, I at last let out the breath that I had been holding for far too long. 

[goindownshipping]

“S-Slow down!” - whoever you'd like :D

Look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit

Pairing: Tony Stark/Loki (Frostiron)

Rating: Mature (M)

Notes: “S-Slow down!” Wowza, this one took me a while. Thanks for the prompt, @ohwereusingourmadeupnames <4

Warnings: Fluffy, smutty, A/B/O verse, Tony and Loki being super in love and bonding. Some NSFW things.

Word count: 3k

Summary:

Loki couldn’t believe the universe had actually given him something good. In all his years of mischief and wrongdoings, he was sure he was doomed for a long, lonely, unfulfilling existence. And yet, here he was. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint what led to this moment; one in which his lovely alpha took him out for an extravagant dinner to celebrate their bonding. For years, he told himself he didn’t deserve it, that the other shoe would drop eventually, but Tony was always there to bring him back from that darkness, to remind him how loved he was. 

Or, Tony and Loki have been in love for years and they finally bond.

Loki couldn’t believe the universe had actually given him something good. In all his years of mischief and wrongdoings, he was sure he was doomed for a long, lonely, unfulfilling existence. And yet, here he was. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint what led to this moment; one in which his lovely alpha took him out for an extravagant dinner to celebrate their bonding. For years, he told himself he didn’t deserve it, that the other shoe would drop eventually, but Tony was always there to bring him back from that darkness, to remind him how loved he was. 

He stared at himself in the well-lit bathroom mirror and smiled slightly. Apparently, the restrooms at restaurants like Per Se were equally as over-the-top as their wine prices. He took himself in, pleased with the sight of himself in the fitted black suit Tony had laid out for him earlier that evening. He took one final deep breath before heading back through the dining room, preening when he saw his alpha smiling at him across the room.

As soon as he crossed the room and approached the door, Tony’s hand settled on the small of his back, guiding him through the exit.

“Have I told you that you look stunning tonight, Loki?”

Loki couldn’t help the blush that crossed his cheeks and the way he tucked his chin, eyes falling to the floor. He felt two fingers under his chin, gently lifting his gaze to meet Tony’s. 

“None of that, pretty. You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you, Anthony. Home?”

“Home indeed baby.”

Tony led them to the town car waiting at the curb and quickly got them situated in the back seat. Happy smiled at them through the rearview mirror before sliding the partition up, knowing Tony and Loki would want their privacy.

Tony immediately pulled Loki into his lap, desperate for his touch. Tony wove his fingers into Loki’s hair and buried his nose in the omega’s shoulder. Loki’s scent was strong, a mixture of citrus with a dash of sweetness. Loki wrapped his arms around Tony’s neck, pulling the alpha even closer. 

“You still want this? Me?” Loki asked quietly.

Tony growled against Loki’s throat, silencing the omega’s doubt. “Yes, Loki. I want you, always,” he answered forcefully. “Do you still want this?”

Loki rocked his hips in Tony’s lap, defenseless against his alpha’s growls. “Anthony, god I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Tony and Loki weren’t ones for gratuitous romanticism, but tonight was different. Tonight was what they’d been waiting years for. If Tony wanted to gather Loki up and whisper sweet words in his ear to make him squirm in his lap, so be it. If they wanted to stand on ceremony for one night and overuse their titles, no one needed to know. Tonight was for them, they could have anything they wanted. Tony would make sure of it.

By the time they pulled up to the tower, Loki was shuddering in Tony’s grip, the words and kisses from his alpha going straight to his head, and quickly to the heat between his hips. Tony wanted to take his time, savoring the moment and Loki, but he knew how desperate they both were. 

“Come on, Lokes, we’re home.”

Loki whined quietly but nodded, knowing the quicker he disentangled himself, the sooner he’d be back in Tony’s arms in the comfort of their home. Once outside, Tony took his hand and led him to the entrance. With a quick wave to Happy, both men disappeared into the tower.

The ride up to the penthouse was charged with energy, Loki still buzzing in Tony’s grip. Tony let his hands rub up and down Loki’s back, hoping to soothe his omega enough to calm down just a bit. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Loki stepped out of Tony’s grasp and slid his jacket off his frame. He extended a hand for Tony’s jacket, moving to hang them up as Tony headed into the living room. 

As soon as Tony was settled in one of their overstuffed chairs, Loki dropped right into his lap again. 

“Hi,” Loki grinned.

“Hello, omega.”

Tony felt Loki’s entire body shiver at the word. He took a deep breath and pressed his face against Loki’s throat for the millionth time that day, physically incapable of going too long without mouthing along the scent gland that would soon hold his mark. He let his own scent flood the air around them, absolutely covering Loki in his own pheromones.

“Mmm, you smell so good when you smell like me.”

Loki was absolutely buzzing in his arms, quietly whimpering every time Tony kissed over his scent gland.

“Tony,” Loki whined, “Alpha, please.”

“Shh, I know baby. I’ve got you Loki, I’m here,” Tony whispered against his omega’s neck.

“Now, Tony, please now,” Loki urged, somehow pulling Tony even closer.

Tony pulled back just slightly and slid his hands up to frame Loki’s face, his fingers firmly tangling in long, dark hair. “Slow down, baby. We have time.”

His tone didn’t leave any room for arguing, and Loki simply nodded and buried his own nose in Tony’s neck, taking a deep breath of his soon-to-be mate’s woodsy scent. Tony kept one hand tangled in Loki’s hair, holding his omega close. His other arm wrapped tightly around Loki’s waist, signaling for Loki to wrap his legs tightly around Tony’s waist. Tony stood slowly and made the short trip from their living room to the master bedroom.

Tony carefully lowered Loki onto the bed, causing Loki to whimper when he attempted to separate himself. Loki’s hands scrabbled for purchase on Tony’s shirt, desperate to keep his alpha close. 

“Tony come onnnn,” Loki begged, baring his neck for Tony.

“No, Loki,” Tony rumbled, shamelessly letting a bit of a growl seep into his tone.“I said s-slow down,” Tony stuttered, caught off guard by the desperate cry coming from Loki. “I know what you want, I promise, Lokes, I know. Just let me get us settled, I promise,” Tony murmured, pressing a kiss to Loki’s cheek. 

Tony fixed Loki with a glare, hoping he finally made his point clear. Finally, Loki nodded and the urgency seemed to fade from his tightly wound body. He shuffled back against the headboard, subconsciously shifting the pillows around him into a makeshift nest.

“I’m sorry, Tones. Just got a little too excited.”

With that, Tony stepped back from the bed and began pulling off his clothing. He started with his shirt, slowly loosening his tie and undoing the buttons down his chest, not once breaking eye contact with Loki. He gave a small nod to the omega, signaling for Loki to undress as well. As the two men rid themselves of their clothes, their intermingled scents became even stronger than they already were. Their increased arousal, the intensity of their shared emotion, and the slight anxiousness all wove together in an intoxicatingly rich scent. 

With both men finally bare, Loki watched Tony take a step toward the bed, eyes blazing. He could feel the possessiveness radiating off his alpha. 

“Who’s excited now alpha?” Loki teased.

Tony positively growled at the title and practically pounced on top of Loki, causing both men to bounce near the edge of the large bed.

“What exactly gave you the impression I wasn’t excited, omega?” Tony whispered filthily in Loki’s ear. 

Tony pulled back slightly, gazing down at Loki. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, hoping to ease Loki’s excitement by proxy. As riled up as both men were, the anticipation overwhelming them both, tonight wasn’t about being rough. Loki grinned up at him, his bright smile absolutely stunning. They both remained still for a moment, simply breathing each other in and soaking up the moment.

To say tonight was special was the understatement of the century. Tonight was everything for Tony and Loki. In all the bullshit the universe threw their way over the years, the two of them always seemed to scrape themselves out of the mess. Finally, finally, life was quiet enough for them to think about something beyond the next battle to be fought, the next army to defeat. They had never been in a rush to officially mate, but after both of their near-death experiences with Thanos, Tony and Loki were more eager than ever to cement their bond.

“Anthony,” Loki murmured dreamily. He reached up, lightly tracing the edges of Tony’s graying goatee.

“Yes, Loki?”

“Finally gonna be yours.”

“You’ve been mine for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been yours.”

With that, Tony leaned in to press a kiss to Loki’s lips. It started soft and sweet but quickly evolved into a mix of whimpers, bites, and growls. Tony lowered himself onto his forearms, boxing Loki in. Loki frantically wove his fingers into Tony’s hair, pulling his alpha impossibly closer. Tony moaned at the feeling, grinding his hips down, pressing his hard cock into the crease of Loki’s hip.

Loki gasped at the sensation. His body quickly caught up, producing a gush of slick that quickly created a wet spot beneath him. Tony pulled away from Loki’s mouth, once again returning his nose to Loki’s neck. His hips were moving on their own volition at this point, spurred on by Loki’s moans and stuttering hips. 

“You smell so fucking good Loki. God, I can’t get enough of you,” Tony groaned.

“Wanna smell like you Tony, please,” Loki begged.

“Yeah, pretty, I’ve got you.”

Tony shifted his weight onto his left arm and trailed his right hand from Loki’s graceful neck, down his long torso, finally settling on his hip and squeezing. Loki nodded at the silent question and spread his legs, moaning at the slick pooling between his thighs.

While still mouthing and nipping at Loki’s neck, Tony pressed a finger against Loki’s already wet rim. The briefest touch had Loki whining and even more slick pooling around Tony’s finger. Tony pressed in, pleased to feel Loki’s body opening up around him. 

As Tony continued opening Loki up, the two men completely lost themselves in each other. Neither man knew how quickly or slowly time was passing, they were only focused on each other. Tony whispered sweet nothings into Loki’s ear as he worked his fingers in and out of him. Loki couldn’t bother to focus on anything besides the pleasure his alpha was bringing him, only catching every other word here and there. His brain latched on to a few words repeatedly, mine, love, always, yours.

By the time Tony had worked three fingers into Loki, neither man could take it anymore. Loki whimpered constantly, his hips rocking to meet Tony’s fingers with each thrust. Tony pulled his fingers out and lifted his head to gaze down at Loki. His breath caught in his throat, stunned at the sight of his lovely omega. Loki’s face was a soft pink, his eyes wild with arousal. But beneath that, Tony could see a gleam of emotion making his green eyes shine even brighter than usual. 

“You good baby?” Tony asked quietly.

“Love you so much, Tony,” Loki answered.

Tony nodded, “I love you too, Loki.”

A single tear escaped out of the corner of Loki’s eye, tracking down his temple and disappearing into his hair. Tony just smiled, knowing his pheromones made it plenty clear he was feeling the exact same way.

“I know darling. You ready?”

“More than ready,” Loki replied easily.

Tony wrapped his hand around his cock, fingers still slick from being inside Loki, and lined himself up. He stayed propped up above Loki as he entered, studying his partner’s face carefully. Loki’s face morphed into something like relief when he felt Tony fully seated inside him. Tony stilled for a moment, willing himself not to pop a knot immediately and giving Loki a moment to adjust. 

After a few breaths, Loki wrapped his legs around Tony’s waist and squeezed, letting his alpha know he was ready. Tony started a slow, deep pace, taking his time dragging his cock nearly all the way out of Loki before sliding back in. Tony certainly didn’t hold back on pleasuring Loki, his cock brushing Loki’s prostate with every thrust. Loki moaned freely and threw his head to the side, baring his neck for his alpha.

Tony felt his knot start to swell. Loki was everything at that moment. The sight, sound, scent, and feeling surrounded Tony, his mind suddenly focused on nothing but claiming his omega, solidifying the bond they’d had for years. 

Tony dropped the arm he’d been propped up on and tangled his hand in Loki’s hair, pulling just hard enough to earn a moan from the man beneath him and bare his neck even more. Tony’s opposite hand came to settle on Loki’s waist and squeezed. With his face pressed against Loki’s throat, Tony began fucking into Loki faster, the swell of his knot catching on Loki’s rim every few passes.

Loki whimpered, barely coherent as he begged for Tony.

“Alpha, alpha please!”

“Oh god, Loki. Tell me you want this omega,” Tony demanded.

“Yes, Tony, yes god please,” Loki babbled.

Tony growled at that, his hips moving wildly. His knot pressed against Loki’s rim and he bared his teeth against Loki’s scent gland. As soon as his teeth met skin, Tony pressed his knot inside Loki. 

That one moment seemed to stretch out into several languid seconds. As soon as Tony’s knot came to rest inside Loki, Tony dug his teeth into Loki’s neck, tasting the slightest coppery tang of blood. That taste was quickly overtaken by the shot of adrenaline coursing through his veins and Loki’s cry piercing the air. Tony felt as if he was crawling out of his skin, frenetic energy running through him. He paid no mind to the orgasm crashing through his body, his attention solely focused on his omega. His omega. 

Time sped back up for Tony and everything snapped into place. His ears were immediately filled with Loki’s whimpers, and he could feel warmth against his stomach where Loki had evidently finished in tandem with him. He didn’t lift his head from the junction of Loki’s neck and shoulder as he repeatedly licked over the fresh bite. He took a deep breath, his scent settling in alongside Loki’s, swirling together to create a new identity, one of their own. He picked out the salty scent of tears mingled in with their pheromones and blindly removed his hand from Loki’s hair to thumb at the omega’s cheeks, wiping away the tears he felt there.

“Happy tears, baby?” Tony asked quietly.

“Yes, alpha, very happy tears.”

“I’m sorry it took us so long Lokes.”

Loki didn’t dare move - knowing his alpha was in full mother hen mode, looking after him and taking care of the bite - but he reached for the hand that had settled on his cheek, squeezing tightly.

“No such thing as too long, Anthony. We have all the time in the world.”

With that, Loki settled back and allowed Tony to continue with his protective alpha instincts, happy to have his partner fawning all over him. Loki drifted in and out of sleep, barely awake enough to notice Tony cleaning them up and bundling them into bed. Unconsciously, Loki curled himself into Tony’s side, his nose pressed against Tony’s scent gland, finding comfort in his alpha’s scent.

“Goodnight, my omega” was the last thing Loki heard before falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Tony woke up slowly, the warm sunshine streaming through the windows rousing him from a pleasant dream that he was already forgetting. With his eyes closed, Tony took a moment to stretch his limbs, considering burrowing back into the blankets and letting sleep wash over him for a bit longer. When he finally cracked an eye open, his alarm clock was staring back at him, letting him know that it was still too early to be awake on a Saturday, despite the bright morning light. Tony lazily rolled over, his eyes settling on miles of bare skin, Loki’s long limbs splayed out in a tangle of sheets and blankets.

Tony smiled to himself, more than pleased to wake up with Loki in his bed. They’d woken up together every day for years, but this was different. Tony reached out, sleepily tugging Loki into his chest, so he could press his lips to the new mark adorning Loki’s neck; the spot marking their bonding and commitment to each other. Tony felt contentment settle into his bones with his lips pressed against the mark that would soon be a permanent scar.

“Too early, go to sleep alpha,” Loki complained.

“Look at you, already so demanding,” Tony teased.

“Damn right I am. Now cuddle me and sleep.”

Tony chuckled, smiling down at Loki who was already falling asleep again. 

With Loki in his arms and their mingled scent filling the air, Tony took a moment to watch his omega sleep. For a man who was constantly running on too little sleep and too much coffee, Tony had never felt so settled. He could feel a tether between him and Loki that hadn’t been there just yesterday. Tony soaked the feeling in, letting the contentment wash over him. Eventually, the soft drowsiness caught up to him, and he pulled Loki closer, pressed a soft kiss to his neck.

With a quick “I love you, omega,” Tony drifted off.

“I love you too, alpha,” was whispered so quietly, Tony thought it was a dream, welcoming him back to sleep.

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 93) "We'll Take It!!"

@lovemythsworld

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@crystalbaby12

@backoftheroomandnotbelonging

@5sosfam1dlover

@mgkobsessed

Luna finds herself swigging a bottle of Paul Masson in a small, smokey apartment in Bushwick. Taking a joint from a random person, she feels the rush of familiarity hit her as she absorbs the buzz of the room. There's nothing like being in a tiny hub of musicians exchanging ideas.

"You wanna do this?" Sam asks as Luna passes her the joint.

"Yeah... I don't have a fucking electric though. I've been using Colson's, remember." Luna responds, rubbing her forehead.

"Fuck... I am really unprepared." Luna realizes suddenly and begins to panic. Thinking of how she needs to get in touch with her grandmother.

Sam catches Luna's change in facial expression. With a loud whistle, she quiets the room.

"Who's got an electric I can borrow for a minute?" She shouts into the full kitchen.

"For what?" Floats into the air.

"To fucking play, ya douche bag." Sam scoffs. "What the fuck do you think for?"

"What shit are you causing now?" Mike asks Sam as he enters the room.

"Luna only has her acoustic. We need an electric TO PRACTICE ON." She shouts the last part in to the resumed room. "Ya got one?" She asks with irritation.

"Yo. Electric. Now." Mike hollers over her head.

"Mine's in the living room." A different voice offers.

Mike throws his hands up at the solution. Sam rolls her eyes as she grabs Luna's hand, pulling her towards the living room. Luna following with the bottle in tow.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The living room isn't posh by any means. There's amps and speakers. A drum kit is set up the way a suburban family would worship their TV. A ratty couch, lawn chairs and fold out tables are pushed to the sides all around it. It's dirty and has cockroaches with random pieces of artistic creations strawn everywhere. Making Luna happy to be home.

Luna pulls off her leather and hoodie. Dressed in a simple black T underneath. Kicking on the amp, she tunes the electric she finds. Sam getting comfortable behind the kit. Mike lighting a joint as his bass hangs off of his lean body. Luna can't help but notice him as they fuck around on their instruments for a few moments, finding their footings.

"Try it out?" She asks to their nods.

Plucking a few strings before she begins to strum specific notes. Flipping through D, C, A and G. Those being the primary chords of the song as Mike and Sam follow behind her lightly with the same melody. Luna comes in with her voice low and haunting.

🎼Tell me//What's so//Entitled//Aaaabout//Yoooou//Treating women//Cheap//Like//Yooooou need//Toooo//Why can't you//See we're//Just//As Strong as//Yooou//Come on Boy//I wanna//Hear you//Speak your//Truuuuuth🎶

The song follows a soft/hard formula. Luna's voice adds a taunting sweetness to the aggressive lyrics but rips through certain biting ones as she wails with inquisitive anger. Sam and Mike throwing out equal amounts of fierce energy through their instruments with her.

They run through IT ten or fifteen times. Tweaking different notes and lines together. Each time playing louder and with more raw passion as they become comfortable with each other and the song.

The electricity is pumping, creating a surprisingly mixed group roaring along with them by time they finish up. Many singing the song. All singing the chorus. There's definitely something undeniable in the air.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Taking a break from practicing, Luna needs a little breathing space. Sam follows her downstairs for a cigarette. Mike behind them.

"This is either gonna be a hit or you're about to become America's Hottest FemiNazi." He declares, lighting his own Marlboro.

Sam glares at him as she pulls on her Camel. Luna just stares. Contemplating his words.

"Probably the latter, but I don't give a FUCK." Luna finally answers with a shrug before taking a drag. "They wanted a second song... They're gonna get a second song. It's not my problem if people are uncomfortable with the truth."

"I hope one of those Assholes from Chicago sees it too." Luna thinks to herself. Having practiced the song with Sam and Mike, she feels confident in how they sound and feel together. Catching the attention of others while practicing the same song over and over, she feels good about their stage presence. Performing comes naturally to Luna and she enjoys it with all her heart. She does not enjoy the rest of the nonsense that comes along with it though. "Fuck... I hope she keeps it light..." Her mind trails off. Truly only worried about the interview. Luna doesn't mind discussing politics but she hates giving up any details on her personal life and she knows that's what Ellen is going to want.

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

Colson's somewhere on his way to Arizona. It's late. Casie's sleeping and he misses Luna. He had tried to call her but it rang straight through.

Stepping into the bathroom, he Snaps her. Hoping to get her attention as he wonders what she's doing.

"I fucking hate when she goes..." He sighs to himself. The double edged sword of loving an independent woman.

Looking at his schedule, he begins to formulate a plan.

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

Back at Sam's, Luna changes out of her clothes. Lighting a joint, she finally reaches for her phone. Texting her grandmother about her guitar.

Finding a missed call and Snap from Colson. Missing him, she calls first. With no answer she opens the Snap, immediately snickering at it's content.

"This Motherfucker...." She thinks as she shakes her head with a huge smile and Snaps him back.

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

Colson wakes up as soon as The Bus stops to a sleeping Casie and Luna's Snap. He's in Phoenix, AZ. Her, New York City.

Looking at his phone, his dick and heart rage for his woman.

"Take a shower and handle your business." He groggily coaxes himself out of bed.

Hitting the single shower, Colson strokes his massive hard on away. Thinking of Luna as he pulls on his cock. Imagining the different times he's fucked her in it's tiny stall. Her strong thighs and tight pussy wrapped around him.

Eyes closed, leaned against the wall, he strokes harder and faster. Images flying through his mind. He cums with the jolt of the memory of her teeth sinking into his neck as she had consumed his entire being.

Heady and satisfied, Colson steps out of the shower. Still missing Luna as he burns and snorts the amount of Adderall that it'll take to start his day and mission.

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

Luna is so grateful to see her grandmother in MidTown. Not just because she has her electric guitar. Even though Luna's still pissed at Patti for booking her, she LOVES her Mom-Mom. It's been harder to be away from her than she'll readily admit.

"Hi!" Luna shines bright as she hugs the older punk.

The busy City streets whirl around them. All is silent in their hug. Making Luna a bit more happier to be home. Holding hands with her Mom-Mom, Sam and Mike follow behind them.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Upstairs they're greeted by Ellen personally. Taping in NYC, she's taking full advantage of the convenient request.

"I'm so sorry to hear of Porscha's mother." Patti tells her friend as she grips her hands.

"Thank you. She's doing much better." Ellen squeezes her friend back.

"You ready, Kiddo?" She asks, turning to Luna.

"I don't know... How bad you gonna fuck with me?" She blatantly asks.

"Enh... Ya never know!!" Ellen grins as she wiggles away.

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

"Come on, Peanut... We gotta hustle." Colson tells his daughter as he holds her hand.

With only their carry ons, they move quickly through LaGuardia. Ashleigh had confused the dates when talking to Luna, thinking they would be father west. Colson and Casie hopping a flight before daybreak. They're doing a lot of traveling today.

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

Dressed in a baby blue slip dress, fishnets and Docs. Luna's hair is messy while she performs Nightmare on only her acoustic. Not far from the way she'd played the SNL gig with Ashley and The Boys, it's softer with only her guitar and voice wrapping around the strong lyrics.

The performance is simple and incredibly raw with no backing track. Shocking anyone who's never heard her stripped down, Luna's vocals are unforgiving as they stand alone. The emotional layers to her notes making the message loud and clear.

"WOWZA!!!" Ellen approaches her clapping after she finishes.

Looking into the camera, Ellen tells her audience They'll Be Right Back With That Brooklyn Bitch. Luna taking her guitar off and standing up from the stool she'd been sitting on.

"That was amazing!" Ellen exclaims to Luna as they take a commercial break.

"Thank you!" Luna beams as she gives her a hug.

Walking over to check on her grandmother, she can't find her. Only Sam and Mike. They don't know where she is. Being called back for the interview, Luna shrugs it off.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"And we're back with That Brooklyn Bitch." Ellen ques them from the commercial break. "Who just performed her #1 single Nightmare featuring Halsey." Ellen turns to Luna. "Congratulations. It's such an incredibly powerful song. Now, I understand all the proceeds go to the Yellowhammer organization? How'd you become involved with that?" Ellen asks Luna before looking down at her notes and back up again.

Smiling, Luna Thanks Ellen. She feels so uncomfortable in the bright studio and white chair.

"Yes. All proceeds go through Yellowhammer.... Uhm, Halsey and I linked up with them last month when Alabama decided that a group of men should have the final say on what happens with things that they don't have." Luna states.

Leaning back and moving both of her hands in circular motions to showcase her abdomen and vagina. Making sure to drive her point home.

"There are only THREE Planned Parenthoods currently functioning in the ENTIRE state. They are being used to provide anything from birth control to STI testing to cancer screenings. Since the government wanted to pull their funding, Yellowhammer has been able to provide the cash flow to keep them open. So, THANK YOU to everyone who has DONATED. STREAMED. Or BOUGHT. ANY. Of the Nightmare merch. WHICH SOLD OUT!!! THANK YOU!!!" She exclaims, moving her hands around in amazement.

Luna looks directly into the camera with her words. She may not like it but as said before, she knows how to speak to people. And give good plug.

"Everyone who has supported this song is in some way, in turn, supporting the women of Alabama, and the US, the RIGHT to make choices for ourselves and the separation of body and state... Which shouldn't even be a THING. Sooo.... again, THANK YOU." Luna says firmly with immense gratitude still talking with her hands. Emphasizing certain words as the audience applauds her. If she's going to be forced onto television, Luna figures she'll utilize it the best she can. Ellen applauds her also before digging into the celebrity gossip.

"The video is pretty iconic too. You've got A LOT of powerful women with you.... How did you get so many famous faces to match up their schedules to shoot that?" She asks with intrigue.

It wasn't just Luna. Or Ashley and Luna. It was all of them and it was pretty fucking amazing. Setting an unknown president inside people, women and the Industry that weekend.

"That was an act of the universe, honestly. They passed the law Friday morning. Halsey and I had the song written within an hour and recorded it before the end of the day. We both sent out rough copies that night to all of our friends, inviting them and anyone else who wanted to come to the shoot the next day. Like, no one's manager talked to anyone else's. We just had a major group chat going on." Luna laughs. "That EXPLODED.... I mean, I don't know Beyoncé personally.... so when she arrives on set unannounced, you KNOW that this thing you're doing is WAAAY bigger than you thought it was." Luna looks at Ellen with eyes wide in pure wonder and satisfaction.

Ellen nods. She's always liked Luna and respects how she seems to follow in both of her grandparents social rebellion.

"That's pretty amazing and as you all know... It speaks volumes..." Ellen says before Luna cuts her off.

"It is. And it's exciting on so many levels because if this song can speak SO loudly and it's context resonates so hard that it's at the forefront of the pop music... That means we're TALKING. That means we know there's a problem to fix and we're angry about it. And Ellen, you know, with anger comes change. That's what we want. Change. Equality. Simple fundamental rights. Girls don't just wanna have fun. We wanna... We want to. And DESERVE to stand beside those who think they're inclined to make major decisions that effect tons of people who aren't like them." Luna shrugs as she ends her stance.

Not realizing how quickly Luna can  bend a conversation to her will, Ellen struggles a bit to regain control of the interview.

"No. What you're doing is admirable. You are me but for women's rights." Ellen let's out a light chuckle. "So.... I do wanna play Five Truths with you. I'm gonna ask you five questions and you have to answer them truthfully." Ellen in informs Luna.

"Motherfucker...." Luna thinks as she shakes her head at Ellen with a nervous grin.

"Number One.... And remember I've known you long enough to know if you're lying." Ellen smirks at her.

Luna can't help but roll her eyes as she sighs.

"Number One?" She asks Ellen as she perks up her shoulders and sets her hands in her lap.

"Nuuuumber One... What's your real name?" Ellen stares her in the eyes.

"What??" Luna asks, completely caught off guard.

"What is your legal name?" Ellen cocks her eye.

Luna glares at Ellen.

"Luna Adelaide Smith." She answers leerily.

"I knew that..." Ellen smirks.

"I KNOW you did." Luna shoots back sarcastically.

"I had to see if you'd tell the truth or not." Ellen brushes her off with thrown hands. "Number Two... What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Cheeseburgers." Luna answers without a thought.

"Number Three.... What happened to your grandmother's pottery bowl?"

With this Luna reels back with a scowl. Now understanding what this fucking game is about. Sighing, she shakes her head with a smile.

"You guys think you're slick." She snarks back.

Turning to the audience. Thumb jerked towards Ellen. Luna scans the room for Patti. Surprisingly, she still can't find her. Sending a weird feeling of What? Why? And Where The Fuck Are You??? Pulsating through Luna.

"She's friends with my Mom-Mom. What you're witnessing here, is a homemade lie detector test. On TV. YAY ME." She chuckles with an eye roll. Luna flashes her jazz hands. "For the PARENTS out there." She continues. Now pointing. Finger guns flaring at anyone in her range. Live or recorded. "NO. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME." Luna deadpans with another light laugh, hands thrown up as her brilliant smile shines with irritated intensity. "We won't tell you anything." Her shrug showcasing her honesty and irritation.

Ellen leans up grinning. Knowing she's been caught. Looking up at Patti, she proceeds.

"Five Truths...." She reminds Luna with a chuckle.

"Fine." Luna sighs. "My grandma took a trip to London when I was like 15yrs old. I was really irresponsible and had a house party. Some kids broke it on accident. I'm really sorry, Mom-Mom." She answers.

Only giving the details she wants, as always. Ellen glances into the audience to her friend's nod of approval. What Luna didn't reveal is that she took part in the breaking a also. Trying to turn it into a bong. Kids do stupid shit.

"Okay... Number Four. What's your biggest fear?" Ellen continues.

"Deep sea diving." Luna answers.

"Really?" Ellen looks at her inquisitively.

"Yeah... The idea of not being able to reach the surface with an empty tank freaks me out. I even get nervous coming up in the pool off the high di..." Luna tries to explain as the top from the table between them flies up.

"RAAAWWWWWWRRRR!!!!" Shouts someone as they burst out of it.

"MOTHAFU..." Explodes out of Luna's mouth. Shocking the shit out of her, she jumps back in her seat. Drawing up both fists, she almost swings before she recognizes the laugh.

Ellen watches as Luna freaks out, exploding into laughter herself.

"BUUUUNNY!!!" Luna shouts in shock and relief as Colson climbs out of the box.

Laughing, he smothers her with his body and kisses. Confused, she kisses him back before pulling away.

"What are you..." Luna looks around perplexed. "Where's Case?" She asks as he perches himself on the arm of her chair.

"She's with your grandmom." He kisses her head after pointing into the crowd.

Sure enough, Casie is sitting right next to Patti. Grinning and waving at Luna.

"Heey Dilla!!" Luna exclaims when she finds them. "What are you guys doing here?" She asks, turning back to Colson.

"Ash mixed up the dates, so we popped out to support you and check out the listing." Colson explains, melting Luna's heart.

"I fucking love you." Luna whispers as she touches his face and reaches up for another kiss.

"Aren't you two cute!!" Ellen gushes while still laughing. "We'll get back to that but first... Last question. Number Five.... Who is the most influential person in your life?" Ellen continues to question Luna.

"These bitches are ridiculous...." Luna thinks to herself.

"Am I supposed to..." Luna tries to ask a question.

"Five Truths..." Ellen let's escape through her laughter. "Most influential person in your life?"

"What the fuck is happening???" Luna is so completely out of her element.

"Uh... Crap... There's so many who make me, Me." She looks up at Colson. "But... I mean, my Mom-Mom. She top notch gave me my core being." Luna answers honestly.

Ellen smiles before teasing her about saying That just to make Patti happy.

"I'm not. I love my Mom-Mom, Man." Luna shakes her off with a pure grin.

"So, you love your grandmom. What about this guy?" Ellen asks pointing at Colson. "I heard you two are getting married soon..."

Luna looks up at a beaming Colson. He's sitting on the left side of her chair, where he jumped out to scare her, right arm resting carelessly around her where it belongs. Luna can't get a word out.

"Yeah." Colson answers for the both of them.

This perks Ellen up. She loves unexpected details.

"Oooh yeah?? When you kids gonna do it?" She asks the question most of the world already knows.

"Fuuuuuck my liiiiiiife....." Luna thinks, feeling incredibly exposed. "There are people I still need to tell....." Her mind worries.

"EstFest. Come one. Come all....." He looks down at Luna.

Her hands are between her thighs and he can feel the anxiety tensing in her shoulders as he notices her knee rocking. Colson strokes the back of her hair, calming her soul.

"What is this EstFest?" Ellen inquires.

Colson goes on to describe the festival. Detailing Mod's set and the extra day added. Along with the waterslide and thousands of other activities. Ellen commenting that it sounds a lot crazier than her own wedding.

"You two have a Top 10 single also, correct?" Ellen is now interviewing them together.

"Yes. Bad Things." Luna finally speaks. "It's off his Hotel Diablo album which drops July 5th." Always plugging. Making Colson kiss the top of her head again with pride.

"Think we could get a performance?" Ellen coaxes.

"And drop the other?" Luna bargains.

"No." Ellen shuts her right down.

Looking back up at Colson, Luna shrugs. They discuss On Air with Ellen how they'd do it before she takes them out for another commercial break. Promising a performance to her excited audience.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"I can't believe you're here!!" Luna tells Colson as she wraps her arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest.

"I go where you go, Kitten." He grins. Lifting her chin to plant a solid kiss on her lips.

"Fuck, I love him." She thinks as his words stick to her heart.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"And now... That Brooklyn Bitch and Machine Gun Kelly with Bad Things." Ellen introduces them.

Luna and Colson are sat together behind a piano that the producers had found for them. Exchanging knowing looks, he pecks her cheek as she begins to play.

🎼I know//I'm outta my head//But I haven't lost my mind//How is that you know//The Bad Things I like//Oh Bunny, I can't explain it//What can I say//It's kismet, Ain't it?🎶

Luna opens with the chorus, Colson coming in strong behind. His hand is on her thigh as she continues playing the melody on the piano. They share the mic when they sing to each other about tattoos and Wanting Each Other Forever.

Their performance is really sweet and incredibly intimate. Both ab libbing lyrics at different points. Grinning at each other from start to finish. Anyone can feel the genuine love that radiates between the two of them.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Back in the Hot Seat, Luna and Colson are now sat on a loveseat together talking to Ellen.

She asks how they met. Colson happily telling the story of The Girl in the Cheetah Print Coat as Luna blushes.

"But you really only met in April and you're getting married in July?" Ellen grills them.

Looking at Colson, Luna shrugs with a smile. "When you know you know." She answers.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Back OnStage, now with Sam and Mike. Luna tunes her guitar as the lights go down. Stepping up to the mic she begins the simple chords.

They start off low and haunting. Luna curling her voice around the lyrics like a sly cat.

🎼Tell me//What's so//Entitled//Aaaabout//Yoooou//Treating women//Cheap//Like//Yooooou need//Toooo//Why can't you//See//We're just as Strong//As yooou//Come on Boy//I wanna//Hear you//Speak your//Truuuuuth🎶

Keeping with the beat Luna changes the tone of her voice. Making it sound sweet and inquisitive around the nasty lyrics.

🎶Did we//Ask you for IIIIT//When we begged//Was it//Niiice//While we//We're asking//For IIIT//Did we//Beg you twiiice🎶

Sam and Mike kick in a little harder as the pop punk melody flows. Luna's voice picking up a hint of aggression. Growling certain lyrics.

🎶Anytime we try to//Go out and have//Some fuuuun//We can feel//Your eyes//Wishing for//Xray visiooooon🎶

Belting now, Luna's voice is raw. Angry and taunting. The Band roaring behind them.

🎶MOTHER NATURE//GRANTED YOU//A GUUUUUNNN//WHEN WILL YOU// LEARN TO CONTROL//YOUR WEAPOOOOON🎶

Colson is standing off to the side with Ellen. "She's fucking incredible." He thinks as he watches her rip through the song strong and confident.

The Band drops down low as Luna softens. Pretty voice still holding it's snarl.

🎶Did we//Ask you for IIIIT//When we begged//Was it//Niiice//While we//We're asking//For IIIT//Did we//Beg you twiiice🎶

Mike hits a small bass solo as Luna hums along with him. Sam and her jump back in with him in time for Luna to hit the unforgiving bridge.

🎶They say//If you//Dress like That//It means//You waaant IT//And//I can dooo//What III want//Toooo//And//If you//Act like Thaaaat//It means//You waaant IT//So I can//Taaaake from//Yooou🎶

Luna runs a guitar solo over top of Sam and Mike before they kick in their hardest. Each note and lyric getting stronger and more raw as they play. Luna wailing her point across.

🎶BUT//We're not//Asking for IIIT//We just wanna//Live our liiives//You're who's//Begging for IIIIT//Learn to stop//At once//No need to ask//TWIIICE//YEAH//WE'VE BEEN ASKING// FOOOR IIIT//WE'VE BEEN BEGGING//OUR WHOLE LIIIIIVES//WE'RE DONE//ASKING FOOOR IIIT//DEMANDING OUR RESPECT//WE'RE DONE PLAYING//Niiicce//Ooohh//Oooohhh//Ooohhh🎶

The tune coming to an abrupt soft end. Luna cooing over the last few chords. Ellen is shocked by Luna's performance as she claps them out to another commercial break.

"Holy shit, Luna." She says approaching her with wild eyes. "I don't know if The Network will let us run that."

"Be a shame if they didn't." Luna simply shrugs.

Colson comes up from behind, lifting her off the ground. Layering the back of her neck with kisses. "You were fucking amazing!!" He breathes into her hair.

Turning around, she thanks him with a warm embrace and deep lip lock. Just as Casie and Patti come up to them.

"Looney!!" Casie shouts as Luna turns to squeeze her tightly.

"Oh, LunaBug. I'm so proud of you!!" Patti gushes as she hugs her grandmother.

Once Luna changes and they collect their things, they say Goodbye to Ellen before hitting the street.

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

Outside, Luna introduces Colson to Mike. They make pleasantries as Patti hails a cab.

The next stop on Colson and Casie's Traveling Adventure is Brooklyn Heights to check out the brownstone Luna's interested in.

Luna and Sam say GoodBye to Mike. Luna Thanking him for His Help. Mike telling her No Problem, to Hit Him Up if She Ever Needs a Bassist.

Colson watches and feels a burst of jealousy when Mike pulls her into his body with one arm wrapped around her tiny waist. He glances at Colson over her head as he squeezes her tightly against him.

"Did that motherfucker just...." Colson's brain is about to explode as Patti ushers them into the cab.

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

Monica meets them at the brownstone. It is beautiful. Newly renovated with the original wood molding and pocket doors. Casie runs through laughing as her voice and footsteps vibrate off the high ceilings, wooden floors and natural acoustics.

Sam wanders after Casie as the realtor shows Colson, Luna, Monica and Patti specific amenities and features. There's a small hidden yard in the back. Tucked under Colson's arm, Luna thinks it's perfect.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Christen it?" Colson asks with a devious grin as he scoops Luna up.

They're in the master bathroom. Kissing all over her neck as she wraps her legs around his waist. Pulling her closer to him, he kisses her mouth as I Missed Yous escape between the two of them.

"I caaaan't." Luna pouts. "I'm on my period..."

"I hate that fucking thing." Colson complains.

"I know, Bunny..." Luna says as she slips off the sink. "Doesn't mean I can't do Bad Things to you." She continues coyly.

Undoing his belt and jeans, Colson shimmies out of them. Luna running her hands up his bare thighs as she kisses on his collarbone. Looking up into his eyes, she's just as devious.

"We can still christen it." She grins.

Pulling his briefs down with her as she drops to her knees. Colson leans back against the wall as Luna licks up, down and all around his hard cock. Soaking him before slipping his huge member into her warm mouth.

"Ahhhh. Fuuuuck, Kitten...." He groans in pleasure as he runs his fingers through her hair.

Using both her hands to work his sopping dick, Luna glides him along the sides and rim of her mouth. Rolling her tongue on his head as he reaches the entrance. Sucking fiercely. Pushing him in deeper when he hits the back of her throat. Holding him there as she sucks with force and hums. Knowing that's the ticket.

"Fuuuuckkkkk." Colson cums in her mouth.

"Hey Dad..." Casie's voice floats through the bathroom door as it begins to open.

Scared shitless, Colson throws his left arm against the door. Luna's still on her knees. Slightly paralyzed with a bit his cum still lingering on her bottom lip.

"Be right out, Case!! Go find Pat!!" He shouts looking down at Luna.

"Okay..." The little girl's voice drifts away.

Looking up at him, Luna sucks the remainder of him off her lip. Even though he just came, her actions make him ache to be inside of her.

"When the FUCK are you gonna learn to lock the God Damn door?" She asks as she shakes her head with a smirk.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"WE'LL TAKE IT!!" Luna and Colson say in unison as they come bounding down the stairs.

"Yeah?" Asks the realtor. "Do you still wanna see the stu..." Luna cuts her off with her hand up. Knowing she wants to keep that space to herself.

"Not today. We want this one though definitely." She says confirming her and Colson's wants.

"Okay...." The realtor nods.

They talk a bit about closing. Luna not feeling the need to pay attention while Monica works out logistics. Agreeing both of their names will be on the deed, they expect to be able to close before the end of the month.

Strolling around together, Luna's arm is around Colson's waist. His around her shoulders as they admire their new home.

"We have a home, Bunny." She beams up at him.

"And pets..." He reminds her.

"Oooh fuck, yeah we do. I mean if they're still alive..." She realizes with worry.

"They are. Jillian, my cleaning lady cleans their bowl and feeds them each week when she comes by." He reassures her.

"Really???" She looks at him with undying love. "You're so fucking awesome." She declares as she tip toes to kiss him.

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

Back out onto the pavement, Casie looks up at the brownstone. "We're gonna live here?" She asks.

"Kinda..." Luna begins to answer. "It's like Daddy's house in LA... Now when we come to NY, you'll have your own bedroom instead of us having to sleep in a hotel." She explains.

"Cool." Casie nods. "So now I live in Cleveland, LA AND NEW YORK CITY." She grins.

Luna living for and loving the content on her Dilla's face. "Yup. You're bi-coastal, Baby!!!" She says with a laugh.

"What's that mean?" Casie questions her as a cab pulls up.

Having to be back in Phoenix before 8P, Colson scoots Casie into the back seat with promises of explaining once their on their way after she's hugged Luna.

Taking her into his arms, Colson kisses Luna lightly. A pleased smile playing on his lips.

"Pets. A home. Marriage. You think you can handle all this Mainstream Living, there Riot Grl?" He teases Luna in between kisses.

"With you. Absolutely. We do what we want. Twist Norman Rockwell to fit our punk view." She grins as she kisses him back.

There aren't any other words that need to be said between them. One Look holds it all. They kiss each other firmly and passionately before separating.

Colson touching her key as him and Casie make their way to JFK back to Arizona. Luna rolling her padlock between her fingers as she hops in a separate cab with Sam and her grandmother. They're headed to see about wedding dresses.

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

To be continued......

[affectionatehannibal]

Bill Denbrough is a story-teller.

Need somebody to tell you what happened on last night’s showing of Saturday Night Live? Richie Tozier’ll do the job just fine, sure, but if you find him chances are good you’ll find Denbrough too, and he’ll make you feel as though you’re in the audience, staring right at the actors and actresses themselves. Didn’t feel like reading a book, but have to turn in an essay about it in an hour? Bill won’t write the essay for you, but he’ll tell the story as though he lived it himself and make it come alive clearer than any movie or SparkNotes article ever could. Words are both his home and weapon of choice- they are where he goes to rest and what he uses to look the world squarely in the eye, accept it for the shit-show it is, and continue on. It is because of all this, and because of their love and reverence for him, that Richie and Stan so easily believe his story about Georgie’s reappearance. And it is because of this that Bill manages to convince both of them to spend their Saturday locked inside the Derry City Library, scouring book after book for an explanation to their situation.

The table they’ve occupied for the better part of two hours now is completely filled with books. There are some on psychology and mental health, others on poltergeists and demons, ESP and clairvoyance, ley-lines, mediums, spirits, psychics, religions of all kinds, and all other things paranormal or strange. Every now and then, Stan looks up from his notes and glares at the mess before him, as though willing it to disappear. His side of the table is neatly arranged, with a hefty stack of books on his left and pages of notes on his right. Periodically, Richie stands up quietly and takes a stroll through the shelves, shaking excess energy out through his hands and making idle chatter with disgruntled library-goers who would much rather be left alone. His side of the table is busy but not particularly messy, with a few books open at once and a page filled with messy handwriting and scribbled doodles sitting off to the side. Every few minutes, Bill glances to his right to see how Georgie is fairing in their new surroundings and his stomach drops, like he’s seeing his dead brother’s figure for the first time. His side of the table is empty save for one book, opened to one of the earlier pages, his chair angled as far to the left as possible.

All three (living) boys jump as a large pile of books are dropped on the table. Mr. Cunningham, Derry’s only librarian, dusts his hands off and sighs. He stares daggers at the dozens of books already scattered across the table, imagining all the shelving he’ll be doing once the boys leave. Stan coughs to grab his attention and offers a slow, easy smile. “Thanks a lot, Mr. Cunningham. We really appreciate your help.”

Mr. Cunningham smiles back, previous displeasure forgotten. Bill and Richie share a glance, and Bill doesn’t try to hide his grin when Richie sticks a finger down his throat. If Bill’s talent is storying telling, Stan’s is kiss-assery. “My pleasure, Mr. Uris. Let me know if you need anything else,” he turns to Bill and Richie. Richie opens his mouth to say something, but Bill gives his foot a good warning kick before anything can come out. “You boys make sure to clean up after yourselves.”

Richie, lounging in the chair on Bill’s other side, pretends to shoot the librarian with double finger guns as he walks away. “God,” he groans. “Why do adults always look at you like they want you to suck their dicks?”

Stan smirks as he sorts through the new books, distributing an even amount to each of them. “Someone should warn them they’ll have to get in line.”

“Wowza wowza,” Richie grins. “Who gets to go first, me or Billy boy here?”

Stan absentmindedly flips through the pages of a book. “Who said you would be taking turns?”

Richie considers that for a moment. He leans forward in his seat, his eyes following Stan’s long, graceful fingers as they turn page after page. His face turns a splotchy, excited red, like he wishes Stan’s fingers were busy doing something else. He coughs. “Is it weird to get a hard-on in a library?”

Stanley doesn’t look up as he neatly writes something onto a sheet of paper. “No. I’m sure Mr. Cunningham will be very flattered to know you think so much of him.”

Bill clears his throat.

“Sorry,” Stan offers Bill a small, guilty smile. He shoots a glare in Richie’s direction. “Let’s get back to work.”

“Wuh-wuh-well,” Bill starts, looking down at the single book in front of him. He’d picked it from the pile on a whim, its plain, weathered cover certainly not making it the most interesting book of the bunch. Nonetheless, the first page had caught his attention and managed to hold it for a good two hours. He places it in the middle of the table, and Richie and Stan lean forward to get a better look at it. “I duh-duh-duh-oh-oh-n’t think w-w-we n-need to luh-luh-ook a-anymore.”

Stan raises an eyebrow. “This is a book about ghosts, Bill.”

“Har de har har,” Richie mimes a laugh, but his face is pale. “That’s real funny, Denbrough. You know, I’m pretty sure I saw the ghost of Stan’s virginity in the back of my mom’s Honda Accord. Should we be worrying about that, too, ‘cause I think the warranty is about to-”

“Wuh-wuh-why,” Bill interrupts.“d-did we even geh-geh-get b-books about th-th-this sah-sah-stuff if you guh-guys th-think it’s suh-suh-something eh-eh-else?”

Stan looks at Bill, eyes full of pity and exhaustion. “Come on. You can’t really think George-, a ghost is following you around.”

“Wuh-wuh-ood y-you rather him b-be here b-b-because of Pah-Pah-Pah-Pah-”

“Uh,” now it’s Richie’s turn to interrupt. “I’d like to take a minute to remind the audience that we killed that son of a bitch, like, a long time ago.

Stan slowly sits back in his seat, staring off into the distance, past Richie’s head. He shudders, like he sees something there that has no resemblance to the quiet rows of books that surround them. “We don’t know for sure he’s dead.”

Richie lets out a strangled laugh. His face is a sickly white, like he’s going to need to know the quickest way to the bathroom in a minute or two. “Do you remember what he looked like before he fell down that stinkin’ hole in the earth? If that motherfucker’s alive, I’m-”

“S-s-so you th-think it’s a guh-guh-ghost, t-too?”

Richie frowns. “Now, listen, I never said that.”

“Th-th-then wuh-wuh- what ?”

“I mean,” Richie shifts anxiously in his seat. He places two of his books in the middle of the table, on top of Bill’s and flips through them for a moment, looking for specific pages. “take a look at this. It could be somethin’ like high levels of mold in your house or, hell, I don’t know, stress-induced hallucinations or some shit. But it’s not ghosts and it’s not the fucking clown.”

“I’m nuh-nuh-nuh-not kuh-kuh-razy.”

“That’s not what he’s saying, Bill.” Stan takes one of Richie’s books, eyes scanning it hopefully.

“Of course not,” Richie worriedly runs a hand through his hair. It falls over his eyes and, for a moment, he looks just like he did five years ago. Scared and small and not at all ready to face the ugly truth that lives under Derry. He takes a deep, steadying breath, and the resemblance is gone.“I just- if it is a ghost, and I’m not saying I think it is, what next? We get a cool van and a talking dog, buy Bev a purple dress and call ourselves the Mystery Gang?”

Bill sits up straight in his chair and puts on the face he used to get them all to follow him into Neibolt all those years ago. “Wuh-wuh-we’re nah-nah-not t-telling th-the uh-uh-others about Juh-Juh-Georgie.”

Stan and Richie stare at Bill for a moment, eyes wide with shock (in Richie’s case) and frustration (in Stan’s). Stan closes his eyes and rubs his temples.

Richie’s shock quickly simmers into hurt and quiet indignation. Bill might be the leader of this operation, but they were a team of seven members, no matter what. “Now, wait just a minute-”

A small, quiet cough from the end of the table reminds the three of them that they are not alone. They aren’t in the clubhouse or the Barrens, or even crammed together, knees overlapping, on Bill’s bed. They’re just three boys with voices that are filled with too much fear and unspoken anger for a library, speaking too loudly about things better discussed in private.

They looked up to see a girl, about their age, glancing uncomfortably at each of their faces. For a moment, Bill thinks she stares right past him, right at Georgie, but then her eyes reach Stan’s and her face visibly brightens, like she’s found a lifeboat amongst a storm of angsty teenagers and sad, invisible, dead boys. “Stan! Sorry. For interrupting, I mean. I just, uh. Do you guys have,” she holds out a tiny slip of paper to Stan. “that?”

Stan takes a deep breath, pushing down the stress and worry their conversation had created enough to force his mouth into a tight smile. “I don’t think so,” he stands, eager to leave. “I can help you look for it though, if you want.”

Relief floods her face. “Would you really?”

“Of course,” Stan turns to face Richie and Bill. He opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it again. He shoots them both a frustrated glare. “I’ll be back.”

Richie slumps in his chair and watches Stan and the girl walk away. He can tell by the tightness in Stan’s shoulders that he hasn’t forgotten what they’ve been talking about, but his face is light and he says something that makes the girl laugh. A few steps later they’re out of sight and Richie slumps even further down into his chair, so that Bill can only see the top of his head. “Who was that?”

Bill crosses his arms on the table and puts his head down on top of them. Georgie watches him do so. “S-s-some new guh-guh-irl in one of S-s-stan’s c-c-classes. Puh-puh-atty, I th-think.”

Richie glares moodily at his corner of the table. Fucking ghosts, messing everything up. Fucking clowns. Fucking Derry. He waits for his stomach to calm down before speaking again. “This fucking sucks, man.”

Bill glances at Georgie and fights the urge to cry. “T-t-tell muh-muh-me a-about it.”

[nikatyler]

It’s been like what, three weeks? Yeah. I wasn’t really in the mood for doing this.  Tired, stressed out, sad, lonely...senior year is a blast for sure :D 11/10 would recommend.

Speaking of loneliness...I’ve recently mentioned it a lot but I’ll just say it again. Lately I feel so alone and sort of disconnected from everyone here, I don’t know why. I’ll admit one thing - I guess I’m even kind of jealous, I see all those simblr friendships and then look at myself and wow. I don’t really talk to anyone, do I. A few people from time to time. I mean, I’m a dumbass, so I’m not really surprised but...anyway. Please continue commenting, keep sending your reactions, asks, anything, you’ll make my day. Also, ships. I want to have ships with other people but I’m too afraid to ask. If you want to ship your sim with my sim, you’ll have to take the first step because I’m an anxious dumbass :D

On another (much better) note, I’ve finished working on the first arc of Regan’s storyline. I don’t know when you’ll see it since the queue is so slow (I might speed it up in a month or so), but yeah. I’m there and ooh boy. Stuff is happening. You might hate me for what I did. But maybe not. Just saying. I kinda want to scream about it already.

TL;DR: I’m an anxious dumbass who loves comments and wants to make some friends. The first arc of Regan’s storyline is finished.

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

Omg she truly is precious ❤️❤️❤️

alfalfalegacy replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

Wowza she got some good genes!!

aestheicpixels replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

SHE"S GORGEOUS

sparkiemonkey replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

She's so pretty. I can't ever get the ts3 models to look that cute.

cafeheart replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

SHE LOOKS LIKE AN ANGEL OH MY LORD

melien replied to your photoset “~ Song-Rose, Kayla”

She's adorable!

I was so happy when I posted this because damn, I love her so much. I wish I could give her a story, but that’s impossible because I already have a lot on my plate. Like I always say (well, like I’ve been saying since the quads), never do big generations. I guess I would enjoy seeing her in someone else’s game though. Someone’s heir’s spouse or something. Hmmm. 🤔

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photo “™¦ T E C H N O ♦ M A G I C ♦”

It looks cool! ❤️

I've actually spent years trying to get which is my favorite fairy only to realize it's always been Bloom�� I can't even say why

And the first 4 seasons definitely were the best - the villains and stories were cooler and stuff and I remember how thrilled I was to watch the fairies' Entchantix (was it called so? ) transformation for the first time

alfalfalegacy replied to your photo “™¦ T E C H N O ♦ M A G I C ♦”

a winx club ref??? on my dash???

I used to be all over this show as a kid

I think we only ever got like the first two or three seasons cause they stopped showing it after a while.

amixofpixels replied to your photo “™¦ T E C H N O ♦ M A G I C ♦”

Flora was always my favourite growing up. Feelings are more neutral nowadays.

melien replied to your photo “™¦ T E C H N O ♦ M A G I C ♦”

High five, she was my favourite too ✋

create-a-sim replied to your photo “™¦ T E C H N O ♦ M A G I C ♦”

I loved it too, though my parents didn't have the channel that it aired on and I only could watch it at my friend's house :(

Guys you have no idea how much I love these reactions because when I was growing up, people made fun of me for loving this show. I was scared it would backfire here as well. And it didn’t, yay! :D

I used to love Bloom when I was little. Then in middle school, Tecna became my favourite. I could somehow relate to her, I don’t know. She was kinda different and weird, I’m kinda weird too, I felt like they often overlook and ignore her, same here, she was into computers, I was into computers, etc. I even wanted to have her original haircut because I loved her so much :D You know, the one from season 1-4, the one so similar to that Fitness SP hair (which I used here).

As for seasons, my favourite was definitely season 4, I looooved the idea of Earth fairies, not to mention the villains were so cool too. Same with Valtor in season 3. Damn. I’m not thirsty for cartoon villains, I swear. But like if they were real people, they’d look so good. After season 4, things went super downhill, but I was still watching it because I had hope it could get better again. Nope. It didn’t. Still, it can’t take the good memories of the first four seasons away.

Man, I could ramble about this forever :D

alfalfalegacy replied to your photoset “To make everything even better, Lydia broke the bathtub. AGAIN.”

she looks so proud of herself too haha

Her only goal in life is to cause chaos and break things

myopiccc replied to your photoset “Aurora: “So I obviously love Kayla with all my heart, she’s my niece...”

SIBLINGS! LOL

I know, right? :D 

I love working on sibling relationships in my legacies so much. In fact, often times they’re even more fun than working on romantic relationships with their spouses :D

myopiccc replied to your post “I’ve already talked about this on twitter but I’m just gonna mention...”

Sending you love and HUUUGE hug. One sentence you're writing makes me laugh and cry. I don;t think those strong writing flows all the time. Please don't mind. Take rest and have a big bite of chocolate:D(if you do like chocolate). <3

*hugs* :’)

tiny-tany-thaanos replied to your photo “Valentine’s Day?”

Gorgeous little thing<333

Daaaamn I know *-* I didn’t think this hair could suit her so well, but it did and wow I’m in love

cafeheart replied to your post “post nsb”

damn anon go write your own nsb if youre that thirsty

dandylion240 replied to your post “post nsb”

I enjoy whatever you want to share with us ��

108sims replied to your post “post nsb”

Wow that’s kind of rude. I enjoy all your challenges!

moonbobs replied to your post “post nsb”

Post what you want! This is a hobby not a job. I can't with these types of asks smh��

I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. I got a few more asks about this but I didn’t post them because I’d reply the same thing. I just DON’T KNOW when the save is coming back, stop asking, anons! It’ll happen at some point. But yeah, I kinda saw it coming, because I’ve posted ts4 for so long, it was fun, gen 6 right now isn’t very fun. I mean it. I’m not happy with the beginning of it, but I know it’ll get better.

Thank you guys for your words. I think this is important for every simblr out there: Post whatever you want. It’s your blog, your game. People might like something more, but in the end you have the final decision. If you want to switch to ts3 because you love ts3, go for it! Maybe some people will leave but eh. Whatever. You don’t need people like that anyway, right?

froggypixel replied to your photoset “Hey Doc…you okay there?”

When your owner leaves you��

This made me sad because his owners actually left him. Forever. They died. 😭 And somehow this dog is immortal or something, idk. It’s kinda wild. But don’t get me wrong, I definitely don’t want him to die.

[thebrotherscupheadandmugman]

Floral Fury! With Cagney Carnation!

Before you read: This is a rewriting of the main game Cuphead. Characters, certain dialogue, music, and locations obviously do not belong to me. This is best read with the OST playing over it. And before you start reading, remember that anything on this blog that is tagged as “Word on the Wind” can be reblogged and shared! That being said, enjoy!

Blogs with Cagney Carnation as a muse: @twocupsandacontract​ @txtaldomination

​

Today's episode opens up in a meadow positively blooming with wildflowers. Daisies, lavenders, carnations, lilies, and golden rods filled the plain in abundance, reaching from the edge of the forest all the way to the end of the cliff, where Isle One met the ocean between itself and Isle Two.

Many, many years ago, a gentle breeze blew across the flowers, the wind lovingly and gently growing hands to gather fistfuls of pollen before giving them a good sniff. The wind truly loved the fresh scent of wildflowers in the morning, even if the poor thing had a terrible case of hay fever. After dramatic huff and then a puff, the wind sneezed, scattering and spreading the pollen across the meadow. Ah, the joy and wonder of spring. Truly, this was peace.

Suddenly, two young boys, different from our heroes, ran into the meadow, frolicking and playing in the flower field. The boys were roughhousing and play-fighting with each other, and knowingly or not, they were crushing and trampling the wildflowers as they did, until the younger of the two grew tired, and flopped over on his back next to the other as he panted and laughed, crushing more flowers as he did so. After a few moments, that same kid caught sight of what had to be the world's most beautiful flower. “Woah! Hey, look at that!!” He pointed. “Wowza! It's huge!” “What kind of flower is it do ya think?” “I dunno. I'm not as good as Mom.” “Ooh! Mom would love it! We should take it back to her!” “You're right! We could make it into a corsage, just like she taught us!” “Yeah! Let's take it!” The two boys smiled before reaching out a hand and plucked the flower from the earth, then left the meadow, abandoning the destruction they caused. What flowers that weren't crushed were drooping in sadness, almost as if they knew that they had been powerless to do anything to prevent this.

“Oh my! What a beautiful carnation!” Mother exclaimed, turning over the home-made corsage in her hands. “Happy Mother's day, Mom!” The two boys beamed. “Oh, thank you boys! It'll match perfectly with my outfit for tonight! You're such thoughtful boys!” “We made it ourselves!” “It's too perfect to sell in the shop! Thank you both. I love it!” Mother cooed, bending down to hug her children.

Later that night, Mother and Father had gone to the Devil's Casino, and unfortunately had pushed their luck too far, and lost everything. The Devil sat in his throne room, counting the valuables he and King Dice had managed to swindle that day. It was almost hilarious what some people would bet in desperation to win back what they lost. Engagement rings, racing horses, broaches...their souls. How amusing for the Devil. However, the Devil sensed a strong aura of...anger. Anger, hate, resentment, but most importantly, a thirst for vengeance. His attention was directed to a poorly made corsage in his pile of winnings- specifically the flower it was made with.

The poor, pitiful pansy was the source of all these delicious emotions, and the Devil knew just what to do with it.

“Well, what do we have here?” He cackled lowly, putting out the cigar in his mouth so as to not burn the flower. “A poor, angry soul wanting revenge? Could it be for the woman who bet you away? Or is it maybe for whoever turned you into such an ugly, childish accessory?” The Devil sneered. “I bet you used to be beautiful. A vibrant flower that once stood tall with pride, basking in the glorious sunlight, eh?” It almost seemed like the carnation perked up at that, as if there were some truth to those words. “But not anymore. Now the only thing you feel is a lust for justice.” The carnation's leaves crossed over each other, resembling crossed arms. “I can help you with that.” The Devil offered, positive he had the soul's attention. “I can make you strong. Strong enough to defeat any foe. Strong enough to stop any fink from walking all over you. Strong enough...to get the justice you want and deserve...” He suggested with a toothy grin. With the snap of his clawed fingers, a contract appeared next to the Devil. “Just sign this, and all that is yours.” He set the flower down next to the inkwell and quill. “Although...perhaps we should give you a name for you to sign. That is the only way I can allow this to work.” The flower picked up the quill with both of its leaves, and scribbled something down on a spare sheet of paper that happened to be on the desk as well. The Devil read what he wrote and smirked with a low chuckle. “Alright then.” He snapped his fingers again, and the contract changed. He grabbed it from the air, and set it on the desk for the other to sign. “From this day forward, you will be known as 'Cagney Carnation'. And you will be the strongest flower in all of Inkwell Isle.” Cagney dipped the quill back into the inkwell, letting the excess ink drip off into the bottle as he signed. “Excellent...” The Devil cackled lowly before snapping his fingers. The flower suddenly doubled over in pain as the Devil used black magic to fling him away from his desk and on the floor. He watched as the other began to grow in size and mass, becoming bigger, badder, stronger, yet still so beautiful. “Now go, Cagney. Go out and get your revenge.” He grinned as he admired his own handy work. Once the plant was finished transforming, he nodded and left. “I'll be back to collect what's mine afterwards.” The Devil cackled once more as Cagney left, taking his Soul Contract with him.

“Cuphead, this is a bad idea...” Mugman said, tugging his straw down to his mouth. “Waddya talkin' about Mugsy? Where's your sense of adventure?!” Cuphead asked, turning around to face his older brother. “Hey! Leave yer straw alone! Don't start chewin' it already, okay?” Mugman let go of his straw, letting it slide back to it's usual spot in his head. “I wasn't gonna- that's not important! I don't think we have time to be snooping around in there!” “Look, I'm tellin' ya, Mug! I heard somethin' in there!” “That's not comforting!!” Mugs whined, already getting worked up at the thought of his brother going inside that stone graveyard. “The only things in a mausoleum are graves, ghosts, and spiders! A-and only one of those would be able to make noise!” “No, those are the only things that are supposed to be in a mausoleum.” Cuphead turned back to face the mausoleum, the old building towering over the boys seemed to almost be haunting for Mugman. Cups didn't seemed to be too bothered by it however. “Who's to say someone didn't wander in and get lost?” The younger turned back to face Mugs. “And what if it's some grave robber or somethin'? Someone's gotta teach 'em a lesson!” “How about you learn your lesson first? Seriously, Cuphead! We're on a time limit! We shouldn't waste it messing around in a grave yard!” “Investigating! Not just messin' around! And besides! Dontchya wanna test out that new weapon you got at Porkrind's?” Mugs opened his mouth to counter-argue but was cut off before he could say anything. “Would you two mind taking this elsewhere?! You're spookin' the fish!” “Look Mug, I'm goin' in. I gotta figure out what made that noise.” Cup said before marching inside the mausoleum. “Ugh! Fine! If you wanna go in, suit yourself! But I'm staying out here where it's safe!” Mugman huffed, causing the milk in his head to bubble as he turned his back towards Cuphead with crossed arms.

A few moments passed, and Mugman had already began to fidget anxiously. What if something happened to Cuphead while he was in there? It didn't take very long at all before he began to tap his foot on the ground. He glanced over his shoulder, back at the entrance, the haunting aura got him to start biting his lip. He let out a soft whine as he started pacing in place for a moment or two, before Mug finally gave in and rushed in after his brother. “Cuphead, wait up!!”

The brothers roamed the halls of the mausoleum listening very carefully to the sounds around them. Well, rather Cuphead was, Mugman was too busy staying as close behind his brother as he could, both of his white, gloved hands clamping down onto his little brother's shoulders. The poor boy was frightened beyond belief, and before long he was trembling with fear, causing his ceramic body to make quiet klinking noises. “Mug, stop shakin' so much! I can't hear anything but you!” Cuphead hushed. “W-w-well th-then w-we should just g-g-get going! Th-this place is g-givin' m-me th-the h-h-heebie-jeebies!” Cup suddenly turned his head in the direction of a room not too far away. “Wait, didja hear that?” “D-d-does it matter?! Th-the only things in here are spooks, spiders, and skeletons! Let's just go, o-okay?!” Mugman begged, trying to pull his brother back outside. “No wait, I think I heard someone say help!” Cuphead justified, moving closer. Mugman paused for a moment to listen closely.

For a while, he heard nothing, but after a moment both the boys heard something different. “Help!” Cup heard. “Get lost! You hear me?! This tomb is only for the eerie!” Mugs began to whimper and whine as he continued to tug his brother's arm in an attempt to get out. “Mug, we can't leave now! Someone actually needs our help! Gramps would want us to help 'em any way we could!” Cuphead quickly dashed off towards the voice. “C-C-Cuphead!! D-d-don't l-l-leave me!!” His brother cried, scrambling after him.

“Help!” A female voice cried from inside the room, even Mugman was able to hear it after the two ran in. The only light that could be seen filtered in from a stain-glassed window, and in the dead center of the room lied a stone altar with a stone urn on top to match. “Cuphead, you weren't kidding! It sounds like it's coming from inside the urn.” Mugman rushed over to the altar, and put his hands on the vase. He didn't quite want to open it, seeing as it'd be rather disrespectful to whoever's ashes were inside, but if someone was trapped inside, surely that'd justify his actions? “Are ya trapped in that?” Cup asked, pointing to the stone pot. “Is someone there? Oh goodness me, please help me out of here! Hurry! Before they come back!” “Before wh-who comes back, exactly?” Mugman asked as he tried to pull the lid off, but it wouldn't move, so he jumped up on the sacred stone table for a better reach.

Suddenly, organ music began to play, and the boys scanned the room for the source before they started to hear voices. “Woooooo!” “Wuh-oh...” “Wh-what was that?!” Mugman stammered. “It's too late, I'm afraid! Here comes a spooky bunch!” The woman informed as two pink ghosts floated down towards the urn. “Ahh! A ghost!!” “Please, I beg of you! Don't let the Specter Syndicate reach the urn before I'm freed! Keep them away by any means necessary!” Mugman began to pull desperately on the top, but it refused to budge. “Cuphead, do something!!” Cuphead began to shoot, but the bullets simply phased right through the spirit. “They're immune ta bullets?!” “They're getting closer!!” Mug warned desperately. “What am I supposed to do?!” “They're pink! Try slapping them before they get any closer, Cuuuups!!” Mugman spoke very quickly out of fear, huddling closer to the stubborn urn to try and get away from the spooks. Cuphead's straw popped out to form an exclamation point in realization, and he rushed closer to the ghosts and jumped up. The end of his straw closed up and formed a gloved hand as he parry slapped one of the ghosts and bounced off to parry the other. Mugs pried one eye open to look as Cuphead successfully defeated the two specters. “Whew.” Before the boys could rest, another pink apparition began to soar down towards them once again. “It's back!!” “You get that thing open! I'll keep them off ya!!” “G-got it!” Mugman nodded, going back to his attempts to pry off the lid of the urn as Cuphead parried the new ghost.

Two more chased after them. Then two more. Then three. Cuphead managed to parry them all with ease, but couldn't help but grow impatient. “C'mon, Mugs!” “I-I'm trying! I-it won't come off!” Cuphead parried yet another ghost. “Well try something else!” Two more ghosts revealed themselves, and Cuphead jumped up to take them out. Mugman looked around for something to use and spotted a chunk of stone on the ground that must have fallen off the altar years ago. He took his straw out of his head and pushed it closer to himself so he could reach it, then placed it between the lid and the urn. “Let's try this.” Cuphead continued to parry slap the ghosts, as two more appeared before them. “Mugs?!” “Hang on!” Mugman wiggled the stone back and forth to try to open the vase. Cuphead parried two more ghosts as one wearing a hat drew closer to Mugman and the urn without them noticing, up until Mug could hear its laughter right above him. “Ah! C-Cuphead!!” The younger turned around and hurled himself on top of the altar, jumped up, and just barely managed to parry the spirit before it got too close, it's hat falling into Mugman's head with a splash! “Ugh, it fell in my head!” “Fish it out later! Get that thing open before we're overrun!” Mugman nodded and continued to use the rock to pry the vase open. “Come on...” Cuphead slapped another ghost out of existence. “Come on!” Snap! The stone suddenly broke in two. “Son of a gun!” Another spirit was parried, and Mugman began to pull and tug at the lid once more with his hands. “I almost got it!!” “I will not let you open that magic urn! I am the ghost of the- aahh!” Cuphead parried the ghost before he could finish, and before anymore could appear, the lid finally popped off and sent Mugman tumbling onto his back. “Oof!”

A glowing, blue spectral orb came out from the urn, before gliding about two feet to the right of the alter Mug was on. The orb slowly began to shift and change to form a ghostly grail. The spirit appeared as a female, two-handled golden cup with a golden straw halo, faded red lipstick, and a beauty mark under her right eye, and unlike the pink spooks from before, her spectral body was a light blue. “Gosh, I don't know how to thank you boys for saving me!” She appraised. “Aw shucks, it was nothing!” Cuphead boasted, getting a glare from his older brother. “Ah! Where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself!” The ghost realized. “I am known as the Legendary Chalice, pleased to meet you.” “Likewise, Miss Legendary Chalice.” Mugman replied politely, raising a giggle out of the spirit. “You can call me Chalice if you'd like.” “Um, okay, but if you, uh, don't mind me asking, how did you get trapped in there?” “Yeah, can't ghosts walk through walls and stuff?” Cuphead asked boldly. “Cup! Don't be rude!” “Oh, goodness me, I don't mind! I was searching for magic and got trapped by those ghosts! Speaking of which...” Chalice reached inside the urn and withdrew two coin-like medals from within. “Please accept this gift,” she handed the medals over to the cups, “it should help!” “What is it?” Mug asked, examining the coin as he turned it over in his fingers. The medal looked absolutely ancient, with a faded emblem of some kind that seemed to be a shield with some sort of top-hat-like lid, and two ovals both upper sides of the shield. There was some sort of banner near the bottom of the shield, and it was evident that something was supposed to be written on it, but most of the words had lost the fight against erosion. He flipped it over again, noticing how the other side was simply 'I,' which he recognized as the Roman Numeral one. “It's a magical Super Art that will give you the most remarkable magical abilities! It connects magic to your souls, and when your Super Meter is filled, and your soul is pushed to its limit, a magical attack can be unleashed, at least if this is the one I'm thinking of. Put it in your heads to be able to actually use it, but when the time comes, you'll know exactly just what to do!” “Woah, neat!!” Cuphead gasped. “Wait, there's more of them?” “Oh, yes! Many more throughout Inkwell Isle. Legends say they're commonly buried with the deceased. Speaking of...” Chalice looked to the side, seemingly lost in thought. “There are other Mausoleums around Inkwell Isle, I just wonder...”

Mugman glanced at his watch, quickly remembering what they were supposed to be doing. “Oh good gosh! We'd better get going, we're in a bit of a hurry. It was nice meeting you Chalice! Take care!” Mugs pardoned, ushering his little brother out of the tomb. “Likewise! May we meet again!” “Let's hope it ain't under th'same circumstances!” Cuphead called out.

The brothers walked a distance away from the Mausoleum before they started talking about their next move so that the fish lady from earlier wouldn't get mad at them again. “Where to next?” Cup asked, stretching his arms behind his head. “I'm reading.” Mugs huffed, annoyed by his brother's impatience. “We have Psycarrot's, got Moe's, Hilda Burg-!” Mug's eyes widened as he read the next name to himself, jolting out of pure shock, as his straw popped out of his head would indicate. He slowly looked over to his brother, an almost pained expression on his face. “What?” “Cagney's on here.” Cuphead's eyes widened, his confident and relaxed stance became much less relaxed within an instant. “Carnation?” “Do you know any other Cagney's?!” The brothers knew who Cagney Carnation was. Long before they met him, in fact.

At school, everyone had warned about the wrath of Old Man Cagney, and how dangerous and violent the flower was. Whispers on the playground always dictated that he once killed a boy who wandered into his meadow, and other rumors say he once ate a girl before...But the boys always knew those were just stories. Well, perhaps not always. When the boys were first staring to walk to and from school by themselves, Cuphead had wandered to Cagney's meadow after growing bored waiting for Mugman. Once Mugman found him, he had been sitting outside of the small, yet ever-growing flower patch, simply talking to the friendly flower. After Mug had retrieved his baby brother, and realized he had no clue how to get back home from there, it was Cagney that clued him in on a shortcut that'd get them home quicker than they'd ever would had they taken the route Elder Kettle taught them. Ever since then, the boys had seen Cagney on the way to school every morning, and on the way home every afternoon. They never talked much, but they'd always seen and waved to each other in passing.

But now their friend was a debtor. Someone they had to fight. This was more than just a name they had to confront, this was someone they knew and saw frequently! The brothers looked at each other, saddened by the inevitable battle ahead. “Well,” Mugman started, trying to find some shred of optimism in this whole scenario, “at least we know where to find him.” “Yeah...Let's get goin' then.”

The brothers approached the flower from behind, careful not to step on his well cared for garden. They could see the sweet-looking flower bent over, tending to one of the flowers with love and great care. He was unaware of their presence. Mug clasped onto his right forearm nervously as the boys looked at each other. Cuphead was more than ready to fight if he had to, but he knew Mugman didn't want to fight in the slightest. He was going to try and solve this peacefully, for his brother's sake. “Ahem,” Cuphead cleared his throat to get Cagney's attention. “Huh?” Cagney turned around, revealing his sweet and gentle face with orange blush that matched his pedals and stood out on his yellow face. “Oh! Boys! Odd to see you on a Saturday.” “Hey, Cagney.” Cuphead waved with a convincing smile. “What brings you two out here? You don't usually go outta your way to talk to little ole me!” “We actually did just wanna talk to ya this time. We haven't really talked much since the day we met.” So far so good. “Aw, really? That's mighty sweet of ya, fellas! Lemme get something for you guys to stand on so you don't hurt the flowers.” Cagney smiled, and with a wave of his left leaf, three toadstool-patterned platforms propelled themselves above the garden. “What did you wanna talk about?” Mugman looked over at his younger brother nervously again. There was no way around getting the other's contract, and thanks to their little field trip, they didn't have the time to be beating around the bush. “Um...” “Uh, it's um...” Mugman tried, but how could he bring this up delicately? Cagney noticed the look of distress that the brothers shared, “Is something bothering you?” He asked. “We...need...” “There's no easy way to say it. And you might not believe us if we were to just ask ya.” Cuphead pulled out the Devil's parchment from his pocket, and unrolled the list as far as he had to, just so the carnation could see his own name on the list. “We need your Soul Contract.” Cagney looked on in horror, staring at his name on the list titled 'Debtors' in the Devil's handwriting. Cagney knew it wasn't a joke. “I...Well...one thing's for certain. I'm not going down without a fight!” “Cagney, please, we don't want to fight you!” Mugs begged. “This is my very soul we're talking about! Without it, I can't protect them!! I can't do anything! Without it, the only thing I have is Hellfire!! You think I'm just gonna give that to ya?! No!!” “Wait, Cagney, we need that contract! The Devil will come after us if we don't get it!” “Well then, if it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you've got!!” Cagney grabbed his chin, and pulled, voice dropping low as he let out a loud growl, sticking his tongue out and flecking slobber at the boys.

In that instant, Cagney's leaves turned to hands, his stem formed thorns, and his large, sharp, pointed nose grew longer as his blush disappeared, and his eyes grew as wide as the menacing smile on his face as he glared down at the boys. His arms circled down to cover his stem, defensively changing positions as he moved them up and down. Cuphead looked back at Mugman for a moment, sorry that he couldn't convince the flower otherwise, but he turned back around to face Cagney when he heard the sound of a squeaky handle turning, followed by some sort of rapid-fire gun. Cagney's head had morphed to resemble a Gatling Gun and shortly after, blue, pink, and purple seeds fell down from above. “Mug, jump up!!” The brothers hopped atop the toadstool-like platforms, avoiding the seeds that simply landed in the dirt below. “Ha! Ya missed!” Suddenly, vines sprouted up from below, releasing various versions of Toothy Terrors. Some flew towards them, while another threatened them from below, but the most notable one was the orange-spotted one that hovered above them, spitting out seeds from its mouth. “I don't think he was aiming for us, Cup!!” Mugman screamed, focusing so much on dodging that he forgot to actually shoot. Cuphead on the other end, didn't waste much time, and with a snap snap snap, he fired his magic blue bullets at Cagney. Mugs had been moving around so much that it hadn't taken him long to take one misstep right off the platform, and back onto the ground. “Ouch!” “Careful! Don't hurt them!!” Cagney snarled, moving back as his petals curled in to conceal his face before his arms and face lunged out, stretching as far as Mugman was on the ground. “Gyah!” Mugs rolled backwards as he was whacked by the flower. “I-I'm sorry, no need to bark at me!!” Cagney moved back, turning into a Gatling Gun once again to plant more seeds to fight them with. This time Cup noticed they shot out from his nose, “Eww! Snot seeds!!” Mugman quickly rolled over to get away from the attacks, climbing back to his feet as he quickly assessed the situation. He jumped up onto the second platform in front his brother, and began firing at the orange flying flower above them.

However, with his new weapon equipped, the green bullet just barely missed what he was aiming for, and circled down, hitting the black toothy terror on the ground below. “What was that?!” “Right, I forgot I bought the Roundabouts!” “Wuh-oh!” Cuphead pointed back to their opponent, who'd was ready again to lunge out at them. “Get down!!” The brothers jumped down onto the ground, but Mugman continued to fire up, watching as Cagney just barely missed them, only to be hit by the circling green bullets again. “Ouch! That actually hurt you little--” “Cagney, why are you attacking us?!” Mugman tried, playing the innocent card in the hopes that Cagney would stop fighting. “Why?! Call it discipline!” Well that response certainly caused Mugman to drop the act, utterly confused. “Discipline? Why?” “I dunno? Ya needed it?!” The flower shouted with a shrug, before suddenly clapping his hands shut, as if he were about to perform a magic trick. The brothers hopped back onto the platforms, mostly just to see what Cagney was trying to do, but once Cagney opened his leafy hands, a white and blue sycamore seed flew out at Cuphead and Mugman. “Jump!” Cuphead called, thankfully just in time for his brother to react and dodge. Cagney clasped his hands shut again, and upon opening them this time, he sent three acorns flying out at them. “Fools who attempt to fight this will leave with allergic rhinitis!” “Aah!!” Mugman began firing rapidly, facing away from Cagney as he focused more on dodging, all while his green bullets circled about and hit Cagney. “Ouch! Ow! Ow! Raaagh!!” Cagney growled before pulling his pedals in frustration, then he shoved his hands into the dirt as he began to change once again, his stem growing more vine-like, and his whole being growing larger with the help of the rich soil he absorbed through his leaves. His nose grew longer, his eyes grew larger, and more maniacal as he bared his now sharp and jagged teeth. “Ahahahahahaha!! Where ya going, Mugman?! Trying to leaf already?! Hahahahaha!! Ahahahahahah!! Don't make me out to be the root of this battle!! Hehehehehahaha!!” Cagney's vines covered the ground below before wrapping up and around the farthest platform that Mug had been jumping to. “Ahh!!” Mug kicked himself away from the vine, back-flipping onto the middle platform. “Uh, C-C-Cuphead?!” The brothers stood, back to back, both firing at Cagney as much as they could, Mugman using the green Roundabout bullets to hit him without even facing him. “You're the smart one!!” “I-I know, lemme think!! Um, I'll focus on what's behind us! You-” “Look out!!” Cuphead jumped up, but Mugman turned around for a second before getting hit in the chest by a white dandelion. “Ahh!” Mug started to fall forward, but Cuphead landed just in time to grab him by his arm, keeping his older brother from falling onto their friend's prickly vines, spilling the milk inside his head just a bit. “Ahahahah!! Extreme pollination and total domination! Hahahah! Ahahahaha!!” Cuphead pulled his brother up, and Mugs quickly noticed that vines surrounded the platform at their feet, threatening to engulf it and ensnare the brothers where they stood. “Move, Cuppy, move!!” Mugman dashed off and onto the next platform, using the Smoke Bomb just for good measure. Cuphead however, wasn't quite able to react quick enough, and within seconds the boy was completely entangled in thorny vines. “Ah!” Cuphead tried to fight his way out, but the vines only pressed tighter forcing the thorns through his shirt, and into his porcelain flesh. “Ugh!! Ouch, stop tha-ow ow!!” Cuphead tried to fight through the pain, pointing his finger past his brother, who'd already been watching in horror as his trapped baby brother struggled, and straight at Cagney. A stray vine latched onto Cuphead's forearm and forced it back. “M-Mug! Do s-something! I-I can- ow!!” “C-Cuphead!!” “Aww, what's wrong, boy?! Is someone at school being a real thorn in your side?! Ahahahaha!!” “Mug! T-take him down! Worry about me la-ow!! Later!!” Mugman turned around to face Cagney, his legs shaking like jelly underneath the rest of him. He hadn't even realized he'd begun to chew on his straw out of nerves. “C-C-Cagney, please!! W-we don't wanna hurt anyone!!” “You're only saying that, because you're a scared, little, pansy!!” That seemed to strike a nerve for Mugman. “I-I am not a pansy!!” “M-Mugs, please! J-just fight him back!! Aahh!!” “Cry out all you want, you sinner!! He's not gonna do anything, because he's far too much of a pansy!!” “I am not a pansy!!” Mugman suddenly gained his nerve, and took a large gulp of the milk from his head through his straw before he took a deep breath and released an Ex Move. A green ball shot out at the carnation, soaring until it hit him once, then came back towards Mugman. “Woah!!” Mugman jumped over the orb, letting the bullet sail under him, then back over to hit Cagney. “Ah!” Like a boomerang, the shot hurdled back towards the older brother, Mugman jumped up to avoid it once again, then again so it would hit Cagney until he finally loosened his grip on his little brother. “Cuphead!!” Mugman jumped over to his baby brother, trying to make sure he hadn't gotten hurt. “Are you okay?” “I'm fine, I'm fine!” The brothers looked back at Cagney, “Just give it up now, Cagney!” “Raaaahhh! Give up?! You want me to just roll over and give up?! I have been working for decades trying to regain what was lost, and I will not! Let two! More! Stupid! Brats! Ruin all of it again! I won't let anyone hurt them again! I won't, I won't, I won't! Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!” “Man, what is with this guy?” “Now's not the time for one-liners, Cuphead!!” “You gotta plan?” “I think. Do you have a Super built?” “Yeah?” “Then I'll distract him!” Mugman stood up once again, “Hey, Cagney!!” He pulled down the lower lid of his eye, giving the carnation a dirty look before blowing a raspberry. “Ppppttbhthtbthbt!!” “Why you little blue brat!!” Cagney spat out another dandelion at the brother, Mugman dashing off to the third platform as he shot his green bullets. Cuphead dug out the coin from the depths of his right pocket that Chalice had given him earlier. In once swift motion, he flipped the coin with his thumb, catching it in his head, and he could suddenly feel a great power building inside him from the soul out. “Woo!!” It was almost as if instinct took over, Cuphead stood tall, facing the enemy head on. A wide, confident smirk grew over his face, before he suddenly jumped up, pointing his head towards Cagney. “Fear the taste of milk, you weed!!” The milk in the cup's head suddenly launched out with a mighty blast, putting the hurt on the large flower. “Urrgh, aaahh! Urrraaaahhh!!” Cagney screamed in pain, facing the sky as his eyes went hollow. “Cagney!!” Mugman called, fearing they killed him by mistake. As the brothers ran up to the carnation, he fell back against the tree he was in front of. He took a few moments to breathe, then closed his eyes. “Cagney, no! Please!!” The carnation opened his eyes once again, allowing them to return to normal as he shrank back to the size he first transformed into. “Ugh...fine...fine you win...” The flower reached into his mouth and pulled out the Soul Contract he made all those years ago. Mugman grabbed it from him, checked the seal, then shoved it into his back pocket. “We're really sorry Cagney...” Mugman apologized. “I am too...you boys...don't want to do this...am I right?” The brothers nodded. “Figured...I shouldn't have lost my temper...I just....I hope things go better for you than they are for me...I'll miss you boys.” Mugman couldn't help but tear up. “We'll miss you too, Cagney...” Cuphead nodded, grabbing his brother and moving on before he started crying.

Cagney watched as the cup kids left, before turning up to look at the sky with a sigh. As a yellow carnation, he sure lived up to his representation...disappointment. He failed to protect them, and when he tried to make it right, he made everything worse, then when he promised that nothing would ever harm his family again, he lost the only thing that kept them from harms way...to a couple of kids...Cagney watched the clouds as a tear rolled down his face before everything faded to black.

“I'm sorry...”

[britishchick09]

it happened one night livewatch

last week this movie was on tv and i watched some of it in between classes, but was over by the end of school :/

luckily the library exists and i was able to get it! so in honor of my first half day of the year, i’ll be watching this classic movie!

first of all the dvd is cute :)

the old columbia logo is so neat! and the music is great too

ooh it was a short story! coolio

clark gable’s in this *cue girl swoon*

captain: “huuuunger striking?” lol

yo this captain dude is MEAN

is this girl a hostage? wait did she say king? OVER 21 WHAT’S GOING ON

claudette girl: “i thought i told you not to bring any food in here!”* guy backs away* lol

WOAH DUDE DON’T CALL HER A STUBBORN IDIOT >:(

OMG THIS GIRL JUST FLIPPED A TABLE THE FRICK

YO SHE”S A SAVAGEEEEEEE SHE JUS JUMPED IN THE WATER LIKE BLIP

soldier: “she’s too smart for you!” dam right she is ;)

hey is that clark gable in the phone

wait is that a black guy who is that

news boss: “you wouldn’t know a newspaper if you kicked it in the pants” lol

oh it’s clark gable sounding cool kewl

yo prohibition’s over LET’S DRUNKENLY CHUG FLASKS OF WHISKY AT THE STATION WHY DON’T WE

where’s the girl she’s awesome and i miss her

just sit on the newspapers clark gable it would be neat :D

sock him sock him sock him SOCK HIM SOCK HIM SOCK HIM

“oh yeah????” JUS SOCK HIM PLZ

...oh no sock :/

OP DERE HE IS! ...or dere she is ;)

claudette girl and clark gable are sort of like anna and kristoff when they first met! :D

cool train it has a lotta license plates :D

fun fact: if you took a drink every time someone in this movie smokes you’d probably die

*screen fades* commercial break!

yo claudette’s smoking it must be cool don’t smoke kids :D

she just threw her cig LITTERBUG

she didn’t notice that it was gone SEE CIGS ARE BAD

4 dollars is like 100 bucks today cool :D (jk it’s 77)

woah that horn sounds like an electric guitar ROCK ON????

why must old men snore :(

just chuck him across the room claudette it’s cool

sit on clark’s hand it’s cool

*claudette and clark stare at each other* awk-ward!

awwww she’s hugging his arm! ♥

she’s gonna be like OH CRAP when she awakes huh (she did but not much)

they cute together ♥

clark: “you look kind of pretty asleep” awwww

claudette: “i’ll be a few minutes late please wait for me.” conductor: “oh yeah????????”

ooh the night bus cool :D

guy: “the bus is gone.” oH yEaH??????

claudette: “that’s 12 hours from now!” so it’s 8 am now kewl

she calls him young man although he’s older than him lol

her last name is andews so is her first name julie....?

awww it’s ellen :/ still cool tho

she pawned her watch for clothes sorta like how anna bought her travel clothes with her coronation dress neat-o (frozen ihon au?)

ooh telegrams asoue reference

lol the telegram lady can’t read his words lol

2.60 is probably 50 bucks wowza (i was right it’s 50.62!)

the train announcer sounds done with his life poor guy :/

shapely: “you have class with a capital k” ...lol

shut up shapely plz

shapely: “shut up my big nasty mouth!” YES PLZ SHUT UP

shapely: “i could go on you in a big way.” ...oh no

awww clark just called claudette ellen his wife awwwwwwwww ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

shapely: “no offense doc!” bugs bunny who

clark: “you’re as help

buying cigars and cigs on a train what a time

the chocolates are 1.67 that’s like 30 (it’s 32! i’m good at this inflation stuff)

yo it be pouring where’s morton salt girl when you need her

omg this is the part i saw last time i think!

claudette: “your ego is absolutely colossal” tell that to captain man lol

claudette: “there’s a brain behind that face isn’t there?” lol

the hotel is 2 bucks a night which is about 50 huh not bad! :D

awww that’s cute a little privacy screen :)

awwwwwww she gonna wear his pjs!

omg he’s undressing in front of her i thought he liked privacy

this is just for the clark fangirls isn’t it

OMG HE DOES SHOES BEFORE PANTS THE FRICK

clark’s singing the big bad wolf song nice timely reference bro :D

omg we’re FINALLY FINDING OUT CLARK’S NAME HOW DID IT TAKE 30 MINUTES

peter warn nice name :D

claudette: “i don’t like it.” ...oh :/

omg airplane cool :D

wow they have a plane table cool :D

the plane flying overhead reminds me of the planes that fly past here sometimes it’s neat

awww he bought a toothbrush and pressed her clothes so sweet!

clark: “all the best houses have showers outside!” huh idk bout that...

wow this is so domestic

he said her hair was cute awwww!

lol they saw her xd xd xd xd lol

DID THAT LADY JUST STICK HER TONGUE OUT WOOWWWWWWW

wowza you really miss a lot in between classes huh next thing i remember they were stealing a car

clark: “that’s your ration for lunch” world war who

kewl they have a donut

claudette’s kinda cute when she smiles :)

oh no the guys are there!!!!!!!!!!

plz don’t recognize her

clark: ‘dOn’T lOsE yOuR tEmPer!!!” woah mocking spongebob who

lol dat was funny good trolling :D

it’s at 42 minutes HOW IS IT NOT HALFWAY DONE

omg wait i think this is the next part i saw

awww there’s a pic of her on the dad’s desk ♥

cool radio broadcast and newspapers AND WIRE PICS IT’S THE FUTURE MAN

is there a radio on the bus cool

oh it’s just real guys ok cool

ok wow everyone knows the flying trapeze song is this a musical now

wowza this song is from 1867 coolio! :D

are they singing the whole flipping song get on with the story plz

ok wow that guy just DROVE RIGHT INTO A LAKE

OMG SOME KID’S MOM DIED :(

awwww clark’s comforting her bless ♥

the guy said ‘behind the 8 ball’ last decade slang reference :D

WAIT WHY DOES CLARK HAVE FLIPPING MACHINE GUNS??????

10 thousand bucks is like a million billion (it’s 193 million i was close)

WOAH THAT WAS SHAPELY HE HAS KIDS WOWZA!

bugs dooley more like bunny :D

they left the bus so this when they steal the car????

10 spot is like 193 wowza

awww they be going piggyback

abe lincoln is a ‘natural born piggybacker’ confirmed

THE FRICK DID CLARK JUS SLAP HER WHY

oh wow they’re sleeping in hay kewl

clark: “you can’t be hungry and scared at the same time!” hmmmm.......

oh no what happened to peter :(

awww he brought food but she’s scared and not hungry huh i guess he was right!

awwww his coat’s blaket!

OMG KISS KISS KISS KIS

awww no kiss :/

hey it’s like modern times when they walk away from the camera :D

this is the other part i saw the car stealing’s coming up! :D

he’s picking hay out of her teeth how domestically romantic ♥

YO RAW CARROTS THE FRICK IS WRONG WITH YOU BOI

oh wow clark has a lotta hitchhiking moves

claudette: “o that’s amazing.”

you thumbed too late clark you thumbed too late

claudette: *raises her skirt to above her knee* oh dang victorian swoon

OH DANG THAT DRIVER STOPPED!

the driver’s probably thinking of the will smith meme now (DAS HOT! DAS HOT!)

claudette: “the limb is mightier than the sword.”

i remember the driver guy he’s funny :D

he’s just singing and clark’s like ‘oh god please for the love of god and holy stop’

the driver’s so happy i love him :D

his face after clark shuts him up is like ‘hmm’

now i understand claudette’s face when clark suggests a carrot lol :D

clark be like HOP outta that car!

DANG clark beat the driver MAN THAT’S ROUGH!

awww claudette’s wiping clark’s brow what a mom

how much is 10 gallons of gas like 40 bucks or something (it’s 19 cents each which is about 18.34 huh!)

the car’s oinking a bit like the car in the 11 year old senpai newsreel!

now they’re at the hotel place and i guess the owner’s living with his mom???

clark saying claudette will be in her husband’s arms and her pausing is sort of like kristoff saying anna will be safe with her true love bish hans :)

ooh nice rug cover :D

clark’s not that hot shirtness sorry fangirls :/

omg claudette bra wow :o (it’s sorta cute tbh)

oh wow they got in their pjs fast

clark: “i want someone more real, more alive!” claudette’s right there bro

clark: “the stars are so close you feel like you could reach up and stir them around” awww ♥

oh no he doesn’t love him but she truly loves him :(

heartbroken claudette ellen isn’t cool :(

wait was the claudette bra actually a slip or something why is that a wonder?

awww clark’s wondering if she’d really go but she’s asleep

25 bucks is about 300 bucks (it’s 476 kewl)

aww the guy has a hat :D

typewriter!!!!!!!!!!!

AWWW CLARK WANTS TO MARRY HERRRRRRRRR

THEY’RE IN LOOOVVVVEEEEE!!!!!!!! ♥

who’s zeke is this a bob’s burgers crossover

oh the hotel guy huh!

they found claudette in the bed it’s like snow white :D

mom: “i run a respectable business!” too bad you’re not your business OHHHHH

oh hey clark kissed the office gal :D

wowza the paper guy has a lotta phones huh

and a candle stick with a dial phone? wowza!

this place is busy huh

kit was right that typewriter sound is the best :D

oh no clark’s not gonna see her there :/

THOSE POLICE CARS SOUND LIKE SCREAMING KIDS WHY

he’s calling the car ‘baby’ how about the lindberg baby CUZ YOU STOLE IT!!!!

omg hoboes on the train it’s not just a kit thing!

CLAUDETTE’S WITH HER DAD GO TO THE RESCUE CLARK!!!!

the car horn be going ‘de de de de de!”

oh no car gone

wowza that’s a lotta papers!

she’s home but what about her true love?

also are movie newspapers actually created on newspaper i’ve always wondered that

oh no claudette’s marrying insert sad clark here :(

what a pretty gown! very shiny and flowery ♥

awww claudette ellen and her dad are so sweet together!

she wants clark pete doesn’t she

claudette ellen hasn’t cried since she was a baby huh

dad: “tell me you haven’t fallen in love with the bus driver!” it’s worse... THE MILKMAN!!!!! :o

claudette: “i practically threw myself at him!” yeah you kind of did back there....

omg her dad knows peter awesome!

cool a typewriter letter :D

OMG IT BE CLARK PETE!!!!!!!

oh wow he just ran in there and it was awkward with the pappa

HE CALLED HER DARLING!

AND THEY KISSEDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥

there’s 10 more minutes it’s getting JUICY

8.60 is probably 70 (it’s 170!)

a buggy ride wowza that’s old fashioned right there

awww clark doesn’t want to admit that he loves claudette but he does

wait is she already married

ooh claudette’s dress train is nice :D

OOH HELICOPTER i thought that was a ‘39 thing!

it’s an airplane with copter blades wow extra much king wesley

ooh the peanuts kids are the chorus people nice :D

the movie camera is a crank cool!

wow dad don’t call your daughter a sucker WOW

39.60 is like 700 bucks probably (765!)

i hope claudette says ‘i DON’T’

dad speak up plz SPEAK UP SPEAK UP

king said ‘i will’ why IT’S ‘I DO’

ooh claudette’s hesitant SHOOT SHE RAN AWAY

the cameras be crankin’

she just drove away like that wowza what a gal

omg the dad’s drunk af what a sad boi

100 thousand is probably a billion AND HE SAYS DIRT CHEAP

awww did claudette and clark go to jerico?

awwww they married!!!!!!!!!!! :D

so that was the movie! it had a lot of funny and memorable parts, but some parts were a little long so i’ll give it a 8/10

what a great movie!

[puns-and-fics-has-moved]

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Hamilton

Part 4/6

<<Previous  Next>>

Pairing: jamilton (hamilton x jefferson)

Premise: modern law school au – Thomas works at the law library where Alex spends all his time.

Tags: @overrealityy @empyrealsakaki @gum-and-chips @catsmlg

Word Count: 1850

Warnings: swearing, LOTS of drinking, also things get REAL spicy (this is a very sinful chapter, i’m sorry)

Dedicated to: @a-dott-ham @thedemigodninja15  @gone-with-the-wifi (and everyone already tagged) for filling up my notifications with love :D

a/n: enjoy <3

“And… I think you should take it. You should go to South Carolina.”

Alex didn’t know what to expect. He predicted that there would be tears…. Considering it was him, not John, that had begged to get back together last year, (not to mention their hazy plans of marriage) he imagined his boyfriend would be at least a little furious that he wanted to end it now – and furious for John meant tears and sadness.

So it was to Alex’s immense surprise and confusion that John smiled and kissed him.

“I’m really happy you said that,” John sighed, his grin growing wider.

Alex was dumbfounded. This was the weirdest breakup ever.

“I know the long-distance thing doesn’t work for a lot of people, but you’re right, I think we’re strong enough to get through it.”

Oh. Oh.

“I mean, you only have another semester of law school, and it was always the plan to get married after you’re done! You could come to South Carolina or, who knows? Maybe I’ll be a big hit at the paper, and I’ll get headhunted by The New York Times or something…”

John continued to happily ramble on as Alex’s heart sank lower and lower. He had to tell him, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to do it. John was so excited… they could break up another time. Tonight, John deserved to be happy.

Alex took a swig of beer. “When would you leave?”

“Sunday. I know it’s really short notice, but my dad texted me that I could start on Monday! Crazy, right?”

“Yeah. Crazy,” Alex said flatly, a knot forming in his stomach.

“Can we celebrate?” John asked shyly, placing a hand on his boyfriend’s forearm.

Alex plastered a smile on his face. “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“Nothing special,” John replied, biting his lip and leaning forward. He touched their lips together and Alex felt a new wave of guilt sweep over him.

John sat himself in Alexander’s lap, wrapping his arms around him. Alex’s heart pounded nervously, but he continued the kiss, running his fingers through John’s curly hair.  

Shit, he thought to himself.

“Honey, I’m home!” Thomas called out jokingly when he got home.

“What the hell took you so long?” James asked, appearing, cloaked in a blanket as usual, from their kitchen. His eyes fell on the paper bags full of alcohol in his roommate’s arms. “Oh, shit.”

“We are getting lit tonight, my friend,” Thomas said dorkily. “You and me.”

James blushed a little, but smiled. “Sounds good. I’ll get the glasses.”

“Nah, son,” Thomas said. “Tonight, we drink straight from the bottle.”

And they did. They sat on the floor of their living room; James pacing himself while Thomas got drunker by the second. After witnessing the man plow through half a bottle of tequila, James thought to ask about his friend’s insistence upon getting as drunk as possible tonight.

“Dude, why do you wanna get drunk so bad tonight? It’s kinda sad that it’s just you and me,” James said, grimacing as he took another swig.

“S’cause you were right, James… I gotta get over Alex. He’s got a boyfriend, and holy shit, his boyfriend s’really hot too like wowza. Their children’ll be beautiful.”

James started laughing.

“What?” Thomas demanded indignantly, gulping down the burning alcohol.

“I don’t think they can have babies,” James laughed.

Thomas started laughing uncontrollably, tears beginning to stream from his eyes. After his laughing fit, he sighed and crashed his head into James’ lap.

“I’m gonna die alone,” he groaned dramatically.

“Dude, you’re 26, chill out,” James said, starting to play with Thomas’ hair.

“M’ parents were married by th’ time they were 26,” Thomas countered, pouting. His southern drawl was becoming more pronounced with every sip of tequila.

“You just make it hard for yourself,” James said, beginning to braid some of his roommate’s beautiful locks.

“Whatsat s’pposed to mean?” Thomas slurred.

“So many people like you, you just don’t see it,” James said, tying off the braid and starting a new one.

“Like who? Name one person that likes me.” Thomas sat up and stared straight at James.

James’ heart began to race. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but all of a sudden he had the feeling that Thomas felt the same way about him.

“I don’t know,” James said in a whisper, flushing brightly. “I could show you.”

Thomas looked confused, but that quickly changed when James tenderly touched his roommate’s face and brought him in for a kiss.

Oh. Oh.

Thomas thought about pushing James away, but couldn’t bring himself to. He’d missed being kissed, he craved the human contact. But not with James, no… this was a bad idea. Such a bad idea.

Shit, Thomas thought as he wound his arms around his roommate, deepening the kiss.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” James mumbled against his lips.

Thomas’ heart broke for his friend, but he didn’t pull away. Why wasn’t he pulling away? Thomas tried to command himself to break apart, but he just couldn’t. Before long, James was unbuttoning Thomas’ shirt and running his hands along his toned body.

Before he could stop himself, Thomas began doing the same to James, but then he felt his roommate pushing him away.

“Listen, Thomas… I – I really want to do this, but maybe we’re too drunk.”

This was Thomas’ way out. Why wasn’t he backing away?

“We’re definitely too drunk,” Thomas said, placing a kiss on his friend’s neck. Stop it! he commanded himself, but he just couldn’t seem to listen. “But I don’t wanna stop.”

Filled with self-loathing, Thomas continued to unbutton James’ shirt, and the latter gave in. Thomas picked up the smaller man and carried him to his bed, laying him down and continuing to kiss him.

“This is such a bad idea,” James laughed against his roommate’s skin.

“Shut up and take off your pants,” Thomas commanded.

Thomas woke up the next morning to his phone vibrating by his pounding head. He tried to grab it, but realized his arm was trapped under James, who was cuddling in to him. Naked.

The events of the previous night came flooding back to him and he groaned, freeing his arm and grabbing his phone. It was an unknown number. Who the hell could be calling him at 7 am on a Saturday?

“H’llo?” Thomas mumbled grumpily, rubbing the sleep out of his eye, his head still throbbing.

“Thomas?” It was Alex. Thomas had gotten excited as soon as he heard the voice… but he couldn’t talk to him now.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“I… need to talk to you. Do you wanna get coffee or something?” he sounded more anxious than ever.

“Um… sure. Where?” Thomas asked, leaving James’ room for his own and pulling out some clothes to wear.

“The Starbucks by the library?”

“Okay, yeah. Be there in half an hour.”

“Thank you. Bye.”

They hung up and Thomas quickly got dressed in jeans and a plain purple t-shirt. He shrugged on his coat and shoes and left in a hurry, trying not to think about how James would feel when he woke up alone.

He walked faster than he normally did; not quite Alexander’s speed, but getting there. He arrived in under ten minutes. The place was deserted save for Alex, already inside, clutching a mug of coffee. There was another mug on the table, waiting for Thomas. He entered and approached the table.

“Hey,” Thomas said, sitting down.

Alex looked up and relief painted over his face. “Hi. I got you a coffee. I don’t know how you take it, so I got you some sugar and stuff.”

“Thanks,” Thomas said, pouring in four packets of sugar.

They both sipped their respective coffees for a moment, Thomas trying to ignore his headache.

“I like your hair,” Alex smirked over his mug. Thomas reached up and found the braid that had been tied there by James last night. His insides boiled with guilt at the memory.

“Why am I here Alex?” Thomas asked, undoing the braid.

“I don’t know, I just wanted to get out of the apartment… and talk to a friend,” Alexander sighed.

“You could have talked to Hercules or Laf,” Thomas said, having heard enough stories about the two of them to know that they were very close with Alex.

“I didn’t really want to… they wouldn’t understand.”

“O…kay.”

“Are you okay?” Alex asked.

“Why are we talking about me? You dragged me out here,” he laughed uncomfortably.

“You don’t seem okay. What’s wrong?” Alex was clearly putting off telling his story. Thomas sighed.

“Okay, how ‘bout this? I tell you my story, then you tell me yours. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Okay, so me and my roommate James got drunk last night. Like, really drunk, and… things kind of got out of hand.”

“Like illegal shit?” Alex asked in amusement, leaning forward.

Thomas shook his head. “No, like… personal shit. Turns out he’s liked me for a while. And then one thing led to another, and we slept together. He wasn’t awake yet when I left the apartment this morning.”

“My God,” Alex said, jealousy boiling in him. A little too callously, he asked, “Well, what do you think is gonna happen?”

“I honestly don’t know. But, I don’t like him like that, you know? I was just really drunk. I also don’t wanna hurt him, though.”

“You’d probably hurt him more by getting into a relationship with him,” Alex reasoned, letting his jealousy tinge the advice he was giving.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Thomas sighed. “Anyway, I’ve held up my end of the deal. Your turn.”

Alex grimaced and took a sip of coffee. “So, the thing that John wanted to talk to me about was that he got a job. In South Carolina.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah. And he asked me if he should take it, and I said yes… because… I felt like we should break up. But he thinks I want a long-distance thing now, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.”

Alex put his face in his hands and Thomas shifted his seat over so that it was next to his friend. He put an arm around him. “Why do you want to break up with him?” Thomas asked gently.

Alexander looked up from his hands, beginning to blush furiously as he averted his eyes from Thomas’.

A wave of realization swept over Thomas. The flirting in the library, calling him here on a Saturday morning and not talking to his other friends about it….

“Alex… I don’t want to be with James.”

“I know. You told me that,” Alex said, putting his face back in his hands.

“No, I don’t want to be with him because… I like someone else.”

Alex looked up. “Oh. Who?” he whispered breathlessly.

Thomas flushed. He hoped he wasn’t wrong. “You,” he whispered back.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Alex’s mouth as he grabbed Thomas’ shirt and pulled him in, their lips crashing together.

[guns-and-squips]

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Hamilton

Part 4/6

<<Previous  Next>>

Pairing: jamilton (hamilton x jefferson)

Premise: modern law school au – Thomas works at the law library where Alex spends all his time.

Tags: @overrealityy @empyrealsakaki @gum-and-chips @catsmlg

Word Count: 1850

Warnings: swearing, LOTS of drinking, also things get REAL spicy (this is a very sinful chapter, i’m sorry)

Dedicated to: @a-dott-ham @thedemigodninja15  @gone-with-the-wifi (and everyone already tagged) for filling up my notifications with love :D

a/n: enjoy <3

“And… I think you should take it. You should go to South Carolina.”

Alex didn’t know what to expect. He predicted that there would be tears…. Considering it was him, not John, that had begged to get back together last year, (not to mention their hazy plans of marriage) he imagined his boyfriend would be at least a little furious that he wanted to end it now – and furious for John meant tears and sadness.

So it was to Alex’s immense surprise and confusion that John smiled and kissed him.

“I’m really happy you said that,” John sighed, his grin growing wider.

Alex was dumbfounded. This was the weirdest breakup ever.

“I know the long-distance thing doesn’t work for a lot of people, but you’re right, I think we’re strong enough to get through it.”

Oh. Oh.

“I mean, you only have another semester of law school, and it was always the plan to get married after you’re done! You could come to South Carolina or, who knows? Maybe I’ll be a big hit at the paper, and I’ll get headhunted by The New York Times or something…”

John continued to happily ramble on as Alex’s heart sank lower and lower. He had to tell him, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to do it. John was so excited… they could break up another time. Tonight, John deserved to be happy.

Alex took a swig of beer. “When would you leave?”

“Sunday. I know it’s really short notice, but my dad texted me that I could start on Monday! Crazy, right?”

“Yeah. Crazy,” Alex said flatly, a knot forming in his stomach.

“Can we celebrate?” John asked shyly, placing a hand on his boyfriend’s forearm.

Alex plastered a smile on his face. “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“Nothing special,” John replied, biting his lip and leaning forward. He touched their lips together and Alex felt a new wave of guilt sweep over him.

John sat himself in Alexander’s lap, wrapping his arms around him. Alex’s heart pounded nervously, but he continued the kiss, running his fingers through John’s curly hair.  

Shit, he thought to himself.

“Honey, I’m home!” Thomas called out jokingly when he got home.

“What the hell took you so long?” James asked, appearing, cloaked in a blanket as usual, from their kitchen. His eyes fell on the paper bags full of alcohol in his roommate’s arms. “Oh, shit.”

“We are getting lit tonight, my friend,” Thomas said dorkily. “You and me.”

James blushed a little, but smiled. “Sounds good. I’ll get the glasses.”

“Nah, son,” Thomas said. “Tonight, we drink straight from the bottle.”

And they did. They sat on the floor of their living room; James pacing himself while Thomas got drunker by the second. After witnessing the man plow through half a bottle of tequila, James thought to ask about his friend’s insistence upon getting as drunk as possible tonight.

“Dude, why do you wanna get drunk so bad tonight? It’s kinda sad that it’s just you and me,” James said, grimacing as he took another swig.

“S’cause you were right, James… I gotta get over Alex. He’s got a boyfriend, and holy shit, his boyfriend s’really hot too like wowza. Their children’ll be beautiful.”

James started laughing.

“What?” Thomas demanded indignantly, gulping down the burning alcohol.

“I don’t think they can have babies,” James laughed.

Thomas started laughing uncontrollably, tears beginning to stream from his eyes. After his laughing fit, he sighed and crashed his head into James’ lap.

“I’m gonna die alone,” he groaned dramatically.

“Dude, you’re 26, chill out,” James said, starting to play with Thomas’ hair.

“M’ parents were married by th’ time they were 26,” Thomas countered, pouting. His southern drawl was becoming more pronounced with every sip of tequila.

“You just make it hard for yourself,” James said, beginning to braid some of his roommate’s beautiful locks.

“Whatsat s’pposed to mean?” Thomas slurred.

“So many people like you, you just don’t see it,” James said, tying off the braid and starting a new one.

“Like who? Name one person that likes me.” Thomas sat up and stared straight at James.

James’ heart began to race. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but all of a sudden he had the feeling that Thomas felt the same way about him.

“I don’t know,” James said in a whisper, flushing brightly. “I could show you.”

Thomas looked confused, but that quickly changed when James tenderly touched his roommate’s face and brought him in for a kiss.

Oh. Oh.

Thomas thought about pushing James away, but couldn’t bring himself to. He’d missed being kissed, he craved the human contact. But not with James, no… this was a bad idea. Such a bad idea.

Shit, Thomas thought as he wound his arms around his roommate, deepening the kiss.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” James mumbled against his lips.

Thomas’ heart broke for his friend, but he didn’t pull away. Why wasn’t he pulling away? Thomas tried to command himself to break apart, but he just couldn’t. Before long, James was unbuttoning Thomas’ shirt and running his hands along his toned body.

Before he could stop himself, Thomas began doing the same to James, but then he felt his roommate pushing him away.

“Listen, Thomas… I – I really want to do this, but maybe we’re too drunk.”

This was Thomas’ way out. Why wasn’t he backing away?

“We’re definitely too drunk,” Thomas said, placing a kiss on his friend’s neck. Stop it! he commanded himself, but he just couldn’t seem to listen. “But I don’t wanna stop.”

Filled with self-loathing, Thomas continued to unbutton James’ shirt, and the latter gave in. Thomas picked up the smaller man and carried him to his bed, laying him down and continuing to kiss him.

“This is such a bad idea,” James laughed against his roommate’s skin.

“Shut up and take off your pants,” Thomas commanded.

Thomas woke up the next morning to his phone vibrating by his pounding head. He tried to grab it, but realized his arm was trapped under James, who was cuddling in to him. Naked.

The events of the previous night came flooding back to him and he groaned, freeing his arm and grabbing his phone. It was an unknown number. Who the hell could be calling him at 7 am on a Saturday?

“H’llo?” Thomas mumbled grumpily, rubbing the sleep out of his eye, his head still throbbing.

“Thomas?” It was Alex. Thomas had gotten excited as soon as he heard the voice… but he couldn’t talk to him now.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“I… need to talk to you. Do you wanna get coffee or something?” he sounded more anxious than ever.

“Um… sure. Where?” Thomas asked, leaving James’ room for his own and pulling out some clothes to wear.

“The Starbucks by the library?”

“Okay, yeah. Be there in half an hour.”

“Thank you. Bye.”

They hung up and Thomas quickly got dressed in jeans and a plain purple t-shirt. He shrugged on his coat and shoes and left in a hurry, trying not to think about how James would feel when he woke up alone.

He walked faster than he normally did; not quite Alexander’s speed, but getting there. He arrived in under ten minutes. The place was deserted save for Alex, already inside, clutching a mug of coffee. There was another mug on the table, waiting for Thomas. He entered and approached the table.

“Hey,” Thomas said, sitting down.

Alex looked up and relief painted over his face. “Hi. I got you a coffee. I don’t know how you take it, so I got you some sugar and stuff.”

“Thanks,” Thomas said, pouring in four packets of sugar.

They both sipped their respective coffees for a moment, Thomas trying to ignore his headache.

“I like your hair,” Alex smirked over his mug. Thomas reached up and found the braid that had been tied there by James last night. His insides boiled with guilt at the memory.

“Why am I here Alex?” Thomas asked, undoing the braid.

“I don’t know, I just wanted to get out of the apartment… and talk to a friend,” Alexander sighed.

“You could have talked to Hercules or Laf,” Thomas said, having heard enough stories about the two of them to know that they were very close with Alex.

“I didn’t really want to… they wouldn’t understand.”

“O…kay.”

“Are you okay?” Alex asked.

“Why are we talking about me? You dragged me out here,” he laughed uncomfortably.

“You don’t seem okay. What’s wrong?” Alex was clearly putting off telling his story. Thomas sighed.

“Okay, how ‘bout this? I tell you my story, then you tell me yours. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Okay, so me and my roommate James got drunk last night. Like, really drunk, and… things kind of got out of hand.”

“Like illegal shit?” Alex asked in amusement, leaning forward.

Thomas shook his head. “No, like… personal shit. Turns out he’s liked me for a while. And then one thing led to another, and we slept together. He wasn’t awake yet when I left the apartment this morning.”

“My God,” Alex said, jealousy boiling in him. A little too callously, he asked, “Well, what do you think is gonna happen?”

“I honestly don’t know. But, I don’t like him like that, you know? I was just really drunk. I also don’t wanna hurt him, though.”

“You’d probably hurt him more by getting into a relationship with him,” Alex reasoned, letting his jealousy tinge the advice he was giving.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Thomas sighed. “Anyway, I’ve held up my end of the deal. Your turn.”

Alex grimaced and took a sip of coffee. “So, the thing that John wanted to talk to me about was that he got a job. In South Carolina.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah. And he asked me if he should take it, and I said yes… because… I felt like we should break up. But he thinks I want a long-distance thing now, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.”

Alex put his face in his hands and Thomas shifted his seat over so that it was next to his friend. He put an arm around him. “Why do you want to break up with him?” Thomas asked gently.

Alexander looked up from his hands, beginning to blush furiously as he averted his eyes from Thomas’.

A wave of realization swept over Thomas. The flirting in the library, calling him here on a Saturday morning and not talking to his other friends about it….

“Alex… I don’t want to be with James.”

“I know. You told me that,” Alex said, putting his face back in his hands.

“No, I don’t want to be with him because… I like someone else.”

Alex looked up. “Oh. Who?” he whispered breathlessly.

Thomas flushed. He hoped he wasn’t wrong. “You,” he whispered back.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Alex’s mouth as he grabbed Thomas’ shirt and pulled him in, their lips crashing together.