#7 extra minutes just to add the sparkles I forgot

[thedailyvio]

Day 180

Agathe drawn by @enjoliquej

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Chapter 18 -- Perfect Harmony | Charlie Gillespie

Summary: Emily Fox is a talented 17-year-old with a passion for all things music. Her dream is to become a successful singer-songwriter one day. But to achieve that dream, she needs to get into one of the most prestigious music schools in her district – it’s all been part of her plan since she was six. Sadly enough, those schools cost a ton of money that her parents don’t want to invest. They don’t even want her to pursue her dream. So, now Emily’s hustling, working at the music store to save up to get into college. That’s until she meets Charlie, an annoying seventeen-year-old boy with the same dream as her. The only difference is, he’s just doing it. He doesn’t need a fancy college to pursue his dream to become famous with his band. He just writes his songs and books small gigs here, there and everywhere. Will meeting Charlie defer her from her dream college, or will he actually help her achieve the dream?

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x OC (Emily Fox)

Warnings: mentions of death, sexual assault

Important note: the characters of Charlie, Owen, Jeremy and Madison are based on the characters they play on the show and i do not own their names, only OC are mine. The songs aren’t mine either, they’re all from the show except for one.

~|Emily Fox|~

Saturday is here sooner than I expected. The boys and I are at the back of the Music Store where Open Mic Night ensues, rehearsing our entire setlist. Ash scolded at me when I told her we had six songs to perform but let us do our thing anyway since not a lot of artists have registered for tonight’s show. “Such a pity we wasted all that fire on soundcheck,” Jeremy comments when we’ve finished playing Now or Never. The boys are all dripping with sweat, and my hair sticks to my head, making me look like an egg. “Yeah, Ems, you were on fire just now!” Owen says, holding his hand up for a high five, which I give him. “I think we’re going to do great tonight.” “I think so too!” A voice I recognize as Uncle Mitch’s echoes through the room. All four our head’s snap into his direction. He has a proud smile on his face as he glances around the room, completely mesmerized by everything. “How much of soundcheck did you hear?” I ask, hoping he didn’t hear Bright yet. It has to be a surprise. The old man hops onto the stage and wraps me up in a hug, which he immediately regrets. “You stink, girl,” he tells me, pulling back, “But I didn’t see anything, I just know you’re going to be great!” He looks up at the ceiling, inspecting the lighting situation. “This is a great place to play, Muffin,” he whistles in admiration. “You want to play another song, don’t you?” I ask him, knowing exactly where he’s going. “What?!” he screeches, but doesn’t bother further with playing coy, “Yes, can we? The other villain song Bobby wrote?” I roll my eyes at him, then nod to the boys. “Play something similar to what we did last time, more bass,” I tell them as they spring back into action. Owen counts us in, and we start playing while Uncle Mitch grabs an extra mic. “You know you wanna take a chance and be a little bit bad Ain't nothing quite like living on the edge so get ready to go I'm chasing down a thrill, and lookin' fit to kill So listen to the words a wise man said He said, "Covington, I got an offer that you can't refuse"” While I take care of backing vocals, the boys let go on their instruments whilst dancing around together. Mitch and I dance around each other. “You got nothing to lose, boys Lose, lose, lose You got nothing to lose, boys Lose, lose, lose You got nothing to lose” He grins up at me before turning to the boys and saying, “Welcome to my stage, boys” I walk over to Charlie whilst Uncle Mitch turns to our bassist. Charlie and I share a mic to add the little ‘ooh’s as a bit extra pizzazz. “You know you want a little taste Life's short, not a minute to waste I'll take you higher than you've ever been So come over and tell me how you'd like to begin” Uncle Mitch and I then switch places, so I can rock out with Jeremy and Mitch sings to my boyfriend.

“You got nothing to lose, boys Lose, lose, lose You got nothing to lose, boys Lose, lose, lose You got nothing to lose” Mitch points to Owen, and the other two stop playing for a moment, leaving Owen to shine. “Owen, show me what you've got” Jeremy then comes up with a really good bass riff. “Jeremy, swing it, baby” He then points to Charlie, who shreds a few amazing chords on his guitar. “Now Charlie, yeah” He then turns back to me. “You and me How do you like my new band?” To my absolute surprise, Uncle Mitch starts scatting, way better than Charlie did when we sang This Band is Back together. Then he goes back into the chorus, but says the words instead of singing us, leaving us with the little ‘ooh’s for extra effect. “You got nothing to lose So come over here, baby I got what you need Let yourself go crazy All bets on me, it's electrifying From your hat to your shoes I feel it in the air We got nothing to lose, nothing to lose, yeah” Uncle Mitch hits that last high note flawlessly, leaving the band in absolute awe. “I think we’re ready for tonight, you guys,” Charlie says with that award-winning smile of his plastered on his face while he places his guitar on its stand. “Definitely,” I agree as a rush of giddiness rushes through me. “I can’t wait for Emily and the Foxes’ debut performance!” Uncle Mitch claps his hands excitedly. “What time do you guys get on?” The boys all gather in the middle of the stage where my uncle and I already are. “Open Mic Night starts at 7, but we go on at 8,” I inform him. He nods in response and kisses me on the cheek. “I’ll be here, just need to go and do something first.” He waves at the boys before getting off stage again, leaving me and the boys. Charlie walks up to me then and wraps his arms around me. He smells of sweat and hard work and sticks to me like a sticker in a sticker book. “I’m not the only one that stinks,” I comment with a chuckle. Charlie pulls his arms away, but I just pull him closer. “We’ll stink together.” I kiss him on his cheek. “How about we all go take a shower and get ready, then meet here again at 7?” Owen suggests, hopping off the stage. Everyone agrees with him, following behind. “Emmy, can I shower at your place?” Charlie asks me on our way out. “Uhm, yeah, sure! What’s wrong with your place?” The look I get from him is one of regret and shame mixed together. “You seriously haven’t been back to your parents’?” I make sure not to sound angry, even though I am. My voice eludes disappointment, though. “I’ll go tonight, I promise.” I shake my head at him. “You know what?” I start and comb a strand of hair of his from his forehead, “How about we’ll go shower at my place and after the show tonight, we’ll go to yours together, okay?” I can’t stop the words coming out of my mouth. Did I just suggest I meet his parents? “Are you sure you want that, baby?” It’s now his turn to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Uhm… Yeah…” I think about it for a moment. It can’t be that bad. And besides, if that’s what it takes to get Charlie back at his parents’ house without him being yelled at too much, that’s what I’ll do. “Yeah, I’m sure!” He offers me a smile before planting a kiss to my lips. “Let’s do it, then!” He grabs my hand and leads me out of the Music Store, and together, we head to my house. He lets me shower first, and while I get ready, he takes a shower. I’m sat in front of my makeup mirror, applying some show makeup, when Charlie enters my bedroom again with solely a towel wrapped around his waist. My mascara wand stops mid-air when I spot him in the reflection of my mirror. His abs are defined and dripping with the water. I’m not entirely sure if he does it on purpose or not, but he changes right behind me where I can see him through my mirror. “You look very pretty, baby,” he tells me when he catches me looking at him through the mirror as he throws a muscle tank on. I cough fumblingly and bring my concentration back to my mascara. “I like the glitter eyeshadow a lot. It makes you sparkle like the star you are.” He comes up behind me and presses a kiss to my now dry hair. “I like your shirt,” I tell him, “Is that a new one?” “No, it’s Jeremy’s, actually. But he said he didn’t wear it anymore, so,” he shrugs. “You ready?” I screw the lid of the mascara back on while nodding and getting up. We meet the boys back at the Music Store, all of them giddy to perform. The closer we get to 8pm, the more nervous I become. Especially when I see who’s on the side of the stage, getting ready to go on before us. Brianna Holly and her girl band. “Hey!” Madison greets me when the boys and I are at the back of the venue. “You ready?” “I was until I found out Dirty Candy is going to perform,” I nod towards the backstage area. “I even forgot she had a band!” Madison’s eyes are wide in shock. “I bet she just asked her daddy to call in some favors.” I chuckle nervously. Madison is probably right, but it somehow feels like an attack on our band. As the bubblegum pop music starts to play, I glance up at the boys. They’re all looking at Brianna and her band with smiles on their faces until Charlie meets my eyes and turns the smile into a scowl. “Whenever I walk in the room All the focus on me The way I talk the way I move They all want on my team” “They’re not that great, you know?” he comments with a nervous smile. “I mean, they got great moves?” Owen chimes in without taking his eyes off Dirty Candy and trying to imitate their moves. It causes him to bump into Charlie and he bumps into me. “Sorry,” he whispers, his hands steadily on my shoulders. “Not tryin' to brag, brag But I'm flawless I'm taking over your playlist Ain't perfect but I can't miss, yeah The party don't start till I walk in I'm stealing all the attention Don't get me started on mentions, yeah” I catch Jake’s eye from the other side of the room. He looks like a bored roadie until he sees me, and then he looks like a sad roadie. “Someone’s not having fun at his girlfriend’s gig,” I say to Charlie, nodding towards my ex. Charlie’s eyebrows furrow. “I hope he’s gone by the time we’re playing.” I notice him ball up his fists, so I grab his hand to relax him a little. “Come on, babe, he’s your ex! You don’t want him watching you, do you?” “Maybe I do, Charlie, because then he’ll see I’ve moved on and I’m happy.” Charlie grunts and turns back towards the performance, but I catch him glancing at Jake every now and again. “Some might say I sound conceited They don't get the shine that I get Some get jealous They can't help it They wish they were me”

“Can he like stop looking this way?” Charlie grumbles. When Charlie’s angry, he looks like a grumpy puppy and does not look intimidating at all. But that might just be because I love him and I – oh… “I keep the party going all night, all night I set the trends that you all like, all like I make an entrance when I don't try, don't try Cuz all I see is all eyes on me” “You okay over there?” I ask Owen, who’s still mimicking the girls’ choreography. “I can’t help it… It’s my feet!” he replies, to which I just hum a ‘mmh-mmh’ the way Madi always does. “They’re good though!” “When I grow up I wanna be me be me I'm my own goals just talking honestly Must have won the lottery Ain't no one as hot as me Stealing looks its robbery Everywhere I go all eyes on me” I’m wishing this show is nearly over because I can feel Charlie tensing up beside me with the second. It does take my attention away from how nervous I am, though. “Char, relax,” I whisper and grab his hand, intertwining our fingers. This doesn’t only help Charlie calm down; it also helps making Jake jealous. Not that that’s why I’m doing it. “I only lead I never follow follow I never open cuz it's my show, my show Don't know if people think I'm shallow, shallow But all I see is all eyes on me”

“That’s it!” Charlie grumbles when the song’s over, and to my absolute surprise, grabs me by the face and kisses me full on the lips. I’m startled at first, but then melt into his touch and into his lips. This is the most passionate kiss I have ever shared with anyone, and I wish it wasn’t an attempt by my current boyfriend to make my ex-boyfriend jealous. It even takes me a while to get over the kiss once Charlie has pulled away. That cliché of seeing fireworks when you kiss someone you love isn’t a myth. It’s actually true. “Jesus, Charlie,” I hear Jeremy chuckle, “I think you broke Emily.” I look back at Jake, who’s now suddenly gone. I wonder if he actually saw what just happened. “Oh, look at that,” Brianna’s voice sends shivers down my spine and has me back on planet earth in no time. “Amateur hour is about to start.” Her posse stands behind her, trying to look intimidating. “Hey, Brianna, thanks for opening for us,” I tell her before pushing past her, hoping my band would follow. Which they do not. “Hey, himbos!” The three look at me, completely confused. “This is the part where you follow me to the stage.” They seemingly shake awake all of a sudden and rush after me like a huddle of puppies. The four of us get ready backstage while Ash announces us. “For the next half hour, you’ll be treated by one of the most talented bands of Los Feliz. Formerly known as Sunset Curve, I now present to you; Emily and The Foxes!” Applause and cheers erupt from the crowd, and I even hear someone whistling, though I’m sure that either Mitch or Madi. The boys get their instruments while I settle behind the keyboard. “Hi, everyone. We’re Emily and The Foxes. I wanted to dedicate this first song to my Uncle Mitchell,” I glance over at him on the front row, “I don’t want to get all emotional, so just listen to the song, okay? It says everything I haven’t been able to say.” The crowd laughs lightly, including my Uncle Mitch. I shake the nerves out of my hands and let my hands hover over the keys. “You got this,” Charlie’s voice sounds, and that’s enough for me to start playing the first notes. “Sometimes I think I'm falling down I wanna cry, I'm callin' out For one more try To feel alive And when I feel lost and alone I know that I can make it home Fight through the dark And find the spark” I glance over at the boys, who give me encouraging smiles, ready to rock in a second. “Life is a risk but I will take it Close my eyes and jump Together I think that we can make it Come on let's run and” The boys now join in, sending the crowd into a frenzy. I get out from behind the keyboard and join the boys in the middle of the stage. “Rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together Bright forever And rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together Bright forever” While Charlie takes the next verse, I walk up to the front of the stage where the crowd has gathered, away from their chairs. I grab my uncle’s hand and mouth the words along to him. “In times that I doubted myself I felt like I needed some help Stuck in my head With nothing left” I now turn back to the stage, joining Jeremy and Owen to rock out with them. “I feel something around me now So unclear lifting me out I found the ground I'm marching on” Jeremy rushes over to Charlie to sing the pre-chorus into the same mic, the same way they do during Now or Never. I turn my back to Owen, encouraging the crowd into cheering for the two singing boys. “Life is a risk but we will take it Close my eyes and jump Together I think that we can make it Come on let's run and” Charlie and I sing the next chorus together while Jeremy skips back to his mic, rocking out with his bass. “Rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together Bright forever And rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together Bright forever” I now walk over to Charlie and offer him to sing into my mic, luring him towards the middle of the stage, without ever breaking eye contact. “In times that I doubted myself I felt like I needed some help Stuck in my head With nothing left” I then turn my back towards him, but stay close, and while he rocks out on his guitar, I sing the next part of the bridge. “And when I feel lost and alone I know that I can make it home Fight through the dark, and find the spark” I hit the high note, just like I did that day in my bedroom when Charlie and I finished the song. All while the boys handle the chorus together. “And rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together” “Shine together,” I echo “Bright forever” “Bright forever” I glance over at Uncle Mitch again which gives me the boost I need to sing the last chorus. “And rise through the night you and I We will fight to shine together Shine together Bright forever Bright forever” I hold my mic up in victory as the crowd cheers and applauds. The boys and I take a bow, soaking in the applause and cheers. This is something I could get used to. I just need to get through Music Academy and then I’ll be all-knowing about music to write even more and even better songs. In the meanwhile, I’ll just enjoy this for a while.

“That was awesome, you guys!” Madison screams excitedly when we get off stage after our set. The buzz of the crowd filing out surrounds us. “Thanks for that song, Muffin. It was perfect!” Mitch compliments, and I can tell he’s cried a bit. “The entire set was amazing. You guys did a great job!” This compliment is for the entire band. “Shall we go eat something together to celebrate?” I look up at a nervous Charlie. He knows what’s going to happen now. “I guess we could eat something,” my reply is exactly what Charlie needs. He shoots me a thankful smile, noticeably calming down a little. Our group leaves the Music Store after having said goodbye to Ash, and we make our way to the nearest Chinese restaurant. The conversation soon picks up again where it left off, talking about the show. “That high note in bright, Emily!” Jeremy says with an impressed tone. “I had the chills during Perfect Harmony!” Madison chimes in. Charlie and I exchange glances. That’s our song. Our little perfect magic thing. All ours. “And Wake Up too!” “Still thought it was missing a song though,” Uncle Mitch adds somberly. “No song is as great as The Other Side of Hollywood or Nothing Left to Lose, Uncle Mitch,” I reassure him with a smile. This group of people right here. That’s all I ever need in life. Nothing else. It’s the perfect group to fill up the hole in my heart Uncle Bobby left.

“You’re going to be okay, Char,” I tell him when we’re in front of his house and he’s taking a long time to ring the doorbell. I don’t push him, though. “Hey, look at me,” I order sweetly, cupping his face with my hands. “I’m here, okay? You got this.” I repeat the words I needed to hear at the start of the show, the words that always help me. And now, they help Charlie too. He reaches up and presses the doorbell. It takes a minute, but an older looking man opens up. His hair is graying, his face framed by thick-rimmed glasses. “Charlie,” he breathes out in relief. “Hi, dad…” Charlie stares at his feet. “Can—Can we come in?” His dad glances at me, a smile appearing on his face as he steps aside to let us inside. Charlie guides me into the living room, and for as far as I can see, every wall is filled with family photos. “Who is it?” a woman’s voice yells from the kitchen, and no second later, she appears in front of us with the most relieved look on her face I ever did see. “Charlie, baby!” She cries and reaches out to him to take him in for a hug. My heart warms at the sight of it. I can just imagine what it must be like to have a mother so concerned about their child. “I’m sorry, mom,” I hear Charlie whisper with a crack of his voice. I glance up at his father, tears pooling in my eyes and his, and we share a smile. A simple smile that acknowledges how the both of us feel. Charlie pulls away from his mother after a few moments and reaches out for my hand. “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry,” Charlie’s mom sniffles as a shy smile shines through. “I’m Jean.” Charlie pulls me towards them gently as I reach out to shake Jean’s hand. “Emily,” I introduce myself with a smile. “Thank you for bringing our son back, Emily,” his father’s voice sounds from behind me, “I’m Patrick, by the way.” “Nice to meet you, Patrick,” I glance over at Charlie, “I’m pretty sure he would’ve found his way back to you guys anyway.” This makes all three Gillespies smile, and evidently, me too. “Come, child,” Jean grabs my hands, “Sit, sit!” she leads me towards the couch where she sits me down, Charlie taking a spot on my left and Jean on my right. Patrick opts for the armchair. “How did you meet our Charlie?” Jean queries, still holding onto my hands. “I work at the Music Store and Charlie just walked in one day and never stopped returning,” I leave some of the stuff out I thought on that first day I met him. “I just thought ‘Damn, my customer-service must be really good’.” Jean and Patrick laugh at this, and even Charlie can’t hide a smile. “Actually, your customer-service towards me wasn’t that great, Emmy. It was your voice that enchanted me that first day when you sang Wake Up,” says Charlie teasingly. “You’re a musician?” Patrick asks, perching up in his armchair. “I guess you could call it that. My uncle taught me to play guitar and piano, and we used to sing together at the top of our lungs. I’m now working to save up for the Music Academy, get a degree in music technology, so I actually know what I’m doing and go from there.” “She’s amazing, mom!” Charlie chimes in, “She’s even joined our band.” “Why don’t you get into this Music Academy, Charlie?” Jean asks him instead, the tension growing. “Get a degree so your future doesn’t depend on this band of yours.” “The Music Academy has just been a dream of mine and my Uncle Robert. Your son doesn’t need a degree in music. He’s born to do what he’s doing now,” I say, hoping it’ll thaw Jean’s heart a little, but I doubt it’s working. “Where I work, I meet a ton of musicians, we even have this monthly Open Mic Night where I had the privilege to hear your son play. Trust me, Jean, your son is a born Rockstar. People feel him when he plays. He gives them the serotonin they might not get in their daily life. That boy has magic in his fingers and his throat, it would be a shame if someone snuffed it out.” I glance at Charlie who offers me a tender smile. “I just don’t think music is a stable career. What if the band breaks up because they had a blowout? I love Jeremy and Owen to death, but you never know what happens.” I take a deep breath. This is where I lost my cool with my parents. I can’t do the same here because that’ll ruin everything for Charlie. I’m here to mend their relationship, not ruin it. “Is any career a stable career, really?” I let out an airy laugh. “There are so many musicians with stable careers, Jean, and I really, really think your son has what it takes to make it big out there with Jeremy and Owen. I’ve had the honor to spend time with all three of them and they’re like brothers. Always supportive of each other, always there to help. They’re the best of friends and nothing could ever break their bond, especially not the bond they have through music…” I trail off a little before taking a deep breath, “My parents kicked me out because I wanted to go to a college they didn’t approve of. That along with the passing of my uncle, I lost my connection with music a little but the guys, they brought that connection back into my life. Music is so important to all of us, especially to Charlie. Please, don’t take that away from him.” I notice a single tear escaping Jean’s eye, which is when I realize I’d started crying too. “I’m sorry you had to get through that, Emily,” Patrick chimes in, then turns to his wife, “What do you say, Jeanie? I think we should give Charlie the space to explore this Rockstar life of his.” I turn back to Jean, finding her nodding slowly. “Yeah, I think so too.” When I look at Charlie, he has the most surprised and tender look on his face as he and his mom get up and hug it out. “I really am proud of you, son.” I hear her whisper. Charlie looks at me from over his mother’s shoulder and offers me a thankful smile. At least I mended their relationship instead of ruining it like I did with my parents.

I didn’t even realize how late it was until Jean announced to us she was going to get to bed. Two am. We’ve been talking until two in the morning. After having mended the broken pieces between Charlie and his mom, we’d got entangled in a conversation about the band and life in general. These people are the nicest ever and I wish I could spend more time with them. “If you want, you can stay over tonight,” Jean tells me as she gets up. “Oh, uhm…” I glance over at Charlie, who’s just nodding his head. “Yeah, sure. Thank you.” She places a hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eye with the most thankful smile. “No, thank you,” she says and leaves the living room. “You’re a good egg, Emily. Welcome to the family,” Patrick tells me before heading upstairs with his wife. My heart is full. I almost feel as loved as the day of Uncle Robert’s anniversary of his passing when all the boys and Madi came over. I can’t believe my life. “If you want, you can stay in the guest room. You know, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing a bed with me,” Charlie says shyly, fidgeting with the bracelet around my wrist. “No, it’s fine,” his face lights up, “You’re the best cuddler anyway.” I lean in and press my lips to his before he grabs my hand and leads me up the stairs. In his bedroom, he hands me a shirt of his to sleep in, and then leaves to change in the bathroom, so I have some privacy in here. Once dressed – or half dressed in his shirt, I text Uncle Mitch to tell him I won’t be sleeping at home and begin looking around Charlie’s room. His walls are filled with band posters and the regular family picture scattered around. “Are you dressed?” I hear his voice from behind me, and when I turn around, I find him covering his eyes near the bedroom door. I chuckle, shaking my head amusedly, before walking up to him and taking his hands away from his face. “Oh, you are,” he breathes out and shuts the door. For a few seconds, we just stare at each other, smiling like complete fools. He then leads me towards his bed where we lie down, facing each other. “Thank you for what you said downstairs,” he whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, and leaving his hand on my neck. My hand reaches up to rest on his, my thumb rubbing circles on his skin. “It really means a lot.” “Just because I lost my parents because they didn’t support my dream, doesn’t mean your parents can’t either,” I tell him and press a kiss to his nose. “And you really are a gifted musician. You made me fall in love with writing songs with someone else again.” “And you made me fall in love again,” he adds with a careful smile tugging at his lips. “That too,” I respond, which only makes his smile grow before he presses his lips to mine. Ever since meeting Charlie, my life has changed so much. After what felt like the longest and worst year of my life, I finally feel alive again. I feel loved again. Like my body’s filled up with this fire that just ignites more and more energy to live again. Charlie and our music were that spark that ignited it all.

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[malecsecretsanta]

Merry Christmas, @forensicsisabelle!

Dear giftee!

Hope this gift will give you a smile and a giggle over the festive period! Merry Christmas! <3

Read on AO3

******

There's Something Magical About Christmas!

Chapter 1 - Christmas Eve

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

Surely it couldn’t be time to rise and face the day already, Magnus thinks, burrowing deeper into the furry warmth of his husband’s comfy chest, stubbornly refusing to let the light stealing through the curtains rob him of his contented bliss.

The answering purr he feels beneath his cheek makes him smile though..

“You’re turning into Chairman, Alexander,” he mumbles, scrunching his nose at the delicate licks it’s now being treated to.

Muffled giggling has Magnus cranking one bleary eye open to see it was indeed the magnificent Meow providing him with a perfect pillow, while the highly amused trio of his nearest and dearest were huddled together on the other side of the bed, laughing at his expense.

Once again, Magnus silently congratulates himself for suggesting they all wear brand new festive pyjamas every year as a Lightwood-Bane family tradition, because seeing Reindeer Rafe, Mince Pie Max and Angel Alexander had already made his Christmas as far as Mistletoe Magnus was concerned.

A grin tugging at his lips, Magnus subjects all three of them to lazy tickles, reserving a nuzzle for the unimpressed pet, who promptly vacates the bed in a huff over all the jostling noise, the void quickly filled with eager bodies scooting closer to get their morning cuddles.

“Snuggles,” declares their youngest, heaving a contented sigh when everyone’s limbs are entangled enough to barely allow any breath and his parents’ arms reach across to lock them in tight.

“How long have you three been awake?” Magnus rasps, dropping a kiss on the boys’ heads before crushing them briefly when his husband seeks one for himself.

Whispering into Rafe’s dark curls, Alec replies, “Someone forgot to turn their alarm off this morning and woke us up.”  Hazel eyes peer mischievously at him through ridiculously long lashes. “Well, most of us.”  

Magnus savours it, lips curling in tandem with his handsome husband’s as they patiently wait to give each other a proper kiss good morning.

“What can I say, family of mine?” he sighs, propping himself up on his elbow to see their faces better  “Those of us not blessed with a Nephilim glow or the magic of youth, require all the help extra sleep can give.”

“As if,” snorts Alec, rolling his eyes in unison with their eldest, while big blue ones crinkle in delight at his papa’s silly words.

“I think you SPARKLE!” Max declares, his eager arms reaching to wrestle Magnus down for a flurry of loud, wet kisses to his face, both boys oblivious to the dopey smiles exchanged over their heads as they nestle deeper under the covers.

Hearing the mouthed words, “You’re beautiful,” because they’re voiced loud and clear on an almost daily basis by his very complimentary partner, Magnus absorbs all the affection in a languid state of happiness as he watches Alec rise to go make breakfast, asking over his shoulder what everyone wants to do today.

Everything from trips abroad to board games are discussed over the kitchen table as they wolf down Alec’s expertly-made crepes, but before they even have a chance to clear the dishes, an unwelcome security issue requiring Alec’s immediate attention threatens to breach their cheerful mood.

Rafe, proud of his dad’s position as the Head of the New York Institute and keen to take any opportunity to observe him in action, is the only one excited by the news.

“I’ll be ready in five minutes,” Rafe chirps, scrambling off the chair and running to get dressed without waiting for Alec’s permission to go with him.

With a fond shake of the head, Alec crouches next to where Max is now pouting on Magnus’ lap and takes his hand.

“I hate to leave, Max, but I’ll try and make it quick, then we’ll do whatever you boys want, ok?” Alec promises, kissing his 5-year-old’s button nose and getting rewarded with one back before going to change.

Determined to remain upbeat, Magnus suggests helping Max practice the magic trick he plans to use to impress their friends later, flicking his wrist to fill the loft with music from Max’s favourite Harry Potter film, trying and succeeding in bringing the joy back to his little one’s face.  

By the time his angelic duo are ready to leave, everyone’s mood is restored, except Alec’s.

“Go do your job, Shadowhunter,” Magnus tells him between quick, chaste kisses that will have to do for now. “We’re not going anywhere.”

The lop-sided smile he receives makes the wait for their return much easier.

*********************************

Given the mutinous look on his 7-year-old’s face, Alec’s half-expecting his son to dig his heels in and refuse to leave his side while Underhill delivers his security report, but Rafe’s need to make his father proud of him overrides his annoyance at being temporarily dismissed and he trudges over to Aline without another word, letting her cajole him with offers of bo staff training and peppermint fudge until he caves with a dimpled grin.

“Thanks for offering to look after him, Aline. Appreciate it.”

A knowing smile accompanies her nod, and with a quick wave, she closes the door behind them.

“He’s a chip off the old block, you know,” says Underhill, eyes darting to the handful of papers at Alec’s elbow that Rafe had just been practicing his memos and perfecting his tricky signature on.

If it was what Rafe wanted, his son was going to head up his own institute one day, Alec was sure of it.  Pride softened his voice. “Actually, I think he’s got a lot of Magnus in him too,” Alec replies, capping the embossed fountain pen Rafe had been using and twirling it in his hand. “I offered him crayons but apparently they’re not good enough for cursive writing.”

Underhill chuckles, taking a seat and opening the file. “He’s a credit to you both. Max too.”  

Warmth fills Alec’s chest at those words. “Thank you. We’ve been very lucky.”  

Clearing some space for them to study the data, Alec’s remembering the cleverly-timed kiss that allowed Magnus to persuade him to add some ‘yuletide joy’ to his austere surroundings, having to reign him in on the six-foot tree but unable to resist the fibre optic family-of-four snowmen sharing a rainbow scarf that stood beside a framed photo of them all.

The glamoured one secreted away in the bottom drawer of his desk, offering a digital slideshow of Magnus at his most alluring, was for his eyes only when he had to work late. That is a gift that truly keeps on giving.

A discreet cough brings him back to the present.

This time, warmth flooded Alec’s face. “Sorry. Shall we get started?”

Ever the gentleman, Underhill focuses on showing him their security status, assuring him that Keller, a specialist from the Tokyo Institute, would be a competent stand-in for himself when he took some long-overdue leave after Boxing Day.

Genuinely happy for the man who’d become a sympathetic friend over the last few years, Alec wishes Underhill good luck with his proposal plans, sure in the knowledge that Lorenzo will give him the answer he hoped for.

And equally sure they’ll be receiving an invitation, in portrait form, to the grandest wedding Spain will ever see.

Eager to retrieve his son and gather his family around him, Alec’s in the middle of locking drawers, switching off screens and filing the practice memos away for safe-keeping, when Rafe returns, sporting a megawatt smile as Aline and Helen regale Alec with how much progress the young Shadowhunter’s made with his posture and composure since he last visited.

Heart melting, Alec drops a kiss on Rafe’s head before giving him a piggyback and messages Magnus  to say they’re ready to come home and need a portal, never more grateful for his favourite warlock’s pioneering ability than when it brings them all back together again.

“Will you both be on duty over Christmas?” Alec asks, once Rafe’s high-fived his chaperones goodbye.

“We are,” Helen replies, taking Aline’s hand and kissing it sweetly. “But we have each other for company while we do some heavy-duty…research.” The shared look between the girlfriends doesn’t escape Alec.

“Oh, research? Is that what we’re calling it now?” he teases as he heads for the portal that’s appeared behind him.

“We might even check the perimeter now and then,” Aline calls after him. “ I’ve heard it can be fun with the right company.”

Flipping them off behind his back, their laughter sends him home smiling and eager for a kiss from his husband.

*************************************

“Once more, my little blueberry. You’re so close, I can taste the cappuccino,” Magnus urges, heartsore about how defeated his little boy looks over the absence of lasting magic from his hands and wishing all the ley lines would converge beneath penthouse one to help Max complete his sorting spell.

The teary expression on Max’s face tells Magnus he’s not convinced he can do this.

With a soothing hand between shoulder blades stiff with tension, Magnus kneels down and cups his other one beneath both of Max’s which hold a small hill of coffee beans, and continues his encouragement.  “Believe in your ability to do this, Max. Picture your magic roasting them, changing what the beans can do. Feel it in your gut and guide it to your fingertips, just like we talked about. Okay?”

Tilting his face up for a ‘positivity peck’ on the cheek, a more focused Max nods and prepares to try again, reciting the simple charm with more conviction than before.

Ready and waiting to provide a boost if needed, Magnus watches with incredible pride as the pale blue sparks don’t splutter and die, but grow stronger and brighter, rippling across the childish palms and engulfing the beans in a painless fire that ensures their new ability before clearing in a puff of white smoke.

Casting a quick reinforcement spell to preserve Max’s hard work, Magnus stores them in a sack stamped with the Hogwarts School emblem and flings his arms open for a hug, happy tears and giggles filling the room.

“Oh Max, you were wonderful!” Magnus tells him once they recover themselves, standing to swing the boy onto his hip. “Just wait until your dad and Rafe find out that you controlled your magic this time. Let alone see what we’ve done with the kitchen.”  

Casting a critical eye over the lavishly-decorated roleplay cafe it had become thanks to both Max’s fertile imagination and his creative genius, Magnus has to admit he’s pleased with the results.

Shrugging his shoulders, Max is confident his father will love it.  “This is fun. Dad said we could do what we wanted today.”

“He did indeed,” Magnus agrees, feeling warm and fuzzy about how, even at this tender age, Max is secure in the knowledge that his father will want to spend time having fun with him and his brother, because he loves them, and that Alec’s promises mean something.

Magnus wishes he’d known such certainty of affection growing up, been able to believe in the words spoken to him by the two men who’d held paternal roles in his life, but today was not to be spoiled with thoughts of fathers past, only enjoyed with a dearly beloved father of the present and the future. He’d found the perfect man to raise kids with.

One of many, many reasons he loves Alexander Gideon Lightwood.

“We have the stage, but not the costumes. Any thoughts?” Magnus asks, watching a slideshow of ideas come and go on Max’s face, giving it the serious consideration it deserves.

“Mmm, I want to be…..Draco. No! Dumbledore!” Bouncing with infectious excitement, Magnus needs both arms to contain his wannabe Albus, heading for the walk-in closet when a message from Alec comes through.

“Is that Dad? Are they coming back?” Max asks, crossing his fingers.

Magnus happily confirms that they are. “No time to waste,” he decides, magicking them both into costumes befitting their characters.

Max’s ecstatic smile, almost hidden by his new silvery beard, surely means Magnus chose wisely.

Activating the requested portal, they take up their positions just in time.

Gratifying gasps meet their ears when Alec and Rafe step through and spy their handiwork. Rafe takes in the bright red exterior framing the kitchen doorway as he slides to the floor, while Alec’s eyes rake over every inch of Magnus in his Lockhart finery, from his golden hair and make-up to the hem of his elaborately embroidered cape-coat.

“Papa, can I dress up too?” Rafe asks hopefully. “I want to be Ssssseverus Sssssnape!”  

Dragging his eyes away from Alec’s frank appraisal, Magnus gives Rafe a thumbs up. “Certainly, ssssssunshine.”  And with a flick of his wrist, Rafe becomes the head of Slytherin House.

Turning to Alec, Magnus issues a silent challenge to choose a character, lips quirking at the devilment he saw in those eyes.  Watching the expressive slideshow of thoughts, an uncanny repeat of their youngest when he’s thinking, Magnus finds himself intrigued.

“How about Hag-?”

“No chance.”

“Alastor-”

“Nope.”

“Vol-”

“Don’t say his name!” exclaim the boys, pointing accusing fingers at their dad for forgetting.

Alec holds up his hands, suitably chastised, and turns a knowing smile on Magnus. “Let’s go with Sirius Black.”

“Excellent choice,” Magnus beams, all set to conjure the most raggedy and revealing prison clothes he could in the presence of the boys, when Alec spoils his fun with, “Minus the handcuffs.”

“As you wish,” he sighs, still creating a masterpiece with Alec’s velvet frock coat and fob chain, the false moustache and day-old stubble wreaking havoc with Magnus’ imagination until Max, equally resplendent in a silk robe and tasseled cap, clears his throat and lifts his arms.  

“Welcome, Severus! Welcome, Sirius! This is the Elephant House coffee shop.” Pausing to check with Magnus that he’d said it correctly, Max continues. “Would you like to come inside for a drink?”

Bowing, Alec replies, “We’d be honoured, Professor,” causing Max to dissolve into giggles.

Rafe, however, staying wholly in character, gives his brother a dismissive look and strides inside, much to everyone’s amusement.

But before Magnus can follow them, Alec steals a surprise kiss as busy hands roam over the flowery cravat and waistcoat Magnus is wearing. Alec uses the voice usually reserved for the bedroom. “I just want to say that all of this works for me in ways it really shouldn’t.”

Similarly undone, Magnus tugs him even closer by his lapels. “Your whiskers have the same effect as my cat eyes, Alexander. You might have a hard time finding your razor from now on.”

The slow grin he receives is pure filth.

“Good to know.”

Magnus leaves him go with a grin of his own and shoos him inside the cafe.

Based mostly on Dumbledore’s office, the transformation looks amazing, if Magnus does say so himself.  Bookshelves have replaced the cupboards, an ornate desk stands in lieu of the kitchen table, portrait paintings cover the walls and a grand chandelier graces the ceiling.  In pride of place is a candle-lit lectern in the shape of an owl which holds a beautifully-styled coffee menu, next to which is a big wooden, globe-shaped drinks cabinet that houses a coffee machine with four spouts, each one forged into the head-shape of the animals representing the Hogwarts houses - a lion, a badger, an eagle and a serpent.

“You’ve outdone yourself in such a short space of time, Gilderoy,” Alec declares, taking in all the little details.

“‘Spooky how the time flies when one’s having fun,’” quotes Magnus, preening like a peacock at how thrilled everyone is with his efforts. “Care to take a taste test with our newly-qualified warlock-in-residence? Or am I spilling the beans too early, Max?”

Alec and Rafe turn to look expectantly at Max, who’s bubbling over with his need to share his news.

“I made magic coffee beans ALL BY MYSELF!“ he cries, quickly disappearing beneath a two-fold attack of bear hugs and congratulations that has Magnus joining in.

“What do I have to do to sample these special beans?” asks Alec, radiating with pride at his son’s first magical triumph.

“Sit and we’ll show you,” answers Max, fetching the sack of beans and opening it so his dad and brother could take one each, leaving his papa to explain the rest.

“These beans have been magically roasted by my good friend, Dumbledore, so that they’ll tell us which type of coffee you’ll enjoy drinking the most, based on the colour it leaves on your tongue when you chew it. Temporarily, of course.”  Elegant hands draw their attention to each of the available beverages on the menu and their corresponding colour.

“Scarlet for a Grounded Gryffindor, yellow for a Hot Hufflepuff, blue for a Rich Ravenclaw and green for a Smooth Slytherin.”  

“I love that,” Rafe chuckles.

“It’s actually really sweet,” Alec agrees, winking at a proud-as-punch Max.

“Now you can eat the bean,“ announces Magnus. “It tastes of Lucky Charms because Max wanted Rafe to like the taste.”

“Nice one,” Rafe says, high-fiving his little brother before popping the bean into his mouth. Alec followed suit.

When they reveal their matching green tongues, Rafe takes it to mean he’s definitely following in his father’s successful footsteps and glows as Max puts a goblet under the snake’s spout and pulls the spoon-shaped handle for the coffee to pour.

“Remember to put extra milk in Rafe’s goblet please, Max,” says Magnus, smirking at the eye roll this earns him from his offended son.

Moaning with pleasure over how satisfying his coffee tastes, Alec sets down his cup and draws them all in for a group hug.

“Gentlemen, you’ve just given me the perfect blend of family, fun and fantasy that I could ever hope to enjoy. Thank you.”

Forgiving his husband the terrible pun, Magnus knows he couldn’t agree more.

Chapter 2 - Christmas Day

***************************

“I think our presents were a success, Alexander. Would you agree?” asks Magnus as they attempt a waltz around the loft, but Alec’s trying to focus on avoiding all the trip hazards that litter the floor, such as Persian rugs, Chairman, randomly tossed cushions and the odd discarded toy.

“Uh, yeah. They seemed over the moon with them,” he smiles. Mostly, it’s relief at having just negotiated the coffee table without incident, but there’s also the memory of how elated the boys had been, despite the early hour.

Having arranged for their friends to visit them for a late breakfast, he and Magnus had decided to let the boys dive straight into opening their gifts after being rudely woken up with their ear-splitting cries of, ”Merry Christmas,” and clambered over by their reckless limbs. There’d been many to get through but, as always, their own special ones had been revealed in an unconventional way, as befitting his unconventional husband.

Already overjoyed with all the smaller items they’d been lucky enough to receive from their parents, the boys had been watching the film, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, a tradition they’d adopted ever since Max had discovered the scene where Violet Beauregarde turned into a giant blueberry, when Magnus had reminded them that their festive stockings hadn’t been emptied yet.

Suspicious but eager to seek out more possible rewards, both had taken the Wonka chocolate bars inside to be exactly that, until they’d removed the wrapping and discovered the golden tickets with news of their bespoke gifts written on them.

Private singing and dancing lessons for Rafe and a prominent pirate role in an upcoming blockbuster movie for Max, both courtesy of Magnus’ close personal friends, Beyonce and Baz.

Chairman was still recovering from the screams that had rocked the entire apartment, hence why he was nowhere to be seen now, despite the number of familiar faces that were here this afternoon. Though the volume in here could have something to do with it too.

In honour of one of their generous donors, the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack had been selected as something they could all dance to, and glancing around him, Alec thinks it’s an inspired choice. How else would he be able to bask in the timeless fun of seeing Simon lip-sync a love medley to his adoring boyfriend, with Raphael’s heart eyes in full effect whenever it’s his turn to join in, with gusto. Probably for her own protection, Madzie was out on the balcony learning how to cha-cha with Catarina, while Ragnor’s frequent offers to teach them the gavotte or the jive fell on purposely-deaf ears.

And then there was their precious sons, too busy eating the last of the penguin-shaped pretzels Catarina had brought to take an active part in the chaos, but cheering loudly from the sidelines in between bites.

Alec’s sigh is filled with bone-deep contentment. One Magnus recognises instantly, dipping him into a martini-flavoured kiss Alec never wants to end.

Alas, someone has other ideas.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake man, put him down. You still have guests, you know?” Ragnor chides as he passes by on the way to Magnus’ apothecary, port in one hand and shortbread in the other, having clearly taken the hint that his skills weren’t currently required.

“You’re just sour that I christened you after the Hufflepuff ghost on account of your tongue. ‘The Fat Friar’ actually suits you,” Magnus shoots back with a pointed look at Ragnor’s stash, claiming another kiss out of spite before restoring Alec to an upright position.

Far too soon, for Alec’s liking.

“At least you weren’t ‘The Bloody Baron,’ that was way too convenient, if you ask me,” Raphael chimes in, letting slip a private smirk when Simon questions the accuracy of having been dubbed ‘Nearly Headless Nick.’  “Close enough,” he replies, utterly deadpan.

“Well, I still think Tessa should’ve been here to claim the title of ‘The Grey Lady’ but I’ll take it with grace,” Catarina says, a breathless Madzie on her hip as she rejoins them from outside.

“On that ridiculous note, I will take my leave, and my surplus-to-requirement dancing skills, to the den next door, in peaceful tribute to the fantastical badger aligned to my Hufflepuff House,” declares Ragnor, taking three steps before jabbing a finger in Magnus and Alec’s direction. “And you, my boys, better not disturb me with your caterwauling when the final song comes on.”

“The Hogwarts School motto is ‘Never tickle a sleeping dragon,’ my dear cabbage, so you’re quite safe,” Magnus counters, laser-quick, to a chorus of giggles and a solitary, unamused groan. “My work here is done,” his wicked husband chuckles, before declaring everyone needs refreshments ahead of the grand finale.

Watching him go, Alec thinks about how he’d never wanted to celebrate Christmas growing up in the stale environment of the Institute, but as with so many things, Alec had only known what he wanted since Magnus Bane had come along.  The best gift Alec could’ve asked for.

***********************************

Sipping his cranberry margarita in the doorway of the balcony, Magnus takes a much-needed timeout from his duties as co-host for the evening and surveys the scene before him.

Thanks to everyone’s high spirits and all the party debris they’re accumulating, the loft is an absolute mess. Yet to Magnus, it’s never looked more perfect a home than it does in this moment.

Against a colourful backdrop of Christmas lights and mirror balls, family and friends are strewn across couches, rugs and cushions in varying states of sobriety, each one enjoying the company of those around them and managing to drown out the muted background music with their lively chatter and carefree laughter.

The now-familiar feeling of being home that Alec’s always given him, is only strengthened by the bonds that have been forged between their families, both biological and chosen.

A sigh escapes him as he imagines how different his life might have been had his mother lived, but there’s no other universe in which he sees himself being happier than he is here, with Alec and their sons. So he raises his glass in a silent toast to the mother whose loss he still feels to this day, and rejoins the party with a genuine smile for some of those people he’s happy to have found.

He’s barely taken two steps before an excitable Max is summoning him across the room to where Clary’s impressive face-painting skills are transforming his son into Frosty the Snowman, his beautiful horns, only unglamoured in the presence of those he trusts, just like his blue skin, have been turned into carrots and his blue hair is a riot of glitter and snowflakes. Conjuring a cashmere scarf to complete the look, Magnus takes a photo before messy hands have a chance to undo all the hard work.

“Just when I think you couldn’t look any cooler,“ Magnus quips, smitten with the groan and eye-roll combo that meets his embarrassing ‘dad’ joke. He still gets his cuddle though. “I think you both deserve a snow cone. Agreed?”

“Absolutely!” Clary chimes in. “But maybe make mine a little more Black Russian than blackcurrant, please?”

“Your wish is my command, biscuit,” Magnus replies, sweeping a bow as he delivers their rewards with a finger snap and giving them both a paternal pat on the head, moving on swiftly at Clary’s glare.

He spies Luke barely managing to hide his mirth over yet another argument between those notoriously fiery lovebirds known as Maia and Jace, unaware he now embodies the ‘jolly old elf’ on his gloriously ugly Christmas sweater, and decides to find out why.

“Trouble in paradise?” he asks his friend, from a safe distance away. Then he overhears his hapless brother-in-law misquote Dickens’ famous introduction to A Tale of Two Cities in a bid to prove he knows his Shakespeare, and Magnus thinks he already knows the answer.

“Oh dear.”

“Yep, it’s that bad,” Luke confirms, shoulders shaking with the effort it’s costing him not to burst out laughing. “Nine months in and the boy still hasn’t learned there’s nothing that riles our well-read warrior more than the desecration of her favourite classics.”

“And compounding it by confusing the writers?” Magnus shudders. “I always knew his self-preservation skills were minimal, but she’ll tear him to shreds if he keeps this up.”

Luke swigs his beer and slaps a paw on Magnus’ shoulder. “Fifty says he’s sleeping on your couch tonight.”

“A hundred says he isn’t.”

“Deal.”

Parting on a fist bump, Magnus winks at his admiring husband in passing and locates Isabelle in the newly-restored kitchen. Unsupervised.

Worse still, she’s engrossed in that cookbook from Idris that Robert gifted her years ago, but when she begins her feverish search for ingredients, that’s when fear grips him, thanks to a deeply unpleasant memory.

Throwing back his cocktail, Magnus knows he has to try and stop her before someone gets hurt.

“Isabelle, my dear, care to help me devour the last cream cheese bagel from Sadelle’s before Alexander gets his hands on that thing?”

She hits him in his weak spot with those luminous Lightwood eyes and devastating smile, and before she’s even finished her sweetly-worded request for permission to cook, he’s giving her carte blanche to potentially poison them all.

Oh well, he tried.

Spinning on his heels, Magnus initiates plan B, first seeking out Clary to deploy her best distraction tactics on her girlfriend and secondly, heading for his apothecary to prepare the potent werewolf fangs they’ll all need to consume.

Glimpsing a terrified Jace as he emerges from the kitchen, Magnus cuts him off with, “I’m on it,” to which Jace nods in relief.

Minutes later, he’s just bottling the preventive potion when Alec steps inside and closes the door with a look of intent that holds more danger than anything his sister’s cooking could.

“Finally,” Alec whispers, grabbing Magnus to him by his waist and crushing his mouth like a starved man finding a meal.

Magnus allows himself a few minutes of mind-blowing kisses and handsy exploration, then detaches himself reluctantly to explain his need for haste in delivering the elixir to their guests, but Alec simply shrugs and pulls him back in for more.

Both freeze mid-action when an apologetic Jace, hands raised to protect his eyes from any scenes of near-nudity, grabs the bottle and leaves, closing the door behind him.

“Damn it,” Alec groans, both taking a steadying breath as they restore their clothes to a reasonable state of tidiness, rejoining the party after one last chaste kiss.

After dosing themselves up and with new drinks in hand, Magnus settles within Alec’s embrace to watch Rafe and Maryse sing the Spanish lullabies Alec’s been teaching their son from his childhood, When Luke joins his wife to lend his voice, it draws everyone else into the impromptu concert.

Magnus closes his eyes to savour his husband’s soft baritone and burrows deeper into his arms, grateful beyond measure for the loved ones that make his life this beautiful.

***********************************

“I don’t want to disturb them,” Alec admits as they lie sprawled and overlapping on opposite ends of the too-comfy couch, their sons’ adorable snores the only sound to break the well-earned peace they’re finally able to enjoy.

Magnus sighs, running gentle fingers through Rafe’s hair as he watches Alec nuzzle Max’s, both children curled into their chests with half their face-paint still on. “I don’t either, but we’ll all be sorry if we wake-up with stiff necks and headaches.”

Reluctantly, they gather up their sons, few protests made as they’re carried to their beds, where Magnus’ magic wipes their faces clean and dresses them in their festive pyjamas. Feather light kisses and moon-shaped night-lights, don’t disturb them.

Grateful for the day they’ve had, but more than ready for this time alone together, the husbands hold hands and head for their room, exchanging ‘love you’s’ and sharing kisses until they’re both sated and asleep.

And neither could wish for a more perfect way to wrap up Christmas than that.

[fresh-outta-jams]

Can You Hear Me?- Part 7

Johnny x Reader Author: MoRo

Prompt: Oooh okayy, I’d like to request some Johnny fluff please? Like maybe a soulmate au 

Summary: You were unconcerned about soulmate things because getting it was the end of your final year in collage and time was counting down until graduation. But what happens when your soulmate suddenly appears right before your finals exams and it turns out he’s been there for much longer than you knew? Having your soulmate in your head was not something you needed but the more you get to know him, the more you appreciate him being there. College!Johnny x reader

Note: So um I’m like officially in love with him now, I need a Johnny :P

(Also yall I got a bit carried away on this part..it’s like a ton longer)

Warnings: The cavity inducing fluff Word Count: 2.9kish

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 

BTW JOHNNY IS LIKE THE KING OF BF LOOKS

Your comment makes him laugh, white teeth glinting in the lamplights as he glances over at you. "Sure baby we can."

You smile back at him. "Thanks love. I have a sudden craving for a Matcha Latte. And it's Chicago. Aren't the Starbucks supposed to be like super fancy?" 

Johnny laughs again and shakes his head. "My god you're adorable," which sends a fresh blush to your cheeks, "I guess they're okay, I mean I've never really compared Starbucks." 

"Ahh..."  You hum in response and resume your place at the window, happy to be getting Starbucks soon. 

Soon Johnny pulls into the Starbucks parking lot and puts the car in park. "Come on babe. You should walk some more because of the flight." 

You unbuckle your seatbelt and reach for the door handle but then the door was already opened with Johnny waiting patiently for you. 

"After you my love." He bows like a butler and gestures with his hand. You get out of the car and hit him softly. 

"I didn't realize you were such a dork. But thank you kind sir."  You say with a soft light. "And he's a gentleman. Mom will like that, extra brownie points for him."  You think to yourself. 

Johnny just smiles at you, very proud of himself. He grabs your hand and you two go into Starbucks. 

"Ummm... I'll have a tall Matcha Latte, iced please."  You tell the tired barista. You dig around in your bag for your wallet. When you finally retrieve it from the depths of your purse, the barista already has a card in hand and then hands the card back to Johnny. 

"Johnny! You didn't have to do that!"  You scold him. 

He just shrugs. 

"What type of person am I if I can't even buy my soulmate a drink from Starbucks her first night here?" He says with that cheeky smile of his.

Huffing and rolling your eyes, you wrap your arms around him. "Thank you, I appreciate it. But you're not paying for me always on this trip. Got it? You're still a college student too." 

Johnny wraps his arms around you and squeezes lightly. "Just let me spoil you a little. You deserve it." Then he kisses you softly on the top of your head and nuzzles your hair. 

You're pretty sure by the end of this trip you won't be solid anymore. You'll just be a pile of mush from the amount Johnny has made you melt. 

"Johnny! Y/N!" The barista calls out, setting your drinks down on the counter.

Johnny untangles himself from you and grabs your drinks. He gestures to the door and you walk out, heading to his car. 

Back in the car and on the road, you wrap your hands around your latte and take a sip. 

"Oh my god, I needed this."  You moan."It's so good."

Johnny chuckles at your reaction, cheeks growing a little pink. "It's that good? Well, I'm glad we got one for you then." 

You look over at him. One hand on the wheel and the other on his drink, as he brings it up to his lips and takes a sip. Oh my god, those plump lips. He's driving you crazy at how effortlessly hot he is being. Add the slight smile and crinkled eyes and you're a goner. 

"I can feel you burning holes into my head. Do you like what you see?" He teases and looks at you, those brown eyes sparkling before going back to the road. 

You jump, startled that you were caught. A familiar heat creeps back into your cheeks and you look away. "You tease..." You mumble. 

"I'm sorry Y/N, I didn't hear that. What did you say?" He flashes another cheeky smile at you. 

"I called you a tease."  You say louder, looking back at him. 

He laughs again, "Only for you." 

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

A little bit later, Johnny pulls into his driveway and shuts off the car. "Welcome to my home baby." You smile up at the cute little house. Johnny's house. Where he grew up. Where he lives with his mom and dad when he's not at school. His mom... his dad....

Your stomach crawls into your throat. You forgot about meeting his parents. You begin to nervous sweat again. Sometimes you weren't the best with new people but especially your soulmates parents. 

Your future in-laws.

 Before you can freak out anymore, your car door opens. Johnny had gotten out your luggage for you and was waiting.

"Ready?" He lends you a hand. You get out of the car and shut the door, the sound echoing into the night. He looks at you in the moonlight. "You okay Y/N? You look a little pale." Taking your face into his hands, he looks at you closely. 

"I-i'm just nervous."  You admit. 

"Nervous about what?" Concern shows in his eyes.

"Meeting your parents..." Your voice gets small and you shift your eyes to the ground. 

Johnny pulls you in for a hug and strokes your hair. "It'll be alright, I promise. It's scary but they're pretty cool people. Really inviting I've been told by my friends. They'll love you. I have no doubt of that." He makes you look up at him, your chin propped up on his chest. 

"You sure?"  Your heart thuds a little softer now and your stomach goes back in its place. 

He nods and shows you that radiant smile. "I'm sure." 

Burying your face into his chest one more time, you take a deep breath and let him lead you up to the front door.

Johnny opens up the door quietly and ushers you inside. Leaving your suitcase and backpack near the door, he grabs your hand and gives it a quick squeeze. 

You step into the living room light, trying to hide yourself behind Johnny's height. Peeking around his arm you see his parents. They were this cute old Korean couple, who to your relief seemed to be sound asleep. 

"They must have fallen asleep waiting for us..." Johnny says softly. He goes over to his parents and nudges their shoulders. "Eomma...Appa..Y/N is here..." 

The couple rouses slightly, finally seeing you. His mom rubs her eyes and stands up. 

"Ahhh! This is the girl who has my Johnny's heart. How was your flight? Are you hungry? I can make you something?" Your heart melts at how kind she is. 

You shake your head. "Oh no it's alright, I'm not that hungry. But thank you! My flight was good, I slept the whole time."  You smile at his mom. She returns the gesture. 

"Okay then, it was nice to meet you Y/N. I wish I could talk to you more but I think it is time for me and Johnny's appa to go to bed. We will see you tomorrow. Anything you want special for breakfast? French toast? Blueberry pancakes?" His mom asked, making your heart melt even more. 

You think for a minute. "Umm blueberry pancakes please. And that's alright, you two go sleep and it was nice meeting you too!"  She gives you another smile while Johnny's father follows her and flashes you a tired smile and a small wave. You wave and smile back.

With his parents out of the room, your heart rate finally goes back to normal. You let out a breath and pull your scarf off from around your neck since it was warm in the house.

Then from behind you, Johnny wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you flush to his hips. He rests his chin on your head before bending down to move it to the crook of your neck. 

His breath ghosts across the sensitive skin there and his nose tickles you oh so slightly. 

So much for your heart rate going back to normal.

Your scarf slips from your fingers and onto the floor.

"I think that went well." He murmurs softly into your neck. "See, nothing to worry about."

You squirm a little in his arms, afraid his mom would come out at any moment and see you two. 

Johnny tightens his hold on you, pinning you against him, making your cheeks heat up. He places soft kisses on the side of your neck, so light you almost don't feel them.

 You absentmindedly tilt your head so your neck is more exposed, closing your eyes in the process. Johnny groans deep in his throat, the sound vibrating slightly against your neck. 

Then your neck gets cold as he pulls away and releases you. He pushes back his hair with one hand, letting out a tight breath. Those black locks fall onto his forehead, no longer styled. 

He gives you a cheeky smile. "Just checking that you're really here." His cheeks were flushed a bit. You look back at him with equally flushed cheeks. 

"Oh I'm here."  You step closer, the urge to kiss him almost unbearable. 

Then he gets a look on his face. "Hey babe it's not too late still. Do you want to go for a little night walk? We can see if we can see the stars and I want you to move around some more so you don't get any blood clots because of the flight." He is still like a doting mother in person. "My mom was telling me all about it before you showed up."

You're a bit surprised by the quick change in the mood. but you shrug it off. "Sure, that sounds nice."  You give him a soft smile.

He gives you a quick peck on the cheek, "Let me go change into some sweats and a sweatshirt then real quick." Then he bounds up the stairs to where you assume his room is. 

You bend down and pick up your scarf, wrapping it back around your neck. Looking around Johnny's house something catches your eye. A book on a side table. You walk over and pick up the book. 

It's a scrapbook, filled with pictures of baby Johnny. 

You are flipping through the pages, uwuing at the progression of baby Johnny to awkward middle school Johnny to high school graduation. 

"Oh my god she left that out?" A voice startles you and makes you jump. Johnny chuckles a little. "Sorry babe, didn't mean to scare you." He puts his head on your shoulder, looking over it at the scrapbook. 

"You were so cute Johnny..." You said in a low voice, leafing through more pages.

"Um excuse me? Was?" He said in an offended whisper.

"I meant when you were younger! You're still cute now but like a different cute ya know?" You laugh at him and pat his cheek that's on your shoulder. 

You finish looking through it and set it back down on the side table. Turning around to your soulmate, you see he changed into black sweats and a black hoodie zipped up to the dip of his collarbone. It was all paired with a black baseball cap with his equally inky black hair sticking out on his forehead. He looked really good.

Like really good in casual clothes.

"Ready now?" He tilts his head as he bites his Starbucks straw. he must have picked up his drink off the side table.

Damn him and wanting to wait to make your first kiss special. 

You nodded. "Yeah."

He grabs your hand and steps back out into the night with you. 

"So like I don't have a plan on where to walk to... I just kinda wanted to hold your hand as we walked around and it be quiet." He admits as he softly swings your connected hands. 

You shrug and give him a smile. "That sounds perfect." 

Johnny smiles back at you. "God you're so amazing." 

You're lucky it's dark out and the street lights are dim so Johnny couldn't see you blush for the hundred millionth time.

After some time walking you see a park close by. Letting go of Johnny's hand, you take off for the park heading for the swings. 

Finding the swing you want, you plop down on it and look for your soulmate. He eventually makes it there a bit after you and has his phone pulled out. 

"I want to take a picture of you." He says from behind his phone. You pose and smile big for the camera. Johnny doesn't lower his phone after a few pictures so you start to make different faces at him. You stick your tongue out, go cross eyed, throw out a peace sign, puff your cheeks out, etc.

Laughing, he finally lowers his phone, satisfied. "It's going to be hard for me to pick one for my phone background." He says while falling into the swing next to you. 

"I have an idea to make it easier. Can I borrow your phone love?" You hold out your hand.

Johnny quirks up an eyebrow curious. "Sure." And he hands over his phone. 

You swing sideways to him and catch his swing chains, pulling yourself over to him so your swings are together. 

"Come here."  You move your face close to his and hold the phone up. 

Turning your head, you plant a kiss on his cheek. You feel Johnny's breath hitch a little in surprise.

 You press the camera button a few times, hoping there was a good one. Pulling back from Johnny, you click open his gallery to look at the pictures. 

You were kissing Johnny's cheek while he had his huge, eye-crinkling smile. Your favorite smile. The one that was infectious and made your heart stutter.

There was just enough light from the street lights but the picture was still a bit dark and grainy from the night. 

It was perfect. 

"I love it." Johnny took his phone back into his hands to get a closer look. "And I love you Y/N." He looked up at you with eyes that liquified your heart. His soft brown eyes were so full of love and shining in the night. You could see the stars in them and it tugged at your heart.

"I love you too Johnny."  You leaned into his shoulder, placing your head on it. "I want to kiss you so bad."  You mumbled. 

"I know, I do too. But it will be worth it I promise. Then you can kiss me however much you want to." He winks at you. "We'll make up for the lost kisses, don't worry." 

You laugh and hit his chest before letting go of his swing so your swing goes back to its spot. 

A shiver runs through your body, making your swings chains rattle. 

"Are you cold baby? Do you want to go back home?" Johnny leans over, putting his face in front of yours. 

"Home..."  You liked the way that sounded coming off of Johnny's tongue. "Yeah let's go home."

The walk home was cold but not too bad. You blew warm air out making "smoke clouds" and Johnny did the same, teasing when his were bigger than yours. 

"That's because you're so full of hot air." You tease him back.

After that comment he grabs you by the waist and lifts you up threatening to throw you in a snow bank. You kick and squirm until he sets you down laughing more. "Payback." 

You hit his arm and take off running when you see his house so he won't try to throw you again. 

Inside Johnny helps you carry up your stuff to his room. It's a normal guy room, kind of bare since he lives mostly at school. But it was cute. Very Johnny. 

You shower first and then Johnny does. Exhausted, you almost fell asleep waiting for Johnny to get done.

He comes in the room drying his hair with a towel. His arms up lift up his t-shirt a little revealing a strip of tan, toned skin. Even unintentionally this kid teases you relentlessly. 

After deeming his hair dry enough, he slides into bed next to you. You are curled up on one side in the fetal position, barely able to keep your eyes open.

You hear Johnny softly chuckle and then feel him kiss your nose. You crack open your eyes to see him settling back on his phone looking through something. 

Moving closer to him, you lay your head on his chest which gives you a view of his phone. 

He's scrolling through pictures from today. You didn't realize it but he was taking candid pictures of you all day. There were pictures of you ordering your drink at Starbucks, a few of you looking out the window at the lights when he was at a stoplight, ones of you walking in front of him on your walk, the pictures from you guys on the swings,  and ones of you on your way home from the park. 

You had no makeup on, hair all frizzy from a day of travel and your red nose peeking out from your scarf but you loved how they looked. Johnny really had a knack for photography. 

"You're good at this Johnny..." You mutter softly. 

"You think?" His answer rumbles in the ear that's pressed to his chest. 

You nod, too tired to answer. 

He glances down at you on his chest and sees your eyes are closed. Your thick eyelashes flutter every once in a while and your lips part slightly in soft breaths. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He took a few pictures of you to document then shut his phone off and set it on his nightstand. 

Johnny gently brushed your hair with one hand while the other wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him. You roused a little and sleepily buried your face into his chest and wrapped a leg around one of his before going still again. 

Closing his eyes, he planted a soft kiss on your head. "Goodnight Y/N, I love you so much." 

Then he followed you to sleep. 

[die-t-hin]

⚘79 tips💌

1. Always eat breakfast. Studies prove that those who eat breakfast tend to make better food choices   later in the day. You don't want to skip off a breakfast of 100 calories for a 500 calorie slice of cake at desert. Besides, breakfast gets your metabolism revved up for the day ahead.

2. If you drink a lot of water on an empty stomach it just makes you gassy. Never fun. Small sips throughout the day is better. You'll also have to pee a lot.

3. If you have things you shouldn't (think diet pills, tape measures, thinspo, bag of spat out food, etc.) make sure you hide it. Leaving it below the bed or in your undies drawer is a surefire way to get those things found.

4. Overuse of laxitives and/or diuretics are bad for your body. Over time, abuse of laxitives and diuretics cause incontinence, and embarassment for you. And if you overuse laxitives, when you stop, your body won;t be able to have a proper bowel movement. Use them only on an as-needed basis, as defined by 'normal' people. As in, only when constipated. 

5. If you sleep less than 6 hours a day, your metabolism goes down between 10-20% depending on the person. And your body produces more of the hormone that makes you feel hungry. So even though you can burn more calories by staying up all night on the exercise bike, opt for the sleep instead if you don't want to overindulge the next day.

6. Don't deprive yourself of anything. That just leads to bingeing. If you want chocolate cake, have it, even if it's on your list of 'bad foods'. BUT, only have a few small bites. That way, you can enjoy what you want without ruining your diet. 

7. Smaller meals throughout the day help keep your metabolism up, burning more calories.

8. Your body burns about 8 calories per glass of ice water trying to get it up to a temperature in which it can be processed. That's 64 calories a day, translating to about 6 or 7 more pounds burned off in a year. Make ice your new best friend.

9. Fiber keeps you fuller longer, and helps keep your digestive system in good shape, thus reducing the need for all those laxitives.

10. Smaller dishes make it seem like you eat more. You often times eat by eyesight, not by stomach fullness. Studies have shown that in 2 groups, with the same amount of food, but one group using large plates and the other small plates, the group with the small plates reported feeling fuller.

11.Horizontal stripes and light denims make you look larger. Avoid them like the plague (Or maybe not)

12. Purging too hard can rupture your esophagus. You might die alone and in pain hunched over your toilet. Just saying. 

13. If you're having a food craving, and smoke, light up and the craving goes away. However, in a short time, that craving will return with a vengeance.

14. If you have a large binge, then your stomach expands massively, and the pressure kills off blood cells. Over time, this leads to a severely damaged stomach that may rupture. Once again, just like a ruptured esophagus, this could lead to you dying in pain. 

15. The negative calorie foods actually only burn about  10% of whatever they put into you. A stick of celery at about 2 cal will only burn off 0.2 cal. 

16. Purging doesn't get rid of all of the calories. You still have about 1/3 or 2/3 of those calories left in you, depending on how soon after you eat you decide to purge. 

17. If you wait more than an hour to purge, then there's no point in doing it. Even if food comes back up, your body will have already absorbed all those calories.

18. Your body doesn't register the calories from liquid the same way as it does calories from food. Your stomach won't send the same 'stop eating' signals to your brain like with food.

19. A good substitute for soda is ICE Sparkling Water. It has pretty good flavor, small amounts of B Vitamins, and green tea extract, all for 0 calories.

20.  Prolonged fasting/starvation messes up your metabolism. 

21. Take a multivitamin every day. Yes, even if it has 5 calories. 

22. If your body hits a plateu, a 'binge' helps. It makes your body think that you've stopped starving yourself. In fact, make it a goal that you have a day a week in which you eat at least 1000 calories if you want your metabolism to work properly (meaning it actually keeps burning calories and digesting food).

23.  Blotting greasy foods like bacon and pizza with a napkin can save you about 100 calories.

24. Whole-grains have fiber and make you fuller longer. 

25.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

26. Alcohol is calorie dense. Say goodbye to going out drinking with friends unless you plan to be the designated driver.

27.  If you chew and spit it out, you're doing just as much damage to your teeth as vomiting, maybe even more, because saliva has acid like that in your stomach, that starts digestion. 

28. Over time, purging depletes tooth enamel. Yes, dentists can recognize it. 

29.  If you cook pasta, don't use butter. But you get sticky pasta. 

30.  When your periods stop, osteoporosis sets in. You could be a 12 year old girl with the bones of an 80 year old woman. Sometimes, your bones never regain the proper density. You'll become prone to stress fractures and breaking bones. Calcium supplements are gold right here. Buy the ones for elderly people with osteoporosis if you can.

31. Brushing your teeth right after purging causes the enamel to wear off, making your teeth decay faster. Chewing gum or mints releases saliva, doing the same. 

32. Drinking a lot of water can make it seem that you weigh more, which can help when visiting the doctor. If a lot of liquid is consumed in a short period of time, you might cause yourself brain damage, swelling of the brain, water logging of the brain.... So be careful about waterlogging.

33.  Dehydration speeds up tooth decay, because you won't have enough protective enzymes in your mouth to prevent the saliva from doing damage to your teeth. Don't restrict liquids.

34. Make yourself lunch. A nice big sandwich with a juice and pack of chips. Then when you get to school, give it away to someone who forgot theirs. 

35.  If you hide food that you were supposed to have eaten, make sure you do something about it ASAP. Same with the bag of puke in the closet. 

36. Be prepared for all the questions of 'have you lost weight' and 'are you eating'.

37. You can only make the excuse of food poisoning a few times before it becomes fishy.

38.  Laxitives don't affect calorie consumption. 

39. The more that you insist that you're fat, the more likey people are going to become suspicious.

40. Don't use thinspo with people showing bones. It raises eyebrows.

41. Denying things just makes people get more suspicious.

42. Running to the bathroom right after you eat makes people assume that you're going to go purge.

43. Hot water fills you up more, but cold water burns  more calories.

44.  When you go into ketosis, your breath is going to smell like hell. Mints are your buddies.

45.  Your body often mistakes thirst for hunger. 

46.  Track progress by measuring tapes, not scales or mirrors. Your eyes will show you a hippo, even if you're a skeleton with a skin covering, and scales get affected by everything, and I mean everything.

47. If you take too many diet pills, or even just one on an empty stomach, it gives you some pretty nasty side effects. Make sure you take one with something food. Like a few bites of an apple.

48. The artificial sweeteners like those in diet soda have been shown in studies to promote the body storing belly fat. And some have been linked to brain tumors. 

49. Eating on a dark blue or black plate has the effect of making you eat less.

50. If you want to prevent a binge, just buy the food that you need for the day if you live by yourself.

51. Frozen foods take longer to eat, so you feel occupied longer, and you might feel fuller. Oh, and your body has to burn calories to get it to a temperature that it can be digested, so win all around!

52. If you get bad headaches, it's probably because you're dehydrated or your blood sugar is too low.

53. If you don't eat enough, your blood sugar drops, and then you start feeling weak and dizzy and get horrible headaches.

54. Don't take aspirin on an empty stomach. It'll make you puke.

55.  Be careful about sitting with your legs crossed, they might fall asleep and cause you pain, and if you're thin enough, you might pinch something, leaving you in pain or unable to walk.

56. If you don't drink enough, you'll get dehydrated, and then your muscles will hurt like a bitch. And no, painkillers probably won't do anything for this.

57. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to feel full from the time that you first put a bite of food into your mouth.

58. Some sugar free gums have 3 calories, and some have 5. Even though you aren't swallowing it, you should count these.

59. Get really good at math. That way, you can easily mentally add up whatever you've eaten for the day, without having to write it down. People get suspicious if they come across a food diary.

60. Dress warmly enough to keep warm without making it obvious. People get suspicious if you're wearing a coat in 90 degree weather, or complaining about being cold while they're ok or even too hot.

61. Spicy foods and seaweed boost the metabolism. Seaweed soup (35cal) with 1 tbsp soy sauce(10cal) and hotsauce (5cal) makes a great dinner. 

62. Eating cabbage to lose weight is good, but smelly.

63. Eating in front of the TV or computer distracts you from feeling full.

64. Eat while standing burns more calories than eating while sitting.

65. Talk a lot and eat very little at lunch or dinner and people won't notice.

66. Keep food spread out and close to the plate and people will think it's more.

67. Your skin will turn gray or yellow if you don't eat right. Tanning might help counteract this.

68. Your hair will get super dry and maybe even turn gray in places. Have extra strength conditioner and hair dye on call.

69. Your nailbeds are going to get blue from lack of nutrients. Find a pretty color nailpolish that you like.

70. Every 20 minutes or so when sitting, get up and take a short walk if you can. 

71. Delete your browsing history. It's hard to explain away your sudden weight loss when there's all the pro ana tricks in your computer.

72. Weight lost slowly will stay off, whereas weight that is lost rapidly will come back, with more, when you start eating even somewhat normal.

73. If you lose weight too fast, you also lose muscle. When that happens, you burn off calories more slowly. 

74. People with more muscle burn off more calories doing the same activities as people with less muscle.

75.  If you burn off too much muscle, then your body burns calories more slowly.

76. Only eat when people are going to notice. And then, only have something small.

77. Excuses will be your new best friend. Use them like a cheap whore.

78. Lack of nutrients make you depressed. 

79. Fasting for days on end makes your metabolism go down and increases cravings.

[lookingforodysseus]

The Usual

A/N: SO, I usually don’t post stuff like this, but the wonderful @startrekkingaroundasgard​ had a 2K writing challenge about tropes and no one had taken the coffee shop AU yet, which I thought was a shame and a disaster, so here we go. Hope you enjoy :D

Tony had always thought he would despise working in the service industry. Given the amount everyone around him complained about it, he had expected he would be trying to commit harakiri with a milk frother within the week, since whatever Hades had in store for him would be less bad than dealing with one more person who pronounced cappuccino wrong.

And yet, now that he's here, he's enjoying himself. The coffee shop, called Impresso Espresso (insert forced laughter here), is across from a college campus, so most of his customers are caffeine-addicted students, hands shaking and eyes wide open from either too much Redbull or too much cocaine (it's a toss up at this age, really) and their professors, with under-eye bags so large they can put all the assignments they still have to mark in them, leaving their hands free for a carton cup with seven shots of espresso. Tony enjoys winking at all of them and trying to make them laugh, every smile a reward better than the free coffee that comes with the job.

During the classic afternoon lull, when the students are in bed and the professors in class, Tony puts the mechanics degree that put him deep in debt but didn't provide him with a job due to his well-meaning but obnoxious demeanour to good use by upgrading the ancient coffee machines, that were apparently purchased in the late seventies, max- or maybe modern technology just isn't as great as people often make it out to be.

Tony's manager, Matt, captain of the American football team who likes his coffee like he likes his math problems, simple, watches this thirty-something man become increasingly comfortable in a coffee shop populated mostly by those ten years younger or older than him with a mix between amazement and amusement. Besides, the coffee machines, that previously took ten minutes of gentle conversation with an increasingly impatient customer to create something as simple as a cup of tea, can now whip up a doppio in a record-holding 17.8 seconds, according to Tony. To Matt, it just feels like approximately 20 seconds, but, apparently, the exact time is of great importance to Tony, who, one night during midterms season when the coffee shop is open 24/7 to accommodate all the students pulling all-nighters, calls Matt at 3 am to announce he has shortened this time to 17.7 seconds. Apart from that hiccup, though, Tony is a good employee and Matt is satisfied.

On a dreary Thursday in February, one of the other baristas asks Matt: "Have you seen the professor around, lately? I feel like it's been awhile since we've had a queue of 20+ people- do you think he's ill?"

Matt smiles. "Don't worry about him, he's at a conference. He told me about it last time he was here, right before he told me off about not stirring his coffee correctly, or putting too much syrup in it. I'm not sure what it was that time, but it was clear he wasn't happy."

The barista laughs. "Is he ever?"

Tony, who is leaning on the counter, watching the students run by, text books over their head, more concerned with protecting their haircut than the $200 the book cost them, hears the comment. "Who are you talking about?" he asks, intrigued.

"Just this crazy customer who comes here a lot," Matt says. "He teaches something very scientific and complicated, and his order is absolutely ridiculous. You should be glad you're first month here has coincided with a four-week conference in Silicon Valley he had to go to. He's a nightmare."

Tony laughs. "Oh come one, he can't be that bad."

Matt rolls his eyes at the other barista, pulling off her apron now that her shift has ended. She waves at the two men behind the bar before exiting the coffee shop, the door being held open for her by a customer just about the enter the shop.

The customer enters the cafe, his eyes gliding over the neon Impresso Espresso sign behind the counter like he is disappointed still no one has realised what a horrible idea it was to put it there. Behind Tony, Matt sighs. "That'll teach me to speak of the devil. That's him, the professor. You take him, you've never had to suffer through his demands."

Tony steps up to the register just as the man reaches the counter. He is wearing thick, black glasses that almost completely hide his grey eyes. The top button of his checkered shirt is undone, but it doesn't look on purpose, more like he just forgot there was another button before he finished dressing himself. His large, black cardigan is wrapped around his body like a blanket. He is younger than Tony expected, for a professor being invited to month-long conferences. He also doesn't look like someone who has an order complicated enough to make his colleagues this bitter (pun intended).

When the man opens his mouth to place his order, Tony expects the other employees to have pulled a prank on him, expects the man to just order a black coffee, and maybe, maybe, make a joke about the colour of his soul. Instead, he hits Tony with this beauty of a coffee order: "I would like a latte, but instead of only milk, I would like half milk half hot water. The milk should be equal parts almond and coconut, with an extra dash of soy. Stir that exactly two and a half times clockwise. Then, add in a full glass of skimmed milk, that has been frothed for exactly 12.5 seconds, shake it up with ice, pour half of the drink out, and heat the other half up again, which needs to be stirred twelve times anti-clockwise at a temperature of 63 Celsius or 145.4 Fahrenheit. Take it off the heat at 98.7 Celsius or 209.67 Fahrenheit. I would like three and a quarter pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup, seven packets of sugar, two pumps of caramel syrup, make sure to add that in after the sugar, otherwise you ruin the taste, and .4 pump of hazelnut. Then, I would like some cocoa powder, pour the coffee in with ice and shake it up again. I would also like whipped cream on top, but then please shave it off again, so there's only a little bit of whipped cream left. Pay with card, please."

Tony's mouth falls open. "You're kidding!" he exclaims. Behind him, he hears Matt snicker. The man begins to explain the importance of each individual step to the flavour of the beverage, but Tony interrupts him: "That's my order!"

A smile forms on the man's face, grey eyes sparkling. "Finally, someone with good taste around here," he says, giving Matt, whose jaw has slammed through the floor of the coffee shop and is currently making its way to the centre of the earth, a side eye. "You'll know the crucial timing of the stirring, then."

Tony nods. "Of course, of course," he says, with a stern face, fully aware of how important these things are. One of the reasons he had decided to start working in a coffee shop was that he would finally be able to make this order perfectly for himself. He can't believe another person with a brain as small as a human's has been smart enough to realise this order is the only way coffee is anything near drinkable. "Name?"

"Bruce," the man answers, and Tony hits the buttons on the register to allow the man to pay for his drink, even though he believes that thinking like that should be rewarded with a free coffee, before writing Bruce on the cup in his squiggly handwriting.

A solid twenty minutes and 27 grumbling people in line behind Bruce later, Tony presents the coffee with a flourish Shakespearean actors would be jealous of, putting a lid on the take-away cup before sliding it across the counter towards Bruce. "Oh, I don't need a lid," Bruce says, and pulls on the lid. However, in his enthusiasm, Tony has pressed down a bit harder than was fully necessary, and, no matter how much Bruce pulls, the lid is not giving way.

Tony snickers. "Well, someone's got muscles that would give the Hulk a run for his money."

Bruce laughs, too, and pushes the cup back towards Tony. "Can you do it?" Tony easily takes of the lid and slides the now lidless cup to Bruce. With a smile and a nod of his head, Bruce exits the coffee shop.

Over the next week, Bruce comes back twice a day, once in the early morning, and once for a pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon. Tony learns his schedule quickly enough, and ensures he arrives a bit too early and leaves a bit too late for his shifts, so he can be there to make Bruce's coffee. He doesn't ask for the man's name anymore, instead scribbling Hulk, No Lid on his cup, something that amuses Bruce, which is only indicated by the sparkle in his eyes when he reads it. Most of Bruce's emotions seems to be conveyed through his eyes, and Tony starts making subtle alterations to his order depending on the look in them- an extra shot of coffee if they're especially tired, some more syrup when he's looking down, and some extra milk when Bruce's eyes are dull, in replacement for Tony's wish to put his hand on his stubbled cheek and his lips against his forehead to soften the pain he sees hiding behind the grey clouds in Bruce's irises. He knows Bruce notices, when his eyes regain some of the sparkle Tony had seen that first time they had met after he takes his first sip, thanking Tony with a simple nod of the head and a half-smile, which Tony cherishes more than the few coins Bruce drops in the tip jar whenever he visits the shop.

They talk every time, sharing jabs and ideas, words and looks, until Matt has had enough of it. One particularly rainy afternoon in March, he punches Tony's arm in a way that's soft for a quarterback such as Matt, but hard for a skinny 5'9 guy like Tony, and he has to take a side step to prevent himself from falling against one of the coffee machines.

"When are you finally gonna do something about that, man?" Matt asks. Tony raises an eyebrow, innocence painted on his face. It's as much of a forgery as most of Da Vinci's paintings, though, and Matt knows it. "You kids have been flirting under my nose for over a month now," he continues, ignoring the fact that both of the men he's talking about are at least ten years older than he is. "You need to make a move, dude. Now!"

Tony gestures at the window, where Bruce can be seen crossing the street to the college campus, coffee in his hand. "He's gone, Matt," he says. "What do you want me to do? Go after him?"

Matt nods enthusiastically. "That's exactly what you should do! Run after him, ask him out! Don't be such a wimp!" He pulls Tony's apron over his head and pushes him towards the door.

Tony struggles against Matt's indisputably superior physical strength. "I never took you to be such a romantic," he says. "Might harm that cool image you've got going on."

Matt snickers. "You're not talking your way out of this one, Tony," he says, opening the door with one hand and pushing Tony through it with the other. "Now, go!"

With not much other choice, Tony runs across the road, waving at the sleek black car that almost hit him, driven by an extremely annoyed-looking red haired woman who seems to have half a mind to simply step on the gas and run him over. He makes it across the street in one piece though, and yells: "Bruce!"

The other man is so shocked by someone yelling his name that he promptly drops his coffee cup. He spins around, hands risen next to his head as if showing he has no weapons. His wet hair is plastered to his forehead, and his navy blazer darkens where the rain hits him, since he isn't wearing a coat. Neither is Tony himself, he realizes, now that the rain is making his white T-shirt quickly turn see-through. "It's just me," Tony says.

"Oh, yes. Did I forget something?" Bruce pets the pockets of his blazer.

Tony shakes his head. "No, I eh… I…" He has always been a man of words, but now, faced with a nervous, drenched professor whose coffee is spilling all over the pavement between their feet, he doesn't know what to say. "Can I buy you a new coffee?" he asks, hating the clenched way his voice comes out of his mouth. "Maybe we could, you know, talk. Somewhere else than in there." He gestures at Impresso Espresso, where Matt is grinning broadly behind the windows. "Somewhere he can't see us."

Bruce smiles, with both his eyes and his mouth, and Tony has to resist the urge to run back and high-five Matt. "That would be nice. There's a decent place just up the road." He gestures in a vague direction, and Tony isn't sure which road he's indicating, but he doesn't care. He would follow this man to a coffee shop three cities over, if he really had to.

When they walk into the shop, water forms small pools by their feet, and a single, bored barista is leaning over the counter. The neon sign behind her reads Cool Beans Coffee Bar. Bruce sighs. "Do all coffee shops have those?"

Tony laughs. "Federal law requires it. That's top secret, though, don't tell anyone."

Bruce mimes locking his lips and throwing the key away, and, grinning, the two men step up to the counter. Tony eyes the other man. "The usual?"

Bruce nods. "The usual."

[tgai-spock]

Lines of ice from rolling waves and subtle villains

Run

Chapter 11

Several alarms began that morning, and a little after half six, the curtains lifted to reveal three people, in sports gear. Nyota, was sparkling, Christine, looked like she had the day before, and Spock looked almost the same, his hair still in a hat. Nyota  wore black leggings with black trainers, and a black jumper of which she had pushed the sleeves up. Spock wore jogging bottoms and a black t-shirt. They, quietly departed the room walking past the people still asleep in their beds, except for Charlie. Charlie’s bed was still empty.

“Did Charlie come in last night?” Spock whispered and the others glanced back.

“I don’t know.” Nyota said.

“I don’t think he did” Christine whispered.

Outside was misty, thick air rolled over the field and they jogged around it. Spock didn’t know what he was doing. To start with he had jogged slowly, as that seemed easy, and he didn’t wish to outrun them. But half-way around the field he found he couldn’t keep up the slow pace. He had never done long term stamina work, and although due to his dual heritage he did have the same ability to keep up with human stamina, it currently wasn’t part of his exercise regime, at least not when it came to jogging. However he did know he could out walk any vulcan in the heat. So he was surprised at discovering, he currently could not out jog a human on earth. Still if had had been running he’d probably be more than several miles away from these humans.

He immediately decided that he had made a terrible mistake to embarrass himself in front of two very sporty people, he stopped to walk.

“You were doing so good for your first time” Nyota  encouraged.

“Not the worst I’ve seen” Christine said.

“I want to go around two times, I’ll wait for you when I’m done” Nyota  encouraged.

“Okay, thanks.” Spock said, and they jogged off together. Spock gave himself two minutes, jogged for two minutes, and then gave himself another walking break. The field was huge. There was a football field on the field, Spock half thought eight football fields could have fit on it. He was walking past the creepy forest, when he heard a creature behind him, panting. He stopped jogging and slowed down, and the creature came to a halt by his side. It was a large girl, 5 times the size of him, and a good half taller than him, wearing leggings, a long sports shirt, and an obviously large sports bra.

“Morning.” She said.

“Morning.” He replied.

“This your first run?” She asked.

“Jog, yes. Was I that bad?”  Spock asked.

“No! I just got a magic way to tell.” She said and winked

“It is my first jog of the year… possibly my last.” Spock nodded.

“Aw! Don’t say that. Before the summer I could run 15 minutes at a time with for a good 2 hours. Ruined all my good work by not doing any exercise over the summer, and it doesn’t help that the vending machines outside of school are pleasant to use.”

“Oh you mean unlike that creepy vending machine?” Spock asked.

“Isn’t it just? This year they’ve add Taurus posters to it. That’s super insensitive there are kids who survived that who could attend school.”

“I’m no Taurus kid, but I’m just not going to buy sweets this year.”

“Thats probably smart thinking. During summer brake the second I ate a chocolate bar, I just couldn’t stop. It was so good, as I hadn’t eaten one for almost a whole year. Although, now I know, I won’t be making that mistake again.”

“Didn’t you go home for a holiday before summer? A winter holiday maybe?” Spock asked.

“No. You can. I mean some kids come here from other planets, and they can’t afford the space tickets back every holiday, so technically the school stays open. My folks live all the way down the country, so it’s a big drive, and they lazy as fuck. Plus my bestie was staying. We thought there was going to be a robot uprising at the time… can’t remember why. Anyway, I have got to run again, not that I got my breath back because I spent way too much time talking.” She jogged fast, and with good form, and halfway back to the school she stopped, she ran about four minutes at a time. Spock did a shorter run, but did some quality speed walking to catch up with her.

“I’m glad you caught up. I forgot to say” she panted.

“Say what?”

“You’ve got a massive hole in the side of your shirt.”

“What?!” Spock says surprised as she pointed to the side of his armpit. It was a fairly big hole, about 5cm’s wide, just enough for his sports bra to show. Although because his t-shirt was so baggy anyway it did just look like another under shirt from the angle he was, so he wasn’t too worried about it. Spock thought hard about how the hole could have got in his shirt.

“Happened to one of mine. You gotta put away your clothes in your drawers, theres a rumour that the schools infested with orion moths. Big fellas that eat clothes” she says and winks.

Spock frowns “this is literally a new shirt” he says.

“Ohh maybe it was the moths. I wouldn’t worry about it, everyone looks pretty well presented now, but give it another month and all the first years are going to look like trash.”

“Hmm. Well I’d prefer not to look like trash.”

“You got an extra sports top?” She asked.

“No.”

“Could always go into town. Theres a few good shops there.” Spock nodded considering it as Nyota and Christine passed them by, both bright red in their face.

“Have they even stopped? Jesus they’re going to have a heart attack. I’ve seen a kid have a heart attack trying to run this.”

“Really?”

“Usually when you run a tracked field several times you’ll get up to a mile, but this whole things 3k.” She gestured

“What? How much did I run? Actually” Spock said “never mind I started walking almost immediately.”

“It’s so far though it’s still a super healthy walk for you.”

“I guess” Spock nodded at her logic.

“I’m May by the way.” She said as her watch began beeping

“I’m Spock.”

Spock joined the others who had been waiting for him for about 10 minutes. They were panting hard, Nyota  put her thumb up as Spock approached.

“You did so well!” She said, as though the oxygen from the atmosphere was leaving the planet as she said it.

“Thanks” Spock said “I thought you were going for a more casual jog, you seem like expert joggers.”

“I am trying to be an athlete” Christine nodded and wiped the sweat from her head.

“Nah” Nyota  waved “just my daily 2k.”

“Nyota, that whole field is 3k, I think you did 6k.” Spock said.

“It’s what?” Nyota  squeaked.

“It’s 6k.”

“Are you okay Nyota ?” Christine asked concerned “you want me to carry you back to the common room?”

“I’m fine!” She wheezed her face sweating as much darker shade.

The common room seemed to have an air of empty, there were other people up now, one who was eating a bowl of mixed fruit while studying by the table, another in pyjamas with a tray of chocolate, and coffee their phone playing anime as they departed for the beanbag room. Others were reading or heading our in gym clothes. Nyota turned sharply walked to the sink and put her head under it, gulping the water. She sat up turned sharply and walked back to their dorm room. Spock walked over and picked up a glass, and poured an ice cold water from the tap. Christine did the same, and they leant against the side as they drank.

“Are you going to do that run, walk again tomorrow?” Christine asked.

“I guess I could. I didn’t realise how bad at jogging I was, it would be good if I could get better” Spock said, “although I’ll need a new shirt, this ones torn.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice” she shrugs innocently.

Spock nodded “I’ll just need to get a t-shirt before tomorrow. I will probably have to head into town…”

“I want to go into town” Christine said her eyes sparkling.

“You’re welcome to come with me” Spock said shrugging “I don’t even know how to get out of this building.”

“Oh, no me neither actually.” She gestured with her hand as she talked.

“I’ve got science first, I could just ask the teacher after class.” Spock suggested.

Christine nodded “what class are you in?”

“2B I think.”

“Me too, I’m going to follow you there, I tried finding my divination group with a bunch of guys - and they were total wankers. Idiots, I ended up being 20 minutes late for my divination class.”

“I think they let us off for being late for our first lessons.”

“Yeah, but I’m trying to set a good impression, because I’m probably going to punch someone later and I need the rest of  my schooling year to be spotless.”

Spock nodded confused “well its the effort that counts, so I hear. Whats divination?”

“Tarot cards and shit it’s my specialist subject” Christine shrugged as she picked up a sponge from the sink and washed her glass “I’m going to shower.” Spock nodded and waited a moment before doing the same.

[Chapter 1]         [Chapter 2]        [Chapter 3]          [Chapter 4]

[Chapter 5]         [Chapter 6]        [Chapter 7]          [Chapter 8]

[Chapter 9]         [Chapter 10]      [Chapter 12] 

[privateplates4u]

2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe First Test: Ooooh, Look at That!

Did you look at the taillights? No, really, how closely did you check out the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe’s lit up taillights? The superficially satisfying taillight design is said to have a crystal look, which is fitting from the same automaker that brought us the S-Class coupe’s Swarovski-crystal-filled headlights. When it comes to details that make coupe buyers feel special, the 2018 E-Class coupe knocks it out of the park with a B-pillarless smash. ‪Probably not a good idea to want a car for its crystal-look taillights, but check out how this @mbusa E400 coupe design detail sparkles!‬ #mercedesbenz #mercedeseclass #eclass #coupe #lights #crystal #details A post shared by Zach Gale (@zachgale) on Jul 26, 2017 at 7:00am PDT Of course, our 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic coupe tester wasn’t perfect, but over the course of track testing as well as driving in traffic, on empty highways, and through winding canyon roads, the car mostly presented itself well. Because luxury coupes carry a “pretty” premium over similar sedans and are made to be seen, we’ll start with design. As with the S-Class coupe, the E-Class coupe continues a Mercedes tradition that’s been around for decades: a B-pillarless design on two-doors. The design detail actually improves visibility, but it is mostly cool because no one else in this price class does it. If the C-Class coupe’s exterior styling is “bar-of-soap boring,” as we called it during 2017 Car of the Year testing, the E-Class coupe is one attractive, half-melted bar of soap. Decide for yourself what you think of the exterior (and Mercedes’ diamond-block grille) by opening this review’s extensive gallery of photos. The only pimple on the 2018 E400 coupe’s design—one shared with the last-generation model—is that the rear side windows aren’t a one-piece unit such as those of the S-Class coupe, so a sliver of the rear side glass stays in place even when you lower all the windows. Compared to the last-generation model, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe’s wheelbase has been stretched by 4.4 inches. The new two-door is longer (4.8 inches), wider (2.9 inches), and slightly taller (1.5 inches).Step inside, and you’re greeted by air vents inspired by turbine blades. It’s a rich touch for an interior that lives up to our tester’s $86,685 as-tested MSRP. Before you start adding options, know that for now, every E-Class coupe is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 producing 329 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That engine is mated to a responsive nine-speed automatic that behaves well except in the car’s sport mode, where its very aggressive tuning can cause the car to lunge forward a little more than you’d like. Our car was equipped with a $1,900 air suspension that provided a smooth, if a little floaty, ride in comfort mode, but that changes drastically if you switch the car all the way to Sport+. When you’re in a sporty mood, I’d maybe stick with Sport because the suspension doesn’t feel as rough. No matter the driving mode, the 329-hp engine is well matched to a car such as the E-Class coupe, and for the 2018 model year, it is now available on the sedan, too. On the track, the all-wheel-drive 2018 E400 coupe accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds (Mercedes expects rear-drive variants to be 0.3 second slower). Road test editor Chris Walton remarked on the car’s “surprisingly linear, nonturbo power delivery,” and said that in hard acceleration, the nine-speed auto turned in smooth and quick shifts. We’ve tested an all-wheel-drive E400 wagon reaching 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, and an all-wheel-drive E300 sedan (with a 241-hp turbo-four) hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Driven quickly around a street corner or on winding roads, the E400 4Matic coupe’s steering is surprisingly reactive, and the car exhibits little body roll. Braking from 60 to 0 mph takes a respectable 112 feet, and the coupe completed our figure-eight course in 25.7 seconds at 0.72 average g. Our tester had AMG Line visual upgrades that don’t translate to better at-the-limit performance. Testing director Kim Reynolds commented on the car’s “slow response to throttle” and said it was “hard to control the understeer.” This is the type of behavior you’ll find close to the car’s limits, and if you’re really seeking out the limits of your luxury coupe, smaller and sportier entries including the Mercedes-AMG C43 and Audi S5 might be more your style. As we noted in our 2018 E-Class Coupe First Drive review, this Mercedes shines as a boulevard cruiser. If you take some friends out to dinner, they’ll access the back seat by pulling a lever on the edge of the front seat that folds the backrest forward, at which point the seat automatically powers forward and up a little bit. In the rear seat, there’s actually a decent amount of legroom, plus some extra space for feet under the front seats. Those rear bucket seats are comfortable enough, though there’s no central armrest, and rear headroom is limited by the way the roof slopes downward toward the car’s rear. What might really keep the rear seat from being used for more than 30 minutes at a time—especially for passengers who get claustrophobic—is the small size of those rear-side windows. You wouldn’t sacrifice the coupe’s styling for a practical concern like that, though, right? If you really want a two-door, four-seat Mercedes without that issue, wait for the E-Class Cabriolet to roll into your local dealership. Both two-door E-Class models are pricier than the sedan, and our E400 coupe was loaded down with more than $25,000 of luxurious options. All-wheel drive is a $2,500 option that doesn’t actually come at the cost of lower fuel economy; the E400 4Matic coupe has the same 20/26 mpg city/highway rating as the rear-drive E400 coupe (in Real MPG testing, the car was good for 18.8/29.7 mpg). Standard equipment includes multimode drive settings that can adjust throttle sensitivity, the transmission, and the weight of the steering. A collision braking mitigation system, LED headlights and taillights, and the large 12.3-inch infotainment display with navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are also included. An awesome ambient lighting system is wonderfully integrated into the car’s interior and offers five intensity levels and 64 colors. The all-wheel-drive E400 throws in a feature called Magic Vision Control that might be worth getting on the rear-drive model (for $350) just for its eye-roll-worthy name alone. The E400 coupe’s slim windshield wiper blades have laser-cut holes out of which the washer fluid is released, reducing the chance that fluid will spray over the windshield entirely or run off toward the A-pillars. Other features on our $86,685 E400 4Matic coupe included a $2,500 AMG styling package that adds sportier design accents on the outside, different 18-inch wheels (19s are available), a black headliner, and a flat-bottom steering wheel that feels great. The adaptive air suspension is $1,900, and although the system can appreciably change the car’s dynamic performance from one mode to another, we’ve not yet driven a nonair-suspension E-Class coupe. Inflating our car’s as-tested price was a $5,400, 1,450-watt Burmester 3-D sound system with 23 speakers (including ceiling-mounted speakers) and a few listening modes. The system sounds great and those ceiling speakers even get some ambient lighting, but we’re guessing most will be satisfied with the available 590-watt Burmester option that has 13 speakers and attractive aluminum speaker grilles. Mercedes’ multi-camera parking aid is a well-executed version of the tech offered by many automakers, but that feature and a head-up display are bundled in the car’s most expensive package. If you actually have a limited budget, consider stopping at the second of three “Premium” packages. You’ll miss out on Mercedes-Benz’s most advanced active safety tech—though I found the adaptive cruise control left too much following distance on its closest setting—but you’ll still get the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, headlights that help you see around corners, and a few other features. If repair costs on some of the E400 coupe’s cool options don’t scare you, there is another feature I hope a future E-Class coupe will offer—a power-door closer. Just like most luxury coupes, the E400’s doors are long, heavy, and require an awkward reach to close if you get inside and realize you forgot to hold onto the inside of the door to close it as you sit down. So you can either remember to close the door as you get inside or, perhaps on a next-gen E-Class coupe, have the car do it for you. The E-Class coupe’s extensive options list, interior color combinations, and wood trim choices might be overwhelming to some buyers, but they’re a part of the car’s appeal. As with similar BMWs, most E-Class coupe customers will probably pick a car that most closely matches the options they want from dealer stock, but knowing you have so many ways of customizing your car is a luxury in itself. The E400 4Matic coupe doesn’t have any direct competitors of a similar size now that the BMW 6 Series is offered in convertible and four-door forms but not as a coupe. That leaves consumers interested in an E-Class coupe to also consider the smaller Audi S5, Lexus RC 350, BMW 440i, Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400, or Cadillac ATS 3.6 coupe. The more expensive E-Class is not really designed to compete against them, but in a segment as ME-oriented as luxury coupes, start your search with designs that speak to you (and view them in person, if possible). The E400 coupe is a solid entry with few competitors, and especially if you’ve got many thousands of dollars to spend on extra-cost colors and interior options, it could be just the car for when the larger S-Class coupe is too ostentatious. 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe BASE PRICE $62,395 PRICE AS TESTED $86,685 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE 3.0L/329-hp/354-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,305 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 113.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 190.0 x 73.2 x 56.3 in 0-60 MPH 5.2 sec QUARTER MILE 13.7 sec @ 102.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.90 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.7 sec @ 0.72 g (avg) REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 18.8/29.7/22.6 mpg EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 20/26/22 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 169/130 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.87 lb/mile The post 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe First Test: Ooooh, Look at That! appeared first on Motor Trend.

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/2018/2018-mercedes-benz-e400-4matic-coupe-first-test-review/

[robertkstone]

2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe First Test: Ooooh, Look at That!

Did you look at the taillights? No, really, how closely did you check out the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe’s lit up taillights? The superficially satisfying taillight design is said to have a crystal look, which is fitting from the same automaker that brought us the S-Class coupe’s Swarovski-crystal-filled headlights. When it comes to details that make coupe buyers feel special, the 2018 E-Class coupe knocks it out of the park with a B-pillarless smash.

‪Probably not a good idea to want a car for its crystal-look taillights, but check out how this @mbusa E400 coupe design detail sparkles!‬ #mercedesbenz #mercedeseclass #eclass #coupe #lights #crystal #details

A post shared by Zach Gale (@zachgale) on Jul 26, 2017 at 7:00am PDT

Of course, our 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic coupe tester wasn’t perfect, but over the course of track testing as well as driving in traffic, on empty highways, and through winding canyon roads, the car mostly presented itself well. Because luxury coupes carry a “pretty” premium over similar sedans and are made to be seen, we’ll start with design. As with the S-Class coupe, the E-Class coupe continues a Mercedes tradition that’s been around for decades: a B-pillarless design on two-doors. The design detail actually improves visibility, but it is mostly cool because no one else in this price class does it.

If the C-Class coupe’s exterior styling is “bar-of-soap boring,” as we called it during 2017 Car of the Year testing, the E-Class coupe is one attractive, half-melted bar of soap. Decide for yourself what you think of the exterior (and Mercedes’ diamond-block grille) by opening this review’s extensive gallery of photos. The only pimple on the 2018 E400 coupe’s design—one shared with the last-generation model—is that the rear side windows aren’t a one-piece unit such as those of the S-Class coupe, so a sliver of the rear side glass stays in place even when you lower all the windows.

Compared to the last-generation model, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe’s wheelbase has been stretched by 4.4 inches. The new two-door is longer (4.8 inches), wider (2.9 inches), and slightly taller (1.5 inches).

Step inside, and you’re greeted by air vents inspired by turbine blades. It’s a rich touch for an interior that lives up to our tester’s $86,685 as-tested MSRP. Before you start adding options, know that for now, every E-Class coupe is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 producing 329 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. That engine is mated to a responsive nine-speed automatic that behaves well except in the car’s sport mode, where its very aggressive tuning can cause the car to lunge forward a little more than you’d like. Our car was equipped with a $1,900 air suspension that provided a smooth, if a little floaty, ride in comfort mode, but that changes drastically if you switch the car all the way to Sport+. When you’re in a sporty mood, I’d maybe stick with Sport because the suspension doesn’t feel as rough. No matter the driving mode, the 329-hp engine is well matched to a car such as the E-Class coupe, and for the 2018 model year, it is now available on the sedan, too.

On the track, the all-wheel-drive 2018 E400 coupe accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds (Mercedes expects rear-drive variants to be 0.3 second slower). Road test editor Chris Walton remarked on the car’s “surprisingly linear, nonturbo power delivery,” and said that in hard acceleration, the nine-speed auto turned in smooth and quick shifts. We’ve tested an all-wheel-drive E400 wagon reaching 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, and an all-wheel-drive E300 sedan (with a 241-hp turbo-four) hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Driven quickly around a street corner or on winding roads, the E400 4Matic coupe’s steering is surprisingly reactive, and the car exhibits little body roll. Braking from 60 to 0 mph takes a respectable 112 feet, and the coupe completed our figure-eight course in 25.7 seconds at 0.72 average g.

Our tester had AMG Line visual upgrades that don’t translate to better at-the-limit performance. Testing director Kim Reynolds commented on the car’s “slow response to throttle” and said it was “hard to control the understeer.” This is the type of behavior you’ll find close to the car’s limits, and if you’re really seeking out the limits of your luxury coupe, smaller and sportier entries including the Mercedes-AMG C43 and Audi S5 might be more your style.

As we noted in our 2018 E-Class Coupe First Drive review, this Mercedes shines as a boulevard cruiser. If you take some friends out to dinner, they’ll access the back seat by pulling a lever on the edge of the front seat that folds the backrest forward, at which point the seat automatically powers forward and up a little bit. In the rear seat, there’s actually a decent amount of legroom, plus some extra space for feet under the front seats. Those rear bucket seats are comfortable enough, though there’s no central armrest, and rear headroom is limited by the way the roof slopes downward toward the car’s rear. What might really keep the rear seat from being used for more than 30 minutes at a time—especially for passengers who get claustrophobic—is the small size of those rear-side windows. You wouldn’t sacrifice the coupe’s styling for a practical concern like that, though, right? If you really want a two-door, four-seat Mercedes without that issue, wait for the E-Class Cabriolet to roll into your local dealership.

Both two-door E-Class models are pricier than the sedan, and our E400 coupe was loaded down with more than $25,000 of luxurious options. All-wheel drive is a $2,500 option that doesn’t actually come at the cost of lower fuel economy; the E400 4Matic coupe has the same 20/26 mpg city/highway rating as the rear-drive E400 coupe (in Real MPG testing, the car was good for 18.8/29.7 mpg). Standard equipment includes multimode drive settings that can adjust throttle sensitivity, the transmission, and the weight of the steering. A collision braking mitigation system, LED headlights and taillights, and the large 12.3-inch infotainment display with navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are also included. An awesome ambient lighting system is wonderfully integrated into the car’s interior and offers five intensity levels and 64 colors. The all-wheel-drive E400 throws in a feature called Magic Vision Control that might be worth getting on the rear-drive model (for $350) just for its eye-roll-worthy name alone. The E400 coupe’s slim windshield wiper blades have laser-cut holes out of which the washer fluid is released, reducing the chance that fluid will spray over the windshield entirely or run off toward the A-pillars.

Other features on our $86,685 E400 4Matic coupe included a $2,500 AMG styling package that adds sportier design accents on the outside, different 18-inch wheels (19s are available), a black headliner, and a flat-bottom steering wheel that feels great. The adaptive air suspension is $1,900, and although the system can appreciably change the car’s dynamic performance from one mode to another, we’ve not yet driven a nonair-suspension E-Class coupe. Inflating our car’s as-tested price was a $5,400, 1,450-watt Burmester 3-D sound system with 23 speakers (including ceiling-mounted speakers) and a few listening modes. The system sounds great and those ceiling speakers even get some ambient lighting, but we’re guessing most will be satisfied with the available 590-watt Burmester option that has 13 speakers and attractive aluminum speaker grilles. Mercedes’ multi-camera parking aid is a well-executed version of the tech offered by many automakers, but that feature and a head-up display are bundled in the car’s most expensive package. If you actually have a limited budget, consider stopping at the second of three “Premium” packages. You’ll miss out on Mercedes-Benz’s most advanced active safety tech—though I found the adaptive cruise control left too much following distance on its closest setting—but you’ll still get the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, headlights that help you see around corners, and a few other features.

If repair costs on some of the E400 coupe’s cool options don’t scare you, there is another feature I hope a future E-Class coupe will offer—a power-door closer. Just like most luxury coupes, the E400’s doors are long, heavy, and require an awkward reach to close if you get inside and realize you forgot to hold onto the inside of the door to close it as you sit down. So you can either remember to close the door as you get inside or, perhaps on a next-gen E-Class coupe, have the car do it for you.

The E-Class coupe’s extensive options list, interior color combinations, and wood trim choices might be overwhelming to some buyers, but they’re a part of the car’s appeal. As with similar BMWs, most E-Class coupe customers will probably pick a car that most closely matches the options they want from dealer stock, but knowing you have so many ways of customizing your car is a luxury in itself.

The E400 4Matic coupe doesn’t have any direct competitors of a similar size now that the BMW 6 Series is offered in convertible and four-door forms but not as a coupe. That leaves consumers interested in an E-Class coupe to also consider the smaller Audi S5, Lexus RC 350, BMW 440i, Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400, or Cadillac ATS 3.6 coupe. The more expensive E-Class is not really designed to compete against them, but in a segment as ME-oriented as luxury coupes, start your search with designs that speak to you (and view them in person, if possible). The E400 coupe is a solid entry with few competitors, and especially if you’ve got many thousands of dollars to spend on extra-cost colors and interior options, it could be just the car for when the larger S-Class coupe is too ostentatious.

2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 4Matic Coupe BASE PRICE $62,395 PRICE AS TESTED $86,685 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE 3.0L/329-hp/354-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,305 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 113.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 190.0 x 73.2 x 56.3 in 0-60 MPH 5.2 sec QUARTER MILE 13.7 sec @ 102.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.90 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.7 sec @ 0.72 g (avg) REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 18.8/29.7/22.6 mpg EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 20/26/22 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 169/130 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.87 lb/mile