#A family of six I am not comfortable near my shit!!!! A family of six with young children!!! (and no hate on them they ain't done nothing)

[rooksnooks]

Thank fucking god that the human body is 60% liquid because if there wasn't an explanation for how you could cut me open and find burning magma in there I would just die

[taeslarityy]

dirty laundry ༄ dave york one shot (18+)

-> pairing: dark dave york x female reader

-> word count: 2.8k

-> summary: it’s a hot august week at the york’s lake house, which also happens to be the week you and your husband got married one year ago. your father in law — dave york — finds you changing in the laundry room and decides to give you a celebration of his own.

-> warnings/tags: father-in-law dave york, infidelity, dubcon, NON-CON, age gap (reader is 21, dave is nearing 50), SMUT 18+, heavy degradation(whore, slut, bitch), humiliation, dumbification, unprotected piv, sir kink, rough face-fucking, forced creampie, talk of pregnancy, reader is under the impression that she endures forced impregnation, hair pulling, slapping, spanking, semi naive reader, dave is not a cutesy nice man in this.. he honestly has no concern for readers feelings or pleasure. so please, if themes like dubious consent + non-con + blatant cheating are not ur forte, protect ur peace and scroll away!!

-> a/n: okay okay hiiiii. when i decided to participate in @hellishjoel ‘s #hotdilfsummerchallenge, i had a few ideas in mind. one happened to be this! but i felt more comfortable writing for joel and was confident in what i had planned. basically, this is opposite of that. no fluff or happy ending.. or even happy anything. so i wanted to share! thanks again kylee for letting me participate <3 and thank you to my beloved dearest @sweetpascal for aiding me yet again, i love u 🤍

let me know your thoughts!

DARK CONTENT BELOW: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT YOU CONSUME.

A huge part of growth, means acknowledging your mistakes.

When you failed your first semester of college, you knew it was from lack of trying and partying six days a week. So, you studied more and partied four days a week instead. When you slammed your brand new Mercedes into a flag pole, you knew it was from scrolling on Instagram which caused you to push accelerate rather than stop. So, you never went on your phone while driving again.

When you fell in love your sophomore year and decided to get married at twenty, you knew it was because you needed the well-off grad school bachelor, Daniel York. So, inadvertently, you settled. Now, a year later, you're sobbing in his family’s lake house bathroom because he somehow forgot that tonight was the eve of your wedding anniversary.

You feel like a complete and utter idiot. And for once in your life, you just might be. Staring at your reflection, you examine your appearance. You look effortlessly amazing today, after spending the day out on the boat. Hair, body and face all faintly sun-kissed. Your skin freshly shaved, legs and arms lathered in your favorite oil.

This was your final attempt to see if Daniel would stare at you with the same look of admiration he had so long ago. Your first attempt to ask him about starting your own family. Tonight was the night, and you were determined.

Briefly peeking out of the guest bathroom and down the hall, you decide you can rush into the laundry room only a few doors down. Everyone should seemly be downstairs, finishing up a game of Monopoly. You had the pleasure of winning two games in a row, pissing of the frightfully competitive York family. That’s when you decided to call it a night and head up to get ready for bed — bidding everyone a goodbye as you kissed your husband atop his head.

Wrapping your robe securely around your waist, you make your way towards the closed door and enter just as the dryer sings the most obnoxious 45 second tune that confirms the load is finished. Rich people shit, you mutter to yourself. Grabbing your bikini and sundress to hang up first, then laying out a sheer white silk sleeping dress with baby blue lace trim.

Looking back at the closed door, you conclude you should be fine to just throw it on before laying yourself out on your shared bed. Ready for your husband to see you so open and willing to be used by him. As your robe falls to your feet, a slight creek fills the silent space.

Whipping your head back and grabbing the nearest towel to cover yourself, you're met with an alluring glare from your husbands own dad. Your father-in-law, Dave York.

"Dave wha- what are you doing?" You question with a panic laced tone. Completely thrown off by the way he's leaning against the now locked door, hands in his wrinkle-free perfectly fitted black work slacks. His lack of response is louder than the faint trickle from the utility sink your bare-ass is pressed against.

Dave saunters over to you, his pristinely polished shoes clinking heavily with every step despite the minimal weight he's using. It's a commanding presence, shows how he doesn't have to storm over to establish authority. His handsome body towers over you and the faint hairs on your spine rapidly rise at the feeling of his warmth nearing your own naked body. Aside from the small washcloth that covers your crotch and arm across your heavy tits.

His veiny calloused wedding ring-wearing hand reaches next to you, finding the lace on your nightgown satisfyingly soft.

"Look at this, angel. Did you plan on wearing it for my inconsiderate son?" He remarks, looking into your wide eyes as his fingers continue to twist and feel at a piece of clothing that is filling you with an overbearing amount of embarrassment.

"I d- you weren't supposed to see that." The nervous confession brings a crooked grin to Dave's face.

"It's real pretty, just like you. Sexy even.... but I wouldn't waste my time putting something like this on for Daniel." Shaking his head at your frazzled state and utilizing that dismissive tone he does so well.

"W-why?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance at your innocent unknowing voice, Dave reaches a hand to slowly move your arm that's covering your plush chest. "Because, he left 10 minutes ago. Waved bye to me as I pulled into the driveway."

Now you're really fucking confused. Your husband never goes off without texting you to let you know, and why would he leave you alone at his parents home? Especially on the night prior to your anniversary.

"I don't understand. Did he tell you where he was going?" You probe at him, not processing the way his rough fingertips are skimming over your navel, up across your chest. Suddenly, you yelp as he pinches your pebbled nipple and grips under your adjacent perky breast. Your hand quickly grabs at his wrist, but he slaps it away — holding it at your waist.

"You really have nothing going on in that head of yours, huh? Just floating around being the perfect little wife for my son, is that right? Too stupid and blind to see that your husband cheats on you every living moment and only married you because you're nothing more than a sweet voice who’s gentle on the eyes." His painful out-of-pocket words paired with the twisting of your nipples has heavy tears brimming at your lashes. "Kind of him to make sure you're gentle on his old mans eyes too.... we always did share a type."

"Fuck you," you spit at him. You've never dared be rude to Dave, or anyone for that matter. But his condescending temper, sudden violations to your privacy paired with the already upsetting feelings you've been enduring today was a breaking point. As you rip your hand from his grasp prepared to rush out of the room, he grabs your throat in a vice grip. Landing a brutal smack on your cheek that causes your head to turn from the impact, just for him to use that same hand to yank your hair back to a straight position. Body now pressed against your own — you feel the washcloth protecting your femininity drop at your bare feet in terror.

"Hmm. Never heard you cuss before, sweetheart. Thought I taught my son to train his wife better than that."

A heavy tear streams down your now red swollen cheek, as you take in the hurtful message your father in law is clarifying. You're nothing but a piece of fuck meat, a trophy wife. But clearly not honored enough for your husband to use you. Humiliatingly, the way Dave's clothed body is up against your own, has your exposed cunt throbbing and leaking down your legs for him. You were good enough for Dave York, and that was an honor within itself.

"'M sorry," you murmur at the feel of his covered thigh spreading your leg and nudging into your soaked pussy.

Dave chuckles at your nearly cock drunk state, "haven't even touched you and your leaking on my dress pants. No wonder he keeps you around, you're just a perfect little slut willing to please."

"Y- yeaah," you sigh lightly humping his thigh, even though Dave didn't even ask a question. Something within you just wanted him to understand your body was his to use, despite both your sacred dedications to other partners. People so close to you. His son, your husband. Your mother-in-law, his wife.

He swiftly moves his thigh from between your legs, pinching your cheeks so they're puckered willing you to look at him with those glossed over doe-eyes he fucking leaks over. "Use that head and address me properly."

Your head swarms for a second, worried of his reaction to an incorrect title. Testing the waters, you whine, "yes, sir." The words muffled by the tight hold he has on your face.

With a sinister grin on his face, Dave pushes you down on the solid tile — hand still threaded through your hair to ensure your head movement is in his control.

"Look at that, your brain does work. Let's see about that mouth."

Yanking the zipper down, he pulls his semi-hard cock out and slaps it on your cheek, precum smearing slightly. As you eye his cock, you come to the realization that he's slightly bigger than his son at half mast, and you're gonna have to calm yourself to handle a monster like that.

"Are you gonna show me how good you take a cock down your throat? With those dick-sucking porn worthy lips?" Dave peers down at you. He has started to jerk himself to full length, his thumbs barely touching around his width.

"Yes, sir. I am."

The way your eyelids flutter up at him, so docile and unaware of just how vicious Dave intends to be on your needy body. It unlocks that fundamental primal male urge that he normally suppresses during sex.

"Open your mouth, bitch." As your tongue lolls out of your mouth obediently, a dribble of spit going down your chin to your neck to your tits gleams in the soft light. Dave grins as he stuffs two fingers in your mouth, touching at your sensitive uvula. You instantly attempt suppressing your rare gag reflex, body unprepared for his actions. "Nice job, knew you were meant to have your mouth filled."

Dave rips his fingers from you and smears the thick string of saliva across your face — slapping you across the face, rather gentle than before. As he grabs his cock and lines it up with your mouth, you inhale deeply. Seemly more aware of how Dave likes to be. Callous, straight-forward and dominant.

Before you can suck him into your mouth, Dave spits right on his cock — some of it landing on your moisturized lips — just to slam himself down your throat. Your eyes spring open looking up at him, polished hands gripping at his slack-covered thighs. You feel your left over slick on his right pant leg. The taste of his long day is heavy on your tongue as his balls nuzzle at your chin. You're overwhelmed with his scent. The hair at the base of his cock tickles your nose, stud piercing almost getting caught.

"Riiiight there, that's fucking it. What a real fucking whore."

Dave lets his head fall backwards, eyes on the ceiling as he feels you sputter around him, your spit dripping heavily down his balls and onto the tile between his legs. He's unsure on how long he looks upwards, until he feels the digging of your fingertips into him. When he looks down, your eyes are bulging — about to roll into the back of your skull. So he pulls off of you.

Your belligerent cough is almost too loud for comfort, so Dave jerks his cock and plops his full balls into your mouth. And like the eager girl you are, you suck them into your mouth. Licking at the seam between them, letting them bounce off of your tongue. You lick downwards, tonguing at his delicate perineum. That small but dirty act makes him groan loudly. Loud enough for someone on the second floor to hear.

Realizing he's getting too comfortable, he goes back to filling your mouth. Alternating between shallow fucking of the throat and just letting it bulge inside. His big hands wrapping around your neck to jerk himself through the thin hump of protruding skin.

When he hears the shrewd screech of his name from the mouth of his wife downstairs, he pulls out swiftly and yanks you up, hoisting your leg onto the counter. Prodding his cock head at your now unbelievably soaked entrance.

Your mind is hazy and disorientated concerning what's about to happen. You feel like you've barely had any time to process the fact that your father in law is treating you like a common street whore. So, when he pushes into you, a wailing shriek escapes you.

Dave slaps his heavy hand around your mouth from behind, pushing in balls deep but not before releasing a moan of his own.

"Better shut that mouth before I stuff something in there... good god. How is that cunt so damn tight? You're snug around me, guess you're not a slut after all. Tight pussy but loose throat, just how I like it."

Dave proceeds with his relentless thrusts into your aching cunt. You don't remember the last time you were filled so thoroughly. It makes you forget how fucked up this situation truthfully is.

As Dave's cock is slamming into your cervix over and over, you feel your lower stomach tightening. He feels it too. Dave has been holding in his orgasm since you first fell to your knees and gave him those fuck toy eyes. So before you can cum all over him, he grabs you by the neck from the front and puts your ear right by his mouth so he can relay his special message.

"My son told me you've been begging him for a baby... how sweet. You just wanna be a mama, huh? Or maybe, you think having one will fix your relationship. Just reminds me how stupid you are. If a kid could save a marriage, my wife and I would've been happy ever since she pushed that little shit out. But, I'm gonna make it even better for you, sweetheart...."

Dave pushes to the hilt as you cum around him, whimpering behind his hand. Eager to hear his words, simultaneously terrified.

"Gonna cum inside and get you pregnant myself."

You scream into his hand, trying to push him away from you, trying to get yourself away from his spearing cock. All your effort does is push him in deeper, your body going lax at how stuffed you are.

"Don't fight me, angel. Just take it..." You feel his warm cum spilling into you, your body quivering. "Good... so good. I already feel your body sucking up my cum.. eager for it. Eager to be round with your father in law's baby. What will it call me? Grand-dad?" He snickers into your ear as he releases your body. You just lay there, half your limp limbs hanging off the counter.

Dave watches his thick white liquid drip out of you, and down your inner thighs. He pats your ass and tucks himself back into his slacks.

"Don't worry too much. Daniel looks just like me, he'll never find out his kid is actually his half-sibling. That is unless you tell him. You want him to find out you were on your knees being a slut for his, daddy?" Dave questions you. You don't speak a word. Just staring at the piped detailing on the cupboard that holds all the scented detergents.

"Just go, please. So I can clean myself up." Those few begging words take the reminanets of your little energy.

Dave grabs your now wrinkly nightgown and robe, pulling you off the counter so you're forced to stand in front of him. Body spent, his finger prints have left slight indents on various parts of you that you're positive will bruise in the days to come. You realize now, there's no way your husband can see you uncovered for weeks.

"You're gonna put this slutty outfit on and walk your ass into his room, with my cum dripping down your legs. He's been waiting for you, sweetheart."

Your jaw drops at his demand. Disgusted yet your cunt clenches at the filth of it all.

"I thought you said he left?"

Dave just smiles at you like you're a mindless child. You almost fall to the floor in despair at the discovery of what a lying sick bastard Dave has revealed himself to be. You don't know what to do. You've caught yourself up in this twisted game and as of now, there's no way out.

So, you throw the soft lace over your head and run your fingers through your hair attempting to fix your appearance. As you unlock the door, Dave places a gentle hand on your waist and kisses the top of your head. You hear him inhale your scent before he pushes you out of the door and watches you meander to his son's room, a slight limp in your legs.

You look at him, distain on your face as you open the door to find your husband scrolling on his phone. With an arrogant look spread across his face — "Where have you been?"

Dave hears the click of the door lock setting in place. As he walks towards the stairwell, he can't help but laugh at the memory of his vasectomy he received many years ago.

thank you truly for reading! let me know your thoughts below or in asks!! reblogs are greatly appreciated <3

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

🦐 to recognize my post

Am I the asshole for asking my grandmother if I can move in with her?

This’ll be one of your classic reddit-style family dramas, I think. Back in late 2019 just before COVID, I (freshly 18 at the time) had run away from home with my mom and moved in with my best friend (R, 17 in 2019) and her (60s, deeply depressed) dad. Her dad and I were on good terms for a long time, but respectfully, he has a tendency to repress any issues he has with someone until they build into a bigger issue. Near toward November of 2020, he kicked me out on account of ‘not keeping a job and not doing anything around the house’ (I washed stagnant dishes often, took care of their several animals, and took out trash whenever I could, R and I think he was projecting his shitty roommates from when he was 20 onto me), so I needed a new place to move.

My own beloved father lives ten hours away, and offered for me to live with him. For months, I was preparing to pick up my entire life from the hometown I had lived in since I was 2 years old to move to a new state, and in the last month, I got cold feet and said I couldn’t make such a large change like that. My dad completely understood, and I went to look for a new place to stay, still living with R and her dad at this time.

During this period, I was getting closer with my grandmother on my mom’s side again. She was one of the few family members I felt comfortable with, and we often went to Panera for lunch dates to catch up on things. I won’t go super deep into why I’m so anxious about the rest of the family, because that would require an entire several page google document to explain (especially now that we’re actively banned from holidays).

It was around this time I asked my grandmother if I could move into one of her five or six spare rooms upstairs. My grandfather had died in the last couple of months, and I was confident that if she needed any help (she’s in her mid eighties) moving things upstairs or cleaning the house, I would be beyond glad to do it for her. She then hesitated and said it may be a better idea for me to move in with my dad after all (which was odd, because she hates my dad’s guts, as does the rest of my family), and I let it go after that. I didn’t push, I would just need to find a new place. 

Well, word got around, and she told my aunts and older cousins in passing. I don’t remember if I got sent anything in specific, but one of my aunts (mother’s older sister who I'm genuinely terrified of) absolutely fucking exploded on my (54 at the time) mom, giving her a several paragraph long shitstorm of a message saying she was a terrible mother for letting me take advantage of my grandmother, calling her horrible things, slurs, and insulting her wife, and it got back to me somehow. I was fucking shredded apart emotionally.

Since then, I have moved back in with my mother out of necessity and we have totally reconciled our relationship in the three or so years I’ve been home, and my entire mother’s side of the family- aside from my grandmother- has completely cut contact and don’t invite us to holidays anymore, for significantly more ridiculous reasons than me asking my grandmother what I did.

My mother’s side of the family ostracized her, myself, and my sister since my mother first married my dad 25ish years ago, and has just never treated her the same since, which explains some of the hostility (I want to specify, I’m confident that my mother did nothing outright wrong for this, my family is extremely far-right and EXTREMELY judgemental, and my mom bore unnecessary vitrol for everything she went through), but I need to know if I was actually the asshole for asking to move in with my grandmother, who even now still cares about me as family and lives alone. I could give less of a shit what my aunt thinks now (she lives an entire day’s drive away, in a different state as well), but I can’t help but shake the fear that I was actually taking advantage of her kindness or something of the sort. Was this a wrong thing to ask? Was this actually too much, and should I not have bothered?

What are these acronyms?

[nattysstargirl]

Alone, again.

Mafia!Wanda Maximoff X Reader angst

Brief Mafia!Pietro Maximoff X Reader

Short blurb

Age gap (undisclosed)

I thought the way Pietro treated me was bad, but it was nothing compared to what his sister has done. From him I expect nothing less than selfishness and disloyalty, but her? No. It has been a week since we slept together for the second time and I awoke in her room alone again. I was disappointed and wished that she would have woken me to say goodbye, but I didn’t for a second doubt that we would talk later in the day.

The rose-tinted glasses I have worn since I was old enough to think Wanda Maximoff was a mixture of superhero and goddess, have left me vulnerable to the fact that she is as capable as her brother of using and discarding women. At least Pietro never pretended to be anything different. He told me explicitly that he didn’t love me right before we had sex.

Wanda sucked me in. She gave me a taste of what I have craved for so long. I felt safe with her, protected. My eyes roll every time I think of the warmth I felt when she called me baby or my darlin’. How naive and stupid was I that I thought that meant she cared at all for me? Wherever she has been sleeping this week, she has probably been whispering the same sweet words into another woman’s ear.

My cheeks redden with the humiliation I can’t shake. The feeling that I am pathetic. All I am worth is a political marriage. My mother can’t see me past her self-obsession and my father, he sees me as a pawn in his miniature game of thrones. My half-brother fucking kidnapped me, for goodness sake. The fact remains that the only person who I have ever truly felt loved by is Bucky and he has been lying to me too.

He spends more time with Sam than he does with me now anyway and I feel our special bond slipping away. I’m glad I have Natasha, but our friendship is still new. We bond over work dramas, the gym members who hit on us, and all the normal bullshit. We hang out, but she doesn’t know all the inner workings of my complicated life. The past week I have been a zombie.

I don’t want to speak with anyone. I have stayed at the Maximoff house because being near my parents would only make me more miserable, but I haven’t seen Wanda. I snuck into her room the first night in the wee hours of the morning and she wasn’t there. Her bed was still as I had made it that morning. The second day I text her.

Y/N: Hey? Is everything ok?

But I didn't get a response. That was when I knew that she was avoiding me. There was no alarm in the rest of the family that she was missing or out of touch. It was just me she avoided. Bucky tried to comfort me. He called his cousin all sorts of names and was on my side. But he kept pushing me back towards Pietro. His solution to my heartbreak was for me to throw myself into my sham marriage.

“You’re only saying that because it’s what the Famiglia wants!” I screamed at him. “When did you stop giving a shit about me!”

The guilt on his face told me I was right. He was working toward an agenda, not caring about his oldest friend. Interestingly, Piet has been nice this week. His cheerfulness has been a reprieve from all the angst. He took me out for brunch on the third day and although it was nice, his hand on my lower back as we walked through the cafe felt wrong. He is the only one who seems to get how shit it is to have your life at total mercy to what the Famiglia dictates.

We have bonded over our mutual hatred of the control being exerted over us. Now, it’s six nights since I last saw Wanda and I’ve sent several texts which have all received no response. Miserable, I sneak into her room again. I can’t sleep and pathetically, I think maybe if she still isn’t there, I could just sleep in her bed.

Maybe her scent on her pillows will help me drift off. I pad barefoot down the hallway wearing one of Bucky’s massive t-shirts and slip into Wanda’s room. I pause, allowing my eyes to adjust to the dark room before tip-toeing toward the bed. A dark form lies entangled in the blankets. She is home. She’s here and she didn’t reply to a single text or check I am ok. I want to throw things at her sleeping body. Wake her up with my hurt screams.

But instead, I walk around to the other side of the bed and slip under the covers. I crawl over to her and turn around so my back is to her. I rest my head gently on the bicep of her outstretched arm and she instinctively pulls me in close, curling her body around mine. I loathe how good it feels. My eyes fill with tears and my heart with self-hatred.

“Y/N,” Wanda groans, sleepy and exasperated, a few moments later.

“I hate you,” I reply, my voice thick as I battle the tears threatening to fall.

She is silent for a moment and then sighs. “I know, baby. I hate myself too. Go to sleep.”

And I do. In her arms, I slip into the easiest sleep I have had all week. I know that the morning will bring with it more heartache. She will push me away again. But for now, I feel safe and exactly where I’m meant to be. I wake up before Wanda. She is still wrapped around me, and every fiber of my being cries out for me to burrow deeper into her arms and go back to sleep. Thankfully, I have a tiny bit of self-preservation left, and instead, I gently peel her off me and creep back to my own bed. Sliding into the cold sheets feels like salt in the wounds of the past week, but I do it because I can’t bear the thought of waking alone in her bed again.

[youssefguedira]

Some prompt ideas for you!

Nicky and Quynh as best friends, doing some ritual or activity together that they used to do before, again after she escapes from the sea and is healing

Andy as a baby immortal, doing some dumb dangerous shit. Maybe she's doing it to help someone and it's an external pov a la your "I have seen angels in my time" series?

Joe and Lucia after he and Nicky go back to find her. Maybe he's tentative about whether she'll understand or accept them being in love, they have a serious conversation, and then it turns into her telling him embarrassing baby/teenager Nicky Stories?

Absolutely love your writing and your Lucia stories are currently some of my absolute favorites ❤️

hellooooo i know you sent this forever ago but i have been thinking about family and Them lately so. this is set a couple years after the end of if i ask you to stay wherein nicky and joe have returned to stay with lucia for a bit ! it's not quite joe being nervous about whether she'll accept them or not (she largely already has) but it DOES turn into embarassing teenage nicky stories so i hope you enjoy

"Yusuf, come help me with this," Lucia says.

It's become something of a ritual, and so Yusuf is now comfortable joining her at the counter as she splits the dough into two parts and passes one to him. Outside, Nicolò is herding the goats towards the hills and having only partial success; one of the kids splits off from the herd and starts charging back towards the house, making Nicolò curse loudly enough that they can hear him faintly through the window. Lucia chuckles.

"I am glad he will have you, you know," she says. She tosses a handful of flour over the counter and begins to knead the dough. Yusuf follows suit. "After."

They don't talk about after often, even if all three of them know. For the most part, Yusuf tries not to think about it, and he knows Nicolò does the same, though it haunts every single thing they do, a constant shadow. There are still nights where Nicolò barely speaks, overcome by it.

"Did he ever tell you why our father sent him to seminary?" she continues.

"Enough," Yusuf says.

Lucia hums. She's quiet for a while. Outside, Nicolò resorts to picking up the wayward kid and carrying it with him while he herds the rest; it busies itself chewing on his sleeve.

"I only ever wanted him to be happy," she says. "When he left for the seminary I had hoped that it would bring him some kind of peace, even if it was not what he chose. But then he decided to go to Jerusalem, and, well. He never did tell me why. And I did not think about it beyond the fact that it was taking him away, and that I would likely never see him again. He has not told me many details about what happened to him - to you both - there, but I understand enough. But even despite all of it, I am glad he found you in the end."

"I am too," Yusuf says quietly.

"He was always so..." She waves one hand in the air as if searching for the right word, scattering a light cloud of flour that shimmers in the morning sun. "Uncertain. But he seems so much more settled, around you." She smiles at him, and Yusuf cannot do anything but smile back.

There is not much more to be said, after that. Nicolò has put the kid down, and now it bounces after him, dancing around him in circles and almost tripping him up at least three times. It makes him curse again, but he's smiling too much for it to be convincing. It makes Yusuf smile, too. They finish kneading the do

"He spent almost all his time with them when he came to visit," Lucia says, nodding towards the window. "The kids loved him. He would sit down and let them climb all over him. They used to chew on his hair."

Yusuf can imagine it clearly: fifteen-year-old Nicolò, still growing, letting five or six baby goats clamber all over him.

"There was this one doe, though, who hated him," she continues. "She would let anyone else near, but not him. She used to bite at his heels every time he came near. She chased him up a tree, once. I found him halfway up. He'd forgotten that goats climb trees, too."

Yusuf laughs out loud, and it's at that moment that the door swings open, and Nicolò's voice echoes through the house. "No, no, piccola," he's saying, "you have to stay outside."

When he comes into the kitchen, he's holding the kid, who has given up on chewing his sleeve and is now trying to reach his hair, refusing to be deterred even though he keeps pushing her away. He's so caught up in this task that he doesn't notice them both watching him straight away, and when he does pauses like he's been caught doing something he shouldn't. "What?" he asks, looking between them.

"Nothing," Lucia says before Yusuf can say anything. Nicolò looks between them again, before shaking his head and carrying the goat over to the table.

"New friend?" Yusuf asks him.

"She won't leave me alone," Nicolò says.

"Nicolò," Lucia says, "do you remember the name of that goat that chased you up the tree? I couldn't seem to recall."

Nicolò blinks, then sighs. "Tell me you didn't tell Yusuf that story."

"Not all of it," Yusuf says innocently.

Nicolò groans. Yusuf laughs, and so does Lucia.

The shadow is still there, yes. But even though he complains, for a moment Nicolò's shoulders seem more relaxed, and the sun seems just a little brighter.

[autisticlancemcclain]

Hunk is awoken, quite rudely in his opinion, by the slam of a door, an all-too-loud “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNK!” and the unmistakably painful feeling of his dumbass best friend’s bony ass running and jumping straight on his poor, unsuspecting body.

“I hate you,” Hunk says, once he’s recovered his breath and his body no longer feels like one giant bruise. (How someone who is essentially a bean stalk can cause so much damage is beyond him.) “Like, not joking.”

Lance squiggles around until he’s lying comfortably (still on Hunk’s person, the little shit), grinning sunnily with his hands tucked under his chin. “False. You love me. You think I am charming.”

“I think you’re a menace,” Hunk responds, but doesn’t argue the first part. As much as Lance is a giant pain in the ass, Hunk really does love him.

Ugh.

“I will, however, judo flip you onto the cold hard floor if you don’t get off me in three seconds.”

Hearing the genuine threat in Hunk’s voice (it is not the first or last time Hunk has picked Lance up like a sack of flour and thrown him on the nearest soft surface), Lance scrambles to comply, sitting at the edge of the bed and pouting.

“You’re being mean. You’re a meanie.”

Hunk smirks. “Can’t call me names on my birthday.”

Lance rolls his eyes. “Whatever, butthead. Hurry up and get dressed so you can meet everybody in the kitchen for Birthday Boy Breakfast. I kept Shiro and Keith out of the kitchen at gunpoint, so the food is actually edible.”

Hunk thinks back to the thick black smoke that had filled the castle halls the one and only time Shiro was allowed near the stove, and the still-there hole in the ceiling from Keith’s only attempt.

“Good call.”

“Yep. Only the best for you, Hunky.”

———

Hunk gets ready as slowly as he possibly can, just to be contrary. Also as revenge for Lance body-slamming him, but mostly just because he thinks it’s funny. He is pretty excited, though, so he doesn’t take too long.

He likes celebrating with his family. They may be a group of weirdos who do strange things like break into his workshop at the dead of night to reorganise everything like nocturnal cleaning fairies (thanks, Pidge), but still. It’s always fun.

He’s greeted by a chorus of birthday wishes the second he steps foot in the kitchen, tackled by Allura and Pidge in a hug that nearly knocks him clean off his feet.

“Thanks, guys,” he says, grinning.

Shiro smiles warmly at him, patting him on the back as he sits down and sliding a slice of cake in front of him.

“Lance made sure I had nothing to do with it,” he promises. He glares playfully at the man in question, who has no qualms about sticking his tongue out like an eight year old.

“Everybody say ‘thank you, Lance, for ensuring we don’t get poisoned’,” Lance teases.

“Rude!” Shiro exclaims, at the same time everyone thanks Lance as loudly as possible.

Hunk is shaking his head fondly as he takes a bite, so he’s distracted, and so the flavour of the cake is something of a surprise. He has to close his eyes in bliss as the sharp sweetness reminds him so achingly of home.

“How did you manage to make this taste like pineapple?”

“That was me,” Pidge says, pushing her glasses up her nose and smirking. “With the endless and terrifying power granted to me by the universe, I created for you of my own magical hands a small taste of home —”

“She has been trying through trial and error to genetically engineer a pineapple for six months,” Keith interjects drily. “I was the taste tester. I have tasted some horrors that are truly beyond your comprehension. Happy birthday.”

“Hey!” Pidge complains. She looks to Coran. “Coran, he stole my thunder!”

Coran smiles. “Yes, dear. I heard.”

She glares as Keith smirks at her. “Do something!”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Well, you either ground him or I fight him, so there’s two options. And my fists are already up.”

When Coran fails to do anything other than snort in amusement, Pidge stays true to her word, lunging for Keith, whose expression shifts rapidly from smug to terrified. He shrieks (Pidge is small and Pidge is vicious), sprinting to hide behind Allura, who immediately says “I do not love you enough to take that particular bullet for you,” and shoves him back in Pidge’s direction.

God, space birthdays are the fuckin’ best. Nowhere else in the universe does Hunk get to watch this much stupid drama take place unironically as he eats cake.

He in Lance watch in amusement as Pidge does her level best to murder Keith without actually killing him as Allura shouts encouragement. Coran cuts himself a large slice of cake, totally nonplussed by Keith’s yells of betrayal.

It takes Shiro longer than usual to separate them. Keith must have pissed him off, recently.

“Best birthday ever,” Hunk says pleasantly, once everyone has finally made their way to the table.

He means it.

[angelforstyles]

Lonely (together) Chapter Two

Harry’s POV

I wake up at 5 am, and I couldn’t go to sleep again so i go downstairs to the gym. I finished almost 7 o’clock. I feed my cat Grey (she’s black) then I ate breakfast and shower before I went to work. Usually I work from eight until five sometimes six pm. I took the elevator to my office, my assistant gave me my schedule and we got through the meetings and dinners i needed to go to this week. I can handle everything at my company, the difficult clients, the precautions, the pressure, but I still hate those fucking dinners with fake faces.

I went out of my office at 6. I have nothing to do for the rest of the night. So i pull my car to her apartment and get out of my car. Since she’s the only one who lives in the building, that means the lights belong to her apartment. I couldn’t know what room this is but there’s a shadow moving inside. I keep watching until the lights turn off.

I stayed a bit longer, then got to my place. I keep reading the files over and over again. I searched about all her family members, her parents have no relatives nor does she. I made for myself food and turned on the TV and watched a movie. It’s 11 pm so I went to bed I rarely go out especially since I gave up on dating. Everyone is so boring and only go out with me for my money. For now the only creatures I care about are Grey and Angel. I slept until 6 am and woke up and did it all over again.

I go near her work building around 3 pm act busy while I look around. She passed right away and went to the grocery store. I go right behind her and grab random things. “Hi, what a coincidence” am i fucking nervous? Shit. “Oh” she smiles softly. “Where do you live? We must live so close to each other” we actually do, it just 10 minutes walking. “Near” she mumbled and turned to face me I almost lost it. She wore long pants, the pants so tight on thighs, tempting to bite. The same white shoes and pink crop top so low, I looked at her breasts line and between them a red rose necklace. Fuck me. And an oversize unbuttoned white shirt. “Going to work?” There is no way I am serious. “Hmm” she sook her head no. She looked up at me with her wide blue eyes, they were a bit watery and so tired. She bit her lip and turned around and walked away. When we got out I called her “Lillian” she looked at me she’s an Angel. “can I have your number?”, she walked away without looking back. I wanna die.

Lillian’s POV

My heart throbs so hard while I’m walking (running) to my apartment, when I saw him I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know what’s getting into me. But I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Two days later I have a day off so there I am, setting in the coffee shop and reading. I don’t like to go outside but i needed to. Besides this place is not crowded at all. There’s barely three people.

I was so busy reading that I didn’t notice that someone was standing next to me until he said “Is this chair taken?” Green eyes looked down at me with so perfect curls around that beautiful face, so pink lips, and so cute nose. Old band shirt, tattooed arms, a cross necklace, and fingers full of rings, will be okay if I sketch his hands and lips? STOP! .

I shook my head no. He set. I feel my heart beating so fast in my chest. “Reading huh” he smile at me and god. He’s so gorgeous. “What are you reading?” I flip my book and show him. “Never Let Me Go, about what?” I can’t breathe, I can’t talk. “Um.. ahh- a.. just start it” “ you know I watched the movie, it was amazing i am sure you will like it” then why you asking me?.

movies? I hate movies. I watched a couple back then when the girls did movie night, and I never liked it. I hate watching TV, the only thing I watch is Barney and the last time I watched it when I moved to my apartment and was too scared so I rewatched. Comforts me.

“Will see” i mumble, “what’s your favourite movie?” He moved his chair closer to the table and put his cup on the table, black coffee, like mine. “I don’t have one”, “no way everybody has favourite movie” I smiled, i couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Okay what’s your favourite book?”, yes i can answer that. “There is a lot of, but now I think The Course of Love” looked at my lap “that’s a good book! I read it twice” he said and his smile got bigger. We sit for a couple minutes in silence. “What’s you do for work?”, “write short articles..you?” “Where can i read them?” He asked, where? No where. “Um.. they never been published” I said and my heart sank. “Why?” He looked at me expressionlessly. “I'm a beginner, and there are better writers than me who just want me for my ideas and they pay me well”. He said nothing. “You?” I said after a few seconds without looking up. “Me.. I work at a security company” wow he must feel safe all the time and— “let go out sometimes” he asked me to go on date with him or w— “you know as friends do?” Oh.. of course he doesn’t want to date me who wants? “Um sure” “give me your number” I put my number on his phone with trembling hands, please god don’t let him notice. He said See you soon and go out then I took a breath I didn't know I was holding it back.

A week passed and Harry still didn't text me, I was starting to think he didn't want to hang out with me (not that I really want to hang out with a stranger I didn't know anything about or that I'm waiting for him) but he asked for my number! It had to be something right?

It was Saturday and the girls wanted to go out for drinks, I had gotten home from work and hadn't slept so l was feeling a little dizzy. I made myself a sandwich and a fruit smoothie then i drank coffee because I looked like a zombie.

I took a shower and dried my hair but kept my curls then did my make up, deep sharp black cat eyeliner with warm soft eyeshadow, concealer and a light blush, it was going to be a bit hot and my cheeks will turn red so..

I put on some lip gloss I didn't want to wear lipstick because my eyes make up was too much.

I put on a black skirt that went up to the middle of my thighs, with a dark red silk top, I put on red high heels (I'll regret the pain tomorrow) and my red bag. I was wearing my usual necklace and small pink earrings and two rings.

llooked at myself in the mirror one last time. I won't drink but I definitely need to glow a little because my energy has been so low lately.

It was only 6pm but the girls wanted to get out early. I walked to the bar, it was about 15 minutes away. When I walked in it was very warm and loud even though it wasn't very crowded.

I spotted the girls and there were the four guys too. I slowly walked over to them until Joll saw me. "Oh my god you look amazing." She hugged me tightly, a faint smell of alcohol coming from her. The rest of the girls hugged me and then I went with Ami and her boyfriend to the bar to get them more drinks.

I ordered a Sprite with lemon. I'm not a big fan of soda but it made me feel a little better since I don't drink. I sit in the edge of the booth and there was a conversation going on around the table. After about half an hour the girls were almost drunk. I got up and went to the bathroom. I needed to be in quiet place for a moment.

I walked out of the bathroom and on my way out the hallway, a man grabbed my wrist. "You look beautiful" Panic rose inside me and I pulled my hand away and tried to walk but he blocked my way. "Please step away" "There's no chance I'm leaving this beauty" | tried to walk past him but he wouldn't move away until I felt tears about to fall. Only seconds later I heard Meiie's voice "Are you okay?" Her boyfriend behind her looked at me for a second then his hand flew to grab the man's neck

"Did you know how stupid you have to be to bother a woman?"

I moved away until I was behind Meiie then she whispered in my ear "Did he hurt you?" | shook my head no. Then we went to the table again. I tried to recover but my hands were still shaking and I felt the edge of a panic attack but I tried to distract myself.

A few minutes later my phone vibrated under my hand. I lifted it to see and then stopped breathing, distraction itself came into my hands.

Unknown number: Hi.

Unknown number: it's Harry.

Harry: How are you?.

Oh. my. god. My heart is beating so hard in my chest

Me: Hi Harry, I'm fine. How are you?

Harry: Good.

Harry: Are you up for dinner? It's been a busy week, and I'm only free for today.

Harry: If you're not free, that's fine we can find another time.

Oh god what should i say?

Me: I'm out with my friends but we're going out soon.

It was about 7 and the day didn't end yet, but i wanna go home too.

Harry: So you can have dinner with me?.

With me

Me: I think so

30 seconds ..

Harry: Do you want me to pick you up?.

Me: where is the place?

Harry: Location.

Me: It's close to me, i will walk, Thanks though <3

Harry: Good.

I said goodbye to the girls and then left, nervous and adrenaline pounding my body. My heart was beating like crazy and I felt like I was going to die. The panic of the man who had cornered me had gone away but my stomach pain was growing with tension. I looked too much good for dinner with someone who was like a "friend".

I walked for ten minutes until I reached a restaurant. It was a small but fancy restaurant in the corner. I walked in without looking around and headed straight to the bathroom. I closed the door and took a few deep breaths, I looked in the mirror and I was like— I didn't even know what to say about myself.

My skirt was really short, how did I get out of the house in it? I tried to lower it a little and pull my top down a little to cover my stomach, but either my thighs would come out a lot or my stomach or my breasts. For once I regretted not bringing a jacket. I adjusted my makeup a little and tried to reduce it, but the eyeliner was the problem. I didn't wipe it off because it was going to be a mess. I took a deep breath and left. I looked around and saw Harry's back in the corner to the right facing the door. Did he saw me when I walked into the restaurant?

I quietly walked to a table. "Hi" I said in a low voice. I wasn't sure if he heard me. He got up from his seat. "Hi, Lillian." He's wearing a black suit with half unbuttoned shirt, his tattoos almost visible, and the cross silver necklace on his chest, his hair a bit greasy but his curly sit on his shoulders perfectly. And his shiny rings tempt me to play with them, but i look at the table and sat next to him, not facing him. My back to the rest

of the restaurant. I don't know why, but I felt a bit comfortable with my slightly exposed skin now. One person staring at my skin was better than an entire restaurant. I need to pay more attention to what I wear next time.

"I didn't make you leave your friends behind, Right?" | wanted to get out of there anyway. "No" | smiled.

The server came to take our drinks orders. Harry ordered a red wine and looked at me, and I lowered my gaze to the table.

"Water, please," | said, holding out the napkins on the table.

The server walked away and Harry said, "Are you sure? They have great wine, or would you like champagne?" I shook my head. "Thanks," | mumbled. "Where did you and your friends go?"

"Um.. bar" I said quietly, "hm you don't look drunk" I looked at him "I don't drink" The server interrupted us with the drinks and menu.

"How's work?" he asked. "Good, you?" "Today was slow but I got a lot of stuff done so that counts as an accomplishment." | nodded.

"When are your days off?" | sipped my water. "Every Sunday." | said

"One day?" I nodded. "Did you know that's against the terms of any job?" "I signed off on a one-day. No compulsion." I felt the heat run through my entire body from his deep, calm voice, from the prices of the food, from my exposed skin to him, and from the fact that we were talking as if we had known each other for a long time, and also because I was with a person for dinner whom I had only met three times in passing on the street and once in a coffee shop.

There was a good chance he was dangerous, stop it

I didn't feel hungry after flipping through the menu at least three times. There was a caesar salad and pasta.

I had to choose one of the two dishes because it was very expensive and I couldn't afford it, the cost of one dish is the same as what l literally spend on the grocery store for a whole month.

"Are you done?" Harry asked and I nodded. He raised his hand to the server to came over. "What would you like?" Harry said softly. I pointed to the pasta on the menu without taking my eyes off it.

"Caesar salad, chicken salad, two medium steak, two mushroom soup, alfredo pasta, shrimp pasta and margherita" he said to the server.

My eyes were wide open, I couldn't believe it, the restaurant was so expensive. The waiter left and I said to Harry, "Are you sure? You ordered a lot" "You should try it, it's delicious, in fact one of the best." "But I can't afford it." I whispered to him, his eyes narrowed a little and his brows furrowed. "We'll see." He said dryly

We sat in silence for a few minutes, "Did you know that this restaurant has been around for over sixty years?" I looked up to meet his, smiling slightly. "Wow." I smiled to him.

"Did you graduate from college?" I nodded "This summer",

"What was your major?", "English Literature and Translation"

"Interesting. why did you choose it?", "I like reading." Silence again.

"What did you major in?"

"Business."

"How old are you?" he asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Twenty one" My cheeks flushed and I hoped they didn't turn red. "You?" "Twenty seven"

What. the. hell!!!! He's old!

llooked at him for a few seconds, a smile on his face that I hoped would be etched in my memory. My stomach was filled with a strange feeling, and the weather so hot I might pass out.

Then the food arrived in a few seconds.

I came back to reality and realized how much food there was.

I hadn't reached out to eat yet because Harry kept putting some of everything on my plate and on his plate too. Until he was done and then he said, "You okay?" My cheeks burned again, a shiver ran down my toes and I felt heat all over my body, no one has ever put food out like that for me before.

Harry's POV

She was wearing a tight top I could see the edges of her bra.

Her thighs were so full and I feel my pants tingling. She was trembling a little as she played with her necklace and bit her lip from time to time. The food arrived and I put some of everything for her and for me.

We started eating but she was eating so slowly that for a moment I thought she didn't want to eat. But then I remembered when she mentioned it was expensive. "I have an idea" I said and she jumped "Hmm?" Her eyes a little watery

"Dinner is on me this time, next time we can share" she smiled

"please no, we can share, it's okay", "yes next time" I said harshly and her face was a little sad but then she nodded. I immediately regretted the way my words came out.

She started eating a little more and I couldn't help but smile

until my cheeks hurt. We ate in silence, commenting every few minutes about how good the food. She didn't eat much but she tasted everything.

"They have a really nice dessert let's try it"

"Thank you but i can't I'm really full" she said playing with a strand of her hair.

My cock twitched again. "Let me take you home" my voice so low.

She looked at me with sleepy eyes and her shoulders slightly lowered, making her breast line deeper, I looked at her and raised my eyebrows when she opened her mouth to speak

“ca- um.. yes please," she whispered.

I paid and we walked to my car. Her eyes looked up as I opened my car door for her. "Is this your car?" She asked slowly "Do you like it?" Her pupils dilated until half of the blue in her eyes was gone. She looked at me for a few seconds and then got in, her skirt rising even higher. My cock was getting hard, I tried to control myself but when I got to my seat, we were so close and quiet, I could hear her breathing and see her breasts rise as she breathed. Her thighs were pressed together and a lot of skin was showing.

The car started and I looked at her face, sweat were forming on the bridge of her nose and above her lips, her forehead was covered by her bangs but I could see some hairs damp from the sweat.

"Where is your house?" "Um, uh, I- close?" | laughed softly "Location?" She flipped open her phone and sent me the location, I looked at it even though I knew the way by heart from the many times I stood outside all night and morning watching her apartment.

"Do you want a specific song?" She shook her head no. I turned on the radio, the volume very low that I still can hear her slightly ragged breathing. Her apartment was about 17 minutes away. I drove very slowly, I didn't want us to arrive too fast.

The silence was so comfortable despite the tense air.

"Um, thanks for dinner, you really didn't have to pay" she said quietly, a tremor in her voice. We stopped at a red light and I looked at her, her cheeks flushed even with the red light on her I could still see her cheeks burning. "It's okay," we looked at each other for a moment.

"Can I ask you a question?" she whispered. "Anything." "I know nothing about cars, but I know this one costs a fortune. How?" I laughed. "I don't give free business advice. But l've worked hard since college. So it should make sense"

She pressed her thighs together again, her fingers trembling as she gripped he bag, her eyes on the window as the light turned green. A few minutes passed and then she spoke. She said quietly and slowly "I want to quit." We stopped at another red light "I've saved up enough money to last me ten months" she took a deep shaky breath "but I don't know if I'll find a job easily in that time. I don't know why I'm telling you, but I don't know what else to do, and you seem to know the right thing to do" she said in a low voice and her knuckles turned white. The light turned green.

"I think you should take unpaid vacation if your work allows it. If not, you could quit for five months at least and then look for a job." We stopped at the door of her building.

We sat in silence for a full minute, until she unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to me, "Thank you, good night" she whispered quietly, not looking me in the eyes.

She got out of the car and walked to the door, her hips moving seductively, even though she was walking tiredly in her high heels. She put the code on the door and entered, closing it behind her.

I returned to the house and opened the door, Grey walked between my legs. I got down to pat her a little bit. "Hey, have you been alone all day? Hm?" I left her and went upstairs to my room, I went to take a shower, my cock was hard as a rock, and the guilt washing over me because it's hard for her, the water washing me until my hand tightened on the rock between my legs. An inhuman sound came out of me as I fucked my hand.

The image of her lips, legs, thighs. I shouldn't think of her this way, but she has been living freely in my mind for over a month, it's unfair, she should be mine. Release and pleasure wash me over until my breathing returns to normal. I finished taking a shower and put on underwear. I went downstairs to get water. It's 11pm so I went to sleep but she's still in my mind.

I stayed up until 2am. Throughout my career I didn't change a single thing about my routine. I woke up at 6am, worked out, showered, breakfast, went to work at 8am sharp. I worked 10 hours, slept at 11pm for 8 hours. In one month I broke all the rules of my day. I stayed up more than 24 hours, I missed half the work day. Not only that, I stayed up all night, leaving work early to see her walking to her apartment. I was really starting to lose my mind.

Please tell me what you think :3

[femmeanonymelives]

Isn't it lovely? (Santiago Garcia x OC)

Santiago Garcia x Singer/Songwriter!OC

Mentioned platonic Frankie Morales x OC

(Santiago refers to her as the nickname "Songbird," but real name is Valerie) Inspired by the song "Lovely" by Billie Eilish (with Khalid)

Series Masterlist

Ari's note: This is pure angst and fluff. Some adult language, usage of alcohol and some spoilers for Triple Frontier. This song somehow keeps showing up on my Spotify rotation. It is very beautiful and heartbreaking. I wanted to write something that deals with this song and somehow it reminds me of Santi.

The rain putters on the window seal. 

Seattle.

 The warm air fills the room with comfort from the cold, rainy weather outside. Started playing with the keys of the keyboard that someone that I loved bought me for my birthday. Pulls out a small yellow notebook with song lyrics. A familiar tone that I used to play around with when we hang out together.

“Happy Birthday, songbird. You can finally become the real Piano Man,” he joked before taking another gulp of beer as he played with my then-shaggy, long black hair. It was my birthday a few years earlier. A few days before the boys went down to South America and fucked shit up there. Santi hosted the festivities at his house. The boys, their partners, and a few of our mutual friends met up and had dinner. Santi wanted to make his present special. 

“Honestly, Frankie could have made that joke, but you honestly made the joke somehow shittier,” laughs softly as I play my legs in his lap. He gives the classic “you know you love me” smirk as he gives me a soft kiss.

“Frankie would have requested Sweet Caroline, but knowing you,” he holds my chin in his hand as he makes look at him in his sweet brown eyes, “you would be performing in stadiums soon, not in a bar. I will be by your side when you headline your first show.”

I moved to Seattle a few years back after the guy I last loved left me for a trip that, according to him, “broke him from the inside out.” I did music before I met him. Choir and piano lessons since I was six. If you are talking to my mother about my musical talents, she blames my father who was a musician that performed at the family bar. Started writing some wanderlust type songs, but never really got anywhere in Florida.

Frankie was the one who introduced us. I am the girl “who can sing Taylor Swift better than Taylor Swift without making it annoying.” He was the pain in the ass that Frankie would constantly tell him to ask me out. He saw I brought out a softer side to Santi, even though Santi is a horrible singer.

When he broke it off with me, he blamed how the fucked the mission was from the beginning, how Tom fucking died, how he was worried what was going to happen to him and his squad, and he was worried how we was going to explain this to me. He wanted his share of the money to go to me so we could move and start my music career.

“Songbird, I fucking love you but I need you to understand that I am doing this to set you free. You don’t need me anymore. I am sorry.” He kissed me like this was the last kiss that he was going to ever take with me. Four years of passion, long-distance phone calls, and stale beer thrown away like Tom’s body near the Andes.

That was the last time I saw him. 

Three Years Later

I am back in humid Florida, visiting family and Frankie and performing at a local music venue. I step up on stage. Getting a warm welcome from my hometown crowd. Under the bright stage, I see Frankie and the boys… and then I see him.. Drinking a Bud Light in one hand, and wearing an old baseball cap. His hair and stubble is more gray. He looks tired, not wanting to be there. Worried that Frankie brought him to a trap. I move towards the piano and start playing the song that somehow people are recognizing themselves to. My soft, yet powerful alto voice sings the lyrics when I was alone by myself in Seattle.

“Thought I found a way

Thought I found a way out (found)

But you never go away (never go away)

So I guess I gotta stay now

Oh, I hope someday I'll make it out of here

Even if it takes all night or a hundred years

Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near

Wanna feel alive, outside I can't fight my fear

Isn't it lovely? All alone

Heart made of glass, my mind of stone

Tear me to pieces, skin to bone

Hello, welcome home”

As I look up into the crowd, I stare into his eyes like I did years ago. Making me realizing that the song is hurting him the same way he hurt me all of those years prior. I tried to focus on anyone, but him. Tears swell up as I think of us at our happiest as I sing aloud.

“Walking out of time

Looking for a better place 

Something's on my mind

Always in my head space

But I know someday I'll make it out of here

Even if it takes all night or a hundred years

Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near

Wanna feel alive outside I can't fight my fear

Isn't it lovely? All alone

Heart made of glass, my mind of stone

Tear me to pieces, skin to bone

Hello. Welcome home

Whoa, yeah

Yeah, ah

Whoa, whoa

Hello, welcome home”

I hear a mass applause from the crowd as I quickly wipe my tears as I look towards the crowd.

 I see Santi and Frankie gone. I focused on the rest of my set that focused on songs from my album and a few covers of Fleetwood Mac.

After the show, I head backstage towards my dressing room. I see Santi standing there, mad and regretful at what he did to me. His knuckles are bloody, which he fought with Frankie in the parking lot. 

“Songbird, listen to me-”

“Don’t… just don’t call me.. the bullshit you pulled forfeits the right to call me that.”

“Valerie, I am sorry. I fucked up. I should have told you the truth from the beginning.”

“Santi, it is not that… you fucked up this relationship by using Tom’s fucking death for a reason to end it… That is not a good enough excuse for me. Why are you here?”

“When Frankie told me that you were coming into town, I was scared shitless. The money was for you.”

“Santiago Garcia, don’t be fucking with me about this. The one time I see you are telling more bullshit.”

“Val, that money for you and I to spend a life together.” He takes a deep sigh and runs his fingers through his hair. “That money was for you to actually start your career.”

“Bullshit… absolute bullshit! Stop lying to me just to save your own ass.” He grabs my arm and pulls me back in my dressing room. He locked the door.

“That song.. You wrote that about us…”

“I was hurting. Frankie was the only of you assholes to reach out.” Santiago is shocked; he knew Frankie and I were close, but never knew the impact that our relationship had. “Ben couldn’t even look me in the face when I saw him in Seattle.”

“So you wrote a fucking break-up song, Val? I know I was a dick by how I treated you, but I am telling the truth” He sounds more hurt than angry. The song made him seem like the biggest asshole in the world.

“I wrote it because you left me the minute you came back. I was angry. I was in a town by myself, wishing you called and said that you made a fucking mistake, but you didn’t.” Santi grabs me by my now-long dyed red hair and kisses me like he did three years earlier.

“I love you, Val.. and I am sorry for what I did.” 

I walked out of the door; not being able to stay there another second without crying. As I head to my rental car after grabbing my stuff, tears stream down my eyes as I whisper to myself in the car, “I love you too.”

[jopetkasi]

ou really wont know when your time is up. 

That was a lesson I re-learned today.

I was supposed to go out last Saturday night with Tumblr Friend, Reynaldo but decided to first join my family for dinner. Food at home is always simple and made from scratch but it is always delicious, nonetheless. 

For starters we had our version of a Wendy’s Salad Bar which was wiped out the moment it landed on the table lol .

Anyways, during the meal  dad noticed i was sweating profusely despite the airconditioner, running. 

“Baka mainit lang talaga” I said pero on top of the sweating, both my arms started to hurt and my chest was heavy like there’s a hollow block on top of it. 

“let me check your vitals” A quick BP by my step-mom showed 160/100. 

then i turned pale and became weak. 

the next i remember was being wheeled to Makati Med by my cousins since the oldies are not allowed at the ER. 

to cut the story short, I had a heart episode last week that demanded hospital confinement. 

I had six doctors total... cardio, pulmo, endo, two others I don’t recall and the ex bf who was at PGH but rushed to check on me. 

multiple tests done like 2D echo, stress test, even my legs went for an ultrasound because they (doctors) cant detect a stable pulse. then there were the constant pricking and inserting of needles on both hands...i lost count of the procedures. 

all i wanted was to sleep but the constant flow of people in my room did not allow me some snooze time. did i mention that it took them four hours to get me a room (which I totally understand) of course I wont settle for a ward lodging not because I am maarte and shit. But the reality that I snore, I fart so loud and shriek at needles, makes me nahihiya to sleep in a room full of strangers. 

i take that back. maarte nga ako. I frowned when i heard that a small private was the only available accommodation left. I was telling myself, tutal magbabakasyon nalang ako sa hospital sana maayos yung room. thankfully, the room given to me was pretty big and spacious. sorry na po. 

i can’t tell you much about my situation since we are still waiting for the cardiologist to relay the real score. 

kwento ko nalang yung food. i was on a “low-salt, low-fat, diabetic and hypo-allergenic diet”

sounds too harsh, you’d think but thanks to the very good dietician/nutritionists, the portioned food served to me was good. 

 I had lean tapa and papaya for breakfast...

and Robitussin flavored jellos for dessert. 

again, nothing is clear on what happened to me. one thing is for sure, this body of mine is neglected and is starting to go weak. 

the lesson was simple. i need to take care of my body. this is not mine, it was only lent for a purpose. 

siguro in the next couple of days mag goal settings ako. sana maging consistent yung determination ko to change my lifestyle. sana capable pa ako magbago. 

thank you, dad for footing my bill. 

thank you to cousins who looked after me.

thank you to the doctors, nurses, medtech and hospital staff who were so patient, caring and made my stay comfortable.

thank you to the ex, who stayed and watched over me. 

and thanks to all (bawi ako sa yo, Rey) who cared and offered to be near me. 

[asksoldieron]

SO-12: The Spirit of Harpo Marx

If there's a lot of engagement on this, this post is liable to get real long, beware before you expand.

Welcome to the Engagement Lounge, for Alight at the Window (SO-12) an instalment! Short comments can go in the replies, but there's a 475 character limit. Longer ones will need a reblog. Remember to @asksoldieron if you're reblogging someone else's reblog, so I can see it too!

Awwwwww, ya know? Awwwwww ❤️!

Poor Erik is in ⚡🔋no shape🔋⚡ to communicate, but he's doing his best. Maggie has no idea whether he's messing with her on purpose, or what's wrong with him, but she won't let him go. They'll get to him eventually. (I've just finished that part, actually. They've got him! Uh. Sorta. At least he's... safe now? 😅Oh, I can't say that with a straight face.)

This is the last of my queued posts/instalments, and I have no idea where my reading and drawing ability will be when it goes live. If I can't update you on my condition (and the condition of the next six instalments) I'll hafta have the spouse type a note for me. I want to do six more right away, or I might take a two week break, or - if I'm really struggling - it'll be a break of indeterminate length. I hope I'll be okay to just keep going, my Patrons have been so patient this year. Thanks, y'all.

But, either way, there will be a break at some point, because I'll have a while where I can't write or draw and that's going to eat up my backlog. Also, recent updates have done more stupid things to my theme and I think the site needs a redesign - maybe including some radical simplification. I'm just not mobile friendly and I can't make the current format behave. People with better eyesight than me do a lot of reading on their phones.

I have no idea how to build a community and I'm flailing, really, but maybe if I can get the interface more convenient, more people will like me? (I have no idea. Probably they won't.)

Look, though! You've got some extra art to tide you over! And a song!

I'm not in love with how Erik's design looks right now - he looks like a train wreck, but he should look like a train wreck. Nobody is going to fix his hair. I still feel self-conscious about it. He used to be cute. I've got to do a full-body rendering of how he'll clean up, but I don't have time for it now.

However, I did do a page of something trying to get comfortable with his ability to emote in train reck form. I don't have time to finish it, but I think it looks cool so I'm sharing.

This is potentially a way for me to serve you the music without lyric backgrounds that you can't read! It's very labour-intensive, but I was figuring out how to do it and it might get a little easier with practice. Also, my current tablet is struggling with the resolution and I plan to update it by the end of the year - depending on sale prices.

After I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I found out the original Off-Broadway incarnation had filked music with lyrics by John Cameron Mitchell. 🥹😊I'm calling it! This is something other people sharing my identity do to tell their stories! Filk musicals are an enby thing! We do not give a shit about the music industry's copyrights! I'm performing nonbinary correctly!

So here's the lyrics again, and maybe I'll give you the rest in comic form as my vision and my tools improve.

You Are Found! (based on "We Are Young" by fun.) I need a minute, I… I don’t know if I’m ready yet I’m tryin’ to get my shit together, Maggie, please don’t be upset My family must be looking for me somewhere very near Guess I knew you must be coming but I can’t believe you’re here, and… It’s been forever since I’ve seen your face I know you want to take me home But although it hurts to do this work they need my help for what it’s worth —  Oh, gods I’m not sure if I wanna go So maybe if, next time you see me, You can take me by the hand, You’ll steal me away At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down No, I wanna go home I’m just not done I guess that I, I just hoped We could visit and I’d get right back to work But I can’t go yet So I must forget 'Cause I think you’ll hafta steal me away At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down Steal me away at last (na na na na na na) Come steal me away at last (na na na na na na) Steal me away at last (na na na na na na) Come steal me away at last (na na na na na na) The gods have their own plan (na na na na na na) But I’m just one weary man (na na na na na na) So you're gonna hafta steal me away at last (na na na na na na) I have so much to do (na na na na na na) How can I go with you? (na na na na na na) So you're gonna hafta steal me away (na na na na na na) At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down At last I am found So I guess the party’s over Time to get sober, and come down So maybe if, next time you see me, You can take me by the hand You’ll steal me away at last

See you soon! Ha, I hope!

Late edit: Two week break, folks. No drawing ability yet, so we're stuck with it. I still hope to get you the next six by the end of the year. I'll keep you posted!

[Back to Site?]

[yanderelovlies]

✨Galaxy Anon ✨ here!

Hey viví I’m back. Sorry for disappearing for a few days. It’s been tiring and honestly some what the hell moments at work. So I will now reply again!

Deflecting? I see how it is. Well the. I will make the schedule muhahaha!

I mean it’s the truth. Sometimes we spend more than can afford so to actually get that advice…Isn’t the most comforting lol. But also I can also blame just everyday things are getting more expensive and have few cash to spend o something they want so I can’t judge them that much.

Oh I get you, though I do recommend some of them especially gravity falls. It was amazing and has one of the best finaIes I ever seen. I get it. Maybe make a schedule and only watch one or two episodes every week so you don’t get tired and don’t take a lot of time to finish and won’t be as distracted. I get that, it’s a problem with me since I get so distracted and my main thing is walking around the couch so if I get distracted or want to move I do that for ten minutes and it’s hard to stay focused on a show even if I like it.

Cool! Then I don’t mind you asking questions though I maybe not be able to answer a lot of questions invoking fnaf and my hero academia ( later seasons like season 5) but the rest I can answe better so go ahead. Wish? What is that? Yes I really am clueless? Does it scam people or?

At least your have determination * undertale music plays*. Oh and undertale as well I like forgot about that. Hey don’t worry so much, you’ll burn yourself out and make it worse if you overthink. Study and do your best and hope you pass. That’s what anyone can only ask of you. That sounds like a very useful class. Oh I do that sometimes as well like grateful for how beautiful the scenery is, how good a food smells, how much I love my family and also that there isn’t a zombie apocalypse….the last yeah I really hate it when people want a zombie apocalypse! Like do you hate life so much you rather fight for your life and not be able to live peacefully without having to make sure zombies aren’t near?! Your rather have to learn a very hard way who you can trust and who not to trust?!

Ooh okay I wouldn’t mind and if you ever want some songs to hear I can always list some that I hear when I’m imaginating scenarios in my head.

Aww I see especially also since you have lots of siblings? Pfft they just maybe at this point are used to it and if they actually don’t hear it then they start to wonder if someone is dying in the house lol. At least your considerate and make sure not to disturb your neighbors when they are going to sleep. Love song playlist? That what you mean right? I literally checked google for this since I actually never heard that expression before.

Yes like leave me alone! I have other people to tend to! It’s either because they are spoiled or think we are actually paid enough for this shit when in all honesty no we aren’t. Because it makes them feel superior and actually can take there anger out on someone, trust me I actually picked up on that and frankly I hate it.

No worries viví you always worry for me so I must worry for you back and I want to always make sure you aren’t overburdening yourself! Someone got to keep you in check.

But more work stories. Well on Wednesday I actually told the host I could take more tables but I told her I have to allow it. She starts sitting me down but then suddenly she stops asking and seats me more than I can handle ( six tables and two were with six people) and I have to catch up while apologizing to people ( a table was so nice about it though I almost wanted to give them a free dessert for it). And when I was trying to get my food while rushing one of the managers who I actually liked started yelling at me because why I was taking mine but it was the third ready meal and she yelled why I never take the others food first since it was a team effort and other people foods were already done and I was shocked and later on angry since I was so busy and if it was slower I would’ve maybe and I actually do take other people food but I couldn’t this time and the nerve of her trying to say she helped me DAYS earlier on bringing my food and I just thought “ yeah days!” And she was just carrying tray since I needed two trays to carry all the food and I anyway did most of the work so I’m still mad because it felt she never actually tried to understand what was actually happening. And not to mention she never even delivered the food later on! She yelled at me for nothing! I’m still angry and it sucks since I can’t confront her or I can get fired if I take it too far.

Galaxy!!! I'm glad you're okay! I'm sorry if that post made you feel bad or anything. I'm also sorry about all that you're going through. 🥺🥺💕💕

Lol, let's start with how many times I say sorry cause I'm typing this feel self aware.

I'm sorry if that statement offended you or anyone else. That wasn't my intention. I want to put more context, but that feels like talking down about them, and I don't want to do that. Just please know it wasn't out of malce that I said that, and more out of concern because I still worry about them even though we aren't friends anymore.

I've heard a lot of people (my sister included) LOVE gravity falls. I really need to watch it now! Also, that's a really good idea. Maybe it will hook itself in my brain, and I'll finally binge it. I don't even know how I got into some of the show I did.

I know of FNAF and BNHA now. Don't get wrong. I'm not up to date, but like I'm getting there, lol. They claim to be selling you a laptop for a dollar and then send either a small (like charm small) version or something else.

I know it's a terrible habit, honestly. My family has to constantly stop me from overthinking. You know I don't think I thought about how many people bring up zombies apocalypse like that till now. Zombie apocalypse scares me on a whole different level, ngl.

Oooh, yes, please! Those are lowkey, my favorite kind of songs.

I'm always self-conscious about my neighbors cause I think about how I would feel if it was the other way around. Also, no, actually....now that I think about it, I don't think i have a love playlist. It's my depression playlist. When I get like that, I try to watch and listen to happy music, but honestly, it makes me feel worse. So i listen to sad music that I relate to.

I wish it was okay to just igone those type of people or just kick them out.

Aaahh, you're gonna make me cry. Thank you, Galaxy 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺💕💕💕

Have you thought about taking it up with the boss discreetly? Cause I'm sorry that's not okay or team work in slightest. You clearly had more going on it would have hurt for them to send some help your way damn.

[thegoddesswater]

WIP Summaries

Because I don't really have anywhere that folks can just see what the heck my current writing projects are about - currently I'm sticking to the six WIPs from my previous 'bad summary' poll; there are other works I have but they're in deeper hibernation than these ones. I'll toss it under a cut so uninterested parties may continue about their days with minimal interruption. :P

Tagging @tc-doherty - because I know you've said you're interested in this!

I've these split between Original Works and Fanfictions. The three original come first, because I want showcase them more. And they won the poll, so it's only fair. Also, I'm more comfortable talking about them and will probably skimp a bit on describing the fanfics. As always, there will be extra rambles in the tags.

404 - Youth labourer wipes own memory then realizes "shit, I needed that"

Glenn works as a “Deezee” - one of the poor souls whose job it is to brave the waste and radiation of the Dead Zone to track down whatever resources can still be found there - it’s hard work, and the hazard pay isn’t nearly what it should be, but he can’t afford to be picky. Ever since his father disappeared, along with all the money, the survival of the rest of his family has been Glenn’s only goal. It’s not easy to disappear in a world of digital trails and citizen tracing, but he’s learned well enough to hide his tracks, scrambling codes and tweaking his implanted ID chip into a last-resort failsafe to erase everything. Evadne has an internship studying the Dead Zone and effects it has on those who work there. She’s introduced to Glenn by his fellow Deezees, who point him out as someone who might be of particular interest for her work. The research project leads to friendship between Evadne and Glenn, which eventually includes Evadne’s socialite boyfriend Cal, who much prefers their company to the 'high society' types he's supposed to be rubbing elbows with. When Glenn trips his failsafe, destroying his own memory in the process, it falls to Evadne and Cal to follow what few clues remain to try to help their friend remember who he is, even as they begin to uncover secrets which make them question whether they ever really knew him at all.

Miadhachain Legacy - "i am not a cyborg" insists man with USB charging ports in his spine

As the daughter of Senator Miadhachain, Zaria’s life has never really been her own, having been used as little more than a pawn in her father’s political machinations over the years. In her teens, she was publicly handed over to the care and keeping of Chancellor Bardrick as false collateral to give the appearance of the Chancellor attempting to rein her father in. Years on, Zaria has positioned herself in government intelligence where she deals in secrets, leveraging the aggressive reputation associated with the Miadhachain family name to coerce information out of dissenters while quietly carving herself out the slivers of power that she’s sure the world owes her. Amid the rising protests against Chancellor Bardrick, security measures for all those near him are ramped up, resulting in Zaria being assigned a personal bodyguard. In a move that reeks of even more political posturing than her own movement into the care of the Chancellor, Zaria’s new guard is the military’s current poster-boy, the slum-born Adair Rios, much to her annoyance. With Adair acting as her second shadow, progress on Zaria’s personal ambitions stalls as she’s sure he’s recording and reporting every single thing she does back to his superiors. Adair, for his part, doesn’t care overmuch what Zaria is doing as long as she doesn't make his job harder. He’s suffering a case of rapid disillusionment with life and being told to watch over Senator Miadhachain’s daughter is just another entry into his list of grievances against the hand he’s been dealt. At the top of that list are the painful and invasive procedures that have been forced upon him after his cybernetic augmentation, procedures which seem to show no sign of stopping anytime soon, despite how much they seem to be deviating from the original ‘limb replacement’ he signed up for. After a colleague makes a passing comment about how the Chancellor finally seems to have a plan to ‘eliminate the whole Miadhachain problem,’ Adair begins to suspect that he - and Zaria - might be caught in a much bigger scheme than they realized. The two of them will have to figure out how to trust each other and work together to make sure that they make it out the other side.

Talentless/Wild Card - Despite impending war, the king is really just concerned with his flower garden The above description is not only a bad summary, it's a bad summary of the B Plot.

For years Prylea has managed to keep the tenuous peace between its neighbouring countries of Jerendalia and Casica, but with tensions rising again and the threat of war closer than ever, the Prylean Queen vanishes, shaking Prylea’s once stable foundation. With the loss of Queen Fraise, it falls to King Xalvadore to hold Prylea together as best he can, despite his deteriorating health. Recognizing the dangers of getting caught up between Casica and Jerendalia, King Xalvadore sends his only magic-less knight afield to find the missing Maggie Blackwill: a mage who may have the power to - if not to stop the coming war - at least help bolster Prylea once more. Armed with his wits, kindness, and an enchanted sword in case those first two don’t work out, Sir James ventures across Prylea, towards the keep suspected of housing Maggie, in the hopes of bringing her back to King Xalvadore before Casica and Jerendalia can mobilize against each other, with the weakened Prylea caught in the crossfire.

Run, Runaway - Displaced teenager accidentally reignites decades dormant gang war Fanfic for Jak and Daxter series

Atin, frustrated and rebellious, runs away from home just to get away from everything in Haven. He figures he can just lay low in the crime City of Kras for a while, and intends to do just that. Unfortunately for him, he's recognized as the offspring of folks who really shook up the status quo last time they were in town. With the two big rival gangs each reading way too much into Atin's presence and trying to figure out what the other side brought him in for, Atin's plans of 'lying low' are very quickly destroyed.

Hilarious (to me) fact about this one - this is a 2nd gen fanfic and at some point during the years that this fic has been hibernating, I realized that the two canon characters I created Atin to be the child of would probably never willingly have children. (Also this one was very much a 'just for me' fic, and I was always a little baffled that it had readers when I was actively posting it.)

[Untitled] - Depressed, unkillable immortal decides destroying the world might help Fanfic for Fire Emblem 9 and 10

After the war, Lehran swore that he would always be there to keep the Goddess of Chaos company, but when he loses the ability to hear her along with the abilities of his people, he flees. No longer what he once was, and unable to die, he watches as fear and hatred rise again over the centuries and can only watch from the side as those who were once his people are slaughtered. Deciding that people will never overcome their differences, he decides that annihilation is the only answer. And maybe, maybe if the world dies, it can finally take him with it.

The Heart of a Warrior - Hero with PTSD struggles to run errands while followed by insufferable child Fanfic for Jak and Daxter series

After saving the world three times before even reaching the age of majority, Jak has seen a lot of shit. Too much, really. He's learned that there's no rest for heroes and has learned to be suspicious of what looks like peace. To avoid too much time spent inside his own head, Jak tries to keep himself moving. It would probably be more effective if one of the local children hadn't decided that he was the coolest person in the history of ever and keeps trying to tag along. While Jak somewhat tolerates the hero worship, he's pretty sure this whole situation is going to wrong. He wasn't looking for the universe to prove him right.

This is still a bad summary, but the kid I was when I started this story had no idea what she was doing. Adult me is sure I wrangle it back into something coherent. (This is the fic that I often allude to in the tags as having been un-updated for seventeen years and am currently reworking so I can finish the dang thing.)

[sparrowssecrets]

Narcissists and Boundaries: Friday, October Seventh

I have been on a six-day vacation, and today is the fourth day. The place is fantastic and a privilege, so that's what makes my enjoyment something that I hate. But when I am ignored, spoken over and criticized for everything and anything in a tag team attempt by my mother and grandmother, it's pretty clear it's not a good time. 

Today was better than most because I could get away, I wanted to go horseback riding, and my family didn't like it. So I was left to my own devices for a while. It was the first time I could do what I wanted without criticism in the past week. And I needed the break from being picked and shit on.

Getting back to the hotel, my mother laid beside me on the pullout bed that I had been sleeping on and tried to hug or cuddle into me- something that I am and always have been uncomfortable with.

I had said, "I don't want to be touched right now." Where my grandmother decided to chime in and say "You're been touching horses all day." As if I didn't say right now, as if my mother, a human being isn't different than a horse.

It's funny that I am told off whenever I place a boundary. Told I shouldn't say I don't want to be touched, that what my mother wanted to do was more important than my personal comfort. As if my mother is entitled to hugs and cuddles.

My skin still feels like it's burning an hour later.

There was a minor argument afterwards after I said, "why can't anyone respect my fucking boundaries." An overreaction with the cussing, but it's just so tiring.

My mother started to scream, telling me that she should be allowed to touch me and that "see what I do when you get near me." I don't go near her. I am literally repulsed by human touch because of her. I responded with, "I would respect it." My grandmother yet again budding in saying, "no, you wouldn't."

There is no backing for that. I have always kept my distance from everyone and, for the most part, tolerated people's touches throughout the day. I just wanted, needed one moment. Just because she and my mother cannot grasp the concept of boundaries, the answer no doesn't mean I cannot.

What's funny is that if this was anyone else, it would be harassment. And I view them as strangers. They don't know me nor care to because they want another them, not me. They have never liked just me. If a stranger did this, it wouldn't be tolerated, but because I was adopted, my rights were signed into the hands of this woman. They can do whatever they want? That they are entitled to something?

So to my amazing family: No, don't fucking touch me when I say no. Don't ask me for reasoning when I say no. Like everything else, you are not entitled to an answer because whatever that answer is, it should always have the same outcome. That it stops. There is no reason to need an explanation for my saying no. You cannot disagree with it either or.

[usermischief]

♝Pairing: Stisaac ♝Warnings | Tags: Slice of life, engaged!Stisaac, Polish Stiles Stilinski ♝Words: 884 ♝ Prompt: In bed at 2 am, blissfully drowsy + "Do I love you? Yes. Do I like you? That's still up to debate (for anon) ♝ Mini Fic Roulette: 27/∞ 

---

“There is not a single bone in my entire body that does not hurt,” Isaac announces, collapsing onto the bed and half on top of Stiles. Of course, he does not move. 

Stiles swats Isaac’s wet curls away. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

Muttering something under his breath, Isaac pokes his side. “I’m not dramatic.”

Pressing this is pointless, but that doesn’t change the fact that Stiles is right. His dear fiancé keeps making a mountain out of a molehill. To be fair, Isaac has been against their walk through the forest from the very beginning. Considering their history, he can’t even blame him for being hesitant. Still, they aren’t anywhere near Beacon Hills. In fact, they aren’t even in the States. They’re in Łódź, currently living in his grandparents’ guest room while Stiles is showing Isaac where his mum grew up and where he spent a significant amount of his childhood — meaning Stiles has wasted hours and hours in Łagiewnicki Forest with his cousins, playing hide and seek in and around the chapels, making fun of people believing the well's water in there is miraculous — today, he’d bet his ass it’s cursed — or spending his days swimming and playing at Arturówek lake with his mother’s side of the family. 

This place is like a home to him. He could find his way around the forest in the middle of the darkest of nights. So, when his babcia brought it up during dinner, Stiles wanted Isaac to see the chapels. Nobody ever told him that people are doing sketchy shit out there after dark. 

People being a coven of witches. 

A quite unfriendly coven of witches to be exact. 

Stiles closes his eyes, playing with his engagement ring. “You love me.”

Huffing out a breath, Isaac hides his face in the crook of Stiles’ neck. “Do I love you? Yes.” His smile presses against Stiles’ skin, making him shudder in the most delicious way. “Do I like you?” Isaac makes a contemplative sound. “That’s still up to debate.”

This time, Stiles pokes him hard enough he rolled off him with a groan. “You’re mean.” 

“Well,” Isaac says, dragging Stiles closer to him with a quiet laugh, “I should be allowed to be mean if you keep going out looking for trouble.”

Stiles wraps his arm around Isaac’s chest. “I don’t go looking for trouble,” he mutters, closing his eyes again, “trouble usually finds me.” 

“Okay, Harry Potter.”

Chuckling, Stiles flicks his fingers and plunges the room into almost complete darkness. The only light comes from the moon. It’s weirdly comforting. 

“Show off.”

Stiles grins, kissing Isaac’s jaw. “You love it.” 

“You know what I’d love more?” Isaac runs his fingers over Stiles’ back, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Unsurprisingly, he does not wait for a reply. “That the next time you hear ominous chanting in the middle of a forest you remember that the appropriate response is to run.” 

“They could have been nice!”

“Oh, please.” Isaac sighs, poking Stiles’ side insistently, “when are they ever nice?”

Stiles grimaces. Honestly, that’s a very fair point. The supernatural creatures or those with some type of superhuman abilities they come across are usually rather unfriendly. Which is extremely rude. They’re nice. Well, most of the time. 

They certainly don’t try to kill everyone who says hello. 

“Let’s not tell my grandparents there were witches six miles from their house.” Stiles brushes his fingers along Isaac’s side. “They’re still working through their grandson-in-law being a werewolf.” 

“I still can’t believe you told them.” Isaac sounds almost half asleep. Not surprising. They’ve been on their feet for almost twenty hours; with traveling, dinner with his grandparents, and taking the stroll through Łagiewnicki Forest — including the accidental incident with the witches. 

Stiles reaches for the blanket, dragging it over the two of them. “Well, I didn’t wanna lie to them for the rest of our lives.” 

Humming, Isaac curls his arm tighter around him. “I like the sound of that.” 

“Do you like me too?” 

“My answer heavily relies on how much sleep you let me get tonight.” Well, that certainly sounds like a big fat accusation. Granted, it’s fair. However, it isn’t Stiles’ fault that Isaac is such a light sleeper and wakes up the second Stiles even considers getting up because he can’t fall asleep — and he also doesn’t force him to stay up with him either. It’s one of Isaac’s most endearing qualities.

All of that just proves that Isaac is way too nice to him. Well, aside from the rather unfair approach of deciding how much he likes him in the morning. But Stiles decides that he’s not going to argue that. Instead, he kisses Isaac’s shoulder and settles against him. Tomorrow is going to be a long day as well. His poor fiancé — Stiles fidgets with the ring around his finger again, still awfully giddy even thinking about their engagement — is about to meet the rest of his family. Luckily, his cousins are all fluent in English, so Stiles doesn’t need to translate too much. But his cousins’ children are a handful, and knowing them, they are going to adore Isaac. 

“I love you,” Stiles whispers, closing his eyes.

Isaac hugs him tighter to him for a couple of seconds. “I love you too.” 

[pinkpetalwaterimagine]

Does a house can feel like a home ? (S.Mendes)

A/N : It's been a long time, be indulgent, keep in mind that I am French and that my English is not perfect :) Hope you enjoy ❤️ (gifs not mine)

Summary : When Shawn Mendes tries to buy a house, he might get of it more than house.

word count : 2.9K

warnings : mention of drinking alcohol; mentions of kissing

The only sound reverberating in the house were the sound of your tools on the hardwood floors. Beautiful hardwood floors, you thought, dating back a couple of decades ago and just newly redone to fit today’s taste.

Whenever you were showing a house you liked to quizz yourself on the selling point of the said house. This one was just gorgeous, one of the prettiest you have ever shown. The high ceiling let the light pass through during the day. And during the night, you could admire the skyline.

You let your mind get away for a short period of time, imagining what it would feel like to live in such an amazing place. You could read your favorite book in that little cozy corner near the windows with a plaid while looking at the clouds.

You quickly got of your reverie and came back to reality. This was an important showing, you can’t mess that up. You have been working for the Harvey Group for a couple weeks and they were waiting for you to show your worth. Being in the real estate game was stressful to say the least but being in the luxury part of real estate was even more stressful. You sighed, tried to shake your nerves.

The house was listed at six point five millions dollars, a lot. And the commission for selling it was quite significant. Today was the day where you were showing the house to a potential buyer. You didn’t know who it was, except that he was a celebrity. He was your friend client and she had agreed to let you show him the house.

You heard a car parking in the driveway. Once more you took in your apparence in the mirror in front of you, smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles on your dress and walked towards the door. You opened the door of the house, and you saw in the distance a tall man getting off his rather humble car for a celebrity that is. In four quick long strides, he was already at the front door.

« Hi » he said with a smile.

Holly shit, it’s Shawn Mendes. You were a bit star stunt but you had to be quick on your feet and show him that you were slightly impress. You thought about the car ride you took and how you screamed to the top of your lungs most of his hit.

« Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Y/N Y/F/N. How are you ? » you extend your hand for him to shake. He shared yours and you couldn’t help but feel the heat of his palm against yours and how is long fingers almost touched your wrist. You rapidly pull out your hand and let him inside your house.

« As you can see you have a lot of space, there are four bedrooms and four bathrooms, a jacuzzi on the patio. Like that when your family come visit you they can be comfortable, this is really a house to entertain but it still has this bachelor pad feels to it, with nuance tones of grey and blue and that modern feels. » as soon as the words left your mouth you knew you put your foot in your mouth. It is real estate agent 101, you shouldn’t, ever, ever, assume the relationship status of a buyer. You were surprised to see him smile, picking out on your mid freaking out state.

« So should I call you when I won’t want a bachelor pad anymore » his dimples was showing. You knew you didn’t offend him but trying to save yourself from embarrassing yourself further you answered : « Oh yeah, that would be a pleasure, we also have family homes, with space for the kids and the partner. »

The showing kept going and as the time passed and as Shawn was making (terrible) jokes you relaxed.

« Now, I have to show you the highlight of the house. » he followed you through the house to get to the roof.

The sun was setting and small lights were opened and illuminated the second patio on the roof. A jazzy music was softly playing from the speaker.

You always tried to avoid any silence in conversation, finding it awkward. You always had something wether it was a small joke or adding informations about the square footage, the provenance of this or that material. But at this moment, you just took in the view. A small breeze was making sway your hair away from your face. It was breathtaking, you had never seen such a beautiful sunset. After a few minutes you looked at Shawn and he was as enthralled by the view as you were moments ago.

Unfortunately you had to break the magic of the moment but you tried doing it gently.

« Wow, that’s pretty amazing » you almost whisper. He looked at you and answered in a similar manner, with a breathy « yeah ».

« So what do you think about this house » you said a little louder this time.

« I think it’s really pretty and obviously that view is magnificent and gorgeous… » he trailed off.

« I feel a but coming » you smiled.

« But - he sighed - I don’t think it is the place for me you know. I think I need something a little bit homey, I’m always away for such long period of times when I come back I don’t want to come home to this cold atmosphere ». There was a glimmer in his eyes, his nose was scrunched up and his eyebrows furrowed. Pain. You knew that feeling very well.

« Yes ! Of course I get it. But I must warn you, my colleague is going away for some time, and it was her last chance to find you a house. We would understand if you would like to change agency but if you are willing to work with the Harvey Group we would put your needs in front of everyone else and I can assure you that we will find you a perfect home. » you talked with so much passion, your eyes were shining bright and Shawn could see that your smile was genuine. He felt like he could trust you and that you were the kindest person in the world.

« I want to work with the Harvey Group, but I have one condition » he said, a small smirk creeping up.

« Whatever you want, just name it and we would do it. » you said quickly.

« I want you to be my real estate agent and I don’t want to see houses or talk with anyone else. I feel like I can trust you and I don’t want to be dragged around like a rag doll »

You nodded your head so quickly. You were so happy you almost jumped into his arms. You quickly took back control and extend your hand for him to shake. Your smile couldn’t get any bigger : « that’s a deal then Mr Mendes »

« Please call me Shawn, I’m not even sure I’m older than you » and indeed, he was not.

Shawn was one of your favorite client, okay your favorite client. It didn’t felt like working for him because you enjoyed looking at houses for him to leave in and your favorite part was showing him the beautiful houses. He always found something wrong with the house but because of the few months you spent texting you were almost friends catching up whenever you were showing a house.

However, it was getting quite complicated for your career. You had made some good, very good sales but Shawn has been your client for too long and it could damage your reputation to have a celebrity client looking for a house for so long. It just sends out the wrong message. You finally had the perfect house for Shawn and you couldn’t wait to show him.

You must admit, whenever you were showing him a house or you were seeing him you always put a tad bit more effort. A bit more of lipsticks, an inch higher high heels, an inch shorter skirt, while remaining professionally clothed. But cute.

The visit was coming to an end, and the two of you were chatting in the kitchen. Shawn was seated on one of the barstool near the grey marble counter while you were on the other side.

« Okay, so Shawn » you said slowly.

« Oh no am I in trouble ? » he laughed.

« Aha, no but I’m serious though, what about this house ? You can’t have one complaint about this house ! » you said having enough confidence in you and in the house to say this.

He remained silent for a moment.

« I give in, this house is perfect. I love it so much. I think it’s the right place for me. You did it Y/N! You found me a house! » he got up from his seat, and took you in his arms. Even if you were a little closer than a typical client/seller relationship, you rarely had any displays of affection. It was quite surprising when you felt his arms going around your waist and his massive hand drawing circles on your back. It felt nice. It felt like home, as cliché as it may sound. He smelled like a mix of pinewood, gingerbread and sweat. And oh good lord you had to find his perfume or capture his essence or something but someone needs to find a solution ASAP. You managed to detach yourself gently knowing that it was not necessarily appropriate and it made you a little bit uncomfortable feeling those feelings when Shawn was touching you.

You knew Shawn would have loved the house so you had brought a little something to celebrate his new home. You walked towards the fridge, your heels clicking on the hardwood floors. Shawn saw you pull out two wine glasses and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, your favorite he thought. Wait how does he knows your favorite kind of wine. He shook his head and smiled at you « you knew I would cave today? » He asked raising his eyebrow.

« Well, I had confidence in this house and its selling points. » you said « and I’ve come to know you Shawn, your tastes and preferences, what’s important to you » you said in a whisper.

You felt the atmosphere shift and if you could felt it Shawn most definitely felt it. You had to regain control, and quick. You focused on opening the bottle of wine but that did not help Shawn. Why everything that you did, he felt it was amazing and so sexy. Like you opening this bottle of wine, in his normal state it wouldn’t do anything to him but here with the glazing fireplace, the lights of the city coming through the doors leading to the patio open and the small breeze caressing your skin and his cheeks, he felt like this was home and not because of the house.

« Here let me help you. » He made his way next to you, his hands taking yours. You felt disoriented, as if a shock had traveled from his hand directly to yours. You looked up at him. You shouldn’t have. Because of the soft light of the sun, his eyes had turned green, a light green that made you think of summer days. And more than the color, the intensity in them struck you.

Once again, you distanced yourself. You couldn’t take this tension between the two of you anymore. Some might even say sexual tension.

« Let me take you to dinner » he said softly, almost in the shell of your ear. You couldn’t help but shiver.

« I don’t know… if it will be appropriate » you stammered.

« C’mon, Y/N, i have a house, your not my agent anymore, we’re just adults who knows each other well and might go on a date » he had went from the shell of your ear to the crook of your neck and you knew that you would crave that feeling in your lonely nights in bed. His lips were barely grazing against your skin, but it felt so good. Goosebumps made the little hair on your neck stand up straight.

« Okay. » you exhaled. You felt him detaching his body from yours, a whimper almost came out because of the missing of his body heat. You turned around and he had his smirk plastered all over his face. You realized how cute he was but also how sexy and lovable.

It was the first time you would see him outside of your work. To say that you were nervous would be an understatement. Your friends had come over to do a makeover time, which you didn’t need it because you were already pretty as you were. Anyway, it was just an excuse to drink wine before going on this date, and feel this little buzz when you’re not drunk but you are not sober also. The clock was ticking and you had to left soon. You walked into your room and saw what your friend had plan for your outfit.

« Oh hell no ! » you screamed at them, marching right back into the living room, « I am not wearing that on my first date ! Are you crazy? » you had in your hands the most transparent and delicate piece of underwear you could have imagined. It was a really pale pink, where you could see almost everything, well not almost, you could see everything.

« Oh Come on Y/N! We saw how you talk about him, we know that you like him and judging by his picture and what he look like no one would ever said no to this man. » she wiggled her eyebrows.

« I’m not sleeping with a guy on my first date » you walked back into your room, fuming. The truth was that they were right, you craved Shawn, and if he tried something tonight you would definitely let him. You would take everything he has to offer even if it’s just a kiss. You sighed and walked towards your underwear drawers to find something a little bit less… revealing. You stopped for a second and made your way back to the center of the room. Next to the mirror. You looked good in it. It gave you confidence and power. You decided to keep it on not telling your friends. They would tease you endlessly. You put on a cute little maroon dress and high heeled boots and out the door you were.

You enter the restaurant and almost find Shawn immediately. He was seated next to a big window facing the ocean and a candle was burning on the table. He instantly got up when he saw you entered and engulfed you into a hug. Once again his smell filled your nostrils and you could have stayed like that for a million years.

The date when well. The connection was definitely there and you didn’t even dread the moment where he had to walk to his car and this will they won’t they kiss moment. The glasses of wine you had might have played a part in this feeling. Desert was done. He was smiling, looking at you. The check came out, placed in between the two of you. Even if you were a bit intoxicated, nothing major, you were quicker and took the check before he even had the chance to understand what happened. You placed your debit card and immediately gave it to the waiter.

And it happened, and at this moment you knew you had found the perfect man. He didn’t protest he only said « next time, it’s on me ». You were beyond the moon because it means that there will be a next time but mostly because you finally found a guy who was not afraid of your success. He could accept you paying and not playing the macho guy, the bread winner. You knew he was perfect.

The waiter couldn’t go slower to bring out your card. You want to jump across the table and devour his lips. But you were not in your wildest fantasies and you just couldn’t do that in the middle of the restaurant. He finally came back. You instantly stood up and made your way towards the exit. Shawn had his hands on the lower part of your back and you couldn’t feel more hotter. It was like you were under a thousand degrees sun. You had taken an uber to come to the restaurant and you were walking Shawn back to his car.

« I had such a fun night. Thanks Shawn » you said softly with a bright smile.

You were standing besides his jeep and suddenly you saw him looking at your lips. He placed his hands on your waist, burning you through your dress, but it is a good burn, a fire that lit up your whole body and heart. And then you felt it, his lips against yours. His lips felt like velvet. He tilted his head to make the moment last longer. When he lifted his head, his cheeks were red, much like yours, and the two of you were a little bit out of breath.

« Uhm, … wow… okay… I might need a minute » he laughed and tried to take your arms in his. But you quickly stepped back. « I’m serious Shawn, if you come any closer I might catch on fire ».

He tempted the devil and his hand brush your cheeks and it was over for you. This time you initiated the kiss. It was rougher, the two of you were moving your hands on each other bodies, teeth clashing, lips bruising. You stopped for a minute. You felt happy.

« Let me take you home, babe »

[for-fucks-sake-h]

At My Weakest - one

rated: m, mature | word count: 3.2k | story page  

...tangled up in heartbeats and bite marks and body heat. 

   - butterflies rising 

When Gianna was young, she used to have elaborate daydreams of what her life would look like in the future.  Where would she live? What would she be doing? She thought about it in the way that a lot of kids wish away their youth, wanting to be independent and take care of herself, not have her parents constantly on her case telling her what to do. She worked hard through school, was a straight A student, followed the rules, graduated at the top of her class, had a good job, had her shit together.  

Seemingly, her life looked pretty good from the outside.  But that was the thing about looking from the outside in. You never truly know what goes on behind closed doors.  

She slammed the door so hard the walls shuddered, the trim cracking the tiniest bit around the framing. Fuck, she wished she could slam it harder. Take out all her aggressions and just slam it, over and over and over again.  

She didn’t though. She took off towards her car instead, the sound of her name being called a distant echo as her heart hammered in her chest. Her blood was boiling, her hand shaking as she reached for the chrome door handle so that she could lock herself inside. Her breathing was erratic, her chest rising and falling harshly as she pressed her head back against the leather headrest.  Her throat burned with emotion as her pulse beat wildly, the threat of tears ready and waiting at her lash line.  Deep breaths; one, two, three.  Not without slamming her palm down on the top steering wheel in frustration; one, two, three.  

She released one more deep exhale, her body practically sinking into the seat with it.  She couldn’t help but glance at herself in the rearview mirror, her eyes noticeably dark and soulless.  

How did she get here?  

That was the question running through her mind as she reversed out of the parking spot, as she drove down the highway, as she circled around her town in an attempt to clear her head. She wasn’t even sure how she ended up at Gemma’s, but all of a sudden she was parked outside her building.  

It only took one buzz and a soft “it’s me” into the intercom for the latch to open.   

“Hiya babe, you okay?”  The concern was written all over her friend's face, a telltale sign that Gianna looked even worse for wear than she thought.  

“Is it okay if I stay here for a bit?”  

It wasn’t even a question, Gianna knew that. She’d known Gemma nearly her whole life. They grew up across the street from each other, Gemma’s family moving for her mum’s job. One bike accident and two scraped knees when they were six made them inseparable. Their families became so close that they even started vacationing together. They all got older, but it never changed.    

Gemma nodded, not pressing the issue. “Come on, I’ll make you coffee.”  

That was all Gianna needed, just the comfort from someone who truly knew her. She thought Steve knew her. Shit, she thought she knew him too. They had plans - nothing concrete, but talked about enough that Gianna felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her. She could feel the ache of it in her chest with every breath, and it was excruciating.  

“What am I gonna do?” Gianna asked after a while, two coffees and a half a box of pound cake later.  

“I don’t think you need to figure that out just yet, babe.”  Gemma’s tone was soft, gentle - comfort was something that came naturally to her.  

“All my stuff is there. I don’t even want to look at him,” Gianna shook her head with a frown, eyes cast down to her half empty mug.  

“I’ll have Harry call him,” Gemma devised. “We’ll figure out a time for you to go over when he isn’t there for you to collect your shit.”    

A frustrated growl came from the back of Gianna’s throat as she looked up to the ceiling. “What about tomorrow? How am I supposed to tell my parents?”

Gianna desperately didn’t want to go through this.  They were not engaged, but they might have well been.  Five years was a long time to be with someone just to have things not work out. Their lives were so intertwined, her parents loved him, Gianna knew her mum was counting down until she could start wedding planning. Fuck, Gianna was ready to start wedding planning. She was ready for the next step in her life, a family of her own. She wanted it with Steve. And poof, all that was gone in the blink of an eye.  

“G,” Gemma sighed, a sympathetic look on her face. “Tell them when you’re ready. You don’t owe anything to anyone except yourself.”  

Gianna didn’t say anything else. What more could she say? She didn’t even want to acknowledge that this was her new reality. Years of being in a perfectly content bubble popped so quickly it made her head spin.  So she nodded as she toyed with the handle of her mug.  

“Come on,” Gemma nodded towards the hallway. “You wanna change into some sweats?”  

It didn’t even register that she was still dressed in her work attire, which was a feat in and of itself since she usually changed as soon as she got home. Her “home” closing in on her seemed to be enough of a distraction to the now overly prominent tightness of her skirt cinching into her waist.

So Gianna followed Gemma into her room at the end of the hall, and exhaled a sigh of relief as she unzipped the mid length silk skirt that made her feel pretty and complimented her skin tone. The sheer, black dress shirt that she had tucked into it fell away from her skin once the skirt loosened, and she was quick to tug on the joggers and exceptionally soft lavender sweater that Gemma left on her bed for her.  It smelled like vanilla and detergent, and somehow that gave Gianna just enough comfort to not stay in Gemma’s bed for the foreseeable future.  

It wasn’t until later that evening, with a pitch black sky above her and the cool September air biting at her cheeks as she sat on the rooftop that it really started to feel like everything around her was crumbling. She didn’t let herself cry until then - until she knew she was alone and could let it out without an audience.  She hated crying in front of people, and as much as she loved Gemma, she just didn’t have the energy to let herself go there. But now? Now, it was coming full force whether she wanted it or not.    

The sound of the metal storm door opening startled Gianna enough to make her jump, her sweater paw immediately going to her face to cover the tear that had just fallen.  

She peaked over her shoulder after a moment only to find Harry pouting in the doorway, seemingly deciding if he should trudge forward or not. Gianna turned away from him, back toward the city lights as she pulled the bottom of her sweater down over her knees. She wrapped her hands in the sleeves even more as the wind blew a strip of hair across her face, and let her head fall to peer down at her knees when she heard the door slam closed.

The silence was deafening as he appeared at her side, moving to sit next to her on the picnic table situated at the corner of the roof.  His ripped jean clad knee knocked against hers once he was seated on the table top, the side of his boot pressing against her socked foot where it rested on the bench seat, his palm finding its way to her shoulder blade.

Gianna leaned into him as her chin wobbled. Soothing circles were rubbed into her back, but the gesture only expedited the tear from slipping down her cheek. 

“Gems told me. ‘M sorry, love.” His voice was gentle despite the deep timbre of it vibrating near her ear as he pressed his jaw against the top of her head.  

It felt like too much time had passed before Gianna spoke up, her voice low and broken. “How do you just… fall out of love with someone?”  

Harry shook his head against her temple, his arm wrapping around her to pull her closer into his side - an attempt to shield her from the onslaught of disappointment coursing through her veins.    

“I don’t know, G.”  

She sighed heavily. “I was supposed to marry him, and he just... broke up with me. Like it was nothing.”  

“Did he say anything?”  

Gianna pulled away from Harry’s side, wiping the sleeves of her sweater under her eyes in an attempt to collect herself.  “Said he ‘couldn’t do this anymore’, whatever the fuck that means.”  

Harry released a deep breath as he shook his head in disgust. For as long as Gianna and Gemma had been friends, Gianna and Harry were friends too. They weren’t super close, not the way the girls were, but they were friends nonetheless, and he hated seeing her hurt like that.

“Makes me think he didn’t love me at all,” Gianna continued. “How did I not see that?”

“If that’s true, he fooled all of us, love.”

Gianna didn’t say anything for a bit, just looked up to the dark sky as tears burned at her lower lash line. Harry stayed quiet as he watched her with a deep crease etched between his brows.

“I feel so fucking worthless,” she whispered eventually, her voice so solemn it ripped right through him.

“Hey,” he practically called, but she didn’t look at him. “You are not worthless.” Gianna shook her head, disagreeing. “Gianna. Stop it.” Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “His fucking loss. If he doesn’t know a good thing when he has it, fuck him.”  

“It’s not that simple.” Gianna leaned into his side once more, finding comfort in the way his fingers gripped her shoulder.

He hummed as he squeezed her shoulder once more. “It is. You’re too good for him anyway.”  

Gianna snorted a soft laugh as she shook her head with a gentle jab of her elbow into his side. “Easy for you to say.”    

“‘M serious. Way out of his league. In every sense.”    

Harry gave the compliment with as much ease as he would with a stranger at a bar in the hopes of taking them home at the end of the night. He was charming that way, a smug sort of confidence wafting around him without any actual effort on his part.

Gianna wasn’t sure why, or how, but the compliment gave her just enough of a boost of confidence to make her feel a bit better.  

Maybe Harry was right. Hell, maybe he was right about everything he’s been saying over the years. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in a serious relationship. He avoided the mess. He avoided the drama. For as long as Gianna had busted his chops for it, maybe he knew something she didn’t all along.  

“You look like you’re thinking too much,” Harry commented when Gianna went quiet in her thoughts.  

“No, I don’t know. Maybe you’re right.”

“Course I am,” he nodded surely. “Have I ever steered you wrong?”  

She gave him a pointed look, which simply received a chuckle in response and nothing else.  They both went quiet as they looked out over the city.  Despite it being the middle of the night, it still seemed alive with the buildings roof top lights spreading out in the distance.  

If there was one thing Gianna knew after the day she had, it was that she hated feeling the way she did. It had been a while since she felt so down on herself, let alone being let down by someone who she thought she could count on… forever.  It put a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she hated it.    

Harry spoke up after a while, the tone of his voice just enough of a tease to make Gianna’s skin prickle. “You know what they say, G.”  

“What’s that?” she turned to him, watching as he kept his eyes focused on the city ahead of him.  

“The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”  

She held her breath without even realizing she was doing it, before slowly exhaling as she watched Harry turn ever so slowly to catch her eyes. She literally couldn’t help it, her reaction was immediate, the most subtle tingle crawling across her skin.

They teased and joked with each other plenty over the years. But somehow, in some way, Harry’s words felt different.  The way he was looking at her felt different. Like he was dying to see her reaction but refusing to give in. His eyes were dark on the dimly lit roof, but completely focused on her.  

Harry didn’t dare move, just stared back into her curious brown eyes, his mouth forming around the words faster than his brain could catch us. “Sounds to me like you just need a distraction.”  

“Are you offering?” Gianna’s response was so quick it made a shudder fall down Harry’s back.  And although Harry’s face was completely at ease, his eyes were fixated on the curve of her Cupid’s bow.  

Harry’s eyes flicked up to meet hers. “Do you want me to be?”

That was enough to have Gianna’s body lean in on its own accord, her mouth catching his in a slow lingering kiss.

He tasted like the faintest bit of tequila and whatever his choice of spearmint gum was that evening, and it was intoxicating. His lips were soft but reacted immediately, suctioning to her bottom lip in an attempt to keep her there.

Just as quickly as it happened, Gianna was pulling away, the sound of their lips parting reverberating off of thin air.

She closed her eyes and turned back towards the city. “I’m sorry I don’t know what—”

But just as quickly, Harry’s hand reached for her jaw to pull her back to him, immediately interrupting her apology in favor of slanting their lips together once more.

This time, his fingers gently cupped her jaw as his mouth reeled her in further. It was like a knee jerk reaction, or when you haven’t had your favorite chocolate for a while and then can’t get enough of it.

He couldn’t get enough of her.

Gianna’s hand gripped his wrist, her mouth melting into his, head fuzzy and buzzing. And when Harry’s tongue teased, she found her own mouth opening more to let him in.

God, she welcomed him in, her tongue smoothing over his in a way that pulled the most toe curling chill up her spine. The kind that makes your skin erupt in goosebumps and your belly twist with something; need, desire, lust. Whatever it was, it had Gianna’s cheeks warming and her back arching closer to Harry.

And Harry, he was so far gone he felt like his head might explode. She was so warm, and she curved into him perfectly when he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer, fingers still clenched softly at her neck to keep her still. The softness of her breasts against his chest was enough to light a fire in his stomach, desperate to be as close to her as physically possible. The flesh of her hip was pliant under his palm, fingers digging into her skin, subconsciously not wanting her to slip away. But maybe not so subconsciously after all.

His lips smoothed down her chin and across her jaw, nipping softly as a breathy moan slipped past Gianna’s lips. The sound had Harry sucking eagerly into the warm skin of her neck, kiss after sucking kiss being planted upon her soft skin. He could feel her pulse thrumming against his mouth, his own heart beat matching methodically.

“God, what are we doing?” Gianna whispered up into the open sky as her hands squeezed his shoulders.

Harry pulled away from her neck just then to check her face. “Do you wanna stop?”

“No,” she breathed, her mouth finding his waiting lips with a hum.

He kissed her hard, his mouth so insistent on sucking and pulling on her lips that Gianna felt like he was taking her breath with him. His mouth was soft exactly the way it should be, but strong all in the same. Demanding, urgent, salacious. Kissing him was almost too enjoyable.

Gianna’s hand smoothed down the strong expanse of Harry’s shoulder, nails scratching against the hard muscle beneath the soft skin of his bicep. The goosebumps there could have been attributed to the cool evening air, but Gianna knew better.

Especially when her fingers trailed the rest of the way down his side and across the top of his thigh, her palm resting on the center seam of his jeans.

Her eyes were closed despite her head tilting down, pulling her lips from his as their foreheads met softly.

“You’re hard.”  Her words were just above a whisper. It was obvious, but she couldn’t help commenting on it. She could feel the firmness of his cock beneath his jeans, hot and full against her palm.

“You made me hard,” he leaned in to kiss her cheek gently. “You’re so fucking sexy. And beautiful. Y’smell like heaven. Fuck.” His words traveled down her neck, his mouth finding the edge of her sweater to suck a new kiss on a new piece of skin. He wanted to uncover every piece of skin to leave traces of his mouth on.

“It’s my perfume.” Gianna’s rebuttal was soft as she tilted her head back to grant him more space; more skin for him to suck tiny kisses into.

She palmed him over his jeans, the twitch of his hard length making her swallow thickly with desire.

“Think it’s just you,” Harry commented wistfully.

Gianna’s fingers toyed with the button of his jeans, his zipper lowering ever so slowly as Harry’s tongue smoothed over her skin before sucking gently.

“Is this okay?” she asked softly as her hand smoothed into his snug jeans, feeling the hardness of his length over his briefs.

His head tilted back with a soft moan while his fingers squeezed her waist tighter, as if her gentle touch was too much for him.

“You tell me,” he breathed as his cock twitched against her palm, his body begging for more from her. “Are you okay?”

That was the age old question, wasn’t it? Was she okay?

Gianna wasn’t sure. She knew she would be, eventually at least. But in that moment, all she knew was that Harry made her... feel. For as long as she’d been numb, he was making her feel alive in that moment. And he made her forget, and that was what she wanted.

“We don’t have to—” Harry began, but was quickly cut off by Gianna pushing forward to press her lips to his jaw, her tongue smooth out over the sharp indent before her lips sucked softly.

His moan was addictive. The firmness of his length was impressive to say the least. His hands felt like molten lava where he gripped her waist. And Gianna’s skin burned with intrigue.

“Let’s go to your room.”

A/N: Ha! Can you believe we’re doing this again??? After I said no more series for a while?? Well, here we are... I really hope you liked it! Lots of people to thank for helping me get my ass in gear - so huge thank you to @oh-honey-styles @andwhenshesays @real-work-of-art​ @harrytheehottie​ @all-things-fic​ @haute-romance-quotidienne​ for all the hand holding and support and hyping and encouragement and just being overall wonderful humans... you guys have my heart, seriously. And if you’ve read this far - thank you! I would love to hear your thoughts! Lots more to come xx 

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