#CAL YOU DREW IT ADORABLY THANK YOU
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Tumblr Fandom: A Year in Review 2023
i was tagged by @mistmarauder, thank you!!
Top Five Blorbos:
Eddie Diaz (9-1-1)
Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things)
Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew)
Alex Claremont-Diaz (Red, White & Royal Blue)
Lucy Preston (Timeless)
Top Five Fandoms:
9-1-1
Red, White & Royal Blue
Stranger Things
The Haunting Anthology
Nancy Drew
Top Five OTPs:
Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1)
Lucy Chen/Tim Bradford (The Rookie)
Nancy Drew/Ace (Nancy Drew)
Lucy Preston/Garcia Flynn (Timeless)
Dani Clayton/Jamie Taylor (The Haunting of Bly Manor)
Shoutout to Some New Friends:
@eddiediaaz we've been mutuals since last year but i feel like we talked a lot more this year, so i'm very grateful for that ❤ @poughkeepsies is one of my dearest mutuals on here and i love you and all your takes <33 and also @ice-sculptures i've adored following you over this year!
Shoutout to Some Old Friends:
all of my love to the one and only @tawaifeddiediaz, i don't know where i'd be without her to rant and get emotional over our blorbos with and she's just such a wholesome soul!! and of course, @bieddiediaz and @oneawkwardcookie, the besties, i love you guys so so much ❤❤
Favorite Creation You Posted This Year:
i'm very proud of my fic, but i can see all along, love (it was you all the way down) <3
Favorite Creation Posted by Someone Else This Year:
oh gosh this is SUCH a difficult question because there are so many amazing creations from this insanely talented fandom—but i'd have to go with @eddiediaaz's speak now gifset it was so incredible!
People Who Brightened Your Year:
too many people to count—@buck2eddie @lover-of-mine @jeeyuns @diazass @kitkatpancakestack @bieddiediaz @tawaifeddiediaz and so many others i'm probably forgetting!
Anyone Else You'd Like to Mention:
there are just too many people to mention—every single one of my mutuals on here, and all the kind people who've sent me lovely messages (anonymous or not) and all the people who continue to follow me!!
Five of Your Favorite Authors This Year:
elless continues to be an all-time favourite, they have some of the most beautiful fics in the fandom ❤❤
@tawaifeddiediaz is the most talented person ever ily 😘
@letmetellyouaboutmyfeels is another favourite!! your halloween fics were SUCH a treat and i'm sitll working my way through them!!
@cal-daisies-and-briars has fics with some of the most intriguing concept and is honestly a powerhouse—it seems like you're posting fic all the time!
@bvckandeddie i recently discovered your fics and they're just *chefs kiss* so delightful!!
Five of Your Favorite Artists/Gifmakers/Podficcers/Etc. This Year:
no list about gifmakers is complete without @eddiediaaz who is so talented and creative it makes me wanna cry (with joy!)
@padme-amidala while i don't follow most of the media you post gifs for, your work is so stunning and i'm so obsessed!!
@stationoneeighteen i love love all of your gifs especially the ones that focus on the firefam, they're so good ❤❤
@buckleys-diaz alie you haven't been around for a while (and i hope you're doing well!) but you've always been one of the most talented gifmakers in this fandom and i've always looked up to you <3
@roseapothecary your gifs are so so gorgeous and i've adored all of your rwrb sets!! they're so pretty and creative!!
Three Things You're Looking Forward to in 2024:
the new season of 9-1-1 and also the PJO tv series!!
Tagging:
tagging everyone who's already been mentioned in this post <33
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IMPORTANT QUESTION
Does suns frills fold around the back of his head like a flower or is the back of his head like- exposed
Oh they’re folded around yeah i just never drawn it from that angle lol
#he looks cúter like that anyways#very good question thank you#CAL YOU DREW IT ADORABLY THANK YOU#kelpie au#fnaf sb#inti answers#scars and scales
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best of me
ride or die | logan x mc (ellie wheeler)
a picture of logan and ellie in their thirties for @rodappreciationweek and the time capsule challenge 🌼
tags: @choicesarehard ; @lovehugsandcandy ; @pixeljazzy ; @troublemakerinspace ; @zigtheeortega ; @jaxmatsuo
~2.3k words | T
“mr. wheeler!”
logan looked around the parking lot, squinting into the sun. one of his students was running at him full speed, holding his cell phone aloft and waving it around excitedly. “what’s up, alex?”
alex drew to a stop in front of him breathlessly. “i got in,” he said, lips splitting into a big grin. “cal tech, i got in.”
“hey, that’s awesome!” logan said, reaching out to clap the student on the shoulder. “congrats, alex. that’s a huge accomplishment.”
“dude, thank you so much for your recommendation,” alex said, nodding enthusiastically. “you’re honestly the best teacher i’ve ever had.”
“give yourself some credit,” he smiled, “you worked hard, and cal tech is lucky to have you. just don’t forget to come back and visit, yeah?”
“for sure,” alex agreed. with one last grin, he was gone, and logan finished getting his things in the car so he could head home, the rest of the students and faculty in the parking lot of mar vista high well used to the roar his devore’s engine made by now, after three years of teaching.
ellie’s car was already in the driveway when he arrived back at the house, and logan frowned when he parked on the street and jogged up the walk to their front door. it was early for her to be home; usually his day ended well before hers. as he walked inside, he wondered absently if the fact that she’d had an early afternoon meant she’d started dinner, and if he was possibly lucky enough that she was making that noodle thing he liked so much.
“ellie?” his keys landed in the bowl by the door with a familiar clink, his shoes kicked off one by one on the mat. “babe?”
“in here!” the stressed-out voice of his wife filtered in from the spare room. as soon as logan took a step towards the hallway, there was a sudden and aggressive rapid tap-tap-tap on the hardwood floor, and their dog ran at him at full speed, jumping up onto his legs with an excited bark.
“hey, clark,” he said gently, bending down to scratch the dog behind his floppy ears, “everything okay in there?”
the pointed silence that followed seemed to speak for itself. he followed the hallway down to the spare bedroom and found ellie sitting on the floor, surrounded by ripped-open cardboard boxes and indistinguishable small plastic pieces.
before logan could ask what she was doing, she frowned up at him and said, “i’ve been trying to put this baby carrier together for three hours.”
he arched his eyebrows at her, looking over the small mess she’d created in the middle of the room. “you’ve been here for three hours?”
ellie pulled a face at him, her lips twisted into a grimace. “morning sickness that lasts all day again,” she explained, scrunching up her nose. “jack caught me coming out of the bathroom and sent me home after lunch.”
“oh, no,” logan said sympathetically, dropping down onto his knees on the one free space of carpet. “i was hoping that’d’ve gone away by now.”
“you and me both,” ellie sighed, puckering her lips at him for a quick kiss. “i guess it was too much to hope for a baby without a rebellious streak a mile wide.”
“i’m still holding out for your dimples,” he grinned, “and that laugh. as long as the baby gets both of those, they’ll be set for life.”
“the baby is five minutes away from sleeping on the floor. i’m about to trash all of this and go take a nap.” the downtrodden expression on ellie’s face tugged at his heart in a way her cute little sighs always seemed to manage to. logan was already smiling when she squinted up at him hopefully and asked, “will you help me try to put it together?”
as if there was ever a chance he’d say no. “’course,” logan answered, “two heads are better than one, right? although you are an engineer...”
“believe me, graco is going to be hearing from me,” ellie grumbled, rolling gingerly to the side to shuffle awkwardly out of the way of the pile of pieces she’d already started putting together. she was just a few months along but already starting to show and moving about differently for it, unaccustomed to her new shape. “there is no reason these instructions should be more complicated than my master’s thesis.”
logan laughed, leaning over to take a peek at the paper spread out between her legs. “hey, they’re not so bad.” he easily snapped two pieces into place, forming the base of the carrier. “there we go.”
“show off.” ellie rolled her eyes, pushing another piece his way with a disdainful sniff. “i’m still calling them to complain.”
“and you totally should,” he said easily, “because they suck and you’re brilliant.”
“exactly,” she agreed. without looking up he could tell that her eyes were narrowed, her lip curling further with every piece he added onto the carrier, the methodic click of each settling into place ringing out loudly in the silent room. finally, ellie groaned, “god, i hate you. i knew this would be so easy for you.”
“okay, but that’s what i’m here for,” he reminded her with another soft smile, reaching out with his free hand to squeeze her knee. ellie huffed when he continued to turn a plastic screw one-handed. “to handle all this shit for you so you can relax. i know you have the hardest job, here.”
“you are the most annoying person i’ve ever met.” ellie’s sigh sounded wistful. when logan lifted his gaze he found her staring at him adoringly, her eyes wet. “i love you.”
“i love you too, baby. any idea what you want for dinner?” he looked away to concentrate on lining two tiny pieces up, frowning when they wouldn’t stick quite right. “come here for a sec, yeah? need some tiny fingers.”
ellie shot him a look, but leaned over anyway, wiggling her hand in the tight space he indicated until the two pieces sealed together with a pop. “maybe i don’t need a refund on my degree after all.”
“they should’ve paid you to take it,” logan agreed indulgently, nudging his shoulder gently against hers. “dinner?” he prompted again.
his wife groaned theatrically, flopping back onto the carpet. her arms and legs spread out like she was making a snow angel, disturbing the bubble wrap and cardboard that littered the room. “i want sushi,” ellie said sadly, “and a wine spritzer.”
“what about apple cider?” he asked gently, eyes still on the baby carrier even as one hand felt blindly for her calf and dug its thumb into her muscle for a massage. “it’s almost the same thing.”
“it’s not even close,” she sighed. “but fine. thank you.”
“you got it. why don’t i finish up in here, and you see what we have in the kitchen? it’ll just be a few more minutes.”
“rub it in,” ellie muttered, rolling slowly to sit up. “okay. i feel like i should do something nice for you. maybe i can make that noodle thing you like.”
logan beamed at her, leaning in to steal a kiss. “that’s sweet of you, babe. thank you.”
ellie laughed, kissing him back before she asked, “why do i feel like this was all an elaborate set up to get me to make your favorite dinner?”
“because you’re a naturally suspicious person?” he guessed, lifting his hand to smooth her hair back off her face. “i don’t know.”
“i think it’s because you’re too charming for your own damn good.” but ellie was smiling when he pulled away, and that was all that mattered. it was the only goal he ever had.
“no such thing,” logan smiled back, gently nudging her away. “i’m right behind you.”
“yeah, yeah,” she said, waving dismissively, “show off.”
he watched her walk away, staring until she disappeared around the corner, and then turned back to the mass of plastic and screws that was slowly starting to resemble an actual baby carrier. squinting down at the instructions, it was only a matter of minutes before he had the rest of it assembled, and then a few more while he backtracked, checking over his work to find where he’d missed the one remaining piece that had been left over.
he took the time to clean up in what was eventually going to be their nursery, eyes sweeping over the boxes and gifts that cluttered their spare room. there was a ways to go before they were anything even close to ready for the baby, and he knew ellie’s due date would be here in the blink of an eye.
would he ever really feel ready? it seemed insane, when he sat and thought about it -- he and ellie were going to be parents. more than home or dog owners or two people with jobs and bills, it seemed like a responsibility he felt no where near prepared for or equipped to deal with. sometimes he still felt like a stupid kid himself.
though he had absolutely no doubts about ellie. ellie took to every kid she met like a natural -- his students adored her, riya’s twins thought she was the greatest thing in the world and were still only lukewarm where he was concerned. the kids in the program they volunteered with couldn’t get enough of her.
she kept their house running and all their plants alive. she kept him so happy he was delirious with it, in a way that had felt utterly foreign at first but now seemed so common.
enviously, he knew she’d be mother of the year without even having to try.
the rest of the room was tidied on autopilot as logan remained lost in his thoughts, and when he finally made his way into the kitchen it was, to his delight, to the tune of ellie in the middle of making his favorite dinner, the room smelling as amazing as the sight of her rushing around so domestically looked.
his heart gave a weak lurch as he stepped up behind her at the counter and wound his arms around her waist. his nose pressed into the dip at her shoulder with a sigh. “all done. next stop... crib.”
“don’t remind me,” ellie groaned, “my dad has been on my ass for weeks.”
logan winced. if there was one thing he knew about detective wheeler, it was that he was just as opinionated as his beautiful daughter. “maybe he could come with us to pick it out.”
“maybe he could mind his own business,” she suggested instead, stirring the boiling pot of pasta on the stove. “he acts like he knows everything there is to know about babies.”
“well,” logan said, nosing at the hair at the nape of her neck, “he did raise the most amazing person in the entire world. maybe we should give him some credit.”
“okay, kiss ass,” ellie laughed, “he can’t hear you. but fine. if you really want, we’ll all go next weekend.”
he shrugged. it was personally something he felt indifferent towards, but a few extra points with ellie’s dad never hurt. most of the time he was pretty certain detective wheeler still wanted him dead. “i think that’d be nice.”
“i bet you do,” she murmured, twisting around to hold the spoon she was holding out. “taste.”
he did, chewing and swallowing slowly. “it’s done,” logan said sadly, knowing the words meant he’d have to move away. ellie laughed as he pulled his arms back and went to set the table instead.
he headed to the fridge for the bottle of sparkling cider, making a show of popping the cork like champagne and pouring ellie a generous amount into the giant wine glass she hadn’t been able to use in awhile. she rolled her eyes at him as she put the serving bowl on the table. “it’s not the same.”
“it’s pretty close,” he argued, lifting his own glass up and swirling it like he’d seen many pretentious people at restaurants that made him uncomfortable do. “it’s a beautiful vintage,” he declared, as though he had any idea what that was supposed to mean, “with notes of... apples.”
gratifyingly, ellie dissolved into giggles, shaking her head. “i can’t stand you,” she said fondly, all smiles. he grinned back at her, lifting his glass to his lips.
“to the baby,” ellie said suddenly, lifting her glass, too, and bumping it into his.
“to you,” logan corrected her, clinking his glass into hers a second time.
ellie narrowed her eyes at him. “to you.” their glasses knocked again.
“nuh uh,” he countered childishly, “you’re the baby’s mom.”
“you’re the baby’s dad,” she laughed, bouncing up on her toes to try to get at his glass even as he lifted it above his head and twisted out of her way.
“this is ridiculous,” logan grinned, “just let me toast you, oh my god.”
“no, it was my toast,” she said, jumping up and splashing apple cider out of her glass and onto the floor, “stop trying to hijack it!”
“okay, okay.” he held his hand out to concede, backing away to drop into his seat at the table. ellie followed suit, smirking triumphantly at him. she still loved to win. “to all of us, jeez. me and you and the baby.”
“to all of us,” ellie repeated, and this time, their glasses touched gently, the sound barely audible over the giggles that were building up in her throat again.
he flashed her a goofy grin before he tipped his head back and drained all his cider in one go.
sure, it might’ve been nice to have had something stronger, but --
“mmm,” ellie sighed, smacking her lips as she set her glass down, “you were right. this is so much better.”
#rodaw#rod logan#logan rod#logan x mc#choices rod#ellie wheeler#logan x ellie#rodtimecapsule#myfic#long post#hope you guys like this one !! 💕
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Empire Line (Part 1/?)
Warnings: none
Summary: Newt has been in love with you since your second year at Hogwarts. You have been in love with Newt for nearly as long. You’re both ridiculously oblivious and you think he has feelings for Tina. Will Newt set the record straight before he loses you for good?
Pairings: Newt Scamander x Reader, Reader x OC (super brief)
A/N: Sooooooo this is part 1 of ? maybe 2 or 3 I really really really hope you like it bc I’ve slaved over this one. I’ve been wanting to write something more than just one shots for a while but my self esteem hit rock bottom this last couple months and that has bled over into my writing- hence why I’ve been so absent on here I’m so sorry fam ☹ In my head, this is a companion piece to I’m Gonna Keep You In Love With Me , it’s their origin story. Pls let me know your thoughts! I’d love to know what you think or where you think it’s headed. What do we think of Alistair?...
Title: Empire Line by The National - literally listened to this on repeat while writing this
Taglist (I LOVE YALL): @auror-lovie @moonkissk7 @sagittarius-flowerchild @fishdonttouch @cal-ifornication @haileygarciasunshine
You had been completely in love with your best friend Newt Scamander since your school days at Hogwarts. You two had been inseparable since you first met and were now living together in a shared flat in London as you had been for the past few years since graduation.
You had tried to make your feelings known several times over the span of your friendship but Newt was either oblivious or pretending to be so he didn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of turning you down. You thought it was the former but as the years drew on you grew suspicious because how could one person be so completely clueless?
The unrequited love was recently becoming harder and harder for you to push aside. Your heart ached with every letter he exchanged with your dear friend Tina and your stomach knotted every time he would mention her in passing.
At the end of the day his happiness was all that mattered to you and if Tina was the one to bring him that then you would accept it. You just weren’t sure how you would bear it when they finally did get together.
Maybe it was time for you to move on and open your heart up to other possibilities. Merlin knows there’d been plenty of willing men ever the years, but you’d always held out hope that the love of your life would one day return your feelings.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to settle for someone else.
Once you finished your cup of tea you set the empty mug in the sink and grabbed your handbag before you left the flat, starting the journey to your workplace. Walking through the streets distractedly you thought over all the times you had tried to tell Newt how you felt.
The most recent time was when you’d been standing beside him a few months ago, posing for a photo for the newspaper at one of his book signings. You were so immensely proud of Newt for his hard work and dedication in pursuing his passion despite everyone that had ridiculed him for it throughout his life.
You had accompanied him in his travels while he wrote the book and had only fallen more in love with your best friend as you watched him in his element. And you thought maybe he may have returned your feelings considering he’d dedicated the book to you. Even his brother Theseus had dropped a couple of not-so-subtle hints your way regarding you and his younger brother.
So, as you stood beside him a few months ago at his first book signing you held his hand tightly in your own. You were pressed close to him and beaming with pride for the camera and you caught yourself glancing up at him where he stood beside you. He looked so uncomfortable and nervous in front of the camera but at the same time he was just so ridiculously handsome.
You continued to gaze up at him adoringly after the photographer had moved on, squeezing his hand.
“I love you.”
You uttered the words before you could even stop yourself. It just felt so right and after everything that had happened over the past few months you were certain you had ‘something’. But when he looked back down at you with a crooked smile and squeezed your shoulder casually you felt a sinking sensation in your stomach.
“I love you too,” he said back with such ease that you just knew he only meant it as a friend. Your smile dropped for a split second, but you quickly composed yourself, letting go of his hand.
“Aaaaand I’m going to go find myself a drink,” you said in a fake bright voice, leaving him behind, completely unaware of the way he was staring after you yearningly.
What you didn’t see was the older woman that stepped over to him telling him that you were a lovely couple. And you definitely didn’t see the way he smiled back at the woman, thanking her softly as he continued to look at your retreating figure.
People were always mistaking you for a couple. It had been a regular occurrence since you were 5th years but unbeknownst to you - Newt had recently stopped correcting people when they made the same assumption. Instead opting to smile warmly in response and allow himself to get lost in the illusion for the briefest moment.
- - - - - -
You sighed to yourself as you reminisced on the memory, slipping your apron over your head once you arrived at work. That particular moment had taken you a good few weeks to get over.
Were you that undesirable to Newt that he didn’t even consider the possibility of you harbouring romantic feelings for him beyond friendship?
And then there’d been the numerous events you’d asked him to over the years.
You had been the one to ask him to the Yule Ball in your 6th year.
You’d asked him to attend your brother's wedding with you a few years after.
Once again you’d asked him to go as your date with you to a cocktail ball your work company held just the previous year.
And each and every time he knocked you back. His excuses ranged from: ‘it’s not my scene’, to ‘Pickett is under the weather’. And each rejection hurt more than the last.
To his credit though, he did eventually change his mind each time and always ended up being the best plus one there ever was. But that didn’t quite erase the embarrassment and heartache you felt every time he turned you down.
Just last week you’d asked him to go with you to your old school friend’s wedding. You’d thought he’d agree easily this time as Sarah was a mutual Hufflepuff friend of both of yours and she and Newt had always gotten along but he’d simply told you, “I’ll think about it,” before he had scurried off to his bedroom.
“Excuse me, are you open yet?”
You snapped out of your musings once more when you heard the first customer for the day enter the shop, plastering a bright smile on your face. You were determined to have a good day.
- - - - - -
Newt walked into the kitchen shortly after you’d left for the day, frowning when he saw you had indeed left without saying goodbye and that you’d forgotten your lunch too.
He was worried about you lately. You usually always wished him a good day before you headed off anywhere and you hadn’t done so a couple of times now during the last few weeks. You also appeared to be forgetting meals here and there too.
You had been uncharacteristically quiet since the two of you had returned back from New York and Newt figured you must have been upset about leaving behind Queenie and Tina.
He knew how much you had bonded with the Goldstein sisters and he’d tried his best to cheer you up but everything he tried appeared to be futile as the smile would disappear from your face after a few moments and you’d just go back to tending to your plants or reading your books.
The only thing that seemed to grab your attention was when he would talk about Tina so he found himself mentioning the other woman most days, feeling a sense of relief when you would actually utter more than a few words in response. But something still seemed off.
He didn’t have the slightest clue about the heart ache you felt each time he uttered the other woman’s name.
Newt grabbed your lunch off of the counter and made his way to your workplace, figuring he could grab some things from the nearby grocers afterwards. He was planning to cook your favourite meal for dinner in the hopes to cheer you up a bit and maybe ask if there was something upsetting you recently.
Smiling to himself when he arrived at the small plant nursery where you worked, he leaned in the doorframe as he watched you tend to the plants, humming quietly to yourself. He saw you happy and at ease for the first time in weeks and he couldn’t help the grin that spread on his face at seeing you huff in annoyance when you couldn’t reach one of the hanging plants, stretching up onto your toes to try and reach the offending plant.
How could one person be so adorable?
He was just about to step in and retrieve it for you when another gentleman walked over to you, resting a hand on your waist as he leant over you to grab the planter down. The smile dropped from Newt’s face immediately as he watched this man grin down at you, still completely in your personal space.
The mystery man set the plant down on the counter in front of you and Newt felt bile rise in his throat at the giggle you let out when the man leant in even closer to you, brushing some soil from your face. He was obviously a co-worker of yours and Newt felt awful because he should have been happy that you were happy, considering your previous co-worker had been horrible to you but when he saw the way the other guy still had his hand on your waist he felt nothing but jealousy.
Who was this guy?
Why hadn’t you told him you had a new co-worker?
You usually told him everything.
He thought you told him everything.
And WHY was the guy still gripping your waist like that?
Jealousy.
It was a rare feeling for him to experience but it definitely wasn’t a new one. He’d experienced it every time someone had come along over the years and dared to look at you a little too long, or touch you with too much familiarity.
And every time, he felt like the world's biggest ass because he knew he didn’t have some claim to you.
You weren’t some prize to be won or fought over, and yet here he was, gritting his teeth as he watched the other man make you laugh and swoon, just like he wished he could.
It took him back to the very first time he’d experienced the wrath of the green-eyed monster when you were 3rd years at Hogwarts.
- - - - - -
Newt was rushing towards the common room to find you with the new Pixie he’d just found hidden in his robes. He was excited to show you his discovery because you’d been particularly fascinated in the pixies when you’d studied them in class but as he stepped into the common room he was entirely unprepared for the sight that greeted him.
Pierce Brixley, one of the popular Hufflepuff 5th years, was gripping your shoulders and saying something to you with a megawatt smile on his face.
He couldn’t quite make out what either of you were saying as he made his way towards you, pausing in his tracks when Pierce leant in and planted an eager kiss on your cheek.
Newt then felt a foreign twisting sensation in his stomach as he watched you lift a hand to your cheek to brush over where Pierce’s lips had just been, laughing while you waved to the older boy as he turned to leave.
“You saved my life, Y/N!”, Pierce called out to you over his shoulder as he rushed to leave the room. Newt noticed the other boy had a potted plant grasped in his hands.
“Oh, hi Newt!”, he grinned but Newt simply nodded at him wordlessly, watching him leave the common room in a rush.
He didn’t know what this strange feeling was that had just washed over him. Newt really liked Pierce. The older Hufflepuff had gotten him out of strife with some of his bullies several times and had even offered to help him with his studies from time to time.
So why did Newt suddenly feel the urge to jinx him?
“There you are! I’ve been looking for you since Charms”, you beamed at him, practically bounding over to him and tipping your head aside at the blank expression he wore.
“What was that about?”, he asked, completely ignoring your earlier statement, feeling a twitch of annoyance when you frowned at him in confusion “with Pierce,” he quickly clarified.
“Oh! Right that,” you laughed, shaking your head.
“He was panicking yesterday because it’s his girlfriend's birthday tomorrow and he accidentally squashed the Puffapod he’d gotten for her but it was fine because I found some growing out by the pumpkin patch- remember that time?”, you barely paused for breath, waiting for him to nod in affirmation.
“Yeah so I just gave him a new one that I dug up today. And now I have a sad but still hopeful Puffapod of my own to nurse!” You smiled as you held up the crushed and wilted flower for him to see.
And just like that the foreign sensation in his gut was gone and he felt normal again.
“So, I got him out of a pickle apparently but I’m not too sure about that because I don’t know who in their right mind thinks a Puffapod is a romantic gift! They make you dizzy if you mishandle them, did you know that? I certainly wouldn’t appreciate that as a gift.”
You rambled on so quickly that Newt was struggling to keep up, but he couldn’t stop his growing smile because he absolutely loved listening and watching you go off on tangents. You were so passionate about plants and flowers and he utterly adored the way your eyes would light up when you got carried away talking about them.
He gazed back at you as you continued to talk about the qualities of a Puffpod while you inspected the plant in your hands, trailing your fingers over the foliage.
“So, what kind of gift would you appreciate then?” he chuckled, smiling softly back at you and you blinked back at him because it wasn’t really something you had thought about.
“Uh...just something that shows genuine thought and care I guess- WAIT is that a Pixie?!”
- - - - - -
Newt was broken out of his daydreaming when he heard you laugh once more, and he cleared his throat when he decided you had spent way too long gazing back at the mystery man.
He gritted his teeth when said man was the one to turn to greet him while you went back to watering the plants, not noticing his presence in the shop.
“Hi there! How can I help you today?”, your co-worker said brightly, heading around the counter towards Newt.
Newt held up the lunch bag in his hand. “I came to see Y/N”, he said flatly, so flatly that he almost didn’t recognise his own voice.
Newt stared at you desperately feeling some of the tension leave him when you looked up to see him, a bright smile appearing on your face not a moment later.
“Newt!”
You smiled happily at him instinctively. You were always happy to see him, that much had never changed. It was just when you pictured him with Tina that that miserable shadow would fall over you again.
You cocked your head aside as you bounded over to him and Newt was entirely distracted by the sensation of his heart swelling on his chest at the sight of you, looking just like you did that time in your 3rd year.
Your lips parted when you recognised he was holding your lunch that you hadn’t even realised you’d forgotten. “Oh goodness, I totally forgot. Thank you, Newt! What would I do without you?”, you pecked him on the cheek quickly as you took the bag from him.
Newt blushed as he usually would at your affection, but he also felt a small sense of pride when he noticed the way your co-worker’s eyebrows shot up at the kiss.
“Starve probably,” he answered with a teasing smile, pausing when he spotted some lingering soil on your cheek that the other man had obviously failed to brush away.
He lifted his hand without a moment's hesitation and slowly and gently thumbed away the remaining dirt from your skin. Not noticing the way you held your breath and leant into his touch instinctively.
“I’ll see you later”, Newt murmured, dropping his hand quickly when he realised how long he’d been staring at you. He allowed his hand to brush down your arm, squeezing your hand in his own momentarily before he stepped away from you.
“Have a good day, Y/N,” he called looking back at you once he was in the doorway, simply nodding at your co-worker before he left the shop.
That evening when you arrived home to find Newt preparing your favourite meal for dinner, you’d felt a small spark of hope flourish in your chest, wondering if maybe he was trying to be romantic. Especially after that moment in the shop.
The meal was perfect, and you were sat there gazing back at Newt adoringly with your chin resting in your palm while he told you about his day with the creatures.
He paused in his ramblings as he got up “oh I nearly forgot, Tina wrote us both,” he grabbed two envelopes from the kitchen counter, passing you yours with a wide smile.
And just like that you felt all your hopes fade away once again. This time it really hurt to see the soft smile on his lips as he looked down at his own letter that looked considerably thicker than yours.
Of course it would be thicker than yours.
They were probably writing full romantic essays back and forth by now.
You plastered on a smile of resignation, pocketing your own letter and going straight to your bedroom once you’d finished cleaning up. Having no idea that Tina had actually written to Newt in great detail of all the reasons why she felt he needed to share his feelings for you.
- - - - - -
Newt had read over Tina’s letter at least a dozen times over the following week, knowing logically that everything the woman had written was true.
‘I know you’re nervous. Especially after all this time but you’ve known Y/N for so long now you know she would never ridicule you or lash out at you.
You should make the most of all the precious time you have together. Our time is never promised, I learnt that with the passing of my parents and there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be able to tell them how much I loved them.
I can’t tell you for sure how she will respond but you will be able to finally rest without wondering what could be.
Be brave Newt.’
He’d been re-reading that specific page over and over again and he was finally building a plan in his head of how he was going to tell you.
There had been so many moments over the years when he’d nearly told you of his feelings. The words had truly been on the very tip of his tongue more times than he could count.
But every time he grew anxious and backed out, promising himself he’d tell you ‘next time’.
The most recent time had been just a fortnight earlier when you’d been down in his case with him.
He went to the markets to fetch you a box of your favourite pastries and a bouquet of your favourite flowers, planning to present them to you when you got home from work. He had set the sweets and flowers in his study to give to you later before he’d headed down to check on the creatures, running through what he would say to you in his head as he cleaned around the enclosures.
“Newt?”, he startled when he heard your voice call for him because you weren’t due home for another hour. He looked up in time to see you coming down the stairs towards him.
“You will not believe who’s getting married!”, you said excitedly, waving the opened wedding invitation in front of his face “Sarah! Oh I’m so excited, it’s next month and the venue is incredible. Please come with me? Please?” you rambled on quickly.
Newt felt the courage to tell you of his feelings completely disappearing as he looked back at you and how beautiful you looked gushing excitedly over the wedding of your mutual Hufflepuff friend.
“I-I’ll think about it,” he stammered, turning his attention back to his creatures because he simply couldn’t trust himself to look at you any longer without blurting out everything he had on his mind.
He was so focused on managing his own emotions that he was entirely oblivious to the hurt that washed over your features and the dejected way you slumped your shoulders before you left him alone in his case.
That evening he ended up tossing the pastries to Dougal and leaving the flowers on the doorstep of your workplace for you to find the next day, figuring it wouldn’t be too strange for a floral bouquet to show up at a plant and floral shop.
- - - - - -
The next time he worked up the courage to tell you how he felt wasn’t for another two weeks. The weeks had passed rather uneventfully as you both had continued on in your usual routines.
It was that morning as he watched you feeding the Mooncalves with the sweetest smile on your lips and Pickett perched on your shoulder that he decided he was going to try and tell you again.
You had seemed to perk up again recently so he took that as a good sign and once you’d left for work that day he once again went to buy you your favourite flowers and even booked a table at one of the restaurants you’d been nagging him to go to. Yes, he was going to put himself entirely out of his comfort zone tonight if it meant winning your heart.
Time got away from him though as he did a few other errands and got caught up in a menswear shop when he decided on a whim that he was going to buy a nice suit that you would hopefully like. He recalled you telling him how much you liked him in blue, so he was feeling quite confident with himself as he wandered back to the flat with his new blue suit and your flowers in hand.
It was 5.30 now. You would most likely be home from work but he figured that still gave you both ample time to get ready for dinner and enough time for him to plan out what he was going to say to you like he hadn’t already been rehearsing all day.
But his newfound confidence dissipated immediately as he approached the front door, hearing your voice and a distinct male voice that he didn’t recognise. Just like that he felt every last drop of courage drain from his body as he stepped into the flat and saw the very same co-worker from a few weeks ago.
He was sitting at the dining room table smiling back at you while you had your head tipped back in laughter at something that he’d said.
- - - - - -
Completely unbeknownst to Newt you had spent the last two weeks trying your very hardest to train your heart out of beating erratically every time you saw your best friend smile. Or stopping your stomach from doing somersaults every time he looked back at you with a little too much interest.
Sure, you loved him more than anything or anyone, but you simply couldn’t take any more of listening to him gush on and on about Tina. You knew it was time for you to move on.
So, you had to get over him and that meant turning your attention to your co-worker, Alistair. He was handsome, he was flirty, he was passionate about plants like you and most importantly he was into you.
You were still down in the dumps from Newt turning down your invite to Sarah’s wedding as you walked to work the next day but as you stepped towards the shop the most incredible bouquet of flowers sat waiting for you against the shop door. You felt your chest tighten as you scooped up the arrangement, seeing it was all your favourites.
“Blegh, who puts sunflowers with peonies and ranunculi?” Alistair said from beside you, having just arrived. You looked back at him suspiciously.
“...they’re my favourite flowers,” you said slowly, watching him closely because you were certain he’d heard you telling a customer that much just a few days ago.
“Oh, I knew that, I was just joking” Alistair played it off casually with a wink and such a charming smile that you were convinced he’d been the one to leave them for you.
When he set his hand on your waist and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek you were certain it had been him.
Who else could it be?
- - - - - -
“Oh hi, Newt! This is Alistair I’m not sure you’ve met properly yet,” you said brightly when you noticed Newt had arrived home, gesturing to the man sitting across from you.
Alistair looked Newt up and down, keeping a pleasant smile on his face as he eyed the flowers Newt had tucked under his arm. Almost an exact replica of the bouquet from the other week, just in a different colour arrangement.
“Pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard plenty about you,” he said smoothly, holding his hand out to Newt.
Newt shook Alistair’s hand begrudgingly, feeling completely intimidated by just how classically handsome and built the other man was. He could never compare.
“Nice flowers you got there,” Alistair nodded at the bouquet just as you jumped to your feet excitedly, finally noticing the flowers.
“Uh...yeah I just found these on the doorstep,” Newt lied, holding the flowers out to you and stiffening at the calculating look Alistair was now giving him.
You blinked a few times as you took the stunning bouquet from Newt, whipping your head aside to look at Alistair.
“I KNEW it was you!”, you said happily as you poked a finger into Alistair’s chest, completely missing the look of confusion that passed over his face for a fleeting moment.
And missing the look of alarm Newt was giving you.
“You tried to pretend you didn’t know what my favourite flowers were! When did you even have the time to put them there?”, you giggled, truly thinking Alistair had managed to pull off such a romantic feat.
Newt gritted his teeth, feeling the strongest flare of jealousy yet when he saw Alistair quickly compose himself and plaster that stupid smug smirk back on his face “well I had them delivered of course,” he lied smoothly as his eyes flicked to Newt.
The two men locked eyes for a moment. Alistair was silently challenging Newt to tell you otherwise. Newt glanced back at you, opening his mouth to protest but he stopped himself just as quickly when he saw the happy glimmer in your eyes.
He just didn’t have the heart to ruin your good mood especially considering how down you had been lately.
So what if you thought the flowers came from Alistair? It was a harmless misunderstanding, right?
Not a moment later you were pressing a kiss to Alistair’s cheek and Newt was gritting his teeth again.
You wandered away to find a vase for the flowers, leaving the two men alone to just stare at each other. Alistair looked back at Newt and the stony expression he now wore, clearing his throat after a moment.
“I should really get going, Y/N,” he called out, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on Newt, another fake smile gracing his lips when you turned to look at him.
“It was nice to meet you, Newt.”
Alistair walked over to you and Newt wanted to die as he watched him press a kiss to the top of your head and saw the shy smile you gave him in return.
Newt briefly considered throwing the damn bouquet into his case for the creatures to feast on when you went to see Alistair off but when you returned to the room, he felt a horrible sense of guilt settle in his chest. You looked so happy and touched by the notion and he just didn’t have the will to wipe that smile from your face.
Would you have been so happy if you’d known who they were truly from?
Probably not.
“He seems nice,” he murmured quietly, staring back at you desperately and hoping you would realise the truth. But when you nodded your head in response, he knew it was a pointless hope.
“Yeah he’s lovely. He’s uh, a bit of a handful sometimes but he’s really sweet and he doesn’t get bored of all my plant talk,” you laughed, looking back at Newt, nodding at the bag he had in his hand “what did you buy?”
“Oh, just some stuff for in the case,” he lied quickly, forcing a smile at you before he walked away, pretending that his heart wasn’t in total shambles.
He decided it didn’t matter who the flowers were really from. All that mattered was that you were happy.
- - - - - -
Another week passed and Newt didn’t hear or see anything more of Alistair much to his relief. Strangely, you appeared to have slipped back into your more quiet subdued self and Newt was worried again.
Had Alistair done something to upset you maybe?
In actual fact you’d been wallowing for a few days now since you’d happened to glimpse one of Newt’s letters from Tina, mistakenly thinking it was yours.
‘Newt,
There is so much to admire about you. You are handsome and inspiring and truly one of a kind. I know Queenie agrees with me on this.
Don’t sell yourself short.
Much love,
Tina
Not only were you completely unaware that the true intention of the letter was more of a friendly pep talk on Tina’s behalf after Newt had written to her about his failure in telling you his feelings and detailing how charming Alistair was comparatively. But you were also hurt to think that Newt had neglected to tell you that he and Tina had made things official.
Sure, the letter was a little lacklustre and you could think of roughly two thousand things to add to the list of things to admire about Newt, but it was still clearly a letter between two people holding affection for one another.
It wasn’t an idea you really wanted to accept yet, so you decided the safest course of action for your bruised heart was to limit your time with Newt. So as a result, you’d been busying yourself throughout the week with your garden.
He would tell you about his new relationship with Tina when he was ready, and you would smile and support him like a good friend.
You’d been up in your bedroom all morning and Newt was concerned so he set about making you a cup of tea deciding he would go and check on you but he nearly dropped the mug in his hand when you came sweeping into the kitchen, dressed up to the nines in the most magnificent dress he’d never seen before.
Your lips were painted to perfection and your hair was styled to frame your face. His chest was aching from your sheer beauty.
“Y/N, you look...incredible,” he breathed, his mouth agape as he looked back at you. “What’s...what’s the occasion?”, he managed to ask eventually, moving closer to you instinctively.
You were completely taken aback by his reaction and his sweet words because he almost looked...awed? You shook the thought away, remembering the letter from Tina and frowned at him.
“It’s Sarah’s wedding? Remember you were invited? I told you about it last month?”, you walked away from him when the doorbell rang, and Newt stared after you helplessly.
Had Sarah’s wedding seriously snuck up that quickly?
Why hadn’t you mentioned it to him again?
Usually you would remind him of such events with a few weeks’ notice, giving him plenty of time to get his act together.
He felt his stomach drop and he understood exactly why you hadn’t mentioned the wedding to him again when he saw you pull the front door open, revealing a fancy suit-clad Alistair. You were taking a practical stranger as your date to the wedding of one of your oldest friends and boy did that feel like a kick in the guts.
“Y/N, didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to out-shine the bride on her wedding day?”, Alistair said loudly as he walked into the apartment, taking your hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. Newt rolled his eyes so hard he thought they might roll right out of his head.
“Oh, you won’t be saying that when you see Sarah. She’s actual perfection”, you smiled back at Alistair bashfully.
“I highly doubt there is going to be a single lady who can hold a candle to you today”, Alistair smirked, and Newt grit his teeth because that was something he could actually agree upon but just the way the other man was leering at you as he said it had Newt wanting to cover you up in one of his long coats. They always did swim on your frame.
Alistair eventually stopped his leering long enough to thrust a huge bouquet of flowers into your face. You raised your eyebrows because this time it was a giant bouquet of red roses.
“I thought it was about time to change it up a little, don’t you think?”, Alistair smiled, reaching out to toy with a strand of your hair, making Newt want to break his hand.
When you just stared at the roses wordlessly Alistair pressed a kiss to your cheek “I think Roses are much better suited to a lady such as yourself. Elegant, beautiful and the flower of romance.”
As you took the bouquet from Alistair and offered him a thankful smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes Newt found himself being thrown back into his Hogwarts days when he’d first learned the truth of why you didn’t like roses.
- - - - - -
“Now remember this spell will only heal minor injuries. Anything beyond that and I highly suggest that you still take a visit to the hospital wing.” Professor Jamieson’s dry voice carried through the classroom.
“Now repeat after me ep-PIS-kee...Episkey. Good.”
Newt was sat beside you in charms class during your second year, fidgeting with his quill nervously as he prayed the Professor wouldn’t call on him to demonstrate for the class.
Professor Jamieson had a penchant for making the entire class demonstrate their pronunciation and wand motions and it was often a source of great embarrassment for Newt as he would stutter when the entire class was watching him.
Newt groaned quietly from his spot beside you when the teacher did just that and he began to bounce his knee nervously as the students began to take turns one by one.
He blinked in surprise when you lay your hand on his knee. You offered him a smile of comfort and he felt his nerves melt away for a moment as he found himself getting lost in your eyes and the soft curve of your lips.
That moment was short lived though as the Professor had the class begin to recite the spell and the motion one by one.
He desperately whispered the spell to himself under his breath, but of course once it was his turn he froze, staring down at his desk as he fumbled with his wand.
Everyone’s eyes were on him as you nudged him gently and the Professor called on him again.
“...Ep-p-p...p-pisskey,” his flushed deep red right to his ears as one Colin Fligshaw guwaffed with laughter, already mocking Newt from the back of the classroom.
“P-p-p-p please Professor! I only speak FREAK!”, Colin mocked, and Newt sat in complete humiliation wanting nothing more than to disappear as the other students began to laugh along.
That was until you threw your ink pot with shocking accuracy, hitting Colin in the middle of his head and sending the ink all over the boy and his robes “Merlin, YOU’RE A GIT, FLIGSHAW!”
Your angry voice carried through the classroom as everyone else sat in stunned silence and Newt stared at you like you’d grown a second head.
“Miss L/N, Mr Fligshaw, detention for a week! And 10 points from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor!”
You scowled back at the other boy who at least had the decency to look ashamed, remembering the time you had made him pay for stealing Newt’s textbooks the year before. He’d had a sore ear for an entire week after you’d dragged him the length of the entire school, ranting and raving at him like a complete lunatic.
“Y/N, you didn’t have to do that. Now you’re gonna be stuck in detention,” Newt said when you were leaving the classroom and you frowned at the guilty expression he wore.
“Newt, you’re my best friend. I’m not just going to sit back and watch you be poked fun of. Plus, you’re going meet me after detention every day with snacks, aren’t you?”, you grinned back at him. You were only joking but Newt nodded in response.
And he did just that. Waiting diligently outside the detention hall for you each afternoon with your favourite snacks hidden in his robes that he’d pinched from the kitchens.
“You’re free!”, he hugged you when you’d finally finished serving your punishment at the end of the week, handing you a cinnamon bun that was still warm.
You hummed happily in appreciation wasting no time in chomping down on the pastry as Newt held out a letter for you to see “Look what my parents wrote me h-oh no!”, he tried to grasp for the paper when a gust of wind sent it flying out of his hand.
You quickly chased after it across the courtyard and Newt tried to call out to get your attention, but it was too late. You managed to catch the paper at the same time you stumbled straight into a rose bush, crying out when the thorns dug into your skin.
“Y/N!” he ran over to you as you thrashed around trying to free yourself from the rose bush, only to end up with more thorns piercing your skin. “Y/N stop moving!”
He winced at your whimper of pain as he carefully pried the bushes away from you, helping you out from the garden bed and sitting you down carefully as he looked over your injuries and torn stockings.
“This IS WHY I HATE ROSES! Firstly, they remind me of my mum's funeral because Merlin, they were everywhere that day but now this! Terrible, stupid, overrated flowers!”
Newt hated the tears he could see you fighting back as you bit your lip in pain. Your stockings were torn and there was blood running down both of your legs. He didn’t hesitate as he knelt down in front of you, taking your hand and using his other to pluck his wand out from his pocket.
“Episkey,” he murmured, letting out a sigh of relief when your skin mended quickly and you were no longer wincing in pain.
“Newt! You did it!”, you gasped, looking at him with big eyes and gripping his shoulders with a proud smile.
“I guess I just needed a reason to get it right,” he smiled back at you crookedly, casting another charm to get rid of the blood and dirt off of you before he helped you to your feet.
He didn’t let go of your hand as he guided you towards the common room, vowing to never ever present you with roses as a gift.
- - - - - -
Newt stepped towards you cutting Alistair from your view as you set the flowers in water with an unreadable expression on your face.
You looked up when he took your hand, looking back at him in confusion before you smiled weakly at him.
“It’s okay. I told Sarah you were busy with book signing things. She understands.” You squeezed his hand gently and Newt wanted to kick himself because that was the last thing that was on his mind. Really, he just wanted to stop you from leaving with him.
He wanted to tell you the truth. And he wanted to dash off to get into his own suit so he could take you to the wedding himself, but he knew he’d lost his chance.
Alistair’s low laughter filled the kitchen as he moved over to you and Newt gritted his teeth at the way he was still leering at you. “Don’t worry Newt, I’ll have her home by curfew,” Alistair teased, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you out of Newt’s grasp.
“Come on princess. We don’t want to be late,” Alistair fixed Newt with one last hard look over your shoulder before he pulled you from the house, missing the way you looked back at Newt in concern. Wondering what it was that he’d been trying to tell you.
Once you were gone from the flat Newt tried to go about his day as usual but the image of you looking so beautiful in Alistair’s arms was burned into his retinas and he found himself checking the time constantly.
He glanced at his watch with a sigh for the 4th time in an hour that afternoon, wondering what you were doing and if Alistair was being respectful. He knew it was silly. You were an adult and you could take care of yourself but that didn’t stop him from worrying and it certainly didn’t stop him from wallowing in self-pity.
As the hours wore on and the light faded, he found himself feeling more and more worked up, lingering in the living room by the front door when he would usually be in his case working.
It was the thought of you slow dancing in Alistair’s arms that had him rushing from the house and before he knew it, he was standing on his brothers’ doorstep, pounding on the door in a complete daze.
“Newt?”, Theseus frowned when he opened his door, knowing immediately from his younger brother’s body language and expression that something was bothering him. He stepped aside, motioning for Newt to come in and went to put the kettle on the boil while Newt sat himself down in the lounge room.
“I’m sorry I know it’s late and you’re probably busy- I can, I can go,” Newt stuttered when Theseus had returned with a pot of tea, getting to his feet to which Theseus frowned and cast him back into his seat.
“Newton. You know my door is open to you no matter the time. What’s upsetting you?”
Newt let out a deep sigh, brushing his fingers through his hair “I don’t...I don’t really know.”
But Theseus fixed Newt with a deadpan expression because he knew his brother only stumbled on his words like he was now over a select few reasons.
“Is one of the creatures ill?”
Newt shook his head.
“Have you lost Dougal again?”
He shook his head again.
“So, it’s Y/N.” Theseus said slowly, watching the younger man closely as he shook his head again.
“Well no...it’s not her specifically,” Newt ran a hand down his face and then let out a groan as his shoulders slumped.
“Merlin, who am I kidding. She’s at a wedding right now with some other man. Her co-worker. I was supposed to go with her, but I said no- I know I’m an idiot don’t give me that face Thes,” he rambled on as he wrung his hands in his lap.
“They’ve been getting closer lately and I just, I’m trying to be happy for her, but I can’t stand the guy Thes’ I seriously can’t stand the guy and it’s driving me mad!”
Newt’s voice grew louder as he continued on but Theseus watched him curl in on himself again when he finished.
The brothers sat in silence for a few moments as Theseus just looked back at Newt, choosing his words carefully.
“You...don’t like him because you’re simply jealous or you don’t like him because he’s genuinely unlikable?”
Newt blinked back at his brother in confusion “why’s it matter?” he sighed, shaking his head as he flopped back in the chair.
In the past he would have ardently argued that he wasn’t jealous and he didn’t see you that way but he knew there was no point trying to lie to Theseus.
“Well I just mean- do you dislike him just because you want to be him? Because you want to be in his shoes? Or do you dislike him because he’s not a good fit for Y/N? Does he treat her well? Will he make her happy?”
Newt looked down at his lap then, twisting his hands together once more as he pondered what Theseus had said.
“Not like I can,” he whispered eventually.
Theseus nodded in response, smiling softly back at him as he clapped him on the shoulder “then I think you better do something about it, Newt. You need to tell her how you feel before it’s too late.”
He noticed the hesitant look Newt wore so he continued, “you need to tell her before you have to watch her move on with someone who can never love her or treat her like you do.”
Newt got to his feet then, nodding to himself and determined to tell you the truth once and for all. Surely you would be home by now. When he arrived home though it was clear you still haven’t returned. That was fine. It just gave him more time to rehearse what he was going to say.
He paced around the kitchen as he imagined hearing you tell him you felt the same way.
“I had a great time tonight, Y/N.”
Newt’s head snapped up and he spotted you in the front terrace, your heels in one hand and Alistair’s hand gripped in the other.
That was okay too. It didn’t have to mean anything. He could still go through with his plan once you were inside and Alistair had left.
Then just as you reached for the door Alistair tugged your hand, spinning you around in his arms and leaning in for a kiss but you turned your cheek at the last second. You successfully dodged the kiss and Newt could almost hear his own heart sing.
That had to be a good sign! You didn’t want to kiss Alistair so maybe he still had a chance to tell you the truth. His brother's advice still echoed in his ears and he realised he had to tell you tonight before he lost his shot completely.
He sucked in a breath when you finally entered the house, standing in the hallway and just glimpsing Alistair’s retreating figure before you swung the door closed and turned to face him.
“Oh, Newt you’re still up”, you said in surprise and Newt had to focus on the task at hand when he realised just how distractingly gorgeous you were still looking.
“Yes, I have to tell you something,” he blurted out, stepping closer to you tentatively.
“Me too actually,” you murmured, smiling back at him weakly and Newt was caught off guard.
Why were you looking at him like that?
What did that smile mean?
He was so dumbfounded by your expression that he forgot to speak, so you eventually filled the silence.
“Alistair’s moving to South America to research the flora and fauna over there.”
Newt only blinked back at you dumbly, so you spoke up again.
“I said I’d go with him.”
OTHER WORKS HERE! -
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Band Baby : Dad!Cal
Summary: When Luke's roommate gets out of an abusive relationship and is newly pregnant, all the guys, especially Calum are there for her and as Calum takes her to ultrasounds and hangs out with her and grabs 2am junk food cravings, he falls more and more in love with her.
Word Count: 13.7k
Warnings: so this does future an abusive ex, mentions of the abusive relationship, but it does have the OC as a strong abuse survivor. pregnancy, smut, mentions of breeding kinks
********************
Calum looked up when he heard Luke’s front door open. Luke’s eyes remained on the tv screen, used to hearing his room mate coming and going. Claire didn’t even acknowledge the two boys, darting up the stairs, a few moments later the sound of a door closing made Calum look back at the TV.
“What’s up with your roommate?” he asked.
“Who knows.” Luke said, too focused on the new season of Stranger Things to care much about his roommate, who probably didn’t need his help anyways. Between Luke and Claire, Luke was the one who needed help. Claire had her shit together as far as Luke was concerned, which is why he’d invited her to move in, so she could help out with Petunia and other things when he was a mess.
Something about the way she’d entered, not even saying hi to the boys, made Calum sit on the edge of his seat. He knew Claire a little from seeing her around, or brief interactions at Luke’s place, but she always said hi. She always attempted to make small talk for a few minutes before ditching.
Calum tried to focus on the TV, but he just couldn't. Finally he sighed, “I’m going to go check on her.”
“She’s fine.” Luke assured him, pausing the show.
Calum hummed in response, going to the stairs that led to the second floor and taking them two at a time.
***
Claire’s skin was hot. Wet tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the stick in her hands. She struggled to keep in the sobs that threatened to spill over.
It had been one mistake. One time. And things had been bad that day. It had been heat of the moment-
A knock at the door startled Claire and she jumped up, quickly making sure the door was locked.
“Yeah?” she managed to call, voice shaky.
“It’s-uh, it’s Cal,” there was a pause, “Are you okay?”
Claire rubbed at her face with the sleeves of her hoodie, “yeah,” her voice cracked, “I'm fine.”
There was silence for a few moments, and Claire waited, eager for the man to just leave, to let her cry in peace. She desperately wanted to turn on the shower, sit down, and just let the water wash away her tears so she could pretend they didn’t exist, but she couldn’t do that with Calum hovering.
“Ok.” he said finally, “uh, let us know if you need anything.”
The offer made Claire smile, more tears spilling because his words betrayed the fact that he knew something was up with her.
“Thanks.” she said meekly.
“Don’t worry about it.”
After a second she could hear his footsteps retreating, and Claire wiped her face, looking in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red.
Her ex had always said she was pretty when she cried, big baby blues all glistening, her usually milky complexion flushed pink, lower lip quivering as she attempted not to cry harder. Perhaps that had been the reason he’d made her cry so much.
Claire pushed the thought aside. Placing blame on herself was not correct, something her therapist had told her over and over again.
Lower lip trembling, Claire tilted her chin up as if to defy… something, she wasn’t sure what, but she needed to prove she was strong, to herself, to anything watching. She went to the shower and turned it on.
As the steam filled the room and the hot water washed over her she could almost forget about the stick in the sink that had just told her she was pregnant.
***
There was a knock on the front door and Claire left her cooking to go answer it. She wasn’t surprised to see Calum standing there. His dark hair was still wet from a shower she assumed he’d just had, the strands curling a little in a boyish way. He was wearing a black shirt that was fitted across his strong shoulders, and grey joggers that Claire had to fight taking a peak at.
It wasn’t uncommon for members of Luke’s band to just show up, and Claire held the door open for him, “Luke’s upstairs.” she said.
“I’ll wait.” Calum answered, following her a few steps back as she went to the kitchen, “it smells good, what are you cooking?”
He’d never really talked to her before, and Claire knew this was unusual. She guessed he was on edge, perhaps he had seen her crying as she’d entered the day before and run up to the bathroom.
There was something about the tall, dark, handsome, usually quiet guy trying to nonchalantly check up on her that was endearing.
But it hurt.
It reminded her that she was like a wounded animal, and this strong man felt some - for lack of a better explanation - animalistic, protective, natural instinct over her.
Claire was a small girl, and she’d always guessed that's what drew the big alpha men to her. It was just an unhappy coincidence that most big dominant men turned out to be abusive assholes as well.
“Cooking eggs.” she answered, returning to her position with her spatula in hand at the stove. Calum leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“Are you making some for Luke? Looks like you’re cooking enough for two or three people.” Calum mused.
“Two.” Claire mumbled under her breath before realizing she’d spoken out loud.
Calum watched her, saying nothing.
Claire could feel her skin heating up again and she cursed herself for being a bit of a ‘crybaby’ or so she’d been called by her ex. Thinking of her ex just made it worse, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Embarrassment flooded over her and she turned to Calum to explain herself, the quick motion making the spatula slip from her hand. Calum caught it easily and looked up at her, Claire’s lower lip wobbled as a sob grew in her chest.
Calum quickly set down the spatula and reached out, grabbing Claire by the shoulders as he looked at her, asking if she was alright was a stupid question because she obviously wasn’t, so Calum struggled to find the right words.
“I-” Calum began.
“It’s fine I’m being stupid.” Claire said, taking in a harsh breath as more tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Calum asked awkwardly.
“Nah.” Claire waved her hand but she was full on crying now, and Calum wondered if hugging her would be a good idea, “help yourself to the eggs.” she said between choking back sobs. Then she left the room in a hurry, and Calum watched her disappear up the stairs.
The sound of a door closing reminded Calum of the day before and he frowned, looking at the eggs.
She hadn’t explicitly stated she was pregnant, he knew that, but she had said she was cooking for two, and then started crying. Calum was a smart guy, he could connect the dots.
He picked up the spatula and stood where she had been standing, watching the eggs. When they were done, he put them on a plate and grabbed a fork. Going up the stairs, Calum wondered if he was doing the right thing as he set the food down on the ground in front of her bedroom door.
He knocked once, “your eggs are ready. I’ll head downstairs but- you should eat something.” he frowned at himself, wondering if he sounded like an ass or a knowitall.
With a sigh, Calum went back downstairs to wait for Luke.
***
It had been a few days since he’d been to Luke’s house, Luke had been busy and not at home, and Calum wasn’t about to just show up without a reason… well, without a reason other than to check up on Claire.
He was worried, which was unusual for him because Calum liked to think of himself as a pretty laid back guy. He tried to continue his life, but he couldn’t get the thought of her out of his head. He hadn’t mentioned the ‘maybe pregnancy’ thing to Luke, it wasn’t his place and he knew that.
Calum was worried about Claire because he’d heard from Luke that her ex had been an ass. Luke had been the one to initially suggest the young poet go to a therapist after seeing some of her poems about the guy she was with. Calum didn’t know all the specifics, he didn’t want to, but he knew that the guy had taken a chunk out of the girls self esteem, and now it appeared he’d knocked her up as well.
Although Calum grew up with both parents in the picture, he knew about people who had single moms or single dads. He knew it was tough. He’d heard stories from Ashton. The thought of Claire going through that alone made his chest tight as he stood in the vegetable aisle at the grocery store.
Everything was so expensive. LA in general was expensive. Claire got by because Luke covered housing costs since Claire helped out so much with Petunia and taking care of the place when he was on tour. But Calum began to wonder what would happen if she had a baby.
“Hey.” came a voice, and it dragged Calum out of his thoughts as he turned to look down at Claire.
She looked adorable as usual, her shoulder length blonde hair was pulled up into a tiny little ponytail that was oddly endearing. A large grey hoodie covered her body like a dress, and her pink flip flops showed off toenails painted in every colour of the rainbow.
Her skin was clear, makeup free, and there was something about it that Calum appreciated. He liked the fact that her cheeks weren’t red, her eyes not puffy. She looked okay, and Calum’s shoulders relaxed immediately.
“Hey.” he said.
Claire turned to look at the apples Calum had been staring at intently, “are you a green or red kind of guy?” she asked.
He was a red kind of guy, but he knew she liked green. He’d noticed the green apples in a drawer of Luke’s fridge, there always seemed to be some on hand, and he knew Luke thought green were too sour.
“Red.” he answered.
“Don’t like sour things?” she asked, reaching past him to grab a Grannysmith, its bright green matching her thumb nail on her right hand, just that nail.
Calum smiled, “depends.”
Claire sneaked a look at the tall man and then looked away quickly, “I just wanted to thank you- for uh, for not telling Luke about the baby thing.”
Calum was quiet for a moment, “it’s not my place to say anything.”
“Yeah, but I know what it’s like to have information and feel like it’s a secret, it can be hard not to tell the people closest to you.” Claire frowned and Calum wondered what she was thinking about. Calum stayed silent and Claire looked at him again, “I like that you don’t ask questions.”
“Don’t want to pressure you. You’re in a tough situation.”
Claire thought about it, “yeah, I guess. I’m going to tell Luke soon.”
“So are you-” Calum cut himself off, “sorry.”
“I am. Keeping the baby.” Claire clarified.
Again, Calum took a long time to think about what she’d said, “we’re here for you.” he said finally, “I know you don’t know me that well, but Luke is a good guy, and Ashton’s supportive, Michael’s a good shoulder to cry on-”
“And what about you? What do you bring to the table?” Claire teased, “other than egg cooking skills.”
Calum smiled down at her, glad she was able to tease, glad she was in the mindset to find humour, “lots of hoodies.”
“I could always use more hoodies.” Claire said in an animated voice, then she frowned.
“Are you okay?” Calum asked quickly.
“Yeah I just… hoodies remind me of my ex. I know I’m lame. It’s been a month or so since I broke up with him but.. You know, I mean, it’s his baby so it’s hard not to think about him.” she gnawed at her lip, “I have to tell him im pregnant, I have to tell him I'm keeping the baby.”
Calum studied her, it was obvious to the both of them that her ex was not going to react well. “So what are you going to do? If you don't mind me asking.”
“I think-” she sighed, “I think I might text him?”
It was a tough situation, and there was no easy answer as to how to approach it, they both knew that. One option was going to see the guy, but Calum, without knowing much about her ex, knew that was not a good plan, and he was not comfortable letting her do that. Not that it was his choice… but, he didn’t like it. A text was okay. A call meant the guy could yell at her, and that might not go well.
Yes. A text was probably the best way to go.
“A text is a good idea.” he said, “Listen, I don’t know much about the guy, but Luke mentioned he wasn’t good to you. So if you want, when you message him, I can take your phone and if he sends back anything bad I can… curiate it or something.”
“Would you really?” Claire looked up at him with those gorgeous blue eyes and Calum licked his lips before nodding.
“Yeah.”
“Want to come back to the house with me?” Claire asked. She could see the brief confusion in Calum’s eyes, “I just… what if he shows up and tries to get in?”
Calum’s heart sank in his chest, knowing she had to deal with that, “yeah, of course I'll come.” he assured her.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t worry about it.” he offered her a smile.
“So… need anything else?” Claire asked, motioning to the store around them.
“Today feels like an ice cream day don't you think?” Calum asked, hoping the mention of ice cream would cheer up the pregnant girl next to him.
Her eyes lit up immediately and Calum’s chest felt warm, “I like the way you think Hood.” she said, “now, moment of truth, chocolate or vanilla?”
***
Sat between Calum and Luke with a Disney film on the TV, Claire felt safe, she felt at home. She could forget about her phone, turned off and on the table. Could almost forget about the text she’d sent. Or she could try at least.
Telling Luke about the baby hadn’t been as hard as she’d thought it would be. She wondered why she’d ever felt worried. Luke had been quick to congratulate her and ask how far along she was. He’d suggested they spend the day doing what she wanted… after she’d sent the text, which is how they’d ended up watching Disney.
Calum heard something and turned, looking out the window. He stood immediately and Luke paused the movie, everyone on high alert.
Claire’s heart froze in her chest and she hugged the pillow closer to her body, grabbing Luke’s arm. He looked between her and Calum, waiting for Calum to explain, even though it was obvious to everyone what he was reacting to.
“I’ll deal with it.” Calum said, moving towards the door. He paused, “unless, Claire, do you want to-”
“I should.” Claire said, “if you guys are with me.” she looked at Luke who nodded. Then the two stood and approached the door. The knocks were loud, and her ex, Justin, screamed, “I know you’re in there Claire!”
“Step away from the door!” Calum called back, moving to look through the peak hole and make sure the guy had followed his command.
After a moment he looked to Claire, “are you ready?”
She nodded, grabbing Luke’s arm tighter, “I can do this.” she said, trying to sound certain.
The door opened and Claire was face to face with her ex for the first time in a month. It hurt to see him. She didn’t miss him, it wasn’t that. It just hurt to look at the man whom she’d allowed to cause so much pain.
“You’re fucking pregnant?!” he screamed, taking a step forward.
Calum was there in an instant, holding his hand out to block the guy. Calum said nothing, but the look Calum gave Justin could have killed the guy, and Justin’s skin got redder as he looked between Luke and Calum, “so you have two new guys now huh?” he screamed, “this is why you dumped me?!”
“I dumped you because you’re an abuser.” Claire spat, startling both Luke and Calum as she stepped forward.
“Selfish bitch-”
“Breaking up with you was the only selfish thing I ever did in our entire relationship.” Claire stated.
Calum was still holding the guy back, but his other hand was clenched at his side, jaw set. He was not happy that the guy had called Claire a bitch, but one look at the small girl showed it hadn’t hurt her. She was tougher than she looked, and it filled his heart with pride.
“You’re aborting it.” Justin said.
“I am not.” Claire said firmly.
“Do I have to make you-” Justin took a step forward and the crack of Calum’s fist connecting with his jaw made his stop. He would have staggered back and fallen down the stairs if it weren’t for Calum’s grip on the front of his shirt.
“Don’t ever speak to her like that again.” Calum growled. Part of him wanted to let the guy go, to watch him fall down the stairs, but he didn’t want a lawsuit on his hands, and he could only claim self defense so much before it was obvious he had it out for the guy.
“I don’t want to see you again.” Claire said, “I don't want to hear from you. You will have no part in this baby's life, seeing as you don’t want them anyways.” Claire’s hands were on her stomach protectively even though there was not even bump showing yet.
Calum looked from Claire to her ex. Justin spat some blood on the ground and pushed away Calum’s hand, finally able to stand by himself, “get off of me.” he shot at Calum before looking at Claire, “fuck you-”
Calum grabbed Justin’s shirt again and dragged him down the front steps until they were on the grass, “you’re trespassing.” Calum said.
“Fuck you-” Justin said again.
Calum couldn't help himself anymore and his fist connected with Justin’s jaw a second time. Without the stairs as a hazard, Calum had no reason to hold the guy up, so he allowed Justin to fall to the grass, groaning and spitting blood.
“Don’t ever come back here.” Calum said, looking down at the guy who stared up at him with anger. Justin managed to stumble to his feet, taking one last hateful look at Claire before leaving the property.
Calum made sure Justin was gone before walking up to the house. He rubbed his bloody knuckles on his dark jeans, eyeing Claire, “Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, looking a little frazzled, “yeah, thanks.”
Luke bit his lip anxiously, “Claire, you should go talk to your therapist about this. It’s not good for you if Justin can still contact you-”
“I’ll get a restraining order or something, i just… I’m too tired right now.” Claire said, looking down and playing with the long sleeves of her hoodie.
The boys exchanged a glance before agreeing and escorting her back into the house. They all sat down but Calum was on edge. Meeting Justin had pissed him off. He hadn’t been that angry in a long time. After an hour he stood up, “I should be going, gotta walk Duke.”
Instead he went to a gym, finding a punching bag and some gloves. As he pulled the material over his hands he looked at his knuckles, a few last specks of blood reminding him of what he’d done. What he felt no remorse for.
***
Calum spent an embarrassingly long amount of time looking up pregnancy. A few days after his altercation with Justin, Calum had been up at two AM, unable to sleep. All he could think about was Claire and the baby growing inside of her.
He’d scoured the internet for information, eager to learn so he could help in any way possible.
Luke had told him that Claire spent most of her time in her room working on a book of poems. She’d just finished university the year before and was putting all of her time into getting her writing out. Calum had heard that she did poetry readings, and part of him wondered what that would be like.
Claire was often on his mind, as much as he’d hate to admit it to anyone else.
He couldn't get the image of her out of his head, especially the determined look in her eyes when she’d shut down her ex. He played the scene over in his head again and again.
He was at Luke’s place with the boys when she came downstairs to grab some food, smiling at the boys in the living room, “Hey guys! Long time no see!” she said, opening her arms as all the boys stood to greet her.
All four aussies towered over the small girl, standing at a meager five foot three. Ashton bent down to hug her, but Michael didn’t bother, lifting her off the ground a little. When it was Calum’s turn it felt weird but as he bent down, pulling Claire to his chest, suddenly it felt right. Their hug lasted a few moments then she pulled away, “I'm gonna check the fridge for food, anyone want anything?” she asked.
“We’re ordering pizza soon if you want some.” Luke suggested.
“Ooooh, vegetarian?” she asked.
All the boys looked at each other, none of them had been planning on getting a veggie exclusive pizza and that much was obvious. “I’m down for veggie.” Calum said.
“When have you ever been down for veggie?” Ashton asked in shock.
“Yeah, the number of times you’ve been drunk and begging for pepperoni-”
“Trying something new.” Calum said, shoving at Michael’s shoulder.
Claire laughed, “I’m also good with cheese.”
“Are you vegetarian?” Michael asked.
“No, just like veggies.” she stated, “anyways, I'm still going to grab an apple, but it was nice seeing you guys.”
They watched her walk to the kitchen and the boys sat down, but Calum remained standing, “I'll be back.” he said before going to follow the blonde.
In the kitchen he watched her leaning over to look in the fridge before pulling out a green apple, “hey.” she smiled at him.
“How’s uh, how’s your book or poetry thing going?” he asked.
“It’s… going.” she laughed.
“Good.” Calum nodded, taking a breath, “are you uh… do you need someone to take you to the ultrasound? I mean you’re coming up at six weeks sometime right?”
Claire looked at him, “I can drive myself.” she said, it wasn’t rude, it was just a fact, and she was looking at him with eyes full of curiosity.
“I know, I just, some things don’t have to be done alone.”
She smiled softly at him, “you’d really go with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’ll uh… call and book the appointment then text you?”
“Sure.” Calum offered a small smile.
“Okay.” she said, beaming at him.
He turned to go but her voice stopped him, “hey Cal, thanks.”
“No problem.”
***
“Well I’ll be out here.” Calum said, giving Claire a comforting look before his gaze flickered to the room she’d been called into.
“Do… do you wanna come in?” Claire asked awkwardly.
Calum’s heart jumped, “uh…”
They both spoke at once, “I’m being stupid it’s fine.” “I can come in.”
A moment of silence, then Claire smiled, going to the room and looking over her shoulder to make sure Calum was following her.
Calum zoned out of most of it, overwhelmbed by the way the room looked and all the equipment. Then the nurse was warning Claire the gel that would be going on her stomach would be cold.
Claire hissed at the contact of the gell on her skin, grabbing Calum’s hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Calum’s heart skipped a beat in his chest and he looked at her, then the nurse’s voice caught his attention.
“So there it is.” the nurse said, “congratulations.”
It felt to both of them like she was pairing them together, assuming they were a couple, but neither Calum nor Claire corrected her, eyes too transfixed by the small… thing on the screen.
“So we can’t tell the gender for sure yet.” the nurse warned them.
“That’s fine.” Claire breathed, “that’s a baby.”
“It is a baby.” the nurse laughed.
“I had a dream the other night that I'd eaten a tapeworm.” Claire said whimsically before snapping out of her trance as she tore her eyes from the monitor, “I guess I was scared it wasn’t real.”
“Dreams about a growing baby are normal for mothers.” the nurse assured her.
Claire let out a sigh of relief, giving Calum’s hand a small squeeze.
“So when can I come in to find out the gender?” Claire asked.
“Usually at about sixteen to twenty weeks, so you have a long road ahead.” the nurse said.
“Can I get a picture of my baby now?” Claire asked.
The nurse smiled, “of course.”
***
She was staring at the photo and Calum couldn’t blame her. He’d seen her beam when the baby came up on the monitor. It was small, but it was there. There was a life growing inside of her, something to call her own, a tiny human.
They came to a stop light and Calum snuck a glance at the blonde in his passenger seat. She must have noticed because she finally looked up, “I've always wanted to be a mom.” she said, “always loved kids.”
Calum hummed in response. He knew what that was like. Kids had always been drawn to him too, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t picture his future without a few little Hoods running around in it.
“I just… I want to cook for them. Bake cookies on cold nights when it’s dark outside. Make them chicken noodle soup when they have the sniffles and it’s flu season.” Claire laughed to herself, eyes going back to the photo in her hands, “make personalized mac and cheese for each kid.”
Then she paused. She’d always wanted multiple kids, but until that moment she hadn’t really thought about what it meant to be having a kid with an ex. To be a single mom. To be dating afterwards with the possibility of a toddler she’d have to manage on top of that.
Calum noticed and he immediately knew her dilemma, so he made an effort to distract her, “what types of mac and cheese?”
“Well.” Claire took a deep breath, “Denny likes bacon-”
“Denny?” Calum laughed.
“Yeah, Denny. Denny likes bacon.” she said again, “April likes broccoli.”
“A kid who likes broccoli?” Calum smiled, “you’re dreaming.”
“Oh yeah? And what would your future kids want on their mac and cheese?” Claire countered, turning to look at Calum as he drove.
“Uh…” Calum laughed, “Alfie likes regular mac and cheese, like kraft dinner type shit, the bad stuff from the box, because he has no class, but Charlotte, well she’s a princess, so she likes the mac and cheese with as many different cheeses as possible in it, the full experience. Got some cheddar, mozzarella, havarti, maybe some sharper aged cheddars to spice it up a bit-”
“And you’re going to make this magical mac and cheese for her because she’s your princess?” Claire smiled fondly.
“Of course. I’d do anything for my hypothetical children, besides, you’re making bacon mac and cheese, that’s even harder.”
“Well Denny is a classy kid.” Claire crossed her arms over her chest then let out a giggle.
“I’m sure he will be Claire.” Calum said, smiling softly as they came to another red light.
He looked at her and she looked at him.
***
Calum was excited the second he saw her contact flash on his screen. Luke had been out of his house again, and Calum still hadn’t felt comfortable inviting himself over or asking to come see Claire, he didn’t want to put pressure on her. Didn’t want to let his little crush get the better of him and make her uncomfortable. He needed to be there for her as a friend, and he wasn’t about to ruin that by putting his own feelings first.
“Hey Claire.” Calum greated as he put the phone on speaker.
“Calum, I need you to come over,” Calum would have smiled if it weren’t for the anxious tone in her voice, before he could ask any questions she continued, “please Calum, my ex showed up and he’s drunk, and I don’t know what to do-”
“I’ll be right over.” Calum assured her, “stay in the house, lock yourself in Luke’s bed room and then go in the bathroom and lock that too, don't come out until I call you and ask you to let me in okay?”
“Okay.”
***
Calum’s knuckles were turning white as he gripped the steering wheel. He knew he’d done the right thing by calling the police, knew this evidence would help any restraining order Claire wanted to get on Justin. He also knew that if he had shown up without the police there already, he would have done something he would have regretted.
As he pulled up to Luke’s house his eyes landed on the two cops trying to calm Justin down. As soon as Justin saw Calum pull into the driveway he got visibly angrier, fists clenching at his sides.
“Of course it was this fucking asshole!” Justin screamed, “did you call the cops on me?!”
“This is private property.” Calum said as he exited his car, “you were told not to come here.”
“My girlfriend is in there and she is pregnant-” Justin screamed.
“She broke up with you because you were an abusive asshole!” Calum yelled back.
The cops took a look between Calum and Justin who were sizing each other up and pulled out handcuffs, “sir, I need you to remove yourself from the property.” one said to Justin.
“I’m not leaving!” Justin stated.
Calum took a deep breath, looking at the cops, “his ex broke up with him six weeks ago because he was abusive. He showed up here a few weeks ago and was told not to come back. His ex is trying to get a restraining order-”
“A restraining order!” Justin screamed.
“Sir, I need you to calm down.” one of the cops said to Justin.
Justin took one look between Calum and the cops and made a beeline for Calum. Calum held his posture, letting Justin punch him square in the mouth. Assault in front of police officers on private property… Calum knew how beneficial this would be in Claire’s case.
One of the cops tackled Justin to the ground while reading his rights and cuffing him. The other cop approached Calum who spat blood onto the grass, rubbing at his busted lip.
“I’ll need to get a statement from you.” the cop told him.
“Yeah,” Calum watched Justin get dragged to the cop car kicking and screaming, “anything that can help.”
***
Claire’s hands were shaking as she unlocked the door. Calum was standing there. His lip was busted and a bruise was forming along his jaw. “Oh my god!” Claire gasped, “Are you okay?!”
“Yeah, I'm fine.” Calum assured her, “are you alright?”
“Calum please, come, let me put a wet towel on your lip or something.” Claire pleaded, grabbing his forearm and dragging him into the bathroom. Calum leaned against the sink while Claire rushed around, bringing a cloth to hold to his lip. She pressed it against his face, on her tiptoes to get closer to the man that always seemed to tower over her.
Their eyes met.
“Thank you for being here for me.” Claire said.
“I told you I would be.”
“I know but… other than Luke, I’ve never really met a guy who keeps his promises.”
Calum frowned, “you don’t know the right guys.”
She laughed, breaking their eye contact to look down, “you’re probably right about that.”
Calum said nothing.
“Uh… do you mind staying for a bit? At least until Luke gets back? I don’t… I don't feel safe here right now.”
“Of course I will.” Calum assured her, “look, lets go get a movie or something yeah?”
She smiled at him, “yeah.”
***
Luke arrived home the next morning, not expecting to find Claire and Calum asleep on the couch. Claire was tucked against Calum’s chest and the Aussie had an arm around her protectively. Luke took a moment to just look at them before clearing his throat.
Claire woke up first, noticing her position on Calum she sat up quickly which woke up the brunette. Calum rubbed his eyes, “shit, what time is it?” he groaned.
“Noon.” Luke said, tossing his keys down.
“I need to go.” Calum said, “Duke-”
“Yeah go.” Claire nodded, “thanks, I get it.”
They both stood up from the couch and Luke watched the awkward way they moved. Claire hugged Calum first and after a second Calum hugged her back. “Again, thanks for coming last night.”
“No problem.” Calum answered.
She let go of him and Calum went to the door which Luke held open for him before following his friend outside, “so this is why you said you had it handled last night and I didn't have to rush home.” he said teasingly.
Calum rolled his eyes, “piss off.”
***
Calum looked down at his iced coffee, waiting for Ashton to say what he wanted to say. Although no one had said anything to Calum about it, he knew why he was there. Luke had probably called the guys and told them about what had happened the day before, and Ashton was taking Calum out to be the voice of reason so Luke could hang back at the house with Claire while she sorted out her ex drama.
“Nice weather.” Ashton said, squinting at the sunshine.
“We’re in LA, it’s always nice weather.” Calum said, running a hand through his dark curls, “look Ashton, just say what you want to say.”
Ashton sighed, ring clad fingers tapping against the coffee table, “Claire’s pregnant.”
“Uh huh.”
“And that’s great for her, but… we- I’m worried about what would happen if you get involved with her.”
“Involved?” Calum laughed, “Claire just needs someone right now-”
“She has Luke-”
“You know that’s not what I mean, besides… I mean, I've always liked kids- and who’s to say it's even going to get that far? The girl needed help, her ex is a cunt, and being there for her is the right thing to do.”
Ashton sighed, “you and your big heart.”
“It’s why you love me.” Calum teased.
Ashton rolled his eyes, “Claire is really cute-”
“Uh huh.” Calum took a sip from his drink, hiding a grin.
“Okay,” Ashton said in defeat, “well it looks like you know what you’re doing.”
***
Time seemed to move quickly after the altercation with Justin. Claire made it obvious she was intent on getting a restraining order, and she had multiple witnesses, including two police officers, that would make getting the restraining order easy.
Calum was relieved when Justin said she wouldn’t need one. He was moving out of state, back home to his family. Apparently LA had too many bad memories, and he had nothing left to stay for.
He knew his harsh words had hurt Claire a little, even though she’d kept her head held high through the phone call while Luke and Calum stood by, ready to grab the phone and hang up if Justin got too aggressive.
But Claire’s bump had been growing, a few weeks had gone by, and she was almost due to get her sixteen week ultrasound. It was odd to Calum that ten weeks had passed so fast, but between Claire getting the forms to get a restraining order, and filling them out, and Justin backing off, and Claire working on her poetry while the boys worked on new music- well, they’d all been busy.
Calum arrived at Luke’s house to find Claire sitting on the front steps. She was in pink joggers and a lime green tank top that showed off her growing belly. Her hair was in a little bun and she jumped to her feet when Calum’s car pulled up, getting in quickly, she was practically buzzing, “you look excited.” Calum mused, pointing out the obvious.
Claire rolled her eyes, “aren't you?”
Calum cracked a smile, he had to admit he was excited, for her, or for himself, he wasn’t sure.
They didn’t talk much, both too overwhelmed by the fact that it was all real. Then, Claire was in the chair and gel was being put onto her stomach. The monitor showed her baby and Claire audibly gasped. She still had nightmares that the whole thing wasn’t real, and every time she got to see her baby on the monitor it was like being woken from a dream with ice water.
“Would you like to know the gender?” the nurse asked.
“Yes please.” Claire said, trying to hide her eagerness.
“So it looks like it’s a boy.” the nurse readjusted the ultrasound, “definitely a little baby boy.”
Claire’s eyes welled with tears, a massive smile on her face, “a boy?” she croaked. Then she turned to Calum, grabbing his hand, “it’s a boy!” she squealed.
Calum smiled at her, “congratulations Claire.” his heart was racing in his chest and his body felt warm all over, as Claire looked back at the monitor he continued to look at her, wondering when he’d fallen so deep for her.
***
“So are you really going to go for Denny?” Calum asked.
Claire hummed in response, her fingers gliding over the ultrasound picture, “I don't know. There’s still time, I have other things I have to figure out first.”
“Like what?”
“well... “ Claire sighed, '' I'll have to find a new place.”
“What?” Calum looked between her and the road, “did Luke-”
“No, Luke hasn’t said anything but… I mean, he barely gets much sleep as it is because of your job, so adding a baby to that isn’t great.”
Calum’s grip tightened on the wheel as his mind began to flip through all the hardships Claire would face as a single mom in LA, and a poet no less. He couldn’t help but feel immense sadness pulling at his heart, he wanted so badly to fix it all for her, to offer his own house to her, but he knew a decision like that had to be made with a level head, which is not what he had in that moment.
“I’m sure it will work out.” he said, offering her a smile.
Claire returned the grin.
They pulled up to the house and Claire looked at Calum, “do… do you want one of the ultrasound pictures?”
Calum’s heart melted in his chest, “yeah, I'd love one.” he said, accepting the photo she offered him, “thanks.”
Claire beamed, “well, I need to get back to writing.” she opened the car door and is snapped Calum out of his daze, his eyes looking up from the photo.
“I uh… need to talk to Luke about something.”
“Okay.” the two went into the house and Claire said goodbye before heading up to her room.
Calum found Luke in the kitchen, attempting to make Ramen.
“Oh hey.” Luke looked up.
“Hey, so are you going to kick Claire out when she has the baby? Because maybe I should offer her my place-” Calum rambled, wanting to get to the point as fast as possible.
Luke held up his hands, “okay, first, I'm not kicking her out, and second… I can't believe you’re thinking about offering her your spare room.”
“Well if she needed a place-” Calum began to defend himself, but he knew how lame it sounded, he knew he’d betrayed how much he cared for Luke’s roommate.
“She can stay here.” Luke said, “besides, Petunia would love a sibling… so… boy or girl.”
Calum held out the ultrasound photo, “boy.”
Luke beamed, taking the picture, “there’s going to be a little boy running around here.” he said softly.
Calum smiled, “I know.” Luke went to put the ultrasound picture on the fridge but Calum grabbed it back, “this is mine, get your own.”
***
Every week, every day, felt like a new milestone to Claire. She insisted that a pregnant woman at seventeen weeks could still walk a dog, and Luke made sure she went out with a large sunhat, sunscreen and water, just in case.
Walking down the streets, Claire felt a little loony, the woven hat all flappy and her flip flops smacking against the hot pavement. Petunia stayed close to her, never tugging, always right there, Claire sometimes wondered if the dog knew she was pregnant.
While she walked, her mind wandered, transfixed on the conversation she and Luke had had the day before. Luke, always the shit starter, had mentioned Calum might be into Claire, and Claire had been quick to shoot it down, insisting that a rock star was not falling for a single, pregnant, poet.
But she wondered if Luke was right, after all, Calum had been a massive help for the past four months… four months, had it really been that long already?
Claire’s hand went over her bump and she smiled, only five more until she got to meet her baby boy.
Her eyes went up and she noticed a man walking towards her with a dog. It was easy to see it was Calum, in black shorts and a muscle shirt. He looked great, as always.
“Hey!” she said as they got closer.
“Hey.” he smiled back as Petunia and Duke said hello to each other.
“It’s such a nice day for a walk.” Claire said.
“It is, glad to see you have water and a hat.”
“Luke wouldn’t let me leave without them.” Claire laughed, “hey, don’t you live semi far away? What are you doing out here?”
“Uh…” Calum rubbed the back of his neck, “just got lost in thought I guess.”
“Thinking about me?” Claire teased, poking his shin with her flip flop.
Calum laughed, “maybe.”
Claire looked up at him, enjoying his presence, then she frowned, “you know, you don’t have to do so much for me, I’m not your responsibility.”
Calum studied her for a moment.
“I mean, I know I’m a burden-” Claire continued.
“You’re not.” Calum cut her off quickly, “I like you, you’re a nice girl, you just need some support right now.” he assured her.
Claire smiled softly at him, not sure what to say.
“So, how’s your book coming?” Calum asked, hoping to change the subject.
“It’s almost done.”
“That’s good!” Calum said, “one of these days you’ll have to invite us to a reading or something.”
“In your dreams.” Claire stated.
“At least I dream of poetry and not about a tape worm in my stomach as a baby.” Calum joked.
Claire elbowed him in the ribs and Calum laughed. “I told you that in confidence!” Claire said in exasperation but even she was giggling.
“I’m just glad we both know it’s not a tapeworm.”
***
Claire had called him a few days after the ultrasound, she was excited about her poems, apparently she’d almost finished the book and had sent it in, waiting to hear back while completing the final poem. Calum had been excited for her, asking if she could read him one, but once again she’d said no, insisting he’d get to see them all with a ‘signed copy’ when it came out.
He liked the confidence. It was nice seeing her with her head held high, knowing what she was worth. He knew what she was worth, or, what she was worth to him anyways.
She stayed in her room working on the final poem for two weeks, and Calum heard from her on and off. Sometimes she’d call him during a break. One night she called just as Calum was going to bed to tell him that the baby had moved.
He was excited for her, but it was odd for him, not being there, as if he was meant to be. As if he was missing a milestone he should have experienced.
Every night Calum thought about her. Every day she was constantly on his mind. It was as if everywhere he looked he saw Claire.
He was at the grocery store one day and found himself in the baby aisle, staring at baby food while Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’ played in his head phones, the lyrics ‘I want a daughter while I'm still young, want to hold her hand, show her some beauty before this damage is done’ ringing through his head like a mantra.
When a knock at Calum’s door took him from his couch, he wasn’t expecting to find the five foot three blonde standing there.
“My publisher says its good!” she screamed before Calum could say anything, “my poetry is getting published!”
Calum was hugging her before he could stop himself, careful of her belly, but still holding her tight enough to congratulate her. “That’s great!” he said, eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of having her in his arms.
When they pulled away, they both moved slowly. Claire looked up at him, her eyes flickering to his lips.
It was the only signal Calum needed, one hand moving to cup her face while he bent down to press his lips against hers.
Claire’s arms went behind Calum’s neck as she went on her tiptoes, eager to taste him. She hadn’t thought much about it, but it had been over twenty weeks since she’d broken up with her ex, and Calum had been there for most of them. He’d always been there for her, and she’d never been able to admit to herself how she truly felt.
His tongue brushed her lower lip and Claire smiled, pulling away so she could press her forehead against his chest while his arms wrapped around her again.
Claire let out a little laugh, shocked at herself, shocked at him.
“I’m so proud of you.” Calum breathed which only made her smile widen as she hid her face in his shirt even more, “I want to take you out to celebrate.”
“it almost sounds like you’re asking me out on a date, Hood.” Claire teased, finally pulling away to look up at him.
He smiled softly, “that’s because I am.”
***
She’d had a craving for pizza, and they’d gone to a little diner, ordering three pizzas since Claire was ‘eating for two’ as Calum teased her.
He got a pepperoni pizza, and Claire got a cheese and a vegetarian. Forcing Calum to have a bite of her pizza, Claire insisted that the mushrooms were magical even if they weren’t getting high from them, and Calum could only laugh as he looked at her with eyes full of adoration.
The girl could hold her own in an eating contest, but they still ended up having enough left over to take home. Calum insisted on paying, and the waiter looked at pregnant Claire and Calum and decided to take Calum’s money.
Calum held the takeout bag as they left, walking back to the car. He could usually get away with being incognito, but since someone had found out that Luke’s roommate was pregnant, it made it harder for him to go out with her and not get recognized.
As they walked to the car, he could hear the pictures being taken, and Claire adjusted the pink ball cap on her head, covering her face while one hand sat protectively on her tummy.
“Come on man, have some class.” Calum groaned at one pap who simply yelled back in response “is the baby yours Calum?”
Calum sighed as the two of them entered the car. “It’s ok Cal,” Claire assured him, “don’t let them bug you.”
Calum couldn’t help it though. He felt protective over her, part of him always had. He wanted, no, he needed to protect her from his world, from his way of life.
He dropped her off home and she kissed him on the cheek to say goodbye, the press of her lips against his skin gave him flutters.
When he arrived home, the first thing Calum did was go on Twitter to see what people were saying. The general consensus was the fandom was torn on whos baby Claire was having. Some claimed it was Luke’s since they were roommates, while others said it was obviously Calum’s. A few rare users pointed out that Claire had been dating someone around the start of the pregnancy timeline.
It made Calum frustrated, and he spent an hour scrolling and thinking about what he could do to shut all the gossip down.
With a final sigh, Calum typed out ‘can ya’ll like… not’
Things blew up again, and it set Calum on edge until the notification popped up and signalled the official 5sos twitter had posted something. His eyes scanned over the tweet, reading “as a band we support women. We support their right to all things, especially their own bodies. Being a single mom is still difficult, and we ask our fans to be compassionate to the struggles of women everywhere, especially our friends.”
Calum smiled, knowing Ashton had stepped in. it helped to have the support of the band, it helped to have someone like Ashton able to articulate his thoughts in such an eloquent way.
With a sigh, Calum turned off his phone, hoping everything would blow over.
***
The first time Claire called and said she was craving peanut butter and pickles, Calum thought she was joking. Then he heard the persistence in her voice and realized she was being honest. At only twenty two weeks into her pregnancy, she could technically still drive, but both Luke and Calum were apprehensive about that.
So at one AM, Calum got off the couch, threw on some joggers and a hoodie, and went to pick up Claire and take her to get pickles and peanut butter.
There was something about her that excited him, he never knew what she was going to do next. When Claire insisted on sitting in the cart, saying “it’s one AM, no one is going to see me, and if they do they won't care.” Calum just shrugged and helped the pregnant girl into the shopping cart.
She was right. They were lucky that the store was open until 2 am, and no one was around to see Claire riding in the cart. They went up and down aisles that weren’t even necessary, looking at everything and talking about food.
When Calum tossed some oreos into the cart for himself, Claire looked at him and asked him to get two more packages with extra stuffing. Calum laughed, tossing those in too, and they landed on Claire’s lap as she looked down at them and licked her lips.
“Baby loves oreos.” she informed him, hands on her tummy.
“So we’re not calling him Denny anymore?” Calum asked, handing her the peanut butter from the shelf. He was surprised at his use of the word ‘we’ but it felt natural, and Claire didn’t even notice.
Claire thought it over for a second then shook her head, “he doesn’t feel like a Denny.”
Calum smiled at her words, “doesn’t feel like a Denny.” he repeated them back to her, “I like that.”
Claire grinned, “I think I’ll know his name when I see him.”
Calum said nothing, going over to the aisle with toys he picked up a fluffy teddy bear, holding it out to Claire, “can I buy this for baby?” he asked.
Claire looked up at him with wonder, a smile on her face, “yeah.” she nodded, smile widening even more as Calum set it down gently into the cart.
The smile remained on Claire’s face the rest of the shop.
At the checkout Claire made grabby hands at some chocolate bars so Calum threw those in too and they ended up leaving with a variety of treats. Pickles, peanut butter, oreos, chocolate, gummy bears- Claire looked excited, seated in his passenger seat, holding everything like a kid in a candy store.
“Now lets drive some place quiet and look at the stars.” she said.
“It’s late-”
“Are you busy tomorrow?” Claire asked.
“No-”
“Me neither. So lets do it Cal, please?”
Calum sighed as his engine roared to life, “okay, I know a place.”
Claire clapped with excitement, leaning over and kissing Calum’s cheek which sent electric shocks running through his body as they drove through LA. He took them to a dusty parking lot a little ways out of town, where he usually parked to go on hikes on hot days with Duke.
At nearly 2 am, the parking lot was empty, and as his car rolled to a stop, he opened his door and let the cool night air engulf them.
“Oreos first.” Claire announced, opening a package, “what do you want?”
“Gummy bears.” Calum said, accepting them as she handed the bag to him a moment later.
“So…” Claire licked her oreo, then she turned to look at him a little, “what makes you want to take a fat, pregnant, single mom, on dates?”
Calum nearly choked on his gummy bear, swallowing thickly as he looked at her, “what?”
“You heard me Hood. I just don't get it.” she said.
Calum thought about it for a moment, “first, you’re not fat, you’re pregnant-” Claire rolled her eyes in exasperation and Calum laughed, “it’s true.” he insisted, “and second, just because you have a kid doesn’t mean you shouldnt be a dating option.”
“A dating option?” Claire laughed at his words.
Calum sighed, “you know what I mean. Look Claire, you’re a nice girl. You’re funny, you’re smart, you’re cute-”
“Even with my huge tummy?” she asked.
Calum sighed, “especially with your huge tummy.”
“So you have a breeding kink?” Claire teased, “maybe you’re a kinky creep and I shouldn't be dating you.”
“Oh my god.” Calum rested his forehead against the steering wheel, laughing, “you’re wild.”
“You love-” then Claire paused, eyes widening, “Calum, baby moved!” she squealed.
“Really?” Calum sat up again.
“Yeah!” she grabbed his hand, putting it on her tummy, “can you feel that?”
He could definitely feel the baby shifting and his eyes widened too, “holy fuck!”
Claire laughed, “I told you baby likes oreos.” then she paused, “or maybe he likes your voice.”
Calum’s skin heated up immediately at the thought and he pulled his hand away from Claire’s tummy, “nah-”
“I like your voice.” Claire stated.
Calum looked at her, eyes going down to her lips before moving back up.
“Kiss me Calum?” Claire asked.
Calum’s hand reached out, cupping her face as his thumb brushed her cheekbone, “you’re amazing Claire.” he whispered, leaning in and pressing his lips against hers gently.
She kissed him back, softly, testing, as if she was worried about something. Calum realized just how insecure being pregnant probably meant to her. Realized how much of a hurdle she saw it as, whereas he just saw it as part of Claire, part of the girl he was falling for faster than he could catch himself.
She tasted sweet and Calum wasn’t surprised.
Calum pulled back, “I get that you think being pregnant is an obstacle or whatever, but it’s not. You’re growing a person Claire.” Calum cracked a smile and Claire giggled, “I’m never going to judge you for that.”
Claire studied his face, the sincerity behind his words. She’d always dated assholes, she wasn’t used to a guy like Calum. Wasn’t used to feeling like she was on cloud nine, wasn’t used to feeling… cherished.
She’d thought she’d known love before, but sitting in that car with him, mulling over Calum’s words, she realized she hadn’t. Not really. She didn’t love Calum, not yet, and she knew that, she wasn’t naive, but… she could feel the capacity her heart had for him, and she was excited to see where that lead her.
***
Claire was cooking when Luke came home, he was practically buzzing out of his skin and the sight made Claire smile, “good news?” she asked.
“The tour’s planned.” Luke beamed, running over and dipping his finger into the mushroom sauce she was making before Claire could swat his hand away.
“Oh.” Claire’s smile dropped. She’d been so enveloped by her own pregnancy and own issues that she’d almost forgotten both Luke and Calum worked. That they were musicians. That a tour was an inevitability. “When?”
“In two months.”
“That's so soon.”
“Yeah, and there’s a super long reason for it, but I can't even remember it right now, I’m just excited.” Luke said, still buzzing. Then he noticed the rigidity of Claire’s shoulders and let out a long breath, “shit.”
Claire laughed sadly, “yeah, shit. How long will tour be?”
Luke swallowed thickly, “a few months, three or four I think.”
Neither Claire nor Luke said it but they were both thinking it. They’d leave when she was seven months pregnant and her baby would be two months old when they returned.
“We’ll have a mid tour break.” Luke said quickly, “take a week off around your due date-”
“You don’t have to, really-”
“Claire.” Luke said sternly, “we will.”
Claire offered him a small smile as his arm went over her shoulders, tucking her in close to his side, “I’m sorry.” Luke said.
“It’s your job.” Claire brushed it off but her heart was hurting. She hadn’t even truly thought about it, but part of her had always assumed the boys - Calum - would be there through it all.
She’d been stupid. And she hated herself for it.
***
“You have every right to be mad.” Calum said, following Claire through the house as she dusted things, trying to come up with any job to feel useful.
“I’m not.” Claire stated, still not looking at him.
Calum sighed, biting his tongue.
“It’s your job Calum. It’s no worries.” Claire continued, “you’re going to go on tour, and have a great time, and you should honestly just forget about me.”
“Forget about you?” Calum’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched the petite blonde dust the TV.
“Yeah. I mean it’s tour Cal, you’ll have girls throwing themselves at you every night, it’s going to be great.” Claire forced a smile but she still couldn’t look at him.
Calum stared at her, unable to even think of a response. Then he rubbed the back of his neck, “you really think I want to go fuck a bunch of random girls on tour?”
Claire shrugged, “why wouldn’t you?”
She could hear Calum’s footsteps retreating, could hear him pick up his leather jacket and leave, the front door shutting behind him.
Claire’s skin heated and her eyes prickled, a hot tear rolling down her cheek. She bit her lip. Letting him go had been a kindness and she knew it.
***
Luke sat next to Calum, looking out the airplane window. Calum said nothing and Luke frowned, “so…” Luke wondered what to say to him, “the baby is good. Doctors say he’s strong-”
“Luke-” Calum sighed.
“You haven't talked to her in two months Cal.” Luke said harshly, “neither of you will tell me what happened, but I’m not stupid, it’s because of the tour. I know you care about her, but you’re too fucking proud to ask about her, so I’m telling you!”
Calum looked out the window and Luke crossed his arms over his chest angrily, “we’re going to be there when that baby is born, and you’re going to be nice to Claire, and it will all blow over.”
“Band baby?” came Michael’s hopeful voice from the seats behind them and Luke lifted himself a little to look at the guitarist with a smile.
“Band baby.” Luke stated.
“Lucky kid’s gonna have four dads.” Michael laughed.
Calum continued staring out the window, “something about that feels unlucky to me.”
***
There’d only been one person Calum wanted to talk to after he’d gotten off stage at their first show: Claire. He wanted to hug her, wanted to smell her familiar scent of mangos, wanted to tell her all about it and look into her blue eyes, always attentive when he told her stories. He wanted to hold her close, and feed her oreos, and show her the stage setup. Wanted to drag her into the small tour bus bed even if she tried to tell him she was too big for it.
He wanted… Claire.
As the tour progressed it just became more apparent. With every girl Calum rejected or took to his hotel only to not invite her in and buy her a taxi, sending her on her way unfucked and with a half assed apology.
He found himself looking at pictures of her on his phone, scrolling through her instagram.
Eight months was quickly approaching nine, and Calum was getting more and more anxious by the day, always aware of exactly how many days it was until the boys would fly home for the mid tour break and, hopefully, the birth of Claire’s baby.
Calum knew he could pick up his phone and fix everything. He could tell her he realized he loved her. But he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
It had to be in person or he wouldn’t be able to find the right words.
Even in person he’d probably have difficulties.
Calum endured it, knowing that it was just a matter of time before he’d be home and he’d fix things.
***
Luke was nervous as the plane landed in LAX. Claire hadn’t face timed him all week, and the messages she sent were short and cryptic. Waiting for luggage seemed to take forever, and it wasn't obvious who was more on edge, Luke or Calum.
As soon as their suitcases came into view Calum was pushing through people to retrieve them, Michael following close behind and apologizing to anyone who Calum had bumped into.
Michael and Ashton got separate rides home, and Calum and Luke shared a car. The ride was silent, both men anxiously tapping their knees and looking out the window.
It was all either guy could do to pay and grab their luggage before running up to the house, Luke fumbling with his keys. He’d expected Claire to be there waiting, and the fact that she wasn’t… made him even more nervous.
“Claire?!” Luke called as soon as the door was open.
She appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed in an oversized hoodie and kneesocks. She looked like a mess, and most importantly… she looked not pregnant.
Both guys stared at her in shock as she held a finger to her lips, “shhhh, he’s sleeping.” she whispered, coming down the stairs carefully and quietly.
“You’re not-” Luke began to stutter.
“I had the baby.” Claire nodded, resting her hand on his forearm to steady him.
She hadn’t even looked at Calum, but he wasn’t looking at her either, his eyes were on the stairs where she’d been standing.
“The baby was a week early, I didn't want to ruin your tour-” Claire began to explain, anxious that neither man had hugged her yet.
“We would have come-” Luke insisted, eyes wild and full of hurt.
Claire frowned, “I didn't want you to cancel a bunch of shows-”
Luke wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. It hurt, but he understood.
“Where’s Petunia?” Luke asked.
“She sleeps with Arlo so she’s in his room now.” Claire explained.
“Arlo?” Calum said, turning to look at Claire as his voice cracked, “his name is Arlo?”
She looked at Calum, staying quiet for a moment then she nodded, smiling softly, “yeah.”
“Can… can we-” Calum struggled to find the right words.
“Yeah, you can meet him.” Claire said.
She went up the stairs first, footsteps quiet, Luke and Calum followed close behind. She carefully opened the door to her room.
The crib Luke had been looking forward to building was already set up in the corner. Petunia sat on the rug and she stood up and ran to Luke, tail wagging. He smiled, picking her up and kissing her, saying hello softly while Claire and Calum approached the crib.
The baby was tiny, almost smaller than the teddy bear laying next to him. Calum’s heart clenched as he recognized it as the bear he’d bought for the baby back that first night she’d had cravings and they’d looked at the stars.
Calum rubbed at his eyes and Claire looked at him, concern on her face, “Calum-”
He left the room and Luke set Petunia down, “go talk to him.” he whispered, “I'll take care of Arlo.”
Claire thanked him and followed Calum. He was outside, staring at the bright blue LA sky, his hands in his hair.
“Calum are you okay-” Claire began and he whipped around to face her.
“I’m not okay.” he stated.
“Look, don’t feel bad you weren’t there for the birth, you’re not Arlo’s dad, you don’t have to hold yourself to that standard-”
“Well what if I want to do everything a dad would do?” Calum asked angrily, taking a step towards Claire, “What if I love you, and I love this baby already, and I want to be this person for you if you let me?” he paused, voice softening, “stop thinking you’re trapping me into this, I want to be here.”
Claire’s lower lip wobbled and Calum took a step closer, cupping her face as he looked down at her, waiting to hear her response.
Instead of saying anything, she kissed him. She grabbed the back of his head and it was the most aggressive she’d ever been with him, but he didn’t mind, he could feel how eager she was, could feel the words ‘I love you too’ on her lips even if she didn’t speak them. She didn’t need to say them out loud. He knew she felt the same.
He wasn't sure how long they kissed but when he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, she pulled away from his lips and groaned. “I’m such a nuisance.”
“You’re not.” Calum sighed, kissing her cheek.
“I just want to fuck you.” Claire laughed, tugging a little at his dark curls, “but I can't, not for a few weeks-”
“Then I’ll count down the days, and when I can finally fuck you, I’ll make you cum until you can’t walk to make up for all our missed time.” Calum promised.
Claire beamed at him, brushing his face, “I love you Calum Hood.”
***
He’d spent the entire week with Claire and Arlo doing domestic things that made them both feel like a married couple who’d been in love for years. Luke didn’t mind having Calum around, seeing Claire and Calum happy with their little baby made Luke want a baby and a love of his own.
Arlo wasn’t fussy, staying mostly quiet and willing to latch onto the shoulder of anyone who wanted to pick him up.
Michael and Ashton both adored the little baby, bringing gifts. One day Michael had shown up, picked up Arlo and hadn’t sat him down until hours later when he’d finally left, only after pretending to kidnap the baby first.
It was a week of pleasantry, a week showing Calum a glimpse into his future. A future he wanted more than anything. A future with kids, a future with Claire.
This time when the boys left again, Claire and Arlo showed them off. Calum kissed Claire in the airport, not caring who saw, and promised to call her every day.
He kept his promise, and for two months he counted down the days until he would be home again.
***
As Luke left the house, holding baby Arlo close to his chest, he knew how huge of a favour he was doing for Calum and Claire. The door was shut behind him before he’d even gone down one step and Luke sighed, petting the baby in his arms, “looks like your mommy and daddy are gonna get it on huh?”
It took a moment for Luke to realize he’d referred to Calum as Arlo’s dad. But… that’s just how it was. Sure, the Kiwi wasn’t related to the baby in Luke’s arms by blood, but it was clear to everyone that Calum was Arlo’s dad.
Arlo let out a grumble sound and Luke grinned, “so should we go to the park for an hour? Or do you think we might as well just go to Ash’s place and stay there until I get a call to come home?”
Arlo hiccupped and Luke rubbed his back, laughing, “you’re right, it’s uncle Mikey who I should call, one of these days he’s going to kidnap you and I’m going to let him.”
***
Calum had Claire pressed against the door before she could even think, kissing her as if Luke and her baby weren’t a few feet away and being practically kicked out of the house so Calum could keep his promise and make Claire cum over and over again.
His lips were passionate, taking the right amount of time as they moved down her neck. Calum got tired of bending down to Claire’s height and gave up, simply lifting the petite blonde up and pressing her against the door as she screamed from the motion, grabbing his shoulders.
Calum could feel his pulse all over his body. He’d never needed anyone as much as he needed her but…. He had looked up an article or two about post baby sex, and he was determined to get her comfortable, especially since it would be their first time.
It meant something to him, which was odd because normally the first time he fucked someone, he never really thought about it being the first time. But with Claire it mattered, and that was how Calum knew he was completely in love with her.
Calum took his lips away from Claire’s neck, kissing her face all over to make her giggle as she let out a contented sigh, staring into Calum’s beautiful brown eyes.
“You’re so beautiful.” he breathed, meaning it with every fibre of his being.
Claire’s skin flushed immediately and it just added to her splendor. Calum had to fight the urge to kiss her again, torn between wanting to enjoy her with his eyes or his lips.
He pulled away from the door and Claire tightened her grip on him, “where are we going?” she asked, “sofa? Kitchen?”
Calum laughed, “bedroom.”
“Wow, what a gentleman.” Claire giggled.
Calum rolled his eyes, carrying her up the stairs to her room. He set her down on the bed and Claire tried to pull him down with her but he resisted, “just want to look at you.” he said.
Claire immediately posed, looking at him with mock seductive eyes, “draw me like one of your french girls.” she proclaimed, rolling over and putting her hand on her hip.
Calum smiled, taking in every inch of her body with his eyes. The small details, the ones he adored, stood out to him and he couldn’t help but appreciate them: the way her finger nails were painted every colour, as if she’d needed to test her nail polish collection. her knee high socks, the left one just a little below the knee, it always seemed to slide down, just the left one, Calum wasn’t sure why. The small birthmark on her right thigh, so small and neutral coloured that most people would miss it on her skin, but not Calum, no, he loved it because it was part of her.
God, he loved her so much.
He reached out and grabbed one of her feet, pulling the knee sock down and throwing it across the room while she watched him with curious interest. Then he grabbed her other foot and got rid of that sock too, gently pulling her to the edge of the bed. Her hoodie rode up a little, exposing her delicate thighs and just the hint of the cheeky blue and white striped lace panties she was wearing.
He knew Claire was a little self conscious about the stretch marks on her tummy. Calum adored them too, because it was a sign that she had been pregnant, something that made his heart swell with pride because he knew it had been tough on her and she’d still come out on the other side as a better person, and an amazing mother. But, because of this, he opted to leave the hoodie on, instead he hooked his fingers under the lace and dragged her panties down her thighs slowly.
Then he got on his knees, pulling her closer so her thighs were over his shoulders. He turned his head, studying the birth mark on her thigh, pressing a delicate kiss to the mark that made Claire shiver, her hands going down to grab at his hair.
“So pretty.” he whispered, rubbing his nose against her skin lovingly.
Claire laughed, “Calum-”
Before she could urge him to just get on with it, he turned his attention to her core, diving in with his tongue as her grip tightened on his hair. A soft moan left her lips and Calum smiled against her, lips wrapping around her clit as he tested her tolerance.
Claire’s hips buckled up against him and Calum brought his hands up to settle on her stomach, keeping her down. A breathy moan was music to his ears as he ate her out like a lazy king taking his time to eat a meal.
Every drag of his tongue was deliberate, every suck that made her legs shiver on his shoulders, Calum was experienced and he knew what he was doing. He was taking his time, building her orgasm slowly so it would hit her harder, but he was getting impatient and he knew it. It was one of his faults but Calum couldn’t bring himself to care as he focused more on her clit, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.
“Calum.” she whimpered, tugging more at his hair which only made him more eager to make her cum.
Small ‘oh my god’s left her lips and when her hips moved upwards again, Calum knew he had pushed her over the edge so he sucked on her clit harder, holding her down with his hands, drawing out her orgasm as long as he could. She deserved it.
When she stopped shaking he pulled away, looking up at her as he licked his lips. Her skin was flushed, eyes closed, chest heaving under her UCLA hoodie. He traced her hip bone with a finger that moved down to her thighs then back up, testing her entrance.
Claire laughed, in a daze, “are you serious?” she asked as he pushed his digit inside of her and she immediately bit her lip, moaning.
“Told you I’d make you cum a few times didn’t I?” Calum asked, eyes raking over her form.
She was so wet and Calum added another finger, crooking them up and making Claire grab at his hands, “Calum-” she whimpered, “please-”
“Please what?”
“I just want you-” Claire pouted.
“Well I want to make you cum with my fingers.”
Claire sighed, knowing there was no arguing with him. She settled down on the bed, getting comfortable, enjoying the sensation of his fingers sliding in and out, searching for the spot that finally made her body tense and a whine leave her lips.
Calum leaned down, lips wrapping around her clit again as he pumped his fingers in faster. She grabbed at his hair and Calum moaned as she tugged harder, the vibrations making her hips move up towards him.
She was still sensitive from the first orgasm and the combination of his mouth on her clit and his fingers hitting her g-spot made her see stars within seconds, whole body tensing as she came again, whispering his name over and over.
Calum made sure to lick his fingers clean before he stood up, taking his shirt off first as he looked down at her. He adored the way she looked after an orgasm, adored the way she simply stayed on the bed, eyes closed as she enjoyed the aftershocks, lips parted slightly.
He pushed down his jeans, “can I get your hoodie off baby?” he asked.
Claire’s eyes opened and she looked at him thoughtfully, swallowing before nodding. Calum got onto the bed, kneeling between Claire’s legs as she allowed him to pull the hoodie off before she settled back down on the bed. She’d not been wearing a bra, but that wasn’t a shock because she was a new mom.
Calum had read that some women had way more sensitive breasts after having a baby so he was careful when he moved down so he was holding himself over her, forehead pressed against hers. “If anything hurts, we can stop-” he said but Claire moved her hand between them, grabbing his hard cock that was straining against his briefs.
“Just fuck me.” Claire said, looking into his eyes before kissing him gently.
Calum laughed, nuzzling his face against her cheek and breathing in her scent. One hand moved up her waist, trailing around her breast, avoiding the nipple, Claire was already pushing up against his hand, eyes closed. “That feels good.” she whispered, breath catching as his fingers brushed her nipple, “fuck.” her legs tightened around his waist and Calum groaned, pressing down against her.
Her hands pushed at his briefs, eager to get them down. Calum didn’t even have the strength to get off of her to get his briefs completely off, instead he opted for them to just be down his thighs, his cock springing free. Claire grabbed it and Calum kissed her roughly as she pumped him before lining him up with her entrance, trying to push up so he would slip inside.
Calum moved his hips forward, just the tip going inside and they both moaned. Calum’s lips moved down to Claire’s neck, knowing she was sensitive there. Her fingers tangled in his dark curls and her legs tightened around him again, pushing him deeper.
“Does-” Calum almost choked at how good it felt, “does that feel okay?” he asked.
“Feels so good.” Claire moaned, bringing his face back up to hers so she could look into his eyes, smiling softly, “I love you.”
Calum beamed, “love you too.”
He kissed her gently, tongue gliding over her lip as he pulled almost all the way out before pushing back in. Claire’s rainbow nails dug into his shoulders and he paused, waiting to see if she was okay, “so good.” Claire mumbled against his lips and Calum moved again.
He found a slow rhythm at first but soon Claire was all but panting against his mouth, “faster.” she moaned, kissing down his jaw as her teeth nipped at his neck. Calum did as she asked, adjusting himself a little as their chests pressed against each others, his hand bringing her thigh higher on his waist. The press of her breasts against his strong chest made Claire gasp, throbbing around Calum as he stopped, moaning and trying not to cum just from the way she was wrapped around him, so warm and amazing.
“I’m not going to last-” Claire breathed, her breath hot against Calum’s neck as she sought out his lips again.
Calum laughed, “me neither.”
She smiled against his lips and Calum began moving again, finding a fast rhythm that had Claire practically shaking under him, whimpers leaving her lips with every thrust. She pulled at his hair and the pain made Calum’s skin prickle, his whole body practically pulsing with need.
“Fuck.” he cursed, bringing a hand up to cup her breast which made Claire arch her back, cumming immediately. As she pulsed around him, Calum fell over the edge too, groaning into Claire’s neck as his hips thrust a few more times before stilling.
They were both breathing heavily as Calum stopped. He wanted to stay on top of her but he didn’t want to hurt her so he rolled off, Claire immediately curling into his side.
In a daze, Calum remembered their chat about breeding kinks that they’d had back in the car all those months ago, “you know, you were right about the breeding kink.” he said.
Claire hummed in response, wanting to hear what he had to say but too exhausted to form words.
“I wanted to fuck you so bad when you were pregnant. Wanted to just be inside of you.” Calum breathed, running a hand through his hair.
Claire moaned at his words, smiling against his shoulder, “well… I've always wanted multiple kids.”
Calum laughed, heart leaping in his chest, “yeah?”
“Uh huh.” she said, “I know we’re new and everything but… you know, down the line… if we want…”
Calum smiled, whole body warm as he held the girl he loved close to him, “as long as we don’t name any of them Denny.”
******************
This fic also comes with an accompany video explaining from start to finish how i made the plot, the fic, edited, moodboard and posted.
you can find the video here on my patreon and it is my COMPLETE guide to fic making :)
taglist: @irwinkitten - @glitterprincelu - @wildhearthood - @24kcalum - @angelbabylu - @ohhmuke - @fratcalum - @hereforlukescruff - @cakesunflower - @spoopycalum - @calsjackets - @sweetcherrymike - @calteahood - @flannelpunkcalum - @calthesensation - @poppedpins - @singt0mecalum - @boybandsanddeanwinchester - @dammitbands - @drummerboy794 - @alwaysashton - @calumsmermaid - @createdbyfracturedaddiction - @smileybeanlu - @quintodosuniversos - @andtheytoldustotellyouhello - @palliddark - @5secsofsomewhere - @mycoffeeandstudy - @imgonnaregretthisusername - @talkfastcthood - @deviantnines - @raabiac - @oceaneyeshood - @bethxhopkins - @dorkyfangirlandco - @honeyboyharry - @seedless-vascular - @musiclover1263 - @fairyintheglass - @monsteramongmikey - @eternal-langdon - @cal-pal-cuddles - @converse-luke - @c-sainthood - @findingliam-o - @only-got-one-dimple - @calinthewatermelonshirt - @snapback-irwie - @cathartichaoss - @old-zeppelin-shirt - @astroashtonio - @wanderlust-mikey - @randompeopleifindattractive - @calashmikeluke0 - @caswinchester2000 - @imadontstopacoustic - @post-traumatic-mess - @spookymashton - @blahehblah - @toolazymyguy - @quintodosuniversos - @easiercake - @youngblood199456 - @surgarplumbeech - @snapback-irwie - @girlwiththepizzabackpack - @buc-kybarn-es - @gorgeouslygrace - @harryforvogue - @babylon-corgis - @txrran
#calum hood#5 seconds of summer#5 seconds of summer smut#5sos#5sos calum#5sos smut#calum 5sos#calum hood smut#daddy!calum hood#softforcal#dad!calum hood#dad calum hood#dad!5sos#dadsos#dad!sos#dad 5sos#dad 5sos fic#fic#smut#calum hood one shot#calum hood oneshot#calum hood 5sos#oneshot
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Lingerie
In which Calum meets Frankie for the first time.
Pairing: Calum Hood x OC
Warnings: a very vague mention to smut?
A/N: so this is from the AU that me and maja @rosegoldquintis have going!! here is a post where i kinda explained it (check that out as ashton’s girl is sort of introduced in this!), and here is a blurb that maja wrote about cal and frankie!! this isn’t super long, about 1.7k, but i hope you guys enjoy!!! also, frankie’s face claim is devon carlson :)
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The last thing Calum expected was a call from Ashton just as he was settling onto the couch for an afternoon of binging watching true crime documentaries and cuddling with Duke. He loved his best friend to death, but he was certainly looking forward to relaxing after a long week of work.
“Hey, Ash,” he grumbled as he picked up the phone, his voice still thick with sleep considering he had decided to sleep in until noon. “What’s up?”
“You busy?” Ashton asked. “And busy doesn’t mean you plan to do nothing all day.”
Calum huffed. He knew Calum all too well.
“Guess I’m not busy, then.”
“Great. Because Ophelia’s birthday is coming up and I still have one more thing I want to get her, but I don’t feel like going by myself,” he explained. Calum sighed, his body sinking further into the couch. Duke looked at him expectantly, and Calum reached over to pat his head.
“You need my help or something, mate?” He joked, giving his dog more pets as he jumped into his lap. “Are you clueless on what to buy your girlfriend?”
“Fuck off,” Ashton laughed. “I know what I’m getting, I just don’t want to go alone.”
“I mean-”
“I’ll buy lunch if you come,” he interjected before Calum could make up an excuse.
Never one to turn down free food, Calum decided that the lineup of documentaries could wait until night time.
“Fine. Lunch first, then we shop.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”
Calum hung up the phone and glanced apologetically at Duke, who was still staring at him as if he was waiting for something.
“Sorry, bud. Ashton’s making me leave the house and put pants on on my day off. Can you believe that?”
Duke barked, and Calum chuckled as he gently lifted him off his lap and set him on the floor.
“I know. Crazy.”
With that, he headed upstairs to actually put clothes on and make himself presentable, and it wasn’t long before he got a text from Ashton announcing that he was there.
After lunch at a local deli, the two headed to the mall, and Ashton seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. Calum nearly rolled his eyes as he led him into the store.
“Really? Lingerie?”
“It’s what she asked for!” Ashton argued. That was a lie; truth was, he had ripped her nicest set when he was a little too excited to take it off her, and he felt kind of bad about it, so he decided to get her a new one. But, she never directly asked for it.
The music was soft and mellow as they walked inside, the lighting dim, but bright enough to be able to see. It definitely had the vibe of a lingerie store, if the oodles of lacy underwear didn’t give it away already. Calum had never been in there; the store was on the newer side, and he had been single for a while, so he didn’t have anyone to be buying lingerie for.
Calum aimlessly followed Ashton around the store as he browsed, carefully inspecting his options. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration while he ran his fingers across the material and checked the prices and sizes. He wanted nothing but the best for Ophelia, and he wasn’t going to settle for anything less.
“How about this one?”
Ashton held up a jet black set for Calum to see, who gave him a pointed look.
“I’m not picking out lingerie for your girl, man,” he stated blankly. Ashton groaned and rolled his eyes.
“I’m just asking if you like it. Do you think it’s nice?”
Calum shrugged. All the sets looked “nice” to him.
“I guess.”
Ashton stared at it for another moment before hanging it back on the rack, grumbling something under his breath about coming back to it. Calum sighed; he knew this was going to be a long shopping trip.
A few minutes later, Ashton held up another, this one a dark wine color.
“This one?”
“I don’t know about her, but I think you’d look pretty sexy in that one, Ash,” Calum teased, a grin spreading across his face. The glare on Ashton’s face only made him laugh, and he dejectedly put the set back.
Calum could have sworn that Ashton looked at every single thing in the store, and he was starting to get bored. Just as he was about to announce that he would wait at the food court, a voice caught their attention.
“Is there anything I can help you two with?”
Calum didn’t miss the way his own heart skipped a beat when his eyes landed on the woman standing in front of them. Her smile was warm and friendly, and she daintily tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear. She was gorgeous, no doubt, but she also gave off such a kind, refreshing aura among the dark, seductive vibe of the store. A breath of fresh air, Calum thought to himself.
He couldn’t peel his eyes away.
“I’m just looking for some lingerie to get my girlfriend for her birthday,” Ashton said, reminding Calum that she had asked a question. “There’s just so many options.”
The woman giggled, and Calum’s knees nearly buckled.
“Yeah, it can get overwhelming trying to pick unless you know exactly what you want, but I can try to make it a little easier. What color do you think she would like?” The woman stepped closer to Ashton to help him, Calum’s eyes subtly following.
“I think she looks good in any color,” Ashton chuckled, shaking his head. “But her favorite color is red.”
“I’ll give you a bit of advice. Don’t only think about what you think she’ll look good in. Try to think about what you think she’ll feel good in. What will make her feel confident, you know? Confidence is much sexier than lingerie.”
Calum couldn’t help the grin that tugged at his lips. She seemed so sweet and genuine, and he found himself wanting to get to know her better. She was endearing, her smile and soft demeanor drawing Calum in, and he got a whiff of her flowery perfume when she was close.
After she left Ashton to decide between a couple sets, she turned to Calum, and he had to act like he hadn’t been staring.
“How about you? Need any help?” She offered, her smile never leaving her face. He let his own take over his features naturally as he shook his head.
“No, I’m not here to get anything.” He cocked his head towards Ashton. “I was promised lunch if I came with him.”
She giggled again, and Calum found himself chuckling as well. It was contagious, and Calum found that adorable.
“Well, I always say free food is a good reason to go anywhere.” She fixed her hair again, pastel pink nails a contrast against her dark hair. “My name's Frankie. Let me know if you guys need anything, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks, Frankie.”
He liked the way her name rolled off his tongue.
He watched her walk away, but it was short lived as Ashton tapped him on the shoulder.
“I can’t decide, so I’ll just get her both. I’m gonna go pay.”
Calum followed him to the register, and another smile found its way to his face when he saw Frankie was behind the counter.
“Couldn’t pick?” She asked sweetly as Ashton handed her the two sets. He shook his head.
“No, I’m sure she’ll love both, so she can have both.” There was also a good chance that he would rip one again so it was good to have another, but he didn’t say that.
Frankie’s eyes trailed up to meet Calum’s as she rang up the lingerie, and he shot her a sweet smile. A slight blush creeped onto her pale cheeks as she looked back down at the register, a sheepish grin on her pink lips.
Calum’s heart fluttered just looking at her.
She carefully folded the lingerie and placed it in a bag that she handed over to Ashton after he paid.
“Have a great day,” she mumbled. She glanced at Ashton only for a moment before her gaze averted to Calum. He nodded his head, and both men returned the sentiment before they started to head to the door. Calum could feel eyes on him as he walked, and he knew exactly who it was.
Just as they were about to leave, Calum stopped himself short. He couldn’t leave quite yet.
“Hang on one second, Ash,” he grumbled, turning around and heading back towards the register to Frankie.
“Hi,” he greeted, leaning one arm against the counter.
“Hey,” she returned sweetly, raising an eyebrow expectantly at him. She knew he’d come back, and she had been hoping he would. He was beyond hot, and his deep voice made her melt in her spot.
“Would you like to get coffee with me sometime?” He offered, knowing he couldn’t let this chance slip away. She nodded quickly before reaching around to grab one of the store’s business cards from the front of the register and scribbling something on it. He found her phone number written on the back when she handed it to him.
“I would love to…” she trailed off, and he got the idea.
“Calum.”
“Calum,” she repeated, her eyes meeting his. “Text me, yeah?”
“Of course.” He slipped the card safely into the pocket of his jeans. “I’ll see you later, Frankie.”
He met a smirking Ashton back at the door, and the two of them started to make their way back to the car.
“Hitting on the lingerie girl, huh, Cal?” Ashton teased, nudging his shoulder. Calum grinned and playfully shook his head.
“You met Ophelia while she was working at the bookstore, Ash, you’re not one to talk.”
“Guess not. But, hey, good for you! You’ve been single for the longest time. It’s good that you’re getting back out there.”
Calum hadn’t had much interest in love or dating when his last relationship ended, but Frankie seemed different. She stood out. She was the complete opposite of him, with her pastel colors and gentle manner, but that was a part of what drew Calum to her. She was the bit of light he needed in his life, and he was excited to see where they would go.
#5 seconds of summer#5sos#calum hood#5 seconds of summer blurb#5 seconds of summer imagine#5 seconds of summer smut#5 seconds of summer au#5sos blurb#5sos imagine#5sos smut#5sos au#calum hood blurb#calum hood imagine#calum hood au#calum hood smut#michael clifford#ashton irwin#luke hemmings#genny writes
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Stuck in the Middle [C.H. & L.H. AU] Part 2
**DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a poly!Cake fic!! Just wanted to clarify that in case of any confusion.
Summary: Calum Hood and Sloane Thorne are engaged to be married--though, not because they were in love. More so that it was a part of the merger their families’ companies were going through, as a way of strengthening the bond and building a foundation for the partnership Calum and Sloane would have as co-CEOs. So when the opportunity arises for them to get away from the pressures of their families and relax for on the beach in Florida with their friends, they’re quick to go. Except Calum falls for their neighbor, River Young, while Sloane discovers pent up feelings she never knew she had for her long time friend, Luke Hemmings. Trying to figure out how to navigate through unexpectedly budding relationships while also getting rid of the strain on their friendship seems to be how Calum and Sloane have to spend their little vacation. Whatever it takes to not be so stuck anymore.
A/N: So this is the second and FINAL part of this fic! As you probably read, I posted this is as one big post but it was crashing the app and not loading, so I figured I’d post the second half here so it opens properly. Thank you for reading, babies!
This is Sloane’s face claim.
This is River’s face claim.
Read Part 1 Here!
“This was really sweet of you, Cal; thanks.”
The smile easily curled at his lips at River’s grateful tone, looking up from his burrito to catch her green eyes and pretty smile. “Nothin’ to thank me for,” he told her as she took a sip of her soda. The sun felt warm against his skin as he added truthfully, uncharacteristically sheepishly, “Like spendin’ time with you.”
Her smile turned into a smirk. “Have you always been this charming?”
Calum laughed, a napkin balled up in his left hand as he shrugged humbly. “It’s a gift.” It kind of had to be; with his career path, charm and skill of business were what would help him succeed.
River puckered her smirking lips, green eyes glinting against the sun as she decided, “It’s dangerous.” She leaned back, smirk widening. “You could get away with a lot with that.” That wasn’t exactly news to Calum. He knew in the working world it would get him far along with the Ivy League education and years of spending his summers alongside his father in the building. “Your family business isn’t ready for you, I’d guess.”
Calum’s smile slightly strained at her words, feeling an uneasy twist in his stomach. For all the days he and River had spent together so far, indulging her in his life back home wasn’t something he thought he’d do much of but did so anyway. In the moments of them laying spent in bed or laying under the sun on the beach, he’d told her about his sister, his dog, and a vague description of being in the family business. Provided precise details about some things to avoid the scrutiny of the working world he was about to enter, a fear of her somehow finding out about details he kept hidden. It wasn’t too hard, though; no one outside of Calum and Sloane’s families knew of the personal arrangement that accompanied the business merger, save for the friends they were on vacation with. Yet merely talking about taking over the business had Calum’s stomach tying in knots. Not because he wasn’t ready for it, but because the reminder of events to come made what he was doing now feel wrong.
And it most certainly didn’t feel like it.
“Speaking of family,” Calum spoke up with a clear of his throat, not entirely comfortable with the attention on him. He picked up his burrito as he asked her, “Have you spoken to your parents lately? Did they call?”
He hoped he hadn’t crossed a line in inquiring about her parents, not entirely sure if that topic was open for discussion. But River never made him feel as though he was pushing boundaries; it seemed as though for her, everything was safe to talk about, like there was no need to walk on eggshells around her. How she let herself be so open and confident about it left Calum in awe; he’d grown up being taught to only keep some people close, to let them in all the way—but even that wasn’t entirely encouraged. In the life he grew up in New York, someone always wanted to be superior to everyone else, using any means of doing so. They’d take a person’s greatest weakness or greatest shame and use it against them. It was something Calum knew he’d have to be more diligent about once he took over.
Opposite of him, the smirk River had been wearing faltered a bit as she dropped her gaze to her food, and Calum hated that he was the cause of that. She still smiled, though, soft and reserved, something he wasn’t used to from her, and just when he was about to tell her she didn’t have to talk about it, River scoffed lightly. “Do they ever?” she rhetorically returned, prompting Calum to press his lips together apologetically. River gave a shake of her head. “I haven’t spoken to my dad since, like, a couple of months after the divorce when I was sixteen. The whole thing was so nasty.” Calum watched as she looked away, squinting in thought against the sunlight from above as he ate his lunch and listened. “They wanted their fair share of the houses and cars and art they collected over the years. I was the last thing they fought about.”
At that, Calum felt the air in his throat lock, eyebrows furrowing together as he failed to keep the incredulous anger from appearing across his face. There was a wave of resentment that washed over Calum over these people he didn’t even know, yet he felt as though his rage was justified, especially when he took the look on River’s face. Her smile was ever present, yet the sadness it carried weighed heavily in his chest, hating that it dulled the brightness of her green eyes. When he looked at the woman in front of him, he couldn’t possibly understand how her parents would much rather argue over the ownership of materialistic things rather than the custody of their only daughter.
“River,” Calum sighed with a gentle shake of his head. His fingers clenched, rings glinting under the sun. “I’m so sorry.” It was a pathetically basic offering, but he had no idea what else to say. He wished she’d never had to go through something as painful as not being wanted enough by her own parents.
“Don’t be,” River returned, her smile kind and appreciative. She sat up, shoulders straightening. “I ended up with Grams and it’s honestly the best thing to happen to me.” Then she let out a breath with a dismayed shake of her head, twisting her lips in disappointment. “It’d just be nice if they called, you know? Especially my mom since Grams is sick.”
Calum’s eyebrows drew together worriedly at her revelation, sitting up. The grated metal bench was a bit hard against his ass. “Mags is sick?” he asked. “What’s going on?”
River pulled her soda cup towards her as cars continued to drive behind Calum. They sat on the sidewalk in front of the strip of stores in town, the salon River worked at just a couple of feet down. Surprising her with lunch had been easy; one of her favorite restaurants was right across the street, so he’d bought himself a burrito and her an order of empanadas and now here they were. “She came down with the flu, which is weird given that it’s the middle of summer but, I mean, her immune system isn’t what it used to be, you know?” She sighed, sounding tired. “I wanted to call out and stay with her but she insisted I come to work. Said she can handle taking extra medication along with her diabetes meds.”
“I’m sure she can,” Calum reassured her, wanting to be able to put her at ease even a little bit. But he couldn’t blame her for being concerned over her grandmother. “Mags seems tough.”
River scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “And stubborn.”
She said it was a fond smile tilting at her lips at the thought of her grandmother, but Calum could see the concern swimming in her green eyes. So he tried to change the subject. “So do you have any appointments today?” he asked, nodding over in the direction of the salon.
“No,” River answered with an all too adorable pout of her lips. “Just waiting for the walk-ins. Which is why I should’ve called out.” Calum bit the inside of his lower lip, the change in subject matter not entirely helping. Her green eyes then gave him a once over, her blatant analyzation of Calum making something in his stomach flutter obscenely. How she managed to have that effect on him, he didn’t know. With a bright grin, River added, “You wanna get your hair done?”
At that, Calum let out a startled laugh at her unexpected suggestion, a hand going to rest at the top of his growing hair, making sure not to let his fingers touch the strands given the burrito he’d been holding. With a faux hurt pout of his own, the defense creeped into his raspy and high pitched voice as he asked, “What’s wrong with my hair?”
River laughed, light and airy as she held the edge of the table with her hands. “Nothing, nothing!” she assured, her gold necklace dangling daintily from her neck. Calum narrowed his eyes at her jokingly, which she returned with an innocent smile. “But if you wanna try out a new look, I’m here.”
A smirk curled at his lips, folding his arms on the table as he cocked an eyebrow. “You gettin’ bored of my look already, doll?”
There was a pink glow in her smiling cheeks as she said, “With a smile like that? Never.”
Despite her compliment effortlessly warming Calum’s cheek, he clicked his tongue with a shake of his head. “Nah, nah, don’t try to dig yourself outta that hole,” he said as he leaned away from the table, his own amused grin lifting his lips.
Her laughter was a welcome sound over the subtle whirring of cars driving behind him. Eyes glinting, River reached her hand across the table and found Calum’s, their elbows on the table as she lifted his hand to lace her fingers around his as she promised, “You know I adore your look.”
“Mhm,” he hummed in a teasingly warning tone, though fighting the smile off his face when her hand held his was close to impossible. For a moment, Calum considered her offer. Then, with a single raise of an eyebrow, he asked, “What’d you have in mind?”
He wasn’t quite sure how much time had passed. It somehow always slipped by without notice whenever he was with River. All he knew was that it had been far too easy for her to get him to sit at one of the salon station chairs, facing the mirror, as a radio station played top hits throughout the semi busy salon and a black protective cape was covering him from the neck down.
And that his short dark brown hair was now a deep blue.
There had been a lot of steps that took a good amount of time, and Calum had sat and watched River perform all of them through the reflection of the mirror with effortless skill. She’d hum along with the songs playing or engage in conversation with him, telling him about the different kinds of customers she’d dealt with and how she preferred tackling new hair styles rather than doing the same basic ones all of the time.
In between she’d talk Calum through each step she performed, feeding more into his desire of being informed. He watched and felt her bleach his hair, perform something called a patch test, chatted with her easily when they had to watch for the bleach in his hair to do its magic, apply the color—all the works. Truthfully, Calum hadn’t really expected for it all to take as long as it did, only noticing the time spent by the time they had finished and he checked the clock, but he wasn’t fazed. Not when he’d spent all of that time with River and had gotten to admire her adorable expressions of concentration in between light chatter. Or watch her take care of a quick haircut in the station over during the time the bleach was on his head.
By the time they were done, he hadn’t expected to love his dark blue hair as much as he did. The change had been spontaneous, but Calum would be lying if he said it wasn’t admired.
“You can let your roots grow out, which would be the easiest, by the time you have to get back home,” River said to him with a proud smile teetering on her lips. They stood side by side in front of the mirror as Calum turned his head this way and that, taking in the new look. With an airy single laugh, she added, “Don’t know how well it’ll go over that one of the new bosses has blue hair.”
Calum joined in her laughter, rubbing the back of his neck as his gaze met hers through the reflection. He wondered if she’d felt a tightness in his chest at the reminder of his eventual return up north. At the reminder of their eventual parting. “I think Sloane’s natural look may take the heat off me.” He knew that wasn’t true, but one could dream.
A mischievous glint sparkled in her green eyes. “Tell her to come by. I think she’d look great with purple hair. Everyone’ll definitely take y’all seriously then.”
Calum scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “That’ll go over well.”
She merely grinned before shooing him off, and Calum chuckled as he made his way over to the counter to pay. When River had realized he’d been serious about taking her suggestion, she’d insisted on doing it back at one of their places, telling him that way he wouldn’t have to pay like he would have to if he came into the salon. But Calum gave her a look, an assurance of money not at all being the matter because it wasn’t, and promptly walked to the salon once her break was over, giving her no choice but to follow.
As he paid, he pulled out a piece of gum from the packet in his pocket and chewed, enjoying the burst of orange across his taste buds as he and the receptionist waited for the receipt to be printer. Calum glanced over, watching as River did some last minute tidying up at her station while talking to one of the stylists, that ever present smile still on her face, one that brought a smile to Calum’s own lips as well. It was so easy for her to talk, to get along with people, to be so beautifully natural.
After he signed the receipt, Calum glanced back to see River talking to the stylist and the client sitting at the other woman’s chair, and although he wanted to say goodbye to her, Calum didn’t want to intrude while she was working. So he thanked the receptionist and walked outside, the sun bright on his skin as he instantly put on his sunglasses.
“I give you a new look and I don’t even get a goodbye? Either that’s saying I didn’t do a good job or you’ve already shown it by not leaving a tip.”
Calum stopped in his tracks, the car keys already in his hand as he turned to see that River had followed him out of the salon. The sun caused her to squint, but she was still smiling at him as he walked back to her. With a boyish grin, he said, “Don’t worry—I left a good tip.”
That caused River to laugh, raising her eyebrows. “Which I’ll be returning to you, by the way,” she said as he stopped in front of her, his frame prompting her to tilt her head back to look up at him.
“Was just showin’ you my gratitude, but fine,” Calum shrugged, pretending to be hurt as River giggled, adorable and dainty, as her fingers fiddled with the buttons of his yellow button down. She smelt like citrus; he liked it. “Can I offer you another tip, though?” River grinned, the word play not lost on her as she raised an eyebrow in silent question. His own smile turned into a smirk, ducking his head to brush his lips against her as he rasped, “You should kiss me.”
River was ready to comply, letting go of the buttons to pull him forward by the cotton material of his shirt and press her lips against his. A slow, savoring kiss that easily had both of them deepening it, right there on the sidewalk as his hands gripped her hips, thumbs familiarly looping into the belt loops of her black shorts. Calum leaned into her, needing more, savoring what he could get for now as he felt her tongue against his.
They pulled away moments later, too soon for Calum, his forehead pressed against hers and feeling the gentle stroke of a single hair strand of hers tickle his jaw. “I have to get back to work,” River murmured, sounding almost regretful, before they pulled away. He opened his eyes to look at her from behind his sunglasses, catching her brilliant smile as he dropped his hands from her. “Thanks for the tip,” she said, walking backwards, surprising Calum when she blew a bubble. She winked, pushing open the glass door of the salon. “And the gum!”
His eyebrows furrowed at her parting words, confused for a moment as people walked up and down the sidewalk around him, until the emptiness in his mouth settled and prompted Calum to let out a startled yet amused laugh. She’d stolen his gum. Not that he’d minded. He’d just get his own form of revenge later on that night.
*****
Avoiding someone you shared a house with wasn’t the easiest feat, a lesson Sloane had to learn with difficulty, even where there were four other people in said house. Even when that same avoidance wasn’t something she had wanted to do take part in but did so anyways because she had no idea how else to go about a situation far too awkward, too upsetting, too high in the potential of leading to heartbreak. Still, she felt selfish. Sloane knew the rest of her friends had picked up on the tension between her and Luke, knew there was something going on but were kind enough not to intrude despite their curiosity itching at them.
Honestly, what could Sloane even tell them? That Luke admitted to liking her—for a lot longer than she’d ever thought—that she was battling her own feelings over a hopeless situation, that they’d almost kissed until she ran to hide in the safety of her bedroom? As if she needed safety from Luke, of all people, who’d kind of been her safe haven the longer she thought about it? Who’d been the one to make her smile and laugh and wonder and made her feel seen for a lot longer than she’d given him credit for?
Who Sloane was coming to realize she probably didn’t deserve.
It was becoming unbearable, this ache that had settled in her chest over the knowledge of hurting Luke. Sloane had wondered if she was being over dramatic, if she was making a big deal out of something that could be quickly resolved. But Luke hadn’t looked her in the eye since that night, refused to be alone in a room with her, and in his silence she knew of the great volume of pain she caused him.
She’d been sitting on the back deck, almost uncomfortably so since this was where she’d all but rejected Luke and his feelings, when the blonde came up the steps from the beach, Calum right beside him. She sat up, lowering the book she’d been reading as her eyes instantly tried to find Luke’s. Except he’d become a bit too good at avoiding her gaze over the last few days—the most he’d done was offer a quiet thanks when she’d wished him a happy birthday earlier—head only a little ducked as he ran his fingers through his blonde curls, biceps flexing, and continued inside the house, the light thud of his sneakers disappearing into the house.
Sloane sank in her chair, feeling her heart do the same as disappointment swelled inside. She heard Calum sigh as he asked, “What’s going on with you two?” He sat down on the chair next to her, facing her as he raised an eyebrow. The blue of his hair complimented the brownness of his inked skin, especially under the sun. “Why’re you getting the silent treatment?”
Sloane let out a dry chuckle, gaze dropping to her dark purple painted nails. “Because he told me something and I answered by literally running away. Because life's complicated enough and it’s even messier because we can’t be together.”
She let out a long breath; that was, Sloane knew, the first time she’d verbally admitted to wanting to be with Luke. It was a heavy thought swirling around in her head, backed up by emotions she hadn’t even been aware she’d been carrying for so long, locked away because of the God forsaken arrangement she was set up in with Calum. But not even admitting it to herself would’ve been stupid because of the absolute truth it carried, and being able to utter them outloud, though they weren’t to the right person, lifted just a small fraction of weight off her shoulders.
Sloane chanced a glance at Calum, taking in the raise of his eyebrows at her confession as he blinked his gaze away, wondering what he was thinking. What his opinion was on one of his best friends and his fianceé—even if it weren’t by choice—wanting to be together but obviously being unable to act on their feelings.
Calum took in a breath, deep voice thoughtful as he said, “If you ask me, I think keeping your distance from each other is the right idea.” His dark eyes met Sloane’s startling blue, shrugging with a sympathetic tilt of his lips as he added, “What’s the point in starting something you know won’t end well?”
The white hot irritation that shot through Sloane wasn’t something she had been expecting, her grip on the hardcover book tightening as all she could ask through controlled surprise was, “What?”
Calum parted his lips and she knew his observant gaze was taking in the frown she could feel crease her forehead and the downward tilt of her own lips. He’d obviously said something she hadn’t expected nor wanted to hear, but Calum wasn’t about to back track. “It’s messy, like you said. It’s one thing to just fuck around but from what you’re saying, there’s feelings involved and that’s just—it’s a bad idea, Sloane.”
“Oh, it’s a bad idea?” she repeated, the edge and anger creeping into her voice before she could help it. But Calum’s words had touched a nerve and the resentment she’d kept at bay since they’d arrived to Florida was brimming over. Or, more specifically, resentment she’d kept at bay since Calum met River. She noted the furrow in his eyebrows, not deaf to her tone. “That’s kind of hypocritical of you, isn’t it, Cal? When you’re the one who started a whole-ass relationship with the neighbor?”
Her words seemed to unsettle him just as much as Calum leaned back, a tightness in his features as his dark eyes hardened. “That’s different,” he defended, voice as tight as his face. When Sloane scoffed, he continued, “River and I aren’t dating, we’re just—”
“Just what? Delusional?” Sloane let out a cynical, dry laugh as the annoyance on Calum’s face intensified. But she was just as bothered as him, the roar of the waves drowned by the anger rushing through her blood. With a quick roll of her eyes, Sloane continued, “Come on, are you really that blind? Everyone can fucking tell you and River aren’t just screwing around.” With an accusatory point of her finger, she added, “You got attached and you didn’t even fight it. Don’t give me advice on not pursuing anything with Luke when you’re the one who fucked up first.”
Instead of defending himself and whatever he was doing with River, Calum’s lips curled in annoyance as he said heatedly, “Your situation is a lot more complicated. Luke’s my friend and I don’t want to see him get hurt.”
The anger burning Sloane’s blood instantly cooled into an icy, numbing hurt. Her features fell before she could help it, gaze immediately averting from Calum’s as she looked at the floorboards of the deck. She needed to toughen the hell up because the stinging in her nose and eyes, a tell of the tears beginning to gather, would not be ideal when they got back home, when they were in the middle of conference calls and meetings with investors. But Calum’s words had hurt and, God, did he even realize what he’d said?
Sloane’s lips parted, tongue running across the inside of her lower lip, gaze still on the ground as she gave a slow nod. “Luke’s your friend, huh?” She finally looked at him, saw that he’d realized what he’d said a little too late, his own lips parting to scramble out his apology. Her voice had quietened because Sloane knew if she spoke up even a little bit, she wouldn’t be able to trust her voice to stay steady. “I know things between us have been weird but I didn’t think we weren’t friends.”
“Fuck, Sloane, no, that’s not what I meant—”
“But it’s what you said,” she cut him off, wondering if the desperation in his voice was genuine. At the moment, she didn’t really care, nor did she want this conversation to continue. So Sloane stood up, feeling Calum’s pleading and apologetic gaze on her as she forced her tone to harden when she looked down at him and said, “You worry about what you’re gonna do about River, and just stay out of mine and Luke’s business.”
The day had seemed to drag on slowly, terribly so, with time only being at its normal pace when she and Crystal had gone to get their nails done. Now, though, it was like time hadn’t made it past the doors of the club, and Sloane was left sitting on the red couch in the VIP section of the club with a drink in hand and music deafening her ears as she tried to have a good time despite the flashing lights threatening to give her a headache.
A couple of feet ahead of her were Ashton and Calum, facing each other as they leaned against the railing, looking down at the main part of the club where everyone was dancing as they chatted animatedly, their voices drowned by the music. They looked to be in the middle of an intense discussion, the kind where Ashton talked with his hands and Calum listened with eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Sloane leaned back on the couch, sighing. River hadn’t come out, Sloane remembered Calum mentioning that her grandmother was sick, and Sloane wasn’t sure where Michael, Crystal, and Luke were. Probably getting some drinks.
She scrolled through her Twitter and Instagram, purposefully avoiding checking her emails, hating that she was more or less miserable at one of her favorite people’s birthday celebration. Mostly because the one being celebrated more or less wanted nothing to do with her. Sloane took a sip of her vodka cranberry as she stood up, face scrunching as the leather of the couch stuck to her thighs before making her way to the railing. She made sure to keep her distance from Ashton and Calum, her small bag hitting the glass of the bannister as she leaned forward on it, the chain of her purse cool against the skin of her shoulder as she absently peered down.
All she could see were the tops of people’s heads as they danced to the music the DJ was spinning, white and green colored lights flashing to the beat. Sloane licked her lips, trying to see if she could spot her friends through narrowed eyes, twisting her lips when she didn’t see them in the midst of the bustling crowd. Right when she was about to turn her gaze towards the bar, someone stepped up to her left and Sloane’s grip on her glass tightened when she looked to see Calum mirroring her pose, arms folded on top of the railing as he, too, looked down at the crowd.
She tensed in the silence between them, not bothering to look his way. They hadn’t spoken since their conversation on the deck this morning. Sloane wanted to laugh. Two people she was on either side of the silent treatment with. Surprisingly, Calum was the one to break it. “I’m an unfair, hypocritical asshole. I’m sorry.”
Sloane pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth before saying, “You won’t hear any arguments from me.”
Calum let out a breath and from her peripheral Sloane could see him duck his head, a small yet embarrassed smile quirking at his lips before he lifted his head. “I was talking to Ashton and we ended up, uh, talking about the same stuff you and I were and he, uh, basically agreed with what you said.”
Releasing the thin black straw of her drink, Sloane raised an eyebrow at the blue haired man next to her. She knew exactly how his parents would react to the new style and kind of admired him all the more for going through with it. “He also said you’re a hypocrite whose fucking things up?”
Smirking in amusement, Calum gave a tilt of his head. “He was a bit nicer about it but essentially, yeah.” He then turned to face her, resting his elbow on top of the railing. “Sloane, I really am sorry for making it sound like I care about Luke’s feelings and not yours. That’s not true and I’m an ass for saying what I said.” Her jaw tightened, gaze dropping to her drink once more. “You’re not just my friend, alright, you’re about to be my partner too and of course I care about your feelings. I said some stupid shit because you called me out on things that were true and I guess I just lashed out—which isn’t an excuse.” She looked at him, feeling the tight grip on her heart loosen just a bit as she took in the sincerity in Calum’s dark eyes, which glinted against the flashing lights. She knew him, knew that he was genuinely apologetic and upset over what he’d said to her. His hand reached out, grasping her free one and his warm touch, not anywhere near as exciting as Luke’s, still managed to ease some of the tension in her muscles. “I’m sorry, Sloane, really. I’m trying to figure things out with River, and I think you and Luke should at least talk.” With a subtle smirk, he added, “You look miserable and so does the birthday boy.”
Calum then nodded down below, and Sloane followed his gaze to the long bar, her eyes almost instantly finding Luke. He was sitting at the bar, back against it and elbows propped up as he sipped his drink. The sight of him sank Sloane’s heart; it was his birthday and, like Calum had said, Luke looked miserable. He was watching the bustling crowd in front of him, watching people get drunk and enjoy themselves when he should actually be among them. Sloane’s eyebrows drew together, knowing she was why Luke had isolated himself to the bar, wanting nothing more than to see him smile again.
She glanced at Calum, who raised his eyebrows expectantly, and Sloane downed the rest of her drink before putting the glass on the table and making her way towards the steps. She moved with quick purpose, pushing past the dancing and drunk bodies to make her way towards the bar, hoping he’d still be there by the time she reached. And he was.
Luke hadn’t seen her yet, and Sloane licked her lips, tasting the vodka that had warmed her skin, and continued towards him. His gaze just happened to wander over to her, and as soon as Luke saw Sloane, he took a breath and stood up, prompting her to hastily quicken her pace as much as she could in her heels and grab his arm. “I thought running away was my thing,” she said, knowing Luke heard her over the music when he pursed his lips. Even in the tensity of their situation, Sloane admired the sharpness of his tightened jaw, decorated with facial hair that worked too well on him. When his blue eyes didn’t meet hers, Sloane’s throat worked. “I’m sorry, Luke. I—I didn’t want to hurt you but that’s exactly what I ended up doing and you have no idea how much I hate myself for it. You—you’re the best person I know and I’d be crazy not to want to be with you and being scared is a shitty excuse on my part so I kept telling myself it was a bad idea to make it eas—”
She had been ranting, she knew, as the words tumbled out of her mouth one by one without her being able to stop it. Had Luke even heard her over the blaring music?
Who cared? Not Sloane; not when he was kissing her like this.
Luke had effectively cut her ranting off—thank God—with a quick turn of his body and free hand finding the back of Sloane’s neck before he ducked to capture her lips with his. Sloane’s reaction was instant, feeling the electricity crackle in her veins as she melted into him, felt the softness of his lips and delicious scratch of his growing beard as he kissed her vehemently. Sloane parted her lips for him, hands gripping his sides and feeling the cool material of his silky button down that looked too damn good on him. This kiss, their first kiss, had Sloane’s toes curling and heart racing, lips tingling for more despite the fact that they hadn’t pulled away from one another. The ends of his curls brushed against her temple as the kiss deepened and nothing else in the world mattered other than the fact that she was finally kissing Luke.
They reluctantly pulled away, and Sloane kept her eyes closed, grip still on him, forehead against his as she tried to even out her breathing. She felt dizzy, in the best way, lips tingling and body incredibly warm because of their closeness. Trying to fully grasp what just happened was fruitless; no way was Sloane going to properly comprehend it until later. She’d much rather enjoy the moment of blissed out ignorance.
Luke’s nose brushed against hers, his breath invitingly warm as he murmured, “Still a bad idea?”
She swallowed, eyes opening just enough to gaze at his lips. She desperately wanted to kiss him again. “Probably.”
He let out a low, throaty chuckle. The music around them was too fucking loud. “Wanna get out of here?”
Sloane exhaled softly, still holding onto his shirt. “It’s your birthday.”
“I don’t care.”
Yeah, fuck it. They’d all been here for hours anyway. “Let’s go.”
Luke’s hand was holding hers and leading her out of the club before she knew it, and Sloane admired the way his tall, broad body easily made a path for them through the dancing bodies, admired the firm yet comforting hold he had on her hand. She admired the blonde curls at the back of his head and admired the fluttery feeling he enticed in the pit of her stomach as they got into the Uber that arrived just minutes after Luke ordered it.
The ride was quick, though the two of them had to keep their hands to themselves given that their driver was a chatty one. He’d ask questions that Sloane and Luke would answer, secret smiles exchanged between the two of them as his fingers danced with hers, lips aching to be kissed again.
And then they got to the house, where inhibitions seemed to disappear as they stumbled into the dimly lit foyer, the door slamming shut with a kick of Luke’s foot before he swiftly locked Sloane’s legs around his hips and connected their lips once more, grinning against her mouth when her surprised giggle got lost in their kiss. Her dress had ridden up, as expected, the sensation of Luke’s hands on her bare thighs to hold her up burning her skin deliciously. She buried her fingers in Luke’s curls as he began moving towards the stairs, expertly going up as Sloane moved her hands to undo as many buttons of Luke’s shirt as she could before looping a finger around the silver necklace he wore.
They entered a room, Sloane faintly hearing another door shut over the drumming of her heart as Luke’s tongue worked against hers, until Sloane was being dropped on the bed. She bounced slightly against the mattress, realizing they were in her room, biting her lower lip as Luke got rid of his shirt and worked on undoing his pants, his eyes never leaving hers. Fuck, he looked like a God, standing above her with curls messed up by her fingers, and Sloane let out a breath as she took off her heels before pulling off her dress, watching him in take in the sight of her waiting for him on the bed in nothing but a pretty white and laced lingerie set.
“Fuck,” Luke breathed out, voice throaty as he ran his fingers through his hair, climbing onto the bed. Sloane’s heart thundered at the sight of him, biting her lip once more as she admired his necklace resting against his bare chest, the tent pitched in his boxers, fingers itching to get into his hair once more. She felt the grin tug at her lips as he crawled towards her, body hovering over hers as he braced himself with hands on either side of her head. He lowered himself and Sloane felt a chill run down her spine when the cool pendant of his necklace dragged across her sternum. Luke brushed his nose against hers, catching Sloane’s lower lip with his teeth as he murmured, “Happy birthday to me.”
Sloane laughed, hand reached to the back of his head to close the gap, lips finding his in a heated kiss as she felt his body lean into hers. He warmed her, a comforting contrast against the mild chill in the room due to the window Sloane had left slightly open, the distant sound of the ocean an accompaniment to the thundering of her heart.
The two of them moved together, fluidly and easily, as Sloane arched her back into Luke to allow him to unclasp her bra, ridding the material somewhere on the floor as her breasts pressed against his chest. They were eager, desperate to get lost in each other, and Sloane tilted her head back to revel in the sensation of Luke’s lips working against her neck, the cheeky bite of his teeth thrilling along with the burn of his facial hair. One of his hands slid down her front, fingers dipping beneath her underwear and Sloane let out a soft moan at the feel of his finger teasing her entrance.
Her own fingers fisted in his hair, blonde curls soft, inhaling sharply while biting her lower lip when Luke expertly worked her open, using his teeth to free her lower lip from her own grasp and sounding his own approval as he added another finger into her folds. Sloane could already feel like she was losing herself in what Luke was doing to her, but she needed more—she needed more closeness. She already had Luke but, fuck, she needed more.
“Luke, please,” Sloane breathed out, their noses slanted together and lips brushing against one anothers as she spoke. She tried to voice her thoughts, body too busy reacting to the sensation of Luke’s fingers pushing through her folds, thumb flicking against her clit and sending shockwaves through her body. Sloane tightened her grip in his hair, drawing an appreciative groan from him as she begged, “I need you.”
God, she knew she should be treating him instead of it being the other way around. And she would, she couldn’t wait to, but both of them needed this right now. She would do whatever the hell he wanted her to but first, fuck, her fingers needed to work faster in pulling down his boxers. “Anything you want, sweetheart,” Luke told her once both his boxers and her panties were somewhere on the floor, his hand holding a condom packet Sloane figured he’d gotten from his pants. He was once again hovering over her, the scent of his familiar cologne mixing in with the faint scent of salt from the air outside, a combination that was dizzying Sloane in the best way.
She let out a breath, nails trailing up his bicep as her blue eyes met his. She wondered if hers had been darkened in the flurry of lust and yearning like Luke’s had. “I should be saying that to you, birthday boy.”
Luke’s lips curled into a grin, showing off those dimples Sloane was crazy for, adoring the way his blonde curls framed his perfect face. “Trust me,” Luke murmured, brushing his lips against hers as he lined himself up to her entrance. His voice was throaty, sending shivers down Sloane’s spine as he promised, “I’m getting everything I wished for.”
Stars burst behind Sloane’s eyes with every thrust of Luke’s hips, one hand in his hair and the other gripping his bicep as he kept a steady, toe curling rhythm that had Sloane digging her nails into his skin. His name fell like a chant from her lips in between breathless gasps and blissed out moans, a symphony with the beach beyond the window, but all Sloane could focus on was Luke. The softness of his lips, scratch of his beard, the fire his hands elicited across her skin, the chills from his necklace, and the wonderful, delicious, overwhelming stretch of him as he filled her up perfectly.
She felt as though she was on fire, one that she was in no hurry to put out, as she lifted her legs to wrap them around his hips, the slightly different angle allowing for Luke to push in deeper, the sensation prompting Sloane to tilt her head back into the pillows, an appreciative moan being drawn out. Feeling every bit of Luke against her, in her, was as blissful as Sloane could’ve imagined and more. With his lips against her skin, she cursed herself for depriving herself of this, wanted to mourn over the fact that all of this could’ve happened much sooner if only she’d been more intuned with her own heart earlier.
But, God, no time for regrets right now. All she wanted to do, all she could do really, was focus on Luke and the way he made her come alive, awakened a fire in her she hadn’t ever thought would be lit. It was as though Sloane was discovering herself in him, and he in her, and neither were ready for it to ever end.
“I still have to give you your birthday present,” Sloane murmured, finger trailing nonsensical patterns on Luke’s chest.
They lay under the covers of her bed, spent from getting to know and figuring out each other’s bodies, a calm silence between them disturbed only by the ocean outside and the steady drum of Luke’s heart Sloane could hear with her head against his chest. She was enveloped in him; in his scent, his arms, his warmth, and this was a kind of closeness, intimacy, that Sloane wanted to hold onto for however long she could.
She felt Luke’s head tilt towards her as her cheek remained pressed against his chest. Sloane heard the lazy smirk in his voice as he said, “I thought that was my present.”
Sloane laughed, lightly back handing his chest before pushing herself up. Luke groaned in protest at the loss of her warmth, arm that had been around her shoulders dropping to the mattress as Sloane got up, swiping up Luke’s silk shirt and shrugging it on. She buttoned only a couple of the middle ones before wandering over to the closet, feeling the burn of Luke’s gaze on her as she bent down to pick up the colorful gift bag she’d hidden away.
She couldn’t help the grin on her face as she walked back towards the bed as Luke sat up, the blankets pooling at his hips as he ran both hands through his hair to push the curly locks away from his face. His own eyebrows raised in anticipation, the smile present on his lips as he hummed, “What’s this?”
Sloane settled in front of him, legs folded under her as she handed him the bag and chuckled, “See for yourself.”
Luke took the bag, curious gaze on Sloane as his hand pushed past the decorative tissue inside before grabbing onto the gift, eyebrows furrowing as he pulled it out. Sloane rolled her smiling lips into her mouth as she watched Luke’s reaction, going from confusion to realization to complete joy as delighted laughter tumbled out of his mouth. “No fucking way,” he laughed, holding onto the gift with both hands. Sloane adored the glint in his bright eyes, the dimples that appeared under his facial hair. “You actually got it!”
Her own laughter joined in, feeling the relief flood through her at the knowledge of Luke liking her gift. She watched as he admired the gnome they’d seen at the flea market almost a week ago, the one holding a Go Away sign and sticking up its middle finger that Luke had loved. “Of course I did,” she giggled, running her fingers through her hair. With a satisfied grin, she added, “I think it makes for the perfect gift, hmm?”
Luke shook his head in incredulity, laughing as his eyes met hers and he told her sincerely, “Not as perfect as the girl who gave it to me.” Sloane’s smile softened instantly, her heart warm as Luke leaned forward, and she met him halfway to readily accept the kiss he pressed to her lips. “I love it, Sloane. Thank you.”
Her eyes were still closed, reveling in his kiss, nose brushing against his as she murmured, “You’re welcome,” before leaning forward to close the gap once more. She couldn’t get enough of his kisses. How had she gone so long without them?
But just as the kiss became deeper, needier, anticipating for another round, the distant sound of the front door slamming open hadn’t been enough to break them apart until Michael’s loud voice rang throughout the house. “Sloane! Luke! Get down here before we eat the rest of the cake without you!”
“Mm, we’ll finish this later,” Luke mumbled against her lips, the promise in his voice accompanied by the smile he wore.
Sloane gave him one last grin, unable to keep herself from mirroring his grin, adoring the happy flush in his cheeks as she agreed, “Absolutely.”
*****
The day had started out normal enough; after his morning coffee, Calum was dragged out by Ashton to a local yoga studio he’d managed to find, so spending the morning doing yoga with his best friend and other best friend’s fianceé wasn’t the worst thing in the world. At the house, he took a shower and joined Michael and Luke on the couch where the Xbox was set up, grabbing a controller and falling in the routine of yelling at each other as they played. It had been a normal day, fun in the presence of his friends.
Until he was sitting in an uncomfortable chair of a hospital room, chin resting on his right hand as his arm remained propped on the arm rest, watching the oxygen mask on Maggie’s face fog up every time she let out a slow, heavy exhale in her sleep, the machine clicking every time she did so. The room was enveloped in an eerie silence, interrupted only by the steady beeping of the heart monitor Maggie was connected to, echoing in Calum’s ears hauntingly. The sight of her, looking a bit too frail even with the wrinkles on her face smoothed out by what he hoped was a peaceful sleep for her.
Running his right hand down his face, Calum trailed his gaze over to his left where River was sitting. He felt his heart sink at the worried expression that he’d seen painted on her face the second he’d arrived to the hospital. Her knee was bouncing, teeth gnawing at her nails and eyebrows drawn together in concern. Green eyes never seemed to stray from her grandmother, but her hand had a strong grip on Calum’s and he knew it was because of the concern rushing through her veins. All he wanted to do was hold her, unable to do so because of the damned seats.
He took in the tiredness of her eyes, seeing past the loose blonde tendrils of her haphazardly tied hair, but he knew she wasn’t about to fall asleep. He’d tried to get her to a couple of times since he’d arrived over an hour ago, but she understandably wouldn’t budge. So he gave a squeeze of her hand and leaned towards her, voice low as he asked, “D’you want some coffee? Crappy hospital coffee, but—”
“Yes, yeah,” River nodded, her voice a bit hoarse from lack of speaking. She turned her head to look at him, and the air locked in his throat at her red rimmed and glassy eyes. Somehow, though, she still managed to offer him an appreciative smile, flushed cheeks pushing up briefly. He didn’t want her smiling at him, not if she didn’t mean it. Calum lifted their joined hands, pressing a kiss to the back of hers as he got up. River looked up at him, licking her lips and asking, “Can I borrow your phone? Mine’s dead and I, uh, wanna try my mom again.”
Calum nodded with a reassuring furrow of his eyebrows. “Yeah, ’course,” he said, digging it out of his pocket and unlocking the device before handing it to her. River took it and Calum leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head, murmuring a soft, “Be right back.”
He opened the door, about to step out only to pause and look back at Maggie. Calum sighed heavily, heart sinking as he did. He desperately hoped for her to get better.
Making his way down the hospital hallways, Calum ran a hand over the top of his slowly growing hair, offering a brief smile to a doctor and nurse that made their way past him. The smell of disinfectant was powerful, prompting Calum to wrinkle his nose as he absently followed the signs to where the cafeteria was, thoughts too focused on River and Maggie. His chest had tightened when River had told him how quickly Maggie had gotten worse, how her flu seemed to become so much more, and Calum had dropped everything to grab his keys and rush to the hospital as soon as he’d heard her shaky, breathless voice asking if he’d come. He didn’t even have to think twice about it.
And, fuck, he hadn’t expected his heart to utterly shatter when he’d caught sight of her distraught face, looking totally out of her element when she’d met him at the nurse’s reception to bring him up to Maggie’s room. River had walked right into Calum’s arms, holding him tightly and soaking in his warmth as Calum pressed his cheek on top of her head. He hated seeing her this way. He hoped Maggie would be okay.
After acquiring two cups of questionable coffee, Calum headed back to the floor Maggie’s room was on, his steps quick as he wanted to get back to them. He entered the room, gently nudging the door shut with his hip as he quietly murmured, “One crappy cup of coffee, at your ser—what’s wrong?”
His tone turned concerned when he took in River’s expression. She stood at the end of Maggie’s bed, the expression on her face frighteningly hollow, and for a heart stopping second Calum thought Maggie had taken a turn for the worse. His gaze snapped over to the sleeping woman, feeling his heart calm down when he took note of the machine steadily beeping to sound hers. But then his eyebrows drew together, setting down the two cups at the table as he looked back at River.
“River, hey, what’s going on?”
He saw the way her throat worked, gaze finally meeting his, hers looking just as distraught as it had before, only this time the confusion was what was throwing Calum off. He took a few steps towards her, stopping when she held his phone out to him, hand trembling slightly as she finally said, “Your mom texted you.” Calum’s eyebrows drew together at the low, hollow tone she spoke in. When her green eyes met his brown, he felt his heart thud at the look in her eyes; absent, distant, nothing he was used to. She licked her lips before she added slowly, her own tone turning confused, as if she was trying to understand her own words, “Said something about checking your e-mail for potential suits you could wear. . . For your wedding?”
She spoke the last bit like a question, like she was giving him the chance to correct her, to tell her she’d been mistaken, had read the text wrong or something. Shit, he wished he could tell her just that. He wished he could tell her it was some joke, a mistake, that she didn’t, in fact, read it right. But Calum, at the wrong fucking moment, was at a complete loss for words.
He felt as though the air had been sucker punched out of his lungs, like the blood was frozen in his veins and his heart had dropped to the pit of his stomach all at the same time. The ground threatened to give out under him, he could feel it, and Calum had no idea what the fuck to do except gape at River like a fucking idiot. He wasn’t numb to the tension that was quickly distancing them, something he wasn’t used to at all when it came to River, and Calum desperately wanted to get rid of it. But he didn’t know how to. Not when River was looking at him as though she had no idea who she was staring at. Like he was a complete stranger.
Calum felt his lower lip quiver as he tried to find the words to say something. Anything. “River, I can explain—”
“Oh, my God,” she cut him off, her voice a trembling whisper. She looked like he’d just slapped her and Calum hated himself for it. “It’s true?” She gave a bewildered shake of her head, taking a step away from him. Another punch to his gut. “You’re engaged?”
He pressed his lips together, breath locking once more before he expelled it forcefully through his nose. He fucked up. He fucked up so bad and he didn’t know what the fuck to do. He didn’t want to tell her the truth but it’s beyond what she deserved. “I—” Calum’s heart was in his throat. “Yes.”
River’s chest fell with a sharp exhale, her eyes glassy under the fluorescent lights of the room, and Calum wanted to rid her of her tears before they fell. He loathed that it was his fault she looked so heartbroken. So defeated. Betrayed. And he knew he had, knew that she had every right to feel all of those things. Because he had tried to fool himself into thinking that whatever it was between them was just a summer fling, just a way of having fun.
He was an idiot to think he wouldn’t fall in love with River.
She took the few steps separating them and Calum felt the sting in his eyes when she slapped his phone against his chest, forcing him to grab onto the device as she let go. His throat was suddenly dry at the sight of her glare, angry, devastated, like she’d been deceived. All because of him, by him. The heat in her gaze was heart shattering, completely something Calum deserved, definitely something he’d never wanted to be on the receiving end of. It looked completely out of character for her, to look so fiercely agitated, brimming with anger that flushed her cheeks. His fault.
“Get out.” Her voice was a controlled whisper, the emptiness contradicting the rage in her sharp green eyes. Calum’s jaw tightened, a feeble attempt of keeping his own emotions at bay, knowing that everything was slipping out of his hands and all he could do was watch it leave him. “I don’t want you here. Or anywhere near us. Leave, Calum.”
He couldn’t swallow, couldn’t breathe, his grip on his phone had tightened and he really fucking wished the ground would open up beneath him. Wished he could go back in time and change everything so they wouldn’t be standing here. Calum wished that Maggie wasn’t sick, that he wasn’t fucking engaged, and that he wasn’t keeping such a significant detail from the girl he’d unexpectedly, unknowingly, utterly fallen in love with.
And he’d lost her.
He’d heard the crack in his voice as he began pleading, “River—”
Her gaze hardened, a tear falling that Calum wanted to brush away but he’d lost that right in the blink of an eye. Behind the loose tendrils of her hair, River’s eyes had a fire lighting within them that begged to burn him. “Leave.”
Calum Hood rarely cried. He wasn’t a crier. But as soon as he got in his car parked in the hospital lot, the burning in his eyes had won out and he allowed himself to completely give into the reality of losing River. How stupid of him to think he wouldn’t fall in love with her and escape the harsh reality of the truth.
*****
“Has anyone talked to him?”
Sloane puckered her lips to the side, gaze on her mug of tea as she circled the rim with her finger. She shook her head as everyone else mumbled their dissent to Crystal’s question, and she let out a sigh. He’d been locked in his room since yesterday, and if he happened to come out, he wasn’t himself. A shell of a man too heartbreaking to look at and the worry gnawed at Sloane, wanting to do nothing more than go talk to him. She had no idea what had happened, none of them did, and she cast a glance towards the staircase. Calum was upstairs, hadn’t joined them for breakfast, and the concern for their blue haired friend was heavy in the room.
Ashton sighed. “Do you think something happened with River?”
Sloane felt her breath catch, and the mention of the other girl had Sloane putting her mug down on the coffee table and getting up to her feet. Luke’s arm dropped from her shoulders as all eyes went to her, and she licked her lips and announced, “I’m gonna try to talk to him.”
“Good luck,” Michael mumbled as she walked past him. Sloane would probably need it.
She let out a deep breath as she reached his closed door, stupidly feeling kind of intimidated to even knock. But she pushed past it, her concern for Calum winning out as she rapped her knuckles against it and called out gently, “Calum?” She waited for a response, not getting one, and tilted her head back to look at the ceiling as she sighed once more. “Come on, Cal, I know you’re in there.”
Chewing on her lower lip, Sloane grabbed the door knob before she could change her mind, and opened the door slowly while peering inside. The bed was unmade but Calum wasn’t on it. Instead, he was sitting on the floor, leaning against it, knees brought up, arms folded on top while his gaze was turned towards the window, looking out at the bright sky that didn’t at all match the mood he obviously was in. Biting the inside of her cheek, Sloane felt as though she was intruding into his space, into a dark corner of his mind he was shutting everyone out of, but she couldn’t turn back now.
“Hey,” she spoke up, her voice soft as she padded further into the room after shutting the door behind her. “Everyone’s asking for you.”
She was met with silence, but Sloane didn’t let that deter her from approaching Calum’s seated figure. Quietly, Sloane sat down next to him, running her palms over the soft material of the rug the bed was placed on top of as she turned her gaze to him. He was still looking out the window, only allowing her to see the blue of his head.
“Please talk to me,” Sloane said, unable to bring her voice any louder, too afraid of breaking the quiet of the room—no matter how uneasy and heavy it felt. “What’s going on?”
He was silent, the quiet deafening as Sloane’s throat worked, waiting for an answer. She kept her gaze on him, on the tightness of his jaw, and the way he was absently twisting one of the rings he wore. She wondered if he was gonna say anything, if he was gonna let her in, and she probably shouldn’t push him, but after a few minutes of silence, she spoke up once more. “We’re not gonna be very good partners if you don’t let me in.”
More silence. Until—
“She knows.” Calum’s voice was hoarse, deep and slow and nearly catching Sloane off guard. He finally turned to look at her, and she felt her heart stop momentarily at the emptiness she saw in the brown of his usually lively eyes. It was. . . harrowing. . . seeing him like that. “I fucked up.”
Sloane pressed her teeth together as she expelled a slow breath through her nose, knowing exactly who and what he was referring to. Oh, no. She squeezed her eyes shut, giving a shake of her head as she started, “Calum—”
“I should’ve listened to you,” he cut her off, shaking his head to return his gaze to his fingers. She heard the guilt and defeat weigh heavily in his tone as he clicked his tongue in disappointment. “I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve either told her the truth or just never have fallen for her—”
“You don’t mean that,” Sloane said, her tone knowing and firm as Calum rolled his lips into his mouth. “As complicated and fucked up as this is, you’re not gonna sit here and lie to me or yourself by saying you regret falling in love with her.”
Calum looked at her then, and Sloane offered a sympathetic smile at the surprised look in his eyes. She would have to be blind to not see that Calum learned to love River in the short amount of time he’d known her. But, then again, time had no correlation to the way someone could feel about another person. She was beginning to understand that, too, given her own situation.
Her expression fell when she noted the quiver in Calum’s lower lip, and her heart ached for this man whom she’d always seen as so solid and firm. The state he was in was one she was unfamiliar with, unprepared to handle, but she would try. Calum was her friend and soon-to-be partner, and working out through things together and supporting one another would be the basis of their developing relationship. Except she didn’t care much for any of that right now; all that mattered was her friend and the heartbreak he was going through.
“She hates me, Sloane,” Calum whispered, voice catching in his throat. “I fucking—I broke her heart and I don’t think she’s willing to give me a chance to fix this.” He looked at her once again, brown eyes glassy and twisting Sloane’s chest. “Falling in love with her wasn’t the mistake; everything else was.”
She didn’t have to guess what he was referring to.
Sloane twisted her lips to the side, gaze dropping momentarily before she mused dryly, “We’re both fucked, aren’t we?” When Calum sniffed and looked at her, she shook her head, turning her gaze towards the ceiling. “Whatever Luke and I are doing. . . It’s got its own expiration date. Every time I think about us only getting to be us while we’re here and it all ending when we get back to New York. . . I can’t breathe.”
God, she didn’t even want to think about what would happen when they returned home; the mere thought of going back to being just friends with Luke was nauseating. Especially because Sloane wasn’t sure if they’d be able to do that. Luke was both her and Calum’s best friend; how was she supposed to return to being friends with the man who made her feel so fucking alive, so unafraid of being herself, while being married to one of his best friends? It didn’t fucking seem possible. The closer they got to when they had to return home, the more ominous the dark cloud looming over their heads seemed to get.
“It’s freeing. . . Being with them.”
Sloane nodded at Calum’s statement, the truth in his words too obvious. She watched herself pick at her nails, the words bubbling past her lips before she could stop. “That’s exactly how I feel with Luke,” she said, her voice a thoughtful murmur. “It’s. . . He’s the only one who’s made me feel this way since Jacob’s death.”
Calum’s throat worked at the mention of her late brother while Sloane bit on her lower lip briefly. But he stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. “My parents. . . Everything’s on me, now, with the company and this merger. It’s not like they can be mad at Jacob for dying so they compensate for it by marrying me off in the name of saving the business.” She let out a wry laugh at that, empty of humor as she gave a disbelieving shake of her head. Her parents’ mindset continued to surprise her. “I don’t know how Jacob’s death gave them permission for controlling my life the way they are, but Luke—” She cut off, this time to let out a content sigh that seemed inappropriate for this situation, yet she couldn’t help as she thought of the blonde haired, blue eyed man sitting downstairs. “Being with him gave me some control back to feel free, y’know?”
Sloane looked at Calum again, and saw that of course he knew. He was the only one who could understand what she was talking about, who could feel exactly what she was feeling. And she was the only one who could understand the pain he was in; the pain of losing someone they found a sense of freedom in, the pain of their circumstances swooping in and fucking things up. The state Calum was in right now was one Sloane would inevitably be in, she knew, except Luke knew of everything, what he was getting himself into.
That didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt any less.
“Sloane.” Her heart jumped at the sound of Calum’s voice; unsteady and defeated as his tear filled eyes met hers. Seeing Calum cry, she’d decided, was a sight she never wanted to witness again, with his flushed nose and cheeks and devastated eyes. “I really fucked up.”
There was nothing she could say, she knew, that would make Calum feel better. So she merely linked her left arm with his right and scooted closer to him, allowing him to tilt his head down until it was resting on her shoulder. Sloane rested her head on top of his, the shortness of his blue hair tickling her cheek, rolling her lips into her mouth when Calum let out a shuddering breath that seemed to tremble through his entire body. This was devastating for him, knowing that he hurt someone he’d come to care about so much in such a short amount of time. And Sloane sat there silently comforting him, being a shoulder for him to cry on, wishing that there was something she could do to make this better. No one was really prepared to see Calum like this, so lost and heartbroken, a stranger from his usual confident, carefree self. But the unfamiliarity of this wasn’t going to stop Sloane from finding a way to help him.
Hours later, in Luke’s car, Sloane chewed on her lower lip as they drove back to the house. They’d just made a grocery run, a task that they’d assigned themselves, and Sloane’s thoughts were drowning out the music playing through the speakers. She managed to get lost in her own head until Luke’s voice broke through, “What’re you thinking so hard about?”
Sloane pursed her lips as she looked at Luke, who kept his eyes on the road after shooting her a curious glance. “I wanna. . .” She paused for a thoughtful moment. “I think I should talk to River. Just so she knows what’s going on. She won’t talk to Calum and I just—I feel like I need to do this. For her and Calum.”
As he made a right turn into the driveway of the beach house, Luke asked, “Do you think she’ll listen to you?”
Sloane blew air through her mouth before shrugging. “I don’t know, but I at least have to try, you know?” she mused, clicking off her seatbelt and picking her bag up from by her feet.
Unbuckling his own seatbelt, Luke nodded, gaze out the window of his door before he jutted his chin towards it. “You can try right now. There she is.”
She followed his gaze out the window, eyebrows raising when she caught sight of River stepping out of the front door of her house, locking it, and Sloane instinctively threw the car door open. Quickly, she made her way around the car, down the driveway and onto the sidewalk to cross over to River’s house, making her way up the path as she called out, “River!”
The blonde stopped on the second step of her porch, squinting against the sun as she watched Sloane approach. Sloane noted the way her features hardened, an uncharacteristic edge in her voice as she demanded, “What do you want?”
“I—” Sloane stopped herself from jumping right in, taking note of River’s obvious hostility. Instead, she asked, “How’s your grandmother?”
“Still in the hospital,” River responded, the flatness of her tone showing her disinterest in this conversation and in Sloane. It kind of threw her off, the absence of gentleness in which River normally spoke in. River made her way down the steps. “Where I need to be going so, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call an Uber.”
Sloane furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at the Prius that was parked in the driveway before her confused expression turned to River. “Isn’t that your car? Something wrong with it?”
River let out an impatient sigh as she pulled out her phone from her purse. “My license expired and I haven’t had time to get it renewed.” Then, with a shake of her head, she continued almost tiredly, “Listen, Sloane, I don’t have time for this. I need to go see my grand—”
“I’ll drive you,” Sloane cut in quickly, offering a friendly and hopeful grin. Maybe then River would talk to her. “No need to waste money on an Uber, right?”
River’s eyebrows drew together, clearly not expecting that offer as she pushed some blonde hair behind her ear. “I—”
“Come on, we can take Luke’s car,” Sloane said, not wanting to give her the chance to refuse. She really needed to talk to her.
Much to her delight, River followed her with a sigh to the house over, right as Luke had shut the trunk with the last few grocery bags in hand. Sloane noted the curious look he was giving her after catching sight of River, a tilt of his head and quirk of his eyebrow directed at Sloane in silent question. She answered it by asking, “Can I borrow your car? I’m gonna give River a ride to the hospital.”
“Uh,” Luke sounded, obviously bewildered as his blue eyes met Sloane’s. She silently raised her eyebrows with a subtle widening of her eyes, and realization flashed across Luke’s face as he transferred the bags in his left hand to his right before pulling the keys out of his shorts. He handed them to her with a quiet, “Good luck,” before going back into the house. That was the second good luck she received today. She was beginning to sense a pattern.
In the car, the tension was thick enough to be felt but not enough to be suffocating. Which was kind of a good thing, Sloane would guess, as she sat quietly and reveled in the lingering smell of Luke and his cologne. She chewed on her tongue while trying to figure out how to approach the topic of conversation, but River beat her by breaking the silence with her quiet voice inquiring, “Did you know? That he was engaged?”
Sloane’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, throat working at River’s question. Oh, God. The blonde next to her knew Calum was engaged—but she didn’t know it was to the woman sitting in the driver’s seat. Sloane felt her chest tighten as the truth twisted around, feeling the heat of River’s gaze on her profile as she answered slowly, “Yes. Because. . .” Sloane let out a slow breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. “He’s engaged to me.”
The silence that followed Sloane’s confession was deafening, heavier than the low hum of the engine as she drove, using her position as an excuse to keep her eyes on the road rather than chancing a glance to the woman next to her. Sloane could hear the drumming of her heart in her ears, feel it in her chest, everything else shattering when River humorlessly laughed out a bewildered, “I’m sorry—what?”
Sloane parked the car in an empty spot in the hospital lot, killing the engine as she finally looked at River. The blonde stared at her as if she’d misheard Sloane’s words, green eyes sharp and confused under furrowed eyebrows, waiting for Sloane to give an explanation. “I—It’s not what you think, River,” Sloane started, picking up the pace when River let out a loud disbelieving scoff, looking away from her as she unbuckled the seatbelt. “Calum and I—we’re just friends. We’re not, like, together that way. It’s an arrangement.”
“And that makes it any better?” River demanded, the outrage and incredulity thick in her tone as she threw open the car door and stepped out, slamming it shut as Sloane hastily followed her. River’s sandals slapped against the pavement as she stormed across the lot, Sloane right on her heels. “He’s still engaged to someone, and he fucked around with me and made me the other fucking woman!”
Sloane’s heart was pounding as she reached River, the two of them just a few steps away from the hospital entrance, ignorant of the few other people lingering about. Right now, she was too focused on trying to explain herself and Calum to the girl they’d inadvertently hurt. “River, don’t you get it?” Sloane tried, the pleading clear in her voice as she grabbed River’s arm, stopping the blonde in her tracks to get her to face her. Sloane’s throat worked at the anger firing up in River’s green eyes, as well as the hurt she was trying to bury under it. God, this was what Sloane had been afraid of. And while she couldn’t fault Calum for falling in love with River, it didn’t mean she didn’t wish things hadn’t come to this. With a sigh, Sloane hoped River would see the true genuinity in her words as she told her, “For Calum, you’re the only woman.”
River stopped, Sloane’s words hitting the mark she meant for as she dropped her hand from River’s arm, who looked away as her throat worked. The anger was still present, but the hurt was beginning to bleed through the surface. “He should’ve told me. Do you not understand how fucked up this is?”
“Of course I do,” Sloane reassured with a shake of her head, the warmth of the sun above burning her skin. “I’m in the same boat, you know? I mean, yeah, Luke knew more details than you but you have to understand—this engagement? Not my or Calum’s idea. We don’t want to be married. We just—we wanted to spend our time here not worrying about all that bullshit. Neither one of us expected this to get so far.”
“This?” River repeated with a raise of her eyebrow, scoffing slightly. “Calum and I had a relationship. I—fuck, I fell in love with him! But now I’m realizing whatever we had was meant to fall apart this whole time and instead of backing off, Calum just let it happen.”
Sloane rolled her lips into her mouth, feeling her heart ache for the woman in front of her and Calum. And a little bit for herself and Luke, too. Things were starting to get out of control. Sloane’s voice dropped, a sadness creeping in as she reasoned, “He fell in love with you, too, River. How was he supposed to just back off?”
River blinked quickly a couple of times, and Sloane realized it was because she was fighting off any tears from escaping. The poor girl already had so much going on, Sloane hated adding more to her plate. River’s jaw tightened as she looked away, the tendons in her neck working tensely, voice a bit too defeated as she spoke up. “There’s a fine line in your love for someone being selfish and selfless.” Her betrayed green eyes met Sloane’s pleading blue. “And he was selfish.”
*****
“You know, when you first told us about your engagement to Sloane, I kind of hated you a little bit.”
Calum would’ve choked on his water had he been surprised by Luke’s statement. But given the recent turn of events, he wasn’t. Instead, he lowered the water bottle and met his friend’s gaze sitting across from him, a pile of UNO cards in between them as they played. The two of them sat on the deck, sharing one of the long beach chairs to play easily, the sun burning against their backs welcomingly.
Lowering the water bottle, Calum cleared his throat and flatly responded, “Just a little bit?”
Luke met his dry humor with an empty smirk of his own as he looked through the cards in his hand. He put down one to do his turn. “It’s fucked up.” Calum knew he didn’t have to voice his agreement for Luke to know that he thought the same. “This is gonna sound fucking dramatic but I don’t know how I’m supposed to watch my best friend marry the girl I love, man.”
Calum rolled his lips into his mouth, intent gaze on his cards yet thoroughly unfocused. “’S not dramatic,” he mumbled quietly, a subtle furrow in his brows. “I can be partners with Sloane for business but marriage. . . I don’t see how we’re not gonna end up resenting each other down the road. We’re friends, we get along, but loyalty in friendship and loyalty in marriage are two completely different things.” Calum recognized the guilt that was beginning to form a lump in his throat, the emptiness he felt since the other day at the hospital when River found out everything ever present in making him feel completely hollow. He lifted his gaze, brown eyes meeting Luke’s blue, the sincerity deepening Calum’s voice as he said, “I’m sorry this is affecting you, too, Luke. Sloane and I. . . We never meant to hurt you.” He swallowed thickly. “Or River.”
His grip on the cards tightened, threatening to fold them in his fist at the mention of the woman with the prettiest green eyes, whose house he’d be able to see if he just glanced over his shoulder. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, except the thoughts of her in his head were haunting. They consisted of her teary eyes, of the hurt and anger painted across her face, of the fierce betrayal heavy in her voice when she told him to leave. And as much as Calum tried to think of the happier times he’d had with her since his arrival to Florida, he couldn’t, because he knew he didn’t deserve to. Why should he be allowed to revere in the good memories of them when he caused her so much pain?
And he hated that his best friend was hurting, too, and that Sloane would eventually have to say goodbye to a relationship that everyone knew was right. Calum could tell, just by looking at them, how much Sloane and Luke meant to each other, how years of friendship had finally blossomed into a mutual love that was a long time coming. And it would all come to an end because of a stupid fucking arrangement. Fuck, Calum was desperate to figure a way out of this mess that would be beneficial for everyone involved. Maybe he could.
“I know,” Luke responded to Calum’s apology, a small and appreciative smile hinting at his dimples. Luke sighed, broad shoulders sinking as he breathed out, “It’s just. . .”
“A shit situation.”
“Completely.”
Their mutual understanding made for an easy silence as they continued the game, interrupted only when Calum’s phone notified him of a text message. His heart dropped when he read Sloane’s text.
Come to the hospital. I’m with River. It’s not good.
He was pretty sure he’d broken some traffic laws on his way to the hospital, but Calum didn’t give a fuck.
The smell of disinfectant burned Calum’s nose as he burst into the hospital like a madman, but that was the least of his worries. He immediately turned to walk down the familiar path that led to the elevators that would take him to Maggie’s floor, only to be stopped by Sloane’s voice calling out his name. His heart was pounding as he looked to his left, eyes landing on Sloane sitting in the waiting room, River right next to her. Throat locked, Calum made his way over, feeling his fingers trembling and not entirely trusting his knees to keep him supported as he took in the sight of River.
She sat next to Sloane, whose arms were wrapped around her, while River’s head leaned against her shoulder. The air rushed out of Calum’s lungs as he took in her face; tear streaked and flushed, but completely void of any emotions. She stared blankly ahead at the floor in front of her, oblivious and uncaring to the world around her, and the nausea twisted Calum’s stomach as he neared her. Oh, no. Oh no oh no oh no. His gaze met Sloane’s, who was trying her best to comfort River during an inconsolable time, and Calum knew just how terribly River’s world had blown up.
Calum crouched down in front of River, ignoring the trembling of his legs and the weight of the chains around his neck seemed to have on him as he peered up at her. She hadn’t looked at him, staring out into space. She looked so haunted, so empty, and Calum wanted nothing more than to turn back time and make it all better for her. To bring that smile he’d fallen so deeply in love with return to its rightful place.
“She had a stroke.” River’s voice was a broken whisper, just barely heard in the noise of the hospital, but enough to tighten Calum’s stomach and send his heart flying into his throat. “The flu and her diabetes it just—it was too much. Sh-she had a stroke.” Her watery, red rimmed green eyes met Calum’s glassy brown, her lower lip trembling. “Grams is gone.”
He wanted to cry. Over the loss of the loving woman, over the scalding pain River was experiencing, over all of the fucking bullshit she’s had to face, and over his own part in some of it. And despite feeling his own body tremble, he refused to be anything but strong and sturdy for her.
He reached for her hands. “River, I’m so—”
“No, no,” she shook her head, a frown on her face as she pulled her hands from him. Calum and Sloane watched, his throat tightening as a sob ripped through River, and he could feel every bit of his heart breaking as fresh tears escaped her and she cried, “No, you lied to me. You’re a liar.” She tried to move away, pushing herself further into the chair as the movements forced Sloane’s arms from around her, but River was too busy looking at Calum like he’d ripped her heart out, and he fucking hated himself for it. “You’re just gonna leave me. You’re gonna leave just like my mom and dad and Grams. You’re just gonna—”
“Hey, hey, baby, please.” Calum kicked himself into action, his voice smooth and hoping to comfort her as he pushed himself up and into the seat next to River. He gently grasped her arms, heart thudding as she tried to half heartedly struggle against him, her sobs growing louder and louder. He was aware of people looking their way, had half a mind to tell them to fuck off as his gaze met Sloane’s worried one. She looked almost as distraught as Calum felt as he pulled a crying, struggling River into him. “Shh, River, I got you.”
His voice was smooth despite his own emotions threatening to lock his throat, but Calum was efficient in pulling River into his lap, hugging her to him as her face buried in the crook of his neck and her body wracked with the sobs escaping her. He barely noticed Sloane lean back into her chair, palms pressed together as she brought her hands to her lips, watching as Calum did his best to keep himself together in order to comfort the woman falling apart in his arms.
Every cry that fell from River’s mouth sunk deeply into his bones, his eyes squeezing shut as he pressed his cheek against her head, holding her tightly and rubbing her back as he cradled her to him. It was the most devastating sound, hearing her cry so deeply, so brokenly. Nothing he could do would ease her pain, Calum knew. But being with River, holding her and letting her cry, was the only way he knew, for now, to let her know he wasn’t going to leave her. Fuck the arrangement. Fuck the drama. Fuck all of this pain that no one had expected. He was going to figure out a way to stop this from controlling—ruining—their lives. He wasn’t going to leave River. Not now, not ever.
*****
We’ve narrowed it down to these three spots. If we’re aiming for an October wedding, I think an indoor venue would be best. Look these over with Calum and let us know what you decide. Quickly.
It was that short and precise e-mail from her mother that had Sloane’s heart dropping into the very pit of her stomach where it continued to sink lower, her heart beginning to pick up its pace at an uncontrollable rate that made it increasingly difficult to breathe. It was one fucking e-mail that sent reality crashing down around Sloane, reminding her of the quickly approaching end of this trip and, more importantly, her relationship with Luke.
But nothing about this was easy because, fuck, she couldn’t just switch off her feelings. She couldn’t just pretend that being with Luke for these past few weeks and taking their years of friendship to a completely different level hadn’t been the best thing to happen to her. Like this wasn’t the happiest she’d ever been in so long. No. No, she wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready to let go of the tranquility of this beach, of the easy going and blissful happiness she’s felt since being with Luke and trade it in for the suffocation that was waiting for her back in New York.
Sloane shot to her feet, the sand sinking between her toes thanks to the flip flops she was wearing, ignoring the confused calls of her friends as she quickly walked away, directionless, too lost in her thoughts and panic to actually decide where to go. Rather, she just walked under the glare of the sun and away from the bewildered voices of her friends. The sand was hot beneath her feet as she kept going, the thundering of her heart louder than the waves of the ocean and the chatter of other beach goers, and Sloane was too busy drowning in her thoughts to notice that someone had been running after her.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Luke’s quick voice had her stopping, especially when he came in front of her with his hands on her shoulders. His sunglasses were missing, allowing for her to see the concern in his baby blues, the pendant of his necklace dangling at his swift movements as he took in the sight of her alarmed eyes. “Sloane, what’s going on?”
“I can’t get married,” she rushed out breathlessly, unable to keep her feelings inside, needing to get rid of the thoughts dizzying her head. One look at Luke and she couldn’t keep it in. Sloane’s breathing was heavy as she ran her fingers through her dark hair and continued on, “I can’t go back to New York and get married. Not when I don’t love Calum the way I love you. It’s not fucking fair.”
Luke’s lips parted as he stared at her, and through her panic Sloane wasn’t oblivious to the confession she’d just uttered. Except it didn’t really feel like a confession; it was just a statement of truth, of something that had been true for a lot longer than Sloane ever realized. And telling Luke like this, in the middle of what was about to be a panic attack, wasn’t the most romantic situation. But it was the truth. And he deserved as much.
But however obvious Sloane’s words were to herself, they weren’t as much to Luke as his back straightened, eyes widened despite the heat of the sun as he stammered out, “You love me?”
Briefly, Sloane got a sense of deja vu from that night on the deck when feelings were first being confessed—by him, not by her. And for a moment, she felt a sense of calm as her lips quirked up, features softening as she took in the relieved, joyous, and mildly shocked look on Luke’s face. He was too fucking adorable. “Is it really that much of a surprise?” Luke let out a breath, the surprise in it evident, and Sloane took a step towards him and reached up to cup his cheeks, adoring the tickle of his facial hair in his palms as her blue eyes met his. “Of course I love you,” she reassured, laughing gently. “I wanna be with you, not Calum.”
“Ouch.”
Luke looked over Sloane’s head just as she turned around, letting out a breath at the sight of Calum squinting at them against the sun, brown skin glistening from the water he’d just emerged from. Getting him to enjoy a day at the beach with all of them had been difficult, given that all he wanted to do was be with River. But her mom, according to Calum, had finally shown up for the reading of River’s grandmother’s will, and they were currently with the lawyer, something River had wanted to do by herself, apparently.
Calum was wearing a subtle smirk of his own, obviously not hurt by Sloane’s statement as her shoulders dropped with a shake of her head. “You know I love you, Cal, but I just—we can’t do this.” Her words began picking up their pace again, her panic making her talk a bit too fast. “With all these e-mails about you needing to pick a suit and me having to decide on the flowers and then us having to decide on the venue and give a final headcount to send out the invites, I just—it’s making me realize how real all of this shit is and it’s getting really hard to breathe. I mean—” She stopped, glancing back at Luke and then at Calum, letting out a heavy breath as her heart continued to pound, shaking her head as she asked, “I can’t get married to someone I don’t love. You can’t either.”
Licking his lips, Calum nodded, the dimples on the upper parts of his cheeks appearing as he continued to squint his eyes. “You’re right,” he agreed, hands on his hips as his brown eyed gaze swept over the two of them. Then, with a tilt of his chin and a far too casual tone, he declared, “You two should get married.”
Behind her, Sloane heard Luke choke on nothing but air. She, however, stared at Calum with an almost comical level of dumbfoundment as she tried to figure out if she had heard him right over the water and chatter of the beach. But he just looked at the two of them, expression terrifyingly serious, and Sloane’s expression fell with a drop of her jaw and widening of her eyes despite the sun threatening to burn her corneas. “Are you—” she stammered, throat dry. “Did you drink too many beers or something? What the fuck, Calum?”
He had to be joking. He couldn’t possibly think they would take him seriously with an idea that fucking far fetched.
“I’m perfectly sober, thank you.” Well, there went that idea. Sloane’s throat worked, gaping at him, knowing Luke was probably mirroring the same expression behind her. When Calum took in their reactions, he let out an impatient huff. “Come on, it’s not that crazy of an idea if you think about it.”
“Yes, the fuck it is!” Luke finally sounded, stepping up next to Sloane as she nodded along vigorously. Okay. At least she wasn’t the only one who thought Calum had lost his mind. “We—we’ve only been together for a couple of weeks, and—”
“And you’ve been friends for years,” Calum interrupted calmly. Sloane had a feeling he found their incredulity a bit too amusing. “And, come on, guys, the way you two act around each other? You might as well have been married for years.”
Sloane’s face flushed, but her disbelief over Calum’s seemingly grand plan was still raging. “So let me get this straight,” she spoke up with a furrow of her brows, holding a hand out as a way of wanting them both to keep quiet. She pointed at Calum as she spoke with a raise of her eyebrows, “You want Luke and I to get married just so we can avoid the arrangement our parents set up?”
“Yes.” Sloane scoffed with a shake of her head, needing to take a step away as she met Luke’s disbelieving expression with one of her own. “Look, Sloane.” Her gaze met Calum’s once more. “The merger for the companies is already underway. There’s no chance of our parents stopping the process, or of them revoking our right to lead the companies since they’ve already began the paperwork of handing it all to us. The only reason they wanted us to get married was so that each half of the businesses stay within the respective families while having overall control of the conglomerate. But I know us. I know how well we’d work together—as partners, not husband and wife.” He said the last few words with a dismissive scoff that Sloane wholeheartedly agreed with. “Our folks—they think merging both business and family would make for a stronger deal, but I know it’s only gonna end up messing things up in the long run. If you and Luke get married, they can’t force marriage on us. We’d still get to be partners, and you’ll be married to the guy you actually love. It’s a win-win.”
When he said it like that, it made everything sound so simple. And, maybe in a way, it was. Sloane knew the marriage part of the deal was built out of their parents’ fear of losing control over the companies. The pretense of being one big happy family provided them with a safety net of still being a part of everything they had worked for without fear of losing it. The only reason Sloane had agreed to the deal in the first place was because she felt as though she owed it to her parents. But the longer she thought about it, the more she realized it was because her parents feared she wouldn’t live up to what her brother could’ve possibly done with the company. Marrying her off to the business partner’s son granted her a high status within the company and maybe, according to the darker and resentful part of Sloane’s mind, give them more leeway in controlling what went on. Which is something she doubted they’d do had it been Jacob who was taking over.
Control, control, control. That’s what it came down to. And she refused to let her parents have any over her.
Sloane let out a slow breath, crossing her arms over her chest as her blue eyes locked with Calum’s brown. “You’ve thought this through, huh?”
“I had to,” Calum shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. “It’s not just your freedom that’s at stake here.”
Sloane laughed lightly before the reality of the situation set in, expression dropping as she shook her head and looked at Luke, who was still trying to process whatever the fuck was going on. She didn’t blame him. This was. . . A big fucking deal, to say the least. She swallowed and turned her gaze to Calum as she began, “I don’t think—”
“We could do it.”
Sloane cut off at the sound of Luke’s voice, his words seeming to choke her out of speaking as her widened eyes turned to him. She saw him nodding to himself, thoughtful gaze on the sand as his golden curls danced against the breeze. Sloane let out a startled breath. “I—what? Luke, what’re you—”
“It’s crazy.” Luke turned to face her, shaking his head to tell her the insanity of this idea wasn’t lost on him, but he didn’t seem to care. “Like, completely mental. And this wasn’t how I expected for any of this to go but, fuck, Sloane, I don’t care how we end up getting married—as long as I’m married to you, I’ll be the luckiest man in the world.”
Her eyes widened, staring at him in utter incredulity, not at all expecting him to say any of the cheesy, sweet, wonderful things he’d just said. For the past few months the only thought of marriage Sloane had was her impending one to Calum, one that kind of made her want to run away just to escape feeling like both her and her friend were being locked down against their will. But now, thinking of marriage in terms of doing so with Luke—he was right. It was fucking insane, and yet, it sounded perfect.
The sincerity in his eyes was obvious; he took her hands in his, squeezing them, and Sloane felt the sting in her eyes as she realized just how on board with this idea Luke was. This crazy, possibly stupid, definitely brilliant idea. “Are—are you serious?” Her voice was a whisper, unable to speak up out of fear of shattering what she was hoping was reality. With a dazed laugh, she asked the man in front of her, “You wanna get married?”
Luke squeezed her hands, the grin on his face bringing forth his dimples that she loved. “Yes.”
Sloane pressed her lips together, giving a shake of her head. She wanted him to be sure. Totally, completely sure. Because this was crazy and kind of exactly what she wanted. “Are you sure, Lu? This—it’s a huge fucking step. Like. We’ve only just started and we’re jumping all the way to the end.”
“Sweetheart,” Luke began with a breath, letting go of her hands to cup her cheeks. He ducked his head slightly to lock their gazes. “I’ve wanted to be with you for years. I’ve loved you for roughly just as long. Trust me—I wanted to do this right, but I’m pretty sure this is it. This is our right. And I’m down if you’re down.”
Despite him successfully bringing forth a new wave of tears, Sloane let out a breathy laugh, leaning into his touch as she mused playfully, “You’re down to marry me?”
Luke’s grin widened, briefly biting his lower lip as he pressed his forehead to hers. “So down.”
Her chest fell with a sharp exhale of her breath, not even realizing that the tightness of her chest was replaced by this light, airy flutter that brought forth a smile on her face too wide to control. And right when she went to kiss Luke, to melt into him with all the insanity of this idea, the voice of their forgotten friend spoke up, smug in all his glory as he stated, “You’re welcome.”
*****
Giving his ex-fianceé away to marry one of his best friends should’ve been strange, in most cases—though, were there ever cases such as this?—but not for Calum. No, he happily, contently, walked Sloane down the steps of the back deck of the beach house and down the beach, just a little ways away from the shore that served as a natural altar where Luke stood waiting for his favorite girl’s arrival. It was a sight Calum felt lucky to witness.
It had taken Luke and Sloane a day and a half to acquire a marriage license from the city hall, the same amount of time it took Ashton, Michael and Crystal to adjust to this life changing decision their friends had made. But they had reacted like Calum; although they hadn’t suggested the idea like their blue haired friend, it was one that they knew, down the road, was a good idea. Because if any two people were to spontaneously get married, it was fitting that it was Luke and Sloane.
And the look on his face when he saw her approach in the knee length, white lace dress she’d gone out to buy with Crystal, a meadowy bouquet of sunflowers and chrysanthemums in her hand—Calum knew he’d made the right choice in suggesting the idea, and that they’d made the perfect choice in agreeing to it.
Ashton stood up there with Luke—they’d all put on the only somewhat formal clothes they had of button downs and pants—hands clasped in front of him and a grin on his face. Calum could tell he was excited to marry his two friends, especially given that he’d damn near cried when Luke asked him if he’d be willing to get ordained online to do so. It was a whole thing. Everyone had been emotional the past day or so.
“Oh, I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Sloane breathed out through her smile as her and Calum neared where everyone stood.
He glanced at her, his own smile tilting his lips when he saw the brightness of her blue eyes, accentuated by long eyelashes. “You nervous?”
“A little,” Sloane admitted, her grin suddenly widening, and Calum glanced forward to see Luke’s gaze directly on her. His dimpled grin would give the sun a run for its money had it not already been setting in the horizon, coloring the sky in a breathtaking painting of pinks and purples and oranges. A perfect wedding backdrop for his two friends. Sloane let out a breath. “But mostly so ready.”
Calum chuckled deeply, pressing a gentle kiss to Sloane’s cheek once they reached their stop, giving her hands a squeeze as she whispered her heartfelt thanks and giving a clap to Luke’s shoulder before moving to stand with Michael and Crystal to bear witness to this moment. Calum clasped his own hands in front of him, unable to fight the smile from his face as he watched Luke and Sloane face each other. Their happiness was infectious, joyous, and he was so glad they were going through with it.
“Friends,” Ashton spoke up, making sure he was loud enough over the distant sound of waves along the shore. “We are gathered here today. . .”
Ashton’s voice seemed to trail off as someone stepped up to Calum’s left, and it was when he glanced over, feeling his breath catch in his throat when he saw River standing right next to him in a pretty pale pink dress and blonde hair tied back in a braid, wisps of her hair dancing along her jawline in the breeze. He stared at her, feeling the shock take over his body as she quietly murmured, “Guess I’m right on time.”
He didn’t think she’d come. He was at a loss for words in this moment, especially when River glanced at him to offer a brief smile before looking straight ahead once more. Calum could smell her perfume over the scent of the salty ocean, and it was hilarious how easily his muscles seemed to relax in her presence.
The urge to reach out and grab her hand in his was strong, but he refrained from doing so. Instead, he pressed his lips together and looked ahead, focusing on Ashton doing what he did best and speak from his heart about his two friends he was lucky enough to marry. Calum’s throat worked, heart jumping excitedly as Ashton spoke, “Do you, Sloane Irene Thorne, take this man to be your husband?”
The excitement and joy in Sloane’s two word response was tangible as she slid the newly purchased ring onto Luke’s finger and grinned, “I do.”
Of course, Ashton couldn’t stop grinning as well as he shifted his hazel eyes to Luke. “And do you, Luke Robert Hemmings, take this woman to be your wife?”
His dimples hadn’t ever been so deep, Calum thought, as he watched the blonde slide the ring easily onto Sloane’s ring finger. “I do.”
“Then what’re you waiting for? Kiss her!”
They were silent as they walked along the shore, with River holding her sandals by the straps in one hand as Freddie ran along in front of them. She’d brought him out after the ceremony, allowing for the dog to run around and get some fresh air after providing Calum with kisses he didn’t think he deserved. The sun had long since set, the only lights coming from the moon above and the few still open concession stands a few aways away. The sleeves of the button down Calum had decided to wear were folded up to his elbows, hands buried in the pockets of his pants a bit nervously.
The silence was getting a bit too heavy, drying Calum’s throat as he cleared it and said, “I’m glad you came to the ceremony.”
“Why?” River responded lightly, thoughtfully. “So I could see you had no intention of marrying Sloane?”
His jaw tightened in shame. “River—”
“No, what was supposed to happen, Calum?” she demanded, stopping and facing him. Freddie stopped as well, pawing at the sand. Calum took in the frown on her eyebrows and lips, looking up at him questioningly. “You thought, what, we would just screw around and then you’d go back home and get married and whatever happened between us was just your way of temporarily distancing yourself from reality? You never stopped to think how it’d make me feel?”
“Of course I did,” Calum defended, his own eyebrows coming together at the accusation of him not caring about her in any sense. “You know all the details now, River. You know how complicated and messy things were. Falling in love with you was the last thing I expected to happen but it did and I don’t regret it for a single second.” He let out a sharp breath through his nose, feeling as though the deep rasp of his voice was interrupting the quiet of the night. His brown eyes remained on her green as he added, “The only thing I regret is hurting you. It was selfish of me and I’m so sorry.”
The silence fell over them once more like a blanket as Calum felt River’s eyes inspect every inch of his face, scrutinizing and analyzing him to the full degree. He never looked away, hoping that she’d see just how honest and genuine he was, how regretful. Fuck, he’d understood if she never forgave him, but the mere thought of it wrapped around his heart like an unrelenting iron fist.
“You’re not selfish.” Calum swallowed at River’s words, her tone turning soft as one corner of her lip quirked up briefly. “I know selfish people. You aren’t one of them. Just. . .” She shrugged a shoulder, her smile gentle and empathetic. “A little misguided. But totally selfless. And. . .” She let out a breath, taking a step towards him, head tilting back just a bit to maintain eye contact. “And a really good guy.”
He wasn’t entirely sure what to say. “River—”
“I think a lot of my anger came from me, like, projecting whatever I felt towards my parents.” She laughed softly with a regretful shake of her head. “They’re the most selfish people I know. When they left me I just—I saw it as a betrayal, y’know?” she asked, squinting up at him against the gentle breeze as Calum offered a single nod. “And then when I found out about your engagement to Sloane, it was like all of these feelings just came out and you got the brunt of them.”
Calum’s lips quirked into a small, ashamed smile. “I deserved it.”
“Maybe,” River hummed before letting out a sigh. “But the situation was complicated, to say the least. Life’s fucked up enough as it is and there’s no rule book to go by. I can go on and on about what I would’ve done if I was in your shoes but I can’t really know unless I actually was, y’know? No one knows what they’d do in a situation unless they were in it. I was hurt and I was angry and I’m not completely over it but. . . I do forgive you, Calum.”
The relief was flooding him before he could even stop it, inhaling sharply as he felt a warmth swell in his chest as he asked, “You do?”
She rolled her lips into her mouth and nodded, a lightness in her green eyes that he’d missed desperately. “I do,” she said before letting out a gentle laugh. Calum figured it was because that two word phrase was being thrown a lot around here. Then River shrugged, her smile reappearing as she breezily said, “Love makes you do crazy things, doesn’t it? It’s something Grams always lived by.”
Calum didn’t think he’d dealt with his emotions this much in a long time. But River seemed to bring out a different side in him. His heart thudded at the entirety of River’s statement, licking his lips as he let out a quiet chuckle. “Mags would probably have kicked my ass for hurting you.”
River clicked her tongue, her smile turning fond at the mention of her grandmother. “Nah. She’s big on second chances,” she assured him before letting out a breath. “She gave my mom plenty of second chances but after reading her will, I guess she decided Mom didn’t deserve anymore.” With a sheepish poke to Calum’s stomach, River added, “Don’t worry; you’re still a good egg in Maggie Fischer’s book.”
Her words brought a smile to Calum’s lips, feeling a warmth spread through him at the mention of Maggie before furrowing his eyebrows at River. “Wait, what do you mean about the will?”
Licking her lips, River let out an almost nervous chuckle as she looked out to the dark of the ocean, rubbing her hands down her sides as she told him, “She left everything to me. The house, the car, her trust—it’s all mine.”
As disbelieving as River looked by this information, Calum wasn’t the least bit shocked as he raised his eyebrows at her. “You’re surprised? Of course she left it all to you.”
River pressed her hands to her cheeks, and it was like whatever shock she must’ve felt when the will was first read to her was flooding back as her widened eyes met Calum’s somewhat amused ones. In a dazed, awe-filled whisper, she said, “It’s a lot of money, Calum.”
Calum shrugged, grinning down at her as his brown eyes glinted under the moonlight. “Use some of it to visit me in New York.” Fuck, he didn’t want to even think of the moment where he’d have to leave her.
He took in the smile that grew on River’s face, and his heart jumped into his throat at the knowing look gleaming in her eyes. Calum let out a slow breath as her fingers intertwined with his. Okay. So maybe leaving each other wasn’t going to be in the cards, after all.
*****
“Do you have any idea how—how ridiculous this is? How the hell did you decide this was a good idea without consulting us? What gave you the right to even go through with this?!”
Sloane’s jaw tightened at her mother’s words, matching her glare with her own as she remained seated on the couch in the living room of their home. Calum was right next to her, his presence a comfort as his parents, too, hovered over them in their own outrage. Eyes locked with her mother’s Sloane said, “Nobody needed to give me the right—it’s my life and it was about time I decided to live like it.”
Mrs. Thorne bristled, the fire still alight in her eyes. “Watch your tone with me, Sloane.”
“No, screw that,” she retorted, getting up to her feet. All eyes were on her, trying to weigh her down, but she pushed forward. This was a long time coming, and she wasn’t going to be treated like some fucking toddler. She looked between the two sets of parents, staring at them in disgusted incredulity. “Don’t you guys get it? You’re so desperate to save your businesses that you don’t even care that you’re ruining your childrens’ lives!”
Her father, the calmer of her parents, sighed. “Honey, that’s not what we’re doi—”
“Yes, it is,” Calum spoke up, getting to his feet as well to stand beside Sloane. She glanced up at him, appreciated his stone set features as he came to her aid and both of their defense. “Sloane and I have been friends for years, just like you all have. If you trust us to run the companies, you should trust us to be able to do it as partners, and not force a damn marriage on us that, frankly, makes no sense.” His gaze shifted to Mr. and Mrs. Thorne, an insulted scoff escaping him as he said to them, “You know if it was Jacob instead of Sloane, you never would even propose such a ridiculous idea.”
Sloane saw the way her dad’s features fell, and the haggard look that washed over her mother’s face. While Calum’s parents called his name warningly, Mrs. Thorne ground out through gritted teeth, “How dare you—”
“He’s right, Mom,” Sloane said with a frown, feeling a familiar tug in her chest at the mention of her brother. “I know it had always been part of the plan for Jacob to take over, but you need to trust that I know what I’m doing in terms of the company and not have a marriage clause to tie up loose ends that don’t even exist. It’s not fair to me and Calum. We’ll work as partners, but never in a marriage.
She saw the looks Mr. and Mrs. Hood exchanged with one another, and Sloane had a feeling they were getting through to them. And maybe even her father. Her mother, on the other hand, just shook her head. “So, what, you married Luke to void this arrangement? That’s so childish, Sl—”
“I married Luke because I love him,” she cut in sharply, not allowing to give her mother the opportunity to say anything against the man she loved. Her husband. She fought the ill-timed smile threatening to quirk at her lips. God calling Luke her husband was still something to get used to. “It wasn’t out of spite. We got married because wanted to. Because it felt right and he makes me happy. I don’t expect you to understand—” Her eyes locked with her mother’s as she gave a subtle yet sad shake of her head. “—Not that you’d try to, anyway.”
Her mother frowned, and Sloane wondered if she’d imagined the hurt she’d saw flash across her eyes. Next to her, Calum firmly stated, “The merger can proceed exactly as planned—just without the marriage part of it all. You guys have trusted us with these businesses; try to trust us with our own lives, yeah?”
Mrs. Hood let out a soft snort. “So you can continue to make questionable decisions like dying your hair blue?” she questioned, unimpressed gaze going to his head. His roots were starting to grow out, the blue blending in with the natural dark brown.
Before Calum could respond, Sloane’s father spoke up again. “They’re right.” Sloane looked at him, feeling the hope swell her chest as he nodded. “They’re adults—who are we to try and control every aspect of their lives?” He walked past her mother to stand in front of Sloane, cupping his daughter’s cheeks as he said, “I’ve already lost one kid. I’m not losing another over what I thought was a good decision. Sloane and Calum are smart and capable enough to make overall comprehensive choices in their lives and for the sake of the business.” He sighed, giving a shake of his head as he dropped his hands from Sloane’s cheek and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and Sloane instantly leaned into her dad’s side as he added, “I just wish I’d been there for the wedding.”
Sloane couldn’t fight the grin from her face as she glanced at Calum, who was smiling over their obvious victory. He had been right, which didn’t surprise Sloane. She knew she had made the right decision in trusting him. This was, she felt, only a small show of how their partnership was going to go. And she couldn’t wait to be his partner, complete with overbearing responsibilities of running a company and being in charge of thousands of employees. All the while being partners. Not husband and wife.
Sloane twisted the silver ring on her finger, feeling her grin widened as she told her dad, “That could be arranged.”
*****
The couple of hundred dollars worth whiskey he drank was far more different than the White Claws he’d indulged in after Luke and Sloane’s first wedding, though it allowed him to enjoy his surroundings just the same. The wedding that had been planned for Sloane and Calum had been completely scrapped, and Calum knew Sloane and Luke’s wedding was far better, lovelier, and purer than his and Sloane’s could’ve ever hoped to be. Because here, Calum could literally feel the happiness and love in the air between his two friends, his gaze sweeping over to where they were in the middle of the dance floor.
Sloane was in a proper wedding dress, still white obviously, still lacey, fitted firmly to her as she managed to easily move as she danced with Luke, the two of them stealing kisses as often as possible and Luke’s dimples never disappearing from view because of the constant smile lighting up his face. Family and friends joined them on the dance floor while others indulged in still eating from the buffet or enjoying the bar as Calum made his way to one side of the room. The venue was a glass enclosed terrace up high in a hotel, the ceiling teeming with greenery hanging from the beams that made up the ceiling, and the large floor to ceiling windows provided a stunning view of the city Calum knew so well on three sides while the entrance way was made up of old fashioned red bricks. Purple and white lights provided an elegant hue to the venue, the flower centerpieces, live band, and gold accents showing Calum that this was, in fact, Sloane and Luke’s wedding. Completely gorgeous.
“What’s a girl gotta do to get asked to dance around here?”
Her smooth, gentle voice had Calum freezing in place, wide eyed gaze staring ahead at the window in front of him. But through the reflection of the glass he caught the hazy figure of the woman standing behind him, and Calum kept a tight grip on his glass as he turned around for his brown eyes to meet a pair of forest green he’d missed so much.
River stood in front of him in a long, flowing red and white flowery dress, some locks of blonde hair tied back into a braid as the rest of it fell to reach her upper arms—it had grown since the last time he’d seen her—while that dainty gold necklace remained a permanent fixture. She looked stunning, her smile glowing against her face as she watched him drink in the sight of her.
“Holy shit,” Calum breathed out, taking the few steps towards her. “You’re here.”
Her grin widened as she confirmed with a giggly, “I’m here!” just as Calum discarded his half empty glass on a nearby table to sweep her up in a hug as tight as he wanted to.
He felt him laugh against her, her own arms around his neck as his wrapped around her waist, her citrus scent far more intoxicating than the expensive whiskey he’d drank. Calum’s heart was thundering against his chest, sure that River could feel it too, as he found himself squeezing his eyes shut, briefly praying that he wasn’t imagining this. But River’s hand went to the back of his head, nails gently scraping against his scalp and he felt himself relaxing in their embrace. This was real. She was real.
“I didn’t think you’d make it,” Calum said as they pulled away, but his arms were still around her, fronts still pressed together.
River laughed gently. “As soon as another flight became available, I booked a seat.” She bit her lower lip briefly, gaze going to her own hands as she pressed them against the lapels of his suit, smiling as her gaze met his once more. “I couldn’t wait to be with you.”
He didn’t think he’d ever felt this happy. Just a little while after he and his friends had gone back to New York, he and River continued talking and she’d told him about her thoughts of moving out of Florida. Late night conversations consisting of her telling him about always wanting to go to New York, and she finally had the means to do so, and Calum had earnestly told her he’d be waiting. Just a few days after that, River had put her grandmother’s house for sale after and began the process of finally moving out of Florida. There was nothing keeping her there and River knew, as she had told Calum, that her grandmother wouldn’t want her to be so alone. New York was the perfect fresh start.
So while Calum oversaw the shipment of River’s things to a loft downtown that she’d fallen in love with—especially after sending Calum who confirmed the beauty of the place—he also impatiently waited for her arrival. If he had it his way, then she’d be moving right into his place. But River wanted to do things the right way—or, well, whatever the right way was given the origin of their relationship—and so Calum waited for her to finally land. Except hurricane season in Florida continued to throw multiple wrenches in that plan, and she’d missed Luke and Sloane’s second, more lavish and populated, wedding.
Until now.
Calum pressed his forehead to hers, arms around her tight as he mumbled, “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” River returned earnestly before closing the gap between them, and Calum instantly melted into her the second their lips met. Kissing her felt like coming home; it felt real and right and perfect, and he couldn’t imagine anything else feeling as good as this.
They broke away and Calum pulled her towards the dance floor, where their friends instantly let out cheers at the sight of River, with Sloane pulling her in for a hug and River returning it just as eagerly while also making sure not to step on Sloane’s dress. They danced to a couple of songs, Calum unable to let go of River, wanting her to be close to him as much as possible—not that she had any arguments. The contentment he felt only in her presence had once again returned with her arrival, pulling her in for kisses whenever he wanted to because he could.
After a few songs, he brought River over to where his family was, introducing the woman he loved to his parents and sister, getting the approved pat on the back from his dad as his mom and Mali happily engaged with River. And Calum admired, as the music played around him and people enjoyed the party, how perfect River seemed to fit in with his family. It’s where she belonged, that much he knew to be true.
“Can you believe we’re not stuck anymore?” Calum turned around from where he’d just ordered another drink from the bar to smile at Sloane standing next to him. She looked absolutely stunning, glowing in her happiness, as the two rings on her finger glinted brightly as she held a flute of champagne. The diamond of her engagement ring from Luke looked better on her finger than the one assigned by their parents ever did. Her blue eyes met Calum’s brown, a smile on her face as she said, “We made it out. We got back control.”
Calum let out a long breath, watching the dance floor in front of him. He could make out River and his friends right in the center. The smile on his face widened. “Remember when we thought we wouldn’t?” Shooting Sloane a wink, he added, “I think our wedding would’ve been a bit duller than this.”
She laughed and Calum joined in. It felt good to be able to laugh about something that, at one point, had twisted up both of their insides and, to some extent, strained their friendship for a brief period. Calum was beyond glad that was over. “I’ll drink to that,” Sloane agreed, and Calum snorted as he clinked his glass with hers and took a sip of his vodka. When she lowered her glass, Sloane added in a hum, “I’m glad River’s finally here. Now you can stop moping.”
Calum stammered out a protesting sound as Sloane merely smirked, and he huffed as he denied, “I didn’t mope.”
“Please,” Sloane scoffed with a roll of her eyes, throwing Calum an unconvinced look. “People at the office think you’re some broody dude when in reality you’re just pouty because you missed your girlfriend.” She gestured towards the dance floor with her glass, smiling. “Not anymore.”
Calum made a face, though he couldn’t argue with her. With a tilt of his head, he turned to the bride and asked, “If I’m the broody one, what’re you?”
Sloane’s expression fell, huffing as she admitted, “The happy-go-lucky married one.”
That prompted Calum to laugh. Not at her title, but the dejected way in which she said it. “What’s so wrong with that?”
“Nothing—they just need to take me seriously,” Sloane decided, finishing the rest of her glass before putting it on the bar behind them. Pointing at Luke, she said, “When I’m back from the honeymoon, you and I are redoing how we present ourselves to everyone, okay? We gotta be badass CEOs in that building. Not blissed out dummies in love.”
Calum smirked as his gaze swept over to the dance floor once more, watching as River tried to teach Luke how to dance to the Spanish song that was currently playing. He was struggling, of course, but that didn’t stop his loud laughter from ringing out above the music and River to shake her head in utter amusement, though she didn’t give up. Calum’s smirk turned into a grin, the sight warming his heart more than he expected it to.
With a short laugh, he said, “We are blissed out dummies in love.”
He looked at Sloane, who’d been watching Luke and River just as he had, and the grin on her face told him she was just as content as he was. It wasn’t a bad idea after all. “Yeah, we are.” Sloane then linked her arm with Calum’s, grinning up at him as she giggled, “Come on—the only toes Luke should be stepping on are mine.”
His drink was forgotten at the bar, but Calum didn’t care as he and Sloane pushed themselves to the middle of the dance floor, joining their friends as River made her way to Calum and Sloane went back to Luke. Sloane was right: they were no longer stuck in the middle of a situation that had seemed too impossible to work through. Now, they were just stuck in the middle of a dance floor surrounded by their loved ones, celebrating Luke and Sloane’s love. And as Calum danced with River, pressing a kiss to her lips, he kind of couldn’t wait until they were celebrating the two of them, too.
--
tags: @irwinkitten @sweetcherrymike @meetashthere @valentinelrh @softforcal @astroashtonio @hereforlukescruff @novacanecalum @captain-what-is-going-on @angelbbycal @singt0mecalum @hopelessxcynic @lfwallscouldtalk @bodhi-black @findingliam-o @softlrh @calntynes @calumsmermaid @erikamarie41 @quintodosuniversos @longlastingdaydream @babylon-corgis @lukehemmingsunflower @spideyseavey @imfuckin10plybud @pastelpapermoons @conquerwhatliesahead92 @rotten-kandy @cxddlyash @metangi @neigcthood @ohhmuke @old-zeppelin-shirt @5sos-and-hessa @dammitbands @sexgodashton @trustmeimawhalebiologist @vxlentinecal @pettybassists @vaporshawn @lu-my-golden-boi @buggy-blogs @visualm3nte @isabella-mae13 @dontjinx-it @lifeakaharry @neonweeknds @antisocialbandmate @ixcantxdecidexwhosxmyxfave @calpalbby @grreatgooglymoogly @sunnysidesblog @cocktail-calum @miahelizaaabeth @madelynerin @dramallamawithsparkles @theagenderwhocriedwolf @kaytiebug14 @hoodskillerqueen @bitchinbabylon @empathycth @xhaileyreneex @inlovehoodx @calistheloml @aestheticrelated @bloodlinecal @sublimehood @madbomb @raabiac @britnicole11 @outofmylimitcal @fluffsshawn @bloodmoonashton @vxidhood @tea4sykes
#calum hood#luke hemmings#5sos#5 seconds of summer#calum hood one shot#luke hemmings one shot#5sos one shot#calum hood imagine#luke hemmings imagine#calum hood imagines#luke hemmings imagines#calum hood blurb#luke hemmings blurb#calum hood blurbs#luke hemmings blurbs#5sos blurb#5sos blurbs#5sos smut#calum hood smut#luke hemmings smut#ashton irwin#michael clifford#ashton irwin one shot#michael clifford one shot#ashton irwin blurb#michael clifford blurb#ashton irwin imagine#michael clifford imagine#ashton irwin imagines#michael clifford imagines
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Poly!cashton having daily doodle dates. Where everyone doodles on everyone else for fun and to be silly and relax. Naturally people get better at doodling the more they doodle. So one or more of them get GOOD and the boys go sneaking off to get some of the doodles tattooed over after the week they're partner came out for tour and covered their skin in designs. Sometimes they even use doodle time to workshop lyrics so someone can't shower until they find paper to copy it.
this is a fucking soft idea and I love poly!Cashton and I always forget how much I love them so plz send in some requests for these lads thanks
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“I can’t believe you actually for this tattooed,” Y/N mentioned, her fingers tracing lightly over Calum’s latest tattoo he had gotten on his wrist - a joint drawing that had been done by both Y/N and Ashton a couple of months ago.
“I liked it,” Calum commented. “Plus it reminds me of both of you,” he added, leaning down to press a kiss to Ashton’s bare stomach which he was doodling on.
“We love you too,” Ashton murmured, knowing exactly what it was that Calum was hinting at with his words. Calum was never the best at expressing his emotions, especially when he loved someone, even to his two partners.
Calum responded to Ashton’s confirmation by placing another kiss to his bare skin before returning to doodling.
“Are you writing again?” Y/N asked, giggling a little at the feeling of Ashton’s pen on the back of her thigh.
“Sorry, got inspired,” Ashton mumbled distractedly.
“Just tickles is all,” Y/N assured him, still holding Calum’s free hand in hers, tapping her pen gently onto the skin beneath his new tattoo as she pondered what else to doodle on him.
“Ash?” Calum questioned after a moment.
“Yeah?”
“When did you get this?” He asked, pulling his hand free from Y/N’s hold despite her whine of protest since she had just started doodling again.
“Get what?” Ashton asked, still writing on Y/N’s thigh.
“This,” Calum laughed. “The tattoo!”
“What tattoo?” Y/N questioned, moving but Ashton huffed, tightening his hand around her ankle to prevent her from moving.
“Wait a second,” he muttered, still scribbling. “Done,” as soon as he released his grip on her thigh, Y/N was crawling up to Calum’s level on the carpet to look at what he was looking at.
“Is that what Cal drew on you?” She questioned, watching Calum tracing Ashton’s new tattoo gently with his fingers, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.
“What? So Calum’s allowed to be sappy and get our doodle tattooed but I’m not?” Ashton countered, a playful smile on his face as he took in the sight of Y/N and Calum.
“Are you crying, Cal?” Y/N asked in wonder when she looked over at Calum’s face to catch his reaction, seeing tears swimming in his eyes.
“No,” he insisted, looking away from the two of them and swiping at his eyes.
“Aw, Cal,” Ashton sat up and wound his arm around Calum, bringing his boyfriend to curl into his chest.
“You okay?” Y/N asked, shuffling so that she was sat in front of him, cupping his cheek in her hands.
“Yeah - sorry.” Calum sniffed and Y/N used her thumbs to wipe his tears away.
“You’re adorable,” Ashton declared, pressing a kiss to the top of Calum’s head and the other man smiled softly, holding out his arms for Y/N to crawl into.
“I love you guys.”
#courts blurbs#blurbs#5 seconds of summer#calum hood#calum hood fanfiction#calum hood imagine#calum hood x reader#calum hood blurbs#ashton irwin#ashton irwin fanfiction#ashton irwin imagine#ashton irwin x reader#ashton irwin blurbs#cashton#cashton x reader#requested
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Chapter 229 Sneak Peek
This is for all of those who are gave me much needed love today to soothe my poor writer’s ego. You’re the best and the reason I share what I write with the world and not just keep it for myself.
Specifically, this one is for: @weasleycousin @liesadventure @casually-ananarchist-tomato @notthatchhavi @pommewom @imwhite1086-blog @emergencybitch @queen-owlhead @lasagnelady @carpenl @james7594 @dreaming-thoughtless @mennataha02 @rainycollectorlight-universe @runningtwiceasfast @thisismegz @bluestwitch @siriusblack15 and many, many, many more.
I love you! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You are amazing!
Thank you for taking the time out of your days to read my little story!
And remember, reviews are what us fanfiction authors are paid in :D
Chapter 229 Hinny Excerpt...
The afternoon sun had come in while she was daydreaming as she and Harry were adding more hay into the stalls. It was hot and humid and her shorts and vest were sticking to her. Colt had said it was close to ninety degrees and she could feel the heat of the sun, so thankful for the sun protection charm that she’d used on herself. Ginny snuck a look over at Harry. They were behind the stables, working with the hay bales, the forest at their back and for the first time in what seemed like all summer — she was completely alone with him. It was rare for them to find a moment alone. Someone was always around between Colt, the ranch hands Calvin and Tucker, Flo, Sorcha, Misha, Zee… it was nice and confining at the same time. She and Harry were never alone enough and she missed him, missed touching him. Merlin, she wanted her hands on him, she thought.
He had pulled his shirt off in the heat of the afternoon sun and she couldn’t help but take a moment to just look at him. His broad shoulders and lean muscles made him look more man than boy. The glimmer of sweat on his skin looked oddly appealing and she had a sudden desire to run her hands over him, to taste the salt of his skin. The small white scars on his back from the horntail glimmered in the sunlight. His black hair, as messy as ever, stood on end in a careless fashion that suited him so well that one would think he’d styled it that way. He wasn’t traditionally handsome, she supposed, but there was something distinctive about him.
The sharp jawline, the black stubble that peppered his chin and neck showed that he hadn’t shaved in probably about a week; his adorable ears (and who knew ears were adorable, but his were)… His skin tanned a lovely gold from the summer sun (he didn’t need to worry about a sun protection charm), the pale white lines of skin where his jeans dipped low, made her lick her lips, eager to look and see just how pale he was beneath the denim. As he turned, she let her eyes wander down to the dark happy trail that disappeared beneath the waistline of his jeans. Her brown eyes hungrily eyed the soft v-lines on either side of him. When he stretched those arms out, bending to pick up the fresh bale of hay and she tilted her head to look at his arse. He definitely had a bum made for those jeans, she thought with a smile. Then those green eyes met hers and just like always, they punched through her like a bolt of lightning. They were impossibly green, like almond-shaped emeralds, and so incredibly beautiful behind his round glasses.
It had always been his eyes that drew her in first. The long, gorgeous lashes that any woman would kill for, outlining those perfect almond-shaped orbs. The bright vivid green that changed from dark to almost hazel-green, depending on his mood. And when those lips curved into a knowing smile, she only grinned back at him.
“See something you like, Ginny?”
Ginny, knowing that she had been caught, only shrugged. “I was just thinking that we should get more apples for the horses.”
Harry dropped the bale of hay to the ground and took a step towards her so quickly that she took an automatic step back. “Oh, really? That’s what you were thinking about?” She swallowed when he stood in front of her, his hands resting on her waist. “Apples?”
Ginny’s breath hitched when his head bent to kiss her and she let out a whimper when he stopped a breath away from her lips. “Apples, yes.”
His grin was quick, those emeralds twinkling in amusement, and he pulled away. “Sure, let’s go get some apples.”
He made to go; Ginny linked two fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and tugged him back towards her. “Get back here and snog me, Harry Potter!”
Harry chuckled. “Why? I thought that you weren’t checking me out?”
Ginny only stood on her toes and tugged his face to hers for a long deep kiss that made her moan against him. “Prat. You bloody well know I was checking you out.”
“I know no such thing,” he teased, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’m a bit of a mess really, can’t imagine why you would be.”
Ginny ran her hands up his sweaty torso. “A sexy mess.”
He chuckled and kissed her again. Ginny melted into him, basking in the feel of his warm body pressed against hers. Her fingers looped through his belt loops tighter, pulling him closer and his hands slid around her waist to grip her bum. She stood on her toes and he lifted her, grinning against her mouth when she wrapped her legs around his waist.
“How is it that I have you all to myself this summer yet I can barely find a moment alone with you?” he murmured, trailing his mouth over her jaw.
Ginny made an mmm sound as she pulled his lips back to hers. She kissed him deeply before she kissed his cheeks, his nose, his chin. “I love your grandparents. They’re so much fun and so interesting and I love spending time with them — but — the lack of privacy around her is starting to feel the Burrow.”
Harry chuckled and kissed her again. “You can say that again. I want some time alone with you. I miss our tower room.”
Ginny’s fingers let go of his belt loops as she slid down his body, back to her feet. She trailed her fingers up his chest and then back down through his happy trail, across the brass button on his jeans, and then danced them down the zipper. “Me too.”
[...]
“We should get some more apples for the horses though. They like them,” Harry said.
He moved back to the door, bending to reach for his discarded tee shirt on the ground inside as a beautiful blonde stepped into the stables. She had legs up to her ears and her blonde hair was shoulder length and framed her face in careless layers. Ginny watched her eyes land on Harry’s arse, slowing moving up the length of his body, and all she could think was: Mine. She made to step closer just as the blonde spoke.
“Should have known you’d get hotter.”
Harry grinned in surprise. “Harley!”
The blonde laughed and launched herself into his arms, and the little squirm of jealousy in Ginny's gut surprised her. She took another step closer again, eyes on how the blonde had plastered herself against Harry’s naked chest, and wondered if it would be going too far for her to grab her by the hair and pull her away from him.
“God, you got tall too! Cal and Tuck told me that you were back here and I just had to say hi!”
Harry grinned, his hands on her arms. “You racing yet?”
“Next year,” she said with a grin. “I have my own horse now. His name is Davidson. Get it? Harley riding Davidson?”
Harry chuckled. “That’s great!” His eyes sought Ginny’s and he smiled at her. “Harley, this is my girlfriend, Ginny. Ginny, this is Harley Mills.”
Ginny stepped over to them, trying not to show that she was jealous. The young woman before her was gorgeous: Long legs made for the denim she was in, slim build. She could be a model.
“Hi,” she said, hoping her smile looked friendly. She had a sudden desire to claim Harry as hers.
His arm came around her shoulders and she immediately put her hand on his flat stomach, her brown eyes on the blonde.
“Hi,” Harley said. “It’s lovely to meet you. Harry’s a great guy. You’re lucky.”
“I know,” Ginny told her.
Harry linked his fingers with hers and warmth spread through her. “It’s me that’s lucky.”
Harley smiled. “Well, Tuck and I are actually dating now. Been almost two months. He’s a sweetie. Maybe we can all go to Flo’s for a milkshake, catch up.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
Harley nodded, smiling at Harry again. “Awesome. Tomorrow at four?”
“Uh, sure,” Harry told her.
She grinned widely and then kissed Harry’s cheek before she waved goodbye, heading out of the stables.
Ginny looked up at Harry to try to see the expression on his face, but his lips dipped to hers, softly and tenderly, and she melted into him. Her lashes fluttered open as she looked up at him. “What was that for?”
“Just being here. Do you mind grabbing a milkshake with Harley and Tucker tomorrow? We can always cancel.”
“Do you want to go?” Ginny asked, not entirely sure if she wanted to know the answer.
He shrugged. “It would be nice to see her again and I think that I’d like to know more about what she’s been up to.”
Ginny stared at him a moment, unsure how she felt about his words. “Well, a Weasley never turns down food. Even if it involves eating with her boyfriend’s ex.”
Harry bent his head and kissed her softly. “Are you jealous?”
“Of that model gorgeous woman out there?” Ginny asked, lips twitching. “No, never!”
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A Legacy Begun (5)
gif not mine. found and saved in pinterest
Chapter 5: The Child | Cal Kestis x Reader
Summary: After a long time of running and fighting, you and Cal decided to finally settle down after all these years to raise a family. However, it was never a life of peace whilst the shadow of the Empire looms over your heads.
Other prompt/s in play: Anon 1′s prompt, Anon 2‘s baby prompt + their follow-up prompt & fic idea
A/N: Don’t worry, no one died of sadness after giving birth.
Also posted in AO3
Tags: Scruffy! Cal Kestis, Daddy! Cal Kestis, Adult! Cal Kestis, Jedi Family, Jedi Offspring, Force-Sensitive Offspring, Settling Down, Rebel Alliance
Chapters: 1 – 2 – 3 | Previous: Part 4 | Next: Part 6 | Masterlist
5 of ?
The months flew by, it only felt like yesterday when you told the news and now you’re currently in the ninth month. Any day now, the baby would be due. But you haven’t felt the signs yet.
The feeling of not holding a lightsaber and seeing action for a while was perhaps the biggest adjustment you’ve ever made; recalling the years where you’ve kept yourself low from the Imperials’ radar and having to limit the times you held your saber, this was far different than that.
To pass the time, you and Cal often strolled together just to keep yourself active. The Mantis continued its travels from time to time, but it would always find itself home in Cerinda and would occasionally return to Bogano for old time’s sake. The two of you stopped by the stream that branched out of the lake, something about that part of the forest became like a magnet to the both of you. Even in your expectant state, you were still the same sprightly girl who would dip her toes into the cold water at any given chance.
“I’ve been thinking,” you began. Beaming brightly and excitedly as you spoke, “I want to have our baby in this one planet that my master and I used to go to for a campaign.”
“Oh?” Cal propped his cheek against his fist, dreamily gazing at you while you pluck flowers by the shoreline and set them floating into the gentle current.
“The planet, Ilaro,” you craned your head to him. “It’s a neutral planet by the Outer Rim, but it’s very peaceful there. No Imperials, no fighting,”
He heard you sigh as you daydream about the planet in your mind. He kept smiling as he listened.
“If only you’ve seen it, Cal—oceans clear and bright blue like the sky that they almost conjoin, the city that Master and I went to was so extravagant yet quaint, much like Reema here but a bit bigger,” you trail off, and then smiled as the last, finishing thought entered your mind and turned to your husband. “And oh, I know the perfect place for us: by the hillside north of the city. There’s another town there, it’s small but I think it’ll do for us,”
He hummed in reply, enamored by your idea but mostly at your radiance. You couldn’t stay mad at him for only half-listening. You’re endeared by his droopy, dreamy eyes and the smile that still stood out even through his stubble that he personally kept to a certain thinness of his liking.
“What is it?” you giggled.
“You’re just so beautiful,” he cooed. “I just can’t help but stare even while you talk, I’m sorry.”
You caress his scruffy jaw, he willingly inches to you as he comes in for a kiss. You secretly chuckled when his stubble tickled you and you liked it when he did.
“I can’t stay mad, darling,”
That afternoon, you tended to the plants in the terrarium, shearing the weeds and other overgrowth that crowded the soil bed. It sooner became half a flower garden and a half a medicinal herb garden, you and Merrin shared sides of the terrarium respectively; Greez was cooking up some lunch while Cere continued her favorite pastime of splicing and hacking Imperial communications, but also found out about how to trace long-range frequencies as far as two to three parsecs.
“Have you ever thought if they’re a boy or a girl, [y/n]?”
“I have, but my mind changes every now and then—one day I’ll think it’s a boy, and then the next it’s a girl,” you chuckled. “Cal and I have been debating the same thing.”
“You’re at your ninth month, anyway. I’m sure it’ll come soon,”
“Yes, soon,” you trailed off echoing the Nightsister’s words.
Later, Cal came back with game that he had hunted in the forest’s inner meadows. One of Cerinda’s fauna that you’ve found a taste for was the Chorcap—a medium-sized, horned quadrupedal animal, it was slightly shorter than a Nerf in height and less hairy too, but it was stocky in build, making it prized for their meat. Merchants in Reema would buy for the horns, butchers would get portioned cuts, and Cal would haggle with those butchers for the portions.
“I’m back,” Cal chirped as he entered the ship. “Got some extra Chorcap on the road.”
“Oh finally! I thought this stew would never be done if it weren’t for you,” Greez grunted.
“Relax, Greez, here—the seasonings you asked for,”
Cal tossed a pouch to Greez to which the captain expertly caught with his bottom right arm and continued to stir the pot. He greeted you with a kiss on the cheek as you tended the little indoor garden and seated himself by the dining table.
“That smells good!” your husband exclaimed.
“Without these spices, my stew would be as bland as unfermented Merenzane Gold!”
From time to time, you’d conceal your expressions whenever your belly contracted. You’ve pretty much anticipated the baby’s due, but it was the pain that you tried to hide—not wanting to disturb everyone at your expense.
Minutes later, Greez called everybody for lunch, you helped in setting the table and serving out the helpings for each plate. The aroma of the stew wafted around the Mantis, making all the stomachs rumble, and come running towards the table. Lunch became more animated as conversations and topics volleyed here and there. You turned to BD-1 perched over the rim of the table between the lounge.
“Say, BD, do you still have the scan of the Binog?”
“What for?”
“Oh, you’ll see, hon,” you ended it with a smile.
After lunch and helping with the dishes, you retreated to the bedroom with BD-1 perched over your shoulder. You seated yourself by the workbench, producing spools of thread, buttons, filler cotton, and fabrics of different colors—all coming from the business district in Reema. You produced a holodisk and held it close to the droid
“Can you transfer the Binog’s hologram scan here, BD?”
“Wooo!” the little droid whirred out its splicer and connected itself to the holodisk’s port. Seconds later, the hologram of the great creature of Bogano flickered above the holodisk’s projector.
“Thank you, BD,” you rewarded the droid with head pats before starting with your work.
You drew patterns for each part of the animal and then sheared them piece by piece. Holding them together with pins, you started sewing the main body first—leaving an opening for the stuffing later—and then moved on to the legs and tail. Your slender fingers gracefully twisted, curled, and threaded with the stitches as you went on—pushing the needle and then pulling the thread—until it was starting to take shape. Glancing at the projection every once in a while to check if you’re getting the likeness correctly.
“Booo!”
“That’s right, BD, I’m making the Binog—though a smaller version, for the small one,” you cooed.
When the limbs and tail have joined the body and head, the next step was to sew in the fins that lined its spine all the way to the tail and its ears. You had the patterned fabrics at the ready, you just needed to stitch them. Cal walked in to the bedroom, finding you sitting back relaxed while sewing together a toy Binog.
“That’s actually pretty cute,” he beamed.
“Thank you, but it’s not finished yet,”
The finishing touches were the button eyes. A pair of solid black buttons were secured in an X-like stitch on its head. Two tiny white triangles were sewn along the mouth for its fangs that peeked out even with the actual creature’s mouth closed. Finally, BD-1 helped you stuff the toy with the cotton since his little claws could fit the openings you left for each body part.
“Thanks for your help, BD,” you sealed the filler openings and held it in your hand. “There we go!”
“That’s adorable,” your husband commented.
Even if it was never your intention to worry everybody—your husband, especially—you just couldn’t control the instance where your knees buckle and your muscles felt like tightening with a great force. As you struggled to stand up, everybody in the ship was alarmed by your cry of pain. All of a sudden, the swirling in your stomach started to tense up.
“The baby’s coming…!” you struggled to calmly breathe.
“Cere! Merrin!” Cal cried, scooping you up from your seat at the workbench and carefully settling you down on the bed.
“Whoa, whoa, what’s happening!?” Greez was infected with the same panic and alarm as the two ladies. The captain definitely heard your cries, he just didn’t think the baby was coming now.
Your ankles jerked as your toes curled tightly, your hand gripped the sheets as you tried to fight off the contraction pains. Cal ignored the hard grip that’s crumpling his sleeve as you broke down sobbing in pain.
“I know a place!” Cere exclaimed. “Captain, set a course to Polis Massa! Grid coordinates K-20, NOW!”
“It’s two parsecs away via jump to hyperspace!” Greez argued.
“Captain, just do it!” the woman snapped back.
“You’re gonna be okay, [y/n], do you hear me?” Cal’s voice cracked while squeezing back your free hand.
“[y/n], breathe,” Merrin calmly chanted, it became her mantra to you as the minutes went on.
The jump to lightspeed felt like an eternity as you battled the excruciating pain. Your body tossed and turned, finding a position where the cramping hurt less. Your legs thrashed, your vision blackened around the edges as you struggled to breathe in a slow pace—it only lessened the cramping to an extent but you don’t know for how long you could hold it.
Cere came barging in the bedroom.
“We’re near our destination. How is she holding up?”
“She’s trying to breathe calmly, I strongly object in using my magick on her,” the Nightsister reported.
“My head is burning!”
Cal pressed the back of his hand against your forehead, “She’s having a fever! How much farther until we reach Polis Massa?”
Before Cere could reply, the feedback of Greez’s microphone crackled through the speakers.
“Hold on, folks! It’s gonna be a bumpy ride!” the Lateron announced.
Cere sprang back to the cockpit, swerving and catching her balance as the ship rumbled. The turbulence didn’t help much, but you kept holding onto Cal’s hand.
“Cere, you didn’t tell me that we’re running into an asteroid field!”
“Because Polis Massa is on the asteroid field!”
“And this is a medical station we’re talking about!”
Greez steered closer to the largest asteroid until he found a cluster of silver infrastructures sticking out on the largest rock in the field. Cere had no further qualms about that, she turned and tapped the buttons and knobs on her communication station in the ship to send the urgent transmission.
“This is Jedi Cere Junda, we are in need of urgent medical assistance! A crew member has gone into labor and is about to give birth, please!”
“Transmission verified, you are allowed to dock. We’ll have a ward and medical droids ready for her,”
The medical droids stationed there were on full alert, a couple of the wardens came out of the building with a gurney prepared for you as they anticipated your arrival. The ship maneuvered and hovered carefully by the landing pad.
“We’re here,” Cal whispered to you, hoping to console you.
“Where are we?” you murmured.
“Polis Massa,” he scooped you up from the bed, carried you all the way out of the Mantis and then laying you down on the gurney waiting for you.
The female wardens briskly pushed your gurney towards the medical bay and then to the available ward that was ready for you. The human nurses cooed and whispered to you in comforting, melodic voices; coaxing you and telling you everything down to the littlest detail.
“We’re going to carry you to the next bed, alright?”
“Okay…” you replied, your eyes were too heavy to direct your vision to whichever nurse was speaking to you.
The nurses traded diagnoses with one another and then relayed them to the medical droids, reflecting your vital signs onto their computers and holographs.
“Vitals are fine, no remarkable findings,”
“Blood pressure is stable,”
The nurses helped you lift up your knees as a midwife droid hovered slowly towards you. The entire crew watched through the glass wall of your room, they all leaned against the opposite wall but it was your husband who eagerly stayed behind the glass.
“Is she going to be alright?” he asked the one nurse who exited your room.
“Yes, it’s good that you’ve brought her here on such short notice,”
“We were only two parsecs away from here,” Cere added.
The nurse had allowed Cal to enter the ward—for only one non-patient was permitted to accompany the patient—he sat by your side, close to your head. He stroked your hair as you take deep breaths before pushing.
Cal watched the red fill your cheeks as you tried to push, following the pace of the midwife droid that’s coaxing you. He ignored your screeching cries, he wiped away the tears that rolled away from your eyes as you breathed through clenched teeth, preparing for the next.
An infant cry filled the room, Cal’s head instantly turned to the end of the bed where the midwife droid held your newborn—he watched the droid clean the infant on the spot and swaddle it in a soft, white sheet. He stood up and held the tiniest human being he’s ever seen in his entire life. A tinge of orange strands adorned the little one’s head.
“It’s a girl,” he gasped.
He approached you with your daughter in his arms, he held her close to you so you may look at her crumpled, crying little face.
“Cassidy,” you whispered.
Cal heard you utter the name. You traded glances and he smiled. A teardrop glimmered at the edge of his eye.
“Cassidy.” He echoed. The baby’s tiny hand hooked around his finger and he could’ve sworn he felt his heart burst out of his ribs, “My little Cassidy.”
He held his baby daughter right in front of him. Dark, round, shining eyes blinked back at him as Cassidy’s stubby arms squirmed, lightly hitting his cheeks and jaw with smooth, soft hands.
“She has your eyes,” Cal choked.
“She has your hair,” you manage a chuckle.
“You did great, darling,” he sat down, level to you and planted a kiss on your forehead while the Mantis crew watched the little family have their greatest moment yet.
#cal kestis#cal kestis fic#cal kestis x reader#cal kestis x reader fic#scruffy! cal kestis#daddy! cal kestis#adult! cal kestis#jedi family#jedi offspring#force-sensitive offspring#settling down#rebel alliance#anons#anon#anon prompt#anon prompts#prompts#for anons#requested#fic#fluff#fluff fic#fic request#requested by anons#star wars#sw#star wars fic#sw fic#star wars jedi fallen order#star wars jedi fallen order fic
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Anything (Chapter 6, Final Chapter) - Nik Ryder x f!MC
Summary: After surviving an attempt on her life, she discovers there are worse fates than dying. And they’re all ice cold.
Warnings for this chapter: implied (off-screen) N*FW, discussions of trauma and therapy, a short tid bit at the end involving animal violence/death, and plenty of fluff and other domestic stuff
Links to previous chapters: one // two // three // four // five
One year later…
Nothing.
Nothing.
‘Everything.’ Leah thought fondly as she sleepily stared at the man sleeping next to her. Thin rays of golden light trailed through the spaces between the blinds of the window facing the bed, making the man in question flutter his eyes open. She smiled brightly and moved closer until she was snuggled close to him, and he lazily wrapped an arm around her.
“Too early…” Nik grumbled, pulling Leah closer to his chest with both arms. “Go back to sleep.”
“I don’t wanna get up either, but we gotta,” Leah said with her voice muffled against his bare chest. “We have things to do today.”
Leah giggled as Nik groaned, releasing her and rolling over on his other side. She learned quickly in the past year that he was not a morning person due to the frequency they have to take down the things that happen to go bump in the night. So she, who happened to be a morning person and seemingly full of boundless energy, became the default alarm clock (and a damn good one if she said so herself).
“Come on, sleepy head! Time to get up!” she declared, sitting up and letting the cool morning air hit her own exposed chest. Nik rolled back over and let his eyes trail appreciatively over her form.
“Well damn, you’ve convinced me.” Leah blushed at his comment and his eyes glued to her body. Besides the night she came back, only a few months prior she wouldn’t take her shirt off in front of him, self conscious about her scars being examined so thoroughly by someone she actually cared about. She briefly recalled the night she let him see them intimately, and the memory of him being so patient and tender with her made her melt. Leah playfully nudged him.
“Now is not the time for that; we have quite a day ahead.”
“I know, I know. But can’t a guy appreciate his woman on a fine sunny morning?” Nik grinned innocently and propped himself on one elbow, completely scarred abdomen in full view. Leah ran a hand through his soft but sticking-out-in-all-directions morning hair, smoothing it back into place somewhat.
“You can appreciate me as we get ready to leave.” With that, Leah jumped out of their bed and began looking through the closet. Nik got up after her and wrapped his arms around her, and Leah sighed, pretending to be exasperated.
“You’re gonna have to stop touching me, babe.”
Nik glided his rough, callused hands on her skin, and he nipped at her neck not-so-gently. “Not what you said last night, babe.”
Leah felt a shiver run up her spine as she turned around so they were face to face. She rested her arms on his shoulders and gazed up at him, a challenge in her eyes. “Oh yeah? I don’t recall any of that.”
“Need me to remind you, huh?” He pulled her even closer by the waist and brought his lips down to hers passionately, and she enthusiastically reciprocated. They kissed freely because there was nothing stopping them; that little apartment was their place. No monsters, no ghosts, nothing trying to kill them. And she relished these moments of peace.
“Mmm, I might remember something…” Leah pulled away slowly. She turned around with one of her hands grasping his behind her, leading him to the bathroom. “But we’re on a schedule. Come remind me in the shower?”
When she turned around to look at him, his face was split into a bright smile as he hurried after her.
==============================================
Half an hour later, the two Nighthunters sat at the small kitchen table, both dressed and ready for the day. In the past year since Leah moved in with Nik, the apartment had changed significantly. Besides the fact that Nik was more motivated to do upkeep on the place, Leah put her own touches. What once were stacks of potentially cursed books and tomes scattered on the floor were now neatly placed in a modern glass bookshelf and organized alphabetically. All of the weapons were cleaned and polished and displayed neatly. She even found pictures of Nik and Elijah from when he was younger and framed them, and the misty eyes she got from him when he saw what she did was all the thanks she needed. He would freely admit that she made everything in his life better, and she could finally say that she was home. That place was now their home, warm and welcoming.
Leah hummed contentedly as she stirred the cinnamon in her coffee like she usually did, and Nik perused the newspaper casually.
“I still don’t see the appeal of cinnamon in coffee,” the man next to her said, looking at her cup. “It doesn’t even dissolve all the way.”
“That itself adds to the flavor,” she replied, taking a sip. “I don’t know why you like yours black; do you have to be so dark all the time?”
Nik rolled his eyes, sipping on his own cup of black coffee. “What can I say, darkness is my one defining personality trait.”
“That, and running away from unicorns, ya giant softie.”
“They’re vicious!”
“Vicious and adorable!”
Leah laughed, and Nik couldn’t help but chuckle with her. “Vicious and adorable, huh? Now those are your defining personality traits.”
“Aww you think I’m cute, Ryder?” Leah cooed, smiling coquettishly at him.
“Why you think I keep you around, Mendoza?” Nik replied, using her last name instead of the usual nicknames (rook, babe, sugar, darlin’, etc.). It was rare that he’d use her first name, and Leah was used to responding to a variety of pet names.
“Wow and here I thought you liked me for my mind,” Leah teased. “Or my magic glowy hands.”
At the mention of her powers, the atmosphere suddenly became more serious; they both remembered why it was a special day, besides it being the anniversary of her return to New Orleans. Nik reached over and intertwined their fingers before speaking. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
Leah squeezed his hand and nodded. “Yes. It’s been a year now and I’ve made a lot of progress and stayed away for too long; it’s time.”
“Say the word and we’ll go.”
==============================================
After putting on their signature jackets (and sneaking a few kisses here and there), the pair got into Nik’s car and drove off. They held hands the entire drive and the entire walk through the woods and the open field, and Leah took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. She felt like a specimen on a Petri dish again under the scrutiny of the cathedral guarding Lamrian.
“Hey…” Nik began, bringing their intertwined fingers up to his lips to kiss her hand. “Just remember, I’m here for you. You don’t have to do this alone.”
Leah smiled radiantly. “I know. Thank you.”
A Fae guard approached them from the shadows, and he was as dutiful and tight lipped as Leah remembered from the year before. She waved nervously at him.
“Uh, hey, I know it’s been a while but I’m—”
“I remember.” He bowed deeply and stepped aside, gesturing for them to walk into the cathedral. “Welcome home, daughter of Lamrian.”
Leah and Nik walked into the cathedral, which promptly turned into a familiar grand throne room. Leah could see Lady Thalissa writing on an ornate ledger. She turned back to Nik, who gave her an encouraging nod.
“Go on, then. I’ll be here.”
Leah steadied her breathing and stepped forward towards her stepmother. At the sound of her footsteps, Thalissa looked up from her work.
“Leah…” she whispered, surprise on her Fae features. She immediately cast aside her quill and dashed over, wrapping Leah in a warm hug. Leah breathed in her sweet-pea perfume, instantly feeling comfort.
“I’m sorry I was away for so long. After everything...I needed some time,” Leah apologized, looking her stepmother in the eyes.
Thalissa squeezed her hand. “Do not apologize, my darling. I understand the need for solitude in the midst of grief. Losing my greatest love, losing my son...I could hardly speak to another soul for months.”
Leah looked down in shame. “I hope you and the citizens of Lamrian got my apology. I never meant to disrupt your lives so much.”
Thalissa tilted her chin up, and she smiled softly with tears shining in her eyes. “There are no apologies necessary. Even though we are not bound by blood, I consider you my daughter. Oh how I’ve missed you; the sun is now shining on my heart.”
Leah smiled back, her eyes also filling with tears. “I missed Lamrian and everything in it. I...I was actually able to access my magick a year ago and can do a few things.”
“My dear Elric wanted to teach you Fae magick,” Thalissa began, her expression betraying the scantest hint of surprise at hearing that she could use magick in a significant way. “I would keep that promise for him, should you wish it.”
Leah smiled impishly. “Will you teach me how to make grimfire?”
Thalissa let out a surprised laugh, pinching her cheek affectionately. “Let’s begin with the basics.”
She turned and drew a glowing portal into the starry fields of the Fae Realm. She stepped into the portal and gestured for Leah to join her. Leah looked back at Nik, hesitating for a moment on the border between her two worlds. He gave her a small wave.
“Don’t be gone too long, all right? You and I have a date with a rampaging ghoul later.”
Leah visibly relaxed, knowing that her home in the mortal world wouldn’t leave once she stepped into the Fae world. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Taking a deep breath, she walked through the shining portal, joining Thalissa. The portal closed behind them as she inhaled the smells around her.
“Maybe Cal was onto something...it does smell different than the human world,” Leah mused, taking in everything around her as they walked.
“I take it your friends have been helping you adjust to your new life?”
Leah grinned. “Definitely. You remember Cal, Katherine, and Vera? And that man with me was Nik, my partner.”
Thalissa smiled genuinely. “Of course! Such a nice group, and that man is clearly enamored with you.”
“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” she replied, shaking her head in disbelief. “After Elric died, I just...I ran away. I couldn’t take it and I was destroying myself. It took a friend flying all the way to Wyoming and my father to appear to me for me to come to my senses.”
“Ah, yes. My darling also came to visit me shortly after he passed,” Thalissa said, a dreamy look on her face. Leah took a good look at her and noticed even more fine lines on her face in the starry lighting of the open field. “I could hardly function, but remembering that he was always watching me helped. And your message gave me hope that you would one day truly return.”
“And I’m here,” Leah corroborated. “It took a lot of group therapy and grief counseling with my friend Katherine, who’d also lost someone. Things weren’t suddenly all better just because I moved, but they’re getting there. I got a new life by giving my old one away, and I don’t regret that for one moment.”
Thalissa squeezed her hand. “Wise words from such a young one. You’re right; it will take time to heal this hurt, both personally and for our people. But I’m happy I can have my daughter with me now. Oh, and I almost forgot: Cassie will be so happy to see you too.”
“She’s been with you this entire time?” Thalissa nodded and Leah smiled radiantly, remembering her perrikin.
Leah’s heart had never felt so full that day as they continued to talk and Thalissa taught her the basics under the magickal sky. As she said her goodbyes later with promises to return for more lessons and to engage the people of Lamrian at a later date, and as she and Nik (and Katherine) hunted that night, Leah took it all in with a huge smile on her face. To think that she was once stuck in a dead end job in Wyoming and no knowledge of who she truly was. It had been a life-changing year, but she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
==============================================
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.
.
.
In an unnamed part of the bayou, two female figures cloaked in black hoods stood side by side. Fireflies buzzed around, the only source of light in the night. The one with many faces and even more memories of time spoke first.
“The thrice-cursed son finally figured out it was I who hired him. He was not pleased when he confronted me today. Shame it took him so long; mortals are unfortunately so slow.”
The woman next to her, who did not have quite as many faces, scoffed in response. “You think that’s bad? She still thinks it was a coincidence that her dimwit friend and dead father showed up on the same night!”
The Fate turned to her, her face suddenly wrinkled and full of anger. “What did I tell you about using your magick for things like this?”
The woman rolled her chocolate brown eyes. “Cassiopeia did a real number on her by sending that monster. Things were going to get worse if I didn’t step in!”
“You forget, Jacqueline, that I am the only one who can foresee. This is my final warning not to meddle in which you do not know!”
With that, the Fate evaporated away, leaving her alone with her thoughts. The witch silently walked away eventually, and in the process walked by a giant dead alligator. She shook her head at the site and disappeared into the shadows.
==============================================
A/N: Anddd that’s it, folks! At least for this story. Surprise, I managed to finish it within 2019! I’ll see you all when I’m well under way my next Nightbound series. Thanks again for reading and I hope you have an amazing start to the new year 💗💗💗
My tag list will be in a comment because I had to bring my laptop in for repair, and my iPad makes it too difficult to do the tags in the post itself.
#nightbound#playchoices#choices: stories you play#nik ryder#nik x mc#nightbound nik#choices fanfiction#choices#pixelberry#playchoices fanfiction#phoebe writes choices#(bet y’all weren’t expecting this lmao)
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Shake Date
Characters: Peter Parker x reader, Cal (ofc)
Warnings: sadness, getting stood up, Cal is a dick, Peter fluff
Word Count: 1.4k
Description: You’ve been excited for this date with school hottie, Cal, all day. He seemed excited too. So where is he?
A/N: So I feel like right now, we need some Peter fluff and this is the one shot I wrote a short while back that I mentioned. So let’s party like this fandom isn’t a shit storm right now and enjoy some cuteness (the image that inspired this is from Pinterest, not sure if it is Tom but it’s pretty neat) xx Marvel Masterlist
Story:
25 minutes. You'd been waiting for 25 minutes for Cal. The two of you had agreed to meet at the old style diner on the corner of 73rd. You checked your phone again, rereading the message over and over again. The words were there, clear enough. Or maybe the message wasn't clear. Maybe you'd gotten the wrong diner. Maybe by tomorrow he'd meant the day after. Maybe you were overthinking things. Sending a third text seemed like an undesirable option- what would you even say? He had already received the 'I’m here’ and ‘Where are you?’. ‘Hi, I've been waiting for half an hour now, have you stood me up?’. No, that was too blunt. You definitely couldn't call; you hated phone calls, both making and answering them. In the end, you decided to do nothing. He was probably just stuck in traffic on a bus somewhere. With no internet. And no signal. And no way to check the time.
The waitress kept looking over at you. It could have been sympathy in her eyes but you didn't dare to look. She could have been annoyed at you for taking up a table without ordering. Not that it was exactly busy in the diner. There were a few couples sat in booths by the windows, like yourself minus the other half of the couple, and one young family at a big table full of milkshakes and waffles. The smallest girl, she's maybe two years old, mushed handfuls of sticky, cut-up waffles into her little mouth, getting a lot of it down her chin and her clothes. You smiled at her as she accidentally threw some across the table, much to the dismay of her two mothers. Also enjoying the various flavours of milkshakes the diner had to offer were a lot of kids you recognised from Midtown High. Their judgemental stares and smug snickering did not go unnoticed by you. You were a spectacle. Poor little Y/N stood up on a date. Some of them could've been in on it, you didn't know. They could have been messaging Cal and his friendship group of pig headed boys all about how lonely and stupid you looked. Sneaky photos taken carefully could have been circulating around the cliques, people reacting with laughing emojis and 'omg how sad’. Your throat burned and eyes stung at the thought so you shook your head to clear your mind. 40 minutes. You had most definitely been stood up.
A waitress with tight braids and some cool piercings all around her ears came over to your table with a tray, placing a humongous chocolate milkshake in front of you. It was about as big as your head, topped with cream, marshmallows, chocolate sauce and chocolate covered cookie pieces. It also came with a straw to tackle the monstrosity.
“Oh I didn't order anything…” you said quietly, embarrassed to have to send it back.
“I know you didn't, he did.” The teen you vaguely recognise from a year above you at school pointed to a boy at the counter handing money to the cashier. Peter Parker. He turned around holding a matching milkshake to yours and grinned.
“Can I join you?” he asked, pointing to the vacant seat opposite you.
“Uh um yeah, sure. You did buy me this.” You laughed awkwardly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear. Peter sits down, still smiling, and takes a sip from his drink.
“You been waiting long?”
“What?”
“For your date.”
“Oh, not too long.”
“He's an idiot for standing you up, trust me. Anyone would be.” He blushed, fiddling with his straw.
“Thanks… you didn't need to save me from the embarrassment of leaving.” You reluctantly took a sip of the milkshake, struggling to make eye contact. It was so chocolatey and cold, giving you a spike of brain freeze, but it tasted so so good.
“I know but… I saw you through the window and you looked a bit down and chocolate milkshakes always cheer me up so I thought I'd come in.”
“Okay… and what were you doing in this part of the neighborhood?” You asked, wanting to know more about the boy. You'd always thought he was cute in that quiet, nerdy way. He always hung around with Ned from your English class and that odd girl MJ. She drew you once while you were reading in the library, just a sketch, and it was really quite good (although a little creepy). About 3 months prior, word had spread that Peter had gotten himself a position as an intern for none other than Tony Stark. You were jealous, for sure- how could you not be? Your dream was to go to MIT after high school and a Stark internship was a surefire ticket in.
“Ah you know… I was just uh out for a walk.”
“A walk?”
“Yeah, getting some fresh air and all that.”
“Sure… this is good, how did you know I like chocolate?”
“Lucky guess.”
By halfway down the milkshake, the two of you got onto the topic of movies. Peter was a big fan of Star Wars and 80s classics. You liked superhero films and were a sucker for a cheesy romantic comedy. But, you both agreed that 80s music is the greatest genre. When you reached the bottom of the glass, the two of you still had plenty to talk and laugh about.
“I'm telling you, watch out tomorrow and you will see.”
“But how? When did this happen?”
“Well I spotted it for the first time a couple of months ago.” you thought back, laughing at Peter's confusion.
“I thought Mr Ginley was married.”
“He was. Got divorced in February.”
“How do you know all of this?” Peter smiled with one brow quirked.
“I stay behind in the library a lot, to study. You hear all sorts of things when people think no one is around.”
“Maybe I should come and hear for myself-” Peter's phone buzzed on the table, the name ‘May’ flashing on screen with a photo of a beautiful looking woman, “Damn it.”
“Who's May?” You asked, sensing your evening together was over.
“My aunt, she worries when I don't come home on time. I have to answer.”
“Sure, go ahead.” you smiled and he swiped the call to green.
“Hey May… no, I'm just out… but it's still light… May!... Okay, I'm just on 73rd… yeah… yeah… I love you too… okay, bye…” he put the phone back on the table and let out a sigh, “I have to go, I'm sorry.”
“No, it's okay. Thank you for… this. How much was the shake?” you reached for your bag, pulling out your purse.
“Oh, I got it. I know a milkshake isn't much but maybe I can take you on a proper date next time.” Peter blushed furiously, a shy grin leaving deep smile lines in his cheeks. It was infectious.
“Next time?”
“Well I-I mean if-if-if you want to, I just-”
“I'd love to” you cut him off mid adorable nervous stuttering. He looked up into your eyes with an even bigger smile.
“Great, I'll text you! Yeah, um, yeah I gotta go. Bye!” Peter rushed off out of the door, still smiling as he ran to catch the subway. You had a date with Peter Parker.
Peter felt proud of himself. He's gotten out of his comfort zone, pushed himself and finally asked you out on a date. It didn't go down how he had expected it to but that turned out to work in his favour. He didn't need to tell you Cal had been caught stealing from a department store on his way to your date and the police were called. You certainly didn't need to be told it was Spiderman who caught him. You'd find out soon enough anyway from Twitter or at school. And he certainly wasn't going to tell you that he was Spiderman, out on his usual patrol when he spotted you in the diner alone. You were the one he'd been crushing on for ages, so he couldn't tell you. Not yet.
#peter parker x reader#peter parker x you#peter parker x y/n#peter parker#marvel#mcu#marvel x reader#mcu x reader#spiderman x reader#spiderman x you#spiderman#spider man#spiderman homecoming#peter x reader#peter fluff#peter parker fluff#peter imagine#peter parker imagine#peter one shot#peter parker oneshot
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[What happened the day the DTI boys swapped personalities]
((I had 5 hours to do whatever so I did this. Warning it’s kinda longish))
So, Quinn was behind the idea of swaping personalities yesterday and was supported by Callum so it became a thing (this is how anything starts)
They all drew names.
Kierce got Francis.
Francis got Quinn.
Quinn got Kierce.
Callum got Kent.
Kent got Callum.
The rules to the game were simple:
- They had to dress up as the person they got
- They had to stay in character at all times
- Everyone contributes $50 for the prize money
- The last person to get eliminated gets the prize money
- if there are two or more people standing the eliminated have to vote for who did the best and the winner gets the prize money
Mission 1: Dress the part.
Kierce:
- Wore what he normal did around people
- stole an eyepatch from Francis' collection
- styled his hair to cover one of his eyes
- Money spent: $0
Francis:
- wore a ball cap
- a bright yellow T-Shirt that said, "spreading happy :)"
- blue jeans with splashes of different colors of paint
- tied his hair back and got rid of the eyepatch
- everyone liked that (but mostly Callum)
Quinn:
- avoided formal clothes at all costs
- raided Kierce's closet
- wore a million accessories
- shirt with obscure design on it
- black jeans
- yoiked Kierce's favorite jacket
- Kierce did not like that
Callum:
- sportswear
- looked good
- none were surprised
- posted so many pictures of himself
- his fans liked that
Kent:
- Callum had to help him
- $80 black dress shirt
- $50 white designer pants
- $65 grey Oxford boots
- $70 ring
- Total: $265.46
- Callum paid for all of it (:>)
- Kent looked really good tho so it was all worth it
"They're group of good-looking men but something very wrong with all them." - Kierce's grandma 2016
The Tumblr stuff happened while they were waiting for everyone to get ready and start the day. Kierce will never say "Idiot baka, ever again.
So earlier on everyone picked out an activity they all liked doing. So Callum picked first.
Mission 2: Have a fashion show in Callum’s room.
Kierce:
- said it was stupid
- didn't do it
- was a judge
- 0's for everyone
- took pictures of everyone
- and laughed bitterly
- enjoyed watching Francis suffer
Francis:
- hated every minute of it
- wanted to die
- was stuck as the dj
- fought the urge to play Last Resort
- fought the urge to yell at Kent's stupidity
Quinn:
- was a judge too
- used big words
- that he didn't know the meaning to
- it was very adorable
- "Sir your score is a 5+4."
- beams with pride at his cleverness.
Callum:
- lived and yet died
- had to wear simple or mismatched outfits
- oh the horror
- still looked good
Kent:
- wanted to try wearing high heels
- failed
- he tripped so badly
- and so many times
- but he really wanted to master walking in high heels
- Kent pls stop you can't
Next thing!
Mission 3: Play at the park with kids. Quinn picked it after bungee jumping was shot down by Francis (who is afraid of heights.)
Kierce:
- said it was stupid
- did it anyway
- Kei loves kids so dang much
- he had so much fun telling them stories and helping the small ones on the monkey bars
- said the kids made him do it
- frowned on the outside
- smiled on the inside
- a tiny girl hugged him and he nearly hugged her back
- he just patted her of the head awkwardly
Francis:
- played on the merry-go-round
- he spun it so fast and the kids loved him for it
- he was smiling and laughing with all of them
- fell off once and just laughed it off
- everyone recorded it
- Francis should act his age more often
- he snuck his camera out every couple of minutes to take pictures of everyone
- he mostly took pictures of Callum
Quinn:
- told kids to stay in school and never do drugs
- kept randomly saying things like, "1+1=2"
- "Hey kid. Do you want some smarties? It's $20 a piece"
- the kids found it funny
- Kierce did not
- pretended to take a nap on the bench
Callum:
- played basketball with some boys
- used to play basketball and hadn't done it in forever
- everyone appreciated that
- "How are you so tall mister?" "I have no idea I just," waves hands around, "grew one day."
- his Kent impression was dead on
- Kent went :O "I did that too!"
Kent:
- played basketball with Callum and kids
- he forgot he was Callum and couldn't help it
- he was eliminated
- but everyone expected that
- Kent will and can only be Kent
Next!!!!
Mission 4: Play volleyball. Twas Kent’s idea so they went to the gym that the volleyball club use. The club members were there as usual and they played too.
Kierce:
- Said it was stupid
- Did it anyway
- Had fun
- Got hit in the face with the ball many times
Francis:
- He was not a fan
- He did jump around tho
- and smiled no matter how fake it was
- so he was safe
- showed amazing team spirit
- Lysander dropped by because he heard there was drama going on within the jock circle
- happiness levels went up by millions
- and smiled brighter than the sun
- Ly was so confused but he liked seeing his bf happy as did everyone
(Side note: Francis is not single.)
Quinn:
- You could tell he wanted to jump around and just be an energy ball
- because that's what he did
- he was eliminated
- but he just shrugged it off and laughed
- had too much fun missing the ball every time he tried to spike it
Callum:
- CEO of getting hit in the face.
- usually he'd just dodge them
- but he was Kent now
- he couldn't afford to break character
- His nails suffered and he was in pain but he pushed through
- had fun?
- got hit in the stomach once
- nearly died
Kent:
- just an normal day with the bois
- kept forgetting that most of the boys has never played volleyball before
- he was the one behind all the times Callum and Kierce got hit in the face
Mission 5: Read books. Kierce's activity was originally doing a job one of the teachers had hired him to do, which was clean out one of the storage rooms. No one but Kierce liked that. So he had to pick again.
Kierce:
- complained about such a stupid activity
- read, "How to be British 101," and, "The Tea for Me Might Be the Tea for You”
- enjoyed it
Francis:
- enjoyed the peace and quiet
- until he realized he was suppose to be disturbing it
- looked over at Kierce
- who looked back at him with a smug smile and then went back to his book
- the urge to strangle was strong with this one
- in the end he just bounced around looking at books
- talked loudly about whatever
- got kicked out of the library
- danced all the way out
- wanted to die
Quinn:
- knew he was eliminated but was having too much fun to stop
- randomly shushed people
- found a math book
- it was big so he assume it was complicated
- it was and he understood nothing but he felt smart
- "Quinn what are you reading?" "Advanced Engineering Mathematics; the 7th edition."
- when he got tired of it he found a book with math puns
- math puns for the rest of the day
Callum:
- avoided the fashion magazines
- wouldn't even go anywhere near it
- instead he just walked around all bored like
- bounced a ball off the wall
- accidentally hit himself in the face with the ball
- blacked out for a minute
- when he finally came to
- Kent: "Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there."
- Callum: "Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell. You there. You and me - we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."
- Quinn: "We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief."
- Kierce: "Shut up back there!"
- Francis recorded the whole thing
Kent:
- was bored
- kept pulling books off the shelves and putting them back where they didn't belong
- danced out with Francis
The last mission: Go to Francis' favorite tea shop.
Kierce:
- first thing he did was order Francis' favorite tea
- "Hmm, this doesn't taste as good as it usually does."
- got assaulted by napkins
Francis:
- assaulted Kierce with napkins
- tried to run away
- Kierce threw a fork at him
- he died from shock
- eliminated
- ordered his favorite tea
- proceeded to go on a rant about how stupid the day has been
- chewed out Kent for being stupid and told him to never try wearing high heels beacuse he'll only hurt himself
- told Quinn that offering candy to kids was a bad idea even if it is a joke because adults can take it the wrong way and that his math puns were the worst
- told Callum that he should play basketball more often
- glared at Kierce
Quinn:
- makes a math pun
- but it's not just any math pun
- it's the worst math pun
- had countless hot chocolates because Callum was paying
- tried to make Francis and Kierce apologize to each other
- Francis: "No, I'm not apologizing. He said something stupid and deserved everything he got."
- Kierce: "I'm not apologizing to someone as stupid as him that's just stupid."
- Quinn: :(
- Kent: "Could you two get along FOR FIVE MINUTES!"
Callum:
- smiled at all the workers and told them they were all doing a great job
- gave them all a $50 tip for their hard work
- they were so busy dying they didn't notice Kierce and Francis fighting
- the DTI boys avoided getting kicked out again
- sadly that wasn't a very Kent thing to do
- he did got eliminated
- ordered an latte
- there was a fancy heart in it
- Cal took a picture
- then he asked for the cafe worker who did it to thank them
- "Thank you, you’re really talented with latte art. Next time I visit will you teach me how to do that?"
Kent:
- he had a great time
- had a smoothie or two
- laughed at Quinn's bad math puns when no one else did
To end the day the five friends went to a karaoke and had a great time singing and talking about the events of the day. Francis showed off the pictures he took that day and promised that he'd print copies of the best ones and give them to everyone. Kierce won $250 which is always a good way to end the day. Callum swore to never play volleyball and posted on Instagram about the day. Quinn has a great time and learned many things, like how many math puns there are, something that is always very important to know. Kent was just happy to spend time with his friends and play volleyball. It was a wonderful day.
#DTI boys#kierce sherman#francis wolfe#quincy graves#callum carter#kent woodson#DTI personality swap#ooc
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Please do #5 with Cal, idk if my heart can take it but please!
#5 with Cal pleaseeee
5 + cal of course 🥺
you’ve been sleeping at mine because your house is being renovated and we aren’t even dating, yet every time you wake up to the baby crying and sigh, “I’ll go” I feel like we might as well be married
--
the first sound of your daughter’s cries were enough to wake you from your slumber, no matter how deep in you were, as the sound came from both the baby monitor on your bedside and through your cracked open door as the cries traveled from down the small hall. a heavy, tired sigh escaped you as you kicked off your sheets, your movements a bit too slow as you got up and made your way towards the hall. you rubbed the back of your neck, a yawn falling past your lips just as the guest bedroom door across from yours opened up to reveal your friend standing in his pajama pants.
Calum’s hair was messy atop his head, running his fingers through his curls as his sleepy eyes met yours. you parted your lips to apologize for Olive’s cries, but Calum merely waved you off and walked out of the room and towards Olive’s. “i’ve got her,” he rasped, voice hoarse from lack of use in his sleep, before disappearing into the nursery.
and you just stared after him, eyes heavy with exhaustion and awe, because this wasn’t the first time he offered to go to Olive when she woke you both up in the middle of the night. it surprised you the first time he did it and it continued to surprise you every time he did. Calum had been staying over your place for a little over a week now since his was being renovated, and you were more than happy to have his company in your place. to be honest, it felt so good to be in the presence of someone other than a baby, and as much as you love your daughter with every fiber of your being, the adult interaction was much needed.
you contemplated going back to bed, ready to collapse in between the mattress and comforters, but your feet moved you to a different direction. quietly, you moved towards Olive’s room as you noted her cries had died down. when you got to the door, leaning against the frame, you felt your heart warm in your chest. Olive looked so unbelievably small in Calum’s tattooed arms, and you pulled your lower lip into your mouth as you watched him keep his gaze on her, gently pacing and swaying her back and forth as he hummed a soothing tune.
every time he held Olive, it was like he had cast a spell on her, you were convinced of that. your daughter was always so entranced by him, and you honestly were starting to believe that only he would be capable of calming her down. the sight before you had your stomach fluttering; your shirtless, gorgeous friend soothing your little one back to sleep. you kind of wanted him to stay at your place forever.
you stayed by the door as Calum eventually settled a now sleeping Olive back into her crib, just faintly hearing him whisper, “goodnight, bug.”
his gaze met yours as he started making his way out of the room, eyebrows raising as you offered him a genuine smile. you were leaning against the doorframe, hands behind your back, and Calum mirrored your position opposite of you. he looked adorable, you couldn’t help but admire, even in the dark of your home. messy hair and tired eyes and tattoos on display—it was all working for him.
you looked over to the crib, a smile upturning your lips as you murmured absently, “she’s. . . enchanted by you.”
you heard him let out a gentle chuckle. “the feeling’s completely mutual.”
the two of you moved away from the door then, not wanting your whispered conversation to stir Olive awake, and headed towards your own bedrooms. but instead of going back to bed, you looked up at Calum with a soft smile. “seriously, Cal, thank you. i’m sorry that she wakes you but you don’t have to get up when she cries—”
“hey, you kiddin’?” Calum laughed quietly, shaking his head to stop you mid sentence. you had a little hallway light plugged in at the end of the hall to provide some kind of light during the night, and the shadows of the dull light danced across Calum’s features: tired but content. “i love Olive and, y’know, it’s the least i can do for you lettin’ me stay here on top of bein’ a new mom.”
you let out a small sigh. you could tell in his tone that he felt as though he was imposing, despite the several times you assured him he wasn’t. you loved having Calum around, and you knew your baby girl did, too. plus, if you were being honest, even though he wasn’t the father, him being around made you feel as though you were going through this parent thing completely by yourself.
“you don’t owe me anything,” you reminded him before smiling. “if anything, i should be thanking you. for, you know—” you paused to let out a shy, almost nervous laugh. “not making me feel like i’m doing this alone.”
Calum’s eyebrows drew together, as if he was just then realizing how much you enjoyed having him in your home—and how you probably had been scared of raising a child by yourself. but you were the strongest, most badass woman Calum had met, someone he knew was capable of being the best mom out there, and to be afraid of raising a child was normal, Calum thought. still, though, he didn’t like seeing you seeming as though you felt inadequate.
“sweetheart,” Calum started with a breathless chuckle, taking a step towards you. your head tilted to keep your eyes locked with his. “even if i wasn’t here, you wouldn’t be doing this on your own, y’know? you’re an amazing mom,” he reassured with a boyish grin, hands on your shoulders as he gave them a squeeze. “but i’ll be here for you whenever you need me. i’m here for you and for Olive.”
“i know,” you answered with a gentle laugh, before offering a shrug. “It’s—you don’t have to be so, y’know, i appreciate that you are.”
“shut up, you’re my best friend,” Calum scoffed with a roll of his eyes, pulling you into his chest. you smiled against him, heart jumping at the feel of his bare skin under your cheek, as you wrapped your arms around him. his warmth was a much needed solace, far better than what your bed could offer. you felt his chin rest on top of your head after he pressed a kiss to it. “i’ve got you and i’ve got your baby.”
you shut your eyes at his words, the smile widening and heart jumping. you wondered if he had any idea just how much his words meant to you. you squeezed your arms around him, the silence of your home comforting and Calum’s embrace all the more. yeah, he was your best friend, and you couldn’t have asked for anyone better.
the sound of Olive crying broke you two apart with what sounded like a combination of a sigh and laugh. you closed your eyes, tilting your head back with a soft groan as your arms remained around him. ugh, why did she wake up?
looking at Calum, you patted his chest and said, “i got her.”
Calum shrugged, his smile reappearing once more. “i’ll come.”
you mirrored his grin. you could use the company.
send me a boy + one number
#hoodschick#sentence prompts#calum hood#5sos#5 seconds of summer#calum hood blurb#calum hood blurbs#5sos blurb#5sos blurbs
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For Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora, music was the key to unlock a long-held sense of disconnection
Interview by Andrew McMillen for The Weekend Australian (June 1st, 2019).
Music writer Andrew McMillen meets Icelandic sensation Aurora ahead of her album release
As a child, Aurora Aksnes grew up in a town not far from Bergen, in southwestern Norway, surrounded by a forest, ocean, space and plenty of silence — fertile grounds in which to plant seeds of imagination.
Her two older sisters, Miranda and Viktoria, were worried that her strangeness — especially her out-there dress sense — would make her a target for bullies. “We were so scared that it was going to be tough for you to go to high school,” her sisters say in a video published in 2016. “But everybody loved you.”
Singing, songwriting and playing piano became her three fascinations; all activities she could indulge on her lonesome. This began in childhood and continued into her adolescence, when she was plucked from obscurity and essentially asked whether she wanted to pursue a career in music. She said yes, and she hasn’t looked back. In that same video from 2016, filmed in Bergen with her friends and family, and released to coincide with her debut album, Aurora says, “Music is not something that you should keep for yourself. It can’t be put in a cage because it’s wild and alive.”
On stage in Brisbane on a Monday night early last month, the blue-eyed and blonde artist is midway through a powerful 90-minute set. Dressed in red and flanked by a live band that produces pulsating electronic pop, the 22-year-old pauses between songs to address the 800-strong capacity crowd at the Triffid.
“I feel like I’m in this room with friends,” she says. “It’s a nice feeling because I feel so often disconnected to humans. I feel very lucky because I don’t know how the hell I got here. I don’t know how I became an artist — but I do know that it’s 90 per cent because of you guys.
“Without you, it’s an empty room; without you, there’s no one that gives my words power.”
Then, with a nod to her drummer and co-producer Magnus Skylstad, the band kicks into the next track as the lights change colour and the crowd thrills to her music.
She does not so much perform as inhabit these songs, as if singing them for the first time. There’s not a trace of self-consciousness; instead, the young woman dancing centre stage, microphone in hand, exudes a contagious freedom and vitality. Here, among friends, she is adored. Two days later, in the hours before another Groovin the Moo festival sideshow in Fremantle, Aurora perks up when reminded of her philosophy that music cannot be caged.
“Oh, yes, it’s very true, and that’s why I know I have to share it,��� she tells Review. “When I perform, that’s why I’m so excited; it’s like the music is too big for my tiny shape of a body. I feel very explosive when I perform. That’s the whole point in why I started sharing the music: if you have the gift of making music, it’s like we’re on a mission, we people who can translate the music into something that the rest of the world can understand.”
In a relatively short time, the rest of the world has come to understand and appreciate Aurora’s art. While the story of her ascent from small-town anonymity to filling clubs and playing festivals on the other side of the planet is somewhat typical of the streaming era, the results are certainly not.
It goes like this: after uploading a song online in 2012, when she was 16, what was intended as a Christmas gift for her parents found its way to the ears of an agent, which set in motion an unexpected but welcome recording career. Since 2015, she has released an EP, a debut album — 2016’s All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend — and a follow-up LP that has been split into two halves, released last year and this year.
As well, a couple of well-chosen cover songs have helped to highlight her extraordinary, singular vocal abilities and opened up new audiences.
First in 2015, her stark take on Half the World Away by Oasis featured in a prominent British Christmas advertisement; it remains one of her most-played songs on streaming services. Then on an Australia visit in 2017, she recorded a spellbinding cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop for Triple J’s Like a Version segment. It has since attracted nearly seven million YouTube views.
In turn, the global response to her music during the past four years has led to a pleasant awakening: her work matters.
“I want to do this as long as I feel like people need me to do this,” she says. “Right now, I feel very needed. It’s a job that the world needs because being a human is so hard and music sometimes makes it easier. As long as I feel needed, I’ll do it. I’ll be an artist forever; I’m a very hungry woman, and I like to dance and paint, and I want to explore and eventually share that with the world, too.”
In conversation, Aurora comes across as remarkably grounded and insecurity-free. A month out from the release of A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) — usually a time of peak anxiety and uncertainty among recording artists, who will soon learn whether their latest work is judged to be their greatest or otherwise — she shrugs and says that she doesn’t really have any particular hopes or expectations for it. “Whatever will happen will happen,” she says. “I’m already working on my next album; I feel quite far away from this album. I hope at least one person will really love it. It is quite diverse, with many different moods and personalities. I am quite excited to perform the songs live, but it doesn’t really matter how people perceive it.
“Some people will always understand it and appreciate it, and that’s enough.” Between songs at the Triffid, Aurora talks a lot, and she’s often funny and endearing.
‘ In the beginning I didn’t really talk because I didn’t have anything to say. But then I learned that if you do talk to the audience, people tend to feel more safe and more connected to you’ Aurora Aksnes
“We’ve been doing all these shows in Australia, and it’s so strange we can have our own show in Brisbane and there are people here waiting for us,” she says at the beginning. “From the bottom of my huge heart and small tits — actually, no, they are quite big — thank you so, so much for coming tonight.”
Later, she admits to feeling some snotty congestion: “It’s kind of loosening up now as I’m dancing and making its journey down my throat. It tastes like salt and I don’t know how I feel about that.” But while introducing Through the Eyes of a Child, she turns serious for a few moments.
“Sometimes it’s hard to find people to talk to about your pain because it makes us feel like a burden, or we are taught to feel like a burden when we are not happy,” she says. “I know you’re all here for a reason. Maybe you’re a bit like me: you’re emotional or you look a bit different on the inside or the outside. This next song is for you if you’re going though a hard time.”
This connection with her audience is real and rare, but it wasn’t always this way.
“In the beginning I didn’t really talk because I didn’t have anything to say,” she tells Review. “But then I learned that if you do talk to the audience, people tend to feel more safe and more connected to you. You show them a special thing they don’t usually see unless they go to my show. It’s like they’re my friend or I’m their friend. I do have mouth diarrhoea because I tend to talk way too much, but it just happens. I do what I want and, at the moment, I feel like talking a lot.”
Aurora’s cover of the Massive Attack hit Teardrop, performed for Triple J’s Like a Version segment, has attracted nearly seven million YouTube views
There’s another aspect of her artistry that has changed in recent years, too. “I used to feel nervous before shows, but then it stopped because I realised it’s obvious I know what I’m doing,” she says. “I know why I’m here; I know how to do this. Now, I find it more scary to be among people or to have a one-to-one conversation with someone. I know what to do on the stage and it feels like it’s important.”
With shows booked up to December, including an extensive 20date tour of Norway, her recent Australian trip will soon be in the rear-view mirror. While travelling here, however, she was particularly inspired by our native trees, which she found to be vastly different compared with those in her homeland, so perhaps the sights and sounds of our country may feed back into her future art.
Yet watching her on stage, before an audience completely in tune with her voice and body, the philosophy she outlined in that video a few years ago comes to mind. Aurora can’t be put in a cage, because she is wild and alive. Luckily for us, her music is not something she has kept for herself.
A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) is released on Friday via Glassnote Records.
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Easy Like Sunday Morning - [c.h]
word count: 1932
warnings: fluffy fluff fluff
summary: sunday mornings are much easier when you spend it with your boyfriend
Sunday mornings in Calum’s apartment was what heaven felt like, and (y/n) was sure of it. For most of her life Sunday was a dreaded day, and she’d always spent it rushing to use all of her free time before the school/work week ahead. And by the end of the day, she felt drained, and as though she’d wasted half of her weekend.
But since she started spending her weekends at Calum’s… her perspective on the day changed quite a bit.
She’d been woken up by the sun, peeking in through the blinds, and although it was pretty early, she as wide awake as soon as her eyes had opened. Calum was lying next to her, still fast asleep. She admired him for a few moments, how his skin seemed to glow with the sunshine hitting it, how his eyelashes fluttered a bit, making her wonder what he dreamt about. Even the quiet snores coming from his parted lips made her heart swell with adoration.
Pressing a light kiss to his forehead, she wiggled out from his hold on her under the covers, and tiptoed out of his room, and down the stairs. Normally she’d make breakfast for when Cal woke up, but she wasn’t hungry yet, and the new grand piano that he’d just got looked so inviting.
She happily padded over to it, bare legs sitting in the cool bench and shivering just a little bit as she pulled back the cover over the keys. Pearly white, crisp black, she’d love to watch Calums fingers dance along them as he tinkered with a song.
She let her own fingers stroke against a few keys, listening to the soft sounds that echoed from it. She fiddled a little bit until her hands found a home in a tune she’d played many times before when alone. She smiled to herself, her eyes even falling shut in peace as she played along to one of her favorite songs. Even singing along softly. But her voice carried because of the high ceilings.
Calum had woken up, thanks to the beautiful music coming downstairs. He’d eagerly pulled on a pair of sweatpants and made his way downstairs, walking as quietly as possible down the stairs, because he knew if (y/n) realized he was there, she’d stop playing. She was kind of shy like that.
Luckily she hadn’t noticed him there, leaning against the wall a few feet behind her as she played one of his songs. It was Ghost of You, but she’d clearly put her own slow twist on it. It wasn’t often that she would sing in front of him, no matter how many times he told her that he loved it when she sang.
As she began to fade out of the song and was just messing around with a few chords, Calum approached her, wrapping his arms around her torso and making her jump in surprise. Almost instantly a blush rose to her face out of embarrassing, he had to have heard her playing and singing.
“Cal-”
“Ya sounded like an angel, pretty girl,” He said, cutting her off before she could start babbling nervously. “I’d love to put that on youtube-”
“Oh no, no way,” A nervous giggle left her lips as she shook her head. Calum smiled at her, taking a seat next to her on the piano bench, facing the opposite way. “You didn’t take a video did you?”
“No, but I really should’ve, huh?” (y/n) rolled her eyes as he continued to smile at her. “Guess it’ll be my little secret that you sing better than the band”
(y/n) smiled a bit at him, leaning forward and pecking his lips.
“Not to mention, you’re playing in my shirt”
She looked down to see that in fact, she was in his shirt, and nothing else, when she looked back at him, he wore a big cocky grin she’d seen countless times before.
“Hm,” She hummed, fingers pinching the material as though inspecting it. “Guess I am”
“You’re so cheeky sometimes,” Calum chuckled as his finger hooked under her chin, drawing her in close and pressing his lips to hers in a proper kiss. “I love you”
(y/n) blinked, eyes round and a smile tugging on the corners of her lips. Calum’s thumb was stroking along her jaw soothingly, and it took her a moment to process his words. She may have loved him for a while now, but they’d never said it out loud.
“I love you too,” She whispered out, making him smile, his eyes crinkling as he did so. She laid her palms on his cheeks, pulling him into her to kiss him again, much more passionately. “Took you long enough to tell me,” She mumbled against his lips. “I was waiting for you to say it first”
“You waited?” Calum pulled away from the kiss, making (y/n) chase after them as he leaned back a bit. “How long?”
“I dunno, a month” She shrugged.
“You knew you were in love with me for a month and didn’t say anything?”
“I wanted you to say it first,” She told him softly. “I knew you didn’t believe in love before you met me, I wanted to know you were sure before telling you”
Calum smiled as he shook his head, cupping her face and planting a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“You’re so perfect, I don’t know how I got lucky enough to find someone like you” He said, and (y/n) smiled, but her eyebrows drew together. She only waited to tell him because she didn’t want to push feelings onto him that could stress him out.
“I think that’s you babe,” She said lovingly, playing with the curls that fell over his forehead. “You’ve always been the perfect one”
Calum grinned widely at her, and then took her off guard, scooping her in his arms and picking her up off the piano bench. She squealed in surprise, her arms winding around his neck and legs around his hips while his hands planted on her thighs to keep her upright. Calum peppered her face in kisses, making her giggle as she leaned into his bare chest.
He walked them over to the living room sofa, dropping her onto the cushions and making her let out a shriek again, before he climbed over her and hastily pressed a kiss to her lips. She hummed against him, hands trailing up his chest and delving into his hair.
“Stay in all day?” Calum asked as he hiked his tee shirt up her body, hands gripping her hips and making her smile into their kisses.
“Can we do this and stay in pajamas all day?” She asked, and he hummed in agreement. “Sounds like a plan for the day then” He chuckled and placed a kiss on her jaw, and then another, and another. (y/n’s) back arched a bit as he slowly continued on.
She could let him kiss her all day long and never get tired of his plump lips.
Cuddling on the couch after a long makeout session and sex in the shower, the two were worn out, and content to just relax in front of the tv. (y/n) was in another one of his tee shirts and booty shorts, while Calum was in sweats and a tank top.
She was leaning her head on his shoulder, legs strewn over his lap with her arm around his neck, her other hand tracing patterns on his shirt. Calum had both arms wrapped around her middle, occasionally dragging his fingertips over her exposed smooth legs as they just relaxed.
The moment was quiet, and comfortable. It was the little things like this that made her Sundays brighter.
That was until there was knocking on Calum’s door.
(y/n’s) brows furrowed as she lifted her head off of him, silently asking who it could be. The bassist just sighed, taking her legs off of his lap and brushing his lips over her forehead as he got up to see who was here. (y/n) sighed from the loss of contact, folding her arms over the back of the sofa and setting her chin on top of them while watching Calum answer the door.
“Hey, mate!” Ashton greeted with a big smile, letting himself in and giving his friend a side hug on the way. Luke followed in after him, giving the same greeting.
“Hey… what are you guys doin’ here?” Calum asked, and both boys shrugged.
“We’re bored, we wanna watch movies,” Luke claimed, casting a side glance and a wave to (y/n) on the couch. “Hi (y/n/n)”
“Hi” She smiled back at him politely, and Calum let them inside the apartment, shutting the door behind them.
“We’re just watching stuff anyways, I guess,” He said with a shrug, looking to (y/n) to make sure it was okay with her as well. She nodded and smiled at the idea, not minding the company at all. “But you’re gonna have to put up with cuddling” He told them as he made his way back to the couch, pulling (y/n) right back into his lap.
“I think we’ll manage” Luke said.
They picked out a movie that everyone could agree on, and got settled in. Luke and Ashton were on the separate chairs while (y/n) and Calum sprawled out on the couch. He had his back to the arm rest, and (y/n) was sat between his legs, leaning against his chest, her head on his collarbone. Both of his arms held her to him, and her hands were curled over his forearms as he held her.
She loved the way he held her, like he could never let go.
“Where’s Mikey?” Calum asked after a while of just sitting and watching the movie.
“With his fiance,” Ashton answered dramatically. “I don’t know, something about needing free time with the love of his life”
“Free time? Never heard of it,” (y/n) remarked playfully, winking when Ashton threw her a glance. “Never been interrupted or anything”
“From the looks of you neck love, I’d think you had plenty of free time before we got here” Luke said.
The comment made Calum glare at him for a moment before glancing down to his girlfriend’s neck, where, sure enough, there were love bites and hickeys scattered all along her skin. He laughed quietly and kissed one of the marks.
“How many did you leave?” She asked her clingy boyfriend. He started counting on both sides, and pursed his lips.
“Six, new record?” He replied cheekily, earning a gentle slap on the chest as she laid back against him again.
“You’re ridiculous” She mumbled.
“Yeah well, your the one who’s in love with me” He teased, making her smile and blush.
“Shut up” She whined quietly.
“You guys said the ‘L’ word?” Ashton asked happily, and Luke perked up.
“You used the ‘L’ word? Oh man (y/n/n), you’re in deep now” He joked, but she just smiled.
“I already was anyways,” She said, tilting her head to kiss Calum’s lips while he was focused on the tv. He smiled back at her from the surprise kiss. “Might as well be getting all the benefits too”
Sundays spent at Calum’s were always the best, no matter what they did. He was the one person in this world that she could sit and do nothing with and still be content. She really did love him with her whole heart.
(a/n): requests are open btw
xoxo ~ jordie
#5sos#5sos x reader#5sos fanfiction#5sos imagine#5sos scenario#calum hood#calum hood x reader#calum hood imagine#calum hood fanfiction#calum hood scenario
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