#I love how when you first play as Jeff you can open all gift boxes and Tony just looks at him

[zharizard666]

mombound drafts :]

figured that if I'm not finishing them I might as well just post my sketches.

[meetmymouth]

out in the heartland : harry styles

summary: it’s harry’s birthday and you have a very special gift for him word count: 6k warnings: daddy kink, pegging, anal fingering & rimming

“Love, can you get us more crisps,” Harry calls from where he’s seated on the floor, a Playstation console in hand.

It’s another lockdown Monday where they turn Mitch and Sarah’s spacious living room into a gaming room slash studio– according to Mitch, bowls of crisps, cheese platters, wine glasses and other snacks decorating every surface as they play anything and everything from FIFA to Fortnite until their brains are too foggy and they can’t move their fingers properly due to alcohol in their systems.

Sarah and Mitch were kind enough to let them both quarantine at theirs for a while, and it’d been so much fun, spending time with Mitch and Sarah, cooking together, watching films and going on walks, and overall having a great time with their friends. As much as it was just another Monday in lockdown, it was a special one with today being Harry’s 27th. They’ve already cut his cake, one she’d made herself -and Sarah helping with the piping– decorated with maraschino cherries and sprinkles, and they’ve been spending the night drinking posh wine and screaming at each other while Harry and Mitch played FIFA.

With two bowls filled with more crisps, she makes her way back to the living room with a smile on her face as Mitch and Harry keep going on and on about the game, and Sarah teasing them both, asking whether they’d get a divorce soon since they’ve been arguing back and forth like an old, married couple.

They pause the game as Mitch says her name, “did you see the card Jeff sent Harry for his birthday?” He’s smirking as he takes another sip of his wine, and Harry throws a piece of cheese at him, earning a glare from the long-haired man.

“Not yet, what is it?”

“Jeff being a dickhead as per. He sent me a card, it’s between my book, there,” he gestures at his book on the sofa with his head.

She grabs the thick book, turns the pages until she finds the card with ease, and she feels her heart drop for some reason, eyebrows furrowing and palms starting to sweat as she turns to Harry. He’s watching her with a grin on his face, the others already laughing at what’s in front of the card as she takes it in her hands to inspect the shiny birthday card.

“’Happy pegging birthday’” she reads out loud with a monotonous voice. “Uh… okay. That’s– very funny.”

“He’s just being stupid,” Harry laughs, running a finger thorugh his hair. He sits up, mouth full of crisps, and extends his hand for her to hold. “Come here, let me feed you cheese.”

“Okay… uh, nice card.”

“I mean, I love you, Sarah, but–” Mitch starts, mouth full, and Sarah cuts him off with a glare.

“Do not finish that sentence,” she points the wine glass at him as the sounds of cackling follow behind.

They all laugh… except her.

It’s funny. It is. And she loves them, loves laughing with them. But now, with the card Harry labelled as ‘stupid’ in hand and a fancy, pink box with Harry’s name on it waiting for them, waiting for him upstairs, on the bed they’d been sharing since the beginning of lockdown, she can’t help but feel stupid, too.

Was that a bold move? Was she being too brave, or… stupid? Whatever it was, she couldn’t help but let a pang of shame and sadness engulf her for a moment, before Harry’s silky voice pulls her away from her thoughts. She accepts the hand extended and sits next to him on the floor, card now forgotten on the sofa, and she tries to occupy both her mind and hands with Sarah’s fluffy cat, giving his little head tiny pets as Harry rubs her back as if it would get rid of the tension she was feeling.  

“You okay,” he brings his mouth close to her gear and whispers, then presses the gentlest, softest kiss on her ear. “D’you need anything?”

“I’m fine.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, H.”

It’s not until 2AM that everyone decides to go up to their rooms, not even batting an eye at the mess they made as they make their way upstairs with promises to clean everything in the morning. Now that she knows the box is there, on the bed where Harry can easily detect as soon as they open the door, her stomach begins growling but not because she’s hungry, but because she’s feeling anxious, and ashamed.

She has to do something.

“Hey, um…” she begins, stopping them both in front of the guest room they’d been occupying. “Could you– could you bring me water, I forgot to take my meds today.”

“Baby…” Harry says, hand going up to her cheeks to stroke there for a moment. “I thought you had an alarm… I filled your water bottle this morning and put it on the bedside table, come on.”

“No– Harry…”

“What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I am, I just want fresh water.”

“Are you– are you serious?”

“Yes,” it comes out as a question rather than an answer and she bites her bottom lip, feeling uneasy under Harry’s curious gaze.

“You’re being kinda weird.”

“I’m not being weird!”

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?” He says with eyebrows furrowed and hand on his hip. “In the bedroom, in particular?”

“Don’t be silly.”

And as soon as he turns away, she knows she’s done for. It’s too late. She’s fucked. Everything’s fucked, she thinks, and he will hate her. Will never want to see her face again and probably ask her to leave as soon as possible since he won’t be able to look at her ever again without being reminded of her disgusting “gift”.

He goes in, of course he does, and she can’t help but close her eyes for a few moments before she joins him, hands sweaty and heart beating like there’s no tomorrow. She finds him near the bed, eyes focused on the box sitting in the middle of the bed, and she looks up when he does, finding him giving her a bright, heart-clenching smile as the dimple gets wider.

“Well, what’s this then, bab?”

His socked-feet makes a comforting noise on the carpeted floor, and he stops when he reaches where she’s standing, hands immediately finding her hips to bring them closer.

“Harry, please don’t open it,” it’s pathetic, she thinks, how desperate and anxious she sounds. Though, she can’t help but close her eyes when Harry’s hand finds the back of her neck as he strokes there with his thumb. “Don’t open it. It’s just silly. It’s a joke.”

“Baby, breathe. What are you even talking about, hm? Why are you– oh my god, darling, you look like you’re having a panic attack. You’re sweating, are you…” he squeezes her flesh gently, then guides her to the bed. “Hey, look at me– look. I’m not going to open it unless you want me to. Do you really not know me? I would never do anything you don’t want me to. Who do you take me for, hm?” It’s so gentle, his voice, it’s like honey is dripping down his mouth and she can’t help but watch the way his pink lips move. “Baby. Look at me. I love you. You’re so special to me, you’re my whole world. I won’t open it– I won’t, I promise. C’mere, babs.”

“I love you too,” she sniffs once, twice, then rubs her eyes.

“Wanna go to sleep... hm? Come on, bab, let’s go to sleep.”

Nights chase each other away, Tuesday kisses Wednesday and Thursday is spent with laughter and too much smoke and Friday finally arrives and it’s like a breath of fresh air, but she also thinks it’s due to the open windows and fresh flowers in the spacious kitchen. The box, containing the cursed gift of hers is forgotten, placed under their bed besides their suitcases, and everything feels normal. Almost too normal. So, she does what most people would do: look for ‘trouble’.

When Harry’s in the shower, she gets the box out and sits on the bed as she thinks about what to do with it. But, apparently, the stillness of the room was too good to be true as Harry emerges from the ensuite, hair still dripping-wet as he adjusts the robe, eyes immediately finding what she’s got in front of her, and the box that is now open, and a black leather piece hanging from the not-so-tall box.

“Hi, sweet girl,” he’s testing the waters, she knows. His eyebrows are furrowed, only slightly, and mouth slightly parted. “What are you doing, darling?”

It’s not a threat, nor asked with the intention of intimidating her. Alas, she feels threatened.

“I…”

“What is it?”

She sighs, feeling the cold sweat dripping down her back, and finally gives up. “See for yourself,” the box is thrust into his hands, and she leaves the room, leaving behind a confused, semi-naked man and a very expensive looking strap-on.

It’s not another fifteen minutes until Harry comes downstairs dressed in only a pair of joggers, and finds her on the sofa as she chews on her thumb –a bad habit really– while reading one of Harry’s books. He walks up to her with a tiny smile on his face, and curls into her side, resting his head in the crook of her neck as he breathes in the sweet smell and the now all too familiar fabric softener.

He waits for her to speak first, not wanting to upset her further, but all she does is sit there, and pretend to read until Harry lets out a sigh, and presses a brief, gentle kiss to her jaw.

“Can we talk?” He says, hands now resting on her thigh as his thumb strokes the skin there.

She sighs too, and fidgets under his gaze. “Not really.”

“Why not, though? We’ve been together for years. Why are you so scared of me, hm? Have I ever done something to make you feel like you can’t be honest with me?”

“No, it’s just embarrassing to me, Harry. And… seeing that card. And you calling it… stupid. I just feel like an idiot, please stop.”

Harry sighs, his breath hitting the side of her face. “Look at me. Look–” he reaches and touches her jaw. “I love you. I’m madly in love with you. The kind that keeps me up at night. The kind that makes my heart hurt in the best possible way. I’m so gone, baby, so fucking gone for you. You got me. I can’t leave, now, I’d never want to,” he presses his forehead to the side of her jaw, the damp skin feeling cold against her flesh. “Jeff on the other hand… can we not talk about him when I have these– these images in my head. Of you. Wearing that.”

“You’re just saying that because you don’t want me to feel bad but too bad, I feel like shite and am so fucking embarassed, you don’t get it.”

“I do, I fucking do and I’m trying to tell you how much I’d love it if you fucked me in the ass. Now, you either come upstairs and finish what you started, or–”

They’re both startled when Mitch enters the living room and drops the book in his hand.

He looks up at them, clearly not phased, and they both notice the AirPods in his ears as he kneels down and grabs his book, giving them one last look before disappearing outside to join Sarah in the garden. Harry though, he lets out a chuckle and turns to her, dimple tugging at his cheek, and extends his arm to caress her cheek.

“Come upstairs, baby.”

He says it easily, words rolling off his tongue, just like that, and she does. Of course she does because what else was she to do? She lets him take her hand in his, interlocking their fingers as he guides them up the stairs. Once inside the room, the door is closed, locked, and Harry takes the time to walk towards the window to close the curtain, and she can’t help but stare at his long, beautiful fingers over the soft cotton. Other than the thick, silver band on his middle finger, his fingers are ring-free, and despite adoring his soft, pretty fingers with his equally pretty rings, there’s just something so soft, cosy and familiar about Harry without rings.

He catches her staring because, of course he does. He sees her. Every movement of her eyes, trembling lips, shaky fingers, scrunch of her nose; he sees it all. And now, he walks towards her, a big grin tugging at his lips as he stops right in front of her, both of them aware of the box sitting on the bed but neither of them say anything as they hold each other’s gaze.

And just like that, she feels like she can finally breathe properly when she’s being pulled into his chest, hands finding their place on each side of her head as he starts peppering kisses to her face, first her forehead, then nose, and at last, his plump lips find their way to the place they know by heart, her lips.

It’s not rushed, not at all, Harry thinks they have all the time in the world so he takes his time with her. He knows it’s impossible, foolish even, but he swears he can see the marks his tiny but lustful kisses are leaving behind when he briefly opens his eyes. They’re everywhere on her beautiful face, from her lips to the corner of her mouth, chin, the side of her jaw.

“How do you want me,” he mumbles and it’s an uttered promise, somehow submissive though not completely, but also one that is full of love, trust.

She freezes for a moment, hands still on his neck, holding each other’s gaze and she watches as Harry walks to the bed, and he grabs the box. The shape of the object in his hands feels unfamiliar to the eye, the dazzling, hot pink dildo at the front makes them both swallow in anticipation and she knows Harry is clueless about what his next move should be.

It certainly wasn’t their first time trying out things in the bedroom. They were both ‘kinky’, as some would call it, they liked rough sex, the kind that left bruises and marks behind, but never anything like this. Sure, she did give him a rim job a few times, his darker, puckered hole made her mouth water and she wanted nothing more than to get on her knees and kiss and lick the flesh until Harry was a mess, coming in long spurts. He loved having his ass licked, he loved sitting on her face, with his big cock stuffing her warm, tiny mouth as he forced her to take everything in, moving his ass back and forth across her mouth as she tried to lick every inch of the bitter flesh, wanting to please him, make him fall apart above her.

But, despite Harry letting her lick his ass could be considered as a vulnerability or submission to some, she was always his submissive. She loved it; they both loved it. She also knew today wasn’t the day she would give up on that submission. No, today was all about Harry, and what he wanted, how he wanted it, and it was about her giving it to him. So she gives him a tiny smile, hands reaching to grab the strap-on from his hands, and he watches with great intent, pupils dilated and mouth parted.

She swallows, and looks up at him with apprehension. “I want you to use me,” she lets out, a shaky breath following behind. “I want you to… I want you to do whatever you want with me. I know this,” her gaze falls to the pink dildo surrounded by black leather of the harness. “It’s something we haven’t done before, at least… fully–”

Harry giggles, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. “Fully.”

“Shh. I’m just saying that… we haven’t done this before but I still want you to be in charge, at least… at least–”

“You want me to be the Daddy, hm? You still want Daddy to tell you what to do, how to fuck him? Y’gonna be my little fuck toy? Is that what you want, darling?”

“Yes,” her breath hitches at her throat. “Yes, Daddy.”

“Good girl. You’re so good to Daddy, darling. Always spoiling me, always looking after me, taking care of Daddy… how’d I get so lucky?”

“Daddy deserves it,” she looks up, waiting for his command to get naked and she can see it in his eyes, the hesitant gaze as if he wants to make sure she’s okay still even though he’s the one who’s about to get fucked.

“Go on then,” he mutters, hands going to his own joggers as he lets them pool around his ankles. He reaches up, brushing the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. “Get naked for Daddy and put it on.”

And she does, oh, she does.

It doesn’t take long, considering she only has a ratty t-shirt on and a pair of joggers, and nothing underneath. It doesn’t come as a surprise to him, her forgoing underwear, but they both can’t help but hold each other’s gaze a minute longer. She notices the fiery look in his eyes, pupils now looking like a pair of black buttons as his bottom lip gets trapped between his teeth.

She lets her eyes wander, gaze travelling from each puffy nipple that are now beginning to harden, to the hair on his chest, then the hair that’s following his happy trail, all the way down to his cock. She feels her heart clench in lust at the sight of his hard cock, slightly curved with a vein following underneath, and she just wants to get down on her knees and put it in her mouth. She remembers him asking her whether to shave or not a couple of weeks ago, and the thick pubic hair surrounding his perfect cock makes her mouth water, feeling content that she’d told him not to touch any razors.

She looks up at him again, to see the expression on his face and he smiles, hand reaching for her.

“Come.”

She walks towards him, the strap-on in hand, and a tiny whimper leaves her mouth when her hand finds her boob, long fingers trapping her pebbled nipple between them as he twists the darker nub, once, twice, and he lets it go only to slap it, causing her to gasp as she quickly tries to suppress the noise with her palm pressing against her mouth. It stings, but doesn’t hurt. Not at all. In fact, it frustrates her despite the tingling, stinging feeling between her legs. She needs more. She wants more.

“Get this on and get on your knees,” he mutters, hand now on her neck as he squeezes briefly, watching as she gets the strap-on on and tightens the straps. “You’re gonna get Daddy’s cock nice and wet before you can fuck his ass. Understand?”

She pairs her quiet ‘yes’ with a nod, mind too hazy to actually look into Harry’s eyes as her shaky fingers fiddle with the harness. The clasps make a clicking sound, very satisfying to their ears, and she swallows, getting on her knees in front of him. Clean, soapy smell of his skin chafes the tip of her nose very gently and Harry begins playing with her hair, hands stroking the side of her face before one finds the back of her neck, bringing her towards his hard cock.

“Take it in your mouth,” his thumb presses hard on her bottom lip, as if to remind her who’s in control despite the foreign object she’s been supporting.

Her gaze wanders, taking in his thick, leaking cock, and with one hand steady on his meaty thigh, she brings the other to his balls, humming when she feels them tight already. The wrinkly skin of it is soft and not at all unfamiliar to her. So, she leans in to press a flat tongue against his balls, not missing the way Harry’s thighs jerk in response, and she then takes them into her mouth. She hums at the feeling in her mouth as she alternates between sucking and licking them and Harry lets out a quivering sigh above her, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of her mouth around him.

He lets out a his when her teeth grazes over the area lightly. “Fuck, babe. You like my balls?”

Of course, there’s no time to respond, nor the possibility of her forming coherent words since he’s literally balls deep in her mouth, so she proceeds to hum around him, a few hairs there tickling her nose and lips as she sucks. With a pop, she lets them go and darts out her tongue again, travelling the warm, wet muscle from underneath his cock, to the tip. It’s a deep, pink colour, shiny and smooth, so she can’t help but wrap her mouth around the tip, earning a quick jolt of his hips from Harry as the action takes him by surprise.

She looks up, and sucks the tip as if it’s an ice lolly, and the salty taste of his pre-cum fills the insides of her mouth, fingernails pressing harder into his meaty thighs, and she wishes she could see the mark her nails left behind on his tiger tattoo.

Series of ‘fuck’s and ‘shit’s leave his mouth as he guides her head down his cock, and as always, she obeys while taking him deeper and deeper, her warm saliva coating his thickness and she moans around his warm cock as she brings her hands to his ass. While still sucking, she squeezes there, fingernails digging into the perfect skin of his ass and he lets out a hiss first, then pulls her hair harshly before pressing her face down his cock, a shaky moan following as she takes him deeper, her throat welcoming the warmth and thickness of his cock like it always does.

“You’re such a cock slut for me, aren’t you? Can’t keep that mouth away from Daddy,” he pulls her away from his cock, hands immediately going to her mouth to smear the pre-cum and spit all over her mouth and chin. "You wanted to treat Daddy for his birthday, hm?”

“Yes.”

“You’re such a good girl, darling. Always spoiling me, making me feel so, so fucking good,” he squeezes one of her boobs, twisting the nipple between his fingers before his gaze falls to the strap-on and the dildo secured tightly to the harness. He gets on his knees. “Make me suck that cock.”

The words, they just sound so hot, so filthy coming out of his mouth, making her weak in the knees as she swallows, and she places her hand on his shoulder, squeezing there once before it travels to the back of his head. She feels in control, having him on his knees, at her command even though he’s still somehow in charge, and it drives her crazy, having this gorgeous man all to herself. 

She watches him as Harry’s curious gaze takes the pink dildo in. She knew it wasn’t his first time sucking a cock, despite the one now in his face being silicone. So when he goes in easily with her hands pulling him closer, she can’t help but whine at the expression on his face, eyes glittering and plump lips parted as he takes the cock into his mouth.

He coats the pink silicone with his saliva, eyes shut as if he’s trying to concentrate on an important task, pink lips looking like they belong there, around a cock. They look so sinful, yet so perfect as he bobs his head up and down, talking the cock further into his mouth and she tries to guide him but she knows he doesn’t need it. He knows what he’s doing.

“You look so hot,” she manages to let out, words coming out as a hum, low and quiet, and he opens his eyes, eyelashes fluttering at the whispered compliment. “You look so good, Harry.”

He takes it out of his mouth briefly, a string of saliva making a bridge between his bottom lip and the dildo, and she reaches there, smearing it all over his bottom lip just like he did to her earlier as she loved seeing him dirty.

His pink tongue darts out and he wraps his lips around the finger on his bottom lip. “Gonna get me wet now?” He hums around her finger and she feels her pussy clench around nothing.

“Get on the bed.”

As Harry gets on all fours, ass in the air, her eyes wander to their lube on the nightstand. Ignoring the heat in her stomach, she sits on her knees behind Harry and touches his ass, fingers caressing the soft skin, touching the tiny mole there before she leans forward and presses a kiss there. It’s a peck, a sweet kiss that turns into more as her mouth opens, tongue flat against the warm skin as she sucks the flesh, causing him to let out a happy grunt.

He whispers her name, the excitement making her nipples tighten once again, but she moves her lips towards the crack, not wanting to stop.

“That’s it,” Harry groans, “Get Daddy wet before you put that cock in him.”

It’s a godly sight. Him on all fours, at her mercy, it was exquisite, intense, dirty. But she wanted to get him dirtier. With her hand parting one cheek, she bites her lip, noticing his rim, puckered and surrounded by little hairs, and all of a sudden, she can’t wait to get her mouth on him, to see the hairs get darker with her spit as he squirms under her touch.

She gets closer, a grin appearing on her face when he lets out quiet whines and whimpers, and she exhales a sigh into Harry’s milky flesh. Her tongue, hungry and hot, darts out to lick his rim briefly, just to get him wet before she uses her fingers. His cock, now a deeper shade of pink, hard and thick, is peeking between his legs, moving left and right from time to time whenever Harry or she moves, and she can’t help but reach there.

Harry sucks in a breath as her warm hand meets his hard cock, and she lets out a moan when she feels the thickness of it in her palm. It’s hot, so fucking hot, and the smooth skin of his cock is still damp, so she brings her thumb to his tip and smears the leaking pre-cum all over it, then drags her finger down to his balls and squeezes once.

His perfect mouth lets out a pained whimper when she lets go and focuses on the beautiful rim in front of her. She leans forward, both hands now parting his cheeks, and spits on his rim before flattening her tongue and lapping across Harry’s puckered hole. It’s not sweet, far from it actually, but the salty, bitter taste makes her even wetter as she keeps licking and sucking around his hole, satisfied when she hears him whimper and moan. Once it’s wet and the hairs around his rim get darker, she pulls away and licks a finger into her mouth, then grabs the lube from the bedside table and places it somewhere by Harry’s feet.

It’s fire, when she presses her middle finger into his hole, and Harry lets out a groan, her finger sliding in with ease with the help of her spit. “So tight,” she mumbles when Harry pushes his ass backwards only a little bit to match the tiny movements of her finger.

“Move faster,” Harry says, voice low. “Add another one.”

The lube is now in her hand as she brings it to where her finger is, takes it out, and allows a generous amount to coat the puckered area where her finger has been. Harry groans at the feeling, hole clenching around nothing, and she rubs the area with the same finger she’s been using, and presses it in before taking it out. This time, her middle finger is joined by her index as she fucks into his ass slowly, taking her sweet time while admiring the way he’s been taking her fingers. The skin makes wet noises, and she knows if they weren’t so worked up, they would have a giggle about it, just like they often do whenever one of them makes a questionable noise while having sex.

This time, though, the sounds of her fingers pumping in and out of his ass makes her go crazy, and she knows Harry feels the same when he lets out a loud grunt, pushing his ass back in sharp movements, in hopes of getting her to fuck him harder and deeper.

It goes on like that for a while, and they stop when he’s opened up enough, Harry’s rim now looking sore and pink. Once the dildo at her front is lubed up generously, she taps his ass once, making him turn his head back to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in question and mouth still parted due to the tingling feeling at the tip of his cock.

“Go ahead, baby,” he murmurs, gaze lowering. “Fuck Daddy’s ass. I’m ready,” his voice, hoarse and low, rings in her ears as she lifts the dildo up to his ass, his now-pink hole.

One hand holding the pink dildo from the base and the other resting on Harry’s back, she starts pushing it in, whines and hisses leaving his throat as soon as he feels the silicone tip. She watches as the tip digs into his ass, slowly and with effort despite all the lube, and she can’t help but bring her other hand to her boobs, squeezing once before she places it back on Harry’s ass. He’s a mess, sweat dripping down his back, and she knows he’s trying to keep quiet as neither of them would want to get caught by the other couple despite having the door locked.

“Fuck,” he grunts, head lowering.

“Does it hurt?”

“No,” he whimpers, ass trying to clench around the dildo but it fails due to how big it is. “Keep going, I want you to fuck me. Hard.”

She holds him by his love handles, fingernails digging into his milky, smooth skin as she moves her hips, the dildo now halfway in. With Harry moaning, she takes her time to admire how fucking hot he looks underneath her, with his ass filled with the pink dildo, and she sighs, continuing to fuck into his ass with the shiny dildo. It’s incredible how well he’s taking it, taking her, his puckered hole now a sore-pink, wet, and she feels like crying, not knowing how to handle what’s going on. She loves him. She loves him so fucking much, and she knows he does, too. She feels overwhelmed with love and hunger as she speeds up her hips, the dildo now fully inside him as she fucks his ass.

He gasps and jolts when the dildo presses right up to his prostate. “Fuckin’ hell. Please keep going, fuck Daddy hard. Fuck me, baby– god, I’m gonna cum soon. Keep going, keep fucking me,” he rasps.

“You’re taking it so well. You look so fucking good.”

“Oh fuck– it feels so good. Fuck me harder, come on, fuck me.”

Feeling brave, she presses her fingernails into his ass cheek, then lifts her hand, a loud smack landing on his left cheek and Harry hisses, fingers curling into the sheets as he lets out whimper after whimper. She watches as the dildo disappears into Harry’s ass, the pink mark on his ass becoming redder and angrier by the second and she decides to press her front against his back, laying down on him as she fucks into him deeper, nipples getting ridiculously hard as soon as they make contact with Harry’s sweaty back.

She finds it easier to fuck him in this position, and she likes that they’re much closer now, mouths searching for each other as he reaches behind and grabs her ass, squeezing hard as she keeps thrusting hard and deep. With kisses placed against his sweaty neck, Harry tries to turn his head to where hers is, and they meet in a rushed, teeth-clashing kiss, Harry’s tongue darting out to lick into her mouth, but missing in the end, and licking the corner of her mouth instead as she lets out a whine, hand searching for his cock that’s now trapped between his body and the sheets.

He helps her, lifts up his lower body and she starts moving her hand up and down on his hard cock, head resting on the crook of his neck as her hips move lazily. He’s so hard, and she knows he’s close by the sounds he’s making, his hips jerking forward from time to time as little ‘uh’s leave his mouth, and she wants to help him. She wants him to cum so bad. She wants to be the one making him cum so fucking hard.

“Are you gonna cum,” she whispers into his neck. “Please, baby. Cum for me. Show me how much you liked getting fucked.”

“God,” with cock still in her palm, he tries thrusting his hips forward to meet the strokes of her hand. “Please– I’m g’na cum so fuckin’ hard. You’re so fucking hot, so fucking good to me. Oh my god, baby, it hurts.”

“Yeah? It hurts?” She squeezes the base of his cock, then touches his balls briefly before continuing her strokes. “You’re taking it so well. Come on, Daddy. I need you to cum.”

“God, I’m– oh fuck. I’m gonna… Make me cum. Come on, make Daddy cum.” 

She squeezes his cock once again, sending sharp jolts of pleasure straight to his cock. When he lets out a choked breath, she knows he’s coming. It’s hot, sticky, and so fucking dirty, the cum coating her palm, creating more lubrication as she keeps stroking him lazily, dildo still filling up his ass, and with a groan, Harry reaches behind to smack her ass.

They stay like that for a while, with her still inside him as he tries to catch his breath, and she proceeds to match their breaths to the clock on the wall, feeling completely spent but still frustrated since the pool of wetness between her folds seems to be intensifying every passing moment.

After a while, Harry clears his throat. “Are you a dream?” It’s soft, only a whisper, and sickeningly sweet.

“Hm?”

“You’re a dream. You’re unbelievable– I love love love you,” he sighs, voice breaking. It takes him a few seconds to complete his sentence.

“No, thank you. I hope… I hope you liked it?”

“Fucking loved it. What about you?”

“I did. You did so good,” she touches his sweaty hair. “But,” she starts, legs starting to feel sore. “I’m still so fucking wet.”

“Oh, fuck. I’m sorry, sweet girl–” Harry reaches behind and strokes her hip. “Can I fuck you now?”

“Yes, please.”

The strap-on now on the floor, Harry takes his time to admire her soft features, the sweat on her forehead and messy strands of hair sticking to her face. She rubs her eyes, and lets out a yawn, but her other hand reaches blindly for Harry, and he smiles, the gesture leaving his chest, his heart heavy and hot and full of love. He lets her hold on to him as she keeps rubbing her eyes, then he links their fingers as she opens her eyes to find him staring.

She gives him a lazy smile. “What?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“All right, Shakespeare… mhm, come here,” she pulls him closer by his love handles. “I love you. Happy birthday. Again.”

“I love you so much. How is it possible to want you this much, hm?” He mumbles against her sweaty neck, not caring about the bitter taste of her skin. He watches as her smile widens, eyes tired and sleepy. “There’s a halo in your mouth.”

pls reblog if you enjoyed it! it only takes a second but it helps me tons <3 inbox is always open for your feedback!!!!! <3 lu

[finelinevogue]

Hi can you write wondering about Harry proposing! Do you think it would be angsty like Harry is being all secretive and detached until the reader confronts him and he tells the truth or do you think it would be complete fluff or maybe he proposes during sex?? I have no idea. You’re just a great writer so I know you can do it.

ok i actually have a cute idea for this so if you’re a tea lover stick with it ;)

You were a tea addict.

Green, lemon, breakfast, Yorkshire, PG Tips; you name it and you had an addiction for it. It was your can’t-live-without drink.

You’d always have a cup of Yorkshire tea in the morning to start to the day, which was often brought up to you via your loving boyfriend Harry - who was up earlier than always necessary - and then you’d have green tea in the afternoon, and finally you’d have another tea in the evening to send you sleep. It was an addiction, maybe… You loved it so much though and were ridiculously grouchy without it.

It was known that you liked it so much to the point where that’s what people would buy you for your birthday. Tea sets or mugs or spoons or pots. In fact, you got a tea tasting afternoon as a gift once and it was the most wonderful day because it was filled with your two favourite things - tea and Harry. Harry had then took you out for another afternoon to a Paint-A-Pot shop, where you got to paint an item of your choice. You both chose to paint individual tea mugs and then also painted a tea pot together. It was the best date activity he’d ever come up with. He was in love with the worlds biggest tea addict and he knew it.

In fact, he was so in tune with the fact you loved tea that he was walking into the room right now with your steaming hot mug of Yorkshire tea.

“Good morning gorgeous.” Harry smiled when he saw your eyes faintly open, watching him cross your bedroom. The covers were up to your nose and your hair was definitely a mess, but he didn’t quite with the compliments.

He had a cup of tea for him, too, in his hands, because you’d managed to get him hooked.

“Hello handsome.” You chuckled, sitting up in bed, bringing the duvet up with you to cover your bare chest and taking the cup from his hands. “Thank you.”

“How are you feeling today?”

Harry clambered into bed next to you, laying his body on top of the covers. He was only in his boxers and a necklace - a necklace in which you had made for him when you were bored one weekend. He had made you a bracelet and you had made him a necklace. It was made out of an array of rainbow beads and a little extra pearl bead that had your first initial engraved into it.

“Tired.”

“I’m not surprised after last night.”

“You didn’t have to be so rough.” You took your first sip from your tea, loving that first burn onto your lips and tongue from the hot water.

“Wait, baby, was I really that rough?” Harry asked quickly, putting down his mug on the table to give you his undivided attention. He turned on his side, and you used one of your free hands to play with the necklace you’d gifted him.

“No,” you spoke softly, “no, you were perfect.” You pulled him in by his necklace to give him a kiss, it tasting like mint and tea.

“I love you.” He whispered against his lips, and giving him a few extra pecks to affirm that you felt the same way.

Harry moved away to pick up his tea, and his phone to check his daily notifications. He’d turned off all his social media notifications so he didn’t have to worry about them, but he did turn on all notifications for you on those apps. He hated to miss when you posted something. He would always pride himself on being the first like and the first comment. He loved that it was usually him that had taken the photos or him that had made you laugh in that particular photo. His notifications normally consisted of work messages from Jeff or messages from his mum reminding him to wish a family member ‘happy birthday’.

“Anything important today?” You always asked him this question, in case it affected you or Harry just needed someone to talk to about a certain issue. You took a few more sips as he began talking.

“Mum’s just bought a new cat and sent me about 30 photos of them! My grandad’s sent me my joke of the day and Jeff’s sent me some information I need to read over for tour.”

“A new cat ooh show me the photos!”

“I’ll send them to you.”

You smiled so brightly when the photos came through, drinking the rest of your tea so that you could spend your time looking at the newest addition to the Styles’ family.

But you couldn’t.

“Harry…”

“Yes my love?” He asked, with a smirk to his face.

“Wha—”

“Hmm?”

You blinked back the tears in your eyes, making sure you were reading the bottom of your mug right, lips parted slightly from shock.

“You...”

“Mhm?” He prompted you.

“Yes.” You answered. “Yes, yes, fucking yes!”

“Yes?” Harry laughed in shock, putting his stuff on the side of the table, as did you, in preparation for you leaping on him. You landed with a grunt from him and wasted no time planting your lips on his. You deepened your kiss with him, pushing your lips and your whole body into him. Your hips grounded down, making him grunt in sexual frustration. “Wait, wait.”

He stopped you both and reached over to the drawer, making you pout from being without his warmth. He pulled out a royal blue velvet box and opened it up in front of you, making you gasp in awe. It was the most perfect ring you’d seen. It was simple and beautiful. You couldn’t get over how he’d chosen so perfectly.

“Harry it’s beautiful.”

“Yeah I thought so too.” He smiled, reaching for your left hand to slide it onto your ring finger. “Sits beautifully there too.”

You couldn’t waste a second more to not have his lips on yours, so you you dove down and captured his plump lips to yours. You could feel the love bursting from his cherry lips, filling you up and making you fee so warm.

“When did you do all this?” You asked breathlessly, taking a moment away from his lips and kissing down his jaw and neck.

“Went back to that paint a pot thing, didn’t I? I had the idea the other day to combine tea and me for the proposal and this was the best way to do it! Was it alright? I can do it again if—”

You cut him off with your lips before he said something he didn’t mean. “It was perfect.” Your tears were trickling down your face in patterns.

“You are perfect, future Mrs Styles.”

“I’ve always been future Mrs Styles.” You cockily added to the moment, making him chuckle into a stretch.

“And now you have a ring to prove it.”

[idkthisisjustforfanfic]

that makes four.

story page | talk to me + join the tag list

PART 4

Tristan had slapped his menu shut before you could even sit down. He’d been begging you to try a new place in Encino with him, you figured it was a good excuse to get Zoey out of the house and to let Maeve and CeCe duke it out in Shelli and Irv’s backyard instead of yours.

It was all work talk at first, he offered an update on a meeting you missed to drop off Maeve at a friend’s and Zoey sucked down a glass of wine promising to pump and dump before the night ended.

But now your plates were in front of you and you twirled spaghetti around your fork when she asked: “How’s your pool boy?” You stared up at her, unimpressed.

“He’s not my pool boy, and he’s fine.”

Tristan raised his eyebrows across the table. “Would you let Harry Styles be your pool boy?”

“Can we not talk about him like this, please?”

“Oh come on,” Tristan pulled a face. “If you’re not going to sleep with him at least let us fantasize.”

You must have twitched, a quick glance in Zoey’s direction or a quiver of your lip. Zoey leaned in and her voice was serious. “What was that?”

“What? Nothing.”

“What do you mean what was that?” Tristan asked.

“She made a weird face when you said that.”

“No I didn’t,” you defended. “I just don’t like talking about him in public, especially like this.”

“Bullshit,” Zoey laughed, leaned back in her chair. “What are you not telling us? Did you see him shirtless again?”

You let out a breath, wiped at your mouth and wondered if telling them would be the biggest mistake of your life. You couldn’t even get the words out before Zoey leaned in.

“You had sex with him?!” her eyes nearly bugged out of her head, Tristan’s fork clanked against his plate when his jaw dropped open.

You’d made it a whole week, almost. You pushed the thoughts down and brushed them under the metaphorical work rug. The body wash prototypes were in, you were booking models to do a photoshoot, video shoot, everything was getting lined up for the rollout in another few weeks. You didn’t have time to tell them about something silly and stupid and maybe a part of you didn’t want to fill them in because you were afraid they’d burst your bubble. It’ll never work out, what happens when his house is ready, he has a tour to go on.

“Be quiet,” you looked around and worried if anyone had overheard Tristan’s not-so-subtle name drop. “It’s not a big deal, okay? It’s not like it’s gonna be a regular thing.”

Tristan pulled his head back, offended by your words. “You had sex with him and you’re not going to make that a regular thing? Have you seen him?”

“Yes,” you made a face at Tristan. “I have seen him.”

“You are going to hit and quit Harry Styles?” Zoey leaned in and said his name much more quietly now.

“Well,” you dropped their gaze for a second, reluctant to be honest with them in fear of their reaction. “It’s happened once, and then we kissed once but CeCe came down, but she didn’t see anything. I’m just too old to be hooking up with a twenty-four year old.”

“Wait, okay, slow down. When did this happen?” Zoey asked.

“After my birthday dinner,” you shrugged. “We came home, had wine, the girls were out.”

“And when did you make out with him aside from that night?”

“The next night. And we didn’t make out, it was barely even open-mouthed.”

“Ew,” Tristan grimaced.

Zoey snapped to get your attention. “So twenty-four hours after you had sex, you kissed him?”

You made a face at her, unsure where she was going with it. You hadn’t been clocking or documenting your sexual encounters. “I don’t know, probably.”

“This is straight out of a trashy romance book written for middle aged women,” Tristan leaned back in his seat and took a pull from his glass of rosé. “I mean that in, like, a nice way.”

“Okay,” Zoey leaned forward. “So, nothing has happened since a week ago, then?”

“No,” you shook your head quickly. “Just those times. And I don’t think anything should happen again.”

They both groaned at the same time, Zoey’s shoulders sunk and she rolled her eyes. “You deserve to have sex with a hot guy.”

“I never said I didn’t.”

“Even if he’s younger than you.”

“I don’t want to traumatize my children.”

“Well you don’t have to have sex in front of them,” Tristan made a goofy face and you waved him off.

Zoey snorted out a laugh but you ignored their immaturity.

“I mean that having Harry here is already probably confusing for them, right? Their dad leaves, their grandpa dies, now we have some stranger in our house and he’s playing with them in the backyard and--”

“Being more of a dad to them than Luke ever was?”

Zoey’s words brought a sigh out from between your lips. “Exactly.”

“Having a positive male role model is good for them,” Tristan said.

“Sure,” you nodded. “But what about when Harry moves out? He’ll just be another man that will leave them. They’ll be super fucked up.”

Tristan reached forward and took your hand in his. “Hey--it’s more about the fact that they have you and they have other people who love them. Who cares if their idea of a family isn’t the stereotypic, heterosexual norm?”

“I know,” you relented. “I just don’t want them to be poorly adjusted.”

“Okay, that sounds like something an obnoxious prep school guidance counselor would say to you,” Zoey eyed you with skepticism.

You shrugged your shoulders. “It was Maeve’s teacher.”

“Okay, fuck that teacher!” Tristan nodded. “Your kids are adjusting, and that’s because of how good of a mom you are to them. And mommy deserves a pool boy.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, even if his words were worthy of an eye-roll. Zoey tried not to let wine drip from her nose after a snort escaped between sips.

“Not my pool boy!” You giggled.

“Which is good,” Tristan nodded, his tone completely serious. “That would be so cliché even Nora Roberts wouldn’t write it.”

**

Slumber parties always made you anxious. They were one of those things that made you question how on earth people trusted you to watch a group of children when sometimes, you still felt like one yourself.

Maeve’s 11th birthday party was no exception. Five other girls danced around your living room and CeCe sat at the counter while you iced cupcakes. Her little face was scrunched into a pout so intensely that it almost made you giggle.

“You alright?” You asked her, dish towel over your shoulder when she let out another sigh.

“Just wish I could play with them,” she held her palms towards the sky in exasperation, reaching for a container of sprinkles when you let out a laugh.

“You get to go for ice cream with Uncle Jeff, remember? You’re gonna go to the beach, too, I think.”

You’d been trying to bribe her all week: a new tutu, a new doll, anything she wanted just to make her give up and accept the fact that her older sister didn’t want her at her slumber party.

And you couldn’t blame either of them. Of course Maeve didn’t want her younger (and very loud, dramatic, and demanding) younger sister trailing behind all night. But, on the other hand, of course CeCe felt left out when she saw all of the older girls arrive with their sleeping bags and birthday gifts.

She sighed again, your conversation interrupted by a ringing from your cell phone on the counter beside her.

“Uncle Jeff?”

She was right, you reached for the phone and held it up with your shoulder, hoping the laughter from the living room wouldn’t travel it’s way into the speaker.

“Hi--are you here?”

“Y/N, I am so sorry to do this--”

“Oh god, Jeff, no!”

“I just got called into the office because one of my artists apparently just posted some stupid shit on the internet--isn’t there someone else who can hang out with CeCe? Where’s Tristan?”

“I don’t know where he is, but I doubt he’d be thrilled to play dress up or skip through a park.”

“Zoey?”

You could hear traffic through his line, his karma for backing out at the last minute was having to sit on the 405. “She has a ten-week-old infant, Jeffrey.”

“Well where’s Harry? Can’t he pitch in?”

You let out a groan, CeCe had taken to pouring sprinkles into her hand and lapping them up with her tongue.

Harry was upstairs, hiding away from the girl gang currently singing karaoke and sipping on juice boxes. He had the day off and had dipped out in the afternoon to meet a friend for lunch. You tried to mind your own business--he could come and go as he pleased and just because you had slept with him once didn’t give you the right to suddenly start asking questions about his plans.

But the universe pitied you, apparently, because right when you told Jeff you’d figure it out and hung up on him aggressively, Harry pranced down the stairs and headed for the fridge.

“How’s it going down here?” He reached for a juice box, crisp apple, and fumbled with the straw when he turned to face you.

“Everyone is alive and nothing is broken,” you scanned the counter, another batch of cupcakes still in the oven with 10 minutes to go.

With the straw now between his lips, he raised his eyebrows. “Bar’s that low, huh?”

“Well, your friend Jeffrey just bailed on watching CeCe and going for ice cream.”

She was blissfully unaware of the change of plans, still licking sprinkles out of her palm, but now swiveled around on the stool to watch the girls jump around in the other room.

“I can take her,” he shrugged nonchalantly, ran a hand through his hair when you stared at him for a second.

If traffic was Jeff’s karma, Harry must have been yours.

“Are you serious? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all,” he smiled. “CeCe? What do you say we do ice cream and pizza?”

She turned around at the sound of her name, her eyes lit up. “Pepperoni?” She asked.

“Of course,” Harry replied to her like it was a crazy question.

“Is Uncle Jeff coming?”

“He’s not,” You informed her, arms crossed over your chest. “You’re alright to go with Harry?”

You didn’t mean to make it awkward, but mom mode kicked in and you realized CeCe had never spent time alone with Harry except maybe in the backyard.

“Yeah!” She hopped down from the stool and grinned up at him. “Can I get a milkshake?”

Harry looked over to you and when you nodded, he held out his hand. “As many as you want.”

“That’s not what I said,” you called after him, watching as he led her over to the back door. He plucked his keys off the hook on the wall and smiled at you over his shoulder. “Please don’t be out late, text me when you get where you’re going!”

CeCe shouted a bye mommy!!!! before they disappeared into the driveway. A sudden raise in your pulse had you questioning what type of mother lets their 6-year-old get in the car with a pop star who’s probably hounded by paparazzi and maybe even doing cocaine on the weekends.

You picked up your phone and it rang four times before Zoey answered. “I need you to talk me off the ledge.”

“What ledge?”

The timer beeped and you gloved up to retrieve the rest of the cupcakes. “I’m apparently a psychopath because I just let Harry take CeCe for pizza and ice cream.”

You could tell she held back a laugh. “Why does that make you a psychopath?”

“Because he’s a stranger! What if he never comes back with her? What if he gets chased by paparazzi and CeCe is the next Princess Diana?!” The thought shuttered through your bones, a shiver down your spine when Zoey cleared her throat.

“Okay, so, as a mom, I totally get that. But I also think you’re freaking out too much.”

The cupcake tin rattled onto the granite. “How?!”

“He’s not a stranger, he’s been living with you guys for like, over a month now.”

You thought about it for a second. Two weeks turned into a few more, four weeks slipped by easily. What felt like it was going to be a blip on the radar now felt like a totally normal thing: dinners with him as the fourth seat and texts to him in the middle of the day asking if there was anything he was in the mood for.

“I just can’t believe I trust him enough to do that, I guess.”

“Y/N, he’s a good guy,” she laughed. “He likes your kids and he definitely likes you.”

“We’re not going there,” you said. “I have a house full of ten-year-olds and cupcakes to frost.”

“Okay, well, you’re not a psychopath. And there’s nothing wrong with having feelings for him.”

“Zoey! You are starting to sound like the psychopath!”

“I’m alright with that,” laughter through the phone when you told her you had to go. Love you, see you later, pinch Benny’s cheeks for me.

You were swept up in the excitement of the night. Your own pizza was delivered before 8pm, a movie turned on by 9pm. They decorated cupcakes at the dining room table and proceeded to eat more than they could fit in their tummies.

Maeve was in heaven, opened presents when you snapped pictures on your phone. Harry had texted to let you know they’d stop at Shelli and Irv’s before heading home. If CeCe came home in the middle of presents, she’d probably break down right there.

So when you heard the alarm signal a new entry, you hoped CeCe was too tired to argue with you about sleeping in her own room and not in Maeve’s with the rest of them. Your legs were folded beneath you on the couch, noise in the kitchen when Harry rounded the corner with CeCe asleep on his shoulder.

You stood up, eyebrows high when he smirked in your direction. “She’s out cold,” he laughed. “Fell right asleep on the way home.”

“It’s like a ten minute drive from their house,” you said, opening your arms to take her. “Sorry, here.”

“I can bring her up...just lead the way,” he motioned with his head for you to go first up the stairs. He followed you down the hall and to CeCe’s room, pink walls and a plush carpet underneath her twin-sized bed that still seemed too big for her.

He put her down when you flipped on a nightlight, watched when you tugged the duvet over her and kissed her on the forehead. You sighed when you stood up straight beside him, voice quiet. “I’m not waking her up to brush her teeth cause she’ll freak out and want to be included in the party. Am I a bad mom?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, smirked down at you quickly before looking back to her. “You’re a great mom.”

You elbowed him in the ribs playfully. “You have to say that.”

“I do?”

“I’m your landlord,” you laughed, leading him back into the hallway.

“I thought you were my friend?”

A sigh, the darkness a cover for your confusion and your fluttering heart beat. “Yeah, that too.”

He was quiet for a second, if it weren’t for the bedroom of kids down the hall you’d pull him into you despite better judgment. He stared down at you with a dimpled smile, but you took a step back.

“Thanks for taking her, and hanging out with her. You really didn’t have to.”

“I had fun,” he reassured you. “We got a pizza and ate in a park near Westwood Hills, then got ice cream, visited with Shelli and Irv,” he listed it off like it brought him as much joy as it did her.

“Hey, not to be weird or anything, but--how’s your house coming?”

He sensed the shift in the air too, but he didn’t know that it came from a place of fear. A question you had to ask: this was temporary, this wasn’t real, this was just a convenient set up and you couldn’t lose sight of that.

“Oh, yeah--I’m going over on Sunday to see it. Apparently there are still issues with the plumbing that have to be updated. They said it might be a few more weeks.”

“Okay, I just didn’t know.”

“Yeah, is that okay? I can try to find somewhere to stay if you need me out?”

“No,” you said it quickly. “I don’t need you to leave.”

“Okay,” he said, his eyes still on yours. He reached forward to brush a piece of hair behind your ear. “I like staying here with you guys.”

“...I like it too.”

“Mom?” Maeve’s head poked out of her bedroom. “Hayley spilled soda on the carpet!”

He stepped back from you quickly, like his reflexes were getting better each time. You laughed at his sudden movement, “coming!”

He smiled down at you and let out an exaggerated sigh once Maeve’s door was slammed shut and the music was back on, a magnetic pull between your chests that maybe he felt too. “Hayley, Hayley, Hayley.”

But again, a rush of uncertainty and self-doubt made you grateful for the interruption, your stomach weaving itself in knots when you stared at your ceiling fan and hoped that sleep would come.

Work picked up in the next week, Tristan was in your office most days with spreadsheets and graphs and to-do lists that made you feel like you needed a margarita at 2pm. On Wednesday Harry made dinner and CeCe had a meltdown when you forced her to take a bath.

Friday night entailed dinner at Shelli and Irv’s, the girls and Harry and Jeff too. You stood in the kitchen with a glass of wine in hand, Shelli watched as their chef sautéed something through steam. When Jeff pulled Harry away to show him a new guitar Irv had been gifted, you ignored the smile on Shelli’s face.

“How are things going?”

“Fine,” you said, casually and calm and cool. “How are you?”

“Y/N,” she smiled. “Does Jeffrey know?”

“Know what?”

“About you and Harry?”

“No,” you told her quickly. “There’s nothing to know, alright? We were drunk, it was not a big deal.”

“Alright,” she held up a hand, effectively resigning when she sipped her Pinot Grigio, a disappointed sigh before she asked: “How are the girls holding up?”

You sighed, unsure if she’d really drop it. You told her about Maeve’s birthday party and caught her up on the body wash debut. Deadlines were quickly approaching, the launch party was being scheduled and production was full steam ahead.

You almost thought you’d make it through the rest of the night without any drama--no more mention of Harry or the happenings between you. But eventually he and Jeff found their way back to the kitchen and you hoped that no one noticed how close Harry stood to you.

Jeff was in the middle of filling you and Shelli in on Harry’s album plans: they were wrapping up production and soon they’d announce the release date, his excitement cut off by a shout from the backyard.

“Mommy!” CeCe’s voice was shrill and desperate as it rang through the house. She let out a loud sob and when you looked up, you saw her clutching her elbow with a new grass stain on her shirt. She was fine, it was one of those moments where she thought the world was ending but everyone else knew getting knocked over by her sister wouldn’t kill her.

“She’s fine,” Maeve rolled her eyes, a quick look down to CeCe who’s eyes were already filled with tears.

“No I’m not!” she screamed back at her sister.

You looked to Shelli with an exasperated look, set your glass of wine down on the counter. Before you could make any movement, though, Harry’s hand hovered on the small of your back. “I’ll go, enjoy the wine. She’s fine.”

He was right, there was no question that CeCe would survive her scraped elbow and bruised ego. He moved towards the backyard and you were frozen in place when Jeff’s forehead wrinkled.

“What was that?” he asked, eyebrows strung together like tea lights once Harry was out of earshot.

“I don’t know--what do you mean?”

You looked over at Harry, now on the ground in front of CeCe who’s wails were much quieter. She wiped at her wet eyes, a little laugh escaped her lips when Harry brushed the grass off of her elbow and cracked a joke.

“Well, he seems pretty good with them,” Jeff leaned against the counter, the sliding door providing a perfect view as CeCe stood up and raced back towards Maeve.

“Yeah, I mean, he is.”

“He also touched your back in a funny way.”

Shelli raised her eyebrows and sipped at her wine again.

“And now my mom is making a weird face,” Jeff’s eyes narrowed when he looked at you. “Are you--is there, like, something going--”

“No,” you said quickly, a finger pointed at Shelli and another pointed at Jeff. “Do not say anything in front of the girls.”

Shelli stifled a laugh but managed to look incredibly innocent at the same time.

“Oh my god!” Jeff said this with a noise of shock, eyes wide when he looked between you and Shelli, then back out to the yard where Harry laughed with Irv. “Oh my god, and you knew?”

Shelli shrugged her shoulders, a don’t blame me look crossed her face when you took a swig of wine to calm the pounding of your heart.

Jeff had always been protective and caring and like a brother. Not in a weird way, not in the you can’t date my friends way. Just in the sense that he wanted to know who you were hooking up with and he’d been encouraging you relentlessly to stop picking assholes ever since you filed for divorce.

But this was different, this was a friend of his and a client of his. It was someone that his entire family knew and this was probably the worst choice of rebound.

“Please relax,” you said this with a look of warning in his direction. “I will explain to you what your lunatic mother is smirking about but you have about fifteen seconds to wipe the look of shock off your face before he comes back in here.”

“She’s fine,” Harry waved a hand once he was back in the kitchen. “And what look of shock are we wiping off of our faces?” The dimple was there again, the corner of his mouth pulled up and he scanned all three of you for any sort of information.

“Just that you are so good with the girls,” Jeff covered for you, a confident nod when he hoped Harry would believe him.

“That’s surprising to you?” Harry pulled his head back, an obvious look of mock offense. “I’m great with children. They love me.”

Maeve came in from the fading light, out of breath from running around with whatever ball they’d gotten their hands on. “Who loves you?”

“Kids,” Jeff replied for him.

“Oh,” Maeve said. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?” You looked down at her, unsure if she was agreeing or just voicing that she understood.

She shrugged, plucked a chicken skewer from a dish in front of Shelli. “I mean, I like having him around.”

Harry was practically tickled pink. “Thank you, Maeve.” He turned to rub this in Jeff’s face. “See?”

“He cooks well, plays outside with us, definitely funnier than mom,” Maeve kept listing things off, pulling laughter from the rest of the crew.

“Maeve!” You whined. “I’m funny!”

“You’re like, sometimes funny.”

“Sometimes funny is better than never funny,” Harry nodded in your direction, an attempt to soften the blow.

CeCe had wandered in behind her sister, she picked at the scrape on her elbow until you called her attention. “CeCe--do you think mommy’s funny?”

“Mmmm,” the thought on it for a second, put her finger to her chin and scrunched up her nose. “Sort of.”

Jeff let out a big laugh at that, Harry tried to stifle one and you dismissed the jabs. “Okay, well, it’s not like anyone here is a comedian.”

“Harry’s funny,” CeCe said with a smile. “He reads books in silly voices.”

Jeff’s eyebrows shot up at that again, amused and surprised by the fact that Harry was in on the bedtime routine. But it was infrequent, sometimes CeCe would beg for more time outside or another thirty minutes of TV.

If the tears got aggressive or the tantrum became too much, she perked up pretty quickly if Harry offered to read with her. It was way more exciting than reading with you, Maeve had explained.

After showering Harry with compliments, the girls were excited to sit on Shelli and Irv’s patio. Pink lemonade and a delicious dinner, though neither of them would even so much as take a bit of your salad.

They ran around some more while you sipped wine, Jeff and Harry had been talked into a two versus two soccer match and Irv laughed his head off when Maeve actually scored on Jeff. Darkness came and CeCe crawled into your lap, eyelids getting heavy until you buckled her into the backseat.

You’d taken one car, CeCe’s booster seat was too clunky to move over to Harry’s so you drove and felt slightly embarrassed about the crayons and coloring books scattered on the floor of the backseat.

“Mom, can I have another sleepover this weekend?”

“With who?”

“All of the girls from last weekend.”

“Honey, no, that was a big party for your birthday.”

“I’m aware,” she shot back quickly. “But we all had so much fun and we wouldn’t be as loud as we were last time.”

“I said no, Maeve. You can do something with your friends if you want but we’re not doing another sleepover right now.”

You’d been hesitant about it in the first place. A group of ten and eleven-year-olds? With Harry in the house? It felt like a recipe for disaster and aside from a few excited stares when they were first dropped off, you all escaped relatively unscathed.

You worried at first about the whispers from other moms--she’s letting a twenty-four year-old live with her children?--but you soon realized that they were almost more excited about sneaking a glimpse of Harry than their daughters were.

“You’re so annoying,” she quipped from the back. “You never let me do anything fun.”

Harry’s lips twitched up in a tiny smirk, a sideways glance in your direction. You’d already told him how awkward it felt to discipline them with him right there, a glass of wine in the kitchen one night and he teased you about your frustrated mom voice.

“Maeve--don’t be rude. You just had a birthday party and now you want another, basically.”

“No, I want to have the same girls over. It’s not my birthday so it’s not a birthday party.”

A left turn into the driveway. “But you want me to order pizza and make cupcakes and you want to drink a bunch of soda again?”

“Yes.”

You pulled into the garage and cut the engine, turning to look at her. “Maeve, sweetie, I love you. But no.”

She let out a huff and shoved the door open, she typed in the entry code and slammed the door to the house before the rest of you could even climb out.

“The drama,” CeCe shook her head, tired steps towards the house.

“The drama is right,” you told her with a laugh. “Go wash up and I’ll come up in a few, okay?”

She scampered up the steps, you dropped your keys on the counter inside and then turned to look at him. “Do you have a second?”

He nodded, leaned on the counter. “What’s up?”

You didn't know if it was a good idea, but you'd spent enough morning drives to school lecturing about how honest is the best policy, so you figured you'd give it a shot.

“Uh, well--Jeff may or may not be suspicious about you and...me.”

Using the phrase made you nervous, like he’d laugh and think it was stupid. You and me.

“Oh,” he said, eyebrows arched. “Did you--why did that come up?”

“Well you went to handle my crying child, which is--you know--”

He laughed a little, “too boyfriendy of me?”

Your heartbeat picked up in pace, your face felt hot and it suddenly felt like he was watching you too closely.

“No--I don’t know--you touched my back and he just asked what was happening.”

He deflated at that, hung his head low for a second and then looked up. “Oh, I--uh--I’m really sorry, I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“No!” You felt bad, that wasn’t the message you were trying to convey. If anything, you wanted to give him the out and the okay that he didn’t have to do this. He didn’t have to step into your family like some hero for you or your daughters. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable, I just--I don’t know where you are at, I guess.”

“And now Jeff is asking questions,” he laughed, a nod like he knew where you were going with it.

There was no label necessary. It wasn’t that type of thing, you knew that. “That’s what you walked in on after CeCe got hurt.”

Another nod, like the puzzle pieces were fitting into place. “Right. Got it. Was he--how did he seem? Did you tell him that we--”

“He put it together,” you cut him off, again careful of the words used around the girls even though they were upstairs and--by the sound of it--bickering in the bathroom. “But he was fine with it. I just think we need to be careful, you know. The girls...and this is temporary, and--”

“Absolutely.”

“So, you know, just--”

“Yeah.”

An awkward silence. “I should go tuck them in.” You turned on your feet and headed for the stairs before he could reply, desperate to get out of the situation out of fear of having to find more words to string together in a messy jumble of emotions.

Another slammed door from Maeve when you reached the top of the stairs. You knocked twice. “Can I come in, please?”

“No!”

“Maeve,” you leaned against the doorframe. Harry came up and offered an awkward smile. “Please let me talk to you.”

“I’m not talking to you!” She shouted.

Harry came over and knocked. “Maeve? It’s Harry--can I come in?”

Silence for a second, her footsteps were audible on the wood floor. The door opened a crack, she peered out with narrowed eyes. “Fine--but not her.”

You looked over at Harry, unsure of his game plan but also fed up with the theatrics and the overreaction. He shrugged his shoulders half-apologetically, a smirk in your direction before he slipped into the room.

Did you stay and listen? Was it weird? What would he even say to her?

You decided against it, headed for your own bedroom and tugged on pajamas after you flicked on CeCe’s night light and kissed her goodnight. At least only one of them was being dramatic today.

Five minutes passed, then ten. You tried not to look at the clock and focused instead on a book Zoey had told you was a must read.

Eventually there was a knock on your door, Harry pushed it open and smiled. “Do you want some intel?”

“Duh,” you said. “Come in.”

He walked forward and sat on your bed, a sigh when he brought his eyes to yours again. “Well, she said you’re annoying again.”

“Of course.”

“She’s just grumpy. Said Hayley wanted to have a sleepover this weekend because it would be better at her house.”

“Ah,” you nodded. “Some 5th grade rivalry.”

“Classic, really.”

You laughed. “Was she okay talking to you?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, eyebrows low on his forehead. “Opened right up.”

“Well, we do know she likes you more.”

He rolled his eyes. “She just likes that I’m not you.”

“Feels like that’s the same thing.”

Quiet for a moment when he angled towards you, scanned your face with his eyes.

“I guess I’ll go say goodnight.”

“Oh, I tucked her in.”

Your mouth tugged into a smirk. “You what?”

“She said she didn’t want you to come in.”

“So you tucked her in?”

He let out a laugh, explained the process like it should have been obvious. “Yeah--pulled up the blanket. Patted her on the head. She said she brushed her teeth.”

You leaned back against the headboard, the same buzzing feeling in your chest took flight when he asked: “why is it so shocking to everyone that I’m good with them?”

It slipped out before you could think of the possible consequences. “Because you’re young.”

“I’m not that young.”

“And Luke was just--not like that. He was pretty disinterested after CeCe was born.” You hoped this was enough of a redirection.

“You’re really caught up on my age, aren’t you?”

“No.”

He raised his eyebrows and offered a look that said: bullshit. When he didn’t speak, you cracked a joke.

“Or...you are not hung up enough on how old I am.”

“Why should I care how old you are?”

“Cause you’ve had sex with me and you’re living in my house.”

“Both of those things I am aware of. And feel really good about both of them.”

You let out a laugh at his nonchalance, folded your arms over your chest when he stood up. “You’re something else.”

“I’m not,” you disagreed.

“I think you are,” he nodded, leaned closer to you and offered a challenging glare. His hair was messy, he’d been running around in the backyard with them at Shelli and Irv’s, a few glasses of wine in him seemed to loosen him right up to the point that he was ready to slide tackle your six-year-old.

He watched you for a second, almost like he was waiting for you to stop him. You didn’t, though, you wanted him to kiss you just as much as it looked like he wanted to close to the distance between your chests.

Instead of telling him you shouldn’t, instead of telling him that the girls were down the hall and this was risky, you pulled him on top of you, tugged him by the t-shirt until he flopped down on your bed with a laugh against your lips.

He lifted himself up after a clumsy moment, looked down at you and smirked.

“What?” You asked playfully.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been so turned on by someone in my whole life.”

His words circled around you, pulled your body up to melt into his when his hand cupped your face. He laced his fingers through the hair along your neck, the warmth from his body made your pulse rise with each second.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this when they’re home?”

If the dimples on his cheeks weren’t enough, if the way his tattoos littered his skin wasn’t enough, if the look in his eyes right now on top of you was not enough to create a full-on mom fantasy in your head, the way he talked about your daughters was.

“Yeah,” you tugged him back against your mouth, felt the way your hips tilted against his without any thought. His hands moved to your wrists, holding them in place when he trailed his lips down your jaw, down your neck, pressing kisses in a line along your collarbone.

His hands were warm when they grazed your hips, connecting with skin beneath the fabric of your shirt. You grasped for the hem of his and tugged it over his head in a quick motion, eager to reconnect and feel his skin against yours.

He tasted like wine and smelled like summer, yanked your panties down to your ankles and used his fingers to pull quiet gasps from you like no one had ever before. He held onto your headboard and thrusted into you after you begged: please, please fuck me.

S’probably my favorite thing to do, he said.

The lights were long off and when your heart beats settled and you wiped sweat from your forehead, he laced his fingers between yours.

“Does Jeff want to kill me?”

“No,” you giggled, turned on your side to get a better look at him. The moon through the window illuminated his nose, his eyebrows, the specks of light green in his eyes as they devoured you. “But I’m sure you’ll get a talking to.”

“Should I not talk to him about it?”

You knew what he was asking, you knew he really meant what am I supposed to tell him? What does this mean?

You didn’t have an answer. You didn’t know what he should say or how you should address any of this, because at the end of the day you were a mom and a business owner and he was eight years your junior. He had an album to finish and tour and you knew how that worked.

You watched your dad’s busy lifestyle pull his marriage apart at the seams. Late nights, dinner parties, too much coke in the 80s before you were born and all of those signs pointed in one direction: this would never last.

It couldn’t last, nothing about the equation made sense. Harry + you = fling, rebound, a hook up or friends with benefits type situation that would eventually fade into a memory when he went on tour or when he got the call: your house is finished!

You didn’t have to answer him, though, the pattering of feet in the hallway as a little voice shouted mommy! had you shoving Harry out of bed and onto the floor with a thud before CeCe could push the double doors open.

“Mommy! I had a bad dream!”

“Hi, honey, oh, it’s okay,” you were upright in bed and welcoming her into your arms when Harry grimaced in the dark.

He mouthed a few swear words as you held CeCe, squishing her face into your shoulder to keep her eyes from landing on Harry. You gestured at him wildly with your free hand, ordering him to duck down and remain unseen.

“It was just a dream,” you told her, “you’re okay. Do you want me to walk you back to bed?”

“No,” she cried out quickly. “Can I sleep here?”

You hesitated, then nodded and looked at Harry in the dark. “Of course, yes, you can fall asleep here and then I’ll bring you back to your room.”

“Okay,” she said, the steadiness of her voice returning when she crawled out of your lap and to the spot where Harry had just been. She tugged at the comforters, pushed the pillow in different directions before she let her head rest atop it.

She let out a sigh, her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks and soon enough Harry poked his head up to look at you with wide eyes as you rubbed CeCe’s back.

You held up a finger to your mouth, gave him a threatening glare when he bit back a laugh. You rolled your eyes--it wasn’t funny. She almost walked in on the two of you and while she’d already endured some traumatic things this year, seeing her mom hooking up with the pop star from down the hall would be sure to take the cake.

When Harry caught your gaze again, you smirked, he giggled, clamped a hand over his mouth and watched you for a second.

“Be quiet!”

“You’re the one talking,” he laughed.

“Well she’s asleep now, but we can’t bring her back yet or she’ll wake up.”

“How long do we have to sit like this?”

“A while,” you told him with certainty. “This is called parenting.”

But he did, he sat on the floor on the side of the bed, watched you watch her and eventually, he picked her up from the mattress and followed you down the hall to her room. She softened into him, head on his shoulder and arms around his neck. The sight of it made you want to replay the earlier scene in your head over and over.

She didn’t stir, a few heavy sighs when you pulled the comforter back up to her shoulders, and once the door was shut behind you both, you smirked up at him.

“I think you should go back to your room.”

“Really? After all of that?”

“After almost getting caught by my six-year-old? Yes.”

He laughed and rolled his eyes playfully, crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine, but maybe we can do that again at some point and have it end differently.”

You nodded. “I think that sounds doable.”

He leaned forward, kissed you quickly, and then turned to head for his own room. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Harry.”

**

Harry came home from his house tour with good and bad news. The plumbing was fixed, which sped up their timeline, and yet the painters and interior decorator had gotten behind because of it, pushing the timeline out a few weeks.

You weren’t sure which part was good and which part was bad, because by now you were having trouble imagining what your house would feel like without him in it.

You got the news when he strolled in, athletic shorts and a baseball hat on his head when Jeff clapped him on the back. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Harry eyed him suspiciously, reached into the fridge for a juice box. “I live here…”

“Oh, I know you live here.”

“Hello, hi,” you waved at Jeff. “Please do not be weird.”

“That’s all he knows how to be,” Harry offered you a fake-apologetic look.

“That’s all he knows how to be,” Jeff mocked him. “Actually, I know how to be cool and not weird about the fact that my childhood best friend and my adult best friend-slash-artist are now, you know, involved.”

Your stomach did a somersault at his wording, a quick look in Harry’s direction, sure that he would deny the accusation or play it all down.

You found it hard to believe that Harry would be in support of labeling this as anything. Why on earth would a guy like him want to be tied to you with any sort of label or phrasing or word?

“Moving on,” Harry said with a nod. “Are we down to meet up with Tom and Sam tomorrow?”

“Yeah, and we have to do that phone call on Tuesday to go over tour dates.”

Maeve ran in then, a smile on her face when she looked up at Harry. “I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah?”

“I learned a new chord on the guitar. By myself.”

“You did?” He acted way more excited about it than he likely was.

Jeff smiled and then told Maeve: “If you learn enough chords maybe you can be his guitarist.”

“Really?!” She beamed.

“No,” you shook your head.

“Of course you would say that.”

“Maeve--you’re a kid, you can’t go on tour.”

“She’s right,” Harry said with a sweet smile, “You’re a bit too young for life on the road.”

“I’m eleven now, though!”

“I know! And very mature for eleven,” he complimented. “I’ll tell you what. You can for sure come visit and come back stage and maybe even bring a friend if your mother lets you.”

She looked to you quickly, excitement in her eyes when they all waited for your response. “Yeah--we can go at some point...see a show or something.”

“Hayley is going to die, oh my god!” She squealed with delight and then moved to sit at a stool beside Jeff.

He had half a sandwich on a plate, one he picked up on his way over for a boring Sunday afternoon of lounging by the pool. Maeve reached for a chip from the bag in front of him.

“By the way, mom, she invited me over Wednesday after school to work on a project, so can you bring me?”

“I have to bring CeCe to dance, sweetie.”

“Well I need you to bring me to the store to get supplies for this stupid poster-board thing we have to make! And Hayley’s mom said she had a question about Luna--something about a moisturizer or something.”

“I can take CeCe to dance,” Harry shrugged, almost like an onlooker in the room. “S’not a big a deal.”

“Are you sure?”

Jeff and Maeve crunched on chips between you, watching the exchange.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll just need to put her booster seat in my car.”

“And bring her a snack for after--she’s always cranky and hungry.”

He laughed, “I can manage that.”

“What would we do without you, Harry?” Maeve asked, a smile on her face.

Jeff put his chin in his hands, teasing. “Yeah, what would we do without you?”

“No one would get anywhere, people would seriously be missing out on my chicken tacos, and this house would be a lot less fun to live in.”

Maeve nodded in agreement, another chip stolen from Jeff. “True, true, and true.”

A few nights later it dawned on you that Maeve and Harry were as close as ever, spending evenings in your dad’s old office while Maeve tried to wrap her arms around a guitar long enough to strum a few chords.

CeCe didn’t seem to feel too left out, she was more than happy to be an audience for Maeve when she’d come running into the living room: Harry taught me a G chord!

On Tuesday night after school it was CeCe’s idea to go for pizza, she chirped about it in the backseat the entire way home, and after learning that the body wash production was behind schedule, you weren’t in the mood to cook.

You took Harry’s car--showed him how to strap the booster seat in and make sure it wouldn’t budge. He wore a hat and sunglasses which both girls found hilarious, but to you it was almost disheartening. What did it mean for him to be seen out with your family?

He sat beside CeCe and cut her pizza into tiny bites so it would cool off, Maeve sipped Mountain Dew from a straw and filled you in on the latest with Hayley. This week was going well, though Hayley said something annoying in the cafeteria.

It felt normal, not weird for him to be sitting across from you, his feet against yours beneath the table and a smirk in your direction every once in a while.

Both Tristan and Zoey had been dying to hear more details. It slipped out one day in the office that okay...maybe it wasn’t just a one time thing, and now the group chat you had with them was blowing up every day.

They were excited for you, rooting for your comeback and rebound and eager for you to just admit that there was something there. But you weren’t able to do that, especially not when everything in your heart wanted to.

By the time you’d all finished eating, he dipped out the back to pull the car around front. You pointed at Maeve and told her to watch CeCe while you went up to the counter to pay for the pizza.

The woman behind the register smiled when you approached. Long acrylic nails, wrinkles at the corner of her eyes made it obvious that she could have been your mother.

“We had one large plain and one small with pepperoni,” you told her.

“Oh, you’re all set, sweetie, your boyfriend paid on his way out.”

Your head pulled back in surprise. “Oh--he’s--we’re not,”

She let out a laugh at your hesitance. “He was just as taken back when I told him he had a beautiful family--said they're not his, though."

You forced a laugh, if only to match the humor in her voice when you turned on your heels to head back to your booth. The thoughts started spinning when Maeve and CeCe climbed into the back of Harry’s car.

He smiled at you when you slid in, patted you on the thigh before he turned around to make sure both girls were settled--Maeve clicked CeCe’s buckle into place and then he put the car into gear.

Sleeping with Harry was mostly meaningless, right? He was attractive and living in your house and clearly you both got something out of it. Convenient, easy, fun. Most of your brain had you convinced that there’d never be any more to it. There was no way that Harry would be interested in sticking around: two kids, a business to run. You didn’t exactly come with no strings attached.

And he corrected the woman too--not my kids, not my family, not my wife, not my anything. Had she settled on the next step down when she called him your boyfriend, or had he offered the label to avoid an awkward encounter?

It felt immature, your heart beating with urgency as you thought about it the whole way home, beads of sweat along your hairline and not from the warm weather. He sensed it, eyed you from behind his sunglasses when he parked in the driveway. Maeve and CeCe raced to the backyard, leaving the two of you alone.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, all good,” you offered a small smile, the same response you gave to one of the girls if they caught you on a bad day.

He followed you inside, kept his eyes trained on you when you dropped your purse on the counter. “What?”

“You seem off.”

“I’m fine,” you lied again. What were you supposed to say? The woman behind the register at the pizza place is making me question the relationship we have and what it means?

You weren’t 17. You were 32. He was 24. All of these numbers swirled in your head when he took a few steps closer to you, eyes out the window quickly to make sure neither of the girls were watching you through the sliding doors.

He pushed a piece of hair behind your ear, lips turned down when he looked over your face. “You can talk to me, you know.”

“I know,” you caught his wrist and held on for a second, like if you let go he’d disappear and take everything between the two of you with him. You closed your eyes, knew better but still said: “the woman behind the counter called you my boyfriend.”

He let out a laugh, unaware that your words were actually a confession. “She called you my wife, said the girls were cute. I told her I couldn’t take credit.”

“Yeah,” you forced another smile.

“Is that--are you, did that bother you?”

“No,” you shook your head. “I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“I’m not,” he said, eyes still on you like he wasn’t quite sure where your head was at. He pressed a confusing kiss to your forehead but then said something about calling his sister. You checked work emails and night faded into morning like it always did, no matter how uncertain life was, you always had that.

The next afternoon you brought Maeve to Hayley’s, dropped her off with glue sticks and markers and a plethora of project supplies. A yoga class after that, had her home and with dinner on the stove by 6pm.

Eventually, CeCe burst through the door with a smile on her face. Her pink tutu was around her waist, her legs clad in light pink tights and her hair in a messy ponytail on top of her head. “I had the greatest time at ballet!”

You turned around in the kitchen, eager to hear about her day. “You did?”

“I did,” she nodded confidently. Harry came in the front door behind her, sunglasses on his face and CeCe’s unicorn backpack in hand. Maeve was sat at the counter with a pencil, growing angrier with fractions by the minute.

“Why’s that?”

“We danced to a fun song, and we played a fun game, and everyone loved Harry!”

Your eyebrows rose at that, eyes caught his when he lifted the sunglasses. “They did?”

“Moms, not the six-year-olds.”

This caught Maeve’s attention--she sounded almost disgusted. “Moms?”

“I guess ballet pick-up is typically a mom thing?”

You shrugged. “I mean--I don’t see a lot of dads there, so yeah.”

CeCe shimmied out of her tutu and then climbed up to a stool beside Maeve. Harry walked to hang her backpack on a hook by the backdoor, you questioned if it was even worth asking.

“Were they, like, hitting on you?”

“I mean, not really.”

“Not really?”

He walked over to the island and leaned on it, the dimple in his left cheek let you know he liked the hint of jealousy in your voice. “Maybe a little.”

Dinner simmered on the stove, evening sun brought a glow to the kitchen that made his eyes even more green than usual. When you didn’t reply he broke your gaze, let out a sigh and said: “I’m going to shower before dinner, yeah?”

“Sounds good,” you nodded quickly, embarrassed by the silliness of your question. Of course the moms were hitting on him, of course they were intrigued by his presence and of course they couldn’t help but say hi or even ask for a photo. It shouldn’t have surprised you in the slightest.

He was up the stairs and out of sight quickly, CeCe picked up an extra pencil of Maeve’s and started doodling on her agenda book. You pushed sautéed veggies around in a frying pan and pretended that all of this was normal.

“Hey mom?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you like Harry?”

You turned around quickly, Maeve’s eyes were inquisitive but not judgmental.

“Do I like Harry? Of course--he’s nice.”

“No, I mean do you like like Harry?”

CeCe didn’t seem too interested in your answer, she hummed to herself and kicked her feet back and forth. Maeve, though, waited patiently while you tried to piece together words that wouldn’t make the roof blow off of your house.

“Harry and I are friends, sweetie.”

“You’re not answering my question.”

You let out a forced laugh. “What is making you ask this?”

“You seemed jealous about the other moms.”

“I wasn’t jealous,” you defended. Were you really about to get into it with your eleven-year-old? Would you really defend yourself and make this the hill on which you'd die?

She watched you for a second, looked back down at the worksheet in front of her. “You seemed jealous.”

You were thankful for the fact that she wasn’t making any eye contact now. You let out a sigh and decided that not responding was your best option. Adrenaline coursed through your veins, had it been that obvious? Was she old enough to pick up on the undertones of your relationship?

You turned back to the stove, watched the vegetables sizzle in the pan as your mind started to cave in on itself. All of this was getting out of control, right? First the woman yesterday and the dizziness that overtook you when she said the word boyfriend. Now Maeve sitting at the counter with a curiosity in her that you couldn’t really blame her for.

The doorbell rang, CeCe’s head popped up in excitement. “Who is that?!”

“I don’t know,” you said. She hopped off her stool and took off the door as you followed behind her. You hadn’t planned on a visit from Jeff, maybe Tristan needed last minute approval on a product.

But when CeCe yanked the door open with both hands and an excited smile on her face, you didn’t expect to see Luke, hands in his pockets and eyebrows raised high.

“Daddy!”

“Hi sweetie,” he knelt down on one knee, wrapped his arms around her when Maeve made a noise of excitement before rushing over. She crashed into him, pushing her way into their hug.

“What are you doing here?” she asked excitedly.

“I wanted to visit, I was in the neighborhood,” he said with a shrug, eyes glancing up to you.

It was bullshit, he’d always been good at talking his way out of things or coming up with an explanation, smile sweet and words even sweeter. He backed away from them when they let go, stood back up and smiled at you, a quick nod in greeting.

“How’ve you been?”

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[sweetsbfreex]

a perfect mix

hi! I had this idea and decided to write it for @tbslenthusiast ‘s dadathon enjoy!

                                             𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁𐄙𐄁

“Look Bub, she’s so pretty” you say sniffling, her tiny hand wrapped around your finger. 

“I know love, the perfect mix of me and you, thankfully more of you,” he said laughing breathily. He stood against the hospital bed, one arm wrapped around your shoulders, and the other–just his finger, though– used to graze her puffy, blotchy cheeks. 

She had just been cleaned, now wrapped in the pink hospital blanket and a cute beanie wrapped around her head. 

“Shut up,” you laugh. “Look!” you whisper. “Her eyes, they're a mix of green and brown”

“See a perfect mix of us” he replied nudging your shoulder, looking at you, and lifting his finger that was on Bub’s cheek to wipe away the happy tears at the corner of your eyes. “I’m so proud of you, you really went through it back there,”

You smiled shyly at his praise, puckering your lips for a kiss which he delivered gleefully. “I'm proud of you too.”

“What’d I do? All I did was throw a few ropes in.”

“H! You can't talk like that,” he laughs at your astonished look. “If you must know, your hand really went through the ringer.”

“Oh that, that was nothing,” he says shrugging his shoulders, his lips pursing in faux confidence.

“Baby...You asked me to go easy on you,” you said laughing as his face dropped. 

“Well ‘m sorry, your grip is so tight, pretty sure I would've lost circulation at some point”

You had tears rolling down your face and neck and sweat piling all over you, as you squeezed the ever daylight of Harry's hand. 

“I hate you so much Harry Styles, look what you did to me” you cried, flinging your head back.

“I know, know I promise you can use this over my head for the rest of our lives” his face cringing at the sound of your tears and screams, while blotting your forehead with a cloth “but you have to keep pushing, love.”

“Okay” you whined. “harry you said ‘ours’” you cried, trying with all your might to get the baby out of you.

“Are you guys ready for the rest of the family to join you?” the nurse asked, extinguishing the duo, of their baby induced trance. 

Harry angled his head a bit to anticipate your answer, you nodded in return. “Yea we’re ready,” he answered, smiling at the nurse, who left the room to rally everyone in. 

He looked down again at his little family, “you ready to meet your family, my sweet little girl,” he cooed, descending his head to set a light kiss to her puffy cheek at the moment she decided to yawn eliciting a laugh from you and Harry.

In that moment you heard the door opening. Anne, your mom, Gemma, your dad, Jeff, and Glenne walked through the door with an array of pink balloons and flowers. 

“Hi!” you greeted cheerfully at everyone. 

Harry walked away to hug whoever he could, rotating with whoever came to the bed to gently hug you. 

“I'm so proud of the two of you, look how cute she is,” your mom said sniffling bringing her finger up to the tip of her nose, pulling your head into her chest gently and placing a kiss to your forehead. 

“congratulations, darlings” Anne said, hugging harry again and also placing a kiss to your forehead. 

“thank you mum” “thank you mom” you and harry repeated at the same time.

You could see the pair of grandmothers trying to hold back their tears of joys and so could Harry as he released a playful groan with a “great now the mums are crying.”

“H, hush,” you say, laughing briefly. 

“look how cute you all look, gather in for a picture” Gemma said pulling out Harry’s camera that he insisted on packing in the baby’s bag of all places. 

Your mom stood to your left leaning and Harry doing the same on your right, however, and Anne stood next to her second-born. Everyone leaning into the middle and smiling the for picture. 

“say cheese!” Gemma said. 

                                                             -

You and Harry were shuffling around the hospital room, gathering everything you needed to go home. 

“Make sure to grab all the baby formula and stuff you see” you yell over to Harry while you tried picking the baby’s going home outfit, leave it to your indecisive self to change your mind last minute. 

“Harry, the pink or brown?” you asked turning around to present him the two footies.

“I like the pink better.”

“Brown it is” you say looking over the cute brown, bear like footie. 

“Heyyy!” Harry dragged out, tossing a diaper to the back of your head. 

Once you were finished, you raised her up murmuring how cute she looked. Kissing both her cheeks religiously. “You’re such the perfect mix y’know, look how cute you are, you smell good too,” you say kissing her lips lastly, before setting her in her car seat. 

Harry walked over to both of you, winding an arm around your waist, kissing your cheek. 

“Ew, Harry, that was wet,” you say, turning to bite his cheek in return.

“I’m sorry these are the people you’re being raised by, muffin,” Harry says leaning down to kiss her.

You flick him in the back of his head, his hand raising to touch the spot. “ready to go?” he asked. 

You nodded, mumbling an mhm. You outstretched your hand out to grasp the handle of the seat, until a quick slap was directed to your hand. 

“babe?!” you express, looking at him bewildered. 

“you just gave birth, you absolutely think ‘m gonna let you carry the carseat,” he answers, voice filled with false offense, mumbling something along the lines of ‘out of her mind’ talking to the baby exactly. 

“ok, well can I carry th-”

“No. Ready to go home?” reaching his thumb to massage away the furrow of your eyebrows. 

“Yes”, you sigh, reaching up to kiss his cheek “Thank you for looking out for me.”

“Just one of my many jobs,” he replies, hauling you in for a kiss. The baby bag on his shoulder and the baby in his opposite hand, all while his free hand embraced one of yours as you both trailed down the hallway. 

You were meant to walk through the front entrance of the hospital, but it didn't seem that was happening. 

“christ” Harry hissed, his jaw clenched in utter annoyance. 

“What is it? H?” you asked tugging his hand. 

“Think someone told the paps we were here, its fine don’t worry, we’ll just go through the back,” he said, towing you both to the desk to hopefully sort out the mess. 

                                                             -

“meet your new home Miss Styles,” you whispered crouching in front of the car seat, taking her out.

“lovie, look at this cute set, Alessandro sent,” Harry said in excitement from the living room.

When the three of you first walked into the room, you were met with an abundance of flowers, balloons, sweets, and gifts splayed-out all over the living room and some lingering by the hallway where the front door was. What you could only assume was brought in by his assistant. 

The night before you were supposed to give birth to the baby– laying in the hospital bed on your side, while Harry spooned you from behind, one hand rubbing your back and the other your belly – you both stayed up texting whoever you needed to tell them the good news. 

You walked into the living room, sitting next to Harry (who still secured the box of clothes in his lap.) 

“Look at these shoes, oh!, They match my Brit Award ones from 2020″ he said grinning ear to ear, holding the pair up. 

“They even have her initials on the sides” you fell about happily.

“I know! We’ll have to thank him later,” he said placing them gently back in the box and the box to the floor. He laid back against the couch, holding his arms out awaiting you. 

You scuttled back gently, the baby still in your arms, until you were curled up into Harry’s chest – your back to his. He bounded both his arms over your shoulders, leaning his chin on your shoulder to view the bundle in nestled in your arms. 

“I can't believe we’re really parents,”he mumbled, turning his head to kiss your neck. 

“I know, and this isn’t a temporary thing like our nieces and nephews,” you replied, a smile on your face.

“We’re doing this every single day”

You all sat quietly in the living room, his record playing A Sunday Kind of Love in the background. The Idyllic feeling was all over the room, Harry singing along to the song lowly by your ear, rocking the three of you slowly. You couldn’t believe it even though she was in your arms right now, jostling her head a little...uh oh. 

...Before long a loud shrieking sound emitted from her small body, her hands in fists rising up to her chest.

“Yep. Every day” Harry said, sighing as her cries only got louder. 

[tagsecretsanta]

From @Onereyofstarlight

to @godsliltippy

Secret Santa does not own this work, full credit to the author above!

Jelly smears onto her arm where Gordon grabs her and a ball of wrapping paper and tape is thrust into her hands.

“’t’s for you,” he says, eyes alight as she holds the pink package away from her body. 

Penelope stares at him and looks over to her father. Years of etiquette, engrained into her by nurses, nannies and governesses, never prepared her for the clumsy friendship of a five-year-old boy who showed all his teeth when he smiled.

No-one would know if she didn’t thank him. Just the two of them, and she doubts he would even notice. 

Her mother would notice. Her dead mother’s presence was everywhere, lurking in the corners of every room and watching Penelope’s every move. Her mother would tell someone and they would tell her father.

Nothing escapes Lord Creighton-Ward, especially not in his own house.

She nods slowly instead, allowing a thin smile to spread across her face. 

“Thank you, Gordon.”

There’s dirt on his nose. Her smile falters.

But Gordon is five and starry eyed and in love with the pretty girl who came to play school with his brothers and doesn’t see the lie in her eyes. 

He runs back to his mother, heedless of the way Penelope’s eyes follow him.

“Wot’s tha’ milady?”

“Nothing, Parker.”

She means it too.

The gift is never opened, discarded among the steamers and half-eaten plates of food.

Gordon never notices.

***

The next year, he gives her nothing but a cold stare.

***

Time passes and she’s no longer a haughty girl of seven, sulking in the back room of a boring Christmas Eve party, and he’s no longer the kid who follows his brothers like a lost puppy. He bounds first into every room, demanding attention and she can hardly stop herself from giving it to him. 

“Hey,” says John, looking slightly affronted at the way her eyes have slipped away from him once again. “You listening to me?”

“Yes.”

She’s lying, and she’s gotten good at that, but John still knows her tells, still knows her.

“Sure.”

It’s hard to hear him over the bright spark of laughter on the other side of the room. Gordon is surrounded, entertaining the small children stuck in the same position she was exactly twelve years ago.

A nudge pulls her from her thoughts and John nods in his direction.

“Talk to him.”

Penelope says nothing and he reads her silence as easily as his mathematical proofs. His mouth twists as he watches her, biting back platitudes that she can’t stand to hear.

“He got you a gift,” John says quietly. His eyes never leave her and she wishes desperately that she could leave. “He spent hours thinking about it, didn’t shut up about it since he drew your–”

“Don’t tell me that.”

His hands rise, open and honest and the words fall heavy between them.

She’d never been more pathetically grateful than when Gordon pulled her name for the annual Christmas round robin. She doesn’t need John to point it out to her.

There’s a dry lump in her throat and it tastes like pity.

Penelope knows she’s being a terrible host, but she allows the silence to stretch between them.

“Do you want another drink?”

She shakes her head, looking very carefully into the flickering flames. 

John sighs and collects her glass from the mantle all the same. 

“I’ll be back.”

She watches John as he strides across the dance floor, half convinced he’s about to spill the beans to Gordon, but he barely gives him a second glance. Instead, a few short words and a pointed look in her direction sends Virgil her way.

“Penelope, you’re looking wonderful.”

“What did John tell you?”

He grins and offers her his hand.

“Just thought you might appreciate a dance. Take your mind off matters.”

“He told you?”

“Never, our Johnny is a gentleman first. And a dancer last.”

On tiptoes, she spies John over his brother’s shoulder and glares at him as he ducks out of the room.

“One dance then, Mr Tracy.”

“Lady Creighton-Ward.”

In truth, Virgil is a wonderful dancer. They move like starlings in the dusk, mesmerising and perfectly choreographed as the music swells in a familiar beat. It’s easy and joyful, allowing herself to move without thinking while Virgil mutters terribly judgemental comments about the more stuck-up members of her peers.

“Stop it, Virgil,” she whispers, fighting a smile. “It’s not funny.”

He laughs and they dance, allowing the music and conversation to direct their pace and as the song swells, he twirls her, throwing her into a spin with laughter erupting from her lips, and yet it’s Gordon who catches her.

The sound dies and blood rushes to her cheeks. She drops his hand and stares, lips parted, eyes wide.

It’s embarrassing, really.

Virgil has made himself scarce, but her eyes are trained on Gordon alone. In his hands, he holds a present, its yellow bow flopping over like her father’s dog after a long walk, and he smiles, crooked and sweet in its uncertainty.

She can’t bring herself to breathe. His smile falters as his face flushes and he drops his eyes. They stand together and their eyes don’t meet. In one stilted motion, he presses the small box into her palm and turns away. 

Their hands never touch, but the gift is still warm. She traces the yellow ribbon as she watches him go.

“Thank you,” she calls out with a rush of courage. 

He glances back over his shoulder and shrugs, his smile brilliant between flaming cheeks.

“Welcome, Pen. Happy Christmas.”

And it is. 

Later that night, she stares at the neatly wrapped box and turns it over in her hands. She should open it, she knows, but she remembers John telling her how Gordon had agonised over this. He deserves more than a bleary thank you note tainted by exhausted emotion.

She puts the gift aside, ready for Christmas morning when she can take her time.

She wakes up and it’s Christmas Day.

It’s Christmas Day and her father dies.

***

She packs her childhood away and smiles with all the gracious manner he’d always expected of her. People stream through the house; some she hasn’t seen for years and some she’d seen only yesterday. Their comfort is as empty as the house she grew up in.

“We can’t put this off any longer, Penelope.”

Her aunt’s quiet voice breaks through the haze of grief and exhaustion.

“Not yet,” she whispers, watching the door.

“Not even Jeff Tracy can change an international flight plan midcourse. By the time they land, refuel and deal with the bureaucrats in order to get back here, I need to be gone. And you need to be with me.”

She exhales shakily, fighting the tears and tightness in her chest.

“Let me get my things.”

Great Aunt Sylvia nods and Penelope stands. It’s short work but she allows herself to hesitate. She knows what she’s getting into, and there won’t be time for sentimentality in her future. She looks down at the little box she’d placed on her bedside table. She should leave it behind along with her regrets. 

She pulls on the ribbon. It’s an impulse and a foolish one, and she can’t stop herself until she holds the gift unwrapped in her hands.

A laugh bubbles out of her, genuine and surprising in the dullness of the day. A pair of door knockers, moulded into the familiar shape of Sherbet, lay gleaming in the tissue paper. 

It’s ridiculous and perfect and she can’t help but love it.

“Penelope, dear? No time for dilly-dalliances.”

“I’ll be right down, Aunt Sylvia.”

Penelope collects her things, still biting back a smile. She’ll have them installed while she’s away.

***

Penelope trains in espionage. Gordon joins the military.

She completes her apprenticeship and Jeff Tracy offers her a position. He doesn’t return.

His father dies. She listens, numb, as Scott tries to get through to his superiors. No amount of money or connections will allow Gordon to resurface from his position of deep cover.

Unease settles over the family and no-one asks her to leave the island. So, she stays. She programs her favourite meals into the kitchen computer, hands tools to Brains and tells Parker to look after Mrs Tracy. Her employer is dead, but she’s not sure where else she should be.

Alan follows her around. Virgil sleeps. She doesn’t know what Scott and John are doing, locked away in the study.

Eventually, Gordon comes back. He’s lost his healthy tan and the bags under his eyes look like storm clouds. Still, he laughs as he swings Alan around in a hug, and drags Virgil out of his room, and needles at his other two brothers until they finally tell him the plan moving forward.

International Rescue will continue and Penelope no longer feels like a stranger on the island. The black despair begins to peel back and she can feel the hope and determination they all share.

It’s a gift.

***

He’s bashful.

He’s infuriating.

He’s scared.

He’s ecstatic.

He’s lost.

He’s safe.

His father is alive.

His father is alive and he’s looking at her, joy in his eyes and determination behind his smile.

He slips beneath the cool armour she forged in the wake of her father’s funeral with a kiss.

There’s no time to talk until there is.

He walks his grandmother’s son across the room and turns to her.

He reaches out and she meets him there.

*** 

It’s a fragile thing between them, still nebulous and undefined. Her breath catches as he slides an arm around her waist and tucks himself against her skin. Great Aunt Sylvia would never approve of such a blatant display. Parker certainly doesn’t. 

It’s vulnerable and honest, and so very Gordon, and she tenses as his family’s eyes land on them, bracing herself for the scrutiny to which she’s opening herself. He tugs her close, careless and unrepentant beneath the gentle ribbing and wolf whistles. She can hear the distinct bleep of money being transferred between bank accounts and shoots a glare in Virgil’s direction. 

It turns out that no-one finds them very interesting, hardly saying a word and playing with each other’s hands.

He presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth, until it spreads into a smile of her own beneath him. Her eyes flutter closed and she moves to clutch at the hand that cups her cheek.

“Hey,” he whispers, mouth against her skin. “Happy Birthday.”

She pulls away and stares. 

“I thought you said we would exchange gifts on Christmas. I haven’t wrapped yours yet, you should have told me and–”

“Pen,” he interrupts, laughing a little. “I said ‘Happy Birthday’. It’s not Christmas time just yet.”

“I don’t understand.”

He shrugs as he reaches behind him with a sheepish grin.

“Well, it’s just I know how it is, being born near a holiday. Gotta imagine being born the day before Christmas lends itself to that combined present crap far too easily for people.” He glances down at the parcel, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks. “I know you said you didn’t want a fuss, but I wanted you to know I was thinking of you today.”

She loves him. The thought is no longer new or surprising but for the first time she embraces it and allows it to warm her heart instead of squirrelling the idea away in a fit of shame. He thought of her and she loves him and she doesn’t care about presents, not really, but no one had ever thought of her like he does.  

He hands her a brightly wrapped parcel and she can’t help the dopey smile that grows as she holds it in her hands.

“Thank you, Gordon,” she says, still staring in delight.

“Well, there’s more where that came from.” It’s a self-conscious laugh, tinged with uncertainty and he can’t help himself and the question spills forth. “You like it?”

“I haven’t opened it yet,” she says with a laugh of her own. “But I already love it.” 

He looks entirely too pleased with himself, but she knows how to fix that these days. Leaning forward, she kisses him herself, paying no mind to the rest of the family. 

“Merry Christmas, darling.”

[choicest]

We'll Be Fine

Summary: It's graduation day. Harrises meet Prices and Noah gives MC a gift.

A/N: Sorry this one took a while. I was replaying MTFL and realized that if you choose Noah, there won't be an option for you to give him a graduation gift. And since I miss him dearly, I decided to just write a fic about it. This is the first part of this two-part fic. Thank you for reading! It really means the world to me. Let me know if you like it!

Tags: @lalizah @shows-simp-card @aylamwrites

//

Her room is almost bare. Most of the pictures that used to take most of the space are all safely packed in her suitcase. The only thing that remains untouched is the corkboard that holds the rest of the things she needed to do before moving to New York.

For the hundredth time, she skims through her suitcase, making sure that everything she will ever need is loaded. In there, she saw the softest scarf in the world. As if finding the last piece that will complete a puzzle, she quickly roams the room to find her camera. It is resting on the bed; she smiles loving its new look. It looks just like her. Even at first glance, you would know that that camera belongs to MC Price. She smiles remembering the memory.

~two weeks ago~

"Mack, what do I do? The graduation is tomorrow and my gift for Noah is still not here! I should've listened to Dad. I should've let him drive me there to get the package myself." MC worries as she walks mindlessly around the living room.

"MC, honey, relax. It will be fine. I'm pretty sure Noah will understand." Her dad calmly says as he finishes preparing the dinner.

"Also, look on the brighter side, sis, since the gift is arriving later than expected..." Mackenzie doesn't get to finish as MC interrupted her.

"Very later."

"... very later than expected, you'll have more time to plan on how you are going to give it to him. I'm thinking a date, a very romantic date."

"You guys are right. Yeah. It'll still be worth it."

Right after the graduation ceremony, Noah, together with her mom and Hazel make their way towards the Price family. As Dr. Price sees Noah, he swiftly offers his hand for him to shake.

"Congratulations, Noah." He says looking directly into him. Despite the shortness of his words, Noah gets the message.

"Thank you, Dr. Price."

"I told you, call me Dave."

The two of them share a laugh as MC and Noah introduce both families to one another.

As their families exchange pleasantries, Noah and MC catch each other’s gazes, smiling quietly, grateful for the opportunity. People their age surely think that introducing both families is such a big step in a relationship but Noah and MC honestly don't care about those stages in a relationship.

Right after Noah told his mother about the whole incident, how Dr. Price saved Elijah, she insists to meet him to properly say thank you. And that's how the Harris family found themselves sharing dinner with MC's family the night of the graduation.

The image in front of him makes Noah smile, not his usual smirk, but a genuine one. Both of their family get along surprisingly well. He reminds himself to thank MC for that later.

MC telling Noah her dad likes gift baskets because that's usually what patients give to him when they're well is definitely the charmer. It's not like Mrs. Harris has to win Dr. Price's approval but it's really the least she could do after what happened with Elijah. So when Noah learns this information, he quickly told her Ma who practically runs into the nearest store to get the most lavish, overflowing gift basket.

MC goes out into the porch to catch fresh air after dinner. As exciting as the day has been, she can't shake the sadness that's looming inside her. She's going to miss everything her eyes can reach: the place, the neighborhood, Mrs. Bartha, their widowed neighbor who always extends her most delicious pie with her family, the tree she fell off when she was a kid earning her a one whole hour of pain as her dad stitch her up in the clinic, and all of the other memories she quietly keeps to herself. She's ecstatic to move into New York, who is she kidding? She's literally going into her dream school. In her head, she lists all the things she should be thankful for so she could ignore the bitter-sweet feeling that has been sitting inside her since she realized these major changes.

Her reverie was cut short when she feels strong hands enveloping her waist. The person's smell immediately fills her nostrils, and she leans her head back into his chest.

"Hi." Noah softly whispers in her ear.

"Hey, Jeff Goldblum." MC responds wrapping her hands around Noah's neck as she turns around.

"Careful, I might start thinking you only want me for fulfilling your fantasy."

Both of them chuckle as MC hugs him tighter.

"What's on your mind, Cheer Squad?"

"Today's high on the charts. Look, Mack playing with Hazel, our families warming up to each other..." She says as she gestures inside the room where Hazel whoops in victory as she defeats Mack in UNO.

"I say, that's definitely more than just warming up."

"I know." MC groans pressing her head into his shoulders.

"So, what's the matter then?"

"I just... I'm so happy I can finally go to art school. What I have in my hands, Noah, is everything I ever wanted. But I don't know. I also feel sad."

Noah rubs the lower of her back as she avoided his gaze.

"We're all gonna be fine." Noah reassures her as she locks him in her arms.

"Hey, look at me, baby. We're gonna be fine. Your dad, Mack, us."

At the mention of their relationship, MC looks up and finds Noah already staring at her. Smiling warmly, holding her safely in his arms.

"Sadness is a common feeling when everything around you seems to be changing. But hear me out, Cheer Squad, everything you built and share with the people here, everything inside this house, all of it will still remain, and will always, always be here, for you, especially me. And you know what's the best thing is?"

"That my father can clearly see us through the window right now but not doing anything?"

"That and also..." Noah laughs as he slowly moves his hands to hold her face.

"You will have me, you will have us, always. You won't even have to turn around because I will be in your side, supporting you, cheering for you while you chase after your dreams."

"I love you. God, I'm so lucky to have you." MC gently smiles, tears forming in her eyes."

"Please, don't cry on me now, babe, or else your father might actually do something." Laughing, Noah wipes her tear with the pad of his thumb.

"I have something for you." Noah starts, realizing it's the perfect moment to give her his gift.

"You do?"

"Don't sound as if you didn't catch me asking Mackenzie for suggestions. Just a sec." Noah dash into the room to get his gift. He shoots Dr. Price a shy smile as if asking for a few more minutes before he calls it a day.

MC excitedly accepts the crinkled box as Noah looks to the ground.

"I... I wrapped it myself." Noah admits rubbing the back of his head.

"Then I love it even more."

MC opens the box and reveals a camera strap and a scarf.

"I know how insane New York could get when it's winter so I got you a scarf to keep you warm. A black one so it'll be easy for you to style it. Mack says if I'm planning to get any fabric, choose black because it goes with everything..." Noah doesn't get the chance to complete his sentence as MC once again wraps her arms around him and kisses him.

"Did you do that to shut me up?"

"Yes but mainly because I just wanted to kiss you. I love it, Noah. Thank you. And the strap, it's... it's me."

"I know. When I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you. Happy graduation, MC." Noah proudly smiles as he saw how happy his girlfriend is.

"Happy graduation, Noah. But my gift for you, it's not here yet. There's a delay with the delivery. I don't have anything for you now." MC speaks continuously, worry lines appearing on her forehead.

"Don't worry about it, it's fine. Thank you, whatever that may be."

Not being able to contain the happiness, MC hugs Noah while softly kissing his face.

Noah is just about to kiss MC on the lips when they heard a very loud, and obvious cough behind them. Noah laughs, slowly letting her go.

Mrs. Harris smiles as she once again congratulates MC. Hazel hugs her side as Noah shakes Dave's hand before fist-bumping Mackenzie. Despite the late-night hour, Hazel shouts sweet goodnights to the Prices as Noah starts the car. Glancing one more to MC's direction, he sees that she's already wearing the scarf. Smiling to himself, he mouths an "I love you" to her before driving away.

That night as MC prepares for bed, her phones chimes with texts.

Noah: We'll be fine.

Noah: I love you, Cheer Squad.

~present~ 

The doorbell rang bringing MC back into the present. The list in the corkboard is almost complete, there's only one thing left to do: "Give Noah's present, and enjoy the rest of the time together." Hundreds of ideas are already forming in her mind as she runs downstairs to get the package.

//

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate you guys. I'm already working on the next and last part of this fic, let me know if you want to be tagged. Thank you again for reading and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Stay safe always! -pilar

[buckyscrystalqueen]

Ain’t Sayin’ She’s a Gold Digger: Part 3

Pairings: Sugar Daddy!Negan x Sugar Baby!Reader

Warnings: Sugar baby relationship, swearing

Word Count: 3,343

Part 1 / Part 2

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

“OK, do you know what I think sounds much more fun than watching you work right now?” You asked from the bed as you rolled on to your stomach on the sheets toward where Jeff was working at the desk in the master bedroom.

“Playing the piano some more?” He asked without looking away from his laptop. You smirked and shook your head as you set the book you grabbed from the main room’s collection aside, pulled your knees up to your chest, and sat up.

“Well I can do that any time.” You giggled as you pulled off your night gown and tossed it toward the desk by his left elbow. He startled the slightest bit when it hit him, and he turned around to look at you with his eyebrow raised as you shot your underwear at him like a sling shot. “When else am I going to be able to skinny dip on the top of a cruise ship?” You turned on your heel with a giant smile and headed over to the veranda doors without a look back. “You coming or is work more fun to you?” He grumbled ‘Goddamn’ under his breath as you turned the corner and headed up the stairs to the small hot tub. The water felt absolutely perfect as you stepped into it, and Jeff finally joined you when you got the jets figured out and turned on. “Oh, no!” You said with a shake of your head as you moved in front of the stairs and shook your head as he set down a pair of robes from the closet. “This is a no clothing zone.”

“Yea, I’m still not fucking walking around with my dick out.” He laughed as he glanced over his shoulder before taking off his boxers and quickly getting into the hot tub.

“OK, who the fuck is gunna see you up here?” You laughed as you sat down in the seat next to him and put your legs across his lap. “The birds? I hear they are huge gossips.” You squeaked a laugh when he tickled your sides and pouted at him when he stopped.

“Gentlemen my age aren’t meant to skinny dip…”

“Huh? What does that even mean?” You asked as you threw your hair up in a messy bun on top of your head.

“You have tattoos?” He asked as he tilted his head a bit to see the tattoo that ran down your rib cage. You glanced down at it and nodded your head as you sat up so you could turn toward him a bit.

“The first song mama Beth taught me on the piano was Hallelujah. She wasn’t having none of that Twinkle Twinkle shit with her… with her own kid.” You sniffled and shrugged your shoulders. “So she taught me her favorite song. And it was the song that got me into Juilliard… well, sort of…”

“Story?” He asked gently as he slowly dragged the tips of his fingers up and down your shin.

“Well… OK, here’s the thing.” You started as you got comfortable in your spot and shifted the jet toward a small knot in your back a little more. “So if you haven’t realized by now, I am not normal. In any sort of capacity.”

“Nooo….” He sassed, teasingly. “You don’t say?”

“Shut up.” You laughed as you flicked a bit of water at him. “Its more fun to live life outside the box. So when I sent in my audition tape, I did the most stereotypical classical song you could think of. Beethoven. Bleck. But it got me through to the auditions so yay. But when I got into the practice room before the auditions and was warming up, I heard one of the ladies who worked at my… second? Maybe third group home say ‘don’t be afraid to be different’. Now, she had been talking about how I went through a phase when I was 13 of wearing bright, clashing colors every day because I thought it looked cool. But it just kinda changed my thinking that day. So I went into my audition and mashed up Hallelujah and Can’t Help Falling in Love, because it was playing on my iPod when I walked in to Juilliard, on the spot. Took me the full thirty minutes to figure out how to do it, but I did it. And it got me in.” Jeff sat silently for a moment, really taking in your story in a way you didn’t see, before he nodded his head.

“Where have you been all my life?”

“Disney gift shop.” You responded with a smile as you pointed at the water color Stitch outline on your hip. He smiled and slid his hand up to brush his thumb across the ink, before moving his hand to a more respectful place on your leg.

“My tattoos were all decisions made by a much younger man.” He laughed as he picked up your legs a bit so he could turn toward you.

“Yay stories!” He laughed again and nodded as he situated your legs on his lap again. He went one by one, showing you all five of his tattoos, and giving you an insight you had to assume not many people saw of the millionaire. You were absolutely enthralled with this man, and the more you listened, the more you wanted to know. And the more you got to know him, the more you wondered how it was possible that this man was single.

“Hey, Jeff.” You breathed as you used your and his legs to scoot closer to him. “How come… well… how come you’re a Sugar Daddy?”

“That’s…” He started as he looked out at the star splattered sky and the open ocean in front of the bow of the boat. “That’s a story for another day.”

“OK.” You whispered softly with a nod as you turned on the bench so you were right next to him and laid your head on his shoulder. “I have time to wait.” You felt him nod his head as he kissed the top of yours, before he rested his cheek on your head and looked back out at the stars.

“You are too good for me, sweetheart.”

“No, I’m not.” You giggled as you snuggled into his side. “I’m apparently just as fucked up as you are.” He huffed and nodded his head again as you both pointed to a shooting star at the same time.

“No, sweetheart. You are perfect.”

——

You had no idea where time went those next two weeks. Between the ten different ports in three different countries, and trying to learn as much as you could about the cruise experience as a whole so Jeff knew his company was exceeding his expectations of his company. Even though you knew he had work to do, you still couldn’t help yourself but be a flirtatious distraction just to see the smile that you could tell felt foreign to him.

“What, do you think you’re permanently stealing my shirt?” Jeff asked as he came out of the bathroom with a towel in his hands, barely covering himself up to tease you. You did a double take as you put your freshly cleaned clothes in one of the three harder side suitcases you bought before the trip. You glanced down at the shirt you had stolen from his part of the closet on the first or second night, and nodded your head.

“This is now mine.” You said with a smile as you dropped your jewelry bag on top of the first full suitcase and closed the top. “I’d just give up on thinking you’re getting it back… hey…” He hummed and looked up at you with his eyebrow raised as he stopped drying off his hair, and you tilted your head to the side like a lost puppy. “What’s wrong?”

“We need to talk.” Your stomach dropped to your toes as you nodded your head in total understanding.

“OK.” You whispered with a tight smile. “It’s OK, I understand. You… you don’t have to fly me back private.”

“Wait, what?” He asked as he threw the towel around his waist on his way over to where you were standing. “(Y/N), I’m not sending you home, baby girl. I’m trying to tell you that… we may need to renegotiate our arrangement.” You looked over at him as a single tear fell on each cheek. “No, don’t cry. You’re staying with me.”

“Why would you say it like that then, jerk?” You asked as he pulled you into a hug.

“Because I’m not good with the sappy shit.” He chuckled as he kissed the top of your head.

“So rude.” You said with a huffed laugh as you pushed him away. “Go away. I don’t like you right now.”

“Well I guess I’m going to have to send you home after all then.” You rolled your eyes at him and went back to packing your bags as he grabbed the pair of boxers he had left out when he packed while you showered. He hesitated a moment as he watched you set the outfit you were planning on wearing into London aside, and met your eyes when you looked up at him to continue. “My wife left me for another man.” You nodded your head and put down the pile of bras in your hand to walk around the bed to where he was standing.

“I know, honey. Dana told me.”

“Did she tell you I was to old to find another girlfriend?” He asked as he gently wrapped his hands around your upper arms and sat you down on the bed. “Because I am.”

“No.” You huffed as you used your legs to pull him a step closer to you. “No, you are not.”

“Yea, I am.” He sighed as he looked down away from you. “And I travel to much and work to hard…” You interrupted his thoughts before he could even get started by gently placing your fingertip on his chin and adding pressure until he looked at you again.

“Did you know that I’m worthless?” You asked him, honestly. “That I’m not worth anyone’s love. Because my last foster mother told me that every day before I aged out. Did you know that’s why I’m still single? Because just like you, I’ve been waiting for someone to show me that the wait we’ve both had to do was worth it.”

“You’re not worthless…”

“And you’re not old.” You countered as you ran your fingers through his wet curls. “And no, you don’t have to pay me to want to be here with you. You didn’t have to pay me to want to spend time with you at all…”

“I’m…” He started as he looked away again, but he leaned down enough to drop his forehead on yours.

“It’s OK to be scared.” You whispered as you closed your eyes and put your other hand on the back of his neck. “I’m scared that I will never be good enough for you no matter how expensive the clothes you put me in are. After all, I am an orphaned college drop out…”

“No you’re not. I’m the millionaire that is way to old to date anymore…”

“Alright, you’re wrong too, so if the point that you’re trying to make here is you want me to keep traveling with you, I can honestly say that you are never getting any work done again.” He smiled broadly and picked his head up enough to look at you and nodded.

“I think I’ll be OK with that.” Your smile grew with his as he closed the distance between the two of you and captured your lips with his. He pulled back quicker than you would have liked for your first kiss, and your smile turned into a pout as he adjusted his boxers. “What? I have work.”

“The fuck you do!” You laughed as you grabbed his wrist and pulled him back over to you. “You can’t kiss me like that and just walk away.”

“Oh, I’ll do whatever I want to, sweetheart.” He teased as he pushed you down on the bed between your suitcases and clothes. “I’m in charge.”

“No, you think you’re in charge.” You countered as you wrapped your arms and legs around him. “But in reality, I’m the one in charge here.” He hummed and kissed you again with a small nod.

“OK.”

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

“Hello?”

“Dana!” You said with way to much enthusiasm for 7:30 in the morning as you wandered around the Royal Suite of the Ritz Carlton you were staying in for the next few days while Jeff took care of some business he had. “Good, you’re awake. I’m stealing Jeff from you because no one else is allowed to have him ever again.”

“(Y/N)?” She asked hesitantly as she probably looked at her phone. “Where are you? Aren’t you supposed to be on a plane?”

“Well no, not any more. Oh, but you will never guess where I am!”

“You’re interrupting my Bachelor binge so it better be good…”

“I’m in Abu Dhabi.” You finished quickly as you sat down on the chaste lounge chair in the bathroom. “But I don’t wanna talk about that, I wanna talk about Jeff.”

“Of course you do.” She laughed as you turned the chair toward the window where you wanted it to look at the beautiful pool and beach below you.

“OK, one. You said he owned a couple hotels, not that he was the CEO of the freaking Marriott.”

“Didn’t know…”

“Second, and much more importantly, how the hell did his ex wife tell him he was to old to love?”

“She what?”

“Yea, broke his poor heart. My guess is that’s the only reason that he’s been coming to see you. To just pay to have someone not break his heart like that again. D, this man is God’s honest one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. And funny! Oh, so funny! He had me nearly pissing myself at dinner every night on the cruise. I’ve had more fun in the last two weeks than that time we went to Coney Island and got wasted. You remember that night?”

“Of course I do…”

“And that’s saying something.” You continued over her to get your point out. “And whats more, I was concerned I’d only see the money… I don’t even care! Honestly, I just want to keep spending time with him. Shit, I’d never buy another nice thing in the world if it meant I got to spend more time with him. Dana… Dana this man is perfect. Like he’s a sculpted from the Gods, sweet as homegrown pie, loving, caring, compassionate, selfless piece of sexy as fuck hunk-a man.” Your best friend laughed at your description as you scooted down on the chair a bit more with a smile. “Thank you, Dana.”

“You’re welcome, (Y/N).”

“Guess you’re on your own going to the Bachelor mansion now.” You laughed as you crossed your legs and bounced your foot in the air. “I’ll let you borrow my dresses if you want so you don’t break the bank. OH! And I have my rent. I don’t know when we’re coming back because Jeff has a meeting here today and one in… I think Australia on Thursday, and I think he’s gotta stay in Australia for a bit, but I’m not sure. He told me when he was getting ready for the gym but I was half asleep and drooling. But he put some money in my bank account so I could make sure you weren’t late on bills until I figure out work again…”

“You don’t have to work if you don’t want to.” Jeff said softly as he walked into the bathroom, drenched in sweat from his morning workout. “Hi beautiful. Hi Dana.”

“I’ll Venmo you money later Dana, and Jeff says hi. Gotta shower and go drool some more. Call you from Australia!”

“Bye Jeff. Bye (Y/N). Have fun you traitorous bitch… leaving me in the single world…” With a smile, you said bye once more and hung up the phone to jump in the shower before breakfast.

“So I’m a… hunk-a man?”

“Hell yea you are!” You laughed as you dropped your phone on the lounge chair and reached for his shirt. “You are a bad eavesdropper.”

“Yea, well you were talking pretty loud.” He laughed as he pulled the tie of your robe free and grabbed your waist to pull you closer.

“I’m always loud.” You giggled as you pushed his shorts and boxers down as he walked you backwards across the room to the shower.

“Oh, I fucking know it.” He muttered as you wrapped your hand around his length. He kissed you softly and shook his head as he pulled his hips backs and turned on the water. “Sorry, baby girl. I have a lot of phone calls to make and work to catch up on from being away for two weeks before my meeting.”

“OK.” You said with only a slightly disappointed pout.

“But I know there’s a lot to see around here…”

“Do you care if I go see?” You asked as you stepped under the water and got your hair wet. “I just…. umm… well just in case I can’t come back?”

“(Y/N)…” He said softly as he gently pinched your chin and pulled it down so you would look at him. “Absolutely. I totally understand. Don’t ever feel guilty about experiencing the world if I’m working. As long as we’re together, you can spend whatever money you want, and go and do whatever you want in the cities we’re in. I don’t ever expect you to just sit in the hotel because I have to, OK?”

“OK.” You whispered with a nod of your head. He smirked at you and gave you a chaste kiss before stepping back to wash his body.

“Just give it some time, sweetheart. It’s gunna take some time to get used to my lifestyle, but we’ll get there. Find a routine, that’s the easiest way to do it.” You nodded your head and took the shampoo suds from your hair to wash his as well so you could wrap your arms around his neck.

“You really are too good for me, Jeffrey. Seriously.”

“Nope. That would be you.”

——

Coming back home after a month being away was a bit of a shell shocking experience. Your bedroom seemed way to tiny and was still covered in empty shopping bags and ripped off tags. You didn’t have an issue with the room and your apartment itself, it’s just that you had gotten used to Jeff being around, and it seemed so empty without him.

“You can just set them on the bed.” You sighed as you gestured to the queen sized bed in the corner.

“Bitch, I’m not your maid.” Dana laughed as she dropped the suitcases she helped you carry up on the floor. “You got it.”

“Dana!” You whined as you dropped shopping bags, and the other suitcase on your bed. “I can’t even!”

“Oh, you’ll be fine!” She called out as she headed a few feet down the hall to the kitchen to grab a trash bag. “Come on, let’s get this shit cleaned up so we can find room in that closet of yours for all this fancy shit you got now.”

“I brought you presents.” You said as you started grabbing tags off the bed and shoving them in the trash bag with the shopping bags she was picking up and throwing out. “I grabbed you something from every country I was in.”

“You don’t have to do that, hun.” She laughed as she set aside the tissue paper from the bags, and the shoe boxes to reuse for Christmas and birthday gifts and storage boxes to replace the old ones in her, your, and the hall closets.

“Yea, but I couldn’t help it.” You said as you threw out the last of the tags and grabbed the other suitcases. “There’s a lot of stuff that just screamed ‘you’ so I just had to get it. And it’s for me, too so it all works out in the end.”

“Alright, fine. What is it?” She asked with a laugh as you started digging through the bags.

“OK, we have this from London.” You said as you pulled out and handed her a boxed union jack coffee mug to add to her collection of random coffee mugs. “And this necklace is from Scotland.” You handed her the next small box and turned the slightest bit to point at the box. “It’s made from a Scottish plant and all the necklaces are one of a kind. There’s a little history card in there so you can read about it. And then of course, from Ireland…” You paused for a moment with a giant smirk as you pulled out a large bottle of Irish Whisky. “Shocker. I also grabbed two Avoca throws for the living room for our beds or something from Irelands oldest weaving mill, and a cute coffee table book. I got one from Australia, too.”

“So you went a little crazy.” She laughed as she looked at the two blankets you had set down.

“And then I got this for the dining room from Abu Dhabi. It’s a Turkish lamp but it looks so cool.”

“Oh wow!” She said as you pulled out the three orb hanging lamp from it’s box.

“And I had to get some pashmina’s…”

“Oh so perfect!” She said as you laid out the half dozen scarfs in various colors and patterns on the bed for her to see.

“I figured we could share them so we both have six colors to choose from, and if we like a certain color or pattern more, I can pick another one up if I go back to Abu Dhabi or Dubai or something. And I grabbed a bag of the coffee they had at the hotel because it was AMAZING, and some spices to cook with. I had a lot of time to spend money in Abu Dhabi.” You laughed as you added the empty bag to the trash bag on the floor. “And lastly, Australia; another place I had way to much time to shop in. I grabbed some opals to add to your crystal collection, I got myself a new pair of Ugg boots, some Vegemite because I actually liked it, surprisingly. I don’t know, I’m weird. And then some chocolate, more coffee, some tea, and oh, this awesome bottle of wine we had at dinner.”

“Woman! How much damn money did you spend?!”

“And the last two things…” You said as you pulled out two different stuffed animals held the kangaroo out to her. “I asked Jeff if it was OK, and I adopted a kangaroo in your name and a koala in mine. I got to meet them both, and I have pictures so you can see them too. But they are so cute so I had to adopt them. And you’ll get sent pictures every year to see their rehabilitation and release into the wild. Oh, and I ordered a didgeridoo to put up on my wall that should be in in a few weeks because it was too big to fly so I had to ship it.”

“This new too?” She asked as she hit the Pandora bracelet on your wrist.

“That was Jeff’s idea. So I can remember all the places he’s taken me.”

“You two are so disgusting.” She laughed as she started collecting her presents from the bed to bring them to her room so she could also grab a bottle of wine and help you unpack to hear all the stories she knew you had. “I got the wine and the extra hangers.”

“I’ll start a playlist.” You said as you put your koala stuffed animal on your pillow and pulled out the rest of your souvenirs to put away. You started with your closet and pulled out all of you old work clothes, to pack away in a tote under your bed for future use just in case. Hangers got piled up on the bed and wine got poured as stories started to flow. Dana worked on hanging up your new shirts, and skirts, and made room for shorts and pants on the shelves and in your dresser, while you hung up all of your dresses in your overflow wardrobe, before cleaning out your old makeup and replacing it with the new stuff. Bathing suits went in the box under your bed with your old ones, lingerie went into your dresser, and shoes and purses went in any space you had left, since your bedroom was pretty small and already full of stuff you had collected over the years. But even though it took you two hours to reorganize and put away, you still hadn’t run out of stories and you decided to give Dana a break because of the exhausted look on her face.

“OK, I’m done.” You laughed as you stacked up your suitcases at the foot of your bed to put out in the hall closet eventually.

“Sorry, sweetie. I just had a new client hit one of my girls last night so I was dealing with the cops half the night and this wine isn’t helping.”

“D, oh my God, why didn’t you interrupt me? Girl, go sit down! I could have unpacked by myself! I’ll order a pie for dinner and find something on Netflix to zone out to.”

“God, you have no fucking idea how good that sounds right now.” She laughed as she headed out of the room. With a nod, you grabbed your cell from the Hermès bag you had coveted of the woman in the Subway, and followed your roommate out to the living room to just veg and hang out until you both passed out on the couch in positions that was sure to make your back hurt the next day.

——

Pounding on your door woke you up way to early, and being the closer one, you threw off your slightly tangled blanket and trudged to the door from the couch. You looked up at your handsome visitor through sleep fogged eyes, and shook your head.

“No.”

“Sweetheart where have you been?” Jeff asked as he pulled you into a hug. “We were supposed to meet at the gym 45 minutes ago and your phone is going straight to voicemail...”

“I’m trying to fucking sleep!” Dana screamed from the living room as she got off the couch and headed into her room.

“Sleep time, baby.” You sighed as you grabbed his hand and pulled him into your apartment tiredly. “Sleep.”

“I can’t, I have shit to do today.”

“No, sleep time.” You repeated as you locked the door behind him and dragged him a few feet down the hallway to your bedroom. Your clothes from the night before hit the floor and you were too tired to even look back at him as you pulled back the blankets and climbed into bed against the wall in just your cotton thong. “Sleep with me.”

“Fine.” He muttered as he stripped down to his boxers and got into bed in front of you. “But only for an hour...”

“Shhh!” You hissed as you snuggled into his chest and almost instantly fell back asleep. One hour turned into almost five, which is when Jeff got tired of watching you sleep and decided it was time to wake you up. He very gently kissed your forehead and slowly rubbed your back, before his lips moved to your temple and down to your cheek.

“Supposed to be sleeping.” You grumbled when he kissed your nose.

“It’s almost eleven, baby. And I’m getting hungry.”

“There’s leftover sushi in the fridge.” You muttered as you pulled the blankets up over your head. “And some of a teriyaki bowl. Fried rice… but the spring roll is Dana’s.”

“OK, but I want to see your beautiful face with me…” You started when Dana threw your bedroom door open, and you sat up as she held her phone out.

“Chelsea got tickets to Burning Man.”

“She what?!” You asked as you scrambled over Jeff to get to the phone.

“I grabbed six.” One of your closest friends said on speaker as you took the phone from your roommate and grabbed Jeff’s gym shirt off the floor.

“That’s mine.” He said, which made you simply swipe your hand in his direction.

“How did you get six tickets?”

“Sold a townhouse on the Upper East so I jumped when I got that check this morning.”

“So what, six tickets, one vehicle pass?” Dana asked as she leaned on your door frame and bent down to scratch her leg.

“Yea.”

“So what, the three of us and who?”

“I figured asking Kara and Mac…”

“They broke up last week.” Dana said as she looked up at you with a shrug. “Mac cheated.”

“She did not!” You gasped over Chelsea in shock. Dana nodded her head and took a step back so Jeff could scoot past to go to the bathroom.

“OK, so just Kara.” Chelsea said as you gestured down the hall to the living room. “And I was thinking Mickey.”

“OK, I love Mickey, but I would kill him after three days.” Dana laughed.

“What about Steph?”

“I would kill her after two days.”

“OK well first, let’s ask this. Do we wanna make it a girls trip? Because (Y/N) has a new beau.”

“Ooo! Is this the cruise guy? I heard he’s stupid cute.”

“He is.” You laughed as you set the phone down on the coffee table and went into the kitchen to grab a pen and paper.

“I mean you said he’s older though? Like how old are we talking?”

“I’m 45.” Jeff called out as he headed into the kitchen to start making coffee. “Not that old. Coffee?”

“Oh! Didn’t realize he was there, sorry.” You called out that she was fine as you grabbed coffee mugs, and the container of coffee grounds for Jeff before heading back to discuss your plans.

“Keep a ticket on hold for right now for him.” You said as you sat down on the couch beside Dana and tucked your knees up to your chest. “I’ll get back to you in a couple days on that. And the last ticket has to go to Kenzie. She’s been trying to get us all to go with her for years and she’d be ideal on the prep front on what we actually need to bring.”

“Oh, yea I like Kenzie.” Chelsea said, excitedly. “I approve.”

“OK, so we have a line up. The three of us, Kenzie, Kara, and possibly Jeff. And if not Jeff, we can see if Matt wants to go.”

“Oh, he’s fabulous.” Dana agreed. “Alright, Chelsea, get your laptop. Let’s get a Zoom call going so we can start working out details. I’ll send you the room number in a minute.” She said OK and hung up the phone just as Jeff was coming out with three cups of coffee.

“So what is Burning Man?”

“It is a life changing experience.” Dana stated as she started a new group text chat for the Burning Man group. “It’s a week long event…”

“Not to be confused with a festival.” You interrupted as you started the list of what you would need to make this trip happen.

“Not a festival, but it is at the same time. It’s put on by artists, and musicians, and free spirits dedicated to self-expression and anti-consumerism.”

“It’s supposed to be a life changing experience.” You chimed in as you looked up from your notes. “We’ve been talking about going for the past five years since Kenzie went the first time.” Jeff nodded his head as your other three closet friend’s voices floated out of the speakers, but his next statement made everyone fall into stunned silence.

“I’ll tag along if you don’t mind it. Sounds like an interesting experience even for someone at my age. I’ll cover the costs, too so you all don’t have to worry about that and just enjoy the experience.”

“Wait, what?” Chelsea asked as Dana turned her laptop so the girls could see the three people in your living room.

“Who is that?”

“Is that the guy?”

“That’s the guy.”

“Guys, he’s right here.” You laughed as you waved your paper at the group. “Do we wanna plan this shit or what?”

“OK! OK! We’re planning!” Kenzie laughed as she got up to grab something on her end. “Now, I usually stay in a tent, but it’s usually just me and Stacy…”

“Oh, Stacy! We forgot Stacy!” Dana whined.

“I’ll cover her ticket.” Jeff said with a small nod as he sat back in his chair with his coffee. “And all of yours too.”

“What?” “No way!” “You don’t have to do that.” “Yo, I’m broke! Shut up!”

“You’re gunna give them all heart attacks.” You laughed.

“I’m not sleeping in a tent, either.” He said more to you with a shake of his head. “You want to be the one to look into an RV or should I have my assistant do it?”

“Oh, I know there’s a place out there we can rent from…” Kenzie tried but you shook your head as you added the RV to your list.

“No, he means he’s gunna buy one.” You said with a glance up at your friends. “Can we stop focusing on Jeff and focus on Burning Man, please?”

“Yes, Burning Man.” Dana said for you as she clapped her hands. “So, Kenzie. What do we need to know?”

“Who’s…”

“I’ve got the list started already.” You said over Chelsea as you waved the paper around.

“OK, Burning man is a fucking beast.” Kenzie said as she sat down on her couch with a meticulously organized fire red binder in typical Kenzie fashion. “It is not a foot race, it is a fucking marathon. You all need to be prepared. So let’s get started with my prep list…”

Part 4

[ibelieveinharrystyles]

Chapter Eight: Spaces Between Us

Life for Ashley was weird, although they were keeping their distance from each other, Harry insisted that a car came to pick Ashley up for work each morning, he was fearful that she would end up in a situation out of her control, and her safety was ultimately his main priority. Since Ashley ended things they had tried to remain as civil as possible, if they were going to be co-parenting a baby, they needed to at least be on good terms. She sat in the back of the car as it drove through the streets of London, the city that once felt like another world, had become the place she called home. The streets she once feared were now the places that held some of her fondest memories.

Roman greeted Ashley with open arms as she entered the studio for her last day at work, “Morning Ash, how are you feeling about today?” He asked.

“Scared, but I’m ready, I’m excited to focus all my time on my little ones, well Daisy isn’t so little anymore, she starts big school on Monday, it feels like yesterday I was standing in that kitchen with you when my waters broke.” Ashley reminded him.

“It’s been incredible working with you for the past few years, I know you’ve gone through a lot of shit since you’ve been here, but if you ever need anything, you can call me. I think of you like my younger sister, and that’s a bond for life.” Roman smiled.

“You’re a soft bugger Ro.” Her heart skipped a beat, that’s what she once called Harry, before life got all kinds of complicated. “We best get the show on the road then.” Ashley declared, taking a seat at the studio desk and putting on her chunky headphones for the final time.

“Good Morning! You’re listening to the breakfast show on Capital with me Roman Kemp, and for the final time Ash Hanson.” Roman told the listeners, “Seeing as it’s her last day on the radio, Ash has complete control of today’s tracks, so Ash what’s your first song going to be?” Roman asked.

“It’s a personal favourite of mine, and I think the lyrics are something we could all do with a little bit more of in our lives, this is New Rules by Dua Lipa.” Ashley announced just before the track began to play.

“That wouldn’t be a bit of shade thrown at a certain boyband member would it?” Roman whispered, now that they weren’t on air.

“Maybe.” Ashley smirked.

Flatpack furniture had always confused Harry, even though it was supposedly extremely simple to assemble, he found the instruction manuals no help at all, he had spent the first part of the morning trying to construct a crib for the baby. Although he wouldn’t have full custody of the baby, Harry felt that it was right for his future child to have a bedroom in his house. So here he was, random pieces of wood scattered across the floor, he had no clue what went where, or how to assemble it properly, he was losing his mind. The sound of the radio made up for the lack of silence in his house, since Ashley let him go, Harry had been listening to the breakfast show every morning, simply so he could hear her voice. He was meant to be meeting her at the hospital for an appointment at 11am, and wanting an excuse to abandon his flat pack furniture endeavours, he decided it would be best to pick Ashley up from work instead. 

Ashley left the Capital offices for the last time armed with several bouquets of flowers and gift bags, making her way to the underground car park where the Addison Lee usually waits for her, “Let me help you with that,” She looked up to see Harry smiling warmly at her.

“What are you doing here?” She asked as Harry took a couple of the bags from her.

“We  have that hospital appointment, and I didn’t like the thought of you getting the tube there.” Harry explained as they climbed into his car.

“I am a fully capable woman Harry, just because I’m pregnant it doesn’t mean I can’t get myself to the other side of London.” Ashley told him as Harry pulled out of the car park.

“I know that love, but if anything ever happened to you or the baby I could never forgive myself, I don’t want the press finding out and swarming you, especially when I’m not here to look after you.” Harry replied.

“What does that mean?” Ashley asked.

“I won’t be in the country when the baby arrives, I’m going to be in another film, I won’t be back until December.” Harry told her.

“It’s like that is it?” Ashley sighed, she had hoped Harry would be there when the baby came, she desperately wanted him there when Daisy was born, but that never happened.

“There’s nothing I can do about it Ash, I can’t ask you to come to America with me, Daisy starts school next week, I don’t want her to miss vital months of her education.” Harry explained as they pulled into the hospital car park, still overly concerned about Ashley’s safety, Harry was paying for her to go to a private maternity hospital, meaning details of her pregnancy were much less likely to be leaked.

“Hello you two, how’s everything going today?” Kirstie, the midwife asked as she entered the consultation room where Ashley and Harry were waiting. 

“Wonderful.” Ashley answered bluntly in response to Harry’s previous revelation.

“So we’re here to talk through the birth plan, have you decided what’s happening? Mr Styles you’re most welcome to be there.” She explained.

“He’s out of the country when the baby’s due.” Ashley said bitterly.

“That's okay, is there anyone you want there with you?” Kirstie asked.

“It’ll probably have to be Lou or Harry’s sister Gemma.” Ashley replied.

“That's good, as long as you have someone who can be by your side, that's all that matters.” She assured her, “If you hop onto the bed, we’ll do that scan we talked about.” Ashley climbed onto the bed, pulling up her top to reveal a perfectly round bump, Harry moved his chair to sit beside her as Kirstie squeezed the cold gel onto Ashley’s stomach. She slowly moved the scanner across her stomach, the baby appeared on the screen, the sound of it’s heartbeat echoing through the room. “That’s your baby, there's it’s hands and feet, I’ll give you two a minute alone while I go and print that scan for you.” 

Ashley turned from where her gaze was transfixed on the screen displaying her baby to where Harry was sat on the other side of her, his eyes glossed over, “You alright?” She whispered, wiping the gel from her stomach.

“That’s our beautiful baby, a beautiful little person who is going to be loved not just by its family, but by thousands of people across the world, in the same way they love Bear and Freddie.” Tears began rolling down his cheeks, “I let you down Ash, I need to be someone you can depend on, whether we’re bringing up our child in a relationship or not, I promise you, with every inch of my existence, that I will always be beside you.”

When they made it back to Ashley’s house, Harry insisted on helping her take her things inside, she put her key in the door and dumped all her stuff in the hallway, “Do you want a cup of tea?” Ashley asked in an attempt to offer a lifeline.

“I’ll make them, you go and sit yourself down and get comfy.” Harry smiled.

Harry walked down the corridor to the hallway, so Ashley proceeded into the living room, “Surprise!” All her favourite people were gathered in her living room, the One Direction boys and their respective partners, Harry’s band, Gemma, Lou, Lottie and Lux. Roman and Nick had also come along, as did both Anne and Linda who had made the trip down from Holmes Chapel. The living room was decorated with various decorations in pastel shades of yellow, green and lilac, pictures of both Ashley and Harry when they were babies scattered the room.

“Did you know about this?” She asked Harry as he returned from the kitchen. 

“I’m legally not obliged to say.” Harry chuckled.

“Mummy!” Daisy ran over from where she had been sitting on Gemma’s lap.

“Hello princess, how are you?” Ashley asked, crouching down to look her in the eye.

“I helped Auntie Gem and Lou get it ready, and I made you something, Harry has it.” Daisy took her by the hand, leading her into the kitchen where Harry was waiting. Harry handed Daisy a box which she gave to Ashley. Ashley opened the box, inside it were four homemade bracelets, Daisy had made a blue one for Harry, a purple one for Ashley, a pink one for herself, and yellow for the new baby. “It’s for our little family.” Daisy smiled as she sat in Harry’s arms, bringing Ashley to tears.

“You are the most precious little lady I could ever ask for Daisy Darling,” Ashley held her tight, as both Harry and Daisy wrapped their arms around her, none of them ever wanting to let go.

The party had died down and only Niall, Gemma, Sarah and Mitch were left, the group were sat together in Ashley’s living room, scrolling through old instagram posts, filling Sarah and Mitch in on the One Direction days. Ashley sat beside Niall, her head resting on his shoulder, and although Harry knew it was completely platonic, he wished it were his shoulder instead. Niall clicked onto Twitter briefly, intending to reply to a fan’s tweet about his latest golf project. “Hey what’s that?” Ashley tapped on a tweet from The Sun, ‘HARRY’S NEW BABY MAMA?’ flashed up on Niall’s screen. “No, no this can’t be happening.” Ashley rested her head in her hands. 

“Ash what is it?” Harry asked, taking the phone from Niall, “Hey love come here,” Niall stood up allowing Harry to comfort Ashley, “Gem can you take Dais up to bed, I don’t want this to worry her.”

“Of course, come on Dais, shall we go and find one of those pretty bath bombs and get you ready for bed?” Gemma asked, taking Daisy’s hand and leading her upstairs.

“I’ll call Jeff and ask if there’s anything he can do.” Sarah told Harry.

“What does it actually say?” Harry asked Niall.

“It just says a source close to the pair exclusively revealed the news of Ash Hanson’s pregnancy.” Niall replied.

“Who is it Harry? Who have I wrongly put my trust in? It could’ve been someone who was here today, someone we’ve had in the house?” Ashley panicked as her breathing quickened.

“Hey, Ash, look at me darling,” Harry whispered as he cupped her cheeks, “We’re going to sort this out, but I need you to slow your breathing, it’s not good for you or the baby, breathe with me angel.” Harry soothed, demonstrating to Ashley how to breathe calmly. “That’s better baby, much better.” He assured her, holding her head close to his chest and stroking her hair gently, knowing that it always made her feel calm. 

“Your PR person is working on a statement at the moment Harry, they’ll send it to Jeff and he’s going to have it circulated, he says not to worry.” Sarah explained.

“I’ll make sure you have extra security Ash, so they can’t get close to the house, we’re going to do it together.” Harry told her, not daring to let her slip from his embrace. He wanted to protect her more than anything in the world, but he didn’t have the power to stop people selling stories and spinning lies, so for now, his only power was to hold her and promise he’ll never let go.

[cocochannel00]

Birthday Surprise

Harry gives (Y/n) a special surprise for her birthday...

It was currently 8 am and you had just gotten off the night shift at the hospital. You loved your job as a nurse, you really did but three-night shifts in a row as left you completely drained and ready to sleep. You had just pulled up to your shared London home with Harry when your phone buzzed with a message from Anne.

Happy Birthday, love, hope you are having a marvelous day. I know this is very last minute but Harry just messaged me saying he is doing a surprise show for the new album tonight at the Electric Ballroom and wanted me to ask if you’d like to come with me? I can pick you up at 5 and we can go to soundcheck if you like? Gives me an excuse to bring over your gift! -Anne

You groaned silently as you dropped your car keys on the kitchen counter. You desperately missed Harry as you hadn’t seen him in the last four months, but all you wanted to do was sleep for your birthday this year. Despite this, you knew you couldn’t give up the chance of seeing Harry especially since you had lost track of what country he was playing in by now. Just as you were about to respond to Anne and reluctantly tell her yes you would go, Harry sent you a text.

Happy birthday, darling, hope you are having a wonderful day. I know you just got off a shift most likely, but Jeff decided to squeeze in a secret show tonight at the Electric Ballroom and I was hoping if you weren’t too exhausted you and mum could come? Can celebrate your birthday after the show if you're not to warn out -H

You smiled at his text. Harry was one of the sweetest people you had ever met and the fact that he wanted you at the show warmed your heart. Making your way into your bedroom you sat down on Harry’s side of the bed and snuggled up to his pillows before responding.

Thank you, Love. Anne just texted me about it so I’ll let her know that I’ll be joining her. Can’t wait to see you tonight. Think I can convince Lambert to let me pick your shirt for the night?

Think we can maybe arrange that for the night, but only because you’re the birthday girl -H

You laughed at his response before sending him a quick message saying you were going to go take a nap before the show. You quickly changed out of your scrubs and jumped in the shower, but not before setting two alarms and responding to Anne’s message. Once you were out of the shower and in one of Harry’s sweatshirts you passed out onto the bed and fell asleep.

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

A loud quaking sound startled you awake as your alarm blared next to you. You rolled over slowly and began rubbing your eyes before shutting off the alarm. After checking the time, you realized you had about an hour before Anne would arrive so you quickly responded to the couple of happy birthday texts you had received and began to get ready.

Unlike Harry, you weren’t known for your extravagant fashion sense so you put on the coziest sweater you could find and a pair of jeans before starting on your makeup.  

You heard a ping from your phone just as you were putting on your shoes, so you knew Anne had just arrived. Buzzing her in you quickly began to clean up the clutter you had laying around your kitchen and living room. The doorbell rang just as you attempted to put away one of Harry’s many suitcases he had laying around from the last time he was home. After shoving it deep in your coat closet you ran to the door to great Anne.

“Oh (y/n) you look absolutely stunning! Happy birthday, dear” Anne stated as she wrapped you in a tight hug before handing you a small box.

“Thank you, Anne, but you really didn’t have to” you replied as you began to open the box up.

Inside the box sat a beautiful small blue ring engraved with a wave. Underneath it sat a picture from the last time you and Harry had gone to visit Anne. You were sat on Harry’s lap as Anne and Gemma sat on either side of you while Michael took the picture. You quickly put on the ring and placed the picture on your kitchen counter before giving Anne another hug.

“Thank you, Anne, they’re wonderful” you stated as you squeezed her tight.

“Oh nonsense darling, it’s my pleasure now come on if we don’t hurry we’re going to be late,” she said as she guided you out the door.

———————————————————————

The atmosphere at the Electric Ballroom was incredible and you couldn’t wait to hear Harry perform his album live for the first time. He had sung you a couple melodies here and there during the writing process and he had let you sit in on a couple of studio sessions when you went out to Los Angeles to visit him earlier that year. The only song he had played for you fully was cherry. You had never seen him so nervous about sharing something with you. You knew he had broken up with her a couple of weeks before you had first met him but up until that moment the two of you had never really talked about what had happened. The song was so beautiful and so personal that it felt like you were invading his memories.

Though most of the album was about that rough break up in his life, Mitch had mentioned in passing that he had written a couple about you but you never asked about them. You wondered whether any of them had made it onto the album. Harry had made you promise that you wouldn’t listen to the album until he got back because he wanted to be there in person with you when you listen to it. It took everything in you not to listen to it the minute it came out a couple of days ago. All of your friends were gushing over how amazing it was and Anne even called crying to talk to you about it. The suspense was killing you, but you were happy you would finally get to hear it after so long.

You were aimlessly wandering around the balcony of the Electric Ballroom as the crowd slowly began to file in when Anne came looking for you.

“Went to get a drink and you wandered off. Thought I’d find you up here. Always exploring.” she said as she passed you a drink.

“Sorry, I wanted to see the place before its filled. I can’t wait to see him on stage, he’s going to be incredible” you whisper as you take a sip of your glass.

“He’s waiting for you in the dressing room. He’s very nervous to play it for you. Been calling me on the phone for days about it. The poor thing was worried to invite you in case you don't like it.” Anne replied as you both made your way down to the dressing room.

“I’ve loved every song he’s ever written! Sometimes he’s so dramatic.” you laugh as you show your VIP pass to the security guard.

You and Anne make your way down the corridor, greeting the crew as you go until you find the door labeled ‘Harry Styles’. Anne gives you a kiss on the cheek before she wanders off to go find Jeff. You knock softly on the door as you hear a soft “come in” from Harry on the other side. You slowly turn the door a poke your head in to find Harry sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. You frown slightly at the state he’s in. Closing the door carefully, you walk over to where he’s sitting and take a seat on the coffee table in front of him.

“You know, if I had known you were going to be this nervous I would have brought you a barf bowl from the hospital” you whispered as he whipped his head back to look at you.

He stared at you for a second as if processing what you said before harshly pulling you into his lap, clutching you to his body.

“Jesus Christ. Fuck (y/n) I’ve missed you so much you have no bloody clue. Been an absolute wreck today. Oh, happy birthday love” He whispered as he held your face in his hands and placed a chaste kiss to your lips before leaning his forehead against yours.

“I missed you too, H. I need you to relax though, ok? You’re going to be great. Rachel said she saw your show at the forum and she said it was amazing. Every snip and melody you’ve played for me has been wonderful and I’ve loved every piece of it.” you replied back as you caressed his cheek and placed a kiss to his nose.

“I know but tonight’s different, you’re here and moms here and Gemma and I just... oh I almost forgot your gift” he mumbled as he reached into the bag on the floor next to you and pulled out a box.

You opened the box to find a beautiful ceramic pendant necklace. The hexagonal pendant contained a shell-like pattern surrounding a blue circle, green and pink colored details. It reminded you of the ones you saw on your trip through northern Spain. You smiled as you looked at the pendant before Harry helped you put it on.

“Harry it’s beautiful, thank you,” You said before giving him a kiss.

“Keep going, there’s something else in there,” he said with a smirk as you furrowed your eyebrows at him, searching through the box. You found a slip of paper at the bottom of the box and unfolded it. It was a plane ticket to Anguilla for New Years'.

“Harry I don’t..”

“Know you’ve been saving up your vacation days so I talked with your friend from work, Margret, and she said that she talked with your head nurse and that if you wanted you could take a week or week and a half and come with me. I didn’t want to make any decision for you so I said I’d call her with your decision so if you don’t want to that’s not a-” he began but you cut him off.

“Yes”

“Yes, you’ll come?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes, I’ll come. God, I love you, thank you” you replied back just as a knock sounded on the door.

“If you two love birds are done having sex we need Harry out here. Going to start the set in 15 minutes” Mitch yelled through the door.

“I’m going to go so you can finish up and so I don’t wrinkle your suit anymore. Thank you for the lovely gifts. I’ll see you out there soon. I love you.” you said as you got up and made your way to the door.

“I love you too, (y/n)” he replied.

You couldn’t get the smile off of your face as you made your way back to the balcony where Gemma, Michael, and Anne were waiting for you. You walked past a crowd of girls before making your way over to them. Gemma spotted you first and quickly came up to hug you and wish you a happy birthday followed by Michael. Anne gushed over the necklace Harry gave you as you told them about the surprise trip he had also gotten you. As the four of you continued talking the lights in the room flickered and the opening notes of what you assumed was Golden began to play.

“You’re going to love it,” Gemma said as she gave you a big hug.

“I know I will” you replied as you listened to Harry begin to sing.

You were a little more than halfway through the show and you had already cried at least three times. Every song played like a movie in your head. The songs were so beautiful and the lyrics were so much more personal than his first album. Harry had just finished singing two of your favorites so far “Falling” and “To Be So Lonely” and was now talking to the audience.

“I wanted to thank everyone again for coming tonight. London has always made me feel like home and I’m so happy I could share this album and these songs with you all. I thought I’d switch it up a bit tonight so the next song I’m going to sing is called “Sunflower, Vol. 6″ and it’s a very special song to me because I wrote it about a very special person. Now, this person is here tonight and it’s the first time they’ve heard any of the songs on the album. It’s also this person’s birthday so I wanted to wish them a big happy birthday as well.  I’m a bit nervous about playing it, but here we go” he spoke into the microphone before giving the band a nod to start.

You were already in tears before he even began to sing. Anne had you wrapped in her arms and had offered you a napkin to wipe your tears. Harry looked up at you the whole time, trying to gauge your reaction. He saw you crying while his mom gave him a thumbs up, telling him you liked it and by the end when he had you laughing with the silly noises he was singing he knew he had gotten it right.

Every song was just as amazing as the next and when Harry brought out Stormzy to play a couple of songs you don’t think you could have screamed louder even if you tried. Harry finished his encore and thanked the crew, the band, and his fans before giving one last wave. After he had left the stage for good the lights came on and people began to make there way home.

“Well go down and greet him, you look like you about to explode. We’ll meet you down there soon” Gemma laughed as you nodded and all but sprinted towards the stairs. You raced down the corridors and flashed the security guard your badge again before running towards the backstage area. Once you spotted Harry’s bright yellow pants you all but tackled him to the ground, grabbing his face harshly and planting a strong, heated kiss to his lips. He wrapped his arms around your waist and released your lips with a laugh.

“Can I assume that you liked it then?” he asked with a smile on his face.

“Loved. I loved it, Harry. Every single one was amazing. Your poor mother was probably sick of passing me napkins to wipe my face. Loved it all.” you replied as you hugged him tightly.

Just as Harry was about to speak a man placed a hand on his shoulder.

“This your girl, Harry?” asked Stormzy as he smiled at the two of you.

“Yeah. (Y/n) meet Michael otherwise known as Stormzy” Harry stated as he held you to his chest.

“Pleasure meeting you, love. Heard it’s your birthday too so happy birthday” Stormzy said.

“Oh my god, thank you. Sorry, I just love your music” you replied back quickly, almost jumping with excitement.

“Well thank you very much, appreciate it. You two have fun” Stormzy stated as he waved and walked away from the two of you.

“Oh my god, Stormzy just wished me happy birthday. Did that really just happen? Harry do you know who that is?!” you said in shock as Harry laughed.

“Yes, Love, I do know who that is. Brought him on stage and everything. How did you like “Sunflower, Vol. 6?” he asked slightly anxious.

“You saw me cry through the whole thing, bloody loved it. Can’t believe you wrote a song about me and managed to keep it a secret. It was wonderful, and the lyrics and the kisses in the kitchen just made me remember why I missed you so much. Can’t wait to have you back for a little while” you said as you kissed his cheek softly.

“Get to have me all to yourself in Anguilla in a couple of weeks. Hope that partially makes up for me being away so long”

“Harry you don’t have to apologize or make up for anything. I knew what I signed up for with you and I am so unbelievably proud of you and this album and I don’t think I’ll ever stop listening to it. I do have one question though about my song?” you said.

“What is it, love?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“When did you come up with all of those noises at the end?”

Harry laughed. “Oh, you made those one time when you were playing with James’ daughter Charlotte and I guess they just stuck. Think it was also one of the first times I realized I was in love with you”

“Well I am very in love with you Mr. Harry Styles so thank you for making this an absolutely amazing birthday.”

“I love you too (Y/n), very much. Now, come on let's go mingle a bit before my mom thinks we’ve run away and elope” he replied, placing a kiss on your forehead.

“Wouldn’t be such a bad idea” you whispered in his ear before you released him and sauntered away with a smirk.

“No it would not” he mumbled as he followed after you.

Masterlist

[cg29]

4 Very Old But Short fics for the birthday boy himself - Virgil Tracy 💚

Sorry for not adding the Read More option, it doesn’t appear to be working.

***

1: 15th August - From Virgil Drabbles, C1.

I’ve been here before and I always swear, ‘Never Again!’

But then… It’s over and for a few seconds, which always feels longer, I hear nothing. Then the sound I’ve been waiting for… That first cry, followed by:

“Congratulations, it’s a boy!”

The relief washes over me, as I look to my husband. The obvious pride flowing from him as our new baby is placed in my arms, and his soulful eyes lock with mine.

“Do you have a name?” Someone asks.

It’s at that moment I know I’ll be here again.

“Yes,” I nod, “his names Virgil… Virgil Tracy.”

***

2: The Birthday Gift, part 1. Brotherly Love - From The Tracy Family, C4.

‘Mm, 7am.’ Virgil thought to himself as he opened his eyes slightly and glanced at the clock. ‘A couple of more hours will be good.’ To make himself more comfortable, Virgil rolled over in his bed, with his eyes shut, puffing up his pillow as he did so. Letting out a comforting sigh, his eyes flickered open and then shut. ‘Wait, what the…’ Virgil’s eyes shot open again. Okay, his eyes weren’t deceiving him. There was his oldest brother, sat on a chair next to his bed, bouncing up and down, like a nonstop Jack-In-The-Box. “Scott, its 7am.”

“Yes and?” Scott said happily, as he continued to bounce up and down on his chair.

“Scott, what is wrong with you… Or should I really ask, how much candy have you eaten?”

“None, yet… But the day is young!”

“And how many coffees have you had?”

“Only 2. Although I did have 3 energy drinks as well this morning.”

“Yes, I can tell!”

“Well, I needed the energy to keep me going for your big day.”

Seriously Scott, you are like this every year with all of our birthdays and I’m sure you get worse every year.”

“Yes, and?” Scott replied beaming like a Cheshire Cat.

“You do realise I’m 22 and not 10 today.”

“So?”

“Scott, we’re not kids anymore!”

Scott stopped bouncing up and down and surveyed his younger brother. “Yes, you are… You see little bro, in my head all I see is the excited kid who would rush out of bed so that he could open his presents, before shovelling down pancakes for breakfast and then stuffing himself silly later in the day with his birthday cake. I’m afraid Virg, that you are stuck with this for life. Even when we are all grey and old… I’ll be waking you all up early for your birthdays, even if I need to hit you with my walking stick to get you up. Besides, you need to get out of bed because Alan and Tin-Tin get back from their honeymoon later and it would be rude not to be awake and alert for when they arrive. Plus, Kyrano is making all of us pancakes, Grandma is making you a birthday cake, Penny is flying out here as well, then we can all have a big party later tonight and you can open all your presents.”

“Presents?” Virgil asked with a grin.

“Yes, presents… Lots and lots of presents. Of course, my present to you is obviously the best!” Scott started to become excited and began bouncing up and down on his chair.

Virgil lay on his bed and shook his head. “You know who you remind me of when you bounce up and down like that?”

“No, who?” Scott inquired beginning to clap his hands together joyfully as he continued to bounce up and down.

Virgil let out a laugh. “Tigger, from Winnie The Pooh.”

“Who...Hoo…Hoo…Hoo” Scott bellowed out loud at the top of his voice.

“You’re not letting me get back to sleep again, are you?” Virgil asked pulling his big eyes look at Scott.

“Nope! And you should know by now that look doesn’t work on me.”

“Please Scott, just 1 more hour? Then I’ll promise to get up.” Virgil pleaded, pulling his big eyes face again.

Scott stopped bouncing up and down and tilted his head sideways as he looked at his younger brother. “Okay, just 1 hour, and if you’re not up then I’m dragging you out of this bed.”

“Deal.” Virgil answered, relieved that he may finally get some more sleep.

Scott stood up and turned towards the door as Virgil settled himself down in his bed. “Nah, changed my mind.” Scott said as he turned back towards Virgil pulling the blanket of him. Virgil went bright red and made a grab for the blanket pulling it back over himself. “Oh, err… Sorry Virg. Err. Maybe I should have got you some Pyjamas for your birthday instead? Yes, anyways, I’ll be going… and let you get ready… Don’t be too long Virgie…

“Okay Scott, I’m getting up. Now get out.”

“Okay, I’m going.” Scott went towards the door.

“Oh, and Scott…”

“Yes bro?”

“Don’t call me Virgie!”

“Okay, okay,” Scott went to pull the door shut calling out to Virgil as he did, “see you in a bit. Oh, and happy birthday… Virgie!”

***

3: The Birthday Gift, part 2. The Last Gift - From The Tracy Family, C5.

Virgil sat by his piano in a world of his own, playing some new music, he had received for his birthday. Meanwhile, Jeff Tracy stood leaning against the doorway listening to the beautiful melodies that were flowing from his artistic son. “Virg?”

“Virgil glanced up from the piano and smiled at his father. “Oh, hi dad. Sorry I didn’t see you there.”

Jeff walked over to his middle child and sat next to him. “Did you have a good birthday?”

Virgil grinned while he continued to play the piano. “It was fantastic dad, thank you for the party.”

“Anytime son,” Jeff replied, pulling Virgil into a warm embrace.

Virgil returned the hug and then looked at his father. “Is everything okay dad?”

“Yes, it’s fine. I just… I wanted to let you know how proud of I am of you, all that you have achieved and everything I know you will become.”

“Thanks dad,” Virgil replied slightly blushing.

“Plus, I wanted to give you this,” Jeff pulled out a small box and a card from his pocket and handed it over to Virgil.

Virgil took the gift and card from his father and held it in his hands. “Thanks dad.”

“It’s not actually from me,” Jeff looked down, then back up into Virgil’s eyes, “it’s… it’s from your mother.”

“Ah?” Virgil responded looking at the gift in confusion.

Jeff breathed in deeply and continued. “Your mother’s family have always had a tradition… On a child’s first birthday the mother will chose a small gift that can be found within the home that they believe encompasses their child’s personality. They will wrap it and put it away ready for when they turn 22.”

“Oh… Why 22 and not 21?” Virgil asked.

Jeff chuckled to himself. “I remember asking your mother the same question. Apparently, even though 21 is usually seen as someone stepping into adulthood, the family itself felt that 22 was the official age, because when you are 22 then you’ve officially left those childhood years behind and become an adult… Your mother really wanted to continue this tradition and I remember how happy she had been, when it came to her picking out the gift, wrapping it and then writing the accompanying note… A short time after she had passed, I found the gifts for all of you boys packed carefully away. I decided that she would want all of you to receive them as planned… So, I gave Scott and John theirs when they reached 22, and now… Now it’s time for yours.” Virgil glanced thoughtfully at the gift and card in his hands, unsure of what to do. “Do you want me to stay, while you open it?”

Virgil nodded, carefully opened the card and began to read.

… …

My darling Virgil.

So, today is your 22nd birthday, that’s hard for me to imagine right now as I sit here writing this on your 1st birthday and stare over at you fast asleep in your father’s arms.

I know my son, that whatever you do, or whatever you will become, I will always be proud, and both myself and your father will always be there to hold you whenever you need a helping hand.

The gift I have chosen for you encompasses something I have noticed from the beautiful personality that you are starting to develop. Ever since you were born you have been soothed by music, whether that be a record, when I am singing you a lullaby, or when I am practising on my beloved piano. So, that is why I feel that this gift is perfect for you.

Always here, never far.

Your mother. xx

… …

Virgil with tears in his eyes passed the card over to his dad and cautiously began to unwrap the gift, revealing a small black box, which when opened played a gentle lullaby. “A Music Box.” Virgil exclaimed, with tears trickling down his face.

Jeff put his arm around his middle child and held him close. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, thank you dad,” Virgil replied wiping the tears away.

Jeff smiled as he looked at the music box. “I should have known she would have given you that music box. You loved that lullaby when you were a baby.”

Virgil smiled. “So, what did Scott and John get?”

“Well, it seems your mother sussed you all out really well. John was given a golden star that used to hang on the Christmas tree, he had been so fascinated by that star, even though he wasn’t that old on his first Christmas. He was also enamoured with the star mobile we had above his bed, I remember your mother saying he would probably end up in space just like me… And Scott…” Jeff let out a laugh. “Scott was always trying to climb the furniture and jump of it. Whenever he saw a bird or an aeroplane he would go quiet and watch with fascination. Your mother gave him an old air loom of her grandfathers, a small-scale Spitfire… Anyway, everyone is probably gathered in the kitchen waiting for you to cut your cake, are you coming?”

Virgil nodded, carefully picked up his gift and card. Then with his father’s arm placed around him they both left the room.

***

4: Birthday Wish.

Eighteen.

My first without you

Only one month you’d been gone

Our tears were still new.

Yet despite our grief

and my reluctance to celebrate

A party was given

In honour of the date.

Family and close friends

And no rescue calls

A good time was had

By one and all.

Then right at the end

After many speeches filled with praise

A cake was presented

With candles ablaze

Close your eyes they said

And concentrate really hard

Then make a wish

For whatever is in your heart.

So, I closed my eyes

And those candles I blew

I wished for you to return

But it never came true.

…

Nineteen and Twenty

One injured, the other a major rescue call

Yet at the end of each day

I was presented with a birthday ball

After food and drinks

And everyone felt contented

A cake with candles aflame

Was once again presented

Time to make a wish

My family all said

So I hoped and I prayed

And I pictured you in my head

Then, I closed my eyes

And those candles I blew

I wished for you to return

But it never came true.

…

Twenty-One.

Was the biggest of them all

Except by pretending to forget

Their plans went slightly AWOL

A diversion rescue

That was meant to just stall

Swallowed my whole day

And made me miss this year’s ball

The very next day

Although I’d protested

They offered to make it up

And a birthday cake was presented.

I gazed down

Twenty-one candles all gleamed

All awaiting my hopes

And my dreams

So, I closed my eyes

And those candles I blew

I wished for you to return

But it never came true.

… …

Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three

Had candles shining bright

Would these years come true

If I wished with all of my might

So, I closed my eyes

And those candles I blew

I wished for you to return

But it never came true.

… …

Twenty-Four

A trip to our other home

Gran Roca Ranch

Where we had all grown.

A morning with the horses

An afternoon barbecue

The evening watching the sunset

Where my silent thoughts turned to you

Were you still out there

Or were you really gone

Would we ever know

Or was it time we moved on.

Except I couldn’t give in

Not yet, not ever

This year if I wished harder

Maybe my next birthday would be better

So, I closed my eyes

And those candles I blew

I wished for you to return

And on my twenty-fifth birthday it came true.

[159potterhead]

Look what I brought!! Another boost of serotonin!!😄 Aahhaa! Queen's cave I'm sure it must be awesome since you're the queen of the place😍

Yeah. It can also be accident but again accident don't happen accidentally

I think so🥺 but also I'm competing with you here competition is pretty tough but as I said I looooove you💖✨💖✨

Let's do it then! Oh! A real date that is so sweet, and yes we will play bingo. I don't want big dinner dates but I do want to try a pie with you so we can do that too on our date night and maybe slow dance if you're on board.

NOOOOOO! AGAFGFSG That's the first constellation I look for. You grab the pen, I'll grab the paper, let's do it right now!! We're making a bingo!!

We're definitely soulmates ✨✨ So, I guess we're engaged! Come here let me hug you 🤗😘🤗

Aww🥰🥰🥰I'm pretty sure our pictures are gonna be cute af coz we'll be goofy and stare at each other the whole time and I'll tell you something at the last moment and you'll laugh while I'm busy staring at you coz you look beautiful. And that will be our perfect picture 😍

I'm really bad at it so far I've only thought of this question; do you have any pet and Are you a dog person or a cat person? I don't have any pet rn I would love to have one. And I used to be a dog person but then I saw lots of people with these cute little cats and I was like I want one too. So, yeah, I like both dog and cats as long as I can have a pet coz that's all that matters.

If I had million dollars. Well, that's very less for my plans now for a million dollars I would probably make that sound proof room first to blast the music, buy a 67 Chevy Impala, and maybe invest the rest of it somewhere. Apart from this question I'll take it up a notch for if I had Jeff Bezos kind of money coz I sometimes think about when people says he should put that money to good. Okay so first I'll do all the above things then I've seen this in a video I think where it said if Jeff Bezos want he can end pollution or global warming it was one of them I don't recall clearly but it requires few hundred million so I'll go ahead and end pollution. I'll also buy spn and do s15 all over again. These are only things I can think of😂😂 what will you do?

(Yk because we were talking about stars and all that so I remembered that song and I went ahead to listen to it and it had all those lyrics which reminded me of you and how it matches our situation and I can't help but put all those lines dow in the ask. I was thinking about you the whole time while listening to it🤗🤗)

(I've searched your lyrics and I'm adding it to the songs list too. Currently there are like 3-4 songs not a lot of them but if we keep doing it then I'll have a whole list coz I don't know that many English songs)

hell yeah you did, babe!!!😄💞 oh yeah it’s very awesome😎👑 plus, you get vip access;)

okay dean winchester I see you;))))

oh you want competition? you got your competition baby😏 I. Love. You.💋

yaaas! I’m glad you’re down for it! I’ll get you all the pies you want, my beloved<3 I am sooo on board slow dancing with you. I honestly am on board dancing whenever ahah, I sure do love dancing💃🏻

soulmates I swear!!✨ back off people, i’m engaged! *dives into your arms*😚

and then you’ll beg me to use it for our lockets. and I won’t be able to resist your soft puppy eyes, so I do it. after we’re done laughing, I pull out a small box from behind me. you seem confused, so I ask you to open it. it’s an old polaroid camera from the 70s that belonged to my mum, and I want to give it to you. there’s a pack of film underneath which you quickly load up into the camera and take a quick photo of me. you love it so much just like I knew you would. a precious gift for a precious person<3

that’s a great question. hmm, i’m not sure. it depends, I think. like both my bestfriends have a cat and I practically adopted both lol, but one of them doesn’t really vibe with me while the other does. so it really differs from one cat/dog to the other. I wouldn’t mind a soft tiny puppy or a huge husky either. maybe we could get a cute little cat for our new house🤔 what breed would you like?

smart choices!! you really do know how to spend your money;) also, if you wake up and can’t find your car, I stole it🤫 ooo I like, I’ll literally marry you again if you do it. maybe work with greta thunberg to figure it out! ahah pls😂😂😂 just redo the finale, that would be more than enough😂 I’d give a portion to my parents so they could go on that around-the-world cruise they’ve always wanted to do. I’ll take 250K, maybe use part of it to get an aviation license👀 put 300K into savings. that’ll leave us with around 350K which i’ll scatter around charities, campaigns and good causes.

(ok pls this is so cute you are so cute how even- 😭😭😭💞💞💞💞💞💞💞 ilysm that is so nice🥺)

(oooh interesting!! I like that idea. wait, do you have spotify?)

🎶I love how your heart beats whenever I hold you, I love how you think of me without being told to, I love the way your touch is always heavenly. But, darling, most of all I love how you love me🎶💕

[lux-i-fer]

Holiday Weekend at Penny's

Ao3 link

Synopsis: After four peaceful Christmases in a row, Christmas number five might just be Lucifer's match. Between Penelope Decker's new beau and a gift for Chloe burning a hole in his pocket, he's not entirely sure he'll make it back to LA alive.

Rating: G

Notes: Sequel to Moonlighting and Moonlighting. (STANDALONE FIC. FIRST PART IS NOT REQUIRED READING). I bet this was a sequel you never saw coming. Trust me, I didn't expect it either! Because this is in fact a sequel of a fic written during s1 this fic exists in an imaginary post-s4 timeline!

This fic is for the lovely @nightslux for the 2019 Secret Satan TDN Christmas Exchange. Merry Christmas and happy New Year darlings! Unbetaed.

When they arrived at Penelope Decker’s mountain cabin, Lucifer realized he’d never in all of his four years of visiting thanked the woman for what she’d done. In fact, he wasn’t even sure if she knew what she’d done in the first place. He was sure she had a general idea, but  Lucifer wondered if she knew that she was the catalyst that finally pushed him and Chloe together. Lucifer hummed and fiddled with the gift for Chloe he’d stashed in his pocket. The memories of their first night at the cabin clouded his thoughts. He could still taste the wine on her tongue and feel her hands cupping his face.

“What’s put you into such a good mood?” Chloe asked, shifting the car into park. “You’re usually grumpy on Christmas.”

“Yes, well you would be too if your Father so blatantly chose favorites,” Lucifer replied, all residual happiness of the memory fading away. “It’s not as if my half brother’s ego isn’t inflated enough already.” He looked away flustered and knowing that that wasn’t the answer she was fishing for. “Apologies, Detective,” he continued after clearing his throat. “I was simply thinking about our first Christmas with dear Penelope.” At that, Chloe offered him a gentle smile and leaned across the center console to give him a peck on the lips.

“Are you guys done being gross now? I want to get out and play in the snow.” Beatrice called from the back seat. Lucifer pulled away and caught a glimpse of her hands covering her eyes in the rear view mirror.

Chloe rolled her eyes and killed the engine. “Yeah, Monkey, we are. Help us unload the car and then you can go play.” Beatrice was out of the car and popping the trunk before she could say another word. 

Lucifer followed, anxious to get out of the cold despite the overcoat he’d bought specifically for this occasion. Even with his elevated body temperature, Lucifer avoided the cold as much as possible. But alas, Penelope insisted on having snow on Christmas, so here they all were, standing around in near-freezing temps for the sake of tradition. He buttoned up his coat begrudgingly and started helping unload the car. As he handed Chloe her garbage bag full of presents, he heard the sound of another car coming up the drive. Then a moment later, he heard said car’s door slam. He turned around just in time for Penelope Decker to wrap him up in a sideways embrace. The force of her crashing into him would have been enough to knock the breath out of any other human, but Lucifer managed to hold steady.

“Lucifer!” She kissed both of his cheeks. “Look at you; it’s so great to see you!” 

Lucifer returned the gesture. “Penelope! Always a pleasure to see you as well. You’re looking lovely as usual.” 

She preened at his complement and looked around. “Now where’s my daughter?”  

“She was right behind me...” Lucifer’s trailed off when he didn’t see Chloe beside him. Where had she gone? He finally spotted her, giving the bag of gifts to Beatrice by the front door. “Ah, there she is.” Penelope followed his gaze and ran off with her arms open wide for another bone-crushing embrace. Lucifer returned his attention to the car Penelope had arrived in and saw Dan crawling out of the driver’s seat (according to Chloe, Penelope was a horrid driver in the snow) and a man he didn’t recognize beginning to grab bags out of the back seat. 

Penelope reappeared by his side with Chloe in tow. “Lucifer, Chloe, come meet my boyfriend, Jeff.” She gestured to the man Lucifer didn’t recognize.

“Jeff?” he repeated under his breath. None of the Decker women had mentioned Penelope was bringing a guest. Much less a guest with a name as boring as “Jeff.”

Chloe looped her arm in his. “Just go with it.” 

Penelope was still talking when Lucifer tuned back in. “--and this is Chloe’s boyfriend, Lucifer.” 

Jeff stuck out his hand. Chloe shook it first. “Nice to meet you, Jeff.”

“Nice to meet you! Penny’s told me a lot about you,” Jeff replied enthusiastically. He turned to Lucifer. Lucifer shook his hand out of mere formality, and cringed when he seemed to refuse to let go. He didn’t remember humans’ hands being this slimy. “And nice to meet you too! Is your name really Lucifer? Like the guy who owns that nightclub? Do you mind if I call you Luce?”

Lucifer hid his immediate discomfort with his most charming smile. “Yes. Lucifer Morningstar,” he corrected subtly. “The one and only owner of Lux.”

“Damn that’s neat. I’ve been there a few times, it’s a swanky place.” Jeff finally let go of Lucifer’s hand. “Well we better get out of the cold. Penny said there’s a lot to do today.”

“There is,” Penelope agreed. “I already gave Dan the key to unlock the door so he and Trixie could get a head start while I introduced you guys to Jeff. Oh,” she turned to Jeff. “you have to meet my granddaughter!”

As if on command, Beatrice burst out of the front door, wrapped up in a giant ski jacket and pants. Lucifer flinched as she flopped into the nearest snow bank, undoubtedly jamming snow down the back of her coat. 

“Look Lucifer, I’m making a snow-you!” she shouted.

He hefted the remaining bags on his shoulders and glanced down at her flailing around in the snow. “Very nice, urchin. Except that wingspan would never support an actual angel.” Beatrice giggled and continued flapping her arms. Lucifer shook his head, bewildered.

“That’s a really good snow angel, Trix,” Penelope said as she came up behind them with Chloe and Jeff in tow. “Trix, hun, this is Nana’s friend Jeff.”

Beatrice paused her flailing to wave. “Hi!”

A blast of chilly air blew a dusting of loose snow over her, causing her to giggle even louder. Lucifer shivered as the wind crept down his collar and decided he was done with introductions and done with the cold. He moved into the cabin, leaving both behind. By the time Lucifer had returned from placing their luggage in a bedroom, Dan had taken down all of the boxes of decorations from the attic. 

“Dan, Jeff, and I are going to start dinner,” Penelope told him when he came down the stairs. “Would you and Chloe start on the tree please?”

Lucifer grinned, happy to be paired up with Chloe. “Anything you need, Penelope.” 

He found Chloe amongst the various cardboard boxes in the living room. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and Lucifer took a few moments to just watch her. She was rifling through one of the boxes, pulling out ornament tins and stockings and placing them on the coffee table in the same way she would spread out evidence at the precinct. His hand unconsciously went to his pants pocket and felt around for her gift. For a moment, Lucifer thought about just giving it to her now when it was just the two of them. He took in the barren Christmas tree and the dust dancing in the late afternoon sunlight and left the box in his pocket. There would be more than enough time later, he thought to himself.

“What can I help with, darling?” Chloe whipped around, Christmas lights in hand, at the sound of his voice.

“Lucifer,” she said breathily. “You scared me.”

He shrugged and wondered into the room. “Perhaps you should put a bell on me like you’ve threatened to in the past.”

Chloe snorted. “Nope, definitely not. You’d enjoy it way too much.”

“Detective you wound me.” He placed a hand to his chest to emphasize his point.

“Here.” She handed him a tangled mass of Christmas lights. “Why don’t you start on the lights?” Lucifer frowned and opened his mouth to protest such a menial task, only for her to silence him with a cheerful smile. “You did tell my mom ‘anything she needed.’” 

“Yes, well, I anticipated dear Penelope would need help with wine pairings or mistletoe hanging not…”

“‘Inflating your half brother’s ego?”’ 

“Exactly!”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “It won’t kill your image if you untangle one strand of Christmas lights, Lucifer. Come on, put your lightbringer skills to use.” 

He scoffed, but sat down and began to do as she’d asked. Just because Lucifer was the Devil did not mean he wasn’t a gentleman. And proper gentlemen did not make a scene in front of the in-laws. “You know his birthday isn’t even in December. It’s in May,” he grumbled.

Chloe didn’t tear her eyes from the ornaments she was unboxing. “You’ve mentioned that before, babe.”

Lucifer tried not to get upset when she didn’t rise to the bait. He heaved out one last long-suffering sigh before directing his full attention to the offending ball of lights. According to Penelope, the lights hadn’t been used for a couple of years, and looking at them now, it was obvious as to why. Whoever had used them last had been careless. It was impossible to tell how long the strand actually was because the wires were so tangled together. It looked more like a mechanical tumbleweed than Christmas lights. 

By the time he’d finally untangled the lights, Beatrice had finished playing in the snow. “Did you plug the lights in to see if they worked yet?” she asked, sipping her hot chocolate on the couch next to him.

Lucifer shot her a grin. “Darling, please.” Without breaking eye contact, he reached into himself, gathered a fraction of his divine power onto his fingertips, and snapped. The divine energy ignited the lightbulbs, causing them to pulse with a soft blue light. Beatrice squealed with delight.

“Whoa! Lucifer that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! Mom look at what Lucifer did to the lights!” Chloe looked up from where she was stringing garland around the Christmas tree. Lucifer urged the lights to glow brighter when he saw her start to smile.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” she said.

“I can’t reveal all of my tricks, now can I Detective?” Like he had with her daughter, Lucifer held Chloe’s gaze, watching the divine light dance softly on her face. He let the lights glimmer for a few seconds more and then let them fade away. 

Beatrice tapped his shoulder. “Can I plug them in for real?”

Lucifer handed her the plug, and she raced to the nearest outlet, the freshly untangled lights trailing behind her. Beatrice plugged them in, but unlike before, the lights didn’t turn on. She tried again. Nothing. Lucifer frowned.

“Oh I guess there’s a short,” Chloe said, turning back to the garland.

Almost immediately, Jeff appeared in the doorway as if the words had summoned him like some half-witted hellbeast. “Gotta short, I heard?” He began to make his way over to where Beatrice was kneeling by the outlet.

Lucifer clenched his teeth and mustered up his smoothest tone. “No need to pry yourself away from Penelope, we’re managing it just fine.” 

Jeff waved him off and moved on to fiddle with the lightbulbs. “It’s no trouble. These old strands are finicky sometimes. My uncle used to say I’ve got the magic touch when it comes to these things. I used to do this for him all the time.”

For once in his life, Lucifer was speechless. His influence really only extended to desire, but after ruling Hell for an eternity and a half, he had grown accustomed to a certain degree of respect. Hell, even his employees at Lux knew not to undermine him. It was common decency. He narrowed his eyes. Whatever game Jeff was playing, Lucifer was going to get to the bottom of it. He began sorting through the remaining strand of lights in his lap. If he was quick enough, he might be able to beat Jeff to it. However, before he could grab the next bulb, the strand flickered to life. 

Jeff let out a triumphant sound. “There we go. Told you I could get it sorted out. Some lightbringer you are amirite, Luce?” He gave him a friendly arm punch.

“It’s Lucifer,” he corrected stiffly. 

“Nah, I know. I’m just joking with you.” 

Jeff walked back in the kitchen with a spring in his step that irritated Lucifer more than he’d care to admit. There was something off about Jeff, and this time Lucifer was certain that it wasn’t just his pride talking. Only a creature with supernatural hearing could have heard their conversation over the racket of saccharine Christmas carols and Penelope cooking dinner. Whatever Jeff was, he wasn’t human. 

“Monkey, let’s put the lights on the tree,” Chloe called. Beatrice ripped the plug from the socket once more and dragged the strand over to where her mother was standing. Lucifer took a deep breath and then walked over and sidled up behind Chloe. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her in close. Chloe automatically rested her hand over his and leaned into his chest. “What’s up?” 

“Something’s not right about dear Penelope’s new chap,” he whispered close to her ear. 

She made a noise in her throat. “Are you sure you’re not just upset that he stole your thunder?” They watch Beatrice wrap the lights around the tree for a few tense moments. Lucifer stayed silent. He knew she meant it as a joke, but pride had always been one of his sins, and he couldn’t help but feel the sting of her words. Chloe squeezed his hand, as if she felt it too. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she muttered. 

He placed a light kiss behind her ear. “I know.”

“If you really believe it, promise me you won’t make a big deal out of it. Mom seems really happy with this guy.”

Lucifer nodded. “You have my word, Detective.” 

They fell silent for another beat. “Hey,” she twisted to look up at him. “Why don’t you go see if Dan needs help with anything? Trix and I can finish up in here.”

Lucifer nodded. He gave her one last peck on the cheek and then left in search of Dan. He checked the kitchen first. Dan usually helped Penelope cook or set the table, but this time he was nowhere in sight. Instead, all he found was Penelope pulling the rolls out of the oven and Jeff stirring the vegetables. Lucifer was about to check upstairs when a voice stopped him.

“Hey-o Luce! You looking for something?” 

Lucifer suppressed the urge to correct him a third time. “Just Daniel.”

Penelope waved her serving spoon in the direction of the stairs. “Check upstairs, Lucifer sweetie.” 

It took him three tries, but Lucifer finally found Dan in the last bedroom, unloading his suitcase. He knocked gently on the open door, causing Dan to glance up from his dismal wardrobe. “Hey man. Is dinner ready?”

“Not yet. The Detective ordered me to assist you; however,” he gestured to the knit red and green monstrosity in Dan’s hand, “I don’t think you need my help recognizing what a pitiful abomination that is.”

Dan grinned with half of his normal bitterness and held up the sweater. “What, you don’t like it?” The it in question boasted several tabby cats wrapped in shimmery green tinsel with “Meow-y Christmas!” stitched in big red letters at the bottom. Lucifer shuddered. 

“Take it from your neighborhood Devil, Daniel: that sweater is a sin. And not the good kind.”

Dan threw the sweater back onto the bed with a little more force than necessary. “Yeah I figured you’d say that.” 

Lucifer wrinkled his brow at that. If he didn’t know better, he’d say that Dan was upset about something. “Why aren’t you knocking around the kitchen like every other year?” he asked instead.

“Because fucking Jeff , that’s why,” he snapped. Lucifer cringed, not such a safe question then. Dan sighed. “Sorry man. I didn’t mean for it to come out that harsh.”

So he was upset. Lucifer wished he hadn’t asked, but he’d be damned a second time if he wasn’t going to take any opportunity to gather information on Jeff. Lucifer crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway before he continued. “What did Penelope’s boytoy do to get you this riled up?” 

“Just...I don’t know.” Dan shook his head. “I always help Penny make the vegetables and then all of a sudden Jeff comes in and tells me I’m seasoning them wrong! Then he starts doing my job! And then it looks like I’m the asshole because Jeff’s so nice and who wouldn’t just accept help like that, you know?”

Lucifer cocked his head. “I’ve held my tongue for four years for the Detective’s sake, but I suppose I’ll say it now. You do season the vegetables wrong, Daniel.”

“Hey--”

“No,” Lucifer cut him off. “Listen to me. It pains me to say this, but that is beside the point. It doesn’t matter that you season food like your taste buds were seared off in a chemical spill. What matters is that for once you and I are on the same page. Jeff did the same thing to me when I was helping the Detective with the fairy lights.”

“Really?”

Lucifer nodded and lowered his voice. “And if I’m being entirely honest, I’m fairly certain he’s not who he says he is.”

Dan gestured for Lucifer to shut the door. Only when it was shut completely did he respond. “What are you saying?”

“Whoever--or whatever--Jeff is, I believe it is a front. I’ve been observing him since we arrived. Something seems off. He reminds me far too much of some of the unsavory creatures in Hell to be coincidence.”

“Jeff’s mafia?” Dan whispered fiercely. 

Lucifer blinked. “What?” He shook his head. “Daniel I said Hell, not the mob.”

Dan winked. “Yeah, gotcha. ‘ The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west,’ ‘don’t talk about Fight Club’ or whatever other bullshit.”

For a brief moment, Lucifer was sure that he and Dan had been on the same page. Now he wasn’t very confident in that conclusion. He cleared his throat. “Yes sure, whatever you say Daniel. Now, will you help me figure out what he is or not?”

“Hell yeah, why wouldn’t I help? Chloe or Penny or Trixie could be in danger.” 

Lucifer shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure.” He clapped his hands together. “Now, there are some tests we can run to try and determine what kind of creature Jeff is. We can immediately rule out any of my celestial siblings; however, the infernal ones are sadly still on the table. As are the other run-of-the-mill supernatural creatures.”

Dan shook his head, looking a little dazed. “Dude, one day you’re going to have to explain your family to me.”

Lucifer ignored him, but not without giving him a withering glance. “Right. Anyway, we can try the normal tests: silver, holy water, the works. We’re lucky that dear Penelope still keeps real silverware.”

“Wait that stuff’s legit?” Dan asked, eyes going wide.

Lucifer wasn’t sure what “stuff” Dan was referring to. Before he could ask, there was a knock on the door.

“Hey Dan? Can I come in?” Chloe’s question was muffled by the door. Dan shouted an affirmative and the door swung open. “There you guys are,” she said when she saw Lucifer standing next to Dan. “Is everything alright?”

“Close the door,” Dan whispered. Chloe arched a brow, but did as she was asked. “Lucifer thinks he recognizes Jeff from The Life.” She shot Lucifer a look.

Lucifer held up a hand. Father help him, he wasn’t going to let Dan slander his name in front of Chloe. “ No, I said Jeff is not who he says he is. We’re doing tests to see if he’s human.”

“Lucifer,” she sighed. “I told you not to make this a big deal.”

“Daniel started it!” He jabbed a finger in his direction to make his point.

Dan batted his finger away. “Don’t throw me under the bus like that, Lucifer! You’re the one who wants to do tests!”

He scoffed. “You’re he--”

“Guys!” Chloe interjected. “Stop.” They fell silent. “Look I’m really glad you guys are getting along, but whatever this,” she gestured vaguely in their direction. “Is don’t let it ruin Christmas alright? Leave me, leave mom, and leave Trixie out of it, okay?”

Dan shook his head. “Don’t worry we’ll be careful.”

“Yes, Detective I did give you my word,” Lucifer added.

Chloe’s face softened. “Good.” She moved to wedge herself in between them, carefully wrapping an arm around each of their waists, and pulling them in close. “I love both of you so much and I’m so thankful to have both of you here,” she said quietly. 

As a testament of how far he’d come since he’d crawled out of Hell, Lucifer didn’t get upset at her statement. A few years ago, he might have been jealous of her marriage to Dan. As a matter of fact, he had been jealous of their relationship. The man he’d been then couldn’t comprehend how Chloe could break her love into so many pieces and yet still have enough left over to love him as deeply as he loved her. He was selfish then, Lucifer would admit it. He wanted to capture every ounce of her affections and keep it all for himself. But that wasn’t how it worked. Chloe loved best when she was free to give it to everyone. He always thought that revelation would drive a wedge between them, but it had only made him love her more. And it made him want to be better too.

They stood in silence for a minute, letting her words sink deep into their souls. Chloe rubbed a hand down their backs and let them go. She gave both of them a kiss on the cheek--Lucifer first, Dan second--before going to open the door. “Mom told me to tell you guys dinner is ready, so let’s get down there before they start wondering where we are.”

Lucifer sighed and straightened out his suit jacket. He took a beat to collect himself, gave a short nod to Dan, and then followed Chloe downstairs.

The start of dinner was an interesting affair, to say the least. Jeff dominated the conversation as soon as they descended the stairs, and judging by the looks Lucifer shared with Dan and Chloe, nobody was enjoying what he was saying. Niceties and plain, sterilized topics spilled from his mouth like a leaky faucet before they’d even begun to eat. Even worse yet, Jeff had insisted they say grace despite the fact that no one except maybe Daniel had set foot in a church for over a decade. As an act of defiance, Lucifer blessed Jeff’s wine while he warbled through his praises to his Father and half brother.

Lucifer caught Dan’s eye as soon as he saw Jeff go to pick up his knife. Together they watched him grab his silverware with ease, and when his skin didn’t immediately burn off Lucifer couldn’t help but deflate a little. He only deflated more when they found out that the blessed wine was a bust too. 

“This turkey is great, Mom,” Chloe said when Jeff’s mouth was full of mashed potatoes.

Penelope basked in the complement. “Thanks baby.”

“I actually suggested this great turkey recipe to Penny last week,” Jeff prattled on, mouth still half full. “I don’t think she used it tonight though.”

“Nope, sorry hun, I always use John’s recipe. He was such a great cook, and I just can’t imagine having anything else during Christmas.”

Jeff laughed. “I can assure you once you try my recipe, you’ll forget all about this one.”

Penelope’s fork screeched against her plate like a record scratch. The table went deathly silent. Lucifer could feel Chloe go still beside him, and he placed a comforting hand on her thigh. He knew Jeff’s words struck a nerve when she laced her fingers with his and squeezed hard enough for her nails to dig into his skin. Even Beatrice was looking at Jeff like he’d suddenly grown a second head.

Lucifer broke the silence. “Well I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a better turkey, dear Penelope. And that’s coming from someone who has an affinity for fine dining.”

Penelope visibly relaxed and it was as if the spell broke. The noises of silverware clicking against plates and fingernails tinging against wine glasses flooded back into the room. Chloe let go of Lucifer’s hand and flashed him a grateful smile.

“Nana do you want to hear about my project on outer space?” Beatrice asked.

“Psst. Hey Lucifer,” Dan whispered. Lucifer whipped his head towards the sound. 

He caught Dan staring at him with an odd glimmer in his eye. “Thanks for doing that, man.”

Lucifer ducked his head. “I couldn’t let him continue to smear Jonathan’s good name, now could I?”

“Still though, you didn’t have to do that.” He leaned further across the table and lowered his voice even more. “I don’t think this is working, though. Have you got anything from your tests?”

Lucifer shook his head, frustrated. “I’ve tested him for every supernatural inclination I can think of and I’m slowly coming to the conclusion that he’s just regular old wanker.”

Dan rolled his eyes. “Great. Those are the worst kinds of monsters.”

“Boys?” Lucifer looked up to see Penelope and everyone else staring at them from the other end of the table. “Is everything alright?”

“We’re fine, sorry Penny. I wanted to know what Lucifer had gotten everyone for Christmas,” Dan lied smoothly. Chloe rolled her eyes at the obvious lie and took a swig from her second glass of wine.

Beatrice gasped. “What did you get me Lucifer?” 

“You’ll see, urchin,” he said in between sips of wine.

She turned her attention to Dan and made sure to bat her eyelashes for good measure. “Daddy what did Lucifer get me?” 

Dan shook his head. “You’ll see soon enough, Trix.” 

“I don’t mean to be rude,” Jeff began, picking at his food. “But how does your relationship work?”

“What do you mean Jeff honey?” Penelope asked. Her eyes darted from her boyfriend to her daughter.

“Well you’re divorced right?” He drew a line with his knife from Dan to Chloe. Chloe made a go on gesture with her own knife. “How do you manage, you know, everything between exes and then stuff like new relationships and who gets what holidays and such?”

Chloe and Dan shared a look. Chloe coughed. “Well. We just manage, I guess? Dan and I are still friends. Dan and Lucifer are friends. It was tough at first, but Dan and I actually have a better relationship now that we’re separated.”

Dan nodded his affirmation. “And for holidays we just coordinate the best we can. Not a lot has changed schedule-wise except that Trixie rotates houses every week or so.”

“It’s great! I get to have two bedrooms,” Beatrice stage whispered to Jeff.

“Whoowee, you guys are crazy!” Penelope seemed taken aback by Jeff’s outburst, but he continued talking. “I could never be civil with my ex wife. No siree, we didn’t part on good terms at all.”

“Well I am happy that you three all get along,” Penelope said quickly. “Not everybody gets to have two handsome men around the table during the holidays.”

“What about me Penny hun?” Jeff asked a little too sweetly for Lucifer’s taste.

“What about you Jeffrey?” Penelope stood and began clearing the table.

Jeff chuckled uneasily. “Nothing, nothing. I was just joking.” He swallowed thickly. “Let’s get this cleaned up so we can open presents!”

Lucifer and Dan exchanged matching smirks. Perhaps Penelope was smarter than they’d initially given her credit for. When Chloe rose to take up her plate, she bumped Lucifer’s shoulder with her hip. To anyone else it would look like an accident, but he knew she did it on purpose. He looked up at her, his smirk turning into a full blown grin when he saw her barely holding back her laughter. She squeezed his shoulder with her free hand and headed to the sink, edging Penelope away from the counter. “I’ll load the dishwasher for you, Mom. You cooked, I’ll clean up.”

“I’ll go help her,” Dan said to nobody in particular. Lucifer waved him off.

“I’ve got it, Daniel. Go make sure Beatrice doesn’t open all of her gifts before everyone else sits down.”

He smiled appreciatively and pushed in his chair. “Thanks.”

“Why don’t you go with them, Jeff?” Penelope suggested. “You can start sorting out the gifts we brought. I want to talk to Lucifer and Chloe for a minute.” 

Jeff smiled tightly. “Of course, Penny.” 

When he was finally gone, Penelope turned back to Lucifer and Chloe. “I think bringing Jeff up here was a mistake.” 

Chloe handed Lucifer a dirty glass and sighed. “It’s okay, Mom. How were you supposed to know he’d say something like that?”

She shook her head. “I should have known better.” When Lucifer saw Penelope tear up, he focused on carefully arranging the dishes on the dishwasher rack. Chloe dropped the plate she was rinsing in the sink and passed Penelope a paper napkin. She blew her nose. “Thank you for handling it, Lucifer.”

Lucifer finally meant her puffy eyes. “It was my pleasure.”

They fell into a comfortable silence while they finished putting the last few dishes in the dishwasher. Instead of going to sit down in the living room, Penelope hovered close to the sink, tapping away on her phone throughout the whole thing. When they finally made their way to the living room, Beatrice had already divided up all the presents into little piles.

“Mom and Lucifer your stuff is over there.” She directed them towards the loveseat. “And Nana your presents are here.” She pointed at the side of the couch Dan wasn’t occupying. Nobody missed that Jeff was sitting in the lone rocking chair, away from the rest of the group. Once she was satisfied with where everyone was situated, Beatrice sat in between Penelope and Dan. “Can I start now?”

“Yeah baby, go ahead,” Chloe said.

Beatrice didn’t need to be told twice. She began tearing at the wrapping paper of the nearest present. Lucifer couldn’t help the rush of pride when he realized it was his. Beatrice’s eyes went wide when she managed to get the box open. “Oh my gosh Lucifer I love it!” She held up the locket, trying to see the picture of the three of them that Lucifer had put inside. 

“What is it, babe?” Dan asked, leaning over to get a better look.

“It’s a locket!” She thrust it in his face. “Look it’s engraved!”

“‘ For Beatrice. With love, from Lucifer.”’ he read.

Penelope swooned. “Lucifer, that’s adorable!”

Lucifer felt Chloe press a kiss into his shoulder and he smiled. “You’re welcome, Beatrice.” The weight of Chloe’s gift seemed to feel heavier in his pocket when Beatrice’s smile stayed fixed on her face as she looped the locket around her neck and ripped open the next gift (a bracelet from Dan). And then she opened the next (an art kit from Chloe) and the next until there was a sea of wrapping paper blanketing the carpet and a mountain of gifts surrounding her.

“I think it’s time to move on to the adults’ gifts now,” Jeff began loudly. 

Lucifer felt his stomach twist. The little box in his pocket felt like it was burning a hole in his Armani. His heart began to pound, and if he was human Lucifer was certain he’d have been sweating bullets. He’d wanted to wait until all of the gifts had been opened, but now that it was time to begin opening his gifts he wasn’t so sure he could wait. Before he could raise his voice to request to go first, Jeff interrupted him. “Penny do you want to go first?”

Penelope set her wine down on the table. “Oh, I suppose so,” she said with faux modesty. 

Lucifer could barely remember to ohh and ahh at the right moments as Penelope tore into her gifts. It was as if his world had narrowed down to one specific gift jammed deep in his pants pocket. He fought the urge to reach in and make sure it was still there as they moved onto Jeff’s few gifts. By the time it was Dan’s turn to open his presents, Chloe was beginning to notice his nervousness.

She leaned further into his side to whisper in his ear. “Hey, what’s wrong?” 

He shook his head. “Nothing darling. Just keeping an eye on Jeff to make sure he doesn’t have any more missteps tonight.” He was sure she could tell that that wasn’t the real reason for his shaking hands, but luckily for him, she just shifted to lay her head on his shoulder in lieu of an interrogation.

“M’kay. Love you.”

“And I you, darling.” The sentence carried so much emotion behind it that Lucifer felt it burn a track up his throat.

Ten minutes later, Lucifer opened up his own gifts with mechanical efficiency. He tried to give the proper polite amount of attention to each item, but the truth was that his heart wasn’t in it. He had to get Chloe’s gift out of his pocket; the thing was consuming him from the inside out. But if Lucifer thought opening his gifts was the most difficult ten minutes of his life, watching Chloe open hers was worse. She took a painstakingly long time with each of them, marveling over their beauty or usefulness, and thanking each gifter individually. Then, finally, finally it was time.

Lucifer shifted to the edge of the loveseat, easing away from Chloe’s wine-tipsy embrace. “I actually have one last gift for the Detective,” he said, raising his voice over the holiday chatter. The room quieted and Lucifer reached for the box in his pocket. Slowly, he sunk down on his knee. He opened the box he’d been carrying around all day to reveal a glittering black-jeweled ring. He distantly heard Penelope gasp. “Detective--Chloe. I had this grand speech prepared before we came up here, but no matter how often I rewrote it, it just never felt right for this moment. So here is the abridged version. I love you darling. I might not have realized it until much, much later, but I loved you from the very moment you stepped foot into my life. You’re my best friend and dearest love, and that’s more than the man I was a decade ago could have ever anticipated having. Chloe Jane Decker will you marry me?”

Chloe stared at him, open-mouthed and wide-eyed. When he saw tears gather in the corners of her eyes, Lucifer felt his stomach drop. Was this the wrong time? Had he done it wrong? He stood frozen as she brought a hand to cup his cheek. She brought his face closer to hers, pulling him off his knees, and Lucifer assumed the worst. But then her face split into the most vibrant smile she’d ever given him.

“ Yes,” she breathed before pulling him into a kiss. Lucifer lost himself in a wave of relief and joy. When Chloe broke the kiss, the intimate bubble around them popped. Someone started clapping. 

“Put the ring on, I want to see it!” someone else, probably Beatrice, shouted.

Lucifer felt drunk. It took him a few seconds to steady his hands enough to take the ring from the box and slide it onto Chloe’s ring finger. A dopey smile spread across his face when he turned to face the rest of the room. Dan clapped him on the back, and Lucifer swayed on his feet. Penelope wrapped her arms around him in a hug that was even tighter than the one she’d given him earlier in the day. 

“Congrats, Lucifer!” she squealed. She held onto him for a few more seconds and then released him to do the same to Chloe. “Your father would be so happy for you, baby!”

“What about me? I’m happy for you too, Chloe!” Jeff exclaimed, putting a hand on Penelope’s shoulder. The celebration hiccuped as it had during dinner. The smile on Chloe’s face slipped, but she moved to give him a polite side hug anyways. Lucifer began to stalk towards him, eyes on the brink of flashing red, but a hand across his chest stopped him. He glanced down to see Penelope arching a brow at him.

“I’ve got this one covered, Lucifer. It’s time I stand up for myself.” She drew herself up. “Jeffrey, listen.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a very nice man, and we’ve had a fun few months, but I’m afraid I have to put a stop to this.”

Jeff gave her a vacant look. “What?”

“It’s time for you to go Jeffrey. You’ve been trying to erase John from my life ever since we started dating, and that’s just not going to fly. My family will always be more important than a country club reject. So get out of my house.”

“Huh?”

“Leave.” She shook him for emphasis. “Get your things. I called an Uber for you before we started opening presents and he’s waiting outside to take you home. I want to spend Christmas with my family.”

Jeff turned mauve. “I…”

Dan appeared at Penelope’s side. “You heard her.”

Lucifer loomed over her other shoulder, glaring down his nose at the sniveling man in front of him. Without saying another word, Jeff began collecting his things. He waded through the wrapping paper and grabbed the few gifts Penelope had given him. Then he started towards the stairs, presumably to grab his suitcase. Penelope and Dan followed him out.

“We’ll show you out the door,” Lucifer heard Penelope say. 

Lucifer was tempted to go with them, just to ensure that the job was done swiftly, but before he could go, Chloe put a hand on his arm to stop him. First he looked down at her hand proudly displaying the ring he’d picked out, and then he looked up at her beautiful face. 

“Let him go. It’s Christmas,” she said conspiringly.

“Yeah, it’s Christmas, Lucifer!” Beatrice plastered herself against his legs and gave him a hug reminiscent of Penelope’s. 

Lucifer smirked and pulled Chloe in close for another kiss. “Merry Christmas, Detective.”

“Merry Christmas, Lucifer.”

[neshabeingchildish]

WEEK ONE: CHARACTERS 1/08 | Jasper Dunlop

I decided to share my favorite piece from a fic that I’ve written about Jasper. It’s an excerpt/flashback sequence from Determined: A Chasper Fic where I establish a headcanon for Jasper that I bring everywhere with me now, unless something else specifically happens. It’s about buckets, but sad. I was gonna do one of my Jasper headcanons thingies... Maybe another time. :)

And the FCs for these unknown/other characters are HERE. Did not select a Bilsky dad. 

Whenever Jasper's dad popped the question to his mom, she was just about visibly pregnant, embarrassed about it and desperate to do this the right way. Jack Leigh was desperate to "fix his mistakes" and "make an honest woman out of her." Oh, and also drunk. So drunk, that he didn't know if he was coming or going. He needed the liquid courage to go back to her after she'd told him that if she had to do this on her own, she would. She didn't have to do it on her own! At least, he didn't want her to. He couldn't figure out where he'd get a ring at this time of night, but came across one of those Bilsky brothers. The whole family was a bag of rotten apples. One of them had to know a guy… Hell, one of them WAS the guy. "A ring? Yeah, I got rings. What's your budget?" Jack Leigh emptied his pockets and had maybe a few hundred bucks, and a punch card. He shook his head and called, "Jeff! Get Daddy that box of rings! The cheap ones!" A teenage boy rushed to… of all places… the BBQ pit and lifted the lid and grabbed a box. Daddy Bilsky gave it to his old buddy and said, "I'll letcha grab two of 'em. I hear you gotta get two. My old lady and I got hitched on the run, so we never even got one of them, but I've collected her plenty over the years. She don't notice when the cheap ones go missing." Jack Leigh didn't even shift through the box. He grabbed a couple, waved to them and went on his way.

Jeff came back to his father and asked, "Dad, how mad would you be if I think I gave you the good stuff?" Jack Leigh heard Daddy Bilsky fussing at his kid, but he was too out of it to hear what he was saying.

Whenever Pansy left, Jack Leigh got one of those rings back. She threw the wedding ring right at his head and slammed the door as hard as she could with a baby on her waist. He was too drunk to care about whatever she'd said, too. He was often that way, but he did come across that ring again when he was clearing out of that little place. He tossed it in his pocket, in case he ever wanted to pawn it. Might be cheap, but he could probably get a few beers for it. It stayed in his wallet most of the time, though. He couldn't see Jasper back then… legal stuff that he totally understood at the time, but whenever he would look at the ring and think about hocking it, he'd think about his baby boy, out there… The one that he'd even bought the stupid thing for. He couldn't seem to part with it. Not because he missed his wife, but because he took a wife because he was going to be a father, and nobody but him messed that up. It was a reminder that he needed to get clean and needed to straighten up. Maybe some day, he could see Jasper again. Maybe someday, he'd give him this stupid ring. He got it appraised, just to see if it was worth anything. Because he was curious if the sentimental value of it would even mean anything to the kid… this was maybe 3 years later. The damn thing was worth more than his crummy life. He could literally sell it and probably wind up getting himself out of his debt! But… looking at the thing, listening to the guy talk to him, very suspicious that this shady character probably stole this from some place, and was likely gonna put out an alert about it… Jack Leigh thanked him for his time and put it back into his wallet. He hadn't gotten completely clean, but that was sobering. He knew he had to keep it together, carrying something worth that much with him, especially considering that it was worth even more in sentimental value.

He met Jasper when he was four. Adorable chubby kid with dimples and curly hair. He was excited to meet him and told him everything that he could possibly tell him. Jack Leigh came to a realization whenever Pansy told him that he could come to see him… He'd messed up. He should have had a room FULL of gifts and cards and money that he never got a chance to deliver over the past four years. He should have had candy and cookies and really… fanfare. All he had was that ring and he certainly couldn't hand him that at age 4. He stopped at one of those weird gas station gift shops and said, "Anything for like a 4 year old kid… I don't even know what he likes!"

"We got grab buckets," she said and pointed towards a display. It was like a grab bag, but in a bucket. All kinds of little toys and stuff that would most likely break and stuff if it wasn't a choke hazard. Hopefully, Pansy wouldn't kill him. He went over there with a bucket of junk and threw in a hundred dollar bill that he got back after this purchase. Pansy was judging him from the moment that he handed that garbage to her son. But, the kid was excited, "WOW! A BUCKET!"

"Uhhh… there's stuff in it. Toys and stuff," Jack Leigh said. Jasper got onto his tiptoes, but Jack kneeled in front of him, seeing his features for the first time since he was an infant. Seeing how much like his own childhood photos he looked. Pansy must've seen it too. There was something about the way that she looked at the kid. Jack Leigh didn't like it, but who was he to judge? He hadn't even been around.

"Jasper, I don't think that any of that stuff is safe to play with!" She said and snatched the bucket from his little hands. He jumped, frightened and Jack Leigh noticed and reached for his hand, to try to give him some comfort. He was about to cry. She was taking away the only thing his daddy had given him…

"Well, can't he at least have the bucket?" Jack Leigh asked.

She looked at him like he was an idiot. "He's four. Why would he want this ugly big bucket?"

"I do want the bucket, Mom! I love it. It's a nice bucket, Daddy." She looked bothered. She dumped the toys in the garbage and handed him the bucket back, then went to sit down, and glare at them. Jasper didn't really look in her direction during the visit, but Jack Leigh wondered if he couldn't feel the same… whatever it was that she had radiating for him that he felt from her. He was allowed a few more visits, until he showed up with Adanna one day. Pansy stepped outside and interrogated her, then said that Jasper wouldn't be coming for any more of these "disappointing little visits," and sprinkled on at the end, "And I WILL be contacting you about child support!" That was that.

Adanna convinced him to fight for custody, at least shared. He had gotten his life together and he shouldn't have to be punished forever. There were disputes, but after a while, he ran out of money for that fight and her husband didn't. So, not only could he still not see Jasper, and had legal fees, but… child support. He couldn't do it. He'd already gotten so low, that he went back to some of his old ways. He was lucky to have Adanna around. Eventually thought about giving her the ring, but explained to her why he didn't think that he could. "Can I at least see it?" she wondered.

He pulled it out and she was already uneasy. He handed it to her and she cried, "I'm glad that you don't want to give this to me, because it's full of negative energy. Guilt, despair, regret, heartache… This isn't something that you give to someone that you care about."

"Should I get rid of it? Sell it? I'm probably never going to see my son again…"

"Even if you see him, he can't have this, Jack Leigh. It's got a signature on it."

"Is there a way to fix it?"

She cleansed the ring and once she was done, she smiled at it and said, "This ring has new hope. It wants to find someone to love, but it feels like it belongs to someone."

"Who?"

"I don't know, but I sense that this ring wouldn't be at home with me." She reached out to give it to him, but he shook his head.

"If you hand it to me, it'll just absorb my negative energy again. You hold on to it for me. If I don't give it to Jasper, I guess it'll find its way to whoever. I want it to find them in peace."

Jasper, Charlotte, and Henry were sitting on the floor, talking about their readings. Henry was shaken up by his, but Jasper kept staring at the Fool. Adanna said, "Jasper, can I show you something?" He got up and followed her through some crystal beaded curtains to a cute little room, where she climbed up a step ladder and got a ring box off of her bookshelf. "Jack Leigh told you about this, right? When you two talked?" She stepped down and opened the box to show him a ring and his heart leaped in his chest.

"Is this my mom's wedding ring that she threw at his head? I've heard about it from her! She'd say, if I'd been more smart than mad, I'd have pawned that for the child support! Can I touch it?" She handed it to him and told him the story, because obviously, Jack Leigh had been more focused on the drinking, the fighting and the accident. Jasper gasped and said, "You think that this ring belongs with me?"

"I think that it belongs with her," she said and glanced at Charlotte through the beads. Charlotte was laughing a melodious laugh at a story that Uncle Roscoe was telling on speaker phone, while catching up with Jack Leigh. "I think that she'll love it, when you're ready." She cupped his chin and lovingly said, "Fool."

[xladyxfatex]

Chapter Seven (FMITN Book 1)

~*4 Months Later*~

Melissa had been home for months now, Jessica had gone through two more shifts, and the friendship with Aleister was growing.Jeff had  turned seven and Matt nine in September.  He kept his word and taught her simple wrestling moves, and from there some of the more advanced ones. They even began to tag team against her brothers, which even though the boys were against it at first they were happy to see how well she had taken to it. Like most things she was quickly showing she had natural abilities. Before leaving though Aleister did have one more vision, this one was one he only shared with Jessica.

“Jessica you must listen and believe me, I had a vision about you, but it's not for a very long time, you’ve met someone of importance already a boy as he grows he’ll become cold a user and someone to avoid at all costs, BUT you are his mate, you will run and try to avoid him, Others will tell you how he’s a user always with a different woman weekly, but I swear to you, you will be the one to end that line, you are meant to be. Please you must believe me.” 

The premonition to this day still bothered her, but she had time so it's not like she needed to get married now or anything. Aleister and Jessica had traded phone numbers and addresses though both mothers already had those things, and they promised to write each other at least once a week. Gwendolyn mentioned they’d come back in December for the Winter Solstice, they’d come back for Samhian (sow-win) but were not sure they’d make that one, though they’d definitely call to wish Jessica a Happy Birthday.  Halloween/Samhian was next week which also meant Jessica’s fifth birthday, yes Jessica was a Halloween baby and she personally loved it. She didn’t need parties and gifts she just wanted to get dressed up and go out with her brothers. Since going back to her daycare wasn’t an option her parents decided it was best  to see if they couldn’t get her placed into elementary school early, this of course involved a lot of different tests. If the placement tests were to be believed Jessica should be put in the fifth grade. The administration, decided to leave the choice up to the parents since this year Matt had begun fourth grade and Jeff second. Gilbert and Melissa had a pretty big choice to make. Not knowing any better and absentmindedly Jessica spoke.

“I want to be in Jeff’s classes.” She went back to playing with the strings on her hoodie as Gilbert and Melissa just stared at each other.

“Well princess we’re going to have to talk to Jeff about that, we don’t want to make any trouble for either of you, You understand that kids can be mean, don’t you?” Gilbert asked, if it wasn’t for those mean kids Jessica would just be going into the first grade. Jessica just shook her in understanding and waited to get home. He had to admit though it might be nice to have the two of them graduate together, Matt would finish high school the year before Jeff and Jess. 

Once home Jessica and Melissa went to the workshop and worked on Jesse's magic. Hours flew by as normal and before she knew her brothers were home from school. Instead of going to her brothers, she remained in the workshop, wasn't going to step on toes. She knew her father would address the issue and her what she wanted. 

Matt and Jeff looked for their little sister but didn't see he, slightly confused they went to ask their dad where she was only to be stopped and talked to about the current situation she was in. Needless to say both boys already knew how smart she was, but the fact that she wanted to be in Jeff's grade made things even clear how smart and loyal she was. This way she'd continue to be a calming factor for Jeff while at school something he really needed. Jeff agreed to the idea before once again asking where his baby sister was.  Once he found her and told her that he was fine with her being put in his class.

Two weeks had passed since Jessica started school and was now in Jeff’s class. Things were going well, and today just happened to be Jessica’s birthday. Aleister and Jess had been exchanging letters since he left, she had been looking forward to another letter from her best friend today but what she found when she got home was a box and letter on her desk in her room. She recognized the handwriting as Aleister’s and opened the letter first.

“Dear Jessica, 

Happy birthday! Mother and I picked out this piece for you, but knowing you you’re reading this before opening the box. Its a charmed necklace that will help to keep you protected and keep us connected. Please always wear it?”

The letter what on to talk about how he had been doing during the week and what new things he learned not only magically, but in the ring too. Jess opened the box to relieve a gold chain with a Goddess Moon charm attached. She placed the necklace on and smiled. She then asked her mama permission to call Aleister to thank him and his mother for the gift which her mother agreed to allow her do. She spent several moments on the phone thanking the pair and letting them know that she was already wearing the necklace. They made small talk about them coming for the Winter Solstice. Before hanging up she thanked the two once again.

[xjefferxx]

Happy Birthday ||Rainling

Who: Jeff Sterling & @joiesomer​

Where: Restaurant in town and hotel room

When: 8/17/19

What: Jeff and Somer celebrate Somer’s birthday. (of course there is sex in this lol)

Somer blinked at the large box the mailroom guy handed him. He hadn't ordered anything, and he was pretty sure whatever presents he was getting from his family had already shown up. His mom was serious about punctuality that way. Accepting the package, he signed for it and bore it off to his room. Once he opened it up, all he could do was stare. With shaking hands Somer picked up the coat, smoothing his hands over the fabric. He knew expensive when he saw it. Who would be sending him a new, costly -- he checked the tag -- fitted suit? With a bowtie ... He laid the coat down carefully, and turned the strip of fabric over in his hands.

Jeff had checked his phone. Package delivered and accepted. Smiling, he got himself in the shower. He had it all set for the night, it was going to be romantic and perfect for Somer. Gifts at random moments, the best for his love on his birthday. He couldn't help but giggle in excitement as he started to dress for the night.

The timing couldn't be a coincidence. Somer gut-jumped his way to a conclusion, and reached for his phone, calling Jeff. "Blondie?"

Jeff was just getting out when the phone rang. "Hey baby, you like the suit?"

A blanket of relief fell over Somer's shoulders, and he blew his breath out. With a laugh in his tone he said, "So I should wear this tonight? And find my best manners from where I shoved them under the bed?"

"Did you think it was from someone else?" Jeff chuckled. "yes, wear it, no you don't need to bring anything else and the manners are up to you."

"I'm just being cautious!" Somer objected, grinning. "Just in case there was some other super attractive, wealthy, adorable, elegant, I'm running out of adjectives here ... be quiet." He glanced over at the box again, smile softening to something fond and sweet and a little overwhelmed. "You'll have to help me with the tie."

Jeff chuckled some. "Okay I can do that and even if some other man was courting you, you're still my ginger." he smiled into  the phone.  "alright, I have to go to get ready for tonight, I'll be there in about an hour to pick you up."

"And you're still my blondie," Somer said back, softly. "I'll wait for you. Always." He wished Jeff was there to kiss, but soon. Soon. Hanging up, he pressed his lips together, making a mental list of all the things he needed to do. Finish unpacking that new suit; take a shower; make his hair lie flat ... he had time. An hour. What was Jeff doing that needed an hour?

Jeff hung up and got to work. He had a lot to do and still had to get dressed. With a smile though, he was more then ready for it all. The hour went by fast and now he stood at Somer's dorm room with roses in his hand. He wore a black tux with a black skinny tie and his glasses. Knocking he waited for Somer to open the door, smiling and handing him the flower. "Ginger roses for my ginger."

Nonplussed, Somer accepted the roses without thinking about it. After a second he remembered to close his mouth and step back so Jeff could come in. "Hi," he breathed, thoroughly overwhelmed by his boyfriend's appearance. He'd been trying to figure out how to tie his new bowtie, and his brain had been full of diagrams and weird youtube videos. Had been. Now it was completely full of Jeff. Tucking the roses into one arm, Somer reached up to kiss Jeff, mouth soft and wandering. "You're amazing," he whispered.

Jeff gladly kissed him back. "Well thank you but this is just the start." He was already fixing and tying his bowtie. "There all good. You should bring those with us and grab your phone and room key, nothing else." Smiling as he offer his hand to Somer so they could head out together to their dinner date.

Before he even realized what Jeff was doing his boyfriend was pulling the ends of the tie into soft points. Somer made a note in the back of his mind to have a talk with Jeff about spending money on him, then pushed it aside. One hand occupied with peach roses, the redhead patted his pockets in a quick habitual dance. "I've got everything," he said, once he'd made sure his reader was in the inner coat pocket. Locking the door, he put his hand in Jeff's.

Jeff laced their fingers together and walked with him out to his car. He opened the door for him, then climbed in the driver's side. Smiling, they were off, Jeff holding his hand when he could and stealing glances to him. "I hope you're ready for a night that is all about you."

Somer flushed, stroking his fingertip over one of the roses. "I thought we did that last week," he said, a little embarrassed. "I know it's our birthday and all ... "

Jeff grinned some. "Well last week was about us, this is about you. About spoiling you." Jeff kissing his hand. "We're going to dinner, then to a hotel so we can have a night away from everyone with no interruptions...I have gifts waiting at both places though."

"You love me, I'm already spoiled," the redhead murmured with a slight smile. "Anything else is just overwhelming." He looked up at Jeff, admiring his long fingers and the way he handled the car, his pure profile with that insouciant snub nose. "Are you going to turn your phone off, then?"

"Well then you're going to be overwhelmed a bit but its out of love. Yeah, but I'm turning mine off too, just for the night once we're there." Jeff parking in front of a nice place that laid on the lake. His hand in Somer's, he told them of the reservations and they were escorted out to the back deck that was lit by stars and fairy lights. Sitting across from him, jeff check the menu then slipped a small velvet pouch over to Somer.

It took a second for Somer to notice, occupied by staring bemusedly out at the lake, with the way the city lights, the deck lights, and the stars all reflected in the water. He twitched his hand, felt the velvet, and turned to look at Jeff, startled. "You're giving me heart attacks here, blondie," he said dryly, to hide the way his heart jumped up into his throat.

Jeff chuckled some. "Sorry my love, just open it please." Inside sat a leather bracelet with a quote from the Princess Bride. The movie they watched on their very first date in Jeff's room. He waited patiently for Somer to open it. When he looked to it, Jeff read the quote out loud. " Do I love you? My god, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches."

Somer ran the leather through his fingers, over and over, feeling the letters against his skin. His eyes suddenly stung, and he blinked hard. "Put it on me, please?" His voice sank to a rough whisper, and he held his wrist out. "I'll never take it off. Not ever."

Jeff leaned over, wrapping it around his wrist then fastening it. He smiled to him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips as the waiter came for their order, Jeff still holding Somer's hand on the table.

Somer hadn't even taken the time to look at the menu; he had no idea what kind of restaurant this even was. Given how they were dressed, and the fact that there were real candles on the table, and the superiority radiating off the waiter, he could only assume it was some kind of expensive place. He risked a quick peek at the menu and noticed the prices weren't even listed. Wow, he was so out of his depth here.

Jeff squeezed his hand a bit. "Do you want me to order something and we can share?" Knowing this was still kind of a lot for Somer to all take in.

The redhead nodded, feeling suddenly all limbs and elbows, like the waiter would be able to tell just by looking at him that he didn't belong here. "Is this normal for you?" he hissed across the table. "When you're home?"

Jeff order them something that he knew Somer would like and a glass of wine for Somer as well. "No, its not. We don't eat like this but I wanted to spoil you and I knew this was a good place..."

Somehow that made it easier. If this was Jeff's normal, at home, Somer knew he'd never fit into that. And he wasn't going to be Cinderella to Jeff's Prince Charming, or worse, Eliza to his Higgins. But it wasn't, and so Somer relaxed. When Jeff wasn't holding his hand, he turned the bracelet round and round, listening to his boyfriend chatter about anything and everything.

Jeff filled the space some waiting for food. Suddenly though, music started to play. He smiled, scooting back and offering his hand to Somer. "Dance with me, please." This was part of the date, the staff knowing to hold back on bringing the food until they had dance. "Just one slow dance."

Hesitantly, Somer took Jeff's hand. "I don't know how to, though. Not like this. I just," he waved his other hand helplessly, "know how to stand and sway."

"Just follow me." Jeff taking his hand and bringing him to the small dance floor. He held him close and started with the simple swaying as he rested his forehead to Somer's. "I'd say we'd waltz but I like this dancing better." he whispered.

"Isn't follow supposed to mean something special when you dance like this?" Somer asked, leaning his head against Jeff's shoulder. "Like you guide the -- the girl where to go? I don't even know where to put my feet. I know a little ... waltz is the three count. One two three, one two three ... "

"Its one two three four, but its okay, this is more us." Jeff kissing his forehead softly and smiling as they moved about the floor. "I mean I can lead you, but right now, this is a good way to follow too."

Somer frowned. "No, I'm sure waltz is a three count." But then he shook his head and smiled, because it didn't matter right now. "Maybe some other time, we could -- someone could teach me how to dance like that?"

"I mean I could teach you...its one of my goals to one day run a dance studio and teach kids." Jeff grinned. "I'd love the chance to teach you one day." Stepping back, Jeff spun Somer out and under his arm then back to him with a dip as the song ended. "What do you say?"

The spin and dip left him breathless, but Somer managed to smile at Jeff. "I say if you're going to run a studio and teach, you'll need someone to manage the place." His smile broadened. "And I honestly suggest you choose between ballroom and the other kind before you open." Somer's stomach growled then, and he giggled.

"So you want to manage the place with me and teach as well?" Jeff helping him back up and taking his hand to head to the table where their food was waiting. "I hope you like beef and lobster along with some red wine." Jeff sitting down with Somer as he had ordered them a surf and turf platter to share.

"I've never had lobster. Not real lobster," Somer said. He tried not to think about the cost. It didn't matter. This was what Jeff wanted to give him. "Anyway if you think /I'm/ going to teach you have another think coming." He leaned down to take a deep sniff of his steak. "How do you know how I get my steak? ... have you been texting Winter behind my back?"

Jeff chuckled some. "Well then you're trying lobster tonight." Smiling back to him. "Well maybe...okay yes, I kind of stole his number out of your phone and asked him for some help on things. Then sent him a birthday present too." He blushed a bit.

Somer narrowed his green eyes at Jeff. "Uhuh. And what has my dearly beloved best and only twin brother been saying about me?" He picked up the knife and fork and cut open the steak, just to be sure, then took a bite. His eyes rolling back, he made an ungodly sensual moan. "Dear god that's good."

"Nothing too much, just stories about you...and things you like...mr. ducky pants." Jeff winked, taking a bite of the lobster with a moan as well but it wasn't as good as seeing Somer so in heaven over his steak. "I'm glad you like it baby."

With intensely faked sincerity, Somer looked at Jeff and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm leaving you for this steak." A bite poised before his mouth, he waited for the reaction.

Jeff shrugged. "At least i'm losing to a good piece of meat, though I thought I had your favorite piece ever...yours and all." Licking his lips as he took a drink of his sparkling cider. Waiting for his own reaction.

Green eyes rounded as Jeff effortlessly capped his sally. Slowly, Somer laid his fork down, picked up his napkin, and bowed to his boyfriend. "I surrender unconditionally." Then he sat back down and burst out laughing. "Oh my god, Jeff, really? A piece of meat? I should have known."

Jeff laughed as well, standing and bowing as well. "Thank you, thank you, I did my best Mr. Ducky pants." He winked and sat back down. "I'm not wrong, it is meat and you do love it." Going back to eating as well, just loving being in this moment with Somer.

"I am," Somer announced, "one hundred percent not responsible for my clothing as a small child. And I rocked those ducky pants, thank you."

"yes I know but the picture he sent is very cute too." Jeff showing Somer quickly then pulling his phone back to hide it away. "You want to try a piece of lobster and I'll try the steak?"

The redhead blew a raspberry at Jeff and ate his bite of steak. "I only want to try the lobster if you fix it for me, because I'm afraid I'll get all claw bits in."

Jeff smiled. "I can do that for you, my prince." deciding since he was going to treat him like one to call him that for the night. Fixing him a bite, Jeff passed it over to Somer and then cut a piece of steak for himself. "Ready?" Holding his up and taking a bite at the same time as Somer.

For half a second Somer thought Jeff was going to feed him, and a blush started to creep up his cheeks. Then Jeff called him that, and he had to hide his face. With a little chuckle, he mumbled, "Dude, now you sound like Benji talking about his Prince Charming, oh my god." He stuffed the lobster in his mouth.

Jeff hummed some. "Well but then thing is, you are a prince to me. Cooper is just old." he chuckled some and sat back. He was full as it was, his stomach had grown over time but still he knew his limit and they would take this all to the hotel in a swan if they didn't finish. "Hey, I love you." he whispered over to Somer.

Mouth full, Somer couldn't find a way to answer that, so he just squeezed his eyes shut briefly the way cats said 'i love you'. He swallowed, and objected, "Cooper's not old. I mean, he is but ... forget him. And that whole stupid thing. Benji's an idiot. A double idiot."

Smiling, he kissed the back of his hand. He didn't mind letting Somer feel as he did for Benji, he was allowed that. "Getting full, baby? Ready to head to the hotel for more fun and presents?"

The redhead considered the plate, eyes flicking back and forth and running his tongue over his lips. "Hmmm ... yeah I'm done." He sipped at the wine again, trying to decide if he liked it. "Am I supposed to taste other things besides just alcohol in here?"

"I mean some people do but wine is wine to me. I have some other drinks at the hotel for us but nothing to get drunk on...if thats okay with you." Jeff waving down the waiter for them to wrap up what was left as he beckoned Somer over to him.

Somer shook his head. "I don't want to get drunk. Not, like, ever. I just don't see the point ... I'd probably be a sad drunk anyway." He reached out to wrap his arms around Jeff, leaning on him gently.

Jeff held Somer on his lap and kissed his cheek. "Its just some hard ciders, nothing too much and not that many of them, promise." Turning his face, he kissed him softly on the lips. "I can't wait to get you alone and out of this suit."

Once again Somer blushed, ducking his head against the blond's. "So expensive, and you just want to take it off me," he teased softly. "One day I want you to tell me how you pulled all this off. It's like magic."

"A lot of planning."  Jeff replied as the waiter brought their swan of food. Jeff thanked him and headed out with Somer towards the car and then the hotel. It was the fanciest one around. Jeff's car being valet parked as well. He already had the room key, showing it to Somer as they were in the elevator. Jeff stealing a kiss.

Somer was honestly glad when they got up to the room. The whole experience was starting to overwhelm him -- so much crystal and marble, so much sparkle and flash. When the door closed behind them, he didn't look around yet, just held on to Jeff and buried his face against the black suit.

Jeff held him, kissing his hair. When the doors open on the elevator, they were on the top floor. Jeff used the card key to get into it. Stepping in, it wasn't a room it was a studio apartment of sorts with a small place to even cook. Presents on the table and rose petals all around. Even a hot tub on the balcony.

"If this turns out to be a dream," Somer mumbled into Jeff's chest, "I'm going to be so, so angry." He looked up at his boyfriend, clinging, then turned to look at the place. "Are you ... sure this is a hotel room? That you didn't just rent an apartment or ... some ... thing ... ?" He noticed the rose petals and trailed off, swallowing.

"Yeah, its a hotel room, just the biggest one they had and I wanted it to be the biggest because then it felt more like we're all alone here. Infact...phones off." Jeff shutting his phone off and setting it to the side.

"Yes, master," he said lightly, lips twitching in a smile. The redhead quickly scrolled through the family messages, including one intensely private one from Winter, then turned the sound off and put his phone on the counter of the tiny kitchenette. "What shall I do now?"

Taking his hand he brought him to the bed and handed him a box with a dino onesie inside. "Put that on and I'll put mine on too." Jeff having one for himself.

Somer offered a sideways, coy smile. "I thought you wanted to take this suit off me." He dropped the box on the floor, reaching up to run Jeff's tie through his fingers and tug gently downward. He kissed the blond slowly, offering his want like a gift in return. Wanting to be unwrapped by his boyfriend for his birthday.

Jeff kissed him back, smirking against his lips. "I'll unwrap you then you can put that on because I'll be unwrapping you all night." With those words, he stood and started with Somer's bowtie, unfastening it then working down the buttons as the coat was tossed aside.

He felt his ears buzz with a sudden rush of blood, only then Jeff was actually undressing him. Somer hadn't realised even this kind of casual, hasty undressing could be so sensual -- or maybe that was just all Jeff, nimble fingers brushing against Somer's pale skin and making his pulse leap. Breathing shallowly, he reached up to do the same to his boyfriend.

With Somer there in his boxers, Jeff let his boyfriend undress him. Being in his boxer as well, he pulled Somer close and kissed along his neck softly. "I want to try some new things with you tonight...some things that will make you feel good." he whispered, tugging on his earlobe softly.

Somer sucked in a sharp breath, consciously arching into Jeff. His fingers curled around his boyfriend's arms, holding himself steady while the fine hair stood up all over his body. "Yeah?" he breathed.

"Yeah, I know how bad we're both wanting more but there is something we need to try first...if you want to." Jeff whispered against his skin, licking down his neck to suck where his neck met his shoulder. Moving Somer's arms around his neck, he picked him up to move them to the bed.

Somer flopped out catlike across the bed, spreading himself to cover as much space as possible. Or maybe he was just offering as much of himself as possible. His mouth was already red from kisses, a hickie on the side of his neck, and he was clearly excited. "Command me, master," he laughed softly. "I trust you."

Jeff rolled his eyes, coming to lay on the bed with him. He kissed him once more as he pulled open the drawer to grab the lube. "You have to relax okay? just relax some." Moving to kiss down the other side of his boyfriend's neck.

At first he curled over into Jeff, but when the blond started to work on the other side of his neck, Somer subsided. A pleasant shudder rippled through him. "What're you gonna do?"

"I'm going to eat you out then finger you open until you cum, get you use to feeling things inside you." he whispered, kissing down his chest and sucking marks to his chest and over the top of his boxers.

The redhead's cock twitched, a sharp pleasure/pain sensation just from listening to Jeff's description. Somer clenched his fingers down into the covers and offered a soft moan. "Blondie," he whispered.

"Yes my love?" Looking up to him, kissing over his happy trail. He licked up it some and back down.

Somer panted, his whole skin feeling sensitive. "Just ... want," he said, lifting his hips up to encourage Jeff to move.

Smirking, he pulled Somer's boxers off him. Seeing him hard, Jeff couldn't help but lick up the length some. "flip over for me, I need your cute ass if I'm going to eat you out."

"Jeff, baby, please," Somer moaned. He didn't want to roll over if the blond was going to lick his cock like that. But when he didn't get any more licks, the redhead pushed himself over, rubbing against the covers.

Jeff kissed his spine, working down it. "I promise, this will feel just as good as me sucking your cock." Spreading the boy's cheeks, he licked a sinful lick over his hole, dipping his tongue against the pucker hole.

If he hadn't already been so languid with lust, Somer might have jerked at that touch in such a new place. As it was, he shivered, tongue flicking out to wet his lips. "That's interesting," he breathed. "Do it again?"

Jeff smiled. "I plan to keep doing it for a while." he whispered against his ass cheek. Jeff bit them both then dived back in, licking and teasing him there, wanting to get him going in a new way. His tongue slipping in to press places inside him.

Somer yelped in unexpected pain. "No," he gasped. "No biting ... oooh ... "

Jeff nodded. "Okay no biting, I won't bite anymore, now just relax okay...is it feeling good otherwise?" Flicking his tongue more against his hole.

Very quickly Somer forgot about the pain, distracted by the way Jeff was waking every nerve to sparks in a place he hadn't known he had that many nerves."Mmmmmhm." He flexed his leg muscles, and moaned when Jeff found a new spot to wake up.

Jeff hummed against him, licking still and sucking a bit. He wanted to make him feel good and squirm a bit more before he'd add his fingers. "Okay baby, on your back for me, please. I promise I'll keep making you feel good."

Somer made a sound that was half pleased moan and half don't-wanna groan, but pushed himself over to sprawl again. "Now what? Do I get kisses?"

Jeff smiled "You always can have kisses." Kissing him softly. "But I'm going to kiss you and slowly finger you okay? Get you use to the feeling." Popping open the lube, Jeff warmed it on one finger, letting it run over Somer's entrance to start with.

"Oh," Somer said blankly, "oh my." He flicked his tongue over his lips again. The sensation was so new, he struggled to decide if he liked it or not. He didn't /dis/like it ... "More?" he asked breathlessly.

Jeff smiled some, glad to see him wanting more. He slipped his finger in a bit, letting it get to one knuckle then the next with just the one finger. Jeff was going to go as slow as he could.

Somer could feel his pulse speed up, and he breathed shallowly, not wanting to miss a second. He barely realised he was moaning softly, or rocking his hips into the touch.

Jeff grinned, kissing his neck once more. "Doing so well." He pulled his finger back then pushed it back in. Lubing up another, he slowly slipped it in as well.

A wanton, needy whimper slipped from Somer's lips. This was what being opened felt like? He felt so good. "I th-th-thought ~ aaaah ~ was supposed to ~ Jeff, mmmm ~ hurt." A shiver rattled up his spine, and he rocked his hips harder, trying to grind on the air.

"Probably will when its my cock, but you're relaxed so its easier." he whispered, keeping him distracting with kisses when he started to scissor him open some, trying to stretch the muscles.

Somer sank his fingers into Jeff's blond hair, panting into the kisses. "So good," he whispered. "So good to me. My perfect angel."

Jeff added his third finger, now curling it against his prostate. "You're my angel too." he whispered, kissing Somer now and rolling his hips against his boyfriend's leg to let him feel how hard he was just fingering his boyfriend open.

The redhead cried out raggedly as Jeff found something that sent a shock through his body. "What have you found," he panted, clinging to his boyfriend, hips jerking back in an effort to get that feeling again. "Do that again, what was that."

Jeff rubbed it again, smiling as it seemed that Somer liked to be touched there. His other hand was in his pants now, stroking himself with the whines and moans that Somer was making. "Its your prostate, baby, it add pleasure...its the male g spot." whispering into his ear and tugging on the lobe. "Gonna make you cum just from my fingers."

Something about the way the blond's voice sounded, combined with all the stimulation, shoved Somer right over the edge. He jerked, half swallowing a moan, then again, coming harder than he could remember in his life. "Oh, fuck, Jefffffff ~ "

Jeff massaged it more as he saw him shot and cum all over himself. It only took a jerk or two more for Jeff to come as well. Kicking off his boxers, Jeff slipped his fingers out and wiped them on his dirty underwear before kissing his love slowly.

Somer was completely blissed out. He slung one lazy arm around Jeff's neck to keep his boyfriend from moving away, and licked his way into the blond's mouth to deepen the kiss. "Sex is amazing," he mumbled, eyes crinkling with his smile. "'n' you're amazing. 'n' I love you."

"I love you too." Wrapping Somer in his arms. There was still more gifts and more things to get to but right now, kissing him was all that Jeff cared about. Just being there in the moment with him.

Slowly Somer came down from the high Jeff had driven him to, trading kisses with his boyfriend with lazy sensuality. "Best birthday ever," he whispered, fingertips tracing over the blond's face. He drew over Jeff's eyebrows, and down along his nose, touching the dimples of his smile. "Best boyfriend."

"You're the best boyfriend ever." he smirked, turning to kiss his finger tip. "So you wanna go play in the hot tub some or should we opened the rest of your gifts first?" Rubbing along his spine softly. "Your day, your choice."

The redhead blinked at Jeff for a second. "You already gave me my present." He held up his wrist, shaking it slightly. "So what are you talking about?"

"I got you more then that, my love. I told you i was going to spoil you." Pointing to where some other gift bags sat.

"I thought the whole room and -- er, everything was spoiling me." Somer shook his wrist again. "How much did you spend?!" Somehow he managed to sit up, legs flailing, and went into the bathroom to find a washcloth. "... Jeff?" His voice echoed. "The bathtub is kinda huge."

Jeff smiled. "Well yes, but I really spoiled you... not too much, not as much as you might think. " Watching, jeff made sure he was okay to the bathroom. "Well yeah..."

Somer started to laugh. "'Well yes', he says matter-of-factly, as if there was ever any doubt." He shook his head, still giggling, and cleaned them both off. Then he put his arms around Jeff's waist and walked him out to the main area. "All right, fairy boyfriend, what /else/ are you spoiling me with?"

Jeff waddled with Somer to the main area, smiling as he kissed his cheek. "Go sit and I'll bring it to you." Grabbing the bags and setting them next to Somer on the couch. He couldn't wait to see her face as he opened all three.

Somer started with the heaviest one first, after a brief struggle with himself about putting his bare ass on the couch. They could clean it. The place was clearly expensive enough. He pulled out the tissue paper, lifted out the mug, and started to laugh. "Wow, Jeff." He grinned, shaking his head. "My ego is going to get inflated all out of proportion here."

Jeff smiled. "Well what do you want me to say? You're sexy and no one is sexier to me." Kissing his cheek then his neck for a moment. "When you're all done opening them, we should check out the hottub."

The redhead blushed, lowering the mug to his lap, then yelping as the cold ceramic contacted something he really would rather it hadn't. It tumbled from his grip to the rug and bounced a bit. "Distracting ~ !" It took him a second to recover, and then he picked up the next bag and pulled out the tissue paper, discarding it to the side in favour of lifting out the tshirt. "It's like you think I don't have enough clothes," he teased. Fingertips gently caressed the Calcifer logo.

"hey now, that is mine to touch, why you doing that?" he smirked, though he knew it would only make Somer blush more. Seeing him react to the shirt, he chuckled. "Maybe I just like the idea of getting you cute shirts at times."

"And here I thought you preferred it when I didn't have any shirts on at all!" Somer shot back, giggling. He held up the shirt, shaking it out, then draped it over his head. "Possessive," he mumbled through the fabric. "Next thing you'll be collaring me."

"Well I do but I also really like you in my clothes." he smiled to him, watching him put the shirt on his head. "Only if you want a collar."

Somer was very, very glad the black fabric was over his head, because he was sure he was bright red. Unfortunately, he wasn't clothed, so if Jeff looked down he would be able to see exactly how excited Somer was by that idea. "So," he said, struggling to keep his voice even and dragging the shirt down to his lap, "let's see what's in this last one."

Jeff tilted his head. "Oh...so you do want one huh?" he smirked. "We can do that with a necklace so no one knows but us." Seeing him cover up, Jeff pulled the shirt to the side. "Yeah, open the last one then hot tub time."

The redhead tried to grab the shirt back, but Jeff pulled it out of reach, leaving him feeling both embarrassed and excitingly exposed. At least they were wholly alone, and nobody could possibly walk in on them. The last bag was small, and his hand shook just a tiny bit as he pulled out the card inside. He read it, then read it again, frowning slightly.

Jeff's brow knitted together. "You  don' t like it....I thought we could wear them together..." Chewing his lip a bit. He thought Somer would really like this one as well.

"I don't understand it," Somer corrected. "I'm supposed to lose it? Eventually?" He touched the tiny bead on one of the bracelets gently. "I don't want to lose anything you give me."

"Well no, not really. Its more of a wish bracelet but once it does break, we'll put it on a new string or you can leave it on the card to have forever." Jeff shrugged.

Somer touched the bead again. "I have all my wishes. Can we save it? Or do you have a wish? We could make the same wish?"

Jeff shook his head, pulling Somer over and into his lap. "No wishes, they all came true when I got you in my arms." He whispered to him.

The card flew out of his hand to be lost somewhere on the floor as Somer kissed Jeff slowly. He knelt across his boyfriend, arms round the blond's shoulders, feeling warm all over, and kissed Jeff over and over.

Jeff smiled in the kiss, letting Somer lead it. Their lips dancing together as they always did, it was perfect, they fit together perfect. Just how it was meant to be.

After a while, Somer murmured, "You said something about a hot tub? I don't want to miss out on anything you planned for this birthday." One hand trailed down Jeff's chest, slipping close to his boyfriend's cock. "I could stroke you off in there ... "

Jeff hummed. "I did and oh...you want to huh?" he smirked, grabbing and kneeding Somer's ass a bit. "its on the balcony...so we have to step outside for a moment."

Feeling Jeff's hands on his ass brought back a vivid sense memory of an hour ago, and Somer shuddered. His cock brushed against the blond's, and the redhead moaned, eyes falling shut. "We're ... we're too high up to be seen," he managed. Pulse racing, he nipped at Jeff's shoulder.

"We are, no one will see your naked body but me and you know how much I love it" Jeff whispered to him, kissing his neck and letting his ass go. "Come on, lets go or we'll never make it."

Slowly Somer pushed himself away from his boyfriend's warm, tempting body. He sauntered across the room, trying to be sexy, but also feeling his cock bob heavily, and pushed the balcony door open. "Coming?"

Jeff grinned. "Hmm so sexy." he whispered, getting up and following behind. "Follow you anywhere."

The redhead tested the water with one hand, then climbed in, lowering himself into the bubbles. Then he reached out for Jeff, sliding smoothly back into the blond's arms. Having the water buoy him up made it much easier to wrap his hand around his boyfriend's eager dick and still press himself close.

Jeff slipped in, smiling and holding Somer to him. He moaned from the touch but also from having Somer so close to him. He just loved the intimacy that they shared.

One hand anchored himself against Jeff, and Somer closed his eyes, concentrating on drawing those sounds from the blond. He couldn't quite keep his kisses from wandering, too much of his thoughts caught up in what his hand was doing.

Jeff moaned softly then stopped his hand."baby you know I love your touch but I cant cum in the hot tub...make the water gross...fuck it." He moaned louder from the kisses. "Keep going"

Somer laughed softly, drifting until he could breathe into Jeff's ear, "I'm sure you paid enough for them to clean this hot tub when we leave." He changed his tactics, though, stroking more delicately and teasingly while working soft, slow dragging kisses down along Jeff's throat. "Wanna hear you."

Jeff chuckled, humming and pressing his hips up to meet Somer's hand. It seemed he had slowed for fun and now was just enjoying how he made Jeff moan. Being told that he wanted to hear it, Jeff didn't hold back from telling him as he let out soft noises of pure pleasure.

"Love the way you sound," Somer murmured. He hooked one leg over Jeff's, holding himself still so he could have both hands free to stroke and tease. "Love to wind you up until you can't stand it." He kissed the blond's pulse point, eyes closed, and breathed, "Love that I can touch you now."

Jeff moaned a bit more, letting his head lull to the side to let Somer have more access. He was letting go, slowly and surely but still, it was a struggle to let go this much, he was trying for his love.

The redhead felt the subtle tension rising in his boyfriend's body, competing with what Somer was trying to do, and he slowly backed off. His fingers slipped from around Jeff, trailing the hot water up the blond's chest. "I think you mentioned something about pinning me," he murmured.

Jeff grinned, wrapping his arms around him. "Hmm I will but first, just want to hold and kiss you." Even with his cock hard, he could still focus on Somer more then himself.

Somer laughed softly. "I thought you were doing that already," he murmured. He unwound himself from Jeff's body, letting his boyfriend anchor him instead and floated in the water with his arms spread wide. "Kiss me all over," he said, head tilting back. "'s my birthday, I want you to do what ever you want."

Jeff pulled him right back to him. "Do what I want huh? Well right now, just kind of want to sit and relax with you, jeffsexual boy." Nuzzling his cheek.

Humming a soft agreement, Somer nestled himself into Jeff's side and let the hot water and soft kisses relax him. "Kay," he whispered. He still wanted, but it was easy to just float here in that want peacefully, to not let it drive him. "Can't help what you do to me, though," he said, lashes low.

"Well I can't help how much I love to cuddle you, even if you're super sexy all the time too. Cuddling you is amazing." he whispered into his ear as he held him and just let them be there in the tub together. "Happy Birthday Somer."

"Best birthday," the redhead said again, blissfully. "Just missing my twin." He made a small contented sound, turning into a puddle against Jeff. "Why do you think I'm sexy?"

"We can call him if you want." he smiled to him. "I'd be nice to fully talk to Winter. We just text mostly." Kissing his cheek again. 'Because you are, its in the way you look at me, the way you smile. It makes me a puddle and just shows how amazing you are in so many ways...makes me want you."

"I'm sure he's out partying with his friends." Somer shook his head slightly. "But I'm gonna take a trip home over Labor Day weekend, so maybe you could come with?" The redhead smoothed his hand down Jeff's chest, slowly, then looked up at the blond with a coy smile. "Want me?"

"Yes want you, I always want you. You light up my life and make it worth dancing and smiling." his forehead coming to rest against Somer's. "Also yeah, I'd love to go home with you and meet them. Do you think they'll like me and let us share your bed?"

Somer kissed Jeff quickly, as if daring his boyfriend to come and take a longer kiss. "There's no way we're going to be let to share a bed. We might be allowed to share a room, even if I introduce you as my boyfriend. Sorry, blondie. I know my parents. I think once they get over the shock they'll love you, though. You're charming, and kind, and handsome ... " His voice dropped lower, to a rumbling whisper, before Somer kissed Jeff again with slow passion.

Jeff smirked, knowing that Somer would give in to kissing him again soon. Though he wanted more, he waited. "Hmm you don't think I could convince them to let us share the bed? Its not like we're going to have sex in it, just cuddle you." Nuzzling along his jaw, then kissing it for a teasing moment. Sitting back, he smirked, kissing him as Somer kissed him slowly.

The redhead closed his eyes, head tipped back to give his boyfriend the whole length of his throat. "N-no." His breath shuddered. "Under their roof ... follow their rules." He moaned, and bit Jeff's lip.

Jeff nodded some as he kissed his neck more. "I know and I'll be good as long as I get to still kiss you and hold you." Licking up his neck to kiss his lips once more. Kissing him, he moaned at the tug of his lip. "I never thought I'd find love until I found you."

Immediately Somer broke off kissing Jeff to put a hand over his mouth. "No," he said softly. "We're not doing that tonight. Not on my birthday, my twenty-first birthday, which you planned and made wonderful. We can do that tomorrow, or next week, but not tonight." He took his hand away, but made sure the blond couldn't talk anymore, kissing him this time with deliberate passion and desire. Equally deliberately his hands slipped under the water to stroke his boyfriend.

Jeff sighed with a smile. "You're so silly." Feeling his hand again on him, he gently grabbed his wrist. "Baby, this is about you..not me, I'm good and as much as I love you touching me, I want to enjoy the hot tub as the hot tub. Warm and cuddling, kissing..just pure romantic thing."

"Sorry," Somer said a little sheepishly. "I forgot. I'm not upset, still trying to remember I don't /have/ to reciprocate." He let go, but amused himself making water currents swirl toward both of them underwater. He leaned his red head on Jeff's shoulder and asked quietly, making sure his tone was light and not accusing or upset, "Is it okay if I kiss you like that, though?"

"Yeah, you can always kiss me." he whispered.. Jeff stealing a kiss from his lips. This was how he wanted the night to be, just them, alone and having the time and space to relax with nothing there to distract.

Somer chased Jeff's kiss, bumping their noses together. He kissed the end of the blond's nose in apology, then decided to trail kisses all over Jeff's face. "Always," he whispered, kissing one cheekbone. "Love you," he murmured, kissing the other. "Thank you."