#I’m having easter dinner with certain family today and

[sp00kymulderr]

I think if I made Dieter Bravo cry it would fix me

[johnhardinsawyer]

Because I Met You. . .

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

4 / 21 / 24 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

Psalm 23

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Acts 17:1-9

“Because I Met You. . .”

(Person to Person)

Happy almost-Earth-Day to all who celebrate!  On Earth Day, I do think about the ways we are called to care for God’s creation.  But also, I always think of my friend, Ryan Triesenberg.  I may have told this story before, but almost 30 years ago, on Earth Day, Ryan called me to see if I wanted to go to an Earth Day concert, down by the Ocmulgee River, in Macon, Georgia.  We took Ryan’s little sister, Kendra, with us.  

Since we were in Macon, Georgia – not far from the resting place of members of the Allman Brothers Band – some of the music we heard at the concert that day had that kind of Southern-Rock flavor.  And, for the most part, it sounded really good.  But then, as the sun set, a different kind of band took the stage to close the show – kind of a Goth-Heavy Metal-Sludge-Industrial-Screamo band – not exactly what many folks think of when they think “Earth Day Concert.”  But hey, don’t judge a book by its cover.  Anyway, at one point, the singer (or, rather, front man) of this somewhat-baffling Earth Day Concert closer screamed into the microphone, “Is everybody having a good time?!?!?”  “Um. . . Yes!” we yelled back, somewhat hesitantly.  “Well,” the front man yelled, “I don’t like any of you!!!!”  He actually used language that was a bit more rude than that, and if I’d had my wits about me, I would have yelled back, “And also with you!” or “And Happy Earth Day to you, Sir!”  Before the band played its next song, the front man said, “Umm. . . we have some cassette tapes for sale back at the soundboard, so. . . thanks!”  

[Now, just in case you’re wondering, a cassette tape was this plastic thing with two spools of magnetic tape inside that you could use to listen to music on your Sony Walkman.  It was cutting-edge technology.]  And, just in case you’re wondering, I did not purchase a cassette tape at the soundboard that night.  

Tomorrow being Earth Day, chances are that either I will call Ryan, or he will call me and will ask one simple question:  “Is everybody having a good time?!?!?”

Because I met Ryan Triesenberg, I have this silly memory and crazy story to tell.  And, because it’s almost Earth Day, of course, I’m going to think of my friend, Ryan.  My experience with Ryan on that long-ago Earth Day did not really change the trajectory of my life.  But knowing Ryan did.  Because I met Ryan and his loving parents,  they helped me through some rough times in my college years.  Even though I was suffering through a bout of debilitating depression, I was able to be myself around them.  When life was overwhelming, Ryan’s parents, Paul and Lee would sometimes come by the dorm and pick up my dirty laundry – returning it to me, folded and smelling fresh.  They would have me over for dinner, and give me rides around town, and treat me like another son.  Oh, how blessed I was by their Holy hospitality.  God changed my life.   

Many of you can probably point to a relationship that has changed the trajectory of your life.  Because you met someone, your life turned out different from how it might have.  For example, because I met Karl MacMillan when we were in the 7th grade band at Miller Middle School, he introduced me to Amy Wolfe, a fellow student at Miller Middle School and the trajectory of my life changed dramatically.  Many years later, Amy Wolfe and I will be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary next month.  Because I met Amy, and teachers, and choir directors, and professors, and certain friends over the years – oh, and my own family, of course – my life has turned out the way it has because the Holy Spirit has been at work through people.  Many of you could probably name people who have had a similar and significant impact on your own life because God was working through them, too.  

Today, as we settle back in to the overview of the Bible through the Narrative Lectionary that we began, together, back in September, our two scripture readings are all about how the Holy Spirit has been at work, changing lives, in a city called Thessalonica.  

Now, before we arrive in Thessalonica with Paul and Silas, it is important for us to explore just how it is that the Holy Spirit connects and works through a community of people.  Jürgen Moltmann, a theologian from Germany, writes that the Spirit is the one indispensable element for human survival and that, 

. . . God the Spirit creates the network of social relationships in which life comes into being, blossoms, and becomes fruitful. . . Life comes into being out of community, and wherever communities spring up which make life possible and further it, the divine Spirit is efficacious. . . The creation of community is evidently the goal of God’s life-giving Spirit in the world of nature and human beings.[1]

In the beautiful mythic account of creation from Book of Genesis, God says,“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.”  (Genesis 2:17)  God has always been at work, creating and building community between human beings through the life-giving movement of the Holy Spirit.  

The early ministry of Jesus is a beautiful example of this kind of community – how Jesus calls and draws people together from all walks of life and how the disciples live together and support one another along the way.  All of this occurs after Jesus is baptized and the Holy Spirit is poured out upon him and hovers over him.[2]  At some point, this community surrounding Jesus attracts a man named Silas, who becomes a leader among the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem.[3]  We don’t know whether Silas has joined the community before or after the death and resurrection of Jesus (there is no mention of Silas in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) but after the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit has arrived in full and Silas is serving in Jerusalem, an apostle named Paul comes to town. 

Now, Paul’s reputation precedes him.  Paul did not start out as a follower of Jesus.  He actually violently persecuted some of the followers of Jesus.  But then Paul met Jesus.  And because Paul met Jesus, Paul’s life was changed in a powerful way – sending him on a different trajectory, out into the non-Jewish world of the Gentiles to proclaim the good news and found new communities of faith with the Spirit’s help.  

Prior to this, the disciples who have been in Jerusalem and are all Jewish, by birth and faith, have been of a mind that the good news of Jesus Christ is just for the Jews.  But Paul has been out in the non-Jewish Gentile regions of Asia (present-day Turkey) and has seen what the Holy Spirit has done in the lives of all who hear and receive the good news of Jesus.  Adding to this, Peter – yes, that Peter, the sometimes-bumbling disciple of Jesus – has also been among the Gentiles and has become convinced that the good news is not just for the Jews.  

By the time Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica, the city is about 400 years old.  The city – named after Alexander the Great’s sister – is the second-largest city in Greece and, for centuries, served as almost a co-capital of Greece with the city of Athens.[4]

When Paul and Silas get to town, Thessalonica is a pretty happening place, culturally speaking, where there are a lot of ideas – old and new – being discussed.  But when Paul and Silas start to share this “new idea” that God’s love in Jesus Christ is for all people arguing this in the Jewish synagogue there for three consecutive weeks, they meet some resistance.  In today’s reading, we find that Paul persuades some of the people in the synagogue, but that he also persuades “a great many of the devout [Gentile] Greeks and not a few of the leading women.” (Acts 17:4)  

Some of the “unpersuaded” members of the synagogue get jealous.  Imagine that your spouse suddenly starts thinking and believing things that you find unacceptable.  “Is everybody having a good time in Thessalonica?”  No, people’s spouses have started thinking and believing the same things as the Gentiles and these upstart folks from Jerusalem.  Jealousy often leads to sore feelings and sometimes leads to violence.  So, these unpersuaded jealous people form a mob in the marketplaces and begin to cause an uproar in the city.  

They go to the home of someone named Jason – a man who had opened his home to Paul and Silas, letting them stay with him – and the mob attacks the house. 

There is so much going on in this story.  Imagine this strange – yet spiritual – sequence of events:  Because Paul and Silas meet Jesus, their lives change and they carry the good news of Jesus with them on a long journey – meeting a lot of people along the way.  And because Paul and Silas are led by the Spirit to the city of Macedonia and to the synagogue there, all of a sudden, Jason’s house is being ransacked by an angry mob who then drags Jason and some others before the city authorities where they are accused of going against the Roman empire.  Apparently, according to Paul and Silas, (and these local troublemakers like Jason), there is another empire. . . the kingdom of God, that is at work through the Holy Spirit – alive, and at work, and moving in and through the people of God.  Person to person.  Spirit through person.  Spirit through people through history.  

This is what Paul highlights in his letter to the Thessalonians, written in the months and years after his visit to the city.  

“. . . [O]ur message of the gospel came to you to in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. . . in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia [and beyond]. . . For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you. . .” (1 Thessalonians 1:5-9)[5]

In other words, “Everyone has been talking about you Thessalonians and your courageous hospitality.  This would not have happened without the Holy Spirit at work among you.”

“Because we met you,” Paul is saying, “you also met Jesus.  And, because you met Jesus, you met the Holy Spirit.  And, because you met the Holy Spirit, evidence of the Spirit has been seen in your gracious actions under difficult circumstances.  And, because of your gracious actions (which are a fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life), the Spirit is ‘turning the world upside down’ because it is changing the trajectory of peoples’ lives – turning them toward the kingdom of God and all that comes with it.”

Just because we meet Jesus and the Holy Spirit is at work within our hearts and minds, it doesn’t mean that life will always go our way.  In fact, history has shown that people who are led by the Spirit are sometimes led into and through difficult – even dangerous – circumstances.  They sometimes take risks for Jesus – speaking truth to power, welcoming the outsider, making the gracious choice, the generous choice, the loving choice, the more difficult choice.  And yet, they believe – we believe – that we have a loving God who is with us through it all – through death’s dark valley, all the way to the table in God’s kingdom.  

How has Jesus changed your life?  How has the Spirit led you to unexpected places?  How is God – even now – leading you forward in life?  Who is God working through – even now – to make a difference in your own life?  How is God working through you – today – to make a difference in the lives of others? 

May the Spirit open our eyes, and ears, and minds, and hearts to see, and hear, and know, and live the good news of Jesus Christ.  May the Spirit make us vessels, conduits, carriers, sharers of grace to all people, at all times, and in all circumstances.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  

......

[1] Jurgen Moltmann, The Spirit of Life: A Universal Affirmation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994) 219.

[2] See Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:29-34.

[3] See Acts 15:22.

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thessaloniki.

[5] Paraphrased, JHS.

[elles-archives]

Easter Dinner - In for a Penny

Easter with the Drysdale Family. Just Fluff.

(A/N: Sorry if you don't celebrate Easter but I do. I spend all day with my family and have dinner. - Ellen)

Word Count: 745

In for a Penny Masterlist

*

To say I was freaking out was an understatement. Me and Ransom were having Linda round for lunch and I was unbelievably stressed out. 

After Harlan died and Richard’s affair was exposed, me and Linda had been getting along a lot better, but the damage done from before was still irreparable. The only reason I fully tolerated her was because of mine and Ransom’s children, Freya, Harmony and Daniel. 

They loved their grandmother and I would never keep them away from her. It was obvious that she didn’t want to make the same mistakes with them that she made with Ransom and the both of us appreciated that. 

However, not everything had changed. She was still fairly judgemental over the little things I did and cooking was one of them. I had refused to have too much help in the house. We had a nanny for when me and Ransom were working and a housekeeper so that when we were at home we could spend time with our children. 

In the kitchen, I had no help. I wanted to be the one to prepare meals for my children and husband. Linda did not agree. She believed that we should hire someone to cook for us considering that is all she had ever known herself. 

I decided to bite my tongue and not let her opinions ruin Easter. After all, it was nowhere near as bad as when me and Ransom first got married so I would take what I could get.

I heard her pull up into the driveway. As I went out of the kitchen to greet her at the front door Freya went running through. She’s four years old and has the cutest accent. A mix of both British and American with certain words sounding exactly like how her father says them. 

“Don’t run in the house sweetheart.” I gently reminded Freya as she ran towards the front door. She automatically slowed down after throwing a shy smile at me from over her shoulder. I reached the door from behind her and let Linda in. 

Linda stepped in the front door and picked Freya up, giving her a kiss. She then greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, again much more friendly than the greeting I used to get. 

Just as we were making our way through to the living room, Ransom came through with our two-year-old twins Harmony and Daniel on his hips. He looked so domesticated with our children in his arms. He gently smiled at his mother as the twins both greeted her too. 

“Dinner will be ready soon.” I informed Linda. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“Glass of red would be nice please Y/N.” Linda smiled at me although I could tell that it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

I nodded and went back through to the kitchen to finish serving. I made sure to make Freya, Harmony and Daniel’s plates first to allow them to cool off a bit while I served everyone else’s plates. 

*

Dinner went well. Linda even congratulated me on my cooking. Overall, today was a success. After Linda went home me and Ransom set up an Easter Egg hunt. 

We didn’t like our children to have too much sugar so instead of having sweets in each individual egg, we gave them one gift at the end. 

They were running around all afternoon, looking for the eggs and I felt my heart fill with joy, hearing the laughter fill our backyard. My smile widened even more when Freya came sprinting towards Ransom, shouting for him, before crashing into his legs. He picked her up as she started talking to him. 

“Daddy, look! I found all my eggs.” She exclaimed with a giggle. 

“So you did, baby! I’m so proud of you.” Ransom praised her. I smiled at them one more time before going to help Harmony and Daniel find the rest of their eggs.

It seemed as if the whole day went really quickly and soon me and Ransom were putting the children to bed. 

Laying in bed that night, I cuddled up to Ransom. “Thank you for today.” He whispered to me.

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

“I never had this growing up but every year you bring traditions from your childhood to our children and there is nothing that makes me happier than seeing you four happy.”

I smiled at him. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

*

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[kagedaddy]

Hi! My birthday is on Easter, so I was wondering if I could get something with Kuroo, Kenma, and Atsumu forgetting it was their s/o's birthday due to to it being another holiday? An angst to fluff if possible. Thanks so much!!

bday today - kuroo, kenma & miya

warnings: none

kuroo tetsuro

kenma kozume

miya atsumu [masterlist]

hey hey hey! happy happy birthday hon, sorry it’s quite late but i hope yah had a great day and that no one forgot yah special day! heheh.

You rub the sleep from your eyes as your body begins to wake itself, you were extra happy today, it was Easter Sunday and your birthday. Rolling over the bed to face your partner but you’re met with empty space, sitting up you notice a note neatly folded on his side. Excitedly thinking it was a cute morning birthday greeting, expect it wasn’t a cute birthday greeting you were hoping.

‘babe there was an urgent meeting at the company, I’ll see you later.

oh can you buy chocolate Easter bunnies for our nieces to bring later.’

You stare at his messy handwriting, confusion clouding your expression, for sure he wouldn’t forget your birthday you’ve been married since you graduated university and not once has he forgotten your day. You shake your head denying the thought that he forgot, you’re sure that he’ll call you, he did say the meeting was urgent, something big must’ve happened in the company but still he wouldn’t forget. Sighing in defeat you throw the covers off yourself and started preparing for the day.

Dressing up in a white sundress and pulling on your heels, you’re out the door and heading to the nearest shopping center. A smile graces your features at the selection of chocolate bunnies, they had them in different flavours and sizes, momentarily forgetting the sadness of your forgotten birthday but a little cat chocolate catches your attention and the sadness seeps in you. Reminding you of a certain dark haired male who has forgotten your birthday, pouting you purchase the chocolates nearly breaking them, stupid Easter overtaking your special day. Just as you got into the busy trains, your phone buzzes and a hopeful feeling fills you but yet again no peep about your birthday, you were now convinced he forgot.

‘Did you get the chocolates? I’ll meet you at your mom’s place and let’s drop them off together, love you’

Finally arriving at your parents place, you looked around and Kuroo’s car was no where in sight, your frown deepens and as you huff in frustration. Pulling out your phone and quickly dropping him a text.asking where he was, he replies surprisingly quick.

‘Sorry babe, caught in traffic. Go in ahead, so you’re not waiting in the street.’

Annoyed that he hasn’t remembered your special day, you enter your parents home, grumbling as you step foot into the threshold before a loud popping sounds rips a scream from your chest.

“Surprise!”

You jump in surprise as the smiling faces of your family greets you, tears form at the corner of you eyes as your family walks over to greet you and give you hugs. After everyone had given you their greetings there standing with the brightest smile was your husband. He slowly walks up to you with his arms open wide, “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”you snuggle into his chest, tears falling from your eyes, “You’re so mean Tetsu, you made me think you forgot.”you pull away a pout settling on your lips.

His melodious laugh is contagious and a smile overtakes your features, “You know I would never.”he tilts your chin up and your lips meet in a sweet kiss, “I wanted to give you a good surprise.”you had the biggest smile as you pushed your lips hardest against him and his hands settle on your hips.

“I love you so much sweetheart.”

“Kenma Kenma Kynnnmaaa!”you hop over to your hunched over boyfriend, eyes trained to his glowing monitor as his fingers rapidly press buttons on the controller. A smile gracing your features as you approach him and the victory banner flashing across the screen, perfect timing. “Kynma, come let’s have breakfast.”you peck the soft cheek of your partner and he pulls the headphones of his head allowing himself to be pulled by you.

You had prepared a big big breakfast for your birthday to share together, knowing you and Kenma you were both huge homebodies so you just wanted to spend your birthday cuddled up together. “What’s with all the food?”Kenma asks as you both reach the dining table, face contorted in confusion, you stare at him. Was he making a joke, it was your birthday maybe he had a surprise for you. “Do you know what today is Kenma?”you ask your boyfriend but his face was genuinely confused, “it’s Easter Sunday?”he says unsurely as if questioning you.

“And?”

“And what? Is there something I’m missing?”this time he looks to you and you feel slight annoyance and sadness brewing in your gut, you knew he can get too immersed in his games but you expected him to give you the respect of remembering your birthday. You actually feel heartbroken that tears begin to form and are threatening to spill down your face. “It’s my birthday Kozume.”you drop his arm and turn to your bedroom, tears now freely falling, shutting the door and turning the lock as you slide down, silently crying.

“Pudding, I’m sorry. It completely slipped my mind.”Kenma softly knocks on your shared bedroom room, his voice quiet and full of regret. “Go away Kenma, I wanna be alone.”you sobbed out, as you wiped your tears and curling in a feral position by the door, “I thought I was Kynnma.”his voice shook and your heart clenched but you were too upset to care why was he hurt. It was his fault he forget your birthday, you always made the effort to remember all his game releases and any special event revolving around his life.

“Hmph! I don’t know you, go leave.”you spat at him and you hear him sigh in defeat, “kitten come on come out, this is my house too.”he begs as you hear him slide down the door and sit, “Then go play your games.”you bit back, purposely kicking the door earning a groan from Kenma. “I don’t want to, I want you to come out.”you ignore him and allowed the silence to envelope the both of you, your eyes become heavy and you begin to drift off, crying had drained you and thinking of Kenma hurt you even more.

“(your name)”

“(your name)”

“Kitten”

“(your name)”

“Kitten.”you stir awake, eyes heavy from crying and back aching from sleeping on the floor, everything comes back to you and you become upset again but you just wanted to cuddle Kenma and as much as you hate that he forget, you love him too much.

“Let me make it up to you, what you do want? Please Kitten open the door.”you almost felt bad that you had made him beg for this long but you were upset and hurt. You got up from you position and slowly open the door, peeping your head out, his figure was slumped against your bedroom door and his head buried between his hands.

“Cuddle me.”you answer and his head shoots up, eyes meeting yours he scrambled to his feet and taking you in his arms, “I’m really sorry Kitten, I know being busy isn’t an excuse.”his lips meet your head, arms tightly wound around you, he carries you to your shared bed cuddling.“I booked a week vacation for us, I’m all yours kitten. I’m sorry forgetting.”He presses sweet kisses to your neck and whispering his apologies and promises.

“Because I love you I forgive you but if you do it again, it’s another story.”

*ding*

Your ears perk up from the sound of your phone, you excitedly run to your phone and swiping it open, you pout when you read over the name, it wasn’t who you were hoping it was. It was Osamu, wrong twin.

‘(your name)-chan! Happy Birthday Idiot #2! Come by the shop I’ve got a special onigiri for you!’

A sad smile graces your lips, at least someone’s greeted you, shutting off your phone you sigh in sadness as you get changed to meet up with Osamu.

*ding*

Another notification pops up and your eyes lights up at the sight of your partner’s name, clicking the message.

‘Hey bunny, happy Easter. I got chocolate bunnies sent to the apartment, I know you love them so much. Miss you, call me later Kay?

love you baby’

Like clockwork, the doorbell rings, low and behold the delivery man from your favourite chocolaterie hands you a neatly wrapped package. Your frown deepens, it wasn’t just Easter. it was your fucking birthday too, you grovel as tears prick at your eyes. Is he serious? Did he really not remember, upset you don’t reply, shutting your phone and leaving it on airplane mode, hmph you decided to ignore your setter boyfriend. The soft jingle of the shop door sounds in the restaurant and Samu turns to you with a smile, you give him a weak one followed with your dead greeting.

“He only greeted me happy Easter, what the fuck is that?”you moan in sadness as Osamu sets down your special onigiri, “I can’t believe he forgot, is he that busy?”

“My brother might be an idiot but he wouldn’t forget your birthday, he loves you.”Samu tries to brighten your mood but it does nothing to make you feel better, “Does he? I know he’s busy and all but at least a fucking text or a call to greet me would’ve been nice.”you grumpily take a bite of the special ongiri Osamu made just for you. You sigh in frustration, angrily chewing the rice ball, it was so good but you couldn’t enjoy it like you wanted. Stupid Atsumu for making you feel this way, did he really forget about your birthday. “Ugh, Samu I’m sad.”you pout and lay your head on the counter, Osamu pats your head, cooing at your saddened state, after spending your afternoon with the grey haired counterpart you decided to head home, he sent you off with more onigiri for dinner.

“Thanks for spending my birthday with me Samu.”he pats your head one more and sends you off with a smile, you were at least glad Osamu was nice enough to keep you company, trudging your way home. Sighs of disappointment ever leaving your lips, turning on your phone there hasn’t been a message from Atsumu since this morning, great now it’s like he’s forgotten you. Defeatedly sliding your keys in the lock you sluggishly push your door open.

“Did you really think I forgot your birthday?”

The all so familiar voice of your boyfriend pulls you out of your thoughts, raising your head you meet his warm chocolate eyes, there he was standing infront of you with a beautifully decorated cake in hand and the prettiest smile on his lips. You drop your bag as tears fall from your eyes, he sets aside the cake and opens his arms for you to run into them, “You’re here! How?”you bury your face in his toned chest, not believing that your boyfriend was home.

“I wanted to surprise you, so I flew in.”his lips press soft kisses all over your face, allowing a bright smile to sit on your lips, “I love you Tsumu.”you finally meet his lips, the kissing professing your love to him, you might have been sad this morning but fuck his lips make up for everything. He lifts you up and you’re legs automatically circle his waist, “Aren’t i the best boyfriend?”he tease you and your roll your eyes but he truly was, you were over the moon, kissing him again before darting out your tongue to tease the setter’s lower lip, hinting him of what you wanted.

“Happy Birthday Bunny! I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

//

sorry i’ve been missing these past few days, sorry but i’m taking a break, its pretty abrupt and short notice but my minds in the gutter right now. hope you all still enjoy the stuff i write, leave a like and comment if you did. might move some of my works over to ao3 but idk, have a great day. jaa ne!

all the love xx

[hopelikethemoon]

the three of us (Javier x Reader) {MTMF}

Title: the three of us Rating: PG-13 Length: Warnings: discussions of pregnancy planning, angst, heartache Notes: this chapter made my heart hurt. Set in 1996. You can find the Maybe Today, Maybe Forever Timeline here. Summary: Javier and Reader have not had the success they hoped for. 

Taglist:  @grapemama​​​​  @seawhisperer​​​​ @huliabitch​​​​ @pedropascalito​​​​ @rogrsnbarnes​​​​@thewallpapergoesorido​​​​ @twomoonstwosuns​​​​ @gooddaykate​​​​ @livasaurasrex​​ @ham4arrow​​​@hiscyarika​​​​ @plexflexico​​​​ @readsalot73​​​​ @hdlynn​​​​ @lokiaddicted​​​ @randomness501​​​@fioccodineveautunnale​​​​​ @roxypeanut​​​ @just-add-butter​​​ @snivellusim​​

Maybe Josie had been a fluke. 

Your doctor had given you a full bill of health — both times you visited the doctor. There was no reason for why nothing had taken hold. Five months. Four negative tests. Four periods. Even Javier had visited the doctor, just to make sure his swimmers were in working order. They were. Everything was right and yet…

You swallowed thickly as you pushed the bathroom door open, eyes lowered to the floor as you shook your head. Another unsuccessful month had slipped by. 

“C’mere.” Javier murmured, holding his hand out and gesturing for you to join him at the foot of the bed. “It’ll happen.” He reassured you. 

“Yeah.” You almost wished you hadn’t decided you were ready to try. To actually plan on having another kid. 

Javier curled his arm around your waist, drawing you into his side. “It’s okay baby.” He whispered, pressing a kiss to your temple. 

“I just thought that this time…” You shifted, laying back on the bed and bringing him down with you. You stared up at the ceiling, brows furrowed. “I was two days late and I was certain.”

“I know.” He slid his arm out from under you, rolling onto his side. You could feel his eyes on your face, “Hey.”

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eyes. “Hmm?”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It’s neither of our faults.” You said a little quickly. You were both healthy, but you were the one that wasn’t pregnant. You had been so certain this time around. For a fleeting few days you had felt different. Maybe you had been, maybe it ended before it even began.

“We’ll just keep trying.” Javier draped his arm over your middle, giving your waist a reassuring squeeze. “If you want to.”

“I do.” You sighed heavily. “I just didn’t realize how hard it was going to be.” Your eyes drifted back up to the ceiling. Josie had been easy — one night was all it took to give life to a beautiful baby girl. Sure, it had been sheer hell, but she had been easy. 

This time, you were actually trying and nothing was working. 

“I’ll go back over the calendars the doctor gave us. Maybe we’re off by a day.” You scrubbed your hands over your face, before you looked at him. “I’m sorry.”

“Baby, you haven’t got a damn thing to apologize for.” He cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb over the rise of your cheekbone. “And as much as it pains me to leave you right now…”

“Get to work, Professor.” You teased, trying to put on the emotions you would rather be feeling. You were depressed. But you didn’t want to ruin his first day back in the job force. 

“I am just a teacher.” Javier countered, “And it’s just orientation.”

You curled your fingers around his tie, pulling him in closer so you could kiss him. “But Professor sounds sexy.”

Javier bumped his nose against yours. “I love you.” He whispered, tucking a lock of hair behind your ear. “Are you going in today?”

You pursed your lips thoughtfully. “Probably. It would be a nice distraction.” You forced yourself to smile. You needed the distraction, otherwise you’d spend the day in sweatpants with a bottle of wine trying to forget your inadequacies. 

“I’ll pick up dinner on the way home so you won’t have to worry.” Javier told you as he pulled back, straightening his tie. “Pizza?”

“Sounds nice.” You nodded, peeling yourself off the bed. “Good luck today, Javi.”

“Thanks baby.” He murmured and you could feel his eyes on you as you moved around the bed room to get ready for work. You knew he was hurting too — maybe not the same way as you were. But he wanted this baby as badly as you did. Each month that slipped by killed you. At one point in your life you had prayed for a negative test, but now it was all you saw.  

——

Your 1 PM meeting took you by surprise. Not the meeting itself; but the person leaving the meeting ahead of yours. 

“Lance Collier.” You remarked, stopping dead in your tracks. “What are you doing here.”

He held his hand out to shake yours, “Working with the local law enforcement on a case. How the hell have you been?”

“I actually have a meeting.” You glanced at your wristwatch. “It’ll be about forty five minutes.”

“I’ll wait.”

“Great.” Lance nodded. “Hope they don’t bore you to death.” 

“Chances are slim.” You quipped, before you headed into the conference room. He certainly was a welcome distraction from the thoughts weighing on your mind. And one of the last people you expected to see from your time in Colombia. Second maybe only to Chris. 

 ——

It was surreal to have Lance Collier standing in your little office with an obscured view of Dodge Island. The last time you had seen him was the night you broke up with him and promised to call him in a week or two. You hadn’t. 

“Niece?” Lance questioned, nodding to a picture of Josie you had framed on your desk. 

“Daughter.”

His brows shot upwards, “Wow. When did that happen?” You couldn’t exactly blame him for being surprised. He’d actually mentioned having kids with you when you dated and you had been pretty against the idea. You had a whole career you were building. 

“She was born in ‘93.” 

“And who’s the lucky father?”

You arched a brow, “Would you believe me if I told you I’m with Javier.” You turned one of the pictures on your desk towards him — a family shot Connie had taken for you in their backyard at Easter. Josie was clutching a stuffed rabbit, nestled in between you and Javier. 

Lance’s jaw dropped. “Peña? What the hell did I miss after I left Colombia? I figured you must’ve moved on — you never called.”

You grimaced. “It didn’t feel fair to string you along, Lance. It’s not like I moved on to Javi right after we broke up. Far from it, actually. I just wasn’t—“

“There’s no hard feelings.” Lance cut you off. “I’m getting married next month.”

“Oh, wow! Congratulations.” You smiled at him. ”So what has the CIA poking around here?”

“Clearing up soon loose ends from Medellín. We received intel that La Oficina de Envigado was laundering money out of Miami. Due diligence, really.” He lowered his voice, pointing at Josie’s pictures. “Is she why you’re persona non grata with DEA? I was down at the embassy a year ago and—“ He whistled as he shook his head. “They’re not fond of you.” 

You shrugged a shoulder. “Javi and I lied about our relationship for a year. I was already on thin ice for being pregnant and…” You made a face. “Straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“Jeeze, I’m sorry.” He gestured around the office. “But check this place out.”

You laughed. “Yeah, who knew Miami had the budget to give consultants offices with windows?”

Lance shook his head, staring at the family picture on your desk. “I can’t say I’m surprised, but… I just can’t picture Peña as a father.”

“He’s amazing.” You told him, your eyes drawn to the picture. “Josie is a complete daddy’s girl.” You glanced back at Lance then, “What do you mean you’re not surprised?”

He gave you a look. “Do you remember the first time you brought me along to drinks with him and Steve?” You nodded. “I realized pretty quickly that night that he was my competition.” 

“Really?” Your brows furrowed together. “I just remember him being a dick that night.” Then again, he always got pissy whenever Lance turned up with you. 

He was going to lose his shit knowing that Lance was in town. 

“I’m glad you’re happy.” Lance told you with a genuine smile. “That’s all I wanted for you.” 

“Thank you.” You sank back in your seat, “I mean, look at us. You’re getting married next month and I’ve got a family.” 

“With Javier Peña no less.” 

A laugh bubbled out of you, “Right? I’m still waiting for the pigs to fly.” 

“Any wedding bells in your future?”

“Not our thing.” You shook your head, “But we’re good. He’s started teaching a criminal justice course at the university. I’ve got this.” You gestured to your office. “Life is good. Miami was the right move for us.” 

Lance pursed his lips and nodded in agreement. “You deserve it.” He glanced towards your office door, “I should probably get going. I’ve got a deposition to sit in on later.” 

“It was good to see you Lance.” You offered with a warm smile, watching him leave. Once upon a time you probably would’ve settled for him. But there was nothing about Lance that made your heart skip a beat — even back then. That would’ve been an easy path. Everything with Javier had been difficult. It still was difficult. 

But all that difficulty made the quiet moments worth it. The uphill battle was justified every time Josie roped Javier into wearing a princess crown and attending tea at her make believe restaurant. 

You couldn’t imagine a life where you didn’t have both of them. And maybe it was okay that you weren’t having any luck. Maybe it was meant to be just the three of you.  

———

“I don’t know why we bother trying to expand her dietary options,” You remarked as you picked a piece of cut up pizza off her abandoned plate as you took it to the trash to throw away. “She’s always going to just want chicken nuggets.” 

“In futile hope that she’ll kick her chicken addiction.” Javier remarked from the living room, where he was fastforwarding through the trailers on the VHS he’d rented. Four Weddings and a Funeral seemed like the right kind of movie to unwind to. 

You grabbed two beers out of the fridge, gripping them in one hand as you snatched up the pizza box off the counter and headed into the living room to join him. “I wish it were that easy. I think she’s hooked, Javi. Our baby’s a chicken addict.”

Javier looked back at you over his shoulder, a grin spreading over his lips. “Guess there’s worse things she could be hooked on.” He settled down onto the sofa, loosening his tie. “I’ve got a full class. I guess everyone wants to meet the guy who helped bring down Pablo Escobar.” He swept his fingers through his hair, before taking a beer from you.

“They’re going to love you.” You said as you took a swig of beer before sitting it down on the coffee table. “You’ll never guess who I saw today.” 

“Who?” His brows drew together. 

“Lance.”

Javier huffed, “Really?”

You nodded, leaning back on the sofa. “He’s still chasing down money launders from Escobar’s predecessors.” You explained. “Still a CIA suit.”

Javier gave you a wary look, before he leaned forward to grab a slice of pizza. “That’s good.” He said before taking a bite.

You chewed on the inside of your bottom lip, heart pounding a little quicker as you stared at him. “Are you going to be an asshole about this?”

“No.”

“Our entire conversation basically revolved around you.” You told him, lips drawn into a faint smile. “It was a nice distraction from everything else.”

Javier grabbed the remote and paused the movie. “I’m not going to be an asshole about this, but I just never liked the guy.”

“I know.” You reached out and stroked his cheek, before sliding your fingers into his hair. “He wasn’t surprised that I was with you.”

His jaw rocked tensely before he relaxed under your touch. “What? Did he tell you about the time I pulled him aside and told him he better take care of you?” Javier clicked his tongue against his teeth.

You shook your head and tilted your face to look up at him. “When did you—“

“You had just started seeing him.”

“Well, that explains everything.”

Your heart was pounding in your chest. You could easily picture Javier pulling that shit. He had been in fine form that evening from the second that Lance sat down at the table. It was a miracle it hadn’t run the poor man off then and there. You had a sneaking suspicion that he had said a lot more than just ‘take care of her’. Everything had been so new back then — Colombia, Javier and Steve, your outlook on the future. Maybe things didn’t turn out how you had planned, but you wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

Javier gave your shoulder three little squeezes, pulling you in close to his side. “Is he going to be around for awhile?” He questioned as he picked up the remote with his free hand, loosely holding onto it.

“I didn’t ask, but probably not.” You reached out and took the remote out of his hand, sitting it aside. “We should talk about this morning. 

He exhaled heavily, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “I’d planned for us to talk about everything but that.” 

A nervous laugh escaped you as you interlaced your fingers with his. “I know.” You swallowed thickly. “It’s not bad… it’s just—” You squeezed his hand tightly. “I think we should try for another month and then I think it’s time to accept that it’s just the three of us.” 

Javier lifted your hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it. “The three of us are perfect, baby.” 

“Yeah.” You whispered, sinking into his side feeling defeated. You wished you could make it happen. That tomorrow you’d magically wake up pregnant. The thought of both of you being able to enjoy this from the start seemed like a vain wish now. “Are you excited to start teaching?”

He rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand, “I met a couple of the students this afternoon and they seem keen. We’ll see.” He pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “They even gave me an office with a window.”

“We both ended up with windows,” You mused.

Javier chuckled. “I wanna bring you and Josie by later this week so you can see it.” 

“That reminds me.” You squeezed his hand before you got up off the sofa. You headed down the hallway to the bedroom to get the gift you’d wrapped and hidden on your side of the closet. You returned, holding it out to him. “I meant to give this to you this morning, but…”

Javier took the parcel from you, unwrapping it slowly. “Baby, you shouldn’t have.” 

You had taken the negatives of the photos from Colombia and had duplicates made to be framed. Four photos that captured so many memories from that era of your lives. Josie resting on Javier’s chest, both of them fast asleep a few days after you had brought her home; you and Javier kissing, a slightly blurry photo you’d relied on the timer for; Josie’s first bath; and a photo of the three of you when Josie was still so tiny. 

“I thought you might like taking us to work with you.” You smiled at him as you settled down onto the sofa beside him. 

“Maybe we should stop now.” Javier suggested as he looked up at you. “I hate how much this is stressing you out, baby.”

You chewed on your bottom lip, “Maybe we can just try to see if it’ll happen naturally.” You still weren’t ready to call it quits. Not entirely. 

He nodded his head, staring down at the frame. “We’re good as three, aren’t we?” 

“We are.” You leaned into his side. Part of you regretted that you had started this whole endeavor. You had thought it would be easy, free of heartache. But you had been wrong. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was the planning and the stress that was causing it to fail. 

[zootopiathingz]

Thanksgiving in Quarantine

(A/N: more Pixar AU!! no there's not really a plot I just wanted to write something for thanksgiving. Also friendly reminder I've never cooked a day in my life so Imma just be vague on those details)

"Alright Pixars, listen up!" Mike called to get everyone's attention. After their conversations died down, he stepped forward towards the front of the room so all eyes would be on him. As the group leader, it was his job to host the monthly meetings and inform them of recent events or decisions made by him or their creator, Luxo Sr.

Once he was sure they were listening, he proceeded to explain, "So as you all know, even though we aren't affected by Covid, we still have to stay in quarantine for the sake of others. So that means that this year, we won't be spending Thanksgiving with the Disneys—"

"YES!!" Everyone cheered ecstatically, some standing up to pump their fists or high-five each other.

Mike was taken aback by their joyous reaction. Not just because it was a response to what he said, but he couldn't remember the last time all of them were that excited about anything. "—like we usually do.." He finished.

"Oh don't act like you're not relieved about it, Mike." McQueen said, "You hate the Disneys just as much as we do."

"Excuse me, but we do not 'hate' here." He said, "We just strongly dislike. Anyway, I'm not that relieved like you guys are. I was actually looking forward to our tradition."

"Well, I'm just glad we won't have to be greeted by them singing 'Be Our Guest' for the millionth fucking time." Woody scoffed, earning some murmurs of agreement from the rest.

Their relationship with the Disneys was complicated, to say the least. Luxo Sr. started the alliance with Mickey Mouse himself several years ago, and thus they joined the Disney family. But the Pixars were never given a say in the deal, and while they did admire the Disneys and were grateful for the success they brought them, that didn't mean they were tolerable to be around. The Pixars didn't hate them (despite constantly joking that they did), they just despised their arrogance and their random outbursts of songs every ten minutes.

"Wait so if we're not going to the Disneys, we're gonna have Thanksgiving at our house?" Marlin asked, "You do realize we haven't done that in like, 14 years? And obviously the family's grown since then."

Mike nodded, "I understand that, but if we're able to somehow survive Halloween, Easter, Christmas, and New Years on our own, then how hard can Thanksgiving be?"

"Your optimism is appreciated." EVE said, "But from past experience, this feels like yet another disaster waiting to happen."

"Yeah, I mean, who's even gonna cook dinner?" Remy asked.

"You are." Mike shrugged.

The rat man widened his eyes, "Say what now?"

Remy was a great cook, and honestly he was the only one who actually knew how to use an oven. But cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal for the whole group was asking a bit much.

"I can't cook that much in one day by myself!"

"You won't, some of us will help you. Right, guys?" Mike asked. But he got no responses, instead everyone just awkwardly looked away.

Remy sighed, "Come on, guys. Do you really want to eat burnt turkey for Thanksgiving? Imelda?"

She put her hands up in defense, "Don't look at me. I don't know how to make white people food."

"Okay, relax. We'll have WALL-E help you." Mike said, gesturing to the robot man—who gave an enthusiastic wave.

But this offer didn't make Remy feel any better. Out of all the Pixars Mike could've suggested, it just had to be WALL-E. "Seriously?" He asked, "You know he burns toast, right?"

"He'll be fine." Mike waved a dismissive hand. "..probably. Okay, does anyone else want to help with Thanksgiving dinner?"

Once again there was nothing but silence and awkward glances. Remy looked around with a pleading face, trying to get anyone to agree, but no such luck. Well, until Atta got tired of the lack of responses and and decided it was best to take one for the team. "Alright fine. I'll help you." She said to Remy.

"Thank Luxo." He sighed with relief, "You are a saint, Atta."

She shrugged, "I try."

"Then it's settled." Mike said, "Thanksgiving will be hosted by Remy, Atta, and WALL-E. Let's pray they don't screw it up."

The three gave him a cold look, while the others nodded in agreement.

—

Thursday came sooner than they realized, and unfortunately due to the pandemic, buying groceries was a pain in the ass and getting what they needed for dinner took longer than they would've hoped. Luckily they were able to have it all in their kitchen and (hopefully) would have enough time to make it. And even though they were spending the holiday by themselves, the Pixars still got dressed up and decorated for the occasion.

Since the kids would be joining them at the table as well, that meant having to cook for even more people. Remy, WALL-E, and Atta were hard at work in the kitchen making gravy, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, etc. And of course, turkey. At first it didn't seem like cooking was going to be so bad. They got an early start before most of the Pixars even woke up. If all went well, they would have dinner done by the afternoon.

"Okay guys, we've got a full house of hungry Pixars so we gotta get this done quick." Remy reminded them, "Atta, you're on pie detail, and you're gonna help me with the turkey. WALL-E, you focus on the casserole, eggs, and making sure Atta stays away from the marshmallows."

Atta slowly looked over at him while he pointed at her, "Yeah, I see you."

She narrowed her eyes at him before slowly reaching her hand toward the bag of marshmallows. He scolded her as she popped another one into her mouth, smirking at him and holding back a laugh. But then the two quickly moved on, since they couldn't waste much time on banter and jokes.

"I don't see how the Disneys do this every year." WALL-E commented, taking a bite of bread.

"Well, they don't actually make it. They have a whole cooking staff that serves them every meal. Which is kinda why they invite us in the first place." Atta explained to him, helping Remy baste the turkey.

Remy scoffed, "And yet there's only one chef in this house. Man, I'd love it if I could get more help around here. Hopefully the new Pixars will know how to cook."

"That's what you say every time." Atta chuckled.

"Maybe if I keep saying it, it'll happen." He shrugged.

After a few minutes, the turkey was ready to cook. They placed it in the oven and set the correct amount of degrees and time. Now all they had to do was wait and finish the rest of the meal.

Violet walked into the kitchen, inhaling the strong scent of half-cooked food. "Mmm, smells great in here." She commented, opening the fridge to grab a water bottle. "So how's slaving away for the others going?"

"We're not 'slaving away', Violet." Remy rolled his eyes. Although now that he said it out loud, it kinda seemed like they were, considering not a single other Pixar was offering to help. Instead they were all hanging out around the house doing who knows what. "Regardless, we're doing just fine."

"You wanna help us?" Atta asked with a mouthful of marshmallows—which earned a scowl from Remy.

Violet sighed, shutting the fridge. "I'd love to, but Joy's taking me out shopping for Christmas presents.

"But stores aren't even open today." WALL-E said.

"That's what I told her." The teen shrugged her shoulders, "But she insisted on taking me and a couple others. I honestly think they're just trying to get out of the house so they have an excuse not to help out."

The three exchanged an annoyed glance. While they expected that sort of behavior from their friends, it was still irritating to know they didn't care enough to even stay home for Thanksgiving. But then again, ditching her friends when they need her didn't sound like something Joy would do.

Before they could question it, they heard Violet's name being called from the other room, signaling her to walk away. "Well, good luck with dinner, guys." She said.

"Okay, have fun today." Atta said to her right before she left. The three then gave each other the same confused expression, all thinking the same thing. But it was a short-lived moment, as they quickly got back to work.

"Alright, making conversation is nice and all, but we can't spend much time having social interactions." Remy reminded them, "From now on, no more distractions, okay? Focus is key."

He turned around, seeing a certain someone once again stuffing three marshmallows in her mouth. "Atta!"

"Leave me alone!" She retorted.

—

Several hours passed since the three started cooking, and they were getting close to being finished. It was hard keeping the kids out of the kitchen to stop them from sneaking bites of the food, since they always did that even when eating at the Disneys' place. But in a display of irony, Remy always shooed them away or chased them out with a broom.

A little after noon the meal was finally ready to be gorged. Everyone had a little bit of everything on their plate and had to pull up a few chairs and small tables so they could all sit together in one spot (one of the tables was actually just an old nightstand). Usually when eating meals, the Pixars would just sit in different areas around the house since the table wasn't big enough for all of them to sit at. But since this was Thanksgiving, they wanted to be together.

"Alright everyone, before we eat, we should go around and say what we're thankful for." Woody said, "And I'll start if that makes it easier."

"It would." They all agreed.

They all joined hands as Woody began, "Well, I'm thankful for all of you. You're not just my friends or people I'm forced to live with, you're my family. Which is kinda the same thing but has better meaning. I'm also thankful for our success, and I'm thankful we're doing this here and not at Disney hell."

A few of them laughed and nodded, although they never thought they'd hear the words "Disney" and "hell" in the same sentence.

"I'll go next." Sulley said, "Let's see, I'm thankful for the food on my plate, and the hard-working people who made it for me."

Remy, Atta, and WALL-E smiled at him.

"And I'm thankful to have the privilege to celebrate this holiday with the people I love."

"Awww!!" They cooed.

Barley leaned towards Sadness to whisper, "Wait, are we supposed to say meaningful shit like that every time?" The girl merely shrugged in response.

Once everyone had a turn saying what they were thankful for, they were finally able to dig in. The turkey was even better than they were used to. The whole meal tasted far better than what they would've received at the Disneys' Thanksgiving. Except the sweet potato casserole appeared to be missing quite a few marshmallows.

"I'm so glad it's Thanksgiving." Joy said, a little out-of-the blue.

"Why's that, Joy?" Bob asked her curiously.

"So I can finally get in the Christmas spirit without people telling me to 'wait until Thanksgiving'." She rolled her eyes.

Out of all of them, Joy was definitely the Christmas fanatic, so much that all other holidays around the end of the year were irrelevant to her. The Pixars didn't mind it, though. They loved Christmas, and they were glad she was always the one to go all out on decorations so they didn't have to.

"Can't argue with that." Jessie said, stuffing a piece of pie in her mouth. "But sadly it's not gonna be the same this year."

"No kidding." Merida scoffed. "If people had just done what they were told back in March, this wouldn't have happened."

McQueen raised a brow, "Dude, we had a whole ass celebration for the Swearing-In in March—"

"That was before quarantine, shut up." She was quick to defend.

"When's quarantine gonna be over?" Dash asked, "I'm tired of staying inside all day."

Mike sighed, as he dreaded this topic every time it came up in conversation. But as the leader, he had to be the voice of reason. "Look guys, I know it's tough, okay? We can't even die from Covid but we're being forced to stay at home, and I know it's frustrating. Heck, there's probably not even gonna be a Swearing-In ceremony for 'Soul'."

"There's not??" Dory asked with a frown.

"If things stay this way, then no." He said, even though it hurt to admit. Swearing-Ins were a big deal for the Pixars. It was what made them apart of the family. "But there's nothing we've been through that we've faced alone, right? We've always had each other, and we always will."

Even though they were still sad about the situation, and even if what he said was a little cheesy, they knew he was right. They were the Pixars for crying out loud, they could handle any challenge as long as they stuck together.

Mike raised his glass, signaling everyone else to do the same. "I propose a toast. To our Pixar family."

"To our family!" They cheered, sipping their drinks afterward.

[pinencurls]

Oh Honey

Hey! here’s the last of my draft one shots! Hope u enjoy and if u don’t remember I wrote this a g e s ago so you can’t blame me !

Italy, bike rides and a sun burnt Harry

3.6k 

These days, we wake in the early hours of the morning. It's hard not to stir when the sun rises so early and bright through the thin cotton drapes strung up over the bedroom window. Sometimes, we stay quiet. Exchanging a few murmurs of good morning wishes and lightly pressed kisses; silently decided to stay in each other's arms until the ungodly hours pass and breakfast is more tempting than bed.

I think it's Wednesday. I got pulled into the warped holiday time effect as soon as we arrived. I was free from jet lag at least, the flight from London to Italy only changing the clocks forwards about an hour. Harry had been less fortunate; the busy winding of work post-tour kept him out in Los Angeles a few more days than planned whilst Sarah, Mitch and I made our way to the holiday home we'd booked in Italy to celebrate a successful first tour. By the time Harry arrived in the white-walled villa tucked away comfortably in a small town - away from prying eyes, he was slow-moving and sleepy, although the afternoon was only just setting in. He'd eagerly drunk the coffees we offered and passed out around 5pm. Harry complained to me the next day that he was still exhausted, his brain and body were working nine hours behind after all-

"You shouldn't have slept on the plane, H." I mumbled, steadying the kettle over the large white mug as I poured hot water into Harry's second coffee of the morning. He'd been vocal about his dissatisfying sleep all of the two hours we'd been awake and my comment was seemingly unhelpful. He confirmed this by burying his face into my neck, head laying heavy on my shoulder, a low groan buzzing against my skin.

It took him a few days before he was fully himself again, but we've been here for a week now and everything's falling easily into long days by the pool and explorations into the cities either side of us. It feels oddly like a family holiday, I've known Sarah long enough; We grew up in the same town a few years apart, both moving away when we hit eighteen to pursue careers in similarly creative industries - music and journalism. We ended up at the same dinner parties and, for a few months before she moved to LA, we shared a shoebox flat in London.

She's the reason I met Harry; I stayed in her overheating LA apartment over the Easter break of 2017. We spent most days sprawled out on her sofa with all the windows thrown open, catching up on everything that'd happened since she moved away. She'd promised I could meet Mitch - a guitarist for the new band she'd started playing with whom she'd been dating for a few months. I'd heard bits and pieces about him as soon as they met, mostly about his brother-like closeness to the singer they played behind, and as promised, the Tuesday afternoon I opened her front door to Mitch, an equally long-haired-Hawaiian-shirt-clad boy followed.

Harry was goofier and unarguably louder, we paired up naturally in the group of four and it wasn't hard to get to know him, or to fall for the infamous charm I'd heard he was known for. To my pleasant surprise, it didn't feel odd when we joined in with Sarah and Mitch's couple-y activities - mini-golf, brunch, movie nights, I tagged along to a few studio sessions too before I had to go home. We promised to keep in touch but I was certain I'd probably never see him again, or at least not in the same way we'd spent the last week but, when he kissed me goodbye at the airport, I had a little hope.

"Hazzaaa!" Mitch calls loudly down the hall - no doubt on a temporary high from his new coffee addiction. There's no point responding, I can hear his footsteps storming towards our door before he swings it open and I can hide my face further into Harry's shoulder, who is unsurprisingly awake now.

"Go away Rodrick." I grumble, smiling at the rumble of laughter my nickname causes to ripple through Harry's chest.

"We've got bikes, Sarah's found a ride that's only a few miles - we're gonna get lunch." I could probably live here with Sarah and Mitch forever, there was only a few years difference between us but sometimes they felt like parents - or older siblings, cooing over me and Harry's relationship. I always felt part of something when we were all together, it wasn't so hard to imagine moving around each other in the same villa for the rest of our lives.

"Give us a sec Mitchy," Harry's waking up now, I roll over as he leans forward to sit, reaching out for the tea Mitch passes him. I hear mine clink down on my bedside table. "When're you leavin?"

"Thirty minutes?" Mitch replies, twisting his wrist to check the time on the ridiculously retro watch Harry had bought for his birthday. "S'already midday."

Harry hums, promising we'll be down in ten before Mitch accepts his mission of recruitment successful and leaves the room. I shift my head at the metal click confirming the door's shut behind him.

"M'gonna stay here," My face is resting in the crook of my arm, eyes closed as I try to cling to the last bit of sleep, "too tired."

The duvet shuffles slightly again with Harry's movements. He rests on his front now, his torso propped up as he leans his face down into my hair. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to his smiley morning kisses or the smooth scratch when his curls fall over my own.

"It'll be fun," I turn beneath him, settling to listen to his groggy drawl, his accent is always thicker in the mornings, he strokes a wave of hair behind my ear to see my face. "We'll get a nice lunch - Sarah'n'Mitch'll fawn over some street cats, what more could you want?"

"Sleep..." I giggle, his classic pout having the opposite effect as intended. "I'll come next time, promise. Today I just wanna sleep a little more and maybe go for a swim."

He glances down at me for a moment longer, hesitant to accept my excuse before swooping down to press a kiss to my cheek with a hum of approval and bounding out of bed. He tugs a white t-shirt over his head, pulling it down his torso to reveal the smiling bee graphic - "Enjoy Health - Eat Your Honey." He tries to calm his slightly dishevelled curls in the mirror before he goes back to his long morning process of getting ready.

I could spend all day by the pool if nobody stopped me. It's small enough to fit cosily in the garden of the villa and still leave enough patio for lounging chairs and a small table. A row of citrus fruit trees line the fence at the edge of the garden, they offer a little shade over the far end of the pool in the afternoons when the sun reaches its peak. Every now and then a blossom will fall from the larger trees along the patio; the first day we were all together, Sarah, Mitch and I swam for hours until the evening breeze got too cool against our wet skin. Harry had been reading in a chair a few feet off from us and despite our noisy chatter, he'd fallen asleep, no doubt aided by his still slightly backwards body clock. I made my way over to wake him, the breeze must have been stronger than we thought because as I got closer I noticed tiny pink flowers nestled in his hair - they must have blown from the trees and landed on him as he slept. For hours after he trailed behind me inside through the patio doors, I was picking small blossoms from his curls, he was smiley and dopey from jet lag as he kept reaching his hands out to catch mine and pull me into his chest. I'd missed him for the last ten months when he'd been dazzling the world in flares and Gucci suits. I visited and travelled with him for a few show dates, of course, we'd even managed to spend Christmas and our one year anniversary together, but it was different spending so much time apart. Everything was still shiny and new to me when he left for his first solo tour - we'd only been together four months, most of which had been spent in his London house or weekends together in LA. The refreshing familiarity of being together again after so long hadn't quite rubbed off as we lay sprawled over the sofa, blossom abandoned for now.

"What're you thinking about?"

I look up at Harry, he's changed into a grandpa esque pair of brown drawstring cords I don't miss the little bow he's tied. He raises his eyebrows at me inquisitively when I don't answer, smirking slightly as my eyes wander up to his face.

"Nothing," I smile, pausing to yawn, "Just thinking about what 'm gonna do today."

"Sure you don't want to come with us?" He's collecting bits and pieces from around the room - his phone, wallet, sunglasses, but he peaks his head over his shoulder to look at me as he asks.

"Yeah, think I'm just gonna sit outside for a bit, I wanna catch up on a little bit of work."

His eyebrow quirks up slightly, the 'catching up on work' conversation is something we've had tirelessly throughout our fourteen months together. His work was obviously a little more...noticeable. When he was at work it was normally in a studio all day or sat in meetings, sometimes in a different city or country to me. I could work at home more at least; the articles and reviews I wrote almost always required me to spend a few days out of town to research the topic but once I had my notes, I could write from home. This sometimes lent itself to later nights sat up in my small study - work day blurring into the evening. Harry couldn't argue on it though, he did the exact same. His long hours out of the house didn't cancel out the long ones in, Jeff called any hour of the day with 'pressing matters' and even without external pressures, Harry was determined to get everything perfect, even if it meant tweaking new songs on his weekends off. Normally when he was overwhelmed by the workload of album deadlines and promo he was out in LA, where the pre-sleep chatter whilst we both got ready for bed wasn't an option.

"We're on holiday love, you can let some of it slide."

"It's not work-work, I just wanna write a little." I brush the topic away, it didn't need to abet the argument it'd triggered in the past. "Hurry up - Mitch'll run off without you at this rate."

"I wouldn't worry, don't think Mitch has run a day in his life." Harry chuckles, the goofy smile he wore the whole first day we met beaming back at me as he tucks his belongings in his pockets. He leans down to where I'm sat up over the duvet now, kissing me goodbye. "Be back in a bit, don't burn the house down."

"Promise not to - don't fall off your bike." I say as he pulls away. "Love you- now go, I can hear Mitch having a hissy fit from here."

He laughs. Everything's so easy here, it feels as if time has warped slightly and nothing's too hard anymore. The sun's almost at it's strongest now, defying the curtains and falling on Harry as he makes his way to the bedroom door, picking up his pace as Mitch yells up the stairs at him to 'Stop messin with your hair and come down already.'

"Love you!" Harry calls behind him. His heavy footsteps are followed by Sarah's laugh from downstairs and then the door clicks shut and everything's quiet again.

After an hour or so laying by the pool and a nap that might have lasted a little longer than planned, the sun beats a little heavy and I make my way inside. I've written a decent amount - I found myself recalling the last week here, dipping into more personal ground than I would usually. It's not that Harry and I's relationship is a secret anymore, after about eight months people caught on, but we were still private. He'd brush off interviewer questions about relationships and his 'status' and my social media profiles are free from the hundreds of cosy domestic Harry photos I might have posted if he was someone less in the public eye. It's hard sometimes, especially when I can't share a decent chunk of my photography and all the experiences I might have written about. My old film camera is sat on the kitchen counter now, no doubt filled with sweet moments that'll never see the light of day outside of the four people in them.

The fridge was pretty well stocked considering we'd spent a lot of evenings eating out. We'd taken an eventful shopping trip earlier in the week to the massive grocery store in the town thirty minutes down the road. We ended up buying too much fruit and bread and not much else. The trek home hadn't been considered as Harry and Sarah grew more and more excited over the fresh foods they were used to being shipped over and older than ideal, after it all, we ended up on a long single-tiered town bus, tote bags full and tucked safely on our laps. There one photo in particular of Mitchell standing at the bus stop, watermelon in his arms and a bemused expression on his face that I can't wait to see again once I get to the small camera store back home.

After scouring the shelves for a moment longer, I settle on a sandwich. I'm slicing crunchy lettuce on the old wooden board with swirly carvings around the edges when I hear the door open and familiar voices.

I smear a thin layer of mayonnaise over the contents of the bread before cutting two even triangles and wander out to the living room. Mitch and Harry are already lounging over two of the sofas when I get there, Sarah's nowhere to be seen but the sound of the shower running upstairs starts quietly through the house.

"Hey," I call, making my way over to the back of the black sofa Harry's laying over. "How was it?"

Harry peaks one eye open and reaches his hand up towards me-

"Good- what're you eating?" I steer my food away from his prying fingers as he swoops up to tear off a corner.

"Sandwich, didn't you just eat lunch?"

"Yeah but the portions were tiny," Harry whines slightly, reaching up in a second attempt, protesting when I love the bread away from him again. "I'm growing!"

Mitch laughs from the other side of the room. He swings his legs over the side of the sofa and stands up, rubbing his eyes slightly and trogs over to the stairway. "I'm gonna go shower."

"Good idea, you stink mate," Harry smirks cheekily, earning a glare from Mitch before he disappears up the stairs.

"How was it really, H?" I ask before taking another bite of my sandwich.

"S'good, we cycled for ages - it was actually really beautiful. You've gotta come with me sometime before we go home, although we need to find a different cafe- I paid €11 for the smallest burger I've ever seen."

"We'll bring a picnic or somethin'" I muse, thinking between chews. "I was thinking we could make something tonight 'stead of going out again, something summery maybe."

"Yeah?" Harry mumbles, rubbing his hand over his sun pink cheeks, "Like what?"

"Maybe pitas and some fruit- you bought enough kiwis to last us a lifetime." It's true, he'd claimed he had to in celebration of the tour coming to an end. "Here, d'you want the rest?"

Harry's eyes wander down to the remaining half of my sandwich I'm holding out to him, I try not to think too long about how I could watch his sleepy eyes light up for as long as he'd let me.

"I had something after you left earlier, I'm not that hungry." He looks up at me, unconvinced, but takes the plate anyway, quickly setting the plate on his lap and tucking in. Now that he's sat up in the light without the shadows of the dark cushions around him, I can see how pink is face really is. There's a blushing red along his cheeks and nose and the tips of his ears are bright pink. I brush my thumb over his ear softly, catching his attention as he winces slightly.

"Sorry- think you caught the sun a bit." He swallows the food in his mouth and nods up at me.

"Yeah, hurts a bit." I tilt his face slightly to see the other side - the pink continues down his neck and shoulders where it disappears under the tan lines of his t-shirt.

"Did you not put suncream on before you left?" His mouth full again, he just shakes his head. I smile slightly at how suddenly he's eased into his patient role, munching on his sandwich and peering up at me - ready for me to tend to his injuries. A soft grumble comes from Harry before I sigh - "I'll get the aloe vera."

I walk out into the cool tiled kitchen, opening the fridge again to retrieve the small pot of gel from the top shelf. It was one of the only sensible things we'd managed to buy during the kiwi shopping spree.

"And why didn't you have any suncream on?" I chastise him, giggly at his pouty expression. "It's right on the table, you know."

"You were in bed - I forgot." He eyes my movements as I tuck my leg undeath my body and sit opposite him on the sofa, twisting the cap off the small glass pot in my hands.

" M'I supposed to remind you of everything now, can't even remember suncream without me hey?" He shakes his head, curls tousled around his face. "Come here, stay still..."

I balance the pot in his hands and push his hair back and behind his ears, it'd gotten longer on tour and was threatening to grow into a curly lord farquaad territory. He keeps his head in place when I take back the pot and spread the cold gel over his nose, smiling slightly in surprise-

"S'cold." He watches as I scoop another load of aloe onto my fingertips and cover his cheeks.

"It's been in the fridge- how're your shoulders?" I ask once the gel is spread sufficiently over the pink tint that covered his face and the tips of his ears.

"Not so bad, it's just my face that hurts really."

I hum an okay, spinning the pot lid back on and placing it on the coffee table beside my lunch plate. Harry's hands lay limply in his lap, one reaching slowly to stroke the hem of my loose summer dress. I look up to see his slightly shiny face settling in a shy expression-

"I can be quite forgetful - might have to look after me forever you know." He smiles lovingly, looking up from where his finger and thumb play with the cotton of my dress, to meet my gaze.

"Oh forever, so you've got no plan to improve this bad habit then?" He laughs at my teasing and his smile broadens into a trademark Harry grin.

"Nah...S'okay though, I'll look after you too."

We all end up in the garden by eight pm, lying around the pool with platters of fruit and pittas full of salad and falafel. Harry has a stripe of suncream down his nose and he keeps trying to throw kiwi into Sarah's mouth, although it's ending up anywhere but. The pink in his cheeks has calmed down by now and he's stolen a blue scrunchie from my suitcase and tied a little bun on top of his head.

The hours tick by and the air starts to lose its humid warmth. Pair by pair we trickle back inside, Sarah and Mitchell retreating to their room first.

Harry's standing above me, barefooted in the grass and tipsy on wine. He holds out his hand to me and I take it, pulling myself up from the soft blanket we'd been laying on.

"Leave it," Harry says when I kneel down to fold it, "It's not gonna rain."

Before I can protest he's pulling me behind him and inside the sliding french doors. The tile floor's cold against the bottoms of my feet but the air inside is warm, Harry squeezes my hand in his and pulls me closer against his side, slinging his arm over my shoulders. He's soft and sleepy, and we make out way up the curling staircase clumsily in each other's arms.

I call goodnight to Mitch and Sarah before falling into my own bed. There's a second and then two familiarly inked arms curl around me and pull me into a warm chest. I'm a little drunk, sun-kissed and sleepy from the long conversations of the evening and it isn't long before my eyes are closing - the last noise I can hear is Harry's soft mumbling against my hair. I could definitely stay right here forever.

[caps-lockdown]

3 AM

Hello lovelies here is my entry for @justkendings 1K challenge! If ya’ll couldn’t tell I’m trying to branch out and try some writing challenges this year.

Prompts were “Dude. It’s 3 in the morning.” and “I don’t suppose you’ve got a blowtorch around here?”

Thoughts are in italics. It’s also my first time writing a complete AU so be kind. Alright here we go!

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader Modern Neighbor AU

Words: 6,310 HOLY CRIPES THIS GOT AWAY FROM ME

Warnings: Swear words, booze and tons of fluff. Some crude humor. Tony, Bucky, and Sam being impatient and grumpy.

Summary: You’re a Nanny by day and a diner waitress by night. Steve is a first responder who gets off late. You both live in the same apartment building. Insert cavity inducing meet cute here.

It’s in Y/N Y/L/N format. I own nothing but my mistakes/no beta.

A/N: I imagined this like an episode of Friends, so I took a couple of lines from the show as little Easter Eggs, lemme know if you find them. And also know I don’t own friends but I’m super obsessed and what can I say? No one told me life was gonna be this way.

Enjoy!

Saturday, 3 AM

You were certain you were going to fall asleep standing up. The elevator creaked to a stop on the 23rd floor of your apartment building and you zombie dragged your body down the hall. 1-A and screaming kids? Nope. Five-B complete with another wannabe Broadway superstar warming up their vocals to Britney Spears? You live in New York city. There’s one on every floor. You looked across the hallway when you reached your door at 3-C where 7-D sat. You’ve lived here for almost two years and have never met the inhabitants of the two bedroom across from your two bedroom. Not that you had tons of time. You were a Nanny during the day most days, and on nights like tonight you worked at a Diner.

Almost there. You could hear the siren call of your bed, a tired smile at the thought of a hot shower for your screaming feet spreading across your face as you lazily jammed your key ring into the door. You glanced at your wrist watch.

2:50 AM

Your shift at the diner aptly named “The Night Owl” had run a tad bit on the long side tonight, a gaggle of high school theater kids flooding your tables at the tail end of your shift. They were riding the high of their opening night of “Footloose”, demanding cheese fries, milkshakes, and whatever amount of Marge’s meatloaf was remaining from the day. You brushed off a piece of the aforementioned dinner special from your apron, slowly pushing the door open. Not that your attempt to be quiet did any good, the tell tale squeaking of the ancient hinges announcing your nearly KO’d arrival.

Sam was in the living room in less than a minute after you shut the door, a slightly grumpy look on his face.

“Long night?”

“Almost thirty teenagers Sam,” You fell into the overstuffed recliner, reaching to take off your sneakers when there was a soft knock at your door. “Shit, I hope I didn’t wake the neighbors.”

“Relax Y/N, I got this.” Sam walked his own groggy body to the door, looking into the peephole before shaking his head and opening the door with another loud squeak.

You leaned to catch a sight of the person, your heart momentarily stopping as your gaze fell upon the most perfect looking man you had ever seen. Please let him be a neighbor.

Blonde hair sat messily atop his head, still slightly damp from a shower that you no doubt wished you could have been a fly on a wall for. If the tight blue t-shirt that was one flex away from ripping off this walking Adonis was any indication, you would have happily offered to hold the loofa for him too.

“I am so sorry to bother you at this hour. I live right across the hall, in 7-D and I was wondering if I could borrow a cup and a half of sugar from you?”

Sam stared at him, his face void of any emotion. “Sugar? Seriously?”

“Yea you see it’s a coworker, a friend really, birthday tomorrow and I said I would make a cake for him, but ah…I forgot to buy sugar before my shift. I’m a first responder and so when I got off work everything was closed. So you see I heard your door open and thought if I could ask you before you went to bed then I had a decent chance.”

Sam’s face remained stoic. “Dude. It’s 3 in the morning.”

“Actually it’s 2:58,” You replied coolly, pulling your roommate back and replacing him. “A cup and a half of sugar is no problem at all. Give us two shakes, k?”

“Thank you SO much,” The tall drink of water gushed, you giving him a small and peppy “No problem!” before making your way to your kitchen. You always managed to keep extra essentials in the pantry, your fingers easily finding your spare bag of sugar, taking note of the half full open one. “Go back to bed Sam, I’ll handle it.”

“Be careful Y/N, I’ve seen this horror movie before.” Sam warned with a wary look at the man before walking into his room and shutting the door with a THUD.

You handed the full bag of sugar to the man, enjoying the warmth from his hands as they brushed yours. “Sorry about him, it’s way past his bedtime.”

“Your boyfriend was right to be grumpy. It’s stupid early.” You chuckled, “What? Did I say something funny?”

“Sam isn’t my boyfriend, he’s my roommate. Truth be told most of the time I want to kill him. I imagine that would be multiplied ten-fold if we were actually dating.”

“I understand.” He shuffled his slipper clad feet on the floor for a moment before snapping his eyes to yours. “Uh thanks for the…the sugar. I only needed…”

“We have plenty, and I hate measuring things at 3 in the morning.”

“Actually it’s, “He checked his cell phone, “3:14”

Cheeky. “Then you better get to baking that cake then huh?” You smiled at his flustered appearance when he hastily nodded,

“Right, thanks again!”He turned to walk into his own open doorway. A dark haired man with a goatee you hadn’t noticed before stood in a gold and red bathrobe, trying to get a look at you around his brick shithouse built dwelling mate. Probably his partner. Damn it all. You shut the door with a defeated sigh. Figures.

The door to Steve and Tony’s apartment had the terrible habit of slamming shut, the hinges like its neighbor shot but in different ways. This morning was no different. SLAM

Steve nodded to his roommate after throwing the lock.

“Who’s the babe?” Tony asked, mischief floating in his eyes as Steve fought the urge to roll his own into the back of his head.

“Obviously our neighbor Tony. She was kind enough to lend me some sugar to bake Bucky’s cake.” He held up the bag for emphasis. “See?”

“Well shit Steve if you just wanted some sugar all you had to do was ask…” Steve fake gagged as he walked past his roommate, the older man throwing his hand to his chest in mock hurt. “What I just don’t do it for you anymore? You gotta go get your sugar from other women now? Am I not enough?!”

“There is too much to unpack there Ton, so please, for the love of everything holy, just go to bed.”

“Fine. But don’t expect me to wait up for your cheatin ass!”Steve pinched the bridge of his nose as Tony swayed his hips back into his room, “Next time ya see her, get her number for me?”

“Fat chance asshole, I saw her first.” Steve waved off his roommate sticking out his tongue before Tony shut the door, shaking his head and redirecting his focus to the task at hand.

It was going to be a long morning.

Saturday, 1 PM

“RISE AND SHINE YOU BEAUTIFUL MESS!”

You groaned, rubbing the sleep from your eyes as you sat up in the living room. How had you fallen asleep on the couch? And when did you fall asleep on the couch? You reached for the outstretched coffee cup Sam handed you, the hot green tea sloshing in its container as you brought it to your mouth. “I see you watched the season finale of QVC. Worth the hype?”

Your middle finger was met with a pained expression, “Oh Y/N, that is obscenely un-ladylike. What would your poor mother think?”

“Well she’s been dead seventeen years Sam, so I imagine not a thing.” You smiled tightlipped at your roommate who shook his head.

“Ya always gotta play the dead mom card?”

“Hmm that depends,” You spoke to the screen in front of you, “You gonna keep wearing too tight tee shirts and pants in a last ditch effort to get a girlfriend?”

“You wound me my lady. You cut me so deep just now.”

“Whatever, don’t you have work?” Your eyebrow raised when he shook his head.

“Nah foreman gave us the weekend off since we’re ahead of schedule. Don’t you got the kids today? Or the Owl?”

“Nope I don’t got either til Monday. I’m taking the kids to the Zoo when they get back from their family reunion.” You chuckled into your cup, “I’ve actually missed the little fuckers.”

“Well you have been their nanny for the last three years. What’re ya gonna do when they’re grown?”

“Sidney isn’t even in middle school yet Sam cut me a break. I got another four years, easy.”

 “Well what should we do with our new free time?”

“How about we go to the park? Grab some lunch, enjoy the sunshine. Tonight we can binge Golden Girls and drink way too much wine and order take out? My treat?” Sam seemed to ponder for a minute before nodding,

“For once you actually know what you want so who am I to say no?” You threw a pillow at him from the couch which he dodged with ease.

“Gotta be faster than…”

The second pillow didn’t miss as you squealed and ran to your room to get ready.

~~Meanwhile in 7-D~~

“No…too corny…no….not corny enough…”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, a pile of sticky notes in a crumbled heap next to his desk. Writing a simple thank you note to your neighbor shouldn’t be this hard. It wouldn’t be, if you hadn’t been so incredibly attractive that he forgot to human. He never even introduced himself! He didn’t even ask your name! Tony said to cut himself some slack because it had been so early but Steve’s ma would hang him out to dry if she knew he had been knocking on some beautiful woman’s door at 3am.

He needed a nap.

The cake was baked and already frosted, sitting pretty ready for the big night tonight. He had used some of the sugar to make a nice coffee butter cream to ice the dark chocolate cake. Steve was super thankful you had given him the whole bag, or else Bucky would have gotten an unfrosted, sad cake. That would have definitely demoted him from “Best friend status”.

As if on cue his phone vibrated with a text message from his now a year older friend in a group chat for tonight.

Get some sleep old man, we got a long night tonight. –B

Yea yea I’m goin, sucks I have to sleep during this beautiful day though –S

This weather is freaking weird. Nearly sixty in MARCH? –B

Yea and global warming isn’t real. >.> –T

On that note I’m passing out, still on for 7?-S

Yep-B

Correct, sleep well boo thang! See you soon! Have sweet dreams of me! XoXo-T

How can I when you’re a living nightmare?-S

Steve rubbed his eyes, slapping his last written sticky note on the new bag of sugar before going to his room and passing out for a few hours.

Saturday, 6:30 PM

You and Sam had a lovely time walking central park, stopping at your favorite pizza place for lunch and just spending time catching up. You’ve been best friends since high school, and with both of you being on such odd hours most days it had become pretty difficult to enjoy the moments in between. The two of you were laughing your asses off as you made your way to your door, six bottles of wine swinging in bags at your sides.

Tonight was going to be exactly what you both needed.

Sam looked down when you nearly tripped over a block on something outside your door, “What the hell?”

You lowered yours to the floor, where a new bag of sugar sat, along with an attached sticky note. Thanks again for the sugar, Sugar.  The cake is sure to be a big hit. -Steve

You beamed as Sam reached down to pick it off the floor. “Looks like 7-D has got a sweet spot for you.”

“Oh Sam shaddup.” You groaned, shutting the door behind him. “He’s just being nice.”

“Yea sure, you gonna ask mister Sweet tooth out?”

“We both know I never will Sam, I’m too nervous about that kind of thing.” A defeated sigh left you as you sat back down on the couch and began setting up for the evening, “’sides, I think he’s batting for the same team. A very handsome man was waiting for him this morning.”

“Oh honey I’m sorry but there is a chance he’s like a screen door in a hurricane?” You tilted your head in confusion when he grinned, “Swings both ways? He assumed we were dating, so why should you assume they are?”

“Because they’d be the cutest couple in the whole damn building?” You laughed bitterly, setting the remote down on the table while the opening credits started playing. “Now will you call out for Thai already? All the wine shopping made me a starving Marvin.”

“You got it dude!” Sam agreed, hopping over the couch with a loud “WOOHOO” and landing next to you, picking up one of the many take out menus on the coffee table. “Usual spot or we looking to be adventurous this evening?”

“I so don’t have the strength for new tonight Sam, you know what I like.”

Sam saluted you before pulling out his phone, you turning down the volume as he ordered food.

Yea, exactly what you needed.

Sunday, 3 AM

“Sam….Sammy….” You whined, holding the broken corkscrew in a tipsy sadness. This was my favorite wine opener.

“Aww man, that was my favorite wine opener!” Sam echoed your thoughts, both of you giving your old friend a moment of silence before you ceremoniously dropped it into the trashcan.

“Our only wine opener.” You said with a sigh. Sam followed suit.

“What now? We still have two bottles to go through!”

Your eyes widened at your bright idea, rushing for the door as fast as your wine-soaked body could carry you and throwing the door open. You winced at the loud creak, hoping one day you’d remember to WD-40 the hinges. Your smile dropped when no one answered the door across the hall, turning back to Sam with a disappointed shrug. “No one home. I guess we’ll have to quit while we’re ahead.”

“That’s quittin talk!” Sam slurred, using the doorframe as a post, drifting off into thought as to how you could obtain a new corkscrew at this hour.

That’s when you heard it. An obnoxious laugh flooding the hall from the elevator, followed by loud, fumbling footsteps and a lot of cuss words.

“Jesus…Bucky…You’re such a damn lightweight anymore…What…what happened to you?” You recognized the brunette from earlier this morning, the blond god helping him hold up a dark haired man as they made their way towards their door. “Oh great and now the hot girl in 3-C is standing outside our door and we look like shit. Thanks Barnes.”

You took in their scraped and slightly bloodied appearance with a shocked expression, Sam wrinkling his nose at the smell of blood. “You guys look terrible. Rough night?”

The other half of 7-D winced when you stared at him, “We’ve been in worse scraps than this. But yeah, wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.” He gave you a soft, split lip smile. “What can I do for you beautiful?”

Your face burned up at the compliment, although you were positive the wine wasn’t helping matters. “Do….dddo you have a corkscrew? Ours broke.” You stammered, and followed it with a “What happened to you three?”

“Oh you know how birthdays parties and booze go.” Steve gave massive side eye to the man in the middle, “Someone didn’t want to share his cake I made him, sadly the rest is history.”

The drunk man in question had the good sense to look somewhat guilty as he sloppily threw his head up to look at the man, “JAMES DOESN’T SHARE FOOD!” He affirmed in a loud voice before dragging his gaze to you, his eyes widening in surprise. “Damn you…you weren’kidding Steve….she IS a babe.” The man attempted to wink at you with a black eye, you shaking your head at the absurdity of it all. “My….my name’s James but everyonecallsme Bucky. But you….you can callmewhatever you want sweets….”

“Alright Pal, let’s get your dumbass inside.” Steve gritted out with a clenched jaw as you darted out of the way. “And we got a couple corkscrews, so you can borrow one, no problem.”

“I got a screw she can have…” Tony muttered, barely missing 7-D’s free arm, letting go of Barnes in the process. He landed face first on the floor with a wham.

”YoU….YOu…ASShole!” Bucky spat angrily into the floor, trying in vain to pick himself up, “What…whatthefuck did I EVER do to you?!”

Tony scoffed, “Please, you want the short list or the long list?”

Laughter bubbled out of you and Sam while the blond quickly went into the kitchen and dug through drawers. He was back in a flash, holding out a wine opener that looked…

“That’s the same one we had!” You laughed, taking it from him while running your fingers over his as he released it with a small shudder. “You’re a life saver Steve!”

“I do what I can,” He replied with a chuckle.

“Hereally is a… lifesaver sweet thang.” Bucky said and you looked down to see he had managed to roll himself over in his inebriated state, staring at the two of you with a dreamy expression, “You two….wouldmakegreatlooking babies.”

“And I think that’s our cue.” Sam said with a tight lipped smile. “Thanks again dude, we’ll get this back to you ASAP.” You didn’t hold back your disappointment when the blond nodded.

“Take your time, and don’t mention it.” He looked at you, blue eyes making you want to drown in them, “Have a good night 3-C.”

“You…you too Steve.” You managed to get out before being dragged out of the doorway by your roommate. You stared at him when he shut the door and threw the lock, walking over to the unopened bottle with newfound purpose. “What the hell was that about?” You jumped slightly when the door across the hall slammed shut.

“They were making me nervous Y/N, I don’t like the way they all talked to you.”

“Steve isn’t like the others Sam, you need to stop being so overprotective.”

“That Bucky dude was one sentence away from getting a second black eye.”

“You’re a big baby. Now get to pouring that wine! I gotta see what Dorothy was going to say to Blanche!”

“Yes ma’am.” Sam rolled his eyes before uncorking the bottle. “Anything else ma’am?”

You had already hit resume on the t.v, grabbing a handful of stale popcorn and throwing most of it in your mouth, making a face at the pieces that fell to the floor. You wasted no time snatching the glass from him before the two of you sat on the couch, continuing your binge.

~~Meanwhile~~

“You NEED to ask her out Stevie!” Tony whined, holding the ice pack to his head. Steve shook his head, throwing Bucky a bag of frozen peas. Which he didn’t catch. Steve should have figured as much.

“I don’t NEED to do anything Tony. So shaddup already.” He warned, Bucky cocking his head in confusion.

“Why not? You said she ain’t dating her roomie right?”

“Doesn’t mean she ain’t seeing anyone else.” He admonished, getting really tired of his friends poking their noses into his personal life. Again

“What do you have to lose if she is? She’s insanely hot dude, at least get on a first name basis with her!”

He still hadn’t gotten your name. Shit.

“Alright mister Casanova, and just how do you suggest I do that?”

“Go ask to borrow something.” Bucky suggested, a little more sober than he had been a couple hours ago. Which wasn’t much, but any progress is progress.

Steve pulled a face, “You’re an idiot.”

“But I’m your idiot.” He smiled brightly, standing to stretch and accidentally knocking off the hideous “Better latte than never” coffee mug Steve had been too nice to throw away. He had gotten it as a gift, the eyesore coming from a female patient whose life he had saved a couple years ago. It was a nice thought, but the bright green and hot pink polka dots weren’t really his thing. “Oh no! Whatever shall we do!”

“You dick!” Tony glared, pointing to the shards of ceramic that littered the cheap hardwood floors, “We haven’t bought a new dustpan yet!”

Bucky tapped his temple, pointing to the door. “Looks like you’ll have to ask the hot neighbor.”

Steve checked his phone. 4:30 AM “No way, it’s too fucking early.”

“They still might be up.” Bucky shrugged, padding his way to the door and opening it with a dramatic flourish. He cupped his ear, leaning into the hallway. Steve heard your giggle fit from the other side of the hall, small smile creeping its way over his lips. How Fortuitous. “Could I be anymore right?”

“Alright you win this round.” Steve wiped his face with his arm, careful to avoid his split lip as he walked into the hall, but not before hip checking Bucky. “Jesus I hope she doesn’t think I’m a creep.”

He lightly knocked, hearing a small yelp on the other side followed by a gruff “I swear if it’s 7-D again I’m gonna…”

“Lay off him Sam, he’s hot and has been nothing but sweet. You rather it be the bitchy land…”

Steve jumped back when you pulled the door open, having a bit of difficulty with the new amount of wine you’ve consumed and hanging onto it as the SQQQQUUUUUEAAAK made you wince. You really needed to get that fixed. “Steve, hi…your ears burning? We were just talking about you!”

Apparently you couldn’t whisper when you were drunk. Steve found it adorable.

“No I uh, didn’t hear a thing. I got a weird question.”

“I got a weird answer.” You deadpanned, right before erupting into a fit of giggles. “Shoot”

“You got a dustpan? Bucky broke a mug and we haven’t had a chance to get a new one since the stove incident a few months back.”

You stared at him, eyes wide. “How do you leave a dustpan on a stove?”

“Hangover Breakfast.”

“Ah. Say no more. You wanna step in for a sec?”

“Uh yea, sure.” Steve stepped into your space and immediately felt like he was home. All of the décor on the walls, the perfectly coordinated knick knacks. Hell even your curtains matched.  It was an elegant take on pastels and spring themes. A lovely antique bird cage with flowers hung in the window. Stunning shades of blues and purples covered the furniture and windows, offsetting the gray colors of the couch, chair and tables. “Your space is amazing.”

“Thanks, it’s all Y/N and her HGTV obsession. Thankfully it’s all seasonal.” Sam laughed, emptying his glass. “You want a glass of wine while you wait? She usually doesn’t take long but we’ve had quite a bit to drink and right now I’d bet money she forgot which closet it’s in. We only have the one but her drunk brain sucks ass.” As if on cue the two men twisted their heads at the sound of you clamoring through the small closet.

“Nah I’ll pass. I’ve had more than enough for tonight. Thanks though.”

“I FOUND IT!” You emerged from the depths of Narnia, hair a mess and shirt rumpled holding a bright pink dustpan. The guys won’t him live that down, he could already hear them now. As if reading his thoughts you offered an apologetic smile, “Sorry bout the color.”

“It’s fine, you’re an absolute angel. Thank you.”

“Hey anytime, you’re quitelovelytolookat.” You got out in one long breath, eyes wide as you hoped he didn’t catch all of that. Wine made your sober thoughts flow out of your mouth a lot easier, which was always embarrassing.

“You’re quite attractive too Y/N.” Your eyes remained wide as you stared in panic.

“How did you…”

“Easy there no need to freak out, I’m not a stalker.” Steve chuckled, throwing his now dustpan clad hands in defense. “Sam told me. Like two minutes ago.” You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, Sam rolling his eyes. This was so cute he wanted to puke. “Well I should get back to the guys before they figure out a way to burn the building down.”

“Right…” You gave a half smile, careful to get a good eyeful of his perfect ass as he left. The door shut with a loud creak. “He’s really cute Sam.” Sam made a face when his door slammed.

“Then do what NORMAL people do and, “He gripped your shoulders, giggles falling out of you as he gently shook you with every word, “Ask. Him out!”

“I barely know him Sam.”

“That what dates are for. Although with your track record you might as well just ask to borrow something after an hour. “

And with Sam’s brilliant idea lodged in your head you decided to do just that.

5:30 AM

Crreeeeeak

Your slightly less than sober self tiptoed into the hall, attempting to listen to the guys arguing over movies before knocking on the door. Steve answered the door in record time.

“Whatcha need Sweetheart?”

“You got any extra bags of popcorn? We’re out.”

“Sure thing, hang on.” You accepted the bags gratefully. “Anything else?”

“Favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“Blue….ok bye!”

“Bye”

Slam

Creeeeeeeak

6:30 AM

Slam

Knock

Your turn to open the door with a Creeeeeak

“Yes?”

“You got an iron?” Steve asked sheepishly, Tony, being slightly annoyed at the interruption of movie time poked his head into the hall.

“Why do you need an Iron? We have an Iron! I’m the Iron Man in this apartment!”

“She might have one not covered in cheese grease.” Steve said pointedly, Bucky looking guilty from opposite of Tony.

“That happened one time months ago! I bet it still works fine!” You gave the men a sympathetic glance.

Steve looked pleadingly at you. “Please.” You nodded, walking past a slightly irked and sleepy Sam to dig through the closet, returning promptly with an iron. “Thanks Doll, what’s your favorite movie?”

“Casablanca. You?”

“Pride and prejudice…” Your heart melted for .5 seconds before he quickly added “And Zombies.”

“Gotcha. Well, have a good morning. “

“Yea you too Y/N.”

Creeeeaaaak

Slam

7:30 AM

Creeeeeak

Knock Knock

Steve rubbed at his eyes before perking up at the sight of you in pjs, sleepy look on your own face as well.

“I don’t suppose you’ve got a blowtorch around here?” You asked casually.

Steve looked stunned. “Uh….One, should I be concerned for Sam’s well being?” You quickly shook your head. “Alright…Two, why do you need a blowtorch?”

“Crème Brulee” You laughed at his reaction, his eyebrows so far into his hairline they almost got lost into his hair. An exaggeration on your part but it was still definitely a sight. “Relax, I’m mostly sober. Just hungry.”

“There is no way your custard could have set by now.”

He noticed how you looked impressed before shrugging as if it were nothing, “It has when you own a blast chiller. Being employed by two world renowned chefs has its perks.”

“I guess. Hang on.” You managed to catch a glimpse of Tony and Bucky partially glaring at you from the living room.

“I’m not keeping you guys up am I?”

“Only meant to go to bed four hours ago.” Tony snapped before grinning, “But if you come in and cuddle with me til I fall asleep I’ll consider us even.” He winked and you felt slightly self conscious for standing in a doorway in a tank top and shorts.  

“Tony, go to bed. No one is keeping you out here.” Steve tossed across his shoulder before handing you the handheld heat device. “One blowtorch. “

“Thanks Steve. Want me to bring you some?” You asked innocently, cradling the blowtorch like a newborn. Bucky cleared his throat. “I think Tony and I deserve some for putting up with you two all night.” You gave a deep sigh before nodding slowly.

“Done. I did plan on bringing you some anyway, for being so nice to me. And like a belated birthday present.” Bucky’s eyes almost bulged out of his head, whipping it over to Steve at such a speed you thought it would pop off and get carried out of the window.

“If you don’t marry her I call dibs.” You held up a finger before heading back to your apartment, the door being left open for the simple fact that Sam had threatened to smother you. His hangover was coming in hot, and he was always so cranky when he had one. You put the finishing touches on the small ramekins, using the blowtorch with skilled hands. The parents of the kids you sat most of the week had taught you a thing or two after all. You carefully set them on a tray and along with a French press of fresh coffee, bridged the gap between your two doors once more.

You set the tray down on the coffee table in front of three sets of hungry eyes. “I hope you like it!” You said cheerfully, taking a minute to soak in the childlike wonder that graced the three men’s faces. They took no time digging into the confection, Bucky and Tony making nearly identical moans at their first spoonful.

“I take back all the bad things I was thinking about you.” Tony got out before moaning again, “This stuff should be illegal.” You shook your head, slowly backtracking through the door.

“I’m glad, but I should be trying to sleep now. I hope you all have a goodnight…I mean morning.” You rushed back to your apartment with a loud crrreeeeeaaaak.

“She’s perfect.” Steve gushed after nearly inhaling his dessert.

“If only you had remembered to ask her out.” Tony muffled out, going to town on licking the inside of the small bowl as if there were any stray pieces of burnt sugar remaining. “Now it looks like I’m going to have to. Really have to twist my arm.”

Steve looked at your closed door in disappointment. “Shit.”

8:00 AM

Slam

Steve raised his hand, waiting a moment to knock. He’d been an annoying asshole all night to his roommates, not to mention yours. He should just call it a night but he desperately needed to ask you out before he lost his nerve. And before Tony had a chance to. He lightly rapped on the door, holding his breath while the door creaked open. But you didn’t answer.

One extremely pissed off and extremely hungover Sam Wilson did.

“Someone better be dying 7-D.”

“Oh uh no…sorry I was uh…” Steve trailed off, looking for a way to cover his ass from the obvious wrath coming his way. “Spit it out I don’t have all day.” Sam warned, tapping his foot impatiently.

“DoyouhaveablenderIcouldborrow?” Steve shot out, the mumbled jumbled mess making Sam quirk a brow, crossing his arms.

“Come again?”

“Sorry, “ Steve cleared his throat before starting again, “Do you have a blender I can borrow? For Bloody Marys? The guys are gonna have a wicked hangover and I thought I’d be nice and make them when they wake up.”

“A blender seems like the exact opposite of what they need with a hangover  but what the hell. If it gets you out of my hair.“ Sam sighed, rubbing his eyes, “Hang on.” It took Sam ten seconds to retrieve the contraption and all of its matching parts. Steve would have been impressed, if he hadn’t felt so bad.

“One blender. Now let me die in peace.”

“Thanks…?” “Sam. Sam Wilson.”

“Sam.” Steve tried the name on for size with a wide smile. “Nice name.”

“Don’t push your luck Steve, Y/N may have fallen for that pretty boy crap but I sure as shit won’t.”

“I don’t suppose you two will want a Bloody Mary later?”

The door was already closing, Sam speaking into the shrinking crack with indifference. “Not unless it’s made out of sleep. Goodnight 7-D”

Steve thought his was the only door in the hallway that could slam.

Sunday, 3PM

“Y/N we need more toilet paper!” Sam called from the closet next to the bathroom, you hastily scribbling the words down on a post it note before grabbing your keys.

“I’m on it! If you think of anything else, text me!” You rushed out the door, not noticing you had forgotten to grab your apartment keys on the counter. You always carried two separate key rings, in the highly likely scenario of someone trying to mug you. Sam looked at them, wheels beginning to turn.

~~In 7-D~~

“I’m going out to get some celery!” Steve called, grabbing his keys and slipping on some worn sneakers, “If you need anything just message me!” Slam

“Today’s the day I change the locks.” Tony said confidently, retreating to his room briefly to grab the new set. He had been waiting for both of them to be home, but with the way Steve had been with Y/N all night he had a score to settle. Groaning at the sound of the trash man outside he pressed the once frozen bag of carrots to his head, walking out and past a comatose Bucky on the couch. Tony glared. Asshole can sleep through anything.

He was counting on it.

4:15pm

You were extremely concerned when you reached the apartment building and realized you forgotten your keys, temporary panic set in before you remembered two things.

One, Sam was still home.

And two, he was a light sleeper.

You practically sprinted down the hall, paying no mind to the tall blond that was slapped against his own door in defeat, random items along either side of the doorway. As you neared your own door you noticed a small pile of items had migrated outside as well, a bright orange sticky note attached to the oak door.

“They’ve locked us out.” Steve said with a groan, bag holding celery and coffee hitting the ground with an unimpressed thud. “They’re punishing us for this morning.”

“No way!” You bit out, knocking on the door angrily, “Wilma! Open this retched door if you ever want to take a shit again!” You looked down at the ground, finally acknowledging the objects. “What the hell is all of this?”

“It the things we borrowed from each other last night.” Came the blonde’s response, you recognizing the bright pink dust pan, French press, and Iron. Among other things he had asked for in the early hours.

“When did you borrow my blender?” You asked pointedly, noticing how Steve’s face turned a slight pink.

“This morning. I got Sam.” You mouth made a perfect O shape, taking the sticky note off the door. What he said-Sam

“This note makes no sense.” You whispered, scratching the crown of your head, looking up to Steve to see his blush deepen. “What’s this about?”

“Uh….here.” He handed you his own crumpled up note.

You can come in when you’ve grown a pair and asked her out –Tony

“Oh.” You stared at the note, shifting your weight from foot to foot while your hallway partner studied your face as if it was the first time meeting you. He jumped in surprise when you looked up again at him with a beaming smile, “Well how about lunch?”

“You’re not hungover?” He asked curiously, you scoffed.

“Please, I’m no rookie.”

“Lunch sounds great Y/N,” Steve beamed his own mega watt smile your way and held out his arm, “You ever been to Kay’s?”

“I looove Kay’s!” You gushed, grabbing his hand and dragging him down the hall, but not before yelling loudly. “IT’S A DATE! NOW YOU GUYS CAN PUT OUR STUFF BACK!”

The three men were happy to do it, thankful for some more peace and quiet. Even if only temporarily.

Six Months Later, 3 AM

Crreeeeaaaak

“God damnit.”

Your eyes shot open to the sound of your apartment door opening, waiting for the infernal door to scream in protest before it was shut. But that never came. Instead the sound of power tools and more cussing filled the air for a few moments before the sound of rattling metal and plastic containers flooded your ears. Curious, you threw on some slippers and opened your door, walking into the living room.

Your heart fluttered at the sight of Steve Rogers replacing your door hinges.

“Good morning handsome.” You called, walking up behind him and wrapping your arms around his solid middle, “You’re busy this morning. Long shift?”

“Nothing major, “ Steve moved so his arm came to rest around your side, “figured it was time we got this fixed. Especially since I live here now.”

“My hero,” You snarked, “whatever would I do without you?”

He snickered, “Probably kill Sam by now.”

“Yup.” You grinned when he let out a loud bark of laughter, “And now it’s just another thing you can hold over him when you see him and Tony this afternoon for brunch.”

“Copy that. Their apartment or ours this time?”He questioned, itching to get his hands on you.

“Theirs. So we have plenty of tim..”  He gripped you tight and cut you off with a kiss, you responding immediately. Steve sighed and picked you up effortlessly while you wrapped your legs around him. He pushed the door shut and tossed the lock over with ease, walking both of you back to your room.

Both doors closed with a soft click.

The end.

Tagging: @kaytizzle @giggleberts @cuffski @pies-wands-and-more

[off-in-the-moors]

TRC rewrite: Never to be finished scene

Part 3 of my K analyses is slowly eating me out, not in the “Oh, I can’t deal with this~“ but more writing block. While looking through material, I found this scene to the rewrite stuff I was doing. Like “You’ll be fine“, this was a removed scene I was writing for fun. It’s noting big but it plays with character dynamics.

Context: It’s somewhat beginning of TDT and the gang (minus Blue) is trying to figure-out something about the Cabeswater problem, until someone is mentioned.

Ronan loved the idea of summer vacations. To stay all night and watch the stars, to races until the engine over heats, to live, to burn, to finally be. Not school to bug him, no Declan to nag him. Just him and his dreams.

But the last thing he wanted, was to stay late into the night and think about the Cabeswater problem.

They sat around their crooked table, covered in the chaotic mess of Gansey's research and plans. Crinkled maps and strings tied and knotted into a web of secrets yet to uncover, crumbling books and tapes holding up their whole world. Gansey's world. Everything was connected and yet, nothing was.

Lighted only by the few small lamps they had moved from their rooms, the only non-artificial glow in the Manufacturing, they seem almost ancient but real. Too real for Ronan’s taste.

Above the scratched wooden surface, Gansey in his old-man's pajamas, tried to draw on the map of Henrietta a straight line for the fourth time. One and erase, two and erase. His fingers banged on the table between each try, just to do something productive.

Ronan's eyes followed the previous attempts, now faint on pale colors from erasing, trying to understand Gansey's thinking. He slouched down in his chair, burying his head and arms inside his oversized sleep-hoodie. He looked up at Gansey, tired and barely standing from lack of sleep.

One more attempt. A smile spread on his friend's face.

- Here. - he finally said, he's voice almost a whisper.

They could talk louder but didn't. Any louder and Gansey's splitting headache would return.

- If my calculations are right- - They probably aren't. - Ronan cut in, leaning back in his chair. He felt Chainsaw moving in his hood. - The main line goes through here. - he continued like he didn't hear anything. - So we need more. - More what? - Power.

Ronan rolled his eyes.

- It has power. - he grunted. -  It flows like it should. - But the forest is in half. Literal half. Not enough to be whole. - And how you want to get more from already awaken line? - By fixing it. Fixing the flow. - How?

Gansey blinked. He looked around for something and finally found Adam walking through the room with a mug.

- Adam? - Call Blue. - he walked pass them. - Adam.

He stopped and sighed.

He put down his mug on a cupboard, their drinking station, and when back to them.

It was Saturday night, the eve of Adam Parrish's freedom day. Still in his dirty jumpsuit, half-open and tied around his waist, and his wash-out red shirt, there was the rare relaxation in his posture. Tomorrow, he'll sit in his room and finish one of his borrowed books, or disappear in the morning and return for dinner.

But it was still today.

He pulled himself a chair and sat down. Crossing his arms on his chest, he tilted his head back, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

No one made any sound, only the distend clock made its quiet ticks.

His body was motionless, frozen in place, with only his chest rising and falling.

Ronan could feel the unease in the air, he moved his eyes from Adam to Gansey.

Dick watched Adam carefully, rolling pencil in his hands, he was as worried as Ronan. Neither of them liked the idea of Adam and Cabeswater being connected in anyway. They didn't know what the forest was and how Glendower fit into it, but it was the only chance they had to find him.

Ronan glanced back at Adam, feeling anxiety building up inside him, slowly over flowing. He breath in, weeks old dust and used books, blooming mint plants and dried coffee stains. All familiar, all safe. But under it, leaking into the room, was something making his heartbeat dangerously pick up. The smell of fresh moss, evergreens and oaks, mushrooms hidden under mulch. The living and the decaying.

He felt Chainsaw climbed up and cuddling into his neck. He gently stroked her beak, shushing her and himself.

Suddenly, Adam's face twisted. Violently straight up in his sit, he opened his eyes and covered his left ear.

- Okay, okay. - he massaged his deaf ear. - That's enough. Thank you. Thank you. I'll tell them. Thank you, now hush.

Chainsaw cawed, moving even closer to Ronan's neck. He covered her with his hand. "Shh" he told her.

- Adam? - Gansey asked, reaching out to him. Adam raised his hand. He stood up, he's legs were shaking, and went to the cupboard. - It's the flow problem mostly, not enough energy to fully manifest. - he turned on the electric kettle. - Correcting it should partly do the trick. - But how to fix it? - We already know this, Parrish. - Ronan rolled his eyes. - Thanks for being late to the party. - I'm only repeating what it, wants to say, I think. - he stressed, massaging his ear again. - Christ, - he muttered. - Nine years of normal life, and now it's full of sleeping welsh men, magic lines and "Dude, my friend is a ghost!". No offence, Noah. - he said to the air.

Noah wasn't there, or he wasn't visible, or he was wondering around Henrietta. It was never sure with him, the only certain thing was: He was here.

- And - Adam continued. He pour some coffee and sugar in the mug. - I'm now a secretary of a talking forest. - Only nine? - Ronan grinned. - You know, - he scratched his cheek, sounding like he didn’t wanted to answer him. - I once believed in Easter Bunny. - Of all things, - he chuckled. - Easter Bunny? - Don't. - he pointed a spoon at him. - Don't tell me you dreamed the Easter Bunny. - Jeez, Parrish, I don't waste my sleep on kid stuff. - Yes, Easter Bunny, - Gansey bugged in. - But did you caught how to fix the line? - Gansey, - Adam said in a tone only a parent would. - Maybe I'll get you on the line with Mr. Waters to talk it over some tea and try to decipher a hive of voices and rustling, I barely understand, yourself? - So, no? - No clue.

The kettle clicked.

Adam pour it into his mug and stir. Without thinking, he stuck his two fingers into a pot of one of the mint plants.

He sighed.

- Gansey, did you water the mints like I asked you?

He paused. Hovering over the maps, he thought for a long bit, just to answer:

- When was it?

Adam shook his head and grabbed a bottle of water.

- Dicky, - Ronan pretended to be offended. - Not even Richard Mentha Gansey IV? How can you treat your son like that? - Ronan. - At least, Sargent Pepper is getting better. - announced Adam. He rubbed a leaf between his finger. - No more sugar for you. - he whispered to it. - So, - Ronan turned to Gansey. - Back to square one? - No, no, we're not. - he protested, grabbing his journal and flipping pages rapidly. - There are still leads we didn't check, like if the type of shells mean anything or the lake- - For fucks sake, Dick, - he grunted. - We have time- - No, we don't. In few days, I'm off to my parent with Adam and you with Blue have your problems. Tomorrow we- - You, Dick, you. - he corrected him. - I'm going to church and to a family dinner. Blue has her family time. Adam- - I'm busy. - Adam admitted. - Adam has "me time". Maybe ask Noah but I'm doubting he wants to spend his time with you in a library. Chill, Glendower is not going anywhere.

Gansey looked him in the eyes, something inside him crashed and couldn't recover. Ronan knew, Glendower was his life work, to find him, to see the magic and mystery. Ever since they knew each other, he never cared about the wish, he wanted to know, why he survived.

He sat down and laid his head on his arms, sighing. Tired and defeated. His King was crumbling before his eyes.

Maybe... he could just dream him a new one?

- There is something else. - Adam interrupted them. - But I don't understand it. - What? - Gansey asked, looking up and grinning like a idiot. - Cabeswater was repeating something. - he continued. - But I don’t... It sounded something like... Ag draenáil? - Ag what? - Draining. - said Ronan. They both looked at him. - It's Irish. - And "se" or "ef". - HE. - Ronan and Gansey shot at once. - So, somebody is draining the power.

Adam and Gansey looked at Ronan. Chainsaw cawed, backing up in the hood.

- I don't know. - he moved his head to the sides. - Maybe. Who knows? It would make some sense, I'm sure it isn't coming from nowhere, but even if, I haven't dream anything in few days. - Ronan. - Adam's voice was flat but yet demanding. - I swear. - Lynch. - The last thing I dreamed was a made up Blink-182 album for Noah. - You never listen to them. - Gansey reminded him. - How did it turn out? - Well, it was a weird mash-up of Twenty One Pilots and Maroon 5. - Dear Lord. - he groan. - It wasn't that bad. - That's all? - Adam pushed. - Mostly yes.

He didn't want to talk about the nightmares, nor the car keys, or the dead bugs and papers. Patches of asphalt between moss and the feeling of burning. Of wanting to burn...

- So, it's not you. Mostly.

Gansey slapped his hands on the table. He and Adam flinched.

- He. - he pointed at a box, standing next to the front door.

Ronan swallowed. The box was full of fake IDs, leather bracelets and campaign badges announcing "They can't lick our Dick" and "We like Dick". Perfect forgeries. They weren't for him, well not in that sense, it was a warning for Gansey. Or rather a reminder, that he only understood a fraction of him and dreaming.

- Kavinsky? - Ronan asked like he didn't know. - And who else? He surely knows his stupid parties are effecting my- our quest. - he corrected himself. - He's doing everything to spite me. - He likes your reactions. - he tried not to smile. - He is a... - he bite his tongue. - Arrogant, doofus, thinking he's the King of Henrietta, like life is just a music video. The next thing I know, he'll be selling his stupid drugs to the police officers- - Gansey, - Adam scolded him flatly. Not even turning to face them, he continued. - Stop talking about Joseph, like he's the devil incarnated. The worst he does, is his parties. All he talks about is cars and races, races and cars, cocktails and surprisingly, classical literature. - he paused. - But anyways, he's not interested in Glendower, I would even argue, he doesn't even know who Owain Glyndŵr is.

Both Ronan and Gansey stayed silent, as their friend drank his coffee.

- You know Kavinsky? - Ronan shot. Something wasn't right. - Know him?

Adam turned to them, slowly sipping his drink. He looked tired, it wasn't something new but Ronan could swear there was something else in his gaze.

- Yes. - You're joking, - Gansey chuckled but smile quickly disappeared. - Right? - How? - Ronan couldn't comprehend it. - Didn't saw you and him be buddy-buddy at school- - Nor you. - Adam rolled his eyes. - Or you're not saying something, Parrish. - Ronan. - Gansey warned him.

Their eyes meet, blue and grey. The boiling water and the rain-clouds. Ronan didn't know why he was getting angry, there was nothing to get angry about. He felt Chainsaw pulling on his collar, trying to distracted him.

- If you’re so... curious, he always comes to the garage at the end of my shift. - he was calm. - His Mitsubishi beat up or missing some parts. Or just wanting to talk. - he shrugged, tacking a sip. - Quite an asshole. I get why you like him. - I don't! - Ronan. - Gansey whimpered, covering his head with his hands. - Please, don't yell. - Anyways, - Adam continued, unbothered. - He's fine. What, Lynch? Surprised, I know people?

He couldn't articulate his thought, they were racing each other.

A blur.

- Not him. Anyone, but him. He's dangerous and fucking reckless, Parrish, what if he gets you in trouble at school? You can already wave your scholarship bye-bye. Or shit, with police? You'll be weight-off all your jobs, have to sell Noah's Mustang to pay off everything and than get kick out of Aglionby. You can't be friends with him!

Adam flinched a bit but remained calm. He raised an eyebrow, glaring at him.

- What a hypocrite. - he slammed the mug down. Gansey groaned even louder. - Listen, Lynch. Let me decide, who I'm friends with. I know, what I'm doing, I know the risk. - But- - But what? - he cut in. - Pissed that Joseph isn't just yours little secret?

Ronan didn't response. Squeezing the table's edge, his knuckles when pale, he could barely sit in place. Chainsaw buried herself into his neck, cawing softly she was doing her best to keep him calm.

He hated that Adam's face didn't change, they could as well be talking about the weather with his melancholic expression. Understand, understand, he didn't understand a thing.

- You won't answer me? - Adam asked, tilting his head. - Fine. - he shrugged, crossing his arms. - As you wish. Don't worry, I won't replace you. - Oh, I don't fucking care! - he exploited, storming out of his sit. He stopped in front of Adam. - It isn't about me! I don't want him near you!

Adam flinched at his outburst. Angered flashed on his face.

- Is that so? - his voice was shaky, but he kept going. - Or do you don't want me near him? - Either way is fine! - Why does it matter? - Because your life matters!

Silence.

They all looked at each other, the unspoken words hanging between them.

Adam opened his mouth but quickly closed it, his eyes glossy. He sighed.

- You also matter.

They all jumped.

Noah appeared on the counter next to Adam, his face serious.

- And he. - he added, looking straight at Ronan. - Don't ever say otherwise.

Before Ronan could say anything, Adam grabbed his mug and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Silence.

Ronan cursed Niall in his mind. He and Gansey traded helpless stares. Gansey rapidly stood up and announced:

- I'm gonna talk with him. - Gansey. - Noah wanted to say more, but Gansey cut in, already halfway up the stairs. - I'm gonna talk with him. - Fine, but after that, go to sleep. - seeing Gansey wanting to say something, he added. - You had only four hours. - again. - I counted, with naps.

He just nodded and tripped over last steps.

When they heard him entering Adam's room, Noah turned to Ronan.

- Ronan, - he started. - What?!

He shook his head, slipping down with a strangely fluent motion. Ronan often forgot he was a ghost and even more that he was older than them. Now, it was almost like the time caught up to him, he looked and moved more mature, reminding him of his brother. He grabbed his arm, cold fingers biting him even through the sleeve, and sat him in a chair. He moved one for himself and sat in front of him.

- I know what's going on. - he said. - You know shit. - Really? - he snickered. - Ronan, I'm always here, I see and hear everything. I'm trying, trying not to be nosy, to let you guys live your lives as you wish. But, you hormonal dumb-asses. Just wow. Between Gansey's embracing handling of his crush on Blue and your "friendship" with Kavinsky...

Chainsaw picked up and flew through him. Cawing, she made few circles around the room, before she returned to Ronan, sitting on his lap. She puffed up her feathers.

- Tawsheh. - she cawed. - Olk.

"Taibhse olc" Ronan corrected her in his mind.

- Níl taibhse olc. - he scolded her. - Dona. Tá Noah cara.

She made a sad caw. Ronan patted her but still angry, at her and himself.

Noah looked faded, a mist in the air. Broken bones and blooded sweater and messy hair. His expression didn’t exist, like he didn’t exist.

Ronan scolded himself for thinking that. Noah was here. Czerny was real.

He went back to normal. Same kind and tired face.

- Adam's right. - he said. - About what? - But you're also right. - he finished. - Both of you just can't see the other side. Don't you think, him and Adam can be friends without, - he moved his hands close to his head and made "boom" motion.

He didn't answered, patting Chainsaw's back, he knew it wasn't all.

- I don't want Kavinsky to harm him. - he finally said. - Do you believe he can? - No, - he felt offended. - Adam wouldn't fucking let him.

Noah nodded.

- But still, what's the problem?

He didn't say anything.

- Because you like Kavinsky. - it sounded like a question but wasn't. - Because Joe understands. - he stood up, putting Chainsaw on the chair. He started wandering around the room, with the little raven hopping after him. - He gets the dreaming. He gets how I feel. He knows me.

Kavinsky knew him.

Not Niall, but Ronan.

- Didn't you think he might "get" Adam?

He didn't.

- Like what?

He knew the answer.

He looked back at Noah, he wasn't in the chair.

- Go talk with him.

He was on the stairs, faded and smudged.

- Noah? - I... just need time. - he sounded like echo. - Don't worry.

A shadow of a smile appeared on his blurry face.

***

- ... but it sucks, because it's gone and even museums started hunting them for display. Museums, Adam! Museums!

They were sitting on a bed. Gansey was leaning on Adam, head resting on the boy's shoulder, eyes fighting to stay open. Adam wrapped his arm around his sleepy friend, nodding to every word he said, his own eyes puffy and reddish. Ronan looked at them, feeling something he didn't in long time. He felt at home.

- What's he mumbling about? - he asked, leaning on the door-frame. - The Great Auk. - Adam answered, not looking at him. - They're gone, Ronan. - Gansey yawned. - Gone, the great bird of Scottish islands, of Kilda and Elday. No, - he murmured to himself. - Elday is Iceland's. - he frowned his eyebrows trying to remember something, suddenly he announced: - Pen gwyn. - Falcóg mhór. - Ronan nodded. - "He made no cry. I strangled him.", a cruel end. - Ronan. - Adam scolded him. - This is what one of them said. - he shrugged. - Cruel fate with no future. Gansey, go to sleep. I wanted to talk with Adam.

Gansey rubber his eyes.

- Sure, sure. But first, I said, Great Auk is the original penguin and- - You're going with me to church tomorrow. - he interrupted him. - After dinner, we gonna check whatever you want.

He looked at him, like he just show him a new thing from his dream.

- I'm not... - Matthew likes you. - No connection. - he insisted. - And Declan...

- He doesn’t own the church. You’ll just pretend you for a hour or so.

- I did. - Noah said, his voice hanging behind him. - My mother hated when I did.

Ronan turned his head and saw him in the same state. He moved through him and grabbed Gansey’s hand.

- Come on, - he made him stand up. - They need to talk.

- I never was...

- Gansey, - he pulled him in to the hall. - Tell me more about the gwin.

Ronan closed the door and looked at Adam. Heat rising inside him.

- I'm still standing what I said. - That makes two of us. - he didn’t look at him.

And that’s it.

If someone interested, just ask.

[jdu662]

10 songs that bring back memories of my travels: Jo Frost's playlist

10 songs that bring back memories of my travels: Jo Frost's playlist

© Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Alamy Zorba’s Dance by Mikis Theodorakis

© Photograph: Alamy Cape Verde accordionist Victor Tavares, known as Bitori, on stage with bass player Danilo Tavares.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of family holidays to Greece. These days Zorba’s Dance is undeniably a bit of a cliche, but when I hear that slow bouzouki intro, I’m reminded of my dad, who would put this LP on after drunken dinners and start dancing the sirtaki. I watched Zorba the Greek for the first time during lockdown last year when I came across it in my dad’s DVD collection. I was surprised by how much it affected me, making me pine for Greece – and for my dad, who I realise looked remarkably like Zorba (played by Anthony Quinn).

Vuoi Vuoi Me by Mari Boine

© Provided by The Guardian Sami musician Mari Boine on stage in Norway. Photograph: Gonzales Photo/Alamy

Womad has been the source of so many of my musical introductions: it was there, in 2007, that I first saw Mari Boine – the unofficial ambassador of Sámi music – perform live. It started a fascination with Sámi culture and joik, the distinctive guttural song style of the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. Several years later I was invited to Kautokeino, way up past the Arctic Circle near Boine’s home of Karasjok, for the Sámi Easter festival. It felt like a crash course in all things to do with joik and reindeer, but it also gave me an invaluable insight into Sámi history and the people’s relationship with those who colonised their land. These days the Sámi have their own parliament, flag and national day (6 February).

That’s It! by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band

© Provided by The Guardian Jazz at Preservation Hall, New Orleans. Photograph: Alamy

Like many others, I saw most of my travel plans scuppered last year, including a road trip from Nashville to New Orleans to coincide with the New Orleans jazz fest. The impetus for the trip had largely come about while binge-watching the HBO series Treme. We’d compiled a playlist for our journey through Tennessee and Louisiana, but when it became clear that our dream of visiting venues such as Preservation Hall in New Orleans wasn’t going to happen, we’d play it at home. This track by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band always lifts my spirits, gets me dancing and makes me dead set on rebooking our trip as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Bitori Nha Bibinha by Bitori

The most internationally celebrated artist from Cape Verde is the late Cesária Évora, the doyenne of morna music, steeped in saudade (nostalgia or longing). I could have picked any number of Cesária songs, but when I visited Santiago – largest of the Cape Verde islands – it was funaná that became the soundtrack of my trip, blaring out of the packed alugueres (minibus taxis), market stalls and bars. Funaná was banned by the Portuguese up until 1975 as they feared the songs in Creole were subversive and its frenetic dance rhythms immoral. Septuagenarian accordion player Victor Tavares, AKA Bitori, is the genre’s unlikely star, largely thanks to singer Chando Graciosa who persuaded him to record this in 1997, and to Samy Ben Redjeb of Analog Africa, who rereleased it in 2016.

Train Song by Sakar Khan

One of the most atmospheric festival locations I’ve visited is the Mehrangarh Fort, home of Riff – the Rajasthan International Folk Festival, held each October during the harvest moon in Jodhpur. This colossal red sandstone edifice reverberates with the sound of Rajasthani folk musicians such as Manganiyar legends Lakha Khan and the late Sakar Khan, masters of traditional bowed, stringed instruments the sindhi sarangi and the kamayacha. Riff is a full-on immersive experience and to do it justice, a certain level of stamina is required as concerts start at dawn, carry on through the heat of the day, then continue long into the night. Whenever I hear the rasping sounds of these ancient instruments, I’m instantly transported back to Jodhpur.

St Thomas by Sonny Rollins

© Provided by The Guardian The Jazz a Vienne festival, France. Photograph: Alamy

One of the benefits of studying French and German (in those happy EU days) was being able to spend a year as an English language assistant in a school in Vienne, just south of Lyon. After my stint teaching, I volunteered at Jazz à Vienne, a wonderful two-week jazz festival held in the town’s Roman amphitheatre. I returned every summer during the early 1990s, making lifelong friends and getting a crash course in jazz in the process. Over the years I saw incredible artists, including Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, and Sonny Rollins, who remains one of my favourite sax players. The experience became the foundation for my love of music from around the world and my work today.

The Plateau by Jenny Sturgeon

I’ve always found comfort in walking, and last year it took on even greater importance. So between lockdowns, my partner and I headed up to the Cairngorms to do some hiking. Just before our trip I received Jenny Sturgeon’s musical tribute to Nan Shepherd’s book about the Cairngorms, The Living Mountain. Every hike we embarked on would reveal different landscapes – and every type of weather imaginable. Back in London, listening to Jenny’s album brings back memories of those mountains, especially hearing the bird song on this opening track, as Jenny sings: “Step on step, foot by foot, we walk that’s how we know, through the heather and the mud, the plateau ringing through our blood.”

Count Your Blessings by the Como Mamas

© Provided by The Guardian Porto Covo beach, Alentejo. Photograph: Alamy

One of my European festival highlights in recent years was FMM Sines, held on Portugal’s wild and relatively untouristy Alentejo coast, in the towns of Porto Covo and Sines. A really relaxed, friendly vibe permeated the opening weekend in the seaside resort of Porto Covo, where a mixture audience of locals and travellers congregated in the main square. The Como Mamas, from Mississippi, were unknown to me, but turned out to be a revelation. As the three singers took to the stage, the atmosphere transformed into something resembling a devoted congregation at a gospel gathering. Since then, Count Your Blessings has become a mantra, particularly last year.

Pothole in the Sky by Lisa O’Neill

© Provided by The Guardian Irish musicians at O’Donoghue’s pub, Dublin. Photograph: Hugh Reynolds/Alamy

One of the things I sorely miss during these socially distanced times is those random conversations you strike up with complete strangers over a pint. There’s nowhere better to do this than in Dublin, especially in one of the city’s many music pubs, such as The Cobblestone or O’Donoghue’s. I haven’t been lucky enough to see the Irish singer Lisa O’Neill at a session, although she was apparently a regular in pre-Covid times. The combination of chat, beer and music is perfect and I can’t wait to revisit.

La Grande Folie by San Salvador

Most of the travelling I do as editor of Songlines is to festivals around the world, and one of the things I most enjoy about them is the communal listening experience. There’s something visceral about hearing music being performed live with other people around you. For me, San Salvador perfectly encapsulate this feeling. A sextet from Saint-Salvadour in south-west France, they sing in Occitan. There’s a real physicality to their music and something incredibly powerful about the combination of voice and percussion. They always finish their sets with La Grande Folie – a song that resonates with these crazy times.

• San Salvador are due to perform at Songlines Encounters Festival at Kings Place in May (Covid permitting)

[purplesurveys]

1109

What were you like at 17? Infinitely more naïve than I am now. I was going through my first heartbreak, funnily enough caused by the same person who is the reason for my current heartbreak, but that’s a story I’ve shared a million times. Anyway, at 17 I was still in high school so I was definitely more carefree about a lot of things; I wasn’t worrying about the future too much just yet, and I was still set on taking journalism. I was also going through my first family death which allowed me to explore a new side of my emotions.

Tell us about your first kiss. I had been really nervous about it and I felt like I wasn’t ready. But she was very gentle and took her time with me that night, even though I could tell she really wanted to have that kiss. I knew I hadn’t been a good kisser for my first, but she seemed to have good memories of it years later when we revisited the experience.

Tell us about your worst date. I’ve never been on a date with someone I wasn’t seeing.

What’s your biggest flaw? I’m extra sensitive and can’t take even the most playful of jabs without feeling the least bit hurt, unless the dig came from someone I’m extremely comfortable with, like Angela. That makes me the worst person for banter in most cases and it makes me not the most approachable person.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve bought lately? To be honest with you, I only ever buy food lol. I’ve been an employee for three months now and I have yet to buy something that’s meant to be an investment or is meant to last with me. 

Who is your celebrity crush? Can’t really decide between Kristen Stewart and Kate Winslet. Love them both.

What is your biggest pet peeve? I don’t appreciate lateness very much, especially if people have no reason to be.

What’s the song you most wish you had written? I don’t really think like this. If anything, I’m grateful there are songwriters out there who can pen songs that perfectly encapsulate my thoughts and feelings.

What do you always take with you when you travel? Phone, laptop, my chargers for each, wallet, and too many clothes because I like having multiple choices on what to wear while I’m traveling.

Do you have any pets? Two dogs.

Have you or someone you know ever drunk dialed? I never have, but I probably know a ton of people who have.

What is the worst break up you have experienced? The most recent one. The person I trusted the most hurt me in more ways than I could ever imagine. She seemed so desperate to get rid of me, and I will never be able to shake off the excruciating pain of feeling unwanted. She made it sound like I put her on a leash when I did nothing but attend to her every need and adjusted in a million ways for her comfort while never asking for anything back. I blamed myself for months, never knowing what exactly I was blaming myself for.

I worked my goooooooddamn hardest to get to where I am today, and I’m not sure she deserves to re-enter my life after the work and fixing I’ve done to be able to forgive and love myself.

Have you ever been stuck by someone very annoying on a plane/bus/etc? I don’t think so. The only one I remember was a seatmate on a plane who snored for the entire trip, but it didn’t bother me too much. When was the last time you were rejected by someone? Late 2020.

Has someone way older than you tried to hit on you? Nope.

Have you ever been cheated on? Never. 

Did you get lost at all on your first day of high school? No. I went to the same school from kinder to high school, so by freshman year I could’ve gone through the entire campus blindfolded.

Have you ever been interrupted during sex? Yeah many times.

Have you ever been recorded doing stupid things while drunk? Yeah, I’m the favorite for that kind of content haha. I can get quite silly when drunk.

Has a significant other ever called you by the wrong name? Nope.

Have you ever cooked anything and it turned out horrible? Not exactly, but close. I’ve baked stuff before that ended up tasting like nothing.

What is the worst birthday you have ever had? I don’t think I have one that’s in the running for absolute worst, but my 21st birthday coincided with Easter Sunday so I couldn’t invite anyone to celebrate with me. Gabie’s parents, who aren’t even particularly religious, didn’t allow her to celebrate with me because it was Easter, so that was a blow. Angela saved the day by taking me to dinner and spending the whole evening with me, but by the end of the evening Gabie and I had a lengthy argument and she kept trying to break up with me. It was a miserable end to a mostly miserable birthday.

Have you ever choked on chewing gum? Probably briefly in the past. I don’t have any moments that stuck with me.

Have you ever found anything dirty in a siblings room? No, but I also don’t go looking around through his things. < Same.

Have you ever made a bad first impression on someone’s parents? I’m sure I have. I once made a mess in a high school classmate’s bathroom when I cleaned my hands to get red food coloring off of them. I did want to clean it, but my mom suddenly came to pick me up so I had to leave the sink in such a messy state. Years later and I still feel bad about it, even though I’ve never been close to that girl and I’ve never visited her house since.

When is the last time you got into a fist fight? Idk man, 15 years ago? The only physical fights I’ve gotten into were with my siblings and cousins when we were kids.

Have you ever been spit on by a llama? I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a llama in real life.

Have you ever locked yourself out of your car/house? The house, yes many times. Never out of my car.

Describe how you got one of your scars. My right ring toe got caught in the gears once when I was riding my bike.

Describe how you’ve broken a bone, if you have. Never have. Would hate to feel what it’d be like D:

Have you ever had a near death experience? The time I got shocked when I was 11 probably comes the closest.

When you get cold at home, do you get a sweater/hoodie or get a blanket? I rarely get colds. When I do, I just wait for it to leave; I don’t really do anything to deal with it.

Do you require visual assistance? (i.e.; glasses or contacts) I’ve had glasses since I was 11.

Do you work out? Occasionally.

Describe the last cup you drank from. It was just a clear glass that had water in it.

What is a food that you always are in the mood to eat? Sushi and sashimi.

Do you like sausage? I’ve never liked sausage tbhhhh. It tastes odd to me.

Ever held a newborn animal? I don’t think. The closest I’ve come to holding a newborn was meeting Cooper when he was two months old and barely looked like a beagle.

Do you make a wish when you blow out your birthday candles? I haven’t had a birthday cake in a while, but in general I do make wishes when I get the chance to blow out candles.

Have you ever been to Boston? Nope.

Describe your hair at the moment. I showered a few hours ago so it’s still a bit damp, but otherwise it’s nothing special.

What is the last thing you searched for online? I looked for a synonym for a certain word, but I don’t remember what it was.

What are you sitting on? The chair in my room. I actually haven’t sat on it for a couple of months, so it feels pretty refreshing to do so again.

Could you use a massage right now? If I could get rid of how terribly ticklish I am, I would so appreciate a massage right now, yeah.

Is it wicked hard for you to sleep when its hot in your room? Yup and I also get insanely cranky as well. Being hot is one of the worst sensations ever, if not the outright worst.

Do you sleep on your stomach/back/side most often? On my stomach with my arms and legs wrapped around a pillow.

Do make sure you dot your I`s when you write? Yes.

Do you dunk your cookies in milk? No, I just like to eat them on their own.

What did you wear today? I had a tank top and shorts for most of today.

Do medical terms make you uncomfortable? Not really, unless I’m diagnosed with a certain condition lol.

Are you afraid of failure? Yeah because I really hate losing or people thinking I’m not capable enough. The older I get and the more experiences I gain, though, the more I’ve been less afraid to commit mistakes. More and more I realize everybody I deal with are people who also make mistakes and are afraid of making mistakes.

Have you been called a bad influence? I’m sure I have.

What about Chinese food? Love it or hate it? I loooove Chinese food, but it’s not one of my top favorites.

How do you feel about getting new neighbors? I honestly have no clue who any of my neighbors are, so I would barely notice if we got new ones.

Why were you last in a hospital? I needed to get blood and urine tests because my fever wasn’t going away and it was time to figure out what was wrong with me.

When is the last time you went to a doctor, and why? We needed him to figure out what I had from the results of the aforementioned medical tests, and for him to prescribe the proper medicine for me to take.

[everly-kindred]

Eve’s Diary - Entry #58

Date: 9th of April, 2020

Dear Diary, 

Well… Saturday was absolutely mad. Where do I begin...

I guess we’ll start with the assembly. The professors were all acting kinda funny at first, and then the Headmistress started giving announcements. Slytherin’s Head of House stepped down because I guess he has a baby now, which makes sense, and now Professor Rask is the Slytherin Head of House. And then they were talking about the easter egg hunt, but I sort of lost track of everything, because I began having visions...

I saw the forest, and a unicorn, and blood and fire. I sort of tuned back into what the Headmistress was saying, and she said that the ministry was raiding the forest, because there was a criminal within it, infiltrating the students. She said we were locked in the long gallery for our safety. 

The ground started shaking and we saw flashes of light coming from the forest. And then I started having visions again. I saw Hogsmeade burning, and I saw this unicorn… It was like… Running around and fighting or something? And there was a wizard on top of her, riding her while fighting giant spiders… Eventually, she died, and I saw that, too. It… made me the most sad I think I’ve ever felt. 

The shield… thing they had put around the castle on the grounds shattered, and it looked like these huge shards of light in the sky. That was when the professors went down onto the grounds, to offer support. 

Hogsmeade really was burning. I had been sticking close to Bonnie most of the time, but she left me with this clockwork unicorn while she went to help fight the fires. Eventually, we all had a sort of… sleep over party in the long gallery. They summoned up sleeping bags and we had dinner there and such. Bonnie was gone for a while, but the unicorn stayed with me. I like that unicorn a lot. It was next to me the whole time.

The next day, the Headmistress had us wear our nicest… tea… dress? For Sunday lunch. We came to the great hall, and they had turned it into a forest with picnic baskets everywhere for a little tea party. O’Keeffe said it was too muddy to do it out on the grounds. I love when they transform the Great Hall, honestly, it reminds me of the great wonders of magic, how far it can truly go. 

We had a moment of silence for those who died in the raid. Thankfully, none of our professors or the other students were harmed or killed. Though, there were some students who were talking during the moment of silence, so O’Keeffe seemed definitely peeved about that, and said she was taking points from those she spotted talking. 

Anyways though, it was a nice little lunch. I sat with Marigold and August. Marigold said all of Hogsmeade burned down, along with Honeydukes, but that her Aunt Taffy made it out okay with all of her pets. That was good news, at least. And for awhile, we talked about how to use magic to rebuild. I pointed out that you couldn’t just transfigure ash to stone and wood again, because you’d constantly have to keep the spell updated. It would eventually wear off. But you can use magic to easily move materials, at least.

So yeah. That was what happened this weekend. We’ve been kinda just… going back to life as normal ever since, which feels a little wrong. That whole thing was… scary. And I feel really kind of… tired and careless ever since? Like I might just be going through the motions. It gets better day by day, though.

I had quidditch practice later on Sunday and I think I’m getting better at catching the snitch. I hope so, anyways. I think Nate said our next game is in a month… I’ve got my fingers crossed that I can finally win one for my team this time. I need to keep practicing, though. 

I went to Durmoney’s herbology class with Marigold. We learned about valerian roots and fanged geranium, though I don’t remember a whole lot about the plants. I was still in a bit of a daze. Sort of have been all week, really. Like I said, though, it’s getting better. Marigold accidentally found a frog in her plants and ended up throwing it across the greenhouse, and it landed in front of me. It wasn’t hurt thankfully, and I let it back outside where it goes. 

We had Defense Against the Dark arts with Vikander, where we were to practice the wand motions, incantation and intention for the boggart-banishing spell. I practiced with a boy named Oleander. It was very strange, because Professor Cavanaugh came out of the little office at the top of the stairs in the corner of the room, and he shook hands with Vikander, and then later on at dinner, we all learned that he was leaving to focus on his wife and his baby which is coming soon. It was really… emotional and kind of sweet at the same time, like a scene from a movie, watching him fly off into the night in his colourful suit. He’s such a cheerful man, and I hope he has a wonderful life with his family. I’ll miss his classes - and those crab friend things whose names escape me at this moment. 

In astronomy, it was the full moon on Tuesday, so we learned about the moon and played a game with these giant ball things where we had to determine where the moon’s position with the earth and the sun would be for certain phases. It was fun to watch, but I didn’t really do much to be helpful. 

In transfigurations with banks, we learned a spell called orchideous which is used to conjure flowers from your wand. I went with that other first year, Arthur, but he seemed to get upset by something and was sort of… well he looked like he was crying? Anyways, at the end of class, we went into the dueling room because the older students were practicing transfigurations in dueling with Bonnie, and it just looked like… pure chaos in there. 

In artificer club, Bonnie had us sorting out rubble to donate to Hogsmeade for the rebuild. My wand didn’t really want to cooperate with me, so I was sort of useless there, too. She’s also set up a donations box for stuff to donate to Hogsmeade, and I think I’m going to donate some of my stuffed animals for the children who live there and also my pocket money. I don’t have a whole lot in the way of donating, but I hope it makes someone happy, you know?

In dragonology we talked about what you should do if you see a dragon in a crowd of muggles. In this specific scenario that Eastwood gave us, it was a baby dragon on Notre Dame. Everyone talked about their ideas but the professor said the best thing to do was to find a way to call the Ministry to come take care of it. Casting spells, luring it, all that was apparently a bad idea, which makes sense to me. 

And then yesterday I had herbology with Dracheblume, and we learned about dittany and floo. Did you know floo powder comes from plants? And the professor said that the way to make floo powder is a closely guarded secret, and that the people who have tried to do it have gone missing, gotten injured or even died trying to figure it out. From failed attempts, I mean. I don’t think the owner of floo powder is out here killing people. I hope not, anyways!

So yeah, that’s been… what’s been happening. Lately, the frogs and crickets have been singing at night, so I like to open the windows in the common room to listen to them, or put on my wellies and go walk around on the grounds. It feels a lot more… still out. The forest is burnt, and needs to heal. It’s a very odd feeling that I’m not sure how to describe. 

Anyways, I suppose I should get ready for classes today.

Much love, Everly

[ Eve’s Wiki Page ] 

[ Flickr ]

[saymypiece]

This nobody’s journal of hot, boring afternoons…

Day 21 (7.4.2020 - Tuesday)

I did not sleep through the night, again! What on Earth! On the other hand, I worked out, a little, but still a workout. As in I played with my dog. She got a hold my bro/sis old silambam belt and goes around playing with it. So grabbed on to the other end and had a tug of war with her, which was fun, until she realised I wasn’t much of a competition and got bored. :S It’s alright, I will prove to her that I am worthy of her time. I shall try again. Practice makes perfect Koko, you adorable snob! 

Day 20 (6.4.2020 - Monday)

Omgoodness its day 20! I cannot believe we have been stuck at home without a choice for so long. I keep hearing of doctors and nurses falling ill, scientists working so hard to create a vaccine. I can’t help but wonder what this virus is all about. This thing we can’t see is causing so much chaos, panic and fear in everyone. And the way I see it, it’s not going away anytime soon. But our God is God over the impossible! He is the only way this virus will be washed out. This time at home, especially during this time leading up to Easter, has allowed me to spend some time in devotion and the Bible. And what I have learnt is we are not alone. Our time on Earth, though temporary, is designed to be fulfilling and beautiful. So I’m embracing that. No matter what comes against me, it shall not prosper. For my God is for me. On the other hand, I have not been able to sleep. It’s been challenging to 

Day 19 (5.4.2020 - Sunday)

As usual, Sunday was enriching and chill. Not that every other day is not chill, but Sundays, they are quite a little more chill than other days. At 3pm, I joined a group chat with some friends from church. Fun.

Day 18 (4.4.2020 - Saturday)

After last week’s shopping debacle, I was terrified about going out there with mum again. Nevertheless, we had needs and they needed to be bought, so I got ready with my gear, the usual suspects of masks, gloves and a hand sanitiser. This time, the mall staff were even more strict. They checked body temperatures before anyone could even enter the building. And only one person per family was allowed in. So, yes, we kinda put on our inner Meryl Streeps and acted the strangers we never knew we could play so well. They believed it. Heck, at one point, even I believed it. My mom, I think, may BE, Meryl Streep, I don’t know. Anyway, no drama during shopping, everything was perfect. I even got to keep my shorts intact the whole time. No, it was a different shorts, I wash them everyday. Yes, I’ve got a whole lot of loose shorts okay? They’re comfy! What some more you want?

Day 17 (3.4.2020 - Friday)

Another Friday has come and gone. There is really nothing new happening, but today, I got to catch up with the darling! You don’t feel time passing you by until you actually do something you used to do very, very often, years ago. We used to Skype and video call all the time until work and life happened. Then suddenly, it had all come to an abrupt end. This conversation felt like such a treat. I felt like I was catching up with her entire lifetime. Well, a lot can happen in over six years. Feeling so blessed for technology and this time we get to reconnect and spend quality time with each other. 

Day 16 (2.4.2020)

Ok so, sleep lost it’s way and didn’t really get back to me, blardee heartbreaker! Didn’t do much other than write and hang around all day. So I decided, to pick up my guitar and do somethin with it. :) You Say by Lauren Daigle

Day 15 (1.4.2020 - Wednesday)

I know it’s meant to be April’s Fool today, but like the rest of the world, it didn’t mean a thing. I mean, our situation right now seems like a giant prank anyway. There is no need to scare anyone else about, anything else. The greatest prank in the world right now would be to just go up to someone who’s NOT your family, and sneeze or cough right at their faces. Once they know you’re pranking em, they’d either laugh or slap you so hard, you begin to foretell your f-f-future. Even watching old YouTube videos of interviews or clips from shows where there is some amount of coughing or sneezing involved makes me cringe so hard! And I’m not the only one. Read the comments. Once thing I am certain of, whether a vaccine is found or not, is that once this MCO is over, everybody is gonna be a germaphobe/hygiene-junkies - always washing hands and sneezing into handkerchiefs and such. Anyway, goodnight, hope sleep finds me tonight.

Day 14 (31.3.2020 - Tuesday)

Oh praise the Lord I’m alright. At least, I think I’m alright. I don’t feel fuzzy, I have no fever, no headache. I was awake super early and I decided to feed my three dogs, for the first time! Let my bro and sis sleep in a little this morning. I had no idea how to do it. I just winged it based on what I thought is normally done, and it worked. The three ding dongs listened, sat patiently, ate sweetly and gave me some kisses. And then, I put on a fan for them, coz there was no air movement out. It was so weird, it was early morning and it was so hot with zero movement in the air. Man, we really need the rain!

Day 13 (30.3.2020 - Monday)

I am so not feeling good today! My mind is racing. Was it the shopping at Tesco on Saturday? Was it the Lontong flavoured Chef noodles I had for dinner last night? What is it? I have a bad headache, body ache and my brain is a little fuzzy, like when I have a fever. When I asked my sister to check my temperature, she confirmed there is a slight fever. Paracetamol. I need it. And a good shower. Had both. Going to sleep again. Maybe I’m tired, exhausted. I’ve told everyone in the house to stay away. Lord, protect papa. And heal me. Let this not be…it.

Day 12 (29.3.2020 - Sunday)

Time for church online. Mummy made friend mee hoon and some Portuguese tarts. It was one of those quiet days. Didn’t do much today.

Day 11 (28.3.2020 - Saturday)

Nope. Zoom didn’t let me down. I let Zoom down! My frickin alarm didn’t go off, or maybe it did and I didn’t hear it, I don’t know. All I know is I wasn’t up until 11.20am! The meeting was supposed to start at 11am! #muchembarassed Thankfully they were all in conversation while waiting for me. I didn’t even have time to brush my teeth. Just washed my face, tamed my hair and appeared online. Connect was awesome though. The two newcomers were great. Kinda weird we didn’t shake hands or hug, kinda weird we literally met face-to-face, online, but it was great! Cheers to new experiences, I say. Speaking of new experiences, I have never liked shopping. Like, ever. I don’t enjoy walking around, I don’t enjoy going to shops after shops after shops. Basically, I’m most men when it comes to shopping. Today, my mom and I had to run to Tesco to stock up on some of our essentials that are running low. I wore a shorts and t-shirt but with two masks, gloves, and in my pockets, Clorox anti-bacterial wipes and hand-sanitiser. We strategised how and what to touch before entering the store. I was going to be the one doing the touching, cos I wore the gloves, and my mom, wearing one glove, was to be the one pointing out what I was supposed to pick out from the shelves. Carefully, but swiftly, we began picking out everything on our list. My heart, for some reason, was drumming like a Taiko drum in my chest. And to make matters worse, sometime during our walking through the aisles, my mom completely ditched our strategy and started touching the things on the shelves! Like, ALL things! Okay, granted, I wasn’t fast enough for her but PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE, okay? Just… keep your hands to yourself and straighten ONLY the index finger. How difficult is that strategy? Now, she’d gone and made my mind spin round and round tryna think of how the virus would travel, or get stuck on her phone (which I sanitised the moment we got out), or what her gloved hand touched and what she could and could not touch anymore not that is has been exposed. Arghh! Finally at the cashier, we more or less got in sync. Everything went according to plan, like which hand she would get her debit card out of my shorts pocket with and which hand she received it from the cashier with after the payment was made. It went pretty perfectly, with the slight risk of me losing my shorts because mummy decided to shove her hands so far down my pockets. The shorts was loose to begin with. Thankfully, with my firm grip, nothing untoward happened. We got out, got home, showered and washed all the clothes we were in. All good. Phew…

Day 10 (27.3.2020 - Friday)

Thankful for technology. It’s made life very easy. Even my mom, who is completely resistant of anything “technology” (because she thinks she would destroy the internet or something) has had to organise Zoom meets, coordinate her kindergarten teachers’ online lessons and activities - it’s been quite a trip seeing my mom grow into this technological wiz, so to speak. I joined her connect group today, had a good discussion. A little nervous about mine tomorrow morning. We will have two newcomers on board. Hopefully Zoom doesn’t let me down.

Day 9 (26.3.2020 - Thursday)

It’s the end of the day, and lo and behold, I have completed the pages I was meant to complete. Turns out, I didn’t have to do some of the last pages, so that saved me some work. I was right. I DO feel blind and like a bat after completing the job, but the satisfaction of a job completed is unmatched. The number of cases keep increasing by around 130 every day! It’s not even funny how people are still choosing to ignore this situation. We are already in day nine of the MCO and they still feel it’s alright to meet their friends and family in such a time as this. If only we all, collaboratively, stayed home for two weeks, we could actually curb this virus from spreading out. STOP GIVING IT TRANSPORT! Ugh! On the bright side, I am organising our Connect meet online.

Day 8 (25.3.2020 - Wednesday)

Quick update: Still on the project. I have managed to complete around 10 pages, mostly profiles. I am so surprised at how weirdly written everything is. On COVID-19, we are 300 cases short of 2000. It’s not looking good at all. And what’s worse, the government has extended the MCO to April 14. So instead of going back to work on 1 April, I would be jobless until 15 April. Lord, I surrender this to you. Let all that happens, happen according to your plan. I place my trust and hope in You, Lord. Amen.

Day 7 (24.3.2020 - Tuesday)

…aaaaaaadddd!!!! There are sooo many words in this, it doesn’t seem to have an end! 105 pages of THIS is more than I can bear!!! I’m gonna go nuts by the end of it, or blind! Anyway, I started on this the day before yesterday, but it has been a lot of, what my dad would call, broken focus. I just can’t seem to stay on the editing bit. I keep getting beckoned by either YouTube or Facebook or Instagram, and end the day without completing even one full page… so here we are. I have exactly two days to complete editing 103 pages of words. *takes a deep breath* RM530 is riding on this, man! Get it together and do it! I know RM530 seems little, but to me, after 5 months of RM0, it’s an upgrade I never thought I’d get. #suckitup

Day 6 (23.3.2020 - Monday)

Monday has arrived. I am refreshed, I have my mind set on the epilepsy article I am gonna write and the copy-editing project from the marketing department. I’m all set. I sent my interview questions to both the people I am meant to talk to. Under the current situation, I am not able to talk to them so email is the next best thing. Except an interview over Zoom would have been better, but they can’t seem to make it. Being researchers and lecturers and all, they don’t have much time on their hands…. unlike me. Anyway, that’s done. Now, continuing the project. Ohhhhmaaaiiiigaaa…

Day 5 (22.3.2020 - Sunday)

Oh Sunday. It was a really awesome Sunday service. It was truly something I think we all needed. The praise and worship was amazing, and allowed me to just soak in worship. Despite all the chaos and fear that I have in my heart and mind, I felt a peace wash over me. Suddenly I realised that the only reason for the fear in my heart is the unknown. But every “next step” we take is an unknown anyway, so why fear this one? I will keep praying, staying home, except during essential buys, washing my hands, working and doing pretty much everything I always do WITHOUT having fear in my heart.

Day 4 (21.3.2020 - Saturday)

What a total frickin crap-show! The numbers are increasing and I’ll tell you the truth, I’m afraid. Every time I wash my hands, I can’t stop wondering if I’ve washed them enough. There is just too much stake. My dad, his lungs are really not good and I am worried about what would happen should one of us get careless and carry this virus home from some essential grocery shopping. The only comfort I have right now is that my God is bigger. I know my God is bigger than all of this. I know my God is bigger than all of this!

Day 3 (20.3.2020 - Friday)

I know I wished for an eventful 2020, but my goodness, enough already! 

OMGIF already?? So, suddenly, the number of the infected in Malaysia hit 1000+. That is really too much! Who’s to blame? Why are there still cow dungs out and about on the roads, meeting friends and speaking their essentials words and letting their spits flow freely in the world and into each others’ ears? Don’t they know of a phone? There’s WhatsApp, Zoom, Hangout, Telegram, frickin Signal, Line, FB Messenger…heck, everything has a caller these days! *checks if Tinder has a caller* Not Tinder, thank goodness. Just…ugh…stop going out. *breathes* Meanwhile, my lovely brother gave us all his homemade Ais Malaysia and it was lovely! Like, it hasn’t properly rained in quite a few weeks now, and it is sooo hot. That Ais Malaysia was truly somewhat of a saving grace. And to top it off, my darling little sister made o-maki sushi, with the tuna and everything. Superb! Anyways, all things considered, the numbers locally are not too bad, is it? Is it? I’ll just have to keep washing my hands… “His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, there’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti…”

Day 2 (19.3.2020 - Thursday)

#tbt like #tbeverydayforthelast5months ! 

This MCO doesn’t really make much of a difference for me since I was not working the last five months. This time around though, I wash my hands more, go out lesser, and can’t go out even if I wanted to. You know what? The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Home Edition is super awesome! I love it. It’s a breath of fresh air so I’ll have that to enjoy over this period. When we get out of this, I don’t think my hands will make it out “alive”. The number of times I wash my hands to the first verse of “Lose Yourself” is nuts!

Day 1 (18.3.2020 - Wednesday)

So, I started this to keep track of what is happening in this lovely, wonderful, fantastic nation during the Movement Control Order and also to me, as a… non-essential employee. Coz as long as I’m not working, I am not paid. Ok, let me rephrase that. As long as I am not present AT the office, then I’m not paid. Never been in this position, kinda worrying, but thankfully, I do have projects to complete to get me some kinda cash. Don’t know how its all gonna pan out. I am leaving all these worries to the Lord Almighty coz I know there is nothing I can do to change anything happening around me other than pray and stay home. These daily entries will be filled with dramatics and descriptive nothings, coz seriously, I can’t imagine another two weeks at home. So I AM gonna add some spice to this. Alright, so, first day was…err…normal. How’s that for spice? Whaaaat? I don’t know what to say in this okay? I am just…I just wanna remember what I went thru so…

[sa-gt-tarrius]

How to Survive The Fall — Chapter 1

Starting route to 23 Amber Street. Turn left onto memory lane, keep right, and pray you won’t find the answers you’re looking for.

Warnings: Death mention (no main characters), dysfunctional families, Deceit as a major character, Remus mention

***

It couldn’t be stressed enough just how average Virgil’s family was.

As dysfunctional and estranged as it could be, Virgil had been assured time and time again how completely and totally normal the Sanders household was. Virgil was just a regular guy in a regular town. Life had always been normal for Virgil—and it would stay normal for the rest of time.

Or maybe normal was the wrong word. Boring was way more accurate.

Virgil huffed, twisting his pen around in his fingers. Of all the boring things in Virgil’s life, college was the most boring. Lectures would drag on and on, droning until it became nothing but white noise. Virgil’s mind scarcely stayed focused on the class’s topic, which often led to some confusing tests and staggeringly low grades. But it wasn’t his fault—the professor couldn’t be duller if he were a rock with glasses.

Virgil glanced at the clock. 3:05. Ten more minutes until his brother came to pick him up. Dante promised him a pizza night today, full of video games and brotherly bonding time. Virgil was looking forward to that. It sure beat watching youtube all night by himself.

Ten minutes had never dragged by so slowly. By the time the bell rang, Virgil was certain he was about to go insane. He wasted no time in slinging his bag over his shoulder and jogging out front. A familiar blue van was there, parked too far from the curb to be even remotely legal. Virgil held back a snort of laughter as he flung the door open.

Dante was sitting crookedly in the driver’s seat, frowning deeply. “Careful with the door, Virge,” he deadpanned.

“You’re too far from the curb again.” Virgil plopped the bag at his feet, leaning as far back as the chair would let him. “Ready for tonight?”

“I don’t want to scratch the tires. And yeah, I’m ready. We’ve just got to order pizza when we get back.“

“You’re not picking it up on the way home?”

“I’m not wasting gas,” Dante replied, flicking his turn signal on and shifting into drive. “Seatbelt. Now.”

“Fine,” Virgil groaned. He reached over to buckle himself in, then shot Dante a funny face. “There. Seatbelt.”

The ride proceeded as it usually did. Dante focused on the road while Virgil drowned out his thoughts with music. He slipped on his gigantic headphones and stared out the window, tapping his finger to the beat. To an outsider, Virgil would appear rude or uninterested. But Dante knew better. Virgil had his ways of coping; music was one of his favourites.

Dante knew Virgil better than anyone else, which wasn’t too surprising. For many years, all Virgil had to rely on was Dante. His parents died a long time ago, leaving Virgil in the care of his older brother. They had a third sibling, Remus, but he lived on the other side of the country. Sometimes he and Dante would receive packages from Remus on their birthdays with strange gifts inside. Freeze-dried space-food calamari, a paper crown from a fast-food restaurant, and a multi-tool with 14 different blades were Virgil’s favourites.

Aside from Remus, Virgil also had two cousins who lived in the state next to them. Emile, the younger of the two, was nice enough. He was a school therapist at a small high school who visited Virgil and Dante as often as possible. Practically every interaction Virgil had with him was uncomfortable, if not painstakingly awkward. Emile would sit Virgil down on the couch, pull out a notebook, and ask about Virgil’s life. Every conversation became a therapy session of sorts. The therapist’s work life always bled into his personal relationships. Oh, and Emile also really liked cartoons. The two sometimes watched anime together. 

As for the other cousin, Remy was an enigma. He was in the army... or something. Or was it the navy? Nobody detailed the details. Virgil bet that Remy was a submarine janitor—or something just as uncool—and that’s why no one talked about it. Virgil had met Remy once or twice, but not enough to know anything about him aside from his caffeine addiction. He seemed eccentric and a little too moonstruck for Virgil’s taste, but not too bad overall.

But aside from the rare visit from Emile and the even rarer visit from Remy, it was just Virgil and Dante. On one hand, Virgil liked it that way. It meant more time with Dante. Unlike his friends at school, family commitments such as christmas parties or easter dinners never bound Virgil. But on the other hand, Virgil found himself feeling lonely far too often. When Dante was working, Virgil had no one to talk to. Even the blaring noise of his favourite bands couldn’t drown out the unbearable silence of the empty house. 

Virgil figured he had it lucky. He knew some people with ridiculously strict parents, while others had nobody to care for them. Dante found himself in the goldilocks zone between being chill and being responsible. Dante was also a lot of fun. Pizza parties and gaming nights were very common when he was home. 

...Maybe boring wasn’t the right word, either. Virgil decided steady was the best way to describe his life. And regardless of how dull it could be, Virgil was truly thankful for what he had. 

It didn’t take them long to get home. Virgil left his headphones in while making his way inside. He’d just have to unpack and get changed before they could settle down. Virgil arrived at his room and dropped his bag onto the bedroom floor next to a dirty pair of pants. Then he took off his hoodie and threw it haphazardly into the laundry bin. There—unpacked and changed.

However, his absolute banger of a playlist was so rudely interrupted by a soft dinging noise. Someone just sent him a text. Huffing indignantly, Virgil took his headphones off, opened his messenger app and checked the text. It was probably a reminder from his professor about some project.

The front door slammed closed. “I’m down here when you’re ready,” Dante hollered from downstairs. “Don’t take too long.”

Virgil didn’t answer. The text had him too preoccupied. He read it twice, three times, four times, blinking rapidly as he tried to wrap his head around the brief message. “What the hell?” was all he could bring himself to say.

we are alive and well come to 23 amber st please respond asap logan 

The message was brief, likely written in a hurry. Virgil checked the phone number; it wasn’t from anyone in his contact list. He didn’t recognize the name Logan either. 

Why would someone send him this? Was this a joke?

“Come on, Virge! Let’s get set up!”

Virgil nodded absently, shoving his phone into his pocket and shuffling downstairs to the living room. Dante was on the couch, untangling a mess of controller cords. “There you are. Go pick a game. I’ll get this sorted out.”

“Okay.” Virgil knelt by the game box, sifting through various cases of game. “Yo, Dante?”

“Yeah, Virgil?”

Virgil picked up a copy of Shoot Shoot 7, cringed, and put it back into the box. “Do you know anyone named Logan?”

Dante whirled his head around, eyebrows raised. “Uh, why?”

“I got a weird text today,” Virgil drawled, glancing between their copies Bosom Blossom and ATV Versus. “Fighting game or racing game?” 

“Racing,” Dante replied, looking distinctly suspicious. “What do you mean, weird text?”

“I don’t know. It said something about going to 23 amber street. Sent by some dude named Logan.” Virgil grunted as he struggled to open the game case. “I don’t know a Logan. And I don’t recognize that address.”

“Me neither,” Dante shrugged. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, focusing on the tangled cords. “I wouldn’t worry about it. It’s probably just a prank.” The elder brother’s voice was calm and collected, but for a fraction of a moment, worry flashed in his eyes. That wasn’t surprising in the slightest.

While Dante was permissive and amiable, Virgil often noticed traces of parental instincts in certain situations. Whenever Virgil had to come home late, he would find Dante wide awake on the sofa, no matter how late it was. And whenever Virgil’s response to “how was your day” was anything less than “fine,” Dante would mysteriously obtain a pair of movie tickets or amusement park passes. Dante showed his love in subtle but meaningful ways, and Virgil always noticed.

Maybe he shouldn’t have told Dante about the text. He’d probably get all worried about Virgil now that he knew.

“Yeah, it’s probably a prank.” Virgil finally inserted the disc into the game console, happy to see a green light flashing softly. “There we go. I'm gonna go order that pizza while you, uh…” The younger brother held back a snort as Dante seemed to tangle the cords even more. “...figure that out.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dante muttered, twisting the ball of wires around in his hands. He was hiding his frustration pretty well, but Virgil saw the absolute seething anger building on his face. “Get something with onions on it.”

“Alright.” Virgil quickly dialled the pizza parlour, taking the phone to the kitchen as to not to howl with laughter at Dante’s unfortunate plight. “Yeah, hi. Can I get a large bacon and onion pizza? Extra onions, too.”

Life in the Sanders household was normal, boring, and steady. It had been that way for many years. But little did Virgil know that his entire world was about to get very, very weird… and a strange text message from an unknown number was only the beginning.

[spanishskulduggery]

What are some cultural differences you (or your follwers) have discovered while studying spanish?? I’m curious, i’m from the US & recently talking to my latina cousin I realised that when she says she is going clubbing she’s talking about going out after 2am and coming back at like 8am!!! Which is mental to me, i need my sleep lol. So now i feel like there are so many things we do different & i’m so eager to find out more 😂

Is this a culture thing or a language-y thing. Either way, in no particular order:

- Weddings are a big one. Latin American weddings are a BIG thing and go on at least 24 hours pretty much.

- Another I’ve noticed is that Spanish uses a lot of nicknames that sound really demeaning if you used them literally in English. Like in a lot of countries, you could just be known as el gordo/la gorda if you’re fat, or judío/judía “Jewish” if you’re Jewish. In English, if you went around calling someone “Jew” it would make you sound like a Nazi, and if you just referred to someone as “fat” without any context you would sound like a monster. English is very PC at times and Spanish sounds very rude when translated literally. [I definitely took that one from Joanna rants but I knew someone who went by Flaco growing up]

- I’ve also found out that sometimes these nicknames just last for life? Like I don’t know where I saw it but someone had been hearing their relative’s nickname all their life and thought it was their actual name.

- Last names are very unique. I had no idea that so many Spanish-speaking countries had women keeping their own last names even when married.

- Names in general. I didn’t realize that so many people seemed to have multiple first names. I have met people in the US named like “Ann Marie” or “Mary Margaret” but it wasn’t as common as Spanish.

- Also English tends to assume the last name you mention is your last name, while Spanish tends to have the first last name mentioned be the father’s surname and is the one you’d use most often. Or like… if your name was Miguel Díaz Vega or something, in English-speaking culture you’d call him “Mr. Vega”. In Spanish-speaking culture, you’d say “Mr. Díaz”.

- I didn’t realize that for a time Franco made it so you had to give a child a Christian name in Spain.

- That Spain and Latin America don’t always get along, which I did sort of know but I thought it was like how the US and the UK don’t always get along but it’s a lot more intense. 

- Also, not all of Spain gets along with all of Spain. And all of the autonomous communities have kind of a reputation among each other. It’s kind of like how in the US everyone thinks of California as one way. Except in Spain it’s a little more serious and contentious at times.

- And some Latin American countries are like… openly hostile about other Latin American countries, which again, the US and Canada are neighbors and generally both speak English but we’ve got stereotypes and not seething hatred. Not to say all Latin American countries hate all other Latin American countries, but I knew someone who nearly got disowned because they were dating a Colombian person.

- That “racism” in the US is almost always black or white, literally. In Latin America most racism comes out as “colorism”. In the US and a lot of English-speaking places, people think of anyone from Latin America being a person of color. In Latin America, everyone realizes that some people have European ancestry, some people have African ancestry, some people have indigenous ancestry, some people have Asian ancestry, and some people are any combination therein.

Meaning that you could be “white” by US standards like a blonde and blue-eyed person who just happens to be Mexican or Puerto Rican, but the US assumes outright that you’re a person of color.

But in Latin American society, the colorism comes out in that everyone seems to understand that most people are mixed in some way, but there’s preferential treatment or more representation for people of lighter skin tones. This comes out especially in families where some family members might just not associate with other branches of the family or ignore they exist. And that there are all kinds of words in Spanish (different words in different countries at that) for people who are light skinned or people who are darker, or people who are light skinned who act like they’re darker and vice versa.

- Also there are weird superstitions and things that are kind of vaguely racist by US standards. Like in some countries if you see a black person it’s customary to pinch someone you’re with for good luck.

- In some places you’re supposed to pinch a redhead when you see them for good luck which is less racist but more invasive I guess?

- People are also very relaxed about certain words or traditions that I as an American have some politically correct visceral reactions to. Like in Spain it’s not that uncommon to see someone in blackface when it’s Three Kings Day, or how in the US it’s no longer considered acceptable to say “gypsy” you’re supposed to say Roma or Romani, but in Spanish gitano/a is not seen as anything that bad except for when it is

- Also Three Kings Day is a thing and very important. I mean we do have the Epiphany in the US but unless you’re religious, it means nothing for you. On Three Kings Day, it’s kind of like Christmas because you get gifts and you leave out grass or food for the camels.

- I was not prepared for Pascua being used for both Christmas [also Navidad] and Easter by the way. That’s real difficult for me.

- You also kiss your elder family member’s hands in some places. I’m not totally sure if it’s like la bendición exactly, but in some countries it’s a sign of respect or how you ask for someone’s blessing

- “Heal, heal, frog’s tail/ass, if you don’t heal today, you’ll heal tomorrow” when someone - especially a little kid - gets hurt or sick. It’s kind of like “kissing a boo boo to make it better” except it is literally phrased like a magical spell

- In most places, the idea of “Friday the 13th” is “Tuesday the 13th” in Spanish countries. Unless you literally mean a date, “Tuesday the 13th” is the unlucky day, which kind of makes me think of Ides of March I dunno

- Being told not to walk around barefoot because your ovaries will freeze

- Gross, but if you’re a girl being told to “serve” your male relatives like your cousin or your brother; sírvele 

- Sometimes there are terms of endearment that translate very badly in English. I could never call someone mi gordito/a or mi negro/a as a term of endearment, regardless of body type and regardless of skin color and it translates as “sweetie” or “dear”. I would never feel comfortable saying those words to anyone at anytime for any reason because it took me years to get over feeling weird about negro/a being “black”

- Trying to figure out whether to use a comma or a period when talking about thousands because some people will do 100,000 and some people will do 100.000 and then SOME people will just do 100 000 

- It’s not a “party” if there isn’t dancing. If you’re just standing around talking, it feels like a funeral. You at least need a space where people can dance if it’s a party.

- Las Mañanitas being the Mexican Happy Birthday song and if you listen to it literally you’re just like “why are we talking about dawn so much??”

- “suburbs” in the US are nice places where people live who work in a big city, they’re like nice slightly rural communities and they’re the dream of the middle class. A suburbio in Latin America is a “shanty town” or a “slum” usually, like makeshift houses built out of sheets of metal and bits of wood. 

- “Middle class” in general just means something completely different for the US than it does for Europe and parts of Latin America. In Europe especially the “middle class” are the snobs who act like they’re better than each other and are obsessed with materialism. In the US “middle class” is “I’m not poor because I worked hard and I’m not rich because I’m self-made and I picked myself up by my bootstraps and I now live in comfortable stability with a wife and 2.5 kids and a picket fence and this is the American dream”. Europe is like “the middle class is the worst part of humanity” and is more like how the US would describe “keeping up with the Jones’s”

- Trying to explain the times Spaniards eat is very difficult because in the US you have breakfast when you wake up, 12 noon is lunch, dinner is sometime between 5-7 usually. In Spain there’s a breakfast, a snack, a second breakfast, a huge lunch, maybe another snack, dinner if you’re hungry but it’s late and probably tapas. I’m like 90% sure that the US definition of meal time was based on a factory schedule because it is so weirdly strict and on a timetable.

- The US cares more about Cinco de Mayo and the majority of us don’t even know what it symbolizes for Mexico, or that the majority of Mexico doesn’t celebrate it

- The US is very rushed as a culture especially in big cities. If you make people wait for you, you’re the rude one and you should be ashamed. In a lot of Spanish-speaking countries, it’s more relaxed. Like I’ve heard “Spanish time” or “Mexican time” etc when people are saying they’re operating slower but I think the US is just VERY rushed

- The US is very weirdly affectionate and loving but also very prudish. Like we smile at each other, we laugh and say “I love you” as a goodbye. But when sex comes up we act like it doesn’t exist and it is so bizarre because it is the exact opposite in Europe because many countries would consider you being weirdly inappropriate or disingenuous for smiling at strangers or asking people how they are as a greeting [and make no mistake, in the US except in the South, we say “how are you?” and if we don’t know you, we aren’t looking for an answer other than “good”]… We really must seem like overly emotional liars sometimes to people in Europe.

- The grading system in general

- I can’t even get into the metric system and Celsius. I’ve seen fear when I tell someone it’s 98 degrees outside. 

- La chancla

- There are some superstitions that most countries have about not putting your wallet or purse on the floor and itchy palms meaning money coming your way

- People making jewelry out of baby teeth

- Speaking of, the Tooth Fairy is a mouse named Ratoncito Pérez

- el hombre del saco is a common thing to scare children with if they misbehave

- You’re gonna learn real quick that in Latin America if you’re from the US and you say soy americano/a you might get some nasty responses about how they’re also Americans living in the Americas, which is valid and why I say estadounidense

Spain on the other hand says americano/a pretty often and also norteamericano/a which I guess is closer but also I guess canadiense is distinct enough? I dunno. I usually stick with estadounidense because I don’t want to be That Gringo

- Along the same lines, generally avoid calling people in Latin America “Hispanic”… that’s a term that really only Spanish-speakers in the US use. For everyone else it sounds kind of like you’re calling them “subjects of the Spanish Crown”

- SPANISH REGIONALISMS THAT NO ONE TAUGHT ME AND NOW GROCERY SHOPPING IS THE WOOOOORST IT’S NOT EVEN A CULTURE THING ALL THE TIME BUT I JUST WANT SOME BEANS AND WHY IS BANANA A PLANTAIN THEY ARE DIFFERENT

-Also Chile. Just Chile. Just Chile in general. Shout out to my lovely Chilean followers, you know what why you’re on this list and not just because yellow is your lucky color, ya po

Anyone else want to add some because I want to learn

[inaheartbeat-phff]

Chapter 25

Wednesday, March 11th 2015, 12:00pm

Huis ten Bosch Palace, The Hague, The Kingdom of Netherlands

Arabella walked in a fast pace towards the dining room where her parents and sisters are waiting. Today, Arabella is leaving for London to kick start her UK and Ireland state visit. Even though the state visit is officially only 3 days long in each country respectively, Arabella will stay on in London for the week until Easter as right after that Harry will be leaving for his month long military attachment in Australia.

That Monday, as Harry leaves for Australia, Arabella is set to head back to the Netherlands and start her very busy month ahead of her. Jane had already briefed her on Arabella's agenda for April.

On the 6th of April, right after Easter Sunday, Arabella has to officiate a Greenhouse Opening. She will be bringing along her sisters for this particular engagement as it was a good exposure to the press and a good way for her three sisters to learn and experience something new.

The next day, which is the 7th of April, Arabella will be attending the Rotterdam Marathon as it is the biggest running event in Holland. She will also hand out the medals to the runners at the finish line. Especially the first hundred.

On the 8th of April, Arabella will be opening the National Museum week at Groningen Museum. She will travel by helicopter which is a 45 minute ride. Arabella always loved art and she also loved history so it is no wonder for her to open up museum week, as she had done so the past twelve years since she turned 18. She always alternate between which museums to start it off and there's always new artworks or paintings being put in the museum every year.

On the 10th of April, Arabella will view the Tulip festival around Amsterdam. She will look at the different creations of Tulips that people have done. It brings great creativity and makes Arabella proud of how her country looks like in the spring.

Arabella will have three days off, that means without engagements, Arabella still have meetings and paperwork to do and on the 13th of April, Arabella will be attending the Flower Parade at Haarlem. She will judge the floats and afterwards give the winner of the Parade and competition their rewards.

On the 13th of April, Arabella will be judging the Flower Parade and give the first, second and third place trophies to the winners. The rest of the week, she doesn’t have any public engagements but that doesn’t mean that Arabella's not working. In fact, during that seven days, Arabella will be visiting 5 different charities that she's a patron of as well as having a lot of meetings with her wedding dress designer and wedding planner.

On the 21st of April, Arabella will be handing out the medals for those who participate in the Amstel Gold Race and on the 23rd, Arabella will fly to London since she will attend the Anzac Day service with her godmother and fiancé's family on the 25th. The next day, she will meet Harry for the London Marathon and the following day, both Harry and Arabella will be heading back to the Netherlands to celebrate Koningsdag or also known as Kings day.

Kings day is a national holiday for the Kingdom of Netherlands as it is their monarch's day of birth. That day for Arabella will be filled with lunch and many activities to honour her father.

On the 29th of April, Arabella will be taking Harry to Keukenhof for the very first time, which she is excited for.

Arabella straightened up her knitted dress and her hair before nodding to the footman at the door. At that nod, the footman opened the doors to the dining room and announced her presence to her parents and sisters.

"Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Orange, Your Majesties." With that, Arabella entered the room and the footman closed the doors leaving the family of six alone.

Alexander and Maxima stood up upon their eldest daughter's entrance to the room while Amalia, Alexia and Ariane stayed in their seats. Arabella went up to her parents and gave a deep curtsy before kissing their cheeks and greet them.

"Afternoon, I hope I'm not too late." Arabella said as she took a seat on the right of her father. Alexander sits at the head of the table with Maxima on his left and Arabella on his right. Next to Arabella is Amalia and next to Maxima is Ariane with Alexia next to her. Everyone have their own designated seats with meanings behind them. Under protocol, Alexander sits at the head of the table since he is King. Arabella on his right signifies that she's his right hand, the heir to the throne. After Arabella is Amalia, the second in line to the throne. On Alexander's left is Maxima, his wife and Queen. Ariane being the youngest daughter, sits next to her mother with Alexia next to her.

Once Arabella marries Harry, during these dinners or luncheons, Harry will sit in the middle of Arabella and Amalia. However, once Arabella has a child of her own, Arabella will sit opposite of her father with her first child on her right and Harry on her left. But that wont be happening for a few years at least.

"Are you ready for the state visit?" Alexander asked his daughter as he cut up some salmon and put it in his mouth.

"I'm as ready as I always am for any state visit. It's even more nerve-wrecking since it's my future in-laws." Arabella told her father as she cut some salmon and eat herself.  

"Well, planning this state visit we knew you were going to your then-boyfriend's territory anyways." Maxima piped up. "Take this as a step forward to getting to know the British people. If the people love you, when the time comes for the ceremony, there will be people out there who will try very hard to knock you down and the comparisons will begin. These people can defend you when you cannot do them yourself."

"We have very strict press rules regarding the royal family here in the Netherlands. I made sure of that myself. But over there, it's free press. They can say whatever they want to. I just want you to make sure this is what you want. It's not too late to back out now you know. Just giving you the option." Alexander finished off.

"No, I want to do this pa. I've finally found someone who understands the importance of duty over everything else, and he loves me the way I am. I'm not letting him go that easily." Arabella said. "Thank you for the choice and concern though but I'm doing this. I'm marrying Harry."

With that, the rest of the dinner went on fine. Arabella said goodbye to her family and they in return, wished her safe travels and good luck.

Arabella was then driven to the airport using her official car for overseas. It's a black SUV that have the plate number CPAN and Arabella's coat of arms in front of the car. The car usually travels with her for state visits with the neighboring or close countries to the Netherlands. However, if Arabella was to do a state visit that's is more than 6 hours or so, she would be provided a car from the country she is visiting.

Arabella is using her own plane to fly to the UK. As the crown princess of the Netherlands and the heir to the throne, for official visits such as state visits and such that represents the country, Arabella gets her very own big plane that can fit up to 100 people. At the back of the plane, there is a big ramp and a big space to store the state car that she will be using. Her staff and members of the designated press will be provided cars and places to stay during the visit in that particular country.

All of Arabella's staff members are already inside the plane and ready to leave along with a few members of press that is tagging along. Of course, in the UK, there will already be a lot of press but those that represents the Netherlands are flying together with her.

The pilot, co-pilot and flight attendants are waiting in front of the plane as usual waiting to greet her into the plane. As Arabella got out of the car, she can hear the press and their cameras clicking at a safe distance. At the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the Arabella turned around to face the press and waved for a while before turning back to face the stairs and begin her wait up. Once she's at the top of the stairs, she turned around again, face the small crowd and waved before heading inside the plane and greet the staff of the plane.

The journey to London is about an hour long from the Hague and Arabella flight took off at 1pm that afternoon. When the plane came to a stop in London City Airport, it was around 2 in the afternoon. It takes about half an hour for everyone inside the plane to get off. First to leave the plane was members of the press. There's a certain area a few meters from the plane where other press members and their cameras are waiting but there is a certain part there designated for the Dutch press. Seeing as it is their princess, they get good seats and views to take pictures. As Arabella's staff members exit the plane one by one, the staff on the ground rolled out a red carpet efficiently and quickly as a few seconds after they did, William, Kate and Harry stepped out of their car and into the tarmac. William, Kate and Harry rode to London City Airport in one car as when Arabella's are unloaded and ready to use, Harry will be riding with her to Horse Guards.

Once Will, Kate and Harry, in that order, was ready at the bottom of the stairs of the plane, Arabella at that moment stepped into view and stepped out of the plane and onto the top of the stairs.

Knowing that this was photographed, Arabella flashed a quick smile, smoothing down her coat as it was 9 degrees out, and began her journey down the stairs. She made sure to hold the railings tightly as it was a bit slippery and Arabella doesn’t want to fall and die.

Once she reach the bottom of the stairs, she raised her arms and waved at the press before walking towards her future brother in-law. With cameras clicking very loudly, she let out a small laugh as Will bowed his head slightly at her. With a smile he greeted her.

"Your Royal Highness." William smiled as he greeted Arabella with kisses on the cheeks. Knowing that the paparazzi and press can hear everything, he made sure to be formal.

"Prince William." Arabella replied as she returned the kisses as well. She then moved down the line to Kate and smiled at her.

"Your Royal Highness." Kate dipped into a small curtsy before kissing Arabella's cheeks.

"Duchess." Arabella let out a small smile returning the kisses before leaning away. Still holding on to Kate though, Arabella looked down and said, "Not much longer now." Which Kate then replied, "Two more months to go."

With a smile, Arabella stepped back and moved down the line to the last person and the one that the press is most excited about. They don’t know what will happen in regards to this meeting but they hope that Harry will lean in for a quick kiss. But knowing the Princess, that wont happen.

"Your Royal Highness." Harry greeted Arabella cheekily while bowing his head slightly. Since he's not married to Arabella yet and only the fourth in line to the throne.

"Prince Harry." Arabella smiled when he leaned in and kissed her cheeks. He knew that she doesn’t like PDA much and especially when she's out working.

The cameras behind them continued their annoying clicking and continued to do when Arabella gestured to the cars and said "Shall we." The four royals began their trek towards their awaiting vehicles.

During the time when Arabella got out of the car and greeted her fiancé and family, Arabella's staff managed to bring down her state car efficiently and got it ready in front, waiting for her to get in and make their way to Horse Guards.

William walked next to Arabella towards their car as Harry fall behind and walked with Kate following protocol. The walk towards their awaiting vehicles didn’t take long anyways, as it was only a few meters away from where the plane was parked.

There will be a total of six police motorcycles that are escorting Arabella and Harry to Horse Guards. Sadly, Will and Kate will not be joining them for Horse Guards but will see the two soon-to-be husband and wife later on that night, during the state dinner.

Arabella's staff, were given four/five vehicles to carry everyone and their supplies to St. James Palace, where they will be situated during the state visit.

"How are you William? Everything alright with Catherine and the pregnancy?" Arabella asked Will as they walked towards Arabella's car.

"I'm well and the baby is healthy. That's all I can ask for really. And this pregnancy seem to be much easier than with George before." Will replied.

"Well that's good to hear. You're coming tonight right?"

"Wouldn’t miss it for the world."

"Might pop by later after tea with your grandparents and Charles, I want to play with George before we have to go be adults."

"Well, he keeps asking where is aunty Belle and when is she coming to visit, so I doubt he's forgetting you anytime soon."

"That's good to hear." Arabella closed their conversation as they arrived before her car. She then looked back to her fiancé and asked, "are you coming with me?"

At this, the photographers went absolutely mad and started taking pictures rapidly.

"To Horse Guards?" Harry raised his eyebrows before answering, "yes."

"Well lets go then." Arabella reached to open her car door before Finn opened it for her. As she put on foot inside the car, she told Will and Kate, "Well, I'll see you both tonight then, the Queen of England awaits me." With a flourish hand wave that could rival that of the Queen Elizabeth movie portrayals, Arabella got in her car and Finn closed the doors for her.

"I guess that's my queue. I'll see the both of you later tonight." Harry bid goodbye to his brother and sister in-law before going around the car and into the car sitting next to Arabella. Once the doors closed, Arabella turned to Harry and said, "hi." In which Harry replied before giving her a smile.

Knowing that Arabella couldn’t properly kiss him since the flashes let the photographers see inside the car, Arabella reached out and held Harry's hand before smiling and looking out the window, waving goodbye to Will and Kate.

The journey to Horse Guards only took 20 minutes. When Arabella and Harry arrived, Queen Elizabeth II was already waiting to greet them along with the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

When the car came to a stop in front of the tent that held the British Royal Family, Finn got out of the car first before opening Arabella's door. The driver of the car, which happened to be Markus, on the other side, got out of the car as well and opened Harry's door.

Arabella made sure as she got out of the car, to keep her knees tightly together and put both feet firmly on the ground before getting out of the car fully. With so many eyes on her and everything probably being televised live, she doesn’t want to flash anyone unnecessarily. She smoothed out her coat, making sure that there is no wrinkles visibly, or at least, not so obvious, before straightening up her shoulders and head and smiled. Arabella looked straight ahead, to see that Queen Elizabeth had a big smile on her face.

Harry on the other hand, had gotten out of the car, buttoned up his suit jacket before rounding the car to Arabella's side. Knowing protocol (he had been drilled this since the tour schedule was sent over and the Queen's private secretary himself came over to Harry's office to remind him of the roles he need to play, "just because she is your fiancé doesn’t mean that she isn't the heir to the Netherland's throne and on an official visit representing her father. Remember, she is the crown princess, you are not married to her yet, you are only the fourth in line to the throne." Harsh, but effective.) Harry made sure that once Arabella start walking, he will be slightly behind her. Not directly behind her, but not side by side.

Arabella started her walk towards the Queen and once she is directly in front of her, Arabella gave Elizabeth kisses on her cheeks before going down and giving her a deep curtsy. Elizabeth just smiled widely when Arabella curtsy.

"How was your journey here?" Elizabeth asked her goddaughter making a bit of small talk before the ceremony begins.

"Smooth as a baby's bum, Your Majesty." Arabella replied cheekily, knowing that if anybody were to say that infront of the Queen, they would get reprimended. However, since it was Arabella and that she put a Your Majesty after that sentence, Elizabeth had to keep her lips tightly together so she wouldn’t burst out laughing.

During this exchange, the media and photographers went crazy. They snapped as many pictures they possibly can, making sure that they have the best quality and capturing every single moment. There's also a lot of video camera's taping this whole exchange for critiques all over the world to analyze this moment. This video will be on the internet with fans of royal protocols saying that The Princess of Orange have given the Queen of England the perfect curtsy.

Arabella got up from her curtsy only to move on to Prince Philip and did the same thing to show respect that he is in fact, the husband of a monarch. While Arabella was greeting Philip with a kiss and a curtsy, Harry greeted his grandmother with kisses on the cheeks as well as a bow of his head. He then changed places with Arabella was she moved to stand next to Elizabeth and greeted Charles and Camilla who was on the right of Elizabeth.

Once all the greetings was done, the military band starts playing the Kingdom of the Netherlands national anthem and after that, the United Kingdom's national anthem.

During this time, Arabella made sure to keep herself upright, for both anthems, as to not disrespect anyone. The order of the standings inside the tent goes like this:

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange are front and center with His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh next to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales next to The Princess of Orange. The Princess of Orange standing to the right of Her Majesty. Their Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall standing to the right of The Princess of Orange, but a little bit to the back.

This would actually be the first time Harry would attend the Horse Guard's Parade during a state visit. Usually he wont even be involved at all and were to do his own things such as meetings and such. Even though Harry was a senior member of the British Royal Family, state visits usually only include his grandparents, father, Step-mother, brother, sister-in-law, aunts and uncles. Even those usually only involve his uncle Andrew and Aunty Sophie.

Once the military band finished playing both the Netherlands and the UK's national anthem, Elizabeth turned to Arabella and asked her if they should start reviewing the guards now, in which Arabella replied with a yes.

While Arabella went to follow Elizabeth, Harry could see how everything and everyone was looking at the two duo. He could see how the world views his granny and his fiancé. It was magical to see and be able to respect these two women that he adores so much. Of course he has seen his granny in action so many times, with Arabella as well. It just seeing the two of them work the crowds and do their duties is amazing to watch.

"They're wonderful aren't they?" Philip leaned over to talk to his grandson. "Seeing the two of them in action always melts my frozen heart."

"Granddad, I think your frozen heart have melted years ago." Harry laughed. "But yes, they are incredible together."

"You should see them later on, now out here with the press, their personas are different. It’s like they have a switch to on or off whenever they’re in public." Philip continued on. It gets incredibly boring watching Elizabeth examine the guards after so many times.

"It amazes me how they do that sometimes. It's like one minute they are all proper and the next they relax and tell really dirty jokes." Harry talked to his grandfather while still watching what's happening in front of his eyes. This is still his first time watching these things live and not in front of a tv so he knew he better pay attention.

Harry thought to himself as he paid attention to every single detail happening in front of his eyes. He knew that even though this was his first time seeing the Guards of Honour parade, he was sure it wont be his last. Through his marriage with Arabella, it was a definite that he will accompany Arabella went they go on state visits and he's sure as hell know that he will one day do this as well, representing both his wife's as well as his grandmother/father/brother.

Before he knows it, both Arabella and his grandmother arrived back at their little tent, and back beside the two men in their original positions.

"Did you enjoyed the parade?" Arabella asked Harry as they both got comfortable inside their car on the way to Buckingham Palace forty five minutes later.

"It was something different." Harry thought for a moment before continuing. "I was never invited to these kinds of stuff before and it’s something new for me to experience. It was always Will and Pa accompanying granny for foreign state visits and I was always happy to be out of the limelight for that period of time."

"Well, I hope you will grow to enjoy these things and all things royal because that's how your life will be like when you're married to me. We will someday be King and Queen of a country and we do have to represent both The Netherlands as well as The United Kingdom from now on. You'll be accompanying me to all sorts of things, from state visits to banquets." Arabella told Harry as she reached over and held his hands.

"I think with you by my side, I feel like I can do anything. It still shocks me to see you doing your royal duties." Harry said.

"I hope you enjoyed it Henry."

"It's always nice to experience new things. It's even better to experience something next to you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

6:10pm

White Drawing Room - Buckingham Palace, London

"Presenting Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Orange, Princess Arabella of The Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Heir-Apparent to the Kingdom of The Netherlands."

Arabella entered the room after being introduced wearing a caped dusty blue gown as well as her Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau sash. She is also wearing her Blue Crystal Cluster Tiara which was an engagement present from both her father and godmother. It is a tiara the public has never seen before, custom made for her.

Waiting inside the drawing room was Elizabeth, Philip, Charles, Camilla, William, Catherine and Harry. Other members of the Royal family is also attending the state banquet such as Edward and Sophie as well as Anne and her husband Timothy Lawrence, though they are already waiting inside the ballroom among everybody else.

Attending the state banquet is the Prime Minister, David Cameron and the Netherland's Foreign Minister and Ambassador, Simon Smits. There is also 150 people in attendance of tonight's state banquet. Representatives of Dutch charities in the UK, sportsmen, different people who represents the Dutch and English people.

As Arabella entered the Drawing Room, there was a videographer and a photographer on standby as this state banquet will be televised for once in British History as it was highly requested by a lot of the people.

Arabella greeted Elizabeth first with a deep curtsy and she can hear the photographer in the room clicking along his camera, not wanting to miss a single moment between Arabella and her godmother. As Arabella rise up again, she leaned in and gave Elizabeth kisses on the cheeks, before moving on to Philip who was standing next to Elizabeth.

Again, Arabella gave Philip a deep curtsy and when she stood up, she kissed both his cheeks before Philip brought up her hands and kissed the back of her palm. Arabella smiled softly at Philip before moving on to Charles and Camilla.

Since Arabella and Charles are the same rank, Arabella just softly smiled at him and greeted him softly before kissing both his cheeks. Charles in return kissed the back of her palm. Arabella greeted Camilla and kissed her cheeks before moving on to William and Catherine, who stood next to Camilla.

This time, as Arabella is a higher ranked royal than both William and Catherine, William just greeted her with kisses on the cheeks as well as a hand kiss, but Catherine gave a small curtsy, in which Arabella laughed and kissed both her cheeks.

When it came to greeting Harry, Arabella smiled at him lovingly before giving him kisses on both cheeks. The cameraman made sure to keep the camera focused on the engaged couple, waiting to see how they would greet each other.

Harry knew that Arabella liked to keep the PDA to a minimum and make sure to be professional, so when Arabella gave Harry a surprise and quick peck on the lips, he was stunned and surprised. He made sure though to keep his surprised face to a minimum and smiled softly at Arabella.

"You look gorgeous darling." Harry whispered softly to Arabella when they hugged shortly.

"Thank you, you look quite dashing as well." Arabella whispered back.

Arabella smiled softly at Harry before mentioning for him to follow her. Harry furrowed his eyebrows, not really sure what’s happening as he was never invited for these kinds of things. Ed made sure to briefly go through what's going to happen tonight but still, Harry was a little confused.

As they both made their way to Elizabeth, Arabella leaned in to Harry a little and told him that now they are going to have a photo session before moving on to another side room where the Prime minister and the Dutch Ambassador as well as a few other guests are waiting to be introduced to Arabella. Now, Harry would be presented as both a Prince of the United Kingdom as well as Arabella’s fiancé therefore, he would be presented right after Arabella to the guests before his father, step-mother, brother and sister-in-law.

Although being presented is nothing new to Harry, what was new for him was how he get to talk to these incredible people from different background before his father and brother. It really felt weird to him as of when he marries Arabella, he will take on Arabella's Royal ranking which is Heir to the throne. It is a big major leap from being the spare, fourth in line and now fifth in line to the throne.

He will be called and titled, 'HRH Prince of Orange' first and foremost before whatever dukedom his grandmother decides to give.

After meeting all these people, the Royals took their positions to go inside the Ballroom. Since Arabella is the reason why there is a state banquet in the first place and Harry is her Fiancé, he gets to enter with Queen Elizabeth while Arabella enters with Prince Philip, followed by Prince Charles and the Prime Minister's wife, Camilla with the Prime Minister, William with the Dutch Foreign Minister's wife and Kate with the Dutch Foreign Minister.

Harry rubbed his hands nervously as this is the first time he ever go inside a ballroom first accompanying his grandmother as he's usually always so far behind. He noticed that behind him, Arabella was giggling and joking with his grandfather.

"Are you nervous, Harry?" Elizabeth looked up from her position next to him.

"Just a little bit," Harry nervously laughed. "It’s the first time I'm entering next to you, Gran."

"Don't be nervous, my darling boy. Soon, you'll be hosting your very own state banquets in another country." Elizabeth lightly laughed before the fanfare started and the doors start to open.

Harry kept a small smile on his face, knowing that the entrance is being broadcasted live on BBC and SkyNews. He smiled at the guests as they made their way to the main table where they will be seated that night.

Harry will be seated on the left of Elizabeth with his father on Harry's other side, while to the right of Elizabeth will be Arabella with Philip on her other side. Next to Charles would be the Dutch Foreign Minister and his wife. On the other side of Philip would be the UK Prime Minister and next to him is Camilla and next to her will be the Prime Minister's wife. William and Kate will be seated in one of the tables on the left side of the room where a lot of the Dutch ambassadors as well as Dutch charity heads are seated.

Before dinner would commence, Elizabeth will make a small speech followed by Arabella as the guest of honor. Once the speeches are done, the national anthems will be played, The UK's national anthem followed by The Netherlands. Once those are done, dinner will commence.

"Your Royal Highness. The Duke of Edinburgh and I are delighted to welcome you to Buckingham Palace this evening. Through this State visit, we celebrate the enduring friendship which has enabled our two nations to prosper and grow, side by side, as trading partners, and as North Sea neighbors.  This visit also provides the opportunity for great happiness, and to welcome old friends to my home. Through Your Royal Highness' visits and your acts of friendship, you have formed your own personal connection with the British people. From your ongoing visits to local shelters and centers to volunteering to read at the local hospitals."

"To this day, our close relationship greatly contributes to the economic and cultural life of Britain.  The Netherlands are one of The United Kingdom’s largest European investors.  We have a thriving Dutch community, and artistic and sporting exchanges are at an all time high.  British universities are a top destination for Dutch students, and hundreds of Dutch and British scientists are teaching, researching and collaborating in both countries. Internationally we have a strong shared commitment to the transatlantic alliance, and it is no coincidence that of the last twelve Secretaries General of NATO, six have been either British or Dutch."

"Our deep bond is seen in our obligation to uphold the rule of law in the United Nations Security Council and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons based in The Hague.  It is also evident in our daily co-operation to combat cross border crime and terrorism."

"I recall the State Visit of your great-grandmother Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1972, when I spoke of how our nations’ close understanding and relationship would become increasingly important as a new configuration of Europe was emerging.  As we look toward a new partnership with Europe, it is our shared values and commitment to each other, that are our greatest asset, and demonstrate that even through change, our enduring alliance remains strong, and as innovators, traders and internationalists we look with confidence to the future.   As we continue to work together to ensure peace, prosperity and security, I am confident that this friendship between The United Kingdom and The Netherlands, which we greatly treasure, will continue to deepen, and to prosper."

Taking a deep breathe, Elizabeth raised up her glass of champagne and said "Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you all to rise and drink a toast to Her Royal Highness, The Princess of Orange, and the people of The Netherlands."

Arabella smiled at her godmother before raising her glass as well. Together, they drank their drinks and set it back down on the table. Arabella then stood up and turn to her godmother and kissed her cheeks before hugging her tightly. Elizabeth let out a short chuckle knowing it was against protocol, but for the first time in during her reign, she didn’t care one bit about protocols and must haves.

Harry stood back a bit shocked knowing that Arabella is breaking protocol and that his granny let her  but he soon controlled his face before anyone saw him.

It was now Arabella's turn to do her speech, so she took a deep breathe before standing up once again.

"Your Majesty, I am delighted to be able to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom, and above all to find you in good health, as vigorous and engaged as ever. I appreciate how special this occasion is. My great grandparents came here on a State Visit. My grandparents did too. Today it is my turn. And all within your long reign.

Last year you celebrated your Sapphire Jubilee. That is deeply impressive to someone who has yet to reach their Bronze Jubilee… In recent decades, you have seen your country, Europe and the world change enormously. The world looks to you as a trusted beacon in the midst of upheaval. Your ability to keep in touch with the times is striking. You even have an adventurous streak, as you showed six years ago at the opening of the Olympic Games.

In front of millions of viewers you played the role of the most fearless Bond Girl ever – with great panache!"

"The United Kingdom has given the world so much. We owe much of our prosperity to the skill of British inventors, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. Our culture has been enriched by the creativity of British artists, from Shakespeare to Monty Python and the Beatles. Today, global communication knows no borders, because English has become the world’s lingua franca. Many Dutch people feel a great affection for this country. The charms of the Fairest Isle extend to the other side of the Channel!"

"Your Majesty, I am most grateful that, by inviting me here, you have underlined the special bond between our Kingdoms. Now, more than ever, we must cherish that bond. You and your family are dear to us, and with you, we delight in all of life’s joyous and festive occasions, including those among the younger generations. Let me close by wishing you and your family every future happiness. I invite you to rise and join me in a toast. Your Majesty, to your health and happiness and that of His Royal Highness Prince Philip. And to the friendship between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Netherlands."

Arabella smiled before raising her glass to the Queen and Prince Phillip, everyone followed suit. They toasted to the British Royal Family before Arabella sat back down and the banquet begins.

Food begin to pour in, as servants start going to their tables bringing their meals and set them in front of the guests. Arabella made small talks Prince Phillip and the UK prime minister for a short while before talking and laughing with The Queen. They made light jokes throughout the evening.

Once dessert was served and settled in their stomachs, Arabella stood up from her seat and begin to walk down the main table towards the where most of the guests are seated with her private secretary, Jane following behind her.

Harry looked up from where he was seated when he saw Arabella leaving the table and turned to his grandmother to ask what Arabella was doing.

"She's making her rounds on the guests who came tonight." Elizabeth told her grandson smiling. "They took their time off their busy schedule to come and meet her tonight."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Arabella and Harry said their goodbyes to the Queen and everyone before retiring back to Kensington Palace.

On the ride home, Arabella turned to Harry and asked him how he felt that day.

"It was definitely an experience, Bel."

"Do you think you see yourself accompanying me to more of these pomp and stuff in the future? Going as far as having them in your honor itself?" Arabella turned to Harry looking up at him through her lashes.

"It's something that I will get used to and grow to love," Harry looked at Arabella lovingly. "It is definitely something I would do, in order to be with you until we're grey and old."

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