#I’ve been thinking of these answers since I was tagged last night until I went to sleep

[w2soneshots]

Early -W2S

words: 1.9k+

warnings: pregnancy, birth.

summary: the boys surprise you with one last trip before you and Harry become parents but it doesn’t go as expected.

notes: hey! Haven’t done one for bog in ages so here’s the longest one shot I’ve ever written to make up for it😚. This was a request and I think it turned out really cute, enjoy🫶🏼💕

Liked by ksi and 205,381 others

y/username: one last trip🫶🏼

Tagged: @wroetoshaw @behzingagram @tobjizzle @faithlousak

-comments-

taliamar: can't wait to see you!😘

-> y/username: hurry up!!

faithloisak: no not that pic pahahaha

y/nfanpage21: are they all on a trip together??🥺

user41095623: the horse🫶🏼

Me and Harry have been together for around 7 years and got married a two and a half years ago. We had a very private wedding with just our closest friends and family. Over a year after we got married we decided that we were ready for a baby and were really excited about it. It took just a few months before I had a positive pregnancy test in my hand. I told Harry that night and he was elated. Everyone has been so supportive and the girls are so excited. We also decided to keep the baby's gender a secret so have only been buying gender neutral clothes.

Last month the boys surprised me and Harry with a three day long trip to a huge lodge/ house in wales, the reason it isn't somewhere extravagant (like usual) is because I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant and can't fly. It's going to be JJ, Simon, Josh, Tobi, Ethan, Harry, Freya, Talia, Faith, Olive and me, unfortunately Vik wasn't able to make it due to being busy abroad DJing. Since we're going to be pretty busy once we have a baby the boys wanted to have one last trip before we become parents.

This morning I got up early and got ready. Since we're going to be in the car for a few hours I put on some jeans and a simple white top. Then Harry got up, took a shower and once all our bags were in the car, we left.

Faith called me after a few minutes of driving, "hey!" She said excitedly. "Hi! We just left." I replied. "Same, it took ages to get Olive in the car. One second she was in tears, then she needed her nappy changed... that'll be you soon." She laughed. I sighed "can't wait." I said sarcastically. She giggled "well, I'll see you there!" "Bye!" And with that I put the phone down.

After almost a three hour drive we finally arrived at our destination. Harry got out and quickly ran around the front of the car to help me out. "Hey!" Me and Harry turned around to see Tobi walking towards us. "Alright mate?" Harry asked as they did their little bro handshake. "Ye great, how are you too?" He pulled me into a quick hug. "Really good! I'm excited to have some time to relax and this place is beautiful!" I answered. Before anything else was said Ethan's car pulled up. Faith jumped out excitedly and quickly ran to give me a hug while Ethan got Olive from the back seat. "Hi!" Faith exclaimed. I smiled "how was your drive?" I asked. Faith went on to tell me about the fact Olive was crying the entire time, up until the last five minutes when she inconveniently fell asleep.

I took a picture of the boys outside the house and sent it to the group chat along with a caption telling them to hurry up. JJ arrived a few minutes later, then Josh and Freya. Talia text the group saying that they were going to be late. So we decided to go on a walk and explore.

We grabbed our coats and started walking, Olive being carried by Ethan. After just five minutes we ran into a dog who seemed to be all by himself. Just as Faith knelt down to pet it I pulled my phone out and told her to pose for a picture. She awkwardly smiled at the camera and we all burst out laughing. The owner started running towards us a few seconds later "oh my gosh. I'm so sorry!" She said after calling her dog over. Faith smiled "don't worry about it."

As we continued walking we spotted a beautiful horse in a field across from the one we were in, both me Faith and Freya took a photo. Then we made our way back to the house. All the boys went out in Ethan's car to get the food for the next few days while we chilled. They came back after an hour with a large selection of food and we decided that we were going to have spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.

Simon and Talia finally arrived a while later, just after we started making dinner. Faith started making the sauce and I helped her by cooking the pasta and tidying up as we went. Talia quickly jumped in to take my place once she'd put her bags in her and Simon's shared room, telling me to 'go sit down and relax'. Which is exactly what I did. Sitting down on the couch next to Harry I sighed and placed my legs on his lap. "You alright?" He whispered into my ear. I hummed "yea."

We ate dinner together at the huge dining table and it was delicious. We decided to watch a movie so all sat in the living room. Me and Harry sat in our previous position on the couch, along with Faith, Ethan and JJ while Talia sat on Simon's lap in the arm chair and Tobi, Freya and Josh sat on top of some pillows on floor. We decided on a movie and within an hour JJ was fast asleep. I was fighting to keep my eyes open when Harry spoke "do you wanna go up to bed?" He asked quietly. I just nodded. "Come on then."

We said good night to everyone and Harry helped me upstairs. "Are you alright?" He asked me as I took my makeup off. "Yea, it's just- my back hurts." I replied. He walked over to me and placed a hand on my lower back, gently rubbing circles. I hummed and leaned into his touch. When we finally got into bed Harry wrapped his arms around me and placed his hand on my bump. I rested my hand on top of his and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I woke up with a strong urge to pee. I slid out of the bed but just before I made it to the ensuite I felt warm liquid trickle down my legs. I looked down "did I just piss myself?" I thought. My eyes widened "no, it's too early!" I whispered to myself. I waddled to the toilet and sat down. "What do I do? We're in the middle of nowhere!" My brain raced, along with my heart.

Once I'd calmed myself down slightly I stood, took a deep breath and went to wake Harry up. "Haz wake up, Harry!" I shook him. He slowly opened his eyes "what is it, babe?" He mumbled. "I think my water just broke." He immediately shot up, now fully awake "what?!" He exclaimed. "Shh, you're gonna wake everyone up!" I whispered.

When we figured out what we were going to do I got changed out of my wet pyjamas and into some sweatpants and one of Harry's t-shirts, brushed my teeth and tied my hair back into a ponytail. All while Harry tried to calm himself down. "How are you so calm right now?" He asked me. I turned my head to him "everything's fine Harry, I've not even had a contraction yet-" just as the words came out of my mouth a tight pain spread through my stomach "ow" Harry rushed over to me "oh shit- are you ok? Are you having a contraction?" He rambled. I nodded "I think so." The pain wasn't that bad (yet) but I was struggling to focus on what Harry was saying.

Once it finished Harry helped me down stairs. I assumed it was really early, like 5am or something but almost everyone was sat in the kitchen. I glanced the clock on the wall, it's half nine. "Hey! Uh is everything ok?" Ethan asked. Me and Harry shared a look. "What's wrong?" Talia stepped toward us. "Uhm- y/n's water just broke." Harry said. All of their eyes widened and their mouths fell open slightly. "What?!" Faith expressed. "So the baby's coming like now?!" Simon asked loudly. "Well, probably in the next few hours." I answered calmly. "No no no, this can't be happening!" JJ nervously started to pace back and forth. Me and Harry giggled slightly at how stressed they all were.

Just as everyone started to calm down I was hit with another contraction. I grabbed onto the counter and my eyes fluttered closed. Harry gently rubbed my back and everyone went silent. I chuckled lightly through the pain "guys I'm fine."

Faith and Talia helped me to the car while Harry pulled together a bag with some of my things. "This will be a good story to tell in ten years." Faith said as we walked out of the front door. I giggled. Once we got to the car I got into the passenger seat and Harry raced out of the house a few seconds later. Everyone waved us off as we pulled out of the driveway "good luck!" Freya shouted.

The nearest hospital was around half an hour away so I had a few painful contractions as Harry drove, nervously glancing over at me as I breathed through them. I called my mum and told her what was going on, she chuckled "it could only happen to you, good luck and call me when she's here!" "Mum we don't know if it's a girl yet." I told her for the one hundredth time since I told her I was pregnant. "Just a feeling!" She exclaimed "I love you." she continued "love you too, bye."

When we finally arrived at the hospital me and Harry walked inside and were almost immediately taken to a room. The doctor checked me out and told me I was almost 7 centimetres dilated and that it wouldn't be long.

She was right because just an hour later I was holding our beautiful baby girl, mum was right. Even though she's early she was checked over immediately and is perfectly healthy. After getting cleaned up a nurse came in to tell me that there were some people in the waiting room that wanted to see me. I told her to let them in, knowing exactly who it was. A few minutes later Talia ran into the room, followed by everyone else. "Oh my god!" She whispered, careful not to wake up the sleeping baby. "Is it a girl?!" Faith whispered. I nodded with tear stained cheeks "yea." All the boys (except Ethan since he was outside with Olive) gave Harry a pat on the back while the girls fussed over me and the baby.

The next day we drove home. Thankfully we'd already installed the baby seat into the car so we could actually take her home. "I still can't believe she's ours." I said as I watched her from my place in the back seat. "Ye, we're actually parents, it's crazy." Harry replied.

y/username

Liked by tobjizzle and 1,501,923 others

y/username: our baby girl🤍 Our hearts couldn't be more full, welcome to the world little Willow Lewis. Mummy and daddy are so excited to be your parents.

-comments-

wroetoshaw: my girls❤️

behzingagram: congratulations again guys😁

faithloisak: cuties💕

r0sielewis: I'm in tears🥺

y/nfanpage21: OMG!!

user71015839: wroetoshaw and y/n are parents. I'm officially old😭

[lily-fics-11]

I Can See You: Chapter 5 (Ellie Williams, TLOU)

I Can See You

Fic master post here

Tags: @bready101, @st4r-b3rries, @tlou-bombshell, @stvrs13, @dinanellie, @everegretseverything, @mikellie, @lamolaine, @0pheli4, @soupycloud, @radioheadfan699, @callmelola111, @hysteriawillnotsuccumb, @normalthing111, @3isosoup, @lmaoo-spiderman, @cqliflower 

*Not beta read

This took forever and I’m so sorry😭 Since I last updated, I took a trip to see my girlfriend and she came to see me too (if it seems like I’m in my lover girl era it’s because I am). I went on a trip to Disney (I am an extensive planner, I even made spreadsheets. I put my heart and soul into it) (I had to prep my body and mind as well, for spending that much time with my mother, also the Florida heat and tons of walking). I’ve done a bunch of babysitting and have been on the hunt for a full-time job! I missed writing and hope to get to do it much more often now!!!

Ellie Williams is a player, on and off the lacrosse field. You begin tutoring her so that she can get her grades up and stay on the team. You try to keep things professional, however, your affection is a great motivator. Ellie wouldn't be caught dead with you so you become her secret mission. 

Chapter 5

Ellie gets a little jealous when another girl shows interest in you. You share many sweet moments as she tries to spend every second with you that she can.

Word count: 4k

CW: *Ellie and reader are both 18* profanities, sexual innuendo/references, semi-intimate situations, mentions of drinking/smoking weed

You and Ellie spend the rest of the time before her practice kissing and planning dates. Neither of you can wait to share your dorky interests with the other. 

Picking up your phone, while getting ready to leave, you see a text from Elise. It’s not about homework. You audibly groan and Ellie raises an eyebrow.

“I got a text from Elise,” you tell her and then read it out loud. “Are you going to Kyle’s Saturday night? I’m hoping to see you there.”

Ellie’s face scrunches up in disgust, but she doesn’t say anything.

“I told her to only text me for school stuff. I’m going to remind her,” You tell Ellie, then type out a text while reading it out loud. 

“I'm happy to answer your questions about school work, but I’m not looking to be involved with you in the way I think that you want us to be. I’m your tutor now and that wouldn’t be appropriate.” Ellie laughs at that, you ignore the irony. “Also, I’m seeing a girl that I like a lot, you and I aren’t going to be anything more than friendly.” 

“You tell her.” Ellie nods in approval, hyping you up. “That girl better watch herself. She might be disrespecting what you want on purpose, but she doesn’t know that she is disrespecting me too.”

Elise asks who you are seeing so you tell her that the girl goes to North, not someone she would know. Ellie laughs again, though somewhat maniacally this time. 

Ellie hugs you while saying goodbye, holding your close, not letting you leave until she is satisfied. She kisses you softly, longingly, and the taste of her lips lingers on yours for a while after you have parted ways. 

Ellie calls you that night, to check that no one was bothering you. You tell her that Elise had continued asking more questions but you stopped answering.

Ellie was not happy to hear that. 

The next morning you get a text from Ellie.

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: You free during home room today?

You: Yes!

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Meet me in the science wing bathroom at 8

You like the message and finish getting ready. You get a hall pass and leave to meet Ellie. The science wing is empty during homeroom, so it’s a good spot to be alone.

When you walk in Ellie is leaning back with her hands on the sink. 

“We’ve unlocked a new location,” she points out enthusiastically. 

“We have,” you giggle at how cute she is.

“Less than ideal, but I like getting to see you in person.”

“You spend plenty of time seeing me in person,” you tease her. She walks over to you and flips your hood over your head.

“Actually spending time with you,” she specifies grabbing your hands to pull your arms around her.

You lean your head onto Ellie’s shoulder. “It is really nice getting to hang out with you. Even if it’s only for a few minutes.”

“A few minutes?!” She practically yells in your ear. 

“It may be normal for you to disappear for a half hour but if I’m gone more than 5 minutes people are going to think I’ve got explosive diarrhea or something.”

Her face is contorted in confusion until it hits her, eliciting a discouraged sigh.“You study during homeroom don’t you?”

You raise an eyebrow. “That’s what it’s there for.”

Ellie waves a hand in the air dismissively. “It’s like those yellow speed signs, a suggestion.”

Your jaw drops and you shake your head in mock disapproval. “Remind me not to get in a car with you.”

“I am a GREAT driver. I’ll pick you up for our first date and show you.” Ellie says matter-of-factly. Eyebrows furrowed, but a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. 

Your heart flutters at the mention of a first date, but it is against your nature to halt the banter. “I’ll just have to bring a helmet.”

“I’m coordinated enough to play lacrosse. You on the other hand, I bet you hit a lot of curbs.”

“I plead the fifth!” You stick your tongue out at her. 

“I know that one!” Ellie informs you with enthusiasm, eager to impress you.

“I feel like you are the kind of person to know the rules so that you can break them most effectively,” you tease her and you can tell by the look in her eyes that you are right on the money. 

Ellie throws her hands up in the air. “I want my lawyer!”

You playfully shove her and she grabs your arms to rope you into a hug.

On Friday during your tutoring session with Elise you are working in a textbook. You slide the book towards her to point to the asymptote in the graph and she puts her hand on top of yours. You quickly pull away and you hear a textbook fall off a shelf nearby, but don't think anything of it. 

When Elise asks to borrow your pencil sharpener she tries to slide her hand over yours once again. Before you can react someone coughs loudly from the other side of a book shelf. Elise gets startled and quickly lets go.  

Reading over an answer to a problem Elise had done you hear a very familiar voice hoarsely whisper “what the fuck!”

You look around for Ellie but the first thing you notice is Elise’s arm around the back of your chair. 

“Do that again and you won’t have a tutor anymore,” you tell her sternly and she folds her arms across her chest in a huff. 

Looking around you see a pair of eyes peeking through a hole on the bookshelf, they are green and sparkling in a way that tells you they are accompanied by a smile. Further down the shelf you see another face poking through, Paz, accompanying Ellie on her little mission. 

You pull out your phone and send Ellie a text. 

You: Are you spying on me???

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I have no idea what you are talking about

You: None at all?

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: You’re right. Now that I’m thinking about it Paz mentioned something about undercover work

You look back towards Ellie and Paz and they quickly duck out of sight. You have to stifle your laugh and refocus on your job.

Friday at the end of the school day you head to the locker room to retrieve your gym clothes, they need to be washed. You are giddy at the prospect of catching a glimpse of Ellie. Even if you don’t get to talk to her, let alone be near her. 

When you enter the locker room you are greeted by the sound of a ruckus. You hear a crash a few rows back, like someone fell into a locker. 

You creep down the rows of lockers to investigate. That requires navigation through a crowd of softball and lacrosse players. You see Ellie hovering in an offensive stance over Elise, who is crouching slightly, as if recovering from a hit. 

“What the hell, Williams?” Elise asks in disgust, shoving Ellie away from her. 

Ellie pushes her back, much harder. “Just think you need to watch yourself, Knolls.”

Elise doesn’t retaliate this time, Ellie plays lacrosse she knows how to rough someone up. “Fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Ellie pushes Elise up against the lockers and pins her there. You may or may not be jealous. “Don’t ever get in my way again.” The gathered crowd collectively gasps but no one tries to intervene. After staring Elise down long enough to make her point, Ellie lets go of her and turns away. Elise watches confused, pissed off, and embarrassed. You know why Ellie is angry with her, though you are baffled that she would display those emotions so publicly. 

What if Elise told someone about this and Ellie ended up in the principal’s office? What would she tell her? Sorry, she was flirting with the girl I like. She was MY tutor first! 

This isn’t a side of Ellie you are familiar with. This aggression is uncalled for, but it’s attractive. Seeing her physically fight for you? It has you in a lust filled haze. 

The crowd disperses and Ellie walks past you. Her cheeks flush when she spots you, realizing you saw what just happened. But her expression turns cocky when she sees the hunger in your eyes. She bites her lip and winks at you. Her hand reaches so that her fingertips brush over your waist. No one else could have seen because of the way you two were positioned. Normally you would have panicked, but the public display of affection was concealed by the angle of her body. Not to mention the way you caught up in the passion you share. 

Even after Ellie passes by, you stand there dumbfounded. Nonetheless, you force yourself to shake it off in order to continue on with your day. But your phone buzzes…

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: You liked that didn’t you?

Everyone else should be gone in about 10

Want to wait around?

You: That was a bad idea, confronting her like that

But yes I liked it

And yes I’ll be waiting 

You dawdle at your locker while the chatting dies down to silence and footsteps are no longer falling.

Ellie approaches you and leans against a locker with her arms crossed. 

“You know where my gym locker is?” You question.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know where to watch you get changed?”

You playfully hit Ellie in the arm. “Shut up!” 

“My locker is right on the other side.” She admits. “Doesn’t matter how many voices are around, I can always hear yours.”

Focusing down on your shoes you blink rapidly and take a deep breath, unsure of how to handle this attention. Yes, you’ve received this type of attention before. But Ellie being the girl that notices you is still incomprehensible. Not only that, you have now seen her feelings towards you exist outside of when you two are alone. Sweet moments in secret are one thing, but her defending your honor? Of course no one knows that’s what it is, but it doesn't stop your head from spinning. 

Ellie tilts your face up with her pointer finger and your wide eyes stare into hers, they are focused on you. 

“What?” She asks, her worry evident in her expression as she searches yours for a clue of how you are feeling. 

“It’s nothing,” you lie and Ellie raises an eyebrow. She knows you too well now to get away with that. 

“Well…” your voice is soft and timid. “It’s that… you just … seem to care a lot about me. And it’s sweet.

“I do care a lot about you. I guess I need to make that more clear. I have a secret to tell you.” You cock your head to the side in confusion, Ellie leaning close to whisper “I like like you.” In your ear. You start giggling. 

Ellie wraps her arms around your waist and tucks her face into the crook of your neck. You rest your cheek on her soft auburn hair and hold her tight. You feel Ellie take a deep breath, breathing in your scent, and feeling her exhale on your neck sends shivers down your spine. 

“I have to go to practice but I don’t want to,” she mumbles. 

You sigh. “I don’t want you to go either. But super stars don’t skip practice.”

“Super star?” She asks, picking her head up to look at you. Her surprise is so genuine it melts your heart. 

“I watched your old games, Ellie. You really are talented.”

Ellie smirks, her sense of wonder broken by her dirty mind. “Talented,” she repeats. 

You roll your eyes playfully and ignore the comment. “You can’t slow down now. You’ve got another championship to win.”

She nods in agreement, with a sense of duty. “Very true. I’m like a Wendy’s 4 for 4. Plus I am dating the smartest girl and it would be embarrassing if she wasn’t dating the best lacrosse player.”

“I’ll never eat Wendy’s the same way ever again.”

Ellie’s green eyes sparkle devilishly. “Yeah. You’ll be eating me too.”

“I’m looking forward to it. But my super star really does need to get to practice.”

“Will you stay with me until I’m ready to leave?” Ellie asks shyly, a bright flush coloring her freckled face. 

“Of course I can.”

Ellie grabs your hand and leads you over to her locker. She opens it up and pulls out her practice clothes. 

You don’t even pretend that you aren’t watching. Ellie watched you watch her. She pulls her shirt over her head, only momentarily breaking eye contact when the fabric passes over her face. 

Your breath hitches seeing her like this. Her sports bra hugging her exquisitely and her abdomen pleasantly toned. The urge to trace you fingertips over her impressive body burns in the pit of your stomach. 

“Like what you see?” Ellie chuckles, clearly pleased to see you gawking at her. 

“I guess you could say that,” you sigh, pretending like you aren’t ogling at her body. 

“Don’t lie to me, tutor girl.”

You cross your arms and pout. “Fine. I’m impressed. Happy now?”

“Very.” Ellie hooks her arm around your waist and drags you into her, hastily, and you have to grab her shoulders to steady yourself. Ellie presses her forehead to yours and you take a deep breath after she has taken it away. 

“Pretty girl.” Ellie mumbles and you just gaze at her starry eyed. Ellie kisses you gently and you let your hand slide down her body, over her perky breasts and tight abs. You grab her hips firmly when you get there and then distance yourself, still holding on to her. 

“Practice,” you remind her and she groans. Ellie throws on her practice pinnie and then slides down her pants leaving her in her boxers. Thankfully she pulls a pair of shorts over them right away.

Ellie puts her clothes away and starts taking her practice things out. 

“Can you hold this for me?” She asks, extending her lacrosse stick towards you. You nod as you take it. Ellie slings her lacrosse backpack over her shoulder and stops to take you in for a moment. 

“I didn’t actually need you to hold it,” Ellie admits. “I just knew you would look cute.”

You shake your head at her and bite back a smile. 

“I’ll text you after practice,” she tells you before giving you a quick peck on the lips and heading out. 

You stand there dumbfounded for a moment. 

Is this real?

Does Ellie Williams really like like you?

This is not something you ever imagined happening, but here you are, kissing her before she goes to practice. 

You literally pinch yourself so that when you get a text from Ellie you know it’s real. 

Ellie sends you a message after she has finished with her practice. You ask each other about your time apart and chat. 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Can you send me your schedule?

You: Plan on stalking me?

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Yes 

I’ve got some of it figured out but I want to try and run into you whenever I can

You send her a picture of your schedule.

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I didn’t know half these classes existed 

This doesn’t look fun 

Like at all

You: Don’t worry about me😂

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Don’t tell me what to do😡

I’m going to make sure you don’t get too stressed💚

You: I have a few ideas about how you could do that 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: 👀👀👀👀

I will mix wholesome and not so wholesome 

You: Sounds like a plan 

Ellie ends up going on a rant about practice, Abby Anderson did something to piss her off. However, Ellie’s team won their scrimmage so it’s okay.

You text Ellie the rest of the night and end up staying up later than usual until you finally say goodnight. Even though you don’t want to. 

On Saturday Ellie has an away game and then goes to a party with a bunch of her teammates.  

You spend the afternoon studying, then go to a party yourself. Definitely not the same one. 

Elise eyes you from across the room and you ignore her. When your friends ask why you are giving her the cold shoulder you tell them it’s because you are her tutor now. Your friends are relieved, they know how that type of thing has gone in the past. You are happy they don’t know it already happened again.

You socialize outside of your friend group too, politely ignoring any flirting. You have a lot of fun, even if you are waiting for your phone to buzz. 

You hear from Ellie more than you expect to. She keeps you updated on the drama around her and you can tell she had been smoking before she even mentioned it. She is more silly than usual, and it’s incredibly charming, especially since you’ve had a bit to drink. 

Nicole sees you smiling at your phone. “I know that look!”

She gets excited but rolls her eyes when you try to brush it off. She looks you up and down with a bit of an attitude, it’s unlike you to keep this kind of thing from her. 

“Fine. I’m talking to a girl,” you admit and Nicole’s eyes light up.

“Are you going to tell me who it is?” She pesters you, a wildly excited look in her eyes.

You make up a little lie. Nicole isn’t ready for the truth yet. “She goes to North. You wouldn’t know her.” Nicole knows who Ellie is but she doesn’t really know her. Not like you do.

She squints her eyes at you. “Is that all I get?”

“For now.” You take a long sip of your drink, signaling you are moving on from this topic. 

Nicole shakes her head in disapproval. “I guess that’s better than nothing. Don’t think I’ll be forgetting about this.”

You and your friends get picked up around 2 am. On your way back to Nicole’s you get a text from Ellie, asking you to come over. You tell her that you can’t drive anywhere because you’ve been drinking. She says she is high but can walk to you, so you explain that you are sleeping over at a friend’s. Ellie says she will be coordinating with you next weekend because she always misses you extra when she’s intoxicated. 

Sunday is busy. School work, chores, and family dinner.

Ellie gets some homework done too, alongside a bunch of yard work with Joel. 

You: Good morning:)

What are you doing up so early?

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Getting you coffee 

You: I always make it at home you don’t have to do that 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I want to. 

And I know your order anyways 

You: How????

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I took a picture of it that day you came in late with Dunkin 

In case I ever needed it 

You: I’m genuinely impressed

You’re 10 steps ahead 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: 🫡

Meet you at your car when you get to school?

You: What if someone sees us?!

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I’m like Michael Jackson 

You: ???????

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: A smooth criminal 

You: That’s actually a good one😂

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: I’m glad you said that, otherwise I’d have to beat it 

You: Okay ma’am that’s enough 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Don’t act like this isn’t a thriller for you my PYT

You: You are too much 

In the best way possible 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓:

When you park at school you let Ellie know that you have arrived. 

Out of nowhere Ellie casually strolls by and leaves a cup of coffee on the hood of your car. 

As you are getting out and picking it up Abby pulls in next to you. She gives you a smile and a wave, so you politely wave and smile back. 

Your phone immediately starts ringing and you pick up. 

“NO FUCKING WAY SHE’S GOT THE SPOT NEXT TO YOU!” Ellie yells into the phone and you are grateful the volume wasn’t all the way up. Would’ve burst your eardrums.

“Last year too,” you inform her. 

“My enemy is living my dream,” Ellie practically growls. 

“I would pay good money for you to be my parking neighbor,” you promise her. 

“Top dollar?” She questions, deadly serious.

“Absolutely!” You assure Ellie. You hear her sigh in relief. 

“Thank you. I gotta go but I’ll talk to you later?”

“I would love that!”

“Bye pretty girl,” you can hear Ellie’s smile in her voice.

“Bye El.”

You say hello to Nicole a few minutes later.

“Is that Dunkin’!?” She gasps.

“Uh… yeah?”

“You didn’t even ask me if I wanted any! You always do!” Nicole groans. 

“Sorry, I uh… it totally slipped my mind. I really needed it this morning,” you explain, trying to cover your tracks.

“You should set a location reminder on your phone. When you get to Dunkin’ it will remind you to ask if I want some,” Nicole says, not a hint of sarcasm.

You salute her. “Aye aye captain!”

Your phone buzzes a few times during 5th period, but you don’t check it until class is over. 

Space Nerd 🚀🤓: Don’t go into 6th period right away (12:35 pm)

My class is right across from yours (12:35 pm)

I want to say hi (12:35 pm)

And maybe kiss you👀 (12:35 pm)

Hi (12:47 pm)

Hey (12:53 pm)

You don’t check your phone during class do you (12:55 pm)

When you see the messages you like them all and hurry to your next class. 

As you approach your 6th period class you look for Ellie. She is outside the door across the hall, mindlessly rummaging through her backpack, despite looking around for you and not at all paying attention to what she is doing. Ellie winks at you when she spots you. 

When the bell rings the hallway starts to clear, so you bend down to tie your shoe to stall. 

Once the hallway is almost empty Ellie gets up and starts to walk over to you. Once everyone is gone she says hi and grabs your hand, giving you a quick kiss. 

“I know you don’t want to be late. I’ll see you later.” Ellie holds your hand for another moment before finally letting go and heading across the hall. She gazes back longingly, a pouty frown on her face, not wanting to leave you. 

You bite your lip, just as sad to watch her go, and think to yourself “I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into, but I don’t think I care.”

[amoristt]

Alive | König/Reader

anon: hello i see u do requests for mw2 now! can i request konig being sent on a hostage rescue mission, and when he gets there he finds of them is his partner (reader), who went MIA months ago and was presumed dead?

a/n: i hope you like it! sorry if the german is wrong i had to use google translate gffjhdgjfh

reblogs + tags and replies will make my entire day as i put a lot of effort into this :)! it also helps motivate me!

story continues beneath the read more. let me know if you can’t access it!

want to support me? heres my kofi!

Besides the frequent chatter of voices emerging from the radio on his tactical belt, there is a cold silence that blankets the halls König travels down. Years spent training in the force had taught him well to be light on his feet despite his size, eyes focused on every micromovement in front of him. A rat scurries from a pile of crates on the floor and into a vent. Flies gather at the swinging lamps overhead. It feels like the hallways are endless. 

“König, position?” A voice rings from the device. He offers a short response. 

“West wing.”

“Anything yet?”

“Nein.”

Faintly, voices echoed down corridors. He’d entered the base like a ghost in the night, and mowed down every enemy that stood in his way. This was his specialty, after all, and this wasn’t his first rodeo in gutting out the base of human traffickers. However, this was the first time in a long time. The last time he’d been sent to a hostage rescue, there were… issues. He remembered it almost all too clearly. The worst night of his life thus far.

You’d gone in first despite his protests, and that was it. He had been too far away, minutes behind you. Moments later the building was up in flames, with your poor soul trapped inside. König hadn’t known peace since that moment, an ocean of turmoil overtaking him. The sight of glowing embers raining down over him as he stood, helpless, on the sidelines.

You’d been presumed dead the moment the monumental flames could have practically knocked at heaven's door.

Even despite his rank, his team had to damn near peel him away from the scene. Never had he felt pain like that in his entire life.

Until, the next morning, that was. When his weary eyes opened to see nothing but his dull ceiling, and he realized the night before hadn’t been some awful nightmare. 

It took weeks for him to regain enough composure to properly work again. But, in some ways, he felt like he never left that night. Sometimes he felt he was still there- staring up at the monstrous glowing flames and fighting to not think about how you spent your last moments.

After months, he'd agreed to another rescue mission. Perhaps a win, perhaps saving someone, may put some of his demons to bed.

He passes doors upon doors, all blown wide open as evidence of men fleeing his approach. Scattered papers line the floors, chairs knocked to their sides. Window's thrown open with little care.

One door, however, gathers his attention almost instantly. The way it was shut tight with a deadbolt locked on practically begged for him to investigate. He reaches out and makes quick work of breaking the metal bolt, hearing the metal clatter to the floor. Tentatively, he twists the knob and shoves it open, weapon ready to fire. Inside, a cluster of women gather in the far corner, eyes as wide as owls, fingers all clutching each other in fear. 

“I’ve found them,” He says into his radio, taking a head count. “Three of them. West wing, fifth door to the left.”

“Intel says there’s a fourth.” Comes back the answer, and he frowns, peering through his mask to recount. “We’re sending in reinforcements.”

König lowers his weapon cautiously and counts again, just in case. Just as before, it’s three women, all frightened beyond belief. He steps to the side and motions for them to exit the room, knowing his teammates were bounding towards the room and would be able to lead them to the safety of their vehicles outside. As they filter past him one by one, he doesn’t miss the glance one of them takes towards the closet at the other end of the room before darting into the hall. Quietly, he takes steps towards it, lifting his weapon. He could practically sense a presence from within, eyes narrowed, creeping closer and closer. 

Without even bothering to demand the person inside to come out, he grasps the door and tears it open, his gun pointing directly inside, his hulking figure shadowed by the ceiling lamp behind him. The flashlight on his gun beams over a figure inside. The person’s hands are over their face to escape the blinding light. He could see purple bruises on their elbows, finger marks on their biceps.

The fourth hostage. 

“Go on. Go.” He says quickly, lowering his gun. He expects the hostage to turn tail and run, rip past him and scurry down the trashed halls to their freedom. But, instead, they lower their hands, big eyes gaping up at him. His heart nearly seizes as he makes out the person's features.

“König?” Your voice is a strange version of soft. Afraid, confused, relieved. You’re frozen in place, holding your hands to your chest, as if you can’t believe the sight before you. As if you can't believe it’s really, truly. him.

But it is. 

König’s actions move faster than the speed of his thoughts. His gun is slung behind his shoulder, his hands find your arms and he’s pulling you out from the confines of your hiding spot. His mind is reeling, his fingers shake, he can’t hear anything other than his heartbeat and the soft sounds you make as he practically crushes you against him. Time stands still for a moment. The flickering yellow of the hanging light pauses. He breathes into your hair and the scent of you almost has him losing his composure. There isn’t even time for tears to gather in his water lines when he squeezes his eyes shut and clutches you to him, so close, afraid if he lets go you’ll disappear all over again. 

“Du bist lebendig, du bist lebendig.” The desperation in his voice is more than apparent. He can barely even think. “I thought I lost you, meine Liebe, Ich dachte, du wärst tot.” 

German spills from his lips in a warble, all the little things he’d thought he’d never get to say to you again. His lungs heave as he rambles, feeling your arms wrap around him. He’s sure his words are barely even meeting your ears, but he doesn’t care. 

From his belt, his radio calls out to him. Two voices now, both demanding to know his current position and why he hadn’t been answering. He has to force himself to pull away from you to answer, and it nearly hurts as you leave his embrace, his voice harsh and shaky.

“I’ve found ___,” He remarks frantically, his free hand clutching your shoulder. “She’s alive, mein Gott, she’s here.” 

“___?” A male voice chirps over the line. "She's alive?"

König breathes, nods as if they can see him. His hand flattens over your back and tugs you back into him. “Ja, I’ve got her. Coming back now." He presses his lips to your head through the thin fabric of his mask. “I’ve got you.”

He nestles his radio back into its place and wastes no time scooping you into his arms. He knows his hold is almost too tight, likely uncomfortable against the severe amount of bruising littering your body, but he couldn't help himself. You were right there. Alive. 

Alive, and clinging to him like he was your lifeline, like if you didn’t wrap your fingers around whatever you could manage to grasp, he’d drop you and you’d fall back into that awful place. He rushes down the halls with a newfound urgency, frantic to leave this horrible place as a memory. Frantic to get you back to where you belong. 

König could feel you peering up at him, taking in the intensity of his eyes as he used his shoulder to shove open the door to your freedom. The cold outside bites at him, but he welcome the feeling, the dirt shifting under his large boots and he picks up pace. 

“I’ve got you.” He says again, into the crisp air, and he feels you nod quickly, surely unable to find the energy to respond. In the distance he can see the calvary waiting for him. The hostages were loaded into a larger buggy while he took to a smaller vehicle. His lungs heave as he runs with you, heart thrashing in his large ribcage. His teammate throws open the door of the vehicle and he’s quick to load you inside. You limply lean against him as he settles in beside you, arm wrapped tight around your shoulder to keep you up right. With a yank, he rips his gloves him his hands, presses his palms into your skin to feel you, really feel you.

Even with your bruises, even when your marks and scrapes, you're just as soft as he remembered. You're everything he remembered. Everything he thought he'd never get to have ever again.

As you look up at him, he blinks down at you with misty eyes. His fingers pull hair from your face and tuck the strands behind your ears. When you smile at him, König feels a boulder lodge itself in his throat. Try as he may to gag it down, his efforts are fruitless, and he bumps his forehead against yours. 

The tears he’d been running from bite at the corners of his eyes as the vehicle rolls to the a start. You let your body relax against him, his head falling back against the headrest, bare fingers petting over your skin. 

It's over, you're safe. He has you.

He kisses the top of your head as the vehicle roars down the open road, and billows of dirt clouds obscuring your prison before it disappeared all together under the night sky.

[sweetsubharry]

do you have any childhood sweetheart fics?

I do! Sorry this is so late!! <3

I don't have nearly enough as I'd like I need to stock up on this soon!

The last one in this list wasn't in my mind at first but it has the tag, so it may hit that fix!

When You Know, You Know by mission2feelike

Louis and Harry have been friends for years, their friendship maturing easily from pups to teenagers to adults. By now, Louis is used to what he feels around Harry, the way warmth always spreads through his tummy when his best friend is near, the need to protect him, and the way he's more attuned to Harry than anyone else. He's also used to pushing his inner alpha down and denying the feelings he has for Harry because they don't make sense. But what if acting on instinct and finally listening to his inner alpha is the key that opens the door to the happiness that he never thought was possible?

Faking It by TheCellarDoor

A uni AU in which Louis has been Harry’s best friend since he offered him cubed fruit on the playground, and they spend more time cuddling in their dorm beds than they do apart, but it’s not like that. Or is it?

Aka Harry pretends to date his best friend to escape unwanted attention from a too insistent classmate and hopes it won’t blow up in his face. Featuring embarrassing dildo accidents, awkward boners, longing, first times, late night conversations, emotional discoveries and Niall as the exasperated friend with bad advice.

Take This Sinking Boat and Point It Home by goodgirlfaith (boomersoonerash)

Five times Louis Proposes to Harry and the one time he doesn't.

everything comes back to you by amory

Louis lets out a shuddering breath. “I love you,” he says.

“Fuck you,” Harry replies.

“You know that I’ve always loved you,” Louis continues, not stopping to acknowledge what Harry’s said.

Harry shakes his head. “I know, but sometimes I wonder if that ever went past us just growing up together. We were never apart Louis, never for so many years, and the minute we were you just left me. So sometimes, when I let myself think about it, I think maybe that’s why we don’t work. You were just so used to loving me because you didn’t know anything else.”

Louis and Harry, best friends since before either of them can remember, broke up four years ago. Louis has achieved his dreams of becoming the next big thing while Harry has stayed back, dedicating himself to his studies. Both are content to forget what they had together, until a tragedy brings them right back into each other's lives.

I Sail With You by AFangirlFantasy

Against his wishes, Omega Prince Harry Styles is arranged to mate with someone he doesn’t love, much less knows. Though he pleaded to his parents incessantly, they not only refuse to comply but force him to depart on a ship days later. Harry prays for fate to step in, to change what’s to come, however, the answer he is given is not exactly in the form he had hoped.

Enter Will Tommo – deadliest pirate captain of all seven seas.

[madsworld15]

Been doing a lot of thinking these last few days. Read: I’ve been doom spiraling, and when I do that, my brain thinks about Ryan Kelley.

TL;DR: One fan's bond with the actor Ryan Kelley.

My friends, and Twitter followers know the story but I want to write it out here so I can always go back to it when I’m feeling down on myself.

I first met Ryan Kelley at HowlerCon in NJ in 2015. That year it was my first ever con so I was beside myself anxious. However, I got a photo op with Ryan because I’d loved him for years, since he was in Prayers for Bobby. That photo op didn’t turn out well, but I was proud of myself for actually doing it. That whole weekend I barely said ten words to him.

So, 7 months later in June 2016, when I saw him again at HowlerCon, I really expected Ryan to not recognize me at all. Instead, he grinned really big and said he was so happy to see me come back. He asked me for my name and smiled really big as he repeated it back to me. I had a meet and greet with him later that day, so we parted ways.

At the meet and greet, I was given the opportunity to ask a question. I asked him how hard it was to get into character for Bobby considering how morose the character always was and what ultimately happened to him. Ryan was so generous with his response and seemed genuinely happy someone had asked him about this movie.

At the end of the meet and greet I approached him directly and asked him if I could hand him something I had written for him. He told me sure, and I scrambled in my bag to find the letter. As I handed it to him, I conveyed that I was grateful he answered my question about Prayers for Bobby since it was such an important film for me. He returned the sentiment saying it was one of the most important roles he has ever done.

Later on that night, there was a party where the cast and fans could dance together and have a good time. I went, despite my anxiety, and I ended up finding Ryan on the edge of the crowd just watching. I was about to leave myself, having already used up all my social spoons, but a part of me told me I should go and talk to him. So I did. We ended up having a wonderful conversation about observing the world around us and about being from big families. He talked a bit about how his parents adopted a ton of kids, and I talked about how I had been adopted myself. Something shifted between us that day, and whatever the cause, I'm grateful it did.

The next day at his autograph session, he asked me if I was feeling better today. Then he held my hand as he signed for me, and I explained that I had anxiety which sometimes got in the way of me enjoying things. For the first time ever, Ryan wrote me a message on the image he signed for me, and he thanked me for coming.

HowlerCon convened again in June 2017, which was billed as being the last one. It made sense, considering that, at the time, the show was coming to a close. When they had announced their guests for that final year I kept waiting and waiting for them to announce Ryan's name. He was a staple for the con. So I knew he'd be attending, but as more and more got announced, I was certain he wasn't going to make it. But then, on April 21st, the con announced he was one of their Bonus Guests. I didn't see the announcement initially, but one of my con friends tagged me in a tweet response, saying they just knew I would be beside myself with that announcement.

I was excited, but then a confluence of events happened in my personal life that pushed that con completely from my mind until a few weeks before it was scheduled to happen. I bought all the photo ops with Ryan I could afford (resulting in a total of 3 different poses) and an autograph ticket along with a ticket to his meet and greet.

That year, I was excited and sad all at the same time. Ryan and I had many opportunities to talk and joke. His presence was a balm that I desperately needed at that time, considering the insanity of my life. He never once judged me for things I said or did, even if I bet more money than I should on an auction for a bobblehead of his character. When I didn't win the bobblehead, he asked his handler to come find me in the crowd and come up to him. He then hugged me and told me he appreciated the support I always showed him.

That year, I asked Ryan to write out the words: Be Your Own Anchor so that I could get them tattooed on me for my birthday. (A few months after this con, I did just that.) He joked that he wasn't a fan of tattoos himself, but if that was what I wanted, he would do it. Since I had two autograph tickets, Ryan also signed our photo op and wrote me the following message:

So glad I got to spend this weekend with you. XOXO (his signature)

Then, over the next couple of years, I would post something on Instagram related to him or Parrish and tag him, and he would like the post or comment in some way. I even remember sending him a message on Instagram during one of my low grief periods after my Pop died and when my Nana was dying of cancer. He responded and basically told me that I mattered and I wasn't a nobody.

Then came the COVID-19 lockdown. I had an excess of money because I was getting the government stipend while also being on unemployment because daycares weren't able to open during that time. So, when an auction came up to have a 15-minute Zoom call with Ryan, I leaped at the chance and won the auction.

When he came on the screen, he told me. "Let me ask you questions since I'm sure you don't have any for me." So, our conversation centered on my job -- which at the time was working for daycare and my TV critic side gig. He was very interested in my TV critic gig and I admitted to him that I reviewed his Christmas movie. He asked me who paid me to watch it.

All in all, it was a great time, and then the next day, the organizers of the event asked me for my Twitter handle. I assumed it was for promotional reasons, so I gave it to them. The next day I was driving home from work and had pulled over to get gas when I saw I had a notification that Ryan Kelley had followed me. Then a few moments later, he sent me a message letting me know that my positive attitude about the stuff we were going through really inspired him, and he was grateful that we got the chance to connect again.

I didn't talk to Ryan much over the next few years, an occasional message back and forth on Instagram or Twitter, but nothing major. Then Howler Reunion happened in June 2022, and I realized there were some things I had to tell Ryan. For one, in the time since we had last spoken I had come out to the world as non-binary and had changed my name. I knew he would be very gracious about it all, but still, I worried.

It came to the day of my duo photo op with Ryan Kelley and Linden Ashby. I had decided I would come out to both of them because my bond with Linden had always been like he was a father to me. So, I wore my Asexual pride shirt and my non-binary colored flannel and hoped for the best. My dear friend Lori, who helped run the con, went with me for moral support.

I don't remember exactly what I said to them, but I do remember that I told them afterward that this photo op was a "Pride" one so they could act proud of me. Linden reassured me that there was no acting necessary because he was proud of me. Ryan just squeezed me close to him in a side hug. Seeing the photo result, I am forever grateful that I chose to come out to Ryan because the way he looks at me in this photo is hard to describe, but gives me so much comfort to this day.

The rest of the weekend went by in a blur. I do remember at my individual photo op with Ryan he asked me to explain the reasoning behind my new name. He said he had always been able to remember my old name because it was the same as his mom's and that I reminded him of her in personality and my kind nature. (cue the tears seriously) I explained to him the history behind my adopted name and how I wanted to keep a piece of that even with a more gender-neutral name so I had shortened my middle name to what is now my first. I then explained to him that it was so wonderful hearing him say my new name out loud because I felt like he was an extension of my family and that no one in my immediate family had been willing to use it yet, at least not at that point. He looked so concerned for me that my own mom wasn't being respectful at the time, and he pulled me into another hug.

That afternoon there was a final panel with the whole roster of guests. We could stand at the mics and ask questions if we wanted to, but I just wanted to thank Ryan one more time for his kindness. So, I did.

Later on in the panel, the guests were asked about a project they've done that they are so proud of. Ryan got on the mic and talked about how he knew one of his projects meant the world to a couple of his fans, and then he found me in the crowd, and we locked eyes, and it meant the world to him to know that because it was a project, he was extremely proud of himself.

Then, later on, we had an autograph session and his handler, a new one from previous years, looked up at me and asked my name. Ryan grinned and said, "Don't need it. Mads and I go way back." Then he gave me a wink and said Mads again. I told him that it had been an extremely rough time for me since the Summer of 2018. And that it helped to have my tattoo, which I then showed him, that he'd written because it reminded me to stay grounded. Then, Ryan grabbed my arm, covered my tattoo with his hand, and looked me in the eye.

"I know you think you needed me to be strong. But you are strong all on your own. It's inspiring."

I then handed him a custom Funko Pop I had made of Parrish, and he got emotional and thanked me for such a beautiful gift. When we said goodbye, I told him that I was grateful for all the kindness he had always shown me and that I would miss him. At the time I was certain we would never see each other again because I couldn't afford to travel to Europe where he frequents cons on the regular.

"This isn't goodbye. You are stuck with me for life."

I know Ryan was being kind and probably as honest as he hoped to be but I know despite our shift in bond, Ryan is still an actor and I'm still just a fan. But, our bond is definitely unique and one of a kind.

There are some days I still look at the evidence in front of me and believe that I made it all up in my head. That none of it ever happened.

[4joonkookie]

Merry Nothing 🎄🚫

I hope you're taking it easy on yourself. Been seeing a lot of dread and misery on social media of people having to drive long distances and be with family they don't want to be around and the pressure of the holidays tanking people’s mental health. Let this be a reminder that we literally make all that holiday shit up and (easier said than done) you can do whatever you want and what’s best for you (or nothing at all!)

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

Pairing: JK x Reader -> Chapter 7 of Cigarette Burns

Words: *sigh* another 4K

Chapter Tags: smut, fluff, holiday dread, pining (kind of), truth-telling, reference to f/f, truth or dare, mutual masturbation, o/c is kind of a pimp.

Notes: Fluffy, semi-holiday smut :) If you want pain, read any other chapter. Scroll to part 3 (III. 💜💜💜) to get right to the smut!

Summary: After a few (much-needed) months apart, you and JK reunite for a unique holiday celebration.

I. 💜💜💜

After waking up, you lay in bed scrolling on your phone when a call flashes on the screen.

“Hello?” You answer the phone to Jungkook. It’s early for him to be awake.

“Hey,” he grumbles. 

“You ok?”

“Yeah, I just can’t sleep.”

“All night? What’s on your mind?”

“Just… holidays, you know,” he says. “I'm not in the mood for it all this year. I’m going to my parents later today and I'm awake, literally dreading it.” 

“I’m sorry. I’ve been feeling the same way.”

“At least we don’t have to go to two celebrations this year. Mom’s been hounding me to tell you you’re still invited to ours.”

“Would you feel better about going if I went?” you ask, more of a probing than an offer. 

“No,” he says, confident. “I don’t mean it that way,” he adds after he hears himself. 

You choose not to take offense. “Well, honestly, you dread it every year.”

“I’m over it. The schmoozing, the fake sentiment, the gifts. It's important to my family but,” he trails, heaving a sigh. 

“I know. I told my family I'm staying at home this year. My mom’s letting me out of it out of ‘breakup sympathy’ or something, but I'll be catching shit about it until Labor Day.”

“What was your excuse?”

 “No excuse. I just told the truth. I don’t want to do the same things I've always done that don’t exactly make me happy or that make me feel… dread. I’d rather do nothing or start my own tradition.”

“You can just do that?” he asks, legitimately shocked. 

“I am,” you say. “You’re welcome to join me.” 

He takes a moment to think. “Hiding away from our families? With you?” 

“You don’t have to decide right_”

“I’m in,” he says. 

You smile. Being with Jungkook is the only thing you'd want to stay the same. And you can have it without the pressure of anything or anyone else. 

“Your place?” He asks. 

“Yeah.” Your stomach turns with excitement. Though this opens a can of worms. “Ok,” you say sternly. “Ground Rules.”

He gives an endeared sigh. “Shoot.”

“No gifts.”

“Done,” he replies. “No trees, no ugly sweaters,” he adds. “What will we do?” 

“We can keep the fun stuff. Eat, drink, and be merry.”  

“I’m liking the sound of this.”

“One last thing,” you say, feeling your cheeks warm. “Are we having sex?” 

He chokes out a laugh. “I hadn’t really thought about it since I got the invite,” he says. “Do you want to?”

“Well, we’ve been pretty healthy the past few months, and this could be a big step. Maybe we should talk about what could happen.”

He’s quiet for a while. “Are you afraid that you won’t be able to keep it in your pants?”

“Should I keep it in my pants?” you quip right away. 

“Not if you don't want to,” he says. 

“I’m just saying there’s a reason we’ve only met outside, in public, and sober because the moment we’re alone…”

“You know,” he interrupts. “If you want me to fuck you, you just have to ask. No elaborate ruse is necessary.”

 “I hate you,” you say into the receiver.  

His voice gets lower, softer. More confident. “I’m excited you’re thinking about it. And I know we’ve been super careful and thoughtful and healthy,” he mocks. “Maybe it’s time we get back to doing what’s natural.”

“So, sex, yes?” you try to confirm. “I’m just trying to not spiral. I don’t want to spend all morning anxious about it.”

“So, don’t. Let’s just go where the day takes us.” 

You take a deep breath, reminding yourself you don’t have to run away from this.

“Is it light where you are?” you ask, changing the subject and looking out the window. 

“I’m eight blocks away, so, yes.”

“My new place overlooks the park. The sunrise is pretty. You should see it sometime.”

“Maybe tomorrow morning. What time should I come over today?”

“No set time. Just when you’re ready.”

“I just need a bit to shower and break my mother's heart. What should I bring?”

“Whatever you want. Or nothing.”

Suddenly, a voice echoes from down the hall.

“Are you talking to me?” she says, peeking her head out of the bathroom. 

It’s startling. You almost forgot she was here.

“No, I'm on the phone,” you say to her, pointing to the device at your ear. She nods and closes the bathroom door again. You hold your face in your hands. There’s no way Jungkook didn’t hear her. Something about it just feels like you don’t want to tell him. 

“Who’s that?” Jungkook asks, curiously. 

You spill the truth before your brain comes up with a lie too fast. “I_ went out last night. Brought company home.” And you’re glad he can’t see how red your face is. 

“Wooooooooow,” he chuckles. “So, spill the details. Who is she? What’s her name?”

Your stomach turns at the mention of Jungkook’s probing. It reawakens old feelings and makes you feel possessive about someone you hardly know.

Wait… her name?

“That’s a great question,” you say, playing back the previous night in your mind, frantically searching for when she mentioned it.

“Scoring so many girls you can’t keep their names straight, huh?” he teases.

“I hate you,” you say again.

“Look, don’t let me interrupt you if you have company.”

“She’s leaving. She’s got plans with her family today.”

“Ok,” he says. “I’ll be over in a few hours.”

“See you then. You can let yourself in.”

II. 💜💜💜

You spend some time frantically cleaning. The place is brand new and not messy at all, but you can’t help yourself. The nerves follow you into the shower. 

It’s been a couple of months since the wedding. You and Jungkook have taken careful walks and drank mindful coffees and had a few lengthy, friendly phone calls but not too late. You have keys and have seen each other's places during doggie drop-off, but haven’t been together, alone, inside four walls. 

You both have mostly been spending time alone. Which is good. You can feel how your relationship has adjusted and semi-settled into this new, unknown place. 

But he wouldn’t be coming over if you weren’t having sex, right? You couldn’t possibly not have sex if he stayed the night, right? Is that a good thing? 

You miss him. Ache for him. Lately, you’ve been spending time thinking of your last encounter. How close you were. How you knew you wouldn't have him like this for a while again. Maybe ever. 

Even just a kiss, that feeling of his lips on yours. 

You shut off the water and hear the kitchen faucet running. Excited doggy footsteps on the tile floor. And something smells incredible. Jungkook is already here. 

You spend time in the bedroom to make a difficult wardrobe choice. Simple and understated? Or something that says ‘yes, we’re definitely fucking today’? Or do you just walk out naked?

You opt to dress in something comfortable, take a deep breath, and exit the bedroom.

“Hi,” he says, approaching to hug you. You embrace and he gives you a festive kiss on the lips. 

It makes you feel light. It’s old & comfortable and new & exciting all at once. 

“What smells so good?“ You ask, as Jungkook sets a plate in front of you. “What is this?”

He shrugs. “I made it up,” he says. 

You giggle, taking a bite. Everything he ‘makes up’ is a masterpiece.

“Good?” he asks, on edge. 

“So good,” you reply. 

A kiss and a meal from this man in two minutes and you’re in heaven. He gathers something from his bag and sits down next to you, placing 2 glasses in front. He holds a bottle of champagne and you give him the eye. 

“What? Don’t act like I need to twist your arm to have a glass of champagne. We’re celebrating.”

You zip your lips. He looks curiously at the bottle.

“I probably should’ve brought more, huh?” He says, pouring into the glasses.

You shrug. “There’s two more bottles in the fridge,” you admit. 

“That’s my girl.” He raises his glass. 

“To a Very Merry Nothing,”

You click glasses. “Merry Nothing.”

III. 💜💜💜

Hours pass and you lay on the couch, catching up on a show you used to watch together. 

“I did not see that coming,” he says, eyes locked on the black screen.

“How could you not? It’s so obvious!”

“How is it obvious?” he asks, turning to face you.

Your eyes dart down. “Well…” you begin to admit. “I guess it wasn’t quite so obvious to me the first time I watched it.”

“You finished it? Without me?!”

“We broke up. I can’t believe you didn’t,” raising your arms in defense.

“I couldn’t. I was heartbroken. It reminded me of you.” He playfully points his finger at you. “You’re heartless.”

You roll your eyes. And he strokes your legs where they’re draped in his lap. You take a deep breath and the air changes. Can just feel it. 

“So, what now?” he says, dragging his hands higher up your thigh. 

“Well, we’ve killed two bottles, eaten our way through an entire cheese plate, and finished the last season.”

“I’d like to point out, we’ve been together and drinking and semi-horizontal for several hours now and we’re still fully clothed. Just doing what’s natural.”

“You’re right,” you say. 

“We’ve made more progress than you give us credit for,” he adds, scolding.

“You’re right,” you repeat.

“Truth or Dare?” He asks.

“Oh ok,” you scoff, knowing the idea could nose-dive you right into a mess. 

“Come on! Good, clean, fun. It’s festive. And it doesn’t have to be sexual…all the time. Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” you answer.

He thinks for a while. “What did you do with my black sweater?”

You remember the monochrome that used to be your shared closet. “I’m going to need you to narrow that down,” you laugh. 

“The one with the felt stripes. It was kind of old,” he describes. 

“Oh,” you say in realization. “I threw it out.”

“What?”

“It was just sitting in the closet. You never took it. It was hideous anyway.”

“I can’t believe you,” he remarks. “Heartless.”

“You asked.” raising your eyebrows. “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” he opts.

“What did you do with the ring?” He’s quiet for a while and it’s good to know where the nerve strikes. “It’s ok, whatever you did, I'm just curious. Even if you sold it, I wouldn’t call you ‘heartless’ or anything.”

“I still have it,” he nods. “I’m not quite ready to let go of it yet and… that’s all I'm willing to say about it.”

“Ok,” you nod. 

“And you’re not ‘heartless,” he says, combing hair behind your ear. I like this nothing-but-honest-confidence thing. It’s sexy.” He smiles. “Truth or Dare?” he asks.

“Truth.”

“Do you still talk to Taehyung?” 

“Right now, no.” You sigh. “But I'd like to. I… really hurt him and put him in a shitty spot. He was destined to be the roadkill on the you & me highway and I just let it happen. I want to apologize to him. I just know right now, it would be a selfish gesture.”

He nods. “Will you tell me when you’re going to talk to him again?”

“Yes,” you say. “How does that make you feel? That I might talk to him again.”

“I hate it. But I understand,” he soothes. He pats your thighs with his hands. “Ok, something fun now.”

“Truth or Dare?” You ask.

“Dare,” he picks. 

“Take off your shirt,” you say. And he does quickly. excited. 

“Truth or Dare?” he asks, eager.

“Truth,” you say, teasing.

He sticks his tongue out at you. “How long have you been thinking about us having sex?”

You scoff. “Dare,”

“Oh, come on.”

“I said dare.” You shrug.

 He sits back, smug. “Ok. Just this once you can switch.” A mischievous grin crawls across his face. “Show me what you have underneath your clothes.”

“What?!”

“Or you could tell the truth.”

And he knows he’ll find the same truth behind both doors. You could jump him now, and make it clear where your mind was. Or, you could show him your expertly paired bra & panties that will illustrate the same fact.

You stand and lift your sweatshirt over your head, toss it over his face. He removes it with a goofy smile, eyes taking you in. 

“I knew it,” he smiles. You approach him, standing in front of where he sits on the couch. He looks up at you, taking you in. 

He slides his fingers under the straps of your panties. Over your ass, feeling his breath at your hips. 

“You got all dressed up just for me?” He whispers. 

“Well, I had to be prepared,” you say, running fingers through his hair. 

“You could’ve been naked,” he remarks, his bright doe eyes looking up at you. 

 “I considered that,” you say honestly. “Truth or Dare?” you ask. 

“Dare, please.” he says, gripping your ass. 

You hand your glass to him. “Pour me another without spilling?”

 “Will you go wait on the bed?” he says, low and soft. 

 You nod. He stands and walks to the kitchen and you’re glad to have a moment. He doesn’t take his eyes off you as you meander to the bedroom. 

He returns, placing the glass on the nightstand and sitting on the bed next to you. 

You both face each other, propped on your elbows on the bed.

“Truth or Dare,” he says. 

“Truth,” you reply, frustrating him.

“Are you dating?”

“No,” you reply. 

“Women?”

“I’m having fun with women,”you say, eyes darting down. 

“Having sex with women?”

“Yes,” you say, feeling your defenses come up again.

“Any fun stories?”

“None that I'm willing to share.”

He nods. “Can I ask why?"

“I'm not comfortable sharing anything about a woman with you. I won’t lie about it… but it will be a while before I want to tell you everything.”

He nods in realization. “Fair enough. Can I ask again another time?”

“Of course,” you say. “What about you? Have you been dating?” you ask. 

“One more thing,” he interrupts, holding up his finger. “Men?”

“Is that important to you?”

“Yeah, that's why I asked,” he says. 

“No men,” you offer.

You roll your eyes at the way he’s been holding his breath, waiting for this answer. 

“Sorry, that was a sigh of relief you just heard.” You stay quiet. “Don’t give me that look. I hate the idea of you having sex with other men. Sue me.”

“What about you? Having sex with anyone? Women? Men?”

“Yeah, allow me to introduce you,” he says, holding out his hand. 

You laugh. “Nothin, huh?”

“Not that I've tried.”

“Why not?” you ask. 

“I figure it’s for the best for a while. I was spending some time… burying my emotions in sex. With you and… others.”

“How many others?”

“Is that important to you?”

“Yes, that’s why I asked,” you mimic.

“You… Her,” he mentions under his breath. “and a couple more indiscretions after the wedding.”

You nod, accepting the truth. 

He laughs. “I must say, I feel like a real loser now.”

“Why?”

“This whole setup was a lot sexier when I thought you were as desperate as me.”

“Who says I'm not?”

“You just busted last night. "

“Says who?”

“What, no-name didn't get you off?”

“No. It's not always about that. I got her off and I like that.”

“I like these details,” he says, raising his eyebrows. “Did she even try?”

You give him a little shove. “Yes, shut up, it’s hard. You've had years of research and practice.”

He chuckles, getting closer. “Well, is there anything you miss? Do you ever think of me? Miss how we did it?”

“Of course,” you say, and his eyes beg for you to go on. “Let’s just say there is an itch that only you can scratch.”

“Have you ever had a date with your hand thinking of me?” he laces your fingers together, kissing the palm of your hand. 

“Yes,” you say. “My hands and a few other choice tools.”

“How often?”

“Often enough,” you quip. 

“Truth or Dare?” he asks. 

“Dare,” you say, indulging him. “Wait, it’s my turn_”

 “Show me what you do,” he ignores, focused on his mission. “Touch yourself.” His breath has quickened.

 Your tummy turns, filled with butterflies. “Why would I do that when you’re right here?”

“Baby, I promise I'm gonna fuck you until that pretty sunrise comes through that window, but we’re trying something new, right?”

“Ok.” You pause, sitting up and taking a shaky breath, unsure what to do. 

“Look who’s suddenly shy,” he coos. “Come here.” He pulls your body toward him so your back is pressed to his chest. His back is propped on pillows and he can reach around you from behind. He kisses your neck, down over your shoulders and you feel yourself start to sink in.

You cover his hands with yours and guide him to touch. He feels over your skin, dragging between your thighs, and grazing over the fabric of your panties.

His light touches gain more pressure and you watch his fingertips press into your skin. He glides hands up and gropes your breasts, taking a deep breath and humming as he exhales. 

 He’s no longer under your guidance, but you don’t mind. You rest your hands on his legs as he touches you. 

His hands slip under the bust of your bra, filling his hands with you, fabric pulling taut. When he pulls them out, he lowers the straps and unhooks the bra.

One more squeeze of your breasts and he moves down between your legs. You take control of his hands again and press them there, rolling your hips against him. 

 “Like this?” he says, pressing down harder. 

“Hmm_” you hum. He brings his hand to your panties and pulls them to the side, eliciting a little gasp.

“Don’t rip them,” you scold, remembering your time in the closet.

 “Take them off,” he instructs. You do, sliding the lacy fabric over your thighs and around your ankles. 

He parts your knees, leaving you lewdly spread in his lap.

 “So pretty.” He gathers from where you’re wet and drags fingers around your lips, avoiding your clit, leaving it cold and aching. He surprises you with his middle finger sinking inside, holding you in the palm of his hand. 

You try to get control again, grabbing his other hand, wanting to bring it where you need it most. 

“Uh-uh,” he says, over the ruse and wanting to be in control. 

“You said I should show you,” you say, breathless.

“I changed my mind,” he protests. 

His two fingers pushed up inside pull out and drag up with pressure out of your entrance and over your clit, then back down the same path before sinking them deep inside again. Again and again he does this, feeling the deepest part inside you and rubbing over your sensitive clit, until your knees are buckling again.

 He uses his free hand to open them more forcefully, keeping you exposed.

 Now, just the pads of two fingers brushing over you, not too fast or slow, just the right speed to be squirming beneath him as he whispers filthy praises in your ear.

Can feel his cock pressing into your back as he rolls his hips into you. 

You turn over, one step from mounting him, eager to get his cock inside before he halts your hips.

“More of this,” he says, fingers still working on you. You move a little closer, straddling his thigh. 

You reach down to pull his cock from his sweatpants, grazing fingertips over his cock. At least, what you can reach from this height. He jolts at the gentle touch, using his free hand to grip your hip.

You moan at the way his skillful fingers move on you. You lower yourself onto the bare skin of his thigh so you can properly grasp him and relax your body. He groans at the first full stroke of his cock.

You reach to the bedside table for a bottle of lube and pour drops over his shaft. You spread yourself over his thigh as you stroke him, finding your hips beginning to roll. He wastes no time and snatches the bottle to pour over the estate you’ve claimed on his leg, making everything that much more slippery. 

Your eyes roll back from the friction his warm, muscular thigh provides. It covers, rubs, and presses against every centimeter of your pussy. 

“I can’t believe we haven’t done this before,” you manage through shaky breaths. 

You keep your strokes even and strong, pushing down on his balls and letting his tip drag through your fingertips, hand gliding over him. His head falls backward. 

“Stop,” he moans, removing your hand from his cock. He exhales, so close already. His tip is dripping. Leaking and red. So hot to see him this way, hungry and eager. “Why is your hand so much better than mine?” He pants, letting go of your wrists. He pulls your arms over his shoulders.

He takes a break, placing both hands on your hips and watching you. You grind on his leg, sliding back and forth on his smooth skin.

“Does that feel so good?” he taunts.

You can only nod and grind your hips faster. He flexes his leg, pushing up, and the pressure builds in your belly. 

Mischievous laugh. “Are you gonna come for me, baby? Just like this?” He taunts, slowly palming himself again. It’s sexy. You’ve hardly ever seen him touch himself like this with eyes locked on you. The images he gives fuel you.

You match your hips with his stroke, drag your lips between your teeth and let it wash over you, moaning as it pulses through you. He gives your ass a spank when you come.

You dismount him with shaky legs and he lays you flat on your back, still palming himself at the sight of you. You take over again, twisting and turning your wrist over him, loving having control of him like this. 

He reaches between your legs and fingers, still giving your oversensitive pussy attention. The stroking is lewd. Lubed and wet. His eyes are glued to your hand, enjoying himself. 

“Baby_” he moans. “Baby, I’m gonna come, fuck,” and his fingers go still inside you.

White ropes of cum spill over your tits and tummy again and again as you stroke and wring him dry. He pants and spreads the cum with his fingers, painting your chest and swirling it over your nipples. He presses his fingers to your lips and groans as you suck them clean. 

He lies next to you and kisses you, grabbing some clothing nearby to wipe you up. 

He lays his head on your chest. “Missed you,” he says, one more gentle peck. 

“Missed you,” you reply. 

He spoons behind you as you both come down, looking out the window. 

“Of all the things I thought we might do today… this was not on the list. We hardly got your pants off,” you joke.

“Well, we have plenty of time before sunrise.”                  

[gamerwoo]

hansol: the lovers playlist

characters: hansol x female reader

genre/warnings: idol au, best friends to strangers, getting over a ‘breakup’, slight angst but it’s not too bad ig, slight comfort???

word count: 1,083

summary: put me on the shelf, discipline myself to let the sparks die out; shattering anything that has reflections of you

tag list: @anissanightyoung @aceofvernons @mythicalamphitrite @caratluvie @juliettechokilo @liemwantstosleep @rubyreduji @ohchangyu @minluvly @honeyylin @miki-chi @heemingyu @noraehey @awkwardnesshabitat @floweryjessy @woozarts @anothershorthuman @shuabby1994 @vernxnsfool​  (if you’d like to be added to the tag list, please fill out this form!!!)

a/n: things in bold italics are song lyrics and things in italics are texts

previous song | next song | back to playlist

You were trying, at least. You were actively trying to feel better; to be better. You made the effort to go out -- at least sometimes -- and you tried to stop feeling sorry for yourself. It came in bursts and it wasn’t all the time, but it was something.

“Whenever you think about him, we should bonk you in the head with one of those hammers,” Eunji had said, half-joking.

All 12 of you decided to just hang out in the living room and switch off playing some video games after your schedules had ended that day. Currently, 4 of your members were battling it out in Mario Kart while the rest of you watched and talked. You were sitting between Ayako -- who was doing her absolute best to catch up from last place -- and Xiulan, with one knee to your chest and the other curled up underneath you while you shouted encouragement at the TV for Ayako’s Yoshi to pass the Shy Guy in front of her.

You felt your phone vibrate on the couch beside you, resting slightly under your leg. You lifted your phone, and when your face unlocked the screen, you almost gasped seeing the name that popped up.

Kim Mingyu: _____, I’m sorry for reaching out so suddenly, but I wanted to see how you were doing

You just stared at the screen for a minute in silence, not knowing what to do. You stared until the screen eventually went black.

“_____?” Xiulan was the one to notice you frozen. Your eyes shot up from your phone to look at her. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly at your expression when she glanced away from the screen to look at you again. “Is everything okay?”

You nodded, maybe a little too quickly, “Yeah, just a weird notification.”

“Who is it?” Mira asked slowly, seeming skeptical of the answer.

“Old friend from school,” you lied smoothly. “I haven’t spoken to them in years, but I guess they...saw I was in a kpop group now.”

Thankfully, they all seemed to buy the lie, so you went back to your phone.

‘You didn't close the door; left a crack open; I couldn't ignore...’

You faintly picked up the song that had started playing -- again, another one of Mira’s playlists -- as you tried to decide if you should text Mingyu back or not.

...But you were weak. Unable to resist knowing anything about what might be going on in Hansol’s life, you replied. Plus, Mingyu was the one to help you through that night, so it was the least you owed him, right? Some sort of response?

“‘The faint possibility of having hope in this insanity...’“ Mira started softly singing, her eyes focused on the screen of the TV.

_____☺: that’s okay. i’m...okay. how’re you?

Kim Mingyu: I actually didn’t expect you to respond...

Kim Mingyu: I’m happy you did though!! 😁

“‘That we still could be...’“

Kim Mingyu: I’ve been alright. Same stuff lol. We all miss you

The group still talked about you? Or was he just being nice?

You didn’t want to tell him you missed them, too. You felt like that would be taking even more steps back than you probably were now. 

“‘But we’re stuck floating in between.’“

_____☺: how is everyone?

That was a decent response, right? It didn’t really seem like you were ignoring his statement since you were asking about them.

Kim Mingyu: All the same lol. Just as annoying and chaotic as ever

Kim Mingyu: But... Hansol was kinda different for a while...

You hated how much that piqued your interest. It also made you feel kind of...happy. Was that sick?

_____☺: different?

Kim Mingyu: He went to talk to you one night, and then he came back and didn’t say much for a while. He wouldn’t tell us what happened but it didn’t seem good...

Kim Mingyu: I’m not trying to get you to tell me, though! Just telling you what happened since you asked. I don’t want you to feel pressured. But we all felt worried for both of you

Kim Mingyu: But he still talks about you sometimes...

‘Oh no...’

And there went your heart, suddenly feeling like it was rising from your stomach just a little bit. It was beating so hard and you hated yourself for it. You felt a little spark of hope that maybe Hansol still cared. That maybe he was feeling a little lonely without you, and Ivory wasn’t enough to fill the gap that you hoped you made.

“‘Our eyes were closed with hearts open wide,’“ Mira was still singing along, “’dismissed every rule to abide by.’“

Kim Mingyu: I don’t know if telling you will make you feel worse or not, so I won’t unless you want me to

Kim Mingyu: I don’t even know if you’ve recovered from what happened

Kim Mingyu: I’m still really sorry, _____...

Blood was pounding in your ears, drowning out the sounds of Mira’s singing, the song itself, and your members laughing and joking together. You had two choices in this situation: ask, or stay in the dark. Asking was what you wanted to do. Your heart wanted you to beg Mingyu if you had to, to tell you what Hansol had said. 

But your brain knew that was bad. You knew it would just make you hurt more. It would make you hold onto that hope when you were trying to let go of everything that had to do with him. You couldn’t let yourself trail along behind him like this.

“Put me on the shelf, discipline myself,’“ Mira suddenly belted the lyrics at full volume, breaking you from your internal battle as your thumbs hovered over the screen, “‘to let the sparks die out; shattering everything that has reflections of youuuu, youuuuuu...’“

You laughed at her, along with the other members who were startled by her suddenly loud singing, or who were giggling and telling her how obnoxious she was.

Finally, you looked back down at your phone, deciding on a reply.

_____☺: don’t worry about it, i’ll be fine

_____☺: i’ve gotta go though. we’re pretty busy!! thanks for reaching out

You put your phone on ‘do not disturb’ before reaching forward and placing it on the coffee table. Then you settled back into the couch to watch the last lap of the race.

And when the final chorus came back around, you sang it just as obnoxiously as Mira was.

[middleearthpixie]

Promise Me ~ Chapter Eighteen

Summary: Friends since childhood, Gabriella has long held back her feelings where Boromir is concerned, as she did not want to risk losing his friendship if he didn't feel the same. But, then he is summoned to Rivendell, and the night before he is to leave, he stuns Gabriella by confessing his feelings for her as well. 

But, war is coming and he cannot put off what he knows must be done. All Gabriella can do is wait for him and pray for his safe return. 

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings (AU, Boromir lives)

Pairing: Boromir x ofc Gabriella

Warnings: none 

Rating: T

Word Count: 4.2k

Tag List: @sotwk @heilith @fizzyxcustard @evenstaredits @way-too-addicted-to-fandoms @emmyspov @finnofamerica @lathalea @ass-deep-in-demons @quiall321 @mistofstars @justfollowtheroad @guardianofrivendell @glassgulls @doctorwhump @kmc1989 @estethell

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here.

“Gabby?”

Gabriella snuggled closer to Boromir, her arm draped about his hips, her eyes closed as she murmured back, “Mmm?”

“I’m sorry. I was a complete jackanapes to you.”

“Tell me true,” she lifted her head to gaze down into his sleepy green eyes, “were you with Ava last eve?”

Her heart thudded dully against her ribs as the words left her mouth and she braced herself for his answer. If he had been, she couldn't exactly be angry with him, no matter how much it might hurt to hear it. After all, she’d made herself clear that things were over between them, so who could blame him if he sought the company of someone else?

Still, she’d be lying to herself if she tried to convince herself it wouldn’t trouble her at all, because it would. It would haunt her until her dying days, whether it was fair of her or not.

But, to her relief, he shook his head. “No. I almost went to take a drink with her, but halfway to her flat, I changed my mind.”

Relief surged through her, although she tried to remain as blasé about it as she could. “Why?”

“She tried to kiss me,” he confessed softly, his fingers moving along her hair now, tucking it back behind her left ear. “And when I looked down at her, it was all wrong. Her eyes were the wrong color. Her hair was the wrong color. Her face was the wrong face. She wasn't the beautiful, silver-eyed blonde I’ve been in love with since I was old enough to know what love was, but the wrong woman entirely.”

She pressed her lips together as she shook her head, then managed to whisper, “You needn’t tell me what you think I wish to hear.”

“I tell you the truth, Gabriella.” He smiled, still stroking her hair. “There is no other woman who fires my blood and arouses my desire the way you do, love. And no other woman ever will.”

As he spoke, he came up over her, urging her onto her back, and covered her body with his. “I love you. And only you. And that will not change, no matter how angry you grow with me.”

She smiled up at him, winding her arms about his neck. “I am a lucky woman,” she whispered, tugging him down to meet her lips. 

He came flush against her, his lips warm and soft, moving slowly against hers. The coarse hair of his goatee tickled, her skin so sensitive to the brush of it. But at the same time, that coarseness was a caress all of its own. She couldn’t imagine his face without it, really, as he’d sported from the time he was old enough to grow it. Besides, while it prickled bit and tickled a bit, she would never in a millennia ask him to shave it. And when he swept a smoking kiss along her neck, and that hair scraped against her, her toes actually curled from the sensations it sent sweeping through her.

Her eyes slid shut and she couldn’t hold back her sigh. “That feels so nice…”

He lifted his head. “It’s supposed to, you know.”

“I know. But I thought you might like to hear it.”

Those green eyes glinted. “Of course… tell me if you like what I’m doing. Tell me if you don’t like what I’m doing. Tell me if I’m not doing something you want me to do, and I promise you, darling girl, I will do it. You needn’t be shy with me, you know. Anything you wish, Gabby, tell me and I will do it for you. Do it to you. And I will do so gladly and enthusiastically.”

She shivered at the husky promise in his voice. “The same holds true for you, you know.”

He brushed her lips once more. “I do love you.”

“I love you, too.”

His eyes darkened as he eased himself carefully between her thighs. “So, you will marry me after all?”

“Do I look mad enough to say no?”

He kissed her then, slow and deep and lingering and as he reached between them—

A knock sounded at the door and Dory called, “Gab! Are you in there?”

Gabriella let her head fall back as she muttered, “Oh, no…”

A low chuckle dusted her lips and Boromir whispered, “She has impeccable timing.”

“Perhaps she will go away.”

“Go and answer the door, love,” he told her, brushing her lips once more before easing off her. “She might barge in again and I’d rather she not see my cock in addition to already seeing my ass.”

He didn't sound angry, but rather instead sounded almost amused. She smiled as she admitted, “I owe her an apology as well. I was just a fool.”

“Yes,” he nodded, his grin keeping his words from being serious, “but you are my fool and I would have you no other way.”

“Well, that’s something, I suppose.”

He bent to kiss her once more as Dory pounded again. Then, he drew back. “I’ll be out as soon as I’m dressed and tonight, you will sleep with me in my chambers and no one will disturb us.”

“Promise me?”

His eyes grew softer still. “I promise you.”

She winked, and slid across the bed to fish her clothes from where they’d fallen when Boromir pulled them from her body and as she left, he was tugging on his trousers. 

Dory pounded on the door once more. “Gab! Are you in there?”

“I’m coming, Dory! Do not pound down the door, if you don’t mind.”

The knocking ceased and Gabriella tugged open the door. “What are you about?”

Dory’s arm went limp at her side. “I was worried about you. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, really. And I owe you an apology, you know. You were right.”

Dory just stared at her. “I—I was?”

Gabriella nodded. “Come in and I’ll show you.”

Dory came into the kitchen, and her gaze went to one of the chairs, where Boromir’s cloak lay draped over its back, and then to his boots, just inside the door. Then, she looked back at Gabriella. “Is he here?”

Gabriella nodded, her smile widening. “He is. And you were right and I am a fool.”

“So he forgave you, then?” Dory rolled her eyes then and smacked herself in the forehead. “Well, that was stupid of me. Of course he did.”

Boromir came out of the bedroom then, his shirt in his hands. “And she forgave me for she was not the only fool in that battle.”

Dory’s cheeks went pink even as she smiled. “It’s good to see you here, and I’ll not breathe a word to anyone about it, either.”

He returned her smile before tugging the shirt over his head. “I didn't think you would, to be honest. I’d imagine you’d not want Gabby’s name on the lips of gossips with too much time on their hands.”

“True. Although,” Dory chuckled, “I wouldn’t mind telling Ava. She is rubbish.”

Gabriella smiled. “She is, but worry not. She’ll find out soon enough.”

“Still, I would like to see her face.” 

“You have a mean streak, Dory,” Gabriella told her, moving to the kettle. “Tea?”

“You just realized that?” Dory asked even as she nodded. “And I would love some.”

Boromir caught Gabriella about the waist. “I will let you ladies talk. I have to go and assure Faramir that I’ve not completely mucked everything up with us.”

Gabriella smiled. “Was he upset with you?”

“Oh, upset does not even begin to describe it. He was furious.” He leaned in to sweep his lips against hers. “And I need to look over the final arrangements for tomorrow.”

He said it softly, a hint of pain flashing through his eyes and without thinking, Gabriella laid her hand against his cheek. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not really, although I appreciate the offer.” He straightened up and moved to pick up his boots before dropping into one of the chairs to tug them on. “I will come by later.”

“No,” she told him. “I’ll be closing the tavern tonight until Friday out of respect for Denethor. I’ll come find you.”

“You don't have to do that.”

“I know.”

He stood and kissed her again. “I love you.”

She smiled. “I know. And I love you, too. Now, go and do what you have to do.”

“I am.” He lifted his cloak to drape over his arm and then glanced over at Dory. “Take care and it was good seeing you again.”

She smiled, her cheeks pink still. “And seeing you as well.”

With that, he took himself off and as Gabriella closed the door behind him, Dory chimed, “Oh, I definitely want details this time.”

“Dory!”

“What? That man is just…. Mmmm…”

“Dory!”

“What?”

Gabriella shot her a look. “Do I truly need to tell you?”

Dory shook her head. “No. I don’t suppose you do.” A low sigh rose to her lips. “But, I’d like to live a little vicariously, that’s all. And he’s cute.”

Gabriella laughed. Boromir was cute. He was also far more than that, but he was still cute. 

And he was hers.

Later that morning, after she’d finished her chores around the apartment and the tavern, Gabriella made her way up to the Houses of Healing to look in on Faramir. As she passed by Éowyn’s room, she paused and poked her head in. “Good morning?”

Éowyn looked up and smiled. “A good morning to you as well, Gabby. How do you fare? Are you hiding once more?”

Gabriella let out a laugh. “No, not this time, thank goodness.”

“Good. For he was a fool and you are better off without him.”

“Actually,” Gabriella came further into the room, “he and I made up.”

“Oh, wonderful. I knew it would happen, for you were meant for one another,” Éowyn replied without missing a beat. Then she patted the mattress beneath her. “Come and sit, won’t you?”

“Thank you.” Gabriella moved over to sink onto the edge of Éowyn’s bed. 

“So, tell me, does your soulmate have a name?”

“He does. Boromir, son of Denethor, the stew—” Gabriella hesitated—“that is, he is the Steward of Gondor.”

Éowyn’s smile faded. “I heard the healers speaking of Denethor. His funeral is tomorrow, I believe one said?”

Gabriella nodded. “It is, yes.”

“I should like to attend, as a representative of Rohan, for we’ve long been allies.”

“Are you well enough to do so? If not, I’m certain Boromir will understand. Unlike his father, he is not a heartless man without feeling.”

“I will speak to your healer, of course, but I think I am well enough.”

“Hopefully she will agree as you seem quite well to me.”

“It’s also rather lonely in here at times,” Éowyn confessed, her voice growing soft. “I wish I knew what had become of my brother, the rest of my people.”

“And your brother is?”

“Éomer, of the Rohirram.”

“I can try to find out what’s become of him, if you like.”

“I would, thank you. I’ve been trying not to worry, but that’s so difficult when you don't know what’s happening beyond the walls surrounding you.”

“That is something I know all too well.” Gabriella glancing toward the windows, where brilliant golden sunlight streamed in to bounce across the marble floor. “Being left behind is an impossible task. You need to go about your daily life, to keep your routine, and yet, all you can think about is someone who is on the other side of the world and you have no way to know what is happening to them.”

Éowyn nodded slowly. “I was right alongside him down on the battlefield.”

“Were you?” Gabriella couldn't keep the shock from her voice. “How brave you were. I’d have been scared witless.”

“I was,” Éowyn confessed. “But, my brother’s cause was my cause. The cause of the people of Rohan was my cause. I couldn’t, in good conscience, simply wait for word. I am not patient enough.”

“Gabby? What are you doing up here?”

She turned to see Faramir in the doorway. “It’s good to see you up and on your feet,” she said by way of greeting, waving him into the room. “Come in and I’ll introduce you.”

A hint of shyness edged his smile as he came into the room and Gabriella glanced over to see Éowyn offer up a smile that was also tinged with shyness. 

“Faramir, this is Éowyn of Rohan. Éowyn, Faramir, son of Denethor.”

“Oh, so you’re Boromir’s brother,” Éowyn said by way of greeting. 

“I am, yes. And it’s a pleasure to meet you, lady of Rohan.”

As he spoke, Faramir caught her by the hand, bringing it up to his lips to brush with a light kiss. Éowyn’s smile brightened. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, as well.”

“Did your brother pass through?” Gabriella asked him.

Faramir nodded. “He did. About an hour ago. He said he’d be in Denethor’s chambers if anyone needed him.” He met her gaze. “He told me he’d thrown himself on his sword and you made up?”

She nodded. “He did and we did, yes.”

“Good. He was an ass.”

“He was, but so was I.” Gabriella eased down off Éowyn’s bed. “I will let you two come to know each other better, then.”

“But, you will come visit again, won’t you?” Éowyn called as Gabriella moved to the door.

“Of course I will.” 

“Good.”

Boromir sat back in his father’s black stone chair, in his father’s chambers in the Tower of Echthelion, leaned his head back, and let his eyes close. The chamber was already cavernous and cold, void of anything of Denethor’s, and that had nothing to do with it having been cleaned out upon his death and readied for Boromir to settle in. No, as far as he could remember, Boromir couldn't recall seeing any part of his father in these chambers. They were as cold and bleak as Denethor himself had been.

He remembered as a child, running into the room after this lesson or that one and climbing up onto his father’s lap, to see what held his father’s attentions. Denethor never cuddled him close or explained what he’d been doing, but he never shooed him away, either. Not the way he’d always chased Faramir away. 

A sigh rose to his lips. He mourned his father, of course, but at the same time, the sense of loss he felt was not the same as it had been when his mother died. That loss haunted him to that very moment as he opened his eyes to a cold, stark, empty chamber.

“Am I disturbing you?”

He jumped at the unexpected interruption and opened his eyes to see Gabby in the doorway, at the far end of the room. A black runner had been laid along the black marble flooring, and she stood on the edge of it. “Not at all. Come in.”

“Are you all right?” 

He nodded as she drew closer. “I’m fine. Just… bidding some old ghosts farewell.” 

She stopped at the foot of the black stone steps and looked upward. At the top, stood the Throne of the King of Gondor, while Boromir’s chair stood on the dais of the lowest step. “I remember being so terrified of this room as a child. I’d only ever heard of it and it sounded so… imposing. I used to hope I would never be summoned here, for it could never be good if I was.”

“It is imposing,” he said, holding out a hand. “But it won’t be for long. Come, you have an in with the steward so make yourself comfortable. I promise you, you will never be summoned here for any reason but a good one.”

A hint of a smile played at her lips, and he almost sighed at the sight. She had no clue, no inkling, what she did to him. How something as simple as that slight smile, sent a rush through him that he could neither explain nor describe. 

He leaned forward to take her hand. A gentle tug, and he drew her down onto his lap, biting back a sigh at how perfectly she fit against him. She tucked her head against his shoulder, partially beneath his chin. “Did you spend much time here as a boy?”

“No. My father did not like to be disturbed and he made it clear that I was most definitely disturbing him. He’d give me a few minutes of his time, and then shoo me off to lessons or wherever I was supposed to be at that given moment. My mother would scold him, tell him I was growing up fast and he’d blink and find a grown man in place of a boy. And then he’d be sorry.”

“You don't speak of her often,” Gabby said, brushing her fingers through his hair, sweeping it back behind his left ear. “What was she like, your mother?”

“My mother?” He smiled, his memories of her warm and comforting. “She was everything Denethor was not. She spent hours amusing me, and later Faramir. She would take me, take us, to the river and let us splash to our hearts’ content. She taught me to swim there and I in turn taught Faramir to swim when he was old enough. She always worried that he’d be swept away, but for some reason, she never seemed to worry about me in that way.”

“Because she knew. She knew you would be cautious and not be one to rush headlong into anything without careful consideration,” she told him, smiling as she met his gaze. “And I’ll wager she knew that, once Faramir came along, she didn't really have to worry about him near the river either because she knew you would never let anything happen to him. And she was right. You have always watched over him, watched out for him.”

“I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”

“I know. And she most likely did as well. So,” she snuggled closer, “tell me more of her.”

“Everyone loved her. And feared her. I think even my father did to a certain extent. She had endless patience with me.”

“So, that’s where you learned it. At her knee.”

He grinned. “I am not so certain of that.”

“Boromir, you are one of the most patient men I’ve ever known.” 

He sighed softly, and this time it was his turn to brush a loose tendril away from her face. “I had an excellent teacher in my mother. I think she found solace in me and my brother, for Minas Tirith itself wore her down, being the steward’s wife wore her down. She was not meant for that life, or really for a man such as my father. She loved him, but I often wonder now if he loved her in the same way. If he truly ever loved anyone. Somehow, I don't think so.”

“It’s difficult to know what passes between a couple,” she told him softly, tracing along the edge of his jaw.

“True. But, somehow, I don't think his heart beat faster when he saw her, the way mine does when I see you.”

That earned him a smile. “Am I to believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t you? It’s true, you know.”

“Perhaps it did, but he kept it to himself. Not every man wears his heart on his sleeve as you do, you know.”

“My heart on my sleeve? Is that how you see me?”

“At times, yes.”

“I should work on that then, I suppose. I wouldn’t want anyone to think me soft.”

“Perhaps he thought the same thing.”

He sighed softly, giving her a gentle squeeze. “It’s possible, I suppose. But I cannot recall him being affectionate with her. He was not one much for hugging or any sort of physical contact. He had no patience for it. Had little patience as it was for people, including me.” 

A heavy sadness filled him as he gazed down at Gabby, tucked so perfectly on his lap, against him. “No matter what he did, Faramir could never live up to my father’s expectations of him. He never measured up. Never made him proud. And no matter what I did, I could not get through to him that both of his sons were men he could indeed be proud of. Nothing changed. He found fault with everything and anything and was not shy about expressing it.”

“You won’t be like that, you know.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Of course I do,” she shifted slightly and he had to fight down a sigh at the sensation against him. She had no idea what she did to him, what she had always done to him, and here was not the place to let her know. At least, not now. In the dead of night, when no one was around, perhaps. But now?

“When the time comes, should we have children, you will not be like Denethor was. You are everything he is not, just as Faramir is. You are warm and loving, a leader who just knows how to lead and does not do so through force or coercion or might. You will be patient, and stern when you need to be, but I can see a little one come running down this carpet at full speed, wanting only to sit on his papa’s knee and I see you scooping him up and plunking him—or her—right where I sit now. And I will smile and shake my head and say, ‘You are spoiling him, Boromir,’ to which you will say, ‘A child who is unspoiled is a child who is unloved.’ And in time, you will both drive me mad.”

He smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Think so, do you?”

“I know so.” Her fingers brushed along his temple once more. “You will be a good father, Boromir. I promise you that you will. And if I think you are acting like Denethor, I will say something.”

He chuckled. “I expect no less.”

“I just thought I should warn you.”

Boromir smiled as he leaned his head back against the stone. “I love you. I hope you know that.”

“Of course I do.”

“No,” he shook his head, bringing his hand up to curve against her soft cheek, “that’s not what I mean, Gabby. I mean, I love you. As I’ve never loved anyone.”

Her eyes softened and she leaned into his touch, murmuring, “And I love you the same, you know.”

She leaned, but before their lips met, Faramir called, “In the middle of the day, brother?”

A flush swept along Gabby’s cheekbones and she tucked her head against his neck as Boromir chuckled and said, “I’d hoped so, yes.”

“I suppose there are some advantages to being the steward, eh?” 

“What do you want?”

Faramir laughed as he drew near. “I needed to speak with you. I did not think I was going to interrupt anything.”

“Worry not,” Gabby said, slipping down from Boromir’s lap. “He was just telling me about your mother. I wish I’d had the chance to meet her.”

“As I wish you had as well,” Faramir replied. “I think she would have seen you as a miracle worker of sorts or completely mad for wanting to be with this joker.”

“Take care, little brother.” Boromir rose from the stone chair and came down the one step to meet his brother. “Lest I think you’re jealous.”

“Of course I am.” Faramir grinned and winked. “I’ve always thought it was unfair that you saw her first.”

“Oh, enough, both of you,” Gabby burst out laughing, her cheeks almost scarlet now, “before you give me a swelled head.”

“I’ll come find you later, love,” Boromir told her, bending to brush her lips with a quick kiss. 

“Very well.” She waved as she pulled away and made her way back toward the door. “Stay out of trouble, both of you.”

As she rounded the corner, Boromir turned to Faramir. “It’s good to see you up, you know.”

“It’s good to be up. And you know, I was but joking about Gabby. I mean, I do at times wish I’d seen her first, but the truth is, she is good for you and I’m happy the two of you finally found one another.”

“Thank you. And I wholeheartedly agree.” Boromir rubbed the back of his neck. “And I wanted to ask you, now that we know you’re going to live and save me the trouble of having to do this again, but, I’ve asked her to marry me and I’d be honored if you’d stand up with me at the wedding.”

Faramir’s eyes widened slightly. “Did you truly think I’d say no?”

“I never assume anything.”

Faramir embraced him warmly. “Wild horses couldn't keep me away, brother. Of course I will.” 

“Good.” Boromir pulled back and smiled down at his brother. Tomorrow would be a difficult day for them both, no doubt, but once they made it through the funeral and entombment, everything would slowly begin to right itself. 

Or so he hoped. 

[sam-loves-seb]

fic writer ask game

i am very late on this but i was tagged by @mmmichyyy and @iansw0rld !

🖤 rules: answer the questions then tag five fic writers ✍️

1. how did you get into writing fanfiction?

i was super into marvel movies in my teens and i read way too much clintasha and stevebucky fic on tumblr/ao3 until one day i finally cracked and decided to try writing my own. i wrote fic for a few years when i was a teenager, then went to college and fell out of fandom life because real life was super hectic and getting a degree in mechanical engineering is hard, and then when i was maybe 22? 23? i started writing fic again because i realized how much i missed fandom and community and writing in general. i orphaned all my old fic on ao3 when i came back, but i kinda wished i had at least written the titles down somewhere because i’d love to go back and see how much my writing style has grown since then. 

2. how many fandoms have you written in?

10, according to ao3. add in a couple more from my youth, and sprinkle in a handful of unfinished things in my docs from fandoms i had a passing interest in and never actually published anything for, and the real answer is probably more like 15.

3. how many years have you been writing fanfiction?

a decade, give or take

4. do you read or write more fanfiction?

honestly depends on the day. i get in moods where i just want to write and i don’t want to read anything, and then it flips eventually and all i want to do is consume fics

5. what is one way you've improved as a writer?

i think my dialogue has improved so much since i started. it’s definitely one of my strengths right now, but it wasn’t always. 

6. what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

honestly i don’t know, my writing is very mundane. royal hierarchies maybe? and that’s not even weird. i just know i had to read a lot of shit about that for a wip i’ve since semi-abandoned.

7. what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

any comment at all is my favorite comment, but if i have to get specific: when people copy/paste their favorite lines into a comment and tell me they liked them, yeah that shit hits 

8. what's the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

again, i write very boring stuff. i think the most fringe thing i write is crossovers to be totally honest. i love a well done crossover fic between multiple fandoms. i’m still very proud of my tww/newsroom crossover, and my tww/stranger things crossover is near and dear to my heart. right now i’ve been brainstorming a shameless/stranger things/911 crossover with @karenandthababes for the last like, six months. will i ever write it? who knows.

9. what is the hardest type of story for you to write?

smut.

10. what is the easiest type?

fluff or domestic fluff. give me the softness. give me them happy and enjoying life. i can crank out 5k of that in no time.

11. where do you do your writing? what platform? when?

in bed on my laptop, Word, and mostly at night, but sometimes during my lunch breaks

12. what is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

the rock star mickey au that lives in my brain rent free is probably top of my list, followed by the high school au that also lives in my brain rent free. both are ambitious projects, and i’ve been talking about them for months without actually writing anything down yet.

13. what made you choose your username?

i will refer you back to question one where i said i was very into marvel movies and stevebucky in my teens. i adore sebastian stan, always have always will, hence sam-loves-seb. yes i made this handle at 15, no i will not change it.

tagging: @jessbakescakes @mybrainismelted @gallawitchxx @suchagallabitch @thefinestmuffinswrites and anyone else who wants to play !

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Daily Planet Classifieds

Fandom: DC Comics, Superfam, Young Justice 98, Titans

Summary: Laney Hausler is currently attending classes at Metropolis University when he sees a boy with his face in the library. At first, he thinks he's seeing things. Later, he starts to realize something strange is going on.

Conner Kent lives off-campus with his friends, but he sees a boy who eerily resembles him, and he hires a private investigator to look into the life of his doppelganger.

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Jonathan Lane Kent, Conner Kent, Eddie Bloomberg, Rose Wilson, Bart Allen, Cassie Sandsmark, Cissie King-Jones, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Meloni Thawne, Vic Sage, Slade Wilson

Relationships: Past KonBart, Clois

Additional Tags: Father-Son Relationship, Father-Daughter Relationship, No Powers AU, Found Family, Stalking, Family Secrets, No Powers AU, No Capes AU, Complicated Relationships, University AU, Roommates, Private Investigator, Twins, Multiple POV, First Person POV, Obsession, Psychological Drama, Complicated Relationships, Unrequited Love, Platonic Relationships

Chapter Two: Move-In Day (Conner's POV)

Pop insisted on carrying the heavy boxes. He was worried about me ever since the incident happened. That’s why I opted to go to college in the city. Pop had panic attacks most of my life because of it. Mom didn’t like to talk about it anymore. She used to be obsessed with putting up posters and telling me to look for someone resembling me… But it’d been fourteen years, and I’d almost forgotten his name. It was a strange memory. It freaked my parents out whenever I asked about it. So I didn’t ask at all. Pop went through his speech about strangers and sticking close to my friends. “Yeah, Pop. I know. I know,” I replied, “Listen, are you gonna be okay?”

“I’m a seven-minute drive from here, Conner… So, if you need me to come get you or you wanna come home and spend the night-.”

“Pop, I pushed this back for over two weeks now. I gotta move in before school starts,” I interrupted. He set the box down in Bart and I’s bedroom on my side of the room.

“Hi, Uncle Clark, want the rest of my lamb pasta?” Bart asked. Pop sat in a chair by Bart’s bed.

“Is it good?” Pop questioned. Bart pulled a fork out of thin air and shrugged. Pop twirled the pasta around his fork and scooped up peas and meat.

Pop made a soft noise, and Bart grinned. While Pop was distracted, I went to the car to get the last of my things. It was a box my parents packed for me as a surprise. I wasn’t supposed to open it until I got settled. It was heavier than I thought it’d be. I lugged it to the elevator, where I bumped into Cissie. “You’re actually moving in,” Cissie grinned. She always poked fun at me like the mean little sister I never had. “How’s Mr. Kent?”

“I thought he was gonna need a sedative on the way here, but Bart’s got him distracted for right now,” I replied. She let me in, and I set my box on the floor in the living room. She went to our room to hang out with Bart. I think they planned on watching a movie or something. “Jeez, Pop, that box weighs a ton!” I shouted.

“Don’t open it yet!” Pop shouted as he entered the room with Bart’s pasta.

“I won’t,” I answered. Pop sat on the couch and messed up my hair. It wasn’t something he did often. I think to him I was half ghost, half kid. So, he kept his distance physically. I never noticed it until that moment. His affection for me was always with words and actions. I couldn’t remember a time when he hugged me for the sake of hugging me. The last time he held me was when I was sick. That was two years ago, though. I savored any physical affection my Pop offered, and today was no different.

“I’ve gotta go soon, but I want you to take good care of yourself… This is your first night away from home, and-. Conner, give me a hug, okay?” Pop whispered. I hesitated. It finally sunk in for me that I’d left home. If I hugged him, he’d go home… And I wouldn’t be going home with him.

“Not yet, okay? Let me walk you to the Planet,” I replied, “I wanna say bye to Mom, too.”

Pop nodded, and we took the stairs. We were stalling for as much time as we could get. Mom sat outside like she’d been expecting us. She had a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. “Mom, don’t-.” She stood up and embraced me.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Mom laughed as she hugged me. “Don’t open your box until after you’ve settled in… And by settled in, I mean make your bed at least.”

I nodded, and I hugged her once more. “Be good, okay?” Mom requested.

“I will, Mom,” I replied. She patted my arm and left Pop and me alone. He rubbed his arm awkwardly, and I smiled for him. He didn’t want to cry, but I knew it was coming. He pushed his glasses up and glanced over my head to avoid looking me in the eye. I wrapped my arms around him and shoved my face in his chest. “It’s gonna be weird, isn’t it?” I asked. He kissed the top of my head, and I could feel his tears hit my scalp. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll buy a taser.”

I wanted him to laugh more than anything. “I know you’ll still be close to home, but I’m going to miss coming home to you,” Pop mumbled.

“Well, we can do dinner at least twice a month… And when I’m not busy with school, I can drop by and do stuff around the house if you want,” I replied, “Also, thanks for being so cool about all this.”

“You’re a great kid… Your mom and I raised an amazing kid. You’re not perfect, but you’re honest and kind… And this will help you be more responsible,” Pop whispered as he pulled away and looked into my eyes. “You have to be responsible for yourself now. That means eating healthy without being reminded to save money and care for your health.”

“I will, Pop. I promise. Don’t worry about me,” I smiled, “I’m gonna be fine… I have to go because I have a thing at the school for Film majors. Also, they’re giving out free food for lunch,” I replied. Dad smiled.

“Is Bart going with you?” Dad asked.

“They’re giving out free food,” I replied. Dad laughed.

“Right… Right,” Dad replied, “Um… I’ve only said this five hundred times, but be good. Okay?”

“I will. Tell Mom that I love her! And I love you too!” I replied as I turned to run off. I met Bart halfway down the street from our apartment, and he playfully bumped into me.

“How’d Uncle Clark take it?” Bart asked. Bart and I grew up together. He was like me, except his twin didn’t vanish without a trace. They were identical the same way my brother and I were. That’s why he called my dad Uncle Clark. Bart was the only one of my friends other than Tim that knew about my twin.

I always thought it was my fault. I was only four years old when it happened. I remembered the day, but it’d been so long since I heard my brother’s name. We were sick, but I remember the strange fogginess of the hospital at nighttime with its dim fluorescent lights and constantly moving doctors. I thought I was dreaming, but I saw him between dreams. My fever dreams… The doctor. The man unhooked my brother from his IV, helped him out of bed, and I swear my twin waved at me. I had nightmares about it. The little boy with my face, waving as if he knew we’d never see each other again. I should’ve called for him. I should’ve cried… But I did nothing.

“Pop took things better than I thought he would. Mom didn’t stick around for long… I think she took it worse than Pop did,” I answered, “How’d your mom take it?”

“Not as bad as when Thad left after graduation… Funny. I cried more than she did once she left,” Bart laughed. That’s how I knew he missed her. He wouldn’t have admitted that to anybody. “Are you good? You look sick.”

“I’m fine… I-. Bart, don’t you miss Thad?” I asked.

“Thinking about twin stuff again?” Bart questioned. I nodded. “Are you having the nightmares again?”

“I never stopped having them,” I confessed. Bart frowned.

[amor-immortalem]

The Price of a Soul Ch. 2

Word count: 5.4k+

A/N: I may have gotten a little carried away. Just a tiny bit.

The entity that stole Solaris’ soul has the poor half-demon running ragged around the darkness.

“Let’s play tag!” It had said with such enthusiasm and excitement that Solaris had trouble saying no, something the 16-year-old greatly regrets.

“This is getting old fast.” He grumbles to himself after tripping over something unseen for the nth time. “How do you expect me to properly play a game like this when I can’t even see where I’m going?”

“But I can’t turn the lights on.” There’s a childish whine to the entity’s voice. “Will you really not play with me because you keep falling?”

“Well, I would prefer not to break my face while we’re at this.” Is all the teenager sighs as he takes a seat. He runs a hand through his orange-streaked hair as he mumbles to himself. “It was a mistake to run my mouth without thinking...I want to go home...I miss my dad...”

“What’s a ‘Dad’?” The avian-like being is now couched down in front of him.

“A Dad is someone who does things like look after you when you’re ill, someone who keeps you safe. They tuck you into bed at night when you’re little, read you stories until you fall asleep, comfort you after a nightmare, teach you how to do all sorts of amazing things... Mine is really amazing.” Solaris smiles sadly to himself. “Did you ever have someone like that before?”

“No. I’ve been all alone ever since I can remember, but it sounds nice. Unfortunately, I can’t undo what I did. “

“I don’t think I would want you to... sure I traded my soul away without thinking of it, but you gave my mother her life back. Even if I really am dead, my parents can always have another kid. I can be replaced There was never really anything all that special about me anyway...”

“You’re special to me...” It says, “You’re my first friend! There’s nothing more special than that.”

・・・〆・・・

Lucifer and Barbatos stand at the entry point if Aubrie’s grave on the day of the earthquake just minutes before it all unfolded.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to know what went on?” The green-haired demon asks, “Would it not be easier on your heart to just speculate what went on instead?”

“If I can find a way to help my son, it doesn’t matter what I learn.” Lucifer says, an unreadable emotion on written on his face.

It’s quiet between them as they press forward. When they enter the anti-chamber, the pair find the half-demon absolutely bawling his eyes out- a heartbreaking scene. It's hard to make out what he’s saying through his sobs and coughing fits. It doesn’t take them long to notice there’s something else in the room with them too.

It’s stalking Solaris, seemingly feeding off the boy’s despair as it inches closer and closer.

“Barbatos, what is that?” Lucifer has never seen anything like it before and he’ll never admit it, but it terrifies him. Its form shimmers almost, like it was trying to remain unseen while it hunted its helpless prey. And the worst part? He can’t even interfere to protect his child.

“I… I don’t actually know.” The butler is also on edge. The energy this thing produced, it felt ancient- even older than himself, almost and not completely demonic. Whatever the thing was, it clearly didn’t originate in the Devildom.

With their attention on the entity, the pair fail to notice the beginnings of the earthquake and when the ground jolts back and forth violently, they begin to lose their footing. A chasm begins to open up beside them and at the last possible moment, Barbatos snaps his fingers, and the pair go flying out of one of the many doors in his room.

They both groan, having tumbled down one of the many flights of stone steps in the time-demon’s room.

“I believe we have our answer as to what happened to your son.”

・・・〆・・・

Aubrie meets with Arella and the rest of their friends for lunch but finds herself too unfocused on the conversations.

“And this was Henry at his latest e-sports tournament.” Isabella holds her phone so the other human can see all the pictures she’d taken of the thirteen-year-old. “He’s even taken up coding and makes his own video games.”

“That’s amazing,” the orange-haired-human smiles, “he surely does take after his father, huh?”

“A little too much, unfortunately. But I love him all the same.”

“And what about you, Paisley? Did you and Belphegor ever end up having children? I know before my passing, the two of you were still undecided on the matter.”

“Hm?” The brown-haired human looks up from her meal. “Oh, yeah, we did. Just one for now despite how Belphie might be trying to convince me we should have another. Anyway, his name is Oliver. I have pictures if you’d like to see them.” They pull out the phone and pull up their gallery. “He just turned 7 not that long ago.”

“Aww, he’s so adorable,” Aubrie smiles, “who’s that next to him?”

“That’s Hakan, Allie and Beelzebub’s boy. He actually just got back from spending the summer in the human world with Allie. He’ll be turning eight in a few months. He and Oliver are constantly together, they’re like a two-in-one package at this point.”

“I see. And Arella, how’re the twins doing? What’re they up to nowadays? Were you guys ever able to find Cyrus too?”

“They’re fine,” Arella nods. “You could say they’re very busy. Aurelius took up modeling for Majolish like his father and is doing very well for himself in the industry and Azalea actually volunteers her free time at a dagashi shop Mammon and I used to take them to when they were younger. The both of them are at the top of their class, on the honor roll, and Azalea is even in advanced courses. Unfortunately, they live in the House of Lamentation now during the school week, so I don’t get to see them much until the weekend when they come home unless one of them is on punishment. Cyrus found his way back to us as well three years ago and he also attends RAD but chose to just commute from home. His return brought some friction to our family structure so he felt like moving into the HOL would be unnecessarily encroaching in the twins’ life.” Arella scrolls through her phone, showing Aubrie all the recent pictures of her family.

“Mammon and I have also had another child as well. This is him right here. His name’s Mahlon and he’s turning 6 in a couple days. Funnily enough he shares his birthday with Mammon.”

“Another child?” The ginger looked at her old friend in surprise. “I thought you’d had your tubes tied. Did it fail?”

“Yeah... I didn’t realize even with a tubal, there was still a super small chance of conceiving again. If I’d have known that I would have opted for a complete removal of everything instead. The youngest’s arrival caused a little bit of drama with the twins- more so Azalea than Aurelius. Things are fine now though.”

“I’d say it caused more than just a little bit of drama.” Isabella teases lightly. “Wouldn’t you, Paisley?”

The other human nods with a smile on their face and Aubrie’s confused.

“It’s nothing anymore, though, so I guess we should all be thankful for that much,” The Isabella hums as she notices Aubrie’s confused look. Her phone beeps- a message from her son over something he deemed an emergency but was- in all actuality- nonsensical at best. “I have to go. We should do this again sometime. Adios, ladies.” she leaves her portion of the check and takes off.

“Bye Isa!” They all chime in.

“I should get going too.” Paisley digs around in their wallet for some cash. “Knowing Belphie, he’s probably sleeping the day away and we’re supposed to run some errands together before we get Oliver and Hakan from school. I’ll see you around.” And then Paisely’s gone as well, leaving Arella and Aubrie alone. It’s quiet between them for a few moments before:

“You’re still dating Thirteen, right?” the freckled human nods at her friend’s question. “Can you ask her if she knows anything about entities that steal souls?”

“I can,” She hums in response, “but what leads you to suspect that his soul was stolen?”

“I just have a feeling- mother's intuition if you will. I remember when I first came to, and I saw my son laying there in a pool of his own blood, I had the overwhelming feeling that we weren’t alone. Something else was in there with us, Arella.”

“I’ll see Thirteen tonight, so I’ll ask her then.”

“Thank you. Let me know as soon as you find out.” The grey-eyed human’s phone goes off and she looks to see who it is.

・・・〆・・・

Lucifer sits in his office at home, still bruised from the tumble he’d taken back in Barbatos’ room, staring at the official notice he’d received via Diavolo from the House of Lords. After catching wind that Solaris had been at the literal epicenter of the earthquake that shook the Devildom to its foundations, a judgement had been rendered. He must’ve read it a million times already but just the sight of the words put the Avatar of Pride into a cold sweat.

The House of Lords hereby decrees the actions of the half-demon, Solaris Morningstar, taken on 31, August, to be classified as an act of terrorism. Until such time that these actions can be clarified as unintentional, the accused is hereby sentenced to execution. The preliminary hearing to appeal this decision is scheduled for 25, December, with a sentence date of 30, December.

Death? Terrorism? Not his boy. Solaris would never dream of intentionally harming anyone. This was all just a horrible accident and really, if anyone should be to blame it should be Lucifer himself. He knew the seal on Solaris’ powers was beginning to wane- Lucifer had even asked Arella to cast the spell she’d used on a new pendant that he intended to give his son on his birthday to avoid a scenario like this ever happening. This had to be due to-

“Love?” Aubrie’s voice distracts the demon from his thoughts. “I got your message. What’s wrong?”

“The House of Lords rendered its judgement in regard to the events from the 31st.” He sets the paper on his desk haphazardly, rubbing a hand over his face. “They believe our son caused the disaster. They want his life for it.”

The human’s storm-grey eyes widen.

“They want to execute our son over an earthquake that didn’t even kill anyone?” She can’t believe what she’s hearing. “That’s more than a little extreme.”

“I think it has more to do with something else and not the quake- that was just the opening they chose to take.”

“Something else? Such as what?”

“The House of Lords consists of some of the oldest demons in the Devildom as you know. They’ve always opposed the idea of demons intermingling with humans on a deeper level that just tempting them toward chaos and sin. They’ve been quietly targeting our family for years now- ever since we brought Cyrus home from the human world after Satan, Beel, and I killed his birth mother and aunts- trying to extinguish the existence of half-demons in our family and every time Diavolo and I have managed appease them in some form or another.”

“So, it’s prejudice? I can’t believe they want to take our baby’s life over something so stupid. Where is their court? I swear when I give those lousy demons a piece of my mind, they’ll-”

“You would have better luck convincing Belphie to stay awake all day than you would reasoning with them.” there’s a soft chuckle to his voice. “Appealing their decision is better left to me, my love. Ideally, I’d like for them to drop the charges altogether, but if they don’t back down completely, I’ll seek for a period of exile until I’m ready to abdicate my position as Avatar of Pride. At the very least, Solaris will get to keep his life.”

Aubrie nods at that. As unfortunate as it would be for their son to be ripped away from everything he’d grown up around, at least he wouldn’t be targeted for even the smallest slip up.

“I asked Arella to get in contact with Thirteen for me.”

“Really?” The demon asks, “You still think something’s affecting his soul?” He doesn’t want to say how he also believes in that theory after what he witnessed with Barbatos.

“At this point that’s the only explanation I can think of,” Aubrie admits. “It’s silly to jump to the most drastic conclusion, I know, but what if I’m right? What if he really did trade his soul away for mine? I’m sorry, Dear, I love you and I’m absolutely thrilled to be here with you again, but having a second chance to live means nothing if we don’t have our son with us as well.”

“I can’t say I don’t agree. I’m going to visit our son in the morning tomorrow and I’ll be taking Belphie with me. Brain scans still continue to indicate that he’s stuck in a constant state of REM sleep. He’s dreaming of something. I’m hoping Belphegor can figure out what that something is.”

Silently, she nods. She just wants her son back.

“Is there anything else you needed?” The human asks, to which Lucifer only shakes his head.

“Nothing really, although I won’t turn down your company.”

・・・〆・・・

The next morning, Lucifer- along with a very disgruntled Avatar of Sloth- make their way up to Solaris’ hospital room.

“You couldn’t have picked a later time to do this,” the seventh-born complains.

“No.” Is the eldest’s response, “When I spoke with the doctors last, Solaris’ brain was most active during the early morning hours. It should be far easier for you to use your dream-watching ability at this point in the day especially if you’re as tired as you keep complaining you are.”

“I appreciate you making it easier on me then I guess…” Belphegor mumbles as they reach the room. “You sure you don’t want to come with me? In my own opinion, I think he ended up astral projecting and he’s just stuck in that plane. It’ll be easier to coax him back if his father is there to encourage him.”

“No… I know he’s more than capable enough without me there- he just needs a guide back to the waking world. If it’s as you say, then he may even retreat further into the astral plane out of embarrassment, and we’ll have an even harder time guiding him back.”

“Suit yourself, then,” is all the sloth demon shrugs before he takes a seat in the chair near the bed and takes a hold of his nephew’s hand as he closes his eyes.

・・・〆・・・

The darkness leaves Solaris in deep despair. He misses his family. He wants to go home. Instead, the half-demon is stuck in this never-ending darkness with no way out, playing game after game with an archaic being that has the mentality of a child and the cruelty of a sadist.

It’s in this incredible despair that the boy openly weeps. He’d lost their latest game and had been practically rag-dolled around like a toy. Claw-like marks still sit on his shoulder from the exchange. His entire body hurts now.

“This isn’t how you’re supposed to treat friends.” the words are hushed, gritted through his teeth.

“We can play another game!” its voice echoes in the darkness. “I promise I won’t be so rough if you lose again.”

“No! I’m tired of this!” He screams. “I need a break!”

“Who’re you talking to?”

The half-demon’s grey-and-red eyes widen at the sound of Belphegor’s voice.

“Uncle Belphie?” Solaris turns toward the sound, and he can see his uncle off in the distance. He sounded so close- why is he so far off? “Is that really you? How did you get here?���

“Through your dreams,” suddenly the Avatar of Sloth is sitting right beside him. “You’re stuck here in the astral plane. I can guide you back if you’ll take my hand.”

“I can’t.” More tears well up in the boy’s eyes. “I did something stupid- made a deal without thinking. I’m such an idiot.”

“Well, even if you are an idiot, you’re your father’s idiot. Deal or no deal, if you take my hand, you will be able to go back home.”

And Solaris contemplates it as he reaches for his uncle’s hand. At the last possible moment, something seizes him and pulls him away.

“NO!” The entity screeches as it holds on tight to the half-demon. “YOU CAN’T TAKE MY FRIEND! I WON HIM FAIR AND SQUARE! I OWN HIM- WE MADE A DEAL.”

“You can’t own a person,” Belphegor stands, demon form manifesting. “Let Solaris go. He doesn’t belong here. Can’t you see he’s unhappy? If he was really your friend, you’d want him to be happy, right?”

“I won’t be alone again!” It’s claws begin to tighten into the flesh of Solaris’ arm. “If I have to kill you to make sure my friend stays by my side forever then I will.”

“No, don’t, please!” Solaris can’t be responsible for another family member’s death. “I-I’ll stay. Just don’t kill him, please.”

“It’s too late for that,” It growls. “If he ever comes back here, you’ll leave for sure. I can’t allow that.”

The entity raises its arm, and the ground starts to crack and rise. It throws the raised chunks of ground at Belphegor which he easily dodges. The Avatar of Sloth knows he’s at a disadvantage. He's unable to see his surroundings in the suffocating darkness. Anything could be coming at him, and he wouldn’t know it until it was too late. A tactical retreat would be the best option right now. He can always come back with Lucifer and another of their brothers after more planning and finding out what the hell this thing even was.

“I’ll be back, Solaris. I promise.” And with that, the blue-and-white-haired demon forces himself to wake up.

・・・〆・・・

When Thirteen finally walks into Mammon and Arella’s house, she immediately collapsed onto the couch in the living room. Another long night of reaping souls really takes it out of you. All the reaper wants is just 15 minutes of peace.

“There you are,” Arella appears not two minutes later, “I’ve been waiting to talk to you about something.”

“Can I just get five minutes of peace, please?” The pink-and-blue-haired woman whines, “I only just got home.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Dear.” The human kneels beside the couch. “But this is important. It’s regarding Solaris.”

Thirteen gives her human partner a disgruntled look as she rolls onto her side, facing Arella. “Fine, if it's that important, I’ll hear what you have to say.”

“Thank you, you’re the best. Anyway, Aubrie wanted to know if you knew of any entities that could steal souls away.”

“Entities that steal souls, huh? Currently, we reapers are the only beings capable of doing that. Collecting souls is kind of our main thing. I’ll have to look more into it with the elders, but our children are told stories of a being capable of stealing even our souls. They’re more cautionary tales against letting your emotions run wild if anything- Candi always had a way of making them even more terrifying than they actually were.”

“Interesting,” The human hums. “Can you tell me everything you do know?”

Thirteen is quiet. “No. If we speak of it without properly protecting ourselves first, the rumor is that you’ll catch its attention. I’m sorry, babe, but I don’t want my soul poached by that thing.”

“That’s understandable. I’ll pass the message along to Aubrie.”

・・・〆・・・

Lucifer and Belphegor sit in silence in the hospital room. The Avatar of Sloth’s heart is still racing from his encounter in the astral plane.

“This thing isn’t going to let him go peacefully, Lucifer. If we’re going to bring him back, it’ll have to be by force. And we need a plan too.”

Lucifer says nothing but turns his gaze to his resting son. Was there really nothing he could do for his boy at present? “How long do souls have after being stuck in the astral plane before they’re trapped there permanently?”

“It varies... from what I’ve seen with humans in the past, it only takes a few weeks. Demons, however, are unable to be trapped there. Since Solaris is a mix between the two, I’d hypothesize that he’d have months to a year at the minimum but that’s not a theory I’m so sure we should be testing.”

“Thirteen is back in town, we’ll drop by and pay her visit.”

・・・〆・・・

As lunch time rolls around, Thirteen and Arella are in the kitchen making lunch for themselves and Azalea who happened to be home from school due to the Devildom cold.

“Who would have thought Azalea of all people would be so needy when she’s sick...” The reaper remarks. “She’s nearly as bad as her father.”

“Oh, I’ve known for quite some time.” The human chuckles, “Azalea doesn’t get sick often but when she does, she tends to be especially greedy for my and Mammon’s attention. She’ll sleep for a majority of the day though, so I don’t think we have too much to be worried about.”

“And what about when she wakes up?”

“Oh, I won’t be able to get anything done until she goes back to sleep. It’ll all be fine, Love. Can you go wake her? The soup is done.”

Thirteen does as she’s asked, retrieving the ailing half-demon from her cozy cavern of blankets. Arella slides a bowl in front of her child, taking the opportunity to check the temperature of Azalea’s forehead.

“Your fever’s starting to drop, thankfully. With any luck you’ll be able to return to classes tomorrow.”

The freckled girl only grunts as she presses her face against her mother’s side. “Mama... hold me.” Her voice is muffled by Arella’s shirt.

“Eat, before your food gets cold, Dear. We can cuddle later.” Arella kisses the top of her daughter’s head as she brushes some of her hair away from her sweaty face before pulling away from the girl to make her own bowl.

Thirteen just watches the pair, shaking her head.

Lunch is interrupted by Lucifer and Belphegor. They’d come to finally corner Thirteen to see if she knew anything at all about this entity that was keeping Solaris captive in the Astral plane.

“I just can’t catch a break about this thing, can I?” The reaper sighs after hearing Belphie’s description of the entity.

“We just want to know if it has any weaknesses that we can capitalize on,” Lucifer replies as he sits across from her.

Thirteen takes a few moments to say a protective ward for herself in an ancient tongue unknown to any demon.

“If I’m going to talk about this thing, I need to protect myself from unwanted attention first.” She clarifies after receiving odd looks from the first and seventh born. “Now as we were discussing, I don’t know much aside from the legends my sister would try to scare me with, but rumor has it that it’s even older than demons or angels. It was imprisoned by your father many, many eons ago when it kept running around stealing the souls of all those who felt strong emotions one way or another before eventually settling on hunting the souls of reapers for sport. Some younger reapers in my generation gave it the name Yatagarasu, after the three-legged crow god, while others- more elder reapers- refuse to call it by a name for fear they’d be next on its hunting list.”

“What else can you tell us?”

“Some stories tell that it loves to make deals with non-consenting parties and that the only way out of that deal is to defeat it in a game of chance yourself or have another person do so on your behalf but then we have just as many that say otherwise. Of course, these are only children’s tales.”

“A game of chance, huh?” Lucifer looks lost in thought. “Is it able to detect cheating?”

Thirteen shrugs. “I’m not sure- probably.”

“If ya need someone who’s good with games of chance, I’ll do it once I start feeling better.” A new voice enters the conversation.

All three of them turn to look at Azalea in surprise. They hadn’t realized she’d been listening.

“No.” Lucifer replies, “If you should lose-”

“I’ve trained my odds perception ability very well.” The 19-year-old grumbles. “Aside from my father, I’m the best option you have at assuring we get him back. Besides… none of this would be happenin’ if I hadn’t lost track of Solaris at Devil’s Coast that day.”

“Now’s not really the time for your weird sense of responsibility, kid.” Belphegor comments. “You understand what it might want if you lose right? You’ll both be trapped there and even if you can see the odds that you’ll win you have no-”

“I don’t really give a shit.” She shrugs, “Sorry ta be so blunt but I never lose games of chance so let me help.”

The three adults exchange looks of concern.

“If it makes you feel any better,” the half-demon adds, “I’ve already seen our odds of pullin’ this off. They’re in our favor. So, what’ll it be? Getting Solaris back or letting him stay comatose for the rest of forever?”

The room is quiet, there’s tension in the air as Lucifer weighs the option.

“Fine.”

・・・〆・・・

The three of them along with Aubrie stand in Solaris’ hospital room. It had been a full week since their last attempt at freeing the orange-and-black-haired boy from this hostage situation.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Belphegor still looks uncomfortable about taking his niece into the astral plane with him. “Your parents will kill me if I let you get stuck there.”

“Yeah,” Azalea nods, “like I said last week, this whole situation is my fault in the first place so it’s only natural that I make it right.” She holds her hand out. “So, let's get a move on. Unless you want the developin’ bed sores or something.”

“You two be careful, alright?” It’s an order from the Avatar of Pride. “You don’t know what tricks this thing has up its sleeve.”

They both nod as the Avatar of Sloth takes her outstretched hand. Suddenly, the pair find themselves within the astral plane once more.

“Yeesh- sure is dark in here…” Azalea mumbles, “I thought the astral plan was s’pposed to be filled with stars or something pretty like that?”

“Normally, it is.” The demon agrees, “but remember what Thirteen said? This place was meant to be a prison- prisons aren’t pretty.”

It doesn’t take long for the entity dubbed as Yatagarasu to find them.

“I thought I told you to never come back?!” it’s multilayered voice booms.

“Actually, you never said that.” Belphie can help but be a little snarky.

“He’s only here because of me,” Azalea shouts to it. “I wanna play a game and make deal with ya.”

“A game?” The massive version of Yatagarasu bends down, its face practically pressed up against hers, “What kind of game?”

“They call it War. It’s a card game. We both place a card down and whoever has the higher card wins. To spice it up, we only get one card each. It’s a mode I like to call sudden death style. It’s the ultimate game of chance. Simple enough, right?”

“And what do you want if you win?”

“If I win? Well, that’s easy. I want you to let my cousin go free. If I lose, however, you still let Solaris go but you keep me instead.”

“Are you insane, Azalea? You can’t offer up your own soul over a card game!” The sloth demon hisses.

Yatagarasu thinks for a moment. “How do I know you won't cheat or go back on your word?”

“Oh? You scared?” She smirks, taunting the being. She needs it to choose this game or else she’ll lose for sure. “For your information, I don’t need to cheat. After all, throughout all three realms, when it comes to card games of any kind, I’m the best there’s ever been. If it’ll make ya feel better, we’ll shake on it. It’ll be a binding contract so you can’t go back on your word either.”

“The best? I hardly believe that.” Yatagarasu gives the half-demon a disbelieving look. “I’ll accept your deal- if only to wipe that annoying smirk off your face when I crush you.”

And so, the game begins as they shake on the deal. Solaris is summoned to their location, placed in a cage that dangles above the pair much to the boy’s embarrassment.

“Can’t you let me down?” He yells, his pride not letting him take this lightly. “This is embarrassing- I’m not a damsel in distress!”

He finds himself ignored.

Azalea never lets her smirk fall from her face throughout it even as the cards are placed down- the thrill of what will be an easy victory humming in her ears. This was all going to plan. She has an ace laid down while her opponent only has a ten. Victory is all but assured.

“Are ya ready? You’re gonna lose.”

“Have you heard that it’s impolite to be so damn cocky?”

“Who says it’s cockiness? I done told you once I’m the best there’s ever been. Reveal your card.”

“A ten,” it smiles, chest puffing up with pride, “You can’t beat that.”

“Now, who’s bein’ cocky?” Azalea reveals her own card, “I have an ace. According to the rules, I win.”

“I… lost?”

The cage Solaris is in dissolves away and he goes crashing to the ground with a screech. His uncle as able to catch him just in time.

“I can’t lose… this is my realm! I make the rules here!” The ground begins to quake beneath their feet as Azalea only laughs and turns away. “You had to have cheated somehow! We’re playing again!”

“Nah, I’m good.” Her voice is cold and disinterested. “We made a deal, and I won fair and square.”

“NO YOU DIDN’T!”

“Azalea, we can’t stay here anymore!” Belphie shouts, “We got what we came for, let’s go!” His hand is outstretched as he holds his footing among the thrashing of the ground.

The white-and-blacked-haired girl doesn’t need to be told twice. No matter how good it would feel to humiliate her opponent after winning in such high stakes, she’d rather not have the entire plane collapse on her either.

“NOOOOOOO,” it’s voice roars in her ears as she takes her uncle’s hand and before she knows it, they’re back in the real world. Adrenaline is rushing through her veins still.

And it would appear to be the same for Solaris as well as he sits up with a shout, body full on shivering while takes ragged breaths- like he was waking up from the most traumatic nightmare.

The commotion caused Lucifer and Aubrie to come rushing back in and the grey-and-red-eyed half-demon snaps his head in their direction. The sight of them is blurry, but he can tell from scent alone it was them.

In seconds, he’s wrapped up in their arms in the tightest hugged imaginable as tears well up in his eyes.

He’s back in his body, he has his mother back- it all feels far too overwhelming to bare. It’s not long before the tears overflow and he’s sobbing into his father’s coat.

“I-I’m-m s-s-sorry! I’m so sorry! I’m such an idiot! I can’t believe I did something so stupid!” Solais’ words hiccup and break with each breath.

“It’s okay,”

“You’re safe now. We’re here. We’ve got you.”

More comforting words are whispered into his hair as both parents do their best to calm him. Both Azalea and Belphegor slip away unseen. They could get their thanks later but for now, they’ll let those three have their moment.

・・・〆・・・

To be continued (in an epilogue)

[joseopher]

HELLO, LADIES, WORMS, HOMOSEXUALS

As we know I check the novacaine tags daily

GOD COMPLEX CONTINUATION

GO READ IT HEEEERREE: complex mind, simple life

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS FIC:

REINA AND CALLUM MOMENTS

Friendships <3

Second chances

Callum is pathetic but also depressed

Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers!

"Callum felt immense relief when Reina called him. He answered on the first ring. Then cursed himself for acting so desperate."

HE MISSES HIS BEST FRIEND </3

"Callum wasn’t unfamiliar with the lingering, heavy sadness and emptiness in his chest. In fact, depression wasn’t that unfamiliar to him either. It hadn’t always been his own depression he was accustomed to, but he was quite used to the numbness it brought with it. Sometimes in the deep of the night, he’d close his eyes and think back at a time when he didn’t feel numb all the time. Most of those times, his head would circle back to Tristan . Then he’d get up, order himself a drink and drink until his eyes fell shut again."

AWWWWW MY POOR LITTLE GUY

"The last person he spent the night with was, well, Tristan. The name needed its own trigger warning at this point."

TRIGGER WARNING: ❗❗❗TRISTAN CAINE❗❗❗

"But Reina just let out an amused noise before she tightened her grip on him and settled into the mattress. Callum let himself relax enough until he fell asleep. There was no mocking him the next morning. There were no teasing questions about him always being the little spoon or not. Reina didn’t treat him as if he was weak or fragile. And the next night, Reina wordlessly rolled on her side and threw her arm around his body again when she went to sleep."

I'm going to cry /pos

“Reina asked me to come with her to visit you because she was worried about you. And I thought she was overreacting because no one ever worries about you,” she started. Callum felt a stab at that statement. It was true, so why should he feel so terrible about it?

“But this isn’t you. What’s going on? Is it because of Tristan?” 

“No,” Callum said. Because it wasn’t about him. It was about Callum . Everything about himself was what was wrong. He was wrong."

This is exactly what depression is like...

👁️I FEEL SEEN👁️

"Eventually, even Nico and Libby contacted him. Libby sent him a postcard from London. Telling him she got his address from Parisa and that she wished the card would be a nice souvenir for him to have in his house. He hated how sappy it was. It was a hideous card with the big ben on it. He hated it. He hung it on the fridge."

HE HUNG IT ON THE FRIIIIDDDGE

"Of course, they asked Tristan to come then. Tristan would come, he’d fix Callum’s bad mood and everything would go back to normal again. Tristan would again just do whatever anyone asked of him. He’d learn to deal with the annoying pathetic little shit that was Callum Nova because no one else wanted to do it. That way everyone was unburdened and Tristan had someone to fix and to fuck. That was all he was good for anyway. "

THE WRITING IS SO GOOD!! MY HEARTSTRINGS!!

“You’re gonna burn the onions,”

“I’m not expecting you to pay me or anything. I just came to see you,”

“I didn’t invite you,”

“You didn’t have to. I’ve always wanted to see you. Ever since we left the palace,” Tristan said. Callum didn’t look at him, instead looking at the pan again.

“The onions,”

Callum: ohhh noo lets not have an emotional conversation, tHe oNiOnS TrIsTaN ThE OnIoNs

(I love him <3)

“We’re not having sex tonight. I said we could start with you staying one night, but that is off the table,”

“Saving that for marriage?”

“Definitely."

*dies of laughter* /pos

“Of course not. Why would I go through so much trouble just to get into someone’s pants?”

“Cause I’m good in bed,” 

HAHAHA THEM <3

"Nothing like how they used to be in the palace. There were no roles they both fell back into when they were together again. And Callum was grateful for it. Maybe it could mean a new start."

KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS! KUDOS!

I LOOOOOVE ITTTTTTTTTTTT

SO SAD AND SWEET AND AHHHHHHH

[sweet-berry-sims]

15 asks for 15 mutuals

Thank you for tagging me in the ask game @emmiesims!

1. are you named after anyone?

I am in my middle name. My name is made up of two of my great-grandmother’s names that are hyphenated. Though one of those names was heard wrong. My great-grandmother on my mom’s side often went by the nickname Baby so my mom never really knew her real name all that well so that part of my name is slightly different from my actual great-grandmother’s name. 

2. when was the last time you cried?

Probably a few nights ago watching sad videos unless literally cutting onions counts then earlier today while cutting onions for breakfast/lunch. 

3. do you have kids?

No but I definitely want them in the future. 

4. do you use sarcasm a lot?

I can be rather sarcastic.

5. what sports do you play/have you played?

I am not coordinated in the slightest. Though I have been placed in sports during my obligatory mom signed me up to do sport things ages, lol. So I have done soccer, basketball, karate, gymnastics as a toddler, and table tennis. Nothing lasted more than a few weeks due to very vehement disapprovals from me and the fact that my parents can’t agree on anything. 

6. what’s the first thing you notice about other people?

I can usually tell if I’m speaking with another autistic person something about the body language and language choices I guess. But other than that I think it just depends on what kind of interaction I’m having with a person that determines what I pay attention to. 

7. scary movies or happy endings?

I don’t really watch movies but it really depends on my mood as to what kind I want to watch because I like scary movies and happy movies though I am more partial to scary movies. Not a fan of jump scares though, just no unless I really know what’s coming. 

8. any special talents?

Not particularly. 

9. where were you born?

Santa Clara, California.

10. what are your hobbies?

I feel that since this is a sims blog that should be obvious as one of my hobbies lol. I also enjoy cooking and baking. I recently got a pasta maker so I am a happy clam. I’ve also gotten into embroidery, cross-stitching and making little dolls from random unpartnered socks in my house. So socks beware I guess.

11. do you have any pets?

No but I am looking to get one ideally soon, just submitted the adoption application for kittens so here’s hoping I get approved. I love animals but am very allergic to doggos, I will still pet them even if my skin breaks out in hives.

12. how tall are you?

5′1″, I am definitely the shortest adult in my family that’s still alive, my grandpa’s mom was apparently 4′11″. My height isn’t that short until I’m next to my some of my younger cousins, who are now  6′4 and 6′8. I’m still savoring the fleeting joy of being taller than my baby sister who is still pretty young, she’s almost certainly going to be taller than me too but until then! 

13. fave subject in school?

I really liked Chemistry and English. I enjoy reading though I haven’t done as much of it lately. Chemistry is fun I even have my AS in it though I don’t really see myself following a career in that. 

14. dream job?

I love working with kids and my dream job would probably be to open my own daycare for little ones which is why I have changed my major to early childhood education. That said burnout from college is real so I’m okay with going slower and steady. 

15. eye colour?

Brown

I don’t really know who to tag so I’ll leave this open for who ever wants to answer these questions! 

[thetaekookcloset]

Since it’s been a hot topic again, I just want to share my two cents about the Atomix dinner and JK’s response to Hobi on Instagram, if that’s okay!

I know people fight tooth and nail to deny that it was just JK and Tae, but the idea that it was just the two of them is not ridiculously farfetched as some claim it to be. They definitely could have eaten dinner twice in the same day,(one of the arguments I’ve seen is that BTS had already gone to dinner as a group), especially knowing how late they stay up and how much they love to eat. I don’t necessarily believe that they booked it a month in advance, because ya know, the boys have enough money to persuade a restaurant owner to open up for a private dinner. I’m not fully convinced either way.

In regards to JK’s response to Hobi’s comment(since I’ve seen jkks insinuate that JK mentioning JM in his comment is somehow an insult to Tae, especially if it was supposed to be a private dinner). I’ve finally completed watching Memories 2021, and his response actually makes a lot of sense. JM made a mistake during his portion of the speech they gave that day and said “I’m sorry” and the members spent a lot of time teasing him throughout the day. You know how relentless they are with their inside jokes and teasing(ie, them constantly teasing Tae about messing up his ending ment on that one show, or them still doing JM’s dance move in Save Me, etc) It was a running joke that day and in fact, it was even their ending ment for the BB/video segment. So it seems like an easy time reference for JK to mention without outright saying “we went this day”.

Sorry I’m getting to this kind of late, anon, I’ve had a lot to do this weekend!

I know the “anniversary” of this “date night” has gotten people talking about this again, which is pretty interesting to me, that people are so worked up over it.

My personal opinion is similar to yours (and thank you for sharing, by the way!).  Obviously we can’t know for sure until and unless we get an actual confirmation one way or the other, but I think it’s likely that this was a Taekook-specific thing.  I’d say I’m at maybe 60-40, it was Taekook only.  There’s still a good chance it was the whole group, but it seems slightly more likely to me that it was just Taekook, because I feel like there’s a little more evidence (though a lot of it is circumstantial and subject to interpretation) to suggest that.

The reasons to think it was probably a group dinner seem to be that presumably there was a group dinner that day (and I’m not saying that this isn’t true, but I also don’t know where that information came from?), and that it would make sense for the group to all be together, as well as the caption on the IG post from the owner of the restaurant that said, if I’m remembering right, “BTS in the house.”

The only one of those that’s any kind of actual evidence in the strictest form of the word is the last one, and people can and do refer to BTS the group even when the whole group wasn’t actually involved, so that doesn’t necessarily have to mean that the whole group was there.

The evidence to suggest that it was just Taekook is that in the same post from the owner, they tagged “taekook” specifically, the only photos shared were the two of TK that Jungkook shared himself, we didn’t see or hear anything about the dinner from HYBE, and we haven’t seen or heard anything about it from any of the other members.

The fact that Hobi asked when the photo was taken (from what I understand and what I remember) suggests that he knows where it was taken, and the fact that Jungkook answered with the day rather than the time (in other words, he said that it happened on a specific day that Hobi would recognize, rather than saying like, “after dinner,” or something like that) suggests that Hobi wasn’t at that restaurant with them on that day.

For all of those reasons, with what we currently know about it, it seems a little more likely that it was just Taekook there for dinner, whether that would mean that there was no group dinner, or they went to the restaurant alone after their official schedules were completed for the day.

I don’t know where the idea that they might have booked the place months in advance comes from.  From what I understand, this took place on a day when the restaurant would normally have been closed.  That would mean it would have been plenty easy for a representative to reach out to the owner and ask for special permission to have a private dinner there.

Honestly though I don’t know why people are so desperate to insist that this couldn’t possibly have been a dinner between Taekook alone.  The photos do look pretty boyfriend-y, but it’s not like people don’t go out to eat with their friends, right?  Though I suppose it’s hard to claim two people are “distant and awkward” if they’re peeing right next to each other (which seems to have happened whether they were eating alone or not).

[freakylilnutjob]

share 10 different favorite characters from ten different pieces of media in no particular order, then tag 10 people 🎥🎬📺

I was tagged by @simplyjustsimping, thank you!!

Charlie Spring - Heartstopper

Charlie Kelmeckis - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Fezco - Euphoria

Jamie Fraser - Outlander

Penelope Garcia - Criminal Minds

Dean Winchester - Supernatural

Elijah Mikaelson - The Originals

Nick Miller - New Girl

Sam Gardner - Atypical

Franky Doyle - Wentworth

I tag @skyisverybored @asxitxis @orientedsadaroace @charliespringsleftconverse @annissina @darcy-olssons @newtness532 @nelliereadsstuff @nicknelsonmyson @idealism-sits-in-prison if y’all want to do it!

[0nlythrowharrybeaux]

Part 2 of this request...

THIS IS A FLUFF BOMB! And it's PART 2 to this angsty requested one. I also drew some inspo and prompt #6 from @reveriehs's prompt list:)

WC: 4.5k

Tag list: @anotherdudetteinthisworld @behindmygreyeyes @mettlefacedoom @yana4life @matildasatellite @calssunflower

Harry had slept maybe a total of an hour worrying his ass off about Y/N. She hadn’t been answering his calls or texts all night. It was around 6:30 when he decided to try her sister, they had always been close, and he was also close enough with her. He waited patiently until he heard her pick up.

“What Harry.” She sounded irritated at the sound of his voice.

“I just wanted to know if you’ve heard from your sister.” He mumbled tiredly.

“She’s on her way home, she caught a redeye.” She disclosed and Harry felt relieved upon hearing that.

“OK. Got worried since she wasn’t answering me.” He said and she hummed, “Do you think you can ask her to call me when she lands? Please?”

“No, Harry. She just needs some space right now. She’s really hurt and overwhelmed and you didn’t stick up for her.”

“It wasn’t like that-”

“It was. I saw it with my own eyes. There’s a video circulating everywhere, H.” She explained and Harry sighed, “You literally just stood there.” She pointed out.

“Fuck…” He sighed as his eyes welled up.

“And somehow you’re still the hero in the fans’ opinions…H, she’s completely worn down and I think you need to wait until she’s ready to talk to you.” Y/N’s sister advised.

“She broke up with me though, who knows when that’ll be.”

“Yeah, anyone in their right mind would after something like that! Look, I’ll tell her you called to check in but just focus on your tour and whatever else for now, OK?” He sniffled.

“Yeah. Thanks for taking my call.”

“Of course, H. Take care, be safe, OK?”

“Thanks, bye.” He mumbled in defeat and hung up. He hoped this would have helped him feel better, that wasn’t the case at all.

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

When Y/N hadn’t shown up to breakfast the next morning it wasn’t strange for Sarah, she knew after their last chat that she was having a hard time. Maybe she needed more rest, but as the day went on she hadn’t even seen her around the hotel and Harry was very, very quiet all of a sudden. So Sarah did what she did best, reached out. After a few rings Y/N picked up her call.

“Hello?”

“Hey! The other girls and I are gonna go have some girl time before we head over to the venue. Since it’s the same venue we don’t have to be there early to soundcheck.” She shared and she heard a sigh.

“Oh God, Harry didn’t tell you guys?” She asked tiredly.

“Ummm… no? Tell us what?”

“I went back home after the last show.” She explained.

“Oh my god, really?”

“Yeah, some of the fans waiting outside of the hotel started throwing food at me and then someone threw a full on blended Frappuccino at me! It’s all over the fucking internet, it’s so embarrassing.” She got that awful pain in her chest and drop of her stomach just at the memory.

“What in the-?!” She stopped, censoring herself from using foul language, “What did Harry say?”

“Absolutely nothing! Nothing at all, I was so angry I…” she trailed off, “I broke up with him.” She said and Sarah gasped.

“Like out of rage or?”

“Yes, but… I’ve been thinking about it for a while now if I’m being honest. He’s just become so cold and hollow and I feel like I just bother him. The media and the mean fans just add another layer of pressure to it and I do love him, but I don’t think he loves me anymore.” She explained, “Or he doesn’t act like it. At least not anymore.” She mumbled sadly.

“I’m sorry.” Sarah responded softly.

“It’s alright, it’s life you know?”

“Yeah, but the fact that he didn’t even say anything or try to defend you… something is definitely up, that’s not like him at all.” Sarah deduced.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Would you still give him a chance?”

“I don’t know, Sarah. I want to, trust me I do! But I don’t see how anything’s gonna change… I don’t deserve this again. I have been with people who’ve mistreated and ripped my self-esteem to shreds and who haven’t reassured me…he knows that. He knows how deep those wounds run and he didn’t do anything to protect me. I mean, a person can only handle so much!” She vented, “He would always tell me to ignore it or to not get on social media or that it was just a thing that I needed to get used to. I mean, he’s had years of media training and practice to just ignore it and even still it impacts him at times! I don’t have any of that and I don’t want to not use social media and sacrifice my likes of it because some people don’t know how to behave! Even when I’m private! They comment things on my friends’ pages and posts and ughhh, it’s disgusting!” She ranted.

“I agree with you on that. I’m sorry, Y/N. Is it OK, if I talk to Harry about this? He should at least apologize.”

“You can, but don’t feel like you need to. It should come from him without persuasion, you know?”

“Ughh, you’re right. But I will give him a talking to at least, how ridiculous.” Y/N giggled despite her eyes welling up.

“Thank you, Sarah.”

“Of course. Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t. I hope the rest of the tour goes well.”

“Thanks. I’ll check in later, OK?”

“Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate it.” 

***********

“You can’t just ignore me, you know?” Harry huffed to Sarah who was quite taken with her son crawling around in her and Mitch’s dressing room without a single reaction to his words. He’d been attempting to get her attention for the past 10 minutes to no avail. Harry heard Mitch sniggering over the sound of him shaking up the baby bottle they were about to feed their son. “Did I do something?” He asked her.

“I think this is more about what you failed to do, bud.” Mitch gave him a hint and Harry’s brows creased.

“I didn’t forget anyone’s birthday…did I forget to introduce you?” He asked Sarah who finally acknowledged him with a blank and dull glare, “I did, didn’t I?” She rolled her eyes and he groaned, starting to get impatient, “Are you good to perform tonight though?” He asked her and when she didn’t respond he looked to Mitch again.

“She’ll be up there.” He assured his young friend and Harry shook his head.

“Can’t I get some reassurance from you on this?” He said to her and she looked up at him and finally spoke.

“If you can’t give it, you won’t get it.” She stated flatly and then it seemed Harry realized why she was upset.

“For fu-” she glared at him, “Fun. I was going to say fun’s sake, you know, censorship.” He said to her and then Mitch, “You can’t be angry at me for something I didn’t even do to you.” He said and she groaned.

“You’re an idiot and you majorly screwed up, H! I love you like a baby brother, but that means that I get to hold you accountable when you do stupid stuff.”

“I think getting dumped was enough of a wake up call. I get it, I should’ve done more and now it’s too late! She won’t even answer my texts!”

“Serves you right!” Mitch threw in as he walked over to the baby and picking him up, Harry frowned.

“I don’t think this is the best topic of discussion before a show…”

“You’re right, so sorry to bruise your ego before a show.” Sarah said a little too casually, “Maybe I should’ve just thrown a blended drink at your head instead, would be a lot less demoralizing.” She retorted before standing up and rushing out of the room and Mitch sniggered again with his son in his lap eating calmly. Harry let out a deep breath before shaking his head.

“I’d follow her if I were you. Don’t think she’s done.”

“Jesus…” he groaned before standing up and hurrying out. He found Sarah with Pauli and Elin, “Can I chat with you a minute?” Sarah nodded and started walking down the corridor of the backstage area, “Believe me, I want to fix it. I don’t know how.”

“How about acknowledging what happened and defending the person you claim to love.”

“I do love her.” He snapped in irritation.

“Hasn’t seemed that way in a while, H. Not to us and especially not to her.” Sarah said, “What’s going on? Hmmm?”

“I just…got all in my head about it. I got scared and I just…shut down sometimes. I don’t mean to be a dick or dismissive, but maybe if she saw how awful it got she would know that she deserved better, you know?” He said sadly, the insecurity he had always had never seemed to wane and she felt so sorry for him.

“Well, I hate to say this to you, but from what she told me that’s where her mind is going, H. And you know what she’s been through before and what she’s struggled with; you built her up so high only to let her down in the worst way. In that way that has always been a soft spot for her and she’s really hurting right now.”

“I can imagine… I want to fix it, but her sister said she needs space. To just give her time to figure out whether she would like to keep trying with me or just…” he trailed off sadly, “to decide, basically.” He swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he explained and Sarah nodded.

“Maybe when we get that break before we head to America you should stop by to see her. Give her a warning, a chance to think about it, yeah?”

“OK.” He said and she offered a small smile to him.

“I love you, H. We all do. I get that sometimes it’s hard with everyone outside of us trying to pry their way in, but there are some things that should be allowed to shine through. Like you being happy with your girlfriend.”

“I know…it’s just hard to know how much is too much sometimes, you know?” She nodded in understanding. He vented a little bit more about what he was feeling and then it was time to get ready for the show.

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

The crowd was very energetic tonight and the show was going swimmingly, but Harry still felt a little hollow inside. He was doing a little talking bit in between the songs when one particular sign caught his eye: ❤️ TREAT Y/N WITH KINDNESS ❤️

“Hello, camera operator 1, his name’s Johans, by the way, everyone say hello to Johans!” Harry announced happily, pointing to the cameraman on stage and everyone shouted a cheery and unanimous, “Hi Johans!” To which Harry chuckled happily as Johans waved as another camera pointed at him projected the man up on the big screen, “Thank you!” Harry said and walked over to Johans, “Right Johans, over on our left hand side, maybe row four or five? I see a young lady holding a sign-” Harry said as he directed Johans. Tons of people had signs near the front, “Yellow poster board.” He said pointing until Johans was pointing at the correct sign, “Yes, that’s the one! Thank you, Johans.” Harry smiled. The message was projected over the big screen and the entire stadium cheered loudly and the girl holding the sign was really excited over the fact that Harry had seen her sign, “What’s your name?”

“Liz!” She shouted and with the help of other fans around her the message was relayed to Harry.

“Well Liz, I’ve got to say out of all of the signs I’ve ever seen in all my tours and all my shows yours has got to by my favorite one.” He smiled at her and she laughed nervously, “Are you here with friends?” She nodded and the two others with her identified themselves beside her, “Well Liz, this is a one night only special that I’m about to offer you. Are you and your friends able to stay a bit after the show? I’d like to do something special for you because of your kindness.” He stated happily and the girl and her friends nodded excitedly, “Perfect! If security can find Liz and friends before the show ends that’d be great and we can get her surprise underway!” He said and the fan and her friends were freaking out as everyone cheered.

“I’d say little acts of kindness always go a long way.” He said to everyone, “Even just that sign, took my day from good to great! And in a world with so much hate and conflict and hurt I think it’s important to do our part in making it just a little bit better.” He said and everyone cheered, “Tonight, there is something that I wanted to acknowledge. My girl-” he paused, “Y/N, is not at the show tonight. She actually hasn’t been to several shows during the tour.” He explained, “She doesn’t feel like this is a safe space for her unfortunately and yesterday, I’m sure many of you have seen how she was…assaulted last night after the show. It was so disappointing and sad to see something like that happen to someone I love.” He shared with the crowed, “More so when it’s from people I also care about.” He explained and the crowd had fallen completely silent, “I want to make this a safe space for everyone. I want anyone to feel at home and free to be who they want to be for the time we have together if they don’t have that opportunity outside of these shows. I feel disappointed in myself that I have failed to do that, even if it’s just for one person. I want to try harder and I should’ve done more.” He said looking out into the crowd as he exhaled.

“Furthermore, I would hope that each of you here tonight chooses kindness. I hope that each of you chooses love. And I hope that each of remembers that it’s all of our responsibilities to make each other feel safe and like we belong. We’re all responsible for making the world a better, much kinder place. So, turn to the person on your right! Tell ‘em you love them and you’re happy they’re here tonight!” He gave a few seconds for that, “Now turn to the person on your left and give ‘em a big hug! Beautiful, now this next one’s all about kindness…” he grinned.

After the show Liz and her friends’ big surprise was that they got to go backstage and meet the band. Harry chatted with them for a while and got them some of the staff wear that was left over. He learned that they had been there last night at the hotel and seen what happened first hand, how they had tried to stop other supposed fans from heckling Y/N. Harry thanked them for their kindness and support. They seemed worried that Y/N wasn’t at the shows and they shared a lot of the things that they had seen online about her. Harry never preoccupied himself too much with looking these things up and when he heard what exactly people were saying to her and the frequency of it he felt awful and completely sick. He wished he would’ve known. If he had known how bad it was he wouldn’t have waited until something like this happened to address it. He needed to make this right.

***** ONE MONTH LATER *****

Harry was finally on break and he had asked to see Y/N. He had given her space, her sister told her that she had told him that it would be wise to let her have some time. So it was about two weeks after the incident when he first reached out to properly speak and apologize for being a bystander to the bullying she was enduring and she did respond to that outreach effort and assured him that she was also working on somethings to help her own insecurities. Her therapist had been seeing a lot of her over the last month.

She had also seen a video, well many videos actually, about what he had said at the show the night after she left. It was sweet, what he had done. And then when he sang Boyfriends he talked about how he hadn’t been such a great boyfriend recently. She didn’t need grand gestures like that to feel validated or important to him, but even just the reassurance that he had her back would’ve been enough at the time. Either way, the gesture was sweet and the more time she had to think the more she concluded that she didn’t want to go down without a fight. So when he asked, she agreed to meet with him when he flew back home for his break. 

That day was today. He was coming over for a brunch type of thing. She had gone out of her way to get the coffee that he liked and even travelled with. She was starting on his favorite breakfast all while double checking her appearance. She wasn’t sure why she was this nervous, it was as if she was the one who would be pleading for another chance. Maybe she just wanted him to know that she was still putting in effort for him. For them. When there were some knocks on the door she breathed in deeply and exhaled as she took her steps towards her front door. Y/N rolled her shoulders back and cracked out the little tensions in her neck before opening it up to reveal Harry, who was looking tired and a bit peaky.

“Hey.” She said softly with a smile working its way onto her lips. Just seeing him before her warmed her hear tremendously.

“Hey.” He responded just as quietly and she hurried out of the doorway to let him in.

“I made breakfast and coffee.” She said to him and he smiled as he bent down to remove his shoes.

“Yeah, smells amazing.” He said as he was back to his normal height and she guided him over to the kitchen.

“Thanks. Everything’s about ready f’you wanna grab a seat.” She indicated to the little breakfast nook at the other end of the kitchen.

“Thanks.” He said and went on over where she brought him a plate and then set down a coffee mug for him and soon she was sliding in across from him and they started to eat. 

The atmosphere was tense and a bit awkward as they made some small talk. Quite frankly, Harry just wanted to jump in and get on with his groveling. He hated how fragile everything felt right now, he felt that if he just dug his fork in wrong and made it scrape against the plate mistakenly that would be it and they would be done. He was insecure too. They did make some small talk about tour and her job and how they were doing, but as the finished up their food the mood started growing a lot heavier. It was time to get down to business and he cleared his throat for a moment before he glanced up at her. 

“Ummm,” he started nervously, a half chuckle leaving his mouth, “Obviously I want to talk about what happened. About us.” He said and she nodded, resting her chin on her palm, indicating to him that he could start off. “Again, I’m so sorry about what I did. Or didn’t do, better said.” He started out, “Honestly, I had no idea how bad things had gotten for you. You know that I don’t pay any mind to those things and just stay away from it as much as possible so I hadn’t…I don’t know, I just didn’t bother to check how things were going on that end of things. I’m sorry for feeding into the delusion people were under, unknowingly, but I was also fighting some stuff internally and it just happened to look like it aligned with what people were saying about you and about us.” He said and she nodded, “I do love you, though. If anything was reinforced during this time it’s that. You are so special to me and I would hate to lose you because of my own insecurities or because meddlesome gossipmongers have some weird vendetta towards you.” He said and she chuckled, “I hope you can forgive me for not being there for you how you needed it. For not checking in with you.. for letting you down. I can’t stop thinking about what you said. That you hated how it felt to be with me.” He felt a lump forming in his throat at the memory of it and he frowned, “I hate that I led you to feel that way. That I let you down like that, baby.” He said reaching out for her hand and she took it immediately. The relief he felt surge through his body was unreal as she touched him.

“I’m sorry too. I feel like I overreacted…” she breathed out and he shook his head.

“You didn’t.. specially when I then go and accuse you of cheating on me…” he huffed out with a shake of his head.

“Yeah, what was that about?” She asked and he shrugged.

“I just still feel like maybe I don’t deserve you. Specially when things like this happen, it just makes me feel like you deserve more. That you deserve better.” He said and she sighed.

“I’m sorry for saying that to you, H. I shouldn’t have gone there, I was just so angry with you in that moment and I just spoke without thinking.” She whispered as a few tears streaked down her face s her grip on his hand tightened, “I think in that moment it was true, what I felt. But I don’t hate how I feel when I’m with you, I promise.” She reassured, “I love how I feel with you. You make me feel happy.  You make me feel brave. And safe, and loved, and strong, and confident, and beautiful. You make me feel like the person I’ve always wanted to be.” She said and he smiled, “But I don’t want to just feel that way because of you, you know?” She said and he nodded in understanding, “I want to feel that way because it’s coming from inside of me. Because I believe it, you know?” She explained.

“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.” He reassured her and she smiled at him.

“I started going to therapy again, for that. Self-worth is hard to rebuild.” She huffed and he nodded in understanding once again, “I want to keep working on me because I deserve better and because you deserve better. I don’t want to be so insecure and fragile anymore, it’s so exhausting.” She said and he chuckled.

“Yeah, I know, baby.” He hummed in agreement.

“I’ve come to understand that I need to get past this hurdle if-if I want to have a future with you.” She said, “That’s why I don’t think it’s a good idea that I rejoin the tour.” She said and he nodded.

“Yeah, I agree.” He said and she smiled at his understanding.

“I mean, I’ll definitely come see you later down the line, but just being there every day and not doing anything busy just gets me in this weird space and well, you know that I like being on instagram and twitter…” she said and he chuckled and nodded. 

“But I mean, if things are getting bad like that you can talk to me about it, you know?” He said and she bit her lip.

“Yeah…I just know we’ve talked about that before, like when we first started dating and I don’t know, I just felt like you would be dismissive about it or just tell me that I shouldn’t be snooping around those things in the first place. Or that maybe I just shouldn’t use social media anymore.” She disclosed to him and he frowned.

“God, no!” He mumbled, “I’d never do that, baby.” He sighed, “I mean, of course, we proceed with caution when we use those platforms, but I’d never make you feel bad for wanting to be active and use them consistently. I know it’s hard not to look at those things, especially when you see one thing. Even if it’s a good thing! You just kind of go down a rabbit hole and you start to see bad things mixed in and then you just start looking for all the bad things and it’s awful…” he said and she nodded, “But it happens to all of us and I want you to know if that ever happens again that I’ll be here for you to help you come back from it. I always will be.” He assured her and she smiled.

“Thank you. I love you so, so much.” She sniffled and he smiled.

“I love you too. Now, come here.” He said letting go of her hand and she slid out of her seat and hurried over into his lap where he just hugged her tight and did the same.

“I missed you so much, baby. M’sorry I dumped you.” She sighed and they chuckled into their embrace, “I wasn’t thinking.”

“No, I think you were totally in the right. I needed a reality check.” He said and she sighed, “But I definitely think we should talk more when we’re feeling not ourselves.”

“Yeah.” She agreed pulling back to look into his eyes, “I want this to work.”

“I do too, baby.” He reassured her, “Since you’re the one who dumped me you have to ask me now.” He said with a grin.

“To be my boyfriend?” She questioned incredulously and he nodded.

“Them’s the rules, baby.” He said with a mischievous smirk.

“Fine.” She mumbled, “Will you allow me to extend to you my acceptance of giving you the privilege of being my boyfriend again?” She asked and he chuckled.

“What?!” He laughed boisterously at her confusing phrasing and she giggled.

“You know what I meant…” she rolled her eyes and he grinned.

“Such a stubborn little thing. We’re working on breaking down that ego next.” He said and she giggled, “But of course, I’ll give you the privilege of being your boyfriend again.” He said smugly and she laughed softly as she grabbed his face gently.

“I’m going to kiss you now, OK?”

“I don’t believe I extended that privilege to you.” He teased.

“Oh, shut up.” She huffed before melting her lips against his tenderly. He smiled into their kiss and tightened his hold around her waist and as they parted to catch a breath he hummed into the little space between them.

“I love you, baby.”

“I love you too.” She whispered with a smile.