#If someone saw me chewing on my necklace

[zelda7999]

Accidentally Undercover Blorbo Thoughts(tm)

By the time you’re reading this, I am asleep.  THIS IS A SCHEDULED POST SO I CAN SHARE THOUGHTS RN WHILE HAVING IT POST LATER

Having Accidentally Undercover Eclipse blorbo thoughts, y’know how as his own lil flirt he shares fidgets/gets people their own fidgets as gifts?

Instantly that made me think; if gifts are part of his love language, then he 100% would notice specific things Y/N would do that a fidget would benefit them with. Like if they pick at their nails while doing paperwork, give them something to do with their hands! Fidget pen! 

Or maybe they’re reading a report and while doing so, they’re mindlessly chewing on their necklace (it’s metal, Y/N that’s not edible!) so Eclipse just casually gets them some Chewlery (hehe it’d be celestial themed) 

What would make it all better is that thanks to his lil personal study of them, all the fidgets given would be used 100% of the time. Hands getting restless? Eclipse already gave you a dough ball! Squish it while thinking of him  Needing to stim with something in your mouth? Chewlery!! Nom nom! Now instead of chewing on a pen and drawing you can chew on a lil Eclipse charm hehehehe

all of this sparks joy

[rafesslxt]

slytherin boy‘s | how they get turned on

headcanon - this is my opinion, you do not have to agree with what i write

contains: mattheo riddle, theodore nott, draco malfoy, enzo bershire

— Mattheo Riddle —

everywhere and any time!! The list is long!

when you two are in class and you start concentrating so you slightly chew on the end of your pencil

when you smile and laugh - he would be so happy when you are carefree

when you wear his favorite color. Underwear or normal clothes, it doesnt matter. It makes you look so good in his eyes that he just wants to rip them off

when you get mad - damn, espacially when you talk in your native language

when you wouldn‘t talk to him so he would try and apologize while slowly kissing up and down your neck and shoulders

when you sat on his lap when no seats would be available. You all sat down in the train to hogwarts and as your friends saw that there was no space for you they started to scoop togethet but you would just let your ass fall down on mattheo‘s lap, smiling innocently at him

when you got turned on somehow while the two of you would stand seperated at a party, talking to your friends and he could see your desperate gaze at him

when you got drunk – he would never do anything with you under the influence but still he would get turned on on your loose tounge and words plus your touchy hands

when you do something sexy but smile innocently. Like you would bend over in class when he sat behind you, picking something up and then look over your shoulder back to him, smiling. Or you would make a ponytail, taking your time with it and again – smiling at him innocently, reminding him of how you got ready before –

when you got jealous. It wasn‘t just the fact that you got mad and that alone already turned him on, but he felt how much he meant to you and that he‘s important to you making him go even more ferral

when you took control – he was alway used to do things on his own, being tense all the time so when you did he felt so under your control it turned him on – especially in the bedroom

when you got into a fight with someone talking shit about him being the son of voldemort so you would come back with a bloody nose knocking on his door – just the tought of you hitting someone for him

— Theodore Nott —

when you talked to him a lot or read to him so he could stare at your soft plump lips moving

when you‘d come back from some sort of training, all sort of sweaty, out of breath and red face - got him going crazy

when you corrected him. The two of you would study together and after already staring at your lips he would raise his eyebrows at you correcting him. "oh so you‘re all smart and all shit now yeah? Let‘s see what you can use your smart mouth else for."

you touching him softly so he would get goosebumps all over his body

when you wear his clothes – especially after waking up and you just wearing his way too big shirts with only underwear under it but also when you would wear his hoodies on the weekends so everyone could see you‘re his

— Draco Malfoy —

when you wear his initials on a necklace he bought you or on your ring so everyone could see you belong to him

when you are confident in your own skin, chin always up. Showing everyone not to mess with you – he would be so proud too

when you would whisper gossip in his ear but not because of the gossip but because of the whispering and your hot breath on his ear

he always felt touch starved even If he‘s not so any kind of touching him would turn him on. Even something like you two laughing and joking and you touching his arm

— Enzo Berkshire —

to me he is the most shy of the group I‘m sorry ya‘ll i know there is a lot discussion about it

when he hears you ask him If you can be on top, riding him. His breathing would get heavier at the tought

generally when you are more dom and he‘s more sub – it would turn him on so much seeing you in control of hin

when you get touchy in front of his friends on a night out, party or just a little gathering – his cheeks would flame up so badly but at the same time it feels like a forbidden fruit to him in front of people

when you massage his scalp – he would get goosebumps all over his body and bite his lip while trying to control himself – failing of course

when you come back from some kind of training too like Theodore but also If he watches you and hears you groan in frustration – voice kink

when you kiss him – yes, so that‘s often. And no matter where you two are also.. in class, with his friends, his or your family

when you do things like grabbing his shirt to pull him in to kiss him, whispering and nibbling his ear, getting him flustered on porpuse with saying dirty things in his ear while friends are around

but also If you let him take completly control of you all tied up giving you to him

thanks for reading 🫶🏻

xoxo sarah <3

[rhodesrider]

Forgotten

SFW 18+ Minors DNI!

CG!Roman R. x Little! Fem! Reader

Warnings: Affirmation names, slight triggers into head space, crying and Uncle Paul H. (Not a lot of people like him I know I don’t but he’s a ok dude lol), age regression

~

Y/N really tries her hardest not to go into her little space during a show. But tonight was a very rough night for her. Roman was so busy that he forgot her plush and her chewing necklace. She’s been biting her nails watching the show from the TV in the back as she watched the other wrestlers. Roman got back in the lounge room looking at Y/N and sighing feeling like she’s gonna slip soon.

“Babygirl, you ok?” She was deep into the tv hugging a pillow and watching the match of Seth and Austin. “Get him uncle…” she muttered as she was referring to Seth, continuing to eat at her fingers. “Princess stop that before I get gloves out.” Roman warned squatting down and removing her hand from her mouth. She soon blinked and snatched it away. “Could you not talk to me like that Ro? Thanks.” Roman was taken back a bit, she’s fighting her slip but she’s getting irritated which will lead to a very unhappy Y/N. “Baby your slipping-“ “I’m not.” She spoke back and continued to watch TV. “Then you don’t mind if I take this-“ he snatched the pillow away and soon Y/N whimpered grabbing for it back. “Oh what’s wrong baby?” He smirked a bit as he saw her face turn red, she soon turned back around ignoring him. “Baby I know you try your best not to slip around my work place but I’m telling you now it’s ok-“ “It’s not ok, your busy and you’ll forget about me…” she said low as she got the pillow back and held it. It soon popped into Romans head.

Her plushie.

“Awww munchkin. Daddy’s super sorry…” Roman sighed and sat by her seeing tears fall. “You told me to get in the car, and that you would grab him before we left…” Her plush, a soft purple teddy bear, was still in the hotel room. And her chewing necklace, the replica of a Oreo cookie was around his neck. “I know I did baby and Daddy got distracted…” Roman recalled that he had a phone call from Jey and he walked right back out. “Why didn’t you say anything babygirl?” Roman asked. “Because I didn’t wanna bother you, you were still on the phone…I tried to forget too but I needs him…” she whimpered and more tears fell on the pillow and her shirt. That was her anxiety buddy, and she always had him. Roman moved her to between his legs on the floor of the lounge room and held her close as she sniffled and wiped her face with her hands. “Daddy’s been so busy, I haven’t been a good Bub haven’t I?” He asked kissing her forehead rubbing tears away. She didn’t say anything at first knowing it’s his job, but soon she shook her head no. Roman has always taught her to be honest and try not to sugarcoat with him. Little space or not. “I’m so sorry munchkin.” He hugged her closer and soon she started to calm down from the crying. “Bub I sorry…you are a great daddy..” she mumbled low but he could still hear. “You shouldn’t be sorry princess. But next time talk to me. I don’t want you upset with daddy ok? It hurts daddy. Work or not you tell Bub when he’s being a stupid head.” She blinked and covered his mouth. “Daddy that’s bad.” He smiled in her hands and nodded. “I’ll be sure to put money in the jar.” They shared a laugh and soon heard the door. Roman said to enter picking up Y/N and sitting her in his lap in a chair. It was Paul. “My chief I come to you with a small gift for starlight.” Y/N blinked and looked at Roman. “Continue?” He said. Paul had something behind his hand and Y/N tried to look but he hid it well. “Well I found someone lost. It seems that these belong to you starlight?”

He smiled and pulled out of a bag her plush and her necklace. Her eyes lit up and she took them from him crying. “I headed back to the hotel because I forgot a briefcase and I saw the poor guy alone on the bed.” Paul said. “Thank you Mister Haymen..” She smiled and got down hugging Paul so grateful. Roman mouthed “Thank you so much!” And Paul smiled nodding to him glad to help. “Now there’s some snacks outside starlight you want me to get you some?” She nodded and Paul smiled getting her order in and asking Roman the same. He left out and Roman sighed happy that was over. “That was so nice of Mister Haymen wasn’t it?” Roman asked as she went chewing on the teething necklace watching tv nodding from the question she heard. “Imma do better. Ok munchkin?” She kissed his cheek. “Bub doing the best he can.” Roman smiled as they continued to watch the show in the back.

“I’m really lucky to have you babygirl.”

[lilith-little-world]

The Oracle|| Concept Oneshot 3|| Valentine Special

I know this is somewhat late, but I really wanted to do something sweet that doesn't reveal too much of the plot. Which took me the whole day to come up. Also I may have forgotten that it was Valentine's day and slept for nearly the whole day. Whoops... my bad. This is in 1st person and whatever style you guys like, I will have majority of the story in. (Since I like mixing perspectives once in a while.)

I fiddle with a small black box. My mind raced on how I should give this to him. It was a simple gift, so why was I so worried? Glancing at the window, the sunlight shines strongly through the curtains.

‘He should be coming here soon.’

I was sitting on my bed staring at the box that holds a necklace. It was supposed to be a thank-you gift, nothing too special. Hell, it wasn't much of a big deal at first. However, a comment from the vendor changed everything.

“Hope your significant other enjoys the gift!”

A comment that had been stuck in my mind all morning.

“Ahh, this is driving me crazy!” I sigh and give my loveable pet a tired look. She was laying across from me, exhausted from walking all morning at the market.

“I mean, we’re friends! So he wouldn't think anything weird if I got him a gift. Anyways, red has a lot of meanings over here! It could mean protection or good luck!”

The small dog huffs.

“Don't give me that, Almond! I would like it if you at least try to sympathize.”

Almond lifts her head and looks at me.

“Maybe I'm overthinking things, but can you blame me? I don't think he feels the same way about me… I don't want to make a big fool of myself.”

Almonds slowly get up and walk towards me. Her tail wags as she sits on my lap. A small smile finally made its way onto my face.

“Alright, I get it, I'm calm now,” I said, scratching behind her ears.

A loud knock breaks the happy moment. Before the front door opens, revealing Wukong. He had a relaxed expression on his face as he waltzed right into my room.

“I brought lunch!” He said, bringing the plastic bag up to show off before heading to the “kitchen”. Which were just a mini fridge, microwave, and table with three chairs.

He places the bag down and sets up the table. I took this as my chance to hide the box in my jacket’s pocket.

“You don't have to do this every day.” I took a chair right across from him. Grabbing the plastic plate covered by foil.

“Is it a crime of wanting to help?” He quickly jabs. Finally sitting and getting a plate.

I stay silent, as I take off the foil. It was steamed pork buns.

“I still don't understand why you would go this far for me. I'm not that important.” I grabbed a bun and took a bite.

“You are to me.”

I cough loudly, nearly spitting out the chewed-up bun. I stare at him with wide eyes. It seems that Wukong didn't realize what escaped from his mouth, because he soon tensed up and darted his eyes away from me.

“You may not see yourself as someone special or important, but I do.”

“Because I'm the fated oracle?” I said questioningly.

“You’re more than that! So what, you got a blessing from Guanyin herself? To me, you're more than that! Y/n, I care about you, because I love you, alright.”

He stayed silent, refusing to look at me. All I could do was sit there stunned.

‘He loves me…’

I took another bite from my bun and stared at the red face monkey. His eyes were shut closed and a scowl quickly took over his face. My hand went into my pocket. Grazing the small box, I contemplate for a second.

‘Well, guess that solves my dilemma from earlier.’

I slid the box across the table. Wukong opens his eyes to glance at it. Hesitantly reaches for the black box.

“When I was at the market, I saw this old lady selling some jewelry. Then this crazy idea came to my head when I saw the necklace. That it would be nice if we both match.” I twiddle with my bracelet nervously.

Wukong takes out the red string necklace with a simple gold peach charm. He finally looks at me and down at my wrist. There was a brief silence before he smiled and put on the necklace. It sits nicely on his collarbone.

“Not bad, peaches. I like it and that idea. However, so that we are clear.”

His tense posture disappears as he leans forward, head resting in his hand. Giving his classic smirk that shows off his fangs.

“Does that mean you feel the same way?”

It was my turn to turn red.

“Stop being so smug about it and yes.”

He chuckles.

“I'm not smug, on the contrary, I'm just really excited!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Hey, Y/n.”

“What?”

“You give out the cutest of reactions.” He smiles at me brightly.

Maybe it won't hurt to make this place my new home.

_______________________________

Alright, the story is nearly all set up. Just need a few more things, like where the hell should I post it since it's going to be really long. Also may open the asks soon, so I can answer your guy's questions. In the meantime, you guys chill and enjoy some one-shots coming your way. Some will be with different characters (cough macaque cough cause I also am planning a story for him as well). Hopefully, things turn out well and you guys stay long enough for these damn stories to come out.

Happy late Valentines!

[countrymusiclover]

16 - You Only Live Once

Part 17

Gemini Runaway

Tag list ask to be added @dragonixfrye @secretdreamlandmentality

Opening my eyes I glanced around seeing that I was in some kind of store with an isle full of bourbon. Walking down the aisle I was confused as to how and what this place I needed up was exactly. I could hear someone chewing where I peaked my head around the corner seeing a guy with black hair and dark eyes. “I can feel you staring at me girl. Why not just show yourself fully.”

“Who the hell are you?” I kept my distance from him but walked out where he could see me all the way. There was something familiar about him I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

He chewed some chips from his bag. “Sorry manners, I’m Kai Parker. Pork Rind, now who exactly are you?”

“You’re Jo’s twin brother?” I blurted out feeling completely nervous around him now more than ever.

He stopped chewing his food, swaying the bag towards me, smirking up at me. “You know Josette, huh. How is she after she helped send me to this prison world. Now can I please know your name?”

“I’m not telling you anything, Kai.” I growled at him.

He quickly got to his feet grabbing my hands where I winced feeling him siphoning my magic with his hands turning red. “I thought we could do this the nice way but I guess not.”

I closed my eyes tightly seeing Esther performing her spell to kill her children until I grabbed her forearms. “Magia tollux de terras!” I declared gasping sharply feeling her energy running through her, but it was a lot more than I was ever used to.

"What the hell. You're a siphon too." Kai gasped before I drew my hands back, throwing him with my magic before everything went black.

Shooting my eyes opened I screamed frantically looking around the room seeing that I was back in one of the rooms of the Mikaelson mansion. Someone vamped in front of me holding my shoulders where I shot my gaze to the person meeting the blue orbs that belonged to Klaus. “Nik….oh my good. Where is he…where’s Kai!”

“Easy Raelyn. Just breathe for me.” He instructed me.

Shaking my head I gripped the bedsheets in my fingers with my chest heaving up and down still utterly terrified. “No, I saw him. Jo’s brother…it was in his prison world somehow. He’s gonna come after me, Nik!”

“Rae, stop for a second. Who the bloody hell is Kai. I don’t know who you are talking about.” He raised his brows at me clearly not following me.

“He’s not here….was I dead. I ….passed out with your blood in my system didn’t I?”

Klaus moved one his hands up wiping away fallen tears hating to see me cry. But it scared the living hell out of him to hear her almost on the edge of dying and not coming back either. “No you didn’t die. I rushed you back here and thankfully I got some blood in you before your heart gave out or you would have been in transition. Can you just take some deep breaths in and out for me. I’d like you to not be blaring your heart in my ear, sweetheart.”

“Uh sure sorry.” I gulped doing what he said slowly taking in some breaths feeling my heart and just chest not being as tight as they once were.

He kisses my forehead pulling my head into his chest where I gripped the dog tag necklace sniffing through some more tears staining part of his gray shirt. “That’s my girl. You’re here with me. There’s no Kai here.”

“Thank you…I knew your mother wanted me dead just like all the other witches. Why did I think that she was going to accept me. The only reason my family does is because if they don’t then they will all die.” I drew my head back yanking my brothers necklace off, tossing it across the room where it hit the wall a little harshly. “That’s all I’m good for now keeping my insane Coven alive…keeping my cousins that I actually like their company alive. I don’t need to bother with magic anymore!”

Klaus snapped his head back at me eyeing the jewelry on the floor of the bedroom. He knew very clearly that the witch in front of him cared for that jewelry more than anything else in the world. It being the only piece of her brother that she had left. “Hey now, Raelyn. What has gotten into you. You aren’t dead or just meant to be tortured by your Coven. Now what is this about if you die then the rest of them do hmm?”

“That’s the reason my uncle forced me into the Merge with my brother. If my uncle dies then everybody in our coven does. He was so paranoid about that so he forced me and Jacob to do the traidion. Which basically now makes me the leader but I haven’t accepted the role yet so if I don’t become the leader before he’s gone…then I’ll die regardless.”

Klaus cradled my face in his hands resting his forehead against mine sucking in a deep breath. “You aren’t dying, Raelyn. You are going to live a long and adventurous life. I will ensure that it happens.”

“You can’t guarantee that, Nik-“

He shook his head giving me a serious look before getting to his feet picking up my necklace vamping behind me on the bed. “I will do whatever I have to so you can have the life you didn’t get to have. As for this necklace I don’t want you to ever take it off again, Rae. It is a part of you as much as Jacob is.” He moved his fingers slowly around my neck, clipping the jewelry back on not dropping his hands until I shifted my weight around seeing that we were so close.

“What do you see in me, Nik. I mean everyone else here besides you, Bex and Caroline see me as the bad guy. I mean I was almost excluded by my entire coven until my uncle became so desperate that he couldn’t wait for his damn children to grow up. So I have to ask, "why choose me?”

He blinked, giving me a weak smile grabbing my hands in his that we’re just laying in my lap. “There’s a light in you that makes me want to be better. That makes me want to be able to offer you the entire world so that you and I could go and do whatever we want. I fancy you, Raelyn Lane. You’re beautiful, intelligent, fierce, with a heart bigger than the sun. You make me consider being human and that has only happened one other time in my immortal life.”

“Wow, I…I don’t know what to say…” I gasped at a loss for words, smiling through some tears at his way with words.

Klaus rose to his feet offering me his hand and I placed my hand in his, letting him tug me up to stand on my feet for the first time. “You don’t have to say anything, Raelyn. What I want to do is let me take you out tonight. There’s some special things I must show you while we don’t have my mother chasing after our lives.”

“Another date. What do you have planned this time?” I asked following him until he opened the closet door, grabbing a duffel bag that had some clothes inside, slinging it over his shoulder.

He smiled, dragging me out of the house where it was almost nightfall again meaning that I had been passed out for a while longer than the last time I passed out from using magic. He vamped us out into the middle of the woods where it was sunset that was breaking through the tree line. He dropped the bag at his feet, removing the dog tag necklace placing it in my palm. “Keep that for me until this is over.”

“Until what is over. What did we come out here for?” I questioned eyeing the bag at my feet watching the hybrid in front of me closely.

Klaus smirked before I watched his bones quickly start breaking. “You wanted to see my wolf form, love….urgh!” He grunted collapsing onto the ground when his legs gave out and his back broke quickly where I shuttered, never seeing something like this.

“Klaus…” I almost used a spell on him, raising my hand to stop him. But his body completely transformed into a wolf before I had any time. Hanging my mouth opened my eyes skimmed over his new form. He had turned into a black fur werewolf that stood in front of me on all fours. “Nik, can you still hear me in there?”

The black wolf walked forward where I bent down my knees reaching forward with my right hand holding my palm out to him. He pressed his wet nose into my hand, nuzzling it gently tilting his head to the side at me like it was confused.

“Dic mihi, hva du vet.” I mumbled placing my hand on his head hoping that the spell would still work on a werewolf mind.

“Yes, I can still hear you.” His thoughts entered my mind, making me smile.

I laughed running my fingers through his fur seeing his long black tail wagging behind him where he laid down and placed his head in my lap. “Awe you are just like a dog, Nik.”

“I’m a hybrid.” He growls into my head.

I corrected myself, still smiling down at him letting my fingers lazily keep running through his soft fur. “Oh my bad. I meant to say, "my wolf.”

Klaus nuzzles his head closer to my chest listening to my calm heartbeat since his senses were even stronger when he was in this form. He was also on guard making sure nothing was coming for them even though he knew the witch could take care of herself. “The nights not over yet, Rae. Watch out for a moment.”

Getting to my feet I stepped away from him watching his werewolf form disappear slowly and Klaus to return to his human form, only naked to my surprise. “Oh geez - uh here.” I tossed him the bag turning almost as red as blood in the face.

“Ah don’t forget, love. I can hear that sweet heartbeat of yours.” He teased me where I peaked quickly seeing that he was shrugging on his jeans reaching down for the shirt.

Running my fingers through my hair I couldn’t help it when he does that. I already imagined kissing him too much then I should. “Can you not do that please. I already told you that you drive me crazy enough without thinking about you shirtless and everything.”

“Yes I’m aware. But I do enjoy seeing you blush on occasion.” He responded into my ear making me suck in a breath biting my lip when he intertwined our hands together turning me around to face him.

Loosening the grip on the necklace in my hand, opening my palm holding it out to him. “Here this is yours.” Raising my other hand I was actually surprised that it lifted into the air meaning that it had magic inside.

He bends his head down letting me magically put the necklace around his neck sending me a smile. “Thank you, Rae. Now do you trust me?”

“Of course. Why what are you about to do?” I asked, feeling my heart skip a beat in curiosity at whatever he had planned next.

He squeezed my hand in his wrapping his arms around my waist as tightly as possible but nothing enough to break my bones. Gripping his gray Henley shirt without a second thought meeting his soft gaze. “Then hang on tight. Close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to.”

Doing as I was told I pressed my face against his chest feeling my hair get thrown around in such fast speed and my feet were lifted off the ground for a brief moment. I could hear some traffic noise meaning that we must have been back in town but I didn’t open my eyes asking him. “Can I open them yet?”

“In a moment there’s a surprise you’ll enjoy.” He whispered in my ear making me shiver being able to tell that his hands were moving mine up and then he rested his hands on my waist. “Now, open them Raelyn.”

Blinking my eyes open I chuckled immediately crying happily out of such awe and excitement at what was before me. We could see almost the entire town of Mystic Falls, making me glance over our shoulders seeing the clock behind us meaning we were at the top of the clock tower. “This is incredible. I’ve never been this high up before. It’s like flying.”

“I thought you would like it. This is my gift to you to show you that you have an entire world at your fingertips. No matter what your witch Coven says to you. And we can have all the adventures we want to have together.” He explained where I kept my hand holding his shirt seeing his gaze shift from my eyes then down to my lips.

Leaning forward up on my toes I wasn’t afraid that I might not fall off the tower while being in his embrace. He leans down, closing the gap having our lips finally meet together. My hands ran up his chest wrapping around his neck deepening the kiss that started out as anything but slow. He tugged me closer to his chest cradling one his hands on my cheek until one of my hands tangled in his curly blonde locks tugging on them making him moan pulling back when my heart began thumping loudly in his ears. “I will go anywhere with you, Klaus Mikaelson.”

“And I am with you, Raelyn Lane.” He declares smirking down at me seeing the genuine grin on my face and the wind blowing through my blonde hair where he wanted to live in this moment forever.

Pulling his lips back down onto mine with my hands on the back of his neck I moaned when he tugged on some strands of my hair. I moved one of my hands down to tug on his shirt, getting excited that this was finally happening and no one was here to stop us. “Wait…what…what is it?”

“Easy Rae. We don’t have to do everything in one night. I want to take my time with you.” Klaus broke the kiss moving his other hand up so he was cradling my face in his hands again.

Draping my arms over his shoulders I sighed asking him for one more. “Give me one more kiss. And mark my words I’ll be holding you to every time you kiss me it’s just as intense as that one. Can you promise me that, Nik.”

“I absolutely can.” He tugs me back by my jeans, crashing his lips down onto mine with my throwing my arms around his neck grinning into the kiss.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[exoticalmonde]

Dr. Evealia Operator Records

Recently I saw someone talk about their Dr. sona or lack thereof when it comes to interacting with the Arknights community, so I got curious as to what I've come up so far with Dr. Evealia.

Thanks to Dr. Kryo's constant reposts of the yuumeship tag daily questions and sometimes pestering me to actually work on talking more about my sona when the crippling anciety of me being cringe is making it difficult, I decided to compile all the information here today.

Dr. Pinkie: *Puts ramen packs and water in mouth*

Dr. Puffin: *Sips monster every day and confuses Kal'tsit with the name of the drink*

Dr. Eve: *Drinks so much lemonade the acidity in her body is like that of 5 batteries*

Dr. Kryo: *Chews tea packets*

---

---

Despite this conversation and me constantly forgetting myself, Dr. Eve is not Elafia but a chymera, more specifically a pantheon, but she hides her fox tail under the coat and long dress she wears:

[Transcribed:

Dr. Pinkie: "Shrimp buffet is free .3."

Dr. Kryo: "The shrimp buffet is a frequent stop, Not for memories but shrimp tasty"

Me: "Me putting on my bathing suit the moment you say there are fried mussels or calmari.

Dr. Eve despite being elafia stuffs herself so full of mussels she goes into shrimp coma every 6 months while visiting Pinkie's ship"]

---

I think skill 2 would be healing (if going by Dr. is a 6 star operator theory) and skill 3 is shwinging a couple of waves of petals like waves from a sea. Not to forget Dr. Eve is a Lord and uses a sabre, a weapon picked up before she went into a coma.

Dr. Eve:

Summons originium flower petals, peach in colour and mostly transluscent, which pass through allies and heal them while damaging enemies.

/Her fear was unreasonable because he is too kind and gentle to actually think that her forgetting how to play any instrument would be something unbecoming. She just wants to impress him./

And that she is also a Leithanien, so if she plays any instrument it would be the flute /wood/ or a hurdy-gurdy.

But Czerny doesn't know because she is afraid he might challenge her knowledge and she hasn't touched the instrument for a long while. It was just in her room so she assumed she knew how to play from before.

---

Dr. Lundi's infected eye being flashy and cool and also a little sad to look at.

---

Meanwhile:

XY: Hey Doctor, where is your infection?

Dr. Eve: Pulls a comedically old Xray board over myself showing that everything in a 20cm radius around my heart including is glowing like it's Christmas

She easily gets warm, so temperatures on RI are a maximum of 22C spring/summer and 28C fall/winter.

Dr. Evealia's infection is external, a formation of pure black clusters starting from the back of her neck at the hairline and going around the base of her neck/across her clavicles and upper part of her ribs almost like a necklace. During winter it s easy to cover them and shield them via special wool/cotton scarves, but during the hot seasons Kal'tsit has prescribed her to wear something like a cone if she's not with the Dr.'s coat. It makes it look comically like she's a cat in cone jail, but it's just for her own safety.

The infection thereon becomes internal and has concentrated around her heart.

When her infection begins acting up Dr. Eve begins having heart palpatations and chest pains which leave her winded.

During such a state if she is forced to use arts the scent of the flowers may become simmilar to that of opium, which could lead to addiction. The effect of being exposed for too long to that scent could lead to immune system weakning and inflammation in infected areas.

This is why it's recommended to not leave for a mission with Dr. Eve unless everybody is equipped with masks.

Dr. Evealia also can increase the strenght of her attacks by playing the hurdy gurdy, which is her updated S3 - much like a skalter buff in the sense it last for a set duration and sends waves of petals towards the direction she is facing.

The 'addictive' scent may cause side effects to operators simmilar to an overdose (breathing difficulty and nausea), but the longest that 'overdose' state has ever lasted was during a four hour exposure and it passed only 30 minutes after they were seperated.

Operators overved to become very hungry afterwards.

---

Including music that I stumbled upon accidentally but it feels like something her S3 would be when completely loaded:

---

Top operators constantly by her side are Czerny, Chongyue and Ebenholz. Around that, Lumen is her designated caretaker around Kal'tsit. Ebenholz, while sworn to stay by her side, also has to wander off often to tend to his headaches. They have a handshake over that because heartache/headache and their brother stomachache are literally the bane of mankind.

As a chimera - fox tail, deer ears and pattern on her back lead to believing that her horns may not be deer horns but something showing sarkaz roots. It's unknown if that's true, just a rumour. They look like completely normal elafia horns though.

---

When the infection acts up Lumen is always around, making sure that the Dr. Has somewhere to sit and something to drink. It's peach juice.

---

I just thought this is very funny also considering how much I am leaning towards the Sarkaz these days

Also said art in question: Link here

---

I GOT WHAT I ASKED FOR

---

Tweeted question that was aforementioned: Link here

---

Eveader Traditions:

One doesnt eat dinner and one doesnt eat breakfast, but if they are both on Rhodes Island they will eat lunch and dinner together if they can.

Whenever Eve is reading around the fireplace Hoederer sits close and reads with her.

They exchange books often to refresh their mind and broaden their horizons. Hoederer thinks that Eve's books are very imaginative and Eve thinks Hoederer's books are boring but in the end it's more fun when they can pause at any moment to talk about it.

Eve brings Hoederer snacks and Hoederer brings Eve drinks. He's probably the only one who actually bothers her to drink lots of water.

Their walkie talkies are linked so they can talk at any moment

This question is: Linked here

---

So prompted by Dr. Kryo I responded with:

Doc thoughts-

Gifts Dr. Kryo would give to certain folks

Surtr- A Necklace

Dr Lundi- A Signed album of a band she likes

Dr Eve- A rose statue for her desk

Dr Pinkie- A Coupon book with various food places in it

Mostima- A rare snack he saved for her

Pozëmka- An engraved fountain pen

Beehunter- Premium honey with a good amount of strawberries

Nightingale- A post for her bird

Kal'tsit- A mug that says "Ur alright.-kryo"

What Dr. Eve would prepare as presents for her closest ones:

Hoederer - A Diary that consists of all letters/moments we spent together between battles with my thoughts and feelings up to the point I fell in love, after which it begins as something like a love story travel guide I named 'The Story of….' leaving him to continue or not.

Chongyue - A visit to a very spiritually infused with the best of vibes hot springs in the snowy mountains/potentially somewhere to hang out with his sisters later.

Czerny - After long and painstakingly difficult relations with Leithanien, he's allowed to play in the Afterglow again. He freaks out because inside the box Eve gifts him is just a sheet of paper and for a moment he thinks it's an 'Im pregnant' note.

Eve gifts him some of her best alcohol after to mend that awkward but insanely funny situation.

Ebenholz - A gramophone. The sound waves from it are said to lessen headaches. Its a form of therapy.

Lumen - A snow globe of the light tower and a part of the Iberian coast that is a switch-on light.

Dr. Lundi - An entirely decorative gunblade made out of glass with flowers, fields of wheat and house designs already mounted on a black background and framed. The weapon's name is 'Brittle'. Interstingly enough it is in fact not brittle. Due to Lundi's clumsiness it is made out of especially tempered glass that doesnt break when dropped. At least from 1.70 in height.

Dr. Kryo - Brass knuckles in the shape of a dragon head with its fangs being the sharp part of that weapon. They come in pairs red and blue that change to the opposing colour depending on the temeperature.

Dr. Pinkie - A giant tea set with cups, plates, spoons and a tea pot and tea steeper and spoon ring holders and jars for sugar honey and milk that are all in the shape of bizzare sea creatures.

Lee - Her gift for him disappeared, he's taken up the task to find it himself.

Lessig - A new and improved soundproofed room.

SilverAsh - That man has everything and Eve almost cried herself to sleep in Courrier's and Matterhorn's room because their master is such a menace but in the end she gifted him a tail ring with imbedded smoky quartz which shows Tenzin in flight. Tenzin got a leg bracelet with a tiny chubby snow leopard on it that Eve swears is not a caricature of SilverAsh the man.

[chalterdh22]

Chapter 29:  Can we Talk About Last Night?

After my little meet and greet with Din, the night went sloooooooowwwwww!  At 6 am I made my way back to our patrol post, returned my comm and weapons, and made my way out to the speeder.  Stuck on the speeder was a note from Greef.  “Talked to your mom for you.  You should call her back though!”  Ugh, yeah, I should. 

I grabbed the note, threw it away and went back inside to use their long-distance comm.

“Suri to Peli.  Come in Peli.”  I spoke into the mouthpiece.  “Mom, hello?  You there?”

“Yes, I’m here!  What are you getting on about having someone send me messages about you?  You told me 7 days!  It’s been over three weeks!”  Boy, she’s upset.  I just let her yell.  She had every reason to be angry.

“Mom, mom, I get it!  I’m sorry!  I should have touched base.  Did Greef tell you I got a job here?”

“Of course, he did!  And I don’t know about that either.  It sounds dangerous, Suri!”

“Mom, it’s a safe city.  Not much happens here, not like Tatooine!”

“Ok, ok.  Whatever you say, I’ll believe.  So, what’s been going on?  Anything fun?  You didn’t kill off Din, did you?  No, don’t tell me, just tell me if my little man is ok!”

Grogu is great!  Din is still alive, thank you very much.”  I was full blown smiling at this point.  Ugh, I wanted to tell her about my predicament, but didn’t really want to involve her if nothing is going to happen.  One guy is gone for a few weeks, and the one is socially special, and super dangerous!

“I worry about you too, but honestly girl, I didn’t know how well you would get along with him.  I mean, you’re not like me!  I get along with everyone!”

“Sure, sure, Mom.  Of course, you do.”

“Hey, I have to go.  Some spider head is out back, and I think he’s trying to steal something.  Love you girl!  Hope to see you soon!”  And then she disconnected.  I shook my head, oh mom, I thought.  Somethings never change.  I should really get back and see her in the next couple of weeks though.

I walked back out to my speeder, hopped in, and rode back to the cabin.  Din was running through my head, like what would I say when I saw him?  Do I go up and hug him, or just act normal?  Would Grogu know something happened?  And then I felt the small beat of the necklace Trevo gave me flopping on my neckline.  Ugh, what am I supposed to do now?  Did Din know we had kissed?  Should I say something.

Seriously, years go by and nothing!  Now, there’s two guys, who are night and day different, who actually liked me, and I liked them. 

By the time all these thoughts went through my brain, I arrived at the cabin.  I just need to sleep I thought.  I hopped off the speeder, walked in and Din was in the kitchen with the kid, making him something to eat.  Well, here we go, I thought.  I threw my new bag, which now had a new swimsuit in it, on the sofa.

“Hey guys!  Good morning!”  Grogu was busy eating, who knows what, and Din was using the stove, so his back was to me.  I walked slowly up to him, hugged him around his waist.  “Good morning.”  I whispered softly.  He stopped what he was doing, removed it from the stove so it wouldn’t burn and turned to me.  He took his hands, and gently held me.

“Good morning.”  I leaned into his chest and gave him a big hug.  “Do you want something to eat?”

“Sure, but then I have to sleep.”  I sat down with him and ate at the table with Grogu.  The kid actually saw me sitting there and waddled over to me.  He touched the necklace Trevo borrowed to me and cooed.  “I know.  Isn’t it pretty?  It’s a gift, but I have to give it back.  It’s for safe keeping is all.”

“Where did you get it?”

“From a friend.”

“Hm, and why does this friend want it back?”  I kept shoveling food in my mouth as to not have to answer.  Finally, I stopped chewing and looked at him.

“He has to take care of some business on another planet and gave me it to hold onto for him for when he returns, is all.”  I didn’t really make eye-contact when I said that which made what I said even more weird.  I yawned and quickly stood up.  “I’m going to sleep now if that’s ok.”  I quickly said and dropped on the couch, as not to give him another option.  Ugh, I feel horrible acting like this.

Din got up, walked to the sofa by my head, and kneeled next to me.  “We should probably talk about last night.”  He put his gloved hand on my head.  It felt so good.

“I know.  We will.  I promise.  Can you wake me up in 6 hours please?”

“Yes.”  He stood up.  I heard the door open, and they both left.  I threw a pillow over my eyes and fell asleep.

“Suri.  Wake up, Suri.”  I felt my shoulders being shaken slightly.  I blinked my eyes open, and Din was right next to my head again, squatting down.

“Hey,” I said sleepily.  “Has it been 6 hours?”

“Yes.”  He stood up and took my hand to help me up.  I gave him a hug.  He leaned his helmet onto my shoulder.  “What were you dreaming about?”

My eyes opened wide.  Sometimes I remember and sometimes not.  “Why?  Did I hurt anyone?  Is everything ok?”  I asked panicking, sitting back on the couch.  He sat down next to me softly.

“No, no!  Nothing like that.  It’s just, you were whispering my Din a few times, and you had the cutest smile on your face.”  I had sunk back onto the couch, turning all red.

“Don’t watch me sleep, Din!  Geesh!”

“I wasn’t.  I heard you say my name and I went inside to see if you needed something.  I realized you were still asleep.”

“Oh, ok.  No, I don’t remember what I was dreaming about.”  I paused and grinned at him.  “Probably me taking you down in a real fight or something!  That’d explain my smile at least!”  I laughed, and he sighed, getting to his feet.  “Where’s the kid?”

“Pond.  Can we talk now?”

“Yeah, just let me wash up quickly.”  About 20 minutes later, I came out and felt totally refreshed now.  I grabbed a piece of fruit and bread off the counter and walked to Din who was outside, down by the pond.  I sat down next to him and started to eat.

“Feel better?”  I nodded with food in my mouth.  He chuckled.

He let me scarf my food down, like I usually do.  I leaned back on my elbows, stretching out a bit.  Din turned to look at me now.  “So,” I started.  “About last night,”

“Wait, can I start?”  he asked quickly, cutting me off.  He seemed to have something to say, which was perfect because I had no clue!

I sat up next to him now.  “Sure!”

He sighed and held my hands in his lap.  “Last night was one of the best nights I have ever had.”  He paused.  His voice sounded weirder than normal.  I turned and totally faced him, realizing how difficult this was for him.  He probably never has dealt with something like this before.  I squeezed his hands tighter.

“It’s ok.  Tell me what you want to say.”  Reassuring him, everything will be ok.

“I don’t know how to be there for you.  I don’t know what you need from me.”

“We can do everything at your pace.  I’m patient.  Your relationship with Grogu didn’t happen in one night, right?”

“No, it didn’t.”

“See, sometimes it takes time to figure out what we need from each other.  There’s no right way to handle this.”

He nodded and sighed again.  “I must take Grogu on a mission tomorrow.  We should be back in a week.  Is that ok?”

I all but laughed.  “Did a Mandalorian ask me if it was ok for him to go on a mission?  That’s a first!”  I said teasingly.  I looked at him and he was still.  “You know what I want?  When you are home, I would like to not be talking to a wall!  I want some reaction, good, bad, or ugly!  I want a small bit of sense of humor to come out of you!  That’s what I want!”  I all but was yelling at him.  I knew he wouldn’t just change completely, but at least he knew he could let his guard down around the kid and me.

“Ok, but I’m not telling any jokes.”  Wait, was that a joke?

[yuusaris]

Day 2 Dump

If I finish this prompt for day 2, I'll post that in full, but this is just cute shit I'm not using for tenderweek day 2.

---

“I got one for ya,” Bakura says, appearing across from Ryou, at the floor of the coffee table. Smugly, he says, “a happy story.”

Ryou stops, looks up from his dessert. He hums his question, a tuft of satin frosting hanging at the corner of his mouth.

“So my sister had a sweet tooth, yeah?”

Ryou hastily rips the creampuff top from his teeth, chewing at fast as he could through the puff pastry.

“And she wanted these li’l sweet things, but--”

Ryou swallows hard - too large a bite scratches at his throat and his coughing snaps Bakura from the reverie. Determined, Ryou presses on and rasps “you had a sister?”

Bakura, with a heavy groan and an eyeroll, says, “for the purpose of the story, yes--” Bakura presses on, regardless “--he wanted--”

-And so does Ryou. “Purpose of the story?!”

“--these li’l - yes, for the -- these tiger nut treats, dunno if you have em nowadays, but my bro--”

“Why would you make up a sister?!”

“Exactly, tha’d be dumb, so shaddup and-- Hathors tit--,” Bakura groaned. “She tried to snatch it, near lost a finger over it, Ma faked paying for the damn thing, ha ha, great Mum, glad ya interrupted?!”

“That’s supposed to be better?!”

“You asked if I had happy stories!”

“Your fake sister nearly losing a finger’s a happy story?!”

“Well, it didn't happen!”

---

“Reminds me ‘a when I was more grown,” Bakura interjects another day, while Ryou folds laundry.

“The folding or the clothing?” Ryou says, taking a look at one old shirt in particular.

“Got a terrible bloodstain on me, that’s the last thing you want when you’ve got eyes on you everywhere,” Bakura prattles. “So, I need to get the damn thing clean - problem is, I’ve got those eyes on me and I’m sure you’re well aware how difficult it is to get blood out of white.”

Ryou, with a sigh, nods. 

“So, gotta make due and make quick, I head to a basin and jug I could use. New problem, how do I keep anyone from watching me wipe blood that ain’t mine off my clothes?” Bakura shrugs. “Gotta prop the door.”

“Door?” Ryou repeats quietly, as he tries to piece together where Bakura could have been.

“Which means I need one part of me free enough to keep it closed and another part to keep the water going enough to let it wash out.

Ryou blinks, pulled from the conversation by a tickling familiarity in the side of his mind. Somehow, he’s sure, it’s connected to why Spirit is suddenly talking like a basin would have running water.

“Now, I was grown enough to piss on my own, can’t say I was old enough to stomach blood just yet, so when I saw exactly how much had gotten on me, I get faint. Of all things.”

“Sounds like an awkward spot.” Ryou’s hand moves to his arm, his shoulder area. “Like you’d only looked down--”

“Exactly! Had no chance to see the rest, the first few spots threw me. I get woozy, see, and at that point someone noticed by frenzy to the door, so I stumble, shirtless and stupid, my hand comes off, the door opens and the knob gets me in the head--”

“And you passed out?” Ryou asks.

“And I-”

Bakura stops.

“Only to be found by… well,” Ryou drips, “I suppose they didn’t have janitors or primary schools in Ancient Egypt, did they?” He turns his head to look at the silent spirit. 

The smartest thing Bakura’s said all day - nothing.

“If I recall, I was sent home after I passed out, with a note to my father, telling him my heirloom necklace was a hazard and I shouldn’t bring it anymore,” Ryou stares as Bakura rubs at his jaw, “which is why I started hiding it under my shirt, did you think I wouldn’t remember my own--.”

“You’re prone to blackouts?”

Ryou scoffs, jaw hanging low, “the audacity in you sometimes - how was that going to be a happy story?”

“Well, I was gunna switch the ending up and say….” Bakura clicks his tongue. “Well, I’d remember if you hadn’t interrupted!”

“Like being married to a cat,” Ryou murmurs, setting a folded shirt to the side--

Realization comes like a record scratch.

“Did you say it wasn’t my blood?”

[amyravenel]

McKenna and Tristan

McKenna and Tristan are the two main characters of WHITE SPIRIT, the first book in my RESTLESS SPIRITS series. He is a cinnamon roll of a psychic who can see the past. She is an overly-confident ghost hunter who can feel and influence other people's emotions.

This scene didn't make it into the first book, but I still love it.

***

McKenna chewed on her bottom lip. He was getting used to seeing that thoughtful look on her face. When she seemed to come to a decision, she walked over to his bed. Holding out her hands to him, she sat down. “Read me.”

Tristan’s eyebrows shot up.  “What?”

“Use me for practice. Try to focus on me and only me. Maybe if you hold my hands, it’ll help.”

The anxiety filled his stomach. “I’m sure our dinner will be here any minute.” He reached for the remote. “Are you sure you couldn’t find anything on TV?”

McKenna wrapped her fingers around his before he could reach the remote. “Tristan, if you hide from this forever, it’ll eat you up inside. I tried to keep all the emotions of the world out, and it only made things worse. This ability is a part of you just like mine is a part of me. You think you failed to save that girl.  You can’t let Drew down, too.” She took his other hand. “I’m an open book, baby.  Do your worst.”

Tristan swallowed his nerves, the fear causing his hands to shake.  McKenna gripped tighter and nodded encouragement. He felt the calm, relaxed feeling bloom in his chance, and he knew she was trying to help. He sighed and closed his eyes.

He imagined his wall sliding downward as he focused on McKenna. He could feel her warm, soft hands in his, and that seemed to anchor him more than anything else had before. Images formed on the back of his eyelids. 

McKenna and Jason stood in a bedroom with dark green walls and posters slathered all over them. Jason packed a large suitcase, stuffing the clothes in haphazardly. McKenna sat next to him on the bed, braces glittering from her teeth.

“Mac, don’t you have somewhere else to be?” Jason asked.

“Nope.” McKenna shook her head. “I was hoping you’d give me your stereo when you leave.”

Jason shook his head as he pulled more clothing from his chest of drawers. “You can’t have it, but you can use it.”

“But you’ll want something bigger and better when you graduate.”

“You’re not getting it.”

“Oh, come on. It’s my birthday.”

Grinning, he stopped packing and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I do have something for you.” He then reached into his top drawer and pulled out a silver necklace. Handing it to her, he said, “I know how you like silver jewelry.”

McKenna took it, her face filled with joy. “Thank you.”

Tristan heard his own voice from far away, relating what he was seeing to present-day McKenna. Her voice reached his ears faintly.

“Not even Aaron, Tabitha, or Drew knew about that necklace. I put it away in a jewelry box after Jason’s death.”

The image switched to a different scene. McKenna huddled in a corner, tears streaming down her face. Judging by the way she clutched her necklace, Tristan knew this was right after she had heard about Jason’s death.  A stream of light fell across her face, and someone came into the room. Tristan couldn’t hear the person so he concentrated harder.

All of a sudden, the scene changed. McKenna was nowhere to be found, nor did he think he was seeing from her point of view. The setting was the hotel room they were in, only it appeared to be the sixties. A man and a woman argued.

“Shit,” Tristan said.  “I’m picking up the room.”

McKenna tightened her grip on his hands.  “Focus on me, Tristan. Don’t think about the room or anything else. Just me.”

Her voice and the emotions she shared calmed him. The vision transitioned from the fighting sixties couple back to McKenna. He saw her working at the center with Aaron, saw her smiling and laughing as a teenager, saw her lose her favorite doll at age eight.  McKenna, McKenna, McKenna.

With a sigh, Tristan replaced the wall and opened his eyes. McKenna sat there smiling at him, contentment in her eyes.

“You did it.  You...” He didn’t let her finish the sentence.

[kaluawoo]

Me, after finally buying a chewelry necklace: Oh wow this was probably the best purchase I ever made.

Also me: *loses the damn thing*

[goldeunoias]

IDK IF I SHOULD MAKE THIS A FIC OR NOT SO TELL ME

Inspired by hot girl bummer by blackbear... :P

Trust Fund Kid! Jay who always throws the best parties around and still somehow manages to show up the next school day and get the highest grade in the class. Jay who definitely has been checking you out at the party the entire time you’ve been there and trying to talk to you, only to be blocked by your friends who say he’s bad news. Trust Fund Kid! Jay who finally does find you when you’re not with your friends...

“I haven’t seen you here at one of my parties. First time?” Jay inquired as he leaned against the bar, dark eyes reflecting the whiskey (at least you think it was) he held in his hand. 

You drummed your fingers against the wooden countertop and nodded. “Yeah. My uh, friends don’t really like you so they usually try to avoid your parties at all cost.” 

Jay cracked a half-smile at your bluntness and gestured for the bartender to take his glass, turning the offer down when he asked to fill it up. “I’ve noticed. Every time I get within ten feet of you they move you out of my direction like I’m the plague. Not very nice to do, especially in someone’s own house y’know” Jay drawled, eyes flickering down as you adjusted your rather short skirt before looking back up at you. 

“They think you’re uh, well...”

“Go on spit it out, I can take some criticism” Jay nudged, dark eyes showing nothing but mischief. 

“An asshole. A rich asshole, but nevertheless still an asshole,” you blurted, watching as Jay broke out into laughter at the remark, the silver necklace around his neck reflecting the dim light as it moved. 

“And so they drug you here why?”

“Because they wanted to drink your good alcohol.”

Jay scoffed and motioned for you to sit down on the bar stool as he did the same, you quickly glancing around to see if your friends would see before doing so.

“And now why are you here then love?” Jay inquired, reaching out to brush his thumb against your cheek. You were about to reply but the action made your heart frazzle in your chest, forgetting what you were about to say. Jay was quick to notice and gave you another half smile, and you could’ve swore you heard him mutter “cute” under his breath. 

“You had an eyelash on your cheek. What were you about to say?” He continued, his full attention on you. 

“Well, I mean, I’m here because it’s better than staying in my room on a Saturday night. Thought it is loud though,” you remarked as you looked around, watching as groups of people danced to the music of an artist you’d never heard of.

“It is, isn’t it?” Jay remarked, leaning closer to you. The action made you gulp with nerves but you held your stance the best you could, refusing to be swooned by his shenanigans. 

“What are you gonna say your room is quieter and then try to lead me up there?” you questioned back at him, doing your best to maintain your resolve. 

Jay’s expression morphed into one of satisfaction, leaning back in his chair and messing with his empty glass. “Of course not. Despite what your friends thing I’m a gentleman,” he stated, giving you a cheesy grin for sarcasm. “You shouldn’t listen to everything they say you know.”

You chewed on your lip and shrugged, not expecting him to well, not be an asshole. “I know them better than I know you.”

“But they don’t know me at all.”

“But your reputation-”

“Girlie! Did you not check your phone?! We were texting and calling you to see where the hell you were at!” one of your friends interjected behind you, causing you to jump in your seat as you looked back at them. You saw out of the corner of your eye Jay roll his eyes and continue to mess with the glass, not making eye contact with them. One of your friends however, did make eye-contact with him, not even trying to hide her disdain.

“Was Jay bothering you?”

“I think you do that better than I could,” Jay remarked bluntly, getting up from his chair and leaning down to whisper in your ear hoping the music would drown out the noise so your friends wouldn’t here.

“Blink once for yes, twice for no okay?” He said before pulling back. “So I guess I’ll talk to you later then?” 

“I’d rather not,” you quickly replied. Your friends laughed in seeming victory at your remark but Jay only smiled as he watched you give him a clear and definite blink, his hand brushing against your thigh for a moment as he left.

“Gosh, what a complete tool. We would’ve came to you sooner but this house is a goddamn maze,” you heard of your friends remark. You nodded but your head was elsewhere, unable to think about anything else but how your thigh was tingling for his touch...

BESTIES SHOULD I MAKE THIS A FIC?

if no one says anything then i’ll just let it die lol. And btw liking it doesn’t tell me anything i actually need words if yall do!

[raphael-angele]

Damian Wayne being the Family's Baby Headcanons because he IS baby

Koala. He’s a literal baby koala. I saw this headcanon that he saw on Animal Planet or Discovery Channel how koalas cling onto tree branches and did it to Bruce’s leg. He says it’s so that he can get to where he wants and Bruce just lets him.

Acts like a baby when sleepy. Damian is incredibly honest when he’s sick or half-asleep. There was one time when they were about to patrol and he was on the verge on falling on the ground and sleeping. Bruce told him to go to bed and wanted to bench him. He expected him to refuse and complain, instead, he got Damian making grabby arms and saying in a cute voice, “Papa. Sleepy”. Bruce didn’t go to patrol that night.

Same goes for when he’s sick. Damian doesn’t get sick easily, and when he does, it’s almost nondetectable. He can usually sleep it off or is gone in a few hours. So it came to a shock to the family when one of his brothers came down for breakfast, holding the Baby Bat in his arms, saying he might have a fever. Bruce checked his temperature and knew it wasn’t going to be gone in a few hours. They knew it was serious when Damian started crying, saying he felt uncomfy and wanted someone to hold him.

Has an oral fixation. Damian WILL suck and chew on anything suckable and chewable. Candy? Gum? Sure. But those are the normal things. Dick once caught him sucking/chewing on his gloves while on a stakeout. This also led to Dick believing he also bites his nails and the skin around it. He’d be right. Jason once got him a pacifier as a joke but found him sucking and chewing on the rubber in the library. Because of that, he actually got him a rubber straw set for him to use. When Tim found out about this, he got him those chewable necklaces in hero symbols. He never uses Red Robin symbol, saying it’s because he doesn't like it but in truth, he doesn't want it to wear out.

Plushies. Plushies and Squishmallows everywhere. He has an entire collection of them in his room, which he hides during the day. Bruce has a playpen in the cave made especially for him, that has plushies, books and other toys he might find enjoyable. He cannot sleep or has difficulty sleeping when if there isn't anything to hug. He cried when he couldn't find his Batman squishmallow, which is his first plushie and the one Dick got for him. Which leads me to my next point:

Every single one of the batfam gave him a plushie and/or a squishmallow. Dick got him the Batman one, Jason got him a Red Hood and a panda, Tim got him a bee, Steph got him a crab, and a Red Robin one, Duke got him a cat, Cass got him a sloth. And you guys know those bondage bunnies? Selina got him a black one. And yes, he knows what it is.

Likes velvet or microfiber cloth and blankets. He ABSOLUTELY hates silk. Bruce figured it out when he saw his son in bed with his silk blanket on the floor. When he put it on him, he threw it away. So he got him another blanket. His favorite napping place is the library windowsill or the living room sofa.

Onesies. Batfamily onesies. He has one of each of the batfamily uniforms. The one he uses most is Red Hood because it has an actual hood, besides his own. He has animal onesies, too. But he likes wearing the batfam versions better.

He doesn't like loud noises. Everytime they're on patrol, Bruce would pack an extra set of earplugs for Damian. In missions that involve flying, they'd have Damian wear headphones for most of the flight to cancel the noise from the engine or anything loud. This also includes when there's construction nearby.

He has a personal playpen in the batcave. And by playpen, I mean an actual playpen with stuffed toys, blankets, kinetic sand box, fidget toys, playmat, electronics like his switch. He even has a video player for cartoons and movies. They put him there before patrol to make sure he's in a good mood and after patrol to make him calm down from rush

He likes to braid Steph's and Babs' hair. When he's benched from patrol and Steph or Babs is looking after him, he'd get bored and they'd let them play with their hair. And he likes it cuz Talia used to let him do it to her.

Sometimes, when they go out at daytime, he'd need to put on sunglasses cuz the sun hurts his eyes. His domino mask also has an auto control for brightness based on the surroundings. He's not allowed in clubs either due to flashing lights and loud music. Fireworks are a no no too.

Whenever they go to the mall, they have to tie his wrist to theirs. Either this, or they leave him in the petting zoo.

He will sneak into their bed at night. Doesn't matter if he had a nightmare or not, he will do it

He likes the smell of newly watered dirt/ground, pine, sandalwood, and earthy smells.

He likes being carried. Despite what he says, he likes being carried everywhere.

[merlinssassybeard]

Tagz- angst fluff sweet talk reader having a breakdown

The part 1

Veryyy looong, don't come at me pls

Gojo trying to make everything right.

Series masterlist // Main masterlist

Ex Husband Gojo

Ex Gojo trying to take his ex out for a dinner after a fight

.

"I came to talk to you. Yn", "I'm sorry. I shouldn't-"

"Don't apologize to me please. Apologize to the person who's in the hospital for a month now"

.

Ting tong

You opened the door with your laundry basket in by your waist and looked at the man standing in front of you, his bandaged eyes and one hand in pocket while the other had a bag.

"Yn i-" he spoke to you entering but you ignored him and just walked off to the laundry room. Gojo let out a sigh and placed the bag on the table and went to see his daughter, who started laughing, giggling and clapping when she saw her dad after a week of what happened.

.

You, now done with the laundry, watched secretly leaning on the wall as gojo played with his daughter, "no!!!! Don't cheww it pumpkin!!!" You noticed she was wearing and chewing on a crystal necklace, "oh it must be a souvenir"you thought.

Your heart ached so much to be in sour terms with gojo. You didn't wanted to fight with him! No! You love him and you KNOW he doesn't love you, so guess nothing matters to him. Anyways, he's got his whores to fill his void.

You marched in and abruptly picked your daughter up and went to her nursery. "gotta change her diaper" you said without paying him any heed.

He just stood there, sitting on the floor, with cubes and triangles in his hands, looking at you as you marched off. Gojo knows you're still mad af, he then remember what she said "take her for a nice dinner. She'll accept because she still loves you".

.

"Yn, i want to apo-" he spoke to you as he stood by the doorframe, while you changed your baby's diapers without turning to look at him.

"Pete's in hospital for a month. He's got a broken nose, shattered wrist and a fractured forearm.." you continued, turning to him, glaring "..all thanks to you" and back to your baby continuing with the diaper.

"Well its not my fault! You know he's the one who started it first!" He said scratching his head.

"Why do you hurt me like this all the time!" You said as you got in the hallway after being finished with the diapers and tucked your baby in and closed the door.

"If You don't want to live with me then let ME live by myself atleast! I can't go on like this!" You shouted pointing finger at him.

"I'm a grown woman with a kid, i have my needs and wants and... desires i want someone to be with me!!" You said almost at brink of breaking down.

"if you don't want anybody then you don't have to! But please! Please satoru, let me live, let me live! Let me liiiveee satoruu" you broke down, begging and crying as you slid down the wall while satoru stood still, too dumbfounded to respond with the sudden blow off.

He couldn't quite comprehend as to why you suddenly blew off like that, as much as he knows you, you must be frustrated over something so he leaned down as he tried move your arms from your face but you fought him before giving up and hugging him. Tight.

"Its alright. Shhhh. I'm here" he softly whispered as he hugged you back and patted your head while you cried your eyes out, squeezing onto him.

.

You currently sitting on the couch leaning onto satoru's chest, hugging him tight to make sure he doesn't leave while he wrapped you in his arms and caressed your hair.

"So...you wanna talk about anything?" He asked. You looked up to look at his bandaged eyes looking back at you, so he still knows you huh. "Satoru, i like him. Pete, he's a nice person."

Oh shit. He's heart clenched at your words. So you moved on finally, huh? Well he's happy for you.

"Do you know...before..pete the man i dat- no, was with! He was very aggressive and.... bad. It was pete who put some sense in me and told me to give that man up." You murmured, audible for satoru. "Thats why i care about him" you finished as you tugged onto gojo's jacket.

Satoru felt even more disappointed in himself than ever. HE WASN'T THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEEDED HIM. FUCK. Tch tch tch.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked you. You looked at him for a moment before kissing his clothed chest and said, "you were never there".

That's it! The final nail on his coffin. Fuckkkkk. You words straight away stabbed him. But then you continued, "you...divorced me..remember? I'm no longer your concern."

Tbh, you were like a stray puppy now. After being abandoned by your owner, you looked for the same love that Satoru spoilt you with in anyone and eveyone. Needless to say, you never found no one.

"You could've called me yknow." He said patting your shoulder. "And would you have picked up if you were in between something?" You asked. "What makes you think i wouldn't?"

"Stay with me please." You said, squeezing onto him tighter. He stayed silent for a while before pulling out his phone and... calling someone?

"Yeah ijichi! Tell principal yaga I'm taking a week off!", "no! I don't care! No! Nanami can handle easily. Yeah! K"

He ended the call only to make another call. "Hey hana! Yea i want a seat for two. Yeah! Today! By? By 8 okay!"

You looked at him, "is everything okay?"

"Get ready by 7 we're going out tonight!" He said with a peace sign and a big smile.

"Where are we going? Where will i keep her?"

"Of course at my old man's place!" He said as he got up, "I'm going to go change and come back by 7 yeah? Be ready!"

"Wait satoru! Where are we going?"

"Oh that! We're going to Aragawa!" He said with a wink as he warped away.

You stood there again, assessing what just happened. You then smiled as you shook your head at the fact that he didn't even asked you. Not like you would've denied💕

.

There you go.. the 2nd part.

Hope u like it. Tagzz- @nishinoyahhh @missyasma @vesta-ro

[nationalharryleague]

Two for the Show

Summary: Jeff plans for Harry’s new opening act to be more than that. 

Genre: Famous Fake Dating! 

Word Count: 17.1k!

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A/N: Hey babes!! This is something I’ve been working on since December now and I’m so fucking proud of it and how it turned out!!! It’s the longest thing I’ve ever written and I’m so so so excited to hear what everyone has to say!! Giant thank you’s go out to the incredible soph (@theharriediaries​) and Lu (@meetmymouth​) bc this never would have come to fruition without them and their help!! Please let me know what you think!! More of my writing can be found in my masterlist!! Happy reading y’all :)

***

Keeping appearances in the public eye is a delicate balance.

If Y/N was being honest with herself, everything Full Stop Management had ever suggested to her had worked, and very well. When they suggested her music took a more pop direction, they set her up with a team of fantastic producers and her music sales and popularity skyrocketed. And when they set up an appointment with a celebrity stylist to figure out her signature style, it worked; they turned her into the 1970’s inspired goddess she had always dreamed of being. Even the hours of media training that she had been put through worked, helping her learn how to bob and weave even the most intrusive of interview questions.

But this time, she thought they might be going too far.

“Jeff,” she began with a sigh and a doubtful shake of her head, “I don’t know about this one.”

“It’s just a few months before and during the tour,” explained the man sitting across from her at the long conference table. “You’ll be seen in public a few times to drum up publicity for the tour and your album, maybe do an interview or two together, and some light PDA.”

His expression was honest and earnest. In the time he had represented her, he had never done anything to her that didn’t help her succeed. It was not hard for her to believe that he just wanted what was best for her and her career.

But something kept holding her back.

“I just got my heart broken in the most public way,” she said softly, absentmindedly fiddling with the base of her ring finger where an engagement ring once sat. “Isn’t it a little too soon to be seen jumping back into a whirlwind romance?”

“I don’t think so. If anything, it will make James look even worse than he already does after what he did to you.” She had to admit the idea of a little revenge did perk her ears up a bit. “And it doesn’t hurt that Harry is so universally loved and known for being such a good guy.”

That was another reason she was skeptical of this entire plot. This was Harry Styles they were talking about; Harry fucking Styles. She had only met him once or twice while working out details for her to be the opening act for his upcoming tour, but she had been a big fan of his and idolized him since she was a teen. Just meeting him threw her inner 16 year old self for a loop, let alone trying to pretend she was in love with him.

In all honesty, it probably wouldn’t be too hard on her end once she got over being starstruck; she wasn’t so sure she still wasn’t kind of in love with him, or at least the version the public saw.

“Listen,” Jeff began again, his voice taking on a bluntness, “no one cares about the opening act. No one bought tickets to see you; they’re there to see Harry.” His words stung but she knew it was the truth. “But if they think you are a part of Harry’s life, they care about you too. And they will keep on caring about you after they leave the show.” Her apprehensiveness must have been clear on her face when he put on a gentle smile. “He’s a really nice person. I promise.”

“I know,” she breathed, a small pout finding its way to her lips. “Fine,” she conceded after a moment, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically to signal surrender. “I’m in.”

A triumphant grin spread across his face. “Thank you. I’ll go call Harry and tell him you’re down.” She watched as he got up from his chair and came towards her, pressing a brief and friendly kiss to the top of her head. “You won’t regret this, Y/N.”

“I better not, Azoff,” she chuckled while shaking her head slightly.

Soon she was alone in the conference room, basking in the light from the floor to ceiling windows that sat before her.

“What did I just get myself into?” she mumbled quietly to herself.

***

The answer to that question came two weeks later when she was sitting across a table from the Harry Styles at a small outdoor brunch spot in LA. Their meeting place was strategic, a small restaurant, not too flashy so it didn’t look like they were seeking attention, but outdoors where anyone could see. It was only a matter of time before he was recognized, and the sighting was almost guaranteed to be trending on Twitter only minutes later.

She couldn’t say that she wasn’t nervous. The inside of her mouth had been chewed raw and the bags under her eyes showed she had been having trouble sleeping in the nights leading up to their first appearance together. By the end of the day, she would most likely have countless articles written about her and possibly have millions of angry fangirls coming after her; even though their “relationship” wouldn’t be officially confirmed for a few weeks.

If all went to Jeff’s plan, she would become an A-lister overnight.

She stood in front of her closet for over an hour, trying on and taking off outfits before finally settling on her favorite pair of bright red corduroy flares and a crisp white textured halter top. She paired the outfit with a new pair of heeled leather boots. They were a flashy pair that were split down the middle, bright yellow on one side and white with yellow stars on the other, hoping Harry would appreciate the bold colors.

She meticulously did her makeup, sure to match her lipstick color exactly to the shade of her pants; and spent far too long in front of the mirror fussing with her hair, praying it would lay the way she wanted it to.

She knew that she was going to be photographed in some way shape or form, and with the fashion icon himself. She had to look good. He had been on the cover of Vogue for god’s sake.

When she finally arrived at the cafe, Harry sat quietly across from her. He looked casual, or as casual as Harry Styles gets. A yellow t-shirt, that was tight enough to look as if it was painted on, showed off his muscular chest and arms. His iconic tattoos illustrated his arms and she hoped he wouldn’t notice as she covertly tried to examine closely. He uncomfortably ran his palms down the legs of his high waisted denim flares that had been paired with his signature pearl necklace and ratty, but well loved, white vans.

And she couldn’t forget his rings. His signature gold ‘H’ and ‘S’ looked back at her as he gently grasped his flute filled to the brim with a mimosa, bringing it to his pink lips that were surrounded by the short stubble he had been wearing lately.

The pair sat in a slightly awkward silence, both seeming to down their mimosas quickly just because it was something to do with their hands and could occupy their lips so they didn’t have to talk.

To say she was panicking, wouldn’t be too much of an over exaggeration. She was sitting across from one of the world’s biggest stars, and as one of his biggest closeted fans. The things he could do for her career were astronomical and it was hard to ignore that, but she also had a hard time getting over the way his hair seemed to fall into perfect tousled curls and his dreamy green eyes.

She had been in love with him (or at least the idea of him) since she was 16. She couldn’t help it.

But the bottomless mimosas helped to break her anxiety, and apparently his as well, as they both began to feel a slight buzz.

“So how did Jeff end up talking you into this?” Harry eventually broke the silence, the alcohol lowering his naturally shy inhibitions just enough to kick off their conversation.

She let a playful eye roll take over her face before she began. “Oh Jeff,” she said jokingly, letting out a long sigh. “I was convinced somewhere in between ‘it’ll make your ex look bad’ and a stern ‘no one ever cares about the opening act,’” she chuckled, while sarcastically wagging her finger in the air, dramatically re-enacting his scolds.

He sucked in a breath through his teeth, letting out a dramatic ‘ouch.’ “He’s not always gentle, is he?” matching her chuckle.

“He knows where to hit you where it hurts,” she laughed, while nodding in agreement. “How did he convince you?”

“Coincidently, he also took a low blow involving my ex. I believe his words were ‘You wrote an entire album about her and haven’t dated anyone since and it makes you look kind of pathetic.’” He dramatically used air quotes and did his best impression of Jeff’s American accent. She couldn’t hold back the giggles that erupted from her.

“Oh my goodness,” she let out through slightly buzzed giggles, “you definitely win.”

From that point, their conversation began to flow more easily, easing her anxiety as she learned he was generally easy to talk to. He laughed at her jokes, and she laughed at his. He really did have the calming and disarming quality that people always said he had, like could melt down any walls and convince you to be honest with him, even if you didn’t really want to be. She was shocked to find that she wanted him to genuinely be a friend to her so badly. He was just so nice and such a good listener.

Their conversation took a turn when Harry’s super power of knowing when his picture was being taken kicked in. “Give me your hand,” he said to her, diverting from the pleasant conversation they had been having about their families. “Don’t look but there’s someone across the street taking photos of us.”

His instructions brought her back to the reality that they weren’t really friends and that all of this was for show.

She brought her hand up to meet his, strategically resting on the side of the table that faced the street, giving the camera the best view. The cool metal of his hand full of rings felt good against her skin that had been baking in the hot LA sun and he passed his thumb over her knuckles with faux affection.

She couldn’t help but feel a dishonest weight pulling on her heart. She knew everything was going to plan and this was all for the best, but it also felt slightly wrong. She played with her small heart shaped earring to distract herself from the sinking feeling.

“Harry,” she began, knowing the people across the street were out of ear shot. Her voice brought his attention from her hand back up to her eyes. “Does this feel wrong to you at all?”

“How so?”

“It just feels dishonest, like we’re lying to millions of people, our–well, mostly your fans.” She couldn’t help but correct herself.

His eyes softened at her words, like he was taking in the innocence she still held onto after only being in the industry for a short time, compared to his decade in the spotlight.

“I try not to think of it as lying,” he spoke slowly after a moment of thinking. He nodded along softly to punctuate his words. “When you think about all this as lying, it starts to weigh pretty heavy on you as a person. I try to be as honest as possible in my music and daily life, but that’s not always what people want to see. They want a show that will entertain them, and it is our job to give it to them.”

“I see,” she mused.

They sat together for another hour or so, allowing their small mimosa buzz to wear off enough for them to drive the short distances to their homes. The pair eventually found their way back to a comfortable conversation, but Harry’s comment about being in the public eye still weighed on her.

Suddenly, she wasn’t sure if all of this was worth it. Y/N was a master at dodging a question and turning the charm to 10 when it was needed, but she wasn’t a liar and she definitely wasn’t an actress. She hoped she (or Jeff) hadn’t bitten off more than she could chew with all of this.

Harry eventually walked her back to her car that was parked a few blocks away, and while she was sure he was doing it for the cameras, she didn’t doubt that he would have done it even if they weren’t there. He just seemed like that kind of guy to her; caring and trustworthy.

“Thank you for a very nice date, Harry,” she said, winking and chuckling along with the extra emphasis she put on the last word.

“My pleasure,” he smiled down at her. He moved along with her as she walked to the driver's side door, opening it for her like a perfect gentleman. The two stood close, his body hovering over her’s as they stood inside the open door. Her heart rose to her throat as he leaned down to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her burning cheek.

Y/N  looked back up at him with rosy cheeks and a tightlipped bashful smile. She watched as he walked backward carefully, taking her hand that had been locked with his until he was too far and let it fall back to her body.

She situated herself in her drivers seat and was ready to leave when she heard a knocking on the passenger side window that startled her. Harry had bent himself over and was motioning for her to roll the window down. When she did, he leaned himself in, an honest look in his eyes.

“Before you go,” he said gently. “A word of advice from someone who had been in the public eye for a long time,” he spoke with a tender yet serious tone, eyes locking with hers. “When you go home today, don’t go on social media. People are mean, and it’s just going to hurt.” She nodded along with his words and watched as he pinched his bottom lip. “And when you inevitably can’t resist, text me if you need to talk about it.”

***

They must have done a good job putting on their show because within an hour of her returning home to her apartment, they were all anyone was talking about. Their names were trending worldwide #1 on Twitter. Streams of Y/N’s debut album were up by 800%, and even Harry’s streams had taken a considerable jump. Y/N had gained 40,ooo new followers and views on every interview she had ever done were steadily rising.

All was going according to Jeff’s plan.

Harry’s words circled her brain for hours. “Don’t go on social media,” she heard him say over and over again as she paced her apartment, only stopping to look at the phone sitting on the kitchen counter every so often.

She had taken a shower, done her hair, tried to watch TV, cooked herself dinner, and even tried to sit down and write a song; it all got her nowhere fast. The unknown was eating at her inside.

Y/N broke when she heard the small ding signaling she had gotten a text message. She had all but sprinted to see who it was, reunited with the outside world through her touch screen. Unsurprisingly, it was from Jeff; the message sent to her and an unknown number she assumed to be Harry’s.

Good job, kiddos., was all it read but there was a photo attached to the message. Her heart stopped while she waited for the photo to load, cursing her slow wifi in the process. After a few breathless moments, the photo came through.

It was a screenshot from the website of one of the biggest entertainment magazines in the country. A picture of him kissing her cheek was the front page of the website.

Harry Styles and Y/N Y/L/N Rumored To Be Music’s New Power Couple Ahead of Tour

She was honestly speechless. This was huge.

She would like to say the sheer shock blurred her judgement, but the curiosity just got the better of her. Harry’s words repeated over and over again in her head, telling her not to, even as her finger connected with the icon of the little blue bird.

She was the most talked about topic in the entire world, her name hovering in bold letters on the trending page. She did everything she could to not click on her name, but her fingers did it all on her own.

The first few tweets were nice. Someone said they liked her style and that they looked cute together as a couple. Another said that they had always enjoyed her music and that they were happy for them.

But as she scrolled, it became harsher and just mean. People commented on her weight, said she couldn’t sing, and criticized her personality as seeming fake and forced. Her eyes were locked on the screen, unable to look away, as her heart began to break and few tears began to roll.

It took one final, and the most painful, tweet for her to consider deleting her account completely. She swiped out of the app fast, but the words were still burned into her brain.

Y/N is using Harry, just like she used James before he got rid of her and found someone better.

The words knocked the wind out of her, pouring salt on an open wound that had yet to heal.

She also had the little blue bird for that heartbreak as well. When she opened the app two months ago, the first thing she saw was pictures of her (former) fiance, James, with his tongue down some girl’s throat. At the time she had been devastated, her heart broken beyond repair.

It felt like no one else in the world could understand the way she was feeling. If she was in this position because of another person, they must get it too. The text to Harry was already sent before she had time to think it over.

I looked and I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry that I didn’t listen.

His response came only seconds later.

Don’t be sorry. It’s hard not to. Are you alright?

She had to think about his question, unsure if she knew the answer. Tears were still running down her face and she felt like she was a target the entire world had decided it was open season on. Logically, she knew these people never thought she would see these awful things, but it didn’t excuse the hurt she felt when she did.

I don’t know. I just don’t understand how people can be so cruel.

She felt like she was bothering him, even though he had offered to be there for her. He wasn’t her best friend, or a close confidant; he was her fake publicity boyfriend. He had real friends he wanted to talk to or maybe even a real girlfriend underwraps somewhere. Her body was wracked with guilt as she thought it over.

People are just mean on the internet, okay? They think they can say whatever they want without repercussions. I’m so sorry that you are being targeted because of me.

Before she got a chance to think through a proper response to him, her phone dinged with another text. It was from Jeff again.

Really good job, kiddos.

Y/N was confused. They hadn’t done anything else but be seen together today. Her sick sense of curiosity got her again before she opened Twitter again and looked up Harry’s name. He had tweeted for the first time in six months only a few moments ago.

@Harry_Styles: We treat people with kindness.

***

The next time she saw him was two days later at yet another public meet up Jeff had arranged for them. Unfortunately this time, she had become just as famous as Harry seemingly overnight, the flames of her new found fame growing even larger after he had sent that tweet.

While the fame had grown, the hate had calmed since his statement, which most had taken as an official declaration of their relationship. Now, that was not to Jeff’s plans.

She had to fight her way out of her apartment complex, wearing a pair of massive dark sunglasses with circular lenses and shielding her face with her hands the best she could. But she did have to admit that the electric orange fabric of her jumpsuit probably didn’t do much to help her blend in and avoid the attention of the paparazzi that had now found out where she lived.

Harry was sitting at the table by himself facing the back of the cafe when she arrived, two cups of coffee waiting before him to be drank together placed delicately on the table. He had his head down, buried in a book, before she startled him with a hug from behind. Her cheek connected with his warm neck where she buried her head into him and she took in his dizzying cologne.

She felt him jump beneath her as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pressing a dramatic and cheesy kiss to his cheek, feeling his light stubble prick her chapsticked lips. “My hero,” she joked, trying to bring at least a little humor to the man who had just about jumped out of his skin at her touch.

It felt like she was crossing a boundary, and she was pretty sure she was, but she just needed to thank him and a hug felt like the best way to do that while in a semi-crowded coffee shop. Also, playing up that they were madly in love didn’t hurt.

“Jesus Christ,” he breathed, a hand flying over his chest in surprise to feel his racing heartbeat. “You scared the shit out of me.” Once he settled for a moment, his arm moved across his chest to rest on her arm. His touch was gentle and soft, holding her there gently like he didn’t want her to release him from her grasp. She tried not to think about it too much as she slipped her arms off of him, making her way to the seat that was clearly meant for her across from him.

“I’m sorry that I scared you. A little jumpy today?” she teasingly questioned.

“Hey, watch it,” he playfully threatened. “I believe you called me your hero about thirty seconds ago.”

“I guess I did,” she quipped over the mug she was bringing to her lips. It was sweet but not too sweet, with cream but not too much, and still piping hot; just the way she liked it. “I don’t think it’s too far off,” she smiled before turning back to the coffee. “Good coffee,” she mused. “Just the way I like it.”

“Good. I texted Jeff for your order,” he informed her, the gesture being so thoughtful and sweet she could have melted into a puddle right there and then. “And I think ‘hero’ might be a bit much,” he tacked on.

“Don’t be humble, Harry.” While her voice was still light and held a jesting tone, she meant her words. “You made the entire internet leave me alone, for the most part,” she clarified as there were definitely some nasty messages still floating around Twitter, “in five words.”

“It was the least I could do,” he said while shaking his head slightly, seeming to deflect her words.

“You could have done absolutely nothing.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand in hers like they had staged at the cafe a few days earlier; but this time, it was an honest gesture, not one for a role they were both meant to be playing. Her words were serious, punctuating each with a gentle nod of her head. “I mean it. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” His eyes held the same truthfulness and honesty she hoped she was mirroring in her own. “I know all of this,” he paused and gestured between them with his free hand, “is for publicity, but I consider you a friend. It was hard to watch it all go down like that. You’re a good person and you didn’t deserve all that. I had to do something.”

There was a warmth that flooded her chest. He called me his friend, she thought to herself, fighting back a big toothy grin. She had been under the impression that all of this was just work for him, something he was doing just to drum up publicity, with no personal connections at all. But him calling her a friend meant so much to her. It meant she was not alone in all this terrifying and overwhelming attention.

“I’m glad you think of me as a friend,” she said, still holding back her smile. “You’re my friend too.” He matched her close-lipped smile that had fought its way onto her face at her words.

They sat in silence together for a few moments. Harry returned to his book and Y/N answered emails; but their hands stayed connected across the small table. This silence was very different from the silence on the day they first met. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence that sat on your tongue, begging you to break the quiet; it was peaceful and safe.

Their silence was broken when a young woman wearing a jittery smile and nervous eyes approached their table. Her voice squeaked out a mouse-like “Hi,” towards the both of them, bringing their eyes up to meet hers and instinctively breaking their hands away from each other.

“I’m so so sorry to be a bother,” she began, cheeks red and hot. “But I’m a really big fan of both of you and I would never forgive myself if I didn’t say hello.” She rambled excitedly, mostly looking at Harry, as she held her slightly shaky hands up to her chest.

“Hello,” Harry said with one of his million dollar smiles. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Emma,” she breathed.

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you Emma.” He spoke gently with her, clearly sensing her anxiety, extending his hand for her to shake. “Thank you for all of your support.”

Y/N watched closely as he spoke with her. He spoke to her like she was the only person in the room, giving her his whole undivided attention, and repeatedly thanking her as she flooded him with compliments about how his music and message of kindness meant so much to her. She was so entranced that she nearly didn’t hear her own name being said as the girl turned towards her.

“I love your music as well,” she grinned, clearly more comfortable after her short conversation with Harry. “And your jumpsuit is just incredible.” Her nervous giggle was contagious, Y/N releasing one as well at the compliment as her cheeks heated slightly. She was shocked she even knew any of her music, clearly being the less popular of the pair.  

“Thank you so much, Emma. It means a lot.”

Emma took a few quick selfies with the both of them (that would be everywhere within a few hours), said goodbye and went to leave the two, but not before she paid them one last compliment. “You two are really cute together. I’m rooting for you.”

Both of their cheeks warmed as they looked back at each other. They were quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond, before Harry turned his attention back to the girl with a coy smile. “I am too,” was all he said.

***

The next three weeks passed in a blur of tour rehearsals, fittings, and public meetings with Harry. And then all of a sudden, it was the night of the first show.

Y/N had never been so nervous in her entire life. She would be the first face seen by just over 19,000 people, tasked to warm up the crowd and prepare them for Harry, which was enough pressure. And then there was the chance that they all hated her guts.

She stood behind the curtain, listening to the loud and inpatient crowd as she paced back and forth. She white-knuckeld her guitar, trying to keep her violently shaking hands from being too visible to the crew around her. Her stomach swirled and her palms were clammy, constantly having to rub them on the pants of her icey blue jumpsuit. It fit her like a glove, the wide legged pants and slight shoulder pads, creating a perfect hourglass silhouette; the only thing she was confident in at the moment was how good she looked in it.

Her heart leapt out of her chest and she almost hit the ceiling when a small voice appeared over her shoulder, whispering “You’re going to do great,” in her ear. If her heart wasn’t about to give out before, it was now. She swung around to face him, almost hitting Harry with her guitar, letting out a small breath of relief when her eyes met his own. They always seemed to calm her down a bit.

“I’m kinda freaking out, H,” she anxiously babbled, using the nickname he had told her to call him. “This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of, and they probably all hate me because they think I’m dating you, and I have to make sure I do a good job so they start listening to my music; and I just…” she trailed off for a second, uncomfortably scratching the back of her neck, “I just can’t let you down.”

His face softened at her words, seeming to take pity on her. “Y/N,” he began, resting his hands on her shoulders and looking so deep into her eyes she felt like he could probably see her soul. “We picked you to open because people love your music and the way that you perform. You just have to go out there and do what you do best: sing your heart out and put on a good show. It’s only 25 minutes. I know you can do it.”

Every word that left his lips was laced with honesty and encouragement; just enough for Y/N to relax her furrowed brow and give her lip a break from her constant chewing. “I can do it,” she softly repeated back to him, still not breaking contact with his striking green eyes.

A stage manager passed by them, running to some other important task, but not before tapping her shoulder. “You’re on in 30 seconds,” he spoke, just as she heard the roar of the crowd begin, signalling the dimming of the lights in the arena.

“Go kick some ass,” he winked, stepping backwards from her and releasing her from his grasp. “I’ll be watching.”

Walking on stage, she wasn’t met with ‘boo’s that had plagued her nightmares, or mean looks from the audience, or rotten tomatoes thrown from the crowd.

They were screaming in excitement, screaming for her.

From the second she started playing, the crowd had her back; the ones that knew the words to her songs sang them along with her, and the ones that didn’t, happily danced to her voice. Before long, the smile she had forced onto her face was genuine, and her set passed by with ease. When her 25 minutes were up, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to get off the stage.

She took her final bow as the crowd roared, running off of the stage into the wings, looking for one person in particular. And when she found him, she threw herself into Harry’s open and waiting arms. “I told you that you were going to do great!” He spoke excitedly into her ear and he held her close to his body, his arms wrapped around her waist tight.

She liked the way it felt to be in his arms.

Pulling away from him, she saw the massive grin that he wore for her, noting how adorable his dimples were and how the excited look in his eyes made him look like a little kid. But there was more to his face than excitement, he looked proud.

“They were so nice to me, and they knew my songs, and they were screaming so loud for me, and it just went so well. I can’t believe it!” Her previous anxious chatter had become an exhilarated rambling and she felt on top of the world.

“I can,” he grinned, looking down at his watch quickly. “I have to go get changed.” If she wasn’t so amped up, she might have noticed the disappointment that flashed over his features. “Promise me you’ll watch the show?”

“Pinky swear?” She stuck up her little finger in the air.

“Pinky swear.” He kept their pinkies locked for a moment too long, then released her hand and ran backstage to get dressed.

She kept her promise and watched with excitement as the building shook when Harry took the stage.

She had never heard something quite so loud, sure her ears would be ringing when she snuggled into her bunk on the tour bus that night. Watching him perform was mesmerizing; he knew how to work a stage in every way and make every person in the arena feel like he was singing just for them. He was larger than life while performing and his little dances and mannerisms only got more pronounced the more comfortable he got on stage. He messed with Mitch, who she had only met a few hours ago (he was very nice), and constantly praised Sarah on the drums behind him, while he looked over to Adam and sent him smiles often.

Everyone in the building came for a show, and boy, did he give them one. It was amazing to watch. There was a reason she was a fan.

Bouncing off the stage, full of adrenaline and in a post-show high, he came to find her. It wasn’t hard, as she had never left her spot on the side of the stage, unable to rip her eyes away from the man before her.

“Oh my god, Harry! That was incredible!” she said with delighted amazement.

“I’m glad you liked it.” He was smiling down at her with a big toothy grin, a hand running through his sweaty hair and pushing it off his forehead. “They only get better from here.”

***

He was telling the truth. The shows only got crazier and more exciting as the tour went on, and so did their “relationship.”

About five shows in, Jeff had Harry given her his “H” ring to start wearing. Harry didn’t seem too phased by it all even though she thought it might be too much, saying “it’s like a friendship bracelet.” But it was too big for her fingers, not because she had small hands, but because Harry’s were absolutely massive. She wore it on a chain around her neck from then on and made sure to always be seen playing with it.

Fans took notice and loved it.

A little after that, Jeff sent them off to get matching manicures. Both had a melting rainbow of oranges, pinks, and browns on their fingertips, which looked amazing in the paparazzi photos of them walking around with their fingers intertwined.

The fans loved that too.

But when she “accidentally” posted a photo of Harry on her story, the entire world lost it’s shit. In the photo, he laid sprawled across a bed in only a white hotel robe that was creeping dangerously high up his thigh. He looked sleepy and slightly sweaty, in a post-fuck haze, and clothes that looked very similar to ones she had been seen wearing in public only days before were strewn across the floor. The caption read “I love getting to love you.”

The photo had strategically only been up for about 30 seconds, but by the time it was deleted thousands of people had seen it and screenshots had been taken. They quickly circulated the internet, creating a bit of scandal. But more than anything, people began to love the two of them together even more. Harry looked genuinely happy in the photo, and for most of his fans, that was all that mattered.  

They were creating a fairytale love story for an audience, but she would be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying her role. She quite liked being his “girlfriend.”

Harry and Y/N had a way of clicking as they grew closer–quite literally as they were crammed together on a tour bus most of the time. They seemed to be able to finish each other’s sentences and always beat the other to the punchline of a joke. The pair had begun to pick up on the other’s mannerisms and habits; Y/N always teasing that Harry was going to rub his nose off one day if he kept rubbing it while he was thinking and Harry always knowing when she got enough sleep by whether or not she had put on eyeliner that morning. They swapped playlists back and forth in their bunks as they tried to doze off and always grabbed a cup of coffee for whoever had decided to sleep in the next day, now knowing the other’s order by heart.

There was only one thing she didn’t know about him that she longed to discover: what his lips felt like against her own. She could never think too hard about it though, or she may just explode.

He had become a calming presence and was currently helping her keep her cool, even though she knew the pair of interviewers across the table were getting ready to grill the pair for every detail they could get. His hand had settled on top of her knee to quell it’s nervous bouncing, but remained after she had stopped, even though no one could see his touch under the table. She watched as his thumb ran itself back and forth along the leg of her flashy orange and yellow patterned overalls and she had a hard time pulling her gaze away when the radio host across the large table began to speak.

“So Harry,” the bald man began. “Fine Line has been one of the biggest albums of the year and I just have to say I love it. It’s truly incredible.” She listened as the man continued on to sing Harry’s praises, going on to list his grammy nominations, sold out world tour, and other accolades. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched his cheeks tinge pink with the praise. She knew anyone watching would pick up on her adoring look and people fawn over it, but she knew her gaze was nothing but truthful.

“Thank you very much,” he said shyly, shaking his head slightly as he spoke into the microphone suspended in front of his face. “You’re too kind.”

“Stop being humble,” she teased him, playfully tapping him on the arm. “All of his music is fantastic,” she said turning her attention back to the man across from them, “especially Fine Line.”

“And there’s Y/N, being the supportive girlfriend,” the man chuckled.

“I support him in everything he does,” she smiled back, not having to embellish the truth at all. “He is an amazing talent and I think Fine Line shows that.”

It wasn’t hard for her to gush about him. It was actually quite easy. She absolutely adored him, as an artist, a friend, and the focus of her affection. She felt an equal warmth in her cheeks as she watched his get even pinker with her compliments.

“That’s actually something we wanted to ask you about,” the blonde woman sitting next to him piped up, a mischievous glint in her eyes that sent nervous butterflies flying around Y/N’s stomach. “One of the songs on Fine Line, Cherry to be specific, actually features the voice of Harry’s ex, Camille. How does that make you feel as his new girl?”

Y/N did her best not to gag at the woman’s question, gritting her teeth as she plastered on a polite smile. “Well, I think Cherry is a really great song and her voice at the end adds a lot,” she spoke as smoothly as she could, refusing to let on that the question rattled her. Harry’s light squeeze on her knee signalled to her that she had answered the question well.

“It’s also been three years since the song was written,” Harry cut in. “Things are obviously a lot different now.” He connected their eyes for a second while he was leaning back into his seat, sending her a short smile, but she knew him well enough to know it was genuine.

“Oh, definitely,” the woman eagerly agreed. “You’re in a great new relationship with a beautiful girl on your arm.”

“Y/N,” he emphasized her name as the woman had referred to her as a possession of his for a second time, “and I are very happy. Thank you.” To an onlooker, he was calm. To her, he was visibly uncomfortable by her words.

Y/N began to notice a clear pattern as the interview went on. Harry was asked exclusively about his music and the tour, while Y/N only became relevant to their interviewers when they wanted to mention their relationship.

When the man asked Y/N if she felt uncomfortable playing to Harry’s mainly female fanbase every night that are “so obviously jealous of her,” something snapped inside of her, sending all her hours of media training out the window. “I’m not uncomfortable at all,” she said curtly. “His music is great and he puts on an awesome show. I don’t think the audience’s gender really has anything to do with the music.” She watched the man’s face fall before she decided to go on. “And I would like to think that at least a few of them are there for me too. You do know I make music too, right?”

An indignant smirk found its way to her lips as the man stammered out, “yes, of course.”

“Okay. I was just wondering since you have only asked me questions about our relationship since we got here.”

She knew Jeff wouldn’t be happy, but at the moment, she couldn’t care less. They may not have really been dating, but the interviewers didn’t know that. All of their dismissal of her and her career was 100% real.

She had been so worked up that she didn’t even realize Harry’s hand had left her knee until it found its way to rest on her back. She leaned into his touch as he rubbed her back softly while she crossed her arms in front of her.

The interviewers looked at the two of them across the table, jaws both lying on the floor. It was quiet until Harry nonchalantly spoke. “She has a point.”

The last few minutes of the interview passed in an awkward blur that felt suffocating. She felt like she could finally take in a deep breath once they were in the back of a massive SUV being driven away from the studio.

“Jeff is going to have my head,” she mumbled under her breath, nose stuck into her phone as she scrolled Twitter to see what people were saying about her outburst. But before she could read any opinions, Harry's tattooed arm blocked her view as he gently pushed her phone down onto her lap.

“Look at me,” he murmured, beckoning her attention to the other side of the back seat. When she connected her eyes with his, his usual calming aura took over her, softening the stressed crease between her brows. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Harry, I just blew my career up into smoke because I couldn’t deal with a rude interviewer,” she huffed at him.

“No,” he disagreed softly, moving the hand that rested on her arms to interlock his fingers with one of hers. “You stuck up for yourself to people who were ignoring your work and whittling you down to your relationship.”

“But it was rude.”

“It was necessary.”

The car ride to the venue for that night’s concert was quiet, but Harry never let go of her hand, brushing his thumb over her knuckles in a comforting touch. She wasn’t sure if she ever wanted him to let go.

***

It was the early hours of the morning by the time the pair returned to their tour bus and went to crawl into their bunks.

Her performance had gone well and Harry was mesmerizing (as always). He was truly hypnotizing to watch while he performed and she hadn’t missed watching him yet, even as they drew close to the end of the tour. It was the best part of her day and she would miss it dearly after the last show.

She was almost asleep, curtain drawn and cuddled under a pile of blankets, when her cell began to ring. Her heart sank, knowing only one person who would know when she had a sliver of free time (even though it’s debatable if sleeping counts as free time). She was going to get scolded like she was a little kid in the principal's office and she knew it.

“Hi Jeff,” she answered with a sigh as she pulled the curtain back and slid from the bunk, the cold air of the tour bus nipping at her legs.

Her gaze was met by a snuggled up Harry wearing a concerned face across from her in his own bed. He never closed the curtain, not even when she asked politely to muffle his snores, always saying something about how it made him claustrophobic. He sent her a tired smile and mouthed “good luck,” extending a hand for a fist bump as she passed. Knocking their knuckles together put a brief smile on her face before she buckled in for the chewing out she was about to get.

Harry watched her intently as she paced up and down the front of the tour bus as she spoke to Jeff, too far away for him to listen in. Her face gradually turned from anxious, to surprised, to something that would have probably been happiness if she wasn’t so tired.

“Alright, thank you for everything.” She spoke softly when she finally returned to be within earshot for him. “Goodnight Jeff.”

“So?” he murmured groggily at her, brows raised in question at her.

“People loved it,” she said shocked, like she didn’t fully believe it herself. “They think I’m some kind of badass for shutting down a sexist. Which is, like, a lot,” she spoke with a disbelieving chuckle, unable to find the right words in her groggy state. “I don’t really know what to make of it.”

Harry seemed to spring up from his spot in his bed, smacking his head on the top of the bunk in the process, prompting them both to dissolve into a puddle of giggles.

“Don’t get too excited for me,” she laughed. “I cannot be the reason that you hurt yourself and have to cancel a show.”

“I was just too excited to say ‘I told you so,’” he smirked, now rubbing the side of his head through his curls.

“Cocky bastard,” she sarcastically murmured under her breath while dramatically rolling her eyes.

She watched with confusion as Harry left his bed, and after a short and frantic search for his pajama pants so he wouldn’t “offend her eyes,” he moved towards the front of the bus. Her eyes trailed him as he bent down to the small mini fridge and pulled out two beers.

“We have to celebrate.”

It was 2 AM and she had been so ready for bed after a long day. But she knew she could never say no to him. She thanked god that they had a day off tomorrow.

After retrieving her massive and lovingly worn Grateful Dead sweatshirt to protect her from the chilly air, she nearly ran to the front of the bus. His painted pink fingers moved with skill as he popped the bottle caps off with one of his rings, handing it to her and gently nudging his bottle against hers.

“Cheers,” he murmured softly as he looked down at her with a kindhearted smile.

“Cheers,” she seemed to whisper back to him, a flutter in her stomach reminding her how badly she wanted to reach out and connect her lips to his. Instead she slid into the small booth across from him, taking a long sip from the bottle as she watched him do the same.

“I want you to know that I was really proud of you today,” he said as he put his beer down on the table. “Rude interviewers are never easy and you handled it like a champ.”

“Thank you, H,” she nodded, suddenly bashful and unable to make eye contact with him. Her cheeks burned hot as she put all her focus into tracing the rim of the bottle with her finger tip.

“Hey,” he called for her attention and her eyes snapped up to meet his. “I mean it, Y/N.”

“I know you do,” she gently nodded at him. “I’m just really happy they didn’t ask about my ex,” she chuckled as she took another sip. “That would have gone very poorly.”

“Oh yeah, I was a little annoyed they brought up my ex but not yours,” he teased. “Not fair if you ask me.”

“Well, then I’m glad no one asked you.”

“Can I ask you?”

“What?”

“About your ex.”

She should have been prepared to talk about it with Harry at some point. Half of this plan had been devised to get back at James anyway. She should be able to talk about it by now, especially with someone she had grown so close to.

“I guess so,” she shrugged, trying to seem casual like the mere mention of him didn’t still hurt her heart a little bit. “What do you want to know?”

“As much as you’re willing to tell me.”

He looked soft like this, eyes slightly sleepy with a tenderness in them as he looked back at her. His hair was unruly and puffy and he was wrapped in the powder blue blanket that lived on the tour bus’ couch. She would have told him anything that he ever wanted to hear if he kept looking like this.

With a deep breath, she began to recount everything that went down.

“I met James while I was still working as a waitress. I recognized him from his movies and started a conversation, and then–to my surprise–he asked me out on a date. I had been in LA for three weeks and this insanely famous actor is asking me to go out with him, so I obviously said yes.” She paused to take a swig of her beer, before mumbling under her breath, “I should have said ‘fuck no’ to that.”

A smile ghosted over her lips as she listened to Harry’s laugh across the table. She swore that laugh could cure cancer.

“But I didn’t,” she continued. “He introduced me to the right people and helped me make the right connections in the industry, which I guess made me feel indebted to him. Does that make sense?”

“Of course,” Harry nodded, eyebrows furrowed and listening intently.

“I should have broken up with him after I signed with Jeff and the label, however awful that sounds. But he just always knew the right things to say to make me feel special and like I was the most important person in the world. Even after I found out he was talking to other girls, he was somehow able to talk himself out of it.” She shook her head as she recalled it. “You wanna hear something fucked up?”

“Always,” he said with a gentle smirk.

“He proposed to me using lines from a romcom he was working on.”

Harry nearly spit out his drink. “Holy shit, you’re kidding!”

“I wish. I didn’t find out until I went with him to the premier a few months later and the proposal scene sounded surprisingly familiar.”

“What a dirtbag.”

“I know, right?” she laughed. “Then a few weeks after that, he got papped with his tongue down another girl’s throat. That finally knocked some sense into me and I ran for the hills.”

“Fuck,” he sighed as he finished his beer. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she breathed. “I don’t even feel hurt by him anymore, ya know? I just feel angry at myself for trusting him.”

“I understand but it’s not your fault he was a piece of shit,” he said as he rose from his seat and traveled to the mini fridge once again. “Another?” he asked, holding the bottle up about his head.

“Fuck it,” she shrugged. “Sure.”

She watched him skillfully pop off the tops again using just his rings, making a mental note to make him teach her how he did that, before he flopped back down in his seat.  

“At the risk of sounding like a Facebook mom, ‘you grow through what you go through,’” she chuckled, taking another long sip as she finished her first. He matched her high pitched giggle across the table and she nearly drooled beer down her front from smiling so wide.

“Amen, sister,” he agreed, raising his beer in the air.

“Oh, that was awful.” She shook her head as she descended into giggles. “Please never say that again.”

“Noted.”

“Anyway,” she began again after another sip of her drink, “I was well prepared to get my heartbroken by untrustworthy men after you, Styles.”

“I’m offended–tell me more,” he spoke quickly, his signature narcissistic smirk settling onto his features.

“I need you to know that Zayn leaving was my first real heartbreak.”

“Were the rest of us chopped liver?”

“You weren’t Zayn, I can tell you that.”

“Ouch!” He let out a loud belly laugh.

“Put yourself in my shoes for a minute, H. So first, the hottest-”

“Rude-”

“-I’m speaking. So the hottest one leaves, and then the rest of you are all like ‘we’ll be back in 18 months,’” she mocked him in a high pitched impersonation with a wave, “and then 6 months later you all mysteriously have solo careers.”

“I do not see you complaining about my solo career now, ya fame leetch.” He spoke with such humor and charisma, she couldn’t have even wished to be offended by his joke.

“Absolutely not, sir,” she said sternly, giving him a dramatic salute. “Deepest apologies from the fame leetch.” The two collapsed into giggles, laughing until their sides began to ache.

“Wait, I have a question for mega superstar Mr. Harry Styles of former One Direction fame,” she announced.

“I believe that’s me,” he bowed his head and raised his hand into the hair. “Shoot.”

She barely could get the question out, laughing too hard at her own joke. “Is Taylor Swift a good kisser?”

“Oh god,” he exasperatedly threw his hands in the air, chuckling while rolling his eyes dramatically before grinning wide as he thought over his answer. “I don’t kiss and tell,” he finally smirked.

“Wait, I have another!”

“Watch it, smart ass.”

“You think I’m smart?” she teased as she feigned flattery. “Have you ever heard of a song called ‘English Love Affair?’” He narrowed his eyes at her, a knowing smirk crossing his lips as he shook his head at her. “Also, when do I get to meet Gemma?”

“I’ll consider it when you stop bringing up her sex life, perv.”

“We’ve been dating for a few months now,” she teased as she continued to prod, emboldened by the liquid courage running through her veins as she was now half way through her next beer. “I think I should be allowed to meet the family soon. They seem delightful.”

“They would love how you have decided to rip into me like this,” he said with a cheeky smile, dimples on full display.

“Rockstars have to get knocked down a peg every once in a while.” She sarcastically shrugged. “Consider it a favor.”

She couldn’t help but think about how right this felt. Their back and forth flowed so smoothly, the banter falling from their lips without effort. Their laughter joined together in a delightful melody and she imagined they could go on this way all night.

Spending any amount of time with him made her so fucking happy; and time spent teasing each other over beers caused her to nearly explode with joy. How much she was enjoying herself was too hard to put into words.

He was safe and he was kind and he made her laugh no matter how bad his jokes were.

He was her best friend.

And for the first time, she was willing to admit that she was in love with him.

“Harry,” she hummed softly as their laughter died down to a comfortable silence. “Thank you for everything. You’ve changed my life forever and I can never repay you.”

“Just remember me when you get famous.”

“Oh shut up, I’m being serious,” she playfully scolded before letting her tone drop back into honesty. “You’re a very good person and I’m eternally grateful for you letting me be your opening act and then agreeing to this whole relationship charade.”

“I didn’t ‘let’ you be anything, Y/N. I picked you myself.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I listened to your album when it came out and fell in love with it,” he shrugged, his casual tone contradicting the surprised raise of her pulse. “When I found out Jeff also managed you, I knew I had to have you on the tour.”

Y/N was honestly stunned. She had always assumed that the tour was Jeff’s doing, a careful arrangement pairing Full Stop’s new up-and-comer with their most famous and established talent. Being offered the tour had been the biggest opportunity and honor she had ever been presented with; but she had never considered Harry himself being behind it.

“Oh,” was all she could manage to get out.

It was now his turn to be confused. “What’s so surprising about that?” he asked, reading the shock on her face like she was an open book.

“I just,” she stammered, trying to find the words in her slightly hazy state. “I never would have thought you knew who I was or listened to my music.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know,” she trailed off. “You’re you, and I’m just... me, I guess.”

He didn’t respond right away, just looking at her intently and slightly amused, sea glass eyes boring into her with a pink lip held between his teeth.

He scanned her frame, from the way her hair sat messily on top of her head and the way the massive sweatshirt swallowed her body enough to where she had pulled her knees up to her chest underneath it. Her shoulders were slumped slightly, making her appear smaller as she held her legs close to her torso and her eyebrows were knitted together in worry, slightly nervous under his intense gaze.

She downed the rest of her beer in an attempt to forget his intense attention. It didn’t work.

“You really don’t know how incredible you are, do you?” he finally asked, the corner of his lips twitching into a small smile.

She felt her whole body burn with his compliment, wanting to shrink into herself and disappear completely from his view. She finally shook her head slightly in an attempt to deflect his words, breathing his name under her breath as if to scold him for being too kind.

“You are,” he insisted, ignoring her objection. “You’re so talented and your music deserves all the attention that it gets. I am honored that I get to play a part in helping expose the world to you and what you have to offer.”

“Thank you.” Her words came out as a whisper.

“You’re welcome, love.”

His pet name made her stomach turn in a nervous excitement and a wide grin involuntarily came to her lips.

“I like it when I make you smile like that.” His words only made her beam further. “You look very pretty when you smile.”

“Stop it,” she said softly, cheeks burning hot and having a hard time making eye contact with him.

“Stop what?” He feigned innocence as he lightly teased her, smirk still prominent on his features.

“Are you flirting with me, Styles?”

“Just practicing.”

His words rang through her mind long after they had left the table and crawled back into their bunks for the night. She wished she could see inside his head to understand whatever thoughts were running around his brain.

But for now she could just peak at him through the gap she had purposely left in her curtain, wondering if she ever popped into his dreams as he slept.

He was always in hers.

***

There was a sadness mixed in with her usually thrilled mood as she took the stage for the last show of the tour. While there was an element of relief as she looked forward to some well needed rest, the adrenaline and joy of being in front of a crowd was something that she would miss dearly. She had grown into a real performer over the last two months as they zig-zagged across the US and this period of time would have a special place in her heart long after it had ended.

But there was another reason why she was so sad to see this chapter come to an end. As far as she knew, a staged breakup was not far away and the thought of being without Harry was heartbreaking. He had become her person and soon their feux falling out would be on the front page of every magazine. She wanted nothing more in the world than for their relationship to be real, but it would be forced to end before it had even truely started.

She got choked up as she sang her final song that night, letting a few tears escape as she took in the thousands of people singing her lyrics back to her, flashlights swaying in the air to the beat of the music. Taking a move from Harry’s own playbook, she took her mic and directed it to the crowd to sing as she cried. The vibrations of the drums and bass behind her nestled it’s way into her bones and the chorus of singing voices in the crowd surrounded her in a bittersweet melody.

The past two months she had been on top of the world, and as soon as this song finished, it was the beginning of the end.

She took her final bow, watching as the small tears fell forward onto the dusty stage below her. She waved and blew kisses to the crowd, then nearly ran off the stage looking for the only person she wanted to see.

Harry was right where he always was, just out of view behind the curtain, holding his arms out for her to fall into.

“Awe, babe,” he hummed sympathetically when she settled her head onto his chest, surely ruining his crisp white t-shirt with her now wet makeup. “It’s okay. Final shows are always tough.” He rubbed her back gently, in a soothing rhythm.

He smelled so good. He smelled like home.

She tilted her head up to connect her glassy eyes with his. “I just don’t want this all to end.” She knew she wasn’t just talking about the tour.

“Neither do I,” he said as his lips curved into a devilish smirk that sent her heart into palpitations. “That’s why I have one last surprise for you.”

“Oh, Harry,” she sighed while wiping the remaining tears off her cheeks. “What have you done?”

“You said you liked surprises!” he defended.

“Not surprises in front of 20,000 people!”

“I promise you’re going to love this one, okay?” His voice was softer now, encouraging and supportive. “You’re going to come out and sing an extra song with me during my set,” he revealed.

“Sing what?”

“That’s the surprise.”

“Do I even know the words?”

“You definitely know the words,” he chuckled.

“I just finished sobbing. I can’t go out there like this.”

“You can fix your makeup. I believe in you.”

“What am I going to wear?” she asked, grasping at straws at this point, doing anything she could to get out of this.

“I had Lambert put something together for you.”

“Of course you did.”

She peppered him with a few more questions, but he had a smooth and charming answer to every single one. He had thought every detail out, and as always, she couldn’t say no to him.

“Fine,” she finally exasperatedly agreed, immediately met with his excited and dimpled smile that she had fallen head over heels for.

“Perfect,” he breathed. “I have to go get ready and so do you. I already put everything you need in your dressing room, okay?” She nodded, still biting her lip anxiously. He held her by her shoulders, lowering his head to match their eye level as he leaned in close, before he spoke. “You’re going to have fun. I promise.”

“Pinky swear?”

“Pinky swear.”

Seconds after they locked their little fingers together, he pressed a quick and protective kiss to her forehead that set her whole body ablaze before running off in the direction of his dressing room. She remained stunned and frozen in her spot for a few moments trying to process what it felt like to have his lips on her for the first time since that very first day they had met.

There was no audience to perform it for or an act to keep up behind the curtain. He kissed her because he wanted to.

She was finally snapped out of her daze when a stagehand bumped into her by accident, prompting her to begin the short walk back to her dressing room. But the ghost of his lips remained on her forehead, an incessant tingle placed there by his touch.

The dress she found waiting for her was one of the most beautiful gowns she had ever set her eyes on. Made of a light purple chiffon, the wrap dress’ long sleeves and floor length skirt flowed freely. A belt cinched the wispy fabric close to her waist and a deep-v exposed her neck and chest. But the most dazzling part of the dress were the red sequined hearts that dotted the fabric and reflected the light of the dressing room like a million little mirrors.

Slipping into it, the light fabric was soft against her skin, opaque enough but still slightly sheer to let light through and show off her legs and the bright red shiny pumps Lambert had left for her. She felt the most beautiful she had ever felt in this dress, boosting her confidence and quelling her nerves about whatever the hell Harry was planning.

“One minute to curtain,” was announced in an ominous voice over the arena’s backstage speakers as she finished fixing her makeup and she all but ran to make it back to the stage in time. She only had one more chance to watch him perform and she refused to miss a second of it.

Harry dazzled as the lights focused in on him, his deep blue and fully sequined suit reflecting the light and turning him into a human disco ball. He stood close to the edge of the stage as the beginning notes of the first song began being played by the band, but he made no move towards his mic stand to sing. His eyes were closed and his arms were outstretched to the audience, taking in every scream, every tear, and the thunderous shake of the building; but also giving himself to them.

Then the show began. As usual, he was electric, but tonight was like he had turned himself up to eleven. Every note he sang was full of his heart and every dance move was done with his entire body, even his bad jokes seemed funnier tonight.

She was so mesmerized she almost forgot about his ‘surprise.’ Almost.

“Since tonight is unfortunately our last show,” he pouted. “I thought I would do something special,” he spoke to the crowd as they roared, but quickly connected his eyes with her’s in the wings. By the smirk plastered on his face, she knew she was in for it.

“I recently found out that someone very close to me was a very big fan of…” he trailed off as he dramatically pretended to search for the right words, “my previous work.” He finished with a smirk and his words prompted the loudest reaction since he had been on stage.

“Now, I told her that she would be coming on stage to join me tonight, but I didn’t exactly tell her what we would be singing and I haven’t performed this song in a very long time, so cut us some slack if we mess up. This is very unrehearsed.” He kept sneaking glances back to her, as her eyes grew wider at the stunt he was currently pulling. “But I know for a fact that she knows all the words. I listen to her sing them in the shower quite often.” He wore a cheeky dimpled grin as he looked back at her once again.

The building was shaking due to the suspense he was creating, and looking down at her hands, she realized she was to. She gripped hard onto the mic a stagehand had just shoved at her, pleading with her hands to stop their tremors.

“Now, I would love it if you could all give another warm welcome to one of my favorite people on the planet, Y/N Y/L/N!” He turned his body to her for a final time, extending his hand out for her to take. Her legs felt like jello as she walked out into the bright lights towards him, interlocking her fingers with his as a way to keep her on her feet.

The audience’s screams were deafening at seeing the two of them together and she thanked god she had her earpieces in to protect her ear drums or they would have surely burst. She could only imagine the articles that would be written about this and the thousands of tweets that were probably already being sent.

“I’m gonna kick your ass,” she mouthed at him threateningly, but she couldn’t even get through the sentence before his dazzling smile began to quell her anxiety.

“The look on your face is 100% worth getting my ass kicked,” he answered smoothly before turning his attention back to the audience. “Everyone, sing along if you know the words,” he commanded their attention. “This is Ready to Run.”

Her jaw dropped and the crowd roared as the band behind her began to play the first few chords of the song she loved and knew so well. She had admitted it a few days ago that it was one of her favorites of his ‘previous work,’ but apparently he already knew that from the few showers she had taken on the tour bus.

“There’s a lightning in your eyes I can’t deny,” he began by himself, her brain still too shocked to jump in yet. He sang the first few lines to her with a giant grin plastered on his face, hand still holding tight to hers. His eyes had a playful glint in them that seemed to say ‘just have fun.’

“There’s a devil in your smile, it’s chasing me,” she finally began to sing, Harry fading his voice out so she could take the next few lines by herself as he admired her.

He did have a devilish smile, but it was one she loved with her entire heart. As she began to sing, she felt her muscles begin to relax into the song she had sung to herself so many times before, letting her body begin to bounce to the growing rhythm as her dress flowed around her.

The stage vibrated as Sarah beat her drums to introduce the chorus. “This time I’m ready to run, escape from the city and follow the sun,” the pair sang together, eyes still locked as their voices combined into the most perfect tune. “Cause I wanna be yours, don’t you wanna be mine?” they continued the lyrics. She felt herself meaning the words leaving her mouth more and more as they went on. She did want to be his, she couldn’t deny that. “I don’t wanna get lost in the dark of the night.”

Her apprehensiveness eased further as the music picked up and the hook went on, finally allowing herself to have a bit of fun. “Wherever you are is the place I belong,” they insisted towards each other, leaning in close before Harry grabbed her hand to dramatically spin her, the beautiful shining fabric of her dress splaying out around her. The next line was mumbled through giggles by both of them, but their laughter only added to the perfect moment they were having.

They danced across the stage together like there weren’t 20,ooo pairs of eyes watching them, both singing their hearts out to each other. It began to feel like they weren’t even there. It was just Y/N and Harry, serenading each other to one of her favorite songs.

“There’s a future in my eyes I can’t foresee,” she sang to him to start the second verse.

“Unless, of course, I stay on course and keep you next to me.” Harry grabbed her by her waist and pulled her into his side as he sang the words, prompting more giggles from her. She loved the way he smiled so wide as he sang, never breaking his eye contact with her and emitting pure joy. His eyes looked honest as he sang, like he meant every word just as much as she did.

The pair made their way through the rest of the verse and second chorus, flawlessly moving around the stage like they owned it. Y/N selfishly decided to let him have the bridge all to himself, needing to hear the way his beautiful voice hit the high notes. “This time I’m ready to run,” he sang passionately, executing the downward moving riff perfectly. “I’d give everything that I got for your love,” he pointed across the stage towards her, beckoning her back close to him. She quickly skipped to him at his request.

Like she had blinked, the song was already nearing its end.

“Cause I wanna be free and I wanna be young, I’ll never look back now I’m ready to run,” they belted the last lines out to each other. The band fell quiet on their last chord and the crowd exploded, but their noise fell on deaf ears as the pair stood so close their heaving chests were almost pressed up against each other. His eyes stared down into hers and she watched as his eyes flickered quickly down to her lips.

The world ceased to exist when he pressed his mouth to hers, even if it only lasted a second. It was nothing more than a peck, but it was everything to her. Her body igniting with heat and eyes full of shock, she looked back at him in simultaneous confusion and adoration, before realizing they had been staring at each other for too long. She needed to get off the stage so he could continue with his show. She walked back slowly towards the wings, letting the hand he had still been holding fall to her side. She waved and smiled to the crowd the best she could in her clouded mind.

“Thank you everyone!” she shouted into her mic as she moved out of their view. She shoved her mic into the first set of hands that would take it as she wobbled her way over to a table with water bottles. She nearly choked as she tried to suck one down, hoping it would ease the dizzy feeling he had created with his lips. Her lips burned just as her forehead had earlier in the night.

He had kissed her. He had sang a love song with her and then he had kissed her. She couldn’t decipher if that kiss was a confirmation that he shared the same feelings for her or if it was just another act for the cameras. But his mouth felt so right against hers. They fit together like a pair of puzzle pieces. She tried to suppress the optimistic hope that rose in her chest, but it began to swallow her whole.

When she heard his next song begin, she made her way back to the spot that had become hers at the side of the stage. She watched him perform the rest of the show in a loving haze, doe eyed and hypnotized, lips still buzzing from his contact.

He gave it his all. By the last song he was out of breath, drenched in sweat, and looked like he was about to pass out at any second. The crowd applauded for minutes after he left the stage and they were still cheering when she finally caught sight of him again. His curls were stuck to his forehead and his skin was shiny and flushed. He was panting, still trying to recover from his workout of a finale show; but he was beaming. His smile seemed to turn him into a beacon, emitting a light and positive energy that drew everyone backstage towards him.

She was so transfixed on Harry as he thanked the crew and accepted congratulations from all around that she just about jumped out of her skin when Jeff slinked up behind her and whispered ‘boo’ in her ear.

“What the fuck, Jeff,” she chuckled as she caught her breath, resting her hand on her chest and feeling her racing heartbeat.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on being half of the best fake couple out there,” he teased. “That kiss was perfect. People are losing their minds over it.”

“Oh,” she said softly, feeling every emotion she was distracted from while watching Harry rush back into her. Her heart sank as she remembered all the questions that continued to haunt her since she got off stage. “Thanks,” she murmured, plastering a smile onto her face. “I’m glad we could make you proud.”

“If you two could convince me, you can convince anyone.” Jeff walked off moments later, leaving her to sit in her confused thoughts as he disappeared into the hoards of bodies waiting for their minute with Harry.

She knew that she didn’t ‘convince’ Jeff of anything on her part. Everything she did with Harry was authentic and truthful. Including the thrilled grin that appeared on her face when she finally made eye contact with the exhausted man across the room. She gave him a shy wave that he sheepishly returned, biting back a shy smile. He pointed in the direction of his dressing room and mouthed “meet me in 15.”

She could never say no to him.

Fifteen minutes later, she was knocking on the large wooden door that had a single piece of paper that read STYLES haphazardly taped onto it. When it finally flew open, she was met by a soaking wet Harry with a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. Her eyes trailed down his body without permission, taking in the toned torso that was decorated with his beautiful tattoos. Her eyes hovered over the two ferns that sat on his pelvis, too fascinated with the dark ink to pull her eyes away just yet.

She had obviously seen him in various states of undress before. They lived together on a tour bus without much space to exist with privacy, but this was different. He wasn’t rushing to get dressed or quickly changing his outfit. And he wasn’t moving away from her gaze at all.

If she hadn’t been so entranced by him, she would have noticed he was looking her up and down in the exact same manner.

She had changed since she had seen him last. The skin-tight black velvet romper she had brought along for the afterparty now fit her snuggly and held her every curve. The dark fabric was tight and appeared almost painted on, a rainbow racing stripe making its way down either side of her chest. The short shorts of the outfit exposed nearly all of her legs and the deep neckline put much of her chest on display as well. It’s long sleeves were her favorite part, as a strip of fringe dangled from below her arms any time she moved.

“You look great,” Harry finally choked out, his voice pulling their eyes back up to the other’s face.

“Oh, thanks,” she said, slightly awkwardly. “You too.”

“Well, I’m hopefully not going to the after party dressed like this,” he chuckled before stepping aside and ushering her into the room.

His dressing room was much larger than hers and she settled herself on the brown leather couch in the corner as she waited for him to get ready, sneaking glances up from her phone often. She chuckled as she watched him spend far too long fussing with his curls in the mirror, but was quickly distracted by the way his back and arms flexed when he reached up to muse his hair. Once he was satisfied with the way it fell, he disappeared into the bathroom at the back of the room. When he emerged, he was finally dressed, allowing her to take a deep breath and to focus on something other than his bare skin for the first time since he had opened the door.

The black satin suit was simple for him, but the tight white tank top that sat underneath hugged every muscle in his torso. She knew as soon as he got in the hot club, he would lose the jacket, and she would be devastatingly distracted once again.

The narcissist took one final look at himself in the mirror before turning to her and extending a hand. “Ready, darling?”

“You just spent 15 minutes exclusively on your hair and you’re asking me if I’m ready?” she teased as she took his hand, weaving her fingers between his as they exited the room together.

He leaned down close to her ear as they walked down the now mostly empty hallway, lips brushing over the hollow of her ear as he spoke. “I could have done it faster, but you were so obviously enjoying the show.”

“Relax yourself, Magic Mike,” she muttered indignantly, but hung her head in a way she hoped he couldn’t see how flustered he made her. Was she really that obvious?

They walked hand in hand out to the parking garage, now caught in a back and forth about whether or not Harry could be a male stripper. He said yes. She said no, although she did admit at one point that he worked his mic stand like a pole.

“Hey Jeff,” he called when they finally reached the parking garage where Jeff and Glenne had been waiting for them to head to the club. “Do you think I could be a stripper?”

“I think people would pay a lot to see it, but they may be disappointed in your dancing skills.”

“Come on,” he playfully whined. “I have some moves.”

“You have one move,” Y/N cut in with a chuckle, “and it’s the wiggle.” She brought her hands up near her chest, tilted her head back while dramatically biting her lip, and swayed her arms by her sides, earning a chorus of laughter from the people around her.

She hadn’t even realized she had done the move without releasing Harry’s hand first, dragging his arm into her dance as well, until their manager commented on it. “You know, you two don’t have to be holding hands all the time and keeping the show up back here,” he said with a slightly suspicious quirk in his eyebrows.

Her smile had been in the process of fading, like they had been caught doing something wrong, before Harry answered smoothly. “We know. Just practicing.”

There were those words again. Just practicing, she thought over to herself. But was he practicing anymore? How many flirty comments, heartfelt compliments, and warm touches did it take to cross the line of practicing to the real thing?

She wasn’t sure about Harry, but she knew that she wasn’t just practicing anymore.

She knew that the way they sat nearly on top of each other in the large SUV on the way to the club felt more than friendly. And the way he hadn’t stopped touching her in some way since they left his dressing room insinuated far more than something with business-like intentions. And the way he looked at her everytime he caught her eye the entire way to the club, always with a bright smile and adoring gaze that she always returned, pulled at her heartstrings far more than they should have if this was all an act.

A sloppy and cheeky grin settled almost permanently on his features after he had a few drinks in him, his arms moving in a lazy and fluid manner as she took in his many tattoos that he had exposed when he ditched his jacket (just like she knew he would). His butterfly was visible through the tight ribbed fabric of the white tank top and the little birds that peaked out from underneath seemed to be inviting her even closer to him in her now inebriated state.

All she wanted to do was to connect her lips with his as she watched him make conversation with someone from his management, entranced by the way his perfect mouth moved as he spoke. She once again craved the shocks of electricity that were created between them at the contact and could not stop thinking about it no matter how hard she tried. The protective hand that had settled onto her hip and continued to hold her close to his body just wasn’t enough anymore.

The pair had been drinking far too much; martinis turning into vodka sodas that had turned into straight tequila shots. She believed it was tequila shot four that did her in. The last thing she remembered was licking the line of salt off the back of her hand, downing the shot, and being entranced by Harry’s eyes as she bit down on the slice of lime he held carefully with his jeweled fingers.  

***

The next morning, Y/N woke up in a hotel room that she didn’t recognize with a pounding headache and a swirling gut. It felt like she had been hit with a truck and she could barely pick her head up off the pillow.

She had so many questions about what had happened the night before. Where was she? Who let her drink that much? Whose clothes was she wearing? But most of all, what the hell happened after that fourth shot?

But she realized the worst was yet to come when she heard soft snoring coming from beside her. She knew that snoring well. It was the snoring that kept her up half the night for the last two months and the one that had almost driven her to suffocating her bus-mate in his sleep; the snoring that matched the crumbled black suit she just noticed in a ball on the floor.

It took every ounce of strength in her body to pull herself from the pillow and turn around in the bed to have her suspicions confirmed.

There he was.

His dark long eyelashes were fluttered down across the tops of his cheeks and his hair was going in every direction, skin clammy like his body was trying to rid itself of all the poison he had ingested the night before. The crumpled comforter was pushed down his stomach, his bare skin holding a sheen that helped define every dip or curve of his muscles and the tiniest bit of the band of his boxers peaked out to assure her that he at least wasn’t fully naked next to her.

Why were they in bed together? And why did he look so good? Oh my god, she thought as a possibility dawned on her. Did we sleep together?

“Harry,” she murmured softer than she intended, voice scratchy and mouth dry. The soreness at the back of her throat clued her into the copious amounts of screaming she must have done last night. He didn’t stir at her gentle coaxing, the light streaming through the windows making him look angelic as it covered him in a blanket of soft light while he continued to sleep.

It was a hard nudge to his chest that finally made him open his eyes, immediately releasing a groan she was sure she made when she regained consciousness too. He looked at her puzzled, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he propped himself up on his elbows. He took an equally confused look around the hotel room before looking back at her. She watched as the gears slowly turned in his head until his eyes opened wide and he spring up into a sitting position to mirror hers.

“We didn’t,” he whispered hopefully. “Oh my god, did we?” he asked, a look of horror crossing his face that matched her own.

“I have no idea,” she anxiously replied. “I was hoping you would know!”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“The last thing I remember was doing tequila shots with you.”

“I remember those.” He rubbed his eyes hard like it would somehow jog his memory. His eyebrows knit together, buried in thought as he searched his brain for a timeline. “I can follow the night up until we did karaoke.”

“We did karaoke?” she repeated incredulously and was met with a somber nod. “Do I even want to know what we sang?”

He shook his head slowly, shame clear on his face, before he finally mumbled. “We did ‘It’s Raining Men.’”

“Oh my god, no,” she whined, holding her head in her hands and rubbing her temples. There were surely videos of them sloppily singing on top of a bar circulating online and she wasn’t sure how Jeff would be able to spin that one in a positive light.

“Where’s your phone?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eye as he reached for his own. “Maybe there’s something on there that can clue us in.” It took her a moment but she finally spotted it on the ground in the corner of the room. She said a silent prayer that it wasn’t dead or broken.

Forcing her heavy limbs out from under the covers she made her way towards the device, but not before she heard a confused sound coming from Harry. “How did you get my clothes?”

Looking down at herself and taking in the red lettering that read But Daddy I Love Him across her chest, it clicked that the t-shirt and baggy basketball shorts were his. But how they hell did she get into them?

“I think we’ve established at this point that I don’t know anything that happened after about midnight, Harry.” Her words came out laced with slight frustration. She hoped he knew she wasn’t annoyed with him, just their situation.

“Just a question, princess.”

She ignored his quip and began to search through her texts, call history, and photos, hoping to find anything at all that could help trace their steps through the night. She found nothing but a few selfies of them still at the club. One was the pair casually smiling, the next was one of him kissing her on the cheek that made her skin warm, but the final one made her snort out a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“I have a picture on my phone of you with two martini olives shoved up your nose,” she spoke through hysterical laughter. “Definitely birthday post material if you ask me.”

“Let me see,” he demanded with an adorable scowl.

She passed her phone over to him, still letting a few chuckles fall past her lips. “I’m gonna change your name in my phone to ‘Olive Nose Styles.”

“You're cruel.”

“You’re the one that put olives up his nose and then posed for a picture!”

“Whatever,” he grumbled, turning attention back to his own screen to continue his investigation. “There’s nothing of use on my phone either.”

The two flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling in the frustrated confusion. There was so much of their night that had gone up into smoke, completely unaccounted for with no clues as to what they did. Each traced their steps over and over again in their heads as they hoped desperately for a single detail that would lead them down a path to bigger memories, but it never came.

“Are we going to have to call Jeff and ask him what happened?” she finally murmured.

“I think so.”

“He’s going to put us both in client timeout, isn’t he?”

“We’re probably already there,” he groaned as he picked up his phone and hit Jefe Jeff-e in his contact list, putting the call on speaker and resting it on his still bare chest. The man on the other end picked up almost immediately.

“Morning Sleeping Beauty, I was wondering when I was going to hear from you.”

“Hi Jeff,” he groggily started then stopped, searching for the words that would make this all less uncomfortable. “Y/N and I have some questions about last night.”

Jeff let out a strained chuckle. “Yeah, that doesn’t really surprise me after last night’s bar bill.”

“Um,” Harry hummed, stammering but unable to form any real words.

“You sing about sex for a living,” she hissed at the man next to her before yanking the phone off his chest. “Jeff,” she started, taking over the conversation for them both. “Do you know if we slept together?”

“Probably not. You both were pretty unconscious when I put you in the hotel room.” His words prompted a massive sigh from both of them, looking to each other to share a relieved smile.

“Oh thank god,” they mumbled in unison.

“Jinx,” he smirked under his breath, prompting a ‘shut up’ from her.

“How did I get into Harry’s clothes?”

“I stopped by the tour bus when I realized you two probably shouldn’t be trusted not to roll out of your top bunks. I got you some clothes to sleep in before we took you guys to the hotel.”

“But why Harry’s?”

It was Jeff’s term to get squirmy. “I felt weird going through your things.”

“But you were perfectly fine with going through mine?” Harry asked, only half joking.

“Absolutely,” he deadpanned. They were all quiet for a moment before Jeff began again. “You two really don’t remember anything else that happened?”

“Everything after about two is unaccounted for,” she confessed.

“Oh,” Jeff chuckled. “So, you don’t remember when you stuck your tongues down each other’s throats on the ride home?”

Fuck.

Her eyes raced up to Harry’s from the phone she had been staring at like it held all the secrets of the night before. His easily readable features displayed all his emotions that surely matched hers. His pupils had grown in surprise, taking over nearly all the green in his wide eyes, and an embarrassed blush tinted his cheeks in a red hot flush that had reached the tips of his ears. His eyes flashed to the blank wall in front of them, running a stressed hand through his curls, like if he wasn’t looking at her, he would be able to focus better on the newly revealed information.

She couldn’t say that she didn’t relate. Her mind often went blank when she looked at him too. But right now, it was racing, occupied by anxious thoughts and intense emotions she couldn’t quite place, but felt with her entire being.

Her inevitable downward spiral was interrupted when Harry stiffly cleared his throat. “Uh,” he started, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. “We’ll see you later.”

“Sounds good, love birds,” Jeff replied, a clear snark apparent in his voice. Neither of the pair dignified his teasing with a response, Y/N quickly ending the call.

Silence hung heavy in the air and she let her eyes hover over the phone for too long when she settled it down on the bed, unwilling to connect her eyes with his just yet. Harry always had a way of staring into her and revealing all her cards to him before she even knew them herself. She wanted to hold them close to her chest for a moment, protecting the heart that longed for him more than anything else in the world.

There were no words exchanged between the two for a while as they silently took turns in the bathroom and occupied their hands and thoughts by their phones. They walked on eggshells anytime one neared the other. A tension like this hadn’t existed since the very first day they met, the first day they had begun to pretend.

Maybe that's why Harry was being so quiet. Maybe he never wanted to cross that line of pretending like she did. Maybe she had been blinded by his generally friendly personality and tricked herself into thinking there was anything more than a charade between them. Maybe last night really was just a drunken mistake, no matter how much she wanted it to be more.

“Maybe it’s a good thing that we don’t remember what happened last night,” she finally murmured from the opposite end of the room. She rested the side of her still heavy head and muscles against the wall, arms crossed in front of her as if they could keep her safe from the tension they had created. Her fingers nervously played with the hem of his t-shirt she was still dressed in.

“Why is it a good thing?” he almost immediately responded from the chair on the other side of the room he had settled himself into, running his hands along the satin pants of last night’s outfit he had put back on during their awkward shuffling around the room. He had even put physical space between them since they found out what happened, causing her heart to feel as if it was teetering on the edge of disintegrating.

“Well,” she stuttered, refusing to look at him and continuing to pick at her nail polish. “We’re just pretending so it would be weird if we really remembered it.”

“I don’t think it would be weird.”

“I don’t know,” she tried to maneuver her way around his response. “It might just be embarrassing to think about it.”

He let out a long and frustrated sigh, running his hands down his face. There was so much going on behind his eyes and she wished he would say something, anything, to break down the wall that hadn’t existed between them in months that was slowly reappearing.

“Do you regret it?” he asked bluntly, the abrupt question shocking her body to attention. “Do you regret any of this? Any of us?”

Did she regret drinking too much? Yes. Did she regret making out with him in front of their manager? Yes. Did she regret denying her feelings and pretending they didn’t exist for so long? Of course. But, did she regret falling in love with him? Never, not even for a second.

“No, I don’t,” she let out with a gentle shake of her head, no louder than a whisper.

“Neither do I.”

The words had barely left his lips before he crossed the room and crashed them into hers. The same fire she had felt on stage returned ten times over as his lips moved smoothly over hers, every neuron in her body lighting up like a switchboard. Her fingers reached up to curl into his hair and pull his lips impossibly closer to hers as her heart hammered in her chest with a passionate love she had kept under wraps for so long.

He tasted like the spicy peppermint toothpaste the hotel stocked in the bathroom and smelled like the tiny bottles of shampoo that rested on the side of the bathtub; but there was so much else about him that was completely unique–wholly irreplaceable and indescribable. He was just Harry.

Teeth clashed, lips were bitten, and hair was pulled as they took in every sensation the other created. His lips had been the only thought that captivated her mind since they were on stage the night before and her return to them did not disappoint. If her head wasn’t dizzy and her lungs not screaming at her for air, she would have stayed in that moment forever

When they finally disconnected, they stood against each other in a heaving and disheveled mess of heavy breathing and adoringly dazed smiles. She swore she could feel the pounding of his heart under her fingertips that rested on his chest.

“That was nice,” he eventually murmured down at her through heavy breaths, a love drunk grin finding its way onto his swollen lips.

“Yeah, I agree,” she hummed breathlessly, her anxious thoughts quiet and calm for the first time she could remember since she met him.

“I’m kind of disappointed I don’t remember doing that the first time,” he chuckled softly at her, shaking his head lightly in embarrassment with his pink tinged cheeks on full display.

“That’s okay. We were ‘just practicing’ then, right?” A giggle left her lips as she used the words against him. The same words he had used every time they let a glimpse of their true affections for each other slip past their guarded and friendly facade.

His dimples were exposed when he smiled a giant grin and let out a knowing huff, piecing together that she had caught onto his trail of excuses. “Yeah, just practicing,” he repeated softly, before his tone turned sincere and genuine. “I don’t want us to pretend anymore.”

“Good,” she said softly as her fingers slid up his neck to beckon his lips back down to hers. “I never was.”

“Neither was I.” She watched a soft smirk appear on his lips as they hovered over hers. “Do you want to keep not practicing?”

“Depends,” she quipped, lips brushing over his as she spoke. “Am I better kisser than Taylor Swift?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!! REBLOGS AND FEEDBACK MEAN THE WORLD!!! 

An extra for our babies can be found here!

[ahundredtimesover]

Inevitable (03) | JJK

Pairing: Jungkook x (f.) Reader (ft. ot6)

Genre/Tags: exes au, parents au, baseball player!JK; angst, fluff, smut (18+)

Series Warnings: foul language, alcohol consumption, minor character death, explicit sexual content in future chapters (oral, unprotected/protected sex but be safe please!)

Chapter Word count: 7.7k

Summary: You convinced Jungkook to break up years ago so he could pursue his lifelong baseball dream. Now he’s back home, staring at you, and the little boy next to you who looks unmistakably like him.

A/N: I do love me some angst but I enjoy writing soft moments just as much. I hope you enjoy this one, too! Thank you for the appreciation for this story :) Also, you can message me if you want to be part of the taglist (or if I missed tagging you)!

Series Masterlist || Previous || Next

##

The place that Jungkook chose is a little French cafe that has a light and airy feel to it, and you think it’ll help Jungwon feel a little less intimated. There also aren’t many people around, which is surprising for a Saturday brunch hour. 

You make out the table far back, by the glass window where you can see the flowers outside. Next to Jungkook is Jin, then Namjoon and Ara. The empty seats reserved for you and Jungwon are those in front of Jungkook and beside him.

You approach them, with everyone except for Jungkook - who just nods at you - standing up to give you a hug, with Jin spending more time than usual. With everything that’s happened, you didn’t realize how much you’ve missed your friends, too. They were collaterals of this whole ordeal; now you’re glad that you feel like starting over with them as well.

Jungwon stands behind you, arms wrapped around your waist when Jin comes close. He’s an unfamiliar face so it’s natural for the little one to be shy and hide behind you, like what he usually does, but he loosens up when you talk to him and make him feel comfortable, so you excuse yourself because you want him to feel comfortable around Jungkook.

You find an empty chair by the wall and sit Jungwon there.

“Hey sweetcheeks, we’re going to meet some of Mama’s friends, okay? They’re new people but they’re very kind and funny,” you say, kneeling down in front of him. 

You get the brown backpack he’s wearing and take out his stuffed elephant, one of his many playmates that he likes to bring around. You place Mr. Choochoo in his arms, explain to him what you’ll do and that he can have some sweets later. 

“Okay, Mama. I want some cookies,” he says in his tiny voice. 

You tell him you’ll order some and pinch his cheeks, then you kiss his forehead, causing him to giggle, and you kiss him some more because you know this also makes him feel relaxed. 

Jungkook watches from afar, the pang on his chest reminding him of the time lost, and he wonders if he’ll ever be like that with his own son. Jungwon is at a critical stage where trust is being developed, and Jungkook wants to be someone whom his son can trust. 

The feeling in his chest grows as you approach them again. You give him a smile and help seat Jungwon next to his father.

“You remember the other day when you broke your airplane? Someone fixed it for you, right?” You ask.

Jungwon nods, eyes still focused on you.

“Good, because he’s here. Look,” you say, pointing to Jungkook. “He’s the kind man who helped you.”

Jungwon turns and looks at Jungkook, who returns his curious gaze with a grin. The little one is probably familiarizing himself with the man in front of him, as he nods and shyly smiles. 

“Hi, buddy. I’m Jungkook,” he says and waves. “What’s your name?”

“Jungwon,” he whispers.

“How old are you?”

He responds by raising his hand to show four fingers. 

“And when’s your birthday?”

“July 6!” Right as he answers, it registers to him, causing him to beam, the kind that reaches his cheeks and Jungkook’s heart is soaring. And just like that, the pang in his chest is gone.

You mirror Jungwon’s smile, knowing that’s enough of an icebreaker. He’s a sensitive kid who remembers kindness, and that day at the grocery, he saw it in Jungkook. You could chalk it up to some father-son connection if you like, but you also know that Jungwon tends to gravitate towards other gentle people, too.

The brunch goes surprisingly well, with Namjoon directing the conversations, knowing that it would still take some time to really settle into what was once familiar. 

Days like this used to be a weekly engagement filled with jokes and unfiltered comments and hand holding between you and Jungkook, but everyone seems to be careful, reserved, almost unsure, like the glass will break at any wrong move. 

Perhaps you’re all just giving this time for both father and son to be familiar and comfortable with each other. You know it will take a while but it’s something you don’t mind at all. 

Jin is talking about his recent trip to Japan and his new ideas for another restaurant and you’re engrossed in his stories, until soft laughter catches your attention. 

You turn to Jungwon, who’s laughing at Jungkook as he uses the macarons for eyes and makes weird faces, the latter pulling the sweets apart into smaller pieces and giving them to Jungwon who easily chews them. He offers Jungkook pieces of his cookies too, who dramatically devours them.

“My cookies!” Jungwon giggles.

You soften at the sight and excuse yourself before tears pour out and you will yourself to get it together in the washroom. You knew it was going to be a heartwarming proper meeting of the two but you weren’t ready for that kind of moment. 

For all his shyness, Jungwon seems to be really comfortable with Jungkook, who’s doing so well, too, letting your child take the lead, not forcing anything, and being his usual sweet self. 

Soon enough, brunch is over and you inform them of having to leave right away to make it to Jungwon’s dentist appointment in time. You place him in the car seat and turn to Jungkook, who’s now able to properly look at you, probably for the first time this whole day.

He opens his mouth to say something but his eyes lock in on your neck instead, a familiar piece of jewelry gracing the delicate feature. He stills and you’re confused, until you realize he’s looking at the necklace you’re wearing, the one with the moon and stars that he’d given you on your first year anniversary. 

He told you that it was because you light his darkest nights and you squirmed at the cheesiness, smacking his arm and threatening him of getting rid of it if he ever spewed disgusting shit like that again. He loved that reaction, but deep down, you both knew that he was telling the truth. 

It was that piece of him you could keep to yourself, one you didn’t have to share nor explain to anyone else. Out of everything you kept of your time together, the necklace was the only thing that didn’t make you break down every time.

You keep your thoughts at bay then nod at him and ask him what he meant to say.

“I’d really like to do this more,” he utters, eyes on your face now. “And not just on weekends. Whenever we can work out a schedule, that would be great. I mean, he and I have so much to—“

“Of course, Jungkook,” you cut him off, knowing he meant to say that there’s so much time to make up for and you don’t want today’s meeting to end on that note. “Let’s work something out, I’m sure Jungwon would love that, too.”

You exchange numbers, as well as awkward smiles, like you’re some teenagers saying goodbye on their first date. It’s a little refreshing though - way better than the last time when he was shouting and crying in front of you. 

Any passerby may think it’s the makings of a romantic relationship, but if they only knew. You loved this man, and quite frankly, you’re unsure if you ever stopped.

“I’ll see you again, yeah?” You finally say.

“Okay then. I’ll see you.”

**

It’s not lost on you and Jungkook that you’re both on very unfamiliar territory. 

During your time together, you’d had moments wherein you weren’t particularly fond of each other or weren’t in the mood yet had been comfortable in the silence. The tension was never overwhelming and you just let the moment pass until all was good again. 

The longest fight you had lasted for 3 days. Yoongi called for a celebratory dinner over his song making it to the top of the charts and you were ignoring Jungkook, who sat next to you talking to your other friends. 

It was  an hour later when he eventually pulled you in a hug, and whispered that he missed you and won’t be drinking banana milk for a whole week as punishment for accidentally deleting your entire midterm paper. You caved in then, laughed and deemed it punishment enough, and spent the rest of the night working on said paper in your dorm, a behaved Jungkook playing mobile games next to you.

When it came to both of you, no silence was too loud, no conversation was ever unwanted, and no moment was ever too tense and uncomfortable. 

Except for that time in your apartment. 

And maybe now, when you’re both seated in front of each other, Jungwon to your left and of all times, decided that he just has to finish coloring the butterfly from his art class. There are two seats that have been empty the past 15 minutes, and you and Jungkook have been engulfed in the most awkward silence there is, even with the background chatter of the restaurant you’re in.

Days after the brunch and official meet up almost two weeks ago, Jungkook had asked to grab dinner - you picked up Jungwon from daycare after you were off at 6PM and headed to the restaurant with Taehyung in tow, only to find Jimin accompanying his best friend. Two days later, the same thing happened, only with Namjoon and Jin that time. 

The Sunday after that, you had both Namjoon and Taehyung with you - because your brother wouldn’t confirm immediately and you needed a backup - as you and Jungwon walked to the park, only to find Jin and Jimin there as well. Everyone, of course, burst out laughing but neither you nor Jungkook found it funny. 

“What are we, your chaperones?” Jin had asked then, laughing at the whole situation upon realizing what you and Jungkook had both been up to, calling up friends to join you on the weekly father-and-son dates. “You’re both adults who can very well manage conversations, don’t you think?” Jin continued.

You and Jungkook had shyly stolen glances at each other, nervous to be caught looking at the other’s reaction, because Jin had been right. You can only wonder what Jungkook's reasons are but you were calling them up to accompany you because you don’t actually know how to carry a conversation with Jungkook anymore. 

You don’t know what to say that isn’t an apology, you’re nervous to talk about Jungwon and make Jungkook feel bad again for how much he’s missed out on, and you can’t really talk about yourself because this isn’t about you - it’s about your son and the relationship he needs to develop with his father.

Never mind the feeling of longing, of the curiosity over what made Jungkook come home, of the interest in his life in the US and how he’s been doing. 

Never mind that you want to hug him because everything has been overwhelming and Jungkook always knew how to make you feel better with his hugs and caresses. You don’t have that right anymore, you think. You don’t have the right to ask about his life after you broke his heart, you don’t have the right to miss him, nor to get to know him all over again. 

You need your brother and your best friend not just to carry conversations but also as support when you feel weak, as you observe Jungwon be so natural around his father. 

Jungkook had only introduced himself by his name but Jungwon had taken to calling him Cookie Monster since their moment during that first brunch. No uncle, no anything, and you hope it stays that way. 

Jungkook had also been bringing different brands of chocolate milk and you’d overheard him describe the taste and texture like a 4 year old would understand, and Jungwon had been asking you to buy each brand that Jungkook had introduced. 

You'd heard him ask your son about his favorite animals, what he likes to eat when he’s sad or happy, and what his favorite bedtime stories are. You’d felt your heart balloon in size at this, how careful and thoughtful Jungkook still is, how gentle and caring, and how careful, seeing as he stops himself from ruffling Jungwon’s hair or engulfing him in a hug. 

You felt like crying when you’d seen your son answer every question with enthusiasm then ask Jungkook the same things, too, and even more when he finishes coloring and tugs Jungkook to ask if he likes it.

It’s those moments that break and hold you up at the same time. It hurts to be reminded of what you deprived them of but it’s also comforting to see how natural everything has been for them. 

Jungwon is shy but gravitates towards those he connects with, that he feels comfortable around, people who are like him. It’s why he’s very fond of Taehyung, and why he runs to Namjoon to be carried on his shoulder or to be tossed in the air because your brother may be serious yet clumsy but he’s careful and gentle when it comes to your son.

You used to think that if you hadn’t been a single parent, Jungwon wouldn’t be as close to you, seeing your lack of gentleness. You’d only learned to be so because you’d treated him like a fragile being, out of the fear of what would’ve happened if the fetal distress wasn’t detected as early as it was. If anything, your son has taught you to be more tender, affectionate, more loving.

You cried so many nights in the room you shared with him, and you wanted to believe that his lack of crying as an infant was because he was giving you the time and space for it, that it was okay. He was quiet, barely caused trouble, and you also believed it was his way of telling you that you can depend on him not to make things too hard, too. You’d held him so tightly every night as he grew older, and he learned to do the same. 

In the moments that he'd caught you breaking down because of work or other things, he’d climb on your lap and hug and kiss you until you stopped crying. Like that one time when you randomly went on social media and saw the engagement rumors between Jungkook and Korean-American model-actress Maia Park. It was two years ago. It’s what also convinced you to finally, finally let Jungkook go and move on. 

Jungwon hugged you until he fell asleep, and you hugged him even tighter, as the hope of you three being a complete family died that day. Since then, you’d stopped checking social media and stopped religiously following the Dodgers’ games, only using them as background noise since Jungwon somehow found throwing and hitting balls amusing. Like father, like son, you used to think. 

You don’t realize you’d reminisced again until your phone beeps, the same time as Jungkook’s does. You’ve been in this restaurant for over 15 minutes and your friends are never late.

“Jimin says that he was asked to stay for costume fitting,” Jungkook says, reading the text message.

“Taehyung says that he tripped on a block and ended up splashing the entire paint can he was holding on his wall and it looks like the shape of a pretty tree and now he’s filled with inspiration and wants to repaint it,” you say in one breath, causing Jungkook to laugh at your deep exhale after.

“Hmm, very original,” he says.

“Very Taehyung, you mean. At least Jimin’s excuse is more believable,” you answer back.

“Well, they pulled the stops tonight, didn’t they? Reminds me of that time when Yoongi treated all of us because his song topped the charts. He said that he actually just had a minimal role and that wasn’t a cause for a celebration,” Jungkook shrugs. “You’d been mad at me for days and I kept complaining so they admitted setting it up so we could see each other.”

“Are you serious? All this time? I was so proud of Yoongi for that, kept bragging to my friends that he was big time because of that song,” you laugh, willing your heart to not go overboard with its beating because the most that Jungkook has spoken to you when he wasn’t angry, it’s to recall a memory of you together. 

“Well, they tricked us then but they’re very transparent right now.”

You laugh again and you pinch yourself for overreacting to not-so-funny statements. You hate that even after all this time, Jungkook still makes you feel giddy. Now, there’s just an added desire for him to pay attention, for you to impress him, a complete opposite of how you started years ago.

It’s silent for a while, and you and Jungkook turn to Jungwon at the same time, probably thinking the same thing that the kid will be your distraction but his eyes have been focused on the butterfly, and he’s not budging. Not even when you ask how he’s doing because he just replies with a hum and you know that’s code for don’t disturb me, I’m busy. 

“We should order,” Jungkook finally says, and it takes another couple of minutes before you both decide on what you’ll have. 

With no other source of distraction, Jungkook settles on making the first move.

“So… how are things? How’s work?” He asks, sipping on his glass of water like it’s the tastiest thing in the world.

“Good. I, uhm, work for an events management company so we do parties, fundraisers, bazaars, things like that. It’s a lot of work but my boss is very kind and lets me take some days off to compensate for working on weekends and stuff,” you respond, willing yourself to be more comfortable.

“Oh, so it’s not the marketing firm anymore, that’s great. Namjoon said you worked over 12 hours then and I can’t imagine how tiring that must be.”

“You talked to my brother… about me?” You ask, trying not to read into it much. You assumed they only talked about meeting Jungwon, but Namjoon never mentioned anything more and you wonder why.

“Yeah, I just, uh…” Jungkook stammers, trying to come up with an excuse but he knows you’ll see right through him.

“I just asked how things were for you during uh, the pregnancy, and after.”

“Why?”

“I just wanted to know if there were any issues with Jungwon’s birth, you know? Wanted to know if he got everything he needed…”

You wince at the insinuation that you wouldn’t make sure that Jungwon would get everything he needed and Jungkook picks up on this and tries to save himself before it’s too late, before you think he’s an asshole for making such an assumption.

“I mean, of course he did. Not that I don’t think you didn’t make sure he got the best of everything.”

“I tried my best, Jungkook, and you’ve spent time with Jungwon. He’s doing well, I’d like to think that has much to do with how I raised him,” you say, your tone a mix of sadness and anger. You never had to defend yourself for how you raised your child, especially not to his father. But you also can’t blame Jungkook, especially when you’re the one who didn’t make him a part of your son’s life. 

“I know, he’s such a smart and kind child. I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t do your best. That came out wrong, I’m sorry,” he says, and you believe him. “I guess I just wanted to ask if there was anything lacking or that needed extra attention so I’d know what to compensate for, like medical bills or vitamins or other things?” 

He’s right, and it makes sense. It definitely has nothing to do with him asking how you were doing, how the pregnancy and the aftermath was like for you. 

“What about school? Other activities like sports or art clubs? Maybe he’s into music, we can enroll him in—”

“Jungkook…”

“Please don’t tell me not to help financially because you know I will. Not just because I’m obligated to but because I want to,” he sighs.

“Yeah, I guess we need to talk about that…” You say nervously.

“I can cover everything he needs. Does he need to switch to a better school? He’ll be in primary school next year, right? Are there other toys he wants? Maybe I can—“

“I’m doing perfectly fine in providing those, Jungkook. He doesn’t need ‘more’ or ‘better.’”

“I’m not saying you aren’t, I’m just saying I can help so that…”

He holds your gaze, knowing he can’t make you feel like he’s antagonizing you. When he asked Namjoon what you went through, he admits he wanted to feel some form of pity, as if to mask or replace the overwhelming feeling of pain and anger. Anything would’ve been better than those. 

After that, the feeling turned to sadness, to helplessness, like defeat, knowing there was nothing he could’ve done to make it easier for you, to make you understand that you didn’t have to do it all by yourself just because you made a decision all on your own.

Having spent even just a short amount of time with Jungwon, he knows that his son was very much loved, was given all the best things in the world and that’s because of you - you who refused to give him less, you who worked so hard and gave everything you could, running on the sheer amount of love you have for your child even if things were difficult. Jungkook doesn’t want you to feel alone, especially in providing for Jungwon. 

What Namjoon said hit him, how you only ever asked help if it was about your son, but never when it was about you. Jungkook knows you still wouldn’t, so he’ll make sure to ease the financial burden, the worry, the stress, the amount of time you spend taking care of your child that’s taken away from the time you spend taking care of yourself. 

Because he’s noticed - he’s noticed the bags under your eyes, the slight shaking of your hands that’s probably from the excessive amount of caffeine intake, your work phone that constantly buzzes even when you’re off the clock, your consumption of sodas that signifies your heightened stress. 

There’s a droopiness to your face, a mark of tiredness that’s laid permanent residence in your whole being. He doesn’t even wanna ask when the last time you had proper rest was. 

“I’m saying I can and want to help so you can have time for yourself, too,” he continues. “So you won’t feel the need to clock in extra hours or take extra jobs, so you can have actual time of not worrying about anything. I mean, kids can sense if their parents are stressed and they can acquire that...”

Your eyes widen at his statement again, causing him to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration because he’s really not saying this the way he wants to, but then he also doesn’t know how to tell you these things without him sounding like he believes you’re not good enough for Jungwon. Because you are, more than he can imagine. 

“I’m terrible at this,” Jungkook says.

But you laugh. You laugh because he looks stressed and worried over what he’s telling you but you get him. Mad as he was a few weeks ago, you know he’d never harbor such terrible feelings towards you to the point of doubting your capabilities as a mother. 

You wish he means more, though, but you settle for this. He will help in all ways he can because he doesn’t want you to be too stressed out. Jungwon is at the age where he can pick these things up; your habits are things he can acquire and you don’t want that.

“It’s okay, I understand,” you smile, and it’s the softest one you’ve given Jungkook since he’s arrived. 

“Jungwon will be starting primary school next year so there’s this kindergarten I saw; they balance the learning with the arts really well and they do a lot of field trips and I think it’s a good transition to first grade.”

“That sounds really good. So that’s where you plan to enroll him this fall?”

“Yeah. It’s private though, and it’s affiliated with the primary school I was hoping to enroll him in next year, that’s also private. I was gonna get a loan from the bank and—”

“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. I can take care of his fees in kindergarten and daycare too, if you don’t mind.”

“That’s too much, Jungkook.”

“It’s not. You’ve worked too hard the past 5 years. You can take care of the other essentials because you know him best. Let me take care of the others, and vitamins too and check ups and stuff. Please.”

He’s insistent and you know he won’t budge. You also know it’s his right and obligation to do all this.

“Okay, then. Whatever I save can go to his college fund.”

“Which I’ll also be contributing to…”

“Yes, that’s correct,” you smile. 

The food arrives and the silence isn’t as suffocating. It’s a first step, deciding on the financial aspect of raising your child. You know there are many others, but there’s definitely one very important one to discuss.

Jungkook clears his throat and peeks at Jungwon who’s busy with his stew, mindless of the others around him, with you constantly wiping his cheeks and reminding him to drink his water. You turn to Jungkook with a curious gaze.

“When can we uh, tell him about me?”

Of course. When will you tell your son that Cookie Monster is actually his father? 

“Oh, uhm. Well. He’s definitely comfortable around you already. But I think it’ll take some more time. I don’t wanna rush him because it’s big news since it’s just been me and his uncle Taehyung and uncle Namjoon for a long time and…”

“No one else?”

“What do you mean, no one else? I mean of course there’s Jimin but they don’t see each other as much and…”

“You know what I mean,” he says softly, as if he doesn’t want to directly say it.

“Oh. Uhm. Well, I dated someone before but like, it wasn’t—“

“Did he want to be Jungwon’s father? Did Jungwon like him?”

“I don’t introduce men I go out with to Jungwon, Jungkook. I mean, the men know I have a son but I never introduce them.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you need to ask? It’s only you. It’s always just gonna be you.” 

“Has he asked about… me?”

“Just twice. He’s curious but he doesn’t dwell on it.”

Jungkook just nods, taking everything in.

“I always planned on telling you, Jungkook. I hope you know that. I just needed the right time, and I had to figure it out especially after your en…” You pause, hoping not to open this can of worms because things are already going well.

“My what?”

“Your supposed engagement with…”

“Those were rumors, ___. We were never engaged, never planned on it,” he corrects.

“So you two aren’t…?”

“We broke up over a year ago.”

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding in.

“Relieved?” He smirks.

“Just thought that, you know, Jungwon will have another mother and he’ll call her like, Mommy or Mother or something and she might be more fun and gorgeous and—“

“Hey,” Jungkook interrupts your rambling. He chooses not to comment on your now glassy eyes, which stare at his hand that’s found itself on top of yours. He immediately removes it and calls for you to look at him.

“That’s not happening, okay? And if I did marry someone else, that woman will just be a stepmother by name. You’re Jungwon’s mother, the only one. No one will be more fun and gorgeous in his eyes, you got that?”

“Yeah,” you mumble. “Thank you.”

You decide to dial it back before your thoughts go elsewhere. “But going back to your question, let’s play it by ear, is that okay? He’s very attentive so he’ll maybe ask more about you one day. I also don’t want to rush him.”

“Sure, I mean. I don’t wanna scare him away too. We’ve been making progress.”

“I know! He’s very natural around you.”

“Doesn’t mind me when he’s coloring or eating, though,” Jungkook pouts.

“You’re not alone in that,” you laugh. “This one time, he was coloring this picture of a unicorn and I was trying to get his attention because it had been a long day and I wanted a hug and he shushed me and told me to be quiet. Like, this little kid really shushed me, huh?”

“Is he really as sweet as we believe him to be?” Jungkook laughs.

“Actually, when he was finished, he went to my lap and hugged and kissed me, told me not to be sad anymore.”

“Okay I’ll never doubt him again,” he smiles.

“And then there was one time, I baked muffins and I asked him to try so he was nibbling the edges, then the crown. And he was taking his time! And I kept asking if it was good and he was just humming until there was just the center left that had some chocolate custard and he ate it in one bite and was just smiling at me then…”

You pause at Jungkook’s longing smile, the kind where he’s happy but also wishes he’d been there.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t…”

“No, no. Please. I wanna hear these stories. Don’t hold back. Don’t mind how I react,” Jungkook explains. “At least I won’t have to imagine how he was like growing up.”

Your heart warms at this, at the shift from the angry man the other week to one who’s now softening at the stories of your son, something that’s making you feel a hundred times better. 

Jungkook meant it when he said that he just wants to focus on what happens next. He’s spent so many sleepless nights thinking about the night of the break up, what went wrong, how different things would be, all the what if’s in your relationship, and in his relationship with his son. 

He has let himself feel all the negative emotions towards you and he didn’t like it, didn’t like that he could feel all that for the woman who’d been his world, his light, the love of his life. He doesn’t want to focus anymore on the time lost but on the time he can make up for, for the time that he now has. 

You indulge him, tell him stories about Jungwon, how he was a little late with talking and used to write letters from right to left, how you worried about this but how it was easily addressed, being that Ara is a developmental pediatrician and had taught you different practices to ensure his speech and cognitive skills are in tune with his developmental stage. 

You talk about his first steps, his first trip to the park, and how he’s afraid of the water - just like his mother, Jungkook says. You talk about how he likes fish so much so he doesn’t eat them, but that he loves vegetables and would only throw tantrums if he doesn’t get to eat sweets. 

And you talk about how respectful he is, charming in his own shy and soft ways but a fighter all the same, how he’s very smart and can do many things on his own.

“He really took the best parts of us, don’t you think?” Jungkook says, as he looks at Jungwon who’s coloring a ladybug this time. “Strong and independent like you, charming and cute like me?”

You burst into laughter. “You think those are your best qualities?” You ask.

“I mean there’s more and I could definitely list them all now but also, look at him! He’s so adorable, and he got that from me!”

“He is, and he did get that from you, I won’t lie,” you say, something that you always thought about, how the universe was cruel and wonderful at the same time for gifting you a child who looks just like the man you loved with all your heart, who reminded you everyday of what you lost and of, ironically, what you still had. 

“He has your lips, though, and those scrunched eyebrows when he’s focused,” he points out, and he says it with so much affection. “I’m sure there’s more he got from you and I can't wait to discover them all.”

“Me, too, Jungkook. Me too,” you say, ignoring the thrumming of your heart.

It’s Jungwon’s yawn that forces you and Jungkook out of your bubble again, not realizing the time that’s passed. You’re glad you had an early clock out today so at least it’s not yet too late and the little one can make it to bed on time. 

The dinner ends and Jungkook walks you and a sleepy Jungwon to your car, the silence a welcome one this time.

“So, I have a busy rest of the week so uhm, can we meet on Saturday? There’s a park with this cool playground near my apartment; I think Jungwon will like it there. We can have lunch after,” Jungkook says as you close the backseat door.

“Of course! Just text me the address and the time and we’ll be there,” you respond, liking this new dynamic between the both of you, texting each other on when and where to meet, freed up schedules and all. 

You both stand there awkwardly though, unsure how exactly to end the night, given that your friends had ditched you both. Your phones beeping saves you this time.

“How was it?” You and Jungkook say at the same time.

“They’re not even being subtle about it,” he laughs. 

“I bet they’re actually together right now, thinking of the best time to message,” you say.

“Probably not expecting we’d go on this long, too,” he mumbles, peering up to look at you with that shy smile of his, and you hope there’s no physical manifestation of how flushed you are right now.

“It was a good night. Thank you, Jungkook.”

“Thanks, too. So, uh, I’ll go ahead,” he says, then nods and turns away. It was a good night, and it was the first time that he felt comfortable, light. Like things were okay, like things are really going to get better. 

His mind goes back to weeks ago at your apartment - how he acted, the anger seeping through him, and how you looked - tears falling helplessly down your cheeks, a sight he’s never seen before, and one he doesn’t want to see again. He couldn’t hold you then, he didn’t have the mind nor the heart to. He’s not sure if he’s ready now, so he settles with words instead.

“___,” he calls out.

You turn around, not really expecting anything else, and for a moment, your heart stops beating.

He walks towards you with a shy look on his face, although his eyes avoid yours.

“I just, uh. I just wanted to apologize for that day at your apartment when I—“

“Jungkook, you don’t have to—“

“Just let me, please,” he interjects you this time, his voice soft, and a long breath escapes him. “I’m sorry.”

“I won’t accept it. You shouldn’t be sorry for the things you said because they’re what you felt. They’re warranted and—“

“Then I’m sorry for how I said them. That’s, that’s not who I am. You didn’t deserve that,” he stammers.

“I did,” you respond, and there’s a pang in his chest at your resigned tone. “And it’s okay. I would’ve reacted the same way.”

“I know I’ll never truly understand why, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for him.”

“He might’ve been unplanned but it doesn’t mean he’s a mistake. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” you say, meeting his eyes.

It’s a moment you share that needs no words, and Jungkook nods and leaves it at that because deep in his heart, he knows that Jungwon is the best thing that’s ever happened to him, too.

“Text me when you get home, okay?” He says.

You mumble an okay and head out, forcing yourself to stop smiling like an idiot the whole drive back home.

[To: Jungkook] We’re home. Thank you again.

[From: Jungkook] Alright! I had a really good time tonight. Sleep well, you two. Good night :) 

And with that, you don’t stop smiling like an idiot until you fall asleep.

**

You trip over trains and dolls on the floor, hastily putting them in the box that houses most of Jungwon’s toys. You place all the laundry in the washing machine, quickly fix your bed, and remove the clutter on the coffee table. 

By some not-so-great turn of events, you had a client schedule a 2PM meeting on a Saturday that you couldn’t turn down, which meant that you then had to meet your team at 11AM to prepare. 

You’re glad that Jungkook didn’t make a fuss about it when you called him in the morning, saying that you can’t make it to the park like you agreed to do. You trust him dearly but it’s still too early in the getting-to-know-you stage, so you’re not sure how Jungwon will take it if he spends the day with Jungkook without you. You expected him to reschedule but said his Sunday is full and asked if he could just go to your place instead.

“He and I can just play or watch cartoons, is that okay? I was really hoping to spend today with him but if it’s too much, that’s fine,” Jungkook said over the phone.

You didn’t have the heart to turn him down so you agreed. 

You tried to do whatever cleaning up you can manage because you didn’t want him to judge you for still being a little messy and you wanted everything organized while you focused on your meetings.

With Jungwon bathed and with snacks placed on the table, you think you’re ready for your guest, who should be arriving right about now.

The doorbell rings and it’s a familiar sight, but a welcome one. You lead Jungkook in, tell him it’s just a humble one-bedroom apartment and he waves you off. He settles the lunch he bought on the table - noodles and seafood pancakes, Jungwon’s favorites, you'd mentioned. 

“He’s in the room, I’ll go get him,” you say, and walk the several steps to your bedroom.

Jungkook looks around and takes it in. He was too angry the last time he was here so he didn’t pay much attention. It’s pretty clean, he thinks, and laughs at the thought that you probably did a quick clean up before he arrived since you’re not usually this organized. Or maybe that’s changed with you too, as with other things. 

“Hey, buddy,” Jungkook greets. He kneels and tells Jungwon that they’ll be spending time today while Mama works and Jungwon says he’s excited. He leads Jungkook to your not-so-grand living room and takes out some dinosaurs from one box, mumbling about them being in trouble, then opens another one. 

“Then Ironman saves them all!” Jungwon announces. 

The look on Jungkook’s face is unrivaled, the kind you secretly have been hoping for, hence why you deliberately kept this from him; you wanted Jungwon to be the one to reveal his undying love for the superhero. You’re surprised he’s never mentioned it before, but you also think that he wanted to show-off his toy collection first.

“You’ve been holding out on me!” Jungkook tells you. “He… We… We both believe in Ironman supremacy, ___. He’s really my—”

You nudge his shoulder before he prematurely reveals the truth, and you laugh at his expression and his wide eyes as he goes through the Ironman box because of course it has its own, as all the toys are delicately placed inside. 

Jungkook is in awe but really, it’s not much. They’re all just different versions of the same dolls and cars. You’ve tried to limit this because Jungwon will outgrow them at one point, but thinking about Jungkook’s continued love for the superhero, you think Jungwon actually might not.

The two get in their groove immediately and sit side-by-side, Jungwon introducing each of his toys because each Ironman has a different name. Jungkook indulges him and starts making sounds and Jungwon joins him until it’s just a chorus of pppshssss and bangbangbang and pfffffftpboom and you can’t help but laugh along. 

Taehyung always deemed those superhero movies to be too loud so he wasn’t into the toys either, and Namjoon would always end up explaining the science and ethics of superpowers as if his nephew is one of his college students, so for Jungwon to have someone who just gets him, even if it’s just about making sounds and making Ironman toys fly and protect the dinosaurs from a meteor, you’re happy that the little one is happy.

You leave them for a while and set the table, asking them over to eat with neither one standing up.

“Kids,” you call their attention, hands on your waist now. “Can we have lunch now please before Mama has to get ready for work?”

This feels so domestic and so real. You miss the way Jungkook’s lips form into a smile as you refer to yourself in third person and sound as if you’re reprimanding them. Since Jungkook has found out about Jungwon, he never imagined he’d actually get to experience this.

You clear your throat and it’s a sign for Jungkook that he has to follow, as the adult, so he gets the little one’s attention and brings all the toys on the table to join you three as you eat. 

It’s hilarious as they both converse with their toys and essentially leave you out but you let them, choosing instead to bask in this scene and the joy painted on both their faces. You wish this moment together wouldn’t end, though, but you also know that may be too much to ask. Jungkook is here to get to know your son, and that’s that.

You let them settle in the living room as you go from one meeting to another, stealing glances every once in a while just so you’ll have another memory of them bonding seared in your brain, for times when you need to feel better, when you want to feel happy. 

The rest of the afternoon goes that way. They go from saving the dinosaurs, to watching cartoons, then playing with blocks, earning them scowls and laughter every time those tip over and crash, creating loud sounds and distracting your work. But you smile immediately at their panicked and guilty faces, until they proceed to do the same thing.

It’s around 5PM when you finish, exhaustion creeping up on you. Jungwon surprisingly still has energy, but you see him forcing it because he wants to keep playing.

“Let’s go for an early dinner, yeah? I can order some pizza then you two can start preparing for bed,” Jungkook offers. 

You mindlessly nod from the dining table as you put away your laptop and notebook. “That sounds good, Jungkook. Thank you,” you respond.

“And maybe you can take a nap first while we wait. I’ll help him clean up the mess, too.”

You smile at this. Despite everything, he’s still the same thoughtful and considerate man you met all those years ago. You nod and head to them, kneeling in front of Jungwon who’s now sitting so closely to Jungkook.

“Hey, sweetcheeks. Mama’s tired so I’ll just get some rest, okay? You’ll be fine with Cookie Monster over here?” You ask.

“Yes, Mama,” he says, and proceeds to hug you and kiss your nose. 

“Okay, love you my little bug,” you say, and head to your room for a quick nap, not before you call out that Jungwon only eats cheese pizza.

**

It’s the knock on your bedroom door that wakes you, signaling that the food has arrived.

You head to the dining room, still clad in your leggings and pink sweatshirt, and Jungkook does a double take at your sleepy eyes, scrunched up nose, and messy hair. You’re still so adorable after a nap, but he shakes off the thought before you catch him with a silly smile on his face.

It’s Jungwon’s elephant and tiger stuffed toys having dinner with you this time, and unlike earlier in the day, there’s less theatrics and you all settle on small conversations, definitely tired but satisfied. 

Jungwon is busy munching on the cheese and the soft parts of the dough, Jungkook is watching him in amusement, and you’re watching Jungkook in awe, thinking of how he pulled through today, coming over to make sure that he got to spend it with his son, taking care of everything like the food and cleaning up because you were too busy and too tired to do so, even if you know he’s had a tiring week too. 

You never doubted his desire to get to know Jungwon but his patience and attention to everything have really surprised you. He listens carefully to the little one, asks what he thinks and feels, lets him lead and decide games and shows to watch, and talks to him like an adult. You wonder if he’d asked Taehyung or Namjoon for tips or he’d done some reading. But regardless, you appreciate it so much. You might not have had the start you wanted but it’s definitely going the way you want it to.

And as Jungkook giggles and wipes the cheese off Jungwon’s face, as he fills his glass with water and asks if he wants more, you see the affection on Jungkook’s whole being, you see the care and the warmth. You see the love. 

It’s familiar; it’s similar to how he used to look at you. And it’s this moment that you wish that he learns to look at you that way again. 

##

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[lokisprettygirl]

Love is Selfless, It's Kind (Part 15) (Loki x female reader)

Summary : You both are excited about your one year anniversary tomorrow, but will you stay around to see the day?

Warning ⚠️ : Carla, mental torture, sweet soft loki

Taglist : @purplekitten30  @colifower  @rinacreateart  @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore  @christineblood  @delightfulheartdream  @the-wounded-healer05  @lokiprompts  @stitchinaride  @geeky-politics-46  @sharklover927  @virtualstrawberrydinosaur

Next morning when you woke up loki wasn't in the bed with you but you found a note "Good morning my sweet y/n, stuck in a meeting, I know you'd look for me as soon as you open your eyes, so just wanted you to know that I'm here and safe, and I'm thinking about you my sweet princess, love you more than anything in the nine realms, I know you're smiling now and I love that too. See you soon my love. Please go feed yourself. Loki ❤️" You were smiling like crazy when you saw the note but it didn't last very long when you realised you have to work in like two hours.

You got showered and ready as soon as you can, it will take atleast 40 minutes to reach. You called loki but he couldn't be there to drop you, he was still in the meeting "I thought you were in a meeting, why do I hear the vehicles honking around you lo" you ask him and he chuckles "Maybe you should work with Eddie too, my little Inquisitor, Its an open restaurant or something like that, I'll explain soon, I talked to barnes and he graciously agreed to drop you safely okay?"

"Okay I miss you already lo, pick me up after work?" You ask him and he smiles "I will definitely, see you sweet love, maybe you can send me an image of you, miss your face" he says softly and you smile "I would need one too then" he agrees and hangs up soon after. He is not in a meeting, he felt bad lying but he didn't want to ruin the surprise. He parked his car outside the place he was supposed to be and went inside quickly "Mr Loki Odinson" a man approached him "the jewellery you ordered is here, we worked really hard on it, I hope the lucky woman you got it made for will enjoy it"

"I hope so too mr malik, can I have the pleasure of seeing it?" He asks politely and the manager nods. He got a gift for you for your one year anniversary, it's tomorrow and he wants to make your whole day special. When loki saw the necklace he got made for you he almost teared up, it was studded with the most expensive diamonds and had the letter L in the center of it with his signature horns on both side of the L. That reminds him you have never seen him in his horns yet, maybe tomorrow. It wasn't a bulky necklace, you wouldn't want something like that, it was very dainty and very you. He wanted you to wear it everyday, as a signature of you being his. "It's ethereal Mr. malik , better than I imagined"

You sent a picture to loki as promised and went to the parking lot, your eyes looked for James. You have never spent time with him one on one, so you felt really awkward. "Y/n?" You heard a voice from behind you and turned around to see him, on a bike? You don't want to be ungrateful, he was taking the time out of his busy schedule to drop you. But that bike scared you and you felt like you'd fall down "Hi James, ummm we are going on this?" You ask him and he looked at you intently, he was chewing a gum, you have never actually looked at him properly before this, when steve brought him to the tower he was very shy and aloof just like loki is. He has been through alot.

"Is there an issue, I can ask for a car from someone, but this baby is mine" he gives you a little smile and it makes you chuckle, and you start to feel comfortable. "It's completely fine, I'm just a little scaredy cat" you smile and sit behind him like a lady with your both legs on one side. He passed you a spare helmet for safety "You're definitely going to fall down if you sit like a queen, sit like me" oh boy, you follow what he said and you squealed when he started it. You were praying to not fall down all the way. When you finally reached he took his helmet off , you did the same and gave it to him "thank you so much James, I'm so grateful that you took out the time to do this" you smile at him, your hair was all messed up because of the helmet and he fixed it with his fingers. You were glad loki wasn't here to witness this or it would be his hands on his neck "Anything for yo...for mischief..you can call me bucky" he looks at you, and you smile "okay then bucky, I'll see you later"

When you got inside you thought about the interaction, do you give off this vibe that makes all these men feel like they can just be nice n touchy with you? Tomorrow is one year anniversary of you n loki getting together. The day he came to your apartment, all sad n worried because you were going on a date with some other guy, the day you both confessed, your first kiss. The memory of that day never fails to make you smile and all giddy inside. For your one year anniversary you had no idea what to gift him, he could afford everything you could ever think of giving him so you got a dagger for him, you couldn't afford to get it custom made but you know he loves his daggers and he would appreciate it. Maybe next year you can get it customised. The thought made you reminiscent about your one monthversary.

You were slow dancing with lo, your arm around his neck and his hands wrapped around your waist, you surprised him with a delicious dinner when he came back from a mission. "Thank you princess, I love doing this with you" he mumbles as he puts his head down on your shoulder. "I love this lo, I love every second of my life with you"

I look around and see a sweet life. So befitting ,You heard the lyrics blaring in the background and it made you smile, this song reminds you of him and how he changed your boring lonely life and filled it with his adorable little existence "I could stay like this forever princess" he looks at you and his eyes always melts you "you're not sick of me yet?" You giggle and he pulls you in for a kiss "never ever say that again princess, I don't know what I'll do without you, you keep me so...so sane" he mumbled in between the kisses and it made you tear up "I love you so much lo"

Your phone vibrated and it snapped you out of your thoughts, you opened the text you got from loki , a selfie from him like you wanted, in his car, on the driving seat, sun reflected perfectly on his beautiful face, his adorable little smile, your sweet baby lo, god you miss him already. How will you survive 8 hours.

Loki was over the moon, he was so excited to make you the happiest girl there ever could be tomorrow. He was going to drive towards the tower when he got a call from someone. He thought it was you but it was Eddie "Hello mr Brock to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" He asks as picks up the call "hey loki can you please talk like a normal person just for few minutes?" He says as politely as he could and it makes loki roll his eyes in annoyance "Hey man, sup? Is that better Brock?" He imitated an American accent.

"Yeah much better, look I think Carla is back, I can see movements in her apartment window" Loki's eyes widens as he heard him, this is great, they could still have the case and be done with her bullshit. He is so exhausted of her ruining his life and her stressing you out so much because of this case. "Are you sure Brock? Should we inform the law enforcement?" He asks curiously, though he wanted to know where has she been all this time and now he was assured it wasn't his mother like thor said "Nopes, we are going to see her and find out where did she run off to, is there anyway you can get inside her apartment without being seen?" Eddie asks loki and he laughs "That's kind of my speciality, but how will you get in there?"

"Traditionally, from the door, I don't care if I'm seen, I have a bone to pick with her" loki drove nearby her apartment and parked his car far away from her building, then he teleported right inside her apartment and Eddie was already there "tadaaaa" he quips as he saw them both.

"How obsessed you guys are with me? Fuck you both, what now you both teamed up to torture me because you couldn't take some beating from a woman? pathetic excuse of men " Carla asks angrily.

Eddie : "Exactly, we are going to do exactly that"

Loki: "we are not going to torture you"

Venom : "we are going to eat you"

Loki and Eddie spoke at the same time, but there was another voice too and loki is so confused, Carla take few steps behind as she gets scared "What in the name of hel was that?" Loki asks curiously and Eddie morphs into venom "I am venom of klyntar and I'm burdened with eating purpose" venom speaks and loki rolls his eyes, though he is bewildered as he looks at this huge black humanoid figure , however he have seen worse so it's not really that weird for him "Sorry man we watched that viral video of you" Eddie comes back and say to him "We will discuss this later, Carla where have you been we need to know" loki huffs and asks her "I'll never tell" she yells and venom comes out again "let's eat" he walks towards Carla and loki stops him "Brock control your pet will you" he yells hoping eddie would hear him "Pet? I am not a pet, apologise now or I eat" venom screams and it scares Carla even more "Okay I'm sorry just let Eddie talk okay?" He requests and Eddie comes out again and loki gives him a look "Its a long story" loki shakes his head and turns to Carla again

"Where did you go Carla? Who took you ?" He asks as nicely as he could have "somewhere I wouldn't want to be again" she starts laughing like a witch and loki gets confused "the pain I felt, I would never want to feel it again" Eddie have had enough of her "We are going to ask you for the last time you bitch, where have you been?" He asks her and she starts crying hysterically "You both are such fools, wasting your time here with me"

You were working from last 4 hours, and you needed a rest, you decided to take your break and eat probably. You walked towards the break room, and you decided to send loki a voicemail. You recorded your voice and press send, the thought of him smiling as heard you made you giddy. You were about to eat your lunch when you saw a beam of light in front of you and two figures came out of nowhere, the only person in the room with you was one of your co-worker and before she could run one of the figures flicked his fingers and she was knocked out. They didn't look human, they came from somewhere else ,You should have ran or screamed but you froze. What the hell is happening? "Oh mortal, we are going to have such joy breaking you"

"What do you mean Carla? Stop talking in riddles for norns sake" loki asks, he is pissed off to say the least. "Oh you think I'll help you ?" She laughs and he runs his hands through his hair in frustration "Prepare to be hurt and prepare to bleed loki laufeyson, didn't I tell you that your happiness won't last for long" as soon as she says that, something clicked inside him, his gut screamed to him, you needed him. You were in trouble "Y/N" he spoke your name softly and she started to laugh again. He didn't want to wait even a second, he teleported himself right in the store, people in the store looked around as a man appeared out of nowhere. "Where is y/n? Where is she?" He screamed and they got scared, but one of your co worker recognised him and she took him aside "you know y/n? She's on her break I think, I'll take you" she tells him politely and he's so scared, he just needs to see you and he needs you to be okay and safe. When they reached the break room, she saw jade lying around on the floor and she hurried up to her and instantly called 911 "what the hell happened here"

Loki couldn't feel anything, he was so numb, you were supposed to be here, you were supposed to be safe here. Someone took you, they took you. He looked around and he found your bag and your phone. You wouldn't leave your stuff like that here, he had to find you, he can't let anything happen to you. He can't let you die. He won't survive this, he can't lose you like this. He wanted to check the security footage but they didn't have it in the employees break room, on his way out he saw Eddie running towards him, and Eddie could tell something happened, he has never seen loki like this, he's always calm and composed. "Where is y/n? Is she okay"

"She disappeared, she is not here, I should have been here, I failed her again, it's all my fault..all my fault" he couldn't control anymore, the thought of something happening to you made him want to scream n cry "Man calm down, we are going to find her do you understand? Carla ..she knows, she knows about it" that snaps loki out of his thoughts and he wanted to teleport again but he was so exhausted from doing it twice already. So Eddie took him in his car, they can't waste even a minute "I should have been there, why I wasn't there" he mumbles and Eddie gave him a sympathetic look.

"You couldn't have known loki" but he should have known he should have kept you safe, he should have been there this morning, he shouldn't have allowed you to go to work today. If he would have done something differently through out the day, maybe you would still be here, with him, right beside him. He took out his phone, he wanted to inform the avengers, something is happening and they need to be prepared but then he saw a voicemail and he opened it quickly. It was from you.

"Hey you, ice baby" he heard your voice and you giggling and it made him cry "I'm missing you like crazy, I'm on my break if you're free you can call me and if not, just know that I'm thinking of you too sweet baby and I can't wait to be in your arms soon, btw I loved that note you left for me this morning, though I prefer waking up with you, I don't mind receiving notes like that" you giggle again, and he couldn't help it anymore, he was crying profusely now "okay cutie, I'll see you in few hours, I love you lo" when your voicemail ends he couldn't stop himself from breaking down.

"No no no please be okay, please oh princess, please be okay" he mumbled mindlessly as he cried and Eddie can't help but feel extremely bad about all this, he didn't know you that well but he knows how much you love him, he saw and heard you defending loki in the store that day. He was lucky to have you in that way.

When you woke up your head was throbbing and you felt an immense pain in your head. You felt nauseous and you were surrounded by the darkness. You sat up instantly as you remembered everything, it felt like a nightmare but it wasn't. You knew you were in trouble and suddenly the room was filled with light around you and you saw him. Loki. He was here

"Princess you woke up, took your own sweet time hmm" he says to you, there was a smile in his face. You have never seen him in his asgardian clothes before. "Lo what is happening I'm so scared" you try to get up so you can run towards him but you were bound with chains. He walked over to you and crouched down "oh princess don't worry I'll get you out, won't let you get hurt, you trust me right?" He asks you and you nod as you sob "Please loki what is this? I am scared, please" you mumble, you don't know why he's doing this, is this some game? What's happening? He starts laughing and it gets you even more confused. "Sssshhhh Princess, everything will be alright I promise, all this pain will be worth it, you trust me right? I won't hurt you" He tells you and you look at him. Something isn't right with him. Why he is acting this way?

Another figure enters the cell you were in and he knocks you out again. And you woke up few minutes later again with loki looking at you smiling and promising to not hurt you. But why isn't he taking you out of the binds, why isn't he saving you, it kept happening again n again until you were completely broken "This mortal is privileged as the mighty king himself has decided to grace her with his presence" you hear the sickly looking man and it snaps you out of the mental fog you were feeling, another figure enters the room and you cower towards the corner. He was huge and he looked scary "Don't be afraid my child, your sacrifice, if he fails " He smiles "Again, it will bring salvation for your planet, something greater than your existence could ever be, I need them out of my way, the avengers, Earth's mightiest heroes, they would want to fight but a war would only harm several lives and I want prosperity, not blood, loki will bring me the lives of avengers in exchange of your soul my child" He flicks his fingers and loki disappears, he was never there, just an illusion and you finally end up screaming and crying.

When they both reached Carla's apartment cops were already there and they were taking her to question about her disappearance. Loki stops her as he saw her getting inside the car "Carla Carla please tell me the truth, I know you know what's happening, so please tell me the truth" he begged, he never wanted to beg in front of her again ever but here he is. He couldn't have had mercy for long "Oh I love seeing you like this again loki, I won't tell you who he is but he's about to be your worst nightmare or wait he already has been once" She laughs and that's all he needed. His worst nightmare couldn't be somebody else. He took you. He took the woman loki treasured more than anything.

Thanos took you.