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#at least we got queen? she seems kinda alright? maybe? i need to think about it more
dooodle-bug · 1 year
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just got mad thinking about how rouxls probably isnt even that good of a dad to lancer
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chapter one is now done but is needs to be edited
There was a loud horn outside her cottage. She rolled into the floor startled “what is it now” asked herself in her sleepy state she walked to the front door and opened it to see her dad standing there with a smile “are you ready? Pup” he smiled “no you just woke me up” she growled “don't give me that tone lady and gotta work your bones unless u want to be like your grandpa sitting around all day or like me and be 200 years old with bones of a almighty warrior” she cuts him off “i rather sleep then train for five hours'' she said as she's walking away into the cottage. He follows behind her “oh come on plus the king wants to see you” her wolf ears perk up “huh why” she questioned. “Unsure to be honest he just requested to see you by 12am” and…. Time skip she's standing there at the gates “hi.. There the king requested to see me” she smiled “we weren't informed for a guest leave kid” he said in a stern tone in the distance can be heard galloping and wooden wheels going over rocks then realised its the kings carriage all of the studden the horses come to a halt at the gate then the door opens to reveal the king. “hello miracle would u like to join me and can talk about the matter that's happening” the king smiled miracle started to get apprehensive “may i know why i'm here i have things to do” she half smiled the king lets his hand out near miracle “i don't want kingdom to know yet” he stated she puts her hand his and gets pulled up into the carriage “ahh why would u do that” she semi yelled “made it easier” he smiled miracle rolled her eyes at that comment and looks out the window “my son is looking for someone to marry and the princess from the other kingdoms don't seem to have an interest” he asked “your highness but i'm not even interested in the people of the town let a alone a prince im not even royalty” she lied  the carriage starts to move again. “Well he needs a queen sooner or later” he vouched “all do respect sir but i don't want to marry someone let alone a snob of a prince” she yelled “i'm going to move on past that but you just need to get to know him for a few months and if u still don't change your mind i will call it off” he hopes she agrees miracle thinks about it ‘if i do it he will be off my and i will also be living in royalty again i kinda miss that’ she thought about it for a minute “how long” miracle quested “six months tops” he smiled “deal” she said uneasy. After a few minutes they are at the castle door both of them walk in “MAIDS GET THIS YOUNG LADY A ROOM AND A DRESS” yelled the king miracle’s eye twitched after a minute she's getting dragged upstairs and pulled into a tailor room “if u can stand on that short chair that would be lovely” miracle steps on the chair after a few minutes the tailor has her measurements and runs to the standing dresser looking for the right dress miracle is just standing there embarrassed pretty much she's yeah… after a few minutes the tailor comes back with a yellow dress “alright u can come down now and arms up” miracle steps down feeling the cold floor on her feet after a few minutes of getting the dress on, almost pale peach yellow fall front gown that goes to her ankles and has wrist cuffs, the tailor is sewing the cuffs to be higher and rolled “not to be rude but your arms seem to be shorter than expected” the tailor questioned.
Trigger warnings: poisoning, stabbing, death, or prince being an ass,small stalking,suggestive and maybe more?. btw in discord the parts will be hidden unless u want to see what it is unless u are reading this in my website or tumblr.
Month one; she finally got the prince to talk after 5 days of trying “hey come one at least can tell me your name just so I’m not calling you prince all the time” she said aggravated “fine don’t laugh but name is Galloway” he mumbled Miracle bursted out laughing he looked at her irritated “why are u laughing!!” he yelled miracle started wheezing “STOP LAUGHING” galloway lashed out after a few minutes she stopped shes wiping the tears away from her face “every single person with that name is a dumbass i swear to the death of me” she
 giggled galloway rolled his eyes at her 
Gonna skip a month lol the start of month 3: miracle was walking around the castle grounds smelling the fresh morning breeze the smell of freshly baked bread and something sour she 
followed the smell to the garden the smell slowly gets stronger near the tulips she follows the smell more to investigate more then sees the prince sitting on the bench. She walks over to him and lifts the sides of her dress so she can sit normally “are you alright?” she asked the prince hisated for a moment her glaze softened “yeah im fine” he stated his sour smell worsened by the second she lightly sighed and put her hand on his thigh “i know your not alright gall wanna know why your not being an ass to me right now” she asked softly “and understand that you don't want to answer” she added and removing her hand then adding it to on top of hers galloway looks up from the stone he oddly seemed to be interested in the his gaze sets on flowers he deeply sighs “i got into a fight with my dad over some bullshit that he started” he said with a cruel tone “oh?” miracle said softly “its- he doesn't stand why i don't want a princess and have them come across the region for nothing” he confessed ‘wait his he?’ miracle thought. She smiles, “So I'm guessing you're more into princes?” she winked he instantly turns red face palms into his hands”i feel like i'm confessing a sin right now” he mumbled into his hands “ well if thats how u wanna put it then sure” she smiled at him he removes his hands from his face and looks at her “your?” “both” she giggled “i thought i was the only one?” he said fearfully “no there's a lot of us really has been for many years” she smiled. After a few minutes “hey pet my head” she smiled. He looked at her with a dumbfounded look “no really just do it” “uhh ok?” he questioned. He puts his hand on her head and starts scratching it then feels something soft and fluffy. He looks at her head and sees wolf ears twitching “how?!” he semi yelled “hey watch it i can't deal with loud sounds” she said annoyed “sorry” he softly smiled “and to the question im not well human i guess i am but different from a mortal human” her eyes widened and covers her mouth realising what she said “your a-“ she covers his mouth then mouths don’t say it then he nods she slowly moves her hand away from his mouth. All of the sudden she gets uneasy feeling like she’s being watched her pupils shrink “hey are you whoa your ears are gone” she scans the bushes, trees that are starting to have leaves fall off, “someone is watching us” she whispers “that’s odd” he whispered back “where are they?” She sniffs the air to catch a scent but got nothing she grabs his hand and pulls him into the castle she’s about to walk in she gets hit with a burning caramel scent 
Month 4
Galloway and miracle grow closer by the day and even shared more laughs currently there sitting at the dining table miracle is tapping her leg to help herself come down “soo you too seem to be getting along lately” the king smiled with joy “well yes father it’s what u wanted” Galloway mumbles the last part after the awkward dinner as they were sitting there taking and eating dessert apple dumplings Miracle starts to feel nauseous and dizzy “ excuse me but I need to go rest” she said as she gets up and holds onto the table her legs turned numb and faints all that she can hear was yelling in the distance as she slowly falls into her subconscious….  a few hours after she slowly starts to wake up she opens her eyes and sees that she’s in the castle hospital wing she looks over to her left and sees her dad passed out “dad” she asked softly he stirred away then instantly gets up and hugs her tightly  “I thought I was going to lose you pup” he lightly sobbed in her hair “what happened” she said with tears falling down her cheek he pulled away and wiped the tears from her cheek “someone put opium in your food” her eyes widened at his words Loki looks at the doctor with fear in his eyes “will she be okay” “well she will at least need to be bedridden here for the week don’t need to worry me and my team will take good care of her” the doctor replied Loki looks at the clock miracle sees her dad’s actions “if you have to go to work you can” she smiled “I… can take time off…” he stuttered miracle sighs are her dads stubbornness “just go I will be alright and if something happens you will find out” she half smiles “alright” he gets up out of the chair give’s miracle hug goodbye then leaves.
Last month: 
Miracle is back to her normal self after two weeks in the medical wing instead of having the maid clean her room she decided to this morning. hips swaying tail wagging with happiness putting all the books away that she had read while in the medical wing all of studden the door gets slammed open miracle jumps at the door being slammed “HEY WHAT IF I WAS CHANGING” her eyes widened realising she didn’t hide her animal features “get her” the king requested “and put her in the dungeon where monsters like her belong” miracle gets picked up by two guards and gets dragged into the dungeon or aka basement and gets thrown in the cell her ears flick at the metal being slammed and locked “ I DIDNT EVEN DO ANYTHING ALL I DID WAS WHAT THE KING REQUESTED” she yelled holding back tears from falling she slide down the metal door pulls her knees to get chest and starts sobbing “hey” a male voice can be heard from the cell on the left “hey” that time miracles ear twitched “trust me there’s no theres no way out even with how hard you might try” she wipes the tears from under her eyes after a few hours shes passing around the cell “cant just be walking around its annoying with short heels” she takes them off and throws them at the cell door *bang bang* (i really dont know dont ask) “how do you like that for a loud sound!” she yelled “YOU FUCKING BITCH” the man yelled miracle walks to the cell door not sure why but tries to push it open. After a few minutes she panting heavily “huh” she gasps out of breath black smoke is coming out of her hands she takes them off the door and watches the smoke ‘how am i doing this..’ she thought then gets idea she places her hand on the door a hole is forming in the door she steps back and watches the door turn into ash her tail wags slightly ‘ok how do i just rid of this” she shakes her hand smoke forms more “well..” she smiles at the thought she walks over to the cell on the left and slowly rises her middle finger at the man and has a grin on her face “and a fuck you” the man is just sitting there confused she walks away to the main door and places her left hand after 10 seconds the door is ash “wait how did you get out” he sees door way without door “easy really” she smiled the places both her hands on the two guards they turn into ash she walks to stairs she takes a deep breath then slowly lets it out then looks at her hands “huh well that worked” she whispered to herself miracle shape-shifts into one of the maids then goes up the stairs then opens the door to see other maid “uhh echo you know we cant do down there”  the maid asked confused “oh!? Well the king wanted me to give the girl something to eat” miracle hopes she buys the lie “oh my bad” miracle looks at the time 7:20 ‘shit i have been doing this for too long’ “uhh i gotta get going i forgot about the mess in the library” miracle runs down the hall “MAKE SURE TO GET THEM IN THE RIGHT COLOUR” the maid yelled miracle finds door she pushes it open just about to slide out she runs to the garden the shape-shifts into her human form she covers her mouth and starts coughing blood as she's coughing she hears footsteps “huh are you ok” galloway asked walking closer “wait how did you?” he whispered he sees blood dripping from her hand 
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tokoyamisstuff · 3 years
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Meant To Be - Loki x Fem! Reader
Summary: Much to your displeasure, your parents have promised you away to the God of Mischief of all people.
Tags: Arranged Marriage AU, Light Elf! Reader
Warnings: Aside from Loki hating himself, nothing.
Words: 2878
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I Masterlist I
A/N: Some good old-fashioned, ‘redeemed after The Avengers and the other movies didn’t happen’ Loki. Like, really cheesy, self-indulgent 2012 stuff. I just want to ignore all misery that happens in the series okay?
“Ew! Stop it!”
You were eight at the time when you and Loki first met, by means of negotiation between both your parents.
If only you knew that this encounter should be the first impression of what should be your husband in the near future...
Frigga and Odin could only plead for their son to be on his best behavior - but well, it’s the God of Mischief we’re talking about. Must be hard to inherit such a title from your very birth.
Just when you put the little bonquet of flowers he had picked up for you towards your face to admire it, several little spiders emerged from the blossoms.
“You’re no fun.” The raven-haired boy stood a safe distance away from you, arms crossed as his gleeful laughter turned into a broad sulk. "And your ears are weird.”
“I hate you!” you screeched in your childish rage, throwing the flowers to the ground and trampling onto them. “Where’s your brother? Thor is way nicer than you!”
“Well, why don’t you marry him then?!” he mocked to cover up his hurt pride, picking up a handful of dirt and throwing it in your direction. 
“I don’t need any friends anyway...” the little boy whispered to himself, running away from the scene with tears filling the corner of his eyes. 
“I don’t need anyone. I’m way better than all of them!”
Not even Frigga was fast enough to catch up with him, while Odin uttered some fake apologies to your parents, promising them that everything will go as planned.
You on the other hand were running towards your mother, tightly grabbing onto her dress. “He’s mean! I wanna go home!”
As Queen of the Light Elves, your mother was a being full of grace and composure - and you were hoping to one day become such a formidable person as well.
She bowed down to your height, petting your hair as you rubbed the mixture of tears and dirt from your cheeks. Just her bright smile alone would sometimes be enough to make you forget about your worries - but not today.
“My sweet child” she cooed, cradling you in her arms. “One day you’ll understand.”
However, this would be the last time you paid Asgard a visit - at least until now. Because no matter how deeply you wished to never meet him again, the words your mother spoke on that day haunted you all those years:
“For this is your duty as a princess.”
[Present Day - Asgard]
It felt so unreal when you stuck your head outside of the wooden carriage, the wind playing with your hair as your glare wandered over the rainbow bridge you were crossing.
Silence strained the air, your parents unable to do even so much as look into your eyes. Hel, how you wished this was only a dream.
Behind you was a whole company of Light Elves, transporting all of your belongings to what should be your homecountry from now on.
Now there was no way back, that much was sure.
You were supposed to meet your soon-to-be husband on that very same day, one day before your wedding to be precize.
One could only guess why you weren’t allowed to visit Asgard again for all those years, even though you were practically born just for this reason - for this person.
To become Loki’s bride was your involuntary purpose, and you couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be truly free.
Maybe your parents thought the God of Mischief to have a bad influence on their growing daughter, pulling you into his harmless yet dishonorable schemes. Or they simply feared you to refuse marrying said man if you got to know him better, finding out just what kind of person you were promised to.
Not that your parents were pleased either...everyone in the Nine Realms knew the stories.
To Odin, there was no point in hiding the disgrace his adoptive son had brought over Asgard. Not only was he responsible for an attack on Midgard, sacrificing thousands of lives for his own sake, drunken by greed for power.
But all of you were shocked to hear that Loki Odinson - or rather Laufeyson - was never Asgardian to begin with.
A Frost Giant.
Among your kind, they were known to be one of the most terrible abominations in the nine realms, and murderer of countless of your kind - and this should be the father to your future children?
Only thinking about this cruel twist of fate made you want to vomit...
So why did you agree to proceed with the preparations as if nothing had happened? How in Alfheim’s name could you reject their offer to wed you to Thor instead of that lunatic?
Was it that through your upbringing and royal duties, you had lost your own free will? Or simply fear of stepping aside the path that everyone had prepared for you?
It was probably the fact that you didn’t want to get into true love’s way...you and Thor stayed in brief contact through Heimdall, and you just knew how much that human girl meant to him.
You were kinda jealous, though...the concept of being in love was foreign to you, having a vague idea of it from novels only. But real life just wasn’t meant to be that was, was it?
You couldn’t escape your fate, that was what it was - for this treaty would unite both kingdoms, bringing peace and wealth for all of their inhabitants.
No way you could be so selfish as to decline...even if it meant you had to suffer for the rest of your life.
“My Ladyship, we have arrived!” a guard spoke as he knocked on the carriage door, with your parents hinting that you needed to step out first.
The very same guard now yelled from the pit of his lungs, making you feel the whole Kingdom of Asgard could hear. “Now arriving: Lady Y/N Y/L/N, eldest Princess of Alfheim and heir to the throne.”
You heared the people whispering as you took your first, insecure steps, blinded by the bright daylight.
“She’s so pale, like ice” or “Why are her ears like that?” were rather nice comments compared to others plainly calling you ugly, scary or a ‘disgrace’.
Of course your Kingdoms had been in a war for several decades, but this was long in the past - before your very birth, even. So what’s the reason you should bear with such hostility in the place everyone expected you to call ‘home’ from now on?
One thing was clear from the very beginning: You would never belong here.
“May I?” a dark, husky voice interrupted your self-pitying. You blinked heavily, still trying to adjust to all those golden surroundings, until your blurry vision finally cleared up.
“C’mon.” The voice belonged to the man in front of you, looking gravely nervous with sweat dripping from his forehead. He was reaching out a hand for you to take, and you gladly accepted since you didn’t want to embarass yourself further by falling out of the carriage.
And still, you managed to somehow miss a step and fall right into his arms. “Oh my, so clumsy” the man snickered as he catched you, clearing his throat as you grabbed onto his chest to regain balance. "Not very graceful for someone of your status.”
“And you are-” The words got stuck in your throat when you stared back into those eyes, their emerald green awaking memories you’d rather forgotten entirely. “L-Loki!”
“Exactly, my dear. The one and only.” Smooth and calm, he  pecked a kiss on the back of your hand, andyou couldn’t help but admire just how well he had aged: His wild locks were combed back, sharp features complimenting his face as he tried his best to give you his most innocent smile.
Yet you kept your guard up, always expecting him to somehow embarass you just for the fun of it. “When it comes to him, always expect the unexpected” Thor once warned you, and you won’t forget about it that easily.
“It’s a pleasure finally meeting you” was your firm declaration, only to be rewarded with a scoff. “You are speaking to the God of Lies, Lady Y/N - there is no use in trying to deceive me” he whispered into your ear, making you shiver in unpleasant anticipation.
“Carry her belongings to my rooms” he dismissed the servants with a simple gesture of his hand, offering his other arm for you to cling on as he escorted you through the palace.
The giant halls were almost empty, nothing like back on Alfheim where you and your brethren would enjoy each other’s company in midst of nature. A sole tear escaped your eye when you thought back to those carefree days, which are now over.
“Are you alright, m’lady?” Much to your surprise, your fiancé sounded honestly concerned about your well-being. “If you are tired, we can postpone our tour of the palace until you’ve rested.”
 “May I speak from the heart?” You gulped after finishing that sentence, scaring yourself with all the stories you’ve heared about this mad troublemaker.
Somehow you had the feeling that if you were to overstep your boundaries with that brute, it would have consequences beyond your imagination. He might seem generous and polite right this moment, but what would someone like him do if you enrage him? Countless images were circling in your head, one worse than the other.
Loki furrowed his brows, exhalinge deeply. For him, your expression was an open book to what you were thinking right now.
“Y/N, my dear Lady, if you want it or not: Starting tomorrow, we share a bond. I am deeply sorry that a veritable flower as you are had to end up with someone like me, but I promise to treat you as well as possible.”
Turning around so you’d not detect how it hurt him to speak from the heart, he added with a shaky voice “Yet there is no reason for you to hold back your hatred for me. No harm will come your way, I swear upon the little honor I have left.”
Even though his words made you feel a deep sympathy with the god, you weren’t quite sure if you could decipher truth or deceit in them. Maybe he just wanted to lure you into saying what you truly thought of him?
He’s right - you will have to spend the rest of your life with him, so don’t mess this up from the very start!
“I-I don’t hate you!” was the first thing you blurted out, grabbing onto his cloak. Loki turned around, rising his eyebrow as he scanned your face for any hint of a lie.
Althrough it was the truth, at least to a certain extend. You’ve seen each other only once, when you were still little. The rest is all tales and rumours, but you personally don’t have a reason to despise him.
There was no way you could promise to accept his past or heritage, let alone forgive him - yet as long as he’d treat you with respect, you’d return the favour.
“T-There’s just a question on my mind this whole time...aren’t you mad? I-I mean someone like- well...like you...” you gestured around awkardly, almost making him crack a smile. “I mean...I thought you wouldn’t let your parents dictate your life.”
Another deep sigh escaping his mouth, this times with his eyes closed. “This isn’t about Asgard or my adoptive parents. I choose my own path.”
Suddenly, Loki wrapped one arm around you, flicking his fingers with the free one.
“Hold onto me” he ordered indifferent as he casted his spell, teleporting both of you away before you could even comprehend, let alone ask him what he was doing.
It happened in the fraction of a second, yet felt like hovering through an empty space for an eternity.
“Now open your eyes.” You hadn’t even realized that you squeezed them shut during the shift, slowly opening them while Loki lifted your chin with his index finger.
The environment was magnificent. Had you ever seen something this beautiful in your whole life?
Obviously you had no clue where you were, but this was the first time seeing so much untouched nature on Asgard. There were flowers blooming in all colours imagineable, clear rivers crossing the lands in between grassy hills, and animals nearby a small forrest.
“It’s not like I didn’t educate myself about the Light Elves and their way of living” Loki stammered, unconsciously intertwining your fingers with yours as he watched you admiring the view. “So I could make you comfortable here, I mean.”
He plummeted down on the grass, still a little wet from the morning dew, and gestured for you to do the same. It was weird, actually, but also somehow adorable - how the infamous ‘Silver Tongue’ had lost his ability with words. “I’ve done very little right in my life full of wrongs. Hurt a lot of people.”
“Mmmhh” you hummed approvingly, not knowing what else to say - yet for some reason, you didn’t let go off of his hand, squeezing it ever so slightly.
“And even though I can’t possibly redeem myself, I wish to change for the better.” he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. “I just never knew how to start.”
Loki Odinson really was full of surprises. He was nothing like the child you’ve met long ago, and the complete opposite of what you imagined the ‘God of Mischief’ to be.
You had expected a power-hungry, selfish and cruel man to wed you - and yet there he was: Insecure and broken, only a shell of the person he once was.
Just what had you missed all those years? What things happened to break someone’s will like this?
And was he truly beyond repair?
“Those past weeks, I have visited Alfheim more times than you could comprehend” he giggled nervously, avoiding your eyes. “Concealed, of course.”
Well, that sounded kind of weird, but you knew better than to talk someone down who was just opening up to you. So your sole answer was “What for?”
“There was no way a criminal like me would still be seemed fit for this ceremony - and yet I was given this chance anyway. My mother told me that it was you who insisted on carrying on the arrangement, so...I just wanted to know what person would be willingly ruin their life.”
Something different was shining through the god’s orbs, and you couldn’t quite decipher it. Was it hope? Hope, that if you had given him a chance, his life could lead into a different direction? To change himself from the burden that was his birth title?
“I-I guess I don’t want to mess this up like I always do” he whimpered barely audible, before staring at you in shock and embarassment. Until now, he hadn’t realized just how vulnerable he made himself.
Just what the hell would you think about him now? You probably had lost any respect, or thought himself to be crazy. How weak...
So he was quick to put on the confident facade again, wearing his smug grin as if that all was just part of a big joke only he’d understand. But even though you barely knew him, he couldn’t fool you.
“Sometimes it’s enough just to try.” Your head turned from the sight of nature to your fiancé and back several times, before you brought up the courage and put a hand on his shoulder, whispering “So you can’t really mess this up.”
“Gladly you don’t seem to know yet just how much misery I cause.” He kept that thought to himself, to not scare you away.
“I am aware that you could never love someone like me, Y/N. But I can provide for you, dedicate myself to making you content with being my wife. My newfound purpose.”
The purpose of a war criminal - that sure put yourself under a lot of pressure. And still, it made you somewhat proud, and grateful as well. Because it was the first time someone valued you as a person, and not the princess of Alfheim.
Unaware of how much time had passed, both of you would get used to each other’s presence in silence, enjoying the nature while you processed this eventful day.
Exhausted from the long travel and all that rollercoaster of emotion, you soon found yourself dazzling into sleep onto Loki’s shoulder. If only you could see him adore you, staring in awe that someone could actually feel so safe in his presence.
Carefully, the god picked you up, gently lifting you on his arms to make your way back to the palace, where everyone was frantically searching for both of you. Well, Loki was used to trouble -  but right now, it was worth it.
May it be right or wrong, and even though you couldn’t explain this sentiment, you had a good feeling when it came to the things that were just about to come.
“You won’t regret your decision, Y/N Y/L/N. On my side, I assure you a bright future.”
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Ml Meta analysis: Adriens current absents, season 4 structure and theory on whats to come
Here I am back again with my endless rambling.
I'm just as worried for our cat son as everyone else (maybe even more) which is why I tried figuring out for my own sanity why he is so absent currently.
Upfront I wanna warn yall that I wrote this post in one rush this night and therefore had no time to do alot of editing. So things can probably get a bit more messy than usual but I tried to write it clearly, while writing 2 other ml essays as well. This is the one drawback of having so many episodes in such a short time, I have no time to write my posts x3 I had another theory planned for before Optigami airs but I don't think I can manage before tomorrow.
But let's not waste any more time. Grab a snack and here we go:
It's 2am right now but I think I just realized why Adrien/Chat Noir is being sidelined so much recently.
Sure, yes, it'll come into play in the very obviously set up Ladynoir drama later on but what I wanna talk about now is more the structure of how s4 is most likely written in terms of both Marinettes and Adriens side of the story. And then deep dive a little on why I think so.
You see season 4 is now reaping what has been built up from s1-s3, but this also includes that you have to take the time now to properly recreate the new possibilities out of the loose pieces of the broken status quo.
Seriously, season 4 has to handle and reinvent ALOT. The show got now officially announced to have 7 seasons, which is exactly the amount of seasons Astruc said they have story for. I couldnt find the official tweet from Thomas himself but I one from another source:
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And now look take a look at the possible shows structure:
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- s1-s3 was the first status quo and built up everything so now they can pay off after pay off while...
-... S4 is now the transitional season where the old status quo gets left behind as we work towards the new one.
-I have nothing to proof this of course, but in the same sense it would now make sense that s5-s7 where/are planned to play out under the final status quo. If I'm not wrong at first the show was under contract for 5 seasons, which would mean that after the transitional season 4 there was only 1 season of the final status quo for sure. Still, done right it could have been worth the wait. But this isn't where Miraculous will end. The show actually got the 7 seasons the creator wanted and THIS is how I think the long term plan makes the most sense. Nothing all too complicated but still hella effective in its execution.
But now back to our two main characters, because Marinettes and Adriens development are the two aspects that will raise the show to the intense heights of the s5-s7 status quo.
From s1-s3 Marinette was the active player but she was hardly involved with the actual PLOT of the show, since most of the plot and backstory of the show lies directly with the Agreste family. She only started to get her own plot when she literally created a new one by getting involved with the miraculous lore, because the closest Marinette got to the Agreste plot was "The collector".
Adrien in the other hand was always literally right in the middle of the plot but he wasn't enough of an active player to bring us further either.
Season 4 is now going to add the missing parts for both of them and as the very beginning of the season showed us: there are going to do it SEPERATLY.
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This is why "Truth" and "Lies" have been structured the way they are (One Marinette-centric the other Adrien-centric). Yes, Marinette and Adrien are meant to end their story victoriously together, but they are simply not the people they have to be to become such a powerful team. Certain aspects of their journey they have to do... basically disconnected from the other one. The "Miracle Queen" endcard shows it quite nicely as well where they are heading now: away from each other.
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Obviously the season started with Marinette growing into her new guardian status including everything miraculous related, since she is the main lead and because the new ways the episodes can now utilize everything Miraculous need to be established first before we deep dive into the messed up Agreste mystery.
So while I totally agree that it is annoying to get so little Adrien/Chat Noir content currently I also understand the practicality behind it. As I said, before s4 Marinette was the active main character who mostly didn't really have her own plot. So now adding her plot aspect and have her ACTIVELY figure everything needed out means that right now Marinette/Ladybug is the active focus main character who is solving a huge part of her s4 character arc. That simply drowns out Adrien as the currently still mostly-inactive secondary main character who, yes, may be right in the middle of the shows emotional + villain plot/lore/backstory, but that side of the story simply isn't in focus at the moment.
And I gotta say, I'm kinda glad they're doing it this way. Because I'm gonna be honest, when the season starts giving us Adrien/family Agreste episodes like "Lies" and "The collector" (in this case "Gabriel Agreste" for example) again, I don't want the narrative to be forced to spend time with something guardian lore based just because they didn't took their time to do it earlier.
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So, as we see on the s4 episode raster "Gabriel Agreste" is episode 9. Honestly, I expect most of it (especially the ones near the beginning, so ep. 5 included) til that episode to be Marinette based the way everything else til now did (besides Lies obviously and Guilt trip didn't hardcore focus on Marinette/Ladybug either and that's because it's after "Gabriel Agreste") in the spirit of "Truth". It's just the needed set up from Marinettes side of the story and I can live with that.
Because we actually saw the change after "Gabriel Agreste" already in "Guilt trip".
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I don't know why some people pretend like Chat almost cataclysming himself after hearing how guilt-eaten Nino is for Adriens sake isn't a huge indicator that the episodes afterwards will not only acknowledge but also DEAL with Adriens/Chats situation and problems. Remember, we are talking about CHAT NOIR here not Adrien Agreste. The show has always portrayed and acknowledged ADRIENS issues very straight forward and with the proper seriousness (especially when it comes to his family), whereas Chat Noir was often mostly used for comedic purposes with some exceptions of his problems being properly delt with (since Marinette/Ladybug was mostly oblivious to them, since Adrien keeps them hidden so well). But now in "Guilt trip" LADYBUG was confronted head-on with just how much negativity Chat has inside and how quickly and extremely he drowns in it.
Sure, correct, the episode also has his negativity "washed away" rather quickly by Ladybug opening up to him on how important he is to her
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But this is in character for both of them as "Lies" very clearly showed us that the way BOTH OF THEM behave here is where the problem lies. There Ladybug was freaked out after Chat threw his life away once again but quickly accepted Chats very direct avoidance of the confrontation, since he seemed to be alright to her.
Something I also find noteworthy here is that Ladybugs dialog is "Seriously, you need to stop doing this to me!", which is.... a VERY Marinette-centric way of acknowledging the problem.
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It completely shifts the issue away from Adriens extremely alarming self-harmful/suicidal tendencies and instead only calls out how it affects Marinette (whose feelings here are definitely valid, don't get me wrong!). It showcases perfectly how unaware Marinette still is of her partners inner tumult at that point and also parallels how Marinette called Adriens life "perfect" at the beginning of the episode (This is no shade towards Marinette, in general the entirety of "Lies" is about showing us just how harmful Adriens Chat Noir persona actually IS to him so these two moments of her being oblivious to Adriens and Chats immense problems very much fits into that episodes narrative and sets up what's about to come. I still have an entire essay in the making for "Lies" but, guys, it's just getting longer and longer. I suck xD).
So the fact that an episode after "Gabriel Agreste" brings this scenario back, just a little different but ALOT more revealing of Adriens immense problems to his partner, is VERY telling. Besides other things it tells us that this happens at the beginning of the arc that deals with (at least) Chats issues since Ladybug is still way too quickly too ready to accept her partner as "completely fine" again just because Chat makes it seem that way (while some negativity increasing guilt bubbles still to stick to him.).
And yet, others have already pointed it out that Ladybug IS noticing what Chat wanted to do and reacted accordingly...
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she just didn't speak of it the way it is because it overwhelmed her, which calls back to Ladybugs "You have to stop doing this to me!" dialog.( For a great breakdown of her dialog HERE is a link to @flightfoot​ post)
In "Lies" Marinette was way too stressed by her new guardian role to even consider Chats side of it and therefore only spoke of her own, but in "Guilt trip" she's already past that stressful arc. So here she is immediately able to recognize Chats suicidal action for what it is, come to his (much needed) aid and lift her partners spirit the best she can by emotionally opening up to him (which is something we KNOW is incredibly hart for Marinette).
The difference between her reaction in "Lies" and in "Guilt trip" shows that Marinette has her guardian role already mostly handled and is now mentally able to be there for others again, so the extremely Marinette-centric "Truth"-like episodes are mostly passed. Now the episodes can bring Adrien/Chat Noir more into the game again and even shift to "Lies" - like episodes because MARINETTE can pay more attention to him again and isn't faced with something new, important and overwhelming Miraculous related every step she takes.
And THAT is extremely fair from a narrative standpoint.
---
I really need to stop elaborating so much on these posts because I'm only NOW actually getting to the point of where Adriens journey will disconnect for a while from Ladybugs. Sorry guys.
Okay, to understand where I'm going with this I will have to quickly explain how I always saw Chat Noirs place in the Ladybug+Chat Noir vs Hawkmoth war ever since s1.
Because here is the thing: Adrien wasn't able to truly leave the battle field ONCE since the origins. Marinette was completely out of Hawkmoths and Gabriels reach once she detransformed, which balances out her basically being the personification of the good sides force. And Gabriel literally decided whenever or not the battle is even ACTIVE right now! Besides that he is in complete control of his own actions and environment, which gives him all the necessary time, safety and downtime he needs to act as the personification of the evil sides force.
Marinette and Gabriel always knew when they were safe and off the battle field, but ADRIEN never had that and it left him LITERALLY right in the middle of both Ladybugs and Hawkmoths sides.
You see, because before Adrien became Chat Noir he basically was part of Hawkmoths side just by default. He was born into this family, that's his father and lost mother and everything he knows. Adrien didn't/doesn't even have to KNOW that he is part of Hawkmoths side, he's his son at some level he just IS! And I'm not saying this as anything negative, Adrien coming from Hawkmoths side is literally the reason why he became Chat Noir!
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Because whereas Gabriel is having the time of his damn life as evil terrorist, created out of tragic and sinister circumstances, ADRIEN on the other hand couldn't handle his families environment and very same circumstances anymore and accepted the role as Paris' hero to escape his heritage for a while.
Keywords being: a WHILE.
Something unique about Adrien I always loved is the fact that he is the villains abused, isolated and overworked SON, who becomes a hero to escape his depressing life and YET it was never Adriens intention to LEAVE IT. Adrien merely wanted to use his time as Chat Noir to let of some steam and breath freely while doing some hero work so he can go back into his civilian life and try to one day successfully ment his broken family. He couldn't handle the current situation anymore but he still always saw worth in his family/father. I have SO MUCH respect for that!
But him not intending to leave his family and instead regaining strength as Chat Noir to continue to hold onto it came with the downside of him not being able to fully become part of the good sides people/force either. Hence why Adriens/Chats place always felt so lost in comparison to Ladybugs and Hawkmoths clear positions. He's caught in between their extremes trying to balance out BOTH at the same time. What an impossible task!
So he couldn't put in the same focus as Ladybug into being the good sides force because he is literally burned out from his civilian life on Hawkmoths evil side. But he also couldn't be involved as an ACTIVE member of his fathers evil force, because he chose to find refuge in his friends and as a hero on Ladybugs side.
Adrien unknowingly is part of BOTH the shows two extreme moral sides of good and evil and this season we will see Adrien/Chat Noir grow into his own within BOTH sides as well.
Because he simply couldn't have done so right away in s1. Now after 3 seasons Chat Noir is more than solidly established as one of Paris Heros and his time with Ladybug, the other heros and his normal friends helped him greatly to find his place on the good side. "Lies" set this up as Chat Noirs arcs starting point that now he has to stop connecting "being heroic" strictly with following Ladybug (as Marinette is the STAND IN personification for the good side, she's still a flawed human being like everyone else and not the ultimate force of perfect and good. Big difference.) just as he has to start looking past his fathers sympathetic moments/qualities to see that Hawkmoth isn't a 100%, inhumane monster just because he is the stand-in personification of evil in their fight, but the man he calls Father and still needs to be taken down. (I talked about this in more detail on THIS post)
Adrien has to seperat himself from Ladybugs path and focus on his family and I believe it'll start with the much dreaded (but expected) Ladynoir fight.
Funnily enough, what I'm talking about was actually already set up in "Frozer" I just didn't remember that for a bit. In "Frozer" we saw Ladynoir having a fight which caused Chat Noir to go his own way in the episodes battle.
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I always found it interesting that the episode didn't had Chats decision, to not follow Ladybugs lead here, turn out to be a huge mistake. Almost every other show would have done so but now I think I understand. This episode and s2 in general SET UP the s4 conflict, s3 LEAD UP to it and now s4 DELIVERS it.
So what happened in "Frozer" is a direct parallel to what about to go down:
Ladynoirs fight will cause Chat Noir to not simply  follow Ladybugs side anymore the way he used to, but note, he DOESN'T leave the good side AND they make up again in the end after Chat saves Ladybug from the akuma. He just does things on his own because he isn't on great terms with her for a while. "Frozer" showed Chats decision to not only NOT be a mistake but also a necessary part of defeating the akuma, just the way it'll be in s4. Damn, Adrien breaking away from Ladybugs side, the way she (unintentionally tho) did at the beginning of the season, to focus more on himself and his family will be the game changing factor, when Adrien will have his completing arc where he goes from "not active character within the villain/backstory plot" to "ACTIVE character within the villain/backstory plot".
And we already saw with Marinette how many fast breakthroughs we get through these completing arcs. Which is also a reason for why Adriens/ Chats arc comes later in the season, because BUDDY. Once Adrien starts to actively uncover his families mystery and fathers secrets Gabriel is SCREWED! Adrien will gain the needed inside knowledge that complements Marinettes Miraculous power; and reunited they can take on whatever the hell kind of scale the Agrestes plan actually is.
So how to end this post? My biggest intention was to raise hope for everybody (myself included lol) who is right now very concerned and upset about how side-lined our boy is at the moment. But I prefer doing so in a way that actually works with canons context instead of sugarcoating what I don't like. And Adriens/Chats current position I definitely do NOT like but accepting it as realistic outcome from s1-s3 and set up for the escalation for both Ladynoir and his home situation gives it the proper purpose and pay off (narrative and character wise) that it SHOULD have.
Basically, the endcards of "Truth" and "Lies" show it perfectly.
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It looks like ShadowMoth is turning a blind eye towards Adrien/Chat Noir because of Ladybugs new guardian status and "greater importance". But Gabriels tunnel vision on Ladybug will leave him vulnerable to his own sons secret actions against him and Gabriel won't see it coming until its already too late.
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spxllcxstxr · 3 years
Text
Date Night • The Marauders
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(Gif not mine)
Request: Maybe like a poly!marauders x (she/her) reader where they just spend a day together :) like you can write smut If you’d like, but yea maybe they can go out to eat id like to see a dynamic in a poly relationship w them. Thank you!! Love your writing <3 — anon
Summary: Date nights are rare, but tonight, you go out for ice cream with your partners
Warnings: Food and eating!! The entire fic is about eating, so please stay safe! If you have a peanut allergy no you don’t. Also, if you’re lactose intolerant like me, uhhhh pretend there’s a potion for that I guess, kinda implied first Wizarding war, smallest hint of steaminess
Word Count: 1.6k
A.N: Remus=Ross, James=Chandler, Sirius=Joey, right? This took me like weeks to finish...but overall I kinda like it. Let me know what you think, and love you all ❤️
****
The four of you very rarely had free time.
Between missions and meetings, you and your partners almost never had time off, and even when you did, one of you would still be busy. One of you would still be undercover or stuck debriefing the latest mission with Mad-Eye for hours.
So it’s weird to find yourself situated on the couch, Sirius’ head resting on your lap and Remus on the other end, stuck with his feet. James shuffles around in the kitchen behind you, stuck with dish duty after almost setting your flat on fire.
Sirius snuggles deeper into your thigh, evidently still exhausted from the previous day’s mission he was tasked with.
The flat is mostly quiet, the only sounds coming from Remus turning the pages of his novel and the ceramic plates clashing together as they get put away. The sun slowly sets outside, basking your living room in glowing orange in light.
You run your fingers through the mess of dark curls splayed out on your lap, always lustrous and soft to the touch. He hums deeply in approval.
A sharp clap from behind jolts you out of your peaceful thoughts.
You crane your neck to watch as James throws on his denim jacket.
“I believe that we,” He starts, eyeing the three of you. “deserve a date night.”
Instantly, a smile grows across your face. The last time the four of you had a proper date night, it was 1979 and Queen had just released a new song, which meant that Sirius needed to celebrate with all of you at the pub getting absolutely pissed.
Since you all joined the Order, all your free time has been sucked down the drain.
So that’s why the mere suggestion of the normally elusive date night makes you feel all giddy inside. You would’ve gotten up from your comfortable position to throw your coat on if it wasn’t for Sirius practically securing you to the cushions.
“But James...” He groans.
“Oh c’mon, Pads, we haven’t been on a proper date since—“
“Last year.” Remus interjects, shutting his book before placing it onto the coffee table. “But then again, you were too drunk for it to actually be considered a date.”
“Don’t blame me, blame Freddie and his Merlin given voice.” Sirius muses, still laying on your thigh. His fingers dance around your kneecap.
Remus slowly eases himself off the couch, joining James by the front door.
“Fine.” You hear James shrug. “We’ll just leave you here to suffer while Remus, (Y/n), and I go out to Florean’s.”
This seems to grab his attention, because he perks up just enough for you to slide out of his grasp.
You end up at Remus’s side, clinging to his grey jumper as you excitedly pull on your shoes.
“Ice cream?” Sirius asks, pushing his hair behind his ears. “Without me?”
“It doesn’t have to be without you, Sirius.” You retort, sandwiched between James and Remus. “If you get your arse over here, we won’t have to leave you.”
“Alright, you’ve convinced me.” Sirius huffs, hands raised in mock surrender, dragging himself over to the front door.
He waves his wand, boots zipping out of the closet and slipping onto his feet, his dark leather jacket covering his white shirt on its own.
“What, are simple tasks too hard for you now?” Remus teases, lightly bumping his shoulder into Sirius’.
“We’ve got magic for a reason, Moons.” The shorter of the two rolls his eyes. “Might as well use it.”
Remus opens his mouth to retort but James swiftly interrupts their bickering.
“I swear to Godric Gryffindor himself, (Y/n) and I will leave both you gits here.”
There’s grumbling from the two of them, but it becomes garbled once James throws an arm around you and Apparates you to Diagon Alley.
Your brain feels like it’s spinning in your skull and your stomach tugs familiarly at your naval. Sure you’ve Apparated many many times before, but it’s simply not fun no matter what.
As per usual, Diagon Alley is loud. Children and drunkards laugh, spells and fireworks whizz passed your ears, people in heels trot across the cobblestone path.
It’s places like Diagon Alley that remind you why you love magic so much.
James’ arm is still heavy on your shoulders as you watch people in cloaks and tall hats rush by you.
There’s a startling crack behind you and you and James turn around to see your other partners. Sirius might have a few new purple bruises littered across his collar bones and Remus might have a smug look plastered across his face, but no one says anything. Remus throws the two of you a silent wink as Sirius hangs off of him.
“Gonna hold my hand, Moony?” James questions, his arm outstretched.
Remus eagerly takes it, fingers interlocking.
So the four of you are connected as you stroll down the street. Your face is buried into James’ denim jacket, the faint smell of grass stains and broom oil an already welcomed scent. In the middle, James and Remus have their shoulders rubbing together as they walk, James’ thumb most likely tracing figure eights between his knuckles like he always does. Lastly, it seems like Sirius had changed his position enough to stick a hand in Remus’ back pocket.
The sun continues to dip lower below the horizon, resulting in candles and lanterns being lit in every dark corner. Children are ushered inside homes and adults start to flock towards the pubs.
With the looming threat of dark and dangerous wizards, people aren’t taking their chances, safety in numbers and safety indoors being popular within the village.
Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor is lit up in a rainbow of colors as always, and the sweet scent of ice cream drifts through the air. People sit in crowds outside the shop, enjoying their treats on the sidewalk or some even spread out on the street.
“So what’re you going for today, Jamie?” You ask as your little group enters the shop.
A little bell sounds from above you, barely heard over the boisterous laughter and rowdy conversations that surround you.
Unlike you, Sirius, and Remus, James doesn’t have a signature flavor. He had to have a different kind every visit. So while Remus had already ordered his strawberries and cream in a waffle cone and Sirius is eyeing his peanut butter ice cream, James is still perusing his options like a little kid.
Your own ice cream starts to melt a bit while you’re waiting.
James squints his eyes at the names, despite his glasses already resting on the bridge of his nose.
“You haven’t done toffee apple in a bit, Prongs.” Sirius points, his finger making contact with the cool glass barrier.
“You’re right.” James hums. “Thanks.” He presses a quick kiss to Sirius’ stubbled cheek before ordering his ice cream.
There’s a small open table across the way, lit up by a few lanterns, which the four of you claim.
There’s a very slight breeze that makes you cuddle up to Remus’ soft jumper.
Desperate to talk about something other than the current state of affairs, James gets caught up talking the Wimbourne Wasps and their new Beater, Ludovic Bagman.
You watch Sirius, tongue poking ever so slightly out of the corner of his mouth, try to sneak a scoop of James’ ice cream while he’s distracted.
Attempting to hide your amusement, you bring a hand up to cover your mouth, feigning interest in the Quidditch talk.
You watch the spoon make an indent and it’s halfway to Sirius’ mouth before—
“Oi!”
The silver spoon freezes abruptly, and grey eyes widen significantly.
“Is that why you suggested toffee apple? So you could nick some of my bloody ice cream?” James gasps dramatically, mouth agape in shock.
“Where’re your manners, James?” Sirius retorts, licking his spoon. “Sharing is caring.”
His hazel eyes narrow. “I don’t know, Black, that looked more like thievery to me.”
“Well let’s take it to our very own Wizengamot, then.” Sirius loudly gestures to you and Remus.
“Well I’m sure that for a wee bit of ice cream, (Y/n) and I, as key witnesses to the whole event, can clear the air.” Remus smirks, biting into his cone.
Sirius swiftly pushes the rest of his ice cream across the table, not even trying to be discrete about his offering. You and Remus start to dig in.
“Bribery!” James shouts, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. “This trial is a load of bullshit!”
“Sorry James, can’t hear you over how good this is.” Remus remarks with his mouth full.
You lick your spoon, watching the theatrics.
“That doesn’t even make sense!” James straightens his glasses and runs a hand through his hair in playful frustration.
“Aw, Jamie...you want some of mine?” You pout, offering some of your own frozen dessert.
“At least someone at this table loves me.” James grumbles, sticking a spoon into your bowl.
Sirius sticks his tongue out.
“Hey, I never said Sirius was cleared of all charges.” Remus raises a scarred brow.
“What?” Sirius snaps. “But I bribed you!”
You snicker at his balled up fists.
“So you admit to the bribery, you might as well admit to the thievery while you’re at it.” He finishes the bowl, licking the last of it from his spoon.
“Oh how the tables have turned.” James smugly points out.
Sirius childishly pouts, opting to pick at his black painted fingernails.
“We should have date nights more often.” James chuckles, clinking your spoons together.
All Character Taglist: @aspiringsloth20 @amourtentiaa @cherie-draco @mullthingsoverinthehotwater
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Runaway Ride
Fandom: Never Have I Ever Pairing: Devi/Paxton Rating: T Word Count: 4889
Summary: Kamala gets herself into a pickle, Devi needs to go to her, and Paxton has a car. Problem-solving has never been so simple, but that's how it is when your new boyfriend is Paxton Hall-Yoshida. Throw in a little hand-holding on the highway and this family crisis might just be the best date Devi will ever have.
When they finally took a break from dancing—disconnecting hands from hips and shoulders, lips from lips—Devi stepped away in a dreamy headspace. She almost collided with Jonah, but he didn’t tell her to look where she was going, only offered a shrewd, indulgent smile.
Actually, everybody was treating her like that; every eye that caught hers on her way to the table where she’d left her stuff was unjudgmental, admiring, straight up fairy-godmotherly. Devi hadn’t received this much notice since her dad’s death and her subsequent paralysis. And those looks had been pitying, freaked out. Positive attention was new and cool and she wondered, as she grabbed her phone out of her turquoise clutch, whether her socials would show more of the same when she opened them. Would people have snapped stealthy pics of her and Paxton dancing now that she’d been vaulted into the pseudo-celebrity strata of the high school hierarchy? Would the Insta posts be captioned with hashtags of their ship name? Paxi? Daxton? Vishwall-Yoshumar?
Devi never got to check.
Unlocking her phone, she found two missed calls from her mother. Maybe two wouldn’t have seemed like a whole lot to someone else, but Devi knew that, in order for her mom to risk rudeness by stepping away from the company she was hosting at home not once but twice, she’d need to be pretty frantic. Two missed calls from Nalini Vishwakumar were the equivalent of six or seven from any other mother.
Skirting the edges of the gym as she headed away from DJ Humanoid—that nit-witted saboteur of slow dances—Devi was about to call her mom back when her screen changed to an incoming call from Kamala. She pressed her other hand to her ear and answered it.
“Hey. Do you know what’s going on with my mom? She called me twice and, honestly, she knows I’m at the d—”
“Devi, shut up. Sorry,” Kamala sighed. “But I may have kidnapped your history teacher and now I’m panicking a little.”
Devi stopped in her tracks.
“You did what? Why is the sound weird?”
As she was trying to identify the background noise coming from Kamala’s end, her eyes swept over the crowd of her classmates and landed on Fabiola’s. Her friend had been smiling, mid-sway as she held Eve from behind and chatted with Sasha, but it fell off her face like Devi off Dr. Jackson’s roof. Fab disentangled herself from her girlfriend and crossed the room to stand with Devi. She was frowning, silently asking for an explanation for Devi’s distress, but Devi didn’t really have one yet.
“We’re in his car on the highway,” her cousin was saying. “He was a little drunk, so I’m driving.”
Devi had imagined that Kamala was exaggerating, but no, this was really starting to sound like a kidnapping.
“You better be on hands-free right now,” she lectured. Then, because she wasn’t exactly a paragon of road safety herself—barely an hour ago, she’d walked right out in front of Paxton’s jeep—didn’t wait for confirmation. “What the hell happened? Context, Kamala!”
“Well, as soon as I snuck out of the house—”
“But why did you sneak out?!”
“Devi, I can’t talk about that right now!” Devi’s eyebrows shot up at the clear and abnormal hysteria in her cousin’s voice. “I ran out of the house,” Kamala continued, “totally directionless, and the first thing that popped into my head was Manish’s invitation for me to come to karaoke…”
“Ew, what the fuck, don’t call Mr. K that.”
What? Fab mouthed at her, but Devi shook her head.
“That is his name and what he asked me to call him. Anyway,” Kamala said, sounding strained, “I went to your school and met up with him and now I’m driving his car and I think I might have shut my sari in the car door, but I’m scared to pull over and check because if I stop the car, I’m going to have to confront things and I think I’d rather not do that yet.”
“Kamala,” Devi said in a heavy, careful voice. “You have to pull over. I totally get what you’re saying because it sounds like something I might do—minus the part where you kidnapped Mr. K—” Fabiola’s eyes went dramatically wide as she was adjusting her tiara. “—but this isn’t you. You don’t run away from your obligations and elope with my teachers!”
“Manish and I didn’t elope. It isn’t in any way romantic.”
“For sure though? It’s not?” Devi heard another voice in the car ask.
“Mr. K, back off! Kamala’s in the middle of a crisis!” she shouted. “And please be drunk enough to forget that I yelled at you.”
“Devi, what should I do?” Kamala asked, sounding desperate in a sad way now.
“Where are you?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Ok, well, which direction are you heading in?”
“Um, either north or south.”
“You’re a disaster,” Devi muttered.
“What was that?”
“Uh… I said, don’t drive any faster. Try to read the next sign you pass so you can tell me where you are.”
“Alright,” Kamala said.
Devi tilted her phone away from her mouth so her cousin wouldn’t hear her frustrated sigh. She locked eyes with Fabiola.
“Kamala panicked at her engagement dinner and ran off with Mr. K. They’re either headed for Mexico or Canada, but I’ll know more in a minute.”
Fab blinked.
“Wow.”
“I know. It’s a lot. And this is me talking,” Devi emphasized.
“I don’t know if you would do anything this big. Mainly because you don’t have a driver’s license.”
“True.”
“Santa Barbara in twenty-six miles,” Kamala said in her ear.
“Damn, you made good time.”
“The traffic was quite manageable.”
“Try to calm down a little and get off the highway when you can. Don’t go past Santa Barbara. I’m coming to talk you down in person,” Devi said. “Oh, and don’t answer any of my mom’s calls; she’ll just stress you out.”
“That doesn’t seem very responsible. How about I send her a text when I stop to let her know I’m ok?”
Devi rolled her eyes.
“Suit yourself.”
“Thank you, Devi. But how will you get here?”
“Let me worry about that. Text me when you stop so I know exactly where I’m going.”
“I will.”
“’K. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Devi hung up and sighed massively, slumping into the wall and feeling a streamer crumple against her back. She and Fabiola stared at each other.
“What are you gonna do?” Fab asked.
“Be the hero my family needs, but not the one they deserve.”
“Are you misquoting Batman to justify doing something reckless?”
“First of all, rescuing Kamala isn’t reckless, and second of all, the movie isn’t called Batman, it’s The Dark Knight. Young-ish Christian Bale, hello.”
Fabiola pointed a finger at her own face.
“Young-ish out-of-touch lesbian, hello. At least I was close.”
Devi sighed again while Fab smiled sadly at her in obvious sympathy.
“It’s after ten at night. How am I gonna get to Santa Barbara?”
“Assuming you’re not going to ask your mom—”
“No.”
“Then you need a ride.”
“You need a ride? I’ll drive you.”
It was Paxton, walking up and tentatively taking Devi’s hand while darting uncertain glances at Fabiola. Devi felt her entire face light up.
“You don’t want to know where or why?” she teased.
His expression said those were insignificant details. Wow. Devi’d never had a fantasy where Paxton joined forces with her, bounty hunter-style, to track down a flighty Kamala, but this felt oddly romantic. Passionate even? They’d see where the night took them.
“You wouldn’t wanna leave the dance unless it was serious,” Paxton reasoned. “So, I’ll drive you. You wanna go now?”
“I guess we better. Lemme just grab my…”
“I’ll get it,” Fab said, raising a hand like the nerd she was as she volunteered.
She darted back through the dancers to grab Devi’s things and Devi watched their classmates part for their Cricket Queen. She was so proud of Fab. Also, she felt kinda bad for ditching such a momentous occasion. But Kamala needed her, and would totally do the same for her if she ever went off the deep end and kidnapped a dude while fleeing a proposal. Not that Devi could see herself fleeing a proposal (she glanced at Paxton as she thought this, then quickly away, thinking, Way too soon!). Carrying out a kidnapping? With a sufficiently convincing pro-and-con list, anything was possible.
“Basically, Kamala freaked and drove to Santa Barbara with a drunken Mr. K,” Devi said, because Paxton might not have asked to be informed, but she wanted him to know what he was getting himself into. Beyond that, she wanted to give him the chance to say, No way, Devi. I came here to look hot and dance up on you, nothing more.
“Oh shit,” was what he said.
“Damn right, oh shit. You still want to drive? This is going to take a while.”
She should probably have felt guilty about trying to subtly persuade him with her eyes, but not only was Paxton the least complicated option, he was also her first choice. If she maintained eye contact long enough, Devi figured it might trigger some kind of boyfriend override that made going for a long drive at night just as appealing as staying here and dancing with her butt pressed thrillingly to his groin when the teacher-chaperones weren’t looking.
“As long as we can hit up the bathrooms first. I was going to, but then I got talking to Trent, and then Marcus was doing a handstand…”
“Definitely,” Devi assured him. “Good call. Empty the tank. Oh, actually, that reminds me… how much gas do you have in your jeep? If we need to stop at a gas station, I’ll have to factor that in to the ETA I give Kamala.”
Paxton shook his head at her, smiling in what she liked to think was affectionate amusement.
“I filled it up on the way here. I needed a minute to, uh…” To her epic astonishment, he ducked his head self-consciously, cheeks pinking. “You know. Get my shit together. Up here.” He tapped his temple with his index finger. “I wanted to show up for you, like, completely. You know?”
Right as Devi was at dangerously high risk of sagging to the floor in blissful bonelessness, Fabiola sprang to her side, shoving the rest of her possessions at her.
“Ok, ok!” Devi said, harried.
She had to dump it all on the bathroom counter a minute later anyway, but after she’d done her pre-road trip pee, she came out and gave Fab a better thank-you.
“Your Highness,” Paxton told Fabiola with a nod.
Fab nodded back, smiling wryly.
“Prosecutor.”
“I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship,” Devi assessed, “but we gotta go! Say congrats to Eve for me again!”
“Sure. Drive safe!”
Devi and Paxton pushed through the doors together, striding quickly with his hand wrapped around hers. In the parking lot, she glanced sideways to see him digging his keychain out of his front pocket.
“Oh,” she said, “so I wasn’t just feeling that you were very happy to dance with me.”
Until they got into the jeep, it was too dark to see whether she’d gotten him to blush again, but she liked to think that she had. He was definitely smiling.
They got in and Devi carefully tucked her skirt around her legs, mind on Kamala’s cautionary tale. At least it was until Paxton leaned forward to shrug out of his jacket and she saw his shoulder muscles jump beneath his fitted button-down, his narrow black tie swinging forward. Dang. Fifty shades of Hall-Yoshida.
“Santa Barbara?” Paxton double-checked once he was settled behind the wheel, steering out of the student lot.
“Santa Barbara.”
Until they were on the highway and heading out of Los Angeles, Devi did her best to keep her worry about Kamala’s situation contained to the way she flapped her phone against her thigh. Usually, she was stressing about the problems right in front of her (when she wasn’t blatantly ignoring them, only to have that approach bite her in the ass later), but with whatever was going on with Kamala, she kinda had to look ahead.
Had she wanted Kamala to get engaged to Prashant that badly? Well, the best thing about Prashant was that you never knew when having additional hot relatives would be to your benefit. (Devi was already hoping that Mr. K would get over the more nerve-wracking elements of this night and just remember having fun with her stunning cousin… and that this could possibly translate into at least a month of generous grades, if she could somehow spin these shenanigans as an intentional blind date arranged by herself.) However, an engaged Kamala was wholly different from a married Kamala. She wouldn’t be around to watch nonsensical episodes of Riverdale, or be duped into hijinks, or listen to Devi when her mom was too tired, or bitch about her shitty lab-mates in exchange for sitting through Devi bitching about her complicated feelings on the subject of Aneesa dating her ex. She wouldn’t live with them anymore, and the family that had begun to miraculously fill out after her dad had died would be back down to three. And the other two members of it would be old (Sorry, Mom, she thought) and not at all prepared to champion her dating life or the cleavage-accentuating formal dress currently buoying it.
So, yeah, Devi was looking ahead—eyes glazed over as the yellow lights of cars slipped around them to prevent her vision from fully adjusting to the blue-black sky—and feeling more than a little nervous and scared of the Kamala-shaped hole she’d have in her life if her dazzling, dorky cousin left her house for one she might eventually fill with the most beautiful children the world had ever seen.
Thankfully, Paxton was there. It startled her when he took one hand off the wheel and felt across her lap to grab hers, loosely interlacing their fingers. Devi quit hitting her phone against her leg. She sent off their updated location to Kamala and then let her phone fall flat.
“Did she say where she was?” Her boyfriend’s voice was quiet in the car and she realized for the first time that her head had been too crammed with thoughts to put on any music.
“Carpinteria State Beach. Do you know the exit?”
“We’ll find it.”
“And if you want me to drive while you rest on the way back…”
Paxton laughed.
“No way. Safety first.”
“Says the guy driving one-handed,” Devi countered, not that she was eager to surrender the hand warming hers.
He turned his head just long enough to shoot her a look.
“Whoa, pal, eyes on the road!” she said. (She had a half-baked plan to call her boyfriend ‘pal’ a few times and thereby de-weaponize the word in a memory that still felt like a fading bruise, an almost-gone sore spot in who she and Paxton were before they were openly a them.)
“Sorry,” he said, staring out the windshield again. He grinned. “You look gorgeous.”
“Really?”
“So gorgeous.” Paxton’s voice was softer this time, the underlying laugh it had carried since she’d offered to drive his jeep drained out of it. It was nearly a sigh.
“Thanks. So do you.”
“You know, I feel fucking awful for hitting you with my car, but I still think I mighta felt worse if I’d walked in and seen you dancing with somebody else.”
Devi twisted their hands, touching the back of his to her thigh so she was sandwiching it between leg and palm for a moment, aiming for reassuring.
“I wanna say I would never be that flaky, but my previous offenses speak for themselves.”
“So does doing this with me.”
“Uh,” she droned, “to recap, you left a fun thing to do a huge favour for me. You’re talking about it like this is my act of redemption. I feel like if you examine it for a sec, you’ll see how I’m actually kind of a dick for accepting your help.”
“I want us to be together,” he said bluntly. “Here we are. Together.”
“It’s that simple?”
“I don’t see why it can’t be.”
“Huh. I think you’re really gonna be good for my tendency to overcomplicate a situation.”
Paxton laughed and unthreaded his fingers from Devi’s. But it wasn’t to release her for pointing out that this date was, in actual fact, the coordinated response to a family crisis; his fingertips moved lightly over her palm, momentarily trapped when her fingers flinched inward in reaction to how it tickled, then traced along the thin skin of her inner wrist. He wasn’t trying to pull away. He was lingering. Though his touch when he sunk his hand into her hair or drew her closer by her waist had always been fairly gentle, it had often had the faint aggression of hastiness to it, clutching her as they made out in her room, always listening for footsteps in the hallway. How Paxton touched her now was pure, exploratory tenderness. It made the hairs on the back of Devi’s neck stand up as a wave of shivers rushed up her spine and crested somewhere around the nape of her neck.
He must’ve felt that wave break, the foamy aftereffects in some tic of her arm or quickening of her pulse while his fingers skimmed gradually up the inside of her arm towards her elbow, because he chanced another quick glance at her.
“That feels good,” she explained.
Paxton looked forward, nodding slowly, and shifted in the driver’s seat.
“Good.”
She thought it must have felt good for him too, knowing he’d made her shiver.
The miles were flicking past for Paxton—another, another, another, as fast and steady as the dashed lines painted between the lanes, his arms cutting the water on the front crawl. He wanted Devi, beside him, to believe that he was paying attention to his driving, but he was honestly kinda zoned out. Like that time he’d swum to San Diego, he let his body go through the motions (in this case, twitching the wheel, putting on cruise control when traffic thinned so he didn’t have to focus on the pedals) while his mind floated freely.
Where it floated was to his girlfriend.
At ten years old, he’d been the last kid in his swim class to jump off the 10m board. It was optional—a treat after getting water up their noses turning somersaults below the surface and doing egg-beater legs in between—but all the other boys in the group had done it eagerly, shrieking on their way down to sloppy pencil dives. Paxton had climbed the stairs all the way to the top easily enough, even stepped onto the wide platform, bordered by metal railings and rough under his bare feet. He’d walked out to the end and frozen to find himself so high above the pool.
He hadn’t feared the water, he’d feared the air. Being so exposed on his own at the end of the diving board. Eventually, he’d retreated, then surprised the coach waiting down at the poolside by turning around and taking the jump at a run. Few memories felt as good as the sensation of giving himself back to gravity and letting it reunite him with the water. He’d just had to get past the exposure.
Same thing tonight, going to find Devi at the dance. Holding her hand in his had been him reaching the platform, but when they stood together, just inside the school’s doors, Paxton hadn’t known for sure whether he would take the leap or retreat. And not just for a running start this time, but in a way that turned his sixteen-year-old present self back into one of those nervous ten-year-olds who wimped out and had to take the coward’s way down—descending each step they’d climbed. He might not have run, and yet he hadn’t needed to back up and race into their relationship either. Momentum hadn’t carried them inside for everyone they knew to see them. It had been a calm approach, even if he’d been shaking on the inside when he saw Trent staring at them.
So maybe Paxton had learned something in the last six years, or maybe it was harder to feel exposed with somebody right next to you.
She really did look gorgeous, like he’d said, and because he didn’t want her to worry about his focus if she spotted him gazing at the side of her face while she texted her cousin, the glances he stole were of the knee region. Her dress’s overlay sparkled when the high lights of eighteen-wheelers passed them and the specific teal of the dress itself reminded him of a river he’d swum in once during an out-of-state family vacation. Natural and deep and fresh, and exasperating for his parents because he’d accidentally doggy-paddled himself all the way to a small waterfall and hadn’t heard them calling him back for dinner around the campfire. He felt all that about Devi, except for hoping for a different reaction from his parents when they met her.
Holy shit. He was going to have to introduce his girlfriend to his embarrassing hippy parents. But then, she’d already met Rebecca, so maybe they were set? A sister’s approval should count for a ton.
No, no, no, Devi would have to meet his parents. He was doing this. The two of them were doing this. Paxton exhaled determinedly through his nose and made himself concentrate on the remaining miles he needed to cover. His mind, anyway. His hand continued to stroke and search, covering his girlfriend’s hand with his until he had her fingers tucked away protectively under his own, and then caressing all the way up to the crook of her elbow so suddenly that she made a noise between a laugh and a yelp because he’d unintentionally tickled her. Man, she was cute.
The very end of their journey required the most concentration from Paxton; he finally took back his hand to have both on the wheel as he steered them off the highway and Devi’s got lonely or something, because it chased across to where he was sitting and landed on his thigh. His jaw clenched. He could feel the heat of her palm through his pantleg and congratulated himself on being a driving legend for driving smoothly to where they needed to park for beach access.
Devi had a pink sweater that she put on, but Paxton grabbed his jacket out of the back as well in case she needed it. It was almost midnight and a breeze rolled up off the water, rippling his tie and swishing Devi’s dress. He didn’t have to ask what they should do next—there was just one other car parked nearby and Devi’s cousin was already standing outside of it, raising a hand to wave sheepishly as they got out of his jeep.
“Here,” he said, holding out his jacket for his girlfriend to put her arms through the sleeves. “You guys talk. I’ll be down at the beach.”
Devi turned her back to him as she accepted the jacket, but she glanced over her shoulder with a look of concern.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. You’ll want privacy. I need to stretch my legs anyway.”
“Just don’t swim away, ok?” she requested. “I don’t think I can handle more than one rescue mission per night.”
Paxton could tell by her expression that it wasn’t entirely a joke. He grinned and gripped his lapels, now on Devi, reeling her in.
“I promise. You’d probably take the opportunity to try to drive the jeep home, and I don’t want to risk that.”
“Me committing grand theft auto or me getting hurt?”
“I bet they tested you for smartness,” he said, “but you think they have a test for being a smartass? You’d score high, Vishwakumar.”
“I know, I know, you don’t want me to get hurt.”
She was so infuriatingly flippant, rolling her big brown eyes at him.
“That’s right,” Paxton said plainly. There he was, up on the platform again.
Devi straightened his tie and let her hand rest flat on his chest. He remembered how overwhelmed she’d looked the first time he’d placed her palm there, right on his skin. Even now, it almost made him laugh.
“Ok,” she said, and he was surrendering himself to the sweet strength of gravity, propelled down to the beach while Devi stayed to talk to Kamala.
Devi had heard that there were tidepools here, and she was nervous about stepping into one and spearing some aquatic animal on her high heel. Well, she couldn’t magically improve her night vision, but she could take her shoes off and remove the possibility of impalement. They dangled from her fingers as she picked her way down to the beach.
Her boyfriend was sitting in the sand, staring out at the ocean. It just looked so romantic—with the stars the sky was too bright to see at home, and the waves, and the back of Paxton’s white shirt in the moonlight—that Devi decided to slip into the scene without saying anything at all.
A mistake. Paxton gasped and jumped. Apparently, he hadn’t heard her over the noise of the water.
“Sorry, sorry!” she said.
He sighed and smiled, getting to his feet.
“How’d it go?”
“I think it went well. She was feeling calm enough to drive, so she’s on her way home now. She’s gonna cover for me until we get back.”
“That’s good… but what about Mr. Kulkarni?”
“He was passed out in the passenger’s seat,” Devi stated. “I guess he’s kind of a lightweight? Kamala said she’s going to drive back to our school and leave him and his car in the parking lot. She’s planning to call my mom for a ride home. If it were me, I think I’d take the bus and try to sneak back into the house as quietly as possible, but Kamala still has a lot to learn about how to thoroughly dodge your problems.”
“And maybe about how to climb to the second floor of your house from the outside?” Paxton suggested with a meaningful smirk.
She did her best to return it, but the odds were that it didn’t look nearly as sexy on her. Then again, she had moonlight and midnight and well-displayed cleavage on her side.
“How’d you learn to do that so quietly anyway?” Devi asked, tossing her shoes to the sand and stepping forward to boldly wrap her arms around Paxton’s waist.
He’d had his hands in his pockets, but as soon as she’d begun to move towards him, he’d pulled them out. His arms encircled her, his hands on the back of his own black jacket. Although Devi wanted to offer him the jacket back—he felt slightly chilly through his shirt—she didn’t want the two of them to separate. Besides, body heat was a thing. This was practically what it was for. So Devi just pressed herself closer, breathing the scent of the ocean and Paxton’s fading cologne.
“Trent,” he said.
“Yeah, actually, that checks out.”
Were there boundaries between warming someone up while having a conversation and just hugging them? It wasn’t clear to Devi, but it felt good when they both went quiet for a while. She stood unevenly on the cold sand and listened to the thud of Paxton’s heart.
“You never said yes,” he said eventually, quietly.
“Yes to what?”
“I told you I came to the dance as your boyfriend and you never actually agreed to be my girlfriend. We kinda just started making out.”
Devi lifted her cheek from his chest so she could look at him. He didn’t appear disappointed, more like he was making an observation. Maybe he’d been reflecting, out here in the dark, while she and Kamala had talked.
“In my books, that’s an obvious yes,” she said, grinning. “What more do you need?”
She could see him trying not to smile.
“A little atmosphere would be nice,” Paxton said. “Maybe a long drive, or the beach. A full moon. Romance me, Vishwakumar.”
Devi vibrated with silent laughter. Or her heart was just beating really, really freaking hard.
“Sounds like you’ve got some pretty big expectations there.”
“And stars,” he added. “There should be a shitload of stars.”
With that, he took one hand off her back to point far above them. Devi tipped her head back, the light of the stars a friendly blur as she tried to pick one to settle on, just one. Paxton’s face coming forward to hover over hers blotted them out. Her boyfriend kissed her, light and ghosting and then firm and slow.
“On the other hand,” he said, pulling back a little, “I think we were onto something with the making out.”
Devi smiled and dug her toes into the sand to make herself taller, lips at the ready and realigned with his.
“We did set a precedent.”
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theoreticslut · 3 years
Text
Play Pretend
pairing: fred weasley x reader
For @vivianweasley ‘s 400 follower writing challenge!!
word count: 4.1k
warnings: fluff, slight angst(?)
A/N: oh my god!! I loved writing this and I really really hope you guys like it too. I wasn’t quite sure on the placement of the flashback, but I didn’t really think it would work anywhere else either. Let me know what you think please? Anyways, CONGRATS on 400 followers beautiful!! I’m so so happy for you and this has been so fun to partake in. I hope you like it 💗
Taglist: @justmesadgirl @xuckduck @yikesyikesyikes95 @filipi-yes @aestheticwh0r3 @siredkai @matsuno-nadeshiko @msmarklee1213 @immajustreadwritereblog @msmimimerton @perfectlysane24 @mischievous-queen @bunnyboo7 @grandeoptimist @kaitlynw011 @daddystevee @slytherinxhunter @streetfighterrichie @softlyqoos @sarcasticallywitty15 @isthereanymorejello @karushinekomiya @p0gue420 @hogwartslut @sebby-staan @thehorchatadiaries 
^let me know if you’d like to be added/removed! (or add yourself here) Xx
“Hey beautiful!” Fred beams at you as you join him in charms.
You smile, placing a soft kiss to his lips before you take your seat, his arm resting against the back of your seat as soon as you do.
For the last week this has become your normal routine. Ever since you and your best friend, Fred Weasley, decided to date. You weren’t going to complain about it, but it certainly could be better. Especially if all of this was real.  
You and Fred have been pretty good friends since about midway through your first year. You had been working in the library when he and George came running in to hide from Filch and ended up sitting at your table, stealing your books to hide behind. You suppose it’s pure luck that you liked sitting in the back of the library.
Since that day you had started talking to the twins more, but you and Fred really hit it off. You got along with George, but you and Fred were so much closer. You hated to admit it, but you actually kinda liked him  a bit more than a friend should. It was easy enough to hide your true feelings, though. Well, when you didn’t have to pretend to be his girlfriend at least.
“Hey, Freddie. How’re you today, my love?” You ask, relaxing into his hold as you wait for Flitwick to arrive and begin the lesson.
It was so easy to pretend this was real. You so wished it was, but he didn’t like you anymore than a friend. You were simply doing him a favour. That’s all. Once the favour was over, you would go back to just being friends....hopefully.
He smiles, absolutely adoring the pet name you gave him. He honestly doesn’t think there’s any better sound than hearing the words ‘my love’ fall from your lips, especially when they’re directed at him. Every time you say them he feels butterflies erupt in his stomach. It’s crazy how much you fluster him without even trying.
Ever since he and George hid from filch with your help, he’s found himself intrigued with you. You two quickly became friends as you had no issue sassing and joking along with him. He couldn’t help but realize everything else about you though.
Sure you could joke around and sass him, but you were also extraordinarily kind and caring, not only to your friends, but everyone. That’s not to say that you didn’t know when to draw the line though as he’s seen you give some slytherin some major shit when you saw them picking on some random first year. He was very impressed with you that day, even maybe a little turned on.
He is totally amazed by you and that’s one of the things he loves about being your friend; he never knows quite what he’ll learn about you. He would love more than anything to learn all about you, and to date you for real, but for now this fake dating situation will have to do. Maybe he’ll eventually get the courage to ask you out for real.
“Better now that you’re here.” He replies, smiling and watching you as you roll your eyes, not able to keep a smile from gracing your lips however.
He’s positive you think he’s only saying that to keep up your guys’ act, but it’s nothing less than the truth. He’s been having a rough morning; waking up late, not being able to find his tie, and then barely getting to eat breakfast. However, seeing you has already made everything seem so much better. Even before starting to “date,” seeing you always made his days better.
“I’m glad, love. I was thinking maybe we could go to Hogsmeade later? I need some more quills and parchment.” You say, busy trying to dig out your materials for class.
You hear him chuckle beside you and you look up to meet his smile.
“What’s so funny about that?” You ask, smiling as Fred’s eyes twinkle in happiness.
He leans down and you have to remind yourself that this is all for show. You two aren’t really dating. Merlin you wish you were though.
He leans right down next to you so he can whisper and only you’ll hear him. You can’t believe that after all these years of being friends you still get butterflies whenever he’s close. Perhaps you liked him more than you thought.
“Are you asking me out on a date, y/l/n?”
You blush, shaking your head and rolling your eyes at the redhead. You should have realized he wouldn’t stop his flirtatious attitude with you even though you’re doing him a favour. Being flirty is his natural preset and you don’t think it’ll ever change.
***
You sigh as you sit in the library, stressed over your assignment for potions. You have to write an essay on the dawdle draught and you can barely get two pages worth of information. How you’re supposed to get five pages minimum, you’re not sure.
“Hey, y/n.” Fred sings, sitting down across from you as you work.
“What’re you planning now, Freddie?” You ask, barely looking up from your paper.
You knew what he was doing whenever he gave you that tone. That tone meant he had an idea and he needed your help with something. You’d only heard him use it a hundred times by now.
“What makes you say I’m planning something, huh? Maybe I just wanted to say hi.”
You roll your eyes, looking at him as you bite back a smirk.
“I’ve known you for five years, Fred. I know that tone of voice you have when you’ve got an idea and need my help with it.”
He huffs, pouting as you stare at him amused. You could read him inside and out yet somehow he was still surprised when you managed to correctly.
He watches you as you smirk slightly, shaking your head at him before going back to your paper. He smiles, not being able to help himself when you’re so freaking beautiful without trying.
“Alright, fine. You got me, y/l/n. I have an idea...and I really really do need your help with it. What do you say?” He asks, biting his lip as he smiles, leaning over the table towards you.
You look up, seeing him give you those bloody puppy eyes. He doesn’t even try to, but knows exactly how to get what he wants. You hate how easily you give in to him just by seeing his look.
“What is your idea, Fred?” You sigh, leaning back in your chair as you see him light up.
“So, I may have told this girl who’s been asking me out that I already have a girlfriend.”
“But you don’t.” You deadpan, looking at him confused.
“Exactly. If she sees me going around without a girl she’s going to get suspicious.”
“So your idea is what?”
He beams, giving you a look that’s somewhere between guilty and pleading.
“Will you be my girlfriend?”
“Excuse me?” You ask, blinking in pure shock. He can’t be serious.
“Pretend to be my girlfriend. Please! Just for a month or two until she’s off my back.” He begs and you can’t help but laugh.
“No, Freddie. That’s absolutely absurd.” You scoff, shaking your head at the boy but not being able to keep the surprised, awkward smile from your face.
“What is so bad about this girl that you’re trying to find a pretend girlfriend?”
He sighs, leaning back in his chair, looking down at his hands.
“Well, nothing really. I’m just not interested and I can’t find a way to tell her that nicely. I-I panicked.”
You shake your head, still laughing in disbelief. Here was the Fred Weasley, known for being one of hogwart’s biggest flirts, and yet he panics when a girl he’s not interested in asks him out.
“So why did you ask me? We both know there’s plenty of other girls that would happily fill the role.”
“Because I don’t want anyone else to.” He blurts out, causing you to raise your eyebrows.
“I-I mean, yeah there’s other girls, but we’re already friends and it’d be so much more believable if we were to date. Fake date. I mean, we’re already comfortable with each other and everyone knows we’re close.” He rambles, a blush covering his cheeks.
You sigh, not believing what he’s spewing right now. Sure you guys are close friends and are comfortable with each other, but what makes him think you’d be able to pretend to be dating each other? Does he think that pretending to date isn’t going to awkward?
“Please, y/n. You’re the only one I trust to do this. Besides, it wouldn’t be the end of the world pretending to date me would it?” He smirks.
You scoff, rolling your eyes at your friend. He’s begging you to fake date him and yet he still pulls out his flirty lines.
“You’re unbelievable, Freddie.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Not always.” You quip to which he smiles. He loves how easy it is for the two of you to banter.
Truthfully, the reason he couldn’t say yes to the girl, was because he was too focused on you. You’ve been taking up his thoughts for nearly five years now, and it’s getting to the point where he can’t imagine being with anyone unless it’s you. Not that he plans on asking you anytime soon, he doesn’t want to ruin the friendship, but he feels wrong even thinking of dating anyone else.
That’s why he’s asking you now. He wants to date you more than anything, but he still can’t bring himself to ask you for real. However, even if it is pretend, he can’t imagine asking anyone but you.
“Two months at the very most. I promise. Please?” He begs, watching you as you think.
“Only if we decide what’s acceptable and what’s not beforehand.”
***
“Not a date, Weasley. But wouldn’t it look pretty bad if you let your girlfriend go off to town all by her lonesome?” You tease, kissing his cheek as you turn your attention back to your bag.
He rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile playing on his lips as he sat back in his seat again.
Godrick did he love when you kissed him. Neither of you have really kissed each other, just pecks here and there. Both of you found it far too nerve wracking to even try anything more than that. Either way, the second one of your guys’ lips touched the other’s skin you both went crazy.
~.~
“Okay, y/n. It’s time to spill.” Hermione urged, her and Ginny sitting across the room from you on their respective beds looking at you expectantly.
“Spill what?”
“Your relationship with Fred! What else?” Ginny retorted.
You chuckle, blushing a bit. It’s been about a month now that you and Fred have been “dating” and none of your friends knew you two were faking it.
That was part of the agreement. To make it more believable, you couldn’t tell your friends. If you could both fool the lot of them, then certainly the girl Fred was trying to fool would believe their lie.
“What is there to spill? We’re dating, that’s all.” You blush.
“What is there to spill? ‘Mione, are you hearing her?!” Ginny gasps, rolling her eyes at you.
“There’s so much to spill, y/n! Neither of you have said anything about it. How did he ask you? Where did he ask you? Were you excited? You must have been excited!” Hermione shouts, physically shaking with excitement.
You chuckle, not quite believing how invested these two are in the relationship.
“Was she excited? Of course she was, ‘mione. She’s only liked my brother for years.” Ginny deadpans.
“Excuse me? I have not liked him for years.” You huff.
“Uh, yeah. You have. It was so obvious when you first came over to the house. I knew you two would end up together at some point.”
“Yeah? Did you bet anyone on it?”
“No. Should have though. I could’ve made some good money if I bet right.”
“Your loss.” You chuckle, laying back in your bed.
“Don’t stop talking now! Tell us about him! We wanna know everything.” Hermione giggles, stumbling off her bed as she runs over to sit next to you.
“Like what, ‘mione?” You giggle.
“What do you like most about him?”
You smile, blushing at the question. You had never really talked to anyone about your feelings for the boy. You have always denied and hidden your feelings for him.
“Oh, I don’t know. There’s a lot I like about him.” You smile, hoping that answers the question. You didn’t really want to go into details, but you should’ve known these girls are not going to let that happen.
“Like what?” Ginny asks.
“Uhm, well he’s really sweet when he wants to be. He’s a pain in the ass more often than not, but he’s also really really sweet.”
“And, I don’t know, he’s obviously funny. It’s nice to be able to laugh so easily with him.” You smile, thinking about all the times he’s made you laugh while doing something dumb this past month.
The two girls smile as they watch you talk about him. They’ve never seen you look so in love.
“What else?” Hermione asks, smiling at you as you smile more and blush.
“I don’t know. He’s just...really amazing. All around. I can’t help but be happy around him no matter how bad a day I might be having. He always knows what to say when I need him to, and he gives some of the best hugs I’ve ever gotten. I think it’s just a Weasley thing to be honest, Ginny, but they’re so much better coming from him.”
The two girls squeal, drawing you out of your lovesick daze.
“What?” You ask, looking at the two confused.
“Y/n, you are so in love with Fred!” Hermione squeals, kicking her feet in excitement.
“What? No. No!”
“Yeah, you do. Have you guys said it to each other yet?” Ginny asks.
“No. No, I doubt we will for awhile.”
“How come?”
“I mean, I’m not ready to. And I doubt he’s at that point. We...like each other, but I wouldn’t say we quite love each other yet.” You explain, trying to not make them suspicious of the relationship.
You wish you could tell them about it, it would be so nice to talk to someone about your conflicting emotions, but for now you’ll have to keep them and your worries to yourself. It’s not like you haven’t already been doing that for awhile, but they we’re starting to become real heavy.
Do you two actually like each other? Of course you like him, but does he like you the same? Do you actually love him? What’s going to happen when you two “break up?” Do you even have to? Maybe you guys could just keep dating? Do you want that? Would he want that?
~.~
You sigh, feeling your stomach twist with nerves as you make your way to charms. The two months Fred promised you to were coming to a close and you were beyond nervous about what was going to happen afterwards.
You didn’t really want to stop dating him. Sure you two had been pretending these last couple months, but you had fooled yourself into thinking it was real. You didn’t want to go back to just being friends. In all honesty you weren’t sure you could.
“Hey gorgeous.” Fred greets, smiling at you the second you make your way over to him.
You smile, forcefully and honestly quite unhappily. You sit down next to him as you have every other day these last two months, but you’re more than preoccupied.
“Beautiful?” Fred asks, frowning as he looks you over. He hasn’t seen you looking this distracted in ages. He can’t imagine what has got you so down.
When you still don’t answer, he gets worried. What happened? What is on your mind?
“Y/n, love, what’s wrong?” He asks, leaning in to talk to you.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing, Freddie. I guess I’m just a bit tired this morning.” You smile, trying to reassure him.
“It’s nice to see you, my love.” You whisper, pecking his lips as you start in on your act.
He nods, frowning when you look away. Something isn’t right and he has no idea what. These last two months have been heaven. He’s been more than happy having you as his girlfriend...fake girlfriend.
It’s been so easy to pretend this is all real and he really doesn’t want it to end. He just wants to keep this going as long as it possibly can. Forget that it started out as playing pretend, because to him it never was.  
He sighs, watching as you sit beside him, completely lost in your thoughts as you chew on your bottom lip.
~.~
Fred sighs as it’s gotten to be dinner and you’re still lost in your thoughts. You look upset, but every time he tries to bring it up, you brush it aside and put on a show.
It’s driving him mad. Throughout the entire two months your fake relationship has never felt this fake. He wants to know what’s wrong but you’re not opening up, which is something you’ve never done.
“Y/n? Can we talk after dinner, please?”
You look up as Fred leans over to you to ask you that. Your heart starts racing as you can only imagine what he wants to talk about. He’s probably going to ask how you want to go about this breakup.
Your heart aches but you find yourself nodding at the redhead.
“Yeah. Sure, Freddie.”
He nods, smiling at you slightly as you nod back, turning your attention back to your plate of food.
After the two of you are done eating and you’ve talked with your friends for a few minutes, Fred motions for you to join him as he leaves.
“Alright, I’ll see you later, loves.” You smile at hermione and Ginny as you stand, grabbing a hold of Fred’s hand.
“Yeah, see you later. Make sure to tell him!” Ginny whisper yells, but very poorly.
You roll your eyes, shaking your head at the girl but not able to stop the blush that covers your cheeks.
The two of you make it up to the common room where you sit on the couch as no one else is in the area.
You sigh, watching Fred as he sits with his head in his lap, his hands running through his hair. He seems stressed and you wonder why. Surely he can’t be stressed about the breakup. Can he?
“What’s bothering you today, y/n? You’ve been distant and upset all day.”
“Nothing I can’t handle. I’m just being stupid.” You smile, albeit a bit sadly.
“That’s not what I’m asking. Please tell me what’s been on your mind?”
“I-well, I-it’s really dumb, Freddie. It won’t matter in a week or two anyway. I’m just being overdramatic.” You sigh.
“Princess, you do know you can tell me anything right? We are still best friends.”
You sigh, your heart breaking at the title. You didn’t want to be best friends anymore. You wanted to be his girlfriend whether you realized it before this or not. You honestly weren’t sure how you were suppose to pretend you hadn’t fallen completely in love with this redhead you’d been friends with for years.
“That’s the problem...” you mumble.
“What’s the problem? That we’re best friends?”
He really hopes he misheard you. He can’t lose you as a best friend after all of this. He can deal with not getting to call you his, but he can’t deal with not having you in his life at all.
“Freddie, I don’t wanna be best friends with you anymore.” You sigh, your stomach doing somersaults.
“What are you talking about, love?”
You close your eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay as you take a minute to compose yourself. You’ve already started talking so you can’t really back out now, but it felt like you’ve run a marathon with how fast your heart was beating.
“Y/n. What are you talking about?” Fred asks, his voice shaky as he’s overcome with anxiety.
“These past two months, Fred, have been really really nice. It’s been everything I’ve dreamed of for a year or two now. I-I don’t think I can go back to just being best friends.”
“Love?”
“I know we’ve been pretending, Freddie, but it hasn’t felt like it. I can’t go back to being friends when all I want is to be yours.” You sigh, your stomach sinking when you confess your true feelings. This is for sure going to ruin the friendship, but you can’t go any longer without telling him how you feel.
“And I know you probably don’t feel the same. I mean, why would you? You’re Fred Weasley and could have any girl you wanted. Why would you want me? And I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want to break this off, Freddie, even if it is all pretend. Even if you have to pretend to love me, I’d rather keep living in that daydream than-“
Before you realize what’s happening, Fred has pulled you into him, his lips meeting yours in a kiss. Not just a peck, but an actual kiss.
You gasp, pulling away when it finally registers in your head.
“Freddie!”
“Shut up, love. Please. I’ve only ever wanted you and I don’t want to break this off either. No pretending or faking. I want to be with you, for real. For as long as we can stand each other.” He smiles, making you chuckle.
“Fred...”
You can’t believe what you’re hearing. Fred Weasley, your best friend whom you’ve been crushing on for years, likes you back. This can’t be real.
“Will you be my girlfriend, y/n? For real?”
You nod, watching as his lips curl into a wide smile, his arms pulling you right to his chest as he kisses you again.
“I love you, Freddie.”
He smiles, pecking your lips in quick succession causing you to giggle.
“I love you too, y/n. Thank you for being my fake girlfriend for two months. If I hadn’t been such a git, maybe we wouldn’t have had to pretend at all.”
You smile, feeling like you might burst. You can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from your chest. You’re far too happy and the whole situation has become funny to you. If you two hadn’t been so nervous and afraid of ruining your friendship, you probably could have been together long before now.
“I never was pretending, Freddie. Everything I did, it’s because I wanted to.”
He smiles, kissing you again as you both curl up on the couch, not wanting to leave each other’s arms for quite awhile. Luckily you both had all evening as it was a Friday night and neither of you had anywhere to be.
~.~
“You two were faking your relationship?! No way!” Ginny gasps.
Now that you and Fred were together for real, you figured you should tell the truth to your other two best friends.
You couldn’t really escape it anyways when the both of them saw how much happier you were than normal at breakfast. You were by no means a morning person so they knew something had to have happened if you were wide awake and happy, on a Saturday morning no less.
“I mean, technically we were.”
“But neither of you really were, were you?” Hermione asks, smiling at you as a blush rises to your cheeks.
“No. I’d never be able to pretend. Not when I like him.”
“Aww, my girlfriend likes me. That’s nice to hear.” You hear Freddie tease as he and George join the three of you for breakfast.
You roll you eyes, smiling as he sits down next to. He pulls you into his side and places a kiss to your lips, smiling as you kiss him back.
“I love you.” You whisper, not able to stop smiling as you look at your boyfriend.
“I love you too, beautiful.” He smiles, placing another kiss to your lips before you two pull away to finally start eating breakfast.
“Sickening. Hey! Did you two know-“ George starts before ginny cuts him off.
“That they were faking?! Y/n told us this morning. I can’t believe it.”
“Right?! Here I was all happy for Fred because I thought he finally told her how he felt, but he hadn’t!”
You and Fred chuckle, watching as George, Ginny, and Hermione talk animatedly about your guy’s relationship. At least you had overwhelming support for it.
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moonlit-imagines · 3 years
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Headcanons for being Hope van Dyne’s child
Hope van Dyne x child!reader
Scott Lang x stepkid!reader
warnings: insects (ants), sharp weapons
a/n:
prompt: anonymous: “Happy holidays darling! Would you write HC for Hope Van Dyne's child? Love the step-parents HC 🥰”
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growing up as a lil smarty pants
grandpa hank was pretty proud, although he didn’t see you very much
once every few years
but he did tell you all these crazy stories about his adventures that you honestly thought were just fiction (until you were older)
“and i was as small as an ant, but i was still incredibly strong! remember that, kid. just because you aren’t as big as someone else doesn’t mean you can’t beat them” -hank
“y/n doesn’t need to be hearing those stories, hank” -hope
“why not? they have important life lessons in them!” -hank
“why does mommy call you ‘hank?’” -you
“because mommy hates grandpa, isn’t that right?” -hank
“okay, i think that’s enough of this visit. come on, y/n, time to go” -hope
your mom was very supportive of you, nonetheless
she wanted to be different from her dad
so she showed up to EVERYTHING
birthdays, sick days, tucking you in for bed, parent-teacher conferences, art shows, you name it
“here’s some tea, jellybelly. it’ll make your throat feel better” -hope
“mom, i think i’m dying” -you
“you’ll be fine” -hope, givin’ u a kiss on the forehead
life wasn’t like, extra crazy or anything. sometimes she’d bring you to work and honestly? darren cross didn’t seem like the worst guy. he even brought you whatever you might need if your mom was staying late at work
“hey, van dyne junior! i brought you a puzzle that might keep you busy for a while...and a happy meal from mcdonalds! let me know if you need anything else, me and your mom will just be in the lab for a little while” -darren
“thank you!!!” -you
uh huh, ur mom taught u manners!
anyways you started spending more time with your grandpa cuz they had a plan
thats when you found out that his “turning small” stories were not, in fact, bullshit
“wait grandpa...you actually did shrink as small as an ant?” -you
“why would i lie?” -hank
okay well cue you wanting to shrink down to ant size now it was your new aspiration
you did learn how to command ants tho!!!!!!
but unfortunately (or not so unfortunately) hank brought scott to the party
“hi!” -you, waking scott up
“what?!” -scott, jumping back against the headboard
“hi.” -you, staring at him “im y/n. these are my ants”
bullet ants were just crawlin around the place
“oh, that’s....that’s cool. any chance you could tell me where i am or how i got here” -scott
“wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy” -you, leaving abruptly
“are you bothering our guest?” -hope, watching you proudly nod “good job, jellybelly”
mom taught u how to punch 🥰🥰🥰
and let you use scott as a punching bag
but scott wasn’t like awful or anything he was just insufferable at times
“i think you’d like my daughter cassie. she’s weird and smart just like you” -scott
“did you just call me weird? mom, can i punch him again?” -you
“no no no! i meant weird in a good way! please dont hurt me anymore!” -scott
chasing him around the yard ready to ATTACK
hank had to tell u to cut it out
“dont tell them what to do” -hope
“someone has to” -hank
“excuse me? i parent y/n just fine, better than you ever did for me!” -hope
“do they do this often?” -scott
“every time they see each other but that’s not very much” -you
“hm...hey, do you like ice cream? specifically baskin robbins?” -scott
ur mom said “we do not associate with idiots ❤️” and then proceeded to associate with said idiots
scott did end up saving u from darren tho bc that mf tried to hold u hostage and scott was really not in the mood for that bullshit
“you alright, y/n?” -scott
“murder is okay, right?” -you
after that whole ordeal he and your mom were kinda a thing uh huh
and he introduced you to cassie!!! she was amazingly sweet and you could def see the family resemblance
“is this my new sibling?! i’ve always wanted one!” -cassie
“hey, me too!” -you
you hung out with her on a weekly basis, with or without scott
and mom and grandpa were working on a ✨special project✨
one you insisted on being apart of
“no, y/n, we can’t make you your own suit. you’re too young for this sort of thing” -hope
“pleaaaaase mom? i swear i’ll he responsible with it!” -you
“you’re mother is right, y/n. you’re just not ready yet. maybe someday, but not anytime soon” -hank
scott took you on family bowling trips yes he did
and just corny stepdad shit
but he went to germany and mom and him broke up and FF to two years later when you guys had finally reunited
“scott!! you asshole!!” -you, like this -> :)
“kiddo!! sorry to hear that!!” -scott, same energy
shading him the whole time
“ach mein gott” -you
“are you kidding me, y/n? i make one mistake. ONE” -scott
“you’re one mistake has caused me to live in MINIATURE HOMES” -you
“THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING” -scott
“WELL IT’S NOT” -you
“did you at least miss me?” -scott
“sicher habe ich” -you
“god dammit” -scott
surprise!! u kind of had a suit (for emergencies)
as a van dyne/pym, it was almost a necessity to know how to use pym particles
scott acted like a proud dad
“wow, you’re really doing it!!!” -scott
“halt die klappe” -you
“please stop” -scott, tearing up
finding out about ✨grandma✨
she possessed scott and touched ur face and told you that she was so excited to meet you but you didn’t know wtf was going on and you had the urge to smack scott but THANKFULLY you did not
“i have to meet her for real! let me help you guys!” -you
“okay” -hope
“what? really?” -you
“it’s about time we put your genius to good use” -hope
scott offered you a high five for that and u literally accepted it
“don’t get too happy, that was just an in-the-moment thing” -you, watching scott’s eyebrow raise “fine. you can have a hug”
okay okay well everything went okay and then half the world ~vanished~ including ur whole family but like cassie and her family took you in and you spent five years very alone and upset until one day cassie called you downstairs and whoopdedoo???? scott???????
“is my mom with you?” -you
“sorry, sport, she’s not...do you have your suit with you? we need to go on some...hero business” -scott
you missed scott a lot over the past 5 years, this really did cheer you up, even if it was just him
“how’ve you been holding up the past few years” -scott
“the world sucks, man” -you
“i can see that” -scott
he turned on some tunes for the two of you to enjoy otw to the avengers hq and it was probably the best memory you created since everyone disappeared
“wait, reach into the glove box” -scott
“oh, god, i hope there’s no rodents in here...” -you, reaching for a picture “is this..?”
“family photo!! you were little back then, i can’t believe how time flies. i mean, it flew really quick for me, the quantum realm is no joke” -scott
you were busy staring at the picture of your mom, you really missed her
busy ~saving the world~
and going to 2012 with scott
“hey uh just so you know, i might be able to make pym particles” -you
“‘might?’ and if we use faulty pym particles we ‘might’ die. would you like that?” -tony
“hey, back off, stark. they’re just trying to help” -scott
next thing u know ur in present day and THEN u actually got to hold the scepter bc scott let u
“im gonna stab you!!” -you
“no!!!” -scott
the other avengers, literally mourning natasha while you chase him around with a sharp weapon: 😧
okay after the place was destroyed u got to face mr. purple man and yo mama showed back up and saw you on the front lines
“y/n????” -hope
“mom????” -you
“scott!!!!” -scott
“really, scott? a shrek reference? now?” -you “...nice”
the reunion with your mom was short and sweet but you missed her forehead kisses and she gave you one immediately!!!! and she was crying but you were too bc damn
“listen, after this, we’re gonna have such a fun family night. i’m so sorry i couldn’t be there for you all this time” -hope
“mom, it wasn’t your fault...it was that purple bastard, let’s get him!” -you
“they grow up so fast...” -hope
i n s e c t f a m
insect fam killed it out there and then ✨attended tony’s funeral✨ together right after
that’s one solid family 😌💖
anyways time to celebrate a (halfway) return to normalcy
with your *sister* cassie and your mom and your...scott
you were just happy to all be together again, it’s been WAY too long
taglist: @alwaysananglophile // @rorybutnotgilmore // @locke-writes // @sweetheartliz07 // @queen-destenie // @natasha-danvers // @lokihiddles // @frostedficrecs // @lotsoffandomrecs // @johnmurphyisqueer // @teenwaywardasgardian // @pappydaddy // @captainshazamerica // @freya-xo // @ravenmoore14 // @thisetaernallove // @ofthedewthesunlight // @canarypoint // @zoeyserpentluck // @randomawesomeperson102 // @spideyandtheboys // @ghost-bich // @wonderful-writer // @of-a-chaotic-mind // @groovyfluxie // @procrastinatingsapphictrash // @lxncelot //
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numptypylon · 3 years
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Epilogue
I added a short epilogue to Reunion and Intersection today, but I also wrote a much longer one, full of fluffy comfort, to get through the angst-writing in the first two chapters. It’s unedited, unfinished and ridiculously self-indulgent, and I don’t think it really goes with the story, so I elected to not post it, but I’m attaching it here, under the cut, for those interested. Keep in mind it’s a reject for a reason though; this is what my writing looks like in the explorative phase where I’m looking for the point, and in this case I didn’t really find it XD
~2K under the readmore
Callum got there early. A lot of people eyed him warily, but a letter from Queen Janai was a good smoother-of-grumpy-elf-tempers.
No-one had seen Rayla, so… she was probably not here yet.
He went to the inn, bought a large room, lit a roaring fire in there, activating the Sunfire rock he used to keep warm at night under the covers of the bed, and calling for the tub to be filled. It had the usual Skywing heating arrangement, only needing a good Fulminis to heat the water.
He resisted flying out to find her. He risked missing her again, and her leaving town before he got back.
It was about… hitting the point of intersection.
So, he waited at the city gates. He didn’t have to wait nearly as long as he expected, considering the distance she would have had to traverse. Maybe she had recovered and had travelled faster than he thought.
It was definitely her though. A small, lone figure on the mountainside.
He intended to wait for her until she got to him, but then she stopped to lean against a tree and he realized that she had not recovered and was up there sick in the snow… and that resolve evaporated like it had never been.
Like he would ever let her struggle alone a moment longer than she needed to.
 **
 It was a measure of her exhaustion that she didn’t notice him until he was basically right in front of her, and even then, her reaction was so much slower than usual.
It still… it was hard to believe it was real. For her too, surely more so.
He numbly pulled his scarf off, packing it around her neck and head. He grazed her cheek and felt it and she felt it and… she felt it, because the tears that had built up in her eyes spilled over at his touch, slipping down her dirty and flushed cheeks.
She looked ready to drop, and felt it too, when he put his arms around her and her disbelief gave way to relief. Whatever ridiculous level of stubbornness had kept her upright for the last day and night of walking through snow and up mountains when she should have been in bed… fell away and she slumped almost completely in his arms.
She sobbed hoarsely for a bit, and he let her.
And she let him, when his hand cupped the back of her head and her hair tickled his fingers and it hit him too that… it was really real, she was here.
They needed to… get to the inn though, so he pulled away and wiped his face. They could… and probably would… have a longer cry and a longer hug later. But she was sick and cold and there was a roaring fire and a filled bathtub two minutes of flight away.
“Let’s go,” he said. “I knew you were coming this way and that you were sick. And I booked a room for… you.” For them both, he hoped, but-
“What?” she blubbered. “But… aren’t… aren’t you mad?”
“I mean, of course I am, but… that’s not really… that can wait.”
“I’m…” she laughed weakly, more tears spilling over. “I’m so happy to see you and there’s… so many things I would like to say and… and I’m such a mess right now and so tired and I’m just… I’m so tired I cried earlier just because a stupid pine branch hit me in the face and knocked me off my sled and it continued down the mountain without me and I’d have to walk instead and-“
“Hey, hey!” He stroked down her flushed, wet cheeks, along fresh scratches where presumably that branch had hit her. Sledding, huh… she always was extremely resourceful and oh so daring. And that explained how she got here so fast. “Rayla, it’s okay. You can rest first. I’ll take care of things… of you. For as long as you want me to, but… definitely for the next few days.”
“How c-can you… are you… here-”
He leant his head against her forehead, relishing in the feeling of contact, even if her skin was clammy and too-hot. “That’s… complicated,” he said. “And also simple. You called me here. I came.”
“Manis. Pluma. Volantis.”
 **
 She staggered, when they set down, steadying herself on his shoulder, and Callum was glad he had elected to land in front of the inn instead of at the city gates.
She definitely wasn’t well yet, her breath rasping in her throat, her forehead beading with sweat, cheeks and ears flushed. The fever had maybe broken, but it hadn’t quite left. And she was exhausted, trembling with the effort of staying upright, her eyes dull and glassy.
People were staring, when they went inside, but the innkeeper came over and recommended the soup of the day, and their house-made herbal tea blend with Sky Yak milk, and assured them it would be brought to their room shortly, with a look of very obvious sympathy at Rayla.
And then the door shut behind them.
“I owe-” she started, but he cut her right off.
“No. You’re owed,” he said tightly.
“Owed what?” She sounded… nervous.
“Soup. Hot tea. A warm bed and a fire someone else made. General fussing. Love. Forgiveness. Kindness. A damn break, for once.”
“L-love?”
“Yeah, love.”
Her clumsy fingers fumbled at the clasps of her armor. They were still ice cold when he touched them, the skin red and no-doubt sore.
But she for once didn’t resist any help he gave, sinking gratefully into the tub he had prepared. A warm bath was possibly not great for her fever, but… it was pros and cons and he needed to warm up her hands and feet.
She was barely conscious when he helped her back out of the tub, so he just put her down on a towel on the bed, drying her hair as best he could. He at least managed to get her awake to pull off her own wet underwear and pull his clean night shirt over her head.
 **
 “Callum?” she asked, because… she wanted things, and she could have them. “Stay with me? Please.”
He pressed against her back, warm and real.
His hands engulfed hers, big and soft and familiar.
Full of real little details that her brain hadn’t accurately recreated.
The callus at the side of his right index finger, from his charcoal pencil. The scar from a clumsy sparring accident at the second knuckle.
His voice when he said her name and when he told her it was okay.
His kinda… snuffling non-snoring sleep-sound.
And new things, that she hadn’t known to add.
His arms, still skinny, but stronger than they had been.
His too-long hair flopping over his ears.
And things she had yet to find out.
 **
 “Morning-“ she muttered, as she woke, feeling warm. And her throat felt a lot better, too and most of that sticky, gross fever feeling was gone, although there was still some sluggish daze, everything just a bit vaguer and floatier than it should have been.
“Afternoon,” Callum corrected lightly, but there was something not so light underneath. “You slept for… 14 hours. I bet you’re hungry.”
“I bet… you were worried.” That was a long time to worry and not wake her to assuage it but just sit in it, watching her sleep.
She reached out to stroke his furrowed brow. Her hands were bandaged though, so she couldn’t touch him properly. She didn’t remember, but did recall something about Callum saying he had called a doctor, and then she must have conked out pretty hard and slept through it.
She clenched and released her hands experimentally. Seemed alright except for being stiff and sore?
“What’s wrong with me?” she asked, staring down at the thick bandages.
“Except for the illness that nearly killed you because you’re such a massive dummy? Lots of things.” He took her hands, starting to unwind the bandages. “For your hands, hopefully only frostnip. I’m supposed to check that, when you woke, take you back to the doctor if there’s signs of deeper frostbite.”
There was some thick ointment, probably the reason for the bandages. Her hands looked reddened, the fingers a bit swollen, but… not so bad. Nothing was white or black or blistered, so really, nothing to worry about, where frostbite was concerned.
Callum wasn’t satisfied with a visual inspection though, cupping her hands in his, methodically checking she could feel all her fingers and make a full fist.
“I think it’s okay,” he said, breathing out, relieved. He did tend to catastrophize- “No… no risk of amputation this time-” His fingers slid across her left wrist, the faint whitened scars from where the binding had dug into her skin and where the sunforge blade had burnt her.
“It’s definitely okay,” she said. “Barely hurts.” She cupped his face, feeling his skin just fine against her fingertips. “It’s not like back then, okay?”
“How do you feel today?”
“Better. Way better. I’m ready to go, if-”
“What?!” He stared at her in disbelief. “Absolutely not. You didn’t hear what the doctor said. But I did, she got here while you were sleeping. And absolutely not.”
“What-“ Was it not just a regular bug?
He breathed, slowly and deliberately. “You’re okay, it’s a regular winter infection going around. But you did a number on your own immune system with the hypothermia and mountain climbing and… she said you were undernourished, dehydrated, stressed and critically exhausted. And that you would do well to take a week or more to fully recover, during which you should eat and rest plenty, stay warm and keep stress down. Does that sound like your regular travel, to you?”
Well… not so much.
“So, I’ll ask again, how do you feel today?”
“Tired,” she sighed. “My hands are stiff and achy. My throat hurts. My legs are wobbly. My head feels full of snot.” She smiled, despite all that. “My heart is happy to see you. It’s okay if you’re- I know… that it’s complicated.”
“It is. We have… some things to talk about. Promise you won’t leave until we do?”
“I promise.”
“Okay. Then, I think we should put the complicated things away for a few days. Until you’re better and it doesn’t hurt your throat to talk. Because… we have a lot of talking to do.”
“You don’t… need to stay. For those few days. If it’s hurting you to-”
He sighed heavily. “It does.” Yeah, he couldn’t say that it didn’t. Being around her with so much… unresolved. She didn’t want that for him. She didn’t… want to have those long and hard conversations right now either, when she was still tired and fevered and liable to burst into tears at the slightest provocation. “But it would hurt me more to leave. Didn’t it hurt you? To leave?”
“Yeah.” So, so much.
He reached out to pack his scarf around her throat more closely, the soft, warm knit a soothing feeling against the raw ache.
“Lie down, okay? Be sick? I’ll read you a story. It has murder and dismemberment in it, I asked the innkeeper specifically.”
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jostepherjoestar · 3 years
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👑Hewwu Queen 👑 is it alright if I request DIO in part 3 meeting his descendant?. Like he basically had a kid accidentally in part 1 and now he’s meeting their great grandkid who looks allot like him and seems to not be fully human. Maybe he meets them at night since their family was traveling around the world and stopped off in Egypt where he found them maybe listening to music?
Since you write for DIO, is it alright if I request that he somehow meets one of his kid after they get into some time travel shenanigans. Maybe his kid has a stand that is kinda similar to his but they aren’t confident in using it
DIO aiding his helpless descendant 
sfw / gn reader 
notes/warnings: implied assault (on your great-great grandmother)
Another case of two anons thinking alike!! It was really fun to think about this and sorry for taking so much time to get to it :o I hope you’ll still enjoy 💖✨also the pacing is strange/fast (to me), but i felt it fit with how frantic i imagine meeting Dio is
Somewhere between irking Jonathan and wishing to destroy any respectful sliver of the Joestar bloodline, Dio had his own way of indulging and spending his time. Men, women; any creature he could manipulate to his will and suck the life out of to join his dark army was welcome in his dimly lit hideout to meet their fate. The self proclaimed god that had surmounted humanity took pleasure in playing with his food; leaving them in complete darkness, literally. He’d let them suffer in silence, hearing them whimper and regret their choice to ever step foot inside the wicked monster’s palace. But it was always too late.
Except for the very night Jonathan had decided to come spoil the fun and ruin Dio’s playtime. The woman hadn’t meant anything to him, just a toy to play with and to later discard on the pile of other bodies strewn about. Was she glad to have been saved by the burly Joestar? At first yes; brought back to her senses, out of that monster’s grasp but left terribly violated. Left to carry and care for the offspring Dio would never know or care about, too busy being left to slumber in the ocean and gaining a new form from his hated ‘brother’.
Dio rose again, skulking in the shadows of dimly lit cities, looking for any and all petty humans and stand users to claim for his side. It took time and patience he didn’t know he possessed to get fully comfortable in his new body. There was always this inkling, a nagging sonar that kept getting louder and louder, not much unlike his connection to the new generation of Joestars. It grasped at his thoughts, kept him from any semblance of peace of mind -as much as he could acquire it- and there seemed to be no way of silencing it. He couldn’t see a clear picture; it was just nothing but an annoying sense of something being near.
He had searched for weeks like a bloodhound hot on a trail, irritated that he of all people, nay creations, was being made to follow and be obedient to the terrible nagging. It angered him greatly and only when he found a mere youngster sitting on a bench, you, a simple looking human, did it boil over. Sat with your walkman resting next to you on the wooden seating, head bopping along to your newest cassette in the middle of the night. Completely lost in the song you’d been drumming along to with your fingers. Dio was furious but knew better than to strike before investigating, he needed answers and he needed them now.
As he got closer to you, sneaking from behind, he noticed an immediate shift. You were no longer alone. An image, a blur that became clearer and steadier and more live-like as each second passed; posing defensively, staring down Dio with a fire in your eyes not much unlike the tall blonde’s. Not for a moment does he fear for his safety. Even though The World is a newly acquired power it could easily wipe out a scrawny kid without even hitching a breath. He smirks, eyes cast over in shadow by the dim street light as he hears you pause your cassette player.
“Oh? Was I disturbing you?’ he mocks in a smirk, catching the way your eyes glint and the vaguely familiar image you awaken in him. Just like before he’s left to figure out who this annoying hazy memory is. His voice shivers down your very being, goosebumps taking over your skin; not sure if you had already missed your chance to run. It was like his glare fixated you in place, finger still resting on the pause button of your player while the other reached up to remove the flimsy headphones.
“You…” you barely get out the word. The accusatory tone you had tried to convey had watered down to a whimper. You had felt the connection too, something nagging at your soul and stringing you along until you’d finally found the source. “Me? Hah! No, you.” Dio slid closer, his steps so quiet and calculated that even though you couldn’t take your eyes off of him you swore it seemed like he floated. You swallowed thickly, the huge figure that excluded an aura so menacing only a meter away from you.
“So. Who are you and why was it so disgustingly annoying to find you?” he joked impertinently, amused by the way you clenched your jaw at his remark. “I could ask you the same.” a brave little spark still smouldering inside. “DIO. Now don’t make me ask again, you’re making me dreadfully inpatient.” He hadn’t felt the need to kill you, at least not yet. Dio was truly curious about your answer but by the looks of it you really didn’t seem to know all that much.
You begrudgingly gave him your name, in need of some answers yourself. The sound of your name didn’t ring a single bell, not a tick, not a clank. Nothing. Not a single step further to knowing anything. “Well it seems like you do have a stand. Maybe you possess a great power that might be useful to me.” that wicked grin on his face told you a little too much of his motivations. He reminded you of those Saturday morning cartoon villains. But still you felt compelled to listen, ignoring every single red flag.  
Deciding to humour him you give out your stand’s name. “Trust me, we can’t really do much.” you huffed. You’ve only obtained your stand recently and honestly, it has been pretty shitty so far. You didn’t know exactly what it could do, it was just there. Any time you felt stressed or in danger it did come to your aid but it remained awfully docile. Their presence comforted you but you just knew it was capable of so much more.
“Are you a vampire?” The sudden question came out more surprised than Dio had hoped to let on. He regained his posture, opting to slide next to you on the bench with a swift move. There was something… off about the way you carried yourself that reminded him of himself and the other vampires he’d created. The question stunned you, your eyes that had already been widened in shock only growing more so. The way he had changed the entire conversation that had barely earned its start urged you to think quickly. “I don’t know.” you mumbled demurely. You really didn’t know. So many weird things had been happening to you lately that you being a vampire would explain a lot.
Your answer seemed to change the imposing man’s gaze and expression. It hardened a bit, his grin now slowly diminishing into a straighter line and his pointed brows resting down at a more natural angle. Even in this low light his image felt so familiar, like you were already supposed to know who he was but the memory remained hidden. Locked away for your safety. “You should feed. And don’t go out in daylight anymore.” Dio paused for a second. “Strange...” He pondered to himself out loud. He’s only seen a few cases like this, vampiric genes passed down through generations. For some reason he pitied you, as much as he could muster it. The unknown bond you shared felt too unusual to write off.
“What am I supposed to do?” you felt tears prick your eyes, trying your best to remain strong but you’ve been so tired. You couldn't confide in anyone, not about this. Tears started rolling, falling in thick streams down your cheeks and dropping onto your lap. Here you were, crying to a stranger named Dio about being a vampire and having weird powers. A bizarre twist of fate.
“First of all, stop crying. Then, widen your stance when you’re about to fight someone. I could have easily knocked you down with that flimsy imitation. Fix your posture while you’re at it. Call out your stand again.” He rattled off his demands quickly and flatly. Was he helping you? They were barbed complaints but it seemed like he actually wanted to aid you in whatever it was you were going through. You sniffled, wiping at your cheeks. You felt like a kid again; asking your parent for any reassurance when life knocked you down.
Dio actually offered a lot of viable advice, telling you about techniques to silence your steps, how to take someone down easily, to feed on humans within an inch of their life. You had asked him, just in case. You weren’t planning on killing anyone; a comment which made him scoff. That intimidating impression and overall feeling of having to bend to his will had lessened the more you talked to the blonde. He casually sat with you for what felt like hours. He hadn’t divulged into his own history, instead asking you about yours. He was still trying to figure out what this weird pull was.
“No one in your family has experienced anything like this before? Hmph. It seems to have skipped multiple generations then.” he was asking about your great grandmother and all the others that came before you. It could have occurred to them but you would have never known. “My family did come from England, though. My great-great grandmother fled in a hurry. We don’t really know why, Windknight’s Lot seems like an unusual place to frantically run from.” As soon as the small town’s name left your lips everything fell into place for Dio. His grin grew again, satisfied to finally know your connection to him.
Family.
One he made for himself, by accident, by a relation created on his own devious whim. Not that horrible Joestar bunch that kept ruining his fun or his horrible father that was but a faint minuscule memory. Something he did. It brought him even more satisfaction to know how perfectly in place it felt for you to be the one to develop these powers at the perfect time. His mind could have exploded with possibilities; a thousand ways to make you join his side. But it didn’t, he wasn’t sure that’s what he wanted yet. And he surely wasn’t going to tell you of your bond either, lest you get attached too quickly.
As you finished up and the early signs of a rising sun were starting to make itself known on the horizon, you were saying your goodbye’s. “Thank you for helping me. Truly, I- I don’t know how I-” you weren’t allowed to finish your earnest thanks. Dio knew you meant it, one of the only few truly grateful acknowledgements he’s ever received. “I’ll be taking over the world in a few months. If you feel so inclined to join, you know where to find me.” His lips curled into a smirk and he was making his move to leave you behind, alone on the bench again. Left to scramble for your stuff to try and stop him but he was already out of sight. “WAIT! I don’t know where to find you! You never told me!” you yelled into the empty streets, heart thumping out of your chest, hoping this wasn’t just a very elaborate dream you were caught in.
“Trust your instincts.” The voice felt incredibly close but so far away, like catching a falling snowflake; as soon as you grasped it, it just melted away.
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Text
Mommy
❆ Fluff ❆ 5,710 words ❆ dad!Hongjoong x babysitter!reader ❆
@soft-black-teabag​ is the precious mastermind behind this idea 💜
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"Yes I understand... Yes... Yes I will be there."  Hongjoong sighed as he hung up the call and mentally cursed. His boss called, saying that he has to jump in to fill a shift urgently to help, as his co-worker called in sick last minute, since he lacks work hours. He glanced to the living room to check up on the reason of his lacking work hours, his little princess and he couldn't help but smile as he saw her happily playing with her designer's kit for children which he somehow managed to afford for her birthday since she proclaimed that she wants to be just like her daddy. Since he was taking care of her alone, he had to miss shifts from time to time as there were instances where none of his friends could fill in for him. He prayed that this wasn't one of those times because his boss warned him that if he doesn't show up to work in two hours he will get fired and he couldn't lose that job. Hongjoong took on a great number of jobs through the years to have his little minion live a nice and happy life. He keeps each of his jobs for as long as the boss is tolerant enough of him being late or missing whole shifts. He hates that he gives them a hard time, but raising a child as a single parent isn't an easy job and he is trying his best, he really is. Hiring a babysitter was an option sure, but Hongjoong couldn't afford one and even if he could, there was no way that he would ever leave his precious child to a complete stranger. He sighed once more before tapping in the message to the group chat, there are seven of them, surely one of them is free, right?
Wooyoung was in the middle of a game when a notification rang, signaling that a message had arrived on his phone. That wouldn't have been a problem if he wasn't in class and the notification didn't echo through the classroom. The college professor gave him a threatening look from above the rim of his glasses to what Wooyoung smiled nervously and pretended to move his phone back to his pocket before muting it and proceeding to read the message as soon as the professor looked away like nothing happened seconds ago. You eyed him judgingly from the seat next to him.  "Wooyoung, you are going to get in trouble." Not that most professors at college care if you are on your phone, laptop, are you listening or not... But this one was a bit of a nitpicking pain that always says that you should respect the time which he is giving to you in order to gift you knowledge by at least listening. He always made it sound like he doesn't get any compensation for what he does, not like he gets paid. Wooyoung looked at you with the most offended face he could make.  "Don't talk in class you'll get us in trouble."  He put a finger to his lips and couldn't help but smile to what you rolled your eyes and smiled as well returning your attention to the professor as Wooyoung returned his gaze to his phone. He entered the group chat to find that everyone already responded. He scrolled to the first message to see what all that was about, just to find Hongjoong's panicked message about needing someone as fast as possible to look over his child. Wooyoung loved that child like he was her uncle, and not just him, all of the boys warmed up to that little ray of sunshine. As he scrolled he noticed that none of the other boys were available, for valid reasons and he mentally sighed as he had to tell Hongjoong that he wasn't either.  Wooyoung: "I have a makeup exam. I must retake it, it's half of my mark. I'm really sorry."  This time he audibly sighed. He had major respect for Hongjoong, the guy was torn on million sides, he sacrificed his college and his free time for the sake of his child. That's why he felt bad for not being able to do anything in this situation.  Seonghwa: "Hongjoong, could you please reconsider all that about the babysitter?"  Yunho: "Yes, please, if money is the problem we can help you with that."  Hongjoong: "I know, but even if I agree, how can I get any babysitter to come in less than an hour? No worries guys, I'll just find another job."  Wooyoung was too preoccupied with his phone and thoughts of how to help to notice the professor eyeing him suspiciously. You however noticed and nudged him to snap out of it or he won't even have the chance to take that makeup exam. He rapidly turned his head to you, his eyes widening and your face crunching from confusion. It was seconds before he returned his attention to his phone.  Wooyoung: "I am a genius. I have solved all of your problems 😇"  Yeosang: "This is gonna be good."  Hongjoong: "?"  Wooyoung: "Y/N!"  Hongjoong: "Who?"  San: "Oooh, nice!👍🏻👍🏻"  Yeosang: "I am disappointed I am not disappointed with that answer. That is your first good idea since...ever."  Jongho: "How come that idea never crossed our minds before."  Mingi: "That would be so adorable to see. Just think of that cuteness duo!😸🥰"  Hongjoong: "Guys, would you please concentrate and tell me who that is."  You had to nudge Wooyoung again, stronger this time because he was visibly testing the professor's patience.  "Wooyoung, leave that phone, the professor is giving you a death stare I think even the room temperature decreased."  You whispered almost inaudibly to what he turned off his screen, nudged the phone to the side of his desk and shifted his gaze up smiling innocently to the professor. You couldn't help but pinch the bridge of your nose letting out a breathy laugh at his carefree attitude.
Hongjoong: "Wooyoung, who's y/n?"  Seonghwa: "Seems like he's not here anymore."  Jongho: "What... who leaves in a moment like that."  San: "I think he and y/n have class with that ice drama queen professor."  Yeosang: "He probably used all of his energy to come up with that idea, his system must have shut down."  San: "Yeosang... Who hurt you young child?"  Yeosang: "Whoever ate my fried chicken the last time we hung out."  Mingi: "But why are you taking it out on Wooyoung when Yunho ate your chicken 😂"  Yunho: "He. Didn't. Know. That."  Mingi: "Oops, I didn't know that."  Yeosang: "Well, it's only important that now I know that."  Yunho: "🙃"  Hongjoong: " G U Y S. I'm kinda running out of time here."  Seonghwa: "You remember how we mentioned Wooyoung's neighbor that hung out with us probably every single time when you weren't there?"  Hongjoong: "Oh yeah, I forgot her name, so y/n... I'm not so sure, how well do you guys know her?"  Mingi: "Wooyoung knows her best since she was his neighbor and classmate from the very start of college."  Jongho: "But since he's not here, your second best options are San, Yeosang and me. Well Yeosang and me."  San: "Hey 🥺"  Yeosang: "Yes, since we attend the same college we meet quite frequently so I assure you that she is a good choice."  San: "Are you all ignoring me now 🥺"  Jongho: " I strongly agree with Yeosang, not once did she leave a bad impression."  San: "..."  Hongjoong: "Well not like I have a choice at this point anyway."  Seonghwa: "Since I sense that you are still unsure, I remember this one time when she got a call from her sister and had to leave to look after her nephews."  Yunho: "So that means she knows with children. I mean you got a winning combo here." Hongjoong: "But I don't know, what if the two of them don't get along, what if something happens"  Jongho: "I just wanna remind you that this was Wooyoung's idea to which even Yeosang agreed"  Mingi: "I think that this is the first time something like this happened 😅"  Seonghwa: "Come on Hongjoong, you know we love your child almost as much as you do. We would never propose something that would be potentially dangerous for her."  Hongjoong: "Alright... Fine"
Finally, for what seemed ten times longer than the original ten minutes it should have lasted, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. You stretched your arms, still sitting down, while Wooyoung rapidly swiped trough his phone to catch up on the conversation that he missed, hoping to run into Hongjoong's agreement. You eyed him suspiciously when he jolted up with an excited "yes". You mirrored his actions and got up as well, gathering your stuff.  "What happened, the makeup exam got postponed?"  He let out a sad whining sound before gathering his stuff as well.  "As if, not even in my dreams."  He swung his backpack on his back and typed something in his phone excitedly.  "Then what is..."  Before you could finish, he grabbed your wrist and started speed walking towards the door and into the hallway, opposite of the direction of where his exam is supposed to be.  "Wait Wooyoung, what is going on?"  But you were not graced by any kind of answer in return. When you exited the building, you were even more puzzled to see Yeosang, San and Jongho there. Before you could ask again, Wooyoung went into medical commercial narrator mode.  "So you remember how we mentioned our friend that has a rainbow sunshine pink sparkly precious child after who he looks after alone and that sometimes we fill in because he has to work and all. Well today we are all busy and if he doesn't go to work he will get fired and he really needs that job and he can't leave the child alone and so we thought that maybe, probably, eventually you could look after her because we don't have much time since he needs to go to work soon and pretty much we don't have any other option...please?"  You blinked trying to process everything you just heard as Wooyoung grabbed your hand and shook it giving you the puppy dog eyes look. You closed your eyes trying to form a coherent question in return to all that.  "Wha..."  But San interrupted you, joining Wooyoung in the hand shaking puppy dog eyes squad. "Pleeease, the child is a sweetheart I swear. I promise you two will get along perfectly, and the cuteness oh God, you two will be the cutest duo ever."  You shook your head, really trying to keep up with the both of them, looking around to find a spot to focus on in order to actually have a chance to think about the proposal, when you noticed Yeosang and Jongho standing on a greater distance from you than when they originally were, talking among themselves, pretending not to know you three. You couldn't blame them. "Wait you two, wait a second. I mean I am free now and I would love to help, but I am not sure about all this? To him I am a stranger and from what I have picked up from your stories he wouldn't leave his child with just anyone so I don't think he will agree to this. Also a child... I'm not sure, it's not the same as looking after my nephews."  Wooyoung let go of your hand in order to swipe through his phone for a brief second before showing you a message of Hongjoong's agreement, more like shoving it in your face.  "He already agreed, it's only left for you to agree so please."  You almost winced from the frequency Wooyoung's voice managed to hit. You were kinda at a dead end in that moment. You had no reasons to refuse, not like you even wanted to refuse an opportunity to help someone in a tight situation so the answer was pretty obvious.  "Okay, just tell me the address and..."  Your proclamation was interrupted with Wooyoung and San squealing and, for the sake of their souls, let's say that those were manly squeals. They ran up to Yeosang and Jongho and excitedly announced that you have agreed before Wooyoung proceeded to run back to the college entrance in his style, shouting.  "I'm late for the makeup exam, I will text you the address before I..."  Was all you managed to hear before his voice became inaudible.  "Wooyoung, I swear to God."  You whispered in your chin before joining the remaining trio in order to say goodbye.
Hongjoong was running around his apartment, grabbing his necessities before a tiny voice called out to him.  "Daddy?"  The young girl was standing underneath the notably larger doorframe, questioningly tilting her head to the side.  "You said you would stay home today."  Her face welcomed a small pout. Hongjoong quickly squatted to her eye level, one hand on her shoulder, while the other caressed the crown of her head.  "I know princess, but they called daddy to come today. I promise I will make it up to you."  He smiled, hoping to reassure her.  "I just miss you."  She proclaimed sadly before wrapping her small arms around his neck. Saying that his heart shattered into million pieces would be an understatement. He sighed heavily and wrapped his hands around her, lifting her up.  "I'm sorry it has to be this way."  He said that more to himself before the melody of the doorbell filled the house. The girl looked in her dad's eyes with newfound interest.  "Which uncle is coming today?"  Hongjoong smiled nervously, not sure how to deliver the news and more importantly not knowing what the reaction will be.  "About that..."  He hesitated as he went towards the door with her still in his arms.  "It's uncle Wooyoung's friend."  He confessed, opening the door, not sure himself what to expect. What greeted him there was a warm, smiling figure, immediately putting him at ease.  "Hello, I'm Wooyoung's classmate, y/n. It's nice to meet you Hongjoong."  You gave a little wave before grinning to the little girl.  "And this must be the princess I have heard so much about."  The girl smiled in return, resting her head on her dad's shoulder, still a bit shy.  "Hello."  Hongjoong motioned you to enter before he closed the door behind you, a faint scent of his shampoo hitting you.  "I should hurry now, thank you for coming on such short notice."  You were in the process of taking off your shoes while you replied.  "Don't worry, it's a pleasure to help."  You rose back up stretching out your arms for Hongjoong to give the girl to you.  "Oh there's no reason for that, she may be too heavy for you, besides she is daddy's big girl, she can walk."  Hongjoong went to put her down, but to his surprise he ran into the girl's resentment, as she stretched her arms out to you in return. You smiled warmly and took the child in your arms, patting her back.  "It's not a problem really."  You reassured Hongjoong as you turned to the girl.  "This way we can assist daddy together while he is getting ready for work, right?"  The girl chimed happily in response. Hongjoong didn't notice or he didn't want to notice how his brain blocked all of his actions for a brief second wanting to absorb that moment and so he continued with tying his shoelaces a moment after as if nothing happened. Hongjoong was about to exit when you noticed a phone on the cupboard next to you, so you quickly stop him. "Hongjoong, I think you forgot your phone."  He checked in all his pockets to check before he accepted the phone from you grasp and thanked you with a warm smile.  "Daddy will be back before you know it princess, be nice to y/n."  He bent down to plant a kiss on the girl's cheek, before her little hands grabbed his face and turned his head in order to do the same. The scene had you internally melting from all the cuteness. Hongjoong went out the door, and you trailed him standing on the doorframe.  "Wave to daddy."  You told the girl who shook her hand smiling from ear to ear, you copying her. There was it again, that moment that Hongjoong felt shoot through his heart and brain.
You caressed the girl's cheek before putting a blanket atop of her, snuggling her to sleep. You put the fairytale book you were reading her a bedtime story from on the shelf. You decided to leave the lamp on, just a bit more dimmed as you were not sure whether or not she was afraid of the dark. She fell asleep pretty quickly, and it was no wonder, for the whole day you were doing all kind of things together, playing pretend, fashion designer, telling stories, watching cartoons, eating. You tried to engage her in everything you could, you really gave it your all, and it was easy because she was indeed a pure angel child. You sat in the living room, lowering the volume of the tv in order to hear if she wakes up. You had time to peacefully look around the apartment which was an interesting fusion of an art and music studio, laced with the essence of a family home. You also noticed that the home was sparkly clean. You didn't know that that was Seonghwa's doing however. He was the last to babysit, just the day before you. He and the girl were playing fashion designer when Seonghwa made the grave mistake of commenting how she put too much glitter on a particular piece of clothing. Second after that he had a child proclaiming that he shouldn't question her fashion sense and glitter pretty much... everywhere. So after putting her to sleep he engaged himself in cleaning all the glitter, and cleaning glitter is not an easy job, not to mention that he himself resembled a disco ball with all the glitter he had in his hair. He somehow ended cleaning even the rest and who knows when he would have stopped if Hongjoong haven't arrived home. You basically absent mindedly gazed into the cartoon on the tv which was muted when your phone buzzed and brought you back to your senses. It was a message from an unknown number, but from the content of the message you figured it was Hongjoong.  Hongjoong: I will be back about 10 minutes.  You saved his contact before replying.  You: Thanks for giving me a notice, I will wait for you. I put her to sleep, so you have nothing to worry about.  And just like that you spent those 10 minutes watching a cartoon on mute before you heard a clatter of keys trying to unlock the door, but being unable to due the keys from the inside of the door.  "I'm coming."  You whisper-yelled, afraid not to wake the girl as you hurried to the door. You turned the keys and opened the door, smiling.  "Welcome home."  It was probably due to not having a chance to hear that often, but his heart slightly fluttered at your welcome and he couldn't help but smile a little.  "As I already mentioned, she is sound asleep..."  You trailed off as you went to pick up your belongings from the living room, not wanting to yell and as soon as you returned you started putting on your shoes.  "She is a wonderful child, you raised her very well."  You gave him a wide smile as you started putting on your coat.  "We made dinner together and left you some in the refrigerator so you can heat it up if you want. You must be tired so I will be going now."  As you took ahold of the knob, he took ahold of your forearm. You turned around, giving him a puzzled look as to which he just took out his wallet.  "No Hongjoong please, I did not do this for money. Besides, that child already repaid me with her smile, I really had a nice time today."  You shook your hands before your face in defense.  "There's no way I can let you leave without anything, you lost your whole day."  He took out his money and was handing it to you, but you were not an easy nut to crack.  "Can we make a deal then? If I happen to look after her again, I will accept, okay?"  He sighed in defeat, dropping the argument as it was leading nowhere. But that idea of you babysitting again, deep down he liked it.  "Alright, alright."  You exited the door waving at him.  "Why don't you at least let me call you a cab? It's pretty dark outside for you to be walking alone."  Shaking your head you turned to him.  "Don't worry about me, go back to that precious little child."  He nodded, closing the door.  "Hongjoong..."  He halted and looked at you expectantly.  "See you."  And like that, you parted.
Little did you know that she would want you to come look after her again and again and again. Hongjoong of course, refused her at first, not wanting to trouble you, but soon he just gave up. And you didn't mind really, that child grew onto you like on anyone she meets. This time you were just going to visit her for no particular reason, you just had free time. You knocked on the door you grew used to and the man you started to develop faint feelings for opened.  "Oh hi, come on in."  He gave you his usual smile and you obliged. Just after barely taking one shoe off you heard your name being shouted from across the hall by a little human who was running to tackle hug you.  "How's my favourite princess doing?"  She smiled from ear to ear, as she always did.  "Good! Daddy and I were just talking about you!"  You rose a brow as you shot a glance at Hongjoong who was smiling nervously.  "Daddy asked me if I would want you..."  She was unable to finish her sentence because Hongjoong interupted, cutting her mid sentence. "You know, we were just planning on going grocery shopping, so you don't have to take off your shoes if you wanna come with us."  You returned your attention to the child, whispering into her ear.  "You'll tell me later."  You smooched her cheek before raising back up nodding at Hongjoong.  "Let's go."
"Hongjoong, you forgot to get the tomatoes... How do you expect that we make the bolognese sauce without tomatoes?"  You waved in front of his face with a wooden spoon threateningly.  "Sorry, I was hindered by a certain small being that strongly wanted a package of gummy bears."  You just chuckled at his troubled expression.  "We can just improvise something then, I guess. At least she got what she wanted."  You nodded in the direction where the previously mentioned small being was eating her gummy bears, her attention on the cartoon playing on the tv.  "I have a weakness for her, what was I supposed to do."  Hongjoong gave you a troubled smile as he was growing scared of that wooden spoon in your grip. You couldn't resist the urge to ruffle his hair.  "Go rest, you were working for the whole day yesterday. Your eye bags are so big, they could be used as bowls."  He shook his head.  "I can't leave everything to you..."  You squinted your eyes and raised the wooden spoon back in his sight.  "We will all rest when we eat, how does that sound?"  You rolled your eyes at him jokingly.  "You were always a tough negotiator, have it your way."  Smiling to your agreement he let out a breathy laugh, not really sure how to react to the given situation. You were gifting him precious moments he could only dream of before. Like having someone to welcome him, see him off, look after him and his baby, make a meal for him, and all that just made him wish that he could do the same for you.
"Hongjoong, I am actually amazed at your cooking skills." You confessed as you plopped yourself on the couch, the little minion automatically manifesting on your side hugging you. Hongjoong went to sit on the other side of the couch before he was stopped by his little girl. "Daddy, I want you to sit here."  She patted the free spot next to her, and Hongjoong just obliged, placing himself next to you two.  "Now I want you two to hug me."  She giggled as if she knew exactly what she was doing. As you put your arms around the little minion and connected them on the small of Hongjoong's back, he did the same. Your head rested on his shoulder, inhaling the same scent from the first day when you met him, his head rested on your shoulder looking longingly at the one person he wished for from the first day he met you, and in-between you two, a brightly smiling child who loved both of you was seated.
And so again, you went to them, they came to you. When Hongjoong was working, you were babysitting and when he was free the three of you just casually spent time together. This one time, when Hongjoong returned from work you were still in the process of putting the minion to sleep. Hongjoong inspected you closely as you ran after the child while taking off his coat and boots and he couldn't help but smile. You halted for a minute to welcome him, while the minion was long gone from sight. As you turned back to go after her you could hear her voice from the room.  "Mommy hurry, I want you to read me a story before I fall asleep."  You froze to the spot and looked to Hongjoong wide eyed as he did the exact same thing. Your face welcomed a shade of pink as you turned around and marched forward, not being able to face him.  "C-coming princess."
"Hey Hongjoong."  You peeked inside the living room, finally mustering up the courage to face him after what happened earlier, but to your luck, or misfortune, he was asleep. You would have let him be and went home as it was that he even gave you the key to his apartment, but you couldn't leave him in such a uncomfortable position. He must have fell asleep while waiting for you. You shook him lightly by the shoulder, afraid not to startle him. Your heart fluttered the same time his tired eyes fluttered open.  "I just didn't want to leave you in an uncomfortable position, I will be leaving now. Get some rest."  You blabbered and were ready to leave.  "Could you stay... a bit longer?"  Originally, it would not have been a problem, but this time around your nerves were getting the better of you. However, not having a proper reason to refuse, you sat on the couch next to Hongjoong, sighing.  "May I?"  He was asking you to lay on your legs. Again, it wasn't the first time, but never before did he ask nor did you feel nervous while his soft features were beneath your reach. However, on instinct your fingers started playing with his hair and he momentarily relaxed. Feeling restless you just had the urge to start a talk about something, anything.  "Hongjoong, you never told me what happened to your...uhm...her real m..."  You found it quite difficult to word the sentence, luckily Hongjoong caught on and saved you the struggle.  "We had my princess when we were nineteen..."
Hongjoong and his girlfriend at the time didn't even plan marriage, a baby? Even less. But she found out she was pregnant and after a lot of negotiations and talking, they decided to keep the baby and promised that they would handle every obstacle on their way. Neither of them ever dreamed that their first and biggest obstacle were their own parents. Both sides gave them the cold shoulder, but not all hope was lost. They believed that when the baby is born, their parents would change their mind. It was a brutal strike to both of them when, even with the birth of their baby girl, nothing changed. They weren't making much and they could barely take care of even themselves. That is when the girl wavered. She was scared for her future and she insisted that they give the baby for adoption. Hongjoong however, didn't want to hear about it. He didn't want to give his precious treasure to some random stranger. He also couldn't care less about his parents rejecting him. They always treated him as if he was a nuisance, so what was the difference now. His girlfriend, however, left and he never blamed her for that. She lied to her parents that she put her child up for adoption, she split up with Hongjoong and broke off every contact with him and the baby out of fear that her parents would kick her out again. Through all that time the only person Hongjoong kept contact with was his brother. Even against Hongjoong's will his brother keeps sending him money from time to time. Hongjoong on the other hand sends him back videos and pictures of the little minion doing whatnot. This is the exact reason why Hongjoong is making sure to make her real uncle a part of her life as much as possible. The number of times the uncle burst into tears after hearing a little voice through the phone calling him to come and meet her is a large one. There was nothing he could do about that as he lived on the other side of Korea. The only thing his brother didn't tell Hongjoong is that their parents greatly regret their choices and want to see their grandchild. But Hongjoong will find out himself when and if they decide to let go of their stupid idea of pride.
"...and that's how the two of us ended up like this."  It was not until your tear fell on his face that he noticed that you were crying.  "Hey, don't cry for that."  He raised his hand in order to wipe away the watery paths that your tears left on your face.  "She now finally has a mum as she said. I can't thank you enough for playing that role for her, no let me take that back, you are not playing that role. After all this time of looking after her you can call yourself her mum."  His comment only turned on the faucet that let more tears fall.  "Thank you for saying so Hongjoong."  He rose from your legs and turned to face you.  "I didn't plan to do it like this but here it goes."  He cupped your chin and leaned into you, his only support being his other hand. Your heart went on a rampage, throwing itself randomly against your rib cage causing irregularities in your breath. Hongjoong softly smiled when he noticed your reaction, feeling reassured to carry on with his confession.  "I started attaching myself to you from the first time you stood on that door. At first I wasn't sure if that was because..."  You cut him off by placing your lips onto his in a sweet kiss unsure if your heart would be able to last through his whole speech. You pulled away shyly forcing yourself to look him in the eye. Now it was official, until now you were practically just a couple without that official stamp. It felt nice, it felt like home.  "You will tell me later, I wasn't sure if I was able to survive through it all."  You grinned and he shook his head, smiling as well before he leaned in again.
"Okay is everyone ready?"  You asked eagerly after hearing Hongjoong approach the door.  "I don't understand why we have to wear this."  Yeosang retorted, not amused in the slightest before Yunho appeared from behind him and pulled him into the room to hide like he was pulling him in a back alley to kidnap him, what made the situation more amusing was Yeosang's uninterested face.  "Come on Yeosang we don't have much time for questions."  Yunho whispered in his ear as they both disappeared into the darkness of the room. You sighed in relief as everyone was finally on their position just as you heard the keys and the door knob. And then there on the door appeared Hongjoong.  "Welcome home, come on sweetie."  You welcomed Hongjoong and guided his, no, both of your child to him.  "Daddy, mommy bought me a minion onesie, look!"  She ran up to Hongjoong and extended her arms up to him.  "It's beautiful love! What does it say here... I'm gonna be a sister..."  Hongjoong's eyes widened as his heart skipped a few beats and he would have jumped to hug you right then and there if he wasn't startled by seven men who ran at him at the same time, wearing a "I'm going to be an uncle (again)" shirts, pink shirts. Hongjoong's eyes widened again before he passed the child to Seonghwa to come and finally hug you.  "So another girl huh?"  You smiled widely back to him, nodding and he returned an even wider smile.  "What week are you?"  He caressed your still unnoticeable bump.  "The doctor said 15th, the stomach is going to start to show from here on."  He hugged you careful not to squish you too much.  "I love you, thank you for giving me everything and making me a happy man."  He pressed his forehead to yours.  "I should be the one thanking you, Joong."  Your lips met again just like they did yesterday and just like they will tomorrow.  "I want to hug with mommy and daddy too!"  And just like that your little intimate moment became a group hug of all the people you considered family.
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mcwriting · 3 years
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The Marriage Project (11)
I'm baaaaack :) Sorry it's been so long y'all but I'm finally on break so hopefully I can push out more content soon! Pls enjoy!
Masterlist
Word Count: 2130
Warnings: little bit of language, mild mentions of alcohol
% approximately the last weekend of October/first week of November %
Sunday, you went wedding dress shopping.
Kinda.
It was for homecoming court. Your school had a tradition where the ladies in the running for queen wore white wedding dresses, so your mom and you went out in search of one.
You’d already gotten your dress for the actual dance weeks prior, so you started at the same store.
It didn’t take long for you to stumble upon one you liked, a slim a-line that accentuated your muscles and curves. There was a draped neckline and a somewhat low back. The entire dress had a grecian feel with the small silver accents dusted across it.
The second you put it on you fell in love, so you made the purchase and set off for shoes, easily finding a pair of heels that would put you at a similar level with Tom.
The next day, you made your way to class for another round of praise and congratulations for the tournament that weekend. The trophy was already sitting in the school display case, the plaque yet to be made with your school’s name and the year.
It was spirit week, so everyone was dressed in clothes that fit the day’s theme.
All morning, people were coming up and asking you about the tournament and homecoming, many of them pledging to vote for you.
Things felt nice.
You and Tom didn’t talk much throughout the morning, but exchanged a few jabs and laughs here and there.
Later, you sat around the lunch table with your girlfriends as usual, this time discussing the homecoming nominations.
“Y/n, there’s literally no way you won’t be queen. I’ve talked to a ton of people and all of them are saying they’re gonna vote for you,” one of them said.
“Aw shucks, you’re making me blush. Obviously I’d like to win queen, but we’ll see. It’s whatever. If Harrison wins king I’ll drop out.”
“As if. No one even likes him. I’m pretty sure he was voted in as a meme. Everyone knows Tom is gonna win,” Alexis stated. “And if Tom wins, you’ll win too with everyone thinking you’re together.”
“Hmm. I honestly hope Tuwaine gets the vote. He’s so sweet and totally deserves it.”
“I think we all know you’d prefer Tom as your royal counterpart,” one friend suggested, causing you to roll your eyes.
“How many times do I have to tell you guys! Nothing is going on! On another note, though, I got my white dress,” you mentioned, trying to steer the conversation away.
“Really? Let us see!” Caroline exclaimed.
“Ah, ah, ah. I’m saving it as a surprise for Friday. The only person who’s seen it is my mom, and it’s staying that way until the parade.”
You continued talking about the upcoming festivities and your excitement for the week, and the announcement of who would be crowned queen Friday at the pep rally.
That afternoon, you went to study hall with Alexis. Now that you were between sports, you had a free period to go do art, work out, or just “study,” so you chose the latter as a way to take a breather from everything that had been going on.
“So tell me everything about Johnny’s this weekend. Loved the costumes,” you started as you plopped down at two desks in the very back of the room.
“Not much to report. We mostly just hung out but I heard one dude had to go get his stomach pumped or something after the cops got there. We dipped out before it was busted because it was obvious they were coming. Now how was your weekend, since we’re finally alone?”
You thought about how much you’d actually tell her, especially considering that you hadn’t told her really anything about yours and Tom’s interactions in past weeks.
“Pretty good. It was mostly just volleyball.”
“Oh yeah? What all went down with Tom? Anna told me you seemed pretty close.”
Your face burned.
“We hugged after winning the tournament. Not a big deal. Oh and we maybe kinda pretended to be a couple Friday night.”
“What? You didn’t think to lead with that?!”
“It was for like a minute while we went up the elevator. This drunk couple was harassing us so we just played along for a little bit. Whatever,” you shrugged.
“Did you do anything couple-y? Don’t tell me you guys kissed.”
You tried not to cringe before somewhat telling a lie.
“I kissed him on the cheek and he put his arm around me. I swear it was nothing serious, Lex.”
“Hm. I still think you’ve gotta be hiding something, but I just don’t know what. And I’m gonna get to the bottom of it.”
Good luck with that. I’m not about to crack yet.
%
Spirit week continued with people coming up to let you know their votes had been cast for you. The voting ended Thursday so that votes could be counted before the pep rally.
When Friday did hit, you woke up early and tucked your volleyball jersey into some jeans and tossed on your letter jacket, as the day’s theme was school colors and jerseys.
You popped on some mascara and lip gloss, then headed to school, becoming more nervous as you got closer.
The pep rally would be right after lunch, but almost everyone was so excited for the weekend festivities that teachers basically gave everyone a free day so that the students in charge of the event could continue their planning and the athletes could prepare for the rally.
The pep rally was mostly for the football game, but they were also going to recognize the volleyball team’s accomplishments, so you prepared for that and the whole homecoming court thing.
In home ec, Mrs. Flynn let those that needed to help set up for the pep rally eat your lunches in class and then leave early.
You and Tom finished about the same time and went to your lockers to grab your things.
“Ready to win?” Tom asked as you walked towards the gym.
“Nope. You?”
“Yeah, actually. Maybe it’s just because I love winning so much.”
You gave him a little shove as you continued walking. Tom had his jersey on without the pads, so it fit big on him. You admired the way it draped over his thin, toned frame.
A bit later and the pep rally had begun with the dance team doing their routine, then came athlete recognitions.
They started with the volleyball team, calling you all out to the basketball court to wave as everyone cheered. After you all, the cheer squad hyped everyone up for the football team to come out.
You stood in a corner of the gym with Zendaya, as they would be announcing the homecoming court next. You both talked a little bit, but things were somewhat awkward.
Finally came the time to announce the winners. As with nominations, things went in order from freshman to senior, eventually reaching the king and queen announcement. The six of you stepped out onto the basketball court, the pit in your stomach bigger than before.
“Alright ladies and gentlemen, I know that this is the moment you have all been waiting so patiently for!” Mrs. Johnson looked around the bleachers at the cheering students, holding up her paper with everyone’s positions.
“We’re going to start with our third place, the duke and duchess of homecoming! May I have a drumroll please!”
Everyone stomped their feet and clapped.
“This year’s duke is Mr. Harrison Osterfield, and the duchess is Daisy Ridley!”
Cheers went up, not completely enthusiastic for the pair. You felt a little bit of satisfaction knowing the people you liked least had gotten third place.
“Now for our runners up, the prince and princess!” She paused for effect. “Tuwaine Barrett and Zendaya Coleman!”
More cheers rang out than before. Your jaw dropped as you looked at Tom.
“And that means that your senior king and queen are Tom Holland and y/n y/l/n! Congratulations to all of you. Can’t wait to see you at the parade, game, and dance!” Mrs. Johnson called out, dismissing everyone back to class.
Someone came and placed the crown on your head and slipped a silver sash which read “homecoming queen” over your body. You couldn’t help but slap a hand over your mouth.
“What did I tell you! I knew you’d win!” Tom exclaimed, holding out his hands. You so badly wanted to hug him, but decided not to in front of the whole school, at least not until tomorrow night.
Your friends rushed up and congratulated you, fawning over the crown and sash and laughing. Before you left, you had to return the two items to a teacher so you would have them for later that night.
As you left school that afternoon, you felt like you were floating on air.
%
You were back at the school later that evening, the game just over a couple hours away. There were families lining the street prepared to watch the parade make its way down.
Since leaving the school before, you’d put your hair in loose curls and done a full face of makeup. You tossed on some sweats and zipped up your varsity jacket, taking your dress and shoes along in the car to change there.
You waited until the last minute to slip on the outfit, causing people to fawn over you when you stepped outside to see everyone who was waiting.
Someone pinned the crown to your head and helped you slip on the sash, then led you to the convertible where Tom was waiting. You’d get to ride around sitting on the back waving like you’d always dreamed of doing.
Your heels clacked on the sidewalk as you confidently stepped. Sure, you didn’t wear heels much, but you sure knew how to work them.
It felt like slow motion when Tom turned around and you saw each other for the first time. He was wearing slacks and a sport coat and his curls were perfectly placed around his own crown. You both gasped a little.
“Y/n! You look… you look like-”
“Let me guess. A princess?” you smirked, raising a brow.
“I was gonna say queen.”
You rolled your eyes and chuckled, giving him a little shove. He helped you climb into the back of the car, and someone went to hand you his letter jacket.
“What’s this for?” you asked.
“Usually if it’s cold the queen wears her partners’ letterman over her shoulders if he has one.”
You thought about it. It was pretty chilly, after all.
“You don’t have to wear mine, y/n. Did you bring yours?” Tom asked, making you smile.
“Yeah, actually. I did. Would someone mind going and grabbing it from my stuff? It’s just inside.”
One girl ran and brought it back in a few minutes, and Tom helped drape it over just your shoulders.
“That’s more like it,” he said, giving you a smile as he fixed the neck.
A few minutes later, the cars and floats began moving and families cheered as you passed, waving with a smile on your face.
You and Tom talked to each other quietly as you looked around both sides of the street. When you reached the end, someone had you pose for a couple pictures in the daylight before the football players headed off to get ready for the game.
This was not only homecoming, but senior night, so they all wanted to be on their A-game.
Different people came up to congratulate you and you took pictures with friends, family, and even a few little kids. You were talking with the girls when you felt a hand on your shoulder.
You turned around to find the Holland family, including Nikki’s parents and a woman you assumed to be Dominic’s mom.
“Well I sure am glad to see that people have some decent sense around here,” Grandma said, giving you a warm smile. You gave her a hug then greeted the rest of the family.
“You look beautiful, dear. Congratulations,” said Nikki as she gave you a squeeze.
“Oh, y/n, this is my mother,” Dom explained, gesturing to another elderly woman.
“Just call me Nana, dear. I’ve heard a lot about you.” You smiled as she held your hands in hers.
“Thank you! Tom’s told me about you, too.”
Nikki shot some pictures of you with their family. It felt weird to be in their photos without Tom, but also comfortable, like you’d known them your whole life. You had to hold back a laugh when you took one kissing Paddy’s cheek and making him blush.
Eventually your parents also came over and talked to them, and everyone made their ways to the stadium.
%
A/N: omg it's been way too long since I updated TMP! I just wanted to pre-warn that next chapter will have the heaviest themes of this story. It will have adequate warnings but I want to make everyone aware!
Thanks for reading!
Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!
Story tag list: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @stxfxniexreads, @justafangirlduh, @supraveng
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nothingtoseehd · 3 years
Text
eah characters as cavetown songs
this was inspired by @/applewhiteapologist's eah characters as taylor swift songs, sooooooo yeah
some characters might not be here because: 1. it's hard to find songs for them (as of right now) 2. i forgot them/i'll do them if i have more time
apple white - devil town v2/green
-i chose devil town v2 because it seemed the most, uh, apple out of all the devil town versions? devil town v1 seems edgy-ish, and devil town v3 seems lower and calmer, i think???? maybe i just chose this because it has those light, floaty chords, i'm not sure, i'm not smart or anything -also i honestly felt like this was hard -i chose devil town because it could represent the future she pictured in her mind when raven didn't sign the book -i don't really know what to explain green, but like, ashlynn and apple in true hearts day??? that's the best way i could explain this song -lyric analysis time: --"i still get a little scared of something new, but I feel a little safer when i'm with you, falling doesn't feel so bad, when I know you've fallen this way too" ---apple is "a little scared of something new" because she's in for an unpredictable future without the storybook of legends ---for the falling part, it's like she's not so sad about being led astray when she's with her friends maybeeeeeee -lyrics for green because i can't explain it but it's just THERE: --"you looked so good in green i hope you’re well and you look so good with him and i’m proud of you still take care of my shirt warm and red i hope you think of me still as your friend i hope you love yourself your body and heart i hope you feel happy that’s all i want that's all i want"
raven queen - devil town v1 (dang it there's no purple text so have plain text)
-i just chose devil town v1 because i think it would work well with her guitar, i actually don't know how guitar works but i'm pretending to know how it works, don't tell anyone i don't know how they work -i think this song could represent her home life and whatnot because she's living with the evil queen -it's lyric analysis time!!: --"you said something dumb again, she's mad, at least that's what they say" (i just used orange so the lyrics wouldn't blend in as much) ---the something dumb thing could be like a 'nice deed' the evil queen doesn't like, and she's mad because of that --"we're all dead in devil town, that's fine, cause nothing's gonna scare us now" ---she's 'dead' after all the nagging and 'be eviL EMBRACE YOUR INNER EVIL' shit and it's now the normal, and it's not going to scare her since it's basically her life now -also slowed devil town can fit her too
madeline hatter - hug all ur friends/talk to me
-she's just so friendly?????? and supportive?????? and oh gosh i need a hug???????? -seriously though, they suit her because she feels so much like a huggy, supportive person and she's friends with everyone sooooooooooooo, hugs for everyone!! except you crystal!! and headmaster grimm!! not forgiving for the time you almost banished maddie!! -the lyrics because i can't explain these songs, it's just that maddie vibe, you know?: --"life’s too short to worry about things that we got wrong, so hug all your friends and let them know, you’re not letting go, i’m not letting go" (hug all ur friends) --"you don't have to be a prodigy to be unique you don't have to know what to say or what to think you don't have to be anybody you can never be that's alright, let it out, talk to me" (talk to me)
briar beauty - pigeon
-i had a very hard time with her but i think this kinda fits -it generates a sleepy vibe? (even though i didn't get this from the sleepyhead album *cough cough*) -okay, so the reason why i chose this for her is because of the chorus, which could kind of tie in with her destiny, with the 100 year coma -have the chorus for reference: --"didn’t give me time to say goodbye in the way that i wanted to, so honey, close your eyes and stay like you’re supposed to do, don’t know how i’m gonna live without, but i’ll stay strong for you"
ca cupid - sweet tooth/for you
-this is already self-explanatory if you listened to the song(s), buT IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, basically it's a song about an unhealthy crush and love and stuff -and you know who she has an unhealthy crush on???? that's right, it's blondie!! /hj (but seriously, in canon it's dexter but uH, i refuse to believe that, they're better off as friends) -lyric examples because like maddie, i can't really explain it but i know the vibe is THERE: --"a sweet tooth for you, i'm wide awake, the sugar went straight to my brain, feel like a kid, i double tap, my chest with my fist, i like you, say it back, say it back"
cerise hood - snail
-snail iS SUCH A GREAT SONG OMG -snail kinda represents her childhood and 'not wanting to be born like this' because of her parents technically breaking destiny (stupid storybook of legends) -lyrics from the song because i kinda don't really need to explain this song more: --"i was just born like this, wish that i could change it" --"i'm hanging out with the foxes and the hounds, and when i fit in i'll break back out"
daring charming - boys will be bugs/lemons (technically cavetown is just a feature but he's still there so yeah)
-it's just about the vibes -and also about the fact that the person in the songs have to uphold some sort of standard (the songs' standards were about masculinity) and i thought it could fit daring because he also has to uphold a standard (being the perfect charming prince) -also in lemons, daring's part is the one where cavetown sings it (if that wasn't obvious) -also ANOTHER LEMONS SIDE NOTE, i'd imagine rosabella singing brye's part, just because -lyrics time: --"don't mess with me, i'm a big boy now and i'm very scary i punch my walls, stay out at night, and i do karate don't message me 'cause i won't reply, i wanna make you cry ain't that how it's supposed to be? though it isn’t me boys will be bugs, right?" (boys will be bugs) --"so i'm gonna take it out on you too proud to show i'm hurting push it on you 'til you're burning" (lemons)
darling charming - 888/trying
-888 is a fun song, very groovy, has peppa pig plasters, 10/10 -main reason i chose 888, it kinda feels gay when you put it under a certain light?????????? -and snail could also fit with darling but i don't want to rob cerise -i was very stuck for a second song for darling because i felt obligated to give the charming siblings two songs because they're that top tier, but i think trying could be a good fit to some extent -could be like 'not great relationship with parents, struggle to fit with their standards ever since she found out she wanted to be a hero or something' -i still do think snail is a better fit for darling but i really really don't want to rob cerise because cerise is amazing -some lyrics: --"i'm workin' things out clouds lookin' strange papercut fingers dancing on the strings if i could see you right now i'd dance just for you when the nightlight goes out" (888) --"please let me know if you change your mind cause inside i'm falling And I need you to pull me out of this decline i realize how hard on you this must seem But trust me when i say it's far, far worse for me" (trying)
dexter charming - telescope/home
-telescope just feels like his vibe???? also because it kinda also have hopeless romantic-ness???? -also i headcanon him to be an astronomy nerd???? so that's fun???? that's my reasoning i guess???? (also, side-note i have just listened to astronomy by conan gray and it fits dexter) -ALSO HOME IS HERE BECAUSE DEXTER IS TRANS YOU CAN'T CHANGE MY MIND -also because it's also his vibe??????? -what time is it????? *clap clap* it's lyrics time!!: --"through the lens, it's dark, single-digit on the clock singing, "yessiree, i sure like-a you a lot" all i need is to get her she'll be happy if you let her" (telescope) --"turn off your porcelain face i can't really think right now and this place has too many colors, enough to drive all of us insane are you dead? sometimes i think i'm dead cause i can feel ghosts and ghouls wrapping my head but i don't wanna fall asleep just yet" (home)
okay the process of this post was just me staring at the lyrics and listening to cavetown a lot, sometimes during online classes but shhhh don't tell anyone (and finding more great songs)
is this post going to flop?? very very likely. do i care? eh, not sure, this was just me trying to put on my big brain hat.
also i realized while reading this post, that i never actually analyzed the majority of the songs' lyrics in this post?? so i'm very sorry
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karasunology · 4 years
Text
⸙ ˚₊ ➷ BOKUTO KOUTARO BEING A DAD HEADCANONS! ❞
✎ . . . will you please write about oikawa, bokuto, and sugawara as dads?? :>
❝ ― submitted by @ nonnie <3 ❞
-ˏˋ ➶ character(s) ━ bokuto koutaro <3
[ trigger warnings ━ slight manga spoilers !! ]
✎ . . . DAD HEADCANONS.
[ SUGAWARA KOUSHI & OIKAWA VERSION. ] [ MIYA ATUSMU VERSION. ] [ KUROO TETSURO & KOZUKE KENMA VERSION. ] [ IWAIZUMI HAJIME VERSION. ]
-ˏˋ playing soleil's tape ˊˎ-
[ 📼 ] . . . no thoughts, head and heart full of bokuto koutaro
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BOKUTO KOUTARO.
➜ bokuto wanted to have a baby with you
➜ that's it that's the tweet thank you for reading😌💅
➜ i'm kidding don't leave, i have abandonment issues
➜ just like oikawa, kou ─ your husband, has gotten baby fever and it wasn't going down any minute until bb boy gets his way
➜ phew, i'd let him get his way with me✋😳
➜ bokuto was great with kids, always playing around with them in a park as if he was one of them, and both of you knew that
➜ and when bokuto sees that you're also good with kids, mans knew he wanted to build a family with you
➜ he wanted not just one, because seeing what both of you created taking in different forms and pieces of their parents would leave him so proud
➜ would very much take it as a sign from the universe saying to him that the both of you were meant to be patents
➜ the day he lets you awknowledge his little daydream, was when the both of you were sitting down on the coach re-watching his match last week after babysitting one of your guys' friend's kid
➜ mans couldn't TAKE IT ANYMORE
➜ the way you coo at the child, you cooked with the child and just the way you tenderly supported the kid with your arms as you helped him reach a toy from the shelf
➜ and of course, you accepted it; there wasn't any other man other than kou that you wanted to start a family with
➜ let's just say mans wanted to make one right then and there after you confessed to him that you wanted to start a family with him as well
➜ and y'all did just that💀
➜ after receiving the news of your pregnancy, bokuto has never been more happy, aside from those times he won a match on nationals and, well ─ marrying you
➜ but in the white noise of excitement and joyfulness, there was a lingering thought and it was terrifying; what if he doesn't make enough time for both you and his child because of volleyball? will he have to take a break from it? would your child love him?
➜ bokuto was now down to emo mode just with the thought of your guys' children hating him
➜ and when the thoughts became to unbearable, he contacts akaashi.
“ bokuto-san, ” koutaro could tell akaashi was thinking about it before saying something,
“ you're one of the best men i know that's good with children; don't waste your time sulking about nonsensical what if's, when the present is right there in front of you ”
➜ akaashi was, to say the least, your one of your children's godfather.
➜ but the day your babies was going to arrive, it was as if your husband had a switch and unlike the usual ─ he was the one supporting you
➜ he held your hand, squeezing them to let you be aware that he's right there by your side, knowing that you needed all the support right now and he gave it to you
➜ tenfolds the support you gave him
➜ and when be first saw the first triplet being born, he knew right there that he fell in love once again, but with the child he has co-produced with the love of his life !!
➜ i just wanted to say that y'all's kids are NIGHT OWLS, literally, gets the biggest bursts of energy at ungodly hours
➜ koutaro would still get anxious and terrified, but there was something about your triplets that puts him at ease ─ like, one thing he'd be doubting himself and then the next thing, he'd be all fuzzy inside when his three triplets just looked like a litter of puppies asking for his attention on his lap
➜ and he'd just, revert back to reality seeing how blessed he was and stopped doubting himself and just live in the present
➜ EYE ─ I'M SO SOFT I CAN'T😭✋
“ now say dada ” he encouraged the little sunshines on his lamp as a youthful giggle serenated from his son's lips
“ dawa ─ ” the baby tried to copy his words, before shreiking of laughter when kosuke saw the defeated look on his father's face, somehow bringing him joy
➜ while his baby girl, kouzumi, was peacefully attached to him as the most interesting in her golden eyes were his hair ─ attempting to reach her arms to his hair, making grabby arms
➜ after a few months, you've noticed how much your triplets were in sync with their father ─ all together, being balls of sunshine
“ you've been trying for hours kou, take a break. ” you laugh, as you looked up from the book you were holding seeing your husband housing an offended look, and of course ─ a weird sound, a scoff? you didn't know, until, your other son imitated him
➜ almost perfecting the one he made
➜ and bokuto was ECSTATIC
“ hONEY, HONEY, OH MY GOD DID YOU HEAR THAT? ” he squealed, as his son imitated his sound again
“ he's responding to me !! ”
“ dO IT AGAIN KOSUKE ” he says as he takes out his phone
➜ the type of father to do the peek-a-boo game with his triplets and doing it perfectly as they're just enamured by his father as if he was doing some avada kedevra shit 😭🗿
➜ hey queen!! 🙆👑 GIRL, YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN, CONSTANTLY RAISING📈📉 THE BAR🔝 FOR US AND DOING IT F L A W L E S S  L Y
➜ the type of father that would never miss any important moments with his children, even though he's a busy with volleyball especially since it's his profession
➜ the type of father that has too many videos of his children on his phone saying papa in different ways, trying to imitate him, first steps, first laugh & JUST EVERYTHING
➜ has a whole usb of his children, three folders for each of them
➜ has a whole ass frame of his daughter's drawing from five years old of him and her and he would NOT let anyone touch it other than him and maybe you when you when you need to dust off the frames because it's getting too dusty
➜ you guys would always be there to support him no matter what, either in the stands of at home
➜ but when you guys do visit his games and cheer him on, MANS WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE
“ mommy !! look, daddy's coming ” kaoru, the youngest of your triplets, tugged softly on your coat
➜ you smiled as you saw your husband running up to you and your kids after his matches as a few reporters, in respect, stood a few meters away from you guys, taking kosuke on his right arm, the other with kaoru and on top of his shoulders was kouzumi tugging on her father's spiked hair she could never seem to get over with
“ ahH ─ my hair baby girl, you're kinda hurting daddy ” koutaru laughed as your daughter tried processing his words before wrapping her arms around his head softly to not fall off a small gasp escaping her lips
“ i'm sowry for hurting you daddy! ” she exclaimed as her brothers tried telling her off while the reporters just watched in awe at her
“ don't hurt daddy just because he lets you on top of there ─ ” kosuke scolded her, slightly jealous that she had the highest view
“ ─ yeah! ” your youngest vigorously nodded his head as he agreed to his brother, both obviously pouting that she had the chance to be ontop of their father's shoulders
“ uh kou, i can take them now since there's a few people wanting to interview you. ” you offered as you jerked your head onto the reporters directions smiling at them
“ oh no ma'am !! it's alright, we also kinda wanted to interview your children as well, since a lot of netizens are curious about them, seeing them everywhere on his socials. ”
➜ you guys agreed as they start asking you guys questions, but more to the triplets as they responded cutely, their identical amber eyes looking at them like an owl in curiousity
➜ JUST IMAGINE THREE ADORABLE OWL LOOKING KIDS HANGING ON TO THEIR MOTHER OWL AND BOKUTO JUST LOOKS LIKES A MONKEY BAR LMAO
➜ like these kids just attached to him lmao
➜ but there are times where he has to go on tournaments, training camps, olympics & probably photoshoots/commercials ngl and these three owls he left in your care are in EMO MODE LMAOO😭✋
➜ they got it from their dad, and you were now stuck with three emo bokutos but times three
➜ wow multiplication
➜ when she's a mathematician😍
➜ but bokuto would honestly also miss his children clinging to him for dear life
➜ like they would never be separated without having facetime calls every five hours
➜ but your kids understood that he has other things to do and theg try not to complain that much for your sake
➜ your kids are actually sweethearts okay 🥺
➜ when they grew up, his sons were still attached to him but they weren't as clingey as when they were in their childhood days ─ but your daughter phew, your daughter used to be the clingiest of them all and now it's just none, nonexistent, vanished, obliviated, avada kedevra LMAO
➜ like you know how teenagers be
➜ and your husband was DEPRESSED ABOUT IT
➜ his bb girl won't touch his hair anymore :(
➜ his bb girl won't be a little girl no more :(
➜ especially when kouzumi starts having boyfriends😭 MANS WAS SAD THAT THERE ARE ALREADY BOYS OTHER HIM IN HER LIFE
➜ it felt as if it wasn't even yesterday that kouzumi said that she don't need no prince, she'll be both a fucking princess and knight in shinning armor
➜ ugh periodt💅
➜ and koutaro's nows just like
“ WHERE DID ALL THAT TALK GO ?? ”💀💀💀
➜ ALSO BOKUTO GIVES THE BEST ADIVCES NO CAP
➜ gives volleyball advices, relationship advices better than u could ever
➜ this is getting too long but, even if some of his kids may not show it anymore, they still love their father so much and won't let anyone replace him because he's basically the ace of their hearts.
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peeterparkr · 4 years
Text
perennial;tom holland|ten.
chapter ten: aconite 
↳ flower meaning: [beautiful flower, poisonous] be cautious 
chapter summary: reasons to love, reasons not to and conversations that should be held. 
pairing: tom holland x y/n
warnings: it’s slightly angsty, slightly fluffy, the chapter begins at some point but will not be at that point, you’ll see
word count: 10.2K
SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE THE CHAPTER:
masterlist & profiles  
nine: in which we get to know who Clark is
previous chapter next chapter   perennial masterlist.
perfidy  ( series masterlist)
wanna be tagged?
Hey guys! So as you might have noticed I took a break, school has been super demanding and honestly I wasn’t as eager to write this, kinda lost motivation to write perennial because it got too demanding and honestly, well you know it... But I’m back on track! I hope you like this chapter, it’s slightly different. 
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Sometimes life is ironic, like winning the lottery after you die, or meeting the love of your life and finding out they’re married, or rain pouring down on your wedding day. 
Ironic by Alanis Morissette had been the first song that had played when they’d arrived to that bar, James remembered. 
Ironic. 
But the most ironic thing to y/n at least was Dancing Queen being sung in the background by two—no, three drunken girls, the bright notes buzzing, as they were too boozed up to hit any kind of decent note or any kind of lyric. It was ironic, as y/n was trying to hold back the tears as she rushed through the dancing crowd, a very unaware crowd, that was sweating and dancing and cheering and singing to the beaming to the cheerful song as she tried to swim her way through to finally get outside. 
Y/n knew Tom and her had never been fine. It just wasn’t a word in their relationship vocabulary. It was usually chaos. Like what it felt at that precise moment. She knew that Tom and her were chaos, that was true. But this. 
She couldn’t breathe. 
It was something she already knew would happen, eventually, though it’s stupid to walk into a relationship knowing you’redoomed.  It must have been a figment of her imagination. What she had seen. And on her birthday. Her very own birthday. 
But it wasn’t. 
She hadn’t imagined it. 
But what exactly had led to the chaos? Why had it come so easily? Everything had been particularly lovely. 
But of course, she knew that the fact she was crying outside a stupid bar trying to catch her breath, as she could still hear the faint music from the inside was no coincidence and was no surprise. Her sorrow had had a beginning and this chaos had been building up since James’ arrival, this was the ending she definitely didn’t want. 
Not that it had to do with her brother per se, but it came from that moment. Or maybe she was just trying to blame it on someone else rather than on Tom. 
She did blame it a bit on James. 
“Y/N, here you are,” James said as soon as he had walked out of the bar. “It’s—“
“I don’t want to hear it right now,” she stated before looking up to see her brother. “I know it, James—“
“Y/N—“James wanted to calm her down. “I” 
“I know, you told me so-”She snapped. “I fucking know that. Go and search for your fucking boyfriend that’s the only think you care about-” 
Clark had walked out as if he knew he’d be mentioned. Clark had arrived days before, apparently James announcing his engagement hadn’t exactly been to share it, but rather a warning to y/n. 
“Y/N, are you alright-” Clark had tried to ask. 
“No, get out of my face, I need to… Where the hell is Emma?” Y/N didn’t mean to snap at him but she couldn’t care any less. 
“It wasn't him,” Clark had tried to say. 
But it had been. However, y/n guessed she knew what he meant. 
“I don’t want to hear it,” she said. “Could’ve been any other day but no, everyone fucking decided to ruin my damn birthday, I didn’t even care about it! I just—Need to leave.” 
“But I’m sure Tom—“
And even though y/n knew it wasn’t... it felt...it had hit too close to a feeling that she was too familiar with. A deja-vu if one must say. A nightmare that she had once forgotten. 
Of course, nobody did understand why she had reacted that way.
Correction, they did. They would expect her to react that way because what she’d seen had been hell. But they didn’t understand what she truly felt. Maybe Sam, probably Sam. Who had seen her all those years back, way too long ago. Yet it seemed like just yesterday. But Sam had seen a very different y/n back then...Not stronger but a y/n that kept her feelings. Not like this, running away from it, wasn’t y/n supposed to be stronger now? 
He guessed that reliving it wasn’t easy, especially by what came afterwards. There was a slight difference this time, however, huge difference, actually. 
Tom did run after her, and he was probably still searching for her.  
“You don’t get it,” y/n said. “I—I need—It just felt—It felt just like that time.” 
James saw Tom rushing out of the bar, too. He pitied Tom for once this week. 
This wasn’t Tom’s fault… allegedly. Technically, it wasn’t. Now, if you look at the background of course he was to blame and he was an idiot, but this was something that James… could understand. He could, in a way, team up with Tom. 
James knew this would eventually happen. This chaos was ticking and it was only a matter of time till the chaos exploded. 
Relationships are complicated, but they’re bright most of the time. When two people are in love what else can you do about it?
James knew it, love was a bitch and love can make us do impossible things. Some people often confuse love with possession or love with passion or love for a caprice. James was particularly scared y/n would confuse love with a memory. 
Love shouldn’t hurt. That’s why he was probably too worried about y/n. And too angry at Tom for making a fool out of his sister. He, however, was impressed by that. But not really since James knew that from a very young age y/n was stupid enough when it came to Tom. But to make a fool out of y/n when she was the one to almost usually keep her sanity? 
James was impressed by how easily it was for Tom to make y/n go stupidly crazy when it came to him. Even now, he had been so impressed by his sister’s stupid infatuation. James did, however, like that Tom managed to get that smile he hadn’t seen in a while.  But she looked very stupid while at it. 
Tom was an idiot, too. Y/N also managed to make Tom the most stupid man on the planet. Not that he needed help with that, though. 
However, just as fast as Tom could make y/n smile he could be just as fast to break her heart. Most of the time he didn’t mean it, and James was sure Tom didn’t mean to this time. 
It’s the backstabbing disadvantage Tom had for being an idiot. 
James had been one of the few people who had seen the true nature of their relationship. He had indeed noticed Tom was so foolishly in love with y/n from an early beginning and he had been the one to point it out when she was just a kid. He wished he hadn’t because the moment y/n had heard him say those words, she had turned into a very stupid little girl. 
He had, however hinted it out to Tom, several occasions, that he did notice. 
“Y/N looked pretty, huh?” He had asked once after seeing the boy blush. 
“Breathtaking much, Tom? Please close that mouth.” 
“You and y/n looked awfully good together in those pictures from prom.” 
“Stop staring at my sister, eyes up here buddy.” 
James did notice. Tom had even once told James about it. In his own way. 
“I don’t actually hate your sister, not really.” 
But he didn’t quite understand why they acted like that. Why had they been so full of pride to admit they were in love with each other? How bad would it be for both of them to admit that their eyes followed each other? Why did it hurt them so badly to admit they made each other blush and smile? 
James had seen it after y/n came back from Rome, from both sides. Y/N would hum songs, Tom would be smiling more. 
They’d be talking. Not fighting. Even laughing together. 
And James had seen that this week, and he had been proven wrong. They truly were in love, even after all, even after everything. He could see them both, trying to fight for each other, the simplest of things he’d seen like Tom pushing y/n’s hair back if she was reading the script and it bothered her sight, or y/n gently squeezing Tom’s arm when she saw he was nervous about directing. Or both of them giving each other a look, with probably an inside joke of theirs or as if they were speaking with only their sight and then looking away and smiling to themselves. 
They were in love, and James knew it. James knew love. 
Love for him was Clark. 
His damned secret, kept for too long from y/n. He would’ve kept him a secret for longer, not because he was ashamed, and not because he didn’t like him. But because… Clark was something so personal for James and sharing him meant losing their intimacy. 
Clark and James were fine by themselves, they didn’t need anyone intruding in their relationship. 
Clark is the love we all dear and yearn for, the kind of love you only see in movies in the background, nor even the main characters, just the one perfect couple that’s always in the cafe, quietly smiling at each other. The kind of love that’s cozy, and that though it may be troubled sometimes, it’s truthful. The one love you never want to give up.  
He’d seen the way Tom looked at y/n, it reminded him of the way Clark looked at him. 
Maybe that’s why he wanted to side with Tom this time. 
James was getting married and though it might had come to a surprise to y/n, he knew that if he were to tell Tom, Tom wouldn’t be surprised at all. 
Tom had introduced Clark to James. Maybe he owed him for that.
“This guy, I swear, he’s the perfect catch for you, you’re gonna thank me one day, maybe on your wedding day,” Tom had said with mischief. 
“You know you don’t have to introduce me to every gay guy my age you meet,” James had sassed. “Besides, where did you meet him—?” 
“Golfing, his dad—“
“Oh, he golfs? Hard pass, I hate guys who like golf,” James had cleared. “Pretentious idiots.” 
“Hey!” Tom had frowned, “no, but he doesn’t golf, he hates it, but his dad dragged him along so that’s why I think he’s perfect for you! I swear I had two words with the guy and I—“
“No.” 
“I already gave him your number.” 
He had hated Tom at that point but… he guessed he was very thankful for that and that’s why maybe he was having such a hard time trying to convince himself that Tom wasn’t meant to be for y/n, because if Tom had been so right about Clark, how wrong could he be about y/n? 
James wanted y/n to have a Clark. And though, he had initially loved the idea of Tom and y/n, he now saw how it could end up so badly if they didn’t get rid of the baggage, which was unmistakably very heavy for both of them to ignore. It's baggage that’s been built from years now. 
Baggage that James and Clark didn’t have, because they always talked it out. Baggage that had shown up at that very particular night. 
But he had told y/n about it, he had warned her on his very first day in LA. 
“You’re getting married, oh my god,” y/n had said for what James was sure was the hundredth time. And she had been even more excited when she’d learned he’d be coming. 
“Yes, can we move on—“
“No!” She stopped him. “Why do you want to move on?” 
“Because—“he couldn’t quite explain it. Clark was his. He didn’t have to say anything else. 
“James!” 
“The same reason as to why you didn’t want to tell me about Tom,” James said.
“So you have baggage?” 
“Not—“James closed his eyes. “When you were—Back in Rome.” 
Y/N watched him. “Oh, because—it’s,” y/n understood about it. Love is between the people in love and that’s it. 
“Or—no, no, look, it’s—“James sighed. “I’m—it’s my thing you know?” 
“I’m your sister.”
“It’s not about not sharing it with you,” he rolled his eyes, “it’s about keeping him to myself, you know? To be lucky enough to know what we have.” 
“But—Clark? I thought you—I didn’t know—You said you hated the guy!” 
James glared at his sister waiting for her to see the irony. 
“No, my case is different,” she pointed out. “Tom and I-- well… You said you hated him!” 
“Well, I lied alright? I just never wanted to admit—I mean you knew I was dating him, why does this come as a surprise?” 
“Because you— hated him?”
“I didn't. I just didn’t want to admit that I fell in love with someone Tom introduced me to.” 
She looked away. “See? He’s not that bad. I mean he—he introduced you to him, he's not as bad.” 
“I know he isn’t,” James agreed. “But you have to talk to him.” 
“Everything was simpler when we pretended to hate each other,” y/n had said, melancholically staring at the ceiling as she had a flower pressed to her chest. “Maybe I—understand it, spreading it out is difficult.” 
James rolled his eyes. “Why is it so hard for you to tell him that you’re not okay?” 
“Because I feel like he knows already,” she admitted. “But we're trying to pretend we are  okay, so we… I don’t know, fake it till you make it.”
“Y/N—“
“I’m kidding, I mean—I guess we haven’t really had time to talk, we—We already kind of talked the Timmy thing which—“
James could tell y/n was the one who didn’t want to talk, they were very much alike in that matter. “The Timmy thing?” 
“He’s incredibly jealous of Tim,” she rolled her eyes tiredly, “which I don’t—It’s stupid.” 
“Is it, y/n, didn’t you tell me you slept with him?” 
“Yes but—I—Look,” she coughed. “It’s—Not something—I… I don’t know, when… I saw Cherry, I guess I wanted to get over him, but I can’t… I...it always comes back to him, you know?” 
James watched her, confused. 
“It’s funny, how we translated the bad parts into good ones, and I am so scared that I won’t get to say everything I feel for him for yet another chance…. And he is just...The love of my life, and it feels...there’s no other explanation for it, you know? He just is. And I look back and even though we were always fighting I just…” She took a deep breath. “And it did break me, the Cherry thing, him moving on with someone else just, I guess I wanted to move on, too, I thought… It’s gone, you know? Then he comes back and it’s another spark, you know? I just get out of my stupid senses... but I just did it because I couldn’t bear the thought that we are not meant to be.” 
James remained quiet. 
“And no matter what everyone says, I’d still choose him, you know? It’s so…” She cleared her throat. “So stupid, but then I just remember that feeling with us laughing and smiling and the...The first time he ever said he loved me I couldn’t quite… Believe it, you know? And it’s not… Gosh I hate that we are both so stupid but we’re doing our best, and he…I don’t know. Maybe it’s stupid but I think… I like to think we both missed waking up beside each other.” 
“That’s not love.” 
“No, I know, not that, but it is love, in our own very particular way,  but we’re so much more than that, yes the pieces are all scattered around, but I know I want to fight for it, and… I think our problem is we aimed too high or… I can’t help but be confused about the script you know? Because if it hadn’t been for it… I would’ve never had a chance yet it seemed like I… It’s a very delicate subject, but I don’t know, love is complicated, that’s it. But I love him more than anything.” 
James knew that y/n knew that Tom and her probably didn’t work out. She knew she’d broken Tom’s heart. It was no secret that y/n felt that  the worst thing that she’d ever done was breaking his heart. She knew that, and though everybody said it, she should forgive herself, she knew that it wasn’t easy. 
James didn’t know what to answer. 
“I don’t want to lose him.” 
“Yet you’re loving him as if you are going to,” James intruded. 
“You never know, and i think that’s the best way to love, love as if you’re gonna lose each other, then you know you’re really loving them…. Life has taught us both that we can screw up,” she gulped. “And I don’t know, I know...there’s a part of me that thinks it won’t last even if we try to, you know? But then again, I think about it and I know we’ll eventually end up together again. And I know I… look, I know I shouldn’t be saying this because I need no man but this time in L. A., I felt… numb, you know? And I guess I was sad because there was nothing holding us together, and… I would put on a smile every Friday, you know? Pretend I was okay, and I was healing of course, but I still had so much love left for him. Still do and I don’t want to let go of my chance. Might as well be happy, I’m tired of listening to me crying anyway.” 
Y/N did say ‘you know’ a lot, and James did know. Not sure how. 
“Why do you love him?” He asked. 
“He’s just too good to be true,” y/n smiled slightly, to herself. “I don’t—know, I just do, he’s the only one that gets through to me, and I feel alive when I’m with him,” she bit her lip. “I feel like I am a teenager all over again, but a good way, like when you’re excited about trying new stuff and excited about growing up, and being rebellious, and” she closed her eyes. “As cheesy as it sounds, I just lose all my defenses, but with him, I don’t feel lonely, he’s like… I don’t know, he’s just a song written by the hand of god.” 
James only listened. Y/N wasn’t… this, usually. Y/n never really said things like that. It was odd. 
“Y/N, that’s—“
“I know, I’m being ridiculous,” she blushed. “But I do love him. Because he’s—a moment, he is… I love him because I know him, and even with his flaws I completely love him.” 
“He’s an idiot, y/n, he slept with Cherry.” 
James didn’t understand it. Not really. Or not completely, for that matter. But he knew it. It was so complicated but he didn’t blame her, he guessed that y/n wasn’t a quitter, maybe that’s why she was trying so hard. And maybe she was right, and he knew it, Tom wasn’t that bad… But the fact he’d slept with Cherry was completely inappropriate. 
“I never thought I’d need him,” she admitted. “And I missed him, but I didn’t miss the heartbreak.” 
A broken heart can blind us. 
He’d seen Tom once back in London, and he wasn’t alright. Tom wasn’t doing fine with y/n being away, and with the heartache, his eyes always looked tired, and he was paler, and quiet. 
Tom was never quiet. 
And yet just as James had arrived in Los Angeles he’d seen a very different Tom, one with bright eyes and pink cheeks again. Like y/n, too. Her voice over the phone sounded off, always too distracted, or not there. Now she seemed… better, but still broken. 
James knew there was no use on trying to convince y/n and she had promised that she wouldn’t continue unless she talked to Tom about it. James knew she was so good at avoiding it. 
Y/N had taken James to set the next day and he’d seen them again, very different, very professional. He saw it in their eyes, though. Eyes looking to lock with the other and that shy smile. 
James had to look past that, as he saw his little sister’s dream come true, and he could tell that she didn’t quite believe it herself. And it was like seeing that little girl just from years ago with a hope and a dream and her always bossing the Holland boys around as she wrote a script for their home made movie. 
He saw them all like kids, Tom, Harry, Sam and y/n. It was like them being kids again. In a way. 
Now it was a real set, with real actors, a real movie, a real script and Harry was directing, he couldn’t believe it. Y/N and Tom were discussing over with some of the actors and Harry talked to the crew. 
James guessed Tom and y/n had a lot to say between the chemistry of the actors. He couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, how they did work together, at least in the professional way, as Tom was directing them.
Did it hurt? James wondered as he watched Tom, directing Gregg, telling him how it should feel: 
“She’s the love of your life and that guy over there took the chance when you blew it up, of course you hate him, he’s the worst person in the world because… What makes him so bad is that… he is perfect for her,” James had heard Tom say. 
James had time to observe y/n and Tom. From afar and when y/n was not hiding. On that particular day when they were rehearsing that one scene when Valerie and Teddy were together, when they were supposed to be in love, dancing, all while William had to watch in the distance. 
Odd scene to see, considering his conversation with y/n. Did y/n have feelings for Tim still? Even if she assured she loved Tom? 
All of James' doubts were clearly erased as soon as he’d seen them.He’d seen them laughing with each other, shyly looking away, and y/n… giggled. 
Y/n giggled? 
It bothered him. Because it felt like Tom didn’t care, as if they’d simply erased it, in a way. But James was very aware that y/n was only bottling it all up, and y/n is dangerous, if she bottles too much she would end up losing control. 
James had seen them walk away together to have lunch, Sam and Harry had gone separate ways after but stayed far enough from them. Emma had joined James instead, they were close to y/n and Tom. 
Emma seemed sad. James couldn’t ask much about it, but from what he’d gathered from Harry, things weren’t going fine. Harry had only mentioned how it would take him a lot of time, that there was hope but that Emma just didn’t want to give in. But James could tell Emma did love Harry, and he admired Emma, her bravery and strength. She had to break off an engagement because her fiance wasn’t sure about it. Of course she wouldn’t forgive him that easily, Harry had been an idiot. 
James wished y/n was a bit more like Emma, y/n was too forgiving, and y/n was too stubborn and too blinded by the stupid boy to see it. 
James and Emma were eavesdropping, because both of them probably didn’t have a conversation themselves, and because both of them had gone close so they could hear, but hidden enough not to be seen. 
Nothing interesting about their conversation, the script, the set. Until...
“I was going to take you camping,” Tom mentioned out of the blue.
 Y/N had chuckled. “What?”
“Yeah,” he gulped. “For your—for your birthday.”
She grinned. “Camping?”
“Yeah,” Tom cleared his throat.
“That sounds so—cool,” y/n said, a bit confused by the idea. 
“But guess that idea is off the charts now.” 
She scowled. “Why?” 
“I am pretty sure your brother doesn’t want you alone with me,” Tom laughed nervously. 
James nodded in agreement to Tom’s statement as Emma tried to hide a snicker.
Y/N sighed, rolling her eyes, shaking her head and letting out a very forced laugh. “He’s an idiot.” 
“No, no, I—I understand it, you’re his little sister and he’s always been very protective.” 
“He hasn’t,” Y/N chuckled.
“Oh, he has, even I know he had a talk with Tim,” Tom hissed the name. 
“What?” 
“Didn’t you know? He told him that if he broke your heart he’d chop his dick off,” he assured her. 
James shrugged and looked at Emma. “And he didn’t,” James whispered. “Because Timmy is a good guy.” 
Emma scoffed. 
“I… oh my god, I didn’t know,” Y/N sounded embarrassed. 
Tom coughed. “I’m terrified of your brother.” 
“Good,” James mouthed to Emma. 
“Hm but what were you planning?” Y/N asked, getting back on the subject. “Camping, really?” 
“I dunno, rent a cabin, go for a hike, spend the day and night together,” Tom had changed his voice and gotten slightly closer to y/n. 
“Hm tell me more,” y/n had grinned. 
James motioned as if he was going to puke. 
“And I thought we could have time to ourselves you know? I know we work best when we are alone,” Tom had continued before getting his lips close to hers. 
“Hm we do,” y/n had closed the gap between them. 
“My sister’s an idiot,” James told Emma. “Why are you letting her do that?” 
Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “I can’t stop her.” 
“And well I thought it’d be romantic,” Tom continued. 
“Hm why don’t we go?” 
Tom laughed. “And take your brother?” 
“We wouldn’t-” 
“We would have to, y/n,” Tom laughed. 
James nodded again. 
“But yeah that was my idea, you and me in the woods with no distractions,” Tom commented to y/n. 
“Hmm…” Y/n had leaned yet again to kiss him. 
James scrunched his nose, he really didn’t understand how Tom managed to get y/n so stupid. 
“You know, the cabin I had seen was really romantic,” Tom explained. 
“Was it now?” y/n blushed. 
“Yes, hm... it had a fireplace, and it was so cozy,” he continued. “And I know it’s not 80’s type of aesthetic you like—“
“No, no, shut up! I would’ve loved it, it sounds so romantic,” y/n had chanted. 
James was confused. “It doesn’t, ew,” he whispered to Emma. 
“It was,” Tom agreed with y/n. 
“And what were we going to do?” Y/n asked. 
James closed his eyes and shook his head. 
“Hm, there was a nice place to go hiking, uh, fishing, maybe? and you know relax, talk, get...cozy,” Tom continued. 
“Oh,so he was right?” Y/n asked. 
“Who was?” Tom frowned, confused. 
“James,” Y/n said. 
James raised his brows at the mention of his name.
“About what?” Asked Tom. 
Y/n giggled. “You were planning on giving me your—” 
Thankfully, Tom hadn’t let her finish the sentence. “You’re taking away all the romance out of it when you say it like that!” 
James wanted to die. 
Y/N laughed, loudly. “But were you?” 
Tom was embarrassed. “I—I mean it may have been on the schedule yes hopefully—I mean don’t say it like that, oh my god, y/n—But—“
“Was it on the schedule then?” Y/n asked. “How did you write it? Sex at 8?“
“No! No, I—it was—Not planned—I mean I wasn’t going to assign like a time but I mean it would I—kinda thought I—mean I knew—I assumed—“
“Oh, so you assumed it?” Y/N laughed. “So you just assumed I was going to ride you?”
James seriously thought he was going to die. 
“No, I didn’t!” Tom was red. “Y/n! I—I no!” 
“So you didn’t want to then?”
“Yes! But—I thought it could be an open possibility?” Tom was nervous. “I—“
Now it was y/n’s turn to not let him finish as she had already kissed him again. Emma was so entertained by the conversation and James’ reaction that she couldn’t hide a lighter for not longer. James lost it by then, so he quickly stood up and walked to them. 
Emma followed, curiously. 
The couple was still kissing. 
James cleared his throat loud enough for both of them to hear him and quickly separate. 
Y/N frowned. “James for god’s sake!” 
James walked over to them, “We are having lunch and I don’t see you eating, so Emma and I should join you.” 
“Sorry y/n,” Emma whispered to her friend. 
Tom and y/n were red, so, so red, and Tom was shaking. James only glared once at Tom before Tom moved away from y/n, just as James sat between them. 
“Your food is intact,” James pointed out. 
Tom moved away. “I—we were.” 
“No, Tom, eating my sister’s face is not lunch,” James cockily said. 
“James what the fuck,” y/n snapped at her brother. 
Tom laughed nervously. “James, c'mon man.” 
Emma felt awkward. “Why don’t we—eat?” 
They stayed quiet for a bit. 
“So, what are you guys?” James asked. 
Tom almost choked on his food. “What?” 
“James!” Y/N complained. 
Emma just smirked. 
“yeah, what are you? Have you guys talked about it? All your emotional baggage?” James pushed. 
Tom coughed. “We have been.. discussing it.” 
Y/N turned to Tom. “don’t answer” 
James smirked. “No, no no no, y/n, I wanna know.” 
Tom nodded. “What do you want to know?” 
“What is going on,” James reminded him. 
“I love your sister,” Tom answered. 
Emma watched between all of them. 
“Doesn’t answer my question,” James raised his eyebrow, as if challenging Tom. 
“James,” Y/N hissed. 
“I—it’s it’s true I am deeply in love with her and have been for a while now,” Tom said as if defending himself. 
“Are you a couple?” James asked. 
“Yes,” Tom said. 
“No,” answered y/n at the same time. 
Both of them turned to each other, with confusion. 
Emma blew her cheeks in. 
“Um… What did you think of the… I saw you guys were working on Jesse’s girl today!” Emma quickly intruded. 
James clicked his tongue. “No, wait Emma… This is interesting,” James continued. 
“What-” Tom frowned watching y/n. 
Y/N shook her head. “James can you please leave us alone.” 
“I… Well, I’m just confused, and I have more questions… A,  y/n why do you keep making out with this man if you’re not a couple I mean you can do whatever the fuck you want with your life but this man may I remind you has broken your heart and hurt you in so many possible ways—even broke your bones?” 
Tom coughed. “That was accidental... all of those.” 
James shook his head. “Eh, I haven't finished pretty boy, and b) why are you Tom, saying you’re a couple when you haven’t talked about it?” He pushed. 
Y/N glared at her brother. “James this isn’t any of your business.” 
Tom only clenched his jaw. 
“Uh, er… Guys, I’m gonna….” Emma had awkwardly stood up, “I’m gonna pretend they need me over there,” she announced before leaving. 
“You’re fucking insane,” y/n declared at her brother before storming off, following Emma, leaving James and Tom alone. 
Tom avoided his gaze. 
“I know you hate me, but-” Tom started. 
“I don’t, I care a lot about you and that’s why I’m doing this…” He said. 
Tom scoffed. “Oh, so you’re helping me out with this?” He glared. 
“I’m not,” James said. “But you perfectly know what you did to y/n, and I’m sorry Tom but you can’t-” 
“It’s between me and her,” he said. 
“But I know you both, and you’re both so stupid, Tom, for fuck’s sake, and you slept with Cherry,” James snapped. “I’m not letting that-” 
“Who told you?” Tom asked. 
“Doesn’t matter,” Jamessaid. 
“Did you tell her?” 
“Didn’t have to,” James said. “She knew it already. And if you don’t have the balls to talk about it with her, which honestly-” 
“I want to, okay?” Tom barked. “I can’t believe I did it but I want to work it out!” He snapped. “I thought you were fine with us!” 
“No, Tom I’m not—fine with this,” James explained. “And I can’t believe I’ve let you hurt her this much and I swear Tom she might believe you but I don’t-” 
“Look we want to talk it out, I mean it alright—your sister is the love-” 
“Love of your life! Then why have you been such an asshole to her?” James wondered. “Do you even know it Tom? How badly you broke her? After Rome? Do you even realize-” 
“Yes I do! And that’s why I bloody want to do things right this time, okay? I want to give her the entire world, alright? I’m not… I’m not joking, alright? I actually… I want to make it up to her, I’m… so in love with her, and I just want the best for her,” he said, gulping. “I…” He sighed. “Maybe we haven’t talked about it because we both know it’ll break us apart, alright?” Tom looked away. “And I just want her to know about it, everything, how she’s been my everything… Since we were children, okay… James you know me, you’ve known me my whole life and you know I’m not lying to you, I love her,” he sighed. “I don’t want to hurt her and I know I’ve fucked up. I just… I know it, it’s so hard, and I…” He gulped. “I guess… I know I slept with Cherry, I know, I did it, I’m not denying it, and I have no excuse but I… When I did it it was… I thought she had left to move on with Tim again because... “ Tom looked away. “I know it, alright? I’m not… good enough for her and you’ve shown me that, because you didn’t fucking act this way with Tim, and no one has said it with me, I know I’m the bad guy here, Harry doesn’t approve of me, Sam doesn’t approve of me, Emma doesn’t approve of me, you don’t… like me,” Tom gulped. “But I genuinely love her, and I know I’m a fucking mess, but… nobody knows about us, alright?” 
James clenched his jaw. No, it wasn’t alright no matter how many times he said it. 
“And it’s difficult to apologize, you’re right, I probably don’t have the balls for it, I’m a fucking coward, and I know, but I’m just trying to be honest with her, and with you, I genuinely want the world for her, and if I have to go back to the start then I will,” he sighed. “And I don’t know how to talk about it with her, and I don’t know if she feels the same way,” he took a deep breath. “And it’s killing me that I don’t know where she’s standing, and she avoids talking and I know how… She works, you know? She’s always been so reserved.” 
“The problem with both of you is you both think it’s you against each other,” James said. 
Tom looked up at him. 
“It’s always been that way, y/n against Tom, and I feel like you’re doing it again,” James said. “I am just telling you both, to realize it, it’s both of you against the problem not you against each other,” James said. 
Tom nodded. “I know that, and I’ve tried talking to her, but she… Ignores it, or someone comes in, or we have to-” 
“You’re searching for excuses,” James said, he seemed calmer now. 
“I’m not,” Tom said. “And I really mean it James, I don’t want to break her heart, I don’t want to hurt her anymore.” 
“And if she ends up hurting you?” 
“I’ll work it out,” Tom said. 
“Why are you directing this?” James questioned. 
Tom didn’t answer that, instead he took a deep breath. 
“If this is another one of your stupid plans—“
“It’s not, and not even a plan to try to win her back,” Tom explained, “it’s not—not like that. I want to give her the world,, and I know this—This whole thing is the world to her, you—you really underestimate me, Jay, as if I were some kind of stranger to you or to her, but—I’m not,” he repeated. 
“Maybe it’s time you both move on.” 
“I don’t want to move on, and—I tried, I—that’s why it happened, everyone said it: Move on, Tom, she’s just another girl… and fuck.” 
“She’s—“
“She’s not, I’m very aware of that, but even Haz and Harry said it, I fucked up, she fucked up, move on man,” Tom mocked their voices, angrily. “Just another girl, and, and I tried to… move on, thinking yeah, it’s only a stupid thought or whim, yes and I thought—if she’s really just another girl, then why the hell can’t I move on? how—Even other friends said, hey, you’re Tom Holland,” he let out a soft dry cackle. “a million girls are dying to be with you and—“Tom closed his eyes, “maybe it was that, me trying to—Trying to move on, but I don’t—want it, I don’t want another girl, James.” 
James only watched him. 
“And I’m telling you this not because you are her brother but because you’re my friend and I’m—I’m just—You know me, James, you know me perfectly and you’re acting as if you didn’t, yes I’m—I am an idiot, and yes I know I’m probably the worst option for her, and I probably tick every single bad box but—at the same time I’m—“ he gulped. “I just can’t believe how stupid I am, and I—I am” Tom meant it, James could tell. “When I’m with her, I feel like myself, and I don’t often feel that way, and she’s just this… incredible person. And I’m—terrified, I’m terrified of it. But I need her,” he gulped. “Not—in—I don’t know.” 
Maybe James needed to hear that from Tom. Though he still—James couldn’t forgive Tom. Even if it wasn’t his business, he could forgive him for breaking his sister. 
“And I’m very aware that I’ve lost her before because I know it, I’m an idiot, but maybe I’m too stubborn to admit that I lost my chance. Because I—I haven’t, alright? And this might be my last one but—I can’t admit it to myself, but I know about it, Jay, I know that what we could’ve had is gone so maybe just let me cling on to whatever we’re holding on until she decides to let me go, alright?” 
“I don’t understand why you’re both in a relationship where both of you think it’ll end up badly,” James had questioned. 
“You see, I’m trying for it not to end up that way,” he said, 
“But you think it’ll end, then?” 
Tom hadn’t answered him. 
“Why do you love her?” 
“She’s my home,” Tom shrugged as he quickly answered, he didn’t have to think about it. “I—I was always scared of growing up but it doesn’t hurt when I’m with her, when life is—getting too hard she was always there with those pair of old jeans and bright smile and yes, initially she was there to call me an idiot but she just made time stop, completely,” he shrugged. “Because she just—“ he smiled sadly, “she helps me find my heartbeat in the middle of all the bustle.”
James didn’t know Tom could be so poetic. But he meant it, or at least James hoped he meant it. 
James didn’t push it any further. After that, y/n had ignored him. Y/N was excellent at doing so, if she wanted to ignore someone she’d make sure they noticed. And she was angry at her brother. Besides when it comes to siblings, it feels even more personal and very immaturely done. y/n had ignored James and made sure to make him feel ignored. She would avoid his gaze, and she’d pretend she didn’t listen to him. 
She hadn’t even offered him a ride back to aunt Eliza’s. 
Tom had been the one to offer it. 
James had apologized to Tom, and he had only shrugged it off. 
“She’s your sister. I get it, she deserves the world, you’re only trying to give it to her.” 
Harry said he needed a beer, maybe they all needed one. 
Maybe James had to give it to Tom, y/n was one to ignore people and her problems per se. Tom had also ignored James, not like y/n, Tom was probably angry at James. James didn’t care for that. 
“I love the chemistry between Gregg and Auli’i,” Harry had said when they were at the bar, all of them beers in their hands. “They’re—really—“
“It’s too familiar,” Sam had laughed. “Very familiar.” 
“Not—there’s something missing,” Tom said. 
“Is it weird?” James asked. 
“What?” 
“Come on, the script?” James said. 
Tom shrugged. “It gives me a better understanding of her,” Tom admitted. “It’s—She really did write her heart out in there.” 
Harry watched between them. 
“What happened today?” Sam wondered. “I saw y/n storm off with Emma.” 
“I was a jerk,” James said, “to her and to Tom.” 
Sam and Harry side-eyed each other. 
“What’s going on with Emma?” Sam asked, quickly trying to avoid the subject. 
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, it seemed like an old bad joke hearing about it. 
“She’s… She says she’s not ready,” Harry said. “She just says she’s not ready, and she…” Harry took a deep breath.
“You two are the most stupid men in the world,” he said, staring at Tom and Harry. “You both come here, without giving them any warning, and you expect them to run after you? And don’t--Emma’s reaction is logical,” James continued. “But you have to understand that Emma came here to heal, Y/N came here for her dream, and you two came in barging just to shove it, the two men they came running away from just shoved in their way to say ‘Hey, y/n, I’m in charge of your dream now’” 
Sam took a log sip from his beer, with a big smirk. “Thank you, James, that’s what I’ve been telling them.” 
“But… Okay, yes, but you don’t know all the facts,” Harry sighed. “Look, if we hadn’t taken the project probably nobody else would!” 
James blinked. “What?” 
Tom looked away. 
Harry bit his lip, nervously, shaking his head. “I… We called the studio looking for her project and apparently there had been a lot of directors and producers rejecting the project,” Harry said. 
“So yes, we decided to barge in, and we said we’d be the stand in directors until someone showed up,” Tom explained. “We worked with the casting and everything and we’ve been behind the stage but we--And, I know that y/n never wanted us to be involved but the thing is it’s… It’s a hard project, and she’s unknown, and… It’s an amazing story, you know? But it’s… Films these days are all about superheroes, I should know, or too serious, and--It’s got potential, it’s got a lot of potential, and--” Tom sighed. “Maybe it was a mistake but at least this way we can be assured it’s get done her way. So at the end… we did accept the project because I’m just... “ 
Harry watched his brother and then turned to James. “Yeah.” 
James had really underestimated Tom, probably everyone did. Maybe that’s what Tom was so stressed about. 
“I do--” Tom clenched his jaw. “I might want to change just a few bits but I…”He looked away. “We’ve been talking about it with her, to make William more human, less of an asshole.” 
Harry nodded. 
“I think,” Sam shrugged. “Well, I don’t know much about films or whatever, but I think he’s human enough, and at least you understand it, I think y/n actually did a great job on him,” Sam continued. “I…think he even made him even way too nice,” he chuckled. “Like, there is a point where you understand why she loves him, I think, the story is built so you think you need to hate him but I guess the audience is supposed to fall in love with him as Y/N-- I mean, Valerie falls, hell, she even made me want to fall in love,” Sam laughed. “But I mean it’s purely fiction, in real life I don’t get how the hell she’s in love with you.”  
“Shut up,” Tom rolled his eyes, he had chuckled slightly, but James saw that Tom was slightly hurt by those words. 
James had read the script only once, he hadn’t really read it because he felt like he was reading y/n’s diary, which he had done once when they were younger, and she had been so angry at him. The script had felt like getting into y/n’s deepest feelings. He remembered a particular line which had stuck out from the rest. 
“I love him and I’ve run out of reasons to say why, I just know that  even when there’s no music playing we will find a way to dance.” 
Maybe Tom needed everyone to know the backstory, see past his actions. And probably y/n didn’t know this, James knew she’d get angry because she wanted to get it out herself, not be helped by him, make a name for herself, however in the industry it was difficult enough. But maybe it made sense, the reason why y/n loved Tom so much, because she didn’t need reasons to, she just did, and he kept giving her reasons to. 
“But….Emma, then?” James asked, trying to get back on the subject. 
 “Well… she slept with Josh,” Harry continued. 
“What?” Tom interrupted, angrily. “She did what?” 
“That night after the movie,” Harry bit his lip. “I-” 
“And you’re okay with that?” Tom questioned. 
“They’re not together, Tom,” Sam quickly said. “Besides, it’s most likely because-” 
“Because she was nervous about Harry coming here,” James ended the sentence.
Harry shrugged. “She was honest about it, and I mean--I don’t, I know she doesn’t love him, and yes, I was jealous but…” 
James watched Tom who nodded, knowingly. 
“I mean she chose a random guy to have sex with because she was stressed,” Harry nodded. “And she did tell me it meant nothing and I mean, it’s… It’s her body, she can do whatever she wants, and we… are not together.” 
“Where does one draw the line, though?” Sam questioned. “With rebounds, I mean.” 
James scoffed and shrugged. “It depends, on how soon, how the relationship ended.” 
“The whole, are we in a break or not,” Harry shrugged. 
“Yeah,” James laughed. “Classic Ross and Rachel, we are on a break type of situation, like, of course, they were on a break but it was too soon, because-- there are breakups that last for a day, y’know? The argument says it all, and right away… Gives the wrong impression, as if, I didn’t love you anymore so I hooked up with the first person I saw, either in spite or-” 
Harry nodded. “Yeah, also who it is with.” 
“Oh, yes,” Sam nodded. “Right, like.. If it’s with another ex?” Sam clicked his tongue. 
Harry scrunched his nose. “I think that’s normal, you know?”
“Is it?” Tom frowned. “Why would it be normal?” 
James saw it as an opportunity to defend his sister, not sure whether Tom knew it or not. “Because it’s something familiar,” James said. “Like, you don’t have to search for something you might not like so just go to someone who once you know… Knew you.” 
Tom coughed. “But like, that should mean they have feelings for them.” 
“Nah,” Sam tossed a few fries into his mouth. “Well, depends on the ex, but like, if you’re only hooking up with them, I mean,” Sam rolled his eyes. 
“It could awake feelings,” James nodded. “But if you’re searching for an ex it means you’re not up for someone new, it means you’re stuck somewhere there and sleeping with an ex means not wanting to move on.” 
“And alright, if you-- You’re still dating Clark, right?” Tom asked. “If you broke up and he slept with his ex would you forgive him?” 
James scrunched his nose. “I mean,” he shrugged. “As long as he doesn’t sleep with any relative.” 
Tom opened his mouth to say something but then exhaled defeatedly. 
“Like, for example, Sam,” James said. “That’s crossing the line on rebounds.” 
Sam nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that’s… fucking up, by the way Cherry’s coming and well--” 
“What exactly happened between you both?” James questioned. 
Tom bit his lip, he took a deep breath as he tried to map his thoughts out, knowing that what he was about to say would change a lot of things. 
“We were friends,” Tom said. 
Sam and Harry only watched his older brother, probably nervous to the outcome of the conversation. 
“I--Well,” he sighed. “She said she wanted someone to show her around London and…” Tom shook his head. “I… Well, she did flirt since the beginning and I… I didn’t answer at first, but then…I was so angry, I… I thought about it and thought hey, I lost my chance and y/n ran back to Tim and she is probably moving on.”
“Why did you think she was moving on?” James questioned. “She literally told you she loved you and only you.” 
Tom took a deep breath. “I’m an idiot, and… I dunno,” he sighed. “I thought she would end up going back with Tim. 
Harry widened his eyes with surprise, awkwardly asking for a second beer. 
“I don’t know, I was heartbroken, I was stupid and… I missed her too much and I...And I felt lonely and and everyone here sees me as the bad guy, and I continue to be the bad guy, but she was someone new and someone who didn’t know me and she was... And then I saw Tim posted a picture and it was… Undeniable taken by her, you know?” Tom looked down. “And I… Well, that’s how they started last time, her taking pictures of him and I thought she would again and so in spite, or full of rage and so I tried to move on and the option was right there in front of me and Tim kept posting you know, and even if he didn’t say it I just knew it was y/n, and one day after way too many beers I finally gave in to Cherr’s flirting and it--”He squeezes his eyes shut. “And I told her that whatever happened, it didn’t have to mean anything I told her, no strings attached, no feelings and… it happened,” he sighed. “And I….But it didn’t feel… I don’t even remember how it happened and I just didn’t feel good with it, it made me feel even worse and lonelier and then she kept wanting to hang out and I just shut her out because it was a mistake and then, I thought I was a rebound to her as well, she had just broken up with her girlfriend and I thought I was just a rebound but she then… Showed more and I just… Gave her no explanation, not… I don’t know, I told her I wasnt in a good place and that I was still in love with someone else and that wouldn’t change and yes, I’m the asshole again and…” 
All of them stayed quiet. What were they supposed to say? 
It was ironic, how both Tom and y/n had assumed they’d move on, and the reasons why they did it, both of them sleep with an ex and a relative, because both of them assumed the other one would move on. Why? Maybe that’s why they were so stubborn right now because both of them realized neither did and they probably never would. As if they were just happy to find out they still loved each other but were too afraid to admit it out loud. 
They remained quiet. 
“Eh,” Sam had cut the silence, too awkward for him to handle. “Not that I don’t want to talk about a conversation that will probably end up giving Tom a mental breakdown, and don’t get me wrong I love having awkward silences,  but I need… I need to know, Jay,” Sam smiled. “May I know what’s that on your finger?” 
Harry and Tom finally landed their sight on James’ finger, a silver band wrapped right around his left ring finger.
“Hm?” James quickly hid his hand. 
“Is that an engagement ring?” Harry questioned with a smirk. 
“Uh-” 
“Wait, uh--” Tom shook his head to shake away the sad feeling. “Are you engaged?” 
“To Clark?” Harry asked. 
Though he didn’t want to talk about it, he knew that the other conversation wasn’t for him to know. The other conversation was something Tom had to work out with y/n, which, yes, the reason had been very stupid, y/n had to work out with Tom how Tom felt about Tim. 
Probably James and everyone else did, maybe they really had made Tom feel unworthy of y/n’s love and that’s why he kept sabotaging himself. 
James did end up telling them, and he even finished the conversation thanking Tom for introducing him to Clark. Of course he didn’t have to tell them all the details, they were three straight men too stupid to care, and James was grateful he didn’t have to share as much, because it was his story, not anyone elses to know, it was his relationship and it was his Clark. 
James had, however, explained to them that Clark would come, too, James was slightly nervous about it, given that he knew that y/n was definitely not going to be welcoming and that she’d keep ignoring him. That’s how y/n worked with James, no matter if he tried to apologize, she wouldn’t talk to him. 
James knew he had made a mistake with this, but he needed to hear it from Tom, and though it wasn’t technically any of his business, he knew that Tom was more understanding, in his own way, than y/n. 
Tom could talk to James, that’s the difference, and Tom hadn’t talked to James for a while and so James didn’t know, and of course it drove him crazy not to know why or how this was happening. 
Tom, Sam and Harry all offered James a room in the house they were renting to stay there with Clark, he had accepted it because he knew Cherry was coming. 
James didn’t want to face Cherry. Because James had this one habit that he couldn’t ever get rid off, he was too nosy when he wasn’t asked, and he had talked to Cherry about Tom, and warned her that Tom was just too important to y/n. 
Y/N, as expected, kept ignoring James. But he had seen that Tom and y/n had gone out one night, alone, together. He had heard them walk into the house, and as much as he had tried to avoid eavesdropping, he had walked out, innocently to the kitchen and he’d seen them, on the couch, talking. 
“I think we need to add a scene,” Tom had said. “It’s… important.” 
“But… I don’t get it,” y/n said. “You want me tro write another one, I thought you’d said it was too long.” 
“But this one is important y/n, it gives… backstory to William.” 
“So you want me to make something up? Just to….”
“Yes, I told you, William searches for her after the whole London thing.” 
“But that didn’t happen,” y/n said. “And that’s why Valerie-” 
It seemed, Tom had told James, that Tom had found a loophole to talk without talking. Tom had explained to James that y/n would be avoiding the conversation, that didn’t surprise James. But Tom found a way to use the script to go over it, Tom had told James that they hadn’t really talked much but he had figured how to make them understand each other. 
“It did happen, so let’s add this scene, right before Jessie’s girl scene, I need it,” Tom said. “And I talked about it with Harry and he says he wants it, too.” 
“So he searches up for her? And then what? She shuts him out-” 
“She’s not the one answering the door,” Tom explained. “But William does go to mend things and then T… Teddy opens the door.” 
y/n had stayed quiet, as James was still wandering in the kitchen. 
“James will you please leave?” She asked her brother. “I won’t continue this conversation until you leave, I know what you’re doing.” 
He had left, but at least they had opened a conversation. He had seen them the very next day, asleep on the couch, so peacefully y/n laying on top of him. She had woken earlier than him and seen James in the kitchen. 
“Good morning,” James had said. 
“Morning,” y/n had answered sheepishly, as she stretched out. 
“Oh, are you talking to me now?” James had asked. “I made tea.” 
“No,” y/n had said before getting a glass of water. 
“I’m sorry,” James said. 
“No, you’re not,” Y/N answered. “You got it your way, didn’t you?” 
“I just want the best for you,” James said. “Have you talked already?” 
“About some things,” y/n said. “But it’s none of your business, as you said it before, it’s like Clark for you, Tom is mine, and my relationship is mine.” 
“So there is a relationship?” James asked. 
“There’s a hope for one,” y/n said. “And yes, I fell asleep on him, and yes, I keep kissing him but I simply want to, alright?” 
As soon as Tom had woken up and walked up to them, probably sore from the couch too as he was stretching out his arms, y/n ran over to him and gave him a passionate kiss, probably a very dumb way to prove to her brother that she was being rebellious. 
And if that hadn’t been a message clear enough, she’d flipped James off before walking away. 
“I’m--” Tom probably wanted to apologize to James but was still left too dumbfounded with the kiss. 
“Don’t,” James had rolled his eyes. 
That kind of behaviour continued, y/n trying to prove something to James. 
Cherry had arrived three days before y/n’s birthday, and Clark had arrived the next day after she did. 
They hadn’t had any contact with Cherry, not James at least. James was too busy exploring LA with his fiancé. It felt weird saying it. 
“Fiancé.” 
Y/N didn’t know Clark was in town, but as soon as she learned it, she had seemed to forget she was angry at James. She’d met Clark before, of course she knew of his existence  and that her brother was seeing him, they’d met but y/n had learned from James’ pasts relationships to not get too attached because ‘James changed couple more often than he probably showered’, which was too different from y/n, and y/n, though she had noticed about Clark, and though she did mention it from time, to time, James had tried to avoid it, because he’d finally fallen in love and he didn’t know how to act around it. 
Clark, however, had shown up to Harry’s engagement party, and that hadn’t gone well. Of course James was skeptical of showing his family, and the Hollands because he… Well, he didn’t want Clark to think they acted that way. Of course, that’s why he was reserved. 
Tom had been the one person who had had contact with Clark. 
Clark had said it to James once, “Tom is deeply in love with your sister.” 
“They hate each other,” James had answered. 
“No, if he did hate her he wouldn’t pay that much attention.” 
Clark was right, obviously. Clark, actually was someone who liked to observe and he was the one to calm James.
As soon as Clark was in town, he had listened to James’ stress and said: “She’s been in love with him her whole life and the dude, too. And you’ve said it, y/n tends to save it all for herself.” 
He was right. But James still thought that y/n and Tom had to talk about it, otherwise the chaos would come, but maybe it could wait. 
But y/n’s birthday arrived. 
Although the chaos was supposed to be coming, James wouldn’t have guessed it would come this way. And he wouldn’t have guessed it would come that way. 
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theoreticslut · 3 years
Text
"So, does this mean we’re okay?”
part 1 - “Why do they hate me so much?”
pairing: fred weasley x reader x geroge weasley
requested: no
word count: 3.3K
warnings: mentions of cheating, abuse & fighting, choking
A/N: so here’s part 2 to “why do they hate me so much?” - you guys seem to really like it so far and I’m glad to say there will be more to this! As of right now, I think there will be four parts, but it might end up being more depending on how I write it. either way, I hope you all still enjoy it! I’m kinda breaking my own heart as i’m writing it so maybe it’ll be a good one?? anyways, let me know what you think! i love reading everyone’s comments & seeing you all like/reblog my stories, it really makes me so happy <3 thank you bunches Xx 
Taglist: @justmesadgirl @xuckduck @yikesyikesyikes95 @filipi-yes @aestheticwh0r3 @siredkai @matsuno-nadeshiko @msmarklee1213 @immajustreadwritereblog @msmimimerton @lauren2408 @mischievous-queen @bunnyboo7 
^ let me know if you’d like to be added! 
“Y/n!” Harry calls out as you walk into the hall for breakfast.
It’s been a couple weeks now and you’re finally starting to feel decent.
It still hurt to think about your ex, especially since he was not shy in flaunting this new relationship of his, but you were getting better. You’ve had a few great nights of singing to breakup songs and binging on food with hermione and you felt certain you could get over him.
You hadn’t talked to Fred or George recently, and they haven’t tried talking to you, but you noticed a severe lack of pranks not only to you, but around the castle in general.
You had barely even seen them around. You caught them a few times watching you from across the dinner table or across the common room, which had irritated you at first until you realized you really couldn’t be mad at them. While they had driven you mad with all the pranks, they never did do any harm. And that night they had been trying to apologize.
At the same time though you were angry that they only stopped pranking you and tried to apologize after you broke down crying. If they truly weren’t out to torment you and instead make you smile and laugh like they had said, you would think they would have stopped a lot sooner seeing it hadn’t been making you happy.
You were conflicted and weren’t really sure how you should feel. Should you still be upset with them or should you just let it go?
Hey, guys” you smile, sitting down beside hermione and conjuring a mug of coffee.
You notice that neither of the twins are in sight which is odd as they normally sat with the trio, or at least real close to them.
However, you couldn’t find them anywhere close and decided it best to not worry about it.
“How are you doing today?” ‘Hermione asks, smiling lightly at you.
“Better than I have been.” You smile, taking a pancake and putting it on your plate.
“Good! I’m happy for you, y/n.” She smiles as Ron and Harry nod in agreement.
You may not talk to either of the boys much, but you were all friends and they were happy to see you doing better.
“Have any of you seen the twins?” You ask after a few minutes, your curiosity getting the better of you.
“Fred and George? No, I haven’t actually seen them lately.” Hermione says, shaking her head and frowning.
You look over to Ron and Harry but they both shake their heads and shrug their shoulders.
“Hmm, alright.”
~.~
You had made it through most of the day without seeing the twins and you were honestly starting to worry. They had never been this quiet. You wondered where they could have gone and why.
However, the more you thought about it, the more agitated you got. They could disappear now, but when you had actually wanted them to disappear and leave you alone all those times before they only seemed to be around more? It wasn’t fair.
“Y/n. How have you been doing, love?”
You stop in your tracks back to the common room when you hear your ex behind you, sounding disgustingly smug. You really didn’t want to talk to him, yet you turn to look at him, frowning in disappointment. Why would he choose to talk to you now after everything he’s done?
Fred and George stop in their tracks when they see Will Jones call to you. They were well aware of his reputation for fighting and being aggressive. Why would he be talking to you? They both come to the realization when they see how irritated you look.
Was Will your ex boyfriend? Had you really dated him? They knew he had cheated recently, perks of eavesdropping, but they had no clue it was you. If they had paid better attention maybe they could have prevented you from dating that ass and therefore prevent you from being cheated on by him. Or at the very least they could have warned you when they heard him start talking about some other girl to his friends.
They could have kept you happy if they had only paid more attention to you instead of trying to prank you every other day.
They watch your encounter from down the hall, not quite sure what is going to play out, but ready to step in at any minute if something goes awry.
They both know that you more than likely don’t want to see them still, which is why they’ve been avoiding you and why they’re keeping their distance now. They still watch and admire you, but do so when you don’t know they’re there. They don’t want to upset you anymore than they already have. It hurt not talking to you, but it was better than having you any angrier at them.
“What’s it matter to you, Will? I’m not your girlfriend anymore.” You say after a second.
“I can’t still care?” He asks, seeming hurt. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, I do still love you, y/n.” He frowns.
“Stop it, Will. I don’t care if you still love me or didn’t mean for ‘any of this to happen.’ If you had ever cared you wouldn’t have bloody cheated in the first place.”
“Honest, baby. I really don’t know how it happened. We just sat next to each other in some classes. We were friends and then somehow things got out of hand.” He tried to argue.
“Bollocks, Jones. You bloody flirted with her. You were never just friends.” George spits, stepping up to the two of you.
He can’t just stand there and listen to this asshole tell you lies. You don’t deserve that.
“Get out of here, George. This has nothing to do with you.” You hiss, anger bubbling up inside you.
You can’t believe he’d try to step into this right now. You two were not friends in any sense of the word and he isn’t involved in any part of this. Who does he think he is?
“He’s lying right through his bloody teeth. You don’t need to hear any of it.” George fumes at the brunette in front of you. He doesn’t look at you at all as he’s too focused on not punching your ex.
“I can handle myself, George. Go.” You grit your teeth, getting across that he needs to leave.
It takes a second for George to relax the tension in his body and starts to back away when Will has to make everything worse.
“Seems like you’ve moved on pretty fast, baby. Good for you, but I know you could do better than a Weasley.” He smirks.
Before you can do anything, George swings and punches Will in the stomach. You can see Fred rush forward to grab his brother as Will’s new ‘girlfriend’ rushes towards him.
“George!” You hiss, turning around on him ready to completely cuss him out.
“I told you to get out of here! I don’t need your help. You think I don’t bloody know how much of a lying prat he is! For merlin’s sake, I dated him, George! Besides, you have no bloody right to interfere in my business. You have zero involvement in any of this. All you’ve managed to do is make things worse you ass!”
“and you!” You spit, turning around on Will.
“You need to shut your bloody mouth. This is solely between you and I. You don’t need to be bringing anyone else into this mess. I am beyond furious at you for treating me like shit, but not once have I dragged Riley’s name into this. You could stand to have some bloody respect for yourself.”
Before you can register what’s happening, Will has slapped your cheek, hard, and wrapped his fingers around your neck. Both Fred and George rush forward to get him off of you when he swings at the two of them, hitting Fred right in the face.
“Would you shut up about bloody respect! You’re nothing but an ugly bitch yet you pretend you’re up on some sort of pedestal. Just give it up already!” Will fumes as he’s dragged off of you.
“You bloody mongrel!” George growls as he punches him square in the face, knocking him back a bit.
Trying to retaliate, Will goes after George which of course sets Fred after Will.
You’re crying hot, angry and fearful tears. You’re angry at Will for being such an ass, but your also angry with the twins for stepping in when you could have resolved this without any of the physical fighting. You’re scared because your ex nearly tried to choke you and you’re scared that one of the twins is going to get seriously hurt.
“STOP IT!” You cry just as McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore rush to get the three boys off of each other.
“You two are a sorry excuse of-“
“That’s enough, Mister Jones.” Snape snarls.
“All four of you to Dumbledore’s office. Now.” McGonagall threatens.
You nod, silent tears still falling down your cheeks as you follow behind the three boys as they’re dragged away from the scene.
You can hear McGonagall telling everyone else to get to their common rooms and you sigh, nearly ready to breakdown sobbing.
What is it with this year trying to break you?
~.~
“Oh for godrick’s sake, y/n. I’ve been so worried. What happened?” Hermione asks as you walk into the common room.
You sigh, sitting down on the couch next to her as Harry and Ron sit a bit further down the couch.
“Please tell me you’re okay? I can’t believe that loathsome little cockroach tried to choke you.” She says as she notices the bruising around your neck.
“I’m fine, ‘mione. McGonagall had Madame Promfrey check me over before she’d let me go.” You say, only croaking a bit with the pain and sobs your holding back.
“Thank Merlin. Did you get into trouble? What about Fred and George?”
“I’m not sure what’s happening with Fred or George, or even Will. They were talking to each of us separately.”
Hermione nods, waiting for you to tell them your outcome. She’d be furious if you got in trouble for this. None of it was your fault. She had seen it all happen, in fact her, Ron, and Harry had all seen it.
“I’m not in trouble. I thought I was going to be, but once I told them what had happened none of them, not even Snape, could give a reason as to why I should receive any punishment.”
“That’s good. I would storm down there myself if you had. None of this is your fault and if you got into trouble I would have raised hell to get you out of it.”
“Thank you, ‘mione. I just hope Fred and George don’t get anything too bad. Really they were just acting in self-defense. I’m more than livid at them for butting in, but they don’t deserve half of what Will does.”
They all nod, hermione pulling you into a hug.
More than anything you just wanted to stretch out and watch movies with your friends, which is exactly what you four did.
You had conjured popcorn, some candy, and some bottled water and soda from the kitchens as hermione got the movie ready, the boys grabbing blankets and pillows from around the common room.
~.~
You’re not sure how long it had been when the portrait swung open again, but you knew it was late. A lot of the students had disappeared to their rooms and the common room had fallen nearly silent save for you and your friends.
You peep up over the couch to see the twins had finally came back. They spot you and make their way over.
“Hey, y/n.” Fred greets, smiling lightly.
“Hey. You guys got detention?” You ask, figuring that that was the only explanation for their late arrival.
“Yeah. Not as bad as Jones did though. You won’t be seeing him for quite awhile.” He smiles, going over to sit down across from you on the other side of Ron and Harry who had fallen asleep ages ago.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Fred chuckles.
“McGonagall was livid after she found out he tried choking you. She made sure he’s paying. Every waking minute, except for an hour each day for study and his classes, he’s going to be in detention with her or Snape.”
“For how long?”
“I think for a few months at least.” He says, looking over your neck at the bruises and at your cheek where there’s an obvious handprint as George has been.
You notice and start to get self conscious, absentmindedly rubbing at your neck.
“Does it hurt?” George asks, quietly.
You shake your head.
“No. Only when it has pressure on it just the right way.”
“What about your cheek?” He asks.
“It just stings every now and then.”
He nods, still looking at the mark and bruises sadly. What he would give to never have let that happen.
“Well, what did you guys end up getting as punishment? You said detention, but for how long?” You ask, turning back towards Fred.
It’s not that you couldn’t look at George, but you just didn’t want to. Not right now. You were still angry with him, but not enough to yell at him or anything. It was just safer to look and talk to Fred right now as he hadn’t antagonized the situation any. All he did was try to defend you and his twin brother.
“Just detention for a month. Only once a week though. Tonight was the exception.”
You nod as you take in the twin’s injuries. From getting punched, Fred had a black eye on the right side of his face along with a split lip and a small cut on his cheek. George had surprisingly escaped nearly unscathed. His knuckles were cut up and he had a few small bruises, but nothing life threatening. You suspected they probably had a few bruises under their shirts though from the way they would rub at their sides every now and then along with how careful they were in their movements.
“Are you guys okay?” You ask, reaching out to gently touch Fred’s cheek.
“We’ll be fine. Nothing a few days of healing won’t fix.” He smiles, wincing a bit as his bruise sits atop some of the muscles he needs to smile.
“I’m not asking if you will be okay. I know you will be. I’m asking if you’re okay right now.” You say, seriously, taking George’s hand in yours as you examine his knuckles.
“We’re okay.” George reassures, yet not trying to take his hand from yours.
“Don’t lie to me. Are you guys bruised on your sides or stomach?” You ask, looking up to George, who’s watching you carefully, and then over to Fred.
Neither of them say anything and you sigh, getting up to head to your dorm to grab some first aid.
“Stay here. I will be right back.”
It only takes you a minute to grab what you need from your room. As you come back into the common room you can hear Fred and George whispering to each other, but they stop when they see you.
“Close your eyes, Fred.” You instruct as you sit down beside him, picking up a medium sized tin that carries a handmade label.
Once closed you take some of the balm and gently rub it around his eye to help heal the bruising. You make sure to get the majority of the bruise without getting any of the balm in his eye. Then you take the smaller tin and dab just a smidge of that balm directly onto the cuts on his cheek and lip.
“This will help everything heal faster. It’ll still take a few days but it’ll help.” You explain as both Fred and George nod as you move over to apply the needed balms to George’s knuckles and few bruises.
“Lift up your shirts.”
“Didn’t know you wanted us like that, princess.” Fred smirks as you roll your eyes at him, trying your best not to smile at him.
“I’m not joking. I see the way you’re holding yourselves. You both have bruises you’re not showing me.”
Fred sighs, but lifts up his shirt so you can apply the balm to his sides and stomach. He shivers a bit at the coolness of the balm and the feeling of your hands on him, but he doesn’t pull away.
“Thank you, princess.” He smiles gratefully as he pulls his shirt back over his head.
You give him a small smile and nod as you turn to George who watches you a second before lifting up his own shirt just enough for you to get his sides. You let out a small gasp and frown when you see just how bruised up he is. He may have gotten out without many visible injuries, but he definitely didn’t leave without any.
“I can’t believe you, George. Why would you try to pretend you didn’t have all of this?” You ask quietly. You’re not even entirely sure how he got all of this. You didn’t think Will had hit him much at all.
“I asked for this...” he shrugs, watching you closely as you work on him. He sees you shake your head at him, but you won’t look at him.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer them. These are real bad, George. You’re going to be sore for days.” You say, finally meeting his eyes.
You watch him gulp before looking away and you shake your head.
“You really are an idiot.” You sigh, as you finish applying the balm.
“Thank you.” He nearly mumbles, ignoring your comment about being an idiot. He knows he is. He can’t lie and say he isn’t.
“I want both of you to come to me every night so I can check on these injuries and apply more balm if needed. You may have been complete idiots, but I’m not going to let you suffer through them healing.”
They both nod as they watch you close the tins and set them on the coffee table.
“I do want to thank you both. I’m still upset at you for butting in, but thank you for standing up for me. No one’s ever really done that for me.” You admit, frowning lightly.
“So, does this mean we’re okay? From all the pranks?” Fred asks.
“I’m still annoyed about it all, but yeah, we’re okay. I’m sorry for being so rude to you guys, but you truly are some of the most annoying people I’ve met.”
“We are a bit much sometimes. Like we said, we never meant for it to be mean. We truly just wanted to make you smile. That and we kinda really liked seeing you get so frustrated. It’s cute to see you yell at us and then storm away.” Fred smiles, blushing a bit at the admission.
“Yeah? Well I’m glad you two enjoyed it so much. If you really want to make me smile, maybe prank someone else next time.” You suggest, smiling lightly.
“Will do. Thank you again for taking care of us.”
You nod and smile, walking back over to your three best friends who have been peacefully sleeping on the couch. Gently you wake them up and lead hermione up to bed, motioning for the twins to get Harry and Ron in bed.
They nod and smile as you walk away, feeling a little bit better about your guys’ relationship. They knew you were still annoyed, but at least you guys were talking and not smugly or in anger. Even though it was getting better, they both knew there was more work to be done to have the relationship they want with you.
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