Tumgik
#but so yeah! I wanna figure out. how to properly and confidently draw. him making diff expressions
pepperpixel · 1 year
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Some inside job art! Mostly just trying to figure out how to draw these two
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Tequila confessions
JJ lets out a sigh at the sight of his best friend. He'd been late to the kegger and more than ready to relax and have fun with his friends, he knew almost immediately that his plans were going to be very different.
"JAIII," She's slurring as she shouts, stumbling a little over nothing as she approaches him.
"Hey sunshine," He coos lightly, tucking her into his side as he points Kie a sharp glare.
She holds her hands up in surrender "That girl is crazy," Kie defends, causing the girl to let out a gasp, turning to fight back but seemingly forgetting she was mad in the first place when she actually sees Kie, instead moving to go and hug her friend, she's kept in place though by JJ's arm around her shoulder.
"Seriously Kie, I asked you to keep an eye out for her for like a couple hours cause I had work," JJ complains, it was no secret amongst the pogues that she couldn't hold her drinks, she could casually drink on the boat all day but the minute she was in a party setting she would wind up pissed.
"It's not my fault girls from school wanted to do tequila shots and-"
"Shit! You know she voms on tequila," JJ grumbles
"No, we don't all know every little thing about her," Kie defends, JJ rolls his eyes, glancing to see if she had realised what Kiara meant, she seemed to be entertaining herself by playing with the ends of his fingers that hang around her shoulder. "C'mon, I'll get you a beer," Kie offers.
JJ sighs, he does want to drink with his friends, smoke a bit too. It had been a long day and he needed to relax. He knows though that if his best friend has done tequila shots she'll be feeling ill within minutes and he wants to be able to look after her properly.
"I should probably skip, get this one home," He admits, squeezing the girl in his arms a little, seemingly drawing her attention back to him.
"I'm not going home," She argues, still slurring
"Sunshine, you gotta. You'll be feeling poorly soon and-"
He cuts himself off when she makes a dash for it. Leaving his tight grip and sprinting across the beach to John B who reaches out immediately to steady her and stop her from falling.
"Fuck it. Where's the beer Kie?" JJ decides.
He settles at the campfire, drinking slowly so as to stay sober and look after her when she inevitably needs him. A group of touron girls are talking to him, pawing for attention and he's half listening, his eyes are zoned in on her though.
He watched as she danced with Sarah.
He watched as she played beer pong with some kook boys, not sure if he was mad because she was already drunk enough or because they all kept trying to touch her. He figured it's probably the latter.
He watched as she splashed Pope in the shallow water.
Unable to help himself, a large grin spreads across his face as he watches her approach him. She's reaching out and making grabby hands at him, confidently shoving her way through the girls surrounding him to sit next to him. She doesn't need to worry about it, he's always dropped everything to be with her.
She sits silently, head cocked to the side, eyeing JJ with great concentration  despite her glassy eyes. He takes the moment to look at her, glowing in the light from the fire and biting her bottom lip slightly, she always does when she's focused.
"Your face is stupid but I like it. I like your stupid...it's so...I like it. Can I touch it?"
"Course you can sunshine," He's grinning widely and can practically feel himself melting when her hand reaches out, stroking his cheek gently.
"JJ can I tell you something?" She's trying to whisper but her voice is no where near quiet, hand still cupping his face.
"You can tell me anything," He reassures, hand going to her knee to rub comforting circles on the skin
"I feel icky,"
"You wanna leave?" He asks, his voice soft
"I wanna be with you,"
"Well obviously I'm leaving with you, christ sunshine, wasn't just gonna let you wander off home all alone,"
"But you just got here and then I'll ruin your night-" He can tell she's about to ramble so he decides to cut it off quickly
"I'd rather be with you anyway. Alright?" He speaks so softly that if anyone who knew him and hadn't seen him around her before were to see they'd struggle to believe it was him at all.
**
JJ prides himself on how attentive he is to her needs. No matter the situation he knows what she wants.
Tonight is no different, she's leaning over the toilet of the chateau, JJ is standing behind her rubbing her back comfortingly as he holds her hair back.
She pulls away from the toilet, her face a little sweaty and immediately JJ is passing her a glass of water. She pats the floor next to her and JJ immediately sits. "I wanna give you something," She sighs, her head falling to JJ's shoulder as she hiccups a little
"What is it?" He asks, hand once again finding it's home on her knee, his thumb rubbing gently
"My heart. I wanna give you my heart. How do I do it?" She springs up off his shoulder again, looking at him intensely
"Might take a surgery, we'll leave that one for tomorrow yeah?" He questions gently. He knows he can't let himself, even for a second, think she means what's she's saying. She's intoxicated and she's a sappy drunk and he can't set himself up for that kind of heart break.
"Tomorrow though?"
"Yeah sunshine," He nods.
"You're my best friend JJ, but don't tell Kie," She whispers, although it's still not quiet
"You're mine. But don't tell John B," He hums in response, watching her with a wide smile as she grins, rocking back and forth a little.
"I really love you," She admits, her eyes almost look scared
"I really love you too,"
"No like I really love you. Like I wanna have your babies and be with you all the time kinda love you,"
"You are drunk. You don't know what you're saying," He's more telling himself than her.
"NO!" She shouts, gasping dramatically as though she's offended. "I'm not drunk. If I was drunk could I do this?"
He sits silently for a few seconds, watching as she seems to glare at him instensly.
"What is it you are doing sunshine?" He questions
"I-I'm sending you my love. Did you not get it?" She almost looks like she's about to cry and JJ acts quickly, pulling her into a tight hug. "Can we sleep now blondie?"
"Of course sunshine," He agrees immediately.  He lifts her from the floor with ease, placing her onto the bed in the room that might as well belong to him. He makes her down another water, helping her out of her jean shorts and crop top and helping her into one of his tshirts. Passing her a cotton pad with her makeup remover on.
She snuggles into the mattress pulling the duvet up to just under her eyes as she watches JJ get ready for bed. He turns around to face her "Thought you were taking your makeup off sweetheart?"
"No. I want cuddles,"
"You can have cuddles after you take your make up off," he instructs, she sighs dramatically but rubs at her face with the cotton pad.
He climbs into bed next to her, opening his arms and immediately she snuggles into them, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping her arms around him, he holds her close, rubbing her back gently.  
"I really am in love with you JJ,"
"Tell me again after you've slept and I'll be yours. Okay sunshine?"
"Okay," She agrees, smiling when she feels him press a kiss to the top of her head "You'll say it back though, right?" She questions, her voice slowly becoming more drowsy
"I promise,"
**
JJ wakes up to see her still in his arms. She's awake though, staring at him from his chest.
"Are you watching me sleep like a creeper?"
"Are you gonna say it?" She enquires immediately,  he doesn't like the way his heart swells, maybe she meant it? maybe it wasn't just her drunk ramblings?
"You need to learn how to hack a drink," He scolds lightly
"Not that JJ,"
"I'm in love with you," He speaks quietly, she jumps immediately, sitting up to straddle him and pulling him up with her.
"I wanna kiss you,"
"Then kiss me," He grins, he doesn't think he's ever been happier.
"I haven't brushed my teeth,"
"I don't care," He laughs a little and she giggles
"I do. C'mon," She pulls him from the bed to follow her.
They brush their teeth, JJ's arms wrapped around her waist as they do so and the second both their toothbrushes are back in the little holder his lips are on hers.
He kisses gently, like he's been waiting for this his whole life and he wants to savour every last second. She figures that maybe he has been.
"JJ, did I mention having your kids last night?" She whispers, foreheads pressed together.
"Yeah. You are never living it down sunshine," He's beaming as she giggles, leaning up to press her lips back to his.
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janetbrown711 · 3 years
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“Why are you so nice to me” wakko or yakko max
To Wakko's delight, his brother kept good on his promise. Weeks passed and his brother devoted several days to restoring their bond just as it once was (the other days Yakko spent with Dot or with the both of them).
Heck, Wakko was so secure in his brother not abandoning him when Yakko asked if he could start up writing to Max again (at a much slower pace than before, he promised), Wakko said yes (barely) without hesitation. He knew that Max made him happy... and that he kinda owed it to Yakko to let him hang out with him again, as their little "not exactly falling out" was his fault (to him, anyway).
Everything was starting to seem... good- perfect, even.
However, Dot's birthday was rapidly approaching and Yakko was starting to get ideas.
"You know what we should do?" He said, lounging on the couch in the sunroom. "We should throw a ball for your birthday, Dot."
Dot perked up from her book. "What? Why? We never held balls for our birthdays before."
Yakko rolled his eyes. "That's because Grandma ruins everything. In this book I'm reading it says it was tradition for the royal family to hold big celebrations on their birthdays. I think it'd be fun- plus a great opportunity for you two to start making some friends."
Oh.
This again.
Wakko tried to laugh it off. "You'd have to get mum and dad to agree, and they've been pretty busy with the flooding in the west."
"Bah, that's mostly dealt with at this point. I'm sure they could use the break too," Yakko countered.
"B-but mom's coronation wasn't even that long ago," Wakko argued.
"It was over three months ago," Dot rolled her eyes. "I think a party would be fun," she looked to Yakko.
"Didn't you have fun at mom's coronation?" Yakko asked his middle sibling.
"Well I- I suppose I did..." Wakko thought back to the massive chalk drawing he had covered the floor with. It was pretty fun, and it made a lot of people happy.
"See? I'm sure a party in Dot's honor would be fun all the same- plus, making friends is great, I'm sure you'll love it," Yakko said with a reassuring smile on his face, though Wakko still wasn't quite convinced. However, he could see how much both of his siblings wanted this (even though the idea was only seconds old) and who was he to say no?
"Alright, I guess we can do that," He said, which made Dot clap in excitement as she began to detail everything she'd want for a party in her honor.
Wakko had a feeling this was going to be interesting.
.o0o.
As expected, their parents were ecstatic at the idea, and they spared no expense in attempts to create what they believed a much-needed celebration for the people of Warnerstock and their allies.
And to say it truly was Dot's creative vision would not be false. There were a lot of pinks- a lot, a lot of pinks. Though mostly tasteful, if you saw it it was hard to look away from.
But still, Wakko was happy for her, she was having the time of her life planning it all out with their dad, who was equally happy to spoil his little girl.
However, he knew deep down that despite what Yakko had sworn, her party was probably going to be very different from the coronation. He hoped it would be fun, but the more he watched decorations being put into place and talks about the guests and feasts the more he was beginning to worry.
He didn't say anything though, as the rest of his family seemed far too happy for him to want to bother them with his plight. They deserved this break, he was probably just being dramatic anyways. He'd be fine- and maybe make a friend just like Yakko said he would.
Wakko did his best to remain optimistic, despite the knots forming deep within.
It wasn't too long before the grand day arrived. Wakko had thought they had pulled out all the stops just for decorating but the day itself was insane too. Dot was showered in presents and even was taken out to town with William to go shopping for anything her heart desired, meanwhile Yakko, Wakko, and Lena stayed behind and supervised the final touches on the decorations.
Okay- really only Lena supervised, but Yakko and Wakko were technically there too. They didn't stay with her long, as she gave them a list of things to check up on so she could talk to some people which they were fine with.
Together, the brothers walked through the massive dining hall, checking curtains, flowers, vases, tapestries, etc. to make sure they were in the exact right places (not that the list really said where they were supposed to be) and checked them all off.
"So... are you looking forward to tonight?" Yakko asked, checking off 'left-most curtains'.
"Oh- uh- Yeah! I am... are you?" Wakko quickly said.
"Oh yeah, totally, it'll be great to see Max. It's been a while... you're still cool with that, right?" Yakko glanced down at him before checking another thing off.
Wakko nodded. "I won't try to prank or drive him away this time, I swear."
Yakko snorted. "I know you know better, I'm just asking if you're okay with me hanging out with him for tonight instead of you."
"Yeah, I am. You did say I should make friends after all," Wakko said, fiddling with gloves. Yakko looked away from the checklist and gave his little brother a side hug.
"I'm proud of you, you know that?" Yakko asked.
"Yeah, yeah," It was Wakko's turn to laugh.
"I'm serious-" Yakko let go and punched Wakko's arm lightly. "You're doing great. You should be proud of yourself too, you've come a long way."
Wakko smiled a little. "Maybe."
Yakko chuckled. "Well, it looks like we're just about done with this list. Wanna go turn it in to mom and go get changed into uncomfortable suits and greet guests for hours on end, or do you wanna just double and triple check the list until the last second?"
"Definitely check the list," Wakko laughed too.
And so the brothers did, until Lena caught wind of their shenanigans and forced them to start getting ready for the party (though they did cut a lot of time so technically they still regarded it as a win). At least those outfits weren't the worst they've ever worn (they were pretty confident nothing would ever top how itchy and miserable their funeral outfits were). Still, standing around and greeting people was a dreadfully boring job, not to mention awkward until their father and Dot eventually came to join them and actually do their job properly.
They knew their mom was busy, but leaving the two of them in charge was a little questionable.
Plus, after all that interaction, Wakko was starting to feel weird. Tired, but also not-? It was complicated. All he knew was that he wanted to be alone and maybe pace for a while, that'd be nice.
However, the party was to start in not too long, so he really didn't have time for that. He followed Yakko around for a while to the main party room where the people they had greeted before were all chatting amongst themselves. It wasn't too loud yet, but Wakko's tail twitched nervously as he weaved between people and conversations.
He hadn't been this nervous at the coronation- Wakko really wished he could figure out why he was feeling this way. Alas, he was unable.
He did feel a little better as Yakko and he found a spot of their own to chill in for a while, away from all the people.
"A lot of people came to this shindig, huh?" Yakko joked, "though probably no more than those who attended mom's coronation."
"Yeah..." Wakko said, trying to compare them mentally.
"More kids though, which is really good for you and Dot to make friends," Yakko said.
"Yep, yep," Wakko feigned enthusiasm.
"Are you okay..?" Yakko asked, causing Wakko to straighten out his act instantly and nod.
"Of course," he said. Yakko frowned.
"You don't have to lie you know," He remarked. Wakko bit his lip.
"M'just a little tired," he shrugged, figuring it was close enough to the truth.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Yakko asked worriedly.
Wakko nodded again. "I'll be fine, I'm probably just hungry."
Yakko laughed a little. "Alright, but you'll tell me if anything is wrong, right?"
"Mhm."
"Good."
The brothers stood in a bored silence for a while, before the rest of their family walked in and the festivities officially began.
It started with the feast, which was pretty harmless, as Wakko enjoyed talking with his family and the food was "quite excellent". The hall was filled with good cheer and hearty laughter, which he could appreciate.
However, after that, things began to blur.
It seemed only moments ago he was eating when suddenly everything was taken away and it turned into social hour. and Dot and their parents disappeared once more. He recalled Yakko asking if it was okay for him to go to Max, to which Wakko nodded and even pushed him away some. Oh god- he hoped that wasn't too aggressive.
Now he was alone. People were talking, walking, dancing, all sorts of activities. Wakko tried to take it all in, but all of the colors and sounds were starting to burn his eyes.
Friends. He was told he had to make friends.
He tried looking around for kids his age, but just turning his head made him dizzy.
Hmph.
Still, he was determined to function as a normal child would so he began weaving through the rapidly shifting crowd as he had earlier, just with a much louder and more busy crowd.
Suddenly his suit was starting to feel a lot more uncomfortable than before. God- if he could just find someone-
He bumped right into a lady in a bright purple dress. He quickly stuttered an apology before scurrying away as fast as he could, not even waiting for a response.
Seriously- was his suit trying to choke him? He pulled on it desperately, but if anything it just made the pull tighter. Wakko growled to himself as he walked further and further away from whoever that lady was, until he hit the wall.
At least the marble was cool, it was starting to feel like it was a million degrees in here.
Still, it wasn't enough. he still felt hot, and stuffy- was he even breathing anymore?
...Yes, yes he was. Rather fast though- oh dear, was that his heart? oh god- what was happening? Why was the music so loud? Why was his collar so tight? When was the last time he blinked? Where were these "kids" Wakko was supposed to make friends with?
Wait- no, he could see those. A group of them- shit, they were looking at him. Wakko noticed his nail was twitching nervously- he grabbed it and forced it to stop, but the kids laughed.
Wakko ran away again, covering his ears, his face turning red and the knot in his stomach transporting itself to his throat.
"No, no, no, no. Please, not now..." He pleaded with himself, but he didn't listen, and tears started to form. Wakko looked desperately for a quick way out, but still couldn't find any- curse the size of this place.
However, as his eyes darted around anxiously, he spotted something- a table covered in a white cloth that went to the ground. Without hesitation, Wakko went to it, making sure no one saw him before crawling underneath.
Wakko stayed there, covering his ears and rocking back and forth awhile, cursing his stupid brain for making these stupid tears that wouldn't end. He also cursed the stupid music for being too loud and the guests for being so many.
He wanted Mom.
He wanted mom to come and find him and scoop him up and take him to the playroom and sit in the rocking chair and rock him to sleep.
However, she didn't come.
No one did.
He was alone, and these tears weren't making him any calmer. Everything still felt so loud- it wasn't this loud before- he loved mom's coronation. Why was his brain so stupid?!
The young prince continued like that for a while, before someone came and lifted the tablecloth. He tried to make a run for it, but the someone grabbed his arm before he could- Wakko turned to look at their face and-
It was Max.
"S-sorry, I probably shouldn't... grab you," He let go, and Wakko scooted back, though he didn't leave. Max saw this as an invitation and joined him under the table.
"A-are- uh... Are you okay?" Max asked. Wakko looked away and shrugged.
"Right... not much of a talker..." Max recalled. Wakko nodded once, though he instantly regretted it, as it made his head feel weird.
Max tapped his fingers on his knee as he tried to figure something out. Wakko avoided any looks the Disney Prince gave him.
"Do you want some water? I can go get you some water," Max offered. Wakko sniffled and thought about it, before nodding once more (and regretting it once more).
with that, he disappeared, though not for too long.
Wakko noticed he stopped crying.
"Here, take this," Max handed him the glass. Wakko accepted the offering, taking a long drink.
Well, that felt at least a little bit better.
He glanced at Max.
"A-aren't you supposed to be with Yakko?" he asked.
"Dot was practically begging Yakko for a dance and I let him, it's her day after all," Max chuckled.
That made sense.
Wakko looked down at the glass, tapping his finger against it and looking at the water ripple.
"Do you need to step out of the party for a sec?" Max asked.
Wakko shrugged, taking a sip.
"Here- I'll help you find an exit," Max said, getting up and holding the cloth open for Wakko.
He hesitated.
He didn't deserve this- such kindness from the guy he locked in the tower mere weeks ago- it didn't make sense.
Then again, he'd give anything to get out of here.
Wakko listening to his senses and got out.
Carefully he followed Max through the gigantic room until they eventually reached a door, through which both of them slipped out of and into a calm and dark hallway.
Instantly, Wakko felt calmed, taking a deep breath.
"Wanna sit down?" Max asked, gesturing to the couches nearby. Wakko nodded. However, instead of sitting on the couch, he chose to lay on the cool floor, even taking off his gloves so he could feel the marble with his fingers.
Max didn't say anything for a while, not seeming to mind the silence. Which was good- because Wakko didn't feel like breaking it.
After a while though, a thought nagged at his brain.
Why.
Why on earth would Max help him? After everything he did? After everything he jeopardized? It didn't make sense.
Wakko sat up. Max looked at him but didn't say anything.
Wakko sighed.
"Why-?" He paused.
"Why... are you being so nice to me?"
"You were in trouble, I couldn't ignore that," Max shrugged. Wakko frowned, putting his gloves back on.
"I-i... Aren't you mad? At least a little?" He asked.
"It wasn't my first time being locked in a room for hours on end," Max snorted.
"Y-yeah, but I tried to hurt you. And Yakko..." Wakko looked at the ground. "I know how much you mean to him."
Max blinked.
"I- uh... well-" Max struggled with his words a moment.
"I don't... blame you, I guess. It's as new to you as it is to me and with a past and family tree like yours, I guess I don't blame you for lashing out? I dunno," Max shrugged, looking away.
Huh...
"Still... you didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to. Trust me, I would've helped any kid I found under there, but I'm glad it was you," Max said.
Wakko looked at him, deciding whether or not he believed that. Ultimately, he did.
"You know... Yakko talks a lot about you," Max said, piquing Wakko's interest.
"He worries a lot, but he says you're a really sweet kid, and I believe that," Max smiled a little. "You should be easier on yourself, you're still growing up you know?"
Wakko thought about that.
"I guess," He said. Max snorted.
"You know... you do seem like a pretty cool kid. I'm sorry if you ever felt I was ignoring you, I promise I'll try to make up for it too," He said.
Wakko thought about that too.
"Thanks," He said.
"I really do hope we can grow to like each other. Yakko means a lot to me and you mean a lot to him... you know?" Max blushed a little, scratching the back of his neck.
Wakko nodded, grinning a little.
"So... are we... cool?" Max asked.
Wakko thought about that as well.
"Yeah, we're cool," He said with his signature smile.
"Cool," Max grinned back. "Because I'm pretty sure Yakko might lose it if his dance with Dot ended and he can't find me."
Wakko laughed.
"Will you be alright?" Max asked, standing. Wakko nodded, getting up as well.
"I'm feeling a lot better... though I think I'll look for mum and dad," He said.
"Fair enough," Max nodded once. "Well- uh... see you around, I guess."
"See you around," Wakko laughed at his awkwardness before going back through the doors and back to the party.
Max followed soon thereafter, hoping Yakko wouldn't be too mad or worried at him for his sudden disappearance.
.o0o.
Yakko couldn't believe that a year ago today he thought his parents were dead. It baffled him honestly- he could turn his head and his parents were right there. They were never really dead- it shocked him to remember sometimes.
He also couldn't believe that only a year ago the most celebration they could share for Dot's birthday was a mini cake they had to sneak late at night.
And now look where he was- dancing in the middle of the ballroom with his little sister having the time of his life- despite the fact Dot couldn't stop giggling and he almost dropped her that one time.
However, he had to draw the line after three songs, which Dot understood, and he gave her back to their parents, hoping Max wouldn't be too mad about Dot taking up so much of his time.
"Ah, Max, there you are- sorry for dancing so long, I have a hard time saying no to her," Yakko laughed between pants, scratching the back of his neck.
"You just got done?" Max teased.
"Yeah, she really liked dancing," Yakko shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets.
"You look like you could use a breather," Max raised an eyebrow at him.
"Who, me? Whatever would give that idea?" He played back, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"C'mon- let's go to the balcony," Max said, taking his hand.
When they got to the door Yakko paused as he looked back at his family, unsure. However, his parents looked at him, and after giving a fair look of warning, they both gave him a thumbs up and nod of approval, and Yakko went off with his prince.
However, they didn't pick a random one, they went all the way through the halls to the usual one they'd go to when Max visited Warnerstock (the kid had a thing for balconies).
"Ahh, fresh air," Yakko embraced the cool night.
"Yep," Max embraced it too, immediately going and leaning on the rails.
"Are you liking the party?" Yakko asked.
"It's pretty good- though a little crowded, but I always know how to find some space," Max answered.
"I feel that- when my birthday rolls around, I'll make it a lot less crowded. I don't know what Dot had against having it outside, but what are you gonna do?" Yakko shrugged.
"I think Wakko would appreciate a smaller shindig," Max said, looking at the garden.
"What makes you say that?" Yakko decided to take his place next to Max also leaning against the railing.
"Ran into him- he wasn't having the best time so I helped ground him again," Max said like it was no big deal.
It was.
"Grounded him? You- managed to calm him down? Is he okay? What happened?" Yakko asked quickly.
"Woah, woah, it's okay. He's totally fine, just... overwhelmed." Max said.
"Oh... well... I'm glad he's okay," Yakko took a deep breath. "And I'm even more glad you were able to help him- that's huge... really."
He looked at him when he said that last part. Max blushed.
"I would've helped anyone, seriously," He looked away.
"Mhm, sure," Yakko teased.
"I am serious though- it probably means a lot to Wakko- he doesn't accept help easily and to allow you... it means he's starting to like you," Yakko said in all seriousness.
"That's good," Max nodded. "I really do want your family to like me- I just... don't have the best ways of showing it, I suppose."
"Hey, you're doing great so far," Yakko held his hand.
There was a moment before Yakko realized what he was doing and both boys broke the gesture.
"Haha... yeahhhh," Max looked at the wall away from Yakko.
There was a stretch of silence between the two, neither knowing what to do. Sure they knew what they wanted but... things are never as easy as just doing what you want.
"My dad and uncles like you too- if you care about that," Max decided to say.
"That's good," Yakko smiled a little, rubbing his thumb on the railing.
Another pause.
"You know- It's funny to me how when we met you thought I might too cool for you," Max remarked.
"When did I ever say that?" Yakko said.
"You called me cool at least fifty times upon first meeting me," Max play punched his arm.
"As I recall, you called me cool, so who's the real cool one here?" Yakko punched him back and the princes laughed.
"Alright, alright, you got me," Max chuckled. "I was just trying to say you were totally wrong, I don't have a cool bone in my body."
"God- you're so cool you don't even know how cool you are. Typical," Yakko sighed teasingly.
"Hey, didn't I just say you're pretty cool too?" Max accused playfully.
"Oh please, you're way cooler. No trauma and with fluffy, luxurious hair like that? Please," Yakko rolled his eyes.
"Oh puh-lease yourself. Trauma is just a cool backstory and you're home is a lot more fun and a lot less crowded and your family is a lot more cool too," Max pointed his finger at Yakko.
"You're exaggerating," Yakko pointed back.
"Nope- not at all. You're one of my first true friends and that automatically makes you very cool," Max crossed his arms.
"Oh yeah? W-well-" Yakko paused, looking at Max carefully.
A pause.
Max's dark brown eyes shined back at Yakko, reflecting the stars that surrounded them wonderfully. His fluffy and luxurious hair framed his face with perfect ease. His signature smile slowly turned into that of curiosity.
Yakko felt his heart flutter.
"I'm not as cool as you think," Yakko stepped down, looking at the ground.
Coward.
Another pause.
"..."
"Well maybe you are right- maybe I am cooler than you."
"Wha-?"
Before Yakko could finish the sentence, Max grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a kiss.
"S-see?" Max was internally "fjdkaf;sfj"-ing in his brain. "You've won- I'm a lot cooler."
"Y-yeah," Yakko could barely speak his face was as red as Wakko's hat. "You're... yeah," his face melted into a goofy grin.
"Oh god- I'm sorry- d-did you not mean that..?" Max panicked, quickly becoming embarrassed.
"N-no!" Yakko snapped to life. "I-i... I- uh..."
"I liked it," He managed to say. Max smiled.
"W-... Wanna do it again?" Yakko proposed, and Max nodded, and they shared another kiss.
Yakko knew it was corny to think, but it truly felt just like fireworks in his chest.
He liked Max- Max liked him. A part of himself was realized- and he felt alive. A good kind of alive- not the kind of alive that came from life or death situations.
"So... I guess that makes us even," Max joked. Yakko laughed.
"I guess so," He couldn't get himself to stop smiling- neither could Max. They looked at each other before bursting into laughter again.
"Man, we really should return to the party," Max said.
"Yeah, you're right," Yakko's face was starting to hurt from the smiling.
"Do- uh... do you think your parents will be cool... orrrr...?" Max asked.
"Psh, I'm sure they'll be fine," He said without hesitation.
"Cool," Max said, opening the door out of the balcony.
Yakko looked at him for a moment, trying to absorb the moment as best he could.
"You okay?" Max asked.
"Yep," Yakko said, taking a deep breath as he implanted it in his memory in his brain forever.
"C'mon, let's go before they think we've done something stupid," Yakko said, quickly joining Max and grabbing his hand before running back to join his family.
however, right before entering the party room once more, Yakko paused.
"Does this mean our friendship is basically ruined?" He asked.
Max thought about it.
"I wouldn't think of it as a ruining per se... maybe think of it as an upgrade of sorts," Max winked.
God, he was so much cooler.
"Cool," Yakko grinned, squeezing Max's hand.
"Well... uh- shall we?" Max let go and offered Yakko his arm.
Yakko thought about it.
Taking it would mean no taking it back- it would mean the whole party would basically know that they kissed (holy shit- they kissed! that was a thing that happened!). His parents, his siblings, practically the whole kingdom, and their allies.
Yakko couldn't imagine any other way to walk back in.
He took his arm.
"We shall."
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 The End
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Text
Just friends
Minors DNI.
Pairings: College AU. College!Gojo x fem!reader
Warnings: Smut (fingering), swearing, is fluff a warning?
A/N: Okayy, so this a college AU with a friends with benefits dynamic. I wanted to make this a slow burn so I'll see where it leads lol.
Enjoy!
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He was kissing your neck and you were adjusting yourself under him to allow him to move further down. He didn’t smell like himself; his cologne was mixed with someone else’s. You were supposed to be okay with that though, because you guys were just friends after all. You were there for each other while doing homework, working on labs together, going bowling on the weekends, grabbing coffee and when the teenage hormonal urge came to indulge in each other’s body; well, a month ago you agreed to that too.
“Look, despite the movies, I think it could work,” Gojo proposed.
“What makes you think that?” you narrow your eyes at him from across the lab counter you guys were sitting at, trying to compile a report you messed up twice by now.
Chemistry was hard. But Gojo was making it harder for both of you right now by asking unnecessary questions to push a few boundaries in your friendship.
“The fact that you are pretty objective, and that we are both have needs,” he said, adding a playful drawl on the last word.
“No,” you pointed out firmly, hesitating to meet the eyes that were set at looking into yours. “You have needs, I on the other hand would like to finish this report and go to sleep.”
“See, that could easily be turned into a better end to your day if you go to sleep with me,” he countered, putting his hand on the calculator you were punching numbers into; forcing you to lift your head up and look at him with a frustrated but amused expression.
“Is this really the time to talk about this?” you huffed, trying to free your hand while trying hard and failing at controlling the heat spreading to your face.
“No time better than the present lovie.”
“Not your lovie,” you emphasized, sitting back onto your chair and giving up at the notion of finishing your lab. When Gojo is being stubborn about something, there were not a lot of ways to solve the problem but give in and listen; like right now, with his absurd idea.
But was it really absurd though? You guys have been friends for a good while now, 2 years to be exact. You liked how he could go on for ages talking about the ridiculous things he did at college that day and you wouldn’t mind listening because it allowed you to see the day outside of your own world. Maybe it was because your life lacked a little chaos and his lacked the calm and organization of yours; but you worked well with each other. He dragged you out of the dorm on days you got obsessed with completing your readings and you were grateful for the sun that you got. You also dragged him back into the dorm on nights you knew were meant for rest, or studying instead of getting wasted with the kids who had already completed their tests for that week.
“Look, all I’m saying is, let’s try it out, and if it fails…” he stretched out of his chair like he was doing some kind of tedious work (like the fucking report you guys were supposed to write). “Well, at least we will know where that road leads to.”
His standing figure made you look so small you wanted to punch him in the throat. But you also felt safe?
It’s not like you were completely against the idea. I mean, you knew him pretty well; you knew what kind of a person he was. You understood that he makes a great friend, but he would probably break your heart and chuck it in the bag of broken hearts he carries around with him. And let’s not lie, he’s hot. You’ve seen how his shirt rides up when he leans back against the pillows on your bed on the days he drops by your dorm to annoy you. You also hate how you can’t stop yourself from staring at how his eyes widen and sparkle when he finds something interesting in the material he’s reading when you guys are studying together. You knew there was a thin line between being his friend, working well together, him being so fucking attractive and you falling in love with him, God forbid.
Well, maybe you could walk that thin line. “If we fail, we never talk about it again okay?” you started, framing the rules of your relationship in your head.
“Yup,” he agreed, liking where this conversation was headed.
“There are going to be rules of course.”
“Mhhm.”
“No talk of this outside the two of us.” You look at him dead serious.
“Yep yep.”
“And you have to stop being so fucking annoying when we do what we do,” you added.
“Meh, no promises,” he shrugged.
“Okay, well, it looks like we’ve come to some kind of an agreement even though this report is not done,” you sighed closing your book at the realization that the time you signed up for the lab had elapsed.
“Hey,” Gojo said, clearing his throat. Was he nervous? You glanced at him while trying to gather your things into your bag.
“Do you wanna test the agreement?”
“What?” you pause your actions at the offer. “Now?”
“I mean, I see nothing stopping us,” he reasoned. “And we can finish the report at the dorm too.”
“How do you plan for these bribes to work with me?” you smile at his offer to work in exchange of doing the dirty.
“What can I say lovie, I’m a bit of a genius when it comes to being a slut.” Only Gojo could imbue so much confidence into being a slut.
“Again,” you said, “not your lovie.” You push your bag into his chest as a sign of agreement and head towards the lab door. He caught up with you in no time, cradling your bag in his arms and smiling stupidly wide like he won at an arcade game at the fair. You didn’t know if what was going to follow was a disaster or the start of something better than anything you two ever knew.
He didn’t even wait for you guys to settle into your room or talk about how your relationship was going to work before throwing your bag onto the bed and backing you up against your door and pressing his lips against yours to let you know how the next few hours of your day were going to go. And oh my god, they were going to go so fucking good.
“Is this okay?” he asked, pulling away from your lips and twisting the lock on your door with his free hand.
“Yeah,” you squeaked, embarrassed and a little confused at how quickly this day was taking a whole new turn.
“Wanna say that again?” he teased swiping his thumb across your cheek while tilting your head to look at you properly.
“Just-” you swallowed. You’ve never seen his eyes look like this, even after all this time with him. They had their usual playful glint in them, the kind that normally makes you want to shove him through a locker (not that you haven’t tried) but right now there was something more. Something that made you want to run but also give into his touch and the patterns he was drawing on the small of your back with his other hand. “Just…take it slow okay?” you ask, hoping he understood that you hadn’t done something like this in a while now.
He knew that though. You talked about your first times over a drunk Friday evening and that was when he figured you hadn’t done as much as him and you also figured that Gojo was a threat to womankind.
“Yeah, I know,” he replied, taking your hands into his and leading you towards the bed. His eyes never left yours and you weren’t done tasting his lips just yet, so you stare at them with unabashed desire. “Oh, my eyes are up here love,” he said, pausing his movements to take in this side of you he hadn’t seen before.
“Shut up,” you retort, a little annoyed at how quickly he had you feeling so hot and bothered. You wrap your arms around his neck and stand on your tippy-toes to pull him down to meet your lips as he groans into the kiss in surprise. You don’t know what it was that got into you, but you pushed him to walk to the edge of the bed as your tugged at the hem of his shirt to let him know you wanted it on the floor. He was breathing hard too by this point; his hand cupping your neck and the other finding its way under your shirt. He laughs at your attempt to lift his shirt and removes his hands from your body for a moment to take his shirt off. Your eyes widen at the view you were presented with. Your hands reach for his chest but he grabs your wrists, tilting his head in amusement. “Kinda unfair if yours doesn’t come off too no?”
And that’s how you found his hands slipping under your shirt and around your back, leaving goosebumps at his touch. He unhooked your bra and lifted the set of clothing from your body, leaving you hazy from all the kisses that he was planting along your jawline and neck. He pulled your hands that were stroking his chest to interlock with his fingers as he used your momentary confusion to push you onto your bed and hover over you in one clumsy but simultaneously smooth maneuver.
He was reveling in this side of you that you were showing. It was chaotic, it was vulnerable and most of all, it was so beautiful. His hands release yours as he finds interest in playing with your breasts. He takes hold of your left breast and squeezes it as you whine and twist your head into the pillows at his teasing and the lack of attention that was being paid to your areas down south. You pull at the white strands of his hair you had slid your fingers into and he groans into your skin making you shudder. He opens his lips to the side of your neck that you gave space to and bites down as a response to your own roughness. The moan that escapes your mouth makes you want to hide in embarrassment as he chuckles into the mark he was leaving.
Your chest was heaving, as your hands grab at the sheets next to you instead to find some kind of stability among the fireworks that his touch was leaving. “Gojo-” you started, lifting your head from the pillow, to see him smirking at you. He moves down towards your stomach and thighs, making sure to kiss the curves and edges and taking note of the areas he kissed and you moaned at. “I will kill you if you don’t stop teasing.” You drop back onto the pillow again, not being able to hold for too long as his fingers stroke your inner thighs, taking off the last article of clothing you had on.
He leans forward, looking at you with your eyes fluttering shut and fidgeting around his hold on you. “Aw, cute,” he says, stroking your thighs and brushing his fingertips around your clit, not touching it but making it more sensitive than you would have ever imagined. “You can still threaten me looking like this.” You push your head deeper into the pillows at the sensation of the butterfly kisses he was placing on your inner thighs and sucking at the sensitive skin to leave his marks yet again.
“I swear to God-” you plead, threading your hands into his hair again. “Patience, pretty,” he says, lifting his head from between your legs to allow his fingers to take their place and rub at your clit in tiny circles. You gasp and have the urge to shut your legs but he has one of his legs secured between yours and you really wanted him to keep going too. “Think you’re ready for me?” he asks, running his index and middle finger along the outer area of your slits.
you nod at him, tucking your bottom lip between your teeth. You were getting hazy from circles he was drawing on your clit with his middle finger and moving it down to tease your entrance.
“Words, love,” he says, shifting to lean above you and place a kiss to your lips and chest that was heaving roughly by now.
“I-I’m ready,” you softly reply, looking into his eyes and then at his smile that reminded you that he was your safety and also the person that was going to ruin in the next few minutes.
“Tell me to stop when you want to okay?” He assures you as he slides his fingers between your slits to feel your wetness.
“Mhmm,” is all you can say as you feel his middle finger play around your entrance before finding its way against your walls. You breathe sharply at the feeling of his finger pulling in and out slowly, to explore its way around you. But it was also making you so hot-headed as it hit all the right corners and spaces. He swallows your moans with his lips and tries to steady your body by sucking at your nipples. But it only made your head cloudier and you let go of any control of the sounds that were coming out of you.
Your back arches with an audible whimper escaping your chest at Gojo’s attempt to curl his finger against your walls and he smirks, knowing what he just did. He continues the curling motions and tests your limit by nudging a second finger at your entrance. You yelp at the tight feeling of your walls against his fingers. “Fuck,” you spread your legs wider as a sign of giving in to his movements completely. He was entranced by the pretty sounds coming out of you and the way your hips were moving up and down his fingers trying to chase the knot that was tightening at the bottom of your stomach.
He speeds up the movements of his fingers, moving in and out of you. You let out soft cries at how he wasn’t letting you get a moment of rest between the feeling of his mouth against the sensitive spots on your neck and breasts mixed with the madness that was occurring between your legs. “Gojo, I can’t-” you say in a shaky cry at the way your walls were tightening against his fingers. He pushes you further with his thumb rubbing faster against your clit and you just about lose it, your eyes rolling to the back of your head and a strangled moan leaving your lips
“Hey pretty girl, wanna let go for me?” he whispers as he looks at your desperate eyes. You nod feverishly as he continues his motions, and he hoists one of your legs further apart to rest on his lap. You feel the knot in your stomach getting tighter and the tingling on your clit getting borderline painful. You snap your palm on Gojo’s wrist trying to fight the feeling but he doesn’t relent. And with the next few motions of his fingers curling against you while he bit into your neck a little too rough, you let out a strangled shriek and arch your back as your walls pulsate around his fingers at your orgasm.
He drank in the sight of you panting and your legs shaking from the orgasm. Your eyes were pinched shut and one of your hands had the sheets tightly tucked into your fist and the other was squeezing his wrist that was still pumping his fingers in and out of you to help you ride out your orgasm. He leans forward, in awe and with sense of adoration.
“You good?” he kissed the corner of your mouth and brushed the stray pieces of hair on the sides of your face to place more chaste kisses across your cheeks and moving to your neck. You hiss as he takes his fingers out of you and you are given an apology as he muffles your complaints with his lips pressing against yours. Your eyes flutter open, glancing at Gojo’s now tight pants. You smirk and shift to balance your figure on your elbows to meet his eyes.
You nod at the bulge through his pants. “Do you wanna do something about that or…?” you question reaching out to place your hands against his chest, and push him into sitting back onto the bed as you straddle him.
“I mean…if you can take it,” he laughs, pressing his forehead against yours, and squeezing your hips.
God, this may be a huge mistake or one of the greatest things you guys stumbled upon with each other.
A/N: This is my first attempt at smut so help me oh lords of smut; I hope I didn’t it mess up lol. I also really like this college AU so maybe I’ll continue it, idk.
Alsoo, the header I used here was got from pinterest but if it has sources to someone here on Tumblr, I would love to credit <3
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touyasdoll · 3 years
Text
Complicated - Chapter One
Pairing: Dabi x reader/Touya x reader
Word count: 1.7k
Warnings: none this chapter
------------------------------------
“Hey, are you okay?”
You directed your concerned gaze over the figure of the raven-haired teen before you.
He was sitting on a bench, his left hand holding a bandage to his right forearm as a mixture of blood and other viscera eagerly soaked the fibers. Bright blue eyes met yours for a moment that was ever-so-fleeting.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
The words left his lips almost too quickly, hushed and dismissive as those blue orbs fell to stare at the cement beneath his feet.
“You don’t look fine. That looks pretty bad. Listen, you don’t need to tell me what happened, but please let me at least try to help you? I’m not so bad with first aid.”
Sliding your backpack off your shoulder, you set it down in your lap as you took a seat on the bench and began fishing around. Sparing another glance toward you, the young man opened his mouth to protest as he saw you retrieve what you were searching for, a travel-sized first aid kit.
“Don’t bo—“
Ignoring his persistently dismissive attitude, you reached your hand out toward him and flashed your most disarming smile.
“Please. Burns are highly susceptible to infection and I promise you that as rough as that feels, a bacterial infection on top of it will only feel that much worse.”
His eyes flashed up to meet yours before dropping back down to look at your outstretched hand. The expression on his face made it seem like he was mulling over what might be worse, continuing this interaction or risking the chance of infection.
“I promise that I’ll be gentle.”
Leaning forward, your smile turned more shy as you tried to catch his gaze once again.
The quiet chuckle you got in response seemed to break the tension. Those arctic blue irises connected with yours once more and this time, they were locked on tight. His stare was so intense, that you nearly missed the faint smirk tugging at one side of his face before it bloomed into a charming grin.
“Gentle isn’t usually my style, but I bet you could sell me on it, doll.”
A blush crept up your neck and across your cheeks as your sudden sense of embarrassment willed you to turn your attention back to his injury. Clearing your throat, you did your best to keep your cheeks from flushing an even deeper shade of crimson as you unfolded a square of cotton from the kit in you lap.
“Not your style, hmm? Well, could that explain what you've got going on here?"
Offering your hand out, you found the nerve to meet his eyes again as he let his arm rest in your palm.
"You could say so."
He sucked in a small amount of air as you carefully dabbed at the wound, making a soft hissing noise.
"Sorry, this is still going to sting quite a bit, but I'll be as careful as I can."
Setting aside the now bloodied square of cotton, you grabbed a fresh one and began dousing it with antiseptic.
"Do you often stop and perform first aid on perfect strangers?"
You could feel his eyes settle on the side of your face as you set the liquid aside and shook some of the excess from the material.
"I have to say, you're actually my first."
Looking up through your lashes, you returned his smile and couldn't help but notice how his eyes briefly ran over your entire frame. You took the opportunity to return the favor, casting your gaze over his torso, seeing a toned chest beneath the low-cut t-shirt he sported.
"That the first time you've said those words, sweetheart?"
As if noticing his impressive form wasn't enough to make you blush, his suggestive words and the playful smirk that accompanied them certainly did the trick.
"Wouldn't you like to know."
The corners of your lips mirrored his expression and you bit your lip in an effort not to redden your own cheeks once again. He chuckled in response as you moved to dab at his forearm with the antiseptic.
"Hold still, Romeo."
As gently as you could manage, you alternated the between the cotton pad soaked with the solution and a dry, clean one.
"Yes, ma'am."
The handsome young man let out of a quiet chuckle until the liquid touched his body and a hiss left his lips once more, but quickly subsided as you noticed the rest of him tense against the sting, his left hand curling into a fist.
You worked quickly, but made sure the wound was thoroughly cleaned before you began to wrap it with a spool of bandages.
"The worst is over."
Offering a comforting smile, you took his hand into your own and gave it a delicate squeeze. His attention snapped toward the connection of your palms and you could feel a strange heat emanating between them. Searching his eyes, you could tell he seemed almost . . nervous? It was nice to know you might not be the only one.
"Thank you. You didn't have to do any of this, y'know."
His words shook you from your thoughts and his eyes now shone with the same confidence you had seen there before.
"Oh, don't mention it. I'd say anyone would do the same, but I can't believe no one else did before I walked by. You'd think in such a big city full of heroes or those would kill to be one, people would be a little more helpful to others."
"Well, not everyone has the best intentions. But you seem to have realized that already, haven’t you, doll?”
Nodding your head in agreement, you reluctantly let go of his hand and taped down the bandages that now encased his forearm.
"Unfortunately, I have. But, thankfully, there's still plenty of people out there with good intentions. I like to try and look on the bright side."
You flashed him a smile as you started packing the contents of the first aid kit back up.
"You seem like the type who's good at finding it. That's not exactly part of the skill set that I was born with."
Flexing his hand, he winced a little, but seemed to approve of your handiwork as he inspected the dressings on his arm.
"Well, it's never too late to learn, y'know."
Stuffing the kit back into your already bulging backpack, you zipped it close and straightened out the skirt of your school uniform before looping your arm through one of the straps of your bag, readying yourself to stand.
His hand rested on the space between you on the bench as he angled his torso to face you, sitting up properly and tilting his head down to catch your eyes once you looked up at him.
"You as good a teacher as you are a nurse?"
A giggle escaped your lips as you turned your head in the opposite direction, smiling to yourself as you tried to steel your fluttering nerves. Turning your attention back to his impossibly blue eyes, you dug up every last ounce of confidence you could muster and decided to keep playing along.
"You as good a learner as you are a flirt?"
He half-cocked an eyebrow, the expression on his lips hovering in the perfect sweet spot between a genuine smile and a devious smirk.
"Oh, not at all, sweetheart. I'm a terrible learner, you'd probably have to spend some extra time on me."
Shifting forward, he leaned toward you just enough that you were able to catch the scent of his cologne as the breeze picked up behind him. He smelled as heavenly as he looked and this was already more romance than you had ever encountered in your lifetime, if you could call it that. The combination of events was absolutely intoxicating.
Suddenly, you were searching for ways to draw this interaction out, because you never wanted it to end. Fully throwing caution to the wind, you followed his lead and leaned in closer, shifting your weight to your hand as you leaned back on the bench and tilted your head to the side, exposing your neck as you tossed your hair over your opposite shoulder.
"Well, I suppose I could think of worse ways to spend my time."
You could feel the blush on your face deepen as he watched your movements, his expression never-changing.
"Mind if I ask your name, sweetheart?"
You watched his eyes fixate on your lips for just a moment before locking with yours once more.
"Y/n. Mind if I ask yours?"
He shrugged, leaning back and flashing a boyish grin as he extended a hand toward you.
"Fair is fair. The name's Touya. It's a pleasure to meet you, Y/n."
Sitting up straight, you took his hand and shook it, feeling that same strange heat coming from his palms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Touya."
You couldn't help but to be a little disappointed when your hands retracted, but he seemed to perk up as he pulled out a phone from his back pocket and handed it over to you.
"You got a number? Maybe we can run into each other again, but on purpose this time."
His wink nearly melted your heart on the spot and you knew that by now, you had to have looked like an empty-headed school girl with such an adoring grin plastered to your face. The confidence and charm that he exuded seemed so effortless and only added to his already attractive physical features.
"Do you mean . . like a date?"
Your laugh was soft and shy as you punched your number into his phone, making absolutely sure that it was correct.
"If that's what you wanna call it, princess. Who am I to correct you? After all, you practically saved my life today."
Retrieving his phone from your grasp, he brushed the back of your hand with his as he stood, and you could tell he was watching your reaction once you heard that deep, melodious chuckle as your hand froze for a moment.
"I'll give you a call, okay?"
Returning his phone to his back pocket, he rested his hands in the front and began walking backwards.
"Okay."
You smiled back, blushing unabashedly now as you watched him grin until he turned back around and headed off in the direction you came from, feeling your heart flutter yet again when he threw a glance back over his shoulder at you before he turned a corner.
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modernday-jay · 3 years
Note
i love your office au, do you have anything you wanna share?
i've been avoiding talking about this because i wanted to draw it all out and have it be revealed in parts but i think i'm a bit too lazy for that
BUT, i have always thought about the timeline for it like... if this was a show, this would happen here. like "this season would be abt that, oh the finale would be this, etc etc" y'know? so here's the vague outline i had (and yeah, it's VERY fruk-centric)
season 1
romerica/geritapan
it would start out with the beginning of alfred's time as a manager, he's just trying to figure out how to run the business and how to get everyone on board with his ideas.
lovino's current struggle is that he's got a huge crush on alfred but y'know, now that alfred's his boss it's just a weird power dynamic that he doesn't like so he's TRYING to get over it. it doesn't help that feliciano is constantly trying to talk to him about his love life and his complicated feelings over ludwig/kiku
fruk
fruk are just mean desk mates that usually bully each other OR team up to bully alfred, who used to sit with them and yao when he was just a normal salesman. 
slowly it'd reveal that arthur writes smut on his computer, and that francis reads it. and the season finale would be the part where they stay back overtime and ALMOST sleep together, which i get into more detail in this post
season 2
romerica
alfred’s really upset that his coworkers (who used to like him!) refuse to listen to him, so he tries really hard to boost office morale with a raffle. unfortunately, no one puts their name into it :( that day, when everyones leaving the office, lovino notices alfred near the box being all sad and even though he’s been trying to make some distance between them, he can’t help but ask what’s wrong. alfred says smth sad like “gee maybe i’m not good enough to be a manager, huh?” and leaves, so lovino’s left staring at the box. 
the next day the raffle box is FULL of names by lunch, and alfred’s like MAD excited about this. he takes a paper out and calls out “arthur? arthur you won the raffle buddy!” and arthur’s just like ??? i didn’t put my name in ??? and he’s right, he didn’t. but lovino spent his whole night writing down everyones names a couple of times and put them all in when alfred left for lunch. alfred doesn’t know this, and lovino obviously never gets credit where it’s due, but it’s worth it to see alfred at least a little more confident again. 
fruk
fruk shenanigans where they're sneaking around and sorta half dating?? but they're both stubborn and don't want to admit to each other that they actually want to pursue a weird relationship. explained more in this post!
everyone kinda knows what's going on because they're really obvious, except for alfred. but alfred notices that SOMETHING'S weird because the sales from both francis and arthur have been going down lately (because they're too busy hooking up around the office, but alfred thinks it's because they must miss him, so he tries to hold an intervention for them where he tries to tell them to stop missing him so much!) + yao actually catches them in the act which makes both arthur and francis panic
season finale would be arthur going down for a smoke break with joao, but then gilbert and antonio are making fun of arthur because of the smut (as they should), arthur gets embarrassed and confronts francis about it which leads to them having a big fight. and arthur would get a chance to say the stuff in this post
season 3
fruk 
this one opens with arthur at a new branch and he’s just like “i had to move for... reasons” (reasons being the fact that he can’t deal with his feelings for francis anymore so he just runs away from it) 
obviously francis is pretty crushed about this but he won’t admit it. arthur probably comes back halfway through the season and they finally talk about their relationship properly, because the time away from each other made them realise how much they needed each other and all that sappy stuff 
season 4
romerica
alfred needs to go to a conference and brings lovino along with him for a quirky little roadtrip. we also meet ivan here! by this time, lovino thinks he’s gotten over his feelings for alfred completely but the roadtrip reminds him of the good times they had when alfred was just a salesman. they end up kissing but alfred pulls back, obviously a little heartbroken and says “hey, we can’t... i’m your boss... but you’re still my bestfriend so can we just stay friends?” and lovino just stares at him for a sec before nodding. it’s a little awkward for them the rest of the way home.
when they’re back at the office, alfred ends up absorbing himself into his work since ivan sparked that rivalry in him and lovino’s stopped talking to him aside from normal work talk.
fruk
things are finally going good for them, they’re dating and finally have a steady relationship. their numbers are finally up because now they’re hooking up AFTER work hours, and they finally tell the entire office. alfred is the only one surprised. 
season 5
romerica
so throughout all the seasons, lovino would show a big interest in art and it turns out that he’s pretty great at painting. he’d love to pursue art school or something like that, but until now he’s been too scared to try it out. his relationship with alfred is weird and he thinks that NOW is finally the time to try and do something new. working for alfred’s proving to be too hard. he doesn’t tell anyone, but he finally applies for art school and he gets in! he still works at the office though while he’s studying because y’know, he still needs the money
fruk
after a good long while of dating, one of them proposes. alfred comes in late the day they’re announcing it, so arthur has to repeat it and alfred TACKLES him in excitement because he’s THAT happy for them - like this scene
the season would end with their wedding. alfred cries when arthur doesn’t ask him to be his best man lmao 
season 6
canukr
ANOTHER wedding, it’s not a season finale type deal since katya and matthew are just side characters but it’s a fun opportunity for hijinks between alfred and ivan. plus, alfred finally gets to be a best man! 
fruk
just them navigating marriage. they’re scared they’re becoming boring so they try to spice things up every once in a while and their hijinks become increasingly more stupid throughout the season. 
romerica
nothing much really happens between them, but they are starting to be friends again but there’s still that tension. lovino likes alfred and alfred likes lovino, but alfred also likes his job. 
season 7
fruk
they eventually calm down and finally start talking about making their family bigger. they choose to adopt two baby girls at the end of the season
romerica
lovino’s finished art school and by the end of the season, he finds a new job as an art teacher. he’s reluctant to leave this job because he was afraid to mess up something he ACTUALLY enjoys, but alfred encourages him to go ahead with it because even though he’d miss seeing him everyday, this is lovino’s dream!
it’s really sad and dramatic UNTIL they both realise... alfred’s not his boss anymore, they can finally try out a relationship. the final episode ends with alfred coming to this realisation, running out to the parking lot before lovino can leave the office for the last time to kiss him!  
113 notes · View notes
ananbeth · 3 years
Note
2, 22, or 46 (emphasis on the or cuz it's a lot ik)
bet u didn't think I'd combine them all ;)
shout out to @colorsofcharcoal who unintentionally helped me finish this today with ur lovely artwork of annabeth in a suit <3
AO3
It was embarrassing, was what it was. Their band was small, only a trio, but it was him, the drummer whose name people mostly didn’t know, who had been receiving enough unwanted attention to require his own personal bodyguard. Connor and Travis had mocked him relentlessly during the whole meeting with their management until they were informed that their own security would be upped as well as an added precaution.
“It was only a letter,” Percy complained for the millionth time to his manager through the phone.
Beckendorf sighed. “It was twenty letters, Percy.”
“You’re being pedantic.”
“You’re being an idiot. You’re going on tour in two weeks, I can't have you getting kidnapped by some lunatic fan who’s convinced you’re going to marry them and have their babies.”
“I can see some difficulties in that plan. Beck, it’s only a bit of light stalking? There’s worse things.”
He could picture Beckendorf pinching the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath. “For the love of god, Percy. Don’t bring this up in the interview today.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, but thanks for the pointer. You got any other good tips?”
“Be nice.”
“I’m a very nice boy all the time, thank you.”
“You got into an argument with that radio host two weeks ago.”
“Well, he was a sexist piece of shit. What do you want from me?”
“I want you to promote your album and bite your tongue from time to time. You need to go. Your new bodyguard should be there to escort you.”
“Fabulous.”
“Don’t be a dick to them, Percy. They’re just doing their job.”
He sighed. “Again, I’m always nice.”
“I suppose you are. See you later.”
“Bye, Beckendorf.”
Percy hung up his phone and shoved it in his pocket just as there was a knock at his apartment door. He frowned before realising it must be the new bodyguard as promised, and crossed the sparse apartment to open the door. He expected someone of his manager’s stature, tall and muscled and a little angry looking. Well, the description fit, but just not how he expected.
The woman standing on the other side of the door was tall, only a couple of inches shorter than him, and slim but held herself in a way that made Percy think she could probably throw him over her shoulder if she wanted to. She certainly ticked the angry box too, with her face set sternly in a way which told him she wasn’t here to mess around. She softened slightly as she looked him over and offered her hand to him.
“Annabeth Chase. I’m your new security personnel.”
“You’re my bodyguard?” Percy asked, slow and dumb, as he lifted his hand to shake hers.
She took it, squeezed once, and released him, returning her hand to clasp the other one in front of her. She wore a black tailored suit, looking surprisingly understated, with her hair twisted neatly into a low bun.
She was fucking hot.
The corner of her mouth pulled up just slightly as she raised an eyebrow at him.
“Yes, I suppose I am. I’m here to escort you to the TV studio today.” She lifted her arm to check her watch and frowned. “We should be leaving soon. Are you ready?”
Percy looked down at himself. He wore ripped black jeans and a faded Led Zeppelin t-shirt under an open grey shirt. He didn't often step out of the spectrum of wearing black and certainly didn’t dress up for press junkets.
“Uh, yeah?”
“You’re not wearing any shoes.”
“Oh.” He looked down, as if to check, and then wanted to smack himself for being so dumb. “Course, lemme - hang on a sec.”
He spun on his heel and went to find some sneakers to drag on, leaving Annabeth at the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he called to her. “Come in. I’ll only be a minute but make yourself comfortable.”
He didn't wait to see if Annabeth followed his instructions or not as he began tearing through his suitcases to find some shoes. He really needed to properly unpack this place. When he finally returned to the main room, Annabeth was standing close to the door, taking up as little space as possible as she surveyed the room. She snapped her gaze to him immediately as he walked up to her.
“Have you been here long?” she asked him.
Percy winced. “Uh, six months.”
Annabeth looked at him, eyebrows raised. “So this is just...how you live?”
He laughed, embarrassed and pleasantly surprised by the sharp dryness of her tone.
“I’m excellent at putting things off and I guess I’ve been a little busy.”
She appraised him for a little longer and Percy felt nervous and twitchy all of a sudden. Then she nodded, as if to herself.
“It’s a great place. I hope you find some time to start living in it for real.”
“Me too.”
She nodded again. “We should go. Are you ready.”
“Um.” He patted his pockets confirming the location of his phone and keys, and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
“Let’s go.”
Annabeth didn’t let him open any doors or touch any elevator buttons. She remained either slightly in front or behind him - depending on the situation - hovering like a shadow, never intrusive or overbearing. He was unsure how she managed to be so inconspicuous and so much of a presence all the time. When she was needed, she was right there, blocking someone's path to Percy and subtly redirecting them before they could get too close. But for the rest of the time, she was a silent shadow. It was more comforting than Percy had expected.
She was also enjoyable to be around. Percy was growing to enjoy the quiet way she mocked him during most of their interactions, teasing his fashion sense and smirking at his bouncing leg and jittery hands which were always tapping a beat on something, drum sticks in hand or not. He gave back what he could, outraged at her lack of interest in any music at all and desperately trying to educate her and figure out what she enjoyed. She was a closed book though, allowing him in only rarely and giving very little away about herself. Each bit of information he got was stored carefully away in his mind like nuggets of gold.  
He had been expecting a massive guy breathing down his neck and bulldozering his way into all of Percy’s interactions. Annabeth was so wildly far away from that. He found her presence to be a relief more than anything, and would look over his shoulder often, to check she was still there - which, of course, she was. It was becoming a problem actually, how much he enjoyed her being there.
Travis and Connor wouldn't let him hear the end of it.
“I’m so jealous,” Connor whined as they were setting up to run through their set.
They would leave for the tour tomorrow, bodyguards in tow. Annabeth was currently in the audio booth, focused on her phone screen, seemingly confident that Percy was not at risk in that moment.
Percy looked from her to his bandmate and frowned.
“What’s wrong with your guy?”
Connor rolled his eyes. “First of all, he’s a grumpy fucker-”
“You’re just saying that because he doesn’t laugh at your jokes,” Travis interjected.
“-and second of all. He doesn’t look like a Victoria’s Secret model.”
Percy frowned at him. “Dude.”
“Right. Sorry. But you have to admit that she’s gorgeous, Perce. Even you.”
“What d'you mean, even me?”
The brothers exchanged looks and Percy felt his eyes roll before he could stop himself. He loved these guys, but sometimes they reminded him just how related they were and how easily they spoke their own language which he wasn’t privy to - even after knowing them for ten years.
“You’re kinda picky, my guy.”
“Fuck all the way off. Just because I don’t wanna sleep with fans. That’s an abuse of power and it’s fucking gross.”
Travis was looking at the strings of his guitar, tearing the pick, as he spoke. “Regardless, you still haven’t dated anybody in like, two years.”
Percy rolled his eyes with genuine intent this time. “I’ve been busy.”
“Sure. Anyway, you have to admit that she’s hot.”
“Connor,” he groaned, feeling his face get hot despite himself. “Please stop.”
“Oh my god. You like her. You, like, actually like her.” He turned to his brother with glee. “Travis, our boy is in love.”
“I fucking hate you so much.”
“Are you boys about ready?” This came from the booth and shocked them all into motion.
“Yeah, man,” Travis called back. “Let’s go.”
Rolling out his shoulders and picking up his drumsticks, Percy glanced over at the booth, praying that their mics has not been on for that conversation. He thought about the music for the next several hours, letting it consume his focus and draw a familiar, wonderful ache to his arms and shoulders as he kept up with the boys and they ran through their set until they felt they could do it in their sleep.
Four weeks later found them deep into the tour in Saint Paul, enjoying a last meal in the city before they packed up and moved on again. The restaurant they chose downtown was quiet and they had managed to bag a room in the back. Travis and Connor’s stern looking bodyguard stood at the door, having declined their invitation to join them for dinner. But Annabeth, to Percy’s absolute delight, had not had such qualms. She had positioned herself strategically to Percy’s left, between him and the door, as if ready to act as a human shield to whatever might be fired his way. As if his concerns were more than an over-enthusiastic fan with exuberant handwriting.
Annabeth took her job very seriously, Percy had learned.
“You can have a drink, ya know?” he said to her, leaning close to be heard over the raucous noise of their stuffed table.
She smiled at him. Annabeth rarely smiled at anyone, but she smiled at him often. He tried not to think too hard about that.
“I’m working, Percy.”
“I feel bad.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Should I show you my paycheck? You might not feel so bad after that.”
He laughed and watched her hide another smile behind her glass of water. “Alright. I just think you deserve a night off. I mean, we’re in Minnesota.”
She continued looking at him, as if waiting for the punchline.
“Do you not have fans in Minnesota?” she asked eventually.
Percy sighed. “I just mean…”
“What?”
He couldn’t look at her. “I don’t know. You must get sick of hanging around me all the time.”
A moment went by with nothing said at all. Percy couldn’t even tune back into the conversations around him, no matter how loud they were. He was hyper focused on Annabeth’s breathing next to him, the way it paused and then resumed again after a stilted moment.
“Well, you are quite annoying. But I’ll cope.”
Percy looked at her, at the clever quirk of her smile and the steady grey gaze of her eyes and, underneath all of that steel, a blush high on her cheeks. He smiled back at her.
“I’ll try to rein it in.”
“Much appreciated.”
Percy was dragged into another conversation after that, and at some point Annabeth managed to slip quietly away from the table. He missed her instantly, and started to worry about what that really meant.
She returned to his side as they left the restaurant. The group was travelling together to the hotel they all had rooms booked in, but she still remained close by, undeterred by any notion of safety in numbers. They all split up between a few cars and Percy ended up sandwiched between Connor and Annabeth in the back seat of a Lyft. Connor was drooling on his shoulder and Annabeth was adjusting her gaze between the driver and her own window. Connor let out a particularly loud snore which had Annabeth snorting next to him. Percy leaned up to pat his friend’s cheek affectionately.
“He’ll be embarrassed you’ve seen him like this,” Percy told Annabeth, not bothering to keep his voice low. He’d known Connor long enough to know that he would sleep through this. He’d slept through Percy’s drum practice enough times.
Annabeth didn’t look at him but kept her eyes trained on the road ahead. He knew she was listening though by the lift of the corner of her mouth and the way she tilted herself slightly towards him.
“Why’s that?” she asked him.
“Because he thinks you’re the coolest person on the planet.”
Annabeth laughed softly. God, he fucking loved making her laugh. He was going to make it his personal mission to make her laugh as much as he possibly could. Every day. That was his new occupation now.
He was a little bit drunk.
“He’s literally in a rock band. A person doesn’t get much cooler than that. I’m just a security guard.”
“You’re a bodyguard. It’s very fucking cool, Annabeth. Wait, does that mean you think I’m cool?”
She actually looked at him then, her smile the softest he’d seen it. “Yes, Percy. I think you’re very cool.”
He grinned. “Aw, you think I’m cool!”
“Very cool,” she corrected gently.
“I’m super glad you’re my bodyguard, Annabeth.”
She was looking at him differently now. He noticed the shift as her expression hardened like a sudden frost. He didn’t understand it and wondered what he had done wrong. His thoughts felt slow and mushy and he wished he hadn’t had that last beer because now Annabeth was looking at him with a complicated expression which he couldn’t even begin to understand.
Slowly, she nodded, and looked at the road again.
“I am too, Percy,” she told him. But something else felt unsaid.
The next day brought him a headache and regret. They were up early to start driving to the next city and Percy noticed Annabeth’s absence immediately as he hauled himself and his poorly packed overnight bag onto the tour bus. He sat down opposite Travis and frowned at him.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Have you seen Annabeth?” Percy asked without preamble.
Travis raised his eyebrows. “You mean your shadow? No, I haven’t.”
Percy pulled out his phone and texted her, feeling a deep worry settle in his gut as the engine of the bus rumbled to life beneath them. Fortunately, the three bubbles popped up immediately, telling him Annabeth had already read his message and was responding. His relief dissipated quite quickly though as the bubbles disappeared and reappeared a few times as Annabeth apparently struggled to figure out a response.
Finally, after they had pulled onto the freeway, her reply came through.
Annabeth: You asked about my days off, well this is one of them. Don’t worry, Argus will look after you while im gone. I’ll meet you in Houston.
Percy felt his heart plummet and settle somewhere close to his stomach. That was a week away. She would be gone for a week. Part of him felt reassured that she would be coming back, but the rest of him just missed her, immediately and aggressively. He also wondered why she had left so abruptly and without warning. He wondered what he might have done to make her want a break from him.
Finally, he managed to type out a lacklustre reply, telling her to enjoy her days off and an eventual safe trip to Texas. He didn’t add that he would miss her - already did - or make a joke which could easily be construed as flirting because it would be. He restricted himself to one smiley face emoji and hovered over a blue heart before deciding against it and sending the message.
Annabeth did not reply.
***
Percy knew he was moping. He knew it but couldn’t do anything to stop it. He still threw himself into the shows with familiar joy and vigour. But he dragged himself into his hotel room each night only to collapse into bed and stare at the ceiling for several hours.
It was unbelievable how much he missed her. Ridiculous and irrational. He had known her for less than a month, and yet. She has begun to feel like a new constant, only to be stolen away - no, only to have stolen herself away. He had to remember that she chose to leave, without a word.
Percy had almost worked himself into anger by the time they were arriving into Houston. He was cranky from lack of decent sleep and had spent most of the journey looking at his phone for any new messages. Several came in, though not from the person he had wanted them to.
He was actually taken by surprise by the sight of Annabeth standing in the lobby of their hotel, wearing her usual dark suit despite the heat. Her hands were clasped neatly in front of her as she watched Percy approach her.
“Hello,” she greeted him when he stopped in front of her.
“Hi.”
“You look surprised to see me,” she said. “I told you Houston, right?”
“Yeah. Yeah, you did. I just…” Didn’t quite believe it. “You look good. You have a good break?”
Annabeth nodded. “I did. How were the shows?”
“They were...fine. Good. Great.”
A hint of a smile. “Great.”
He hated this. This was not what she had left behind. This was something new and uncomfortable left in its wake.
To his displeasure, the uncomfortableness did not dissipate over the next few days as he had hoped it might. Annabeth still remained close by as she had always done, resuming her position as his unassuming shadow a step behind or in front of him. But she spent less time with him. It seemed an impossible distinction to make and yet it was true. She no longer joined the band for meals, choosing instead to linger by the doorway. She didn't allow conversation between the two of them as had been the norm before her disappearance. Now she was distant and quiet with him.
She was just doing her job.
A week and a half later found Percy in his hotel room in Sacramento, hammering away at the portable electric drum kit with headphones clamped over his ears. He had stripped down to a pair of basketball shorts, feeling sweat cling to his skin despite the weak stutter of the AC in the room. His arms and shoulders ached from weeks of relentless playing and he should be resting now, really. But drumming was the only way he could get out of his own head at times like this.
He could let his mind empty as he rattled beats into the paddles, sometimes in a rhythm and sometimes not. It was easy and familiar to him and he wasn’t thinking about his steel eyed, blonde-haired bodyguard at all.
Not until she was waving a hand in front of his face.
Percy stopped drumming and yanked down his headphones, taking in the urgency of her expression.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her, expecting a stampede of teenage girls to file through the door by the stark expression on her face.
“I called your name,” she said. “Several times. I was knocking on the door for at least five minutes.”
“Oh…” He looked around her, finding the door to his hotel room to be wide open with a meek looking porter standing on the other side. “My bad?”
Annabeth scoffed. She marched back to the door, shoved something at the startled looking porter - Percy presumed a tip - and snapped the door shut in his face. She remained facing it for a few beats and Percy watched as she visibly slowed her breathing down. He remained where he was, cautious not to disturb her and still trying to catch up with what had just happened.
Eventually, slowly, Annabeth turned to face him, leaning back against the door. He spotted a fleeting moment of embarrassment, before it was swiftly and professionally covered up by disapproving annoyance.
“I was worried,” she said.
Her words should have made her seem vulnerable in that moment, but the way she said it flipped those feelings onto him instead. Percy stood up, putting down his drumsticks and removing his headphones all the way.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” he says. “Sound test isn’t until four.”
She breathed out through her nose. “I was coming to check on you...you hadn’t answered your phone and I…” She swallowed visibly. “I got worried.”
Percy stared at her, struggling to comprehend her words. It was part of her job description to be concerned about his safety, but this felt like something more. This felt closer to the emotions he was feeling before her departure, ones he had not felt again in the past two weeks due to her enforced distancing.
“Well, I’m sorry,” he said, not knowing what else to say.
Annabeth nodded, still not looking at him.
“Are you okay?” he asked her, worried.
She glanced at him, at his face, then down to his chest and arms which he realised belatedly were still bare, before looking away again. There was that blush again.
“I’m fine,” she said shortly. “I’ll go. Just- keep your phone on loud or something.”
“You don’t have to go,” he said, trying to ignore the desperate tone to his voice and keeping his feet rooted to the ground despite the want in his very bones to move into her space.
She shook her head tersely. “There’s no need for me to stay. I’ll let you get back to practicing.”
“I’m not practicing.”
Annabeth raised her eyebrows at him. “Okay. Well, either way…”
He felt the frustration building in him again. She was so cold with him now. He missed the easy way they spoke before and then felt bad because this was her job, wasn’t it? Why should he make her feel bad for not enjoying spending time with him?
“Fine. Go,” he said. “I’ll see you later, I guess.”
She didn’t go, though. She stayed where she was, hands linked at her front in her pressed black suit, and frowned at him.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked him.
“Nothing, Annabeth. I’m fine. I’m not in danger, you don’t need to hang around if you don’t want to be here.”
“I...I enjoy spending time with you, Percy.”
Percy’s gaze snapped up to hers and she looked away, clenching her jaw and looking like she hadn’t meant for that to come out. But Percy latched onto it, taking a step towards her and half expecting her to move backwards to maintain the space between them. But she remained rooted to the spot.
“It hasn’t felt like that the past couple of weeks,” he said.
She looked at him sharply. For the first time in weeks, he watched the steel of her gaze soften into something malleable and gentle. But then she was looking away again and Percy huffed in frustration.
“Did I do something?” he asks beseechingly. “To piss you off?”
“Percy- no, you didn’t do anything.”
“Then why are you being like this?”
“I’m just doing my job!”
He felt himself step backwards, like her words had been a slap. Of course, he had been looking into this too much, forgetting that she was employed to be here and not just hanging around him by choice. He had let himself get wrapped up in his emotions, as always.
“Right. Sorry. I...Sorry. You should go.”
“Percy...I didn’t mean that. You didn’t do anything.”
He kept himself closed off now, crossing his arms over his chest even as she stepped forwards cautiously. He dared to look up at her face, wide open and imploring. He didn’t know what she was trying to tell him though. She seemed to contradict herself with her words and her body, pushing him back into their professional boundaries but stepping forward to cross them a moment later.
“Okay,” he said.
She sighed and he thought she might stop her foot with how frustrated she looked. “I’m sorry, the last thing I wanted to do was upset you.”
Percy frowned at her. “What…?”
“I do enjoy spending time with you, Percy. That’s the problem, that’s why I needed some space and…”
His brain raced to catch up with her. “And...what? You’re over it now? You got enough space?”
She frowned. “No. I should have stayed away really.”
“Why? Am I that unbearable to be around?”
Annabeth stared at him like he had just spoken an alien language, outraged and exasperated all at once.
“You...” she started and then she was walking towards him and lifting her hands to his face and pulling him down towards her.
Then they were kissing. Furiously and urgently. He was holding her and kissing her without his brain telling his body to do so. It was already happening by the time he caught up to it, but he didn’t stop. God, the last thing he wanted to do was stop this. This was everything he had been dreaming of for the past two months.
He was pushing Annabeth’s jacket off and dragging the crisp white shirt out of her waist band as she raked her hands through his hair and kissed him as if his life depended on it.
“Oh god.” She looked at him. She looked wild, with her hair falling loose of its usually meticulous style and her cheeks pink and her lips looking lovely and swollen. The fact that he had done this to her did not escape him. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she told him.
It was the lack of conviction in her voice that made him hold her closer. The grip she had on him let him know she didn’t really want him any further away than he was right now.
“We absolutely fucking should,” he replied.
He watched Annabeth’s pupils blow wide as she looked at him, breathing heavily so that he could feel her chest rising and falling against his. If Percy was honest with himself, he had wanted this since he first opened his apartment door to her. Those feelings had only grown the longer he had known her and been able to pick details out of her and begin to know the depth of her.
“Percy, I…”
“Please, Annabeth. Don’t go.”
Something shifted in her expression and she traced his cheek with her thumb, cupping the side of his face gently.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she promised him.
With that said, he lifted her against him, pleased when she went willingly and gripped his shoulders and hips with her limbs. He felt the strength in her thighs as they clenched around him and had to take a moment to breathe so he didn’t pass out. Annabeth grinned at him and leaned in to nip at his earlobe.
“Bed,” she told him, and he didn’t need to be told twice.
***
“So what happens now?” Percy asked her later. After they had ordered lunch in the form of room service and returned to bed.
Annabeth checked her watch. “You have to be at the venue for soundcheck in a couple of hours.”
He groaned. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
With her arms crossed over his chest and her chin propped on top of them, she raised her eyebrows at him innocently.
“I do?”
He pinched her side and she squirmed but didn’t move away.
“You were worried about this happening,” he said and watched her expression falter as she looked down at his chest.
“This isn’t exactly in my contract.”
“Well, I’d hope not.”
She laughed and he smiled in response. “It’s something that could get me in trouble though.”
“So what was your plan? To hope this just went away?” He was careful to keep his tone soft and not accusing.
She shook her head. “I just needed to ride the tour out and then…”
He lifted her chin and smirked at her, teasing. “Until you could confess your love for me after the final show?”
Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Shut up. Jesus Christ.”
“It would have been very romantic. You can still do it if you want.”
“No, thank you.”
“That’s hurtful, Annabeth.”
She scooted up and kissed him. “I’m so sorry. Is that better?”
“A little.”
Annabeth smiled at him, hovering over him. “We should keep this quiet,” she said.
Hurt sparked through his chest. Percy hadn’t had the best track record with relationships, usually ending up hurt after wearing his heart on his sleeve for somebody who wasn’t interested in taking care of it. Annabeth was different though. She would never hurt him, he knew that. There were three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the fact that Annabeth would protect him from any and all harm.
“Until the end of the tour,” she added, stroking the side of his face.
“I could fire you,” he suggested. “Then we can do what we want.”
Annabeth laughed. “You can’t fire me.”
“Sure I can.”
She rolled her eyes. “Nope. Sorry, buddy.”
“Damn. So we’re gonna have to sneak around. That sounds kinda hot.”
“You’re ridiculous. It’s only another week or so until the tour ends. Then I’ll speak to your manager about bringing in another detail.”
“Wow, you’re really planning on keeping me around, huh.”
Annabeth blushed and ducked her head. “Sorry, I’m assuming a lot.”
He grinned and kissed her cheek, then rolled them over so he could lay over her in the bed. He smiled down at her pink cheeks and kissed then both, then her nose, forehead, lips. She sighed, all soft and content, and he never wanted to leave this bed again.
“You’re assuming just right. I want you around, a lot. It’s embarrassing how much I want you around.”
She looked up at him, biting her lip, and Percy met her gaze, trying to read her thoughts. She was holding back a smile and it pushed a dimple into one of her cheeks. She was an artwork of multitudes to him. Hard and soft, confident and unsure, a stern stare and a dimpled smile. He adored the candy sweet side lying beneath him in this moment just as much as the sharp suited woman who brashly shouldered paparazzi away from his face.
He wasn’t sure he would be able to keep this secret for another week.
“Well,” she told him. “You have me.”
Eventually, they made their way out of bed and managed to get Percy to soundcheck just about on time and Percy resisted the urge to kiss Annabeth goodbye before he ran over to his drum kit. She rolled her eyes at the wink he gave her when he sat down on the stool but he could swear she was blushing.
It wasn’t until their opening act was finishing their set when Percy found himself anywhere near Annabeth again. She was standing, unassumingly, to the side backstage. She watched him carefully as he approached her, checking Travis and Connor were out of earshot before he spoke.
“You’re looking very hot,” he told her.
She rolled her eyes. “Jesus Christ, Percy. Rein it in.”
He looked her up and down and then raised his eyebrow at her. “You’re the one wearing my clothes, and I need to rein it in?”
Annabeth smirked as she glanced around them before looking back at him and shrugging. “It was on top of your laundry pile, I couldn't help myself.”
It was unfair how good the faded black T-shirt looked under her usual suit. Percy swallowed and reminded himself he was about to go on stage in front of literally thousands of people. Sure, he would be sitting at the back behind a whole drum kit, but still. All he really wanted to do in that moment was drag Annabeth to some quiet secluded place and take her out of that shirt.
“I was wearing that shirt the day we met.”
She smiled at him. “Yes, you were.”
“It looks better on you.”
“Hm. I have a pretty strong counter-argument to that.”
He dared to lean in a little closer. Annabeth watched him, keeping her hands clasped in front of her.
“I can’t wait to hear it later,” he said.
She smiled, quick like lightning. “Oh you will. I’m not going anywhere.”
Percy straightened and glanced over to nod at his bandmates who were getting ready to go on stage. Then he looked back to Annabeth, with her neat hair and suit over his shirt, and the wicked smile she threw back at him.
“I’m counting on that,” he told her.
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luvlyrv · 3 years
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Naughty | pt. 4 | Irene x F!Reader | Mafia!au
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Summary: Two crime bosses entangled in a deadly and tension filled rivalry start to find themselves entangled in a different kind of relationship.
Not without going through a lot of death, pain, fighting and teasing first of course.
Word Count: 1.5k
A/N: I apologize if the next chapter is going to take a long time to upload. Unlike my other long running series I don’t know how many parts this will take... I hope you like this chapter though!!
Date: 1/12/21 (written)
Series Masterlist
Part 4: Save the Date
Everything around you is blurred and out of focus as you get lost in your thoughts. Unconsciously, your hand finds its way to your purse and clutches onto it. You feel the mass of the pistol residing in it, and oddly you feel more at peace. The objects around you are pulled back into focus when Taehyung gently pushes your shoulder to grab your attention.
You turn your head back to him and hum out of curiosity.
"I think they left." Taehyung says to you. He moves his body and the laptop so you can see the blinking light beginning to move onto the road.
"Give them a second and then we can start driving behind."
"Got it."
The both of you wait in silence, anxiously watching the dot move across the screen. Under your breath you quietly count.
"One Mississippi, two Mississippi… "
It's been a minute and you tell Taehyung to step on it, so he does.
He carefully follows the indicator of where Irene is, making sure to keep a safe distance from them. Not too close and not too far behind. Even though in reality the ride wasn't that long, the anticipation coursing through your veins made it feel like an eternity. You start to take deeper breaths to steady your nerves. Taehyung hears this and puts his hand on your knee.
"It's okay, everything is gonna be okay Y/N." He tries to calm you down with a low and soft voice.
"What, do you think I'm nervous? I'm never nervous." You try to crack a joke with him. "Crime boss Y/N is never nervous, Taehyung."
He bites his lip before smiling a bit.
"Sure thing, boss."
You look at the laptop again, seeing that Irene began to enter a building rather than continue down a road.
"I think we're here. Just leave everything to me."
You wear your mask again and open up the car door. You double check Irene's location and track which building you see in front of you to be the one she entered. It's a lavish apartment complex with what seemed to be a penthouse up top. A grandiose woman like Irene ought to live in a place like that.
You ask Taehyung for your phone and he hands it to you. You unlock it to open up the same software. Now you'd know where she was while inside the building.
"Good luck, Y/N. Not like you need it." Taehyung quickly adds to the end of his sentence.
You smile at him and begin making your way.
It's late into the night, so when you enter the complex it's completely empty. You find an elevator and press the button for the highest floor, the tenth one. A ding goes off and the doors of the elevator part open. It leads you to a lobby-like waiting area with the actual entrance of the penthouse in the middle. The door's handle has both a regular lock and a keypad.
You regret not really thinking ahead and thought about your options to open the door. It was a risky decision, but you decided to pull out your pistol. You hoped hitting the lock hard with the heavy handle of the weapon would break it and unlock the door for you.
Yeah, it was noisy, yeah it took two to three hits, but you did it! You knew you shouldn't rely on hope, but hopefully Irene didn't hear a single thing.
You push open the door. You're met by bright lights illuminating a sleek, expensive looking lush apartment. There's a stairway, a balcony, and even more. You couldn't distract yourself by looking at her furniture though.
You pull out your phone to figure out what exact room she was in. You carefully tiptoe your way to her location and end up in front of a door tucked away from the rest of her penthouse. You hide the pistol, knowing you'd have to discreetly pull it out later. Then, you finally turn the knob of the door.
Irene sits behind a desk, diligently reading and scribbling over several different documents scattered across her desk. There were maps on the wall, several bookshelves, it seemed to be an office for her. She notices your presence and looks up. She looks confused, but only a little bit. Otherwise she continued to give you a cold and unfeeling glare.
"And what are you doing here, my lover for the night?" Irene teases nonchalantly.
Despite your close proximity with her when dancing earlier that night, you never really got to admire Irene. You were too busy worrying about doing everything right to notice the way Irene's black silk dress fit on her body. You were too busy to properly stare into her brown eyes swirling with something sinister yet beautiful.
"Didn't I say I'd see you later, darling?" You answer with a smirk tugging on your face. You walk forward to her. Irene gets up from her desk and also starts walking forward to face you.
You're less than a foot away from her now. The smell of peaches and cream once again infiltrates your nose and your head begins to feel dizzy. You're intoxicated by her smell, her presence, by the look she's giving you right now.
One of your hands reaches for her waist, she doesn't stop you from touching her. You move forward more and her back hits her desk. She leans into your touch and her leg wraps up around one of yours. You look down, realizing there's a slit in her dress, exposing the soft and smooth looking skin of her thigh.
You look back up and hold in your breath as you pull her ever closer to you. The tips of your noses are touching when you smile once more. You're staring at her bright red lips, wondering what they would feel like. Such strange thoughts you have while in the middle of a mission. At least it's going well though, you think as you begin to draw your gun.
That was until you felt something pressing on your stomach.
You look down, only to see that the both of you have guns drawn towards each other. It was a stalemate.
Irene smiled. It was a genuine one that reached her eyes, and despite the deadly situation the both of you faced you couldn't help but to smile too. The truth was, Irene had a fully loaded pistol pressed into your stomach at the moment, and you had one towards her. Yet, her smile filled you with mirth.
"Fascinating." You whisper to her, your noses still touching.
"I know I am." She presses the tip of her gun harder into your abdomen, her silky voice dripping with confidence.
You back away from the woman slowly with your gun still pointing towards her. As you back up you hit the door and feel for the doorknob behind you without ever losing sight of her. Before leaving though, you decided that you ought to exchange some more words with her. Who knew when the next time would be?
"You know, I know where you live now. What are you going to do about that?" You ask in a calm tone.
"Well, why don't you visit sometime?" She responds. Irene is no longer smiling, but she's not glaring either. Her face is plain, like she's just stating a mundane fact.
"…You know I want to kill you right?"
"And I wanna kill you too. What about it?" She crosses her legs and her arms, with one arm still extended and casually pointing the lethal weapon in your direction.
You can't help but to laugh more.
"Is that a date then?" You say the sentence in between fits of laughter.
"Oh, I'll contact you when I want you. Now, go before you overstay your welcome." Irene makes a shooing motion, ushering you to leave her residence. You comply, carefully opening the door behind you and making your way out of the penthouse and back down to the ground floor. Before you completely leave her penthouse though, you yell out an apology.
"Sorry about the lock by the way!"
-
You've placed your pistol back into your purse as you enter the car waiting just a few blocks outside the apartment complex.
"A surprising lack of blood. I'm afraid you might've outdone your last hit." Your friend makes a congratulatory joke at you. You click your tongue in disappointment.
"I didn't kill her." Taehyung seems a bit stunned for a moment. His mouth is wide open and his eyebrows create creases on his face. After a while words finally came out of his mouth.
"Then am I talking to a ghost?"
"Well obviously she didn't kill me either dumbass."
"Why not?"
You lean your head on your hand as you stare out the window, pondering what just happened moments before. You mumble out your next few words.
"We have a date."
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Note
Hello! Can I request the companions reacting to a cute, sleepy female sole who suddenly becomes affectionate (through words or actions)? Pls make them have a huge crush on the ss ^.^
so cute! i love all your requests! (i’m not proud of this(?)) ❤️
-
“how much farther is diamond city?” sole whined loudly. she didn’t mean to complain, really, but the fact that she’s been on her feet nonstop for 3 days and getting only 4 hours of sleep every night had been killing her. of course, he noticed this and wanted her to catch more z’s but they were definitely vulnerable and short on time, so they had no choice but to keep pushing. he shot her a glance and noticed how exhausted she looked, sole looked like she could barely even hold a gun properly. “we can always stop by a shack or something.” hearing this, soles head shot up, a relieved sigh escaping her mouth. “well, what are we waiting for then?” he yelped as sole grabbed his hand, running to the nearest building they could find, “h-hey! slow down!”
soon enough, they had both settled down in a small house they had found not even a mile away and dusted off the beds that had been laying there for god knows how long. sole stretched tiredly as she made her way to her companion, who gazed out the window for any nearby enemies. he felt his bed sink as she sat next to him, letting out a yawn. “you should really be getting some sleep,” he muttered, “ill keep watch for tonight.” he was expecting her to head back to her own bed but little did he know, it was the quite opposite of what she was told to do.
Danse:
danse felt his body stiffen as sole rested her head on his shoulder, a choked sound escaping his mouth. “hey, w-what are you doing?! this is inappropriate..!” flustered was an understatement this man was feeling. his heart was thumping inhumanely loud, and he felt like he was gonna pass out any minute. “sorry,” sole sleepily murmured, “i just like having you ‘round me..” he wanted to chide her so bad, but something in him wanted to push her to say more, “i-i, um,-“ he cleared his throat, embarrassed, “am i able to know w-why?”
“i dunno,” god, her voice was so soft when she was sleepy, “i feel safe around you.” he felt his face flush 50 different shades of red as he stuttered, “i-i’m glad i make you feel that way..” he allowed his shoulders to relax as she began to drift off to sleep, her voice getting quieter by the second,
“you make me feel more than that, yknow..?” danse felt his body grow rigid as her words repeated in his head, “what do you mea-“ before he could finish his sentence, sole had fallen asleep against him within no time. as bad as he wanted to wake her up to find out the real meaning behind that message, he decided it was a conversation for another day. for now, her words imprinted on his mind, keeping him wide awake for the rest of the night.
Deacon:
he observed how sole laid on his bed and moved into a somewhat fetal position, her eyes not budging from a certain spot in front of her. out of curiosity, he followed her line of vision and realized that she had been staring at his hands, which were currently fiddling with the gun. with a confused look on his face, he joked, “what? are you into hands or something, charmer?” sole let out a soft chuckle as she used an elbow to prop herself up and punched deacon playfully on the arm. “you’re so stupid deacon,” she bantered, a soft smile playing on her face, “but i can’t lie, you do have nice hands.” deacon let out a dramatic gasp as his free hand covered his mouth, “and what about the rest of me? i’m hurt.” rolling her eyes, sole lightly brushed her fingers against his knuckles and soon rubbed his fingers with her thumb. “well, i never said anything bad about the rest of you.”
“heh, guess you can’t get enough of me.” he was beyond nervous, and was more than grateful that his sunglasses hid it. he hadn’t felt this kind of feeling since barbara, and knew there was no escape to his attraction for her, no matter how hard he tried.
“yeah, i guess i can’t.” she said as she continued to draw figures on his hand, her eyes growing heavy. he noticed how sole kept waking up, trying to keep her hand on his as she (unsuccessfully) fought her sleep. with a small smile, deacon laced his fingers with hers as she slowly fell into a deep slumber. his eyes fixated on their intertwined hands, wanting to take in the sensation just a little longer. oh man, he was so ready to tease sole about this the next morning.
Hancock:
he felt arms wrap around his torso from behind and was nearly shocked at the sudden affection. “sunshine?” he felt her grip tighter onto him, “is there something wrong?” sole shook her head and only spoke softly, “nothings wrong, i just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” she nervously tapped her fingers against his abdomen, “i know i’m not the easiest person to travel with, let alone, help every single day.” hancock smiled softly and let out a chuckle, putting his hand on top of hers. “you’re the best person i’ve ever met, and i’d do anything for you. besides, there’s nobody else i’d rather have as my partner.”
“i hope you know i’d do the same for you.” he took in the silence that followed right after, only staring down at her arms that were enveloping him. he enjoyed the feeling of her body against his, and how her arms fit so perfectly around him. after what seemed like forever, sole broke the stillness of the atmosphere. “can we stay like this for a little? i just-“
“no need to explain yourself sunshine, take as long as you please, i don’t mind.” sole only muttered a small, ‘thank you’ as hancock hummed a little tune of approval. he felt soles breath slow down, and he carefully turned around to face her, taking sole into his arms. hancock let out a grin as he moved a piece of her hair out of her face, he never really had the chance to see sole up close, but was glad he was blessed to have that opportunity. hancock placed her onto the bed nearby and sat by her side, her touch still lingering on his torso.
Maccready:
he felt his heart race as he noticed sole staring right at him, a inquisitive look on her face. “uh, what’s up, boss?” maccready began to feel anxious as sole continued to eye him, “um, earth to sole, are you still with me?” sole tilted her head cutely, making maccreadys cheeks turn red. “sorry, it’s not everyday i get to look at you up close,” her eyes fluttered tiredly, “actually, i never had the chance, we never really have time.” she was right, they never really got to see each other eye to eye and this was the very first, and hopefully not the last, time that he’ll get to experience it. he took in her features, and knew that the commonwealth barely had anyone as attractive as sole. sole was really beautiful, almost too beautiful to be existent in the commonwealth.
his train of thought was cut off by soles soft voice, “you’re really attractive,” maccready felt his ears heat up in embarrassment as sole took in the view, “i wonder how you’re still single. i’m surprised i haven’t caught a girl checking you out yet.”
normally, maccready would make some snarky remark or say something like ‘quit it’, but his undeniable and obvious crush for sole told him otherwise. he felt his confidence skyrocket thanks to sole, it really wasn’t everyday maccready received a compliment, especially from the girl he admired. “thanks boss.. it really means a lot coming from you.” he rubbed his neck sheepishly as sole stretched, getting up on her feet to head to bed. oh how maccready wished he could grow the balls to say the same to her. “of course mac, i wouldn’t be lying to my favorite partner!” he watched as she laid on her bed, giving maccready one final stare before closing her eyes. “goodnight, mac.” “night boss.” he felt his heart jump in happiness as he realized how lucky he was to have someone like sole by his side.
Nick Valentine:
of course, nick being the sweetheart he is, had set the bed for her as she changed her clothes in the other room. the bed was in the living room where he was sitting peacefully at, so it wasn’t hard to hear some turning and tossing against the hard mattress. he took a peek at sole who was staring at the ceiling wearily. “having trouble to sleep, doll?” sole nodded as she saw nick stride over to her in no time. he sat beside her bed and opened a book next to the counter, but before he let a single word out, sole had slowly shut the book.
“nick, i wanna talk to you and get to know you as a person. all this time i’ve been your partner, i haven’t really asked about your personal life.” nick sent her a surprised look, “and why would you want that?”
“well to be fair, i have told you a lot about my life so far,” she spoke shyly as she fiddled with her fingers, “and you’re an interesting guy, nick. you’re just so nice and caring towards others. i really do look up to you. no one in the commonwealth has a reputation like you do.” sole was way too nervous to even stare up at him as she continued talking, “well to me, at least.” if nick had a heart, it’d be melting at the words that shot out of soles mouth. he knew damn well that she meant every word of it and no one could tell him otherwise. nick let out a content grin as he spoke with a hint of joy in his voice, “well i guess great minds think alike, don’t you think? i suppose i can do that for you.” he felt so at home with her and he couldn’t place a finger as to why, but he decided to wave it off. nick rambled on about his life as sole felt a sense of tranquility, her eyes slowly closing at the sound of nicks soothing voice.
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afternoonpoppy · 3 years
Text
Camping
Poppy awakens from her slumber, aaaaaa! This was for a commission but also something I’d wanted to sit down and write for a looong while, so this finally got me to do it and I’m glad for that. This turned out longer than I expected but I had fun writing it, so I hope it turned out well!
A bit of a chill had started to creep into the night air, but Allister hardly minded at all. Being sat by a modestly-sized campfire with Wolfram beside him, there was plenty of warmth to go around. And besides, Allister was camping again! 
Sort of, anyway - it was honestly more of a meetup with friends for the evening, and they weren't even more than a twenty-minute walk from Allister's house. But the group had gotten a fire together, brought out a cooler with drinks, and even found some sizable logs to sit on. Allister preferred fold-out chairs, but his cousin Sadie had insisted it would make the whole night more 'authentic.' Plus, it did allow Wolfram and Allister to sit closer together. In all, they'd ended up with about nine people gathered together, some of them being mutual friends of Allister and Sadie, with others being acquaintances invited by said friends. The total was 'about' nine since Allister's coworker Vincent had shouted that they were going on an impromptu snack-run to the nearest convenience store thirty minutes ago.
"Honestly, I don't know what she was expecting to happen," Sadie was saying very emphatically from across the campfire. While the group had split off into their own conversations and activities, she'd recruited Allister and Wolfram into listening to the evening's third rant about the obnoxious roommate she'd been putting up with for the past while. "Like, she was gonna yell at me and then just expect me to finish cleaning up the apartment for her? I am under no obligation to do her laundry, thank you very much." 
Marcus, the other of Allister's two coworkers that had been invited, walked over to take a seat by the fire just in time to catch what was being discussed and followed up with, "I mean, you gotta remember, Sadie. This is the same girl that thought she'd just hand in a Wikipedia article for one of her college assignments. You think she thinks this stuff through?"
Allister's eyebrows furrowed as he stared into the fire and tried to parse that statement. "Wait, as in she plagiarized a Wikipedia article, right?" Surely Marcus hadn't literally meant -
"I mean, I guess it's still plagiarism if you download an entire Wikipedia page and send it to your professor, yeah."
Oh. Allister nodded, struggling for something to say to that, but quickly gave up. Even if that anecdote weren't so absurd that it demanded speechlessness, he'd been content to let his friends steer the conversations of the night. Allister was just glad to hear what they'd been up to as of late, as well as to have a chance to sit outside and enjoy the wilderness. Crickets chirped in the trees of the woods and stars coated the sky up above, making a beautiful sight. 
That sight had been one of his favorite things about moving out here from the city. The other being that he'd been able to meet Wolfram. Wolfram who had spent the first part of the evening nearly dozing off by the fire after the walk to the group's meetup spot, but looked to have regained some energy now that he'd been sitting down for a while. He hadn't bothered to take part in the conversation much either and had also been focusing on either the fire or the stars for most of the night.  Allister wasn't very surprised, though. Considering this was the first time Wolfram had properly interacted with... anyone else in this world in person, Allister was just glad to get him out of the house. Getting into the car was still a no-go, but perhaps that would be another day.
"So, Wolfram, what do you do, anyway? You work, doing the whole 'actually trying to learn' thing, what?" Sadie asked abruptly, apparently letting the previous topic rest for now. "I don't think Allister's ever mentioned."
Allister's eyes widened and he glanced at Wolfram. The two had long ago decided not to mention the whole... 'magic and other worlds' situation to other people for any number of reasons. Not least of all being concerns as to what sort of attention Wolfram would draw as a (somewhat, at least) practiced spellcaster. It wasn't as if the pair hadn't discussed what their cover story would be to other people, but it hadn't come up very much as of yet and Allister couldn't help but worry.
Still, Wolfram seemed unphased by the question and smoothly answered, "I'm a writer. Primarily focusing on short fiction at the moment."
"Whoa, cool," Sadie said with a grin. "What do you write, like, romance, fantasy, sci-fi? Romance? I'm into romance if you've got any of that."
"Apologies, no. It is fantasy, my current project is a series of stories taking place in the same setting, so right now much of my time working on it is spent on world-building."
Allister was impressed at Wolfram's confidence in that answer. Sadie nodded, reaching into the cooler near her for a drink. "Neat. I don't actually read a whole lot, so no promises, but I'll try and give it a look when it's done. Either of you guys wants a beer?" She held up an extra can and tapped on the side with one nail.
"No, thank you," Wolfram said.
Allister shrugged. "Yeah, sure, I'll have one."
Sadie aimed to toss it to Allister but realized the fire between them might pose a problem. Rather than stand up and walk around it, she settled for instead trying to throw the can around the fire at an awkward angle, which resulted in it flying off to the side and rolling across the ground a bit. Marcus stared at Sadie with eyebrows raised.
"Uh, I think we can let that one settle there for a while," Allister said, standing from his seat to grab a can from the cooler. "Let's not ask you to throw things when you've had alcohol."
Sadie objected by holding up her freshly-opened can and saying, "Hey, this is my first one, Alli!"
"That was a sober throw?" Wolfram asked.
"Wait, shit. Okay, yeah, let's say I was drunk for that."
For a while longer, the conversation shifted back and forth through various topics among the group. Eventually, though, Allister glanced over to the trees around the campsite. He leaned closer to Wolfram and asked, "Hey, you wanna go for a walk?"
"A walk?" Wolfram leaned against Allister's shoulder. "Where did you intend to go?"
"Nowhere, in particular. I just wanted to stretch my legs and get away from the fire for a bit. We don't gotta go far."
Wolfram thought for a moment, then said, "We walked here and have to do so again to get home, so I would rather not. Feel free to enjoy yourself, though, so long as you don't end up lost."
"You sure?"
"I'm not frightened of people, Allister," Wolfram said with a smile. "I can handle any questions your cousin directs at me. Either that or I can ask her something about her housemate and let her talk for another thirty minutes."
"Hmm, I guess so. Alright then, if you're sure. I'll make sure I can still see the fire anyway." Allister stood up, stretching a bit, noting that Sadie and Marcus had both wandered off to the rest of the group and were yelling into someone's phone at Vincent, demanding they return from whatever had distracted them on their snack run. Allister had meant to tell them he'd be back shortly but figured he wouldn't disrupt anything if he just stepped away from the campsite.
Once he'd gotten some distance away, he noticed how quiet it was out in the woods. He hadn't been aware of the background noise his social circle's chatter made until he could hear the contrast in nature's quiet cricket chirps. It was nice out here. Much more Allister's pace than when he lived out in the city with his family, but this was the first time he'd taken the time to stop and appreciate it even after moving out here.
He leaned back against a tree, occasionally sipping the beer he'd brought with him, and started searching the stars for any constellations he knew. The answer was none, he'd always been terrible at telling constellations apart and never knew where one ended and another began, but at least they were pretty.
Allister's thoughts were interrupted, unfortunately, as a strong hiccup shook through his chest. 'HUP!' He raised a hand to his chest in surprise and instinctively tried to muffle the next 'HMK!' to follow, his own hiccups startling him as they broke the silence.
"Why n - HULP - now..." he mumbled to himself. As usual, Allister's hiccups were fast and obnoxiously loud. Considering it was almost unheard of for his cases to start up with no reason, he cast an accusatory look at the beer can in his hand. "Thi - HUC - this is you - HIC - your fault - HUC-UP!" He sighed - or tried to with yet another hiccup interrupting - and turned his attention back up to the stars.
Allister had planned to try to wait out his hiccups in the hopes they'd stop on their own. He preferred not to return to the party only to be a distraction for everyone. Unfortunately, he did wait for some time, looking back at the campfire now and then and eventually checking his phone to see that almost fifteen minutes had passed. It was becoming apparent that just the same as the hiccups didn't typically start without reason, they wouldn't stop on their own anytime soon either. 
Allister grimaced at that thought. He had wanted to be back by now, but here he was instead, without even so much as a bottle of water to try to solve the problem. He hated what he was contemplating, but he hated leaving Wolfram on his own even more. So, without putting too much thought into what a terrible decision he was making, Allister inhaled deeply and held his breath. In the past, that had always been a terrible idea, but maybe that had always been a coincidence?
Successfully holding his breath with hiccups leaping through his chest every other second proved to be more difficult than he remembered, and it felt like he ran out of air much faster than he would have otherwise. And he was forced to give up that effort and breathe fresh air when his hiccups abruptly became faster.
Allister immediately regretted his decision. "Wa - HUP - wait - HUC-UP - please ju - HIC! HIGK - just - HUK-ULP - h-hold on - HIC!" His attempt at talking his hiccups into calming down did little to help. Even worse, they had gotten stronger and were starting to hurt now. Allister would have said it was because his own body seemingly wanted him to suffer, but he knew this was his mind's fault instead, for thinking holding his breath might seriously work this time.
"Allister?"
Allister jumped when he realized Wolfram was now standing next to him. When that had happened, he had no idea. "Fr - HUP! HIC-ULP! - Fram, I - HUC-UP! HIGK! - what - HIC!"
Wolfram reached out and patted Allister gently on his back, a look of concern on his face. "Everyone at the fire is currently engaged in a round of trivia about media that is flying completely over my head, so I thought I would come to find you. And it didn't take me very long to hear where you were... Are you alright? Those sound worse than usual, somehow."
Unable to form anything even remotely close to a proper sentence at the moment, Allister could only answer with, "B - HIGK-UP - bad ch - HIC! HUC-ULP - choices - HUP!"
"I'm not sure what that - oh. Allister, did you try to stop them by holding your breath?"
Allister nodded.
"Haven't you told me that's the one thing you absolutely cannot do?"
Allister answered with another nod and a whine between hiccups.
"And why in the world would you do that?" Wolfram asked. "From what I was last aware, there are plenty of drinks available that you could have cured them with instead. That's at least had a partial success rate before."
At first, Allister contemplated how to phrase the answer in a way that his hiccups would allow, then settled for pulling up a note app on his phone and typing. 'I didn't want to bother anybody. My hiccups aren't exactly subtle.'
Wolfram stared at the message, thinking. "I hardly think anyone present tonight would mind as much as you think. You honestly did not need to make yourself suffer like this."
'Suffer' sounded melodramatic, but considering he was still putting up with nonstop hiccup after hiccup, Allister figured it wasn't exactly wrong. 'I know it was a dumb idea. But everyone's having fun, and I didn't want to be a problem.'
"Honestly, Allister, you worry too much about these things..." Wolfram sighed. "Though I... have also hidden in a crate to avoid being seen with hiccups, so... perhaps I am not the best person to hear this from."
"You - HIGK-ULP - what?" Allister asked, too surprised by that statement to bother typing his response on his phone.
Staring down at the ground and fidgeting a bit, Wolfram mumbled, "I, um, it was rarely an issue back home but I... did have a particularly stubborn case at one point and... Hiding away until they stopped seemed ideal..."
"But a - HUC! HIC - a crate?"  
"It - I panicked, I was in one of the Academia Arcana's storerooms to retrieve spell materials and - and I heard someone outside the door - the details aren't important. My point is, I do understand but don't do this sort of thing to yourself in the future, please."
Allister appreciated the thought, smiling at Wolfram and nodding. "Don't w - HUP! HIC-UP - worry, I - HIC - I won't."
"Good. Now then, I'll fetch you some water. Wait here, I'll be quick about it."
After a minute or two, Wolfram returned with a bottle of water, which Allister accepted gladly, trying and failing to state his gratitude, "Th - HIGK - thank y - HULP - you, F - HUC-ULP - Fra -"
"Just drink it," Wolfram interrupted. 
Allister did so, drinking the water in quick gulps between each hiccup. It took a few tries, but eventually, they slowed down somewhat and finally came to a stop entirely. He waited for a few seconds, still unsure if he'd genuinely been cured at first, but then finally sighed with relief.
"Better?"
"Much," Allister said. "Thanks, Fram."
Wolfram smiled and leaned his weight against Allister's side. "Very good. Shall we be returning to the camp?"
"Hmm..." Allister wrapped an arm around Wolfram's shoulder. "It is getting a bit cold, huh? I guess we should." He paused for a moment, then added, "But... Hey, how about we have a real camping trip sometime soon?"
"We won't have an oven for you to cook proper meals, then," Wolfram objected.
"I mean, I guess not. But you've never had s'mores before. Those are best when they're toasted over a campfire."
"I've heard of those... what are they?"
"Chocolate and marshmallows, Fram."
Wolfram's eyes widened at the statement, clearly intrigued. "When is your next day off? We can do it then."
Allister laughed and hugged Wolfram closer. "Okay, we'll talk about it when we get home. C'mon, let's head back to the camp before Sadie comes to chase us down."
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ginnympotter · 4 years
Text
I Think He Knows
A/N: Yes, this fanfiction was inspired by the line "I think he knows his hands around a cold glass make me wanna know that body like it's mine" from "I Think He Knows" by Taylor Swift; then it kind of just took on a life of its own. Hope you enjoy :) You can also read it on AO3!
Had she never realized how strong and tan his hands were before?
For the life of her, she could not stop staring at them.
Well, most of the time. Her eyes occasionally flickered to his face. But he was talking to Marlene about strategy or whatnot, and she knew if Marlene caught her staring at his face for too long she would embarrass her. His hands were safe, because for all they knew she could just be zoning out. But, lord, was she zoning in.
His fingers were long and his nails were surprisingly clean considering he had just played a two-hour Quidditch match. She wondered how many blisters and calluses were on his palm. His hands must be twice the size of her own, because her hand barely fits halfway around her glass, while his grasp fully encircled it. She saw droplets from the condensation dripping under his fingers, but he kept his grip firm, so much so that his veins were becoming more and more defined. 
Someone cleared their throat above her.
Before she could will herself to look away and up, they plopped down on the couch next to her.
“You might need some lessons in subtlety, Evans.”
She forced herself to turn to him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 
Sirius snorted, placing his empty butterbeer bottle on the table. “You were staring, for the seventieth time, the past hour alone. Day by day you are losing tact, my friend.”
“I was zoning out,” she defended herself automatically, trying to maintain eye contact with Sirius without breaking.
“More like daydreaming.” 
“Zoning out, daydreaming, whatever you want to call it-“
“-All right, fantasizing more like it.”
“Excuse me-“
“I was standing here for a solid minute before I made my presence known. You were practically drooling looking at his hands,” he laughed, taking the glass from her and taking a sip for himself. 
“Definitely fantasizing. Wishing that instead of his hand being around that glass it was around your thro-“
Lily clapped her hand over his mouth. “There are people around,” she muttered through gritted teeth as he continued to snicker. She noticed Sirius’s eyes flicker towards James and she allowed herself permission to look momentarily too, and both he and Marlene were giving them a curious glance. 
“Ooh, making him jealous?” Sirius mumbled against her hand, drawing her attention back to him. “Smart, smart. Never knew you were devious though, but you both have been playing at this for months to no avail so I guess desperate times call for desperate measures-“
She removed her hand and used it to punch his arm instead. “Oh, shut it.”
“I won’t say anything to him,” he assured her, not even flinching at her attempts to harm him. "I mean, I don't have to. At this point, your subtlety is so far gone that I think he knows."
“I still have no clue what you’re talking about, Sirius,” she shrugged, failing to be nonchalant. “So, great match today. Saw you hit that bludger right at Rosier. Very satisfying.”
Sirius downed the rest of Lily’s drink before placing it next to his empty butterbeer bottle. “Of course you saw that play.”
Lily raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Of course I saw it, I watched the entire match.”
Sirius smirked as he patted her shoulder sympathetically. “That particular bludger hit was when I saved it from nearly crushing your boyfriend’s skull-“
“He’s not my boyfriend-“
“Not yet, at least,” he retorted, ruffling her hair. “You’re blushing.”
She groaned, closing her eyes and covering her face as she dramatically fell onto her back on the red sofa. “Maybe if I blush enough it’ll match my hair and the couch and then I’ll just blend in and no one will remember I exist, including you.” 
“He won’t forget,” Sirius said quietly, and she could feel him standing up. He patted her knee before she heard him begin to walk away.
“Good, leave me!” she shouted after him. She thought she heard his footsteps dying away, but then she heard more approaching her again. “I thought I just told you-“
She opened her eyes and saw James Potter standing above her, his glasses a bit askew, still holding his drink.
“Oh,” she said, feeling her face heat up again. 
“Huh,” James surveyed her.  “Looks like you could blend in with the couch.”
She attempted a smile, now her entire body heating up. “That was the goal.”
He gazed at her for a moment, smiling back. Lily quickly sat up- perhaps too quickly, as she suddenly became lightheaded, although maybe that was just being so close to James- and made some room for him. “Thanks,” he said quietly and sat so close to her that their legs would be touching if she moved just a centimeter closer. “You enjoy the match?” 
“Of course I did. You were brilliant as always,” she said automatically, and then felt her stomach drop. Sirius was right; she was not subtle at all. 
But maybe James did not notice, because he responded, “It was a team effort, really,” all bashful.
“Pft. James Potter? Being modest?” she laughed, bumping her shoulder against his. “Never thought I’d see the day.” 
He shrugged. “Miracles happen all the time.”
“C’mon, Potter,” she said as she turned to face him properly and folded her legs into a pretzel. “You got more than half of Gryffindor’s goals, and that interception between Regulus and Mulciber? Top-notch.”
He smiled, and oh no, that gleam of confidence sparked in his eye, always a dangerous sign. One that she unwillingly brought back on, but, dear god, was it attractive. “Keeping tabs on me, Evans?” 
“It’s just called paying attention,” she played off, picking at a piece of lint on her trousers. “Something you wouldn’t know anything about.”
“I know a lot about paying attention,” he countered, and Lily could see through her peripherals James leaning back more comfortably into the sofa and stretching his free arm out over the top of it, his hand resting quite close to her shoulder. His other was still gripping his glass, Lily knew, but she continued to pick at any stray lint on her clothing. She could feel him staring at her. “Maybe not in class,” he amended, “but I don’t need to, anyway.” 
“Ah, there he is,” she said, looking back up at him. “We get it, you’re so naturally talented in everything you do, all hail Head Boy Potter, we are not worthy.”
“Can’t argue with the truth,” he sighed. “Although, the Head Girl could give him a run for his money.”
“Hell yeah, I could.”
James laughed, ruffling his hair. “In charms and potions, sure. But Transfiguration? Good luck.” 
Lily scoffed, jabbing one of her feet at the side of his thigh. “That’s only because you have favoritism on your side. You see McGonagall practically crying tears of joy in the stands before? All in the name of Quidditch.”
“Oh, and you don’t have old Sluggy in the palm of your hands? Please-“ 
“But that’s because of my innovative potion-making and my vibrant personality, not because I’m helping Slytherin win the cup-“ 
“It’s not all about Quidditch-“
Lily gasped dramatically. “Not all about Quidditch? Potter…are you alright?”
“Oh, boy. That’s not what I-“
She reached a hand out and put it against his forehead. “You must be ill. Maybe you should go to Pomfrey-“
James’s smile then lit up his face, and as his dimples emerged Lily suddenly felt like the heat from his forehead shot through her hand into her body. She attempted to bring her hand back into her lap, but James moved his arm from the top of the couch and caught it, held her hand firmly in his own, and kept speaking, as if the gesture was nothing at all. “What I meant was,” he said as he interlaced their fingers casually, and dear Lord, his hand was so much bigger than hers. “I have achieved Transfiguration feats that well exceed N.E.W.T. level.”
Lily became momentarily distracted, as she marveled at how utterly natural it felt for them to be holding hands. Why had they never held hands before? She exhaled pleasantly as the warmth from his fingers spread over hers, trying to stop herself from closing her eyes to just revel in it. And then she tuned back in, realizing what James was implying. The only reason she even knew James was an Animagus was because Remus told her last year once she finally admitted to him that she figured out he was a werewolf in fourth year. She cocked her head to the side, giving James an accusatory look. “And illegal,” she whispered. 
“I’m sorry, illegal? You must’ve meant to say admirable. They kind of sound similar, I can see how you might mix them up.”
Lily snorted, despite the fact that she did find it admirable, sickeningly so - and then gulped as James squeezed her hand tighter right before she spoke. “And what was that Sirius said when we talked about it last? Something about if Peter could pull it off anyone could? Which was mean, by the way.”
“I didn’t say it!”
“You agreed!”
“Not everyone is as lucky as Peter to have two transfiguration masters as their best mates, so he had significant help, I’d say.”
“It’s not too tough to chew a leaf, I would think.”
“You are completely oversimplifying the entire process,” James accused her. “And if it’s as easy as that, why don’t you become one?”
“It’s illegal.”
“Not if you register.”
“I have no need for it,” she said and, on a delayed reflex, squeezed his hand back before she could stop herself. “You lot had good reason, I’ll give you that.”
“Admirable reasons, one might say!” he reminded her. “Let’s say you did: what do you think you’d be?”
Lily pondered the question for a moment. “I just thought of something. Aren’t all three of your Animagus forms the same as your corporeal patronuses?”
“Correct,” James confirmed.
“So I guess mine would be a doe, then, wouldn’t it?”
“Not definitely, but probably, yes,” he said, his voice suddenly quiet and raspy. “And mine is a stag, the doe’s mate for life. So we’re a perfect fit in all forms. Fancy that, huh?”
Despite the fact that, yes, she did quite fancy that, she rolled her eyes at him as he raised his glass with his other hand to his smirking lips and took a sip. Lily felt like she was going mad; his hand and his lips in one frame? And the other hand holding hers? Through the glass she could see James eyeing her curiously. He lowered it slowly, surveying her. “You want some?” he offered, holding it out to her.
Maybe Sirius was right; they’d been playing at this for too long. And too often, really. Ever since the Easter holidays in sixth year when she confided in him and he comforted her and they became actual mates and then she found herself disgustingly obsessed. And then ever since they got those badges she’s used every excuse to be near him, and they began waiting for each other every morning in the common room to go down to breakfast together, an unspoken agreement that started about two weeks into term. And they’d spent the majority of the time on their rounds eating food James nicked from the kitchen and talking about the war and family but then eventually laughing so hard they couldn’t breathe, and she valued their friendship so much but man she did not want to do to her friends the things she was imagining doing to him.
She needed some courage, so she took James’s glass out of his stupidly large hand and chugged what was left of it.
“Whoa, there, Evans!” he said, taking the glass from her as she drank the last drop, and then placed it on the table beside them. And then, leaning in a bit, he whispered in a mocking tone, “You’re supposed to be setting an example!”
Lily ignored this as she let the aftertaste of the firewhiskey settle and admired the closeness of James’s face to hers, examining his features. He was looking at her with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “Something you want to say?”
She shook her head, rubbing her thumb gently across the back of his hand. She looked at him determinedly. “The All Powerful Potter can’t master legilimency?” 
“I’m an amateur legilimens,” he joked. “What rank of occlumens are you?” 
“You tell me.” 
“Hm,” he started as he looked at her quizzically. She wanted him to read her mind to save her the embarrassment of actually initiating this thing, and if Sirius’s word meant anything, and if her longing for him was as obvious as it felt, she thought he might already know that she wanted to jump his bones, anyway. He was studying her, and as her eyes strayed from his face back to his hands, one entangled with hers, the other one free on his lap, he followed her gaze. And before she knew it, his hand was on her thigh. He gave it a gentle squeeze, and she looked up at him. The expression on his face was as if he was waiting for an answer, or permission. She nodded and bit her lip, and he chuckled, causing her heart to skip several beats and leap up into her throat. “Not too bad of an occlumens,” he mumbled, still leaning closer. “But I don’t think you’re trying too hard.”
“Nope,” she replied honestly, offering a smile.
He returned a nervous smile to her, breathed in sharply as if trying to restrain himself, and then eventually said, “Let’s get out of here, yeah?”
“Okay,” she said, and without letting go of his hand, released her leg from James’s grasp and stood up. “Where we gonna go?”
James sat there, rooted to the couch cushion for a moment. At first it seemed as if he thought she was joking, but then he gulped, and stood up too, tightening his hold on her hand even more so. His eyes quickly darted from her face towards the boys’ staircase and back. “If that’s ok,” he added when she didn’t respond but instead looked as if she was searching the room intently.
She nodded. “I just want to make sure Sirius is distracted before he catches us and announces our whereabouts to the entire school.”
“Good thinking,” he told her, and began to search as well. He spotted him quickly. He nudged Lily gently, and jerked his head towards the far right corner so that Lily could see Sirius pouring butterbeer down Peter’s throat as Remus sat there shaking his head while rubbing his temples and Marlene and Mary counted loudly. “I think we’re safe.”
Lily found herself torn between giggling and groaning at the sight, but ultimately either option was wasting time she could be using dragging James up the boys’ staircase. So she marched towards it, doing just that. With one final check behind them, they began climbing the stairs until they reached the fourth floor with the door that said Seventh Years. 
James smiled at her nervously as he held the door open, and Lily did not hesitate. She let her eyes scan the beds, and it was easier than she thought. She pointed towards the second bed to the left, completely unmade with 3 pillows and a Puddlemore United poster above the headboard. “That one, innit?”
She heard James make some vague noise of confirmation after he closed the door, although maybe trying to disguise the fact that he also clicked in the lock. She kicked off her trainers and lied down right in the middle. She was smart enough to know it wasn’t the little firewhiskey she had a few minutes before making her do this, but something definitely came over her to the point where she no longer cared what she did or how it was perceived. It could have been the lack of audience, but she preferred not to think too hard about it as she stretched out and inhaled deeply, thoroughly overwhelmed and pleased by James’s scent all over the sheets.
“Make yourself at home, why don’t you?” James said, amused, still standing by the door. 
“I have, thank you,” she replied. “Why don’t you?”
James rolled his eyes and kicked off his own trainers. He walked over to his four-poster and stood by the frame. “How’d you know this one was mine?”
“Easy,” she started. “For one thing, you seem like an unmade-bed type of guy.”
“Should I be insulted?”
“Yes. We’re seventeen, not seven.”
“I mean, what’s the point of making it if I’m just going to go right back under the covers anyway?”
“Two,” she continued, ignoring him, “the Puddlemore United poster was a dead giveaway.”
James crossed his arms, and although she felt temporarily distracted by this, as his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing his forearms, she did hear him say, “Peter supports them too. He has two posters.”
“But here’s the thing,” Lily said, and she sat up slowly, pushing herself backward towards the headboard and away from his tempting forearms. “Yours was the only bed with three pillows.”
“I- excuse me?” James looked at her in disbelief. “How did you- huh?”
“Just the other week, the four of you were having such a heated debate about it at lunch, remember?” James’s stare was intense, and she felt as if it was burning through her cheeks. She gestured to the other beds as a means of looking away and regaining her composure, but her voice sounded compromised as she spoke. “Peter and Remus are both normal, so they sleep with two pillows. You went on to call Sirius a madman for only sleeping with one pillow, and then he expanded saying he pushes the pillow away right as he is about to fall asleep, so he practically sleeps with none.”
“Which is mad!” James interjected, his arms loose and flailing in exasperation. “And he claims it’s better for your back, but that’s bullocks because he complains about his back at least twice a day. At least!”
Lily laughed at James’s indignation. “I didn’t say I necessarily disagree with you. But I don’t disagree with Sirius either about your way. I mean, are three pillows really necessary?”
“Yes, they are, in fact!”
Lily turned her head, made sure the 3 pillows were stacked nicely, fluffled them a bit, then situated herself as she was going to sleep, putting the covers over her legs and laying her head against the pillows. She closed her eyes, lying there for a moment, but it was only moments later that her eyes flew open and she groaned. “This is absolutely awful for your neck, and extremely uncomfortable.”
“You’re just not using them right,” he murmured.
Lily shifted herself forward and to the right side of the bed, took all 3 pillows in her arms, and held them out for James. “So show me.”
He surveyed her, then put a hand through his hair. He sighed. “Alright, Evans. But don’t make fun.”
“Oh, I will.”
He took a few steps forward and plopped down on the vacant side of the bed. Without speaking, he lied down on his side to face Lily. He took the first pillow and put it between his knees. He took the second pillow and put it under his head. The last pillow he held in his own arms, hugging it.
“That’s it?” she asked, her eyebrows raised. “But your head is only on one pillow, anyway! Your criticism towards Sirius is completely hypocritical!”
“But he still pushes his away, basically sleeping with none!” he fought back. “And the other pillows are necessary.”
“How so?”
“Pillow between the knees is good for a bad back,” he explained. 
Lily laughed, grabbing the pillow James was holding from him. “And this one?”
James cleared his throat, his cheeks turned pink. “You really can’t make fun.”
“I already told you I will. So tough. Tell me,” she said, hugging it to her chest.
He nudged his head forward. “For that.”
She raised an eyebrow, looking from his face to the pillow in her arms. “To....cuddle it?”
“Listen, I just hate sleeping alone,” he said quickly, looking away from her, now. “And at home I always have our cat, but Mum and Dad don’t let me bring him here, so I’m forced to use a pillow. Happy?”
Lily tried her best to suppress a giggle, she really did. But it bubbled out, and the pink in James’s face was turning three shades darker as he took the pillow out from between his legs and stacked it on top of the one under his head before turning to lie flat on his back again. “No, it’s sweet, James.”
“You’re laughing.”
“It can be sweet and laughable at the same time,” she told him, and she suddenly realized how close they were, and that they were lying in his bed. You’re a Gryffindor, she reminded herself, it’s now or never.  “But let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“Does Sirius get jealous?” 
He turned his gaze back to her, puzzled. “Of…?”
“Of your cat! I mean, why doesn’t he just transform into a dog and cuddle you at night while you’re here? I’d think when you’re both at the Potter residence there’d be a rivalry, no?”
James laughed heartily. “There is, but believe it or not Sirius likes cats. When he transforms into Padfoot at my house he and my cat have the best time together, it’s mental. And besides, Sirius is not really a physical affection kind of bloke.”
“So all you’ve got is your pillow to hold here, huh.”
“Sadly,” he sighed dramatically.
Lily casually dropped the pillow she was holding in her arms over her shoulder and off the edge of the bed. “That can be remedied, I think.”
And before James could have the time to process her words, she scooted over to him, put her head on his chest, draped a leg over one of his and an arm around his torso, burying her face into his shirt, letting herself do something she so desperately wanted to for ages.
At first it felt like James’s entire body went rigid, but after about three seconds, it relaxed completely, as his legs locked with hers and he brought one arm around her and the other towards her head, his fingers gently combing through her hair. Lily shivered at his touch, moving her face up into the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply, as if she was about to run out of air for good. 
After a few still and precious moments, Lily let herself exhale. “Better than the pillows?” she asked meekly.
James’s chest shook as he chuckled lightly. “Much.”
“Good,” she said, satisfied but now paralyzed. This was good. Almost too good. And she didn’t want to risk moving a single limb and losing it all, despite the ache throughout her body pleading for more of him.
Luckily for her, James was a risk taker. He stopped running his fingers through her hair and instead cradled her head, pulling it back so that her face would lift, and she could see him. And he looked excitedly determined, the same way he looked on the Quidditch pitch, a golden sparkle in his hazel eyes behind his spectacles. She suddenly felt the need to say something to him. She didn’t know what, exactly, and he most likely knew whatever she was feeling, but she tried anyway. “James-”
She barely got his full name out before he swooped down, his lips pressing urgently against hers. And all attempts at speaking were suddenly forgotten as she pushed her face upward and threw herself into the kiss. She didn’t even care that she might break his glasses from trying to close any amount of space left between their faces, nor did he. His lips were chapped but they felt electric against hers, and she moved a hand up to cup his face, pressing kiss after kiss to his eager mouth. She felt her heart swell bigger with each one, unable to fully believe that this was actually, finally happening, and she knew it couldn’t be a dream this time, because this was far better than how it felt in her dreams. He shifted under her so that he was back on his side and they were facing each other again. No kiss was ever enough, but after a minute or so the urgency settled down, and James began to kiss her more softly yet firm, one hand still in her hair, the other resting on her hip. He suddenly moved his mouth over her cheek, her jaw, down to her neck, staying there for quite a bit, but Lily still felt like they weren’t close enough. 
James must have been a better legilimens than he let on, because he then moved his lips back to hers, and opened his mouth slightly, as she did too, and their tongues met, and Lily thought that her entire body must have been on fire by now, as she moaned at the feel of him, and James let out a soft moan almost simultaneously. And they both laughed, and then James pulled away to properly laugh. 
“Stop laughing,” she choked out, though she was unsure how she even found words, and she leaned back into him, kissing his laughing mouth. He kissed her back briefly before pulling away again. She groaned. “Would you quit-”
“Just give me a second,” he said gruffly, but she opened her eyes and found him grinning. “Trying to preserve this moment in my brain forever.”
“Well, I’m trying to make new moments over here, if you’d please.”
But that just made James laugh even harder. But now looking at him laughing, well, she supposed he didn’t have to stop yet. His laugh was almost as glorious as his kiss. She smiled, and he looked at her in a way no one had ever looked at her before.
“As you wish,” he responded, flashing a wicked smile back before crushing his mouth back to hers, and she shortly learned how much glory of his kiss was left to be discovered as she parted her lips again and allowed his tongue to enter her mouth, and they both moaned again, all laughs left behind.
As they continued to kiss for the next few minutes, James slowly began to let his hand on her hip wander the small of her back beneath her shirt, and she took that as a green light for her hands to wander too. She put one hand on his chest, and moved the one on his face to his hair instead, allowing herself to feel his hair through her fingers like she’d so often see him do when ruffling his hair to look like he’d just gotten off his broom, or when he did just get off his broom. Her nails lightly grazed his scalp and she felt him shiver as he let out a sound of approval against her. She giggled now, and pulled away briefly to let him in on the secret. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she whispered triumphantly. 
She opened her eyes again to see an unreadable expression on James’s face. “Not always,” he replied as he exhaled, and then looked at her- really looked at her. And she knew what she wanted to say now.
“James,” she said, gripping the collar of his shirt, trying to regain breath control. “You must know how I…how I feel about you...I mean, I practically dragged you up here to seduce you. I don’t do that with just anyone.”
“I know,” he answered with a hint of a smile. “But it’s hard to just...forget sometimes.”
“Well, it’s not my fault you were a conceited git in fifth year,” she responded, and she did not let herself feel guilty saying it. “Sorry, but that’s just the truth.”
“I know it is,” he muttered, looking a bit ashamed of himself. He looked away from her and past her shoulder, thinking hard. She let the silence sit until he spoke again. “I guess I’m worried that...that perception of me you had- or the memory of who I once was- might always be there.”
“Well, it will be,” she responded bluntly, taking hold of his chin and making him face her again. “But that’s not a bad thing-”
“Sorry,” he interrupted her, rubbing her back. “I didn’t mean to bring this up tonight. I didn’t mean to say this at all ever, actually. I don’t know why I’d remind you of it, anyway-”
She cut him off by pulling his face towards hers and kissing him again, though she forced herself to pull away in order to finish her thought. “Shut up and just listen. I was saying that it’s not a bad thing because some people never change- I mean, we all have the capacity to, but so few actually take a good look at themselves and actually do it, and knowing that you have is....it’s just something special.”
“But there’s still some of those parts of me that haven’t changed, you know?” He sighed, leaning his forehead against hers. “And what if when you see those, you…” he drifted off, threading his fingers through her hair again. 
Lily closed her eyes at the feel of his touch. “But I’ve seen them already,” she told him, letting go of his chin and placing her hand on his shoulder. “Both now and then. I mean...I’m a bit obsessed with you, really.” James snorted, but she kept going. “I didn’t think I’d have to tell you that. I thought you knew.”
“I knew a bit,” he admitted, and though her eyes were closed, she could feel him smiling now. “Sirius said as much, anyway.”
“Of course he did.”
“But it seemed too good to be true,” he almost whispered. “So thanks for telling me.”
Lily opened her eyes and kissed his forehead. “You’re welcome. My point being, I know all the good and the bad. And I still want you. Ergo, the seducing bit.”
James’s smile was positively dazzling at those words. “You sure it’s not just the firewhiskey talking?”
“Don’t be stupid,” she scoffed. “I barely had any.”
“Well, it’s not like you were the only unsubtle one here. I’ve never once bothered hiding it. Couldn’t if I tried. So why didn’t you try the seducing bit before now? ”
She raised her eyebrows at him as the hand on her back moved lower down towards her waist. “I think the real question is why hadn’t you?”
He attempted a frown at her and reminded her, “I mean, I was the one who held your hand tonight first.” The smile quickly returned. “And I initiated the first kiss. And we are here in my bed. Maybe the seduction efforts were equal and we’re giving you too much credit here. I’d like an equal share.”
Lily rolled her eyes, feeling impatient. She wanted answers, too. “Before tonight, then.”
James pulled her closer to him and maneuvered them so that he was on his back again, and she was cradled against him. “I’d been rejected by you many times-“
“I mean this term! Not back then-“
“But as just revealed,” he said. “I am clearly still wounded by those rejections.”
“Boo hoo.”
He chuckled, pinching her side. “I just...wanted to be sure,” he told her. “I guess when I started to feel like you might fancy me, I tried convincing myself that it couldn’t be true… I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I started making excuses as to why it couldn’t be real, or permanent... maybe it was just the Head Boy badge, or-“
“How can you think that?” she interrupted, looking up at him, exasperated. It made her heart sink ever so slightly at the thought that he’d think her feelings were anything but sincere. 
Noting the hurt in her voice, his hand found hers and he squeezed it tightly. “I didn’t truly think it. Like I said, I just was trying to convince myself of it because I… I just didn’t know how many more rejections I could take.” He smiled softly as he intertwined their fingers. 
Keeping their hands linked, she (mostly) removed herself from James and sat back up. It was easier to think straight and articulate her thoughts when she wasn’t plastered up against James’s person, no matter how badly she wanted to return. James followed her lead, sitting up too and facing her, but keeping a respectable amount of space between their faces. She looked up into his, which was soft and still smiling, but she could see the shadows of doubt and fear still swimming in his eyes. “You weren’t the only one trying to avoid rejection, you know,” she whispered.
James looked at her in utter befuddlement. “What? In what world would I ever reject you?”
Lily did not answer, and instead looked down into her lap. 
He waited a moment, but when she failed to respond he said her name, “Lily,” with such gentleness and fondness that she could not help but look back up at him. “You must know how I feel about you, don’t you?” he echoed her own words back to her from only moments ago. “I’ve been mental over you for ages! Years! Hell, I mean, I’m-“ but he cut himself off abruptly, shaking his head and closing his eyes.
“You’re what?”
He said nothing for a moment, and the silence was heavy, but he eventually opened his eyes and shook his head again. “Nothing. I just can’t believe you’d think that. Explain your logic to me.”
She sighed reluctantly, but supposed he deserved the truth. “It’s like you said,” she started. “You’ve fancied me for ages, and for most of that time, well, you didn’t really know me, you know? Just this idea of me, prefect, top-marks Lily Evans who everyone assumed was perfect, and that her life is wrapped up in a neat bow...but that’s not all I am, that’s not even the half of it. That’s just what people see, or what they think they see...And that’s the version of me you fancied for so long. But really I’m a mess whose sister hates her and who used to be best friends with someone who is probably a Death Eater now and I have deep-rooted self-esteem issues and I’m a picky eater and you’re right, I kind of do suck at Transfiguration, and I’m stubborn and...and what if it ends up being just about the chase? What if, you know, we did date and you finally saw that I wasn’t always what you thought I was?”
He was looking at her very seriously. His eyes looked sad, half hurt, half concerned. “You’re right. You’re not always what I thought you were,” he said very softly.
“W-what?” she responded, her throat suddenly very dry. 
This was a mistake, this whole night. She wanted to run out, but she felt immobile. All she knew was that she couldn’t look at his face anymore or she’d cry. It was only a millisecond after she looked down at her knee that James used his free hand to grab her face and make her look right back at him. “You’re not always what I thought you were,” he repeated. Then he smiled. “You are...so much more.”
“Oh,” Lily exhaled in relief, which made James smile harder. 
“Yeah, oh,” he said back. He lifted up their linked hands and kissed the back of hers, and then let go, so that both of his hands could be on either side of her face. “It’s just like you said about me. I’ve been lucky enough to have seen a lot of those parts of you now. Actually being your friend and getting to really know you, the good and the not-so-good...well, it made me want you even more. Everyday.”
“Me too,” Lily said.
He grazed his thumb gently across her cheek. “And that’s not going to go away. It’s not about the chase. It’s not about this picture-perfect idea of you. It’s about you. I promise you that. So no more doubts, ok?”
“No more doubts,” she agreed, and before she could stop herself she moved forward and kissed him, kissed him with everything she had, trying to convey what she couldn’t quite say. His hands moved into her hair as he kissed her back, taking control of the kiss, slowing it down, making Lily feel much more intoxicated than the firewhiskey could.
She moved herself on top of his lap, and his hands moved to her back as he pulled her closer to him. He deepened the kiss, and just after Lily responded he broke it off, putting his head on her shoulder, breathing heavily. “You alright?” she asked, scratching the back of his neck lightly. 
“Mhm,” he responded, lifting his head up, looking a bit dazed behind his fogged spectacles. He kissed her cheek, then put his chin back on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly. She hugged him back, and she felt warm and whole. “I’m just happy,” he whispered.
“Me too.” She closed her eyes and leaned her face against his neck. 
They sat there, holding one another in silence for a while. Lily felt like she was in a trance, until James’s voice pulled her out of it. “Thank you.”
She lifted her head and pulled back a bit, though James’s arms were still firmly around her, but she was able to move just enough to be face-to-face again. “For what?”
And then he smiled brightly, and that boyish look she knew far too well shined through. “For seducing me.”
She laughed, and he laughed too, and the laughter was so infectious that she couldn’t stop, even when James shouted, “I’m serious!” which just made her laugh harder. He removed her from his lap and feigned offense as she lied down on her back, trying to recover. 
“You done?”
“Nearly,” she choked out. “I do have one question, though.”
“And what is that?”
She beckoned him over to her, and he obliged, lying on his side and facing her. She turned to him, and the warmth behind his features lit a fire inside her. “Can I be your girlfriend?”
James stared at her in amazement. “Can you?! Of-”
“Shit, sorry. May I be your girlfriend?” she amended.
There was a brief pause, and then James threw his head back, laughing freely. “You are unbelievable, Evans,” he observed, looking back at her and shaking his head. “Yes, of course you may. As long as I get to be your boyfriend.”
“Reasonable condition,” she said, pretending to think about it for a moment. “Alright, sounds like a deal. Shake on it?”
Letting out a (fake) exasperated sigh, he shook her outstretched hand. 
“I look forward to doing business with you, Potter,” she said in her best impression of a professional, suppressing a giggle. 
James’s smile in return felt almost lyrical; it said so much with so little. He moved in quickly, leaning his forehead against hers. “Why don’t we get started immediately, yeah?”
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hijackedacademia · 4 years
Text
A Friendly Favor (Tenya Iida x Fem!Reader)
Characters: Reader (Fem), Uraraka, Jiro, Iida, Mina, Midoriya (briefly), Sero (briefly), Kaminari (briefly)
Request: No
Requested by: N/A
Warnings: none? If there are lemme know and I’ll tag them. Also I didn’t edit this.
Words: 2240
A/N: I wrote Iida w/ red eyes because that’s their color in the manga and I’m a sucker for red eyes. Also forgive me, this is my first time writing for him properly so he may be a little bit out of character?
——
Training had been rather rough on you today. Every muscle in your body ached, and your PE uniform was drenched in sweat (and possibly some tears) by the time you’d made it back to the girls locker room to peel it off. You toweled yourself off before throwing your uniform back on. A few of the other girls seemed just as exhausted as you were, while the others were just as chipper as ever.
This is what you got for slacking off to play video games. 
Again. 
Uraraka was the first to approach you, asking if you wanted to walk with her back to the dorms. She’d pushed back her hair with a plush, pink headband you were 98% sure had belonged to Aoyama at some point, and she was holding out a cooled water bottle that you just couldn’t say no to.
“Sure,” You said, taking the bottle. “Thanks.”
“No problem, (L/N)! You really look like you need it. Is everything okay?” Uraraka tilted her head a bit, her lips pulled back into a caring smile.
“Oh, yeah,” You started. “I’m fine, just feeling a bit behind it all. This is the last time I let Kaminari convince me to stay up till midnight to play Minecraft.”
“Oh did he rope you into helping him build that castle he was going on about?” She asked. 
“We played for three and a half hours and we’re still flattening the earth for it.” You grumbled.
“I told him to just use creative mode.” Jiro piped in, coming to stand beside you. “But that idiot wants to do it all the natural way.” Jiro mocked Kaminari, rolling her eyes all the while. You snorted.
“Tell me about it, when I mentioned going into creative mode I thought he’d had an aneurysm.” You took a long sip from the water. The three of you began to exit the locker room. “At this point I’m pretty sure I know more about the durability of a stone pickaxe than I know about the math Ectoplasm is trying to teach us.”
“Are you falling behind on your studies, (L/N)?” You all but jumped out of your skin, turning to face Iida with a flushed face.
Of course it was him who heard you. You smiled up at him.
“Not so much falling behind on studying, more not understanding the work.” You said. “I was never very good at math back in middle school, so the stuff we’re learning now is pretty difficult for me.” You rubbed the back of your neck, averting your eyes. Uraraka wiggles her eyebrows playfully at you from beside Iida, and you frown at her.
You regret telling her about your crush on the engine-quirked boy.
“Well if you should need any assistance with studying, I would be happy to help you. I plan on working on my math after we finish dinner.” He adjusted his glasses as he spoke, his crimson eyes never leaving your own.
Curse him and his need for eye contact.
“Speaking of dinner,” Jiro said. “Who’s cooking tonight?”
“Sero and Kirishima.” You said, turning away from Iida. “It was supposed to be Sero and Mina, but Kiri owed her a favor.”
“Why didn’t they inform everyone of this? The whole schedule we set up-” Iida started, but you calmly cut him off.
“Iida,” you sighed. “The schedule will be fine. Kiri will help cook this meal, and the next meal he’s assigned to. There’s nothing wrong with a friendly favor.” Before Iida could say something, Midoriya exited the boys locker room, a towel thrown over his shoulders. He smiled when he saw the small group.
“Hey, guys! Heading back to the dorms?” He asked.
“Yeah!” Uraraka confirmed. “Come on, guys! We should get going before Mr. Aizawa yells at us again.” She grabbed your wrist to tug you along, and you let her pull you in the direction of the dorms. Jiro, Midoriya, and Iida followed suit.
The only other people in the dorms when you got back were Mina, Kaminari, and Sero. Sero had set out getting everything together for dinner while he waited for Kirishima. When Mina saw you, Jiro, and Uraraka approaching she ran up, an excited look on her face.
“My parents delivered my Wii console! We can finally play Just Dance together! Whatddya say, wanna play tonight?” You were about to let out a whoop in excitement, when you saw Iida looking at you from his seat at the tables. He was already getting to work. He looked away rather quickly when he noticed your gaze turn in his direction.
“Actually, guys, I uh… I think I’m gonna take tonight to study.” Uraraka’s head snapped in your direction. The mischievous glint in her eyes surprised you momentarily.
“Oooo, you taking Iida up on his offer?” She teased you. Mina squealed, drawing in others' attention. You smacked her arm, but she seemed undeterred.
“Iida,” She said in a harsh whisper. “So is it like, a date-”
“We’re just going to be studying-”
“A study date, then?” Mina seemed more excited about the prospect than you did. You’d been looking for a reason to spend more time with Iida alone, but he always seemed to be busy with school work, or was always around Midoriya and Uraraka.
“No.” You say. “Just two friends studying math.”
“Sure.” Mina continued to tease. You really wished she wouldn’t do this while he was right there, but Iida either didn’t hear what was happening or he wasn’t paying you guys much attention because his eyes were trained on his work. You ignore your friends and go to approach him.
He looked up when you reached the table.
“Hey,” You said.
“Hello, (L/N). How can I help you?”
“So were you… serious, about that offer? To help me with the math?” You wanted to slap yourself. Of course he was serious. When was Iida not serious about something?
“I was,” He nodded. “Like I said, I should be getting to my math after we eat.”
“Awesome.” You nodded. “Thanks again, Iida.” He nodded back before returning to his work. You went up to your room to throw on more comfortable clothes, using a couple of wipes to clean up the oil on your forehead and cheeks. You had been laying on your bed scrolling through the various apps on your phone for around an hour when Tsu came to get you for dinner.
Part of you wanted to shovel down the food - the faster you ate, the faster you could study.
But the other part of you wanted nothing more than to never finish dinner so that you couldn’t possibly embarrass yourself in front of Iida. It was bound to happen, you were sure of it. You would say something stupid with such confidence and then Iida would know just how dumb you really were.
But it smelled so good, and the way your stomach rumbled - surely you couldn’t say anything that stupid.
Right?
Uraraka gave you a quizzical look.
“Are you gonna eat it or are you just gonna drool over it?” She asked. Snapping from your thoughts, on instinct, you wiped at your mouth - she was right. You had been drooling. How embarrassing, you seethed. “Everything alright, (L/N)?”
“Yeah,” you said. “Yeah I’m fine. Just thinking.” Without a second thought you began to stuff your face.
When class 1-A first moved into the dorms, a good chunk of the class sucked at cooking. It was typically Bakugo, Uraraka, or Sato who cooked meals.
That was, until the hot headed gremlin decided enough was enough and there needed to be some kind of proper schedule and some kind of lesson.
“I’m not gonna be cooking for you damned bastards for the rest of school.” He’d said. “Either you learn to cook or you starve.”
The only people who couldn’t be trusted in the kitchen were Mineta, Higakure, and Aoyama.
Those three could burn water without turning the stove on.
Kirishima had become one of the better cooks - so having been paired with Sero, who himself was fairly decent, the meal was amazing. Maybe not Lunch Rush amazing, but enough to make you want seconds.
By the time you’d finish your plate, most of the girls and a handful of the guys had scattered, finished with their meals and prepared to unwind or get to work. You took your plate to the kitchen and then went to your room to wash up. You retrieved your homework, notes, and textbook, and after wiping the sweat off your palms, went to go find Iida.
He sat at one of the tables in the common room alone, surprisingly. Usually after a meal Midoriya and Uraraka would sit with him for a bit before going their separate ways. But not tonight. 
Were they both joining in on Mina’s game? Or had you just taken that long to get ready?
“Uh, hey, Iida.” He looked up from his work and gave you a kind smile.
“Ah, (L/N), are you ready to work?” He asked. You nodded quickly and moved to put your stuff down across from him. “Perhaps you should come sit over here. It would make it much easier to show you what to do.”
“Oh. Um, okay.” Your fingers gripped your wares tightly as you came around to sit beside Iida. He had his text book open to the pages you guys had been assigned earlier that day - his paper was already filled with notes. “Well, uh, where do we start?” 
Listening to Iida go on about math was much easier than listening to Ectoplasm, in your opinion. Maybe it was the fact that you could listen to Iida talk about anything - he could read you the ingredients off of a candy bar wrapper and you would be entranced.
Or maybe it was because what he was saying actually made sense.
“Mr. Ectoplasm tends to explain things in a lot less detail than he should.” Iida admitted. “But I used to sit with my brother when he did his math homework, so it’s pretty easy for me to figure out.”
“How is he, by the way?” The thought of Iida’s brother had been itching in the back of your mind. Ever since he got hurt you’d never seen Iida more determined. You worried sometimes. When you saw a sad look in Iida’s eyes, a part of you regretted asking. His gaze bore holes into the textbook, but he smiled.
“He is healing. Slowly, but surely.” That was all Iida had to say on the matter. Before you could say anything else about it, he was back to explaining the equation you were working on before.
The two of you worked for an hour and a half, and by the time you’d gotten to the last equation you felt proud of yourself. Usually math took you a lot longer. Sometimes you didn’t bother doing them at all (not that you’d ever tell Iida this).
“How are you feeling? Did you understand everything we went over?” Iida asked, setting aside his pencil.
“I think so.” You smiled. “I definitely understand more than I did this morning.”
“Well, I’m glad.” Iida removed his glasses, and cleaned them with a small cloth that he’d kept folded beside his text book. “I’m about to start on English, if you should need assistance with that as well.”
“No,” you smiled. “I’m actually fairly good in English.” You closed your textbook, piling the homework and notes you’d taken on top along with your pencil and pen. “Thanks again for helping me Iida, I owe you one.” You said as you stood up from the table, a couple of joints popping in the process.
“Like a friendly favor?” The question surprised you, but after the initial shock washed away you smiled.
“Yeah.” You said. “A friendly favor.” You picked up your things, ready to depart. 
After a moment's thought and a short rush of confidence, you found yourself giving the class rep a short hug, your free arm wrapped around his shoulder and your cheek pressed against the top of his head. He tensed up for a moment, but instead of pushing you away like you imagined he would, he placed a hand on your arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Thanks again, Iida.” You pulled your arm away and all but skipped out of the common area. When you made it back upstairs to your dorm room, you felt your phone buzz in your pocket. After setting your homework back into your bag, you went to read the text.
It was from Iida. You frowned.
Had you forgotten something downstairs?
Unlocking your phone, you open the text.
T. Iida: So
T. Iida: About that favor.
(Y/N): Yeah?
T. Iida: Perhaps you might be willing to join me this Sunday to the nearby café? I was going to go with Midoriya and Uraraka but they are now busy and I would prefer not to go alone.
You flushed a bit. Iida was asking you to go with him to his favorite café (you’d heard him mention how much he loved the place before - the best lattes he’d ever had, if you remembered correctly) with him. Alone.
Just you and Iida.
(Y/N): Count me in. Id love to join you!
T. Iida: Perfect. It’s a date then.
A date.
This boy was going to be the end of you.
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nicostolemybones · 4 years
Text
Good day
Happy Birthday! (Nico Birthday Week)
Trans Nico fic
Tw: pain, dysphoria, period mention, unsafe binding
-
Nico inevitably woke up in pain, although he figured he could bare it today. He'd been told pretty adamantly not to train today, but he didn't want to sit around and do nothing, so once he was awake and ready, he walked slowly to the infirmary. His joints ached badly, but he wouldn't be walking around too much anyway, so it was nothing he couldn't handle for today. He'd decided to spend the day helping Will out- of course, Will would probably refuse if Nico asked, so he was just going to turn up and start helping with the stock rooms- he could sit on the shelves to sort through the boxes and count everything and take note of what they were running low on. 
Of course, when Will found him sitting on the shelves counting out bottles of testosterone, he was less than pleased. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"
"Helping," Nico replied, "you're running low on ace bandages and nectar but there's enough ambrosia to last a few months at least. I'm counting out the testiclerone." Will's wheezing laugh alerted Nico that not only had he mispronounced testosterone, but he'd said the word testicle and both boys were too immature to not overreact. Nico facepalmed. "Oh balls," he sighed, then realised he'd basically made the same mistake twice, laughing at himself quietly. 
"If you're not going to be mature," Will chastised, but he was definitely being more immature than Nico was with his bright glow from the laughter, "then get out of my stock cupboard."
"Never I've established a nest," Nico protested.
"I ordered you to rest."
"I am resting," Nico argued, "I don't wanna just sit in my cabin when I could be helpful."
"But it's your birthday," Will whined, "you shouldn't be counting out medicines you should be out having fun!"
"It's not my birthday," Nico said slowly, and Will raised his eyebrows.
"Nico, it's the 28th. It's your birthday today."
"...oh," Nico whispered, after a while.
"Did you… dude, did you forget your own birthday?"
"It… it's not important," Nico sighed with a huff, turning his attention back to counting, "it's just a day."
"Is there a reason you don't wanna celebrate?"
"No," Nico shrugged, "not particularly…"
"Then let's go!" Will had grabbed Nico's hand before he could process what was happening, and his best friend was dragging him away.
Will brought him ice cream, which Nico appreciated- he had chocolate, whilst Will had strawberry. Nico was having fun at first, but he started to feel out of place as they shopped for clothes. All the men were so tall, and Nico was terrified to talk should his voice give him away. It had been easy to pass his higher register off as puberty not starting yet, but Will was fifteen too, and his voice had already started breaking. He always had a very clumsy shaving rash, and acne certainly wasn't his best friend, and he was tall. Nico on the other hand was currently battling a heavy period making him feel like he was gonna vomit and the growth of two lumps on his chest he was binding tightly in the hope they wouldn't grow anymore or be noticeable.
Even most of the extra small clothes would be too big for him. Nothing in the adult men's department was going to fit him. He felt like everyone around him knew, like everybody was looking at him wondering what some little girl was doing there. "Will," he said quietly, dysphoria and anxiety spiking through the roof, "I need to get out of here…"
"Ah, shit, sure," Will said, hurrying Nico out of the store. He took him to a small café, ordering himself a milkshake. Nico opted for tea to calm his nerves. His dysphoria was bad, and he knew he'd need the bathroom soon to change pads, and he wasn't binding safely. Will didn't know yet, and Nico really wanted to confide in him. He'd been thinking about coming out to Will for a while now, and it clear Will was concerned about him. Nico felt comfortable around Will. He'd never come out to anyone at camp- Bianca had known, and his dad had figured it out. Of course, Nico was terrified to come out, but he knew Will would accept him. 
"Hey, Will?" He began quietly, and the nerves washed over him in overwhelming waves. He almost backed out, but he reminded himself that things would be okay. "I have something I want to tell you."
"Is it that you stole my last cookie? Because you totally stole my last cookie." 
"That was Kayla," Nico corrected quickly, and Will was probably about to shout out loud, but Nico quickly hurried out a small "it's serious."
Will instantly leaned forwards, giving a reassuring but concerned smile. He was glowing softly, comfortingly. "I'm here," he said softly, and Nico took a deep shaky breath.
"It's uh… something about me," he said, "something personal."
"It's okay," Will reassured softly, "I'm listening."
Nico didn't really know how to say it. He'd always imagined it would be such a long and personal conversation, but as soon as he mustered up the courage, it was only two words. "I'm trans…"
Will was silent for a while, and Nico began to panic, but Will wouldn't reject him, he highly doubted it. He knew Will was just trying to figure out how to respond out of respect and care. "I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to trust me with that," he said eventually, "is there anything in particular that I do that makes you feel uncomfortable that you need me to stop doing, or- or anything in general to avoid?"
"You haven't made me uncomfortable," Nico said, feeling more able to force the words out, "just uh… no feminine language, and don't draw attention to any feminine things unless it's y'know… period leakage or medical related. And uh… I don't want you to tell anyone at camp, I'm not ready and I don't feel safe enough."
"Of course, dude," Will reassured, "may I ask you something personal?"
"I trust you," Nico replied, and Will smiled softly, a dark amber hue seeping into his glow.
"I noticed we're always running low on ace bandages. Is that…. what you're using to um-"
"Bind," Nico filled in, before nodding. 
"Would it be okay if I go buy you a sports bra so you don't have to and you go into the bathroom and put it on and take the bandages off? I know which boy's bathrooms have clean stalls and I'll come with you so you feel less scared. And uh- I know it won't squash you as much as you want, but I'll give you my jacket. Would that help? And when we get back to camp you can borrow my laptop in the infirmary and order a proper binder and measure yourself up properly."
"I'd really appreciate that, like… a lot… just don't get too flustered seeing lots of knickers and please don't get distracted trying bras on over your head. And uh… I don't feel comfortable in public bathrooms anyway, but I can't go into the men's room today, I uh… have bleeding."
"I would not!" Will protested, but his face said otherwise. "Anything I can do to help the dysphoria or hormones?"
"Just continue treating me like any other guy?"
"Of course," Will said softly.
"I don't think I can walk around for very long," Nico added after a comfortable silence, "my pain's getting to me."
"Wanna have a movie marathon in your cabin when we get back? I uh… I also kinda got you a birthday present I've been waiting to give you."
"Yeah," Nico blushed, "sounds great. So uh… you got me a gift?"
"Happy Birthday," Will said softly, handing over a small box. Nico opened it and almost bounced out of his seat- it was the latest mythomagic expansion pack he'd been saving up for. 
"Are you serious," Nico grinned, "you got me mythomagic? Will!"
"I thought you might like them," Will said, "I was uh… kinda gonna take you on a date today but I chickened out on asking you properly."
"You wanted to go on a date? With- with me? But- I thought you liked Lou-Ellen?"
"Well yeah, but that was like- a year ago. And I'm not straight, I'm bi. As in girls and guys. Well- not just girls and guys but you get my point. And you're a guy who's um. Who's pretty handsome. So uh. Um. It's… it's totally cool if-"
"Dork," Nico interrupted with a smirk, "took you long enough to ask me."
"So uh- is that a yes?" Nico almost whacked him with a pillow, except he didn't have one. He felt confident and happy for once. It had been a good birthday. 
@solangeloweek
113 notes · View notes
k347 · 3 years
Text
Evanstan ficlet
Prompt – "Your wish is my command"
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Pairing: Chris Evans x Sebastian Stan
Word Count : 2.5 k
Warning: None. Maybe a bit of fluff
Summary: He was excited for the date. Very much so. But unexpected arrival of a girl at Chris' house changed their plans a little bit.
--------------------------
With his shoes shining extra bright, having fixed his tie & handkerchief in the coat pocket for probably the hundredth time, Sebastian comes out of the black Audi he parked in the corner spot. It's far enough from the mahogany door for hiding, but also close enough so that he can keep an eye on the place. There's still no movement though, so maybe he is still getting ready.
It’s his third date with Chris and Seb is bubbling with excitement and nerves. Yes, the previous two have gone great and he loved walking through the parks and exploring bookstores with the guy. But it still felt like two friends hanging out together rather than two potential boyfriends. So seb decided to take matters in his own hand and give tonight a more romantic cut. This is probably the first actual, proper ‘date’ they are going to have. They'll talk about each other all night and flirt from across the table, have eachother's complete an undivided attention. Reservation made at one of the finest and fanciest hotels in the city, where he plans to wine and dine Chris Evans and charm the fuck out of him. 
He really needs tonight to go just right. Exactly the way it is planned. Wants to make a good impression. Not that Chris doesn’t know him already. But Sebastian wants to come off as the good Boyfriend material instead of being the shy kid in a grown man's body who is still secretive and giggly around his crushes like he's some teenager. He was stuck in the friendzone spot for so long, it's sometimes still hard to believe he has escaped it. They have been working at the same firm for years now. But it was just last week when Seb gathered the courage to ask out the man of his dreams on a date. But more important (and still very shocking) is the fact that Chris indulged him and reciprocated the feelings instead of laughing them off. They’ve decided to take it slow and just see where it goes at the moment. ( Sebastian might have already dreamed of their wedding, pets and future babies though. He has been doing that for a couple of years. Not in a creepy way. He is just the hopeless romantic, thinks of himself as a rom-com lead sort of a person) But tonight he plans to be the best of the best. Create a whole James Bond vibe and make all that extra effort it takes to win over someone as special as Chris. He is dressed in his finest Italian suit and had his hair quaffed perfectly, wearing the best cologne and is present on the doorstep at sharp seven thirty, like he said he would be. Punctual. A good start to being a good date. He rings the doorbell and pulls out his most charming smile, for Chris. Only when the door opens, instead of the familiar handsome bearded face and stormy blue eyes, the visual of an empty drawing room greets him. He turns his head to both sides. Nope. No one. What kind of sorcery is this? Who opened the door, if he can’t see any human in front of him right now?
"Psst. Tsk tsk. Here."
A small, sweet voice reaches his ears. He looks down and finds the source behind that. It’s a little girl. Probably 4 or 5 years old. She has blonde hair and chubby cheeks, barely reaching up to his waist even though she is standing on a platform higher above him. Has a curious look on her face and is analyzing him from head to toe. He instantly smiles after looking at her. Tiny angel dressed in a onesie that has cartoons scribbled all over it. Two seconds in and she is already melting his heart. Damn you baby fever.
“And who might you be?”,He asks leaning down to reach closer to her height.
“I am Stella. Don't tell me who you are. I already know. You're the date guy. Where are your flowers?”, the little lady asks him, tone too judgemental for a five-year-old but adorable nonetheless.
“My flowers?”, He is a bit confused right now.
“Yeah. Flowers. When you go on a date, you are supposed to bring them”, she tells him impatiently and gives a disapproving look, like she’s the adult and he is the kid in this scenario.
“Yeah, Sebastian. Don’t you know simple date manners? Where are your flowers?”, Seb finally hears the voice his ears had been craving for. Chris just came to the door too. Wearing a crisp white button up and dress pants. Tie undone and hair a little messed up, indicating he had been running his hands through them frequently. The kind of thing people do when they are nervous. Chris doesn't show any other signs of distress though, has a playful tone and glint in his eyes, clearly stating that he’ going along with the joke and self imposing in the ongoing conversation.
“Sorry. The vendor was a mean guy. Didn’t give me any. And how many dates have you been on to know all this stuff?”, Seb asks the girl after shooting  Chris a full smile.
“Five”, Stella replies promptly.
“Five? Wow, sounds serious. Who’s the lucky guy?”, Sebastian can’t help but talk more to the little munchkin. She sems fearless and very confident. Unafraid of talking to strangers and making conversations, a quality Seb wishes he had in himself.
“His name is Ethan and he’s boy. Not a guy. But he does remember  to bring me flowers every time”, She tells him with her chin held high.
“Well, maybe we can have a double date next time”, he replies while giggling at the cuteness and she just shrugs like ‘it’s no big deal’.
“Stel, why don’t you go inside and keep and eye on dodger while I talk to Mr. Stan over here”, Chris pats her shoulders and Stella just nods and runs off back in the house.
“Mr. Stan? Really? I love it when you are formal Evans, but I’d prefer to be called Sebastian for the rest of the night. We are not in the office now, remember?”, he asks sheepishly.
“You gotta teach the kids good manners, right? Can’t have them all turning up as uncultured swans like you”, Chris was always that guy in the room who makes sweet jokes and tries to put every one a ease. Another reason why Sebastian loved the guy. Handsome, kind, compassionate, and witty. He truly is the whole package.
“Between the two of us right now, who is dressed more properly and has his tie done in a Windsor knot?Stop making excuses. She clearly has more sass than both of us combined. So if I were you, I’d stop worrying about teaching little grandma manners and start thinking about the wrinkles on that shirt”, Sebastian was never the one to shy away from fun banter either.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. That’s all you wanna say though? No further questions?”
“Oh, I was gonna ask if you forgot to tell me something but you clearly don’t let your guests speak without badgering them about having manners”.
Chris gives him an apologetic sort of smile and says, “I am so sorry Seb, I did try to call you but when you didn’t pick up I figured you were probably driving and on your way here anyway, so...”
“A good answer, but not one for the question I was gonna ask”
“Oh, you mean you were gonna ask me about our daughter?’, Sebastian gives him a dry chuckle. “See that’s funny because you and I never slept together”, Chris explains further, thinking he’s being hilarious right now and Seb has to prick that bubble.
“I don’t find it funny by the least, Chris. And by ‘it’, I mean the fact that we never slept together. Also please tell me you know that even if we did, it is biologically impossible for us to have a kid together”, Seb gives him an incredulous look and that makes Chris laugh out louder than before.
“Oh, pardon me. I am an investment banker, life sciences were never really my strongest subjects”, he apologizes, with a hand on his heart.
“It’s actually more of a common sense thing and honestly you are right now making me reconsider the decision of asking you out for this date.”
“That’s probably a good thing, because we are gonna have to reschedule the date anyway. Stella is my niece, Seb. My sister just dropped her off, couldn’t find a baby sitter at the last moment. So here I am. Stuck in between being the best brother and the most favored uncle at the moment. Ditching a hot guy and a fancy date to take care of a sassy 5 year old. Good Times”, Chris lets out a self depreciating laugh, still looks really apologetic and genuinely sorry which makes Seb’s heart sink even deeper than it already has after hearing the date he was so excited about is getting a rain check. He musters up a smile though.
“It is okay, Chris. Really. I understand”, he tries very hard to sound normal and not let any disappointment he is feeling pour into his voice.
“It’s not though. We decided this together and now I am just bailing on you at the last moment. Cancelling plans on such a short notice. Even though I know how much you planned for tonight and the reservation will probably get wasted. I’ll pay for it if yo-“,Chris starts with another round of apologies and Sebastian already knows the guy wouldn’t stop rambling unless he’s cut off.
“Chris. Chris, stop. It’s no big deal. The Plaza is way too overrated anyway. I guess we can have more fun by ordering a pizza and watching care-bears while waiting for it”, Sebastian suggests. Still a little hopeful that he’ll get to spend the evening with Chris anyway. Doesn’t matter if it’s at a fancy hotel or on a couch at his home. All he wants is to be close to this man.
“You..you wanna come in and spend time with us?”, Chris’ eyes are wide with surprise. He  was clearly not expecting the situation to take this turn. Sebastian instantly feels like an asshole for trying to decide everything on his own.
“I didn’t mean to sound so presumptious, but yeah...I’d like to do that. If you’ll have me?”, he asks for permissson and is half expecting for the door to slam in his face.
“Of course we’ll have you, Seb. It’s always pleasure. Come on in”, Chris moves back, inviting him inside the beautiful place and Sebastian happily accpets the offer.
“Good for you. Because if you had just refused, I was totally planning on setting a camp right in front of your door step to make you feel horribly guilty”, he says while taking off the coat and hanging it up on the rack. He is delighted to hear the sound of Chris’s laugh at his recycled, not-so-funny jab. The date might not have gone where he wanted it to, but it’s definitely going somewhere. And for now, that's good enough.
“Oh and Seb, Care bears is so 1985. Kids these days don’t really watch that y’know?”
“Well I thought CNBC and the stock market channels would be a bit much for her”
“Don’t worry. She knows exactly what she wants. A Disney fan.”
“So I see, she takes after her uncle. Please tell me it’s not Frozen though."
“No, tonight's reserved for Tangled.”
"Hmmm. A bit better. I can deal with that. She has a good choice."
“Takes after her uncle in that regard as well”, Chris winks at him before turning to go into the kitchen and Sebastian’s heart is doing backflips at that simple action.
***
They spend the rest of their night watching and singing along with the animated characters. Building pillow forts, telling Dodger to fetch the colourful balls and mimicking sesame street voices. It’s the best date Sebastian has ever had, even if it was hijacked by a kindergartener and a furball. At the dinner table, Stella tells Chris she wants to sit next to ‘Bastian’ and asks him to cut her pizza into little bites for her. Seb tries so hard to hide the tears that well up in his eyes, though he is sure, Chris caught a glimpse of them. Because right after feeling too emotional, he had gotten a squeeze at his thigh and Chris interwined  their fingers together, skin warm and cheeks flushed red. This looks and feels so much like the future Sebastian had been planning for them. He can’t tell if he manifested that by imagining it hard enough or is fate just being extra nice and kind to him since last week. Either way, he hopes this doesn’t change.
***   
Finally it’s after 10:30 and Chris reminds Stella it’s way past her bedtime, she shouldn't take advantage of him just because he caves in everytime she pouts. He takes her to the upstairs bedroom while Sebastian stays in the kitchen to do the dishes, no matter how much Chris asks him not to do that.
“Please don’t. You’ll only make me feel like a shitty host”
“Please let me, if I don’t, I’ll be the one feeling like a shitty guest”.
Just when he’s done drying off the last plate, Seb hears footsteps coming down from the stairs. He walks out of the kitchen and stands at the very end of it, waiting for Chris to come down.
“She asleep yet?”, he asks when they’re just two steps away from each other.
“Actually no. Said she wants you to go up there and kiss her goodnight too”, Chris laughs but answers with a certain seriousness that tells Seb this is not entirely a joke. Stella actually did ask for him. That realisation warms his heart even more.
“Alright, I can do that”, he starts climbing up the stairs and crosses Chris. Is stopped by a large hand softly reaching out to hold onto his elbow. ‘”You know, you don’t have to, right? She’ll go to sleep on her own in a few minutes anyway. Don’t spoil her too much”, Chris wants to make sure Seb isn’t feeling obligated to do any of this just because of him.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to though. And cuties like you Evans people deserve a little more spoiling every now and then. Let me take care of that”, he smiles and frees his arm from Chris’s grasp. Walks a few stairs further but is stopped in his track again. This time, by Chris’ deep husky voice.
“Hey, Seb?”
“Yeah?”
“After you are done with putting the little madam to sleep, I want you to come downstairs and kiss me good night too. I’ll be waiting in my own room”, Chris is flustered, pale skin turned the loveliest shade of pink at the make but his voice still holds a demanding and authorative tone that manages to make Sebastian weak in the knees.
“Sure”, he says with his own voice trembling and can’t begin to believe his lucky stars.
'Whatever you say. Your wish is my command, Christopher', Sebastian thinks.
 Actually, he might’ve just said it out loud judging by the way Chris snorts then blushes a shade darker and smiles some more standing on the other end of that staircase.
***
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marvinswriting · 4 years
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Kisses
Prompt: KISSES! PLATONIC K I S S E S 5 times Janis comforted Damian in the only way she knew how, VS, the one time it worked on her TW: d slur, falling (fear of or actually falling), death (fear of or actually dying), and gay (they’re gay- this isn't a ship fic) g/t mean girls
1.
Janis felt- oddly optimistic for the first day of Sophmore year. Teachers were told that in the event Regina had a class with her, they were not allowed to sit near each other. Especially in tiny classes.
She may not have all her classes with Damian-
-in fact, they didn't have many together at all.
Ms. Sarkisian was fighting for that to be changed due to the past events of bullying. Neither of their parents were thrilled about these schedules and hey, Janis and Damian weren't either. 
The bullying was awful no matter what.
But with Damian- it was bearable.
Janis was at her locker in the tiny hallway right now. 
Taken the tiny bus typically means getting up earlier and getting to school later than most students, but, the bus arrived earlier than normal.
The giant part of the school was empty and few tiny teachers were here anyway.
The artist finished putting in her code, swinging open her comedically thin locker.
Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad.
She had what was practically an in school restraining order on Regina, and her schedule- while may not be perfect now- would probably be changed in the near feature.
Janis just needed to get through these few days first.
It shouldn't be too bad.
Janis shut her locker, her backpack was now filled with books only needed for morning classes and feeling a lot lighter.
The building slowly was filled with the familiar shouts and slamming of lockers echoing through the walls.
The giant busses have arrived.
Janis had her first class with Damian so she slipped her schedule into the front pocket of her jacket and made her way to the tiny pick up zone.
Despite her confidence in this year, she kept her head down and shoulders hunched as she walked.
She didn't need space dyke thrown at her first day of school before classes even officially begin. 
"You're here early." Damian smiled as Janis stepped onto the platform. "Thought you were gonna keep me waiting a lot longer."
Janis grinned, raising her arms as cue to be picked up. "Bus was early."
Damian brought Janis to his shoulder. "Just means we have more time before class starts."
Something was off about Damian. Janis couldn't put her finger on it.
The normally perky morning person of the duo seemed dull and distressed. It was clear his mind was elsewhere but Janis couldn't figure out what would have him so worried. Damian was the firm believer of new year new start. 
The first days of school were his thing.
"You good, dude?"
"Mhmm," Damian said as he began walking. "Don't worry about it. We've got time to kill before class. Where do you wanna go?"
Janis frowned. Mhmm wasn't a Damian answer. It was a Janis I'm-avoiding-my-emotions answer. She thought about the one place nobody would be, that way she could talk with Damian without worry.
"The art room."
"Jan, we have a bit of time. Not enough to draw."
"I know. I don't wanna draw. It's just- quieter in there."
"Alright." Damian nodded, making his way to the back area of the school where the art wing was located. 
His answers were short and lacking energy.
Janis didn't like it one bit.
She suppressed the urge to move closer to Damian's neck, not wanting to worry him by getting up while he's moving.
Instead, she concentrated on the hallway in front of them, trying to put her mind elsewhere. 
The further away from the lobby they got, the fewer students there were.
A bunch of freshmen went running by, almost barreling into Damian in an attempt to get to their class.
His hand shot up to Janis but she managed to hold onto the shirt underneath her.
"Jesus Christ," Damian mumbled, watching the kids turn down the hall. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Janis said, examining Damian's face.
He was looking forward but it wasn't hard to miss the bags on his face and the way when he smiled, it didn't quite reach his eyes. Whatever was bothering Damian affected him enough for an obvious sleepless night.
Janis' heart sunk a bit in worry for her best friend. 
She waited to speak as Damian entered the art room, shutting the door behind him and bringing Janis off his shoulder and into his hands.
She allowed herself to be lifted in front of his face, smiling sadly when the bags under his eyes were more prominent. "Hey, dude. You okay?" She asked softly.
Janis didn't really know what to say. Prying for information as Damian's thing. Her best friend never held out information. If something was bothering Damian, Janis was often the first to know. Damian loved to passionately vent, throwing hand motions and pacing around. But he wasn't now.
He was quiet for a while.
Before-
"Are you worried we don't have many classes this year?" Damian asked, shifting Janis so she was cupped into his hands.
"I mean, yeah but- it's probably gonna change. We just gotta deal for a couple of days." Janis says. "Are you worried?"
"A little." Damian admits.
A little wouldn't have him worked up like this.
"Just a little?"
"No."
Janis's heart melted for the boy holding her. "Dame- you don't gotta worry about me. Teachers know to keep Regina and I separated, Regina knows she isn't allowed near me in the halls, and this schedule thing? It won't last long. My mom just has to mention eight grade and they'll make sure we've got classes together."
"What about giant classes I don't have with you?" Damian's voice was nearly a whisper but Janis was so close that she could hear it loud and clear.
"I'll figure something out. I can sit in the front row, right by the teacher. I'll be okay. We'll be okay." She stepped forward to the edge of Damian's hand. "Okay?"
"Okay." He agrees softly. 
She placed her hand on the tip of his nose for balance, leaning on the very edge of his hand. 
"Jan." Damian's voice is wary but he doesn't dare move
Janis ignored him, pressing a kiss to his nose, giggling as her lipstick leaves behind a dark smudge. "I love you, Damian."
"Love you too." 
2.
"Janis Sarkisian I love you, I really do. But if you don't stop that I'm putting you in my jacket and zipping the pocket."
Janis grinned from where she dangled over the very edge of Damian's shoulder. "Sure."
"I'm serious," Damian continued. "You'll be imprisoned for your crimes. I'll go to study hall instead of joining you in art and I'll take you with me. No painting for you."
Janis swung her legs. "I don't believe you."
"You should." Despite the deadly serious tone in Damian's voice, he had an affectionate grin on his face.
Janis, following her better judgment (and her best friend's orders), moved in slightly as the hallways grew more crowded. 
"Thank you." Damian said genuinely.
He stuck to the side of the halls in a vain attempt to avoid crowds as they reached a typical traffic jam area of the halls. 
Janis gripped the shirt underneath her tighter as Damian made his way through one of the clumps of students.
Maybe she should have listened? She'd feel a lot safer closer to his neck, that's for sure. Janis scowled to herself because as always, Damian was right.
Janis was vaguely aware of a group of freshmen behind Damian, messing around. Damian, on the other hand, seemed hyper-aware as his shoulders stiffened.
Janis flipped her hair over her shoulder facing forward. 
They were almost at the end of the group.
Then the hallway went in two different directions and it wouldn't be so crowded.
They were almost-
One of the boys behind Damian shoved another forward, bumping- probably unintentionally- into Damian. 
Janis yelped as the shoulder beneath her jerked forward. She tried to keep her grip onto Damian's shirt but her body slipped forward faster. 
Before her brain could catch up-
-she had tumbled headfirst off Damian's shoulder.
There was nothing to grab too, nothing to stop the fall. Nothing to prevent her from crashing into the tile floor that was incoming fast and faster. 
Until it wasn't.
Janis' whole body jerked as a hand wrapped around her, halting the freefall.
She gasped, waiting for the world to stop spinning. 
The hands she was in brought her up, adjusting to hold her properly. 
Damian.
Holy shit.
Holy fucking shit.
That happened.
Janis swallowed harshly. She almost fucking died. One look up at Damian and he seemed to be having the same realization. 
He stared at her momentarily with wide eyes before pulling her in close, changing course. 
Janis didn't ask where they were going.
She didn't feel like going to class.
Even if it's art.
She watched silently as Damian entered an empty classroom. 
I almost died.
It was the only coherent thought on Janis' mind.
It wasn't the first time shes almost fallen in the hall.
But shes never actually slipped off Damian's shoulder.
Just- bumped around a bit.
Damian sunk down one of the classroom walls, drawing his knees to his chest, his hands resting onto of them.
Janis sat from this new perch with a frown.
"Woah." She said softly.
"Yeah."
They sat in relative silence for a couple of moments. 
Janis' heart was beating so loud she was pretty sure Damian could hear. She didn't ask.
"Are you-" Damian paused like he was scared to ask. "Hurt?"
Janis shook her head, not trusting her voice.
"I'm so sorry," Damian said, his head slumping down. "I didn't mean to grab you so roughly, I just- you were falling. I was so scared. What if I didn't catch you? If something happened to you, Jan- I-" His took a shaky breath, his voice trailing off.
Damian's hair had fallen in front of his eyes, but Janis knew that strained voice and shaking shoulders. 
Damian was crying.
Janis was momentarily frozen, at a loss of what to do.
She was normally the one to break down.
Damian would hold her close and tell her she's safe.
Janis can hardly hold Damian close.
She stood up, the familiar yet overwhelming feeling of uselessness washing over her.
"Damian-" She hesitated, at a total loss for what she should say.
What she could say.
What do you say after this?
'Hey don't worry I'm fucking breathing with no broken bones.'
Something told Janis that wouldn't do much to help comfort Damian.
"I'm okay. I didn't get hurt. I'm right here. You saved me."
She stepped forward as Damian looked up, teary-eyed. "But-"
"No buts. I'm alive. I'm right here."
Damian leaned forward, resting his head on his knees. Janis leaning into his cheek, holding her arms out in the best hug (?) she could give at her size. 
"Thank you for saving me." She whispered, kissing his cheek. "I'm okay. We're okay. Right?"
"Yeah."
3.
Where was Janis?
"Jan?" Damian called out, knowing that if she wasn't here, she wouldn't hear him.
He stood at the tiny pick up zone, waiting for her. But she was late.
Actually, Damian was late, but he go here ten minutes ago and Jan was still yet to arrive, so she was later.
He looked down the tiny hallway, but there was nobody visible in the dim strip in the wall.
Where was Janis?
Damian sighed, pushing down the pit of anxiety bubbling in him. He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone but- it wasn't there.
Fuck.
He might have left it at the theater.
Damian shifted his weight momentarily.
He could run and grab it quick as he waited for Janis since she insisted on running late as fuck.
Damian quickly turned on his heels, rushing down the hall to grab his phone before Janis came out.
It wasn't in the theater.
Where the fuck could his phone be?
There was a vibration from his pocket.
The fuck?
His phone, which was definitely not there before, had gotten a text message.
From Janis.
Courtyard
And what about it?
Damian huffed, making his way to the courtyard.
Why would Janis say tiny pick up zone they wait at the courtyard?
Where was the courtyard?
Damian looked around.
When did he take a wrong turn? He knew where the courtyard was- so why did he walk in the opposite direction?
Damian made his way through the school, this time concentrating on where he was going. Because apparently, he's still making freshman-level direction mistakes.  
Janis wasn't responding to his text messages asking him to clarify the 'courtyard'. 
Damian paused at the tiny pick up zone one last time. 
"Jan?"
No response.
Unsurprising.
The silence throughout the school was almost jarring. There was no hum of the vending machines as he passed. The teachers that normally stayed after were gone, their classrooms all dark and deserted.
Then Damian heard it.
Despite being nowhere near the courtyard, it rang thought the school, turning his blood ice cold.
"Leave me alone!"
Damian's heart stopped.
He knew that voice.
He knew that tone.
He now knew why Janis needed him in the courtyard.
Damian's stomach twisted, the familiar feeling of impending doom wrenched his gut.
No matter how quickly he moved, he couldn't reach the courtyard fast enough.
Damian's throat felt tight. He couldn't yell, He couldn't cry out for help. 
He couldn't make it in time.
The courtyard doors were shut. They locked from the inside, but Damian couldn't open them no matter how hard he tried.
He shoved against the push bar as hard as he could, growing more anxious when it wouldn’t budge.
He could see in the window, but it was almost worse.
He couldn't get in. 
He couldn't help
He was right there.
Shane Omen stood in the courtyard, Janis in his hand. 
Like every time he sees it, Damian felt his heart stop.
But normally, he could help.
But these god damn doors.
Damian shoved at the doors one last time and they flew open like there was no force needed. 
He stumbled in but it was too late.
He was too far away.
Shane smirked, his grasp on Janis loosening.
Damian couldn't move.
His feet were glued to the ground, his eyes glued on Janis.
She landed on her side, falling deathly still.
Quiet, just like the rest of the school.
Damian gasped, jolting upright in bed.
Bed.
Bed.
Oh.
Damian was vaguely aware of a startled cry as weight on his chest disappeared, landing in his lap.
"Dude. What the fresh fuck. It's tits early an I just wanna know what fucking made that a good idea."
Janis. She was- she was okay.
It was a nightmare.
A god fucking awful nightmare.
A nightmare.
Janis is okay.
It was a nightmare.
Tears burned in Damian's eyes. He felt conflicted. Yeah, it was just a dream, Janis was okay. But what a god fucking awful dream.
"Damian?" The annoyance from her abrupt wakeup was no longer in Janis' voice. "You okay?"
Damian laid back down. "Yeah," His voice was shaky but he pretended like he didn't notice. If he didn't point it out, maybe Janis wouldn't either. "Bad dream. That's all."
He felt the weight of his best friend walk back up his chest. But when he expected her to lay back down, she slipped off, continuing her trek until Damian felt weight shift on the pillow next to his head.
"Jan," He turned to look at her. "What are you doing?"
"If your bad dream resulted in me being fucking catapulted at three am-" She took a breath. "I can only imagine it was worse for you to actually live it. Wanna talk about it?"
"Not particularly, no." Damian turned to lay on his back again.
"That's okay too." Janis said. 
Damian felt the pillow sink into next to his face followed the warm presence of Janis curled up against his cheek.
Janis was alive.
She was safe.
She was right there.
Damian tried to hold back a sniffle, not wanting to cue Janis in on how much he was letting that stupid dream get to him. She was asleep before. It's his fault she wasn't asleep now.
"You can talk to me, yknow," Janis said knowingly. "I always go to you. It's a two-way street."
"I know," Damian said. "You're gonna think it's silly."
Janis sat up. "Nightmares aren’t silly. They’re scary as fuck. It’s in the name, dude."
Damian smiled.
Janis was one of the bravest people Damian ever met. She would never let a nightmare get to her like this. She dealt with real issues. Like a real Shane Omen. Not in some dream courtyard. Janis dealt with it all and she handled it so well. It had to be Damian who got worked up over the nonfictional things.
"It was-" Damian took a shaky breath. "The whole thing was disorienting. But I guess the major take away was- you died Jan. There was nothing I could do to help. I just sat there. And-" 
He took a shuddering breath, his entire chest heaving.
"Woah- Woah-" Janis was up in an instant. "Damian. Hey, breath. I'm not dead. I'm here. Right here."
Damian felt a tiny hand wipe away a tear he didn't realize he had even let fall.
"I'm right here." Janis repeated.
Damian turned on his side again to face Janis. "I love you."
The small girl visibly melted on the spot. "I love you too." She leaned in placing a soft kiss on the bridge of Damian's nose.
"I'm right here."
Damian smiled,  bringing his hand up to pull Janis close to his chest once more. As he faced the ceiling Janis spoke up. "I don't care how much I love you, you wake me up like that one more time I'll murder you."
Damian laughed. "At that height?"
"Oh sure."
4.
Janis wasn't quite sure what was up with Damian, but she wasn't stupid.
She knew it was something major.
She didn't like to jump to conclusions, but Janis was pretty sure it had something to do with the fact that- the past week she's been at the Hubbards, there's been a significant lack of Mr. Hubbard. 
But Damian didn't want to talk about it.
She wouldn't make him.
If Damian wanted sulk all day and pretend he was fine, the best Janis can do its support him and make him feel loved.
And she was trying her fucking best.
But it was getting hard.
Damian wouldn't smile as much anymore. He didn't care as much when Janis did reckless shit- which hey- she wasn't complaining.
But, she literally used the locker/tiny hallway to get to class and Damian just shrugged.
She was losing her best friend.
And fast.
And she was running out of ways to help.
Janis looked at Damian from where she sat on his pillow.
It was a Saturday night and of course, Janis spent it at the Hubbard's. And just like last night and every night before that- Mr. Hubbard was nowhere to be seen. 
Damian was laying in his bed, on his side so he was facing Janis. His eyes were shut and his breath was even.
When Damian was asleep it was pretty easy to see the boy she first met. Scared and alone, just like Janis was.
She saw that boy a lot more often recently.
He just looked- more peaceful now.
Janis had snapped at Damian today. She hadn't meant to. She was angry at herself. For not being able to help Damian more. Angry at Mr. Hubbard for leaving behind his son. Angry at the world for not giving Damian the life and friends he deserves.
But she was in no way mad at Damian.
Yet he was the one she snapped at.
Janis sat up, overwhelmed with guilt and worry.
Damian deserved the world. Not just in her eyes, but anyone who ever got the chance to really know Damian would say the same.
He didn't deserve any of the hurt he felt. Ever.
Janis just wished she could do more. 
She moved close to her friend, stopping where the pillow began to sink with the weight of Damian's head.
If they were the same size, maybe Janis could do more. Pull him into a hug, promise it would be okay.
But- 
they were hardly the same size. 
Janis brushed a strand of hair that had fallen in front of Damian's face away. 
Whether Damian wanted to open up to her or not, Janis would stand by him.
She wouldn't leave him.
She'll be there when he needs her.
Janis may not be able to scoop up Damian and hold her close, but she could comfort him in other ways.
She leaned down, pressing a kiss to Damian's forehead. 
He's gonna be okay.
Janis will be here to make sure of it.
5.
"Damian Hubbard is too gay to function?! That's only okay when I say it!" Janis was livid.
She crumpled the paper in her hands, flinging it at the ground, watching as it fell from her perch on Damian's shoulder.
"Only Cady could have written that."
The clear hurt in Damian's voice felt like a wave crashing on her. All Janis' anger disappeared, replaced with worry for her friend.
Damian's eyes were trained on the crumpled paper on the floor, all the way below them.
"Hey-" Janis said softly. "Let's go somewhere quiet, kay?"
Away from the girls fighting. 
Away from the space dyke comments.
Away from that god awful paper and however many more there were.
Damian nodded, separating himself away from the crowd of raging girls. He walked slowly, like in a daze. Janis' heart broke.
She remembers how it first felt.
To see space dyke on her locker.
If Damian felt even an ounce of that right now? She'd kill Cady Heron with her bare hands. Size difference be dammed. 
Damian pulled into the girl's bathroom. It was empty of course. The entire female student body was at each other's throats in the halls. 
Janis forced herself to push down her anger. Push down her own hurt. 
Damian needed her right now. 
"Are you okay?" Damian asked her, stopping in front of one of the mirrors.
They both looked like a mess.
"Why wouldn't I be okay? Are you okay?" 
Damian's eyes were trained on Janis' reflection ."It said space dyke too."
"I'm used to it," Janis mumbled. "It doesn't hurt anymore. But you-"
"I'll be fine." Damian snapped. 
Janis opened her mouth to say something but closed it. Damian wasn't the one to snap or lash out. That was supposed to be Janis.
She was at a loss for what to do. 
"Wanna-" Janis faltered. "Wanna talk about it?"
"No." 
"Okay. That's alright. It's whatever you want to do. I totally understand whatever you choose to do. It's gonna be okay. Right? It's gonna be fine. Just- yeah." Janis laughed nervously, looking at her boots. "We're both gonna be fine." 
Damian didn't respond.
"We don't need Cady. Right? We kinda figured that out when she threw that party. She's a bitch. So what. It doesn't mean anything. She's just like the rest of them. Plastic. We can't let her get to us. I mean- yeah. We thought she was our friend but she wasn't. There's nothing we can do about that. Plastic be pla-"
"Will you shut up about it?!"
Janis gasped at the shoulder underneath her jerked with a wild hand motion. 
She was so caught up in her own anger for Cady- she totally forgot why she was taking about Cady.
"I'm sorry," Janis whispered, looking at their reflection in the mirror. Damian was looking away, and his arms recrossing in front of his chest.
Janis didn't talk for a while. Damian didn't seem to mind.
She knew deep down Damian was a lot more hurt they he was letting on. It wasn't hard to tell he wasn't okay. And he won't be okay- not for a while at least.
She was there before. 
But-
-she went through it alone.
The harassment, the bullying, the feeling gross about your own sexual identity.
Damian wasn't going to go through it alone.
Janis was going to make sure of that.
She stood, walking slowly across Damain's shoulder, mindful of any sudden movements. 
Damian turned his head to face the mirror, watching Janis carefully.
She reached out, placing her hand on his jaw. "Hey. You don't have to talk now- you don't have to talk anytime soon- but, I'm here. When you want to."
Damian nodded, leaning slightly into Janis' touch. "Okay."
Janis smiled sadly. "Okay."
They've been through worse together.
They can make it through this.
Janis reached onto her tippy toes, pressing a kiss into Damian's cheek. "I love you."
The boy laughed softly. "I love you, too."
6.
Janis was having a shit fucking week.
That was phrasing it lightly.
She tossed over from where she lay on Damian's pillow, facing away from him.
It wasn't uncommon for school night sleepovers.
Frankly, some weeks Janis spent more at the Hubbards than anything.
It was only Wednesday. 
Only Wednesday.
Long ass Wednesday.
After the spring fling, groups started merging. Cady was like glue, sticking the plastics and art freaks together. 
Janis wasn't totally opposed.
Regina did apologize.
She just-
Janis wasn't ready to trust her again.
Janis didn't even fully trust Cady again. 
All these people Janis now surrounded herself with, they could leave, at any moment.
Get bored of space dyke again. And just leave.
It clearly didn't hurt them the first time.
Janis laid back on her back, hyper-aware of the boy lying next to her.
She couldn't tell if he was asleep. She didn't want to disturb him anyway.
Would Damian leave too?
In the past- Janis knew he would choose her.
But they were all friends now.
Janis wouldn't blame him for picking the group over some worthless tiny.
If he stuck with Regina, he'd be safe, from all the bullying, from all the comments, from the general burden of associating with space dyke.
Maybe it was selfish, to want Damian to stay. He deserved better.
Yeah, they found each other at their lowest. Damian knew more about Janis that anyone should. But that didn't mean he had to stay. 
Regina knew a lot about Janis too.
She left and didn't look back.
Why didn't Damian?
"Jan, you okay?"
Of course, Damian's awake. 
Of course, he can tell something is off.
His voice was clear. There was no post-sleep grogginess. Damian had been awake for a while too.
Janis didn't turn to look at him. She could feel his eyes trained on her small form, even in the dark. 
"I'm fine." She exhaled after a while. 
"No, you're not." There's shuffling as Damian rolls slightly, propping himself up on his forearms so he's hovered over Janis. "Talk to me."
If anybody else did that, Janis would freak. But it's Damian. She forced a smile as she looked up at him. "It's nothing. It's- it's stupid that's what it is."
Damian frowned. From this close, Janis could feel the heat radiating off his face. The way Damian loomed over her should make her nervous- but it doesn't. She feels secure and safe. And loved. "I'm sure its not stupid."
"I just-" Janis crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't wanna be alone again."
Damian blinked, moving back slightly. "What do you mean, Jan?"
"What if- what if the plastics decide they don't want to be friends with me again. And its eighth grade all over. And- what if you decide to leave with them?" Tears that Janis would really rather not be there burned in her eyes. She felt foolish. Damian was right here now, but she was to busy worrying about a time when he won't be here.
Damian exhaled softly, his face falling. His breath was hot as it washed over Janis, a reminder of how small she was. Janis shook her head. "I told you it was stupid." She mumbled.
"It's not stupid." Damian insisted. "You have a perfectly good reason to worry about that. But- just know I'm not going anywhere. Certainly not with some plastics. If they do leave again, I'll still be here. No matter who leaves, I'll be here."
Damian leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Janis' middle. She smiled, holding the tip of his nose as it pushed against her.
"I promise." He said softly, sitting up a little. 
Janis looked at the boy above her. Damian did so much for her, all the time. Even the smallest things made such a difference.
Janis isn't even sure Damian knows how much he means so her. "I love you, so much." Janis said sitting up as Damian scooped her into his hands.
"I love you, too. So much."
Damian repositioned himself so he was laying on his back, with Janis held to his chest.
Janis got comfy. Between the heartbeat underneath her, the hand above her, and the newfound confidence that her platonic soulmate was going nowhere- Janis had no issue falling asleep this time.
AHHHHH YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUN BEAR AND I HAD WRITING THIS? WE PULLED AN ALL NIGHTER- i took a five and a half hour nap at six lmao- AND FREAKED OUT OVER HOW SOFT IT WAS giant kisses just- kergbqr @realmisspolarbear @smallsoysauce @musicallygt 
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writinginstardust · 4 years
Text
Snowed In
Pairing: Alex Claremont-Diaz x Henry Fox-Montchristen-Windsor
Prompt: we just had a one-night stand but a massive storm hit so now we’re snowed in, hello awkward 
Warnings: mild sexual content, swearing
A/N: Thanks to @moderngenius94 for requesting this prompt! (sorry, i still don’t know why tumblr won’t let me tag you) Not-famous university AU for you all which does exactly what the prompt says so enjoy!
Word Count: 2124
*
Alex’s thoughts were currently consumed by soft blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, plump pink lips, and a swoon-worthy British accent he didn’t know existed until tonight. He hadn’t meant for it to happen but too much alcohol, a sexually charged party atmosphere, and months of attraction had led to him finally taking action and inviting Henry back to his dorm room.
You could call it a spur of the moment decision since he hadn’t started the night looking to get laid, but it was something Alex had been considering, consciously or not, since his first week of college. At that time he’d still been blind to his own bisexuality but Henry had unintentionally forced him into having a sexuality crisis. And he didn’t even know his name.
His best friend Nora had been both a help and a hindrance in the following two weeks. She was too smart and perceptive for her own good and brought Alex to realisation quicker than he’d have managed on his own. The problem was, she lived in the same building as the beautiful blond who Alex was quickly realising he might be obsessed with and caught glances of him far too often.
So, he figured himself out but still had no idea how to approach the boy that starred in most of his dreams and even invaded his waking thoughts, or even if he could. He didn’t know his name or a thing about him, only ever saw him from afar around campus, and had no idea if he was even into guys. He ended up spending months pining, which was both unusual and most unwelcome by his friends, and never doing anything about the attraction he couldn’t seem to shake. Until tonight.
Alcohol had been flowing for hours at the Christmas party being held in his dorm and Alex had managed to get suitably drunk when he spied Henry across the room. Thank god for liquid confidence and the reckless abandon it brought, Alex thought as he found himself walking in Henry’s direction, determined to finally put an end to this one way or another.
“Hey!” Alex called over the music, his words only slightly slurred.
“Hi,” he replied with a smile and Alex could just make out the accent shaping the word. He wasn’t usually all that into accents, not even British ones that seemed to make American girls swoon, but he couldn’t deny that this one was doing it for him. And he’d only said one word. Maybe he could chalk it up to being drunk for now, even if he knew for a fact that wasn’t the case.
“I’m Alex.” He offered the boy his hand and a soft palm slid into his grip. Alex tried not to think about how good his hands would feel elsewhere.
“Henry. I’ve seen you around my dorm a lot, your friends live there?” So Henry had noticed him too.
“Yeah, Nora does.”
“Nora… Isn't she the genius one who’s always got a laptop with her?” 
“The very same. So you’ve met?”
“A few times. She likes psychoanalysing me.”
“Yeah, she does that a lot. She’s kinda freakishly perceptive.”
“I’ve noticed.” He smiled softly and took a swig of his drink. Alex’s eyes were glued to his throat as he watched him swallow and wow, it was really getting hot in there.
“So, what are you studying?” He asked after a moment of silence in which he dragged his mind from the gutter.
“English Literature, you?”
“Political Science. So, let me guess, favourite author is Charles Dickens?”
“Jane Austin actually.” They talked for a little longer and yeah, Alex really liked this guy. Henry managed to catch up and get on Alex’s level of buzzed, losing some of his control and frequently looking at Alex in a way that had him very hot under the collar. 
The sexual tension climbed between them as they drank and danced - at Alex’s insistence - and talked until it was too much to bear. Henry’s eyes had barely left Alex since he struck up a conversation and he looked like pure temptation with his flushed cheeks tousled hair, Alex couldn’t resist it any longer. He shuffled close to Henry, reaching up to grasp the back of his neck and pull him down into a searing but uncoordinated kiss. There was a moment where Henry didn’t respond and Alex thought he’d misread something but it was fleeting and he found himself practically melting when Henry kissed back and hands landed on his hips. 
Both of them were too drunk to make it a good kiss but neither cared. It was hot and heavy and filled with pent up want on both sides. Henry was far from the shy, quiet guy Alex had seen around now and he didn’t kiss a thing like he’d expected. He moved confidently, taking what he wanted and giving Alex everything he needed in return and Alex wondered how he’d managed to go his whole life without this.
“You wanna get out of here?” Alex asked breathlessly when he pulled away, opening his eyes and meeting Henry’s which were dark with want. He was a little flustered at the question and its implications, which amused Alex after the way he’d just been kissing him, but Alex could read the answer on his face before he even said it.
“Yes. Gladly.”
Which is how Alex had ended up pressed against his bedroom door, hands tangled in that soft blond hair, lips locked with those perfect pink ones that had been drawing Alex in for months now. He ground his hips against Henry’s, groaning at the friction and slotting a thigh between his legs, pressing up and drawing the most beautiful sounds from his lips.
“Alex...fuck…” Henry breathed right in his ear and Alex felt like he might combust. God, his name hand never sounded as good as it did when Henry said it. He found Henry’s lips again and everything went into a haze. Clothes were torn off, lips traced hot, sweat-slicked skin, hands and mouths dragged out lustful sounds and sent them both tumbling into blissful oblivion.
-
Alex woke first the next morning. He squinted in the early light pouring through his window and tried to remember what had happened the night before through the pounding in his head. There were drinks, lots of them, he recalled, dancing, kissing, blond hair… it was all a bit blurry. As his senses properly returned he noticed another weight dipping the mattress. 
Turning his head he was met with messy blond hair, pale skin, and a dawning realisation of just what the hell he’d done last night. He almost fell out of bed at the shock of finding Henry lying there beside him, very much naked and very much not leaving any room for doubt. ...So that had happened. 
He watched the sleeping boy for a few minutes, taking the opportunity to admire the view while memories of last night resurfaced. Henry’s hands, his lips, his tongue, all over Alex. The taste of him, his face as it contorted in pleasure, his gasps and moans of Alex’s name. It was starting to get very hot in there again and his body was starting to react to those memories in ways he couldn’t exactly deal with right then.
Breakfast. Water. Painkillers. That’s what he needed right now. He slipped out of bed and looked on the floor for his clothes. A cold shower, he added to the list when another particularly vivid memory surfaced and he felt something stir in his belly.
He went for the shower first, dealing with his little problem and getting rid of the itchiness from dried sweat quickly. He was slightly more human by the time he’d finished and took some painkillers to help him get the rest of the way there, leaving the packet on the bedside table for when Henry woke up on his way back through the bedroom.
It turned out, as Alex discovered when he glanced out the kitchen window, that a snowstorm had hit during the night. He vaguely remembered seeing some news report warning about it a few days ago but hadn’t truly believed it would happen so of course the universe had decided to prove him wrong. Several feet of the white stuff had already settled from what he could see and was still falling heavily from the sky. He shrugged it off at first, graciously accepting his fate of being stuck inside watching TV or studying all day - oh the humanity!, before remembering Henry. Henry who was still in his bed. Henry who he’d just had a one night stand with. Henry who couldn’t get home in this weather. Well. Today was going to be interesting.
He’d just finished making breakfast - eggs and bacon, greasy and the only acceptable hangover food - when he heard tentative footsteps emerging from his room. They stopped abruptly and Alex turned, finding Henry frozen like a deer in headlights. He stood awkwardly for a few seconds as Alex watched him, trying to gauge where they were at, before breaking the silence.
“...Hi.”
“Morning.” Alex tried for a relaxed smile, not 100% sure it was successful. “You want breakfast?” Henry hesitated, looking very much like he wanted the delicious smelling food, but declined.
“I should probably go…” Alex tried not to look as deflated as he felt. 
“Yeah, about that… There was like a blizzard last night and we’re pretty much snowed in.”
“I can’t dig my way out?”
“Nope. And even if you could, it’s still snowing pretty bad, I’m not letting you walk all the way across campus in this.” Henry looked like he wanted to argue but there really wasn’t any way around the situation they found themselves in and he accepted defeat.
“Okay. Uh...since I’m staying, could I have breakfast after all?” He looked so awkward, still hovering in the doorway, and Alex smiled at him, hoping to help him feel more relaxed. He was going to be stuck here for a while after all.
“Sure. You want coffee as well?”
“Do you have tea?”
“Probably.” Alex set to searching the cupboards. His roommate drank tea so there should be some around. “Aha!” He exclaimed triumphantly when he found it. “Is earl grey alright?”
“That’s fine.” Henry finally moved and joined Alex in the kitchen, taking a seat at the small dining table pushed against one wall while Alex piled food on plates and poured them both a drink. He stayed quiet while they ate and Alex wasn’t entirely sure what to say in this situation. Typically, you don’t end up having breakfast and being trapped with a one night stand. Especially not when that one night stand was someone you’d been into for months. 
“So, uh, I should probably tell you, I don’t usually do this.” Henry finally said when they moved to the couch and Alex put on a movie.
“What? Hook up with impossibly attractive guys or have breakfast with them the next morning?” He winked and Henry nearly choked on his tea, cheeks flaming.
“Both,” he choked out. “This is really not in my comfort zone.”
“I get that. But, it’s only awkward if we make it awkward.”
“How on Earth can this not be awkward?” Henry asked. Alex just shrugged.
“Just try to forget how amazing the sex was I guess.” Henry’s face reddened with embarrassment again and Alex grinned. “Look man, if it makes you feel any better, I’m a bit lost here too. I don’t do the one night stand thing very often either.”
“Then why-”
“Because I’ve kinda liked you for a while.”
“We never even spoke until last night though?”
“Yeah, but have you seen yourself? Anyone with eyes has a crush on you.” Henry’s flush deepened at that, as if he wasn’t used to receiving compliments, the notion of which was utterly ridiculous to Alex. Henry didn’t have any kind of response for him and Alex let out a sigh. Might as well just go for it now.
“Okay, so, I know that was probably meant to be a one time thing, but would maybe wanna do it again sometime? Or something else?” He quickly added when Henry looked at him in shock. “Like coffee or dinner or something?”
“Are you- Are you asking me out on a date?”
“Yeah. If you want.” Henry considered for a moment, they’d really gone about this in a very backwards fashion and the idea of a simple date after what they’d done last night seemed rather odd but not unappealing.
“I’d like that.” He smiled softly and Alex felt something flutter in his chest. Hopefully he’d get to see that smile a whole lot more now.
*
Tag Lists: (send an ask if you want to be added!)
Everything: @wonderfilledness @writingbychelle @ad-astraaaa @moderngenius94
Firstprince: @alex-g-claremont-diaz
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