#but then u gotta find the cool people within that crowd

[sapsolais]

there should be an app for making friends with other queer people in your area who also yearn and think too much

[poptod]

Hi, I hope ur having a great day! I’m rly enjoying ur writing and wanted to make a request! Could u write like a (kinda reverse) Cinderella inspired oneshot where Larry has allowed some of the human exhibits to go outside at night (with normal civilian clothes to blend in) just as long as they make it back before light. Ahkmenrah meets the reader and immediately catches feelings for them so he always goes to see them every other night but the reader gets suspicious when he’s always like “oh no it’s almost dawn I gotta leave!” then runs off dramatically (like Cinderella). But one night when he runs off they try chasing after him (like “hey wait I thought we were hitting it off🥺”) but loses him in the crowd but finds that he dropped his cool Egyptian bracelet or something else. Then the next night they’re asking everywhere if they knew who or where the bracelet belonged to and one person said it looked like it belonged in the museum so they go there and it’s like a whole Cinderella moment where Ahkmenrah comes down the steps in his whole gold Pharaoh getup. The reader is totally SHOOK but asks him if the bracelet belonged to him and ofc he’s like “yeah :)” And it’s just a fluffy ending. Hopefully that wasn’t too long and complicated of a request😅

notes: this has been in my inbox for... a year maybe? i'd apologize but i feel like that's inappropriate now for some reason. here it is lmao edit: no wait I do have to apologize, this isn't exactly the prompt because I didnt read it correctly (somehow, despite having it in my inbox for, again, a year) so theres a small change. sorry! hope you dont mind. they arent major changes.

also if ur worried abt the long request... this is a longer fic too lmao WC: 3.1k

+

On evenings and weekends Times Square was filled with people; native New Yorkers, tourists, shops, sellers, food carts, and pretty much every other sign of life, not limited to the occasional rat or raccoon. Sometimes that made it hard for you to commute, since Times Square stood at the direct intersection between your workplace and your apartment.

Tonight, Times Square itself was fighting against you, and packed humans like sardines within the free confines of the bright, commercial skyscrapers. Even going in a circle round the square would take forever, so the best solution––you decided––was to just walk straight through the crowd.

In the dark of the evening, giant, glowing billboards lit your way, acting as beacons telling you which direction to face. Passing conversation and bustling bodies tried their best to distract you, with their pushing hands and foreign words, but you kept your eye on the biggest screen; it was always to your left. Noodles and a rabbit awaited you at home, alongside the next episode of your show, and with that pleasant reminder you charged on.

"Wir mussen die anderen –"

"Quand reviendrons-nou –"

"But mom, she doesn't even –"

"Disini banyak sampah."

"Bakmak! şu elbiseye –"

So many voices.

Part of you wanted to know what languages they were speaking, but before you could really think about it––or center down on one of the languages––you knocked headfirst into another person walking the opposite direction, sending you both down to the floor in your previous haste. Your hand whipped up to your head as a jolt of pain rippled through your skull upon impact. You hissed out a sharp breath, pointedly feeling your tailbone against the cold cement and the carelessly shifting bodies of the crowd around you.

Looking up, you found a young man around your age sitting across from you, having ended up in the same position as you; legs splayed out on the ground, hand grasping the head. He was staring at you though, his eyes wide and shadowed by the figures around you. He tried to stammer out something as he stood, but before words could come out, he helped you to your feet, still clutching his head.

"I – I – I'm sorry, I didn't – I didn't see you there," he breathed out with a weak chuckle, his brow twisted in worry. He didn't move his hand from yours when you stood.

"Don't worry about it," you chuckled. "I didn't see you, either. Did I hurt you?"

"No more than I've accidentally hurt myself before," he said, earning a small laugh from you.

In return, a shy smile reached his face, and you got to watch as his eyes turned into a blue warmth in the billboard lights, framed perfectly above dark, freckled cheeks and soft lips.

"My name's (Y/N)," you managed to say, staring unblinking at the perfect man before you.

"I am..." he paused for far longer than you'd ever heard someone pause when telling their name, "... Teddy."

He didn't look like he was quite sure.

"Are you sure you're alright?" You asked, raising a brow.

"Yes, I just.. it's... been a long time," he said in a quieter voice, "since I've seen someone.. like you."

You paused. Was he commenting on your skin tone or something? Your confusion––or perhaps your sudden discomfort––must've been obvious, because he quickly backpedalled to explain himself better.

"I mean – someone as beautiful as you," he sighed, scanning your expression as it lightened into pleasant surprise.

This man was a blessing in a dirty grey sweatshirt and jeans. It had been a while for you, too––a while since you'd met anyone new, since you'd had a genuine interaction and connection with someone. Excitement thrummed through you at the thought of the possible realities that could stem from this moment.

Alas, too good to be true. Someone yelled something above the crowd, and the young man's eyes darted up and away from you.

"Shit," he hissed, his gaze flickering from you to someone in the distance. "I have to – I have to go."

But he hesitated to leave. Only for a moment, but a hesitation nonetheless, letting his hand linger in yours for longer than strictly necessary. Again his eyes settled on you.

"I will never be sorry enough for this, but you are so beautiful," he blurted out in sincerity, his cool gaze drowned in a deep sorrow before he darted off into the crowd.

You tried your best to hold on, but all you caught was the thick bracelet round his wrist, and that pulled easily off as he disappeared. A sudden and sinking disappointment fell like an anvil in your chest. No one but a rabbit awaited you at home and you would never see that man again. You would never be sorry enough. He was so beautiful. 8 million people in New York City, thousands upon thousands crowded into 1,000 square feet, and you would never see him again.

Shit.

It was then, staring off into the crowd, that you remembered something heavy was in your hand. His bracelet remained with you, and in a split second you had a new mission. This wasn't personal anymore––it was manners. Clearly he needed this bracelet back no matter what, so you needed to find him. You didn't stop to scan the bracelet or anything––nor deduce that it was made of pure gold and carved with hieroglyphs––before you decided upon your new mission. Clearly this bracelet meant the world to him, and it was your duty as a good citizen to give it back. Clearly.

Not an excuse to see him again, at all.

You tried to run back through the crowd in the direction you came, but by the time you made it to the other side, he was gone. Different streets led in different directions and different blocks and it would be impossible to say which direction he'd taken.

Your search wouldn't end there, oh no; you would continue this.

After you got home and finally had dinner at 11 in the evening.

In the morning, in the half hour you had to yourself before work, you scanned the bracelet as you ate breakfast. Your sleepy mind could identify the Egyptian style and the genuine feel of the material, but you weren't sure what to make of it. Perhaps the man was a collector, or perhaps it was a family heirloom, or perhaps even a stolen artifact.

You bit into your lip, toying with it as you contemplated what in the hell you could do.

Maybe the internet might know something, but what if you ended up in the possession of a stolen artifact? If you posted a picture, would the police––no, wait the FBI––find out and arrest you with no evidence?

No, you decided. Most certainly not. Regardless you decided to keep it to yourself for a little while and do some quieter sleuthing.

To your immense delight, you managed to get off work early, and soon headed back home down your usual route. Again you crossed Times Square, and you found yourself helpless to the hope of seeing the man again. Your eyes scanned the crowd to no avail.

Somehow, your failure only propelled you further to continue your search. Your first idea was to check stores online; maybe he was just interested in Egyptian history and bought something for the novelty, but nothing online matched the design. Museum archives offered little until you ventured to wonder if the Natural History museum had an Egyptian exhibit. The Metropolitan Museum was your first guess, since they had an extensive archive of Egyptian artifacts, and the Natural Museum your last, since the last time you went there were no mentions of Egypt or the Middle East.

Yet here you were, staring at the newly re-released exhibit of the Museum of Natural History, and finding the exact image of the bracelet in your hand. A pair of them glowed on the screen.

Was it too late in the evening to try and return it now? The museum closed pretty early, these days, though you supposed they'd probably make an exception for a possibly stolen object.

The tiny clock on your screen glowed a faint white, displaying a time of 19:40. Not too late to go out, you decided, especially since you didn't have work tomorrow.

Pulling on gloves, a scarf, and a thick jacket, you left your home and headed on your way to the museum. It was a short train-ride away, but the whole time you were clutching onto the bracelet hidden in your pocket, terrified of being discovered and terrified of losing it. In every stranger's face you found a suspect, as well as the tingling hope of happening to see the man again.

He seemed like he'd be a good hugger, when you first saw him. His grey sweatshirt was a little large on him, and he had a hint of chub, which would make him a wonderful, soft pillow.

You shut your eyes and tried to erase the image from your mind.

Despite the lights glowing from within the tall museum windows, the front doors were locked, and shades were drawn that prevented you from looking inside. You sighed, the breath shaking through your empty chest. You had been expecting this, but you hadn't thought of what to do after it happened––once the doors were locked, how could you talk to anyone if they were all inside or at home for the night?

Well, the lights were still on, which meant it was likely someone was still there. You reasoned that if someone was inside, it would be illegal to lock them inside in case of an emergency, so there had to be an open door somewhere.

There were a few alternative exits and entrances scattered throughout the complex, but none worked until you found the delivery entrance. Here, giant trucks would back into the museum, bringing and taking new exhibits. Fresh footprints imprinted themselves in the mud surrounding the driveway.

God... damn it, you thought, your brain fighting turmoil at the idea of committing a crime. Was it really a crime? Would you be caught if it was? Would you be condemned even if it wasn't? What were you hoping to find here?

Some sort of answer. Part of you realized this wasn't just about the mysterious man anymore––it was about stolen artifacts and ancient things. In a way, you were doing your duty in returning something that might've been valuable to historians and archaeologists.

What you found instead––or heard, rather––was music distantly playing in one of the many rooms of the museum. You very nearly got lost several times, but eventually made your way to the museum entrance you first tried to enter.

The first thing you noticed wasn't the music genre, nor the volume, nor the bright, warm lights––what you saw were people both inhuman and uncannily alive, and animals ranging from the Cenozoic era and into the Paleogene and occupying environments all over the world. You could hardly believe what was in front of you, and for several minutes you stared with wide eyes, convinced you'd been slipped something in your latest drink.

Standing and gawking in the corridor eventually gained the attention of a nightguard, who jogged over once he spotted you.

"Hey," he said, slowing down as he approached through the crowd. His voice was somewhat familiar, but you couldn't place it at the time. "What are you doing here? Museum's closed, you're not supposed to be here."

"What... the fuck," you whispered, still staring past his shoulder to an ostrich trying to play soccer with... was that Christopher Columbus in bronze?

"Hey!" He raised his voice and snapped his fingers in front of your face, finally catching your attention. "What's up? Why are you here?"

"I, uh.." your sweaty hands clutched your bag, "I met a.. I met someone, and they – they dropped this."

You fumbled to grab the bracelet, pulling it out and presenting it with a firm grip to the nightguard. His brow furrowed.

"I couldn't find any information about it online, but it looked kinda similar to one of your exhibits here."

"Yeah, I..." He stared at the bracelet in your hand. "I think I know where that belongs."

How this nightguard managed to remain calm in the chaos surrounding you was astounding in itself, but you quickly and correctly surmised that he was used to this. The sudden appearance of magic in your life was alarming, to say the least, but somehow it paled in comparison to what happened next.

"How did you say you got this again?" The nightguard tried to ask, but lights reflecting into your eye drew your gaze away and towards whatever chandelier was glinting at you.

You squinted through the glamour, and at long last you finally found the mysterious man.

You never thought you'd find ancient Egyptian fashion attractive, but here you were, comparing his ratty sweatshirt to a cape and collar of gold, a serpent crown that shone bright in the museum lights, and finding you liked this version more. There was a regality he'd tossed aside when you first met him––now it held his shoulders up, gave his jaw and eyes a keenness you could see from across the room. His tanned hand reached out to the stair's railing, revealing a bare wrist that didn't match the other hand's bracelet.

In the crowd at Times Square and the crowd in the museum he could find you easily. His eyes zipped across the room and immediately you filled his mind; a recollection of memories, a remembrance of fantasies, and a reminder of his wishes to see you again.

He smiled. You saw none of the tumultuous thoughts and only received a wide but friendly smile, growing as you both wound around the exhibits to reach each other.

When you came face to face with him, though, you were at a loss of words, and stared at him for a good moment before you could speak.

"I think I have something of yours," you said quietly.

"Yes," he said with a nod, "you have my heart and I'd like it back."

Your eyes widened, and a burning blush instantaneously filled your cheeks.

"I meant your bracelet, sugar," you mumbled red-faced, shaking your head and hiding your face in one hand while the other presented the bracelet.

"I know," he chuckled softly, and pushed the bracelet aside in favor of taking your hands, pulling you closer to him.

"I gather your name isn't Teddy?" You asked.

"No. Name of a friend," he said, gesturing behind you with his eyes.

You checked and found the wax statue of Theodore Roosevelt you first saw as a child, only this time he was talking. To the nightguard. Of course. When your gaze returned to the man before you, he answered the question you didn't ask.

"My real name is Ahkmenrah. I was once Pharaoh presiding over all of Egypt. Now, I am a common man. I hope..." he watched intently as he intertwined his fingers with yours, reluctant to meet your eye, "... that seeing both these sides of me.. has not tarnished your image of me."

"Things like that don't matter to me," you chuckled. "But why did you run?"

He scoffed softly, rolling his eyes.

"Larry keeps a short leash on us all when he lets us outside the museum. He thinks we ought to interact with modern people as little as possible," he grumbled, glancing to the nightguard behind you. His tone grew softer as he spoke again. "I'm glad I ran into you. Even if it was a little painful."

You giggled as you remembered the headache you got from the impact.

"So am I."

"And... I meant what I said."

You gave him a questioning look, to which he replied with, "I'm sorry I left you there with no truth about me, no answer. And you are truly beautiful."

A deep yearning emanated from his gaze, heavy with the words he wouldn't yet say, and the anticipation to hear your reply. You didn't really understand why he found you attractive to this degree––he was a Pharaoh, and you imagined he was used to a level of beauty that could reign over countries of old.

You weren't like that.

"I'm not so sure about that," you chuckled sheepishly, "but thank you."

You always answered compliments so quietly; it annoyed your mother, but Ahkmenrah didn't seem to mind past assuring that you knew he meant it.

For the rest of the evening he danced with you to the music that lived within the museum's entrance, and reintroduced you to many of the exhibits, including his own. Seeing distant childhood memories and fantasies brought to fruition had its effect on you; not dissimilar to wine, intoxicating and thrilling to its core. Or maybe it was his hand in yours, thousands of years old and with it the accompanying wisdom, with which he chose you out of millions. He showered you in affections and twirled you any chance the music would give, just to watch you grin and giggle. It was as though he was trying to win you over, as though you weren't already enchanted, as if you weren't hanging on to his every word.

Eventually you got his explanation––a reason behind the magic, and why he couldn't leave in the daytime. And, eventually, the morning came, bringing the light of the sun just barely peeking over the skyscrapers.

"Come see me tomorrow night," Ahkmenrah asked, holding your hands as you stood by the door, your jacket and bag on your shoulders. "Please?"

"I don't know if I can," you said, already wringing your heart at the words. The feeling only worsened when you saw how his expression fell. "I have a lot of work to do for the next few days and I can't just go without sleep."

"I understand," he said quietly. "Please just.. come when you can."

"Of course."

When you arrived back at home, your apartment seemed more empty than it had ever been, despite the fact that nothing changed. Your rabbit was still waiting for you and there were still noodles in your fridge to be eaten.

As you dropped your bag, you heard a distinct clunking that sounded unfamiliar. It made you pause, and as you knelt to dig through your bag, you found the same Egyptian bracelet you tried to return to Ahk. Alongside it was a note.

Just a little insurance. Want to make sure I see you again.

You snorted. As if you could last more than a week without seeing him next.

[tfw-no-tennis]

mtmte liveblog issue 28

catch me completely ignoring dark cybertron lmao

yeahhhh so I'm just gonna skip dark cybertron bc no thanks. I did read the tf wiki articles for the issues tho, which is more than I did in the past, so at least now I kinda know what happened, though I had to suffer thru reading about dark cybertron to learn stuff about it. yikes. reading ABOUT dark cybertron further enforced my decision to not actually read thru it

anyways. the best part of dark cybertron was when chromedome threw prowl off that cliff. that was baller lmfao

a 1 page recap of dark cybertron is about all I can handle. thank you

ooh, the 6 months later smash-cut, I fucking love itttt

nautica’s here!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy I love her. also brainstorm, and I love their friendship sm

hvbjdkhfbshdfj god I love them. they have such a fun dynamic 

everyone eavesdropping on a therapy session vhbhdjkhafbhkjsdf. hipaa laws mean nothing as usual 

the casual reveal of captain megatron, oh god 

the title fucking slaps, as usual. this is one of my favorites - ‘world, shut your mouth.’ great stuff, and a song title/reference to boot! and this being part 1: towards peace...chefs kiss

and then we flash back to 6 months earlier...yknow now that I'm rereading this, mtmte has a LOT of framing devices used - there's story-within-a-story, flashback/flash-forwards, storytelling with narration, etc...I love it

god hbvhjakdfbshjkdf rodimus saying ‘magic’ and then the little *magic = science rodimus doesn't understand HBGKJHSDBFKHJSDF my idiot boy ily

rodimus roasting prowl is my fav hbfjdkafshsbjkf ‘maybe the knights can help us find a cure for your personality’ ily sm

and then prowl agreeing w/rodimus a few panels later about megatron’s guilt...

optimus...don't you think that making yourself chief of justice is...maybe a bad idea...like, maybe there's a conflict of interests here...just a little bit of bias...a bit too much history, perhaps...

the fact that all the big roles in the trial were given to high-ranking autobots who were heavily involved in the war...I see that cybertrons justice system is as much of a farce as their medical ethics and patient confidentiality laws 

the ‘you BROKE the MATRIX’ panel is so good bjhkdhfbajskhdf

rodimus: LISTEN dad I just wanna resume my space cruise with my frat bro ship I have no interest in politics

psychiatrists HATE him! local former warlord refuses to recognize the validity of psychological analyzation of people’s actions

ravage casually breaking hipaa laws and chilling in megatron’s therapy session like >:3

I love rung...he’s so good at like, passive-aggressively cutting right to the heart of someone’s issues, and he’s so generally mild that you can’t even really get mad at him 

the sudden inclusion of megatron as a major character in mtmte is kinda jarring at first - mostly, for me at least, due in part because I didn't read dark cybertron so this is like, megatron’s introduction as a relevant character in general - but I feel like jro does a great job laying a lot of intrigue down from the very beginning w/his character - like, I already want to know more about what his whole deal is, even though we have, ostensibly, seen pretty much all of his story play out already 

rung name-dropping froid...i remember that made me lose my shit bc cmon. FROID....jesus christ

rung and megatron: holy shit! we’re suddenly being drawn in a 90s-esque sci-fi tron-looking retro-futuristic style!

interesting that megatron sought rung out, and not the other way around

RIPTIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my favorite sharkboy is HERE

CREWDITIONS...YES....

‘we’re not allowed to take anyone who might remind rodimus of prowl’ vhbhjdkshfbhaskfd brutal

I love nautica so so much. a perfect autistic scientist after my own heart

I adore that nautica brought chromia along for moral support

hgvbjdakhfbhsj and then swerve saying that rodimus hates ‘trisyllabic names’ and nautica is like....but....‘rodimus’.....

and then nightbeat busts in to get all bbc sherlock on they asses hgbfhjadkfbjaskdf

WHY was perceptor at the crewditions if he was already part of the crew lmao

ooof, and then we have megatron flipping out when chromedome, a mnemosurgeon, shows up

also damn the autobots were rlly like okay so we wanna speed this trial up so lets just like, probe megatrons brain, that seems completely ethical, especially when you consider the history of shadowplay and stuff that our previous government had

I know important stuff is happening but megatron is holding a CUBE and I love CUBES so I'm distracted by that. C U B E

and then right after a scene where we see chromedome willing to perform mnemosurgery again - despite rewind’s like, dying wish for him not to - we hear that he’s been locked up in his room rewatching rewinds goodbye message over and over again :( I'm fucking depressed

I love nightbeat, he’s so funny and kind of an asshole

and then you see more missing letters behind them next panel...clearly nightbeat is right and there’s a mystery afoot...OR somebody is fucking with the ship’s lettering as a prank, which is a plot point I would absolutely buy

yeahhhh skids is right, chromedome is clearly Not dealing 

the dramatic graffiti on megatrons door...I wanna know who spray-painted ‘die’ everywhere like they're reaper overwatch

oh god. whirl vs megatron

really cool red lighting tho

GOD its so brutal, all the stuff megatron said about how he told the cons not to kill whirl...and doesn't that end up being false anyways? so he was just saying it to dig at whirl, which is awful

also I'm never over the fact that literally everyone - including megatron and whirl - blames whirl for ‘turning megatron violent,’ as if the entire Point isn't that whirl was a tool for a corrupt system, and if it wasn't whirl it would've just been someone else, and megatron turning away from pacifism was inevitable given the circumstances, AND also a choice on his part, so he really only has himself to blame for his OWN ACTIONS

bye bye whirls right arm, see you in lost light 

‘people never stop changing’ that IS something I say all the time...damn you warlord grandpa! how can you steal my philosophies?!

ohhh man and then rewind’s goodbye message being different....oooh

AUGH the fact that whirl was basically trying to goad megatron into killing him, just like he did in issue 1 w/cyclonus...It Hurts Man

also I do love the hint at who he’s talking to w/whirl shooting megatron with the bow and arrow earlier, and we know that atomizer is a fan of those

ok, but here’s where my philosophy diverges - megatron talks about throwing away his past and starting new, but I think that you have to learn from and build on your past...either way, megatron’s arc is one that I enjoy greatly from a character writing standpoint, and I'm excited to get it underway, especially w/how controversial it is lmao

big ole double-page spread...I like how you can pick out individual characters in the background crowd, which is crazy cause that's a LOT of people. also how come cosmos is so HUGE

phewwww 4.6 billion cybertronians died in the war, that’s INSANE. that's like, an incomprehensibly huge number. is there an estimate for their current population? I bet its not a lot. no wonder jro leaned into reproductive themes so much in mtmte/ll - of course the continuation of your species would be a concern for many if your numbers have been that greatly reduced

optimus w/his fancy tyrest-lookin crown

oughdajbfsbdf and the fact that megatron ALSO murdered 100 BILLION non-cybertronians...bruh. I feel like they maybe should've dialed those numbers back a little to allow his ‘redemption arc’ to run a little smoother lmao. but also I admire the commitment either way

and then we end w/megatron doing captain stuff, and seeing The Coffin...and we never did see rodimus in any of the flash-forward parts of this issue, did we???? I love how concerning that is. where's my BOY

also of course we gotta remember the warning from way back at the beginning of mtmte: ‘don't open the coffin’....

and so begins mtmte s2! man I love s2. I love mtmte in general lmao. s2 takes on the impossible w/the whole ‘megatron redemption arc’ thing, and I know that’s like, a divisive plot point and stuff, but from a writing standpoint I enjoyed it a lot...I think it was pretty much as well done as it could've been given the enormity of the task, and I thought it was a really interesting direction for the story to go in 

also espec if it’s true that hasbro was like ‘hey jro put megatron in your story and give him a redemption arc’ rather than jro like, planning/asking to do it 

anyways. I doubt ill talk much abt the disc horse(tm) here bc this is just for fun and also my own personal opinions and whatever, but I for one am excited to reexperience this stuff 

so yeah s2 off to a strong start with some wild shit already happening! cant wait to read more!

[dirt-cup-draco]

Gar x Reader

*So I basically binged Titans and it is now consuming me it is precious and amazing and I would die for all of them so here we are* LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE LIL BEAST 

Dick had stumbled upon you one day when some poor fool had made the mistake of trying to mug you. You were living on the streets and hadn’t had much to give anyway but nonetheless, the man that smelled like a bar had grabbed you and dragged you into an alley, a sweaty palm over your mouth. A knife was pressed lightly to your side but you squirmed and he made the weapon’s presence more of a threat. His rancid breath was nearly worse than his body odor. It smelled like he was sweating alcohol. It was enough to make you gag. “Quiet girl, I just want whatever money you got, valuables too, I don’ wanna kill you,” He’d said.

Dick had seen it all happen, swiftly making his way to the alley. Yet when he’d arrived you were taking care of yourself. With inhuman strength you had lifted the man above you, your arm stretched to it’s fullest length, your hand crushing the man’s throat. Dick had cleared his throat and you startled, dropping the attacker to the concrete. Cars sped passed and people walked along busy with their own problems, yet you didn’t take in any of it. You were merely staring at the man who had his eyes fixed on you in...curiosity? 

Your attacker scrambled to his feet, wheezing as his dirty hands gripped the newcomer’s jacket. “She’s crazy! Attacked me! You gotta help, call the cops or somethin’!” He begged yet the stranger’s eyes turned cold and he shoved the man away, telling him to fuck off. The attacker stumbled and then finally received the message as he sped away. You were unsure what to do. Maybe you could call it adrenaline? Say you worked out a lot? Why was he even still there?

“You alright?” Came his cool, steady voice. His eyes were narrowed but now there was a kindness to them. 

“U-um yeah, thanks, nothing I couldn’t handle,” You nodded, shoving your hands into your pockets. You started to walk out of the alley, planning to dip past the stranger and be on your way but he had other plans. 

“I saw what you did there, have you always been able to do that?” 

“Might I ask what you mean?” You said carefully, innocently. 

“Sorry but you don’t look like you should be able to lift a 6 foot something beer bellied jackass above your head,” You nearly laughed at his brutal honesty, yet you still didn’t answer. It wasn’t his business what you could or couldn’t do. 

“I think you’re seeing things,” You said, quickening your pace to get past him but he was fast, his hand coming to grip your arm. You could set him on his ass in the blink of an eye, you figured but you stilled instead. 

“I’m not here to hurt you, just want to offer you something.” You narrowed your eyes but listened. 

“I’m Dick Grayson, I’ve got some friends and they’re sort of like you. Not really, but they can do things that others can’t. You can do things other can’t. You could use it to help others if you wanted. We make a difference, it gives us a purpose when in civilian life we feel like we belong anywhere else. If you dont want to then I can offer a place to stay for the night. It’s warm and clean and we have food,” 

In just a short amount of time it was apparent he had deduced that you were on the streets. Your shoes were tattered, your clothes weren’t as clean as you’d like and  you were as jumpy as an alley cat. He had you pegged yet instead of feeling upset you had been intrigued. 

“Alright, I’m not so sure about your sales pitch but I wouldn’t say no to a place to stay for the night. Nice to meet you Dick, I’m Y/N.” 

He’d grinned a knowing smile, like he’d already known you wouldn’t only be there for one night. And he had been right. You had quickly found yourself at home with Kory and Rachel and most of all Gar. He was fun. You’d missed having fun. He restored in you a sense of freedom and childishness you hadn’t had since your uncle had died and you’d been left on your own. 

He’d been a great boxer, your uncle. The man had raised you since you were three, your parents passing after a mugging. It was what happened, it was rare to find anyone in your neighborhood that hadn’t lost someone to crime. And if they hadn’t, they were usually the one’s at fault. Your uncle had kept you prepared for life, teaching you everything he knew about life and what he learned in the ring, how to keep yourself safe if he wasn’t around forever. You were fourteen when he’d died of lung cancer. Two years on the streets and you’d held yourself together well. 

It was your uncle who had realized you had something different about you. You had always hit harder than anyone he’d ever known, a little girl taking down guys twice her size without batting an eyelash. And it wasn’t ever simple bruises either. You’d broken one other kids rib with a punch when you’d been practicing once. Your uncle and you had private lessons after that. You were taught how to hold back, but taught how to utilize your superhuman strength when you needed it. You missed him, he was the only family you had ever known. 

Yet you had found a new family, thanks to Dick. It was dysfunctional at times but it was still a family. That fact was only more obvious to you after all you’d been through in the past day or so. Gar and Rachel had raced off to find Angela and you had tagged along after some begging from your good friends. None of you had even gotten past the fence before you were surprised and overcome. You’d been tazed first, your world going dark as the electric pulses constricted your pulses and you shut down from the high voltage. 

You’d woken up in a cell, somewhat disoriented but the feeling had faded quickly. You’d rushed forward, hands going to the bars, pulling with all your strength. The metal had begun to bend and you had hope of getting out when several men stormed in, the one in the front standing before you and reaching between the bars with a stick lit blue at the end, pressing it firmly to your side before you could react. You jumped and hollered in shock as electricity made you spasm. You fell to the ground and slid back on the floor, out of reach. 

The men remained around your cell and monitored your actions. You sat in the center of the cell and kept your head down, trying to think. Where were Gar and Rachel? Had they gotten Angela yet? Were they also separated? It felt like a long time until there was a commotion, your head snapping up at the noise. One of the guards entered your cell, tugging you up roughly, keeping the stick near to remind you what would happen if you budged. The rest stormed down the hallway and you were led out as well. You heart had pounded in excitement when you noticed a shock of magenta hair. 

“Kory!” You exclaimed but it turned into a pained grunt as you were shoved to the ground, a boot connecting with your side as the weapon was placed against your arm, your arms and legs jerking in response to the currents running through your body. Another sharp kick was sent to your side and your skin burned where the stick had made contact. A roar erupted and screams ricocheted against the walls. Your eyes focused and you saw green among the crowd of guards. Kory was out of fire but she held her own. Dick took down more men then you could count and Rachel was ahead of them all. A mousy, yet kind looking woman had stood in the back. 

Dick was the first to your side, and then Rachel, followed by the rest as they helped you up. “I’m fine,” You reassured as you all resumed your pace through the building. Now that Angela had been found it was time for you to all get the hell out of there. You were in the back with Gar and you noticed the blood speckled just above the collar of his jacket, it was smeared around his mouth and his eyes were duller than usual. 

“Gar,” You spoke quietly, gaining his attention as the rest sped forward, you two close behind but far enough away you could talk. “What happened?” You nodded towards the blood stains and he shook his head, tears nearly pooling in his eyes and you felt guilty. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer,” You squeezed his hand in reassurance. He held on. 

“Thanks, Y/N, later,” Gar said, still unable to meet your eyes. 

The moment was broken however when Dick stopped as guards started flooding the tunnel you were all headed down. He broke a lever off a pipe and within moments all of the men were on the ground, bleeding, broken and down for the count. A woman stepped into the clearing, the clicking of her heels paused as she took in the wounded men in front of her. She was clearly outnumbered. Immediately she spun on her heel and was gone. Dick told the rest of you to go on while Kory and him held back.

Angela and Rachel went together and you waited for Gar, hand brushing against his in an invitation of comfort. He took it happily and squeezed it. You all stood out and waited for the two adults to arrive. You were going to speak to Gar but then a sharp explosion split the air, the building soon engulfed in flames as Kory swaggered out the front doors. You turned to Gar and he watched it burn with some satisfaction and some guilt swimming in his eyes.

Soon you were all boarded on a train, Dick on his own little mission. Gar collapsed into a seat next to you and Kory and announced Angel and Rachel had found seats up front but Kory held you two back, it was understandable they needed time together. Kory had seemed jumpy for a bit and then she was instructing you two to stay put. Gar looked uneasy but you were grateful for the moment alone. He had been there for you when you’d joined them to help Rachel and you’d be damned if you weren’t there for him. 

“Is it later now?” You questioned and he paused but then nodded. 

“I tore this guy apart, they’d had me in a cage, kept zapping me... Trying to see what I could do or something. I just took it... I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction, ya know? And then Rachel found me and I needed to get out and this damned guy.. he wouldn’t fucking run, Y/N. He asked for it. I bit him, did more than that really, I killed him,”  Gar’s voice shook and he looked smaller than you’d ever seen him. 

You leaned over your seat and threw your arms around his neck. “Oh Gar... You were defending yourself. You didn’t do anything wrong,” 

“I know that.... It didn’t feel wrong. Does that make me awful? That I don’t regret what I did?” His hand trailed up and down your back in distracted patterns and you shook your head, pulling back just enough to look him in the eye. 

“You could never be awful, you did what you had to, okay?” 

He nodded solemnly but then a second later his lips were twitching up. “I could never be awful, huh?” Your cheeks burned. 

“Oh shut up tiger boy,” You grumbled, yet you were happy to see his mood lightened.

“Not likely,” 

Yet he pulled you into his chair no matter how cramped it might be and you curled against him, the both of you drifted off. Too tired to be bothered by all you’d just gone through. Safe in each others company. 

[lovehotelreservation]

Emerald with Envy

Summary: You weren't looking at him. You were looking at the crowd, the orchestra, the lead actor of the show. Claude knew it couldn't be helped. You had to shift your gaze elsewhere. He understood why you didn't want to look at him.

Even if he was your husband.

And yet, as he continued to watch you perform on stage, he just couldn't ignore the envy that was beginning to seize hold of his heart.

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Reader/Claude

HELLO BELOVED!!! it's been a while since I've completed writing this piece, but with the holidays here, I thought now would be nice to post the rather l e n g t h y Claude piece I've been working on. CONSIDER THIS AN EXPRESSION OF MY FEELINGS AFTER ACHIEVING HIS S SUPPORT ENDING AFTER THE WAR ; v ;

ANYHOW I HOPE U ENJOY!!!

..............

For all his tremendous efforts, crafted schemes, and unwavering resolve, there was something just so humorously ironic that Claude von Riegan, the newly annointed king of Almyra, could not even get a general admission ticket to a sold out show by the Mittelfrank Opera Company.

And yet he could not bring himself to chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

It was not so much as his standing as king that caused the issue--especially with Archbishop Byleth's successes of bridging Fódlan together with other nations.

Rather, he was simply too late to buy a ticket for tonight's performance. The theater house was packed to the brim with nobles and common folk, all eager to witness the last run of a special production directed by none other than Mittelfrank Opera's former songbird, Manuela Casagranda.

And while Claude was curious to see how a show under his former instructor's helm had turned out, his true reason for zooming across the skies on his wyvern from Almyra to Enbarr was the star of the evening's show.

The Golden Deer representative who had won the White Heron Cup of the year 1180.

The one who would soon bear the crown as queen of Almyra.

You, the wife he cherished above anything else in the world.

And while he never doubted your love for him, he understood if there was a wariness in your heart.

He was asking so much of you upon quietly taking your hand in marriage after the war before immediately heading off for Almyra, after all.

But you understood him, as you had all this time. Beyond just his own vision, his actions in Almyra would shape the world for the better--for the kinder. As sad as it was to part so soon after the two of you had exchanged your vows, you eagerly awaited the beginning of a lengthy letter correspondence between you both.

It was by those letters that he learned of the show in the first place.

Your lifelong passion for performance had led up to this debut with the Mittelfrank Opera. However, constant negotiations and intense reformation within Almyra demanded his presence throughout nearly the entirety of the show’s run. With the production ending on this very night, your last letter expressed hope that he would be able to come watch you on the stage that served as the realization of your dreams.

And thus, rather than stand downtrodden outside the theater with a gorgeous bouquet of your favorite flowers in hand and a new Almyran-crafted wedding ring in his pocket to adorn your finger, he still made his way inside.

Backstage to be precise.

With all his efforts in his motherland, sneaking by security was nothing for him.

Surely, while he was going to have to figure out just which spot in the theater he would have to scale along for a good view of the stage, his utmost priority was seeing you.

To say hello, to kiss with love, to embrace so tight, to adorn with gifts.

Though, with the bustle of actors in the midst of powdering their faces and tugging at tights, orchestra members preparing to saunter out to their seats with instruments in hand, and the overall chaos of stage hands preparing scenery pieces and props, finding your dressing room wasn’t going to be easy, especially with the performance so close to starting.

However, he only managed a couple minutes of searching before a familiar robust and pristine voice called out to him.

"Claude? Is that you?"

Truly, Claude thought he was past the point where people could easily get the jump on him. And yet, he couldn’t hold back his surprise as he turned around with raised brows and a somewhat slack jaw.

Sure enough, with the elegant mane of fiery red hair--tied and tamed into a loose low ponytail--that was the first to catch his eye, he remarked with astonishment, "Ferdinand! Good to see you!" A grin quirking onto his lips, he took a step back as he took note of the duke’s overly embellished yet stylish red waistcoat and a matching black pair of tights and pointe shoes. "I'm digging tonight's look. No trusty horse boots though?"

Releasing a rich chuckle, Ferdinand beamed with pride as his hands rested on his waist, "A good eye, Claude! Though, I’ll happily have you know that I am performing tonight."

While not immediate, somehow Claude felt his smile wane ever so slightly. Still, maintaining his exuberance, he let out an astonished, “Really now?! That’s a surprise to me. Surely the news coverage in Enbarr isn’t so slack that a duke performing in a sold out show would go unnoticed.”

”Surely not!” Ferdinand remarked as he shook his head, a knowing smile on his features. “My inclusion was last minute, as the original male lead injured his leg during rehearsal. It was a great honor to be asked by Professor Manuela to step in as his replacement--like I could ever turn her down while she's in need.” Bringing a hand to his heart, he let out a sigh of nostalgic delight. “I happen to know this show by heart from how many times I’ve seen her perform it all those years ago. Plus to reunite in dance with--"

The moment your name was uttered from Ferdinand's lips, Claude’s shoulders tensed slightly as he immediately inquired, “Not meaning to butt in like so, Ferdinand, but where is she?" Lifting up your bouquet, he continued with a sheepish smile, “Gotta make sure these get into her hands asap.”

It was now Ferdinand whose smile turned from cheerful to reserved. His tone calming down, he answered, "As far as I know, she's still getting ready for tonight’s show.” The look in his eyes turned serious, if not narrowing slightly as he gazed towards Claude. “The last I saw her though, she did not look to be in the best of spirits. She even asked Professor Manuela for absolute privacy unless needed otherwise."

Claude felt hollow. “Did she now...?”

The words of your last letter flashed in his mind, as did memories of days from Garreg Mach. Those nights when the two of you would toe the line of curfew to instead take a stroll by the greenhouse and pond, you expressing your dreams of captivating audiences on a prestigious stage, to spread joy through the art of performance.

His response to your letter was expressing an apology, an honest admittance that he was unsure of how he would be able to take the time to come see your performance.

For someone who always managed to pull off the most inane but effective schemes, how could he have not realized that his absence during such an incredible milestone would leave you upset?

The fine wrapping paper around your bouquet crinkled slightly as he squeezed around the stems.

Noticing the change in Claude’s mood, Ferdinand let out a sigh. “All I will say is that she was hoping that you would show up to watch her. And having heard nothing from you since your last letter, she came to terms that you wouldn’t get to see her at all. This time at least.”

Claude’s lips quirked into a smile, albeit a bittersweet one as he let out a humorless laugh. “I can’t blame her for feeling that way. Though…” Resting your bouquet against his shoulder, he shook his head. “I’m not just gonna sit around and feel sorry for myself. Not when this night is--and should--be about her.”

His gaze shifted towards a nearby hallway, wondering if your dressing room was somewhere down along those walls. “I’m gonna make things right by her, whether I even have a seat or not.” Determination in his voice, he smiled as he raised his hand in a departing wave. “I appreciate the heads up, Duke von Aegir. Be careful when you break a leg out there, alright?” Amused at the thought, he chuckled, “From whatever seat I manage to whip out, I’ll be sure to give you your deserved applause as well.”

"Before you try to bring a wyvern into this sacred space to give yourself a seat, I'd rather you take this, Claude…!” Ferdinand exclaimed, his complexion paling at the idea of any sort of shenanigans occurring with Manuela around. Reaching in his pocket, he quickly withdrew and held out a theater ticket. “This was given to me for any guest of my choosing just moments ago, but it was originally set aside for this single hope that you would be in the audience."

His eyes lighting up, Claude grinned from ear to ear as he cheered, “Ferdinand, if there was ever a reason for me to take up religion, it’d be now!”

With a good-natured chuckle, Ferdinand seemed hardly affronted at his less-than-suave rush to pluck the ticket from his fingers, "It was already rightfully yours, my friend! However, if I may overstep, I would advise you go now to claim your seat, lest someone try to argue it is theirs."

Casting another glance down the hallway, his grip on the bouquet shifted. Though his gut churned at the thought of not getting to seek you out until after the show, the noble had a fair point. Yet, despite his inner conflict, his smile remained charming and untouched as he tucked the ticket into his pocket, fingers brushing against cool metal while doing so, "Right you are. I'd hate to cause a scene--tonight at least."

As the activity backstage picked up and with the ticket now in his possession, he bid his goodbyes before quickly taking off for his seat. There was much on his mind as he thought over what was revealed to him just moments ago, namely how he was going to make it up to you.

While he was already mentally cataloguing all the gifts and experiences he intended on showering and spoiling you with, he knew there was one thing that you wanted most of all.

And him being here at the theater, now seated at the balcony closest to the stage with a full view of the production below as it began, was the first step.

The title of tonight’s show brought back faint memories of Garreg Mach, having been a required read for all students as a means to have them become more cultured in the fine arts of literature. A story of a triumphant hero who sought to protect his motherland from an enemy nation that wanted to scrounge every bit of precious resources from a sacred forest, which was protected by an angelic deity.

Ferdinand eventually dragged himself onto the stage as the hero, looking distressed and weary as he was forced to retreat from battle. His character wandered about as stage hands deftly moved a set of glittering trees and flowers around in tune to the orchestra’s lamenting score.

All up until the composition fell silent before a dreamy melody filled the theater space.

Claude found himself grasping onto the railing, peering forward as a spotlight shone upon the furthest side of the stage.

In but a few moments, you soon stepped forward for your first appearance of the show.

His breath turned still, jaw slacking, eyes widening, heart fluttering.

You looked so radiant and beautiful.

While surely he would always be enchanted by your beauty, you looked so ethereal--absolutely perfect for your role. Your hair lusciously glistening under the lights of the stage, your face painted with make-up that accentuated your features, your body adorned with frills and drapes that would make for a delight to see as you danced.

Even by merely walking, you left him feeling captivated by the grace you exuded with each step.

And all the more guilty that he was not there to support you more than he did in the months leading up to the debut of the show and beyond.

Regardless, as he was already determined to amend anything and everything with you in light of his absence, Claude kept a steady eye on you throughout the performance.

As the plot progressed--with a newfound alliance between your and Ferdinand’s characters--it didn’t take long for him to remember the fact that a romance was woven into the story.

So dedicated to your role, you were able to convey a deep sense of yearning with every shy glance and each flustered sputter made towards Ferdinand, who carried himself with just as much earnest emotion.

Truly, the both of you looked as though you were lost within your own world together, even with asides to the audience, whether by a passionate decree, or a lamentful thought voiced out loud.

At no point did you look to Claude’s direction from where he sat above.

It was to be expected.

He gave you no reason to be hopeful.

Though he marveled at the sight of you carrying yourself so splendidly on stage, his elbows resting on the edge of the balcony while his chin rested upon his steepled hands, the vibrant glint of his emerald irises was more subdued.

For his eyes reflected the sight of you being embraced so affectionately by Ferdinand.

Again, you both were playing your respective roles. The war hero who was destined to fall helplessly in love with the enchanted forest’s deity.

Together, you waltzed amidst sweet, airy chords from the orchestra, Ferdinand’s arm curled around your waist, fingers laced with yours.

Together, you confessed and declared your love towards one another as he embarked for the final confrontation that would either save his country--and thereby the forest you swore to protect--or damn everything to ruin.

Together, as he staggered back from the final standoff only for his battleworn form to be caught within your comforting embrace, you shared a kiss.

And together, you both were ushered on stage for curtain call, boisterous applause welcoming the two of you for your performance.

Without fail, the theater was lively with praise from every patron for tonight’s performance.

Yet somehow, as you stood upon the stage, gazing out towards the audience with an appreciative smile on your face and a look in your eye that conveyed muted joy, one cheer caught your attention.

“That’s my girl!”

A whistle that soared through the air with such distinction, carrying a tone that was as striking as arrows that pierced the skies.

Amidst astonished gasps--was that a horrified “Claude?!” uttered from Lorenz down below?--and curious looks, at long last, you looked towards the balcony.

To him.

From the very moment he saw your head shift towards his direction, he beamed from ear to ear, bringing his fingers to his lips as he whistled once more.

The look on your face wounded Claude’s heart from how preciously surprised it was.

This only made him want to swoop you right into his arms and barrage you with kisses, to make up for lost time, for all the affection he could not physically convey.

And so he quickly took off to do exactly that.

As the audience proceeded to make their leave, Claude used the opportunity to sneak his way backstage once more.

Undeterred by any security who would come to stand in his way nor the near endless wave of cast members and orchestra musicians alike, he hurriedly sought out to find you--as he was certain that you were probably scrambling to seek him out as well.

However, the moment he was able to reach the main lounge area, he soon faced the sight of you, still looking so radiant in your costume.

All while surrounded by a multitude of adoring admirers, namely those of nobility, all of whom were instantaneously recognizable.

As he anticipated, there was Lorenz, singing high praises of your performance while near bathing you with roses. From how much he prattled out his passion for the show and the opportunity to watch the esteemed Mittelfrank Opera, it was more likely than not that he would refrain from bringing up Claude’s outburst.

By his side was a grinning Sylvain, who crooned on your graceful movements and expressed his appreciation for the fit of your dress. He gifted you with a bouquet of red orchids, but not before plucking a short-stemmed one to tuck behind your ear.

And as this occurred, Ferdinand stayed near you. While surely it was to catch up with Lorenz and Sylvain, he hovered by your side protectively as to ward off any bold, intense advancements towards you.

There was a look of overwhelmed but touched awe on your face as you were bestowed by a multitude of sweet words and gifts.

The eagerness in Claude’s smile waned.

And the wrapping paper of his bouquet crinkled slightly further in his hands.

”--with this, it would be best for us both to prepare for the cast dinner celebrating the final show,” Ferdinand hummed with a satisfied smile. “I do hope to see the two of you there. Professor Manuela would be thrilled for a reunion.”

”But of course!” Lorenz declared haughtily with a flick of his silken purple locks. “To miss out on this opportunity would be a disgrace on my nobility.”

Memories from the Officers’ Academy resurging into his mind, Sylvain’s expression became rather tense. “Professor Manuela huh…” Still, his expression soon brightened as he continued, “So long as all those pretty ballerinas are around, I’m game.” His eyes shifting towards you, one closed in a wink. “Especially if you’ll be there, angel.”

”Me?” You repeated curiously right as Ferdinand proceeded to lead you towards the dressing rooms with his arm raised in a polite wave, all while eyeing Sylvain sternly.

”We’ll see the two of you later then!” He remarked, all the while he swore that he saw a familiar flash of golden fabric from the corner of his eyes right as he guided you away.

With the fervor of everyone beginning their celebrations early with champagne and hors d'oeuvres or preparing to leave for the celebratory banquet, you and Ferdinand didn’t get to speak much once he brought you to your dressing room. Before he left to change in his own reserved room, he confirmed the details of the evening’s dinner with you.

Upon his leave, you soon let out a sigh as you took in the emptiness of your dressing room.

For just a moment, Claude was here in this theater, cheering for you at the top of his lungs.

And now he was not.

It almost felt like this was the twist in your dream that would cause for you to jolt up in bed.

There was so much swirling about in your mind and heart, all much too vast for you to even attempt to sort through, especially right before a celebration that called for merriment and bliss.

Not wanting to possibly damper the atmosphere of dinner, you resolved to sort this out upon returning home.

As you prepared to set down your gifted flowers and the like, you noticed that at the very center of your vanity was a bouquet of your favorites.

Astonished, you froze in place as a hushed “Claude?” tumbled from your lips.

“Heheh, now that’s the sound I’ve been wanting to hear.”

And then you heard the door lock.

You were swift to turn around.

There, proceeding to lean right against your dressing room door with a playful twinkle in his eye and a cheeky grin on his lips was none other than your husband.

Though his attire was more Almyran in style, his matured, yet still boyish features now more devilishly rogue by his decision to grow out his beard--one still kept neatly trimmed along his jaw--the man before you was the one to whom you had sworn an eternity with.

Claude.

Just as when you were too stunned to do anything but gawk in awe when he called out to you on stage, you were frozen from the rush of feelings that came surging from within at the sight of him. The indescribable joy of seeing him in front of you after so long, the immense relief that he was able to see you perform at least once, the lingering bittersweetness of his absence.

You didn’t know what to do or say.

He could tell with just a single look.

Still, his tone was light, now especially gentle as he spoke to you while his expression softened. “Something wrong?” He stepped closer, his usual proud stature loosening as he neared you. “I understand if I’m probably the last person you want to see--”

You held up both of your hands.

He felt something prick at his heart.

While you braved a smile on your face, you reassured with a shake of your head. “No it’s fine. I just…” You quickly turned around, your back facing him once more. “Just give me a moment to get out of this, okay?”

The sight of your back only weighed heavier on his heart. While he still played everything off coolly, he craved nothing more than to absolve the tension that was keeping the two of you apart. Though you could hear the grin in his voice, you couldn’t hear the ache in his soul. “A moment to wait for you is nothing. Take your time.”

While he went to mind himself with all there was to see in the room--scripts, costumes, small portraits of Mittelfrank alumni--you proceeded to change out of your dress.

Or at least, attempted to.

Being married, undressing in front of your husband wasn’t what was causing your fingers to tense.

It was this overall situation, this feeling of guilt for being upset over a noble cause, of feeling selfish for a man who just wanted to change the world for the better.

Your love for Claude was undoubtedly there.

But there was a lonely sadness that had lingered for so long nonetheless.,/p>

Which only made it more and more difficult to reach for the hooks and silk ties that held the back of your dress’s corset.

As your focus sunk deeper into the twisted nature of your feelings, this endeavor amidst such a tense situation only caused your body temperature to rise for a myriad of reasons.

But it only took the feeling of warm, calloused hands taking hold of your struggling ones for you to feel a welcome, shivering chill.

Furthered by the heat of breath that fanned over your ear and neck.

“Need some help?”

Standing before your vanity, you gazed at the reflection shown on the mirror, of you and your husband together.

Once again.

You had a feeling of where this moment would soon lead to. While one side was elated for what you foresaw, a part of you was adamant to not allow for your emotions to be swayed and cast aside so easily.

Steadying your voice as best as you could, you reassured, “I-It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about it--”

“I may not have to worry about it, but what kind of husband would I be if I left my pretty wife to struggle?”

His eyes peered at you as he stared at your reflection off the mirror before you, his words murmured just centimeters away from your ear. Though his tone carried some mirth and his lips were quirked in a smile, the usual playful light in his eyes was muted, his emerald irises dark and shadowed.

It was a look of passion.

And of love.

Just for you.

The tension in your fingers weakened within his grasp.

”...I’d appreciate your help then.”

And help he did.

Seeing your costume for the first time up close, he could be forgiven for any fumbling, especially while trying to assist you. Tugging at the top halter tie of your dress revealed a small hook that had to be undone, the tugs of your corset’s strings revealed clasps that his nimble fingers made quick work of.

As he continued to slowly help you undress, he could tell when the heat of his breath ghosting over your bare shoulders and his fingers brushing along your sides made you stiffen or shiver. While he certainly wouldn’t have minded if you shut your eyes in pleasure, what he came to notice was that you eyes were downcast to the floor, instead of staring right ahead to your respective reflections.

And in turn--

“You’re not looking at me.”

He found himself gripping onto the front bow that crossed right over your decolletage, emotions pushing the words past his lips before rationality could retain them in place.

Your eyes suddenly flashed towards the mirror, wide from surprise. “I’m sorry?”

In any other situation, he would have taken a step back to calm himself so he could approach the situation sensibly. But knowing that there was so much hesitation in your heart that you probably felt too guilty to admit, there was just no way that he could refrain.

His other arm curled around your waist as he drew you against him, holding your body close as he rested his chin on your shoulder with a sigh and a bittersweet smile.

“It’s selfish of me, especially to even bring this up as something bothersome. All night, you’ve had your eyes cast elsewhere.” His eyelids closed for a moment as he recalled your performance. “To the audience, to Ferdinand, Lorenz, Sylvain--and now your eyes are looking everywhere besides me, even when I’m right here, holding you in my arms like this.”

While his emerald stare revealed itself once more, he proceeded to bury his face into your neck, lips barely tracing over the delicate skin as he murmured, “But you have good reason to do so. I won’t deny that.”

Lifting his head, he gazed up at you with reverence as your eyes shifted over to look into his. "Actions say so much more than words ever could, and all I want to do is show--rather, to reaffirm the undeniable fact that you are the most important person in my life."

His fingers lingered at the front bow of your dress. From what he could assess, one tug at the fabric would free and expose your chest. As much as he craved to see your skin after so long, he waited for what you had to say.

You were quiet in response, an understandable hesitation given everything that had happened.

Though, he didn’t have to wait for an answer for long, by the way your hand rested comfortably over his and squeezed, all while you stared at him earnestly with the soft but yearning response of, ”Then show me.”

Claude had nothing else to say, but an answer to give.

The kiss he then hungrily planted on your lips was just the beginning.

Upon the dressing room sofa where you would sit upon to read over the script or letters from your husband while steadying your racing heart prior to a performance, there was a flutter within your chest as you were laid upon it with an urgency that was as needy as it was tender.

With all the intricacies of your dress, usually Claude would have loved to take his time tugging and undoing every ribbon and button, a pride in the dexterity of his nimble fingers as he undressed you like he would unwrap a present.

However, at this moment, after so long, he was in no mood for such indulgence. If something had to be torn or ruined, so be it. As king, he could easily offer monetary compensation to the seamstress of your costume --perhaps even commission for more lovely outfits for you to wear.

The orchid that Sylvain tucked behind your ear joined your pile of discarded clothes, with his Almyran garb soon following suit.

For every inch of skin revealed to his eyes, his mouth watered to kiss while his fingers ached to touch. He almost forgot to strip you completely from the moment his lips encircled around your nipples, all while his palms kneaded your breasts. How could he have ever forgotten the sweet warmth of your skin against his nuzzling face?

Your mewls from his attention to your chest reminded him to continue onward. For as much as he wanted to near worship your chest, there was still so much more of you he wished to revere once again. His lips continued their journey downwards, mouth ghosting over your stomach, trailing over your hips. His teeth just barely caught hold of the band of your panties before he tugged them down to your thighs, his hand dragging them off before he spread your legs wide apart.

Beneath the flickering flames of your dressing room chandelier, your naked body was bathed in soft golden light. Even now, fully stripped of your costume of a forest enchantress, you still looked so gorgeously ethereal.

As he thought during his days spent at the Officers Academy to now, you were lovelier than any divine deity.

His gaze shifted down to between your thighs, love and lust clouding his emerald eyes in a haze. Catching sight of the glistening shine of your dribbling core, he let out a groan before hurriedly planting his face down, his lips eagerly parted. Long, skillful strokes of his tongue had you mewling and arching against his head.

He grinned happily to himself. Even after so long, he still knew how to make you squirm by his self-proclaimed golden tongue, whether by its teasing flicks or the utter filth he would murmur to you. The focused pressure of quick circles over your clit to tender suckles had his name pouring out from your lips.

And truly, he did not want to cease. After countless months from having your addictive taste linger on his lips, he was ready to spend the night with his face right between your thighs.

However, it was for that same reason he could not indulge for too long, if by the increasingly aching throb of his cock.

For too long he had been away from you.

It was time at last that the two of you were joined together once again in the absolute most intimate way possible.

Looming above you upon the couch, chest broad and fine with hair, eyes gleaming with need and affection, Claude was settled between your legs. “Fuck,” was the word hissed so sinfully from your husband’s lips as he nudged the leaking tip of his cock against the slickness of your center.

Right as he slowly slid every heavy inch of his dick inside you, his lips sought out yours for yet another kiss. Somehow, for as much as he has kissed you up until now during this evening, he felt like he was still far from having his fill. He just wanted to make up for lost time, to satisfy his present urges, to express all the love he should have been putting more effort with doing so.

His hands cradled your waist as he worked his thrusts into a rhythm. Moderate at first, but hearing your moans and feeling your fingers thread through his hair while your legs curled around his hips encouraged him to start pounding into you. He wanted his name the only thing on your lips, to have his hair pulled and his shoulders near clawed, to have your body cling to him with absolute need.

In-between kisses that become messier, amidst the noisiness of his cock stuffing into your sopping center while his balls slapped against your ass, he still had a coherency as he spoke to you, his words husky but the look in his eyes sincere, "I've had my eyes cast to the future--our future--so much that I forgot how important it was to be with you now--"

A knock at the door.

The call of your name.

”We will be taking off soon. Are you ready to disembark?”

Ferdinand.

You were astonished, your eyes breaking contact with Claude’s to turn to the door. Your lips were about to speak when your husband spoke up, his voice cheeky yet firm.

”She’s not ready yet, but I’ll be the one to take her to dinner, Ferdinand. We’ll see you in a bit.”

Ferdinand’s flustered squawk went unnoticed by Claude, who only continued to hammer his cock into you.

Your gasped “Claude-!” was smothered by his lips with yet another kiss. When the two of you parted for breath, his gaze seized contact with yours as he gruffed out, “Don’t think of Ferdinand. Him, Lorenz, Sylvain--anyone. Just keep your eyes on me, okay?”

You were utterly surprised, breathless as you questioned, “Claude, you-- Are you jealous?”

”I’m your husband,” he clarified with absolute resolution, his grip on your waist slacking to instead give way for his arms caging around you. As his lips readied to claim another kiss from your mouth, he purred, “And I’m going to make that clear.”

He was certain that you would admonish him, whether immediately now or when the two of you were finished. However, seeing as how you were the one to initiate the kiss before he could, followed by your hands releasing his hair to cup his bearded cheeks instead, what he heard you say next was all that he could ever want to hear.

Dazed with pleasure as you were, the love in your voice and on the look of your face was absolute. “As your wife, you better.”

A wide grin soon spread over his lips. “Leave it to me.”

And so the two of you remained joined together. By lips, by skin, by words of affection. Your hips rutted back against his thrusts, his teeth made their presence known on your neck, making sure to leave at least one that would be hard to hide during dinner. It wasn’t long until you were both teetering on the edge of orgasm, you and Claude clinging and holding onto each other amidst it all.

“I’m gonna cum,” he gasped out, shuddering as he readied to draw out. “And unless you wanna get to bearing heirs already then--”

Your legs hugged his hips tighter, a mewled “That’s fine” escaping you.

Claude’s jaw went slack for a moment, just before tightening as a fiery resolve took over him as he proceeded to fuck you even harder, his voice in a low and satisfied growl, “That’s my girl. My sweet girl. Mine…!”

With the cries of each other’s names soon released into the air along with the heavy, hot rush of his seed pouring into you, your bodies soon collapsed back onto the sofa together in a satisfied heap, at last the two of you fully reunited--in body and in soul.

Though you both would have to soon get ready as to not miss dinner, for now, Claude was insistent on hugging you close so he could leave an endless trail of kisses along wherever he saw fit, all while your fingers gently stroked through his messy brown curls. The air was tender and light, any bit of tension and guilt from before completely washed away.

When his mouth met yours yet again, Claude stared at you adoringly, his tone tender as he remarked, “And to think, you’ve just captured the hearts of Fódlan with your talents on stage.” One eye closing in a wink, he grinned. “And you get to do it all over again to your adoring people in Almyra.”

Your head tilted slightly to the side, your expression curious if not confused. “My what?”

Claude froze. “Oh...right. About that--”

How he so very looked forward to spending forever with you.

[kissedmeinthecar]

( ross lynch, cismale, he/his/him, 22 ) — have you seen [ CAMERON BOLAND ] around shermer? i hear they’re ROMANTIC, but can also be QUIXOTIC. they remind me of [ CAMERON JAMES from 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU ], but it might just be me. last i heard, they were a [ JUNIOR ] at illinois state of northbrook. — 

GENERAL

FULL NAME: Cameron James Boland NICKNAME(S): Cam, CJ AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: 22, 03/06/1997 OCCUPATION: Student, Pizza Delivery Boy and Busser GENDER: Cismale PRONOUNS: He/Him/His HOMETOWN: Storck Barracks, Illesheim Germany CURRENT RESIDENCE: Shermer, Illinois POSITIVE TRAITS: Romantic, Motivated, Loyal, Compassionate NEGATIVE TRAITS: Quixotic, Gullible, Oblivious, Naive

BIOGRAPHY

when asked where cameron boland is from, his quick response is a shrug and “everywhere”. which is true. he was born oversees at a base in germany. army brat - that’s the term commonly used for kids like him. with a general for a father, the boland family were stationed all over the globe. germany, south korea, japan and then a few of the states; florida, alaska, indiana, massachusettes - you name it, he’s likely been there. this was both a luxury and an inconvenience - while he’s been to many exotic places and all over the states, cameron never had a stable childhood and didn’t stay around long enough to really make friends. because of this, he’s somewhat shy and socially awkward. but most of all, he’s become very idealistic - without having the reality of what actual relationships are like and what it means to grow far apart from people, he only has a romantic notion of what it would be like to have a stronger bond with other people. 

seeing as he doesn’t stick around a single area for long, cameron had to learn to entertain himself. with two older brothers it was easy enough - the boland boys were usually the only constants in one another’s lives. but when the elder bolands left for school or to start their own army careers, cameron was left to kind of figure things out for himself. despite having classically “strong” male presences in his life, he was incredibly soft and mild-mannered so it was easy for him to be clumped up into the more forgettable “nerd” crowd wherever he went with an established social hierarchy. this is comfortable for him - he’d become an avid fan of video games and comic books as things he could enjoy in solidarity while jumping from community to community. sports weren’t worth it when you may not be in the same school for a whole season, but comics could be found anywhere. he doesn’t really mind the ridicule and stereotypes that come with it - he enjoys what he enjoys and it’s that simple. 

on top of having very little time to establish relationships, cameron hasn’t really had very many “romantic experiences”. up until college, he just didn’t stick around long enough to become a blip on any girl’s radars. but that didn’t mean they didn’t become an object of his affections. hopelessly romantic, cameron falls in love just as quickly as you can say “hello”. in fact, within a few minutes of meeting a girl there’s a high chance he’s already developed some sort of affection for them. as such he relentlessly pines after girls, and goes out of his way to try and garner their favor. which isn’t exactly hard - he’s an incredibly sweet young man. but unfortunately there isn’t much else that stands out about him. so more often than not, cameron gets used. of course it doesn’t occur to him until it’s too late and at that point all he can do is shrug it off and move onto someone else. the few times he’s actually landed in a relationship, more often than not he’s more into it than the other person, so no matter which way you cut it he’s just never been particularly lucky in love. 

the real question on a lot of people’s minds is how in the hell did an army brat who’s toured most of europe and asia during his childhood end up in the midwest when graduating high school? when cameron turned eighteen and finished school, he decided to finally find a place to set some roots - at least for four years, anyway. intelligent and armed with benefits from being the son of a veteran, cameron could get into any college he wanted to. so to make the decision easier, he found a map of the united states, pinned it to the wall and blindly threw a dart at it. wherever the dart landed was to be his destination, and it landed right in illinois - around where the town of shermer was located. a google search supplied him with the news that a university was situated there - illinois state of northbrook. seemed promising, so he applied and jumped at the idea to move.

MISC

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Heterosexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Heteromantic LANGUAGES: English; very little French, Korean, and German FAMILY: Gen. Anthony Jeffery Boland (father), Anne Boland (mother), two older brothers ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces MBTI: ISFP AESTHETIC: sherpa denim jackets with iron on patches; playlist of optimistic and sappy love songs on repeat; faint smell of sandalwood cologne and old spice body wash; magnets from all over the world covering the fridge, snow globes and tourist memorabilia in every corner; oversized vintage army jackets and aviators; skateboard covered in faded and creased stickers; flannels upon piles of flannels; comic books and dice sets mixed in with textbooks and video game guides; long walks in the park; stargazing from the bed of a beat 79 ford; comb in pocket, stubborn hair that won’t stay down; map with dozens of colored pins on a wall

WANTED CONNECTIONS

unrequited crush - bc this is cameron james from 10 things then he obviously needs to fall for the wrong person who doesn’t like him back at all. bonus points if he’s not their flavor of lover. heather mcnamara

ex - on that note he probably fell head over heels for someone when he first arrived in shermer and they probably dated for a bit and fizzled out probably bc he’s just t o o m u c h ya feel? open

nerd pals - cameron needs a group of less fortunate social outcasts who are neither intimidating or cool in any way. they probably have a dnd group on the weekends. open

mentor - clueless when it comes to women, cameron hasn’t had the best of luck at either getting the attention of any girls he fancies or keeping them for relatively long. he could use someone to show him the ropes, maybe teach him how to be relaxed and not a total socially awkward mess in front of the cute girls of shermer. open

bully - he’s soft and sweet - someone’s gotta fuck with that. open

[ffxvthingies]

how the chocobros dance

ignis

NEVER dances in public!

the only exception is citadel events

and even then that’s only if he MUST

It’s to no ones surprise that he’s really good at waltzing and slow dancing

move smooth and percise

but that’s the only time people have ever seen him dance

until Noct came home early and saw Ignis dancing while he was cleaning

to say surprising would be an understatement

Noct just stood there, jaw to the floor, watching silently

iggy was doing a ballet routine with some hip hop mixed in.

the music was some Kpop type group (they’re actually his guilty pleasure)

He looked beautiful dancing!

all flowy and elegent

Noct couldn’t get enough of it (was quickly getting a hard-on due to the beauty)

Then the song ends, Iggy does his final pose

Noct is clapping

Ignis shrieks and leaps back

he crashes into a book case

comics and games are crashing onto him

“what are you doing here, highness!!”

“uhh, i live here? Why did you never tell me you could dance like an actual angle????”

iggy his tomato red with embarrassment

Noct feels bad and helps him up

cleans up the mess while iggy is just standing there too horrified to move

“apologize Noctis, I did not mean for you to see me doing such... things.”

“you’re shitting me right?? Specs you were so good!!”

Noctis demands iggy dance for him more now

it gives him an excuse to go home on time quicker in the hopes of seeing iggy dance

Noctis learns that iggy is the best at both ballet AND hip hop!

which is totally unfair because he looks so good doing both!

Iggy has begun to dance for/with noctis when he knows he had a hard day

he puts on some toons  (which is how Noct learned that iggy not only loves classical music but also rap??? iggy stop having so many interests!!”

depending on the song he’ll dance accordingly to cheer noct up

classical? twirl around and leap while putting stuff away

rap? do some sick fuckin moves while cooking and raps along with the music

kpop? Those are special occasions, where he’ll do a routine from the song

he does it as a birthday present for noct every year

it may be Nocts favorite present ever!

Noct appreciates it always

prompto and gladio are finally allowed to see iggy dance while they’re on the road

each one has their jaw dropped to the floor getting boners

iggy learns to open up around them and becomes comfortable sharing his interests!

Noct

Like iggy, he’s not a big fan of dancing in public

but him being the prince means he got all the lessons in ballroom dancing and waltzing

not as good as iggy

but is still up there in talent

it’s a bit hard for him to do it with his leg

but with Gladio’s PT and Iggy’s magical hands

he’s able to dance for a couple of songs before his leg starts to give out

whoever he’s dancing with is always surprised by his talent

he’s graceful and strong when he dances, strict in his movements due to years of training

When Iris came to her first Gala, gladio made noct dance with her

outstretch his hand and ask her like a prince

it was the damned cutest thing!

she was giggling and dancing (poorly) with the prince who was smiling because he’s happy for her!

They dance every gala now

it’s not the best dancing

it’s two kids doing some slow dance at an adults party

but they make the best of it

Noct will expertly spin her around and she’ll giggle

they’ll pretend they’re some long lost lovers and run away hand in hand to the gardens (as an excuse to get away from everybody)

then they hang out and eat fancy foods

Noct likes it when he dances with Iris

but that’s gross boring people dancing

when he’s out with Prom (at the arcade, at home) he turns into a goofy dancer

he moves with the music

bouncing up and down and pumping his fists

hair flapping

its kinda funny to see the prince do this

he also totally dances like an old man

doing some dumb ass dance moves thinking he looks cool

he doesn’t

doing the sparkler and lawn mower

he looks so stupid but they love him all the same

he’s more reserved when he’s around people who are not prompto, gladio, or iggy

claims its because he’s the Prince and it would be a bad image to see the prince dance such a way

it’s because he’s emberassed

but the bros always find a way to bring noctis close and dance with him

Gladio

People assume he’s not the best dancer due to his size

and they’re right

this boy is too big for most dances

his leggys are too longg and they can’t get the movements right with fast pace music (hip hop, ballet, you name it)

but that doesn’t mean he  has two left feet per say

this boy can waltz like a mofo

he made a deal with lil noct to learn along with him after Noct refused to learn

Clarus and Regis were proud of him and told him as much

that it was good that he was willing to learn and stay with his Prince

but he just REALLY wanted to learn how to waltz!

He’s seen the princess movies

and goddamn did he want to dance with a princess when he was little

he still does

the dork

but he didn’t let anyone know that

they just thought he learned so that his Prince would agree to learn

but that didn’t mean he had to dance well!

he does

he’s incredible

while Iggy is fluid and light on his feet

gladdy is strong and percise

the women who dance with him are amazed!

He’s lifting them and twirling them around like they’re nothing

ALL of the women (some of the men too tbh) are begging to dance with him!

but he can’t share the same enthusiasm

“they don’t even know the basic travel movements! Let alone know what to do to make a lift look GOOD and not just me lifting up a person while the cling to me!!1″

if he’s gonna dance, he’s gonna make it good!

No half assing it!

it makes him not want to dance anymore

they just don’t appreciate the art!

When Iris starts coming to the events, gladio dances with her because he knows its been her dream to dance like a princess

and he does

he spins her around and they dance around the room with her on his feet

everyone’s getting pics because its SO C U T E

Clarus is getting a picture

it  hangs up in his office now

Gladio holding Iris up on his hip, one hand on her back like a gentlmen

the other holding her hand out as he dances around, their smiles bright and carefree

but then he realizes that she’s the perfect excuse to not dance with anyone else!

“Lord Amicitia, would you care for a dance?”

“Apologize, but I already promised my little sister this next dance”

take THAT unappreciative dancers!

Then noct makes him and iggy dance together at a gala

and it’s straight up like in the movies when a circle forms around the main character and love interest

they’re like the perfect match

they’re taking turns leading

the transition is seemless

when gladio lifts iggy continues to dance and its honestly mesmorizing

they get a huge applause when they’re done (gladio is dipping iggy who has a leg wrapped around him, head tilted back and arched beautifully)

but that’s all dancing within gladdy’s element

outside of that

it’s... not the best

again he can’t like do some sick moves because of his size

so he sticks to bouncing on his feet and letting the music guide him

Prompto

D E S T R O I E S at Dance Dance Revolution

don’t event try

you will lose to this man

no one is sure how he does it

Noct is a close second to his talent

but he just can’t compete with Proms quick reflexes

it is a sight to see him on that thing

he always gets a crowd

always gets money too??? but not like he’s complaining

the most open w/in the group with is dancing

will gladly bounce around to a beat and do some goofy dance move

he’s not very good at just dancing

if there’s no strict dance moves or arrows showing him where to put his feet

he just looks a bit like a drunk college student dancing at all times

but it’s still cute

out of the four he’s the worst at waltzing

he just can’t get the movements down

he goes to quick, mixes his feet up, just not a graceful dancer when it comes to it

“buddy you fucking crush it at the arcade! Why can’t you do a simple box waltz?”

“Because I wasn’t born doing a stupid 1 2 3 box movement noct D:”

he’s not really upset

he knows he’s the best dancer out of them all (at least he likes to think so)

the amount of times both him, noct, AND gladio have tried to convince iggy to do a dance competition with prompto is like... so many

he finally agrees when they’re on the road

it’s at a Haven

away from all signs of civilazation

even then iggy’s bright pink as he’s dancing

Prompto’s just having a great time

but it is a close call

they do a number from the Kpop group (for while iggy is shy about his appreciation for their music, prom absolutely LOVES it!)

it really is a close call

they’re both so concise and fluid

Gladdy and noct call it a tie

until gladdy sends the video he managed to take to Iris

she declares Iggy the winner

amongst ignis being utterly BETRAYED that his bf would do such a thing!

he’s a smug little shit

Prompto just shrugs and congratulates him

but now he tries to make iggy dance whenever he can

he’ll put on some music and challenge iggy

“c’mon iggy! you gotta defend you title as best dancer of the group!!”

slowly iggy starts to open up about dancing

he does a lil jig when driving (safely of course!!1!)

He’ll dance almost always now when he’s cooking dinner

prompto will always dance with him!

[golddaggers]

have you seen her?

pairings: reader x stiles stilinski.

warnings: meh, a bit angsty, some smut. nothing much. 

a/n: I wasn’t going to publish it in the first place, however I though I would risk it and post it. I really hope you all enjoy it!! 

ps.: you might have some characteristics that don’t belong to you.

word count: 6867

The park was pretty crowded when I arrived. Like most days, some kids played happily in the small playground, yelling cheerfully while their parents were sitting on the nearby benches, watching them from afar. Birds chirped excitedly, eating bread crummies that were scattered by the lake’s margin, the sunshine enlightened the clear water and, due to all of that, she popped into my mind. All the memories we built on this very same place and the reason why I came back every single day.

Y/N/N was the woman of my dreams and, at the same time, my personal hell. Someone who was permanently etched to my brain. Either way, I didn’t want to forget her. Not ever.

The day we finally met each other, was also the one I had given up on giving my heart to the wrong girl. I had wasted years of my life chasing after Lydia and now I was forced to watch her gushing over Jackson, which definitely was not good for my mental health, because I knew I would be a much better choice for her. Yet, when I came clean about my feelings, Martin didn’t pick me, making my heart shatter into tiny little pieces. In that moment, I thought I would never feel okay again, however, Y/N quickly proved me wrong that night.

Loud music was throbbing on the sound boxes when I downed my first glass of vodka. This party, so far, had gone incredibly wrong for me; I had come to put the whole revealing to Lydia she was my crush and getting turned down by her aside, but, as if fate wanted to take a good laugh at me, I bumped into her and her new boyfriend. God, I got so enraged I left Scott there with his new girlfriend, Allison, and went after a drink.

Obviously, I was never much of a drinker, so the transparent liquid went down my throat, I felt it stinging, burning. Yet, despite the feeling, I actually enjoyed, so I kept drinking, fact that drove me to get tipsy in, roughly, twenty minutes. The whole place began to spin, double people speeding in front of me; it was when I preached myself I needed some fresh water on my face, just to sober up a little bit.

Tripping my way into the restroom, I bumped into someone, spilling their drink on both of us. A gentle voice cursed, making me look up, only to find a beautiful set of grey eyes staring at me narrowed; I was so stupidly mesmerised by them I didn’t even understand what she said, I just… Got lost on her.

“Are you even listening?” The light pink haired girl quizzed, cocking one of her eyebrows at me. “Fuck, you must really be shitfaced, huh?”

I should say something.

Why wasn’t I saying something?

Without hearing any response, she sighed, shaking her head. I was still breathless by the look in her eyes.

“Okay, come with me.”

She gripped my hand, intertwining our fingers, and dragged me through the crowd, pushing me to enter a dark room. Once inside, the beautiful woman let go of my fingers, disappearing in the darkness for a second before the light was turned on. Again, I was in awe by her beauty.

“My name is Y/N, by the way, but everyone calls me Y/N/N.”

“U-Uh, mine is… It’s nice to meet you, I mean, no, wait.” I babbled, saying everything at one strike and making absolutely no sense. However, instead of running away scared, she just laughed and it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. “Stiles.”

“What the hell is a Stiles?” Y/N asked, pulling a tissue from her purse and rubbing it against the stain on her baby green dress.

“M-My name.”

“Oh.” Another smile pulled the corners of her lips. “Well, Stiles, you kind of own me a new book. And very likely a new dress.”

“A book?”

Y/N used her chin to point at the a dripping wet hardcover book thrown over the sink. It was about matching signs or something. Either way, I swallowed thickly, nodding shyly, and then took the courage to go over to her side; taking a deep breath, I turned on the faucet, washing my hands. When I was finished, I rubbed both of them on my eyes, trying to make the spinning stop. The alcohol was still making me dizzy.

“Need a tissue? Maybe some coffee too? I have been told I make the greatest coffee around.”

“Uh, sure, why not? And yes, I do need one.”

Smiling, the woman handed me the requested object, which I used to clean the drops sliding down my face. As soon as we got rid of all the spilt drink, she boldly took my digits on hers again, guiding me towards the kitchen room, where she did not hesitate to grab all the goods necessary to make us coffee.  

The place was huge mess, but I still managed to find one empty seat by the table. I sat down, supporting my elbows on the cold marble and licking my lips that were immeasurably dry. Now that I was slowly recovering my senses, a light shade of pink painted my cheeks; how could I be nervous about a girl I had never seen before in my life? Was that even possible?

She quietly put the trash out and found herself a chair, occupying the spot next to me. Her Y/S/T arms hooked my shoulders, her thumb massaging my shoulder lightly, like she was trying to comfort me somehow.

“Is it a girl?”

“What?”

“I have seen that bummed out face on plenty others before. All of them had had their hearts broken by a girl.”

“Lydia Martin.” I exhaled, the name fluttering on my lips. “I fell for her back in the third grade, but she never noticed me. Now she has found a crappy boyfriend and I just wish… Fuck, nevermind.”

“Okay, wait a second, because I think the coffee is ready.” Her chuckle filled my ears, making my heart skip a beat. “But our talk isn’t over.”

The girl stood up in a jump, found two mugs in the old cabinet, poured the black, strong liquid and then went back, the glass hitting the marble sound echoing. She pushed my mug so it was in front of me.

“Alright, listen to me now. Uh, I know we have never seen each other before and I know it sounds crazy that a stranger is giving you advice, still, I feel like you should let go of her, really. Don’t hurt yourself because she can’t feel the same about you. Honestly, you seem like a pretty nice guy… If she can’t see that, well, you better off without her.”

“You’re right.” Sipping on my coffee, I agreed with a slight nod. “And you do make a great coffee. Never enjoyed it this much previously.”

“Thank you.” Y/N nudged my upper arm with her shoulder, giggling.

She too drank a little bit of her drink, us both remaining in a nice silence for a tiny moment. Afterwards, she crinkled her nose, laughed and started talking. Random stuff at first, however, once three hours had gone by, I already knew all about her family, her friends, her dream job, her love towards animals… This particular side of her made me even more enchanted by the new girl. I was simply fascinated by her personality and strong will.

“God, it’s so late. I gotta go!”  Y/N/N said, right after she checked her watch.

“Wait, can I… Shit, can I have your number?”

“Absolutely. I would love to get a call from you when you’re all sober.”

Y/N ripped a piece of paper from her ruined book and wrote down her number in it. She pecked my cheek swiftly then left me standing alone in the kitchen, not sure of what should I do next. The second she had disappeared from my sight, I picked up the note, seeing numbers, but also a small message: ‘Looking forward for us to have good time. Call me ;).’

I smirked, running a finger through her pretty handwriting; by being so deep within the fresh memories of the mystery girl, I never noticed Scott stepping in. He had a torn appearance and I was clearly drunk when I set my eyes on him.

“Where have you been all night?” My friend queried, his tone sounding demanding and upset. “Allison’s father came to pick her up a while back and I was alone with both Lydia and Jackson.”

“Poor you, Scott.” I tried to suppress a smile, upon seeing his true drunk state. “What about we head home, huh?”

“That would be nice.”  Scott mumbled, trying to clumsily hug me. “What’s that on your hand?

“A phone number.”

“Wait, what happened?”

“I met a girl.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, her name is Y/N and she’s pretty cool.”

“Uh, niceee.” His voice was strangled and weirdly excited, pushing me into shaking my head. “Oh no, I think I am going to throw up.”

“Not on me, you loser. Now let’s go.”

That rising morning was one of the best of my life and I couldn’t forget the way she smiled, showing off her cute dimples, or the funny way she got excited when talking about her pet cats not even when she choked, laughing at one of my jokes. I just couldn’t wait to call her up and ask her out.

I solely knew I had found the woman of my life.

When I got home that night, after carefully putting Scott in bed and making sure Melissa wouldn’t see his wrecked state, I, out of sudden, experienced a sinking feeling reach my stomach. And my heart was acting just as weird. Yet, despite being uncomfortable, I understood, right away, what was all of that about. It was, as I began to call it later, “Y/N/N side effects”.

Life, on the hand, tried to warn me I shouldn’t be so smitten by someone. The first warning was: I lost the little paper with her number. I searched through every single one of my pockets, my car, my room, even Scott’s place. It was not anywhere to be found. Still, I wasn’t going to give so easily.

Digging a little, I discovered she was friends with Allison and, the second I learned that, I went straight to my best friend’s girl, wanting meet with Y/N again.

Allison had a cheerful smile on her face when I approached her six mornings later after the party. Yet, when I brought it up the subject of the pink haired girl I got know in the party, the smile faded to a sympathetic one. Like those you give when your puppy dies or something.

“Please, Allison.” I begged, squeezing her delicate hands on mine. “She was so warm, so nice to me… I need to see her again. I don’t know, I might have fallen for her.”

“Look, Stiles, I am sorry to break to you, but I don’t think Y/N/N is the person you should be falling for.” The brown haired woman pulled her hands away and placed them on my shoulders, the sympathetic smirk never leaving her lips. It seemed as if she was sorry for me. “Put her out of your mind, honestly.”

“But I don’t want to, Allison!” A tired sigh left my lips while I glared at the girl a bit saddened. “She was perfect. How can I put her out of my mind?”

“Stiles, listen to me.” Her traits suddenly contorted into a serious expression. “I love Y/N/N, she is indeed a great person to be friends with, still… Not the type any good boys should be falling for. I have seen her do this to men a thousand times.”

“Do what?” The question slipped, me getting more and more frustrated by the second.

“Make them in love with her, even though she has no plans on staying.”

“No, Allison, it was different with me. I don’t know how to explain it to you, but I felt it.”

Allison exhaled, shaking her head. Without saying anything, she pulled both a pen and a paper from her backpack and scribbled down a phone number, handing it to me with a disappointing look burning in her irises. I, on the other hand, was cheering on the inside.

“Here’s her number, since you’re so desperate to reach her, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

I happily kissed her cheek, hearing her laughing as I walked away to find a calmer place to call Y/N, for I couldn’t wait any longer, I had to hear her voice again, her cute giggle and, obviously, I needed to ask her out as soon as possible. A girl like her… Well, she doesn’t stay single for long.

The phone rang, rang and rang, however, the call was only picked up after the sixth time, which got my heart beating too fast I could hear it pumping on my ears.

“Hello?”

“Y/N?”

“Yes, that’s her.” The phone call went mute for a second. “Who is this?”

“Uh, it’s Stiles.”

“Oh, Stiles… The one who owns me a book, right?” Her laugh echoed on the speaker and I could swear I was in heaven all over again. “I thought you would call me the day after, but you never did.”

“Uh, I-I lost your number.”

“That’s too bad.”

This moment had been planned by me so many times and I now I had no idea how I should ask her out. What exactly I should say. My hands were stammering and I knew if I spoke, my voice would be shaky too. Her breathing was regular on the other side, which made me sigh, giving up on being like that.

“Can we, you know, go out sometime?”

“Oh.” Her voice sounded surprised, but I understood she was just messing with me. “Obviously. But we have to make it to today.”

“Why?”

“Some dork should have called me five days ago.” I could mentally see her rolling her eyes. “What about you pick me up at seven? I’ll text you my address.”

“Sounds great.”

“It’s a date, then.”

“Yes, it’s a date.”

Y/N bid me goodbye then hung up and I, once more, got left alone, standing like an idiot in the middle of the school hall. Yet, I couldn’t care less about it. Despite all odds, I had a date with her: the girl I had been dreaming about for the past days. The one who, out of the blew, won my heart.

The satisfied smirk never faltered on my mouth throughout the whole day. Everyone kept asking me why I was so damn happy, but I didn’t want anyone minding my business, not for now anyway. For this short while, I would keep it secret, in a way of protecting this new relationship that was coming to life today.

I wasn’t even certain if it was going anywhere, still, I sure as hell wished it was.

The memory of our first date was carved into my brain; about ten minutes to seven P.M., I parked outside her home, only to find her sitting at swing on her porch’s home. Y/N/N had a fine black dress and a light makeup on her face, very different from what I remembered. Still, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life.

We went to a small but cosy restaurant outside Beacon Hills. Clearly it was nothing fancy, yet, it meant a lot to me to take her there, because that was the place my father took my mother on their first date. Or so the story tells. Either way, I was sure she had enjoyed it, for the smile shone on her poison red lips all night long.

After she and I finished our meals, I decided to take her to a park nearby. One I played a lot as a kid. She nodded enthusiastically, accepting without think it twice. That was the place where we had our first kiss.

A round moon and a bunch of stars enlightened our walk to the empty park. Y/N had her hand carelessly linked to mine, her digits squeezing it gently.  By this simple act, my heart was pounding like crazy against my chest, sweat coating my forehead. As for her, she looked peaceful, her loose hair breezing to the wind and her cheeks a bit flushed. God, how can someone be so beautiful?

“This night was amazing, Stiles.” She whispered, a while after we were sitting by ourselves in a bench in front of the lake. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

“I am just happy you said yes.”

“I am too.”

I noticed her leaning in to lie her head on my shoulder, sighing. Upon her latter action, I dared myself to hook an arm around her shoulders, comforting her on my chest, which the girl accepted happily. And, for several minutes, we stayed in that position, contemplating the dark sky, the soothing water waves… Tonight indeed was a breathtaking night.

Y/N, then, abruptly unhooked herself from me and glared at me with a mischievous glint on her hazel irises.

“I have a crazy idea. Want to do something fun?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Well…” She began tugging at the hem of her dress, pulling it up. “Have you ever skinny dipped?”

“No.”

“I am glad I will be your first.”

Laughing, the girl skilfully took off her dress, standing before me in a sinful scarlet red lingerie set, and ran to the lake’s margin, calling me up with a finger once she got there. I lowly mumbled a ‘what the hell’, got rid of my clothing too and joined her, our arms tied together.

“Nice underwear.”

“Yours is pretty nice too.”

“Okay, ready?”

“Yeah.”

We jumped, without think twice, in the cold water, feeling it swiftly numb out our bodies. Y/N did not hesitate to cling herself to me, her arms linking behind my small back, she had a gorgeous smile lying on her lips whilst her chin jittered to the low temperature. Our faces, as noticed rapidly, were dangerously close, so much I had to stop myself from leaning in.

The water moved around in smooth movements, making us both swing lightly. I cupped her cheeks, wiping the drops sliding down on them, which pushed her into biting the soft flesh of her bottom lip. I swallowed thickly, tracing a line on it, getting her lids to fall shut. In a hushed action, I pressed my mouth on hers, kissing her passionately.

I had never been kissed like that before; her lips applied a soft pressure to mine, her tongue moving in sync with mine. It was like we were meant to do that. My hands were on her neck, my thumbs caressing it slowly, provoking a small moan to slip. Hers were on my back, her nails digging it as they glided down, eliciting goosebumps on my skin. I wished this moment to never have an end, still, we needed breathe.

“I-I think we should get out of the water.”  

“Yeah.” I answered in a whisper, however, before the magic was over, I kissed her again, lasting it enough for us to be begging for a warmer place.

In the road back to Beacon Hills, I gazed at her by the corner of my eyes, a goofy smile plastered on that pretty face. I understood I didn’t want just one night like that, I wanted all nights. All mornings. All afternoons. I wanted everything with her.

Throwing some crummies to the birds, I remembered how incredibly happy I was that day. The sweet taste of her lips lingering on mine, her gentle hands stroking my back while we exchanged a fond act. Who would have guessed how ephemeral our relationship was going to be? I certainly wouldn’t. Not for a while, at least.

Y/N/N and I had an amazing month together before things started to fall apart. I, then, understood what Allison had said about her not committing problem. Well, she had all sorts of issues, and not wanting to settle down was among them. The second things began to get serious between us, she started to push me away, refusing to get any deeper than the mainly sexual relationship we built in the meantime. Of course I wouldn’t give up on that girl so easily, I loved her with all my heart, which was why I decided to do something.

On the week of her eighteenth birthday, I planned a little surprise party. I invited some of her friends, some of mine. Decorated my entire place with her favourite kind of flower, bought her favourite cake and simply transformed my place into her dream place. Ah, yes, it was a magical night for both of us.

All lights were switched off when I got back home that night with Y/N. We had gone out to celebrate her birthday, going to the small restaurant I took her on our first date; I could see by the sparkling of her hazel eyes she was happy I had done that. Her family wasn’t exactly the type who would do some big gesture for their daughter; from the little she had told me, I utterly hated them for the lack of love towards her; I mean, she was so damn amazing it was a crime to do that to someone like her.

“A penny for your thoughts.” Her soothing voice filled the room. “Oh fuck, you look so hot when you’re serious…”

“Oh shut it, Y/N.”

“I would like you to call me Y/N/N, or at least Lis. Not boring old Y/N.”

“I love your name and you know that.”

“Oh shut it, Mieczyslaw.” She rolled her eyes, laughing afterwards, her hand lying careless on my thigh. “Shall we go inside? I sort of want to see what you saved underneath those clothes for me today.”

“Oh, you naughty thing.” I cupped her cheek, stealing a quick, but passionate, kiss from her lips, sensing her smile against my mouth. “Let’s go.”

Y/N wrapped her arm around my waist, placing her head on my shoulder as we walked towards my home. Everything was so silent that, if I didn’t know better, I would say everyone had forgotten about the thing I had arranged about two weeks ago.

As a way to let them know we had arrived, I started to fumble through my pockets, making an awful lot of noise, which drove the girl to direct me an odd looking glare. If only she knew what waited her behind that door…

“Okay, found it.”

“Yay!”

The money I had wasted on it was definitely worth it after I saw the glowing in her eyes to the small gathering I had architectured. Flowers were covering every inch of my living room, petals scattered the way up to my room; a table was set in the middle, the cake positioned in the centre of it, a couple of drinks beside it. Party lights were blinking and all her favourite songs were playing on the background.

Allison was the first to come over to us, hugging her tightly. The brown haired woman whispered something funny on her ear that made her laugh loudly, but I, sadly, was able to hear it or know what it was. She shook my hand then went back to Scott’s side, who, by the way, winked at me, raising his red cup. I did the same, lacing my arm around my girl’s shoulders, making us get even closer.

While watching her talking cheerfully to her other friends, I could not avoid my constant contemplation of her. The way she moved, or crinkled her nose, squinting her eyes to laugh, also throwing her head back. How she would put her hands on her hips, leaning in to pay attention. All the little things that made me head over heels for her.

Y/N didn’t know but I was going to say 'I love you’ to her for the first time tonight. Later, obviously, when we were alone at my bedroom, possibly staring at the stars… Oh God, I just couldn’t wait for it.

If only I knew what was going to go down later… I would never have said those three little words to her. My Y/N/N was an wonderful person, she was the moon holding all the stars together… Maybe it was why I couldn’t have her all to myself, I mean, who can own such a beautiful thing like the moon?

When the party finally ended, I took her upstairs, to my room, so we could spend some little alone time with one another. I liked Y/N better when she had no masks on and that usually happened within closed walls. Just me and her.

“Thank you for tonight.” Y/N whispered, walking around the dimly lit room, stripping off of her coat. “The party, this! Oh god, Stiles, you’re perfect… I don’t know if I am deserving of you.”

She stood by the window, gazing at the empty street; I approached her, giving a subtle massage on her shoulders, hearing the girl moan lowly under my touch. The mere sound made me tense up, like I did whenever she produced those noises. It was, again, “Y/N side effects”.

Abruptly swivelling herself to face me, Y/N captured my mouth with hers rapidly, not even giving me a chance to pace myself to the contact. Her lips were thirsty, sucking at mine as if she wanted to take a bite or anything like that. I chuckled at her exasperation, gripping her upper arms and leading her to the bed, where I pushed her to fall with a small thud.

“Uh, someone’s eager to be dominant tonight, huh?”

“Don’t spoil the moment, will you?” I asked huskily, kneeling in front of her and sliding down her skirt, finding a violet coloured underwear under. “Nasty, babe.”

“What can I say? Not just you are the one with the surprises tonight.”

Us both shared a laugh, then, not wanting to waste any more seconds apart from her, I started kissing her inner leg. Leaving a red stain behind wherever I applied a little pressure. She, a long ago, had fallen back, her hips lightly buckling to my caresses. But I wouldn’t cave in so soon… Nah, I would tease the hell out of that woman.

My hands perked up to meet the waistband of her panties, playing with them while I was fanning warm breaths over her clothed core. She barely moved, only begging for me to get over it, eliciting a ironic giggle from me; I began, after a while, to kiss her crotch, scattering sloppy open mouthed kisses across the region. The buckling started to get a little bit hash.

“Easy, babe.” I pinned her down, strongly grasping her soft skin. “Let’s not rush ourselves, shall we?”

“You son of a bitch.”

I went back up to her toes, getting one inside my mind and swirling my tongue around it. Somewhere in internet I read this was an erotic zone or so; might have been in porn, but I am not admitting that. Either way, she seemed to be enjoying, because I did hear some meawls slipping from her mouth soon afterwards. A couple of minutes later, I caressed her legs, going down again, this time actually pushing her knickers to one side and revealing all her nudity to me.

For a moment, I gasped, always being struck of how beautiful she looked when she was like that: surrendered. I glided my tongue up her folds, using it to find her sensitive nub; the second I hit it, her hands flew to my hair, pulling it tightly. She also moaned a bit louder than usual. I dared to look up whilst circling her clit, she had her grey eyes pierced on me and they were soaked in pleasure; my name vibrated on her lips, pleading with me to go faster.

I pushed her down, supporting my hands on her thighs, deepening the contact, zigzagging on her core, erupting a string of curses to echo across the room. Those pretty sounds I grown used to hearing whenever I did that to her. In one sudden movement, I pushed two fingers inside, my saliva making it wet enough for it not to hurt. Her walls complained against my digits and Y/N screamed, mumbling disjointed words while I pumped, scissoring sometimes, experiencing the feeling of her clenching anytime I went a little further into her.

“Please, Stiles… Shit, I am going to…”

“Cum to me, honey.” My voice spoke up, so hoarse I almost didn’t recognise it as mine. “I want to be the one to take you to heaven tonight.”

With one last push, she broke down, yelling and arching her back, her toes curling on my back. I couldn’t help but groan along, mesmerised by her.

“You’re not taking me to heaven.” Y/N replied, once she had rode out of her high and was up on her elbows. “You dragging me towards hell.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Damn good, baby, now come give me a kiss.”

Nodding, I slowly made my way up, lifting her shirt alongside it while scattering pecks on her torso, feeling the girl shudder. At her neck, I sucked the smooth skin, leaving a purple mark behind and earning myself a low gasp. Her nails dug in my shoulders, sliding down my back, very likely scraping it too. I couldn’t mind less, though. I loved when she did that anyway.

I linked our mouths in a savage kiss, noticing perfectly she taking her skilful hand to the growing length forming the bulge under my khakis. She squeezed it softly, summoning a raspy moan from my throat; I closed my eyes, poking her cheek with my nose as our lips brushed. Y/N massaged me for a while longer, then she struggled with the button, popping it open a second later. Her hand job got me feeling like I was in paradise.

“Fuck, Y/N/N…” I murmured, nibbling at the crook of her neck, still maintaining my weight on my knees and elbows, otherwise I would crush her. “You’re so good at this…”

“I love when you’re talking dirty to me, Stiles.”  

Y/N intensified the movement on my dick, making me twitch a bit. If she kept going, I would spoil all the fun, that was why I stopped her and stood up, obviously gaining a grunt of complaint. I merely smiled, kicking off my shoes, trousers and anything that could prevent me from diving into her. Yet, once naked, I still lacked the protection, so I went to my drawers, collecting one; then I put it in place, going straight to the action, only to be astounded by the scene of her rubbing herself, providing pleasure to the body I loved so much.

“That’s how you do it without me, Y/N?”

“Oh yes, baby… But nothing feels better than you.” A whine escaped her lips when I harshly pushed her legs, getting my cock lined up to her entrance, teasing it a bit. “Fuck… Damn, please, Stiles. Do it.”

“That’s what you want?” I pushed inside one bit, taking an achingly long moment. “Do you want me to wreck you good?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Then I must fulfill your wishes.”

Gripping the base of her Y/S/T thighs, I sheathed myself  inside her using one sharp thrust. We both groaned to the touch, our bodies mingling, turning into one. It was cheesy, but it was how I felt when I was with her like that… Two pieces forming one. Like it was meant to be.

I slammed into her almost as if I thought that was no tomorrow, the sound of our skins collapsing filled the room, just as much as her silky moans and my constant grunts. My palms glued to her breasts, to which, I had realised, I have given no attention until now; Deciding to make up for the time lost, I used my thumbs to circle her nipples, getting them hard effortlessly. Matter fact, Y/N’s whole body was over sensitive to tact, meaning anything I did would get goosebumps crawling on her skin.

She forced her bottom half forward, meeting mine with a noisy clap. I smirked cocky, leaning in to savour her boobs for a while, for I wanted her to get the best experience of this whole thing. Nothing plausible came out of her during the time I continuously buried myself within her tepid core, experiencing it chewing me like my cock was some sort of gum.

“Shit, babe. I’m close.”  

“Hold on there, Stiles, I want to… Fuck. Just like that, keep going.”

Upon being aware there was nearly nothing left of me, I took my digits to her clit, rubbing it fast; noticing her legs tensing up around me. A couple of movements later, the girl came undone for the last time, right after I did it myself, growling her name. So loud anyone nearby would have known who I was fucking. I thrusted a little more, riding us out of our peeks, then I rolled to her side. Once free from the condom, I lied down again, pulling her to my chest; the jittering figure heaved still.

Y/N caressed my hair, pecking my cheek; afterwards, she started drawing figures on my chest, us both enjoying the healthy silence.

“This was amazing.” The pink haired girl muttered. “And thank you again for tonight.”

“Anything for you, darling.”

I winked afore we fell into a deep silence again; I knew I couldn’t wait any more. I had to tell her how I felt so this heavy pressure on my heart would be released; Y/N needed to know she was loved.

“Can I confess you something?”

“Of course you can, baby.”

“I love you, Y/N. And I have been loving you from the first time I saw you.”

The woman went mute for a second and, after it, she sat up, her eyes widened in shock, her mouth gaped open from what I had said.

“You what?”

“I love you.”

“No. Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Spoil things. You’re not supposed to love me!”

“But I do! Very much!”

Her hazel eyed gaze was sad when she looked at me the last time before she got up from the bed, quickly gathering her clothes and putting them on, totally ready to leave.

“What are you doing?”

“I-I need to think.”

“Excuse me?”

“Please… I-I can’t do this. Oh fuck, I-I need to go.”

Those words said, the girl ran away, slamming the door shut behind her and leaving me, this time, heartbroken, because I knew, the second Y/N glared at me with those scared eyes, she wouldn’t ever be coming back.

Ever since Y/N/N walked out of my life, almost three weeks ago, I had been a total mess. To be honest, the first couple of days I had been in such a bad shape, even my father came up to me to ask what had happened. It was still fresh in my brain how he had gaped his lips slightly, a low 'oh’ falling from his mouth; more than anyone, Noah Stilinski adored her and I fully knew he was sad we were over. For now, at least.

I threw the last pieces of bread to the birdies, cleaning my hands on my blue jeans and standing up, deciding it was time to go home. Drowning myself in my memories, going to back to the time I was with her, it was all good, but I couldn’t go on like that. It wasn’t healthy, actually, once it was over, I got even more wrecked.

A soft sigh crawled out my mouth as I gazed at the darkening sky, reminiscing on the countless afternoons we spent lying on the grass, laughing and just being ourselves. Without any feelings getting in the way. Fuck, I missed her so much…

“I knew I would find you here.” A voice whispered shyly from behind me, one that made me spin on my heel so fast things went blank for a second. “Hi, Stiles.”

“Y/N/N?”

“You never call me that before… What is up with you?” The smile shining on her face made my heart warm up, beating at an inconsistent rate. I was definitely not ready to see her again so soon.

“W-What are you doing here?” I stammered, noticing my eyes go wide whilst hers glared at me a bit unsure.

Y/N/N bit her bottom, hiding her hands within the pockets on her leather jacket.

“I wanted to talk to you, if that’s okay, obviously.”

I nodded, sitting back on the bench again and watching her do the same on the corner of my eye. We stayed in an uncomfortable silence for a bit, neither wanting to be the one to break it, but, in the end, she ended up clearing her throat, trying to make out a coherent sentence yet failing miserably. I shot her a sympathetic glance, in hopes the Y/S/T girl would feel more comfortable.

At last, Y/N/N took a deep breath, soothing herself before saying:

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what, exactly?” I quizzed, bluntly, daring to connect our gazes.

“For being a bitch to the only person who truly loved me for what I am.” She look at the ground, her knuckles white from squeezing strongly her thighs. “I shouldn’t have ran away like that.”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t. You almost tore me apart and it wasn’t fair.”

“I know messed up big time, baby, but that’s why I’m here anyway. This time we spent apart made me see some stuff clearer and, damn, I can't… I can’t be without you. I miss our early morning walks; you petting my cats while I made you coffee; we talking until late night… I miss us. I can’t live without us, to be entirely honest.”

“You can’t?”

“No…”

For a moment, I was shocked. Was she really saying all those things to me? Saying she had missed me, like I dreamt about for weeks? That was indeed real life? It was so unrealistic I thought I might be hallucinating, however, when the gentle touch of her hand met my knee, I knew it wasn’t, so I smiled. Genuinely, like I hadn’t ever since she walked out on me.

Her hands met my cheeks, cupping them, and her thumbs massaged the cheekbones underneath; I noticed she leaning in, her beautiful nose poking my playfully; then, the gorgeous looking woman pressed her lips on mine, waking me up to reality, making me feel alive again. I snuck my hands down to her waist, pulling her frame towards me, deepening the kiss and letting out all the stored emotions.

The kiss lasted a couple of minutes, afterwards, we had to break it to breathe, our lungs complaining for the lack of air. While our breathings normalised, I took the chance to lose myself on her smouldering green eyes, wanting to savour that moment at its fullest.

“Stiles, I… Fuck, I missed you.” Y/N/N pecked my lips again, this time scattering kissing my entire face. “And now I can say it was all bullshit.”

“What was?”

“The whole act I put on, saying you had spoilt everything… You didn’t do anything wrong. Not ever. The truth is, a while back, I fell in love with a wrong person. It destroyed me, so I learnt to protect myself, I wore a thick layer around my heart. However, when you showed, it all went down and scared me.” A tired exhale left her pink lips. “But I love you, Stiles. Like I have never loved anyone in my life before.”

Those three little words hit my chest like an right aimed punch, driving me to lose a breath. And a beat. God, I was so head over heels for her!

“I’m glad you know that now.”

“Jerk.” She rolled her eyes, lying her head on my shoulder, her gaze lost on the darkening sky. “Be cute to me.”

“I’m always cute.” We chuckled, intertwining our fingers. “Can I ask you something?”

“Obviously!” Y/N/N replied cheerfully. “Anything you want!”

“Promise me you’ll never leave my life again. That even if we don’t work out as a couple, we will still be friends. Promise.”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Because I lived without you and I came to the realisation I don’t want to. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me!”

“Lies!”

“Excuse me?”

“You, Stiles, is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Not the other way around. Also, of course, I promise you that. From now on, we’re stuck with each other.”

“Good.”

“Great.”

Absently minded, I glued our mouths once more, finally feeling, after so long, whole again. And I was aware that, as long as she was with me, as long as she loved me, I would always feel this way. Always.

[impracticaldemon]

Nalu Week 2017 Day 5: He Sees Beneath Her Mask

A/Note: I wasn't able to write as much as I wanted for NaluWeek2017, but here is my third story, using the prompt for Day 5: Mask Day

The story is set in a kind of early 90s university AU, but the concepts and characters are mostly canon. I hope you enjoy it!

Words ~ 2300 | Also available now on FFN and AO3 (Impracticaldemon)

He Sees Beneath Her Mask Prompt: Mask Day

Lucy's first day of university was unremarkable—at least, it was unremarkable if you were the sole heiress to the Heartfilia fortune and used to your father being far more concerned than you were about outward appearances. In the midst of rushing walkers and bikers of all descriptions, Lucy was ushered onto the sidewalk in front of the registration building by the reliable, middle-aged chauffeur whom she'd known for years. While the majority of the students around her wore t-shirts of all descriptions paired with "lived-in" looking jeans, Lucy looked trim and demure in a crisp white blouse, perfectly-tailored navy capris, and pretty, matching sandals. She had the kind of accessories that didn't need a logo to tell you that they were expensive.

Her father didn't get out—he was already taking time out of his busy day to ensure that Lucy arrived on time and in proper style—but he did roll down his window and briefly clasp Lucy's hand. His words of farewell were more admonishing than encouraging, however:

"I'm still not sure about this place, Lucy, so remember our bargain: you can go here as long as you don't let yourself get dragged into any trouble by some of the weirder types you sometimes seem to hang out with—and as long as you meet your social obligations for the family and the company."

"Yes, Father. I understand. And I haven't forgotten next week's charity ball on Thursday evening." Lucy's serious, deep brown eyes stayed focused on her father, despite the stares she could feel from her soon-to-be classmates, especially the girls—women, she corrected herself silently.

Jude Heartfilia accepted Lucy's assurances, cast a last, scathing look at the chattering, excited students, and waved the chauffeur back to the car. He managed a tight, unconvincing smile for his daughter, and then put up his window and leaned back in his seat, a big, shadowy figure behind the tinted glass. Lucy's smile in return was more convincing and yet somehow also sad. She watched the big car glide away, and as soon as it had disappeared around a corner she sighed, squared her shoulders, and turned to hurry toward the registration area. Unfortunately, she stepped right into somebody's path—although 'trajectory' might have been a more accurate word.

"Ow! Sorry!" Only long years of dance and gymnastics kept Lucy upright.

"Hey—look where you're going!" cried the human missile, as he spun around with Lucy in a rather tight, although apparently unintended embrace. He was more agile than he seemed, though; he didn't stagger as they parted, and his hand under her elbow helped her own efforts at balance.

Not surprisingly, they eyed each other curiously once the world stopped spinning. The human missile was actually a young man of medium height and decidedly athletic build, with spiky, cotton-candy pink hair, dark grey-green eyes, and a dusting of freckles. Lucy saw the dark eyes widen slightly as he examined her in turn. The clothes and shoes and so on were bad enough, she thought, but anybody would stare at her up-swept golden hair, which had been formed into a perfect chignon at the back. It was very pretty—and made her look like a 1940s actress at an evening party rather than a regular university student of many, many decades later.

"Are you going in to register?" Lucy asked, determined to be friendly and polite.

"Huh? Oh, yeah—I think so?" The pink-haired guy ran a hand through his spiky locks and then grinned cheerfully. "I mean yeah, yeah I am! That's a pretty good hairstyle—is it a new thing? I'll bet you could hide notes and weapons and stuff in it!"

From behind Pink-and-Spiky, a slightly taller, leaner man muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "idiot". Lucy realized that she hadn't even noticed the second man, and then flushed slightly when she realized that he was wearing cargo pants belted loose over boxers and not much else. He was a bit less odd than Pinky—Lucy had a tendency to first give and then refine nicknames—but he also seemed slightly dangerous. Maybe it was the stylized bird tattoo on the right side of his chest, or his very dark eyes and hair. If I wrote these two into a story, he'd be Emo-Guy for sure. I'll bet he broods well. And Pinky would be Leaps-Before-Looking-Guy or Runs-Into-Trouble-But-Likes-It-Guy. They're both pretty attractive though.

"I can hear you, you know," Pinky said to Dark-and-Tattooed. Lucy jumped slightly: for a moment she'd thought he'd heard what she was thinking.

"I wouldn't bother to call you an idiot if you couldn't hear me," retorted D-and-T. He held out a hand to Lucy, and gave her a small, but apparently genuine smile. "I'm Gray. Flamebrain here is Natsu. We're in second year, but our friend Erza asked us to help out with registration—she runs the welcome table where you pick up your registration kits."

Gray's handshake was firm and literally cool, despite the warm sun. He was immediately elbowed out of the way by Pinky/Natsu. "Yeah, it gets us out of this afternoon's mega-line-ups with the general upper-year registration crowd," he told her. "Can't wait until everything's completely automated."

"Like that'll help you," scoffed Gray. "You're still in trouble for trying to hit a campus computer last year because it said your code had errors. Good thing Erza was there to stop you."

Lucy jumped in before things could escalate.

"Oh… Well, um, I'm Lucy—nice to meet you. Both of you." Natsu's hand was dry and calloused, without a hint of sweat. In fact, he seemed impervious to the heat, although wearing a white Fairy Tail U scarf wound loosely around his neck seemed excessive. Sometimes Lucy thought it was her fate to meet the strangest people at any given location. Then again, she was okay with that.

After a few more courtesies (cut short by Natsu "accidentally" stepping on Gray's foot) and a few more discourtesies (cut short by Lucy with the tact of one forced young into the cut-throat politics of charitable fund-raising), the three of them went in. Erza turned out to be a rather frighteningly helpful third year with honest-to-goodness red (not orange or auburn) hair. These people apparently spent a fortune on hair dye. Lucy had meant to change as soon as her father had left, and before talking to anyone, but fate and Natsu had conspired against her. One look at Erza's face told Lucy that she'd been recognized. The upper-year didn't say anything though; instead, she made Lucy's day by handing over her registration package without calling out her last name.

"Is-is there a washroom nearby?" Lucy asked, heartened by this kindness.

Erza was getting both guys set up with registration packages (and smacking them upside the head for hitting each other, which Lucy found slightly counter-productive as an example of good behaviour). She nodded at a doorway and said: "Down that hall, first door on the right.

When Lucy slipped back into the room several minutes later, she went quietly to the back of the registration line without speaking further with the upper-years. After all, Gray, Natsu and Erza were obviously friends of long-standing. In fact, Lucy had already realized that Erza was a well-known student leader and a competitive athlete of national standing—she should have recognized the name sooner. That probably meant that Gray and Natsu were just as important within the school community. Lucy didn't want it to seem as though she was presuming upon her chance encounter with Natsu earlier. He'd seemed very nice, though; she hoped that maybe she could find a way to get to know him better by proving herself as an up-and-coming Fairy Tail student. There was something about Natsu's grin that somehow stood out even more than the pink hair.

Lucy drew no attention at all as she patiently waited her turn, clutching at the key forms from her registration package. She was now wearing slightly worn cut-offs, a cute, rose-pink t-shirt, and the current popular choice in (cheap) canvas running shoes. The bracelet on one wrist was pretty, but not expensive. She had also managed to extract all hundred or so bobby pins from her hair (only a minor exaggeration!). After a moment's thought, she had decided to put most of her hair into twin-tails in order to beat the heat; she left her long bangs and a few other locks to frame her face, in order to escape from her overly-sophisticated "matchy-matchy girl" appearance of earlier.

When somebody jostled her slightly—clearly by accident—she decided to try out her new-found anonymity. She turned and smiled brightly.

"Kind of brutal in here isn't it?" she said to the pretty, dark-haired girl—woman—behind her.

"Yeah, seriously."

They exchanged the conspiratorial grimaces of strangers commiserating over shared misfortune.

"I'm Lucy—I'm taking English with a focus on creative writing."

"Oh hey—me too! I'm Evelyn. Nice to meet you, Lucy! Sorry about bumping you—gotta admit, I was admiring your bag. It looks like it won't fall apart like my 'student special' here."

"Well, um, yeah… it was a present from my… dad. He believes in practical gifts and things that keep their value and functionality." Ev laughed and Lucy relaxed. Switching clothes was one thing, but the expensive leather schoolbag was actually something she'd chosen and liked, even though she realized most normal students couldn't afford it.

Lucy wasn't used to referring to her father as "dad"; she have to work on that (though not with the man himself). And technically he had bought the bag for her. Her mother's estate provided her with a moderate allowance, but since her father had either inherited or managed the bulk of Layla Heartfilia's money and business interests, he paid for all of Lucy's living expenses. In a bid to retain as much independence as possible, Lucy had learned how to make her allowance stretch without being too obvious, which provided her with less expensive, more normal clothes and paid for the occasional unsupervised outing.

She had only been chatting with her new friend for a few minutes when she spotted a familiar head of pink hair weaving through the crowd toward them. Her first thought was that it was a coincidence, since she now looked very different—and why would Natsu be looking for her anyway? Once or twice she saw Natsu pause for a moment and wrinkle his nose, as if to sneeze, but otherwise nothing interrupted his brisk stride directly to where she was standing (well, there were people in the way, but most of them moved as he approached).

"Hey Lucy! You didn't come back to the table! We could've helped you register you know… Oh, is this a friend of yours?" Natsu didn't even seem to notice that Lucy looked entirely different now. Or if he did he didn't comment.

Somehow—Lucy couldn't quite fathom it—Natsu convinced her to leave the line (she'd already traded numbers with Ev) and come back to the table for registration packages. Partway there, he slowed down a little and started to frown.

"Lucy? Did you change something? Erza said you'd probably gone to put on your mask—or take off your mask, I can't remember which. You seem pretty much the same to me." He came to a full stop right in the middle of the room and squinted at Lucy. Then he started to walk around her, checking her out from all angles. "Heh. Well, it's good to see Erza wrong for once! And Gray backed her up, too! This'll be great!"

"Wait! Natsu!" Lucy tried to pull away, but her escort seemed very determined.

When they arrived, Natsu slung his arm around Lucy's shoulders. "See Erza! No masks! I don't know how she slipped by Gray! You going blind or something, bro?"

Lucy found herself turning a little red. Natsu's arm was heavy and warm, but also comforting and even pleasant, despite the sticky weather. Erza gave her a sympathetic smile; Gray, busy a couple of feet away, rolled his eyes and muttered something that only Natsu heard. He was wearing a t-shirt now, which struck Lucy as more appropriate.

"Natsu," Erza said at last. "Lucy has changed every article of clothing and her shoes and hairstyle."

"What? You did?!" Natsu held Lucy out at arm's length. "What did you do that for? We might not have found you again!" He paused, and then peered closely at Lucy. "You know… I think you're right Erza. Lucy! You messed up your hair! I'll bet that's why you had to change. You shouldn't worry about us, though. We don't mind if you want to dress like a stuck up rich girl—right Gray? Erza?"

"I refuse to be associated with that statement," muttered Gray.

"Natsu…" Erza sounded deeply chagrined.

"Besides, it doesn't matter. Lucy can change her clothes as often as she wants—or even put on that mask you were talking about, Erza! I'll always know it's her!"

Natsu sounded so certain that Lucy wasn't inclined to disagree. She still didn't know him very well, but that didn't seem to matter. When he grinned at her, she grinned back. How odd to think that there might be people who didn't care about masks, when she'd lived with them all her life. Her heart seemed to thump just a little harder against her rib cage at the thought and she didn't object when Natsu gave her another one-armed hug before getting back to his job for Erza.

Epilogue

Lucy didn't find out how Natsu could always track her down until several days later, at which point her vision of the power of love (or something like it) suffered a severe check. Erza kept avoiding the subject, but Gray answered her question directly, once she thought to ask him. It turned out that Natsu had a ridiculously good sense of smell.

"He… he smelled me?" Lucy demanded. "I smell?!"

Gray tried to reassure her, but she found herself putting on extra layers of deodorant for quite a while after that. Eventually, Natsu complained that she smelled like a chemical factory, and Lucy delivered a rather incomprehensible rant. Erza led her away murmuring that strawberry cream cake would help.

Eventually—after Lucy had been pacified by cake—Erza said thoughtfully:

"I think that you are losing sight of something important, Lucy."

"Oh." (sniff)

"I agree that Natsu could track down almost anyone, because of his sense of smell. But you are the one he chose to find."

[END]

A/Note: I don’t know if I’ll be able to do another chapter for Nalu Week, but I’d like to do at least one “more snuggly” one if I can manage.  I have a number of other writing commitments underway, so we’ll see!  All comments, notes, tags, likes and reblogs are much appreciated!

~ Impracticaldemon

@fic-writer-appreciation @ftfanfics @shell-senji @unashamed-shipper @nalufever @eliz1369 @nalu-natic @naluloverforever @miss-zei (humour me on this one, zeiyuu, I think it’s kind of fun!) @fury-ous 

[a-for-anne-blog-blog]

Second Life

Overall, I was not very thrilled with Second Life.

 First,Training in the beginning was fine I missed taking screenshots at that point unfortunately.

Then, I made the mistake in the beginning, I wound up somehow in a forbidden territory (which was like one of the KEY points of class on what NOT to do when learning how to use the virtual platform) and so I was like freaking out like I'm gonna get kicked off or arrested or some horrible thing is going to happen ect. In the middle of these panic like thoughts I’m trying to fly but I'm stuck underwater so needless to say after 10 minutes or so of this, I managed to get out and all went smoothly after that. That was more me just getting used to the game and being me not why I did not like the platform. However, I am extremely glad that I got out of that and managed to go to more beginner safe user friendly areas. Which leads to the first picture. 

So here I had just got out of the forbidden area by figuring out that I could teleport to other places. SO I was like just get me out of here and saw under beginner friendly : fairy isle and I was like sure whatever anywhere but here. So off I went to Fairy Isle. 

It was pretty chill peaceful place I have to say If I could have just explored and sat there then it would have been kinda nice ! One way I guess you could say virtual reality really does work well to make semi real and beautiful atmospheres. 

I didn't stay on Fairy Isle long because I was like ok I gotta talk to other users. So I tried to find friendly/safe areas to talk to users. However talking to users I found kinda creeped me out. And I get the appeal if your on with friends or as a class but if you are solo on your own it’s a different experience. Having talked to people on the internet before this was kinda an interesting experience I found  or felt more vulnerable on a platform like this. I don't know why but I didn't feel really safe or comfortable talking to other users . And that was one of the main reasons I disliked the platform. 

So I moved on after talking to some users to another crowded area and I more observed conversation between other users. 

As it was later or earlier in the morning, I had a bit of a challenge finding crowded areas however I managed to find smaller groups by constantly going to other places where it noted higher volume. 

 Wanting something more educational I decided to go into Art . Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in finding a museum and found only shops and open centers instead. 

one of my favorite parts of the experience was running into this whale lol Idk y and Ik thats really sad but its true he just looked so happy and I was like aw I love it ! 

This was another open lot for learning about Second Life and a bigger cultural center which was kinda cool and I found a pretty legit rocking chair to take it all in from so life was good. I could see what we had talked about in class about how videos play on the spot within the platform and how sound changes (music, tutorials, other) depending where you are standing and I mention that because it seemed super sensitive on this platform. 

Another favorite moment maybe because it was so late/early that I wanted to just be there in real life. However, that definitely was not only due to the time, I literally will always want to be in a place like that anytime and all the time ! : ) 

And as I moved on to the next place, I found this random smug monkey and I   thought that he was rather funny so here he is for all u to see and enjoy his smugness 

Me going to another social center for beginners. This was a dance and community center type of area and very few people where actually here. I went out and there was creepy dude by the pool who I didn't screen shot... I just teleported somewhere else I was like ill pass on that one lol ! 

So then I decided to try international destinations. This is probably the closest to Japan ill ever be in real life but it was kinda cool to walk around and I unfortunately did not get to talk to many people here most of the users tho present were labeled “away” 

Last place I went was Brazil. It seemed pretty cool place . I observed conversation again and played chess. I also tried to walk around the area to see what was around. Then I was tired so I logged off and fell asleep.

SO thats the end of my Second Life experience, overall it was a different and interesting experience to experience and learn about as I noticed many points and elements talked about in class but not one I would pursue again in the future. 

[soraryuuzaki]

Wings @ Anaheim Day 1

ya girl hit the fangirl jackpot and got to perform with BTS. keep reading to find out how it went down

okay but like actually today was fucking amazing and i didn’t really expect it to be?????

like fuck dude i woke up this morning wishing i were with my girlfriend but settling instead for some dank league of legends while i ate breakfast and watched boku no hero academia with my sister as she procrastinated getting ready for the BTS concert she was going to tonight (4/1)

and so as i was laying on her bed with her she got a phone call from her musician friend Albert (sleightlymusical on youtube, shameless plug). he was calling cause he was playing violin for the BTS concert as part of a string quartet but one of their musicians-- a violist-- had to drop out last minute ‘cause he had some personal problems so they needed a string player asap and Albert called Arlene ‘cause she was the only violinist he knew well who lived in the area

so Arlene was fucking torn because she wanted to watch the concert with her friends but she also wanted to play and she realized i was right next to her and she was like ... do YOU want to play for the BTS concert?

and i was like uh sure

and she said okay well we gotta be there at 1 so go get ready

and i was like wtf dude it’s 12:30 what am i supposed to wear i haven’t showERED OR ANYTHING FUCK MY LIFE

so we hauled ass to the venue where Albert met up with us and gave me a staff pass and we went down to the room where the other two string players were waiting and they were like DUDE YOU JUST SAVED OUR ASSES okay here’s the deal we aren’t actually playing we’re basically stage props but here’s the music and yeah

so we spent about an hour trying to figure out what the fuck we were doing and then we got called onstage for rehearsal and i was like fuCK I’M NOT READY FOR THIS

when we got out there they were rehearsing Begin and holy shit jungkook was sO FUCKING CLOSE and all the other members were just sitting onstage and scrolling through their phones but holy shit they were so close to me and i was lowkey fangirling on stage

and then jimin went on with Lie and he was rehearsing and he botched the high note and just laughed it off and i laughed with him becuase fuCK ME he’s so cute and if a cute boy laughs you know i’m fucking going to laugh too okay

then it was our turn and we got to “accompany” suga when he sang / rapped First Love which fuck my LIFE it’s my favorite song on the album and i was just like starstruck when i was playing because he’s so beautiful and the song is so beautiful and i was just having an out of body experience like holy shit this was so surreal like aM I REALLY FUCKING HERE JUST WTF IS GOING ON like when the music started i was like huh where is he ‘cause he wasn’t onstage and then i turned around and realized that he was being ELEVATED ONSTAGE WITH A FUCKING PIANO RIGHT BEHIND ME AND I WAS FREAKING OUT like the entire itme i was playing i was just trying not to obviously stare at him but he’s just fucking gorgeous and i love the song and holy shit dude i was just having the time of my life and like some of the members were sitting literally RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME on the stage as we were playing and i was like internally hyperventilating

and when we played for Jin’s Awake we had no idea what we were doing either but i was also just staring at him like a shameless fangirl but i had to tone it down ‘cause i’m a fucking professional yanno but when he leaves the stage he crosses literally RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME so i was just staring at him wide-eyed as he walked right past me and i just died inside

but yeah we had no idea what we wer edoing during the rehearsal so afterwards we went back to our room and figured out some shit and then got lunch (they had catering backstage for the staff) and then took a nap and i realized i was still sweaty and greasy ‘cause i hadn’t showered that morning so i went home and showered and came back within an hour and a half ‘cause that’s how close i live to the venue and honestly the only reason why it took more than an hour was ‘cause i was checking with people constantly to make sure i could get back in after i left and i kept getting lost and shit but anyway i came back in time for dinner and guess who was in the fucking dining room with us

B T S

i’m a terrible fangirl so i couldn’t tell who exactly was sitting with us but i think it was J-Hope, Jimin, and V????? i think??????? but they were eating in the same room as me so i was honestly hella fucking starstruck

like legit i walked in and while i was getting food i think i was next to Jimin as he was getting tteokbokgi and i looked at him and was like huh he looks familiar and it wasn’t until i sat down with the other string players and they were like omg i can’t believe they’re actually eating with the crew like how down to earth and i was like huh and then i looked over and i was like FUCK I WAS RIGHT NEXT TO JIMIN and i had literally walked right past them all to get some water and i was so close and i was just like H O L Y S H I T i’m fucking dead goodbye someone kill me now i’m dead i can die happy right now

we weren’t allowed to take pictures backstage, and especially of the BTS members, for safety reasons ‘cause BTS had received death threats so it was important that their locations aren’t compromised (which is also why i have to wait until after the second concert is over to post this) but i was honestly so fucking starstruck i just went back to the room and sat there in awe

one of the other string players (not Albert) was sort of mocking the fans he saw outside? like he was like “lmao they’re like taking pictures of posters and shit” and i was hella judging him like why u gotta be like that let them enjoy themselves you arrogant piece of shit and also he was like “i’m gonna be so sick of this song” when we were trying to figure out what to do for First Love and i’m just like listen here you little shit this is a fine ass piece of music and so help me god you are going to stop being an arrogant piece of shit and he was just so condescending???? like ????? i don’t want to play into stereotypes but he goes to USC for a master’s in violin and like ???????????? i get that you’re good but do you need to be such an ass???

anyway we sort of chilled as the concert started and i decided i wanted to listen to them so i hung out backstage and listened to the opening number (Not Today) and i was jamming backstage and since no one was talking to me i decided to push my luck and ultimately ended up in the wing as i waited for my cue but i got to see them perform up close and it was so surreal hearing all the screams

and after they finished Dope they all ran riGHT FUCKING PAST ME as they headed to the changing tent and i was fucking starstruck and then i fucking went on and

H

O

L

Y

S

H

I

T

it was fucking CROWDED like i knew it was going to be a full house but it didn’t really register to me that it was going to be a crowd of 18,000 people???? like holy shit???? it was just a sea of dark faces and lightsticks and i was like holy crap this is amazing because it just looks like a starry sky and my sister was in the crowd really close to the front and i saw her and she waved at me and i waved back and i was like O H M Y G O D I’M ACTUALLY DOING THIS and then the music started and i was just amazed as i played and watched the crowd and i was like wow this is so nice like this is such an amazing feeling and Suga was so cute and holy crap i was so close to him and i was just staring at him the entire time like I AM CLOSER THAN THE AVERAGE FAN WILL EVER BE IN THEIR LIFETIME HOLY FUCK

and then as soon as it started it was over and we were being rushed offstage and i wanted to stick around and watch but i got kicked off the wings and then out of the backstage area but i came back around Stigma and i was just U G H and i got to play for Awake, Jin’s solo, and that one is cool because the platforms move up and down so it was pretty fun on that one but it was funny because i was sitting next to the cellist and instead of going around the cellist’s endpin Jin just took this giant ass step over it and he walked literally RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME like he was trying to fucking walk past me to get to a seat in a lecture hall and i was just melting inside but i had to keep my cool because i’m a professional yanno

but yeah after that we got kicked out of the backstage area again but as we were leaving the stage i looked to my left and saw Jungkook practicing some choreography and he made eye contact with me and fUCKING BOWED TO ME AND I BOWED BACK AND I WAS JUST LIKE ?????? HOLY FUCK?????? DID I ACTUALLY??? JUST???? BOW?????? TO JUNGKOOK????????????????

i’m literally dead

but anyway after that we split up and albert and i went to try to figure out if we could watch the rest of the concert and we ran into two girls (Hannah and Loomy) and they showed us a good view but then we ended up leaving early ‘cause we didn’t want to get stuck in all the car traffic in the parking lot so we left

and honestly i’m home right now and typing this and i feel so fucking starstruck like h o l y s h i t that was amazing

and i get to do it again tomorrow

and i’m getting PAID

i’m fucking getting PAID to have the experience of a LIFETIME

i got to perform for 18,000 people

i got to share a stage with BTS

and i’m fucking getting PAID TO DO THIS

F U C K M E U P

[teerthakulkarni]

JUST ANOTHER START

This is my 1st time writing something. I mean it’s not like I haven’t tried it before, I did but it never turned out to be as good as I thought it should be so as I can open it to the world. I never really had the self-esteem issues until I was 16, which is when I got into college. First day of my college was pretty confusing. I thought I knew exactly what I was doing until I didn’t. I thought making friends in college would be as easy as I did in school and I was right. Making friends was easy but making the real friends was quite challenging.

       My first day, first lecture at 7:15, I enter into the classroom; take a sneak peak of all the people I’ll welcome into my so called “new life”. I being, or more like assuming that I’m this ‘hipster cool girl’, tries to find the crowd that I would fit into and eventually goes down and ask to sit beside this pretty girl, short,(and by short I mean real short cause I’m 5.2 )with brown hair and just 1 streak of golden or bronze highlight ,which is particularly what caught my attention and bright red lipstick. A little talk with her instantly made me realize I was nothing like her. Nothing like any of the people I tried to be friends with. And they were nothing like what I thought they would be. So the feeling of self doubt suddenly hit me; was I suddenly this shy girl or just not cool enough anymore? Was it because of the way I talk? Or was it because I have acne? Etc etc… And this thoughts bothered me a lot more than it should have had. That was the 1st rock thrown at my self esteem and I blame no one but me. From there I went on to explore more about people around me. This short road trip of 2 years took me quite some time to learn  to practice self-love and on my journey I got more rocks thrown at me, I threw some rocks back, I took shelter under some, defended myself with a smile to cover that up but it was all worth it. I achieved a lot out of this but my greatest achievement out of this 2 years was I found the 3 or as u can say ‘2 and a sometimes ‘ most amazing ,smart, funny and cool friends with best memories to last for a lifetime.

               So the moral of my story is pretty simple and pretty obvious:

The 1st thing I learnt was u cannot be out there judging people for judging others. That makes you nothing but a hypocrite. You gotta live and let live. And for that you gotta live in harmony and make peace with all kinds of people.

2nd is that there are people with different opinions and just because they got an opinion which does not agree with yours, does not make them wrong and u have to understand that. You don’t have to agree with them but u also don’t have to criticize them. You gotta respect their opinion and respect them as a person for having that opinion.

The 3rd and the most important…Might be a cliché but so important…I cannot stress this enough..”YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF”…It’s ok if you are not like them, actually it’s great that you are not like everyone else because you don’t have to be. Remember you are born different, you were raised different, you learn different things, you got different interests, and you made different memories…so what is the point in being same like everyone else now. Also, stating ’everyone else’ has got no meaning to it since there is no ‘everybody else’…No 2 people are ever the same. There are just bunch of people pretending to be same to stick together and form a group calling themselves the society. Because everyone is insecure and everyone wants to fit in; to be a part of this huge, great crowd just to feel acceptable and loved. May it be a lie but people would kill for the feeling. And for that feeling, people overlook the truth. The truth that we are all weird and none of us fit in cuz none of us is meant to fit in. Not even the identical twins r the same. They grew up all the same but they still see things differently. They got their own vision, their own dreams, all together their own different minds. And that is what makes all the difference .This differences within us that we are made to believe to be abnormal, unusual, weird and all other sorts of things are nothing but major reason for why we are so special and always have been. So my major lesson would be “HUN,YOU DO YOU”. Make mistakes-learn from it, do embarrassing stuff-smile through it, let yourself fall-build up through it, and let yourself go-grow through it. And on your journey help people and let people help you. But do not let a single being step on you just because you do not fit into the picture they paint. So…BE YOU!! And every next time BE BETTER VERSION OF YOU!!