#chloe shower dress

[thecrownnet]

Vanessa Kirby Honored Lagerfeld’s Legacy in the Iconic Chloé Shower Dress at the 2023 Met Gala. Photo: Alyssa Greenberg/Vanity Fair

[rafecameroninterlude]

₊˚⊹˚ 𐙚 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨

pairing: dark!rafe x fem!kook!reader

summary: ❝you’re so art deco, out on the floor. shining like gun metal, cold and unsure.❞ — your attempt to cut things off with rafe only fuels him to come back with a vengeance.

warnings: friends w benefits, rafe is terrible, jealousy, manipulation, arguing at a party, topper kisses you, fighting, rafe ‘breaking’ in your house

word count: 2.6k

a/n: i’m trying to focus on writing less smut but my next few works will be nsfw for sureeee, i hope you enjoy <3 series masterlist

“i have to get going.” you were still going through the aftershocks of your orgasm when rafe started pulling his clothes back on. even though this wasn’t anything new, it didn’t make you feel any better. you watched him, sitting up with the sheets covering your chest. “see you tonight?” he was looping his belt when he sighed. “we’ll see.” he shrugged, not sparing you another glance before leaving you altogether.

your friends would be so disappointed in you right now if you told them that you allowed yourself to go through this again. “you’re so stupid.” you muttered to yourself, quickly making your way to a shower, wanting nothing more than to wash the feeling of him off. you knew rafe would never take you serious, but you liked him so much that if having a no strings attached arrangement was the only way you could have him, you were willing to do just that. you wouldn’t let yourself cry over him, but you did go through the motions each time.

you’d swear you would tell him you didn’t want to do this anymore, but the second he was in your ear, whispering to you all the ways he wanted to take you, you never failed to bend at his will, quite literally. tomorrow would be the first day of spring break, so in your best friend’s fashion, it was only right to throw a complete rager with open invitation. you spent the remainder of your evening getting ready before chloe texted you that she was outside.

“you look insane?! are you serious?” chloe’s jaw hung open as you walked to her car. “this isn’t the y/n i know. what did you do with her?” you laughed, giving your friend a spin. you were wearing a lacey black see through dress, and a matching black set underneath. “good girl is staying in tonight.” you posed as chloe snapped a picture of you. “you look so hot, i love it.” she ushered you into the passenger seat, both of you riding back to her place. “fuck, it’s this packed already?” you got off, the heel of your boots clicking against the cement of her driveway. “just wait till you see inside.” she warned.

sure enough, you were greeted with the sight of at least a hundred people in the living room alone. chloe took your arm with hers, weaving through the crowd of people. you met with some more friends, everyone ogling your outfit since it was a drastic change from what you’d usually wear. “don’t let rafe see you in this.” at the mention of his name, you felt your stomach drop as you looked around towards the kitchen. “has anyone seen him? he’s the last person i want to run into right now.” you accepted the drink one of your friends came back with.

“oh, you don’t have to worry about that, he’s been pretty occupied out on the balcony.” hannah raised her eyebrows, the girls looking at you for your reaction. “occupied?” you took a sip from the red solo cup in your hand. even though you didn’t want to see him, you didn’t want him with anyone else either. “topper and kelce are betting a whole bunch of money on a card game, apparently rafe is too.. just with a random sitting on his lap while he does it.” you licked your lips, nodding your head slowly as chloe watched you carefully.

“that’s cute.” without wasting another second, you started walking upstairs, your friends trailing behind you. chloe’s balcony was connected to the master bedroom, the double doors wide open for anyone to come in and out of. your eyes fell on rafe, the blonde draped across his lap was no one you’ve ever seen before. she was most defintely a touron. you walked outside, the guys so into their game that no one looked up from their cards. “hey.” you smiled sweetly at the girl across from you as you did the last thing you thought you’d do tonight, and sat on topper’s lap.

“well you look really good.” you hit his shoulder playfully, meeting rafe’s heated gaze when he did a double take. “aw, thank you ‘top. you wouldn’t mind if i sat here, would you?” you trailed your fingertips across his chest, a teasing smile gracing your lips as you watched how nervous you made him. “o-of course not, maybe you could be my lucky charm.” he showed you his cards, the giant stack of cash in the middle of the table catching your eye. “who’s winning right now?” even though you asked topper directly, rafe answered. “i am.” your head shot in his direction, his hand running up and down the girls thigh. okay..

“i’m sorry, i’ve never seen you around here, like ever,” you laughed, “do you have a name?” the girl looked embarrassed as you gave her a once over, her body visibly tensing the longer you stared at her. “i’m just going to go get another drink.” she got up, leaving rafe by himself as he shot daggers at you. diverting your gaze back to topper’s cards, you whispered in his ear to put down the ace. “that’s the winning card.” you reassured him, moving your hips slightly as you put the card down yourself, rafe following suit. “whoever has the highest gets the green, baby,” kelce leaned forward as you and rafe flipped your cards over. “fuck yeah!” topper shot up from the couch, holding you against him as you cheered.

“five thousand dollars, all yours ‘top.” kelce’s smile dropped as he glanced over at rafe. “let’s go!” before you could pull away, completing your mission to piss rafe off, topper grabbed a handful of your ass before kissing you roughly. “oh, fuck no,” rafe grabbed topper by his shirt, pushing you out of the way as he landed a punch square in his mouth. you sat there dumbfounded as kelce rushed to break them apart. “i don’t give a fuck about a few thousand dollars, keep your hands to yourself or i’ll fucking kill you!” before you could get up, rafe dragged you away by your arm. “leave her alone!” chloe shoved rafe, who didn’t even budge before taking you outside to the front.

“what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he backed you up against one of the cars, his arms caging you in. “you trying to fuck my friends now? that’s what you want, huh?” you turned your head away from where he was grabbing your chin. “don’t touch me.” you swatted his hand away. “sitting on topper’s lap? what’s your fucking problem?” his knees dug into your thighs, your last band of resistance snapping. “you’re my fucking problem!” you pushed his chest, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

“you tell me that you don’t want a relationship, but then freak out like this? meanwhile you’re still going around doing whoever you want? i hate this rafe! you don’t even look at me afterwards, how do you think that makes me feel?” he stared at you, his jaw ticking as you kept the tears from falling down your face. “this isn’t about you not being able to commit to someone, this is about you keeping me to yourself and having me around only when it benefits you. i’m done.” you didn’t allow him to respond, chloe jogging up to you just in time.

“you okay?” she pushed your hair out of your face. “can you just take me home please?” your best friend didn’t hesitate, walking you down the driveway before yelling; “get the fuck off of my property, asshole!” making you laugh softly. “fuck him. don’t let him have access to you anymore until he proves to you that he can take you serious. you deserve a million times better than that.” once the car door shut, you let the water works loose. after reassuring chloe that you’ll be okay by yourself, she finally let you off the car, not driving off until she watched you go inside.

your phone started chiming with new messages, all of them from rafe.

[10:47 PM] rafe <3: can we please talk about this?

[10:47 PM] rafe <3: that touron came onto me first, alright? you could ask topper.

[10:48 PM] rafe <3: actually, don’t talk to topper at all.

[10:48 PM] rafe <3: y/n i know i fucked up alright, please call me. or at least let me go over, let me make this up to you, let me make you feel good..

you scoffed at the last message. that’s all you were to him, a good fuck. nothing more, nothing less. you blocked his number, deciding to call it a night. you would have to be joining your parents tomorrow for the country club’s annual luncheon, which you were sure rafe would be at as well. you spent the rest of the night regretting your decision to get rafe riled up, topper kissed you for crying out loud. you made a vow to yourself, swearing you’d never do anything outlandish to get anyone’s attention, especially rafe’s.

-

“you ignoring me now?” you sucked in a breath, not daring to turn around and face the one man you couldn’t handle to see at the moment. “leave me alone, rafe. seriously.” you walked faster, hoping to reach the main dining room before he yanked you back. “blocking my number and my instagram? i didn’t think you had it in you.” you scoffed, looking up at him as he smiled, shaking his head. “didn’t think i had it in me?” you arched a brow, prying his grip off of your arm.

“come on, y/n,” he looked around, placing a hand on your hip, “we both know no contact isn’t going to work. i’ll show up at your house if i have to.” you didn’t doubt his words for one second, but the fact that he felt this comfortable dismissing your feelings was enough for you to realize what you had to do; tear down his ego. “and why wouldn’t it work? because you wouldn’t have anyone to run to when your daddy makes you cry?” rafe visibly recoiled, his hand moving as if touching you burned him.

“what the fuck did you just say?” his eyes narrowing down at you. “you heard me. it seems like you forgot we were best friends before we started having sex,” you laughed bitterly, “what happened? lost respect for me or something?” not being able to be in his presence for one more second, you left and met your parents at their table. for the rest of the luncheon, you could feel rafe’s gaze piercing through your skin. you knew you struck a chord, but it was all true.

“me and your father will be going to the mainland for the next few days for business, will you be joining us?” your mother’s voice snapped you out of your reverie. “chloe’s only here for a week before she goes back to uni so i’m gonna stay.” she nodded. “alright, i’ll have the driver take you home then, and sweetie,” she leaned in close, “you might want to see what that cameron boy wants, he hasn’t taken his eyes off of you since you sat down.” you glanced up, your stomach dropping at the sight of him. “it’s complicated.” you whispered, you and your mother getting up to leave.

the ride back was quick, your parents letting you know they’ll call you when they get off the ferry. you were about to walk inside before you noticed the door cracked open. what the hell? you turned around to see if your parents were still there, but the car was already gone. you tried to brush it off, going in cautiously. it was still early in the day, the sun still shining brightly overhead. you made your way to the security system, your eyebrows knitting in confusion when you saw it had already been reset. “that’s impossible..” you whispered, jumping when you heard a clash come from upstairs.

you stood frozen, debating if you should run out or go check for yourself. the last thing you wanted to do was call the cops and it wasn’t anything to worry about. you cursed to yourself, slowly making your way upstairs. “is someone here?” you called out, opening the room doors and looking them over. obviously you expected no one to answer, but you still felt relieved when you saw that nothing was out of place. that was until you got to your room, where one side of your bed looked like someone had been laying in it.

you ran your hand over the sheets, the soft material still warm. “i told you i was gonna show up to your house if i had to.” your head shot up to your bathroom, rafe leaning against the doorframe. “what are you doing?” your heart was beating in your ears, his gaze making you feel powerless in this situation. “i’ve been a dick to you, i’ll admit that. i’ll apologize for that. i’m sorry, y/n, i really am,” he started moving towards you, “and you know what? you’re right. it is about me wanting to keep you to myself.” rafe a took a seat in front of you. “i want to work on this. i want us to work together, we could really make this a good thing.” you didn’t know you were crying until rafe wiped the tear from your eye.

“you’re lying to me.” you shook your head, pushing his hand away. a flash of hurt passed over rafe’s face. “i wouldn’t lie to you about this. i’m not as cold and unsure as you think i am.” his hands rested on your thighs. “i can’t even put into words how bad i wanted to hurt topper last night when i saw you sitting on him, and when he grabbed you and kissed you? i wouldn’t have stopped punching him if kelce didn’t get in the middle.” you listened, eventually relaxing under his touch. “i will do everything i have to do to prove to you i’m serious about this. about us.” he started moving closer, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear.

“what do you say, baby?” you swallowed, sitting in thought for a moment. this was all you ever wanted from rafe. the sincerity, the reciprocation. “you promise?” your voice was shaky, his eyes softening as he pulled you against his chest. “you have my fucking word.” he whispered against your skin, his hand running up and down your back. you smiled, pressing a kiss to his adam’s apple. slowly, he brought his hands up to your shoulders, his fingers running through your hair before you felt him gripping your neck. “as much as i want to take you slow, i have to punish you for saying what you did at the countryclub.” your eyes fluttered shut as rafe laid you down, his knee wedging itself between your thighs.

“say it again.” his hand was still wrapped around your neck as you looked up at him with tear clad eyes. “rafe..” he smiled, the action that usually has your heart melting, now had a shiver running down your spine. “say it.” rafe said through gritted teeth. you shuddered, ultimately giving in. “i told you, you wouldn’t have anyone to run to if your dad made you cry again,” saying it to him after you resolved things just felt cruel now. “and that was very insensitive of me, i’m sorry.” rafe shushed you. “it’s alright.. i’m gonna make you regret opening your mouth at all.”

[being-addie]

Morning Routines

We're all looking at those Instagram influencers who somehow manage to wake up at 5 am, do meditation, journal, do a 15-step Korean skincare routine, and go to the gym. And then they make a green smoothie and avocado toast, get dressed in a Chanel outfit and then sit at their fancy desk with a vanilla latte and a croissant.

This is not realistic. You probably already know that, but it likely won't stop you from trying to change your routine bit by bit to look a little like theirs. That didn't stop me, at least.

But now I've come to realise that no matter how much I try, I'll never be able to have a routine like the ones I see online. Because it doesn't exist. It's all curated for aesthetic appeal and generates a sense of false productivity in the watcher's brain. We feel motivated looking at those videos and never get around to changing our own life because we're too busy living vicariously through our phones.

Here's some things you should add to your morning routine, not to be fancy, but to feel better. This is coming from someone who's tried the unrealistic routines, and I now incorporate all of these into my routine. You can skip or add things according to your schedule.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H: Do your body a favour and loosen up your muscles. Nothing better than having a good stretch that wakes your body up.

Drink water: Before you put anything in your system, drink water. Not coffee, not tea. Plain warm water. And I don't mean lemon water. Some people might not agree, but lemon water strips your teeth of the enamel. It also is acidic, so all that bullshit they talk about it being "alkaline and pH balancing" is nonsense. Warm water is the way to go.

Make your bed: A clean bed should be the first thing you do after you wake up. At the end of the day, you'll thank yourself because it will be clean, and fresh and you can fall into bed immediately.

Hygiene: Wash your face to get rid of crusty eyes and sleep. Do a basic skincare routine (cleanser, moisturizer) so you'll feel fresher. Brush your teeth and hair.

Move your body: It doesn't matter what you do, even if it's for 15 minutes. Go for a walk, do a Zumba workout, or squeeze in a HIIT session. You can find lots of tutorials on YouTube (Caroline Girvan, growingannanas, Chloe Ting). Either way, working out will help you feel more motivated and happier. It's the endorphins.

Clean yourself: Set aside some time for showering, slathering on lotion, and doing your (real) skincare and makeup routine. Pick an outfit that makes you feel good about yourself.

Eat something: ALWAYS make some food. Your body has been famished for hours on end, give it some fuel. Make a healthy breakfast, or prep one the night before. If you don't get very hungry in the mornings, have a banana, and pack a mid-morning snack beforehand so you don't reach for chips.

Do 3 things: Make a to-do list of everything you need to do today. Don't overwhelm yourself. Then, knock off 3 easy tasks from the list that you can do quickly. You'll be filled with a sense of motivation, and it'll be easier for you to complete your list. It can be chores, it could be some assigned reading. Just get it done.

Gratitude or prayer: You don't need to sit for 15 minutes to practice gratitude. You can think of things your thankful for on the way to school or work or practice deep breathing/say a small prayer on the subway or bus. You don't HAVE to do it, but it definitely makes you realise how much you have in life and appreciate it more.

Kindness: Start your day with kindness. Compliment your barista, smile at the old lady on the street, pet the stray cat. There's so much love in the world, and you have so much love inside you, and it's beautiful to be a part of it.

No longer will I be stuck in a rut. I cannot be confined to being a bitter, unhealthy person when I know there's a smiling, healthy, happy version of me in the future. Deep breaths. You'll get there babe.

<3

[harlowsbby]

Double Take 💘

Requested, Jack has been ignoring the reader so she decides to prank him in a revealing outfit to get his attention.

“He’s going to freak out when he sees you trying to leave in this outfit!” Your friend Lola yelled over the phone.

“He’d be a real fool if he did.” Your other friend Chloe added on as you finished getting ready.

Lately Jack hasn’t been paying much attention to you usually when he’d get up he’d shower and go straight to playing the Xbox with his friends and you’ve had enough.

You decided to prank him and make it seem as if you were going to go out in a outfit that was a bit too revealing for his liking.

“I’ll call you guys back.” You told them. “You aren’t about to call us back you know after he sees you the two of you are gonna make us some aunties.” Lola joked and you rolled your eyes.

“Whatever, I’ll call you back.” You hung up and placed your phone on your pillow and looked yourself over one last time in the mirror before making your way downstairs.

“Dude! You fucking cheated and you know it!” Jack yelled into the headset as he ran around in the game to try and catch Urban.

“You just suck and you know it.” Ace added on, ever since the newest Call Of Duty game came out it’s all Jack has been playing but after tonight you were going to put a stop to that.

The sound of your heels clicking against the black marble flooring alerted Jack but not enough for him to turn around.

“Jack.” You called out for him and stood near the door with your purse hanging loosely on your shoulder.

He didn’t answer and continued to play on the game you rolled your eyes at how hard he was pushing the buttons on the controller, any harder and they’d all fall off.

“Jack!” You yelled which made him jump a bit. “Yeah babe! What’s up.” He asked and still didn’t bother to look behind him, his attention was too drawn on the game.

“I’m going out with the girls I’ll be back later on tonight.” You told him and sure enough that got his attention.

He paused the game which resulted in Urban and Ace to moan and groan in annoyance.

“What the hell are you wearing?”

He asked as you looked at your outfit. It was a an all black corset that was a bit see through and your short leather skirt left little to the imagination, if you were to bend down even slightly all your goodies would be hanging out.

“I’m going out with the girls? Remember I told you this earlier.”

His eyebrows furrowed together. “But you have to wear that? Why don’t you put on some jeans or better yet a pair of my sweats and one of my hoodies.”

“What? No I’m not wearing that I wanted to look good tonight, don’t I look good?”

You innocently asked and did a little spin.

“Yeah you look good really fucking good, so good that I’m almost certain other guys will try and get at you, so you aren’t wearing that.” He demanded.

“You can’t tell me what I can and can’t wear Jack I’m going out.” You went to walk to the front door but was stopped by Jack.

“The only place you’re going is back upstairs to change.”

You looked up at him with your arms crossed over his chest. He looked down at you with his eyes squinted slightly as if he was waiting on you to push his buttons.

“Lola is already outside waiting so I’m going out I’ll see you later, go back with playing with your little friends.”

You tried pushing past him but with him being much bigger and stronger that wasn’t happening.

“You can go out once you change.” You huffed. “Oh so now you wanna pay attention to me?” He raised his eyebrow.

“What are you talking about?” He asked.

“Ever since you got that new game you haven’t payed any type of attention to me but now that I’m all dressed up you wanna pay attention to me.” You frowned.

Jack mentally cursed to himself because you weren’t wrong. Whenever he got a new game he’d always be playing with the guys 24/7 to try and beat new levels to try and unlock new levels.

“I’m sorry baby for the rest of the night and week you got my undivided attention.” You smiled and held up your pinky finger.

“You pinky promise?”

He smiled nodded and lifted up his pinky finger and connected it with yours.

“I pinky promise babe now come on I’m trying to take this outfit off of you.” You grinned.

“Oh yeah? What do you wanna see me in?”

“Your birthday suit duh.” Jack said and followed you up the stairs.

While Jack was upstairs with you he completely forgot to turn off the game and turn off his headset, so Urban and Ace were still able to talk to one another via the headset.

“Where the hell is Jack?” Ace asked Urban.

“Uh well Lola just texted me saying we’d most likely be uncles after tonight so I’m assuming Y/N managed to get him off the game.”

“I’m just glad I’m not spending the night at his tonight.. I’ve had way to many traumatic nights over there.” Urban shivered.

[praisethegabs]

AKRASIA

ID!Professor!Leon Kennedy x Student!F!Reader

euphoria masterlist

summary: you met him during a party, and it was a one night stand for both of you. (un)fortunately, it turns out he's your new college history professor, and neither of you expected that.

warnings: age gap, reader is in college and in mid 20s while Leon is in his 30s. NSFW content, delicate to rough sex, p in v, oral receiving (both), praise kink, degradation kink (eventually), use of pet names (bunny), vaginal fingering, masturbation, cum swallowing, dom!leon and sub!reader. leon is insecure af. oc named chloe as the reader's best friend.

word count: 5684k

a/n: this is a new mini series I'm writing since I had a hard time with creative blocking, and I'm taking this very slow just in case.

AKRASIA is the state of mind in which someone acts against their better judgment through weakness of will.

You sat in your cozy room in the apartment you shared with your best friend, Chloe. The pale evening light casts a warm glow over the mismatched posters adorning the walls. Your textbooks were spread out across your desk, a mountain of assignments awaiting your attention. But Chloe, your vivacious best friend, had other plans.

"Come on, my lovely pumpkin," Chloe pleaded, tossing a colorful scarf around your neck as she perched on your bed. "You can't spend another Thursday night buried in textbooks. It's the first college party of the semester, and you've been MIA for weeks!"

"Chloe, you know I have that history essay tomorrow morning. I can't afford to waste any more time." You sighed, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

"But it's not just any party, it's Jake's party! He's practically begged me to convince you to go. And you know he's got a major crush on you." Chloe's bright green eyes twinkled with mischief as she leaned closer.

Your cheeks flushed at the mention of Jake, the charismatic guy from your history class. You had caught him stealing glances at you during lectures, but you were too wrapped up in your studies to think much of it. Besides, you already had your share of a "bad girl" period. Now, you need to finish your obligations.

"I don't know, Chloe," you hesitated, twirling a pencil between your fingers. "I feel so out of my element at those parties. I used to get drunk just for fun, but I don't do that anymore"

"Sis, that's what makes you unique. Besides, I promise you'll have fun. And who knows, maybe Jake will be your study partner for that history essay or whatever you need. It's a win-win!" Chloe chuckled, tousling her auburn curls.

You bit your lip, torn between your dedication to your academics and the allure of a night filled with laughter, music, and maybe even a spark of romance. You glanced at your textbooks, then back at Chloe's eager expression.

"Okay, Chloe. I'll go to the party. But only for a couple of hours, and you owe me a serious study session tomorrow." Finally, with a hesitant smile, you relented.

"Deal! Now, let's get you ready. You're going to look stunning, and I promise you won't regret this." Chloe's face lit up with triumph as she jumped off the bed.

As you both began raiding your closet for the perfect outfit, you couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement mixed with a touch of nervousness. Little did you know, this college party would mark the beginning of an unforgettable chapter in your life.

After a shower, you stood in front of the full-length mirror, twirling in your black cocktail dress. Your reflection grinned back at you, the dimples on your cheeks deepening as you admired your outfit. The cocktail dress that Chloe picked up for you, which she said it looks beautiful on you. She was perched on the edge of your bed, her perfectly curled auburn hair cascading over her shoulders.

"You look amazing, sweetie" Chloe gushed, adjusting her own outfit. "This party is going to be epic!"

"Thanks, Chloe. I can't believe you really convinced me to go to this college party." You laughed, the excitement bubbling within you.

Just then, your phone chimed with a familiar notification tone. You picked it up, your heart sinking as you saw the message. It was from Matthew, your ex-boyfriend. The name alone sent a shiver down your spine.

"What is it?" Chloe asked, her eyebrows furrowing with both concern and curiosity since you had a strange expression on your face.

"Hey, I know it's been a while, but can we talk? It's important." You sighed, your fingers trembling slightly as you read the message out loud.

"Oh no, not him again. What does he want now?" Chloe's expression shifted from excitement to concern, her voice sounding annoyed for a moment. She really hated your ex.

You chewed your lower lip, feeling torn between responding and ignoring the message. You hadn't spoken to Matthew since your messy breakup a few months ago. Your relationship had ended in bitter arguments and hurtful words.

"I don't know," you replied, your voice wavering. "Maybe it's something urgent. I should at least find out."

"Honey, I've been looking forward to this party for weeks, and I had a lot of trouble to convice you to join me. You can't let him ruin our night. Besides, he had his chance to talk when you needed it." Chloe shook her head, her green eyes filled with worry, and her face with evident disapproval. She really cared about you.

You sighed again. It was really difficult to put your past behind, especially after everything you had with Matthew.

"Look, you go first, and I'll meet you there." You glanced at Chloe, hoping she would give up and just leave you to take care of your ex-boyfriend on your terms.

"Do you promise?" Chloe asks, with those big green and puppy eyes, which she did every time she wanted something.

"Yep, I promise." You nod your head and smile when Chloe screams like a little girl, hugging you tight.

As you watch Chloe leave your shared apartment, your entire attention returns to your screen. You felt a wave of buried feelings returning slowly, leaving you with the hard choice in hands. You hesitated, your phone still in your hand. You knew Chloe was right, but curiosity gnawed at you.

"I'll just send a quick reply. Let him know I can't talk right now." You muttered to yourself, deciding what was best for you at the moment. You typed out a short message, your fingers tapping the screen rapidly. "Can't talk now, Matthew. At a party. We'll talk later."

But as soon as you hit send, your phone chimed again, this time with a call from Matthew. You watched the screen light up with his name and number. Your heart raced, torn between answering and turning it off.

Instantly, you pictured the image of Chloe in front of you and what she would say at this very moment. She would, of course, curse him a lot, and then, as your best friend, she would say something like, "Ignore it, honey. You made your choice. Let's not let him ruin our night"

And again, she was completely right.

As you entered the place, the pulsating beat of music washed over you, drowning out the noise of your own doubts. The college party was in full swing, with colorful lights flashing in time with the rhythm, creating a kaleidoscope of patterns on the walls.

You weaved your way through the crowd, your heart pounding with anticipation and a hint of anxiety. Your best friend, Chloe, had convinced you to attend, promising a night of unforgettable fun. Your eyes scanned the room, searching for Chloe's familiar face amidst the sea of strangers.

You finally spotted Chloe near the makeshift bar, holding two red plastic cups filled with a mysterious concoction. Chloe grinned when she saw you and waved you over. Chloe joined you, your tension slowly giving way to excitement.

"Oh, you made it!" Chloe shouted over the music, handing you a cup. "This is the famous 'party punch.' Drink up!"

You hesitated for a moment, then took a cautious sip. The sweet, fruity mixture danced on your taste buds, and you couldn't help but smile. Chloe always had a knack for finding the best drinks.

Feeling the alcohol mess with your mind and following the rhythm of the music, you two chatted and laughed as the night went on, your voices blending with the raucous sounds of the party. You watched as people swayed to the music, their bodies moving in sync with the beat. It was a wild and chaotic scene, but there was an undeniable energy that you couldn't resist.

"Come on, let's dance!" You grabbed Chloe's hand, leading your way to the crowd, letting your body follow the flow.

You swayed to the beat of the music, your body moving sensually with the rhythm as colorful lights flashed around you. The college party was in full swing, the pounding music reverberating through the entire place as students danced and mingled. You, feeling adventurous and carefree due to the alcohol in your organism, held a red plastic cup in one hand and scanned the crowd for someone intriguing. Your eyes settled on a tall, ruggedly handsome man who stood out from the rest of the college-aged crowd.

As you glanced around the people, your eyes met those of a striking man across the dance floor.

He was, obviously, a few years older than the typical partygoer, exuded an air of maturity that drew your attention. He leaned against the wall, his brown hair falling effortlessly over his forehead, and his piercing blue eyes scanning the room with a hint of amusement. He was an enigmatic figure who seemed to easely blend into the college scene while maintaining an air of mystery. For a moment, you thought he was too old to be there, but can you blame the man for wanting some fun? Despite the age, he was very handsome.

And his eyes were locked specifically on you.

Your eyes locked for a moment, and you felt a flush of warmth spread across your cheeks. You couldn't believe that this stranger was actually looking at you. A burst of self-confidence surged within you, urging you to take action.

You couldn't resist the urge to approach him, so you casually sauntered over, a playful smile curving your lips. You didn't let their age gap deter you; after all, age was just a number, right?

With the music pulsing through your ears, you decided to seize the opportunity. Hopefully, you could put the blame on alcohol and say you weren't thinking right — despite the fact that you weren't that drunk. You made your way through the crowd, not even seeing Chloe around, your heart pounding in your chest as you approached him. The closer you got, the more you noticed his rugged charm and the intensity in his piercing blue eyes.

"Hey there," you said, your voice carrying a hint of confidence as you leaned closer to be heard over the music. "You seem like you're in the wrong party. This crowd is usually reserved for broke college kids."

"Hey," he replied, his voice just loud enough to be heard. He then leaned in closer, his expression intrigued but slowly changing. Leon turned his attention to you, a bemused smile playing on his lips. "Well, maybe I'm just here for the youthful energy. It's refreshing."

You laughed, your eyes sparkling.

"Or maybe you're just trying to relive your college days." you said, taking another generous sip on your drink. At this point, you weren't caring about anything else.

"What makes you think I'm not still in college?" Leon raised an eyebrow, his expression teasing.

"Because I've been around here long enough to recognize someone who's seen a few more semesters than the rest of us." You chuckled between another sips, leaning even closer, your faces just inches apart.

"You're perceptive, aren't you?" Leon's lips curled into a grin, and he took a sip from his own cup.

"I have my moments. So, Mr. Mysterious, what brings you to our humble party tonight?" You nodded, your flirtatious energy in full swing. At this point, you were regretting your decision to stop with alcohol because you could never talk to a man like him the way you were doing.

"Well, I heard there was someone here I couldn't resist meeting. Looks like I found her." Leon's eyes held a glint of intrigue as he leaned in slightly.

Your heart skipped a beat at his response, your flirtatious banter taking an unexpectedly genuine turn.

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you?" You asked him, feeling a sudden heat rush over your body like a wave.

"Only when I'm talking to someone as captivating as you." Leon leaned in a bit closer, his breath warm against your ear.

After a few more drinks and flirts, you decided to ask what was eating you inside. Of course, in the next morning, you wouldn't remember anything, and you could live without regrets. Chloe was having fun with a bunch of friends, so why couldn't you just do the same? You were so horny at this moment that you were willing to have fun.

"So, it was my impression, or were you practically eating me while I was dancing?" You provoked him, drinking another sip from whatever Chloe said it was.

He almost spit his drink, completely shocked by your question. The old man looks at you with curiosity, but then, a slight smirk appears on his lips. Those beautiful blue eyes that never left yours made your body shiver, and that smile, well... that smile of him almost ripped yourself in two parts.

"How presumption of yours, huh?" He replied, still smiling, his lips meeting his glass again.

"It wasn't presumption, it was true," you said back, sounding cocky; you didn't care, and you had the balls to do so.

"Well, I might have done that. Who knows?" He says, his voice softly husky, almost low, like he did on purpose to provoke you.

"Well, lucky for you, I might have enjoyed that," you said, leaning closer to his ear, enough to whisper to him and enough to make him smile.

It was amazing what alcohol did to you. Honestly, you weren't this type of slutty horny girl, but let's face the truth; your ex-boyfriend was an asshole and the last time you had sex with someone with your age, it was a terrible experience. Maybe someone older could handle the job well? And besides, you both knew you wouldn't see each other again.

"You know, this party is fun, but I have a feeling the night could get even better." He leaned closer, his voice a soft murmur in your ear, and he seemed to think the same as you.

"Oh, really? And what do you have in mind?" You turned to him, a mischievous twinkle in your eyes.

Leon grinned, his confidence growing as your connection deepened.

"How about we leave this noisy place and head to my apartment? It's not far from here, and we can continue our conversation without shouting over the music." He suggests, and you had the certain he was thinking the same thing you were.

You hesitated for a moment, weighing your options. The party was completely wild at this point. Everyon, with no exceptions, seemed drunk enough, but the prospect of spending more time with this stranger and handsome man seemed far more appealing. Plus, there was an undeniable attraction that had been simmering between you two all night.

"You know what? I think that's a great idea. Lead the way." You replied with a playful smile and finally decided what you wanted.

Leon offered his hand, and you took it, allowing him to guide you through the lively crowd. You both made your way out of the crowded house and into the cool night air. The stars above shone brightly, and the distant sounds of the party slowly faded into the background.

As you two walked together, Leon couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. The decision to invite you to his place had been a bold one, but it seemed like the right choice. The night was filled with possibilities, and he was eager to explore where it would lead.

When you both reach his place, it's just a matter of seconds before he grabs you by your thighs, pinning up against the wall, kissing your neck desperately. Your hands meet his hair, holding so tight that between his kisses, he groans a little.

"God, you're so beautiful" he moans softly, leaving marks on your skin, to remember you that he was there.

"Stop talking, handsome" you said, now biting his earlobe, making him moan again. You were feeling something between your legs, and you couldn't tell if it was yours or his. "And just fuck me"

"That's what I intend to do" he whispers, still holding you by your thighs, leading you to his room, not caring about the mess he did along the way.

Your body falls graciously on his mattress, and he removes your black dress, throwing it somewhere inside his room. He removes his belt so quickly, like he really wanted this. You can see his cock inside his underpants, which makes you smile.

"Do you like the view, huh?" He provoked, sucking his fingers and making them touch your already wet pussy. "Is this all for me?"

"Shit" you moan louder when you feel his fingers circling around your pussy, tasting you. You sighed with pleasure, leaning back your head, biting your lower lip.

"Don't worry, we have all night" he whispers, his wet lips meeting your skin between kisses, making your body joint and shiver.

You feel him sucking and licking your left niple, his hand holding your other breast while his other hand was still circling slowly your clit. Your moans were so loud, so pornographic that you knew his neighbor would here your scandal. But God have mercy, he was very talented with his hands.

And then, without any warnings, you finally feel him inside, slowly sliding between your legs. You groan, letting him know you needed time to adjust to his size. Your nails found their way into his skin, leaving scratches that would take time to heal — a reminder about this night.

When you feel comfortable enough with him, you nod slightly, and he starts to move between your legs, penetrating you so softly and yet so caring. His eyes observe you, sometimes his lips meeting yours in a smooth kiss, and sometimes moaning in your ear.

You follow his pace, and when you notice, he's moving faster inside you. One of his hands holding yours so tight that it's almost impossible to escape his grip — which you don't intend to do. You wouldn't mind be his bitch for a night.

"You're taking me so well" he moans again, leaving marks on your breasts and smiling as his hips hit yours harder.

"Oh, fuck..." you moan again, biting your lower lip and closing your eyes, already feeling a wave of pleasure running through your body.

"Oh, be a good girl for me" he teases, his free hand circling your clit again, making your body joint.

And he kept teasing you for a very long time. Each time you were close to orgasm, he stopped what he was doing to make you beg for him and your pleas were almost insignificant to him, despite the fact that he was enjoying seeing you beg to cum.

"Please, let me cum" you begged again after the fifth time he denied your orgasm. You were almost crying at this point, unable to hold the ache in your pussy. "I need you, please"

"Such a baby girl begging for me" he said, smiling and starting to circle you clit again, making you whine. "I'll let you cum if you take me in your mouth right now"

He stood up on the edge of his bed and you crawled into him, opening your mouth to put his cock inside, sucking him while your hands massaged his balls. You can hear him moan, grabbing your hair to force you to keep sucking him. You started to tear up, gasping while his cock was inside your mouth.

He didn't care.

You kept sucking him until he released his cum inside your mouth and he didn't had to say anything. You swallowed him, like the good girl you were. And with his smile of approval, you knew you earned your time. He made you lay back in his bed and started to suck your clit, tasting yourself in his mouth.

"So good" he said, holding your thighs against his shoulders, sucking you, licking your wet pussy.

"S-shit" you moan again, holding his sheets with violence, wanting desperately to cum on him. Your moans get higher and again, you started to feel the warm pleasure in your body.

"Cum for me, baby" he orders smoothly again, giving the attention you required, his tongue doing such a great work on you.

Finally, with his approval, you had the liberty to release yourself. You felt something hot coming out of you at the same time that your body reached the peek and you finally had the orgasm of your life. You had to control yourself, your body almost collapsing while his mouth was still between your thighs.

And after you had your orgasm, releasing your cum on him, he smiled at you, licking his lips to savor you and then crawling his way to your side on his bed.

"You're okay?" He asks, going to his bathroom to grab paper to help you clean yourself. "I hope I wasn't that hard"

"You kidding me?" You ask him, cleaning yourself from the mess he did. "You were great, I'm impressed"

The moonlight cast a soft glow through the curtains, filling the room with a gentle, silver light. Leon and you were laying side by side on the cozy, disheveled sheets, your breathing slowly returning to normal.

Leon turned toward you, his eyes filled with tenderness as he reached out to stroke your hair, his touch feather-light.

"Are you okay, really?" he whispered, his voice filled with concern.

You smiled, your eyes shining with a mixture of contentment and affection.

"I'm more than okay. That was... amazing." You said honestly to him. And it was entirely true; despite his age, he was the best sex you ever had.

Leon's smile mirrored yours as he continued to run his fingers through your hair, tracing soothing patterns along your back.

"I'm so glad to hear that," he said. "But I want to make sure you're comfortable. Is there anything you need right now?" He asks, sounding curious and kind. You felt he came from a fairytale. He was too good to be real.

You thought for a moment, then shook your head.

"I just need you here with me, like this."

"I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere," he promised. Leon leaned in and kissed your forehead gently, his lips warm and reassuring.

You two lay together in comfortable silence, basking in the afterglow of their intimate moment. Leon's caring touch and reassuring presence were all the aftercare you needed, a reminder that your connection ran deeper than the physical. As you both drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, you knew that this bond was something truly special, despite the fact that you both also knew it wouldn't happen again.

As the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, you groaned and slowly opened your eyes. The unfamiliar surroundings of Leon's apartment briefly disoriented you until the events of the previous night came flooding back into your memory. You'd met him at the party you went with your best friend, and one thing had led to another. Now, you were here, alone in his apartment.

With a groggy sigh, you pushed yourself into a sitting position, rubbing your temples to soothe the pounding headache. Your mouth felt like a desert, a testament to the amount of alcohol you'd consumed the night before. Your bleary eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Leon.

A folded piece of paper on the coffee table caught your attention. You reached for it, your fingers trembling slightly, and unfolded the note. Leon's neat handwriting greeted you:

"Hey, stranger. I hope you slept well. I had to head to work early, but I didn't want to wake you. There's coffee brewing in the kitchen to help with your hangover, and I left some pain relievers on the counter. Make yourself at home. There's my number if you need anything. Leon"

You couldn't help but smile. Despite the awkwardness of waking up in a stranger's apartment, Leon's thoughtfulness warmed your heart. You stumbled out of bed and followed the scent of freshly brewed coffee to the kitchen.

As you sipped the steaming cup of coffee, the pounding in your head began to subside. The pain relievers helped, too. You glanced at your phone and gasped when you saw the time. You were so late for your college classes.

With newfound energy, you left your phone number on his desk and rushed back to the bedroom, desperately searching for your scattered clothes. You managed to piece together an outfit from the items you found strewn across the floor. It was far from your usual put-together look, but it would have to do.

Once dressed, you scribbled a quick note of thanks to Leon and left it on the kitchen counter. You grabbed your bag and dashed out of his apartment, promising yourself you'd explain everything when you saw him again.

As you hurried to catch a bus to your college, you couldn't help but reflect on the unexpected turn of events. Meeting Leon had been a whirlwind, and while your head still throbbed with the remnants of a hangover, you couldn't deny the spark of excitement and curiosity that had ignited between the two of you.

As you ran down the hall, your heart raced with anxiety. You knew you were late for your history class, but your unexpected encounter the night before had left you disoriented and sleep-deprived. With your disheveled hair and the remnants of last night's makeup still on your face, you approached the classroom door. The chattering of your fellow students stopped abruptly when you entered.

The professor, his back turned to the door, continued writing on the chalkboard. You sighed with relief, hoping you hadn't disrupted the class too much. You scanned the room, searching for an empty seat. Most of your fellow students had already found their places, and the only available desk was in the front row.

You tiptoed down the aisle, trying to make as little noise as possible, and took a seat at the front. The professor turned around, ready to begin his lecture. When your eyes met, your heart dropped into your stomach. It was Leon, the man you had met at the college party the night before, the one you had shared an unforgettable night with.

"Fuck" you muttered in surprise, your face going red like a tomato.

Leon's expression changed from one of stern concentration to one of recognition and shock. You felt your face flush with embarrassment as you realized that he was your history professor. The sounds of your obscenes moans echoed inside your head. You wanted to evaporate.

"Good morning, miss" he said, his voice tinged with surprise, but trying to sound polite. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I...I didn't realize this was your class," you stammered, your cheeks burning with embarrassment.

The rest of the class watched the exchange with keen interest. You could feel their curious eyes on you. Leon cleared his throat and attempted to regain his composure.

"Well, since you're here, you might as well stay," he said, attempting to sound professional despite the awkwardness of the situation. "We'll discuss your tardiness later. Now, let's begin our lesson on the American Revolution."

As the class continued, you tried your best to focus on the lecture, but your mind kept wandering back to the night you had spent with him. It was going to be a long semester, filled with more than just history lessons.

At the end of his class, you were so nervous that you felt you could explode right there. Leon hesitated as he watched you from across his desk, where he had papers and books strewn haphazardly. Your presence filled the room with an electric tension, one he couldn't deny any longer. You were his student, and you both knew the boundaries you both had crossed were dangerous. And when everyone left his room, you stood up to leave as well, until you heard his voice.

"Sit down," he said, his voice trembling slightly as he gestured to the chair in front of him. You took a seat, your eyes locking onto his, searching for answers.

You never felt this nervous before. You were shaking, and your palms were sweating cold. You wanted to disappear forever.

"We need to talk about last night," Leon began, his gaze never leaving yours. "What happened between us was a mistake, and I shouldn't have allowed it to happen."

Your lips quivered, but you remained silent.

"I'm your professor, and you're my student. It's against the rules, and it's unethical. I can't let this continue." Leon continued, his voice softer but resolute.

You looked down, your fingers nervously playing with the edge of your notebook.

"I know, Leon," you finally replied, your voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't deny that I felt something for you. It's more than just physical attraction."

Leon's heart ached at her words, his inner struggle evident. God, this was so wrong, and yet, his mind was a battle over what was right and what was wrong. He couldn't deny he felt something for you too — something he thought he would never feel again.

"You don't understand, I like you too," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I also care about your future, and I can't jeopardize it."

You raised your eyes to meet his once more, tears glistening.

"What are we going to do, then?" You asked, feeling sad and, somehow, pathetic. You met him the night before, then why were you feeling like this?

Leon sighed, his resolve crumbling.

"I don't know" he confessed, his voice filled with regret. "But we need to find a way to move past this and focus on your education."

Your eyes locked in a shared moment of vulnerability, the unspoken desire still simmering beneath the surface. Leon had tried to convince you it was wrong, but his feelings for you were undeniable. The battle between his heart and his principles had only just begun.

"I think it's for the best if we keep this as it should be. I don't want to risk anything" Leon said, his voice sounding sad for a moment. "And I'm sorry, but we can't see each other like that again"

You nod and then leave his class. You made your way back to your apartment, wanting a shower, because you felt you could drown yourself in the water and forget everything that happened. He was your professor. You knew it was wrong, but for God's sake, why him? Why did he have to take you to heaven and then throw cold water on your head?

"What the hell happened?" You heard Chloe ask as soon as you enter your apartment. You completely forgot about her.

"I met someone last night" you explained, avoiding details. You were still feeling the effects of the hungover.

"Really? I bet it was good... you didn't even come back home, you naughty girl" Chloe teases you, laughing. "Have you heard about the new history professor? He's really hot"

"Yeah, I got late for his class" you sighed, laying on your bed with Chloe right behind you, excited about the new professor. If she only knew...

"No shit? Lucky you, he's cool. I've heard he was at the party last night and left with someone. I wish I was that lucky" Chloe kept saying, sitting on the small armchair in your room.

"And they saw who this person was?" You asked in panic, suddenly glancing at your best friend, which you regretted immediately.

"No fucking way... it was you!" Chloe almost screams, surprised and then, throwing a pillow on your face. "I can't believe you were banging the new professor!"

"In my defense, I didn't know!" You said, defending yourself. Deep down, Chloe didn't care. She wanted to see you happy. "I found out this morning... but it's okay. He doesn't want to see me"

"Too bad for him. You're too much for him, anyway" Chloe smirks, being the supportive friend you needed.

Chloe always had the ability to make you feel better with few words. You were really thankful for having her; so, you decided to do what he wanted. For the next few weeks, you watched his classes and noticed that, sometimes, he was glancing at you.

How could you both forget that night?

It was almost impossible. He made you feel so fucking good and you wanted so bad to be with him again. You even fantasized having him fucking you all over again, making you completely his. God, this was very hard. They've always said you will always want more intensely what you can't have, and they are so right about that.

And then, after one month since that party, Leon couldn't avoid that anymore.

He felt the urgency to talk to you, to smell your perfume or see your smile. He was going insane for not having you the way he did that day. Why was he feeling like that? He couldn't tell. But it felt good.

"May I have a word with you after class? It's about your essay" Leon says, closer to you and sounding very professional.

"Yes, Mr. Kennedy" You nod your head, already feeling your heart skipping a few beats and your body shaking again.

That was it.

After class, you remained sitting, waiting for your colleagues to leave his room. He avoided your eyes until there were just the two of you. Your breath was heavy, and instantly, you were feeling the heat on your body.

"What is it you want to talk with me?" You ask him, breathing nervously.

Leon gets closer to you, enough to make your body shiver. You look at his blue eyes and the image of him fucking you plays in your head like a movie.

"I shouldn't do this..." he whispers, his breath reaching your face smoothly. "But to be honest, I don't give a shit about morality anymore"

And then, he finally kissed you like he meant that.

It was everything you needed to know. He wanted you, and you wanted him. This could end bad for both of you, but you didn't care. You were weak, and he was weak as well. And right now, he wanted you more than anything.

[whorekneecentral]

hear me out yk the tiktok audio that’s like “the quarter of a million necklace around her neck” i need that with lance tell me he wouldn’t love fucking you in all the expensive shit he showers you in

boyfriend lance is so real 

lance buys you so much stuff, he doesn’t hesitate to spoil you. anything you want is yours, you never really ask for stuff though.

maybe if you’re on vacation and you see a new purse or a piece of jewelry you liked but it’s never anything massive.

lance just likes to buy expensive stuff, his love language is gift giving.

if’s he’s away for long, like a triple header , he’ll make sure you know he’s thinking you. whether it's flowers at your front door or having your favourite foods delivered to your doors, he's doing something.

he almost always brings you back a piece of jewellery from each place they stop. it's even worse if you go with him, he'd buy you the whole store if he could - he really could, he could afford it but you stop him.

he's singlehandedly building your jewellery collection.

nonetheless, you appreciate it and you make sure he knows that.

he brought you along with him to his sister's wedding, obviously you were invited but you guys went early to get a bit of relaxing in before the wedding chaos sets in.

chloe had a fairytale wedding with a million and one events which meant you needed a million and one different outfits and lance made sure you had the very best for all of them; shoes, dresses, jewellery - you needed it, it was yours.

after the rehearsal dinner, you and lance found your way back to your hotel room. the blue dress you had on was bunched over your hips as you straddled him, louboutins still on your feet.

lance's hands gripped your hips, nails digging into your skin. the diamonds that hung around your neck shifted with each movement, lance's free hand carefully brushed over them before moving to wrap around your throat.

"so pretty like this," he whispers.

[vodika-vibes]

Singing - a request from @wax-birds

Summary: Your soulmate isn’t much of a singer, there’s only one song that he sings, and by this point, you know it by heart. The first time you hear him in person, though, is when the Republic Soldiers come to your home world.

Pairing: Ordo Skirata x Reader

Word Count: 2135

Warnings: None

Prompt: Soulmate AU - you can hear your soulmate sing

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: Thanks for your request! I wasn't sure, at first, where to go with this, but I hope you like it!

You wake to the sound of singing echoing in your head and you groan, roll over, and pull your pillow over your head, as though that will stop the singing and let you fall back to sleep.

It won’t.

It never does.

You still have to try, though. 

The singing continues, unhindered by the pillow, and you heave another sigh as you throw your pillow to the side and sit up.

You blink, blearily, at the chrono sitting innocently next to you. Barely five in the morning. 

Kriff your soulmate, seriously. And not in a fun way.

You swing your legs off the side of your bed and meander your way to the fresher, humming along with the song echoing through your mind. Would it kill him to learn another song? Any other song?

Okay, that’s not fair.

He does know other songs because you hear him humming along to some of the songs that you sing, it’s just that this one song seems to be the only one that he sings regularly.

It’s called Vod’e An.

A Mandalorian battle song.

The only downside is that you’re never going to meet a Mandalorian. Your home planet is so far removed from Mandalorian Space that you’ve never even seen on. Plus, you’re pretty sure that Duchess whats-her-face banned the old Mandalorian culture.

Or maybe you’re spending too much time on conspiracy websites.

You turn the shower on and wait for the water to heat as you peel your sleep clothes off and toss them in the laundry. Since you’re already awake, you might as well prepare for the day.

As soon as the fresher starts filling with steam, you step under the water and start singing. A silly little pop song that has been playing a lot lately. You’re not surprised when the song in your head changes to singing along with you. 

You and your soulmate have always had that effect on each other. Influencing what song the other one is singing. In a way, it’s reassuring. What, with the state of the galaxy, it’s nice to know that he’s still out there.

It’s a shame your soul bond with him is limited to singing, you’d like to get to know him.

Then again, your best friend’s soul bond is hearing his thoughts, and it made her such an anxious mess that she needed to be medicated.

Hm. You should call her.

You linger in the shower for long enough that the hot water starts to cool, and it is only then that you step out, wrap a towel around yourself, and start preparing for the day.

You work at a local boarding school. One of the most elite, expensive, and competitive schools on the planet. Today you have several parent interviews, to see if their child will thrive at the school or if another one would be a better fit.

You finish dressing, apply your makeup for the day, and then finally leave your bedroom. You head down the stairs to the kitchen and kiss your mother on the cheek.

“Morning, Mom.”

“Morning, sweetie. You’re up early.” The older woman beams at you as she sets a breakfast bowl on the table next to a mug of caff, “Everything alright?”

“Yeah. Just woke up.”

“Soul mate again?” She asks with a knowing smile.

“He takes early days, I guess.” You joke, “And then I started thinking about Clo and just couldn’t fall back to sleep.”

“Poor Chloe,” Your mom sighs as she sinks into a seat across from you, “Her parents sent her to an institute, you know. She stopped being able to tell her thoughts from her soul mate’s.”

“I hadn’t heard that.” You reply quietly.

“Her parents are devastated. They’re hoping he shows up soon.” She shakes her head.

“Do you think visiting her would help?”

“No visitors. She can’t even recognize her parents at this point.”

“That’s a shame.” You say with a sigh, before you shake your head, “What are you doing up so early, anyway?”

“Your brother called. He wants me to watch the twins for the day.”

You roll your eyes, “You need to start charging him for this.”

“Those kids are innocent.”

“Mom.”

“I know, I know.” She shakes her head, “Those kids don’t have any positive influences in their lives outside of me and your father. We’re taking them to the lake house for the week.”

“You’re watching them for a week?”

“You don’t mind, do you?”

“Mom, you and Dad can do what you like, but you need to do something about this. Or he’s going to keep walking all over you.”

“That’s what I keep saying,” Your dad says as he steps into the kitchen. He kisses the top of your head, and then kisses your mom, before stealing a piece of toast from your plate, “We’re talking to a lawyer to get full custody.”

“There’s no room in your suite for two toddlers.”

“Yeah, well. We’re thinking of moving to the lake house permanently. Now that the renovations are done.” Dad says, “But, we’ll discuss this later, you’re going to be late.”

You blink at him and then glance at your chrono, before you swear and scramble to your feet, “Thanks for breakfast, mom!” You call as you hurry to the door.

“You’re welcome, don’t forget your purse!”

“I have it!”

You arrive at school 45 minutes later. You pull into your space, park the car, and stare in disbelief at the sheer number of people running around.

“You’re here, finally!” One of the young women who works in the office says as she runs over, “You have to come quickly.”

“Why, what’s going on?”

“The Senator’s son ran off. And he called in the Republic. There are soldiers here. They want to talk to you.”

“To me?”

“Yeah, well. You know the students.” She drags you over to a pair of men near the building and then abandons you.

“And you are?” The shorter, and older, of the men asks. 

You lift your lanyard, “I work here. I was told you wanted to talk to me?”

The younger man, still dressed in full armor, shifts at the sound of your voice and tugs his helmet off. His gaze is heavy as he scans your face, “You’re the guidance counselor?” His voice is familiar. Familiar in a way that makes your stomach flip, but you push the thought, and nerves, aside to focus on his question.

“Yeah. I mean, during the school year. Before the year begins I do parent interviews for student placement.” You reply.

“My name is Kal Skirata, this is my son, Ordo.” He nods to the taller man, “Is there someplace we can talk privately?”

“There won’t be anyone in my office if that works.”

“That’s perfect,” Ordo says.

“Alright, it’s right this way.” You gesture towards the main administrative building.

“Why don’t you help the others, Kal’buir? I’ll handle the questioning.”

“Yeah, probably a good idea,” Kal replies. He claps Ordo on the shoulder and then hurries over to another clone.

You wait for a moment, and then lead Ordo into the Admin building and to your office, which is on the first floor. You unlock the door and move to the side to let him in first, before you follow him into the room, and shut the door behind you.

“You can have a seat if you like. The chairs are softer than they look.” You offer as you walk around your desk and sink into your office chair. 

Ordo’s gaze slides around your office. He takes in your degrees, family pictures, and the personal items that you’ve added to make this room yours. “I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting a therapist to be my soulmate. Especially based on how much singing you do.”

“Child Therapist and I like music.” You reply, “I did have to teach myself Mando’a to understand the song you keep singing though.”

He flashes a small smirk at you, “You’re a good singer.”

“Thank you.” You motion at the chair, “Please, have a seat.”

He drops into the chair and stretches his legs out in front of him. Ordo is incredibly handsome and he has a very nice voice. But you knew that already. “So, mesh’la,” He drawls, “What do you know about why I’m here?”

“Not much. I was told that the Senator’s son ran off, and that’s it.”

“Is that what you think happened?” Ordo asks, “That he ran off?”

“We are talking about young Brenton Whills, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“He’s been a regular in my office since he was enrolled here.” You say as you reach into your desk and pull out a thick file to place it on your desk.

“Problem student?”

“No, the opposite in fact. Academically speaking, he’s the perfect student. Intelligent, polite, and able to pick up new topics quickly. Socially, he’s very popular. Plays sports and is on the debate team—”

“And yet you say he’s a regular.”

“He’s an anxious kid. Something of a perfectionist.” You pause, “He hates it here.”

“Why?”

“Some kids just don’t like Boarding Schools, they don’t thrive under the structure and being away from their parents.” You explain, “I kind of got that impression from him.”

“So, in your professional opinion, he ran away.”

“This isn’t a prison, Ordo. If the kids want to leave we can’t stop them.”

“The Senator believes his son was kidnapped.”

“No.”

“He believes it a lot.”

“I’m sure he does, but that’s not what happened.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know Brenton. I know him better than his parents. And I’m telling you, he ran away.”

“You’re not worried about him?”

“Send someone to talk to his uncle. He owns a fishing trawler in town. Brenton spends his free time there.”

Ordo frowns and makes a note in his datapad.

“Ordo,” He lifts his head and looks at you, “Brenton has two adults in his life that he trusts, me and his uncle. I’d prefer it if your brother’s didn’t ruin that.”

“Noted.” He makes one more note in his datapad and then sets it on the table. “It’s too bad that the first time I met you was in the middle of a crisis.” 

“Well, it’s not such a crisis, is it?”

Ordo chuckles and stands. For a moment, you think he’s going to leave, but instead, he walks around your desk and leans against it so that he’s on the same side of the desk as you. “Not so much of a crisis that they need me around.” He agrees.

You stand without being asked, and Ordo draws you closer to his body, his hands low on your hips as he pulls you to stand between his legs. You set your hands on his chest plate, one of your fingers lightly tracing the paint coloring his armor.

“I used to fantasize about what it would be like to meet you,” Ordo admits as one of his hands slides up your back and settles on the back of your neck.

“How’s this compare?” You ask as you lean in so you’re pressed flush against his armor.

“So much better,” Ordo replies with a laugh, “because you’re actually here.” He leans in so that his lips are hovering over yours.

“I thought that clones weren’t allowed to connect with their soul mates?” You ask in a whisper.

“We’re not allowed to do a lot of things,” Ordo replies, “Never stopped us before.” He scans your face for a moment, “I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Yes, plea—” You’re not able to finish your sentence as his lips crash against yours in a deep kiss. And it’s almost like something snaps into place. As though a piece of you that was missing is suddenly there.

And by the way that he’s clutching you, Ordo agrees.

He breaks the kiss, almost grudgingly, though he keeps you pressed tight against him. He’s tightly gripping your waist, and you can tell by the look on his face that he wants nothing more than to strip his armor off and claim you as his right here and now, but instead, he slowly releases you.

It’s not what you want, but Ordo slowly puts a little space between you. “We have a home on Mandalore.” He says, “Will you come with me?”

You hesitate, and then you smile at him, “Tell me where, and I’ll be there when I can.”

“Promise?”

“On my life.”

He flashes a small grin and kisses you quickly one more time. “Give me your comm code. I’m not giving you up now that I have you.”

As soon as you have his comm code, he leaves. Off to find the missing boy. But you, your elated grin doesn’t fade for hours.

[viesantewrites]

𝒮𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈

(Older) Robert Fischer - Inception

summary: For the second time in his life, Robert Fischer is faced with a major decision: whether or not to take over his father's company. After his father's death, Fischer Morrow was split up and Peter Browning bought part of it but Robert remained an employee rather than a CEO. Over the past ten years, Browning has been approaching retirement and Robert is now 40. He is struggling emotionally with his divorce and the mockery of his ex-wife. The situation intensifies when he falls in love with a beautiful woman at the company and begins to see her in his dreams.

angst, divorced parents, age gap, but not that big, both characters are adults (8 years) Robert is 40, OC is 32.

if i should continue this please let me know

thought about quitting writing but i‘m just having way too much fun :D

Masterlist

The room was filled with the shrill ringing of the alarm. Robert rolled over grumbling and buried his head sleepily under his pillow. Finally the noise stopped and he sighed with relief, closing his eyes and trying to fall back asleep. He lay there for half an hour before suddenly jumping out of bed and grabbing the clock on his bedside table in a panic.

Damn it, he had overslept again!

He climbed out of bed, rushed to the bathroom and began to shower in record time. When was he going to learn to get up at the first alarm? Since she had left, this had happened to him almost every week. He quickly got out of the shower, dried himself off, brushed his teeth and tried to get dressed at the same time. The white shirt smelled of detergent as he put it on. Lost in thought, he spat the toothpaste foam into the sink and began to knot his tie. He was lucky to have mastered this almost instinctively, as Robert, the son of a once powerful energy CEO, had worn formal attire since childhood.

It was far too warm for a suit and tie today, but the company he worked for had a strict dress code for men. He quickly zipped up his black pants, fastened his belt, combed through his hair and finally stormed out of the bathroom.

"Daddy?" he suddenly heard a quiet voice from the hallway, and Robert turned around.

He saw two large blue eyes staring up at him, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. He had almost forgotten that his daughter was staying here for the weekend.

"Chloe, sweetheart, I... Damn, school starts in fifteen minutes!" He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Chloe pulled her stuffed animal, which she was holding in her arms, a little closer and shook her head in confusion. "No, I have summer vacation. You were supposed to take me back to Mommy."

Robert closed his eyes briefly and exhaled. If he had to take his daughter to his ex-wife now, he would definitely be late for work. On the other hand, he couldn’t leave Chloe here alone all day. "Can’t your mother pick you up?"

Yeah, she could, but she won’t, Robert thought. He could almost hear her voice echoing in his head, even when she wasn’t even present: "It‘s your own fault if you can’t get up on time."

"What about Mr Norton?" Chloe asked.

"You know he's sick right now," he sighed.

Norton had been Robert’s personal chauffeur since he was 17. As a teenager, Robert never really appreciated the luxury, as wealth seemed completely normal to him. But as he grew older, he realized how lucky he had been. Especially now that Norton had suffered a herniated disc and Robert has been left to fend for himself.

Sighing, Robert ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I guess we have no choice. Quick, get changed," he said, pointing to Chloe's pink pajamas.

***

The morning sun shone brightly in the sky with not a cloud in sight. It was already clear that it would be a beautiful summer day. Robert slowly drove his black Bentley into the slightly too small driveway of his ex-wife's house. It was always a big change for Chloe to move from her father's mansion with a swimming pool, a big garden and a garage for four expensive cars to her mother's small rented apartment.

Nicole had obviously noticed his arrival and was standing at the front door with her arms crossed, scrutinising her ex-husband who was holding their daughter's hand and carrying her purple backpack in the other. She approached in a mocking tone: "It's always amusing to see you trying to park that thing. If you own such a fancy car, you should at least be able to drive it."

Robert sighed. "You know I usually have a chauffeur."

At his words, she simply rolled her eyes. "Isn’t Mr Businessman a bit late for work?" Nicole asked.

“Chloe comes first,” Robert replied firmly.

“Oh really? Suddenly now?” she hissed angrily, so quietly that only he could hear it.

Without another word, he handed Chloe’s backpack to his ex-wife, knelt down, and hugged his daughter. “Goodbye, Chloe. See you next weekend.”

“No, Daddy, please don’t go,” Chloe began to cry, burying her face in Robert’s white shirt, and it almost broke his heart.

Nicole stood beside them, observing the scene with her arms crossed and lips pressed tightly together. She knew exactly that Chloe loved him more than her, and no matter how much she tried to make her not like him anymore, he remained her favorite.

Robert gave her a farewell kiss on the forehead, released her from the hug, and waved one last time at little Chloe. "Take care!'"

“Bye, Dad!” she sniffled a bit but forced a smile.

Nicole placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and then guided her toward the front door.

Robert ran back to his car, glanced at the clock, and felt the sweat on his forehead.

***

Breathless, he hurried down the hall of Browning Morrow (formerly Fischer Morrow), trying to ignore the amused glances from his colleagues and greeted them politely.

He finally arrived at his office, slightly sweaty, threw his briefcase onto the desk, opened the window, and, defying the dress code, took off his suit jacket.

Robert sank into his chair, switched on his PC and flicked through his planner. Damn it, he had that stupid annual security training at half past nine. He still had to scan some important documents and email them to a client who was already waiting impatiently for them. "If I don't do it now, I'll be in trouble," Robert thought.

With a sigh, he tucked the stack of papers under his arm and headed for the scanner in the hallway. God, he had a thousand other things to do, and scanning was just a waste of time.

Suddenly, Robert held his breath and turned his head slightly. There she was again, one of the few bright spots in his dreary daily routine.

His eyes were fixed on her as she walked down the corridor in her high heels. Her long, dark blonde hair was down today and fell over her shoulders, the elegant white skirt and beige sleeveless top looked stunning on her figure, complemented by matching gold jewellery. When she saw Robert standing in the hallway, she smiled and started to walk towards him.

Her name was Victoria Nathan and she was a new secretary at Browning Morrow. Robert had noticed her on the first day, and he was pretty sure he wasn't the only man who had taken an interest in her.

"Can I help you with something, Mr…What was your name again? Fischer?" she asked, looking at him curiously with her emerald green eyes.

Robert’s heart started pounding wildly, and he could feel his cheeks turning slightly pink.

“Oh God, of course, you’re the son of the former CEO. I’m so embarrassed, I’m sorry. I always have a bit of trouble remembering names and faces.”

Robert laughed nervously again. What was wrong with him? He had never been shy, especially not with women, but for some reason, she completely threw him off balance.

“Wait, are you the Associate CEO, aside from Browning?” she asked.

“It’s fine, I forget names quite often too. No, I‘m not, I'm a senior consultant. I advise the company on solving problems, developing strategies and optimising processes," he replied, sounding a little more confident and professional.

“Sounds great, Mr Fischer.” Ms Nathan gave him a charming smile and then pointed to the stack under his arm. “What’s this?”

“Oh, these are just documents I need to scan. I'm under a bit of time pressure because I've got a few other things to do, and at 9:30..."

"Is the safety training, I know. I'll be there later as well. Should I scan the documents for you? I have some time right now," she offered.

"You would be a great help, Ms Nathan," Robert said, smiling as his heart began to race again.

She carefully took the stack from him.

"I‘m glad to help you, Sir."

"Oh, and could you email the documents to Mr Kingsley on my behalf? His contact details are on the front page."

“Of course, Mr Fischer", she said with a smile and a nod.

“Thank you, you’re a gem!” Robert blurted out, and his cheeks immediately turned red again.

Ms Nathan giggled a little, waved goodbye, and turned to leave.

For a brief moment, Robert stood alone in the middle of the hallway, unable to gather his thoughts.

***

Just before 9:30, Robert entered the meeting room and took a seat in one of the empty chairs. The room was already quite full, with more employees streaming in. Among them were James Clearwood and Matthew Harrington, with whom he had attended college. They were the only people in the company who actually called Robert by his first name and with whom he had a sort of friendship.

“Robert, buddy! Haven’t seen you in ages!” James said, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"It's actually been about three weeks, James," Matthew added with a laugh as he sat down in the empty chair next to him.

"Matthew said there'd be free cake, otherwise I wouldn't have come," James remarked.

“Every employee has to do the training once a year,” Robert said. “It’s mandatory. Still, I don’t see why, I sit at my desk all day analyzing data. How could I possibly have an accident?”

"The way you sit in that chair, it could happen at any time," James grinned, mimicking Robert's characteristic, somewhat awkward sitting position.

Matthew joined in the laughter.

“So, Robert…wanted to ask you this for weeks now…", James finally said.

Confused, Robert looked at him. “What do you mean?”

He grinned and gave him another friendly pat on the shoulder. “Well, I heard Browning will retire next year. How old is he, 63? 64? And you‘d be the perfect replacement."

Robert sighed and bit his lower lip. He had suspected this conversation would come up sooner or later. "I don't know, I'm torn. I think it's too much responsibility for me. I'm happy with my current position, to be honest. It's important and one of the best paid jobs, but it doesn't involve full leadership."

James raised an eyebrow. “Robert, you were born into the family business. Who knows the company better than you?”

"Why didn’t you take over the company when your father passed away?” Matthew asked.

"I was too young and inexperienced. It was over ten years ago, and I had just finished my studies three years earlier..." Robert's explanation trailed off.

"Well, you have enough work experience now. If I were you, I'd really think about it," James said, his tone now a bit more serious.

But Robert wasn't really listening anymore. He had spotted Victoria Nathan in the crowd again. With her usual friendly smile, she poured coffee into cups and handed them out. She had tucked her blonde hair behind her ear, but one strand had come loose and was hanging in her face.

"Robert?" James nudged him in the side but then noticed where he was looking. "Oh, no, no, no. Forget it," he said, leaning back in his chair. "She's young and extremely pretty. Don't get your hopes up."

Robert glared at him. "Do you have to be so blunt?"

Matthew immediately jumped into the conversation. "You act like Robert's some ugly dude. Come on, he looks better than both of us combined. He's got the best chances out of the three of us, even though he's the oldest."

"You're married, if I may remind you," Robert said, staring at him in disbelief.

"Aren‘t you too?" Matthew retorted immediately.

"I've been divorced for two years."

Matthew sighed briefly. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that."

"Robert doesn't seem to have forgotten it the way he's staring at that girl," James laughed.

Robert sighed and buried his face in his hands. "Seriously, how old do you think she is?"

James was thinking for a moment. "26. No, wait, 27", he finally answered.

"She's 32," Matthew suddenly said, and the other two looked at him in astonishment.

"How do you know that?" James eventually asked.

"My sister knows her best friend."

"And then you ask her how old she is? You're married!" Robert said, slapping his forehead as James burst out laughing.

"I swear to God, Matthew always seems so calm and composed, but he's the most unhinged person I know."

Matthew crossed his arms over his chest. "It was a perfectly normal question, just out of curiosity. We somehow started talking about her, and I just mentioned that she seems pretty young to have that much professional experience."

James only laughed harder at these words.

But Robert was lost in thought again. "She's 8 years younger than me. That's not so much..."

"Go ahead and try if you want. But you’ve got some serious competition. Almost every guy in the company is interested in her", James said more seriously now. "I don’t know if you’re her type, Robert. She seems to go for the younger guys here. Apparently, she’s interested in that new blond guy who graduated recently. I think he’s only 24 or something."

Robert scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder why she wants such a young man. He's got nothing to offer her."

"Not all women are after money, Robert."

Robert sighed and rubbed his temples. "I think we should stop now. We're acting like high school boys."

"I thought it was funny," James remarked. "Hey, there's cake over there!" He immediately stood up and disappeared into the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?" A loud voice suddenly boomed from the speakers. Robert leaned back in his chair, knowing he had several long hours ahead of him.

***

When Robert finally finished work, the sun was still high in the sky, giving the impression that it wasn't going to set at all today. It was scorching hot as Robert walked through the nearby park. He almost wanted to take off his terribly itchy suit and jump into the pond. Tired, he turned on his phone and immediately noticed that he had two missed calls from Nicole. Sighing, he called her back.

"Chloe left her stuffed animal at your house. You know she can't sleep without that silly thing," she said.

"You mean the little bunny? I can’t come over again, Nicole," Robert grumbled, kicking a pebble in front of him.

"Fine, I'll try to distract her and come by tomorrow to pick it up," she replied, hanging up without another word.

Shaking his head, Robert put his phone back in his pocket when he suddenly heard quiet laughter among the trees. Curious, he turned in the direction it came from. Instantly, he bit his lip and wished he hadn't. It was Victoria Nathan and the blond college graduate. They were sitting on a bench under a weeping willow, engaged in a lively conversation. The young man eventually leaned in, cupped her face in his hands, gently stroked her chin, and kissed her.

Robert immediately turned on his heel and hurried away. Thoughts raced through his mind, and his heart began to feel oddly heavy, but he tried to ignore it and kept running until he finally reached the parking lot. He got into his Bentley, stepped on the accelerator and drove off.

On the way home, he continued to fight his emotions, but they wouldn’t leave him alone. He was acting like a schoolboy, yet he was an influential and successful grown man, possibly about to take over an entire company. How could he let such silly feelings like jealousy or heartbreak overcome him, especially over a woman who likely didn’t care about him at all and didn’t even remember his name? Robert pressed harder on the gas pedal and nearly ran a red light.

Suddenly, Nicole's voice reappeared in his mind. At first, it was very faint, but it grew louder and louder until he couldn’t ignore it anymore:

"What do you expect from her? You know you're incapable of maintaining a relationship. What do you want to do, huh? Marry her, promise to give her everything she wants? Make a child with her, only to neglect them and prioritize your job over your family, just like you did before?"

Robert breathed quickly, trying to silence the voice in his head. With shaking hands, he finally drove into his garage, pushed open the door and gasped for air. The lock clicked quietly as he turned the key to his front door. Of course, it was doubly secured and equipped with a security camera.

"Chloe, Daddy's home!" he called, but then he remembered that he had taken her back to her mother's that morning. His luxurious mansion offered nothing but emptiness. All the money in the world couldn’t change the fact that he felt unbearably lonely.

In the bathroom, he let cold water run over his face and hands. Robert stared thoughtfully at his reflection. He had changed so much over the past ten years since his father had died. His slim figure, big blue eyes, small nose, and freckles had always given him a youthful appearance. Robert had long been mistaken for being much younger than he was, even at nearly 30, he could pass as a college student. That had changed now. He didn't look old at all, just more mature, more sophisticated, more masculine. His features had become sharper, and when Robert laughed, he had slight wrinkles around his eyes. His dark hair was beginning to turn slightly gray at the temples, which he tried to hide with hair dye.

As the son of a successful businessman, he had to wear formal attire from a young age. It always looked like a child wearing his father's clothes, even when he was in his 20s, but now it just looked... right. Like he actually owned those clothes. He was constantly receiving compliments on how attractive and handsome he was, but he never really believed them, especially not today after seeing Victoria with her young lover.

Robert quickly dried his face and left the bathroom. Tonight he would go to bed early for a change. His fingers carefully traced the numerous picture frames on his dresser or hanging on the wall. Most of them were photos of Chloe smiling into the camera, like from her first day at school last year. The pictures of Nicole he had burned.

His eyes wandered to an older photo that was quite faded. It showed his uncle Peter at his wedding, holding a little two-year-old Robert in his arms. The next picture was taken about 25 years later. He bit his lower lip as he looked at it. He looked young and happy in it, wearing a graduation gown. Standing next to him were Uncle Peter and Robert‘s father Maurice, who was already looking rather ill. He quickly turned and left the living room. As he finally lay down in his warm bed, his eyes closed within seconds. The day had been incredibly exhausting for him, and he immediately drifted off into his deepest subconscious.

It was bright in front of him, the sun was shining, but everything looked just vague and blurry. Suddenly, the contours sharpened, and Robert could see the small park where he had walked that afternoon. The little white bench under the weeping willow appeared suddenly, and with it, Victoria. It was the same scene he had witnessed earlier, but with one significant difference: the man Victoria was kissing so passionately wasn’t the blond college graduate but Robert himself. Her hands ran gently down Robert's white shirt, up to his neck, and then disappeared into his dark hair. Robert's heart felt incredibly warm and he wished that whatever he was seeing would never end. The scene held for a moment, but then it abruptly broke and shifted.

Suddenly Robert opened his eyes and it was pitch black around him. The air was incredibly humid and warm, and he began to cough. He was alone in his room, with no sign of Victoria. Disappointed, he rubbed his eyes and got up quickly to open the window and let in some cool night air.

Thoughtfully, he stared into the dark night. He had only known this woman for a month, and now he was already dreaming of her. of But perhaps, deep down, it was his desire. Someone who loved him with all his heart where he felt completely comfortable and accepted. One of the few things he never had and which money could not buy. Deep inside, his heart felt incredibly lonely, even though he would never admit it. He quickly wiped away the single tear that rolled down his cheek with a quick hand.

…………………………………………………………………………..

yes i know thats lenny miller on the pics but i think he looks like older Robert :D

thank you for reading! currently working on timeless love part 3! :)

[pitchsidestories]

But we were in screaming colour II Jill Roord x Reader

mancity women masterlist I word count: 2141

Manchester City just ended one of their pre-season trainings. The intensity in this session was very high as it was getting closer to the first game of the season. So the players were accordingly exhausted, however the atmosphere in the dressing room was very good. As the newest signing of ManCity, Jill Roord, was just getting ready, Laura Coombs walked past her.

Apparently, she and Alex Greenwood were making plans to go somewhere after training because as her gaze fell on Jill, she slapped the defender on her upper arm; “Oh my god, Al! We still need to introduce Jill to our favourite coffee shop! You like coffee, right, Jill?“ Surprised the dutch player looked up and nodded with a grin; “I love coffee!“ “We really need to show her. She needs to meet the other Jill!“, laughed Alex while she slipped into her shoes.

Demi Stokes was now joining their conversation, her hair still wet from the shower; “Oh yes, we should. Also I can’t wait to say hi to my bestie again.“ Before Jill could ask who that would be, their goalkeeper looked at them excitedly; “You’re going to get coffee?“ Alex nodded; “Yes. Do you want to join us? Jill, you’re lucky. If you want to take aesthetically pleasing pictures for your instagram, Ellie will be your photo buddy.“ Jill smiled politely at the goalkeeper. She knew that they shared a passion for photography. Ellie seemed happy about that idea; “Oh yes, we need to take some photos.“ “Yes, that sounds great.“, agreed Jill.

Meanwhile Chloe Kelly turned off the blow dryer she was using and looked at the group getting ready to leave; “Are you going to Jills coffee shop?“ “Yes, are you coming too?“, Ellie asked. “Yes, I could really need a coffee right now.“ “Great, so let’s go, shall we?“, asked Laura the other players who nodded in agreement. As they left the grounds, Jill couldn’t hide her excitement; “I’m curious to see how it is. You all make it sound so good.“

“From the outside it might not look that great but inside you’ll love it.”, Alex promised her. A couple of minutes later the six players entered Jill Scott’s coffeeshop. Excited Demi waved at one of her closest friends:” Hey Jill!” “Demi, hello, good to see you!”, equally thrilled the former England international player hugged the smaller woman before turning her head to the other footballers, tell me who*s the new blue in town.”

With a bright grin Laura introduced Manchester City latest signing: “Jill, meet the new Jill!” An awkward smile appeared on Jill Roords face: “Hey fellow Jill.” “Nice to meet you too, Jill.”, the ex-midfielder winked at her. While clearing her throat Chloe informed the coffeeshop owner:” She’s Dutch just like Sarina and you might have played against her when she still kicked the ball for Arsenal.”

“I played against so many people, Chloe. I already forget most of them.”, Jill Scott said with an amused smirk. Cheekily the blonde forward remarked:” I hope you didn’t forget how to make great coffee. Our Dutchie here is very curious if it’s as good as we told her.” “We’ll see about that.”, the former midfielder joked as she was making the coffee for her ex-teammates, handing the newest member of the club the cup first.

Thoughtfully Jill Roord took her first sip of the warm brew: “The coffee is delicious, Jill. I’ll definitely come here more often.” In that moment she realized that Ellie had been taking a photo of her while drinking.  Innocently the goalkeeper demanded:” Your turn to take a picture now, Jill Roord.” “Okay, fine.”, the forward sighed. Secretly she loved it, taking photos was one of the things she enjoyed the most in her free time.

Solemnly Ellie announced: “ I feel like this will be the start of a wonderful friendship.” “You just want me to take photos of you.”, the Dutch woman laughed. “No, do you want to look at the photos I took from you?”, the English player asked, trying to distract the slightly older one. Sceptical Jill Roord glanced at her:“Sure but I know you’re lying.”

The next morning, Jill returned to the coffee shop. This time she was by herself and not there for the coffee. Business in the coffeeshop was slow today, so Jill Scott immediately noticed her when she walked in; “Good Morning, other Jill! I did not expect you back this quickly. Same order as last time?“

The dutch football player walked up to the counter; “Morning and yes, please.“ As the former football player turned around to prepare her coffee, Jill took a deep breath before she revealed the real reason for her visit; “Jill? Can I ask you something? I looked through the photos I took when I was with the girls and…“ She could feel her cheeks heating up while the older Jill watched her with raised eyebrows, beckoning her to go on; “And?“ “And I wonder if maybe you know this woman? Does she come here often?“, the Dutch finally finished and held her phone up to show her the photo of a young woman.

The former England international slid the cup of coffee over the counter and shook her had; “I can’t tell you that.“ “Oh, of course. Thanks for the coffee though.“, Jill Roord replied, trying to banish the disappointment from her voice. She was already about to turn around and leave the coffee shop, when she got called back; “Jill?“ “Yes?“ “Come back tomorrow after training.“, advised Jill Scott with a wink. The younger of the two Jills couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face; “Alright. See you, Jill.“

You, however, did not know about the conversation the football players had the previous day when you sat down at your favourite table in the coffee shop. You spread out your papers and drawing utensils on the table in front of you. As usual, your coffee had already gotten cold because you got lost in your drawings. You flinched when Jill Scott approached your table, setting down a piece of cake and a fresh cup of coffee in front of you. “Oh, hi, Jill. I don’t think I ordered cake and I still have some coffee left. See?“ You held up your cup of cold coffee but the taller woman just took it from your hands and smiled; “Oh, I know you didn’t order.“ “But?“, you prompted her to go on. She just shrugged with an innocent look: “It’s on the house.“

A smile appeared on your lips:” Thank you, Jill.” Little did you know that in this moment your life was about to change. With an innocent look on her face the owner of the coffee shop led Jill Roord to your table:” The other tables are all taken, I’ll bring you your coffee here.” “Uhm thanks.”, the Dutch woman said. It did not take Jill Scott very long to bring her the ordered coffee: “Here you go.”  

Quietly you had watched the scene unfold in front of your eyes before deciding to speak up:” She must like you. Jill doesn’t bring everyone their ordered coffee to the table.” Suddenly your face turned pretty hot, you realized how much off said table you were taking for yourself:” Sorry my drawings take so much space, if you want to, I can make you some room.”

Meanwhile Jill couldn’t believe her luck as she recognized you as the beautiful woman in her pictures: “No don’t worry about it. Leave them there.” Almost shy the blonde added:” Can I have a look at them.” “Sure, actually it’s supposed to be a graphic novel at the end.”, you explained her. Your heart was full as she exclaimed: “Oh really? That’s so cool.”

For a moment you let her go through the art you created, letting her admire it in peace. Clearing your throat, you unravelled the plot of the graphic novel: “It’s about the first openly gay women’s football team in England Hackney Women FC.”

“You’re kidding.”, the forward gasped.

You could not help but laugh a little about her astonished reaction:” No, I’m not. Jill has been a great help for me as she answered all my football related questions patiently. The female players who played back when in the 1980s generously shared their stories with me. Let me tell you these women are incredible. Oh, that probably doesn’t interest you at all and I talked your ear off.”  

“No, I like that. That’s very interesting. I think we forget too easily who came before us.”, Jill replied seriously. Surprised you looked at her: “We?” “We football players.”, the Dutch woman specified. “I see.”  An honest smile was appearing on the blonde’s face:“So, I think it’s cool what you’re working on.” “Thank you.”, you whispered, appreciating her kind words. “You’re welcome.”

With flushed cheeks, you hurried to change the topic; “So, for which club are you playing? City or United?“ “City. I just moved here.“, the Dutch admitted carefully. She visibly relaxed as you nodded happily; “I secretly hoped you would say City. Our whole family have been fans of them ever since.“ Jill smirked; “Really? So if I would play for ManU, you would have just stood up and left?“ “Possibly.“, you laughed. The football player rested her chin in her hand; “In that case, I’m really lucky.“

Before you could answer, Jill Scott stepped to your table; “Sorry, girls. We’re closing soon.“ You immediately started collecting your papers and pens; “Time really flies when you’re in good company.“ “Can I help you?“, Jill Roord caught your attention again. “Oh, no, thanks. I’m good.“, you smiled gratefully at her. “Alright then.“ Patiently, Jill waited for you so you could leave together. “Goodbye, Jill!“, you waved at the former England player as you walked through the door.

Outside, Jill Roord smiled warmly at you. “I guess it’s time to say goodbye now…“, you stated with a thin smile. Jill just shrugged; “Doesn’t mean forever. Maybe I can buy you a coffee soon.“ This suggestion made you look up at her excitedly; “I’d like that very much.“ “Maybe tomorrow? Same time?“ “Yes, I’ll be there.“, you agreed happily.

A few coffee dates later, Manchester City was set to play against Westham in their first game of the season. The players were in the middle of preparing for the game and the gossip in the dressing room reached their height. “Can you believe it, Laura? Jill met her new girlfriend in our favourite coffee shop. Thats so old fashioned in the internet days we’re living in.“, Chloe brought up the topic. Laura shook her head, unimpressed; “I think it’s cuter this way than meeting someone online.“ „Agreed, it’s so romantic.“, Esme chimed in. The blonde striker looked at her two team mates in disgust, “Can’t believe you both think that.“ “Come on, Chlo, don’t be like that. It’s time to win the game!“, Lauren Hemp pulled her out of the dressing room. Jill didn’t even listen to their gossip, she knew you’d be out there in the stands to watch.

The day after the team won against Westham a few players decided to visit Jill Scott’s coffeeshop. The owner was beaming at her former teammates:” The coffee is on me. Great goals, Hempo and Jill!” “Thanks Jill.”, Lauren answered with a soft smile. “You’re welcome girls.” Curiously the ex-football player looked at the new signing:” Jill, is your girlfriend coming too?” “I think so.”, the Dutch chuckled.  A knowing grin was showing up on Lauren’s face as she revealed to the coffeeshop owner:” Jill’s girlfriend is a City fan, so I’m sure they will celebrate our win properly tonight.” Jill Scott pretended to be shocked by her former teammate, as she put her hand to her chest in playful disbelief:”Hempo, you’re too young for such a cheeky smile.”

Slightly out of breath you were turning up next to the Mancity girls:” Hi, sorry for being late.” “Hi love.”, your girlfriend greeted you with a warm and welcoming smile. More calmly now you looked up to her before she kissed you and you replied to it softly: “Hey.” “Guys, we’ve a child here!”, Jill Scott protested. Eyerolling Lauren corrected her:” I’m not a child.” “Yes, you are.”, her ex-England teammate stated firmly. Loudly “I’m 23!”, the English forward complained. Amused the coffeeshop owner looked at them:” And I’m still 13 years older than you. Guys, you can stop kissing now your coffees are ready.” Flushed you thanked her for it before saying goodbye to her for now.

As you and the other women were stepping out into the autumnal October afternoon you were silently thanking fate or whatever it was that made you go into this coffeeshop one day and find not only inspiration there but love too.

[massivedrickhead]

“You haven’t been yourself” from the angst prompt list if you haven’t gotten it yet :)

Surprise! Bet you thought I'd given up on this prompt request (I had too) but I finally managed to pull something together.

I haven't really felt motivated to write at all for basically the whole year, and that really bums me out. So I'm trying my best to get back to some abandoned WIPs in the hopes that i'll get me out of this funk.

Apologies for the legth of time it has taken for me to get this out, I really hope it was worth the wait.

-

“You haven’t been yourself.”

Prompt taken from here

Read on AO3

-

“Are you even listening to me?”

Beca blinked and looked up from her phone. “Sorry,” she said. “What were you saying?”

“I was just asking if you’re okay,” Chloe said, frowning at the bags under Beca’s eyes. “You’ve been a bit quiet lately.”

“I’m fine,” Beca said, one hand rubbing at her tired eyes as she turned her attention back to her phone. “I’m always quiet.”

“Not like this,” Chloe said. Not with me, she wanted to add. “You just don’t really seem like yourself.”

Beca shrugged. “I’m fine,” she repeated, though she didn’t sound any more convincing a second time. “Work’s been busy.”

“Okay,” Chloe said, knowing she wasn’t going to get any more out of her. “I’m gonna go shower. Stacie text and asked us to meet her for drinks, are you coming?”

Beca shook her head. “I’ve got a lot of work to get done,” she said, frowning at her phone as she tried to clear the seemingly never-ending list of emails. 

Chloe resisted the urge to pull the phone out of her hand, and instead turned and headed to the bathroom, swallowing down her frustration as she all but slammed the door behind her. 

Beca didn’t even register the noise. 

Her list of unread emails was growing longer by the second, each one seeming more important than the last. 

She was in the same spot when Chloe emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, and she still hadn’t moved another thirty minutes after that, when a fully dressed Chloe was heading out the door.

“We’ll be in Albertini’s if you change your mind,” Chloe said.

“Uh huh,” Beca replied. “Have fun.”

The front door closed and Beca’s eyes remained fixed on her phone screen. 

She tried to read an email from her boss, but she couldn’t focus enough to take in the words. She read it top to bottom three times without taking in a single word of it.

She was too distracted by a throbbing headache that felt like it was pushing against the backs of her eyes. She was hungry too, and her back hurt from the hunched-over position that she’d spent most of the day in.

Her phone began pinging with messages from Stacie, no doubt chastising her for not coming to the bar, and five more emails had hit her inbox by the time she’d closed out the one she hadn’t been able to read from her boss. 

It felt like everyone wanted something from her lately. 

She felt pulled in too many directions.

Stretched too thin. 

Chloe said she hadn’t seemed like herself, and she was right. Beca wasn’t herself. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been. 

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the itchy tiredness from her eyes, and pulled her attention back to the email.

Chloe arrived back at their apartment several hours later, a little buzzed but not drunk, and it surprised her to find Beca in the same position as when she left, as if time had been paused when she’d shut the apartment door.

Beca had looked up at the sound of the door opening, but her attention returned to her phone almost immediately. She’d made some progress on her emails, but not nearly enough to justify the length of time she’d spent on them.

“Have you really not moved the whole time I was gone?” Chloe asked, pouring herself a glass of water.

“I guess not,” Beca replied. “I didn’t even realise it had been that long.”

“Seriously, what is going on with you?”

It’s the tone of Chloe’s voice rather than the question that made Beca’s shoulders finally slump. Chloe sounded worried, and Beca hated that she was the cause.

“I… I don’t know,” Beca said. 

Chloe left the kitchen and joined Beca on the sofa. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“But something is wrong?” Chloe asked.

“Something feels wrong,” she said. “But I don’t know what. I don’t know why.”

Chloe let out a sigh and put her hand on top of Beca’s. “Okay,” she said. “How can I help?”

Beca opened her mouth but closed it again when no answer came. She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know.”

“Have you eaten?”

Beca shook her head again.

“We can start there,” Chloe said. “I’m starving. Put that phone down and come help me make some ramen or something.”

Beca gave another quiet laugh but did as she was told. Chloe didn’t need her help making ramen, but Beca needed something to break this cycle she was stuck in. Something to focus on so she didn’t remain trapped in that indecision of what to do next.

“How’s Stacie?” Beca asked, following Chloe into the kitchen. 

“She’s good,” Chloe said. “She kept trying to set me up with guys at the bar.”

“Oh?”

“Uh huh,” Chloe said, smirking at the tone shift in Beca’s voice. “She doesn’t know I’m spoken for.”

“You didn’t think to tell her?”

“We said we’d do that together,” Chloe replied. “But you keep bailing on drinks.”

“I’m sorry,” Beca said, taking hold of Chloe’s hand and pulling her closer. “I promise I’ll come next week.”

“You’d better,” Chloe said. “Because if I have to politely turn down one more guy named Chad, I might lose it.”

[princess-of-the-corner]

Idea, with the negative reads on both Chloe & Adrien's parents, imagine a parent swap?

IE, Gabriel/Audrey & Emilie/Andre.

Gabriel/Audrey

Its two massive egotistical perfectionists who ae incredibly callous and easily given to cruelty. They are a power couple in the most terrifying sense of the word and place basically no regard on those around them except how it serves their interests.

When things are good.

If there's ever a problem a mishap. a failure, oh boy can it become destructive & given Audrey is intensely independent and Gabriel is a massive control freak I can envision there being no shortage of room for conflict.

I imagine whichever kid they end up with is either a traumatized and nervous wreck, often used as ammo against the other parent & needing to navigate their endless expectations & drama. & or wound so tightly they're going to pop and kill someone.

Emilie/Andre.

They are on the surface loving and indulgent parents. Unfortunately they are also intensely selfish and toxic people who are just instinctively good at dressing up their behavior.

Andre is blatantly corrupt and considers this fine, he will oscillate between sycophant's and stern power house as needed. His relationships exist to make him feel good about himself & stop mattering the moment he's not in the mood.

Emilie is more on the surface moral, but will happily compromise any moral or belief if it gets her what she wants. What she wants is to be the apple of of someone's eye, their sun, their moon, their definition of love. Andre showers her with gifts & her to him affection.

Their child is someone they have insulated and isolated, they don't want to share, they don't want them to leave, they want them always around (When they are wanted) and always focused on how great they are. Its looks loving but it basically two parasites using their child for food.

I would have suggested Gabriel/Andre & Emilie/Audrey but that'd just canon with the genders swapped right? Huh... Maybe not?

If one were to touch on the sociological side of things, gosh being openly queer would potentially affect a lot. Especially whether some of them could even make it big. If nothing else their trajectory might change a bit.

If we ignore the sociological and treat their relationship as totally normalized culturally, so its just their personalities being kept in mind...

I think there is stuff to muse on definitely, but needing sleep I might be less than my best with this one XD

Emilie/Audrey

High flying famous stars, they go where their work is. For Emilie this means studios and locations, for Audrey its a mix of New York, Paris, Milan and so on.

Their child is likely used to being carted around as Emilie's luggage, essentially a mascot and emotional support dummy she says she loves cos she likes the idea of them adoring her.

Audrey is far more indifferent unless they impress her, but is more keyed into the marriage itself. Emilie is exceptional and while inclined to be swept up in Audrey's wake, can coax some tact from her.

She is still distant, harsh and near impossible to please however and neither think much of their Childs needs & tend to be very much enamored with one another when times are good & when not... There's work.

Likely a very unpredictable, isolating and unstable childhood with an affectionate but emotionally selfish parent and a callous impossible to please parent.

Gabriel/Andre

Definitely a bit more public than the hyper private Agreste of canon; Gabriel's penchant for isolation and antisocial behaviors, would still exist.

This would n many way ways suit Andre as it lets him be the socializer, the face, the mover and shaker the one who meets people and is protecting his dear husband by handling all this stuff in one way or another.

Gabriel's more aloof nature would beckon one like a moth to flame however and he likely thinks of himself as the protector in the same way the viziard who rules through the puppet prince is a protector.

Both are very much in favor of corraling their child in the home, Andre so he can always have a source of easy affection & praise & Gabriel because he wants everything under his control.

Andre is probably the "Fun parent" but provides nothing but superficial acts. While Gabriel does want to raise said child to be a success, he also doesn't care if they are happy or have opinions.

So in both cases rather similar to canon but also distinct I think?

Either way these kids are FUCKED

[miraculouswolf99]

This Is Halloween

Lila Salt and Chloe Salt. I do not know if France celebrates Halloween or not, but this idea was too good to pass up. It is a little late for Halloween, but I still wanted to post it.

"Why do you love Halloween so much, dude," Nino could not help but ask Adrien as they walked to school.

"I grew up on Disney, Nino," Adrien reminds his best friend. "They have some of the best Halloween movies outside the horror genre. Not to mention the best Halloween songs."

"You are never gonna stop loving Disney, are you, dude," Nino chuckled.

"Nope," Adrien smirked as he popped the 'P.' "And you can not blame me regarding their Halloween movies. Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Twitches, Under Wraps, Nightmare Before Christmas, Haunted Mansion, Girl VS Monster. Nothing says Halloween, to me, like a good Disney Halloween movie!"

"You are probably the only person I have ever met who likes Halloween for the movies rather than for the candy," Nino laughed.

"Can you even imagine my dad letting me go out and get free candy," Adrien raised an eyebrow.

"That is... a very good point that I really should have seen coming," Nino said.

Adrien had taken full advantage of the fact that it was Halloween. His father could take a lot of things away from him, but it would most definitely NOT be Halloween. So, he had chosen a character from one of his favorite anime, Naruto. With his blond hair, he could not imagine being any other character. So, he was wearing the classic Naruto orange and blue jacket with a white collar, a white swirl with a tassel on the left side, and a red Uzumaki crest on the back. He also wore orange pants with a shuriken holster on his right knee, blue sandals, and a blue forehead protector.

Nino had chosen a different character. He had chosen Cyborg from the 2003 Teen Titans cartoon. Mostly because, in Nino's own words, Teen Titans Go is a crime against the Teen Titans. He, with the help of Alya and Marinette, used makeup to make the robotic half of his face. In contrast, Marinette used her fashion design skills to make more realistic-looking robotic arms and boots that did not keep him from being able to use his hands/fingers. He had already revealed his costume was approved by his little brother, which said something since Chris was a very tough critic. 

Soon, the two of them walked into the school. Everyone around them was in costume, including the teachers. They made their way up to their classroom.

"Girl, how much makeup did you use," they heard Alya say as soon as they came in.

"Don't even get me started," Marinette giggled. "I will probably be in the shower all night to get this stuff off."

Looking over at the two girls, they definitely could see what the two were talking about. Marinette had decided to take advantage of her blue hair by becoming Lapis Lazuli from Steven Universe. Her entire face, as well as other visible parts of her skin, was covered with blue makeup to really make her look like the character. She used long blue gloves and blue tights to make her arms and legs also look blue along with a blue dress exactly like the one Lapis wore on the show before her look changed in the final season.

Alya, on the other hand, chose a much more simple look. She was dressed up as Valerie Gray from Danny Phantom. She was wearing a yellow camisole and orange skirt with yellow socks and white tennis shoes. She also wore an orange headband, golden earrings, an orange necklace, and two bracelets on each wrist, one golden and the other orange.

"Lookin' good, Red Huntress," Nino flirted with his girlfriend as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Did you seriously just expose my identity," Alya faked offense at Nino 'exposing' Valerie's anti-hero identity of Red Huntress.

"Hey, if I can't hide, then neither can you," Nino countered, using the fact that Cyborg can not hide who he is to his advantage.

"I can hide," Adrien declared as he put his hands together in a 'ninja' pose. "I am from the Hidden Leaf Village, so hiding is what I do best!"

"You really love getting into character, don't you," Marinette giggled.

"I can't help it when it is something as fun as this," Adrien grinned brightly. "I love Halloween!"

"Something that has been made clear pretty much since the end of September," Nino chuckled.

"I am mostly just surprised that your dad actually allowed you out of the house while wearing that," Alya giggled.

"My dad can control me any other day of the year, but I draw the limit at Halloween," Adrien declared.

"If only you had this confidence when dealing with your father every other day of the year," Lyon said as he and Vallia walked into the classroom.

The Greek twins had also embraced the holiday. 

Lyon had chosen an anime character just like Adrien. Only, he was dressed as Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tail. He was dressed in Gray's look from the first couple of episodes. Which was a long white coat with dark blue outlines and a high collar, dark green pants, and black boots that almost reached his knees.

Vallia, on the other hand, took a more elegant approach to Halloween. She had grown up with the Rainbow Magic fairy books by Daisy Meadows. So, she chose to dress up as India the Moonstone Fairy. She let down her hair and placed a single pink rose in her hair. She also wore a strapless white dress that reached down to just above her knees. All over her dress were spots of pink and blue with another pink rose being on the top right part of her dress. She was also wearing pink ballet flats since she could not find shoes that matched the ones the fairy was wearing on the book cover. She carried a fake wand while also wearing fake fairy wings.

"You take your whole 'Ice Prince' thing to a new level, Lyon," Alya commented.

"I am icy and I know it," Lyon smirked. "Just be glad I went with the version of Gray that actually has clothes on."

"I am sure there would be a lot of people that wouldn't mind you being that version of him," Nino chuckled. "Present company included."

"I would be jealous, but it's not like I can deny it," Alya laughed.

Lyon blushed, not used to people saying stuff like that to him. Sure, he knew when people had crushes on him, especially gold-digger girls who wanted access to his and Vallia's family fortune, but not in the way their friends were currently acting. Course, he knew it was all in good fun and teasing.

"You guys are going to ruin my brother's 'Ice Prince' persona if you keep this up," Vallia tells them.

"That blush ruins it enough without us saying else," Adrien smirked.

"I hate all of you," Lyon glared at them.

"Love you too, Lyon," Marinette giggled.

The rest of the class soon came into the classroom. All of them were in costume as well.

The girls were some of the first to arrive. Juleka, to the surprise of no one, was dressed up as Wednesday Addams from the Jenna Ortega show. Complete with a fake hand on her shoulder to represent Thing. Rose, also to the surprise of no one, came dressed as Princess Peach from Mario. She even wore extensions to make her hair longer to match the character. Alix was dressed up as Lavagirl from the classic Shark Boy and Lavagirl movie. Like Marinette, she took advantage of her hair. Mylene had channeled her dad and chose to dress up like a mime. She even chose to wear a black and white wig to go with her costume. Sabrina, who had been becoming more independent, embraced her own inner anime nerd by dressing up as Misty from Pokemon. She even wore Pokeball-shaped earrings.

The boys arrived close to the girls. Ivan decided to embrace his "title" as a "gentle giant" by dressing up as another "gentle giant" from TV, DJ from Total Drama. He even had a bunny stuffed animal with him to represent the bunny DJ adopted in the first season. Max wanted to throw it back in the face of all those who call him a nerd by dressing up as Steve Urkel. He was ready to start saying "Did I do that?" Nathaniel, who was also an anime nerd, had dressed up as Kirishima from My Hero Academia. However, he chose to dress in the school uniform since he did not want to wear Kirishima's shirtless hero costume. Kim, who was not afraid to show off what he had, came in dressed as Sin Cara from the WWE. Vallia was already drooling over seeing his bare chest.

Lila and Chloe were the last to enter the classroom. Of course, Chloe was dressed up as Queen Bee. They expected nothing less from the brat. Lila, much to Adrien's disgust, was dressed as Ladybug. She was clearly still trying to keep up the lie that she was the hero's best friend. 

"I'm gonna go throw up, be right back," Lyon remarked before he and Vallia went to their seats behind Juleka and Rose.

"He might blush, but he is STILL the Ice Prince," Alya remarked.

"There is no doubt about that," Nino agreed with his girlfriend.

The class had pretty much had an unspoken agreement when it came to Lila. They did not really believe that Lila was lying about everything to them like Marinette said she was, but they also did not believe Lila whenever she would say anything bad about Marinette. So, they had all come to a silent agreement to simply keep Lila and Marinette away from each other and no longer try to get Marinette to be friends with Lila. 

"Oh, Marinette, what an... interesting costume," Lila tried and failed to not sound jealous of Marinette's costume.

"I wanted to use my hair to my advantage," Marinette tried to keep things casual. "Plus, Alya and I have seen this show when we are babysitting together. So, I thought it was a great idea."

"Are you not worried about taking a character from a children's show," Lila tried to sneak in an underhanded comment.

"Who cares," Marinette shrugged. "There are people of all ages that enjoy shows that are usually meant for kids. Besides, Halloween is about fun no matter who you are dressed up as."

"I know that I always want to have as much fun as possible on Halloween," Adrien stated. "And I will use all my ninja powers to make sure no one can stop me!"

"Someone enjoys getting into character," Alix snickered.

"Can you all keep it down," Juleka said in her best Wednesday voice. "I am trying to ignore the bright sun in the sky. It burns my eyes."

"There are so many reasons why I enjoy having this girl as a friend," Lyon chuckled, enjoying Juleka going full-goth.

"Friends are as pointless as daytime is," Juleka stated.

"Is it wrong that even when I know it is Juleka, she still creeps me out," Nathaniel asked.

"I am pretty sure Juleka would be insulted if you were not creeped out by her right now," Rose stated.

"Probably the only person on the planet that takes pride in creeping people out," Vallia giggled.

"I say again, so many reasons why I like her being my friend," Lyon repeated himself.

Lila's eyes visibly twitched, which would be seen by anyone who was paying attention. It was obvious that she did not like how her attempt to get under Marinette's skin had failed so quickly. Not to mention how she also lost the attention on her just as quickly.

"Well, my costume is pretty self-explanatory," Lila said. "Of course, I had to dress up as my best friend."

"Ladybug appreciates anyone that dresses like her for Halloween," Marinette tried not to call Lila out on that lie. "I know that the girl I babysit, Manon, also wanted to dress as Ladybug."

"Well, my costume was designed and made by one of the biggest fashion designers back in Italy," Lila bragged.

Lyon yawned as she talked. He and Vallia had never been the type to hide how they felt about Lila. They never believed anything she said and often made it clear how they got bored of her constant talking. Lyon had even said to her face that he would rather rip his ears off than willingly listen to her non-stop talking.

"I wish I actually had ice magic so that I could freeze her mouth shut," Lyon commented to his sister.

"Maybe if I wave my wand at her enough, a moonstone will eventually come out of nowhere and knock her out," Vallia responded.

"I would pay literally anything for that to happen," Lyon said.

"Death comes for everyone, but maybe sooner for those that deserve it more," Juleka says.

She could obviously hear them from her seat in front of them. While most of the class was trying to be neutral in the 'Lila and Marinette Drama' there were those who did know the truth. Juleka, Nathaniel, and Kim were all aware that Lila was a liar. Juleka figured it out after it was revealed that Jagged was her and Luka's father, so she had "insider" information about Jagged never having had a kitten not writing a song about anyone other than Ladybug and Penny. Nathaniel was shown that she was a liar when Marc told him that Lila tried to say that she could introduce him to Stan Lee, even though he was dead. All Kim needed was to sit down with Marinette and listen to why she believed that Lila was a liar, which Marinette told him was because there was no way that Ladybug would befriend someone who would instantly boast about it on the Ladyblog, and he believed her since he had grown up with Marinette.

"You are really enjoying your costume, aren't you," Vallia giggled.

"Enjoyment is for those that try to make up for the fact that they live sad and lonely lives," Juleka stated.

"Are we sure that she is not possessed by Wednesday Addams rather than just dressing like her," Lyon joked.

"I will never tell," Juleka said.

"At this point, I would be seriously surprised if her birthday was not Halloween, Friday the 13th, or Dia De Los Muertos," Vallia says.

Rose looked like she wanted to tell Vallia the day of Juleka's actual birthday, but she chose not to just because she liked the joke.

"I would have asked her to make your costume as well, Marinette," Lila continued talking in her fake sweet tone. "But I know you don't like me."

"Her acting is not even that good," Adrien mumbled to himself, even though Nino could hear him.

"I would have said 'no' anyway," Marinette said. "After all, since I want to be a fashion designer, it is better to get as much practice as possible as a teenager. And Halloween is the perfect excuse to practice my craft."

"And my girl's got skills," Alya gave Marinette a side hug. "She even made me these bracelets for my costume since I couldn't find any in any store I tried."

"Besides, as much as you wanted to be Ladybug, being something so... predictable has never been my style," Marinette could not but throw in her own underhanded comment. "After all, even just from those in the bakery this morning and who I saw on my way to school, so many people were dressed as Ladybug. That has never been my style."

"It's true," Kim said. "Ever since we were kids, Marinette has always had the most unique and fun costumes on Halloween. However, nothing less can be expected from someone that lives in a bakery than for them to love a holiday all about sweets."

"I remember all of her costumes," Nino says. "And they have always been awesome. During that entire werewolf and vampire craze a few years ago, Marinette went against that and dressed like a fairy princess. The complete opposite of what everyone else was going for."

"That sounds adorable," Adrien said, unknowingly making Marinette blush.

Miss.Bustier soon came into the classroom, making everyone go to their seats. Much to the surprise of everyone, she was also in a costume. They all could not help but giggle and chuckle at how Miss.Bustier was dressed up as Miss.Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. She even had a fake lizard to represent Liz.

"Good morning, class," she says. "While I am sure all of you are excited about Halloween, it is still a school day."

"Can I just say that you actually look really nice as Miss.Frizzle, Miss.Bustier," Adrien commented after he was called on.

"Thank you, Adrien," Bustier smiled at him. "I used to teach elementary and would show episodes of the show to my class. So, I thought it would be nice to experience some nostalgia from those days."

"Memories are some of the best reasons to wear costumes like that," Marinette smiled at her.

Bustier smiled at them some more before she went to start her lesson. 

"Alright, class, today we are going to..." Bustier started.

A slight wave of energy washed over all of Paris. It was barely noticeable, only noticed by those who have been involved with magic in the past. Which was technically all of them since they have either been akumatized or wielded a miraculous or both.

"Take chances, make mistakes, get messy," Bustier suddenly blurted out, shocking the entire class. "I'm sorry, class. I have no idea where that came from."

"I hope any mistakes made are deadly ones," Juleka in her Wednesday tone again.

"Okay, something feels wrong," Nino groaned almost in pain as he put his hand on his head.

"I'm glad that someone else feels that way," Lyon agreed with Nino.

"Is anyone else suddenly really hot, or is it just me," Alix started using her hand as a fan to try and cool herself down.

"If anything, I'm cold," Lyon shivered a little.

"Uh... Juleka," Rose looked nervous while speaking in the higher-toned 'Peach' voice. "Is that hand supposed to be... moving?"

"WHAT!" the class all yelled at the same time, looking at Juleka immediately.

Sure enough, the "fake" hand on her shoulder was moving. It suddenly jumped off Juleka's shoulder and was "standing" in front of her on her and Rose's desk. Everyone instantly jumped and moved away from the hand.

"You guys are going to hurt Thing's feelings," Juleka said.

"Juleka, the voice was fun before, but you are starting to really freak me out," Nathaniel stated.

"I don't... I don't think I can stop," Juleka actually sounded worried even in her lower Wednesday voice.

"Guys... I think she is being serious," Rose said.

Everyone got even more worried. Something was most definitely wrong. Juleka may be quiet, but she did not have a low voice like the one she was currently speaking in. And then just to add more freakiness to the situation, the previous fake bunny that Ivan had been holding also jumped out of his arms and onto his desk.

"I, officially, am freaked out," Kim stated.

"Did you guys feel that energy from before," Marinette asked them all. "Maybe that has something to do with what's going on."

"And what is even going on, girl," Alya asked her best friend.

Marinette gave her a look that clearly was saying "Are you serious, right now?"

"An akuma, Alya," Marinette says. "You would think after all this time, you would have learned the signs of an akuma by now."

"Marinette, don't be mean to Alya," Lila had the gall to try and scold her.

"Hey, Marinette has a point," Adrien stood up for Marinette. "Hawkmoth has been sending akumas for over a year. It is pretty obvious when he is up to something."

"What type of akuma even is this," Lyon was visibly disturbed by the sight of 'Thing' still crawling around on Juleka and Rose's desk. "Does it bring inanimate objects to life?"

"I would have guessed that if not for Juleka's change in voice and Miss.Bustier's earlier shout," Marinette says.

"Vallia, what do you..." Lyon cut himself off at the sight of his sister missing from her seat. "Vallia? What in the name of the gods!"

He looked around, trying to find his sister. The others all looked under their desks and around them as well to see if Vallia had hidden somewhere in the classroom for some reason. They would have thought she climbed out the window for some reason if they had not heard a tiny voice.

"You guys might want to look up," they all heard from above them.

They all looked up and their jaws hit the floor. Flying above them was a fairy. And not just any fairy, it was Vallia.

"Someone please tell me that I am dreaming," Max stated. "Ow!"

"You're not dreaming," Kim said, having just pinched Max on his arm.

"Vallia," Lyon gasped at the sight of his sister being an actual fairy.

"Don't ask me," Vallia flew down and sat on her and Lyon's desk in front of her brother. "One second I was fine, and the next I was tiny and flying. I know I joked about wanting my want to actually be able to work earlier, but not like this."

"That's it," Nathaniel, of all people, stood up.

"What's it," Alix asked him.

"That is what the akuma does," Nathaniel says. "It doesn't bring inanimate objects to life, that wave of energy from earlier turned all of us into our costumes!"

All of them then started looking at themselves just to test if Nathaniel's theory was true. And it turned out he was right. Sabrina nearly jumped out of her skin when one of her fake Pokeballs grew larger in her hand when she pressed the button on it. Alix touched her desk and immediately had to take her hand off it because she accidentally started burning it just from her touch. Nino tapped his robotic arm and it opened up to reveal a small computer screen, just like the one Cyborg uses to communicate with his teammates on the show without the use of his Titan communicator. Max simply stood up and instantly tripped over his own feet in a classic case of Urkel clumsiness and also instantly said "Did I do that?" by pure instinct.

"How did you figure it out, Nath," Adrien asked him, curious.

"It would not be the first time I have seen this happen," Nathaniel said.

"What," everyone gasped.

"Not in reality, obviously," Nathaniel continued. "But, I've seen a lot of TV shows that have had 'turning into their costumes' as part of their Halloween specials. It was done on Fairly Odd Parents, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Simpsons, not to mention the iconic Haunted Mask episode of Goosebumps."

"I am suddenly so glad that you're a nerd," Alix stated.

"I'm a nerd and proud of it," Nathaniel says.

Unknown to the rest of the class, four other members were way more concerned about the current situation. Adrien, Marinette, Lyon, and Vallia all had no idea if this akuma would keep them from transforming. None of them had currently been wearing their miraculous but had also kept them on them. Giving her bag a quick look, Marinette was relieved to see Tikki was still there with the earrings. The same could be said for Adrien, who was glad that Plagg was still in his jacket pocket with the ring. Lyon looked inside his and Vallia's backpacks, glad to see their own miraculous and kwami were still there. The only problem was that Vallia was too tiny to put hers on.

"Adrien, I'm scared," Lila immediately took the opportunity to latch onto Adrien's arm.

"Then go get comfort from someone that cares," Adrien forced her arms off of him.

"You don't mean that," Lila would not take 'no' for an answer.

Adrien smirked as he decided to take advantage of his own costume transformation. He made some hand gestures and with a POOF, he was replaced by a log of wood with Lila holding onto a branch of the log. Adrien appeared behind Lyon.

"I have always wanted to do that," Adrien was actually excited.

"You are not that upset about this akuma, are you," Lyon raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"While I can not really be excited about there being an akuma, out there, I can at least have some fun with this one," Adrien smirked.

"You really are an anime geek," Lyon chuckled.

"Says the guy dressed as another anime character," Adrien threw back.

"A character that can freeze you into an ice statue, so I would watch that mouth," Lyon playfully threatened his friend.

The fact that ice was slowly spreading from where Lyon's hand was on his desk, Adrien chose not to push his luck even though he knew Lyon was only joking.

"You're a real Ice Prince, now," Vallia giggled.

"You are too tiny to make fun of me, right now," Lyon glared at her.

Vallia wisely shut up, knowing that she could easily be squished given her current size. Plus, she was not in the mood to be turned into a fairy-cicle.

Bustier ended up sighing, knowing that there was no point in trying to continue class because of what was going on. After all, how could she when she might end up taking the class on a potentially dangerous field trip because of her own costume? So, she dismissed the class and told them all to go home.

Getting out of the classroom, they saw that all the other classes had been let out as well. And everyone had been transformed into their costume the same as they had.

"Oh, crap," the four secret heroes swore at the same time.

Looking around, they could see their other friends from around the school not doing very well with their new abilities. 

Aurore, who had dressed up as Stella from Winx Club, was currently trying her best not to blind anyone with her new light powers. Not to mention she could not control her wings very well. Jean, who had obviously dressed as a magician, could not stop pulling rabbits out of his hat. Plus, flowers kept popping into his hand every time he flicked his hands in the slightest way. Mirelle had dressed up as Mulan and she was now being followed by what had definitely been a fake Mushu that she had been carrying around. She also looked terrified that she was now carrying a real sword.

It was Marc who looked to be struggling the most. Mostly because the costume he chose had been outside of his comfort zone. He had dressed as a vampire. An old-school one, at that. So, now he had to hide in the shadows because the sun would literally kill him. Nathaniel immediately went over to check on his boyfriend.

"Something tells me that this is going to be one seriously crazy Halloween," Marinette says.

"My sister is literally sitting on my shoulder because she is not even six inches tall," Lyon says to her. "We are already way past crazy at this point."

"Let's just hope Ladybug, Cat Noir, Beautifly, and White Wolf can take down the akuma before chaos takes over Paris," Alya said.

"If the akuma ever shows itself," Kim muttered.

"Kim," Max slapped his best friend on his arm.

"I didn't mean that in a 'we are doomed' kind of way," Kim immediately tried to change what he had said before. "I meant it in a 'the akuma has not even really revealed itself and is already causing problems' kind of way."

"Oh," Max said, before he then tripped again, knocking down a bunch of the class like human dominos. "Did I do that?"

"I am never watching that show ever again," Sabrina stated, having been the first one Max had knocked over when he tripped.

"There is nothing to worry about," Lila bragged. "I texted Ladybug and she knows about the akuma. Or, since I now have Ladybug's powers, I could handle it if she ends up having trouble."

Those aware that she was a liar all rolled their eyes.

"Who needs Ladybug now that Queen Bee is back," Chloe boasted, obviously enjoying that her costume was made real.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Lyon, Marinette, and Adrien all did their classic "got to transform away from prying eyes" disappearing act. No one even noticed they had vanished. And even if they did, they probably thought that Marinette went home to check on her parents, Lyon and Vallia went to check on their dad, and Adrien was summoned home by his father.

Lyon hid in the empty art room and opened up his backpack to pet out his and Vallia's kwami, Flutter and Frostbite.

"Please tell us that there is a way for me to transform," Vallia immediately asked them.

"We... uh... We don't know," Flutter reluctantly admitted.

"You don't know," Lyon almost yelled.

"This has never happened before," Frostbite says. "Fairies have never been involved with the miraculous. So, there has never been a reason to see if a fairy could use a miraculous."

"Hold on," Vallia could not help but pause at what the wolf kwami had said. "Are you saying that fairies are real?"

"I don't think right now is the right time to process that," Lyon tells his tiny sister.

"Fine," Vallia got back on topic. "Do you think it could work if I basically stood inside of my bracelet almost as if it was a very large dress?"

"There have been many situations the miraculous face faced, but never anything like this," Flutter said. "While there have been times when our holders have been shrunk, but that was also a time when they were still wearing the miraculous, so it was shrunk along with them."

"I do believe that this is what you humans would call an uncanny valley situation," Frostbite says.

"At least you have been slowly learning about modern language," Lyon said. "And yet, I still feel the urge to keep you away from the internet."

"That is something more for what Plagg's holder should do," Frostbite says.

"The more we learn about Plagg, the more I feel pity for Cat Noir," Lyon stated.

And speaking of Cat Noir, Adrien had hidden in the locker room to talk to Plagg to see if the transformation would affect him as Cat Noir.

"So, there will be some type of effect my current situation will have on me being Cat Noir," Adrien wanted some clarification from Plagg.

"I have had holders in the past who have had their own powers," Plagg reveals. "When they use the miraculous, their powers would get enhanced. So you, ninja boy, will be given a boost when you transform."

"I know I should feel this way, but I think this is my favorite akuma," Adrien says.

"It would have been a lot better if you had been dressed as someone that could summon cheese by their will," Plagg adorably pouted.

"As I told you when I was choosing my costume, there is no such character that can do that," Adrien could not help but roll his eyes.

"And I said before, that should be considered a crime," Plagg stated. 

"You are a smelly cheese gremlin and not even you can deny that," Adrien tells him.

"It's not my fault that you do not know how to appreciate proper smelly and delectable cheese," Plagg adorably crossed in arms in stubbornness.

Adrien rolled his eyes as he put his ring back on.

With Marinette and Tikki, they were having a similar conversation that Adrien and Plagg were having. Marinette had also been concerned if her costume would interfere with being Ladybug.

"If anything, this could help you defeat the akuma more easily," Tikki tried to soothe her panicking holder.

"But I don't even know where to begin with these powers," Marinette was once again in full panic mode. "Lapis is one of the most powerful characters in Steven Universe with her ability to bend water to her will. I can't learn to control such a powerful ability this quickly."

"You are going to have to, Marinette," Tikki says. "So far, everyone is still acting like themselves. But, it is only a matter of time before your costumes start influencing your personalities as well."

"You think that will happen," Marinette was now even more concerned.

"I may have never experienced anything exactly like this before, but there have been things like this," Tikki explained. "There is a magical Native American mask that a tribe once used to turn into animals to fight in wars by wearing animal skins and then using the mask's magic on themselves. Only, once they were turned, they also acted like animals rather than simply turning into them."

"Great, just great," Marinette facepalmed. 

"While I am not sure that will happen this time, we still need to find and defeat this akuma as quickly as possible," Tikki advised.

"The one time that Kim was right about something, it had to be that the akuma has not shown up, yet," Marinette groaned.

"I am sure the akuma will show up sooner or later, Marinette," Tikki tells her.

"Let's hope for sooner with this one," Marinette said.

And then, as if summoned by her desire, the sky started to darken. Given that Aurore had been transformed into a fairy, they knew it was not Stormy Weather. It seems that Marinette's "Ladybug Luck" was working in her favor this time.

"Well, you got what you wanted, Marinette," Tikki said.

Soon, they heard a voice shouting from outside. Even for akumas that have nothing to do with the school, they would still find ways to come to the school. There was a reason why Dupont had gained the reputation as the "Akuma School." However, there were literally no students who would argue with that title for the school. Especially since Chloe had been the cause of a majority of the akumas created, with a lot of them happening because of things she had done at school. Such as when she had locked Juleka in the bathroom, called Ivan a monster, and ripped up Rose's letter to Prince Ali.

"I am the Pumpkin King," shouted out a male voice, but also sounded very young at the same time. "If others want to make fun of me for being scared of Halloween, then I will be the one to make THEM scared!"

The heroes all looked out of the rooms they had hidden in. They saw the akuma riding on what was obviously supposed to be a witch's broom right over the school courtyard.

"That name is definitely a Nightmare Before Christmas reference," Lyon said.

"Hawkmoth is pushing the limits when comes to a potential copyright lawsuit," Vallia says.

Pumpkin King was definitely a young boy. They could only guess that he was about seven or eight years old. His looks were also inspired by the main character of Nightmare Before Christmas, Jack. He was dressed in a pitch-black suit but with some visible spider web designs on it. There was also a mini skull in the middle of his bowtie. He also had black boots on. His head looked a lot like a skeleton skull because of the white and black makeup. Over his eyes was a pumpkin-designed mask with a pumpkin-themed witch hat on his head. It was like he was the child of Jack Skellington and a witch.

"Someone please tell me that Chloe did not make fun of a little kid and got him akumatized," Adrien basically was pleading with the universe.

"What makes you think she was the cause of this one," Plagg asked his holder.

"Why else would an akuma come straight to the school," Adrien looked very done with the number of akumas his childhood friend caused.

"There, there," Plagg tried and failed to be a comforting kwami.

All of the heroes were about to transform when they, unfortunately, heard a very familiar voice. And they could also feel headaches forming.

"You came to the wrong place, you utterly ridiculous villain," Chloe said in the most pompous voice possible. "Queen Bee is back and I am the only hero that Paris needs!"

"Delusional, party of one," Aurore called out.

That got a lot of laughs, even though there was an akuma right there. Given that the entire school hated Chloe, they could not help but laugh whenever anyone would make fun of her.

"Nobody cares about Queen Bee, Chloe," Alya yelled at her.

"You were never a hero," Kim shouted at her.

"Get out of here and let the actual heroes come and fight the akuma," Aurore called out again.

"You are all ridiculous, utterly ridiculous," Chloe huffed at what everyone was shouting at her. "You don't deserve to have the help of the amazing Queen Bee."

"More like Queen Brat," shouted another student.

The akuma was floating on his broom, watching everything that was going down. The look on his face was definitely saying that he was thinking something like "Did they forget I am even here?" However, he did have to admit that it was very entertaining to watch most of the school gang up against a very obvious spoiled brat. 

"Only this school could be so against Chloe that they forget about the akuma that is right in front of them," Lyon sighed.

"It should really say something about a group of people if they can so easily forget about an akuma," Vallia said. 

The akuma, tired of being ignored, decided he was not going to take it. 

"Maybe this should teach you not to ignore and akuma," he shouted.

He held out his hand and shadows seemed to fall from his fingers. Once the shadows landed on the ground, they formed into classic Halloween monsters. Vampires, werewolves, mummies, witches, and many others. All the students started to back away from the creatures.

"This isn't good," Marinette gasped.

"You need to transform, Marinette," Tikki tells her, urgency in her voice.

"Tikki! Spots..." but hearing a voice stopped her from finishing her transformation phrase.

"Hey, Skeleton Boy," Alya's voice was heard. "You do realize that you made a big mistake, right?"

"Excuse me," Pumpkin King glared at her.

"Oh, Alya," Marinette facepalmed. "One of these days, she is going to give me a heart attack."

"You may have transformed us into our costumes, but maybe you should have also added some mine control when you did that," Alya smirked.

Suddenly, she changed. Since she had been transformed into Valerie Gray, that meant she also had Valere's Red Huntress suit. So, with a small swirl of energy, the red and black mechanical suit appeared on her body. Complete with the red and black hoverboard under her feet.

Within seconds, Alya flew right at the summoned monsters. Wrist blasters came out of her armor at the wrists, obviously, and she started shooting at them. She looked to be having a lot of fun.

"Why am I not surprised Alya is the first to go on the offensive," Tikki giggled.

"There is a reason why I wanted Alya to be given the bee miraculous while fighting Style Queen," Marinette tells the kwami. "As great as she is as Rena Rouge, Alya is more headstrong and straightforward. So, she is better with a miraculous where she can fight head-on rather than staying back to cast an illusion."

"We still need to transform, Marinette," Tikki reminds her.

"Right, Tikki," Marinette nodded.

As much as Adrien, Lyon, and Vallia were all enjoying the sight of Alya using her costume to her advantage, they knew they had to transform as well. Quickly ducking back into their hiding places, they put on their miraculous and said their transformation phrases.

"Tikki! Spots on!"

"Plagg! Claws out!"

"Frostbite! Freeze over!"

Lyon almost went "Awwwwww" as he saw his sister pouting from where she was sitting. It was obvious that she would not be able to transform because of her new fairy form. Lyon had to admit she was very adorable as a pouting fairy.

The heroes all had to sneak out of the windows in the rooms they had been hiding in. That way, they could make it look like they arrived normally rather than having obviously come from somewhere inside the school. It was a lot of work, but hiding their identities was very important. They were glad that when they "arrived" at the school, a lot of students followed Alya's lead. They went on the attack.

Alya looked to be having the time of her life being Red Huntress. If she was not blasting vampires with her wrist blasters, she was dropping energy bombs onto groups of werewolves. All with a smile on her face. Nino was backing his girlfriend up using his new Cyborg strength. And if she needed a more powerful helping hand, he was more than happy to use his sonic cannon. Kim actually provided some great backup by using his new wrestler moves. There was a reason why Sin Cara was one of the best wrestlers in the WWE. Because he had skills.

And to the surprise of most of them, another one of the best fighters turned out to be Juleka. Since he had chosen the version of Wednesday from the Jenna Ortega show, it meant she was incredibly skilled at fencing. So, she had grabbed two swords from the gym supplies and was using them to be a terrifying force of fierceness. Mirelle joined her, using her new skills that came from being turned into Mulan. Not to mention she had her own backup in the form of the fake Mushu that had been brought to life. That tiny dragon could be very scary once it lets loose its fire breath. Aurore also let loose her new fairy magic. Being the fairy of the shining sun was actually the best member of the Winx that she could have been for the situation that was happening. Especially given that they were fighting literal creatures of the night. Marc did have to avoid her powers as he and Nathaniel fought side by side. The boyfriends were already partners while working on their hero comic, but they were now crime-fighting partners as well.

There were still some students who were not very helpful since their costumes were not of characters that had powers. Such as Mylene, whose mime costume only meant that she had lost her voice and had basically been turned into the stereotype of French mimes that others like to make fun of. Ivan was also not very helpful given that DJ was known for being quite the loveable coward on Total Drama. With Rose, it was pretty easy to see why she was not very helpful. After all, Princess Peach was known for being a damsel in distress.

The three heroes all landed next to each other on the school's roof.

"Well, it looks like we have more help than we usually do," Cat Noir immediately said.

"We're going to need it," White Wolf stated.

"That have to do with the reason why Beautifly is not here," Ladybug asked him.

The icy hero nodded. "Her costume was that of a fairy, so she shrank too much for her miraculous to be able to work with her."

"I am never looking at Halloween in the same way ever again," Ladybug sighed.

"Speak for yourself," Cat Noir grinned brightly. "I am still going to love this holiday no matter what."

"As an almost literal black cat, I am not surprised that you love... Ladybug, are you blue," White Wolf cut off his statement to ask the question.

"I will be honest and say that I only noticed that when you brought it up," Cat Noir's eyes widened at the sight of Ladybug's blue skin.

Ladybug sighed. "My friends and I had chosen to do a combined theme for our costumes. We all wanted to basically turn into human versions of the elements. I was water."

"You had a much more creative costume than me," Cat Noir chuckled. "I just dressed as a ninja."

"I was my own original character that I called the Ice Prince," White Wolf shrugged.

The other two heroes raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that a bit of a hint to you being White Wolf," Ladybug asked him.

"Hiding in plain sight is the best way to hide my identity," White Wolf tells them. "After all, no one would think an ice hero would dress up in an icy costume."

"Got to admit, it is clever," Cat Noir says.

The three of them then jumped into battle. They head right for Pumpkin King. He barely was able to dodge them since they had caught him by surprise.

"So, you have finally shown up," he says to them. "Give me your miraculous or Paris will be known as the City of Nightmares instead of the City of Love!"

"I have a better idea," Cat Noir smirked. "How about you give us your akumatized object before we unleash a can of butt-kick on you!"

"I think this is a better idea," Pumpkin King glared at them. "Get them!"

Some of his creatures that had not been fighting the students all charged at the three heroes. White Wolf simply yawned as he touched his hand to the floor. Instantly, ice covered the ground. It caused the monsters to slip and side right into a wall.

"You, ghouls, should learn how to be careful," the icy hero snickered. "Icy roads ahead."

"How did you do that," Pumpkin King yelled. "You did not even say your superpower activation phrase!"

"I didn't have to," White Wolf smirked. "My costume had been a character with ice powers. Your powers are the reason for my little upgrade."

The look on the villain's face was priceless.

"Yeah, neither you nor Hawkmoth thought things through when it came to your powers," Cat Noir laughed.

He did a few hand gestures and in the blink of an eye, multiple versions of him appeared around the villain. And all of them looked just as cheeky as the original.

"And we are more than happy to use our new ninja powers to our advantage," they all said at the same time. 

They all attacked the Halloween villain at the same time. Even though he had the advantage of being able to fly because of his broom, Pumpkin King was learning that flight was not the big advantage he thought that it was. After all, with a dozen Cat Noirs attacking him at the same time, it would only be a matter of luck and time before one of them would be able to get a hit in.

And it soon came to pass when he had to dive down to avoid one group of Cat Noirs, but that sent him right into the path of two more. Using their staffs, they were able to knock him off his broom. They all smirked as they looked at the downed villain.

"He is really enjoying himself," White Wolf said.

"He is such an anime nerd," Ladybug playfully rolled her eyes.

"Or, just a nerd in general," White Wolf chuckled.

The Cat Noir copies then all vanished, leaving only the original.

"I am going to miss that for after you cast the cure, M'Lady," he said.

Ladybug opened her mouth to answer, only to be distracted for a second. A few vampires tried to attack her, which forced her to use her new powers. She held out her hands, which unleashed a strong blast of water. It sent the vampires flying back into another wall.

"I have to admit that it would be nice to still have these powers," Ladybug admitted. "If only I did not have to be blue."

Thinking that the broom Pumpkin King had been riding on had to be his akumatized object, Cat Noir picked it up from where it had landed on the ground. He was about to say his power activation word when someone else said theirs first.

"Venom," Chloe shouted.

Her hand lit up as she activated her paralyzing power. Only, she did not go for the akuma, she went for Cat Noir. If it had not been for the quick action of Ladybug using her yo-yo to pull Cat Noir away from her, she would have been able to get him with her power.

"Chloe, what in the name of the gods are you doing," White Wolf yelled at her.

He notched an arrow into his bow and aimed it at her. He was not going to let her come close to them.

"You can't do this to me," Chloe screamed at the heroes.

"Do what to you," Cat Noir raised an eyebrow. "We are just defeating an akuma as we usually do."

"You took Queen Bee away from me once," Chloe continued to yell. "I will not let you do it to me again!"

"You are willing to let an akuma stay out just so that you can continue to pretend to be a hero," White Wolf glared at her.

"I was a GREAT hero," Chloe protested White Wolf saying that she had only been pretending to be a hero. "It's not my fault you were utterly ridiculous enough to take MY miraculous from me."

"It was not YOUR miraculous," Ladybug yelled back. "It was NEVER yours. It did NOT belong to you!"

"It was MINE," Chloe denied Ladybug saying that the bee miraculous was not yours.

"Just because you want it, doesn't make it yours," Cat Noir glared at the brat. "And it was long overdue for someone to not give into your spoiled brat attitude."

"If Beautifly and I had been here from the start, we would have dealt with her long before she had a chance to be such a dangerous fake hero," White Wolf growled.

"How dare you," Chloe screamed.

She tried to use her Venom on him, only for him to easily dodge her by gliding on the ice still on the floor. He barely even looked like he cared that she was attacking him, which only made her even angrier. After all, someone like Chloe basically lives off of others paying attention to her. So, White Wolf basically dismissing her only served to piss her off. Not that he cared.

"I think he might actually be enjoying this," Cat Noir commented to Ladybug.

"If there is one thing we are well aware of when it comes to White Wolf, he takes no nonsense from anyone," Ladybug said. "Especially Chloe."

"So, you think you should call your lucky charm," Cat Noir asked her. "We might not need it for Pumpkin King, but that is how you cast the cure."

"You have a point," Ladybug says. "Lucky charm!"

She threw up her yo-yo in order to summon her charm. When it came down, it was revealed to be a replica of her magical yo-yo.

"Huh," Cat Noir looked at the replica. "I feel like that is a message."

"For what is the real question," Ladybug said.

"Well, it certainly isn't for this brat," White Wolf says as he continues to easily dodge Chloe's strikes. "I have her handled."

"You will pay for disrespecting the most amazing person in all of Paris," Chloe screamed at him.

"When did that happen," White Wolf tauntingly raised an eyebrow. "You are the one I am disrespecting and you are the WORST person in all of Paris.

That really pissed Chloe off. She charged at him again, only for the icy hero to simply step to the side and then put his foot out. He tripped her, which caused her to slide down a path of ice he made. She crashed into the janitor's closet. The door was closed by Juleka.

"Sweet revenge," Juleka smirked, still talking in her low Wednesday voice.

"I knew there was a reason why I liked that girl," White Wolf chuckled.

But while they were dealing with Chloe and Pumpkin King was still knocked out from the multiple Cat Noir attacks, the heroes did not notice someone else sneaking near them. Someone who was also holding something red and black ladybug-themed. The person threw it at the heroes, specifically Ladybug. But, she did not count on Cat Noir's new ninja reflexes.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the object heading right for them. His eyes widened when he noticed it was a ladybug-themed grenade. He quickly took action by throwing his baton, which easily met its mark because his ninja skills combined with his cat eyes made him a very good shot. After all, ninjas had to be very good at throwing things because of their use of throwing stars.

The grenade was knocked back to the person who threw it. It exploded but was thankfully not a firey type of explosive. It exploded with what they thought was red and black glue/paint. The scream that followed the explosion told them who had thrown it.

"Well, now the lucky charm makes sense," Ladybug said as she saw Lila covered in the sticky paint.

"I guess means we are finally done, then," Cat Noir says. "Let's actually finish this. Cataclysm!"

The broom that was still in his hand crumbled to dust. The purple butterfly flew out of the dust.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma," Ladybug opened her yo-yo and captured the akuma. "Time to de-evilize! Bye, bye, little butterfly."

She opened her yo-yo and freed the now-white butterfly. She then threw up the lucky charm yo-yo while shouting "Miraculous Ladybug!" to cast the cure. It washed over Paris which turned everyone back to normal while also getting rid of all the creatures Pumpkin King had summoned. He was also turned back to normal.

However, one person was strangely not completely cured by the magic. Even after the ladybugs washed over the school, Lila was still covered in her sabotage attempt.

"I am seriously not surprised," White Wolf commented.

"Lila... you tried to sabotage Ladybug and the other heroes," Alya was the first of the students to come over. "Why... Why would you do that?"

Normally, Lila would have tried to lie while also throwing in her typical crocodile tears as well. But, this time, she was too angry to do that.

"What did you do to me, Lady Brat," Lila yelled at Ladybug. "Look at me! You did this to me!"

"You did it to yourself, Lila," Cat Noir crossed his arms. "I always knew you would make a mistake one of these days and it looks like karma has finally come to collect your debt."

"What... What do you mean," Rose stuttered as she asked.

"He means that Lila is finally experiencing the consequences of her actions," White Wolf says. "Something she has previously been able to escape because of her lying skills."

"L...Lying," Mylene stuttered.

Ladybug sighed. "I did not want it to come out this way, but it is true. Lila, there, has been nothing but a liar ever since she came to Paris. Especially since after what you have all just witnessed, it is obvious that she is NOT my best friend."

"But... But you never said anything," Alya looked at her phone, obviously looking at her blog.

"I never said anything because I wanted you to come to me," Ladybug tells the blogger. "Alya, you can become an amazing reporter someday, but you need to learn to not take things at face value. I did not come to you because you should have come to me in order to fact-check what Lila was saying. Clearly, I had too much faith in you. Maybe after this, you will learn to be careful about who you trust."

Ladybug was not that upset with Alya, especially since Alya had stopped trying to get her and Lila to become "friends." But, she still wanted Alya to learn about these things in case anyone else tried something like Lila had. Lying about being friends with a hero to gain attention.

"I think a lot of people learned a very good lesson today," White Wolf stated, smirking at Lila while she glared at the heroes.

"If I was in Harry Potter, this would be my Patronus memory," Cat Noir snickered while also looking at Lila.

"Bug out," Ladybug says.

The heroes then all left. Slowly, the students returned to their classes. The battle had not been that long, so they did still have to return to class. 

"Hello," Chloe yelled from the janitor's closet. "Hello! Get me out of this filthy place! I demand it! Let me out right now! This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

No one heard her. And even if they did, they wouldn't care.

[ataraxiaspainting]

Hier Encore III.

Yan Chrollo x F Reader.

[Hier Encore II.]

Synopsis: Yorknew Police Department Headquarters, 1995, April 10th. You are a director of public safety. The Phantom Troupe attacks the headquarters and takes you under the guise of a hostage situation. Even when the ransom is paid, you are never returned and assumed to be dead. After thirteen months of captivity, in 1996, on May 9th, you escape and try to learn how to live again somewhere far away from your captor. The payment of freedom comes with a steep cost, one that stains your hands so much that even if you drown them in bleach, the stain will remain there for the rest of your life.

Warnings: Yandere themes, kidnapping, the reader is described as AFAB and uses she/her pronouns respectively, not SFW implications, misogynistic undertones (not from Chrollo), unhealthy relationships, manipulation o’clock, references to religion, mentions of starvation, some minor Hunter x Hunter spoilers, the reader has a panic attack, violence/gore, Hisoka showing up again sorry, minor character death, and stalking.

Word Count: 7k.

Ten Songs Like This Piece:

Lacrimosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

4:00 A.M. by Taeko Onuki

My Girlfriend Is a Witch by October Country

Michelle by Sir Chloe

Sonne by Rammstein

Enemy by Imagine Dragons

Venus Fly Trap by MARINA

Maneater by Nelly Furtado

cult leader by KiNG MALA

Teacher’s Pet by Melanie Martinez 

"She looked like a vixen, and that’s what she was; she had all the instincts of a female fox. She was the proverbial predatory female. She had what she wanted, now, and she was content. There was just the getting completely away with it that counted.” – Gil Brewer, Sin for Me

iii. “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”

This morning, as you opened your eyes, a throbbing migraine greeted you. The aftermath of a nightmare always brought forth such a wretched morning. The reason behind these intense headaches following a night of unsettling dreams remains elusive, yet their unwavering arrival each morning remains an undeniable truth.

Perhaps the throbbing in your head stemmed from those restless evenings when you ingested copious amounts of caffeine to ward off sleep and reduce the likelihood of haunting visions of your former abductor returning for you.

Or perhaps it was how you sometimes cried in your sleep during those nightmares, curled on your side to prevent Sebaste from seeing your tears. Or perhaps it was the fact that you always pretended you were fine the morning after, holding back a sea of tears, and eventually, the fear piled like some sort of karmic debt. Perhaps it was all of those things combined. It would make sense. You still don’t know the exact reason, though. You were only aware of one thing–a throbbing headache that seemed destined to accompany you throughout the entire day like an unwanted hitchhiker. At least it was the first of November now, you guess.

No children at your door until midnight to collect candy from you and Sebaste. Maybe it was the constant opening and closing of your door and your repeatedly saying “treat” to the children that caused your migraine, now that you think about it. This village had most of the kids and some adults trick or treating, amounting to almost twenty people knocking on your door at different times of the day, some multiple times a day, to ask you for candy that you will give them if you do not want to get tricked. After sunset, you just put a bucket of candy at your door and called it a day, not wanting any other disturbances for the night. After a few minutes of rubbing your eyes and yawning, you eventually encouraged yourself to get up. You dragged yourself to the bathroom, your head throbbing and bouncing around as you groaned.

As usual, the morning after a nightmare you had of Chrollo resulted in you not being able to undress and take a shower. You have tried a few times. Whenever you closed your eyes and had your shirt or dress above your head, about to take it off completely, you would feel a presence behind you. You would immediately cover yourself back up and quickly turn on the lights.

Every time after a nightmare about Chrollo, you would practically be reduced to being an eight-year-old again. Sebaste sleeping next to you was the only way you could calm down a bit. On days Sebaste was on trips or sleeping at a friend’s house or just traveling in general, you would take your pillow and your blankets to the couch in the living room to sleep there as that is where your brightest lamp was. 

“It doesn’t matter.” You mutter to yourself, splashing cold water on your face to become more awake. 

On nights Sebaste was gone, you would always fall into an irregular slumber where you would jolt yourself awake every time you heard that calm and collected voice enter your dreams. You never cried when Sebaste was there, you only cried when he wasn’t. Even though crying sometimes made you less likely to go back to sleep, you had to express your fear sometimes, as rare as those times were. 

“What doesn’t?” Because of your exhaustion, it took you a second to realize that voice was Sebastian’s. But as soon as you put the dots together, the corners of your mouth curled upward slightly. There he was, behind you, yawning with his hair ruffled and large spots of black makeup still around his eyes, smudged.

Your head feels slightly better already.

You walk up to him and kiss his cheek, some of his white face paint getting on your lips. It feels dry and bitter, but you don’t mind it. If anything, you find it sort of endearing. Sebaste was so tired and drunk from celebrating Halloween with his friends that he had forgotten to wipe off the cosmetics. 

He was hungover, groaning and massaging his temples.

You feel hungover too, all without a single drop of alcohol in your bloodstream.

He hugs you and puts his head on your shoulder, his still-worn skeleton costume smelling like chemicals and beer. Perhaps a rest day would be good for you two.

“Nothing.” You say as your arms wrap around him. “Don’t worry about it.”

*~*~*~*

Tears stream down your face as you struggle and fight to push yourself off of your captor’s lap. Your efforts seemed futile, however, as you simply were not strong enough to push him away. No matter how hard you try to break free, his grip on your wrists and legs is too tight to fight off. The only thing you could do was to try your best to wipe away your tears and snot with the sleeves of your gray hoodie, the only long-sleeved shirt you were allowed to wear. 

With a heavy heart, shaky breath, and even shakier hands you stop fighting. Chrollo pulls you closer to him, praising you with sickeningly sweet nothings.

Chrollo's smile is almost cruel as he gazes down at you, mockingly.

“You’re so good, aren’t you?” He coos, and you find yourself likening his tone to the creaking sound of a rusty door opening. 

“At what?” You mutter, your voice cracked.

"At pleasing me." He whispers, his mouth hovering close to your ear. "You're quite the siren, you know that? Those tears of yours look rather beautiful on your cheeks." With that he gives you a gentle kiss on the tip of your nose, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Just like the rest of you," Chrollo whispers. "Stunning."

Chrollo hears your cries, yet he does nothing to console you. To him, a wounded animal is nothing but an attractive sight. He continues to kiss and nuzzle your neck, whispering loving and yet cruel words in your ear. You can feel his body pressed up against your own, your movements limited by his strong arms.

"Your tears are delicious, darling." He mumbles. "Just like the rest of you."

Chrollo can feel how your body trembles against his own, and this only serves to stoke his desire even further. He enjoys these displays of pure, genuine emotion. He trails his fingers up your arms and to your face, slowly caressing your tears away from your cheeks. 

"I didn't think that someone as gorgeous and charming as you could be so adorable when she cries." He whispers. "It's like your entire personality changes."

Chrollo's eyes travel down to you once more, taking in your face and your body with a slow, predatory gaze. He traces a finger all along your collarbone before moving it slightly lower.

"Look at you," He whispers. "You're like a painting come to life. It should be no wonder that I wanted to steal you." 

With that, he plants a kiss on your cheek, his touch as light as a feather. His breath blows against your skin, making you shiver. Your cries are music to his ears. The sound of your genuine anguish is something he finds intoxicating.

"That's it, darling," Chrollo whispers, his voice becoming increasingly husky and deep as he continues to shower your neck with kisses. "I know you want this just as much as I do."

His arms tighten around you yet again, his grip almost painful.

You look at the clock above the television. There are twenty minutes left before you are placed back in those silk restraints. You don’t know whether this is a good or bad thing for you.

*~*~*~*

Your stomach is warm from having the pleasant, wholesome dinner Sebaste had made. Eggplant parmesan and lemon salmon with amaranth, kale, and garlic. Delicious. He claims that he is a bad cook and that you are better at this stuff than he is, but you think otherwise. You hum happily as you feel comforted.

For the first time, you truly feel safe and protected because of how well Sebaste treats you. He is kind and caring, the opposite of what his stepfather says about him. Your heart and mind are still filled with anxiety but you know that Hisoka will keep his word and not tell the Phantom Troupe of your location. He does not seem to be a liar, despite being many other things. That gives you a twisted sense of comfort, in a way. 

But you can’t help but think about Chrollo.

You remember the moment after the massacre. You remember everything.

Your emotions from that day are still alive in you. You feel the same terror, the same fear, the same horror when you remember being tied up, all alone in Chrollo's penthouse.

You can't help but think of those emotions again now, as you're in your bed, trying so desperately to sleep. You remember the shock you felt and the terror. You remember how you desperately begged Chrollo to let you go, but he just kept coming at you, so soft yet so cruel.

You try hard to not remember. It is best not to think about it.

No, it's something that you try very hard not to remember but you still do. You remember the time Chrollo kept touching you. When he spoke in that sickening way as if he cared for you. All those touches, the words from his foul mouth. You remembered the feeling of that day. The coldness of his touch. The cruelty of his words.

"I’m willing to wait." 

That sentence is stuck in your head.

You do your best to distract yourself from those terrible memories, but they keep haunting you.

No, you don't want to go that far back in your memories, your mind tries to stop you. You don't want to remember those days.

When you think of the ways you kept seducing Chrollo to lower his guard, you feel disgusted.

You try to forget it.

You try to make those memories go away.

But they won't leave you alone.

You focus on them. Those memories, those feelings.

For some reason, you can't get them out of your mind.

You remember Chrollo's gifts, the way he slid clothes and jewelry onto your body like another chain. The bribes. The touches.

The fear, the helplessness of not being able to do anything to stop him. Of being forced to do what he wanted you to do. That desperate feeling of wanting to do anything if it means that you will escape.

You try to make that feeling go away, but it keeps following you. It keeps haunting you as if it is trying to punish you.

It's hard to forget those experiences.

It's hard to forget those memories.

It’s hard to forget Chrollo.

You don't want to think about them. But you can't help it.

The horror, the disgust, the helplessness.

A flashback washes over you.

It takes you to those days.

The gifts.

The touches.

The helplessness. The pain.

I want to go home.

That is what you wanted most and still do.

You feel yourself there again, in that horrible place.

Your body is shaking. The memories wash over you.

You see Chrollo's face, and you feel sickened.

The flashback hits your mind, and you feel completely alone, overwhelmed with fear and sadness.

You want to forget, but you can't. The memories are still there, haunting you.

You close your eyes. You feel yourself transported back to those days. You feel the cold shackles of the chains that bind your hands together. You feel a hand squeeze your inner thigh. You look up and you see Chrollo smiling at you. You feel like you'll go insane. You feel scared beyond belief. Chrollo's sick smile and his dark eyes, staring right back at you. You start crying. You scream in fear and despair. It's a nightmare. It's a horrible nightmare. You wish you could forget.

"Someone help me!” You scream.

Nobody can hear you.

It's like you're in a bubble, and the world around you doesn't exist. It feels like you're alone in here, and you can't get out of this flashback. You're reliving the nightmare in your head, and you can't stop it. The flashback continues.

"I’m willing to wait," Chrollo mocks you, saying those same words he said those days.

You see him there, in your mind. His eyes, his smile, staring back at you. Your heart is filled with fear, and you close your eyes and scream. You want it to stop. You don't want to see the cruel and mocking face of Chrollo, those words from his mouth.

You close your eyes and scream.

All your fears, all your anger, all your hatred. It's like being back in that hell, once again. You feel completely helpless, and you just want to get out of this nightmare. But you can't stop it. It's in your head.

The memories feel so real. The cruel words, the fear, the loneliness. The gifts and the shackles and the threats. It's like being back in that room again. It's like nothing around you is real.

The flashback continues, and your mind takes you deeper and deeper into the darkness, into the nightmare. Your breath is shaking, and your face is covered in cold sweat. Your heart is racing in your chest.

"I’m willing to wait," Chrollo says, once again.

Your eyes are closed, and you curl up into a ball.

You feel those cold shackles on your legs, those cold chains on your arms.

You hear Chrollo's mocking and cruel voice. You see his face, smiling at you. You see him in your mind, watching you. Taunting you. You can't even see Sebaste or the room, because it feels like everything is gone, and you're back there. It's like going back to that day again.

The flashback continues, taking you to the darkest corners of your mind. You feel the silk blankets covering your legs. The tears of despair, the frustration of being unable to do anything else. You hear the cruelty of his words, and you see his mocking smile. You feel alone, trapped in your mind. You can't see anything else, the world around you is gone. You're in a dark room with him. Just a little girl, at the mercy of a monster.

The memory continues to haunt you. You're trapped in it, and you can't get out. You see everything around you as if it's real. You feel the cold handcuffs and the velvet restraints. You feel the fear, the desperation. The helplessness of being completely under his control. You hear his cruel voice, his words mocking you. You see him there, smiling at you in your mind. You're trapped in his sick reality, and you don't know if you'll ever escape.

"I’m willing to wait," he says.

He's mocking you again.

You try to forget every memory of him, every memory of what he did to you. But you can't. Your mind won't let you forget, and that's the worst part. These memories are stuck in your mind, and you don't know if you'll ever forget them.

You try to block them out, and you scream again.

You scream for someone to help you. You scream for anyone to come and save you, but no one hears you.

Suddenly you hear Sebastian's voice. He's here with you.

Your memories fade away, and you find yourself in your bedroom again. You're safe. It's gone. Your mind is filled with relief. It was all a memory after all. A nightmare. But you still feel a bit shaken. You know these memories are still deep in your brain. And you fear that they'll surface again in the future. It's a terrible feeling. Your body still feels cold, and your heart is still beating fast.

Sebaste is looking at you with a concerned face. He's still here with you. He doesn't know what happened, but he feels concerned about your well-being. You want to tell him what happened, but you don't know if you should. You don't want to worry him any more than you already just did. But, you do feel the need to talk to him, to share what's on your mind.

You scramble backward when he touches your legs. "Don't touch me!" you cry out through your tears. You're still caught up in the nightmares, and you're terrified. "I'm not going back!" you scream.

Sebaste stops, his expression filled with concern.

"Hey," he says, gently. "Calm down," he says, his voice soft and reassuring. "Calm down," he says again, holding his hands up and showing you that he's not going to hurt you. "You're safe. No one's going to hurt you." 

He tries to move closer, but you move backward again. He doesn't want to scare you. 

"It's okay." he says, "It's okay, you're here, in the present. Nothing terrible is going to happen."

“Please don’t hurt me.” You beg, hyperventilating.

"No, no," Sebaste says, his eyes full of concern. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to lock you up. I'm not going to do anything to you."

He steps closer again, but you move away.

"It's okay." he says, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you."

He tries to show you that he's not going to do anything to you, he's trying to reassure you. He speaks slowly and softly, trying to comfort you. You take a deep breath and try to calm down. “You're safe." he says, "Calm down. I don’t know what happened to you in your past, but just know you are safe here."

“I never could tell you, I never could… I never could.”

Sebaste frowns. "You know," he says, "You don’t have to face all the troubles this world gives you by yourself."

 He moves even closer, slowly and carefully.

"I'm not going to do anything to you," he says, "I'm not going to hurt you or punish you." He's trying to calm you down and soothe your mind, but he knows how difficult it can be. "It's okay," he says, "you're safe, calm down."

“Please don’t hurt me like he did.” You cry out.

"Shh, shh, I'm not going to hurt you like he did," Sebaste says, confused yet trying to be comforting. He doesn’t know what you are talking about but he is trying to understand you. He's speaking in a soft and gentle voice, trying to calm you down. "I'm not going to hurt you," he says, "I'm not like him, whoever he was. It’s okay, you're safe here. No one is going to hurt you here."

You start crying loudly, your eyes filled with tears. You can't seem to stop them. The fear keeps growing inside you.

"Please calm down," Sebaste says, "You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you."

He's trying his best to sound reassuring and comforting, but you can't stop crying. The memories keep coming back, haunting you. He's trying so hard to reassure you, but you're terrified. You're scared of him and the memories are still fresh in your mind. 

Out of impulse, you run out the backdoor before Sebaste can stop you, claiming that a walk would help you calm down.

*~*~*~*

You assume it is dawn right now from the view outside the bedroom windows, but it does not bring you any comfort. Even as the darkness quiets down and gives way to the sky changing from pitch black to teal to salmon pink, a beautiful sight all things considered, it does not change the fact that you are still here, sleeping with silk restraints and tied down to the bed. You can’t speak because you have been gagged as usual, though if you can take Chrollo as a man of his word for once, the gagging will stop soon. You wish you could speak freely, feeling a feeling near a bird having its vocal cords removed. Is this karma for what you have done? If you ever escape, would that be considered your last chance from whatever power is above you?

You have never been religious. That and if there was a God out there somewhere, why would they unleash upon you such a twisted fate? Is this judgment from the divine? Has the court been adjourned, and the suspect not even being there to witness her trial let alone sentencing? Perhaps a successful escape will be the only way for it to reopen. Refrain. 

You can practically hear a judge’s mallet slamming, ending the trial before you can even arrive. Death sentence for you. If you get out of here, maybe there would be an appeal.

If you try and rebuild yourself, whether you are still in captivity or not, would that be your saving grace? Will the heavens above worship the very ground you walk upon, you being what it truly means to be human? What you do next could determine whether or not that can become reality or you are just deluding yourself yet again. False visions can lead to failure, no matter how small that blindness to reality is. 

My Lord, give me one more chance.

That is what prayers are like, right? Maybe, maybe not. You just hope that if the divine does answer your prayer, it will be soon and not the last one. 

Judgment has passed, but you aren’t giving up.

The sunrise is pink now. You are tired. Your mask is fading into watercolor and shattering the faux stars around you. You and the devil lay side by side in your hell; this bed.

You sometimes think sleeping Chrollo is an entirely different person.

Half of his hair is always tangled, the half that was making contact with the mattress. His forehead tattoo however stays in view no matter how messy his hair turns up, not that that meant much. He sleeps on his side every night, facing you in a fetal sleeping position. He is either holding you in his arms with an iron grip or at the very least has one of his palms on one of your cheeks.

Whenever he would wake up before you, he would gently rub your shoulders and mutter sweet nothings in your ear. Sweet nothings like how you looked divine while you slept and oh, just a bit longer and this adjustment period would end. This would be followed by a kiss somewhere on your upper half, then what you would like to eat that morning. You often chose buttered toast or oatmeal, something warm and comforting. You hardly ever liked cold dishes anyway. He would come back a few minutes later with whatever item you requested and feed it to you, or if you have been particularly receptive to his touches and honeyed words, he would untie one of your wrists and sit you up, letting you feed yourself. You have found out that the chance that he would let you feed yourself increases with dishes that don’t require a knife or fork, for obvious reasons.

He never ate in front of you in the bedroom. On times when you were unrestrained for an hour or two, you would occasionally see him with a cup of black coffee or some bread or a pasta dish, but it was indeed rare. You think you eat more than he does. You once dreamt that he had forgotten to eat so much that he died of malnutrition, which is still one of your favorite dreams if you are being honest with yourself. It was funny. So funny that you woke up chuckling. Thank goodness Chrollo was asleep. Or at least pretended to, you wouldn’t put it past him after all.

“Good morning, beloved.”

“Good morning.” You mutter, still half asleep. Your captor chuckles at that and leaves a chaste kiss on your cheek. You yawn and turn over to him the best you can while still being restrained to the headboard. You blink once, twice, three times in total before you can see the cross on his forehead. “What time is it?”

*~*~*~*

You go to the old shed that is on the other side of the farm.

You unlock the door with your key, disrupting the spider webs that have been made both inside the lock and on the doorframe. There are no bright lights as only your house, the coop and the barn have electricity for heating and the radio, though Sebaste likes working on his desktop so you have let him install new cables in his office. 

“Bonjour.” There is a smile on your face, but it is one as cold as the beach’s ocean. 

The corpse remains fastened to the chair with its arms attached to the handles with zip ties. 

Half of the top of his skull was caved into itself from a quite obvious strike of a hammer, leaving some dried brain matter on its surface with a trail of blood leading from the crack at the center of the crevice downward to his lips. His eyes were gouged out with the optic nerves still in place making them move from side to side if a fly or rat had touched it or had started to eat it.

If you ever were to eventually dump the body, you would need to at the very least hide the inside of his mouth as the corpse had no teeth and some maggots had started to make the near-black gums their new home. You would also have to tear out the eyeballs and close the eyelids. You didn’t want to leave anyone who finds the body to be too traumatized, after all.

It would also be harder to identify that way. No one knew of someone who had willingly their mouth and eyes sewn shut, after all, and also the top of his head hardly had any hair from all of the yanking you had done yourself, the bottom of the shed being littered with it along with dust, urine, blood, and other bodily fluids. 

Hisoka knew the human body well, unsurprisingly considering he is a member of the Phantom Troupe. 

*~*~*~*

The bruised and battered man brought to you was a mix of what you were and were not expecting.

He had short hair that was shaved on its sides and slicked back with a tad too much gel. There was a small part of it that was black in the back while the rest of it was an unnatural dark yellow, like Dijon mustard in a sense, making you assume that he was born dark-haired. 

His face was an odd mix of round and oblong, his nose asymmetric and bulbous.

His lips were thin and looked cracked, his breath smelling so much of garlic, booze, sweat, and cigar smoke that you smelled him before you saw him.

He was short and thin, small bits of dried skin sticking among his black and blue cheeks and one of his eye areas, forehead, and his broken nose. He had dark brown eyes and a poorly taken care of mustache that looked like it hadn’t been washed or brushed in at least a week. The man seemed to be half unconscious by the looks of it, Hisoka certainly did not hold back on him. Not that you complained about it.

“Into the shed, then?”

The Spider’s voice is like bubblegum in a way; sticky, too sweet, artificial.

The man, thrown at your feet just a minute or two prior, groans in pain. His voice is grainy, and croaky, akin to a dying frog. Slimy, loud, and almost gross. If it weren’t for Sebaste, you would still hate them. For that reason only, you then move from the image of a frog or toad to a jackdaw. Annoying, and loves shiny things, if the many golden jewelry the man has around his neck and wrists were any indication of such.

They both are just gross.

Sticky, sticky, sticky. Slimy, slimy, slimy.

“Yes, there’s a chair inside for him in the center.”

“I know,” Hisoka says, his smile widening into a smirk. “I saw it.”

You choose not to pry any further, Hisoka has proven to be a man of his word and a key ally. However, he is no chess piece for you to control; whether he is a king, knight, or pawn.

He moves on his own. If what he says is true, even Chrollo does not control him, letting him do whatever he wants. You have both recognized how strong Hisoka is to either side. He plays a double agent to get twice the rewards in the end, whether that reward is simple amusement or riches.

You would like to think that your voice is like bittersweet chocolate with almonds. Sweeter than its dark counterpart, but more bitter compared to its milk one. Slightly dry or crumbly. It has an unlimited shelf life if stored in the dark and surrounded by cold air.

“Your tools are cute.” Hisoka murmurs as he drags the man by his broken leg and throws him into the chair with a hard slamming sound. “Adorable even, I’ll be sure to use some.”

“Feel free. Be sure to zip-tie him first.”

“Should I though? It’s not like he’s getting very far anyway.”

“Just do it please.”

Hisoka chuckles as he obliges your request. 

“There. Happy, princess?”

“Never call me that again.”

He shrugs and laughs, the sound nearly causing your ears physical pain as your stomach recoils onto itself. You hope he will oblige that request too, if he is in a good mood right now. Hopefully. All Spiders loved bloodshed from the looks of it, and torturing a man is probably child’s play to him. To Chrollo and Feitan at least it was. 

You still have nightmares of those who were tortured in front of you.

It was in the early days of your capture. You think those sessions in Feitan’s basement were to instill fear in you, with your cries and begging to not see it anymore. Not that you could run, Chrollo made sure Feitan chained you to the wall with the longest chain he had, which wasn’t much, but perhaps it was a small mercy along with the stool you were given. During those rather unfortunate meetings, Feitan would rarely ever talk to you and Chrollo would either be sitting beside you or partaking in the gruesomeness himself with his book. 

“Very well, little beauty,” His praise feels more like a threat. “Should I slap him awake now or after the tools are set out?”

You don’t answer, instead trying to remember what specific techniques they used. It wasn’t hard, not to your own surprise. 

“I’ll do it after, then.”

He opens the spare closet this shed came with and whistles. You think if Hisoka ever was surprised, you think that would be how he would act. 

Three pistols, bullets both blanks and not, and a taser are on the top part. Multiple knives litter the second shelf, most being taken from your kitchen. A large hammer is on the floor level, the kind used for tenderizing meat, along with cleavers and a large orange chainsaw. A birthday gift from Robin, as odd as it was. At least now you would be able to use it.

“Nervous? God, you can’t get any cuter, can you?”

You start thinking whether or not this deal was a bad idea, but stomp out the thought.

Hisoka is valuable. You cannot lose him in this game.

“No.”

“No?” He mimics your fear with his ever-eternal smirk on his face. “You know, I think I am starting to know why the boss was so taken with you.”

Hisoka is much bolder than Chrollo ever was. This can both hurt and help you in your situation. You have to think carefully of what to say and do while in his presence.

As Hisoka retrieves the tools, a silent exchange unfolds between you and him. One by one, he delicately arranges them on the petite table positioned next to the chair. He hums a melody unknown to you, but it sort of resembles carnival music. You wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

He goes back and forth between the table and the closet slowly. He brings forth a tool like a cat bringing its owner a dead bird before going back for another. You think this is for dramatic effect. Chrollo and Feitan both love a dramatic buildup before the finale, after all, so Hisoka should too.

Eventually, when all the tools are laid out, he pauses and puts his pointer finger and thumb on his chin in contemplation. 

“Ah, which to use first… hmm,” He grabs your wrist and pulls you in closer to him, his other hand playing with your hair. You try to get away, but his grip tightens as he chuckles. He then pats your head and adjusts your bangs so they aren’t as ruffled. “Which do you think, dear? Maybe the tweezers or-”

He stops himself as he picks up a pin cushion from the now bare closet floor, with a few needles and thread beside it. “Ah, this brings up some memories, doesn’t it, my dear? Our dear sewer. Should I say hi to her for you?”

You shake your head as your eyebrows furrow. “How are you supposed to do that? If she knows it came from me she’ll come for me. She’ll bring me back.”

“True. I could say it was anonymous.”

You think he’s just playing around, teasing you. He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do that to his new plaything.

If she wasn’t a Spider, maybe you would have accepted. She was nice to you and even taught you how to sew once. It was after a meeting and she had noticed that you had a small hole in your dress, a detail both you and Chrollo had missed. Chrollo trusted her enough to let you not be at his side for a few minutes, knowing that she would give you right back to him. 

“You’re really lucky that this shed is on the other side of your property, my dear.”

“I know.”

You cannot truly be free without getting your hands stained, you tell yourself.

*~*~*~*

Your stalker turned out to be Dario’s eldest son.

A legitimate heir, it would seem. He was stalking you to make you his wife, eventually. He wanted to get rid of Sebaste. He kept screaming insults as he died, and also promising to take good care of you as your husband, which only pissed you off and amused Hisoka further. 

It was Dario’s dying wish for the stranger and you to marry.

Disgusting.

*~*~*~*

You had learned what exactly Nen was today. You did not expect to, all things considered. You were just traveling on foot trying to find some shelter after leaving yet another dirty motel room.

Another individual shared your idea, journeying alongside you toward the unknown destination this path would unveil. You didn’t speak to each other until there was a fork in the road. It was raining and muddy, making you almost slip and fall into him. That was when you finally took a good look at him. He was short, around your height, had worn clean clothes, and had well-kept short black hair with purple highlights.

He seemed to be able to take care of himself well. When he stared back at you, he crossed his arms and scoffed. His face contorted into one of disgust, you think. 

Perhaps he was also comparing you to him. Your hair was soaking wet from the rain as you had lost your only jacket, the jacket you stole from some unsuspecting teenager. The indent that the bear trap left on your leg was still there, covered in dried blood, with you wincing every time you took a step. Your clothes were tattered and stained with sweat, water, and blood. 

Despite you two being the same height, this man seemed to tower over you, staring down at you like you were some sort of pest to him. His lower lip was slightly droopy because of the scowl he had on his face. It was like you were responsible for this man’s suffering or the heavy rain. 

Both of your pairs of eyes looked exhausted, though. The stranger had a few cuts on his otherwise flawless and pale cheeks and some of his makeup had washed away from the rain, showing his large eyebags. Your cheeks had purple bruises and cuts twice as deep, your eyebags even bigger than the man’s.

Is he pitying you? Hating you? Envying you? He seems unreadable, the only emotion shown on his face being disgust and slight anger. Does he want to fight you?

You sure hope not. Hopefully, he will choose one of the paths and walk it and you will take the other.

You nearly flinch as he speaks.

“Who are you?”

Your mind runs through tens of fake names and titles given to you by those you have encountered in the past. “Just a wanderer.”

He scoffs again and turns to the side, clearly not buying your lie.

He stomps his foot down, the mud splashing your bare feet. 

“I’m not stupid. Who are you?”

You both look down at your feet at the same time.

Your feet are covered in injuries from the past few weeks, a large infection on your right one screeding yellow pus. You didn’t have enough funds to buy medical supplies and thought that just going on walking would be the best option, much to your future self’s pain. 

You’re so smart, yet so dumb.

“A runaway.”

He nods as a mocking smile appears on his face.

“Good. You have a functioning brain it seems.” His voice is full of so much fake sugar that it makes you sick. “No wanderer would ever be in as bad a shape as you are in. What did you run away from?”

Should you tell him the truth? He obviously knows something about you. Maybe you could tell him a half lie, tell him that you ran away from an abusive family that is after you, or a crazy ex. The second one wouldn’t necessarily be a lie after all. Maybe you could just laugh it off like it is some joke between two acquaintances, but you know he wouldn’t like that at all. So, you think of an actual answer.

A good one.

“I ran away from…” You hesitate to speak, fearing the repercussions that may follow if you reveal the truth. “A kidnapper.”

His mocking smile fades, his mouth falling into a flat line. “Who is?” You want to cry but you can’t.

You don’t want him to know. He can’t know. You can’t run because of your leg. You can’t keep all of your suffering under lock and key and never tell a soul. It has to eventually get out, like you have.

He keeps staring at you with those cold blue eyes of his, not amused, and takes no nos for answers. He wants to know.

“Go ahead.” His voice is bitter like the blackest coffee.

Why is he asking you this? Does he know you? Is he a Spider?

“The Phantom Troupe.” You finally say as your head drops back down again. “The leader mostly. I… I ran away a few weeks ago.” You shiver, and you don’t know if it is because of the cold rain or the man’s gaze. You sniffle. “I… I have no money. No home.”

There. You got it out to someone.

Hopefully, nothing bad will happen to you now, right?

“Believable. Understandable.”

He takes a few steps closer, and closer and you stand still like you are trapped in stone. You make eye contact again, and there is a softness in his eyes that makes you feel slightly warmer. He nods.

He looks down at your leg, at your feet, your hands, your arms, and your face.

“I’ll help you then.”

*~*~*~*

“I’m back.”

You want to apologize to him. You want to hug him. You probably hurt him.

You hurt him while he was trying to help you.

You set your coat down on the coat rack by the entrance, took off your shoes, and started walking up the stairs to the living room and kitchen area. You heard water rushing from the faucet and scrubbing. Sebaste seemed to be paying too much attention to washing the dishes to notice you. 

“I just want to say that I am sorry. I am.”

Your voice inadvertently trembles, exceeding your intentions, but the circumstances render it unavoidable. The aftermath of your intense outcry on the distant side of the farm leaves your throat with a lingering ache. Permeated by a cold sweat, your neck becomes speckled, and your arms quiver as you position yourself behind him. Your gaze darts aimlessly, evading direct contact with him as he pivots in your direction.

To the kitchen towels. To the tiles on the floor. To the refrigerator. 

As he dries his hands, silence prevails. Uncertain of his gaze or whether he caught your words, your anxiety fluctuates. It is essential to remind yourself daily that he is not Chrollo.

He is not Chrollo. 

Right?

He can’t be. He is too good of a person. You care about him.

There is a ring of the doorbell, and Sebaste walks off without saying a word, frowning.

When he opens the door, it is like the Devil himself rose from hell to collect you.

[tgmsunmontue]

More than movie magic... 15/24

Hangster AU. Explicit (eventually). Jake is a Hollywood actor and Bradley is a stunt coordinator. Jake's about to make a few self-discoveries. So is Bradley.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN

ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

              “Again Jake? Seriously?”

              Jakes grins, unapologetic, because stubble burn is part of his new normal and he doesn’t care about extra time in makeup, just settles back in the chair and feels smug, because Bradley has his number now and they’ve both had a little revelation in just how much they like each other. Last night had been illuminating, discovering Bradley has a thing for his accent had thrilled him and he’s looking forward to the dance tonight, which will be sanctioned down time and an excuse to get his hands all over Bradley and dance with him.

              His day is ridiculously busy, although it seems like a lot of hurry up and wait and he spends too much time out in the sun he’s hot and sweaty by the time the call cut for the final time that day. He goes home and showers, dressing quickly, glad that a dance in a large barn doesn’t call for anything fancy. Catering has organized the barbecue, under his mom’s direction and he wonders how his Uncle Andy is getting on with trying to work with so many extra people around. The food is maybe better but considering his uncle’s simple tastes it’s likely not much of a consolation. Freddie is definitely enjoying the extra people and he knows he’s going to see quite a few of his cousins tonight, which he’d usually really be looking forward to, however it’s eclipsed by what he’s considering his first date with Bradley.

              Dinner and dancing counts as a date right?

              Even if there are a couple of hundred people there?

              He doesn’t care, he’s counting it, even if it’s weird. He enters the barn and waves in greeting to the people that call out. He feels a small weight hit his leg and glances down to see his niece staring up at him and shit, that means his sister is here. He scoops Maddy up into his arms, delighting in her squeal and heads over to where he can see his sister, talking to his brother and of course his mom has invited everyone and failed to mention it to him. Great. Just great. A couple of hundred people is one thing, his entire extended family is another. Even though he knows Bradley won’t care, Jake does. He doesn’t want them all watching and grinning from the sidelines, but he has no choice in the matter. At least he won’t have to worry about ever introducing Bradley to his family.

…           …           …

              When he enters the barn there’s a woman in the corner teaching people to line dance, taking people through the basics and he watches as she takes them through the calls and the different steps, reassuring them that she’ll keep it simple. Bradley’s glad, because while he knows some ballroom and Latin-American, he’s never tried line-dancing, but he knows Jake and his whole family enjoy it. He can’t see Jake yet, but he knows they’ll find each other. He goes over and joins the others learning, nods back to the woman as he steps in-line with the others learning.

              He picks it up fairly quickly, it isn’t difficult with the way she’s teaching and the amount of repetition. He follows easily, starts enjoying it as he become familiar with the core moves and smiles back at the approving nod he gets from the woman teaching them. Then he sees Jake, across the barn and holding a child on his hip while talking to someone else. Bradley completely misses the call for a new step, causing someone to bump into him, fortunately easily laughed off but he excuses himself, eyes not leaving Jake. He looks good, happy and relaxed and Bradley wants to wrap his arms around him and never let go.

              “Hi…”

              “Hi. You looked like you were enjoying yourself. Chloe’s a good teacher.”

              “Chloe?”

              “My cousin, the woman showing people the ropes. And this here is my niece Maddy.”

              Now that he looks closer he can see a tightness around Jake’s eyes and mouth, and he didn’t realize he knew him well enough yet to spot that maybe he’s not quite as happy and relaxed as he seems. He wants to know what’s causing it, hopes like hell it isn’t him. He needs to know, steps close and rests a hand carefully on Jake’s lower back, watches his face and sees the slight easing of tension. Good sign.

              “What’s wrong?” Bradley asks, voice low, wonders if Jake will even share it with him.

              “Just… nothing I can change. Just hoped maybe my entire family wouldn’t be here for my first date with you.”

              “Oh…” Bradley says, keeping his voice low. He glances around, and there are definitely several pairs of eyes on them, but everyone is smiling and none of the looks feel like they’re directing ill-will their way. “Dinner with your parents, now your entire family… just lots and lots of chaperones. Watching us court each other.”

              “This isn’t Victorian England.”

              “Just as well, pretty sure your dad would have taken a shotgun to me for the beard burn. Ruining your reputation like that.”

              It has the desired effect, Jake huffing with amusement, smiling and leaning into his touch.

              “Think my mom would still be a badass in Victorian times. She’d totally pull a shotgun on you. I was just hoping we could…”

              “Nothing about us, or this thing between us, is normal. Hoping for normal is pie in the sky stuff…”

              “You’re okay with that?”

              “You’re worth it.” Jake’s answering grin had him grinning back and he lowers his head to place a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth. “Go dance and catch up with your family. Save a dance for me.”

              The music is quick, doesn’t allow for slow dancing, which is probably for the best considering how few couples there are. He does watch as Jake dances with his mom, spinning and dipping and sliding; they’re both enjoying themselves. Then a different song starts and Jake is there, holding out a hand and Bradley takes it, not sure if he’s meant to be following or leading. When it becomes apparent to Jake that he can’t follow he switches to allow Bradley to lead, which unfortunately doesn’t work very well either, because this isn’t music he’s used to dancing to, and it’s not the line dancing basic he learnt a little over an hour ago.

              “Kind of relieved you’re not perfect at everything.”

              “Whatever made you think I’m perfect? Anyway, this is dancing, give me time to practice and then we can talk…”

              Jake raises an eyebrow and Bradley feels a bolt of arousal zip through him, gives up all pretense of dancing and just pulls Jake into his arms to hold and sways to the music.

              “Want to get out of here?”

              “And go where?”

              “A whole ranch, where you grew up, and you can’t think of any place we could get some time alone?”

              “Not one that all my family doesn’t also know…”

              “You think they’d actually follow you?”

              “Well, no…” Jake concedes and Bradley’s grateful for the concession, because Aunty Kaye has introduced him to so many people and they’ve all seemed nice but also alarmingly enthusiastic about him suddenly being part of the family. It’s a little weird but also it makes him feel a little better about the impending introductions he’s going to have to carry out.

              “So… where wouldn’t they follow you?”

              “My bedroom?”

              “I’m not having sex with you in your parents’ house…”

              “Sex is it? Presumptuous of you…” Jake says, voice low but his breath is warm on Bradley’s neck. It’s okay, even if it’s just another evening of making out he’ll be happy, is enjoying learning what makes Jake gasp and grind against him. “And I’m not having sex in the bunkhouse. There’s no sound proofing in that place.”

              “No sex but you’re worried about sound proofing? What about your trailer?” Bradley suggests, because Jake might be talking big talk about no sex, but he’s pretty sure they’d both appreciate some privacy sometime soon. There is no space between them right now and all his attention is focused in on Jake. Then someone coughs and his heads snaps around to see Aunty Kaye standing there, looking bemused.

              “You boys, sorry, young men,” she says, giving Jake a look for some reason, “need to find somewhere a little less public. Go on now…”

              “Yeah yeah, oh my god this is…” Jake is muttering, but he’s grasping Bradley’s hand and is tugging him away, toward one of the doors and he follows, waving to Aunty Kaye and grinning as she waves back. He can’t wait for her and Pete to meet, it’s going to be chaos.

SIXTEEN

[lovelytsunoda]

jack and sally // daniel ricciardo

summary: scotty and chloe are throwing a halloween party, and danny and y/n think they've got the best couples costume in the entire party.

pairing: daniel ricciardo x female reader

warnings: pumpkin spice condoms ( don't ask, it will all make sense later ), talks of getting married. danny does a striptease and is wine drunk.

authors note: see this reference for costumes. ALSO thank you so much for 550 followers, this truly is such a surreal thing for me !

y/n y/l/n smiled to herself as she stepped out of the shower, toweling off and wrapping her body in the pale purple satin robe hanging from the back of the door as she blow-dried her hair.

halloween was her favourite time of year, and the fully-decorated vineyard house in monaco that she shared with her boyfriend of five years proved it. every available surface was covered in bats or pumpkins or ghouls.

she opened the medicine cabinet to find her bath and body works perfume when she stopped, her eyes catching on something that rested on daniel's side of the cupboard. curious, she reached for the orange box, scanning the label with a snort before she spun on her heel and walked back out towards the master bedroom.

"pumpkin spice condoms? seriously, daniel?"

daniel laughed, half dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed with his phone. "what, it's festive!"

"it's tacky." y/n rolled her eyes, throwing the orange box at him. "jesus christ, why am i still dating you?"

"because i'm charming, funny and give really good head?"

"fuck off." y/n giggled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "i love you anyways, dumbass."

giggling still, daniel got to his feet, scooping y/n up in his arms, pressing a kiss to her lips before sitting on the bed and rolling over so that the aussie was on top.

"how about we try them out?" he raised an eyebrow, lifting up the box. "you know, see if they're really as tacky as they sound."

she kissed him on the nose. "sorry, cowboy. we have a halloween party to get ready for."

daniel groaned, flopping onto the bed. since the mclaren decision had come down, and his season got progressively worse, daniel had stopped wanting to go out, his usual sparkle a little duller.

but it was soctty and chloe who were throwing the party. aside from chloe's brother lance, there wasn't going to be a single person there who was connected to the racing world.

y/n thought that it might do danny some good to get back out there and clear his head. she'd been with him since the year that he left red bull, and she had never seen him as discouraged as he had been since he started driving for zak brown and his papaya team.

"why are we getting ready this early? there's still three hours left."

"the costumes and makeup, silly. a lot of work goes into looking as good as we do." y/n laughed, tapping the end of danny's nose.

begrudgingly, daniel resigned himself to the fact that there was nothing he could say or do to change y/n's mind about the costume or how long it would take to prepare it.

the couple ( or moreover, y/n ) had decided to go as jack and sally from the nightmare before christmas. y/n was very festive, especially when halloween rolled around. chloe had insisted on having a costume contest at the party, and y/n's competitive streak was coming out.

she did daniel's makeup first, knowing that trying to do makeup on another person was considerably harder than trying to do it for herself.

the mclaren driver was a good sport about the entire thing, especially for a man who didn't want to go to the party in the first place. she perched herself next to him on the edge of the bed, hair still soaked and dressed in her silk robe as she opened up the palette, dabbing the white face paint onto daniel's skin to transform him into the pumpkin king.

she used her liquid eyeliner to draw jack skellington's crooked smile across the driver's cheeks, and dark eyeshadow in circles around his eyes before adding the sliver glitter spray into his abundance of curls before she ruffled his hair, flecks of glitter falling onto the duvet as daniel leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"daniel!" she complained. "you're going to smudge it!"

"does it matter? the guy is a skeleton anyways!"

still giggling, she shooed daniel towards the walk in closet before taking a seat at the vanity mirror to set about doing her own makeup.

it took just under an hour to do danny's.

it only took y/n half that to do her own from the youtube tutorial before she began to straighten her hair and dust her face with glittery setting powder so that she sparkled under the light.

when daniel came back out of the walk-in, y/n's first instinct was to tell him how hot he looked. and then she needed to fix the bowtie, which the driver had done up wrong despite it being velcro.

she chuckled to herself as she undid and redid the costume tie before kissing her lover gently on the cheek, then rubbing away the purple lipstick mark before she went to put sally's patchwork dress on.

once the couple were ready to go, y/n insisted on all the customary couple's photos in the mirror. when it came to doting boyfriend activities, daniel ricciardo was a shockingly good sport, holding y/n close as they stared into each other's eyes for the photo.

she pressed up on her tiptoes, gently sinking her lips against his now that she knew all the lipsticks and face paints were dry.

"i love you." she said simply.

"love you too, darling. now, we have a costume contest to go win."

y/n beamed. "an hour ago, you didn't want to go."

"i changed my mind when i saw you smile."

___________

daniel ricciardo was actually enjoying himself. their competition for the contest was quite something. they were up against daphne and fred from scooby doo, uma thurman and john travolta in pulp fiction, baby and johnny from dirty dancing and a few disney princess couplings. there was also one couple who went as johnny cash and june carter, in costumes so good that for a second y/n thought that they had lost.

but alas, mostly due to y/n's rapidly developing makeup skills, jack and sally were crowned the winners.

daniel and y/n were sitting with chloe and scotty, as well as lance and his girlfriend and a round table towards the back of the garden, talking somehow about anything and nothing at the same time.

daniel had never felt more at ease.

"oh come on, who plays bryan adams at a halloween party? there's nothing spooky about a canadian country singer." y/n complains later, glass of seltzer in her hand.

"um, 'reckless' is a classic album. and he's not a country singer." chloe laughed, a little buzzed and wine drunk.

"i think he is, clo." scotty rebutted with a small laugh. the snowboarder and his fiancee were so in love, and y/n sometimes wondered if that's what she a daniel looked like to outsiders, even though the aussie hadn't gotten his ass in gear and bought her a ring yet.

daniel laughs, getting to his feet. "come on, darling, don't be a buzzkill." he crosses to y/n side of the circular table, extending a hand. "can i have this dance, my pumpkin queen?"

y/n laughed. "danny, come on."

"i'm serious! what, am i not allowed to dance with my girlfriend?"

she took daniel's hand in her and allowed him to lead her out to the middle of chloe and scotty's backyard, with 'cuts like a knife' playing in the background as they rocked back and forth, y/n trying her hardest not to break out into a giggling fit.

"are you glad i made you come to the party?" y/n asked, eyebrows raised under the orange pumpkin lights.

daniel rolled his eyes. "of course i am. i'm with you, and i could never hate being anywhere with you."

y/n giggled as daniel took her hand and spun her around during the guitar solo before he pulled her close again. even with her platform heels, y/n was still almost a head shorter than the australian.

"have you ever thought about getting married?" y/n asked quietly, still thinking about scotty and chloe. "like, the two of us, settling down?"

daniel looked down at her, gently kissing y/n's hairline. "of course i have. i just wasn't sure if you were ready for it? i know that big things like that make you anxious. i think that if we did get married, it would be something quiet and low-key. just us, and a very small wedding party. our parents. maybe on the farm in perth. you in white, i'd put my cowboy boots on under my jeans."

y/n chuckled, stepping back slightly and cupping daniel's cheek. "i think i'd really like that. whenever you're ready, just let me know."

and then they kissed, backlit by jack o lanterns and country music.

y/n smiled. "did we just agree to get married spontaneously without a proposal or a ring or anything?"

"i think we did." danny chuckled. "imagine how funny it would be if we didn't tell anybody until after the wedding."

"hush. let me enjoy our dance. it's just practice for the real thing, now."

___________

they would drunkenly stumble back into the ranch house hours later, giggling and blushy, arms around each other as they tried to stay upright.

"babe," daniel managed through laughter. "take your shoes off or you aren't even going to make it up the stairs."

y/n leaned against the off-white wall, almost hitting her head on a picture frame housing a picture of her and danny from monza in 2021, his last win. she had her arms around his neck, half on his back as he tried to hold up the sign that triumphantly read 'daniel p1'.

where had things with mclaren gone so wrong?

the couple stumbled up the small flight of stairs to their bedroom, where y/n perched delicately on the edge of the bed, leaning against a pillow as she watched daniel begin to undress.

catching her movement out of the corner of his eye, daniel turned around with a grin.

"like what you see?"

"fuck off."

taking the joke in stride, he reached for his phone, putting on a sultry sounding blues song, swaying his hips back and forth as he took off the pinstriped suit jacket.

with a drunken giggle, y/n realized exactly what daniel was doing.

and she'd be damned if she said his little striptease wasn't working as the aussie got closer and closer to the bed, y/n's eyes drawn in as daniel began to move his shoulders to the music, nimble fingers undoing the snap on the tie before he began to undo the dress shirt.

she felt bad for giggling before, but this just made her holler in laughter. she knew it must have been the alcohol speaking.

"daniel joseph ricciardo, loving you is going to be the death of me." she grins, pulling him in by the belt loops before getting to her feet and pressing a kiss to his lips. "let's go wash off the makeup, lover boy. then we can put on our pajamas, get nice and cozy in the bed, and then you can fuck me like i know you've wanted to do all night."

internally, daniel groaned. "you're making me wait even longer?"

"i'm not sleeping in this makeup, danny. it's not good for my skin."

"as long as you put on the sexy pajamas, i'm all in."

"you think all of my pajamas are sexy."

"that's because you're wearing them."

[rizzstappen]

College Au, I agree that you def should write it 👀👀

Ahh okay I’ve been tinkering with this for a bit! Thank you for this ask Danni!!

This is my first time writing for Maxiel and first time writing rpf in years so please be easy on me 😭 but of course feedback and any questions are welcome!! Inspired by this picture and the tags!!

Sorry for any mistakes! But I don’t think I can look or edit this anymore without going insane 🤪 enjoy!!!

Maxiel College AU where it’s a special day during junior year!

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“C’mon one more DR!” Blake shouted from across the tennis court. The Austin sun beating down on them making the already humid day feel worse than it actually was.

“Yeah, nah mate,” Daniel called back as the three men walked toward the net where they had set their backpacks down to get in a quick tennis match. “Max is waiting for me. I promised I’d be back on time. He says it’s a special day.”

Daniel had been thinking all day about it.

Before leaving for class Max had whispered to Daniel something about a special day. In his sleepy haze all the Aussie could do was hum and try to pull his boyfriend back into the warm duvet covers away from the busy campus outside their window.

Every morning was a routine once the semester began. Max woke at 7 am for his 8 am lecture. Showered. Got dressed. Kissed Daniel before he headed out the door. Daniel, of course, didn’t have class until 1:30. He liked sleeping in and staying up late. Plus he worked at the local bar which meant late night shifts. Max didn’t mind it. They always made sure to leave the afternoons free around dinner time so they could catch up on the day before Max went to play FIFA or do homework and Daniel went to work.

“He said that? You don’t know what the special day is?” Scotty asked with a slight scoff knowing if he forgot a date Chloe would have his head.

Daniel rolled his eyes sliding his backpack onto his shoulders and hiding his sweaty curls under a black and green hat “no he didn’t say what it was. If I ask he might kill me so I’m off to get some flowers on my way home” he nodded hopping the day would reveal itself when he walked in the door.

After saying bye to Blake and Scotty, Daniel headed out to the local flower shop. It was small with a French exchange student behind the counter who flirted way too much with Max in his opinion. The green eyed student recommended a bouquet of roses. Cliche.

Instead Daniel opted for an assortment of red, yellow and white tulips. Like the ones Max spoke about from his home country. Daniel liked to get flowers often wanting to give Max a little piece of home since he couldn’t travel back to Holland often.

The jingle of his key alerted the cats of Daniel’s return to the small apartment. Once inside the cats curled around his ankles and purred against his leg welcoming him back. Daniel leaned down scratching both Jimmy and Sassy behind their ears with whispered ‘hey guys, where’s dad?’ He toed off his shoes by the door before walking towards the living room. Max wasn’t in his usual spot on the worn leather couch Daniel had practically begged Max to bring back after they found it on the side of the road last year.

“Hello?” He called out the crinkle of the cellophane echoing around the tulips in Daniel’s hand.

“Shit” Max’s quiet voice echoed coming from the kitchen. Daniel made his way over seeing Max fussing over…something? His broad shoulders hunched down pulling at the fabric of his black polo that were tucked into his jeans being held up by a black belt.

Max turned holding a tray in his hands with what should’ve been a cake. The white frosting and vanilla bread had clearly turned into a crumbly mess.

“It’s supposed to be a cake, of course, but I think I took the bread out too soon and it was too hot. Of course I just wanted it to be decorated before you got back-“ Max rambled. A grin spread on Daniels lips “a cake for this special day?” He asked trying to real more information out of his boyfriend about this mystery day.

Max raised an eyebrow and nodded “of course why wouldn’t there be a cake?” He says.

Cake. Birthday? No. Anniversary? No. Daniel still couldn’t wrack his brain about what this special day might be.

Max smirked at his boyfriend as he sets the tray down on the linoleum lined kitchen counter “you have no idea what today is huh?”

Shit. He was caught. Max could read him like a book but Daniel wouldn’t admit it of course. “What?! Of course I know what today is. I got you flowers. Tulips” he grinned handing over the bouquet.

Max inspects the flowers. Not as good as the ones from his hometown but he knew it was the thought that counted. Max looked his boyfriend in the eyes a grin on his lips as he speaks “then what is today?”

Daniel looks back for a moment. What other possible date would be important enough for a cake?

A laugh bubbles up from Max “you don’t even know!” he smirked happily moving to get a vase filled with water for his flowers. “Daniel it’s the day we met in class” he spoke over the water running into the green vase “three years ago, of course” he nodded shutting the water off and sliding the flowers into the water before setting them down “it’s called a meet cute. I think” he said before he gestured to the cake sat on the counter “that’s what Victoria called it. She said it would be cute to celebrate it.”

The words ‘happy 3 year meet cute’ scrawled out in red icing against the white frosting in Max’s handwriting

Daniel was stunned.

3 years. He couldn’t believe 3 years had flown by. He remembered walking into his Horticulture 120 lecture and the only spot left was next to Max at the front row. He was sure he’d drop the class. It was an elective after all. But then he turned and saw Max’s eyes. Blue. Like the Maldives. In that moment Daniel knew he had to stay. So he did and clumsily introduced himself. His braces giving him a slight lisp. But it was the best thing he had done. Now he had an apartment and two cats with that same boy. And they were celebrating meeting 3 year later.

Daniel gives his boyfriend a soft look before his own laughter filled the space between them “oh Maxy” he said “that’s adorable really. Thank you” he says admiring the icing work he had attempted winning his finger into the white frosting and licking it off his finger.

“Happy three year meet cute anniversary” he said leaning in kissing Max’s blushing cheeks.

Max smiled turning to look at his boyfriend “happy three year meet cute anniversary” he whispered before planting a kiss on Daniel lips.