#cupid is struck by lightning

[nothingcasual]

[mangaacoverss]

📓  VOLUME 1 (1-7)‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎   ┈➤

[irest]

Cupid is Struck By Lightning (キューピッドに落雷)

[glosschi]

I’ve been thinking lately that I can be really selfish at times.

Cupid is Struck by Lightning: Second Strike

[vividxpages]

‧𓍢ִ໋☕ ׂ 𓈒 ⋆  the boy with the thick jacket and the cute accent *₊˚🍂୧

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!Reader

words: 3700

summary: over time, Jace with his books by the window has become your favorite customer at the coffee shop you work at. The two of you quietly pine for each other, but when someone else tries to flirt with you, Jace’s jealousy finally gets him to make a move.

warnings: coffee shop au, meet-cute, pining, really just wholesome fluff, uncomfortable attempt at getting reader’s number (not Jace), first kiss

a/n: just something short and sweet for the cold weather outside! <3  I hope you’ll like it, let me know your thoughts!

⋆.˚🥧⋆.˚

There were many things you liked about working at the little coffee shop down the small alley overgrown with ivy.

The quiet yet busy atmosphere always made you feel welcome, surrounded all day by the smell of fresh coffee and tea, homemade cakes and biscuits and the steady stream of kind and appreciative customers who happened to stumble upon the little shop. The walls were covered with bookshelves and old-worn paperbacks stacked in them and the wooden boards creaked lovingly underneath your feet when you made your way towards guests by their tables.

There were many things that made you love the job, but none of them brought you as much joy as the curly-haired boy in his usual seat by the window, lost in his books and taking hours to finish his order.

The first time he had come in here, he had stumbled in from a sudden rain shower, his jacket dripping on the floor and his cheeks a rosy red as he stepped towards the counter, rubbing his hands together. You had turned around, rather busy in the usual stream of customers in the afternoon after uni ended, and there he was.

Dark lovely eyes, a mouth looking so kissable it made your knees weak and an angel-like face that seemed to be just as awe-struck as you were. You had stared at each other as if you were the only two people in the coffee shop, his glossy brown curls dripping rain while you still held an empty mug in your hand.

Hopelessly hit by cupid’s arrow.

“H-hi, what can I get for you?”

“Hi…”

You had to swallow down a giggle, raising your eyebrow at him. “Hi. What would you like to eat or drink?” You stood ready at the cash register, your eyes wandering to his lips as he opened and closed his mouth once again.

“Umm…yeah, I would like a…I’ll just take something hot please, to go.” The cute stranger tore his eyes away from you and fumbled with his wallet. A pretty blush crept up his neck “Whatever you recommend for me to have.”

My number then, you thought to yourself, but nodded in all seriousness as you tipped something into the screen. “The house’s special it is then, coming right up. What’s your name?”

He smiled at you then, nearly blinding you with it. “I’m Jace.”

Jace.

In your chest, little butterflies took flight.

As your colleague took over the line behind Jace, you got to work, giving some extra love into his coffee order as you drizzled some final touches of the good caramel on top and finally pressed a lid to the cup. The whole time, you could feel the boy’s eyes on you, not leaving you out of sight for once as he admired you.

Usually, you called out people’s names for their orders, but it wasn’t particularly full today and you could not deny that you had asked him out of curiosity. Jace still stood close to your side of the counter as you turned to him with a smile.

“Alright, Jace. House’s autumn special, I hope it’ll warm you up right away.” You told him sincerely and handed him the cup, your fingers brushing briefly and sending small lightning through you as he took it from you.

His eyes shifted to the name tag on your blouse before he paid up, sliding a generous tip into the little piggy bank between you. “I’m sure it’s amazing if you made it. Thank you.” He murmured your name as if he tasted every syllable for the first time in his life and as unexpected as he had come, he was gone and you wanted to melt into a puddle right behind the counter.

Ever since that fateful day, Jace had come back for more than just to-go orders. As the trees outside lost their leaves and the world was painted in red, orange and yellow, he mostly spent his free afternoons in the cozy seat by the window, his papers spread out in front of him on the table.

He was your most frequent customer and over time, you couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to his visits than just the good coffee and the occasional brownie treat he bought, especially when you sometimes caught him gazing at you and ignoring his homework.

By now, you knew what his order would be before he had even fully closed the door behind him or sometimes surprised him with a new little creation of yours in exchange for his honest opinion. (He always loved them.)

You liked the way he talked, a little flustered still but always happy to see you were there and how he always cleared his table so you wouldn’t have to, although it was your job.

You liked the way he could get lost in his books and papers for hours, biting his lip in concentration and absent-mindedly twirling one of his curls around his pointy finger as he took a sip of his warm drink.

You liked to know he was eating and drinking something you made, as if your slowly growing adoration for him could take root in his belly, filling him with warmth from the inside. He made you want to create and bake and become so much more than just his waitress for the rainy afternoons in autumn.

The nature of your timid relationship eventually began to change when he brought you flowers one time. You just had gotten out of the kitchen, a little flour still sticking to your cheek as you were greeted by a big bouquet which he held in front of his face. At your surprised gasp, he slowly lowered it and smiled at you, still blushing as he had on the day of your first meeting.

“I don’t want to hold you up, but the time I spend here is my highlight of the day and...this is for you.” He gingerly handed you the flowers over the counter and you almost walked around it and hugged him, a call from the kitchen stopping you from such impulsive desires.

But after the flowers, you both got a little braver.

You drew little hearts in the foam of his coffee orders and in return, your conversations became longer and longer when you had time in between rush hours. You sometimes recommended him books from the second-hand shelf in the corner and watched fondly when he was absorbed in the story the next day, your chest aching for something more with him outside of your working place.

But Jace seemed to be very polite, almost a little shy if the blush befalling him was any evidence every time you walked up to his table. And while you were desperately pining at this point, you were not brave enough yet to go beyond drawing little hearts on the boy’s coffee… 

One afternoon, you worked quietly behind the counter when a gust of autumn wind rushed into the café and a tall blond woman and two little boys walked in. Jace was sitting by the window, nose buried in a Donna Tartt paperback – he thought you did not notice, but you could feel his eyes on you from time to time – when he suddenly perked up and waved at them.

You watched them silently, nearly spilling milk all over the counter when you didn’t notice the glass for the milkshake was already full to the brim. His mom, you saw the familiarity now, kissed his cheek before he bent down and hugged the kids as they squealed in excitement to see him.

A giddy smile tugged at the corners of your mouth as you turned your back towards the shop’s floor and got to work at the coffee machine. With practiced movements, you quickly made two hot chocolates and sprinkled a little cinnamon and chocolate rasps over the creamy foam. You took a deep breath and checked your appearance in the mirror over the big sink, making sure you did not look disheveled from your shift before you made your way over to Jace’s table.

As you got closer, you asked yourself if you were not too impulsive – surely you still had time to turn around? – but just as you were about to lose your bravery, Jace spotted you and his whole face brightened up, the dazzling smile you had grown to adore easing down your nerves.

“Hello.” You smiled shyly into the round and placed the plate in your hands on the table, the two cups steaming and adorned by two bowls of fresh cookies from the counter. “I thought the two gentlemen would like some hot chocolate, maybe? Ma’am, if I can get you anything-“

“Oh, there’s no need for formalities.” She smiled at you, a curious sparkle in her eyes. “I’m Rhaenyra, Jace’s mother. Nice to meet you.”

The little boys, undeniably twins now that you got a closer look at them, eyed you over the rims of their mugs. “Is that her, Jace? The girl you talk about aaall the time?”

“Ooh yes, the pretty girl, aaaall the time…”

Jace and you both froze, his little brother’s words leaving you speechless.

He…talked about you in front of his family? All. The. Time?

Rhaenyra looked between the two of you, noticing the awkward tension in the air and quickly saying: “I’d love to have a coffee with a little milk, thank you, dear.”

Jace still looked at you with wide eyes while his brothers peacefully sipped their chocolates as if they had not just exposed their older brother’s crush right in front of her. You opened and closed your mouth, face burning as you quickly nodded and mumbled: “Coming right up.”

The rest of your shift seemed to pass in a blur, your mind circling around what you had just learned.

Was there really a possibility Jace liked you back? Even his mother had been quick to dissolve the awkward situation and after you had brought her the coffee and Jace seemed to try to catch your eye every now and then, not really concentrating on the conversation at his table.

To get rid of the nervousness coursing through your stomach, you dedicated yourself to the little tarts in front of you, delicately placing small raspberries on the soft dough and decorating the top with small swirls of cream. The end result looked like little clouds and it seemed like your hands weren’t shaking as badly anymore now.

It was starting to get dark outside and there were still twenty minutes until your shift ended. You were the last one behind the counter this evening, only the nice ladies in the kitchen remained with you and most of the customers had left already. You sneaked a look to the window where Jace still sat, alone now again after his family had left, biting his lip and fidgeting as he looked outside into the rain. Would you just move on from this as if nothing happened?

“Hey, could you get me a coffee to go?” A guy you recognized from earlier visits grinned at you, leaning against the counter and a little too much into your personal space.

You nodded politely and grabbed a clean cup from the board behind you.

“And also your number if you’re on it, babe.”

You froze, staring at the cup in your hands. You had never liked this guy, he usually was brash and loud when he came in with his friends and he never left a tip, always demanding and impatient when his order took only a second longer than usual.

You started the coffee machine and looked over your shoulder. “I would rather not, thank you.”

“Aww come on, babe, I’ve been here so often just because you’re pretty, I think I earned it.”

You clenched your fists, the coffee trickling into the cup way too slow for your liking. “There’s nothing to earn, I just work here. And I’m not your babe.”

“Getting bratty now, huh? I think you just wanna-“

“Love, are you ready to go?”

Out of nowhere, Jace had appeared beside the douche, looking between your frozen form and the guy who now raised a confused eyebrow at him. You swallowed thickly, not knowing if you heard correctly. Love?

“Who are you?” The guy asked Jace, ignoring the coffee you now placed in front of him.

“I’m her boyfriend.” Jace said tensely, his dark eyes not leaving him. A warmth rushed through your belly at those words. “Is there a problem here? I don’t like the way you talk to her.”

“Calm down, dude, I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”

Jace glared at him, his jaw set. “You don’t have to know she has a boyfriend to simply respect her. Get your coffee and go.”

Assured by Jace’s presence now, you calmly turned your attention to the guy and opened your hand. “That’s three-fifty. We’re closing now, so don’t have a seat.”

You watched with quiet satisfaction as he fumbled out a five and let it fall on the counter. You took it from him, smiling sweetly before you glimpsed into the cash register. “Sorry, we’re completely out of change. Bye.”

He grumbled to himself, throwing one last look over his shoulder before he left the café and the last bit of tension left your shoulders. Jace looked at you, scratching the back of his neck, grimacing. “I’m sorry. I knew you could handle it, but the way he talked to you made me so angry…”

You shook your head, smiling timidly. “No, thank you, really. He’s been getting on my nerves before. Maybe he won’t come back now, finally. Although it’s sad this was what it takes for him to leave me alone.”

Jace chuckled nervously. “I couldn’t think of anything else, sorry. And I also apologize for my brothers earlier. I didn’t want you to feel awkward…”

The butterflies in your stomach fluttered hopefully. “They were cute.” You said and searched his gaze. He looked at you the way he had on the very first day, awestruck and hopeful and so, so sweet. You bit your lip, adding quietly: “Did they…say the truth?”

Jace let out a shaky breath. “Yeah…” He told you hoarsely. “I…I’ve been thinking of ways to ask you out, but- I’m a hopeless case, it seems. God, I didn’t want you to find out through my toddler brothers.”

You laughed lightly, relieved to have your hopeful guess confirmed. “Well…my shift is over in about five minutes and I don’t have any plans. Do you want to get something to eat maybe?”

“I’d love that.” He smiled at you brightly and it brightened the room.

You made quick work at the counter as Jace gathered his things and the comfy looking jacket he had been wearing since the start of fall. When you were dressed in your long scarf and elegant coat, the two of you were ready to go.

It almost was weird, to walk and talk with Jace outside of the familiar environment of the café, but the two of you had no problem picking up a conversation, comfortably falling into a discussion about the books you had been reading recently and what he was currently up to at uni.

When you reached the big square of the town, you stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. “Wait, where are we even going, I did not even ask.” You laughed, surprised how much time had passed already with him by your side.

Jace looked around the street, his dark eyes shimmering with the warm light the street lamp threw down at him. “Umm…there is a great pizza place nearby. They serve really good slices and also sweet mulled wine when it’s cold. We might be lucky tonight.”

“Sounds perfect.” You sighed, your stomach growling at the thought of some good pizza and followed him, barely resisting the urge to lace your fingers together.

The little booth tucked between two shops that were now closed was buzzing with life, the smell of delicious wine and fresh pizza filling the air and making your mouth water. Jace greeted the two men behind the counter and rested a careful hand on your back so you could step beside him and see what sorts they were offering tonight.

“You’re here often?” You chuckled as he nodded shyly.

“I’m not really good at cooking.” He replied. “The quattro formaggi is really, really good. So is the one with the cherry tomatoes and pesto.”

You nodded eagerly and fumbled with your bag, ready to get your wallet out, but Jace shook his head at you. “My treat, okay? You always get me such good pastries and cakes.”

“But Jace, you pay for them as well!”

“Doesn’t matter.” He grinned. “Why don’t you find us a table and I’ll get us some mulled wine and the pizza?”

Soon, Jace returned to you, two paper plates full with steaming hot pizza slices that were joined quickly by the promised mulled wine. The speakers by the booth played some easy music and over you, the sky had gotten dark and the air cool.

At your first bite, you groaned in delight and Jace cocked his eyebrow at you. “Good?”

“So good.” You agreed, eagerly having another one. “We should have this at the café! All the sugar and cinnamon are nice, but this? Thank you for opening the world of spices and vegetables for me.”

You laughed as he tried to break a cheese string between his mouth and the pizza off and the sweet wine only made you giddier to spend time with him. He asked you about your life as you ate and you told him the job at the café helped you to save for a professional training as a commis pâtisserie you wanted to start in spring. Jace listened to you intently, his eyes not leaving yours once.

“You have a little…” He lost the rest of his sentence, reaching out a hand and softly brushing some small crumbs of your pizza away from your cheek. Your heart skipped a beat at his careful touch, holding very still for him. “There, now it’s gone.”

“Thank you.” You said quietly, a little breathless. It had been some time since you had been close to someone like this and since it was Jace, you found yourself wanting to lean closer, to let his touch linger and blossom. “It’s nice, talking to you. I’m glad your brothers visited you today.”

You laughed together, both of you trying to hide your smitten faces as you took a last sip of the warm beverage. The plates between you had become empty and your heart sank a little when it was time to leave.

“Thank you for tonight, I…I like being with you, too. I’ll walk you home, if you’d like.” Jace offered warmly and looked down the road. He buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “Will you be at the coffee shop tomorrow?”

You nodded, a warm feeling rushing through you at the thought you’d see him there, now that everything had changed a little. “You might get to have one of my famous chocolate fudge brownies if you’re lucky.”

He looked at you with a raised eyebrow as you began to make your way down the street. “Do only your favorite guests get them?”

“Oh yeah.” You teased, trying to stay serious. “Only the ones who save me from annoying guys and invite me out for pizza afterwards.”

You looked at each other underneath the light of a streetlamp, the two of you the only souls still wandering through the night. Jace stared at you, his plump lips slightly agape. He tucked a lost curl behind his ear underneath the hoodie and said sincerely: “Then I will do my best to hold that spot.”

“It’s already yours, Jace.” You said softly and then you could not hold yourself back anymore. You stepped closer and as the boy you had grown to adore so much exhaled shakingly, you held his face between your hands and kissed him.

Jace let out a surprised huff against you, but immediately melted in your embrace as he gently kissed you back, his hands quickly finding their way out of his pockets again to hold on to your waist. You smiled against his lips and sighed happily, your one hand wandering into the curls in his nape as the other grabbed the front of his hoodie.

You had no idea how much time passed as you kissed without a worry in the world. You welcomed his warm embrace as he held you closer, your arms coming to rest around his shoulders as the kiss deepened, his lips tasting of sweet wine and faintly of the waffles he had at the shop today. Your heart threatened to overflow with giddiness as Jace moaned softly into your mouth, cradling you against his chest and touching your soft hair as you kissed and kissed and kissed…

You didn’t know it yet, but tomorrow, he’d bring you another bouquet of flowers, roses this time and you’d spend your lunch break together and kiss some more.

In the following weeks, you indulged in cozy dates at restaurants Jace knew or simply stayed on his couch all night, cuddling and kissing and eventually falling into bed together…

In the next months, you grew closer and closer and you met his family again – “The pretty girl is back, now Jace can stop pining after you like a poet!” – and Jace supported you as you started your training however he could, which mostly meant he got to try all your little perfect creations and praise you endlessly for them.

One year ahead from now on, you moved into a cozy little apartment together, your home always filled with the love you shared and many, many books and baking goods.

You did not know it yet, but oh, how you were going to find out what it meant to love Jacaerys…

my taglist (open): @princesschimchim1325 @cecestea @jacesvelaryons @princessvelaryon @diannnnsss

[ariathemortal]

open starter: wait- isn’t she underage?

You were walking around New York because that’s what a normal person does. You come across a lively club when you heard a familiar voice echo the through the speakers.

You managed to slip by the bodyguard to find Ariadne, up on a stage, in a shiny outfit, singing. In a club.

What do you do?

taglist (lemme know if you want to be added or removed <3)

@demigod-jack-hearth @if-chaos-was-a-boy @chaos-pers0nified @that-girl-cupid @nicoswill2live

@littlemisf0rtune @ocean-struck-boy @offical-wise-girl @nikes-best-son @sleepy-as-a-song

@love-lightning-forethought @princess-of-ogygia @fabulousdaughterofhecate @the-one-and-only-adria @but-y0u-cant-hide

@you-know-you-want-me @your-favorite-sapphic-monster @divine-wine-daughter

[mychemicalrachel]

THE LONGEST NIGHT

part one!!!!

Part Two.

The not-prostitute's name was Parrish and he had the prettiest face Ronan had ever seen, coupled with the most obnoxious demeanor. It began as stolen glances from across the cell while Parrish– at least that's what they called him when they brought him in and tossed him in holding– reiterated again and again and again that he, unlike these other hardened criminals, did not belong here. Ronan was pretty sure he was in love, if not with Parrish then at least with his smile. It was a nice smile, almost as nice as his scowl.

“Racing,” Ronan said. “Got caught doing 110 in a 55.”

“That's fast,” Parrish remarked and Ronan was certain he looked at his mouth when he did. Then he sucked his teeth. “Too bad you still lost.”

A startled laugh pushed its way up Ronan's throat. This Parrish guy was an asshole. Ronan looked at his mouth again. Perfectly curved cupid's bow, straight teeth, slightly pointed canines that would leave delicious marks on Ronan's skin. “Who says I lost?”

“You're here,” Parrish said. “Which means you were slow enough to get caught.”

He laughed again and Parrish smiled. Ronan would throw a thousand races just to see that smile again, which was an insane thing to think when they’d just met. They didn’t know one another, and yet Ronan felt like they had been destined to meet. Maybe in another life, they were soulmates, bound together by true love, fated to find each other in every life after.

The Catholic in Ronan winced. It was too fucking late to be considering the possibility of reincarnation and the merits of meeting his soulmate in a jail cell. And yet, the blue of Parrish’s eyes had captivated him, struck him down like a bolt of lightning, and reinvigorated him in a way Ronan didn’t know was possible. Hell, he didn’t even know Parrish’s first name. He wondered what that said about his standards.

“What if we got out of here,” Ronan said, his voice low so Parrish had to lean closer to hear, “and then I show you how fast I can really go.”

“Yeah,” Parrish said. “Yeah. I’ll tell you what, man–”

“Ronan,” he offered, “Lynch.”

“Well, Lynch. If you can get me out of here, I’ll go anywhere you’d like.”

Just the thing Ronan wanted to hear. He slapped his hand down on Parrish’s knee when he stood up. A long time ago, when he’d spent his first night sleeping off a hangover in a cell, he expected the bars to be cold. Now Ronan knew that the metal sucked up all the heat in the room, the heavy snores from the guard and the sighs of the prisoners, holding it captive, so hot it could almost burn. Grabbing onto the bars, Ronan shook them until they ratted.

“Yo, Chuck!” he yelled. “Chucky, my man! Lemme out of this shithole!”

Across the room, the chair under Deputy Dumbass creaked. He groaned when he stood up. “Chrissake, Lynch,” he said. “I told you not to call me that.”

“Let me out now and I promise I’ll never call you Chucky again.”

“Oh, you promise, do you?” Chucky raised a dubious eyebrow. He was willing to play along, even if he knew it was a promise Ronan could never keep.

“Scout’s honor.”

“You weren’t no goddamn boy scout. Back up.”

Ronan backed up. The cell wasn’t very big. Henrietta didn’t need a huge department when most of the local crime was confined to speeding and bar fights. The guys in here were regulars– Ronan saw them more than he saw his own family. They weren’t talkers and they didn’t ask questions, so Ronan enjoyed their company– until he didn’t.

Chucky unlocked the door and swung it open, letting Ronan step out.

“Go,” he gestured with the ring of keys. “Get, before I change my mind.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” Ronan stopped. “But I want to take him with me.”

Looking back in the direction Ronan’s slender finger pointed, Chucky frowned. “Can’t do that,” he said. “Gotta see a judge first. Picked that one up on a count of solicitation–”

Huh. So Parrish had been telling the truth about that.

“Come on, Chuck,” Ronan said. He looked again at Parrish, the innocence in his wide eyes, the dirty khaki pants. He looked like he should’ve been in a pamphlet for community college, not sitting awkwardly between two dudes who looked like they’d escaped a ZZ Top cover band. “Look at him and tell me he’s a motherfucking hooker.”

“Can’t judge a book by its cover,” Chuck said.

“Chucky. He’s wearing a sweater vest. You ever seen a prostitute in a sweater vest?”

Chucky considered it. It was possible, of course, if he had been soliciting a very niche group of individuals. Eventually, he sighed. “If I let him go, will you get out of my office faster?”

“You won’t even see me leave.”

He groaned some more, but gestured for Parrish to get up. He pointed a finger at Ronan, threatening, “Do not make me regret this, Lynch. Keep your nose clean. And keep his clean while you're at it.”

But Ronan had already grabbed Parrish by the wrist, dragging him toward the door, gone before Chuck could change his mind.

Parrish, to Ronan’s surprise, followed quietly until they got to the parking lot. By the time they reached the BMW, parked illegally in a handicap space, Parrish had slowed, then stopped, seemingly trying to gather his wits.

“Uh,” he said eloquently, “what the hell just happened?”

Ronan raised his arms, motioning to the car and the mostly vacant lot around them. “I just got you out.”

“Yeah. How? Did you bribe a cop?”

Bribery didn’t work on cops around here. Too many obnoxious rich kids more than willing to pay off the local fuzz. Unfortunately, money did not buy everything, but it did help.

“My brother bailed me out hours ago. So about that ride…”

“Hmm, no,” Parrish waved his hand, like he was attempting to erase Ronan. “Go back. What do you mean your brother already bailed you out? You were free to go anytime you wanted and you just… didn't?”

“Sleeping in a cell beat the alternative,” Ronan unlocked the car with the keys he swiped off Chuck's desk. “Going home meant I had to listen to my brother bitch.”

“What kind of psychopath would rather take a nap in a jail cell rather than just talk to their own brother?”

“It's not about being a psychopath,” he explained. “It's the fact that I got caught, remember? And my brother is the asshole who was faster than me. Anyways,” Ronan climbed into the BMW, starting the engine. Through the open passenger window, he looked at Parrish. Even in the dark, with an incredulous look painted on his pretty features, he was a sight to behold. “Night's not getting any younger, Parrish. You coming or not?”

He didn't know what the plan was if Parrish said no. He'd hitchhike back to his car, allegedly broke down in the middle of nowhere, and Ronan would kill time driving in circles before making his way back home.

In the end, he didn't have to find out.

“My mother taught me it wasn't safe to get into cars with strangers,” Parrish said, though his lips turned up, curled with blatant, unmistakable flirtation. He was enjoying this game just as much as Ronan. “How do I know you're not a serial killer?”

He could turn it around and ask the same question, but he knew that he would probably go anyway even if Parrish did turn out to be a serial killer. Ronan’s answering grin was razor sharp, dangerous and delicious and charming. “I guess you'll just have to trust me.”

Parrish pretended to think about it a second more before opening the door and climbing in.

[nothingcasual]

[mangaacoverss]

📓  VOLUME 2 (8-13)

[wildflower-otome]

[Translation] Cupid Parasite Sweet & Spicy Darling - Peter Flage Short Story

Source: Cupid Parasite -Sweet & Spicy Darling- Stella Set Special Booklet

Overdone Surprise - Peter Flage Short Story

‘Chiiii.....’

That day. Peter and I had gone to a high-class restaurant to eat a course meal, just the two of us. For some reason, Peter had taken me here, having already made a reservation.

Following the dress code, the two of us were dressed in formal wear especially for today.

Even though we had come here ourselves, the two of us were completely on edge trying not to mistake our table manners.

���I’ve heard that forks are to be used starting from the outside but.....wh-what on earth is this tiny spoon for!?’

‘I think that it’s for dessert, maybe.....?’

‘Chiii..... I-I’ve never heard of anything so complicated.....!’

The two of us continued to eat the course meal, taking great care not to make any mistakes.

Although we were flustered when it came to manners, the food was mouthwateringly delicious.

(Wow, I wonder how this soup was made!)

Each of the different foods was so tasty, I gradually began to relax. Perhaps Peter felt the same way, as little by little, the strain on his face began to lessen.

‘Hm. This is great! So this is what they call a course meal.....’

Carrying the meat dish that was the main course into his mouth, Peter’s cheeks slackened.

And then, by the time the after-meal dessert arrived, we had completely loosened up.

‘Mmn-, that was delicious!’

‘R-Right? Fu-, I’m so glad..... Somehow or other, I was able to finish it all without messing up .....’

Peter’s face looked as if he had just accomplished a very important task. Seeing Peter seem as if he were relieved from the bottom of his heart, questions arose within me yet again.

(I wonder why Peter decided on this restaurant?)

To be sure, the course meal had been delicious. Still, purposely choosing a place like this for a date didn’t seem like Peter.

My misgivings continued on even after the meal. Because Peter had booked a suite room on the top floor of the splendid hotel of the high-class restaurant.

‘Wow.....this room really is something else.’

‘Mm! Today, we’ll be staying here! What do you think? They even have a jet bath! Fancy and luxurious, right?’

As Peter put his hands on his hips, proudly puffing out his chest, I timidly tried asking the question.

‘Y-Yeah. It really is fancy but....what is all this all of a sudden?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Um, I just thought that it’s not really like you.....’

‘Not.....like me!?’

Peter stepped back in shock, as if he’d just been struck by lightning.

‘B-By that you mean, as I thought, something like this doesn’t suit me!?’

‘No, not exactly, it’s just neither of us have ever really been to places like this, right? So I was just wondering if something happened.....’

After I tried diffidently posing the question, Peter gave his usual, ‘Chiii.....’ As if searching for the words, he mumbled weakly.

‘That is.....I read it in a magazine.’

‘In a magazine?’

‘Mm. Truth is.....I did some research on "dates to make a wife happy."'

He told me that what the magazines had recommended was “a fancy and luxurious surprise” like the date that we were currently on.

(I see. He put in all that effort for my sake....)

Now that I understood his motive, it all made sense. Eyebrows lowered, Peter watched the expression on my face.

‘Could it be that.....it wasn’t to your tastes....?’

As he dropped his shoulders, saying it was a failure, I shook my head.

‘That’s not true. Thank you, Peter. You’ve made me really happy.’

‘Really.....!?’

‘Yeah. I was surprised at first, but the food was great, and the room is beautiful.....It’s been a lovely date.’

‘I see.....I see, if that’s the case then I’m glad..... It’s the first month anniversary since our wedding after all.....I wanted the day to be special.’

‘One month since our wedding.....’

I was surprised that not only had it already been that long, but that Peter was treating it as a special occasion as well. I had also thought about celebrating our first-year anniversary, but not our one-month anniversary too. I could tell how deep his feelings for me were, and it warmed my heart.

‘I see.....fufu-, I’m so happy. Thank you, Peter.’

‘Chii.....’

Seeing me smile, at last Peter smiled too, looking relieved. However, his shoulders soon slumped dejectedly.

‘Still, ideally, I would have liked to have escorted you much more impressively, but in the end, I was terrible at it. You were the one who had to keep teaching me about table manners too.....’

‘Fufu- Nothing of the sort. You did a great job escorting me.’

‘B-But, it was supposed to be, you know.....like in the movies.....’

It appeared that Peter had had his own kind of ideal in mind. I wasn’t sure exactly what that was but, not wanting him to push himself too hard, I squeezed his hand reassuringly.

‘It’s fine. I prefer you as you are right now, Peter.’

‘Chiii.....Even so, I want to show my cool side in front of my wife.’

He hugged me as if frustrated. Continuing on, he moved his hands to behind my knees, lifting me up and then carrying me over to the window in a princess carry.

‘..........’

Peter went to say something, but in the end remained silent.

Still holding me in his arms, he swiveled around, turning his back on the night skyline. After putting me down on the bed, he gave a deep sigh.

‘.....I-It was too much.....I’d made up my mind to act cool in front of the night scenery after coming all this way but.....It’s so high up here, my knees starting shaking.....’

(Huh!?)

Despite normally spending his time looking down on humans from Celestia as the Chief God Jupiter, somehow or other, it would appear looking down into the night from a high-story building was too much for him.

My husband really was an adorable god.

Affection welled up in my chest thinking of how hard he had been trying, and I hugged him tight as he sat there with his hands placed on the bed, looking downwards.

‘Wah- Wh-What is it!?’

‘I’m kind of happy, somehow.’

‘....You’re, happy.....?’

‘Yes. Thank you for today. For preparing so much for our one-month wedding anniversary.’

But what I was happiest about was that he had come up with all of this while thinking of me. That was more important to me than the interior design of the room, or the night scenery.

‘Hey, this room has a jet bath, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes. So it said, but-.....’

‘Well then, let’s go in together. Will you take me there?’

As I held out my arms to him, motioning for him to carry me, his eyes lit up, and he nodded.

‘Sure, leave it to me!’

Elatedly picking me up, Peter walked towards the jet bath. It had already been filled with hot water. At the sight of the bubble-filled jet bath, the two of us looked at each other.

‘This is amazing! Let’s get in right away!’

‘Right!’

Each of us stripping off, we both jumped into the bath. The rising bubbles felt ticklish, and we smiled at each other.

‘This feels great! So this is what they call a ‘jet bath’.....’

The warmth of the hot water perhaps causing him to relax, the gloominess had disappeared from Peter’s face. Full of curiosity, he was scooping up the bubbles, happily playing around with them.

Although he was like this now, I knew how ferocious he could be when it came to the bedroom.

‘…..Peter. I love you.’

When I told him my feelings as I hugged him, he drew in a breath and looked at me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and kissed me with eyes full of emotion.

‘Me too. …..I love you.’

Like a beast pouncing on their prey, he pressed me against the rim of the bath. We became so wrapped up in kissing we forgot about the nightscape visible from the window.

My cute and cool husband.

Ever since we’d become a married couple, I had come to know all kinds of different sides to him. At times he overdid it like today, but that he remained the same at his core was what I loved about him.

Our precious one-month wedding anniversary day. Peter and I spent a sweet and happy night together—.

[glosschi]

People change how they feel all the time.

Cupid is Struck by Lightning: Second Strike

[suniika]

No Martyr, no Saint

♪

In a hollow heart, there lies a secret. With memories that passed like thunderstorm, a lover’s warmth fades with the light. Shout, grieve, beg, all were a sequence in their head. How fatuous it was, for them to still love and breathe. Anguish was a part of them, something they couldn’t leave behind. And as their heart became hollow, so did their life.

To lose from what haunts them is to be killed, and die as they bear the pain. To ‘have’ is to be haunted with trepidation that lies in its wake, and to ‘hold’ is to long for it till it fades. And even in moments of denial, it is in despair that we find the sharpest pleasures.

♪

It was never a great idea to love, for them. It’s like a burden. Love is pain, that’s why the cupid’s bow had arrows. It was never really thought of, to love, long for someone, and fill their heart. Love felt like an everlasting spring. The days where they stayed under the sun, running in the fields with their lover as the flowers and grass danced with the breeze. It was truly touching, something that felt like it could last. It will, right?

How cruel of their lover to leave, to serve, to fight. “If you fight and serve our country then why not fight for me?” They asked numerous times. They begged and cried, yet no one can break a soldier’s passion for their motherland. Their beloved was even mendacious for promising, “I’ll come back. Trust me.”

They were holding onto the single ounce of hope they could hold onto. Fear covered them like snow, and their mind askew as they were filled with “God please have mercy on my beloved, for I can’t bear the thought of them forgetting me.”

The foundation they leaned into slowly collapsed. Surrounded by fire, the suffocating cries of the people who only hoped for a good life. It felt like lightning struck them, filled with horror and shock. A letter in hand, with the only sentence to provide their broken mind.

“Even as time passed, you’re still the only content of my heart.”

-L.V

They felt betrayed, confused, and sad. “How could you leave me like that, out of the blue? You liar,” they spoke in distress, tears slowly falling. They screamed in agony, blaming the skies and heavens, yet couldn't help but also beg for mercy. Of all the things they could lose, why should it be their vial of life, why should it be the only person they loved? They felt like a puppet. Their life was controlled by the strings of fate, never giving them what they wanted.

♪

It’s been over four decades, and not one bit did they not long for the warmth they lost and slowly forgot. The rivers they cried left a mark on their face, a testimony to their sufferings as their eyes hollowed.

“I’m not a saint, nor a martyr, so why should you choose me?”

Fin.

TY for giving me confidence!! @madame-fear<3 Idk why I still am not doing my lectures lol

This was like, drafted months ago, and I decided to edit it and make the pronouns more inclusive!💗💗 (I just realized that the initials I put actually matched lucerys' initials)

Ps: i might edit the other one(not really a sequel or exactly a parallel)

[naruandheirlovers]

[Dominique de Sade] Animatic idea

So, while listening to this, I was thinking of Naru and Domi, and came up with something

Okay, so, it starts with context, it's about the third time Dominique goes to Naru's coffee shop, and at this point, Naru kinda figured out who Domi really is, but also, they realize they might be getting a crush. So the realization settles in, and Naru is in the kitchen

*Oh my gods, this can't be happening* while making Domi's order*Hit me faster than a bolt of lightning* stealing a glance at her table, Dominique notices and smiles at Naru, Naru blushes and quickly gets back to focusing on the cooking*She's got me wrapped around her little fingers* Time passes, we see Domi coming in various times with other people or sometimes alone, and every time, Naru is greeting her and serving her ~~almost as if they're waiting for her~~*Cupid's made a mistake and pulled the trigger on the wrong set of girls* Naru comes across Domi in the park and freaks out a bit, trying to look natural, and completely failing, once they pass by each other and waves, Naru burries their face in their hands in a "Ugh why did I do that" fashion*I don't want to admit it, but they've made a mistake by pairing me with her* Something in the journal gets out about something the de Sade family did, an expression of sadness and almost guilt on their face*I'd really prefer anybody else* It shows various other people in the cafe, most notably Oliver and Roland, and a few random people *I don't like the way she smiles with her eyes* Domi is thanking Naru for giving her what she ordered and Naru quickly gets back, we can see Domi smiling in the background while Naru, face all red is walking to serve someone else*The way that the ~~blue reminds me of the sky~~ gold remind me of the sun* more of Domi's beautiful eyes! All sparkly and looking like they have the sun in them!*I really just hate leaving it to fate* Domi and Naru ends up in the same place again, but while Naru is still a blushing mess, they are able to act more natural than last time*Cause look where I landed, your arms and it's stranded* Naru trips and Domi catches them, the words "Be careful, you have a lot on your plates" can be read in purple, indicating Domi daid that*Oh and I know... It's inevitable to feel* Naru is lying in bed, thinking about Domi*Oh and I pray that she doesn't hear my heart cause that'll give me away* Yay! Naru and Domi are actually hanging out! But Naru is still super nervous!*I try not to notice the way that she makes me feel* another friend date!*Every touch* Domi takes Naru's hand to guide them trough the crowd*Every look* They come across each other on the streets*Every day(?)* it became now a daily thing for Domi to go to the Cafe Naru works at!*But wait...* Naru is getting ready for their day*How lovely, how lucky I must have been* They're at the movies!*To be at the right place, at the right time for some higher power to struck their design* a flashback to a more detailed version of their first meeting *A complicated mess of feelings* A little look into what **both** of them feels*A look trough my way just sends me reeling* Naru at work, Domi sees them and waves*What is this feeling...* Naru in bed again, pondering this while they're doodling*I don't know just yet* Naru decides to ignore literally every single sign the universe is sending her that DOMINIQUE LOVES YOU TOO YOU FOOL

*Why me...* Naru in her room, asking this out loud *Why now* Naru and Domi hanging out again, looking at each other, but Naru quickly avert their gaze*Why her?* Dominique as a "scary de Sade vampire"*Why does she make my heartbeat flutter* Naru at work *And why do I like it so much?* Hanging out*Oh and when she smiles* another beautiful Dominique smile*I feel a little tingle in my chest* Naru making a not so subtle heart food decorations for Domi*And at this point I'm really hoping it's a heart attack* Naru eats her own food decorations *Cause I'm not supposed to feel this way* Naru pacing in her room*I'm the hunter* a bit of Naru's past, they're with Roland*She's the prey* another shot of how Naru imagine the "scary vampire" side of Dominique*I'm falling deeper every day* Just some shots of interactions between the two*I try to stop but there's no way!* Naru is sick one day, and is horribly missing her favorite vampide*How lovely... How lucky I must have been... To be at the right place, at the right time, for some higher power to struck their design* Naru is dreaming of dancing in a big ballroom with Domi*A complicated mess of feeling* Naru is hugging her pillow after waking up from the dream*A look thrown my way and it sends me reeling* Domi notices Naru in a crowd, but can't reach her, however, Naru notice the vampire's gaze*What is this feeling* Naru writes a love letter for Domi*What is this feeling?!* Nari gives said letter to Domi

And it ends in them hugging and finally kissing

[ariathemortal]

open starter: why the hostility, dude?

It was a peaceful day at Camp Half-Blood. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining.

That was until you heard angry arguing and swearing from the art cabin. Where Aria lived.

It was her voice and….someone else. A male voice.

taglist (lemme know if you want to be added or removed <3)

@demigod-jack-hearth @if-chaos-was-a-boy @chaos-pers0nified @that-girl-cupid @nicoswill2live

@littlemisf0rtune @ocean-struck-boy @offical-wise-girl @nikes-best-son @sleepy-as-a-song

@love-lightning-forethought @princess-of-ogygia @fabulousdaughterofhecate @the-one-and-only-adria @but-y0u-cant-hide

@you-know-you-want-me @your-favorite-sapphic-monster

[coffeefrenchandhistory]

The love potions headcanon and why Ginny used them

So. We all know what love potions are, in the HP universe. They are potions which can cause obsession, or infatuation, in the drinker with the person who gave it to them. And of all the love potions out there, none are more powerful than Amortentia.

This is important for us to know, since Amortentia is the strongest of the love potions, it implies there are weaker or less powerful forms of the potion as well. What would very likely be aphrodisiacs.

Before Half-Blood Prince, here's what we know about love potions (bolded for emphasis):

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!” beamed Lockhart. “They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn’t stop here! I’m sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you’re at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I’ve ever met, the sly old dog!" — Chamber of Secrets

They [Ron and Harry] headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she’d made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. — Prisoner of Azkaban

"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that’s how she’s doing it."  Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter’s well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate. — Goblet of Fire

And then we get to Half-Blood Prince. Where potions, but specifically love potions, take center-stage. In the course of the book, we see:

Merope Gaunt use a love potion on Tom Riddle Sr to steal him away from Cecelia, his fiancée;

Romilda Vane attempt to dose Harry with love potions in chocolate (and that love potions grow in strength the longer they sit, as what happens when Ron eats the chocolate instead of Harry)

The Weasley twins sell love potions in their shop in Diagon Alley.

And most importantly, Horace Slughorn introduces not just love potions to the class, but as well introduces the class — and us by extension — to Amortentia. The strongest love potion there is in the Wizarding world.

I'm not alone in saying that the Harry/Ginny relationship came out of nowhere. There was no real build-up to it from a Doylist perspective. Harry interacts with Ginny in Chamber of Secrets, barely at all in Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire, and only really starts to have any kind of interaction in Order of the Phoenix. She's in one book, all but disappears for two more, and then only starts having any kind of interaction with Harry in the fifth book.

It's a very sudden thing, Harry falling for Ginny.

Then there's the "monster in his chest" nonsense.

Yeah. Unfortunately we have to talk about it. I don't like it, but we do.

Compare and contrast Harry's crush on Cho, which we see in Prisoner of Azkaban, versus what we see for Harry regarding Ginny in Half Blood Prince.

Prisoner of Azkaban (emphasis bolded):

They walked out on​to the pitch to tu​mul​tuous ap​plause. The Raven​claw team, dressed in blue, were al​ready stand​ing in the mid​dle of the pitch. Their Seek​er, Cho Chang, was the on​ly girl in their team. She was short​er than Har​ry by about a head, and Harry couldn’t help notic​ing, ner​vous as he was, that she was extreme​ly pret​ty. She smiled at Har​ry as the teams faced each other be​hind their cap​tains, and he felt a slight jolt in the re​gion of his stom​ach that he didn’t think had any​thing to do with nerves.

Half-Blood Prince (emphasis bolded):

Harry hardly noticed the sound of shattering glass; he felt dis- oriented, dizzy; being struck by a lightning bolt must be something like this. It’s just because she’s Ron’s sister, he told himself. You just didn’t like seeing her kissing Dean because she’s Ron’s sister.... But unbidden into his mind came an image of that same deserted corridor with himself kissing Ginny instead... The monster in his chest purred... but then he saw Ron ripping open the tapestry curtain and drawing his wand on Harry, shouting things like “betrayal of trust”... “supposed to be my friend”... “D’you think Hermione did snog Krum?” Ron asked abruptly, as they approached the Fat Lady. Harry gave a guilty start and wrenched his imagination away from a corridor in which no Ron intruded, in which he and Ginny were quite alone —

It's night and day. Cho is butterflies in his stomach, nervousness, apprehension even. Noticing that she was "extremely pretty". With Ginny? It's quite different. And sure, you could make the excuse of it just being age, but throughout HBP we see repeated and repeated reference to the "monster in his chest", of wanting to take Ginny in a very intimate manner. It's a very specific reference. Later on that page, how Harry wants to rip Dean limb from limb.

Now, I've been a teenage boy. And in all of the crushes I've had, I've never wanted to rip the boyfriend of the girl I might be interested in "limb from limb". I might be jealous, sure, or even a bit put out that he's getting to experience what I would want to — but what Harry is going through reads far more like obsession. Harry is infatuated with being with Ginny. Having her with him. Imagining all the intimate moments between them, with no one interrupting. And it comes all out of a sudden. Even Harry is surprised by the feeling.

But Josh, you might be saying! Love potions cause the person to act like an idiot! We see this with Ron!

Incorrect, but points for attention! The experience you're referring to is when Ron Weasley ate the chocolates that Romilda gave to Harry which were laced in love potion. Which had been sitting in Harry's trunk for months, stewing and growing in strength (but also, gross, Harry). Which implies, or outright states, that love potions have a more subtle approach to how they interact with the consumer. Like a boiling the frog approach.

But Josh, you might be saying again! Why would Ginny use a love potion? She was pretty, she was popular, all the boys wanted her!

Yes, she is. Even Blaise Zabini, a noted blood purist in Slytherin, notes that Ginny is attractive.

"I never really gave up on you," she [Ginny] said. "Not really. I always hoped... Hermione told me to get on with life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember? And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more - myself."​ "Smart girl, that Hermione," said Harry, trying to smile. "I just wish I'd asked you sooner. We could've had ages... months... years maybe..."​ ​"But you've been too busy saving the Wizarding world," said Ginny half laughing. "Well... I can't say I'm surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that's why I like you so much."​ — Half-Blood Prince, Ch. 30 (pp 647, US edition)

It's a very weird thing to say. "You wouldn't be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort". Either Ginny meant that she knows Harry has something hanging over his head that he has to deal with or it'll ruin his life, or she knows the Boy-Who-Lived is a Dark Lord Vanquisher™ from the stories she read about as a child.

But it's the first line she says that solidifies it for me.

"I never really gave up on you".

Even after dating Michael Corner and Dean Thomas, even after being involved with these boys for months, she never gave up on Harry. She effectively strung Michael and Dean along in the hopes Harry would realize his feelings for her. Hermione most likely wanted Ginny to date someone, and realize that her crush on Harry was a silly childhood crush. She strung those two boys along in the hopes that Harry felt something for her too. And when he didn't appear to, when he didn't seem to reciprocate, well... her brothers sell love potions in Diagon Alley.

And remember that Ginny Weasley was browsing the love potions section of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in HBP and asked Fred if they worked.

Near the window was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Hermi- one and Ginny both hung back, looking wary. “There you go,” said Fred proudly. “Best range of love potions you’ll find anywhere.” Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Do they work?” she asked. “Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time de- pending on the weight of the boy in question —” “— and the attractiveness of the girl,” said George, reappearing suddenly at their side. “But we’re not selling them to our sister,” he added, becoming suddenly stern, “not when she’s already got about five boys on the go from what we’ve —”

Ginny had basically set her sights on the Boy-Who-Lived since before she even met him. The moment she found out that Harry was going to Hogwarts, and was on the train, she wanted to see him like he was a thing at a zoo. And yes, sure, we can excuse that as her being 10 years old. But it's still not a great start for the relationship.

Harry is great when it comes to dealing with something in front of him. A villainous professor, a basilisk, dementors, dragons, Death Eaters in the Ministry. But someone surreptitiously dripping something into his pumpkin juice? Harry's not Mad-Eye Moody, he's not paranoia made flesh. He wouldn't think someone would be so bold as to try that.

And Ginny Weasley was plenty bold.

[juzorei]

HIBIKI RIO || TOTOKI AO 🦋

.

I just love them!❤

.

Cupid Ni Rakurai / Cupid is struck by Lightning

Amakute Atsukute Iki mo Dekinai / It's Sweet and Hot, I Can't Breathe