#cus nothing was cooked like what am i supposed to do and then she told me i should be having a go at the cooks

[nerdie-faerie]

Every shift I've experienced since deciding I'm handing in my notice has been one of the worst to date, only validating my decision to quit

[j3ssisam3ss]

Childhood Friends - Fluff

For @animebookworm16

It got kind of long and I’m not really sure it still counts as fluff, but here’s my piece for @maribat-angst-fluff-april, prompt 25, Childhood Friends.

Damian Al Ghul-Wayne was five years old the first time he met a girl his age. And in typical League of Assassins style, he went for efficiency by meeting ten at once.

“These are your betrothed,” Talia told him. “All but one will be dead by your twelfth birthday. You will marry the sole survivor on your eighteenth birthday and produce an Heir to carry on the great legacy of the League of Assassins.”

Nine of the girls heard the words without so much as a flinch. The last stared in shock at Talia, then broke into tears.

“Quiet, Marinette,” Talia hissed.

“No,” she yelled defiantly, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I want my mama!”

Talia backhanded her and she fell to the floor with a yelp.

Damian surveyed the girl – Marinette – with distaste.

“Mother, surely you don’t consider this sniveling coward worthy to compete for my hand?”

“Her mother, Sabine Cheng, was our best assassin for years before she turned traitor. I suppose she’s lost her touch if she raised such a weak daughter.” Talia shrugged elegantly. “No matter, if she turns out to be useless, we’ll ship her mutilated corpse back to Sabine as a reminder of what happens when you cross the League.”

She waved the girls away. “To your training now.”

Damian watched as Marinette sniffled and followed the other girls out the door.

She won’t last a week.

He had no idea how wrong he was.

.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was five years old the first time she won a fight. And in typical Dupain-Cheng fashion, she did so in the most unpredictable way possible.

“You’re going down, pigtails,” shouted a pretty brunette, charging at Marinette with a sword that was as tall as she was.

With a startled shriek, Marinette darted away. She hated how behind she was here. Back home, she was good at everything – reading circle, art class, tussles when the teacher’s back was turned. Here, it felt like she was constantly playing catch-up.

Not to mention, the constant threat of death was not fun.

Skidding around a corner of the labyrinth arena, she tripped over a protruding stone and fell to the ground. The brunette grinned viciously, advancing towards her.

Marinette smiled nervously. “Can’t we talk this out?”

“Not a chance, shortie,” said the brunette.

Marinette glanced around frantically.

I don’t want to die!

She reached for a rock, a stick, anything that could help her fight, but came up with only a handful of sand. With a pleading glance heavenward, she flung it into the brunette’s face and lurched to her feet, grinning when the girl had to stop to get the grit out of her eyes.

Taking off into the labyrinth of passages, she nearly stumbled again, this time over a nearly buried metal object.

She shifted away the dirt surrounding it and smirked. “Finally, a weapon I know how to use.”

Ten minutes later, the watching League members straightened in surprise as the smallest and weakest of Damian’s betrotheds utterly decimated her opponent.

With a frying pan.

.

“What are you doing here?”

The two children spoke in unison, glaring daggers at one another.

“I always come here,” Marinette said. “It’s my drawing spot.”

“The vents are my domain, Dupain-Cheng,” Damian said. “Get out.”

Two years’ worth of resentment and anger simmered beneath Marinette’s skin.

 Drawing is the last thing I have of home. I won’t let him take it from me.

“No.”

Damian looked thunderstruck and Marinette couldn’t keep the smirk off her face.

“I am Heir to the Demon! You will obey me!”

“You may be Heir to the Demon, but right now you’re also a kid skipping classes,” Marinette argued. “And if you make me leave, I’ll tell Talia exactly where you go when you’re not in class.”

Ha, take that, you tyrant!

Damian froze. Marinette watched as emotions overtook his face – anger, resentment, then acceptance.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

Marinette smiled and returned to her sketchbook – which wasn’t really a sketchbook, just some loose papers she’d tucked into her history book.

A few minutes later, Damian peered over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“Drawing,” she said, holding out a few of her older sketches, the ones she wouldn’t mind losing if Damian decided to rip them. “There’s your mother fighting, cook making soup, the sunset from this other spot in the vents – actually, that one’s pretty bad because I didn’t have any colors.”

Damian stared at the drawing of his mother.

“I’m keeping this,” he announced.

Well, at least he didn’t tear it up.

The next week, when Marinette arrived at her drawing spot, Damian was already there. With an annoyed grunt, he shoved a sketchbook and colored pencils into her hands.

Marinette looked between him and the supplies in confusion. “What’s this for?”

“Teach me how to draw.”

Marinette bit her lip, looking longingly at the colored pencils. Then, she pushed them back towards Damian.

“I want you to give me weapons training. As often as I teach you drawing.”

I may be naturally talented at combat, but the other girls have been training their entire lives. I need to catch up.

Damian eyed her suspiciously. “That’s against the rules.”

“So? Are you scared?”

“Never.”

“Then it’s a deal?”

“It’s a deal.”

.

Damian lunged, making a displeased noise when his quarry danced out of his reach.

“You’re slow today, Dami,” Marinette teased. “Losing your touch?”

Marinette was no longer the scared little girl she’d been at five, or even at seven. She’d thrown herself into her training with single-minded determination and two years of training with Talia by day and Damian by night had made her a formidable – and snarky – combatant.

“Never,” Damian replied. His next attack nearly threw her off-balance.

With a grunt, Marinette recovered her footing and countered with a flurry of blows that would have left a lesser opponent dizzy.

Damian smirked, parrying each attack easily. “Completely mediocre. Should I tell my mother that her protégé is slipping?”

Although he’d never admit it, Damian was proud of her. She’d gone from being the worst of the League’s trainees to the only one able to keep up with him in a fight.

“Me? Slipping? Not a chance.” Marinette flipped backwards, knocking his weapon away. “Hey, Damian?”

“Yes, Marinette?” He scooped up his katana, readying himself for her next move.

“The floor is lava.”

With a startled intake of air, he leaped onto the nearest table.

“Really?” he asked, half annoyed, half amused.

Marinette giggled, peering down at him from her spot in the ceiling rafters. “I thought we could use an extra challenge.”

Damian glanced up at her. “You just like having the high ground.”

“Technically speaking, it’s the high rafter,” she pointed out.

“Either way, it won’t prevent me from defeating you,” Damian said, pulling himself into the rafters.

At that moment, the door opened and they both immediately went still.

“Damian? Are you here?”

Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. “Skipping again?” she mouthed.

Damian shrugged in response.

Rolling her eyes, Marinette gestured to the vents behind him. “I’ll meet you in the lower training rooms to finish our bout.”

“Marinette!” The teacher startled as she caught a glimpse of the pigtailed girl. “What are you doing up there?”

Effortlessly, the girl swung down from the ceiling, drawing the teacher’s attention away from Damian’s hiding place.

“Just improving my arm strength, Mistress Eva.” As she distracted his teacher with false information about his whereabouts, Damian climbed into the vents.

Marinette makes a surprisingly tolerable ally.

.

It didn’t seem to matter how many people Marinette killed; it never got easier. Surrounded by the bodies of Deathstroke’s traitors, she retched.

She was alone. Somehow, in the midst of the fight, she’d gotten separated from the rest of the League’s loyalists.

I need to get moving. I’m an easy target right now.

With a shuddering breath, she climbed to her feet and made her way out of the compound and into the shadows. It was there, staring at the ruins of the League’s strongest base, that the realization hit her.

“I’m free,” Marinette whispered, tears trickling down her face.

The Head of the Demon was dead, his followers scattered.

“I can finally go home.”

She ignored the voice in her mind that said her home was here, with the League, with Damian. She ignored the tightness in her chest at the thought of never seeing Damian again. She ignored the fear that he might already be dead.

The League kidnapped me. Talia abused me. Even if I managed to be happy here, I owe the Al Ghuls nothing. A vow of loyalty made under duress is no vow at all.

Her hands curled into fists.

And if they come for me again, I’ll be ready.

.

Damian scowled as their plane descended into Gotham.

“This is imbecilic. I should be assisting you in decimating our enemies, not hiding like a frightened child.”

“Damian,” his mother’s voice was cold. “This is not up for negotiation. You will stay here and train with your father.”

“Yes, Mother,” he replied bitterly. A moment passed, then he tilted his head in thought. “But what of my betrothed? If she is to be my equal, should she not train with me?”

Talia studied him carefully. “You use the singular of betrothed,” she noted. “Despite the fact that three remain alive. I don’t suppose you’d care to tell me which one you consider your wife-to-be?”

“Tt. Your protégé, the Cheng girl, is the only one that even approaches competent. You know this.”

“I also know that you trained her separately – against my orders,” Talia said.

Damian nearly flinched. “And yet you didn’t stop me.”

“I wonder if that was a mistake,” his mother said. “You feel more for her than you should.”

“She is an effective ally. That is all.”

“Then you won’t mind being separated from her for a while.”

“Not at all, Mother,” Damian lied.

.

“Marinette? Is that you?” Her mother looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

Marinette smiled. “Hello, Mama.”

Sabine reached out a shaking hand to cup her face. “How are you here? We saw you die.”

“Sabine, do you know where – ” Tom dropped the pan of croissants. “Marinette?”

He jumped over the counter and raced to her. Marinette took a step back before her mind caught up with her body.

This is Papa, you idiot. He’s not a threat.

She threw herself into his arms, shoving away her fears.

Twisting to face her mother, she said, “I don’t know how my death was faked, but I never died. The League kidnapped me.”

Tom’s arms tightened around her.

“The League?” Sabine’s face went pale. “What did they want with you?”

“The usual,” Marinette said with a shrug. “Revenge on you for leaving and a capable assassin and potential wife for Damian if I turned out to be any good.”

“Who’s Damian?” Tom asked with a frown.

Marinette grinned. “Oh, Damian’s great! He’s the Heir to the League, but he’s actually pretty okay for an assassin. He helped me get good enough to survive. You know, after I blackmailed and bribed him.”

“What?”

.

Meeting his father did not go the way Damian had imagined.

Talia always spoke of Bruce Wayne’s great intellect, his strength in combat, his determination in all things. She never mentioned his brainless playboy act, his absurd prohibition of killing, or his habit of taking in strays. Damian wasn’t sure which one was most offensive, but he was incredibly disappointed in his father regardless.

He had to reassess after he saw Batman at work. When not purposely acting like a buffoon, Bruce Wayne was everything his mother had described and more, entirely deserving of Damian’s respect.

He set out to prove himself in his father’s eyes. It didn’t go well. Whatever he did, it was the wrong thing. In any fight with the imposter sons, Damian was punished – even if he won. Assisting his father with Wayne Enterprises was met with an eye-roll and a request to stay away from Bruce’s office.

It should have made Damian angry but instead it hurt and Damian did not understand why.

And then his father was gone. Richard Grayson became Batman.

Damian became Robin. Finally.

And yet the triumph felt hollow.

Not to mention, it came with strings attached: ‘Murder is bad.’ ‘Justice, not vengeance.’ ‘Robin doesn’t kill.’ ‘Protect rather than avenge.’

Grayson’s teachings were imbecilic. And yet he had to follow them. His mother had yet to finish with the traitors.

He wondered where Marinette was, if she was undergoing similar training, if she fought the way he did to reign in the bloodlust. Considering how she had to hide her dislike of killing, how she helped heal her competitors, he thought probably not.

Slowly, things got easier. Grayson became tolerable. Damian learned to suppress the instinct, the muscle memory that said ‘kill or be killed.’ He found an adoration for animals and learned to deal with his classmates. He finally began to understand why Grayson and his father valued life so highly. His father came back and he chose to deny the League. Wayne Manor became home.

On days when he struggled, he retreated to his room and the comfort of his sketchbook. And if a certain blue-eyed girl made an appearance every few pages, well, who would know but him?

.

Returning home did not go the way Marinette had imagined.

She knew it wouldn’t be sunshine and roses, of course. But she hadn’t expected the magnitude of the changes in her home, or in herself.

School was laughably easy. Marinette had the equivalent of several college degrees. Finding x and learning how to spell ‘earthquake’ was a waste of her time. Instead, she spent class drawing and coming up with increasingly complex plans for fighting off the League should they try to kidnap her again.

She kept herself closed off from her classmates – she didn’t know how she’d ever called them friends. They were neutral parties at best – not one ever stood up for her against Chloe. Her parents encouraged them to give her classmates a chance, but the League had trained her well. Misplaced trust could kill. And Marinette had fought long enough for survival to know that dropping your guard was a death knell.

She hated hurting her parents though.

Though they tried to hide it, she saw the pain cross their faces when she flinched away from hugs. When she moved like an assassin rather than a child. When she gave away her stuffed animals. When she skipped family game night and spent her time training.

She hated hurting her parents. So she changed.

Marinette locked away her lethal grace, faking clumsiness and turning it into an art form. She hid her weapons, training only when her parents were asleep. She returned to family game nights; she initiated hugs. At school, she became bubbly and friendly again, though she trusted no one.

More than anything, she tried to atone. She sought out those in need and tried to help – whether by providing food, babysitting, or making them warm clothing. She discovered an interest in fashion design, but mostly stuck to making the essentials for those in need. She met a tiny floating bug named Tikki and became a superhero.

On days when she struggled, she retreated to her room and the comfort of her sketchbook. And if green eyes and a cocky smirk featured prominently in the book, well, who would know but her?

.

Damian frowned as he followed his brother into Wayne Enterprises.

"I don't understand why it's so important for me to be here."

"C'mon, Baby Bird!" Dick said. "You said you wanted to be more involved in the company!"

"I meant the business side of things," Damian said. "I have no interest in showing around a gaggle of unruly teenagers."

"You're a teenager too," Dick pointed out. "It'll be fun!"

Damian sniffed. "I'm an adult. And fun, really? Surely you don't truly believe that?"

Dick sighed. "Just give it a chance, okay? They seem like really great kids."

They walked into the lobby and Damian stopped short, eyes catching on long black hair and brilliant blue eyes.

"Marinette?"

.

In truth, Marinette wasn't all that excited about the Wayne Enterprises tour. The architecture was interesting, sure, but her class had a habit of making themselves a target and Bruce Wayne's patronage was not helping.

She gave it three days, at most, before they got in trouble with Gotham's Rouges.

Which meant she was on 'keep the class from dying' duty. Joy.

She kept her eyes and ears peeled, which meant that she heard the faint whisper of her name from an unfamiliar voice.

"Marinette?"

Forest-green eyes filled with far too much emotion had her breath catching in her throat.

"Damian?"

With obvious effort, the League's Heir pulled himself together. "Fancy meeting you here, Dupain-Cheng."

His voice. Oh, kwami, it should be illegal to look AND sound that good. Nope. Nope. Not doing this. He's an assassin, get your act together, Marinette.

"Al-Ghul." She was proud that her voice betrayed nothing. "I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you here. This doesn't seem like your scene."

She reached out for a handshake and was taken off guard when Damian kissed her hand instead. She blushed.

"It's Wayne now," Damian said. "I'm... no longer associated with the Al-Ghuls. Or their business."

He's not an assassin anymore? Yes! I knew you were a good person deep, deep down, Dami!

"Really? I broke ties with them several years ago myself."

See that, Damian? We're both good people. Good people that would be great toget - no! Bad Marinette!

Damian grinned. "In that case, I look forward to reconnecting. Perhaps after the tour?"

Oh, kwami, I'm doomed.

"I'd like that."

.

"What was that?" Dick asked in a low voice. "I've never seen you open up to someone so quickly."

With difficulty, Damian tore his gaze from Marinette.

Stars, she grew up gorgeous.

Damian smirked. "Don't be ridiculous, Grayson. I met Marinette over a decade ago."

I wonder, does she still consider our betrothal valid?

"Wait, so she's an assassin?" Grayson blanched. "Who is she here to kill? Who do I have to protect? Ugh! Why can't you ever have normal friends?"

"Relax," Damian chided. "She's an ex-assassin. Like me."

"That does not make me feel better. Who is she to you?"

Damian hummed in thought, running through years of teasing, fighting, and spending time together. "She was my first friend."

And maybe now something more.

[queen-bunnyears]

Chapter Four ~ Boxing Day

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield x Reader, Tom Holland x Reader (not at the same time)

Summary: Every year with Christmas Tom, his brothers, some friends and you rented a house in Scotland to celebrate the holidays and New Years Eve with a lot of friends. Last year’s christmas you and Harrison had something special going on, and this year he brings his new girlfriend. Chaos ensues.

Am I ignoring corona christmas lockdown in this fic? You bet your ass I am.

This is way too fluffy, but I am a big softy today. 

Wordcount: 2,1k

Warnings: alcohol, accidental slicing in a finger, cursing, kissing.

Chapter three - Epilogue 

26 December 2020

“Morning dreamy, wanna have some tea?” The scent of strong tea hit your senses, and you slowly got up. Tom stood next to the bed, in his sweatpants and tank top, a cup of tea in his hands. His hair was wet, he obviously just had a shower. He looked good. God your brain should turn itself off.

“Yeah thanks Tom,” you took the tea from his hands, sitting up against the headboard you slowly sipped your tea. Tom sat down next to you, being unusually quiet. You set down your tea to ask him what was the matter, but his hands attacking your sides made it obvious. A scream escaped your lips as you tried to get away from his tickling hands. You were out of breath and laughing hysterically by the time you finally escaped. The plush carpet felt soft, somewhere in the struggle you had fallen off the bed. Tom’s head stuck over the edge of the bed, as he had managed to stay there when you fell down. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah, fine. I’m gonna get you back though,” you launched yourself back onto the bed, trying to tickle him, but he was way too strong for you, and moments later you were squirming again under his teasing tickling fingers. You were both laughing as you almost fell off the bed again. When you started to near the edge you decided to take him down with you, both of you tumbling off the bed into a heap on the ground. 

“What the fack is happening here?” you and Tom looked up to see Sam and Harrison standing in the doorway. 

“It sounded like someone was dying, of having the weirdest sex ever,” Sam said.

“So you thought let’s check?” Tom laughed. When the heaving of your chest had slowed down a bit you felt like you finally got some oxygen again. You got up and sat down on the bed again. 

“Don’t worry guys, I still have my clothes on,” 

“Well,” Tom said, eyeing you up and down, “Can you really call that fully clothed?” You looked down at your sleep shorts and big shirt and shrugged. 

“I am wearing a bra Tom, that is so much more than you could have asked for,”

“Yeah only cus you didn’t want to take it off last night, because you were drunk,” he shot back and you laughed. Sam cleared his throat. 

“Well we leave you to it then. Breakfast in thirty minutes, you coming to help y/n?” 

“Yeah I’ll be down in five,” you replied, scurrying off the bed to go to the bathroom. You grabbed your clothes, but you didn’t miss Harrisons pained look when he closed the bedroom door.

“So, you and Tom having fun?” Sam said. You looked over at him. His face was awfully neutral. 

“What exactly are you asking Sam?” 

“Well, all I know is that you and Tom seem very close, much closer than last year,” He said, cracking an egg into the pan. You ripped the plastic off the big slab of bacon. 

“Well yeah, we have gotten a lot closer this year. I spent some time in Orlando for work when he was filming there so we saw each other a lot. And he came to visit me in New York, remember,” you said, carefully cutting strips of bacon, “Plus the summer holidays, but you were there right?” 

“Yes I was,” he said, “And Harrison? Have you seen him this year?”

“No, not really. I called him several times but we never really spoke,” you said. You resumed working in silence, and you started to wonder. Did something change with you and Tom? You had always been  close with him. The clowns of the group. But last year something had changed. After you let go of Haz you and Tom seemed to get closer every time you saw each other. You were so deep in your thoughts you didn’t notice you had cut into your hand until Sam took the knife out of your hand. 

“Y/n, you okay?” only when he asked you, you felt the stinging pain in your hand. A big part of your hand was red, and it was a miracle the bacon seemed to be fully clean. 

“Yeah I’m okay. Let me just,-” you put your hand underneath the tap, turning it on to let some cold water run over your hand. 

“I’ll call Harrison,” Sam said. Harrison was the one with a first aid certificate. Moments later he and Lily came into the kitchen. Lily quickly ran up to you, examining your hand. 

“I am a nurse, is it okay if I look at it?” she asked. 

“Yeah sure, it’s probably nothing big though,” you said. 

“It isn’t,” Lily said, taking the first aid kid from Harrisons hands, “But you were cutting raw meat, and it shouldn’t get infected.”

She put disinfectant on the cut and opened the plaster box. 

“Wait, do you guys really have dinosaur bandages in your box?” she asked. You snorted. 

“Yes, it’s my kit, and I noticed everyone gets happy when they get a dino bandage. So I got them, and trust me, it works like a treat,” Lily laughed with you, and wrapped your hand in some bandage. 

“Here you go, and be careful dear. You don’t want to cut your hand off,”she said, turning around and grabbing Haz his hand, “Come on Hazzi, let’s go upstairs, I wanna shower before breakfast.” 

Harrison stared at you, and then followed Lily. You cooked the bacon, put all the fresh bread rolls on trays. Tuwaine got into the kitchen and helped you and Sam set up the table. 

“Hey warrior, what did you do?” Tom was hardly understandable, his mouth stuffed with bread and nutella. He pointed at your bandage, and you felt your cheeks burn.  

“Cut myself while cooking,”

“She was completely zoned off,” Sam said next to you. You rolled your eyes.

“It was not that bad, I am fine,” you rolled your eyes to Tom, who looked way more worried than he should. “Really Tom, I am,”

Boxing day was tv day. Every year a series or movie was chosen to watch, lots of spiked hot chocolate and snacks were prepared. Basically movies and day drinking. Harry had brought the collection of Sissi movies. Three long old movies, perfect for the occasion. All the couples shared couches, and soon you and Tom were left alone. You made do with a lot of pillows and a blanket on the ground. In between the first and second movie you had to go to the bathroom, so you got up. In the hallway you bumped into Harrison.   

“Haz,” you said, putting your hand on his arm. He looked up. “Can we talk?” you asked, gesturing to the empty kitchen. 

“Eh yeah sure?” 

“Are you okay Haz?” you asked, when you were in the kitchen, shutting the door behind you. When he didn’t answer you continued, “I feel like something is weird, if you get what I mean. Did I do something wrong?” At your last question he finally met your eyes. 

“No Y/n, no. I am the one who is acting weird. I don’t know,” he said, “Actually, I do know I think.”

“Then please tell me. I worry about you,”

“It’s just. I feel weird about you. Weirdly possessive. I shouldn’t but you know,” he let out a small breath, “You are a bit of a weak spot for me. I love Lily but I care about you and,”

He stopped talking and put a hand on your shoulder. 

“I am being stupid. I just want you to be happy. I made a choice and I am very happy with Lil but. I miss you,”

“Haz I,” you didn’t know what to say.

“I miss us being friends so I am angry at everyone here who is your friend,” he raked his hand through his hair, “I suppose that’s it,”

“We can be friends Haz, please,” you said, cautiously wrapping your arms around him in a hug. “Just contact me somewhere during this year. I would really appreciate that,”

He laughed in your hair. “Will do, I promise.”

“Now I would love to hug you a bit longer, but I really need to pee,” you said, breaking free from his arms. 

“Always the charmer aren’t you,” he replied, a big smile on his face, “Wanna have some extra spiked hot chocolate?” You nodded and walked to the hallway again. 

“Y/n?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Thank you for asking,” his face is flushed red, and you smile softly. 

“No problem Haz. I missed you,”

The last two movies flashed by you. You wouldn’t be able to tell anyone what you had seen, it was all a blur. What wasn’t a blur was your mind. You were lost in your thoughts. Tom gently nudged your shoulder. 

“Hi, is everything alright?”

“Yeah just super tired. Like I-really-gotta-sleep tired,” you murmured, smiling sleepily to him. The booze, cooking and all your feelings had drained every last bit of energy from your body. Tom said nothing, but he scooped your body up and carried you upstairs. He put you on the bed, laying your pyjamas next to you.

“Go, sleep. Harry cooks tonight, he said something about pizza. You have done enough,” he softly stroked your hair. With a soft kiss on your head he left the room.

You woke up in a mess of blankets, pillows and your pyjamas that Tom put on the bed but you had drifted off before you could put them on. The door opened and you looked up. 

“Did you sleep well?”

“Like a damn baby. God I was so tired, how did you guys deal with me?”

“We love you,” he said laughing, easily catching the pillow you sent flying his way. “Did you talk to Haz? He seemed a lot more at ease,”

“Yeah we talked, he told me he missed being friends. Everything is fine now,” you told him. He stood in the door, and you sat up in bed. 

“Well, now we are here,” he said, “I have a Christmas present for you.”

“What? We never do Christmas presents?” you said, your mind was still a bit foggy from your sleep. 

“Yeah I saw something that I wanted to get you so I figured, let’s call it a Christmas present,” he rummaged through his suitcase, finally sitting down on the edge of the bed with a small wrapped box. He gave it to you. You softly shook the box. 

“It isn’t gonna explode right?” He shook his head. You tore the gift paper from the box. A small jewelry box laid in your hands. You opened the lid, and nearly dropped it. 

“Tom, this is beautiful,” you exclaimed. He let out a breath, the nervous look on his face disappearing. Inside the box was a pretty ring, one you had been fawning over at Covent Garden months ago. You had decided not to splurge back then, and had regretted it not even moments later. “From that day in Covent Garden right?”

“I bought it when you left. You were so sad that you left it so,-” you threw your arms around him. 

“Thank you so much,” 

You got out of the hug and took the ring from the box. It fit your pink perfectly. You looked up at Tom, to find him staring at you. 

“Tom,-” he pressed his lips on yours in a searing kiss. His hands flew to your face, and you were shook. Tom was kissing you? You kissed him back, but as abruptly as he started, he broke the kiss. 

“I am sorry,” he murmured, getting up and stumbling away, heading towards your door. 

“Get back here and kiss me again you asshole,” you said, getting out of the bed as well and taking large steps towards him. He met you halfway, your lips collided. If you thought the first kiss had been good, boy you were corrected now. Tom's lips seemed to melt together with yours, his hands seeming to find a weak spot in your neck immediately. When his tongue brushed yours you were sure you died and went to heaven. The world could come crashing down around you, and you wouldn’t have cared. 

You knotted your hands in his shirt. His touch felt like fire, igniting a warm feeling in your chest. He gently pushed you back until you hit the bed. You let yourself fall onto it, taking him down with you. The same bed you had been play fighting in this morning. But now Tom was kissing you and you never wanted it to end.

Epilogue 

[metaphysical-human-being]

Switcheroo 6

5

6

7

A/N: Why hello! How are you? Anyway, I’m back with more switcheroo! This one is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but I hope you like it!

Warnings: swearing, yelling, small food mention, telling someone they're unwanted, ig unsymp Roman and Remus(I don’t know, they're just being mean to each other). I think that’s all, tell me if there are more!

Summary: Dinner is ready!

No one else is. 

-

You can’t really blame Logan for not knowing how bad of an idea this was.

Roman refused to utter the name of the twin he had and neither Eliana nor George could remember the name of the kid they had rejected. They felt no need and now they couldn’t remember the name for the life of them so Logan never knew his name. 

So when De had told him that he had a child named Remus who went to the same school that Logan taught, he thought nothing of it. He couldn't remember a student named Remus so he just assumed he didn't have him. 

He wasn't wrong...kinda. He did have Remus but that was a class Roman and him were supposed to share so he was switched. Logan didn't really know that though. He knew he was supposed to have a new kid but he never showed then he just wasn't there. 

If Logan had known...had taken one good look at Remus before tonight...well, we can't live on the what ifs now can we?

It was a Friday evening. The sun was setting, turning the sky a mixture of red and blues and pinks as it went down. The suburban orange street lights began to flicker on, alerting the neighborhood children to go inside and wash up for dinner. They could play all they wanted tomorrow but they do have things to do. The birds began to chirp they're final tunes as they flew to their nests and the night critters got ready to rumble. It was a truly calm and homely scene, the neighborhood.

Well, if you don't count the numerous items being thrown at people. Or the screaming. Or the rushing around and intense last minute cleaning. 

“Roman!¿Has puesto la mesa?” Eliana called to Roman from her position in the kitchen. 

“¡Si mamá! ¡También limpié el baño! ” Roman answered from the dining room, ducking at the random cooking item that Logan had managed to dodge. Eliana thanked him before going back to screaming at Logan about stirring the meringue wrong. 

“It’s crazy,” his father had said, coming up from behind Roman. It was obvious he had just finished getting ready and was as excited about the dinner as Roman thought he’d be. His dad was an introvert, hated things like fancy dinner or parties. “Your mother wants to impress him more than Logan does.” he chuckled and Roman did too. 

Truth be told, Roman was really excited to meet Logans’ new boyfriend. Ever since Roman had first been adopted he’d never seen Logan with someone. A few dates here and there but never anything serious. The first day Logan had met his new partner he had spent that entire dinner time going on about how amazing he looked and how he “couldn’t believe someone that hot could be so adorable why in the hell does my heart feel like this Eli I think I may be having a heart attack.”

He wasn’t but it was still amazing to see Logan so happy.

“You know mother dearest,” Roman smiled. "Always wants to make a good first impression." 

"You're right. That's why I fell in love with her," his father smiled, a far away look in his eye. Roman tapped him on the arm to bring him back from the memory of his first meeting with his mother. One he talked about often. 

After another 25 minutes and a lot more screaming there was a ring at the door. It ceased the chaos for all of five seconds before more started up. This time they were rushing to clean up the kitchen and making sure they looked perfect for the first meeting. 

At his mother's instructions, Roman went to go make sure the table was straight. He didn't meet them at the door, only heard their voices. One sounded deep and suave. Elegant is definitely a word that would be used to describe that person. 

The other voice...was familiar. A voice he knew he'd heard before. A voice that stirred something in Roman but he ignored it. Although he didn't ignore the name the elegant voice had used to address the familiar one. Roman stiffened. 

"And in the dining room, our son Roman is making sure everything is perfect. He just loves helping," he heard his mother brag as they made their way to the dining entrance. A loving and cheerful voice that was a stark contrast to the booming one before. 

They stood at the entrance. All looking at the sheer terror on Romans face. All the adults were confused. The teen however was not. 

"Remus."

"Roman."

"You two know each other?" Logan asked, looking between the two. Something seemed to click just a second later when his eyes noticeably widened. 

"Of course," Roman drawled, a strained smile on his face. "How could I not recognize my own twin?" 

-

"So, Desmond-"

"Call me De." 

"De, of course," his mother smiled at the man. The one she used for all guests but a bit...softer. "What do you do? Logan told me that you two met at that new café?" 

De set down his fork and wiped at his mouth. 

"I actually own that café and a few others around the country."

"Oh," George piped up, intrigued by the new information. "Was there a reason you picked North Carolina?" He asked. De nodded.

"I was looking to move-"

"Cus Remus got his ass kicked out of school."

"And I found an empty building in the area. It seemed nice, good weather, so I found a house and started construction."

"That place has been under construction for a few months. I remember driving by it. Wanted to check it out." Eliana said, shooting a glare at her son. She wasn't the only one. Logan had learned how to perfect the "angry mom glare™" and was shooting him one too.

Remus stiffened but kept quiet. Something he knew De would be proud of. 

"So, Remus, what is your favorite subject in school?" Logan asked him. It was the first time Logan had met Remus as well so he decided to try and talk to him. If all went well he'd be seeing a lot more of him. 

Remus finished chewing his food before looking at Logan. He held his gaze but made sure Roman was listening. 

"I don't really know." He answered, truthfully. "Although I've never really been fond of theater. Too...girly." he said, shifting his gaze to look at Roman. De shot him a glare and kicked him lightly under the table. Remus flinched slightly at the assault but didn't say anymore. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Roman broke it.

"So, mother, I heard about this new thing. A study was done. Basically, the younger twins are a lot more likely to be immature and just altogether more hideous than the older." Roman had said. It was a lie and he knew everyone knew that too but it didn't stop Remus from scowling. 

"Actually, dad," he had hissed, looking to De. "I saw this thing that said that twins that were born first are highly more likely to have a shitty personality-”

“Oh I’m the one with a shitty personality?” Roman snapped, slamming his fist down on the table. All other people at the table seemed to blend into the background as Roman and Remus stared each other down.  

“I have to say,” Remus sat up straight, hands in his lap. “I’m proud that you seem to know all these new words. All that summer school you had to go to seemed to help. Even idiots can learn new things!”

“God you’re insufferable!” Roman hissed, shooting daggers at Remus. Remus shot back with a glare of his own. 

“Ha! Jokes on you, I don't know what that word means!” Remus shot back, crazed smirk making its way to its familiar place on Remus’ face. 

“It means you’re a pain in the neck!” 

“Insulting me like this, Ro? I am a guest in your home and this is how you treat me? For a failed Disney prince I woulda thought you had better manners than that.”

“You’re not a guest,” Roman snarled, rising from his seat. “You’re an unwanted parasite!”

“Ha! As if I hadn’t heard that one before!” Remus scoffed, rising from his seat as well.

“Which part? Parasite or unwanted? Let me take a wild guess!”

Something in Remus seemed to switch. His eyes lowered along with his voice and he growled, actually growled, at Roman. Roman was on real thin ice. One wrong step and he’ll have crossed a line no human besides Roman would even dare think to cross. 

“You’re on thin ice you spoiled little brat!” Remus said, something feral shining in his eyes. Roman smirked. 

“What? Can’t handle the truth?” Roman laughed. This made Remus growl again. 

“You wouldn’t know the truth if it hit you in your flat ass.”

“My ass is not flat you twat!”

“Boys, enough.” George said, placing his cutlery down on the table. Neither boys listened or made any move that showed that they heard him. 

“Lemme tell you a bit of truth, Roman.” Remus growled, inching his face closer to Romans. “Right now...you’re making me rethink whether or not I regret getting rid of you four years ago.” 

Roman seemed to mentally recoil as the rest of the table drew in a unanimous breath. The mental slap in the face hitting in all the wrong places for Roman. It made him want to run to his room and cry. Or hurt Remus. He chose the latter. 

“Well, brother of mine,” he sneered, inching close just like Remus had. “You being here right now...I can see why no one wanted you.” he muttered, so low everyone had to strain their ears to hear. Remus stood up straight at that. Roman followed suit. 

“That’s not-”

“That's not true? Hm? Is that what you were gonna say? ‘Cus I know that would be one huge ass lie!” Roman yelled, voice upbeat but so utterly condescending. “You know all those families? All those families that didn’t want us? Well, News flash! They didn't want you!” Roman screamed, pointing a rigid finger in Remus’ direction. 

Remus stood, body stoic. Lips pursed and waiting. Waiting for the final blow that he knew was gonna come. 

“I bet your Dad didn’t even want you.” Roman laughed. “I bet you were nothing more than a pitiful sight and he just couldn’t stand to leave you in the orphanage. Could he?” 

Remus looked around at the others at the table. The adults who had been silent as they watched the countdown to the explosion on the fragile bomb that was Roman and Remus’ relationship. Tears welled in his eyes and deep down, deep deep down, Roman felt satisfaction. 

Deeper down though, in a place Roman had tried all too hard to bury, he felt like a monster. 

He felt horrible because he had vowed to never hurt Remus the day, the minute, the moment he learned that Remus was his family. 

He still remembers it. He had been four and had watched Lilo and stitch for the first time. Ever the curious toddler, he had asked a caregiver what family was. What it meant and did he have one. He knew he had a brother, but didn’t know about a family. 

“You do have a family,” she had said, pointing at Remus who was attempting to eat a Lego person. “He’s your family.” she had explained in the simplest way. 

“What does that mean?” he had asked her and she knew what he meant. What he was really asking. 

What did it mean to be a family?

“Well,” she had said, crouching down off the couch and onto the floor, right in front of Roman. 

“Family are the people you care about no matter what. You love and protect them and they love and protect you. They may get on your nerves sometimes but...you'll always be there for them. You’ll never forget them. You’ll never not love them.” she said, going slow and Roman hung onto every word. 

He looked at Remus, chewing on the tiny Lego person, and suddenly ohana had a whole new meaning. 

Ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind, forgotten or hurt. 

Ohana means family and family meant Remus. 

Ohana had become their new ‘I love you’. It was something perfect for their little two person family and every time one of them got hurt or they got in a fight they’d tell each other ohana and watch the movie that soon became their favorite. 

After that day though, Roman tried to leave Remus in his past. Tried to forget him and move on and now he had hurt him. 

Younger him would be so disappointed in him right now.

 Remus looked at everyone frozen at the table, eyes shiny. He looked to De with a pleading look. He was begging him with his eyes to tell him that wasn’t true but De was frozen. No one knew exactly how to react and Des’ mind was moving far too slow to recognize the look Remus was sending him. 

He gave one final, heartbreaking look to Roman. Roman knew what was gonna happen. He did it whenever he felt like crying but didn’t want anyone to see him. 

Remus turned around and ran. Right out of the dining room and right out the door.

Within seconds Roman crumbled to the ground in a ball of tears and all hell broke loose.

-

Those who want to be tagged:

@datfearlessfangirl

@queer-human-being

@annoyingindeed

@deceitslimysanders

@mynamehasbeenstolen

@healthyboybrand

@lasilhouetteinbianco

@thetrombonewhisperer

@gayturtlez

[sonofadeanwinchester]

Someday Darling (Part Twenty)

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen | Fifteen | Sixteen | Seventeen | Eighteen | Nineteen

Summary: Leaving LA to go to New York to spend time with your brother might just be the worst/best decision of your life.

Words: 1,731

Student!Sebastian x Reader ; Actor!Chris Evans x Reader

Warnings: SWEARING ; FLUFF

A/N:  If you wanna be tagged, don’t be shy and let me know! ;)

Tags: @221bshrlocked @marvelouslyme96@shellymaesworld@titty-teetee @pawallday @chameerah@buckylicious@nerdywitch@teresaoliva20 @guera31 @i-should-probably-be-asleep-rn @lancetucker @ssweet-empowerment@ijustreallylovezebras @amandarosemire@zainab2@sarahp879 @jhangelface05237 @care-bear-girl@parkerrpeterr@bxxbxy @winter--cearig

We walked into the hospital room, to find a small lady wrapped in a white bed sheet. She smiled brightly at Sebastian as he went to her, kissing her on the forehead. She looked at me and shifted her eyes between Seb and myself. I reached my hand forth, "Hi, I'm (y/n), Sebastian's friend." 

She smiled again and shook my hand, weakly. "Sebastian never mentioned he had such a beautiful friend. My name is Georgeta, it's wonderful to meet you." Then she looked at Sebastian and rambled off something in Romanian. "Prietenul tău este cu adevărat frumos, Sebastian. Ea este prietena ta?"

His face turned a deep red, "She says that you are truly beautiful and wants to know if you are my girlfriend." He smiled and nodded, rambling back in Romanian. "Eu chiar sper. Sunt nebun după ea." I looked at him and he chuckled. He put a finger to his lips and shushed me.

He mother looked at me and shook her head. "Nonsense Sebastian, no need to hide your feelings. My dear, he says that he is crazy about you."

I chuckled and looked away awkwardly, "Well, that makes two of us. Not about me of course, I'm kinda crazy about him."

He kissed my cheek, "Mom, how are you feeling?"

Mary shook her head and gestured to the seats beside her bed. "I am doing much better, Anthony just stepped out to grab some coffee."

"Anthony?" I asked curious.

"My step-father, but he's been with us since I was a child. Cum te simți cu adevărat?" He looked at his mother, concern deep in his eyes.

"Sebastian, don't be so rude. Speak English to your lovely girlfriend." She winked at me and I chuckled. "He asked me how I'm really feeling and son, I am doing better, I promise." She directed her next question to me, "Honey, what are you doing in New York?"

I sucked in a breath, "I am visiting my brother, who happens to be Sebastian's roommate."

"Oh, well isn't that convenient." She chuckled. "Where are you from?"

I nodded, "Canada."

"How long you here for?"

I looked at Seb who was staring at his hands now. "Uh, I'm suppose to be here for 6 months but it may be longer. I'm not sure yet."

Sebastian's eyes looked up at mine and I swear, it was like looking at the ocean; an ocean I could get lost in. "Mom, we're gonna go grab some lunch, we'll be back in a bit okay?" He kissed his mother's cheek and grabbed my hand.

"My dear, (y/n), it was a pleasure meeting you. Sebastian, nu rupe inima."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, hopefully we can meet again soon. And I'll pick up a Romanian language book ... for dummies of course." She laughed and blew Seb a kiss goodbye.

I shut the door behind me and hugged him, "Your mother is a darling! No wonder you're such a sweetheart! And I want you to teach me Romanian. What other languages do you speak?"

He shrugged, "English."

I punched him lightly, "no shit Sherlock. Like, other than English?"

He laughed, "Uh, I can speak a bit of German." He seesawed his hand back and forth between us.

I felt my jaw drop, "Seriously?" I stopped dead in my tracks. "Say something, right now, please?"

He sighed, "Okay. Du bist wunderschön."

I cocked my head to the side, "meaning what?"

He kissed my forehead, "you're beautiful."

I felt my face flush red and leaned my head against his shoulder. We continued down the hall, making our way to the cafeteria where we stood in line for a coffee and a sandwich. Seb touched my shoulder and pointed to a man near a coffee machine. "Hey, sweetheart, that's Anthony, my step-dad." Anthony saw us standing there and made his way over to us. He hugged Sebastian tightly.

"My dear boy, so nice to see you. Have you been in to see your mother yet?"

Sebastian nodded and smiled. "Yeah, she looks good, all things considered. Anthony, this is (y/n), my girlfriend."

He smiled warmly and embraced me. "(y/n), such beautiful name, for such a beautiful girl. Seb is a lucky man!"

I smiled but felt awkward under his embrace. "Thank you sir, it's wonderful to meet you."

Anthony eyed me up and looked to Seb, "Să înțeleg că te-ai mutat pe la Sara."

I lifted my eyebrows lightly, "Sara?"

He shook his head, "yes, Anthony, of course. I'm with (y/n) now."

He kissed his cheek goodbye and found us a table near the edge. "Who's Sara?"

He took a bit of his sandwich, taking his time chewing. He swallowed, "Uh, she's this girl I was dating."

I pursed my lips, "I figured as much. Was it serious?"

He nodded slowly, "Uh, yeah, I guess so. We were .. engaged, actually."

I choked on my coffee, "What the hell? Engaged?"

He nodded, "uh, yeah."

I furrowed my brows, "What happened?"

He shook his head, "Uh, honestly, okay. Uh, Sara got into a car accident a year ago, died on impact."

I felt a tear leave my eye, "Oh my God, Seb, I'm so sorry!" I reached for his hand, lacing our fingers together.

"It's okay. It's been a long time since I've talked about her and you're the first girl I've been with since her, so." He drank his coffee in silence and rubbed my hand with his thumb.

"Seb, I am so sorry about Sara, I shouldn't have asked about her."

He sighed deeply, "(y/n), listen. It happened a long time ago and I've healed from it. I'm ready to move on and I'm ready to move on with you."

I brought his hand to my lips, kissing it lightly. "I'm glad."

We finished eating in peace and then gathered our trash, throwing it out. He laced his fingers with mine again and we walked back to his mother's room. We walked in just as Anthony was laughing loudly, pointing at something on the old television. "Hey guys. Georgeta, have you met (y/n) yet?"

She nodded, "yes honey, lovely girl."

Seb went to her again and kissed the crown of her head. He sat down and plopped me down on his lap. We started watching AFV together, laughing as a whole. I kept looking down at Seb, wondering how bad it had hurt after Sara had passed. What did she look like? Who was she like? He caught me looking at him and tsked his tongue, he whispered, "babe, I'm fine."  I smiled lightly, nodding.

An hour after meeting his parents, we were in the back of a cab, making our way back to the apartment. I had text Chris earlier to see where they were, he said that they were back at his hotel room, watching old movies. I sent a smiley face and told Seb. He smiled and kissed my lips. "Two hours until Penn gets home."

I nodded and giggled. "I don't know, Seb."

He shook his head, "I'm not going to pressure you. We will when you're ready." I kissed his shoulder and leaned into him, enjoying the rest of the drive home.

We were walking into the apartment when my phone rang, MOM, it read. I opened the door, answering, "Hey, mom. What's up?"

She sighed deeply, "Nothing really honey, just missing my favorite girl. How are you doing?"

I laid my bag and coat on the island, leaning against it. "Mom, I'm doing good. So is Penn."

"Hey, you want a drink?" Sebastian asked.

"Who's that?" My mother's voice went up an octave at the sound of a man's voice.

"Mom, that's Sebastian, Penn's roommate."

"He sound very handsome, is he handsome?"

My face turned red and Sebastian laughed. "Yes, Mom, he is very handsome."

I could literally see her eyebrows raise up and down. "What does he look like?"

"For the love of God mother." She growled. "Fine, uh. He is tall, roughly like six footish. Uh, brownish hair, striking blue eyes."

"Lord almighty, he sounds beautiful."

He came over to me and asked to speak with her. I shook my head no but he insisted. "Mom, Seb wants to speak with you."

"Oh, uh, okay."

He took the phone and smiled broadly. "Hello! It's so lovely to finally hear your voice. I've heard so much about you."

I stood next to him, listening as best I could. She spoke softly, obviously taken back by his friendliness. "Sebastian! So lovely to hear your voice as well. I hope you're treating my girl good!"

He looked at me and smirked. "Oh, don't you worry, ma'am. I'm treating her like the queen she is."

I heard chuckle. "Good then. How is Mikayla doing?"

"Honestly, good. Mikayla’s a sweetheart"

I squeezed my face tight, "Seb." He looked at me and mouth what?

"Oh, that's lovely. You know, (y/n) has always wanted to do something in Broadway, lovely singer she is and talented actress. She did drama all through middle and high school."

He laughed out loud at this statement, "Really! Well, she never mentioned that. I'll have to get her to sing to me. I actually took her to the Broadway theater her first week here, she cried."

She laughed this time, "That certainly sounds like my (y/n), she cries at the drop of a hat. Anyway, Mr. Sebastian, I have to go cook supper for my loving husband. It was wonderful to speak with you. Tell my daughter I say goodbye and that I love her." She hung up the phone and he turned to me, smirking.

"She's gone but she says that she loves you and that you should sing for me. Mother's request."

I punched his chest lightly, "She did not!"

He chuckled, "No, you caught me but I would love it if you sang for me. Any of those plays in school musicals?"

I shook my head, "I'm not singing for you."

He pulled me into him, close enough I could smell the coffee on his breath. "Please." He whispered.

I leaned into him, bring my mouth inches from his and smiled, "No." I pulled away and ran down the hall.

He chased me, catching me around the waist, tossing him and myself onto the bed. We laid there, just enjoying each other's company.

TRANSLATIONS

Prietenul tău este cu adevărat frumos, Sebastian. Ea este prietena ta? Your friend is really beautiful, Sebastian. She's your girlfriend?

Eu chiar sper. Sunt nebun după ea. I really hope. I'm crazy for her.

Cum te simți cu adevărat? How do you feel really?

Văd că te-ai mutat de la Sara? I see that you've moved on from Sara?

(GERMAN) Du bist wunderschön. You're beautiful.

[nevillelongsbottom]

do you have any george x neville headcanons for the summer holidays?

i do! i’m gonna cry cus i accidentally deleted them all and have had to rewrite them, but... it happens! it gave me time to make some alterations, too :) so hopefully this is the best version

neville is not having a good summer

wherever he goes, there seem to be bullies round every corner: he’s been chased, egged, chased with a clown mask - everything, and no matter how much it happens, he’s never found a way to really solve the bullying

so he just legs it

and that’s how he ends up, while retrieving the takeaway pizza for himself and gran, in the middle of the old abandoned creepy house in the middle of the street: he had just been trying to have a good time, only to be cornered by a gang in clown masks with what looked an awful lot like real steak knives

the stupidity of barrelling into a haunted house only hits him once he hears the whine of the doors closing: the house is full of cobwebs, and he’s sure he’s heard more stories than usual this summer about it being haunted - noises, voices, faces at the window... 

oh, god, what has he done? this is so stupid, why is he here, oh god, now he’s going to get haunted!

swallowing his nerves, he slowly takes a few creaking steps forward and peers around, calling “hello?” out into the dark (that seems to be creeping in on him), and it echoes around him, loudly

“i’ve got pizza,” he offers, wondering if 1) ghosts eat pizza, and 2) if ghosts will be appeased by pizza - everybody likes pizza, right? 

“did you say pizza?” a voice says from the floor above, clearly sounding interested; neville starts as he suddenly hears the slamming of footsteps, and a figure dashes down the stairs, running up to him -

but it’s not a ghost

it’s a slightly stocky ginger boy with so many freckles he’s almost tanned with them; and he’s definitely not a ghost, or if he is, he’s a very alive-looking one, with a chest that inflates when he breathes and one with working limbs as he disappears off with the top pizza

“is this just cheese and tomato?” he asks as neville follows him through to the kitchen. “thanks for bringing me some pizza, by the way. i didn’t know anyone knew i was here - as a not-ghost, i mean”

neville scratches his head. “er - i didn’t know, really, but i was being chased and... i came here- why are you here? do you live here?”

the boy shrugs, cutting the pizza with significant effort and a slightly dusty butterknife, tearing a slice away and setting into it with vigour. “i don’t really know,” he says, trying not to spit too much cheese at neville, “i mean, we were having a big party at my neighbour’s house, and i put a whoopee cushion on this old lady’s chair and she started screaming at me and told me she was cursing me and then i ended up here - and i can’t leave. i try to go out the doors, i just walk into another room. same with the windows. it’s kinda weird”

neville pauses. “you got cursed?” 

the boy grins. “cursed - oh, by the way, my name’s george. what’s yours?”

“neville,” neville says, entirely unsure how to take the news that this boy has apparently been cursed; instead, he runs a sharp knife under the tap, dries it quickly, and cuts the remaining pizza, trying to ignore the way george is messily devouring his own. “how long have you been here?”

“a week, maybe two,” george shrugs

“and... is this the first food you’ve had?”

“nah. the kitchen keeps filling itself up; i’m just having to get a crash course from these shitty old recipe books in how to cook, that’s all. nice evil witch, right?”

“absolutely charming,” neville says softly. “do you want me to maybe go out and get you some stuff? more clothes, stuff to read and to do, maybe?” 

george’s eyes light up. “you’d do that? shit, man, you’re sweet”

neville flushes. “i mean - if you really are stuck here, that just sounds so horrible and dull...” 

“oh, i am stuck. hold on, let me show you.” george puts down his pizza and scrambles over to the window, wrenching it open before levering himself out with care - only to lever himself back through the doorway, as if there’s a portal that connects the window and the door

neville has no idea what the fuck just happened, but it’s weird

“okay,” he says, “i’m gonna get you some stuff, after this pizza”

he gets george some snacks and fizzy drinks and soda as well as some medium-sized clothing, trashy magazines, and novels that don’t look painful or have won some prize or another from the local tesco, returning as quickly as he can to drop off the goods 

“i’ve got to get back to my gran now, she’ll be worried,” he says. “do you want me to come back tomorrow?”

george nods. “would you? i don’t want to bother you, but it’s just so bloody dull here, you know?”

“no problem, really,” neville assures him, because, in the end, there’s really nothing better he can imagine doing in his summer than spending his time with someone that (probably) isn’t going to bully him and chase him around wearing a clown mask

and so he returns the next day, with some pens for doing the puzzles in the trashy magazines; george is happy to sit and do them together, doing a crossword in closer while neville does a sudoku in pick me up, occasionally bouncing answers off each other 

once they’ve finished, or done their best with, the puzzles, they have some lunch, which ends up being some scrambled eggs (george is quite proud of his technique now, and neville has to say, they are good) 

“how do you think you’re going to get out?” neville asks after lunch, filling in the last few numbers he’s figured out with time to spare

“i don’t know,” george admits. “she didn’t exactly tell me while she was cursing me how to undo it. it’s not really a fairy tale or anything. it’s boring, i’m hungry, and this place is just gross.”

“you could clean it,” neville offers; though george pulls a face, neville returns the next day with cleaning equipment, because he’s not really comfortable sitting among the dust and spiders’ webs (he’s done some curse research on the internet, too, but he can’t find anything, unsurprisingly, except the plot of beauty and the beast) 

and, even though george complained, he helps neville clean up: it takes them long enough, taking days to plough through the vast rooms and remove the layers of ingrained dust from them and their possessions - most of the books appear so old they’re in latin

neville takes some of them home and flicks through them, surprised to find a section underlined in pencil; he runs it through google translate, and, much to his shock, finds that there is indeed a way to break the curse - just, a little hidden

he takes the books back, but he’s not sure he wants to tell george the cure; it seems like a lot of pressure, really, and he wants george to get out - so the pressure’s just on neville, now

but he soon forgets it: he enjoys spending time with george, even if it’s menial cleaning and just talking to each other and laughing - they find out more about each other, george explaining to neville that he’s grown up with six siblings with not a lot of money to spare and neville talking about growing up with his gran after his parents died in a car crash and the bullying he seems to suffer everywhere

george is sweet, though - he doesn’t tease, and listens earnestly, and makes lunch and dinner for neville when he’s over without complaint, keen when neville brings over an old radio for him, even though the signal’s particularly fishy in that house

“do you think this place is haunted?” neville asks once they’ve finished cleaning it out: it’s nice, really, if not a little bare, and it certainly doesn’t carry the same eerie vibes without the layer of disuse 

“only haunted with the people who get trapped here,” george snorts, though they certainly haven’t found any evidence of anyone being trapped and dying there - it just looks abandoned, for the most part, and like it came from another decade

the first time neville sleeps over, it’s an accident: it drifts into late night, and he sends a woozy text over to his gran assuring her he’s okay as he falls asleep in the room where he and george read and talk, worn out from trying to rearrange the furniture to make things seem less empty (it didn’t work)

but he likes it: he likes his eyelids fluttering open, waking up to george’s wild expanse of matted and wild ginger hair

“hey, george,” he says when george has stirred enough to be coherent, toying with the fabric of his shirt. “do you... like... like me?”

george raises an eyebrow that neville can’t see, but that he knows definitely happens: “like, romantic like?”

“uh-huh,” neville says shyly 

“yeah,” george says softly, “i do”

“i really want to kiss you,” neville admits, in a nervous whisper, but george clearly doesn’t mind and hears it; he twists round to find neville, and pushes himself up onto his elbows before leaning right into neville’s face, hair grazing against neville’s skin. “don’t tease me,” neville mumbles, so george doesn’t, leaning in to kiss him, which is all messy because he half-collapses on neville in the process and he’s never really kissed anyone before because they’re both just inexperienced teenagers 

“maybe you should try going outside now,” neville says carefully, and george’s eyes flash with that knowing - that knowing that neville must’ve known about this, but also the knowing of why neville kept quiet, because though george is a teenager he’s not stupid - and he nods, clambering to his feet and heading for the door

“wait,” he says, “come with me, nev”

neville hurries over, and he slides his hand into george’s, surprised that he’s being called upon: but, he supposes, george likes him - and that’s definitely something he’s not used to 

when george pushes open the doors, the morning sunlight spills out on them: it’s so warm in the street, and quiet, and the birds in the trees are singing

george takes a step outside

and his feet land on the pavement

he takes another step, and another, and he realises with growing joy and ecstasy that he is outside - he’s not stuck, he’s free, he’s out and he’s taking gulps of fresh air and running on ground that his feet haven’t touched yet before, and he lets out a joyous bellow

“fucking finally!” he screams, scaring a few elderly residents

and neville knows that george probably lives far away, and that they’re probably never going to feel like this again once he’s taken the train away, but he knows that right now he really likes george, and wants to be in the sun with george

so he runs forward, grabs george’s hands, screams with him for a moment, and kisses him

[dbtrilogy2]

Date Night(4 pt2)

  Chris

I held a sleeping Mylan having a drink with my father in law. As you can tell things with us are better. Cam was with her mom and Morgan and Maliki.

"Where's date night tonight?" He asked me.

"Home I told her we going out so it's a nice surprise I think she'll like it." I sip on the brown liquor.

"Good it's nice you still do these small things for her and it's been almost ten years of the married life right?"

"Yes sir I'm planning that trip already but how's the second marriage treating you old man?"

"All I can say is I'm blessed." The woman came in laughing about who knows what. "We wanna laugh to."

"Oh it's nothing daddy maliki just being silly. Chris come on I'm hungry." She takes Mylan from me handing her to her dad.

"My hunger didn't matter thirty minutes ago." Her parents chuckled. "Let me go feed my baby. Boy give ya dad some love." Standing with a stretch I called out to Maliki.

"I come?" He asked as I pick him up.

"Not this time it's just mommy and daddy but I want you to be good and look after your sisters ok." I ruffle his curls.

"Yes!"

"Alright we'll be back sometime tomorrow."

"Oh don't rush you two enjoy your night have fun." Abella pushed us out the door waving her fingers.

We laughing taking hands to the car. Lifting the butterfly door I let my beautiful wife slide her sexy ass in. This dress had her leg out one side just teasing a nigga. I hop in sending us off. Tonight won't be the normal dinner date because I got us some nice tickets to a Donell Jones show. Then it'll be back home for dinner and lovin.

"I miss my babies already." She whined looking over at me.

"No you don't that's just your mom brain turn that shit off." She gasp hitting my arm. "Baby relax their all fine and safe. Tonight is about us and us only. Do you know the last time we got to actually spend time alone since the twins?"

She blushed giggling. "Yeah...the night they were conceived. Remember we were coming back from the dance competition I judged....got bored on the plane ride back."

"Yeah that was a great day. You trynna relive that tonight."

"Boy bye I am done making and pushing out babies." She waved me off. "We should finish that talk about you gettin snipped."

"Or your getting burned. You know I'm trynna have my little baseball team of kids."

She gave me this look which cued a big laugh from me.

We got to the arena got the car parked and taken to our seats. I ordered us a bottle of wine and a small snack. Because of connections we get to meet Donell and the band after the show is over. While waiting for the show to start since we got in early again thanks to connections we just talked cuddled up in our booth.

I rub her down her arm kissing her shoulder. "How was your day baby?"

"Good Mali is doing with his Spanish he might be coming out his half speaking-"

"Camila I asked about your day if I wanted to know what the kids did I'd ask them. I wanna know what you did."

She sighed smiled. "My days revolve around our kids now. I did manage to make a few videos to post through out the week but other than that I cleaned after the kids I cooked for the kids."

Nodding I sip on my glass. This is probably a bigger change on her than me. She's use to doing her thing now it's pushed to the back.

"Look I'm sorry your life basically had been pushed back because of the kids you know I don't mean to leave everything on your shoulders."

"It's fine really I love my kids. I might not be able to do things like when we only had two but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Plus I still get to do my dancing so it's not that big a lost."

I swear my wife is one of the strongest. "Have you thought about getting a nanny?"

"No no I don't want  any of my kids being raised by anyone else it's my job and yes I'm sure since I know your gonna ask." She smiled kissing my cheek. "I'm fine."

"I just don't want you to one day be upset because you didn't do  everything you wanted because of the kids. I wasn't putting all these kids in you just to make you a home wife."

"Yeah right but really Chris I'm fine everything is good. In fact I have a class tomorrow night so I'll have a small break."

Taking her hand I lace our fingers hers together. "I love you and glad your stuck with me forever."

"Ha I love you to Christopher. Forever seems a little short I mean we're almost at ten years of marriage already." She lays her head on my shoulder.

"I know crazy right with all the drama we be goin through. In surprised nothing has come up yet."

"Oh please I just know something is gonna happen sometime soon...I can feel it."

Before I could ask what she meant the lights dimmed and Donell came out. Cam smiled bright cheering with the rest of the crowd.

"Thank you...thank you it's good to see so many beautiful couples out with us tonight. Hopefully when you leave here tonight you all would have been brought closer and well entertained."

The band starts playing. My baby was singing her little head off which put a smile on my face since it's clear she's enjoying herself. She stood dancing I just sat back with my glass watching her.

"Baby dance with me."

"I'd rather just watch you." I smirk.

"Please you don't want no one looking thinking I'm alone do you?"

"That rock is blinding enough to let niggas know." I laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Ok ok let me dance with my wife." ******* I held my hands over her eyes walking us back into the house towards our running room. While we were gone I hired a chef team to make us a nice meal and set up things real cheesy romantic movie like.

"Baby be careful my make up." She whined.

"Girl forget that make up in being romantic right now. Ok...look."

She gasp turning hugging me. "You are the sweetest most amazing husband ever! How did you do all this?"

"Just hired some people to put my ideas to life. This time is all about us so now that we went to a show had some fun we can eat enjoy each other's company and then....see where three more glasses of wine get us."

Carlton

Yes it's late yes my wife will probably put me on the couch no I wasn't cheating. I'm working man just trynna support my family. My shoes are still selling like hot cakes my clothing line is doing just as well and now I'm moving on to different things. With this record label me and my brother are starting up we'll have our parts. He's more for the business side while I will be in the behind the music with my beats. That's why I'm coming home late right now.

It's going on just eleven but I can just sense the fight now. Walking into the house everything was shut down the house looked dark almost like no one was here. Like always my plate was waiting for me in the oven. Making my way up to the room I hear my wife's voice and some else's.

"Yeah yeah I know but I can't just up and leave I have a family to look after and be here for."

"What about your fashion week dream? Being a headliner having one of the biggest shows with the biggest names being there to watch your designs." That's a voice of a nigga...or a real man sounding chick.

I stood close to the door listening in.

"It's a dream that I can make happen when the time is right. How did we even get on this we're suppose to be discussing this collaboration for the summer." She smiled into her laptop. Her top looked a little low from where I'm standing.

"Yeah well it's hard sticking to one thing with you. Your so amazing one conversation is never enough."

She blushed waving her hand pushing back her hair. I smacked my teeth because that's the same move she used on me when we first started talking.

"Boy bye...oh my god it's so late I had no idea. Where is Carlton?"

"Husband not home yet? I'd be quick to come home to a woman like you."

"I bet...he's just working."

"On who?"

"Shut up he's not crazy and knows I'd kill him in a heart beat." She sigh looking at her phone. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

"Let's hope if not just give me the word and I'll be on my way baby girl."

Hearing enough I walked in heading straight for our closet. She ended the call with who ever that was before coming in.

"Hey to you to." She smiled leaning on the frame.

"Sup."

"Ok um did you wanna do some Netflix and chill since both the kids are gone?"

She came over kissing on my back rubbing her hands around my waist.

"I'm tired Rebecca not tonight."

"Well baby when?"

"I don't know I got a lot of stuff I'm working on right now." I sigh moving pass her going into our bathroom.

"Why can't I be on that list?" She followed.

"What?"

"Were falling off babe. We've missed a lot of date nights and I think it's taking a toll on our chemistry." Her arms crossed as she watched me pee. I don't want us to start becoming distant I mean you've been out longer than usual lately."

"And because of that you get what you want right? I do this so we as a family are straight and live happy lives I'm sorry if these hours aren't cool with you."

"Carlton what the hell are you talking about? I just want my husband to eat with his wife and kids more than maybe twice a month."

"It's a small sacrifice to pay so you can live out your little fashion dreams."

After washing my hands I walk around her heading for bed. It's tiring dealing with people and I've done a lot of that today.

"Uh excuse you but my line has been doing damn great I don't even need your help time around because of the success I got from the first time. I even paid you back what you gave me to start it up so these stupid ass long hours you spending at these studios and other places has nothing to do with my line which by the way is only a side thing for me. I am a full time mother who deal with the constant question of where my kids father is every day!"

"Rebecca I'm not about to sit up all night arguing with you over some bullshit. I'm tired and have to get up early yet again to ensure we can keep waking up in this house."

"So who is she then?" She climbed the bed pushing me over sitting on my legs. "Chris is always home before you and yall niggas work in the same fuckin building so clearly someone is holding you up and I want to know who!"

"You always all of a sudden gotta think I'm cheating huh?"

"You always staying late at "work" all of a sudden so yeah I'm gonna question it."

"You know I'm loyal to you why would you even think I gotta be with a bitch to be doing some over time?"

"Like I said there has to be a reason. Why don't you just bring your sketch book home or use your laptop that's here? Someone is keeping you away and I wanna know who!"

"There is no one Rebecca! Why you thinking this way...what you doing dirt and feel guilty now?" I sit up on my arms.

"Don't try to turn it on me we talking about you." She got up going to our dresser.

"And now we talking about you. Who was you talking to when I got home?" I stood behind her watching her do something with her hair.

"A possible investor for my line. His sister likes my line and told him about how I'm looking to have my own shop."

"Why didn't I know about that?"

"Well honey your never home long enough for conversations like that. Hell this is the most of I've talked to you all week!"

"Stop always fucking complaining I'm doing this shit for you!"

She slammed down her brush standing up to me.

"No Carlton you will not try to make it seem like I'm some material loving bitch I don't tell you to do all this extra shit I'm not out here spending your money so your forced to work more and longer!"

"But you sure as hell got no problem when I'm showering you in gifts I'm able to get because of my hours!"

"For fuck sak I don't need any of that extra shit and you know it. I've never been crazy about expensive things hell I'd be happy with a fucking cookie from you I don't need bags shoes and jewelry that cost the amount of a damn house I need my husband!"

We stood looking soft at each other in silence. I swear I thought this is what she wanted. She grew up with a stacked family her damn always showered her with gifts I just thought I was doing what she's use to. Honestly I hate working over hours staying at the academy longer than needed not being here with my family.

"Baby-"

"No I'm don't talking for the night." She wiped her face going and grabbing her pillow. "Since your so tired for "working" have the bed all to yourself tonight."

[faiththestitch]

[Note: Puffles please read this dreadfully long post in parts or like on a long bus ride or something IDK]

Dear Puffles,

So it’s been a long time I have last Tumblr-ed and I regret (strong word aiya) that kind of because I feel so much has transpired and I haven’t had the time to internalise a lot of it yet. That’s been one of the running themes for the past month or so actually: I’ve observed that while I have settled into York, I’m not/I wasn’t sure if I felt rooted yet because I never took the time to sit down and think quietly about all the things that have happened since moving and how I feel about it? And that’s also why I didn’t Tumblr because of the lack of reflection. Anyway, I really appreciate your patience, understanding and faith.

I quite like the Tumblr idea as a form of diary journaling anyway. You know how I feel about diaries though and my fear of committing thoughts to words - but I have surprisingly been comfortable with doing it here. So this might be a long post (I hope that’s okay and I hope you don’t get bored - read it in parts I guess). Speaking of which, I definitely hope you are reading this after your last Final (yay!) ◡̈  Cheering you on for Molec Gen :)

I think I’ll start with CU first. So we had our CU Weekend Away a few weeks ago (11-12th Oct). We went to a campsite at a place called Redmire. Even though I’ve only been at university for 7 weeks by then, I was like sign me up for this camping thing now omg plz and I definitely don’t regret going for it despite having an essay due in the same week after it ended. So if you take a look at the photos, you’ll be able to see we stayed in cabins that reminded me of the ones in Percy Jackson. So it wasn’t really camping per se - more like glamping lol. But hey at that weather, where it was 5 bloody degrees in the day (and colder still in the morning and night), I am most glad we had a warm cabin to go back to after activities. The weekend was effectively a retreat: we had a guy (a young minister) come down and talk to us about a passage in the Bible throughout the weekend (so it was like continuous bible study) in between other fun activities like hiking up a hill (it felt like a mountain lol) and games. We were also fed a lot of food which I appreciated immensely. Some CU alumni came back and joined us for the weekend, during which they were in charge of cooking food for 50+ people. I also became closer with CU seniors and peers, which was very nice. At this stage, I don’t think my CU friendships are 10/10 strong (like I don’t talk to them everyday or often outside CU) but I’m hoping that God will cause them to be blessed and grow. They’re extraordinarily nice people and I’m so glad that I joined CU this semester, even though it’s my one and only formal commitment. It’s twice a week: Tuesday for a small college groups and Thursday for everyone to come together as a university. And then on Sunday we still have Church throughout the day effectively. In any case, I’m very grateful for my friendships and fellowship in CU - I know He has great plans for me there, and my heart is filled with a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings when I think about it.

So moving on - onto food ;) So I’m not sure how I have survived one whole semester without acquiring a pot or pan. And I lost my only plate half way into the term. And I lost my only set of cutlery 2-3 weeks ago lol. So the last few weeks have been rather interesting in this regard (amongst others). So what’s been happening is that firstly, I don’t eat three meals a day (does anyone really?) and I buy lunch on Campus West (where lessons and cafes are). Dinner has been interesting insofar as I’ve had a lot of friends suddenly offer me food. It’s the most wonderful (and timely) blessing ever. I believe I’ve had almost 10 properly cooked and free dinners now. Some are from CU people who cooked too much and brought food to Faith for her to eat lol. Some of the food came from Stan’s flatmates - which has been an interesting experience (???). IDK so Stan has a few computer science friends (T.T) and they’re all pretty intense and nerdy it’s really amusing. Two of them are from Hong Kong so it has been fun bonding with them over the shared Asian experience and knowledge. They’re both called Julian too haha. Anyway I’m kind of more or less friends with the Julian who does all the cooking - he really likes cooking and takes it super seriously (like spends 3 hours on average just cooking dinner - who has time for that in university??). He’s really intense in that he’s really talkative and insists on being the host etc etc. So Stan and I usually just idly stand in the kitchen and watch him cook. It’s even gotten to the point where we chill in his room and Julian comes up with the food to us? IDK that’s why it feels super weird because at first, Julian offered food to me because he overcooked and had too big of a portion but subsequently, it has become a Thing and there is a FB chat and now he goes out and buys ingredients knowing that he’s cooking for 3-4 people, instead of just for himself and his roommate (the other Julian). Yeah anyway that’s why I’ve been feeling pretty weird over it because there’s this guy (who has a girlfriend btw) who has just been cooking a lot for Stan and I (like proper dishes e.g. salmon and fried rice one day, Thai green curry another day, French onion soup + various meat, Vietnamese Pho etc etc) and he does it all by himself and we don’t pay anything??? I have TRIED but the Asian culture in him insists that he plays host but now it’s becoming so regular gah. Anyway at the end of the day, I have really appreciated all the food and the conversations (I guess??) and I think it probably won’t continue into the Spring Semester (Semester 2) so that’s okay. On a separate note, I’ve also had my Italian friend Stefano come over to my flat and cook pasta for Clemmie, Stan, myself and him too! So that was really nice hahaha.

A rough and quick overview of my friendships (very few in nature): From my course, I’m hanging out with Stan and Clemmie pretty much everyday. Stefano hangs out with us too, but he sometimes goes to the library to study while we just eat (lol) and he doesn’t stay on campus too so he heads back after classes end, while the three of us chill and have drinks regularly at the end of every week (well I don’t drink but I watch the other two lol). We also have a friend called James who is very nice but we haven’t really gotten very close to him unfortunately. I try but he’s a pretty private guy. And he also went back home two weeks before university ended because he’s been ill :/ But I hope the friendship will grow somehow! I think you would like him - and all of them for that matter. So that’s generally a clique of sorts - although I’m definitely not as close to James and Stefano as I am with Clemmie and Stan. From my flat, I am closer to three other girls: Christianna (the Greek girl), Ellen and Katie. I’ll be living with the three of them next year. I feel a bit conflicted about it from time to time: they’re nice people but I sway on how close I feel with them hahaha. In any case, what I do appreciate the most about them is that they’re not from my course and I don’t see them everyday as I do with Clemmie and Stan: so it’s always nice to hang out with different people hahaha. Christianna and I are pretty close in the flat, we chill in each other’s rooms often and she’s a nice girl ◡̈  My third and last group of friends comes from CU - and there’s a range of people there. In terms of seniors, I’m closest to two of my leaders (they’re in Year 2): Cat and Sarah. From my batch, Jill and I attend CU together often and I bond a lot with some of the guys. The friend I have been taking walks with (well it’s just been 2 lol but they’re insanely long and I try not to cry - like 2-3 hours long eh) is called David and he’s from CU. So yep ◡̈  I don’t have many friends tbh - definitely not as diverse and rooted as the ones back in Singapore, but I suppose it’s only been 10 weeks and I imagine a lot of things will change come Semester 2 and 3.

Academically, things have been going alright. It’s one of the few things that I’m honestly quite okay with. Nothing has overwhelmed me to the point of tears and I think you have been undergoing more stress with Finals at NUS. The month of deadlines for me where I had essays due at the end of every week was pretty hellish (like staying in the library/some study space till 3am every night before hauling myself back to the flat) but I think it helped knowing that it would be over at some point and each week, I had to focus on the next essay (or two) that was due the following week. Lectures have been interesting, I like my modules. Seminars are decent for some modules: it depends on the Seminar Tutor. But across the board, my seminar tutors have said I’m doing decently (well the standard isn’t very high to begin with :< people are so noobs sometimes honestly) and my results from the formative essays that I’ve submitted are pretty okay. I am definitely not at the 10/10 stage and I haven’t studied since the last essay was due 3 weeks ago so I suppose that wasn’t the wisest choice haha but I’ll try my best in December. I have four graded essays due in the first week of January and they account for 40% of my grade for each module (the other 60% being a PPA in May etc). So I Better Not Screw Up. I’m determined to attain the highest band possible I HOPE - I just need to guai guai go to the library often, read a lotttttt and write hopefully an outstanding essay haish. I’m in pain just thinking about it tbh.

(Wow I’ve just noticed the word count for this post so far - I’m typing it out in Pages while in the air haish 1850 words so far; IDK if you’re dying of boredom, if so I am a sorry bean.)

So moving onto Spain…hahahaha. Spain was only 3-4 days. I only told my parents on the night I was leaving (well done Faith). I kept on procrastinating on calling them and telling them about it (I couldn’t gauge if they would be okay with it). In any case, they were super chill with it and were just like lol okay bye. I don’t really understand my parents sometimes - I suspect you don’t either - but I guess that’s Parenthood in general that we are both bemused by. Travelling-wise, we took a train from York train station to Manchester Airport, where we had a flight from there to Barcelona. We stayed in a really lovely Airbnb. We only rented a room (super budget trip) so Clemmie and I slept on the masterbed while Stan had a single bed beside us. It was a very enjoyable and memorable trip overall - definitely the culmination of spending almost everyday together for the past 9 weeks and capping it off by spending 3-4 days in each other’s constance presence overseas. Ded. But it worked out so that’s good. On the first day, we arrived in Spain in the morning around 9am iirc and we went straight out after dropping our things at the flat. Barcelona is an incredibly beautiful city - please take a look at the photos. The architecture is very classically European, the streets are broad and wide with fancy shops at the side and the number of cafes and bistros is beautiful. The bakeries, too, are absolutely to die for and I almost did. I was trying to keep the budget as low as possible so I didn’t buy anything except food to eat and sustain myself. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before but Stan grew up in Spain (he spent a solid 7-8 years there during late primary and secondary school I think - right up till A Levels) so he is fluent in Spanish and was effectively responsible for navigating us around the city and translating everything for Clemmie and I. My friends are insanely bilingual btw - it’s not fair. Clemmie is fluent in German, and is learning other European languages. Stan speaks Spanish, and is learning French. Like wtf Faith you only speak English and you fail at that sometimes. (Interesting detour - while at York/Barcelona. Faith conducted some conversations in Chinese - it’s the strangest experience ever! Honing Chinese in an overseas country.) Anyway, on the second day, we took a bus to the peak of the city where we spent 2-3 hours just chilling and admiring the view. It was honestly such a relaxing experience, I enjoyed it a great deal. It’s also where my new FB DP is from: Clemmie took the picture and I liked it. On the third day, we went to a beach and we walked around the town etc. We were travelling back to York in the same night so the day was long. I think Spain, in all, was a meaningful experience: I enjoyed learning about another country’s culture, it was a very timely break from York and I think the three of us are closer because of it.

So one thing that occured because of Spain is that Stan and I bonded over certain sentimental and nostalgic feelings over living in two countries and identifying with different cultures and identities. I mean, on some level, I think I have dealt with it better (in terms of the emotional stage that I’m at now) because I’ve thought about Ireland, China and Singapore a lot and it’s become part of my identity etc etc. Moving to York has definitely made things hard and I need time to dwell on that later too. But I have internalised things I think and reflected on things. Stan, on the other hand, can apparently go for months without thinking of Spain so going to Spain brought up some memories haiya. Boys and their inability to connect with their emotions properly and healthily. Not that we are great at it either but we try. Idk. Do we even? Maybe not lol.

Haiya. To be completely honest, I feel stupidly conflicted about that one. At the most fundamental level of my heart, I am happy I have a friend who I can hang out with and spend a lot of time with comfortably. It’s just because it’s a Boy that causes the heart confusion. I mean - it’s a good thing we both don’t swing the other way as surely then we would have been confused at some point with this friendship too right?? lol. But yep because it’s a boy and also a non-Christian boy so I just feel so incredibly stupid for spending so much time with him and effectively putting myself in this position. The line between Platonic and Not Platonic is so fine, I really want to be careful here. Like honestly Puffles on some level I deserve some award for not crossing it by this point it’s ridiculous. We have meals together everyday, hang out pretty much everyday unless we decide not to, weekends are with him, the past 3 weeks has seen us chilling in bed together watching TV shows and Youtube or whatever. The number of times I have gone to his room or him to mine and then at 4am physically force myself to leave and walk back to my room out of sheer self-discipline is insane. Like I deserve some award for not allowing myself to fall asleep in the same bed at 4am often right :( He has offered so many times and each time I say no because I want to be a Guai kid and I know sleeping in the same bed will SURELY make things harder and the line finer. But haiya it’s ridiculous. I think it also surprised me how sad it was to say bye to each other before I left for Singapore?? Like he came over to my place and we just talked in bed and stuffs :< Hence the sentimental crap and rant I sent to you at some 2am hour after he left. I don’t know Argh I’m determined to keep things Platonic but I think it’s just at a stage where it’s really hard to ascertain this. And I also know that part of my heart is also like hurhur maybe things don’t have to be platonic but the other 80% of me knows it won’t end well and it’s not the right decision so huzzah Faith must remain steadfast. Besides, I think December will most definitely help - you are right in this and I will believe in that.

But I feel so stupid nonetheless for being in a position where feelings are vulnerable. :( It’s damn stupid, I tell you. I think the crucial issue here is that things have happened and things have been said that make it very hard for the friendship to be intrinsically and wholly platonic, you know? It can still be and it still is, most definitely. But I hope December affirms that I guess?? I DON’T KNOW ARGH ok no, I do - I do :(

What even is the point to life haish

I am such a pathetic bean and ball of emotions right now I think. Need to think straight again.

He said that coming to know me has been the single most worthwhile thing he did this term :( is that good friendship or what

Aiya fuck it forget it December will help and next year things will be platonic and good and chill again. It’s just sentimental crap right now.

Okay moving on.

ONTO OUR FRIENDSHIP.

I know you’ve been super stressed with Finals the past 3 weeks but you are almost done friend - very very almost done and by the time you read this, you WILL be done so that is the best news ever. I am also excited to be spending almost everyday with you this December. You have been desperately missed and cherished - my friends here know of my best friend back in Singapore whom I call at random hours and walk away from them to talk to her. I do know for a fact that if you were in York, things would be 10 times more fun and heartwarming, less worrying and stressful and we would be hanging out everyday. Sometimes when I’m walking from one place to another, I’m thinking of you and how fun it would be if you were right there next to me. You remain to be my best friend and my closest friend. I am glad these 3 months have come to an end so that we can chill and catch up in each other’s presence. I will definitely update Tumblr more often in January and so on. And I hope we can properly video call more often. All that aside though, my sentiments and words haven’t changed despite the distance. You are Puffles and I am Quaffles, and I thank God that we are in each other’s lives to cheer each other on right next to each other, even if we’re physically apart.

Family and Jarred-Related things have been tough, no doubt. I sometimes want to kill him, hindered only by the fact that I am physically not there and the law would not perhaps not be on my side. I can’t believe it’s already December 2017 - it’s been one strange and long year? Remember Raffles Medical lol? And Clinton Street and Alfred and all the random things we have embarked on this year. (hahaha the colouring book - we must.) And you moved away from home the first time this year: your own space and everything. And I moved abroad. Sighs.

I hope we’ll have time this December to reflect on things. I think we really really need to. Dude, I’m so ready to just lock myself in a room and watch Modern Family and cry and think about life. Yes???

Faith is in a desperate need for catharsis right now. I think that’s what I need.

Okay well, this has been an extremely long post. I hope it makes up for the lack of a post in the month of November. Again, I’m really sorry it has taken a long time for me to reflect and post. I’m sorry too if this has been incredibly boring/difficult to read. I hope you read it in parts.

I miss you friend and I’m really looking forward to meeting you soon. Let’s sort out our plans for December yeah?

I love you Puffles <3 And see you soon (finally!) <3

With all my heart,

Quaffles

[queen-bunnyears]

Chapter Two - Christmas Eve

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield x Reader, Tom Holland x Reader (not at the same time)

Summary: Every year with Christmas Tom, his brothers, some friends and you rented a house in Scotland to celebrate the holidays and New Years Eve with a lot of friends. Last year’s christmas you and Harrison had something special going on, and this year he brings his new girlfriend. Chaos ensues.

Am I ignoring corona christmas lockdown in this fic? You bet your ass I am.

Am I posting three chapters in one night cus I forgot to post the first two? Yes ma’am I am. 

Wordcount: 1,6k

Warnings: consuming of alcohol, probs some swearing.

Chapter one - Chapter three

24 December 2020

Your car looked lonely in the empty parking space next to the cottage. You and Tom were early to make the house ready for everyone. Decorating the house with Tom and Harrison was tradition, but Harrison couldn't make it in time so it was just the two of you. You took boxes with lights, food and drinks from your trunk. The whole car was stuffed to the ceiling with enough food and drinks for everyone who was coming, about 10 friends. 

"Hey dreamy! Could you get those light strings? If you hang them around the porch I‘ll take the beer crates inside," Tom said, waving his hand in front of your face. You laughed and got to hanging strings of small lights around the porch and fence. When you were done the whole garden lit up. In the meantime Tom had emptied your car. You walked into the house. The christmas tree wasn't decorated yet, but the house already looked cosier than before. Tom walked in, two beers in his hands. 

"A beer while decorating?"

"Let's first pick rooms. Is that okay? I want to have a good room if I am gonna be the only single lady this week," you laughed, taking the beer from his hands, "but I won't say no to beer,"

You raced Tom up the stairs, going left and opening a door. You threw your bag on the bed and sat down on it, taking a sip of your beer. 

"Okay you won," he laughed. The room you had claimed was the prettiest of all rooms in the house. It had an ensuite bathroom, and a balcony. A large queen sized bed made the dream complete. Most other rooms were half the size of this one, so you were always fixed on claiming it as soon as you arrived. Tom and Harrison usually shared the other master room next to yours, with two single beds, so Tom wasn’t really upset you beat him. He threw his bag in the room next door and raced you down the stairs again.

Decorating time had started, and you knew you were going to be putting up lights and christmas decorations for hours. All I want for Christmas came on, you started singing along, hearing Tom bring in the ladder and scream from the top of his lungs, singing the song you had heard four times in the car already. Nothing could beat christmas.

“Sam!” you hugged Sam tightly. You and Sam were close every year at christmas. Your shared love for cooking got you spending hours in the kitchen together, making two excessive dinners for the actual christmas days, but also making lots of snacks and often cooking supper for everyone. You had met over coffee a week ago just for planning meals and groceries. 

“Y/n! So good to see you. How are you?” he asked. You chatted lightly, helping him and his girlfriend put their stuff in one of the empty rooms. By five Sam, Tuwaine and Jacob had arrived, only Harrison and Harry hadn’t yet. Everyone was in their bedroom, unpacking their bags. You walked to your car to grab your pillow you had left in the car, when you saw Harrison standing next to his car. 

“Hey Haz, “ you said, waving with your pillow in your hands. 

“Hey,” he said. Damn he looked good. His hair had grown a bit since you saw him last time, half a year ago. It looked more like last Christmas. 

“I should go back inside, see you later,” you said awkwardly, and turned around hurrying back into the cottage. 

"Oh, this room is pretty!" You looked up over the bag you were unpacking and saw a pretty woman standing next to the door.  "I see it's taken. I'm sorry,”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it. There has to be an empty room left. You are Harry's girl right?”

‘No Harrison”s girlfriend actually,’ she smiled.  “Lily,” she extended her hand for you to shake, “you must be Y/n. Hazzi told me so much about you!”

“Oh, did he?” you said, shaking her hand, “I suppose only the bad parts. Please tell me everything he said during dinner,” 

“Oh I will! He spoke in detail about your talents for cooking,” you laughed. When she left you sat down on your bed, trying to oppress your laughter. How did he find her? You had never met someone who looked so subtly like you. The haircut, colour, her eye color, body shape… Yet there was something quite different about her. You remembered her calling Haz Hazzi, and you smiled. You were never gonna let him live that down. 

“Hey, so Haz brought his girlfriend,” you looked up to see Tom standing in your door, his pillow in his hands. 

“Yeah I just met her. So you came here to fix the bed situation?”

“Well Haz proposed swapping rooms, you and me sharing the double and them getting this one,”

“He can kiss my ass. No way I am giving up the private bathroom and balcony for his unprepared ass,” you muttered. Harrison wasn’t going to take your room, you weren’t gonna let that happen.  

“I thought so. So can you share your queen bed with me? I really don’t feel like sharing a room with them,” Tom said, already throwing his pillow your way.

“Sure,” you looked at your massive bed, “I think there is enough room for both of us.”

“What did you think of her?” Tom let himself fall onto the bed, sat up and patted the spot next to him. You sat down.

“Really Tom, I am fine,” 

“Okay, if you’re not you’ll tell me right?” he asked, eyes studying your face.

“Yeah Tom, I will. The only thing is,-” you hesitated, and Tom nudged you to keep talking, “Is it just me or does she look a bit like, well… Me?” Tom laughed a bit. 

“Yeah I thought so too. I guess Haz has a type,” you laughed too, giving him a hug. 

“Go get your bags, before I have taken up the entire closet,” you said. You were happy he was moving into your room. It was less lonely, and wasn’t that what Christmas was all about?

“Actually, I gotta do a last grocery run. Sam wanted a specific spice he hadn’t put on the list,” Tom said, making a funny face. 

“And you just go get it?” you rolled your eyes, “Well you do you,”

“Hey Y/n” 

“Jeez, should I put a non disturb sign on the door?” you muttered, looking up to see Harrison. ‘How are you doing Haz?” 

‘Uhm yeah,” he hesitated, “Great. How are you? How’s the bathtub?” 

“It’s lovely,” you rolled your eyes, “Tell me, you didn’t actually think I would swap rooms with you did you?” 

“No not really. I’ve known you for long enough to know you won’t give up your room because someone else was unprepared or unannounced,” he laughed. You smiled, glad it wasn’t as awkward as you thought it would be. 

“Well I just value my bathtime,” flashes of him fingering you in the bathtub last year flew through your mind, but you tried to ignore it. He hadn’t changed much since last year, but that was probably just the outside. 

“Have you met Lily?” 

“Yeah I have. She seems really sweet Haz,” you said honestly. “I am happy for you both.” 

“Thanks. I was afraid it was gonna be awkward between us you know,” he said. 

“Yeah me too. But it’ll be fine. See you later,” you hesitated, but then added teasingly, “Hazzi,”

“God isn’t that embarrassing. A terrible nickname, but she really likes it,” he laughed. 

You didn’t exactly know how many glasses you had of Harry’s “Christmas eve special”, but you knew you were drunk. It was one A.M., and you and Tom had been singing “Lonely this Christmas” from the top of your lungs, dancing around together, nearly knocking over the Christmas tree. Most were already to bed, but Harrison, Harry, Tom and you were still up. You broke yourself free from under Tom’s arm, heading towards the bathroom. You felt a hand on your arm and tried to shake it off. 

“Y/n,” were you mistaken or did Haz look completely sober? You apparently said that out loud, because he laughed. “Yeah I haven’t drank anything love,” You stepped back. 

“You don’t get to call me that anymore Haz,” you said, stumbling towards the hallway. “Go to Lily,”

“I just wanted to say that you look good,” you weren’t sure if you heard him right. Your head was slightly spinning, and somewhere in your mind you registered Harry asking if you wanted one last drink.

“What?” Your eyes half closed, you tried to focus on what Harrison said. 

“You look good Y/n. Happy, I mean,” 

“Okay. I am,” he kept his hand on your arm and you really needed him to let you go. You needed to pee. You wanted to have fun, not have Harrison make you sad. “I gotta go.” you said, shaking his hand off. 

When you finally sat down on the toilet you held your head in your hands. Being drunk around Harrison appeared to be a bad idea. When you made your way back to the living room he was gone. Only Tom and Harry were there, together on the couch watching The Grinch. Tom looked up when you came in and gestured beside him on the couch. You dropped your body down and took another sip of your drink. Stupid Harrison. 

Chapter three