#fun fact! i tried rewriting that scene so he just kisses the MC but i ended up with murder again.

[todayis-snowy]

wip bc vere kabedoning the MC is living rent-free in my head

[katherinewilliams221b]

For A Greater Good Fun Facts and Self Assesment (spoilers)

Long Post

What worked and what didn’t:

I think the overall structure worked pretty well. The most difficult part was, with the plot and subplot already created, scattering all those ideas throughout the text in such a way that at least made some sense. I regret not writing more about Mer Yankelevich, I feel like the crumbs I left on the way were not enough; in my attempt to make it subtle it lacked information about her. The key piece was of course her sister, and I should have introduced her sooner.

MC’s evolution. I feel like Kate’s learnt a lot with this experience (I’m not only referring to the Deathly Hallows or Grindelwald) When it started, she was very discreet and kept a low profile, not knowing what to do really, not taking more risks than necessary. And then she ended poisoned and splinching just to protect a document she thought was important. I hope her evolution is noticeable for the reader.

Worldbuilding. Grabbing HP concepts that were forgotten and full of potential, plus a dash of original ideas from me and blending them with muggle features was my absolute favourite part of the process.

On that note, I dont own these concepts: Durmstrang, Igor Karkarov, Nerida Vulchanova, umbrella flowers, fanged geraniums, billywigs, Appare Vestigium, glow-worms, trick wand, chamaleon ghouls, 

If you’ve read the fic and thought: “everything happened so fast” or got a general odd feeling about the timeline it's because I made a series of  monumental mistakes: setting a chapter limit, telling you about it and then tried to stick to it.  At first the idea sounded nice: this is my first “big” story  with complicated components. I should (and I did) do an outline of what I want to happen in each chapter and stick to it methodically so I don't forget what's happening or lose track of the plot. Well...it kind of backfired. So I wrote the first 3 chapters and at that point I thought “okay everything is going as planned, I’m going to put it out there”, bam, instantly cursed. After that it got ridiculously difficult to make the story that I wanted. Why? I needed chapter space that I convinced myself I couldn’t add. Dumb.

The major consequence of this was the lack of character backgrounds. It started out good, but as I kept writing and publishing I realised that I missed some great opportunities to make amazing ocs. That’s Corentin’s fault in a way: he wasn't going to be a major character, really, just a piece to help Kate a bit. But we all fell in love with him so what was I supposed to do? Also, Sheyi Mawut owns my heart and he got just a bit of spotlight. A shame.

I wish I had written more about them, but I think I wasn’t ready just yet to make it even more complicated.I just wanted to prove I could concoct a mystery plot and now that I know I can manage a fair amount of information I think I can take it a step further and deepen new ocs a little bit more.

I’m thinking about the datura series and I know why I got blocked and tired of writing it; it wasnt going anywhere because I wasnt prepared, and I didn’t do the months of outlines and planning that I did with this one. I’ll come back to the datura story one day, subjecting it to a sever rewrite. The ideas are there, I just need to be organised.

Although the chapter limit was problematic it was also a good exercise of managing space and deciding which things were unnecessary for the story. I dont think there’s any filler chapters, perhaps the last ones, but there is important information there too so... However this sentence  from the blog  wordsandstuff reassured me (and I think I did a good job at that?)

If you set out to write 10 parts and you write a fantastic story in 8, you haven’t failed and it’s not too rushed. Concise writing is an underrated talent. Focus on how effectively you engage the reader, not for how long.

I spent more than year writing this! When I started, I had a lot of ideas, I wrote the last two chapters then the first 3 and I really thought it was going to be that way with the rest of the story... okay... lesson learnt. #humbled

Other thoughts:

I received a couple of comments on ao3 that said that they were pleasantly surprised. Maybe I should change the tags because they are misleading? Clearly this wasnt what people were looking for lol.

One particular comment stood out to me and quoting it said:  “You did not choose the easy way with a fiction with so few characters from the fandom.”  And I’ve been thinking about this since I read it. It didn’t occur to me that there were few mystery fics (maybe I should write more things like that? Maybe throwing some power couple detective work 👀 ) In any case, I’m glad  I contributed with something different to the fandom, and the fact that the Charlie bits are very scarce but people who read it still liked it is really flattering.

I wanted to make sure that all the characters had strengths and flaws, I didnt want to severus-snape them so maybe I overdid it with that bit of introspection kate does at the end...

Also, I did the kiss and fade thing twice to mention sex. I know some people dont like that but since it wasnt the point of the story and I havent done research on how to write sex scenes I didnt include them. I have that on my “to learn” list.

Conclusions:

Writing the whole thing was incredible. It's my first ‘big’ project and its not a great work (there are some things I wish I did better, thats what you get when you are an agatha christie wannabe) and not writing more character backgrounds will haunt me to this day,  but I think it's at least good for a first series and I’m proud of it. I loved spending hours doing research and trying to piece together this puzzle. And of course I’m not an expert and I dont want to sound pretentious (like this is my first story) but if you are planning to write this type of genre I can be another source of tips and tricks for you.

If I read the story after a while and I dont cringe, I would call that a success.

FUN? FACTS!

Bakunawa really belongs to Filippines mythology

Snapdragons have different meanings, one of them being: “grace under pressure or inner strength in trying circumstances”

The entrance to Grindelwald’s room was going to be in the duelling classroom, strangely shaped as a triangle. I had this system where one of the round candle lamps descended and lined up with a line on the floor (serving as separation for duels) it created the Deathly Hallows symbol. I couldn’t make that work because it wouldn't make any sense for Nerida Vulchanova to shape a room like that.  Here are some sketches:

Lucius Malfoy was going to appear as the Ministry employee that goes to Durmstrang, but after revising the events of the OoP I realised it was impossible.

Kent Jorgensen was going to be around Kate’s age and the charms teacher and he would have a small crush on her. After seeing some pics of Pen Medina, I rewrote the character completely.

The series was going to be 6 chapters long (I’m glad I decided not to) one for each month. The chapter names were ridiculous: January of Beginnings, February of reputation, March of Students, April of Discoveries, May I? and June of Endings. #tragic

The Dolohov family was going to be a part of the plot but I had to erase that part because it was unlocking another layer of complexity that I just couldnt handle.

I dont remember exactly the chapter but I got really confused with the names Rhode and Hodges and there’s one chapter where I accidentally mixed them (I corrected it I think), but for a while I could stop calling Rhode, Hodges, and vice versa lmao

Here are some sketches that helped me describe and imagine things

Thank you for accompany me in this journey, especially if you endured the process with me lmao. You’ve been here for over A YEAR! <3 Mindblowing

Also I’d love to know your opinions about the way you read the story, I mean, I know some people read it as I published, and some other readers found the story already finished, what are the differences? Should I stop the updating system and drop a story all at once? I know it is difficult to keep up with a complex story if there’s a lot of weekly or monthly gaps between the chapters, so I wanted to know.

Sending you a virtual hug 💜💜

[snesdudes]

Random Question Tag #2

I saw this challenge on @mrsgaryrennell and thought to jump in, since I’m new in the fandom!!

1. Tim or Bobby? 

Never played Bobby’s route, so I’m judging them as friends, and Tim was a better friend (we need a squad like the rap crew in season 2)

2. Choose two Islanders (from any season) to be quarantined with, and why? 

Well… Gotta say Gary and Jake. It would certainly be fun to be quarantined with them. And maybe Jake could teach Gary to cook??

3. How/when did you discover the game? 

I discovered it only like a month or two ago

4. If you could rewrite a scene, what scene would you rewrite? 

Oh, to pick only one… Ok, on Gary’s route: The scene where Chelsea arrives and tells everyone about Lottie and Gary kissing?? Yeah, fuck that. I would have loved for Chelsea to be like: “Everyone talked about how Lottie and Gary had this awkward kiss the night Hannah left, but the next morning MC and Gary made out at the gym!! Everybody knew they just weren’t over yet!”. And Lottie RAGING, and Marisol being like “we were coupled up, Gary!” and a proper discussion and MC-centered     drama. Not for her to be fixing everybody’s relationships, but for her to     be the protagonist and show Lottie she should shut up. Also having Gary open up to MC about that kiss and explaining to her what actually happened instead of only caring about meeting Chelsea would have been pretty nice, huh?

5. Favourite challenge? 

I had a lot of fun with the slime challenge. Give MC more chances to rub against Gary and piss off people.

6. If you could put/ship two Islanders together, who would you put together and why?

In Chelsea’s other Villa?? I think Carl and Marisol would’ve been hot together and would have a lot of stuff to talk about and probably conquered the world together. Also… Blake and Felix. Because, why not.

7. Describe your ideal S3 LI. 

OH GOSH. I would love a guy who says since the beginning he’s only there to have fun but falls HARD for MC and actually shows how much he cares and fights to get her. Give me some slow burn thing with lots of sexy times before he actually realizes how much he loves her. Tall, dark, handsome, you’re all good.

8. New or old Hannah? 

Ugh. New Hannah is just TOO annoying if you’re playing Gary’s route. She was never coupled up with him, he didn’t like her AT ALL, and still she comes back all salty about Lottie and MC?? And she doesn’t even want to be with Gary, she just wants to make the girls feel jealous by pretending to be someone she really isn’t. So… I prefer Old Hannah, I guess, at least she was genuine.

9. Who was dumped too soon? 

P R I Y A. I wished she could’ve stayed until the end. Also, Lurik, he could have been really interesting to see around and tempt MC if she was happily coupled up. Although that kiss scene before he leaves is pretty hot lol 

10. Jakub or Felix? 

Ugh. UGH. I guess… Felix??

11. Henrik or Lucas? 

Well, I found Lucas really sexy and interesting, but then I started his route and dropped it after Casa Amor. He was too cold for me, given how shy and awkward he was when he first arrived, I thought he would be different. I’ve never tried Henrik’s route and might do that soon since he seems really sweet, so maybe I’ll say Henrik.

12. Jo or Hope? 

I don’t really care about them tbh. Hope is usually a good friend to my MC, and I get that’s only because I have no interest at all in Noah. I think she’s shady af though, and that she really wants Noah to get to the final together. On the other hand, I hate liars. I hate even more liars who keep lying after you’ve caught them lying. Yeah, that didn’t really make me like Jo – and the fact that she dances on your LI's lap just because?? So, I’m gonna go with Hope here, I guess.

13. Lottie or Priya? 

PRIYA!! My love, my queen. She made some mistakes but always tried to fix them and held her head high, while Lottie is always blaming other people and being a hypocrite. But I always go for Gary so I guess it’s natural I don’t like Lottie lmao

14. What originally drew you to your LI? 

Oh man. The first time I played I was picking and I couldn’t decide between Gary or Rocco… And I went for Rocco. And regretted it SO SOON. Then I thought I might go for Gary, but Rocco chose MC. After that recoupling, Gary approaches MC and tells her he wanted to pick her and that if things don’t work with Rocco… and gently squeezes her arm. And I just KNEW I had to get him, I loved how gentle he is around MC, but also funny, confident, and he really cares about the rest of the Villa. So, he’s hot, but his personality and how he treated MC was what drew me to him.

15. Favorite LI of all time (both seasons)? 

Gary, duh. I really really really love Jake, but the way the season is written makes it impossible to get him until nearly the end, therefore you can’t spend much time with him. I’m sure I would have loved him even more if I could’ve seen more of him and how he treats MC. Gary, on the other hand, is around since the beginning and you get to spend a lot of time with him and have many chats, some serious, some silly, some playful. He’s such a lad, sometimes made me wonder about how he really felt towards MC, but then… CASA AMOR. When MC and Gary have that chat when she comes back, man, that was so sweet. Gary is truly crazy for MC and he shows it, he cares, but he’s still funny. Plus, he’s a complex character and it makes him feel more real than some of the others.

16. Favourite scene/day? 

There’s many I love tbh. The cake decorating scene really cracks me up (as you probably knew if you’ve seen my username). I also love the one I mentioned above, in which Gary speaks in private with MC after Casa Amor and tells her he missed her. Also, the kiss they share before she leaves to CA.

17. Who had the best character development? 

You will never guess… Gary! At the beginning he’s trying to be strategic and keep his cards close to his chest, but he’s honestly not good at that, and is willing to be coupled up with basically any of the girls if that keeps him in the game. But that fades gradually as he cares more and more about MC. I love the fact that he’s complex and also messes things up sometimes. I’ve met men like him, who sometimes say things they don’t mean only to keep their façade of tough, confident guys. But in private they’re soft and vulnerable. Obviously, the scene where he tells MC about his past is really important to understand his character and how threatened he feels when new boys arrive to the Villa. Things I never paid attention in my first play were suddenly very important when I     played again. How insecure he feels around Lurik, that moment when he says “I’m gonna go lift something heavy” after Lottie throws shade at him. Ugh I love him.

18. One thing that irked you about the game?

The fact that MC always had to deal with everyone’s shit and she was never the center of the drama. Even at Roccosol, Lottie manages to somehow be the one offended. And still MC has to deal with that mean tweet, and with someone calling her people pleaser and whatnot. The     whole Gary/Lottie kiss bothers me a lot too, especially if you’re in Gary’s route, I just can’t believe their kiss was important on the outside but     the ones he has with MC are overlooked. That gym kiss should’ve been brought up at some point, and Chelsea was the perfect person to do that.  

19. Season 1 reunion or Season 2 wedding? 

Well, the wedding was better, although I didn’t really love it. 

20. Describe domestic life or a head-canon about/with your LI. 

Well, of course Gary took MC to meet his family and they go every Sunday to have brunch together. Nan loves her and always tells her stories about Gary when he was younger and how she’s glad he found her. She also likes to embarrass both of them by bringing some... moments they lived in the Villa in the conversations, making everyone     laugh and MC and Gary blush hard. Gary just going “Nan!!” And she: “Well if you didn’t want me to talk about it you shouldn’t have done it on the telly!”

21. Guess some of the Islanders surnames? 

Um, I honestly have no idea lol

[shreyamistry]

In The Way - Marisa x MC

Pairings: Marisa x MC

Word Count: 1.3k+

Summary: Sasha invites Marisa onto the balcony of the Eiffel Tower with her. There she and Sasha engage about Marisa’s deadbeat boyfriend and consider the consequences of moving on from him.

A/N: This is a rewrite of the diamond scene from the last chapter simply because I wanted MC to kiss her,,,so here it is lmao. Here is my masterlist! And find a version for each LI below! 

Ahmed here! Elliot here! Sumire here!

Thanks for reading! I hope you like it!

Marisa’s eye widens with wonder as she takes in the breathtaking view of Paris at night, the city aglow with lights radiating warmth and the color yellow. Sasha stands beside her reeling from the sight as well, her hands resting on her dress as she smooths down the fabric under her fingers. Marisa turns to her in excitement squealing slightly as she lets the moment wash over her.

“I didn’t know you were that into sightseeing.” Sasha pulls the necklace she’s wearing, running her fingers over the cold to the touch jewelry. “I wasn’t sure if this would be your scene entirely. I have a hard time believing that you wouldn’t have been invited to something, or that you’d turn down the opportunity for anything fun. But I really wanted to see this with you.” Marisa meets her gaze, a moment flickering between the pair before Marisa shakes her head.

Marisa laughs happily before replying, “For the most part, you’re right. I try not to say no to anything that could possibly be a good time especially now that they’re with you. It’s just...Tristao is definitely not like that. Tristao just isn’t the kind of guy to go out adventuring with me.” The laughter and happiness a few moments before are devoid of her features, a sadness now replaces the fun-loving Marisa that Sasha knows her to be.

“But you love it so much and you’ve been dating for a while. How has he avoided it?” Sasha’s confusion laces her voice and furthers the frown on Marisa’s face, as she digs at her dress with her manicured nails, a deep maroon clue to match her dress. “Don’t tell me he gets out of it with work events?”

Marisa smiles faintly at the joke, “I wish it were that easy, but I have to drag him out. This one time, I got him to go on a trip with me and we hiked Machu Picchu. He complained the whole time about just wanting it to be over. I don’t know how he manages to be so damn boring, but I was sure that he’d get over it and eventually start having fun. That he’d warm up once he saw how amazing it was.”

Sasha frowns, “He didn’t, did he?”

“No, he didn’t.” Marisa replies sadly, “I thought he might have, but at the end of the hike there was this amazing view of the sunset and I really wanted to stay to watch. The sky was so beautiful, every color under the sun.” She sighs, brushing her hand against her cheek, “I begged Tristao to stay and watch with me…”

“Oh, Marisa,” Sasha replies, reaching out to take her hand. She sees a flicker of change in Marisa’s face before she continued on.

Her sweetness turning to a wave of bitter anger, “He got fed up and told me he didn’t want to stay?! Then he started accusing ME of wasting all this money on the trip that apparently only I wanted to go on. I was the problem? In what world.” Her anger subsides a little resettling into sadness as she ponders the experience further.

“I’m so sorry, that’s awful.” Sasha offers in response, squeezing her hand tighter between her own. “The fact you’d have to beg anyone to spend time with you seems fake.” Marisa smiles faintly, her eyes meeting Sasha’s with a charge she’s never felt before.

“After that, he went back to the damn resort to hang out with his friends and I stayed and watched the sunset alone... It was really pretty, but it’s the worst that I’ll always remember it as bittersweet because I was so upset with him.”

Marisa looks far away in thought, her face a muddled mix of emotions that clouded her feelings and her heart. Sasha thinks to herself trying to offer a solution in her mind, but most of all she was upset. How did someone as wonderful as Marisa get stuck with such an awful dude. She couldn’t stop looking at Marisa like she was the entire universe in her grasp.

“Someone who really cared about you would have stayed, Marissa. They would have understood that it was important to you and wouldn’t have abandoned you for his bros back at the resort.” Sasha takes her other hand squeezing the both of them, a genuine smile on Marisa’s face as her cheek glow with wetness neither of them chooses to comment about.

“Tristao cares, I’m...sure of it. He just doesn’t really like to go out with me.” Her voice didn’t portray the confidence she tried to force in her heart, she knew she was lying when she said what she said. “He’d rather be with his friends, than with me most of the time.”

“Why are you making excuses for him, Marisa?” Sasha asks.

She didn’t have an answer. “Because…”

“That doesn’t sound very caring, you are the sweetest girl on the planet with the biggest heart. If he loved you, he wouldn’t treat you like that Marisa and you know that. You shouldn’t have to beg him to care about you.” Marisa knew what Sasha was saying was true, but she cared about Tristao or at least she thought she did, she didn’t know how to feel about him anymore.

Marisa shook her head, “He cares in his own way. You don’t know him like I do.”

“Marisa…” Sasha offers.

She looks at Sasha with sympathy, “I really love traveling and sightseeing, but for the most part, I’ve found it pretty lonely. At least in my experience. Exploring on my own is fun, but traveling is something I’ve always wanted to share with someone. It makes it feel less alone.”

You idiot, Sasha thinks to herself. “You’ll never be alone with me, I’m your travel partner now. We’ll admire every sight we see and explore everything the world can offer us. You and me against the world, because I care about you a lot Marisa. I want you to be able to see all the things you want to see and not have to feel sad about it. I promise you’ll never have to see another sunset alone again.”

She bites her lower lip, “Thanks, Sasha. That’s really nice to hear. Hanging out with you really makes me feel better. Before I was kind of just waiting around, checking things out, but never feeling like I was part of something...you’re special to me. I’ve seen things that I never imagined with you, like the Louvre! Tristao would never have been up for that. Let alone sneaking in to see the Mona Lisa, I can’t believe we did that. I never felt more alive than when I’m with you.”

“Well, there’s more where that came from. We’re going to see the entire world together.”

“Can we dance sometimes?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Sasha takes Marisa’s hand above her head, pinning her to a beat in her head, Marisa’s laughter falling into the world around them. She smiles as Sasha pulls her close to her, pulling her into a dip. Both of them break apart laughing still standing close to one another. “I’m an expert, you know.” Marisa laughs.

Sasha reaches up brushing a strand of hair out of Marisa’s face, tucking it behind her ear as they continue to stare at one another. Both of Marisa’s hands holding her own, as leaving her hand on her cheek brushing the smooth skin of her face, studying her features and the divots and her cute dimples as she smiles.

A feeling draws one another closer to each other, and Sasha leans in kissing her sweetly on the cheek. Marisa’s face bright and shining with the reflecting of the night around them as they stare into each other’s eyes looking for the strength for a real kiss. They never find the strength with the looming figure of Tristao in the back of both of their minds.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before, we should head back.”

“A few more seconds,” Marisa replies pulling the other woman into her arms. “I just need a few more seconds with you.”

[shreyamistry]

A Moment Worth Waiting For - Elliot x MC

Pairing: Elliot x MC

Word Count: 1.3k+

Summary: Elliot and David find themselves on the balcony of the Eiffel Tower looking at the world around them enjoying themselves until the conversation rolls into emotional territory. Elliot 

A/N: This is a rewrite of the diamond scene from the last chapter simply because I wanted to kiss him,,,so here it is lmao. Here is my masterlist! And find a version for each LI below! 

Ahmed here! Marisa here! Sumire here!

Thanks for reading! I hope you like it!

“See something you like?” David teases leaning his head back as the wind blows through his hair his eyes closed enjoying the breeze from the night around him.

Elliot laughs charmingly at the man in front of him, “The view is pretty captivating.” He steps forward gingerly, closing some of the space between the pair. His hands in his pocket, his smirk still on his face, his features soft and suggestive.

“You’re not even looking at the view,” David laughs.

Elliot shrugs, “Aren’t I?” David can’t help the laugh that leaves his lips, and the blush on his cheeks as he turns his face slightly away from Elliot’s nudging the man beside him playfully. He resists the urge to lean against Elliot’s lean frame and rest his head on Elliot’s shoulder.

“You’re pretty smooth, you massive flirt,” David replies.

Elliot laughs, “Coming from he who flirted with the guard to get us into the back room at the museum.” David laughs with him before both of them turn to gaze at the view of Paris from their balcony. Their arms brush against one another as they lean against the railing, taking in the sights of the glowing city beneath them. David can’t help but marvel at the view, it was amazing to see it in pictures, but in person, it felt so surreal to him that he found himself in this beautiful city with a handsome man beside him. He looks over to Elliot whose face has dropped from the smirk he loved so much, contempt on his face as his brows creased with worry.

David watches him a few seconds before Elliot notices him staring trying to pull himself out of the funk to no avail. “Everything okay, El?” The words snap his expression back to normal, but his face hides the words that he’s trying to keep from him, and David won’t back down when Elliot clearly needed a friend.

“Of course…” He said diplomatically as though he were at a board meeting before his voice falters, “I was just thinking of a memory. Not a happy one, unfortunately. Though I suppose they all can’t be happy.”

“Then I will do everything in my power to make every memory with me happy.” David offers getting a soft smile from Elliot who rolls his eyes despite the warmth in his chest. He brushes his fingers against the edge of David’s hands, resisting the urge to take his hand for comfort his eyes following the skyline instead of David’s inviting features.

“I’ll hold you to that, I hope you know,” Elliot replies.

“You better babe,” David replies, “However let me guess, this is about your father and his expectations of you. He wanted the best of the best and you wanted a kangaroo zoo in your backyard?”

Elliot can’t help but laugh at him, “How’d you know?” He runs a hand through his blond hair pushing the lost strands of hair into place as he watches David with interest. Even in his sadness, he saw such a burning warmth from the man in front of him, he felt like he could trust David with his entire world of being.

“All rich boys are the same,” David laughs, “Seriously if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.” Elliot smiles softly in response before sighing to himself. His gaze wonders the skyline again, taking in the golden hue of the city below.

“This isn’t my first time here,” Elliot recalls, he turns his back to the railing leaning against it for support. “I’ve been to his observation desk before, with my father.” The word rolls off his tongue with a bitterness hidden behind it, David almost doesn’t quite catch it. “At the time I was awestruck, it’ was so beautiful, it still is. I was young, and the beauty of the view had quite the impact on me. I wanted my father to be similarly struck, but he chided me for being distracted by something so superficial.”

“Dad of the year award goes to not him.” David jokes, getting little response from Elliot still thinking about the memory his face contoured with a mix of hurt and grief almost, David couldn’t describe it; the way the memory struck such a cord within Elliot. He places his hand on Elliot’s, their eyes meeting for a moment before Elliot looks down. “Go on, I'm listening.”

“I simply wanted to have an enjoyable time with him and I think he wanted the same. But enjoyment for my father has always been rooted in business and success. He tried to impress upon me that the fun of Paris was in the commerce and financial success, but we were on completely different pages. I was a kid abroad wanting to go to the park, you know?”

David laughs with a sweet smile, “I get that. That must have been hard as a kid.”

“Tell me about it.” Elliot laughs humorlessly. “It was one of the most vivid times I remember being confronted with the fact that I was not the son my father wanted to be.”

“Elliot...you are amazing. How could he want anything different? You’re intelligent, hilarious, and a delight to be around. And oh, so handsome.” David turns his hand over underneath Elliot’s lacing their fingers together, brushing his thumb back and forth on Elliot’s hand, the both of them enjoying the feeling of each other’s hands in their own.

“I’m flattered you think so,” Elliot flushes, “Unfortunately, my father is a much harsher critic of my character. It gets lonely, feeling like you’re not allowed to enjoy things or appreciate beauty.”

“Yet, you’ve spent all night enjoying me.” David teases stepping closer to Elliot, “You’re too good for him. You should enjoy all the beauty the world has to offer, what life are you living if you don’t stop to smell the roses. You’re amazing, Elliot.”

Elliot smirks again, “You’re different, you know that? Ever since meeting you on that flight, I’ve felt like I can breathe. I can laugh at stupid jokes and just relax. I’m less serious, more motivated to have fun...you bring out something in me that I stifled for so long. It’s been very refreshing to branch out.”

“You’re fun to be around, Elliot, especially when you’re enjoying yourself. You make tonight worth it for me, the stress and worry about my job I can put it away when I’m with you and it’s just the two of us.”

“I can’t wait to break more of my father’s rules, look where I am now. With the most beautiful man on the planet, making friends, and enjoying views that he forced me to hate. I’m a new man with you and I can’t wait to break more rules like…” Elliot trails off.

“Like kissing beautiful people?” He teases stepping closer to Elliot.

Elliot smirks, “Quite possibly. It’s certainly not off the table, could be on. However, it’ll maybe be just one.”

“Lucky person,” David replies, pressing himself against Elliot, moving to wrap his arms around him letting his head rest on Elliot’s chest, Elliot pressing his chin against the top of David’s head the pair standing in the warmth of each other’s embrace against the cool night air.

“Thank you for listening, David.”

“I like getting to know you,” David smiles taking a step back, “Your babble is music to my ears.”

Elliot watches him curiously, his eyes wandering the length of David’s lips, the sweet expression on his face, and warmth behind his eyes. The want building between them, Elliot holding himself back from pulling David into his arms and kissing him. “I want to kiss you so badly,” Elliot laughs warmly, “May I?”

“Finally.” David groans.

Meeting Elliot halfway, his hands running through Elliot’s hair as Elliot’s plant themselves on his lower back, pulling his body tighter against him, their forms falling into one another. Elliot’s hands moving up and down David’s back as peppers his kisses against his lips enjoying the sweetness of David’s wine on his tongue. A groan escaping his lips as David pulls on his lower lip with his teeth, wrapping one leg around Elliot’s bringing them closer together.

They meld into one losing track of time as they enjoy the sensation of each other’s lips and their hands exploring one another’s bodies as the stars twinkle in the sky above them laced with hope and brightness for their future.