#goodnight central

[miruac]

003 | croissant

genre: strangers to friends to lovers, slowburn, potential angst, fluff

pairing: casey ruang x yunmei qi

warnings: none

synopsis: casey is a bit homesick, how to cure?

masterlist

LIKEY CAFE; 10:45 A.M

saturday morning, on a breezy fall day. just the slightest chill flowing through the mid october breeze. weekends were rather slow for un. not much to do, since she's on top of her assignments. as of now, she sat in a little corner booth at a local diner outside campus.

“well looky looky, what do we have here?”

a familiar voice spoke, catching yun’s attention. she looked up, and there stood casey ruang. a little smirk plastered on his face, his smirk growing into a toothy smile.

“..hi?"

“hey. what’cha up to?” casey pushed his bag below the table, sliding into the booth as he let out a quiet grunt.

yunmei glanced at the croissant in front of her, before glancing back at casey. this diner was always her to-go meal spot. need a quick breakfast? take a breakfeast wrap from their to-go breakfast menu. late night dinner? Their dinner plates will be right out as soon as you even order.

“croissant.”

“i’m sorry?”

“croissant. they have good croissants here.” yun explained as she wiped leftover pastry crumbs off of her mouth with her sleeve. awkwardness creeped in as the two grew silent; plates clinking and quiet chatter being the only sounds. yunmei looked at her pastry sheepishly, whereas casey was looking at the menu. he glanced around before raising his hand. a teenager quickly came over, pulling out a notepad and a pen.

“hi, what would you like today?”

casey looked back at yun, a small smile on his face.

“one plain croissant, please.”

yunmei smiled fondly at casey, going back to her food. she glanced between casey and his backpack. the diner had opened a couple weeks ago, but yun had been frequenting the place recently.

“so, why are you here?”

yunmei took another bite of her croissant, chasing it down with a fresh cup of strawberry milk.

“was looking for a place to write; my literature professor assigned us a mock report, and the dorm wasn’t really a good place. y’know, someone threw a party last night and left their mess for us. what a great morning!”

casey took a deep breath, rubbing his face. now that yun looked closer, she saw that casey’s eyes were dropping and had bags under them. an arrow of concern poked her heart but she decided not to inquire about it.

“jeez, sounds bad. i was gonna go grocery shopping later, you wanna go with me? after you’ve made some progress on your report.” 

“yeah, sure. i have to buy a couple snacks anyways.”

it made yun a little happy that she didn’t have to go shop alone, nonetheless she wasn't expecting for him to come with.

;;

I.H DORMITORY 7:20 P.M

evil spawn #1(claudia): insert image me: why does mom have to make my fav when i’m not home evil spawn #1(claudia): lolz evil spawn #1(claudia): did u eat yet me: no, almost done studying evil spawn #1(claudia): i’m snitching to mom me: NO SHE’S GONNA END ME evil spawn #1(claudia): go eat broski  me: never call me that ever again evil spawn #1(claudia): ok bye love u me: love u too

click

a wave of melancholy struck casey, causing him to stare up from his work and at the ceiling. after seeing th picture claudia sent, casey realized something. he missed home. the chaos of four siblings, the noisiness, but his mother’s cooking is what he missed the most. It had been a while since he last ate something that truly tastes like home. he glanced at the digital clock on his desk. 7:24, it displayed. 

may as well have dinner, i can study later.

casey thought to himself. he had been studying for the past four hours, and it was already past the time he would usually eat dinner. as casey made his way out of his room and into the communal kitchen, the scent of beef and spring onions grew stronger and stronger.

peeking past the corner, he spotted yun at the stove. it seemed like she was sauteeing some sort of noodle dish. casey stood there for a minute, waiting to see if yun would even look away from the stovetop. he stood for a good three or four minutes, before yun scanned the premises. she jumped, then began to laugh as she clutched her heart.

“oh my god, casey! i almost threw my spoon at you, don’t do that."

casey chuckled, walking over to the kitchen island and sitting down. 

“okay, okay sorry. what’s on the menu tonight?”

“oh, just this beef noodle dish i ate growing up. i messed up the ratios though, there’s bound to be some-”

growl

casey’s growling stomach interrupted yunmei’s speaking, embarrassment creeping up onto his face.

“..leftovers…i’m gonna assume you’re hungry, and you can have the rest. i don't trust my cooking, so you taste it first!”

yun shoved a bowl of the noodle dish into casey’s arms, and handed him a pair of chopsticks and a spoon. the aroma was heavenly, notes of different soy sauce variations and oyster sauce with that slight smokey scent. it…reminded casey of something familiar.

“if you don't trust your own cooking, why should i trust it?”

“because you’re hungry and i’m not letting you starve.”

“...fine..”

casey hesitantly picked up a couple strands and stared at them with a questionable look, and put them in his mouth. the expression on yunmei’s face was one of uncertainty, her eyes glued onto casey’s face. it was subtle, but his eyes sparked. he looked up at her with a look of excitement on his face and nodded.

“i’m surprised you don’t trust yourself, because this is really good.”

yunmei let out a breath, anxiously shaking her hand. her shoulders felt lighter as her face lit up with happiness.

bzzt

bzzt 

bzzt

something was vibrating. it was casey’s phone. he pulled it out, and his expression changed to worry. he whispered a ‘sorry’ over to yunmei. His finger hovered against the screen, before flicking up.

“casey, my son! claudia says you didn’t have food, are you eating now?”

a light and airy voice spoke from casey’s phone. other voices were distantly heard in the background. yun assumed it was his mother, judging from the words ‘my son’. she gathered the pots and pans, and placed them in the sink for later. 

“mom, mom. i’m fine. i’m okay, just a little tired. i’m eating right now. claudia showed me the seolleongtang you made.”

“sorry, your brothers and sisters wanted it because they know you like it, and they miss you.”

“i’ll be home soon, okay? just two more months and i'll be home for christmas.”

“okay. what are you eating now?”

“well my friend made this beef noodle stirfry, and there was a lot extra so she gave me some.”

casey looked over at yun, who was standing across him. she seemed to be invested in her own bowl. he flashed her a soft smile again, before turning back to his phone.

“okay. I know you’re a busy boy so i’ll let you eat. stay safe and-”

“is that casey? hi big brother!”

“casey!”

“ew, it’s you.”

casey’s phone screen went from displaying just his mother to his whole family. a smile lit up on his face, and yunmei could see his eyes crinkle. it warmed his heart, seeing his whole family after little contact.

“hi everyone. claudia, that’s mean. hi cecillia and cody. are you two being nice to mom and dad?”

“yes! cody helped her make dindin, and claudia draw with me!”

a high pitched girly voice spoke. 

"is dad home or is he still at the bakery?"

"yeah, he's still working. your favourite tarts have been the weekly special for like, three times since you left."

a breathy voice spoke, in a slight sing-song tone.

“thanks, claudia. and what about cole?”

the phone screen panned from his siblings, back to his mother.

“oh, cole is having a sleepover with one of his friends. they have soccer game tomorrow. eat now okay? i love you, my son.”

“okay, love you too mom. bye everyone."

“bye casey!”

“byebye big brother!”

“see’ya.”

click

“sorry about the fuss, my family’s a bit on the rowdy side.”

casey took another bite of his food, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin. yun shook her head, fiddling with her utensils.

“it’s okay, your family seems fun. are you the oldest?”

she asked, walking to the fridge. 

“yeah. i’m the oldest, then it’s my sister claudia, my brother cole, and the twins cecilia and cody. claudias fifteen, coles eleven, and the twins are both four.”

“oh really? What’s it like,being the oldest?”

yun chuckled, wiping her hand with a napkin. the boy smirked and sighed.

“well, it’s kinda hard since i help my parents with the younger ones, but i don't mind it.. they’re all great kids.”

it was nice, seeing casey talk about his family in such a loving way. if yun was being honest, she thought it was kind of cute.

I.H FILM ROOM; 9:20 A.M

“you’re finally on time, for once!” 

“always on time for my favourite class. professor lee still isn’t here?”

casey shook his head, unsheathing his laptop from the case. he pulled out his sketchbook as well, flipping it open to a blank page. this time, yun was prepared. she had stuffed an extra sweater in her backpack, and even brought a couple of instant heat packs if the chill became unbearable. 

“nope, i wonder what surprise he’s gonna show up with this time.”

professor lee is casey and yunmei’s film professor, and he always came to class in a special way. sometimes he would wear inflatable animal costumes to teach in, other days he would just not follow the day’s agenda and would just casually talk to the class.

“i’ll buy you lunch if he comes to class wearing a dinosaur costume. he doesn’t, then you treat me.”

yun said, pulling out a packet of mini rice puffs to snack on.

“deal.”

the two shook hands, smirks on both their faces. last time, prof. lee wore a carrot costume and almost every week, he alternates from food costumes to other types of attire. but when yunmei sat down, the professor came through the doors wearing something no one expected him to.

“oh my god.” casey whispered, his eyes slightly widening.

“what even is he wearing? oh whatever, thanks for lunch art boy!” yunmei squealed excitedly.

professor lee came to class in not just one costume, but separate parts of multiple costumes sewn together. the cherry on top of the outfit was the pumpkin hat that sat ever so perfectly the professor's head.

“okay class, let’s get started!”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

EEEEEEEK HI EVERYBODY!!! i'm so sorry for the wait, i got stuck writing this chapter :/ i hope it is up to your standards. but as for other chapters, they may be published rather late. i will try to post at least once a month, but it may be a bit longer. either way im so glad that you all stayed this far, i hope you all had a good first day of school <3 goodbye my loves !!

[the-meme-monarch]

Out of curiosity, what are your top 5 Central Park songs and why? (Feel free to mention any honourable mentions if you have any.)

i was gonna answer this w a big post with all my favorite songs from each season (bc it was Not going to be five total) but i can’t bc there are really too many . and the playlists claiming to be every song are still missing some so it’s a little hard to accurately listen to All of them for Sorting. anyway I’m working on an animatic w one of my favorites it’s I Didn’t Account For This and it’s deltarune it’s snowgrave and it’s only an au for the sake of matching the lyrics bettter Henjoy

the au element is mostly. berdly listened when noelle told him to Get Outta Here so he went to queen. the thing w scc is sweet is Trying To Be A Hero bc he saw kris and noelle freeze a tasque and realized They’re the ones behind these people getting frozen and is working up the nerve to confront them but well Hey This Is Scary Actually

[chasing-chimeras]

what’s up with that map in 6x16?

has anyone done some sort of meta post about the world state in tw? i think we see a couple maps (a few town maps and one of where bh actually is in 6x6 but idk if the surrounding towns are real?) but the one that’s so strange to me is in 6x16 that shows the location of the other nemetons.

it’s weird bc it’s a normal map w all the countries (up to date at the time too bc it has south sudan) but then the oceans and lakes are just wild. i don’t have a screenshot but most of n+s america looks normal aside from a few extra lakes in the western us/sw canada. but then if you look at west asia, north+west+east africa, and central+east europe it’s like……there’s just lakes. so many fucking lakes and bays and rising sea levels but not bc most low lying areas are normal (netherlands, florida, etc). places that’re already hit hard by climate change like bangladesh seem fine but then mountainous areas like central turkey are just under wanter. and the lakes? i need someone to explain the lakes or at least make something up bc i can’t stop trying to figure out how they stuck this thing to the wall and no one thought it looked a little funky? idk man i gotta go to sleep

[flovverworks]

fauaki send post

[stillbreathing-aer]

so glad to have fallen back into my fictional character era, missed my boys

[olliecoded]

i'm going to bed now but i need some of you to think really hard about whether you've identified an ingroup and an outgroup that you now believe have intrinsic moral value. the exigence for this post isn't necessarily important because i don't want to call anyone specific out but people are complicated and messy and aren't inherently good/bad, and believing that groups that you yourself are part of cannot have any negative qualities makes you blind to issues and prejudice within those groups. this is especially true when it comes to categories that we have been especially trained to believe are mutually exclusive: abusive queer people, religious leftists, conservative people of color, etc. 99% of the time, "you are x and therefore you cannot be y" is false. but it makes it feel easier to be a good person if you know who you're supposed to be nice to right?

[scoobydoomidnightblue]

it’s so interesting to me that Mike wheeler is still repressing himself, just in a different way than we’ve seen. Yes, he’s doing d&d again and I’m very happy about that, he’s embracing that side of him, but he’s still got growth to do. While he’s not as blatantly obstinate about all things “childish” because he wants to be “cool” and “adult” (and normal) and act like his parents, there’s something missing in him in this season. And yes, it’s probably just another messed up cardboard s4 character, who (like my poor Joyce) has fallen victim to the Duffers but I have an unhealthy attachment to Mike and his growth so in this I see a boy who has grown past his longing to be “cool” but he’s now lost a part of himself and is left “flat” and uncaring. Good luck young Michael, I hope you and your story are able to grow past what the liberties being taken in it. You are the heart of the coming-of-age portion of Stranger Things. Joyce’s counterpart (which is interesting based on what they did with her character as well) and the “writer” (See Gordie Lachance of The Body/Stand By Me, a BIG inspiration for Stranger Things, used in the auditions and everything) I just hope he gets to be himself, whatever that may look like. (meaning queer. I’m sure I don’t have to list reasons here, this post is for the ones in the know, aka the Bylers ;)

[summerwishes]

i swear i was going to be here to work on drafts but i’m just so tired so i’m going to try and get a good night’s sleep!

[thesportish]

Brighton announces the signing of the Argentine midfielder

Brighton announces the signing of the Argentine midfielder

Brighton have announced the signing of Rosario Central midfielder Facundo Buananotte. The switchover will take place on January 1st, when the winter transfer window opens. According to mass mediathe amount of the transfer of the 17-year-old Argentine was 11.5 million euros. Source: Soccer Ru

[sunniepoo]

How about a kook!reader being terrified of storms even though they live in hurricane central. So, in fear, she cuddles up to JJ tightly, and things get a little heated after a while...? Idk I hope that makes sense!

~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~

you’ve always hated storms- loud, unpredictable, violent and most of all you hated the darkness that painted the sky as they occurred, you couldn’t think of anything worse

it was easier to manage back in figure 8, you could cuddle up in the comfort of your home and know you would be fine when you wake up, falling fast asleep before the storm hit its peak

things were much different in the cut, the storms were a genuine risk yet the people put on a brave face and continued working fearlessly right until the storm started causing you to keep to yourself about your silly fear

the sound of the pogues laughing and chuckling were only a faint noise in your ears, the overarching sound of the tree branches clashing against the windows filled your ears - increasing your fear at each passing moment

“you k’ay” jj murmured in the side of your ear- subtly raking his fingers through the ends of your hair, the troublemaker blonde was underneath you leaving you placed in the middle of his lap

“m’fine… just tired, wanna call it a night” you reply, waiting for this hell,horror of a night to be over as soon as possible- sinking further into his warmth

murmurs of ‘goodnight’ and ‘byes’ were said as everyone went into their own personal spaces in the chateau, leaving you and jj on the pullout sofa

your head lays buried in the crook of the blondes neck as his hand loosely runs up and down your body giving some warmth- you can’t help but clutch onto the midst of his shirt tightly as the sound of the raging storm increases

“what’s wrong sweetcheeks?”he queries breaking your thoughts from the ongoing commotion outside

“jus’ the storm, its so loud and scary… don’t wanna hear it anymore”

“can’t get you from in here gorgeous” he replies carefully treading through the lengths of your hair,placing soft kisses to the tops of your head, soothing you down and just as your eyes feel like their about to shut

BAM!

a soft whimper leaves your mouth as you jolt against the blonde, clutching into the his shirt again- leaving you just muttering a string of apologies

“you need a distraction missy”

his hands trail down your torso to the waistband of your shorts, slowly playing with the hem as his fingers graze the skin that lays beneath them

“jay we can’t..they’ll hear” you whisper, anticipating his next move - a damp spot already forming in your panties

“then keep quiet”

the storm was long forgotten as he worked the length of his fingers knuckle deep inside of you- your own moans overshadowing the clashing of the trees outside

~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~🩷~🩰~

[miruac]

001 | recognition

masterlist

synopsis: first meeting, but is it love at first sight?

pairing: yunmei qi x casey ruang(ocs)

a/n: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HI EVERYONE!! revamp of chapter one is finally out im so happy <3 i've debated redoing this series because i feel like the previous version was really rushed, so i wasnt able to write with my best. but with time and devotion, you can do anything(this is a cry for help save me school sucks sm) but anyways heres chapter one <3333

I.H CAMPUS; 9:20 A.M

international heights; an elite university that offers special programs that are inclusive to people all over the globe. yunmei qi, your classic university student. shocked that she was capable of getting into university, and still shocked that she could afford tuition.

the bustling noise of people chatting and chanting filled the campus of international heights, as orientation day was rather busy. it was a hot and sunny day, as the summer heat hadn't faded away yet.

yunmei hauled her belongings for the next four years on her shoulders and in a little cart that the establishment had provided. there were guides at the main campus, and each freshman was assigned an older student to show them around. luckily for her, she was able to make it to the front of the crowd. 

a loud bell rang throughout campus; indicating an announcement was to be made. a shrill sound screeched into everyone's ears, followed by a couple of tapping noises. 

"is this working…hello? testing, testing. alright, attention freshmen! this is your dean speaking, and on behalf of all staff here we welcome you to international heights university. these next four years will be some of the best of your lives, and we can guarantee you’ll enjoy it here. there will be students guiding you to your dorms so you can unpack. after that, there will be a quick tour of the campus. get settled, explore a little bit, and good luck to all of you."

the dean spoke through loudspeakers scattered across campus, causing everyone to flinch a little at the unexpected sound. people in silver shirts began to emerge from the main campus building, and made their way to the crowd of freshmen. this one tall, tan, and muscular figure made his way over by yunmei. if she was being honest, yunmei was more than just intimidated.

"okay, hello freshmen! i'm sure we all appreciated our dean's lovely welcome, and we're sooo excited to get settled in.”

it was subtle, but yunmei was able to hear a hint of sarcasm in the man’s voice. 

“my name's liam, and i'm your guide today. you all received a slip of paper saying your dorm name, which should be asher hall. i’ll be doing attendance, so please listen for your name."

the tan man said loudly, adjusting his cap. underneath the scary demeanor, you could see a sweet personality. yunmei and everyone around her handed the slips of paper to liam. it wasn't a while until yunmei's name was called.

"yunmei qi?" 

"here." yunmei dryly responded, covering her eyes from the brash sun.

"casey ruang?" 

"here.”

I.H CAMPUS; 9:20 A.M

“my name's liam, and i'm your guide today. you all received a slip of paper saying your dorm name, which should be asher hall. i’ll be doing attendance, so please listen for your name."

casey yawned, having just woke up from his short nap. casey ruang, your local nice boy. growing up, casey had dealt with insomnia, since he was around his tween years. he looked around, taking in his surroundings. no one else really caught his attention, other than a girl who was wearing an oversized dress shirt, a white skirt, with a navy tank top and sunglasses to top it off. 

"yunmei qi?"

the girl breathed in, raising her hand.

"here."

ah. her name is yunmei. that's a pretty name for a pretty girl.

;;

around seven minutes later, the group reached the dorm hall. it was a three story building with a lounge, a communal kitchen, and a laundry room. at the end of each floor was a communal bathroom, the ones on the top two floors having showers. each floor had four rooms, all single beds.

yunmei was excited for this. she couldn't wait to live the university student aesthetic, even if it was only for a short time. but she had to wait, since she was unable to get her luggage up the staircases. everyone had entered their rooms earlier, so there wasn't really anyone around to help her. liam had gone off to the dean's office to receive the itinerary for the rest of the day, so he was out of the question. determined to be an independent woman, she attempted to haul the cart up step by step but ended up having the bagagge slide off and crash onto the floor.

damnit...no one's around, what the hell do i do..

yun thought, her face in a tight grimace.

"are you okay?

;;

casey had pushed away his luggage in an empty corner, looklng around his room. he decided that the unpacking would happen later, as he wanted to explore the campus. the walls seemed to be intact, just a little discolouration from age. a couple of dents and scratches in the hardwood, but nothing a rug can't fix. the bed...higher than expected but that meant more room for storage. the room was a bit better than his expectations, so casey was relatively pleased.

click

me:[insert photo]

me: made it to campus, the dorm looks better than i thought it would

mom: Wow! very nice. eat well, okay? I love u

me: okay mom, love you too <3

casey looked at the time on his phone. 9:27 a.m.

i'll unpack later, let's look around first.

he thought to himself, locking his room door behind him. about to make his descent back down the stairs, he heard a thud below him. peering over the railing, casey recognized it was the girl from earlier trying to drag her luggage up the stairs.

"are you okay?"

the girl looked up at him, her eyes widening like a deer caught in headlights. her expression turned from a surprised one into a sheepish smile.

"yeah, sorry. i thought i'd be able to bring up all my bags at once, but that doesn't seem to be the case!"

she explained sarcastically, still trying to pull at the luggage.

"here, let me help you with that."

casey maneuvered his way past the bags to the base of the stairwell, grabbing one bag in each hand.

"what's your room number?"

"203. and thanks, by the way."

"no problem. you're...yunmei, right?"

"hm? oh yeah, my names yunmei. you?"

"casey. casey ruang."

"well, nice to meet you casey ruang."

the two reached 203, and yunmei opened the door. she stood there for a while, taking in her surroundings. now that casey saw her up close, he was able to examine her features more closely. she was actually quite petite, and she had a couple of ear piercings. she turned around to reach for her bags, tugging them away from casey's grasp.

"thanks again, casey."

casey nodded, flashing a small smile at her. the two bid farewell before casey went back downstairs, fist pumping to himself as he appraised himself for talking to the pretty girl.

I.H QUAD; 12:50 P.M

liam had just finished the tour of the campus, and now students were able to roam around freely. for yunmei, that is exactly what she did. there were booths and booths of extracurriculars that the school offered. it seemed like the options were endless, as she continued to walk down the path. a slight gurgle of discomfort was felt throughout her body. checking her watch, yunmei realized it was about time she should have lunch. the nearest dining hall was right around the corner, so it was just a short walk.

"hey, yunmei!"

yunmei heard her name being called from afar. she looked around, and found casey by a booth waving towards her. she waved back, her expression confused and surprised. casey made his way over to her, a small smile on his face. yunmei chuckled, finding his eagerness to be slightly amusing.

"hey, did you find anything you're into yet?"

casey asked, running his hand through his hair. yunmei hadn't realized that casey was rather taller than her, so when he stood next to her she was confused as to why there was an oat coloured and white flannel in front of her. casey had good style, she realized. a white shirt under a loose hazel flannel, blue denim cargo pants, and classic converse sneakers. she also spotted a ring on his pinky, bracelets on his wrist, and a silver chain around his neck.

"mm, i'm thinking of a sports team? i'm not really sure, there's so many options. did you join anything?"

casey shook his head, holding up plenty of flyers.

"i got a bit too excited and bit off way more than i can chew. i'm gonna go through them later, and look into the one's i'm into. where you headed?"

"dining hall. did you have lunch yet? from the amount of flyers you have, i don't know if i should be concerned or curious."

once again, casey shook his head. the two conversed a bit more as they walked to the dining hall together. yunmei didn't expect to already talk to someone this early on, but sometimes your expectations surpass you.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

hi guys AAAAAAAAAAAAAA i alr did an a/n but heres another one <3 im so happy i was able to rewrite this <3 this is all i have to add on to my earlier authors note, but i'm happy to say goodnight central has made a comeback. i love u all, and byebye!!! til next chapter <3

[yourgothiccqueen]

LN4 - “Formula One Sucks” Part 2

Summary: Y/N and Lando go on their first date.

Pairings: Lando Norris x Female Reader

Warnings: Swearing, hints of sexual tension etc

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3

Masterlist

*Ping*

Y/N glanced down at her phone, a small smile forming at her lips. There would only be one person messaging her so late at night.

lightning mcqueen: Soooo, what did you think of the race today? :)

The last thing she expected to happen after her begrudging trip to Silverstone was to end up texting a certain McLaren driver.

Well, it was more than texting really. There were calls too, every other day. Lando was a busy (understatement of the year) guy, but they’d found themselves falling into a comfortable routine of late night conversations.

y/n: didn’t watch it, was too busy washing my dog :,)

A lie, of course. Y/N had recently found herself infatuated with F1. She hadn’t missed a race. But she wasn’t going to let Lando feel smug about that.

lightning mcqueen: u little shit, you don’t have a dog!

y/n: says who?!

lightning mcqueen: you, on the phone last week!

y/n: 🤷‍♀️ maybe I was washing my friends dog?

lightning mcqueen: its okay, no need for lies - i know ur an f1 super fan now thanks to yours truly :D

Y/N felt a smile tug at her lips. Okay, he was smug. But it was kinda cute.

y/n: okayyyy, perhaps I did watch. And perhaps I thought you were rather impressive. happy now?

lightning mcqueen: very :) goodnight grumpy girl x

y/n: goodnight u smug bastard x

————————————————————-

It didn’t take long for him to ask her on a date. It caught her by surprise, despite the ease at which they’d been chatting over the past month.

“What do you even wear on a date with an F1 driver?” Y/N groaned, flopping back on to her bed.

Piles of clothes were scattered around the room, deemed totally unacceptable for a date with Lando Norris.

“Not this.” Her friend Annie, grimaced, picking up a bright pink Oodie off of the floor.

“Yeah no shit!”

“Look, you must have something in here.” Annie rummaged through the wardrobe. “Where’s he taking you anyway?”

“Someplace in central. It’s not too fancy, but it’s definitely fancier than the pink Oodie.” Y/N pointed.

“Oooo. This could work!” Annie pulled out a relatively new, seemingly unworn black dress. “Can’t go wrong with a little black dress.”

Y/N’s eyes widen - “I can’t wear that!”

“Why the hell not?”

“It’s too…showy. I bought it on a whim. For a nice occasion.”

Annie rolled her eyes “if you’re not going to wear it on a date with a super hot formula one driver, then when the hell are you gonna wear it?!”

Fair point.

———————————————————

Stood outside the restaurant, Y/N felt her nerves begin to grow. What the hell was she doing? She didn’t do this sort of thing! If she’d had told herself a month ago that she’d be going on a date with Lando, she’d have laughed in her own face. This was wild. This was ridiculous. This was positively insane in fact!

“Y/N?”

Suddenly whipped out of her own thoughts, Y/N turned around.

Oh god, he looked bloody gorgeous.

He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling as he did. His white shirt was a stark contrast against his tan skin. His curly hair was slightly more tamed than usual - he’d clearly made an effort, which made Y/N’s heart race even faster.

“Hey!” She managed to stutter out, sounding far more confident than she felt inside.

“Hi! God I’m so sorry I’m late, were you waiting long?” Lando queried.

Y/N had failed to notice that he was late in the first place, having been so in her own head.

“No just got here.” She smiled. “You look really nice.” She paused, a fleeting moment of confidence. “For a smug bastard, of course.”

A quick laugh left Lando’s mouth.

“Ha! You look lovely too, despite being the world's grumpiest woman, of course.”

“Oh of course.” Y/N giggled, as they made their way inside.

He’d chosen well - it was beautiful inside the restaurant, but not fancy enough to make Y/N feel uncomfortable.

Y/N placed her phone down on the table as she sat, and Lando couldn’t help but catch a glimpse.

“Wait, why am I called Lightning McQueen in your phone?” He laughed.

“Because you’re fast - duh!”

“Lightning McQueen is red.” Lando retorted, a look of exasperation written across his face, as he made himself comfortable in his chair.

“So?”

Lando rolled his eyes, jokingly.

"There's nothing wrong with red cars!" Y/N exclaimed.

“Well, I prefer orange myself. Gimme your phone, I’ve got a better name.”

“If I must”

Y/N passed her phone across the table and into Lando's hand. His fingers brushed hers as she did so. Despite their playful bickering, she couldn't help but wish she could leave her hand on his a moment longer.

God, she was fully gone and she'd only been sat in his presence for less than five minutes. He was going to be the death of her.

Lando typed into Y/N’s phone momentarily, before passing it back, a small smirk on his face.

“Lando ‘The Hunk’ Norris?” She laughed, eyebrows raising. “Really?”

“Well, it’s much more accurate, don’t you think?”

He folded his arms across his chest. Y/N felt herself begin to blush, so decided the sane response was to hide herself behind the menu.

"Well?" Lando quipped.

"Well what, Lando 'The Hunk' Norris?" Y/N spoke, glancing up at the curly haired man. His eyes bore into hers, a slight mischievous glint to them.

"Aren't you going to agree?"

"You want me to tell you that you are in fact, a 'hunk'?" She retorted.

Lando leaned back in his chair. "I suppose I don't need you to. The fact that you've gone bright red says it all."

Y/N felt her blush deepen.

"You're a cocky bastard. you know that?"

"I haven't had any complaints yet."

---------------------------------------------------

The rest of the date passed in a blur of midly flirtatious comments and an abundance of sexual innuendos. Y/N wasn't sure what she had been expecting when she'd agreed to a date with Lando. She'd presumed he'd be polite, and sincere and kind - which he was. But what she hadn't anticipated was his quick wit and his ability to call her out. She liked it. She liked it very much indeed.

Perhaps she'd finally met her match.

By the time they left the restaurant the sun had long set, and a light drizzle had set in.

Y/N felt the breath leave her lungs as Lando took his hand in hers.

"Thank you." He smiled, softly.

"What for, exactly?" She questioned, half unable to focus on anything except the feeling of his warm hand in hers.

"For...this. It's not often I get to meet someone who... makes me feel so normal. Someone who isn't afraid to say what's on their mind. It's nice."

Once again, a blush crept up Y/N's neck and towards her cheeks.

"Well, I am pretty incredible." She winked.

"Oh, shut up!"

"Make me."

Lando stepped forward, and in one breathe his lips crashed into her own. It was messy at first, filled with passion and unresolved sexual tension, before they found their rhythm. She closed her eyes, feeling his strong hands wrapped around her waist. His mouth molded against hers, warmth spilling throughout her body. He was perfect. His mouth moved in perfect timing against hers, as she entwined her hands at the base of his hair, letting her fingers run through his curls. She could stand her forever, she thought, with her body pressed against his, his mouth against hers.

Eventually, Y/N pulled away first, gazing up into Lando's darkened eyes. His lips were swollen and wet - she already wanted to kiss him again.

"Want to continue this date at mine?" She whispered, unable to leave his gaze.

"Say no more."

[lil-tachyon]

For the last couple weeks I've been drawing logos / designs for local-ish (mostly NJ, some PA and NY) bands as warmups in the morning. Here's what I've come up with! Massive post below the break explaining each logo + where to find each band and listen to their music.

Teenage Halloween- a staple of New Jersey basements for probably about a decade now and finally getting wider recognition in the last couple years. Pop punk / power pop with a killer horn section. First time I saw them was in New Brunswick playing with Walter Etc. and Blowout. They played a killer cover "Build Me Up Buttercup" and my wife got a black eye in the pit. Recommended tracks: "Brain Song," "666," "Clarity." Their first EP is on a separate bandcamp page btw, check it out here it's great.

Sweet Pill - They will call themselves a Philly band but in my heart they'll always be from Glassboro. Definitely one of the more recognizable names on this list. Emo revival - early stuff is more twinkly, more recent stuff is heavier. All of it's great. Recommended tracks "Nephew," "High Hopes."

Shark Club - Central Jersey's finest. I'm very biased because I actually know these dudes and they did the music for my wedding. Some of the best pop punk you'll hear and the nicest people you'll meet. Recommended tracks: "Game Theory," "Bill Murray," "Heavens to Betsy."

Rest Ashore - My favorite band for the last (oh God I'm old now) eight years. From gut-wrenching emo ballads to virtuoso math-rock instrumentals they do it all. One time I got to sing vocals on "Lucy's Theme" at a house show- thank you Erica! Recommended tracks: "Hjarta," "Chinese Opera," "Devotion," "Soyuz Sweetheart." Too many bangers to name honestly, just deep dive their discography.

Morus Alba - First band I ever went to see at a house show and still one of my absolute favorites. Their music feels like the bridge between the best pitchfork, /mu/ alt rock bands and high energy basement emo. I mean that as a compliment and I hope it comes off as one lol. I should note that since 2019 Morus Alba has morphed from a band into an experimental hip-hop project so later releases sound radically different and basically disconnected from the earlier stuff. Also my favorite release from them, Live at Isabelle's, has been scrubbed from the internet but if you'd like the files just email me. Recommended tracks: "Skyscraper," "Human Resources," "The Goodnight Waltz."

Have a Good Season - another Jersey mainstay that's still going strong. Emo revival in their earlier releases, now with more 70s power pop influences in their newer stuff. See them live, they put on a fantastic show and usually play some great covers in addition to their original music. HaGS guys if you're reading this, please put your version of "Since You've Been Gone" online, I'm begging you. Recommended tracks: "Joseph / Shel Silverstein," (you have to listen to them together for the drop, so good) , "Gum, "Gleaux / Scab." Also, frontman Nic Palermo interviewed me once.

Elephant Jake - If you see any of these bands live make it EJ, they put on such a damn good show. Electrifying indie punk from the Empire State. Recommended tracks: "F.D.C." "Sarah Moyer," "Goodness to Honest," and of course you gotta learn "Sebastien Bauer" for the singalongs.

Blind Lion - Sadly one of the greats that we lost along the way. Defunct since about 2017. I only got to see them once but it was a great performance. Alongside their own stuff they played some killer covers of "Bad Moon Rising" and "Moonage Daydream." I had trouble doing a logo design for them because I actually really like the composition, if not the "Ed Hardy-ness," of their existing logo so what you see here are two separate attempts, neither of which feels entirely satisfying to me. Frontperson Larry Flately currently plays in Nematode and also handled production of Bradley Gardens joke hiphop group The Breakfast Boiz under the moniker "DJ Ova EZ." Recommended tracks: "Brumous," "Dinner."

Fighting Seasons - A band that I sadly found out about too late (via a sticker under the bridge in my town which has since been painted over). 2010s pop punk that packs a helluva punch, especially considering that I'm pretty sure the members were high schoolers for most of the band's existence. I think some members may have gone on to form Sawce (FFO Chon, Polyphia, that type of music) but I can't remember where I read/heard that so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Recommended tracks: "Fighting Seasons," "Oil on Canvas"

Milkmen- Another fallen giant, officially disbanded in 2019. Like Morus Alba, they played the very first house show I attended and their few releases remain on constant rotation in my home. Used to put on a great show and were one of the bands I always thought would make it big until suddenly they weren't around anymore. Frontman Ben Thieberger contributed guitar and vocals to Covid quarantine project Kin if you're looking for a bit of an extra fix but beyond that I don't know what these guys are up to these days, sadly. Recommended tracks: "Ramus," "Johnny Dangerously," "how sieves catch breeze," "K.O.T.H."

Stand and Wave - New York (now Philly) pop punkers delivering instant dopamine hits with every track. Another great live act, see them with EJ if you can! They often play shows together. Recommended tracks: "Convos," "Mrs. Dash," "Splashton Kutcher," "Michael Collins."

My Chemical Romance - You know who they are. While I was drawing all these other logos I ran a poll on Patreon to decide which famous New Jersey band should also be graced with a drawing from me. MCR won the poll by a hefty margin so unfortunately you won't get to see me do an illegible black metal take on Hoboken's Yo La Tengo. I ended up doing two versions: the one with the halo is the first, the one with the bats was the second. I tried to do something kind of thin and elegant with the first one and I don't think it's terrible but I also wasn't quite satisfied with it. For the 2nd attempt I tried to lean into the kind of pulpy, almost horror punk aesthetic of early MCR and I think that one looks better even if it's less original.

Anyway if you took the time to read through all this, thank you very much! And please support these bands! Also If any of the links aren't working please let me know.

-Logan

[johnwickb1tsch]

Constantine x Reader x Wick Imagine

🗡️Ahhhhhhhgrgh OK SO you used to date John Constantine, but he pushed you away and broke your heart when you accidentally said the L word. You move to New York, and now you're with John Wick, who is ever so good to you, but you don't ask what he gets up to in the wee hours of the night or why he comes home with bruised knuckles. It's old hat to you, considering who you used to date. Constantine happens to know, however, that Wick is a demon half breed, and its driving him insane thinking about you with him. He found out from one of his less than savory contacts, and its been eating at him ever since.

He confronts you in Central park, where you like to go on your lunch breaks to read. "Nice, y/n. I turn my back for two seconds and you're fucking a demon." "First of all, fuck off, Constantine. Second, what the fuck are you talking about? Third, what the fuck are you doing in New York?” “Your little boyfriend’s boss Tarasov is cooking up something wicked. Something that’s going to harvest a LOT of souls for his master.” That would be Lucifer Himself, of course. You roll your eyes, even if in the very back back room of your head, you wonder if he’s telling the truth. Could John Wick be a demon? The sex was amazing, but that didn't necessarily mean he was the Devil's minion? You had noticed though, out the corner of your eye, that sometimes his pupils seemed to have a fiery glow. And sometimes, when he came home all sweaty and hadn't showered yet, you'd get a weird whiff of sulfur. You'd always shrugged it off, but... “Sure he is.” Seeing Constantine hurts like a knife between the ribs. You'd loved him so much, and he was such an asshole to you. The fact that he’s come all this way trying to warn you should not inspire this kind of warmth in your heart. “Just stay away from me, Constantine.”

😈Of course, he doesn’t. He never told you, but you're the only woman he's ever truly loved. You’re out with John Wick when Constantine strikes, trying to deport your [apparently?] demon boyfriend. Wick gets the drop on him though, and he’s about to finish the job before he hears you scream. He sees your face and knows it will hurt you irreparably if he kills Constantine. So he lets him go, throwing him across the darkened street into a building. You leave with Wick, and he takes you home. You have so many questions, but he refuses to answer them. He kisses you goodnight before he has to go out again, a sorrow in those soulful puppy dog eyes that breaks your heart. How is it possible that he’s a demon? He’s so good to you.

♥Little do you know, John Wick never really had a choice. He was damned for something he didn't really have control over, and working for the Devil is way better than seething in the Pit. He's good at what he does, but his heart's never really been in it. You're the best thing that's ever happened to him.

😇👹You were never really down with all this angels and demons shit. Constantine kept you insulated from it, and to be honest you're not really even a believer. It’s kind of why these guys are attracted to you, tbh. Being around you is like a little break from their lives. You’re a good person for the most part. You go about your day and do your best not to be a total piece of shit, and usually that works out, but you don’t get caught up in the whole Heaven! and Hell! thing. Though one time when you confessed to Constantine that you don’t believe in God, he’d bitterly said, “That doesn’t mean He doesn’t believe in you, the asshole.” For someone supposedly on God's side, Constantine never seemed to like Him much.

🔥You follow Wick one night, desperate to know if Constantine was right. You get caught, because you are just human, and Tarasov decides you’ll make a perfect little sacrifice for the profane ritual they’re setting up. Constantine, of course, was following you. Before the knife can fall MAYEM ensues. SO MANY Demons get their asses deported, but you almost die anyway. In the end, Wick pulls a Selfless Act saving you, and he gets turned into a halfbreed angel instead.

😡Constantine is so fucking pissed off about this.

🤷‍♀️You love them both and have no idea how you’re going to choose.

[occasionaloranges]

the adventures of huckleberry finn - mark twain // seven - taylor swift // moonrise kingdom (2012) dir. wes anderson // @petrichara // the kids aren’t alright - fall out boy // @slugspoon // you’ve got a friend in me - randy newman // friedrich nietzsche // anne with an e (2017) // fredrik backman // the housebuilding song - david ferguson // park bench dedication in central park // emily brontë // luca (2021) dir. enrico casarosa // this town - niall horan // way back when - kodaline// @beetlejuices // winnie the pooh // you & me - feldberg // bank robbers nursery rhyme - goodnight, texas // ribs - lorde // tom sawyer and huckleberry finn // setting the woods on fire - hank williams // @honeytuesday // frog and toad are friends - arnold lobel // bridge to terabithia (2007) dir. gábor csupó

[fourmoony]

Friends or What?

James Potter x F!Reader

A coming of age story in which Potter's Corner Shop has a funny way of bringing people together. Falling in love is daunting when everyone is watching.

Ao3 Link - Series Masterlist - Fourmoony's Masterlist

Chapter Warnings for Chapter Two -

Language. Internalised homophobia. Mentions of physical and emotional abuse. Smoking. Use of the word 'fag', in context to a cigarette (UK Slang)

CHAPTER TWO (4K) -

JAMES

Sirius is quiet in the taxi home. He’s quiet when they shuck their shoes off in the entrance hall of the Potter Estate. He’s quiet as he footers around the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water. He’s quiet while he and James stand side by side in their conjoined bathroom, brushing their teeth and washing their faces. He’s quiet, quiet, quiet, and James is starting to worry. The thing about Sirius is – is that he’s loud. In every possible way. Aged eleven, Sirius Black had come bounding into James Potter’s life with his boyish grin and loudmouth attitude, two middle fingers held up to the world and they’d been inseparable since.

James is loud like the sun. He’s funny and he’s charming in a warm, light, happy sort of way. He’s sturdy and reliable, he’s soft and he’s gentle. Sirius is loud like the laughter of a ten-thousand-man crowd. He’s abrasive and he’s obnoxious, he’s rough around the edges but he’s so fucking loyal that James never really stood a chance. He was destined to be Sirius Black’s brother, his best friend, his twin flame. Sirius is rebellious, he’s never been anything except what he wanted to be. He’s jagged and he’s loud and he’s James’ best mate in the entire world.

James knows Sirius like the back of his hand. So, he knows that quiet is not good. Sirius is complex. His past hasn’t been kind to him, and while he’s not the same sixteen-year-old boy that showed up on James’ doorstep seven years ago, battered and bruised, traumatised and a shell of himself, James still worries about him sometimes. Sirius talks about his family less and less as the years go on. James would like to think that, in a way, he’s healed from the trauma of Walburga and Orion Black. There are parts of Sirius that will never come back; his boyish innocence and the warmth he once exuded from his very soul, but James knows that Sirius is better. He doesn’t have nightmares anymore, he doesn’t hide himself away, he doesn’t stash bread and sweeties under his floorboards, he goes to therapy once a week and he’s making changes, for Christ’s sakes.

But James knows, he knows it deep into his fucking core, that the reason Sirius hasn’t told him about Remus, the reason he’s being so quiet, now, is because of his upbringing. It’s a subject he knows will have to be dealt with carefully, untwined with gentle fingers like plucking the thorns from a rose. One wrong word and James is scared Sirius will flee. He doesn’t like change, he doesn’t like lack of control, and if he’s kissing Remus Lupin for any other reason than to get under the poor bloke’s skin, then James is willing to bet Sirius is feeling an overwhelming amount of both.

So, he waits for Sirius to come to him. He sends him off to his own bed with a quiet ‘goodnight’ because he can wait. He will wait. Sirius isn’t ready and that’s okay. The two years James spent without Sirius were, by far, the hardest of his life. The Black’s decided this village was a bad influence, that it bred insubordination, was infecting Sirius’ mind with thoughts of growing up and doing anything but working in politics like the rest of his family. They moved to central London, in the borough of Islington, and that’s where things got really bad. Sirius doesn’t speak about London, much. Only to his therapist, which is fine with James. But he knows about all the stuff that happened when the Black’s lived in the village, he was there for it all; the broken bones, the bruises, the cuts, the scars, the rapid weight loss, he saw it happen, held Sirius through it, took the pieces of his own armour and filled in the gaps on Sirius’ because whilst Sirius is chaos, James is calm and he’s loyal, and he’s strong. And then Sirius left. And then Sirius came back to him. Then. Then, Sirius came home. So, James can wait. He can do it. Because James and Sirius tell each other everything, do everything together, but this is something that Sirius might just have to figure out on his own.

The house feels too quiet, the air around him too heavy, as James lies in bed. He tries to read, he fails, he polishes his rugby boots for training in the morning, and he fails. He can’t stop thinking about Sirius’ face; the frazzled, lost sort of look that plagued him when James had asked if he was okay, if he needed to talk about anything. James watched as Sirius fought and lost the battle of following Remus out of the Three Broomsticks and felt the pain heavy in his chest when he had to stop Sirius, himself.

“Not tonight. Let him cool off.” James had whispered, and Sirius didn’t have it in him to argue.

He tries to read, again, and he fails, again. He loves Sirius so much. He worries. He always worries. Because, sure, Sirius is a lot better, now, but he’s complex, he has trauma, and he’s visibly struggling. But James can’t help. Usually, he can always help Sirius. Sirius never shies away from asking for help. He’s on his own this time, scared and struggling and James can’t help him because he hasn’t asked and James refuses to push.

He tosses and he turns, and he sits up, he lies back down, he paces, he sits down, and eventually, he falls asleep, only to wake up when the bed dips beside him.

When his eyes open, he realises he’s fallen asleep with his glasses on because he can see the way the dawn breaks over the orchard outside his bedroom window. There’s frost on the grass and the sky is still a deep blue, getting lighter the further down he looks. Sirius is next to him. He doesn’t have to look over to know. James can tell by the pattern of his breaths, the smell of his shampoo, how far the bed dips. James Potter would know Sirius Black’s presence were he deaf and blind. He always will. He has a feeling Sirius, much like him, feels the weight that’s suffocating them.

He doesn’t look over, just waits for his best friend to say something. He can hear the cogs whirring behind Sirius’ pale blue eyes, the thumping of his heart against his ribcage. Sirius doesn’t speak for a long time.

“Do you –“ Sirius starts, but he falls short. He’s unsure, voice wavering, thick with anxiety. He swallows, coughs, tries again; “Do you think I’m a horrible person?”

It’s not what James is expecting Sirius to ask. As his best friend, his first instinct is to say, ‘Of course I don’t’, but James knows Sirius Black like the back of his hand, the insides of his eyelids, the warm glow that burns in his chest. He knows how Sirius can be. He knows how cruel his tongue is, how his first instinct when he’s threatened is to go for the throat. So, James deliberates.

“I think you’re a good person who horrible things have happened to. Sometimes, you allow those things to control the way you act. But no. I don’t think you’re a horrible person, Padfoot.” James answers honestly.

He watches the breeze blow through the orchard trees as the sun continues to creep up between the branches. Sirius breathes a sigh of relief, shuffles closer to James so he can feel the warmth of him. He finally looks down at Sirius, head rested on the same pillow as James, and he smiles softly. Sirius smiles back, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He looks tired, lost, scared. James wants to fix it all so bad. But he can’t. He has to let Sirius do it, himself.

When Sirius ran to him seven years ago, James made himself a promise. Nothing, and no one, would ever harm his best friend again. Not over James Potter’s cold, dead, body. But he can’t stop this, can he? He can’t wrap Sirius up and protect him from his own heart, his own mind. He doesn’t have that much power and it’s killing him.

“Remus thinks I’m a horrible person.” Sirius says, voice so quiet James thinks he believes it. Like Remus’ word is final.

He sighs, rubs the tiredness from his eyes, “Did he tell you this?”

“No,” Sirius answers, voice a moment from sleep, his eyes closed, and his face so sad and soft James feels his heart splinter, “I see it in the way he looks at me.”

“You could prove to him that you’re not.” James advises, voice soft.

Sirius makes a humming noise of acknowledgement, but ultimately, James knows the conversation is over. He’s dead to the world ten minutes later, and James follows suit not long after.

-----

SIRIUS

When Sirius was ten, he realised what it truly meant to be a member of the Black family.

It was more than fame, or politics, or even money. It was more than presenting themselves as a prestigious, well-educated family. For the Blacks it was about one thing: Power. They have an ability to play games with people that don’t even know they’re a part of them, closing in, moving pieces, counting cards until finally, they win. The Blacks always win. For as long as he can remember, every conversation Sirius Black has ever had with another member of his family has held some sort of purpose. Manipulation, information gathering, seed planting. The list goes on.

When you grow up in that environment, carefully wrapping your lips around poisoned words, watching your back with every move, the thing is – it becomes hard to trust. It gets hard to distinguish the difference between someone trying to get to know you, and someone trying to learn every dirty little secret you have so they can use it against you.

So, Sirius was ten when he learned the hard lesson of keeping his mouth shut, keeping his secrets close to his chest. Because the beating he took for telling Mary Riddle that his mother nicknamed her husband, Tom Riddle Sr., ‘The Snake’, was unpleasant at best. Secrets, or spilled secrets, never end well. He likes to keep his secrets close to his chest. Perhaps that has more to do with Walburga than he’d ever be willing to admit – because while the Black’s liked to know everyone else’s secrets, not a soul alive could tell you any of theirs.

It took Sirius one year to tell James how bad things really were. Even then, it’s not like he had an option. Too many black eyes, too many sprained wrists and unhealed cuts. James Potter is one of the smartest people Sirius knows. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out. By then, Sirius knew he could trust James, could feel it in his chest. What they have is special, unheard of. Their souls are made of the same things. Sirius knew that just as sure at age eleven as he does, now, age twenty-three.

Sirius doesn’t know why he hasn’t told James, yet.

Honestly, he doesn’t.

He’s tried. Gods, has Sirius tried. But the thing about James is – is that he’s so observant when it’s the big things, the big moments, the bad days, but the smaller, more minute things? Things like Sirius asking him to go for coffee, have a chat – it goes over his head completely. Every time Sirius builds himself up, James bulldozes over his confidence with an enthusiastic rant about rugby, the weather, the shop, and Sirius deflates like a burst balloon. He can’t get angry with James. Not really. Because Sirius has a sneaking suspicion that he’s subconsciously grateful for James ruining the moment over, and over. If he was truly confident in letting his secret spill, he’d just bulldoze James right back. That’s how they work.

But, instead, Sirius says nothing.

Always nothing.

It’s becoming a problem, he’s aware. Especially with the way Remus is staring at him, now, expectant, and impatient. He’s just – he’s not good at opening up to people, at letting them in. There’s something there, though, with Remus. He feels it in the static buzzing between his ribs, the sparks buzzing at his fingertips. He doesn’t know what to do with the energy, doesn’t like the way it makes him feel. A loss of control.

It’s been less than twenty four hours since their… fight. In the Three Broomsticks’ beer garden. Remus called Sirius a pretentious prick, Sirius called Christopher a wet wipe. Remus’ lips felt so angry against his, so frustrated and raw, so. Nice. They haven’t spoken since. Not really. Not in any way that matters. Nothing other than the short, jabbing quips that once, were fun, but now are exhausting. Sirius doesn’t hate Remus. Not really. But he’s not sure he likes him either.

He’s scared and he’s confused, and Remus is looking at him like he should have all the answers and he doesn’t know what to do.

So, he shrugs, “I told you. I don’t know.”

Remus nods, he looks like he’d been expecting that answer. “I’m not just someone you can fuck around with until you figure out whatever posh boy gay crisis it is you’re having.”

Sirius has the nerve to scoff. The thing about Remus is. He’s incredibly good at giving what he gets. Sirius knows he’s cutthroat when he’s been backed into a corner. He has this evil monster in his head, in his chest, in the blood that thrums through his veins – it’s a by-product of being born a Black. Or maybe it’s just him. Maybe he grew up in a house so rotted, with a family so monstrous, that he never had any hope of being more than. But Remus is just as short, just as rude. It’s maddening. It inspires Sirius to challenge him, if only to feel the scorch of his lips, the electricity of his touch.

“I can’t do this right now.”

Remus flicks his fag across the road, pushes himself off the wall, “You’ve been saying that for as long as I’ve known you.”

“You don’t know me.” Sirius feels the need to remind Remus.

Because really, he doesn’t.

Remus Lupin knows jack shit about Sirius Black. Other than what he tastes like. What he sounds like. That he’s rotted and spoiled and probably a horrible person.

So, he knows a little.

But he’s never shown any interest in getting to know the good parts of Sirius. The loyalty. The unwavering fucking loyalty that Sirius gives out like rare change, but when you have it, you have it, and it never falters. The laughter, the jokes, the careful way he cares for each and every person he loves. He’s loud and abrasive, but Remus will never know he can be that way and not be an arsehole about it.

 Sirius won’t force him to see past what he wants to see. He’s accepted that maybe the reason Remus thinks he’s a terrible person is simple. Because he is.

“You’re right. I don’t.”

Remus doesn’t say good-bye when he turns, yanks open the door to the shop and steps inside. Sirius hears the faint ringing of the bell, your voice calling out Remus’ name. He gives himself a moment. A moment to look at the door and hope that Remus will come back out and explain very plainly what it is he wants from Sirius. Because Sirius is at a loss. He doesn’t remember much about the night that he met Remus. Just the feeling of pure adrenaline he got from whatever haughty words they exchanged in the smoking area, the half-hearted scoffs and awkward chit chat of getting to know someone you really shouldn’t have any interest in getting to know. Remus was charming. He was quiet and mysterious, and he was rather blunt. Sirius didn’t mind. He likes to talk, likes to push, likes to know everyone’s secrets.

Power. Games. He never really got away from that. Just them.

He doesn’t remember how it got so heated, how they ended up millimetres away from each other’s faces, their breaths mingling and the static electricity winding its way around Sirius’ ribcage. But they did. And Remus’ lips. They were so rough, so demanding. So lovely. He remembers the way it overpowered him, the kiss, shook him to his core and turned his entire fucking life upside down. The thing Sirius can’t shake, though. The thing that tears him up inside – which he refuses to look at too deeply – is the look on Remus’ face when Sirius broke the kiss, took two steps back, announced that he wasn’t gay, and essentially took off running.

The thing is, Sirius isn’t gay.

At least, he’s ninety-nine percent sure he’s not.

He can’t be. He won’t be.

When Sirius is positive Remus isn’t coming back out, he leaves.

----

The bell dings above the shop door and Remus returns in a flash of fury. His jaw is set, eyes narrowed, and his lips twisted. It pulls at the scar on his cupids bow, makes it an angrier shade of red than it normally is. Usually, after a smoke break, Remus returns more relaxed, calm, a more pleasant version of the boy you’d originally sent outside to cool off after he kicked a box of freddos across the storeroom twenty minutes ago.

He stalks up to the till, doesn’t even check if there’s any customers present before he announces that, “Sirius Black is a fucking prick.”

You’re perched on the edge of the counter, flipping through a magazine. Sundays are generally slow days. All the week’s deliveries have arrived, the pull forwards have been done, the cleaning is done. All that’s really left to do is sit around and wait for customers to show up. Remus must not be expecting you to reply – probably because you never do when it comes to Sirius – because he huffs a breath before continuing through to the storeroom, likely to take his anger out on another unsuspecting box of chocolate. The door squeaks awfully behind him.

A head of Black hair flashes past the window, barely visibly above the promotion signs James is always tacking up. But it’s there. You see it. Sirius is stalking off in the direction of the Leaky. Remus’ frustration suddenly makes sense. Not saying anything to Remus about what you and James witnessed last night has been torture, especially when he’s been a moody sod all day. Sirius and Remus don’t make any logical sense. But then, you’ve never really given it much thought. Until last night, you were under the impression they’d sooner knock each other out before going at it like horny teenagers in the beer garden.

But you promised James you wouldn’t say anything. So, you don’t. You allow Remus to sulk and fume and take his frustration out on a box of freddos. Because that’s what friends do, you suppose.

Remus returns five minutes later looking cool, calm, and collected. He doesn’t offer an explanation nor an apology for his outburst. Instead, he travels around the counter to stand behind you and be ready to serve, should anyone come inside. You doubt they will, most of the village residents barely leave their homes on a Sunday, let alone past five in the afternoon. The silence is weighted. But then, you think, that’s probably because you know more than you should. Silence with Remus is usually comfortable. It sticks to your skin like humid air and makes you restless, unable to enjoy flicking through your magazine.

“What did he want?” You ask, eyes pointedly focussed on the article about this week’s fashion trends.

You’ve got one leg kicked up on the counter, balancing your magazine, and one dangling off the side, facing Remus, but you refuse to look up; terrified he’ll be able to see right through you.

He hums, “Who?”

“Sirius.”

Remus doesn’t respond for a minute. You imagine he’s trying to piece together how you know he was outside.

“Saw him stalking off towards the Leaky after you came in.” You offer.

“Right.”

“So?”

“So, what?” He asks.

You finally look up; Remus is already staring at you with nothing short of frustration written across his face. He purses his lips, shrugs a non-committal shrug, “The usual. To be a prick.”

“Right.”

“Why does it sound like you don’t believe that?” Remus asks, crossing his arms across his chest.

It’s your turn to shrug. You flip the page of your magazine, eyes downcast. “Just doesn’t seem like Sirius to go out of his way to be a prick.”

Remus scoffs but doesn’t say anything else.

The rest of the shift passes in silence.

James comes to lock up because you forgot your keys at home, this morning, and Monty offered to send James before he left earlier on. It feels like walking on eggshells when he shows up, asks how the day went, and Remus is still in his horrible, sulky mood. You avoid eye contact as you clear lottery tickets and scratch cards from behind the till, making polite conversation as James counts the money inside the tills. He knows you hate numbers – he does it without asking.

Remus doesn’t offer much of a goodbye when he leaves, just tells James he’ll see him on Wednesday and goes. You deflate when the door closes behind him, tension seeping out of your shoulders. James frowns after him, “What’s up with him?”

“Sirius stopped by, earlier.” You fiddle with the clipper display, moving the lighters around as though you have a particular order that you’d like them to be in.

“What did he want?” James asks, locking the till.

You shrug, “They were outside. Couldn’t hear. But Remus has been in a right mood since he left.”

James doesn’t say anything, just sighs and rubs his hands across his face.

Then, “I owe you an apology. For last night. I shouldn’t have been so forceful with you not telling them you know. Sometimes I forget Sirius is an adult who doesn’t need to have his feelings protected.”

He looks earnest, sincere. You hadn’t really thought any bad of James for cornering you the way he did. Honestly, you’d admired how much he cared about Sirius in that moment, how he didn’t think, just reacted in the best possible interest of his best friend.

“S’okay.” You nod, offering James a kind smile.

It’s weird, to have a normal conversation with no one watching, no flirting, no innuendos. It’s nice.

James shakes his head, his half-damp hair moving with him. He looks freshly showered, probably is, you know he had rugby practice today. He’s wearing his rugby hoodie and his gym shorts. He looks boyish and cute, and when he offers you a lopsided smile your heart stutters.

“It’s not. I felt the way you tensed when I grabbed your wrist, I shouldn’t have done that.”

You laugh a little breathily, “That-“ You try, stop, try again, “That wasn’t because I was scared or, or anything. It was just,” You trail off, hoping James accepts that as answer.

How incredibly embarrassing would it be to tell James that you’d been so tense because his touch felt like blazing fire against your skin, made your heart stop, your head spin, your stomach grow butterflies. Pathetic, really.

James looks lost but nods slowly anyway.

“Right, well. That’s us done, so you’re free to go. I’ve a few things to grab from the office and I’ll lock up on my way out.”

“Right, cheers. See you tomorrow, Jamie.”

James’ face brightens at the nickname, his smile wide and teasing, “Tomorrow.”