#i miss winnie & h too :((

[stick-by-me]

how many new follower stickers do you have to do at the time of me asking? i admire the dedication and personalization of each one!

Thank you so much! I'm glad y'all appreciate them, they're super fun to do :] And at the time of you asking? Oh gosh golly XD. I have 7 prepped and ready in the queue and 14 more I need to investigate/pick out right now.

[writingsfromhome]

Dos and Don’ts of H Styles

A/N: this story was literally born out of the wifi incident happening to me. It was a weird experience lol but of course it inspired me to write a story around it. Basically you used to work for Harry as a PA and your life was hell. You bump into him in the present but before it unfolds we need to know what happened in the past.

Part 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

——————————————

I watch as Winnie types into her phone the number of the guy who’d just hit on her.

“And that’s with a y?” She looks up at him with doe eyes.

“Yea,” he falls for it. He was cute, and she worked a lot I didn’t blame her for taking who she could get. His accent also helped. “What’re you doin’ now?”

“Well,” her eyes slide to me. “Hanging with my girlfriend here.”

He nods at me and I smile, holding up the almost empty glass. “We were just about done for the night though.”

“We were?” Winnie checks in with me.

“Mhm,” I give her an encouraging nod.

Both Winnie and I were employed by musician-turned-actor Oretta Smith. Winnie was her nanny—or childcare companion as she called it, and I worked as Oretta’s executive assistant. It was full-time and demanding as hell but ever since Oretta had her first child a couple months back I’d gotten a lot more breathing room as she minimized her public life and stayed close to home.

This long weekend Oretta was staying with her in-laws and asked us to take it off. I’d already requested the weekend off knowing we were in London but being off at the same time as Winnie was impossible so we’d gone out to celebrate and let loose—9pm and only 2 drinks in, both of us had already started talking about the comfort of our beds. Until flirty dude came up to Winnie.

“What do you say?” Winnie’s new date asks her.

“Aw shucks alright,” Winnie flashes her beautiful smile and hops off the stool. I don’t even see her drop the bills onto the table as she hugs me goodbye and leaves until it’s too late. She’d covered for both of us. Well I’d get her back next time.

I finish the rest of my drink, eyes flicking to the reruns of tonight’s soccer game. This wasn’t the fanciest bar—it was quite homely compared to the ones Winnie and I often found ourselves at. But it was one I used to go to when I worked in London just over a year ago. Being back in the city, despite all the awful memories, pulled me towards the nostalgic comfort of it.

I remember the many dates with my now-ex, the random nights I’d actually get off, and drown myself in drink to forget about my awful employer. Or the birthday and milestone celebrations—especially the ones I started to miss near the end.

I consider walking the few streets over to my old flat. Coincidentally the job I’d gotten wasn’t far from home. The upside was that it made dealing with “emergency” texts from my employer a lot quicker but the downside was it grouped all the traumas I experienced in this beautiful city to a few blocks. I didn’t miss it.

I cut my memory lane rabbit-hole short and decide it was time to order an Uber and get out of here; I had an early train to catch tomorrow.

The bars on my phone flicker up and down as I open the app and continue to refresh it over and over. But my signal remains unstable.

“Stupid phone,” I mutter. I had to update my provider while I was here asap.

“‘Scuse me?” I wave down someone serving drinks. “Have you got wifi here?”

“Yep we do!” She smiles. “Name’s The Violinist and the password’s capital p….”

Her voice grows far away as my blood runs cold and I stare at the list of available wifi networks. I feel myself nod a thank you when she stops talking and she leaves taking the password with her while I’m stuck staring.

My networks:

🔗H’s iPhone

I want to duck down and run away, not spend another second around anything to do with that era of my life. But I also want to hunt him down and show him how much better I was doing after him, despite.

The second instinct wins. Kind of.

I don’t hide away. I scan the dimly lit room and try to spot the familiar head of hair but it’s on the third try that I spot him. And it’s probably because his hair is barely an inch long.

He must’ve cut it recently, I’m surprised. Him without his hair was like Harry Potter without his scar.

The feelings are instantaneous though. The loathing and the need to cry. My heart continues to race as I burn a hole into the side of his head.

He was the devil incarnate and I had thought about him for a second too long just now. And now here he was. What the fuck was a guy like him doing here?

I remember the awful times; the casually cruelty and the late nights he would make me work. His constant criticism. The way my life fell apart because of him. The way I could wring his neck with very little incentive at any given moment.

He had turned my whole life upside down. He ruined me.

Harry Styles wasn’t the sweetheart everyone painted him out to be.

And yet, a flash of a feeling, a fleeting memory I try to keep locked away pushes to the front of my mind.

“Fuck no,” I tell myself. There was no room for fondness when it came to the devil.

About 2 years ago:

I straighten out the blazer, wondering if I should be chic and roll the sleeves up a bit or just keep them down. My reflection shows a nervous mousy girl that’s trying too hard. I throw my hair into a ponytail instead and feel a more like myself. Just as the elevator doors ding open.

I’m in the penthouse suite I would be working out of for the next however long; it was my first day on the job and I was still sorting out my nervous to excited ratio.

After looking for months, I’d landed a PA gig for up-and-coming rockstar Harry Styles. It was a dream come true and everyone was ecstatic for me, most of all my boyfriend who’d helped me land the role.

My boyfriend, Grayson, was a personal trainer to a lot of big names and he’d been keeping his ear to the ground for me. We met a few years ago at the gym of course, I’d still been a student and he worked part-time at the student gym. Back then he was still working to get a better client list.

We’d clicked pretty quickly and Grayson, who was anything but shy, asked me out. Soon after he was telling me he had feelings for me and I’d felt them echo back the same. He was my biggest supporter and when I told him I wanted to take this career path seriously he’d been the first to show me what steps to take to get there.

My true dream was to become a publicist and work with celebrities, but fresh out of post-grad everyone told me I’d need to dive head first and get my hands dirty. And I’d have to do that by finding a PA role for a publicist or an industry person.

“Y/n?” My name interrupts my thoughts. It comes from a disembodied head peeking out from a doorway. “You are y/n right?”

“Yes!” I hurry over. “Nice to meet you.”

“Yes. I’m Mr. Styles’ exec assistant, I’m only here for the next,” he looks down at his watch. “Half hour perhaps? So let’s get you sorted before I head out.”

“Oh okay. Sure,” my ears ring, I was going to be alone on my first day. I didn’t even know he had an executive assistant. What was the difference between him and me? What if I screw up and this guy was part of the fallout plan? Shit. “Is Mr. Styles in?”

“Not at the moment, he’ll be in before noon. He has a few appointments this morning. Typically you’d be going with him but he left before you arrived so…next time. Make sure you get any paperwork he received from the appointments and file them in here-“ he points to a room with a filing cabinet. Like an actual cabinet. This was a tight ship. “You sound American. Are you American?”

“Yep,” I debate whether to tell him I stayed after doing my degree here but decide to keep the yapping to a minimum.

I continue following the EA—who I should get the name of, as he points out rooms and overlaps it with info about Mr. Styles’ schedule and routines. A lot of info. My brain felt like it was barely holding on.

I think about the man I was now working for, the one who came into the interview for a brief 10 minutes. Surely that laid-back guy wasn’t the anal mystery man I was getting all these instructions for.

The interview itself had gone pretty smoothly apart from the fact that I nervous-laughed a few times too many. I had gone silent when The Harry Styles had walked into the office. He’d sat beside me at the round table, slouching slightly and flashing me a reassuring smile—I had felt my shoulders dip down immediately.

“So it’s y/n right? I’m pronouncing that correctly?” He’d said in his perfectly charming accent.

“Yes, it’s so nice to meet you officially.” I had to tamp down every urge to gush over him. I was a professional. I was zen.

“So y/n,” he says my name so casually and yet I feel myself lean closer to hear him say it again. “I’ve seen a couple of you come in here for the PA role. What makes you different then?”

Think think, just be calm and think!

“Well I’m a very passionate person so I put my all into everything I do. That would include this job, and in turn you’d benefit by getting peace of mind knowing I’m tackling whatever behind the scenes items that need to get done to get you where you need to go.”

“Well said,” he says with a smile that says he knew he was very good looking. “Now trust is a big factor in this relationship.”

As he talks I forget his manager is even in this room. I’m swept up in the hazy green of his eyes.

“We’ve done the background checks and all that—right?” He looks to his manager who was interviewing me and gets a nod. “But how can you reassure me. My staff gets approached by the media daily for any info on me. What’s to say you don’t sell out.”

“I would never,” I didn’t even think of that being an option. “Confidentiality and trust is the biggest pillar of this role and I take it very seriously. You’re like, the biggest celeb of the last year but I know you’re also a person and I wouldn’t betray that. On a person level.”

“So even if you had a really bad day, say I had gotten you to do some impossible tasks. And you’re heading out head full of steam and you get approached by a reporter. £5k for an exclusive.”

I shake my head. “As tempting as it would be, professional ethics reign over any of that.”

“I believe you y/n,” his eyes flicker down to my file. “Good references. We’ll be in touch.”

Now my eyes roam around the small room I’m meant to work out of. It’s the size of 1.5 supply closets with half the walls filled with shelves and cabinets. There’s a small desk but I wasn’t sure how often I’d be sitting at it. All the PAs I’d ever connected with always complained about the amount of time you spend on your feet. That’s why I’d opted to buy myself runners when I got the job.

“Any questions—mind you I have 1 minute for them before I’m off? There’s a suit I have to sort out.” The EA turns to me when we circle back to my office/supply closet.

“Oh,” a million race through my mind. Nothing that would fit in a minute. “I um, I guess I didn’t catch your name?”

He seems surprised at that, and then he laughs. “Oh you’re a doll. This place is gonna eat you alive. I’m Riley and tip for you—don’t be so eager to please. Do your job. Do it well. But you’re not here to be liked or make friends alright?”

He laughs again when he looks at my face. He hands me an iphone and tells me it’s programmed with everything and everyone I needed, then waves goodbye leaving me in a confused spot.

I wasn’t naïve, I knew what working in this industry was like but I was could swear I’d landed a good gig with Harry Styles. And meeting the man himself in the interview had confirmed it.

Maybe Riley was just jaded by too many long hours.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. A text from Grayson: good luck on your first day babe. let me know how it goes.

I only have time to heart it when I hear the elevator open in the foyer. I rush out just for Harry to brush past me and his manager following, chattering away about something.

I follow from behind and watch as he heads to the kitchen. Riley had shown me what he laid out on the island and how I should do it going forward. And like two magnets Harry reaches for the exact bottle Riley mentioned. He downs the smoothie and then collapses onto the barstool.

“But don’t forget what she was saying about the single needing to be global. Sure your fanbase would love it but would the people who hate you have to admit it’s good.”

“I make it for my fans not for the wankers that hate me,” Harry says and his voice is rich like caramel.

“You know what we mean.” His manager suddenly turns directly to me. “Can you contact the studio and let them know to push Harry’s 1pm to 3?”

“Oh,” I didn’t even know they knew I was here. They gave no acknowledgement until now. “Of course. Um, could I just get the paperwork from this morning too? The appoint-“

“Yep,” his manager unhauls the items in his hands. The whole time Harry stares out the window. I’m handed a stack of papers and I carry them to the office.

My hands are shaking when I put them down and I feel a lump in my throat. What was wrong with me? Why was I reacting this way?

I find the studio contact in the phone Riley gave me and let them know. They’re suspicious at first but accept the reschedule. I leave the paperwork for later, figuring I might be needed now.

But the rest of the morning I’m unacknowledged save by a few requests from Harry’s manager. I spend some time looking through the calender in the phone that’s pre-programmed with Harry’s entire life. It’s packed except for this Sunday. I wonder if it was actually free or just hidden from me since it was my one day off.

“You’ve got a passport haven’t you…?” It’s the first time Harry’s spoken to me. He’s changed into a hoodie and shorts, his manager is nowhere to be seen, and I’ve just bitten into a granola bar—the first thing I’d had since my morning coffee.

“Y/n.” I try to swallow the bite whole but at the last minute push it to the side to try to answer. “Erm yeah. I haven’t got it on me though.”

“Right. Y/n. Start carrying it. I’ll need you with me on Thursday I have a morning meeting in Léon and since Riley’s going to be sorting out something for my New York trip in a couple weeks he can’t make it.”

“Yes. I will. Do you need me to prepare anything else for the trip? I’m not sure if you’ve packed or-“

“It’s just a meeting.” He cuts me off. He pulls out his phone, dismissing me.

I swallow the knot in my throat once more.

I go with Harry to the studio since his manager is meeting us there. Alone in the car with him, the silence feels stuffy.

“I never got the opportunity to say thank you by the way,” I try to open up a conversation. All he was doing was looking out the window surely I wasn’t interrupting anything.

“What?” He stares right through me.

“Um, I’m just saying thank you. For the job.”

He nods.

I stay silent for the rest of the ride.

The studio is quiet, which makes sense when I think about it but upon entering an actual room I change my mind. The noise assaults my ears and I nearly jump at the volume but my hand gripping the doorknob keeps me in place.

People swarm around Harry.

“I need my tablet and my notebook,” Harry says amidst the small chaos.

What the fucks was he talking about. “Sorry?”

“My tablet and notebook,” His face darkens and so does my mood. Nobody told me! But maybe I should’ve asked oh my god.

“I don’t have it,” I say lamely.

“Any time I’m in the studio I need those two things. You need to get me my tablet and my notebook.” He speaks like a robot.

“I-I’ll head back,” I get my bag again. “Tablet and notebook, is there anything else?”

He looks angrier than I thought. He sticks his hands in his pocket, shuffles something in his hand before handing it over. “You may as well get lunch. Keep that card on you for business costs.”

I open my mouth to ask what he might want but he turns away as soon as I take the card and I’ve already fucked up royally so I decide to wing it.

In the car I consider googling what Harry Styles ate for lunch and instead will the ever living shit out of myself not to cry.

I scroll through the phone, debating if calling Riley for help would be a mistake. Going through every app for help I realize the countless notes in the app.

Morning Routines, says one. It lists things I should do when the mornings were spent at home, in studio, abroad, in a hotel, or if I walk into a “morning-after” morning. Jeez.

Another has checklists for what to do when travelling, how-to for routine appointments I should be booking, routine people I should be calling.

Why didn’t I look at this before. Right there is one called Studio Days and in bold it says what to bring.

I was an idiot. A big fat idiot.

I try my luck and search lunch. Sure enough a note with possible lunch places in cities across the world pops up.

It was a How-to guide for Mr. Styles.

Whoever put this shit together was an angel. I owed them my life.

I decide to be proactive, sorting lunch out to be delivered to the studio while the car drops me off. I run to the room Riley had said was the home studio. Sure enough I spot the tablet and a few notebooks, I grab all 3. I also grab the charger and ignore the bag of weed chilling on the arm of the chair.

What to do when he’s too drunk / What to do for Interview Days / What to do when he won’t answer the door or the phone / Day-off checklist / Social media checklist.

The dos and don’ts go on and on as I scroll through on the ride back. This was going to be my homework and by the end of the week I was gonna be a genius.

I swipe away and check if I had missed any folders containing precious info. Just the trash.

Out of curiosity I open it and there’s only 1 sitting inside: the donts of working for Harry Styles

I open it:

-don’t let one nice day fool you into forgetting he’s an arse and your employer

-don’t expect any gratitude from a narcissist

-don’t fall for his charm

-don’t shit where you sleep. no matter how tempting

-when he pisses you off which he will, don’t mouth off. what happens next is worse than being fired. which he won’t do because he’s the devil and he will want to keep you around after treating you like shite

-don’t think he’s chill. he’s anything but. follow the checklists and the rules.

-don’t have a life. actually this is a CAN’T. YOU CAN’T HAVE A LIFE WORKING FOR THE DEVIL. LEAVE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN UNLESS YOU HATE YOURSELF

I close the phone immediately, my heart thumping in my chest like a steady bass in the background of a song. What the hell did I get myself into.

***

It’s 8pm by the time I head back with Harry. The car is once again silent.

I had spent the day reviewing emails and the checklists, fielding calls and texts. His personal chef had texted to tell me dinner was prepared and in the oven to be re-heated so I figure that’s the last thing I’d do before I head home.

I’d eaten lunch standing while watching Harry sing background vocals to the album he was working on. It was hard to deny how intoxicating it was to see such a talented man work his magic. And it really was magical seeing how a song got put together.

That is until he’d sent me to get tea for the room and I’d nearly spilled half of it on myself getting enough back to the room. I was getting an electric kettle next.

I made a new note then: Reminders to do so you don’t get fired

The notes were my saving grace.

“My head is killing me,” Harry groans.

What to carry at all times: #4 paracetamol and #2 water

Checkmarked after going to the pharmacy while he was in the studio. I’d created an emergency makeup bag with essentials I could throw in my tote. I considered it a win today.

I hand the painkillers to him and he seems surprised. He replaces them with his phone.

“I don’t want to look at a screen for the rest of the night.”

“Okay.” I leave his phone beside me and try not to think of everything on it.

It vibrates a few minutes later and I leave it, not wanting to invade his privacy but he glances at me.

“Well?”

“Oh!” I lift it but it’s locked.

“1021.”

I type it in. “Um, Jeff wants to know if you’re still at the studio-“

“Reply to him.”

I do as I’m told.

“Um Mitch wants to know if you’re-“

“If it’s scheduling questions you can probably answer them without bothering me about it.”

I look up and he’s tipped his head back, eyes closed. Right. Of course I could.

I go through his schedule and find his studio time on Friday and relay it to Mitch. I respond to another text from someone asking if he was going to a gala in a couple months—his schedule said he was in LA so no. I wondered if I would also be in LA in a couple months. I wonder what Grayson would think.

Grayson, I’d had a short call with him a few hours ago and tried not to cry hearing his voice. It felt like home when the whole day felt so foreign.

I stare at the final text. The contact photo is the side profile of a gorgeous woman.

“Kimberly wants to know if you want um,” I feel my cheeks burn. “If you’re inviting her in tonight because she has a party she really wants you to go to.”

“I can’t be arsed for a party I feel like shite.” Harry says, eyes still closed. “Tell her to be at mine after 10.”

“Ok.” I type the words with a racing heart. I remember the morning-after checklist for this exact scenario. It wasn’t going to be weird soon I guess.

I heat up dinner for Harry while he showers and leave letting him know what time I’d be in tomorrow. He doesn’t even say goodbye.

I get home around the time I reckon Kimberly gets to Harry’s. The first thing I do when I see Grayson is shed a waterfall and he holds my exhausted body tight against him.

“Are you sure you want to keep doing this?” He whispers to me in bed after a shower and sandwich—I couldn’t stomach anything more.

“I need this job Gray. It’s gotta get better.”

“I reckon but it’s a steep learning curve,” he says as he traces the curve of my nose.

“I know,” I snuggle closer to him and yawn. I don’t know what he says next as I tip into sleep.

***

If the notes app manual with the dos and donts of being Harry Styles’ PA was a physical thing, imagine me swallowing it.

Every spare second I had—which I didn’t get a lot of, I was reading that thing. My fingers searched tirelessly before every scheduled and unscheduled event. And yet, I’d fucked up so many times.

It was Saturday and I was looking forward to my day off.

He had been hot and cold all week but ever since getting back from Léon he’d been nicer and I’d actually been getting home before 8.

Maybe things were going well, despite the fact that the learning curve was like climbing mount everest.

“What’s my morning look like?” Harry asks. I was sitting at his kitchen table trying to book a dinner for him next week with a friend that was in town. A friend who also happened to be big back where I was from—I hoped to catch a glimpse of her myself.

I glance up and look back down just as quickly. After a week of seeing Harry in all sorts of undress I should be used to it, but my face still flushes. Today he stands at the table in running shorts.

“Pulling it up,” I say and scan his schedule even though I had it memorized. “You’ve got a meeting at the bank in about 40 minutes and lunch with Michael.”

“Can’t my accountant take the bank meeting?”

“She’ll be there. She’s meeting you downstairs to discuss the meeting on the ride over. You need to sign off on some stuff.”

“Stuff,” Harry repeats.

I look at him, careful to train my eyes on his face. I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed at my lack of elaboration or just teasing me.

“Documents.” I correct, still unable to tell.

He look amused. “Great. Documents. I thought I’d be signing body parts.”

Was he joking? He was joking…I think.

“Right. No, we’re saving that for the tattoo shop booked for 6.”

He raises his brows, a slow smile spreading across his face and like the sun coasting over the horizon he looks brighter and prettier.

“That’s mad, that people would get a random man’s signature tattooed on them isn’t it?”

It’s inevitable really, my eyes skim over his torso brimming with tattoos. He notices and laughs. It’s a wonderful laugh.

“I meant they don’t really know me.”

“They admire you and it’s a piece of you,” I shrug. “At least it’s not a portrait of your face.”

“I’ve seen that floating around the internet actually.”

“Really?!” Now that was mad. I pull it up on the laptop and cover my mouth.

“I know.” He hangs his head and we laugh. God, things were finally getting better. This was the kind of relationship I thought Harry would have with his PA.

I scroll through comments and it’s impossible to wipe the smile off my face. I’ve considered myself a fan for a lot of artists but tattooing their face…that was another level of commitment I couldn’t do.

I look back to Harry who has grown quiet. His eyes are on me.

“What happened to your blazers?”

I’d decided to wear a skirt today, it was my lucky skirt—the one I had been wearing when I got the call that the job was mine. It being the last work day of the week I thought it might make me feel good.

I’d paired it with a tank top and a comfy cardigan. I’d finally felt like myself compared to all the button ups and blazers I’d been parading in. But apparently Harry had noticed the wardrobe difference. Shocker because he barely acknowledged me this week.

“I thought I’d dress for a Saturday?” It comes out meeker than I’d hoped. Ugh. “I hope that’s alright. If you want me more professional-“

“That’s alright,” his eyes roam down my body and I feel hot all over. Oh god, I shouldn’t have worn this. “It looks good.”

“Thanks,” I cross my cardigan over my body and try to get back to work but he doesn’t let it end there.

“Did you make that yourself?”

He continues to surprise me, “I did actually, is it obvious?”

“Yeah there’s a big hole down the back,” he teases. I know he is because his eyes are smiling, light.

“Damnit,” I relax a little. He was only interested in the sweater. “I’d finished it late it looked okay in the dark.”

“I have a friend, she made one of those for me. With the patches. Very comfortable.” He’s weirdly intense while looking at me and I feel like squirming again.

“It is. Very stretchy.” My vocabulary seems to shrink.

He leans over to touch the fabric and I feel like a cactus has been stabbed into my neck, I feel hot and prickly. Jeez, I had to chill out. My employer was just interested in my sweater. Super interested. Maybe I should just give him the damn thing. It would definitely fit him.

“Wool,” he smiles. He’s basically perched above me and I think I’m going to have a heart attack. I went from complaining about the fact that he acted like I wasn’t in any room he was in to not even being able to hold a conversation when he did.

I’m caught looking up into his unfairly gorgeous eyes and he looks at me like I’m the only person in the room. Which I was in this instance, but still.

I’m saved by a loud voice coming out of the elevator.

“Harry you car is waiting downstairs.”

Like a book slammed shut, his expression retreats until all that’s left is the cover page with no summary. The friendly Harry from before is gone.

“Oi Harry! I had to come all the way upstairs because I’ve been sitting in that stupid car waiting! Do you not pick up your phone?”

“Lee,” Harry says as he walks across his living room. “If you can’t reach me you call my PA I’ve told you a million times.”

“And I’ve told you a million times not to keep me waiting. We have a lot to cover before we get to this meeting and I need every minute. God why are you shirtless go put on something appropriate!”

Harry miraculously does as he’s told—given I had already laid out an outfit for him. He’s ready in no time. His accountant, Lee? Simply smiles at me and goes back to typing on her phone while we wait.

“Why is that so wrinkled?” Lee judges Harry who walks out in a completely different outfit.

“I don’t have time to change again do I?” Harry bristles.

Lee looks over at me and I’m not sure if she’s accusing me of something or looking for support.

“Mr. Styles I did leave an outfit out for the m-“

“I don’t wear silk.” He cuts me off and walks out ahead. Lee shrugs my way and follows him. I trail behind, feeling worse than ever.

For a miserable hour and a half I sit in one of the most uncomfortable chairs of my life, organizing Harry’s life while I wait for his meeting to end. As hard as I try to concentrate, I keep agonizing over what I might have done wrong to flick his switch. I swear things were going better. And I know I’ve seen him in silk before. Why the hell else would it be in his closet? Why couldn’t I go a single day without screwing up?

I finally spot Harry walking out of the office and gather my things quickly to meet him. I trail behind as we walk down the hall into the lobby, Lee is nowhere to be seen.

A gasp catches my attention and suddenly a girl younger than me rushes up to Harry.

“Oh my…Harry Styles?”

Harry’s face morphs briefly into annoyance, his gaze flicking my way, before pasting on a smile for the girl.

What to do when a fan approaches H (in the wrong moment): be the bad guy, divert, get Harry to wherever he needs to go to and do it quick.

“Hi,” Harry smiles sweetly at her and the friendliness throws me off guard. But this was unexpected and I should get him away…I think.

“Oh my god could I get a picture? My mate is never going to believe this. She loves you so much, so do I-“

“We really have to be going.” I say and the girl looks at me, surprised to find me there. I look around and spot and older woman watching us. Must be her mum.

“Could I just get a picture?” She glances between us.

“I don’t think Mr-“

“It’s fine,” Harry hands me her phone. “Get a photo of us.”

Just another layer of humiliation to add to the rest of the day. The rest of the week. God was I just awful at reading cues?

I snap a couple and then we’re walking free.

He doesn’t say anything. The car ride to his lunch date is spent in awkward fucking silence and I hate myself more with every second I spend in it.

When the car stops at his destination he holds his hand up when I go to open the door for him.

“Listen -what's your name again?" He asks.

Shame and humiliation drip over me like blood on Carrie’s prom night. I repeat it for him. Just like I had daily since I was hired.

“Right. Y/n. You came highly recommended from a friend so I trust you know how to do this job. This job, is to keep my life organized and keep me on track. Make sure I'm not distracted or side tracked by anyone. Including you. It’s not to be my publicist or my fashion advisor or my personal security. Let's stick to the job description okay?"

His words land bitterly to my ears. Not personal. Just a job. Just a job. Just a fucking job. And yet it was starting to feel like my whole life.

“Yes of course.” I hear myself mumble. And like the big clown I had to be, I push open the door and get out so he can too. He walks to the restaurant without a goodbye and I crawl into the car, heading back to his place. Tears burn my eyes but I refuse to let them out. Refuse to admit just how badly this job hurt.

***

“I’m not doing this on purpose,” I hiss into the phone. “You know I’d be there right now if I could!”

“Babe I get it’s your job but you haven’t come to anything in over a month since you started your job!”

“That’s unfair,” I cup my hand over my mouth. “Gray c’mon I’m going to be there just late.”

“That’s what you said last weekend.”

Last weekend, one of our good friends invited a few friends for dinner in their new place and Greyson had had to go alone. Everyone had messaged me to say I was missed but Gray had been stony, pretended to be asleep when I got home and then given me the silent treatment until I wore him down the next day. It was exhausting begging for affection.

“It’s my job Grey I don’t know what else to tell you.”

“Me neither, you know my parents want us over for weekend roast some time but I’ve been avoiding giving them a date because I don’t want you to stand them up.”

“I-“ a shadow shifts in the corner of my eyes and I look up. Harry stands in the doorway. “I have to go we’ll talk later.”

“Whatever y/n,” Grey hangs up and my chest squeezes with all the hurt I was causing. But he saw the state I’d been in since I started this job a month ago and he knows this is just my life right now. Why was he suddenly acting like it was brand new information?

“Are you done your personal call?” Harry asks. He hovers in the doorway, I’d never actually seen him in this little office space. Then again, if he did step in there wouldn’t be much room for either of us to walk around each other.

“Sorry,” I hate myself for apologizing. Here and everywhere else in my life. But I have no other choice. “Can I do anything for you?”

“When are you heading out tonight?” He asks. His eyes glued to my face. I know my eyes are teary and I try to blink it away.

“Um, soon. In an hour or so,” blink blink blink. “Did you need anything from me before then?”

“Yes, I have a friend coming over tonight. Can you order us something for dinner. Something light. And get a bottle to chill for us—champagne. And can you push Monday’s cleaning service to tomorrow afternoon?”

“Consider it done.” I tell him, hoping he would just leave me alone in the dark here.

“Do you have evening plans?” He continues. Why did he never ignore me when I wanted him to!?

“Kind of yeah,” I try to keep it short. “A birthday.”

It was Grayson’s sister’s birthday. She had invited us to a local fave called The Violinist and of course I would only make it to the dessert course if I was lucky. These days, making it to dinner at all was a luxury. I lived off of sparkling water, leftovers, and coffee.

“Well best to finish up what you’re doing so you can head out.”

He leaves and I’m annoyed. Why couldn’t he be nice and just tell me to leave after doing what he asked. But here I sit folding fucking pamphlets for some idiotic pledge he had signed on for. Fuck me.

I’m miserable by the time I leave. I’d managed to finish everything in a half hour so I’d touched up my makeup and changed into a simple dress I had kept in the office closet on Riley’s suggestion.

“A simple black number that could be used for any last minute event.” He’d said. Unfortunately that now counted for personal events too.

“G’night Mr. Styles.” I call out as I walk to the foyer, just so he knows I was going out earlier than I said.

“G’night,” he answers surprisingly. He always ignored me but tonight he sits on the couch. He rises to see me off but I notice him pause and take in my outfit. “Fun night?”

“I hope so.” I unfold the blazer in my hand, suddenly wanting to disappear with his gaze on me.

His long legs walk to me and he takes the blazer I’m fidgeting with from my hands. He actually holds it open and if I wasn’t this exhausted my jaw would definitely be on the floor.

“Oh. Thank you,” I slip it on and turn to face him. As if helping me put it on wasn’t surprising enough, he proceeds to untuck my hair from the blazer.

“That’s alright,” he says in a low seductive tone. “You look nice. Are you dressed up for someone?”

The question is dangerous, toeing a line I’m not sure I want to erase. I try to ease things with a joke. “The birthday girl I guess.”

“A friend?”

“My fiancé’s younger sister.”

Was it just me, or does he bristle when I mentioned my fiancé?

“I didn’t know you were engaged,” he mumbles, glancing down at my hand. I wore a number of rings and I guess the small diamond Grayson had proposed with back when it was the most he could afford, blended in.

“Yeah, nearly a year now.”

“Wow,” he crosses his arms. “Have a date set?”

“Not exactly,” I smooth my hair behind my ears. “We’re thinking next year but we’ve just been so busy with out schedules-“

“What does he do?”

“He’s a personal trainer,” I say proudly.

“Oh,” Harry tilts his head back. “Oh. Now I understand. Now I get the connection. My mate Liam put in a good word for you when I needed a new PA, he said he knew you through his personal trainer. He never mentioned how.”

“I see,” I’d have to thank Liam next time I saw him. He’d been one of Grayson’s first big clients and had become a close friend to us. I’d have to thank him with dinner. If I got any nights off, that is.

“That’s who you were talking to on your personal call?” He asks, his hand tracing my shoulder seam down to my elbow. My heart races from the ghost of his touch.

“Erm yeah, sorry again. I had to take it since it was time sensitive.”

“Best to get going then.”

I take a step backwards and then rush to the elevator all at once. Once I’m on and the doors start to close I turn and catch a glimpse of his handsome face watching me go.

I let out a breath. That was weirdly heavy. And kind of intimate. But weird. That was weird.

I wonder briefly who he was having over tonight. If it was Kimberly, who I’d had the misfortune of meeting in her panties one morning. Or his other “friend” some brunette named Maya or Amaya something. I’d had the misfortune of meeting her when I dropped off a late package to Harry one evening. All were awkward encounters.

I shake away the thoughts and am grateful when Harry’s driver waves me down on the sidewalk. I guess Harry had told him to take me to where I needed to go. My heart is warmed ever so slightly, although I do accidentally nap on the 15 minute drive over.

I make it for the end of dinner and Gray looks relieved to see me even though his eyes hold a hint of something unspoken. I try to ignore it tonight.

“Oh you look beautiful!” I hug the birthday girl, and we sway from side to side. I used to see her a lot before she moved away for uni. “When did you stop being a baby, Josie Duran let me get a look at you.”

“Josefina tell her what you did for your 21st.” Gray says.

“Can you let it go!?” Josie scowls.

“What?” I whisper.

“Mom will kill you,” Gray warns.

“That’s why she doesn’t have to know,” Josie bites.

“Hey,” I put my hands up between the two. “No fighting with the birthday girl. Anyway. Josie, you look beautiful, I’m so sorry I’m late but it’s so good to be here.”

“Aw no don’t worry about it,” she goes in for another quick hug. “I’m just happy you got to come. Gray said the bloke you work for is a nightmare. Tell us do we know him?”

“Ah,” I wasn’t really supposed to talk about him according to my nda. “I dunno if you would. Anyway I’m going to try to steal some of Gray’s leftovers until dessert comes.”

I sit beside Gray where the seat had been left empty and smile up at him, hoping for forgiveness. He sighs and kisses my forehead, pushing his plate towards me.

“Go ahead, have you eaten?”

I had a banana and a yoghurt for lunch but I don’t tell him, just making a vague answer for yes and scarfing down what’s left.

“She got a tattoo,” he says in my ear later as the restaurant finishes singing happy birthday and a cake with sparklers is set down. He’d gotten tipsy and I can tell because he wants to talk about his upsets.

“She’s a grown woman Gray,” I know he was protective and a little traditional—that’s where half of their sibling fights originated, but I always told him he had to let loose a little. “She’s allowed to get it. If I remember you have some tattoos of your own.”

“It’s different y/n.”

“She’s getting older faster than we can keep up with huh?” I lean my head against Gray’s shoulder and let out a big sigh. It feels good, sitting with him here surrounded by friends. It had been a while.

Gray leans his head against mine and doesn’t answer. We watch her friends take pictures like proud parents, watching her cut and then distribute the cake. I should help, but I just could not lift a finger.

“Hey y/n, is that your phone going off?” Josie’s friend beside me points to my facedown phone.

“Is it?” I sit up, my heart doing a number in my chest.

I pick it up, 2 missed calls from Harry and 3 texts. Fuck.

“Leave it,” Gray must be looking over my shoulder. “You’ve gone home now just screw him.”

“I can’t,” I didn’t want Gray getting mad—I know he was kinda drunk and he could make a scene like this. I didn’t want to ruin Josie’s celebration. But I couldn’t ignore this. This is the first time Harry’s messaged me after I’ve gone home. “I’ll take it outside.”

On my way to the door I open the messages. A picture of a bucket filled with ice. A row of question marks. And then: call me

What? What was so urgent about a bucket of-

Oh.

Fuck.

I thought I did everything but I hadn’t. I’d filled the bucket with ice and meant to ask the Italian restaurant around the corner to deliver a bottle like they usually did for Harry but I hadn’t gotten to that part.

I feel like I’m going to vomit any dinner I just had.

I crouch down. Do I call him? Do I pretend I didn’t see this until too late? No. I had to face up. I fucked up.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

I call with shaking hands but it rings and rings and goes straight to voicemail. I try again.

I had to get back, get him the champagne. Fix my mistake.

“Y/N,” Grayson’s suddenly outside. “Aren’t you coming back in?”

“I can’t. I…” how do I explain this to my fiancé without it sounding minor as hell. “I forgot to mail some important documents and I need to get back-“

“It’s Saturday fucking night.”

“Yeah but-“

“And guess what?! Tomorrow’s Sunday! The mail’s going nowhere! Fuck that wanker and come back in.”

Gray holds out his arms and I want to go back in but I need to fix this mistake.

I grasp his hand and he smiles, misunderstanding why I held it, “Gray I have to go-“

He pulls his hand away, a sneer on his face. It hurts when he looks at me that way, like I betrayed him.

“I showed up! I celebrated, I got here Gray I just have to-“

“You were barely here! Do you know how upset she was when I said you couldn’t make it?”

“Well why did you say that!?” I demand. “I told you I was only going to be late!”

“I can’t trust that!” He shouts and I try to pull his arm so he quiets but he doesn’t seem to care there are people around. “Your time is all his, every single fucking second! And when you’re not there your brain is going a million bajillion times over about him and his life. Even when you’re with me! What the fuck! What’s up with that!?”

“Gray I’m sorry look I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. I swear. I’ll make it up to your sister I-“

“I don’t care y/n,” Gray slips his arm out of my grasp. “Do whatever you want. Nothing I say matters anymore anyway right?”

“Gray,” tears streak my face as I watch the man I love go back inside without another look my way.

Fuck Harry.

I try to call him again but voicemail. Again. Fuck!

What to do when you make a mistake: admit to it—Harry appreciates accountability. FIX IT! As much as you can. FIX YOUR MISTAKES OR FACE CONSEQUENCES.

An alert that my uber was here pings my phone—I take the ride to the restaurant and grab an already chilled bottle. I book it to Harry’s building and ride the elevator up, every floor causing a further dip in my stomach.

The doors open to a dimly lit space. There’s music playing, something jazzy, and it smells like…vanilla? Vanilla roses?

“Hol-hold on,” I hear Harry chuckle. A head pops up from the other side of the sofa.

“Y/n?” He looks as confused as I am.

Oh my god, I realize as a giggle comes from the floor. They were on the fucking floor of the living room? They were on the floor of the living room f…what the fuck did I walk into?

“Just back with this,” I squeak, holding up the bottle.

“Harry did you invite someone else?” The voice asks from below with another laugh. He sighs, disappearing again. I hear a very distinct wet noise before he pops back up again, I look at the doors of the elevator trying even harder not to give in to the panic attack that was looking more and more tempting.

“What are you doing here?” Harry approaches me with a softened voice. Wearing a robe. A silk robe. I knew he wore silk.

“You called—the bottle I’m sorry it totally slipped my mind I-“

“I told you to call me?”

“I did, you didn’t pick up! I thought I should swing by-“

“I thought you had a party?” His forehead scrunches.

“I…” the pieces come together. Did I take this too seriously because Harry didn’t even look angry? Great. I was an idiot and proving to Harry I had no life. “It ended. Early. I…I wanted to fix my mistake and bring the bottle.”

He takes it from my hand, still confused. “Y/N.”

I wait for him to continue but he doesn’t. And lord, in this climate with him in just a robe hearing my name on his lips is not okay. I was going to pass out.

“I’ll leave.” I go back to the elevator but he starts talking again.

“I asked you to call me so I could ask-“ he stops when I turn back around to listen. He closes the gap between us again with a sigh, and I don’t realize my face was still streaked with tears. It was probably more noticeable in the elevator light. He takes his finger and swipes across my cheek, his brows furrowing.

“Sorry,” I swipe my cheek to remove the remaining evidence. “I’ll leave you to it.”

He clears his throat and takes a step back. “Thank you for coming back.”

I nod.

“If you’re going to leave early next time, make sure you finish everything I’ve asked you to do. Don’t skip out like this again.”

“Yes yeah of course,” I stutter, relieved to fit back into our usual roles. For a second there, I thought Harry was going to be kind. And that would have been way worse.

“Good night Y/N. See you Monday.”

“Good night Mr. Styles.”

Gray’s not home by the time I get back. I wake the next morning to his side untouched.

So I do the only thing that felt good these days, I curl up into a ball and cry.

***

Taglist - leave me a message if you’d like to join it :)

[greatestcoworker]

> [ Because his next week would be busy and full of work he needed to catch up on, Jasper wanted to spend as much time with his close brothers as possible—maybe even catch up on missed time with them too? ]

> [ He walked into the office, holding a couple of releases for a show he and his brother were planning on watching together. ]

"Hey, Bry... I heard you have a better TV here... so I decided to watch Madoka with you—"

> [ He looked up only to see red. Literal red on the ground. The smell of metal filled the air. He was dreaming... right? ]

( @doppelcoworker )

[As you raised your head, the first thing you saw was Bryce– looking seconds away from passing out, trying to move across the office to try and look for help. In his hands were a pair of scissors, completely stained with –his– blood, which quickly fell to the floor with a loud clatter as the blonde let go of them.]

[He had forced the scissors out of him, and of course that had been a terrible idea, as the blood was now coming out of him at alarming rates. He pressed his hands against the wound, trying to stop the blood from spilling out, and pressed his back against the desk.]

>"H–hah– Jasper, Winnie..?"

[That's when he noticed you, and apparently your little nephew, who had walked in at the same time. His eyes were narrowed, barely having the strength to keep them open.]

>"Please.."

((ooc: @yourfavoritecousinwinnie here 😋))

[cafemilk-tea]

We’ll be okay

❒ pairing - evelyn x mingyu

❒ word count - 1.5K

❒ synopsis - the aftermath of the d*spatch news

⚠️ angst

🏷️ taglist - @justmochi @ateezjuliet @itzy-eve @cosmicwintr @billboard-singer @kimhyejin3108 @cixrosie @enhacolor @allthings-fandoms @mingis-wrld @kmgfeels @peachyaeger @choihaneul @alixnsuperstxr @angie-x3

(a/n prepare your tissues everyone. im so sorry </3)

Evelyn hummed a little tune to herself as she dropped the towel she used to dry her hair off into the hamper in her bedroom. After getting home from the airport, she had wanted nothing more than to simply take a hot shower and relax.

A small pout formed on her lips when she had finally taken notice that the apartment was way too quiet for her liking. She was picking Winnie and Bleu up tomorrow from Seungcheol’s place on his recommendation so she wasn’t stressing herself out having to rush to pick them up even though she had missed them terribly and wanted nothing more than to snuggle with her fur babies.

She turned on her heels quickly when the sound of her phone buzzing on the coffee table in the living room and the familiar jingle of her ringtone echoed throughout the apartment. Sliding in on the hardwood floor, she fumbled around for her phone, smiling when Seungcheol’s name and picture flashed across the screen. She fell back onto the couch as she answered the call, throwing her feet up on the coffee table in the process.

“Are my children causing you havoc, Cheolie?” She made herself laugh as she wiggled further down into the couch, “They’re my little angels they could never-.”

Seungcheol took a deep breath on the other side of the line, swallowing thickly before simply cutting her off, “Eunji, I need to talk to you urgently and I wanted to be the one that called you before you saw it for yourself.”

Evelyn pinched her eyebrows together as she pouted her lips outwards, picking at the fringe on her sweater. He sounded a little too serious to be playing a prank on her but she couldn’t quite tell what he was worked up over. His tone held that leadery tone that he used very seldomly and that’s when she knew something wasn’t right, “What’s up? Did something happen?”

“Eunji-,” He paused on the other side of the line, “Firstly, I want you to know that I’m so sorry that this has happened. I-I don’t know how but we will find out, I’ll make sure of it.”

“Cheol, please you’re scaring me.”

She took her legs off the coffee table to sit up straighter, gnawing on her bottom lip as she waited for him to continue his speech. She leaned forward to allow her elbows to dig into her knees in what she could only describe as anticipation? Fear? Maybe a little of both?

“Dispatch…You and Mingyu…They- someone told them about you two-.”

Her face drained from its color as the blood in her body ran frigid. Her ears were ringing so badly to the point that she could barely hear Seungcheol talking anymore. The firm grip she had on her phone tightened as she tried her best to keep it pressed to her ear, her other hand flying to her mouth out of complete shock.

“I’ve talked to Mingyu right before I called you and he’s on his way over.” It felt like he was speaking to her from a thousand yards away.

It was getting harder to speak, her throat felt like it was closing in on itself with the lump that jumped up into it, “H-How did-?”

His voice carried a heavy weight to it as he spoke to her. She could hear his footsteps on the other end, Seungcheol saying hello to someone and then a car door closing, “I’m not sure, Eunji. Manager-nim just picked me up and we’re heading straight to the company to see what we can sort out. You and Mingyu will probably be called in by them as well, but don’t be afraid, alright? Every single one of us has both of your backs.”

Her whole body felt numb to the touch with the feeling that she was going to be sick creeping up the back of her throat. It was hard being an idol in a relationship in this kind of industry. Wanting to keep the relationship a secret was always something she knew she wanted, knowing the exact outcome if anyone had found out. And of course, the world just happened to be against her on what some people wait an entire year for just to get their hands on the newly outed Dispatch couple; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

“I’ll call you back once I hear something,” Seungcheol’s voice dropped with sadness when she let out a dry gasp on her end, “And please for your sake, don’t go online, promise?”

Evelyn’s eyes clamped shut as all she could do to answer him was hum her response. She couldn’t give him that promise. She ended the call with him, dropping her phone into her lap and running her hands through her hair.

Tears pricked her eyes as a dry sob finally left her mouth, picking her phone up and her thumbs flying to type her name into the Naver search bar. She swallowed down the lump in her throat as she stood up from the couch to pace around her apartment, clicking on the first article she found.

‘Thanks to the work of Dispatch, Seventeen’s Evelyn and Mingyu are caught in a secret relationship extending a little over two years…’

Her vision was becoming blurry as she scrolled down the article, her eyes glossing over countless hidden pictures taken of the two of them in secret locations. She bit the inside of her cheek hard when she scrolled to the comment section and choked on air as she skimmed through the thousands of comments left behind by netizens.

“[+74, 0] #PledisRemoveEvelynFromSVT”

“[+36, 0] Is that girl for real?”

“[+53, -2] Seventeen is thirteen after this s**t”

“[+19, 0] Seriously, this girl has no shame. She’s going to drag Kim Mingyu down the more she hangs onto him.”

“[+6, 0] This b***h is crazy going after Mingyu. Dating your own group member is a little nasty?”

“[+22, -1] Protest trucks are on the way demanding for her removal ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ. Fingers crossed this one works.”

Her phone slips from her grip, clattering onto the floor below most definitely leaving a crack or two across the screen. Tears flowed from her eyes in steady streams down her cheeks, droplets falling onto her hands as she stared at the floor below. All this over finding that one person and being in love?

She didn’t even hear the front door opening until it was falling close behind the person. She knew who it was without even having to turn around. Her bottom lip quivered as she turned to face Mingyu, roughly wiping at her face with the sleeve of her sweater.

“Baby-,” Mingyu choked out as he reached her in three strides, pulling her into his chest firmly as she finally broke down guttural sobs. Her shaking hands came up from where she had them balled up at her sides to clutch at his shirt in tight fists.

Mingyu kissed the top of her head before making himself smaller and lowering his face into the crook of her neck, his breathing coming out in shaky waves.

“I-I’m sorry,” It felt like all the air inside her lungs had given out, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t say that. You’ve done nothing wrong, Evie.”

“I-It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t-,” She choked out another sob and Mingyu tightened the hold that he had on her, “I didn’t mean it, I swear.” He fought back his own tears as he listened to her speak, wanting to be strong for her.

“I don’t want to ruin your career Gyu, you love this job way too much for me to tear it all down.” She didn’t think it would hurt this much. To her, it was her fault. If she hadn’t developed her crush on his all those years ago, they wouldn’t be in this position today.

“Evie, I love my job with you in it.”

“The netizens t-they-.”

“Let them all talk, say what they have to say. You and I both know the truth and that’s all we need,” Mingyu’s grip tightened on her again, wrapping her in his warmth, “They can go fuck themselves for all I care.”

He waited until she was calmed down enough and ready to be pulled back, moving his hands up to cup around her face. The pads of his thumbs swiped underneath her eyes to collect the buildup of tears from falling down their path. Her watery eyes found his eyes as they were filled with copious amounts of sadness from seeing her in this state.

“Baby, please listen to me.”

Her bottom lip trembled again as he gently tilted her head upwards to properly gain her attention.

“I’m still the same me and you’re still the same you, right? Nothing has nor will it ever change, okay? I love and care about you and you only,” He pressed his lips firmly to her forehead and left them linger there for a few moments before pulling away and pressing his forehead against hers, “We’ll be okay. I’m not going anywhere.”

[jerzwriter]

List of Your Ten Childhood Ships

Thanks @thefirstcourtesan for tagging me. I'm so showing my age here, lol I'm going to count "childhood" right up through the end of high school for these purposes. God, I'm straining my brain. lol What's sad is, outside of Jodie Dallas on Soap, I cannot even recall a queer character, much less pairing, from my childhood. How sad is that? So this list is def hetero as it comes.

This is in no order - not really...

Princess Leia and Han Solo - Star Wars: OK, this was THE couple of my childhood. I was OBSESSED and still am. There was NO better movie than The Empire Strikes Back. The "I love you." "I know." sequence. Goddamn, I've always had a type; it goes back to childhood. I'm ashamed (not really).

Lando Calrissian & Princess Leia - Star Wars: OK - this is bringing back memories - and this is fucking crazy - I did write fanfic as a kid, and it was a Han/Leia/Lando triangle (as good as a 5th grader can write...). God, I'd kill to have that notebook now, and OMG, what a predictor for DTI. 😂😂😂 Even as a tween, I knew that would have been some juicy triangle that never came to be. lol

Sandy & Danny - Grease: Some asides. I was WAY too young to be watching this when it was out (my Mom was insane). Most of it went over my head, and in retrospect, I am so anti-most messages in Grease - but that doesn't mean I don't still love it. I do. And OMG How I loved Sandy & Danny and danced around my living room pretending I was them. lol

Jessie & Angie - All My Children: I was a soap junkie, so I have a lot of soap ships - but this is one of my all-time favorites. A modern-day Romeo & Juliet, and the soap world's first true black super-couple. Angie's well-to-do family forbade a relationship with her obvious soulmate, Jesse. They eventually got together, but in true soap fashion, that didn't last. A death that wasn't really a death, among other things, impeded. But how I remember watching those summers and rushing home from school to check the VCR and pray it recorded. lol OLD SCHOOL!

Kevin & Winnie - The Wonder Years: This was the sweetest show and first love story. The ending was so poignant and probably led to my penchant for beautiful but heart-wrenching endings. I need to rewatch this sometime.

Maddie & David - Moonlighting: This one makes me sad, thinking of Bruce Willis's current condition. 😢 These two drove each other crazy, but the sexual tension radiated from the TV screen. They were the ultimate "will they???" couple, and even when they did, they still never really got it together, but that didn't mean I stopped rooting for them. Sadly, this show is just about completely not available on streaming/reruns due to musical copyright issues.

Nina Cortland & Cliff Warner - All My Children: Told you. I was a soap addict, and AMC will forever be my favorite show. I don't remember how old I was, but I remember that their wedding took place THE DAY that we went back to school, and my prepubescent little girlfriends and I LOST OUR SHIT. This wasn't the days of reruns, this wasn't the days of DVR, this wasn't even the days of Soap Central (y'all don't even know what that is). These were the days of "You missed it, bitch - so sad." And I was...I was...

Maria & Georg - The Sound of Music: OK - I loved musicals from a very young age, and I am forever obsessed with The Sound of Music. I had a mad crush on Georg as a young girl, proof that assholes with a heart underneath it all have ALWAYS been my thing. lol

Dwayne & Whitley - A Different World: It was not a pairing I liked the idea of - initially. Whitley was such a spoiled, obnoxious, rich princess at the start, and Dwayne didn't seem like he'd ever have a chance, but as time moved on, they made it work, and I tuned in each week, dying for them to finally get together.

John & Claire: The Breakfast Club - What can I say - I have a type? lol This was the iconic couple of my teen years, and if had been writing fanfic at that time, I would have had a treasure trove for them.

Tagging @jamespotterthefirst @liaromancewriter @lucy-268 @genevievemd @angelasscribbles @icecoffee90 @cariantha @doriopenheart @peonierose @potionsprefect @coffeeheartaddict2 @lilyoffandoms @storyofmychoices @annoyingmillenialnewbie @utterlyinevitable and anyone who wishes to jump in and play!

[its-tortle]

hehe hellooo ✨

hope you're having fun !! as for asks, which of your faves (can't be of the same franchise) do you think would get along the best?

anddddd if you could choose 1 of your faves to protect you from the other ones, which one would you pick?

(faves as in crows, steves, buck, taylor, etc)

hi winnie!! omg this is such an amazing ask. let me see if tipsy me can do it justice

ideally, they would all be besties. realistically, this would not be the case lol. i think taylor -- who is (1) a real person and (2) does not lead a very violent life -- would be so sweet to everyone but would not always get sweetness in return. steve rogers would be polite, bucky might be depending on what era we're talking, kaz and matthias would be stand-offish, inej would admire her strength, jesper might flirt with her, wylan would want to talk music, and nina might fall in love with her (its the blond blue eyed hot people thing). this whole ordeal would be a weird crossover. steve harrington (who i assume you meant to include by steves) would by no means be rude but idk what he would know to discuss with her.

he might be able to bond with the others (read: stucky and the crows) about fighting-monsters trauma or annoying co-monster-fighters who keep putting themselves in unnecessary danger. i strangely think nina would like him, but then again maybe i'm just projecting onto her again.

okay, anyways, before this gets way too long: here's the dynamics i think would happen in an alternate universe where they all meet at a bar. let's say modern au no magic no monsters

jesper, taylor, and wylan: do some really good karaoke. maybe nina would join even if in my mind she can't hold a tune

kaz and bucky: do some glaring at everyone but their sweethearts. they both drink surprisingly fruity drinks. best case scenario, they actually open up a bit and talk about how difficult it can be to change the cold person you have been into something more suited for loving and being loved.

inej and steve r: have a really interesting conversation about faith -- in both the religious and the hope sense -- and come to the consensus that its all about experience and people rather than blind belief, but that it is a lasting source of hope

steve h and matthias: himbos. matthias laughs at steve as he tries and fails to pick someone up. steve laughs at how red matthias gets about nina. maybe he even gives him some heartfelt advice about how to loosen up and let her in better

steve r and taylor: might have a compelling conversation about becoming a symbol bigger than yourself and feeling like you have so little control over that narrative. captain america and miss americana you know? the weird alienation of fame? i think they might have some thoughts.

bonus wylan and billy hargrove: we are not our fathers. you can be your own person and find 'worthiness' and love outside of the coldness of your childhood home. if we're lucky, they hug

wow this was a trip. i hope it makes sense? i definitely forgot some dynamics, feel free to add on

[larrysficlibrary]

Established relationship

Fics where H and L are in an established relationship

❥ so...how's parenting going? vol. i: the case of the imaginary friend [8k] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"Louis." Harry utters slowly, the infection of his voice teetering on the edge of hysteria. But Louis doesn't even have the words. How could he? All Louis can do is shake his head in disbelief, pinching the bridge of his nose as pure stress begins to radiate throughout his entire body. The scent alone is enough to knock a grown man to his knees. "Louis. There is shit on the ceiling." Harry sounds like he's on the verge of an actual breakdown, body so tense it's a wonder how he hasn't completely snapped yet. "Actual shit plastered. To. The. Ceiling!" And it's not just that there's shit on the ceiling. It's on the walls and the floors and the tub and the sink and just-fucking everywhere. Toilet paper draped like fucking streamers at a birthday party. But this is no birthday party. No, this is a thing of nightmares, it is the work of a terror. A terror shaped exactly like their three-year-old son. "RORY!" Louis screams at the very peak of his lung capacity. "It wasn't me!" A tiny innocent voice calls back. "I swear! I swear! I swear!" or Harry and Louis' three-year-old son has an imaginary friend that is making their life a living, breathing hell.

❥ so...how's parenting going? vol. ii: the case of the missing wedding guest [9k] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"Rory, my darling, that was before we had you." Louis tries to explain as soothingly as possible. Rory blinks up at Louis in absolute confusion as his expression starts to pale. "...What?" "Papa and I got married before you were born, Ro." Harry explains gently, sitting up on the couch. "But...but...but..." Rory mutters repeatedly on a loop as if he's starting to glitch. He shakes his curls as a deep frown pulls his little brows together, at a loss for what this means. There's confusion in his eyes along with growing frustration that is sure to lead to a full-blown toddler meltdown. "Where is...ME!" Or three-year-old Rory just doesn't understand why he wasn't invited to his parents' wedding.

❥ so...how's parenting going? vol. iii: the case of the four-year-old baby [13k] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"So, honey...um...Papa and I wanted to talk to you because uh well- our family is going to be getting a little bigger soon because uh..." "We're having another baby." Louis finishes, just ripping the band aid off. Who knows how long Harry would have dragged that sentence out for. Rory instantly pauses, settling his legs as he sits up slowly. "No. I'm your baby." "Yes, you are our baby, but we are getting another one too." Harry explains gently. "No, you can not. Just me...I'm baby. I'm the only baby." "You're our first baby." Louis tries next, rubbing Rory's back supportively. "No." Rory argues, his signature deep frown appearing on his forehead. "Yes-" "No." He repeats seriously, looking them dead in the eye. "No." or while preparing for the arrival of their second child, nearly four-year-old Rory expresses his sincere disapproval of getting a new addition to their family.

❥ so...how's parenting going? vol. iv: the case of the reoccurring announcement [19k] ♡ thealmightyavocado

Louis ruffles Rory's floppy curls, sitting down on the stool closest to his son. "Rory, sweetheart, you know you don't have to announce everything for us to listen to you." "Yes, I do." Rory insists adamantly, eyes wide. "Why?" Harry asks again, hoping to grasp just a single ounce of understanding into the innerworkings of this child's mind. "Why Rory?" The question seems to utterly trigger Rory. "Cuz you don't listen to me! I just told you! See! You're not listening!" "Rory-" "Listen, Daddy Listen!" Rory stresses urgently. "I am listening, Rory I promise, I'm listening to you!" Harry frustratedly pledges. Rory shakes his head stubbornly, not at all willing to budge on his perspective. "Nuh uh. You only listen to Winnie now. I'm invisible." or ever since the arrival of his baby sister, Rory no longer believes that his parents are really paying attention to him. Taking matters into his own four-year-old hands, he decides to announce everything he does.

❥ one breath at a time [427k WIP] ♡ thealmightyavocado

"Louis, I know it's hard, but I need you to focus and tell me exactly what happened, ok?" Louis is shaking uncontrollably, his hands, his heart, his mind, nothing is stable, nothing is ok. He feels untethered, boundless in time, yet paradoxically his entire life is torturously bound to this very moment. Absolutely nothing he tells his mind serves to calm his racing thoughts, he commands his body to move and his body betrays him, commands lips to speak, but no words form. All Louis can do is blindly stare at the sickeningly heavy blood coating his arms, dripping to his trembling fingers. Tears ceaselessly pour down his cheeks despite how hard he squeezes his eyes shut, trying desperately to calm himself enough to utter a sound. An he can't breathe, despite all of his failed efforts to catch his wandering breath and gasp a much-needed lungful of oxygen, his diaphragm constricts further still, suffocating him from the inside out. breathe, breathe, breathe Louis forces a sharp inhale that hurts as the breath expands his stilted lungs, god it hurts. Like stabbing his chest with a serrated knife, dragging the jagged blade through his heart over and over and over again until there is nothing left.

❥ All About Us [138k] ♡ LHStylinson

When Harry and Louis' teenage daughter brings a boy home for the first time to meet them Louis tries to act as the protective father and Harry just wants everyone to be happy. Throughout the night and protests from their daughter, Louis and Harry reminisce about how they met and overtime share their story with the boy that seems to look at their daughter the same way Louis once and still looks at Harry.

❥ Back to the Beginning [857k] ♡ LHStylinson

Prequel to All About Us. After Harry and Louis share some of their story with the boy that stole their daughter's heart we go back to where it all started. From the very beginning they fall in love and we see their lives without their kids and watch as their relationship is tested. The struggle of becoming teen parents and then turning their lives into what they have in All About Us.

❥ When You Least Expect It [182k] ♡ LHStylinson

Harry and Louis' son is on a journey of self discovery and figuring out his own sexuality, with some very unexpected turns for the Tomlinson family along the way.

❥ Take Your Time [247k] ♡ LHStylinson

Rosie Tomlinson is the third oldest of the Tomlinson kids and seems to have broken the tradition of falling in love by 18. It's her first year of uni and she still hasn't held a boy's hand, hasn't had a real first kiss. When she does meet a boy though she knows bringing him home won't be easy. Her dad (Louis) will be even more overprotective than he was over her older sister, Alexis. But at least Rosie has her pop (Harry) as help to somewhat keep her dad from losing his head.

❥ Innocence and Sadness Was a Fine Line [126k WIP] ♡ LHStylinson

Suddenly, you hit a certain age, and there's responsibility, seriousness, and worry. Innocence is lost, and life isn't dealt fairly. The Tomlinson family is given a set of cards, and for once, Louis and Harry aren't sure if they can conquer these obstacles with their kids. How can you mend four young, broken hearts and try to make sure two of those hearts keep beating? They'll figure it out. They always do... Right...?

❥ i drink the honey inside your hive [7k] ♡ levelofcharm

"Look at me," Harry demands lowly, suddenly grabbing Louis' jaw and forcing their eyes together. Louis' face is squished in between the fingers, wide eyes looking up at him when he sneaks a gloved thumb in the corner of his mouth. He smiles, the finger tugging on his bottom lip and opening his mouth slightly, "That's better, blue." Louis' shoulders hunch slightly at the nickname, neck straining to maintain eye contact, his panties get tighter as his cock hardens at the sight, eyes blinking slowly to ease the stinging tears. Catching a glimpse of the growing bulge in Harry's navy trousers, the standing man notices, tsking and shaking his head disappointedly, "I thought you were going to be good tonight. What happened?" "It's just-" Louis looks up at him again with watery eyes, babbling around the thumb in his mouth, "Haven't got to play with you for so long, sir. I need-" Harry nods sympathetically and Louis cuts himself off. "I know, baby. It's okay." the glove fic

[scoutandvioletfan]

Big A, Little a, What Begins With A? Annieandro Aiming Arrows With Angel. A, a, A.

Big B, Little b, What Begins With B? Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Bubble Too.

Big C, Little c, What Begins With C?Caine Crawls On The Cushion. C, c, C.

Big D, Little d, Dusty and Daisy Eats Donuts While Donald Dances.

A, B, C, D, E, e, E, Eeyore, Elsie and Eduardo. E, e, E.

Big F, Little f, F, f, F, Five Fluffy Feathers On Felipe and Flicker.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Gruber, Goofy and Gangle. G, g, G.

Big H, Little h, Honey, Heart, Harry Uses The Horn! How Sweet and Smart!

Big I, Little i, I, i, I. Island Owl Is Itchy, So Am I.

Big J, Little j, What Begins With J? Jax's Special Jelly Jar and Jam Begins This Way.

Big K, Little k, Komason, Komajiro, Komadillo and Kinger's Kind Sneeze.

Big L, Little l, Little Miss Cassie Listens To Animals. Lucky and Lulu Licks A Lollipop.

Big M, Little m, Mac and Bloo Is Making Music To Mickey Mouse. Mighty Kind!

Big N, Little n, What Begins With These? Nine New Nephews and Nana Made A Necklace For Chilli.

O Is Very Useful, You Use It When You Say: Oso The Bear Oils Oscar Fishtooth Today!

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P!

Pikachu Paints Pink While Pat Paints Purple, Pom-Pom Plays Paddleball and Pomni Is Having Lunch.

Big Q, Little q, What Begins With Q? Quills Answers The Questions and Finds Out!

Big R, Little r, Rusty and His Friend Ragatha Is Rollerskating and Having Some Fun!

Big S, Little s, Scooter and Mr.Chips Has A Surprise and Gave Stretch and Squeeze Some Strawberries.

T, T, t, t, What Begins With T? Tenderheart Bear Is Playing Tug Of War With Turner and Tigger.

Big U, Little u, What Begins With U? Unikitty Uses Her Umbrella To Keep Her Dry.

Big V, Little v, Vampirina Is Very, Very, Very Funny On Her Violin.

W, w, W, Wilt Is Washing Winnie Who Is Washing Winnie The Pooh.

X Is Very Useful If You Can Help Fix-It. It Also Comes In Handy With XR Along!

Big Y, Little y, Yawning Yin, and Yodeling Yang, Yabby Is Yelling On Their Backs.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z! Hooray, Hooray!

Big Z, Little z, What Begins With Z?

I Do and My Name Is Zooble. As I Can Plainly See.

[annieandro]

Big A, Little a, What Begins With A?

Annieandro Aiming Arrows With Angel. A, a, A.

Big B, Little b, What Begins With B? Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Bubble Too.

Big C, Little c, What Begins With C?

Caine Crawls On The Cushion. C, c, C.

Big D, Little d, Dusty and Daisy Eats Donuts While Donald Dances.

A, B, C, D, E, e, E, Eeyore, Elsie and Eduardo. E, e, E.

Big F, Little f, F, f, F, Five Fluffy Feathers On Felipe and Flicker.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Gruber, Goofy and Gangle. G, g, G.

Big H, Little h, Honey, Heart, Harry Uses The Horn! How Sweet and Smart!

Big I, Little i, I, i, I.Island Owl Is Itchy, So Am I.

Big J, Little j, What Begins With J? Jax's Special Jelly Jar and Jam Begins This Way.

Big K, Little k, Komason, Komajiro, Komadillo and Kinger's Kind Sneeze.

Big L, Little l, Little Miss Cassie Listens To Animals. Lucky and Lulu Licks A Lollipop.

Big M, Little m, Mac and Bloo Is Making Music To Mickey Mouse. Mighty Kind!

Big N, Little n, What Begins With These? Nine New Nephews and Nana Made A Necklace For Chilli.

O Is Very Useful, You Use It When You Say: Oso The Bear Oils Oscar Fishtooth Today!

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P!

Pikachu Paints Pink While Pat Paints Purple, Pom-Pom Plays Paddleball and Pomni Is Having Lunch.

Big Q, Little q, What Begins With Q? Quills Answers The Questions and Finds Out!

Big R, Little r, Rusty and His Friend Ragatha Is Rollerskating and Having Some Fun!

Big S, Little s, Scooter and Mr.Chips Has A Surprise and Gave Stretch and Squeeze Some Strawberries.

T, T, t, t, What Begins With T? Tenderheart Bear Is Playing Tug Of War With Turner and Tigger.

Big U, Little u, What Begins With U?

Unikitty Uses Her Umbrella To Keep Her Dry.

Big V, Little v, Vampirina Is Very, Very, Very Funny On Her Violin.

W, w, W, Wilt Is Washing Winnie Who Is Washing Winnie The Pooh.

X Is Very Useful If You Can Help Fix-It. It Also Comes In Handy With XR Along!

Big Y, Little y, Yawning Yin, and Yodeling Yang, Yabby Is Yelling On Their Backs.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z! Hooray, Hooray!

Big Z, Little z, What Begins With Z?

I Do and My Name Is Zooble. As I Can Plainly See.

[bboyplankton]

R&B/Pop/Alternative Albums 2023

Dende - 95' Civic

Tone Stith - P.O.V. - EP

Arin Ray - Phases III - EP

Jungle - Volcano

Chris Brown - 11:11

Elmiene - Marking My Time - EP

Masego - Masego

Sam Smith – Gloria

Phabo - Don't Get Too Cozy

Ama Lou - I Came Home Late

Casper Sage - Synthesis+ - EP

JMSN - Soft Spot

Abby Jasmine - Growing Pains

Emotional Oranges - Still Emo

Vedo - 7

Kenyon Dixon - The R&B You Love

Kyra - as things grow

Rory - I Thought It'd Be Different

Mahalia - IRL (Deluxe)

RAAHiim - But if iiM Honest

Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

Victoria Monet - Jaguar II

Jorja Smith - falling or flying

Vedo - Mood Swings

Jordan Ward - moreward(Forward)

Austin Millz – Breathwork – EP

Azekel – Analyze Love

Teezo Touchdown – How Do You Sleep At Night?

Rum.gold – U Street Anthology

Sebastian Mikael – Phileo Deluxe – EP

Leon Thomas – Electric Dusk

Brent Faiyaz – Larger Than Life

Jacob Lattimore – Closure – EP

BJ the Chicago Kid – Gravy

Kiana Ledé – Grudges

Sabrina Claudio – Archives & Lullabies

Tay Iwar – Summer Breeze

The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way

Adi Oasis – Lotus Glow

Ellie Ingram – Bad Behavior

Dende – Before We Crash – EP

Saint Harison – lost a friend – EP

Leonard Charles – Heaven – EP

Raheem Devaughn – The Summer of Love

Sy Ari Da Kid – Toxicity At It’s Finest

Omarion – Full Circle: Sonic Book 1

Jane Handcock – World of Women

Khamari – A Brief Nirvana

BLK ODYSSY – Diamonds & Freaks

Elhae – Forotten Flowers

Ambré – who’s loving you? – EP

Noah Guy – Who’s Taken Time?! (Act II) – EP

Chase Shakur – it’s not you, it’s me…it’s love

6lack – Since I Have A Lover

Burna Boy – I Told Them…

Majid Jordan – Good People

Cleo Sol – Gold

Alexis Ffrench – Christmas Piano with Alexis

Terrace Martin & Alex Isley – I Left My Heart In…

Baby Rose – Through & Through

THEY. – Nü Moon

Eric Bellinger – 1(800)HIT-EAZY: Line 2

Jozzy – Songs for Women, Free Game for Niggas (Deluxe)

Diddy – The Love Album: Off the Grid

Paramore – This Is Why

October London – The Rebirth of Marvin

Romy Dya – Transformation – EP

Buju Banton – Born for Greatness

Fall Out Boy – So Much (For) Stardust

Kali Uchis – Red Glow in Venus

Destin Conrad – Submissive

Mariah the Scientist – To Be Eaten Alive

Queen Naija – After the Butterflies – EP

Justine Skye – Dark Side

Maeta – When I Hear Your Name

Love Moor – Love – EP

Valerie Omari – Closure – EP

Mannywellz – Mr. Olúlala – EP

Xenia Manasseh – Love/Hate Pt. 1

Cedric Brazle – …What I Know Now – EP

Selah Sue – Persona (Deluxe)

Ciara – CiCi

Tinashe – BB/Ang3l

Idman – Risk: Reloaded

ATSN – Where Do We Go From Here?

Destra – Unchained

Chiiild – Better Luck In The Next Life

Biako – Feelings Happen

Jastin Martin – Miss Me Yet?

Daniel Caesar – Never Enough (Bonus Version)

Tink – Thanks 4 Nothing

Sekou – Out of Mind – EP

Roy Woods – Mixed Emotions

Terrace Martin & James Fauntleroy – Nova – EP

Forest Claudette – Everything Was Green – EP

Musiq Soulchild & Hit-Boy – Victims & Villains

Traetwothree – Long Story Short – EP

Kevin Ross – Midnight Microdose, Vol. 1 – EP

Lavi$h – You Made A Big Mistake

Chlöe – In Pieces

Cleo Sol – Heaven

Kaleem Taylor – Ember

Adrian Dzvuke – Don’t Worry About It Sweetheart – EP

Devon Gilfillian – Love You Anyway

Nonso Amadi – When It Blooms

Ellie Goulding – Higher Than Heaven (Deluxe)

Brandy – Christmas with Brandy

King Sis – Pendulum – EP

Ebony Riley – ebony – EP

Lojay – Gangster Romantic

Popcaan – Great Is He

Jean Deaux – Heavy

TheARTI$t – ARTchives

Cisco Swank – More Better

Winny – Winny

Yung Bleu – Love Scars II

Hamzaa & 1srael – Rush – EP

Tim Lyre – MASTA

Kevin Ross – Midnight Microdose, Vol. 2 – EP

Ed Sheeran – - (Deluxe)

Saleka – Séance

Gorillaz – Cracker Island

James Blake – Playing Robots Into Heaven

Joya Mooi – What’s Around the Corner

Safe – Safe & Sound

Dinner Party – Enigmatic Society

Yakul – Outlines – EP

T-Pain – On Top of The Covers

Omah Lay – Boy Alone (Deluxe)

Angie Stone – Love Language

Jon Batiste – World Radio Music

Summer Walker – Clear 2: Soft Life – EP

PinkPanthress – Heaven Knows

Amari Noelle – Take II

Cee-Lo Green & Jack Splash – Serious – EP

Ed Sheeran – Autumn Variations

Mac DeMarco – 5 Easy Hot Dogs

Sabrina Carpenter – emails I can’t send fwd:

Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine (Deluxe)

Laufey – Bewitched

Keke Palmer – Big Boss

Jayda G – Guy

Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance

J. Brown – The Art of Making Love

Wanmor – WanMor

[thepolourryexpress]

anonymous on cc asked: can u give us a little snippet about h and winnie? i missing them v much!

“Now, I know you didn’t just let Winnie in the house.”

Harry cringes at the sound of Evelyn’s voice coming from the kitchen, immediately scooping Winnie up from the and tucking her underneath his arm, underneath his flannel. How she even knew, Harry doesn’t know.

He should’ve stuck little socks on Winnie’s hooves so she didn’t make so much noise against the hardwood floor.

“She’s not in the house, Eve,” Harry lies, bracing himself to smuggle Winnie past the kitchen without Evelyn noticing.

He doesn’t need to see Evelyn’s face to know that she doesn’t believe him — he can tell by the way she doesn’t speak.

“Okay, she’ll be in the house for, like, an hour. I reckon it’ll be fine — she’s an angel,” Harry huffs in defeat, carrying the little lamb into the kitchen. Evelyn snorts at the sight, Winnie’s little legs hanging and peeking out from just below the hem of Harry’s flannel. Winnie’s face peeks out a few seconds later, looking happier than ever to be in the house. Harry doesn’t doubt that if he put her down, she’d immediately create a ruckus. He doesn’t need Evelyn going crazy on him, though. “We’re just showing Mommy some love, aren’t ya?” Harry grins, petting Winnie’s little head.

Evelyn just rolls her eyes fondly, waving the two off. “Y’all are too much,” she muses, and Harry just grins.

“Now, Winfred, you remember the dance we went over, don’t ya?” Harry whispers as he carries the lamb back into the hallway, heading down the familiar path to Louis’ bedroom. At this point in their relationship, it’s practically his bedroom, too, with how often he’s over. It’s easier to spend nights here, as Harry’s up early working on the farm anyway, than it is to have Louis over his ranch.

Winnie just makes a happy little blet, which Harry takes as a yes. It’s going to be great.

He sets Winnie down by the door, kneeling down to tap her nose. “Now, you remember your cue, little missy,” he tuts, making sure she stays before he stands to knock on his boyfriend’s door. He pushes it open a second later, greeted by the sight of Louis perched up in bed, journal in his lap and fingers stained with blue ink.

“Hey,” Louis laughs, sitting up. Harry can’t fight the smile that takes over his face, the familiar feeling of being taken back by how lucky he is washing over him. He doesn’t think he’s ever going to get sick of this. “I thought you were going to brunch with your mom,” he raises an eyebrow.

He is. He hasn’t forgotten. It’s more of a lunch now, and his mom understands.

“I am. Just wanted to see ya first,” Harry says, rounding the bed and greeting Louis with a kiss.

“You’re silly,” Louis muses, pecking his lips.

“I’m bringin’ by flowers for Eve later,” Harry hums, leaning back. He would’ve brought it earlier, sure, but he’s almost certain that Winnie would’ve tried eating them.

“Anyways. I have a gift for you, actually,” Harry grins, stepping back from the bed. He sets his phone on Louis’ dresser, and just before he hits play on the music, he’s whistling — Winnie’s cue to come prancing into the bedroom.

Louis’ mouth drops open, and Harry knows him well enough to know that he’s about to say: Winnie can’t be in the house, Evelyn’s going to throw a fit.

Before he can argue, though, the familiar TikTok sound of Vivi Trend x No Hands is playing through his phone’s speaker and Harry’s immediately crossing his arms back and forth, pulsing his hip to the beat of the music. Winnie, besides him, is just happily prancing to the beat, bleating to get Louis’ attention — as if Louis can look anywhere else.

By the time the music stops, Harry’s scooped Winnie up into his arms, making an obnoxious show of jazz hands. “Winnie wanted to wish ya the happiest Mother’s Day,” Harry reasons, grin splitting his face in half.

Louis just laughs, covering his face with his hands. It doesn’t take Harry more than a second to climb onto the bed, Winnie happily escaping his arms to jump into Louis’ lap.

“Best Momma ever,” Harry teases, leaning over to press a kiss to Louis’ cheek.

“You’re both ridiculous,” Louis huffs, but the smile on his face says otherwise as he takes Winnie’s tiny head and presses a kiss to the lamb’s forehead. The sight makes Harry’s heart warm, and, well.

Harry’s really can’t wait for a baby.

[alyswritings]

Babies and Feminism

Request: LMAO I had an idea for Bridgerton daughter, ok firstly I had the idea of when in s1 Eloise ask how kids are made and stuff, cause she thought they had to be married but then remembered yns parents weren't, and honestly its just funny, cause then yn is curious too and Anthony is like wtf do I do and the rest of the bridgertons think its so funny. Also going along with this idea it could be like maybe yn started to hang out a lot more with Eloise and has started to become a feminist queen and Anthony is like who corrupted my daughter

Anthony Bridgerton x daughter!reader

Summary: Y/N wonders where babies come from and becomes more like her Aunt Eloise.

Warnings: none

a/n: thank you for the request! Hope you all enjoy!

(gif not mine)

Y/N is sitting next to Benedict on the sofa with Colin on his other side. Hyacinth and Gregory are eating at the table while Daphne plays the piano and Violet stands by her youngest two.

"Two dances? With a duke?" Hyacinth asks.

"Oh, he was quite taken with your sister, Hyacinth." Violet says. "The entire party was for that matter. All eyes were on Daphne. At least enjoy some toast, dearest." She tells her oldest daughter, holding a plate of food out to her.

"I am not hungry, mama." Daphne tells her.

"Are you certain the entire party was not simply eyeing a tear in her dress?" Colin questions.

"Or some misstep she might've taken on the dance floor?" Benedict joins in.

"I do wonder, Daphne, might we count on the Duke at the Crawford ball?" Violet asks.

"I should think it a fair chance." Daphne says.

"What about the Ramsbury ball, Friday, too? Oh, and what about the grand picnic?" Violet asks.

"We shall see, mama." Daphne says.

"How terrible for Fran that she'll be off practicing pianoforte with Aunt Winnie all season and miss Daphne's engagement to the duke." Hyacinth says as Violet sits on the sofa across from her two sons and granddaughter.

"Did Francesca leave for Bath already?" Gregory asks as Eloise quickly walks in.

"How does a lady come to be with child?" Eloise asks and Daphne immediately stops playing the musical instrument.

"Eloise, what a question!" Violet exclaims, walking over to her second daughter.

"I thought one needed to be married." Eloise says.

"What ever are you talking about?" Daphne asks.

"Apparently, it's not even a requirement." Eloise says.

"Eloise, that is more than enough." Violet orders.

Eloise sighs and walks over to the sofa, sitting between her brothers.

"Daphne, please, you were playing so lovely. Please, do go on." Violet says.

"I take it the two of you know." Eloise says.

"Do not look at me." Benedict states.

"Anthony wasn't married when Y/N was born. How does it happen?" Eloise asks.

"Have you ever visited a farm, El?" Colin asks and Benedict smacks him in the back of the head.

"I do hope the two of you are not encouraging improper topics of conversation. Especially with your four year old niece next to you." Violet states.

"Not at all, mother." Benedict assures.

"In fact, we were just heading off to... take our sticks out." Colin says, standing up.

"Colin Bridgerton!" His mother yells.

"A round of fencing." Colin clarifies.

The two Bridgerton sons leave.

"Miss? Humboldt is coming." The maid informs Daphne.

"Humboldt is coming." Daphne grins.

"Humboldt?" Violet asks.

"Why is Humboldt coming?" Hyacinth questions.

"Has someone arrived, Humboldt?" Daphne asks.

"Callers for Miss Daphne, ma'am." Humboldt informs. Daphne squeals, turning to her mother in excitement.

"But... the duke. You already have a caller, dearest." Violet says.

"Well, I suppose now I have more." Daphne states.

- - -

Anthony, Benedict, and Colin are in the drawing room, all silently doing their own things. Colin is reading a book, Anthony's reading the newspaper, and Benedict's drawing in his sketchbook.

Y/N rushes in, on the search for her father, and runs to him once she sees him. She's been thinking a lot about Eloise's question about how a lady comes to be with child and has grown curious herself, but her grandmother wouldn't answer and her aunts don't know.

"Papa?" She calls, standing next to him.

"Hmm?" Anthony hums in acknowledgement, taking a sip of his tea.

"How does one come to be with child?" Y/N asks.

Anthony chokes on his tea.

Colin and Benedict both let out small snorts of amusement, sharing a look as they know this will be fun.

Anthony coughs, trying to regain his breath, and he puts the cup of tea down.

"What, uh... what do you mean, darling?" Anthony asks, hoping maybe he heard her wrong.

"Aunt Ellie said she thought you had to be married to have a child. But you aren't married and I'm your child." Y/N says. "So how does it work?" She questions.

Anthony stares at her, being at a loss for words. He opens and closes his mouth as he tries to come up with something to say, but ultimately fails.

"Boys?" Anthony turns to his younger brothers.

"Oh, no, this one is all yours." Colin says, pretending to resume reading his book.

"She is your child. Seems only fair." Benedict says, an amused smirk on his face. Anthony glowers at both of his brothers, finding their entertainment annoying.

"Dearest, that is something that will be, um... explained to you at a much later age." Anthony tells the four year old.

"But I want to know now!" Y/N whines, stomping her foot.

"Well, you are not going to learn now. You will learn eventually." Anthony says.

"When?" Y/N asks.

"When you're eighteen... or preferably much older than that." Anthony says, his brothers letting out small snickers.

"Why can I not know now?" Y/N asks.

"Because you are too young." Anthony states.

"I hate being young." Y/N huffs, trudging out of the room dramatically.

"Thank you for the help." Anthony says, sending his brothers a fake smile.

"I believe you handled it quite well." Benedict muses.

"Indeed." Colin agrees.

- - -

The past few months, Y/N has grown closer to Eloise -- especially with Daphne and Colin gone, Y/N having one less aunt and one less uncle to spend time with or bother.

Given she's spending so much more time with Eloise, she has also started to adopt some of her aunt's mindsets. Y/N no longer believes she should be forced to marry if she does not want to.

Before she was okay with the idea of marrying, but now she questions it. She'd only want to marry if her husband treated her like an equal and not an object or somebody at a lower standard. And she'll only marry for love, if she ever does.

Y/N often listens to Eloise read her books and talk about feminists that believe in the same things she does. Y/N would like to go to school and travel the world, possibly even get a job herself at some point.

She knows she can't do much at five, but she hopes to someday.

Also despite not being at a ball, from Eloise's descriptions, she can tell she'll probably despise them just as much when she's able to attend them.

"Y/N? Are you supposed to be learning to dance with Hyacinth right now?" Anthony asks, walking into the drawing room where his daughter and Eloise are sitting on one of the sofas, Eloise reading to the young girl. Benedict is standing at an easel, painting a bowl of fruit.

"I don't want to." Y/N states.

"Since when do you refuse learning to dance?" Anthony asks.

"I rather read. Well, be read to, I suppose." Y/N says. "Balls sound awful anyway. Why would I care to attend one in 13 years?"

Anthony does a double take at her.

"Okay... who-who changed my entire daughter's perspective? When did she turn into that?" Anthony asks.

"I believe the person reading to her is responsible." Benedict says.

Anthony looks at his sister who wears a smug smile.

"Call it whatever you wish, brother, but I am simply making your daughter a strong, independent woman who shall not need to rely on a man." Eloise states.

"I want to stop dance classes. I don't wish to learn anymore. If it must, it can be a future matter, but not now." Y/N states.

"God, she's a mini Eloise." Anthony mutters.

"You're very much welcome." Eloise grins.

[youhavenocock]

Sister Company

An old friend of Maxim's drops in.

happy vore twenty uhm some slightly more graphic descriptions of prey post-digestion. specifically bones and chyme.

prev chapter  / next chapter / series starts here / read on Ao3

"See you at home."

Alexander stepped out of Maxim's private bathroom, wearing his weekend clothes. His Friday 'half days' were becoming a habit after last time. He'd learned to bring a towel and change of clothes with him to the office so he didn't have to ride home stuffed between a hard steering wheel and Maxim's guts.

Clean-up aside, spending Friday afternoons in Maxim's belly wasn't too bad. It could be surprisingly relaxing, although the alternative was work, so the bar was pretty low. He'd even fallen asleep for a bit, lulled by the warmth and constant, shifting pressure, and was only woken up by fresh Tums dropping onto his head.

Maxim, too, essentially took these Friday afternoons off. He couldn't hold any meetings in this state, and found it hard to concentrate on anything but Alexander. The first time, it had been out of concern for Alexander's safety, but now, he was simply awestruck by the sensation of holding his prey so closely, so tenderly, that Alexander had actually taken a nap in there.

"What else do you expect me to do," he replied defensively, blushing despite the cold shower he'd just emerged from.

"I'm not complaining, but...I dunno, 's kinda cute."

"You-" Alexander looked at his shoes. "Alright, see you at home, Sir."

He kept his eyes on the floor on his way to the elevator. The entire office thought they were fucking, but there was no avoiding that. As long as no one gave him shit for it, he didn't mind. How else could he explain spending hours in Maxim's office, and then reemerging in a different outfit? Winnie had warned him about this, but all Alexander could do was try to ignore the knowing glances as he headed back to Maxim's place.

Maxim had paperwork to finish before he could do the same. His own fault, really, for spending the past few hours doing next to nothing. Winnie had made it clear that, while other employees could cover for Alexander's neglected work, Maxim, as the boss, couldn't afford to slack off so much.

At least he had a whole weekend with Alexander to look forward to. Nothing special planned, but that was perfect, because his pred friend Roost had finally wrestled him into agreeing to have her over the week after. Her schedule was nowhere near as regular as Maxim's, but that irregularity came with long breaks between shifts. This time she was getting four whole days off, Monday to Thursday, and she was determined to spend them with Maxim.

Not that Maxim didn't want to see Roost. In fact, she was the pred friend he had kept in closest contact with since graduation had spat them into the larger world. Winnie was arranging their meals for the week, and Maxim couldn't deny that he was looking forward to a change from his standard office fare.

The only problem, naturally, was Alexander. He'd have to stay at his own apartment while Roost was here; Maxim was taking no chances. He hoped that Roost's company and steady meals would keep him from missing his favorite prey. He could get his fill--literally and figuratively--of Alexander this weekend, then gorge himself when Roost arrived on Monday.

But before he got to do any of that, Maxim had to finish this damn paperwork.

"Sir, shouldn't you be headed out?"

Maxim looked up from his desk. It wasn't terribly late, but it surprised him to see Winnie still in the office. "Hm? Oh, yes. Just had some things to finish before the weekend."

"I wish you'd told me you were working late, I would've scheduled your deliveries for later tonight."

"...What deliveries?"

"For you and your friend who's visiting. Ruth."

"She's not coming until Monday." He was certain that's what Roost had told him. But he was equally certain that Winnie did not make scheduling errors.

"There was a change in her work schedule, she-" Winnie stopped, like she had noticed a dead body that had always been in the room. With an overabundance of caution, she stated plainly, "She told me quite clearly that she had confirmed this with you."

Maxim didn't see what had spooked Winnie out of nowhere, but her mounting distress was rubbing off on him. "She probably forgot to mention it. Her shifts change so often. Very understandable."

"Where is Alexander."

"Winnie. Calm down."

She took a deep breath. "Sir, I find it an unnerving coincidence that a predator friend you haven't seen in ages just happens to drop in unexpectedly, considering everything else taking place."

The dots connected, but Maxim hastily erased that line. "You're being paranoid. She's a friend, that's all." That said, Maxim went straight to the door, giving Winnie a curt "Good night" as the elevator doors closed behind him.

"I hope you're right," Winnie fretted to herself. His empty assurances couldn't match the dread that had lodged itself in her mind. It was rare that Winnie's instincts were wrong. She hoped that this was one such rarity.

Winnie was being paranoid, had to be. For one, Roost wasn't some out-of-control monster who ate everything in her way. She had plenty of normal friends herself, so she had no reason to eat one of Maxim's. Or if she did, Maxim argued against his own unstoppable what ifs, she had to still be full after getting off work.

Consuming was essentially Roost's entire job. She was a lab rat, while Maxim was more of a field study. He didn't know the specifics of what the data was being used for, but that was likely intentional. Back in school, the researchers had been very vague about the data they collected and how the students were evaluated. In hindsight, Maxim found it all very shady, but Roost maintained that she didn't care what they recorded in their little clipboards as long as she got fed.

That was one detail Roost had no qualms about sharing: she ate much more frequently than Maxim did, and it showed. She was an enormous woman, and the ease with which she could devour a person put Maxim's to shame. Roost was a people-eating machine.

When Maxim finally got home, his front door opened before he got out of the car. A large figure stood between him and the interior of his house, arms wide open, a huge, goofy grin on her face.

"Maxie! Good to see ya, 'bout time you showed up!"

Maxim went in for one of the top five most bone-crushing hugs of his life. Roost was both taller and wider than he was, and based on that bear hug alone, there was plenty of muscle underlying that extra padding. Pretty much the same build as Maxim, but half a size bigger.

He clapped Roost on the shoulder. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

She grinned. "No prob! Your friend Alexander's been keeping me company."

Maxim couldn't help a glance at Roost's stomach. Even her impressive mass couldn't conceal a freshly-swallowed human body. Then again, it had been hours. If Roost had been at Maxim's house before Alexander had arrived...

"Come in, ya goof!"

Maxim put his gruesome arithmetic on hold and followed Roost to the living room. She was making small talk in his direction, but he only heard the hammering in his ears, eyes on Roost's feet. Somewhere outside himself, Roost was asking if he was alright. He fell into his armchair with a wumph.

"Seriously, Maxim, are you okay?"

Alexander's voice cut through the haze, and Maxim was able to look up and see him sitting on the couch next to Roost. Both were looking at him with concern, but Alexander especially.

"Sorry, sorry," Maxim grumbled, half-standing out of his slouch and into a more presentable position. He was alert now, fully conscious of Roost and Alexander watching him. Alexander was fine, and he would stay that way so long as Maxim acted casual. "Long day. I would've- I didn't know you were coming early, Roost."

"Mixup at work. I'm scheduled all next week, don't know when my next break'll be." She looked awfully comfortable, spread across 80% of the couch she shared with Alexander. It was hard for Maxim to believe she was lying. "Forgot to tell you. My bad. But you're not doing anything this weekend, right?"

"Yup. I mean no, I'm not," Maxim clarified hastily. Alexander was doing a better job at keeping his cool than Maxim was; smushed over onto half a couch cushion, Alexander leaned back with his legs kicked forward, as if a three-hundred pound man-eater wasn't sitting right beside him. Maxim couldn't imagine how he'd managed to stay calm when Roost had first arrived. "Winnie scheduled us, ah, reservations for tonight, actually."

"Sweet! Let me hit the can and we can head out." Roost slapped her thighs and rose off the couch, throwing in a lazy stretch before lumbering away. Mere hours after arriving, and already she acted like she owned the place.

"Maxim," Alexander hissed as soon as the bathroom door was shut. He was gripping his knees for dear life, seeming even smaller than he'd looked next to Roost.

"She- Roost is another, uh, like me, and-"

"Yeah! I figured!" Alexander's voice rose, raspy and exasperated. "I've never seen a single one of your friends and all of a sudden this woman who's even more of a beefcake than you shows up? I connected the dots."

"Fine," Maxim hissed back. "I didn't expect her to arrive so early. Did she...what did you tell her?"

"Just that we're roommates. And I think she bought it. And I definitely didn't mention any shady stuff."

"Good. Alright. That works," Maxim nodded to himself. "So long as we have our stories straight."

"But this is still- Maxim, I need to go."

"No, please, it's fine. She wouldn't eat you just for living with me." Maxim didn't sound as certain as Alexander would've liked. "We'll be back in a few hours, please stay in the bedroom until she leaves."

Alexander's eyes widened, and Maxim felt a pang of guilt. "Are you sure I shouldn't stay at my place?"

"If you're not here when she gets back then she'll KNOW you know something, and then she'd have no qualms about eating you." Alexander looked far from convinced, but Maxim's certainty wore him down. Maxim followed him to the bedroom, continuing to reassure. "Please trust me. You'll be safer here.'"

"Okay." Alexander's hand moved to the doorknob. "Um. Have fun."

"Yeah, bud. I'll see you soon." A pause. "...Keep the door locked. When it's all clear, I'll use the house key."

The last thing Maxim saw was Alexander giving him a steely nod before the door closed and locked from the inside.

"You should've seen your face!" Roost cackled. Maxim was driving them to the address of the hotel Winnie had provided along with a keycard. He focused his attention on the road and managed to keep his face neutral.

"You didn't really think I did it, did you?" Roost went on, elbowing his shoulder. "I was just messin' with you! 'Sides, I'm hungry for something a little meatier than that roommate of yours."

Maxim snorted. "No promises. All I did was hand your preferences off to Winnie. I don't know who the hell she wrangled up for us, so don't get your hopes up."

"Don't sell that gal of yours short!" Roost nodded toward the ritzy hotel Maxim was pulling into. "Can already tell she's got an eye for the finer things. I'm looking forward to seeing what she whipped up."

The two of them passed through the lobby without a second glance, Maxim holding the keycard conspicuously at his side. They rode the elevator up to the room Winnie had specified, and when Maxim swiped the card in the door handle, the light above it flashed green.

"Showtime." Licking her lips, Roost slid between Maxim and the door, while he lingered in the hallway, standing guard, waiting for Roost's 'ok'.

"We're good," she called from further inside the hotel room after a minute or so had passed. No one had wandered through the hallway in that time, so Maxim slipped inside. He set every lock on the door, and checked that Roost had already closed and blinded the windows. The two queen-sized beds in the main room were pristine and empty, but the door to the bathroom was wide open.

"Very nice selection. No surprise there," Roost said approvingly. Maxim joined her in the bathroom, and when he looked over the offerings, he had to agree.

The convenient thing about their operation was that it was a self-sustaining secret. Anyone who got too close to the truth was fed to the very thing they sought to uncover. Hardened conspiracy theorists learned to give this particular government cover-up a wide berth. It had different names in different circles, but the one Maxim was familiar with was 'Rapture'. People vanishing seemingly out of nowhere, for no reason, leaving not a single trace. The absence of bodies wasn't just a convenient cover-up, it was a sort of calling card that kept nosy would-be detectives far, far away.

But there would always be people who disregarded those warnings. A steady food source for preds like Roost, who ate too frequently to subsist off a single office. Or a surprise treat for preds like Maxim, who were only called in for 'jobs' a few times a year.

Two such people were waiting for them in the bathroom, a man and a woman, bound and gagged.

"Gotta hand it to her, she knows how to pick 'em," Roost said approvingly. She held the bound woman's head in one hand and turned it side to side, unmoved by the prey's muffled screams. Maxim's prey seemed upset by this. He wondered if these two had been working together.

Maxim wasn't as picky about his prey, picking him up off the bathroom floor and hauling him over to a bed. Satisfied with her inspection, Roost hefted her prey over her shoulder, holding her still with one arm while she adjusted the pillows on the other bed. Her massive form melted over the queen-sized bed like spilled molasses, leaning against her pile of pillows, resting the struggling prey on her stomach.

Roost looked across the gap between them. "You do the honors?"

She wasn't making any effort to pretend she wasn't judging Maxim. They'd had a friendly rivalry since their school days, though the competition had since skewed in Roost's favor. She knew she'd had loads more experience.

Then again, Roost wasn't eating prey off the streets. The test subjects she worked with were either restrained or sedated before they got to her. She may have  had Maxim beat in terms of stomach capacity, but Maxim might just be match for her in  terms of strength.

Another slight advantage was that Maxim was seriously hungry. He hadn't eaten lunch in order to save room for Alexander, and afterwards his stomach had been left stretched and empty. Normally he'd be filling up on takeout right about now, but here he had a much better substitute to fill his waiting gut.

Maxim immediately brought the man's head into his mouth, gag and all. Sweat and tears mingled with his saliva, helping to slide the prey along toward the entrance of Maxim's throat. He swallowed, slowly at first, then faster once he reminded himself that this wasn't Alexander. There were no post-meal scratches or bruises to worry about. He could mark up this meal as much as he liked--it would never be coming back up.

Free of those restrictions, Maxim devoured the man in moments. It hardly felt like he was pushing himself. He enjoyed the strain of his throat muscles kneading the man's flesh, the pained squirms in response, the predatory instinct taking over completely. He worked his jaw along the man's ribs, allowing his teeth to scrape against bare flesh. By the time he got to the legs, Maxim was practically snarling, gulping his meal further down with every breath.

Maxim's final, satisfied exhale came out as more of a growl. He could taste the prey's exertion on his lips, salty and just a little sour. The pressure from the inside of his gut was nothing more than a nice stretch. His abdominal muscles had already been through the wringer working on Alexander. This single-use prey would be a piece of cake.

"Alright, show-off," Roost chuckled, reminding Maxim that she was even there. She had been watching in silent approval. She'd never admit this to Maxim, but she'd fully expected to find his performance laughable, and had even prepared some snide comments. Now, she had to assure herself that she was still the stronger, hungrier one of the pair.

Seeing her companion reduced to a squirming bulge had left Roost's prey in a tizzy, twisting against her restraints with newfound panic. The doomed woman could do nothing but continue her muffled screaming as Roost lifted her off the bed. Her feet had been bound together along with her hands, but she was still able to kick at Roost, like a fish flopping at the bottom of a canoe. Roost grinned, and in one smooth motion, caught the woman's feet in her mouth and gulped.

Maxim watched Roost's neck bulge out as her prey kicked even harder, blows softened by the generous fat and muscle insulating Roost's esophagus. Roost lowered the woman further inside, as though feeding herself grapes. The prey's eyes darted around for some means of escape, but she was hopelessly trapped, both by Roost's unbreakable grip and her insatiable gullet.

The woman's hips gave Roost only a brief pause before they, too, passed her glistening teeth and were coated in saliva. Maxim didn't take his eyes off Roost, and  he realized she was maintaining eye contact with her prey. Every swallow, every wretched motion downward, Roost didn't let go of her prey's expression. She watched the woman's eyes widen as her legs were forced to fold, filling and stretching Roost's waiting gut. Her shoulders had no problem fitting between Roost's jaws, leaving only her head free.

Roost paused just long enough to remove the prey's gag with a performative flourish. The woman's scream pierced the air for a second before it was once again muffled, this time by Roost's lips closing over her head with smug finality. Roost's throat bulge traveled down her body and was absorbed into her already massive stomach, just another curve added to her collection.

Maxim chuckled at Roost's shameless grin. "And you said I was the show-off?"

They digested in blissful silence for a while, communicating only in belly gurgles and knowing looks. Aside from the high-class hotel root, it felt to Maxim like old times at school. He'd forgotten how nice it was to share a meal with another pred, to not be the only monster in the room.

When both of their dinners had quieted down, Roost broke the silence. "So what's new, Maxie? Hope you haven't been working yourself to death."

"If anything, I've been slacking, honestly," Maxim admitted. "Work's fine and all, but I've been preoccupied with...other things."

"Good. Glad you're getting out there. I ditch work every chance I get."

"Does this not count is work for you?"

"Naaaaw," Roost shook her head. "This is all pleasure, baby. No techs, no dents, just good food with a good friend."

"You said it." Maxim knocked back half a beer he'd grabbed from the minibar.

"Speaking of friends...what's the story with that scrawny new roommate? Last I checked, you were a lone wolf. Mortgage rates go up or somethin'?"

Maxim sobered at the mention of Alexander. Winnie's warning ran through his head, but he'd also been wanting to get Roost's opinion on things, test the waters, so to speak.

"It's not a money thing, really, it's...it's just nice to have someone around, y'know?"

"'Someone'. Sure." Roost raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot of trouble to go through for one little meal. Especially when your girl Winnie is so accommodating." She slapped her gut.

Maxim frowned. "It's not that, either! Alexander's a friend, simple as that."

Roost looked Maxim over for a long second, her grin wavering. "If you say so," she shrugged herself into a light chuckle. "Friend, food, whatever. 'S important to keep those things separate, though. Remember that, Maxie, or you'll never be able to settle down."

"You're one to talk," Maxim snorted. "You have the biggest appetite of anyone I know."

"Sure, but that's work. When I go home to my girl, I leave Subject R behind. I'm just Roost, and we're both totally normal folks on totally equal footing."

Maxim's left hand, the one furthest from Roost, clawed at the bedsheets. "But that distinction, friend or food, that's all in your head, isn't it?"

"That's the beauty of it. WE decide. One way or another, the choice is all ours. Make sure you choose smart, Maxie."

"Sure," Maxim answered, keeping the disappointment out of his voice. Roost seemed awfully set on the binary approach, keeping friends and food mutually exclusive. Even suggesting any kind of overlap between the two might arouse her suspicion. So long as Alexander was under his care, Maxim wasn't about to risk that.

Maxim became exceedingly polite when it was time to leave. First, he offered to drive Roost straight to the hotel she was staying at, but she'd left all her stuff at Maxim's place. Then when they got to Maxim's place, he offered to run in and grab it while she stayed in the car.

"Such a gentleman all of a sudden!" Roost said, letting herself out of the passenger seat. "I can grab my own shit, 'll only be a minute."

Maxim followed her inside regardless, tailing her like a timid child. Roost gathered up her luggage and stood over the living room, hands on her hips, surveying it for a stray hat, or forgotten phone charger, or...

"Lemme say goodnight to Alexander," she said breezily. Her ease seemed too calculated to Maxim.

"It's late, Roost, I don't-" Maxim's objections did nothing to stop Roost from dipping into his spare bedroom, which was still very clearly not a bedroom but Maxim's gym/office/whatever space. She froze in the doorway, and her smile dropped.

"You and Alexander share a bedroom?" Roost's eyes narrowed. "Just roommates, huh?"

"Roost, it- it's complicated," Maxim pleaded. His eyes darted to the bedroom door, praying it was locked.

Roost followed his eyes with a slow turn of her body. "Huh. You know, maybe I should grab Alexander and try to clear all this up."

"N-no! Let him sleep!" Maxim bubbled over with tight, strained laughter. "Ahaaa, he had a busy day at the office. We all did, really."

Roost straightened up. "He works in your office?"

"Yes, but- no, he-"

"What are you hiding? Does he suspect something?"

"Roost, I can explain! Or, I can't explain, that's the problem, I was sorta hoping you could give me some insight." Maxim looked for his childhood friend, the one who answered any problem with a smile, no matter how dire. She was gone, now, replaced with a stern, capable pred, an impassable wall between him and the one person he needed to protect.

"Insight into what, Maxie?"

Maxim choked on air, unable to exhale until he spat out the damning truth. "See, because I've eaten him, but it's-"

The wall became a barricade, Roost's eyes going wild, her stance wide and threatening. "What do you mean, you've eaten him?!"

"-And let him out again, obviously, but- we have an agreement, and he definitely won't tell anybody, so-"

"He's food." Side-by-side with Maxim's stammering, Roost spoke with utter surety, those two short words representing an absolute truth.

Maxim squirmed under the intensity of her gaze. "Come on Roost, are you telling me there was never a prey that was different?"

Roost shook her head, refusing to yield any ground. "I don't talk to my food, I don't bargain with my food, and I damn well don't let my food move in with me. You're slipping, Maxie."

"I'm telling you, he's different." Maxim went on the defensive. "Nothing like this has happened to me before." He squared his shoulders, hoping to cancel out Roost's physical dominance, but that only made her angrier.

"Enough, Maxim!" she roared, slamming the side of her fist against the wall. "You know what happens to people who learn too much. Alexander's the same as the those folks in the hotel room. Stop fucking protecting him."

"He's NOT the same!" Maxim insisted, shaking with frustration. "You don't know what we have!"

"I know enough." Roost settled into herself, rage fading to something more like pity. "They- I heard something was going on, but I never thought-"

"You knew the whole time? Is this just another job to you?"

"I volunteered." Roost stared coolly down at Maxim, even as tears began pricking at his eyes. "Once I heard the rumors. Winnie's been sending updates, but they wanted a firsthand account. I didn't want to believe them."

"Who's 'them'?"

"You know who's 'them'," Roost sighed. She looked almost afraid to talk about them, and it was terrifying to think of the kind of person that scared Roost. "Don't make me have to go back and say you're a liability. Just do the right thing. Take care of it now, and it'll be like nothing ever happened."

Rubbing his eyes, Maxim stood his ground. "I'm not doing that."

"If you don't eat him, I will," Roost snarled back. "You may have gone soft but I can still pack 'em away. I'm sorry it had to be me, Maxie, but it'll be better for everyone in the long run."

"Not for Alexander it won't."

"He won't see it that way, sure. But what's he got here, really? Being your chew toy?"

"That's not-"

Deciding she was done with reasoning, Roost lunged for the bedroom door. The rattle of the doorknob was a relief, and strung some of the tension out of Maxim's shoulders. Roost kept at it a while longer, but was either unwilling or unable to bust the door down.

"Key," she ordered.

"Roost, no, not until you let me-"

"I listened, Maxie, and my mind hasn't changed." She wheeled on him and glared down from her full height. "Now give. Me. The key."

Maxim stumbled back a step. "I- it's- junk drawer-" The voice didn't sound like his own, but the words were there, and he could vaguely register Roost shoving past him, toward the kitchen where she began rummaging through his cupboards.

Maybe Alexander had been worried for nothing. Roost had been perfectly friendly to him from the moment he answered the door to her. Alexander had clocked her as a pred, but since she didn't eat him the second the front door was closed, he'd thought he was safe. After all, she was clearly a friend of Maxim's. And once Maxim got back from work, he'd be safe.

Then Maxim had insisted Alexander stay in the bedroom with the door locked. That was concerning, but Alexander convinced himself Maxim was just being extra careful. He didn't come out and say it, but he and Roost were obviously going out to eat people together. So Roost wouldn't even be hungry when they got back. And once she left, and Maxim unlocked the bedroom door, he'd be safe.

He heard the car pull up. Roost was in the living room, and she'd said his name. Alexander ran to the closet and hid. He hid there without thinking, like it was part of an emergency plan he'd been subconsciously constructing for hours.

He was not safe.

The sounds coming from outside the bedroom door were muffled, but he heard both Roost and Maxim raising their voices. He jumped out of his skin at the sound of the doorknob rattling. The door held steady. Roost stormed away.

He was not safe.

The doorknob made a different sound. A few soft clicks, and the door slammed into the wall with an amount of force that rattled the clothes hangers above him. Alexander bit his tongue, but there were only so many places for Roost to check before she got to the closet, throwing the door open to find him cowering in a pile of dirty laundry.

Alexander had expected to see a monstrous, unfamiliar face staring down at him, but it was the same Roost he'd been making small talk with earlier that day. A little more serious, and no less hungry, but no more of a monster than she'd been before.

He didn't have time to decide whether or not to struggle. Roost didn't give him the benefit of a villain's monologue, or even a half-hearted apology, she just picked him up and crammed him down her throat. He squirmed against her grasp, but the sheer strength of her throat made it feel pointless. There was also the dim, nagging hope that Maxim might find a way to save him, although the fact that he'd told Alexander to stay here and had then unlocked the door for Roost kept Alexander from giving it too much thought.

So, he was stuck being squeezed down a strange throat. Roost worked faster than Maxim did. That was the only mercy she would offer him--a quick, impersonal disposal. Alexander couldn't even feel angry with her. He'd had his chance to make a run for it, and he hadn't taken it. In retrospect, he couldn't understand why he'd trusted Maxim, why he'd believed that he'd be safer here than literally anywhere else.

Alexander was hyperventilating when he reached the stomach. He couldn't see what was waiting for him, but he cried out when he fell into the pool of thick, meaty soup bubbling at the bottom of Roost's gut. He flailed, but couldn't prevent himself from being submerged in the foul chyme, bumping against half-digested bones. It was likely for the best that Alexander couldn't see.

Immediately after Roost took her final gulp, her stomach resumed its work, folding Alexander into the remains of her last meal. A full-body sob escaped him, even as he fought to kept his mouth and eyes closed. The little air left in his living coffin was thick and putrid, dragging the reek of death through his nostrils and into his core. Every breath-control exercise he'd ever practiced was flushed from his mind. Nothing he could do would be any use. He belonged in the soup.

His world jerked and sloshed as Roost rose up. Terror and enzymes filled the rest of Alexander's senses, so he couldn't make out the click of the lock or the words rumbling above him.

"See?" Roost gestured at her bulging stomach, giving Maxim a friendly smile. "Was that so hard?"

Maxim hadn't been able to pull himself away from the door. He'd wanted to stop listening, but his feet were glued to his post right outside the bedroom Roost had vanished into, one ear pressed against the door. There was a ruckus of furniture being thrown aside, then a startled cry when Alexander's hiding place was found. Instead of screaming at Roost to stop, Maxim held his breath, dread filling his chest like cement.

No words from the bedroom, only the wet, muffled sound of flesh crushing flesh and Roost's strained breathing as she consumed Alexander headfirst. Maxim could half-convince himself that it wasn't Alexander being stuffed down her throat, not if he couldn't see it with his own two eyes. But the sight of Alexander's terrified expression as Maxim had said to keep the door locked was burned into his pupils. Alexander had trusted him completely, and for that, he was being devoured.

The noises coming from the other side of the door grew fainter. The sharp click of the lock startled Maxim back a step, allowing Roost to open the door. The skin of her stomach bulged and twisted, looking the same as it had after her earlier meal, but this time it left Maxim horrified instead of awed. He could see Alexander locked away inside her, forced to stew alongside her previous meal, terrified and alone.

Maxim had never felt so helpless.

"Let him out," Maxim panted over several short breaths. His chest was too tight to take in much air, but the rest of him trembled with unspent energy. His mind raced with the hundreds of things he could've done to prevent this, and now it seemed his body was trying to do them all at once. "Let him OUT!!"

Roost's bravado vanished. "Now calm down, Maxie. Let me explain."

"NO!" Maxim exploded forward, pushing Roost back into the bedroom. "You let him out, NOW!"

Roost stumbled backwards, but she was far too heavy for one little shove to topple her. "Maxim. You are sick."

"YOU'RE sick!" Maxim screamed back, moving to push her again. Without the element of surprise, he was stopped mid-lunge by a firm hand on his forehead. Roost held him at arm's length with one hand, without flinching, shaking her head like a disappointed parent.

"Stop acting like a child. You know this was necessary. It's over."

"No, it's not!" Maxim ducked under Roost's outstretched arm and made another lunge at her. Roost didn't bother dodging, instead absorbing the force of Maxim's body into her chest. She exhaled sharply, but was otherwise unhurt and unmoved.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked. "You know how this works. Shoving me isn't going to do anything."

He was running out of time. He was too afraid to look closely at Roost's middle. He didn't know what he'd do if Alexander had stopped moving. Roost was right, Maxim couldn't just punch Alexander out of her. Alexander wasn't getting out unless Roost chose to release him...or if Maxim didn't give her a choice.

Keeping prey down was Roost's job. But her job probably didn't entail having to fight another pred while doing so. Roost was bigger than Maxim--especially now--but he could use that to his advantage.

Maxim reared back. Roost prepared for another charge at her midsection, but Maxim instead dove for her feet. She reacted too slowly to dodge, and Maxim was able to grab her right leg and yank it forward.

It took a few yanks, but Roost was too topheavy to keep her balance on just one foot. Her arms couldn't reach Maxim in her current state, and when she raised her left foot to kick him off of her, Maxim was ready. One more yank, and Roost's right leg was pulled out from under her, sending her crashing to the floor like a grand piano. Her stomach fell half a second behind her, knocking the breath from her lungs, and she let herself fall flat, heaving air back into her overworked chest.

Roost got one solid inhale before her airway was blocked. Aside from the weight on her middle, her arms were also pinned to the ground. Maxim knelt on top of her, straddling her chest to avoid crushing Alexander. He had both hands around her neck, hot tears dripping from his terror-filled eyes.

"I will cut him out of you if I have to," Maxim huffed, pressing his full weight onto Roost's throat.

Roost spent what little air she had left to rasp, "'S not how...things work...'s not fair..."

Maxim's grip tightened. "You won't see it that way, sure," he replied, his voice chillingly calm.

Roost's eyes widened. Her mouth opened, but no air passed through. Maxim thought it had ended, but he heard two clear knocks on his hardwood floor.

"I tap," Roost gasped through trembling lips, a shaky fist trembling at her side.

Maxim relaxed his grip enough for her to take half a breath. "Right now," he ordered through grit teeth. "Right here, no excuses."

Roost nodded furiously. Keeping his eyes fixed on her, Maxim pushed himself off the ground, freeing Roost's arms so she could roll over. She immediately started to retch, intentionally or reflexively, Maxim didn't care. All he cared about was the bulge in her stomach shifting with purpose, resisting the sudden contraction of her abdominal muscles, rising slowly but surely back through Roost's gullet.

It was hard for Maxim to not grab Alexander as soon as his head emerged, but he restrained himself until Roost pushed out his torso. Roost gagged as Maxim pulled the rest of Alexander forcefully from her bruised throat and whisked him away to the bathroom.

Alexander regained consciousness in bursts. It had started when Roost had fallen to the floor, the jolt breaking him out of the half-dead trance he'd slipped into. His body forced rancid air into his lungs, and that reminded him of all the other pains wracking his body, inside and out. He was still getting his bearings when he was crushed again, and the pain dragged him back to unconsciousness, for what he hoped would be the last time.

Instead, he woke to another flair of agony, this one icy cold instead of caustically warm. His eyes were glued shut, but he heard a faint hiss, and a murmur that seemed too sustained to be a human voice.

Gradually, Alexander registered that he was safely in the bathtub, watching dark pink water pool around his battered body. The jets of water hurt his badly-burnt skin, but it was a refreshing kind of hurt, the kind that flushed out the nightmarish memory of what he'd just endured.

As Alexander stared at the bottom of the tub, the constant murmur sharpened into a voice.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-"

Maxim was rinsing his body with the utmost reverence, taking special care around his head and face, which had suffered the worst of the damage. Alexander was glad he'd chosen to sleep in long pajamas that night. They were ruined now, of course, but that was an easy sacrifice to make for his continued survival.

Alexander watched Maxim out of the corner of his eye. He didn't turn his head. "Leave," he said in a small, cracked voice. He was surprised Maxim had even heard him, but he left without a sound, quietly turning off the water, replacing the showerhead, and exiting the bathroom.

"I don't know how you do it. Something's not right with you, Maxie."

Roost was waiting for him in the living room. She held an ice pack to her neck, and her smile was more forced than usual, but she otherwise appeared fine. Maxim wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or not.

"I would've killed you," Maxim said matter-of-factly.

"Psh." Roost rolled her eyes. "I ain't dying for those bastards."

"But you'll kill for them."

Roost huffed. "Listen. Maxim. They're not gonna let you get away with this. Sending me in was a favor to you, a chance to keep things from escalating."

"I'm not afraid of them," Maxim bristled.

Roost nodded to herself. "I forget, you haven't been around anyone but Winnie since graduation. You don't remember what they're like." A haunted look passed over her face, bravado fading as some disturbing memory came to mind. "We only have this much free reign because THEY allow it. It's cheaper than keeping all of us locked in some godforsaken facility. But this stunt of yours is getting pretty fucking expensive."

"I don't fucking care."

"You should, because I care," Roost insisted. Her voice was hoarse, but that didn't matter to her. "I'm only saying this because I care about you, you bastard. Get rid of him now, because things are only going to get worse."

Maxim scowled. He couldn't argue her warning, but he wouldn't accept her solution.

"You know I'm right."

"You should go."

"Already called a ride." She tossed the ice pack onto the coffee table and stood up. Maxim took a protective step toward the bathroom, but she gave him a wide berth on her way to the door.

"When you come back to your senses, give me a call, yeah?"

Maxim stoically stared back. Roost nodded like he'd given her an answer. Maxim watched through the window until her car drove out of sight, and then he watched a few minutes more.

Alexander stayed in the bathroom for what felt like hours. He was already fairly clean by the time Maxim left, but that only made his injuries more apparent. Glad as he was to have that stranger's gory remains washed off of him, he knew that the blood that remained was entirely his own.

Aside from the familiar burns, his body was ridiculously bruised. Every small movement brought a new ache, another muscle protesting the abuse. Laying still in the warm bathwater was all he could do for a while, leaving only his face and hands above the surface, struggling to relax.

The water eventually went cold, and Alexander forced himself to his feet. Toweling himself off was an ordeal, the fluffy fabric rubbing against his sore-splotched hands like sandpaper, but he didn't think he had ever appreciated the luxury of being dry as much as he did now.

His reflection somehow looked even worse than he felt. His eyes were bloodshot, his lips were cracked, his skin oozed something clear and sweet. Alexander performed what little first-aid he could with basic antiseptic and bandages, but he suspected that this wasn't the kind of thing he would recover from overnight.

Maxim lightly tapped the door from outside. "She's gone. And I have fresh clothes for you out here."

Alexander's hand went for the doorknob. "Wait!" Maxim's shuffling footsteps stopped. Alexander gulped. "D-don't come in, but...I have to ask..."

"Yeah?" The door creaked as Maxim slumped against it, waiting.

Alexander mentally rehearsed his question before voicing it. "Why did you...do that?"

"I didn't know she-" Maxim's voice hitched. "Alexander you have to believe, I never meant-"

"Not that." Maxim stopped mid-sentence. Alexander took a deep breath, and asked, "Why. Did you stop her."

"I had to!" Maxim said earnestly. "There's no way I could let her...take you. From me."

Alexander winced. "It sounded like she was ready to kill you."

"She was going to kill you!"

"Yeah, but I'm already dead!" Rage burned through Alexander's broken body like he was coated in gasoline. He was so sick of being terrified, and anger offered itself as an easier option. "You know I can't make it through this, but you can. You keep telling me how important it is that we don't piss off your bosses, so why would you do all that just for me?"

"Told you. I had to," Maxim answered simply. "I'm the one who's eating you. Not Roost, not some fed, me. I can at least promise you that."

"Can you, though?"

Maxim wanted to scream yes, to demand Alexander's trust once again, but he didn't think he could bear to make another promise he couldn't keep. "I will protect you," he said instead. "Even if it kills me." That part was certain. It would have to be enough.

Alexander didn't respond immediately. "Okay. Thanks for answering me," he said resignedly. "...You can go now."

"...Right." Maxim marched himself back to the living room and into his armchair. He deserved everything Alexander had thrown at him--he deserved so much worse--but that didn't make it sting any less.

It wasn't that Alexander was afraid to leave the bathroom. He knew Roost was gone, and he knew Maxim wouldn't so much as touch him. But once he stepped outside, the timer would restart. A few days, maybe a week, but he'd wind up back in a stomach soon enough. Probably Maxim's, but that thought brought little comfort.

This cycle Alexander had found himself in, this catch-and-release, it was the best he could hope for. Time stolen from between a series of near-death experiences. As long as he kept nearly-dying, he would get to live a while longer.

Maxim was in the living room, pretending to be asleep in his armchair. His eyes were closed, but snapped open at the sound of Alexander's voice.

"Come to bed?"

Maxim wanted to say yes, but..."I can't, I- you know I ate earlier. I shouldn't."

"Please. I don't care." Alexander corrected himself, "I mean I hate it but I really can't sleep alone tonight."

"...If you're sure."

Alexander's nose wrinkled as he walked into the bedroom. It reeked of bleach and artificial lemon. There were some new scuff marks on the floor, a new doorknob-shaped dent behind the door. To Maxim's credit, Alexander didn't see a speck of detritus left over from what had happened. Just the artificial stench of cleaning products, and Alexander's grim knowledge of what they were hiding.

With the bedroom door locked behind them, Maxim gingerly stepped into bed next to Alexander, facing the wall. He tried to take up as little space as possible to avoid accidentally touching him. That'd gone badly the first time, and he couldn't imagine that this time would be any better.

"Maxim?"

"Yeah?" Maxim slowly rolled over to face him. Alexander was looking at him intently, but he didn't speak.

"Are you still angry?" Maxim guessed, without malice. "It's alright if you're still angry."

"No. Um." Alexander shifted his position, a little closer to Maxim. The unexpected warmth of Alexander's hand on his taut, round stomach made Maxim inhale sharply. He thought Alexander might be punching him again (that would make sense), but, no, Alexander was applying only a slight pressure, moving his hand up and down the curve of Maxim's gut.

It felt good, and Maxim was disgusted with himself.

"No, stop. Don't do that." He nudged Alexander's hand away. Blinking in the low light, Maxim saw that Alexander's eyes were distant, unfocused. He might've looked half-asleep if not for the tears streaking down his face. Registering that his hand had been pushed away, he met Maxim's eyes.

"Do you want me to go?" Maxim asked.

Alexander shook his head. His jaw clenched and his shoulders trembled. Embarrassed to watch him cry, Maxim pulled Alexander into the crook of his shoulder. The smaller man melted into him, his trembles turning into full-on shakes.

"A little longer," Alexander begged softly. "Just a little longer."

Maxim laid motionless in bed, letting Alexander dampen his nightshirt. He'd stay as long as Alexander wanted, but part of him knew that wasn't what Alexander had meant.

[mouthfulloftoothpasterry]

witch!harry

harry is doing random tasks at home to help him not think about y/n calling him after work. he's so nervous because it’ll be their first time talking on the phone. winnie is over there teasing harry because he’s been so jumpy. harry wants to make sure everything goes right and doesn’t embarrass himself

“Hush with your hoots, Winnie. You haven’t been very kind with that attitude of yours.”

Winnie would roll her eyes and hoot back at him. Go call your girlfriend, of course a teasing tone coming out of her beak. Harry would grumble at her and slide his books back into his large bookshelf before calling her from his little yellow telephone.

“Hi! Perfect time. I just got home.” He hears yn Chirp from the other side of the phone.

“Oh hello. I miss you.” Her giggles rand through her hears, glancing up to Winnie who hoots a “you’re desperate”

“I miss you too, H! Are you excited for our little sleepover? I am! I even got the stuff to copy your pancakes!” Harry buzzes with excitement. “Sound yummy.”

“I hope! I know you are the expert.”

“Should I bring anything? I have not had a sleepover in about six hundred years.” Y/n giggles as his anxiousness. “Chill out, H. Just bring some clothes! Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“Winnie is going to be so mad. She has already had an attitude for the past couple of days.”

“Bring her, shadow would enjoy the company.”

“Really?!”

“Yes! We will all have a little slumber party.”

“Oh! Okay! I will get to packing!”

He was hopeless

[blxetsi]

so,, your requests are open, huh?😫😫 like, imagine this ; y/n discovers her family has died, causing them to be all sad and trying to find a way numb all the pain. finding an alcohol, y/n gets *totally* drunk in their own room and it's hange, who finds them on the bathroom floor in pain sobbing and crying, as they help y/n to hold their hair back, while they throw up and then get them to bed, where they end up cuddling hange for comfort or something like that- of course if you're not comfortbale writing this, it's totally alright and i understand! stay safe and have a nice day <33

no bc ive been thinking abt this ask since i got it 🤩 so sorry im getting back to u so late babby 😔💔

promise

hange zoe x gn!reader (or maybe female idk u decide)

warnings: death, grieving, drunk thoughts, WARNING UHHH when i wrote this i literally forgot abt the armoured/colossal titan reveal so lets just assume that never happened in this. teehee !

not proofread but when have i ever done that 🤨⁉️

when you first became a scout, you never expected your job to affect your family.

your family was normal, there wasn't ever any abnormality with it. you all lived normal lives with normal relationships and normal jobs. it was boring at times, but that feeling of boredom quickly became one of safety once you joined the survey corps.

the small memories you had with your family during holidays, and the mementos you've kept safe from letters, hidden away under your pillow will be the only things bringing you that feeling of safety again. but it still wont be the same.

you grew up in ragako village, with marie, your step mother and joseph your father, and your little brother marcus. your biological mother, winnie, died when you were three, and marie was the closest thing to a maternal figure that you had. she may not have been your "real" mom, but she was your mother nonetheless, and you loved her so dearly. you'd give anything to feel her warm hands rub your back when you're sad, or her soft lips to kiss your nose.

your brother was such a playful little thing. he always had a trick up his sleeve, a joke to play on anyone. all he ever wanted was to make people laugh, even if it meant having people laugh at him. he once told you late at night, after your father had told him he needed to take his learning seriously, that he wanted to be a clown when he grew up. you dont know why he wanted to go into such degrading work, especially when he was a very curious and hardworking kid, but you realized that putting on makeup and singing songs for kids was the only thing he could think of that would bring joy to others. you would miss the way he would make fun of the people who made you sad, just to see you giggle with tears running down your face, you would miss the funny faces he would throw at you when you two chopped wood, or the hugs of appreciation he would give you after helping him perfect his spelling on homework.

your dad, joseph, was a very serious man. he was so sad when your mother died, and even though you were so young you wondered if he would ever be happy again. you're glad he was, he loved marie, he would laugh and dance and hold her and kiss her the exact same way he did to winnie. joseph was a man who devoted himself to his family, who prided himself in his hardwork and someone who wanted the best for his kids. he was stern when it came to your education, because he had never taken it seriously when he was young. although things worked out for him in the long run, he had heard too many stories of other folks who didnt, who became dirt poor and homeless. he never wanted that to happen to his kids, he wanted them to be independent, to have drive, and he wanted them to safe with a roof over their heads. you'd miss it when he would take you to see your mothers' grave. rain or shine, whenever you wanted he would always walk with you to the graveyard. even if you said "im old enough to walk alone, im not a kid anymore !" he would insist that he had to take you. "even if you just miss her," he would say "if you need a shoulder to cry on, or a hug, i have to be there just incase." sometimes you regret leaving in the night to become a cadet. you would miss his vegetable stew, you would miss his deep raspy voice singing old folk songs hes heard. you would miss the way he would kiss the top of your head, and rub the stubble on his face on your cheeks to tease you.

you would miss everything about them, the good and the bad.

when titans mysteriously appeared, the survey corps was tasked with not only killing them, but warning nearby villages of the danger. you were tasked with defending wall rose alongside the garrison unit. you knew connie springer, as well as other soldiers from the 104th had been sent to warn the villages.

you remember meeting the cadets, and overhearing a conversation springer had with his friends, braus and kirschtein, about a letter his mom had sent him from his hometown.

"you're from ragako too ? small world !"

yeah it was a small world.

you didnt get back to base until late, but you knew once you got there you needed to find connie. you needed to know your family was okay.

you remember the stupid look he wore on his face, how he ducked his head down to dodge your gaze. the way his hands shook at his side.

"are they okay ? did you help evacuate them all safely ?"

connie shoved his hands in his pockets, shaking his head slightly. "i- i don't-"

that answer only made you more worried. you put your hands on the boy's shoulders as you yelled at him. "springer ! say something !" you pleaded. you wanted the people of ragako to be safe, you wanted your family to be safe, but you think you already knew the answer to your own question.

you were about to say something else, another yell for him to speak up, maybe a quip about you being his superior, but it all died down before it even came out, when you felt a warm hand on your own.

you knew who it belonged to before you even looked. hange.

the section commander looked at you with pity and regret in their eyes. "l/n, drop it for now."

thats what hurt the most. never once had hange ever used your last name when addressing you. it was always your first name, and in the privacy of their office (or bed) it was always a soft whisper of sweetheart.

you felt your eyes burn up as they became glossy, the burn in your throat and the way your cheeks heated up with the way you were trying not to sob.

"they're dead aren't they ?" you asked, and although the question was directed to connie, your eyes couldn't leave hange's.

connie's shoulders shook, and he shook his head no, unable to speak.

you felt like you were being betrayed in some weird way, but you didn't know by who. you ripped your hands off of the kids shoulders, the hand that hange held suddenly feeling cold and proceeded to walk away.

hange watched as you walked down the hallway, continuosly wiping your eyes to keep from crying. the soldier adjusted their glasses, making a mental note to check up on you later, before guiding the boy into erwin smith's office.

hours later, you were drunk in hange's bathroom after stealing a bottle of liquor from under clover's bed. it was cheep, but it got the job done, and if you're being honest clover had a drinking problem anyways, she could deal with no alcohol for a night. if anything you were doing her a favour.

you sighed, your body felt sluggish and your mind felt wrong. you were thinking all of the right and wrong things at the same time. inner turmoil consumed you while flashes of memories from childhood interrupted your thoughts.

how did they die ? thats what you wanna know. the short answer: titans, that much has to be obvious, but maybe they died inside, maybe debris fell on them caused by titans running into buildings, maybe they got trampled on by other people fleeing or horses. you wanted, no, needed to hear the gory details. you needed to know how your family suffered, since its already obvious that they did.

whats the point.

you thought you joined the survey corps to keep your family alive, to keep other families alive.

you wanted to protect others.

hell, you wanted to save the world.

you wished you were there. with them. maybe they didnt die immediately, maybe you couldve tended to their wounds, or at least held them before they left this world.

marcus. he always wanted to make people smile. was he smiling in the end ?

did your dad try and protect his wife and son until his dying breath ?

did your mom try and console herself and her family as destruction raged around them ?

were they in heaven now ?

what were you gonna do now.

maybe you shouldve never left for the survey corps. you shouldnt have left in the middle of the night, only leaving a note telling your family you were pursuing a pipe dream called freedom. you couldve stayed, gotten a job making pottery or become a school teacher. your life could have been mundane and normal and boring instead of filled with death horror and trauma.

why did you choose this path ? why did you choose this life ?

you were always so sure that this is where you belonged, but now, not so much.

i guess thats what happens when your family fucking dies. you start questioning your entire life.

hange wasnt stupid. they knew you were up to no good.

first it was when they stopped by the dorms, trying to find you, only to find a girl by the name of clover, gossiping with other cadets about stolen booze. the woman quickly snapped her mouth shut when she saw the section commander walking up to them. when the group was asked "wheres y/n" everyone's answer was the same. "i dont know."

they then moved to their office, hoping that maybe you were waiting there for them. knowing youd make a fuss out of the use of "l/n" during your last conversation, hange practiced an apology in their head before stopping at their door, that was cracked open.

how the hell did you get in ? oh yeah, the key that hange gave you for "urgent work." meaning late night booty calls.

the stolen alcohol, and the section commander's door being unlocked ? you wanted a private place to drink your sorrows.

it makes sense now.

they opened the door the rest of the way, peaking inside to see it left the way it was. an organized mess left by zoe hange themself. closing the door, they felt your key still stuck inside the handle, before pulling it out and keeping it safe in their pocket.

silence. hange made hurried steps throughout this room and the next, opening the door to their bedroom, only to see it left the way it was this morning, with old clothes strewn around and an unmade bed. finally, their gaze landed upon the bathroom door, and could see a faint light from under it.

the brunette slowly made their way until they stood in front of the closed door before knocking.

"you called me l/n." you said, your voice muffled by the wooden barrier.

hange let out a breath of air through their nose. "im sorry." a beat passed, no one said anything. "are you okay ?"

you sighed. you felt as though your body was moving on your own, like you were watching a movie on a screen. this body felt like jelly, like it wasnt yours. your head felt foggy and your throat was dry, your tummy hurt from all of the alcohol you had consumed. you reached up and tugged on the handle until the door opened, making way for you to see hange's face looking down on you.

they wordlessly came inside, slowly sliding down the wall until their butt made contact with the floor. the section commander said nothing as they watched you play with the almost empty bottle of liquor.

"how did they die ?" your question came soft, like a child was asking it.

after that meeting with erwin and connie, hange wasnt sure they should tell you, either because of protocol or because of your mental state.

a few moments passed, and you took a glance at hange just to find them staring at you.

"i cant tell you that." they whispered.

you nodded, looking back to the bottle that sat in between your legs. "will you tell me anyways ?" you asked, your voice shaking.

hange sighed and looked away, before readjusting their glasses. "you know i," they paused. "you know i cant tell you confidential information just because we're fucking."

you nodded. "are we just fucking ?" you asked.

the brunette sighed again. "you're drunk."

"don't change the subject."

"you know i don't have time for relationships right now-"

"but you feel something." you looked up at them, and even though your eyes were red and you had bags under them, even though your lips had formed into a pout, even with your furrowed eye brows and oily skin you still looked so gorgeous to them. "you do feel something right ?"

hange shook their head. "even if i do, im not going to jeopardize my rank and career to tell you something im not supposed to."

it was silent for a while, yet you thought you could still her their voice echoing against the walls of the tiny space.

"i've never once asked you or tried to manipulate you into doing anything for me because of your rank. all i'm asking is for you to tell me how my fucking family died. i'll never ask for anything from you again ever. i'll even stop talking to you altogether if that's what you want so please, please just tell me the truth."

you sat with your hands in your lap, playing with the zipper of your pants. the bottle sat in front of you on the tiled floor, taunting you in some way you didn't understand. you heard hange shuffle around until their thigh touched yours.

"they got turned into titans. we don't know how, but now we think that all of the titans we've encountered, were originally human."

what.

you felt your blood run cold. it was like the movie stopped, you were back to reality. in this body, in this life, with your sore head, and rough throat and weak body and your stomach aching-

speaking of aching, you really had to throw up.

quickly you passed the bottled to hange so you wouldn't spill, before crawling the short way to the toilet. you heard hange come up behind you before grabbing your hair and rubbing your back. you dry heaved and sobbed all at the same time, while hange shushed you.

"it's okay sweetheart, just let it out. shh, i know baby, take deep breaths for me okay ? that's it, there we go." they whispered. the deepness of their voice calmed you, and weirdly, you hoped this moment wouldn't end.

after a couple more minutes throwing up bile and alcohol into the toilet, you calmed down a bit to be able to be pulled off. you leaned against the bathtub as hange left the room, hearing them fumble around the bedroom and then office looking for something.

just as you were done wiping the tears from your eyes, hange came in holding a water bottle. "it's from a day ago, but its still almost full. you need to keep hydrated sweetheart."

the brunette handed you the bottle before crouching in front of you, hands on your knees as they watched you take gulp after gulp of the warm water as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world.

"there we go, my dear."

everything else felt like a blur as hange pulled you up before leading you to their bedroom. you felt them sit you down on the bed before undoing all of your straps and your belt, pulling you up to take off your boots and pants for you, as well as your jacket and shirt and socks. you were stripped down to your underwear as they led you to lay down, the world spinning when you hit your head on the pillow. they pulled up the covers on your almost naked form, before taking off their own clothes and retiring for the night.

laying in bed with hange, in a way that wasn't sexual, although it had been done before this time was different. maybe it was the effects of the liquor, or maybe it was the somewhat sweet confession hange gave you that night, that made your heart hammer in your chest. your legs shook slightly and you felt so light. "im in love with you zoe." you whispered.

after a couple beats of silence you assumed they were sleeping, which was maybe for the best since you werent thinking clearly.

"i love you too." the confession came out so soft you could've missed it, you would have if you weren't waiting for a response. you turned on your side to look at hange, who's glasses had been taken off and hair was down.

"but i don't know if i can-"

you immediately shushed them, shuffling forward until your body was pressed against theirs, bare chests touching and you could feel just how warm they were all over. "be with me."

their arms came to wrap around you, caging you in their hold. "i don't know if i can, i mean what if something happens out there. to either of us ?" they asked.

you pondered it in your head. how should you respond ? they had a right to be worried about this, people died everyday in this line of work. but you wanted them. you're so selfish you want all of them.

"thats an important question, but one that will remain unanswered until it actually happens. i want you. im in love with you. so be with me hange." you said, grabbing their face in your hands, pulling them closer until your nosed were touching.

the older officer sighed again. "what if i cant make enough time for you-"

"as long as we love each other we'll always have enough time." you whispered, your lips ghosting over theirs.

as if they had a thought of "fuck it" their lips crashed onto yours, it was a rough and messy kiss filled with spit and tongue and teeth. it was an overdue kiss, of desperation, love, fear, and everything in between. this kiss was a promise to you.

and it was a promise you would keep until you died.

uhh i literally wanted to add more but its almost 4:30 and i can hear the birds chirping outside 😔💔 goodnight my friends also REQUESTS OPEN 😋‼️‼️

[sweetsubharry]

hi! do you have any fic recs of like really fluffy one shots

Hiya!! yes I do!! Aren’t they just the best sometimes?? Sorry this took me a few days to do! I had over 260 fics to go through on ao3 just under fluff (I really need to tidy my bookmarks!)  💖 There’s 79 in this list so it’s a long one!! ^-^

please stay safe and read the tags everyone! :)

freeze this moment in a frame and stay like this by rosesau

Harry (not so) secretly crushes on the cute footie player and fills pages with sketches of him.

Thunder started it by booloveshiscuppycake

Harry's always been scared of thunder storms. But louis' always been there to comfort him. Friendship and comfort turn into love. (Fluffy as shit)

but he cant be what you need (if he's eighteen) by lingerielarries

“I need you to do something for me.” Harry said, pinching his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger.

“It seems like you’re asking me to kill for you, H.” Louis laughed nervously.

“It’s nothing that drastic, I promise. It’s just. I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m not a.. normal eighteen year old.” Louis furrowed his eyebrows at that, narrowing his eyes at the younger boy.

“Are people giving you a hard time?” Louis wondered. Harry shifted in his seat and brushed some of his fringe off his forehead.

“Yeah, that’s. That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” Harry swallowed nervously. He could feel the sweat pooling at his hairline so he wiped it with the sleeve of his sweater. “I need you to uhm, pretend to be my boyfriend.”

or

the one where harry is sick of getting bullied and casts louis as the hot punk boyfriend to scare them away. louis needs harry to return the favor.

punk!louis and flowerchild!harry

the love is ours to make (so we should make it) by lingerielarries

“I’m.. Harry. I nanny? For Ernest and Doris?” Harry responded.

“A nanny? How old even are you? You look twelve.” Louis remarked. Something caught Louis’ eye, and a closer look revealed that Harry had a coat of pink nail polish on his fingers.

“Nineteen. I’m nineteen.” Harry replied.

“Right. Nineteen, wears pink, flower crowns and paints his nails. Who the actual fuck did my mum hire?”

or

the one where louis takes some time off from life to return home, only to be met with a strange boy in pink and a flowercrown as the nanny of his siblings.

All I See is You by ElegantSurrender

Even with the blood gushing from his nose, he couldn’t keep his thoughts on anything but the boy in front of him. He was just so… pretty. He smiled to himself, which only seemed to worry his boyfriend more.

“Why’re you smiling?” Louis asked confusedly, moving Harry’s bloody hand away, and replacing it with his, pinching his nose shut with a tissue. “You’re bleeding, and you’re fucking smiling.”

“Seeing you makes me happy.”

(or the one where Harry has a bloody nose and Louis takes care of him, and Harry really really loves Louis)

Pretty Blue Eyes (I don't care about the nightmares) by justgotowisharder

Harry has nightmares, Louis hates sharing the bed, they end up talking about dreams, they read Freud and they fall in love in the process.

Breathe by dontlietomehoney

Harry has an asthma attack and Louis is scared to death. What follows after though, scares both boys, pulling them apart and bringing them together.

with your love we could breathe underwater by luminescents

Harry’s brow furrows, a look of confusion spreading over his face. “But I am real. I exist, see,” he says, raising a hand out of the water and wiggling his fingers at Louis.

Louis finds himself relaxing a bit. Harry seems harmless really. And he’s quite cute, for something that’s not supposed to exist. If Louis is indeed having a hallucination right now, at least it’s a cute one.

AU where Harry is a mermaid, Louis is a human, and they both discover a lot more than they anticipated.

yes, you make my life worthwhile by orphan_account

Harry whispers to him that this feels like every dream he’s had for the last three years and Louis kisses his temple, behind his ear, across his cheeks and by the edge of his jaw. He runs the back of his finger across Winnie’s sleep-warm cheeks and sighs, the weight of the world finally off his shoulder.

Louis' a pediatrician, Harry's a preschooler teacher, and they're having a baby.

Weigh Us Down (We're In Love) by orphan_account

Harry’s eyes widen slightly at that. “We’re friends?”

Louis nods eagerly, smiling even wider. “Of course we are! You’re like, my first ever friend here. We just moved in, you see. Did I already tell you about that? Anyway! Maybe you can stay for dinner and I can show you my toys?”

Harry smiles. “You’ll let me play with you?”

Louis nods again, excited. “Of course!” He looks thoughtful for a moment, and then he’s slipping off the couch and crouching in front of Harry. “Oh, and Mum always kisses my wounds after she fixes them up. It makes me feel loads better all the time, so.” He leans forward and puckers his lips, pressing them over the bandage on Harry’s knee.

(harry and louis first meet when they’re eight and ten. this is their story throughout the years.)

Breathe by Jade_eyed

Can you write a Larry high school AU where Harry's a sophomore and Louis' his senior boyfriend and Harry's being bullied during class and has a panic attack and all he's saying is 'Louis' so someone goes into louis' classroom and gets him and louis' like freaking out when he finds out and just really fluffy and stuff i just need this okay

[ I changed it a bit , I'm sorry babe I tried. :( ]

Cause If You Let Me, Here's What I'll Do by stylesforstiles

Five times where Harry is Louis' baby

Zero Means Nothing When I'm With You by StripedAndBowtied

Louis doesn't know what he's looking for until he finds it.

Harry just knows he may defy his gender norms, with his height and clumsiness, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want litters of pups running around while he does domestic things all day long.

In other words, boy meets boy and no one can stop pining.

All my senses come to life by erikaeurekajoe

And it was true. Harry's senses were all coming to life, on overdrive in fact because a handsome blue-eyed stranger was holding his hands.

Because of Louis Tomlinson's Arse by AggressiveStress

One in which Harry is a clumsy Uni student that first sees Louis leaning over, picking up his things with his arse very prominent. Harry then falls down the stairs and Louis- wearing a nice little beanie- helps him back to his feet.

In All Its Imperfections by BriaMaria

From: Louis Tomlinson To: Undisclosed Recipients

Hello!

I’ve asked the front desk and you lovely folks are the ones who are on the same level as me in the car park. I found a to-do list today that looked somewhat important because it has lines of poetry scribbled at the bottom that seemed like they might be for a card project. The stationary has a moose in a canoe at the top of it (and he is quite adorable). Let me know if it’s yours!

Cheers!

“Oh. My. Fucking. God,” Harry whispered, his eyes darting over the sentences again willing them not to make sense. They did, they did make sense. “Oh. My. Bloody. Fucking. God.”

The next thing he knew he was on the floor, staring at the ceiling, with a very concerned Liam hovering over his head.

"What happened, mate?" Liam asked.

Harry just pointed to his computer.

Liam bent over Harry’s desk to read the email. “What? This isn’t bad. Is that your to-do list? Did you finally come up with the inside text for those cards?”

“Leeyum" he groaned. “It’s what’s on the list.”

“Oh,” Liam paused for a beat. “Is it dirty stuff?”

Harry nodded.

There was more silence. And then, “Dirty stuff with Louis?”

Delirious in Love by yourpricelessadvice (orphan_account)

Louis is there for Harry waking up from minor surgery; he wouldn't miss it for the world. For two reasons.

Stars Will Align For Us by 2tiedships2

"The serial monogamist is single," Niall said by way of introduction when he sat down across from Harry in the canteen.

Harry sipped his chocolate milk. "What are you going on about?"

"Your alpha dream boat," Niall said. "That tiny little footie player? I heard from Hannah that he's broken it off with his boyfriend so he’s single and ready to flamingle. Now's the time to make your move."

Harry sipped his chocolate milk harder to keep himself from replying.

Or the one where Harry is an omega at a loss of how to get past his pining and gain the attention of Louis...especially considering the alpha is always in a relationship.

(twenty minutes later) wound up in the hospital by callmelover

“Baby, I think a quick trip to A&E might do you some good, hm?” Louis keeps his voice as calm as possible. He doesn't want to startle Harry or make him scared, but he knows that Harry’s fever is too high and he can't risk Harry choking himself into another attack when he's so poorly.

He hears a sharp intake of breath come for Harry and he knows Harry is starting to panic. Louis moves his hand from Harry's hair to his back, rubbing circles into his sweat-soaked shirt.

“No, no. Shh, don't worry, darling. Everything is okay, you’ll be okay. I just know that the doctors will be able to make you feel much better much sooner than I can...Just want you to get healthy as soon as possible, okay?”

-

or the one where harry has the flu and louis is a protective, nervous-wreck of a boyfriend

You live in my heart by styleztomlinson

As soon as they’re done with their set, Louis only has one thing on his mind and that’s to get out of there as soon as possible.or,Harry is sick during their performance at the iHeartRadio festival. Afterwards, Louis takes cares of his baby, and dotes on his husband.

Take Care by secretlylarry

Louis really does love to take care of Harry when he's sick.

if we got nothing, we got us by tumsa

Harry is Louis' baby and he's sick as well.

Peppermint and Lavender (and Coffee) by 2tiedships2

“He was there again,” Louis announced by way of greeting. “Lottie was right and she can never know.”

"What the fuck are you talking about?” Niall asked as he snapped his laptop closed.

“The omega, Niall. He was there today. Just sitting in the corner looking pretty. Or at least his back is. He hasn’t turned around when I’m available to see. I know he’s beautiful though.”

"Okay?” Niall questioned. “What does that have to do with Lottie?”

Louis let out a huff. "She told me I shouldn’t work at a coffee shop. She was right.”

Or the one where Louis might have met the love of his life in a coffee shop. But that’s not how it’s supposed to happen.

So Long I've Been Waiting by kikikryslee

Niall held up his glass in a toast. “Cheers.” Harry stared at Louis as he brought the glass up to his lips, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t like he could refuse the drink, but he certainly didn’t want to have any champagne. Louis monitored everyone else, and as soon as they all had their heads tilted back, drinking their mimosa, he reached out and knocked Harry’s glass right out of his hand, sending it crashing to the floor. “Oh, no!” Louis pretended to be shocked at what had just happened. “Harry, you’re so clumsy. You dropped your glass.” “Yes,” Harry said seriously. “I am very clumsy.” --- Or, the one where Harry and Louis are having their first baby, and keeping it a secret until the end of the first trimester is a lot harder than they thought it would be.

Nothing's Gonna Stop Me But Divine Intervention by kikikryslee

“So… what’s next on the soul mate search?” Louis asked. “I don’t know,” Harry answered. “Whatever I’m doing isn’t working. I’m not finding him anywhere.” “He’ll get here. I know it." “Yeah. I know he’s out there somewhere; I just have to figure out where.” --- Or, the soul mate AU where Harry overthinks everything having to do with finding the love of his life, and Louis doesn't think there's a Mr. Right for him at all. It takes them a while to realize that their soul mate is the person they want it to be: each other.

We Made These Memories for Ourselves by supernope

Breath held, Harry squints his eyes open and focuses on the first stick. A blue line. Harry breathes out an unsteady breath. He’s pretty sure he read that one blue line is a negative, but he fishes the box from the bottom of the pile just to make sure.

“Negative,” he confirms, voice echoing around the small room. “Next.”

Now that he’s feeling a little less shaky, he scans the rest of the tests at once, is met with a headache-inducing mixture of pink plus signs and blue double lines. His heart rate picks up until it’s pounding triple-time in the base of his throat and the pit of his stomach, thundering in his ears and throbbing in his temples. He flips over the rest of the boxes slowly, but he knows what they’re going to say before he even looks.

[or, Louis is a footballer, Harry owns a bakery, and they're having a baby.]

taken by the wind by scrunchyharry

When he decided to move to London with his sister, Harry thought he would finally get to learn how to control his magic. He couldn't possibly have predicted that he would fall for her neighbour.

Or the one where Harry is a clumsy witch and Louis is making everything worse just by existing.

Piece by Piece by SadaVeniren

He rubbed his hand over his lower stomach and closed his eyes. Louis was going to lose his fucking mind.

(aka Harry tells Louis he's pregnant and it goes as expected)

And We Linger On by stylesforstiles

Harry is pouting. Louis takes care of him

There's a Hole In My Soul, Can You Fill It? by stylesforstiles

Sometimes Harry is so tired. Louis always wants to fix it.

one glance and the avalanche drops by Wankerville

It's strange, honestly, having someone so gorgeous in his kitchen, and not only physically gorgeous, but, like, the everything else gorgeous. The type of gorgeous that Louis wants his life to always be covered in. The type of gorgeous he wants lying in sweatpants and an old t-shirt on his couch when he gets home from class. The type of gorgeous he wants to have shoving crisps down the front of his shirt. The type of goddamn gorgeous he wants to kiss, and coddle, and like, love.

Which is ridiculous- he doesn't know him. Pfft.

(or an au wherein louis buys a christmas tree and harry is the boy in leggings who delivers it. they are a christmas classic.)

Do Not Falter (There's a Star Ahead) by LadyLondonderry

It's Christmas Eve, and every single one of Louis' family members are crowded inside his little flat. Really, what more could he ask for on his birthday?

The present he never knew he wanted - in the form of an omega from his past - might just make this his most memorable Christmas.

Right Here Waiting by lovelarry10

Louis and Harry are expecting a baby. Harry's heavily pregnant and nesting madly, determined to make their home ready for their baby.

Blow Out the Candles, Baby by iwillpaintasongforlou

Louis' been planning Harry's 20th birthday party for weeks, and Harry's too sick to move. Louis might be the kind of sap who tries to nurse him back to health with cuddles and jokes and cupcakes for two.

Never Let You Fall by iwillpaintasongforlou

Harry slips on stage and gets a minor concussion, and Louis insists that he spend the night in the hospital just in case. He then turns into a protective baby lion because that is his Harry and he'll be damned if anything happens to him on Louis' watch. Harry rolls his eyes a lot but doesn't really mind.

Asthma and Bad Jokes by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson

When Harry has an asthma attack on stage, Louis has to go and help him. He leaves Niall in charge of keeping the audience entertained.

All I Need is Oxygen (and You) by lululawrence

There are only two ways to navigate Bloomfield High School: become popular or make yourself invisible.

With the help of his best mate Niall, Harry’s introduction to high school hadn’t been half bad. Despite being a “bandie” – the lowest of the low in the ancient hierarchy of high school –Harry had somehow managed to survive freshman year relatively unscathed. So naturally, Harry would have been perfectly happy to resume his position of invisible trombone player number four for the remainder of high school. But one day something drastic happened, something that would change the course of Harry’s entire existence (probably).

It was the last football game of his freshman year, and the band was back in the stands after performing a rousing rendition of Bloomfield’s alma mater during half time. Harry was gracelessly wiping the slobber from the mouthpiece of his trombone when he saw him.

Louis Tomlinson.

Or...a High School AU where Harry is a bandie and Louis is the epitome of cool, so naturally, Harry must find a way to get his attention and win his affections.

i’d burn this city down to show you the light by you_explode

Harry's a sheltered rich kid and Louis's a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry's house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

put your head on my shoulder by wayfared

Niall gives Harry until the end of marching season to either a) make a move on Louis Tomlinson or b) get the fuck over him. Either is easier said than done. Basically, your High School AU with a drum beat.

we should get jerseys, 'cause we make a good team by ellisaco

Harry's not very good at football, but he's aces at cheering Louis on.

Snow by hlftanna

Louis hid something from him. Harry was 100% sure of that. He knew him better than he knew himself. And. He. Hid. Something. From. Him. Harry just hasn't figured out what. Because if Louis wanted to hide something from anyone he usually succeeded because he was Louis Tomlinson.

Use Your Words by zedi

based off this prompt: collage au where jock!harry always serenades flowercrown!louis with love songs in their music class. what nobody knows is that harry actually kinda means the words he sings.

But instead it's Louis as the jock and Harry as the flowerchild because I do what I want.

see the truth (it's me for you) by orphan_account

If you asked Louis the first day of his French Literature class what he’d be doing on the last, he’d probably never have guessed it would involve helping a poorly Harry Styles study for the final exam. Good thing he’s not a betting man.

(Or the one where Louis and Harry spend an entire semester ignoring each other after a one-night stand, only to come face to face when Harry manages to catch the stomach flu during finals week. Sometimes fate is funny like that.)

calling out for somebody to hold tonight by heartinsidemine

“Dunno why I can’t sleep,” is the first thing Harry says into the still, quiet night.

“New flat, new noises,” Louis murmurs, finally setting the kettle on the stove and turning properly toward him. “New responsibilities, too, eh? Second year, you’re working your way up in the world.”

Harry rolls his eyes, shaking his head. “Nothing’s really new, though, is it? I mean, the location, but… I’ve got the same job I had last year, same basic courses, same workload…” He sighs out, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You and me are in the same boat, though,” Louis murmurs to him. He hates seeing Harry like this, even though rationally he knows that he can’t do anything about Harry’s insomnia. “Finding it difficult to sleep myself. Was gonna turn on the telly, maybe the cooking channel until I fall asleep. Care to join me?”

He doesn’t think twice about the offer before making it; it only makes sense. They’re both exhausted and they both sleep better with a cuddle, and anyway Louis would absolutely rather have a conversation partner than only the walls of his room for company.

Running Down To The Riptide by sweaterpawstyles

"I can't give you your present yet, Lou."

Louis furrowed his brows. "And why is that, my love?"

Harry smiled at his lap. "Because your present is under my sweater," he pulled his free hand that wasn't laced with Louis' and gently laid it on his stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Or

It's New Year's Eve and Harry has a surprise under his sweater

Song For The Springtime by sunshiner

“Cherry blossoms,” Harry mumbles. “The solution’s cherry blossoms.”

Uni AU.

the happiest place in our universe by tippytoetomlinstyles

Harry holds Louis’ hand and looks around at all the exciting and beautiful things and Louis looks at him because he finds him the most beautiful and exciting thing there is.

or the one where Louis takes Harry to Disneyland and Harry convinces Louis to wear Mickey Mouse ears to match his Minnie Mouse ears.

Made From Love by lovelarry10

It's almost Christmas, and amongst the preparations, Louis' realised something about his husband Harry.

Harry, however, seems to be oblivious.

Louis' determined to open Harry's eyes and make him realise the real magic that's happening this Christmas...

Another Constellation to Trace by screwstyles

Louis wiggles his eyebrows. “I’m winning that bet.”

“What bet?” comes Niall’s excited voice from behind them, followed by footsteps. “I wanna be in on the bet!” he shouts, prompting Harry to quickly roll down his shirt sleeve and straighten his shirt where it’s still crinkly after Louis’ hands.

Niall takes one look at them and purses his lips in a tight line. “Were you guys making out again? Isn’t the fire meant to die down a bit after eight years?”

“Trust me, the fire is still very much alive,” Louis winks at Harry. “One could even say it’s cooking something.”

-

Mpreg AU: Louis and Harry bet on who can keep Harry's pregnancy a secret for longer. Neither of them is particularly good at it, and it doesn't help that their soulmate tattoos make it even harder.

another pair of feet by honey_beeing

where Harry is pregnant and Louis is an oblivious idiot.

We Were Made to Love by supernope  

“Everything all sorted? Need help with the buckles? I know they’re a bit tricky in this compartment.”

The voice startles Louis out of his daze, and he turns toward the voice to let him know he figured it out. When he catches sight of the owner of the voice, though, his response dies in his throat. Whatever he had imagined the conductor of a children’s train that rides around the shopping centre in Leeds would look like, this is certainly not it.

Leaning through the window, arms folded across the sill, is a green-eyed angel with cherry red lips stretched wide in a smile and dimples flirting in his cheeks. A black conductor’s hat is the only confirmation that this is not some gorgeous stranger who’s come to flirt with Louis through the window of a children’s train, but is just a man doing his job.

[or, Harry drives a kiddie train in the shopping centre for the summer and is obsessed with babies, and Louis never stood a chance.]

here comes the sun by orphan_account

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Louis promises, his pink, chapped lips moving slowly in the cold. It matches the beanie on his head—pink, because they found out this morning that they’re having a girl and that’s just.

Harry’s going to be a dad. To a little girl. Five months from now he’ll be holding her in his arms, and she’ll be so lovely and small.

They’re going to have a spring baby and she’s probably going to have Louis’ eyes. What a blessing that would be. Harry crosses his fingers on the hand inside his pocket, hoping that she does. He’ll love her either way—blue or green or even brown eyes, it doesn’t matter—but he’d really like them to be blue, he thinks.

[Harry is a pediatric specialist, Louis is a neurosurgeon. All they want is a baby.]

So Put Your Hands In (The Holes of My Sweater) by Kat_rawr

“Are you gonna kiss me then?” He asks so quiet he isn’t even sure Louis heard him.

“I think it’s bad luck if I don’t.“ Louis’ breath is hot on Harry’s skin in the cold air. They stand in the dark; Louis’ face only lit up by the yellow-ish light from the street light a few metres away. The light over the door of their building hasn’t worked in years.

“Okay,” Harry says, and of course his cheeks heat up. There are definitely butterflies in stomach and his mouth is definitely dry.

or,

Harry and Louis go on a lot of not-dates

A Little Kind of Magic by Star55

A tiny tale of Louis' Very Important Birthday and Christmas at Hogwarts that Harry loves celebrating with his best friend whom he absolutely is not in love with. No matter what Niall says. (He's a little in love with Louis.)

it tastes like you, only sweeter by EmmyLouWho

Sometimes Harry hates being a second year, like when all his older friends get to go to Hogsmeade and he has to stay behind in the castle. Luckily, Harry has a Louis to make everything better.

For the prompt: “I’m not allowed to go to Hogsmeade but you always tell me stories about it and bring me candy from Honeydukes”

Sun-Dappled by QuickedWeen

Louis and his best friend Harry are in their seventh year at Hogwarts, facing down their future together. Louis has been in love with his best friend for as long as he can remember, and he begins to feel a sense of urgency as the second semester begins. Finally he hatches a plan to tell Harry about his feelings on Harry's birthday.

Sweet Like Sunshine by orphan_account

When Louis saves him from some seventh years bullying him on his lack of Quidditch skills, Harry takes offense. Louis offers to teach him to make up for it. They fall in love somewhere along the way.

Featuring one exasperated Niall, trips to Hogsmede and many flying sessions.

Follow Me Down This Time by supernope

Harry first noticed Louis in his second term at Hogwarts, and despite three years of inventing ways to stumble across Louis, he's never managed to actually work up the courage to speak to him. Also known as, self-indulgent Hogwarts AU, because every fandom needs Hogwarts AUs.

For Reasons Wretched and Divine by panicmoonwalk

Niall’s head was sitting in the fireplace, wide grin lighting up his features as flames licked the bright tips of his hair. Louis promptly dropped his tray at the sight.

“Bloody hell!” He yelled, half at the sudden appearance of Niall in the fire and half at the scalding cocoa he’d just dropped on his bare foot. “What are you doing?!”

Niall just continued to grin, clearly highly amused by Louis hopping on one foot and desperately trying to search for a weapon he could use to beat his friend’s head out of the fireplace.

“Well,” Niall began. “We’re going on an adventure!”

Or, the one where Louis and Harry’s Christmas holiday at Hogwarts is rudely interrupted when they’re dragged off on a tropical wizard’s vacation, featuring some angry centaurs, a spell gone wrong, and the ‘weirdest birthday anyone’s ever had. Ever’.

Loving with a Little Twist by hrrytomlinson

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know Niall! I just promised my mother I’m bringing my boyfriend - a boyfriend I don’t have - to Thanksgiving dinner. What should I do? I can’t call back and be like, ‘Oh yeah mom, that boyfriend I said that I have, I don’t actually have. Sorry to disappoint you.’ My life is ruined.” Harry returns to suffocating himself with the pillow.

Niall laughs and Harry growls at his best friend’s unwarranted happiness in this life-ending situation. Harry is fucked. Fuck. He needs a boyfriend. Fuck.

(or a thanksgiving themed fake/pretend relationship au)

everywhere (i wanna be with you) by itiswhatitisbutterfly

Harry and Louis meet because they have terrible friends, they fall in love because something feels right in a world of uncertainty and shifting grounds. Louis is an actor and Harry is a model at the top of his game, the best things in life are the most unexpected ones and the things that hit you when you are least expecting it.

Featuring winter in London, nights in Paris, early mornings in New York, burning heat in Monte Carlo and an enduring love spent transcending four corners of the globe.

on a wednesday, in a cafe by wreckedboyfriends

“What can I get for you today?” he asked without looking up, arranging the last of the pastries.

“Have any recommendations? Never been here before, actually.” Harry hit his head on the top of the case in his haste to look at the source of the voice. It was a really beautiful voice, small and high and just lovely, if a voice could be lovely. Harry thought so. “Alright, mate?” the man asked when Harry finally composed himself, rubbing the top of his head as he took his place at the register.

Harry opened his eyes, and fuck. If Harry had thought his voice was lovely, the man himself was on a whole other level. “Alright, mate?” He repeated and shit. Harry had been openly staring for quite awhile, hadn’t he?

“Yeah,” Harry replied, and it came out sounding like a semi trailer running over gravel. He cleared his throat. “Yeah,” he repeated. “Um, the cherry danish is quite good, I think. ’S my favorite.”

The man smiled. “One cherry danish it is, then.”

OR Harry’s spent the last year with six locks on his door, a pair of too-flamboyant boots buried in the back of his closet, and insecurity issues the size of a mammoth. Louis changes some of that, but Harry changes the most.

I Long For You by AnotherAnonymousWriter

Thirty minutes later, he's sat on a bench in Hyde Park with a book in his lap and a travel mug with hot tea in his hand. Not far from where he's sat, a group of boys are playing football and a bunch of children are chasing each other. Life is good.

Or at least, life is good until he hears a familiar “LOOK OUT!” and sees a football flying in the direction of his face.

And then everything is black.

(Harry gets hit in the head by various objects and falls for a boy with blue eyes.)

Let It Snow by thebrainisafunnyplace

Bakery owner Harry Styles is always cold, until he hires local university student, Louis Tomlinson to work as a cashier. When the storm of the year hits, the boys find themselves stuck together inside the bakery the night before Christmas Eve. Luckily, they have each other to keep warm.

everything i can arrange, every part of me you change by orphan_account

“Don’t you try that shit with me,” Niall spits the second he reaches Louis, pulling off the hood with force. “What the hell is this?” He plops down next to Louis on the empty bleacher and unceremoniously pushes a sheet of crumpled paper in his face.

Netflix and Chill Buddy Application

It’s like no matter how hard Louis tries, he can’t seem to run away from this stupid fucking flyer. All the girls (and some of the boys) in every one of his classes have been talking about it all week. It’s on every wall of every building on campus. Louis went for a jog last night and he nearly tripped and died over a loose one on the football track.

[Harry needs a big spoon and Louis refuses to let anyone steal his position. Based on this post.]

No words by becharlatan

Harry is a music student who never talks because he's a total introvert. Louis happens to bump into him by accident and as if like the constellations, the two have aligned their paths together despite their differences.

Sun Emoji Moon Emoji by mybeanieandme

For the prompt:

University!au: Harry works at a cafe as the busboy and Louis just really wants to get to know him. (Louis pines for an insecure Harry for a semester)

nonstop earthquake dreams of you by lumineres

And there's heat behind it, blazing, plasmatic, like stars crashing together, like an explosion in space, like a supernova, like a black hole--everything else sucked out of existence. There's no bed and there's no pillow and they're not lying down, just floating somewhere, somehow, and there's no room and there's no X Factor house and there's no Niall snuffling or Liam's deep, even breathing and there's no wind or traffic outside and there's no hum of the heating unit and it's all just Louis. All encompassingly Louis.

or, harry falls hard and finds louis already at the bottom

Kiss From A Rose by lovelarry10

Harry is the quiet one in the office no one ever notices. Until Louis does, that is. When notes start appearing on Harry’s desk, he ponders who is behind the kind words, oblivious to Louis’ attempts to get his attention...

Black Cat by lalune15

Inspired by this tumblr post (not asked or requested): fic where louis works at a haunted house jumping out at people and harry’s friends drag him along even though he doesn’t really like haunted houses. when louis jumps out to scare their group, harry freaks out and accidentally jumps into louis’s arms. louis just squeaks. harry ends up sitting there with louis the rest of his shift and totally doesn’t come back every night after that.

Be Mine, For Always by zams

Louis is happy when Harry is happy. That's what Louis wants, and so when Louis starts feeling weird when Harry cuddles with Liam, Zayn, or Niall instead of him, he keeps quiet. But the burning, uncomfortable feeling Louis gets deep in his stomach when he sees Harry contentedly nuzzling Liam's neck, or Harry's arms and legs tangled around Niall like an octopus, or Harry's face smushed in Zayn's stomach as Zayn plays with his hair only gets worse as the days go by.

Loosen Up My Buttons by softfonds

The beautiful man opened this bakery about a year ago. He remembered the exact day he came: a glum, rainy morning in the middle of February, which instantly turned brighter the minute he saw him. The man had come in with some paint buckets and tools, and Louis doubted he would be able to fix up the drab place all by himself. But as he walked down the stairs at the end of the day and saw the man standing there in the middle of a gorgeous pink and white shop, clearly proud of his work, Louis fell in love at first sight. If only he knew how to talk to him.

Usually, Louis knew how to flirt. He prided himself on it. But every time he looked at the beautiful man, he completely forgot how to form sentences, and there was no way he could go up to him only to make a fool of himself. That was the last thing he needed.

Or, Louis owns a tattoo shop called Pretty in Ink, Harry owns a bakery called Rolling Scones, they haven't been introduced, and Valentine’s Day seems like the perfect opportunity to finally talk to the man Louis has been pinning over for the past year. And they both end up with more love than they bargained for.

Coffee Cups and Football Boots by kimtaedumb

Harry’s stood behind the counter again, but this time he’s painting his nails. Louis strolls up to the counter and, thanks to his no brain-to-mouth filter, blurts out, “Isn’t that a little girlish, Haz?” leaning closer to inspect.

Harry lets out a little huff as his hand slips, “Oh, damn, now I’ve messed it up,” he pouts and turns to Louis, “Why should making myself feel pretty be girly?”

Louis holds up his hands in surrender, “’M not judging, jus’ curious is all.”

(The entirely cheesy and cliché Christmas AU, in which Harry doesn’t give a damn what people think about him – mostly – and Louis may be a little bit in love.

Alternatively, the one in which Harry owns a café that’s barely scraping by and Louis is a footballer and he takes Harry away for Christmas.

Featuring Zayn as a cocky little shit that most definitely needs to be put back in his place, Niall as the loveable Irish dude who drinks too much and flirts with Zayn more than the average girl, and Liam who loves everyone but hates them all at the same time.)

you make my whole world feel so right when it's wrong by orphan_account

“Curly?” Louis says, stepping into Harry’s sight. “You okay?” Harry looks up from where he has two things in his hands, a thick winter coat sized for a newborn, and a sweatshirt fitting a grown man such as himself. He looks up at Louis, stricken, and holds them out for him to see. “They’re the same price,” he says. “They’re both forty dollars! Forty dollars for such little material.”

(or, Harry is pregnant and stops at the mall to buy cheap baby clothes. Louis has extra money from working a long shift, and he can't think of a better way to spend it than on him.)

you were the ocean, i was drawn into you by by orphan_account

where harry takes pictures and worries too much and louis plays guitar.

i'll be your sunflower by scagnetism

“What do you think’s gonna stop us now?” Harry says cheekily, laughter in his voice as he looks up at Louis. “Something’s gotta get in our way like always, doesn’t it?”

“Ha,” Louis grins, kissing his cheek and holding open the door for him as they make their way toward the car. “Nothing’s gonna interrupt us this time. ‘S gonna be perfect, just like Pumpkin.”

Or, a few interruptions aren't going to stop Harry from having a perfect pregnancy and having the family he and Louis have always dreamed of.

Send Me Your Pillow (The One That You Dream On) by flowercrownfemme

Harry is embarrassed to realize he's nesting but can't stop stealing Louis' things for his nest.

Short fluffy o/o gaybo drabble with lots of cuddles and softness and sock stealing <3

As one we are everything/We are everything we need by louloubaby92

Harry finally marries the love of his life. He's got the mating mark, he's got Louis' ring on his finger.

And now, he's on his honeymoon. Louis is but a door away, waiting for him.

Honestly, he doesn't understand why he's nervous.

only guilty of loving you by sweetrevenge

After Harry gets set up with his co-worker's alpha friend Louis, he's expecting some pleasant conversation, free dinner, and maybe a new friend. What he doesn't expect, however, is that Louis' arrival in his life begins a life of crime Harry never knew he had in him.

A You've Got Mail!AU with a twist.