#looking at tessa and cherry came too

[equallyshaw]

something borrowed - nathan mackinnon (feat. erik johnson and ryan graves)

- based off the movie of the same name + my own plot changes

- Warnings: swearing. angst. ej is annoying in this, i apologize. just a character. also lili is a bimbo blonde in this, kinda like in the movie. no hate against any blondes, just mirroring the movie. there is a not so friendly joke, so please be advised. itll be in bold so you can skip over. ALSO, this movie is so chaotic and all over the place...this is all over the place and chaotic lol

- shoutout to @pucksalotguys for supporting this and giving me feedback :)

Word Count: 5.7k+ this is a long one, so much to upack.

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tessa burns grew up around some of the greats in nova scotia, canada. aka, sid the kid, brad marchand, andrew cogliano and ryan graves to name a few. her older brothers played hockey ofcourse and so she was always around the rink at all hours. always had a chirp or two to throw out as she left the arena with them. despite growing up in nova scotia, she never met nathan mackinnon until they both went to shattuck st marys for highschool and hockey. they instantly connected, over hockey, nova scotia, bad breakups and the undying need to be the best. though, he was more hard core than she ever was; in her defense.

tessa was never alone growing up, despite have four brothers before her. she had her best friend ryan graves, grew up right down the block. always had a bad joke, always had a smart and witty comment to make. one that would rock you to your core. she also had her best friend liliana who was a blonde goddess. a 5'8 blonde, taller goddess. one that all the guys went after. one that swore she gave up toronto university just so they could both go to univeristy of british columbia. one that guilt tripped her left and right, but she was liliana. ofcourse, she couldn't 'drop' her. that was her girl, and there was no way she could do that to her closest confidant besides ryan. ryan saw how shitty liliana treated her, how liliana made sure she was the center of the attention. always. ryan always knew about tessa having the huge crush and ever lasting love for nathan, though he was lilianas. she had been for the past three years. so ryan watched as tessa looked on from the bench, what else could she do? so she wallowed in her own guilt, pity and anger of not saying anything before to nate. though it was too late, they were to bed wed in the middle of august before they would flee to california for a week then back to denver.

°• ♔ •°

tessa walked into the restaurant and her eyes went wide, taking in the 'surprise' 28th birthday part; liliana had thrown for her. it was june 24th right after the seaosn had ended, but on without a cup. not this year. tessa smiled fakely as lili cheered and wrapped her arms around her best friend, sister even. "honeybug happy birthday!" she screamed, using an old childhood nickname that should have never see the light of day; even when she was 6. "thanks lili." she responded cooly, hugging her friend back. some of her closest friends were here, well lili's too. wherever tessa went, lili did too and vice versa. she smiled at her brothers who came up, wrapping her in a family hug. "hi guys.." she smiled, one that didn't reach her eyes. "hey tess, mom and dad say sorry for not being here." the oldest, billy explained and she nodded. british columbia was more importnant it seemed.

"AYYYYY KIDDO!!" she heard the ever popular and familiar voice of brad marchand. she turned and grinned at the brother like man and hugged him. then she hugged his wife charlotte, "thankyou guys for coming!" she beamed, holding onto her left arm. "ofcourse! we wouldn't miss it for the world hun." his wife smiled and tessa nodded. "hey bobby orr!" she heard the captains voice from behind her, and tessa turned. she smiled widely for sidney, and hugged him. "hi sid." she mused, pulling away. "got you your fav." he mused, and handed her a cherry vodka. she smiled, thanking him. "where the hell is nate?" she heard him mutter under his breathe. she felt her heart rate pick up, covering it up with a small smile. "do you know where ryan is?" she questioned and speak of the devil, he walked up behind sid. he clasped a hand on sid's shoulder and they did a bro hug before sid sauntered off to find his best friend.

"nice surprise face." he smirked leaning in and she rolled her eyes. "dont tell her please!" she begged her best friend, brother even. he nodded smiling, "ofcourse not. that would ruin her, i think." he trailed off as they caught her making a scene. she saw nate behind her, smiling up at her as she said a joke and laughed loudly. oh, the ever enigma stealing the spotlight once again. "i don't think she's capable of NOT having the attention on her..even if it's your birthday. by the way, happy birthday sis." he smirked and she gave him a wink. "oh thankyou, thought you wouldn't say it for a sec." she grinned and he stuck out his tongue. "uh huh." he sighed, sipping his whiskey and looking back at lili. she rubbed her temple, before looking around. "love how its mainly her frineds." she muttered, feeling angry at herself. again, another birthday and she had no new friends. and everyyear, lili had more and more.

"hey, stop. dont feel bad for yourself. she's a lot to deal with." he mused, almost as if it was an insult. but tessa, knew exactly what he meant. "honeybug!" she heard the very immature nickname and rolled her eyes which ryan caught; as she turned around with a fake smile. "what?" she asked, with a fake giggle as lili rushed up to her with a tall guy. "i want you to meet somebody!" she grinned, pulling her towards the guy. "ej this is tessa. tessa this is erik johnson or ej as we call him." she smiled, as if she was cupid herself. "birthday gal!" he said loudly, causing lili to laugh loudly once again as he pulled tessa in for a bear hug. "ah hi." she said, unsure of what to do. she stood there, frozen. felt like she had been violted in a way, but it wasn't that deep she reminded herself. "you guys are so cute together!" was all lili said before waltzing off to give nate a kiss.

tessa sighed, looking around, trying to not ficate on ej himself. the very tall, and muscular man in front her of. with 3 front teeth missing, like a little kid. "how'd you lose your teeth?" she asked randomly and he laughed a hearty laugh. he explained in a unnceccesary 10 minute story before they were interrupted by nathan. she gave him a thankful smile that he could decode, and nodded. "i think cale is in the back over there." nate said through gritted teeth. ej nodded, giving the birthday gal a kiss on her cheek to which she instantly wiped off. ej left, and left a chuckling nate in his path. "you have a great poker face burnsy." he mused, sipping his beer. she looked at him, acting as if she didn't. he met her eye, before she could spit out words. he gave her a charming smile and laughed. "i would never tell lili." he joked, and tessa sighed looking down at her almost empty drink. "tess-" nate said but she cut him off. "its all good. im gonna go find ryan." she said without looking at him as she walked past him, and away.

minutes later, lili yelled over on the microphone to get her cute butt up there. "honeybug, baby, get your cute butt up here!" she joked, causing everybody to laugh. nate searched for her, and she appeared after ryan pushed her to the front. "dont keep cruelle waiting." he muttered for only her to hear. she sighed as lili smiled at her, dotingly. "honeybug. happy birthday. so thankful for you every day." she smiled, an erupture of 'aws' filled the room. tessa blushed, "tessa gosh, where do i begin?" she said, almost acting. she looked up at the ceiling, pretending to wipe away any tears. "phew, my botox is really holding up.." she trailed off joking causing some uncomfortable and comfortable laughter to erupt. ryan from next to her, hit her shoulder and she laughed.

"tessa, tess, burnsy honeybug, my platonic soulmate..gosh we've been through it all! from kindergarton when i pushed ryan down the slide for cutting us off on the playground.." she began as the photos began on the slideshow, showing the two and then the trio of chaos. "god, we were the trio of chaos. tessa, ryan and i. i don't know how ryan put up with us, to be honest. or how he still does." she joked. "she was with me through my first breakup in 6th grade..i was a mess! let me tell you. we watched the holiday and the he's just not that into you SO many times with lots of popcorn, oreos and icecream." she explained, showing some photos of their teenage years. "heres us at prom. ryan said 'fuck it' im taking you to prom honeybug. awe SO cute!" she said doing a little hop. "then miss burnsy went off to shattuck, fucking shattuck oh my god. if i have to hear about one more hockey player that to shattucks im gonna pull my hair out. o.m.g." she said laughing along with everybody else. "then fucking gravy went off to shattucks and so i was left alone." she began, something she never got over. something she held over them, and still guilt tripped them about. "i was not a hockey player, thankgod! i was all about makeup and clothes and cheerleading. and they weren't there to witness me win state but i witnessed them play for team canada. what assholes." lili had the audience in the palm of her hands. they were eating this up. though ryan, sid, her brothers and nate all cringed throughout.

"but anywho, after i notably declined ivy league university of toronto to go to university of BC with my honeybug..ryan went to some place called denver." she added the last part with everybody hollering now. though it wasn't a joke really, she was purely an idiot. “then we graduated, and then it was really real that we were gonna be seperated for real this time. miss barnsy got into john marshall law school in chicago, and i was incredibly sad when i started working in toronto. but only 512 miles away from one another." she paused, waving a small wave. "and after a year into living into chicago, you introduced me to the absolute love of my life." she pasued, blowing a kiss to nate. he smiled shyly, and looked down embarrassed a tad bit. "thanks for hiding him for so long hun." she dazzled the crowd. "and now were getting married, thanks to you!" she smiled widely. "bubba as much as i love you, tessa girl has been my one constant my whole life."

she turned towards tessa now, ""you're the the sister i've never had, you're sometimes the mother i often need, the reason why i can stumble so fearlessly into adventure is because she's always there. she's always there. i love you tessa. my forever honeybug." she beamed, and the crowd clapped. "bubba!" she said, out of the microphone and made her way towards nate. she wrapped his arms around the girl and kissed her head. tessa watched from afar, and ryan nudged her to look away. "lets get you another drink..after that." sid mused, pulling her towards the bar.

later on in the evening, it was now ryan, nate, lili and tessa left. ryan was holding lili as they all waited outside the restaurant now on the almost desolate street. "oh fuck- i forgot my bag!" lili said slurrely. nate and tessas head perked up and both went to say something, "take her to the hotel. we will be there soon." nate said before tessa could say for him to go back with her. the duo nodded and the other two made there way back inside. "was it the vintage chanel?" nate questioned and tessa laughed, a true and real hearty laugh. "nathan...aren't you the one who got it for her?" she said cocking an eyebrow as she held it up. nate sighed a relief, snatchingit from her. they looked at one another, and nate saw something twinkle. "lets get one more drink." he mused, pulling her down the street to the bar next door.

one drink turned into four more, and somehow someway; though they knew how it happened. they ended up in her small apartment there in toronto. for the first time in their entire relationships, they had acted on that part of their feelings. though, they thought it was more the alcohol than anything.

°• ♔ •°

ryan, sid, ej, their other friend maria, liliana and tessa found themselves in st john on the coast of newfoundland. the five of them walked into the lake house, that they were staying at for the next week. nate and lili walked hand in hand, lili doting on him that made ryan want to vomit. "bubba...please?" she asked with puppy eyes, begging him to take her shopping on the mainland. he sighed, instantly giving into her. lili clapped her hands together, and ej high fived her for some odd reason. "you go girl!" he hummed, sitting down in the living room sofa and propping his feet on the table. tessa stopped unable to move anymore, because of ej's hockey bag and suitcase that was in the way. she gave him a scowl, nobody noticing but ryan ofcourse. "ej..bags please." ryan spoke up and ej hopped up, muttering an apology. "its ok." she smiled, and simply stated. tessa made her way up the stairs, as ryan went towards the first floor room. she got to the second floor, and nate instantly grabbed her bags. "oh thanks." she hummed, following him to the bedroom next to theirs. "thanks." she smiled, and he nodded. very unsure of what to do. things were kinda awkward after they slept together, but she made him forget about it. made him, and he promised her. "yeah. no prob." he responded, as she sat down on the bed. his eyes flicked to her's from the doorway before lili came up and smiled.

"shopping?" she grinned, and then motioned towards nate with her eyes. tessa shook her head no, "im gonna take a nap." she said cooly and the two nodded. lili pulled nate away before he could say bye. tessa sighed, laying down on her back. "hey barnsy, wanna come swimming?" she heard the voice of ej and she perched herself onto her elbows. he took in her stance, and angle she saw him check her out. she shivered and sat up all the way. "im okay. thanks though." she responded and he nodded, giving her a toothy smile before he ran off. she shut her door, silently cursing herself. this was going to be a long trip.

°• ♔ •°

the following day, the group decided they were going to play volleyball. just unsure when. before they made there way to the beach, ryan pulled tessa into her bedroom. "spill." he demanded crossing his arms as she sat on the bed. she shrugged, "tell you what?" she asked. he gave her a blank stare, "i know what youre hiding honeybug." he stated and she gritted her teeth. "nothing im hiding nothing." she spat, standing up and walked over towards the double window french doors to the balcony. she instantly found nate's broad shoulders, strong back and dirty blonde hair of his. she stared at him, as lili spoke to him from the pool with ej. ej and her were splashing one another now, and she could tell that nate wanted to be anywhere but there. "that. you are hiding that, tessa." ryan said from behind her, freaking her out. she must of timed out, watching him. she shook her head, looking out towards the beach now. "no its true. i could tell at breakfast. im not an idiot." he said, checking his hip with hers. "well i could say the same about you and maria..." she mused coyly, before giggling as she walked out of the room. "oh god no, if i ever have to be at the same table especially at their wedding, im killing them before they leave for cali." ryan mused making tessa laugh even more. "you two totally slept together!" he whispered yelled and she whipped around to face him. "oh thats gold." he said chuckling. she shook her head as he nodded hers.

"im not an idiot, i know you did. now it makes sense." he said as a wave of realization washed over him. as he placed his hands behind his head, laying down on her bed he asked, "you totally did..more than once?" he asked like a child, he couldn't contain his excitement. she combed back her hair, trying to calm herself down. "oh my god, twice?" he asked, getting excited more. she looked at him through the bedroom mirror and he started to laugh. "oh my god." he said abruptly stopping, "lili, oh my god, she's gonna flip." he said seriously before laughing. "its not funny!" she said pulling a pillow towards her from the bed and hitting him. "this is rich barnsy!!!! you have to say something to nate, i see it eating you two up." he exclaimed and she shook her head, a wave of guilt and sadness washed over her pale face. "no, its already been decided that we aren't to speak of it ever again." she stated before walking out.

breakfast.

tessa sat down next to nate by accident, as she sat their reading the newspaper. he met her eyes, over the newspaper, when she looked at him. she whisked her eyesight away and focused on transporting the fruit to her plate. "listen..tess. we need to talk-" she cut him off with a glare. "no, we do not. we already have. we can't hurt lili more than we already have." she hurriedly said. he swallowed back what he was going to say, and nodded. "never. again." she said through gritted teeth before meeting his eyes. god, those blue eyes that transported her back to shattucks. god, how she loved them.. ej bolted outside with coffee, and threw down a iced coffee for the brunette. a black coffee for nate. "oh yay coffee's here!" lili said walking out with pancakes. ej sat across next to lili who sat across from tessa. tessa swallowed, as she could feel the intense stare ej was giving her. nate coughed, breaking ej's concentration and ej looked away. maria sat down next to ej and he smiled at her. "morning." he smirked and maria gave him a polite smile, before noticebly scooting her chair a few inches away. ryan finally walked out and sat down next to tessa. "gravy finally arrives, nice. we can begin." lili said in her fake polite voice, clearly annoyed with ryan. per usual. "sorry princess, forgot the world and time revolved around you. what a keeper nate." raya huffed, and lili squinted at him while nate rubbed his eyes.

“okay gravy, atleast i have some sort of schedule going. arent you a hockey player? it looks like you haven't done anything to combat your croissants and poutine eating." she spat, (trigger warning) softly grabbing her stomach. he flipped her off, causing ej to laugh loudly. nate looked at him with a intense stare, one tessa hadn't seen for a few years. it was almost, like his old self had flared for a hot second. before it cooled. "atleast i dont spend somebody else's hard earned money." ryan muttered, and lili picked that up. "well, atleast he has somebody to spend it on. dont ya honey?" she smiled a dazziling smile, placing a arm over nate's shoulder and kissing him. ryan pointed a finger in his mouth and faked gagged causing tessa to stifle a laugh. "besides, i always tell nate to help out tessa but she always says no." lili added, sipping her coffee. tessa set down her fork, "how many times do i have to tell you that i dont want or need his money." she explained once again. "i am comfortable, i dont need a lot. besides-" lili cut her off, "youre due for a promotion anyways!" she clasped her hands together and tessa shook her head.

"no, not what i was gonna say but thats true. i like the life i live, and i love the work i do lili. i dont need anybody's money, especially not his." she defended and they all sat up with the 'not his' part. ryan took in the quick look nate and tessa shared, one without words but words. "what i mean is that, he's my friend, that just feels weird." she added and they nodded. "besides, more for me!" lili hummed, kissing nate again. tessa picked up her fork and took a strong bite of her strawberry.

After.

the group were outside on the beach, hitting the volleyball to warm up. it was ej and tessa, lili and nate. while ryan and maria sat out. "ouuu! we should play a game!" lili beamed with mimosa in her hand. "yes!" ej said loudly, pointing at her. "how about everytime we get a point, one of us on the winning point tells a secret!" lili said with a grin, causing ej to grin wickledly and laugh. "no i dont-" "lets not -" nate and tessa said at the same time. "oh come on! itll be fun!" lili said pouting. "yeah, itll be fun!" ryan added, and tessa glared at him. "ej im in, youre out." ryan said and ej nodded, as they switched positions. "ryan!" she whispered yelled at him, and he smirked. "it has to come out eventually babe." he smiled and placed a quick kiss on her head. nate looked over, and saw what was going on. he knew ryan knew, even without ryan confirming.

“ry!" she said before lili hit the ball to him, him to nate and back to ryan. that happend over and over. ryan won the never ending sequence and chuckled, "oh dont i have a secret!!" he huffed, "tell it tell it!" ej said like a 5 year old. "dont i have a secret." he laughed, and tessa begged him with a pleading look. "no its fine, we don't need to play." nate said trying to get him to not say anyhting. "no this has to be said." ryan exclaimed and lili looked on with excitment, "yes please tell!" she beamed sipping more of her mimosa. "tessa- tessa and-" but he was cut off, as she made he way towards ej - as a distraction - and kissed him. she kissd him hard, pulling him in by his thin shirt. nate and ryan looked on with confusion while lili shrieked with excitemnt. "AHHHH! im cupid!!" she cheered as tessa pulled apart, and walked off. ryan and nate looked at tessa as she stomped away.

tessa continued walking down the beach for 20 minutes more, trying desperately to stop crying. nothing was working. she sniffled, as she sat down and wrapped her arms around her knees. what the fuck did she just do, she thought. ryan made his way over, after the rest of the group went back to the house. "youre an ass." she said boldly, standing up and walking past him. without allowing him to get a word in. "tes-" she cut him off. "how dare you jeoporadize my whole relationship with them? huh?! how you made me kiss ej!" she screamed at him. "i made you kiss him? that was all your doing hun. not mine. youre too scared to admit your true feelings for nate, im not an idiot. you love him. everything makes fucking sense. ever since i first met him when i visited you in minnesota, i saw the way you looked at him and how he looked at you. you fucking fool. you let her snatch him away. you let her win." he screamed.

"she wins everything! she has won everything that has come her way! she gets the guy she gets the house, the unending bank account, her fucking parents are god sends, she got into utoronto with a lower gpa then me!!!! liliana wins everything, that is just how it goes. she wins everything." she whispered the last part, as she fell apart. ryan walked up to her, but she pushed him away. "no." she sniffled as she paused, "dont. just dont. youve done enough." she sighed and walked back up to the house. already packed and ready to go.

°• ♔ •°

the following evening the group was down at a local pub, taking in the drinks and food. tessa sipped her cocktail as maria came up. "ryan will never like me, right?" she stated and tessa did a double take at her. maria already knew, "im sorry maria. he doesn't like you that way and probably wont ever." she said softly. maria nodded, " its fine." maria responded before walking off. that was how it will be with nate, tessa thought. she looked in the distance and saw nate and lili bickering about something, before she walked off to dance with ej. nate rolled his eyes and turned around to the bar and met tessa's stare. she swallowed, grabbing her bag and walking out. she walked outside to the rain, and she felt her arm being grabbed. "tessa dont go!" nate pleaded. she shook her head, as she was being drenched.

“then leave her. leave her, and be-" he cut her off. "be with you? i cant, tess. i just cant." he stated and she nodded. "becasue it wouldnt look good, huh? im not exactly a trophy wife and im fine with that. but....but atleast ill be happy. at some point." she mused, and turned around. "im sorry tess. i really am." he stated and she stopped middway. she turned around and hurried towards him. "i should of gone back for you." she began, "i should if let you walk me home that night in denver. i should have let you done a lot of things but i was scared. i was nervous. i was scared into thinking that you could possibly like me." she exclaimed. "i should have never told you to stay with her, then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation now." she stated, finishing her tangent. he shook his head, "you were always enough tess. always, there wasn't a moment where i thought otherwise." he began and she felt a beacon of hope flicker through her. "but im with her now." he stated and she felt her heart break even more. she sighed, he took in all her tears. she shook her head, "youre a coward, nathan. a coward." she stated promptly. "but ill be happy, ill be incredibly happy without you." she stated, before walking off. nate watched as she did, the rain coming down even harder which coincided with her mood. nate really watched as the love of his life walked away for him, for good.

°• ♔ •°

there was a knock at her apartment door around 2pm. she closed her book and walked towards it, opening it to nathan. she tried to close it, but he quickly stopped it. "what nate?" she demanded, placing a hand on her hip. she shook her head when he said nothing, "we broke up. i - i thought about what you said and it's true. i won't be happy with her, how i'd be happy with you." he began and she shook her head sniffiling. "no." she said very warily, her voice cracking. she saw the pleading on her face, and opened her door further to let him in. "i should have never let you walk home that night you introduced us tess. i know that, ive known that but i was too scared to break it off and see what people that follow me would say. you were right, i am a coward. ok? and im sorry that it took me over 10 years to figure it out. im sorry tess, there isn't anybody i'd ever want to be with but you. and then we, and then we slept together and i knew i was doomed. i knew her's and i's relationship was doomed." he finished and she looked at the ground. she wiped her tears, looking back up at him. "i want you, always and forever." he stated, with much emotion. "i - im sorry." she started, "i just dont know. she's my bestfriend." she exclaimed. "i see the way she treats you t." he stated, using a barely used nickname from him. one that dated back to a drunken state moment in highschool.

“i want to, trust me." she sighed and was about to say something else but somebody knocked at her door. "tessa honeybug!!!" they both heard from her door, and she pushed him to go hide. "go go!" she whispered and he disapeared. she opened the door and lili instantly walked in. "i broke up with him!" she stated, and tessa acted surprise. "really?" she questioned and lili nodded sitting down. "i uh, i knew he wasn't the one. after.." she trailed off, unsure how to tell her best friend that she'd been sneaking off with somebody.

"what changed?" tessa asked, nervously. "i met somebody!" she squeled, not bothering to contain her excitement. "i mean, more then met." she added, "well i knew this person, for awhile." she stated. "who?" tessa whispered. "ej." she mouthed. "ej!" she said excitedly. the fuck? "the toothless big foot?" tessa quipped. lili rolled her eyes, "yes him. and i know!" she said. "thats nathan's teammate! lil!" tessa said getting defensive of him. "i know i know but nothing happened until we went to st johns. thats it. nothing before." lili defended. tessa began to pace, "and im in love with him, and i want to be with him." lili stated standing up and beginning to walk out. "i know it'll take you a bit to come around, but please don't tell nate yet. we want to do it together."she said before pausing at the door. tessa's mouth was still open in shock, "oh and dont feel guilty about the kiss. it was humerous." she smirked before walking out. as soon as she did, tessa went to look for nate. somebody knocked on the door again and she opened it to lili. "is that nate's jacket?" she asked, smirking. "wait what? oh- he left it in my car when we got back into toronto." she lied but lili didn't buy it. "no, no. thats not true." she stated, before pushing the door open. "nate! i know youre in here, nate!" she yelled, as tessa shut the door. nate walked out into the living room.

"you asshole!" "my teammate?!" they yelled at one another, "my best friend!!!!" lili threw back at him. "my. teammate." he slithered back. "how could you?" lili, turned towards tessa. "no- no dont go after tess. go after me. she didn't initiate it." lili held her hand up, "stop, dont speak for her." lili spat. lili shook her head at nate, "you know, i hope youre both happy together. i really do." was all lili said before walking out.

"nate-" tessa said but nate shook his head, grabbed his coat and walked out.

°• ♔ •°

tessa mouthed "im sorry" to ryan and he flipped over his card that had her name on it, "me too." and she hugged him. tessa had just flown from toronto to newark to visit ryan. she hadn't seen or talked to him since june and it was now middle of october, hockey season. they drove back to his condo, and the two put her stuff in the guest room. a little while later she walked out into the kitchen and sat down at the counter, as he cooked dinner. "whats for dinner?" she questioned in french. he smiled a toothy smile, "fettuince alfredo." he mused back in french. tessa nodded, grabbing the water bottle he set down on the counter. "what are you doing here?" he asked leaning against it, trying to read her expression. she sighed, "well you know about lili and ej. well nathan was there and lili heard and then he heard her and then when i tried to talk to him, he walked out." she said placing her face in her hands. he saw the stress, anxiety and never faultering love with nate. "have you talked since then?" he asked and she shook her head, "nor lili?" and she shook her head. "im alone." she said before sobbing. he instantly came over and pulled her in for a hug. "shh." he whispered over and over again, trying to comfort her. "youve got me." he said kissing her head. she sniffled, and pulled away. "youve always had me, no matter what." he explained some more, trying to get her to understand.

she looked at him, "always will. and-" he paused laughing nervously. "this is shitty timing but i dont care. ive always been there watching you from the bench, watching lili have something that you didn't. and that hurt me, because i was there the whole time but-" she cut him off, "i never noticed because i wanted him." she finished and he nodded. "im in love with you, and i have been since we were kids." he added and she felt a whiplash of memories hit her. she went through the big and little moments with him, putting the pieces together. he always chose her over lili, and that's why he got so upset with her in st john. "ry-" he cut her off, putting his hands up in innocence. "i know, i know." he said biting the inside of his cheek. "i know ill never be nate. ill never be nate the great. even before, i knew i was never good enough." was all he said before moving back to the stove. tessa sat there and shut her eyes, feeling her emotions consumer her. but they didn't. ryan's phone started to blast, and he looked a the id and saw nate. he rolled his eyes, picking it up.

“hey nate." he stated, and tessa perked up. ryan looked at tessa, "yeah she's actually here. she came to visit." ryan stated with not emotion on his face. "for you, tessa girl." he said locking his phone. "look's like it's time for you to fly to denver...in two hours."

1 year skip.

tessa walked with nate's dry cleaning in her hand as she walked through downtown denver. it was now october, one of the last warm days, and tessa was spending it in the city; working. after everything went down, lili and ej got together as well as nate and tessa. tessa moved in as lili moved out and in with ej. tessa was walking down the street going towards where nate said he'd be for them to drive home together, after she spent the day in the city. she walked down mainstreet and saw a familiar blonde walk past. the both of them paused instantly, turning around to face one another. lili sized tessa up and tessa just smiled. "you look good." tessa said, ever the people pleaser. ever the lili pleaser. lili pushed some hair behind her shoulder and smiled. despite them being in denver, and having their boyfriends be teammates, they stayed away from one another. they didnt talk, and tessa honestly had more friends outside of the wags group. she was only friends with tracy, cales gf and andrew coglianos wife. she was fine with that. nate and ej moved on, but still kept a distance. lili smiled, tilting her head just a bit. "oh." was all she said, before realizing that tessa saw it. "i hope you two are happy." was all lili stated, nodding towards tessa's engagment ring. the two got engaged over the summer right before they came out to denver. tessa smiled with a somewhat of a glow radiating from her, "we are. i am." was all she said. lili nodded, "are you two?" tessa questioned. lili nodded, "yes. we uh, we eloped this summer." she smiled referencing her small and simple ring. so unlike lili, tessa thought. "i know what youre thinking. but i love it. ej seems like a lot and he is in a way, but he's truly simple. i wish; i hope that someday you and nate can see that and hopefully come around. or atleast nate." lili responded and tessa nodded. "me too." tessa smiled, before turning around and continued to walk down main street to the square, where nate was waiting.

nate saw tessa's midlength wavy hair before he saw the rest of her. she was in her usual workday outfit, he pixie black pants clinging to her curves and her white boyfriend shirt untucked. she beamed as soon as she saw him, and he mirrored her. "hi." he mused, wrapping an arm around her back and pecking her. "hi." she said back, as he took the dry cleaning from her along with her work bag, and took her hand in the other. "ready for dinner?" he questioned and she nodded, heels clipping the sidewalk as they went to meet sid who was in the city for a game. where they'd also be asking him if he wanted to be Nate’s best man.

tessa saw her life with nate, she always had despite lili. despite the years spent on the bench, she'd never change it because now she had him. and he had her. she regularly thinks about their first meeting as they plan their wedding, both remembering clearly the outfit she had on. a blue dress. something borrowed from the very beginning.

────────────

wasnt sure how to end but i hope you guys like it!!! despite it's being hella long, i hope you liked the drama :)

@fallinallincurls @erikjohnsons @hockeylvr59 @hockeyboysarehot @cale8makar @makarhughes @starshine-hockey-girl @slafgoalskybaby

[adrianmasri]

       ➼ SONGS THAT ADRIAN COULD HAVE WRITTEN… 

1. Daisy Daisy // Sea Girls

❝ You shiver echoes in the morning sun Mindless kisses like a Gatling gun Your long hair tumbles out the bed With silver dreams swaying overhead

Hold me Daisy, Daisy, like a reckless fool Tell me, Daisy, Daisy, are you meaning to? And though you never knew me, could you learn to? If I gave you my heart and my whole life too? ❞

2. Cherry Came Too // The Jesus and the Mary Chain

❝ In the light of all my darkest mornings Things fall into place And all the soft orange colored dawnings Fall into place and

Cherry's scratching like a grain of sand The trigger itch in the killer's hand Me and cherry are so extreme Making love to the sound of a scream ❞

3. Tummy // Tamino

❝ I'm no longer found Sex got all my pride I'm no longer found

Passed out in the yard of angels Disabled I saw someone change the labels I've seen it I saw someone change the meaning

Once we were lost Like we almost Like we almost, were in love Can't you help it, thinking of me? Think you love me It's like you must, like you almost, like you almost Have a lust For making something of me, something of me ❞

4. u don't know me // Yot Club

❝ No, you don't know me No, you can't see Show me to what I need Focus on the dream

Look, “I wanna feel like everyone else I wanna feel like everyone else I wanna feel like everyone else I just wanna feel like everyone, " she said

I feel I'm falling back To where I was long ago Way on my own on the road again ❞

5. Fall With Me // The Wild Reed

❝ Sure is good to get a kiss But the best part is that risk wondering if Maybe we got it all wrong And I know my love is true Would I give to be back in that room When we were running out of things to say I couldn’t fall asleep With you in the same room as me Fall with me, baby I know it feels shaky ❞

[itsallyscorner]

Bring Me Back

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Summary: Filming “Cherry” had its ups and downs for Tom. When filming finally takes its toll on him, you’re there to instantly bring him back from the world of Cherry.

Warnings: Mentions of drug abuse, PTSD, murder. A smidge of smut.

A/n: In honor of the Cherry🍒 trailer dropping, I decided to write this!

(GIF creds: @atealiers )

Any kind of project was a blessing to Tom. He loved being an actor. He was fond of telling stories through the big screen and got a kick from portraying many different characters. Acting was something he felt passionate about, it was his craft and he was very dedicated when it came to becoming his roles. Cherry was quite different from the other movies he’s been in. It was dark and contained many subjects like drug addiction, PTSD, and crime. The world of Cherry was something Tom was not used to; it was twisted. He hasn’t been exposed to things like drugs or the events that Nico Walker had been through. Which was why he was hesitant to take on the role of Cherry.

When the Russo Brothers approached him with the idea, he was excited. He was getting the opportunity to tell another story and would explore the world of a new character. Though the more he looked into it, he realized that maybe he wasn’t up for the role. Was he really ready to dive into the dark and traumatizing life of Nico Walker? As an actor, he was willing to take the job, it would give him an opportunity to expand his career and would possibly be one of his best work. As Tom, he wasn’t sure if he could handle learning or re-enacting the events that occurred in Cherry. But Tom did like a challenge, which was why he ended up agreeing to become Cherry.

He prepared himself mentally and physically pre- production. For research, he interviewed army veterans and former drug addicts to get an idea of what it was like to be in those positions. To get the look of Cherry, he did a variety of things. For example, going on a diet and losing weight, then gaining said weight again once they had to shoot the army scenes. Another thing he did was shave off the gorgeous brown curls that adorned his head. At first you weren’t too happy with his change in hairstyle, but later on you found yourself running your hands along the short strands of hair, loving the fuzzy feeling it gave your palms.

After the interviews and hearing others’ experience, Tom felt a level of responsibility to tell the story of millions of people around the world. Not only was it telling the story of Nico, but of other army veterans who suffered from PTSD and people who’ve had drug addictions. He was fully on board now and there was no looking back. He was going to push himself to the limit and to places he’s never been before.

Filming was tough. There were scenes he had to do that were so unlike him, that felt wrong, and sometimes he just had to take a step back. They didn’t feel right, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. This was his job, if he wanted this movie to be the best that it can, he was going to commit. Thankfully, he was working with the Russos, who he’s known for a while now. He was familiar with the two and they were patient with him, giving him the time to regain himself before shooting an intense scene. The cast and crew were very understanding as well, creating a safe space for him on set. Having Harry along with him helped as well, the familiarity of his brother kept him grounded and avoided him from falling into the void of Cherry. Though he had all these supportive people around him, there was only one person who could calm him down when things got suffocating on set. The only person he wanted to be in Cleveland with him but wasn’t. You. Since you had your own life and job, you were unable to fly out to Cleveland with him. Instead you stayed at your shared home with Tessa as company. All he needed was you when he felt the affects of Cherry caging in on him. Just the sound of your comforting voice over the phone could clear his head and make him breath again.

He had his bad days on set, where he would have to take a moment and hide in his trailer for a few minutes. During those few minutes he liked to be alone as he waited for you to answer your phone. The line would ring, it’d stop, then the sound of your sweet voice would be the only thing he’d hear. Sometimes you didn’t answer the first time, but nonetheless you answered eventually. It wasn’t the same as having you with him in person, you had your responsibilities, and he understood that. He just wished that one day you’d come to Cleveland. He wanted to be in your arms, stuff his face into your neck, breath in your familiar scent, he just wanted to feel you. You were his home. His safe haven. And it was all he wanted right now.

•

Glancing at your phone, you wondered why Tom hasn’t texted you yet. Not that you were itching for him to text you, but because around this time he would be blowing up your phone telling you things that happened during filming or how his day was going. You decided that filming probably went into overtime making him busy during his break. You shrug to yourself and continue working on your laptop.

You hear the sound of Tessa’s nails clicking against the floors as she enters the office of your home. You greet her with a smile as she settles herself beside your legs.

“Is it dinner time already, Tess?” You scratch her head as you glance at the time on your screen. It was currently nine at night, a bit late for dinner, but you haven’t noticed.

“Just give me five more minutes and I’ll get us dinner. How does that sound, love?” A somewhat sound of approval emits from Tessa. You get back to work, fingers typing away as you finish off the last of your work.

You finish in four minutes, finally satisfied with your work. You let out a content sigh and turn your laptop off. When you get up you stretch and let your bones crack after being in the same position for hours. Tessa joins you, stretching out her front paws then shaking her body out. You chuckle as you lead the way to the kitchen. Taking the scoop for Tessa’s kibble, you fill her bowl up, causing the dog to look up in curiosity. Once you placed the bowl down, her tail wagged wildly as she stuffed her face into her food.

You decided on going for something simple, ramen noodles. You were too tired too cook anything and ramen noodles were the quickest thing to cook in your pantry. While you waited for the noodles to heat up you checked your phone. You went through your notifications, but there were still no texts from Tom. Though you were concerned, you assumed that they had a long shooting day, making him too busy to text. 

Hi love! I hope you’re doing well in Cleveland. I know you’re probably busy, but hopefully filming isn’t tiring you out too much. Have an amazing day! Don’t forget to drink some water from time to time and eat :) Tess and I miss you and love you so much! Talk soon xxx

You send the text with a smile. He won’t read it till he was free or done with filming, but you knew he’d see the message while you were asleep.

The microwave beeps, letting you know that your food was done. You end your night catching up on episodes of New Girl and eating soup. When you were done you did your nightly routine and settled in bed. You turn the lights off and snuggled under the warm sheets.

“Night Tessa.” You whisper to her. A huff comes out of her as she makes herself comfortable on the foot of your bed. When the both of you were settled, you slowly drifted off to sleep.

Buzz

Buzz

The harsh vibrations of your phone shook you awake. Desperate for sleep, you blindly grab your phone and turn it off. Silence fills the room again as you turn around to stuff your face into Tom’s pillow. You were slowly drifting back to sleep when your phone began to vibrate again. With a groan you stretch back and snatch for phone off the night stand. You don’t bother looking at the caller id.

“Hello?” Your voice rasps out.

“Thank God you answered.” The person on the other line said. “I know you’re busy, but how soon can you visit Cleveland?” The deep voice was belonged to Harry.

“Uh—I’m not too sure, I’ll need to check in with my boss.” You reply. When you start feeling more awake you become curious as to why Harry can be calling you. “Why? Is everything ok? How’s Tom? I haven’t heard from him all day.”

The younger Holland sighs. He takes a moment to answer your questions making you suffer in silence, wondering what could have happened to your boyfriend. “Um, they’ve been shooting some intense scenes lately. Tom’s been trying his best but everyone’s noticed that he’s been a bit different.”

You sit up in bed feeling more awake. “What do you mean by different, Haz?”

“Well he’s snapped at the Russos quite a few times. There was this one scene, that they shot multiple times, and Tom would just break down after every one. (Y/n), I’m concerned for my brother, I don’t know what else to do. He’s locked himself in his room after every shoot. A—and I don’t know. I’ve tried to tell him that he can talk to me but he wouldn’t.” Harry explained, his voice croaked. You heart felt heavy for him. Harry was always there for his older brother, so to see him feel so helpless made you feel sorry.

“Haz, calm down, you know how your brother can get. How long has this been happening?”

Harry sniffed over the phone, “About a few weeks now. It’s only started becoming worse last week and now.”

The concern you felt for Tom grew. From what he’s been texting you, filming had been going great. He appeared happy on your FaceTime calls and sounded like his usual self. But maybe he actually wasn’t.

“Harry everything’s gonna be fine, alright?” You assure him. “I’ll call my boss first thing in the morning and when I get the ‘ok’ to leave I’ll get the first flight out to Cleveland. How’s that sound?”

“It sounds good. Can you tell me if you can make it? I’ll have someone come with me to pick you up at the airport.” His voice is quiet, almost muffled.

“Yeah I will, don’t worry.”

“Ok, thank you (y/n).” A small smile forms on your lips. You rub the sleep out your eyes as you glance at your closet. “Alright Haz, I’m gonna go now. But if there’s anything else, just text me or call.”

“I know, stay safe (y/n).” You bid him goodbye and place your phone on the empty space beside your side of the bed. Tom’s side of the bed. You bite your lip in thought as you worry about your boyfriend. You knew he was doing almost everything he can to make sure the movie came out perfect. If that meant shredding himself emotionally and physically, he was going to do it. Tom was dedicated to his work, but he’s never done anything close to Cherry, making you worried about the thoughts that could possibly be going through your lover’s head.

Tessa, who’s now woken up, waddles closer to you, sensing your uneasiness. You appreciate the dog’s gesture and pull her into your side, resting your chin on her head. You were basically sleepless the whole night. Although you haven’t emailed your boss yet, you already had a suitcase packed of your clothes. Your passport and other important belongings were already in a bag, ready to leave London.

The morning had been hectic. You’ve managed to get two hours of sleep, waking up at six in the morning. Still in bed, you sent your boss an email about a family emergency and how you needed to be out of the country for at least a week. As if the gods above knew of your situation, your boss willingly let you go, no questions asked and gave you well wishes. With that out the way, you scowered the Internet for flights to Cleveland. Luck was on your side that morning because you’ve booked a flight that took off in the afternoon. With your bags packed, you drove to Nikki and Dom’s to drop off Tessa.

Now all checked in, you were at Heathrow Airport waiting to be called for your flight. You were sat at your gate, with an iced coffee and a croissant from Starbucks, texting Harry. The two of you were discussing the time you’d arrive and how he’d pick you up. When you were both in agreement, you two decided to catch up. He had been in Tom’s trailer eating his breakfast. An hour passes and you were being called to board the plane.

You settle in your seat, but your leg bounced in anticipation. After the things Harry told you, you just wanted to have your boyfriend in your arms. You knew everything was probably getting to his head, all you wanted to do was hold him and tell him that he was going to be ok. As the plane began to take off, your lack of sleep caught up on you. Throughout the whole flight, you slept soundly, the worries of Tom subsiding for the time being.

~🛬~

The plane lands in Cleveland safely. It was night when you arrived. With your bags, you looked around the airport for a familiar curly haired boy. Harry waves wildly at you before running and pulling you into a tight hug. You laugh wrapping your arms around the slender boy.

“How’s your day been, Haz?” You ruffle his hair as he rolls your suitcase to the parking lot. He shrugs, “The usual. Was on set with Tom, ran around and got things for him, nothing much happened honestly. But you’re here now, so this is the highlight of my night.”

The two of you approach a black car with a driver inside, Harry motions for him to unlock the trunk. He lifts your case in before the two of you get into the backseat.

“How was your flight?” Harry asks you. The car began to move, exiting the airport and entering the highway.

“I slept through all of it, I don’t remember a thing about the flight besides getting on and off it.” You chuckle, leaning your head back against the headrest.

Harry nudges your shoulder, “Thanks for coming out with such short notice.” You wave him off. “It’s no worries, anything for my boys.”

The car is quiet, the only sounds that could be heard is the car’s wheels against the pavement. You turn to Harry, “How was he today?”

“He was pretty good in the morning.” Harry started. “Then filming started and he would grow frustrated after a few scenes. His temper’s been short. He snapped at me during lunch, which is normal, but I just asked him if he wanted some water. He broke down after a certain scene today, I tried talking to him but he still wouldn’t open up about it.” Tom wasn’t too open about his feelings sometimes. He struggled to voice them at times making all his frustrations and feelings bottled up in his head.

Half an hour later and you guys arrive at Tom’s rented home in Atlanta. As soon as you opened the door, you felt the heavy atmosphere. It was somber and tense, the chilliness of the weather also felt inside the house. Harry gestures up the stairs, “Don’t worry, go see him. His room is the first door on the left.”

You quietly thank him and climb up the stairs. You find his door, taking a deep breath before knocking. You hear some shuffling behind the door, “Harry I’m fine! Leave me alone!” His voice was deep, a bit scratchy. You frown at the door.

“Tom?” The room falls quiet. Suddenly you hear fumbling and the sound of heavy footsteps behind the door. The door opens and you finally see him. He was dressed in a large shirt with sweatpants. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, eyes glassy, and chapped lips.

“(Y/n)? You’re here?” He asks you in disbelief. A tight lipped grin forms on your lips.

“Yeah, Har—“ You were going to explain how you got there but he immediately threw himself at you. His arms wrap tightly around your figure, his head dipped into your neck, pulling your closer into him. One of your arms go around his neck while the other rubs his back soothingly. A whimper bubbles out of him, his shoulders beginning to shake. You managed to shuffle the both of you back into his room, closing the door behind you.

“You’re ok.” You whisper into his ear, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck. His grip around you never falters. Though he was much taller than you, he seemed so small at the moment. His body drowned in the shirt he wore, making him look thinner. You feel tears soaking into your shirt, making your heart clench in pain. You rest your forehead against his shoulder, holding and whispering sweet nothings into his ear until he was ready to speak.

A few minutes pass until his removes his head from your neck. You frown at his tear stained face, his eyes and cheeks red from quietly sobbing into your shoulder. Your hands cup his face, wiping the trails of tears on his cheeks. Tom leans closer to your touch, his eyes shut while his lips kiss your palm.

“I’m sorry, you’re probably tired from the flight.” He apologizes but you shake your head. You lead him to his bed and sit against the headboard. Tom follows in suit, desperately trying to get closer to you. His arms wrap around your torso, his head rests on your chest, while your legs tangle themselves together.

“I’ve had plenty of sleep on the flight, how are you?” Your lips are against his short hair from holding him so close. You nails scratch softly at his hair, calming him down.

“I don’t know if I could finish it.” He quietly admits. He shakes his head at himself.

“Why’s that, Tom?” Your boyfriend takes a deep breath as he sits up, removing himself from your touch. He sits across from you with legs crossed as he holds his head in his hands.

“I—I, it’s too much. There’s so much fucked up things he’s done. And all the things he’s seen. I just—sometimes I feel like it’s me who’s committed all of those things. When we shoot the scenes in the war and when I had to do drugs and rob banks, I felt like I lost myself—“ He cries interrupting himself to take a breath in. Compared to your fingers that ran gently through his hair, his clawed at his head. His palms rub harshly at his face, turning his skin a bright tint of red. To see Tom in such pain made you sad. You hated seeing him like this.

You gently remove his hands from scratching at his face and hold them in his lap. He stares down at your hands, clinging onto them as if his life depended on it. “I get lost in the character sometimes and I have to pull myself out of it to bring me back. But it keeps on happening over and over again. Then the Russos kept telling me to reshoot the scene more like Cherry, and I lost it and yelled at them.” You feel his tears fall to your your hands, making tears well up in your own eyes. You shuffle closer to him and kiss his forehead before pulling him into you. You stay quiet, letting him get whatever he wanted to get out.

Tom’s face is against your shoulder again. He sniffs before continuing, “It’s like everyday I find something he and I have in common. Then I think that maybe I’m turning into him. I don’t want him to be part of me. (Y/n), I don’t want to be him, I don’t want to do the things he’s done.” He sobs into your shoulder. Your heart breaks at how broken he sounded. His shoulders shook again, his back burning up with tension. A few tears made it’s way down your cheeks as you pulled his face away from you.

“Look at me.” You urged him. His jaw clenched, still looking down at his lap. He shook his head in response. “Tom, please. Look at me.” Your voice cracks. He slowly tilts his head up, your eyes connecting. He didn’t have that twinkle in his eyes, it’s like they’ve lost the light in them. Instead they were dark, like there was no life behind them. There was a mix of sadness, confusion, and even fear in his eyes.

You sadly smiled at him, cupping his face with your hands. “You’re not going to be him. You never will. You’re Tom. You are nothing close to Nico or Cherry. You are the sweetest man I have known in the world, you wouldn’t even hurt a damn fly. You’re not him. I know you aren’t. You wouldn’t do the things he’s ever done even if you were forced to. I know you Tom, I assure you, you’re nothing like him.” Tom hiccups, gripping onto your wrists.

“When this is all over and you’re done filming, we can forget about him. We won’t even mention him.” You assure him, stroking his cheeks.

“What if—,” You cut him off.

“No, there’s no what if’s. You’re going to be fine Tom. You’re surrounded by people who love you and will make you realize that you’re nothing even near him. You are the kindest man ever, you love your family, you care about your fans, and your brothers. You’re busy always taking care of everyone else, I think it’s time you take care of yourself, love.” You tell him. A small smile is on your face but it falters, “You don’t have to go through this alone, Tom.”

Tom takes a shaky breath in. “You’ll be there right?” He asks like a child making sure his mother will be there when he wakes up. “You’ll be there with me to bring me back?”

Your thumb smooths the crinkle between his brows, “I always will. I promise.” He nods and pulls you into him. You climb onto his lap and settle on his legs. He stares up at you, one of his his hands supporting your back, the other pressed against your cheek. “Thank you. I missed you so much. I’m sorry for not texting, everything’s just been so taxing mentally and physically.”

“No, don’t worry I get it.” You turn your face to press a light kiss on his palm. For the first time since you’ve seen him, Tom managed to crack a smile on his lips. He moves some strands of hair away from your face before resting his large hand on the back of your head. “I love you. I love you so much, (y/n).”

“I love you too, Tom.” You whisper against his lips. He takes that as a sign to finally crash your lips together. After months being apart, the feeling of his lips against yours felt like coming home. The kiss was desperate, like it was the air you both breathed. Tom had been longing for your touch, he craved you every second of the day, whether it be sexually or just missing you. The kiss grew rough, your teeth clashing, tongues poking and gliding against each other.

Tom lays you down on the bed, hovering over you. His hands grab and stroke at your body, trying to pull off your clothes to get close to your skin. He suddenly pulls away from your lips. “I need you. Please, I need you.” He almost begs you. Panting, you nod and push him to lay on his back. “Ok, let me take care of you, Tommy.”

He yanks his shirt off, throwing it to the side. You do the same, leaning down to meet his lips again. You kiss your way along his jaw and down to his neck. When you find that certain spot, he lets out a throaty groan, head falling back against the pillows. You run your nails along his chiseled abs and slightly roll your hips against his growing length. Tom grunts, hands instantly connecting to your ass and gripping onto your cheeks. He helps you roll your hips more, deeper with more friction against you two.

“Mm, Tom. I missed you.” You moan against his neck. You bite down and soothe the spot with your tongue after.

Tom looks down at you, lifting his hips to meet your clothes pussy. “Fucking miss you so much. You have no idea how much I’ve been dreaming of being buried in you again.” You kiss your way down his chest, but Tom stops you. His hands grab onto your leggings and slide them off.

“N-no foreplay. I need to feel you.” He stutters out, mouth agape. You nod in agreement and take his sweatpants off along with his boxers. You spit in your hand, running your hand along his dick to give it some wetness. Tom helps you lift yourself over him and guides your hips down his erected cock. You let out a combination of a sigh and moan as your walls envelop and stretch around him. Tom slightly sits up against the headboard, your tightness wrapping around him. He lets out a cry of relief, your walls around him feeding his cravings. You use his shoulders as leverage to pull yourself up but Tom stops you.

“What’s wrong?” You eye him cautiously. Tom shakes his head, “Nothing’s wrong. I just—can we stay like this for a while? I just want to feel you, please?”

“Yeah, we can do that.” You send him a reassuring smile as you settle back down on him. His hands make themselves comfortable around your waist. You maneuver your arms under his and wrap them around his back. Tom smiles at you, rubbing your back and guiding you into his chest. Before you can nuzzle your face into his neck, he presses a kiss to your temple and lets his fingers get tangled in your hair.

With his eyes closed in bliss, he whispers, “Thank you for bringing me back. I love you.”

You kiss his collarbone basking in the feeling him being so close to you. “I’ll always be here. I love you too.”

[thechangeling]

She burns like rum on a fire

Why did I do this to myself ughhhhh?

So @adoravel-fenomeno and I were talking about Kit potentially getting into an abusive relationship given that he's statistically likely too given his roots. So now I give you this fic! Sorry. Kit is using he/him in this fic because he hasn't really gone on his gender quest yet.

The title is from Cherry Wine by Hozier. I reccomend you listen to Cherry Wine and Trauma by NF while reading this.

Cw: Mentions of physical and verbal abuse, abusive, controlling behavior, negative self talk and extreme denial. Also brief mention of blood.

2013

Don't cry.

Don't cry Kit told himself over and over inside his head as he tried to get a hold of his breathing. As he lay on his bed at 2 in the morning, desperately refreshing his conversation with Autumn.

Autumn or as his best friend Janessa liked to call her "the virus" was Kit's girlfriend. His very first. A mundane with the sight. They had been dating for a few months now. When they had first gotten together everything was amazing, it so it seemed.

They had some much in common and they had fun together. Autumn was hot, funny and charasmatic. She had this way of making him feel like the only person in the room. She showered him with gifts and complements that made Kit finally feel worthy for the first time in his life.

But as time went on things shifted. Autumn insisted on spending almost ever waking second with him. Kit didn't mind at first, he loved hanging out with her. But he missed his parents and his sister, and he knew they missed him too. Whenever they had family movie night, or they wanted Kit to watch Mina, Autumn threw a fit. She insisted that he was ignoring her.

She didn't want him seeing Janessa either, or Nessie as Kit called her for short. Autumn always insisted that she was plotting to steal Kit away from her, which was ridiculous but nothing could change Autumn's mind when she was in a mood. So Kit had found himself blowing Nessie off to hang out with Autumn and making excuses for it.

Kit always felt super guilty for making Autumn so upset. He tried to get out of his agreements if it to stop her from crying but sometimes Tessa and Jem wouldn't let him. It was frustrating when they didn't understand. She would rage for awhile, calling Kit stupid and worthless. Sometimes she would make comments about him being adopted, telling him that Tessa and Jem didn't really love him and they only saw him as a free babysitter for their real child.

She would make jokes about all kinds of things. How Kit wasn't a real shadowhunter, his weight, his past, his bisexuality, his ADHD. Kit knew that Autimn didn't really mean anything by it. It was nothing personal and she didn't really mean it. She loved him. And he loved her.

Tonight had been different though. His grades had taken a turn for the worst because he had been blowing of the tutoring sessions the school had payed for as a part of his accommodations. Because he had been spending that time with Autumn. Kit knew it was a bad idea to miss those, but his girlfriend needed him. She didn't have anybody else. She couldn't count on her parents like he could, and she didn't really have any friends.

But Kit was in big trouble. Tessa and Jem were mad. The school was mad. People were saying that Kit was ungrateful.

Ah yes because every disabled person should just bend down and kiss the feet of every person that deigns to give them what they're legally entitled to.

But Kit knew that he had really screwed up this time. He tried to explain to Autumn that he couldn't see her as often as he used to anymore because he needed to fix his grades. And she absolutely lost it. Which he had been expecting.

However what Kit hadn't been expecting this time was for her to hit him.

And she hit him hard. Punched him straight in the nose. And sure it wasn't that big of a deal. Kit was a shadowhunter and he was pretty much used to being hit. But he hadn't been expecting it.

And there was just so much blood.

Autumn of course instantly apologized profusely. She kissed him over and over and told him that she loved him and she didn't mean to. And Kit knew she was telling the truth but-

But he still felt a sinking feeling in his chest that he couldn't explain.

But Kit had applied an iratze, wiped off the blood, and now everything was as good as new. When he had arrived back home, his parents had noticed anything or asked him any questions.

Now he was lying awake at 2 in the morning, filled with guilt and worry as he waited for Autumn to text him back. He gnawed on his bottom lip anxiously as he tried not to over think things.

Maybe she was still mad at him? Was there something else Kit was supposed to say or do? Or maybe he should just leave her alone for awhile?

It was maddening.

Kit turned off his phone and threw it down in frustration, pulling his giant red and black flannel over his shoulders and curling in on himself. He felt strangely exhausted, but unable to sleep. His nose and left eye socket still throbbed a little despite the fact that they should be healed.

Kit thought about using another iratze but his steele was across the room and he couldn't bring himself to stand up to go get it.

God he really was pathetic. Maybe he deserved this. Tears welled up in Kit's eyes.

Don't cry. Don't cry.

This time Kit couldn't hold it back. So he let himself cry. Tears came streaming down his cheeks as he tried to muffle his sobs with his hand. Deep down he knew it was his fault. It was always his fault.

But with Autumn he had really tried. Sure he wasn't perfect but Kit really cared about her. And it wasn't good enough. He wasn't good enough.

Kit couldn't help but think of the last time he felt like this. The last time he was rejected. He had been careful about trying to keep all thoughts of Ty Blackthorn out of his head for awhile. Autumn was a good distraction, even when she was screaming obscenities at him. It was still a distraction.

Kit closed his eyes and conjured the memory of holding Ty up on the roof. If he squeezed his eyes tightly enough, Kit could still feel the softness of his hoodie and the slight tickle of Ty's dark hair against his skin. He could conjure the smell of Ty's skin and the way he had trembled slightly against Kit's body.

I should have kissed him. Kit mused, hugging himself tightly. Just once. Even if Ty had pushed him away in disgust, it would have been worth it. Just to know what it felt like.

Suddenly from the bottom of the bed, Kit's phone lit up with a call. He scrambled to grab it, thinking it was Autumn, but it was actually Janessa. Kit cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound normal as he answered the phone.

"Why are you calling me at 2 am Nessie?"

"The better question is why are you still awake at 2 am," she pointed out, sounding smug. "I'm a vampire. Creature of the night remember? It's kinda prime time for me Kit Kat."

Kit smiled as he felt the previous angst wash away. "Yeah fair enough. But still, why are you calling me?"

Kit heard her sigh into the phone. "Well honestly because this is probably the only time you're free now a days," she said spitefully. "You know thanks to she-who-must-not-be-named." Kit rolled his eyes.

"That's my girlfriend you're talking about, Janessa!" He snapped.

"Well your girlfriend's a total bitch!"

Normally Kit would argue with her and tell her that she was way off base. That Autumn wasn't so bad and that she was trying. That she loved him. But today he just couldn't.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "We got into another fight tonight," he admitted. "Just a few hours ago actually."

"I'm sorry love," Janessa murmed. Nessie wasn't British. She was actually Canadian. But she had moved around the world with her previous band before settling in Devon and leaving them to go solo. She had picked up on some British expressions though.

"I wish you weren't going through this. But Kit, you gotta break up with her! She's bad news!"

Kit rested his face against the palm of his left hand. "I can't," he groaned.

Janessa let out a frustrated yell on the other end of the phone. "What the hell are you planning on doing Kit!? I mean are you just gonna wait into she hits you or what?" She spat.

"She already did," Kit responded instantly without missing a beat.

He gasped and slapped a hand to cover his mouth. Kit had no idea why he actually told her. Impulsivity maybe? Or maybe he just needed to get it out. But he instantly regretted it.

There was a long uncomfortable silence on the other end of the phone. Kit was just about to ask Janessa where she went when suddenly she spoke.

"I'm coming over."

Kit tried to protest but she hung up on him.

Before he had time to panic or scream or throw something, there was an aggressive tapping on his window. Of course. Janessa had vampire speed. He looked up to see Nessie perched on his windowsill looking solem.

Her long black curly hair was pulled into a high ponytail and she wore what by her standards was probably a casual outfit. A black long sleeved low cut crop top and white ripped skinny jeans tucked into thigh high heeled leather boots. And of course, she wore a full face of makeup. Even after the facial feminization surgery she was still a little insecure about going out without makeup on.

Nessie banged on his window again, more impatiently and Kit jumped up to let her in. She landed on his bedroom floor with the grace of a cat, making no sound. She stared at him silently with an expression that Kit found hard to decipher.

"Show me where," she whispered in that deep raspy voice of hers. She reached for his face and Kit let Janessa cradle his face with her hands and tried not to wince as her cold skin came into contact with his.

He shook his head. "No you won't see it, I put an iratze on it already. It's done." Janessa scoffed and stepped back.

"You know the damage isn't just skin deep Kit," she said pointedly. "No matter how much you want to pretend it is."

He glared at her. "Wow that's so insightful Nessie!," he said sarcastically. "What else you got?"

"Oh come on Kit you know I'm right," She hissed. "You have to end it!"

Kit shook his head. Why does she keep saying that?

"No. Why should I?" Kit retorted. "She loves me." He tried to sound as confident as he could, but truthfully he wasn't so sure anymore.

Autumn had gone above and beyond to make Kit feel loved and appreciated yo the point where she was almost obsessive. But she could also be cruel and spiteful. Kit had convinced himself that he should be happy with what he had because it was as good as he was gonna get.

And the sad part was that was still true.

"No she doesn't," Janessa breathed desperately. To Kit's horror, it looked like she was about to cry. Kit couldn't remember if he had ever seen her cry. Not once.

"Somebody who really loved you could never hurt you like that!" She protested shakily, her voice warbled as tears spilled down her face.

Kit could feel his tears returning at the sight of Nessie crying. He rushed towards her and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in her neck. In the comfort of his best friend's embeace he allowed himself to finally sob. He cried for that broken niave part of himself that kept getting hurt.

She rested her chin on the top of his head, (she was taller then him,) and held him close. "Please promise me you will break up with her," Janessa begged.

"I just don't get it," Kit whispered against her skin. "I did everything right. I did everything I could." He blinked back tears. "Why doesn't she love me Nessie?"

He felt her shake against him. "I don't know Kit," she sobbed. "But I love you ok? I love you and your parents love you, and Mina loves you so much!"

Kit sighed, pulling back to wipe his tears. "I know, but what if I, you know-. What if I never find someone? Like romantically?"

Janessa studied him, raising her eyebrow. "Well do you need to find someone? Who is this arbitrary someone who can give you something a friendship can't?"

That's actually a good point.

"I mean," Nessie continued, crossing her arms and shifting her weight. "If you do end up in a relationship then cool, it's whatever. But the way I see it is you shouldn't focus all of your energy on looking because you're gonna end up missing out on some pretty cool stuff in the mean time." She smiled.

Kit thought about it. He knew logically Janessa had a point. But he just couldn't feel it. He was too depressed and defeated. And as ashamed as it made him, Kit still missed Autumn. He tried to smile along with Nessie but it must have looked weak because she looked concerned.

"Hey," she cooed, reaching for him.

"Can you sing to me Nessie?" He asked. Kit  felt a little pathetic but hopefully she wouldn't judge him.

She smiled lovingly at him. "Sure." Janessa took his hand and led him to his bed.

"Any requests?" She asked as she pulled off her boots and lay down on Kit's bed. He followed her, snuggling up against Nessie with his back to her.

"No not really," he murmered, closing his eyes. Kit was finally starting to feel how exhausted he really was.

Janessa wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, resting her head slightly against his shoulder. "Ok," she whispered very softly.

Kit heard her clear her throat softly before the sound of her breathy angelic alto filled his ears.

"I'm turning out the lights, to remember how to see. Till the renaissance takes place, Until a renaissance takes place, and resuscitates the color of paint and divinity."

Kit smiled sleepily at the sound of his enneagram song, something Janessa had introduced him to.

He yawned and let the sound of Nessie's voice lull him to sleep, putting all thoughts of Autumn behind him.

In my head Kit is like 5'4 and Janessa is 5'9. Originally I had her at 5'11 but I wanted her to be closer in height to Kit. Also did I name Kit's abusive girlfriend Autumn after my toxic controlling ex best friend? You bet I did!

Tag list: (you know the deal) @playwithravenclaw @lavender-scented-rat @jazzkaurtheglorious @waterlillies   @nott-the-best @stxr-thxif @magnus-the-fabulous-entp-bane @foxglove-airmid @littlx-songbxrd @clarys-heosphoros @queenlilith43 @arangiajoan @hardlymatters @the-wckd-powers @thomas-gaypanic-lightwood @adoravel-fenomeno

[theheartsmistakes]

The Last Night Part XXXII

(A/N at the end)

The Parabatai rune on the center of Lucie’s back sent a course of happiness through her as Cordelia and James kissed for the first time as husband and wife underneath the cherry wood harbor adorned with delicate white daisies.

It’d been six months since the battle on the bridge. Six months since everyone she loved found out about the power that lurked within her. Six months to help rebuild a demolished part of London that the mundanes claimed to be a terrorist attack and were still investigating which country it might have been. They’d soon forget all about it though, as soon as the roads were repaved and the debris washed from the streets by the rains. Mundanes were so easily distracted.

The looks from other families hadn’t stopped in those six months, however. When Lucie would be out walking with Cordelia or her mother when she’d catch a glance from some busybody that would end in them scuffling away whispering underneath their breath. Tessa would go on as if she hadn’t noticed anything, but there had been a few times when Lucie had to distract Cordelia from shoving the notorious gossips into the park fountain.

It didn’t bother her as much as she'd expected it to. She heeded her brother’s wise advice and “just ignored them” on most days. When someone was brave enough to whisper an insult behind her back, she may or may not have asked a wandering ghost to tie their shoelaces together or perhaps undo their suspenders so their trousers slipped to the ground. Even though she was under she’d strict orders never to conjuring the dead.

“The dead have fought and earned their peace,” said Charles as soon as he was well enough to hold a Consul meeting. He'd suffered a grave injuring during the battle on the bridge-- though not grave enough. “I’m sure they don’t appreciate you disrupting them.”

During the entire meeting not once did he meet Lucie’s eyes or even glance at her. He spoke to her parents as if they held more control over her power than she did. She knew there would be those that feared her, but she’d decided not to bother with them or their opinions.

Not when the ones that mattered the most had welcomed her with open arms.

Not once did her parents hesitate to hug her, hold her, or speak openly about what she’d been able to do since she was a child.

“I knew it,” said Will, kissing her forehead. “I told your mother when you were still in her womb that you were going to be special.”

“You said she’d be able to recite Tennyson by the time she was three,” said Tessa, her arm wrapped tightly around Lucie’s shoulders.

“I could speak to Tennyson if you’d like,” grinned Lucie.

They all grinned with her and for the first time, she wondered why she never told them to begin with.

And they never asked. Perhaps there was an understanding amongst them or perhaps they were all just happy to have escaped Belial without a member missing that they didn’t bother with such trivial things as what was or was not said in the past. It didn’t matter why she never told them— they knew now and they loved her still.

Both James and Cordelia wanted a short engagement and nothing too grand or spectacular, to the chagrin of Sona. Tessa tried not to share her opinion on the matter, but Lucie could tell her mother secretly wanted an elaborate wedding and made Lucie promise that when her time came that she’d at least have some sort of grand party.

Lucie assured her that she would. There wouldn’t be a family in this realm or the next that didn’t know about the elaborate event.

Helping Cordelia with her plans and watching her quiet, secretive interactions with her brother often made her think of Jesse. He left for Alicante with Grace to settle a few familial affairs and similar to their acceptance of Lucie’s abilities, the Consul wasn’t so sure about how to feel about Jesse being resurrected and thought it best to reintroduce him into their society, slowly.

She hadn’t had even a moment alone with him, to see if whatever existed between the two of them still existed now. She hadn’t realized how much she’d come to rely on her talks with him until she could no longer communicate with him whenever she pleased. She’d written several letters to him. Seventy-two to be exact, and they were all tucked into a hidden compartment in her desk.

Letters that spilled her unaltered, unreserved, erratic thoughts; confessions she could never and possibly would never say aloud.

The last letter she wrote was a week ago and after careful contemplation and exhausting her feeling in the other letters, she found herself brave enough to put it in with the post to be sent to where Jesse was staying.

She knew there was a fraction of a chance that he would write her back, but at least there wouldn’t be any more wondering afterward. She’d finally be able to close that chapter— his chapter and move on.

From the entrance steps to the Institute, she watched the guests find their seats. Her eyes shifting amongst their familiar faces, secretly hoping that he would appear amongst them. When he never did, she refused to let herself be disappointed and distracted herself by organizing the bouquet of long-stemmed white daisies, weaving in sprigs of evergreen and silver heart-shaped eucalyptus.

The hustle of servants and groomsmen went past her in a blur. She’d had to help Thomas and Christopher with their ties earning her a kiss on the cheek by both men. They both smelt of whiskey and the gleam in their eyes told her all she needed to know about what went on in their dressing room earlier this afternoon.

When Cordelia emerged from where she was being primed and prepped, Lucie was waiting by the stairs— the only bridesmaid that Cordelia chose-- and beamed at her best friend and Parabatai’s beauty. Beside Lucie at the end of the stairs, stood Alastair. Silver already rimming his eyes at the sight of his sister.

Her vibrant red hair was elegantly pinned back in a braid that crowned her head with daisies interwoven throughout. Around her face hung only loose curls. Her makeup was subtle: just a hint of blush on her cheeks, a swipe of mascara on each eye, and a soft red on her full, heart-shaped lips. The gold of her dress shimmered as she walked down the stairs, the sun bursting through the round window behind her had her glistening in a way that would put the stars to shame. The silk fabric clung to every inch of her curves. The swooped neckline showed off a respectable amount of her chest that swelled with each swollen breath she took.

While she was an absolute vision, it was her smile that had tears springing to Lucie’s eyes. Never, in all of her short life, had she ever seen someone so happy.

“It’s not too late,” she heard Alastair whisper in Cordelia’s ear as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I can have a carriage meet us in the back in two seconds.”

Cordelia took his hand in hers. “That would be an awful waste of a perfectly good cake.”

“Well take it with us,” he shrugged.

“It’s four feet tall,” whispered Lucie. “And at least that wide. Bridget has no control when it comes to weddings, I’m afraid. Perhaps only take the top part.”

Alastair nodded at that.

Cordelia nudged Lucie. “Do not encourage him.”

The three of them walked to the closed doors they were to exit out of, walk down the stairs to the aisle, and land at the alter where James waited beside Matthew, Christopher, Thomas, and Will. Charlotte was asked to officiate the service and happily agreed.

When the music started playing, Lucie turned to Cordelia to speak, but she was leaning her head against her brother’s shoulder and she decided not to speak. Alastair’s eyes shimmered again as he looked forward.

Lucie had waited in the other room while Cordelia asked him to be the one to walk her down the aisle instead of their father. While Alastair’s opinion of James had only improved slightly, he agreed. The words exchanged between the two of them, Lucie didn’t know, but when they emerged from the room both of their eyes were rimmed with red and she knew that it was not for her to know or understand.

When she faced forward again, the music began to build and the wooden doors opened to a cool breeze. Lucie, in her periwinkle blue dress, smiled at the crowd that turned to watch her. At the back sat longtime friends. Bridget looked as if she’d started crying hours ago. The Townsend’s, Penhallow’s, Rosewain’s, Ashdown’s, Wentworths, and others all filled the back rows. Including some that Lucie didn’t recognize that might have fallen under Cordelia’s kin. Towards the front rows, Lucie found Henry in his chair beside an arrogant-looking Charles. In front of them sat Anna and Ariadne with her Aunt Cecily and her Uncle Gabriel who looked to be holding back tears. In the same row sat Sophie and Gideon, while she watched Lucie, Gideon watched his wife. When the rumors came out about Gideon and Charlotte, Lucie dismissed it as absolute rubbish because for as long as she could remember, the only person Gideon’s eyes ever softened for was Sophie. He looked at her the way her father often looked at her mother when Tessa wasn’t paying attention. They’d be reading on opposite ends of the couch, but her father’s eyes would wander off the page and watch Tessa.

Lucie often found herself hoping one day someone might look at her the same way.

Her Uncle Jem sat beside Tessa in the front row with Sona and Elias beside her, a bundle wrapped in a gold cloth covered the child nestled against Sona’s chest. Alastair’s and Cordelia’s little brother, the tufts of red hair could just barely be seen. Lucie had only met Elias once when she was young before he disappeared, she remembered him being stern but handsome. Through those years he’d been gone, the stern side seemed to overtake the handsome. His eyes were circled in darkness and he lacked color and shape in his face. Lucie wondered if that was perhaps why Cordelia chose Alastair to walk her instead.

When she reached the alter, James was the picture of a modern gentleman, but he also wore the expression of someone preparing for battle.

She brushed his shoulder with her own as she passed and whispered, “Relax.”

He released a breath he’d been holding and gave her a curt nod.

As she found her place across from James and his groomsmen, she turned to smile out to the crowd. Her heart sank just a little at the face that she did not find there.

The Blackthorns were invited, she knew. Both Jesse and Grace, but never received a card announcing their attendance. Lucie made sure that two spots were reserved for them just in case, but even now as she looked into the crowd those spots remained empty and the last flickering embers of hope that she kept alive for Jesse, evaporated in a puff of smoke.

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The reception was held as such in the ballroom of the Institute. Persian rugs of all manner of color and design covered the floors and the spices and essence of Cordelia’s home and culture filled the room with life. Cordelia danced merrily with James for the fourth time, neither of them willing to let the other go. Only Alastair managed to sneak a dance in with her while Tessa stole James away, but as soon as their dance was over like two ships in the night, Cordelia and James found each other again.

Matthew danced reluctantly with his mother.

Tessa danced with Will.

Alastair danced with his mother while Elias held the babe.

Anna danced with Ariadne, challenging anyone who might dare interject or judge the pairing with the harshest of looks.

Christopher danced with a timid Carolina Belltower, both looked completely out of place and uncomfortable. Lucie was sure Christopher had managed to step on her toes not once but four times in the two minutes of the song.

Thomas was the only other one not dancing and didn’t seem inclined to do so. He stood beside Lucie his eyes locked on Alastair.

In her six months as a social pariah, when she wasn’t helping with wedding plans or writing in her room, she took to observing those around her. Thomas and Alastair had become a favorite of hers, especially when they didn’t think anyone was paying them any mind. The friendship was timid and slow. At first, Lucie thought that they hated each other, but then she began to notice that whenever they all found themselves in a situation together, Thomas and Alastair seemed to gravitate towards each other. She observed with curiosity the subtle change in their relationship from a timid want to something she could only describe as a yearning.

It was there in Thomas's eyes now as he stared at Alastair across the room.

“You should ask him to dance,” said Lucie, nudging him with her elbow.

Thomas raised an eyebrow when he looked down at her. “Here?”

“Why not?”

“A whole manner of reasons why not,” said Thomas and looked down at the glass cup in his hands.

“Are you afraid someone will disapprove?” Lucie sipped from the refreshment in her hands. His silence gave her the answer she already knew. “I do not want to rush you into a decision, but take note from someone who hid a secret about herself from those she loved the most in the world— if they truly love you, and they do— it won’t matter to them. They will love you all the same. Their approval is not worth a lifetime of your unhappiness.”

Thomas slid a hand around her waist and pressed a quick kiss to her head. “Not all of us are as brave as you are.”

Lucie smiled to herself. “I shall lend you some of my bravery then. If you won’t dance with him, then at least go talk to him. You best hurry for the song is ending and if you don’t I might have the good sense to ask him myself.”

“Who will keep you company?”

Lucie looked to her left where Oscar, Matthew’s dog, was lying in wait by her feet for someone to pet him. “I have Oscar. He’s the perfect company. He doesn’t step on my toes, he doesn’t prattle on about dull things. He could stand for a breath mint, but otherwise, he’s the perfect companion.”

Thomas chuckled, then as the song came to a close, he stalked across the room to where Alastair was guiding his mother back to her seat.

Lucie watched as the two talked for a moment, both of them leaning towards each other slightly before they both turned towards the doors leading to the gardens.

Lucie felt a swell of pride at the momentary act of bravery and found herself wishing that the world would change just a bit faster to make room for the amount of love those two would share. And if the world wasn’t willing to change, well then she’d just make sure they had a safe place around her to be themselves— to figure it out.

The next song started a slow, sweet melody that had the partners in the room drawing just a bit closer to one another. Cordelia’s red hair stood out like a beacon in the center of the floor, James pressing his temple against her own as they talked quietly to one another.

Lucie had become so enamored with watching the way her brother’s face light up when Cordelia said something particularly funny that she didn’t notice or feel the presence come beside her.

“Not dancing?”

The smile slipped from her face as she turned to see the familiar dark-haired gentlemen standing beside her. His blue-green eyes shifted to hers for a moment as he leaned down, close enough that his shoulder brushed her own. “I used to enjoy watching you dance. You weren’t as serious as the other girls. You would abandon yourself to the music instead of focusing on the proper steps.”

A warmth rose in her cheeks. “I hadn’t known I had an audience.”

He ignored her jib and continued. “I stood and wondered what it would be like to be one of the gentlemen that had the pleasure of being your partner. I would have filled your card with my name if I could.”

Lucie swallowed the lump climbing up her throat. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming.”

“We weren’t.”

“And yet here you are,” she huffed.

“It was a last-minute decision elicited by a rather threatening letter.”

“My letter was hardly threatening.”

“Not your letter.” Jesse’s eyes went to Cordelia who was glaring at him from over James’s shoulder. “Your letter was lovely. Hers gave me nightmares.”

Lucie glared right back at her conniving friend. “I’m so pleased you felt pressured enough to come. If you’ll excuse me, my drink has gotten warm and I no longer want to be here.”

A lie, and also not. She didn’t know how to be there. How to talk to him without there being some physical limitation. She’d let him go. She’d written those letters and let him go. She wasn’t entirely sure she could do it again.

“Lucie—“

She’d already moved into the crowd and was walking towards the refreshment table.

She brushed past Christopher who had switched his brunette partner with a delicate blonde one. It took her a moment to realize it was Grace.

Lucie shouldered past them, set her cup down on the refreshment table, and gathered her skirts to rush out into the hall.

Some tried to stop her along the way to tell her how beautiful she looked and congratulate her on her ceremony with Cordelia.

She grinned and mumbled her ‘thank you’ before the servants opened the doors for her to exit through. Once out in the hall, cut off from the music, noise, and smell of the party, she was able to breathe. She was almost to the end of the hall when the noise filled the space again.

“Lucie!” Jesse’s footsteps came after her. “Please wait. I didn’t mean—“

She’d turned the corner and hurried towards the staircase.

“Stubborn child,” she heard him mumble behind her. She was near to the ground floor when he said. “Damn this physical form, if I were still a ghost—“

“But you are not anymore,” said Lucie, turning to face him as he slowed on the last few steps. A dark strand of hair had come loose and fell in his face. He’d let it grow since she last saw him, the tips grazed his shoulders, pieces curled around his cheekbones. He was beautiful, heartbreaking, ache in her gut, tongue numbingly beautiful. “You’re alive and can go and do as you please. I am not longer the only company that you can have and it was clear that you never wanted. If you have anything more to say, write me a letter.”

She turned to walk away again but a hand closed around her arm. “You’re the only company that I want.” He loosed a breath and drew his hand away, running it back through his hair. “Damn it, Lucie, even now in life, I have no control when I’m around you. Can’t you see, you’re the only person I want to talk to. Still the only person that sees me.”

“I thought that—“ she swallowed and stared at the crookedness of his tie. “You said that—“

“I didn’t mean what I said,” said Jesse before she could finish. “I said those things because I was trying to keep you from going to the Lightwood house where Belial was lying in wait. I was trying to protect you.”

“Why didn’t you say that?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t believe me.” His dark eyebrows drew together in a pain-stricken expression. “I knew you’d think I was lying to keep you from trying to resurrect me and that’d you go anyway. I had to tell you something that you would believe… even if it broke your heart. Even if it broke my long-dead heart. I thought when you sent me away, locked me away that it’d worked, but then you bloody went anyway.”

“I went to tell Grace that I wanted to end our arrangement,” she said quietly. “As desperately as I wanted to bring you back, I wouldn’t have done it unless you wanted me to.”

“I’m an idiot,” he gasped. “I should have explicitly told you that Belial was there.”

“I wouldn’t have believed you,” said Lucie, with a small smile. “And if I had, I would have gone anyway if only to try to stop him. What happened was inevitable. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Regardless, I’ll punish myself for the rest of my life for it.” Jesse dared a step towards her. “Lucie, I have missed you.”

Tears prickled her eyes at the gentle way he spoke the words, yet she couldn’t holster the doubt that crept into her mind. “Why did you leave?”

“Guilt, shame, fear, of what the Clave would do to me, to Grace, because of our mother.” His hands tightened into fists at his sides. “Charles came to me after I’d been examined by the Silent Brothers and told me that I was to return to Alicante, immediately. He said I couldn’t be trusted and that I was to be placed under observation until further notice and when I inquired about you, he just gave me a grave look and would tell me nothing more.

“Everyone I spoke to gave me the same response. I thought you were dead. I thought Belial won. When I learned that he was defeated, I waited to hear from you, but when nothing came I thought maybe you were done. I thought maybe I'd lost you. I didn’t know what else to do so I left. I lost myself a little bit or rather I struggled with finding myself in this living world again. I think that I didn’t want it… not without you. It wasn’t until your letter arrived that I realized even if you had moved on, I hadn't. It took me weeks to gain clearance to come back here. The laws I had to break to be here.”

“You broke laws?”

He shrugged. “They’re bad laws anyway.”

A smile tugged on Lucie’s lips.

He braved another step. Inching just a bit closer.

Lucie took a shuttered breath. “I missed you too, Jesse Blackthorn. So much.”

It was the last bit of reassurance he needed as he moved forward, bending at the knees to wrap his arms around her waist and lift her against him. She wound her own around his shoulders, pressing her forehead against his own. He was real. Every inch of him, real. She ripped off her gloves and tossed them aside so she could feel him underneath her palms. The hardened plains of his back, his shoulders, his arms, his chest, until her fingertips grazed his jaw.

His breath hitched as if he were as starved for touch as she was.

He seemed to be content to do the same. As he slowly lowered her back onto her feet, his hands brushed the bare skin where her dress dipped just below her shoulder blades and continued to roam down her waist.

“Lucie,” his breath brushed against her lips.

Her mouth had gone dry. “Yes.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to feel you, touch you, hold you in my own hands,” he swallowed and his fingers brushed along her arms. “I’m half out of my mind right now with want of kissing you.”

“Why aren’t you then?”

He chuckled. “A nice girl like you found kissing a once dead man like me. The scandal.”

Lucie rose onto her toes. “I guess it’s a very good thing then that I’m already ruined.”

She tilted her head and met his lips with her own.

For the first time in Lucie’s life, she didn’t care about what people thought or the going on’s of the world around her. She let the intoxication of happiness overcome her in a way she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Her friend, the boy in the woods, the ghost who’d given up everything to save her brother, who’d given up everything to save her, was all that mattered in the moment. She couldn’t believe, hated the thought, that she was moments away from losing him.

But like that day in the wood so long ago, he found her… somehow he always did.

A/N: Wow, we DID it! I cannot believe it’s almost been a year since I started this project and what a year it has been. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much if you read one part, six parts, fifteen parts, the whole thing, or if you’re just joining us. Thank you for your comments, your reblog, your likes, for your collaboration and encouragement. I have LOVED this challenge. I never had the bravery to do it before and while The Last Night was supposed to be a one-shot, I had so much fun expanding on it and playing around with some predictions. I hope you guys are satisfied with this ending. I know it ended with some Jucie* (I’m not even sorry) but I hope the Jordelia storyline was satisfying. I’ve learn so much from you guys and while there are about a million things I would like to change, mistakes I’d like to fix, or moments I want to expand on, I’m quite happy with the way this story turned out. Thank you again! 

[2018shawn]

newborn???

I’m soft for dad!Tom atm so how about surprising him that you’re pregnant by giving him a mini Spider-Man suit. 🥺🥺🥺

a/n: I can’t believe how much I’m writing am I feeling OkAyY??? I really loved this request so THANK U I also really enjoyed writing this and think it may be one of my favourite things ever wieghnksd thank u to @shawnsmoose​ for putting up with me annoying her 

a/n 2.0: can we also appreciate the ending bc I feel it is true tom style ... caring ... but not necessary 

warnings: the teeniest tiniest talk of smut until Tom does a tom. swearing I think?? maybe??? fluff???? TESSA. BABIES. HAPPY BYE 

You sighed, looking at the ridiculously big clock on the wall opposite you. 6pm; Still at least another hour until Tom got home and that’s with the best of traffic. Straightening the table runner yet again, you brushed over it with your hands to remove any creases before moving on to straightening the cutlery. It was funny, really; that you thought cooking tom’s favourite dinner would somehow soften the blow of the news you had to break to him.

Okay, you said aloud to yourself, stepping back with your hands on your hips to admire your - if you say so yourself – perfect display. Checking under your seat where you always sat, you made sure the small gift bag was there, just in case you’d dreamt putting it there, nodding to yourself when you saw it sat waiting. Might as well make a start on the vegetables.

In the kitchen, you played some soft music to calm your nerves. You stood in the door of the refrigerator, the light hitting you as you squinted at the half-finished bottle of white wine which was screaming your name. It’s gonna be a long 9 months. Sighing as you grabbed the peach lemonade instead; you flipped it towards the counter, feeling super impressed with yourself when it landed upright. Tom and Jake would never, you thought, laughing to yourself as you recalled their excitement on the plane when they managed to get it in the cup holder in one go.

It was safe to say, after one and a half months of him filming in a completely different country, you were ready for him to return as even the pictures on the walls were rolling their eyes at you talking to yourself. Your phone pinged, and you pulled it from your back pocket before it had even stopped vibrating.

Traffic ain’t too bad. See you soon, baby girl 🥺🏡💛

Can’t wait, roastie’s are in the oven and beers in the fridge 🐷🍺

Marry me? 💛💛💛

You giggled as you were about to shove your phone back in your pocket, another vibration forcing you to open your phone screen again.

Actually, that’s not even a question. You will marry me 🍑😈

“Oh honey, I’m homeeeeee!” He sang, and you heard his suitcase roll across the hard hallway floor before it stopped, assumingly being propped up at the bottom of the stairs. You’d missed his goofy ways, he annoyingly loud voice, his warm hugs.

He practically ran into the kitchen, hitting the breaks when he saw you heading towards his direction. “HI,” he screamed, actually running up to you and wrapping his arms around your waist. You think he almost knocked you over, but you knew he wouldn’t allow that to happen. Holding you close, he made a super squishy noise as he bear hugged you, lifting you off the ground.

“Hi, baby” You giggled, pulling your head away, your chests still touching, and arms still tangled around each other.

His lips came crashing down, eager to feel you, touch you, taste you. He’d missed you more than he’d let on since he’d been away. He knew you struggled being alone for such a long period of time, so he took it upon himself to be the stronger one, insisting that it wasn’t long until he’d be home and you’re in his arms. He, of course, felt even possibly worse than you did, wanting nothing more to be home with you, to make sure you’re safe. He’d be lying if he said his brothers coming around to borrow his computer shit was all coincidental.

He tasted of a mixture of mento’s, the mint ones, and cherry pepsi max and it felt infectious. He hummed into your lips as your fingers found their way into his bouncy hair and his fingers curled into your waist, almost like he was checking you were actually real. “How long do we have until dinner’s ready?” He smirked, nudging your nose with his.

On cue, the timer on the oven starting a repetitive beep and he groaned, pouting his bottom lip out like a little kid when you walked away, swaying your hips with an extra bounce. He tried distracting you as you dished up your meal, which was the last thing he wanted to eat with you stood in front of him. “Tom, I need to talk to you first, remember.”

“Yeah, but we could also talk after?” His arms were wrapped around your waist as you spooned the vegetable on his overloaded plate; you were definitely a feeder. You swatted his arm away as he tried to steal a roast potato, which were of course covered in your secret seasoning. He managed to sneak one, groaning and whistling out loud when he realised it was far too hot for consumption. Raising your eyebrows, you scowled him as if to say I told you so.

To say he was more interested in tasting you than tasting his dinner, it wasn’t on his plate for longer than 7 minutes, approx, washing the whole thing down with the rest of his beer. He joked that he’d finished filming now, meaning there was room for more food without a strict diet for once.

“So, you wanted to talk?” He asked, leaning back in his chair as he patted at his stomach. Oh the irony.

“Uh, yeh…” you shuffled in your seat, palms feeling sweaty and throat going a little dry, “I got you something.”

You started to bend down, to retrieve your gift from under the table but he slid back in his chair, causing a screech across the wooden floor, “OOOO, NO. I got YOU something!”

“No, Tom, can it…” he was already out the door heading to his suitcase before you could finish, leaving you to finish your sentence, “… wait.”

He came back through, holding a tiny bag, placing a delicate kiss on your forehead. “There was this little store and I knew you’d love it, because you like silver jewellery, so I got this made.” He shoved it in your hands, pulling the seat out and sitting next to you, instead of in his normal seat opposite. Your heart warmed at his thoughtful gift, although you had to chew at your lip as your nerves built. Inside was a little box, wrapped in a delicate white ribbon, with assumingly the company name’s initials embossed onto the front. It was like he was watching you open a Christmas present, spilling tails of how he thinks it’s the cutest thing he’s got you yet and if you don’t wear it, he will. Your lips parted as you opened the lid, the silver bangle shining up at you. Wrapped around were three separate charms; two T’s, and your own initial. “Because we’re like a little family, right? And I wanted to be with you, and you…” he laughed as he stroked Tessa who was sat under his feet, “even if I’m physically not.”

You weren’t soft, by any stretch of the imagination, but something about tom made you feel like jelly and melt like butter. “I bloody love you, you idiot.” You beamed, “it’s beautiful, thank you.” You couldn’t help but note how there may soon need to be another initial on there, panicking as you played his words over in your mind. We’re like a little family. What if what you’re about to tell him is going to ruin everything? What if he doesn’t want it? What if he doesn’t want you?

“So… my turn now,” he smiled, fluttering his eyelashes at you. You sighed heavily. Here goes nothing. Reaching under your chair, his eyebrows raised with an impressed glow at your organisation, much different to his presentation. He furrowed his eyebrows, hands reaching out for the small, brown gift bag, clinching his fingers back and forth like a little kid himself.

If he thought you opened your present slowly, boy, did he wanna be in your shoes right now. He fought with the white tissue paper you’d wrapped the small item in, muttering to himself as he eventually just ragged it out and threw it behind him, tessa immediately jumping to it and running around with it in her mouth like the proudest dog in the world.

The pattern of the item was familiar to him - how could it not be? The red and blue suit, with black lines decorating the majority, was exceptionally smaller compared to the one he wore on set. His face was scrunched up in confusion, “you know I can just get one that fits me right?”

“It’s not meant to fit you,” you rolled your eyes, reaching over and turning over the size tag that was still attached.

“First size/newborn” he whispered to himself, “newborn...”

He sat for about 10 seconds in silence, and it killed you, because it felt like 10 hours. His eyes finally snapped up to meat your worried overwatch, “NEWBORN?!”

Excitingly repeating the word, he pointed at the small baby grow “newborn?”

Then to his (in true Tom style) his penis, “newborn?”

And then finally to your lower stomach, “newborn?”

You nodded, bringing your lips together into a thin line as you let him digest the news. He grabbed the small sleepsuit, clutching it in his hand as he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around you, wanting to never let go. “I didn’t know if you wanted this yet, and I understand if you’re not ready, and we can talk, but I really think I...”

He pulled you back, a hand on each shoulder, resting his forehead against yours. “Y/N, this is the best fucking this to ever happen to me, to us. Thank you so much...” your eyes filled up, just as his did, only yours was with relief. You’d never considered getting rid of the baby, and hoped Tom didn’t want to either, but you did come to accept that he might not be ready.

“I think I should thank you, it’s you that looked really hot at the premiere. And it’s also you that didn’t pull out quick enough, evidently” You giggled, and he laughed too, using his thumbs to wipe the tears that were only just escaping your eyes.

“You looked hot too.” He stated, giving you a peck on the lips. “How long have you known?”

“About a week, I knew your dumb ass would fly home and ruin filming for something that’s the size of a blueberry.”

“Oh my god, we got a baby blueberryyyy” he grinned, his hand coming down to rest on your stomach.

“I mean, yeh, but at the minute all you’ll feel is just roast potatoes in there”

Tucked up in bed, you rested on his chest, his fingers drawing random patterns on your side as you leant into him. “Are we really.. gonna do this?” You stuttered out, feeling his lips press to the top of your head.

He adjusted so you shuffled gently onto your back, rolling himself on top of you, leaning on his forearms to be careful not to crush you, and your blueberry. “I wouldn’t ever force you to keep it... him... her? Baby berry?... But I know you’re just scared. And I am too but that’s ok.” He pressed loving kisses to your tingling lips between each set of words as your hands toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck, “I mean, we were gonna have one eventually.”

“We were?” You smirked, interested to hear more.

“Mhmmm...” he hummed, moving his lips from your mouth and across your jaw, eventually ending up at the delicate skin on your neck as he spoke, “I think 3. 1 boy, 1 girl, 1 blueberry...” Your laugh filled the room at not only his tom-ness, but the way his breath tickled your neck as he spoke. “In a big house, and another tessa, maybe a couple more chickens because my kids are gonna love dippy egg and soldiers.”

His tongue lapped the areas his teeth were nibbling, swapping his needy, harsh touch for a more gentle approach. You groaned into him, back arching as he grazed all your sensitive spots, his hands running up your t shirt and cupping your breast. You moaned his name into him, with nothing but love filling the word.

Your nipples grew hard between his fingers as he toyed with you, barely noticing how he was moving around on top of you, reaching over to the bedside drawer and rummaging through.

“Tom, what on Earth are you doing?” You laughed.

“Getting a condom?

[mcwriting]

call me, beep me

In which I wrote a Kim Possible AU :)

Ship: Tom Holland x Reader

Word Count: 3865 

Warnings: literally none lol it’s all fun and fluff

#

“Toooom!” you exclaimed in a loud cry. He had clumsily knocked over part of your science fair project, a diorama of the solar system. His misstep caused Pluto to pop off the wire and dented Neptune a little.

“Oh my gosh, y/n, I’m so sorry, let me get that-” he started to reach down and grab the littlest planet at the same time as you, causing both of your heads to bump together.

You each jumped back again, exclaiming “ow!” and rubbing your temples simultaneously.

Things had been off between you and your childhood best friend lately. 

You’d been attached at the hip since preschool, and though you had your ups and downs, had always stayed friends. You were partners in (fighting) crime, but now it was like you were out of sync and couldn’t figure out why. 

“It’s okay, Tom. Seriously. I can fix it myself. You need to work on your project anyways, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. If it makes you feel any better, most people don’t even consider Pluto a planet anymore, so I kinda did you a favor.”

“You take that back! Pluto is so a planet!”

As you both laughed it off, a familiar four-toned beep came from your pocket.

“What’s the sitch, Jacob?” you asked into the phone, where your friend could be seen sitting at his computer.

“Hey, y/n. I was checking out Dr. Gyllenhaal’s purchase history lately, and well... tell me if this sounds fishy: 200 pounds of cherry flavored jello mix. That might not sound too bad except that he’s at the villain convention and just snatched the last 30 liters of mind-control juice. The first person you look at after ingesting some can control what you do unless you can reverse it. Oh, and he invited you and everyone else in town to a cookout at the park tomorrow.”

“Well, definitely doesn’t sound like any regular cookout. I’ll check things out. Give me location on the convention and we’ll head over,” you responded, annoyed that you needed to take a pause on your project that was due the next morning.

“I’m gonna ask him why he chose cherry. I mean, really. All the flavors in the world and you pick cherry!?” Tom said incredulously. You rolled your eyes in amusement and grabbed his arm.

“Come on, jello boy. Let’s go.”

#

The year’s convention was the place to be.

The villain counsel had gotten together and gotten a spot at the biggest venue in Rio, and everyone had been able to share conquests and victories along the beach.

Which is where Dr. Gyllenhaal was happily sipping on his frozen drink in the sun as his henchwoman, Daisy, lounged nearby.

“So you really think jello is the way to go, huh? Not a mixer at the club? It’d be a lot more fun that way,” she trailed.

“Y/n y/l/n and that... that... buffoon of hers are in high school. They cannot go to clubs. But jello! I mean who doesn’t love jello!?”

“Well... me for one. And cherry, really? Cherry? Couldn’t have at least gone for strawberry?”

“Cherry is the best flavor and you know it! Now let me enjoy my drink in peace before we head back to the lair.”

“Better sip quickly. I think that’s her and her little friend on the parasail that just disconnected from the boat,” Daisy said nonchalantly, sunglasses pulled down to see you gliding towards the beach.

“WHAT!?”

He threw the drink aside and sat up quickly.

You and your parachute were floating down gracefully as Tom was struggling. His naked mole rat, Tessa, was desperately trying to detangle him but to no avail, so he decided to bail, dropping into the ocean with a large splash. 

You couldn’t help but shake your head as you detached and landed on the beach, doing a somersault to break your fall. 

“Miss y/l/n, nice of you to arrive,” Dr. Gyllenhaal sneered as you stood. You were about to answer when Tom was clumsily thrown onto the sand by the crashing tide. 

“And you brought your little boyfriend, too.”

You looked down in surprise at Tom, who gave you the same deer-in-the-headlights look.

“We’re not- I mean he isn’t-”

“Y/n and I would never- What are you-” 

You both stammered. 

“Oh how cute. They’re blushing.” Daisy teased. “Now, time to kick your butt.”

With that you ensued in typical hand-to-hand combat along the beach, using your tumbling skills to narrowly avoid Daisy’s glowing fists along with other beach obstacles. 

“Where’s the juice!? I know you have it!” you exclaimed between handsprings.

“Isn’t that a funny question. You know I have some right here but-” Gyllenhaal pulled out a flask with the liquid to gloat, but tripped, the lid popping off and liquid beginning to splash out. “Oops!”

It was heading towards both you and Tom, so you turned to say, “Don’t let it get in your mouth!”

Some splashed onto yours and Tom’s faces. He cringed and ran towards the ocean.

“Tom what are you-” you couldn’t finish the thought, because as you were watching, a drop fell from your lips onto your tongue.

Suddenly, you felt inclined to do whatever Tom said. He was washing his face off with the salt water when you turned back around to look at your nemesis.

"Ooh let’s see if this works. Okay y/n. Tell me I’m pretty,” Gyllenhaal said, looking at you expectantly. You furrowed your brows. 

“Hmm. Maybe it needs to be an action. Y/n, go get me another piña colada.”

“What do you think I am, your slave?” you retorted sarcastically. His jaw dropped. 

“But I- I bought so much... WHY ISN’T IT WORKING?” he cried out.

Tom appeared next to you again.

“Hey y/n could you tell me if my hair’s messed up?”

You looked at him and without a thought answered.

“Oh yeah it’s parted weird. Lemme fix that.” You reached out and flopped a strand over. 

Dr. Gyllenhaal had a startling revelation.

“Oh no. Oh my gosh. YOU.YOU BUMBLING IDIOT. You’re the one who has the power to control y/n now? Oh dear. Daisy, we need to go at once!”

With that they sped off on a scooter, getting away once again. 

“What was he talking about? Oh hey, my shoe’s untied. Could you get that?” he asked. Usually it was a joke between you that you’d never tie his shoes, but immediately you were knelt down double knotting his laces.

You stood up, confused at what had overcome you, but quickly realization washed over your face.

“You...” you whispered. “I drank the juice, and now you get to control me until we can figure out a remedy...”

“What? No way, y/n. That’s crazy talk. If I had the power to control you, I’d tell you to eat an avocado and you’d actually do it.”

Ugh. Avocados.

One of your least favorite foods. They disgusted you, but without second thought you ran to find one, ravenously peeling off the skin with your bare hands and eating the soft fruit inside.

Tom looked at you in shock and horror.

“OH MY GOSH I”M CONTROLLING YOUR MIND!” he exclaimed, hands thrown upward onto his head. He started pacing and muttering to himself nervously.

You quickly finished the avocado, tossing the skin and pit aside. You wiped your mouth and immediately you were disgusted with yourself, the taste still lingering in your mouth.

“Ugh. That’s what I was trying to tell you!”

“Well call Jacob and figure out how to undo it!”

Immediately you pulled out your phone and rang him up, explaining the situation.

“... and it would really be nice if Tom could get me some water,” you muttered after telling Jacob what had happened.

“Why don’t you get it yourself?” Tom asked, prompting you to run to the nearest snack shack and grab yourself a water. You drank it in annoyance as Tom looked at you sheepishly.

“Well... here’s the problem... so far there’s no known antidote, y/n. Sorry. I’ll see if I can figure it out though,” Jacob explained. You groaned.

“Yeah, okay. Keep me in the loop. And while I’ve got you, could you send us a ride home?” 

“Sure thing, y/n. I’ll be in touch,” Jacob added, screen going black as he ended the call.

“Welp, y/n. This is going to be fun, right?” Tom asked enthusiastically.

“Sure. Fun.”

#

You were quickly putting together Tom’s baking soda volcano as he lounged nearby on your bed. He’d used his new power to get you to finish his project for him.

“As soon as we figure out the cure, I’m so gonna pummel you,” you said as you painted red drips around the rim and sides.

“Maybe it’s best that we don’t find that cure...” Tom started, until you shot him a glare. “Kidding! Kidding. Seriously though, y/n, I’ll repay you for doing this. It’s just, we all know you’re the smart one in this pairing.”

You perked up and looked at him funny as you continued to work.

“Pairing?”

“Well, yeah sure. I mean I couldn’t say couple, and well... I couldn’t think of a better word. Friendship doesn’t sound right either.”

You turned around, cheeks warm.

“What do you mean by that?” you asked quietly.

“We’re more than just friends, y/n. Everyone knows that. We’ve been at each other’s sides for forever. I just feel like only calling us friends doesn’t really encapsulate our relationship.”

“Oh... yeah. I see,” you said, a couple nervous chuckles leaving your breath as you moved on from painting lava to gluing fake trees around the volcano.

“What do you see it as, y/n?”

You felt the urgency to answer truthfully but wasn’t really sure how to. Like you’d said before, it was complicated.

“Well I... I don’t know. You’re my best friend, Tom. I’m not really sure what else to say.”

Tom looked down at Tessa, who was asleep in his hand. 

“Oh. Yeah. Yeah, of course. I mean, that’s probably how anyone else would describe it...” he trailed. You felt yourself deflate in the same way Tom did, but you’d been honest.

You kind of had to be, after all. 

After a few minutes of rare silence between you two, Tom spoke up again.

“Hey y/n? You don’t have to keep working on that. It looks incredible as it is and I owe you a million for it.” You stopped what you were doing and leaned away from the project. 

“You know, I think I’m gonna head home. Tessa’s pretty much konked out and I’m pretty exhausted, too. It’s probably best that you finish up your work and hit the hay after I leave.”

You knew his statement wasn’t supposed to be a command, but now you’d be doing just that as soon as he was out the door.

He got up to leave, stuffing the sleepy mole rat into his pocket where she often hid and you stood from your place on the floor. 

“I’ll get all this stuff in the morning when I come to pick you up, okay?” Tom said. You nodded, a slight, lopsided grin on your lips.

You both stood awkwardly for a second before you leaned in, giving him a hug like you often did when parting ways. His arms engulfed you.

“Good night, y/n.”

“Night, Tom.”

With that you parted and he was out the door. As soon as you heard the front door shut, you were back to fixing your solar system.

#

As you got ready in the morning, thoughts about the prior night came bubbling up.

You hadn’t really had much thought about it before, because you’d been “ordered” to do your school project and go to bed, not leaving much time for reflection.

Are we just best friends? Are we not? I mean we aren’t a couple but we’ve got more going on than the average best friend, right? Am I just saying this because we fight crime unlike everyone else? Do I like-

You were snapped out of your thoughts when your  younger twin brothers called up, signaling that Tom was at the door. A few moments later he appeared at your bedroom.

“Mornin’ y/n,” he said, chipper as ever. It seemed that he was going to put the previous night’s events behind him. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah, just a second. I forgot to take your project to my car before you got here.”

“Oh I can get mine,” Tom offered, stuffing a tri-fold under his arm and picking up the volcano with his hands.

“You- you’re not gonna make me do it?” you asked.

“What? Nah. I’m actively trying to not mind control you today. I feel bad about doing it.” 

“It’s going to happen eventually, you know. But come on. I don’t want to be late to the science fair.”

#

Yours and Tom’s displays were next to each other in the gym and for the most part, everything was going well. 

He’d slipped up a couple of times in the mind control department, but they were simple questions, so no one really picked up on it.

As you were preparing for the fair to start, you rolled your eyes as your co-caption on the cheer squad (and high school enemy) Zendaya walked up.

“Oh my gosh, y/n. What’s this? A solar system? That’s it?”

“I mean my dad’s a rocket scientist. And did you forget the fact that I’ve been to space? Maybe if you read my poster you’d understand that my project is about more than just some floating space balls.”

“Ugh. Whatever. Mine’s gonna win either way,” she bragged, earning another eye roll.

“Yeah we’ll see about that,” you grumbled. 

She flicked her hair and turned on her heel, headed back to her area. You huffed at her annoying arrogance.

“Don’t worry about it, y/n. You’ve got this,” Tom encouraged. Suddenly all tension left you.

Maybe this mind control stuff isn’t always bad. At least not when you’ve got the best kind of cheerleader by your side.

You looked at Tom with a soft smile. He was paying attention to Tessa, so he couldn’t see the way you were studying him. 

Over the years, you’d seen more of Tom than practically anyone else had, but yet you still found yourself trying to memorize every little mark and freckle on his face. You analyzed each curl of his hair. The way his lashes fluttered when he blinked.

You snapped out of it when he looked back up at you.

“You okay, y/n?” he asked.

“What? Oh, yeah. Just got distracted for a second. That’s all.”

Before he could press you further, your phone beeped. 

“Hey Jacob. Any updates?” 

“Well... I have an update, but it’s not necessarily the best news. There aren’t any known antidotes for the juice yet. I even emailed the seller under a fake name and he couldn’t give me a good answer. I got my hands on a little and will send some to the lab. Hang tight. Oh, and good luck with your project.”

You said some parting words and hung up.

“Well great. We’re no closer to solving this and we have to figure out a way to get everyone in town to not eat the stupid jello unless we can find a cure. This is shaping up to be just the best.”

“Hey. It’s okay. Just focus on presenting your project for now and beating Zendaya, okay? You can definitely do that.”

And once again, you felt yourself succumb to his words as the judging began.

#

“See. I told you you could do it,” Tom said excitedly as you carried a large trophy home.

“I had a feeling I would anyways, but I was kind of under order to win, so there was no way I’d take anything less than first.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s my girl,” Tom said offhandedly, taking a second to realize the implications of what he may have said. “And- and by my girl I don’t mean my girl I mean you’re just my best... um.. you know...”

“Tom. It’s okay. I get it. We don’t need to start this again right now. Now we need to focus on stopping Gyllenhaal and finding a cure. Plus, I need to change into a cute outfit for the cookout.”

# 

Hours of brainstorming and you were still no closer to finding a solution, but most of town was now gathered at the park feasting on hot dogs, hamburgers, and all the chips and potato salad they could handle. 

The jello had yet to make an appearance on tables, and there was no sign of Dr. Gyllenhaal or Daisy as you and Tom approached the families chowing down and having fun. 

You couldn’t, however, ignore the large curtained stage on one side of the park.

After hanging out with Tom and some other friends, the curtain suddenly opened, revealing your nemesis on the stage, microphone in hand.

“Good evening, friends. I’m your friendly neighborhood Dr. Gyllenhaal, and tonight I’m going to be your musical entertainment. But first! We want everyone to feast on the finest dessert, so jello for everyone!” he exclaimed.

You stomach dropped.

“Tom we gotta act fast. You help stop people from eating the jello and I’m going to try to get him off stage.”

As you split up, you got another beep on your phone.

“Hurry, Jacob. I don’t have much time.” 

“Okay, okay. I think I just solved your problem. You remember that movie Ella Enchanted?”

“Uh, yeah. I don’t see the correlation.”

“Well remember when at the end, the only way Ella breaks her curse is by talking to herself in the mirror..?”

“Oh my gosh you’re a genius. If the first person you look at is yourself, then you’re still in control! Anyway you can hook us up with some mirrors?”

“Already on it. But first, you need to test it on yourself just to make sure. I think Gyllenhaal has some extra juice hidden behind the stage if you can get your hands on it.”

“On my way. Thanks, Jake. You’re a lifesaver.”

You sprinted towards the stage, now in a different pursuit than before. You darted around the side, looking around to see if there were any bottles you could grab a quick swig from.

“Oh no you don’t,” a voice called from behind you. Daisy.

“Look, I just want some of the juice for myself alright? Nothing else.”

Yet.

“Oh we’ve got a good girl gone bad, huh? I don’t buy that sister.”

She lunged at you and once again you were in typical combat, flipping around and swinging off stage rigs, trying to get to the lone bottle of juice that was resting in the bed of a truck.

After a couple minutes, you were able to outsmart Daisy and grab the bottle. You pulled a compact from your pocket and looked straight into the mirror.

“This better work,” you muttered, tossing back some of the liquid and looking into the eyes of your reflection.

You didn’t feel any different, so you swung up onto the stage and knocked Gyllenhaal over, searching the crowd for Tom as you tried to trap the mad scientist.

“Tom! Tom tell me to do something!” you cried out upon seeing him. He was furiously rushing between tables trying to prevent people from eating the jello.

“What? Like what? I don’t want to ruin the mission!”

“Just say whatever! Hurry!”

“Okay fine! Eat another avocado!”

Dr. Gyllenhaal looked up at you expectantly, but you had no desire to find the green fruit, not even a twinge. Instead, you continued what you were doing before.

Dr. Gyllenhaal, on the other hand, paled. 

“Oh dear,” he whispered nervously, realizing you had found a solution to the problem he had created.

“Daisy get the helicopter! Hurry!” he cried out, slipping from your grip and running away like he always did. 

You let him go to focus on helping anyone who had eaten the jello, those of which Tom was trying to round up so you could help them.

After getting everyone cured, Jacob had called the lab he was working with to get the jello and dispose of it properly, allowing them to run more tests, too, now that they knew the cure.

You stood aside, arms crossed in satisfaction, as Tom approached.

“So you’re you again? Nothing I say can affect you?”

“Well I wouldn’t put it that way, but I’m definitely not eating any avocados or tying your shoelaces in the near future.”

He gave a chuckle and you started slowly walking home from the park.

“Hey, um, now that you’re cured and everything, I’m really sorry about last night. I accidentally put you in a weird position and I get it if you’re mad at me. I’m okay just calling us friends and ending it there if that’s what you want,” Tom said. 

You thought for a few moments about his proposal.

“You know, I was technically being honest last night, but my answer has changed since then.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well... These past couple of weeks, things have felt really...”

“Weird? Off?” he interjected.

“Exactly! We’ve been so out of sync and I couldn’t figure out why! But after last night I realized that it’s because we aren’t simply friends. And I don’t know where you stand on this, but... I think I have feelings for you? And if you want to stay just friends I understand, but I just hate when we aren’t honest with each other.”

“Wait. You do?”

“Yeah. I really do.”

You braced yourself for him to shoot you down and put you back in the friend zone, but his reply surprised you.

“I guess now is the perfect time to tell you that I’ve had feelings for you for... well... ever.”

Now it was your turn to be shocked.

“You have!?”

“Well, yeah. Of course. You’re strong, smart, and beautiful. You kick butt like nobody’s business and above all, put up with me every day. You’re like the most incredible person ever. How could I not be into you?”

You felt yourself blushing as you approached your front porch.

“You’re amazing, Tom. You know that?” he jokingly waved you off, but then you were standing quietly.

“Sooo... monthly movie marathon tomorrow at my place? I’ll provide the snackage,” Tom offered, reminding you of your scheduled hangout. You looked down at the ground with a smile, then back up again, nodding.

Usually this was the part where you’d say goodnight and maybe hug, but this time you took it a step further.

You reached up and kissed him on the lips. It was only for a second, but both of you were stunned upon pulling back.

“I know I usually tell you not to bring anything to movie day, but could you please bring some more of those with you?” Tom joked once he snapped out of it.

“Oh my gosh,” you replied in amusement, giving him a light shove. “Goodnight, Tom.”

“Night, y/n.”

And with that, the man you realized you’d loved for years turned around and made his leave.

#

A/N: yooooo I actually really loved this. I really tried to fit the KP vibes but sorry if anything felt off. There’s just not much as iconic as the og Kim and Ron, ya know?

Anyways thanks for reading and as always please feel free to send an ask or message anytime!

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

Tag list: @readheadwriter, @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe,  

[random-imagines-blog]

Blow Out that Cherry Bomb for Me {Incubus!Synyster Gates Oneshot}

This is based on a special request by anonymous. This is the sequel to ‘Devil’s Gonna Get You if I Don’t First.’

Requested by: Anonymous Wordcount: 2304 Summary: Even while distanced from one another, a relationship with an incubus can be interesting. Notes: Smut, swearing.

Synyster was glued to his phone every minute that he wasn’t busy working. Being on tour was usually the ride of his life, going through different cities and meeting tons of different people. But all that he could think about was being back home - back to his girlfriend. It had gotten to the point where the band had to have a talk with him about bringing his phone onto the stage, just in case she was to text. It fucked with the performance, because you’d pull it out between songs. It wasn’t fair to the rest of the band, and it really wasn’t fair to the audience. So it was only when they were on the road that he was looking at his phone, always keeping it charged. Barely interacting with anyone. They left him alone though - an incubus in love can be a very moody creature.

He was laying in his bunk, playing Solitaire, waiting for Tessa to call once she got off of work. The game went black for a second, and then her picture came up, along with her name. He grinned as he saw the picture of the two of them - despite seeing it multiple times a day, it never grew old. Lying together on the sands of Huntington Beach, her grinning face, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses. His own grin, the infamous hat perched on his head. Memories of an amazing day.

“Hey babe,” He said, picking up the call before the second ring could go through. He heard her struggling to take off her shoes. Those familiar little grunts that he knew so well. “Just get home?”

“Yeah,” Tessa sighed. “It’s been a long day, Syn. Gods, I wish that you were here. I need those magical hands to work a massage on me.”

Synyster smirked, closing the curtains to isolate the others from himself. They didn’t need to see what he had planned. “That bad? Run yourself a bath, love, and tell me about it.”

“I will - once I get these - damn - shoes off!” Tessa grunted, finally undoing the strap and slipped her feet out of the heels that she had been wearing for work. She let out a sigh of relief, and though it was just a small one, it was enough to get Synyster hard. As an incubus, he was already to go - and as her lover, every little thing that she did was able to turn him on.

He chuckled lowly, imagining Tessa stretching out her toes after having them be cramped all day. With his eyes closed, he could swear that he could imagine it.

Tessa started to talk about her day, though Synyster’s ears were straining to hear what was going on around her. Her feet passing across the carpet of the living room. The keys dropping into the bowl near the door. Her bag being set down on the couch. The coat hangers swinging as she hung her coat up. And then finally, the water being started in the bathtub.

“Do you need me to talk to your boss for you?” Synyster asked, once Tessa finally wrapped up her retelling of the day. “Because I’ll gladly make a call, and then fly you out to meet me.”

“I can’t just quit my job,” Tessa sighed. He could imagine her putting her smooth hand into the water, swirling it between her fingers, checking to see that it was the right temperature. And then the sound of a cap being opened. “As much as I would love to some days...”

“What kind of bubble bath are you using?” Synyster asked, cutting her off before she could go into further depression about not loving her job. He could even hear the liquid soap being poured into the water.

“Lavender,” Synyster told him. “And I’m throwing in some bath salts too. It really has been a long day. If I don’t destress, I think I might actually explode.”

“Don’t fall asleep in there,” Synyster advised. “You know how lavender affects you.”

“I won’t, I promise.” He could picture her smile now, the one that he thought was better than any model’s in a toothpaste commercial.

“Tessa - do me a favor.” Synyster commanded. It wasn’t a request - and so Tessa didn’t take it as one. She made a noise of affirmation. “When you get in the bath, think of me. Say my name. But only once you’re relaxed, okay?”

“Yes, Syn,” She agreed. He tapped his scree to end the call, and rested back against his pillow, eyes still closed, thinking of Tessa, and only Tessa. After a couple of minutes, he started to feel a tingling through his body, and the pictures in his imagination grew more and more intense. He could see her perfectly - her hair tied up out of her face, her head leaning back against the wall, her legs stretched out, nice and soapy. She was saying his name, like he had told her to do. Summoning him to her. It was time to make her day a whole lot better.

It was really like he was there with her, though his form couldn’t be seen. But it could be felt, if he focused hard enough, and managed to conjure up her own sexual energy. He started at her shoulders, rubbing them, pressing kisses onto her neck, just hard enough for her to feel. She moaned his name, and tried to push her shoulders back to feel him even more. It was building inside of him. He was becoming more heavy, though still could not be seen since he was not really there.

He then went on to fondle her breasts, which were sitting just below the water. It may have been warm due to the heat but he pulled on her nipples until they were hard, like she was sitting on an iceberg. “Oh fuck - Syn...” She said, adjusting herself in the tub.

Everytime that she moaned his name, or even thought about him, his own powers seemed to grow. That sexual energy had to go somewhere, and it went straight to him. As long as he was the one being thought about. He joined her in the bath, though the water didn’t so  much as ripple or rise. He kissed along her collar bone, still playing with those beautiful breasts that he missed so much. He wished he could really taste the saltiness of her skin, but alas - his powers didn’t extend to that.

His hands went further down, until they were between her legs, to that magical place he loved. Yes - he would admit, he loved her and every inch of her body. At the feeling of his touch, Tessa shot up, sitting straight rather than slouching. “Are you here with me?” She asked, but he could not muster up a sound in response. He just kept exploring, touching her naked flesh. Going down her legs with his fingers, to the very tip of her toes. The straps from her shoes had cut into her flesh, leaving lines, which he was determined to massage away.

She settled back down, feeling safe under his touch. She knew that it had to be him. That no other incubus could affect her in this way because she had been claimed. She bore his mark, right on her hip. The deathbat with the fedora hat was tattooed, the ink a startling contrast to her otherwise unmarred skin. It only  helped to further strengthen the bond between the two of them. Without it - he wouldn’t be able to be here like this. He would have gone mad if he had gone on tour and wasn’t able to have any of these visits.

He was able to influence her thoughts, but he could not control them. The more turned on that she got, the more power that he had with you. ‘Relax,’ He whispered to her, and watched as her body became less rigid, and she sunk back into the water once more. Now that she knew that it was him, she was much more open to being touched. To be helped to forget the day. To just soak in everything.

He kissed his way from her feet, back up her calf, and to her thighs. And he stayed between there, nibbling at her skin, grinning at the giggles that he heard. They were like music to his ears. Definitely more melodious than anything Zacky could come up with on his guitar. He started to suck on the skin right on her inner thigh, bringing a moan back out of you. Fucking delicious.

His own thoughts started to go wild. He wouldn’t be able to fuck her like this, but there was plenty of other things that he could do. Get her off. That sounded like a great goddamn start. Though he couldn’t fully taste her, he buried his face between her legs now, his tongue getting to work. The benefit of that was that he also couldn’t taste the soap in the water. The downside was he missed her taste upon his tongue. He really meant that he would fly her out. He needed her - and soon. He felt like he was wilting without her. Like a man walking around in the desert, looking for water.

Tessa was trying to reach him, her hands going to the space where she could feel his head against her thighs, but her hands touched nothing. “You’re such a fucking tease,” She said, growing exasperated, and gave up. She just put her hands on the edge of the tub instead. She clutched at the porcelain, feeing every little flicker of his tongue.

It was a tease. Synyster agreed with that. All he wanted was to pick her up, sopping wet, and take her to bed. Sheets be damned. And fuck her until her face was as red as the sheets that he had picked out. Make her hot and sweaty with exertion - because the best way to relax was in the afterglow of a good fucking. Everyone knew that.

Tessa’s legs started to squirm under the water. Fuck, it was beautiful seeing her face like that. Pretty as a picture. Enough to make him feel the blood running to his cock back in his body.

All that he could think about was fucking her. So many dirty thoughts running through his mind. They went straight through to hers, and he found that she was speaking under her breath. Speaking his own thoughts aloud.

“Oh my god baby...” She said, chest heaving. “I want you so fucking bad. I miss the taste of your skin. I miss the feeling of you. I just want to sink in and never leave.”

It was interesting, and it made Synyster smirk. He pulled his head away, and went back to work with his fingers, rubbing her, while returning his lips to her chest. He kept his thoughts going, so she could hear them coming out of her own lips.

“I want to feel you squeeze around my cock, you dirty girl. I want to feel you deep, deep inside. I want to watch you take all of me. I want you to scream my name as you come for me, you filthy girl.” This all came out of her mouth. She seemed surprised to hear herself say all of these things, but it helped. She was getting close. Synyster could feel it.

His thoughts left her, and she was alone with her own. She started to moan out his name, louder - and louder - reaching a crescendo as he plunged two fingers inside of her. He curled them to reach her spot. To rub against her inner lining. His thumb kept rotating circles around her clit.

Tessa didn’t know what to cling to. In this type of situation, it would usually be him. But her hands couldn’t grasp so she just kept holding onto the sides of the tub as the feeling of climax came over her. She shuddered, arching her back in the warm water, her toes curling, her mouth gaping open.

And with Tessa’s orgasm, Synyster returned to his own body, only to reach his own. He had made the mistake of not taking his cock out of his pajamas when he went over to her, so now he made quite a big, and sticky mess. He groaned, and finally got out of his bunk to rummage around in his bags and change.

“Ha! Syn made a mess of himself!” Johnny said, seeing Syn waddle.

“Fuck off,” He muttered. He found a new pair of pajamas, went into the bathroom and changed. Once he was feeling a little more clean, he returned to his bunk, just in time to see Tessa’s face coming up on his phone again. His mood was no longer tainted, and he grew excited to pick up his phone. “Well, hello there, beautiful.”

“That was fucking hot,” Tessa said into the phone. He could hear the water going down the drain in the background. He bit down on his fist to stop himself from getting aroused at the thought of you in just a towel. “I didn’t know that you could do that.”

“I have many talents, and a lot of time to showcase them. I want there to be some surprises in the future.”

“Oh my fuck, I’m a lucky gal,” Tessa said. He imagined her grinning into the phone. Maybe playing with her hair. Fixing the towel as it split. He chuckled, and laid back down on his bunk, closing the curtains for more privacy.

“No, love, I’m the lucky one.”

[thescarletgang]

The Promise

This was normally a bad idea. What, you may ask? Normally a bad idea for Kit Herondale was going to do something on his instinct.

These instincts have paid off sometimes, which gave him confidence to go ahead with them everytime. But these instincts have also often led him to a few dangerous situations and a few embarassing ones which he would never confirm.

Just a few moments ago, Kit was sitting in the kitchen of the LA Institute and talking to Ty when suddenly got the sensation of something. He tried to ignore it and continue focusing on Ty but he couldn't. For the first time in his life, he couldn't focus on Ty. Kit tried to act as if everything is normal, so that Ty wouldn't think that he was being ignored as Kit had recently been forgiven for his dramatic leaving — Dru's words, not his (in his words, it was a perfectly, normal and Herondale thing to do) — and he didn't want to lose Ty ever again. When he knew he just couldn't shrug it off, he excused himself from the table without any explanation. No one commented on it as everyone was busy in a conversation. Ty raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything either.

Which led him to walking towards the beach at the current moment. Kit wasn't heavily armed, all he had was the dagger Jace had given him and his magic over which he had no control.

When he reached the beach, he saw a woman standing there with her feet in water.

No, not a woman but a ghost.

And not just any ghost, it was his mother.

When Kit saw her, he swallowed a sob. And without meaning to, he spoke harshly, "What are you doing here? I thought you had gone on."

After finding out about his mother, Kit had wondered if she would ever come to earth and how he would react to seeing her.

Tessa had told him that some ghosts come back for an important occasion so Kit guessed that this must be why she is here.

"Christopher..." Rosemary said while turning around. She had a surprised look on her face. Actually, her face was a mixture of emotions : happy, reluctant, sad, excitement.

"I didn't think you would want to see me, Christopher. I had hoped to see you at least once, when I returned to the land of the living."

She moved towards Kit, and put her hand on his cheek but she couldn't touch him so she put her hand down.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really shocked to see you. I imagined it so many times that it doesn't feel real."

Kit had never spoken so easily to someone, he had never felt this comfort in speaking about his true feelings. But words just poured right out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry too, Christopher." Rosemary said with a small sad smile on her face. "I'm so sorry Kit that I was not able to see you grow up. I didn't want anything more in life than to see you grow up into the wonderful person you are, but I didn't want to put you in danger."

She had tears coming out of her eyes. Kit wanted to hug her and ask her not to leave again. He said "I'm not a good person, I've done things that shouldn't be forgiven."

"Kit, I know about the necromancy. It doesn't matter to me that you helped in doing it. What matters is that you tried to stop it. And I couldn't have asked for a better son."

Kit couldn't control his tears. This isn't fair. This shouldn't be fair. It was a sweet torture, knowing that he won't be able to see his mother again.

"I miss you." That was all he said while crying.

After a while, when both of them managed to control their tears, Kit asked "How come you're here? Tessa told me the dead only come when something important is about to happen." He winced while saying 'dead', but Rosemary didn't comment on it.

"You are lucky to have Tessa and Jem as parents. They are wise and know about both love and loss." She said. "Tessa isn't wrong. I wouldn't have been able to come otherwise."

"So...?"

"I have come to warn you." Kit looked at her sharply.

"Warn me about what?"

"Dark times are coming, Kit. The necromancy is going to have consequences for which many will pay. I want you to stay safe. I know you won't shy away from danger, especially when you yourself have a sister now you want to protect. But danger will be twice for you. The faeries will be searching for you as well. All I want is for you to stay safe but most of all happy. Promise me, Christopher you'll stay happy and live every moment of your life to the fullest."

Kit put his arms around her. He couldn't physically touch her but knowing that she was near was enough for him.

"I promise."

He closed his eyes for a moment and heard, "Goodbye, my Christopher."

He hastily opened his eyes at hearing this and saw that his mother was gone.

"Goodbye Mom." He whispered to the air.

He had a bittersweet smile on his face and broke down there. He had tears flowing out of his eyes and was kneeling on the cusp of the shore.

That was how Dru and Ty found him after half an hour —crying, kneeling with his hands covering his face.

They were saying something but he couldn't hear them for all his mind was hearing the sweet voice of his mother singing to him

Well, a cherry when it's blooming

It has no stone.

A chicken when it's pipin'

It has no bone.

The story of 'I love you'

It has no end.

The baby when it's sleeping

Has no crying.

A/n : So, the idea just came to me and I got obsessed with it and just had to write it down. And of course the song at the end is not mine. Please like, reblog or comment!!

[uglypastels]

Betrayal at its Finest III (mob!Tom)

(a/n) I’m sorry this is a bit late, the next parts will be probably even more late so this is an apology in advance.  I would also like to thank everyone for the support on this story <3 including the amazing @worldoftom​ for the proofreading and editing, especially since this chapter was a real struggle for me <3 

word count: 5,970 

warnings through out the series: (mentions of) smut, violence, drugs, alcohol, guns, general mob stuff right?

SERIES MASTERLIST 

Chapter Three: New Cherry Lipstick 

The meeting with Harrison was on a Wednesday. You were called in for your first day at work the next Monday. Just like that day two weeks ago, you walked down the street. It was raining again. Of course, it was. Why would the earth let you catch a break if you could just as well jump around, avoiding puddles, in a tight pencil skirt and uncomfortable heels? 

The iron gate was just as heavy and loud as the first time. This time, however, you didn't meet anyone in front of the door. Though, for a second you felt that feeling again, the same one as in the park. You felt like you were being watched again. Quickly turning around, you expected someone to be standing behind you, but there was no one there. It was when you looked at the windows, however, that it seemed as if you saw one of the heavy curtains move as someone walked away. You quickly shook that thought out of your mind. It was probably just a trick of the light.

You let yourself in and hung up your wet coat and umbrella on the hangers. It was still not clear if you were allowed to do that, but it felt appropriate. The rain, as unpleasant as it was, did help you appreciate the warmth inside since the temperature in the building was set to undeniably hot. It was actually like walking into a pillow… or more like… the pillow was thrown at your face. Very intense. 

You were told to meet Mr Holland in his office, so that was where you were headed. Down the hall, up the round staircase, following the path of artworks which were worth more than you would probably ever be. Then came the next hallway, even hotter than downstairs, and a problem. You could not remember which door was his office. Was it left or right? One thing you knew for sure is that, in this place, you couldn't really just barge in through any door you wanted. Who knew what was going on behind these doors. With one move of the handle, you could be witnessing something that might undoubtedly get you killed. That would be something - dead on the first day of the job. 

Right as a little bit of panic started to kick in, you heard a whoosh over the carpet, making you turn around. 

"Good morning, miss y/l/n/," Tom said with a small smile. You had to admit, he looked handsome. It was irrefutable, he always did. In his dark grey suit that fit to the most modest crease. His shoes were still shiny. You could assume that they were specially bought for the inside of the building. His hair was styled to perfection but not overdone. 

"Good morning, Mr Holland." You nodded your head slightly down with a smile imitating his. He stepped aside, letting you pass through the doorway.

"Please, come in." He showed you the way and you, just like last time, followed. 

"I would like to thank you again, sir, for the opportunity. It really means a lot to me," you said as you sat down in that same chair. 

"The pleasure is all mine, truly. I have to admit that you were one of, if not the best, applicant for the job. To not give you the job would be an offence." He explained as he, too, sat down. It surprised you that listening to his words made you blush. You knew you were great but being recognised in it... It just hit differently. 

"On that note, let me explain-" his tone changed. There was no more boyish charm to be detected in his voice. You knew you were sitting opposite one of the most dangerous men in the world. It was quite exciting. "We run a tight ship around here. Everything we do should be done as best and as smoothly as possible. We do not appreciate slip-ups."

"I understand, sir." You nodded, reading the cold certainty in his eyes. It made you uneasy, but you focused on breathing lightly to keep that at bay for now.

"We believe that Holland Enterprise is just like a machine and that trust is the essential part that makes it work so well. It would be a shame for someone to break this machine." 

"I understand, sir," you repeated. Next followed a second of you and him looking into each other's eyes. You remembered to breathe calmly and not tense up. You were so close. Almost in. Just one more lie and you'd be in. 

"Good, I thought someone as smart as you would." His shoulders suddenly slacked and he leaned back in his large office chair. You followed suit in your seat with a nervous smile. As if on cue, the door behind you opened, and your pal Harrison walked in. He didn't step inside; however, he just stood in the doorway with his arms behind his back. If only he'd had sunglasses on, he would be looking like a sexy bodyguard.

"You already met Mr Osterfield," Holland stood up so you assumed you should do the same. "If you follow him, he will show you to your new office." 

"Thank you, sir." You made your way to Harrison and greeted him with a smile and nod. He walked off silently, and you just followed. The hallway that you were in continued for many more doors, all identically black. You counted them. 5… 6… 7. The eighth on the left was where Harrison finally stopped. He opened it to reveal an office. It actually did not hold much difference from the one you had previously been in except for the fact that it was a bit smaller. For the rest, the furniture and setup was the same. 

"Well, here you are." Harrison let you inside. "On the desk, you will find your new phone, use it for business only… or emergencies, no personal calls. Next, there should be a com. If someone in the office will need your assistance, you'll hear it there. Mr Holland is on line four." As Harrison explained that, you wondered who was on the first three. 

"If you got any questions-" 

"I do actually have one," you turned around to look at him. He smiled. 

"Then you should find Harry, I was going to say, but yes?"

"Can I redecorate?" You smiled, and he did, as well. 

"Do whatever you want." 

"Great," you said as you made your way to the grand chair behind the desk. "Another question, will you still follow me around, or was that a one-time thing?" 

Harrison chuckled. "I don't plan on it… unless some trouble should come up."  

  "Of course, of course," you mumbled. Harrison was already getting ready to leave, but you chimed in once more. "One more thing!" 

  "Yes?" 

  "Who is this Harry, then?" 

Harry turned out to be Harry Holland. Younger brother of the boss-man. He was "the guy that knows a guy". You understood why he was the one who you were supposed to ask all the questions to, since he knew everything about everyone almost anywhere. Not to mention, he was sneaky, that most of the time, the people he knew didn't even know Harry existed. 

And of course, like his brother, Harry was very good looking. Considering your pal Harrison too, maybe it was a requirement for a successful mob gang… 

But looks aren't forever, that much knows everyone and you would make sure of it. If you had to punch their pretty white teeth out yourself, it's just what you would have to do. They could afford a new pair anyway. They could bear so much shit. That was the annoying part of it all. They had all the money in the world… and that came on the side of the fortune. The fortune they were making by stealing business from your friends and everyone else in the city. The Hollands ran a business empire and they were, without a doubt, great at it. So why did they have to meddle in with the mob life? Nobody knew for sure. Maybe someone got bored of the stock market and decided that narcotics and firearms were more interesting… and who could blame them? It is much more fun. 

This fact brought in an entirely new challenge in itself to the plan. Since you had taken a job at Holland Enterprise, you would need time to get close to the family. To properly get into their business. 

There was a lot you had to do, but you had to stop thinking about it. It wasn't what mattered now. Obviously, it was a problem, but it was another problem besides the bigger problem. There were, in fact, so many problems that you couldn't really keep track of them even if you tried. 

Now, you had to sit. 

Just like Harrison told you, there was a phone on your desk. It looked better than any phone you had before. The screen was still shiny and in one piece. No corners were nicked from dozens of drops to the ground. There was no lock on it, so you quickly turned it on and checked the contacts. There were no names, just numbers. Well, that's not annoying at all. Were you expected to memorise them? That wasn't really your thing. You were proud of yourself for being able to remember your own number at a bar when a guy asked you for it and but it didn’t go much further than that. 

Also on the desk was the communicator. It really looked like a stationary phone with the receiver ripped out. You could even see the hole on the side of it where the cord should have been, covered in some plaster. Was it a strategy to keep things cheap? Or a memory from the person whose job you took over? You would never know. 

Then there were some more things on the desk, a computer screen with a keyboard, a penholder with a few writing utensils in it, nothing out of the ordinary. What caught your eye was the sheet of paper that was lying face down in front of you, so you quickly picked it up. The words were typed in a small font, not even covering half the page. It was a list. 

Refile documents (ask H) 

H? Harry? Whoever wrote this, really could have been a bit more specific.

Pick up suits. 

Walk with Tessa. 

And like that the list went on…

You assumed that Tessa was a dog. This was practically a chore list of things to do. Pretty simple and straightforward tasks you could expect from an assistant job. Some of them had little dates scribbled next to them. Feeling they were the deadlines, you thought the rest could take a few days or were things that had to be done several times. 

After reading the list a few more times, you looked into the drawers of the desk. The top ones on either side were empty. Then, the middle drawer on the right contained nothing but a hardcover notebook. Almost like a journal. It looked pretty. The cover was made out of black pleather, on it the logo of Holland Enterprise engraved in silver: A geometric spider with what you assumed was an H in the middle of it. You flipped through it. Empty. So it must be for you. The pages itself also had Holland Enterprise stamped on them. Custom paper. Fancy.

Your scavenging was interrupted when there was a knock on the door, making you look up.

"Come in," you said. Your voice was surprisingly stable. As the door opened, you felt the urge to fix a strand of hair that was hanging loosely. In the morning, you had chosen to go with a little more of a casual hairstyle, but now it suddenly didn't feel right anymore. 

The door opened and in walked Tom. You didn't expect it to be him, so he was met with a bit of a wide-eyed expression from you. He smiled. 

"How's the office?" He walked up to the desk. You were about to stand up, but he was already ahead of you, sitting down in the chair opposite yours. It was like a strange role reversal from five minutes ago. Suddenly you were the big boss in the large chair. You liked it. So, the smile you gave him was very genuine. 

"It's wonderful. Though I would like to make a few adjustments... if that's alright," you added on quickly. Yes, Harrison said it was alright, but you still felt better asking him about it. You had to be careful around here. It was the plan to stay around as long as possible. You would be useless if they kicked you out after a day.

"Do whatever you please," he said. The smile on his soft lips looked so kind. He spoke so sophisticated, so sure of himself. Even the most straightforward phrases. They were, in a strange way, perfect. 

"I came in because I realised we forgot to bring you one more thing." You watched him unbutton his suit jacket and feel around in his inside pocket. Out he pulled a platinum card. 

"Here you go." He placed it on the table and pushed it with two fingers your way. You had to remember to close your mouth. Gently you picked it up. In your hand you held, most likely, more money than you had ever had in your entire life. And it was given to you just like that… 

"This is for all the expenses you are most likely to make on the job. Of course, personal payments can be made too." His voice was somewhat tainted with a hint of amusement. 

"Oh, no. I wouldn't dare, sir- I mean, it's company money."  

"Believe me, we have plenty of that around here." He got up again. "And I strongly believe that the well-being of the employees is a good investment in itself. Please, treat yourself."  

You were actually speechless. Was Holland really allowing you to spend this money on yourself? A part of you was really fucking thrilled, but the other… was fuming at how easily he could waste money. It was bizarre, to say the least. 

But hey, he told you to treat yourself, so why the fuck not. 

Tom left your office without another word, but you didn't really care much. You were still looking at the little piece of plastic in your hand, tapping your nails over it. Ideas of what you could get were forming in your head, but you couldn't be too rash. You had a job to do. In a sense, even more than one. 

Now that you had officially been welcomed into the team, got your own office and supplies, you weren't sure what you were supposed to do. Glancing back at the list, you saw the current date next to "Pick up order at White Diamond".  

White Diamond, you recognised that name. It was a luxurious store downtown. Of course, what else could it be when it was named that. 

With your new phone and credit card in hand, you headed out of the building. It was still strange to walk through the hallways. They were so empty. It had no corporate feel to it, more like... like it was one of their 10 mansions that they just decided to turn into an office. 

As you kept walking to the exit, past all those closed doors, you wondered how many people were in the building with you. You knew that at least Harrison was somewhere around, and Tom was in his office... but there were so many rooms, so many corridors. What were they hiding? You needed to find out. 

It was at the middle of the staircase that you heard a strange noise. If you had not been used to it being around Chippy's so often, you would not have been able to recognise it immediately. Gunshots.

The fear in you started to rise as the sound reverberated through the walls. It was astounding how easy it seemed for a business family to hear a shooting early in the morning without a commotion populating the hallways. There wasn't even a single cry of panic in the background, or a yelp of surprise. Was this really this normal for them? 

This, for sure, triggered your curiosity. It was always something that got you into trouble. It didn't matter if this time it could get you killed, you wanted to know what was going on.

So, you followed the bellowing echoes of the shots. You went down the stairs, but instead of going straight, you turned left. Really, how did they not get lost around here? All the corridors and doors looked precisely the same... But the shots got louder so knew you were going the right way. 

Then you saw it. One door was open. Just the tiniest bit, but it was enough to carry the loud blast through the empty hallways.

Inside you saw Harrison. He had taken off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. You watched as he stretched out his arm, held the gun in front of him and... BANG BANG, shot twice. 

You couldn't see what he was shooting at, but from what you could see, the room was empty. It was nothing but concrete walls and flooring. Next to Harrison stood a little table, on it boxes of various ammunition. 

"You know, you're not that great of a spy yourself, y/l/n," Harrison said as he reloaded his gun. He hadn't even glanced in your direction. Since your presence had been made known, you stepped inside. This place was much colder than the rest of the building. This was explained as soon as you walked in... since it wasn't much of a room, to begin with. More like an entrance to the large garden behind the house. A whole wall was missing. You looked ahead to see the grass and the cloudy grey sky above a glass ceiling. Some metres away from where Harrison was standing, in the direction he had just been shooting at, were two targets. Both already filled with several gunshot holes.

"Hobby?" you asked as you walked up to him. You looked at the guns that were on the table. There was nothing that caught your eye in particular. 

"More like a... mandatory self-defence course." He laughed. "Not that I don't enjoy it." 

"Mandatory, you say?" You traced your fingers over a pistol mindlessly. "Why is it so necessary?" 

The question seemed to be making Harrison a bit flustered. 

"Not that it's necessary... but you never know when you might need it." 

"Do I need it?" you asked bluntly, stepping away from the table up to him.

"Maybe, eventually." He saw the way you raised your eyebrow. "If you manage to stick around long enough for a promotion." 

You started wondering what kind of promotion needed gun training. Still, you wanted to keep your calm and not show too much intention of prying.

"I sure plan on it."  

"Then I will be happy to teach you." He smiled... except the smile didn't reach his eyes. You watched as he unloaded the gun with a simple click. You weren't sure what it was, but something made your knees feel a bit weak, so you decided to look around. Anywhere but at his hands.

"I can't help but feel a bit dumb here, I am a bit new to the whole Fortune 500 thing, does every business have a shooting range?" you clearly joked.

"Well, to start off, you wouldn't believe the things we got around here, and well... there is no business out there like ours," Harrison spoke nonchalantly. You nodded along. The amount of absolute bullshit that was coming out of these people's mouths around here was actually fascinating. Still, you listened as if you cared. 

"Not that I need to tell you that," he said with a hint of amusement.

"What do you mean?" You raised an eyebrow. 

"Well, I think you know exactly what kind of place this is." 

"I do?" you kept questioning him... and you could tell he didn't like it. Still, it was fun, and he kept his cool. Although, the conversation had a tension in it, like a rubber band that was about to snap. 

"C'mon, no one would be standing here so calmly after having heard and seen me shoot a Glock in the greenhouse. Not to mention, it was my job to find out everything I could about you. You must know that what we handle with, or at least how it can be risky." 

You didn't like where this conversation was going. Not at all. You looked Harrison in the eyes. In the bright artificial light, they were even more striking.

"Honestly, as long as I don't get into trouble and get paid enough, I don't care what is going on here," you stated. Harrison laughed under his breath. "What's so funny?" 

"Nothing. I wasn't so sure about you at first, but now- you got a good attitude, might actually fit right at home here." 

"Thanks..." You weren't sure how to react to that. Next followed a moment of silence. Neither of you spoke or looked at each other. It was a bit numbing, to say the least. 

Then you remembered you had actually been planning on going somewhere before Harrison had caught your attention. He didn't ask where you were going, but before you left the room, he called out: "Want me to drive you?" 

No, not really. 

"Sure," you said. You waited in the doorway. Harrison unrolled his sleeves, grabbed his jacket, put the gun in the secret holster he had hanging in the lining... really, how long could a person take. Yet, you kept your proper attitude up. 

Finally ready, Harrison led the way to an entirely new part of the building. You paid as much attention as you could to the directions. Not only to remember your way out of this place, but you had promised Chippy a full report. You could tell it was going to be exhausting to try and explain all of this. 

Harrison was apparently leading you up to the garage. Just like the makeshift shooting range you had just left, this was also just concrete on concrete. A row of 4 identical shiny black cars was parked in the middle. 

Four matching keys were hanging next to the door. Harrison grabbed one of them and walked to the car nearest to you. You followed. 

"Where are we going?" he finally asked. You told him the name of the store. For some reason, he smiled to himself. You, however, didn't question it. You already had had too long of a conversation with him. It was bad enough that he was following you everywhere. 

The White Diamond was located on the other side of the city. This meant it was a long drive you and Harrison had to take, especially with the heavy traffic that was filling the streets. The first ten minutes of the ride, neither of you said a word. Harrison focused on the road while you directed your eyes on him. You kept your eyes on him without a real intention. When he glanced at you, you didn't look away. There was no reason to hide it. 

"I have to say, Harrison," you finally broke the silence, "you have been confusing me a little bit." 

"Oh, have I now?" The idea of that clearly made him smile as he made a turn. 

"Definitely. I mean, everything about this job is out of the ordinary, but I just can't place you in it. What is it that you do?" 

"I can do anything, darling."

"Good to know, but it's just that... you must have a position in this business, don't you?" 

"You can call me, in a way, the right-hand man of Mr Holland. I do the dirty jobs he asks me to do." He spoke with a distant tone, as if he had the answer there, prepared, for a long time. 

"Ah, so you're an assistant too." 

"Call it what you want, but know that when you leave, I'll still be here." He shot you a dirty look. He had one hand on the wheel, and as he held it, his knuckles were slowly turning paler. 

"I can tell that you don't like me." 

"It's only been a lunch and a day, so don't get me wrong. I think I like you, but you confuse me too, y/l/n. I'm sure you know that our ways are quite unconventional and they have scared more than a few employees off, yet you... you don't even seem to be questioning them. We both know it was my job to figure out if you were safe for our company and believe me, I am not done looking, because I can feel there is something more to you. I just can..." and with that, you had arrived in the parking lot of the boutique. 

As you were stepping out, you realised you had just spent an entire car ride with the first, and possibly largest, problem you might have to encounter on your job. Harrison was already suspicious of you, and it hadn't been a day. You had to work on yourself. Being good at the game wasn't everything if the others didn't play fair. It was never your thing, but you could play dirty too...

The store was bustling with customers. From the point of entrance, you could perceive the type of people that walked around. The type to have too much money to spend. What the fuck were you doing here? 

Actually... What were you doing here? All you knew was that you had to pick up an order... but where? What even was it? This was becoming a nightmare. 

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" Harrison whispered on your side. You looked over and sent him a look of zero appreciation. There goes your bonding experience. Or maybe it was the opposite. You had slowly been building up an enemy in him, getting it out there, making the problem known. 

With no response coming from you, Harrison rolled his eyes. 

"Just go to the counter, let me know when you're ready," and just like that, he left. Disappeared into the crowd. While making your way over to the said counter, you had caught a quick glance of him chatting up a lady. He seemed very in his element. 

You walked in the direction Harrison had pointed at and, indeed, there was a counter. A girl around your age was standing behind it, visibly bored. She was looking at her long red nails as you walked up to her. 

"Hi," you said. 

"How can I help you," she said monotonously. You wouldn't have been surprised if it were her parents that owned the place and made her work there.

"I'm here to pick up something for... Holland?" With those words, it was as if a switch had flipped. The girl stood up straight as a pencil and looked directly at you. 

"Oh, right. Yes, just- please, give me a second, ma'am," she flustered out before running off to the place where they kept the whatever-it-was you were here for. By her reaction alone, you were sure that the Hollands (or at least Tom) were regulars here. 

She soon came back with a small velvet box. It was just a bit too big to have your fingers around it in a grip. The girl opened the case, and there was a shiny, silver watch inside. Was this really what you came here for? 

Was this really what your life had become? Going out doing errands for your enemy while basically being tailgated by his little buddy? You were really questioning this entire operation. You agreed to it, thinking it would be exciting, but... if you had to spend the next half a year going around stores shopping for expensive watches... could you really do it? 

"Yup, that's it," Harrison said from behind you, completely out of nowhere. In that quick second, you didn't know whether to scream or punch him below the belt. He was uncomfortably close to you, so with a push of the shoulder, you made sure you had some distance. Without looking at him, you asked: 

"Wasn't I supposed to be handling this, Osterfield?" 

"You didn't even know why you were here. Someone had to make sure we're getting what we came for."

Even without looking at him, you could feel the cold stare he was giving the poor girl behind the counter. There was definitely some tension there. A warning. It made you wonder what happened. 

Something about her, made you think the girl should have been shaking, but her hands were steady as she wrapped the watch back up. You took out your pretty and shiny new business credit card, but then your eye caught something. It was a small stack of packages next to the counter. 12 or so, identical black boxes. The name of the brand was written on it in silver letters. Yet, you couldn't accurately read it because whatever material was used for it, was reflecting in the lights of the store. To show off the product, even more, a sample form was standing next to the little box pyramid. It was a classic red lipstick. Just the perfect hint of sweetness mixed with seduction. 

 "Get it already," Harrison grabbed a box. You thought you had only glanced at it, but maybe it took you a bit longer. Or maybe, he saw you look at it more than once. Either case, he wanted to move on and get out. Of course, that wouldn't happen. Not if it was up to you. 

"What? No, I can't. I don't have-" 

"Money?" Harrison scoffed and just pushed the credit card towards the girl. You, already feeling embarrassed by him enough, didn't want to fight, so you just let it happen. You thanked her, slightly bitter, and walked away with everything in a small black bag.  

You didn't speak to Harrison until you were by the car. The parking lot seemed relatively empty, so you felt comfortable continuing your conversation. 

"You know, at first, I thought your little attitude was cute, but now, you should really watch it," he said as he opened the door on his side. You mirrored him. Neither of you stepped inside.

"I'm sorry I don't feel like being walked over. Seriously, what is your problem? I've known you for a day. All I did was get a job and ask you about guns-" Suddenly you could hear footsteps behind you. Both of you turned in the direction to see a man walking by with a few shopping bags. Now more hushed, you continued: "-that you were shooting. Since when is that a crime? What have I done wrong?" 

"I'm sure there is plenty of that, but I don't think you want to get into that on the parking lot." And with that, he got into the car. With a slight groan, you got in too. This was going to be a long ride. 

Harrison gave you a bare 3 seconds to buckle up before he drove off. 

"You didn't do shit wrong, and that's what I don't like," he said, which threw you off quite a bit. "I don't trust people who don't have anything on them." 

"I used to shoplift chapsticks when I was 12. Is that good enough for you?" 

He chuckled, but only for a brief moment. For that same amount of time, he made you think of Chippy. He held the stirring wheel the same way, and he always confused the fuck out of you too. 

"It will do for now," he spoke calmly. Not in the way you would want him to talk to you during this conversation. It was, to put it merely, off-putting.

That also ended the discussion entirely.  Neither of you spoke for the rest of the drive back to the office. As you reached more busy streets again, Harrison had to drive slower. You found this to be the perfect opportunity to open up the mirror above the passenger's seat and test out your new lipstick. 

As much as Harrison annoyed you, and how weird it might have felt to buy it off of company money, you were glad you did. The shade fit your lips perfectly. Extra bonus was that by being too occupied with that, you had reached the office in no time. You stepped out as quickly as you could and practically ran up to Tom's office and knocked on his door. 

"Mr Holland?" you said with a sweet melody covering your voice, "I got your order from White Diamond." 

"Great. Thank you, y/n," he said. You walked up to his desk and put the small box in front of him. He didn't show much expression, just a vague hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth poked through. You watched him open the packaging and take the watch in his hands. For such a small and relatively fragile object, it looked really heavy. 

"What do you think?" He moved his arm around, showing off all the angles. The sun shining through the large windows behind him made the silver of the watch shine even more. 

"It's uhm..." Ugly. Pretentious. Tasteless. "It looks... expensive."  

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. A bit too much if you ask me." He took it off again, shaking his wrist. "And fucking heavy as well." He sat back down, putting the watch in a lacklustre way back into the box. "I had a better one, but it unfortunately got damaged to no repair. I guess I'll have to keep looking." 

You nodded along with his words. A part of you got a bit mad. You just went out and got that stupid, overpriced, piece of metal junk just for him to throw it out? Fucking-

"Do you know someone who might  like it?" 

"What?" You shook your head, thinking you might have misheard him during your mental anger management session. 

"I know it's a bit much," Tom laughed, "but it would be a pity not to make use of it. Here, take it." 

He looked at you with a kind smile as you thanked him and took the box back. His eyes lingered on you. More precisely, your lips. You didn't say anything of it though.

He appeared... so natural. It seemed to keep happening to you that there were these moments, glimpses, that made him look like a typical guy. Just a bloke who you would see in a bookstore or a bar. In those tiny moments, you forgot what he actually was, even what you were supposed to do. Not wanting to be there anymore, you excused yourself. 

"Of course, I'm sure you have many more important things to be doing than standing around." 

And with that send-off, you walked out of the office. To no surprise, Harrison was outside. It almost felt like he was out there waiting for you. He was leaning against the wall, one hand in his pocket. 

"Did he like the lipstick?" 

"Yeah, I guess so." 

And without saying another word, he walked away again. You kept your eyes on him as he disappeared in the hallway. Leaving you all alone and confused. You had no idea what was going on or what he meant, and you didn’t like it one bit. It made your skin prickle with apprehension. 

What was Harrison up to? 

To be continued...

> Thank you so much for reading!! Please comment or reblog. I would love to hear what you thought of the story :)    (and I promise there will be more Tom in the upcoming parts heh) 

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[blissfulparker]

🧸don’t know if u listen to harry styles but if you could do a blurb based on the lyrics of ANY of his songs (from fine line maybe) w/ tom that’d be amazing

Me starting at my Harry tickets and vinyl, my 1D CDs, my Harry candle and the $80 I spent on the canyon moon shirt and Jedi Harry hoodie the other day...I actually have no clue who you’re talking about!

IM KIDDING IM GONNA USE “I just miss your accent and your friends” from cherry

Summer sleepover

He had been gone for three months now. You still counting, as he counted to buy not as closely as you.

You had doubt about your relationship. You lived in America, met him while he filmed for spiderman. He lived in London. All his family lived there along with his friends. You two lived completely different lives yet still found each other.

“Hey darling!” The British accent rang through the phone. He looked so happy. He was so happy to be home. His phone propped up on a wine bottle and he tried to cook at home for once.

“Hi!” The sun just came up and in a couple of hours it would go down for him. “What are you doing?” You giggle seeing him scared to put vegetables into the pan.

“Harrison told me we need to stop ordering in so much so I’m trying to make something homemade.” He says. You can hear his brother in the back telling him it’s gonna be bad.

Maybe it was the lack of your voice, maybe it was because you weren’t dressed. Maybe it was just because he was that good but he knew something was wrong.

“Love?” He looked up then back at the Pan. He covered and set a timer. You peaked up, stopped playing with your hoodie as he spoke to you. He walks out of the room. Telling his brother to watch the food as he locks himself in the bathroom to talk with you.

“Love, what’s wrong?” He asked. You sigh hearing him say the sweet British nickname.

“It’s just...I just miss you...I just miss your accent and your friends, I miss the way your hoodie smells, I miss the way you always tripped when you stood up in the morning, I miss you.” You pout with a sniffle. You wipe your eyes not wanting to cry but you just need him. You’re stressed with work, you’re life far to busy and when you come home there is no tom, there is no tessa, it’s just you.

“Sweetheart,” his eyes got red at all you said. He wipes his own nose before going on. “I’m gonna get a flight to where you are.” He says. You immediately shake your head and get closer to the phone.

“No, Tommy, please don’t.” His break was meant for him and his family at home.

“Peaches, you know how much I miss you? I mean a few days ago I was gonna fly you down but Harry told me that was selfish to do since you’re busy. But I need to come to you, i hate being so far apart.” He gets out of the bathroom. The smoke alarm is going off because of his food and the boys are already on it and yelling at him.

Tom was going to make it to you. He was going to come out and spend all the time with you because you need it. He needed it. He couldn’t watch the both of you break apart. He loved you too much for that

[naturallytom]

tom being a little spoon🥺

dedicated to @sunshinehollandd thank u and goodnight

Most of the time, Tom liked to be the big spoon. He liked to hold you in his arms, it comforted him to know you were safe and cuddled up to his chest. 

Sometimes, though, Tom wanted to be the little spoon. Sometimes he just wanted to be taken care of and cuddled after a hard day. 

Today was one of those days. Tom had just gotten home from filming Cherry and the poor boy was exhausted. He wanted to visit with family and friends but given the intensity of the last few days of Cherry, he just didn’t have the energy.  He was grumpy and he snapped at people, though he didn’t mean to. He was just tired and all he wanted to do was to curl up and sleep. 

So you decided you were gonna take care of him. Tom was downstairs cuddling with Tessa, so you worked on running him a bath upstairs. Pouring the eucalyptus mint scented bubble bath in, you allowed the water to run until bubbles formed. 

“Tom!” You called. “Can you come up here, bub?”

You heard the soft patter of his feet and the door creak open, followed by a soft gasp from Tom. 

“This for me?” He asked, earning a nod from you. 

“All for you, baby. Bath and then cuddle?” 

“Sounds perfect, my love.” He smiled, stripping his clothes off and hopping in the bath, groaning when the warm water hit his skin. “Join me?” 

You nodded, taking your clothes off and hopping in with him, running your hands over his short hair and pressing soft kisses all over his face. 

The two of you stayed in the bath, playing with the bubbles and sharing cute kisses for a little bit, until Tom’s eyes started getting heavy. 

“Tired, baby?” You whispered, Tom nodding. “Why don’t you get ready for bed, I’ll drain the bath and join you?”

Tom nodded as he got out, drying himself off and throwing a pair of sweats before climbing into bed, you joining him when you were ready. Tom had wrapped himself up in the blankets so only his face was peeking out. 

“You look like a burrito.” You chuckled softly, cupping his cheeks and pressing kisses to each of them.

“Feel like a burrito. Nice and toasty.” He mumbled, cuddling closer to you. That was another thing about Tom. When he wanted to be the little spoon, he didn’t verbally ask you. Instead he did it nonverbally. 

Tonight, like every other time he wanted to be a little spoon, he just slowly began moving closer to you. It started off with him nuzzling his face into your neck. Soon, he wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled himself even closer so he was clinging to you like a koala bear, his pretty brown eyes gazing up at you, his lips in a small pout. 

Without saying a word, he simply turned himself over so his back was pressed against your chest, your arm tracing patterns on his bicep lightly. 

“This okay, baby boy?” You whispered, Tom humming in response. 

“Perfect. Thank you, sweetheart.” He muttered, feeling sleep take over.

“Goodnight, sweet baby. I love you.” You whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of his head.

“Hmm nighty night lub you too.” He mumbled peacefully, his voice muffled by the pillow and the covers, making you chuckle as sleep came over both of you.

[danceworshipper]

Tessa Chiva HPHM - Profile [Redone]

(information is as of sixth year - same universe as Gracie and River)

Identity

Name: Tessa Gracie Chiva

Gender: Female

Age: 16

Birthday: August 17th, 1973 at 3:37 am (leo)

Species: Human/Witch

Blood Status: Pureblood

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Alignment: Lawful Good

Ethnicity: White - German, English

Nationality: British

Residence: Chiva Manor, a heavily warded house in the wizarding part of the English countryside

Personality Type: ISFP-T (the adventurer - that's ironic)

The Mage

Wand: 13 1/4 inches of cherry wood encasing a dragon heartstring, flexible. The wand is dark red and slightly thicker than the average wand, with a smooth handle molded precisely to her hand

Animagus: Sparrow Hawk

Misc. Magical Abilities: Legilimens, moderate strength, with weak Occlumency

Boggart Form: Gracie, angry and coldly saying that she'll never love Tessa because Tessa is weak and beneath her

Riddikulus Form: Gracie deaged to a toddler, saying the same words but meaning them less

Amortentia (how she smells): Tessa would smell like sugar, strong deodorant, and salt water

Amortentia (what she smells): Tessa smells metal, strawberry kiwi drinks, and nail polish (River)

Patronus: Lioness

Patronus Memory: the first time she and Gracie were ever allowed to go wandering in the woods on their own. They found a creek and spent the afternoon barefoot, eating berries and splashing each other

Mirror of Erised: Her family together and happy as if nothing ever happened

Specialized/Favorite Spells:

- Aguamenti

- Vermillious

- Orchideous

- Visus Aqua (a spell for Quidditch to see in the rain)

- Revelio

Appearance

(picture made using the zepeto app)

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 124 lbs

Physique: Skinny, slightly wider hips than Gracie. More physically muscular than her sister as well

Eye Color: Army green

Hair Color: Dark brown

Skin Tone: Pale but human looking. Has spattered freckles around her nose

Body Modifications: Two piercings in each earlobe and a cartilage piercing in her left ear

Scarring: Various small scars on knees from childhood, nothing major (yet), will end up with faint scars all over from the final fight with R

Inventory:

- Her wand

- Her father's old watch, not worn but kept in her purse

- Around twenty Galleons

- A poem about her from River folded in her pocket

Fashion: Tessa is willing to sacrifice comfort for fashion. When not in her uniform, Tessa is usually in a skirt of some kind with a cute fitted top and possibly a stylish jacket. She wears either flats or wedged shoes. Her hair is kept in two braids or low pigtails. When she's being athletic, she wears black fitted tracksuit pants and either a loose tank top or a Slytherin sweatshirt, with her hair in a tight messy bun. She wears small gold hoop earrings and a gold cartilage stud, and in later school years a peridot ring that was a gift from River. For makeup, she only wears lip gloss and mascara.

Allegiances

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Affiliations/Organizations:

- Chiva Family

- Black Family

Professions:

- Current student and Slytherin Quidditch Captain

- Future Quidditch Player for the Montrose Magpies

- Future advocate for creature rights

Hogwarts Information

Class Grades:

- Astronomy: O

- Care of Magical Creatures: O

- Charms: O

- Defense Against the Dark Arts: E

- Divination: E

- Flying: O

- Herbology: E

- History of Magic: O

- Potions: O

- Transfiguration: O

Quidditch: Chaser, team captain from fifth year on

Extra Curriculars:

- Dueling Club

- Assistant for Kettleburn

- Weekly Legilimency lessons from Snape

Favorite Professors:

- Professor Kettleburn: Tessa adores his wacko personality and enthusiasm for creatures. He's encouraged her whenever she feels hopeless and is a surprisingly good listener

- Professor Flitwick: The number of times Tessa has nearly cried in his class is insane. She used to be worried about being too unskilled at magic and her nerves made her fail a spell at first, but Flitwick was gentle and talked her through it until she was one of the best in the class. Her bad nerves left in third year, but he's still more gentle with her

Least Favorite Professors:

- Professor Trelawney: Tessa is good at Divination. She enjoys Divination. What she does not enjoy is Trelawney acting like a freak and driving people out of the class. Tessa learns much more from her textbook than from the professor

- Professor Snape: Yes, he's her head of house, but he's an asshole. He's insulting to her and many others and makes her feel more worthless than she already does. If she didn't have Gracie and Penny to help her learn outside of class, she would have failed his O.W.L. Her Legilimency lessons are the worst part of her week

Relationships

Twin Sister: Gracie Tessa Chiva

- Gracie is only eight and a half minutes older than her, but Tessa sometimes feels like Gracie is years older

- She regrets quitting the vaults because she feels like she and Gracie are different people now

- Tessa still blames herself for Gracie's curse. She can't remember the incident, but her wand was two inches from her hand when she woke up and she had no injuries besides the concussion that she thinks is just from falling, so she believes she failed her sister

- Tessa desperately wants her sister's approval and doesn't realize just how much her sister loves her

- She wishes she could do something to protect Gracie for a change

- They were super close as kids and grew apart in the later school years

- All Tessa wants to do most of the time is latch onto Gracie and never let her go into danger again

Older Brother: Vance Riley Chiva

- This bastard

- Vance always favored Gracie

- Tessa still loved him, but she would sometimes feel excluded

- Vance did in fact leave her a few memories, but they were locked in the same box with Gracie's and when Tessa saw how many more Gracie got, she refused to watch hers

- When Vance is freed in fifth year but leaves again without seeing her first, Tessa shatters the picture of him, her and Gracie. It's repaired the next morning, and stays fixed until the end of sixth year when Gracie shatters it too

- Tessa hates Vance

- When he dies in place of her, she realizes she never hated him. She loved him and just wanted him to love her

Younger Cousin: Aiden Carter Darkling

- Aiden is the son of Rachel Chiva, Jason's sister. Rachel and Aiden's father divorced while he was still young, but it was relatively amicable and he comes around for holidays

- Tessa never payed the kid much attention when they were younger, but after he started Hogwarts she took him under her wing a lot

- Aiden comes to her for advice when he has his first crush, when he's nervous about a test, or simply needs a hug. Tessa gets to be a big sister and she loves it

- She's way closer to Aiden than Gracie is, and Aiden isn't hesitant to tell Tessa that he likes her far better. It makes her feel good

Mother: Clarissa Vanessa Black

- Tessa loves her mother, but she doesn't agree with her on a lot of things

- She tries her hardest to make her mother proud, because she knows she's the only "decent" child Clarissa has left

- She actually suggested a contract marriage in hopes of making her mother happy. She was really confused when Clarissa forcefully shut the idea down, not realizing all that her mother went through in her own past

- When Tessa is in her coma in seventh year, she hears her mother go insane (it's what wakes her up) and realizes just how much Clarissa loves her

- Tessa takes much longer to figure out Clarissa and Margaret than Gracie does

- She keeps better in contact with her mother throughout her adulthood than Gracie

- Family dinners are awkward but hey, they're still family

Father: Jason Harvey Chiva

- Tessa, like Gracie, admired Jason a lot as a child

- She only visited his Auror office a few times, because while she thought it was cool she wasn't interested in it as a career

- Tessa didn't see him murder their family friend and didn't believe it when Jason's partner Thomas came to tell her and Clarissa

- She still can't quite believe it, and she misses him a lot, which is why she carries his watch with her *cough cough daddy issues cough*

- The day Gracie has to kill Jason, Tessa destroys the watch

- He tries to kill Margaret in front of Tessa's young daughter Octavia, and that's when Tessa fully believes that Jason lost his mind

Ex Boyfriend: Barnaby Lee

- They met in first year (obviously, they're in the same house), but Tessa never paid him any attention

- It was only in second year when she and Liz were allowed to start getting early lessons from Kettleburn that she started noticing him

- Barnaby was a character during these early lessons

- He hadn't actually signed up for them, but he heard Liz talk about them and just assumed they were open to anyone

- Kettleburn didn't care obviously, he's a bit unstable anyway

- Barnaby would always carry the heavy stuff and Tessa's raging puberty hormones took one look at the muscles and said "heyyyyyyyyy"

- Then of course she actually started talking to him, and dear fucking god was he dumb. But then she talked to him more and he actually wasn't? He was kinda smart in a weird way? And really really nice?

- She never told him she liked him, and by the end of the year he was starting to slip under Merula's control

- Tessa was the one to try and get him to think for himself in year three. She's also the one who dueled him, and she lost miserably, but she stood back up whenever he knocked her down and he admired that. A few weeks later, he asked her out to Hogsmeade

- Gracie was pissed but Tessa didn't care that much

- They were a super cute couple and all of Slytherin (besides her dorm mates) shipped them so hard

- They ended up growing apart in fourth year and deciding they're better off as friends

Love Interest: River Mund

- As of sixth year, they are not together, though it's pretty obvious they both fancy each other

- River is an exchange student from Ilvermorny who arrives the same day as Alanza. Tessa is made to be their tour guide, and while showing them around she can't help but notice that this (very handsome) new boy seems really stressed out. She assumes it's from being so far from home and tries to be encouraging, but he doesn't say a single word the entire time

- River ends up staying in the Slytherin dorms, and Tessa watches him all the time (just out of curiosity of course). He almost never talks to anyone, and is very jumpy when someone gets too close

- After about a month of this, Tessa decides to sit down at the same table as him while doing homework. He seems almost scared of her, but after a week it becomes normal, and she hears his voice for the first time when he asks her for help on his CoMC essay. Another week, and when River packs up his things to go to the dorms, he leaves her a folded up piece of parchment containing a poem he wrote about her

- Tessa starts noticing how often River sneaks into the Forbidden Forest, and gets curious enough to follow him. This is how she discovers he's a vampire - a rarer subspecies theorized to be stemmed from partial vampire breeding together

- River is horrified and thinks she'll hate him since he hates himself. He wasn't born a vampire. His family illegally paid a vampire to break into the hospital and change him to save him from cancer without any input from him. It's why he wanted to come to Hogwarts, to get away from them

- Tessa is scared, obviously, but she tries her best not to show it because he had just started to open up and she didn't want to lose the progress they had been making. When she tells him she's not scared of him River doesn't look like he believes her, but he's so relieved she's trying that he hugs her

- They very quickly become much closer after that, and Tessa realizes that she might be in too deep when she shoves her wrist in his face for him to drink from when he weakly confesses he hasn't had any blood in two weeks without a second thought

- He buys her the ring during January. He claims it's for being such a good friend, but Tessa hopes it's because he likes her (they're both so oblivious)

- They'll get together in seventh year over Christmas break. They both stay behind at the school, and end up confessing while sitting in front of the fire in the Slytheirn common room

Best Friend: Liz Tuttle

- Tessa and Liz met in first year, the first night in the dorms

- Liz, being her awkward self, asked slightly too loudly if anyone wanted to discuss the Fwooper

- Tessa did indeed want to discuss the Fwooper

- Boom, best friends

- Tessa tries being vegan like Liz but can't take it, and reverts to being vegetarian. She's not exactly good at that either, but she never eats meat in front of Liz (at home is fair game)

- She and Liz spend a lot of their free time outside, sneaking into the forest even

- On an assignment from Kettleburn, they accidentally discover the Room of Requirement and now spend free time during bad weather in there

- Liz constantly reassures her that she's not a bad sister for stepping back from the vaults

Rival: Skye Parkin

- They may have been teammates, but Tessa and Skye HATED each other. It really threw off the team dynamics for a while

- Tessa almost quit because Skye made practices miserable for her, and this is when she and Erika ended up friends. Erika convinced her to stay on the team and make Quidditch miserable for Skye instead, and even helped train her

- Orion picking Tessa as his successor and not Skye (who was a year older and more experienced) made Skye so mad she broke her broom and quit. Tessa couldn't help being happy about that. Skye brings out her inner pettiness

Enemy: Vance Riley Chiva

- Tessa is just so sure he's lost all humanity

- She's mad at him for getting them into this mess in the first place

- She swears the next time she sees him, she's going to smack him

- She doesn't get the chance, nor does she get to say anything at all

Dormmates:

- Gracie Chiva

- Liz Tuttle

- Rowan Khanna: they're friends, but very casually, as Rowan is Gracie's best friend

- Merula Snyde: they're not friends, nor will they ever be, but they try very hard not to argue for Gracie's sake

- Ismelda Murk: they too are not friends, but they study History of Magic together because they have similar studying styles and both find the subject interesting

- Colette Belrose: see below

Pets:

- Ruby, the family Crup

- Clara, Vance's toad (she's more Gracie's pet)

- Elaura, a shared owl

- Lemmy, a moke

- various creatures in the reserve that Tessa and Liz coparent

Closest Canon Friends

- Chiara Lobosca: the werewolf quest? Tessa did that. She adores Chiara's kindness and resilience, and frequently uses her Animagus to accompany her on full moons

- Diego Caplan: he helps train Tessa's magical strength. He was totally into her at first, but he calmed down and now they hang out a lot in and out of the Dueling Club

- Erika Rath: Training buddies with a healthy Quidditch rivalry. Tessa has even gotten Erika to come over to her house so they could hang out over the summer

Closest Noncanon Friends

- Gracie Chiva (Jacob's sibling canonically has no other siblings)

- Rosalie Sonnenschein: A German model one year older than her who attends Durmstrang. A first generation part Veela with a very strong natural allure that has men (and women) swooning

- Kyle Orchan: the Squib son of one of the shopkeepers at the clothing store Tessa frequents. He's the best listener Tessa has ever met and loves hearing about her magical adventures. He does sometimes get very sad hearing about this world he'll never be a part of, but he's too nice to ever mention it

- Colette Belrose (@gcldensnitch): Tessa met Colette their first night in the Slytherin dorms. Granted, Tessa spent most of that night talking to Liz, but she went to bed relatively early so Tessa struck up a conversation with Colette. They're super similar and plan to go on a tour of Europe one day. Colette helps Tessa step back and remember to breathe, and she loves her for it

(Storyline has to be in a different post because of tumblr's dumb text limit)

Future

Marriage and Children: Tessa and River get married at the age of twenty one, and almost immediately Tessa gets pregnant with her oldest daughter, Octavia. Her body reacts very negatively and she almost dies while giving birth, so she and River agree to not have any more children. Six years later, Tessa accidentally gets pregnant with twins, Meredith and Alexander. It's a terrifying experience, but all three of them live and the twins are healthy

Career: At the age of twenty two, Tessa is recruited for the Montrose Magpies after one of their scouts watches her casual group's practice. She takes a short break years later to have the twins, and they welcome her back when she joins back up. Her replacement was shit. Tessa gets better at International Apparation so that she and River can spend time in America, England, and Germany without interrupting their work schedules. After she eventually resigns from the team, she uses her "fame" to bring more attention to the petitions for creature rights

The Second Wizarding War:

- Tessa isn't in the country for the most part when the war starts up, though she stops bringing the kids when visiting her mother after it starts getting bad

- After Bill's attack she and River temporarily stay in England for their friends, having her kids stay with Merula and her and Gracie's kids

- She doesn't fight in the Battle of Hogwarts. She's too scared for both herself and Gracie, as if Tessa went to fight Gracie would follow

- Tessa finally discovers all of what happened when Gracie joined R, and how much she truly was one of them for a little while when Olivia Green suddenly enters the picture. That takes her a while to get over, but she's able to

Old Age and Death: Tessa dies at the age of 120 of natural causes, after Gracie, River, Liz, and basically all of her friends. When she gets too lonely, her soul gives up

Personality

- ambivert

- horribly insecure, not so much about her looks but her strength, both magical and physical

- a wee bit of a masochist, constantly pushes herself too hard

- has a good memory

- is good at strategy

- very very kind, even sometimes when someone doesn't deserve it

Misc Information

- Tessa is bilingual, fluent in both English and German

- From all her practicing, Tessa is an amazing cook/baker - River's drinking buddies absolutely love her for it

- She can sing beautifully, and can play simple songs on the piano

- Tessa's depression never quite goes away, but it never gets very bad

- She has pretty bad misophonia, which developed around age nine and got worse with the anxiety and depression

- She ends up with a doll collection that River is terrified of, so much so that she has to put charms around each one so he can't see them unless he focuses

- Tessa is a massive pasta hound

- She hates any drink that fizzes. It's very inconvenient considering she frequently attends parties with things like sparkling water and champagne

- Tessa likes pineapple pizza

- Her favorite color is green

- She's left handed like her siblings and her mother

- She loves thunderstorms

- Her favorite season is winter

- She loves going stargazing

- She has a weird obsession with water. If she's upset, the best thing to do is draw her a bath, and sometimes she'll fill a bowl and stick her hand in it while studying or reading

- She sweats a lot, both from being active and from unlucky genetics (hence why she smells like strong deodorant)

- Tessa doesn't exactly believe in aliens, but she's pretty sure we're not alone in the universe

[oneshots-heaven]

Holding up your groceries bag, you opened up the door to your apartment. Your entire body shivered as soon as the warmth greeted you, followed by a bark that echoed through the hallway. Only a moment later, Tessa came running around the corner straight at you.

Quickly, you put aside the bag on the dresser to kneel down to cuddle her. “Hello Tess, I’m back home,“ you laughed, fondling her behind her ears, which she liked the most.

While Tessa was enjoying every second of your petting, turning around on her back, you watched her with a sad smile. You made the last Christmas shopping for her and you, while you also got the last missing gift for the Holland family, whom you would visit later tonight.

You pat her one last time, before taking off your scarf and winter coat, slipping out of your boots to take the groceries in the kitchen. Although only Tessa and you could admire the decoration, you had given it your best to decorate the apartment as festive as possible. At least now, it looked a little more joyful and cozy than you felt in your heart, which was the literal opposite—captured in sadness and loneliness.

It was the first Christmas that you would spent without your long-time boyfriend, Tom.

For the past three months, he had been away to shoot his new movie ’Cherry’ together with the Russo Brothers in Cleveland. Although you were used to him being away for weeks or sometimes months without seeing one another, it was much more difficult around this time. You had walked through the streets of London for the past week, trying to find the perfect gifts for your and his family, when you saw all those couples spending these special time together. Every happy face reminded you that he wasn’t there.

Tom had called you last night, like he always did. There was nothing he hated more than being away from you and his family. You knew how much he wanted to be home from Christmas, but couldn’t change the tight filming schedules, and you had tried to assure him that it was okay, yet he was giving himself the fault for it.

Being with someone like him wasn’t always easy. Sometimes you missed him so bad, you didn’t know how to function without him, yet being with him was the easiest thing you’d ever done.

You took your phone, sitting down on the big couch in the living room as you called out Tessa’s name. The Staffordshire Terrier jumped on the couch, crawling into your lap.

“Good girl,“ you mumbled, petting down her back, while holding out your phone to snap a picture of you together. However, Tessa wasn’t as patient as you were and quickly started moving around in your lap, causing you to let go of your phone as she tried to climb up on you, licking your face.

“Ou, Tessa. Stop!“ you laughed, trying to get her back down again, but Tessa was all about giving you some kisses today. “Tess, please. C’mon, let’s do a picture for your dad. He’ll love it.“

“He sure will,“

Suddenly, the kisses all over your face stopped. Within seconds, Tessa jumped with a jolt from your lap that left you breathless for a second. Your heart felt struck, before a scary wave of feelings overwhelmed you as you saw Tessa getting pet by Tom.

The grin on his face only grew brighter as he glanced from his beloved dog over to you. There he truly was—with his shaved head, dressed in his favorite sweater and jeans, and the same smile you fell in love with.

As Tom let go of Tessa, moving toward you, you pushed yourself up from the couch.

“What the hell are you doing here?“ you said, shaking your head, too scared to even touch him.

“It’s day too early for presents, but I still hope you’re happy.“

You let out a breathy laughter. “Hope?“ you questioned, overcoming the fear and touching his cheeks with both of your hands. “I can’t believe you’re really here. For a second, I thought you were a ghost.“

Wrapping his arms around your waist, he laughed quietly. “No, I’m all real and truly here, my love.“

Tears were forming in your eyes. It may was a day too early for presents, but this one was the best one you could’ve wished for.

“Shh,“ Tom whispered, wiping away the few tears that rolled down your cheeks.

“Those are happy tears,“ you assured him, wrapping him in a tight hug. “I’m just so happy you’re here.“

“That’s what I hoped for.“

You smiled at him as you felt a tearing at your feet. “Tessa’s happy to see you too, and apparently wants some cuddle too.“

Smiling between Tessa and you, Tom looked happier than ever before. “Will do, but first, let me finally kiss you.“

“Nothing rather than that,“ you whispered against his lips that slowly met yours.

After all, you didn’t have to spent Christmas without your one true love.

[t-o-m-hollands]

Tom x You

Summery: Tom and his brothers have a pub. You, trying to avoid working on your new album, spend most of your time in there. Lots of flirting and bickering ensues.

Themes: Sort of frienemies to lovers, slow burn, mutual attraction but they are both to dumb to realise. General dumbness all around. Idiots in love.

Word count: 4k

Warnings: Drinking and swearing. Smut in future chapters.

PART I of IV

***

At 8 years of age your father hands you a worn guitar and with the patience of a saint teaches you how to make it play the holiest of sounds. Every day you practise, until your fingertips has hardened and they move effortlessly over the strings.  

At 10 years of age you write your first song. It’s a puerile little tune about a sweet boy with hair like honey and an opportunity lost. It’s repetitive and nonsensical but your mother hums the chorus for weeks after hearing it.

At 14 years of age you meet up with a record label and when signing the dotted line on the contract you feel a chill down your spine and your grandmother’s stories about the crossroad demon comes back to you verbatim. With determination you still put your name on the paper in a signature you’ve spent hours practising. Only days later you hear your voice on the radio for the very first time.

At 17 years of age there are headlines in magazines about you, photos of men they claim you’ve dated and interviews with people who claim to be a ‘close source’ to you, even though you’ve never met them, spilling lies on every page. You find out your closest friend has sold information about you to the tabloids for over a year.

At 19 years of age you go on a world tour, though the only parts of the world you see are airports, hotels and playing venues and then later at night: nightclubs. You travel the world, but you learn nothing about it.

At 22 years of age and your boyfriend breaks up with you for an actress. There isn’t a day that year that tabloids don’t ‘report’ on it. He spends most of the time telling the world how much happier he is in his new relationship, and you spend most of your time staring down into a bottle.  

At 24 years of age you feel drained, dog-tired and worn out. On a regular basis there’s photos of you stumbling out of pubs, bars and restaurants all over the internet. Your record label is threatening a lawsuit and you haven’t talked to your manager in weeks. You have no friends and your family doesn’t know what to do with you.  

Okay, so maybe being a successful singer isn’t all that it’s cut out to be. Especially not when the entirety of the internet is making fun of you.  

And yes, maybe you’re in a flunk and haven’t written anything decent in months. And okay, maybe you haven’t even picked up a guitar in weeks. And maybe throwing away your phone in order not to have to face the record label was a bad idea. And maybe, hand on heart, the right solution to your problems is not to waste your days away in a well-hidden pub in a backstreet in London with the cutest pub owner you’ve ever seen, with biceps that makes you want to drool. A pub owner who has no interest in you and finds you annoying beyond belief.  

Yet here you are,  

again.

***

“It’s Tuesday” Tom informs you as he hands you cherry coke and a straw.

So, it goes like this. Tom is obsessed with time. He’s always informing you of either what day of the week it is, or the time of day. As if he’s trying to shame you into realising that 10 am on a Tuesday is not an acceptable time to order a dry martini.  

“So?” You ask, feigning ignorance as you open the can. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed that this is a coke and in fact completely free of alcohol. I mean in the good ol’ day they at least had the cutesy to put cocaine in there.”.

“Don’t worry” he says, scrubbing the surface of the already clean counter-top “there’s a shit load of other stuff that’ll destroy your insides in there”.

You try not to roll your eyes, honestly you do. You fail. “Oh no, is it sugar? Please, doctor say it isn’t sugar!” you wail dramatically.

“No, not just sugar” and you can tell he’s also trying not to roll his eyes at your exaggerated play acting. “You know, I saw this documentary once about what they put in coca cola and –”

“No, nope, no, no. Absolutely not” You shake your head vehemently as if that will stop his words. "I would literally rather hear you talk about goddamn golf for an hour than put me of one of life’s few great pleasures”.

This time he doesn’t manage to stop himself from rolling his eyes at you. “Oh, I think we both know you find more pleasures in life than coca cola”.

Before you can answer him something insanely witty the door to the office behind the bar opens and an anxious looking Harrison step out. “Tom, Sam says the fish delivery didn’t show up again so we’re out of cod and therefore fish ‘n chips.”  

Tom rubs his face, looking worried. “Alright, I’ll call him up and see what happened.”  

But Harrison still looks tense. “Also…” he trails off, losing courage.  

“Also, what?” And Tom too sounds tense now.  

“Well, Downey from the bank called, he says the invoice is way over due and he wants a meeting. I told him you’d call today”.  

Tom keeps rubbing his forehead, as if to literally fight of a migraine, and his shoulders tense. “Yeah, yeah I’ll call him this afternoon”. Harrison nods and walks back into the kitchen

“You know, I cou –” but you don’t get to finish your sentence before he interrupts you. “Don’t” he says, voice sharp as a whip.

“But, it would just be a loan, honestly I – ”

“No, and I mean it.” And you judging by the tone of voice he uses and the stern look he gives you you’re well aware that he isn’t joking. It’s like his usually warm and kind eyes are nailing you down into your seat. “I’m not gonna borrow money from a customer, as you well know.”  

The problem is that really wouldn’t be a big deal for you to offer him a loan or give it as a gift really. You love this pub. You love the people working here and the patrons and coming in for a drink or a meal or simply a chat and a laugh. It’s your safe haven. No one ever hardly ever bothers you here. No one asks you for a selfie or asks you about when more music is coming out. No one tugs at your sleeve or try to sneakily take a photo of you. Here, you are normal. And it would devastate you to see the Holland boys lose it all when you know you can help. You have more money than you know what to do with.  

However, you know there’s no arguing with him when he’s got that look on his face so you don’t, just keep sipping on your cherry coke as your foot taps along to the song on the radio. From inside the kitchen you can hear the faint sound of the Holland twin's laughter.  

Tom turns away from you to sort out the whiskey glasses on the counter behind him. But when picking up a glass he fumbles, and it falls out of his hand and lands right on his foot, though it fortunately doesn’t break.

“Ah, fucking bastard!” he shouts, grabbing hold of his injured foot.

“You shouldn’t swear in church, you know” ¨you say, as you finish your coke.

He looks at you indignantly, pouting like a child, “well, lucky for me, this is a pub.”

“You say potato, I say tomato, now make me a real drink.”

“For fucks sake, darlin’, you gotta eat something.”

***

So, it’s either late or early, depending how you look on it. On tube stations all across London early worker are already gathering on the platforms to take their commute to work. Not you. Not Tom either.  

Now, Tom is an early riser and has been since childhood. His nanna used to say that he had energy enough for three children. Despite regular closing shifts at the pub he likes to be up at dawn. Says he likes to get an hour at the gym and a walk with Tessa in before he heads to the pub to make sure everything is in order. After having checked with Sam that everything is stocked for the day, he has his protein loaded breakfast while ordering supplies or read through whatever paper work he need to be on top off before opening up the pub for the day.  

Tom hates having this routine disturbed.

So, it goes like this. Harry had been the bartender most of that night, since Tom had ‘other business to take care of’. Whenever Harry was bartender he’d usually spent more time drinking with you than he did serving up the other costumers. When Tom came back and saw the state of you, he’d sent you home, telling you that you’d had enough for one night and asking Harrison to walk you home. Then he’d giving Harry a proper telling off. You had dutifully walked with Harrison to your apartment, thanked him sweetly, and then as soon as you saw that he had passed the corner walked into another pub just across the street for more. It wasn’t as charming a place as The Hollands and their bartender sure wasn’t as handsome or as fun to annoy as the regular one at Hollands. But in a pinch, anything will do.  

Upon closing hour however, as you made your way home, you’d discovered that your keys were missing. Being absolutely wasted this did not worry you in the slightest. You just strolled back on unsteady legs to The Hollands to see if you’d dropped them there. Tom, who had closed the pub for the night, was still in. From the windows you could see him going through stacks of paperwork in front of him, a frown on his face. Upon hearing you knocking on the window at 2 am he’d jumped out his chair to see what was going on. When seeing you three sheets to the wind, dressed in a thin dress on a cold summer’s night the frown on his face had gotten worse.

Now here you are, in his apartment, in the dead of the night, and he’s offering you a plate of tortellini. Tessa had been overjoyed to see you and after having been allowed to greet you she had then been sent to her place and out of the way of your drunk, stumbling feet.

“But I hate tortellini” you whine.

“Christ sake, Popstar, just eat the damn food”

“No, I hate it, Tom, I hate it so much, it makes me think of- of- ” you hiccup.

“Are you actually crying right now?”

“It makes me think of- of - cheese sauce and -”

“Sorry, but what now?”

“And – I – I – I hate cheese sauce”. You’re full on sobbing and he just stares at you in disbelief.  

Then, somehow the world seems fall the wrong way around. It takes you a second to realize that you’ve slid down on the floor and that you’re staring up at the ceiling. Tom’s strong arm take a hold of you and he guides you to a sitting position, leaned up against the wall. With your face in his hands he stares at you in indignation but there’s something else there too. You’re drunk enough to dare to call it tenderness.  

Suddenly you’re aware that you’re sobbing, but you can’t remember why that is.

“Fuck who knows” he responds and when you give out a sound that’s something halfway between a sob and a laugh he starts laughing too. “If I make you something else to eat, will you eat it then? You’ll feel better in the morning if you do”.

Your head feels heavy, so you lean it against his hand and nod. “No cheese sauce, please”.

He rolls his eyes, but he’s laughing too. “Sure, no cheese sauce for Pop Princess.”

“Oi!” You call out “You promised to never to call me that!” Pop Princess was the title the tabloids had given you early on in your career. He keeps smiling, but it’s a gentle smile, and trace the frown between your eyebrows with his finger, as if he’s trying to erase it.

“Will you please just sit here while I cook?”

You nod again, too tired to say anything. He gets up, and you can hear some pouring water and then he places a glass of water in your hand. “Drink” he orders, then he’s gone again, and you can hear the clattering of pots and pans as he starts cooking. You’re just staring into the wall, trying to make it stop spinning; limbs heavy with sleep and whiskey, a nice buzzing numbness in your head.

Then he’s in front of you again, looking at you with a frown “I thought I told you to drink that” and you look at the full glass clasped in your hands. “Seriously, you’ll feel better if you do”.

You roll your eyes “oh, please, Tommy. Remember who you’re speaking to. I’m the local drunk, there’s no need to lecture me in hangovers”. But you do as you’re told and chug down your drink and hand him the empty glass. “Good girl” he says and gets back to his cooking. Before long the delicious scent of food is spreading through the tiny, cramped kitchen.

You start humming a song you wrote years ago but never released, low enough so you think Tom won’t hear you over the sizzling pan. But he does.  

“What’s that?” he asks, curiosity in his voice.

“Oh” you say, leaning your head back against the wall as you close your eyes in the hope that the world will stop spinning. “Just a song.”

Everything goes quiet for a while and you find yourself wondering if you’ve fallen asleep. But then you hear his voice. “Keep singing, please”.  

It surprises you, the amount of tenderness in his words; such a gentle bequest. So, you do as you’re told. In a voice raspy from the whiskey but sweet from his kindness you sing.

“I’ve been holding my breath, I’ve been counting to ten, 

Over something you said, I’ve been holding back tears 

 While you’re throwing back beers, I’m alone in bed

You know I, I’m afraid of change, Guess that’s why we stay the same, 

So tell me to leave, I’ll pack my bags, get on the road, 

Find someone that loves you better than I do, darling, I know, 

'Cause you remind me every day, I’m not enough, but I still stay”

You trial off and he keeps quiet too and goes silent again. Then he slides down beside you, a plate of pasta carbonara in his hands which he offers you along with a fork. “Eat” he orders gently. You do, and it tastes delicious.

“God, Tom, you could rival Sam in the kitchen”.

He snorts but you persist. “Seriously Tommy, I’d hire you as a private chef if I didn’t know you’d be an insufferable employee”.

He snorts again, but you can tell he’s amused. “Wow, thanks a lot”

“Seriously, you’d always complain about my lack of organization, or the fact that I keep all of my face masks in the refrigerator, or that I never have any food at home or that I don’t eat at regular hours or that I sometimes just forget to eat and just have a Red bull for dinner instead or that I – ”

“Jesus Christ” he interrupts you “who the fuck let you be an adult? What’s wrong with you!?”

You’re wolfing down your food, so it takes you a moment to answer. “Someone said my problem was ‘a mind-boggling lack of general discipline and a staggeringly low ability to organise’” you finally say.

“Who said that? I mean they’re not wrong”.

“You said that” you point out as you finish your plate of carbonara. “Also, this was scrumptious, and also, may I sleep here tonight?”

He looks at you in disbelief “Yeah, duh, I’m not kicking you out? I mean, I thought that was the general idea of this”.

He grabs a hold of your plate and takes your hand in his other as he guides you both up to a standing position. He places the plate among the other dirty pans in the sink and then lead you to his bathroom. Giving you a new toothbrush, he orders you to brush your teeth while he changes his sheets. He hands you a shirt to sleep in and when you’ve changed you argue for a good 10 minutes while about who’s to sleep on the couch before he puts his foot down and say he’ll ban you from his pub unless you take the bed instead of him. So, you do.  

His bed soft and comfortable and smell of his detergent. From the living room you can hear Tessa’s deep breaths and the sound of Tom tossing around on the sofa. You wonder how uncomfortable he is.

“Tommy just come in here instead” you call out, voice drowsy.

“No, I told you, you take the bed”

You snort. As if you were going to give this bed up, no chance. Not now that you know how comfortable it is.  

“Yeah, duh” you answer. “Wasn’t planning on taking the sofa, but the bed’s big enough for the two of us, innit?”

Dead silence from the living room. Even Tessa seems to have been struck silent.

“You sure?”

You sigh. “Yeah, I'm sure, for fuck’s sake Tommy, just come in here”.

You hear the sound of footsteps slowly making their way across the floor, then he’s in the doorway. Clad in a pair of black boxers and a black t-shirt, awkwardly scratching the back of his head as he avoids looking at you.

You pull down the covers and he lay down beside you, keeping his distance in the bed. You have your backs against each other, staring into separate walls and even through the whiskey you can tell this is awkward. You want to ask him to hold you, but you’re scared he doesn’t want it. Scared he doesn’t even want to lay beside you. You are after all just a costumer in his bar. A costumer you know he can’t afford to lose.

You don’t know how long you lay there in silence, his scent surrounding you, the soft sound of his breath lulling you into further relaxation but eventually you drift off to sleep.  

When you wake, he’s gone. A note on his pillow tells you he’s gone to the gym, telling you to take anything you want for breakfast and just leave the keys at the pub later.  

When you close the door behind you you can’t help but feel that something tender happened in there, something important; but you know he doesn’t feel the same.

***

It’s Monday night, as Tom has been so kind to remind you off, and you’re plastered.  

Earlier the pub had been full to rim of football supporters shouting and singing and sharing pints before a big game, filling the entire place with an excited buzz. Now they’ve all gone off to cheer for their heroes on the field and only the patrons remain.  

Harry is bartender tonight, and Tom has placed himself in the back of the pub, a stack of paper in front of him that he keeps leering at. With a drink in your hand and a happy-go-lucky attitude you seat yourself on the opposite side of his table, determent to cheer him up.

“’m gonna write a song about you.” You inform him, voice only somewhat slurry.

“Go on then.” He doesn’t look up at you, just jots something down on the form in front of him. He’s wearing glasses tonight and they make him look so handsome you want to scream in frustration.

“Well, what rhymes with Tom? Rum!”

“Oh, Christ, no. No, I’ve changed my mind.”

“Tom, he serves rum and tequila.” You sing. “Wait, what rhymes with tequila?”

“Please don’t”

“Heliophilia!”

“Okay, ’m literally begging you not to do this.” He’s looking at you now, his caramel eyes filled with both amusement and genuine dread. You don’t listen, no, you sing.

“Tom, he serves Rum and tequila,

he loves the sun, it’s called heliophilia

his pub needs fundin’, he lives in London”

“Wow. That is a hell of a forced rhyme, pop princess.”

“No, no wait!”

“Wait? I will literally pay you to stop”.

But then you start singing for real, in a voice so sultry that it makes him freeze mid motion, hand just about to turn the page over.

“Have you’ve seen my bartender

he’ll serve you whiskey, he’ll pour you rum

so sweet it’ll make you tender

but all the whiskey in Tennessee

couldn’t have that man agree

to ever share a drink with thee

no, all that sweetness’s just for me

cause babe, he’s my bartender

Yes, have you’ve seen my bartender

He’ll hand you wine, he’ll sell you gin

I think it’s a sign when he hands me my wine

When hand’s touching hand, skin touches skin”

Tom seem to be frozen in place when you stop, and over at the bar you hear Harry give a loud whistle. “Fucking hell, popstar” he cheers.

Tom still doesn’t say anything, just observes you, seemingly speechless. And maybe you’re imagining it, but he’s cheeks seem pinker than usual.

"Well, at least I didn’t rhyme rum with cum” you say, trying to get a reaction out of him. And then “I did think about doing it though” and you lift your glass to him as if in a toast before you down it.

He snorts, back to his normal self and stare down at the paper again.

“Now, honestly, Tom. What did that piece of paper ever do to you?”

“Huh?”

“You’re staring at it like you want to set fire to it. You’d like me to do it for you?”

“No thanks, reckon he’d sue”.

“Who is he?” you lean over the table and closer to him and you swear you can practically see him ordering himself not to look down at your cleavage. “Is he god?” you whisper in mock horror. “Cause, I wouldn’t worry too much, Tommy. You see, God can’t sue. Well, someone in America tried to sue Satan once and they couldn’t cause they couldn’t hand him the papers. Turns out Satan hasn’t got an address. Reckon the same goes with God”

He rolls his eyes “oh, this guy definitely has got an address. He lives in Knightsbridge.” And then, in a voice unusually bitter he adds “posh twat”.

“Oy” you warn, jokingly, “those are my neighbourhoods'”.  

A sound somewhere between a scoff and a laugh escapes him “Oh please” he laughs “please, you might live in Primrose Hill now, but you’re not Knightsbridge posh. Sorry to disappoint, Pop Princess”.

You glare, but it’s all in good humour. “So, who is this not-God-but-rich-as-God man sending you paper?”

The humour disappears from his face. “Downey, from the bank”.  Then he turns to the bar and shouts, “Harry, hand me a pint, ye?”

“And a whiskey for me, please” you request sweetly.

“No way, Harry, she’s cut off for the night. Tell Sam to make her something to eat” he orders his younger brother who rolls his eyes but obediently begin to head into to the kitchen.

“Not tort -” you begin shouting as an instruction.

“Not tortellini” he shouts at the same time. “And no cheese sauce either” he then adds.

You smile at him and this time you swear he’s blushing.

“Who’s Downey? You ask. And you know you’re prying, but you also know that Tom needs help with something and if there’s anything you can do to help, you will.  

“A bank man who wants me to pay my loans back”. He answers eventually after a long silence, when he figures you’re not going to give up and talk about something else. Harry comes back and hands Tom a pint and then leaves to take care of a costumer at the bar.

“A bank man, who lives in Knightsbridge?” You ask, bemused.

Tom smiles “oh, believe you me, Downey’s not your average bank clerk.” Then, in a serious tone, “look, I know you want to help, but there’s nothing you can do, ye? So drop it”.

“But I-”

“Drop it. Seriously, pop princess, there’s nothing you can do, I’ll figure something out”. He doesn’t sound harsh and the way he looks at you is positively adoring. Then he does something unexcepted. He reaches over the table and pulls a loose string of hair behind your ear. It’s a soft and sweet gesture and you want to reach over and kiss him but before you can he removes his hand and seconds later Harry places a dish of steaming pasta carbonara in front of you. You smile and thank him and he makes his way back to the bar.  

You eat in silence for a while as he continues to read through stashes of papers. You decide to leave the subject, for now at least.

“Yours is better, by the way”. He looks up at you, confused. “Your carbonara” you clarify. “I mean, Sam is an incredible chef and you’re lucky to have him, but yours is my favourite”.  

His cheeks heat up, again.

***

R E A D    P A R T   T W O     H E R E

[stories-by-rie]

84 Silent

“You’ve been told time and time again to not go beyond the wall!” The mayor rubbed his forehead as he paced the small office. “Why do you insist on continuing to do so?!”

“I just want to know what’s out there.” Tessa hid her grin with a cute pout that could have probably fooled me if I wasn’t standing next to her like the complicit that I was. 

“Tess. This town has never had issues with the wall. And out of all people, you - my daughter - have to break this rule? Why is it so important to you to see what is out there? Is it not enough to see what is inside?” At this point the mayor’s voice sounded tired, a little bit as if he was not even going to try to argue with her anymore. I couldn’t really hold it against him, I was tired of this whole game as well, after all. 

“What is there to see inside here? Just the same old boring people”, Tessa repeated the words she had spoken at least a dozen times already. It was a useless conversation. The telephone on his desk started to ring and with a look at the number, he pointed to the door with a wave of his hand and dismissed us.

Out on the floor, it was rather quiet as most of his colleagues had wanted to hear what he had been going off about. This was definitely worth some chatter over a cup of tea and a cigarette. The mayor’s daughter caught on the other side once again. Without a doubt, once this was common knowledge among the citizens, people would lose faith in both the wall and the mayor. 

“Hey, Betty, what do you think? Will we go again this night?”, Tessa whispered as we stepped out of the building into the broad daylight. The sun stung in my eyes and I would have rather just walked away at this point. 

“Come on”, she insisted and grinned again. Walking aside the market place, she got two apples for free from the farmer who recognized her well and threw one in my hands. “You like it to on the other side, be honest!”, she giggled and bit in the fruit, her teeth disrupting the perfect red skin and tearing apart the white flesh. “Say something!”

What should I have said? No? A deep sigh escaped my lips as I looked at the apple in my hands. 

“Betty!”, she cried with a full mouth and pouted again.

“I never really wanted to go. You know that. I don’t like it there”, I finally replied and put the apple in my backpack. To be fair, I never really had said no. She wasn’t exactly forcing me to join her on those adventures. But somehow I still went with her every time, maybe out of curiosity myself, or to make sure she would return savely. 

“Your eyes start to sparkle each time”, she laughed and called me out. 

Sure. She was right. Seeing what was beyond the wall was more than just mesmerizing. I loved the smell and the quiet, the lights and the whole atmosphere. But I also knew that it was strictly forbidden, so why was she pushing me every time to join her? She could just go alone and leave me be. There was nothing she gained from it either. 

“You can’t deny it. I’ll be at your place at ten, okay? Be there!”, she decided as we came to the fork in the road where our paths split. I didn’t say anything, as usual. She just waved with one hand, shoved some more of the apple inside her mouth with the other and didn’t even wait for a reply for me. 

It had been like that weeks now and I still didn’t know what would come out of it, or what I would feel once it was over. Probably relief. 

Just like all those times before, Tessa actually showed up at my place nearly half an hour early. It was so much like her. Grabbing my backpack, I joined her. 

“I knew you would come. You play so just and lawful, but you still come every time”, she said in a singing voice and together we walked down the dark alleys until we reached the part of the wall that was fairly easy to climb over - all thanks to the cherry tree that grew next to it a little too close. We knew how the wall was guarded like the back of our hands by now, nothing of this was a challenge anymore. I actually couldn’t help but wonder how many people had taken this way before us. 

I could hear Tessa gasp as we landed on the grass, the night filled the air with silence and clam. We strolled for a while until we reached the forest that was so close to our small town and sat down under the trees and night sky. 

It took nearly half an hour until I could hear Tessa gasp more, pointing at the light with awe.

“There they are, Betty! Look at those fireflies! How beautiful!”, she whispered and I too was struck by the beauty. Like magical beings they floated through the air, in blue and green light, blinking at times. I fetched the apple out of my backpack, split it in half and gave one of the pieces to Tessa. 

“I just don’t get what is out here that we aren’t supposed to see”, she mumbled after a while. “Isn’t it just the most beautiful?”

“Hm”, was all I answered. I didn’t know why we weren’t allowed here either. I probably could have stayed here forever and never moved once. Becoming one with the nature around me, growing some roots, carrying some leaves and feel the weather on my at all times. Watching the fireflies in these precious summer moments. Having the quiet on my side. Then Tessa could come and visit me when she wanted, lay to my roots and my leaves would protect her from the stinging sun or rough rain. 

“Let’s cherish these nights for as long as we can”, Tessa decided and rested her head on my shoulder. Maybe that just was that thing between us. That she decided these things and I didn’t have to answer, because I always agreed. 

~18.06.2020~

I used this prompt by the wonderful @givethispromptatry