#might reblog and add the song and the cup later

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

if Sunday morning lets the sun in, what are we waiting for?

The Mountain Goats via @mountainqoats // via Pinterest // Taylor Swift // Hayley Williams // Fleetwood Mac // Taylor Swift via @cruellesummer // Paramore

[lu-morningstar]

The One Breaking My Heart III - Chris Evans [Series]

𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕

pairing: Chris Evans x younger!female!reader

warnings: angst no fluff, age gap, mention of alcohol, taylor swift's song references, parallels to p1, Chris pov, bad words

a/n: tysm for waiting all this time for this long-awaited ending to the series, it took a long time bc I wasn't happy with what I wrote and I was also busy. Please enjoy it and let me know what you think in the comments or on my ask box.

Feedback, comments, likes, and reblogs are always appreciated <3

Chris pressed the red button, feeling relief as he searched for your contact on his phone. It turned out that the news of this Twitter mess was a coincidence and not a twisted misunderstanding with his P.R. management.

Should I call her, or not? She might be going crazy over this. But, will she pick?

A minute later, he was on the couch, waiting for you to answer him. He thought you were going to after many hearing the beeps, but you did at the end.

"Hey, thanks for picking up. How are you?" He said, not knowing what to say to you. He honestly thought you wouldn't answer his call after how things ended last time.

"Honestly, Chris, I feel awful." he heard your voice, tired, a bit rough with a hint of faux calmness, mixed with a rushed breath. It was like your mind was going a thousand kilometers per hour through the call. However, it was nice to listen to you, even if it wasn't for something good. He just needed to for one more time, scared he would never be able to do it again. "I... have you seen what's going on on Twitter?"

"Yes, I saw the pictures." with him. He wanted to add.

Who is he? Did she-Did she already move on?

"Yeah, there's a bunch of pics of me." He heard you say anxiously through the phone, omitting the guy part. "And they are in the same 24 hours. What if they were at the funeral? What if they are following me?" you now sounded angry; your nervousness was long gone.

"I don't think so, it wasn't L.A.," Chris said, running a hand over his forehead to his mop of hair, worried about you.

"But they did know where to find me, Chris. I can understand a restaurant, but outside of my building? Isn't that a privacy violation or something?"

"I think so, I'll check with my team. Can you try to exhale and inhale, please?" He asked you, getting up from the couch.

"Okay, but what if I get out of my apartment and there are people outside? I mean, you can't tell the street, but... Or what if they are in the restaurant and then they follow me?"

"Baby, I know they are not your cup of tea but they know that if they put your address is game over for them," Chris said while he was fixing his coat and moving to the kitchen to grab his keys. "Please breath, in and out." He added after listening to your frantic breath, grabbing the keys you left on his kitchen counter. The colorful pompom reminded him of the whole past week without you and of the fights with you leaving him. He put the keys in the coat's pocket and moved towards the front door, Dodger following him with a curious look, watching how his human-best friend opened and closed the door in a hurry.

"Okay, okay." you appeared to be moving due to your voice sounding a bit far away from the microphone. Chris was already on his way to you when he heard you say. "Okay, I'll calm down. Bye." He wanted to add he was on his way to you or at least a bye, but you, with your breathless voice, finished the call.

After ten minutes or so, he passed the park where you took Dodger for a walk, the cafe where you sometimes got breakfast before work, an old apartment complex whose paint always seemed to be peeling off, and a transited avenue, he finally made it to your building. He got in thanks to the porter and quickly pressed the button of your floor in the elevator. He reached your floor, made his way to your door, and knock a few times.

Chris anxiously waited with his hands on the coat's pockets for you to open the door. He heard unlocking sounds and then it was you standing in front of him instead of a piece of painted wood. You were surprised to see him, not even thinking he could get here after you finished the call you weren't even expecting to receive nor even answer.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check how you were doing and talk with you." You nodded as you played with your cuffs, avoiding his blue eyesight.

"Now you want to?" he heard you murmur, understanding what you meant. Your brows were slightly furrowed, framed by some strands of your loose hair.

"I know it's a long time coming-"

"Is it, Chris?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry it took too long. Can we talk, inside, please?" you turned around and made your way to the living room. He got in and closed the door before following your steps to find you sitting crisscrossed on the couch, your sleepers at the foot of the sofa, not matching the sweats and hoodie you were wearing. He thought you must have changed after arriving from work less than an hour ago and before freaking out from all the Twitter mentions. Hence the restless face, slightly distraught hair, and comfy look.

You silently looked at him when you sensed some sinking on the sofa and stared at the space left between you and Chris.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked after the silence was too hard to keep up. It was quiet, except for maybe the occasional car noise. You didn't want to talk to him, and he expected it after those fights. You did fight in the past, but it was never like this. It was never this serious. Would this be the last straw?

You slump your shoulders before answering him. "I mean, I can breathe properly now, but... They know where I eat and live, Chris. I'll have to find a new restaurant to have lunch on my break and a new place to live because I don't feel comfortable here."

Chris wasn't sure about what to say to you, knowing they'll do it again, making you feel worried about living your life again. Sometimes, he wished he didn't know you, but other times, Chris hoped he met you before. You need to do it before it's too late.

"I'm sorry, y/n," he said reaching for your hand, but you backed away from his attempt to touch you. What you once knew as a warm embrace was now a burning blaze, and he proved it the last time you saw him. That didn't mean it didn't hurt you to do it, but you didn't want pain, not now nor ever, and he was making you feel it lately. "I know I have been shitty this last week. What my friend said that day..." he was looking embarrassed, his eyebrows furrowed, a few wrinkles appearing on his forehead as he went back and remembered the dinner you planned for him. "It's not the first time I hear it. I know our age is always on the debate, but that really got into my head that night, because I see the numbers and think I'm restricting you from doing the things you should rather be doing." Chris finally admitted the thoughts that were clouding his mind for a while now. You looked at him in disbelief through your teary eyes. You wiped the few tears dripping down your face to your chin and neck with your hoodie sleeve. "And I should probably know better because I have been in this business for a while, but I'm sorry, y/n. I'll go back in time and change it, but I can't. I can't, and I'm sorry."

"You just can't help but make it about yourself, can you, Chris?" you say getting up from the couch.

"What?"

"You keep saying you are sorry, but you haven't admit it's your fault we are here."

"That's not what I-" he started saying getting up from the sofa and getting closer to you.

"It is! You are 'apologizing'," you made air quotes with your hands for emphasis. "but you are just giving me excuses, Chris. And I understand you feel bad, 'cause I do too when they say things about our age, but that doesn't excuse you from treating me awfully. You left me aside the whole night!

"I didn't do that."

"Yes, you did! I was there, Chris. Then, you try to make me feel bad about my age and kicked me out of your house like I was the one who said it, but you didn't tell anything when your friend did. You never comment on it to any of them or say anything when they leave me aside.

"They don't leave you aside."

"They do! They don't include me, and you do the same when you are with them. You forget about me."

"That's not true! And your friends do the same!

"That's because you don't even try to talk to them, not because they don't try! When I made dinner and invited them, your friends would barely acknowledge me, and then you just ignore me for them. It's like you are someone else with them. Like you don't even try for me anymore."

"Of course, I try, y/n. I'm here!"

"You are here because someone started a rumor, Chris! And if you knew me you would know that was my cousin whose mom just passed away. But you only care about yourself! " he stayed silent.

"Babe-"

"No, don't babe me, Chris!" you said leaning against the wall, the cold surface gave you chills. "You were right, we are not working," you murmured loud enough for him to hear in your empty apartment

"Y/N..."

"I just can't do this, Chris. I won't let you treat me badly and get away with a sorry. It's not what I deserve and definitely not what I want." you said as you passed him and reach for the door.

"I'll do better, y/n," he said trying to reach for your arm, but your hand was already on the door handle. "Please."

"Maybe you will, but not with me."

"Y/N/N..., please."

"No Chris." you shake your head in negation, big eyes ready to cry. You opened the door, gripping the door handle too hard, holding on to it because the feeling of falling was rather present for a few minutes now. "I just want you to get out of my house."

It was silent for a moment. Chris opened and closed his mouth a few times, but ultimately he decided not to say anything. You were clear, it was too late.

You closed the door once he was out, the salty acid-like tears finally coming down your face. A few minutes later, your unfocused eyesight caught your keychain somehow. You didn't need them anymore, you were never going to use them again.

My Masterlist

taglist: @kalopsia-flaneur ✧ @moonie-brbs ✧ @leyannrae ✧ @allthingschrisevans ✧ @srhxpci ✧ @yosoysere ✧ @jessyballet ✧ @slowburning ✧ @thereisa8ella ✧ @lynnettes-stuff ✧ @ysmmsy ✧ @enchantingtriumphcat ✧ @nostxlgia18 ✧ @ladybug05 ✧ @happinessinthebeing ✧ @rhxpci ✧ @peakascum ✧ @dontbescaredtosingalong ✧ @impala1967666 ✧ @hazeljean2 ✧ @bitchygentlemeneagle ✧ @freerose11​ ✧ @naturefairy17 ✧ @breezykpop ✧ @sunshineintherainstorm ✧ @mytbel0st ✧ @valwentiee ✧ @jassy2101 ✧ @inmoix ✧ @lauracontisstuff ✧ @womanup22 ✧ ​@28potatoesforkevin ✧ @kaitioo ✧ @regulusharper1553 ✧ @st3rgirl ✧ @comfortzonequeen ✧ @angelmather1 ✧ @kaitioo ✧ @shnadaidas ✧ @hockey91-lover ✧ @fanficworld ✧ @iconfusemyselfalot ✧ @hhiggs ✧ @ialwayswantfoodsstuff ✧ @ellezbby ✧ @fangirl125reader ✧ @deepintothenature ✧ @hazeljean2 ✧ @rookiemartin ✧ @satanstolemypersonality ✧ @spideysimpossiblegirl ✧ @lizzyclifford13-blog ✧

[natashxromanovf]

Magical Tea

JJ Maybank x gn!reader

Word count: 569

Warnings: mentions of liquid, mentions of being touch starved, not proofread

A/N: thank you for requesting! i apologise i'm late with this request but i hope you like it nonetheless <33

Looking up from the book you’re currently reading, you see the blonde on the couch opposite of where you’re sitting, tossing and turning in his sleep. Or not sleep? He looks like he can’t fall asleep, even though he should be drop-dead sleeping from the day he had. Placing down the object in your hands, you mark the page you stayed at and slowly walk up to him. When you softly touch his shoulder he slightly flinches, turning around to see you hovering over him.

“Hi,” he says with a sleepy voice, barely keeping his eyes open.

“Hi. Can’t sleep, can you?” you say, going straight to what’s bothering you, earning an annoyed sigh from JJ.

“No, not really,” he confesses, fully turning to face you. You think for a moment, before coming up with a plan you’re about to execute whether he wants your help or not.

“Okay, so here’s what I suggest. I’m going to make you some of that tea of mine that you love so much, that makes you sleepy every time you drink and then I’m going to sit there,” you say, pointing to where his head is currently laying a pillow. “And I’m going to play with your hair, just how you like and you’re going to fall asleep in a matter of seconds, you’ll see,” you sweetly smile, leaving him no choice for any arguments. It’s not like he would complain anyway, that sounds like a perfect plan to him. He simply nods, mirroring your expression.

~

A couple of minutes later you return to the living room with a hot cup of tea in your hands. He sits up and takes it in his hand, quickly grabbing the cup by its handle so he doesn’t burn himself.

“Here you go, that should make you sleepy,” you softly state, sitting down beside him. Truth be told the tea was just an excuse - you know what he needs the most. He needs someone to be with him, to caress his back or play with his hair. He’s touch starved and you know it but he would never admit it.

Getting lost in your thoughts you don’t even realise when he finishes drinking the tea, now looking at you curiously, thinking about what could be bothering you.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, making you snap out of your head.

“Oh, nothing’s wrong J,”

“Really? Cause you got that look on your face,”

“What look?” you chuckle, trying to lighten up the mood.

“You know, the one where I know you’re worried,”

“J, really, it’s nothing. I promise,” you add when you notice he’s not falling for it.

“Well, if you say so,” he gives in, laying down on your lap. Oh, great, the tea is starting to work.

“Good night, sweet dreams,” you whisper, slowly starting to massage his scalp. Some incomprehensible words can be heard from his direction but you don’t pay much mind to them, he’s probably just mumbling good night back.

Smiling to yourself you start humming his favourite song, figuring out it wouldn’t hurt. He hasn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a while and, well, this might not be that but at least he’ll get a good nap. It’s really good to see him like this, relaxed and carefree. He’s been working so hard lately and he deserves this. Honestly, he deserves it more than anyone you know.

i hope you enjoyed this! please like, reblog and/or comment, it really helps writers with the motivation <33

taglist form

[childishfluff]

a compilation of unspoken agreements + common tropes in mcyt agere fics

I think we should talk about the unspoken agreements/common tropes in agere fics that no one talks about, specifically in mcyt agere fics. These were put together by me and my discord friends, feel free to reblog and add on/comment on these. This is also not a critism of agere fics! I use a lot of these! 

I just thought the common trends among the mcyt agere fics were interesting and thought I’d point some of them out. 

First of all, there’s the unlimited amount of little gear age regressors/age dreamers just have for plot convince and their caregivers aren’t constantly broke somehow. The elaborate playrooms, the bottomless toy boxes, the one million decorative pacis? They’re all free, they’re just there. 

Also everyone knows how to make angel milk naturally, and no one ever throws away their kid stuff. Unprepared cgs definitely just have sippy cups and childhood stuffied animals just because and when someone happens to regress they’re prepared, somehow. 

Oh and in mcyt agere fics specifically, Wilbur always knows a bunch of lullabies? no explanation he simply does. music interest = know every kid song ever to comfort the babies. 

The ‘i had a friend in high school/college who regressed’ trope is a common way of explaining why a cg/friend knows about agere things, too. again with the ‘conveniently having kids things for fluff reasons’, cgs always have kids books or fluffy blankets with the excuse of baby sitting younger family members or whatever. 

Regression always lines up with meet ups in rpf fics so that they can cuddle and domestic family fluff can ensue. Speaking of physical affection, caregivers are usually incredibly strong just so they can carry one/multiple teenagers/grown adults while they’re little.

If the little and cg aren’t already in the same place, they’re somehow able to get to each other really quickly. And if the fic *is* internet based, Discord calls/chats are the main form of communication. There might be a Discord sever for all the mcyts who are also littles/cgs used to quickly introduce to the readers who else in this universe is aware of agere-related things 

When there’s a confession scene, the person the little is talking to may or may not reveal that half the people they know are either littles/cgs and they might get added to the previously mentioned Discord server. Also! There might be an agere minecraft sever just because? 

If someone walks in on someone while regressed the ‘you weren’t supposed to know!’ ‘know what?’ ‘this! *motions to kid things*’ ‘*knows what’s happening for some reason/quickly picks up on it* it’s okay to be small’ conversation always takes place. 

Another version of the confession scene could be a situation where the person they’re telling doesn’t already know, they usually come back a day later talking about what they learned on their own, talking about how they were curious and ‘googled a whole lot’. 

Everyone is always awake to reply/answer to distressed littles at 3 am, and ‘reward from cg’ packages arrive the very next day. 

If littles go out with their cgs, no fan ever recognizes them or questions their behavior despite them never attempting to disguise themselves because uh...writers don’t wanna deal with it, I guess. 

Phil and Wilbur usually fill the role of ‘teasing family-figure’ who’s always great at making littles slip. Tommy is either ‘calm cuddly baby aww he’s so soft when he’s small’ or ‘chaos and only chaos’ toddler-younger kid when he’s the regressor in fics, not much of an in between. 

Ranboo is usually more well behaved and when he does act out, he gets anxious. Tubbo is either super little/just a bit younger then the other regressors or the friend who doesn’t regress but isn’t the primary caregiver either. Techno can go from the friend who ‘doesn’t like kids’ to the big-brotherly perfect cg, or be an older toddler-aged little, depends on who’s with him and what’s needed for the fic. 

There’s a lot more that we’re missing, but these were just some ones me and the server noticed! It’s actually really interesting to think about how we either silently agreed on these things or a few people did them and then so did everyone else, and about the actual reasons we chose these tropes/common things to stick with. 

Most of them are plot convience or based off our perseptions of the streamers and content creators, but it’s still cool, y’know? feel free to reblog/reply with more examples or comments on this little list! thanks for reading! <3

[youarejesting]

Sly like a… ? Part 8

[Master list] [Sly Master List] Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story. Words: 2.2k

Summary: Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.

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With Yoongi hauled up in his room, you began speaking with each of the boys and discussing where their learning levels were, you started with Jungkook, Taehyung, and Hoseok, you sat them at the table and started to teach them the basics of the Korean language and Maths they were quick to learn as they weren’t children and by the end of the week, you had them at a mid highschool level.

You taught all of the Hybrids about internet and phone safety, not giving out their number to random people they didn’t know. They all agreed and after a long discussion on scammers and voice phishing, they all seemed to understand.

Learning how to use computer documents and the internet and more, you explained virus’ and online shopping and you explained that you wanted them to have free reign. So, if they had something they wanted to buy to go to you.

“Unless it is something you are not comfortable asking from Y/n then please feel free to ask me instead.” Jimin said, “I can also get you things you might want or need?”

“Okay, now onto the final topic of today is finding a degree, you don’t have to choose exactly what you want to do with your life right now,” You stressed, hoping they knew they had plenty of time to explore their options. “but, maybe think about jobs you might have seen in movies or read about or heard about and I will help you achieve that dream”

You placed down a few booklets of jobs and they looked at you, “Yoongi you are already halfway through your degree and you said you wished to continue it, so you start next week, please let me know if there is anything you need.”

“And afterward if you ever need a job, if this program gets approved, I will need someone like you in my team.” You smiled, ever since the outing to the shop, Yoongi has been quite cold towards you and it hurt but you knew he would understand soon.

Namjoon told you he wanted to be a businessman, you signed him up for a bachelor of commerce and he was speeding through the classes like they were a children's book. But though he knew everything he didn’t exactly understand the point of the essays and assignments.

You talked him through it and explained that they wanted him to show off what he learned so they knew he was smart enough to pass, he still had three more weeks before school started and you were worried he would have already finished all the essays and assignments.

You heard Taehyung saying he wanted to be an actor or maybe a photographer and you wanted his dreams to come true. “if you finish an acting course, maybe Jimin and I can put in good words in some agencies?”

That got you thinking where was the calico, he hadn’t left the house, maybe he was in his room listening to music or something. Your focus was taken up by the two young men in front of you both flicking through the booklets of perspective courses and careers.

“Ooh directing would be fun?” Jungkook pretended to film Taehyung who immediately started acting out a rather elaborate scene worthy of any K-drama, the two laughing at the silly monologue, “or maybe gaming?”

The cheeky grin on Jungkook's face made your heart flutter. He was almost twenty-four, his birthday nearing and if you remembered correctly so was Namjoon’s. They were all classified as adults but were they ever given the chance to just be giggly, playful boys?

It was almost dinner, you stood up and as you walked past the two hybrids you ran your fingers through their hair. Leaning between them, you held their shoulders.

“I will be back, keep thinking and mark any pages with these sticky notes, purple for Kookie and green for TaeTae,” it was strange but both young men turned their head into your neck and nuzzled you for a second a low purr from the feline and a rhythmic wag of the tail from the canine. You went to leave, your heart stuttering at their affection before anything awkward happened.

“Y/n smells nice, doesn’t she?” Taehyung’s voice was low and Jungkook’s answering purr left you feeling a little warm under the collar. The ghosts of their tiny breaths against your neck would not leave you, the skiing tingling under your touch.

Shaking your head trying to clear it of anything that could be deemed impure and strolling the hall until you reached Yoongi’s door. Knocking softly the door opened to reveal Jimin smiling.

“Hello love,” Jimin flashed the dangerous eye smile and you wondered if the boys were nearing their ruts, that would be a conversation after dinner. Yoongi was sitting on the bed looking at the unopened box of headphones, phone, and laptop.

“Am I interrupting something, I can come back later?” you rambled, gesturing down the hall, “I was just wanting to see where everyone was as I was thinking about starting dinner.”

“Yoongi and I were just talking, but I think we have both come to a comfortable conclusion of topics.” He smiled patting the older feline's shoulder, “Thanks for the talk, it's nice to finally have some brothers.”

“Yoongi, I-”

“I’m sorry,” Yoongi interrupted you and his cheeks were dusted pink, he didn’t look up from the bed where all the devices sat. His tail curled around onto his lap and his ears twitched listening intently for your reaction. “Jimin said you weren’t like that and you really just wanted to get us nice things,”

He opened the special hybrid headphones and grinned as they sat on his head like a headband and cupped his ears gently, you opened his phone and found his favorite song hoping to test the headphones.

“Tell me if they work okay, or if they need charge,” standing in front of him you turned the headphones on and attempted to Bluetooth them to the phone. Making sure to turn the volume down before playing the song. His eyes lit up and his tail gave a long elegant swish, he looked so cute and you had to suppress a laugh at how his hair was all bunched up in the headband.

You moved a little closer still and began running your fingers through his hair until it fell over the headband, Yoongi tensed and surprised you by clutching the hem of your overall shorts and nuzzled his face into your stomach, his neck bright red. You froze and gently finished with his hair and stepped back and smiled pausing the song.

“I fixed your hair, cause it was all caught in your headphones,” you explained and he looked down growing almost impossibly red. You reached out and carded your fingers through his hair affectionately. In a gesture that had often calmed Jimin as a child, you rubbed your bare wrist against his neck.

A purr almost ripped through Yoongi as his tail swished dangerously. You stepped away heading for the door, “I just wanted to ask if you wanted to help me make dinner?”

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[loganofthenorth]

Okay so I have so many ideas for a Sanders Sides High School AU but I don't know which one to stick to. So send me Sanders Sides High School AU prompts (or choose from the ones below) and I'll write one shots or script edits for them

(Might reject a prompt if it's not my cup of tea, but please send it in case it is! Preferably fluff and/or romance but dramatic ones are okay.)

Prompt Ideas:

- AU where Roman, Janus, and Patton are a popular trio giving Virgil, Remus, and/or Logan a makeover and training them to make them popular (Default ships for this would be: Prinxiety, Intruality, and Loceit but you could request an alternative ship.)

- Mean Girls AU (Debating on the ships for this one. Roman would be Regina, Janus and Patton would share the Gretchen role, Patton would have Karen, either Janus or Remus would have the Aaron role, Virgil would be Janis, Remus would be Damian, and Logan would be Cady)

- Heathers AU (Roman as Heather Chandler, Patton and Janus as the other two Heathers, Virgil as Veronica, Logan as Martha, Remus as J.D. Default Ships would be Prinxiety/Dukexiety (I'd rewrite it so that Roman's making Virgil popular because he has feelings for Virgil and I'd make it have a happy ending. Haven't seen Heathers yet but from the song Beautiful and what I do know about it I think it would be fun. Might keep it how it is but we'll see.)

- Soulmate AU (Let me know what ship(s) you'd want)

- Logan tutoring (insert side) (could be a ship or not a ship)

- The Sides hanging out as a friend group (insert location/activity/anything else you want to add)

Might reblog this later to add more prompts

[cleverhideoutchild]

Why hello! This is my scenario and dialogue prompts list.

If you want, you can give me a maximum of 3 prompts. Then give me a character or two from either of the three fandoms I'm writing for, and then a genre. I'll see what I can do.

I might add more prompts later. I got most of this from google btw, the last section are purely my ideas. If anyone want to use it go ahead and reblog it.

You can clearly see that most of my ideas are for angst fanfics-

Request : Closed

Before requesting, please read the rules.

Masterlist

Dialogue Prompts

"That was my favourite cup.”

“Is there a problem here, gentlemen?”

“What on earth happened in here?”

“You’ve caught me at a really bad time.”

“Hang on. Where’s the baby?”

“What have you done now?”

“You’ll never guess what (character name) told me last night.”

“Ma’am, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. Please, sit down.”

“How – how did you find me?”

“Excuse me. Excuse me! Yes, you. You’re sitting in my seat.”

“I don’t think it can be repaired.”

“Ouch, that must’ve hurt.”

“Quick! It’s going to explode!”

“Well, this is new.”

“Let’s hear your side of the story.”

“I don’t know what happened, officer.”

“There’s blood everywhere.”

“Right, who’s drawn the short straw this time?”

“I don’t even hate you. That would imply I cared.”

“There’s no point running.”

“How are you feeling today? A little better, hmm?”

“This is going to be way harder than we thought.”

“Was that a scream?”

“Do you ever hear noises in the night? Like scratching in the walls?”

“Don’t move.”

“I’m your biggest fan!”

“I love you! No time to explain – gotta go.”

“When did you last see him? Think! This is important!”

“Oh man, I’ve had the worst day ever.”

“This isn’t what it looks like, I swear! Okay… it’s kind of what it looks like, but just give me a chance to explain.”

"I hate you sometimes."

"What are you? Some kind of weirdo?"

"Get out."

"I love you."

"Where the heck did you come from?"

"Oh, my hero."

"Can you hug me tight, please?"

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard anyone call it that.”

“Woah, back up. You’re losing me.”

“Stop yelling!”

“Well, that’s not a very nice way of putting it. But yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“Okay, I think we do need to call an ambulance.”

“Oh my gosh, are you sure? Like, sure sure?”

“You must have misheard me.”

“Actually, I think this is the wrong way…”

“It’s taken me fifty years to get here. I’m sure as hell not giving up now!”

“Believe me, my dear, no-one regrets this more than I do.”

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to talk to strangers?”

“Don’t worry. I hated that wallpaper, anyway.”

“No. Hell, no. Absolutely not.”

“If you could just set it down – very slowly – and then back away.”

“I’ve never actually liked chocolate.”

“I find it very hard to believe that, I’m afraid.”

“That’s a very … bold … thing to say.”

“And you can’t think of any other reason?”

“Shut up.”

“I’m going to give you five seconds to take that back.”

“You’re wrong. That’s not what happened at all.”

“Hey. Look at me.”

“Apologise. Right now.”

“I’m sorry. That sounds awful.”

“Do you maybe think, in retrospect, that this was a terrible idea?”

“Good. I meant it to hurt.”

“That’s not very nice.”

“So hang on, let me get this straight.”

“Actually, I think you’d find that most people have a pretty massive problem with that"

"A horrible decision, really."

"How do I even manage to ended up with you."

"So... You still like me, right?"

"Words can not describe how much I love you."

"I love you too, silly/dummy/idiot."

"Damnit!"

"I'll be your saviour!"

“You know… you really don’t have to.”

“When she looked back at me, I thought, in that moment, that everything could be okay.”

“Did you really think you’d get a second chance?”

“Ugh! It’s like I’m cursed or something!”

“Hey, stupid. He likes you.”

“Hmm. well, I guess that’s broken.”

“… Do you think it’s dead?”

“He was right! We have to apologize!”

“I’ll never be able to look at roses the same way again…”

“No… We’ll never make it in time. We’re too late.”

“Whatever you do, don’t press that button!”

“Don’t you worry about a thing! I’m a pro at this.”

“I like her. Like, I really like her. But… She scares me a little.”

“Okay, that’s… a fun… idea. But here’s another idea! How about… we don’t do that.”

“You need to stop. People are going to think you’re weird or something.”

“What he don’t know… won’t hurt him. You can keep a secret, can’t you?”

“Sir… I don’t understand. Why are you doing this?”

“What makes her so special? What does she have that I don’t?”

“I don’t want to ask them! You go ask them!”

“Sometimes, life deals you a bad hand, but just like with poker, you can still play your cards right and win.”

“Wait, you can hear me?”

“We have to hurry. They’re coming!”

“Hey… We need to talk. Can you come down? Please…?”

“I have to say… You look different in person.”

“But… I thought you were dead.”

“You are no longer useful to me.”

“It’s time for you to repay that debt you owe me.”

"Shut up."

"Please stay."

"Time/Life/Luck/Fate is against us."

"Why is there blood everywhere??"

"Stop talking won't ya."

"Go ahead and sleep, I'll follow you soon enough."

"There's blood on you!"

"I'll see you soon, love."

"I'll always love every version of you."

"The sunset/sunrise/stars/moon is beautiful, arent they?"

"I'll always find you. Again. And again."

"I'll wait for you 'till the end of time."

"Don't go..."

"I love you- believe it or not."

"I love you, and nobody can change that. Not even you."

"I'll hold you 'till you fade away from me."

"Look, lanterns!"

"Trust me."

"Why?"

"Do you even love me?"

"Goodbye, love."

"In another life, perhaps."

"Remember to come back."

"I promise."

"You liar."

"I don't even know who you are/I am anymore."

"I see... You've changed."

"Geez, who hurt you?"

"Hug/catch me!"

"Would you like to hear a little tune/song/story?"

"The thunder won't hurt you, don't worry."

"I'm here."

"Please don't take them away from me..."

"Did you kill someone again?"

"Don't make me mad."

"Happy birthday/anniversary/(other holidays)."

"I'm sad, and you're laughing. Really?"

"Wake me when the cat can talk."

"Why are you staring?"

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, you're just really pretty."

"I'm looking at my future."

"Will you wait for me?

"Babe put the weapon down, I got good news for you!"

"Let me love you."

Scenario Prompts

'A and B are lovers in every timeline, but B kept dying in each one of them. Everytime they both got reincarnated and met each other, A got their past memories back and will try to prevent B from dying again. But each time they somehow manage to fail.'

'In this world, everyone is given a specific scent. Including A and B. Every morning they wake up, they smell their soulmate's scent. Everyday they tries to distinguish each scent just incase their soulmate is there.'

[wowweeharrystyles]

Part 13 | Nerves & New York City | 9.7k words

‘Sequins & Zippers’ Summary: An internship with Harry Lambert transformed into a job of a lifetime - Aurora Del Gatto finds herself touring the world with the one & only Harry Styles as his ‘Head of Wardrobe.’ Aurora is nothing but nerves & excitement as she packs her bags & almost 100 custom designer suits that belong to an unbelievably kind rockstar. She never thought she’d fall in love on top of it all.

a/n: here it isssss, thanks for being patient with me y’all. hope you enjoy 💕 

Sequins & Zippers Masterlist

General Masterlist

Don’t forget that reblogs help writers out a ton !!! 

love y’all, mean it. 

“Aren’t you warm in those corduroy pants?” Aurora asks Harry as he comes over to take a swig of water from the bottle she has sitting on the seat next to her. 

“Trying to get me to take off my trousers, love?” Harry quips back as he untwists the cap. 

“You’re annoying, you know that right?” She says before she adjusts the leg of her old worn out jean shorts and brings the straw of her iced coffee to her lips. “But seriously, I’m just sitting out here and I’m warm, how can you not be in those pants?” 

“I’m fine Ror, really.” 

“Whatever you say,” she singsongs, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. 

The sun is shining bright in the almost cloudless sky. Harry is playing catch with Mitch and Adam and a few crewmembers jump in and out of the game as the morning turns into afternoon. Harry was excited to be back at Hersheypark Stadium and the seasoned crewmembers were too, with it being the only outdoor stadium in the entire tour. 

Aurora has never loved the heat much, though. Between the inevitable sunburn she always gets no matter how diligent she is with applying sunscreen and the chaffing of her thighs from shorts that always end up riding up while she walks, she finds it hard to focus on how the sun feels on her skin. She finds it even harder whilst just watching Harry run around in those lilac corduroy pants. She doesn't find it hard to watch as his t-shirt pulls from where it’s trying to stay tucked into the waistband, his laurel tattoos peaking out every so often when he reaches up to catch the baseball. She hides her lingering gaze behind her sunglasses and her smirk around the straw of her coffee. 

Aurora’s phone ringing pulls her out of her stupor and she shakes her head as she watches Harry run off to catch the stray ball that’s flying through the air. 

“Hi mom!” Aurora answers her phone. 

“Hi Honey, how are you?” 

“I’m good, we’re in Philly right now, trying to enjoy the sun and beautiful day as much as we can before getting to work.” 

“Good, you shouldn’t be working too hard anyways.” She can tell her mom is smiling through her voice. “I was just calling to confirm our plans and such for NYC.” 

“Oh yeah of course! I’m so excited to see you and dad!” 

“We’re way more excited to see you, trust me,” her mom laughs.

“Yeah so, we should get to NYC on the 19th and we can get into our airbnb around 1pm.” 

“Ror, are you sure you want us to stay with you? We can just travel back and forth or get our own hotel room.” 

“No mom, I asked to get an Airbnb so we could stay together. Haven’t seen ya in since March, I wanna spend time with you!” 

“Well, what about Harry?”

“He'll probably stay with us, if that’s alright. He’s got a handful of stuff to take care of while we’re in the city, a few meetings and friends to see, but he’s coming to dinner with us on the 20th. Wants to do the whole official meet the parents thing,” Aurora explains and her mom can definitely hear by the tone of her voice that she said it with an eyeroll. “Then I thought we could go back to the airbnb and play games or watch a movie, just a normal family night. I think Harry would like to be a part of that.” 

“Why do you say it like that?” 

Aurora pauses before she answers. “Just think he’d like to have a relaxing night, something more normal than ordering room service or a business meeting, some real family time.” Aurora looks up from the chipped polish on her fingers and meets Harry's eyes across the open aisle of seats. They mirror each other's smiles. “2 nights at MSG are a big deal. I-I, I just know how he gets and I don’t want him to stress too much or be alone the night before.”

“We can do dinner a different night,” her mom suggests

“No, no, he’s the one who asked to do it that night in the first place.” 

“Oh okay, dinner and games night it is.” 

“Great, and then the next day is MSG night 1 and I thought I’d show you around the arena and what that's kinda like. They’ll be food at the arena but you can go out for dinner if you want. You’re still planning to leave the next morning, yeah? You can stay for the 2nd night if you want, I have spare tickets.” 

“Okay sounds good. No, go ahead and give those tickets to someone else. Your dad and I have to get back, he has to leave for a conference later that day,” her mother responds before going on about the different places her and Aurora’s dad have planned to go to. Even though they live fairly close to the city, they don’t go as often as they would like and have a list of their favourite places they always have to stop by. Aurora knows she’ll definitely be tagging along to the Fabric District with her mom as some point too. 

Aurora entertains her mother on the phone for a bit longer before she starts to notice crew members getting back to work, Mitch and Adam retreating to the air conditioned trailers and then Harry coming to sit next to her, finishing off his water. 

“Mom, I gotta,” she starts as Harry presses a kiss to her head, “I gotta go. Gotta get to work.” A kiss to the back of her ear. “Yeah, I’ll talk to you later.” A kiss to the vein in her neck causes her shoulder to rise to her ear. “Love you, mom. Bye!” A kiss to the base of her neck, near her collarbone. “You’re annoying,” Aurora barely says before Harry kisses her square on the lips. She giggles when he pulls away and stands up, grabbing her hands and pulling her with him. 

“Come on, I’ve gotta train and you should get out of the sun.” Aurora looks at him with a questioning look. “You’re getting a little pink,” he says sweetly as he presses his finger to her shoulder and they watch as the spot turns white and then to a bright pink. 

“Oh great,” she says. 

Harry laughs lightly and wraps his arm around her shoulders lightly as they walk towards the side of the empty stage and back towards the trailers. 

The sunset surrounds the entire stadium, a baby pink and orange glow creates the most beautiful lighting and only adds to the overall energy of the audience. Aurora can’t help but gaze at Harry and watch him watch the crowds that have come out to see him. He’s left his mint green suit jacket in his dressing room and rolled up the sleeves on his white shirt. The lens of his sunglasses glow golden as he adjusts them on the bridge of his nose. A familiar intro of a song starts and Aurora walks over to stand next to him. 

“Ya know,” Aurora starts, knocking her hip against Harry’s, “if I weren't standing here next to you, I’d definitely be in the audience at one of these shows, singing along to ‘Olivia’ at the top of my lungs with a drink in my hand.” 

Harry tosses an arm over her shoulder as he continues to look into the audience from the makeshift backstage area. He sets his red solo cup down on top of one of the large black crates. “Would you now?” 

“Sure would.” Harry tightens his arm around Aurora’s shoulder and tucks her in closer to him. 

It’s not until they head back into his trailer to get his suit jacket that he teases her more about it and kisses her to make up for it. 

“Why’s it that I’m wearing a pastel suit but the jacket you’re wearing is black?” 

Aurora looks down at her clothes. High waisted jean shorts, a cream silk tank that’s tucked in and a less conspicuous suit jacket. Harry’s black suit jacket to be specific. She had taken the black Gucci jacket with her to take to the dry cleaners after the Ft Lauderdale show and it hadn’t made it back to the wardrobe cases yet. 

“Well you only have one mint green suit and you need it tonight, so I thought I’d borrow this one instead.” Harry hums, a smirk quirking up one side of his mouth. He takes the lapels of his jacket and opens up the right side to take a look at the label sewn in. ‘Gucci’ is embroidered into the patch and underneath is Harry’s name. He hums again, a full smile flashing at Aurora now. 

“You’ve always enjoyed seeing your name on me,” Aurora barely whispers. Harry’s hands move from his grip on the jacket to sneaking around Aurora’s waist underneath said jacket. His lips fall to her neck and the sounds of the crowd wash away for a moment. She giggles from the featherlight touch. 

There’s a knock on the door. Without a doubt it’s the stage manager needing Harry to get his mic hooked up. Harry groans and drops his head to her shoulder. 

“Come on,” Aurora starts, “you’ve got a show to do.” She pulls his head from her shoulder and adjusts his jacket one last time before pushing him out of the trailer. 

Aurora watches the show from near the edge of the floor, leaning against one of the cement barriers. She pulls the jacket around her tighter as the night breeze comes through. Aurora’s heart swells when Harry picks a little girl out of the audience from in front of him at the B Stage. 

“Do you have things in your ears? You’re very small,” Harry asks, accent thick. The crowd echoes in ‘aws’ and Aurora can’t help but smile. “Are you okay?” He asks next, accent still thick but voice pitched up an octave. “Having a good time? Good.” 

He sings ‘Sweet Creature’ and Aurora can’t help but think about how he might react with her little cousins or maybe the kids of his friends. Then she thinks about how she might get to witness that and has to stop herself from letting her mind run totally free and reaching the idea of what a family of their own would look like years down the road. 

| | | | | 

The doorbell rings as a text comes through Aurora’s phone. Her parents are here. She looks at Harry, whose nerves are written on his face and it could be from a number of reasons. Aurora caresses his face for a moment, meeting his eyes and then kisses him softly before the doorbell rings again. 

“Relax, it’ll be okay,” she tries to ease. 

“Easy for you to say.” 

“Now you know exactly how I felt when I met your mom,” she trails off as she reaches for the door. 

“Rory!!” her mother exclaims as she walks through the now open door. Her mother tosses her bag on the bench in the small walkway and hugs Aurora tightly. 

“Hi mom,” Aurora says, voice muffled against her shoulder. 

“Aurora!” her father greets her next, waiting for his wife to let go of their daughter so he can greet her properly. 

Aurora’s mom pulls away and goes straight to introduce herself to Harry. She hears the interaction while she hugs her dad. 

“Harry, dear, so happy to finally meet you!” 

“Pleasure’s all mine, Mrs. Del Gatto.” 

When Aurora pulls away from her dad she introduces him to Harry and they exchange a handshake. Aurora doesn’t miss the tough face her dad tries to put on and Harry’s nervous smile. 

Harry’s phone rings and he reaches in his pocket to turn it off quickly after glancing at the caller ID. Aurora knows it’s Jeff. It’s always Jeff. 

“Harry actually has to head to some meetings,” Aurora says. 

“I’m really sorry and hate to leave but my manager tries to get in as many meetings when I get a day in a major city, especially in New York,” Harry explains. 

“No worries at all, dear,” Aurora’s mom eases. 

“I’m all clear for dinner tomorrow night and hopefully can join you beforehand,” Harry says as he grabs his bag from the couch in the living room only a few feet from where they’re standing. Harry reaches for Aurora’s mother and kisses her on the cheek, “Lovely to meet you. And you, sir,” Harry nods at Aurora’s father. Harry turns to Aurora who is still standing near the door. 

“Have a good afternoon of meetings. Just text me if anything changes, yeah?” 

Harry nods before kissing her lightly, his free hand squeezing her hip. When he pulls away from Aurora he takes a moment to look at her and then tucks a tendril of hair behind her ear. 

“Love ya,” he rushes out when he’s halfway out the door and Aurora blushes before saying it back. 

| | | | | 

- Meeting #3238734823 done. How’s your day so far? - 

- hahaha how many more to go? Mom and I dragged Dad to the fabric district so I’m doing great-

- hm about a million more to go, it feels like. Haha wish I was with you. - 

- Harry, if you were here I would be making you choose fabric to make you a new suit. - 

- wait, can we make that happen even though i’m not there?” - 

- uhm, DONE.- 

- done deal. Okay, heading into meeting #3238734824. I’ll call you when I’m heading your way. -

“Is that Harry?” Aurora’s mom asks as she tries to peak over her shoulder. 

“Yeah, he was just between meetings.” 

“Doesn’t seem like he gets much time off.” 

“Well, not so much right now, I guess. Being in the city makes it a perfect time for them to get some stuff out of the way. He normally actually has days off. Anytime it’s not a show day he gets to do whatever he pleases.” 

“Whatever he pleases?” she asks accusingly. 

“Mom…” Aurora groans. “I know it’s your job as a mom to be skeptical but please have an open mind.” Aurora’s mom purses her lips. “He’s good. Really good. And by ‘Whatever he pleases’ I mean he gets to make his own plan and decision and luckily for me, most of the time it’s something with the 2 of us, or we hang out with his band or the crew.” Aurora sighs, now. “I get that his life is totally different, but you gotta be open minded, Mom, please. He’s trying so hard and you purposefully trying to find things that are wrong won’t help you or us.” 

“You’re really serious about him, aren’t you?” Aurora nods sheepishly. Her mom can read her daughter almost too well and she realises she hasn’t taken the time to do so enough now that they’re together, in person, right now. The thought of her baby, her youngest, traveling the world with a boy, who is a stranger to her (no matter how famous he is), is terrifying to her as a mother, but she sees that she needs to get past that. “I’m sorry, I promise not to jump down his throat. I can see how important this is for you both.” 

“I really don’t want to add anymore stress to him and he so badly wants you to like him but if you’re going to pick him apart, I can’t put him through dinner.”

“Rory, honey, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be this way. I seriously promise not to add to his stress.” 

Aurora sighs, for what feels like the millionth time in the past 5 minutes. “Thank you. I just want so badly for you to like him.” 

“If he makes you happy, really truly happy, then I trust you and will love him.” 

Aurora drops the basket in her hand and wraps her arms around her mother in a hug. A final sigh from Aurora’s mouth and it’s the last bit of worry that leaves her chest. The familiar scent of her mother’s clothes is comforting and she realises in this moment how much she missed her. 

“Mom,” Aurora says as she hugs her mom tighter, “I’m really happy you’re here. I missed you a lot.” 

“Aw honey,” her mother replies, pulling out of the hug. She takes Aurora’s face in her hands, “I missed you, too. Come on now, let's finish up here, shouldn’t make your dad wait too long.”

| | | | |

“Harry, sweetie, family dinner typically means no phones at the table.” Aurora’s mom explains after Harry pulls his phone out of his pocket for a 2nd time. 

“Mom-” 

“No, your mom is right,” Harry cuts Aurora off. “I’m sorry, I’m turning it off now.” 

“If there’s something you need to take care of first, you can,” her mother offers when she sees the rosy colour blush on her daughter’s cheeks. 

“No, there’s nothing important right now.”

“Har, everything okay?” Aurora asks when she sees his finger hover over the ‘slide to power off’ screen. 

“Yeah, yeah, just a lot of texts coming through about tomorrow.” With that one sentence, Aurora knows what’s happening. She reaches her hand to hold onto his wrist closest to her and gives it a squeeze. 

“Moms know what’s best I guess, right?” And Harry laughs at that, the whole table erupts in laughter. 

The laughter dies down as their waiter brings their food to the table. Once everyone is busy with their meal, Aurora turns to Harry. “You okay?” she asks, voice almost at a whisper. 

He nods, “Yeah, I’m alright. Probably should’ve turned my phone off earlier anyways. Everyone is trying to see me or come to the show.” 

“Everyone you want to be there is already on the list and if they want to come that bad they’ll find a ticket. Honestly, they should have already bought a ticket.” 

“Ror, be nice.” 

“I am! Just saying it how it is,” Aurora retorts with a small shrug. 

Harry leans over the short distance between them and presses a kiss to Aurora’s temple. With a blush ghosting onto her cheeks, they go back to their entrees in front of them. 

“So, what’re your plans after the tour is over?” Aurora’s dad asks Harry. 

“Uhm,” Harry stutters, looking towards Aurora briefly before back to her father, “I haven’t given it too much of a concrete thought yet, I suppose.” 

“Nothing work wise planned?” 

“No, I try to take time off between projects. I definitely think I’ll need some time before I get back to the studio and think about recording another album. There’s been whispers of other projects and things, but I’ve been focusing on this tour and I’ll have a look at what might come next after I take a break.” 

“That sounds like a smart idea,” Aurora’s dad agrees. 

“Speaking of plans come the end of the tour, honey,” Aurora’s mom turns her head towards her, “what have you been thinking of doing?” 

“Oh there might be something in the works but nothing is for sure yet,” she says, pushing her fork around on her plate haphazardly. 

“Rory,” Harry chastises, “don’t down play it like that. It’s for sure and you know it. You should tell them the news.” 

Aurora peels her eyes from her plate and looks at Harry then to her parents. Their eyes are eager. She sighs as Harry reaches his hand under the table to squeeze at Aurora's thigh. 

“Uh, so Harry Lambert called the other day when we were in Boston and he offered me a full time, permanent job.” 

“Rory! That’s so exciting!” her dad exclaims. 

“Wow! Yes! So you’ll be Harry’s stylist? Permanently?” Her mom begins with the questions. Aurora was unsure of how to tell her parents this new opportunity, traveling and moving is always a hard topic for her mom and add in the possible judgement and concern, Aurora couldn’t figure out an easy way to share the news. .

“Well that’s part of it, yeah, but it’s so much more than that. Lambert has his own styling business so I’m working with him on that.” 

“So you’ll be moving back to London?” Her mom asks, a frown appearing on her face.

“Actually, no. I’ll be his point of contact, here in New York City. I’ll travel when needed for things, like to London or LA, especially for Harry’s stuff as he gets back to work later on in 2019 but I’ll live here and do a lot of shoots and jobs here to help Lambert as he keeps expanding and so he can stay in London more and take care of business there.” 

“Whew, I thought you had fallen in love, gotten a new job and were about to leave for London permanently,” her mom shares and Aurora’s shoulders tense. 

“Mom…” Aurora groans, almost a little upset that that is what her mom is choosing to focus on rather than the job she’s officially landed. 

“Aurora, we are so excited for you,” her dad adds, knowing exactly how this conversation is going. “Aren't we, dear?” He encourages his wife. 

“Oh of course, yes! But you can’t blame a mom for being worried about you moving so far away.” 

“It’s fine,” Aurora brushes it off, shoulders tense still. Harry squeezes her knee under the table, reminding her he’s right there with her. She knows her mom is happy for her but she can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt every time her mother comments about her moving. A permanent residence in New York City, she thought would have sufficed, but her mom can’t overlook the idea of all her kids leaving home and moving away when it was her who encouraged them to do so in the first place. 

Harry takes it upon himself to change the topic and begins to ask Aurora’s dad about his work. Aurora quietly finishes her food as Harry charms himself into the position of her dad's new best friend. They bond over old records and Harry can’t help but ask him about the few times he saw Fleetwood Mac in concert. Aurora and her mom simultaneously roll their eyes when he begins the family famous story of his first ever concert. Harry is engulfed in the conversation but there are only spare seconds that he’s not engaged with Aurora in some way. A hand on her knee, sometimes a squeeze to her thigh, his arm resting on the back of her seat and then moving to her shoulders when their empty plates are taken away. 

Harry and Aurora’s mom playfully fight over who gets to pay the bill and Harry compromises with the idea of picking up wine (beer for him and Aurora’s dad) and dessert on the way back to the airbnb. Aurora’s mom smiles to herself when she signs the bill and puts her credit card away. Aurora can tell she’s happy and actually enjoying the evening even through some of the rocky bits. 

“Why don’t we meet you back at the apartment?” Aurora suggests to her parents, looking for some way to get some sort of moment alone with Harry. “We’ll grab dessert and drinks while y’all get comfy and pick a game.” 

Aurora’s parents agree to the plan and Aurora knows they’ll talk about Harry all the way back and Aurora’s mom definitely makes some sort of ‘All Knowing’ face, surely catching on to the idea of a moment alone, an evening walk alone with the city lights. 

Harry isn’t one to shy away from a kiss or two but he hasn’t been able to properly kiss Rory in what feels like way too long. Under a street lamp, Aurora’s parents far down the block behind them walking in the opposite direction, he pulls her to a halt. He tucks some stray hair behind her ears as a small smile quirks up on his lips. Aurora mirrors it in a split second. Harry cradles Aurora’s head in his hands and finally kisses her the way he’s wanted to since he saw her rush up to him in front of the restaurant earlier this evening. His hands fall to her waist and the almost silky cotton is soft and he remembers noticing the pearl white trim on the neckline. It’s a dress he hasn’t seen, a dress Aurora had been saving. Aurora melts under him and she releases her weight into him. Harry’s hands don’t seem to stop moving for the few minutes they kiss under the flickering street lamp. When they pull away from each other Harry runs a feather light finger tip over the pearl white trim, starting at Aurora’s shoulder. Even in the New York summer heat, goosebumps follow his path. Aurora’s hands rest on the back of Harry’s neck and her thumbs play with the curls that grow longer and longer day by day. Harry kisses her forehead, sighs and then pulls her into his chest, his arms wrapping all the way around her waist. Harry hides his face into Aurora’s hair as a group walks past them and squeezes Aurora tighter. 

“Everything alright?” she asks him.��

“Yeah, missed you today,” he whispers. “Did I do okay?” 

Aurora pulls away from him so she can get a look at his face. “Okay? Are you talking about dinner?” He nods. “Babe, you were great.” 

“I’m sorry for making you tell them about your new job.” Aurora shakes her head. “I didn’t know you were worried about telling them. I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

“No, I’m glad you did. Made it easier with you there. My mom’s just always been so tough to share that excitement with. She gets over it eventually, she did with college, with my internship, with tour. The initial reaction is just hard cause she doesn’t go straight to being excited.” 

They start walking down the street again and Harry reaches for Aurora’s hand and she gladly takes his. Harry’s quiet for a moment but Aurora pays no mind to it. 

“I don’t know if it helps at all, but I’m proud of you. Incredibly excited for you,” he says when they turn a corner. Aurora spots the italian bakery lit up at the end of the block. Harry kisses the top of her head and the smile on her face grows. 

“Thank you,” she replies and squeezes his hand. “Know you’re only excited cause this means I’ll still be working with you.” 

“Hmm… definitely part of it,” he laughs, “But even if you had to work in some random city, with something nothing to do with me, I’d still be proud and excited for you. Always will be, no matter what.” 

Aurora stops dead in her tracks and pulls him in for a kiss. “I love you a whole fucking lot, did you know that?” 

“Had a feeling,” he whispers around a smile, his dimples deep. “Come on, I’ve got a craving for chocolate cake.” 

When they let themselves into the apartment, Aurora’s parents have changed into some more comfortable clothes and are sitting in the living room, setting up a game of Monopoly.  Once Harry and Aurora have changed as well and Harry has poured everyone a drink and cut the chocolate cake he was craving, they settle on the floor in the living room. 

2 glasses of wine and a slice of cake later, Aurora is most definitely winning the game of Monopoly and Harry is horribly losing and has had to ‘borrow’ from the bank a handful of times. Aurora’s not sure if it’s the wine and chocolate or if it really is the ease of the evening that is making her so undeniably happy. Harry laughs along with the teasing from Aurora’s dad and happily refills her mother’s wine glass. He seems relaxed and worry free right now and Aurora’s thankful for that. Tomorrow will come and it’ll be a different story, but right now she takes this in. This moment in an unfamiliar apartment, with 3 of the people she loves most in the world. Harry steals a few glances every now and then, his hand lingers on her back or thigh every so often and Aurora plays with his grown out curls when she slides closer to him on the floor. 

“Aurora, I should’ve brought your monopoly game from home!” Aurora’s mom says. 

Harry’s brows furrowed in confusion because, here they are, playing monopoly but he can’t ask what’s so special about the one back home because Aurora quickly shoots a look at Harry before she gives her mother a look that could most definitely kill. 

“Mom! Please don’t,” she pleads before she’s laughing. 

“It would’ve been funny!” 

“Oh what? Just like how you thought me bringing my One Direction posters on tour would be funny?” 

“Dare I ask?” Harry adds in. 

“Aurora made-”

“Mom!” 

Harry wraps his arms around Aurora’s waist, “Rory, you shouldn’t interrupt your mother. Quite rude isn’t it?” he jokes. 

“Aurora made a monopoly game for a class project one year and it was One Direction themed,” her mother shares. 

Aurora groans before dropping her head into Harry’s chest, hiding her blush. 

“Oh, did she now?” he teases. 

Aurora knows she won’t hear the end of this for days, but she endures the teasing with a smile on her face and it's most definitely not because of the wine but because she is laughing with Harry and her mom and her dad. She needed tonight, they all did. 

| | | | |

When they get to MSG, Harry shows Helene an old photo that he’s found on instagram. Fans had been tagging and tweeting it to him all morning and he smiles at the memory of it. He wants to recreate the photo, a way to keep a record of his journey. Helene loves the idea and tells Harry to meet her in the empty audience in 15 minutes. 

“Okay, I’m gonna go get the wardrobe ready,” Aurora says about 10 minutes later. 

“Oh, you’re not coming with?” Harry asks, trying to hide his disappointment. 

Aurora tilts her head at him and she recognizes the look on his face. She saw it last when they were at the O2 in London, weeks ago. “I can come with, if you want?” 

“I don’t want to put you behind schedule.” 

“Don’t have much of a schedule and it’s still early. Come on let’s go find Helene!” She reaches for his hand and pulls him down the hall with her. “Everything alright?”

“Mhm, you know you keep me calm,” he says quickly, like it’s something everyone knows. Aurora brings his hand up to her face and presses a kiss to the back of it. 

Aurora recognized the photo when Harry showed it to her this morning and now she laughs along with Harry and Helene as they try to get the perfect photo. Harry has a red bandana tied around his head, controlling his bed head and Aurora looks from the photo from 2012 to the sight in front of her. The cowlick at the crown of his head is exactly the same but the difference in the width of his shoulders is something Aurora can’t get over. Even in the baggy black t-shirt she can see the way his back muscles contract when he moves his arms and the way his waist tapers into his hips. 

It feels like they take forever taking the photo once Aurora is only focusing on Harry’s back and then the difference between his bare arms to his now tanned, tattoo covered muscles. She sighs and pinches her bottom lip between her thumb and pointer finger. 

“Ror!” Harry practically yells, both him and Helene laughing. 

“Sorry what?” she says getting pulled out of her thoughts. 

Harry gives her a look and Helene says something about needing to be somewhere and photos that need editing. “Where’d ya go just then?” Harry asks. 

“No where, just thinking.” 

“I know that look…” Harry drags on. “Come on.” 

Harry pulls her up from the chair and pulls her along.

And that's how they end up giggling on the couch in Harry’s dressing room. Harry’s hovering over Aurora, the kissing has halted for a moment. 

“Ror, how did this even happen?” Harry asks between giggles. 

“They’re YOUR fancy Gucci pillows that caused the problem!” 

Harry’s hands work at the strands of Aurora’s hair that have gotten caught around the beads that cover the pillow. She whines when it pulls slightly but can’t help but continue to laugh at the situation. 

Finally, she’s free from the pillow and Harry tosses it to the floor. His smile is the last thing she sees before he’s kissing her again. His hips drop to hers and she can’t help but give in to the feeling and pull him in closer to her. Her hands sneak under his t-shirt and up his back. 

Harry’s phone rings but they ignore it.

Then Aurora’s does too and they ignore that as well, until it rings non stop. 

Harry groans, “you should probably get that.” Harry pulls away and sits back on his feet, knees still on either side of Aurora’s hips. He reaches towards the table and grabs her phone. He passes it to her below him and she rolls her eyes. 

“It’s my mom, they’re probably here,” she groans. Harry grins, his dimple sinking deep. 

Harry shifts slightly which causes Aurora to groan but for an entirely different reason. Harry laughs lightly and pulls down the tank she’s wearing as he was the one to push it up to get his hands on her skin in the first place. Aurora closes her eyes for a second to collect herself. Harry moves off of her and looks at his phone and rolls his eyes. 

“More people coming out of the woodworks?” 

“Mhm,” he hums, elbows resting on his knees. Aurora rubs his back soothingly and presses her lips to his neck. 

“I was gonna give my parents a tour and show ‘em everything, but I can push it back if you want me to?” Aurora offers.

“No, go spend time with them. I need to workout anyways and sound check is earlier than normal. You can bring them to soundcheck if you want!” Harry sighs, “I’ll be okay.” 

“Yeah I’ll bring ‘em round.”

“You’re coming to the preshow thing Jeff set up right?” 

“Mhm,” Aurora hums, “and I’ll have your suit ready before then so we can just change you into it right before Kacey starts. Sound alright?” 

“Okay, good. Yeah, that works,” he rushes out and his shoulders drop heavily. 

“Hey, promise you’re good right now? You can come with, if you want.” 

“Yes, I’m good, thank you,” he says, a blush rising to his cheeks. “Boxing will help for sure, always does.” 

Aurora takes his head in her hands, tucking some messy curls back in place, surveying his eyes quickly before she leans in to kiss him softly. 

The navy blue bandana tied around his neck makes Aurora smile as he moves around the room with a red solo cup in his hand. Everyone else in the room has booze in their cups but no one pays any attention to the fact that Harry has ice water in his. The room is loud and Aurora doesn’t love the chaos of it all so she focuses on Harry. He smiles at her from across the room when he sees a glimpse of her behind the head of whoever he’s talking to. She gave her parents the full tour of backstage and let them see a glimpse of what her life looks like lately. They left to get dinner before coming back for the show and Aurora’s glad to be able to be there for Harry for the night without distractions. 

Aurora mingles with a few people she’s met before, but always keeping an eye on Harry. She’s star struck a handful of times as she watches Anna Wintour come and go, Zach Braff hang out near the bar, and Rob Sheffield chat with Helene. Even with the starstruck moments, Aurora has fun with what is easily deemed as her tour family. A few times, Harry meanders over to her and drags her along to introduce her to someone new. Repeatedly he refers to her as “his Aurora” and everytime Aurora blushes which earns her a kiss to the cheek or a squeeze to her hand or hip. In turn, she tugs on the bandana around his neck a few times.   

As the crowd in the small room thins out, Harry takes it upon himself to make a spectacle of checking his watch and pulling Aurora out of the room with him, shouting about how it takes time to look good and that he hopes everyone enjoys the show. 

“You know, that first night in Basel, I recognized your nerves the second they hit you,” Aurora begins as she watches Harry button up his black shirt. He turns around to face her, the long fabric hanging from the collar reminiscent of that first night she helped him get ready. “You got really quiet, really fast,” she continues as she starts to loop the fabric into a bow, “and even though in the end I helped, I was panicking inside. It was the first night, I barely knew you, I was just trying to do my job, but then,” she sighs when she’s happy with the look of the bow, “then I realised, in that exact moment, that maybe I had more to offer for you, that calming your nerves, minutes before you got on stage in front of thousands of people, was something I could help with.” Aurora grabs the cream Gucci jacket from the hanger. “Something I knew about, something we could level on.” 

After Harry slides both arms into his jacket he turns around to Aurora. “I wasn’t used to having someone there with me, to help me, no one really ever noticed when I got nervous.” 

“I hope you know that I’ll always be there, be here, for you,” she adds as she buttons his jacket closed. “I think, that was the moment, even though I didn’t really figure it out till now, that you were more than just this big rockstar that sauntered around the stage in his custom Gucci wardrobe to me, that there was something more there.” 

Harry huffs as his hands rub up and down Aurora’s arms. There’s a sparkle in his eye that was there a second ago, a sparkle that turns into a welled up tear in his waterline. He blinks it away. He smiles at her and Aurora carefully pulls him into her, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, careful not to mess with his hair or the perfectly steamed suit. 

“You good?” 

“Always good when you’re around,” Harry says, his voice soft as it gets lost in Aurora’s hair. 

The hallways to the stage entrance are loud and the energy hasn’t changed all day. Everyone is excited and their shouting their “good luck’s” and “break a leg’s” at Harry as he passes by. Aurora follows behind him and his band with Helene by her side. Mitch wraps his arm around Sarah’s waist and Helene snaps the moment. Everyone’s buzzing but Aurora keeps an eye on Harry a few feet in front of her. Harry holds open one of the double doors that has a sign that says “Stage Entrance” taped on it. Helene walks through last before Harry takes Aurora’s hand and ushers her in before he walks through too, the door shutting quietly behind them. 

His band finds their place on stage and Helene heads to the audience. Harry squeezes Aurora’s hand one last time and then kisses her temple as the opening track begins. 

“Just be careful in those flares, they’re a tripping hazard,” Aurora yells, with a laugh, up to Harry as he takes the metal steps 2 at a time. 

Aurora doesn’t waste any time getting to the audience and finding her parents in the mix at the back of the pit. She gives them both a quick hug just as Alex’s voice comes over the speakers. 

Should we just search romantic comedies on Netflix and see what we find? 

When the screen rises and Harry begins to come into view, gasps fill the pit along with screams as the giant flares come into view. Aurora doesn’t miss the chest heightening breath Harry takes before letting out a shaky breath through pursed lips, his shoulders dropping back to their relaxed height. The second the crash of Only Angel hits, Harry’s totally and completely carefree. Aurora turns to see her parents' reaction from their spot next to her. The surprise in their eyes in the abrupt change in music makes Aurora laugh. The surprise turns to amazement when the entire audience is singing along. 

When Harry makes his way back to the mainstage after Sweet Creature, Aurora’s mom turns to her. “I understood why you loved him before, but now I really understand.” It makes Aurora giggle and blush a bit. 

| | | | |

Aurora’s sitting in the empty audience, 3 rows behind the pit, her sneaker clad feet resting on the chair in front of her. She’s tired, exhausted. Between her parents being in the city, a handful of random friends trying to see her, Harry’s friends and family everywhere, a secretly nervous Harry, and a job to do, she’s managing a lot right now. But right now, in this moment and for the next few minutes she gets to sit, drink her iced latte and not care that she’s wearing her last clean pair of leggings and one of Harry’s random t-shirts. She’s got nowhere to be, no one to entertain, no job to do. 

A newly familiar intro begins and Aurora can’t help but laugh a little at Harry in his tall white socks, Adidas sneakers, black workout shorts and his rainbow TPWK tshirt. She’s used to seeing Harry dressed like this, but not while he’s on a stage, while he’s singing and playing his guitar, his vocals echoing more than normal through the empty arena. It’s barely 10am and Harry and Kacey’s voices aren’t where they will be when they perform this special duet later tonight, but Aurora enjoys moments like this. They sing through the chorus a handful of times, making a few harmony changes and in between each run, Adam’s kids cheer from the floor right in front of the stage. 

Aurora can see the dark circles under Harry’s eyes from where she’s sitting but doubt anyone else notices them. She helped him manage his nerves leading up to last night’s show and his solo debut on the MSG stage went off without a hitch but a wave of emotions took over once they had both left the arena. Aurora could tell something was off with Harry. Once they closed the door to their bedroom for their time in New York, Harry sunk to the bed, his arm over his face. His chest heaved quickly before a slow, shaky breath was released. 

“Hey,” Aurora said softly, sitting down on the mattress next to him. She reached for the arm covering his face. “You okay?” she asks, confused. He had been totally fine all evening, no sign of anything bothering him, no disappointment from the night, nothing. She’s caught off guard. 

“Not really sure why this is happening,” he says, his voice shaky. Aurora lets her hand rest against his chest, her thumb moving softly back and forth in a soothing manner. She can see his face now, but his eyes stay closed. She watches tears build up on his eyelashes, but gives him a moment and doesn’t say anything. Harry eventually lets out a heavy breath through his nose, his hands take the one that is resting on his chest. He brings her hand to his face and kisses her palm softly. “Just a lot happened today, I guess,” he says in the end. 

“You guess?” Aurora says in disbelief. “A lot did happen today and you can come down and react to it in any way you need.” Harry hums, lets go of her hand and reaches out to her. 

“Will you lay here with me for a second?” He asks in a soft voice. 

“Whatever you need,” Aurora responds as she lays down next to him and fits herself into his side. “I’m proud of you.”

“Please, Ror,” Harry whispers. 

“No, I’m gonna tell you. I’m proud of you. Tonight was incredible. You should be proud of yourself.” 

“I am.” 

“Good.” 

And even though he was happy and proud of himself he still continued to let tears fall from his eyes. Exhaustion from the nerves, the empty place in his heart where Robin lived because he kept dwelling on the idea of him being in the audience to see what he did, the toll touring in general takes on his body, the added stress of Aurora’s parents. Aurora whispered about the amazing moments during the show and repeatedly told him how much she loved him as she ran her fingers through his hair until he eventually fell asleep. 

So the dark circles are there for a reason and nobody else notices or needs to know why. Harry wanted one last rehearsal with Kacey before sound check later and wanted to be able to relax (as best as he could) for the majority of the day. And relaxing and having fun is what he had on the agenda for the afternoon. A few more cups of coffee and he would be ready for the official Harry Styles World Tour Table Tournament. When they walked into MSG the tables were already being set up, official leaderboards being hung on rolling whiteboards and a shiny, engraved trophy on display nearby. 

Aurora is off the leaderboard faster than the competition even started. She doesn’t even make it far enough to play against Harry. He’s a pro at this point. Table Tennis is a weird niche tour sport Aurora thinks. Harry loves it, plays it everyday, almost and Aurora teases him about him being the best because it’s the only thing he’s done as consistently as touring and performing. 8 years of table tennis under his belt has leant him the skills. She thinks he shouldn’t be allowed to compete today. Even 4 months of touring for Aurora and she can’t get the hang of it, so she watches from the side, laughs with the group and watches the dark circles disappear from under Harry’s eyes. 

With no surprise, Harry wins the tourney. Literally no one in all of New York City is surprised but they still cheer for him when he scores his winning point and then everyone is crowding around him, giving him high fives and slaps on the back -- there isn’t a single trace of a dark circle under his eyes now. Aurora knows that for a fact when she gets a good look at him up close when he picks her up off the ground in a hug while still cheering.

A few hours later Aurora is standing in her usual spot in the dressing room with the steamer heating up nearby and the large wardrobe case open in front of her. She smiles when she reaches for tonight's suit. A turquoise version of the golden Calvin Klein suit he wore back in Australia. 

“You coming out with us, tonight?” Harry asks Aurora from where he’s sitting in Ayae’s chair as she messes with his hair. 

“Why wouldn’t I?” Aurora questions back, confused. 

“Well, ya used to decline my invites all the time,” Harry says matter of factly. 

“That was before and anyways when was the last time I turned you down?” 

“Harry, leave the poor girl alone,” Ayae pipes in. “She already deals with you enough as it is.” 

Aurora and Ayae laugh together as Harry whines about being teased. Aurora’s thankful for the ease of the evening, the disappearance of Harry’s nerves and exhaustion. Aurora’s parents are gone and though it was an easy few days for the most part, there’s still a wash of relief over the couple. 

Once Ayae is done with Harry she wishes him good luck and then goes to find Mitch and Adam. 

“So you’re coming with tonight?” 

“Harry, of course I am,” Aurora says with a roll of her eyes. “Gotta celebrate, right?” 

Harry just smiles and kisses the top of Aurora’s cheek before he takes his trousers from her hand. Aurora takes the now well known and iconic TPWK tank (just as she predicted) from the hanger and passes it to Harry. And then, just like every night of tour, she holds his jacket by the collar and Harry turns his back to her and slides one arm, then the other, into the sleeves. Aurora pulls as the shoulder seams, making sure they’re sitting just right before he turns around to face her. His eyes don’t leave her face as she makes a few minute adjustments to the collar before she buttons it close. Aurora doesn’t drop her hands right away, she takes a moment, the familiar spot comfortable and Harry takes the opportunity to rest his forehead against hers. A small moment between just the 2 of them calms the recurring nerves in Harry’s chest. Harry pulls away after a moment, a squeeze to Aurora’s hip before he does. No words are needed but miles upon miles of thoughts are shared between them in that moment. Aurora gives him a smile as he disappears into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Aurora slips out of her sneakers and pulls her heels out of her bag. Final night of MSG feels like the perfect occasion to dress up a bit more. She touches up her red lipstick before Harry’s back. He stops in his tracks in the door as if he didn’t notice her fully just minutes ago when she was helping him into his suit. 

“Wow,” he says now “Ror.” He shakes his head and then walks over to her. He plays with the flimsy fabric at the hem of her tank, then his hands grip at her waist. His calloused fingertips find the skin at the top of her black jeans, underneath the tank and he rubs small circles at the plushy skin of her waist. “You look really pretty, Rory,” he almost whispers. 

And just like any moment they have before a show, they’re interrupted by someone calling Harry’s name from the hallway. They groan in unison. 

“Where are you gonna watch from?” 

“You’ll have to find me.” 

Harry finds her in the audience with ease and his signature smirk appears when he does at the beginning of Ever Since New York. It's at this moment Aurora thinks about the importance of New York. 

I’ve been praying, ever since New York

This song had been written before they had met, about something totally unrelated but New York holds this cloud of memories, some strong enough that he had to put into a song, a song he plays every single night. This week will be added to the cloud of memories in New York and with Aurora moving back to the city come the end of tour, she’s sure they’ll create more here too. 

The audience erupts in screams when Harry brings out Kacey to sing with him. “You’re Still The One” begins and Aurora remembers the first time she ever heard this song. Too little to remember it all perfectly but she still remembers her mom singing it in the kitchen while baking cookies and little Aurora being entranced by the music, her mother carefree, hair tied up in a bun while she sang it to Aurora. 

When Harry played the short list of songs he was considering, Aurora put her vote on this track and Kacey loved it just as much. Now, as the song plays and Kacey sings along with Harry, the majority of the audience is singing along too. Harry can’t help but smile from time to time and it sparkles like Kacey’s rainbow dress. 

At another point in the show, Harry makes a scene in front of his band and shows off his Table Tennis tourney trophy. 

There are moments like this sprinkled throughout the show. Harry fully carefree, enjoying his time and the audience equally having the time of their lives. 

During Medicine, his mic cord gets caught but it doesn’t take away from the impeccable performance of the unreleased song, it only adds to it. 

As he walks down the alley between the pits, he collects handfuls of bouquets on his way to the B stage. Harry finds Aurora quickly, a huge smile on his face and then tosses the bouquets at her in the mix. 

Aurora doesn’t miss the shakiness of his voice during Sweet Creature and from her spot in the mix, she can see him perfectly. His head tilts up to the 300 level seats during the instrumental and he takes in a short breath before blowing out a breath through pursed lips, trying to hold back tears. It’s the sight in front of him, the emotion of the song, the reminder that he’s performing for the 2nd night for a sold out MSG that gets to him. 

Harry answers a fan’s question at one point, about what his favourite Britney Spears song is. Toxic, of course. And Aurora laughs as the audience erupts in a chant of “Sing It!” to which Harry responds, without surprise to Aurora, a simple, “no.” 

The energy in the room is something she’ll never be able to describe in a million years. There’s never a lull, never a dip, never once anything Harry does receive less than an ear deafening scream. 

The ground shakes during “Kiwi” and Harry makes the crowd scream the New York line back to him. It’s a moment where the entire audience has one goal and they achieve it, following through with Harry’s request to let go and be whoever they want to be. 

The energy doesn’t stop when he leaves the stage. The ringing is louder than normal in Aurora’s ears but she doesn’t care and the red lipped smile on her face stretches from ear to ear. Harry doesn’t care about the lingering print of red lipstick on his face when Aurora kisses his check the second he pulls her into a hug. He keeps her close while people come up to congratulate him & rave over the show. 

They make it to his dressing room almost an hour later & Harry collapses to the couch right away. Aurora sits down next to him & Harry pulls her in close to him. He doesn’t take long to get his lips on hers, but there isn’t an urgency in the kisses. The kisses are slow & deep & almost pondering like he isn’t sure where he wants this to go right now. 

Aurora takes it upon herself to start pushing his jacket off his shoulders to get her hands on more of his skin. It doesn’t go much further. The kisses slow down to a stop & they just sit there for a moment, both knowing that if they don’t actually stop now they will run into someone interrupting them. 

They go through the post show routine as usual. Harry’s sweaty suit gets hung up to dry & Harry jumps into the shower while Aurora puts everything away. She praises him over & over about different parts of the show as he messes with his wet curls & changes into clean clothes. A blush repeatedly rises to his checks & he resorts to getting her to stop fawning over his show by kissing her against the dressing room door. 

“Come ‘ere, Angel,” Harry says as he offers an open arm to her, “need my girl by my side at all times.” He’s got one hip popped out slightly and a hand on his pool stick. 

“Was getting you another drink, rockstar,” She says as she hands him a fresh Old Fashion, his drink of choice for the evening. Harry presses a kiss to the top of Aurora’s head as he takes the glass from her hand. 

The game of pool has been put on pause as one of Harry’s friends reads Rob Sheffield's Rolling Stones article about MSG night 1 as loud as he can. There’s hoots and hollers every so often from the group they’re with in reaction to some of the comments Rob has written. 

That’s confidence. That’s cheek. That’s arrogance. That’s a rockstar.

Bowie-glam raunchfest Kiwi.

His generous spirit was contagious all night. Shine on, you crazy diamond. 

Harry doesn’t let Rory leave his side most of the night. He even takes the opportunity to show her how to properly use the pool stick in the most cliché romcom way. Aurora doesn’t shy away though, she only encourages it more every time. 

They seem to be sharing every single feeling tonight, warmth, excitement, release of stress, love, & they can’t get enough of each other. 

It’s nearly 3am when Harry’s twirling Aurora around in circles in the almost empty basement of the bar. The group has thinned out but neither of them are paying much attention to what’s happening around them. Aurora’s cheeks hurt from the sheer length of time she’s been smiling at Harry. His tortoise rimmed reading glasses seem to appear out of nowhere & his dimples haven’t gone away in hours. As Aurora adjusts her grip on Harry’s shoulders & the small bit of sweat through the rainbow Kacey Musgraves T-shirt he’s wearing doesn’t bother her. 

One last turn in the middle of the open floor has Aurora dizzy & stumbling over her feet & then Harry’s. Harry grips at Aurora’s waist a bit tighter as he steadies her. He lands a sloppy kiss on her lips before guiding both of them to sit at the nearby booth. Aurora swings her legs onto Harry’s lap with the only goal to get closer to Harry in mind.

In this small basement of a bar in New York, with his Rory all over him, Harry is sure that this is where he’s supposed to be.

comments & feedback ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS welcome & appreciated !!!

[commonplaceish]

Commonplace's Basic Cooking Skills #1

This post tells you how to prepare one easy, good meal. It's not necessarily nutritionally complete, but it has protein (meat), carbs and vegetables. It assumes almost nothing about your cooking skills, except to recognise the foodstuffs. It consists of foods which, even if you don't quite cook them right, won't do you any harm (and honestly, you could probably eat them all raw). It is not suitable for vegetarians; I'll cover some vegetarian food in a later post, because it is, on average, more difficult.

The whole meal will take about 4 hours to prepare, but much of that time is leaving the food to cook. You'll be busy for the first half hour and the last 45 inutes, more or less.

(I think roast beef, potatoes and vegetables are one of the most cottagecore meals out there, beaten only by pies. We'll come to pies in a future post, too.)

You will need the following equipment: A stovetop or hob with at least two rings (heating areas) An oven A roasting tin, baking tray, or oven-proof dish Some tinfoil (aluminum foil) Two saucepans or pots (steel if using an induction stove) A chopping board A meat-cutting board (which might also be the chopping board, washed carefully after use) A medium-large knife (which I call the "big knife" in places) A vegetable peeler or smaller knife Access to a sink, or at least a tap A timer of some kind (an alarm clock, a timer or alarm on your phone, or the like) A large fork (this is for holding the meat still to cut it; you might be able to hold it with your hand instead) Ideally, a potato masher, but an ordinary fork will do. Sufficient plates, forks, and knives for people to eat with

You will need the following ingredients:

A beef roast (this is a large piece of beef; there are many kinds. Literally any of them will do for this) of about 1kg (2.2lbs) or more. If you get it without wrapping, ask the seller to weigh it for you. Otherwise, make a note of the weight. Some potatoes Some carrots Some broccoli Some butter Some milk Some salt Some black pepper (pre-ground, or ground at the time of use from a pepper mill)

There are no pre-written amounts for anything but the meat, and even that is an approximation.

Heat the oven to 150C (300F, gas mark 2). If it's a fan oven (you can look in and see the fan at the back), set it to 130C (265F) instead. Make sure there's nothing except the wire shelves in the oven before you heat it. Place the beef in your roasting tin, baking tray, or dish, and shake some salt and black pepper over it - about twice as much salt as you'd put on a plate of fries, and enough pepper to be visible on the surface of the beef. Add about 200dl (a cup) of water to the container, so that it pools around the beef. Cover the beef loosely with tinfoil, making sure the edges go inside the container, not outside. Once the oven is hot enough (usually this is indicated by a light going out), put the beef in its container in the oven, and set a timer or alarm for 3 hours.

Now, peel the potatoes. This can be done with a smaller knife or a vegetable peeler. Be careful not to cut yourself; you can go slowly. There is absolutely no rush at this stage. The peeling does not have to be pretty - we're going to mash these potatoes - so don't worry about that either. Cut the potatoes into very approximately golf ball sized pieces. Take the bigger of your two pots or saucepans, put the cut potatoes in, and pour in enough water to cover them, plus about 1cm (half an inch) more. Leave these aside; they're now ready to cook, but we won't do so until later.

If your broccoli is one large piece, cut out the stem in the middle with whichever knife suits you. Alternately, cut off the smaller "floret" branches one by one - what you want is a number of the smaller branches, the finger-thick ones. If your broccoli comes as florets (sometimes frozen), you don't need to do this. Indeed, if your broccoli is frozen, leave it in the freezer for now. Otherwise, put the florets to one side.

Next, take the carrots, chop off the top and bottom (about 5mm/a quarter inch from the end for the thicker top end, and about 1cm/half an inch from the end for the narrower bottom end). Peel the carrots with the vegetable peeler or knifer, holding the carrots with one hand and cutting away from that hand with the other. Once you have all the rough outer skin off, chop them into coin-like horizontal pieces, each about 5mm/a quarter of an inch thick. Set them aside as well.

You now get to go do something else until the alarm goes off.

When the alarm goes off, open the oven and CAREFULLY take the tinfoil off the beef (use oven gloves or a dry towel to protect your hand reaching in). Close up the oven and set an alarm for 30 minutes.

Now, put your pot of potatoes and water on the stove top/hob, and set that ring to the highest it can go. When it comes to a full boil (when the water is bubbling madly and there's a lot of steam rising), turn it down so that it remains just barely boiling (simmering).

Now, take the other saucepan/pot, and put it on the other ring. Half fill it with water, and set it to the highest setting, so it comes to the boil. Once it does that, put in your chopped carrots - be careful not to splash yourself - and turn the pot down like you did with the potatoes. Add some salt to the water - a small handful is what I use here.

It's now time to check if the potatoes are done. They probably won't be, but it's useful to practice. Take two forks, and stick one of them into a potato in the boiling water. CAREFULLY. If it goes in and comes out easily, the potatos are cooked. If you have to push it in hard, and/or the potato lifts out of the water when you try to pull the fork out, they are not yet cooked. If they are not yet cooked, use the second fork to hold the potato while you pull the first one out, and put it back in the boiling water.

You now want to wait a few minutes, and your timer is in use. You can set a second timer for 4 or 5 minutes, or you could sing yourself a song (most rock songs, solo included, come in around 3 minutes; prog rock and Bauhaus can be way longer). Or you can just watch a clock for a few minutes, although I find my attention drifts. Hold on, it's not that long.

Once 4-5 minutes have passed, check your potatoes again. If they're done, take them off the heat, and carefully pour the water off them. Remember to turn off the ring on the stove/hob. Some of the potatoes will try to roll out of the saucepan; hold them back with the larger knife (or some other implement; it doesn't matter what as long as they don't escape). Put them aside for a few moments. If they're not done, try them again in a few minutes, and then take them off. It might take a few goes; that's ok.

Now add the broccoli to the pot of boiling carrots. You COULD do them in a second pot, and sometimes I do, but this saves on washing up, and makes sure that everything cooks in about the right time.

Your 30 minute alarm will go off soon. Turn off the oven, and CAREFULLY, using oven gloves or a towel, take the roasting dish with the beef in it out, and set it aside to "rest" for a bit. Meat straight out of the oven is difficult to cut; it'll be much easier in 15 minutes or so.

Meantime, back to the potatoes. Take your masher, or fork, or whatever you can find to crush them into crumbs and pulp. Once they're fairly well-mashed, add some butter and some milk. You want a good bit of butter - a golf ball sized chunk is good, I feel, and just a little milk, a couple of spoons full. Mash the butter and milk into the potatoes until they're smooth, adding more milk in small amounts if you need to. If your butter is salted (it will say on the packet), you're fine, otherwise you'll want to add a little salt. Taste a little bit before you add a lot.

When you're finished the potato mash, take the carrot-and-broccoli pot off the heat, turn off the ring, and pour off the water, again holding back the vegetables with the knife or whatever you used for the potatoes. When they're drained, put in a little butter, let it melt on them, and stir it around.

It's now time to cut the beef. This does not have to be pretty! Hold the chunk of meat down on your cutting board (or the chopping board you used for the vegetables), ideally with a towel under the board so it doesn't slip around. Use the big fork or your hand (possibly with some kitchen paper or a small towel or something) to hold it still, and cut off slices with the big knife. They can be as thin as you like, and can manage, but about 1cm (half an inch) thick is fairly easy.

Everything is now ready. Put some mashed potatoes, some vegetables, and some slices of beef on each plate, and tuck in. Ideally, someone else should do the washing up.

Commonplace is a newsletter about food and food history. This is #1 in a series of posts about very simple cooking. It's suitable for people who have never cooked before, or who are nervous about cooking. Feel free to reblog it, or pass it on directly!

[actuallyrandomperson]

My thoughts on the Sanders Sides Spotify playlists- Janus Edition!

Note: this is Purely me saying whether or not I like the songs, not theorising about any deeper meanings. I’ve done them all, so just click on the names to see my reactions to the others: Virgil, Patton, Roman, Logan

Impressions from looking through the playlist: Ok. So I am pumped by some of the songs on this playlist. Seriously. Prepare for my excitement over certain songs.

1: ‘Black Hole Sun’, by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Haley Reinhart. So, this made me realise the original version of black hole sun isn’t in my 32 hour playlist, even though it’s an iconic song, so that’s been remedied! This cover was really cool, and also somehow more Janus-ey. Also I was gonna call bs on Janus’ intro just based on hearing this one song, but then I remembered lyings kinda His Thing so it was probably very purposeful. This is now on the 32 hour playlist.

2: ‘It Seemed the Better Way’, by Leonard Cohen. I mean, it’s Leonard Cohen, so obviously I liked this. It’s Leonard Cohen. It only made it to the 32 hour playlist though.

3: ‘Anywhere’, by The Scarring Party. This was jaunty, and another one I could easily imagine doing tap to! It ended up in the 32 hour playlist, but I don’t think I’ll specifically seek it out at any point in the future.

4: ‘Talking At The Same Time’, Tom Waits. This one I was a bit iffy on. It was interesting, it just wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea. I wouldn’t skip it in the future, but it’s not on my 32 hour playlist.

5: ‘all the good girls go to hell’, by Billie Eilish. This one was already on the 32 hour playlist, because Billie Eilish is iconic. Relistening to it on here prompted me to put it on the 10 hour playlist. Honestly, most of Billie Eilish’s songs belong on the ten hour playlist. I might go ahead and add them all. They are where they belong now.

6: ‘Denial’, by The Vaccines. This song was a bop!! It’s on the 32 hour playlist now, and I snorted at the combo of title and band. (get vaccinated, kids!)

7: ‘Trust In Me’, Scarlett Johanson. I haven’t seen the live action jungle book, but this song was good! It’s been ages since I saw the original as well, so I couldn’t tell you if i liked it more or less than the og version, but I liked it enough to add to the 32 hour playlist.

8: ‘Razzle Dazzle’, by Richard Gere. Over ten years of doing dance means that I’ve heard most of Chicago’s soundtrack through my jazz classes. This was no exception, and is on my 32 hour playlist now although it also made me feel sad again about the fact that I had to quit for medical reasons (but didn’t make me as sad as all that jazz, cell block tango, or we both reached for the gun would have). God I miss dance.

9: ‘When the Chips Are Down’, by Anais Mitchell, The Haden Triplets. One day, I’ll be able to watch hadestown. I mean. It’s a Greek mythology inspired musical. It‘s gotta be iconic. And also, this song was cool! It’s now on my 32 hour playlist.

10: ‘Mandy Goes To Med School’, by The Dresden Dolls. This one was interesting! It took me a while to work out how I felt about it, but I eventually decided I liked it enough for it to at least go onto the 32 hour playlist.

11: ‘I Put A Spell On You’, Nina Simone. Does anyone not like at least one version of this song? Because if so I’d like to meet them. This got added to the 32 hour playlist.

12: ‘Evil Night Together’, by Jill Tracy. This was cool as hell, very dark Disney-villain esque. It’s now in in my 32 hour playlist!!

13: ‘Cabaret: Don’t Tell Mama’ by John Kander, Joel Grey, Jill Haworth. Y’all can probably guess my thoughts on this song if you’ve read my other reactions, given it’s a showtune. It’s on the 32 hour playlist now.

14: ‘You’re a Cad’, the bird and the bee. The title of this song made me smile, and I ended up really liking it so I was glad! The only reason it’s not on my 10 hour playlist is I can’t decide if it feels like ‘normal people’ music enough. I might just add it, I think my mum would get a chuckle out of it if it played while we were baking together at least, and it feels like it would garner more amused looks than confused ones.

15: ‘As Far As I Can See’, by Phantogram. This song was a Bop! An unusual bop, but a bop nonetheless. ‘Tis now on the 32 hour playlist.

16: ‘Criminal’, by Fiona Apple. This song was a vibe. I really liked it!! It was only added to the 32 hour playlist, but it was cool.

17: ‘Change’, by Lana Del Ray. I really liked this one! I mean, I’m not shocked as I don’t think I’ve heard a Lana Del Ray song and Disliked it, but I liked the vibe of this one. It’s one the 32 hour playlist now!!

18: ‘Devil In The Details’, by Bright Eyes. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, given I really didn’t like the Bright Eyes song on Virgils playlist, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one! I didn’t love it, but I liked it enough to add to the 32 hour playlist.

19: ‘Come Little Children’, by Erutan. Y’all know how at the start I got Really Excited about a song being on this playlist? Yeah. That was this one. An online friend sent me two of Erutan’s songs late last year (this one and the willow maid) and I Loved Them. I should probably add the rest of her songs to my 32 hour playlist. I just,,, hhh they’re So Good.

20: ‘Into The Unknown’, by The Blasting Company. This song was really good! It made me sway lightly in my chair, and got added to the 32 hour playlist.

Final thoughts: Before I actually looked at the songs in this one, I was not expecting to end up liking it this much. At the start, I figured I’d like Roman’s or maybe Patton’s the best. This one, however fit more into the corner of music with one off songs I love, rather than the music that I just like. My favourite New song would be you’re a cad. 19/20 were added to the 32 hour playlist, and 2 to the 10 hour one. I’ll reblog all of these posts later (when more people are likely to see it) with the updated times of said ‘32’ and ‘10’ hour playlists, as well as a link to said playlists in case the couple of people that see these are interested.

@thatsthat24

[softspaceboibrian]

Journeys End in Lovers Meeting (Chapter 4)

Pairing: Professor Gwilym Lee x student reader

Summary: Reader is a new student at Harvard University and, on her first day, she does something she might regret. Or maybe not.

Warnings: none

Wc: 2035

A/N: sorry for being inactive, not posting anything. it's just that I'm so busy with uni and exams (reason why I won't be too active in the next month or so). anyway, here's the new chapter! hope you like it!! remember to reblog and leave your comments, so I know what you think!!!

Previous Chapters: 1 - 2 - 3 - 5

Taglist: @tegan-eva @kerouacsroad

“The play was really good, don’t you think?” Gwilym said with a smile, while walking out of the theatre, hands in the pockets of his jacket.

You finished closing your jacket while walking behind him, trying to protect yourself from the cold of your first American winter. “Yes, the actors were amazing, and I loved how they kept the original English rather than making it more modern.”

He was going to add something, but immediately noticed how much you were shivering because of the cold. “Do you want to grab something to eat? There was that diner you saw a few blocks back. You seemed to like it.” He smiled gently, taking a step closer to you and wrapping an arm around your shoulders, trying to warm you up a little.

And you actually did appreciate the warmth the man irradiated from his body, instantly getting closer to him, forgetting for even just a second the fact that you were supposed to be his student. In that moment, you were just friends, which, in a way, you really were. “Yes, please, let’s do it”. You were freezing, obviously you were. Geographically speaking, Cambridge, Massachusetts, was supposed to be somewhat warmer than good, old London’s freezing winter. At least that was what you thought since, by looking at a world map, you thought Massachusetts was a little more south than England. But, again, you knew next to nothing about anything regarding science.

You walked down the sidewalk together, actually appreciating the evening – yes, the cold too -, talking about the play and how you liked it, which was each other’s favourite scene, and all those things Shakespeare’s lovers discuss about. But, finally, a few minutes later, you got to the little diner. As soon as you walked in, your eyes started to move from side to side, admiring every single detail of that place, which looked as if it was from another era: it was just like those old movies you used to watch with your mother, like Grease or Back to the Future, with a black and white checked floor, with individual booths, leather-covered benches and stools, those big led signs, and, obviously, a jukebox. “This place is wonderful” You breathed, astonished by that place.

He just smiled, walking towards a booth and waiting for you to join him. “I thought you were more a 20s kind of girl – he grinned, looking at you – you know, dry cocktails, curtains blowing in the wind, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.”

“Oh goof (sweetie), it was cat’s pyjamas (awesome, the best) back then, but you know, this place is swell (cool)” you giggled, while sitting in front of him, finally laying your eyes on him, an amused grin on Gwilym’s face.

“So, you know the 20s slang. I see” He tilted his head to side. “And tell me, doll, would you mind ordering something to chew (eat)?”

You laughed, definitely not expecting him to know 20s slang too. It was already crazy for one person of your age to use a slang that was used almost a century before, let alone two. “Absolutely”

“That was delicious” You marvelled, right before taking the last sip of your vanilla and mint milkshake. You were ecstatic, and Gwilym noticed it. He had never seen you this happy, and he had known you for four months at that point. Your smile was pure, with the angles of your mouth so far back and up that it almost took up most of your face. Your eyes shone so bright. And those dimples, which he had only recently noticed, those were so accentuated.

“Do you want to play a song?” He asked, giving you a coin and nodding towards the jukebox right behind your table. He didn’t need to ask you a second time, you had already taken that coin and got up, your eyes already scrolling through the long list of songs. He was looking at you, noticing how your eyes were unable to keep still, they were lively and quick, never fixed on one thing for too long, probably to keep up with your always working mind. And you were beautiful.

“Hope you know this song, because we’re dancing” You broke the silence, immediately running to him and grabbing his hand, trying to make him stand up.

“What? Wait, love, I don’t… I don’t dance” He shook his head, laughing, trying to sound as nice as possible.

At those words, you stopped, pouting. “Please, just one song” And looking at you like that made it even harder for him to say no a second time. “Pretty please! I love this song!”

He stayed in silence for a few second, before getting up, finally giving him. He couldn’t definitely dance, that’s for sure, but he just couldn’t stay there and not do anything, not when you were that happy just a few seconds before. “You will have to guide me through this because, honey, I’m not joking when I’m telling you that I cannot dance” He giggled, squeezing your hand a little bit before actually pulling you closer. At those words, your face immediately lit up.

In that moment, if someone saw the two of you like that, jumping around, Gwilym holding you close to him in that way, that someone would have probably thought that you were friends, or maybe something more, definitely not a student with her professor. And neither one of you felt that way. Everyone could read in Gwilym’s eyes how much he cared for you, but even how hard he was trying to not fall for you. Whereas you, you would never admit your feelings to anyone, but Rose already knew it. You definitely were head over heels for him, but at the same time you were too scared to admit to yourself that you actually had feelings for him. Every time Rose would ask you whether you liked Gwilym or not, you would immediately start nervously laughing, looking away, your cheeks would turn red and you would say things like “What? Him? But he’s my professor!” or “What are you saying? No!”, but your body was surely saying something totally different.

A few minutes later the song was over, and you were sitting again one in front of the other, trying to catch your breaths. “So, are you going back to your hometown for the winter break?” Gwilym asked, his back against the seatback.

In a matter of time, your smile faded away, which was quickly replace by a cold, distant expression. “No, I think I’m staying here” you mumbled, crossing your legs on the bench.

“I see… - he nodded, not getting why your mood changed so quickly after that question – are you celebrating Christmas with Rose then?”

“No, she’s going back to Illinois to her family. She asked me to go with her, but I didn’t feel like it. I will just stay home, watch some old Christmas movie, make cookies and hot chocolate. Maybe I’ll visit a couple of museums.” You explained, your eyes low on the empty glass that was once filled with delicious milkshake, absent-mindedly playing with the straw.

He hated seeing you like that. It wasn’t the first time he had seen you this sad, and it was probably for the same reason, which you never wanted to explain to him. You would always try and hide it behind a fake smile or simply a cup of tea. But that time, it was different. He had said something that made you feel that way, and he couldn’t stand it. “You can come over to my place for Christmas.” He said, trying to catch your attention, wanting to look you in the eyes. “My mom is going to be there and she’s definitely going to prepare too much food for just the two of us.” He laughed a little bit nervously, really hoping you would say yes. “Furthermore, I don’t want you to spend Christmas day alone. That would be really sad. Unless you’re old and grumpy and your name is Ebenezer Scrooge”

Finally, you cracked a smile. He knew it wasn’t a happy one, or at least not as happy as it would have been a few minutes before, but he made you smile, and that was already far more than enough. “I don’t know, Gwilym, I don’t want to-”

“Humbug!” He talked like an old man would, obviously trying to imitate the A Christmas Carol’s character. He new you loved that story, and he thought that it was definitely the right way to cheer you up. “Come on! I’ll come and pick you up, so you can help me set the table and then we’ll just wait for my mom to arrive while watching a movie.”

“Okay, but only if I can bring the dessert”

“You can do whatever you want, love” he smiled, happy to see you do the same.

The days went by quickly after that night, lessons finished, winter break started, Rose left and so did almost half of Cambridge’s population, because, apparently, most of the people living in that town were Harvard students. Walking downtown those days was both relaxing and melancholic, cafés were almost empty, shops played those old Christmas songs for the few people that came in to buy the last presents. It had even snowed for a couple of days, and now the streets and the sidewalks were covered in white, soft snow, which seemed to be asking to be picked up and thrown at people. But you had no one. Not that you minded being alone that much. you appreciated being able to walk alone, without worrying about what time you had to be back home for dinner, being able to walk out of the bathroom in your underwear after having taken the longest shower ever, without risking to find an unexpected guest. You had even found the time to get Gwilym a small present. It was nothing too special or expensive, just a little something to thank him for everything he had being doing for you since the first day. You were walking down a street, not really looking for something in particular, just enjoying your alone time, soft music coming out of each shop; then your attention got caught by an old bookshop just across the street. Curiosity drove you inside the store, where you immediately recognised the familiar smell of paperbacks, old newspapers, and you knew that was going to be your new favourite shop. You walked through the aisle, scrolling with your eyes through the titles, spending a little more time in the classics section. It didn’t take you long to sit yourself down on the ground, in the middle of the aisle, your back against the bookshelf, with books scattered all around you, trying to decide which one you should get yourself as Christmas present, not really thinking about anything else.

“Can I help you, dear?” A voice asked, which made you look up. In front of you there was a lady around her sixties, with grey hair neatly pulled up into a perfect bun, as if she was one of those ballerinas ready to go on stage for their performance.

“I was just looking for a book” You smiled back, getting up and noticing how small the woman actually was.

She turned around and reached for a book, handing it to the young lady in front of her, a gentle expression on her face. “Have you ever read this one?”

You took the book from the woman’s hands and read the title: The Call of the Wild by Jack London. “Yes, I know this book.” Of course you did, just as you knew it was one of Gwilym’s favourite books. You remembered how happy he got every time he told you about his mother reading him that book every night before going to sleep when he was 10. “I think this is the book I was looking for”

“Is it a present?”

“Yes” Your plan of getting a book for yourself just vanished from your mind, all you could think now was how Gwilym might react to you giving him that book.

“Someone special, darling?”

“I think so”

[pandoraspocksao3]

What Are You Reading This Week?  10/13/2018

I am a fanfic hoarder, so I’m not going to list every one of the 240+ fics I’ve subscribed to and/or bookmarked. What I will do is list some of the ones I haven’t mentioned that are new or that are updating. There is so much good stuff out there! I can’t begin to list it all, and I’m still finding new ones I want to get to later all the time. I’m going straight down my History list to put these up. 

Here are but a few of what’s on my radar right now:

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE (AU):

The Haves and The Have Nots by MissHarper on AO3. (She is @thedarkside-and-thelight here on Tumblr.)

College AU where Rich Boy Ben is a tutor for Poor Girl Rey. 

Crisp, clever, funny dialogue and plenty of sexual tension between Ben and Rey, slow burn

Tutoring is over literature and Greek/Roman mythology - bonus!

Demons Possession by DragonWhiskers ( @belovedunderwing on Tumblr). 

Demon Kylo Ren for some steamy action served Gothic Reylo style (and perfect for October! This updates tomorrow - I mean today - I think I need to finish doing the beta! (Love her work)

Don’t Feed the Bears by @riaria84

One of the funniest AUs I’ve come across, and I’m learning how to be an honorary Canadian because the setting is so immersive! Hockey figures in, and Rey and Ben are Canadian Mounties. Rey’s brother doesn’t know she’s dating Ben. I laugh my ass off every time I read the latest! 

RIA IS GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!! (10/13/2018) If you know her or read her fics, send her some well wishes and love today! 

Dystopia by @cosmo-gonika

Steampunk AU in which a lethal killing machine android (think Terminator) with no feelings encounters Agent R (Rey) who is trailing him. Then, quote directly from summary,  “ Their meeting and cat-and-mouse game will unveil mysterious, dark secrets from the past.” Two chapters up on this one, but she’s updating once a week.

Accelerant by @3todream3

Firefighter Ben is severely injured in a heroic rescue mission right off the bat, and in hospital recovery meets Nurse Rey. Eagerly awaiting next installment! *I’ve also mentioned her other AU fic, The Lady and the Monster before, which is very good as well. 

The Orchard by @lilia-ula

Vampire AU! This is a short 2-chapter fic, but that makes it a wonderful afternoon read or bedtime read. 

Lilia is really gifted with verse; it’s almost more of a prose/poetry at times. 

But this story is SMUT/EROTICA and for 18+. This is a “bedtime story.” I’m not ashamed; I like my smut reads! I can’t write smut to save my life, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like a spicy read occasionally! 

And if you love that writing style, please click on her profile or subscribe to her user name and check out her other works. Especially This Way Lies Ruin, my favorite of hers. 

Meet Me In the Middle And We’ll Find Our Way Home by @geekmystic  

So fun! So good!  I really love how Ben Solo is written in this one, and Leia!! his mom is saucy - so much like Carrie!

Rey’s car breaks down in a small town and Ben is a mechanic with low self-esteem. I’m now up to the part where they are going to Finn/Poe’s wedding, I think. 

Fast pace and funny, but kinda tugs at the “feels” too, which is a nifty trick to pull off. Subscribe!!!

The Curious Tale of Vader and Millicent by @Saturninefeline 

This is the story of Ben’s cat, Vader, and Hux’s cat, Millicent. Need I say more? 

Kylo and Hux have this snarky at-odds co-worker relationship (set in Star Wars Universe - not sure if it should be in that category)

FUNNY!

The Desert Rose by @lastmouseleft

A favorite author of mine, this story may or may not be your cup of tea - please READ THE TAGS first.

My draw to this is the Jinns...I don’t want to get her background wrong, but Mouse is well traveled and her tales are like something out of Arabian Nights...but this one has a lot of #nsfw in it and Rey is in a harem - haven’t got that far, but she doesn’t use them for gratuitous scenes. 18+ ONLY - please don’t read a story that might make you uncomfortable if you are younger. I try to include a bit of everything for everyone, and I know I have some younger readers - would advise you guys not to read it.

Music to My Ears by Amybee

Completed story (38 chapters)

Classical music - highly rec’d y @nancylovesreylo

First chapter was great - amazing writing style. I think it’s probably pretty fantastic, but haven’t have the time to read it and find out. I trust Nancy though.

Creatures of Darkness by @bunilicious

A “Sleepy Hollow” AU, on my “to read” list! 

Bitter As Coffee, As Sweet As Sunshine by @pacificwanderer

Coffeeshop Au by a truly talented writer

Setting is Seattle

Fluff and humor

Reylo for the Soul!

STAR WARS UNIVERSE:

Hypothermia by @lucidlucy

Sex on a cracker. (No, not literally). Major guilty pleasure read with very long chapters, but she just updated the fourth recently. Great (ahem) bedtime reading!

Unbidden by @perrydowning

I know, DUH - very popular author, but for good reason. I mention this one because she’s settled now and updating regularly, and Unbidden is getting ready to wrap up, so it’s a good time to start if you haven’t and a good time to tune in if you want to read along with everyone else to the end! 

Songs of Innocence, Songs of Wisdom by @cosmo-gonika

Her brief break to finish up that pesky PhD thesis is over and she’s back and writing Songs again with a vengeance, so rejoice! This powerful fic uses great original characters as well. Very sexy as well as great action sequences. Reylo hot, but also Reylo tender with “all the feels.” 

Landscape with a Blur of Conquerors by Diasterisms @kylorenvevo

You’re probably reading it, too! If you aren’t, it lives up to the hype and has mystery, world building, enemies to lovers to arranged marriage to angst and humor - well, read for yourselves!

Glory’s Fray by @avidvampirehunter

Gladiator Kylo Ren - oh, I want to get back to this one and am sooooo busy this weekend! But the mystery and action of the first couple chapters I read was enough to hook me! 

It’s popular, but again, it deserves the kudos. Very well written from my limited start on it.

I have TONS more I’m reading or have read that I could add, but this is long enough as it is! You can always PM me if you are looking for a specific topic and if I know of a story that fits, I’ll tell you. 

My own fics aren’t listed here and I don’t read my own stories for fun, but if you want to check them out, you can see what I’ve written here.

But I admit I don’t hold a candle to the ones listed here! I just try to improve for myself and not to compete with others. Writing is fun, but so is reading! 

Further recs on stories if you want them can be found @thereylowritingden, and @nancylovesreylo reads a ton and relogs updates on her blog, so it’s a great place to see what’s just updated, and she gives great reading suggestions. And there is @reylofic and probably some others, and don’t forget just to search in the search bar on Tumblr using reylo fanfiction or Reylo fanfic. 

Okay, that was long - for all y’all bugging me to do another list, here it is! I don’t think I’ll have a Halloween rec list up, but someone will, I’m sure. 

Feel free to reblog the post and add on fictions YOU feel would be good reads. 

Thanks for taking the time to read all this if you in fact read this far! Isn’t it wonderful we have such a talented fandom with so many topics and writing styles to entertain us! 

Have a great weekend, everyone! I MAY update The Hypnotist this weekend, but we’ll see how it goes. Yikes, I need sleep!!!! 

Happy Reading!

`Pandora

[runaway-horses]

Maybe It’s Selfish Of Me, But I Don’t Care About The World (Only About You)

Word Count: 2,003

A/N: I’m...so tired. Loved the concept but I’ve been fighting with this for days (I wanted to finish it and wasn’t taking writer’s block as an excuse) so I’m unsure how I feel about this. Comments! And reblogs! Feed my soul and water my crops!

Warnings: Nightmares, description of nightmares (all pretty vague and tame though), mentions of blood, sleep deprivation, hurt/comfort. Timing of fic is vague, loosely set after the events of S2 but Nick is still around and I don’t really mention the finale. As always please let me know if I need to add/remove anything

Tags: @imperfumedwithobsession (only because I want you to see this and I don’t want it getting lost in my blog. So sorry for tagging you without you asking)

Sabrina jerked up in bed, spooking Salem away from her. Her heart thumped in her chest as image after image flashed through her head.

Roz, dead.

Theo, dead.

Harvey, dead.

Nick-

She shook her head. Dwelling on the dream - because that’s all it was, Sabrina, just a dream - would do her no good. She sat up and swung her legs out of bed. There was always something to do, after all, and what harm could one night without sleep do?

And that’s what she said the next night,

And the next,

And the next.

///

Sabrina ran a hand through her tangled hair as she stumbled down the stairs, following the scent of pancakes to the kitchen, where Aunt Hilda was whisking batter and humming absently to herself.

“Blueberry?”

Aunt Hilda turned around with a smile that dropped quickly at her disheveled state.

“Sabrina? Darling, is this a new look you’re going for? Because I have to say, I don’t think the school will approve.”

“It’s the weekend, Auntie.” Sabrina frowned at her. Hilda cocks her head.

“No? Darling, today is Thursday.”

Sabrina paused and looked up at her aunt. Hilda stared back at her. Ambrose chose that moment to breeze in, stopping at the head of the table and completing their awkward triangle.

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” A smile danced on the corner of his lips, and Sabrina took it as an excuse to whisk herself out of the room, stopping when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror hanging in the hallway. Her hair was tangled and had the frazzled look of hair that had had fingers run through it repeatedly. Dark half-moons were stamped under her eyes as well.

“Oh Heaven,” She muttered, trying to parse out some of the knots. Eventually she decided it was a lost cause and shuffled up the stairs to take a bath. Hopefully she could wash off both her exhaustion and the fear that lingered at the edges of her consciousness.

Salem settled himself on top of her towel, neatly folded on the counter, and flicked a lazy tail towards her.  His presence was nice. Salem rarely featured in her dreams, his visage remained firmly in her waking moments. If Salem was here, then she was awake. Not replaying hellish images over and over or reliving impossible decisions.

His presence was reassuring, yes. But if she had to pick the ideal post-nightmare comfort, it wouldn’t be Salem. If she was honest with herself, she wanted to see the people from her nightmares in the flesh. Whole, breathing, alive. But she couldn’t exactly call up her friends in the early hours of the morning to assure herself that they were alive. (They always were. And she knew this. But still, the uncertainty lingered. She wanted to touch them and see them and maybe cast a few hundred protection spells on them.)

Deep in thought, Sabrina found herself relaxing into the warm water, and she jerked herself away from the brink of sleep at the last minute.

She quickly finished bathing and stood up out of the water before she could relax again, coaxing Salem off her towel and wringing the water from her hair.

After going through the motions of her morning routine, she headed out the door to the Academy.

The fear lingered still, itching at the edges of her mind. She shouldered her bag and walked faster.

•••

The Academy was imposing in every sense of the word (up in flames, bodies draped over the stone stairs, a yellow sky behind it,) but the aura of power around it was also soothing.

The foyer looked oddly empty now, lacking the statue of the Dark Lord and the later statue of Faustus that had dominated the space. Sabrina was pulled out of her head by two hands gently covering her eyes.

“Hey Spellman.” Nick’s warm voice said in her ear. Sabrina smiled and turned around, grabbing his wrists and pulling them off of her eyes.

“Heya Scratch.” She smiled up at him, trying her best to ignore the wave of relief that washed over her. (His eyes were brown now, not empty and red. The smile he gave her was genuine, not cold and threatening.)

He placed his hands on the sides of her face and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, pulling her closer. She sighed as he pulled away and resisted the urge to chase his lips. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You okay Sabrina? You look a little preoccupied.”

Her friends, dead, blood on her hands, a yellow sky with red clouds, hooves clomping closer, closer, closer…

“No.” She smiled up at him, hoping he wouldn’t notice that it was hollow. “I’m fine.”

///

Fine was not the proper adjective for Sabrina. Exhausted, more accurate. Tired, but not just from the lack of sleep. Tired of the constant fear, of pretending she was okay, of lying to her friends, to Nick. Wandering the streets of Greendale late at night might not have been her best idea, but she couldn’t stand to even look at her bed. The dread of another nightmare combined with the anxiety of missing another night of sleep had her turning out of her room and marching out of the house without a destination in mind.

So here she was, shivering slightly in the cold air and trying to steer her thoughts away from the dark corners of her mind. Her feet led her past Baxter High, and she stopped to stare up at the building. She had stood her, in this same spot, just weeks ago, a gallon of gasoline in her hand.

She had almost burned down her school. She had been seconds away, the gas was spread, the match was in her hand. She had almost done it. Sabrina walked forward, climbing up the first couple of stairs before sitting down. She gazed out at her town, quiet and asleep, seeming like its own pocket of reality with nothing but the streetlights and stars providing light.

She stayed there till the sun rose over the tops of the trees.

///

She snuck back into her bedroom just as her alarm was going off, and she flopped down onto the bed. Her feet hurt, and so did her head, and she wondered if walking around at night, mid-spring, without a jacket, was her best idea.

Aunt Hilda bustled into her room, a ball of energy, sing-songing “Wakey-wakey!” She pulled up short at the sight of Sabrina and dropped her voice.

“Sabrina? You okay darling?”

She rolled over. “I don’t feel so good, Aunt Hilda. I think I’m getting sick.”

It wasn’t really a lie, she probably was. And her pale skin, dark circles, and generally disheveled appearance certainly helped her look the part. Aunt Hilda, thankfully, just draped a blanket over her and told her to feel better soon before backing out of the room.

///

Sabrina’s day was long, each minute crawling by slowly and dripping with boredom. Twice, she drifted off to sleep only to jerk awake minutes later, heart pounding. She was sitting in bed, flipping slowly through the pages of a book, barely absorbing the words when there was a taping at her window. She jerked her head up and swung her legs out of bed. None other than Nicholas Scratch was at her window. She unlocked the latch and lifted the window, stepping back to let him in.

“Sabrina?” His voice was heavy with concern, and he climbed in through the window quickly. “Are you okay? You never came to school.”

Satan, she was glad to see him.

“No, I’m not okay, Nick.” Her eyes stung with tears at the admission. He stepped forward and gently cupped her face. ”I’m so tired. I haven’t slept in days, and every time I do I keep having these nightmares, and I’ve tried everything, rabbit’s feet under the pillow, lavender in the tea, but I can’t. Sleep.” Nick wiped away a tear and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Nightmares?” He inquired, keeping his voice soft.

She nodded mutely.

“I keep seeing Him. Him and other things, the town destroyed, the Academy, I keep seeing you-” She cut herself off and shut her eyes. “I keep seeing you dead.” She whispered.

“Hey,” He soothed, stroking his thumbs up and down in an soothing manner. “I’m right here, ‘Brina. I’m alive, and I’m not going anywhere.” She gripped his wrists tightly and looked up at him. His eyes were swimming with concern and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him.

“I know,”  She said, voice muffled against his chest. “But I keep seeing it, and I can’t stop thinking ‘what if?’”

Nick wrapped his arms around her, solid and warm and safe. He tucked her head under his chin, just holding her. A few tears slipped out of her eyes, and with them her last defenses crumbled down. A quiet sob wracked her body and Nick pulled her closer. The two of them stood together, Nick holding Sabrina as she cried into his chest and he rubbed soothing circles into her back.  

“Shh, I’m here, I have you,” Nick continued to murmur in her ear as he rocked her gently. After a while, her sobs quieted, and Nick pulled away enough to look at her.

“Sabrina, I think you should try to sleep.” He felt the way she tensed up and he gently pushed her towards the bed. Once she was sitting on the edge, he pulled away to grab her a pair of pajamas. Standing in front of her as he handed her the clothes and helped her into them, Nick could really see the toll the exhaustion was taking on her. Her movements were sluggish and he had to help her with the buttons of her top. Nick shrugged off his jacket and hung it up, toeing off his shoes and crawling in bed with her. Sabrina was chewing on her lips, looking apprehensive. He stopped in front of her and stared intently.

“What’re you thinking, Spellman?”

She shrugged and locked eyes with him. After a beat of silence he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

“I’ll stay with you tonight, and I promise that nothing will hurt you while I’m here.” He says into her lips. She gives him a quick kiss back and he slides under the covers with her. He pulls her gently into his arms, and she sighs and relaxes against him. They lay there in silence, Nick twirling strands of her hair around his fingers.

Her thoughts swirled as she tried to focus on the slight sensation of Nick playing with her hair, unable to relax fully.

What if she couldn’t fall asleep and went another night without sleep? What if she hurt him somehow in the throes of a nightmare, what if what if what if…

The prospect of another sleepless night had tears pricking at her eyes for the second time that night. She felt Nick’s fingers under her chin, coaxing her head up.

“I can hear you thinking, Spellman,” He said before kissing her, effectively silencing her mind for the first time in days. Sabrina relaxed into it, allowing the sensation of his warm lips and hands to wash over her. After what felt like infinity and not enough, he pulled away.

“Sleep, Sabrina. I’ll keep the nightmares away tonight.”

He sounded so sure, and she was very comfortable, Nick’s hand had now started to gently card through her hair, and she finally let go off the last shred of willpower keeping her awake. Trusting that Nick was here, and alive, and safe.

(And when she woke up, hours later, panting and drenched in sweat, Nick was there to dry her tears and sooth her racing heart, lulling her back to sleep again. Sabrina was able to fall asleep knowing that she was safe, and cared for. Loved.

She slept soundly after that.)

[impracticaldemon]

Do As I Say

by impracticaldemon for @nollatooru in appreciation for her kindness, wonderful art, fine sense of humour - and for letting me use the chibis from her “Hajime!” comic as the perfect icon for the SaiChi blog.

~ 1600 words

Also written as a belated contribution for HijiChi Week. Sumimasen deshita! @hijichiweek @sabinasanfanfic @hidetheremote @shell-senji @eliz1369 @nalufever @hakuyamazakisensei @teapotart @shibuemiyuu

Do As I Say

There was a murmured “excuse me,” and Hijikata looked up in surprise.

“Kondou?  What are you doing up so late?”

The Shinsengumi’s Chief smiled cheerfully, and set down a tray with tea and small snacks.

“Late, Toshi?  I’d heard that you often have tea at this time.  Before going - or rather, not going - to bed.”

“...I can’t stop her from bringing the tea.  I’ve tried.”

“Mmhmm.”

Kondou sat down near Hijikata’s desk, completely unabashed. He poured the fragrant, pale green tea into two cups, and handed one to his truculent second-in-command.  Hijikata eyed him warily.  As much as he appreciated Yukimura’s devotion to - well, call it duty, since it was better not to dwell on other possibilities - he could wish that fewer people knew about her routine.

“All that aside,” Hijikata said lightly, ignoring his friend’s slight smile as he tried to turn the subject, “why are you still up?  I know there are meetings tomorrow morning for you, and then-”

“This is good tea,” Kondou murmured, just loudly enough to interrupt.  “She told me that she tried giving you a more soothing blend, designed to promote restful sleep, but you refused to give it a chance. ...Did you really tell her to dose Souji and Heisuke with it instead?”

Hijikata found himself hastily clearing his throat as the image of Chizuru’s startled face appeared vividly before him.  What he’d actually said was that she could keep the damn stuff to herself, since he needed to finish up a letter that couldn’t wait since their food depended on it.  He might have also mentioned that if he got too drowsy, he worried that his pen might slip and he’d accidentally tell the asshole in charge of supplying their rice that he was a two-faced, thieving whore-son who deserved a punch right in his delicately powdered nose for trying to starve the men who protected him.

He hadn’t suggested giving the tea to Souji and Heisuke until later, in response to Chizuru’s manifest disappointment that he wouldn’t touch it himself.  He probably shouldn’t have added that they deserved whatever was coming to them, and that if her odd brew put them to sleep then that was all to the good.

“...Toshi?”

“Ah, yes, sorry.  I was working on the letter to the delegate of the Imperial Comptroller, you see, so it was urgent.”

“And the bit about Souji and Heisuke?”

Hijikata rubbed at the bridge of his nose.  “Souji thought that it would be entertaining to get Heisuke drunk and then bring him by to sing nonsense words through my window.”

“Nonsense words?” Kondou watched Hijikata drain his cup of tea and absently hold it out for a refill.  He obliged, carefully hiding a smile, sure that this ritual had played out numerous times over the past months, with Chizuru calmly pouring, waiting, and insisting that she wasn’t tired.

“...It was nothing, Kondou-san.  Nothing of importance.”  Hijikata tried not to wince, as he recalled the childish doggerel set - more or less - to the chorus of a traditional drinking song.

Give me your hand, and I’ll bring you tea Give me your lap, I’ll rest on your knee Give me your heart, and faithful I’ll be Give me your sword -

He hadn’t heard the rest, and didn’t want to.  Souji had been laughing too hard to run, and Heisuke too drunk.  He’d smacked them both upside the head - Heisuke had looked bewildered - and told Souji that he was confined to quarters until further notice except for scheduled patrols.  The First Division Captain had been entirely unrepentant.

“I was just thinking,” said Kondou, “that maybe you need to get more rest.”

“I will - I have just a bit more to go now and -”

“If it’s so close to being finished, then I expect I’ll cope. ...You just drank two and a half cups of tea without noticing that it’s Yukimura-kun’s special blend.  She rarely puts herself forward, you know, but she requested a few minutes with me earlier today.”

“Kondou - what?”  He stared into his cup, detecting only subtle differences in scent and colour from regular tea; it was nothing like what Yukimura had brought him the other day.  Irritation rose to the fore.  “You didn’t need to do this.  I resolved the rice issue -”

“Yukimura-kun said that you were clearly disappointed in the Senior Vice-Comptroller and didn’t stop ‘thinking out loud’ until you suddenly invoked the gods and, er, Sannan-kun.”

“It wasn’t like that!” Argh.  He could just tell that he was losing this battle.

“Sannan-kun confirmed that you’d asked him to have a word with the Comptroller’s Office.  He seemed quite pleased by your suggested course of action, but murmured that you didn’t usually condone such forceful measures.”

“I asked him to speak with the Vice-Comptroller and remind the bastard that it isn’t wise to stint a loyal and well-trained group of armed men.”

“You keep telling me to get enough rest, Toshi.”

“Yes, but -”

“And you say the same to Souji, Saitou-kun, Heisuke-kun... even Harada-kun and Nagakura-kun.”

Hijikata glowered.  He knew he was glowering.  “That’s because they behave like children, with the exception of Saitou.”

“I’ve given permission to Yukimura-kun to come get me if you refuse to put away your work by midnight each night this week.”  Kondou got quietly to his feet, his expression serious.  “I trust her judgment.  She has a good heart and cares about you.  I wish we could do more for her, but...”  He sighed, clearly still troubled by the girl’s situation.  Then he shook his head and focused back on Hijikata.  His mild brown eyes held a trace of warning.  

“Toshi, you have never been one to live by the motto ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ We know all too many who do.”  Hijikata nodded.  Kondou smiled faintly at him.  “That said, please consider that if you push yourself too hard, there are others here who will follow your lead.  Yukimura-kun is just one of them.  If you tell others to rest, but you do not, you create uncertainty as to your true wishes.”

“I understand your point, Kondou.  But...”

“I know, Toshi.  But it’s only for a week.  Oyasumi - and try not to blame the girl too much.”  

Hijikata wasn’t surprised when Kondou’s departure heralded the entrance of his wayward - and apparently over-protective - page.  She looked apprehensive, but determined.  He had the sudden thought that Edo women were known to be stubborn to a fault, and meekness could be deceiving.

“Yes, Yukimura?”  He didn’t look at her, busying himself instead with tidying away his brushes and ink.

“Kondou-san said you were going to bed shortly.  Is there anything I can do - or fetch - for you now?”

A dozen retorts sprang to mind, but to his dismay, Hijikata found the idea of kissing those soft lips more distracting than any scolding he might give.  He pushed himself to his feet.

“No, nothing.”  He tried to turn away indifferently, but a wave of fatigue reminded him of a question that he did want answered.  “Wait.”  The sudden hope on Chizuru’s face was both endearing and an invitation to disaster.  He folded his arms inside his sleeves to keep from reaching out.  “The tea this evening.  Kondou-san said it was your blend, but it wasn’t the same.  So what was it?  You did make it, I gather?”

“Well, yes, Hijikata-san, I did make it.  But Sannan-san provided me with a superior method for blending the components.”

“Oh?”

Chizuru - Yukimura - met his stern gaze without flinching.  Much.

“Y-yes. And he said to add his own variety of mint, which would be more agreeable than mine with the underlying flavour.”

They gazed at each other for a long moment, and Hijikata concluded that while Yukimura might not have known of Sannan’s deception - a soporific had been added, he was sure of it - she had her suspicions.  He sighed internally and bowed to the inevitable:  with Yukimura, Kondou, and Sannan in collusion, he wasn’t going to get his way.  Moreover, Sannan might - might - be the least troublesome of the three.

“I suppose that answers that, then.  Rest assured, I will change for bed the moment you leave.  Unless you plan to stay and watch?”

Yukimura immediately flushed.  “N-no, Hijikata-san.  I’ll be going... Oyasumimasen.”

“Good night.”

It was a sad state of affairs when he had to resort to such petty tactics just to deal with an innocent like Chizuru.  He changed quickly, feeling more tired by the second.  The moment he extinguished the lantern, a quiet voice called from outside the door:

“Excuse me, Vice Commander.”  Of course.  Saitou.  He should have guessed when Chizuru left with so little difficulty.

“What is it?”  

“...I was asked to remain for a short time.”

“By all the tits on all the goats in all the hells, I do not need a fucking watchdog!  Go away, Saitou!”

“Yes sir.  As soon as your light has been extinguished for a certain length of time, I will depart as ordered.”

Hijikata closed his eyes.  They were going to drive him crazy.  Still... there were worse things.  Probably.

“Oyasumi, Saitou.”

“Oyasumi, Fukuchou.”

As sleep claimed him - and it did not take long - Hijikata found himself smiling.  She was exasperating... and unintentionally troublesome... but she cared.  He wished - briefly! - that his life, his choices, would allow him to care for her in the same way.

[END]

A/Note:  Thank you for reading! I will post this to FFN and AO3 when I have a bit more time & energy.  All likes, reblogs, and especially comments are appreciated.

[pcktsprgrl]

Coronation Of A Flame Part 8

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4 NSFW  Part 4 Edited  Part 5   Part 6  Part 7

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Hana X MC(Riley)

Authors Notes:  Chapter 8 or the Epilogue! Another big thank you to everyone who has read/liked/reblogged/commented on this fic. It means so much to have people enjoying my writing. This chapter might be a tiny bit self indulgent, but here it is!

Enjoy ~PSG

Rating: I guess general?

Publish Date: 3/2/18

Chap 8:  Forever (Epilogue)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. Maybe MC's parents since I don't think they ever made an appearance in pixelberry's story(yet)?

It took less than a month for the courts to rule against Olivia's aunt. Olivia cringed as the judge passed down the sentence, guilty of treason and life imprisonment. “I am trully alone now.” Olivia whispered.

You place your hand on her hand and she looks at you in surprise. “You're not alone, though.” you smile softly at her and she just blinks at you in surprise.

“Yeah you got all of us!” Maxwell adds excitedly with his best smile.

“Heaven help me..” Olivia rolls her eyes and tries to scowl but can't surpress the smile on her face. She stands and starts towards the back of the courthouse where Liam and a dozen royal guards wait to escort all of you past the press. Liam smiles and offers her his arm which she gladly accepts.

As the doors open the bulbs flash and the sound of every person in the press vying for attention over the others is nearly deafening. Olivia simply schools her features and walks chin held high past them all. You can't help but grin at her.

~~

6 months later....

Eee you squeal in joy and rush down the stairs of your duchy much faster than your feet could carry you. "They're here!" you shout to no one inparticular as you half trip to a stop at the front of the door. Flinging it open to find your parents gaping at your new home. You leap at them gathering them in a tight embrace. "Oh hey there sweetie!" your mom responds wrapping both arms around you. You breath in her scent and a thousand childhood memories come flooding back. "Hey there Peanut." your dad smiles patting your back lovingly. "Daaaad" you say faking exasperation with an exaggerated eyeroll. " you pull back and stare at them lovingly. " I've missed you guys." You dad fakes clearing his throat and you and your mom exchange a knowing glance. You both have long since figured out its his way of choking back tears. "Sooo this is your new place huh?" he exclaims eyes wide as he whistles. "Your mother and I may just quit our jobs and move here with you."

"There's plenty of rooms." a voice startles you and you spin to see Hana standing timidly a few feet away. You smile and reach your hand to her. "It's good to see you again, Mr and Mrs Abel." Your mom smiles brightly at her. "Great seeing you again too, but maybe call me mom? We are about to be family." A blush creeps up Hana's cheeks but she smiles and nods. ~~~~~ Its a week before the wedding and no word has come from Hana's parents. She doesn't say anything but you can see the hurt in her eyes. You chew the inside of your cheek as you listen to her playing the piano tiredly. She stops when she notices you in the doorway and she blushes.

“I love hearing you play. ” you whisper and glance down at your hands. She smiles and pats the bench beside her and you walk over.

“Was that a new piece?” you inquire.

“Sort of.” she comments then begins playing something soft and gentle and you sigh as you lean against her shoulder and close your eyes. Letting the feeling of the music and her body warmth overtake you. Your eyes pop open when the tune goes from some classic song you can't place to a tune you'd know anywhere.

“If the song I play to you. Could fill your heart with joy. I'd play forever” she starts quietly singing while playing, changing the words slightly. You raise your head and smile at her as she continues.

“I asked the sky just what we had. It showed forever.” she keeps playing but bites her lip trying to remember the rest of the words.

“If every word I said could make you laugh... I'd talk forever..” you sing while looking at her and she glances at you out of the corner of her eye. She stops playing her hands resting her fingers on the keys.

“Was my singing that bad?” you try to joke but when she looks at you, your face falls.

“I know I shouldn't but..I..wish..” her voice trails off and you take one of her hands.

“You absolutely should want to. In fact you deserve that much, Hana.” she looks at you in surprise.

“Your parents, right?” you raise your eyebrows. She glances at your intertwined fingers and runs her thumb over your knuckles.

“They weren't always.” she sighs deeply. “I mean I didn't always view them...”  she sighs again and runs her free hand over her face and through her hair.  “I guess none of that is completely true. But I just wish for once thay'd be happy for me, and support what I want. Everything I did because they wanted me to. I wish they'd accept how happy I am, and the woman I love.” She frowns.

You run your thumb over her cheeks wiping at tears. “I know. I remember when I first told my parents.” you chuckle then clear your throat awkwardly. “I'm sorry I can't give you what your parents wanted.” you retract your hand suddenly insecure.

Hana's chin falls. “But you're what I want..and they need to accept that.”

~~~~ You and your friends are all gathered in the great hall having lunch when a few guards come in. "More guests have arrived." they announce and you glance at everyone. "Send them in." you command as all eyes are on the door Hana's parents come into view. She starts to smile but it falls and she bites nervously at her lip. You stand and make your way towards them. Extending your hand and smiling warmly. "Mr and Mrs Lee, welcome." they both bow to you. "Your Grace. " their greetings are stiff and formal. Hana makes her way over and stands slightly behind you, her gaze on the floor. "Welcome to my," you stop for a moment taking Hana's hand, "...our home." she smiles at you. "It is quite lovely." Mrs Lee remarks. "We were just having lunch would you care to join?" you inquire. "Oh no, we couldn't impose. Besides," Mr Lee stops clearing his throat. "We really should get to our hotel." he trails off studying Hana who is looking at your intertwined fingers. "Nonsense! Have a seat and there's plenty of room here." you smile. Mr and Mrs Lee share a stunned look but nod in agreement. You start back to the table when you feel a small pull and notice Mr Lee has taken Hana by the arm. The guards step forward aggressively as fire tingles at the finger tips of your free hand. "I really must insist on borrowing my daughter." Mr Lee starts commandingly then his eyes widen as he notices the fire. "Please?" Mr Lee asks almost timidly. Hana's mouth falls open and she nods at you. You kiss her cheek and rejoin your friends.

°°°°Hana's pov°°°°

You stand there looking at the floor slightly glancing at your parents. "I suppose there's no way to convince you to give up this nonsense amd come home?" You scowl and your head shoots up. "Nonsense!?" you practically shout and the guards step forward. Your parents seem taken aback by your outburst so you use the opportunity to continue. "So my happiness is nonsense? I thought you wanted status? I am marrying a Duchess, or have you forgotten?" you cock your head to the side and place your hands on your hips. "Come now Hana this is quite out of proportion." your father says stiffly. "Neville was a perfectly nice young man." your mother adds softly. You scoff. "Nice for you maybe. But nothing I want matters, right? I did everything and still I wasn't good enough." you sigh taking a deep breath. "Riley has opened our home to you, I want you at my wedding but I won't have you ruining it. I love Riley and she makes me happy." you voice trails off as your parents gawk at you, you feel suddenly small and exposed. Your parents glance at each other then sigh. "Oh, very well. I guess she is technically royalty now." °°°Riley's Pov°°°° Sevral long stressful minutes later Hana rejoins you at your side while Mr and Mrs Lee take the spaces you hand arranged for them. You look at her questioningly but she just smiles at you.

~~~~~

Its the day of the wedding and you stand nervously in front of your family and friends. You shift from foot to foot. "Maybe she ran off?" Drake leans forward from his spot behind you and smirks. You scowl and elbow him. Your dad just shakes his head and pats your arm encouragingly. You look up at the crystal blue sky and breath in deep. Glancing at Liam who stands ready to perform the ceremony. The music starts and everyone's attention goes to the back of the gardens. Your breath hitches as you see Hana slowly making her way down the aisle toward you. She's dressed all in white with a veil covering most of her face the bouquet is purple and green flowers with babies breath. Hana's father walks stiffly beside her but she just seems to glide towards you. With them standing right in front of you, you cant help the excited giddy feeling. Hana's dad lifts her veil kissing her cheek then placing her hand in yours as he does so your dad reaches forward cupping his hand underneath. "Who gives these women?" Liam asks. Your dad and Hana's take their turns stating that they do and your dad squeezes your shoulder and smiles softly at you before taking his place next to your mom. You turn your attention back to Hana and she's beaming at you. You blink rapidly to avoid the tears. Liam smiles fondly at you both before continuing. "I understand you both have prepared something?" You both nod wordlessly. "The rings please?" you turn and retrieve your ring from Maxwell. Sliding it slowly onto Hana's finger. "I.." you begin then clear your throat. "I came here not really sure what to expect.. That's good because I never in my wildest dreams would've expected you. It scared me at first but you quickly became my world, and now I can't imagine my life without you. I'm not very good with words but I promise that I will always be there and you will always be everything to me." Hana smiles at you as tears form behind her eyes. She reaches to get the ring from Olivia then turns to slide it on your finger. Her hands tremble slightly. "You made me feel special and important like I never thought possible. We found each other under strange circumstances and despite my best efforts not to, I fell for you. I wouldn't trade a minute of anything with you. I feel like I've loved you before and I know I will love you forever." you stare in each other's eyes you reach out to cup her cheek. "By my power as king of Cordonia I now pronounce you uh wife and wife? You may kiss your bride."

You stare at her for a long moment before slowly taking her into your arms and kissing her softly. Your friends cheer and clap enthusiastically, as you rest your forwards together and both of you begin to laugh.

You smile at her and take her hand as you both run down the aisle amidst a shower of bubbles and make your way to the carriage. Hana turns and flings the bouquet over her head. It lands directly in the arms of Olivia.

The driver clicks his tongue and the carriage learches forward. You produce a scroll from under the seat. Clearing your throat you hand the scroll to Hana. "Since Im not good with words I wrote this poem out I heard one time. I was pretty good at calligraphy once upon a time.." You bite your lip nervously as she smiles unrolls it, reading outloud. 'Equal to a god, that person seems to me. That is, whoever sits across from you, so close, savouring your sweet voice... and your thrilling laugh, that makes my heart reel inside my breast. For when I look at you, even for an instant, speech becomes impossible. words desert me, my tongue broken, as a swift, subtle flame spreads throughout my skin. My eyes are blinded, roaring fills my ears, cold sweat cascades over me, and trembling assaults me. I am greener than the grass, and in my desperation, I seem to have come to the very threshold of Death. For I am dying, of such love. But still I must endure all of this...' She swallows, her voice shaky and tears slowly roll down her cheeks. "I.. Didn't get you anything." she whispers softly.

"Oh, yes you did." you smile and take her into your arms kissing her once more. ~~~

Well that’s the end! But who knows when the next assassins will pop up and The Flame will be needed again? 

The poem is by Sappho Translated by Alexiares

The Song is called Forever by Jessie and The Rippers