#no love in group but Arthur showed well for a puppy at his second show

[pawsitivevibe]

This is frankly a silly amount of ribbons to be given when you haven't earned them. I do think it's weird that conformation shows still give you ribbons when you're the only dog of your breed to show up. Is he the Best of Breed or is he Only of Breed.

[stxrrywildflower]

can’t help falling in love (two)

pairing - george weasley x reader

summary - you invite george to be your date to your sisters wedding

warnings - mentions of family/home issues

word count - 1.9k

series masterlist

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

traveling by the floo was always a surprise.

you’ve only ever used the system twice in the past; both times being to get from your home to the weasley’s. you almost always ended up there during the different breaks scattered throughout the year.

it only took a few seconds for you to reach your desired destination, the floo usually worked okay with minimal issues.

you stepped out of the fireplace first, feet hitting the living room hard as you stumbled slightly.

george made his way out right after you. his lanky body made it a little more difficult for him to get out of the sizeably smaller fireplace than the one back at school.

“blimey love, you okay?”

“i’m here on one piece so i guess so,” you answered. “you?”

“same,” george replied.

it took a few moments for you and george to adjust to your surroundings before you could actually take in everything.

you were alone in your living room, no one occupying any of the various chairs or couches. the rest of the house was quiet as well. a wave of confusion washed over you. where was your entire family?

“what’s this?” george asked. your bags had been abandoned on the floor the second george had noticed the various muggle trinkets and machinery around the room.

“that’s a television georgie, we watch programs on it. i can show you later if you want,” you offered. george beamed at your response, already jumping up to look at the next item.

of course he still didn’t notice the very apparent lack of people.

but it was still pretty sweet to see him so excited over the things you grew up with. it was no secret arthur was into muggle tech but seeing the interest spark in george was something special.

“merlin, is this baby you?” george held up one of the framed photos that normally sat on the bookshelf. you snatched it away from him in an instant. “yeah no you aren’t seeing that,” you answered. george held his smile to himself. “i’m sure your mum will show me some later.”

commotion was clearly heard from the outside of your home just as you set the photo back down.

“come on, i think my family’s in the backyard,” you informed george. “but uh just be warned, they can be a bit much, my sister especially.”

george nodded. “i’ll be nice but if they say anything rude, i’ll slip them a puking pastille fred and i made.”

you smiled at that. “thanks georgie.”

“so, are you ready to head out? or do you want to see some more things in here?”

george took note right away of your stalling. there was a strong guarantee that the second he gave his answer, no matter yes or no, you would retaliate with something else   

“do you have a bathroom i can use really quick?” george figured that it would be most beneficial for you to go out alone before he was introduced, especially due to his affiliation as your date.

“yeah i can take you there now,” you spoke before adding a “someone’s got a weak bladder.” he rolled his eyes at your joke.

george followed you around the house like a lost puppy. he didn’t know where to go or the layout of the home and certainly didn’t want to leave your side. you promised him a tour later once everything calmed down.

“bathroom’s right here. meet me outside when your finished.”

you then maneuvered your way down the hallway until you reached the door leading to the outside.

“hello,” you spoke as you stepped out, already fiddling with your hands out of pure nervousness.

“y/n!” your family had exclaimed once they saw you.

you stepped out onto the deck alone, shifting slightly uncomfortably under all of their gazes.

your mum and dad were the first ones up. you accepted their only slightly awkward hugs before leaning back against the railing once more. your grandfather was next, his expression a lot more excited. he was always a lot more comfortable with the magic thing, he had married another witch after all.

“cressida, greet your sister,” your mum had spoken to your sister  

“of course she’s in her school uniform. couldn’t even change for the occasion could you?” your sister spat without warning.

“good to see you too cress,” you mumbled as you looked down at your attire. since you and george had come directly from school, you still had to use your uniforms when taking the floo. as much as you wanted to say her sudden words were a shock, they really weren’t.

“where’s grammy?” you questioned.

“out at the store,” your grandfather answered. “she’ll be back soon i’m sure. i know she’s buzzing to see you.”

a smile passed over your face at that just as the entire group outside went quiet once more. you were not about to start a conversation nor did anyone else make the first initiatation.

“so y/n,” your dad started. “how’s school going?”

“oh no dad i don’t think we should talk about-” you were cut off by the door opening. you let out a breath. ‘saved by the bell’ you thought to yourself.

george stepped out on the deck, greeting you with a warm smile before making his way over to where you stood. his hand snakes around you to rest on the railing.

“everyone, this is george,” you introduced, motioning for him to step forward. “george this is my mum, dad, grandfather, and then cressida or the bride-to-be.”

george shook each of their hands respectfully. you were already quirking your eyebrow at his sudden manners. usually by now someone had some prank played on them, especially when george met new people.

“so this is the boy you brought home. i’m so glad to meet my daughters boyfriend,” your mom beamed. “we don’t know a lot about her life at school but i’m glad to finally be meeting you. how long have you two been together?”

you paled. not once did you think your family would assume the two of you were together. you didn’t even prep or have time to make up a story.

george smirked at your near panicked expression. “since the beginning of this year. so that’s what, seven months? but we’ve been friends since first year,” he answered cooley.

you faked a yawn, wanting to get out of the conversation before your mum could come up with questions george couldn’t answer off the top of his head.

“oh dear, you two must be exhausted from your trip. you two are upstairs in your old bedroom. everything’s already ready with your bedsheets and setup. feel free to take a nap before dinner tonight.”

“thank you mrs. y/l/n,” george thanked before turning to you. “ready to go love?”

you nodded, “yeah let’s go.”

the two of you headed back inside. george stopped back in the living room to pick up your bags before meeting you again. he followed you up the stairs and down the hall towards you room which, thankfully, was away from the other rooms on the floor giving you at least a little bit of privacy.

“i hope you don’t mind sharing a bed,” you spoke as you twisted the doorknob.

“you’re joking,” george groaned when he saw the room. “how are we supposed to fit?”

“george come on, it’s fine. this bed is barely bigger than a twin, i’m sure we can squeeze. it’s not the first time we’ve shared anyway.”

“not the first time?”

you took your bag out of george’s hands and placed it in the corner. normally you wouldn’t unpack for such a short weekend but you abe clothes that needed to be hung up to prevent wrinkles.

“don’t you remember the burrow last break?” you questioned. “you and fred almost blew up your room and then molly kicked you out so your room could air out. take a guess where you ended up.”

george grinned at the memory. “ah yeah i remember that. we did make some really good whiz-bangs though. and hey, we only shared because you were sleeping in percy’s old room and he has a bigger bed. when was the second time?”

“after hogsmeade,” you answered. “you thought it would be so funny to push me into the snow only to realize way too late that it was a half-frozen puddle and i got soaked.”

“and then you sat in between fred and i by the fire to warm up,” george finished the story. “yeah that was funny.”

you rolled your eyes. “maybe you should unpack instead of dwelling on my suffering.”

“alright sounds good, girlfriend,” george made sure to add extra emphasis on the final word.

“don’t think you’re off the hook for what you did.”

“and what is that exactly?”

you let out a huff, throwing the shirt you were folding down. it was beyond annoying that george was completely going around the situation.

“george, what were you thinking? i didn’t even think my family would conclude that we were together. why would you say we were dating? seriously, in what world would that be a good idea to tell them that. merlin, everything’s already going wrong.”

“love it’s fine, trust me.”

“it really isn’t,” you groaned, moving your hands up to run through your hair.

“why is this such a problem to you? babes, you invited me to be your date.”

of course george was already starting on the pet names. “don’t you think this is a little weird? i mean what if there’s mistletoe?” you questioned.

george broke out in a short fit of laughter. you frowned, visibly upset at your friends approach to the situation.

“it’s the middle of april. i doubt there’s going to be any mistletoe. besides, we only have to play the part for less then three days. we won’t do anything that makes each other uncomfortable, okay?”

you nodded. you had to admit, george’s words did bring you some comfort. “alright fine, but don’t expect anything from me.”

“well what about cuddling? i mean we are sharing a bed after all.”

you threw a shirt at him. “we’ll talk later weasley. i still need to explain how a muggle wedding works.”

you and george unpacked in sync while you went over everything he would need to know for the weekend.

he seemed to get everything with minimal questions. george seemed especially excited about the wedding reception.

“wait so i need a suit?”

“yeah but i already have you covered. my dad has something that’s your size,” you explained. “what about your dress?” george asked.

“oh don’t worry about that, it’s a surprise,” you beamed. “cress and i aren’t close enough for me to be in her bridal party so i can pretty much wear what i want.”

george nodded. “sounds good. what’s the plan for today and tomorrow again?”

“we have dinner at eight with my entire family tonight. my sisters fiancé jasper will be there too. he’s a lot nicer than her and actually understands, to an extent, me being a witch,” you spoke. “and then we have to be at the wedding venue by four tomorrow and the reception starts at nine.”

“is your grandmother going to be at dinner tonight? i haven’t seen her in awhile.”

you hummed. “oh yeah she’ll be thrilled to see you. don’t be surprised if she mixes you up with fred though.”

george shrugged, a slight frown on his face. “eh it’s fine. it happens all the time.”

a genuine yawn escaped your lips after he finished his thought. “tired?” george inquired. “i didn’t really sleep well last night, too stressed,” you revealed.

“why don’t you lay down and rest for a bit. i have something to work on in the meantime,” george offered. you raised your eyebrows. “and what is that?”

“just a new prank. i don’t want to give too much away but it’s going to be really good.”

you shrugged. “okay, just don’t blow up my room please,” you added. you shrugged off your robes, folding them up to place in your suitcase as you grabbed a pair of more casual clothes.

“i’ll be right back, i’m going to get changed.”

you returned a moment later, tossing the rest of your uniform in your suitcase. “comfy?” george asked, motioning down to your new attire. “very,” you answered as you headed over to the bed.

george leaned down to press his lips to your temple after you got under the covers. “sleep well love.”

your cheeks flushed at the platonic gesture. “thank you.”

george waited a few minutes before he looked at you again, feeling an overwhelming sense of protectiveness as you slept. you were his best friend. it wasn’t strange to feel like that...right?

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

tagging: @goldenxreid @wilburxpancakes @blakeprentiss @criminaly-supernatural @blakes-dictionxry @mrs-dr-reid @weasleytwinsfav

[bleepblopbloop56]

100 things to do under the stars

(Analogical, no warnings)

1: stargaze

  Virgil dragged Logan out from the warmth of the truck and into crisp fall air. They were in the middle of nowhere, it was nearly midnight, and the clouds were practically nonexistent. There wasn't a light for miles, aside from the still dimming headlights of Virgil's pickup truck. They had to be in someone's backyard or private property, but with a field so vast and expansive who would know to say anything. 

“Virgil-” Logan started before swiftly getting shushed by Virgil. He jerked open the door to the backseat, pulling out piles of blankets and pillows. 

  “Lo, i'm gonna need you to ignore how sketchy this looks and help me pad the bed of the truck, there's a meteor shower tonight and i want you to see it.” Virgil tossed him some handfuls of quilts and stuffed animals. It seemed as if he found every even remotely soft thing in his apartment and shoved it in the car. They passed the truck bed and Virgil hoisted him into the makeshift bed, before bracing the side of the truck and hoping for himself. 

 They stayed silent as they got comfortable, that was Logan's favorite part about their friendship, they could just exist around each other without any pressure to perform social cues like small talk.. They could just be. Logan reached down and intertwined their hands, making virgil's heart skip a beat. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, shifting closer to his friend “I needed this” Virgil swallowed roughly, laying his head closer to Logan’s as they watched the stars 

7: contemplate existence + 11: drink coffee

 “Do you think there's something else out there?” Virgil asked after a long stretch of comfortable silence. This time, they sat on the roof of the truck, coffee in hand and feet dangling off the edge of the truck. 

  “Be more specific.” Logan took a sip of his coffee, bringing it to his mouth with both hands. It provided a nice warmth against the chill of the night, something his black wool coat was vaguely failing to provide.

   “Life.. do you think we're alone here?” Logan wanted to say no with a definite certainty that Virgil was looking for, but that would be irresponsible to answer with a certainty he didn't have. 

   “Arthur Clarke once said ‘Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.’” he settled on instead. Virgil grimaced and pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged and turned his body to face Logan. He tried to make eye contact with him, but Logan continued to look up into the abyss.

  “That's not what I asked,” he said “I wanna know what you think.” Logan took another slow sip of his coffee to stall. Eventually, he brought it away from his mouth and turned to face Virgil

   “I dont know..” he admitted “it seems.. impossible that there's an infinite universe beyond our capability of comprehension that is simply empty. I don't believe there will ever be certainty on our end, so,” he put the coffee down and laid down, putting his eyes back on the stars “i'd rather not worry about it.”

32: question your own mortality *

   “What do you suppose the point of it all is Virgil?”  he had become rather acquainted with the empty field he and Virgil spent nearly every clear night in. They hadn't even got out of the car this time before Logan started their nightly talks.

   “I thought it scared you to talk about things like that.” Virgil jokes to mask that he didn't have an answer. He jerked open the door but didn't get out. 

    “Do… Do you ever question why we're here?” Logan knew the answer to that, and Virgil constantly thought about his life and his purposeless existence. Virgil took pity on him when he noticed his big brown eyes sparkling in the light the car turned on. So mundane, and yet Virgil had seemed to romanticize the smallest things around Logan.

    “Get out, I wanna show you something,” Logan followed wordlessly. “I think..” Virgil continued, once they were out of the truck and on top of it “that it's different for everyone. For me, I just want to spend my short existence here experiencing life for what it is. Good and the bad, mostly good.” Virgil smiled softly as he laid down on the roof “ look at that… all the stars feel so close i could touch and yet impossibly far away. I can't see a horizon from here, it feels like I'm in the middle of all of them, here with you.”

    Logan laid on his side beside him, still not fully getting it. “You think you were put into existence to look at stars?”

    Virgil hoisted himself up on his elbows, craning his head back to continue looking at the abyss. “I think that's what i'm choosing to do with my existence, what are you choosing to do with yours?” Logan stayed quiet for a long time, just looking at Virgil and thinking before he jutted his head forward and kissed him. Virgil pulled back, heart beating  a million miles a minute. 

“Logan?” he whispered.

“If we get to choose what we do with our lives then i wanna spend mine like this, with you, and i've wasted too much time thinking.” he almost had tears in his eyes as he leaned forward again, letting Virgil close the gap this time. 

* (+ 53: have your first kiss) 

65: and your second

72: and third

83: and many many more

99: propose

    They continued going to their favorite spot for years, when they got older they bought the plot of land that they called theres and built a tiny cabin on the edge of the field. And one night, after 5 years of dating, virgil pulled logan into the middle of the field, walking this time. Fireflies and the moon are their only real source of light so far out in the field. 

Logan giggled as he attempted to keep balance while Virgil swung him around 

“What's got you in such a good mood?” Logan laughed, getting pulled into a nervous kiss by his boyfriend 

    “Virgil!” he smiled a little wider, “what's the occasion?”

   “Look up, and name all the constellations you can see,” Virgil asked quietly, hands fisted in his jacket pockets. Logan looked suspicious before doing as he was told, listing all he could remember the name of. Just as he was getting to the end of his list, Virgil cut him off. 

“Hey Logan?” When he looked back, Virgil was kneeling on the ground with a small navy blue box in his hands. “Can I ask you something?” 

Logan did not consider himself overly emotional, he nearly prided himself on it, and yet he couldn't seem to stop the hitch in his breath and rush of tears to his eyes. He wordlessly nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

    Virgil opened the box and revealed a ring with a simple diamond in the middle of a black band with stars engraved into the side. He stayed silent as the tears started cascading down his face. “Do you remember when you said you wanted to spend your life with me under the stars?” Logan  had to pull his hands to his mouth to contain the sob of happiness he couldn't. Virgil was also crying, a wide nervous grin on his face “will you make that official with me?” 

    “Yes!” Logan choked out, nodding profusely and collapsing into Virgil's arms when he stood up to hug him. He pulled back and kissed him, he kissed him for the millionth time with all the passion and love of the first. He pressed his forehead into Virgils, having to bend a little to accommodate for the height difference. 

“I love you” he mumbled, tears starting to end their freefall, even if only for a minute. “So so much”

100: get married.

    Roman bustled around their small cabin with the kind of nervousness more reserved for the grooms than the best man. He had been preparing this day- well, night- for months and had been more of a bridezilla than either of the actual men getting married. Guests were starting to arrive just after the sun went down and the stars were starting to peek through the darkness. Fairy lights shone just enough to allow the guests to find their seats without hassle, but not too much as to outshine the stars. 

    “Are you sure everythings ready?” Roman asked Logan once again, meeting a hard eye roll with an exacerbated grin. 

    “Yes Roman, I'm positive.” He couldn't help the feeling of joy riding in his throat when he checked his watch. He was getting married… to the most beautiful man on earth, under the stars, in his own backyard with all his friends… holy shit

    “Logan!” Patton called from the doorway, excited to be helping even if he'd been there since noon “its time! Come on “ 

    Virgil was…. He couldn't think of the right word.. Gorgeous, ethereal, amazing, perfect, genius, beautiful, unreal, indescribable… Logan felt in his heart as he was walked down the aisle by the designated group dad friend. He wore a velvet deep purple suit with black trims and converse sneakers, hair freshly dyed from a week before, and on top of his head sat a small crown with diamond stars. As much as he despised wedding traditions, this was his “something borrowed” generously lended by Roman to tie in the night theme. The wedding was small, neither of their families even invited to attend, and their friend group tiny but close knit. Patton bounced down the aisle with Virgil's arm intertwined in his, Logan didn't think the concept of “handing off the “bride ``'' was appropriate here, but neither of them could deny Patton's puppy dog eyes. 

The rest of the night went off without a hitch, dancing, kissing, crying, a small potluck with a modest red velvet wedding cake, and in the center of it all was stars. The decorations, the rings, the vows and the night sky, all of it was perfect. When all the guests left, and Virgil and Logan were finally alone, Logan pulled out a wedding present he had gotten for virgil. 

“What's this?” he asked, still riding the high of “Holy shit i'm really married” 

“Open it.” virgil undid the navy wrapping paper, and opened the box. Inside, there was a book titled “100 things to do under the stars, by Logan Cade” 

Virgils heart jumped when he realised logan had used his new last name.  

[ikefool]

Giving in -Part 1

Summary: While solving a case with Arthur, things thake an unexpected turn, both in this mystery and in your relationship.

Rating: Explicit, mature. EXTREMELY spicy.  DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT 18 OR OLDER. This chapter does not include spice but IT WILL in the near future

Pairing: IkeVamp Arthur x Reader

Word Count: 2200

A/N: Sorry for the lack of spice but it was getting too long. This was supposed to be a one-shot...

Masterlist

The light from the morning sun hits the shop’s window, breaking into beams and sparkling shapes. It hits the jewels under the glass counter and refracts into tiny little spots of colored light.

“Something like this?” says the shop’s owner. His rough, aged hands delicately handle the sapphire pendant, the movement sends dots of light dancing all over his wrinkled face. “Hm, this’d have to be purchased some time ago, were they twins?”

“Twin jewels, yes, according to the original owner. But the other stone was set onto a hairpin” You turn to look outside while the old man examines the pendant. You glance at the tree where you had last seen your partner, but he’s no longer there. Puzzled, you stand up straighter, trying not to be so obvious as you strain your neck this way and that, squinting to see if you can spot him nearby.

“Well, I can’t really be sure just by looking at it, but I have a couple of lenses in the back that might help… mademoiselle?”

You blink at him “Hm? Oh! Yes of course, that would be very helpful, monsieur” you smile at him, but he’s already heading to the back of the shop with the sapphire in hand, murmuring faintly about craftsmanship and american silver.

While he’s gone you walk away from the counter and closer to the window. The tree is still deserted, and a quick scan of the square’s benches is fruitless. It’s still far too early for the couples to show up, and aside from the odd shopper and small family, the small park is practically empty. 

Where the hell is he? ‘Oh, you’ll do fine on your own, luv’ this ‘It would look odd if I went in’ that. You’re starting to suspect he’d just up and left you to do all the work. You huff, already planning on smacking him upside the head when you next see him. You live in the same mansion, he can’t evade you for long.

“It’s just as you said, this was made in an american shop” you leave your post by the window and walk back to the counter, plastering on a friendly smile. If Arthur insists on leaving you, you’ll just have to solve this case on your own. “The stamp is european though, specifically parisian. It was stamped just a few months ago. Strange, pearl is more fashionable these days. The jewel is much older, maybe a heirloom? I’m afraid that is all I can tell you.”

“Not at all, monsieur, you have been very helpful.” The old man’s already small eyes nearly disappear under his wrinkles when he smiles. 

“The pleasure was all mine, mademoiselle.”

You quickly pay the man for the consultation and then, after placing the pendant carefully back in its velvet pouch, head outside. 

The wind sweeps your hair to one side as soon as you close the door to the small shop, and you use your gloved hand to brush it away. You look to both sides before deciding to sit on a nearby bench to write down your findings. Arthur may be able to keep all the information in his head, but you find it easier to keep it compiled in a notebook in case you need it later. As you place your bag to one side of you and rummage through it for your small moleskine notebook, you hear a chorus of giggles from nearby. 

You turn to look, and notice a small group of young women crowding around someone. You can see only the top of the man’s head, but that much is enough. You scoff and return to your notebook. Of course he had not abandoned you, he’d just gotten swept away by a flock of pretty girls. Typical. And of course he’s just loving the attention, telling them a fantastic story of one of his many adventures, judging by the impressed looks the women are giving him.

Covering your mouth to hide your laugh, you return to your notebook. You write down what the jeweler had told you before snapping it shut and putting it back in your bag. Your next stop is not far away, but you should get Arthur before leaving. As much as you would like to leave him here and go there yourself, you don’t know the exact address. You sigh heavily and walk over to the growing number of women, all of them paying rapt attention. It would honestly be impressive, if it weren’t so annoying.

“And just like that! The lost puppy was reunited with its owner, all in a day’s work” The girls all gasp and coo, the flurry of movement sending a cloud of flowery perfume up into the air.  

“All in a day’s work?!” You exclaim, peeking from behind a girl’s tall curly hairdo. “And how ever did you manage that, monsieur?” He turns to you, smile radiant, ready to tell you all about it. And then he notices just who you are, and the way your hands rest on your hips. His smile falters for just a second.

“Oh um, well, I had my lovely assistant with me, of course! Terribly sorry ladies, but I have to go now. You know how it goes, bye now.” He steps between the now pouting ladies, carefully avoiding the hems of their skirts. He grabs you by the arm along the way, pulling you with him until you’re in the clear. 

“My lovely assistant? What are you, Arthur, a detective or a magician?” You look up at him, eyebrows raised. You’re walking beside him on the cobbled street, now far enough from the square that the only sounds are the occasional chirping of birds and the click of your steps.

“Well, you caught me off guard, darling.”

“You!? The great writer-slash-detective?! The one and only Arthur Conan Doyle?! Paris’ great hero?! Caught off-”

“Hah! Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t we?” You glare at him ”Alright, I get it. I shouldn’t have left you alone at the shop.” You glare at him some more “And… I shouldn't have wandered off.”

You sigh, clasping your hands behind your back. As you walk you notice a small pebble in the road, you kick it softly with the tip of your shoe. “You’re allowed to do whatever you want, Arthur. If you want to go to the square and chat up an entire gaggle of pretty, young parisian ladies then you can do so. Just don’t give me excuses like ‘You would look less suspicious going into the shop’” You say, making air quotes at him. “I actually happen to care about solving these cases.”

Arthur places a hand on your shoulder and sprints a few steps until he’s facing you, he walks backwards in front of you. You frown, you weren't expecting the giant grin on his face “Wait a second, are you jealous? Oh, I knew you had a thing for me!” The pebble you had been kicking goes flying and falls down a drain.

“I’m not jealous, you impossible idiot man, I’m angry! I hate feeling like you’re just using me as an excuse to go out and… and flirt! You rope me in under the pretense of solving a case and then you leave me alone to do all the work while you go hang around and enjoy yourself!” Your cheeks burn with anger, Arthur’s smile drops. “I guess I’m the idiot, huh? Since I still come along with you and play lovely assistant while you have your fun. So stupid.” You cross your arms and push past him, glaring at the ground, for some reason there’s a knot in your throat.

“Hey, no, darling...” He pleads, racing to catch up with you, you roll your eyes. “You’re right. You’re not stupid, okay? I’m the idiot.” You stay silent “I’m an idiot and a scoundrel and… Please look at me?” You stop and look up at him, still glaring “I’m sorry, I do want to solve this case. And what I said about you going into the shop was still the truth, but I also wanted you to go on your own because I thought… listen, you’re practically solving this one on your own. You’re doing amazing, and I wanted to step back a little and give you some space to work, thought maybe I’d get to play lovely assistant this time around.” He sighs, smiling shyly at the ground while he rakes a hand through his wind-swept hair. “Guess I stepped back a little too far, though.”

You look at him for a moment while he fidgets nervously. “Fine, apology accepted.” Arthur sags in relief. “Just… I’d like to actually work together on this.”

“Yes! Of course.” You walk together in silence for a few moments until Arthur speaks again “So, I’m completely forgiven, am I?” You look at him, suspicious at his tone “Does that mean I get a ‘you’re forgiven’ kiss?” He taps a finger against his cheek, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, when you just stare at him blankly he slowly moves the finger to his lips, tilting his head in question.

You scoff loudly. “A smack is what you’ll get, monsieur Doyle.”

“Fine then” he says cheerily, without missing a beat “go right ahead.” He leans down to offer you his cheek for a smack.

You huff “Well, it’s no fun when you just tell me to smack you.” you can barely keep yourself from laughing.

“Ah there it is, I’d let you smack me every day for the rest of my life if it meant you’d smile at me like that.” He places a hand over his heart dramatically.

This time you do laugh, of course he’d say that, the impossible flirt.

A few hours later you’re sitting in a carriage on your way back to the mansion, you’re jotting down all your findings in your notebook while Arthur looks out the window. The carriage jolts suddenly, and you curse quietly as you accidentally make a scribble on the page. Arthur chuckles beside you. 

“You could wait until we get back to the mansion, you know?” You ignore him, trying to remember everything the lady of the house had said about her family’s history before you forget. 

The sky outside is brushed orange and red, but is quickly turning a deep indigo. You have a few minutes of light at the most, and you still have some time before you can get to the mansion.

Save for the rolling thuds of the carriage and the rustling of its contents the ride is mostly silent. Arthur is resting his arm on the edge of his seat, face tilted to look out at the darkening sky. You close your notebook softly. His face is highlighted by the last of the day’s golden light, expression uncharacteristically pensive. 

“Something you like, darling? You start at his voice. Arthur doesn’t turn to you, but you can see the edge of his smile curl slowly into a smirk. You decide to ignore his comment.

“The lady said her sister had been overseas for the last five years, and she made it sound like she came back only just before she disappeared last week. And yet, the festival she mentioned…” Arthur turns to you now, a curious gleam in his eye.

“Smart girl, I told you about it, didn’t I? While walking around the square? Yes, that was only a few months ago. We can only conclude that she’s hiding something from us.”

You frown. “Yes, but what? She’s the one that hired us to find the hairpin, and what would she lie about her sister’s whereabouts when it has nothing to do with the case?”

Arthur shifts on his seat, leaning in slowly to place his elbows on his knees, hands threaded in front of his face, only just brushing his smiling lips. “Well, I think that it is our job to discover it, perhaps more than one mystery will be unravelled by the time we’re finished with this case.” You’re transfixed by his eyes. Outside it is now dark, and the scarce light makes them look like the night sky has pooled beneath his eyelids. He’s leaning so very close. “Come now, out we go. We mustn't keep the coachman waiting.”

You glance out the window, surprised to find that you are no longer moving, and that the carriage has stopped just outside the mansion. Arthur is standing outside with one hand extended towards you to help you get down. You take his hand before you can think better of it, and try not to look too embarrassed as you step out with his help.

You thank the coachman quickly and together you walk toward the beautiful mansion. There are soft crickets chirping amongst the garden, and the atmosphere is peaceful, though pensive as you both mull over the facts of the case.

“Fancy a nightcap, luv?” You nod quickly, your mind is much too muddled to go to sleep just yet. Arthur smiles at your troubled expression. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head over it, I feel that we are close to a break in this case. Now, let’s better get inside before the night turns cold, shall we?”

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Taglist: @juminly​

[ayellowcurtain]

would you be open to writing a fic where Lucas has a thing for wearing lingerie and Eliott discovers that?

Eliott looks at the tinniest piece of fabric on his hands. Smaller, black and not as soft as what he’s used to for the past three years. Eliott can’t remember the last time he saw something like this.

And he can’t even remember touching it like this, with such care, for more than a few seconds. With Lucille he would usually just take everything off as soon as he saw it. He never opened her undies drawer by accident.

He looks at their bedroom door opened, he can only hear the music Lucas is listening to while cooking them dinner. Their friends will be here any minute now and Eliott almost sends them all a text on their group chat to cancel their plans of eating at “Elu’s place”. They’re always here, Eliott could very well postpone this time.

Instead, he puts the small, lacey thong back where he found it while searching for Lucas’ favorite boxers. He holds it for a second in the back of the drawers and pulls it back, easily hiding it inside his hand. Eliott wanted to wear a piece of Lucas and he found that instead. He closes the drawer carefully and walks around their bed, finding Lucas where he left him a few minutes ago to take a shower.

He’s still there, cooking with no shirt on, wearing tight black jeans that are hanging dangerously low on his hips, showing off the V shape that leads somewhere. Eliott can’t help but think what Lucas is wearing under his jeans.

“Thought you needed help with your shower...” Lucas teases, wiggling his eyebrows, looking at Eliott for just a second, smiling while getting back to his activities.

“Yeah...I might need some help...” Lucas looks up and Eliott walks slowly around the isle, standing behind him, turning the heat to the lowest while Lucas turns back around in between his arms, one hand holding the counter and the other still holding Lucas’ secret.

“Yeah?” Eliott nods his head slowly, still a little lightheaded, needing time to stop thinking about Lucas, all of Lucas, wearing that tiny piece of fabric.

“Yes...” He looks down, following his hand up to stop in front of Lucas’ face, carefully standing up to open the thong with both hands.

Lucas loses every hint of color of his face - even the blush he was creating on his cheeks and naked chest by standing so close to the oven for so long - as he stares at what Eliott is showing to him.

“Why didn’t I know about this?” Lucas can’t stop looking and Eliott smiles, worried that Lucas is ashamed, thinking that Eliott wouldn’t like that.

“Fuck...where-” He tries to grab his thong back, but Eliott is quicker, closing his hand around it and putting his hand behind his back. “Eliott...where did you find that?”

“It doesn’t matter. I wanted to know why this is news to me, after three years together...Are you wearing one now?”

“What? No!” Lucas finally meets his eyes again and he swallows hard, Eliott comes just a little closer to try and give him some type of reassurance. He can’t feel it, but Eliott is sure Lucas’ heart is pounding against his chest. “I bought it...a few months back...for our anniversary, but didn’t have the courage to wear it, ever.”

Eliott carefully puts his hand down next to his side, making it easier for Lucas to grab it if he wants, but there’s no time. Yann, Arthur and Baz are getting inside their home like it’s theirs, bringing packs of beer and some wine and Eliott just has time to put the thonge inside his pocket, having to stand on his tiptoes to make it fit inside his tight pants.

He kisses Lucas’ bright red cheek, playing with his hair.

“We’ll use it later tonight.” Lucas quickly scans his whole face and Eliott waits for him. 

“No...I...was afraid because of Lucille, I imagined she used something like that and-”

Eliott frowns, ignoring their friends already putting things inside their fridge.

“Baby, I wasn’t less attracted to Lucille because she wore or not something like that. I didn’t love her anymore, no matter what clothes she was wearing. But I’m sure I’ll be more attracted to you if you try it because I love you so much and you’re so fucking hot. If you want to try it, of course...”

Lucas looks up to him with big, puppy eyes and Eliott leaves a quick kiss on his lips.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Okay. I’m anxious to see what you decide.”

[elusive---ivory]

Circus Act - 2

Woop woop, part 2. I've been extremely exhausted but here we are.

Part 1

Part 2

Ps: Shout out to my girl, @gloomyladyy for drawing Sandy for me. She looks stunning 💕💕

Soon, it was Monday. Arthur had spent most of the weekend, hanging out with his mother, and writing subtle notes in his journal.

As Arthur got to work, he was greeted with those kind eyes he met last Thursday.

Sandy was setting up her locker, which just so happened to be right next to Arthur's.

"Hey Art, how are you?" Sandy greeted Arthur with a smile. She seemed to have lots of makeup on, and judging by her right eyelid, it was to hide something.

Arthur smiled back, opening his locker. "Good morning, Sandy."

"Morning, Artie. Ms. Cheekbones." Randall walked into the room, making an annoying appearance.

Sandy ignored Randall, pushing past him before walking into a changing room of some sort.

Randall scoffed. "What's her deal?"

Arthur shrugged.

Randall walked over to Arthur, opening up his locker.

"I heard about the other day. Kids are fucking savages." Randall commented.

Arthur sighed, fidgeting with his shoes. "They were just kids. Just leave it be."

"That kind of thinking, they'll just walk all over ya." Randall handed Arthur a brown paper bag.

"What is it?" Arthur asked, opening the bag.

Inside the bag was a gun and about 19 bullets.

Arthur scoffed, thinking it was some sort of prank. When he looked up at Randall, he could see that he was serious.

"Randall, I'm not supposed to have a gun." Arthur hushed, gritting his teeth.

"Relax, Art. You can pay me back. You're my boy. Besides chicks love guns." Randall walked away, pointing at the changing room.

Arthur hid the gun in his bag, and went back to lacing his enormous clown shoes, and promptly placing the shoes directly on his feet. Afterward, Arthur sat at the vanity, painting his face, putting on the mask of his clown persona, Carnival.

Sandy walked out of the changing room, decked in clown gear. Her dress seemed to consist of a red, white, and black color scheme, topped with a silly little hat on her black hair. The makeup she had on seemed to go with her own scheme.

Arthur's jaw laid slightly adjacent as he locked eyes on Sandy's outfit. He was barely finished with his makeup, and she was already dressed.

Sandy walked over to the vanity. "I love your makeup, Arthur. The shades of blue really contrasts with the red."

Arthur blinked for a second. "Thank you. I like your makeup, too."

Those emerald eyes hit her again. Despite feeling anxious from being around all sorts if guys, Sandy felt some comfort around Arthur. He was charming and during. Almost like Dennis, when she first met him. She smile faded.

Sandy cleared her throat. "Anyway, Hoyt wanted to tell you that you should come with me to that old folks home. He says that you could show me the ropes."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. I could do that."

The old folks home was just down a few blocks from the studio.

"Good afternoon, elders. We have some exciting company today. Meet Ms. Cello, and Carnival." The director of the home introduced Sandy and Arthur, as they got into place.

Sandy got into center. She walked over to what looked to be a very old looking gramophone, and placed a record. The record played Somewhere Over The Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz. The old people in the lounge room seemed to smile as Sandy began to dance around them. She did magic tricks, and pulled a handkerchief out of her tiny hat.

Arthur stood in the back, amazed. Sandy was fantastic, wowing the crowd with her tricks. Arthur couldn't compete with that. When it was his turn, Arthur froze up.

He felt a repressed laugh crawled up in the back of his throat. Suddenly, the laughter erupted from Arthur.

The elderly didn't seem amused. Some of the elders were confused or concerned about the man laughing in front of them.

Sandy was also concerned. She had never heard this kind of laughter come from Arthur before. Sandy grabbed Arthur to the side.

Arthur was hunched over, trying to repress his laughter with his hand.

"Arthur? Are you ok?" Sandy asked, placing a hand on his head.

Arthur looked away from her. He was already embarrassed enough.

"Arthur, it's ok. What's wrong?" Sandy tried comforting Arthur, but the home director had kicked them out.

Afterwards, Arthur's laughter subsided and seemed to be more calm. The walk back to Haha's was quiet.

"I have a condition." Arthur broke the silence after a while.

Sandy looked over at him. "Oh, what kind of condition?"

"It's called the pseudobulbar affect. I was diagnosed with it when I was young." Arthur sighed, looking at the ground.

"That's some heavy stuff, Arthur." Sandy walked back over to Arthur.

"You probably don't want to be around me anymore." Arthur's thick eyebrows furrowed. He looked up at Sandy like a hurt puppy.

"Are you joking? Of course, I want to be around you. You're the only guy I can actually talk to." Sandy smiled.

Arthur's face lit up. He seemed surprised at her answer. Arthur was so used to rejection, and Sandy didn't seem to mind him at all. It was such a relief to meet someone kind and considerate.

"Hey, how about, after work, I treat you to a drink or something?" Sandy asked.

Arthur nodded. "Yeah, that would be great."

His usual coworkers never invited him to anything. He was always casted out of their social group. Even with people like Randall and Gary, he felt invisible. It wasn't until Sandy came that someone actually saw him.

Sandy smiled, grabbing onto his arm. "Well, then come on, silly."

An old joint called Martha's was a place where Sandy's cousin, Deliah, worked. Sandy would go every Monday to get discounted drinks from her cousin.

"Sandy!" Dee exclaimed, giving her a tight hug. "Ooh, and who's this?"

Sandy laughed at Dee's suggestive comment. It was nice seeing her out of rehab. Dee had a long history with ketamine. Sandy was proud to see her every Monday working to better herself.

"This is Arthur. My coworker. Arthur, this is my cousin, Dee." Sandy said.

Arthur hesitantly shook Dee's hand.

Arthur looked around at all the people in the bar. Everyone in the bar made him incredibly nervous. He clinged onto Sandy's arm as they walked over towards a booth.

"So, how long have you been working for Hoyt?" Sandy asked, sitting next to Arthur on the velvet booth.

Arthur thought for a second. "A few months. My social worker recommended me the job."

"That's good. You know, my boyfriend tried to convince me not to get the job. He said 'think about how it'd look on him.'" Sandy sneered.

Arthur raised his eyebrow. "Boyfriend? You've never mentioned him before."

"There's a reason for that. He's a dick." Sandy rolled her eyes thinking about Dennis.

Arthur looked down at his drink, barely even taking a sip.

Sandy opened up a pack of cigarettes, and placed one to her lips.

Arthur studied the cigarette pressed against her lips. How she inhaled the smoke, and then letting it out in the air. Sandy seemed peaceful and content. Arthur noticed in the strobe lights of the bar that Sandy had a nasty bruise on her face. From her cheek, all the way up to her eyelid.

Sandy felt Arthur staring at her.

"What happened to your face?" Arthur asked.

Sandy gulped. "I ran into a door." She lied.

Arthur glared. He didn't like liars. Just before Arthur said anything else. Dee walked up to the booth with Dennis.

"Sandy, I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him. I told him that you weren't here." Dee apologized, profusely.

"It's fine, Dee." Sandy distinguished her cigarette, throwing it on the ground. "I have to go, Arthur. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Arthur could tell that she didn't want to leave. Dennis walked up to the booth, grabbing Sandy's arm.

"Go wait in the car, kitten." Dennis growled.

Sandy nodded, turning her head away from Arthur.

"Listen here, buddy. If I ever see you hanging around my girlfriend, again. I'll fucking kill you." Dennis grabbed Arthur by the shirt and threw him on the table. "Understand?"

Arthur nodded. As Dennis walked off, Arthur had the urge to grab the gun from out of his bag.

'She deserves better.' Arthur thought. 'Who does he think he is?'

Taglist: @gloomyladyy @memory-mortis @jokerflecker @joker-flecked-me @princessgeekface

(If you'd like to be tagged, message me/send an ask!! I'm always happy to add people)

The Woman In Velvet Series

[hajimeow-archived]

:)

AU and idea from this post

fandom: merlin

ship(s): merlin/arthur, morgana/guenevere

word count: 2106

—

it was arthur’s eleventh birthday tomorrow, he grew restless just thinking about it. oh, how much fun he and the town would have! the dancing, singing, celebrations, but best of all the gifts.

maybe this is the birthday my father will finally get me a puppy! oh, he couldn’t think of anything that would make him happier!

as he lie in bed on such a still, quiet night, it was not quiet to him, as his excitement filled the silent air with so many thoughts and and anticipations. even being snuggled under the covers, late at night with three bedtime stories only hours before, he was still awake with his thoughts.

and it was then, a tingle was on his wrist, the sensation seemed to draw shapes. at first it only tingled, but soon it began to burn, and soon the burning ran all through his arm. he held it tightly and cried silently, not wanting to wake anyone.

but that didn’t make sense, why are his wrists burning like they’ve been charred with fire? he was nowhere near fire. so, he decided to look at it.

he was young, but he managed to make out the odd, messy shapes that appeared on his wrist.

merlin.

—

over time, the shapes has morphed into neat letters that could easily be made out by any soul lucky enough to have learnt to read. arthur knew his luck, most people did not have the name of their soulmate on them because their soulmate could not write. of course arthur knew how lucky he was to possibly have a wealthy or even royal soulmate.

but this could not change one fact. the fact that merlin is a boy’s name.

“it’s okay, arthur. i know it’s hard, but merlin doesn’t have to be a boy. names truly have no gender, they could still be a girl for all you know,” morgana’s reassurance helped, especially since she had undoubtedly the name of a woman on her wrist as well, but arthur was a prince, soon to be king! he could not rule the kingdom with a man by his side, he’d be assassinated at best.

of course it would be easy for a farmer or any other low life to get away with loving the same gender, or even be accepted as such, but that is because nobody cares if they do. it says in the law that a king must rule alone or accompany a woman as queen, and though arthur could avoid this merlin for as long as possible, fate always brings soulmates together, no matter how hard one fights to get out of it. and that’s what scared him.

the only way to get out of being with another man was if merlin were to die, the name would change. it could change to a woman.

no, arthur, you cannot kill an innocent man.

he looked to morgana who sat beside him, looking down at her wrist. she never showed anyone her wrist, she only told arthur it was a woman, nothing else. he figured it would just simply be the name of some woman from another kingdom or someone they did not know of, but no. of course it couldn’t be so easy, because the neat print read guinevere in fine, bold letters.

he turned away before she got the chance to catch him.

“morgana?”

she looked up at him and made a small noise.

“i hate to say it but… morgana, i’m scared. what if my father sees my wrist? oh, i’ll never hear the end of it. arranged marriage this, disgrace that, where does it end?”

she sighs.

“i know, arthur. you’ll just have to hope you’ll be king by the time you meet them.”

the two sat in silence for one last moment, before a guard spoke from outside the door.

“supper time.”

—

after supper, the sun began to set. as arthur looked out his window silently, he appreciated the colors. the soft orange and pink, expertly blended together behind the tinted clouds and dark trees.

a burning on his wrist stole his tranquility. he watched in pain as the letters wrote themselves. they were written slowly and messily, almost like they were being carved into something. once the letters came to a halt, the pain stopped with it. of course, it read merlin, just like the rest. but this time it felt different. the pain lingered in a tingling sensation minutes after the writing stopped, only growing stronger with time. he thought of it too much, so he did the one thing he knew how.

he stood and left his quarters, headed for gaius’s.

—

arthur hesitated to open the door, remembering to knock, and so he did.

but it was not gaius who answered the door.

instead it was a boy his age with dark hair, pale skin and a smile on his face. arthur felt his wrist tingle to where it almost made his hand cramp.

“i assume you’re here for gaius? i’m merlin, nice to meet you,” merlin sticks out a hand. arthur hesitantly shakes it with his good hand, he feels like he can barely move the other. merlin.

“um… yes. i am,” arthur opens the door wider to walk inside without another word. gaius looked to be working on a remedy.

“gaius? gaius, i must speak with you, alone,” he glances back to merlin, who’s not paying even the slightest attention.

“what is it, sire? i’m quite busy.”

“please. it’s important.”

gaius sighs and stands to talk to merlin. arthur doesn’t tune in, too overwhelmed with his own issues. whatever gaius said, it got merlin to leave.

“what’s the issue, sire?” gaius sits back down. arthur follows and pulls his own chair closer.

“you promise not to rat me out to my father?”

“depends,”

arthur takes that as a no and shows him his wrist and shuts his eyes, aware that he’s shaking and sweating more than he’d like.

“oh…”

arthur pulls his sleeve back up and folds his arms insecurely. he could feel the tension and worry radiating from gaius without having to look.

“i’m sorry i ever told you, i just… i knew if i told morgana that i had met merlin i would never hear the end of it… im sorry, i know you know him well, i’m—“

“calm down, sire, you’ve apologized more times in one sentence than you have in your lifetime,” gaius took in a breath and looked down before continuing.

“merlin hides his wrist as well, but i’ve seen it. he does not know i’ve seen it, but i have. i always hoped it was a different arthur, and that it would not have to be this way, but of course i was wrong. i do not mind if you and merlin have a relationship but please, for the safety of you both, please do not let yourselves get caught,”

arthur sighed angrily.

“no, that’s not it. gaius, i only like women. i don’t understand, i must have the wrong person, but how could this happen?” he began to fidget and shake, all of his worries piling on at once.

“fate never makes mistakes, sire—“

“it must have this time, because if i am with a man my father will off me without a second thought. fate isn’t stupid, it would never mean to do this,” he said sternly and left. he hadn’t the energy for yelling today.

he began to walk slowly back to his quarters, not paying any mind when he passed merlin on the stairwell, however, merlin did that for him.

“arthur?”

“...how do you know my name?”

merlin shrugged. “lucky guess. would you like to join me?”

arthur knew he had nothing better to do. besides, his mind already made the choice of sitting with merlin for him. now that they sat closer than a foot or more apart, the tingling in arthur’s wrist was no longer a pain, but a nice, warm feeling. he longed to feel it forever.

“so why’d you need to see gaius in such a hurry? if it’s not personal,”

“it’s personal.”

merlin nodded. it was silent, until he spit out yet another question.

“do you have a name on your wrist too?”

“of course i do. almost everyone does. why?”

merlin shrugged. “i don’t know. i figured i was the only one, back in my village i was, anyway,”

“back in your village? why’d you leave?” arthur asked. he couldn’t help but take an interest in the boy. he assumed the name on his wrist was to blame. in any other circumstance, he’d be back in his quarters right now, trying to sleep but thinking too much to do so properly.

“i wanted to see if there was anyone else like me, and maybe if i could find the person on my wrist. would you like to see it?”

“see it?” arthur felt a bit shook, before remembering merlin was not from here. showing your wrist to people was not intimate or odd where he came from.

“yeah. actually, it’s the funniest thing, you know,” merlin pulled his sleeve up.

“i believe it’s you.”

—

arthur couldn’t sleep, all night. he got out of bed when the sun rose, not when he awoke. he would ask gaius for a remedy, but he didn’t want to be anywhere near merlin. not when he knew merlin was open to liking men. what if he made a move?

a soft knock sounded on the door. it was no doubt morgana’s. though still in his sleepwear, he opened it. he couldn’t be happier to see her.

“arthur? are you okay? you look as if you haven’t slept in a week,” she worried.

“i’m fine. come in.”

she did, closed the door behind her and lie on his unmade bed on her back with her hands on her stomach.

“you’re not fine. what’s happened to you?”

quick footsteps passed them in the hall, and with them, a pain shot into his wrist and through his arm. he could not hide it this time.

morgana gasped.

“is it merlin? he’s here, in camelot, and you’ve not told me??” she had a teasing smile on her face. this was bound to happen, he just didn’t think so soon.

“i… i didn’t know he was here!”

“oh, don’t lie, i know you better than anyone—“

“morgana, can you not talk about it?” he sighed and left the room after he’d gotten changed into something suitable. he was stopped by his father in the hall.

“i just dined with lady helen. she’ll be singing for us tonight and i want you to inform the people of the palace to be there tonight. understood?”

“yes, sire,”

—

arthur sat beside his father in the large group of people, anticipating lady helen’s song. he could spot merlin from the corner of his eye. he held his wrist tightly as it burned and pulsed. he wanted anything but this.

he didn’t realize the moment lady helen began her song. it was a beautiful, loving tune at first, but it began to lull him to sleep. the urge was so strong, it didn’t feel natural, but that didn’t stop him from closing his eyes.

merlin held his hands tightly to his ears upon seeing everyone fall into a deep sleep, cobwebs beginning to grow onto them and color starting to drain from the room.

her song grew louder as she pulled a dagger from her coat. merlin panicked. his eyes darted everywhere, until they landed on the chandelier above her, and he felt a forceful energy exit him and the chandelier fell.

he uncovered his ears and seconds after, the people began to wake, pushing the cobwebs aside. lady helen was now an old woman with frail, grey hair. she picked up the dagger and tossed it to arthur as if she were not being crushed under the weight of the chandelier.

it flew fast. without thought merlin jumped to pull arthur’s shoulder and off of the chair. the dagger pinned itself into the back.

arthur was stunned, looking at merlin and back at the dagger. he stood alongside merlin and as they did so, the king walked over.

“you saved my son’s life. a debt must be repaid,”

“ah, well—“

“no, don’t be so modest. you’ve earned yourself a position in the royal household. you shall be prince arthur’s manservant,”

as kind uther scurried off, arthur’s blood began to boil. he didn’t mind a servant. he did mind merlin as his servant.

“father—!”

arthur looked away from merlin with a burning face. he thought today couldn’t get any worse, now he just couldn’t wait for what layer of hell tomorrow will bring.

—

2106 words in one fucking sitting. willingly.

i’m starting to wonder if i’m ok.

[martykirkby]

Any holby or casualty episodes you’d recommend rewatching? Idm how old, thanks :)

(i’m gonna put this under a read more bc it got way longer than i intended it too and you didn’t even ask for descriptions i’m just incapable of being concise ever sorry! i bolded the titles so you don’t have to read it all)

okay so it depends what characters you care about, bc my answers would be different based on who your faves are, so these are my faves to rewatch (but will probs be super biased towards my fave characters)! obvs i’m not saying watch all of them (unless you want to) but i’ve included reasons why i like them so you can decide based on what you enjoy.

holby (i’ve only watched from s16 with a little of s15 and s6 so it’s gonna start there):

intuition (16x11)- dom’s first episode back after his guest stint, and adele’s first ep! this is the first episode i watched when i started watching holby properly bc i was impatient and wanted to get to the dom scenes so i haven’t watched most of the s16 episodes before it but i would probably say watch 16x10 as well bc that’s when jac gives birth and this ep has a lot of scenes about her and emma.

prince among men (16x16)- raf’s first ep in which he’s v v iconic and also i love dom, zosia and arthur and frustrated mentor sacha and there’s that woman who’s like in love with a mummy until she finds out it was a female mummy. also jac and emma!!

one small step (16x42)- again i LOVE the keller trio, this is the first ep where they really bond even if it’s over a super traumatic experience w zosia. and connie crosses over for the first time since she joined casualty, which i rlly liked.

star of wonder (17x10)- a really important episode for zosia’s character and her bipolar sl! also i like christmas episodes

the ides of march (17x32)- another big ep for zosia and the one where she decides to move to darwin

beautiful (17x45)- dom taking a level students on a tour of the hospital and bonding w one of them and quoting that christina aguilera song... i love him

at first i was afraid (17x50)- dom and arthur roadtrip! the karaoke scene! frieda as a patient! elliot’s exit ft some really nice scenes w him and jac!

left behind (18x05)- i just really like all three storylines, i’ve rewatched the mo and wiliam sl a few times just bc i like mo and this ep is the last one of that sl and it’s my fave of them, and you can watch it as a standalone if you already know what’s happened in the eps beforehand.

blue christmas (18x11)- the only one i’ve seen where jac’s past is rlly talked about bc it’s the one where fran reveals they know each other. apart from that it is just a nice christmas ep and i really like all the other storylines going on.

young hearts, run free (18x13)- the ep where dom arthur and morven have to do some scavenger hunt thing in the woods!! and dom has a chicken called henriketta!! that’s reason enough to watch it 500 times tbh

one under (18x21)- for some reason arthur’s patient sl haunts me, but i think it is a rlly good (but sad) ep for arthur as he comes to terms with his cancer test

it tolls for thee (18x31)- arthur and morven’s wedding and i love them

i’ll walk you home (18x35)- arthur’s last ep (as not a figment of someone’s imagination) and it’s devastating but the episode is so so well done and i watch it whenever i need to cry

another day in paradise, parts one and two (18x38 and 18x39)- i just really like all the different storylines in these eps, the patient sl is like. wild and there’s focus on jac being a mother and dom’s grief and sacha and essie i just rlly like them

protect and serve (18x47)- this is the one after the helicopter crash in casualty so i always watch it after watching that one. it’s a good episode that focuses more on the characters than the storylines and i love the crossovers too.

i do, i do, i do (19x13)- an episode in which a main character’s daughter dies has absolutely no right being as funny as this, but the derwood/inga wedding is so so funny and also rlly sweet at the end and the contrast with the elinor storyline is wild (and also something i wish holby would do more often bc recently they’ve done like three depressing storylines in one ep)

the hard way home (19x35)- tbh the main reason i’ve rewatched this ep so much is for dofty which obvs i don’t care about anymore, but it’s also a really good ep just for dom w his steroid addiction and the anniversary of arthur’s death. and it’s damon’s first ep and i miss him

group animal, parts one and two (19x61 and 19x62)- the shooting eps which i also watch when i wanna feel sad, but also they are just really good episodes in general

also the last two eps of s19 after the shooting bc i’m incapable of not watching the aftermath

i haven’t rewatched any s20 or s21 eps except when giffing so i can’t rlly recommend any there

casualty (for some of these just pretend that lofty never existed on holby and his character was never destroyed):

next of kin, parts one and two (26x15 and 26x16)- the second ep is more exciting but you need the first one for context, it’s just classic high stakes drama, the entire ed was on fire bc they stopped filming in bristol so they were like yeah let’s completely destroy the set! and it’s ruth and jay’s last episodes.

duty of care (26x17)- also high stakes drama, tom’s first episode and the first ep filmed in cardiff. there’s a poisonous gas leak AND an explosion.

love is (26x23)- danny dyer did more acting in this one (1) episode than he has his entire career on eastenders i swear. i didn’t expect to get so emo about it.

the ‘ricochet’ eps (26x25, 26x26, 26x27)- casualty didn’t hold back with these eps. they’re v good eps (s26 has some of casualty’s best episodes imo) but a LOT about gang violence and a trigger warning for rape in the second one.

zero sum game (26x39)- fletch’s first episode! i mainly like it bc of that but it’s also fun to see how much lloyd hates him at first.

the #holbyriot eps (26x41 and 26x42)- definitely some of the most tense episodes casualty’s ever done, back when they cared about social issues like police brutality.

rabbits in headlights (27x17)-  the first episode for robyn, jamie and aoife (and ally but she leaves the next ep). i love seeing how far robyn in particular has come, and i loved jamie and aoife as well and seeing them as tiny dumbass students is fun.

unsilenced (27x31)- the fgm storyline, again when casualty used to care about social issues. it’s really well-written, i think.

once there was a way home, parts one and two (28x01 and 28x02)- this is ramin’s first appearance and i love him and jamie and the way jamie basically risked his entire job to help him. the first one is also rita’s first ep!

carrot not stick (28x35)- this one has a patient from 28x33 in, but you don’t need to have rewatched that one to get the gist. lofty and dixie take said patient to visit his dying mother and they go to the beach. they sing dolly parton. lofty steals a puppy. it’s just a really nice episode imo

born lucky (29x05)- this is a sad one, but i really like the relationships between the staff in this one, and i think it was a good final episode for jeff.

entrenched (29x09)- casualty said football fans don’t deserve rights and also lofty makes some points about the futility of war. michael spence is in this episode!

deadfall (29x10), the road not taken (29x26), holby sin city (29x39)- i’m grouping these together bc they’re all the ‘holby noir’ standalone episodes and if you wanna watch one ep and not have to worry about the long running storylines, they work. they’re also completely insane and v fun imo. the road not taken is my fave.

a child’s heart, parts one and two (30x01 and 30x02)- i’m not a fan of it focusing so much on charlie’s life story, but i love episodes just after a crisis and especially when one of the team is in danger bc you really see how much the staff all care about each other. these eps also have the start of louise’s storyline where she switches from a receptionist to a nurse.

high tide (30x27)- lofty’s last episode, jez’s first, and it’s also a really good episode for cal and ethan. and although i don’t really care about any of them except jez anymore, i still think this is a good episode to rewatch just to see like. them as characters.

too old for this shift (31x01)- this is the feature length episode so like. it might not be ideal to rewatch but again it’s the helicopter crash episode, so you really see the staff pull together which i love, and there are appearances from jac and fletch, and video calls from people who have left the show. like i said, it goes with protect and serve on holby so i usually rewatch those together.

mobile (31x27)- i literally just rewatched this episode last night which is why i’m thinking about it, but it’s a really good ep and it’s the one where robyn gives birth and her scenes with david are so well acted. they also link all three stories in some way to mobile phones which i thought was cool.

5 days (31x28)- i love robyn so i really love this episode. there’s a lot of character development imo, from being in denial and optimistic to realising how bad charlotte’s situation is and struggling to cope, to accepting how it is and being there for her as a mother.

one (31x44)- the plot is okay, it’s not something i’d be particularly interested to rewatch apart from the fact it’s filmed in one shot which makes it fun to rewatch.

32x19- max’s last episode and we find out a lot about him! and ofc there’s the zoe and max reunion and i just really like max in this episode.

32x21- bea’s first ep and i love her, also really shows how much a real ed has to cope with and has alicia start the anonymous blog which is v iconic of her.

i haven’t really rewatched any eps that aired after this specifically for one ep (i’ve rewatched every episode jade and marty and archie have been in but i don’t always care about the eps themselves)

[adorablehoshi]

Hello I’m new to seventeen and I want to know if you can describe the members to me with names

Sorry mylovely new carat! I made you wait! All I write here is the way I see the boysor would describe them, I hope it will help you somehow ;) I will also add agif for each member

I put itunder a cut as it will be long

Seungcheol (Stagename: S.Coups): Leader of Seventeen and the dad of the group! Has a great sense of humour and his laugh is everything! Gummy smile *///* He is not only handsome like crazy and has beautiful long eyelashes, he is also a killer when he raps. Loses his chill when on stage. Really, he does! I can search for a video to proof it to you if you want ;) Can also sing! I die for his singing voice (die over his voice anyways even if he only talks). The way he looks at the members and carats is just wonderful! the softness in his gaze, the love. He has so much love to give!! Often has cherry lips… really kissable

Jeonghan: the mum ofthe group! Seriously he has so much love for everyone! A real angel… and devil!Loves to cheat in everything. Like really, he always cheats. By now I thinkeven the staff gave up on stopping him. They just see him and think ‘lol therehe goes again’ and just let him get through with it. Way too beautiful tohandle! You will find yourself starring at him wondering if he is actuallyreal. Is a fool tho. Really funny too! HIS GIGGLE IS THE CUTEST SHIT IN THEWORLD! I HAVE PROOF!  Has floppy hands!idk if it's just me but I love his floppy hands. they always move or are justhold up funnily (look at the gif) Voice that melts your heart.

Joshua: Mr. Gentleman! No joke he really is a gentle man! A voice like honey! lips of soft sin! Another one that looks so beautiful you will question if he really is real. Secretly hilarious af! called Shua often. I call him that too. ARMS! Used to be a noodle but not anymore. Out to kill his stans. Has such a good heart, he deserves the world!! Was born in LA so he speaks perfect english!

Junhui (Stagename: Jun): This cutieis from China! I seriously don’t understand what's going on in his brain, but Ilove him xD A real life kitten! Really, he cute and playful and you just wantto pat his head and tell him that he is doing well. Amazing dancer! Can domaterial arts and wow it's amazing! Check out ‘my I’ to see a bit of the gloryof using it for dancing. Also check it out cause its stunning to watch anyways!Its gold! I think he has a special voice, really nice to the ear. Also, I lovehis nose… don’t ask why but it's cute

Soonyoung (Stagename: Hoshi): as you canguess he is my bias and I love him to no end! I try to keep this calm and short(calm down Angi). Hoshi is leader of the performance unit and choreographer ofsvt. King of dancing! Master of stage presence! Is he on stage, he owns it! Differenton and off stage. A cute and funny fool off stage. Together with boo and dk he'sthe gag trio booseoksoon! His laugh is beautiful! It makes the world a betterplace. Can not only dance amazingly but also has a voice from heaven…. but hekinda shy with it! Round and adorable face but don’t call him hamster pls, hewants to be a tiger♡ and now I stop

Wonwoo: Nerd! Heloves books and newly also to work out and killing his fans like Shua does.Nose crunches together when he laughs uwu! Another kitten! Also watch him playwith a kitty, you will fall in love! His voice…wow. He is a different person onstage too like Hoshi! He is not there to joke, he out for blood! No really hisrapping is just killerish! WATCH HIS JOKER PERFORMANCE! Toll smoll! Idk how hemanages to look so smoll sometimes when he is a tower in reality. Funny guythat deserves so much love and appreciation.

 Jihoon (Stagename: Woozi):Thegenius!! Produces all songs of svt and idk if there is anything in the worldthat he actually can’t do! Creates music, dances, sings, gives love to the fansand members, is a whole man to fall in love with. Tiny! Mr. I don’t like skinship but is actually a koala. Woozi is the 3 leader of svt (Vocal unit). Checkout his solos! Simple and What kind of future are some of the best songs I everheard in my life! Tell me if you need links to the vids of the songs. I feellike he starts to open up more and more and I am so happy that he smiles sofreely lately.

Seokmin (Stagename: Dk/Dokyeom): Maybe thehuman being with the biggest heart in the world! Soft and so full of love!Deserves hugs all day long! Pls appreciate his voice cause it's just toobeautiful! Is always so hard on himself. KING ARTHUR! He played him in amusical! A true king! Is with Hoshi and boo in the gag trio and is also theleader of them (leader of booseoksoon). Big nose that I love so much! Morebeautiful that you can handle! Just look at him for a while and you will fallhead over heels. NOISY AND HAS NO SHAME! What's an image? He doesn’t care andis just funny. I think he loves to make ppls smile. 

Mingyu: A tall afPuppy! Cute lil fangs! Looks like an absolute Model, is the clumsiest of thegroup. Tho he really really handsome, he also has amazing derp faces. Pls Mingyuyou the visual!!! jk pls derp as much as you want. BOYFRIEND TM! No matter ifhe raps or sings, you will die anyways. His Vlives are gold as he is mostlyeating and being clumsy. Adorable human I tell you!!! His shoulders aredelicious. Wide and nice. Wants to be loved! Pls love him lots. Was MC for Inkiand did such a good job there.

Minghao (Stagename: The8): Walkingart! He is not only good with fashion but seriously also with art! Does createart and takes great photos! Dances like it's nothing. As said before, check outMy I! Fully talented boy! Voice so soft you will fall deeply. Meme boy! Sassyaf! Doesn’t have anyone's shit and calls them out if they f*ck up. Expensive!Model!hao !!!! Is actually really soft and has lots and lots of love to give.Is the second Chinese member. His mum and him are too adorable together and heloves her so much it's the sweetest.

Seungkwan: My littleboobear! (His name is Boo Seungkwan) Maybe the funniest and cutest out of thewhole group (fight me I love my boo). His voice is from another world! Doyourself smth good and go to listen to him and Hongki singing ‘Wind’! Again,tell me if you need the link! His voice is just perfection! Loud and shamelessmember of gag trio (booseoksoon). Seungkwan never fails to make the otherslaugh but it also makes him to a great victim. Has a bitchface like no oneelse. I love it! Can do girl group dances better than anyone. Variety king! Heis amazing on every show he appears on! Walking song lexicon (watch theunexpected q to find out what I mean). Smiles so bright the world becomesbrighter. Soft hearted. Love him pls! Secretly a dancing/rap king but psst!

Hansol/Vernon (Stagename: Vernon): Was born inNew York but he feels more like a Korean! The real Meme king. King of reaction!Nothing funnier than his overreactions. Has now shame to show an ugly face. Ishandsome anyways. Has with Seungcheol the most beautiful eyelashes in svt. Hebeautiful anyways. Loses his chill on stage. Rules the stage when they perform‘un haeng il chi’! Check it out if you want to do yourself something good! THATMOVE FROM FEAR! Too sexy…. angi.exe stopped working

Chan (Stagename: Dino): Future ofKpop! Can everything! Really everything! Is on stage to kill! His face whileperforming is a sin! Dances like he's on fire! But he baby! Love him! nuguaegi? Jeonghans! The others love to tease him. Pouts cuter than any girl can.His laugh is adorable too! Danceology! Watch them if you have time. It's worthit! His voice is a blessing. Both while rapping and singing. Another love needyone! Can dance every girl group dance in Michael Jackson style. Ask if you wantvideos XD has really pretty eyes!!!!!

so, I guessthat's it! Idk if this is how you wanted it but it's what I did lol! feel freeto hit me up whenever you need help or want to know smth or just want to talkabout them ;)

[the-astro-ace]

Merlin Writer Month - Week 4: All Time Faves

Alright, y’all, the moment you’ve been waiting for: My favorite fics for week four of @madaboutmerlin’s Merlin Writer Month.

Now I know over this last month, I have been notorious for posting ridiculously long rec lists apparently even crashing some browsers- SORRY- BUT this time, I shall limit myself to my top eight (because I tried to do top five but HNNNG THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD ONES) that I have not previously mentioned on any list (because many of my fave fics I also recced for Rare Gems week)- so I HIGHLY recommend you go scour those lists as well- if you want anyway lol

So, without further ado-

MY TOP EIGHT MERLIN FICS

NUMBER EIGHT

A Fistful of Infinity and Starlight by junkshopdisco

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin, (Semi-Unrequited) Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Gwen/Lancelot

Rating: Explicit

Words: 63191

Summary:  Uther’s insane, Morgana’s plotting a new assault on Camelot, and Arthur and his knights are clueless but supposedly in charge. In the midst of it, Gwaine finds himself harbouring feelings for a man who apparently has a destiny, and learns something new about magic: it doesn’t play fair, and serving it shakes everything you hold dear – whether you’re a sorcerer or not.

My Comments: It’s a musical.  I’m not kidding.  Sadly there is no actual music written for it, but I feel that the characters have a very realistic reaction to walking through the hallways and suddenly finding your friends singing at you lmao

NUMBER SEVEN

Five Slices of Life by Wildcard

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 1541

Summary: Or 5 chocolates from a chocolate box sampler! All set within the same reincarnated modern AU as my other fic for enviropony - basically 5 drabbles that belong within that verse and fill prompts that were listed in the letter.

My Comments: Literally just five short little pieces about Merlin and a reincarnated!Gwaine.  Short and sweet, and makes me smile every time I read it

NUMBER SIX

Have You Ever Seen The Rain by AkakoDukes

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin, (Mentioned) Guinevere/Arthur

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 1052

Summary: "Of course he would have been here, hidden amongst the grass..." Merlin goes looking for Gwaine. Shameless fluff.

My Comments: The description is right: “shamless fluff.”  Cute, sweet, and just leaves me happy lmao

NUMBER FIVE

Real Men Don’t Wear Girdles by HalfFizzbin

Pairing: Gwaine/ Merlin, Guinevere/Lancelot du Lac/Arthur Pendragon

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 12730

Summary: If Gawain and the Green Knight took place in the Merlin universe, it might have been a tiny bit different—because there's no way Merlin would let Gwaine traipse off on his own to get his head chopped off. Includes attempted alliterative verse, bawdy songs, evil deer, made-up spells, clichés, and a truly insane amount of fluffiness.

My Comments: OKAY, THIS FIC- I LOVE IT.  THE WRITING STYLE IS GREAT AND SARCASTIC AND THE SEQUEL LEAVES YOU HOPEFUL FOR WHAT IS TO COME FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CHARACTERS.  I have laughed aloud every time I’ve read this because it is also QUITE FUNNY if you ask me.  A wonderful take on Gawain and the Green Knight that I feel fits very well into the universe of Merlin.

NUMBER FOUR

Author: tymedfire

Usual Pairings: Gen

Usual Rating: General Audiences

My Comments: Alright, something different for number four.  Now this author is great.  I have loved every single one of their fics- so much so that when I was compiling this list I was unable to choose just one to rec lol.  A gen author who explores Merlin’s friendships with each of the characters in turn.  I HIGHLY recommend their stuff! 

NUMBER THREE

The Water Witch and the Black Dogs by Tipper

Pairing: Gen

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 65320

Summary: A little tale of evil hags, black dogs, missing princes and estranged siblings, not necessarily in that order. When Gwaine accompanies Arthur, Merlin and the knights on a diplomatic mission to Mercia, he becomes an unwitting participant in a power struggle for Bayard's throne.

My Comments: Now, I actually found this fic just last week and I sincerely wish I had found it sooner; I always adore Gwaine centric fics, and this one takes the cake.  With wonderful exploration of family (of both the blood kind and the found kind), BAMF!Merlin, BAMF!Gwaine, and giant puppies (...okay, they only appear once BUT THEY’RE STILL THERE), this fic was one that I couldn’t stop reading and has a very satisfying conclusion after everything that happened, both in the characters’ pasts and for the events of the fic itself.

NUMBER TWO

Along a Wandering Wind by Hope

Pairing: Merlin/Gwaine, Lancelot/Gwen/Arthur

Rating: Explicit

Words: 63401

Summary: Just when Gwaine finds a reason to end his roaming, he must leave Camelot again, this time on royal orders. Whether and how he returns may depend on the secrets Merlin—and others—are keeping from him. (A romance of letters, intrigue and knightly apprenticeship, set post-S3.)

My Comments: Epistolary form is a weakness of mine, and this fic does it beautifully.  Another Gwaine centric fic in which he and Lancelot are sent to Essetir to claim the land for Camelot following Cenred’s death.  Wonderful exploration of Merlin and Gwaine’s relationship and how a long-distance relationship might have worked in their universe.  It also beautifully handles many LGBT themes (including a canonical trans character) and I found myself emotionally connecting with the characters in a way that no other fic really had before.  This one is great and I adore it as well <3

Alright...the moment you’ve been waiting for...

NUMBER ONE: MY FAVORITE MERLIN FIC

Hello, Sweetheart by ViridianJane

Pairing: Merlin/Gwaine

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 44182

Summary: Gwaine and Merlin have been dancing around their feelings for years; Merlin too focused on trying to thwart destiny, and Gwaine holding back in fear of losing what they already have. But the battle at Camlann comes too close to taking everything from them. It’s a second chance for all of them, and Gwaine confronts Merlin about magic, love, loyalty, and (surprisingly) dragons. But the fight for peace is not over yet: Arthur has yet to change the laws on magic, and his ignorance and hypocrisy provokes a group of rogue druids into taking action. They’ve placed a curse on the land, and Merlin is the one suffering the consequences. Thus ensues a quest: Arthur, Gwaine, Merlin and Aithusa travel to four locations with close ties to magic in order to break the curse, and on the way, Arthur begins to right his wrongs and finally takes the time to listen to what Merlin has to say.

My Comments: This.  This right here is a beautiful fanfiction.  I have reread it at least ten times (twice in one day, actually!) and have cried nearly every time (I was in class the one time I didn’t.  So.) I have it downloaded on both my laptop and my tablet, and I even tried to get it on my phone because I LOVE IT THAT MUCH- AAAAAND I’VE PRINTED IT OUT (after spending hours fixing up the file in Word because the PDF download is a liiiiiiittle skewonkous).   Merlin and Gwaine’s relationship is beautiful, and I positively adore them and Aithusa together (Gabby, you’ve ruined me for Gwaine & Aithusa stuff- I need more and there’s barely any lmao).  Gwen is beautifully characterized as well, and I feel that this fic is a wonderful conclusion to the show.  It may also be what I have accepted as canon instead of the finale but that’s just me.  If there is one fic on this list that I say you should read, it’s this one, because Merlin and Gwaine finally get the happy ending they deserve.

And with that I am finished!  A thank you to the mods who ran this fest, and a general wish that I’ve helped you all find some great reads ^u^

[ellawritesficssometimes]

Update: My Save Year Ch. 5

Summary:  Depressed and rejected by his family, Arthur longs for a new beginning during his first year of University. There he meets Alfred, an optimistic bright-eyed oaf with a sunny smile. An unlikely romance develops between them, one that was already doomed from the beginning. (USUK, multichapter)

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12554533/1/My-Save-Year

For once, it was peacefully quiet in the cafeteria. It was the second day of reading week, so most students had already left campus. I needed a change of space, and since there were less people around, I had no problem eating my meal here. I had this awkward aversion to eating in front of people for no other silly reason than I felt uncomposed while doing so. Usually, if I wasn't making my own meals, I'd take the meals from here and eat them in my room. Now, I didn't have to worry much about that.

I wasn't being overwhelmed by floods of people loud enough to make my ears ring, my jaw tight, or for the hairs on the back of my neck to prick. It was just me, my notes, the comfortable dim lighting, and the pitch-black darkness leaking outside from the windows. I had never felt so settled, calm, and relaxed. Late October was my favourite time of the year. I loved how it got dark out early. I loved the crisp air, as well as the smell of dead leaves that everyone else hated. I loved the warm drinks, scarves, trench coats, and the smell of pumpkins.

I loved…

No. I was in love with a certain idiot, and it was turning me into a complete sap. 

Smiling at this, I took a sip from the large tea I had impulsively bought. I was a lot happier these days because of Alfred. We may not have spoken the words out loud, but we both saw each other as significant others. It's almost been two weeks. To me, it felt more comparable to two days given how smooth everything has gone, like the first breath of someone who just had conquered climbing the top of a mountain.

Sure, he was still as strange as ever, what with his unexpected bouts of shyness, unfamiliar boundaries of privacy that I had still had trouble navigating, and frequent outbursts, but his heart was big enough to make up for all of that. He had a way of building me up, of making me feel so special and precious to him that I couldn't help but wonder why he's been struggling so hard to feel the same way about himself.

He thinks that I don't notice, but I do. Alfred still has his secrets, and while I respect that, I know him well enough to know that he's very insecure about something. All I can do now is be patient. Or, in his own words, nag him by constantly reminding him that I was there to talk if he needed me. It made me feel more like a parent, and the one-year age difference between us only provoked him into calling me an old man. Ass.

He had finally told me the name of the dorm that he lived in, but prying more information from him was an ongoing battle I was still fighting. He got embarrassed whenever I suggested going to the York dorm (his dorm), as that was one of the more older buildings on campus. I was lucky with my scholarship, as it had granted me a more decent living space. Even stranger was how secretive and careful he was when spending time with me.

We mostly met in the library, or sometimes at the end of class, but never in my apartment. I had tried coaxing him to come many times, but he claimed that he wasn't ready to meet any of my friends yet. I was already used to avoiding their study group in the library, but admittedly, I would have liked to bring Alfred home with me. That first night we had spent together seemed like an unreachable dream now.

I hadn't realized that I had been staring blankly at my laptop screen until a sudden jolt and surprised yelp shook me out of my trance. Scratch that, I yelped when Alfred tripped forward with a tray of sandwiches in his hand, stubbed his toe, and then grabbed onto my shoulders to steady himself.

"AH! FRICK!" Alfred deadpanned, as one of the PB & J sandwiches slid onto the floor. Sighing, he shuffled into the booth beside me, ignoring the scowl on my face as I rubbed my sore shoulders. The yank had a grip on him like you wouldn't believe. I pretended not to see him kick the fallen sandwich under another booth, nor did I hear him whistle nonchalantly.

"How'd you know where to find me?" I sighed.

Alfred messily slammed down his tray. I raised my eyebrows at the four sandwiches remaining. "Well, duh! You're a depressing douche that always flocks to the quietest, darkest places. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out," he answered, and then huffed when I gave him another dead look.

He then gestured around the empty cafeteria. "It's 9PM, no one's here, and I thought, wow, wouldn't this be the perfect place for Art to claim as his writing lair? You've always told me that you write better when it's either dark out or raining. I repeat, depressing douche," he smirked.

"Okay, Mr. rocket scientist," I replied with a teasing smile. "If I'm so easy to figure out, how come your dumbass can't figure out how to use a mobile? And really? Depressing douche? That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

Alfred's cheeks puffed up. He reminded me of a deranged chipmunk, cerulean eyes wild under the fluorescent lighting. "I'm traditional, okay?! I don't like technology! And hey! That's just how we communicate, ain't it? By insulting each other, and then making up with plenty of smooches," he said, and obnoxiously waggled his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes and leaned to the side as Alfred attempted to drape an arm over me. In response, he crossed his arms and put on a stubborn pout. I refused to look at it, knowing that I would have given in too easily if I did.

"Oh that's right. I'll just have to get used to you sending me messages via eagle." To be fair, I never really needed to get into contact with Alfred. He had an uncanny habit for finding me, wherever I was.

"I wasn't joking! I really do have a pet eagle back home. His name is Ernie, but that's besides the point. Technology is too distracting, it takes up too much of your time. Maybe if kids learned to look up and enjoy the world a little more, they'd have more to write and think about," Alfred paused to rap his head with his knuckle.

"I see the whole world from the rooftop, and lemme tell ya, I've never been so inspired there. I really feel like this story is coming along. It's been a while since I've had so much motivation. Heck, I might even complete it by the end of this year. You make me really happy, Art. I think that has a lot to do with it."

My cheeks flushed. "Since I know there's no point arguing with you about getting a mobile, I'll just drop it. Write out your stories like a traditional caveman for all I care," I mused. "Still, I'm really happy to hear that your story is coming along well, but I wouldn't attribute it all to me. You've said that you've been working on it for years. And…you make me really happy too."

I looked down at the table and bit my lip. The grin still crept onto my face, regardless.

"Yeah, but – GLOMP! – it was mostly just planning. I – GLOMP! – haven't had much inspiration to take the jot-notes and actually make something out of it. I'm – GLOMP! – still trying to understand where I want to go with the story, but you've given me that extra kick in the ass that I really needed. I haven't had a best friend, um, partner to keep me going like this. Ah, what's that glare for? What did I do to piss you off now?"

I simply ignored Alfred as he continued to shovel down the sandwiches as if his throat was a conveyer belt. He knew that it irritated me when he talked with his mouth open. It was literally impossible to have a conversation with him when he got like this.

Resigned, I attempted to resume working on my outline. The next writing assignment for my literature class was due in just under nine days, and I still wasn't sure on what I wanted to write about. Every time I went to the records section to find some kind of muse for the historical piece I intended to create, Alfred conveniently showed up and distracted me, both with his loudness and goofiness. It was immensely difficult not to be charmed or persuaded into dropping everything I was doing and kissing him, especially with those puppy-dog eyes he had unfairly mastered on using on me.

My will didn't last long, and I gave up on trying to focus. He was chewing too loudly; it was absolutely intolerable. Instead, I rested my back against the plush lining of the booth and discreetly leaned to the side so that our arms were touching.

It was time to start questioning him again. Maybe if he was distracted with eating, he would give me full answers, rather than vague ones. I looked up sharply and tilted my chin, feeling like a mother about to lecture their child. Honestly, what was it with these maternal instincts? First Matthew, and now Alfred?

Alfred tensed, unnerved as he knew what I was about to do. He still continued to eat his sandwiches, only giving me nervous side glances here and there. Snap. Snap. Snap. My mouth worked as if it was a catapult, the rubber band my tongue, and the questions, my ammo. I was determined to get something more substantial out of him tonight.

"Care to tell me how your classes are going? Do you intend to catch up on a lot of work this break? Meet anyone new? Get any grades back? Stop slouching, hunches are unattractive. How about sleep? Are you balancing everything well? What about the membership at the gym you intended on getting? Do you need me to look over your work? We should do something this break. Maybe you can finally meet my friends…"

Friends. How strange it felt to say that, but it was true.

"Art! Relax!" Alfred panicked. He set down the sandwich he was working on and spared me a sheepish glance. "School is fine, the program I'm in is more laissez-faire than yours. We work at our own pace so I'm not too stressed. Um, no. I have you, I don't really need to meet anyone el–"

"Alfred, you need to have a life outside of me. It's not healthy to have only one friend, significant other or not. Honestly, I can't believe that it's me of all people telling you that. There's no need to be afraid of people not liking you. You've got charm. You've got spunk. More than anything, you're kind, sweet, and extremely likeable. I like you, love you, don't I? No one cares if you're a bit nervous speaking to new people, chances are that they are too."

I don't know how many times I've repeated that same mantra to him.

"Yeah, but…" Alfred trailed off. "I don't really need anyone else. I told you, just being around people is enough. I only really need you."

"That's not the answer I wanted to hear."

"Well, it's the only answer you're getting," Alfred stubbornly retorted. "You can't change who I am. And you think I'm unhealthy? When was the last time you ate? This morning, right?"

I pursed my lips. "I was going to eat once I finished this, but you came and distracted me," I said in an accusatory tone. "Stop changing the subject. And I'll have you know that I had lunch today. Granted, Francis made it for me without my asking, and now I have the misfortune of returning the favour, but that's not what we're talking about right now, are we?"

Alfred stonily returned my glare. "I don't want all of our conversations to always be about me. You need to eat something. If you keep rewarding yourself with food after studying, you're going to starve."

"Pardon?" I replied, confused.

"Ya know. If my handsomeness keeps distracting you from your work, then you'll never get to eat."

"Oh, eff off!" I grumbled. Alfred merely laughed. True to his oblivious self, he didn't realize how upset I was getting.

Just like that, Alfred was back to being his usual sunny self. The brief eclipse, or rather unveiling, where I got to see where his true thoughts lay were masked once more. He always did this and was so calculated and meticulous in blocking me out. Usually, I would stop here. Today, I didn't.

Perhaps it was just because I was angry, or tired, or worried, or a combination of all three, but I had finally been pushed over the edge. "Stop." I whispered bluntly.

"Huh?"

"I said stop!" I exploded, and slammed a hand against the table. Several papers went flying out of place from the wind the abrupt gesture caused. "Stop it! All of it!"

Stunned, Alfred turned to look at me. "Arthur, what's wrong? What did I do? Are you…angry with me?"

"Don't you dare give me that incredulous look, Alfred. You know exactly what's making me angry! You've helped me so much over the past weeks, but whenever I try to reciprocate, you distance yourself and it drives me crazy! You need to think about yourself too. I want to know more about you. Don't… don't you see that I care about you? I hardly know what's going on in your head and it worries me.

"I want you to make friends. I want you to go beyond your comfort zone. I can't be your only comfort zone. I just can't. I'm messed up too, but that doesn't mean that we can't help each other. I want to be there for you, but I can't if you don't bloody well talk to me! This relationship is mutual. I may not be your therapist, but I damn well want to hear more than 'good, fine,' or okay' when I ask you how your day's gone. You think I don't notice how anxious you are? Please, just speak to me. I want to spend time with my boyfriend, not some automated robot that has pre-selected safe answers!"

Immediately, I buried my face into my hands. What I had just done was so impulsive. I knew that I had to be patient with Alfred, and yet, I had still gone over the edge. I had never cared about someone this much before, and didn't know how to cope with it.

Alfred stared at me in complete shock. I had half the mind to expect him to suddenly burst out into tears. His eyes were as wide as beach balls. The silence was suffocating. My eyes pleaded with him, to bring him back from this stunned state. Who knew if he was having a panic attack? Who knew what damage I had just caused to his self-esteem?

"Sorry!" I said in a cracked voice. "Oh, Alfred love, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Alfred smiled, surprising me. "I'm actually really flattered."

"H-have you lost your mind?" I stammered, completely uncomprehending as to what was going on.

Alfred bashfully rubbed the back of his neck. "Not at all. I've never been so sure of myself as I am with you. I don't think I've ever had someone care about me this much before…"

My heart skipped a beat. He understood me so well.

"You don't have to be sorry, Arthur. I know you may not be as eloquent in showing how you feel as you do with your writing, but I get you, probably better than you do yourself if I'm to be perfectly honest. I know…I may be frustrating at times, but I'm working on it. I want all of these things for myself too," he whispered and leaned forward to tuck my bangs behind my ear.

"You can't even imagine how much it means to me that you feel this way. I just…need time." The emotion that flickered in Alfred's eyes was near indescribable. I had never seen so much conflicting emotions; longing; sadness; desire; fear. He swallowed nervously, causing his Adam's apple to bob up and down as he continued.

"I want to be honest with you, and I will be, but I'm not sure that you'll like it."

"We won't know that until you try," I chided, softly.

Alfred heaved heavily, and blinked tears from his eyes. "Please, can we talk about something else? I want to enjoy what little time I do get to spend with you. I'm nervous most of the time anyways. Wouldn't want that to carry over here."

"I don't want to be your distraction, Alfred."

"That's not it at all. You're not a distraction, far from it. You're the reason for the smile on my face. You make it easier for me to keep going. I don't just exist with you, I feel… alive. I may not be ready to tell you everything now, but I will, and I hope you can respect that."

I wasn't convinced about the distraction part. Still, I knew he genuinely loved me, and was willing to wait.

"All right, Alfred. Take as much time as you need until you're ready to tell me everything."

"I'm telling you, you're not going to like it. You'll probably want to leave me."

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Stop."

Alfred smiled. "Okay, just this once I'll listen to you."

"While we're at it, come here."

Alfred complied and leaned forward. He rested his head against my collarbone as I brought him into a hug. I smoothed his back with my hand, rubbing circles into it. "I love you, you know that?" I murmured.

"I love you too, you grump."

I ruffled Alfred's hair, the softness of the blond down never failing to surprise me. "That's enough sass out of you."

"Mhhhmm." Alfred closed his eyes and sighed in content. "I wish we could stay like this forever, not having to worry about life or any of that other stressful crap."

"Don't we all," I whispered, and swallowed a lump in my throat.

Alfred chuckled, raspy in its sound. "Only with you do I ever have such meaningful conversations. You're deep, Art. I've always liked that about you."

"On the contrary, you don't give yourself enough credit. You're beautiful on the inside and out Alfred. Don't you dare think otherwise."

"I never said that I didn't, ya know. It's not my looks that I have anxiety over. Hey, speaking of insides, let's get you something to eat."

"Convenient subject change is convenient," I rolled my eyes and released Alfred.

He sat up and offered me his last remaining sandwich. "Only the best for you, your majesty."

Scoffing, I accepted the sandwich and began taking small bites from it. I could feel Alfred's beady eyes staring at me the entire time. I snapped, unable to bear the awkwardness anymore. I saw right through him, or, at least I thought I had. Again, the idiot had a talent for surprising me.

"If you were still hungry, why did you even bother to offer me the sandwich?!" I spluttered.

"That's not what I was hungry for," Alfred purred. The satisfied and predatory grin on his face didn't fool me this time.

"Alfred, I'm not kissing you right now. It's not the time or the place, and you were incredibly vulnerable just two minutes ago."

"Stop talking, and start smooching."

Alfred leaned forward. I focused on the glare of his spectacles, rather than the cerulean eyes that were without a doubt pleading with me.

"Fine, just a peck."

"HEY!" Alfred whined.

I blocked him out and resumed eating the sandwich. Huffing and puffing dramatically, Alfred possessively wrapped an arm around me, mumbling something about how I babied him all the time. He wasn't wrong.

"Gimme a bite."

"If I turn my head, you're going to ambush me with a kiss."

"Ugh!"

I smirked. I know this might sound crazy, but I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with this…this dork. Thoughts of us wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, drinking far too much eggnog for our own good, and competing to get each other the best present came to mind. I imagined snuggling up to him, warmed by the hearth of the fire, sleepy and content.

My chewing slowed as I realized that I would likely never get to introduce him to my family. Only Alistair would be accepting enough. Scratch that, having Alistair and Alfred in my life was more than enough.

Speak of the devil; my phone buzzed with a new text from Alistair. I would have to call him tonight, and catch up with him, but right now I couldn't be bothered. I could feel Alfred nosily leaning over the screen.

"Is that your roommate?"

"No, it's my older brother."

"Oh. So, how's life?"

"The second-hand embarrassment I'm getting from you is unbelievable."

"I'm just asking! You've been working real hard on that one-shot. Have you found inspiration for it yet?"

"No, and I won't be able to if you keep distracting me."

"Well, I'm sure you'll manage."

"Alfred, stop fidgeting. You're shaking the table."

"I can't! You're so just so darn cute. I really wanna kiss you right now. It's just my luck that you're playing hard to get."

"You're the one who never wants to come back to my apartment," I retorted, quite unfairly, but still. Don't worry, though. Alfred sure as hell got his revenge for that comment.

I gave a small gasp when Alfred gently grabbed my chin and tilted it so that I was looking at him. I nearly choked on my food, but somehow managed to swallow it down. In retaliation, I stuffed the remains of it into Alfred's wide-open mouth, erasing the shit-eating grin he had plastered on his face.

"Why thank ya! Mmmph!"

Alfred only laughed harder at my disgusted expression.

"Honestly," I growled under my breath and reached for a napkin. "You are such a child. Hasn't anyone told you how to eat without making a mess?"

"Conspiracy: I eat like this on purpose to get you and your impish lips to come closer."

"Go fuck yourself x 2," I replied without missing a beat. My heart, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

Alfred patiently allowed me to dab at his mouth and chin. I struggled as he kept breaking out into laughter, smirking and guffawing like a total buffoon. When the back of my hand rubbed against the rough stubble peppered against his jawline, tingles shot up my spine. How was it exactly that I ended up with a man as beautiful as this one?

"Ah, come on. You're being so mean," Alfred protested, albeit weakly. He was well adept in Arthur-speak to know how fondly my fuck-you's always were with him. Can't believe I just articulated a sentence like that, but let's just roll with it.

"You're right, let me make it all better." I didn't outright kiss him, but the act was still meaningful enough. I placed my forehead against his and sighed. "I want you to promise me something."

"Yes?"

"Don't you ever get scared and leave me. Believe it or not, I want you. I always have. You don't annoy me. You don't bother me, and you never will. I love how we get to tease each other and argue back and forth like a bitter elderly couple who's been married for years. You complete me, Alfred. I feel whole with you."

"…Why make me promise somethin' like that?"

"Just do it."

Alfred's arm tightened around me. "I…I promise."

I didn't have time to question him, as the sound of footsteps both made us pause. I immediately pulled away from Alfred. I could hear Antonio's shouting, as well as Gilbert's obnoxious cackles. Thankfully, the Frog didn't seem to be with them. It's not that I was ashamed to be with Alfred, far from it. I just didn't like to openly display affection in front of others.

Still, I looked at Alfred, and hope surged in my chest. Finally. Finally, I would get to introduce Alfred to my friends. "Those are my friends, you know. Do you want to meet them?" It was hard to contain the slight eagerness in my voice.

"No! I'm sorry!"

Alfred abruptly stood up and swung his backpack over his shoulder. "I can't right now. I'll um, I'll go hide somewhere. If not, I'll meet up with you tomorrow. I…I…"

Even though I was disappointed, I understood where Alfred was coming from. "I understand, love. It's fine."

Alfred gave me a guilty look. "It's not that I don't want–"

"You don't have to explain yourself. Now, go on," I waved my hand at him, "act like a ghost and disappear. I'll come up with a cover story as to why I was speaking to imaginary voices. They already think that I'm schizophrenic anyways."

That was a lie. Admittedly, I was still keeping my own secrets from Alfred. He didn't know that I could see ghosts. It's not that I didn't want to tell him. I trusted him. However, I also knew how afraid he was of them and didn't want to scare him.

"Haha. Very funny," Alfred bent over to peck my forehead. "You should make your friends disappear instead, so I can come back."

I chose not to say anything. He was being irrational, but to him, something like this was a much bigger deal than it was to me. Like he said, I just had to be patient, no matter how difficult and tiresome it could get. I was determined not to snap at him again.

I mean, I was no social butterfly myself, but my social anxiety wasn't nearly as bad as his was. Looking back on it all, I had changed so much in just under two months. My old self would have laughed and accused me of coming from a utopic nonsense land.

I trusted people now, had friends, was less pessimistic, and had a boyfriend of all things. I furrowed my brows and inhaled deeply, patiently. Yes, I could wait. I could be patient. There was no rush with things. My life was only just getting better. I would still have my bad days, and now that I had another person to care for, I would also have to learn to deal with theirs. With Alfred, there was more to gain than there was for me to lose, even with his strange habits and superstitions.

"Dude, now's not the time to stare at me and get all philosophical. Seriously, WHAT is up with that smile? It's creepy!"

I absently fixed my gaze on how the light bounced off his hair. I've never loved someone more.

"KESESESESE!" Gilbert's voice echoed.

Alfred nervously looked in both directions and jumped on the ball of his heels. "Fuck it, man! I don't have time for this! I'm out of here!"

"Take care, I don't know how or why I came to love you, but I still do," I smirked at Alfred's fleeing figure. He was heading towards the hallway that connected to the library. My best bet was that he was looking for a pillar to hide behind.

"Arthur, mi puta!" Antonio called out in greeting. "What are you doing here, all alone?"

Gilbert immediately erupted into another bout of cackles. Matthew lingered behind the two boisterous friends, looking like he seriously regretted coming here.

"I could ask you guys the same thing," I replied evenly. "I thought I'd find a quiet place to study, but it looks like my plan's just been foiled."

"Gil, you owe me five bucks," Antonio smiled. "I told you we would find the 'angry caterpillar' studying all by himself."

Gilbert laughed even harder. I still don't know why. This always happens when Antonio starts speaking Spanish to me for whatever reason. I wasn't even fazed by the fact that they had made a bet on me. They made bets on literally everything, always trying to salvage enough money for alcohol and nights out. Big surprise.

Reluctantly, Gilbert handed Antonio his money. "We got bored. Not many people stayed back for the break. Fran just left by the way. What a real class act that was by not saying goodbye to him. Totally unawesome," Gilbert scolded.

"I sent him a text," I said, and then shrugged.

"Arthur," Matthew spoke up. "You know that's not right."

"You're acting like it's possible that we'll ever get along with each other."

"You really hurt his feelings," Matthew continued.

"I did? Amphibians can have feelings?"

Silence.

"Fine, I'll call him and apologize, what else do you want me to do?"

"Maybe not be an asshat all the time?" Gilbert proposed.

"That's rich, coming from a narcissist like you."

"And so, the assholery continues," Gilbert's crimson eyes hardened. "Come on, guys. We don't need Arthur anyways."

"For?" I asked.

"I told them that I was going to the library to feed the ghost, and they wanted to come," Matthew explained. Well, that explained why he had a tray full of sandwiches in his hand. The cafeteria was just beginning to close, which was when he usually came to pick up the scraps.

"Thanks for lying to me by the way," Matthew said, sniffing in offense. Even when angered, he was still mild. "They told me all about your ability to see ghosts, but don't think I wasn't suspicious before. You wanted to figure out things for yourself, didn't you?"

Gilbert and Antonio shifted uncomfortably under the heated scope of my death glare. I had specifically told them not to tell Matthew, as it would hinder my investigation. The less people who knew about this, the better.

"Fine, you caught me. I can see ghosts. Can we talk about this another time, though? I really need to get this outline done," I sighed, and rubbed at my temples.

"Fine," Matthew pursed his lips. "But, I want you to tell me anything new that you find out about this."

"Agreed," I nodded my head. "Not that there's much to tell. I've been so busy lately. Oh, and Antonio, Gilbert?"

"S-si?"

"J-ja?"

"Tell Francis about my investigation, and I'll make your room haunted again," I threatened. "I would prefer doing this on my own, but I absolutely do not want Francis to get involved in this. He butts into my life far enough as it is."

Antonio and Gilbert paled and weakly agreed. Of course, I didn't have the power to enact my threat, but they believed it to be true, and that's all that mattered.

"Matthew, I'm trusting you to make sure that they hold that promise," I warned, waggling an index finger at the Canadian.

"As long as you keep yours, I'll keep mine."

"Fair enough."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"Oi, don't forget about me," Lovino emerged from the shadows near the coffee station, his face pale with several haggard bags under his eyes. Ah, that's why he was so quiet. It looked like he had just woken up from a nap. And here I thought my sleeping schedule was out of whack. University has a habit of doing that you.

"I'll make sure those jackasses don't say a thing. I still owe you for covering my ass on that midterm."

"You mean me whispering to you all the answers?" I chuckled.

"It's not my fault that dumb fuck decided to spring a pop quiz on us. It wasn't on the syllabus!"

I blinked twice. "Actually, it was, but let's not argue over that, again."

"Che, fine."

"LOVI~!" Antonio sprang forward to bring Lovino into a hug. Lovino, already anticipating this, skirted to the side and smirked as Antonio had to stop himself from banging his forehead against the counter.

"Nope! Zip! Zilch! Not a peep from your dumbass mouth until I at least have two cups of coffee in me."

"Guys," Matthew nearly whined. "Let's go. The library closes soon."

"You heard the boy!" Gilbert bellowed. "Onwards, my fellow ghost hunters."

"Why don't you come with us, Lovi?"

"I was already going to. I need a laugh after how much hell that last paper put me through. Seeing you piss your pants should do just fine."

"Why are you so rude?!" Antonio spluttered.

"Because of your reactions, they're priceless."

Another five minutes passed before they finally left the cafeteria, all grumbling and groaning. Miserable and hungry students or zombies, they were pretty much the same thing.

I waited. When I heard the clumsy shuffle of feet, I raised my voice and called out. "You can come out now, Alfred. They're gone."

Not a minute later, Alfred sauntered back into the cafeteria. "Geez those guys sure like to talk," he complained. "I was getting sore from standing in the same place for so long."

"Why don't we go for a walk?" I proposed. "I need to clear my mind, and it looks like you need a good stretch."

"Sure, that sounds great, actually. Very romantic. I'll even let you borrow my coat."

"I don't need your stupid–"

Before I knew it, Alfred had already put his coat on me and was holding my hand. No matter how much I scolded and protested, he kept pulling me forward. The broad shoulders and muscles under the tight black turtle neck he wore rippled with each movement. He was still rather slim, but it was all muscle.

"It's like you want hypothermia," I deadpanned.

"More like I don't want you to get it."

"I have a coat, I didn't need another one."

"Hush up, your majesty. Your magic carriage of a walk underneath the stars awaits you."

"I will literally murder you."

Alfred whistled. "Too late…"

"Huh?"

"Ya know, I had already died and woke up in heaven the moment I met you…"

Alfred shrugged at my confused expression, and looked away. Meanwhile, I couldn't stop staring at him. Something about him was off, I just didn't know what it was. He wasn't meeting my eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder: what other secrets could he possibly be keeping from me? Just thinking about this was enough to make my stomach flop.

…

One week later…

….

"Oh, for Gott's sakes, could you guys just talk to each other?" Gilbert groaned. He then leaned back into his chair and spread his arms behind his head, tucking his pale hands over his elbows. Our literature lecture didn't start for another five minutes, so there was still plenty of time to argue.

"Fran, you've been back for three days, and you two still haven't uttered one word to each other. As I'm friends with both of you, it's my duty to put a stop to this."

"Debatable," I muttered under my breath and crossed my arms.

"Arthur, can you stop being a cocksucker for two seconds and just own up to what you did?" Gilbert leered.

"ME?!" I spluttered. "Why should I do anything?! It's not my fault that his ego is large enough to make him lament about me not saying goodbye to his stubbly mug."

"Ay! That was so uncalled for!" Antonio chided. Both him and Gilbert were strategically situated between Francis and I, and by strategically, I mean practically, as we would have already been at each other's throats without them acting as human barriers.

Lovino, who would always side with me in disputes like this, snickered to himself. Unbeknownst to me, he was snapchatting this entire fiasco.

"You vulgar, bitter little hedgehog!" Francis shrieked. "I hope you die alone and lose that mysterious friend of yours!"

I rolled up my sleeves and leaned over my seat. "Now listen here, you mud-sucking bottom feeder, I'll have you know that–"

"Friend, what friend?" Antonio, Gilbert, and Lovino asked at the same time.

Slyly, Francis smirked and stuck up his chin. I gagged as the smell of his rose perfume and body wash came my way. Noticing this, Francis flipped his hair again to make his curls bounce even more.

"Oh, you didn't know? Arthur has a secret friend."

"W-what are you talking about?!" I stammered.

"I mean, has anyone else noticed how happy he is?" Francis continued. "I caught him smiling into his bowl of lucky charms yesterday morning. That never happens, miserable of a meal that it is for an equally miserable person. There's also the fact that he keeps disappearing in the library or from our dorm for large periods of times. It makes me suspicious…"

"You're just overthinking things," I snapped.

"Is it really so hard to believe that you're being secretive? You smell like a ghost, Arthur. You've been talking to spirits behind my back, haven't you? What goes to say that you're not hiding someone or something else from us?"

I glared at Antonio and Gilbert, who silently acknowledged our promise and backed down. This didn't seem to faze Francis. He was too absorbed in his melodramatic fantasy of accusing and making me look bad.

"So what if I have been? I don't need to answer to you," I snorted.

"Tsk! Tsk! That only makes me more suspicious."

Everything became calm, too calm – like the calm before a storm. My ears rang.

"Tell me, Francis, how sore are you?"

"Pardon?"

"Well, you seem to have no problem riding off my notes, and given how sorry your writing is, I wouldn't be too surprised if you attempted to ride your way into having an A+ in this class…if you know what I mean."

Lovino gasped. "Shit, that's savage, even to my standards. I think I just found my new role model."

Antonio and Gilbert clasped hands over each other's mouths, wanting to stand in solidarity with Francis, but unfortunately for the Frog, they were unable to and burst out laughing. Students close by in other rows also began to chuckle and smirk.

Francis turned bright red. "I TOLD YOU THAT I ONLY FLIRTED WITH HIM. HE WASN'T EVEN INTERESTED."

"Of course he wouldn't be, it's you."

I don't know how it happened, but next thing I knew, I was grabbing the collar of Francis's shirt and he was grabbing mine. We were still in our seats, so you can only imagine how awkward it was to lean over Gilbert and Antonio.

"LET GO OF ME, YOU FOUL-BREATHED BAGUETTE TIT!"

"YOU'VE ALWAYS SUCKED AT INSULTS!" Francis gasped.

"GUYS…ACK…STOP!" Antonio screamed.

"No, keep going. This is great soap opera material," Lovino encouraged.

"Fine, get your sexual tension out, just don't do it over me," Gilbert whined. There was hardly any room for him to stand up from his seat, so he was stuck as is.

"AHEM!" All five of us froze as Laura cleared her throat and stopped to stand before the entrance of the row we were sitting in.

Immediately, we all straightened and fell silent. Laura was a Belgian exchange student, as well as the only female member of our group. She had transferred late, but had quickly taken to the motherly role of making us all behave.

Laura's heels clacked as she took slow, deliberate steps behind us.

WHACK!

Lovino yelped and fell forward as Laura whacked him in the back of the head with her textbook. "Delete those videos."

"Yes, bella," he groaned, and gave her a sheepish smile.

WHACK!

Antonio was her next victim.

"Stop insulting Arthur in Spanish."

"Ah…si."

"SO THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS LAUGHING AT ME?!" I exploded.

Laura scowled. Once again, I fell silent. "I'll get to you in a second," she warned.

WHACK!

Gilbert was the next to fall.

"That's for exploiting this fight in order to get on Matthew's good side. Believe me, you're not impressing anyone."

"Mein Gott woman, who put you in charge?"

WHACK!

"…"

WHACK!

Francis yelped. "Get over yourself."

WHACK!

Spots dusted my vision. "Get over your pride."

With that done and said, Laura neatly sat beside me and started pulling out her notebook and pencil case from her bag. "Boys are such idiots," she muttered to herself.

"Agreed," Natalia, a Belarusian exchange student sitting two rows above us, nodded.

"THANK you!" Laura said and then made an angry hand gesture. "Well? Aren't you two going to apologize to each other?!"

Like rusty motors, we all spluttered back to life. The pain had yet to register. "Right, erm. Francis, I'm sorry. I should have said goodbye to you before you left."

"Annnnnnnnnnnnd?" Francis raised a thin brow.

I ground my teeth. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Arthur!" Laura snapped.

"Fine! Fine! I'm sorry for. Oh God, where do I even begin?"

"How about insinuating that I would prostitute myself for a good grade?"

"Sorry."

"And for calling me a mud-sucking bottom feeder."

"Sorry."

"And for calling me a baguette tit."

"Sorry."

"Oui, I bet you are."

"Francis!"

"Desole…"

This proceeded for another two minutes, and Francis reciprocated the same with me. By the time we were done, the lecture should have started already. Fifteen minutes later, the TA came scrambling in to inform us that Prof. Braginski had cancelled this class as well as the next one.

Most people seemed happy about this, but I was a bit concerned. Looks like the rumours were true. Braginski never stayed for long here. Something must have happened to give him cold feet; I just hoped that he was okay. I genuinely liked him, even if he did come off as a bit odd, or rather, off sometimes.

Since it was cancelled, we didn't have to wait until the end of the slot to hand in our second one-shot. Alfred's constant presence over the break had distracted me too much to be able to do a well-researched historical piece. I had ended up doing a much lighter children's piece, intending to go for a darker element for the final take-home exam. After hearing all of Matthew's stories about his grandmother and her twin-brother, that seemed like the greatest contender on what my choice of topic would be.

"Ah, Mr. Kirkland," The TA pushed up his spectacles as he accepted my outline. "Mr. Braginski told me about you. We'll both be looking forward to reading this."

"Uh, thank you," I spluttered. "I hope I don't disappoint." I better not. I had put a lot of effort and thought into that one-shot. The lack of research had made it a whole lot easier to meet today's deadline.

"I'm just surprised that you remembered the deadline," Francis teased as he handed in his own one-shot.

I laughed to be polite, but my eyes told another story. "I may lose things, but I never forget deadlines," I said through gritted teeth.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

No one bothered to jump at the bangs coming from the back of the classroom. This late into the semester, we were all used to it. The memory of the ghost couldn't just pick up and leave. It would remain there as long as something meaningful to it kept triggering its presence. So far, I haven't had any luck in figuring out what it was. I was more interested in the ghost at the library anyway.

Laura and the rest of our group had given up on salvaging peace between us, and had already left the room. We trudged up the aisles silently to get back to our seats, both irritated with each other, but too worn out to argue anymore.

"Tell me if you find out anything more," Francis told me as he slung his satchel over his shoulder. "I have a test to study for and can't stay back this time."

"How did you know I was going to stay back?" I asked.

"You have the caterpillar look, where your eyebrows furrow together. It means you're thinking," Francis said nonchalantly.

Infuriated, but not wanting Francis to win, I watched him smugly dance his way down the steps and exit the room. Everyone else had already left, and there wasn't another class after this one. I was the only person in the room.

I cleared my throat. "Okay, now, don't be testy with me, but we've been trying this all semester. Is there someone–"

"YO ART!"

I nearly jumped two feet into the air when the front doors at the bottom of the auditorium split open with a slam. "There you are! I heard that class ended early, and have been looking all over for you."

Alfred hurried up the steps to reach me. I winced every time he stubbed his toe, which was a lot mind you. I was starting to wonder if he truly was a puppy given how clumsy, nervous, and simultaneously overexcited he was whenever he first laid eyes on me.

"So?" Alfred grinned and stopped in front of me with a huff. "Whaddaya think? Cool right?"

I repressed a sigh at the fake fangs he was wearing. You wouldn't pay me enough to admit how handsome he looked in them, especially with the mischievous glint lingering in his eyes. "Oh dear God, you really weren't kidding when you said that you were going to dress up for Halloween."

"Hell yeah, man! I love Halloween! You get to dress up, eat a shit ton of candy, and watch horror movies scary enough to make you puke! What's not to like? So, yay or nay?"

I reached up to cup Alfred's cheek. "You are such a dork. I'll still never understand how you're scared of ghosts, and yet have such an interest in them. I've called you this before, and I'll call you it again, you're a living oxymoron."

"Yeah," Alfred's cheeks became dusted a light pink. "But I think it's been established that you love me for both of those things. Now, on a scale of one to ten, how much do these fangs make your boxers wet?"

"Hmmm I don't know, I'll have to hear your accent first."

Alfred cleared his throat and winked. "I vant to suck your lips."

I cracked the smallest of smiles. "Well, go on then. You've successfully captured me under your spell."

Alfred bent down to kiss me, breathing heavily into my face. He couldn't stop giggling for whatever reason, and I didn't know why.

"Is there something the matter?" I asked him.

"Nah, it's just cute because I can tell when you're thinking really hard. Your eyebrows furrow together."

"Is it really that obvious?" I spluttered.

"Yep."

"Oh. I'll have to keep that in mind…"

"Come, let's head over to the library. I heard they're serving hot chocolate for free now to encourage students to study."

Oblivious, Alfred grabbed my hand and started dragging me down the aisles. Luckily, I had already grabbed my things beforehand. Once Alfred started, it was hard to stop him, and before I knew it, he was rattling on about who knows what.

"Did ya know that on Halloween day ghosts are allowed to visit the Earth?"

"Yes, I did know that. I read a lot of folklore."

More like I've spoken to ghosts.

"It's not that they can't appear on any other days, but they can't appear in full without it draining their energy. Halloween is the only day where they're able to communicate with their loved ones."

"I know."

"Then again, there are those ghosts stuck on Earth, but they're transparent. Halloween allows them to manifest like any other regular human."

"Maybe you should become a ghost. If you're transparent, maybe I can finally read what's on your mind," I mused.

Alfred clenched his jaw and pushed open the doors of the auditorium much harsher than what was necessary.

"Don't joke about things like that, Artie. It's not funny."

Stunned, I followed him out of the room and didn't say anything more.

…

October 29th

….

I ducked behind a bookshelf, only to spit out and splutter on the string of paper-cut lanterns hanging from it. The library had very marginally decided to dress up for Halloween, not that anyone would even bother to come to the movie night being held here on the night of. It fell on a Sunday, which inevitably meant parties in University-land.

Matthew was holding an extra-long study group today since it was still technically mid-term season. He was gracious enough to not alert the others of my presence as I slipped past them to head up to the fifth floor. I didn't like using the elevator, as small spaces made me feel claustrophobic. Hanging around with my classmates for a long period of time was another thing that made me claustrophobic; the library was my one time away from them.

I wanted to get a look at the record sections again, without Alfred this time. I couldn't take one step into that area without him whining about being spooked or begging for us to leave. I had come here just a little earlier than usual, leaving my last class a bit early as it was only review, so I wouldn't have to worry about Alfred. He knew what time to expect me, and right now wasn't it.

The records section was a bit dustier than usual, so I had brought a duster along with me too. As I pawed through different books, looking for something to intrigue my interest and possibly inspire the muse for my upcoming final, I remembered something. Matthew's grandmother.

I then began searching for any Amelia's in the records, also keeping a look-out for the surname Williams. My search didn't last very long, as a large thump resonated to my left. Carefully, I put down my duster and straightened my posture.

Perhaps the ghost was finally brave enough to make itself seen to me.

Calmly, I cleared my throat and opened my mouth to speak. All air was stolen from my lungs when Alfred sprang on me from behind. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me in the air.

"Artie!" Alfred cheered. "You're here early. Why didn't you come see me?!"

After several sloppy kisses on Alfred's part, and many angry elbows on my part, Alfred finally put me down.

Alfred grinned. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were avoiding me. And is that a duster you're using as a weapon?"

I lowered my duster and scowled. "You know how much I hate surprises, and yet that still doesn't stop you from popping up on me when I least expect it. How about greeting me like a normal person?"

"No can do, I'm far from normal, Art. Wouldn't want you to get bored with me. So, where to now? It's a bit cold to sit on the roof, so how about the lounge?"

"I wanted to look at some records," I replied, dryly. "That's why I came here early."

Alfred waved a gloved hand at me. "Nah! Save the spookiness for Halloween. Let's do something!"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, why don't we go for a walk outside?"

"You just said that it's cold," I deadpanned.

"Yeah, but we can get some warm drinks, how does that sound? I heard that James Creek is beautiful at this time of year."

"Oh yes, truly. What with all the empty beer cans and used condoms."

"There's a place farther up that no one knows about. I'd like to take you there."

I sighed. The old me would have freaked out at the thought of abandoning my studies and falling behind schedule. My priorities had clearly changed with Alfred in my life now. "Why not?"

Alfred's cheeks split into a wide smile once more. Wordlessly, I let him tow me out of the library. Although, this time we used the back exit, the one that Alfred typically used to get into the library. He still wasn't ready to meet anyone just yet, and I suppose I just had to respect that.

…

Alfred held my hand with his right, and our shared extra large hot chocolate with his left. Many students were still bustling about to get to their late afternoon classes, so I was a bit hesitant to hold hands with him so openly like this. I knew that I shouldn't have to feel this way, but old thoughts are hard to break, especially when you've been scrutinized for such a natural, trivial thing for most of your life.

Alfred squeezed my hand in reassurance, but still looked a bit nervous himself as people gave us odd, uncomprehending stares.

"It's all right, Art," Alfred said stiffly. "I'm here. Nothing will happen as long as I'm with you."

"I just don't get it," I whispered. "Why are they staring at us as if we've grown second heads? We're holding hands. What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, sweetheart," Alfred said.

"Let's just get out of here."

The rest of our walk was for the most part silent. Alfred hogged the hot chocolate, but I honestly wouldn't have expected anything different from him. He was right, though. The part of James Creek that he took me to was far beyond where I had buried late Davie's photo. We had walked right through a forest until coming upon a clearing where the creek split off into smaller streams. There were several rusty old benches and cracked pavement that hugged the outskirts of the grass bed just by the water. It looked like the kind of place you would go to feed ducks or geese and just enjoy the serenity of the surrounding nature.

"Alfred, how did you know about this place?" I said in awe.

"I'm guessing that you like it, huh?"

I ignored the smugness in his tone. "Of course. I mean, how couldn't I? You should have taken me here before. It's a shame that more people don't know about this place. It seems like a wonderful place to distress and not think about anything."

"I thought you'd say something like that," Alfred chuckled, and then guided me to sit on a bench that faced the lazy current of water trickling by. "I came here in the summer quite a bit, ya know, before I found the library. I didn't want anyone to find out about this place and wanted to save it for special moments like this…with a special someone to share it with."

"You're being overly sentimental today, not that I'm complaining. Why is that?"

Alfred whistled. "I dunno, kinda just felt like it."

"That's not an answer."

"I don't really have one then."

"…"

"…"

"What is this place anyways?" I asked.

"It was…I think it was an old courtyard before they demolished several buildings and moved some parts of the campus."

"Oh. Did you come here to get inspiration for your writing?"

"Yeah, but I told you. The most inspiration I get is from you," Alfred said, and then nudged forward to bump noses with mine. "I didn't need to come here anymore, or even go to the roof to be frank. As long as I'm with you, my existence is made ten times better."

"Oh hush, now you're just being sappy," I chided. I cupped his face and kissed him, rough chapped lips meeting each other in an unrushed tempo. Heat from his breath collided with mine, the taste of chocolate on our tongues making me want more of him. Slowly, I shifted closer and closer, greedily moving his hands onto my waist.

"Art…I…" Alfred panted, hair mussed from my own doing. "I want…"

"What do you want?" I cooed, and pulled away from him. His eyes were the closest clue of understanding what was going on. Skewed spectacles aside, there was a desire in his eyes that only fuelled that of my own. There was also something childish about them, a helplessness and powerlessness that I still had no hope of comprehending.

I wanted to do something more than kissing, but I also didn't want to push him. This would often happen, where we would start making out and he would show signs of wanting to take things farther, but never making the first move. I knew how jittery he was and wanted him to be the one to make it.

"I want you…"

"You want me how?" I asked patiently.

"Closer." There was a certain whine and need in his voice that made my heart leap.

"Like this?" I resumed sucking on his bottom lip.

"No. I want…more." Alfred breathed deeply and ran his hand through my hair, holding the back of my head as if it were a lifeboat tethering him in place.

"How much is more to you?" I couldn't be too sure.

BUZZ! BUZZ!

We both jumped apart from each other when my phone rang. My face warmed, and unable to recover from the moment as it had long been broken, I settled at Alfred's side again.

"Who is it?" Alfred asked me as I begrudgingly checked my phone.

"Alistair, my older brother."

"I know who your older brother is," Alfred said, sternly. "He's probably just worried about you. What did I tell ya about calling him more? It's the decent thing to do, Art."

"I will…" Alfred glared at me. "No, I do. I do. Promise. I make sure to call him at least once a week."

"Good. Does he…know about me?"

"He knows that I've found someone. I didn't know if you wanted me to tell him more than that though, so I haven't," I answered.

"Oh, well, maybe you should wait," Alfred flushed a bright pink. "I…uh…"

"Shhh," I placed a finger over his lips. "It's fine, I understand. Let's just get back to where we left off, shall we?"

"Art, I can't deal with this teasing. It's getting to be too much. I want you, so badly, but I just…"

"You just what?"

"I'm scared of hurting you."

"You're not going to."

"You don't know that," Alfred said abruptly.

"Well, you haven't so far," I rationalized.

"There's still time for that."

Warmth pricked at my eyes. I knew I was being selfish, but I too wanted more from him, of him. "How come you don't ever want to come home with me?"

Why can't I go to your place either?

"You know why, Art," Alfred whispered. "I'm shy."

"What if I got my roommate to stay away from the apartment for several hours? What would you say to that?"

"…"

"That's not exactly a no I'm hearing."

Alfred bit his lip. "I guess I would be fine with that."

"You guess, or you are?"

"I am."

I turned to Alfred to look at him, and I mean really look at him. He was struggling no doubt, but there was also a stubborn expression on his face that indicated that he was willing to try this out for me.

Something that Alistair told me years ago suddenly came to mind, a sense of nostalgia that felt uncomfortably appropriate to the moment.

"The happiest seeming people are the ones that suffer most."

"Are you sure?" I inquired, just to be certain.

"I am," he repeated, stiffly.

"I won't do anything you're not comfortable with. If anything, I'd only like you to spend time at my apartment," I told him.

"If you want me to, and no one else is there, then I will. No problem. It's about time that I be a good boyfriend and step out of my comfort zone." It very much seemed like a problem to Alfred, but he avoided eye contact, cutting off any room for debate.

"You were already an excellent boyfriend in the first place," I reassured. "I love you for you, quirks and all. We all have our flaws, and that's perfectly acceptable."

"Thank you, Arthur."

"For what, love?"

Alfred gestured impatiently. "You know what."

I didn't, but chose not to say anything more. Alfred was often vague, and while I couldn't understand all of him, I understood what was most important. I was better at reading his emotions than I was at his thoughts. While nervous, there was a submerged excitement in the way he held me close under his arm or how he impatiently tapped his feet as I called Lovino to ask for a favour.

"Lovino?"

"Arthur?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Couldn't you have just texted me instead of calling like an old geezer?"

"This is something I need to make a call for, so you'll just have to deal with it," I rolled my eyes. "Look, I need to ask you a favor."

"And?" I could just imagine Lovino rolling his hand in a bored manner.

"You're at the study group, right?"

"Unfortunately."

"Oh, good. Can you step out for a short moment? I don't want them to overhear anything."

"Oi, this better be good." The shuffling in the background indicated that Lovino had gotten up anyway. He liked to complain a lot, but still did things for people regardless, often without asking for anything in return.

"Are you out of hearing range?"

"Che, have a little faith in me, you bastard."

I smiled. "Sorry. So, can you make sure that Francis doesn't come home tonight?"

"Why?"

"I want to have someone over… If you could just get Francis to hook up with someone, or keep him away from the apartment, it'd be greatly appreciated."

"Fine. Done. Although, getting Francis to hook up with someone is a feat in itself. He's already slept with the entire school. Uh…yeah. Have fun or what the fuck ever. I have to go, the others are already getting suspicious."

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I'll give you all my study notes!"

"You do that anyway," Lovino smirked. "It's fine. It's not problem at all. Just be safe, all right?"

"Yes, I will."

After saying a quick goodbye, I hung up the phone.

"We're good?" Alfred asked me.

I teasingly grabbed at his chin. It was hard to contain how happy I was. "We're more than good. Let's go."

Our roles reversed on the way back. Instead of me being quiet and having Alfred lead us forward and reassure me, I did all this. Still, the shy smile poking at Alfred's lips told me everything that I needed to know. He was just as excited as I was.

…

I couldn't believe it, but I had actually gotten Alfred into my apartment again. Although, it did eerily feel like I had just captured a wild animal, considering how much he was shaking. I had given him a mug of tea, and he was clutching onto it for dear life, ignoring the fact that he was burning his palms. He sat stiffly in the chair I had seated him at the kitchen table, shoulders hunched and lips pressed firmly together.

I sighed and sat across from him with my own cup of tea. "You're stiff," I informed him. "Relax. I told you, I just want to spend time with you."

"I'm not stiff, just anxious."

"Would you like something to eat?" I asked.

"Not hungry, too nervous." He had stooped down to the communication level of a toddler.

"Alfred, why are you nervous now? Francis isn't going to come back anytime soon. Lovino took them all to a club."

"It's not that!" Alfred spluttered. "It's you."

"Me?" I raised my eyebrows. "What did I do?!"

"Stop. Please stop."

"Stop what?!" I snapped.

"Stop pouting. It's tempting me."

"That's only encouraging me more, I hope you know that," I teased. "What a lovely thing it would be to have you all over me."

"Art, I'm not kidding."

I rolled my eyes, and stopped teasing. "Alfred, love. Please, just try to relax. I'm not going to do anything you don't want to do. Now, if you're not hungry, then I'm going to go eat something."

I set out to making two bagels, knowing that if I pretended it was mine, Alfred would want some of it.

"Shucks, man. You're just so pretty," Alfred sighed. "If I had a whole afternoon of just kissing you, I'd take it in a heartbeat."

I turned to peck Alfred on the cheek. "That would be quite nice, wouldn't it be?"

Alfred closed his eyes in content. "Hmmm." He was still holding back, now gripping onto the sides of his chair. I needed to make him more comfortable, to make him laugh somehow.

"Tell me, do I butter your bagel?" I asked him.

"I told you I didn't want a bagel," Alfred blushed.

"I'm speaking metaphorically here."

"Oh. Well, what is that supposed to mean?"

I scoffed. "Right, I forgot how blunt and obvious I have to be with you. Do I make you hot and bothered?"

"ARTHUR!" Alfred exploded, accidentally knocking over his tea mug. Luckily, he had already finished drinking it.

"What?" I feigned innocence and blinked at him owlishly.

"You can't…you can't just ask me those sort of things…"

"Sorry. I forgot that only you're allowed to use innuendos."

"That was one time!" Alfred whined.

"You told me that if we were naked, you'd warm me up faster. I hardly see how it's fair that you can use them, and I can't," I huffed and crossed my arms. Meanwhile, Alfred pouted to himself and mumbled something incoherent to himself.

The room fell silent, save for the creaks of Alfred's chair as he tipped it back and forth. I turned my back to him and waited for the bagel to pop out of the toaster. It never got to that point.

Warmth spread across my back when Alfred wrapped his arms around my waist, and placed his chin on my shoulder. "You're right, you do butter my bagel," he purred.

I turned to meet him half way. His lips were hungry to meet mine. I leaned against him, and abruptly tensed when I felt something hard.

"Alfred?" I questioned.

"Arthur," Alfred moaned. The inhibition withholding the gate of his true desires and emotions had just been broken; there was no going back now. Alfred was initiating this on his own, he wanted me, and I wanted him.

I gave a good start when Alfred spun me around and assertively placed me against the counter, grinding against my waist. I moaned in reciprocation and ignored the small pain in my back. The friction felt too good. I didn't care.

"I want you, Arthur," Alfred sighed.

"I was already yours to begin with," I said, and wrapped my arms around his neck as he scooped me up into his arms.

"Where?" He huffed, too aroused to bother to form a proper sentence. I pointed to my right, where my bedroom was. As Alfred stumbled forward, cradling me more delicately than ever before, I worked on taking off his jacket, greedily placing my hand underneath his turtleneck. He winced at the coldness of my skin, but was quick to moan when I pressed and rubbed at the sensitive skin, allowing my fingers to caress the firm marble of his chest.

BRING!

We both paused to laugh at the sound of the bagel popping out of the toaster, and once more when Alfred just about kicked open my bedroom door. "Easy," I growled. "If there's a hole in that wall, you're paying for it."

"It'd be a hole well spent then," Alfred teased.

"Again with the innuendos, even as we're about to have sex."

Alfred tensed for a brief second before impulsively going after my lips again, sucking with desperate vigor. Before I knew it, I was lying on my bed with Alfred hovering over me, straddling me.

"Wait," I panted. "Alfred. Alfred!" I tapped at his back. He was really getting into this.

Alfred pulled up, spectacles nearly drooping off his nose.

I laughed, and pulled off the spectacles, putting them to the side. I then reached out and cupped his cheeks, gazing up at a face that looked even younger. Wide cerulean eyes met my own; pink swollen lips; teeth white enough to blind; and hair softer than the feathers of an angel. This man was mine and mine alone.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked him after setting his spectacles down.

Alfred's eyes darkened. "Yes. I always am with you."

"Good, because I am too. I love you."

"I love you too."

I opened my drawer, pulled out a condom, and handed it to Alfred. He shakily accepted it. Knowing him, he had probably gotten too overwhelmed and had forgotten about the existence of them.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"N-No!"

"Dumbass."

Alfred smirked. "And I'm the one using innuendos?"

Alfred ducked to avoid my slap. "Kidding, kidding. Now, c'mere."

I tilted my chin back as Alfred began kissing my cheeks, then my jaw, my chest, my stomach, and all the way down to my thighs. He was slow, but I was enjoying every minute of it. Soon, I was enjoying him, crying out his name, wanting him closer and closer. He was like a burning furnace, both in the temperature of his skin and the passion he exploded with. I had never felt so whole, so completed, so bloody well satisfied in my life.

I loved him.

I loved him more than I did myself.

…

Wrapped under the blankets, I wound an arm around Alfred's waist. We were both sticky and our breathing was still heavy. Alfred was looking up at the ceiling blankly. When he didn't say anything for a while, that's when I became concerned.

"Al, love. What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't have done that," Alfred said flatly.

My chest erupted with pain, as if a knife had just been lodged into it. Tears sprang into my eyes, but they were quick to dissolve when Alfred spoke again.

"I always end up leaving people, Art. I'd hate to hurt you."

"Maybe things will be different this time. Pessimism isn't going to get you anywhere. Hell, you're the one who helped me overcome some of my own pessimism and trust issues. We're both broken, imperfect people with gods knows how many issues, but can't we find solace in that? I'm no longer lonely when I'm with you. I don't want to think about anything other than the fact that you're here with me now," I whispered, and began tracing circles up and down his jawline.

"The past isn't something worth ruminating over. Live in the present. Live for yourself, and for what you have. You have me, and I, you."

"You don't get it!" Alfred cracked. "I always fuck things up!"

"You haven't fucked things up with me," I reminded him.

"Yet. I haven't fucked up things with you yet," he corrected.

Upset, I removed his arm and turned my back to him.

"Arthur," Alfred said, worry in his voice. "Arthur, what's wrong?"

"I feel like I've just taken advantage of you," I replied, horrified. I felt nauseated. The room span, and my stomach curled.

"No! No! NO! You didn't! Arthur? Sweetheart, please. Listen to me. You didn't take advantage of me. If anything, I took advantage of you."

I shivered when he wrapped his arms around me.

"You can't take advantage of someone if they wanted it," I argued. "I really wanted it, and I'll want it again, because God if that didn't ever feel amazing."

Alfred sighed. "I wanted it too. Still do."

"Then what's the argument for? You saved me, Alfred. You saved me from the terrors of a new start in an unfamiliar place. You're my familiarity, my home…my saviour."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Alfred admitted, although it didn't quite reach his tone. "Actually, I'm your hero, remember?"

"Right, I forgot. You really love your super heroes like a total fucking dork."

"Want to fuck that dork again?"

"Mhmmm."

"Just gimme some time to ya know…"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I'm well aware. I also want to let you know that you're in no means required to stay the night. I won't pressure you, because making you uncomfortable is the last thing I want to do. Feel free to leave whenever you want."

Alfred gave me a knowing look. "Thanks, buddy. I'm sorry."

I turned and tucked my head under his chin. It was a way of hiding my disappointment, while also showing my support. "Don't be."

...

Oct. 30th

…

It was an early Saturday morning, and I intended to get a good chunk of work done at the library. Finals were in just over a month, and honestly, it was about time that I started working on that last one-shot for Prof. Braginski. I knew for a fact that Alfred wouldn't be here this early (as he was sleeping in from leaving my apartment so late), so first thing I wanted to do before I lost the chance was look through the records section – holistically, without being interrupted.

I found Matthew slumped over at the front desk, a mug of coffee cupped in his pale, frail hands. He sipped from it slowly, humming in content. He had a guilty pleasure of pouring maple-syrup into warm drinks.

"Good morning," Matthew greeted. "You're here early. Set up isn't until 11:00 AM. Unless, you came here to study?"

"Morning," I mumbled, and took a swig from the metal cannister that held my own morning tea. "You're exactly right. Figured I'd get some work done, especially since how loud things are going to be all over campus tomorrow night."

"Eh? Parties, smarties. All you need is a good set of noise-cancelling headphones and you're golden," Matthew smiled.

"True," I agreed. "Hey, don't you think you're drinking too much coffee for your age? It's not good for you."

"Says the person who drinks caffeinated tea at all hours of the day and hardly gets a wink of sleep," Matthew retorted.

"Touché," I raised one hand in surrender.

"So, have you found out anything new about that ghost?" Matthew asked.

"Not really, no. I honestly haven't had much time either way. Sometimes they're just like that. They'll come out when they're ready, as well as when you least expect it. I'll make sure to let you know if I do find out anything more."

"Good, I'm holding you to that promise." Matthew sighed and flushed slightly when his phone buzzed with a new text. "Mon dieu, this guy really doesn't know when to quit it. Why is it that I'm the first person he thinks of when he wakes up?"

"Who, Gilbert?" I asked.

"Mmmm," Matthew nodded.

I furrowed my brows. "Be careful around him. I know you don't like me babying you, but he's 18, you're 16. And no, don't play it off as if you don't have some interest in him, you wear your emotions on your face. I've been around you long enough, Matthew, so don't bother trying to cover it up."

"I will be careful," Matthew huffed, albeit softly. "I'll have you know that as much as you think that he's a player, you couldn't be anymore wrong. He has a promise ring and intends to save his virginity for the person he marries. He likes me for me, I'm just unsure how I feel about that. I haven't ever been the center of someone's world before. It's quite strange."

"My advice would be not to rush things or expect a lot, unless shown otherwise. You put in what you get, and if he puts in a lot, then I encourage that you do too if you really care about him. I wouldn't be surprised if I were you. Anyone would be lucky to have a sweet and thoughtful person like you as their partner."

"Thanks, Arthur. That's actually really good advice."

"Anytime," I said, and turned on my heels. "Well, I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"You're heading to the records section?"

"Indeed, I am."

"Oh! Well enjoy! Perhaps that's not the best choice of words given how dark this school's history is, but, um, yeah…" Matthew trailed off, at a loss of words to say. "I think I told you this before, but if you need anymore information, my grandma wouldn't mind if you gave her a call. She loves talking about what she does. Maybe, your story could help spread the word about a sensitive issue like this."

I blinked in shock. Matthew's grandmother was a famous motivational speaker, so if she endorsed my story, it would give me a lot of exposure and credit – something that a young writer like myself desperately needed. "That would be amazing, actually. Thank you."

"It's no problem at all! Actually, I'm supposed to call her later this afternoon. Her and Mama always like to catch up on Saturdays. You can speak to her then!"

I nodded and waved over my shoulder. "Sounds good."

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Everything was just so…perfect. With school, with my brother, with Alfred, with my friends. I felt like a complete idiot for the obvious bounce in my step, but perhaps being an idiot wasn't so bad after all if I had another idiot to complete me.

This happiness was quick to change upon the sudden change of atmosphere.

When I got up to the records section, something felt…off. The air was cooler than usual, and everything was incredibly still. The ringing in my ears only added to this superstition; it only happened when a spirit or rather spirits were nearby. Was this it, was the ghost finally trying to reach out to me?

I pretended not to acknowledge these signs, wanting whatever was causing all this to come out on their own, when they were ready. I flipped through the records, looking through the W's for Williams.

"Williams, Williams, where are you?" I muttered to myself.

"You're wrong."

A voice so soft that I could have imagined it whispered.

THUMP!

A book from the J-L section fell onto the ground, the thud causing me to flinch slightly.

Slowly, I sauntered over to it and bent down. The page was left open, revealing a scan of an old newspaper article. "Heartbreaking death of beloved athlete..."

A sharp intake of breath.

My eyes immediately skipped to the name and then the picture. Alfred F. Jones, 19, December 9th, 1961. Suicide, reasons unknown.

The happiest seeming people are the ones that suffer most.

I froze, and blinked uncomprehendingly. With shaking hands, I flipped to the next few pages, all of which included images of the very same man I've fallen in love with. The same hair, the same spectacles, the same stupid smile, the same bomber jacket. Everything, everything was the same.

And then, a picture of him and his sister, Amelia. Amelia Jones. Jones was her maiden name. I had been looking in the wrong place all along. I had…I hadn't been looking. The ghost had been right in front of me this whole time.

I didn't want to understand, but I did. He never wanted to be seen because only I could see him. All the mysteries, aversions, and quirks were lies. He wasn't being weird. He was just trying to avoid the truth.

Reality had never been so cruel, crashing down onto me so fast that all that was left was the acrid smell of burning tires; dreams; hopes. I felt like I was floating, tethered by the black and white images haunting my eyes. Tears slipped down my cheeks, wracking sobs building up in my chest.

"No. NO! NO! NO!"

I slammed the book shut, and threw it against a nearby wall. "NO!"

I had never felt so betrayed, hurt, and confused. I looked up at the ceiling and let out a guttural, choked gasp. "WHY?!" I asked to no one in particular. I didn't believe in god anymore. "Why does something bad always have to happen to me? WHY?!"

I needed to get out of here. Just standing in the library made me sick knowing that he had committed suicide just thirty feet away from me, nearly sixty years ago.

Matthew leapt up from his seat as I stormed past the front desk. "Arthur? Arthur?! What's wrong? What happened?!"

"Jones was her maiden name, can you fucking believe it?" I shrieked. I was going completely mad. Of course he knew that. But I sure hadn't.

"Huh?"

"Alfred, your great uncle Alfred. He was the relative of yours who committed suicide here!"

"Did I not tell you that?"

"YOU MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT!" I yelled. Matthew flinched from the accusatory tone, but knew better not to say anything.

"Arthur, I don't understand…Oh. The ghost. Oh my god. Is that the secret friend you were speaking to? What did he look–"

"I…I need to get out of here. I can't…I…" I took in several heaving breaths and could hardly see through the tears. I was having a full-on panic attack.

"ARTHUR! ARTHUR WAIT, PLEASE!" Matthew cried out after me, but I had already left the library. I slammed open the front doors and hurried down the cement steps, only to bend over the railing and vomit into the bushes below.

Alfred Jones, the man I was painfully in love with, had committed suicide here at this school.

The one person who had ever made me feel remotely alive was dead.

To be continued...

(A/N: I'm sorry.)

[sigurdjarlson]

It would be cool to have a rundown of Guin’s relationships with all the companions (including maxson and whoever else you’re close to of course) ((I would say Lucille but I don’t know much about her sorrz)) like I know you don’t like deacon but does guin get along with him? Is she sneaky or all melee and mouthy like Hancock? Just curious!

!!!!!!!! Certainly :D

She’s mostly all melee (and mouthy) She is very fond of her rocket powered sledgehammer. And damn it but this girl LOVES a good fight. It’s great cuz she’s usually really nice so she’ll be like covered in raider blood and cuddling with a puppy. 

She’s absolutely vicious with enemies though. Well, i suppose we all have to work off our inner turmoil somehow.

(hilariously these are all simplified summaries of her relationship with these people. there are a lot of other things I didn’t discuss with some of them cuz it would just be..too long. So many layers to all these relationships and characters..like endless onions.)

I’m gonna start with Shaun briefly. 

Shaun: Guinevere never knew she could love something as much as she loved that little baby in her arms. He was everything to her. Despite honestly wanting to curl up and give up after getting out of the Vault she kept going for her son. Part of her reasoning for accepting Danse’s request to join the BoS was because..a military organization? They had to be the best chance to find her son right?

Then..she meets Father. She’s thrown for a loop but..he’s still her son? She tries. She REALLY does. She begs him to stop. When they attack and she finds him in his pod thing she begs him to come with her. She can save him just PLEASE come with her. His rejection devastated her and his death even more so. 

She knows the Institute needs to be stopped though so she swallows everything down and goes on with the plan. It very nearly killed her. She’s..suicidal afterwards and has come really close to ending it all. How can she live with herself? Killing her own SON? Her son was the only thing keeping her going. She’s always been reckless simply because she doesn’t care if she lives or die but it gets much worse after the Institute. (she also feels a lot of guilt for destroying the Railroad too tbh. She feels guilt for a lot of things..but mostly her son)

However she has synth Shaun and..he’s Shaun. She doesn’t blink at taking him in as her son because he IS. She absolutely spoils him. Maybe some part of her is trying to make up for everything and it comes out as her trying to give him everything. Well, that and she simply loves him more than anything. He keeps her going. 

Danse: He’s her best friend first. She falls for him pretty damn fast and why wouldn’t she? Under all that gruffness is a genuinely good man. She’s amazed by the complete and utter faith in her he shows when he brings her into the BoS. She’s only ever had that from Jax and maybe a couple other people pre-war.

He’s loyal to a fault, brave, and he genuinely cares for the people under his command as well as the people of the Commonwealth (only the people he considers people however..Which is where they would clash. Ideals. She has absolutely no problem with non-hostile synths and ghouls. She really doesn’t. She doesn’t like the way Danse treats them, she doesn’t like the way the BoS sees them and she’s honestly not afraid to make sure he knows it.

 At the same time she’s too forgiving, a little too willing to look away from the reality of just how shitty the BoS is because..she loves them. It’s her family. Danse and Maxson? She’s in love with them. Surely things can change right? It can get better..she needs to believe they can. (random: its not surprising she latched onto the BoS after going through so much damn trauma. flaws aside it’s a very tight knit group, she feels like she has a family again)

Anyway back to Danse in particular.. if they argue it’s probably about non-humans. Or her generally being self-destructive and reckless. 

However, BB comes and honestly there isn’t even a second where she considers hurting him. He’s Danse. He’s her Danse. It doesn’t matter if he’s a synth. She loves him and she knows him. She left the Prydwen knowing she was going to do whatever it takes to save him.

Danse..he loves her. She’s so caring (too caring sometimes), loyal, loving, brave, honorable. She’s also stubborn, reckless, hot-headed, sometimes a tiny bit arrogant and self-destructive. 

But her good qualities outshine her flaws in his opinion. God knows he has his and…well, she wouldn’t be HER without them. 

She brings a good amount of humor/lightness to his life. While she can of course be serious when she needs to be, she’s usually a bit of a goof and while he probably chastises her he’s usually amused by her antics. He’s baffled by the amount of affection/love she has for him too. what did he do to deserve that? he doesn’t know. 

They’re head over heels in love okay. She’s flirty and it would leave him speechless more often than not. It still does even when they’re in a relationship sometimes. But she’s always there for him despite everything she’s facing? He doesn’t know how he could ever repay that..except by being there for her too.

He’ll also stomp your ass if you hurt his girl. Like don’t do it, man. He will fuck you up. He’s a “little” overprotective sometimes. He’s terrified of losing her and she doesn’t exactly put his mind at ease by being as reckless (and downright self-destructive sometimes) as she is

As time goes on after BB he learns a lot from her, she helps him come to terms with his identity and..she just makes him happy. Life isn’t..easy. It never will be and god knows he’s hurting and so is she but..they have each other. That’s enough. 

Also they’re both a little bloodthirsty. Who doesn’t enjoy a good fight? Nothing like smashing some skulls and ridding the Commonwealth of assholes with your best friend and lover. #cutecouplethings 

Maxson: She immediately liked him a bit..if only because he’s a dork named Arthur who named his Blimp the Prydwen. As a fellow Arthurian Legend nerd she loves that. And also there’s something..hilariously ironic about them meeting. Arthur? Guinevere? Fate is funny like that sometimes, eh?

But then she really meets him and he’s passionate as fuck and it’s impossible not to get swept up in that. And she sees someone who genuinely does care when he tells her “I care about them, you know. The People of the Commonwealth.” She believes him and she wants the same thing.

She’s intrigued after that first meeting. He’s..gruff but she still remembers the young man who looked so vulnerable during their first meeting. And for all the flaws she grows to learn he has? She still believes in that man. She believes he can be better. He just needs to..stop being a bigot and she believes that’s possible.

She’s idealistic in that way. Perhaps a better word for it is naive?

But in canon I have my doubts on if they could be “endgame” BB kind of put a huge damper on things aklfdkhfdh. She loves him still and she tentatively forgives him if only because he didn’t kill Danse. She knows he cares for Danse. She KNOWS that there’s a good man in there. She just wants..him to let himself be one. Why can’t he just LISTEN.

However this strange balancing act she has to do with the both of them post-BB is bound to end badly. You can only stuff things down and ignore them for so long and eventually their different ideals are going to clash. ESPECIALLY because Synth Shaun is now in the picture. If there’s anything she loves more than Danse and Maxson it’s her son. She loves Shaun more than anything.

I think it’s obvious why that might put a strain on her and Maxson’s relationship. ashgfdh

Sigh. Perhaps it’s an unpopular opinion but I believe there’s hope for Maxson. And the only way they’re going to be able to stay together is if he changes at least somewhat. If not, she’ll have to leave him eventually. And the BoS. Which..hurts her more than anything. Since that’s her family..and she does truly, genuinely love Maxson with all her heart but..she has to do what’s right for her and her family.

So in reality she’d probably end up with Danse and just Danse. She’d miss him till the day she dies though. 

Maxson..he’s..got a soft spot a mile wide whether he realizes it or not. Honestly let’s be real no one would get away with the shit in BB and still get promoted to SENTINEL except her. 

He absolutely admires and respects her as a person and a soldier. She’s..a pain in the ass sometimes but she’s courageous, strong mentally as well as physically, deadly on the battlefield, and kind (sometimes to those who don’t deserve it in his mind. god fuck you maxson) They butt heads sometimes just because they’re both stubborn and hot-headed but it usually doesn’t escalate into actual fighting. 

He falls in love with her. He doesn’t know how to show it or express it but he does. It scares the shit out of him but he craves it all the same. Like Danse he’s incredibility protective to the point of being annoying. 

She brings out some of his better qualities really. Since he’s always so serious it’s good to get a little lightness in his life and she genuinely does make him laugh. (and even smile). 

They clash on ideals. They’re both extremely stubborn and hot-headed. They honestly don’t fight often but when they do you can be sure it’s probably about differing ideals. That can get nasty.

Elder Maxson is..very different from Arthur Maxson. She’s so very in love with Arthur Maxson. That’s a big thing for him. He can be Arthur. He doesn’t have to be Elder Maxson with her. It means..a lot to him. He hasn’t really ever had that? 

He tries to be professional of course. To act as if he doesn’t have..feelings but he’s not as good at that as he thinks. It shows if you know what to look for. 

Random but he admires her mama bear attitude. She’s wonderful with the squires and they adore her. The way she searches so tirelessly for her son and then even adopts that..”thing” (in maxson’s asshole mind) and loves it? Sometimes, if only for a moment, he wonders what it would have been like to have a mother who loved him that much (NOT A MOMMY KINK THING THO FDHKDFh)

They love each other very deeply but my heart breaks because they don’t exactly have the most promising future in canon. (*latches onto my happy AU’S*)

Codsworth: Robot son. She loves Codsworth just as much as she loves Shaun. They’re very close and he’s always fretting over her. I almost forgot him and even though this one is short I want to stress he is very important to her.

Nick: Nick is her best friend. He’s not exactly..happy she’s in the BoS for obvious reasons but he knows she doesn’t share their views. She actively pushes back against them in fact. Like her he’s an idealist, an optimist and he believes that maybe, she will make the BoS a better organization. If anyone can, it’s her in his opinion.

She loves Nick. He’s been there for her through her whole journey pretty much. He’s always there to offer a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on. He’s always helping someone despite the fact people are cruel to him. He’s an amazing person and she’d lay down her life for him without question.

They “bicker” constantly which is just playful bantering back and forth. They’re very close though. 

Maccready: Her best friend. Neither really knew what to expect when they signed up together? But they quickly bonded. He reminds her of her late husband, Jax to be honest. He’s goofy, a bit morally dubious but he’s also loving  and loyal to those he loves. They’re both goofballs too.

They particularly bonded over the fact that they’ve both lost a spouse. They’re both parents and they connect over that. He’s there for her when she kills her psychopath of a son, when she adopts this..synthetic version of him. And he’s there for her and she’s there for him.

She’s never met Duncan but she already loves him as if he’s her own.  Amusingly enough she probably would have ended up with Maccready if she wouldn’t have met Danse and Maxson. 

Hancock: Like Nick he isn’t exactly happy she’s in the BoS but he knows her enough to know who she is. They get along right away. They’re both dorks. They’re both goofs and they both want to ultimately do good. He’s a “terrible influence” according to her boys and well..they’re not wrong. Like Mac they do get themselves into trouble a lot. She swears up and down she doesn’t do chems with him but she does lmao. More importantly though? He’s got her back and she has his. 

Piper: They’re both quite high strung. Passionate. So they get along really well. Piper finds her a blast to travel with and hey someone who’s fun to travel with and who also wants to help the Commonwealth? Doubly awesome! Guin tries to mother Nat sometimes who finds it a bit irritating. Piper finds it endearing.

Preston: They’re good friends and he’s more often than not quietly chuckling at her antics. They have a very soft, chill friendship. Sometimes they just sit and enjoy each other’s company. He admires her for her kindness and she admires him for his. 

Curie: She’s extremely protective of Curie. How can she not be? She’s so soft, gentle and endlessly kind. She nearly bit Danse’s head off for his comment about donating herself for dissection to the BoS. Curie loves her just as much. She makes her feel safe, loved and she’s an endless inspiration to her. 

Cait: RIDE OR DIE BITCH. The only thing Cait doesn’t like about her tbh is the fact that’s she way too..giving sometimes. She bitches about it but she usually just rolls her eyes and moves on. However they’re close friends and like Hancock and Mac..they get into trouble together (even after she’s clean heheh). Cait loves when she’s feisty. They both enjoy fighting a bit too much tbh. 

But it’s the unconditional love she shows her that gets Cait. She has no idea what she’s done to deserve it but..she’s glad she has it. And she loves her just as much. 

Ada: She like..adopted Ada the moment she met her. 

Old Longfellow: They’re good friends. He finds her a bit exhausting to travel with but in a good way. 

Gage: I honestly have never traveled with Gage so I can’t really say

Strong: He hates the men in metal suits..but he respects her. She’s a strong leader and she’s helping him find the milk of human kindness. He’ll smash all super mutants for her damn it

Deacon: She never met Deacon. She never encountered the railroad until she was ordered to kill them. I think I can say they would have..gotten along to some to degree if things had been different. She wouldn’t like his dishonesty though. Not at all.

X6: ^same as Deacon. She met him but never really traveled with him or became close to him. She probably didn’t even realize it was him she was killing. 

Also just for fun I want to mention.

She has a huge crush on Ingram. 

[zukadiary]

All for One ~ Moon Troupe 2017

This was my first live Tsukigumi since Puck. And really, the only Tsukigumi I’d seen at all since then was Aasa’s A-EN and part of one Arthur stream... so yeah, long time no see, Tsukigumi. I’m not sure anything can beat HOT EYES!! in terms of how far past my expectations it flew... but this is a really close second.

All for One is an original Koike-sensei fantasy involving the Three Musketeers. It’s 2 acts, and I was concerned that it would be presented in a questionable state of doneness and not interesting enough to hold my inevitably sleep-deprived attention. I was very wrong!! The first thing I did after leaving the theater on Tuesday was hunt down a good seat for today, and now I’m kind of desperate for a third chance. This show presses buttons I didn’t know I had (but apparently denim capes and barrel throwing are real turn ons for me). 

--BRIEF SUMMARY, WILL INCLUDE SPOILERS!--

The story is very silly even for a comedy, and nearly all the punchlines are pretty groan-worthy. Chapi is not actually Louis XIV but his twin sister; she was supposed to be tossed aside when they were born but they gave away the wrong baby, and raised her as a boy while frantically searching for the real Louis to no avail. So she’s assumed the role of king, and meets d’Artagnan (Tamakichi) when he’s brought in to give her fencing lessons. d’Artagnan gets overexcited and knocks her down, she gets upset (mostly from being compelled to fence in the first place) and orders him to leave the Musketeers. Later, sick and tired of pretending to be a man—especially now that her mother is trying to concoct a plot marry her off to the Queen of Spain (Umino Mitsuki) despite this lie—she puts on a dress and wig and goes out to mingle. She sees d’Artagnan in a bar drowning his sorrows with the other Musketeers, and starts engaging him in conversation in hopes of drawing his feelings toward “the king” out of him. They fall madly in love! Meanwhile, everyone else in the bar starts making fun of Cardinal Mazarin (Itsuki Chihiro), whose nephew Bernard (Tsukishiro Kanato) is the captain of the royal guard. Bernard and some guards walk in just in time to see this, and the Musketeers are ordered to disband as punishment. They find the real Louis while visiting Porthos who has taken another job as an actor, and the rest of the show is just kind of a general hullabaloo of Chapi trying to figure out how to avoid marriage and be with d’Artagnan, and the Musketeers trying to get the real Louis into the palace and their band back together, while Bernard continues trying to ruin everything. Act 1 felt more polished; it has some really big impressive musical numbers (and I’m always wowed by Tsukigumi’s overall vocal level when I see them live). Act 2 felt like Koike ran out of steam a little; it was more generic Takarazuka, and the final chaotic series of fights on the rotating stairs reminded me an awful lot of the end of Kenshin. He’s also clearly still really excited about sword noises (not complaining... so am I).

It’s not the story that I fell in love with as much as the incredible balance this troupe has APPARENTLY DEVELOPED WHILE I WASN’T LOOKING, and I think Koike’s biggest success here was putting every little piece in exactly the right place to maximize that balance. We all joke that Chapi is the real top star of Tsukigumi, but in All for One she essentially was. MiyaRuri and Toshi are so obviously more polished than Tamakichi, but they don’t hold back, and instead of showing her up it highlights her purity. Reiko definitely doesn’t mesh yet, but Bernard is a ridiculous character, so she’s free to be awkward for now and still totally succeed... plus she’s a type that I think really adds something to the troupe. Ari has the challenge of being overly masculine and funny, and she’s still finding her feet but it’s a great time to make her try this. The energy of the troupe overall has gotten so much less competitive and more FUN AND HAPPY since the last time I watched them. I did not think making Tamakichi a premature top star would accomplish that, but it seems it did, and I’m so glad I was wrong... this Tsukigumi is truly a delight, and I hate them a little for making me want to continue throwing them my money. 

My highlights...

Manaki Reika as Louis XIV/Louise: Completely the star. Every time I see Chapi I think about that 2012 Christmas TV special where she barely knew how to talk, and every bit of growth makes it harder to believe she’s the same person. It’s so fun to see her dance, order people around, do a boy and a girl and both voices (and SING in both voices) all in the same show. I also love that they don’t make her do the standard musumeyaku only-think-of-your-partner thing, and lower herself to raise Tamakichi up; it was so much fun with them both at the center.

Tamaki Ryou as d’Artagnan: I found Tamakichi SO COMPLETELY CHARMING in this, she has the overgrown puppy appeal dialed up to 1000. I just LOVE that they’re aware of her youth and USING IT instead of trying to hide it, and lord I hope that’s not a one-off thing. Having her play the wide-eyed hopeful pure hero/young man IN LOVE (circumstances be damned) worked so well, especially coupled with her very imposing stature—it was adorable. It’s kind of a weird feeling, because she’s definitely not my type, but I still loved watching her so much, just with like... a completely energizing and not life-ruining happiness. IMAGINE THAT.

Miya Rurika as Aramis:

You know that feeling, when you see that one role, played by someone who you *like* but who isn’t *yours* or anything, and you can’t even say “this was a brilliant portrayal because of xyz,” but you’re like, ok, this is just the trash can where I live now, please forward my mail...

That’s all I’m going to say, lest I risk descending into impurity. 

(RIP the lady she targeted during her solo today, with a last second lunge, several rows back from her usual spot)

((Also, she just seems so much more comfortable with both Kacha and top stardom (?) out of the picture. I guess I don’t know if it’s just 3 years’ growth or if a weight really has left her shoulders, but either way it’s made her lethal x1000))

(((Also, her lips are like a Rococo painting. Who looks like that??)))

Uzuki Hayate as Athos: Not generally being a watcher of Tsukigumi, this is probably the first major thing I’ve ever seen Toshi do (although one time I took an internet quiz and it said she’d be my boyfriend). I do know this was kind of a big deal role for her to land, and I loved her in it very much. Her LOOK is ON POINT, and she really completed the chemistry of the main-4 group as the serious one. I particularly liked the dynamic between her and Ari, when they paired them—”SIGH, don’t drink that,” etc. 

Akatsuki Chisei as Porthos: Ari still has a lot of growing to do, but her youthful exuberance and the fact that she’s a giant person worked really well for big, strong, (perpetually drunk?) Porthos. She also had some of my favorite individual scenes, featuring the hurling of shockingly large objects at her troupe mates. I’m glad she’s getting a role that’s forcing her to stretch herself, and I think more than anyone she’ll get better and better as the show progresses. 

Tsukishiro Kanato as Bernard: Predictably, Reiko is completely Yukigumi... but in her favor, she BROUGHT THAT SHIT TO THE SWORD FIGHTS, dear lord girl. Bernard is a safe stretch for her, if that makes sense... it’s a comedic role, which is not her forte, but he’s ridiculous enough that she can go over the top with it, which I think is easier than finding subtlety. And she looks DAMN GOOD all in black, and consistently flanked by Kizuki Yuuma *swoon* and Chinami Karan, who also look damn good in their dark metallics and wildly colored hair (this show really is looks for days). Reiko has also adopted Chigi’s exact furrowed eyebrow smolder face for finale numbers, which is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and VERY WELL suited to her particular brand of otherworldly beauty. 

Saou Kurama as the Dutchess of Montpensier: I’m here for Lady Koma. She’s in love with Louis and determined to teach him the joys of indulging in women until she figures out what’s really going on. It’s not a huge role and not strictly necessary, but it definitely adds another layer of charm and silliness to the story, and it is what it is specifically because it’s Koma. 

I also particularly enjoyed Touka Yurino as Chapi’s mother. 

I think I could watch this every day until I leave. I’m not even sure why I love it so much... it’s pretty dumb. But I love it. Tsukigumi, this was not our arrangement, you were supposed to leave me alone. 

[leagueofawesomedudes]

Week 4 LOAD Preview

Well, well, well how the turntables have turned. Week 4 and I finally get the preview? Didn’t know this was the year I was going to be so underappreciated, but guess I’ll just go commando, put my baby powder and big dick jeans on and rock this fucking preview. All this bullshit about everyone so nervous about the Browns and Shawn’s just sitting on his front steps, thinking about how bad the Steelers are going to be as he waits for Alyssa to get home with the house keys. Really puts things into perspective, because if you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter. Unless you’re a media member saying something mean and then we will acknowledge you and clap back. Nonetheless, we are in a good spot ready to whip out our cocks after Baker wins this shootout against the Ravens (Dom and Paul take the over, I know a guy ;) Let’s get this party started.

 Kickers & Defense (1-2) vs. Rooney Tunes (0-3)

Well I guess I’ll start out with my most boring preview because it’s not the best matchup. I’m not going to rag on myself because everyone knows I’m a second half team, and Shawn’s like getting married on Friday or whatever. Get over it dude you’re like so thirsty for attention.

^^Enough said

Old Solden > Shawn

 Mahomies Chubbie (2-1) vs. She Diggs My Cobb (0-3)

A matchup of the two newest Lakewood residents. Does it even count if you don’t live with Sam? Idk but they will be sharing the same building which means the amount of Chicken breasts, Chipotle, and gains within those walls are about to increase faster than a black kid who thought he just spotted his dad for the first time. Did I do that right? Trying to mix in a Naggerguy joke for two of my most racist friends. White power. I mean can they be given any more lead roles in movie these days? Why do you have to be a “Black lead” nowadays why can’t you just be a great actor who’s a great fit for the role? Oh shit, this isn’t the SJW blog I write to this is the preview. @Tj, feel free to take that material. As Dom so eloquently put it, based off the viral tweets of several copycat sports writers, Mahomes is having his Curry run and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. I thought Chad’s draft wasn’t as strong as he did, but he’s putting together a nice run with Mr. Heinz himself and a bunch of guys who will start coming back down to Earth by midseason. Mr. Snowman almost completing the quartet of White QB, White Receiver, White TE andddd White Kicker but there’s just no damn white RB’s left in our sacred NFL. Can the real slim shady please stand up? Aw hell, might as well keep the white power trend going for my guys.

Mr. Snowman > Yeah, she was decent

 My Quads Are Dangerou6 (2-1) vs. jared donovan’s Team (2-1)

Our newest member takes on our newest wild card taking over the late great Holla’s spot. Oh shit, I forgot has anyone talked to him to make sure he’s still alive? Ah, I’m sure he’s fine this important. Jared figuring out how to draft a fantasy team is more shocking than Sam switching to structured meal plans where he can have a precise routine that he never changes. Oh wait…No no no it’s more like me masturbating 3 times in a day once a week. Damnit, that’s not right either. I got it! Jared figuring out how to draft is like him being able to cum standing up. Just an absolutely shocking change of pace. Jon, my sweet sweet Jon. I hope the intro to the LOAD and these previews have been nice and not too much of an adjustment you absolute dirty cunt shitbag. Just wait till I play you and shove Bakers fake dong flop (his arm) so far up your ass I’ll be able to use you as a puppet to respond to Cowherds rants about our leader. Woah, blacked out there for a second, I’m back. Welcome to the LOAD! Both teams have some great matchups this week, but I’m going to have to go with Jared on this one, because I’ve seen his Quads and at this point in the year they’re more Dangerou6 than Baker. Put it away, Sam.

Pick a fucking team name > Burgs fiancé

 Uncle Rico (2-1) vs. The Injured Reserve (1-2)

I’ve never seen someone so unhappy to be 2-1 in fantasy through 3 weeks as TJ is. Also, Case, he might need to pay another $5 and borrow your team name if this trend continues. I feel like I have rode the Millennium Falcon the amount of times TJ has changed his mind about fantasy this year, but if there was one thing to bring him back home to his boys it couldn’t have been any better that it was Gardner Minshew. The second? I don’t think anyone knows but damn can that guy throw a football over the mountains. Casey – I don’t know what the last few previews were about your housewarming party was so much fun I don’t remember anything, remember? But for real, the amount of puppy lovers you have in this group and you’re depriving that good boy of his uncles? Fucked up man. How many barkbox reveal snapchats do I have to be personally invested in before I meet this dude in person. With the two lowest projected weeks but the most spunk, I’m going with Tony Two Time Minchewing caseys barkbox and getting the dub.

Uncle Rico > The Injured Reserve

 Butker in the Cooper (3-0) vs. Under the Influwentz (1-2)

Doug, despite what all the other guys have been saying nonstop about you I’m glad you’re still hanging out in the league with us. I will say, if you don’t tell us ahead of time next year that you won’t be able to make the draft on time we’re going to put some kind of penalty on you. I don’t care how many friends/girlfriends you have with boats and docks, next time you’re on time bud. We all saw what happened when Casey had to actually draft (Mixon in the first round), and I would sure love to see that happen to you. Dom, Dom, Dom. Stealing takes about Mahomes, sending absurd trade requests the second I reject one of them. Sending me a trade for multiple mediocre players for my best players is not a good trade Dom, and you’ll never catch me drunk or high enough to get me to go through with one of them. Take your flowy hair, great style, and fake glasses and gtfoh with that. Also, your team is pretty good this year so I’m back to hating you.

Dommy Salami > Mr. Fixer Upper

 **GAME OF THE WEEK**

Christian McCuri’s (1-2) lol vs. JuJu Kachoo (3-0) wow

Flashback to 2016, it’s a breezy morning at 6:29am. Paul is in a fluffy robe and slippers with a vanilla late from the first floor of 12000 Edgewater between both hands keeping him warm. He’s power stance leaning on the ledge of the balcony overlooking the calm swells of Lake Erie. As his hair moves slightly in the wind, he glances down at his apple watch and sees the time is 6:30am. He gives a slight smile and Arthur like fist clench on his side. He knows now his plan is in action. Samuel emerges from his room to the kitchen. It’s time for his morning scrambled eggs, bagel, banana and/or fresh cut pineapple. His first step in, he freezes and immediately knows something is awry. A quick glance to the sink and it sets in. Paul has woken up early and made eggs with the only pan Sam knows how to cook with. As he stares blankly down, now knowing his entire daily routine will be thrown off by approximately 2 minutes and 17 seconds, Paul emerges from the abyss with a fake punch and a whisper in the ear “you’re going down this week, pussy”. For Paul knows now, the entirety of Sam’s day will be slightly askew affirming the real estate he owns in his head. Sam begins to panic – did he pack his lunch the night before? Will his lift be as good as expected after work? Will his chipotle even taste the same? The matchup has been won…….before it even started. Fast forward 3 years, living in separate households, the real estate still exists. Dormant at most times, but enacted upon at the precise moments Sam would never expect. Now it would be downright negligent to say I don’t know what Paul is planning, but I refuse to spoil a well-planned, well-timed prank against a fantasy opponent. Samuel, God’s speed, check your shoes before sliding them on, and check the corners before you turn them.  

Pauly Pranks A Lot > Susceptible Sam

 Chad, she actually wasn’t decent. Boom Roasted. Bennett, fall asleep with the stove on lately? Boom Roasted. Casey, are you and Tim technically eskimo brothers now too? Boom Roasted. Doug gets to do house work every day now? Now we’ll really never see you. Boom Roasted. Shawn you’re about to be married. Are you the bride or the groom? Boom Roasted. Dom, go get me a shot of tequila. Boom Roasted. Paul you’re a pussy queef. Boom Roasted. Sam how are your stepchildren? Just my yearly reminder. Boom Roasted. Jon where are your balls? Oh nvm I see them in Burgs pocket. Boom Roasted. Jared can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoos? Boom Roasted. TJ can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoos? Boom Roasted. Solden can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoo? Boom Roasted.

 Second half team bitches just like the Browns. This is my year and much like the Browns, I’ll be moving to the playoffs and sitting in the champions lounge at year end. Suck my balls. But seriously, love my dawgs, love raggin on all of you, and love receiving it back :). Go Browns. Go LOAD. Solden out.

[randallvangundy]

Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers, also called Yorkies, are adorably small dogs that weigh seven pounds maximum. No wonder they rank 10th as the most popular dog breeds in America. They are known for having a long, silky coat that can turn any passerby’s eyes.

Yorkshire Terriers are cute, loving, and great companions. But, they have a feisty side too. As a matter of fact, some people regard them as a big dog trap in a small dog’s body. They are not afraid of anything, even if they’re up against a big dog or animal.

Yorkshire Terrier Statistics

Dog Breed GroupToy Group Height7-8 inches Weight7 pounds Lifespan11-15 years

Yorkshire Terrier Ratings

Energy level Exercise needs Requires attention Playfulness Trainability Shedding Grooming Friendly with family Friendly with strangers Friendly with other dogs Prey Drive

History Of The Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers were bred in England during the Industrial Revolution to catch rats in mines. It’s believed that this breed was crossbred from different types of terriers such as Clydesdale Terrier, Paisley Terrier, and Skye Terriers.

Yorkshire Terriers are impressive ratters. However, that’s not the only purpose they have during those times. As you know, Yorkshire Terriers are small enough to be carried by hunters in their pockets, plus their bravery was that of a big dog; they’re the most convenient choice for hunting. So, aside from being sent to the mills to exterminate rats, they were also sent to wild animals’ dens to hunt – wild animals such as foxes and badgers.

For a dog this small, it’s undeniably surprising how they can pull off such a courageous job.

During the Victorian Era, things have changed in favor of the Yorkies. From being exterminators in the mills, they became desirable pets for royalty and upper classes. It was during this time that small dogs were on-trend. With the Yorkies’ size and their long, lustrous hair, there was no other dog that looked like them, and they immediately became a symbol of wealth.

However, it was only in the year 1861 that Yorkshire Terriers were presented in a bench show. They were named Broken-haired Scotch Terrier at that time. In 1865, a dog named Huddersfield Ben, the father of the modern terriers, was introduced and became popular immediately. And by the year 1870, the breed was renamed Yorkshire Terrier as it is the place where they were developed.

Temperament Of The Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers are generally affectionate, energetic, and tomboyish. Notice how there’s a balance of bravery and sweetness in there? Well, that’s mainly because Yorkies have a unique personality brought by the combination of a terrier and a toy dog – adventurous and adorable.

With their terrier side, they can be aggressive towards other animals such as dogs and cats. They also need to be active at some time of the day; however, unlike bigger dogs, they don’t require a lot of it. You can set up a few tasks for them to do to give them that sense of purpose (especially that they were bred as working dogs).

As a toy dog, they can be very great companions, especially if you’re a traveler. With their small size, owners can easily carry them inside a bag. Other than that, they are also very confident and work great as therapy dogs for timid people and those with anxiety. They can also quickly adapt well in any type of surroundings, and home situations, may it be in an apartment, a condo, or a house.

Though they can be very friendly with adults, I cannot say the same with little children, especially babies. With their aggressive nature, a Yorkshire Terrier may think of the child as a dog, too, which can be dangerous. They are also not great companions for small companions such as guinea pigs and rabbits because of their hunter background.

However, if you want a Yorkie, the only way to get around this temperament is early socialization. Meaning, if you have a kid, then it would be best to get a young puppy that can grow together with your child. The same thing with cats, Yorkshire Terriers would usually tolerate the animal if they have lived together for some time.

In other words, if you want to own a Yorkshire Terrier, you need to be able to create a balance between his two temperaments. Socialize him with different people, animals, and sights. If properly raised, they can become amiable and well-rounded dogs.

Yorkshire Terrier Care Requirements

Nutrition: Yorkshire Terriers, just like any other dog, needs a healthy and well-balanced meal. It also needs to be of high-quality to maintain their long and silky coat. With a weight of 3-7 pounds, Yorkies would need 150 calories of food daily if inactive. However, if they are active, 200 calories a day should suffice. Dry food is highly recommended so they can also maintain healthy teeth. At the same time, this wouldn’t get stuck on the long hair on their face. If you opt to prepare a meal for them, make sure that there’s a balance of protein, vegetables, fruits, and carbs, with protein as the primary ingredient. You can get this protein from chicken, fish, lamb, or turkey. For carbohydrates, you can opt for brown rice and sweet potatoes. They are excellent sources of fiber as well. Maintaining a well-balanced diet will help your Yorkie maintain their energy and keep their right weight.

Grooming: Yorkshire Terriers’ hair doesn’t shed. However, it grows continuously up to two feet if not trimmed. Though this is not a problem since it’s one thing that makes Yorkies attractive, keeping the hair long would also mean daily brushing if you don’t want it to form knots. The hair on the upper part of her head needs regular trimming to avoid eye irritation. They would also need to have a bath at least once a week. Before bathing, make sure to brush the hair first and entangle any knots. You can run your fingers to your Yorkies coat. Don’t forget to check their ears and nails. The ears should be kept clean, and the nails should always be trimmed. Trimming the hair might also be needed if it becomes too long. However, it’s still best to have a professional do this. If you want to do it on your own, make sure to be very careful, or you can get yourself trained too to ensure your Yorkie’s safety.

Exercise: Yorkshire Terriers may be small in size, but they do need some exercise too. You can take them for a walk at least once a day. Make sure the pace is steady and one that will not require him to take big breaths. Also, keep him in a leash as they enjoy wandering around. Other than the daily walks, you can also give them cardio exercise once or twice a week. There are different ways that you can do this: hide and seek, fetch, frisbee. Just make sure always to prepare a treat every after your Yorkie does an excellent job to keep his mood up.

Health: Yorkshire Terriers generally have a longer lifespan; however, just like any other dog breed, they can be prone to some health problems. Most of these are brought about by genetic disorders. Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s), a malfunction in the adrenal glands which produces a lot of steroid hormones, is one genetic problem that affects Yorkshire Terriers the most. They can also develop eye problems, liver problems, heart diseases, and problems in bones and joints. Dental diseases, infections, obesity, allergies, and parasites are also common problems of dogs in general that you need to watch out for. Another thing that you need to remember that Yorkies are not great swimmers. So, always keep an eye on them if near any body of water.

Lifespan: The life expectancy of Yorkshire Terriers is 11-15 years.

Famous Yorkshire Terriers

Mr. Famous: Audrey Hepburn’s Yorkshire Terrier; starred in one of her movies, Funny Face

Mignon: A famous Yorkie that starred on Green Acres which ran from 1965-1971

Doogie: Whitney Houston’s Yorkie

Moses: The family dog of the Fockers’ family in the movie Meet the Fockers

Huddersfield Ben: champion show dog; foundation sire for the Yorkshire Terrier

Cede Higgins: The first Yorkshire Terrier to win Popular Best Show Award at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 1978

Ozmilion Mystification: The first Yorkie to win Best Show at Crufts

Sylvia: Owned by Arthur Marples; the smallest dog in recorded history

Smokie: World War II hero; owned by William Wyne of Cleveland, Ohio

Pashna: Owned by First Lady, Tricia Nixon

Fun Facts About Yorkshire Terriers

Yorkshire Terriers were initially rat hunters.

They were originally called Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers for nearly a decade.

Yorkshire Terriers’ hair can grow up to two feet long; their hair doesn’t shed.

Yorkshire Terriers are prone to reverse sneezing, which creates funny noises.

Yorkshire Terriers are one of the first registered dog breeds in AKC.

Although known as the second smallest breed, Yorkshire Terriers aren’t afraid to stand up to larger dogs or animals in general.

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