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worminstuff · 3 years

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The moon is beautiful, isn’t it? pt.2

Dream x oc

dreams got a new infatuation with a new member of L’manburg

no warnings:)yet

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Fin took a deep breath, the smell of baked goods flooding her senses. It was a brisk morning and Nikki had woken finley up to take her to the bakery with her. She wanted company and she really wanted to get to know her new friend.

The night prior, Nikki was excitedly talking to Wilbur about how it was going to be so nice having another girl around, so Wilbur suggested she ask Finley to tag along with her the next morning knowing Fin would be more than happy to do so.

“So you go by Finley only?” Nikki asked the small girl to sit at the table behind her.

“Well I used to. But now Tubbo decided he wanted to call me mags, and I couldn't say no.” Fin traced the lines of the wood table.

“Tubbo is hard to say no to in general. How come you don't like maggie though? I think that's a very cute name.” Nikki turned to face fin.

“Well that's the point. It's too cute, you know? Don't want to seem all soft.” Finley waved her arm as if she was brushing away a fly.

Nikki gave her a sceptical look. Fin was small, wearing black patchwork overalls and green turtleneck shirt with a little duck embroidered under her collar. She wasn't exactly dressed tough.

Before she could reply, “Good morning women!” Tommy strode in, a grin adorning his red cheeks.

“Morning Tommy.” Nikki grumbled back.

“Hello Maggie!” he plopped himself down in a chair across from Finley, she glared. “You know, Maggie is more fitting than Finley I think. It just fits you better. I would still like to know your first name.'' Tommy leaned on the table staring her down.

“I'll be keeping that to myself.” Fin said, earning a snicker from Nikki behind them.

Tommy huffed. “What do you have a tragic backstory with?”

“No, I just don't want you to call me it.” she said frankly.

Tommys brows furrowed. “Then I wont. I just want to know what it is, I'm a curious boy. I'll have you know.”

Finley huffed. “I can't tell you why.” she looked towards her hands on the table. “it’s Magnolia.”

Tommy started a moment, no laugh, no gin, no tease, just staring. Nikki stared at Tommy, a spatula in hand ready to hit him with.

“Thats a beautiful name.”

Both nikki and fins eyes went wide, fins head whipping up to look at him.

“It's very beautiful. Magnolia.” he repeated to himself. “Shame you're not a fan of it, i love it.” there was no trace of a lie in his features, he was being honest.

Tommy turned around momentarily to look at Nikki, “A word of this to the others and i'll burn your house or something.” he turned back to Fin. “I want you to know that I may be rude sometimes, and i'm aware of it, but you're one of us. You're family, and I'm by your side. Im glad you trust me enough to tell me your name, I really do like it by the way. Beautiful flowers magnolias are.” Tommy stood, holding a hand out for her. She stood wearily.

“C'mere flower.” he joked, gesturing her closer. He pulled her into a brotherly hug. A quick one. He let go, waving to both girls as he left the bakery.

Both girls stood shell shocked for a moment.

Fin looked at Nikki, “Does he-”

“No. I’ve never.. Ever seen.. Tommy be that kind.” nikkis eyes were still wide.

“Well.. I think i'm gonna go walk around some. Explore a bit.”

“Of course! It was wonderful hanging out with you, I'd love if you hung out here more. If you'd like of course.” Nikki said, a comforting smile on her face.

Finley nodded, matching her grin,”I will! it’s very nice here. i like it a lot.” then made her way out.

She followed the wooden path down to the docks she went to days prior, listening to the faint swishing of the calm water below the wood her feet walked across.

Once she made it to the end of the longest dock, she pulled a pen and paper from the front pocket of her overalls, sitting on the dock. She placed the paper on her leg, starting a response to the anonymous letter she received last night.

I don't particularly know why I'm doing this, because I'm almost sure Mr. Soot would advise against it, but it's quite exciting i think.

Hello mr letter writer! I'm Fin! You already know what i look like apparently, since you're a stalker and a burglar, so I won't describe myself that way. I don't really know what to tell you.

My favorite color is green, and I really like knives. Not in a crazy serial killer way, I just think they're cool. I like that you told me to look at the moon, cause I really like the moon. And the ocean.

My favorite place so far is the docks.

So far I've met most of the people of L’manburg. Tubbo and nikki are my first friends. Today I met tommy for the second time, and he seems actually very nice. I told him my full name, which only tubbo knew before. Wilbur as well, but I didn't tell Wilbur.

I asked Tubbo who on the smp he was afraid of, and he mentioned this guy's dream. I haven't heard anyone else mention him though, so I wonder how scary he really is. Have you met him? You seem creepy so maybe you hangout with the scary people.

I saw two guys on the way out this morning, one was wearing sunglasses at dusk, which was strange. The other had a cool headband on. I wanted to say hello because they seem cool but Wilbur didn't introduce me to them so i don't want to talk to anyone he'd be angry at me for talking to. I don't feel like rebelling too much just yet, you know?

I hope you have a nice day mr. burglar.

Fin folded the paper in three, and stood to place it in the box at the end of the dock. She wondered how long it would take to see a response. She knew she was going to check the next morning.

This person seemed..strange. Yet she was very intrigued. She just won't be mentioning this to Wilbur any time soon.

“It's not an obsession.” Dream huffed to his fiery friend.

“It seems like it. She's all you've been thinking about since you saw her, and you don't even know her name!” Sapnap’s arms flailed above his head.

George snickered behind them. George was sitting on a couch in the room across from them as they argued while sitting at the dining table.

“Dream you are being a bit..strange about her. I mean, what's the deal? She doesn't exactly seem..extraordinary.” he shrugged.

Dream shot him a deathly glare to which George flinched. Yeesh.

“Okay okay i'll take it back” he held his hands up in surrender.

All three of them paused for a moment, and the dream took a deep breath.

“Maybe.. I should ask Wilbur about her.” a devilish grin spread across his face.

Sapnap and George groaned loudly.

“Why the hell would that be a good idea, Dream?” George said.

“Think about it, he thinks he's got a new fighter of some sort. Another soldier. But he also seems like he has some sort of connection with her, he cares. So if he knows i've got an eye out for her, there's no way he'd put her in battle. Who knows what she's capable of so that only benefits us!” Dream stared at Sapnap excitedly.

“You're insane. Absolutely bonkers.” he shook his head standing up abruptly to make his way to his room.

Dreams' shoulders sank. It was sort of a poor excuse, but his mind was set.

“Where are you going?” George asked dream just before he was about to pass through the front door.

“I think you know.”

He at least needed to know her name. At least.

Dream didn't often is it l’manburg when there wasn't some type of damage about to be done, which is why he understood the wide eyes and stiff stance of wilbur as he stepped into what wilbur referred to as his “office” just inside the walls of L’manburg.

“Relax, i'm here to ask some questions. That's all.'' Dream tried to show him he came in peace by attempting to seem as relaxed as possible. Limp shoulders, loose hands.

He reached behind his head, unclipping the clasp holding his mask on. He held it in front of hi a tad, “See, I’ll even take this off Mr. President.”

Wilbur stood only staring. What the hell? He's barely spoken to in dreams, especially like this.

He hummed, “Alright.. What questions do you have for me then?” he hesitantly clasped his hands together in front of himself.

“About the new girl.” Dream tried to hide a grin.

Wilburs eyes narrowed and his shoulders squared. Dream had already hit a nerve.

“Ronny?..” he mumbled. What could Dream want with her? “Not quite sure what you're on about.” he tried to shake it off. Dream wasn't buying it.

“Oh come on. short, “ dream held his hand up around his middle, “freckles, had overalls on. Who is she?” his question sounded more like a statement in a way.

Wilbur sighed, “That would be FInley. She's the sister of an old friend of mine.”

Dream let it simmer for a moment. Finley. That's adorable. Not the first name he said, though.

“If her name is Finley, why'd you say Ronny?” Dream asked, a tilt to his head.

“That's what I call her. She goes by Finley. I call her what her brother always called her. I don't quite see how any of this is your business?” wilbur was starting to get annoyed. What could he want with Fin? Nothing good he was sure.

“I was just curious that's all.” he pulled his mask to his face, clipping the clasp behind his head. A brother. Wilbur knew her brother, why would he be here though?

“She is technically under the jurisdiction of the smp. As “L’manburg” “ he held up his hands in air quotes, “isn't independent quite yet, Mr. Soot.”

Wilbur stayed silent. He figured this was a time that he should stay silent rather than speak his mind.

Dream saluted him with a slight bow of his head as he ducked out of the doorway, leaving without a farewell.

As Dream left L’manburg his head was swimming with thoughts of the small girl. Finley. He wondered if she liked his letter, if she would write back. He didn't know what he'd do if she didn't. Maybe another trip to L’manburg would be made, he thought.

#dreamsmp #dream team fanfic #dreamteam #dreamwastaken #badboyhalo #dream fanfic #dream smp #sapnap #dream x reader #dream x oc #dream smp fanfiction #dream smp fluff #dreamsmp fluff #dreamsmp fanfic #dreamsmp x oc

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pheedraws · 4 years

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character study

tagged by the lovely @chuckhansen and @scarlettkat86! thank you both ❤

tagging @spicevalleys @tomexraider @amistrio @starsandskies @tommymillers and anyone else who would like to do it!

(since I haven’t spoken about the Fallout Duo yet I figured I’d do them...)

Layer 01: The Outside

Name: Nathaniel Wells (goes by ‘Nate’).

Eye Color: dark brown.

Hair Style/Color: warm black, kept short pre-war due to profession and personal preference; lets it grow longer after leaving the vault. same applies to facial hair.

Height: 6′1″

Clothing Style: dressed relatively smartly pre-war, wears whatever he can get his hands on nowadays (mainly scavenged armor or leathers suitable for mercenary work).

Best Physical Feature: his smile.

Layer 02: The Inside

Fears: losing Nora (after they’ve reunited), mirelurks, the glowing sea.

Guilty Pleasures: fancy lad snack cakes, getting on Mag’s nerves, watching the sun rise.

Biggest Pet-peeves: getting stuck training new Operators recruits (thanks, William), dealing with raiders all damn day.

Ambitions For The Future: survive, try to rebuild what they’ve lost, putting an end to the Institute’s bullshit.

Layer 03: Thoughts

First Thought Waking Up: *sigh* another day...

What They Think About Most: how things were before the war, what he’s lost... mostly he stews over what happened to Nora and Shaun; getting knocked out by Kellogg's bullet and frozen for another sixty years left him with a lot of gaps in that particular memory..

What They Think About Right Before Bed: what bullshit am I going to have to deal with tomorrow?

What They Think Their Good Quality Is: his loyalty.

Layer 04: Either Or

Single or Group Dates: while group dates were fun before the war, as he and Nora got more serious they both preferred just simply being with each other.

To Be Loved or Respected: respected.

Beauty or Brains: brains; kind of the difference between life or death now...

Dogs or Cats: dogs.

Layer 05: Do They...

Lie: he tries not to; he’s never been a convincing liar.

Believe In Themselves: he has moments of doubt and insecurities, but mercifully most got left behind when the bombs fell. combat is what he’s good at, what he’s used to, so those intrusive thoughts are easier to ignore these days.

Believe In Love: 100%, he tried to play it cool at first, but the moment he met Nora? he knew.

Want Someone: no one could replace Nora in his eyes.

Layer 06: Have They...

Been On Stage: yes; he reluctantly got roped into giving a lot of recruitment speeches when in the military.

Done Drugs: recreationally? never. he’ll even avoid using Med-X wherever possible.

Changed Who They Were To Fit In: before the bombs fell he’d always been quietly confident in himself and who he was, never really feeling the need to put up a facade or fake a personality to get by. post-war? he definitely ups the bravado to fit in with the others at Nuka World.

Layer 07: What’s Their...

Favorite Color: green (totally not because Nora first hit on him saying his uniform brought out his eyes).

Favorite Animal: dogs.

Favorite Book: Moby Dick.

Favorite Game: baseball (you would not believe how happy it made him that Fenway survived all-out nuclear war).

Layer 08: Age

Day Their Next Birthday Will Be: march 30.

How Old Will They Be: 239...

Layer 09: I...

I Love: my wife, my son, my family.

I Feel: apprehensive about the future; things can’t really get any worse, but will they ever get better?

I Hide: how lost I feel in this new world sometimes.

I Miss: my wife, my family, how easy things were before the war... and baseball.

I Wish: something good comes of all this.

Layer 01: The Outside

Name: Nora Wells.

Eye Color: dark brown.

Hair Style/Color: dark brown, usually meticulously styled. she still attempts to style it post-war, shortage of hairspray be damned.

Height: 5′4″

Clothing Style: like Nate, dressed smartly pre-war, favoring trouser suits to skirts. wears whatever she can get her hands on after leaving the vault, though she is still drawn to pre-war aesthetics.

Best Physical Feature: her eyes.

Layer 02: The Inside

Fears: not being able to find Shaun, losing Nate again (post-reunion), letting Preston and the Minutemen down.

Guilty Pleasures: hoarding any and all red lipstick she comes across, nuka cola, talking about the good ol’ days with Nick

Biggest Pet-peeves: Travis talking over songs on the radio, no bubble baths, getting stuck in rad storms.

Ambitions For The Future: find Shaun, stop the Institute, make the commonwealth a better place for settlers.

Layer 03: Thoughts

First Thought Waking Up: sanctuary really needs better mattresses...

What They Think About Most: how she’s going to find Shaun, how much she misses Nate and... before.

What They Think About Right Before Bed: wonder what’s gonna break tomorrow... please don’t let it be the water pump again.

What They Think Their Good Quality Is: her wit.

Layer 04: Either Or

Single or Group Dates: her and Nate had plenty of mutual friends who they loved going out with, but those times where it was just the two of them? those were her favourites.

To Be Loved or Respected: respected.

Beauty or Brains: she’s always believed in a healthy mix of the two.

Dogs or Cats: dogs [Dogmeat loved that]

Layer 05: Do They...

Lie: she has a way with words, so if a little white lie is going to help their cause or keep someone safe? she has no objection to it.

Believe In Themselves: Nora seems like a confident person, always has, but inside? she has a lot of doubts, doubly so after the war. she has more people relying on her now than ever before, so she often agonizes over whether she’s doing enough.

Believe In Love: of course. her and Nate were insufferable saps before the war and nothing could ever weaken that bond, not even death.

Want Someone: romantically? no. she wants her family back.

Layer 06: Have They...

Been On Stage: while she hasn’t been on stage outside of presentations and graduations, Nora treated the courtroom like a stage and boy, could she perform...

Done Drugs: she once tried Mentats while studying for high school exams with a friend. they really weren’t worth the yelling she received from her mother afterwards.

Changed Who They Were To Fit In: she did feel pressures to fit in throughout her youth, whether with friends or at school, and while she never intentionally set out to do so, she did change aspects of her personality depending on who she was with. thankfully no one really cares about appearances these days.

Layer 07: What’s Their

Favorite Color: red (and yes, she does need a lipstick in every shade).

Favorite Animal: foxes.

Favorite Book: The Maltese Falcon.

Favorite Game: blackjack (baseball is a close second).

Layer 08: Age

Day Their Next Birthday Will Be: june 3.

How Old Will They Be: 237. cryogenic stasis does wonders for anti-aging.

Layer 09: I...

I Love: my husband, my son, my family, Dogmeat.

I Feel: out of my depth, worried I’ll never get Shaun back.

I Hide: how lonely I feel.

I Miss: Nate, my family, hot running water.

I Wish: we can change the commonwealth for the better, and put an end to the institutes reign of terror.

#....I started writing this out three hours ago whoops #sorry to my dog who has been waiting for a walk since then #oc: nathaniel 'nate' wells #oc: nora wells #x: we'll meet again #Fallout #Fallout 4 #oc stuff #tag game

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valkerymillenia · 4 years

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@animecat33 tagged me for this

Rules: Name 10 characters from 10 different fandoms that you like, then tag 10 people.

I enjoyed this but... At first I thought, do I even have 10 I consider favs? And then I ended up with a list of, like, 25, and couldn’t pick 10 so I chose more or less at random. And I admit I cheated seeing as some kind of fit in the same fandom in some way.

It’s just too hard picking favorites.

Undercut, cause it’s gonna be a loooong post.

1. Morticia Addams (Addams Family)

My tattoo probably makes this one obvious.

I love Morticia so much, not only do I love her aesthetic, I just love her personality and attitude, not to mention her marriage is ‘goals’ and as a mother and matriarch she’s incredibly supportive and loving despite the unorthodox life the Addams’ live. I love a character that can be a mother without having it define her completely.

2. Catwoman/Selina Kyle (DC)

Selina was one of my OG crushes back before I even understood what I crush was or that being queer was even a thing (looking at you, Michelle Pfiffer).

I love her style and strength and personality (when she's well written), her grey morals and competence, and cats are just my thing, ok? Plus bisexual icon.

Have you noticed I have a thing for a dark women with grey morals?

3. Raven/Rachel Roth (Teen Titans/DC)

I kinda share a name with Raven but that's not why I like her. I've always loved the emotional complexity of this character, her incredible power (and how it's also her weakness), and style as well. I'm not too thrilled about some more recent incarnations of her but she'll always be an OG fav.

4. Nightwing/Dick Grayson (DC)

Yeah, yeah, DC again, look the other way, please (they have individual comics anyway).

I couldn't leave out my darling Dickie. I grew up with this dude and I love his backstory and relationship with his family. He's a beautiful ray of sunshine with a dark streak, a competent leader without being a broody bossy jerk like some and he's very well rounded and consistent in his characterization (plus that design is top notch). I know the Romani thing was a ret-con on something just vaguely implied in the past but honestly it was a good one and some much needed rep despite the constant whitewashing (though not as bad as others in his family).

Also, he drinks his 'respect woman juice', he's flawed without being edgy, and has been queer-coded and female-troped for decades which makes him much more likeable as a male character. He actually became an LGBT icon despite the cowards at DC constantly trying to shove heteronormativity into his storyline.

5. Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond (Steve Universe)

Is she problematic? Yes and that's part of the appeal.

I already loved Rose when she was this sweet, compassionate and wise old soul, this rebel and leader and mother with many secrets.

I guessed really early on that she was PD so that part didn't surprise me but when the backstory of her as PD finally appeared to give us so more in-depth knowledge I was surprised by the amount of hate the character got. To me, her flaws, pain, mistakes and growth were part of the allure.

Also, gorgeous and much needed plus-size rep. I loved cosplaying her more than anything.

6. Princess Leia (Star Wars)

Did I like her style or design? Nope, I much prefer her mother's but Leia is an immensely competent, wise, strong female character that takes no bullshit from the male-dominated plot around her, she deserved so much better. Honestly, she deserved her own goddamn movie.

Carrie Fisher was a feminist icon and an advocate for mental illness visibility. She's was also fucking hilarious. All this translated into Leia's character very well and she deserved so much better from society than being sexualized in a metal bikini and remembered that way forever.

7. Hela (Thor Ragnarok/Marvel)

I already loved Hela's character in the comics (except the arc where she sexually abuses Thor, that was shitty edgelord writing and I refuse to acknowledge it's existence) but Ragnarok gave her a whole new meaning.

Firstly, my God is she hot! Just.... Umpf! Step on me, queen.

Secondly, she's dark and evil but she has a goddamn point (people are hypocrites). And in the comics she's not even evil, she's neutral and only a villain because she opposes Thor on a personal level. She's also incredibly competent at what she does and if that isn't a turn-on idk what is.

8. Korra (Legend of Korra)

Korra will always be bae. There's a reason my behemoth of a fic revolved around her.

Not only is she incredibly well-rounded and fun, she's also very competent, has a fascinating backstory and is immensely powerful, plus she grows beautifully through her show. Not to mention she's GORGEOUS.

POC and LGBT rep, plus she showcased one of the most incredible arcs on disability and recovery that I've ever seen in a family show.

9. Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff (Marvel)

You can pry Wanda from my cold dead hands.

I'm not even the biggest fan of her movie version, I'm all about comic Wanda.

POC rep and an incredibly visceral portrayal of mental illness and trauma. And she's beautiful beyond reason, morally grey, and powerful as hell.

Most of all what I like about Wanda is how loyal and family-oriented she is without letting it diminish her as an individual or as a powerhouse character, so many female characters loose all agency and individuality when they have kids, they get delegated to role of mother and lose their heroics or become extensions of their husbands and children, Wanda was nothing like that. Her relationship with her brother is fascinating too (let's pretend the incesty vibes in certain alt universes don't exist).

I only hate that she and Pietro always get the short stick in adaptations and their origins keep getting needlessly retconned (Magneto's kids with his Romani wife, raised by someone else- that's it, stop trying to change it and then change it back over and over). That and how she's not allowed to have her well deserved relationship with her babies because of stupid old-fashioned comic rules that led to a needlessly convuloted and far-fetch story arc (the erasure, reencarnation and hyper-aging of her sons).

10. Jessica Rabbit (WFRR)

For most people, Jessica's appeal is "she's hot" and yes, this "pinup femme fatale" look really does things to me, I won't lie about that, but that's not why she's my favorite.

Jessica is fav because she's loyal and loving to her goofy husband, she completely turns the femme fatale trope upside down for love and doesn't give a damn about looks, she uses her appearance as a weapon and she's confident but she's clearly not vain ("I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" and "He makes me laugh"). She's also hilarious in her own deadpan way.

Other worthy mentions to this list are:

Wednesday Addams

Mystique (Marvel)

Shuri (Marvel)

Maleficent (Disney)

Vanya Hargreeves (TUA)

Blind Mag (Repo!)

Venom (Marvel)

Lust (FMA)

Evelyn O'Connell (The Mummy)

Alice Lidell (Alice Madness)

Jessica Jones (Marvel)

The Kagamine twins (vocaloid)

Amon (LoK)

Sesshoumaru (Inuyasha)

Loki (Marvel comics)

Liadan (Sevenwaters)

Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Crowley (Good Omens)

Jericho (Titans/DC)

Sadako Yamamura (from the Ring BOOKS)

Susan Sto-Helit (Discworld)

I tag... @dymosara @abnaxus @polyx @bluetalesoftheheart @adka2333 @shinladyanarki @i-have-all-these-freaking-uwus @frank-a-lank @fluffynexu @teddy-fluffnhugs

#tag game #10 fav characters

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ubernoxa · 4 years

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The Dare: A Guns N’ Roses FanFic

Chapter 30: Little Things

Chapter Summary: Sometimes the little things in life make the biggest of differences.

(Masterlist)

Taglist: @gingerspicetalks @str4nge-haze @queen-crue

The guys had all decided to stay in that night, which was music to Delilah’s ears when Duff called her inviting her over. She was looking forward to a quiet night not being surrounded by strangers. She wondered if tonight Duff was going to pull her aside and finally tell her about Seattle. It was getting harder and harder for Delilah to ignore the torturous voices that filled her head.

He doesn’t care for you.

He is only with you because he is bored.

He is going to break up with you before he leaves for Seattle. Why else would he not tell you about the gigs?

Once another girl comes along, you’ll be yesterday’s news.

Honestly, who could love someone like you?

Who could love someone as broken as you?

The memory of her and Mag’s conversation before Stef picked her up filled her head.

(Flashback)

“What did he say?” Mags had given up at beating around the bush. She needed answers. The fact that Delilah hadn’t confronted Duff about Seattle blew her mind. She would have confronted Duff the moment she found out about Seattle if she was in Delilah’s position, but she wasn’t Delilah.

“Well...here’s the thing Mags...”

“You didn’t ask him? How could you not ask him? He is leaving in like 3 days for a week to Seattle and he hasn’t said a word! How have you guys not talked about it?” Mags wanted to scream at Delilah, but she couldn’t. For one thing she didn’t want Tonya to hear, but Mags also saw something in Delilah. Fear.

“No Mags I didn’t because I’m not supposed to know. What if he takes it the wrong way? What if he thinks I’m being needy or that I’m stalking him? I just.........I just...I don’t want to lose him. He was acting weird last night. He wouldn’t let me leave his side. It was so out of character, so I didn’t want to...make thing worse,” Delilah snapped back the words coming out as harsh as she had meant them. She remained staring out the window as the tears quickly ran down her cheek.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to press. I was just worried ok? I worry about you almost as much as my idiot brother,” Mags said trying to get a laugh out of Delilah.

Silence filled the room as Delilah continued to stare out the window.

“What if I bore him,” the words left Delilah’s mouth barely audible.

“No no no Delilah you don’t bore him,” Mags swiftly sat down next to Delilah and wrapped her arm around her. Any fool could see how he looked at her. One might speculate that he was in love. Mags hoped that one day she would find that. Maybe she should try praying? If that’s how Delilah found Duff then why not try talking to this God guy?

“Really? Explain to me this, why would he want to be with someone like me? Just look at me! He is this amazing bassist and could probably have any girl he want. There are hundreds of chicks millions of times hotter than me, but he chose me. Am I like a pity date? Is it because Trixy called me a whore and he feels bad,” Mags remained frozen with eyes wide open trying to understand what the hell Delilah was going on about. The longer Mags thought about what Delilah said, the more confused she became.

“That makes absolutely no sense,” Mags snapped back.

Delilah ignored Mags as she continued to stare out the window. There was no changing

her mind.

“Jesus Fucking Christ Delilah,”

“Don’t say that. Don’t use his name like that,” Delilah stood up and sulked over towards the kitchen.

(End flashback)

She had never felt so alone as she sat on the old couch in Duff’s lap as she snapped back to reality. This party was more packed than any party she had been to before. It was worse than the Motley party Duff took her to not too long ago. Just like that party, she wasn’t enjoying herself. She wished she could have brought Mags or even Tonya along, but Mags was still hungover or sick from the night before and Tonya didn’t want to leave Mags alone.

“Hey, want another?”

Delilah turned to Duff and offered him a quick nod. The pair left the packed room after while Duff offered his hand for her to hold while following him towards what Delilah could only assume to be the kitchen .

“This doesn’t look like the way to the kitchen,” Delilah smiled as she stared at the window at the end of the hallway. It was clear that Duff was up to something. He felt relief flow through his as Delilah sent him the first genuine smile of the night.

“Hmm, that’s strange. I could have sworn that the kitchen was this way,” Duff let out a laugh before he climbed through the window onto the fire escape. Delilah was right behind him, ever curious to where he was headed.

“I guess I made the right choice and wore pants,” Duff’s heart fluttered as he heard Delilah giggle at her own comment.

“Axl said that him and Slash would only invite a couple people over, and before I knew it four people turned into half of the fuckin’ strip,” Delilah smiled at the thought of Duff wanting to have just a quiet night of drinking. It was calming to her.

Delilah could finally hear herself think when Duff brought her to the roof. She felt a sense of calming flow through her as the memories from the last time she was on this roof filled her. The memories of their first kiss.

“Did you plan this?” Delilah motioned towards the red blanket that was placed on the roof. A pile of dandelions resting on the blanket with a couple of sunflowers in the center.

Duff nodded as he held her hand guiding her to the blanket. There was nothing in the world that could remove the smile that formed on Duff’s face.

It had taken hours to find the dandelions and steel the sunflowers, but it was worth it. The look on her face was worth every second.

Delilah giggled as she picked up one of the of the dandelions and placed it behind Duff’s ear.

As she gazed into the sunflowers, she wondered if he knew what they were to her. Did he know what they meant? It was always the little things with Duff. It was the little things he did that made the big difference.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been quiet all night,” despite Duff’s non sober state, he could tell that Delilah wasn’t acting right. Her smile was off, the way she laughed was off, hell, even the kiss she gave him when he first saw her today was off.

“It’s just......a lot,” Delilah knew she couldn’t lie to Duff. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it, so she decided on saying a partial truth.

Duff nodded his head as he took another sip of his drink.

“I’m sorry Duff, I just....” Duff pulled Delilah in for a kiss before she could continue talking.

“Wait here,” Duff whispered once he broke the the kiss and headed off the roof.

Delilah let a groan escape her as she laid down on the blanket.

It was one word, one stupid word. All she had to say was Seattle. She didn’t even have to make a sentence. SEATLE SEATLE SEATLE.

“Did ya miss me?” Delilah perked her head over towards Duff when she heard his voice.

She smiled as she saw a blue acoustic guitar in his hand, “Ohh am I gonna get a super exclusive personal show from the famous rockstar Duff McKagan?”

“Maybe,” Duff kissed her forehead before taking a step back.

Delilah shoved all thoughts of Seattle to the back of her head as she watched Duff begin to play the opening to a song she had heard countless times. She wondered if Duff chose her favorites song on purpose.

“Take me down to the Delilah city where the apartment is clean and the girls are pretty.

Take me home, oh won't you please take me home.

Take me down to the Delilah city where the she makes cuisine and the she is witty.

Take me home, oh won't you please take me home,” the smile on Delilah’s face never faltered as Duff continued to sing with the altered lyrics.

It wasn’t until the last chorus that the butterflies went to complete chaos in her stomach.

“Take me out of this idiot city,

Where Duff ain’t stupid and life ain’t pretty

Take me home, oh won't you please take me home.”

Duff placed the guitar down once he finished the song. He promptly sat down next to Delilah and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Thoughts?”

“I like the bit about Duff being stupid. I think the scarves or bandanas he wears around his head sometimes cut off the circulation to his brain,” Delilah teased leaning into him as she spoke. They sat in silence for a few minutes, surrounded by the noise of the Saturday night on the strip.

“I should have told you the moment I found out,” Duff kissed her forehead once he finished talking.

“Why didn’t you?”

“I overanalyzed the shit out of it. I was worried you would think that I didn’t want you to meet my parents,” Duff felt a weight off his chest once he told Delilah. Steven and Izzy were right, he should have done this days ago.

“Well I overanalyzed the shit out of you not telling me about it,” Delilah played with her thumbs as she spoke back.

“I should have told you the moment I found out you were going to Seattle,” Delilah could hear Mags and Tonya screaming at her to not apologize. They believed that it wasn’t her fault, and there was no need to apologize. Delilah still blamed herself.

With a smile on his face, Duff leaned in and began to slowly kiss her. It was gentle like the countless ones they had shared before this one, but there was something different.

Delilah sat with her hands in her lap frozen as Duff began to kiss the sweet spot on her neck causing a small moan to escape her lips. She was frozen in place as the butterflies flipped not only her stomach, but her brain as well. She was frozen in place, unable to move.

Delilah was naive, but she wasn’t a fool. Once the butterflies calmed down, she could clearly think again. She knew what Duff wanted. She placed her hand on his knee and he placed his hand around Delilah’s slowly inching it up.

Electricity shot through Duff as she gently held her hand on his member. Delilah watched as his eyes widened with excitement as he deepened the kiss.

“Let’s....lets go downstairs shall we?” Duff motioned towards the fire escape as he helped Delilah up. Delilah picked up some of the flowers, along with the blanket, and headed back into the apartment.

Duff motioned for Delilah to wait in the kitchen, not wanting her to see Slash potentially naked having sex with some chick.

Duff felt a sigh of relief as he saw Slash sitting on the couch in the living room. All it took was a look across the room for Slash to know what Duff was asking. Slash nodded his head and quickly whispered something into Steven’s ear earning a giggle was him.

Delilah picked up the phone as it continued to ring for the third time.

“Hello?” Delilah was thankful that the cord was just long enough for her to take the phone in the bathroom.

“Is Delilah there? I’m her roommates Tonya, I have something I need to tell her,” Delilah smiled as she heard Tonya’s voice.

“This is me!”

“You need to come back to the apartment Del, it’s Mags..”

“What’s...what’s wrong with her is she okay?”

“She’s fine Del, perfect health. She might need your....emotional support,” Delilah’s heart sunk as she heard those final words.

Mags laughed at the rain that poured around her. How fitting, how fucking fitting. The one silver lining is that he couldn’t see the tears that had been running down her face. Tonya and Del has offered to go with her, but Mags was afraid that he would feel like they were ambushing him.

The loud bang from the thunder filled the air matching the storm that lived inside Mags. The thunder was followed by the echoing of footsteps.

He was here.

“Are you okay,”

Mags wanted to speak, but her voice had disappeared.

“What’s wrong Mags, it sounded urgent. I have a deadline to make, and I need to get back to work. What’s wrong?” Drew stood in front of Mags in the pouring rain. He wasn’t in the mood for this.

Mag’s arm shot out in front of her as she handed Drew the white plastic. Such a little thing, such a little thing made such a big difference.

#duff mckagan #the dare #the dare fanfic #duff mckagan / oc #duff mckagan imagine #duff mckagan fanfic #duff mckagan fanfiction #gnr imagine #gnr fanfiction #gnr fanfic #guns n’ roses fanfic #guns n’ roses imagine #guns n’ roses fanfiction

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believingbrook · 6 years

Text

taakitz hanahaki, 5

He spends the evening and subsequent morning trembling more often than not. His sister is quick to help whenever his body racks with coughs, steadying hands on his shoulders, his chest, his cheeks. The weed-killer concoction Merle whipped up tastes absolutely foul, but it tastes better than literally dying, so Kravitz will take what he can get.

In truth, he breathes more easily than he has in weeks. But the attacks only grow steadily more frequent as the hours wear on, and by five in the morning the next day Merle tells Raven gruffly to lay off the weed-killer or she’s going to tear holes in his stomach and then he’ll start coughing up blood for real.

Kravitz can’t convince her to sleep, though he tries, plaintively, for three hours. He’s a big boy, he points out, a wry twist to his lips, and besides if he needs anything he has Merle; even still, he wins only by pointing out that they’re out of groceries and he’d like to not die of nutrient-deprivation before the disease gets him.

“An hour,” she promises, keys in hand. “I’ll just be gone an hour. Hold — hold on.”

“Holding,” he says, and smiles for her as best he can.

As soon as she’s gone he slumps back against the couch and stares at the ceiling. He’d traced the pattern of whirls on their ceiling hundreds of times when he was child, but it’s different now; the graceful swoops seem shorter, their ends more abrupt.

He tries his best not to read too deep into that.

Ten minutes after Raven leaves, he tries to sing.

He’d put on musicals, when he was a kid. Stupid songs he’d improvise. He was all of the characters at once; a healer and a fighter and a wizard sometimes, a Grim Reaper the next, Death incarnate with apologies on his lips. His vocal range was small but he pretended it wasn’t, warbling his way through melodies best left for sopranos and ruffling through bass-parts.

Later she bought him a piano, a tiny thing held together more by tape than wood, but the keys worked and Kravitz was entranced. He’d spend hours, hours that Raven needed to study, to work, plucking through melodies and making his own music.

She never complained, not once. He smiled so freely, pulling beauty from keys of fake-ivory and hard plastic.

She loved it when he sang. Raven would never say it — lies are not her way but obfuscation is, because she would never hurt him — but she misses them, he knows. She put up with some ten years of truly horrendous singing — he knows, because she took videos on shitty phone cameras she purchased secondhand from the sketchy store below their flat — before his voice matured into something pleasant.

Songbird, she called him. The only nickname she’d ever given him.

He hasn’t heard it in three years.

He starts with an easy note; a low C, perfectly middle range. It scrapes and shuffles along his throat and he clears it, ignoring the pricking at his eyes. He can do this. He can. He’s going to sing for her, one last time.

It comes out as a puff of air. He tries something higher, a G; he thinks he’s got it, briefly, and hope flares in his chest until he realizes that it’s an octave up and not his voice at all, but the whistle in his throat.

Okay. Okay, he tells himself; he can do this. He clears his throat, reaches for a drink of water — it’s warm, and he’s grateful, because cold water freezes a singer’s vocal cords and makes control of vibrato difficult — and tries again.

He tries the whole scale three times over. Twenty-one notes. Not a single one sounds anything like music, the farthest thing from a songbird’s lilting melody.

One last time, he thinks, crumpling over himself. He cries, quietly; he just wanted to sing, one last time. Just for her, so she’d have something happy to remember of him.

By the time he’s finished his eyes are red and swollen, his nose running, and he’s grateful at least that Raven wasn’t there to see that. Maybe he’ll steal the camera she keeps the video on — he knows where she keeps them, they’re in her room, and it’s not hard to find because both of their rooms are tiny — and send it to her, sometime this week. He doesn’t want her to forget that there were good times, before all...this.

He heaves himself onto one elbow, grasping blindly for his phone. He finds it, unlocks it, pointedly not thinking about his passcode, and dials a number with shaking fingers.

“Hey, Kravitz!”

“Julia,” Kravitz says. Only in comparison to hers does he realize just how awful, how spindly and cracked, his own voice sounds. “Do you have a minute?”

“Of course. You sound like hell, my dude.”

“I know. Hey, listen, Julia, there’s, uh...” he trails off, clears his throat. “I’m spitting up flowers.”

“Oh,” she says. “Oh, shit.”

He grins. “Oh shit is right.”

“You’re this bad already?”

“Hey, fuck you too,” he says, slipping on a dumb accent. It earns him a disgusted groan, as he knew it would, but the sound makes him smile.

There’s a beat of silence (and he wonders, briefly, again, as he has so often as he stared up at the ceiling; how many of Taako’s heartbeats would fit into this silence), and then she says, “How long?”

“Three years.”

“Huh,” she says. There’s a shuffling as she stands — Julia always needed to be moving, did awful on those standardized tests, the ones that stretched for six hours because she could only stand every other hour — and he hears her pacing. “You need me to come over?”

“No,” he says. “Thank you, but I just — wanted to talk to someone, I guess.”

Another silence. Her footsteps clack through the phone. Her whole house, the one she and Magnus built together, is made of wooden floors, polished and lacquered. “This sounds late-stage.”

Kravitz clears his throat. He hadn’t expected her to realize. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “Couple days at most.”

“Huh.”

Her footsteps have stopped. Kravitz listens to her breathing, faint though it is; it’s strong and uninterrupted and for the first time he feels over-conscious of his own. He sounds thin and reedy and frail and he itches with the need to get up, to do something other than lie around and wallow in his ineffectiveness —

“I ever tell you how me and Magnus met?”

Kravitz snorts. “Only about six times, Julia.”

“Hey, it’s a good story.” He can hear her smile through the phone. “But you never heard the full story, bone boy.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, oh.” A lull, then a whoosh of air as she sits; probably the red armchair, the one by their fireplace. That one’s her favorite. When Kravitz visits her, her and Magnus, he takes the purple one, so close their feet brush. “Listen, all of us have got secrets.”

“At least yours aren’t life-threatening,�� he mutters, before his mind catches up with his mouth. “Oh, shit,” he says. “That sounded, uh, shitty — ”

“No stress. You’re dying; that sucks.”

In some ways, Julia is even more blunt than his sister. Where his sister keeps secrets, sometimes, Julia is an open book. “Yeah.”

“Tell me if you need me to come over,” she says. “So I was in the mountains, that part was true, about two hours out west.”

“And you met Magnus in a pub.”

“Not quite,” Julia laughs. “So you know how I go hunting.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, out west is bear country.”

“Oh my gods.”

He can hear her shrug. “Good hunting, Krav. Anyway, so I killed this bear — ”

“It didn’t kill you first?” he interrupts, swallowing down his own laughter. He doesn’t want to irritate his throat any more than it already is, but he feels lighter. Julia makes him feel better.

“Not a thing on this earth that could kill me.”

“Except, you know, the passage of time.”

“No, I’m gonna be immortal,” Julia says. “Stop interrupting, you want the full thing or not?”

“Sorry, please go on.”

“No you’re not.”

“I’m not at all,” he snickers.

“You’re a wonderful person, Kravitz, but sometimes you’re awful. So: me, holding a dead bear. I had to haul it down the mountain, because I didn’t bring a cart and, y’know, you gotta take those things with you somehow. So I string it up over my shoulder and head on down the trail. Now this thing’s all rocky and muddy, buncha branches and stuff, but this is where Sherpa training came in handy ‘cause I hopped right over that stuff — oh hey, Mags.”

Faintly he hears Magnus’s voice through the receiver. “Yeah,” Julia says. “It’s Kravitz.” A beat, then, “No, he’s got hanahaki.”

Kravitz lets his head fall back against the pillow, phone pinned between his ear and the pillow. “Three years. Yes, for Taako. Hey, Kravitz?”

“Hmm?”

“Taako called you?”

Kravitz swallows, hard. “No,” he says.

Julia hums, relays this to Magnus. Then, “I’m telling him how we met, babe,” she says, then, “I’m putting you on speaker ‘cause Magnus wants to talk too, except just remember that he’s a lying liar that lies.”

“I’m an honest country man!”

“You led a rebellion,” she says dryly.

“So did you!”

“Besides the point,” she sniffs. Kravitz listens to them, smiling and aching at the same time; their easy banter reminds him of — of himself and Taako, before Taako emerged from his bedroom carrying a jar full of petals. This could have been his, if he’d been better. If he’d been more honest, more like Julia and Magnus; if he’d just reached out harder.

Maybe Taako deserves better than him.

Either way, Kravitz thinks, it’s a moot point now; he won’t last long enough to find out. He hopes that, whatever happens when he’s gone, Taako finds happiness in someone.

Magnus’s voice crackles through the phone. “Kravitz.”

“Yeah?”

“You all right?”

“Peachy,” he says, then winces. That’s Taako’s word. “I mean — fine, I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking.”

“Horseshit,” Julia says. “But okay, we’ve got your attention now. Anyway, so I’m coming down the mountain, bear strung over my shoulders, and this buffoon — ”

“ — hey! — ”

“ — walks out right in front of me, a knife and wooden duck in his hands, and we collide and everything in our hands go flying. The bear carcass in my hands impales itself on Magnus’s tiny knife — ”

“ — it was a big knife,” Magnus protests. “I have big knives.”

Julia snorts. “Your knives are lovely, dear, but I’m talking about the physical, actual knives. This call is a no-innuendo zone.”

“Oh.” Magnus considers this, and Kravitz can almost see the sheepish smile stretch across his face. “Okay then.”

It takes them ten minutes to wind their way through their tale, and Kravitz finds himself laughing. Their harmony is so easy and natural, and even though Kravitz envies it he relishes in it, too. They’re lights; they’re the perfect harmony to a melody that wrote itself.

Embarrassingly, he does have to cut them off, once, to hack the newest blooms out of his throat; but when he returns to the call, neither of them comment, and for that Kravitz is grateful.

Later that evening Raven helps him wash, re-dress, and sits him down with beeswax and a fine-toothed comb.

She sections his hair smoothly, twisting her comb through each one. For half an hour Kravitz loses himself in the motion of her fingers, the gentle tug of hair against his scalp, the nape of his neck. His sister’s fingers are long and calloused but with him, she’s always been gentle.

He can hear Merle, snoring away in the other room. It had been the dwarf who’d told them both, with a sensitivity that Kravitz had never expected from the bawdy man, that Kravitz has started spitting up blood — here he’d pointed out a stain on the roses’ petals, nearly indistinguishable from their normal scarlet coloring — and he needed to stop with the herbicide or he’d bleed out before the obstruction in his airway could get him.

To tell the truth, Kravitz isn’t sure what they’re waiting for. He’s good as dead already. But Raven refuses to let him stop; keeps him breathing in the small hours of the morning when he just wants it to end, he just wants to breathe again, wants to get rid of the persistent ache in his chest from not enough air. He’s stubborn but he’s never been able to match her in stubbornness.

Besides, he can’t leave her. More than anything, he fights for that.

He checks his phone without much hope, and each time sees the same thing: his background, empty. He wonders if Taako even checked his texts, listened to his voicemails, or if he blocked Kravitz altogether. It seems silly, to die for a love so clearly unreturned, but more than anything Kravitz knows he could not live without loving his sister and his dearest friends.

Julia and Magnus hadn’t spoken another word on his condition during their conversation, a fact for which Kravitz is devoutly grateful. Though toward the end he couldn’t say much to them, it was nice to pretend, even just for an hour or so, that everything was okay.

His sister finishes the last of his twists and stops, and something curious happens: she spreads her fingers over his temple, then Kravitz feels a forehead press against the back of his head.

“Raven?”

“I’m okay,” she whispers.

There’s a quiet sniff from behind him, and Kravitz freezes. He does not turn around. One of her hands leaves his scalp to clap over her mouth, her shoulders tensing, and Kravitz reaches up to cover a hand with his own.

“No tears for me,” he says gently. “I will be okay.”

“I know,” she says, her voice as unsteady as Kravitz has ever heard it. If he doesn’t look back he can pretend she’s not crying. “I know you will be, and I know that it’ll be happier than — than this, but Kravitz, I....”

“I love you,” he says. “I love you. I’m sorry I have to leave you alone.”

“It’s okay,” she says. Her second lie of the evening.

“It isn’t.” Tears be damned, he shifts to his knees and embraces his sister, lets her head fall to his shoulder without complaint. This time he rests a cheek on the top of her head, fingers threading through the small hairs at the nape of his neck. “It isn’t okay, and it’s allowed to not be okay. Just — talk to someone, okay? When all this is over? Merle, or Julia, or Sloane. Someone.”

For the first time, Raven doesn’t protest that there won’t be an end. Doesn’t urge him to keep fighting for a nebulous continuation he’s not sure he even wants.

“I will.”

“Promise?”

She huffs a broken laugh. “I promise, Kravitz.”

He musters all his strength, that evening, to tuck her in bed, turn out the lights. His chest is on fire the whole time, like he can feel his ribs splintering, but he kisses her forehead and turns out the lights and stumbles back to the couch, catching himself heavily on the arm. Wincing, he slides his back against the cushions and stares at the ceiling.

Even in this, a relatively good moment, it hurts to breathe. He can’t get quite enough air and it drives him mad, that anxious tension always below his sternum. He can’t breathe, his hands shake, his eyes water of their own accord and dehydration headaches are his constant companions; not only because he cries out what he drinks but because the damn roses take it to keep themselves alive.

Again he traces the aimless patterns on the ceiling with his eyes, then shuts them with lips pursed.

For the first time, he lets himself get angry.

It’s not a sensation he feels often. Justice is his shtick; normally when he’s angry it’s at an abstract concept, like capitalism or the disparity in wage gaps between all sorts of people. When he was younger he wanted to be a lawyer; he’s training to be a doctor, now, for the idealistic notion that he could save people.

At first that anger directs toward himself, deflecting from its true target because how stupid, how childish and naive, to think that he could save anyone else when he can’t save himself. How foolish to think he could coax life back into his patients when he couldn’t even coax love into the one person who mattered the most.

Then he takes a deep, steeling breath and thinks no; this isn’t his fault.

He can’t blame Taako for not loving him but the fact of his absence sits bitterly on the back of Kravitz’s tongue. He hasn’t called, he hasn’t texted — no one’s so much as spoken his name in the past three days, and for the first time since Raven proposed it Kravitz considers: maybe he really didn’t care.

Maybe, those ten years, Taako didn’t care at all.

The thought makes him feel sick so he shelves it, willing his breathing to calm, and tries to go to sleep. His throat aches so hard he thinks perhaps he’s going to die tonight, Merle in one room and Raven far away in the other but figures, when the time comes, he’ll work it out.

#taakitz #taz #taako #kravitz #hanahaki

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ktrsss1fics · 6 years

Text

Cake By The Ocean: One

The employees of the law offices of Corningstone & Wallace are given two weeks paid vacation every year. The magic of last year’s trip had erased the memory of any other vacation from Georgina Ferguson’s mind. Roaming Aruban beaches with pineapples full of rum and making out with a cute Irish boy had ignited a spark that she had never felt before. From that moment on, she was a changed woman. She could parallel park on the busy street where her favorite ice cream shop was located. She was eating more leafy green vegetables. She could bake a Dutch apple pie from scratch. She even bought a new bike for the beach. However, the biggest change to Georgina’s life was the fact that she was head over heels in love with Niall Horan.

The love she received was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Growing up, she had read plenty of stories where men showcased their love. Paris’ love caused a war. Orpheus’ took him to hell and back. Alcyone’s went to his head. Zeus’ created a trail of broken hearts.

But this wasn’t a mythological tale, this was real life. Niall’s love was different. His love was real. It was warm and kind and invigorating. His love made her believe in the future for the first time. His love made her realize she wasn’t broken. She was able to love. His love was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

But as of lately, that love had been neglected. He had been busy touring the globe. She had been busy saving the firm. Their phone calls were short. Their text messages were even shorter. She had been counting down the hours until she got to see him again.

Lucky for her, the countdown had made it’s way down to seven. In seven whole hours, she’d get to see the smiling face of her loving boyfriend. In seven whole hours, she’d get to hear his laugh and watch him reconnect with the rest of their friends. In seven whole hours, she’d have to pretend the boy she was in love with was just a boy that she could tolerate. In seven hours, she’d get to see him but only as a friend.

Why was that?

No one knew they were together. They had successfully kept it a secret for the past seven months. The only way they were able to last so long was the fact that he was gone for most of it. The two week trip to Greece they were about to embark on was going to put their relationship to the test. It would prove whether or not they were made to last. Having to share a house with eight of their closest friends while being in a secret relationship was going to be the ultimate test.

Their relationship status had caused plenty of arguments in the past couple weeks. From the moment he left for tour, they had gone back and forth. She didn’t want to tell anyone because she was worried she wasn’t ready to be someone’s girlfriend. Yes, they were official but Niall was the only one who knew. She was safe in this bubble, where outside eyes couldn’t harm her. What if their friends found out and things fizzled out? She’d never forgive herself. It took a few months of being on her own for her to realize that she was being ridiculous. She loved Niall and he loved her. Nothing was going to happen to them – no matter who found out. Just as fate would have it, the moment she switched teams, Niall switched too. He didn’t want anyone to know. He never told her why but he was adamant about keeping what they had a secret. He said she wouldn’t understand and that they needed to talk in person.

In seven hours, she was going to have that talk.

In the meantime, Georgina Ferguson sat on a sidewalk in the middle of a neighborhood in Mykonos while Jenna rambled on about the date she went on the night before with Stephen. She hadn’t been paying attention though. Her eyes were glued to her phone. It had been blowing up with reassuring texts from Niall since she got off the plane. Preflight jitters had gotten the best of her when she dropped Scout off at Keith’s cousin’s place so he had taken it upon himself to calm her down. For the most part, it had worked.

Another thing that helped cure her nerves was the blonde haired woman sitting beside her. Brittany knew something was bothering her but didn’t press the issue. Instead, she made sure that every preflight ritual was completed and that Georgina was given the seat by the window. She got them to the house in one piece. She put Georgina in charge of keeping an eye on the boys. They were picking up the keys to the house, the car Keith had rented, and something for the group to eat.

Brittany nudged Georgina’s leg, “Dave text back yet?”

“Should be here in fifteen minutes.” Georgina looked up. “Keith’s driving.”

“So it’ll be more like a half hour.” Jenna said making the others laugh.

Mags stretched out, leaning against her luggage. “Might as well work on our tans, ladies.”

“I hope this house is nice.” Jenna said rolling up the sleeves of her shirt.

“Neighborhood looks nice enough.” Brittany said looking around. “I think Keith did alright.”

“When are Ash and Marco getting in?” Mags asked looking up towards the sky.

“In a forty-five minutes, I think.” Georgina said.

“D’ya think they’ll actually want to spend time with us this trip?” Brittany asked.

“I’m surprised they were even invited.” Jenna said. “We never see them anymore.”

“I think the boys just wanted to be nice.” Mags shrugged.

“They’ll probably go out with us once and then stay in to shag for the rest of the trip.” Georgina said.

“You know what? That doesn’t sound half bad Ferguson. Maybe Jamie and I will do it.” Mags smirked glancing over at the blonde.

“Just keep him quiet.” Georgina fired back.

“It’s not him we have to worry about.” Jenna sniggered.

“So Jenna tell the girls how you gave Steve a blowie before he left yesterday.” Mags shot back.

“What the fuck!” Georgina squealed wide-eyed.

“Jenna! Skimping out on the details, are we?” Brittany teased.

“You bitch.” Jenna mumbled glaring at the older woman beside her.

“I’m not the one who had a stranger’s penis in my mouth less than twenty-four hours ago!” Mags said throwing her hands up dramatically.

“Margaret Fairchild! I swear to fucking God.” Jenna whined. “Stop picking on me.”

“Jens, I didn’t think you liked doing oral?” Georgina smirked. “Makes ya feel like a slag.”

“She was all about it last night.” Mags mumbled making Brittany laugh.

“Pick on Fergie instead!” Jenna said crossing her arms over her chest.

“Her time will come, my friend. Don’t worry.” Mags smiled.

“Looking forward to it, Margaret.” Georgina replied before focusing back on her phone.

“Can you check the group message to see when Ni’s getting in?” Brittany asked.

“Yeah,” Georgina said pretending to scan her inbox. She already had it memorized. “Uh says six.”

“Just in time for dinner.” Mags nodded. “Are we gonna go out tonight?”

“I’m up for it.” Jenna said.

“Want another stranger’s penis in your mouth?” Brittany joked making Mags snort.

Jenna’s entire body flushed red. “You three are such bitches.”

“You love us.” Mags said blowing her a kiss.

“So JenJen, you must be really feeling Steve then. You only do that when you are serious about someone.” Georgina said trying to salvage the conversation.

“Yeah well I was just uh reciprocating the love so to speak.” Jenna blushed.

“Oh yeah? Was he good at that?” Brittany asked.

“Better than the last one.” Jenna said.

“You lot have always been too hard on the Lizard King.” Georgina said making Brittany giggle. “At least he tried. That’s worth something.”

“Oh my god, Fergie!” Jenna squealed. “You didn’t experience it so you don’t know how fucking weird it was. No woman should ever go through that.”

“Marcus was always terrible at it so I wouldn’t know anything different.” Fergie shrugged.

“Dave’s decent. We save that stuff for special occasions though.” Brittany sighed.

“Doesn’t get a blowjob every day like our boy Chief Keef?” Jenna said dryly. “You know, I think Keith’s penis is the one penis I would never want in me mouth ever.”

The other three woman nodded in agreement.

“It’s got to be big, yeah? Or he’s got to be ace in the sack or something because the birds he pulls are way out of his league.” Georgina said putting her phone away.

“Let’s be real, I think the fact he resembles Ni helps him most days.” Jenna said.

“And there is no way he gets one every single day unless he is suckin’ himself off.” Mags said making the other girls cackle loudly.

“Every day is too much. David gets one on his birthday and our anniversary.” Brittany said. “That’s it.”

“And whenever Chelsea wins.” Georgina added.

“Jamie is the same. Birthday, Christmas, and our anniversary.” Mags explained.

“And whenever Chelsea beats Arsenal.” Georgina added.

“How do you know this?” Jenna asked confused.

“The fellas think I’m one of them.” Georgina shrugged. “They are a lot more open with each other than I thought they would be.”

“Do they talk about everything?” Mags asked sliding her sunnies down the bridge of her nose.

“Not when I’m around.” Georgina shook her head. “Your fiIthy little secrets are safe Margaret.”

“Good.” Mags winked before putting her glasses back into place.

“Ferg, we need to find you a Greek boy toy for the next two weeks.” Jenna said smugly. “Someone to have fun with.”

“Ehh, I’ll pass. Brought me vibrator. I’m set.” Georgina replied emotionless.

“Do you know what’s sad? I can never climax with one of those. I’ve got to sit through sex with James when I need to get off.” Mags admitted. “It’s dreadful sometimes — no offense to him.”

“This one’s the exact opposite.” Brittany said nodding towards her best friend.

“What!” Jenna and Mags said in unison.

Heat rushed to Georgina’s cheeks. “Never had one.”

“Marcus never—“ Mags trailed off.

“Always faked it.” Georgina sighed. “He really was a piece of shit at everything.”

“But you are twenty seven…” Jenna said wide-eyed. “A man’s never made you orgasm, really?”

Georgina shook her head trying not to act bothered by it. She knew it was a lie. Niall had proven that plenty of times before he left for tour.

“Georgina, that’s unacceptable.” Mags shook her head disappointed. “This has to change.”

“New goal of the trip: find someone to take Fergie to O-Town.” Jenna chimed in.

“Jens! I know the perfect person.” Mags smirked.

Jenna’s face lit up reading the older woman’s mind. “Oh I think I know who it is.”

“If Niall Horan’s name comes out of either of your mouths, I will suffocate you both in your sleep tonight.” Georgina glared playfully.

“Whoa! Cool the jets Fergie Ferg.” Jenna laughed.

“Babes, all we need to do is get a little bit of sangria into you and some whiskey into him, lock you in a room, and not let you out until you climax at least twice.” Mags said enthusiastically. “I’m sure Ni would be more than happy to help.”

“I reckon it wouldn’t take him long.” Jenna added. “I mean he’d be so into it he wouldn’t stop until you were able to finish more than once.”

“Exactly. Kid’s a perfectionist.” Mags nodded.

”Never quits. Be like a marathon shag session. You’d be taken care of, love.” Jenna chirped as Brittany linked her fingers with her best friend.

“You two are the worst.” Georgina blushed.

Brittany squeezed Fergie’s hand trying to show solidarity. Georgina appreciated the gesture.

“If you would have just made out with him in Vegas like we wanted, we would have moved on from this,” Mags said examining her nail beds.

“No you wouldn’t.” Georgina laughed loudly.

“Okay so maybe you’re right.” The older woman giggled. “I just can’t help it. You two would be perfect together.”

“Oh stop. We wouldn’t work out. We are both too stubborn and workaholics. And besides he doesn’t even like me like that.” Georgina blushed trying to find a way out of this conversation.

“That’s not what our group chat says.” Jenna replied smugly.

“Kid’s basically in love with ya, Ferg.” Mags smiled.

“He’d be a fool not to be.” Brittany said as she sat up. She focused on a car heading in their direction, “Looks like the boys are here.”

The group of women stood up and started putting their things together. As Keith pulled into the driveway, Georgina looked at her phone.

Only six hours and twenty-five minutes to go.

Six hours and twenty-five minutes.

She couldn’t wait.

The house Keith had picked was actually decent. It looked like it should be in a Bond film. The rooms were massive, the appliances were new, and a salt water pool took up most of the backyard. The best part was the view from the backyard. A group of bougainvillea trees framed the fence , which showcased a perfect view of the Mediterranean Sea. It was the prettiest sight she had seen since they landed.

Georgina’s room was on the first floor of the multi-tiered house. Niall’s room was a few doors down. Much like in Aruba, all the single members of the group were placed in one section of the house while the couples stayed in another. As unfair as it was, this time it worked in Georgina’s advantage. It would make her life a lot easier knowing that her best friend wouldn’t be snooping around.

As she unpacked her bag, she started to think of a way for her and Niall to spend time together. She knew it would either have to be after everyone went to sleep or before everyone woke up. There were two beds in each room so if they were careful a sleepover could take place. A nervous energy filled the pit of her stomach just thinking about it. She didn’t know if they could do this. She didn’t want to keep it a secret anymore.

Just when she was about to send a series of panicked texts in her boyfriend’s direction, a female with an American accent called out her name. Confused, the young Brit turned towards the door. Standing in the doorway in a low cut form-fitting sundress was a woman she had never seen before. Her hair was dark, her breasts were fake, and a different kind of smile was plastered across her face. She couldn’t quite tell what it meant but Georgina knew she didn’t trust it.

“Are you Fergie?” The woman said stepping inside the room.

“Ye-yeah.” Georgina stammered.

“Oh good! I’m Mar — short for Marlene. Keith said we were sharing a room.” The American giggled as she headed for the other bed in the room.

“What?” Georgina asked confused by her comment about Keith.

“Yeah, Keith said I was going to share a room with a girl named Fergie.” Mar explained sitting down on the bed. “Fergie. What’s that short for?”

Georgina tried to put the pieces together but she couldn’t. She didn’t know if it was nerves or lack of sleep but she didn’t get what was going on.

She closed her eyes. “Okay, wait so Keith said what now? What’s happening?”

The American laughed. “Oh my god! British people are so cute. I’m Mar short for Marlene. Ash and I work together. Keith invited me here.”

“He said the blonde named Jenna won’t share a room but the blonde named Fergie will.” Mar explained. “You’re the one who works a lot right? You probably just missed the message he sent.”

Georgina couldn’t believe what had come out of Mar’s mouth. Keith knew he would have had to get approval from the entire group before inviting a complete stranger. He knew that. Mags and Britt created that rule ages ago. Everyone was overprotective of Niall and wanted him to have the chance at a normal life — especially on vacation. The fact that he had done it anyways blew Georgina’s mind.

“So you work with Ashlee and Keith invited you. Got it.” Georgina faked a smile.

“He said everyone was excited for me to join.” Mar said—the smile from earlier appeared. “Uh so Fergs, when’s the blonde one showing up?”

“Who?” Georgina asked confused. The group was made up of a handful of blondes. She could have been referring to anybody.

“Oh yeah, I guess he’s not blonde anymore. He was the last time we were together.” Mar said correcting herself.

Georgina’s face fell. That smile. That’s what it meant. This girl wasn’t here to be another one of Keith’s conquests; she was here to be one of Niall’s. The thought of this girl flying across the world to try to hook up with her best friend because he was famous made her blood boil.

“So is he still single?” Mar asked, a hopeful tone to her voice.

“Um Ash can fill you in.” Georgina said before heading for the door. “I need to go take care of something.”

With that, the blonde haired woman was gone. Her fingers were flying across the screen of her phone as she sent a message to Ni trying to explain what was happening but the rage building inside her was making her thoughts incoherent.

She knew this trip was going to be frustrating for her but she didn’t expect it to start this early. She made her way through the house looking for one specific man. She found him drinking a beer in the kitchen with David and Jamie.

“Oi! Miller!” Georgina called out from across the room.

“Hey Ferg.” Keith said raising his bottle towards her.

The other two men studied her face as she drew near. It was obvious that she was less than pleased. Jamie took a step away from Keith knowing something was about to go down.

“Mate.” Dave sighed. “What’d you do now?”

“Honestly don’t know.” Keith mumbled. “But I reckon I’m about to find out.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Georgina said once she made it over to the group of men.

“Um, Keith Miller?” He replied somewhat unsure of his answer.

“First of all, you can’t just invite people without asking the entire group if it’s okay.” She said crossing her arms over her chest. “And second, you can’t just give people’s rooms away. That’s bull shit.”

“Georgie, what’s going on?” Dave asked.

“Keith is more concerned with getting his dick wet than he is about anyone else this trip.” Georgina grumbled.

“Babes, it’s not like that.” Keith said moving towards her. “I promise.”

“Don’t.” She replied causing him to move back to his spot.

“Ferg, I promise that’s not what is going on.” Keith said trying to convincing.

“That’s not what fake tits over there is saying.” Georgina glared. “Apparently everyone is excited for her to be here and I must I missed the messages where she got invited because I work too much. Sound familiar?”

“Who ya talking about Ferg?” Dave asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Me, probably.” Mar’s American accent called out from behind them.

Their attention was now focused on the black haired woman standing near the doorway.

“Who the fuck is that?” Jamie whispered to Georgina.

“Mar. Short for Marlene. Works with Ash and was invited by this prick.” Georgina rattled off. “Oh I almost forgot, she’s apparently my roommate for the duration of this trip.”

“Mate.” Jamie sighed shaking his head at Keith.

“Honestly thought it would be a good idea.” Keith said sheepishly. “I should have planned this better.”

“I’m not sharing a room with her.” Georgina said defiantly.

“Okay well we’ll figure something out.” Dave said rubbing her back. “Don’t worry G.”

“There aren’t any rooms left.” Jamie said. “Are there?”

“I can take this one’s room and he can sleep on the couch.” Georgina nodded at Keith.

“But what if I pull? I need a room. Can’t shag someone on a couch.” Keith said — a hint of desperation in his voice.

“I mean Mar’s got an extra bed for ya in her room. You want to shag her there?” Georgina said dryly.

“Funny.” Keith said with a fake laugh.

“Honestly, that’s what should happen.” Jamie said. “Either she stays with Keith or the couch.”

“She can’t have the couch.” Dave said quietly.

Georgina shot the boy a funny look. She had her reasons for not wanting this stranger to sleep on the couch but she didn’t know why David would.

He cleared his throat, “Keith fucked up. He should be the one to suffer.”

Georgina agreed with Dave’s statement but sensed he was hiding something.

“She knows Ash. She could stay with her.” Georgina suggested.

“Ash and Marco are staying together. I’d prefer to stay away from that.” Mar stated.

Georgina rolled her eyes making Jamie laugh.

“Is she paying for a room?” Dave asked nodding to Mar.

“Well — you see…” Keith started to say.

“You were doing so well, brother.” Jamie said patting Keith on the back. “But you fucked up major with this one.”

“So you are telling me you invited this woman without proper approval, decided sticking her in with me was the best option when she didn’t want to sleep with you, and you aren’t making her pay for any of it?” Georgina asked with an incredulous look on her face. “How fucking magical is that fanny of hers?”

Jamie and Dave tried their best to keep a straight face but the pure disgust in Georgina’s voice sent them into a fit of laughter.

“You’re a legend.” Dave said squeezing her shoulder.

“Thanks.” She smiled before focusing her attention back to Keith. “How are we going to fix this mess?”

“I don’t know. Jenna won’t share. I’m not interested in sharing. So either someone sleeps on the couch or you share.” Keith said trying to think of another way he could make up for his mistake.

“Ferg can stay with Niall. He’s got two beds in his room and I’m sure he won’t mind.” Dave suggested.

Georgina’s skin grew warm. Her eyes focused on Dave’s face but he wouldn’t look at her. She knew exactly what he was trying to do but didn’t know why.

“She’d strangle him in his sleep.” Keith laughed.

“Not true, they’ve been playing nice lately.” Dave said sticking up for his best friends.

“And honestly, if we want to keep the peace those two are our ticket.” Jamie said thinking about it logically.

“I don’t want to share with Ni.” Georgina sighed. “If I’m paying for my room, I shouldn’t have to share. He shouldn’t either.”

“If it’s an option, I’ll share with Niall.” Mar chirped happily.

Georgina felt a wave of anger wash over her. This was not happening. The woman who flew all the way across the ocean to sleep with her boyfriend did not just suggest sharing the same room with him. She needed to keep her cool but didn’t know how. Dave’s grip on her shoulder grew a little tighter. As much as she wanted to keep her eyes focused on the floor, she couldn’t.

When she looked up at Dave, he gave her a sympathetic look. He didn’t know they were together but he had a feeling they were something. His girlfriend may have told him not to meddle but he couldn’t help it. He’d damned if a random woman was going to come in and steal Georgina Ferguson’s thunder. He knew she needed this – now more than ever.

Dave pulled his eyes off of Georgina and placed them on the stranger across the room, “Yeah that’s not happening.”

“It’s either Ferg or no one, sorry.” Jamie said feigning sympathy.

“I think the group should decide if it’s okay for them to share.” Keith said softly. “Right?”

Georgina rolled her eyes. “So me sharing a room with Ni deserves a meeting but you inviting a stranger doesn’t. Sounds real fair.”

“Fergs, I—“ Keith started to say but the frustrated young woman cut him off.

“If I wanted to deal with dumb shit, I would have stayed home. This is why you’re never in charge of things, Keith.” Georgina grumbled before pulling away from Dave and leaving the kitchen.

She repacked her bags and placed them in the hallway before making her way outside. Jenna and the girls were sitting around a table looking out into the horizon. A quiet conversation about a trip to a winery was being held as Georgina plopped down in the empty seat beside Brittany.

“For fucks sake Georgina, we’ve only been here five minutes. Cheer up.” Mags teased noticing the young woman’s sour mood.

“I’m going back home.” Georgina replied annoyed.

“Hey, I was only joking.” Mags said realizing something serious was going on.

“What’s wrong?” Brittany asked.

“Don’t have a room.” Georgina mumbled as she noticed Mar heading their way.

“Yes you do. We made sure there was enough.” Jenna said confused. “I watched Keith book it.”

“Didn’t take into account that Keith’s a fucking idiot that does whatever the hell he wants.” Georgina mumbled.

“Okay Ferg, I know you like being mysterious and all but like what the hell are you on about?” Jenna asked worried by her friends mood.

“Ferg!” Mar called out for sliding into the last empty seat around the table.

“Who’s that?” Jenna whispered to Mags.

“Where’s Ash?” Georgina asked quietly.

“On the phone with her brother.” Mar said. “I hope you don’t mind me hanging around.”

Georgina didn’t get a chance to respond. A devilish smirk formed on the American woman’s face before two simple sentences escaped her lips.

“You know I totally don’t get why you don’t want to share a room with Niall. I mean, yeah, he might snore a bit too much when he’s drunk but you know that’s just Niall.” Mar stated.

Jenna looked over to Mags and Brittany trying to see if they were just as confused as she was. The woman didn’t look familiar but she acted like she was.

“How long have you girls known him?” Mar asked leaning back in her chair.

“Hi, um who are you again?” Jenna asked looking the woman up and down.

“Oi Mel! Err I mean Mar.” Dave called out walking towards the group of women with glasses of wine in his hands. “Ash is lookin for ya. Something about needing help with an outfit or something.”

“Probably a bikini question.” Mar smiled before getting up. “I’ll have to catch up with you girls later.”

“Great.” Georgina replied dryly as she watched the American walk away.

When Dave reached the table, Jenna eagerly grabbed a glass and took a long sip.

“Okay, what the fuck was that about?” Mags asked turning her attention towards Georgina.

“David, just bring us the bottle.” Brittany said taking one of the glasses from him. “We are going to need it.”

“Okay babe.” Dave said before heading back inside.

“She fucked Niall.” Georgina said slowly putting the pieces together. “Or at least that’s what she wants us to think. I don’t know.”

“That makes sense. I mean, how else would she know he snores when he’s drunk?” Brittany said.

“Yeah I guess that’s true.” Jenna asked.

“He’s grown up in the spotlight so I’m sure a lot of people feel like they know him.” Mags pointed out. “He was plastered on every form of media since he was sixteen. It’s hard to miss him.”

Georgina shook her head, “She seemed like she wanted it known that she knows him on a more personal level.”

“How personal can it really be? I’ve never seen her before and we’ve been friends with him for years.” Jenna said.

“So, who is she then?” Brittany asked.

“She works with Ash. Keith invited her thinking she’d be down to be his little vacation fling.” Georgina explained. “But he didn’t take into account that Ni was going to be here and she knows him somehow.”

“Why would Keith invite someone without checking with the group first?” Mags asked.

“Because he wanted to get laid.” Georgina sighed.

“Is she the reason you don’t have a room?” Brittany asked sounding annoyed.

“He thought I’d be fine with sharing with her.” Georgina said taking a hold of the glass Dave had set down. “Didn’t ask if it was okay. Just did it.”

“That’s bullshit.” Mags said before taking drink of her wineglass. “Absolute bullshit.”

“I know.” Georgina sighed before taking a drink.

“We’ll get it sorted.” Britt smiled weakly. “Don’t worry G.”

“But first, let’s see who this girl is.” Jenna said pulling out her phone.

The next few hours were spent scouring the internet for anything they could find on the dark-haired stranger. Georgina Ferguson was nearly 100% certain that at one point in time Mar slept with Niall. The others weren’t too sure. They had been around Niall long enough to know that his fame attracted the wrong type of women. Those type of women would do anything for their fifteen minutes of fame. Mar seemed the type.

Brittany wanted it to be a lie for her best friend’s benefit. She knew Georgina had some sort of feelings for the man she once hated. She was hoping that this trip to Greece would help push her realize that being with Niall was the right direction – much like their time in Aruba had started to do. She didn’t like the idea of some random woman coming in and trying to ruin that. She knew she needed to find a way to keep Mar away from Niall for Georgina’s sake.

Brittany just didn’t know how she was going to accomplish that.

When asked if he was sad tour was coming to an end, Niall Horan would nod and formulate the perfect soundbite about wanting to continue touring for the rest of the year to give all of his fans a chance to see him perform. His dedication would be commended and another person would sing their praise about what a great artist he was.

But deep down, he knew he was lying.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to cuddle on the couch with his dog. He wanted to go to the pub with his mates and act like an idiot. Most of all, he wanted to be with his girlfriend.

The past three weeks had been the toughest three weeks he’d experienced in his solo career. The shows weren’t grueling. The interviews weren’t demanding. He just missed Georgina that much. The moment they shared in London during the holidays hung heavy on his heart. She was in love with him. She was in love with a whiskey drinking foul mouthed workaholic who spent more time on the road than in his actual house and he couldn’t believe it. She was in love with someone who couldn’t give her a proper relationship. He could count on one hand the amount of times they saw each other while he was away. She deserved so much better.

If anyone close to him asked if he was ready for tour to end, he’d say yes. He was ready to sleep in until noon and golf whenever he pleased. He was ready to not have something scheduled every second of his day. He was ready to relax. In fact, he had been counting down the hours until that flight to Greece.

When he woke up that morning, he had received a series of texts from Georgina. She was nervous. She was nervous about leaving Scout, getting on the plane, and that they wouldn’t be able to keep their relationship a secret once they were with their friends.

He had to admit he was nervous too. He was nervous about seeing her again. He was nervous that things wouldn’t be the same. He was nervous that his time apart caused their spark to fizzle out. He was nervous for the trip because it was their first trip as a couple and he didn’t know what to expect. He knew that he was being ridiculous. He knew the moment saw her face all his worries would go away. He knew he just needed to get on that flight. At the end of it, s bottle of beer and a kiss from a pretty girl had his name written all over it.

It was half past seven when Niall landed in Mykonos. His connecting flight had been delayed. Niall attempted to call Georgina when he found out the news but when he reached for his phone it was dead. He knew she’d be annoyed with him but once he told her that he had drained the battery watching all the videos of her and Scout he had saved on his phone, he figured he’d be met with heart eyes instead of one’s filled with anger.

By the time he got to the house, his nerves had completely disappeared. He was ready to relax for the next two weeks with some of closest friends. When he walked inside, he was met by the smell of David’s infamous fajitas and an old Bruce Springsteen track. He dropped his luggage by the door and headed for the kitchen.

“Nialler!” Jamie cheered from the stove top as he noticed the Irishman from across the room. He was making a pot of Spanish rice.

“Aren’t makin’ that too spicy, are ya Jim Jam?” Niall asked walking over to give his friend a hug.

“Fuck your reflux.” Jamie rolled his eyes dramatically. Niall laughed as his friend continued to speak, “Fergs already made ya some bland boring ass rice.”

Niall didn’t get a chance to respond. A damp kitchen towel whipped across the back of his neck. The Irishman turned around cautiously. Standing with a beer in hand was his best friend. Niall’s smile grew in size as the tall Brit pulled him into a hug. Dave handed over a drink before leaning against the fridge.

“Thanks for checking in you twat.” Dave said dryly.

“Me phone died.” Niall said pulling his keys out to open his beer.

David leaned in close, “There’s trouble in the Hen House.”

Niall’s brow furrowed, “What happened?”

Before Dave got the chance to explain, someone interrupted. A hand patted Dave’s stomach as they tried to get into the fridge but he couldn’t move. The kitchen was too small.

“Davey, get me a beer please.” Georgina said softly.

The sound of her voice sent shock waves through his body. Niall couldn’t believe it. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. He didn’t think it was possible but the smile on his face grew even bigger. He turned around to find irritation chiseled into the features of his girlfriend.

“Hey Ferg!” Niall said sweetly.

Georgina faked a smile as she grabbed the bottle of beer from Dave’s hand. She took a quick swig before looking between the boys.

“Did Davey tell you that Keith brought ya a toy to play with?” Georgina asked with a hint of disgust in her voice.

Niall looked up at David completely confused. When he turned to ask Georgina what she meant, she wasn’t there. She was making her way for the backyard. Without a second thought, he chased after her.

Georgina stopped a few feet from the door and waited for him.

“Babe, what’s going on?” He asked keeping his voice low.

She sighed, “Well—“

An ear-piercing shriek sounded from across the yard catching the couple’s attention. Ashlee was sitting on a pool lounger with another woman. Her face looked familiar. He had seen her around but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Oh my god, Ni!” The woman squealed, popping up from her spot. “You’re finally here.”

Their eyes locked. He knew exactly who she was. Marlene. Niall’s body stiffened as she made her way around the pool towards him.

“Fuck.” He sighed. He placed his hands on his hips and turned towards Georgina.

The young blonde just shook her head. Her face had said everything. She was upset.

“Ferg.” He whispered.

“I’m gonna go get ready for dinner.” Georgina mumbled. She watched Mar grow near. She nodded over to the dark haired woman. “Have fun with that.”

“Babe.” Niall said reaching out to keep his girlfriend from leaving but she had already slipped past him.

“Niall!” Mar said with an irreplaceable grin. “How have you been?”

“Hey Mar.” He replied with a clenched jaw.

Mar rubbed up against before forcing him into her embrace. “It’s been ages. Congrats on the solo stuff.”

“Thanks.” Niall laughed nervously as he patted her on the back.

Mar’s arms lingered on his body as he tried to pull away. Her touch was aggressive and deliberate. He didn’t like it. Once he was released from her grip, Niall stepped away putting some space in between them. She ruffled her hair before adjusting her dress.

“When Keith first asked me to come, I was a bit hesitant.” Mar said looking up at him. Her index finger poked his stomach playfully. “But then I found you’d be here and I just had to come.”

“Oh yeah?” Niall said pressing his beer bottle to his lips. “How do you know Keith?”

“Same way I know you.” She winked.

A shiver ran down his spine. The thought of him sleeping with the same woman as Keith made him cringe. He took long sip of his drink trying to find a way out of his conversation.

“I didn’t know that you knew Ashlee and Marco too.” She said ruffling her hair once more. “They don’t mention you that much.”

“We’ve been friends for a few years now.” Niall said with a polite smile.

“Ash and I work together. That’s how I met Keith.” Mar explained. “But enough about me, let’s talk about you. How are Harry and the boys? Still keep in touch with them?”

Niall nodded, “They are all doing good. Just uh enjoying life and being solo. Nothing really new.”

“Good, good.” Mar said. “Hey quick question, is that uh Fergie girl a bit you know — not all there?”

Niall looked surprised. “What? Why?”

“Well Keith said she and I were sharing a room and I had to like explain it to her a couple times.” Mar laughed. “And she hasn’t talked much since she’s been here.”

Niall just nodded. Georgina’s mood was slowly starting to make sense. He didn’t quite understand what Mar’s comment meant but he knew David would. He needed to find him.

“She’s probably just still in work mode.” Niall replied before clearing his throat. “Mar, it’s been great seeing you but I promised Dave I’d help him season his meat. I’ll see you later.”

“Oh okay.” Mar smiled. “I’ll see you in there then.”

When Niall stepped back inside, he headed straight for the kitchen. He needed answers. The man he came to see was standing in front of the stove with a towel draped across his shoulder. He was tending to a large pan that was filled with sizzling peppers and onions.

Niall leaned against the counter. He finished off his beer in two long gulps. He set the bottle on the counter before crossing his arms over his chest.

“Am I living in a fucking alternate universe, Watson?” Niall asked.

“Tried to warn ya, Sherlock.” Dave laughed.

“Fuck, dude.” Niall sighed.

“I know.” Dave said glancing at him. “It sucks but it’s gonna be okay.”

“Fergie’s pissed.” Niall said running a hand through his hair.

“They all are.” Dave said stirring the vegetables in his pan. “But it’s not at you, it’s more at Keith and Mar.”

“No. Fergie’s mad at me. I saw it on her face.” Niall sighed.

“Well, can you see why she’d be a bit upset?” Dave asked focusing on his food. “I mean Mar’s been running her mouth about ya since she got here.”

Niall’s eye shut tight as a sigh escaped from deep within. He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Really?”

“Something along the lines of braggin’ about sleepin’ with ya.” Dave replied.

“Shit.” Niall groaned.

“It’s going to be okay. I was around during the Marcus days. I know how to fix it.” Dave said calmly. “When she found out the rumors were true, she had a complete meltdown. Tried to change everything about herself to compete with the other women.”

“Is that why she’s in this mood? Because she thinks she has to compete with Mar.” Niall said lowly.

“Don’t know mate but what I do know is that you just need to remind her that you are interested in her and only her.” Dave said.

“You think so?” Niall asked.

Dave nodded, “Women need reassurance sometimes.”

“Okay.” Niall mumbled dryly. “Should be easy enough except for the fact she won’t talk to me.”

“That won’t last long.” Dave laughed as he turned off the burner. “Hand me that dish.”

Niall handed him an empty bowl, “Why’s that?”

“You two are sharing a room.” Dave smirked as he drained the contents of the pan into the bowl.

“What!” The Irishman said in disbelief.

“You’re welcome.” Dave winked as he started to cut up the meat he had grilled.

“How’d that work out?” Niall asked.

“Keith gave her room away so I figured if anyone is gonna share it should be the two of you.” Dave shrugged.

Niall just nodded. He figured that Keith’s decision played a tiny part in Georgina’s mood. Sharing a room was sure to remedy that real quick. He started to think of a way to fix things.

“Look Ni, I don’t know what’s going on between ya but you both are actually happy and I’m happy to see it.” Dave said with a genuine smile. “If you ever need me to sub in and help out, I’m game.”

“I appreciate it brother.” Niall smiled as he patted David on the back.

“Now since you were late, you have dish duty when we are finished.” Dave said as Niall opened the fridge.

“That’s just fine with me.” He said grabbing two bottles of beer.

Dinner came and went. The entire meal was spent planning out the next day’s activities. After much debate, they decided on sightseeing. An old church was brought up as well as a few sites that held ancient ruins. Niall didn’t care what they did. He was too busy trying to think of a way to get his girlfriend to talk to him. He cracked a few jokes, addressed her directly, and even took to staring at her for five minutes straight but she never gave in. Georgina Ferguson was one stubborn woman. He knew he was in for a hell of a night.

After they ate, Niall washed the dishes while the rest of the group retreated to different parts of the house. A few people headed out to the pool. A couple others popped in a film. A certain woman headed straight to bed. Once the dishes were dried, he knew exactly where he needed to be.

When he got to their room, it was quiet. He closed the door behind him mentally rehearsing the apology he had planned. But once he saw her, his mind went blank. He found her in the bathroom drying her hair. He leaned against the door frame waiting for her to finish.

He had missed this. He had missed watching her get ready for work in the morning. He missed making dinner for her when she got home. He missed lounging on the couch as they caught up on the tv shows she liked to watch.

He missed just being with her.

The dryer turned off snapping him out of his dream. A faint smile formed on Niall’s face as he watched her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked sad.

“What’s wrong?” He asked gently.

Georgina spun around quickly. Her eyes grew colder as a frown formed across her lips. “You fucked her.”

Niall sighed. “Babe—“

She pressed her index finger into his chest. “You fucked her. All the others kept saying she was lying and that it wasn’t true but I could tell. I could tell because she had that little twinkle in her eye.”

“Baby.” He said stepping towards her.

“And Brittany has told me about all the other women you’ve been with and they all look like her and none of them look like me.” She rambled nervously. “Is that what you like? Is that what turns you on? Because if so, I don’t know why we are still together.”

Niall reached out and cupped her face with his hands. “Georgina, breathe.”

She attempted to continue her anxious ramble but he stopped her. His thumb stroked her cheek as he looked deep into her eyes.

“I love you. I want to be with you. I don’t want or need anybody else.” He said calmly. “I want you.”

“But she—“ Georgina mumbled.

“Fuck what she said.” Niall said annoyed. “I slept with her one time when I was drunk and I’ve regretted it to this day.”

“Harry’s friend invited us to this party in Malibu. I didn’t want to go so I invited Davey to come along and we got absolutely obliterated.” He explained. “I woke up the next morning in some random girl’s bed. I felt horrible for it. I’m not that person.”

Georgina placed her hands on her hips. “Okay.”

Niall removed his hands and placed them on top of hers. “Don’t sound too convinced there Ferguson.”

“She just made it seem like you had some raunchy sexual relationship.” Georgina explained.

“That’s just how she is.” Niall sighed. “I asked her how she knew Keith and you know what she said?”

She shook her head.

“She said verbatim,” he said before putting on an American accent, “Same way I know you.”

Georgina cringed. “Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.”

He rubbed her hips with his thumbs. “Exactly.”

“I don’t want to picture them having sex.” She said closing her eyes making him laugh.

“See, Baby? That’s just her. She is all about shock value.” He smiled. “You— you have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah I do.” She said quietly.

“What do you have to worry about Georgina?” He asked pulling her towards him.

She opened her eyes as tears began to form. “I can’t hold your hand in public. I can’t sit on your lap when I’m tired or too drunk. I can’t tell my best friends that I’m having the best sex I’ve ever had in me entire life and that I’ve actually had an orgasm.”

“Best sex you ever had?” He asked surprised.

The blonde haired woman nodded with a shy smile.

Niall looked impressed with himself. “I’ll take that.”

“Here she is running around telling everyone how she’s slept with the Niall Horan and I’ve just got to sit tight and bare it.” She said. “It’s just too much.”

“Baby, I promise we will tell them soon.” Niall said softly. “I just need more time.”

“But for what though?” She asked — sounding hurt. “How much more time do you need?”

“It’s just—“ He said before letting out a frustrated groan. “If we tell one person then eventually the entire world will find out and I’m not ready for that. We’re not ready for that. Everything will change.”

“Our friends wouldn’t do that to us.” Georgina said.

“Most of them wouldn’t.” Niall corrected.

“Fucking Keith.” She rolled her eyes.

“I just — I know what will happen if the public finds out. I’ve seen Tommo go through it. I’ve seen Liam go through it.” He said softly. He rested his forehead against hers, “I just need to protect you. For a little bit longer.”

“Fine.” She sighed dramatically.

“You’re a pain in the ass.” He mumbled playfully.

“Says the man who let his phone die when he’s traveling to another country.” She mumbled back.

“I’m sorry!” He said lifting his head back. “It was a good reason for it to die.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Georgina asked with a bit of sass.

“I was too busy watching videos of me girls because I’ve missed them too fucking much.” He said in a matter of fact tone.

Her skin grew warm as a smile formed. “You missed me?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” He sighed.

“I know.” She said draping her arms over his shoulders.

“How do you know?” He asked confused.

“Gerry texted me.” She explained. “He originally asked me if I could send Scoutie girl to you because he knew you were sad. But I told him I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to send pets through the post.”

Niall laughed. “He’s such an idiot.”

“Wait, it gets better. Then he asked if I’d send ya a pic of my tits because he knew that would cheer you up.” She smirked. “Pretty sure he just wanted to see my tits.”

“That’s our Gerry.” Niall shook his head. “I should’ve known better than to give him your number. He said he had a legal question.”

“He just cares about ya.” Georgina smiled. “Gotta look out for the boss man.”

Niall tried to fight the blush from forming but he couldn’t. It was refreshing to know how many people genuinely cared about his well being. After nearly a decade of chaos, he was finally in a good place. A good portion of that was due to the woman standing in front of him.

“I love you.” She whispered making his heart skip a beat. “A lot. And I’m sorry for being mean.”

“It’s understandable. I mean when I saw Marcus, I didn’t handle it too well.” He said.

“I was two seconds away from going McGregor on her.” Georgina admitted.

Niall laughed, “Why’s that?”

Georgina looked annoyed, “She kept going on about how ‘Slow Hands’ is about her!”

This made the young man laugh even harder. “No way in hell it’s about her. It’s about you.”

“How is it about me? We never–” She said not understanding what he meant.

“Do you know how many times I’ve pictured that scenario? Then last year when you made the joke I laughed it off but I can’t lie deep down I wished it would have happened.” He admitted.

“Well it almost did.” She blushed remembering that night in Aruba.

Niall pressed his hips against hers. He brought his hands up to face once more.

“I’m gonna kiss you now, okay? It’s been the only thing I’ve wanted to do since I got off the plane.” He whispered.

Without another word, the couple’s lips connected and every ounce of anxiety left the room. They were finally back together and it felt so good.

#one direction fan fiction #niall horan fanfiction #1dff #cbto #fergie and niall #niall fluff

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