#or maybe it’s just I’m seeing this sorry state of affairs only now that I’ve started looking at ig reels

[thursdayg1rl]

why did they have to make the summer I turned pretty into a show. it’s ruined my life and I have no plans of even watching

[starshipsofstarlord]

Bing Bong Bing;

So I’ve seen a bunch of friends fics being written and I thought I’d give it a go so voila enjoy x

Summary - awaking in the middle of the night draws a fear to you, only for your best friend to find out your well kept secret

Pairing - Chandler Bing x Monica’s roommate!Reader

Warnings - dangerous use of frying pans, secret relationships

A racket reverberated from the kitchen, echoing through the hall and there was no doubt someone outside. You couldn’t help but walk out of your room which was next to Monica’s and plod through the living space through the dead of night, all to witness your roommate holding a frying pan suspiciously and Chandler cradling the crown of his head.

“What is going on here?” You groggily asked, screwing your eyebrows up at the situation, not knowing all too well how to intake the scene given the fact that you were still half asleep and wishing to god that all things remained sealed by any lips present. “Don’t tell me you hit Chandler with the pan Mon!”

“No I’m just holding my head for an entirely different reason and Monica hit somebody else on the head with it.” Monica had her arms crossed as she looked between the pair of you, her senses picking up on evidence of panic that was slowly growing from you as you awoke to an understanding state.

“Anything you wanna tell me y/n?” She asked, tucking her weapon of choice behind her elbow as she quirked a brow at you and crossed her arms. You could only imagine how her cooks responded to her but you weren’t ready to give in so easily, she’d have to cook you a little longer.

“I mean if it were Joey at least he wouldn’t be able to lose any more brain cells.” You offered with a sly smile, earning a eye roll from the younger Geller sibling. Chandler huffed, asking if anybody was going to fetch him something to ice his injury with before he walked to the freezer himself.

“About why Chandler was sneaking in at this time y/n? Got any ideas on that?” You bit your bottom lip for a second as you thought before the perfect excuse rang through your brain that hadn’t been rattled by a metal utensil or at least yet. You’d have to remember to leave your key at home if you went over to Chandler and Joeys otherwise you’d be caught red handed all again.

“Um I reckon he snuck in to steal food like he always does.” You shrugged causing Monica to silently turn to your male friend in question to see if that was really the reason.

“I’ve stolen food now to ice the lump that is gonna expand from my scalp.” He gestured to the bag of peas that he was holding to his head. “But yes I came here to get food because I love food, food is beautiful and I never want to spend a second away from food. I can’t sleep without food beside me because I worry about food and if I were in the same apartment as food I’d do the same thing to protect food if someone was trying to break in as Monica just did!” He exasperated breathing heavy from the metaphorical rant that he had just spoken.

“Food loves you too Chan.” You spoke, understanding all that he was putting across and as you had said that a weight was lifted from his very chest. “And food is sorry that Monica hit you with the frying pan.”

“Something tells me we’re not talking about food. I’m a chef and even I’m not this attached to it, I get it. You love him you love her, and you didn’t want anyone to know about this little affair behind closed doors, not even me…”

“Mon come on, it’s not like I didn’t want you to know, your my best friend of course I wanted you to. But-“

“Enjoy your food, I’ll see you guys in the morning.” She put the frying pan on the side and walked to her room leaving you and Chandler alone after the two of you had confessed your love for each other.

“Maybe next time I’ll get a takeaway at my place.” He suggested causing you to laugh as he walked closed and as he did so you grabbed the bag of peas and held them in place for him. “You know she’ll forgive you she’s just mad you didn’t tell her, all with pass and you’ll be as tight as magnets again.”

“Or as close as that frying pan was on your head.”

[arcxnumvitae]

...Surely he had heard wrong. “I’m sorry, what?” Ruaidhri frowned from his seat across the table filled with delicate snacks and cups of steaming tea, clearly annoyed with having to repeat himself.

“Well, firstly I was speaking to Eilidh. Secondly, I said that the gentry have been invited to some such masquerade by some foreign ruler. Why the king would agree to such a thing, I have no idea, but I am never one to turn down a party. Though something tells me it will probably just be some tacky affair,” the man added under his breath.

“A masquerade seems like it will be fun though!” Eilidh exclaimed, yet even in his state of distraction Aodh could tell that her idea of “fun” would probably be something along the lines that would get them kicked out. Or start an all out war between the two nations. But that didn’t make sense. The old king was the one currently still ruling, and he had never had an interest in interacting with lands outside of their own. 

W-would that man be there? The thought boiled his blood yet sent ice through his veins in equal measure that he might have to come face to face with that irritatingly perfect specimen in what was supposed to be his perfect reality. But a thought almost as frightening then occurred.

Would....would Aislan be there?

“This other land that is hosting this party,” Aodh finally spoke up. “Who is the ruler that is leading all of this?” Maybe he would get lucky, maybe things would have changed enough that some other person of some other part of Aislan’s land was hosting the ball. They had dragon’s there, didn’t they. Yet the way Ruaidhri rolled his eyes had that small spark of hope immediately sinking into Aodh’s gut.

“I’ve only heard rumors, of course, but they sound dreadfully annoying. Some overwrought peacock who thinks that they have style and flair. Something tells me that they are sadly overconfident in that regard. A kingdom to rule does not automatically equal style, the poor dear.” Why was Ruaidhri speaking as if they had already met?

A cool hand then touched Aodh’s cheek, and he turned to see Eilidh’s worried gaze upon him, a small line of worry between her brow. “Aodh? Is something the matter? You look upset.” His hand automatically raised to cover hers, yet he nearly flinched at the touch of his skin against hers. Her hand was cold, too cold even for a fae, and it had been ever since they had first woken up those days ago now that he thought about it. She was supposed to be a fae, not a vampire, but was she...? She hadn’t even run off in this life...

“I’m surprised by how sudden this is, dear, but I am also realizing that now we must find you a dress. Your beauty will outshine all in attendance.” Bringing her too cold hand to his lips, Aodh brushed a warm kiss to the back of it, causing Eilidh to break into a wide grin.

“You flirt!” In an instant, the woman had slid from her seat to his lap and grinned down at him with a devilish twinkle in her eyes. His hands slid into her midnight hair right as her lips met his, and he could hear Ruaidhri scoff in the background.

“Lovebirds, ugh. That’s why you will never catch me acting so foolishly.”

Yet even with Eilidh’s lips against his, Aodh couldn’t help but think of the fae monarch that had shone the brightest of them all at the ball that night....

[sweetdejun]

Hi! I saw you were doing a drabble game. Could i get a BTS Jungkook 19 and 17?

Thank you for all your effort and work! 💕

a/n: hii thank you for sending a request! also sorry for the wait there are some things going on in my personal life rn :// PS I really wanted this where the reader and jk are exes, but they’re not on bad terms. it’s a little different but I hope that you like it nevertheless!

prompts: “funny how things turned out, huh?” + "did you just call me 'dude'?"

genre/trope: exes!au, lovers-to-friends!au

warnings: none, unedited

pairing: jeon jeongguk x reader

word count: 716

you should have seen it coming in hindsight. you and jeongguk started as friends, then the two of you began your love affair after some alcohol-induced confessions and kisses one night. things were great between the two of you for a while, but within the past few weeks, you’ve felt the spark that kept things interesting start to drop. pretty soon, the small quirks that used to make your heart flutter stopped leaving you in an enamored state. you think jeongguk has been feeling the same for a while; it would have been not as obvious if you were dating someone who was not observant, but jeongguk knows you inside and out. if he was being completely honest, he was glad that the feeling was mutual. he couldn’t imagine what it would have been like if the spark was only lost on his end. even if he was seeing you less and less as a romantic partner, he had still given you a piece of his heart and he would have been absolutely shattered if you still loved him as much as you did since the beginning. 

after weeks of riding it out, you decided to bite the bullet and have “the talk” with jeongguk. “so, there’s no easy way to put this, guk. I, uh… I wanna tell you that, um,” you started off, but jeongguk raised his hand. “sorry, y/n, but does it maybe have to do with what our relationship is now?” of course he noticed. “yes, I think what I’m trying to say is that we should consider going back to being friends.” “sure.” you both breathed out in relief, and you started laughing. “that was too easy. I was not expecting it to be that easy.” “I’m so glad you feel the same way, though.” 

that brought you to this moment: you were helping jeongguk pack up any of the things that he had left behind at your apartment. “hey, you remember this?” you hear his voice become clearer and turn to see him holding up a beanbag. you held out your palm from a distance, and he tossed the item at you. “of course! that was from our first official date,” you feel the beans inside the cloth and reminisce the time you brought it home. it was from when you guys went to the carnival in town, and for some reason you thought it would be cute to keep a beanbag from one of the competitions, as ‘memorabilia’. jeongguk smiled, “funny how things turned out, huh?” you looked back up at him and the memories are still fresh of your relationship. “I know, right? we thought we’d make it to the end, but here we are.” you shrugged your shoulders, tossing the beanbag in with his stuff. “you don’t wanna keep it?” jeongguk stares at you, but you shake your head. “nah, dude. I’m good, I’ve got the memory, you keep the beanbag.” jeongguk shook his head, “did you just call me 'dude'? never say that again, y/n, please,” and you laugh. “sorry, I won’t say it again, I’ve gotta transition from calling you things like ‘babe’ and ‘love’,” you say and for a moment the room goes silent. perhaps it’s because the two of you know that time isn’t coming back anytime soon. quietly leaning over to pick up the box, jeongguk smiles at you, “thank you for a good time, y/n. you were a great girlfriend and I truly did cherish the time we spent together.” 

“I did too, but hey, the fun doesn’t have to stop! we’re still friends, so if you ever wanna just hang out for the sake of hanging out, my door’s always open for that,” you tell him as the two of you slowly walk towards your door. “this is probably the world’s calmest break up,” jeongguk laughs with the box gripped firmly between his arms, and you giggle back. “I know, right? the world would laugh at us for being so nonchalant about it.” you open the door, and jeongguk gives your place one last glance, before his eyes land on you. “alright, well, I guess it’s goodbye for now, y/n.” you lean up and place a final kiss to jeongguk’s cheek. “I’ll see you later, jeongguk.”

[spnae]

I do not own SG-1. That said, please note that some rather iconic scenes and dialogue from the end of season 8 and the beginning of season 9 taken directly from the show are depicted in this story. I don’t own those either. -spnae AKA RavenLove12

Chapter 1

Jack watched as Sam ran back towards her car parked in his driveway, she was clearly upset. Either about finding him with another woman, or because of the phone call she had just received. He wasn’t entirely sure, probably both, yeah, both. Whatever had happened to Jacob was obviously serious if they had called her on her day off. The whole situation had been awkward as hell. He wished he would have handled it better. Suddenly he felt a surge of desire to just drop everything and go with her. Instead he just turned to the pretty woman beside him, trying to assess the situation he found himself in. She didn’t deserve to be in the middle of all this; whatever this was.

“Kerry, I huh, I should probably-”

“Do you need to go?” she asked calmly. It was one of the things that had attracted him to her, she was a very calm, level headed sort of person, and just happened to look fantastic in parado.

He sighed and shook his head putting down his beer “Kerry, I’m sorry….”

“Ok Jack, slow down a second. We don’t even know what happened yet. I know she’s your friend, I get that. Look, lunch is already overdone, why don’t we at least eat and then you can head over to the SGC after?”

He fiddled with the barbecue fork with the charred meat still stuck to the end of it. It really didn’t look all that appetizing anymore and yet, he couldn’t just run off and leave Kerry there all alone. “Yeah, I guess you’re right” he agreed even though the voice inside his head was screaming at him to go after Sam.

As they attempted to salvage the rest of their lunch date, Jack’s mind kept drifting to Sam. Specifically what she had said, what she hadn’t said, and what he hoped she would. All these years he’d dreamed she would come to him and make the first move and she comes now? Her timing was really awful! he thought.

“Earth to Jack!” Jack looked up to see Kerry looking at him expectantly.

“Humm?”

“Are you alright?”

“Oh yeah, sure I’m fine” he sat up straighter in his seat and took half a swig of beer.

“Liar” her tone was light but she smiled sadly, “You really do need to go huh?”

“I’m really sorry Kerry but, Carter…Eh, Jacob is a friend too.”

Kerry nodded, her eyes held just a little too much understanding. Damn he hated to do this to her. He swallowed “Besides that, it’s my command, I really should know what’s going on.” He stood up and started clearing the table.

“Jack, if it’s that important then let me clean up. I have to stop by the SGC to finish up some paperwork I’ve been putting off anyway. I’ll lock up here and check in with you sometime this evening before I head home for the night, alright?”

Jack gave her a curt nod “Thanks Kerry, I appreciate it.'' Then a quick peck on the cheek that was much different from the passion filled kisses and simi-long goodbyes they had shared over the last few weeks. Or even this afternoon for that matter. Yes, something was definitely wrong, and not just with Carter’s dad.

After checking in and making himself presentable, Jack made his way to the infirmary where he knew he would find Sam and her dad. He had already asked the attending Doctor for a status update on Jacob’s condition so as he would not be blindsided when he entered the room. The news had made his stomach turn.

The door was open when he got there. Jacob was resting quietly, sound asleep. While Sam slowly paced the floor. Unsurprisingly she was still dressed in the same outfit she had been wearing when she had come over to his house. She had always looked nice in blue, he thought. God, he had been such an ass. “State of affairs”? Really Jack? If only Kerry hadn’t been there, then maybe they could have had a real conversation, He thought to himself. Kerry was great, sexy, smart, professional, great sense of humor, and that smile. Yet as much as he had enjoyed Kerry’s company he would gladly let her go. Just so long as he knew for sure that Sam wanted him as much as he wanted her and that there was even a slight hope they could ever actually be together.

He had never really thought much of Pete but figured, “Hey, if Mr. Potato-Head makes her happy then so be it” and had tried to move on with his life. He tried to act like he was happy for her. After all, he only ever wanted her to be happy. Even he thought of her being happy with someone else was slowly turning him into a bitter old man but it was a small price to pay for her happiness. The truth was that he had never been able to justify taking any of the actions necessary for them to be together. He couldn’t ask her to leave the Air Force, that not only would kill her career but very possibly everyone else on earth. He hated the idea of her ever resenting him if he allowed that to happen.

The last time he had talked to Hammond about retirement he had made it clear that it was out of the question. He had screwed up in reverse, he had somehow made himself indispensable. And so he sat, heart locked in a box trying to pretend it wasn’t. Miserable without her.

Then again, who said he had to be miserable anyway? It was only after Sam had told him she actually accepted Pete’s proposal that he had even thought about dating. It was only fair that he should try finding a little happiness for himself wasn’t it? Damn, he was an idiot then too wasn’t he? She had practically begged him to give her a reason to tell Pete “no” and he just stood there with his foot in his mouth. Always the good little soldier, Jack. Where the hell had that got him? Command of the SGC and not court martialed, that’s what; but he sure as hell hadn’t got the girl. What was the point of playing the hero all the time if he couldn’t even get the girl? The girl that had pulled his ass out of the fire more times than he could count and had done a pretty spectacular job of playing hero herself on more than a few occasions. Damn he loved her for that.

Sam had a list of qualities he loved that could fill a book. The tiny masochistic part of him even loved when she would drive him crazy with her tekno-bable.

He watched as that same amazing woman slowly paced the floor, head down, shoulders drooping uncharacteristically. Pain shot through him seeing the woman he admired so much looking so- forlorn.

Jack knocked lightly on the doorframe “Hey there, Carter, mind if I come in?” his voice had been soft but he would have thought a bomb had gone off by Sam’s reaction. Her head whipped up and she had a look of pure shock mixed with a myriad of other emotions Jack wasn’t entirely certain he was qualified to decipher. “Sir! What are you doing here?”

He might have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so serious “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you” he said gently as he entered the room “I just wanted to check in and see how your dad was doing. That’s ok, isn't it, Colonel?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.

“I, eh, yeah, yes General, of course it is. It’s just, I thought, I just didn’t expect you to leave…”

He really didn’t want her to finish that sentence “How’s he doing Carter?” he cut her off as he walked over to sit next to Jacob’s bed.

Sam closed her eyes and took a breath to collect herself. “Selmak is dying, Dad says he’s going to die with him.”

Jack nodded, that much he had already heard from the Doctor “Isn’t there anything they can do? The Tok’ra maybe?”

Sam shook her head, “I’m not sure, Sir. I’ve been running through possible solutions in my head, but I haven't had a chance to talk to him about them. I was going to bring it up when he woke up but the wait is killing me.” Jack stepped up to her as he laid a hand on her shoulder and pulled her close to him. Close but not too close, he was remembering the loss of his own father. That had been a difficult time but at least Sara had been with him and that had made all the difference in the world.

“Sam” he murmured and regretted using her name when he heard the breath catch in her throat. Distance, O’Neill, distance.

“Carter” he corrected himself and felt her relax a bit “Look, why don’t you go. Change out of your civvies, get something to eat, get a coffee, stretch your legs, whatever you need to do. I want you to take a break. I’ll stay with him, he won't be alone and I’ll call for you at the first sign of trouble. Ok?”

Sam started to protest, shaking her head “Carter, please. I’m asking you as your friend, to take a break. I’d rather not have to make it an order as your CO”.

“Understood” she took her father’s hand patting it gently, “I’ll be back, Daddy” she murmured.

She couldn’t have been gone more than three minutes before Jacob started to stir “Sam?” he rasped.

“Hey there Jake”

“Jack? Where’s Sam?”

“I sent her out for some fresh air and a bite to eat.”

He shook his head, “She wont you know.”

“Yeah, but hopefully she’ll at least try. How are you feeling?”

“Selmak and I are dying Jack, how do you think I’m feeling?”

“For what it’s worth-”

“Don’t go getting all mushy on me now Jack”

“Hey, no mush, I’m being honest. You’ve been a good friend and ally. I consider it an honor and a privilege to work with you and the amazing woman you fathered. See no mush.”

Jacob eyed him critically “Damn, I really am dying aren't I? We both know that for you that’s pretty damn mushy” he choked out a laugh that turned into a cough.

Jack grabbed for the glass of water sitting nearby and helped Jacob into a more comfortable position to drink.

“Come on now, Sam will kill me if you die on my watch, you wouldn’t want a double funeral now would you?” he teased.

“Has anyone ever told you that your bedside manner stinks?” It was Jack’s turn to laugh.

Jacob turned serious again “Jack, you mind if I ask you something?”

“Eh sure, I guess” he said sitting back onto the stool next to the bed.

“When are you--” He stopped himself “What do you think about this ‘Pete’ guy?”

Shit, “I don’t really know him. He seems like a decent guy”.

“Oh cut the crap Jack, I’m dying here.”

“You really want my honest opinion?”

“Please”

“And you won't say anything to Sam?”

“Like we never had this conversation”

Jack took a deep breath and nodded once “He’s a nice guy, but...”

“But?”

“Damn it Jake, the guy is a potato, and I know I’m out of line here but, Sam…”

“Sam what?” Jacob tested.

“Well you know, she’s your daughter. If he’s a potato then, then Sam is a freaking diamond. I just mean…”

“I agree”

“I, you what?”

“I agree”

“You do?”

“Well of course she’s precious to me she’s my little girl. I just met Pete and I already think of him as ‘Spud-nik’''

“Mr. Potato-Head”

Jacob nearly choked on another laugh, “Ow Jack, it hurts to laugh”

“I’m sorry” he grinned sadly.

Both men sat in silence for a number of seconds before Jacob broke the quiet, “I just want my little girl to be happy, Jack. Is that too much to ask?”

“No. But it’s her choice, whether it’s the right one or not, it’s her life, her choice. Not yours and sure as hell not mine” he spat out the last words like poison, suddenly wishing he had a beer, or maybe something a little stronger than a beer.

Jacob set Jack with one of his patinated sole-piercing gazes “I think you and I both know that it isn’t quite as simple as that, Jack”.

“I, what are you talking about?” his throat was suddenly dry.

“Do you really think Sam would chose a potato if she thought she could have the blue Jell-o instead?”

He was not having this conversation “I really shouldn’t have said anything. And you know, potatoes aren’t that bad depending on how they are cooked. I mean, sometimes french fries can really hit the spot”.

“Look, if you want to be flippant and pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, fine. All I know is it seems to me like Sam is having some serious doubts about good ol’ Spud-nik and I’ve got a pretty good hunch that you have something to do with it”

“What? Me? I… no, Jake, come on… you know that I, that Carter and I-”

“Are complete professionals and you would never do anything to jeopardize either one of your careers, yes I know. Which makes you good as gold in my book. But, I also know that you can’t go on living your lives lying to yourselves”

“Sure you can if the alternative is court martial or worse”

He shook his head and sighed “I know my girl. She loves you Jack, and from what Fraya has said, you love her too. Or at least you did a few years ago, personally I think you still do.”

“Filthy, slimy, good for nothing… damn it! She had no right to say anything to anyone about that!”

“Calm down Jack, it wasn’t like it was water cooler gossip. She just said something a few years ago about you turning her down. Knowing you as I do, that didn’t surprise me. Then during an unrelated conversation, she mentioned the difficulty in determining zatark test results. She gave an example of two “test subjects” that sounded an awful lot like you and Sam. I sort of put things together from there. So don’t be so hard on the girl.”

Jack was still pissed, but he really couldn’t stay mad when Jacob had simply done the math. “So how long have you known?” He asked quietly.

“Heck I first suspected the day I met you.”

“What?”

“I kinda thought there was potential for something there anyway” he shrugged a shoulder weakly. “Look Jack, I wasn’t going to mention it but maybe I should…”

He paused long enough to wonder if he was actually going to continue. “Mention what, exactly?”

“Just before I collapsed I had been on the phone with George. He and I go way back you know. He’s talking about retirement. In fact he was getting ready for a meeting to discuss his replacement as we were talking. He’s already made his mind up on who he wants to replace him in Washington but wanted my take on who might be a good replacement for you” He paused again taking a shaky breath “Now I’ve been out of the loop in Washington for quite a while of course but I gave him a couple names of some good men I think might be up to the job. He knows the one guy I mentioned, so I’m hoping they will go with him. He’s a bit of a bird nut but he’s a good guy. The SGC would be in good hands with him. Washington could open up a number of new doors for you, you know.”

Jack took a moment to let his words sink in. He would no longer be Sam’s CO for starters, but Technically he would still be in the same chain of command. But Washington? The very thought made his head hurt. “Washington?” he asked numbly.

“I know it doesn’t fix everything but at least give it some consideration, alright?” Jacob rested his head back on his pillow clearly exhausted from the lengthy conversation. “Whatever you decide, please just make sure she knows how you feel. She deserves to know what her options are before she makes a final decision. I just want what’s best for my girl.”

“Even if that means blue Jell-o?”

“Especially the blue Jell-o, she’s always loved that stuff. Just promise me you’ll tell her how you feel.”

Jack looked down at his hands and backup at Jacob “Jake, I don’t think I can do that to her. I can’t give her the life she deserves.”

“Just tell my girl how you feel. She doesn't deserve to settle for anything she doesn’t really want and we both know that’s what she’s doing. As far as your careers go, you two have been in this long enough. It’s time to work out a solution. That’s what you two do best isn’t it?”

“Yeah well I can’t really use C4 and duct tape to fix this mess now can I?”

“Is that really how you see yourself Jack?” That gave him pause.

“I don’t deserve her Jake”

“No one does” He rasped “But if there is a man alive that has proven he deserves a chance to make her happy, it’s you.”

“Alright, fine, I’ll talk to her.”

“Just tell her” Jacob was growing weak.

“Rest, Jacob. Sam will be back soon. I told her I’d stay with you until she got back. I’ll think about what you said alright? I will talk to her.”

Jacob nodded weakly, “You’re a good man Jack. Thank you. I mean it. A diamond deserves to be set in gold.” With that Jacob closed his eyes and soon fell back asleep.

Jack sat there until Sam returned. She was wearing BDU pants, a black shirt and carrying two cups of hot coffee. She handed one of the cups to him without meeting his eyes. “Everything ok while I was gone, Sir?”

“Just fine, Carter” he took a sip of the hot coffee, just the way he liked it.

“Did he wake up at all?”

“Ehh, yeah, for a bit. He’s only been sleeping for about ten minutes or so now”

Sam nodded. She looked tired and yet there was a determination in the set of her jaw. “Sir” she started “About earlier, I mean, before-”

“Not now, Carter” he cut her off and his voice came out more forceful than he had meant it to.

She swallowed once and stood up a little straighter, “Of course, Sir. I’m sorry, I was out of line.”

He took and breath and tried to slow his heart “Carter”

“You don’t have to say anything, Sir. I understand completely, I shouldn’t have brought it up, I’m sorry.”

“Carter! Would you knock it off?” For the first time she looked him in the eye. “First of all, Samantha,” his voice was very low, but not quite a whisper, “Yes I do. Secondly, No, you really, really don’t. And third, yes you most certainly should have. In fact I’d go as far as to say that it’s about damn time ya did. We need to have a very long talk indeed, but for crying out loud, Carter! Not Here, Not Now!” he said, gesturing to the room in general and then to the dying man laying in the bed next to them. Jack hadn’t raised his voice an octave.

Sam looked between the two men for a moment then went to take her father’s hand in her own, turning with her back towards Jack. She didn’t look back to him when she uttered “Yes, of course, Sir”.

It was barely a whisper but Jack heard her loud and clear. He took an uncertain step towards her putting his hands gently on her shoulders leaning into her slightly but still maintaining distance “We will talk, Carter. I promise we will, but for now, lets just get through this. One step at a time like we always do, alright?” With that he released her shoulders and made his way back to his office.

He sat at his desk for what felt like hours. Considering that Walter had already been in a couple of times to let him know members of the Tok’ra were coming to say their farewells to Jacob and Selmak he figured it probably had been at least that long. He really had tried to get some work done but it was a lost cause. Between the Tok’ra coming and going and his mind drifting back and forth between Carter and her dad, Kerry and Pete, retirement and Washington... Damn he really didn’t need all of this right now. He had enough on his plate already with the paperwork strewn all over his desk and Daniel still missing. He really didn’t have time to be thinking about his love life. And yet here he was.

Contemplating the woman he’d been afraid to love for the past eight years. Eight years? Had it really been that long? And Kerry, the woman whom he had allowed to partially fill the void. They hadn’t really been dating that long, only a couple of weeks but things had been good. Really good in fact. They had taken things slow but had just been getting to the good stuff. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Like he had somehow been unfaithful to Sam, which was ridiculous. If anything he should feel guilty for even thinking about Sam when he was still with Kerry. He liked her a lot. He made him feel something he hadn’t felt in years. Partly because he could actually act on his desires with her, the way he couldn’t with Sam. Even so, she was nothing compared to the few fantasies of one Samantha Carter he’d allowed himself to indulge in over the last few years. Granted at this point he wasn’t sure if the real Samantha Carter herself would compare to the fantasies either.

That was one of the many reasons he had never let things get any further. Fear. When it came to a mission or protecting someone he cared for he’d risk bodily harm any day. But his heart was another story altogether. He hadn’t always been like that, just after Charlie, after Sara. But Sam, she had often left him wondering if he could find love again.

Then there was Mr.Potato-Head. And there was what Jacob had said about choosing between a potato and blue Jell-o. After thinking about it he could vividly remember seeing Sam with the bright blue stuff on several occasions and remembered her saying something about how much she loved it. Damn Jacob and his insightfulness.

He knew they would have to talk, he had meant it when he said they would. He just didn’t know what the hell he was going to say to her. He also needed to talk to Kerry. Hell what was he going to say to her? “Sorry Kerry, but this woman I’ve been in love with for years is having second thoughts about her upcoming wedding and she MIGHT be interested in trying to pursue a relationship with me if we can figure out a way around regulations.” Oh yeah, sure, that would go over really well. He really sucked at this sort of thing.

Just then there was a soft knock at his door and none other than Kerry sidled in wearing a top he felt sure she picked out just for him. He pretended not to notice and was more than a little surprised when the first thing out of her mouth was to inquire after Sam’s dad. Then she closed the door.

As much as he liked her he knew she was right, he wasn’t about to fight her. Especially since she was doing his dirty work for him. He simply let her have her say, responding appropriately to move things along. It wasn’t fair to her, she really deserved someone who could freely give his heart to her, today had proven to both of them that he couldn’t be that man for her. What had surprised him was her calm when she asked him if regulations were really all that lay between him and Sam. Her advice of course had been to retire.

It wasn’t a bad idea of course but he just wasn’t sure if he was ready for that yet. Washington didn’t seem much better. Maybe after he had a chance to talk to Carter he could better make a decision. Heck, officially, he hadn’t even known about Hammond wanting to retire, yet alone been offered his position. There was still the possibility that Washington wasn’t really an option. The Joint Chiefs could just as easily appoint someone else and then retirement would be his only option if he wanted to be with Sam. Retirement might not be so bad. Perhaps this would be easier than he could have hoped for.

[saeyoungchoismaid]

in all honesty, i don't know how this would work, but it intrigued me.

24 + diavolo, maybe? if you can find inspiration for it :)

You did it perfectly anon!! FINALLY an ask for hubby Diavolo <3 Lmao this was just supposed to be a little drabble like the rest of them but nO I just hAd to go overboard. So now I have to add all this mess:

Pairing: Lord Diavolo x gn!reader Genre: angst, fluff, fake dating au Warnings: uh his dad hates you??? Summary: With the Demon King wanting Diavolo to find someone to rule with him, it’s only natural that he lies and says he’s already found someone(you), right?  Word Count: 2k words (so much for this being a drabble lmao)

24. kisses for a cover (I’m assuming this means like a cover up like a lie)

Being the prince of The Devildom comes with many responsibilities, including but not limited to: running The Devildom since his father has no interest in The Devildom’s affairs, hosting events and gatherings to strengthen his bonds with other lords and the other rulers of the three worlds, keeping an eye on the student council (which is mostly composed of meddlesome brothers that he cares for deeply), and the list goes on. 

Oh, can’t forget the fact that he is required to marry and have someone to rule by his side. Yeah, that’s apparently an important one. He’s always realized his responsibility and has accepted all parts of his life as fact, but when you come down from the human world to participate in his program, his solid plans suddenly all come to a screeching halt. 

It becomes clear to him that he can’t go and marry someone just for the sake of The Devildom. I mean, he’s been ruling The Devildom for most of his life just fine without someone else! He decided he wasn’t going to do it. He doesn’t want to marry anyone except for you and when he does, it’ll be because you two are ready for marriage, not because it’s his duty as prince. 

His father didn’t like that though. 

Despite Diavolo being the ruler of The Devildom, he is not yet the Demon King. That title still belongs to his father, who always has the final say. And in this case, his final say is that Diavolo cannot rule the kingdom on his own any longer. 

Diavolo sees red when he hears this news. 

It isn’t until his father decides to host a party to introduce him to possible suitors that Diavolo lies and says he’s already found someone to rule by his side. When asked who, Diavolo says your name, and, of course, his father wants to meet you right away. 

The only thing is, Diavolo hasn’t told you of his true feelings, meaning you are oblivious to how he truly feels about you. His father cannot know of this though. So, with Diavolo on his knees before you, he begs you to pretend to be his lover. He promises that he’ll do whatever you ask of him, as long as you do him this favor. 

Unbeknownst to Diavolo though, you’re just as crazy about him as he is about you. So of course you agree to his plan. 

Asmo helps you with your appearance, Satan teaches you some big words to use in front of the Demon King to impress him, Lucifer teaches you the proper mannerism to use in front of him, Mammon lets you wear his most expensive jewelry, Beel shows you the correct silverware to use during the dinner and in what order to eat it in, plus what to avoid, Levi gives you history facts about The Devildom and what the Demon King has done for it before Diavolo took over, and Belphie reminds you to flatter the Demon King as much as possible to please him. Barbatos, of course, goes over everything with you again to make sure your success is definite. 

When you’re finally ready, Diavolo picks you up at six o’clock sharp to bring you back to his father’s mansion for dinner. He smiles when he sees you, though his smile shrinks a bit when he notices how stiff and nervous you are. 

“You look beautiful,” he whispers to you when you reach him, gently taking a hold of your hand to kiss the back of it. His smile returns to its original state when you smile at him, your cheeks gaining heat to them at the compliment. 

“Thank you. You look quite dapper yourself,” you reply softly, admiring him in his fancy suit. His smile turns into a grin, happy to hear that you like his suit. His tie is your favorite color and everything. 

“Well, let’s get going,” he says as he leads you to the car and helps you get in. He talks to you about every and anything on the way there, trying to distract you and calm you down before you arrive. It works up until the car pulls up in front of his father’s mansion, your throat suddenly going dry. “You’ll do great,” he promises. 

He helps you out just like how he had helped you in before assisting you up the grand steps. When you reach the door, he gives a single powerful knock before waiting. You two aren’t waiting long before the door is flying open and a small woman is standing there. “Good evening. Please come in,” she greets meekly, pulling the grand door open for you two to walk inside. 

You two are then led to the dining room, where your chairs are pulled out for you two to sit. Within the next minute, the Demon King is walking in. “Welcome, welcome! I’m glad you two made it here okay!” he greets, surprising you with how chipper he seems. He takes a seat at the head of the grand table, your hands starting to shake a bit in his presence despite how friendly he seems. During Levi’s history lesson, he told you about all the scary things he’s done in his time. 

As soon as he’s taken his seat, servants are flocking in with trays of drinks and appetizers. You all wait until they’re gone before beginning to eat. You stare down at your plate, trying to remember everything Beel and Lucifer taught you. Why are there three spoons and three forks? Surely you don’t need that many. You glance at Diavolo and pick up the same fork as him, taking a deep breath to help relax your nerves. 

You glance at the Demon King to find that he looks satisfied with your silverware choice. Was this a test? You don’t have time to ponder it before he’s firing into questions about you. The first one being: “So, you’re...human?” How are you supposed to answer that? Of course you are, and he obviously knows this. 

“Um, yes,” you stutter out, feeling your cheeks flush when you realize your mistake. “Yes, your highness!”  He lets out a small hum, seeming to make a mental note of your mistake. From there, things seem to only get worse. It’s like you suddenly forgot how to speak like a normal person and things you’d never say are flying out of your mouth. You’re just trying to impress him and make him approve of you but you’re doing the exact opposite. 

It isn’t until the end of dinner that he announces this. 

“You know, son, I’m not sure this one is the best idea,” he starts, frowning at you as he gives you a once over. Before he can even continue though, Diavolo is standing up and glaring down at his father with a look of pure anger. You’ve never seen him so worked up before.

“I don’t care what you think about them! You told me to find someone to rule with and that’s what I’ve done. I love them and they will be by my side as I rule over The Devildom!” he announces, making your jaw drop as you stare up at him. You close your mouth and clench your jaw though when you remember what you’re here for. He doesn’t actually love you. He’s saying all of this to convince his father that he’s found someone who will rule with him. 

You apparently tuned out of the conversation at the wrong time because the next thing you know, you’re being tugged up by Diavolo and his lips are finding yours. Your eyes go wide in shock despite your brain trying to yell at your body not to show any signs of surprise. It’s easier said than done though. 

All too soon for your liking, Diavolo is pulling away from your lips. Something flashes in his eyes—hope or love maybe? Eh, who are you kidding—before he’s turning to look at his father again. “You see? I don’t want anyone else; I want them! They’re mine and I’m theirs!” he shouts at his father. Before he can reply to his son, Diavolo is dragging you out of the room and to the front of the house where the car is awaiting you both. 

Diavolo is silent for a long time while you two drive back home, a heavy frown on his face and his knuckles white with how tight he’s clenching his fists. “I’m sorry for all of that,” he apologizes softly, bringing your eyes away from his hands to his face. He’s not looking at you though, simply staring out his window at the scenery passing him by. 

“It’s okay. I understand. Barbatos informed me of your relationship with your father,” you say softly. They get along and all, but they more often than not end up in some sort of disagreement. It’s normally about how things are being done in The Devildom though. 

He sighs and reaches over to take your hand in his, staring down at the small hand in his big one. “I hope you’ll still consider my proposal,” he says softly, making your brows furrow. 

“What proposal?” you ask. His eyes finally meet yours and your heart skips a beat at how expressive his eyes are. 

“To rule The Devildom with me, of course,” he replies like it’s obvious. Your brows shoot up to your hairline at this news though. 

“What? I thought that was just something you were telling your father, so he wouldn’t force you to marry some rando,” you rush out, trying to wrap your mind around his words. There’s no way he actually wants you to rule The Devildom with him. You wouldn’t know the first thing about ruling over thousands of other people—er, demons.  

His brows knit together at your response, his other hand moving to grab your free one. “(Y/n), I’m sorry. I...I should’ve said something sooner,” he whispers, staring down at your hands now. This only confuses you more though. 

“Tell me what sooner?” 

He’s silent for a long moment, trying to gather the right words he wants to say. “I love you. What I said back there, it’s true. I want you to be by my side and help me to run The Devildom. You have so many good ideas and suggestions, I just know you’ll make a wonderful leader.” 

Now you’re just gaping at him like a fish. 

“What? No. No, I...I can’t,” you mumble, pulling your hands out of his. He just pulls them right back to him though. 

“You can’t? Can’t what? Be with me?” he asks softly, his voice sounding close to breaking, just like his heart. 

“No! No, I...I want to be with you. I love you too. I just...I don’t know the first thing when it comes to ruling over demons, most of which want to eat me,” you reply, trying to sound playful and joking but failing, your words being too true and hitting too close to home.

That didn’t stop Diavolo from smashing his lips to yours for a passionate kiss though. “That doesn’t matter. None of it does as long as I get to be with you. I’ll even step down from being King for you,” he mumbles against your lips after you two pull back for air. 

“No, don’t do that. These people need you just as much as I do. I’ll learn how to rule with time. Just stay by my side, okay?” you whisper back, pulling away from his face enough to look up into his eyes. 

He smiles brighter than The Devildom’s moon as he nods his head rapidly. “I swear I will. I’ll help you every step of the way.” He seals his promise with another kiss...and then another...and then just one more to be sure.

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MASTERLISTS

More with Lord Diavolo

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[smollangrycat]

Not Just Name Callin

When the biological daughter of Damian Wayne gets into trouble furthering her feeling of being unwanted she takes drastic action.

Characters;

Nickolas Kent - 10

Daria Wayne - 10

Damian Wayne - 30

Raven Wayne - 29

Thomas Wayne - 2

Max Wellson - 10

Mrs Wellson - 32

School Staff

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Warnings

Bad Language/Angst

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1:30 pm, Monday 

(Groan) Todays been shit so far I’ve had 7 pieces of homework assigned, 3 pop quizzes and now I’m in the principles office for braking a kids fucking nose!

… Well I may need to explained the last one.

(Back to just before the fight)

Hey Kent, wanna burn down the school with me later? I ask my friend Nick sarcastically.

You know I would love to Miss Daria Wayne but I have a prior engagement he respond in a fake British accent kinda soundin like Alfred.

We both start laughing and start discussing plans for an upcoming mission then Nick had to excuse himself to the bathroom. But then Callum Wellson comes strutting up to me.

Hey sewer rat , what should we talk about? Oh, superhero’s or maybe even anime? He says in fake excitement.

Piss of Wellson, I don’t want to look at your snobby mug let alone talk with it I quip hoping this jack ass would leave me the hell alone.

Shut it Wayne, why don’t we talk about the fact your parent only adopted you so they wouldn’t get shade from the media!

Idiot they didn’t adopt me I’m Damian Wayne’s biological daughter really this guy has to check his facts before he start his idiotic accusations.

That what I mean you came into there lives when things were going great for them. They just announced their pregnancy and how Mr Wayne inherited Wayne Corporations.

He pauses looking at my face. Maybe he was right they were doing just fine without me better even did ... did I .... destroy that?

And all of a sudden you come along and turn there world upside down a sewer rat that’s a pain in the ass. I wouldn’t be surprised if they left you on someone’s door step or even .... 

He didn’t get to finish his sentence before I was on top of him pounding my fists into his face. Hearing a loud audible crunch, probably his nose but that didn’t stop me.

The only reason I did stop was because the teachers where pulling me off of him I got I good few swings but they wouldn’t let me go.

(Back to current time)

So here I am waiting for my ...... father to show up. I don’t think he will, he never really showed up for anything before why would this be different?

Oh my baby! I hear a screeching voice well ..... screech.

What did that little she beast do to you the woman continues as if I’m not even here well nothing new there.

She looks at me and if looks could kill i’d currently be decaying. She then looked at the head master  I want that little affair maid mistake expelled at once!

..... what did she call me?

I stay quite for the rest of the meeting while Max defend his innocence and his mother continues to throw insult my way.

Then the infamous Damian Wayne walks in well there’s a first for everything I suppose.

I look u to meet him in the eyes but he just glares at me so I go back to staring at my hands.

Hello Mr Cowlick may I ask why I have been called here my da.... Dam... Mr Wayne asks.

After the Head master explained Callums side of the story and how I’ve not spoken he continues on to how I have a weeks suspension.

Right, I will see to paying for you medical bills, again I am extremely sorry for the trouble Daria has caused.

You should be Mrs Wellson quips.

If you mind head master I need to call my assistant to cancel my meeting.

Oh that’s  no problem Mr Wayne I’m on to my lunch anyway Mr Cowlick says before gathering his stuff and leaving.

Mrs Wellson and her son leave the room and .... Mr Wayne gives me a look that says wait outside.

As I walk out side the room into the school hall Mrs Wellson bends down to be eye level with me.

There is no place for a sluts daughter among the blue bloods.

She states before taken her son and walking out the building. Maybe she’s right I was technically a mistake. I’m not supposed to be hear I should of died with the rest of my “kind”.

My thoughts are interrupted by Mr Wayne who just calmly tells me to get in the car.

Once in the car we start driving home in silence..... oh great.

As soon as we arrive home he tells me to go inside and into my room and to stay there for the rest of the night.

I do as he says knowing what I have to do now.

I walk into the house to be meet with a two year old Thomas trying to climb up my legs. I simply pick him up kiss his head and place him back on the ground.

Raven is standing in the doorway looking disappointed I guess didn’t matter much now dose it? Won’t be here much longer already ruined there lives no point making it worse.

I’ll bring you up you dinner in a hour she says I just nod walking to my room as soon as I’m in I lock the door. Shuffling threw my things looking for my duffel bag fining it under my bed I start placing clothes in it. 

Some jumpers, hoodies, my hero costume, domino mask and finally a little ratted hyena plushy I bought  on my first time at the zoo (it was pretty cute). I can feel my eyes becoming watery so I angrily rub them against my arm I climb out the window using the ivy the grows on the house.

So I guess this is it, on on my own ... again.

(1hr or so later)

Damians Pov

I was sat at my office catching up on work I missed. What am I going to do with that girl?

My thoughts are disturbed by my personal phone going off I look at he caller idea.

Beloved

Hello Beloved are you ok? I ask a slight tint of worry in my voice as I question the reason for her call.

Damian she says panicked do you know where Daria is I can’t find her I’ve looked every where her clothes are gone her duffel bag to! 

What...... 

I’ll be home in 15 minutes I’ll call John and my brothers don’t panic my love we’ll find her I say before hanging up.

(back to Daria)

I was walking the streets of Gotham not in a to nice of an area but it was alright. I stop by a small 24 hr store deciding on going in to get some essentials I have 34$ that should last me for a while if I pay for  only the necessities. 

I go outside getting ready to cross the road before I catch sight of my ..... 

UNCLE JASON! I’m so screwed I pull my hood closer to my face and start to jog a little not enough to be noticeable but fast enough to get out of there.

I walk over to the slightly safer part of town as it gets dark finding a little park I climb one of the trees to stay in for the night.

(About 2 weeks later Daria has been sleeping in the tree every night but explores Gotham in the day avoiding her family and friends).

Hearing voices I shot up nearly dozing off I look around trying to remember what the hell I was doing.

I look threw a clearing in the leaves and branches and see Dam.... Wayne. He’s pulling out his phone all of a sudden my phone buzzed and I go to turn it off before my wring tone starts.

He didn’t hang up tho he just listened to the voice mail.....

Hey it’s Daria Wayne I’m ether sleeping or eating so get lost or call back later p.s Nick u probably know more about the homework assignments than I do so I wouldn’t bother askin!

He chuckles before he frowns again walking in the direction of home. I started to miss it actually the way Raven would tuck me in after a nightmare or how Thomas used to try to climb on me to get me to carry him.

I know it’s selfish I know I’m a horrible person if I’m ruining there lives I should stay out of them but ..... I miss them.

I realise it started raining no pouring I was instantly soaked I gave in. I wanted my family even if the didn’t want me .... 

So I stared walking home, then jogging, then running and now full on sprinting. I fell slicing open my arm on some broken glass but I can fix that later I want to got home!

I’m standing in front of the door all I have to do is knock, just Knock. Why aren’t I moving, move god dammit!

I move my non injured arm so it’s letting my fingers hover over the bell. 

I take a deep breath silently apologising for the destruction my birth caused before I pushed the bell a little sing song tune plays.

I can hear the thudding of feet before the door is yanked open. 

There stood Raven her eyes red like she had been crying and her body trembling like she had seen a ghost.

Hey ....... Umi I say struggling to look her in the eyes. She just falls to her knees grabbing me and squeezing me tight.

She pulled me in the house and there I see Mr way... I see my father stood there with a blank face.

Hi dad I say above a whisper he just falls to his knees grabbing me and hugging me so tight. 

I wince at the contact to my arm and the glass being further shoved in. He pulled back before looking at me with worry.

I just chuckle nervously I may have fallen on some glass when walking up the street I say rubbing the back of my neck with my good hand/arm.

Suddenly I’m being lifted onto the kitchen table having my jacket carefully taken off. Raven went to get the fist aid kit I guess while dad focused on cleaning the wound and removing the glass.

Once that was done I needed 15 stitches that was ...... fun.

Once it was done tho they started the best part ..... Scolding.

What were you thinking do you know how worried we where.

Anything could have happened to you!

Your not brain dead so where did this stupidity come from!

As the continued I started to quietly sob all I did was make thing word I stressed them out more.

Never do that again Daria Martha Wayne do you understand ?!

.......

They noticed my solum expression and the room was quite so, so quite.

Ra... Umi looks at dad before turning back to be she lifts my chin so we’re making eye contact.

You mean so much to us, we would be broken if we lost you understand that Daria you are apart of this family and we love you.

I couldn’t take it anymore how could I do this to them!

NO YOU CANT LOVE ME I scream.

The rooms quite again......

IM THE ONE THAT RUINED YOUR LIVES, I TURND YOU PERFECT LIVES UPSIDE DOWN.

ALL I EVER DO IS CAUSE PEOPLE STRESS AND PAIN AND ILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT BECAUSE NOBODY WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH A SLUTS DAUGHTER!!! I scream tear gushing down my face.

Heaving trying to catch my breath I was suddenly pulled into someone’s arms.

I look up to meet the eyes of my comforter it Dad.

You Daria Martha Wayne are no Sluts daughter you are our daughter. We love you so much and nothing will ever change that.

Funnily I fall numb hugging no clinging to his telling them I was sorry and how stupid it was for me to leave.

(Time skip)

We are currently in Mr and Mrs Wayne’s room were Thomas and Daria are curled up between there parents.

The End

[scarlet-fantasies]

can I request when they cheat or if their the type to? thanks ^^

Hi anon,

yes of course, sorry it's been taking forever but on the bright side it's a long post. I don't think I'm good with angst but I did my best. I included a fuckboy version too.

-Scarlet

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prompt

Inbox is open

Cheating on their gf (hcs)

::Warning:: angst

::Description:: Just Eren and Zeke arguing and cheating on their gf.

General hcs (includes both)

I’m just gonna show you the dialogue for the most part for both brothers but I don’t think they are somewhat capable of cheating I think Eren might be if he thought the girl he had was easy. I see that Zeke might be more of a cheater than Eren cause Eren usually gets to clingy with his gf and meanwhile I think is all about the experience and playing around. But if we put them in the sense that they are fuckboys then Eren is more of a cheater.

Like hands down.

Zeke, on the other hand, is less of a cheater as a fuck boy he just kinda stays in the relationship or he just breaks up with you he doesn’t cheat as much. But I’m his regular state he’d cheat more. Idk it’s just what I see. Oh btw in a werewolf au, Zeke is the cheating type of boyfriend.

Anyways let’s get to the convos.

::Eren::

I picture that he came back from work and you two haven’t been married for long in this scene and maybe you might have a little toddler who’s asleep. Anyways you two are in the kitchen arguing. You were opening the cabinet still giving the silent treatment to Eren when he came clean with the truth which heart to hear.

“Y/n, I’ve been cheating on you.” He’d say looking down at tiles not knowing how to look at you.

You paused, before resuming back to everything. You’d bite your lip before saying, “Yeah I know.”

“That’s it you’re not mad?” He’d approach you not being able to understand.

You’d turn to Eren with your arms crossed, “No I’m not mad Eren. This just means I can do the same so there are no hard feelings.” You’d answer bitterly before turning your back to him again.

“Y/n. Please I love you.” He’d say apologetically resting a hand on your shoulder.

You’d turn to look at him again looking anger but only sighed. “Obviously if you cared you wouldn’t have started seeing someone else.”

He’d take your hand in his before looking up at you with sorrowful eyes. “Y/n I’m not seeing her anymore, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

You’d look at him unphased as you pulling your hand away from his. “You think that changes everything?”

“Look I know it doesn’t but I don’t want to see you like this.” He’d explain with a frown whilst you looked fed up with your husband’s affair.

“Do you love her?” You’d ask dryly.

“What? No!” He’d shake his head at your assumption.

“Don’t lie to me Eren!” You’d tell, now losing yourself bc he was lying right to you but you wanted to test him on his honesty.

“I swear—“

“Then why did you give her a ring?!” You’d argue.

“No, that’s not true. Look I just—I used to like her too. I’m not gonna lie.” He’d say regretful of actually feeling that way.

Eren could see how quickly your eyes flashed from angry to hurt.

“So, you l-love her?” You’d mumble loud enough for him to hear.

“. . . Y/n—please I didn’t know what to do.”

You’d snap hearing this, “Oh, really? Then let me make it simple for you. If you loved me, and then you started to love someone else, don’t choose me!”

“Y/n I’m sorry! But I do love you, I still love you and I always will! So please don’t leave.”

Hearing his words you’d while your tears away as you’d try to walk away only for him to follow.

You’d turn around to face him as he caught your arm, “Is that what you’re doing? Trying to make me h-hate you?” You’d ask tears streaming down your face as you waited for an answer.

“What? No.”

“Then why did you do it, Eren? W-why? We were h-happy!”

“I don’t know.” He’d frown while wiping the tears on your cheeks away.

“Am I not enough to you!? What is it my hair? My weight? My eyes?” You’d yell still crying.

“No, no, no.”

“Then what? What is it that I don’t have for you to do this!? Tell me! Why am not enough to you!?” You’d scream pushing him away from you.

“You are enough! I Just don’t know why I did it okay.”

“So that’s just it? You just didn’t care so you just went with her.”

“No that’s not—“

“Eren, if you weren’t ever interested then why did you pursue it? I don’t choose people easily and I don’t fall in and out of love easily. Okay?!”

“Y/n I’m sorry—“

“Sorry? Is that all you can say?! . . . You were the only person I ever cared for, I was faithful while you were sleeping with her. What did I ever do to deserve this?”

“Nothing!”

“Then why did you have to do this to me Eren? You had me, you were enough for me. You always used to say I was enough for you.”

“And you are.”

“I’m really not to sure about that. Because it looks like to me that that whore is enough to you.” You’d frown before walking away from him and not talking to him for the rest of the night.

Now as a fuck boi it would be a whole different story. And I picture you two have a daughter. And Eren has gotten better with you and things were looking up and all and bc he was picking himself up and he was going to be a better father and then he could see his daughter but he just blew it tbh. You went to see just him bc you wanted to tell him that he should see his baby bc he’s really improved and changed. but after seeing the hoe he was with you just had to have a fight.

“Where the hell are you going?”

“Out.”

“Y/n-“

“I—I just need some air, and maybe when I g-get back we can talk about this o-okay?”

“Where are you going?”

“To see my friends? The beach? I don’t know Eren?! Like as if you’d even care.”

“You’re not leaving.” He’d say approaching you as you were getting ready to leave.

“Get out of my way . . . Eren? Move.”

“No.”

“Eren stop it, move.” You’d argue being block by him. See this you hit his chest only for him to grab ahold of you.

“No, ugh let go of me! This is your fault Damn it!” You screamed at him whilst try to hit and kick him as he didn’t let you go. He wasn’t hurting you he was just preventing you from hitting him and leaving.

“Y/n stop, stop fighting me! Look, I didn’t do this to hurt you. She just came on to me.” He’d argue trying to hold you still as you look like you wanted to cry.

“Oh really, how many times is a woman going to come on to you Eren?! Huh?! How many?! How many more?!” It’s true it wasn’t the first time this happened but all those times you weren’t exactly with Eren. You were fighting with him for a good while bc he didn’t want to get help and support his kid.

“Shut up, you’re the one that left all those times!” He’d yell releasing you from his grip.

“I left for our child! Our daughter, Eren!” You cried a hand resting on your chest as you felt your heart as tears streamed down your face.

“Oh right the one you didn’t give me any custody to?” He’d point, being annoyed at the fact he could only see his daughter if you allowed it.

“You never wanted a baby and you made it clear so I never forced you to be a dad, okay?!”

“I never said I didn’t want her, I love her! Even if I haven’t seen her!” He’d shout hitting his fist on the counter, he hated it when you said he didn’t care, bc he actually did care.

“You are unstable Eren, I did it to keep her safe. What’s wrong with you? When I first met you, you were nothing like this. . . I remember when we first talked about kids you always used to say that you wanted a better life for them if we ever had any . . . What happened to that, Eren? Where’s the Eren I met? That I fell in love with—The one that didn’t cheat on me all the time?!” You’d scream, tears running down your face.

It hurt to hear this and hurt him even more than it was making you be like this. He wished he could take it all back. “Things are different now. Stop trying to change me into the man you want me to be.”

But still, you proceeded to rant.“All those nights I left you it was for her! So that she could have something, something better! And all you did was sleep with someone else just like your father!!” You’d yell pointing a finger at him.

“Don’t ever talk about him!” He’d shout. It’s true his father was a mess and treated Eren’s mom horrible and he never wanted to talk about it.

“Oh what? Did I touch a nerve?! Did I hurt you Eren?! Well, I can definitely tell you one thing, it never hurts as much as when a family is counting on you. I bet that’s what you’re mother felt all the time, didn’t she? If that’s the case then why hell do you keep doing it to me!?”

“Shut up, you don’t know what that was like!” Now he looked hurt.

“Look Eren, I’m sorry you had to go through that growing up! I’m sorry your father did that to your mother and that he wasn’t there for you. But you need to grow up and take responsibility! You screwed up and you left me alone when I needed you most, when our daughter needed you! If you cared even just the slightest you would’ve been there for us but instead, you decided to sleep around!”

“I do care! And I slept with girls bc we were on and off! I was angry I made a mistake when I did that. But I love you both! And you can’t tell me that’s not true because I want to Rehab for the both of you! I tried!”

You’d shake your head left and right as you cried. “Then why did you stop, Eren? If you love us don’t stop. All we want is for you to get better and come home. I’m not saying you need to be with me but just be there for our daughter Eren. Be better than your dad. Get out of this whole and come home.”

“I’m sorry, Y/n. I don’t wanna stop for you both, I don’t want to keep making mistakes but even if I change I can’t be a good father to her.”

“Yes you can, she needs you and I’m here. So please don’t make any more mistakes.” You’d frown looking at him, your hands cupping his face as he looked to be on the verge of tears.

“You don’t need to apologize to me, apologize to our daughter when you get better.” You’d continue as you wiped a tear away from his cheek.

“You know this is why I love you.” He’d say embracing you into a hug.

“I-I love you too.” You cried, hoping that he’d come home at one point.

Okay, so this one needed better? Idk but you get the point.

::Zeke::

You two were happy, nothing was going wrong or anything.

But of course, there had to be ups and downs in life.

You just didn’t expect to be something as horrible as this.

I feel like in a modern au setting, Zeke’s biggest problem is that he doesn’t believe in commitment and he isn’t a big fan of it. Like it’s hard for him to care a lot tbh.

Like he’s dated a fair amount of women but he just moves on quite quickly.

So yes he’s cheated before and he’s always the one to break up, but now it was your turn.

Also I feel like he might be the type to have you walk in on him.

“You wanted to see me today, you miss me that much?” He’d smile approaching you about to give you a kiss on the lips.

You’d doge his kiss, looking up at him with a stressed expression. “I called you over because were over, Zeke.”

His brows arched at this, “Babe, what’s wrong?”

You shook your head before mustering up the courage to not get angry. “Do you think I’m delusional?”

“What, no.”

“Why did you do it then?!”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Zeke, I saw you. You told me you had to cancel but you were kissing her on your motorcycle like it was no big deal . . .”

“Y/n-”

“H-how do you even just!?--How do you go on not feeling guilty, at all?” You’d ask, your voice was soft and your eyes glassy.

It was hard to believe it was all happening and truly wished it was just some nightmare but it wasn’t.

“Y/n I told you I’m not big on commitment.” He’d frown looking down feeling horrible, mostly bc of how you were taking this.

“I know that! But damn it, you could’ve just broken up with me at least!”

“I didn’t want to--”

“I don’t wanna be kept in the dark! You hurt me more by not telling me.”

“Y/n, listen to me—“

You shook your head not wanting to hear his explanation for hurting you. “Don’t you think I have the right to know if you’ve moved on at least?! . . .”

“Hey, hey, look at me. I feel guilty every day I wronged you.”

“S-Stop lying! You could’ve talked to me, or even by the phone or by text! Why’d you have to go and rip my heart out?!”

“I don’t know! I don’t know why I can’t just stay with someone Y/n, I never feel complete!”

“So then when I asked you you were lying just so I’d stay with you.”

“No, I didn’t lie-“

“Zeke!”

“Look, you are very good to me and I don’t deserve that and I’ve said that. We’ve talked about this c’mon.”

“I know we have, but that doesn’t justify anything that you did. I don’t care that you moved on, Zeke. What matters is that you didn’t have the decency to tell me.” You’d say wiping a few tears away.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t always work!”

So yeah I think it would end there and I don’t see them going back and working things out.

Tbh once you break up with someone it’s kind of. a deal by that point.

Don’t take my advice but I just don’t believe in going back with your ex. Like most of the time there was a reason you broke up, so stay that way.

But I mean some circumstances are different.

Here is another convo, I picture this convo more if he’s a werewolf and your human. Cause yeah that’s just a thing and I see it, so here we go.

“Zeke—“

“I told you not to stay with me, Y/n. Now you have a reason to go.”

“Oh so is that how you intend to push me away, because I’m good to you, you just have to throw it away.”

“I’m not throwing you away Y/n! I’m giving you a better shot at life, where you can walk out that door right now! With no strings attached.”

“So you don’t even care that you did it?”

“I can’t change who I am, I’ve told you that. And you were okay with it. So why is it so important for you to change that?!”

“I’m not trying to change you, I can’t even control you. If you’re changing, that’s because it’s your doing. Even tho I know that you weren’t committed, I can’t force you to change!”

“Then why did you stay?!”

“Because I cared; because you didn’t hurt me, I loved you and I had hope. But after what you’ve done it makes it so much harder to even look at you. And I’m not talking about what you’ve done to others in past, I’m talking about right now, what you did to me. You cheated on me, not just because you don’t care but in hopes of pushing me away. Is that it, or am I wrong?”

He’d look at you with his cold eyes before answering, “. . . No.”

“So then, we’re done here.” You’d say before walking out the door, just like he wanted you to. Although it seemed he wanted the exact opposite this moment and he most definitely wasn’t getting what he wanted.

You two may or may not patch things up I feel undecided on this one.

As a fuckboy he also doesn’t believe in being committed and he doesn’t care.

He’s probably heavily on drugs and hasn’t been in love ever since he was a teen.

Now he just doesn’t want to know anything about real relationships.

“God, you make a big deal out of everything.” He’d say annoyed.

“Oh really?!” You’d snap.

“Yeah, what’s the big deal anyway? We weren’t even on speaking terms.”

“Zeke, just because we fight doesn’t give you the right to do any of this.”

He’d look at you only to answer with a smart remark. “Huh, but you have the right to leave whenever you want?”

You’d narrow your eyes in confusion and sadness, “I’m not bound to you, and neither are you. So if you want to end this, then fine. Let’s end it.”

“You are such a drama queen.” He’d shake his head completely ignoring you as he was about to light a cigarette.

You to snatched the object from his hand before tossing it afar. “So that’s just how it is, women are always crazy right!? Men, always have the right when she’s crazy don’t they?!”

“You need to relax it was just a fling.” He’d say looking at you in what seemed to be an annoyance.

“No! I will not relax about your meaningless flings. Do you know what it’s like to hope or wait on someone who’s slacking in rehab?!” You’d scream, being fed up with him.

“If you’re so disappointed about my choices why don’t you get a new boyfriend!?” He’d argue.

“Maybe I will then!” You’d hold back your tears.

“Fine!”

“Fine!” You’d yell before leaving him.

After this convo you would just be sad that he didn’t stop you and that he didn’t care, even just a little.

::Previous Post::

1

© scarlet-fantasies // do not steal, reuse, repost onto other sites. all writing and ideas are original unless stated otherwise. // 2021-Present.

[shadyteacup]

Congrats on 300 followers! You really deserve it cuz you're so talented and amazing. Can I request a angst prompt 11 with dazai thank you ❤️

Hola amigo! Thanks sm :D

Here's some sad angst... n no, it doesn't have a fluffy end... :(

Osamu Dazai + “Tell me you don’t want to leave. Say I’m enough to make you stay. I know it’s not true, but please just say it.”

Warnings: Angst, strong language. || Word count: somewhere around 1600, ig..

Get Out

You were an observant person. You were pretty sharp and thoughtful. You weren’t dumb. In fact, you were smarter than the average John or Jane Doe. You never ignored any signs or forewarnings that your brain threw at you. You always reported if something seemed fishy. You have never ignored someone’s wrong doings before.

But then again, there’s a first time for everything.

Sighing, you opened the door for your boyfriend.

“Hey.”

You said as you turned around almost immediately, ignoring his smile. Walking inside, you sat back at your desk, resuming your work.

Dazai stepped in, confused and worried. He had a lot on his mind as of late. He had to maintain a perfect balance between home and work, and it was taking a toll on his wellbeing. He hoped it wasn’t affecting your mental state. Maybe seeing him depressed all the time was lowering your spirits? He dearly hoped that wasn’t the case, for he was trying really hard to relieve his stress before coming home. He tried his best to stay happy and come home with a smile.

He threw his coat on the couch, kicking his shoes off and getting himself a glass of water. He was tired and parched.

As he gulped down the heavenly liquid, he observed you from the corner of his eye. You were staring at the screen, hands frozen above the keyboard. You were thinking about something. It worried him. Your random zone out sessions made him question his behaviour. Was he being rude or mean to you? Was he the cause of your constant worry?

“Y/N?”, he called out to you, trying to get you to snap out of it.

You flinched slightly, peering at him through your lashes.

“Hmm?”

He walked over to hug you from behind, but you got up, effectively avoiding him.

“What’s wrong?”

He furrowed his brows, reaching out to grab onto your sleeve.

You froze at the contact.

“Why don’t you get changed? We can have dinner then.”

Dazai held onto you, determined to get an answer out of you.

“Y/N, what’s wrong? Why are you ignoring me?”

“I ordered Thai food today. Its from that new restraint around the corner. Riddhi really recommends it.”

“Stop ignoring me. And who’s Riddhi?”

“My friend. You haven’t met her.”

You tried pulling out of his grasp, but he pulled you forward, holding onto both your arms, now.

“Look at me. Y/N.”

You sighed, avoiding his gaze.

“Why don’t you get changed? I’ve picked out a shirt for you. It’s on the bed.”

Dazai was fed up with your aloof behaviour. You had been acting strange and distant for weeks now. Everyday was the same. He would come home to you acting weird, you would ask him to change, and only then would you let him touch you. He was tired of this bullshit. He had tried asking you politely and patiently, but every time you evaded his questions. He was done with beating around the bush.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this? What the hell have I even done?!”

He shook you, trying to pry an answer from you.

“Answer me! Tell me! What is it? Whatever it is, I’m sure we can figure it out. But you must tell me first. You have to speak. Say something!”

You ignored him, looking down at the carpeted floor.

Dazai sighed, letting go of your arms.

“Do you even care about us?”, he asked you.

“Tell me you don’t want to leave. Say I’m enough to make you stay. I know it’s not true, but please just say it”.

You whispered.

Dazai stared at you, confused.

“Of course, you’re enough. Tell me if you care. Do you even love me?”

You stepped back, trying to control your emotions.

“You’re the one going around fucking others. Unlike you, I actually care, Dazai.”

You whispered, afraid to look him in the eye. It had been weeks since you had smelled that perfume on him. It was sweeter than his own but had a musky undertone to it. That, paired with the random marks all over his body, was enough to convince you that he was having an affair. He was smart; he had tried subduing the perfume by carrying his own cologne with him and reapplying it after the deed was done. Whoever he was with probably supported him, as they always bit near the marks you had left. Your marks and their marks coincided.

Only you knew which marks were fresh and which were old. They didn’t know this, and often nipped at partially healed skin, reviving the bruise and giving it a nasty purple hue. That was a clear indication.

What disgusted you is that the person Dazai was sleeping with knew that he was cheating on his partner, and was supporting him by playing along with his plans.

The extra hours were also a clear give away. You had even called Yosano and Kunikida to ensure that the agency had called it a day. Both of them had told you that everyone had left the office, while your boyfriend claimed to be in a client meeting with Kunikida.

It was laughable how incompetent he considered you to be. Did he really think his half assed attempts at covering up would fool you?

“What the hell are you saying-”

“Don’t act dumb. I’m not stupid, you know that.”

Dazai continued his act, hoping to prove you wrong by putting it all on you.

“I’m a loyal partner, Y/N. Just because I’ve been having more work load lately, doesn’t mean you go around assuming shit about me. I honestly thought you were better than this.”

You sighed, finally meeting his gaze.

The dead look in them proved to him that he was caught. He could not do anything to fool you. You knew.

“It started three weeks ago, on Monday. You went to work at eight, came home around eleven. Work hours end at 6. You were smelling different. It was distinct. You never wear perfumes that have a sweet undertone.”

You stared at him dead in the eye, shutting him up with your gaze. He would not dare to come up with stupid excuses. Not with you looking at him like that.

“You had a hickey on your neck, on a spot that I hadn’t covered. You tried covering it up with makeup, but it wore off pretty quick. Ever since then, you have been visiting your secret friend daily. I’m guessing you go at least three rounds, since you come home so tired.”

“That’s just disgusting!”

“I thought so too. But it does tire you, doesn’t it? That’s the reason you come home so worn out. You go around having sex, and you’ve been trying to hide it from me for three weeks now. Tell me I’m wrong.”

His lack of reaction and the look of guilt plastered all over his face was as loud as a confession.

“Whoever it is, is blonde.”

He looked at you shocked.

“How-”

“I found strands all over your coat.”

He rubbed his forehead with his palm.

“You like them, don’t you? Its not just physical, is it?”

You asked with a sad smile.

“How do you know all this?”, he asked, devastated at the fact that you knew everything going on.

“I know you too well. I actually paid attention to our relationship. I cared.”

He ran a hand through his messy locks. He had been so stressed lately, he had to find an outlet. He wasn’t one to stay in any relationship for long, but he actually cared about you. He hadn’t meant to hurt you, which is why is never broke up with you. He was bored of the thing you both shared, but he knew that you cared. So, he pretended to be equally invested.

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“Because I wanted to continue this thing for as long as I could. But not anymore. I��m done.”

He widened his eyes at you. He had not expected you to end this. He might have been bored, but he still cared for you. He loved you. He didn’t want to let go yet.

“Y/N, we can work this out. Please don’t leave.”

He begged you, trying to come closer to you. You stepped back.

“Please don’t. I can’t handle your smell. That scent repels me.”

He gasped, finally realising why you didn’t let him touch you.

“The perfume is a constant reminder of my...”

“Yeah.”

“And you tolerated all that, for so long. All for us.”

You nodded, turning away.

“But it doesn’t matter anymore. Thanks to your intense questioning, I’m finally free.”

“It doesn’t have to end, Y/N! We can work this out!”

“No, we can’t. I’m not enough for your boredom, and I’m not willing to become someone else just to please you.”

“Y/N, I’m sorry, please don’t- ”

You smiled bitterly at him, before opening the door of your apartment, signalling to him.

“Get out, and only come back to get your stuff. Goodbye, Osamu.”

This story features one of my close friends, Riddhi. I had fallen short of names to use n though why not write about an actual friend? She's not on tumblr, unfortunately. Damn I miss going out with her... anyways, hope u liked it! N sorry for the rant :p

[l0vew0rm]

dance with me ( eula lawrence )

synopsis: fate has a funny way of granting your wishes when you least expect it—like a dance with the infamous reconnaissance captain of the knights of favonius. pairing: eula lawrence x gn!reader word count: 1.9k warnings: alcohol consumption  inspired by: dance with me by beabadoobee

a/n: just a small piece i’ve been meaning to write for my beloved main. <3 i’ve loved eula ever since getting her by chance and i’m glad i finally got to write something for her. (bonus: this fic is loosely connected to my previous work wine so if you manage to catch the small reference i’ve written in you’re cool and i love you)

the knights of favonius had decided to host a banquet and an accompanying ball to celebrate the arrival of a diplomatic delegation from fontaine, and unsurprisingly, eula was nowhere to be found.

“i have no time for such frivolous affairs,” was the spindrift knight’s sharp and honest reply to your question of whether or not she would be in attendance. “and besides, seeing as my reputation has a habit of preceding me, i’m quite sure the acting grand master would be content to send me off elsewhere where i can’t sully the good name of the knights by simply being there.”

while you weren’t necessarily surprised at her response, it still didn’t make it any less disappointing for you to hear it, nor was it any less disappointing for her to not be there among the crowd of knights and diplomats you’d been surrounded with all night. despite this, you tried your best not to let it get to you, even if your mind did occasionally linger towards the thought of the spindrift knight, among other things.

shaking your head, you try to distract yourself by surveying your surroundings. glancing upwards, you’re met with the brilliant light of two golden chandeliers that hang from the ceiling, warmly radiating a bright yet soft glow that accentuates the elegant attire that your fellow attendants are currently wearing. at the opposite end of the banquet hall is a string quartet seated atop a small stage, providing mellow background music to the abundance of excited chatter being exchanged between knights and diplomats alike. in the back of your mind, you’re very briefly reminded of all the fairytales you used to read as a child of grand balls filled with beautiful princes and princesses, but your thoughts quickly dissipate the moment you feel your shoulder be tapped and a familiar voice hum low in your ear.

“good evening, sir kaeya,” you greet the blue-haired cavalry captain with a smile and a raise of your goblet. “i trust you’ve been having a good time tonight?”

kaeya playfully tsks at you. “how many times must i tell you that we’re well past the need for such formalities?” he grins, though he returns your gesture by raising his goblet of wine—which you note is practically filled to the brim to the point of overflowing—at you. “though to answer your question, yes, i have been having a lovely time indeed.”

“that’s good to hear.”

the two of you start exchanging chit-chat, and continue to do so for some time. kaeya’s halfway through telling you about his curious encounter with a drunk lieutenant earlier in the evening when he pauses at the sound of the string quartet beginning to transition into a waltz. it only takes one shared glance between the two of you before the captain graciously extends a hand to you with a smile on his face.

“care to dance?”

you smile back at him, and take his hand. “i’d love to.”

after placing your goblets elsewhere, the two of you proceed to the center of the banquet hall, taking each other’s hands and beginning to dance to the music of the string quartet. everything should have seemed perfect—the atmosphere was merry, the crowd was lively, and you and kaeya were dancing gracefully across the room like a pair of professional ballroom dancers. but despite all that was happening around you, something just…

“is there something bothering you?”

you blink up at kaeya, his star-shaped pupil looking upon you with concern. “pardon?”

“i apologize, since i know it’s rude to assume,” kaeya begins, but the sudden shift to a shit-eating grin on his face tells you he isn’t one bit sorry for what he’s about to say next, “but you’ve seemed pretty preoccupied all night.”

“it’s nothing, i just—”

“you miss the reconnaissance captain, don’t you?”

kaeya’s grin only grows wider at the sudden flush that overtakes your face. “i knew it.” the cavalry captain watches you try and stammer up excuses, but after a minute of nothing but gibberish escaping your mouth you decide it’s better to give up and give in. “i wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t attending tonight, but i… i wanted her to. i wanted…”

“you wanted her to dance with you?”

“as if she’d ever dance with some amateur like me,” you try and joke, but it falls flat with the weight of your somber tone.

“you’d be surprised to know how eager she is to do so, actually,” kaeya nearly fails to suppress his laughter at the sight of your eyes widening to the size of saucers at his remark. “eager in her own vengeful little way, of course.”

“and how do you know that?”

“i just do.”

you’re just about to start going off on a tirade before the sound of the cathedral bell rudely interrupts you—that, and the suspicious smile that lights kaeya’s face hearing it.

“ah, just in time,” he says, and you quirk a distrustful brow at him. “what? don’t you know what time it is?”

“no?”

“why, if i recall correctly, the reconnaissance captain and her scouts should be back from their mission at around this time. i could be wrong, but seeing as i was in charge of having personally arranged the mission in question…”

“and what do you mean to accomplish by telling me this?”

“that’s up for you to decide.”

the music comes to a stop. kaeya gently lifts your hand to kiss it goodbye. “farewell. i hope you have a pleasant rest of the evening.”

“kaeya, what—”

with a playful smile and a wink, kaeya walks away, leaving you and disappearing into the crowd.

after downing a few more goblets of wine to quell the growing unease in your chest, you decide to call it quits for the night.

outside, the streets are quiet, almost eerily so, with not a single sound to be heard except for the evening breeze whistling a bitingly cold tune. you express your gratitude towards the few passersby you encounter by waving politely at them—at least, to the best of your ability considering your slightly tipsy state.

you continue onwards with your walk to nowhere until you find yourself at the plaza. you wander over to one of the many stone benches in the area and take a seat, sighing in relief at your legs finally being able to catch a break from all the stairs you had just climbed. the warm glow of the street lights surrounding you, lovely as they are, are dim; so dim, in fact, that you fail to notice the sight of a shadow approaching you from the corner of your eye.

“and here i thought you were above some dimwitted drunkard too inebriated to care about their safety being exposed out in the open. hmph. to think i taught you to be better than this.”

you nearly fall over in shock at the familiar voice that interrupts the slow slurring of your thoughts. “eula?”

“who else would it be?” the spindrift knight huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she draws nearer to you. you pray to barbatos that she assumes the flush on your cheeks is from the wine and not the fact your heart is threatening to beat out of your chest at the sight of her.

“but really, just what are you doing out here by yourself so late at night? aren’t you supposed to be attending that banquet over at the goth grand hotel? gods, i practically made a fool out of myself barging in there unannounced just to look for you! and the fact you had the audacity to worry me when i couldn’t find you… mark my words, i’ll make sure to—”

“you… looked for me?”

“what? just what kind of question is that? did you think that i wouldn’t look for you?”

“...no?”

“hmph! preposterous! absolutely outrageous! the fact you’ve had the audacity to not only wander off elsewhere without me to protect you, and for you to assume my actions and feelings unprompted… you’ll pay for this!”

you chalk it up to the alcohol meddling with your brain, but in that moment, the wildest idea pops up in your head. a wide, dopey grin etches itself onto your face as you lift a hand out to the reconnaissance captain standing before you.

“say… what if i paid for my transgression with a dance?”

the look on eula’s face instantly makes you regret your words. this time, in addition to your flushed cheeks, the blood in your veins runs ice cold with dread and embarrassment, and you quickly withdraw your hand from her reach to sheepishly rub the back of your neck with it.

“or maybe we could just settle the score with some good ol’ sparring, hah… m’sorry that i asked you that so boldly, i know that you don’t take kindly to—”

“i’ll take it. let’s dance.”

you blink. “what?”

“you wanted to pay for your misdeeds, yes? i accept your means of payment. now get up. let’s dance.”

“but i don’t—”

“know how to dance? then i’ll teach you.” you once again chalk it up to the alcohol, because you refuse to accept any other explanation for the sudden soft shift in eula’s tone. hesitantly, you get up from your seat to approach her, gingerly holding her gloved hand and trying not to let your breath audibly hitch at the feeling of her hand on your waist.

“grip my waist a little tighter,” eula instructs you, repositioning your hand against her side. “i won’t break. now follow my lead. one, two, three, one, two, three…”

the first few minutes the two of you dance is painfully awkward. all of your previous grace and elegance from that earlier dance with kaeya have all but disappeared, your dancing skills reduced to nothing and your movements limited to stiff shuffling and careless swaying. eula seems to catch on to this, judging by the way her grip on your shoulder tightens ever so slightly—not enough to cause significant pain or discomfort, but enough to steady you as the two of you waltz across the plaza together.

eventually, the two of you manage to fall into a slow and steady rhythm, dancing along to the sound of your shoes clacking against the cobbled plaza floor. impulsively—you make a mental note to apologize to her for it tomorrow when you’ve sobered up—you lean in and bury your face into the crook of her neck, pressing your bodies together closer than you’ve ever been.

“i… have something to confess,” eula tells you, and you hum into her shoulder.

“mm?”

“i wasn’t supposed to return from my mission until dawn, but i requested i be able to return early, because i…”

eula’s hand lets go of your shoulder, and her arms slowly begin to wrap around you in an uncharacteristically warm embrace.

“i wanted to dance with you.”

your breath hitches, but it quickly melts away as you smile into her shoulder. for a moment, you’re tempted to say it—the three words you’ve longed to tell the beautiful reconnaissance captain you’ve loved since the moment you laid eyes on her—but in the end, you choose to sink deeper into her arms.

“thank you.”

eula lets out a disgruntled huff, but the look of love and care in her sunset-colored eyes says otherwise.

[redhoodssweetheart]

Moonlight II

Genre: DC/Marvel Crossover

Relationship: Older!Damian Wayne x Adopted Stark!Fem!Reader

Requested: No (Only a few requests are open, please see pinned post for details)

Word Count: 1.7K

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, swearing, canon typical violence

Description:  You are the adopted daughter of Tony Stark, Damian is the son of Bruce Wayne.  Your two fathers hate each other which by extension should mean that you and Damian are on less than friendly terms.  The issue?  You’ve been dating for little over a year and have been keeping it a secret.  What will happen if your fathers figure it out?

A/N: I actually hadn’t planned on this ending the way it did, but as I was writing it this is just how it happened.  Enjoy! 

Morning light shown through your window the next morning a few minutes before your alarm went off.  Your mind drifted back to the night before with Damian sneaking into your room and inviting you out for an afternoon with his brothers.  Excitement coursed through you at the thought of finally meeting them.  You quickly got up and began preparing for your day, you were almost done when there was a knock on your door.

When you opened it you discovered Pepper standing there with a bright smile on her face, “Good morning honey, Tony and I were just about to have breakfast, did you want to join us?”

You glanced back at your clock and saw that it was only eight thirty, you had plenty of time to eat before going to meet Damian, “Sure Mom.”

You grabbed the rest of your things before joining Pepper.  It had taken you awhile before you had started calling Pepper “mom”.  When Tony had first adopted you, you weren’t sure what he and Pepper wanted.  It had been some time since you had had a family and you weren’t sure what Tony’s motivations were.  Did he just want to look good to the press?  Did he want to ease a guilty conscience?  Did he just actually want a kid?

Then Morgan had come along.  You thought for sure that that would be it for you, they had their own kid now, they wouldn’t want you.  But that they hadn’t treated you any differently and you came to think of Morgan as your own sister.  You were fiercely protective of her and she loved you to death.  She was currently staying with Peter while you and your parents were in Gotham.

Tony greeted you with a hug and a kiss to your temple and began blabbing on and on about the gala the night before.  Your mind drifted to Damian and how good he had looked in his suit.  Then it went to the stairwell and the night before in your room, you only broke out of it when Tony cleared his throat, “Earth to Y/N, you still with us kid?”

You chuckled nervously, “Sorry just got a little lost in thought is all.”

“Care to share with the group?”

You shook your head, “Oh I was just thinkin’ about all the things I want to get done today.  We leave in two days so that’s not a lot of time to see the city.”

“You could always come back later with your friends,” Pepper suggested.  “I’m sure a vacation would be good for you.”

You smiled at her, “Yeah, you’re right, it would be nice.”  You glanced at the clock on your phone and saw that it was creeping closer to nine thirty, you had to be at the park by ten to meet Damian.  You stood and said, “Thanks for breakfast, but I want to go ahead and get a headstart on today.  I’ll see you at dinner.”  You kissed Pepper on the cheek and gave Tony a hug before dashing out of the hotel room.

Tony looked at the door you had just exited from and said, “I don’t think she wants to be around us any more.”  Pepper merely patted his arm and went back to her breakfast.

You on the other hand were rushing to the park that Damian had mentioned.  You were a little worried that someone may see the two of you together, but you honestly also couldn’t care less.  Sometimes you were tired of hiding the truth from everyone.  You loved Damian and you wanted the world to know that fact, but you worried about what Tony would think or do when he found out.  You also wondered if Bruce would be understanding or if he would forbid his son from seeing you as well.

You shoved those thoughts from your mind, you didn’t want them affecting your mood any.  Today was going to be a good day.  And when you made it into the park you immediately saw Damian, he had a baseball cap and sunglasses on trying to hide who he was, but you knew.  You could spot him anywhere.  He had spotted you as well and you noticed a smile growing on his face as you raced over toward him.  Your arms wrapped around him and he gently lifted you off the ground a few inches.

“Hello beloved,” he whispered in your ear before placing a gentle kiss to your cheek.

“Hi,” you said, a grin stretching across your face.

Someone cleared their throat and you could have sworn your heart stopped.  You had been caught.  It was too good to be true.  “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Dami?”

You looked over his shoulder and saw his three brothers standing there all three of them with amused expressions on their faces.  Damian practically growled at their words.  Knowing that his brothers knew about the two of you made things a little easier.  It was like Peter knowing that you and Damian were dating.  The two of you needed someone to turn to when things were tough.

You had almost told Pepper one day when you and Damian had had a fight.  You needed a motherly figure to go to, but you weren’t sure how she would feel about the two of you together.  She wasn’t like Tony, but would she lie to Tony?  You weren’t sure, so you decided to keep it a secret.

You had gone to Natasha despite never really talking to her.

She was in the training room at the Avengers' Compound and you approached her nervously.  “Nat, could I talk to you for a moment?”

She had paused what she was doing and turned to you, giving you her full undivided attention, “What can I do for you Y/N?”

You rubbed your arm and said, “If I share a secret will you promise not to tell Dad?”

Natasha’s interest was piqued, “I mean as long as you aren’t in any danger then yeah I can promise not to tell him.”

“I’m dating Damian Wayne,” you said and you watched as her eyes lit up.  “Oh God, please tell me you’re not going to use this against me?”

She chuckled, “I promise not to tell him or anyone else.  How did this even happen?”

You launched into the tale of how you and Damian had been sworn enemies, always competing against one another and how it had turned to friendship and then to what it was now.  You told her about the fight that you couldn’t even remember now, and she gave you her opinions.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you all,” you told them with a bright smile.  “Damian talks about you a lot and I’ve been begging him to let me meet you all since you found out about our little affair.”

“They were supposed to give us a few moments alone before ambushing you,” Damian said, his tone clearly stating how unamused he was with his brothers.  “But clearly they didn’t take my feelings into account.”

“You’ve been keeping her to yourself for over a year now,” Dick said, his easy going smile never slipping from his face.  “We just wanted to meet her.”

Tim nodded his head in agreement, “Don’t get mad, Dami.  She’s only here for a few more days and then she’s on her way back to New York.”

You poked Damian on the side, “They have a point, Damian.  I don’t mind meeting them now, we have plenty of time to be alone together.”

He still looked disgruntled but you let the boys show you around Gotham.  They had an SUV with tinted windows to hide who was inside.  The boys were recognizable and so were you.  The five of you would be on the front page of all the gossip magazines by tomorrow and everyone and their mother would know that maybe you didn’t play into the whole feud your fathers had going on.

You could see the headlines now:

Real-life Romeo and Juliet with Children of Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark

Y/N Stark and Damian Wayne Making Headlines as Secret Affair

How Long Have These Star-Crossed Lovers Been Together?

You wondered how long it would take Tony to kick you out of the house and never speak to you again.  It wasn’t that you didn’t want to tell Tony, he deserved to know.  It was just that you didn’t know what he would do when he found out the truth.  You knew how much he hated Bruce Wayne, and to be fair Tony didn’t think straight on a lot of things when emotions ran high.  He would definitely say something that would hurt and he might regret later.

But knowing your father he would be too proud to admit that he was wrong.

Damian noticed the look on your face and nudged you, “You okay?”

You smiled and took his hand in yours, “Yeah just thinking.”

“About your dad?”  He furrowed his brow, the two of you had had many talks about your fathers and their reaction to the two of you coming clean about how you weren’t really enemies.

You leaned your head back and blew out a breath, “I’m just… worried.”

Damian squeezed your hand and said, “Whenever you want to tell him, I’ll be there to support you.  And if you want to tell Father first we could while you’re still here.  He may put on a show of hating Stark, but I don’t think he’d begrudge you.”

“Damian’s right,” Dick said from the driver’s side.  “Bruce looks like he would be the type to throw a fit and tell Damian to get out, but he’s actually not that big of an asshole.”

You laughed, “You saying Stark is an asshole, Grayson?”

“If he doesn’t I will,” Jason turned and grinned at you making you laugh.  “No offense.”

“None taken, I know my father can be less than welcoming and let his mouth get him into trouble.”  You didn’t have enough fingers to count the times your father had gotten into trouble because his mouth had gotten the better of him.  “I just wish I knew if he would be okay with us.  That he wouldn’t let the feud get in the way of realizing how happy I am.”

Leaning over Damian kissed your cheek.  “So should I set a course for the manor?”  Dick asked.

“It’s up to you,” Damian said.  “Father will be discreet.”

Taking a steadying breath you said, “Let’s do it.”  The boys cheered and Damian once again squeezed your hand to let you know that he would be with you every step of the way.

[beforeoursunsets]

Hi!! can I request something with 2 and 5 from the romance situation prompt list? maybe Draco has a crush on this muggleborn ravenclaw and one day he goes to a muggleborn bookstore with her cause she loves to read and accidentally admits he's in love with her? thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful day!!

The Cover Cove - Draco Malfoy

word count: 1.5k

house: ravenclaw

blood status: muggleborn

warnings: none? i cant remember if i cussed at all lol

tropes used: @ineffablegame

#2: i’m seeing you do something you love and the sheer joy you exhibit without even knowing, and it is so endearing, but I can’t look away because you’re so in your element.

#5: I slip up in a moment of distraction and call you the nickname i mentally ascribed to you, and after an awkward moment, you tell me you actually like it.

a/n: uh this may be the last time i post an actual fic this week (unless i find the time) bc my spring break ends next week and school takes up the majority of my time/energy

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

“The Draco Malfoy has a crush on a muggleborn.”

Theo and Blaise could have never foreseen this day. So of course, as they do, the pair continued to laugh at Draco’s expense.

“You know, Malfoy, it’s bad enough she’s not pureblooded--” Blaise began.

“I’ve told you, that doesn’t matter anymore.”

“--but the fact that you’re still too chickenshit to go ask her out? Absolute insanity.” He finished, eliciting another laugh from the boy to his left.

Draco sent them both warning glares, stopping to redirect his focus back to you. From across the courtyard he watched as you spoke animatedly among a few other Ravenclaw girls, admiring the sun reflecting through your hair and illuminating your cheeks.

It was truly the most breathtaking sight. Too bad his Slytherins friends were--well--Slytherins.

“For bloody sake just do it, Malfoy!” This time, when Theo took his turn to pipe up, his volume control was far less than ideal. Many eyes were now on their group of three, nosy Hogwarts students never failing to miss a beat.

Draco was pulled out of his short trance, “I should kill you both.” He muttered.

“Well?”

“She’s waiting…” Blaise chimed in, singing his words.

“Honestly, screw you both.” As Draco finally walked towards you, the two boys blew him kisses. He couldn’t see them, but he knew, he always knew.

The courtyard was suspiciously quiet the moment of his approach, however, it was quickly solved by a quick order from Theo, “For Merlin’s sake, mind your business!” He circled his fingers upward, motioning for the lurking students to turn around and go back to their previous affairs.

Looking up at him, you fought a smile, recognizing all this fuss had been over you. Soon after, your friends quietly dispersed, giving you small nudges and suggestive smiles as they left.

“Hey, Draco.”

“Y/N.”

Awkward silence ensued, Draco mentally reprimanding himself for not rehearsing in advance.

“Is there something wrong?” You asked, furrowing your eyebrows.

“No, no! Nothing’s wrong,” He clarified, clearing his throat, “I only wanted to ask if, maybe, you’d like to go out sometime?”

“Like on a date,” You clarified.

“Yes, like a date.” Draco responded, stuffing his hands into his pockets only to hide their apparent shakiness. He watched your eyes as you deliberated an answer which, thankfully, only took a few seconds.

“I would love to go out with you--” Relieved as ever, the blond let out a breath, proud to have asked the question.

“--on one condition.” You finished, yet again spiking his nerves.

“Which is?” He asked out of pure curiosity, hoping it was nothing serious.

“We aren’t going to Hogsmeade--I get to choose.” Stating your ultimatum with finality, you closed the book laying beside you and tucked it back into your bag.

Standing up, you placed a hand on his shoulder, “Deal?”

Without hesitation, Draco replied with a chuckle, “Deal.”

---

“The Cover Cove.” He read aloud, “You brought me to a muggle bookstore?”

You rolled your eyes, “No questions, just come on.” He followed you into the building, the chiming of the door filling you with utmost nostalgia.

“You’re joking.” A man, appearing to be in his mid twenties, approached both of you. Draco noticed the widening of your grin, his confusion deepening.

You laughed, pulling the man in for a hug, “William! It’s so good to see you.”

“Dad!” He hollered, “Y/N is here!”

After a few seconds of rummaging, the sound of a few books knocking against the tile floors met your ears. Only a moment later, an older man appeared down the main isle, taking off his reading glasses to look at first Draco, then you.

“Bloody hell, get over here girl!”

Draco watched the interaction intently, his heart fluttering at the mere sight of the change in your demeanor. At Hogwarts, you were bold, intelligent, and often kept to your small group of friends. But the moment he walked you through those doors, he could see the change happen instantaneously.

“Cyrus, William, this is Draco Malfoy.” Caught off guard by the sudden introduction, he stepped forward, attempting to shake Cyrus’ hand.

To his astonishment, the greying man pulled him in as well, patting him on the back. You tried not to giggle at his uncomfortable expression, pulling Draco by the wrist away from the bookstore’s owner.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” He added politely, moving over to stand by your side.

“It has been a most wonderful surprise,” Cyrus returned, then looking over to you, “You must come back later to catch up, you hear me, miss?”

“I promise.” Parting ways with the two men, you led Draco deeper into the bookstore. “Sorry about them, they’re family friends.”

“They seem,” He paused, “friendly.”

You shook your head, amused, “Come on, I want to find you a novel.”

---

You and Draco spent well over an hour sorting through historical novels, none of which catching his eye. It wasn’t that he didn’t like to read, or that he had a vendetta against muggle books, but it was simply because he spent too much time staring at you that he couldn’t focus on the synopses you read aloud.

“--are you even listening?”

“Sorry, absence seizure.” Draco lied, knowing you’d never fall for it.

You looked back at him, unamused. “Fine, maybe history isn’t your thing. Let’s try this section, yeah?”

He nodded back to you, following behind as you took him all the way across the store.

You browsed through the shelf, spotting a book way above arms reach. “Watch for Cyrus.”

“Huh--”

Once you attempted to climb the bookshelf, something you’ve been reprimanded for countless times as a child, Draco was quick to stop you.

“--woah woah, what are you doing?” He pulled you back to the ground by your waist, earning himself a concerned glare.

“Getting a book..” You replied incredulously, stating the obvious.

“Why don’t you just use your wand?” Draco asked.

“Have you forgotten that this is a muggle bookstore?” You whispered, watching for anyone else nearby.

Draco sighed, “You’re right, but that’s dangerous,”

“--you sound like Cyrus--”

“Just tell me which book you want.” He offered in reply, ignoring that last comment.

Giving him the name, he pulled it down from its spot with ease. “Show off,” You grumbled.

“It’s just genetics, pumpkin.” Draco shrugged, saying the nickname with such ease he failed to stop himself.

“Pumpkin?” You repeated.

His pale cheeks went ablaze, realizing he had slipped. Fighting embarrassment, he looked back at the shelf until you nudged his side.

“I think it's sweet, honest.” You assured.

To ease the atmosphere, you redirected the conversation back to the book. “Go on, check it out.” You told him.

Draco inspected the hardcover novel you had selected for him, quickly glancing at the back to read its excerpt. “A romance novel?” He asked, looking down at you with a smirk.

“Yes.” You quipped, plucking it from his hands, “I really think you’d like this one.”

“Draco Malfoy doesn’t read romance.”

“..and Y/N L/N recommends you don’t speak in third person.” You teased.

Putting the novel back into his hands, you tried to ignore the slight brush of your hands as they met. “Of course you don’t read romance, most teenage boys think they’re above it. The superiority complex runs strong among the lot of you.”

“Hey!” He defended, “I’m not above it, I just think I’ve had enough romance in my life.”

Almost taken aback, you responded, “Oh. I’ve never heard that one before.”

Setting the book down into the basket at his feet, he muttered something you almost didn’t pick up.

“I think being madly in love with you is quite enough romance for me..” He trailed off, his words barely audible.Your eyes widened the second they left his mouth.

“I heard that.”

Draco was like a deer caught in your headlights.

“No you didn’t.” He stated, his nervousness so painfully evident.

Crossing your arms, you stepped forward a few inches. “You like me.” Smiling, you continued, “Actually, no, you love me.”

By now he was as red as the paperback resting on the shelf just below his ear. You could sense an oncoming ramble as Draco was known to get defensive, especially around you. Professor Snape could easily vouch, after all, the two of you always bickered while brewing potions together.

“You must be imagining things, I have no id--” He began. The only difference being this time his shaky hands were right out in the open for you to hold. Gently, you entwined them with yours just before pressing the softest kiss upon his lips, effectively silencing the babbling boy.

“I love you too.”

Before he could react, a loud thud paired with a pitchy squeal caught you both by surprise. The shaking shelf made you narrow your eyes, removing a hand from Draco’s as a result.

You used it to pull out the red paperback, glaring at William and Cryus as they eavesdropped from the other side.

“Really.” You deadpanned.

They ran around the other side, quick to envelop you and Draco in a large and warm, yet still uncomfortable, hug.

The father and his son held him by the shoulders, so elated one would think they had just won the lottery. “Welcome to the family, Draco.”

taglist: @gwlvr @thatsassyhufflepuff @dracoswhore007

[sorry-i-ship-drarry]

Prompts no 25, 27, 31 angst and non happy ending because I'm a little sad

The affair

Dialogue prompt 31- I want you to list every lie you ever told me.. then I'll forgive you | I hope whoever you are, you're doing better now. My apologies for bringing it out pretty late.

TW- ANGST | Harry loved him, only till fire burned.

Prompt 25 | prompt 27

It could have been love.

Or perhaps it was love until the arson had lasted and the land got buried in the ashes. Maybe it was love, until the fire remained burning, and the air had stated vanishing and soon it died.

He always knew he thought love was a transaction, to get something back in return for what you deposit in, he never believed in it but was Draco swooned. He let himself take the fall hoping that maybe harry would save him. He knew what he was getting into but too fooled was he to believe that love changes people, he held onto the false hope. He assumed, he believed in himself that maybe, just maybe after everything Harry had been through, after everything he fought for, maybe he'd like to not face change anymore. That maybe after everything, he deserved to be loved and deserve to love. That maybe he too felt that there was none who understood him better than Draco like he did, only he should've known.

But once learnt the hard way, draco didn't know how many loses more could he take. Maybe he felt as though he owed it to harry, that perhaps harry was his last shot at love, no matter what happened. Even with the ever consuming lies building up in the relationship that had been going on for 3 years. But Draco would lie to himself if he said he was happy anymore. He used to be, but he hadn't felt the little comfort in the physical affection or more than a chaste kiss in the past few months and he was afraid. Afraid that his inner voice was right.

" I think he's cheating on me " Draco numbly spoke to pansy as he drank his cold coffee

" oh hone-"

" I knew it " Draco interjected.

Pansy gave him a pity look but oh she knew too. She knew he was cheating. The lies Harry had fed only worked a little.

" how do you know ?" Pansy asked, holding a little of Draco's hand in a comforting touch over the table.

" he told me he'd be at the office yesterday. I went to drop him something but he wasn't there. He had left hours ago " Draco replied blankly stating at pansy drawing circles on the upper side of his hand

" but you can't be sure " pansy sighed.

Draco hummed, deciding to not further talk about it.

Perhaps days went by, Draco had stopped counting, he has stopped looking at the calender when their anniversary passed as a forgotten date. Perhaps weeks since Harry tried to come home and cuddle with Draco. And maybe month too when they last went on a date.

Why was Draco doing this to himself? Fear.

He watched as the light, the spark, the fire diminish in Harry's eyes for Draco but a new one was born each day he left for work, like he had something to look forward to. He felt it in Harry's soft light chaste touches that they weren't a secret, private anymore, they were of Someone else too. He even smelled the perfume of another one on Harry's shirt. Yet he rested in fear, fear he'd never be loved again. Because even if everything, harry still was his boyfriend, by tag but he was.. it was all in the labels. But He didn't even come to Draco's work party.

" why don't you leave him ?" Blaise had asked. Draco only shrugged, yawning.

" do you even sleep anymore?" Blaise tried asking again. Draco shrugged once again. He had lost count of hours he slept too.

But alone in the night, sitting on a bed in loneliness even with the body next to him, he cried relentlessly in silent sobs. He would bite his palm to keep the muffles inside as he'd stare at the man he'd once loved, become Lost. He missed the harry who'd kiss him before sleeping or who'd whisper good night or the one's who dragged draco to shower with him or the harry who'd visit between works to take him out for lunch.. he missed the harry that was only his own and not shared as a public property.

________________________

He sat alone on the table of a family dinner as his father for first In a while looked at Draco in pity sitting next to an empty chair, reserved for his love who never showed up.

" we should start. He must be stuck with something " Draco Whispered.

Narcissa hesitantly nodded, helping serve the dinner and the family ate in low Whispers and soft chews.

And then perhaps as if an old friend has knocked his door, Draco was met with the young boy who loved Harry in his rivalry,who stood for what was right, for what wasn't just to him, one who believed that if love existed he'd never settle for less. Slamming the door shut, Draco instead of disapparating, stumbled back home with one bottle of whiskey he couldn't even drink because of the drowning heart that yearned sobriety.

" where were you ?" Harry has asked sitting on the sofa, watching TV at midnight when draco had stumbled back home.

But draco didn't respond, placed the bottle on the counter top, only little drunk, unknown tears smeared across his face.

" I asked you a question Draco, where were you ?" Harry sternly asked as he turned around to watch Draco

" are you fucking drunk ?' harry was perhaps disgusted but it only made Draco laugh. A mock.

" do you ask your other boy that too ?"

" what- what other boy ?" But harry was a bad liar.

Draco sniffed in as he walked forwards, collapsed on the couch next to Harry's and stared blankly out of the window, tears immediately blurring his vision.

" it was my parents anniversary today? Do you remember ? I told you a day before yesterday to be there, even sent a memo ? Did you receive ?" Draco asked, his legs shaking.

" oh- see I kept thinking I was forgetting something. I'm so sorry babe-"

" don't-call-me-that" Draco sneered

" what is the matter with you ?" Harry asked thoroughly offended

But Draco only exhaled a shaky breath, his hands contributing to the shakiness and he finally landed his eyes upon the man he had lost.

" was I not enough ?" His voice broke as he asked, staring into Harry's lost face

" what are you even on about-"

" your affair harry. Your bloody affair " Draco raised his voice so as to be stern, confident that be wasn't lying.

" what ? I don't have any affair. I'm offended that you even think that Draco. After everything we've been through-"

"bullshit " Draco snapped

" you think I can't see it Harry ? I can sense it across an entire room if you're there or not, don't you think I wouldn't know that the man I loved is not just Mine anymore ?"

" you're being ridiculous " harry rolled his eyes.

Draco gave Harry a weak smile before he went on " do you remember the last time you told me you loved me ?"

Harry frowned as he thought upon until the realisation hit " i- I didn't realize -"

" I don't blame you " Draco shook his head " I can't even if I Want to. Perhaps I am infact not enough.. perhaps I've failed to be who you wanted me to be. I don't blame you harry, I don't-"

" Draco, there's nothing going-"

" what's his name ?" Draco interjected

" there's no one "

" does he make you happy ?" Draco asked weakly

" Draco, there isn't-"

" does he kiss better than I do ?" Draco asked, his voice breaking.

Harry sighed " I'm not cheating Draco "

" then when did you fall out of love with me ?" Draco asked

Harry stared at Draco long enough to see the pain turning to mocking numbness " I never did "

" liar " Draco sneered as he looked away, not even bringing his hands up to wipe his tears.

" I love you Draco-"

" liar " Draco suddenly raised his voice " you're a pathetic liar " he sobbed

" all this time I tried to forgive you in my head but I only need to ask one thing, what did I do to deserve this ?" Draco sobbed

Harry's face filled with pity as he closed distance between them to wipe Draco's tears away but he jerked his hands away.

" I didn't mean for it to happen " harry finally said as he looked down at his feets, as though he was disgusted in himself.

Draco looked at harry attentively " how long ?"

" Draco-"

" how long harry ?" Draco asked sniffing

" 5 months " harry replied. It should not have been a blow, not have hurt this bad, because Draco already knew but he did. Tears rapidly burning his face as pathetic sobs left his lips and he looked away as if he couldn't bear to look at harry.

" it meant nothing to me Draco-"

" it doesn't matter " Draco interjected, heaving for a long breath

" no I mean it Draco, it didn't mean anything "

" if it didn't mean anything then why were you with him tonight instead of me ?"

But in hopes of trying to fix things, harry couldn't formulate an answer without hurting Draco.

" I really loved you harry, I still do and I hate myself for it but I will let you go "

" Draco Don't-"

" I have loved you enough but in hopes of trying to keep you close, I have made you runaway from me and that's no one's but my own fault. Perhaps I loved you too much or too little but neither of it was enough to make you stay " Draco cried in silent tears.

" don't say that Draco. Please. I still love you. I never stopped. I'll leave him for you. I only love you. It was a mistake Draco. I promise it won't happen again. I'm sorry Draco, please, please forgive me " harry begged

Draco offered Harry a little smile before he took Harry's hands in how own, locking their finger's together and kissing his knuckles.

" I Want you to list every lie you ever told. Then maybe I'll forgive you "

And in that sweetness Draco left Harry more broken than he had ever felt. Filled with regret he had never felt. Pain he had long forgotten. Misery and sorrow he had said good-bye too. But it was in his sweetness harry had loved him and it was in his sweetness he had lost him. That night when Draco went away, with no response, he never came back again and harry was left alone.

It could have been love, or perhaps it was, only until the night was young and the sun had not risen.

Till the mortal fire had burnt.

It's basically midnight thoughts.

300 followers appreciation dialogue prompt requests open.

( ps. I reached 400 tho )

[randonowrong]

Lost Eyes | Schlatt x Reader

This is my entry for @sugarsoftie​‘s 600 follower special! Again, congrats for the 600 followers! “I can’t believe I used to love you” | Angst | Staring into his eyes, you know he is no longer the one you gave your heart to.

A melody filled the air as people filed into the walls of Manburg. You stood at the sides, welcoming those that came to attend the festival. You shake hands with them as they move to the main section of the festival. As the last of the guests enter, you turn and look over the place. You note the decorations strewn around, set up by Tubbo and Fundy. The colorful balloons and banners making the festival look welcoming and warm. Your eyes trailed to the many booths and stalls open, the vendors preparing their products. You see Niki preparing baked goods by her stall, the smell of freshly made bread wafting through the air. Your train of thought was interrupted when someone put their hand on your shoulder. You flinched in surprise, turning around to face them. 

You breathed a sigh of relief as it was only Tubbo. “Don’t startle me like that! I could have gotten a heart attack Tubs.” You exaggerate, letting out a chuckle. You hear Tubbo giggle too, but he stops as he tries to speak. “Sorry (Y/N), but uh, Schlatt wants to speak you before the festivities all properly start.”

“Ah, what does our dear president want now.” You sigh, nodding to Tubbo in acknowledgment and turning to leave for whatever business Schlatt may have with you.

You were an advisor and cabinet member of L’manburg, no Manburg when Schlatt came to power. Despite not being an original citizen and just a bystander and audience member in the election, Schlatt had decided you were worthy of being part of his cabinet, you think. When the original founder of the country was cast out of his creation, you had opted not to attack and join the ones who smelled blood and attacked, following the orders of the current president.

You took to your assigned task efficiently, you followed through with the decisions made in the cabinet meetings and gave out your thoughts and opinions on the matter. Though you did not fail to notice the glances the president threw at you. When you decided to confront Schlatt about his staring, he had bravely spoken of his interest for you. Stating that your sharp mind and intellect, along with the fact that you were on good terms with most of the people in the smp, were qualities he saw as admirable. You remember your flushed cheeks over the praise, the warm feeling in your chest, the butterflies in your stomach.

But the thing you would never forget would be the look he gave you while you two were alone in his office. His eyes full of desire and passion, for you.

You stop your thought when you arrive at the podium. Schlatt is speaking with his vice-president, Quackity, with a topic you couldn’t quite hear well at the distance you were at. You waited for a few minutes until Schlatt let out an exasperated sigh and walked down the stage, coming to face you. “Ey (Y/N), I’ve been waiting for you my favorite cabinet member” he cackles.

You put a small smile on your face at his words. “That’s nice of you to say, but if I am your favorite then why is Big Q the Vice-President?” you joke, letting out a giggle. “If I were a spectator, I’d point out how it seems you favor him over me.” You continue.

You hear him let out a deep bawl of laughter, which eggs you on to continue your giggling. “Darling, if I didn’t have him as my Vice-President, I wouldn’t be leading Manburg now, would I?” he jested, gesturing into the air.

You let out a chuckle at his statement. “Well, what did you want to speak with me about?” you ask, staring at the horned man in front of you. He begins to compose himself and pats his attire down to make sure he looks presentable. “You remember of my plans for this great country, right?” he asks.

You nod in response. “Schlatt, of course I do, I am actively assisting in the affairs of the state or have you forgotten?” you tease.

“Yeah yeah, well I got some news from a little birdie that someone on my cabinet has been colluding with Pogtopia.” He deadpanned, a steely look on his features. “And I know just how to deal with that little mole.”

“Well, you know how I invited Technoblade to this festival, well I was thinking…why not have him kill our traitor. It’s appropriate! The best warrior of the rebellion striking down their own informant!” he declared, a wicked grin on his face.

“Who…is this mole anyway? I have a sneaking suspicion it is Fundy; his dear old dad is the exiled leader. Or perhaps it’s Niki, she and Wilbur are close.” You put out, gripping your chin in thought.

“Tubbo, the one I made my right-hand man.”

Your face pales, of course that Tubbo would come to the rebels’ aid. Tommy is his best friend; he was willing to do anything for the boy. And with knowing of what Schlatt’s plans are for the kid, you feel dread settle in. How could he think of something so gruesome for the boy?

“You, you can’t possibly be serious Schlatt?!” you shout, mouth agape in shock as your mind races. “He…Tubbo is just a child! You can’t do that to him!” you declare, looking up to glare at the man in front of you.

“And you think that absolves him of his betrayal to Manburg, to me, to US!” he retorted, bringing a hand up in anger to rake through his dark locks. “I know you care about the kid but c’mon, he’s a traitor! You can’t hold any love for him.” He added, before turning to leave and walk up the stage.

“This conversation isn’t over. You can’t walk away!” You grab his arm to stop him, but he grabs your wrist and wrenches it away from him. He turns back around and raises your hand above your head.

“I can, and I will. I’m the president of Manburg. I am it’s ruler, it’s law, and I can do whatever the hell I want!” he shouted in your face. Your eyes widen, this was the first time you and he had ever gotten into an argument. You usually could temper the situation before it escalated, with you reluctantly agreeing into whatever he wanted.

You stare into his dark orbs. These eyes that you once loved, when they playfully glared at you, closed when you let out a joke, and gave a loving gaze whenever you helped in his plans. These eyes now something you feared. A deep darkness threatening to swallow you whole, consume your very essence and force you to submit to its darkest desires. These eyes that no calm you but induce a fear of being the next hurdle to be removed.

You recoil in panic, letting out a soft sob and stare down at the ground. Tears pool in the corner of your eyes as Schlatt let’s go of your wrist. “This is an order, (Y/N), stay in the white house for the rest of the festival. We’ll have a talk after all of this, resist, and I’ll give you a first-row seat to Tubbo’s execution. Got it?” he threatened, turning to walk up the stage. Leaving you to lean your back against the foundation. You let the tears spill out, like a dam finally being opened, your feelings flowed out. Each of your tears holding a fragment of the many emotions you felt. Panic, fear, anger, guilt, pain, betrayal.

“I can’t believe I used to love you…” you mutter out, pulling your knees into your chest and continued sobbing. The noise of the festivities blocking out your wailing.

A/N: I do hope this isn’t a bit too late. I’ve just been not feeling well these past few days. Like...not up to eat, I’m always tired, and not many things get me happy anymore. I dunno, maybe it’s just that seasonal down periods. Anyways, I’m still in the process of writing the headcanon requests but desperately wanted to get this out. Hope you enjoy!

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

Life is beautiful and life is cruel. A window into the souls of the victorious and the vanquished. In a way, football did come home during the summer of 2021. Follow along Amelia’s journey, navigating the football world as a tactical analyst for the italian football team, with a brother and father part of the three lions. Will Amelia leave Italy and come back to England? Will she leave the Serie A for the Prem? Will she set aside the bianconeri stripes for new colours, leaving behind friendship for love? Maybe she can have both...

Hello my lovelies!! Part 3 sees a whole lot Amelia's beautiful brain & you get your first slice of interaction with the british boys - leading up to an all important Mykonos adventure (part 4 - out friday). As usual, please let me know your thoughts and feelings, and let me know what you want to see happen with Amelia and her story! Updates have increased to 3/week! I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am!

Love always,

Steph xx

UPDATE as of 31/07: I've made some additional editing changes due to some feedback about the confusion between ben white (her brother) and ben chilwell (not her brother LOL). Nothing has been added to the story, just the addition of either surname has been added where i think it could be more straightforward - for future readers!

Part 3. | parte terza

warnings; none - just a whole lot of feels.

word count; 2081

writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter.

next update; Friday 30/07 5pm AEST. Updates are three times/week (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)!

Tags (as requested by users); @footballffbarbiex @obsesseds-world @abysshaven

link to fic masterlist here

It was the day after the final match and Amelia should be nursing a hangover due to the large amount of red wine she consumed with her Italian counterparts the night before. However, she finds herself at St. George’s Park before 9am, meeting one of her father’s colleagues who directs her to the recreation room that she remembers from a few days prior.

Standing outside the door, she assumed she was just waiting for her dad as agreed on the phone an hour earlier. As she was waiting, she could hear Gareth Southgate give a team talk to the players, praising them for their ability and pleading for them to bounce back from this defeat and use it to push on. The next voice she could hear was that of her father, giving them the tactical run through of the game. She listened to the points her father made, and both agreed and disagreed with some. Unexpectedly, the man sent to collect her opened the door and ushered her inside.

She stood at the back of the room, facing her dad and Gareth, whilst the team and other management staff had their backs to her. Making eye contact with her dad, he smiled slightly.

“Whilst I can offer you my opinion on the match last night, to better prepare you for the next time, there is no better opinion to learn from at this moment than that of your opponent. Amelia, would you please come up here” Dean really threw her into this situation, that again, she was not prepared for nor did she want to participate in. However, the 30+ sets of eyes that had currently turned around to stare at her didn’t exactly inspire a choice to be made here.

_____________________________________________________________

“Lads, this is my daughter. I taught her everything she knows, which was probably too much considering I can now recognise that it was her signature plays that the italian side used to their advantage last night. Treat her with respect, or I will let her at you. Which i’m sure you all saw a few nights ago in this very room” My dad spoke as I walked up to the front area, weaving in and around beanbags with players occupying them.

Standing in front of the Three Lions was more nerve wracking now than it had been when she was confronting her brother, maybe Fede did offer her protection as his bodyguard. Either way, she put her big girl pants on (figuratively speaking, literally she was wearing her official puma tights and Italian polo) and got on with it as if she was speaking to her team.

“Thanks Dad. Hey guys, I think the first thing I would like to say is that you’re allowed to feel exactly how you feel right now. There is no rush to ‘get over it’ or ‘push on and learn’. You need to feel this now, feel it throughout your body, understand the pain and then turn it into motivation.” I speak to the group, trying to accurately express how sincere I am to this group of heartbroken men.

“As for tactics, I can stand here and praise you for how good you really are but that's not how you are going to learn. You came into the game hard and fast.” I paused, understanding the innuendo just as it was flying out of my mouth. I pursed my lips and tried to hold my giggle in, however some of the boys seem to have the same sense of humour as I do. My brother, face of steel and eyes that burn into any man that tries to joke with me.

“Sorry, can’t help myself. So yeah, you took charge of the game from kick off and we were not ready. You had the aggression and desire to push from the start and that's what you did, Shaw, you really surprised me with that goal. Not because I didn't think you could do it but because I wasn’t anticipating you being someone we had to watch so closely.”

“Again, something you guys need to keep in mind is that it is literally my job to know everything about you and how you play the game, what foot you prefer, who you pass to, how long you hold the ball before you pass, do you like to assist or score...all of these things make a massive difference in each play we make.”

“The error you made came around the 25th minute of the game, we had settled into the game and did what we do best - we slowed you down. In Italy, in the Serie A, which is where most of my team play, the game is a lot slower. There is more skill and tactic used to ensure a favourable outcome. Again, i'm not saying you all don’t have skill, but the Prem favours pace over tactics and strategy. The only way we were going to be able to win was by making you play our game, but in your half of the pitch.”

At this point, all of their eyes are trained to me and the more senior players of the team, like Henderson, Walker, Coady, Kane, they understand what i’m trying to say. Gareth, my dad and other members of staff are sitting to one side, arms folded and a slight smile on their face at the simplicity of my approach to such an important game. I direct my next question to them.

“Can I ask - have you already selected your man of the match?”

“Off record, yes we have. Before I announce to the team who it is, can I direct the question back to you and find out who you would award it to?” Gareth poses back to me, interested to hear my opinion.

“While the obvious choices would be Kane, Sterling, Maguire - your players who perform week in week out and are consistent and no doubt deserve an award as such. I would recommend Declan Rice. Personally, he was the most instrumental in the match last night. Every time we turned to attack, he was there to stop it. He was a player I was confident that I knew the extent of his ability, when it was obvious that I didn't.”

The boys around him, Mason Mount & Ben Chilwell, offered him a gentle shove and ruffle of the hair, to show their encouragement to the bashful boy who seemed surprised at the praise he was receiving.

“The other player that I think deserves a bit of a shoutout, and not because of his hair, is Jack Grealish.” I spoke, looking around the room until we locked eyes. I wanted him to understand how serious i was about my next words.

“You are so dangerous on the ball, you are an asset as a team mate, you aren’t guilty with the ball, but you have the power behind you to score when the opportunity presents itself. The moment you were subbed on I pulled Jorginho to the side and told him to treat you like Chiellini and Bonnucci were handling Sterling and Kane. You were one of my players to watch, and for good reason”

At the end of the little session, I said thanks to the boys for listening and that I hope to see them again in a tournament. The only way to be the best is to beat the best. After a quick round of applause that made me feel more special than I am, I walked past my brother, gave him a quick ruffle of his hair and met my dad at the back. Gareth dismissed the boys and they all stood up, breaking away and grabbing some breakfast that was set up to the side of the room, for one last team meal.

“Mills!! I’ll get you an almond croissant and a coffee, come sit with me!” Walker shouted from across the room.

“Oi mate, she’s my sister not yours” Ben counters from the back of the line.

“Yeah she's your sister by blood, mine by choice.” Kyle firmly states and begins his way to one of the tables.

“I suppose i better join Kyle before he drowns everyone in his tears” i joked with the england officials i was standing with before walking over to Kyle and a few of his team mates.

“Sooo am I supposed to pretend I don’t know who you all are so you can introduce yourselves? Or do we just mutually agree that I know too much about each of you and not bring it up?” I question the boys, jokingly. They all laugh and I sit down in the space Kyle left between himself and John Stones. I sat there and got to know some of the boys on a less competitive level, working out who was a leader both on the pitch and off it. After listening to the boys joke around and just be mates, rather than teammates, I leaned over to Kyle.

“Hey, before I go, do you think you can introduce me to Bukayo? I want to speak with him for a moment.”

“Yeah sure, I'll take you over there. Why are you nervous? You've never been shy before” Kyle questioned back at me.

“I’m not nervous, I'm just hyper aware of the sensitivity of the moment. Last night would have been tough”

Saying goodbye to the boys, Kyle directed me over to a table that was sitting my brother Ben White, Kalvin, Ben Chilwell, Grealish, Saka, Sancho & Rashford.

“Hey boys, Ben, I just wanted to come say goodbye before I head off.” I directed towards my brother. He pulled up a chair and asked me to sit for 5 more minutes, claiming he deserved it after months of no contact.

“Ben here didn’t let us know he had a sister as smart as you...what happened to you Ben? Did you miss that gene?” Jack Grealish poked at my brother. With his signature scowl on his face, Ben White let his mates laugh at his expense.

“Oh don’t make fun of my brother Benny, that’s my job!” I joked back, setting the boys off again with my brother’s childhood nickname. It was nice to hear some laughter again from a side that looked so solemn the night before.

“No in all seriousness boys, I especially came over because I wanted to talk to you Bukayo - what you did was so impressive. In a final, as the last penalty taker, to take on the responsibility of the nation at the age of 19! Not many players would dare to do that. You have earned a lot of respect, particularly from the Italian camp.” I spoke with a smile on my face, directed at the young boy.

“The same goes for you two” Now looking at Sancho & Rashford.

Bukayo looked down at his hands & smiled, before getting up and walking to my side of the table. Anticipating what he was going to do next, I stood up and welcomed him with open arms. Grateful that he understood my message and was beginning to accept the praise he so deserved. Stepping back from the hug, I turned to address the group of lads one more time.

“If any of you fancy a change of pace and want to come over to the Serie A, just give me a call - Benny can give you my number!” I start to speak, before I'm cut off but my brother.

“Stop poaching my mates! I’ve already lost you to another country. I don't need to lose anyone else” He jokingly says while standing to walk me out of St. George’s Park. I know it was a joke but I can't help but think there was some truth to that.

It had been more than 3 years since I moved out of our family home to start my life in Turin, and not one moment had i regretted it or thought i made the wrong decision. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I wished I was closer to my family, but I know I had to make that move to prove to myself I am just as successful as I hoped I would be. Not saying I have learnt everything there is to learn with the Serie A giants, Juventus, but maybe it's time for a new challenge? Maybe I can bring the strategic spin on the game to the fast paced action of the premier league?

Part 4. | quarta parte

[wroteasongabouther]

can’t stand to see you lonely: part 3

a/n: we love a little throwback with this gif, my heart 😭 again, i can’t thank you all enough for the love you’ve shown my writing it’s truly the sweetest thing and i’m happy you guys are liking the story so far! this was is the longest part so far with a lot happening, so happy reading! remember to leave some feedback and reblog cause it’s always appreciated.

and as always, thanks to the lovely jess @arrogantstyles​ and jill @havethetimeofyourstyles​ for beta reading ❤️

word count: 19k

warnings: mentions of a partner cheating (f*** mark), minor mention of drugs (aka weed lol), alcohol consumption (tequila anyone?), and serious! sexual! tense!

fic page // let’s chat // cstsyl playlist

Y/N didn’t realize she had left Harry’s apartment the other day with his hoodie on until the next morning when she had woken up to the sweet smell of faint lavender and laundry soap. She didn’t return the hoodie, though. In fact, she shamelessly slept in the hoodie for three more nights; it was just really comfortable, she tries to convince herself that’s the only reason she’s wearing it to bed each night. It wasn’t because the smell that calmed her, reminding her of that dimpled smile and dazzling green eyes that would wander into her dreams every night now and then. And it was especially not because she found herself falling for those same pair of eyes, no, not a shred of feelings besides friendship there.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” Sammy deadpans.

“What are you talking about now?” Y/N questions, keeping her eyes on her phone as she texts back Harry.

“You and your little affair,” Sammy quips back. His choice of words causes Y/N’s head to quickly snap up and look at her friend. He’s giving her a bored look, a smug little smile on his face that makes Y/N narrow her eyes.

“I am not having an affair, Sammy, so let’s not start that rumour around the office, please,” Y/N says to him in a hushed voice. “Plus, Mark hasn’t bothered to call or text me in almost a week now. So, I’m pretty sure the next time we do talk it will be to end things officially,” Y/N explains, her voice falling flat as she feels her heart rate pick up just thinking of her and Mark breaking up. Regardless of the fact he’s hurt her feelings, annoyed her and so on - it’s still a break up, and they really freaking suck.

“I sure hope so,” Sammy says. “You know I’m team Harry all the way,” he gives Y/N a wicked smile which she only rolls her eyes at.

There were no teams to be on, she thinks. She was just becoming friends with Harry, and yeah, she found him ridiculously attractive and really sweet too, but she wasn’t dumping Mark for him or anything. If she was dumping Mark it was because of how their relationship turned out, without Harry’s help, and how neither of them are benefitting from being together anymore. Hell, they didn’t even have sex last time he was in the city. It also didn’t have to do with the fact that Y/N would be nervous that Harry could hear them. Nope that thought didn’t cross her mind not even once - Y/N finds herself biting on her bottom lip as she’s deep in thought and trying to convince herself certain things.

Her phone buzzes where she left it on her desk brings her back to reality. She picks it up and swipes up as the face ID recognizes her, opening up the messages, between her and Harry, that she was previously on. Y/N can’t help it as a chuckle leaves her lips. She notices how Sammy leans back in his chair and raises a brow at her, but she chooses to ignore him and instead keeps watching the gif Harry sent on loop over and over again.

It was a cartoon Santa, dabbing. Yes, Harry used a gif that had to do with a trend from the world's youth. Y/N never would have guessed Harry even knew what dabbing was. She holds back another chuckle and looks up a gif to respond to his. She goes for one that’s a cartoon of Rudolph, his nose lighting up like a strobe light as he dances on two legs. It’s silly, but she’s enjoying this back and forth texting of stupid Christmas themed gifs. It’s been going on for about five minutes and she doesn’t even know why or how it started, but she loves it.

How’s work so far today? Harry texts after sending a gif of the Olaf the snowman from Frozen, dancing in the field of flowers. Y/N tilts her head to the side and leans further back in her seat, stretching her legs under her desk. The work that was on her desk was long forgotten when her and Harry began texting earlier.

It’s good, I finally have a few moments of downtime at my desk. We had like four clients in this morning for some fittings for the many Christmas parties going on next week. Y/N sends that off before typing, How’s your day? Write anything good yet?

Glad it’s less busy now, don’t let me distract you with all these amazing Christmas gifs though. And I’ve got a few things written while at the cafe, finally found the right melody for another song I was working on last week. Harry types out to Y/N, biting on the nail of his thumb after hitting send. He’s been leaning on the guitar in his lap for the past twenty minutes. That melody was found, but pushed away after he got into texting Y/N.

Not too distracting, although I think Sammy is jealous no one’s sending him any silly gifs. A second text shows up only seconds later, Harry’s sometimes surprised at how fast Y/N can type. And that’s good though! Will I ever get to hear you play in person besides through the wall our apartments share?

Harry smiles over his thumb at the first text but then is biting at his nail again as he reads over the second bubble a few times. He isn’t too surprised that she can hear him play from her apartment, but he is surprised she’s asking to hear him play. He doesn’t think he’s all that great of a guitar player. It’s kind of hard to think when he’s best mates with one of the best guitar players in the industry; Mitch could outplay him any day. Harry stops biting on his nail and hovers his thumbs over his keyboard. Although he’s usually too nervous to just sit and play for someone, he finds himself imagining playing for Y/N.

Tell Sammy I’ll send him some gifs too if he wants. And as for playing for you, maybe... if you catch me on a good day. Y/N shakes her head at his response, somehow not too shocked that’s what he says. She recalls him not telling her what popular songs he had written, how his cheeks grew a shade of pink at the mere idea of Y/N knowing of his work. So, she’ll take her odds and pray that someday soon she gets Harry on a good day and hears him play something.

“Y/N,” Amanda’s voice calling her name causes Y/N to jump, sitting straight up in her seat and nearly dropping her phone. She shuts off the screen and feels the vibration from her Apple watch, a notification reading that it was time to head into the conference room to interview new interns with Amanda. Y/N looks over her shoulder to see Amanda standing behind her with her eyebrows raised and her lifeline of a notebook in hand. “You alright?” She asks, slight concern in her tone.

“Yeah,” Y/N clears her throat and stands from her desk, wobbling on her heeled boots as she gathers up her laptop and cell phone. “I’m all good, ready to find us some new interns,” she states with a smile.

Amanda gives her a look as if doubting her, but then nods as Y/N steps in front of her and they move into the conference room. It’s not until their third candidate that Y/N thought of her boyfriend. Her watch buzzes, flashing up at text from Mark, then one from Sammy right away. She ignores them and tries to focus on listening to yet another fashion student talk about their love for the industry and the company. She was once just like them, sitting on the other side of this conference table and grinning ear to ear from just being in the building. She still felt excited to come into work every day and she feels very grateful to still feel that way. So, therefore she doesn’t hate sitting there for a few hours and having a handful of first impressions with girls that she once was. But, in the back of her mind she’s wondering what Mark could have texted her. It’s been five days since the phone call she ended up hanging up on him. What could he possibly have to say?

“Thank you for coming in today,” Amanda says with a smile to their last interview of the day. The small blonde stands up as the two of them do, and reaches across the table to shake both of their hands before saying short goodbyes and letting one of the receptionists walk them out.

“I think I liked her the best,” Y/N comments, writing a quick note beside her resume.

“I agree. We’ll email back and forth a bit more about it. I’ve got another phone meeting with a few clients for the new year first,” Amanda explains as she’s reading over her planner before snapping it shut.

“Sounds like fun,” Y/N nods before walking separate ways from Amanda and heading back to her desk. As she gets closer, she can't help but notice the oversized bouquet of flowers on her desk. Her eyebrows pinch together as she slows her steps, taking in the beautiful pinks and oranges in the bouquet before reaching for the card that stuck out of it. Sammy pops up then, right by Y/N’s side almost breathing down her neck.

“Did you not get my text? These showed up like halfway through your interviews,” Sammy states, trying to read the card before Y/N can. She shields it’s away from his eyes and looks at him over her shoulder. “Sorry,” he apologizes and takes a step back.

Y/N reads the printed out note and finds herself sighing as she reads it over again. I’m sorry - Mark. Y/N shakes her head and rolls her lips into her mouth, staring at the bouquet again. That’s it, just sorry? She thinks, but then remembers that he had texted her too. Maybe there’s something more there but Y/N finds herself doubting it.

“Who’s it from?” Sammy questions. Y/N ignores him and pulls out her phone from her back pocket. She unlocks it and taps on her messages app, having to back out of her conversation with Harry in order to open up Mark’s text from earlier.

Did you get the flowers? The company sent me a notification saying someone signed for them. Y/N rolls her eyes at his careless text message; not an ounce of emotion behind any of his words, through text or on the note. She doesn’t find herself smiling at the flowers, thinking how it’s a nice gesture, but instead finding it ridiculous that her boyfriend missed the whole point of the fight and just thinks some random bouquet of flowers will fix everything that she’s feeling. Is he even bothered by the fact they fought and haven’t spoken in five days? She wonders as she shuts off her phone screen without responding.

“Mark sent them,” Y/N finally tells Sammy, turning around to hand him the card. After he grabs it, and Y/N turns back around and places a hand on either side of the vase. She turns on her heels and walks around her desk to the left, moving Sammy’s chair out of the way and placing them on his desk instead. “You can have them, they look better on your desk,” she stays in a flat tone of voice, feeling indifferent about if she should just throw them out or not.

“Are you going to break up with him?” Sammy asks, his voice is quiet and soft - sounding like a caring friend instead of a gossiping coworker.

Y/N bites down on her bottom lip and nods, “yeah, I think I am going to. I just don’t know how, breaking up with someone on the phone feels so shallow and I would hate to be broken up with over the phone.” She explains, turning back around to look at Sammy again. He’s frowning, a look of pity in his eyes.

“But it’s unfair to you both to keep this relationship going on like this, Y/N,” Sammy says, letting out a deep sigh and tosses the card in the garbage bin by Y/N’s desk. “You’ll know what to do, you always do,” Sammy adds on with a smile.

Y/N tries to mirror her friends smile but feels it fall flat on her lips. She’s doubting herself, doubting her choices with Mark these past four months, and she keeps doubting herself all day till she’s walking into her apartment. She closes her door and slips out of her coat. Y/N sighs and pulls out her phone while walking to her bedroom, taking a seat on the end of her bed before pulling up Mark’s contact.

Her fingers hover over the call icon, her heart beating a million miles an hour as she imagines how this phone call is going to go. Should she really break up with him over the phone? She thinks, yet again doubting herself. This was really the only way to do it, seeing as he won’t be in the city for who knows how long. Y/N didn’t want to be in this relationship anymore, especially since it started to feel less like a relationship as the days went on this past month. Y/N inhales deeply just as her phone begins to ring, Mark’s contact picture of him kissing her cheek fills the screen in her hand. Y/N exhales before tapping the green icon on the phone and bringing it to her ear.

“Hi,” Y/N says softly into the phone.

“Hey, you didn’t answer my text earlier,” Mark starts off the conversation with a hard tone of voice as if he’s annoyed. Y/N licks her lips and nods, even though Mark can’t see her.

“Yeah, um, sorry, work got busy,” she lies. She had the time to text him back, she just didn’t know what to say as her thoughts were clouded with how to break up with him.

“Did you get them?” Mark asks.

“The flowers? Yeah, I did,” Y/N sighs. She’s racking her brain on how to do this. How do you break up with someone over a phone call? She shakes her head and brings a hand to her forehead, pushing her fingers through the roots of her hair. “Mark, we need to talk,” she says, feeling that’s the best she can do - the good ol’ classic line.

“Yeah, we do,” Mark agrees with a sigh from him now. Y/N listens as it’s like something shuffles on the other end of the phone, as if Mark switches his phone from one ear to the other. “Look, Y/N, you’re a wonderful girl, truly, you are. But we’re not really benefiting from this, are we?” Mark says, snapping Y/N out of her thoughts as her brows pinch together.

“Are you breaking up with me?” Y/N questions.

“Uh, yeah-”

“No, no, I’m breaking up with you. I have thought long and hard about this for days now, and I don’t think we should be together anymore, Mark,” Y/N blurts out quickly, feeling as though her moment that she’s been talking herself up to all day was being taken away from her. She releases the grip she had on her hair and stares straight ahead at the painting on her wall, waiting for Mark to say something.

He lets out a long breath, “then I guess this is a lot easier for the both of us then, huh?” He says. Y/N shakes her head in disbelief.

“I guess so,” she mumbles.

“I’ll uh, I’ll send my assistant over soon for any of my things I’ve left at your apartment. She’ll bring the few things of yours that are at my place too. Are you available tomorrow?” Mark explains, asking the question so casually too. In fact, he sounds like he’s distracted with something on his end of the call too.

“Have you had this planned for a while now or something?” She asks, her eyebrows only pull together tighter in confusion. How can he act so unbothered only seconds after breaking up with her? She thinks. Sure, it’s a mutual break up, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t bothered by it still.

“Uh, no,” Mark mutters, not sounding convincing at all. Y/N rolls her eyes and shakes her head at herself - how did she even date this guy?

“You know what, whatever,” Y/N breathes out as her eyes close and she runs a hand through her hair, “I’ll be home from work around five in the evening tomorrow for your assistant to come by. Tell her to be on time, please,” she tells Mark.

“Alright,” he says. There’s a couple beats of silence between them, and she doesn’t feel upset over it at all. In fact she feels at peace with this breakup. She supposes that they didn’t date for long, and they never said I love you to each other and really didn’t spend too much time with one another the past two months. Maybe that’s why she’s not bothered by this break up at all.

“Well, it was fun, Mark,” Y/N says, “I wish you the best,” she adds.

“You too, Y/N,” he replies. And with that, Y/N brings the phone from her ear and ends the call. Staring at the screen that was on Mark’s contact info for a few minutes as she lets herself fall into her thoughts.

That was a lot easier than she imagined it to be earlier today. Y/N falls back on her bed, her hair fanning out around her as she holds her phone to her stomach and stares up at the ceiling. Did he have this planned though? She finds herself thinking. She imagines that he sent those flowers earlier to butter her up, maybe, before he called to break her heart only hours later. And having already made plans for his assistant to go through his apartment and bring her things to her. Maybe he already had gathered her things beforehand, meaning over a week ago he would have packed it up - only to come over to her house and fight with her for days on end before making her drive him to the airport. Y/N just shakes her head as her thoughts run wild.

Y/N knows exactly what she needs to do to get out of this overthinking stage that she’s got herself into. She gets up from her bed and opens her closet, her figure skates sitting on the bottom of the closet leaning nicely against each other. She finds an empty tote bag and tosses them inside, then quickly gets dressed into a pair of light blue skinny jeans, a plain white turtleneck long sleeve, and then layering by putting on a dark grey crew neck that has ‘LA’ in white writing across the front.

After making sure she has her wallet, phone and keys, she puts on a black puffer jacket and heads out her front door. Harry’s walking out of the elevator just as Y/N is locking up, he’s got a Starbucks hot drink in hand and a smile on his face.

“Hey,” Harry says, but then his eyebrows pinch together as he realizes the time, “where are you off to?” He wonders. Y/N brushes her hair from her face and lets out a small sigh.

“It’s, like, two weeks till Christmas and I haven’t gone skating yet, so I just got up and grabbed my skates to go out,” she explains, lifting her shoulder that her tote bag was hanging off. Her skates are poking out the top slightly, Harry notices the white figure skates with a pair of matching light pink guards on the bottom.  

“Oh, fun,” Harry nods, meeting her eyes again.

Y/N doesn’t even think twice before she’s asking, “did you want to come with me?”

Harry smiles, causing Y/N to mirror him, before he takes a few moments to nod in response. “I would love to, yeah,” Harry clears his throat, noticing how overly excited he may have sounded. “I should dress a bit warmer, though, it’s supposed to snow tonight,” he tells her, motioning to his apartment door down the hall.

“Good call,” Y/N says, following him to his doorway. Harry holds open his door for her after unlocking it, then letting it close softly behind them as he takes off the lighter jacket he had on. Y/N smiles at the decorations around his apartment, loving how the glow from the lights of his tree filled up the space around them before he can turn on any lights.

“I don’t have my own skates, suppose I’m not a real New Yorker like that,” Harry states as he opens the closet beside his front door and starts ruffling around in order to find where his scarfs were hiding.

“That’s fine,” Y/N says with a soft chuckle, turning around to watch as he sticks his head into the closet and pushes things around. “They have rentals at Bryant Park,” she tells him.

“I’ve never been,” Harry admits. He finally gets a hold of the long burgundy scarf with a brown leaf pattern on it, his mum had gifted it to him a few years back. Harry pushes the doors of his closet closed and puts the scarf down for a moment, hanging it on the door handle before he grabs his long black coat to slip it on. Once he’s got that on, he wraps the scarf around his neck, fixing the collar of his coat and the scarf so it’s comfortable.

“You’ve really never been to Bryant Park?” Y/N asks surprisingly. It wasn’t Central Park by any means, but anyone who lived in the Manhattan area typically had walked through Bryant Park.

“Nope,” Harry says, grabbing for his forgotten Starbucks drink, bringing it to his lips for a quick sip. He looks up at Y/N to find her smiling at him. “What?” Harry questions.

“Nothing, I’m just excited for you to see Bryant Park. It’s beautiful during the Winter,” she states.

“Well then, let’s not waste any time, come on,” Harry nods his head to the door and gives her a smile while holding it open for her. She thanks him, waits for him to lock the doors before they fall into step with one another to the elevator. Harry beats her to hitting the button, literally leaning in front of her in order to push the down button before she can. Y/N shakes her head at him, smiling.

“So how was your time at the cafe earlier?” Y/N asks Harry, waiting for the elevator to arrive.

“It was good,” Harry says, tilting his head to the side so he can look at Y/N, “wrote another song about love,” he adds with a smile. Y/N chuckles and raises her eyebrows.

“Never would have guessed,” she teases him.

The whole walk to Bryant Park, all Harry can think about is when the hell was the last time he skated? That and how good Y/N looked, which is a thought that’s always going through his head, to be honest. But he’s stressing himself out, hoping and praying that some sort of muscle memory clicks in and he doesn’t embarrass himself in front of Y/N. God, maybe he should have just saved himself the embarrassing situation and declined her invitation. Harry knew the moment he looked into her eyes there was something a bit off with her; how her smile didn’t quite reach its full potential - so the moment she asked if he wanted to come along with her, he didn’t even think twice before saying yes. The girl has her own figure skates, Harry wouldn’t doubt it if she’s about to skate circles around him.

“All black outfit,” Y/N comments as she watches Harry pick out a pair of black skates in his size, “I don’t think I’ve seen you wear all black before,” she adds with a smile.

“I used to only wear all black,” he admits, “back in uni, I really didn’t venture out in fashion and only wore black jeans and black t-shirts basically all year,” he explains to Y/N, letting her lead the way to the area for skaters to sit on the many benches and do up their skates.

“I truthfully can’t even imagine that,” Y/N replies, taking a seat on the bench right by the open door to the ice rink. She looks out at the about forty people on the ice, lit up by the many Christmas lights hanging over it and a few light posts in each corner too, as the sun has fully set now. The city around them is still hustling and bustling as it always is, which makes her smile.

“It was a tragedy, but I got older and realized that fashion can be fun, especially after moving to New York, seeing what people wear out for some innocent ice skating,” he mentions, taking in Y/N’s fashion forward outfit. The style was very trendy these days, he had noticed - online and in the streets.

“I would be an abomination of a former FIT student if I just walked around New York City in leggings and a hoodie,” Y/N states, “if I’m going somewhere, with someone, I always feel the need to look good.”

“And you do, by the way, look good,” Harry says, his words coming out quick and in a bit of a stumble. Y/N can feel the blush creeping onto her cheeks. She says a quiet ‘thank you’ before she begins to lace up her skates.

Y/N has her skates done up before Harry, so she has an extra minute to take out her phone and open her Instagram app. She checks out her newest comments, liking a few, before she finds herself aimlessly scrolling through her feed and liking some posts there. Checking up on Harry, she notices he’s almost done doing up his skates, so she stands up and grabs her tote bag that now holds her skate guards and chunky black boots.

“Did you want to lock anything up?” Y/N asks Harry, motioning to the small lockers to their left.

He shakes his head, “no thank you,” he says before his attention is back on tying his skates. Y/N smiles at how his tongue pokes out just slightly passed his lips before she turns around and walks over to lock up her tote bag, making sure everything but her phone is inside.

Once the small locker door is closed, she walks over to the wall of the ice rink and opens her Instagram again, putting on a quick filter that makes it look like it’s being filmed with an old film camera before she pans her camera around while holding down the button on the screen. As she turns to face where Harry is, she cuts off the video and double checks he’s not in it. With having so many followers, she always makes sure that her friends and family are comfortable with being posted before doing so. Y/N adds a quick caption of ‘first skate this season’ with a white heart emoji before she posts it to her story, then she slips the phone into her back pocket and walks over to where Harry sat waiting for her.

“Ready?” Harry asks, smiling up at her.

“Yup,” she nods, smiling back at him. Harry nods, muttering ‘alright’ under his breath, and then stands up on wobbling legs. Y/N chuckles and reaches for his elbow, helping him stand up straight. “You’ve skated before, right?” She asks, realizing now that she only assumed that he had.

“Uh, it’s been a few years,” Harry admits, flashing another nervous smile her way. All he can think about is her hand on his arm, and how she hasn’t let go of him yet. Harry hadn’t even thought about the potential arm holding, or hand holding maybe, they could get into here. She has a boyfriend, he reminds himself over and over again as he watches her lips tug up as she smiles back at him again.

“Alright, we’ll take it slow then,” she assures him, pulling at his arm gently to get them moving forward on their skates.

Y/N takes the first step onto the shining ice, letting her blades slide over the top slowly before she takes a sharp turn and is in front of Harry in an instant. His eyebrows fly up his forehead as his eyes fall down to her skates again, noticing how worn out they look now, her left foot lifting up as she sticks the toe of her skate blade into the ice - her whole stance made her look like some sort of professional. Harry’s head snaps up and he meets her gaze, lips now smirking at his stunned expression.

“You’ve been skating a lot before then, hm?” Harry gulps, looking back down at his feet as he inches slowly to the ice.

“Since I was a kid,” Y/N reveals. He’ll touch more on it later, but first he wants to get himself onto the ice and get this embarrassment over with. Harry sighs and starts to place his right foot into the ice, letting out a deep breath as he does but just as quickly as he makes the move he’s slipping. Harry sucks in a sharp breath, ready to fall before he even has both feet on the ice. But both of Y/N’s arms fly out and grab a hold of his forearms, causing him to wrap each of his hands around her much smaller forearms.

Harry shakes his head and just decides to get it over with, pushing both skates onto the ice in a quick motion. Y/N is fully prepared for his sudden movement and skates backwards, checking over her shoulder quickly to make sure she doesn’t get in anyone's way. She keeps a tight grip on Harry’s arms and smiles as she looks up at him and sees the stressed out look on his face.

“You’re doing great,” Y/N assures him, her voice causing Harry to look down and meet her soft eyes. “We can move a bit closer to the wall so you can hang onto it for the first bit?” She suggests, motioning to the wall beside them.

“Probably for the best,” Harry agrees, nodding his head and finally taking his eyes off Y/N’s in order to make his way to the wall. The few movements on his part aren’t as hard as he thought they’d be to get over to the wall. He thinks his muscle memory for skating will click in soon, hopefully.

Y/N takes it slow beside Harry, waiting for him to get comfortable enough to only need one hand on the wall before she lets go of his arm. She already misses the warmth from his touch. Not even one day into her and Mark’s break up and she’s already feeling touch deprived. To be fair, her and Mark hadn’t so much as given each other a few quick pecks and barely snuggling on the couch the last couple days they were together. Y/N shakes her head slightly at her thoughts of Mark.

“So how did you get into skating?” Harry asks after a few moments of them finding a slow pace.

“Um,” Y/N pauses as she thinks of how to explain how her parents didn’t want to spend much time with her, so they stuck her into many different hobbies to fill the void. “I was into a lot of the typical little girl hobbies, dancing, gymnastics, art, but figure skating was something that just really stuck with me as I grew up. Probably in connection with my obsession with the holidays, and the winter season,” Y/N explains, noticing already how Harry’s pace on his skates is picking up.

“Are you, like, really good?” Harry questions. Y/N chuckles and looks away from the ice below them to meet his gaze before he’s glancing down at his skates again in order to keep upright.

“Yup,” Y/N nods, rolling her lips into her mouth to hide her grin.

“So humble,” Harry jokes with a chuckle. “You could probably skate circles around me, huh? Do those little twirly things too?”

“I could do a few spins, yes,” Y/N says and nods her head. “I’ll let you get used to the ice first before I throw out any big moves,” she adds, looking down at how Harry’s feet were moving on the ice. Every minute he is getting better, soon enough he’ll let go of that wall and be able to skate in slow laps around the rink with her.

“How very considerate of you,” Harry notes, causing the both of them to chuckle again.

They do another two laps with Harry’s hand just inches away from the wall, hovering over it just in case he made the wrong move. But then soon enough, they’re mixed in with the other skaters and making strong, smooth strides across the ice. Y/N is laughing at something Harry says about how he must look like Bambi on ice, head thrown back and eyes crinkled up, when Harry just about falls. She catches him gasping and opens her eyes quickly before catching his hand in hers.

“You okay?” She asks, clear concern in her voice as she moves in order to meet his eyes. Harry knows this isn’t the first time they’ve sort of held hands, but it still feels like her skin is too warm for his cold touch and butterflies erupt in his stomach as she cards their fingers together so effortlessly. Damn Styles grow some balls and don’t let her make all the first moves, he thinks to himself.

“‘M alright,” Harry mumbles and nods, completely losing focus on the world around them as they float across the ice looking into each other's eyes and holding hands.

Y/N licks her lips, blinking up at Harry in what feels like an innocent way but realizes the moment his gaze drops to her lips that maybe it isn’t. Clearing her throat, she squeezes Harry’s hand and then slowly lets go. Harry can’t help but feel disappointed by how short they’d held hands for, he was hoping it would at least last a whole lap around the rink. Y/N shivers and sticks both of her hands into her coat pockets, playing off letting go of his hand with being cold, but in reality touching Harry’s skin made her feel like she was on fire.

“Tell me what your favourite colour is,” Harry blabs out loud suddenly.

Y/N furrows her brows and looks up at Harry. He’s no longer watching the ice with each stride of his skates, instead his posture is completely at ease almost as he seems much more confident on the ice now. Something tells Y/N that Harry is stupidly good at pretty much anything and if he doesn’t get it right the first time it would only take a few more before he masters it.

“It changes almost every other day,” Y/N admits, biting down on her bottom lip - which causes Harry’s eyes to flicker down to her lips yet again. “Lately it’s been green,” she exclaims, as she speaks Harry’s gaze falls back to her eyes.

“Like my eyes?” Harry teases, batting his eyelashes.

There’s suddenly a group of teenagers in their way, causing their conversation to pause as they have to maneuver around the few bodies. Harry finds that he doesn’t struggle at all with the quick movements he has to make with his skates in order to get around them. He smiles to himself, proud of how fast he’s picked up skating again. Maybe he’ll try the little twirly spin around Y/N to impress her. Too bad she’s much more talented on skates and is picking up speed before making a quick turn and is now skating backwards in front of Harry with her eyes narrowed and a tight smile on her lips.

“Firstly, that was a poor set up to try and get a compliment out of me, I’ll just tell you that your eyes are very pretty,” Y/N states. Harry smiles at her words, those pesky butterflies back in his stomach once again. “And second, my favourite green is more like a dark, rich, forest green,” she explains, quickly looking over her shoulder as they turn the corner of the rink. Harry notices how effortlessly she picks up her skates and crosses them over each other to smoothly take the turn.

“Like a Christmas tree?” Harry wonders.

Y/N smiles and nods, “exactly, like a Christmas tree,” she says, a beat of silence between them before she asks, “what’s your favourite colour?”

“Pink,” Harry answers without missing a beat. It’s been his favourite for years now, since he was just a young lad.

“Like my lips?” Y/N teases, her voice dropping down into a low and soft tone that causes a fire to spark in the pit of Harry’s stomach. His eyes drop to her lips at the mention of them, which Y/N notices and smirks at him before she’s turning on her skates and facing forward again. They both don’t say anything as they skate around the other turn of the rink, avoiding an older couple that has slowed down in front of them. Y/N still has a smug look on her face when Harry glances to his left where she skates beside him. Obviously, yes, exactly like the shade of your lips, Harry thinks and wishes he had the guts to say aloud.

“More like,” Harry pauses and then smiles, “like the Pink Panther,” Harry jokes.

“You know what, fair enough,” Y/N chuckles and shrugs her shoulder.

The two of them continue to ask each other more random favourites, getting the basics down with favourite foods, favourite alcoholic drinks, and favourite word too, of course. In fact, they are just skating at a leisurely pace for quite some time. Y/N notices that the number of people on the rink dwindles down to a mere twenty and she lifts her Apple watch up, so it lights up and shows her the time. Bryant Park should be closing within an hour or two, depending if they’re on holiday hours yet, meaning that Harry and her have spent nearly two hours out on the ice together.

“I think it’s time you bust out some of those fancy figure skating moves,” Harry suddenly says unprovoked. Y/N furrows her brows and shakes her head, watching a young couple, just a few people ahead of them, holding hands, like how she wishes her and Harry could have been this entire time. But it’s too soon, she thinks.

“I don’t know,” Y/N mutters under her breath, her eyes still on the couple as they’re laughing together - much like how her and Harry have been. Did these strangers around them think they were a couple?

“Fine,” Harry huffs and starts to skate a bit faster to be a few strides ahead of Y/N before he comes to a wobbly stop a bit more into the middle of the rink out of everyone's way. Y/N comes to a much smoother stop in front of him. “I’ll give it a shot then, how hard can it be to spin around a few times.”

Famous last words, Y/N thinks as Harry tries to whip his body around to try and attempt to do a spin. She can already see how he’s lifting the toe of his left skate, the small ridges getting caught on the ice while his body is still trying to spin around. Y/N’s eyes widen as she suddenly tries to stop him, her hands just barely getting a hold of his arms before he can fall. But his weight is too much and her skates slip out from under her. A small screech escapes her mouth as the two of them begin their fall to the ice - for surprisingly the first time tonight. Harry turns them both so he gets the worst of the fall, moving Y/N so she falls more on top of him rather than on the ice. Y/N notices and quickly moves her hand to the back of his head to ensure he doesn’t smack it against the hard surface. Her fingers card through his hair, while her other hand is clenching into a fist around the fabric of his coat.

“Shit,” Harry groans as the bodies fall to the ice. Thankfully, he tries to sit up a bit during the fall, so he doesn’t hit his head but instead he feels immediately pain shot up his elbow and backside.

“Oh my god,” Y/N gasps, blinking several times as she takes in what had happened. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” She asks Harry in a rush of words.

“I’m okay,” he nods, which causes Y/N to realize her hand is still brushing through his hair. She rubs his scalp a few times with her thumb before removing her hand and quickly lifting her body off of Harry’s. “I’ll probably have a bruised ass, but I guess that’s karma,” he tries to joke.

Y/N frowns and smacks his arm gently, “don’t pull that shit again, oh my god, I thought we were going to end our night in the ER.”

Harry chuckles and sits up, taking in how Y/N has sat up on her knees with both her hands resting on her thighs. Her hair is a bit of a mess and her eyes wide and wild with emotion - but otherwise she looks alright. Thankfully, Harry did good and kept her safe in their fall.

“Just need a few ice packs and maybe a joint before bed to ease the pain,” Harry says, only half joking.

“Wait,” Y/N’s eyebrows pinch together, “do you smoke weed?” She asks. To be honest, she couldn’t imagine Harry as some pothead. Not that there was a true look to a ‘pothead’ these days. Hell, she’s had her fair share of joints and edibles while in college. Even afterwards too, Sammy loved to roll a joint or two towards the end of their wine nights.

Harry shrugs and begins to get up from the ice slowly. “Not really. It makes me a bit sleepy, truthfully,” he tells her.

“I get that,” Y/N nods, “I don’t smoke often, but when I do, I typically fall asleep within the hour after smoking. It annoys the crap out of Sammy.” She tells Harry truthfully. Harry nods as well, only a little bit surprised to learn that Y/N didn’t say no to drugs in her youth. Not that he was judging, far from it really cause he had no room to judge, but he just simply didn’t imagine her consuming anything more than a bottle or two of wine.

The two of them get up off the ice now, finally getting back on their feet. A sigh leaves Y/N lips as she brushes her hands on her jeans. “I think you falling is our cue to get out of here,” she suggests, skating slowly backwards towards the doorway where the benches were.

“You’re probably right,” Harry agrees and begins to follow her, trying not to whine with his movements as a sharp pain stings his bottom with each stride of his skates.

Y/N leaves Harry to sit on the bench they had used before and goes over to unlock her locker and get her tote bag. Harry’s lucky no one stole his shoes he had just left under the bench with no care in the world, she thinks as she walks back over and sits beside him. She unties her skates and is slipping on her boots before Harry can even untie one of his skates. Y/N puts the guards on her skates and places them into her tote bag before turning to look at Harry, noticing the pained look in his face as he bends forward to work on the laces of his other skate.

“Did you need help?” She asks him.

“No,” Harry pauses to hiss in pain, “I’m fine,” he adds, but Y/N just rolls her eyes and scoots over on the bench till she’s nearly pressing right up against Harry’s side, leaning down in order to work on his laces.

Harry watches her nimble fingers untie and loosen the laces, noticing how her hair falls as she bends down further. A faint smell of roses hits him with the movement of her hair as she pushes it back away from her line of sight. Harry looks away, glancing around them to see if anyone’s watching them because from any other view it may look like Y/N is giving him-

“There you go,” Y/N says with a smile and sits up again. Harry looks at his skates to see them completely loosened and ready for him to slip off easily.

“Thanks,” Harry says quietly with a smile.

After Harry has his trusty not-so-white vans on, they walk over to return his rentals and make their way out of the ice rink area of Bryant Park. Harry notices the shops around the park, the painted white frames and clean windows were rather pleasing to look at while the inside glows with soft yellow lights. He wonders what they sell, but notices Y/N hiding a yawn behind her hand and decides it’s probably best they just head home. Also, his ass really did hurt with each step he took.

“Would you like to get a hot cocoa before we walk home?” Harry suggests, pointing to the small shack that was open and looks like it serves hot drinks and a few treats maybe.

“I would love that,” Y/N answers with a bright smile.

Her heart can’t help but burst at the thought that Harry knows her so well already. Not even a month of knowing one another and he already is so much better than Mark ever was. He would never go skating with her or buy her a nice warm drink afterwards either. It’s a good thing he’s not your boyfriend anymore, Y/N finds herself reminding herself, which causes her heart to pitter patter in her chest again. This time thinking about how maybe Harry could maybe be her boyfriend, one day.

“Hi,” Y/N gives the small brunette at her front door a tight smile.

She’s almost thirty minutes later than Mark said she would be. But to be fair, the subway was later than usual on her way home so Y/N had only just gotten home ten minutes ago. She had texted Mark to let him know and relay the message to his assistant, but he didn’t answer, no surprise there. So, in hindsight it wasn’t the biggest deal that his pretty little assistant was late.

What the big deal was the way she just strolled into Y/N’s apartment and set the box of her things on the couch. Y/N is standing by her door still in disbelief, mouth hanging open and eyes wide at the girls behaviour. When she turns around and gives Y/N a funny look while pointing around at her Christmas decor.

“It looks like Mrs Claus threw up in here,” she says.

“Thanks,” Y/N mutters and walks over to where she stood by the couch. Mark’s assistant steps back, pulling out her phone and tapping away at the screen as she seems bored to be here. “I’ll go get Mark’s things,” Y/N says, but then just as she’s about to walk away her eyes catch something red near the top of the box of her things that Mark had packed up.

She pushes her favourite Eagles shirt out of the way and hooks one finger around the lacy red fabric. The Victoria’s Secret label sticks out of the barely there red thong that’s hanging off her index finger. Y/N doesn’t recognize the underwear, she thinks as her head begins to spin. How the fuck did a pair of woman's underwear get into this box of things Mark packed up? Why would he have a red thong at his apartment that wasn’t Y/N’s? What the actual fuck? Another round of questions are about to spew in Y/N’s head as her heart beats out of her chest but then suddenly Mark’s assistant is reaching for the lacy fabric and taking it out of Y/N’s grasp.

“Oh, those are mine. Must’ve slipped in by accident,” she stammers out the words. Y/N’s head is spinning, her heart is beating out of her chest, as she puts the pieces together.

“Really? A thong just slipped into the box?” Y/N urges, narrowing her eyes at the young brunette standing in her living room. “How long have you been fucking my boyfriend?” Y/N asks and raises her voice, the anger filling her whole body now.

“Ex boyfriend,” the brunette has the guts to utter out.

“Answer the damn question,” Y/N snaps back at her.

Her face is turning red, to match the stupid thong in her hands, “uh, it’s none of your business-”

“Just tell me!” Y/N shouts, feeling like she deserves some truth in this moment. Mark’s assistant visibly gulps, avoiding Y/N’s eyes and looks all around the room.

“Like, a few months,” she mutters under her breath, still not meeting Y/N’s burning gaze.

Her whole body is shaking with the anger coursing through her. She should have known. How could she be such an idiot? She thinks while shaking her head. Of course, Mark was cheating on her during the entirety of their relationship. They were only dating for four months, meaning that for at least half of it, he was busy screwing his fucking assistant - how unbelievably cliche of him, but also how unbelievably naive of her to not guess. Y/N brings a hand to her forehand and rubs at her temple as a headache begins.

“Can I just get Mark’s stuff and go-”

“Get. Out.” Y/N spits out the words, glaring at the brunette who has the audacity to be so nonchalant about being the other woman.

“What about his things?” Mark’s assistant all but winces out the words, her dark eyebrows pulling together.

“Tell Mark to eat a dick,” Y/N sneers, taking a step towards the girl which causes her to step back. She can’t deny the bit of joy she feels at the sight of fear in the girls eyes. “And get out of my apartment, now!” Y/N shouts at the woman.

“Whatever,” she mumbles, turning around and walking to the front door.

Y/N is hot on her heels, making sure to slam to door shut behind her. The moment she’s left to herself, her apartment falling silent around her, she feels the pain settle in. Mark cheated on her with his assistant that he then had the nerve to let come over to her apartment. The realization of how embarrassing this whole situation is hits her, along with the hurt too. Regardless if it was a mutual break up, being cheated on does not feel good. Y/N sniffles, bringing a hand to her mouth as she suddenly is holding back sobs. Tears fall down her cheeks while her brain runs wild thinking of how many times Mark could have fucked his assistant and then just waltzed into her apartment and then they-

Her thoughts are cut short as she’s bolting to her bathroom, throwing the door open and bending down in front of the toilet. She lifts the seat and empties her stomach into the bowl. After a moment she’s coughing, lifting her head out of the toilet and reaching for the lever to flush away any contents that were in her stomach. Y/N grabs the hand towel to her right and brings it to her mouth, wiping away the bit of drool at her lips.

Y/N can feel the vibration from her cell phone after a moment of sitting on the bathroom floor, zoned out on the shower and thinking about how stupid she could have been to trust Mark. She lets out a short sigh and reaches into her back pocket to find her buzzing phone. Her eyes roll on instinct of seeing Mark’s contact photo taking up her screen. A part of her wants to answer, to yell and to scream at him. But a bigger part of her feels sick to her stomach again and just tired, honestly. So, she ignores the call and opens her phone to her contacts and deletes Mark all together. She goes into her photos and does a quick sweep of any photos of them together. It was something she was going to do eventually anyways, but after the news of him being a cheating piece of shit she couldn’t waste another second before getting rid of anything involving Mark.

Mark is a fucking asshole. His precious little assistant came by to drop off my few things and one of her thongs was in the box, so she spilled the beans that she had been sleeping with Mark for months. Meaning that piece of absolute trash was cheating on me like the entire time we were together. Y/N types out the message to Sammy, making sure that he knows the drama first - but also just simply because he’s her best friend.

Sammy is typing back a response as Y/N stands up from her spot by the toilet, flushing it again due to her spitting a few times into the bowl, and then she quickly washes her hands and looks up at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes are red, her hairs a bit frizzy and out of place from the perfect curls she had earlier today, and her makeup is ruined. She decides to wash her face, drying it with a clean towel as her phone vibrates on the counter.

Are you fucking kidding me?! I’m going to kill him. Please tell me we have a murder plan, I know where we can hide the body. Did you want to talk about it? I can come over and bring a big bottle of tequila? Sammy sends each sentence as a separate text, adding a few choice emojis too. The knife is used many times. His enthusiasm makes Y/N chuckle but then she’s frowning again while walking out of the bathroom and to her bedroom.

Honestly, I just want to curl up in bed and cry it out some more while listening to some sad music. But I’ll keep you updated on any murder plans I think up. Y/N sends back her texts before throwing her phone down on her bed.

Letting out another sigh, Y/N strips out of her tight fitting pants and puts on a pair of grey sweatpants. Next, she takes off the collared button up shirt she had worn tucked into her pants today, hanging it back up in her closet to prevent it from getting wrinkled. Her eyes wander around her bedroom, a certain article of clothing was on her mind to put on and snuggle into bed with. Y/N smiles as she sees Harry’s black hoodie on the top of her laundry hamper. To be honest, it needed to be washed, but she needed the comfort of his oversized clothing more. So, she tugs it on, puts her hair into a messy topknot bun, and tugs down the hood before lifting the blanket and getting into bed.

Not even three songs into her ‘depressed? yeah, me too’ playlist of sad songs, there was a knock on Y/N’s front door. At first she thinks of ignoring whoever it is, but then her music is cut off as a phone call comes through. It’s Mark’s number, regardless that she just deleted his contact, she still knew his phone number. Y/N groans and gets out of bed. Her heart is pounding in her chest as she imagines Mark or that little assistant of his having the balls to come to her apartment again and demand for his few things he had left around here. Y/N narrows her eyes and unlocks her door, ready to glare at her sad excuse for an ex boyfriend - but her face instantly softens at the sight of Harry standing there.

“Nice jumper,” Harry comments. A smile on his lips as he takes in how Y/N looks in his clothing, days after he had lent it to her. But that smile vanishes when he notices the redness in her eyes and her pouting lips. “What’s wrong?” Harry asks, his voice full of worry as he fights back reaching for her and bringing her in for a hug.

Y/N sniffles, “um, I thought you were Mark, sorry,” she says in a quiet voice.

“Oh, sorry, is he coming over?” Harry questions. Suppose it made more sense for her boyfriend to comfort her during a bad day, he thinks although it tears him up inside that it can’t be him.

“No, no, he’s in Arizona, or somewhere. I don’t even know,” Y/N sighs, her voice sounding brittle, like it’s about to crack at any second, as she tries to keep herself composed in front of Harry. “I don’t really care actually, we broke up,” she reveals, her gaze down at the floor. Harry’s wearing those dirty white vans again, she wonders if he wears anything else.

They broke up, holy shit don’t freak out Styles, keep it together, Harry’s thoughts are all jumbled up at the news of Y/N and her boyfriends break up, which she is clearly very upset over, judging by her appearance and how she’s sniffling every second - bringing the sleeve of his Columbia jumper to her face to wipe her nose. Harry frowns and adjusts his weight from one foot to the other.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Y/N,” Harry says softly, “break ups can really suck,” he adds - knowing from experience just how terrible break ups can leave a person feeling.

“Yeah,” Y/N breathes out and looks up at Harry now, “but he’s kind of a trash human so it’s for the best, honestly,” she tells him, letting out a breathy chuckle while shaking her head. She shouldn’t be crying so damn much over the guy, she thinks.

“Oh, well then, fuck that guy,” Harry agrees with a nod of his head.

Y/N lets out a genuine chuckle at his words. She brings a hand, that is covered by the cuff of Harry’s hoodie, to her forehead to swipe back any crazy wispy hairs that are in her face. “So, what brought you to knock on my door?” She asks, smiling as Harry realizes he had gotten distracted by her state and forgot why he knocked at all.

“Right,” Harry chuckles, “um, a few friends of mine are in this band, it’s nothing crazy they just play at the pub a few blocks away. And I was wondering if you weren’t busy if you wanted to come with, thought it could be fun. But if you’re not in the mood to leave your home I understand,” Harry explains to her.

“No, I would love to come with,” Y/N insists. She lets out another chuckle and motions to her current appearance. “Just not looking like this, and as long as you promise there will be liquor involved in this Saturday night out.”

“I’ll buy you as many drinks as you need,” Harry promises with a smile.

“Then count me in,” Y/N says, mirroring his big dimpled smile. “Just give me some time to get ready?”

“You’ve got plenty of time, we don’t have to leave for another hour and a half,” he tells her. “I’ll let you get to it,” he adds, throwing a thumb over his shoulder as he takes a step away from her doorway.

“Oh, I’ll wash the sweater and give it to you soon, by the way,” Y/N says, lifting both her arms before letting them fall to her sides. Harry just shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head.

“Keep it as long as you need, it’s no problem, honestly,” Harry tells her while flashing a grin her way, hoping that it makes her feel even a little bit better. And it does, his casual response to her wearing his hoodie and then those dimples - it had her stomach fluttering. She gives Harry a small timid smile, tucking her chin down slightly into the collar of the hoodie as she watches his walk backwards down the hall to his door. “I’ll come knocking again in a bit,” Harry adds before he’s out of her sight and she’s closing her front door shut once again.

Y/N absentmindedly brings her hand to her mouth, biting on her nails as she stares off at her Christmas tree - though the lights are blurry due to her zoning out. You can do this, Y/N thinks and begins to give herself a pep talk of getting out of the sad break up phase and going out with Harry and his friends. Oh my god, Y/N’s eyes widen at her thoughts, what am I going to wear?

Y/N felt overdressed.

After twenty minutes of ripping apart her closet and tearing items out of her dresser drawers, she was truly tempted to just keep on Harry’s hoodie, pair it with some good jeans and some red heeled boots and call it a day. But that would be weird, showing up to hang out and meet Harry’s friends while dressed in his clothing. She was sure they were already going to assume things with him just bringing her along. Y/N didn’t need them thinking they had sex before too.

The thought had made Y/N blush like crazy as she tore off the stupidly comfortable hoodie and grabbed a silky white top that plunged low in the neckline, tying off just at her belly button, and then had long flowy sleeves. Pairing this with her trusted pair of light blue jeans, and for accessories: some chunky gold hoop earrings and layered gold necklaces to fill up the amount of skin she was showing at her chest. To top it all off, she slipped into her go-to black Balenciaga boots and long brown jacket to keep warm. After heading into the bathroom quickly, she brushed her hair through again and restyled the curls, put on a touch of light makeup, and then made sure to stick her lip gloss in her small black purse just as Harry was knocking on her door again.

Harry was dressed in a grey t-shirt with a large yellow smiley face, brown trousers and a blue and cream plaid jacket that quite literally made chills wash over Y/N’s body when she saw the whole fit - but that jacket, it made her head spin with some rather inappropriate thoughts. She’s a fashion major, can’t blame her for thinking clothing can make someone even more attractive. But even then she should have gotten the vibe of this evening and changed into something more casual.

But she didn’t, so now as she’s walking into a dive bar a few blocks away from the apartment building, she feels very out of place. Everyone’s wearing t-shirts and jeans, it smelt like cheap beer and cigarettes, and was definitely not the place to wear a silky white top that cost about five-hundred-dollars.

“You alright?” Harry's voice is soft and closer, as he steps directly behind Y/N after walking into the bar.

He notices how she crossed her arms at her chest and seemed to tense up almost immediately after walking in. Y/N shivers at the feeling of Harry’s breath falling over her exposed neck, having pushed her hair to lay on her left shoulder while he stood over her right. Y/N is still looking around the bar, trying to put together who may be Harry’s group of friends in this crowded bar.

“Y/N?” Harry tries again, this time placing a delicate hand on the small of her back - barely touching her, that he’s not even sure she’s noticed through her thick jacket. But she does, and she feels dizzy at the sweet gesture.

“Yeah,” she sighs, blinking a few times before looking to her right shoulder at Harry. He’s lips are so close, she thinks while trying her best to keep her eyes on his eyes. “Just feeling a little overdressed,” Y/N admits with a tight smile.

Harry shakes his head, “you look fine, better than fine actually. You look amazing,” Harry watches as Y/N’s eyes flicker to his lips for just a split second. He smiles but clears his throat, finding that they’re both blushing at his comment now. “As any FIT student in New York City should, of course,” he adds on to try and make his compliment a little less obvious.

“Thanks, Harry,” Y/N smiles.

When Harry saw Y/N for the second time that evening, it was like day and night from the hour before when she answered her door in his hoodie. She looked incredible, and was so out of his league. Dressed like she was going to a photoshoot, hair flowing down her back perfectly, and accessories that made him visibly gulp - he was a sucker for some gold jewelry on a girl, it was a weird weakness of his. And now, standing in the dim lighting of this dingy dive bar, she did look a little out of place, but in the best way possible, like she shined too bright to be in just a dark and depressing place.

“This way,” Harry says, leading the way to where he notices his friends are sitting at a table. They thankfully got his texts about him bringing Y/N with him and had two seats open for the both of them.

“Should we stop at the bar and get a drink?” Y/N asks. She’s honestly unsure how the service works at a place like this. To be honest, she hadn’t been in too many dive bars in her years.

Harry stops, looks behind him at her, and shakes his head. “We have a waitress that works basically every night my friends play, so she’ll come by and get our drinks for us,” he explains to Y/N. She nods, giving him a tight smile, and Harry can’t help but notice how she’s still got her arms crossed at her chest. Is she uncomfortable here? Maybe he can make some shit excuse after the first few songs and get her home.

Harry notices as he’s turned towards Y/N just how much attention is on her. He’s not surprised, seeing how he already realized how much she sticks out in a place like this, but he doesn’t quite enjoy seeing every male’s - and a few girls too - eyes in this place on the girl he’s brought with him. So, he makes the quick decision of holding out his hand for Y/N to take. She looks at Harry’s outstretched hand and feels her breath get caught in her throat. Playing it off, she smiles and reaches forward, watching as his much larger hand envelopes hers and tugs gently to get them moving again. Y/N’s stomach is already full of butterflies and her head is spinning at them holding hands for all of ninety seconds it takes to get to his table full of friends - she needs a drink, stat.

Harry lets go of Y/N’s hand as he approaches his friend's usual table and has to bring his arms up in order to hug Adam, who’s throwing himself into Harry at the sight of him. Harry huffs out a laugh, making a comment about how drunk Adam must be already, to which he responds by smacking Harry’s back a few times and laughing with him. Y/N can’t help it as the corners of her lips turn up into a small smile at the sight of Harry engulfed in a hug by a man bigger than him. As she’s watching their interaction, she notices how everyone else is watching her. Y/N’s smile falls right away and she finds herself crossing her arms at her chest again.

“Everyone,” Harry speaks a bit louder in order to get everyone's attention as he turns around and holds his arm out to Y/N, which she takes as her singal to step forward for an introduction and smiles timidly at the group of four others at the table. “This is Y/N, Y/N, this is everyone,” Harry announces, smiling at his friends - catching Mitch’s smug look in return.

“Hi,” Y/N says, her voice that soft and gentle tone that he had grown to like, quite a lot, actually.

“I’m Tom,” he’s the first to speak up, offering a hand to Y/N to shake, which she turns just a bit to her left in order to properly greet Harry’s friend. Tom’s got bleached hair that’s not styled and laying flat on his forehead, his roots are a dark brown that match the mustache and bit of bread he’s got. Y/N notices the few different necklaces around his neck while he’s wearing a simple outfit of a black long sleeve and black jeans.

“Jenny,” the woman sitting to Tom's left reaches over the table in order to shake Y/N’s hand. She’s also got bleached hair, and a dazzling smile too. Y/N notices the equally dazzling ring on her finger and she glances down at Tom’s hands to see a wedding band, assuming they are married due to them sitting so closely.

“Mitch,” a long haired young man speaks up just as Y/N and Jenny drop their hands. Y/N meets his gaze and blinks a few times, feeling slightly intimidated by him. Regardless of how he seems like the scrawniest at the table, his eyes just sort of bring Y/N to a stop, but she recovers swiftly and gives him a smile, returning the wave he gives her as it’s too far of a reach to shake hands. Mitch raises a brow at Harry, to which Harry is quick to return. Catching the interaction, Y/N imagines they are the closest of the group. Suppose he’s just a bit protective of his friend bringing a random girl around, Y/N thinks to herself before her attention is grasped by the last person sitting at the table.

“And I’m Adam, the only name you need to remember, obviously,” says the man who had hugged Harry upon their arrival. He’s smiling so widely there’s crinkles near his eyes, which make Y/N feel all warm inside as she stares into his big brown eyes. He’s got a full bread, like Mitch, and matching brown hair that looks like it may need a bit of a trim but he styles it well. Y/N likes his button up shirt that’s a dark navy with little white stars all around it, paired with some plain black jeans.

“It’s really lovely to meet you all,” Y/N says after shaking Adam’s hand, “thank you for letting me come crash your night,” she adds with another timid smile.

“Nonsense, it’s nothing special,” Jenny assures her, waving her hand too before wrapping it around her half full glass of what Y/N assumed was alcohol - or hoped, because she really didn’t want to be the only one drinking tonight.

“Ouch,” Adam scoffs jokingly, “guess your husbands best mates playing is nothing special then, huh?”

“Yeah, I’m hurt, Jenny,” Mitch nods, bringing his glass up to his lips to take a sip of the dark yellow foaming liquid in his tall glass - beer, okay, sweet, so we’re all drinking, good, Y/N thinks. She also notices that Mitch is the only one with an American accent. She wonders how this group all became friends, being from different parts of the world, where did they all connect?

Harry chuckles and shakes his head at his friends, looking to Y/N to find her smiling at his mates too. He places a hand on her elbow, causing her to look at him. He nods his head to the open seats on the other side of the table for them. Y/N rolls her lips into her mouth and begins to walk around the table, stepping behind Tom and Jenny’s chairs before stopping at the first one on Jenny’s right. Y/N catches Mitch’s stare, now ignoring the conversation at the table to instead watch Harry and her, but she’s quick to look away from his intense gaze and focus on taking her jacket off. Just as she tosses her jacket over the back of her chair, fixing her top in a discreet manner too, a red headed woman steps up in between her and Harry who is also slipping out of his jacket.

“Hey, Harry,” the woman greets him in a sultry tone. If Harry notices the obvious show she puts into her voice, he doesn’t act like it.

“Hey, Amy,” he says quickly, looking at his chair as he pulls it out and takes a seat.

“Running a bit behind your friends tonight, huh? What took you so long?” She asks. Seems she's rather observant of Harry’s presence, Y/N thinks, while she takes her seat and looks anywhere but to her right where the red head - fake red dye too, it was so obvious - back was mere inches away from her.

“I love your top, it’s so stylish,” Jenny comments, causing Y/N to look to her left at Jenny’s dazzling smile again.

“Thank you,” Y/N says, “this may not be the place to wear it, seems more like a casual band tee kind of place,” she notes, narrowing her eyes while looking around at the bar around them. Noticing now just how many neon signs there were in the dark space. The biggest was on the wall behind the small stage, which every table was facing. The bar was at the back of the bar and there were booths lining the wall closest to the door, then a couple of pool tables and gambling machines in the far right of the bar. Y/N had spent too much time in high maintenance bougie bars to find any of this remotely normal - but she didn’t hate it.

“Rubbish, you look hot, definitely got people in here questioning their wardrobe,” Jenny states, gaining Y/N’s attention again, “hell, next time I’m stepping it up to match this energy,” she adds, waving her hands at Y/N’s outfit. 

Y/N chuckles and shakes her head, “well thanks, but you look incredible already! There’s no need.”

“Y/N,” Harry interrupts the girls suddenly.

Y/N lets out a small breath before turning to face what she’s been ignoring. The flirtatious red head and Mitch’s strong stare. Y/N raises her eyebrows at Harry. She completely ignores how the waitress now stood facing both their chairs, but she did notice how her hand was resting on the back of Harry’s.

“What are you drinking tonight?” Harry asks her, lips turning up into a smile. He can’t help himself, he finds himself smiling so much around her he’s sure he has wrinkles already.

“Oh,” Y/N says, finally looking at the waitress now. Her dark makeup made her blue eyes pop, it was a bit smudged but Y/N assumes she’s too busy working to notice. The waitress, Amy - Y/N reads her name tag, pinned on her tight black v neck shirt that has the bar's name on it - is staring at her, clearly forcing a smile while waiting for Y/N’s answer. “I’ll have tequila and soda water, bring a few lime slices on the side too,” Y/N orders, knowing exactly how Upper East Side she sounds, “please,” she adds with a forced smile that she mirrors from Amy.

“Coming right up,” Amy nods before turning away, not without a lingering gaze on Harry though.

Her obvious fake customer voice was rather annoying, Y/N thinks as her eyes follow her walking back to the bar. She takes note of the crowd around the bar, many waving at the one bartender stationed behind the bar. He looks older and is struggling to keep up with the rush of people. When Y/N turns back around, to face the table again, she catches Harry eyes on her. She scrunches up her nose at him and he chuckles before their attention is taken away by Adam’s deep voice.

“So, Y/N, you're this bloke’s neighbour, huh?” He questions, nodding his head to Harry. Y/N smiles and nods, sitting back in her chair while folding her hands between her thighs.

“Yeah, we just met in passing and ended up becoming friends,” she states, catching Harry nodding in the corner of her eye while he rests an arm on the table and faces towards her as he leans slightly into Mitch. To which Mitch responds by pushing his shoulder gently, making Harry’s smile widen at how he manages to bother his friend so easily.

“Give us the tea. How shit of a neighbour is he?” Adam asks, causing everyone at the table to chuckle.

“Hey,” Harry playfully whines at his friends.

“He’s fine, great even,” Y/N tells them, earning another smile from Harry as he watches her.

“Surprising considering he’s a shit roommate,” Mitch comments after taking another long sip of his beer. Harry turns in his chair and glares at Mitch, earning a smirk from him in return.

“I am not,” Harry grumbles.

“When were you two roommates?” Y/N asks, finding herself bringing a hand up to adjust her necklaces. Anything to keep her nervous hands busy. Suppose making new friends wasn’t her biggest strength, it was a rather nerve wracking experience to be honest.

“We just room together when we travel for any work stuff,” Harry answers, meeting her eyes for only a brief second before he’s looking back at Mitch. “Mitch here just likes his beauty sleep, while I have a pretty set morning routine I like to stick to,” Harry explains, looking back at Y/N as he finishes talking.

“Yeah, that starts at like six in the morning like a crazy person,” Mitch huffs jokingly.

“Six is way too early,” Y/N agrees, nodding along with Mitch. “At least give the man till nine,” she adds.

“He’s just being dramatic,” Harry states. Mitch mumbles something under his breath before taking another sip of his beer. Sounded a bit like “say’s the drama queen himself” but Y/N isn’t sure. Regardless, the interaction makes her smile. Just as she’s about to make another comment, Amy returns with hers and Harry’s drinks. Setting his down first with a smile before turning to Y/N and placing the glass of tequila and a small dish of limes too.

“Thank you,” Y/N says. Doesn’t matter if she thought Amy had an attitude problem, Y/N had manners.

“Anything else for the table? Another refill for you boys before you head up on stage?” Amy asks, ignoring Y/N completely and instead turning her back on her and looking at Mitch and Adam. Y/N notices how she leans her body into Harry a bit, her arm resting on the back of his chair again. If Harry notices, he’s oblivious to her motives. It almost makes Y/N laugh at how Harry’s ignoring her. 

“Please,” Mitch nods, lifting his glass to finish off the rest of his beer. Y/N tries to hide her facial expression as she is impressed with how Mitch manages to gulp down the beer so fast, instead bringing her focus to her own drink - which she was looking forward to downing herself honestly.

She picks up a lime wedge and squeezes it over her glass, watching the juices squirt out and into her glass. After she stirs it with her straw, she brings it to her lips and gulps back nearly half of it. Y/N suddenly feels her phone buzzing in her jean pocket. She sits up slightly in order to slide it out of her pocket and looks at the screen. It’s Mark’s number again. Rolling her lips into her mouth, she declines the call and sets her phone screen down on the table before grabbing ahold of her drink again and having another sip. He sure has some nerve to continue to call numerous times, Y/N thinks as she zones out from whatever Harry and his friends were talking about.

“Y/N grew up in the city, actually,” Harry states. Y/N raises her eyebrows and looks around the table to see everyone’s looking at her now. She’s missed what they were talking about prior so she just spit balls it here and smiles.

“Um, yeah, born and raised,” she nods, “I noticed you all have quite a jumble of accents, where are you all from?” Y/N asks, looking towards Tom and Jenny as they begin to explain where they were separately from before meeting in London.

Harry watches Y/N while his friends speak, mostly because he already knows everything there is about their lives, but also because he likes watching Y/N. Taking in her small mannerisms like how she talks with her hands quite a lot, and how she rubs her ankles together under the table as she listens to Adam talk about his wife and kids back home. They all chat amongst themselves, making jokes and laughing too, for nearly thirty minute before Mitch and Adam are whisked away to the stage. Harry feels his chest bursting as he sits back and watches Y/N interact with his friends as if they are her own. He smiles when she looks his way, her cheeks howling as she sucks on the straw of her second drink - nearly finishing it while staring at him. Harry has to break the gaze as his thoughts run a different less innocent route, causing him to readjust how he’s sitting and clearing his throat just as the lead singer of the band introduces them.

“So, why aren’t you in the band?” Y/N asks as the beginning chords of their opening song play out. She’s leaning her elbow on the table, resting her head in the palm of her hand while turning her head to Harry - shutting out Jenny and Tom completely but they’re too busy watching the band to care.

“Bold of you to assume I have enough talent to be in a band,” Harry says with a smirk. Y/N rolls her eyes and reaches for her glass, bringing the straw between her lips and finishing off the tequila and soda water with three squeezed lime slices in it - Harry watched her prepare her drink both times, finding himself intrigued by her drink of choice.

“You are definitely talented enough,” Y/N says, “from the bit I’ve heard through the walls, you’re great with a guitar and I’m assuming I’m right considering that your job revolves around music.”

“Well, they already have a guitar player,” Harry notes, nodding his head towards Mitch who’s strumming away on his guitar. “And he’s one of the best in the business so if I did have any talent, he wipes me out without a question,” Harry insists.

Y/N is about to respond but then the band is starting to really get into the song. She turns her head, sitting up straight again, and watches the band perform. They’re really good, she thinks and starts to bob her head along to the song. Harry tries to not be obvious, but he stares at her for a few moments before facing the stage to watch his mates as well. He smiles as he watches her get into the music, nodding along with the bass line and tapping her foot to the drums. They’re performing one of Harry’s songs. He had written it a couple years back when he had finally settled into New York, hence the title ‘Ever Since New York’. He didn’t sell the song to any big artist, instead he kept it within his personal folder and when Mitch asked if his and Adam’s band could borrow it Harry said yes. It was one of the few personal songs he would let his friends borrow, others were too much of him to let someone else sing.

Y/N is seriously enjoying herself. The tequila has hit her, settling into her body with a constant buzz, and this band was so good. She’s shamelessly swaying her body in her chair and nodding her head back and forth with the beat. To be fair, so was everyone else at the table. Jenny matched her energy perfectly, even throwing an arm around her shoulders as the course of their third song picked up - Jenny knew the lyrics and sang along, causing the two of them to erupt into laughter afterwards. After Jenny turns her attention back to her husband, Y/N looks at Harry and notices him lightly singing along while bobbing his head too. She smiles and ends up watching him instead of the band for maybe a little too long. He turns his head and catches her stare, raising a brow but she just shakes her head and leans closer to him to ensure he can hear her before speaking.

“They’re really good,” she compliments, “like a lot better than some of the mainstream artists I’ve seen recently,” she adds on just as the band finishes up another song.

“Yeah, they are,” Harry nods in agreement, “but the bands really just a hobby for all of them since they are all involved within the industry already.”

“Oh, that’s sick though,” Y/N says, “not everyone’s hobby includes filling up a dive bar in New York City every weekend with people singing along to your songs,” she exclaims. She had looked around the room earlier during the last song to see it wasn’t just the bandmates' friends that knew the words to their songs. Majority of the people in the bar were singing too, clearly being regulars to their sets.

Amy arrives at their table again, setting down everyone's refills in a rush, thankfully being too busy to stop and flirt with Harry. Is that jealousy, Y/N? She questions herself in her head. She ignores her thoughts and brings her new drink to her lips, not even bothering with the lime slices this time as she’s feeling a bit drunk now and honestly could care less. As the band opens their next song with some strong drums and an incredible electric guitar melody, the crowd goes a bit crazy. Y/N furrows her brows and looks at the people at her table, Tom and Jenny are also hollering at the band while Harry is chuckling. He meets her eyes before echoing the crowd and cheering on his friends. Y/N’s eyes widen and she huffs out a laugh before she grabs her phone quickly and opens her Instagram.

Just in time, she opens her Instagram stories as the song picks up and the small crowd that had formed overtime at the front of the stage starts to dance around. Everyone is cheering and singing along, causing Y/N’s jaw to drop in pure amazement. She holds down the button to record and gets a quick ten second video of the band rocking out while the bar sings and goes nuts as the bass line played by Adam kicks in and their drummer flings his body around to play one of the most addicting beats they’ve played so far. Y/N shakes her head and swipes a filter on before tapping on the screen, turning to face Harry - who’s already watching her, of course.

“Does the band have an Instagram?” She asks. To which Harry just shrugs in response, because he really isn’t too sure - he’s not hugely into social media himself.

“They do!” Jenny says with excitement, Y/N turns in her seat and grins at Jenny as she spells out the bands Instagram handle. “I keep trying to get them to stay active on it but they barely do,” she states.

Y/N slips her drink that she holds in one hand and taps ‘post to story’ on her phone that in her other hand. “Well, they might get, like, a few notifications flood in since I tagged them in my story,” Y/N tells her.

“Oh yeah?” Jenny questions. “Are you big on Insta?”

“It’s kind of grown over the years, I just hit half a million last week actually,” Y/N states. Her words cause both Jenny and Tom’s jaws to drop. Suppose it’s quite a big number, Y/N thinks.

“That’s insane, oh my god,” Jenny says, “is social media like your job then?” She asks. Y/N notices how both Tom and Harry are more interested in hearing about her Instagram than the band’s next song, to be fair it is a slower tune, but still it shocks her a bit.

“Um, not really,” Y/N licks her lips, “I have a career at a fashion studio in the city, we style the city’s elite and some celebrities, do their personal shopping and all that. But the social media thing is really just a little add on, I guess,” Y/N explains, pausing a few times as she feels a bit nervous telling them about her following. Some people saw it as a clout thing, asking for shoutouts and tags so her followers would get their follower count up. While others thought it was childish and weird that she was kind of like an influencer in a way.

“Wow,” Harry says, his voice gets Y/N’s attention as she looks towards him now, “how didn’t I know this?” He questions with a chuckle.

“I don’t know,” Y/N shrugs, “it’s really just like a hobby, barely even that.”

“Like how the band is for Mitch and Adam,” Harry nods.

Y/N smiles and nods with him, “exactly.”

“You’re definitely the coolest girl Harry knows, by the way,” Jenny states, bringing Y/N’s attention back to her left where she sat. Y/N laughs and brushes her hair back over her shoulders.

“I don’t know about that,” Y/N disagrees and shakes her head, reaching for her drink again to take a few sips.

“No, you definitely are,” Harry corrects her, having a sip of his own drink as well. Y/N puts down her glass and smiles, shrugging her shoulders and leaning back into her seat.

“I mean, if you say so,” she says in a joking tone. Jenny, Tom and Harry all chuckle, which makes Y/N laugh along with them. The band is talking to the crowd now, mentioning that their weekly gig will not be happening next week due to the holidays. Then they’re explaining something about their next and final song, thanking the crowd before the song starts up.

“This was their first song as a band,” Tom tells Y/N. She smiles and nods, appreciating the insight from him.

The song is catchy, still fitting the bands vibe but definitely isn’t as good as some of the other songs they had played already. Y/N decides to take a final snap of the band on stage on her Instagram story. Mitch’s head is down, his hair falling forward that she can barely tell that it’s him, while Adam is grinning at the crowd which makes Y/N smile as she swipes on a filter to lighten the picture some and types out ‘new fave band alert’ as her caption, finding a red siren gif quickly before posting it to her story. As the song comes to an end the bar erupts into a roar of cheers. Y/N brings her hands to her mouth and hollers along with the bar, grinning as she watches the four boys of the band come together and bow. As they bend down Harry whistles, having both his hands at his mouth, to show his support to his friends.

Y/N widens her eyes and turns quickly to look at Harry, surprised by the loud whistle that came from him. He matches her look, widening his eyes and playing dumb as he slowly lowers his hands from his face. Y/N laughs, slapping a hand on his arm and leaning back, immensely entertained by his actions. Harry laughs along with Y/N till they both calm down and shake their heads. Just as Y/N is about to say something her phone starts to buzz on the table from an incoming call. She looks down at the screen and sees it’s Mark - again.

“Ugh,” Y/N groans and hits decline, unlocking her phone to go to her phone app. “How the hell do you block a phone number?” She asks aloud to no one in particular.

“Is it Mark?” Harry questions in a low voice, leaning towards Y/N to keep his words between them. Y/N frowns but nods her head once. The tequila in her system starts to mess with her, her screen becoming fuzzy as she thinks about all the crap she learnt about Mark earlier today. And now he was ruining her fun out with Harry and his friends.

“Where’s the bathroom?” Y/N asks, turning to Jenny since she would know the location of the women's bathroom over Harry.

“Down the hall in the back corner over there,” she points in that direction and before anyone else can say something Y/N is on her feet with her phone in hand and heading to the bathroom.

Harry looks over his shoulder as he monitors Y/N’s move across the bar. He’s worried about her, obviously, but he’s also watching to make sure no douche bag makes a grab for her. Although he is sure that she could handle it herself. As he turns back to the table he sees both Tom and Jenny staring at him. Harry furrows his brows and brings his drink to his lips, having the final sip of his third drink tonight. Jenny just shakes her head and looks down at her phone, he’s pretty sure she’s looking up Y/N’s Instagram. Tom’s still staring at Harry though.

“What?” Harry finally asks, setting his glass down with the few other empty ones at the centre of the table.

“So,” Tom pauses, “what’s going on here?” He questions, being annoyingly vague.

“What do you mean?” Harry asks, trying his hardest to not roll his eyes.

“Well you just show up with this bombshell of a woman, who is beyond anything you could’ve described her as by the way, and we’re all just supposed to forget she’s in a relationship?” Tom questions, tilting his head just slightly to the side as he stares down Harry.

“Firstly, I’m insulted you don’t think we could just be friends,” Harry says, he’s about to continue but Mitch and Adam join the table again. They get a round of ‘good job’ from everyone before Mitch is turning to Harry and furrowing his brows.

“What were you saying before?” He asks.

“That it is just possible for Y/N and I to be friends, but also not that it’s any of your guys business cause it’s not even mine, but her and her boyfriend broke up, like, recently,” Harry informs his friends, dragging his fingertip along the condensation of his empty glass in front of him. He feels silly, having to explain himself for simply bringing along a friend to hangout tonight. But he can’t deny it feels good to know that she is single now. Only to feel bad a second later as he knows that Y/N must be hurting, judging by her drowning herself in tequila drinks and getting upset over Mark calling her.

“Well, shit,” Mitch breathes out. Harry lifts his gaze to find his best mate with his usual smug look on his face. “What are you waiting for then, loverboy, make a move,” Mitch coaxes him.

“Did you not hear me when I said they broke up recently? As in maybe I should just let that settle for a while before I try and make any sort of move,” Harry says.

“Well if you don’t eventually and you let this one go, then you’re a bloody idiot,” Adam resorts, “Y/N is a prize, one evening knowing her and I understand your little crush, H,” he adds with a smile.

“Trust me,” Harry huffs out a breath and shakes his head a bit, “I’m well aware. But seriously guys, I’m just going to let it play out and not force anything. I’m happy to just be her friend, honestly,” he explains. Everyone nods, seeming to understand where Harry is at now with Y/N. Perfect timing, Amy shows up with refills for everyone to get the attention of the group off Harry.

“So, Harry,” Amy says after setting down everyone glasses, turning her body away from Jenny and the empty chair for Y/N to completely face him - her boobs practically in his face. He gives her a polite smile, leaning back in his chair in order to get some distance from her. “Who’s this new girl you brought with you? A cousin or something?” She asks, her body seeming to lean even further towards him as she speaks.

Harry opens his mouth, ready to let Amy know her ridiculous assumptions were wrong. When he hears Y/N’s voice from behind where Amy stood. “Classy,” she mutters under her breath.

Amy rolls her eyes rather dramatically before she turns away from Harry and looks at Y/N as she’s pulling out her chair and returning to her seat. “What did you say?” Amy asks, her voice rather snarky in Y/N’s opinion.

“I said, wow you’re hair colour, it’s like, so classy, I love it,” Y/N resorts, putting on a smile just as fake as her words.

Amy’s lips part, her eyes narrowing at Y/N’s bored stare. Whatever bitchy response she has lined up for Y/N is cut short as Amy’s name is being yelled by the bartender. Her gaze falls behind Y/N, looking at who had called for her, before she meets Y/N’s eyes again. She glares again, huffs out a short breath, and then is nearly stomping away from the table like a child who didn’t get the Barbie doll she wanted to play with - or rather the Ken doll. Y/N’s lips turn up slightly into a smug smile as a feeling of pride flushes over her.

“Yup, it’s official,” Jenny says, bringing Y/N back to reality as she looks away to her left. Jenny is grinning as she brings an arm around Y/N’s shoulder, pulling her into her side. “You’re one hundred percent the coolest girl Harry knows,” she states, earning a round of laughter from the group.

“You handled Amy like a pro,” Adam notes, then jutting his chin towards Harry, “H is always too nice to let her know how annoying she’s being.”

Y/N smiles and looks at Harry in the corner of her eye, noticing the slight tint of pink upon his cheeks. She flips her hair over her shoulder and shrugs, “I grew up dealing with the snobby Upper East Side kids, Amy is harmless, believe me,” Y/N ensures the group before grabbing for her drink and sucking back a few good gulps.

The group around the table begins to talk about the performance, compliments and praises to Mitch and Adam all around of course. Even a few strangers come up to give them a pat on the back and ask for a picture. They’re like royalty in this dingy little bar.

Y/N is enjoying sitting back and simply being around people, letting herself push away any thoughts of Mark. She had blocked his number while she waited in line for the washroom, then responded to Sammy’s million texts asking where she was and with who - when she told him she was with Harry he just replied with ‘#TeamHarry for the win’, which she rolled her eyes at but ended up smiling down at her phone and texting him a thumbs up back.

When Y/N finished with her business in the rather dirty washroom - the sink barely even worked, it was not ideal - and she saw Amy at the table beside Harry again, Y/N let her jealousy fly. Then when Amy started leaning so far into Harry that her boobs nearly touched his chest, Y/N just couldn’t help it. It was like her vision turned red suddenly, her chest swelling up as she tried to bite down on her tongue. But she couldn’t, she was too annoyed by Amy’s less than classy actions towards her customer.

“Hey,” Harry’s low voice snaps Y/N out of her own world. She blinks and focuses on him, feeling herself melt at the sight of his smile. “Are you okay?” He asks, more than likely referring to her quick departure to the bathroom after Mark called.

“Yeah,” she assures him with a smile and a nod. “I blocked his number, I don’t want to hear his excuses. I could really care less,” she explains to Harry. He nods in response and is about to say something else, about how Mark is a real idiot for whatever he did to hurt her. But Y/N sits up, places a hand on his arm that was resting on the table between then, and gives him another smile. “But enough about him, seriously, I’m feeling a little drunk and having way too much fun here with you to be bothered anymore,” Y/N tells him.

“Alright,” Harry smiles, peering at Y/N as his heart beats wildly in his chest. He’s pretty sure his skin’s tingling from where her hand rests. But it doesn’t last long before she moves, reaching for her glass - that she then raises into the air.

“I would like to make a toast,” Y/N announces to the table, gaining everyone’s attention and smiles, “to Mitch and Adam’s absolutely amazing performance, new friends, and to having a lovely holiday season,” Y/N beams as Harry and his friends cheer in agreement and everyone lifts their glasses into the air.

The group ends up buying shots after, then another round of drinks, and then more shots. Y/N is laughing so much her stomach hurts. She hasn’t been this happy while enjoying others' company in far too long, outside of work of course. Harry makes another joke, teasing Adam, but Adam dishes it back right away. Y/N finds herself letting her hand slip to Harry’s thigh as she throws her head back with laughter at Adam’s absurd comment. Everyone else is too focused on the banter to notice, but Harry does of course. He’s breath hitches in his throat as he feels her delicate fingers spread over his thigh. He gulps, unsure if he wants to break whatever drunken trance that Y/N may be in. Does she realize that she’s put her hand on his thigh? He wonders. But his thoughts are quickly answered as she caresses her thumb along his pants before lifting her hand slowly off of him altogether.

Y/N’s leaning on her elbow again, her chin propped up in the palm of her hand as she looks at Harry. He’s so hot, her drunk self thinks as she watches his Adam's apple bob up and down for a second time since she had placed her hand on his thigh. It happened by accident to be honest, but she wasn’t sorry about it. God, she was just itching to touch Harry. His thigh, his arm, maybe rub gentle circles on the back of his neck as he talked amongst his friends, but she wanted to touch his lips more than anything. She couldn’t stop looking at his pretty pink lips as he replies to whatever whoever said to him.

Harry catches Y/N’s glossy eyes staring at him in the corner of his eye. He rolls his lips into his mouth to stop himself from smiling. He likes how she can’t seem to keep her eyes off of him, because he does the same thing maybe a little too often. Harry turns his head and meets her gaze, giving her a smirk as she playfully narrows her eyes at him. Her cheeks are rosy from the amount of liquor she’s consumed, while her eyes truly are a bit glossed over from her being more than tipsy. She’s so hot, he thinks, as his eyes shamelessly roam over her appearance. Even hours later at this shitty bar and she still looks breathtaking. Harry’s gaze lingers a little too long on her chest, admiring the way the top fit her breasts; was she wearing a bra? Oh how he wishes he could find out.

Y/N adjusts her position in her chair, letting her left arm fall into her lap while she lays her right arm beside Harry’s. She is liking this game they seem to be playing with their eyes. She sits up straight, knowingly sticking out her chest just a bit as she watches Harry’s eyes fall to her breasts. But she keeps it classy, of course, unlike some people. Y/N lets out a breathy sigh as she looks at Harry’s hand mere inches away from her right hand. Those rings, she thinks, they could do some real damage. Her thighs clench involuntarily, her mind falling into a fog as she imagines them leaving red marks on her bare bottom or how cool they would feel against her throat.

“I really like your rings, have I told you that before?” Y/N’s voice is hoarse, but she doesn’t care as her pinky reaches over to touch the large gold ‘S’ that rests on his pinky. The metal is cool to her touch, just as she imagines. Feeling brave - thanks to her good friend, tequila - she lifts her hand slightly in order to comfortably drag her fingertip over the ‘S’ shape a couple times.

“No, you-” Harry clears his throat, feeling it become dry at the sight of her doe eyes staring at his fingers. His mind goes somewhere dirty, thinking of somewhere else his fingers could go. Tangled in her hair, wrapped around her throat, inside of her. Harry licks his lips before he speaks again, “you haven’t, but thank you.”

“Which is your favourite?” Y/N questions, her finger still lazily tracing the ring on his pinky finger.

“Quite like the inicals,” Harry answers, smirking as she glances up to peer at him through her lashes. She mirrors his smug look easily.

“A very narcissistic answer,” Y/N hums, teasing him. Harry playfully narrows his eyes at her, which she returns but ends up giggling after a moment as he sticks out his tongue at her. These inappropriate thoughts have got to just slide away for a moment, Y/N thinks with a deep breath.

“We’re going to head out,” Tom announces to the table suddenly, helping Jenny out of her chair. Jenny’s beautiful dazzling smile is on her husband as he helps her into her coat. They’ve both had quite a bit to drink too and Harry notes how Jenny latches onto Tom’s side after they’re in their coats.

“I’m still shocked you two both came out tonight,” Harry says.

“We paid big bucks for this babysitter, so they better keep it together for at least another four hours,” Tom exclaims with a wink. Jenny gasps and smacks her husband on the chest as she realizes what Tom is insinuating.

“Don’t go acting like you last longer than ten minutes, bud,” Mitch taunts jokingly to his friend. Everyone laughs as Tom glares at Mitch across the table. Y/N covers her mouth with her hands, finally bringing her finger away from where it laid on Harry’s ‘S’ ring, in order to cover her chuckles.

“It was so lovely to meet you, Y/N,” Jenny gushes, letting go of Tom in order to put her arms around Y/N and hugging her tightly.

Y/N smiles into her bleached hair, squeezing her back just as tightly, “you too, Jenny,” she says.

“Don’t let H keep hiding you away now,” she says, pointing a stern finger at the two of them. Harry laughs and shakes his head at his friend.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Jenny,” he tells her.

Then they’re all saying goodbye to the couple as they walk out of the half empty bar. Y/N glances around the place, noticing how it feels less scary now. Maybe it was the tequila that helped, or how comfortable she felt around Harry and his friends. A yawn suddenly makes it’s way past Y/N’s lips, she brings the back of her hand to cover it but ends up squinting her eyes closed as her whole body feels drained. She meets Harry eyes after the yawning stops, he shows her a small soft smile that makes her return it right back.

“Ready to go home?” He asks. She contemplates it for a moment, because she truthfully doesn’t want the night to end. But she decides to not fight it and nods to Harry.

Harry does practically the same thing as Tom just had. He announces his and Y/N’s departure, helps her into her coat, and lets her say her goodbyes as Adam opens his arms up for a big warm hug. Mitch only nods, waving to them both before Harry leads the way out of the bar. The cold night air blasts Y/N’s hair back, the sharp wind taking her by surprise as she blinks back tears from the cold. She puts both her hands into her coat pockets and zips it up all the way, snuggling into the warmth it will provide her on their walk home.

“I feel like Mitch doesn’t like me much,” Y/N admits after a few minutes of comfortable silence between her and Harry.

“What?” Harry shakes his head, eyebrows pinched together. “No, that’s just how he is. He’s quiet and looks all moody. Give him some time, he’ll warm up, promise.”

“I think he’s just protective of you,” Y/N says, looking up at Harry after they cross the road, “thinks I’m a threat or something.”

Harry chuckles and shakes his head again,“well, it’s definitely not like that with Mitch and I, plus he’s seeing someone. Her name’s Sarah, she plays drums on a lot of tracks we write.”

“If you say so,” Y/N sighs. She looks around at the sights before them. A few other mildly drunk people wander the streets, and she notices a few homeless people too, that tore Y/N’s heart apart, as they were bunkering down in the alleyways. Harry keeps pace with Y/N the whole walk home, letting her control the speed they walked and what they talked about. She would jump from subject to subject the entire time, but Harry thought it was kinda cute that she was so drunk she didn’t even realize how quickly she changed the topic.

And all too soon, they’re in the elevator in their apartment building. Harry presses the number six button and joins Y/N on the back wall. They both lean into the railing, comfortable silence falling between them once again. But it was obviously their thoughts were anything but silent. The elevator doors open on their floor, and Harry lets her walk out first as always.

“Well this is me,” Y/N says dramatically as she approaches her apartment door. Harry chuckles under his breath, shaking his head slightly and letting his eyes fall to the floor for a second before meeting Y/N’s stare again. “I really did have a great time tonight, Harry,” she tells him.

“I’m glad, I did too,” he agrees.

Y/N wants to kiss him. She really really really does. But they’re both a little drunk, and she literally just broke up with Mark yesterday - or maybe technically two days ago now since it’s past midnight. But it didn’t matter, she didn’t want to be that girl. Plus she wanted to really get to know Harry and take this slow and see where it went. That didn’t stop her gaze from falling to his pretty pink lips though. Harry’s thoughts are running laps too. He wants to kiss her. But he knows she’s more than likely still hasn’t recovered fully emotionally from her break up Mark, hell not even ten hours ago she was crying because of her shitty ex boyfriend. Didn’t mean he couldn’t stop thinking about kissing her though, especially when her gaze falls to his lips.

Just as quickly as they seemed to fall into some dream like state as thoughts of kissing each other float around them, they snap back to reality. Y/N blinks a few times and takes a step back, bumping into her front door. Harry clears his throat and steps back as well, towards his own front door.

“Polar Express,” Y/N says suddenly, earning a look of confusion from Harry. “We’re watching the Polar Express tomorrow, and you’re going to play me something on that guitar of yours.”

Harry lets out a chuckle and gives Y/N a smirk, “yeah, we’ll see about that.”

“You will,” she singsongs as she focuses on unlocking her door. It takes a few extra tries to get the key in but once she does she unlocks it and opens the door.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” Harry smiles.

“Goodnight, H,” Y/N says softly, smiling as well, as she leans against her door to look back at him. Harry’s smile deepens at her using his nickname. She must’ve picked it up from his friends using it earlier during their time at the bar.

She gives him one last look over, knowing very well that she’s going to dream about him in that cream and blue plaid jacket - and maybe only wearing that jacket - before she shuts her door and presses her back against it as it closes. Today was a lot. But she’s beyond grateful that Harry invited her out, introducing her to his wildly unique group of wonderful friends, and letting her get a little bit drunk too. Her chest flares up as she remembers their close moment at the bar, her touching his rings, placing her hand on his thigh-

“Oh god,” Y/N all but moans out as her thoughts go right back to the place they were at before.

She shakes her head and heads to her bedroom. Harry wouldn’t be able to hear a vibration from the other side of the wall, would he? Y/N shrugs and opens her bedside table drawer to grab her vibrator, knowing just how much she needed it tonight as she imagined Harry’s hand between her thighs. Fuck, she’s so screwed, she thinks, biting her lip as she realizes, she really really really likes Harry.

>> part four <<

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