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tameodesza · 1 year

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A New Friend (BretShawn)

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Shawn gets invited to a Slammy Awards after party and meets a fellow househusband by the name of Goldust.

Boredom.

That was the only word that came to Shawn’s mind as he sat alone in the banquet hall, wallowing in self-pity with his head resting lazily in one hand as he twirled a fork on the empty plate in front of him with his other hand.

He, as well as many other wrestling spouses, had been invited to the Slammy Awards in support of those nominated. The award show ended about an hour ago, and with the camera crew gone, an open bar, and no fans in sight to judge, the wrestlers and WWF execs were able to finally let their guards down at the after party.

With Bret being gone to catch up with his brother and friends, Shawn was left to people-watch from the table he and Bret had been placed at for the evening.

It was entertaining at first. From his observations of the party, he’d concluded that his husband surely did work with a strange crew of people.

He thought back to the many crazy stories Bret would tell him about how wild things tended to get when the wrestlers partied, especially when alcohol was involved. Shawn could only hope that the night wouldn’t end with anyone getting arrested…again.

Unfortunately for Shawn, people-watching soon became uninteresting as time stretched on without Bret’s presence. What was even more unfortunate was that his own friends weren’t around to entertain him.

Scott, Kevin, and Sean were gone to another company. Thankfully, Hunter was still around, but he was occupied with talking to his new girlfriend, Joanie. Shawn smiled when he thought to himself how cute they looked together, but he was still bummed that Hunter was busy.

Sadly, it was highly unlikely that anyone else was going to talk to him.

With him being the husband of such a respected wrestler who had a leg up in the company, Shawn was convinced that people were afraid to talk to him without Bret around. Maybe it was the fear of saying something accidentally offensive to Shawn or being accused of hitting on him. Whatever it was, Shawn’s evenings without Bret were usually uneventful.

One of the few downsides, if any, of being married to Bret Hart.

Shawn scanned the room in another desperate attempt to find his husband. He didn’t have to search for long, spotting the older man in the corner talking to Owen and Jim. Davey walked up behind Bret to shove another shot in Bret’s direction, Bret accepting the drink reluctantly.

Shawn sank lower into his seat as he moped, “It’s going to be a long night.”

As much as he could pull the whiny husband card to get Bret back where he wanted him, he didn’t want to ruin Bret’s fun. So he settled on twiddling his thumbs as he impatiently waited on someone to take him out of his misery.

Shawn wasn’t sure how much time had passed from him staring at his fingers, but his attention was soon drawn to the sound of the chair next to him scraping against the floor as someone said, “Oh my. You really are as pretty as they say.”

Shawn jumped slightly in a startle at the unexpected intrusion before looking at the person in question. He couldn’t form any words, completely taken aback by the person’s appearance.

Almost on instinct, Shawn’s eyes shifted back towards Bret’s direction, disappointed to see that the man was still busy. He turned his attention back to the enigma of a person sitting beside him.

The man had long, platinum blond hair that was obviously a wig. He wore a face of makeup consisting of black eyeshadow with sprinkles of gold glitter, eyes lined with black eyeliner, thick mascara, and black lipstick. Shawn also noticed his nails were painted a golden color, matching his perfectly tailored gold suit which he wore with a black shirt underneath.

Shawn could confidently say he’d never seen anyone like him.

Noticing Shawn’s stunned silence, the stranger quickly stated, “Oh, where are my manners? I’m Dustin, but my friends call me Goldust. You’re Bret’s husband, right?”

The mention of Bret’s name seemed to relieve Shawn a little. Dustin – Goldust? – must know Bret somehow. Maybe they work together?

“Yes,” said Shawn as he nodded slightly. He was still a little weary to talk to him. However, Bret always encouraged him to make new friends, and what better time than now when his husband and best friend weren’t giving him any attention?

“Whew, I thought I’d mistaken you for someone else for a second. Our husbands work together.”

Shawn raised an interested brow. “Oh, really? Nice to meet you. I’m Shawn.”

Goldust extended his arm to shake Shawn’s hand as he expressed, “Oh, I know who you are.”

“Hm? How?”

Although Shawn traveled with Bret from time to time, he didn’t remember interacting with any other husbands of wrestlers backstage, let alone someone who looked like Goldust.

Goldust let out a hearty laugh. “No one scoops up a Hart and goes unnoticed, especially tying down someone like Bret. I don’t know if you know this,” he lowered his voice as he leaned forward, “he’s a bit intimidating.”

Shawn got a kick out of that. Bret? Intimidating? Please. His husband really did have quite the reputation.

Shawn smirked as he said, “He’s nothing to be intimidated by. Trust me. He’s a big softie, but you didn’t hear it from me.”

“It’s still impressive that you were able to sliver your way into his heart. But you’re quite the catch yourself, Shawn, so I can see why.”

“Why, thank you,” Shawn said smugly, never one to shy away from a compliment. “But it’s not hard to sliver your way into his heart when he’s the one chasing after you.”

“Ooo,” Goldust perked as he leaned closer to Shawn. “Do tell.”

Shawn found Goldust’s enthusiasm quite amusing. He didn’t think his and Bret’s love life was that fascinating, but apparently it was from Goldust’s reaction.

Shawn answered, “He was just very persistent with me. Kind of desperate if you look at it from another angle. But I’m glad he didn’t give up on me, no matter how many times I rejected him.”

Goldust gasped dramatically. “So you’re telling me the almighty Bret Hart was rejected?”

“Yeah. Well, it’s really a long story. To make things short, I was attracted to him, and I did have feelings for him, but I wasn’t ready to be in a relationship. Thankfully, he kept coming back and eventually talked me into dating him.”

“Aww, how cute. Reminds me a little of me and my Mickie.”

“Mickie? Wait. Who are you married to?”

Goldust smiled fondly as he said, “Mick Foley,” pointing a finger in the man’s direction.

Shawn followed the line of sight to a man who stood across the room talking to another wrestler. The man had shoulder-length curly brown hair and was wearing a suit that didn’t seem to fit him too well. What really caught Shawn by surprise was the brown leather mask adorned on his face.

Goldust continued, “Even without the fans around, he still stays in character. His dedication is one of the many things I love about him.”

The longer Shawn looked at the man, the more he remembered seeing him a few times backstage, but he’d never officially met him. He also never even knew the man’s real name. He was more familiar with his current gimmick, Mankind.

“Isn’t he a stud,” Goldust said endearingly.

Shawn turned back to see Goldust looking at Mick with stars in his eyes. Although Mick seemed a little odd, it was quite obvious that Goldust loved him and appreciated his quirks.

Shawn asked, “How’d you two meet?”

Goldust averted his attention back to Shawn as he answered, “We met through the business, as most people do. Many years ago, I was working in the independent circuit as a costume designer. I did makeup sometimes too, as you could probably tell,” he said as he gestured to his face. “But my main focus was on making ring gear.”

“Wait, seriously? You used to make ring gear? Sounds like a lot of hard work.”

“Oh, trust me. It was. But it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I worked under my industry name, Goldust.”

“So that’s where the name comes from?”

Goldust’s smile widened as he explained, “No. Well, actually, it’s a funny story. Silly, really when you think about it. Before Mick and I got together, there were times where we would run into each other backstage, and he’d always ask, ‘What’s that gold dust on your eyes?’ He refused to call it eye shadow, no matter how many times I corrected him. So, he started calling me Goldust whenever he saw me, and it stuck.”

“That’s…creative. Was that his way of flirting?”

“No, Mick’s just cute like that. He’s always making up cute little nicknames for me. Goldust is probably my favorite though. I mean I did use it as my ring name when I wrestled.”

Shawn’s jaw nearly dropped. “You used to wrestle too?!”

Goldust’s smile seemed to falter briefly in hesitation before he put back on his confident smile. Although the moment was brief, Shawn caught it. It seemed like something was bothering the taller man.

Right as Shawn was brainstorming how to switch the conversation, Goldust answered, “Yeah, I wrestled for a short while. A little before I became a costume designer and a little afterwards. To be honest, I really didn’t want to do it. I only got into it because of my dad.”

Shawn nodded, “I see. Was he a big wrestling fan?”

Goldust was amused at Shawn’s obliviousness. “No, sweetheart. He was a wrestler. Dusty Rhodes ring a bell?”

Shawn was quickly learning that Goldust was full of surprises.

Of course Shawn was aware of the Dusty Rhodes. He was one of his and Hunter’s favorite wrestlers growing up. He was a legend. However, as much of a wrestling fan as Shawn was, he was unaware that Dusty even had a son that wrestled.

In disbelief, he asked for confirmation, “Dusty Rhodes is your dad?”

Goldust nodded. “Yep. Imagine trying to follow in those footsteps.”

“Sounds like an unfortunate situation to be in.”

“Oh, it was. I was never completely in love with wrestling the way my dad was, but I wanted to make him proud. And it’s not like he gave me much of an option. I had to live up to his legacy, continue the wrestling tradition. I’d convinced myself in the beginning that I enjoyed it, but I didn’t. I wasn’t happy at all.”

That was sad for Shawn to hear. Fortunately for Shawn, he never had to deal with the dilemma of coming from a wrestling family like Goldust and Bret did, but he could still relate to Goldust, especially on wanting to make his dad proud.

At one point in Shawn’s life, his dad was very adamant on him joining the military to follow in his footsteps. It didn’t help that Shawn was quite an unruly child which further led his dad to believe that Shawn needed the structure and discipline the military offered. Needless to say, Shawn quickly and adamantly shut down that idea. His dad also made it no secret that he’s less than happy with Shawn’s househusband status.

Not quite the same pressures of coming from a legendary wrestling family, but the feeling of disappointment was all the same.

“Did it ever make you happy,” Shawn asked.

“Yeah, but only when I began to wrestle the way I wanted to. I started doing things I liked and wearing what I wanted to wear. Sadly, what I liked seemed too…flamboyant for my dad. As soon as I started making decisions for myself, I’ve been nothing but a disappointment.”

Shawn really wished he knew how to comfort Goldust, to tell him he’s not a disappointment although he’d just met the man. Shawn knew those feelings too well and was glad he had Hunter around as a friend during those dark days.

“I’m sure you’re not a disappointment, Goldust.”

Goldust gave a sincere smile, not the usual one that masked his feelings, but one out of pure appreciation at Shawn’s attempt to comfort him. “You’re too kind, Shawn. But he’s made it known all too well how disappointed he is in me. We haven’t spoken in years.”

Shawn couldn’t help but feel a little upset at hearing that. As much as his own dad didn’t approve of his lifestyle, he never shunned Shawn or refused to talk to him because of it. Of course, he never missed an opportunity to remind Shawn that he had more to offer to the world than being a stay-at-home husband. However, he loved Shawn dearly and, admittedly, would be a fool to not see how happy his son was with Bret.

“Do you miss it? Wrestling, I mean.”

Goldust took a moment to respond as he thought on the question. “Not really. It was a blessing in disguise that I got out when I did. Mick and I had been dating for a few years by then, and the stress of wrestling on top of family drama was really starting to get to me. Getting out was the best decision I could’ve made for myself.”

“What was it that made you finally leave? Anything in particular?”

Goldust sighed, “Mick always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do. He gave me the strength to go out there in the ring and wrestle in a sparkly gold suit, a wig, and a face full of makeup. He supported whatever made me happy, and it meant so much to me.”

“But it wasn’t enough to make you stay,” Shawn concluded.

“Yeah. Regardless of how much support Mick provided me, it was hard. I didn’t have the passion for wrestling to help me get through it. Not to mention, not many men backstage respected an openly gay man in makeup. The taunting, the harassment, the bullying. It was all too much.”

“I didn’t even think about it from that perspective. That must’ve been horrible.”

“Very. There was a point in time where I would cry almost every day, often to Mick. He saw how I was treated and wanted me out, but he didn’t want to force me. I was also worried about my finances. I made more money wrestling than I ever did designing costumes or doing makeup. Quitting just didn’t financially make sense to me at the time.”

Shawn could also relate to that. Before marrying Bret, he’d been working in an office, and as much as he hated the job, he was hesitant to leave it when Bret initially brought up the idea. Shawn wasn’t used to having to depend on someone else financially. It was a scary thing to think about. But it was the best decision he’d made to be with Bret.

Goldust continued, “But I eventually made the decision to jump ship when Mick proposed to me. He promised to take care of me, so I’d never need to wrestle again. Now, it’s not like Mick’s rolling around in money, but he’s a pretty frugal guy, and he’d saved up a good bit of money around that time. I had no doubt he’d do his best to provide for me, and he has.”

“Wow, that’s good to hear. He sounds like a sweet person based on what you’re telling me.”

“He’s the sweetest guy. I know I don’t deserve him, but he loves me for some odd reason,” he said as he playfully twirled a lock of hair. “So I’m going to cherish him for as long as he’ll let me.”

“You do deserve him, Goldust. Everyone’s deserving of someone who loves them as deeply as you’re describing.”

“If you say so. Mick’s all I have. It’s been like that ever since we met. I know I can be a lot to handle. I wouldn’t know what to do if he ever got bored of me.”

Shawn exclaimed, “Bored of you? That doesn’t seem possible from what I’ve gathered.”

Goldust beamed, “Well, thanks for the confidence boost, darling. It’s just that I know I seem quite odd to most people. Then again, Mick and I are certainly an odd couple, not even going to lie.”

“Hey, whatever works for you two. I’m not judging.”

“That’s good to know. Anyways, sorry for making the conversation all about me. I really did mean to come over to get to know you and have a little fun.”

“It’s fine. I’m enjoying getting to know you. I am curious about something, though. Does your husband ever get shit from the boys for being with you?”

It was a question he’d asked purely out of his own concern for Bret. Bret hadn’t openly announced to the world that he was gay, but it was no secret either, and he certainly didn’t shy away from the fact that he was married if anyone asked.

Shawn only hoped that Bret didn’t have to deal with the bullying or harassment that Goldust had been through. If the guys harassed Mick for it, it wasn’t far-fetched to think they’d target Bret as well.

Shawn’s concern lessened when Goldust answered, “No, I don’t think so. Or at least Mick hasn’t told me. I think his odd persona makes people turn a blind eye to him anyway. Plus, he’s an up-and-coming guy in the company. They tend to not get bothered backstage.”

“Well, that’s great,” Shawn said reassuringly to himself. “I’m just worried about Bret is all. I don’t want him going through what you went through with the bullying. And lord knows he wouldn’t tell me if it happened to him.”

“Psh! A Hart getting bullied? No, honey. His family has too much power for that to happen. You have nothing to worry about.”

That was all Shawn needed to hear to be put at ease. Deciding to switch up the conversation, he asked, “So what do you do now?”

“I mostly travel with Mick these days. I’ll still help out the guys with their gear from time to time. Only if they ask nicely,” he ended with a mischievous grin.

At that moment, Shawn felt a pair of warm hands resting on his shoulders before hearing Bret whisper into his ear, “So I see you’ve met Dustin.” He gave Shawn a peck on the cheek before slumping down in the chair on the other side of Shawn.

Shawn gave a warm smile as he reached for Bret’s hand, intertwining their fingers, thankful that his husband was finally with him after being stolen away from him for most of the night.

“You look a little flushed, babe,” Shawn said in amusement, taking in the red undertones of Bret’s cheeks. It’s not like Bret couldn’t handle alcohol, but it was clear to Shawn that he was a little buzzed.

Bret groaned, “Yeah, Davey kept feeding me shots and Owen was egging him on.”

Shawn snickered, “Yeah, I saw.”

“And yet, you didn’t come save me,” Bret grumbled.

“Hey, it looked like you were having a good time!”

It certainly did not look like Bret was having a good time.

“Oh please,” Bret said, unamused. “I couldn’t get away any quicker.”

“You were gone for so long, though,” Shawn pouted.

“I’m sorry, baby,” said Bret, kissing Shawn’s hand in comfort. “I’m here now and I’m not leaving.”

“Good,” Shawn said with a cheerful smile that was returned by Bret.

Shawn and Bret were in their own world until they were both caught off guard by a bright flash. They looked to see Goldust holding a disposable camera pointed in their direction. “Aww, you two are so cute! I just had to capture the moment.”

“I’m not sure if I should be weirded out or flattered,” Bret said half-jokingly.

Goldust frowned. “Oh, just take the compliment. I’ll give the picture to you once I get it developed. You’re welcome.”

“Is it not enough that you were talking my husband’s ear off the whole evening?”

“Shawn looked like he was bored out of his mind before I came over. I was purely providing entertainment. Some people would pay top dollar to talk to me, you know?”

Whatever retort forming on Bret’s tongue was cut off by Goldust bellowing, “There goes my man!”

Shawn looked up to see Mick walking up behind Goldust, smiling widely, or at least as wide as his mask would allow him, as he said, “Hey, Goldie.”

Goldust pulled the man down for a quick kiss, promptly wiping away the remnant of his black lipstick from Mick’s lips before gesturing for Mick to sit in the chair on his other side.

Mick waved to everyone at the table before asking Goldust, “You enjoying yourself?”

Goldust nodded as he gestured to Shawn. “I’ve been talking to Bret’s lovely husband, Shawn. He’s been really good company.”

Mick perked up as he noticed Shawn holding hands with Bret. “Oh, you’re Bret’s husband? I knew you looked familiar. Nice to meet you,” he said with another friendly wave. “I’ve heard so much about you from Bret here.”

Shawn raised a brow, grinning towards Bret inquisitively. “Really? You talk about me?”

“All the time,” Goldust piped in. “How do you think I knew what you looked like? A while ago, he showed me a picture of you that he keeps in his wallet.”

Feeling embarrassed, Bret felt the need to defend himself, stammering over his words before saying, “To be fair, you wouldn’t quit bugging me on who I was married to. So I showed you.”

“I was only curious about who could steal the hitman’s heart.”

“Curious or nosy?”

“Both.”

Mick chuckled, “That’s my Goldie. Gotta love him for that.”

“Right,” Bret deadpanned.

Shawn squeezed Bret’s hand in appreciation. He didn’t want to embarrass his husband any more than he already was, but it felt nice to know that Bret showed him off to his peers. Certainly put his heart at ease on the thoughts of what Bret did when he wasn’t around.

“Which picture was it,” Shawn asked out of curiosity.

Instead of answering, Bret reached into the pockets of his suit to pull out his wallet. He pulled out the picture, handing it to Shawn begrudgingly. Shawn accepted the photo, smiling fondly once he recognized the picture. He remembered the day the picture was taken like it was yesterday.

It was a picture of him dressed in a sweater, thick coat, and a beanie as he spread his limbs out on the snowy ground, smiling enthusiastically at the camera, proud of the snow angel he’d created. It was Shawn’s first trip to Calgary, and of course Bret chose to invite him during one of the coldest days of the year. As miserable as Shawn was in the chilly weather, he was amazed at the sheer amount of snow that collected on the ground and demanded that he and Bret make snow angels before leaving. It still remained one of his favorite memories with Bret.

“This picture is so old, Bret. You could at least show people a more updated photo,” Shawn said lightheartedly.

Bret shook his head no as he grabbed the picture from Shawn, returning it to its rightful place in his wallet. “It’s one of my favorite pictures of you. We could recreate it if you want.”

“Hell no,” said Shawn, quickly recoiling at the thought of laying in the freezing Canadian snow again. Although he was a resident there now, his tolerance for the cold was still minimal.

“So what do you do up there in Canada,” asked Goldust, pulling Shawn’s attention back to their conversation.

Shawn shrugged, “Nothing much.”

“You don’t hang out with friends?”

“Most of my friends are in the states, so I don’t get to see them as often.”

Goldust gasped. “Bless your heart. You must be so lonely up there.” He grabbed a lone fry, tossing it in Bret’s direction. “How could you leave your poor little husband up there all alone?!”

Shawn burst out laughing as he exclaimed, “That’s what I said!”

Bret put up his hands in defense, “Hey, don’t gang up on me! He’s free to travel with me whenever he wants.”

“It’s ok, Shawn,” said Goldust, ignoring Bret’s plea. “I’ll visit you in Calgary and we’ll have lots of fun. Mick will just have to put up with me being gone. That ok, Mickie?” Goldust twirled a strand of Mick’s hair as he waited for a response.

“Of course, Goldie,” said Mick, earning another peck from Goldust.

Bret groaned a little at the idea of a nosy Goldust roaming his house, but the look of excitement on Shawn’s face was all he needed to not comment on it.

The night ended with Shawn and Goldust making plans to hang out in Canada, both hearts full at knowing they’d made a new friend.

#divider cr: @saradika #househusband!au #shawn michaels #bret hart #hartbreak #triple h #chyna #goldust #mick foley #bret hart x shawn michaels #goldust x mick foley #fluff #wwe fanfiction #wwf #alternate universe

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chrancecriber · 2 years

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Radio NET Bulgaria (October 17, 2022)

23:57 MEKIEL REUBEN - Steppin' In San Gabriel 23:53 KIM SCOTT - The Look Of Love 23:48 OLI SILK - Slinky Malinki 23:44 AL GOMEZ - Keeping It Together 23:39 AL DEGREGORIS - Smooth It Out 23:36 SHAWN RAIFORD - Chunky 23:33 DAVID DAVIS - Back & Forth 23:29 DARRIUS JAMAR - Back To Love 23:25 JAREZ - A New Day 23:21 TONY SAUNDERS - All Alone 23:17 BLAKE AARON - Sunday Strut (feat. Najee) 23:12 NELSON RANGELL - When I Saw You 23:08 JEANETTE HARRIS - People Make The World Go Round 23:04 BLAIR BRYANT - Spend The Night 23:00 JULIAN VAUGHN - Your Mine 23:00 DUTCHICAN SOUL, CHAD TRENT - Deny (D-Reflection Ft. Saxy MR. S Lounge Remix) 22:55 JIM ADKINS - Thinking Out Loud 22:49 VITODITO, SARA POLLINO - The Song I Promised You (Chillout Mix) 22:43 PREMASARA COUNCIL - Sensual Ecstasy 22:39 ERIK HAKANSSON - Smooth (Original Mix) 22:36 ERINYA MOON - On The Edge (Russian Vocal Mix) 22:31 VIVIAN LACOSTE - Ibiza Magica 22:24 SALTWATER - Chicane (Thrillseekers Ambient Mix) 22:21 ERNESTO - Reelin' 22:18 ETRO ANIME - Let It Go 22:14 AMYCANBE - Rose Is A Rose 22:07 RAYAN MYERS - Pleasant Calmness (Original Mix) 22:04 JAY KING - My Song 21:59 FAR EAST MOVEMENT - Like A G6 (DJ Dan Karim Relax Mix) 21:55 JIM ADKINS - Come A Little Closer 21:48 FLAER SMIN - Alone In The Dark 21:39 RED BUDDHA, LINDA WONG ENSEMBLE - Stone Buddha 21:35 FRAINBREEZE, ANGEL FALLS - I'll Be There (Original Mix) 21:31 FRIENDLY BREAKS - Jazzy City Walk (Deep Lounge Mix) 21:26 REUNITED - Sing It Back Shazz (Man Chill Mix) 21:22 INNA - On & On (Chillout Remix) 21:17 INUSA DAWUDA - Dreamily 21:11 AK47, TRACY DIAMONDS - It's No Good 21:07 GAELLE - Give It Back 21:03 COASTLINE - Alone With You (feat. Madelin Zero) (Chillout Remix) 20:59 JAY KING - I Want Your Love 20:55 ANDY MOOR, ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE, GABRIELA - World To Turn 20:50 JIM ADKINS - Passing Through 20:44 ANGE - Some Day (Perception Of Sound Mix) 20:40 ARTENOVUM - When You Fall Asleep (Slow Coach Mix) 20:36 GARY B - Time To Slow It Down 20:31 POLISHED CHROME - Secret Of Sound (Album Version) 20:28 ATB, FLANDERS - Behind (ATB's Ambient Version) 20:23 HARD GREY, HOUSE REPUBLIC - Music Sounds Better With You (Eat More Cake Remix) 20:19 PRIME CIRCLE - As Long As I Am Here (Cafe D'Afrique Mix) 20:14 BENNY BENASSI - Illusion (Taras Bazeev Chillout Remix) 20:09 KENNY FONTANA - Wonderful Life (Cafe Buddha Del Mar Bar Mix As Made Famous By Hurts) 20:05 FABERLIQUE, SYNTHETICSAX, K.S.PROJECT - Fantasy 20:02 FILIPE NARCISO - Forbidden Love (Original Mix) 19:58 MORGAN PAGE - In The Dark 19:54 BLANK & JONES, ELLES - Mind Of The Wonderful (Acoustic Version) 19:50 JAY KING - I Once Had Your Love 19:46 KENNY G - My Heart Will Go On 19:42 JIM ADKINS - A Reason To Smile 19:37 FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE - Seven Devils 19:31 BLANK & JONES, STEVE KILBEY - Revealed (Bliss Mix) 19:25 MICHAEL E - That Night Last Summer 19:18 JOHN DAHLBACK - Everywhere (D.O.N.S. vs. Tranquillo chill mix) 19:14 JOHANNES HUPPERTZ - Freeee 19:09 LITE ELECTRONIC, THREE FACES, AMY K - Firefly (Seven24 & S.A.T Chillout Remix) 19:05 BOB SINCLAR - World Hold On (Acoustic Version) 19:01 LIQUID MOTION - Silent Running 18:58 ENIGMA, SARAH BRIGHTMAN - La Mer 18:54 ANDAIN - Much Too Much (Zetandel Chill Remix) 18:50 DMITRY FILATOV - Sunlight (Incognet Chill Out Mix, English Version) 18:47 JAY KING - Feels So Nice 18:44 PABLO NOUVELLE - You Don't Understand (feat. ALX) 18:40 JIM ADKINS - Soul Expression 18:34 JOSEPHINE SINCLAR - My Private Island 18:30 ERICK MORILLO, EDDIE THONEICK, SHAWNEE TAYLOR - Live Your Life (Eddie Thoneick Chill Out Mix) 18:25 ANDY SOL & ECOLYTE - Ponse Passing (Original Mix) 18:20 VELVET DREAMER - Sky Is Falling (Mo'jardo Remix) 18:15 MICHAEL ANGELO, MELISSA LORETTA - Hearts Unspoken (Christopher Breeze Chillout Mix) 18:11 INERTIA - Get Higher (Antares Chill Mix) 18:07 ABOVE & BEYOND - Blue Sky Action 18:04 JOHN DAHLBACK - Walking With Shadows (Acoustic Version) 17:59 GLOBAL TRAFFIC, CQ PLAM - World Hold On (Acoustic cover) 17:54 ANURAG NANDVANSHI - Soul Of India (Chill Out) 17:50 30 SECONDS TO MARS - Bad Romance (Lady Gaga's Cover) 17:46 JAY KING - Breathe (Cami's Song) 17:42 PAT APPLETON - Crimson (Original Mix) 17:39 MASHTI, JEAN VON BADEN - Waiting 17:35 NUERA - Breathing (Chillout Mix) 17:31 JIM ADKINS - Answered Prayers 17:27 PABLO NOUVELLE - Is It Ok 17:22 DASH BERLIN - Listen To Your Heart (Acoustic Mix) 17:18 HEAVN - Bright Lights 17:15 ASKERY - With You 17:11 CUEBRICK - Safe (C-Systems Alternative Mix) 17:07 IT'S DIFFERENT - Tell Me 17:03 LEONA LEWIS - Dip Down (ReUnited Chill Out Mix) 17:00 MOKITA - Monopoly (Acoustic Version) 16:58 STEVE COLE - Love Ballad 16:52 BLACK GOLD MASSIVE - Let It Flow (Sausalito Calling) 16:49 MARIUS BILLGOBENSON - Joy 16:43 HANK BILAL - Kick It With Me 16:39 JACKIEM JOYNER - Just Groove 16:34 GREGG KARUKAS - Rocky Peak 16:30 FREDDIE FOX - Just 4 U 16:25 DAVID DAVIS - If Your Girl Only Knew 16:21 AL GOMEZ - Groovesville 16:18 AL DEGREGORIS - South Shore 16:12 EUGE GROOVE - Rain Down On Me 16:08 DARRIUS JAMAR - Forget Me Nots (Feat. Dayve Stewart) 16:04 JAREZ - Shine 16:00 BLAIR BRYANT - Girls in the Back 15:59 TONY SAUNDERS - Just Letting Go 15:54 BLAKE AARON - Riviera Nights 15:49 BRAD ALEXANDER - Morning Serenade 15:46 NICK COLIONNE - Morning Call 15:42 BOBBY WELLS - Vantage Point 15:38 JULIAN VAUGHN - Always in My Heart 15:34 ADAM HAWLEY - Just Dance (Feat. Dave Koz) 15:29 DANIEL DOMENGE - Asian Dream 15:25 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Bay Breeze 15:21 JOE MCBRIDE, THE TEXAS RHYTHM CLUB - His Name 15:16 JEFF KASHIWA - The Power of Midnight 15:11 DERRICK HARVIN - Eyes Wide Open 15:08 AL DEGREGORIS - Time And A Half 15:04 AL GOMEZ - Who's Right, Who's Wrong 15:00 JAREZ - Got This Feelin' 14:56 BLAIR BRYANT - Chocolate for Breakfast 14:52 GTF - Spanish Steps 14:48 WALTER DUDA - Invisible 14:44 TIM BOWMAN - City Lights 14:39 BOBBY LYLE - Nujazzy (feat. Nathan East) 14:35 DARRIUS JAMAR - Missing You 14:30 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Above the Clouds 14:25 BLAKE AARON - Groovers and Shakers (feat. Darren Rahn) 14:21 ALTHEA RENE - Rock with You 14:18 DAVE BRADSHAW JR. - Nothin' But Groove 14:12 BOBBY WELLS - Count It All Joy 14:08 J. WHITE - Valley of the Sun 14:04 JOYCE COOLING - Take Me There 14:00 JULIAN VAUGHN - Initiate 13:59 DARREN RAHN - Tale Of Two Cities 13:55 ALEX FALDIN - Comfortline 13:51 DERRICK HARVIN - New Found Love 13:46 JIM ADKINS - A Kiss From You 13:42 JAREZ - All Of Me 13:38 AL DEGREGORIS - Resolutions 13:33 BOBBY LYLE - Tommy's Song 13:29 AL GOMEZ - Closer to You 13:24 TONY SAUNDERS - Sea Cliff Drive 13:20 JESSY J - Soul Kisses (Gregg Karukas feat. Jessy J) 13:15 EVERETTE HARP - Old School 13:12 BRIAN SIMPSON - One and Only 13:08 NILS - Dance With Me 13:04 MEKIEL REUBEN - That Girl Told Me 13:00 BOBBY WELLS - She's Playful 12:58 KIM SCOTT - Emerge (Feat. Jonathan Fritzen) 12:53 DARRIUS JAMAR - Bounce Back 12:49 JULIAN VAUGHN - Time Is Now 12:46 ALTHEA RENE - Let Me Love You 12:41 DERRICK HARVIN - When You Say 12:35 ALEX FALDIN - Cold Wind 12:32 JAREZ - Lil Jazzy 12:27 BOBBY LYLE - Living In The Flow 12:22 DEE LUCAS - Dollar Bill 12:18 AL DEGREGORIS - No Holding Back (Feat. Nils) 12:15 AL GOMEZ - For Sure 12:09 OLI SILK - Steppin' Out 12:04 TIM BOWMAN - Love Forever More 12:00 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - March On (Feat. Jeff Lorber) 11:59 SEAN U - Electrify 11:55 STEVE COLE - Looking Up 11:51 SHAWN RAIFORD - Magic Man 11:48 BOBBY WELLS - End of Summer 11:44 GREGG KARUKAS - Daylight 11:40 DARRIUS JAMAR - Heaven 11:34 NELSON RANGELL - Clutch 11:29 DERRICK HARVIN - Gone 11:25 BOBBY LYLE - What Kind Of World 11:20 BRIAN SIMPSON - From the Hip (feat. Chuck Loeb) 11:16 JEANETTE HARRIS - Groovin' 11:12 JAREZ - Its Over 11:08 BLAKE AARON - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing (feat. Kim Scott) 11:03 ALTHEA RENE - Inner Circle 11:00 ALEX FALDIN - Hand Claps 10:57 AL DEGREGORIS - All Over The Place (Feat. Eric Marienthal) 10:52 AL GOMEZ - Sip Thy Wine 10:48 JACKIEM JOYNER - Southside Boulevard 10:44 JULIAN VAUGHN - Ecstasy 10:40 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Tonight Is the Night 10:35 TIM BOWMAN - Columbus,Ga 10:30 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Emotions 10:25 MARION MEADOWS - Andalusian Sunset 10:21 BOBBY LYLE - Spirit Song 10:17 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Jukin' and Jivin' 10:12 DERRICK HARVIN - Another Day in Paradise 10:08 BRIAN SIMPSON - Bonita 10:04 JAREZ - Slow Motion 10:00 BOBBY WELLS - Oooh Baby 09:57 NICK COLIONNE - It's Gonna Be Alright 09:53 DARRIUS JAMAR - My Everything 09:49 DEON YATES - First Day of Summer 09:45 ADAM HAWLEY - Shuffle (Feat. Darren Rahn) 09:41 BONEY JAMES - Sunset Boulevard 09:37 ALTHEA RENE - Barbara Mae 09:33 AL DEGREGORIS - Follow Your Dreams 09:28 FREDDIE FOX - Sensual 09:23 JC SOL - Our Groove 09:19 KENNY NIGHTINGALE - My Saxophone 09:15 JULIAN VAUGHN - Ride Along 09:11 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Waiting For You 09:08 ALEX FALDIN - Throwback Vacations 09:05 JUSTIN KLUNK - Dive 09:00 BOBBY LYLE - Living In The Flow 08:56 RANDY MULLER BOOM CHANG BANG - Sunnyside Up 08:53 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Through the Rain 08:48 AL GOMEZ - Catchin' a Vibe 08:44 BRIAN SIMPSON - So Many Ways 08:40 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - Loving 2 08:35 DERRICK HARVIN - From Here 08:31 JAREZ - Mr. Sexy Saxy 08:26 JACKIEM JOYNER - Beautiful Seduction 08:22 MARION MEADOWS - Magic Men 08:18 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Force 08:15 BOBBY WELLS - My Sweet Butterfly 08:10 STEVE COLE - Neo Sol 08:04 EUGE GROOVE - Chillaxin 08:00 CHRIS STANDRING - Fat Tuesday 07:56 GREGG KARUKAS - Believe in Me 07:52 BRAD ALEXANDER - Yearning for Your Love 07:48 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - After Hours 07:44 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Keepin' the Groove On 07:40 AL DEGREGORIS - Sunnyside 07:36 FREDDIE FOX - So Much Love 07:32 BRIAN SIMPSON - A Soft Touch 07:29 MARCUS ANDERSON - Mel-Ow Mood 07:23 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - In the Mood 07:18 JULIAN VAUGHN - Sunday 07:13 DERRICK HARVIN - This Time Around 07:09 JAREZ - Around The World 07:04 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - EBF 07:00 MARION MEADOWS - Celebration Road 07:00 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Jubilee 06:56 CHRIS STANDRING - Living the Poetry 06:50 BOBBY WELLS - Bella's Pier 06:45 JOE MCBRIDE, THE TEXAS RHYTHM CLUB - Morning In A Distant Land 06:40 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Nobody But You (Feat. Billy Mondragon Of DW3) 06:36 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Thinkin' Back on When 06:32 JEFF KASHIWA - Back To Love 06:28 BRIAN SIMPSON - When I Found You 06:21 MARCUS ANDERSON - Give Love (Feat. Anthony Saunders) 06:17 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - On the Move 06:12 TIM BOWMAN - Flyin Away 06:07 DAVE BRADSHAW JR. - Set Me Free 06:04 PIECES OF A DREAM - Steppers ''D'' Lite 06:00 J. WHITE - Mr. Nugroove 05:57 NAJEE - Happiness (A Felicidade) 05:53 LOWELL HOPPER - See the Light 05:48 DERRICK HARVIN - Colombiana 05:44 DARREN RAHN - Duplicity 05:40 JAREZ - Together Forever 05:37 JOYCE COOLING - Coasting 05:33 NORMAN BROWN - Keep The Faith 05:29 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Feelin' Good 05:25 MARION MEADOWS - Last Ticket To Somewhere 05:21 CAROL ALBERT - Love Again 05:17 LOUIE FITZGERALD - When I Look into Your Eyes 05:13 MARCUS ANDERSON - Backseat Drivers (Feat. Adam Hawley) 05:08 JULIAN VAUGHN - Waymans Way 05:04 BRIAN SIMPSON - Mystical 05:00 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - Happy Cause I'm Going Home 04:56 PIECES OF A DREAM - Give U My Heart 04:51 NAJEE - Modern Lovers 04:47 JIM ADKINS - Turning Point 04:43 TONY SAUNDERS - Uptown Jazz 04:40 JESSY J - The Rhythm Method (Paul Brown feat. Jessy J) 04:35 TIM BOWMAN - Friends 04:31 BOBBY WELLS - Tee It Up 04:26 CHRIS GODBER - Chips 'n' Salsa 04:22 LOWELL HOPPER - No Turning Back 04:18 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Give And Take 04:14 NILS - Outta Sight 04:10 NATE WHITE - Ducie's Groove 04:05 MARION MEADOWS - Dark Beauty 04:00 MARCUS ANDERSON - Let's Not Wait (Feat. Nicholas Cole) 03:59 DANNY LERMAN - You Take My Breath Away 03:55 MEKIEL REUBEN - I Just Wanna Be With You 03:51 NAJEE - Dr. Dolittle 03:47 BRIAN SIMPSON - Daybreak 03:43 PIECES OF A DREAM - Fired Up 03:39 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - I Want Her 03:35 KIM SCOTT - Best Part 03:30 TIM BOWMAN - Glory to Glory 03:26 RHODA GRAHAM - Finally 03:22 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Poppa J 03:16 DEE LUCAS - The Grady Curve 03:12 LOWELL HOPPER - Affection 03:08 JEFF KASHIWA - Hyde Park (The 'Ah, Oooh' Song) 03:04 UNDER THE LAKE - Bridgetown 03:00 WARREN HILL - Play That Funky Music (White Boy) 02:58 MARION MEADOWS - Mother Earth 02:54 OLI SILK - Meet Me In The Middle 02:50 MARCUS ANDERSON - Understanding (Feat. Brian Culbertson) 02:45 NAJEE - Savoir Faire 02:40 DONN BYNUM - Because I'm Feeling You 02:36 SEAN U - Second Wind 02:30 PIECES OF A DREAM - Feelin' Good 02:25 BRIAN SIMPSON - Sunlit Sea 02:20 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - Susie Mae 02:17 SHAWN RAIFORD - It Feels so Nice 02:12 NELSON RANGELL - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing 02:08 HANK BILAL - Perfect Harmony 02:04 JEFF KASHIWA - Thanks To You 02:00 ZOLBERT - A Song for You 01:57 TIM BOWMAN - Just Another Day 01:51 KIM WATERS - Nightfall 01:47 ZACH BRIDGES - These Hands 01:42 NAJEE - Isla Hermosa 01:38 MARION MEADOWS - Dream Catcher 01:34 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Time Marches On 01:29 MARCUS ANDERSON - Limited Edition (Feat. Steven J. Collins ) 01:25 LOWELL HOPPER - Resurgence 01:21 JEANETTE HARRIS - Night Jam 01:17 PIECES OF A DREAM - Gettin' Through It 01:12 DANIEL CHIA - Cali Style 01:09 DONN BYNUM - Mercy Mercy Me (feat. Lew Laing Jr.) 01:05 ADRIAN CRUTCHFIELD - Morning After 01:00 STEVE COLE - Toronto 00:56 BRIAN SIMPSON - Whisper To Me 00:52 JEFF KASHIWA - Show Me Love 00:47 NORTH 2UNES WOODALL - Hip Hug 00:42 EUGE GROOVE - Take You Higher 00:38 NAJEE - Bounce 00:33 GREGG KARUKAS - Coyote Party 00:29 MARCIN NOWAKOWSKI - Better Days Ahead feat. Jeff Pescetto 00:26 KIM SCOTT - I'm Every Woman (feat. Althea Rene & Ragan Whiteside) 00:21 MARION MEADOWS - Life In The Clouds 00:17 ZACH BRIDGES - Yonder 00:13 BRAD ALEXANDER - A Matter Of Time 00:08 MARCUS ANDERSON - Dandelion 00:04 PIECES OF A DREAM - Going Home 00:00 ZOLBERT - On My Way

#Radio NET Bulgaria #Smooth Jazz #Chillout #Lounge #Downtempo #Ambient #Trance #2022 #October 2022

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bitegrip · 4 years

Text

in other ff7 news this song makes me think of barret like. hardcore

#also pls listen to shawn james #he's fucking incredible #leo's mind is an enigma

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agooberscast · 2 years

Text

Put a Little Love in Your Heart~!

Alright, I have decided! Aside taking asks and stuff for that day as usual, I'm gonna mix it up a bit! I'm gonna promo some of my friends so they can get some asks sent their way, too~!

Firstly, I'm tagging @instancenagatoyuki today! My one bestie, Taylor over at @somechubbynerd , runs this one and she would love for her purpley alien cutie to be given inquiries! Go be silly or serious or mysterious, whatever you're feeling! However, keep in mind if you ask stupid questions, you get stupid answers~.

Secondly, we got my other bestie over at @tanabatasonata ! He's Shawn. Just Shawn. He's got a lovely cast of peeps to bother and ask both serious and non-serious questions! Some of them are willing to put up with the silliness you all can send and some others are not. That's up to you to figure it out and/or read up on it!

Thirdly! Look who it is! It's @pudgy-planets ! Neon! She's really great and I'm sure she'd love some asks for her Senshis, her OCs and others that are lurking around in there! Right now, I think she even has an Oni guest character running around? Go and bug her about the big strong lady!

Fourthly, we got @a-mysterious-anom-girl ! Major dork, hella gay. She's pretty damn dope and I think she's got one of the coolest OCs, really. Most people toss an anon away, but she picked it up and made it her own. It's Anne, who is also hella gay. Go and send them some asks and learn the lore about the cuddly-sweet enigma that is Anne!

Fifthly, we've got a newer friend in my roster! It's @hungryboundary , also know as Inch! They've just recently turned into a multimuse blog, within a little bit of time before this post even, and I wanna go and celebrate the change right! I came to them and stayed for the Touhou, but let's all see where they go from here together~!

Sixthly, we have @wispandfriends ! As I know him, it's Jay! He's have been there for me for a long time, even since the old days! So, in turn, I'm happy to have him get some of this love too! @fierytwins @inks-and-octos @blood-of-second-chances Fire away, y'all~!

Seventhly, we've got @invincigirl ! One of the coolest rock-nerds runs this one, being Carmen, and they're so cooooool. Go there and learn about their cool OCs all over~! They said you can focus on Invincigirl herself, but stay a bit and go exploring~!

Eigthly, we have the dudebabe, @casualsleepygamer ! They are a good friend who, through their many blogs, has been happy to both make fun and lasting character interactions with a good number of peeps, some present in this post, and also to just be a chill person with absolutely immaculate vibes. For this one, you don't gotta send them any asks, I just am happy to include them and they are happy to be included~!

Lastly, for now, we have @sugimoto-dorm ! A very good friend of mine who has loads of cuties all around! Be sure to go bug him about them, as they all have some level of backstory and cool lore! Oh, heads up on this friend though! He's not into the same stuff a lot of the others are here, so please! Pleeeeeease! Do not bother him about fat stuffs and vore stuffs! That's not his thing, got it?

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Alrighty, I think that's everyone for this first time doing this and I feel good about this grouping! Feel free to send them stuff and be kind enough to read and respect their rules, yeah? And at the same time, send asks to any of the blogs I'm reblogging this to! I'm gonna try and find some prompts or just make my own, so keep an eye out!

Love y'all so, so much~!

#the mun speaks #promos for my friends #instancenagatoyuki #tanabatasonata #pudgy planets #a mysterious anom girl #sugimoto dorm #somechubbynerd #hungryboundary #wispandfriends #fierytwins #inks-and-octos #blood-of-second-chances #invincigirl #casualsleepygamer #ask call #nibblesnarf

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sci-fi-pony · 4 years

Note

I love all of your BTH fics, they’re SO GOOD! How about “caught in a storm” or “worked themselves to exhaustion” for Shawn and Juliet?

Thank you so much for the request! I apologize for the extreme delay in finishing this; my computer has finally died. This one is a pre-Shules fic because I’ve been watching a lot of earlier episodes lately and wanted to write something from that time when they were still getting to know each other. Hope you don’t mind. <3

Title: Laughing Through the Storm

Fandom: Psych

Characters: Shawn, Juliet, OC

Summary: Juliet can’t figure out whether to be amused or annoyed by Shawn’s habit of making everything into a joke. But a storm and a lost child give her a better understanding of the reason behind his jokes.

Written for the Bad Things Happen Bingo challenge. For the “Caught in a Storm” prompt.

Credit note: Special thanks to the wonderful people in the WG discord server for helping with a lot of the dialogue lines in this. I was stuck and this wouldn’t have gotten finished without that help. <3

Juliet turned up the speed on the windshield wipers, attempting to have a clear view ahead for more than two seconds at a time.

Between the solid curtain of rain and the overcast skies, it was almost dark enough to be nighttime instead of afternoon. The headlights did little to make the road more visible. The tires kept slipping on the wet pavement, forcing her to maintain an agonizingly slow speed.

Ever since her transfer last year, Juliet had been hoping for a chance like this — where she could be placed in charge of an investigation and really prove her value as not only a member of the force, but as a detective. She was younger than most of her peers, having been a patrol officer for only a year before taking her DET, and transferring to Santa Barbara immediately after her promotion to detective. But this was certainly not how she would have preferred this opportunity to happen.

A terrible storm front hit the coast late last night and only seemed to be increasing in intensity with each passing hour. The SBPD was stretched thin, responding to emergency calls that ranged from people trapped in their cars to looters taking advantage of the almost city-wide power outages.

“Ever notice how these candy bars never seem to have just the right balance between flavors?”

Juliet ignored the random comment, too preoccupied with watching the road. And worried about their current reason for being out here.

A young married couple had arrived at the station only an hour ago to report their young daughter, Georgia, as missing. Apparently she had a tendency to wander off and her parents were scared that she may have gotten caught out in the storm. They were terrified that she could be injured or lost.

With Chief Vick out of town this week, Lassiter was tied up at the station, overseeing the various rescue teams and coordinating their joint efforts with the fire department. When this missing persons case came up, it was too urgent to wait for the more experienced officers to be available. Lassiter didn't show any signs of hesitation as he called on Juliet to take point on this search party. She could only hope now that she lived up to that trust he seemed to have in her.

“I mean, they always seem to have either too much caramel or too much chocolate. Or too much mint. Or not enough of any of those. Why is that so hard to get right?”

Hands gripping the wheel a bit tighter, Juliet continued to ignore the running commentary from the passenger seat. After all, it had been her idea to bring their consultant along on this search. She was hoping his psychic senses could help them find Georgia before anything happened to her.

Shawn Spencer was still a bit of an enigma to her. In the year they'd known each other, every time Juliet managed to form an opinion of him, he'd do something to change that opinion again. One minute, he could be offering surprising insight on the world from his unique perspective, then the next minute he'd be gluing Lassiter's phone to his desk.

From a strictly professional standpoint, Juliet appreciated how his gift was able to help them solve cases — often able to catch the criminals before even more harm could be done. And from a more personal perspective... well, she really wasn't sure yet.

He was a loyal friend and his quirky sense of humor could liven up the station when they needed it most. And, while Lassiter was frequently annoyed by Shawn's overt flirting, she really didn't mind it. Having frequently wrestled with her three brothers while growing up, Juliet knew how to discourage any truly unwanted attention. But Shawn seemed harmless enough, and his teasing often cheered her up when she was having a really bad day. The fact that he was funny and cute didn't hurt either — but that wasn't something Juliet ever planned to admit out loud.

There were days, though, when his humor wasn't as appreciated. Days when she wondered how he could seem so unconcerned with the tragedies and horrors attached to their job. Days like today.

“I don't see how they can possibly call this a 'fun size' bar.” He crumpled his wrapper, pitching it into the cup holder. “There is nothing fun about a candy bar that's even smaller than the Tasmanian Devil’s vocabulary.”

Biting down her frustration — and recognizing that it was probably the result of her own nervousness rather than his actual words — Juliet attempted to bring his attention back to their current problem. “Shawn, I have to keep an eye on the road, so if you could—”

“Hold up, Jules!” he exclaimed suddenly, staring out the window with more alertness than he'd been showing so far. “Stop the car!”

Resisting the automatic reaction of hitting the brakes, Juliet eased off the gas and pulled over to the narrow shoulder. “What is it?”

His eyes were locked out the window, obviously seeing something she couldn't. All she saw was trees and deep pools of rainwater.

“I think I've got something.” His finger came up to his temple in a gesture that had become second nature. “She went into that treeline over there. At least, some child did. And recently.”

Regardless of whether it was Georgia or not, they couldn't let a child wander around alone in these conditions. Juliet radioed her situation and then turned off the engine. She passed a poncho to Shawn before pulling one on herself. Tugging the hood into place, she grabbed an emergency light and stepped out of the car.

The wind pummeled them as they struggled their way to the treeline. Once there, Shawn scanned the ground again before taking off into the brush, Juliet scrambling to catch up before he could disappear. They came through on the opposite side of the trees and Shawn pointed down towards the far end of the row.

“If we follow the treeline down, we should find them!” He yelled to her.

The rain was pounding down so hard, she could barely hear him over the noise. Sending him a quick nod of approval, she motioned for them to start moving. They spaced themselves a few yards apart — enough to cover more ground, but not enough to lose sight of each other.

Wiping her hand over her eyes, she tried to clear her vision enough to see… well, anything. The thick curtain of water obscured everything not immediately in front of her.

A startled yelp rang out from a few yards to her left. It was followed by a shouted warning, “Jules, stop walking!”

Quickly pulling herself to a halt, Juliet squinted into the darkness, trying to see what the problem was. The noise of the wind and rain had now been joined by a deafening sound that was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

“What's wrong?” she called back.

“Head this way. But watch your step!”

Juliet carefully picked her way across the uneven ground until she could see him. That was when the problem became apparent. Directly in front of them was a steep bank leading down into a creek. The water had risen almost to the top and was moving so fast it could easily drag a person away in seconds. Large chunks of debris raced by, pulled along by the current. It was also the source of the rushing sound she’d been hearing.

Shawn was perched on the edge of the bank, leaning over with his flashlight in hand. The ground under him was heavily waterlogged and beginning to crumble.

“Shawn, take a few steps back!” Juliet yelled to him, trying to be heard over the roar of the creek. “That bank's not safe.”

He shook his head, motioning downward.

Carefully, she inched her way forward. Stopping a couple feet behind him, trying to keep to at least slightly more solid ground, she grabbed his shoulder and peered over the edge.

Sitting on a ledge a few feet down the bank was a little girl. She was curled up, hugging her arms around herself, and looked terrified. The water level was almost at her spot.

“Oh my…” Juliet gasped quietly. Her heart sank as she realized they might not be able to get help in time. With how fast the creek was rising…

“Jules, take the flashlight,” Shawn said, passing her the light. He peeled off his poncho and set that on the ground beside his phone and keys.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“Don't worry, scaling cliffs is way easier than it looks. I've watched The Princess Bride at least a hundred times. This should be a snap.”

She grabbed his arm, stopping him before he could step over the edge. “Shawn, you can't go down there. The bank is too unstable, and we don't even have a rope to use as a safety line. We need to radio for backup.”

“Jules, there's no way they can make it before the water gets too high. We can't just sit here and do nothing.”

She agreed with him on a purely emotional level, but she knew that there was little chance of getting down to the girl safely, and then having to carry her back up again. But they couldn’t stand by and watch an innocent child drown while they played it safe, could they?

Nodding reluctantly, trying to swallow down her panic, Juliet stepped forward. “Okay, but I’m going down. You’re a civilian, and I can’t be responsible for something happening to you on my watch.”

“Normally, I would love to pass on this opportunity,” Shawn said, readjusting his position on the quickly eroding bank. “But I’m guessing you haven’t done much rock climbing before. Especially free-hand climbing.”

Juliet crossed her arms. “And you have?” she challenged.

“Actually, yes. I worked as a rock-climbing guide in Vancouver for two summers.”

That took her by surprise. She’d heard him and Gus refer to his extensive job history on occasion, but she didn’t know many details about his life from before the Psych agency opened. For someone who talked all the time, Shawn rarely said anything truly revealing. At least, not when it came to talking about himself.

As much as she hated to send him down alone, Juliet had to concede his point that she knew nothing about climbing. “Okay, but be careful.”

“Just hold the light steady and warn me of any changes in the current.”

He took a steadying breath, clenching his hands a moment too late to keep Juliet from seeing the shake in them. Then he was over the edge and out of sight.

Holding the light as steady as she could, Juliet tried to keep the beam focused on the frightened child below. “Hold still!” she called down to her. “We’re coming to get you out, but you have to hold still. Okay?” There was no response, and she could only hope the girl followed her instructions.

Shawn finally made it far enough down the bank for him to be in view again. He was struggling to keep a firm hold on the crumbling mud under his hands. His sneakered feet slipped several times and Juliet was sure he was going to end up in the water. Somehow, he managed to reach the ledge without falling. Her hand shook slightly in relief. It wasn’t over, though, she knew. He still needed to make it back up.

There was a brief pause as he leaned down to speak with the girl. Juliet couldn’t hear their conversation over the sound of the water and wind, but whatever he said must have worked. She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, settling in against his chest. Shawn wrapped her legs around his waist for additional support, and then used his jacket to tie her in place. A moment later, he was once again clawing through mud and rock on his way back to the top.

Juliet reached down to grab his arm as soon as he was close enough. He accepted it gratefully and she helped pull him the rest of the way onto solid ground.

Shawn smiled down at the girl still clinging to him. “Jules, meet Georgia. Georgia, this is Juliet; she’s a cop and is going to get us someplace dry.”

Crouching down beside them, Juliet gave the child a reassuring smile. “Georgia, your parents are waiting for you. We’re going to take you to them, okay?”

She nodded, her eyes wide and terrified. Knowing they probably wouldn’t be able to coax a verbal response from her, Juliet returned the nod and dragged herself upright again. Shawn looked soaked and exhausted from the climb, but they couldn’t afford to rest with the creek still on the rise.

“We should get back to the car,” she told them. Grabbing up the discarded poncho, Juliet wrapped it around Georgia, pulling the hood over her head to keep her from getting any more wet. “We can stick to the treeline to help block from the wind.”

Still gasping in tired breaths, Shawn only managed a thumbs up. Juliet pulled him back to his feet and they took off in what she hoped was the direction of the road.

They moved as quickly as possible, which really wasn't that fast at all. Poor visibility and soggy ground made it too dangerous to run all out. The wind wasn't making it easy, either, pushing back at them so hard Juliet found it difficult to breathe. Shawn wrapped the poncho tighter around Georgia, pulling part of it over her head to keep her as dry as possible. Juliet continued guiding them with her flashlight. She continuously checked for familiar landmarks, to make sure they wouldn't get too far off track, but it was hard to see anything between the dark and the rain.

Finally, the beam from her light reflected off a windshield up ahead. Even if it wasn't their car, the owner could at least give them a ride back to the station.

They put on a final burst of speed and pulled up beside the car. With a rush of relief, Juliet was able to confirm that it was the police car they'd driven here in. She yanked open the back door and held it for Shawn to climb in. Slamming the door shut, Juliet ran around to the driver's side and collapsed into the seat.

Inside, the noise of the storm was somewhat muffled, but the rain pounding onto the car's metal roof still kept it from being peaceful.

Juliet turned on the ignition so she could get the vehicle's heating system going. She radioed the station, letting them know the girl was safe and that they'd be heading back soon. Once that was done, she finally turned her attention on her two passengers.

In the back seat, Shawn had Georgia snuggled down on one of the seats with an emergency blanket wrapped around her. The wet poncho had been discarded on the floor. In his own seat, Shawn was completely soaked and dripping water everywhere. Between that and the mud coating him, he looked a complete mess.

“We’re going to have a hard time driving back in this rain,” Juliet commented as she turned to look out the windshield again.

The storm was still so heavy, she could barely make out the road ahead of them. Turning on her headlights did nothing to pierce the gloom. As much as she wanted to get Georgia someplace safe and warm, she was concerned about the risk of driving in these conditions. Worry gnawed at Juliet as she debated the best option here. Driving was too dangerous, but the little girl in her back seat was terrified and needed her parents.

“If we wait a few more minutes, the car should be able to float all the way back to the station,” Shawn quipped. “Would save on gas, too.”

Juliet frowned. While she normally found his jokes amusing, this certainly wasn't the right time for them. And she’d tried to be patient with him so far today, but this was a serious situation and she wished he could show some genuine concern. She had just opened her mouth to tell him so when a quiet giggle erupted from their smallest passenger.

Looking over her shoulder, Juliet was surprised to see that Shawn hadn't been talking to her at all. He was turned sideways on the seat, crouched down so he was closer to Georgia's eye level. Despite shivering hard and still dripping water on his seat, he had a carefree grin on his face as he chatted with his companion. On the other end of the bench, the girl still looked scared and miserable, but there was the barest hint of a smile on her lips.

“My friend's car would be so much better for this,” Shawn continued. “It's so tiny, I bet it'd have no problems floating. Might get swept down a storm drain, though. Actually, the person best equipped for this situation would be my dad. Never tell him I said this, but his boat obsession would have really paid off today.”

The girl readjusted her blanket slightly, her face peeking out a bit more. “I don't like boats,” she muttered softly.

Shawn's nose wrinkled in disgust. “Yeah, me either. I was once trapped on a leaky fishing boat for five hours when I wasn't much older than you. Now that's gotta be some kind of child abuse. Didn't even catch any fish. Or the shark I was hoping for. I did find some buried treasure, though, so it wasn't a complete waste. Well, not treasure, exactly, but close enough. And I got a pet cat out of the adventure.”

He paused his bizarre rambling for a moment, and Georgia took the opportunity to put in her own thoughts. “I have a cat. I like cats.”

His grin widened. “Oh, I love cats! A cat once helped me solve a murder investigation. His name was Little Boy Cat, although I heard he now goes by Cassy. You wanna hear the story?”

The girl's enthusiastic nod was all the encouragement he needed before launching into his tale. While he embellished certain parts of the story, Juliet was impressed with how many of the details he was able to remember with perfect accuracy. Especially considering that case was over a year ago.

As the storm continued to pummel their little shelter, Shawn moved smoothly from one story to another. Some were retellings of cases they'd solved, most were from his years traveling around the world, and a rare few were from his childhood. At some point during the third or fourth tale, Georgia scooted over to snuggle in against his side, using her blanket to keep from getting too wet off of him.

Juliet also found herself getting caught up in the wide variety of adventures he'd had. It was a fascinating peek at some of the puzzle pieces that went into making the psychic she had befriended. She couldn't help being curious as to how much of each story was real and how much was his own creation.

Eventually, the rain slacked off enough for Juliet to drive them back to the station. As soon as they arrived, Georgia's parents snatched up their girl, tearfully thanking them for returning her safe and sound.

Lassiter greeted Juliet to congratulate her on a job well done and offer her the rest of the night off. It was an offer she eagerly accepted. Right now, the only thing she wanted was a warm shower and a mug of cocoa.

Swinging by the bullpen on her way out, Juliet stopped short at the sight of Shawn. He was slumped into a chair beside her desk, looking half asleep. He was still muddy and soaking wet, although he had a towel in one hand and had apparently been attempting to dry off. A styrofoam cup of something steamy sat beside him on the desk.

“Shawn,” she said, walking up beside him. He startled back to full consciousness at the sound of her voice. “Sorry. Why don't you go home? The storm seems to be letting up a bit and I doubt anything else will come up tonight.”

He glanced at the officers still working around the station, obviously debating the option. “Sure they've got everything under control?” he asked, a hopeful tone to his voice.

“I'm sure,” Juliet assured him. “At least, anything that could possibly need a psychic. Go get dry and warm before you catch pneumonia.”

He nodded tiredly and dragged himself out of the chair. “Night, Jules,” he said, half obscured by a yawn, as he walked toward the door.

A beat passed before Juliet called after him, “Hey, Shawn.”

Pausing, he glanced back at her, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

“That was really great what you did for Georgia back there. I mean, keeping her distracted in the car. Helping keep all of us from worrying. It was very sweet.”

A tired smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was so much more genuine than the grin he usually wore; it felt somehow warmer and softer.

“I was just talking, Jules,” he said with a shrug. “It's kind of my specialty.”

Juliet waited until he walked away before she returned the smile. “Yeah,” she agreed quietly. “Yes, it is.”

#psych #psych fanfic #bthb #shules #my fanfics

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goldenhemmings · 5 years

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When You Love Someone | Streetfighter!Shawn (Part Three)

Here we go, friends!! Thank you so much for sticking with me through the time it took to get this part up and thank you to every single person who has taken the time to read, comment on, and message me about this series. It means the absolute world to me. You can read parts one and two linked in my masterlist, but if you’re all caught up please enjoy just over 7k words of Streetfighter!Shawn. I’d love to hear your feedback, and I hope you like it!! Credit to @/nbaroses on Twitter for the edit and @fourtristattoos for sharing it with me >:-)

Thursday. It had been nearly two weeks since Y/N and Shawn had met and five days since she’d last seen him, but Y/N swore she hadn’t gone a single hour in that time without talking to him. She’d started leaving her ringer on when she studied--something she never did, nor would ever admit to--to ensure that she never missed one of his messages. So, as she sat on the front porch of her house that afternoon studying, there was no exception.

Nose in a textbook, she was twenty minutes deep in a chapter about some economic principle she couldn’t care less about when her phone rang from beside her on the table. She picked it up with cat-like reflexes, immediately answering when she saw Shawn’s name lighting up the screen.

“Hi,” she chirped, and Shawn could hear the smile in her voice. He stared out the large window in the living room of his apartment, locating the light posts from her university’s baseball field towering in the distance. He focused on them as he spoke; it made him feel closer to her.

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Um,” Y/N mused, looking up as she combed through her schedule in her mind. “Just studying, I think. I have a quiz on Monday.”

“Would you be willing to take a night off from all that?”

She laughed, and it made Shawn grin from the other end of the phone. “I don’t know,” she teased, but she was just stringing him along. She was already sold on whatever he had in mind. “Being this bright takes constant work.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” he scoffed, eliciting a giggle from Y/N. “Let’s pretend like you weren’t born smarter than everyone on this damn planet.” Y/N laughed again, louder this time, and Shawn’s cheeks flushed. There was nothing he wouldn’t give to be able to hear that sound.

“What did you have in mind for my potential night off?” Y/N pressed, absentmindedly biting the corner of her lower lip as she focused on his voice.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

“You never said anything about a surprise.”

“Did I forget to mention that?”

“Yes!” she answered, through the giddy laughter that hadn’t stopped since she’d picked up Shawn’s call.

“Well, I’m mentioning it now. It’s a surprise.”

Y/N was willing to let this go on a bit longer. “What if I’m too busy?”

She could hear Shawn shrug from the other line, though by this point he knew she was only messing with him. “Then I guess you’ll never know.”

“We can’t have that.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“What should I wear to this surprise of yours?” Y/N asked, picking up a blue pen to doodle on the corner of the paper she was taking notes on.

“Whatever you want.”

“I need a little more to go off of than that.”

Shawn blew a puff of air out of his cheeks as he thought. He’d really assumed this would be as simple as her immediately agreeing to be ready at seven. “Shit, I don’t know. Jeans?”

“Okay,” Y/N assented, already mentally skimming her closet. “Is this an indoor surprise or an outdoor surprise?”

He loved how careful she was. “Outdoor. Might be a little chilly.”

“Noted.”

“And be ready at seven.”

She grinned. “Also noted. Now let me get my studying done.”

She could practically hear him roll his eyes. “Whatever. See you in a few hours.”

“Bye,” she replied, and (reluctantly) ended the call in favor of turning back to her textbook, although being able to focus was an ambitious goal now that she had something to look forward to.

When 6:30 rolled around, Y/N put a pause on her schoolwork to go inside and change. She traded out her frumpy gray sweater for a denim jacket and exchanged her worn-out Converse for booties that looked a bit nicer with the black jeans she’d slid on. Content with her outfit, Y/N quickly fixed her hair until it looked how she wanted and then swiped her trusty cherry Chapstick over her lips.

She headed back out to the porch to grab her textbooks and bring them inside, and as she finished scooping everything up into her arms she noticed Shawn’s familiar black Jeep turn onto her street. Suddenly hit with a fresh wave of giddiness, she dashed back inside, threw her books haphazardly on her bed, and then raced back out to meet Shawn.

He hopped out of the driver’s seat, smiling at the sight of Y/N coming down the driveway towards him. “Eager, eh?”

“I saw your car pulling up,” she grinned, not bothering to defend herself. He laughed and strode towards her, and she squealed as he unexpectedly looped a leather-clad arm around her waist to lift her up and spin her in a little circle.

“Where are we going?” she asked when he set her down, but he was still stubborn.

“You’re gonna have to wait and see.”

She laughed. “That makes me nervous.”

He shook his head, reaching to open the passenger door for her. “Don’t be nervous. It’s a good surprise.”

Normally, Shawn would find something like where he was planning to take her stupid and cliche, but he was past the point of caring about the trivial things that would usually make him roll his eyes, too focused on Y/N instead. She brought a different energy to his life, perhaps because she was so separated from the world in which he existed. Being with her was like an escape, in a way, from hiding on the other side of the wall that he’d lived his entire life behind. He didn’t have to put up defenses by constantly watching his back or maintaining a tough demeanor when he was around her; he could just be. And while it was a feeling with which he was unfamiliar, he knew he liked it. He liked Y/N.

As they drove, Y/N carefully took in her surroundings in a curious attempt to figure out where they were going before they got there. Shawn couldn’t help but smile to himself as he warded off all of her incorrect guesses, and it took everything he had to keep his eyes on the road as opposed to the adorably focused expression he was sure she was wearing.

“We’re going downtown,” Y/N suddenly remarked, confidently this time, as she began to fully recognize the roads he was taking.

Shawn finally hummed his affirmation, and Y/N’s eagerness grew. “I can’t remember the last time I came out here,” she said, mostly to herself, the memories of familiar buildings and streets beginning to flood back to her. It had likely been a year since she’d been downtown, which was atypical considering how immensely she’d always adored the area. But most of the memories she’d made there were with her ex-boyfriend, and the eventual but necessary end of their relationship had soured her love for what was, in Y/N’s opinion, the best part of the city.

However, the fact that she was now going downtown with Shawn essentially erased all of the bitterness and replaced it with a thrilling feeling of anticipation. Y/N already recognized Shawn as a dangerously exciting presence in her life; uncharted territory that both electrified and frightened her at the same time. He was so unique compared to the people she had always been surrounded with, and the fact that he was a bit rough around the edges only further exhilarated her. He was still almost entirely an enigma, and she never knew what to expect from him or their time together. Structure and preparedness had always been, in Y/N’s eyes, critical; if it were anyone else, Y/N wouldn’t be willing to give that up. But, needless to say, Shawn was clearly not just “anyone,” and Y/N felt as though she deserved to finally feel the excitement that came with venturing into the unknown with him. It was about time she broke free of the structure that she’d always ensured was guiding her life and instead just lived. Without knowing, Shawn was beginning to show her how.

Shawn parallel-parked his Jeep at a meter on the street, adjacent to a fancy hotel that was so tall it seemed to disappear into the sky. Y/N slid out of the car and waited for him to meet her on the sidewalk, her lips curling up in curiosity. Shawn nodded his head in the direction of the hotel’s entrance as a signal for Y/N to follow him, so she wordlessly reached for his hand and trailed after him into the lobby and straight to the elevators.

“What did you do?” she giggled, unsure of whether she was more nervous or excited.

Once inside the elevator, he pressed the button for the floor right below the penthouse. “You’ll see.”

Still flush with anticipation, Y/N allowed Shawn to pull her by the hand off of the elevator once the doors re-opened with a ding. He led her around the corner to a door that read hotel staff only on a gold plaque, ducking over his shoulder to check that the coast was clear before reaching for the handle and pulling her inside. In his experience, the door was rarely locked; the sign alone was usually enough to keep people away.

“Wait,” Y/N whispered, suddenly uneasy. “What are we doing?”

Shawn flicked the light on, simply pointing to a short flight of stairs off to the right that led up to another door labeled roof access. “Are we allowed to be here?” she continued, checking back behind her to make sure the door was fully closed.

“Relax,” Shawn cooed, turning to place his hands on her upper arms. “I come here all the time without getting caught. It’ll be fine, I promise.”

He felt her shoulders rise as she took a deep, calming breath. Y/N had never been keen on breaking rules, and she knew the staff only sign on the door was there for a reason. But she trusted Shawn, and the gleaming look of excitement in his eyes was enticing her to lower her inhibitions for once and just go with it. She sighed, biting back a smile. “Fine.”

Shawn grinned, dashing up the stairs and pulling Y/N, her nerves forgotten, after him. He pushed open the door that led to the roof and held it open for her, allowing her to go out first. An involuntary gasp slipped from her mouth as she stepped out onto the roof of the hotel.

“Holy shit,” she mumbled, eyes wide as she took in the view before her. They were on a rooftop that towered above the city, offering 360-degree visuals of the skyline laid out in front of them. City lights glistened from all angles, casting a dim light by which they could see. Y/N looked all around her, her face surely showing just how awestruck she was by the view and how beautiful the city truly was from above. She couldn’t believe a place like this existed.

Meanwhile, as he watched Y/N wondrously take in the scenery, Shawn began to feel a slight nervousness bubbling up in his stomach. For most of his life, this had always been his spot. He came here all the time when he needed to be alone, and sometimes when he was just plain bored. He’d never shared it with anyone--until now, at least. It would never be exclusively his spot again, and he was beginning to grapple with this idea. But then Y/N turned back to look at him with a light in her eyes that made his head spin, and suddenly he no longer cared. He remembered how badly he wanted to share his rooftop with her, how he wanted it to be hers just as much as it was his.

“How do you know about this place?” Y/N beamed, her face cloaked in shadow due to the fact that the only source of light was from the city down below and the waxing moon in the sky.

“I’ve been coming up here for years,” Shawn replied, avoiding her question, but Y/N decided to temporarily let it go in favor of walking closer to the wall at the edge of the roof to take in the skyline. Her features lit up so beautifully that Shawn swore it made the city lights cower in comparison.

She stared out at the city a little while longer, until her curiosity once again got the better of her. “Seriously, how did you find this place?”

Shawn cleared his throat, trying to decide just how much he was willing to share with Y/N. He hated talking about his past and his own life, that much was clear, but he had a desire to be honest with Y/N; to tell her the things he’d never spoken aloud. She compelled him so strongly to let his guard down, though he knew it would only come piece by piece. He sighed. “One of the owners of this hotel lived next-door to my family when I was younger. She was awesome. Used to let me come stay here sometimes as a kid, and she’s the one that showed me this place. I still come up here all the time when I need to think.”

He left out the explanation of why she would let him spend nights at the hotel, but was relieved by the fact that Y/N didn’t seem focused on that. “That’s amazing. I wish I’d had somewhere like this growing up,” she mused softly, stepping over to lean against the thick, shoulder-high wall that bordered the perimeter of the rooftop. She watched with a mesmerized gaze as the city lights danced before her, and was so caught up in the beauty of the scene that Shawn moving to stand next to her was almost startling.

“Do you see that dark region over there?” he rasped, but Y/N’s eyes couldn’t locate it.

“Where?” she asked, hoping for clarity, but getting so much more than she’d bargained for when Shawn moved to stand directly behind her, extending his hand over her shoulder to point at the area. Her eyes followed the length of his arm until they found what they were looking for.

“There,” he answered, his breath hot against her ear. She was painfully aware of his chest pressing against her back and effectively pinning her between him and the wall. She swallowed hard as he finally lowered his hand and stepped away from her, and she felt like she could breathe again. Shawn smirked to himself at the way she sucked a breath through her parted lips.

“I see it now.”

He studied her face; wanted to memorize every detail of it. “That’s where Dynamite is. Where I have my fights.”

“I remember,” Y/N smiled, looking up at him. “Why is that area so dark?”

“It’s not very developed over there,” he shrugged. “Most of the buildings around Dynamite are abandoned. That’s part of why it’s safe to fight there.”

Y/N nodded, then hesitantly posed a question. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Shawn replied, reaching up to move a strand of hair that the breeze had blown into her eyes. Y/N’s skin burned under his touch.

“Why do you fight?”

Shawn took in a breath. “I’ve told you that,” he mumbled, but they both knew it wasn’t true.

Y/N sighed, turning to look back at the city in time to see a distant stoplight turn from red to green. “You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable, but I hope it’s not because you don’t trust me. Because you know that you can.”

He shrugged, running his hands through his hair. “I know, sweetheart, I just—I don’t know why, honestly. I’ve just been fighting for so long that it’s a part of my life now.”

Y/N gnawed on the side of her lower lip, thinking. “How long?”

“I’ve been streetfighting since, like, my last year of high school, but I had a thing for fighting in general long before then.”

Y/N felt her stomach twist at his words, but she still wanted to know more despite how unsettled it made her feel. “What do you mean you ‘had a thing’ for it?”

Shawn huffed, reaching a hand up to scrub at the underside of his jaw. He was quiet, staring off into space as though he hadn’t heard Y/N’s question. “It’s okay,” she continued after a prolonged silence. “I shouldn’t have asked. You don’t have to tell me.”

“No, no,” Shawn interjected, turning to look at her with a troubled expression. “I want to tell you, I’m just trying to figure out how.” And, shockingly, he really did find himself wanting to tell her. He paused for a few more seconds as he formed the words in his head, and Y/N waited patiently.

“My parents,” he finally began, looking out at the horizon as he spoke, “never gave me much attention when I was growing up. I have a sister who was born when I was five, and from then on it was pretty much always all about her. My mom and dad never helped me with my homework, never played with me, never did anything that didn’t involve either working or being with my sister. And it fucked me up.” He laughed dryly, shaking his head with his eyes still pointed up. “She was the perfect child, and I just...wasn’t. I felt like I was invisible to them. When I got to be around thirteen or fourteen, I started getting in trouble at school on purpose. It was the only way I could think to get their attention, even if it was bad. And it worked, so I kept doing it. Being loud in class eventually escalated into me picking fights with random kids in the hallway, and after getting caught enough times we just started arranging fights behind the school after hours. Somewhere in there, it stopped being about getting my parents to notice me and more about me just wanting to fight.”

A long silence followed Shawn’s words as Y/N took them in, her heart twisting for the man standing in front of her. She finally spoke. “Do you like fighting?”

“I honestly don’t know,” he sighed, turning to look at her with suddenly red-rimmed eyes. “But it helps me cope with my feelings, in a fucked up way. It’s familiar. And I don’t have much familiarity in my life.”

“It’s made you strong,” she offered. Then, with a playful nudge, “In more ways than one.” Shawn smiled back at her, but it was forced. “You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances,” she continued, serious this time. “You’ve clearly always been a fighter, and now a part of your life is a physical tribute to that.”

He scoffed, returning his focus to the sky. “I’m not a victim. I never will be.”

“You know that wasn’t what I meant,” she sighed softly, reaching over to take his face between her hands. He resisted her, gently tugging her wrists away, but she wasn’t going to give into his stubbornness. She pushed off the wall and walked to the other side of him, delicately placing her hands to rest on his abdomen, and suddenly she knew the reason he had refused to look at her: He was trying not to cry.

“Hey,” she murmured, moving her hands from his biceps to his face. “What’s going on?” He cleared his throat, taking a breath and pinching his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose. His eyes were squeezed shut, and Y/N delicately and silently ran a finger over each of his eyebrows to relieve the tension in his face.

“It’s all just fucked up,” he eventually mumbled. “Hate talking about it. ‘S why I never do.”

“Then don’t,” she sympathized, moving to place her hands on the leather jacket covering his upper arms because she didn’t know what else to do. This certainly hadn’t been a turn she’d expected the night to take. “You don’t have to.”

Shawn simply nodded, finally opening his pained eyes. He grabbed at her jacket, pulling her into his chest and resting his chin on top of her head. They stayed like that for quite a while, Y/N staring out at the city while Shawn just held her until his breathing returned to normal. Her head moved with his broad chest as it expanded with a sudden, deep intake of breath.

“Tell anyone that I actually have feelings and I’ll kill you.”

Y/N giggled softly at Shawn’s abrupt outburst, pulling away from him to be met with a small smile that didn’t quite touch his eyes. “You wouldn’t,” she joked quietly, feigning offense.

Shawn sucked in a breath of air through his teeth, teasing. “I don’t know. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

“I can imagine,” she retorted, extending the joke. “But I see right through you, Mendes.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. You’re not all intense and tough like you appear.”

He raised his eyebrows, conveying his dissent in regard to her claim. “I’m not tough?” he challenged, immediately reaching for Y/N’s hand. He curled her fingers into a fist and pressed them against his chest, which was--as Y/N could have guessed--rock solid. “Tell me I’m not tough one more time,” he smirked. “I dare you.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she laughed, tugging her hand away and rolling her eyes as though her cheeks weren’t suddenly burning. “Arrogant much?”

“Defending my honor,” Shawn corrected, but he was joking by this point, too. “You’re so honest with me,” he continued, his eyes glued to the first face that had ever made him feel physically weak. “No one ever is.”

“It’s that reputation of yours,” she mocked. “Someone says the wrong thing and suddenly the patterns from your rings are imprinted on the side of their head.”

She was only messing with him, but Shawn was suddenly stoic. “You know that’s not how I do things.” Her smile faltered a little as she took in his serious expression, but a mischievous glint soon came into his eye. “I’d take the rings off first.”

“You’re bad,” she laughed, and Shawn was immediately grinning in response to her joy. “But you don’t intimidate me.”

Shawn chuckled breathily. “You’re probably the only person in the world who I don’t, then.”

Y/N quirked her head to the side, looking up at him curiously. “What makes you say that?”

“Because I’m different when I’m around you,” he answered, still smiling, but Y/N’s intuition told her he wasn’t kidding around anymore. “It’s like my personality split or something when I met you, I don’t know. You’re not intimidated by me because I don’t present myself to you the way I do to everyone else. And I don’t know why that is.”

She breathed in heavily, taken aback by his confession. “Just because the world sees you a certain way doesn’t mean that’s who you really are,” she responded truthfully, noticing his eyes widen ever-so-slightly. “I think it’s all just a front you put up because you’ve been on your own basically your entire life. When you’re constantly thrown into situations where you have to be tough, being tough eventually becomes your reality and you probably forget how to be anything else.” She paused, her eyes cast to the sky as she continued to concentrate on her words. “You said you’re different when you’re around me, but I don’t think I’m changing you, or anything. I don’t think you’ve ever been surrounded by people who cared about you enough to want to know who you actually are, but I do. And I don’t think that this so-called ‘split personality’ is actually separate from you. It’s more like two sides of the same coin; what you see, and what you don’t. It’s just that you’ve always kept people from getting past what they see.”

Shawn tipped his head back, harshly scrubbing both of his hands over his face. “God damn,” he muttered, barely audible, turning to stare her right in the eyes. “What are you doing to me?”

“Can’t answer that,” she answered sheepishly, staring down at her shoes and pretending that her heart wasn’t racing a million miles an hour. “I’m not you.”

He breathed out, focus unmoving from her face. The color of her eyes was his favorite color in the world. “Guess not.”

Y/N turned to look back out at the city, and Shawn stood frozen in place as he studied the side of her face. He didn’t have the strength to tear his gaze away, nor would he want to. Y/N, on the other hand, was burning under the heat of his stare and tried with all her might to act as though she wasn’t.

“What time do you have to be home?”

“Never,” she answered, smiling slyly. He was a fool if he thought she’d be willing to leave him any time soon.

Shawn raised his eyebrows to convey an exaggerated sense of shock. “But it’s a school night.”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “I’m a big girl. Plus, my first class tomorrow isn’t until eleven.”

“Okay,” Shawn assented, more thrilled than he’d ever admit about the fact that he’d have more time with her. “Then what should we do now?”

“I want to see Dynamite,” she admitted quickly, though fully expecting him to say no.

Shawn reached up to run a hand through his hair. “Really?”

She nodded. “Just wanna see what it’s like.”

“There’s no fight tonight,” he mused, thinking out loud. “It’s probably empty.”

“Are you okay with taking me there?”

“Would love to,” he answered, and he meant it. There wasn’t any part of his life that he wouldn’t be willing to share with her.

The corners of her lips pulled up. “Seriously?”

She had her answer when he began walking towards the door that had led them onto the roof, and Y/N giggled like a child as she darted after him, reaching to take the hand he’d extended towards her.

--------------------

Shawn parked his Jeep on the street closest to the alley that led through to Dynamite, then raced around to the side of the car to help Y/N slide out. She laughed, not because anything was funny, but because she’d built up so much giddy excitement that she could no longer contain herself. She linked the fingers of her left hand through his right one and followed his lead, eager and nervous all at once to finally be able to see the infamous Dynamite where he spent so much of his time.

“It’s okay,” Shawn said, squeezing Y/N’s hand as though he could sense her anxiousness. “These buildings are all empty. There’s nothing else over here.” Y/N nodded, reaching her free hand up to wrap around Shawn’s arm as though that would provide her with added security. It wasn’t exactly an inviting area, but she was safe with Shawn; she was sure of it.

They reached the familiar courtyard, Shawn letting out a sigh of relief when it appeared to be empty. He turned to Y/N to begin explaining his favorite parts of Dynamite to her, but then he heard a voice that made his blood run cold. The smile dropped from his face.

“Is that you, Sugar?”

There was only one person in the world who called him Sugar, and her tone of voice immediately signaled that she meant trouble. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, his tone rigid. Leave it to Raven to ruin my fucking night.

“I come here when I need to think,” Raven answered, stepping closer to the pair, but then trailed off as she pretended to notice the figure at his side for the first time. “Who’s this?”

“This is my, uh,” Shawn stumbled, reaching a hand up to pull at the front of his hair. “This is Y/N.”

“Y/N,” Raven repeated, the name tinged with a sort of bitterness as it rolled off her tongue.

“Hi,” Y/N greeted, her cheery demeanor a stark contrast to Raven’s sour one. “What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t,” she spoke, her tongue coming up to run along her top row of teeth. “It’s Raven.” She turned to Shawn, a glint in her eye that told him nothing good was about to come out of her mouth.

“So,” she continued, Shawn’s skin crawling over the way her narrowed eyes stared Y/N down. He instinctively reached over to loop a strong arm around Y/N’s waist, pulling her all the way into his side. She looked up at him, confused, but he just stared straight ahead in anticipation of Raven’s words. She didn’t miss how tightly his jaw was clenched. “This must be the reason you’ve been acting different.”

“No. I’m not doing this,” he spat, the feeling of Y/N curling further into his side no longer enough to make the tension in his chest dissipate. “We’re going somewhere else.”

“No, no!” Raven replied, reaching her hand out as a mocking smile graced her lips. “Don’t leave on my account.” She gestured to Y/N, whose confusion was manifesting itself in her facial expression. “I just cannot believe you went from me to this. Can’t say it makes sense.”

Y/N frowned as her eyes took in Raven’s tall, slender figure and clearly agitated expression. I thought he didn’t date? Confused, she tilted her chin up, only to still be met with Shawn’s profile. “What is she talking about?” she whispered. This was enough to get Shawn to look at her, and his eyes immediately softened.

“I promise I’ll tell you all of it. Let’s just go somewhere else first, okay?” His hands slid from around her waist down to intertwine their fingers, but before he could pull her away the sound of Raven’s witchy laughter cut the air.

“Does she not know, Shawn?” she gasped, feigning shock.

“Know what?” Y/N asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable. “Hey,” she demanded, pulling on Shawn’s hands in an attempt to force him to meet her eyes. “What’s going on?”

But his focus was still laser-sharp on their unwelcome visitor. “I’ve only known her for a few weeks, Raven. And besides, you give yourself too much credit. Sitting around telling people about you is probably the most unbearable thing I could think of doing.”

Raven laughed bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest. “You villainize me because you’re too weak to accept that you’re the one who’s fucked up here.”

“You’re delusional.”

Y/N was beginning to get whiplash from all the back and forth, and quite frankly, it was annoying the hell out of her. Furthermore, she didn’t appreciate being ignored. She broke free of Shawn, pushing her hands into the pockets of her denim jacket. “You know what? I’m just going to wait by the car until you’re done with this,” she cut in, but Shawn was instantly blocking her path.

“You can’t be by yourself this late at night, especially not here,” he stated, his tone of voice much gentler than it had been. His concern brought her back to the night they’d met, which had been extended due to his unwillingness to knowingly let her walk home unaccompanied in the early hours of the morning. Y/N huffed, but stayed put as she muttered a fine under her breath. Shawn turned back to the dark-haired girl staring back at him.

“We’re leaving,” he stated, voice flat but still tinged with an obvious frustration.

“Don’t bother,” Raven smirked. “I’m bored anyways. Have a good night, you two.” With that, she was retreating down the alley towards the street to finally leave Y/N and Shawn alone. Shawn was almost convinced she’d somehow been tipped off to know that they were coming.

“Bitch,” he mumbled, shaking his head in disbelief as Raven sauntered away knowing exactly what she had done. He turned to Y/N, who looked just as small and unnerved as she had when he’d first spoken to her in the bathroom of that bar. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she’d be here.”

“I thought you didn’t date,” she said quietly, attempting to seem nonchalant despite the bubble of anxiety rising in her chest. She was worried that he’d played her; unleashed his supposed vulnerability to make her feel special by taking advantage of her empathy. It terrified her to think she’d fallen for it.

But Shawn was quick to refute her doubts, though clearly taken aback. “I don’t date. Not before you.”

“So what was that about, then?”

Shawn let out a heavy huff of breath, bringing a hand up to anxiously tug at his hair. “Raven is a complicated story.”

“Tell me,” Y/N implored softly, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth in the chilly night air.

“I was never with her, ever,” Shawn began, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his leather jacket. “But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t...with her.”

Y/N’s eyebrows quirked subtly as she put together his words. “Oh.”

“I never felt anything for her,” he added hurriedly. “I don’t even like her. At all. She’s crazy.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes at him. “How do you have a history with someone you never even liked?”

“Because I’m an asshole,” Shawn quipped, a humorless smile crossing his face. Y/N quirked her head to the side, challenging his answer, but not realizing just how serious Shawn was. “I mean it,” he continued, emphatically. “I knew I was leading her on and I didn’t care. I wish I had a better explanation, but I don’t.”

Y/N exhaled, not knowing how to respond. While his confession concerned her, she knew she wasn’t upset. She was nothing close to it, because she had no reason or right to be; it didn’t involve her. She was, however, suddenly plagued with a wave of insecurity the longer she thought about it. This girl, Raven, was stunning. And confident. And a part of Shawn’s lifestyle. And they obviously had some sort of history together. Moreover, the nonchalance with which Shawn treated that history was off-putting, to say the least. Would he disregard me like that?

Shawn finally speaking pulled her from her thoughts. “Say something,” he pleaded, swallowing hard.

“There’s nothing to say,” Y/N shrugged, batting her eyes at him. “It doesn’t affect me.”

“But it bothers you, anyway,” he deduced. His expression bordered on smug.

“Yeah, a little,” she admitted. She averted her eyes to a piece of fence off to the side. “It doesn’t bother me that you were with her, I just don’t get how you could write it off so easily.”

He was quick to defend himself. “I told you the second time we ever saw each other that I don’t ever get attached to people. Except you, now.”

“Well when did you end things with her?”

“The night after I met you,” he replied immediately, and Y/N’s eyes snapped up. She hadn’t expected that.

“That quickly?”

He nodded, reaching to pull Y/N closer to him. Despite her uneasiness after seeing the side of him Raven brought out, it was impossible for her to be tense when she was close to him. “I’m serious when I say that you’re different to me,” Shawn started, and Y/N really did believe him. “I knew it as soon as I met you. Yes, I’ve been shitty to Raven, and I know that. I’m not trying to excuse it. But I’d never be able to blow you off like that, if that’s what you’re worried about, and that’s a complete promise. You mean something to me. I want you around. I’ve never had that with someone before, especially not with Raven.”

Y/N couldn’t help the smile that came to her face, her body warm all over. But the way his demeanor had shifted so suddenly in Raven’s presence was still weighing on her, and she’d be remiss to not speak her mind. “Can you at least try to be a little nicer to Raven, though?”

“Not if she’s going to keep coming at me like that,” Shawn argued, and Y/N sighed.

“Did you ever think that her aggression might be a defense mechanism to hide the fact that she actually felt something for you?”

Shawn ignored her question. “Why do you care so much?”

Y/N shrugged. “I don’t know. Something tells me she could use a little kindness, that’s all.”

“You sound like a kindergarten teacher.”

She laughed, lightly hitting his chest. “I’m serious!” she emphasized, but her giggles conveyed the opposite. “Just promise that you’ll at least be civil around her.”

“You don’t even know her.”

“Shawn.”

“Fine,” he assented, letting out a dramatic sigh. “But only ‘cause you’re the one asking.”

“Thank you,” she answered, drawing out the ‘u’ sound.

A smirk made its way onto Shawn’s face, and Y/N quirked her head at him in bemusement. “Sure you won’t get jealous?”

She laughed, reaching up to brush a stray curl off of his forehead. “I’m not too worried,” she said, but it wasn’t exactly the truth.

“No reason to be,” he answered, more quietly, reaching to pull her closer by the waist.

Her heart skipped. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Promise.”

His grip tightened around her waist, and she reached up to place her hands on the lapels of his leather jacket. The chill in the air was almost unnoticeable when she was pressed up against him, and Shawn’s poker face was in full effect as he hid how intensely his stomach was fluttering. He couldn’t remember the last time a girl had made him nervous; the last time a girl--or anyone, for that matter--had made him feel anything. Admit it or not, he was wrapped around Y/N’s finger.

The longer Shawn looked at Y/N the more slowed her breathing became, and it stopped altogether when he hesitantly took one of his hands from her waist and brought it up to place gingerly on the side of her face, his thumb resting adjacent to her ear as the rest of his fingers slid back into her hair. Before her racing mind could register what was happening, he was asking if he could kiss her.

She didn’t trust that her voice wouldn’t fail her, so all she could do was helplessly nod. He stared down at her, and the soft smile he wore combined with the look in his dark eyes was enough to have Y/N convinced she’d never breathe properly again. He leaned down, tantalizingly slowly, and finally pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was delicate at first, but it wasn’t long before Y/N was feverishly grabbing at Shawn’s shirt as though it would somehow pull her closer to him. She’d been waiting for this since the night they’d met; the sheer heat of the moment knocked the wind out of her in the best way possible.

The hand of Shawn’s that wasn’t on Y/N’s face slid from the side of her waist around to the small of her back, anchoring her against him as though he were worried she’d float away. He swiped his tongue softly along her lower lip, eliciting the faintest of moans from Y/N that nearly made his knees give out. He finally pulled away to take in a deep breath, his forehead resting on hers.

“I hate to do this right now,” he began, voice low, “but I really should get you home.”

“No,” Y/N panted, still clinging to his shirt.

He frowned, slightly amused. “But it’s late. And you have class tomorrow.”

Is he seriously asking me about this? “I don’t give a shit about class right now, Shawn,” she sassed, moving to link her arms around his neck and reattach her lips with his. He gave in, kissing her back until he reached the point of realizing that if he didn’t stop now, he never would.

“Are you sure?” he questioned, pulling back to fully look at her this time. Her hair was slightly tangled from where his hand had been, parted lips more plump than usual. His cheeks were flushed, and without thinking, Y/N dragged the pad of her thumb along one of them.

She sighed. “If you’re ready to drop me off at me home, that’s fine. But I want to stay with you a little longer.”

“Shit, no I--” he stuttered, so fucked for her he could hardly speak. “I want to stay with you, too. I just don’t want you to miss school because of me.”

She let out a soft laugh. “I never said anything about missing school. And regardless, it’s my decision to make.”

He groaned, burying his face in the crook of her neck. This elicited a laugh from Y/N, who reached a hand up to thread through his hair. “I don’t want to be a bad influence on you.”

“I’ve known you fight people for fun for how long now?” she asked, teasing. “But when I’m staying out late on a school night, then you start to think that you’re a bad influence?”

He let out another groan, muffled from his face being pressed into her neck. He finally picked his head up to look at her, still undecided as to whether or not she was thinking straight. “Are you sure?”

“Stop asking me that!” she cried, eyes wild with anticipation.

He threw his hands up as if to say I surrender, but Y/N was grabbing at them in an instant to place them back on her waist. He grinned. “Okay, well...We could go to my place? I have wine. Shitty, cheap wine, but it’ll still do the trick.”

She giggled, nodding vehemently. “I’d love some cheap wine.”

That was all it took to have him grabbing at her hand, pulling her along with him as they raced back to his Jeep and laughed like little kids along the way. Shawn felt like a different person, and Y/N was all the way up on cloud nine. It was plain to see that each was quickly becoming addicted to the feeling that accompanied being with the other, and a perfect, unstoppable storm of a relationship was undoubtedly brewing.

Thank you endlessly for reading!! Should I continue?? Feedback makes me very happy.

Taglist: (I’m so sorry if it wouldn’t let me tag you! If you’ve changed your username or want to be added/removed from the taglist just shoot me a message.)

When You Love Someone - @joyfullyswimmingface @fourtristattoos @goldiean @justmesadgirl @shawns-curls @iam-a-painted-whore @quit-it-stilinski @min-amani @implicitmendes @ashwarren32 @rare-breed-of-human @curlsofshawn @thewackywriter @whoopcalpal @pastelshawns @daisychains4 @falling-stars-never-cry @accidental-miracle

Permanent - @nedthegay

#alrighty now for the tags #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes fanfiction #shawn mendes one shot #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes writing #shawn mendes au #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes angst #shawn mendes fluff #shawn mendes imagines #shawn mendes fanfics #shawn mendes one shots #shawn mendes aus #shawn mendes #imagines #writing #sm #streetfighter!shawn

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jsimmersims · 4 years

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Shawn: Mind if I join you?

Makenzie: Sure, and before you ask, I’m fine, but I’m angry, and I don’t want to talk about it.

Shawn: Ok, well let’s talk about something else.

Makenzie: Ok, why were you avoiding me?

Shawn: I’ll tell you at a later time.

Makenzie: Fine. Boys love saying girls are complicated, by I swear you guys are an enigma sometimes.

Shawn: We are, but I can tell you, that when I’m angry I box and if want I can show you sometime, only if your up for it.

Makenzie: I do feel the need to let out some aggression, I accept the offer.

Shawn: Ready to go back downstairs?

Makenzie: Thank you Shawn.

Shawn: No problem.

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#TS4 #ts4 story #TS4 Stories #ts4 gameplay #the sims 4 #the sims 4 story #the sims 4 stories #The Sims 4 Gameplay #jsimmersims #Black Simmer #black simblr #makenzie dawkins #Shawn Simmons

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mendesho · 5 years

Text

Only Fools Pt 2: Please Don’t Bite

A/N: So here’s Part 2 to Only Fools. It’s more of a prequel of how Aria and Shawn met so you don’t have to read the first part to understand it.

Warnings: Smut.

(Header by the Amazing @stockholmshawn)

Word Count: 7.4 K

Summary: Aria is still getting over her last relationship when her friends drag her out. She meets a boy who makes her feel something she thought wasn’t possible. (I’m bad at summaries loool)

The music thudded loudly from the speakers, filling the dimly lit club with electric beat and pounding rhythms. The air was musky with the sweat of warm bodies grinding and writhing against each other on the small dance floor. The club smelled of smoke from lit cigarettes and free flowing alcohol being poured without a care. People of all ages danced carelessly, hands roaming the body of the nearest stranger and hips grinding against each other. Aria was new to this, the whole club scene. She wasn’t sure how she found herself here. One minute she was sat in her dorm, eating ice cream and crying over the silly rom com that played in the background as her mind wandered to her ex, and the next, her friends were pounding on the door, dragging her up and out of her comfy PJ’s into the tight black jeans and fitted crop top that she now adorned. “It’s been 2 months Ariel” Claire had said, fixing Aria’s hair, pushing the messy bangs out of her eyes. “Mark is a prick. It's time to move on and get yourself a man” Aria sighed, her eyes falling to the floor. She loved her friends for trying to help her, but she wished they would understand. Mark was her first real relationship, and it hurt like hell to be told it meant nothing. “I’m not ready” “Like hell you’re not!” Josie shouted from the bedroom, having made herself at home on Aria's bed. She stood up quickly, trudging to the bathroom and looking at Aria. “You’re more than ready. He never deserved you anyway, the twat” Aria appreciated that. She knew she deserved better, but having shared so many firsts with one person, it was hard to just move on and forget. Aria sighed again, not making eye contact with either of them. She just wanted to lie back in her bed and forget the world for a little while longer. “Aria” Claire had started, her hand resting firmly on Aria’s shoulder, forcing him to look up “You’re my best friend, and I say this with love, but stop being a soppy twat and let’s go get hammered!”

And so here Aria sat, nursing a gin and tonic that was more than halfway full at the small bar at the local club, Enigma, which Claire insisted they go to. It was Aria’s first time at a bar or club of any sort. She usually opted to stay inside and play video games and, on the rare occasion that she did go out, usually went to the frat houses on campus which was host to many drunken frat boys and jocks. Aria felt out of place. Her anxiety was skyrocketing as each guy walked to the bar offered her a hungry glance, looking as though they could devour her in one gulp. It was intimidating to say the least. Aria knew she was attractive, at least a little bit, but with the way these men ogled her, it made her nerves burn under her skin and her stomach bubble nervously. She felt like a piece of meat in the lion’s den just waiting to be pounced on. The metaphorical lamb to the slaughter. She felt kind of silly, being 19 years old and never having been to a club. It almost seemed like she’d missed out on a teenage rite of passage in a way. It's not like Aria had refused to ever she just never seemed to be offered. This whole thing, from the thumping music to the practical orgy happening on the dance floor, it all felt so foreign to her. “Hey there beautiful, what’s a pretty thing like you doing here all alone?” A deep, husky voice said to the right of her, tearing her from her thoughts. Aria winced slightly, hoping to remain unnoticed long enough for her friends to get tired and finally let her continue to sulk in her bed. Unfortunately, the lord wasn’t on her side that night. Aria shifted in her seat, eyeing the man. He was attractive, with a strong jaw that had little brown specks of stubble and sandy brown hair in a messy faux hawk. His eyes were a shiny green, the kind you’d find on the expensive emeralds that sat in the jewelry shop windows that sparkled brightly when the light hit them just right. He looked about 30, Aria thought. “I’m not alone... My friends are here” Aria said loud enough for the man to hear her over the pulsing tones surrounding them. “somewhere...” “Shame they left you all alone. Let me buy you a drink” The man said, a smirk playing on his lips. Aria felt uneasy in this man's presence, the man giving her wolf in sheep’s clothing sorts of vibes. Something didn’t sit right, whether it be the way the man eyed Aria hungrily, or the way his hand brushed ever so slightly against Aria’s hip, it made Aria uncomfortable. Aria tried to scoot away, praying the man would disappear if she acted uninterested. “No thanks, still working on this one” Aria said, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. He wanted the man to go away so she could resume her previous position of being alone and miserable. “Oh come on, just one drink.” The guy persisted, his hand now resting firmly on Aria's lower back. Aria shifted, scooting away from the guy’s hand. “I’m fine, really. Thanks” Aria turned away from the guy, sending a silent prayer that he would go away with Aria’s rejection. For the second time that night, the lord wasn’t on his side. Instead, the guy gripped Aria’s shoulder firmly, spinning her around on the bar stool, a cold fierceness in his eyes. Aria's heart jumped in her throat, her eyes wide with fear. This was it, Aria thought. Her first time at a club and she was about to either get punched or murdered. “I think the girl said leave her alone” A voice spoke in a harsh tone, startling both Aria and the older man who's grip was still firm on Aria's shoulder. It was beginning to hurt, and Aria prayed it wouldn’t bruise. “And who are you” The man spat viciously. The owner of the voice came into view and Aria almost gasped. He was beautiful, like something out of an anime (maybe Aria had spent too much time inside). The man wore a white button up shirt that fit him nicely, the pale skin of his collarbone peeking from beneath the collar. His jeans were black and form fitting, accentuating his long, slender legs. His hair was dark brown, and his eyes were pools of honey brown that Aria could drown in without a care. “Just leave the girl alone” The man said, his voice stern and his eyes flashing menacingly. The creep glanced at the man once more before releasing Aria's shoulder, a sly smirk on his face “See you soon, hot stuff” After, the creep walked away. Aria breathed a sigh of relief as she felt her heart thud in his ears. She felt like he was going to explode, as he tried to steady his breathing. Her eyes looked up at the stranger, her knight in shining armor. The man was looking at her curiously and Aria could kiss him if she didn’t feel like his legs would collapse if she tried to stand. “You alright, love? Sorry about that guy, he’s a bit of a cretin” The man laughed “I noticed” Aria mumbled. Her heart rate had slowed significantly and she wasn’t trembling as much. The guy gave off such a calm aura about him. Like he could make everything better just with a simple smile. “I’m Shawn, by the way. Shawn Mendes” The man, Shawn, said as he stuck out his hand. Aria eyed it curiously before placing his own on Shawn’s, giving a firm shake. Ariel Jones. But my friends call me Aria” “Well Ariel Jones, who's friends call you Aria, how are you enjoying your first experience at the club” Shawn chuckled, taking a seat next to Aria Aria's eyes widened it panic “Am I that obvious” Shawn chuckled again, his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth. “A little bit. No worries though, I was the same way my first time. I remember not leaving the bar the whole night and drinking loads of cranberry breezes” Aria smiled slightly at Shawn's recount. It made her feel less awkward, knowing she wasn’t completely alone. “And how did that end up for you?” “My head in the bushes and a pounding headache in my English lecture the next morning” Shawn said, a bubble of laughter escaping his lips. His laughter was infectious, causing Aria to laugh right along with him. Aria could get used to hearing his laugh. The way it was a little high pitched in contrast to the soft velvet of his voice. The way his head was thrown back and how his whole face would light up, making him more beautiful than he was. Aria was convinced that his laugh could cure any disease in the world. “So Aria, what are you doing when you aren’t nervously sitting in a club nursing a drink and getting hit on by creepy guys?” Shawn asked, a humorous expression on his face and a flash of mischief in his eyes. Aria smiled brightly “Well clearly this is my normal routine. But actually I’m studying law at Toronto, first year” “Oh a lawyer” Shawn said, his tone playful but a curious expression on his face “That means you’re going to be rich and have fancy cars and I might just have to make you my sugar mama.” Aria nearly choked on the sip of her drink she had taken, a bubble of laughter falling from her lips. “I have to actually pass my Intro to Law class before I can think about having fancy cars and the likelihood of that happening is nil” Shawn laughed exuberantly, his hand moving to fix the side of his already messy curls that had fallen into his eyes. Aria stared at him, maybe a little too long, taking in every part of his face. He was attractive, that was for sure. More attractive than Mark could ever dream to be. Aria smiled to herself when she realized that this was the longest time she had gone in a while without thinking about Mark. All because of this wonderful stranger who had saved her from being assaulted by a creep. She made a mental note to thank Claire for this later. “So Shawn” Aria started, taking a sip of her drink. The ice had mostly melted and the alcohol was severely diluted now, but Aria had paid 10 bucks for it so she certainly wasn’t going to let it go to waste. “What do you do when you’re not saving inexperienced club goers from creepy men looking to get their rocks off”

“I'm a musician. I’m heading out on tour tomorrow and wanted to relax a bit before all the craziness started” Shawn said, a small smile curved on his lips. Aria stared, fascinated by this man. He was a musician, traveling the world when Aria was sat complaining about basic intro classes and writing papers. She felt like a proper loser compared to this man. Aria was convinced this man was perfect, the epitome of perfection and there was no way he could be real, let alone interested enough to talk Aria for more than 10 minutes. “Hey, do you want to get out of here? Maybe go for a walk?” Shawn said, a hopeful expression on his face. Normally, Aria would say no. Especially after the whole Mark thing, she wasn’t exactly inclined to subject herself to heart break again. But there was something about Shawn. About the way he looked at Aria, the way he spoke. The way his eyes shined brightly even in dark room of the club and how his laugh filled Aria’s body with warmth that made Aria inclined to say yes. So she did, opting to text her friends later and thank them for dragging her out of her shitty dorm.

~~~ Aria clutched the warm cup of coffee in her hands, thankful for the comfort it provided as she and Shawn walked down the cold streets of Toronto. The breeze blew through the air, ruffling the trees and bringing a cold chill over Aria. Shawn smiled at her, taking a step closer as he sipped his own coffee. Aria had learned that Shawn was 20 years old, his birthday the beginning of August. He was born in Pickering but was planning to move to Toronto once he finalized the purchase of his condo. He was allergic to dogs, even though he loved them. He loves Harry Potter, music (obviously) and was very close to his family. It was almost like he was Aria’s other half, which made Aria excited. Aria felt her heart quickly sink at the thought that Shawn would be gone after tomorrow. She probably wouldn’t see him again and Shawn would forget all about Aria and move on to some new girl who would get lost in his eyes. “You think too loud” Shawn said, eyeing her curiously. “What's on your mind?” Aria blushed as she was pulled from her thoughts, glancing over at Shawn “Sorry, I’m a very thoughtful person I guess. I’m not really thinking of much.. Just kind of lost in thought” Shawn smiled at him again, nudging his shoulder gently. “Well enough of that! Come on, let’s get on the Ferris Wheel” Aria glanced over where the giant wheel sat illuminated in the square, the line already about 3 feet long. She wouldn’t admit to Shawn she had a slight fear of heights, hoping that she could push the anxiety aside just for this one night. She wasn’t willing to ruin his time with this man for anything. They stood in line, having drained their coffee cups and tossing them in the bin near the small line, which despite its size was moving rather quickly. Shawn nudged into Aria, a smile on his face as he looked in the girl's eyes. Aria really wanted to kiss him. Not too long after, they were taking their seats in the cart of the wheel. The wind whistled softly around them, bringing a slight chill in the air. Aria shivered slightly, scooting closer to Shawn instinctively, seeking his warmth. Shawn wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side. Aria smiled shyly, the feeling comforting and oddly intimate. Aria felt a bit silly, with the way her heart sped up in her chest and her cheeks created a dusting of pink on her skin. She had only known this man for 2 hours and already she felt like a high school kid developing a crush. She couldn’t deny the warmth she felt surrounding her, not just from Shawn's body heat, but Shawn in general. He had a warm personality that could kill the cold and bring light to wherever he was. The wheel began to move, ascending them high over the city. The lights shone brightly in the sky, lighting up the dark night time. Aria was in awe, never having seen Toronto from this angle. It was breathtaking. The lights sparkled on the buildings, like stars in the distance, and the sky was clear, the black reflecting the light beautifully. “It's so gorgeous up here” Aria gasped, her eyes glued to the view around them. “It really is. Thank you for coming up here with me.” Shawn spoke, his voice soft and gentle like velvet. Aria tore her eyes away from the view and looked at Shawn. The lights of the city danced across his face, his eyes even more beautiful than they naturally were with the way the light was hitting them. Aria saw glimpses of yellow in his eyes, as a soft smile was etched on his face. Aria really wanted to kiss him. Almost as if Shawn could read her thoughts, he leaned forward just a bit, his eyes darting down to glance at Aria's lips. His tongue slid across his own lips and his eyes went back to meet hers, biting his lip nervously. “Can I um… Would it be okay if-” Shawn started, tripping over his words. Aria found it adorable and cut him off. “Yes please” She said, her voice shaky and barely above a whisper. Shawn let out a breath, his hand traveling to Aria's cheek and his thumb ghosting over the bone gently, carefully. He looked into Aria’s eyes deeply, like searching for one final form of consent and leaned in. His breath ghosted over Aria's lips and her eyes fluttered shut, her stomach flipping relentlessly and her brain screaming with white noise. When their lips finally touched, Aria felt her whole body ignite. It wasn't fireworks or rainbows, but an intense warmth that rushed over her. It was like she was trapped in a burning building that she didn’t want to escape. She wanted to be engulfed by the flames and never let this feeling end. She felt alive. Shawn’s lips were soft, an excellent contrast to Aria's own overly chapped ones. They were smooth and plump and he tasted like coffee and chocolate with bits of vodka mixed in. The kiss was slow, careful, almost cautious of frightening Aria away. Aria's hands went to Shawn's hip, clinging to the fabric of his jacket that hung on his waist. Her hands were shaking from her nerves and the feeling of the older boys lips being on her, though she would say it was from the cold if ever asked. Soon, far too soon in Aria's opinion, Shawn pulled away. His eyes met Aria's again and a shy smile graced his lips. Aria could get lost in his eyes, the way he stared at Aria made her fill with warmth and a desire to always be by his side. She never wanted this night to end. “That was.. Yeah” Shawn said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Aria felt on cloud 9. She felt like she was swimming. Her whole body felt like it was sparking and waiting to explode and she wanted more. She wanted to feel this every day for rest of her life. She never believed in love at first sight, always thinking it was a myth people made up to explain adolescent feelings, but she got it now. She understood the hype. Aria's not sure what led her to her next move, whether the electricity from the kiss that still hung in the air, or the adrenaline that was coursing through her body, but before she knew it she was pulling Shawn in by his collar. Their lips clashed sloppily, not as gentle and easy as the first. This was heavy, full of passion and desire. Aria was feeling brave, her hands running through Shawn's hair, tangling her fingers in the brown curls. Shawn's hands were on Aria's hips in a flash, his fingertips digging into her exposed skin. He darted his tongue over her bottom lip, not having to wait long before Aria parted her lips and let Shawn explore her mouth. It was messy and rushed, but Aria craved it. She wanted more. She needed more.

~~~ The cab ride back to Shawn's hotel was tense. Aria was fidgety and anxious and struggled to keep her hands to herself. She never did this, never picked up random guys for a quick fuck. She wasn’t the type and now that she was doing it, her nerves were on high, causing her hands to tremble and a lump to form in her throat. There was something about Shawn that made her brave. Making her do things she never thought she would. He brought her out of her comfort zone. It was exhilarating. Shawn sat next to her, hand resting on Aria's thigh and stroking slowly, his eyes watching Aria carefully. They weren’t the honey brown they normally were, instead dark, almost black with lust. Aria shivered at Shawn’s touch, the hand sliding up slowly and ghosting over Aria's center. She held back a moan, biting her lip and digging her nails into the leather of the arm rest. Thankfully, the cab ride was over soon enough and they both exited the cab. They rushed inside quickly once they handed the driver the cash and rushed to the elevator. The wait for the elevator may have been worse than the cab ride, as Aria was growing more and more desperate the longer she had to wait. She wanted to touch Shawn. She wanted to taste the boy properly and run her fingers over the soft, tan skin.

She shuddered at the dirty thoughts her mind was creating. All the thing she wanted Shawn to do to her. What she wanted to do to him. She bit her lip, trying to focus her mind. The ding of the elevator startled Aria, ripping her away from her less than PG thoughts. Both of them stepped inside once the doors opened. Shawn pressed the door close button, stepping back so they metal doors could shut. In less than a second after they had, Aria felt herself being pushed against the wooden wall of the lift, warm lips against her own. She moaned into the kiss, hands going to Shawn’s hair. Shawn took Aria's hands from his hair, pinning them above her head, and began attacking her neck, soft nips and kitten licks stroking over her skin. Aria felt her knees wobble, her neck being her most sensitive spot.

She let out a loud, almost pornographic moan, rolling her hips forward to meet Shawn’s. She heard Shawn suck in a breath, rolling his hips back. They were both unbelievably aroused, desperate for the other. Shawn's teeth grazed over her skin, sucking a mark into her neck. Aria didn’t even mind, wanting to show the whole world that this beautiful man wanted her. The lift doors dinged, opening slowly. The two jumped away from each other, Shawn going back to the other side of the lift. Aria was panting, her cheeks flushed, hair a bit of a mess and the beginnings of an angry, purple bruise forming on her neck. An older woman, who couldn’t be any younger than 70, stepped inside and pressed the button for her floor followed by the close button. She glanced at the both of them, giving a raised eyebrow at their current state. Aria blushed furiously, avoiding the woman’s knowing gaze. She tried to slow her breathing, willing her heart to stop thudding so loudly. Shawn let out a chuckle, keeping his eyes glued to the metal doors. The lift dinged once more, this time for Shawn's floor. They both stepped out quickly, not looking back at the older woman. Aria followed Shawn down the corridor to his room, anxiously waiting for Shawn to open the door. Finally, the door was open and Aria's back was yet again pressed to the wall.

Teeth clashing and roaming hands and heavy, breathy moans. Aria felt weak in the knees again, her hands clinging to Shawn's shirt in order to keep herself upright. Shawn's hand slid under Aria's shirt, fingertips ghosting over Aria skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. Aria shivered under Shawn’s touch, her breath hitching in her throat and her hips pushing forward instinctively.

“You’re so beautiful” Shawn whispered against Aria's lips, his hand trailing up Aria’s torso, finding themselves underwear bra.. Aria blushed deeply. She’d never been called that before by anyone other than her friends and her mother and it sounded genuine. It sounded intimate. His thumb brushed over her nipple, a small moan escaping Aria's lip. Aria didn’t know what to do with herself. She felt like she was on fire, her whole body blazing under Shawn's hands. She felt overly sensitive and wanted Shawn to touch her. She wanted him in any way she could get him. Shawn tugged her shirt over her head, discarding it to the side of the room. Aria's hands went instinctively to her chest, her self-consciousness kicking in. She hated being shirtless. She hated being naked in general, hating the way her stomach wasn’t flat and the many freckles and birthmarks that littered her torso. Shawn looked into her eyes, his lips slightly parted. “Stop it. You’re gorgeous, let me see you” He said softly, gently pulling Aria’s arms back to her sides. Aria blushed again, looking away from Shawn. She wasn’t used to this, being called beautiful and gorgeous. When her and Mark would have sex, her body was mostly ignored, cast aside in favor of Mark's pleasure. This was new, having someone focus on her. It was terrifying. Shawn's eyes gazed over her hungrily, his tongue darting across his lips. “So fucking beautiful.”

Shawn sank to his knees, his hands working to undo the buttons on Aria's jeans. Aria laid her head back against the wall, the feeling of his calloused fingers ghosting over her skin, so close to her core was driving her mad. She hasn’t gotten off in ages and she was receptive to even the lightest touch from Shawn. Shawn looked in her eyes, asking silent permission to continue removing her pants. Aria nodded slightly, watching Shawn closely Shawn smiled, pulling Aria's jeans down to her ankles. His fingers traced over the silky underwear she was wearing, tracing patterns and stroking her folds through the thin fabric. Aria shivered and pushed her hips forward, desperate for more friction. She could feel herself practically dripping.

“Hm, so wet for me already” Shawn stated, his voice thick with his own lust. Shawn tugged the underwear down Aria's legs, pulling them off and tossing them in the distance. He began kissing up her thigh, hiking it over his shoulder. Aria's gripped his shoulder, steadying herself against the cool wall on her warm back.

Shawn's tongue ghosted over her thigh, his eyes watching her the whole time. She felt her chest heaving as she watch him, wanting desperately to pull him to her center, where she really needed him.

Being the mind reader he was, he moved quickly to her core, tongue gliding up and down her folds before sucking her clit into his mouth.

“Oh, fuck” Aria moaned, her legs shaking at the feeling.

She felt his finger ghost over her opening, circling the outer rim before dipping in slowly, pumping in and out. She let out another loud moan, her head falling back against the door and her eyes shutting tight.

She felt the pleasure wash over her, not remembering the last time she felt this good. Her body moved in sync with Shawn's fingers, pushing her closer to her release.

She wanted to stay like this. Stay in his arms, feel his hands and lips on her. Feel his heartbeat against her skin. Her breathing became staggered and her vision became dark as he continued his motion, speeding up his fingers and sucking her clit, his tongue darting out to add extra sensation. He added second finger to her, stretching her further and causing an even more pornographic moan to fall from her lips. She really hoped the walks weren't thin.

She felt light, like she could float a million miles away. The girl began to tremble, her body tensing as she felt her release approaching quicker than she wanted. She wanted this to last forever, if it could. She was very content with the idea of never having to be away from Shawn’s lips. Just before she could come, Shawn pulled away from her, kissing back up her chest. Aria let out a frustrated whine. “Patience baby” Shawn said, pecking Aria’s lips. “On the bed” Aria scrambled, nearly tripping over her own feet and rushed over to the bed. She obliged, crawling on the bed, flopping down on her back and propping up to look at Shawn. She felt exposed, never having gotten this close with anyone but Mark, but she wasn’t scared. Somehow she trusted Shawn, knowing he would hurt her. Shawn stripped quickly, tossing his pants, shirt, and boxers in a pile with Aria's. He came over to the bed, licking his lips again. “You’re so perfect, has anyone told you that” Aria shook his head, avoiding Shawn's eyes. She felt like a child, with her constant blushing at the simplest compliments. Shawn smiled at her, crawling on the bed and reattaching their lips. Aria's hands found Shawn’s hair again, running her fingers along the man's scalp. She moaned into the kiss, lifting his hips to get some friction. Shawn’s mouth trailed from Aria's lips to her jaw, nipping and biting at the flesh. Soon they were on her neck, adding new marks to the one from the lift. Aria moaned louder, her hips jerking upward at the feeling of teeth on her neck. Shawn pulled away from Aria's neck, ghosting kisses along her collar bone, his tongue darting out and tracing over the dips. He continued the action across Aria’s chest, stopping briefly to tease her nipples. Aria’s old therapist had told her she had an addictive personality, boarding on obsessive. She thought she was full of shit, until this moment. She could get addicted to the feeling of Shawn’s lips on her skin. The way his hands felt on her hips. The way his teeth grazed delicately and carefully but enough so Aria could feel it. She could get very addicted to this.

Shawn glanced up into Aria's eyes, placing a few kisses near the dip of his hip bone. He smirked a little, running his fingers teasingly over Aria's thigh. “You have such a perfect body baby. Turn over for me” Aria obliged, flipping over once Shawn got out of the way. She got on her knees, resting on her elbows. He looked back at Shawn curiously, biting her lip. Shawn smiled at her, his hand running along Aria's spine. He placed soft kisses on each bump and birth mark he saw, soon his hands reaching Aria's bum. He caressed it gently, kneading it between his hands. “Such a perfect ass too.” He whispered, his voice low and gravely. He bend down, kissing over the cheeks and biting softly Aria swore she could come just from the way Shawn sounded. Aria moaned, pushing her hips back into Shawn's touch. She felt warm and sensitive and she needed something. Anything Shawn would give her “S-Shawn please” She moaned, her voice sounding broken. Shawn chuckled, hand running up Aria’s thigh. Before Aria could even comprehend what was happening, she felt a warm, wet sensation over her center again. She jerked forward, a loud moan ripped from her throat. This. This was new.

She'd only ever done missionary and she certainly has never been eaten out from behind. She wasn't sure why she trusted Shawn with all of these new sensations, but shed be damned if she protested. Shawn’s hands gripped Aria's hip, holding her in place as his tongue lapped across her core again. He pushed his tongue inside her, trying to create as much sensation as he could. Aria's arms were trembling, her body began to quake again and her mind went fuzzy. This sensation was entirely new and she could cry. “F-Fuck, Shawn. Oh god” She moaned out, pushing her hips back. Shawn slowly pushed a finger in Aria’s entrance, his tongue still lapping over the sensitive skin. He pushed his finger in and out of Aria, mewling at the sounds she was making and how responsive she was. He soon pushed another digit in, curling them up. Aria almost screamed, feeling the fingers brush her g-spot. Her legs were trembling, on the verge of collapsing and she could feel the knot in her stomach tightening. She was so close, the urge to come heavy on her stomach. She moaned loudly, pushing her hips back more to meet Shawn’s hands. “You going to come like this baby? Just from my mouth and fingers” Shawn purred out, pulling away briefly. Aria moaned loudly, nodding quickly as she felt her stomach tense, her orgasm looming. Just a little more and she would be gone. Suddenly, Shawn pulled away completely. Aria whined loudly. She could cry, her frustration building. She wanted to scream at Shawn to just fucking get on with it, but she loved the idea of having Shawn touch her. She wanted Shawn to touch her forever. “S-Shawn. Please. Please I need” Aria stuttered, her voice unsteady and her hips moving involuntarily. Shawn nodded, kissing back up Aria's spine. “Don’t worry love, I’ll take care of you” Shawn reached in the black bag that sat next to the bed on the floor, pulling out a condom. He ripped the condom open with his teeth, rolling it over his length and stroking himself, soft moans falling from his lips. Aria moaned quietly, looking back at Shawn pleasuring himself. The sounds he made were delicious, soft and deep. Aria almost came just listening to him. His presence alone was orgasmic to be honest. He bit his lip, looking down at Aria. “On your back love” He said softly. Aria turned over, looking at Shawn curiously. With Mark, he was never gentle. He never complimented her. He just used her body and left, a quick love you before departing. She never paid it any attention until now. This was much better than anything she'd ever experienced. Aria looked Shawn over. His body was beautiful, like a work of art created by Leonardo Di Vinci himself. His chest was speckled with a few chest hairs and he had what most would describe as a 6-pack, but Aria could swear she counted at least 8. He had a little scar, just above his hip. Aria assumed it was from having his appendix removed, as she had one in a similar spot. Aria had to hold in a moan when she saw how big Shawn was. She saw Shawn smirk and he bit his lip, looking away from the boy and blushing for the millionth time that night. Shawn positioned himself near Aria's entrance, teasing the hole slightly with the tip. “Look at me” He said, his voice thick and low. Aria turned her head, staring into the man's eyes. She moaned loudly as she felt Shawn push into her, a slight burn of pain shooting through her as he stretched her. She struggled to keep her eyes open, not wanting to miss any of this. Her nails dug into Shawn's forearm, trying to will the burn to go away. “Tell me if it's too much. I’ll stop, okay” Shawn said softly, placing light kisses over Aria's face. Aria nodded, taking deep breaths. She felt Shawn bottom out and the pain was searing, but she wanted to push through. She had to push through. Shawn stilled his hips, groaning loudly at the tightness of Aria around him. Aria bit her lip, focusing on the pleasure that was slowly starting to replace the pain. “How you doing, honey ” Shawn asked, kissing along Aria's cheek. “I-I'm okay. Just. Just give me a second” Aria said, her voice shaking. Shawn nodded, placing light kisses on Aria's neck. Aria breathed slowly, relaxing her muscles. She felt herself calm down a bit, the feeling of Shawn inside her turning from pain to insurmountable pleasure. She let out a soft moan, rolling her hips up to signal that he was okay to keep going. Shawn smiled, placing one final kiss on Aria's lips and rocking his hips slowly. He began with a slow thrust to build his rhythm, gripping Aria's hands and pinning them on either side of her head. Aria moaned loudly, feeling every drag of Shawn's cock in and out of her. It felt euphoric, the pleasure incomparable to anything else she had ever felt in her life. Aria wrapped her legs around Shawn's waist, rocking her hips in rhythm with his own motions. Shawn began to pick up speed, his eyes falling shut at the feeling of her around him. Aria whined loudly, high pitched and needy. She wanted to touch Shawn but her hands were pinned above her head. “Fuck, Aria. You sound so good, baby” Shawn moaned out, thrusting his hips harder. Aria screamed, feeling Shawn slam into his g-spot again. She felt her release build inside her again, the heat pooling in her lower abdomen and the warmth spreading over her body. She whimpered loudly as Shawn slammed into her repeatedly, his own moans mixing with Aria's. Shawn leaned down, placing his lips on Aria's neck again, biting and sucking even more marks into her soft skin. Aria whined loudly, arching her back up more. PS-Shawn, Fuck I-I’m” Aria stuttered out, her words jumbling in her brain as she tried to form a sentence. Shawn released his hands, fingers moving to circle Aria's clit quickly in time with his thrusts. Aria arched her back, her fingers digging into Shawn's skin. She closed her eyes, biting down hard on her lip and whining, hips bucking wildly against Shawn. Her legs shook with the force of Shawn’s thrusts and the impending orgasm that continued to build rapidly in her body. Her lip started to hurt from how hard she was biting down on it, but she was too gone to care. “Look at me baby, I want to see you when you come for me” Shawn growled Aria's hips sputtered, the words pushing her over the edge. Her eyes flew open to stare at Shawn, trying to keep his eyes on him while she rode out her orgasm. She felt herself clench and her body spasm involuntarily, as waves of pleasure crashed over her. Her vision went white and his body shook, riding out his high. Shawn groaned loudly, feeling Aria clench around him as his own orgasm overtook him. He kept his thrusts up, stilling as his own orgasm hit, causing him to spill into the condom. Shawn collapsed on top of Aria, a hand reaching up to play with her hair. Aria hummed contently, a wave of euphoria and exhaustion washing over her. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to stay in his arms forever, the feeling of safety and warmth making her feel almost like she was home. She never felt like this with Mark, often left cold and alone after Mark was done. She would usually get up and leave once all was said and done. “That was amazing” Shawn said, his breathing heavy. He felt like dead weight on Aria, but she didn’t mind at all, too caught up in her after orgasm haze. Her brain was fuzzy, slowly trying to clear up and form legible words. “You’re amazing” Aria said, cringing immediately at how tacky and cliché it was. Shawn smiled brightly and kissed her once more before rolling off of her, a small whimper from his lips as he pulled out, and pulling the condom off to throw it in the trash. Soon enough, he was back in the bed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. Aria nuzzled closer to Shawn, burying her face in his neck. This felt very domestic, the way Shawn's fingers traced patterns across the skin of Aria's shoulder and arm. Aria breathed in deeply, capturing the boy’s scent. He smelled like cinnamon, coffee, and sex and it was the most intoxicating thing Aria had ever smelled. She would bottle this scent and smell it every single day if she could. The realization hit like a ton of bricks. Shawn was leaving tomorrow, headed back to on tour around the world. Off to bigger things and new people. This was very possibly the last time they’d see each other. Aria's euphoric state was quickly replaced by a feeling of dread and sadness. It hit her like a train and she wished she wouldn’t have remembered. Her brain was cruel sometimes. “You’re thinking too loud again” Shawn said, his voice sounding tired. He sat up, looking at Aria, eyes searching her face with concern. “I just… It's just… Never mind, it’s stupid” Aria said, avoiding Shawn's gaze again. She had only just met Shawn. This was just a one night stand. She couldn’t tell this beautiful man that she had developed feelings for him after knowing him less than 6 hours without sounding like a total stalker weirdo. She worried that Shawn would think he was insane and kick her out straight away. Then she definitely wouldn’t see the beautiful boy with the honey brown eyes and sweetest smile ever again. Shawn placed a finger under Aria's chin, forcing her to look up “Aria, talk to me” Aria sighed, willing her eyes not to water. She hated the fact she got attached to people so quickly. They always ended up leaving her in the long run. She tried to think about what to say, how to work the jumbled mess her brain was producing.

She cleared his throat, trying to find the proper way to say this without coming off as insane. “It's just. This was.. Such a good night. And I realized this is probably the last time I’ll ever see you again because you go back on tour tomorrow and I’m being stupid because I like you a lot. Like really a lot and it’s stupid because we've only just met and I’m being a friggin weirdo right now and you probably think I’m so strange and I’m rambling now and I just-“ Aria rambled, but was cut off by Shawn's lips. Aria melted into the kiss, her hands going to Shawn’s hair instinctively. The feeling of warmth spread over her again. She never wanted to stop kissing Shawn, his lips almost as intoxicating as his smell. Shawn pulled away, his thumb brushing over Aria's cheek. His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, but spoke loud enough so Aria could hear him. “I promise you Ariel Jones, this is definitely not the last time we will see each other” Shawn said, his eyes boring into Aria's. The intensity was high, every time Shawn stared at her. She wasn’t sure why, but she believed Shawn. She knew she would see him again, somehow. Aria nodded, eyes still staring at Shawn. This beautiful man who had walked into her life and made her feel things that she could never understand in such a short time. This beautiful man who kissed her like she was the most important person in the world. He touched her like she was the most beautiful person in the world. He was gentle and kind and honestly Aria felt her heart swell. They kissed once more, the intensity still present, before Shawn pulled away. Aria went to sit up, preparing to grab her stuff and go. Just as she was about to, Shawn pulled her back, his eyes looking like a lost puppy. It was amazing how he could go from intense and incredibly sexy to adorable in a matter of seconds. “You’re not leaving are you? Please stay” He said, his voice almost shy. Aria nodded slowly, hand brushing the Shawn’s hair out of his face. “Okay” Aria laid back down, scooting her body close to Shawn. She felt warm and safe next to Shawn, like nothing in the world could touch her as long as they were together. It felt like home, something she hasn’t felt in a very long time. She loved this feeling, never wanting to let it go. This was all so new and it was unnerving. Aria was terrified. She wanted to give this man everything she had, even though she only knew him a short time. She wanted to spend as much time with this man as she could, get to know everything about him. She wanted to build a future with him, a life. That scared Aria to no end, thinking about it. But she was willing to risk it. She would risk it all for a chance with this beautiful person, just praying that this beautiful boy wouldn't break her. Aria glanced over at Shawn, who by now was fast asleep with his hair falling in his face and soft snores falling from his lips. Aria leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on his lips, brushing the stray hair away from his face. "Please don't bite" Aria whispered, staring down at Shawn, taking him in once more. “Don't be like the rest” With a sigh, Aria settled in, snuggling closer to Shawn and falling into a deep sleep, content filling her body.

#shawn mendes #shawn mendes fanfiction #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes fanfics #shawn mendes smut #shawn peter raul mendes #this was fun #feedback appreciated #my work

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shmende · 5 years

Text

Growing Out Of It: Pt. 1 - The Unexpected (Shawn Mendes)

In which the reunion of old school friends stirs up some uninvited feelings

No warning, just very slow burn-ish. Also roughly 4.2k words. Enjoy!

Mary-Anne shot an expectant glance from the other side of the bar, thin brows wrinkled and mouth straight. “Kid spilled her drink at 12.”

Judging by her exasperated tone, I obviously wasn’t the only one categorically done with LLV’s Kid’s Sundays. I liked kids, I really did, but they were still a pain in the ass sometimes.

And the parents.

I sighed, remembering the run-in with a particularly nasty mother last Sunday who had insisted that her little five-year-old wouldn’t - couldn’t - consume our fatty french fries, which, by the way, were literally the food about seventy percent of LLV’s costumers came here for, and complained about how we, as a restaurant, endangered her child’s health.

Fucking tourists.

Usually I liked my job, really, it was quite fun, quite sociable, it paid the bills (the horrendously high bills in Toronto), and I couldn’t recall too many unpleasant encounters with costumers, Canadian customers, but those Americans. Sometimes Europeans, too. They could be arseholes.

Desperately wishing for a nice, peaceful family at 12, I grabbed a few napkins, a wet wash cloth and made my way over along the dark, wooden bar, through the black maple pillars and the maze of birch tables, all filled with happy families, some with only one kid, some with grandparents and some pushed together to accommodate all six children. I waved at Tina and Felix, Jonah and Tracy (I hadn’t remembered the names of the little twins yet) and nodded at Mr. and Mrs. Crubick. They made it to every Kid’s Saturday.

Today they sat at 15, meaning that I was only three tables away. And yes, I probably should’ve noticed the woman crouched on the floor a few metres down and a toddler wiggling her arms, barely reaching above the table top, a wee bit earlier. Because then I definitely wouldn’t have stepped into the wet patch on the floor, stumbled and almost lost my balance.

The woman looked up, her short blonde hair messed up and shirt battered with a few light yellow stains. She looked exhausted. “I’m so, so sorry. Little Amy was way too excited about her apple juice.”

“No, ma’am. It’s all fine, no worries. This happens all the time here.” I said, getting to work with my wash cloth.

The woman sighed. “Sorry to cause such mayhem, Miss. I’m sure you weren’t planning to wipe the-”

“Miss, Miss!” A light voice interrupted.

The woman and I turned our heads to the toddler. She was cute, wearing pigtails and ribbons and a little chain with plastic bananas around her neck. Her brown eyes were wide.

“I’m sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to show Mummy something. Look, I drew her a picture! It’s the big tree in our garden.”

I smiled at her. “That’s a pretty picture. Hey, Amy, right? Do you want me to tell you a secret?”

She nodded eagerly. The woman got back on her feet as I finished up the floor as well as I could. Then I turned back to the girl and started wiping the table. The woman settled back into her seat, lifting her cup and motioning at the little one to secure her drawing utensils.

“Listen, Amy, you see the tall guy over there, behind the bar? The one with the brown hair and yellow shirt, like the one I’m wearing?” The girl nodded. “His name’s Matthew. He’ll make you a new juice if you draw him a pretty picture. How’s that sound?”

The girl gave an excited squeak. Then she wriggled in her seat and got to work.

Her mother smiled broadly, relieved, and thanked me. I smiled back before returning to the bar, taking a few orders and waving at Felix and Tina again.

“You’re too nice.”

I shrugged at Mary-Anne, occupied with typing the orders into our tablet.

“Matthew’s gonna cut off your tips one day, you know.”

Mary-Anne was 48 with wild brown curls that she kept in the tightest bun and piercing black eyes. She had a son in drama school in Lethbridge and in constant disagreement with her, especially because she’d desperately wanted her son to become a doctor. Still, she was much more of a delight to be around than any other adult in my life.

“No, he won’t. He knows the importance of good customer service,” I said pointedly, before snapping my eyes to my unbelievably tall boss and catching him with a grin on his lips. “Hey, Matt, you’re gonna get a drawing from an adorable little girl in exchange for an apple juice. Please don’t disappoint her.”

Matthew shot me a thumbs-up. Mary-Anne scoffed, but a small smile lingered on her lips.

She’d been working at LLV for ages, years before I’d started and she had used to be distant at first, insisting I’d only gotten the job because my chem tutor Will was an old friend of Matt’s. Which wasn’t necessarily wrong. I’d been in desperate need for a way to keep the bills paid while studying at U of T and ever since my parents had cut the money chords, I’d been barely scraping by. But I had proved myself. I had Matt now. And Mary-Anne. And the LLV.

And life didn’t seem as pointless as it had used to.

“Hey, Teddy just came in.” Matt said suddenly, making me whip my head to the door.

“Usual spot?”

After his small nod I grabbed the little notepad and sauntered over to the round tables by the window front, right by the terrace, and spotted her familiar mop of brown hair and gesticulating arms. She was with two guys and another girl, all dark-haired and wearing light coloured shirts. I felt like a burst of spring in my yellow top.

And I wasn’t even fully at the table when Teddy waved at me frantically. “Lacey! How you been?”

I grinned. Teddy was one for the books. Always happy, always bubbly. One of my favourite customers, especially on Kid’s Sunday.

“Now that you’re here I’m fantastic. How’re you, back in your old space?”

She laughed. “My favourite space,” and tapped the birch table twice. I took the opportunity to look over her company, my gaze getting stuck at a certain face, adorned with curls and a bright smile. No way.

My grin became involuntarily bigger.

“Shawn? Oh my god, I haven’t seen you in ages!”

Obviously this was a blatant lie. I’d seen him everywhere. On billboards, on magazines, on TV, YouTube, Instagram...the guy was all over. But years ago, when he hadn’t been a world-famous singer, he’d just been the guy sitting next to me in Algebra, struggling on problems and having a laugh if we got it totally wrong. And English Lit. Oh, and biology. Kind of.

Shawn’s eyes lit up. “Lacey Windsor? The Lacey Windsor?”

“Yes! Oh my god, this is-” I didn’t get to finish my sentence because Shawn sprang up and pulled me into a hug, tight and friendly. I grimaced upon remembering the last time we’d hugged. Actually, the last time we’d even seen each other. Graduation. 2016.

I leant back from the hug, mind flashing to that warm night in June and how we’d danced like idiots, sneaked drinks into our gym and sat on the bleachers after the parents had left. Katherine, Ivy, Brian, Shawn and I, not my usual crowd, but Lisa and Theo had been impossible to keep trace of the whole night (ah, yes, young love) and so I’d somehow ended up with the cool music squad after Shawn had taken pity on me and called me over. Only to be sat next to my on-and-off crush of almost two years for the next something hours. It had been a great night. I still called Ivy a very good friend to this day.

“It’s so nice to see you, Lacey! How have you been?” Shawn sat down again, staring up at me expectantly. Suddenly I felt jittery.

“Yeah, I’ve been good. What about you? What are you up to nowadays, rockstar?” The nickname rolled over my lips too comfortably, considering the last time I’d called him that.

He laughed shortly, opening his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Teddy’s slow drawl of a voice, which was one of the things I liked most about her. She didn’t let anyone rush her.

“Wait, you two know each other?”

I wanted to giggle at her raised brows and dropped jaw; also, I wanted to cry at the suddenness of this situation. I’m just as surprised as you, Teddy, trust me. Her fingers dangled in the air, motioning between Shawn and I.

“Yeah, we sat next to each other in school.”

“Algebra was a bitch, wasn’t it?” Shawn immediately regressed to talking to me again, looking up through his long lashes and with his signature grin; and I was 16 all over again. Shit.

Before I could even try to answer, Teddy spoke up. “So, like, you two have been totally unaware that you’ve practically been living in the same street for what - almost a year?”

I shrugged unsurely, feeling incredibly out of place. “I guess?”

Life had a funny way of playing out sometimes. Then I gaped (How did she know where I live?), but was once again cut off by Teddy who continued with a quip in her voice, eyes glistening with mischief. Oh, she was enjoying this.

“Yeah, remember when I drove you home that night, Lacey? When you were drunk out of your mind? I even said that you live conveniently close to the guy I write songs with. Remember?” Her drawl changed into a chuckle. “You were so confused about my job...”

It clicked. Of course I remembered. Three months ago, the night Teddy had become more than a customer - a mutual, an acquaintance, a friend. In other words, an enigma with the most intriguing life I’d ever witnessed (except for, you know, the guy I went to High School with who rose to international stardom before even graduating). I shook my head at her. Unbelievable.

“Wait...so you mean to tell me that the girl you’ve been wanting me to meet is Lacey Windsor? Lacey Windsor from my High School? That’s too much of a coincidence.” Shawn stared intensely at Teddy. I kind of wanted to crawl into a hole. Had she been trying to set us up?

Sure, we’d had a heart-to-heart once, had been somewhat friends ever since then (and I might’ve told her how much I used to like Shawn Mendes when he was still my ‘dirty little secret’, by which I had actually meant High School classmate) but apart from that, I’d pretty much only been her waitress. The only thing special about me was my great sense of favouritism.

And she’d wanted Shawn to meet me?

Teddy looked between Shawn and I, visibly disappointed in the new developments. “Well, my plan to get you two laid obviously backfired.”

My jaw dropped and I sputtered for a moment, alarmed. “You - we...what do you mean get us two laid?!”

My voice got unexpectedly shrill at the end and Teddy had definitely picked up on it. She was smirking now. I felt Shawn’s gaze on the side of my face, with mouth still hanging open and I wondered if he had noticed too. I ignored him. Don’t ruin this. Shawn cannot know about your childish High School crush on him. He has millions of female admirers now. He’s a fucking teenage heartthrob.

Teddy and Shawn were suspiciously quiet. (Probably freaked out.) My face heated up. How would I get out of this without making it awkward?

I cleared my throat. “Well, thanks for your concern, Teddy,” I shot her a pointed look, “but I don’t need you to get booty calls for me. I can manage on my own just fine actually.” Then I looked at the two unknown witnesses on the table, gripping my pencil tightly and ignored Teddy’s glinting eyes. She still found this amusing.

I jotted down everyone’s orders, making contact with lingering eyes and timid voices. Maybe my outburst had been a bit, well, much. I wasn’t usually this harsh, especially not with customers, but seeing Shawn like this, completely unexpected (even though obviously kind of planned - what the fuck, Teddy?) and immediately being accused of needing to get laid in front of him and also by him, that had been a bit much, too.

To put it nicely, I was kind of pissed. I had not envisioned catching up with my crush from algebra and English and biology through a dumb booty call. And a failed one, at that.

I avoided their table for the rest of the day, even though the four had already been out the door only two hours later. Teddy holding her phone up on the way out and warning me of a call that was to ensue later while Shawn had twisted his lips into something distantly resembling a smile and had given me a short wave. I was miserable.

“You overreacted, Lacey. Teddy was just trying to be nice. How could she’ve known that you know him and that you’ve admired him from afar like a middle schooler for ages?”

Mary-Anne was huffing and puffing, scrubbing the surface of the bar that Matt had - as usual - made a mess of.

“And she was right too. You haven’t been with someone in a while. You’re twenty-one, for god’s sake, get out there more! When I was your age, let me tell you –“

Basically, she blurred the line between mum and best friend a lot. Not to mention brooding older colleague, which was a role she only seemed to play when the LLV was overflowing with customers and sometimes, that truly was my favourite.

I groaned quietly, staring past her and sorting through today’s empty glass bottles. Clear in the red basket, green in the clear, plastic in the massive IKEA bag. Yeah, maybe not indulging in Mary-Anne’s talk would make her shut up. Maybe, hopefully.

“And Lacey Windsor, he is handsome, that Shawn guy,” she continued after a short silence. My face contorted into a whine. My heart raced. Handsome. He is handsome. Was handsome. In High School. Shit.

Aren’t you supposed to grow out of childish crushes at some point?

“And he was so polite, dear. You should give him a shot! Maybe just give him a ring? Shame if not, he was so into you too. Downright sad when I brought the food and not you, he was. You should’ve seen it!”

Now I whined out loud. “Stop, Mary-Anne. Please. I can’t -”

She had the audacity to giggle. “Can’t what? Contain the butterflies?” Whistling and grinning, she focused back on wiping the bar. I pierced her with a glare, a mixture of annoyance and disgust at her giddiness. When had my life become the subject of entertainment for other people? First Teddy, now Mary-Anne?

She was about to wipe down the sink when she chirped, “Man, I wish I was young again,” and I cracked, exclaiming,

“Mary-Anne, it’s not as fun as it seems.”

She winked and my cheek twitched. On my way out, I caught sight of a drawing attached to the far left liquor cabinet: a stick-figure with a yellow shirt and brown ponytail, carrying a massive pen in its hand. It was signed with scraggly letters, crooked but genuine. A-M-Y.

Teddy didn’t call that night. She came back to LLV three days later, on a Wednesday evening as I was covering for Matt on the bar. It was getting cold already in Canada and the flu had hit last week. Which also meant that LLV was unusually (and conveniently) empty.

“Lacey, I’m so sorry about Sunday,” she said, sliding into the bar stool right across from me. “I didn’t even mean the whole getting laid thing, it was supposed to be a joke. And I absolutely didn’t mean to offend you or something, or to meddle in your love life, but I just thought it’d be nice for you to meet someone to distract you from Nate and, let’s be honest, that dry spell of yours has been going on for three fucking months and I thought-”

I staggered, taken aback, and decided I needed to step in before she went too far with her rambling, “Well, hello to you too, Teddy,” I said, clipped, and continued mixing the Cuba Libre the blonde surfer dude from 7 had ordered, torn somewhere between laughing and fuming.

When she remained silent, I brusquely added, “Didn’t know you were so familiar with my sex life,” and stared at her. She shrunk slightly.

“Listen, I know we don’t exactly know each other in a conventional way and I didn’t mean to overstep.” Then she squared her shoulders and I knew I was in for a lecture. “But honey, it’s also not exactly rocket science to figure you out.”

I raised my brows in indignation. “Sorry?”

The relationship between her and I was weird, to say the least. We were mostly business. Waitress-customer kind of thing. But then, once I had cried in front of her because of Nate and she’d taken my drunk ass home, she came by in the evenings, sat down at the bar and asked me how I was doing. Eventually, I became curious and returned the question, and so we’d been bonding over the noises of my colleagues, costumers in all kinds of moods and the sound of the cocktail shaker for about three months. As the time went by, we became mutuals who saw each other once in a while and chatted about life, nothing serious, but also not nothing.

“Lacey,” she sighed, looking at me with her big blue eyes. Sometimes I despised her for being eight years older - and probably wiser. “I’m not stupid. You obviously haven’t been with anyone since Nate. No, don’t give me that look. You reek of sexual frustration.”

I gasped. “Excuse me?!”

This was new. Discussing our sex lives when we had usually focused more on my rather embarrassing moping about past loves. I slapped her forearm. “It’s only been two months and we really shouldn’t be discussing this here.” I gestured around the business of LLV, then moved to finish the Cuba Libre and put it on my tray. And I was off, leaving Teddy alone at the bar, shuffling to 7 and back, getting stopped to take orders a few times. Where on earth was Mary-Anne when you needed her?

“So,” Teddy’s voice filled my ears as soon as I got behind the bar again, only to be interrogated. “I did the maths. Two months? Who on earth did you lure in between your thighs and didn’t even bother mentioning it to me? Remember me? The person you cried to after you and Nate broke up?”

I gave her a pointed look. Then I shrugged, done with trying to keep the secret. All my dignity was already out the window anyways. “Nate.”

Teddy’s jaw was on the ground for the next minutes that I spent recalling the events of that Thursday evening in early September where I had randomly called Nate because of a bad day, just to hear his voice. And how he’d actually been in Toronto for a few days and thinking about calling me too; how we’d somehow ended up grabbing dinner and talking about all the good times we’d had and then the bad times and how he regretted having to break up but loved his job in Vancouver. And then a good-hearted hug had led to lingering eye-contact and rough breathing led to kissing and spending the night on his friend’s couch.

Teddy regained her composure, sitting up straight. “So you’ve had your closure now?”

I nodded, reassured because she didn’t seem to judge, and then turned to the coffee machine to make her an Espresso. We bathed in the silence for a bit, not knowing what the other was thinking and also not particularly caring to disrupt, until Teddy initiated,

“Well, I had hoped you’d know by now but I gave Shawn your number.”

I whipped my head to face her. “You did what?”

She held her hands up, surrendering. “I know, I’m sorry. But he was persistent. And I really don’t get why you insisted on ignoring us that hard on Sunday. Did he do something to you in school?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Have you met Shawn?”

“Yeah, right. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Teddy rested her chin on her palms, studying my face as I concentrated on the coffee machine. I was doing a miserable job of concealing the twisty feeling in my stomach. Just thinking about what Teddy might’ve told him about me prior to coming on Sunday. Did he think lowly of me now? Working as a waitress, struggling to pay bills and apparently relying on customers to get laid? No, he wasn’t like that. I knew him. Had known him for years.

“So, what I’m guessing is this,” she was back with the drawls, “You were embarrassed.”

She radiated mischief and satisfaction, even more when I moved to shake my head. A poor attempt at dignity.

She erupted in a toothy grin. “Don’t even try denying. You are so easy to read.”

I put the hot Espresso in front of her with a huff and a red face. How dare she?

“Then again, so is Shawn; he was burning to talk to you the whole time. I’m actually really surprised he hasn’t texted you yet.”

Teddy was saying all this very nonchalantly while blowing on her Espresso, like she hadn’t just revealed that Shawn had obviously been thinking about me too. I stared at her taking a sip. Then she looked up at me. I was distressed. Shawn? Burning to talk to me?

We’d gone two years without talking to each other and graduation seemed like another lifetime already. I tensed. It felt so long ago that he’d taken my hand on the way to my house. And it felt even longer ago that his breath had fanned my face when he’d let go of the hug at my door, when he’d kept his hands around my waist and looked from my eyes to my lips.

And that final, infinite moment right before I’d leant in, all ragged breathing and beating hearts and my first real kiss.

(Now that felt like an outer body experience at this point.)

I’d never told him that he was my first kiss, of course. We’d looked at each other afterwards; him scratching the back of his neck, me fiddling with the straps of my bag. The empty glass bottles rumbled inside it and I had hesitated when I said, “That...That was nice and all, but, and don’t get me wrong, I’m drunk and this was probably a mistake. I guess, you know, you’re a rockstar and practically on a world tour in a few days.”

And he’d lingered for a second, then nodded and well, then he was gone. For two years. Gone, but never really. It had proved quite difficult to ignore his existence when he became a celebrity. So I’d done the only thing any reasonable person trying to get over a crush did: Unfollowed him every-fucking-where and changed the radio station when a song of his came on. The only real connection I still had to him was my friend Ivy, but she had understood to shut up about him in front of me. Especially when I got with Nate a year and a half ago.

Somewhere around that time, I’d also gotten a new phone and I hadn’t even bothered to text him my new number. Still, I found myself wondering if our kiss had meant anything to him like it had to me back then.

I suddenly jerked my head, willing that thought out of my mind. Which didn’t go unnoticed by Teddy.

“Windsor, why am I getting the expression that you two have history?”

Clicking my tongue, I delved into the story.

Seven hours later, I laid in bed. Phone in hand and Shawn on my mind. My tiny room had nothing but a glass laptop table from IKEA, my wooden childhood bed and a few clothes racks (also IKEA, naturally). The rest of my stuff was stored in an array of cardboard boxes beneath the window, labelled with creative tags like cheap high-tech (chargers and various cables I had no idea how to use), pics to laugh at, pics to cry at, good books, trash books or, my favourite, a massive binder that read paid bills. I was a picture perfect (broke) university student.

My room was also freezing because I had forgotten to close my window this morning and I heard the faint sound of my roommates Timothy and Charlotte respectively watching movies in their rooms. Sucks to be sandwiched.

I envisioned what Shawn’s apartment must look like. It was probably really spacious, with big windows and high-ceilings. Minimalistic in furniture and full of music stuff. My fingers hovered over the keyboard; I stared at his contact info. Shawn Mendes.

Who was I kidding? What would I even text him? And would he even bother to reply at all?

I decided not knowing was better than being disappointed. At least I could still entertain my fantasies that way.

PART TWO??

#shawnmendes #shawnmendesfic #shawnmendesfanfic #shawnmendesfluff #shawnmendesangst #fluff #angst #shawn mendes #shawn mendes fic #shawn peter raul mendes #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes x oc #shawn mendes reader #shawn mendes x reader #shawn mendes text post #writing #fanfic #first post #ashtonwahs

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thelightningawardsofficial · 5 years

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Review | IE: Take Over

Judged by Shawn (Snowwhitewolf09)

Category: I’m Not A Mary Sue

[ Author: ZackHunter]

>Title (3/5): Alright, let's start off with the title. By no means is it a bad title; the title of your story is straight to the point and that has its strong points. Right off the bat, the fact that it's something related to Inazuma Eleven is gotten out of the way. And the latter part of the title has its relevance shown early on. However, it doesn't particularly strike me. It was as if I had a product that was a hamburger with a new type of cheese, and advertised it as 'the (insert cheese name) burger'. Sure, it got straight to the point and told what was needed, but it was simply that. Not leaving enough to the imagination or giving a sense of enigma in the mind. If I was skimming through books, I would have skipped yours because it sounds awfully basic and plain, and not in a way that made me think. Again, it does its job. But a lot about it could be improved.

>Summary (7/10): Just like the title, you give basic information from the first moment of reading. I like how you immediately raise up a big turning point from the canon we know—building up intrigue—then working on that intrigue by giving these mysterious details, such as The Founders and the Utopia. The final paragraph ends with an eerie, occult statement that gives a sense of jitters. But your writing here sort of broke the build up and flow at times. The way that the Football Frontier International was described was ominous, but it seemed to be chopped up, not a flowing paragraph—this lessened the effect of the build-up, though it did not completely abolish it. The second paragraph does not suffer as much, though I believe that there's a way to polish it. Finally, the transition could have been more natural, instead of the skull emojis. One point taken away for the transition, two for the writing and build-up problems. It can easily be fixed by reading it over another time, this time trying to get how the feelings of dread increase with each grim sentence. It might lengthen the summary a little, but I know you'll manage it. Just polish it up a bit, and you're all dandy.

>Plot (20/25) -> (15.2/20): I was quite lenient here, since the story's just at about half a dozen chapters (As of the time of this critique) and it would be unfair to criticise your plot so much without seeing how far it'll go and what spins it'll take. The trend of being straightforward continues here, and you immediately toss people into the problem—sort of. The first chapter gives us a look at one of our OC leads, and at the end, we bump into the mysterious Pandora's Box in the Suicide Forest. And in the first five chapters, we immediately find out who the 'antagonists' are, as well as the mission for the main characters: they must get back the bodies of the five Inazuma Japan members from The Founders. Obstacles are immediately presented. The owner of Gouenji's body isn't really a 'bad guy', and possibly the rest of The Founders. Our Inazuma Japan players don't have bodies to move around and interact with, so they cannot really do anything about it. In this world of 2150, the Utopia have already taken control—how is Endou, his friends and his willing hosts going to talk to the Founders peronally? We also get to the resolution of that. Since one of the OC leads is going to personally have a dinner, the opportunity has presented itself. Do you see the problem? It's quite fast. In one chapter, Endou nearly beat up a guy, and in the next, the body he was possessing had a fervent desire to help. It was as if they had been friends for years, though there was little to no reason for any of them to be helping these guys. We aren't even sure if they play football yet—where had this desire come from? We had just come from a suicide attempt, and now the group are going to try and get back the bodies of the InaJapan players. It was waved off quickly—perhaps some time did pass, but it was unreasonably quick and it made those arbitrary. Ryosei's actions and tendencies were easily waved and Gouenji's feelings were pointless because of the off-pacing that made it seem like everything was just happening. There was hardly any time to get invested into some moments, because the chapters start off with some sort of off-track moment, then cram in some sort important plot detail at the end. This would be more reasonable if there were more events between the beginning and the end, but the chapters are too short to make it comfortable. It makes the work seem rushed. Of course, there are many good points. I like the Utopia and the Founders, and other elements such as the culture of their time and the diversions from canon. It's a little brutal, but we see a strange world built upon that singular change. I'm a little off-put by the number of spiritual matters, but that can generally be waived, as it is an interesting concept to explore.

Your pacing needs a little work, and a little more details to make it seem more reasonable. And there were a few avenues that I saw could be explored, instead of the path you chose to take—such as having them possess some random people instead and become the dominant ones in those bodies instead of the current form of possession shown in the story, which would force them to sort of live the lives of those they have possessed and gives them a way to experience the 'future'. Anyway, with the current way that the plot is going, I'm not sure about who the antagonist is—and I find that good. They may be clearly the ones who stole the bodies, but whether they are evil or not seems to be a question that may be unanswered for some time. But if the pacing's still this way, then that answer might come too soon.

>Characterisation (13/20) -> (9/15): Let me start with the positives. Your OC's are an intriguing pair, and they play off quite well. You have a suicidal individual, and someone who's going to become a soldier. I also understand that Endou, being surprised, would bust out like that. But the thing is, you lack consistency. I know what they're supposed to be like—you describe their souls yourself—but they do not show that. Endou was incredibly grim at some portions and Gouenji was incredibly rash despite being called a calm and stern person, just to name a few—because so far, even your main characters seem to be coming in and out of moods and auras. They're balls of soul, you say, but they had qualities to them that you yourself gave. I was actually expecting them to be 'too much' of those characteristics since they don't have a proper body and mind, but oh well. And just like I've mentioned before, Ryosei seemingly had a fervent desire to help, though he is supposed to be the 'edgier' of the two (Is it Endou?). He also seemed quite martyr-like even before being possessed by Endou, so there're some inconsistencies. He's too fine in some portions despite being utterly suicidal moments before. Reread, and you'll see what I mean.

Your side characters are cardboard cut-outs. By that, I mean they seem to just be there—the teacher and Dean gave practically no emotion in their words. It may have seemed a little sympathetic, but they seemed too robotic, with only the word choice being slightly concerned. They don't necessarily need to change, but hopefully you don't let that sort of flatness appear so often. With the choice of words and pacing, the personalities of these people seem to be blurred, glossed over, or indistinguishable from others. I suggest working on rewriting their words, lengthening their 'character-defining moments' a bit and changing their tones a little, in order to separate them while reading. Because I got lost a few times while reading the dialogue. Try to make them more distinct, more memorable—with a cast that involves so many characters, you'll need to find a way to keep these five from outshining the main characters too much through their familiarity; though the method of making their characteristics less prominent is not particularly effective. A little bit of fleshing out of the characters a little more, with some longer moments of each of them to shine. Stronger emphasis on our main characters with introspective moments and consistency. You have the elements for greatness laid out, they just don't reach the point to make them all effective.

The other (I think) important characters are not yet so prominent, so not much to say about them. But the Founders do hold a sense of mysteriousness to them, and though they may be the antagonists, they don't act as such. I do wonder how they still are alive.

>Grammar and Writing Style (11/15): Your grammar and writing style are decent. However, I don't find either to be 'great' or particularly appealing. It does fulfil its purpose and relays whatever is happening at a time in easy-to-read paragraphs. There are a few mistakes, such as superfluous commas and a few sentences that require a little bit of work, as well as some tense mistakes, but no major flaws that I can point out in that department. Some sentences could also be worded better, but overall these problems don't remove the readability and understanding of the work. Your choice of emphasising dialogue is what I think one of the elements of your work so far that doesn't appeal so much to me. With the descriptive portions not giving me enough of the character portrayals, I had hoped to see more in the dialogues. However, as I've stated before, they tend to be a little bit bland. Honestly, I think most of the problems with your work when it comes to characterisation really just stems from the writing, and should it be tweaked to allow better displays of personality, the work would be a lot better. Also, I think the (Character name)!(Character name) method you use to show a possessed character is a little unpleasing to the eyes, though I understand that it is a way to state that it isn't the characters themselves. I think that if the situation had been different, it wouldn't be needed, though for this work's circumstances, I can say that not many other options exist.

>Originality (10/10) -> (5/5): I'm not sure if I really need to elaborate, but I will. I haven't seen this concept in IE before, at least with specifications close to these—it's like Megaman Zero with a bit of a paranormal twist added in. The idea's something I look forward to really seeing bloom, so I hope you keep the surprises coming in. Though I don't think you really need to work on the ideas too much—just the presentation of these ideas.

>Feels Factor (8/15): I feel like I've sufficiently explained it in the other portions. The style of writing and weak characterisation didn't bring out much sense of attachment, or any other feeling really. I think that the suicide scene should have made readers a little bit on the edge, but I wasn't quite gripped by it. Some dialogue was bland, and certain moments felt too dull to bring out the emotions and feelings they are supposed to stimulate. What is good though, is that you are great at creating intrigue with every chapter. You tend to introduce some things that make me want to learn more about. Though again, some of the revelations that could have been saved for later times were shown early—like the reason for their entrapment and the events leading to the 'Bloody Soccer Frontier'.

🅞🅒 🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦 -> [ ➊⓿.➎/➊➎}

Name (3/5): I'm not really sure how his name fits the character given the fact that Nashio doesn't come up in my searches for names (Nashio could be broken down to 'na' and 'shio', which could mean 'seven opportunities', 'seven tides', 'fame opportunities', and 'title salt'. Or it could be derived from 'nashioeru', which is 'to accomplish'.) and Masahiro doesn't exactly form a good combination with it because I've little idea what you wanted to do with the Nashio name. However, the use of Masahiro ('Elegant rope', 'Broad-minded government, 'Sage', 'Superior elegance' or 'Graceful ocean'.), a rather simple name that doesn't sound too out-there that fits Masahiro's role as his brother's sense of not-dying gives the name merit.

Appearance (6/8): With the image provided and the few descriptions in the text, it's easy to figure out how Nashio looks like. However, the character seems to be a little plain. There's not much problem but it would be a little more interesting if there was a certain feature that makes him stand out in a crowd.

Personality (5/10): Right. I'm not really sure what's his supposed to be like. The first few lines depict him as an individual who is rather lively. He had a sense of youthful cheer despite being like an older brother. Then his mood takes a complete turn, suicidal at the thought of "ruining all of his loved ones' lives". Considering that Nashio was portrayed just earlier as someone who had to constantly stop his brother from committing suicide, it strikes me as odd that he would so quickly jump to that. Aside from patches of seemingly contradicting actions and traits, there are also times when his replies are a tad cardboard. He doesn't have much differences in tone from other characters at times, so it's not exactly easy to differentiate them from one another when they talk. Points for a consistent show of idolisation, love for family, and brotherly affection. He plays off Yamashita interestingly, when they're both portrayed well. Otherwise, they're a bit flat.

Strengths & Weaknesses (9/12): Two things that stand out with Masahiro is his extremely evident desire to protect his family and his idolisation of the Founders. These two fuel the bravery in Masahiro, and I can see that this will be tested. They are both his strengths and weaknesses as an individual, and the later chapters will probably make him choose between the two. However, that's all I've got. He has skills that haven't been entirely evident or relevant yet, such as whatever had gotten him to the top spot, and not enough focus to really bring out those. You switch POV's every now and then, so we don't always have Masahiro being tested. It's understandable since things are just starting out, of course. As such, not many points will be deducted. I hope you do bring more of Masahiro's talents to the story. Plus points for showing how much his family meant to him—he was about to commit suicide, which is over the top, but shows much of the impact of his family on him.

Interaction With Canon (9/10): It happens into the far future, so there's not much problem when it comes to the canon (Save for Go, but it's an AU). The sudden change of events during the finals of he FFI is extreme, almost unreasonably so even when considering the weirdness of the series, but that doesn't pull too much on the score.

Relationships With Canon Characters (3/5): Honestly, I don't see much problem with this category. Mostly because the interactions aren't telling much yet, and they seem to be just oddly fine. Perhaps if the personalities were tweaked a bit and some events push them to, Masahiro will be able to make some interesting interactions. I do like his tandem with Gouenji, though I think they can be improved on.

Total: [Raw] 35/100 + 35/50 [Scaled] 68.7%

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#review #fourth critique #ie:take over #I'm not a mary sue #gouenji shuuya #endou mamoru #kidou yuuto #alternate universe #gore #fantasy #oc fic #The Lightning Award S3 #original character #inazuma eleven

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