#she too is a serial monogamist it seems

[invinciblerodent]

Scratching at the wall about how Iona has the Guild Artisan background (she was primarily a jeweler and trader- basically I wanted persuasion proficiency and an extra language lol) and Astarion has a knack for perfumery, and how post-game, they can just. be a couple of well-respected, if secretive artisans in the city, like if the game makes it possible for them to stay on the surface or like take over Cazador's coffers.

Like... purchased a beautiful locket from a redheaded elf woman's charming shop? Pay her well and show discretion, and if you're lucky, she might just entice you to look at her eccentric husband's wares tonight. He only deals at night, to a highly exclusive clientele, with his sharp eyes half-shrouded in shadow, but add a few drops of this gorgeous, delicate perfume oil onto the felt in the hidden compartment, and your locket is now a true signature piece that's sure to turn noses -and heads- wherever you go.

You finally got an audience, and managed to commission the most exclusive (and hair-raisingly expensive) personal scent from the handsome, up-and-coming, if decidedly unorthodox young elven perfumer? If he finds you agreeable, he might direct you to his lovely wife's ample offerings of glittering jewels and chains, custom and unique, inspired by- and created to complement the ethereal nature of each fragrance, each seemingly buzzing with hidden magics.

(The enchantment is, admittedly, often just minor illusion. Yeah, the more powerful ones cost extra.)

(Yeah, it's only like. A quarter of a scam. The wares are only moderately overpriced, which, for both of these industries, is genuinely a pretty fair deal.)

[mrschwartz]

at this point Alex not being married/having kids seems like an intentional Choice to not follow the prescribed path and it's so fascinating but we can't ever really know more about it bc its a crazy invasive thing for an interviewer to ask (not that he'd answer but still)

i never went looking for it again bc it just made me cringe so much but i'm 100% sure there was an interview from 2018 (like, if someone has this interview you're more than welcome to send it to me and i will share it bc more than anything i'm committed to the truth. i just haven't snooped hard for it bc like i said, the whole thing gave me secondhand embarrassment and i know that if i find it i will read it again bc i'm me lol and i don't wanna feel it again mvfmgkbmg) where the interviewer did ask if he wanted to start a family and he answered (would you look at that) that he "wasn't ready for the responsibility".

and like i feel like in 2018 that answer said everything. he's been hopping from committed relationships to committed relationships since stepping into the limelight and i find his candidness really surprising (always do lol) but truly any other answer would just stand out so much as a lie bc it's so obvious that at the time (we'll get to that) that was the case. he'd been dating taylor for over 3 years at that point, living together for almost as long, they had fucking matching tattoos, and he still didn't feel ready to fully commit. like, he never did. that's been his stance since always. that's one of the reasons he's a serial monogamist, if i may say so. he craves the stability but never wants to commit all the way.

and like, of course. they broke up. which has always happened and looks like it always will tbh. i don't wanna comment too much on louise bc that's always a headache but just overall you know. she hasn't moved in like the other gfs did within months, he doesn't let her post him, doesn't take her to events (barely attends them himself anymore tbf), doesn't take her on tour as much as the others, etc. all the while seeing the guys getting married (and divorced but then again, married again) and having children, etc. and where is he? tucked away reading books, watching films, listening to and writing music. like. oof okay i don't have a point. but you know. you know.

i don't have anything to base this on but like please keep up with this loosely explained train of thought. there he is, tucked away while his closest friends build families (which he is watching happening) and i think something clicked in him since 2018 that yeah, he doesn't want that. of course he hasn't said anything, but don't you just feel it? in your soul? that he doesn't want it? i feel like he's accepted that he doesn't want that kind of responsibility, not that he's not ready for it yet. he doesn't have social media bc, according to him, "there isn't enough time in a day" lol. like, imagine a toddler running around the house when he just wants to crack a rhyme or something. it's completely cliché, i know, but i feel like he's one of those absurdly dedicated people who just wants to live for his art, man. that's the love he chose, he just wants to spend time with that and anything else would be a nuisance. or, you know, some other less cynical more homoerotic expanation lol

he's been with louise longer than he was with alexa, his most iconic relationship. isn't that crazy? does he look like he's getting married any time soon? lol

and yeah let's leave it at that, i think

[celestie0]

HI ELLIE!!! Omg, I just started reading IHM. I was originally going to hold off until it was done (or mostly done), because I'm a serial monogamist when it comes to a series (RIGHT NOW I AM LOYAL TO KICKOFF lol), but I ended up reading IHM anyways for some reason. I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH. I know that we're only two chapters in, but I always love and adore how much thought goes into your characters and writing. I found myself giggling the whole way through lul. One thing I noticed after chapter 2 is as much as Gojo annoys reader, he's also strangely attentive to her needs and is a complete foil to Choso. I'm sure this was supposed to be obvious, but I thought it was very sweet how he called her beautiful in the dress (the same dress that Choso didn't acknowledge her in) and how the ring he picked for her was similar to one that she had saved in her wedding mood board. I'm pretty sure it's not exactly intentional on Gojo's part (or maybe it is?? hehe), but I thought it was an interesting detail. Also, I know this is within spoiler territory, so don't feel obligated to answer this, but how angsty will it get between reader and Gojo's relationship? :,) I know that they're both still healing from personal trauma from their past relationships, so will that come into play as they develop feelings for each other? It seems that Gojo is hesitant to talk about his divorce, so would that be a factor or an obstacle that will hinder him from getting too close to reader? Can't wait for future chapters!!! <3 Thank you for spoiling us *__*

OH MY LOVE THIS IS SO SWEET N CUTE N MADE MY ENTIRE DAY!!! PLS???

omg i feel you about the serial monogamy towards one series/show at a time 🤣 except for me it’s probs just hyperfixation 💀 but i’m so happy you decided to give ihm a read 🥺💕 it means sososososo much to me n i’m really excited for the seriesss

AWW IM GONNA SOB TYSM i have put quite a bit of thought into the characters in ihm bc i really want it to be like a web? of interactions btwn them all, and i’m so glad you saw that choso is foil to gojo!! yes!! he is very attentive to her, and i think sometimes it’s intentional n other times it’s just bc they’re meant to be honestly 😭💕 we’ll see that reader too is very vigilant too despite everything she’s got going on :”) i LOVED writing the scene where he calls her beautiful in the dress, every girl deserves to be called pretty in a dress she really adores!! and yeah the ring was totally coincidental but 🤣 again i guess they’re meant to be? hahaha

yesss i think there will be quite a bit of angst between the too, mostly surrounding their ex lovers, and just in general their pasts. i kinda wanted it where reader has lived in town her whole life (childhood home) whereas gojo mysteriously moved in next door less than a year ago, so they both don’t know much about each other despite being next door neighbors. but honestly i think a lot of the angst actually comes from secondary plotlines that end up bringing reader n gojo together!! but there will still be angst between them for suuuure 😭😔 yes gojo is very hesitant to speak up ab his divorce, sorry i simply cannot write gojo without avoidant personality bc i feel like he bottles up a lot in the show too so it just felt fitting 💀😞 but for reader too, i think she kinda…doesnt care to learn much about him as of right now bc she finds him annoying lol, and then later on when she has feelings i think it’ll be too painful for her to learn ab certain things too…so yes definitely i can see how they both would avoid their feelings and instead do the thing most adults do and joke about their feelings to lighten tension or completely avoid them all together 😃😃 (or do i just need therapy loool)

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS ASK my love :”) hope you have a wonderful day/evening/night!! much love from me <33

[highpriestessofchildsacrifice]

Finished EP 1

this is the first time I've actually genuinely enjoyed a dating show. U guys were SOOOOO right. And there's no way to say this without maybe sounding like a bogeymisandrist invented by r/MRA but . I'm realizing that cis men on dating shows are.... To me stupid and incoherent? Oh my god ok I actually genuinely don't mean it THAT pejoratively. I just mean that like I have no idea what they want or mean, and everything that they say is really incomprehensible to me? Obvi women (incl these lezzies) can be fucking nuts but I feel like. I can understand the sentences they are saying? The insanity has an internal logic to it? A cipher to be discovered if u will. But cis dudes who go on dating shows seem conditioned by society to not use their brains fully. They're like . Well I have this dick . So

In that way I find this a lot more compelling

Ok that aside

-I literally don't understand what Virgo masc's ex yoly (issuer of ultimatum) has done so wrong to warrant this level of insecurity in Virgo masc besides have loving relationships in the past . Sorry that's a crime now???? The woman wants to marry you lol. And unlike you Yoly's not flirting w every girl here and seems kind of upset/sad about the situation. Nothing wrong w flirting w ppl on the show ofc and unlike vanessa (xander's ex) I genuinely don't think she's being a dick about it . But then why keep up this pretense about yoly being a serial monogamist 😭 why blame her 😭 just say u wanna date other ppl n go girlie. Give us the softcore porn of our dreams

-yoly calling out Vanessa for hitting on Mildred before they had all broken up. Yes girl . Literally I honestly don't think Vanessa is a bad person for wanting what she wants (flirting and fucking and dating 24/7) and I don't even think she's a bad person for being like "let's actually talk to other ppl in this show" but man she literally is going out of her way to be a total fucking dick. Like at this point why even keep up the pretense that u r even considering marrying xander lol. This is just cruelty 😑🚬

- Xander . My Spineless baby. I have no respect for u bc u r a wimp. But I have endless pity . Love u :(

- when virgo masc and the controlling masc sat down together I knocked my phone off the couch out of shock/excitement and I was informed that it's bc this is my greatest wet dream. To be sandwiched @ that table 👍🏽 Unfortunately controlling masc is actually very weird and annoying. I think she's so hot so I'm ok w it for now. VIRGO MASC . OK IK I DRAGGED HER IN PARA #1 BUT SHES SO CUTE. LOL. and I also respect her desire to take time to get ready for marriage that's literally what I want too!!

- hottest alive rn is yoly. Sorry like the confidence radiating from that woman. The tats. The hair . When her patience got tested and she was like . Ok whatever. And then came for Vanessa's throat. I'm sorry I'm a rhony bitch thru and thru; I find warranted cuntery so fucking hot

[yellowloid]

Re: the cheating asks -- complete speculation here, but I've always wondered if Alex has been doing some kind of open relationship since the Alexa days? Like I'm not saying he was doing it in a well thought out or "ethical" way, just like "what happens on tour stays on tour" or "snogging and blow jobs don't count" or whatever. Cheating and jealousy is such a big theme on Humbug, and I could imagine both of them feeling all grown up and cosmopolitan for figuring out a way of dealing with that but still struggling with a lot of guilt and insecurity and lack of communication, overstepping boundaries etc. I can see Alexa being like, I'm a cool girl, I'm down with that, and also having lots of opportunities to get with hot band guys and models herself so it would have been benefitting both of them, but idk if that holds up for Arielle and Taylor, so it's not the best theory lol!

i could definitely see that, but like you said not in an actual 'sane and consensual open relationship' way but rather a 'it's not cheating if we both know the other is doing it' while also like. still not actively talking about their adventures sjhshfhs

and on the one hand i could see alexa acting as you described her, but on the other hand... idk. are we really sure her scorpio ass would have allowed that dkfjdhgh and alex too.......being a "serial monogamist" i don't know if i can really see him having a deal like that. in the sense that i think he'd be more inclined to keep just one official relationship and limit himself to cheating the old traditional way lmao no progressive open relationship deal involved. the same themes of guilt and lies that you mention could very well refer to the fact that he was, indeed, simply cheating (or had been cheating prior to humbug - also the timing here is...........very interesting when you bring the recording of taotu into the timeline)

idk if i can see him doing something like that with taylor, because she definitely didn't seem like she was willing to share him. but one thing's for sure, i definitely don't see him doing that with arielle not because they were exclusive, but because they had the most 'besties only never even seen each other naked' kinda vibe lmao

[einsteinsugly]

Comparing the lazily made gang from That 90s Show to the kids in my verse...

That I worked so hard on, and variations of these characters have existed for over a decade, so there are a lot of nuances and intricacies that That 90s Show notably lacks.

Leia (Eric): Leah…well, if Leia was the true Eric/Donna combo I hoped for. Like, I know kids can largely take after one parent, but Leia being 90% Eric is a result of laziness on the writers' part. No doubt in my mind.

Anywho, Leah is a nerdy tomboy. She's snarky and temperamental. She's awkward and willful. She can be self-destructive like her mother, and struggles to fit in at school. She's far from a goody two shoes, though. That's Kate's thing.

Gwen (Hyde): James, for the most part. Gwen seems to be more dynamic/extroverted than Hyde, but that's the only notable tweak I can see (@thatseventiesbitch, Hyde was into punk and politically minded too, and was occasionally written as a feminist, if the writers felt like it). Since she's more dynamic/extroverted, James admittedly fits more into the Gwen mold than the Hyde mold. But he's willful and rebellious in the "sneak into the system" kind of way, and everybody calls him Mr. Krabs because he likes money so much (but he's principled, at least). That's the Jackie in him, no doubt.

Nikki (Jackie): Kate, but Kate would never date a Kelso type (and Leah wouldn't, either). Kate's a perfectionist overachiever of the Rory Gilmore variety, and Kate's personality is Kitty and Donna awkwardly mashed together. She's outgoing and friendly, and more stereotypically feminine. She's more bohemian, and more willful and politically minded. And she's a melodramatic idealist like her father, with some hidden insecurities bundled underneath. These traits sort of manifest into her being a Jackie type…sort of.

Becca (NA): She's far from the token LGBTQ+ character, like Ozzie is. If I ever get to writing it, she and Kate are the main characters in The Kids Are Alright, a 98/99 story where the kids go to Pop and Ani's (Red and Kitty's) for a couple of weeks instead of going to summer camp. Becca really discovers her sexuality then, but is far too hesitant to truly reveal her bisexuality until As The World Burns.

Anywho, I used an introverted Hyde as a base, then went wild. Becca's quiet and rebellious, with a passion for grunge and alternative fashion (and sewing and cooking, too). She definitely values monogamy more than her father in his youth, dates two of her brother's guy friends, and has this "how do I stand out without looking like a freak" dilemma that Jackie often has.

Adrian (NA): Kind of a Red/Eric combo, or Red if he was a millennial. He's a massive STEM nerd, an avid gamer, and builds computers for fun. He's really close to Red, but the generation gap is obvious. He resents his father, Fez, for being so stereotypically feminine, and equates his bisexuality with femininity. Which sucks, but it's the early 00s, and the term "metrosexual" was unfortunately a thing (a straight man who likes more feminine things).

Author's Note: Jay has turned out to be more of a Kelso, unfortunately. Instead of an Eric with a camera. And Adrian's a Red/Eric combo, so I awkwardly equated him to Jay. No way in hell, not anymore.

Hallie (NA): A Hyde/Laurie combo, kind of. She's loud, mechanically inclined, sexually charged, and rebellious. And she's willing to do a lot to get her way, so she can be morally ambiguous. She's a lesbian, too.

And of course...

-There are no Kelsos out of the main six in my verse (aka Jay and Nate), but Betsy comes the closest to it, since she's infamous for making wild schemes. And Danny is Becca's Kelso/Hyde combo on-off boyfriend that Hyde hates. A reckless, rebellious skater who's kind of a dick.

-There are no Fezs (Ozzie) out of the main six, either. The closest is Ashley, who is effortlessly extroverted like her mom Rhonda (and not creepy like Fez), but is otherwise a lot like Fez. She's hyper-feminine and emotional, a serial monogamist (until she finds Will), and loves dance, theater, and cheerleading. She's far more popular than her father would ever be, partially because of the effortlessly extroverted aspect of her personality, and partially because of the fact that Fez's traits are far more socially acceptable on a girl (instead of a boy).

[luminary-sunflower]

No one asked #1

Idk I think that marriage itself is already polygamy to the church if you go with the whole bridegroom thing, so what's a 2nd and 3rd romantic partner as long as you're still spiritually practicing?

Aren't you already cheating on Jesus by not being chaste?/light hearted

Also to bring up that convincing people to get divorced even mentally separated not only is undue cultural pressure but causes more strife and trauma. If you've lived with multiple wives and so has your entire community for generations, you're leading the rest of your unchosen wives into poverty and more trouble especially if children from multiple mothers are involved.

Though I do wonder why I have not seen advocacy for the legalization of it the same way I would undoubtedly support (and also witness) gay marriage. Perhaps because those engaging don't respect marriage as a concept enough to marry even one partner, perhaps because there is the cultural expectation that to be a sister wife means to be exploited (which very well may be true). I think in communities where women are less empowered and disenfranchised whether social or legal are more likely to enter plural marriages and also more likely to be abused within them. If women had the full capacity of maintaining legal and financial independence, including social acceptance of not being essentially purchased property of her husband, then perhaps she wouldn't be a sister wife to begin with.. but also, maybe she would, to explore new romantic possibilities with her newfound freedom.

And it's understandable that any person would want to experiment but as someone who disagrees with the abject sex positivity notion that intimacy is not to be valued higher than any other communicative activity (I think we can just show them sa mental health statistics because humans neurology does place it quite high on the scale of determining safety, heh)... this would be a risk to disappoint multiple people at once. Basically.

I am much more concerned with the flippant behavior of serial monogamists that I witness (who may be grieving multiple ex dates despite only dating one at a time). People often do not give themselves enough time to move on before meeting someone new. Which seems to be an actually prelevant problem among mono minded people.

I consider myself poly as an inherent form of my sexuality regardless of who I'm with. I don't acknowledge jealousy the same way, emotionally. I'm not scared of adultery. And I don't want to develop a distaste for something, why would I make myself more vulnerable or paranoid?

Is the cure for no adultery to become immune to it?/light hearted

But also, anyone in such a relationship would obviously have much more responsibility re: emotional regulation, time management, etc. But I make the same argument against having three or more children. Emotional neglect in all relationships between all people is harmful and spreading yourself too thin is harmful. I don't think there's a cause to be against polyamory for this reason alone. And if that's something you are called to preach against, perhaps fixing some material conditions would yield better results.

> Legal protection for abusive marriage victims

> And other victims of intimate crime such as SA and domestic violence

> Funding secondary education without debt

> Teaching natural planning measures to those opposed to contraceptives

> Prevent children from being seen as a retirement plan by having secure social services and retirement

So I don't really have a point to anything I just said I guess.

[krs724490]

11.12.2023

continued from my voice memos because gabby came home. my chlidhood trauma was there. my mom wasn't around because she worked all the time. I had romanticized my sob story like the ones I had seen in the movies, telling people my mom wasn't around much.

I thought I was a bad kid. I felt my mimi much favored sophie and that I was the bratty one, the rule breaker. The one she didn't like.

In high school I was always on the fringes of the cool group. Looking back, I dont know that I minded too much being on the outs. That's one thing I'm not sure I've ever been too concerned about. If anything, I see being cool as having so much pressure to uphold that image. I would rather be lame. On the outs. The "cool" kids actually disgust me because they're trying too hard and that seems like a misuse of energy to me. I dont admire it.

ok topic switch. little break to go research future journaling.

its jarring to listen to podcasts about manifesting a relationship in your life. how much work people do. how much voodoo magic and want there is. and for me its never been hard. as fucked up as that sounds. I'd really like to know why I reach for relationships. Why am I a serial monogamist. Its so strange because I pride myself on being independent. I pride myself on not actually needing them. Men have always been my toys. I just want to feel desired, to have someone that admires me and the work I do on a more intimate level. Who can see the ins and outs of how truly positive and uplifting I am and can benefit from me as that energy source. It feels like I go into relationships not thinking at all. I go into a lot of things not thinking at all. I have trust in the universe to carry me and so why think? I'm constantly practicing that trust. Which I think overall is a good thing. but when I think about this thing with Graham. and how intentionally he came into it and how I kinda wandered in all la di da. Its like, I'm going to get out of it what I put into it. Did I even want a serious partner? Is this what I was looking for? am I ready? am I committing to a relationship out of the place of "it feels nice to have someone" or am I choosing it because from a deep place I am wanting to team up with someone? I dont need to repeat past behavior. Im exhausted at the thought of it. I'm already exhausted at the thought of having to untangle myself from him if needed. This all comes from hearing the way other people have gone in search of someone. Coming from a place of authenticity and strength and knowing. versus the way I stumbled into this blind - does that mean this can't be it? because I didn't do all the pre-requisites, does that mean this can't be it? my mind still looks for an answer when I know right now it is 50/50 both ways. It could be him, but there is also room for it to not be him. It feels like such a crucial time in the relationship. To be upfront. I think our next conversation will be telling. Its funny because every time we go deeper and deeper. and I've come up against the things that truly matter now. I dont know how he will receive them. I thought we had made it past big bumps, but of course now I realize what truly I need him to know. To even find a guy receptive to this feels amazing, Emily Murzyn would tell me I found the bare minimum. I like to feel guided. I'm usually the one doing the guiding.

I initially came here to get clear as to why I want a relationship. I want to give space to the energy of.. I dont need one. I dont feel I need one. I actually, would love to live out my little life in Golden, not having to factor anyone in. Not ever being uncomfortable. Being able to be selfish. I think my resistance to relationships comes from all the sacrifice I've made in the past for these boys that weren't it. I did it out of a weird place. I had a weird fantasy of wanting to be it for them. Wanting to be their dream girl. I loved feeling like their dream girl. So I bent for them. It was all a backwards way of stroking my own ego while simultaneously not staying true to myself because I was fitting a role - what would they have me be? a volleyball player? a weight lifter? would they think I was so cool if I was into the same movies as them? I suppose I always felt I could relate to them better if I was the same as them. I wanted them to think I was it, I was the world. So I pressured myself to become that. To take on what they liked. I'm not sure if other people have this issue to the degree that I do. with the hobbies and interests. I think its actually because I hold that expectation of my partner that I think they hold it of me. I have this belief that people who think like me are superior because they can see through the veil. They dont get caught up in human things. The joke is on me because I am one of the most caught people I know.. but in the past, I've pressured the people around me to think like I do, thinking I know the best way. When I really only have the best way for me, what sits right in my system. and my truth can be totally different than someone elses. that doesn't make their truth invalid. This is something to look at. Its funny because Graham thinks we are similar!! he said he thought we were similar on paper. from where I stand, I dont think so. but a huge part of me loves that he thinks that. I want him to think we float on the same wavelength because it ends positively for me in that way. He likes me! If the story he is telling himself is that we vibe, than that will become his reality and isn't that great for my ego who wants to catch all boys and make them mine. But I do think there are ways that we do vibe on the exact same, freakishly perfect frequency. and oddly these are the frequencies that may matter most when it comes to being in a relationship. its the openness, willingness, goofiness, amount of energy investment, kindness, patience, intentionality, mindfulness. Such key things we are so aligned in. That's whats making this work so well. and if we keep leaning into that I genuinely think we could be unstoppable. alright lets come full circle. do I want a relationship? what am I doing here? what is my intention? through all of this babble this is what I've deduced: I wouldnt have made it this far if it wasn't him. Or maybe I would have, but like with Colt, I wouldn't be taking it seriously. I would know it wasn't him deep down but still just be messing around for fun.. but instead of any of these scenarios, I am genuinely, fully trying my best to show up authentically, softly, openly with every cell of my body. I wouldn't want a relationship if it wasn't him. I would be better off alone if this wasn't going in the direction its been going. The reason why I'm even sitting here writing this is because it is a possibility. I have grown to the point where I'm only accepting authenticity in my life, now that I have a better idea of what that looks like for me. Honestly, Graham has taught me what that authenticity can look and feel like. He modeled it for me. He has brought the best out of me. He has forced me to get uncomfortable and face the truth of myself in the most productive, rewarding way. and he doesn't even know it. hes forced me to look at what I truly want and he has forced me to present it to him. and this energy is all moving self-so. There is not force present, this is the way its bubbling up for both of us. and so we let is bubble.

[thethirdromana]

Would DS9 characters fuck their clone?

Inspired by this post, which establishes that Worf would not fuck his clone.

Kira The only character who has had the opportunity to fuck their clone (well, the evil Mirror Universe version of herself, anyway), and she turned her down. But I don't think serial monogamist Kira would fuck her clone even if the clone wasn't evil.

Sisko Sisko feels too well-adjusted to fuck his clone. He'd spend time with his clone. He'd make dinner for his clone. He'd have interesting conversations with his clone. But they wouldn't fuck.

Bashir Poor Bashir, a man who is desperate for connection throughout the whole run of DS9. He runs to anyone who seems to understand him, no matter how unwise (his patient, a Cardassian spy etc). He would fuck his clone and his clone would fuck him and I've gone and made myself sad now.

Jadzia Dax While Bashir would fuck his clone for unhappy reasons, Jadzia Dax would fuck her clone for "she seems hot, why the hell not" reasons. And good for her.

Ezri Dax Fucking her clone feels too much to ask of a woman who's already struggling with an identity crisis. I think Ezri would have the common sense to steer clear, in order not to mess with her head any further.

O'Brien I just can't imagine O'Brien being attracted to O'Brien, or curious enough to fuck his clone anyway. Though they'd still enjoy hanging out together and discussing their shared history of going through a lot of shit.

Odo Since it's not clear how distinct the Founders really are from one another, I guess he kind of did?

Quark I mean, obviously.

[elvisabutler]

when i'm 40 and you're 31 we'll get back together you'll see ( future austin butler x priscilla actress reader headcanons )

which is to say welcome to headcanons no one actually asked for but are for the fic one anon did ask for. i need some of this out of my brain, so welcome hello everyone who decided to read this. if you didn't it's okay this is really becoming self indulgent and a way for me to just acknowledge that paul newman and joanne woodward had an excellent couple vibe even when it was rough. i will take no further questions on that fact.

tw: honestly, maybe like mentions of cheating ( not actual cheating ), the normal daddy kink/age difference thing with me and pa! reader, drunkenness? truthfully i was rather tame on all of this.

because consider the two of you never properly make up after you break up. sure, you go on the press tour for elvis and you're cordial. you play up some fake love for the camera and it works well enough. it stings for both of you but he has kaia now and you're- you're doing what you prefer, enjoying a partner who realizes that maybe you only need them for right now but you'll both be happy in the meantime. a serial monogamist, not a maneater, thank you very much. but hey your date for the premiere is pretty cute and you could see him lasting longer than a few months. maybe he's from home or maybe he's another up and coming actor. point is, he's easy and he's enough of a dom that he'll be fine.

consider that when oscar season rolls around austin and kaia are still together and you and your guy are too. no need to play up for the cameras but "oh y/n! austin! can we have a picture!" and you obilge because you're both nominated and what's the harm. a lot of harm in that he holds your waist so tight you're transported to your (his) bedroom and you physically recoil when the picture's done. you both win, of course, some other about how the last time the academy saw chemistry like this it was with the old school hollywood movie types. austin gets a little too tipsy and kaia and your date have to go home early because she's got a shoot and so does yours. you get stuck shepherding your lush drunk ex into an uber that you join him in because "austin robert butler you idiot." and he utters filth at you like you're still dating. he does not cheat on kaia and you do not cheat on your man that night but it's a near miss with "daddy would have given you an oscar baby to go with your oscar." that night is the last time you officially talk to him for 10 years.

consider! he keeps dating kaia for another year, shocking literally everyone but it's fine because she's sweet and you keep dating your beau for- well you keep dating him and dating him and when you first actually meet vanessa on the set of her movie that you happen to be a part of and you become friends she literally looks at you and your boyfriend and seems Concerned. you find out later when you're both at cochella a year later that "girl, don't be like me with the long relationship if you're not going through with it." you choose not to dwell on what ( who ) she means by that.

but consider you both keep track of each other's careers and maybe he sees you on broadway and the same is true for you seeing him. maybe you both get nominated for tonys that year. maybe one or both of you win. maybe you see him that night and it's been over six years and he's got some woman his age on his arm and you've got your saint of a man on yours and it shouldn't hurt but seeing his blue eyes just send a painful spasm to your heart.

maybe now it's ten years on and austin is engaged to be married but he keeps pushing off the wedding ( rumors say he's cheating on her or she's pregnant and doesn't want to ruin the dress, you pay more attention than you should ) but he's still engaged which is more than you can say for you and your boyfriend. "you know how embarrassing it is to just be known as your boyfriend? you know how many jokes they make about you gettIng your own austin butler to make up for the fact that he left you?" you leave him that night.

consider it's ten years on and he's 40 but still so handsome and god you could have had that if you just- if everything had just- if elvis and priscilla hadn't invaded your lives, if you hadn't been stuck inside isolating with nothing that could pull you two down. you don't dwell on it. you try to not dwell on it.

but also consider the fact that he might be a serial monogamist himself but he can't- your ring your copy of priscilla's ring is always in his place. stashed away so whoever he is with can't see it. he should get rid of it and maybe that will make him think he can take the plunge finally.

maybe there's a new project that vanessa ( who you've become good friends with and you're the godmother of her kid/kids ) is passing on but "you'd be perfect for it, y/n!" what you don't know is she tells the same thing to austin.

it's another baz film and honestly you miss the director enough that you figure it's worth a shot. see if the man wanted to cast you again.

consider that he sees you and his eyes light up, he's already cast austin and maybe he thinks you're the best on screen couple he's ever had the pleasure of directing. but still formalities and all and there's that pesky chemistry test and you both freeze eyes settling on each other's matching ( still matching ) dove necklaces.

but you're professionals and somehow you still have that chemistry. you're not on the floor, austin is this time which is such a role reversal you'd have laughed about it in another life. all it does in this one is make you want to touch him and call him daddy like nothing had changed.

baz tells you that you've got the part before you've left the room. it's opposite austin and maybe he leaves the room first. this time you follow him and hold his wrist and when he says "i've got to go" you tap once.

"i like the little bit of grey, mr. butler. shame you're not a brunette right now. can't make a proper salt and pepper joke." "you don't look a day over 25, lil- guess i can't call you lil dove any more can i?" "maybe i wish you would, daddy."

consider you don't fall right into bed because you're older now and you've got to talk this time. but the kiss he gives you when you call him daddy like that offhandedly like time hadn't passed? that makes you almost throw caution to the wind and do it anyway. after all you can't have something like this go wrong twice in one lifetime.

consider. no it just means you get to deal with a completely separate mess this second go around.

[conscious-love]

Why Holding On To Past Relationships Is The Worst Thing You Can Do For Yourself, Period

by Daniel Dowling via MindBodyGreen

Three years ago I was a 24-year-old failure-to-launch who lived on his mom’s couch and shared a bathroom with two teenage sisters. My friends had their own houses, degrees, and independence. And there I was, broke and depressed, totally reliant on my parents. It hadn't ever not been that way.

But in 2014 I made one small decision, which led to results I still sometimes can’t believe.

Today, I’m leading writers in a national campaign to rebrand my hometown, and I write for the best entrepreneurial and self-improvement sites in the world (mbg being my favorite; no lie). I make a great living coaching others to become the happiest and most successful versions of themselves. That’s a lot of change in just three years, from any perspective. And I can trace the transformation of my life back to one single thing: letting go of my exes—completely.

Breaking free from serial monogamy.

For most of my adult life I’d been a serial monogamist. I thought I just really loved love, but it turns out I was just really, really afraid of responsibility. So, for my personal dissatisfaction and unhappiness, self-improvement wasn’t the cure—it was a new girlfriend! And when that one didn’t work out, I'd find another. Yay for love!

Except it wasn’t love because I wasn’t becoming the best version of myself through these relationships. So after the last one ended ignominiously, I quit the love game—just not quite all the way.

I still kept in contact with my exes. And Jen—my former fiancee—was a particular crutch. We still visited each other even though we lived in different states. We kept in regular contact through texts and phone calls, especially during crises. I was still depending on her to make me happy.

Every time we talked, I renewed the connection to my former ways of thinking and behaving. It strengthened the conviction that, deep down, I could only be happy with Jen. She was my way out. If things got too tough, I could always come to her, and she could come to me. We even promised that if we weren’t married by 30, we’d get hitched. Talk about a safety net… (and, yes, also the plot of My Best Friend's Wedding).

Unfortunately, that safety net was keeping me from being the bold, successful, independent man I wanted to become. I just couldn’t seem to cut the cord on my own.

Flying without a net.

Then one day I was listening to an audio course from my favorite self-improvement mentor, Zig Ziglar. He was talking about how to right our wrongs and forgive ourselves. He advised writing apologies down and sending them to the appropriate people. But he had a special step for exes.

"When it comes to the forgiveness you want from your exes [Zig has a drawling Southern accent], I want you to follow all the steps I just gave you. But instead of sending off the letter, I want you to fold it up, light a fire, and burn the damn thing. Cuz there’s no point in renewing emotional connections with people who aren’t good for you. That’s why they're your exes! It’s time to move on from them and fully embrace your own life."

When one is slapped by truth, one’s jaw has a tendency of dropping, and the eyes have a tendency to glaze over, lost in a thousand-yard stare. That was the picture of my face. Might’ve even drooled a little.

I thought about Jen, and Em, and Katie. I thought about how important they’d been for me and how much security they’d brought me. And I knew I had to let them go for good. For good.

No more texts or calls. No more being Facebook friends. No email updates. No nothing.

I had anxiety about the decision, naturally—severing ties with my past and obliterating a huge comfort zone. But I had a future to step into. I had to do that on my own.

Dealing with the emptiness.

I missed my former girlfriends like crazy. But instead of feeling sorry for myself and longing for them, I prayed for them. I asked God for the same things I was asking for my own self-improvement journey—courage, faith, hope, positivity, inspiration, grace, and so on. I prayed for them to meet amazing and inspiring friends who could help them become their best selves. I prayed for my future wife. And I prayed that I would become the fully independent man capable of supporting her.

In all this praying, I completely changed my focus. Instead of relying on my girlfriends for faith and reassurance, I relied on God and my own ability to handle my problems. I took back the misplaced faith in my girlfriends and put it squarely in my own hands.

That’s when I finally launched.

Do you believe in life after love?

Just like Cher, I found my power only after letting go of my past relationships.

Without my exes as safety nets, it was just me. Nobody else was going to make me happy. So I did what I needed to do to make me successful—all the writing, studying, practicing, pitching, researching, and self-improvement. I actually become part of a community and made new friends. I fully embraced my own damn life.

Three months passed and I still missed my exes. But I was making money through my writing and making new connections.

Six months passed and I still missed my exes. But I’d started earning a full-time living through my writing. And I was growing more confident by the day, especially in my community.

A year passed and I still missed my exes. But I was fully independent through my passion. And I’d outgrown the anxiety and depression that had haunted me since I was a teenager—a by-product of my newfound faith in me.

It’s been three full years since I cut out my exes. I’m 100 percent over each one, but I’m human—I still miss them! Who wouldn’t? They were brilliant and beautiful women who were insanely fun to be with. I made thousands of joyful memories with each one.

Sometimes I’m reminded of them by hearing a certain song or watching a movie. But that’s just another opportunity for me to thank God for them and to pray for them. It’s another opportunity for me to be the independent and faithful man I know I can be for myself, for my wife, for my clients, and for my audience. It’s another opportunity to find security in myself and in a higher power. And through these opportunities, I’ve found the happiness and fulfillment I always wanted.

I advise all of my clients to go on a yearlong relationship fast, which most of them do. But the real growth comes when they fully let go of their exes and stop using them as crutches. It’s hard, hard, hard to do but absolutely essential if you want to grow.

Here are five tips to help you let go of your exes for good:

1. Start a self-improvement routine, complete with daily, weekly, and monthly goal setting.

Read this article as a primer.

2. Meet with someone weekly to discuss your personal growth and your journey.

This person will help keep you accountable to your goals and lifestyle choices. Can be a friend or an amazing coach.

3. Stay single for a year—totally single.

If you can’t be happy with you, you won’t be happy—truly happy—with anyone else. Love that you! Commit to being successfully single for a year. That means happy, connected in your community, fulfilled in your work, and in a state of continuous personal growth. (Your daily routines and long-term goals will be critical to this step.)

4. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting people.

Join a faith community where people strive to live out the values you identify with. This is where you’ll find the deep connections that you can grow with—and that will prevent you from leaning on your exes as crutches.

5. Pray or meditate often.

Use your emotions as mindfulness cues. When you miss someone, pray for them. When you’re lonely, pray for the courage, positivity, and fortitude to make good decisions. When you think you can’t go on—that happens to everyone—pray for what you need. This will help you grow faith in a higher power and yourself, which is an absolute must if you want to be happy alone.

And being happy alone? That’s an absolute must for loving someone unconditionally in a relationship that can last a lifetime.

Link to article on Mind Body Green

Author: Daniel Dowling

[richincolor]

New Releases

So many books are launching this week! Are any of these YA books on your TBR pile? What have you been reading lately?

Fireworks by Alice Lin

Seventeen-year-old Lulu Li has her last summer before college all planned out. But her plans go awry when she learns that Kite Xu, her old next-door neighbor and childhood friend, will be returning home from South Korea.

Lulu hasn’t seen Kite since eighth grade, after he left the country to pursue a career in K-pop, eventually debuting in the boy group Karnival. When Karnival announces that Kite will be taking a break from K-pop activities for mysterious reasons, the opportunity to rekindle their friendship arises.

Star-struck and nostalgic, Lulu tries to reconnect with Kite. As they continue to bond and reminisce over the past, Kite’s sister, Connie, warns Lulu not to get too close to her brother. The harder Lulu tries to deny her feelings, the stronger they get. But how could a K-pop star ever fall for a nobody from home? And even if he did, is there any way for their relationship to end but badly?

TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo

When TJ Powar—a pretty, popular debater—and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the “expectation” of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the “reality”—TJ decides to take a stand.

She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: “This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.” Only, as she sets about proving her point, she starts to seriously doubt anyone could care about her just the way she is—even when the infuriating boy from a rival debate team seems determined to prove otherwise.

As her carefully crafted sense of self begins to crumble, TJ realizes that winning this debate may cost her far more than the space between her eyebrows. And that the hardest judge to convince of her arguments might just be herself.

Out There Into the Queer New Yonder Edited by Saundra Mitchell

To conclude the trio of anthologies that started with critically acclaimed All Out and Out Now, Out There features seventeen original short stories set in the future from fantastic queer YA authors.

Explore new and familiar worlds where the human consciousness can be uploaded into a body on Mars…an alien helps a girl decide if she should tell her best friend how she feels…two teens get stuck in a time loop at a space station…people are forced to travel to the past or the future to escape the dying planet…only a nonbinary person can translate the binary code of a machine that predicts the future…everyone in the world vanishes except for two teen girls who are in love. This essential and beautifully written collection immerses and surprises with each turn of the page.

Zyla & Kai by Kristina Forest

While on a school trip to the Poconos Mountains (in the middle of a storm) high school seniors, Zyla Matthews and Kai Johnson, run away together leaving their friends and family confused. As far as everyone knows, Zyla and Kai have been broken up for months. And honestly? Their break up hadn’t surprised anyone. Zyla and Kai met while working together at an amusement park the previous summer, and they couldn’t have been more different.

Zyla was a cynic about love. She’d witnessed the dissolution of her parents’ marriage early in life, and it left an indelible impression. Her only aim was graduating and going to fashion school abroad. Until she met Kai.

Kai was a serial monogamist and a hopeless romantic. He’d put a temporary pause on his dating life before senior year to focus on school and getting into his dream HBCU. Until he met Zyla.

Alternating between the past and present, we see the love story unfold from Zyla and Kai’s perspectives: how they first became the unlikeliest of friends over the summer, how they fell in love during the school year, and why they ultimately broke up… Or did they? Romantic, heart-stirring and a little mysterious, Zyla & Kai will keep readers guessing until the last chapter.

Empress Crowned in Red (Witches Steeped in Gold #2) by Ciannon Smart

Iraya, her revenge taken and magic unfettered, turns her sights on a bigger goal: freeing Aiyca for the Obeah. But first she must shed the guise of the rogue warrior and become the Lost Empress her people need.

Jazmyne has crowned herself the doyenne and is prepared to go to extreme lengths—and court ruthless danger—to prove to her people she deserves the throne.

But there is more at stake than Jazmyne or Iraya know: a new threat is awakening on the other side of the island that could destroy everything they’ve been fighting for. Trust is scarce, and betrayal a breath away. But Iraya and Jazmine once again find themselves turning to each other—after all, better the witch you know than the nightmare you don’t.

The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad by Natasha Deen

Let’s be clear. No matter what her older brother, Robby, says, aspiring screenwriter Tuna Rashad is not “stupidstitious.” She is, however, cool with her Caribbean heritage, which means she is always on the lookout for messages from loved ones who have passed on. But ever since Robby became a widower, all he does is hang out at the house, mock Tuna for following in their ancestors’ traditions, and meddle in her life.

Tuna needs to break free from her brother’s loving but over-bearing ways and get him a life (or at least, get him out of hers!). Based on the signs, her ancestors are on board. They also seem to be on board with helping Tuna win over her crush, Tristan Dangerfield. The only hiccup? She has to do it before leaving for college in the fall. A ticking clock, a grief-stricken brother, and a crush who doesn’t believe in signs. What could possibly go wrong?

If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So

Elsie has a crush on Ada, the only person in the world who truly understands her. Unfortunately, they’ve never met in real life and Ada lives an ocean away. But Elsie has decided it’s now or never to tell Ada how she feels. That is, until her long-lost best friend Joan walks back into her life.

In a summer of repairing broken connections and building surprising new ones, Elsie realises that she isn’t nearly as alone as she thought. But now she has a choice to make…

[calvin-af-crone]

I’m truly so heartbroken over the end of Calvin and Aartika’s relationship. They had been together for so long and been through so many ups and downs that I thought marriage and children were both inevitable. I mean they lived with each other through the pandemic which was a test for many couples and seemingly successfully came out of that. I feel so, so bad for Aarika because she gave up her career and her whole life to be with him, presumably to become his wife and a mother. And he must have promised her so much, only to break her heart in the end. I’m glad that she is hanging out with friends and healing her heart, but I’m realizing that she is too good for him. He doesn’t deserve her unwavering commitment, compassion, and acceptance if he is just going to toy with her heart and never take the next step in their lives together. His new girlfriend seems absolutely lovely, but from what he has done to Aarika, I’m not sure I can be happy for him. He needs to stop toying with these women as a serial monogamist. It’s all well and good that he’s into living with someone and adopting pets together, but it seems that he promises forever when he knows it won’t be. And that is quite unforgivable and cruel.

I feel the same. We basically watched her:

learn how to cook whatever he wanted;

make the decor in his house more cozy & comfy;

make endlessly clever variations of macaroons, which he noted was his favorite pastry in an old post since deleted;

bake every bread recipe in at least 2 cookbooks;

make a gluten-free chocolate bomb cake;

produce their daily juice supply & invent new concoctions;

love a cat when she'd never had one before, get rewarded w/ a dog & train them both to perfection (seriously, how many of you have a cat that will walk on a leash?);

make endlessly clever variations of macaroons, which he noted was his favorite pastry in an old post since deleted;

produce delightful theme parties for her friends;

apply self-discipline to her exercise regimen;

I could go on but I believe I've proved my point—

Aarika was a fucking IDEAL WIFE!

And she was also cute & funny & maternal—her nickname among her friends is Mom. If Vick lasts long enough to be introduced to his family, I hope his niece declares to her face, "I liked Auntie-A better!"

[esmealux]

How Chloe Decker Ruined The Greatest Slut of The Universe

Part: 1 / 1

Setting: Post s5, maybe post s6?

Word count: 2.2K

Rating: T

Summary: Lucifer’s thoughts on monogamy have changed over time. Or, how Chloe Decker ruined the Greatest Slut of the Universe. 

Author’s note: Thanks for the help on this one! If I’m still a little off canon in some places, I apologise. I tried my best. If it bugs you too much that it doesn’t 100% match what’s implied on the show, you can always consider it an AU.

Lucifer had never seen the point of monogamy. Why limit yourself to one sexual partner when you could have a thousand?

It wasn’t a matter of quantity over quality—Dad no. It was simply a matter of diversity. Variety. No matter how delectable the taste, you wouldn’t stick to one meal for the rest of your life. No matter how sweet the melody, you wouldn’t listen to one song and one song only. Even the most magnificently scored piece of music would eventually tire your ears if it were all you ever heard. So why on Earth would you tie yourself to one person?

He might have understood it if humans were designed to mate for life, like beavers and seahorses, but they weren’t. They were polygamous creatures. And yet so many of them spent every living second obsessing over finding the one. It was untrue to their nature—deviant, really. The saddest part was that once they thought they’d encountered this ‘other half’, they’d chain themselves to the person, restrain themselves. Suppress their innate desires.

Why, oh, why?

The question had struck his mind so many times, most often amid a particularly sinful orgy. Why would you ever abstain from the abundance of pleasure several lovers could give you in return for sporadic and ever-worsening missionary sex with the same person until your dying day? 

It had made absolutely no sense to him.

But then he’d met her.

Not that he’d turned monogamist by the mere sight of her (he wasn’t that weak). But it was her acquaintance, all the light and the dark that ensued, which ultimately had made him abandon his philandering. He’d wish he could say it was a conscious choice. It wasn’t. After she’d kissed him that first time (and probably even before that) he just simply hadn’t had the desire to engage in casual sex with strangers. Not that he hadn’t felt desire in any form—had practically been set ablaze with it the moment their lips had touched—but he’d burned for her, and no one else.

And then, before he could even act on this newfound, completely overshadowing, giddying want, the all-destructive revelation had been thrust in his face. That she was nothing but another pawn in his Father’s vexatious game. That she hadn’t kissed him of her own free will. That they weren’t real.

It had felt as if he’d crashed against the sulphurous ground of Hell once again. And his carnal desires had been pushed even further back. If he couldn’t have her—and he couldn’t, because she deserved a choice—he didn’t want anyone. Not even when he’d fled from reality to Sin City had he been tempted to pick up a bed mate or two. Nor had he felt the need to seduce Candy as he’d pretend-married her. No, that little arrangement had primarily, almost solely been to protect Chloe. To give her a choice.  

And he’d done just that, as they’d gone back to being friends. Just friends. (For some reason, it had not relieved the ache in his chest, but he’d tried not to dwell on that). And yet, despite their now defined platonic relationship, he still hadn’t resumed his libertine habits. Mainly because he’d been busy sending his mother into another universe, being abducted, cursing his reattached wings, and learning that the new lieutenant was Cain(!). It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to get back to his carefree debauchery. The feathery traitors on his back had just kept getting in the way and ruined the mood.

That, and he hadn’t had quite the same appetite as before. Or perhaps his sexscapades had just become less filling. Either way, the hunger roused by their kiss had still burned inside him—a hunger that couldn’t be sated by one-night stands and sex parties. Because, as reluctant as he’d been to admit it back then, all he’d wanted, all he’d desired, was her.

But she had been forbidden fruit, and for once, he’d refused to bite. For once, something—someone had mattered more to him than his own wants and needs. And so, after a couple of (by his standards) unsatisfying shags, and for the first time in history, he’d had sex with no one but himself. Only accompanied by the ever-fading memory of her mouth on his, and bittersweet fantasies of what could have been.

It’d been rather depressing.

At some point, she had, for some inexplicable reason, started dating Lieutenant Pierce, aka. the world’s first murderer. Consequently, Lucifer had put all his energy into proving to her just how much better than the Murderous Man Ham he was. In addition to providing her with her favourite snacks, buying her a car, and other small acts of kindness, he’d continued to stay abstinent, solo sessions aside. Sleeping around with half of LA didn’t exactly say ‘loyal and devoted’—not to Chloe, at least—and he hadn’t wanted to lose her over meaningless sex. Eventually, he had (with a little help from a friend) realised that it would take more than expensive gifts, decadent dinners, and celibacy to win her over. That he’d have to tell her how he felt about her, instead of telling her how to feel about Pierce. With hope dangerously blooming in his chest, he had gone to finally confess the feelings he’d tried to suppress for so long—only to have an inadequate diamond ring and a quite unexpected ‘yes’ get in the way.

In the throes of jealousy and heartbreak and so many other painful emotions he couldn’t name, he’d started bringing people into his bed again. He’d thought it would help him get over Chloe, or at least keep his mind off her and bring him in a better mood—none of which had been the case, of course. Because all he could think of, as he would lie there, thrusting with as much passion he could muster into his amour d’un jour, was that it wasn’t her. That she’d chosen Pierce—chosen Cain. That he’d had and would have her in ways Lucifer could only dream of.

(And oh, did he dream. To a pathetic degree.)

In spite of the sulky thoughts that had invaded his mind every time he’d been entertaining someone for the night, he had, as always, managed to make all participating parties, himself included, reach their climax—often more than twice. But while they had left his place smiling and satisfied like never before, he’d lied motionless in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling as empty and as starved as he had pre-sex. If not more.

He probably should have realised then that his days as a serial lover were over. Should probably have realised it long before that, actually—say, when an innocent kiss had changed something fundamental inside him. But he hadn’t realised anything. Not then. Not when rekindling his relationship Eve had made him feel oddly guilty. Not when their weekend-long orgies had done nothing to fill the void inside him. Not when he’d found himself alone in the shower, getting off to sappy daydreams rather than the luscious woman waiting in his bed. Not when he’d finally broken up with said woman, and his excessive need for polyphonic stimulation had vanished altogether.

Nor had he realised it any of the times he’d looked at Chloe—when the stars in her eyes and the purity of her soul had taken his breath away. Not when she so openly and without fright had accepted him in his true form. Not when she’d made him see that it wasn’t his true form after all. Not during any of their most tender moments—moments he could only have shared with her. Not when she had felt like home, more than Heaven, Hell or Earth ever had.

Maybe he had started realising it when she between sobs and pleas had declared her love for him. (It was, after all, in that moment he’d realised he loved her in return, and more than he could even begin to understand). But it wasn’t then, and it wasn’t there, it had finally dawned upon him—that Detective Chloe Decker had ruined the First and Greatest Slut of the Universe.

No, the ultimate epiphany had come to him far, far away from her soft lips and her warm heart. Had first come to him when he’d let himself fall and sat in the throne he’d never wanted. Tortured by her absence for millennia on end. For it was there, amongst ashes and demons and scum, in the blackness of the abyss, deprived of her light, that he’d felt it. An all-encompassing desire, a scorching, excruciating longing to be with her. And only her.

It had been the single saddest case of Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

And fonder it had grown. For each day he spent in Hell without her, each year, each century, it only became all the more clear—crystalline, eventually, glowing brightly in the black smog: He loved her. Exclusively, absolutely, and unconditionally. 

Still does.

And even more so now. Now that he knows the feeling of her skin against his, and that she always vacuum-cleans to Spice Girls. Knows just how loud she snores, and what her naked body looks like in the sunlight. Now that he knows she kisses (far) better than she cooks, but that she’s no stranger to fixing a leaking pipe. Knows that it takes four tequila shots to get her horny and two glasses of red wine to have her falling asleep on the couch. Knows how she’ll toss and turn in bed when there’s a killer on the loose, and the peace on her face when they’ve put one behind bars. Now that he knows what makes her gasp in pleasure and what makes her cry with laughter. What makes her roll her eyes, and what makes her stomp out of the room. Knows the sound of her ‘good morning, baby’, and her ‘sleep well, honey’. The sound of her ‘I love you’ murmured against his lips.

Now that he knows her—truly knows her—he can do nothing but love her more with each passing hour.

And the best part is, she seems to feel the same way about him.

What a lucky bastard that makes him.

Because it was luck that brought them together. Not Dad’s will. He knows that now. Yes, she would never have existed had it not been for his Father’s divine intervention, but He didn’t create her from his ribs or code her to love him. As opposed to what Lucifer had thought for so long, they’re not made for each other, not like that. The fact that she met Lucifer? Definitely Dad’s plan. But that she let him into her life? Into her heart? Now, that she can only blame herself for. 

Lucifer blames her too—has questioned her judgement many times over the years, but always with an impossible amount of gratitude. Despite… everything, she chose him. They chose each other. 

He still doesn’t understand the whole soulmate-thing humans are so keen on (why praise your free will only to romanticise the idea of a predetermined partner?), but he can’t deny that he sees it now, the point of monogamy. It’s not that you can’t live without the person, or that you feel obliged to be with them until death do you part. It’s not about containing desires.

No, it’s about not wanting to live without this someone.

And, much to his surprise, sex has very little to do with it. If he ever had to choose between having the best sex of his life every day or always being in Chloe’s company but never getting laid, his balls would be bluer than all smurfs combined. And he’d still be the happiest Devil alive.

Fortunately, he gets both her company and the best sex of his life. But it’s not the incredible orgasms that keep him higher than any party drug ever did. It’s merely being near her. The closeness. The trust. The love.

He wouldn’t trade that— wouldn’t trade her for anything. (Not even a ménage à trois with Aphrodite and Marilyn.)

Once he realised that, it had only taken him two years to act on it. First, he’d sat down and had a short but heartfelt conversation with Beatrice. When that went well, he’d visited his old sparkly friends in the sky, for the first time since he formed them, and carefully picked the tiniest bit off the Brightest of them all.

And now, he’s finally making his way up the coast to the beach—the beach—as a fragment of his dearest star twinkles brighter than ever inside the gold ring nestled against his fluttering heart.

For years, his innermost desire has been to spend every day with her and do his absolute best to make her happy. He not only knows but feels that there is no one else for him. That they are, in the most beautiful and incredible way possible, stuck with each other; they might as well make it official.

If she says yes, that is.

Edit: I have come to realise that I probably should have given @thewollfgang some credit for the idea about the ring. I am truly in love with their ‘Ring’-fic, and I’m not sure I would have gotten the idea of Lucifer putting a star in Chloe’s ring if I hadn’t read their fic. And now that I just read it again, I realise that the ring being in Lucifer’s breast pocket also is heavily inspired by the same fic. So, lots of credit to the absolutely amazing @thewollfgang on this one. 

[sweetsubharry]

hi! do you have any fic recs of like really fluffy one shots

Hiya!! yes I do!! Aren’t they just the best sometimes?? Sorry this took me a few days to do! I had over 260 fics to go through on ao3 just under fluff (I really need to tidy my bookmarks!)  💖 There’s 79 in this list so it’s a long one!! ^-^

please stay safe and read the tags everyone! :)

freeze this moment in a frame and stay like this by rosesau

Harry (not so) secretly crushes on the cute footie player and fills pages with sketches of him.

Thunder started it by booloveshiscuppycake

Harry's always been scared of thunder storms. But louis' always been there to comfort him. Friendship and comfort turn into love. (Fluffy as shit)

but he cant be what you need (if he's eighteen) by lingerielarries

“I need you to do something for me.” Harry said, pinching his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger.

“It seems like you’re asking me to kill for you, H.” Louis laughed nervously.

“It’s nothing that drastic, I promise. It’s just. I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m not a.. normal eighteen year old.” Louis furrowed his eyebrows at that, narrowing his eyes at the younger boy.

“Are people giving you a hard time?” Louis wondered. Harry shifted in his seat and brushed some of his fringe off his forehead.

“Yeah, that’s. That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” Harry swallowed nervously. He could feel the sweat pooling at his hairline so he wiped it with the sleeve of his sweater. “I need you to uhm, pretend to be my boyfriend.”

or

the one where harry is sick of getting bullied and casts louis as the hot punk boyfriend to scare them away. louis needs harry to return the favor.

punk!louis and flowerchild!harry

the love is ours to make (so we should make it) by lingerielarries

“I’m.. Harry. I nanny? For Ernest and Doris?” Harry responded.

“A nanny? How old even are you? You look twelve.” Louis remarked. Something caught Louis’ eye, and a closer look revealed that Harry had a coat of pink nail polish on his fingers.

“Nineteen. I’m nineteen.” Harry replied.

“Right. Nineteen, wears pink, flower crowns and paints his nails. Who the actual fuck did my mum hire?”

or

the one where louis takes some time off from life to return home, only to be met with a strange boy in pink and a flowercrown as the nanny of his siblings.

All I See is You by ElegantSurrender

Even with the blood gushing from his nose, he couldn’t keep his thoughts on anything but the boy in front of him. He was just so… pretty. He smiled to himself, which only seemed to worry his boyfriend more.

“Why’re you smiling?” Louis asked confusedly, moving Harry’s bloody hand away, and replacing it with his, pinching his nose shut with a tissue. “You’re bleeding, and you’re fucking smiling.”

“Seeing you makes me happy.”

(or the one where Harry has a bloody nose and Louis takes care of him, and Harry really really loves Louis)

Pretty Blue Eyes (I don't care about the nightmares) by justgotowisharder

Harry has nightmares, Louis hates sharing the bed, they end up talking about dreams, they read Freud and they fall in love in the process.

Breathe by dontlietomehoney

Harry has an asthma attack and Louis is scared to death. What follows after though, scares both boys, pulling them apart and bringing them together.

with your love we could breathe underwater by luminescents

Harry’s brow furrows, a look of confusion spreading over his face. “But I am real. I exist, see,” he says, raising a hand out of the water and wiggling his fingers at Louis.

Louis finds himself relaxing a bit. Harry seems harmless really. And he’s quite cute, for something that’s not supposed to exist. If Louis is indeed having a hallucination right now, at least it’s a cute one.

AU where Harry is a mermaid, Louis is a human, and they both discover a lot more than they anticipated.

yes, you make my life worthwhile by orphan_account

Harry whispers to him that this feels like every dream he’s had for the last three years and Louis kisses his temple, behind his ear, across his cheeks and by the edge of his jaw. He runs the back of his finger across Winnie’s sleep-warm cheeks and sighs, the weight of the world finally off his shoulder.

Louis' a pediatrician, Harry's a preschooler teacher, and they're having a baby.

Weigh Us Down (We're In Love) by orphan_account

Harry’s eyes widen slightly at that. “We’re friends?”

Louis nods eagerly, smiling even wider. “Of course we are! You’re like, my first ever friend here. We just moved in, you see. Did I already tell you about that? Anyway! Maybe you can stay for dinner and I can show you my toys?”

Harry smiles. “You’ll let me play with you?”

Louis nods again, excited. “Of course!” He looks thoughtful for a moment, and then he’s slipping off the couch and crouching in front of Harry. “Oh, and Mum always kisses my wounds after she fixes them up. It makes me feel loads better all the time, so.” He leans forward and puckers his lips, pressing them over the bandage on Harry’s knee.

(harry and louis first meet when they’re eight and ten. this is their story throughout the years.)

Breathe by Jade_eyed

Can you write a Larry high school AU where Harry's a sophomore and Louis' his senior boyfriend and Harry's being bullied during class and has a panic attack and all he's saying is 'Louis' so someone goes into louis' classroom and gets him and louis' like freaking out when he finds out and just really fluffy and stuff i just need this okay

[ I changed it a bit , I'm sorry babe I tried. :( ]

Cause If You Let Me, Here's What I'll Do by stylesforstiles

Five times where Harry is Louis' baby

Zero Means Nothing When I'm With You by StripedAndBowtied

Louis doesn't know what he's looking for until he finds it.

Harry just knows he may defy his gender norms, with his height and clumsiness, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want litters of pups running around while he does domestic things all day long.

In other words, boy meets boy and no one can stop pining.

All my senses come to life by erikaeurekajoe

And it was true. Harry's senses were all coming to life, on overdrive in fact because a handsome blue-eyed stranger was holding his hands.

Because of Louis Tomlinson's Arse by AggressiveStress

One in which Harry is a clumsy Uni student that first sees Louis leaning over, picking up his things with his arse very prominent. Harry then falls down the stairs and Louis- wearing a nice little beanie- helps him back to his feet.

In All Its Imperfections by BriaMaria

From: Louis Tomlinson To: Undisclosed Recipients

Hello!

I’ve asked the front desk and you lovely folks are the ones who are on the same level as me in the car park. I found a to-do list today that looked somewhat important because it has lines of poetry scribbled at the bottom that seemed like they might be for a card project. The stationary has a moose in a canoe at the top of it (and he is quite adorable). Let me know if it’s yours!

Cheers!

“Oh. My. Fucking. God,” Harry whispered, his eyes darting over the sentences again willing them not to make sense. They did, they did make sense. “Oh. My. Bloody. Fucking. God.”

The next thing he knew he was on the floor, staring at the ceiling, with a very concerned Liam hovering over his head.

"What happened, mate?" Liam asked.

Harry just pointed to his computer.

Liam bent over Harry’s desk to read the email. “What? This isn’t bad. Is that your to-do list? Did you finally come up with the inside text for those cards?”

“Leeyum" he groaned. “It’s what’s on the list.”

“Oh,” Liam paused for a beat. “Is it dirty stuff?”

Harry nodded.

There was more silence. And then, “Dirty stuff with Louis?”

Delirious in Love by yourpricelessadvice (orphan_account)

Louis is there for Harry waking up from minor surgery; he wouldn't miss it for the world. For two reasons.

Stars Will Align For Us by 2tiedships2

"The serial monogamist is single," Niall said by way of introduction when he sat down across from Harry in the canteen.

Harry sipped his chocolate milk. "What are you going on about?"

"Your alpha dream boat," Niall said. "That tiny little footie player? I heard from Hannah that he's broken it off with his boyfriend so he’s single and ready to flamingle. Now's the time to make your move."

Harry sipped his chocolate milk harder to keep himself from replying.

Or the one where Harry is an omega at a loss of how to get past his pining and gain the attention of Louis...especially considering the alpha is always in a relationship.

(twenty minutes later) wound up in the hospital by callmelover

“Baby, I think a quick trip to A&E might do you some good, hm?” Louis keeps his voice as calm as possible. He doesn't want to startle Harry or make him scared, but he knows that Harry’s fever is too high and he can't risk Harry choking himself into another attack when he's so poorly.

He hears a sharp intake of breath come for Harry and he knows Harry is starting to panic. Louis moves his hand from Harry's hair to his back, rubbing circles into his sweat-soaked shirt.

“No, no. Shh, don't worry, darling. Everything is okay, you’ll be okay. I just know that the doctors will be able to make you feel much better much sooner than I can...Just want you to get healthy as soon as possible, okay?”

-

or the one where harry has the flu and louis is a protective, nervous-wreck of a boyfriend

You live in my heart by styleztomlinson

As soon as they’re done with their set, Louis only has one thing on his mind and that’s to get out of there as soon as possible.or,Harry is sick during their performance at the iHeartRadio festival. Afterwards, Louis takes cares of his baby, and dotes on his husband.

Take Care by secretlylarry

Louis really does love to take care of Harry when he's sick.

if we got nothing, we got us by tumsa

Harry is Louis' baby and he's sick as well.

Peppermint and Lavender (and Coffee) by 2tiedships2

“He was there again,” Louis announced by way of greeting. “Lottie was right and she can never know.”

"What the fuck are you talking about?” Niall asked as he snapped his laptop closed.

“The omega, Niall. He was there today. Just sitting in the corner looking pretty. Or at least his back is. He hasn’t turned around when I’m available to see. I know he’s beautiful though.”

"Okay?” Niall questioned. “What does that have to do with Lottie?”

Louis let out a huff. "She told me I shouldn’t work at a coffee shop. She was right.”

Or the one where Louis might have met the love of his life in a coffee shop. But that’s not how it’s supposed to happen.

So Long I've Been Waiting by kikikryslee

Niall held up his glass in a toast. “Cheers.” Harry stared at Louis as he brought the glass up to his lips, unsure of what to do. It wasn’t like he could refuse the drink, but he certainly didn’t want to have any champagne. Louis monitored everyone else, and as soon as they all had their heads tilted back, drinking their mimosa, he reached out and knocked Harry’s glass right out of his hand, sending it crashing to the floor. “Oh, no!” Louis pretended to be shocked at what had just happened. “Harry, you’re so clumsy. You dropped your glass.” “Yes,” Harry said seriously. “I am very clumsy.” --- Or, the one where Harry and Louis are having their first baby, and keeping it a secret until the end of the first trimester is a lot harder than they thought it would be.

Nothing's Gonna Stop Me But Divine Intervention by kikikryslee

“So… what’s next on the soul mate search?” Louis asked. “I don’t know,” Harry answered. “Whatever I’m doing isn’t working. I’m not finding him anywhere.” “He’ll get here. I know it." “Yeah. I know he’s out there somewhere; I just have to figure out where.” --- Or, the soul mate AU where Harry overthinks everything having to do with finding the love of his life, and Louis doesn't think there's a Mr. Right for him at all. It takes them a while to realize that their soul mate is the person they want it to be: each other.

We Made These Memories for Ourselves by supernope

Breath held, Harry squints his eyes open and focuses on the first stick. A blue line. Harry breathes out an unsteady breath. He’s pretty sure he read that one blue line is a negative, but he fishes the box from the bottom of the pile just to make sure.

“Negative,” he confirms, voice echoing around the small room. “Next.”

Now that he’s feeling a little less shaky, he scans the rest of the tests at once, is met with a headache-inducing mixture of pink plus signs and blue double lines. His heart rate picks up until it’s pounding triple-time in the base of his throat and the pit of his stomach, thundering in his ears and throbbing in his temples. He flips over the rest of the boxes slowly, but he knows what they’re going to say before he even looks.

[or, Louis is a footballer, Harry owns a bakery, and they're having a baby.]

taken by the wind by scrunchyharry

When he decided to move to London with his sister, Harry thought he would finally get to learn how to control his magic. He couldn't possibly have predicted that he would fall for her neighbour.

Or the one where Harry is a clumsy witch and Louis is making everything worse just by existing.

Piece by Piece by SadaVeniren

He rubbed his hand over his lower stomach and closed his eyes. Louis was going to lose his fucking mind.

(aka Harry tells Louis he's pregnant and it goes as expected)

And We Linger On by stylesforstiles

Harry is pouting. Louis takes care of him

There's a Hole In My Soul, Can You Fill It? by stylesforstiles

Sometimes Harry is so tired. Louis always wants to fix it.

one glance and the avalanche drops by Wankerville

It's strange, honestly, having someone so gorgeous in his kitchen, and not only physically gorgeous, but, like, the everything else gorgeous. The type of gorgeous that Louis wants his life to always be covered in. The type of gorgeous he wants lying in sweatpants and an old t-shirt on his couch when he gets home from class. The type of gorgeous he wants to have shoving crisps down the front of his shirt. The type of goddamn gorgeous he wants to kiss, and coddle, and like, love.

Which is ridiculous- he doesn't know him. Pfft.

(or an au wherein louis buys a christmas tree and harry is the boy in leggings who delivers it. they are a christmas classic.)

Do Not Falter (There's a Star Ahead) by LadyLondonderry

It's Christmas Eve, and every single one of Louis' family members are crowded inside his little flat. Really, what more could he ask for on his birthday?

The present he never knew he wanted - in the form of an omega from his past - might just make this his most memorable Christmas.

Right Here Waiting by lovelarry10

Louis and Harry are expecting a baby. Harry's heavily pregnant and nesting madly, determined to make their home ready for their baby.

Blow Out the Candles, Baby by iwillpaintasongforlou

Louis' been planning Harry's 20th birthday party for weeks, and Harry's too sick to move. Louis might be the kind of sap who tries to nurse him back to health with cuddles and jokes and cupcakes for two.

Never Let You Fall by iwillpaintasongforlou

Harry slips on stage and gets a minor concussion, and Louis insists that he spend the night in the hospital just in case. He then turns into a protective baby lion because that is his Harry and he'll be damned if anything happens to him on Louis' watch. Harry rolls his eyes a lot but doesn't really mind.

Asthma and Bad Jokes by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson

When Harry has an asthma attack on stage, Louis has to go and help him. He leaves Niall in charge of keeping the audience entertained.

All I Need is Oxygen (and You) by lululawrence

There are only two ways to navigate Bloomfield High School: become popular or make yourself invisible.

With the help of his best mate Niall, Harry’s introduction to high school hadn’t been half bad. Despite being a “bandie” – the lowest of the low in the ancient hierarchy of high school –Harry had somehow managed to survive freshman year relatively unscathed. So naturally, Harry would have been perfectly happy to resume his position of invisible trombone player number four for the remainder of high school. But one day something drastic happened, something that would change the course of Harry’s entire existence (probably).

It was the last football game of his freshman year, and the band was back in the stands after performing a rousing rendition of Bloomfield’s alma mater during half time. Harry was gracelessly wiping the slobber from the mouthpiece of his trombone when he saw him.

Louis Tomlinson.

Or...a High School AU where Harry is a bandie and Louis is the epitome of cool, so naturally, Harry must find a way to get his attention and win his affections.

i’d burn this city down to show you the light by you_explode

Harry's a sheltered rich kid and Louis's a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry's house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

put your head on my shoulder by wayfared

Niall gives Harry until the end of marching season to either a) make a move on Louis Tomlinson or b) get the fuck over him. Either is easier said than done. Basically, your High School AU with a drum beat.

we should get jerseys, 'cause we make a good team by ellisaco

Harry's not very good at football, but he's aces at cheering Louis on.

Snow by hlftanna

Louis hid something from him. Harry was 100% sure of that. He knew him better than he knew himself. And. He. Hid. Something. From. Him. Harry just hasn't figured out what. Because if Louis wanted to hide something from anyone he usually succeeded because he was Louis Tomlinson.

Use Your Words by zedi

based off this prompt: collage au where jock!harry always serenades flowercrown!louis with love songs in their music class. what nobody knows is that harry actually kinda means the words he sings.

But instead it's Louis as the jock and Harry as the flowerchild because I do what I want.

see the truth (it's me for you) by orphan_account

If you asked Louis the first day of his French Literature class what he’d be doing on the last, he’d probably never have guessed it would involve helping a poorly Harry Styles study for the final exam. Good thing he’s not a betting man.

(Or the one where Louis and Harry spend an entire semester ignoring each other after a one-night stand, only to come face to face when Harry manages to catch the stomach flu during finals week. Sometimes fate is funny like that.)

calling out for somebody to hold tonight by heartinsidemine

“Dunno why I can’t sleep,” is the first thing Harry says into the still, quiet night.

“New flat, new noises,” Louis murmurs, finally setting the kettle on the stove and turning properly toward him. “New responsibilities, too, eh? Second year, you’re working your way up in the world.”

Harry rolls his eyes, shaking his head. “Nothing’s really new, though, is it? I mean, the location, but… I’ve got the same job I had last year, same basic courses, same workload…” He sighs out, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You and me are in the same boat, though,” Louis murmurs to him. He hates seeing Harry like this, even though rationally he knows that he can’t do anything about Harry’s insomnia. “Finding it difficult to sleep myself. Was gonna turn on the telly, maybe the cooking channel until I fall asleep. Care to join me?”

He doesn’t think twice about the offer before making it; it only makes sense. They’re both exhausted and they both sleep better with a cuddle, and anyway Louis would absolutely rather have a conversation partner than only the walls of his room for company.

Running Down To The Riptide by sweaterpawstyles

"I can't give you your present yet, Lou."

Louis furrowed his brows. "And why is that, my love?"

Harry smiled at his lap. "Because your present is under my sweater," he pulled his free hand that wasn't laced with Louis' and gently laid it on his stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Or

It's New Year's Eve and Harry has a surprise under his sweater

Song For The Springtime by sunshiner

“Cherry blossoms,” Harry mumbles. “The solution’s cherry blossoms.”

Uni AU.

the happiest place in our universe by tippytoetomlinstyles

Harry holds Louis’ hand and looks around at all the exciting and beautiful things and Louis looks at him because he finds him the most beautiful and exciting thing there is.

or the one where Louis takes Harry to Disneyland and Harry convinces Louis to wear Mickey Mouse ears to match his Minnie Mouse ears.

Made From Love by lovelarry10

It's almost Christmas, and amongst the preparations, Louis' realised something about his husband Harry.

Harry, however, seems to be oblivious.

Louis' determined to open Harry's eyes and make him realise the real magic that's happening this Christmas...

Another Constellation to Trace by screwstyles

Louis wiggles his eyebrows. “I’m winning that bet.”

“What bet?” comes Niall’s excited voice from behind them, followed by footsteps. “I wanna be in on the bet!” he shouts, prompting Harry to quickly roll down his shirt sleeve and straighten his shirt where it’s still crinkly after Louis’ hands.

Niall takes one look at them and purses his lips in a tight line. “Were you guys making out again? Isn’t the fire meant to die down a bit after eight years?”

“Trust me, the fire is still very much alive,” Louis winks at Harry. “One could even say it’s cooking something.”

-

Mpreg AU: Louis and Harry bet on who can keep Harry's pregnancy a secret for longer. Neither of them is particularly good at it, and it doesn't help that their soulmate tattoos make it even harder.

another pair of feet by honey_beeing

where Harry is pregnant and Louis is an oblivious idiot.

We Were Made to Love by supernope  

“Everything all sorted? Need help with the buckles? I know they’re a bit tricky in this compartment.”

The voice startles Louis out of his daze, and he turns toward the voice to let him know he figured it out. When he catches sight of the owner of the voice, though, his response dies in his throat. Whatever he had imagined the conductor of a children’s train that rides around the shopping centre in Leeds would look like, this is certainly not it.

Leaning through the window, arms folded across the sill, is a green-eyed angel with cherry red lips stretched wide in a smile and dimples flirting in his cheeks. A black conductor’s hat is the only confirmation that this is not some gorgeous stranger who’s come to flirt with Louis through the window of a children’s train, but is just a man doing his job.

[or, Harry drives a kiddie train in the shopping centre for the summer and is obsessed with babies, and Louis never stood a chance.]

here comes the sun by orphan_account

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Louis promises, his pink, chapped lips moving slowly in the cold. It matches the beanie on his head—pink, because they found out this morning that they’re having a girl and that’s just.

Harry’s going to be a dad. To a little girl. Five months from now he’ll be holding her in his arms, and she’ll be so lovely and small.

They’re going to have a spring baby and she’s probably going to have Louis’ eyes. What a blessing that would be. Harry crosses his fingers on the hand inside his pocket, hoping that she does. He’ll love her either way—blue or green or even brown eyes, it doesn’t matter—but he’d really like them to be blue, he thinks.

[Harry is a pediatric specialist, Louis is a neurosurgeon. All they want is a baby.]

So Put Your Hands In (The Holes of My Sweater) by Kat_rawr

“Are you gonna kiss me then?” He asks so quiet he isn’t even sure Louis heard him.

“I think it’s bad luck if I don’t.“ Louis’ breath is hot on Harry’s skin in the cold air. They stand in the dark; Louis’ face only lit up by the yellow-ish light from the street light a few metres away. The light over the door of their building hasn’t worked in years.

“Okay,” Harry says, and of course his cheeks heat up. There are definitely butterflies in stomach and his mouth is definitely dry.

or,

Harry and Louis go on a lot of not-dates

A Little Kind of Magic by Star55

A tiny tale of Louis' Very Important Birthday and Christmas at Hogwarts that Harry loves celebrating with his best friend whom he absolutely is not in love with. No matter what Niall says. (He's a little in love with Louis.)

it tastes like you, only sweeter by EmmyLouWho

Sometimes Harry hates being a second year, like when all his older friends get to go to Hogsmeade and he has to stay behind in the castle. Luckily, Harry has a Louis to make everything better.

For the prompt: “I’m not allowed to go to Hogsmeade but you always tell me stories about it and bring me candy from Honeydukes”

Sun-Dappled by QuickedWeen

Louis and his best friend Harry are in their seventh year at Hogwarts, facing down their future together. Louis has been in love with his best friend for as long as he can remember, and he begins to feel a sense of urgency as the second semester begins. Finally he hatches a plan to tell Harry about his feelings on Harry's birthday.

Sweet Like Sunshine by orphan_account

When Louis saves him from some seventh years bullying him on his lack of Quidditch skills, Harry takes offense. Louis offers to teach him to make up for it. They fall in love somewhere along the way.

Featuring one exasperated Niall, trips to Hogsmede and many flying sessions.

Follow Me Down This Time by supernope

Harry first noticed Louis in his second term at Hogwarts, and despite three years of inventing ways to stumble across Louis, he's never managed to actually work up the courage to speak to him. Also known as, self-indulgent Hogwarts AU, because every fandom needs Hogwarts AUs.

For Reasons Wretched and Divine by panicmoonwalk

Niall’s head was sitting in the fireplace, wide grin lighting up his features as flames licked the bright tips of his hair. Louis promptly dropped his tray at the sight.

“Bloody hell!” He yelled, half at the sudden appearance of Niall in the fire and half at the scalding cocoa he’d just dropped on his bare foot. “What are you doing?!”

Niall just continued to grin, clearly highly amused by Louis hopping on one foot and desperately trying to search for a weapon he could use to beat his friend’s head out of the fireplace.

“Well,” Niall began. “We’re going on an adventure!”

Or, the one where Louis and Harry’s Christmas holiday at Hogwarts is rudely interrupted when they’re dragged off on a tropical wizard’s vacation, featuring some angry centaurs, a spell gone wrong, and the ‘weirdest birthday anyone’s ever had. Ever’.

Loving with a Little Twist by hrrytomlinson

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know Niall! I just promised my mother I’m bringing my boyfriend - a boyfriend I don’t have - to Thanksgiving dinner. What should I do? I can’t call back and be like, ‘Oh yeah mom, that boyfriend I said that I have, I don’t actually have. Sorry to disappoint you.’ My life is ruined.” Harry returns to suffocating himself with the pillow.

Niall laughs and Harry growls at his best friend’s unwarranted happiness in this life-ending situation. Harry is fucked. Fuck. He needs a boyfriend. Fuck.

(or a thanksgiving themed fake/pretend relationship au)

everywhere (i wanna be with you) by itiswhatitisbutterfly

Harry and Louis meet because they have terrible friends, they fall in love because something feels right in a world of uncertainty and shifting grounds. Louis is an actor and Harry is a model at the top of his game, the best things in life are the most unexpected ones and the things that hit you when you are least expecting it.

Featuring winter in London, nights in Paris, early mornings in New York, burning heat in Monte Carlo and an enduring love spent transcending four corners of the globe.

on a wednesday, in a cafe by wreckedboyfriends

“What can I get for you today?” he asked without looking up, arranging the last of the pastries.

“Have any recommendations? Never been here before, actually.” Harry hit his head on the top of the case in his haste to look at the source of the voice. It was a really beautiful voice, small and high and just lovely, if a voice could be lovely. Harry thought so. “Alright, mate?” the man asked when Harry finally composed himself, rubbing the top of his head as he took his place at the register.

Harry opened his eyes, and fuck. If Harry had thought his voice was lovely, the man himself was on a whole other level. “Alright, mate?” He repeated and shit. Harry had been openly staring for quite awhile, hadn’t he?

“Yeah,” Harry replied, and it came out sounding like a semi trailer running over gravel. He cleared his throat. “Yeah,” he repeated. “Um, the cherry danish is quite good, I think. ’S my favorite.”

The man smiled. “One cherry danish it is, then.”

OR Harry’s spent the last year with six locks on his door, a pair of too-flamboyant boots buried in the back of his closet, and insecurity issues the size of a mammoth. Louis changes some of that, but Harry changes the most.

I Long For You by AnotherAnonymousWriter

Thirty minutes later, he's sat on a bench in Hyde Park with a book in his lap and a travel mug with hot tea in his hand. Not far from where he's sat, a group of boys are playing football and a bunch of children are chasing each other. Life is good.

Or at least, life is good until he hears a familiar “LOOK OUT!” and sees a football flying in the direction of his face.

And then everything is black.

(Harry gets hit in the head by various objects and falls for a boy with blue eyes.)

Let It Snow by thebrainisafunnyplace

Bakery owner Harry Styles is always cold, until he hires local university student, Louis Tomlinson to work as a cashier. When the storm of the year hits, the boys find themselves stuck together inside the bakery the night before Christmas Eve. Luckily, they have each other to keep warm.

everything i can arrange, every part of me you change by orphan_account

“Don’t you try that shit with me,” Niall spits the second he reaches Louis, pulling off the hood with force. “What the hell is this?” He plops down next to Louis on the empty bleacher and unceremoniously pushes a sheet of crumpled paper in his face.

Netflix and Chill Buddy Application

It’s like no matter how hard Louis tries, he can’t seem to run away from this stupid fucking flyer. All the girls (and some of the boys) in every one of his classes have been talking about it all week. It’s on every wall of every building on campus. Louis went for a jog last night and he nearly tripped and died over a loose one on the football track.

[Harry needs a big spoon and Louis refuses to let anyone steal his position. Based on this post.]

No words by becharlatan

Harry is a music student who never talks because he's a total introvert. Louis happens to bump into him by accident and as if like the constellations, the two have aligned their paths together despite their differences.

Sun Emoji Moon Emoji by mybeanieandme

For the prompt:

University!au: Harry works at a cafe as the busboy and Louis just really wants to get to know him. (Louis pines for an insecure Harry for a semester)

nonstop earthquake dreams of you by lumineres

And there's heat behind it, blazing, plasmatic, like stars crashing together, like an explosion in space, like a supernova, like a black hole--everything else sucked out of existence. There's no bed and there's no pillow and they're not lying down, just floating somewhere, somehow, and there's no room and there's no X Factor house and there's no Niall snuffling or Liam's deep, even breathing and there's no wind or traffic outside and there's no hum of the heating unit and it's all just Louis. All encompassingly Louis.

or, harry falls hard and finds louis already at the bottom

Kiss From A Rose by lovelarry10

Harry is the quiet one in the office no one ever notices. Until Louis does, that is. When notes start appearing on Harry’s desk, he ponders who is behind the kind words, oblivious to Louis’ attempts to get his attention...

Black Cat by lalune15

Inspired by this tumblr post (not asked or requested): fic where louis works at a haunted house jumping out at people and harry’s friends drag him along even though he doesn’t really like haunted houses. when louis jumps out to scare their group, harry freaks out and accidentally jumps into louis’s arms. louis just squeaks. harry ends up sitting there with louis the rest of his shift and totally doesn’t come back every night after that.

Be Mine, For Always by zams

Louis is happy when Harry is happy. That's what Louis wants, and so when Louis starts feeling weird when Harry cuddles with Liam, Zayn, or Niall instead of him, he keeps quiet. But the burning, uncomfortable feeling Louis gets deep in his stomach when he sees Harry contentedly nuzzling Liam's neck, or Harry's arms and legs tangled around Niall like an octopus, or Harry's face smushed in Zayn's stomach as Zayn plays with his hair only gets worse as the days go by.

Loosen Up My Buttons by softfonds

The beautiful man opened this bakery about a year ago. He remembered the exact day he came: a glum, rainy morning in the middle of February, which instantly turned brighter the minute he saw him. The man had come in with some paint buckets and tools, and Louis doubted he would be able to fix up the drab place all by himself. But as he walked down the stairs at the end of the day and saw the man standing there in the middle of a gorgeous pink and white shop, clearly proud of his work, Louis fell in love at first sight. If only he knew how to talk to him.

Usually, Louis knew how to flirt. He prided himself on it. But every time he looked at the beautiful man, he completely forgot how to form sentences, and there was no way he could go up to him only to make a fool of himself. That was the last thing he needed.

Or, Louis owns a tattoo shop called Pretty in Ink, Harry owns a bakery called Rolling Scones, they haven't been introduced, and Valentine’s Day seems like the perfect opportunity to finally talk to the man Louis has been pinning over for the past year. And they both end up with more love than they bargained for.

Coffee Cups and Football Boots by kimtaedumb

Harry’s stood behind the counter again, but this time he’s painting his nails. Louis strolls up to the counter and, thanks to his no brain-to-mouth filter, blurts out, “Isn’t that a little girlish, Haz?” leaning closer to inspect.

Harry lets out a little huff as his hand slips, “Oh, damn, now I’ve messed it up,” he pouts and turns to Louis, “Why should making myself feel pretty be girly?”

Louis holds up his hands in surrender, “’M not judging, jus’ curious is all.”

(The entirely cheesy and cliché Christmas AU, in which Harry doesn’t give a damn what people think about him – mostly – and Louis may be a little bit in love.

Alternatively, the one in which Harry owns a café that’s barely scraping by and Louis is a footballer and he takes Harry away for Christmas.

Featuring Zayn as a cocky little shit that most definitely needs to be put back in his place, Niall as the loveable Irish dude who drinks too much and flirts with Zayn more than the average girl, and Liam who loves everyone but hates them all at the same time.)

you make my whole world feel so right when it's wrong by orphan_account

“Curly?” Louis says, stepping into Harry’s sight. “You okay?” Harry looks up from where he has two things in his hands, a thick winter coat sized for a newborn, and a sweatshirt fitting a grown man such as himself. He looks up at Louis, stricken, and holds them out for him to see. “They’re the same price,” he says. “They’re both forty dollars! Forty dollars for such little material.”

(or, Harry is pregnant and stops at the mall to buy cheap baby clothes. Louis has extra money from working a long shift, and he can't think of a better way to spend it than on him.)

you were the ocean, i was drawn into you by by orphan_account

where harry takes pictures and worries too much and louis plays guitar.

i'll be your sunflower by scagnetism

“What do you think’s gonna stop us now?” Harry says cheekily, laughter in his voice as he looks up at Louis. “Something’s gotta get in our way like always, doesn’t it?”

“Ha,” Louis grins, kissing his cheek and holding open the door for him as they make their way toward the car. “Nothing’s gonna interrupt us this time. ‘S gonna be perfect, just like Pumpkin.”

Or, a few interruptions aren't going to stop Harry from having a perfect pregnancy and having the family he and Louis have always dreamed of.

Send Me Your Pillow (The One That You Dream On) by flowercrownfemme

Harry is embarrassed to realize he's nesting but can't stop stealing Louis' things for his nest.

Short fluffy o/o gaybo drabble with lots of cuddles and softness and sock stealing <3

As one we are everything/We are everything we need by louloubaby92

Harry finally marries the love of his life. He's got the mating mark, he's got Louis' ring on his finger.

And now, he's on his honeymoon. Louis is but a door away, waiting for him.

Honestly, he doesn't understand why he's nervous.

only guilty of loving you by sweetrevenge

After Harry gets set up with his co-worker's alpha friend Louis, he's expecting some pleasant conversation, free dinner, and maybe a new friend. What he doesn't expect, however, is that Louis' arrival in his life begins a life of crime Harry never knew he had in him.

A You've Got Mail!AU with a twist.

[cablesscutie]

34. “I just want to be there for you.” Zutara, For the fluff prompt list please ☺️

Hello!! You sent me this a very long time ago and then my brain was bad and ground to a screeching halt, but I have been thinking about it this whole time! And now my brain has finally allowed me to make words again these past few weeks, so here it is:

PART 1 \\ PART 2

Even after seeing pictures of Zuko convinces Katara to tentatively agree to Ty Lee’s hairbrained scheme, she still tells herself that she has time to bail. If she really decides that she doesn’t need a date after all, she can just cancel on him and tell Aang her date had food poisoning or something. If worst comes to worst, she can claim that she has food poisoning too and escape the entire mortifying ordeal altogether. Zuko is just an option.

This is the constant refrain in her mind week after week as the date of the wedding approaches, and Katara gets somehow less enthusiastic about it with each passing day. She thinks it as she lets Suki shove her into a fitting room, laden with figure-hugging dresses. She thinks it as she scrolls quickly past Instagram posts counting down the days, politely liking them faster than she can process the sight of fairy lights and mason jars. She thinks it as she impulsively adds a leg waxing to her bi-monthly spa day with Toph. Zuko is just an option.

Just an option with arms that look like they would feel strong and secure around her, and a shy smile, and who’s sweet and playful with kids. Katara lets out a long, frustrated groan and presses her forehead to her desk, rolling it back and forth in a futile attempt to rub out the impending headache of a Friday afternoon. A moment later, she hears the telltale rattle of Suki’s office chair, and then her friend is rolling to a stop beside her.

“You good?” she asks, brushing aside Katara’s hair so she can see her face.

“No,” she sighs, annoyed.

“Is it the rehearsal dinner? Because if you don’t want to go, I can just say you got held late at work.”

“No, no. That’ll be...fine, probably. It’s this whole wedding date thing.”

“Oh do not tell me you’re still being all wishy-washy about it.”

“It just feels like a weird thing to do! I’m just going to show up at my ex’s wedding with this random dude? How will that look?”

“Um, probably like you’ve moved on? Which you have. Objectively. You even had a whole other relationship.”

“Really? Because I think it’ll look like I’m jealous and trying not to be.”

Suki fixes her with disbelieving eyebrows and a laugh. “Trust me, babe. Nobody is going to think that you’re the one that left that relationship pining. You were basically his mom. If this was Jet’s wedding...eh, maybe? But you tend to settle.”

Katara isn’t quite sure if Suki is trying to insult her or compliment her with that statement, and she isn’t sure if her kneejerk, “Hey!” is out of a desire to defend her judgement, or her past partners’ character. Regardless, she doesn’t have much after that to refute the point. Aang seems like a functional enough adult now, a few years out of college, but when they had dated, the “teen” in his nineteen years definitely showed. As for Jet, her much more recent cut, he was...vibing.

“Hon, you’re gonna be fine. I’ve heard Ty Lee and Mai talk about Zuko before, and he sounds like a decent guy. At worst, you have a meh date and escape some social awkwardness, but-” the upward tilt of Suki’s voice had Katara on edge, knowing what was coming next.

“Please, no -”

“- it could be good.”

“No, it can’t be.”

“Ty Lee seems really confident about you two, and you know she’s got a creepy good love radar. After all, she’s the one who convinced me not to block your brother when he slid into my DM’s. Even you told me to block him.”

“She does not have love radar. I love her, but the girl is an unstoppable meddler; she was bound to have a hit once,” Katara dismisses. It’s true that Sokka and Suki are adorable now, and perhaps evidence of the existence of soulmates, but Katara maintains that Ty Lee is a hopeless romantic who believes anything could be the start of an epic love story.

“Fine, be a cynic then. But you’ve already acknowledged that he’s hot, so just go to the wedding with him, and maybe finally rebound from Jet.”

“Hmm,” Katara hums noncommittally.

She’s something of a serial monogamist. She’d left her first real relationship with Aang intending on a summer fling to cleanse her palate before going back for her senior year. After a whirlwind month with the mature and worldly Jiang, she’d been looking into online classes, all but ready to move onto her houseboat and sail away into the sunset. Until Suki pointed out that it was an insane plan, and the ultimately parted ways as planned when Jiang set out to sea again. From there, she had fallen in with Jet as a friend with benefits to blow off steam through her last year without leaving herself open to distraction.

He wasn’t the kind of stable presence she could see herself settling down with, but wasn’t looking to be babied either. No, Jet was more of a feral creature. He knew he was dysfunctional and was fine with it, because function was the system and the system was bogus. Then, she got to know him, and realized that he kept people at a distance for much the same reason she was always pulling them too close. Suddenly, she had grand dreams of showing him the healing power of love, and both of them breaking free of their pain, never needing to fear being alone ever again. He cheated on her, and even as she was shouting at him, she’d known deep down that they had both just repeated their same bad habits all over again.

Now, there is Zuko. Zuko, with tragedy in his scarred eye, and sadness in his smile, but gentle hands on little legs resting on his shoulders. Katara thinks she could make many bad habits out of Zuko, and she is not too proud to admit that it terrifies her. Her stomach turns, and she thinks it might not even be a lie by the time she tells Zuko she’s suddenly too sick to attend the wedding.

The nausea gets worse at the rehearsal dinner, when she walks in to find Jet there, grinning at a bridesmaid. Suki hauls her over to Aang to give him a dressing-down for inviting him, and Katara is somehow reminded in the span of five minutes why she is extremely glad to be rid of both of them.

“I didn’t think it would be a problem!” Aang says, his usual defense. “And he is my friend - we go rock climbing together.”

“Small world,” Suki snarls, and Aang goes wide-eyed, leaning around her to look beseechingly at Katara.

“I swear, I didn’t think you were avoiding each other! After all, we’re exes, and it’s my wedding, but that’s not weird. So I figured you wouldn’t have a problem being in the same room as your other ex.”

Katara grits her teeth behind glossy lips that she forces into a smile, and despite Suki’s murder eyes and the voice in her head telling her not to - to swallow her embarrassment and tell the truth - she finds herself falling back on those old bad habits. “It’s okay, Aang. You had good intentions. We can be adults for one day.”

“Thank you so much Katara,” Aang gushes, lunging forward to wrap her in a hug that pins her arms briefly to her sides. “You’re the best!”

Suki shakes her head in disappointment as he bounds away. “You made your bed,” she reminds Katara. “Guess now you have to decide who to lie in it with.” She glides away to join Sokka at the bar, leaving Katara standing dazed and confused.

“Katara, hey,” an all too familiar voice greets her almost immediately after, and Katara closes her eyes. Suki totally hung her out to dry, and she can’t even be that mad because she’s right.

“Jet,” she says evenly, turning to face him. This shouldn’t be hard for her. While she doesn’t forgive him, she’s also very over him and understands that she’s an idiot for not making Aang ask him to leave. “How are you?”

“Not bad, not bad,” he says, bobbing his head. His clothes are formal but rumpled by disdain for their formality, an effect which once had a liquifying effect on Katara’s insides, but now just feels rude. “I was actually coming over to ask you the same thing,” he says, as though it is a profound inquiry and not the root of all small talk. She opens her mouth to offer a brusque reply and make an excuse to join Sokka and Suki at their table, but he knocks the wind out of her sails with his next words. “Ex’s wedding and all. Brutal.” He gives her a look that she is all to familiar with: his I-see-your-pain look. It was another thing about him that used to push all the right buttons on her, but now she just feels insulted at the presumption that she needs or wants his pity.

“Aang is actually a very dear friend,” she says, trying to sound as impenetrably chipper as possible. “Like a little brother.”

Jet is not deterred, leaning closer to her, his hand just brushing her elbow. “I feel bad about how things ended between us,” he says softly. “I should’ve done better by you.” Katara is momentarily stunned. Is she actually getting a sincere apology? “Which is why I think we should go to the wedding together. I just want to be there for you.”

It’s like a bucket of cold water down her spine, dousing both the fire of her anger and the tiny kindling warmth in her stomach. Katara pulls her shoulders back, straightening her spine, and snaps, “I already have someone to be there for me.”

Jet blinks and rears back a little. “Alright. I’ll, uh. Be looking forward to meeting them then.”

As he slinks away, she feels a moment of deep satisfaction. Only to nearly aspirate her sip of wine as she realizes she has officially painted herself into a corner. Zuko is coming to this wedding.

Thank you! If anyone wants to send me a line or prompt (from this list or your brain) I'll keep it going!