#so is my duty as the oldest to take him to see barbie | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

atlafan · 3 years

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a/n: hola!! So, I’m posting the first 7K here since this is just one long one-shot. I hope y’all will join patreon to continue reading the rest of the story. I worked really hard on this one, and for whatever reason I feel like this is some of my best writing. Enjoy!

Words in total: 38K

Warnings:

TW - mentions of abortion/planned parenthood

Some angst, mostly just two people being idiots

Smut - slight daddy!kink, slight soft dom

Being the new kid in school is never easy. When you’re in elementary school, it’s exciting. Everyone wants to know you and be your friend, but in middle school…the kids judged you on day one. Orla Murphy and her family moved to Boston halfway through fifth grade. It would have been one thing if it was summer, she’d be able to slide in undetected. She could just pretend she was from a different elementary school and be done with it. But no, her father got offered a new job in the big city that he couldn’t turn down. Orla’s an only child, so it wasn’t even like she could mope and complain with a sibling. It was just her and her parents, and even though her mother was a bit more sympathetic to her daughter’s misery, it didn’t make Orla feel better.

So, here she is, on her first day of school on February 1st standing in front of a classroom of kids she doesn’t know, being forced to introduce herself and where she’s from.

“Go on, Orla, tell us a little about yourself.” The teacher says with a warm smile.

“Um…I’m Orla Murphy, I just moved here from Vermont. I’m from a small town where the whole school is the size of this classroom.” She looks down at her snow boots before looking up at the teacher.

“Wow, this’ll be quite the adjustment. What do you like to do for fun?”

“I draw and listen to music. I play Barbies, um…that’s all I can think of right now.”

“That’s fine, thank you, Orla. You can have a seat now.”

Orla goes back to where she was sitting before she got called up to introduce herself to her home room. She slumps down into her seat and listens to the morning announcements. The bell rings and it’s off to math. The class goes across the hall to the other teacher.

By the time lunch rolls around, Orla isn’t feeling much better about her new school. She had brought lunch, and wasn’t sure who to sit with. Her class has two assigned tables, but she doesn’t want to take anyone’s usual seat. She contemplates going to eat in the bathroom until someone taps her on the shoulder.

“You can sit with me and my friends, if you want.”

She turns around to look at a boy with a mess of chocolate brown curls on his head, a pair of round glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, and braces gracing his smile.

“Oh, um, thanks.” Orla blushes and follows him to one of the tables.

“I’m one of the few people that brings lunch too, everyone should be over soon. I’m Harry by the way.”

“Hi.” She says shyly.

“What kind of a name is Orla?” He asks, biting into his apple after they sit down.

“It’s Irish…”

“Cool! Does it mean anything.”

“Golden princess, or something like that, I don’t really know. My dad’s Irish and I guess his grandmother’s name was Orla so they named me after her.”

“That’s really cool. My mom just liked the name Harry, and now that’s my name.” He shrugs. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“No.” She says, and pulls her sandwich out of her lunchbox. “Do you?”

“Mhm, I’ve got three older brothers, I’m the youngest. My oldest brother is a senior in high school, isn’t that cool? He’s going to college next year.”

“Does he drive you places?”

“Yeah! And sometimes he lets me sit in the front seat without my mom knowing. He’s the best.”

Orla felt like she was finally starting to open up, but Harry’s friends joined their table and took over the conversation. They acknowledged her, but didn’t make any effort to pull her back into the conversation. Harry noticed this and didn’t like it. She excuses herself a few minutes before the bell rings to go use the bathroom. There’s a study block after lunch where all of the kids in class could get a jump on homework, or read.

“Okay, everyone!” Mrs. Sampson, the teacher, cheers. “We’ve got a very special treat today. It’s Harry’s birthday, and his mom sent him in with cupcakes for the whole class!” Harry stands up and smiles as Mrs. Sampson places a birthday crown on his head. “Harry, would you like to pick someone to help you pass out the cupcakes?”

“Sure.” He nods and looks around the room. Many kids raise their hands with excitement. He spots Orla looking out the window with her chin resting on her fist. “I pick…Orla!”

Her attention snaps over to Harry while everyone looks at her. She stands up and walks over to him and takes a tray of cupcakes to help pass them out. Once everyone has their cupcakes, and a carton of milk supplied by Mrs. Sampson, the kids are allowed to sit with their friends and chat. Soon, some of the girls start talking with Orla, and it helps her feel more welcome.

By the end of the day, all of the kids are dismissed to go to their lockers and grab their backpacks before getting into their bus lines or go wait for their parents to pick them up. Orla sees Harry at his locker and she works up the courage to go talk to him.

“Hey, um, why’d you pick me earlier?” She asks him.

“Huh? Oh…I don’t know, I didn’t like that my friends were ignoring you at lunch. So, I just thought if you passed out the cupcakes with me more people would talk to you.” He rubs the back of his neck and grabs a card out of his locker. “Listen, I’m having a birthday party this weekend at Roller World, you should come.” He hands her the invitation. “The whole class is coming, it’ll be fun.”

“I’ll, um, I’ll ask my parents…thanks, Harry.”

“Don’t mention it.” He smiles. “Are you taking the bus home?”

“Yeah.”

“What number?”

“Eleven.”

“That’s my bus! You weren’t on it this morning.” He closes his locker and they start making their way to the auditorium where the bus lines are.

“Yeah, my mom wanted to drop me off this morning to walk me into the office so I could get my schedule and stuff.”

“Cool, where do you live?”

“I’m the second to last house on the left of Langston Ave…number twenty-four.”

“You can’t be serious. That’s literally right across the street from where I live! I was wondering who moved into that house. I’m number twenty-seven.”

“Whoa, that’s freaky.” Orla blinks.

“Well, at least you know you have a friend close by. We can wait at the bus stop in the mornings together if you want.” The two go into their line and wait as the teacher on duty keeps them at bay. “Do you wanna sit together?”

“That’s okay, I’m sure you have other friends you usually sit with.”

“Yeah, but none of them are new and exciting.” He scoffs. “Unless…uh, if you don’t wanna sit with me that’s totally fine.”

“No, I do! I just didn’t want you to think you had to offer.” She blushes.

“You’re funny, you know that?” He gives her shoulder a nudge with his hand, and the teacher lets the kids know they can go to their bus.

Orla follows Harry outside and onto bus eleven. He grabs a seat in the middle of the bus and sits down. Orla sits down next to him and smiles. The two talk the whole way home. Harry listens as Orla explains what her dad does for work and why they had to move.

“You’re gonna like living closer to the city, I think. It’s really fun to ride the trains and stuff.” Harry tells her.

They get to their stop and make their way off the bus. Orla’s mom is waiting outside on their front steps for her with a smile on her face.

“Um, thanks for being so nice to me today.” Orla says to Harry.

“You don’t have to thank me. Don’t forget to ask your parents about coming to my party on Saturday, okay?”

“Okay, bye.”

“See you tomorrow.” Harry smiles before crossing the street to his house.

“There she is! How was your day? Was that a new friend?” Orla’s mom gives her a big hug and kiss.

“Mum, stop!” She pushes her mother off of her and they both go into the house. “I got invited to a party on Saturday, can I go?” She hands her mother the invitation Harry had given her.

“Sure! I think I can make this work. I knew you’d make friends right away.”

“I didn’t make friends, I just made one. His name is Harry.” Orla sits down at the kitchen island while her mom makes up an after school snack for her.

“One is still good, Honey. I know this move hasn’t been easy for you, but I’m so proud of you for making it through your first day.” Mrs. Murphy sets down some peanut butter covered celery sticks in front of Orla. “Were your teachers nice?”

“Mhm, Mrs. Simmons is my homeroom teacher, and she’s my English and Social Studies teacher. Mrs. Rayburn is my math and science teacher from across the hall. We had a study block after lunch and we had cupcakes cause it’s Harry’s birthday. Tomorrow we have art after lunch.”

“That’ll be fun.” Mrs. Murphy smiles. “Wait until Dad gets home, he’ll be so happy to hear how your first day went.”

On Saturday, Orla takes a deep breath as she walks into the roller rink. Her mother is right behind her making sure she gets in safely. Orla grips the gift bag with Harry’s present in it as they walk further in.

“There they are.” Orla says to her mom, and they make their way over to the other kids and their parents.

“Orla, you made it!” Harry beams and gives her a high five. “Put that down, we can go get your skates.” He tugs her along to the counter while Mrs. Murphy says hello to Mr. and Mrs. Styles.

“Hi, Monique Murphy, I’m Orla’s mum.” She shakes both of their hands.

“You just moved in across the street, right?” Mrs. Styles says. “We’ve been meaning to come over to introduce ourselves.”

“No worries, I’m sure you’ve been busy putting all of this together. Your son has been so sweet to Orla these past few days.”

“We’ve always taught him to treat others with kindness. Um, is your husband at home, or is it just you two in that darling cape house?” Mrs. Styles asks.

“Oh, Shawn’s doing some unpacking for me. I work from home, and I needed him to put my desk back together and all that.”

While Mrs. Murphy gets acquainted with the other adults, Harry helps Orla lace up her skates. Many of the other kids say hello to her, but mostly keep to their established friend groups.

“Have you ever roller skated before?” Harry asks her as he helps her stand up.

“No.” She wobbles and latches onto his shoulders. “Maybe I should just sit this out. I don’t wanna slow anyone down.”

Harry rolls his eyes and takes Orla’s hand to help her get to the rink entrance.

“Come on, Harry! We’re gonna race!” One of the boys says.

“In a minute, I’m hanging with Orla right now.” He looks back at Orla as they both get onto the rink. “Okay, so you’re gonna glide right and left.” He spins around to take her hands, and starts slowly skating backwards. Orla looks at him with wide eyes. “I play ice hockey.”

“Oh, cool.” She swallows, and grips his hands as she follows his movements.

“There you go, you’re doing it!” Harry cheers her on. The DJ announces that cosmic skating is about to begin, and the rink goes pitch black. Neon lights turn on around the rink and everyone starts cheering. “Think you’ve got the hang of it so I can skate beside you?”

“Yeah, but you can go with your other friends. I don’t want you to think you have to babysit me.”

“I don’t think that.” He moves beside her and takes one of her hands. “It’ll just be easier to guide you like this.”

Orla ends up having a fun time with Harry, and she even warms up to some of the other kids. She learns that Logan, Owen, and Matt are Harry’s three best friends. Logan takes Orla’s other hand at one point and helps her skate a little faster with them. She laughs with all of them and gets the hang of skating on her own. Eventually it’s time for pizza, cake, and presents. Orla sits next to Sammy and Frida, two of the girls she was getting friendlier with in class. Harry starts opening his gifts. He gets some action figures, a new Bruins jersey, skate laces, and then he gets to Orla’s gift. From the few days Orla had spent getting to know Harry, she had learned that science was one of his favorite subjects. So, she got him a make your own volcano kit.

“Wow!” He exclaims as he pulls the kit out of the bag. “This is so cool! Thanks, Orla!” He smiles at her.

“You’re welcome.” She says back quietly.

After they eat, the kids go back for a few more rounds on the rink. Others go off to play in the arcade area. Kids start getting picked up by their parents, and Mrs. Murphy lets Orla know it’s time to go.

“I’m really glad you came.” Harry tells her.

“Me too, thanks for inviting me. Um, see you on Monday?”

“Yeah.” Harry pulls something out of his pocket. “I won these at the arcade, they’re just rubber bracelets, but I don’t need two of them. Do you want one?” He holds up the red rubber bracelet that has Roller World imprinted into it.

“Sure, thanks.” Orla takes the bracelet and slides it onto her wrist. She watches as Harry puts his own on.

From that day on, Harry and Orla were the best of friends. They did everything together. She’d go to his hockey games, and he’d invite her over to do homework after school. In the summer time they’d go swimming in his pool, and Mr. Murphy would grill them up some burgers. By the time eighth grade hit, the teasing started. Their friends told them to just kiss already, and they’d ask why they’re not boyfriend and girlfriend. Orla didn’t like Harry like that, as cute as he was. He was just her friend, and she liked it that way. Did they go to the eighth grade dance together and have a conjoined end of middle school party? Sure, but that’s what friends do.

High school is an entirely different ball game. They lived closer to the high school, so they didn’t need to take the bus. Harry and Orla would walk together every morning. They were put into different homerooms because of their last names, but they had many classes together. They were able to choose their seats so they made sure to sit together whenever they could. They had the same lunch period with their friends, so it was easy enough to get through the day. Orla tried out for the girls’ volleyball team, and she got on, so Harry would make sure to go to her matches. He made it onto the varsity hockey team, so Orla continued to go to his games as well. Again, people continued to ask if they were dating. This was mostly because Harry got more handsome by the day and girls were starting to express their crushes. Orla was pretty in her own right, but she was too shy to even look to see if anyone was looking back at her.

They went to school dances as a group, but they always danced to slow songs together. The summer between freshman and sophomore year of high school, the duo got jobs working at a retirement community restaurant that only hired high school students as servers. This meant new friends, and new people to hang out with after work. Most nights someone would host a fire in their backyard, and most nights this led to making stupid decisions. Orla and Harry didn’t drink, but they did smoke weed every once in a while.

“I don’t wanna smell like it, my parents would freak out.” Orla says to her friend who’s about to pass the joint to her.

“We could shotgun it.” He says.

“What do you mean?”

“I can inhale it and pass it to your mouth.” He smirks.

“Oh…” She furrows her brows. Harry isn’t paying attention to the interaction between Orla and Trevor, the sixteen-year-old boy who Orla secretly had a crush on. “Wouldn’t that be like kissing?” She giggles.

“Maybe, would that be a bad thing? If I kissed you?”

“You wanna kiss me?” Orla asks, but before she can get an answer, Harry’s hand finds her shoulder.

“My dad’s here, we need to go.” He says into her ear.

“Oh, um, okay.” Orla stands up.

“If you wanna stay longer, I can drive you home.” Trevor says.

“You’ve been smoking.” Harry says, stepping in front of Orla. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He takes Orla’s hand and tugs her along.

“Harry, where’s your dad’s car?” Orla asks when they get to the front of the house.

“He’s not here, I just said that so Trevor would leave you alone. We’re only a block away from home, let’s just walk.”

“Trevor wasn’t bothering me though.” Orla says to him as they start walking.

“Well, he was bothering me.”

“Why?”

“He was pressuring you into taking a hit off his joint.”

“No he wasn’t. And since when do you care if I want to smoke? It’s not like it would have been my first time.”

“I have some edibles in my room, we can have those.”

“Harry, you ruined something that could have been really special.”

“Yeah? Like what?” He huffs, walking slightly ahead of her.

“Trevor was going to kiss me, and I really like him.” Harry stops short and turns around to look at her. “And you know that would have been my first kiss, so…it would have been special.”

“You wanted your first kiss to be with a guy you would taste like weed in front of a ton of our friends?”

“No one was watching us.” She looks down.

“Why do you like him?”

“Because he’s cute and funny, and he always helps me buss my tables at work.”

“Is that all it takes?” Harry scoffs.

“What’s your problem? You flirt with girls all the time, you know.”

“Girls flirt with me, and news flash, I haven’t kissed anyone either. It’s not like I’m being hypocritical.” He rolls his eyes and starts walking again. Orla crosses her arms over her chest and follows behind him in silence. They don’t say another word to each other until they get to their street, and Orla starts to walk away from him towards her house. “Where are you going? I thought you were sleeping over.”

“Think I’d rather just be alone right now. I’m too annoyed to spend another second around you tonight.”

“You’re being a baby.” He follows her across the street and they both stop at the front of her walkway.

“And you’re being a jerk.”

“Why would you want your first kiss to be with someone who’s just trying to get into your pants?”

“He’s not like that.”

“Yes he is! I heard him, okay? I heard Trevor talking to Eric at the dish drop off. He…he has some bet with him that by before summer is over you two will have gone all the way.”

“You’re lying.” Orla’s eyes start to water.

“I’m not, why would I lie to you?”

“I don’t know!” Orla sprints off into her house. Harry sighs heavily and goes to his own house.

Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have already gone to bed, so Orla’s quiet as she makes her way up to her room. She washes her face and brushes her teeth before getting into her pajamas. She sits on her bed with her laptop so she can watch TV to calm down. About twenty minutes later, Harry’s climbing in through her window. She looks over at him with a pout and puffy eyes. He doesn’t say anything to her, all he does is cup her jaw and press his lips to her. Her eyes nearly pop out of her head. Before she can even do anything Harry steps back from her.

“Now we’ve both had our first kiss.” He mutters, cheeks a deep shade of red. “I care about you, and you care about me…so it’s special.”

“Oh…well…thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He goes back over to her window, ready to climb back down. “Date whoever you want…just trust me about Trevor, okay?” With that he leaves.

She touches her fingertips to her lips and flops back into her pillows. Her first kiss was just with her very best friend, what could be better?

“Logan asked you to junior prom!?” Harry shrieks when Orla tells him after school.

“Shh, yes. I told him I had to talk with you first.”

“Well, do you want to go with him?”

“Not if it’s going to put you in a pissy mood.” She smirks.

“Do you…like Logan? Do you think he’d be a more fun date?”

“It’s not that I think he’d be more fun, but…you know he and I make out sometimes, it’d be nice to go with someone that I could be a little more intimate with. Besides, you have a crush on Josie, why don’t you ask her?”

“Because we go to every dance together.” Harry takes a deep breath. “Go with Logan, it’s fine. As long as you and I still take separate pictures together.”

“Of course! Oh, thank you, Harry!” She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek. She’s about to walk away from him to go tell Logan, but he wraps his hand around her wrist. She furrows her brows as she look at him.

“But for senior prom, let it be known now, no matter what, you’re mine.” He’s as serious as a heart attack. For some reason, Orla’s mouth feels incredibly dry. She nods in understanding and Harry lets her go. “Go on, go tell your lover boy.”

Orla runs off to go find Logan, and Harry rolls his eyes. He ends up going to junior prom with Josie, who was overjoyed when Harry asked her to go with him. They all have a good time, and they end up having a big sleepover party in Owen’s basement. The lights are dim, and the air is a little smokey. People are drinking, others are staying sober, no one is pressuring anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. Harry can’t help but glance over at Orla every once in a while. She’s sitting on Logan’s lap in a hoodie and joggers, but her hair and makeup are still all done up. They’re kissing and giggling, and Harry feels like he’s going to be sick.

“Let’s play truth or dare!” Frida shouts. Everyone gets into a circle on the floor, and they use a glass soda bottle to spin. Owen spins first, and it lands on Harry.

“Truth or dare?” Owne smirks at his friend.

“Dare.” Harry says confidently. Frida whispers something into Owen’s ear and he nods.

“I dare you to go into the closet with Orla for eleven minutes in heaven.”

Everyone falls silent. Harry and Orla look at each other, and then they both look at Logan and Josie.

“It’s not like they’re going to do anything. I say go for it.” Logan shrugs.

“This is so stupid.” Harry huffs and stands up. Orla follows behind him and goes into the closet.

“Timer starts now! We’ll let you out when it goes off!” Owen yells to them as he turns the music up.

Harry and Orla both cross their arms over their chests as they stand face to face in the cramped closet. They don’t say anything at first, but Harry breaks the silence.

“I think this is, like, the gazillionth time someone has dared us to do this.” He shakes his head.

“Sounds about right.” She sighs. “I’m so glad no one knows we were each other’s first kisses, they’d die if they found out.”

“Yeah.” Harry runs a hand through his hair. “Did you have fun with Logan tonight?”

“Mhm.” She smiles. “What about you and Josie?”

“She’s nice enough, I’m not really sure why I was crushing on her so hard for. She’s not really my type.”

“That’s too bad, I’m sorry.” Orla frowns. “I didn’t think you really had a type.”

“Well, I do.” He snaps. “Doesn’t everyone?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “I don’t think I do.”

“Why do you like Logan?”

“He’s always been sweet to me. I think he’s cute, he helps me with my history homework. And he’s a good kisser.” She grins.

“Is that all you’ve done together? Just kiss?”

“Yeah, I would have told you if something more happened.”

“So…no second base?”

“Has he groped my boobs? No, I’m not ready for something like that yet.” She laughs.

“I thought second was, uh, blow jobs.”

“I thought that was third.”

“No, third is fucking.”

“Then what’s home plate?”

“Being in a relationship.” Harry laughs, and so does Orla.

“That’s fucked up.” She shakes her head.

“Do you think you’ll get to any of that with Logan?”

“I don’t know to be honest. I’m not really worried about it. I’m just going with the flow with him. Why do you care so much? I know he’s one of your oldest friends, but-“

“That’s not why I care. I just…” He steps a little closer to her and tucks some loose curls behind her ear. “I know how sentimental you get about things, and I’d kill him if he ever did something to hurt you.”

She looks up at him. She can feel his minty breath fanning over her skin.

“You can’t be my first for everything, Harry.” She says quietly.

“Why not?” He whispers. He’s just about to lean in when the door swings open.

“So? Did anything happen?” Frida asks excitedly.

“Nope, sorry to disappoint you all yet again.” Orla says, and brushes by all of them to go grab some water.

Harry walks out of the closet, and they all continue their game. When they finish, they all go back to just hanging out. Orla takes her place back in Logan’s lap.

“Do you wanna go somewhere private?” He whispers to her.

“To do what?” She whispers back.

“You know.” He wiggles his eyebrows at her.

“Logan, I’m really only into kissing right now. I don’t want to do anything else.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to kiss in private, though?”

“We do that in your car all the time.” She laughs. “I’m having fun with everyone right now.”

“You just don’t wanna sneak off because Harry’s here.”

“That’s not true.” She frowns. “I just know what I’m personally not ready for. I…I don’t have to explain myself to you.” Orla stands up and grabs her sleeping bag and pillow.

“What, you’re not going to sleep next to me now?”

“I never was.” She throws her things down next to Harry, and buries her face into her pillow.

“You okay?” He asks, rubbing her back.

“Why is every guy a jerk? Like, why is sex the only thing on your pea sized brains.”

“Because our brains are pea sized.” Harry smirks. “We don’t have room to think about anything else. Did Logan try to pull a move?”

“Sort of. He asked if I wanted to go somewhere more private, and I said no, and he said I was only saying no because you’re here, but that’s not the case at all. I just don’t wanna go further than kissing, and he couldn’t comprehend that.”

“Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No, I think that’ll just make it worse. It’s not like we were dating, it doesn’t matter. I just…do you think Josie will care if I sleep next to you?”

“Oh, her mom picked her up.”

“When?”

“Like an hour ago…after I politely declined a hand job from her.”

The two burst out laughing and get into their respective sleeping bags. Orla cuddles up to Harry’s side and he throws an arm around her. For the first time in a while, Harry’s able to fall asleep with ease.

The pair ended up going to the same college for undergrad, of course. No one expected them to go to different schools. However, their majors were vastly different. Orla wanted to be a Physical Education teacher, and Harry wanted to be a pediatric surgeon. So, while Orla was in her education courses, Harry was balls deep in biology, anatomy, chemistry, and calculus. Harry was assigned a roommate at random, another pre-med student; his name is Neil. And Orla ended up rooming with another girl from their high school who she didn’t know that well, but she figured it would be better than rooming with a stranger; her name is Katie.

During their freshman move-in, Harry got his shit settled and then went to help Orla. Their families all went out for lunch, and then it was just the two of them. Luckily, they were put in the same dorm, Harry would just be down the hall from her. Katie was an education major too, but her concentration was in social studies. Her and Orla would have a few basic education courses together before breaking off into their respective concentrations. She made it onto the women’s volleyball team, and Harry decided he’d just play intramural hockey when the season rolled around so he could focus on his classes.

Harry would go to all of his Orla’s home matches. As things got busier during the semester, they weren’t able to see each other as much during the day. They made up for it at night in the library or in their dorm rooms. The two had grown comfortable with one another over the years, so Orla had no problem just hanging out in a sports bra and spandex shorts around Harry, and he had no problem just wearing his boxers around her. One night, Harry was hanging out in Orla’s room while Katie was at work. They were laying in bed watching a movie. Orla was wearing one of Harry’s old Bruins shirts and a pair of cotton panties. Her phone keeps buzzing, and Harry’s just about had enough. He pauses the movie and sits up to grab her phone.

“Harry!”

“I’m muting your fucking volleyball group chat. I’m getting sensory overload from all of the buzzing…” He furrows his brows at the screen. “Why are they all asking you if you asked me something yet?” He looks up at her. “What do you have to ask me?”

“Nothing, it’s stupid.” She snatches her phone from him. “They’re stupid.”

“If it’s stupid then just tell me what it is.”

“Can we just watch the movie?”

“Give me your phone, I need to know.”

“No.” She hugs her phone close to her chest.

“Orla, just tell me what it is!”

“No!”

“Give me your phone!”

“No!”

Harry and Orla start wrestling on her bed. She’s not wearing a bra so sticking the phone down her shirt won’t work. She does the next best thing and shoved it down the front of her underwear. Harry pins her down by holding down her wrists.

“That’s not fair.” He says.

“It’s my phone.” She tries to wriggle out from underneath him, but he’s stronger than her. The phone buzzes again, and she grunts. “Harry, just let it go.”

“I’m literally not going to be able to sleep unless you tell me.” The phone buzzes three times in a row. Harry watches as Orla bites down on her bottom lip and looks away from him. “Oh my god, is that buzzing against your clit?” He laughs.

“Harry!”

“You did this to yourself.” He presses down against her to keep the phone even closer to where it’s effecting her. “Just ask me whatever it is and I’ll let you go.”

“You’re such an asshole!” She wraps her legs around his waist to try to flip them over, but her legs just aren’t strong enough. The phone buzzes again and she groans. “What are you gonna do, make me come you sick fuck?” She starts laughing from how absurd this whole thing is.

“I’m not the one who shoved my phone down my underpants.” He laughs. “Just tell me.”

“No.” Three more buzzes. “Fuck.” Harry’s eyes widen as he looks down at her, and she gasps. “Are you hard?!”

“No! I…my dick twitched!”

“Why?!”

“Because you’re moaning!”

“Harry, I swear to god if-“

The door opens and Kate comes in. She stops short when she sees Harry on top of Orla.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry.” Her cheeks heat up.

“It’s not what it looks like!” Orla shouts as Harry scrambles to get off of her. She takes her phone out of her underwear and takes a deep breath. “He was trying to read my texts and we started wrestling.”

“Right…” Katie puts her things down and grabs her shower caddie. “I’m gonna go take a shower. I should be back in about thirty minutes.”

“We weren’t doing anything.” Harry says.

“Mhm.” Katie scoffs and leaves the room.

“Will you go to my volleyball formal with me next weekend?” Orla says to Harry.

“What? Is that what you had to ask me?”

“Yes.”

“Orla, why were you making such a big deal about this?”

“Because the girls were making it seem like the formal is a big deal and…I know you have a lot on your plate right now. I didn’t want you to feel pressured.”

“You’re ridiculous, you know that? Of course I’ll go with you to your formal. It’s just one night, it’s not a big deal. I’m doing well in my classes, I’m not worried.”

“You got so stressed your cried two weeks ago.”

“I was overwhelmed during midterms, you know I have test anxiety.” He hops off her bed. “Don’t sweat it, okay? Just text me the details.” He yawns. “I’m headed up to bed.”

“Gonna go rub one out?” She smirks.

“No.” He blushes. “I’m gonna go play video games with Neil. Have fun masturbating with your phone.”

“Don’t need it. I have stronger devices.” She grins.

“Yeah? Need help using them?” He teases.

“Get out!” She laughs and throws a pillow at him.

Harry blows her a kiss before he leaves and she blows one back. When Katie comes back in after her shower, Orla’s put herself to sleep. Well, actually she’s watching TV on her phone with her earbuds in because she doesn’t want to listen to Katie give her shit about Harry.

The night of the formal, Orla wears a simple little black dress that’s also strapless. She slips on a pair of black flats as well. Katie helps her get her hair up into a cute messy bun on the top of her head while Orla does her makeup. (Orla had Katie help her flatiron her hair to tame it a bit. She usually loves her curls, but she’s been experimenting with different looks.) Around 10PM there’s a knock on their door.

“Come in!” Orla shouts.

“Ready to go?” Harry asks and nearly chokes on his tongue when he sees Orla. “Wow, you look really nice.”

“Don’t act so surprised.” Orla rolls her eyes.

“Want me to take your pic in front of the tapestry?” Katie asks.

“Yes, please.” Orla smiles and hands her the phone. She poses with Harry for a few pictures, and then they head out.

“Aren’t you going to be cold?” Harry asks her on their way to the volleyball house.

“Nah, we won’t be out for long.”

They make their way into the house about ten minutes later. There’s a table set up like a bar for everyone to make their own drinks at. Harry sticks with beer while Orla goes for a rum and coke.

“Hey, O.” Ben smiles at her. Ben was a junior on the men’s volleyball team, and he’s very cute. “Saw you on defense at your last match, you looked great out there.”

“Thanks.” Her cheeks heat up, and she takes a sip from her cup.

“You come here with anyone?”

“Just my friend Harry.”

“Friend, huh?” He grins.

“Mhm.” She nods and takes a step closer. “He’s off talking to Chloe and Heather.”

“Not very nice to leave his date unattended.” He steps a little closer to her. “Especially when she looks so gorgeous.”

“Ben.” She giggles and gives him a playful push.

“You guys had one hell of a season. Aren’t you only one of, like, three freshmen to start this year?”

“Yeah, something like that.” She smiles.

“Gotta look out for the short ones I guess.”

“We’re pretty sneaky.”

An hour or so passes, and Harry can’t find Orla anywhere. He’s starting to get worried so he ventures through the house to see if maybe she went to the bathroom. She’s not in the one in the main hallway, so he goes upstairs.

“Where the fuck did she go?” He says to himself. He had been in the volleyball house plenty of times for various parties, so he had a good lay of the land. He goes to the larger bathroom, and opens the door.

“Ah, oh my god, B-Ben.” Orla’s head rolls back, allowing Ben to kiss on her neck. There she was, sitting up on the bathroom counter with Ben’s fingers knuckle deep inside of her.

“Orla?” Harry says.

“Dude, get out of here!” Ben shouts.

“Oh my god, Harry!”

Harry’s face flushes and he shuts the door immediately. He quickly goes down the stairs and weaves through the crazy amount of people in the house. He had been buzzed, but what he just saw totally sobered him up.

“Harry!” Orla shouts after him, but he doesn’t stop, he needs fresh air. “Harry, wait!” He pushes the front door open and sucks in a deep breath. “Harry! Oof!” She rams into his back and stumbles backwards.

“Get someone to walk you home, I can’t even look at you.”

“I thought he locked the door! And to be fair you didn’t knock.”

“I couldn’t find you for over an hour, excuse me for worrying about you.” He scoffs and turns to look at her.

“I was dancing with Ben and then we went upstairs, I’m sorry. I should have texted you.”

“Since when do you let random guys finger fuck you in bathrooms?”

“Um, Ben’s not a random guy. I’ve known since school started, what the fuck? I…I’ve been fingered before.”

“What? By who?” He shakes his head. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.” He chews on his bottom lip for a moment. “Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

“I told Frida.” She rubs her arms up and down. “It’s as far as I’ve gone, and I’ve never taken my clothes off to have it happen…”

“Did you do anything to him?”

“I gave him a hand job.”

“Was that your first time doing that?”

“No.”

“Oh my god!” Harry runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t even know you anymore.”

“Are you going to tell me you haven’t done things? I’ve heard rumors, you know?”

“I’ve dry humped, that’s about it. No one’s ever seen my dick.”

“No one’s ever seen my vagina, not that that’s any of your business. There are certain things I don’t want to talk about with you, can’t you understand that?”

“I understand, I understand perfectly fine.” He goes to say something else, but he just shakes his head. “Come on, you look like you’re freezing.”

“That’s because I am.”

After that night, Harry let out his inner manwhore. During the spring semester, he fucked so many girls he lost track of their names. He didn’t tell Orla a single thing. He fucked all summer long without saying a word to her about it. When Orla first had sex the following school year, she slept with the same guy for the entire fall semester. It didn’t end well, though, which led to her crying into Harry’s chest for over an hour. That night they both opened up about everything, and agreed that keeping things to themselves wasn’t a good idea.

Undergrad flew by. Orla passed all of her certifications, and even found a job teaching phys ed at the high school level. She’d have all summer to work her ass off to save up some money and build her savings before starting fresh at her new school in the fall. Harry got accepted into all of the med schools he applied to, and was having trouble deciding.

“NYU is offering me the most amount of money…” He tells Orla one night.

“If…if you go there then you’ll probably end up working at a New York hospital.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you heard back from Harvard Medical yet?”

“No, and at this rate I bet I’m not getting in. Besides, they’re known for offering shit grants. My parents can’t afford to help. All of their money went to their lawyers.” Harry rolls his eyes.

After Harry’s freshman year, his parents told him they were getting divorced. His three older brothers had long since moved out, and with Harry gone his parents realized they just weren’t right for each other anymore. He didn’t take it well. This may have led to him fucking a lot that summer, and the absurd amount of tattoos he got.

“Then I guess…I guess you’re going to NYU.” Orla swallows. “You should do it, it makes the most sense, and you’ll get a great education.”

“Harry!” Mrs. Styles shouts from downstairs. “You got a large letter from BUSM!”

“Holy shit, I forgot I applied there.” Harry says, and the two race downstairs. Harry rips open the large envelope and gasps. “Oh my god! I was accepted in to BUSM’s MD program. Holy fuck, they partner with Boston Medical Center for their surgical residencies.” He looks at his mom, then Orla.

“Are they offering you any money?” Orla asks.

“Orla, um…do you mind if Harry and I go over this together? I’m going to need to FaceTime his father to discuss everything.”

“Oh, sure! Yeah, this is a big family moment. Come by later if you want, H.” She smiles and leaves.

“They’re offering me a decent amount of aid, Mum.” Harry says as he reads over the letter.

“Honey…don’t you want to get out of Boston? NYU could be a great experience for you.”

“Mum, BUSM is a prestigious medical school. Why would you want me so far away?”

“I don’t want you far away, I just want you to have some life experience, meet new people.” She chews on her bottom lip. “I don’t want you to stay here just because you don’t want to leave Orla.”

“That’s not why I want to stay.” Her mother gives him a look. “Okay, maybe I want to stay closer so I don’t have to be far away from her. Can you blame me? We’ve been best friends since the fifth grade. I couldn’t imagine only seeing her once every few months, and then I’d probably have to move out there full time, and she’s only certified to teach in Mass.”

“Honey, you’ve never had a stable girlfriend. Maybe being away from Orla could help you do that.”

“I just haven’t met anyone, it’s not her fault.”

“You’ve liked her since the day you met.” She laughs, astonished at his ignorance.

“No, I’m not one of those guys that’s only friends with a girl because he wants to date her.” Harry rolls his eyes.

“I didn’t say that’s why you were friends. I just think if something was going to happen between you two it would have happened already. So, stop wasting your time waiting for her.”

“I’m not waiting for her to do anything. She’s my best friend, and she’s always going to be my best friend. BUSM makes more cost-effective sense. Think of how expensive the hole in the wall apartment I’d be living in in New York would be. I could definitely find a better priced place here, or I could commute for a bit to save money.”

“If you’d rather go to BUSM, then go. But make sure you’re doing it for yourself and not just to stay close to Orla.”

“I’d say it’s about 80/20.” He smirks, earning him a swat to the arm from his mother. “I’m kidding! It’s more like 60/40.”

“Jesus Christ, go call your father and let him know the good news.” She sighs.

Flash forward to present day – eight years later. The pair are twenty-eight; Harry is an attending pediatric surgeon at Boston Medical Center, making absolute bank, and Orla is at her third high school in six years because budgets keep cutting funding, which means P.E. teachers aren’t exactly in high demand. She lives in a small one-bedroom apartment, she’s constantly exhausted, and she wishes she had chosen any other profession. She coaches the girls’ volleyball team for extra money, and works at a bar on weekends and in the summer.

Harry and Orla are still the best of friends. They’ve made it through a lot of ups and downs. Through it all they’ve always had each other. He’s currently seeing a girl named Bailey that he met at a bar near work. Orla is going through a dry spell, but she’s not dwelling on it.

The school year had just ended, thank god, and she has Sunday through Tuesday off from the bar. Orla takes some time to go through her wardrobe and get rid of any dingy leggings or tee shirts. She has a strict budget for clothes because she’s constantly having to replace her athletic wear. She’s chilling on the couch Tuesday evening watching Property Brothers: Forever Home when she hears the jingle of keys on the other side of her door.

[READ THE REST ON PATREON]

#save the best for last #harry styles #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles imagine #harry styles x oc #harry styles au #doctor!harry #doctorry #friends to lovers #bestfriend!harry #dad!harry #dom!harry

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capo-cedes · 4 years

Text

I Love You, I Do

INVOLVED: Mercedes D'onofrio and Nicholas D’onofrio (and Company) TIME FRAME: Saturday, April 4th, 2020 LOCATION: St. Patrick’s Cathedral; Manhattan, New York NOTES: After months of preparation Nicholas and Mercedes finally marry in front of a crowd of their peers; though the couple was already married months in the past. Despite, previous emotions the day pans out great and Mercedes even reveals a gem to her father.

Mercedes ignored all the gawking the women were doing over her and her gown. She was in a massive room filled with bridesmaids, his sister, his mother, her mother, and sister. She was already married so subconsciously she could use that as an excuse as to why her mood was so shifty today but honestly it was not. Leading up to this moment so many times she beamed with joy at the thought, at the sheer delight it brought her knowing she walked down the aisle and into his arms, but she was filled with grief now. The dress was everything she wanted it to be, it hid her bump from the World and Al. It was over the top and it screamed her, it wouldn’t have screamed Red any louder if that were the actual color of the dress. She stood in front of a mirror as they placed the 20-foot-long veil and train in place on her head of hair. She licked her red painted lips and she dropped her head a bit, her eyes moved from her bare feet to the top of her head, taking in her reflection. Where had the love gone? The glow? The peace? The serenity? She thought she would be overcome with the same blissful joy she felt when he asked her to marry him, Fiji would flood her mind as she placed the diamonds she sported around her neck. But it hadn’t. Now she was left trying to understand why the vows she’d written 3 months ago didn't carry their same weight today.

Two solid lines of groomsmen waited outside the confessional, Nicholas blinked in the darkness, in no way wishing to confess any of his innumerable sins. Instead, he sat, the sharp click of him opening and closing the velvet red ring box the only sound the attending priest received. “Son… your wedding will begin soon, is there anything you want to say. You know whatever you say in here stays with God.” Nicholas clicked the box closed once more, his sharp green eye staring at the grate that separated him and the man of the cloth. “I know whatever I say would stay between me and God. Because if another one of your order told my fucking business, I’d cut your tongue out and make you eat it.” He said, matter-of-factly to the man. The priest coughed but knew this man was most likely not bluffing. After another five minutes with the box clicking, Nicholas took a deep breath, “You want to do something father. Pray for my wife and my unborn child.” He said softly. “Pray that a marriage between killers doesn’t end in death itself.”

Mercedes looked herself over again before she shifted on her feet allowing them to work in unison to place her feet in the red bottom shoes. She put them on one by one before she turned to the side looking at the back of the dress a bit, when she was done, she stepped down with the help of others, her eyes had looked in Rebecca’s direction not once today. She could only imagine the gloat on her and the smirk on her face upon the reading of the energy Mercedes was giving right now. Rebecca was her maid-of-honor, she’d hold her written vows and their rings, the woman who casted a dark cloud on their marriage would be the one to deliver the most important things to outline it before a group of hundreds. It was twisted and sick, but this happened to be her very real and disgusting life.

Donna looked to Mercedes, she shifted in the seat the most talked about wedding of the year was starting to have a very, very gloomy fete. She stood up and moved towards her, she was beyond beautiful in her eyes and she couldn’t have pictured a barbie in any other form. Donna fixed Mercedes' veil gently and she said “smile, this is a huge day. It is supposed to be filled with hope, love, faith” she listed gently. “Is there something wrong? Are you not feeling well?” she said softly. Mercedes looked to her mother and she shook her head “I think I am just nervous” she lied to her outright and without thought. “But I will be fine once everything starts…”

The mask of care, for her sister, wasn’t as hard to put on as most people thought. Rebecca did in fact have a certain affection for Mercedes. If it hadn’t been for Mercedes usurping Rebecca’s place in her Al’s eyes it might even be considered love. The Mercedes however was making things difficult as always. She could never play along. She had followed protocol and made Rebecca her maid of honor, but the lack of interaction between them now was making for some rather awkward stares. People knew they weren’t exactly best friends, but weddings and funerals were supposed to bring families together. She was walking across the room when her mother approached her sister. Playing the part of a doting mother with the best of them. Rebecca walked up behind her mother, slipping her arm around Mercedes as the woman’s waist at the same time. “I’d say you look like a picture, but you’d only think it some sort of backhanded compliment.” She said her ice blue eyes on Mercedes. She broke her deep gaze and looked down at her feet. “But it’s true.” She exhaled, shoulder falling forward.

Nicholas’ shoe had been polished to a high shine, that caught every ounce of light as Nicholas stepped from the booth. To his right, his oldest brother Antonio and to his left Paul, his second oldest brother and new second. The others were an assortment of old friends and boy guards.

Antonio smirked, “You weren’t this green around the edges last time around.” He told his brother leaning in close. “This one must be the real thing.” He said, slapping his brother on the back.

Nicholas actually chuckled at his brother’s words. “We aren’t supposed to speak about that.” Nicholas reminded the man, trying for an authoritative tone.

“Yeah, well,” Antonio said glancing over at his brother. “That’s a rule for people who didn’t change your diapers. Seriously, you’ll feel better when you see her.” Antonio said, finding his own wife in the crowd with a fond smile. “Remember how I tried to jump out the window before I got married? Once I saw Juliet all that fear vanished.”

“If you say so… If you say so.” Nicholas breathed, as the priest took to the dais.

Mercedes looked at her mother and then at Rebecca. She couldn’t tell if the girl was faking care for her or really showing some type of affection. Her eyes were on the floor again as the girl complimented her, she offered her a smile that never reached her eyes and said “thank you” to her easily.

Donna smirked at Rebecca’s kindness and she looked at Mercedes again “all that nervousness is normal, I was shaking in my boots the day I married Al” she said with a grin “but now as I think about it, I can’t tell you what I was nervous about” she shrugged. “I knew he was the only man I’d ever want to spend my life with” she offered. “I know you feel the same about Nicky” she said using the boy's pet name. “Just take a deep breath” she told her easily. As if on cue the wedding coordinator entered the large room happily, beaming from ear to ear as if she were the one to be getting married today. She got the divine privilege to work the biggest wedding of the year in New York City. She had a reason to smile. “Okay, it’s about that time!” She said happily moving over to Mercedes and she said “you look every bit of a princess darling; Al will be in awe” she complimented. “So, we are going to start now. We have a schedule and you have 3 changes” she reminded. “Are you ready?” She asked the somber girl who she’d worked to no end to make happy and bubbly all day, she could only assume she was nervous shitless and wasn’t telling them all.

Mercedes nodded her head and never said a word or looked at the woman.

The coordinator looked at both mothers and said “we should all start gathering in our orders right outside, I’ll bring Al to her when it’s time for her to walk down” with a smile. “Otherwise she’ll be seen” she told them as she opened the double doors and fanned the women to her “come on, come on. Everyone should have a bouquet” she reminded them all. “Flower girl” she called out to Nicholas' niece sweetly and when they did clear the room leaving Mercedes all alone, she sat down as best she could in the large gown.

Rebecca looked up, a small smile at the corner of her lips. She nodded and squeezed both her mother and Mercedes just a little. She watched her mother tell her own wedding story, with a grin, only partially faked. As her mother finished speaking, Rebecca said, not looking in her sister’s eyes. “He loves you. Nicholas. “ She did look at her then, blue eyes meeting brown. “He’d do anything to make you happy. Anything.” Her lips twitched, and she looked off in the wedding planner’s direction. “I better get going.” She said, waving Mercedes vows and ring in her direction, as she stepped away from her family. “Duty awaits.”

Nicholas checked his watch. “It’s time I suppose.” He moved down the circle isle. In a sky of white Nicholas moved down the aisle. A lone figure in perfectly polished black. There wasn’t a single empty pew in the whole cathedral. He stepped up on the dais, adjusting the white of his cuffs, and turned to face the room. Instantly, a wave of nausea took him, overwhelmed by the crowd. He much preferred shadows, but this wasn’t really about him. He swallowed and raised his chin. Trying to focus on something other than the people. The groomsmen were too far away. Stand at the back waiting for their escorts. Luckily, Samuel Jr. was there, squirming in the third pew to get his attention. The boy was a little monster. Nicholas smirked, glad to see him. He raised one finger to quiet the boy in his seat, then winked.

The wedding coordinator made quick time escorting the crowd of red towards the men, who seemed to be lined up in their order already. Nicholas was already down the aisle and where he should be, great, her body of staff where on one accord. She cleared her throat and said “ladies and gentlemen, please find your partners” loudly. The view of them was cut off by closed doors now “shortest to tallest” she reminded them. She handed the flower girl her basket, handed the ring bearer's pillow over to him and she smiled at the children. “Mother’s” she said, moving to pull the women forward with her, she put them in the front of the line, grabbed their escorts and sent them on their merry way down the aisle next. Once the women were escorted, handed a single rose, bowed to and helped to their seats she looked to the wedding party. “Okay, on the count of three we are going to walk down the aisle,'' she said winking at Rebecca who in fact was walking alone. “We are smiling for pictures, we are standing according to how we practiced” she said as she allowed Rebecca to walk down before everyone, leading the pack after a 4-count the next person went and so forth as the party began to empty the halls. “Send for Al and Mercedes” she said in her earpiece as she watched her great work display before the massive body of people.

Al moved to the large room Mercedes sat in, he knocked twice before entering taking her in, she was a dream come to life. It almost made him emotional, almost. “Mercedes” he breathed; his breath taken. He took her in and said “such a happy day for that face” softly.

Mercedes held her bouquet in her hand, sitting there in silence as a million things ran through her head. When Al entered, she looked up and tried to hide her true feelings, Rebecca’s words swirled in her head but that was only because she didn’t know if she were to believe them or not. She sighed at her father and said, “I am just nervous,” offering yet another person she loved a lie.

Al smirked at her and said “Nicholas loves you” easily and without thought “I still can’t forget the day he came to me about you. Boy I could imagine having wanted to kill him in another life but I don’t think he’s ever told me anything truer than the love he has for you” he said easily as he offered her his hand “come on” he said softly still in awe. “A dress like this should never be sat on” he said sweetly. Hearing a knock, he watched a coordinator walk in and usher them to come. “That’s our call time” he said happily.

Mercedes smirked a little, standing up on her feet once more with the older man’s help and she hugged him tightly squeezing her eyes shut as she did, she refused to cry. “I love you daddy” she breathed softly.

Al chuckled “I love you too, now come on girl. The sooner this is over the quicker I can get a glass of Jack in my hand” he chuckled.

Rebecca took her place; she wore a perfect mask of innocence. She smiled around at the crowd, and for good measure inclined her head toward her soon to be brother-in-law. “Good luck.” She mouthed, “you look nice.”

Nicholas glared as Rebecca took her place on the stage with him. Why the fuck had Mercedes made the woman her maid of honor? He knew why of course, Al. Didn’t mean he had to like it. His eyes shifted, his mouth a line. Face hard with a challenge that read, if you fuck this up, I’ll kill you with my bear hands. He didn’t say a word at her little game, only stared back up the aisle as everyone else entered.

Once the last person was well on their way down the aisle the coordinator closed the door again, she assisted the little boy before she let him walk down the aisle with his pillow watching closely before she assisted the little girl and let her walk down, watching her toss out flowers before she closed the doors. When father and daughter showed she smiled happily, they fixed every inch of Mercedes, putting things in place and she smiled at her. “It’s your time to shine” she smiled at her happily, handing off her clipboard. She placed Al’s arm and Mercedes' hand where she wanted to rest, raised the bouquet in the girl’s hand and looked in her eyes. “Smile” she told her, she could hear the music shifting and she counted to three before the double doors were opened to reveal Al and Mercedes, there was a large gasp from the humongous standing crowd.

Her eyes darted from person to person and her feet didn’t move even as Al tried to take a step. Nicholas was at the other end of this long road Mercedes was about to take yet she couldn’t imagine having to look in his eyes right now. “Go on” she coordinator whispered behind the door before they both began to move, she looked down at the ground, the stares and flashes were too much though she could hear Donna in her mind telling her to look up. The long veil drug behind her and the massive dress. And it wasn’t until she was a few rolls away from him did she finally pick her head up, she looked at him only for a moment as her heart beated rapidly in her chest. Once they got to the end, she clung to Al tighter, not wanting to let him go, her other hand clutched the bouquet so tight she could fill the pin holding the silk together stabbing her in her finger. She exhaled softly as Al turned to her and pecked her forehead offering her to Nicholas with a knowing look, before he joined his wife standing beside her with an overflow of pride.

The organs began to play the traditional bridal march, filling every corner of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Even from where Nicholas stood, he heard the audible intake of breath, that rippled up the football field length aisle. With each gasp Red drew near and what came before him wasn’t exactly the woman, he’d been married to. Gone where the apparel that fit her body like a literal second skin and in its place was a gown of immeasurable beauty. She seemed to glow, with the ethereal light of a queen, while simultaneously possessing all the vulnerability of any woman, of a mother. Nicholas stood awestruck, seeing nothing but the woman he wanted. Even as Al offered her hand, he was unmoving eyes a solid mass of glassy tears.

Antonio took on his best man task and nudged Nicholas in the ribs to bring him back to life.

The trance like state broken, he took Red’s hand and leaned low and pressed his lips to it. Letting the tears, he dared not show run freely over the back of her hand. Composing himself, he finally rose and clutched her hand to his chest, “Marry me, please.” Nicholas mouthed looking into her green eyes seeing the glint of reluctance there.

Mercedes shifted on her heels, moving up the stairs to her rightful place as he bent down to kiss her hand, his lonely tears dropping against the back of her hand. Her eyes rose from it to his face as he clutched it to his chest, she looked at the single red heart painted on her ring fingernail and she swallowed hard. Did that single heart ringing in her ears to be ever true in this case. She parted her lips at his words, her eyes snapping back to his mouth as he mouthed something to delicate and sensitive yet unmoving for her. She tilted her head before her eyes moved slowly towards the priest, saying nothing back to him. She blinked slowly looking at the older man expectantly, this wouldn’t be much of a traditional Catholic wedding. They had done away with mass, communion, and the countless prayers, which was much to her liking if she had to be honest. The quicker this show was to end the better for her; right now, she was center stage and the tap dance she was expected to do wasn’t entertaining much after all. She looked at Rebecca as the older man’s words fell on deaths ears, her eyes left Rebecca’s and she looked over her shoulder at Al before she looked forward again. Her ears stopped ringing and she now began to listen once more.

Rebecca watched the little display in front of her, she pulled her lips into her mouth, holding off the river of bile that threatened to come raging from her body. There was only so much sentiment a person could stand. Then as if the God’s wished to smile on her, something cloudy slipped into the space between the couple. Something uncaring and devoid of love. As Mercedes looked to her, she smiled broadly, genuinely at her sister. All that love Mercedes once gushed for the man wasn’t showing today. Marvelous. And to think she hadn’t actually done a thing to ruin this day.

There was no reply. In stark silence Nicholas was a mere spectator as Red stepped up to take her place in front of the priest. He moved just quick enough to set himself, as if he and the woman were in sync. A lie of the grandest design. He held her hand lightly. He would have dropped it but thought better of it. He looked down at their hands for a moment. Thinking back to another wedding day, secret and removed. A happy marriage. The happiness had lasted, what four months? His chin rose and he rolled his shoulders back, clearing his throat. How much did he love Red? Was his next point of contemplation. Did he actually love her enough to let her go? He’d known by the end of this day that was something he was sure of.

Despite everything that had played out in her head today and the days leading up to his, she couldn’t help but to lace their fingers together. As the man went on talking about everything and nothing, unity and love, connections and commitments she eyed him. She blinked slowly and shifted on her feet, of which were already screaming, and the night was still young. The man let the masses know that the two would be reciting their own vows and she tensed up a bit gripping his hand. She was so nervous, knowing Nicholas he hadn’t taken the time out to really write anything. He was going to wing it and give some back handed compliment to her and the woman she was, and she’d feel like shit more. Great. Mercedes licked her lips as she looked at Rebecca and she handed her the bouquet in her hand gently holding her hand out for her vows and she finally dropped his hand. She unfolded the piece of paper and looked at it before she looked at him. Turning to face him fully now she looked in his eyes, inhaling through her nose and out through her mouth. She hoped he understood every word she had to offer him right now. “Nicholas Samuel D'onofrio,” she said softly dropping her head as she read from the piece of paper softly, she looked at the microphone being held up to her lips and she carried on. “I stand before you, a woman much different than the feisty girl who was far too big for the likes of many. Long before I knew who I was destined to be in my Father's eyes, I managed to notice a skinny big mouth kid that I would otherwise until this moment classify as family unknowing how true it was” she breathed softly. It was written for the understanding of others but mainly him. “Unaware of what our future would hold, I watched from afar as that skinny loudmouth dominated the likes of people who would now see that there was strength in even the most unexpected people or things” she spoke factually. “Unlike those people, I never saw weight or words, I saw actions. That boy was the most determined, passionate, hard-working, diligent, calculated, and in my opinion not very loud at all. I was intrigued by what I saw not only from the eyes of an individual who could be labeled the same, but from an individual who saw a lot of her father in that boy” she paused for a moment before she carried on. “I saw someone who would use those same bases to build an empire and a family of which he'd be proud of” she said as she looked up at him for a brief moment before she looked back down at the paper. “The only thing I could picture making him prouder was whoever had the divine opportunity of becoming his wife” she said with a soft sigh. “Never did I picture that woman being myself. Yet here I am standing before a crowd of people and witnesses proclaiming my undying love to that very boy. As a child my mother often preached of dreams and how they inevitably came true. She was right” she said her voice faltering. “I as a young girl I dreamed of moments of which, I could wear the name of a man such as Nicholas Samuel D'onofrio, with unchanging pride might I add” she said looking up into his eyes again. “A man I knew would not only supply the picket fence but paint it white” she said to him knowing that very line very well, before she looked back down. “A man that I will be delighted to give children to, knowing the very passion he has for the family would reign within our own” she said looking up again, she swallowed hard and then looked back down. “A man who worked only to see me happy,” she emphasized. “Many people will never get that man, even with a bed filled by warmth” she said slyly. “I, Mercedes Renee Francis, managed to find her forever in a man she now could not imagine living a day without. Fear separated a destiny written in the stars though I do not imagine it leading us to our ending” she said emotionally, she swallowed hard again as a tear fell against the piece of paper. She looked the next lines over, and she sniffled softly before she said. “I found a love true and to pure to comprehend in my mind. And in due time all the countless hours of daydreaming will be a reality. Dreams really do come true, in a world filled by nightmares” she said looking up at him again as tears streamed down her cheeks. The ending to her statement came much later than the previous words and she knew those by heart as well. “I guess, feisty and skinny just fits in the thick of it” she recited. “I love you with my whole heart Samuel. And like today I would say I do to you over and over and over and over and over again” she admitted “until God made it his true judge to turn my do's into don'ts” she concluded as she gazed into his eyes.

Yet another act of kinds, the happy couple had chosen to shorten the monstrous Catholic ceremony. And here she thought God had abandoned her. She moved into action and took Mercedes rose-filled bouquet away from the woman’s hand. Then fished in her chest to retrieve the vows then hurriedly placed them in Mercedes' fingers. Adding a little more to her performance, she adjusted Mercedes veil softly as her sister read through her vows. So focused was she on playing the role of a good sister, she managed to hold on to her lunch as the woman delivered her syrupy vows. Nicholas had been all elbows, squawking to be seen in the midst of his older more handsome brothers. Nicholas had definitely shocked them all, in the man he’d become. Too bad he lacked true vision. They could have been a much better couple. He’d find that out in due time. Her eyes slid over Paul. The man had some real untapped potential; Rebecca would have to reintroduce herself to him at the reception.

Nicholas stiffened as Rebecca took the flower from Red. He followed her movements looking for any trace of sinister intention in the woman. Even her smirk seemed false to his eyes. Yet, she did nothing. And he relaxed as Red began to speak. Red had asked him to prepare vows. Which were to be given in a room full of people. The ultimate expression of love and devotion. Again, she asked him to walk out of the shadows. In this action he'd enlighten the world with words he felt were best spoken in private. A covenant between him and her only. She laced her vows with private beats, plucked from times both hard and cardinal they shared. He watched her face and took in her words. She expounded on who, she saw, whom she wished him to be. Love she had but was that love for him or this other man. The one he wasn't sure he was or could ever be. Once she was finished, he took her hands in his, sandwiching her vow between their joined fingers. “Love is a temporary insanity," He said quietly, though his words were amplified by the microphone. "It can drive people to the edge of reason, as hot and violent as an erupting volcano and just as that molten fire hits the seas, it too can subside. And when love subsides, you have to make a decision." He looked hard at his already wife, "You have to work out whether you're bound together completely. You have to discover if you've been reforged together permanently anew. Or are you simply a brittle mixture of iron and clay. Mercedes Renee Francis today I offer you a solid rock." He made the promise he could keep. "Because this is what love is. This is the love I have for you. Breathlessness, exciting, the stuff of movies. Sometimes." He raised his eyebrow, "Tempting always. An above all timeless. Any fool can mistake love for lust. Yet, I always knew you were more precious, more important than any other. I pledge to protect, to love, and keep you even when the path is most dark. I don’t deserve the love you’ve given me. But understand that I cherish it. Despite what it may sometimes seem. I crave it. And if given the chance I will work the rest of my life to earn it.”

Mercedes held his hands, and, in the moment, she looked past him he was going to do it off the top of his damn head. She licked her lips slowly, what more did she expect? She listened however, taking his words and the way he so effortlessly spoke them in a poetic appeal before her. She blinked, he’d chosen to do as she did and lace every word with cryptic messages. However, she didn’t know if she was sold on his at all. At his lasting words she raised a brow and smirked at him, he’d done good despite. And his eyes told her he wasn’t lying about any of it. She nodded slowly at him and she looked to the priest as he began to speak once more, announcing them to everyone in the crowd and offering Samuel the words most men can’t wait to hear at the end of a wedding “you may now kiss your bride” as she mouthed it along with the man with her red painted lips.

What needed to be said had been. A declaration that was more in line with his more sensitive nature. It was his soft underbelly, a part he’d never willingly expose to this room full of bloody jackals. Nevertheless, the shift in Mercedes’ mood from distant disdain, to active listening told him she at least appreciated the fact that he’d put pen to paper. Nicholas let her relief eclipse his dislikes for the moment, as deep red blush, burned his cheeks unbidden. Permission from the priest was granted but Nicholas had registered the words from the man. He instead followed each syllable as it came from Mercedes scarlet colored lips. He took her face in his large hands and moved his slender body in becoming enveloped by her dress. He smiled down into her face for the first time today, as his fingers brushed over the faintly covered freckles on her face. Further humbled, he kissed her softly on the lips and lingered there for a moment. Emending the kiss with the purest of love.

#thread.#thread: i love you i do.#thread: Nicolas D.#samcedes rp

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