#so we ended up going back over the bridge with like less than 20 minutes to spare

[bilbao-song]

i have so many Thoughts following yesterday’s events and i haven’t even gone through my photos properly yet bc tbh i’m still in utter disbelief that the entire thing DIDN’T get ruined. like that’s how close it came

[evie-sturns]

you want to? - matt sturniolo

summary: when you ask your classmate matt for a ride home after school, you find out hes a virgin, how could you not offer to change that?

contains: smut, semi-sub!matt, virgin!matt, swearing.

--------------------└── •✧• ──┘------------——-

the deafening bell rings throughout my math classroom, signalling the end of the day. i look down at my phone which reads 3:00pm, i instantly start to pack up my books more than ready to leave.

i watch the brunette boy to my left swing his bag over his shoulders, he doesn't say much but i'm pretty sure his names matt, i'm quite close with his brother nick but i've never got to know him personally.

i follow close behind him as he walks through the hallway.

we exit through the doors of the school, i decide to make my move now, needing a desperate ride home.

"uh- matt!" i call out walking up beside him, he looks over at me fixing the frame of his dark brown glasses.

"yeah?" he replies softly,

it shouldn't be wrong of me to ask for a ride, i've seen him briefly while i've been round at nicks house, and we got paired up for a group project in 9th grade where i spoke to him for a week.

"this is like- really random but do you mind giving me a ride home, i think my house is just down the street to yours and my car broke down this morning." i ramble

"oh- yeah, okay- thats fine." he says nervously "thank you so much" i let out a sigh of relief.

matt and i walk in silence to his car, his lips are red from where hes been biting them.

he opens the door for me, i jump in the passenger seat. the whole car is clean except for a camera battery and an empty mcdonald's cup.

he jumps in as well, "sorry if this is an inconvenience, i'll venmo you gas money and extra." i say.

"no- don't worry about it, it's fine." matt instantly replies.

i decide to start up a conversation, not wanting to sit in silence for the whole 20 minute ride.

"hows nick?" i ask, "hes okay, i think hes just weirded out about the whole audrey situation."

audrey is nick's best friend, who recently became hated at our school for sleeping with a whole friend group then lying to everyone and saying they made her do it.

"oh yeah!? she fucked that whole group of guys oh god." i exclaim, causing matt to tense up, his hands gripping the steering wheel tight.

"you okay? sorry- do you know audrey"

he shakes his head "i don't know her."

"oh you just went tense about the audrey fucking." i repeat, he laughs slightly, the tips of his ears go red.

"have you never had sex?" i ask, my head spinning round to look at him.

his cheeks go a deep red, he takes a hand off the wheel to rubs his eye under his glasses.

"i- yeah- no.. i dont know" he mutters, "you don't know if you've had sex?" i smile,

"i don't know- no" he says awkwardly with a grin.

"oh, thats fine!" i reply,

"you want to?" i continue, matt goes silent. i instantly regret my words, i didn't mean to make matt uncomfortable but it was just a genuine question.

"sorry." i instantly follow my words up, my tone less.. loud.

"yeah, i think i do" matt almost whispers as though he can't get any louder.

i nod my head understandingly , "you got anyone you want to loose it to, or not really?"

matt seems to grow a little more comfortable, his deathly grip on the wheel loosening

"i can't say" he laughs slightly "i mean i'm almost 18 and both my brothers won't stop yapping about their hook ups." he sighs

"do you want to.. with me?" i ask quietly, the words leaving my mouth before i can process

"but only if you want-" i instantly say after.

his head snaps round to look at me, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose slightly. "you- what" he smiles slightly, his eyebrows twisting as his cheeks flush

i stay silent, maintaining eye contact for a couple seconds.

"yeah, okay thank you" his says breathlessly, looking back to the road

"you can uh- come back to my house, nick and chris are at hockey and my parents are away for 2 weeks." matt says, trying to sound confident.

i nod, "yeah okay!"

-

3:42pm

matt pulls into his driveway, we've been having small talk for the past 5 minutes the rest of the way.

i open the door to his car, stepping out onto the concrete. i follow matt inside his house, i'm more than used to being in his house, execpt its usually with nick to hang out, not with his triplet brother to hook up.

i take his hand, he guides us upstairs into his bedroom. i lock the wooden door behind us.

"so uh, where do we start?" matt laughs nervously, reaching a hand up and scratching the side of his head.

i get on my tip-toes, grabbing his jaw and pulling him into a kiss. he hesitates for a second before kissing me back.

it quickly turns into a makeout, i push him back onto the bed before straddling him.

i grind against the fabric of his jeans, matt lets out a pathetic whimper against my lips clearly sensitive.

i pull away for a second to pull my shirt up over my head, revealing the pink lace of my bra. matt shamelessly stares at my tits, his top teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

after a solid 25 seconds of staring he pulls his navy blue crewneck off over his head, his middle part flopping on his forehead.

his breathing picks up as i unclasp my bra, letting it fall down onto his chest. i instantly feel a bulge feel underneath me, his face growing red.

i fix his glasses on his face lingering my fingers on his skin for longer than needed, "oh my god" i hear him whisper under his breath, i shift off his lap onto the floor, matt sits on the edge of the bed.

i fidget with the buckle of his belt, pulling it through the loops of his jeans before unbuttoning the button of his jeans and shimmying the fabric down his thighs.

i don't waste time to yank down his boxers, his erection springs out. matt's tip is slightly more red than his lips, now begging to be touched.

"you ready sweetheart?" i ask him, dragging my nails up and down his thighs.

"yeah- yes please." he nods, i wrap my hand around his length and pumping slowly, i look up at him and his head falls back "fuck.." he groans as i wrap my lips around his tip.

i circle my tongue just around his tip teasingly but it seems to be enough for matt already.

i slowly take more of him in my mouth, taking most of his dick down my throat.

"oh my god oh my god-" matt whimpers as i bob my head up and down,

my pace quickens everytime matt makes noise, only driving me to take more of him. i feel him twitch, meaning he's close already.

after matt bucks his hips up i pull off of him, edging him. "please" matt starts but i cut him off "don't want you to cum yet, don't wanna overstimulate you okay?"

he nods, i get up off the floor to straddle the top of his thighs again, his dick resting against my lower stomach.

"tell me what you want matt." i say, fixing his hair which rests against the glass of his glasses. "please?" matt whispers.

"please what." i tease, kneeling on either side of his legs and pulling down my shorts and panties in one tug. "ride me.." he says shyly. i smile before hovering myself above his tip, slowly sinking down onto his tip.

"oh my god" he groans, i let out a soft groan as i sink further down his length, i grab his wrists and place his ringed hands on my waist instead of him balling up the sheet.

"feels so good" he mumbles shakily, i start to bounce slowly up and down on his dick.

i let out strings of moans as his grip tightens on my waist "please please-" he whines, i start to pick up my pace.

"matt- you wanna try being on top?" i ask quickly, he hesitates before nodding his head eagerly.

he flips us over impressively easily, "grab my ankles" i tell him which he does, his two large hands grabbing my ankles and pushing them down by my ears, i nod.

he starts to thrust into me, matt's middle part flops on his head, his glasses shifting.

"fuck- 'm so close" he groans "you got it matt" i breathe out

matt pulls out, instantly releasing on my stomach as his glasses fall off, landing on my chest.

he flops down next to me on the bed panting, his arms laying across his forehead.

i scoot closer to matt's side, "you okay?" i ask, he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him, a small smile forming on his face.

"you don't understand how long i've wanted that with you." he laughs slightly, "with me?" i reply, my eyes widening slightly

"yeah- i don't know." he sits up, rubbing his eyes. i sit up next to him, grabbing his glasses off my chest and holding them up

i slide the glasses onto his face, his cheeks still flushed

"we should do this again sometime" he suggests awkwardly,

"good idea matt" i smile, pressing a quick kiss to his red lips.

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

@luanetaluenta @sturnsssbow @mattfangirl @luvr4miya @luvtay111 @lolasturniolo @freshloveforthefit @ruedowney @lovingchrissposts @333michelle @h3arts4harry @sonicmacks @jamiesturniolo @chrisstopherfilmed @itzdarling @sturniolo-simp4life @daddyslilchickenfingers2 @recklessmatt @ev3rgreenxtrees @lovergirl4387 @certifiednatelover @solarsturniolo @mattsenthusiast @yomamaslays4lyfe @peachmels @alinaa131 @pepsiluvr0209

[foxes-that-run]

Perfect

Zayn said he wouldn’t buy the record when he heard Perfect (so salty!). Harry's emotions varied performing it in its short 27 performance run from Oct-Dec when 1D ended. These 2 stand out:

November 20 2015, rather than sing the Bridge Harry said to the crowd "if you think it's so funny you can sing it".

3 days later at the AMAs he rolls his eyes and looks ready to walk out, the camera cuts to a kid who seems to agree. (Bridge is 2:40).

It was only performed 6 more times, in Carpool Karaoke (10:30) Harry stops singing for parts and the song cuts before the bridge, at the Jingle ball he looks away and the last time was new years.

Or this concert he put the mike into the crowd, someone stole the microphone and licked it.

Safe to say he regretted that bridge, it's savage to them both.

Writers

Perfect ties with Fools Gold for the title of the Haylor song with the most writers, at 7. While Fools Gold has all 5 of the band, Bunetta and Ryan. Harry and Louis are the only band members who worked on Perfect with Bunetta, Ryan and 3 others:

Jesse Shatkin, (cowrote Sia's Chandelier)

Jacob Kasher (Maroon 5 collaborator), and

Mozella (cowrote Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball and Fools Gold.)

To me, Perfect has more media grabbing pop-song than Harry Styles. HS’s best 1D work was with teams of 3 or 4 writers. In fact, Bunetta said Olivia came out in 45 minutes while overworking another "less good" MITAM song.

Timeline

Bunetta also told Rolling Stone about Perfect:

"That one took a long time, just because it was written over a couple different continents. It started as one thing and ended up where it is."

MITAM was made in the summer of 2015. To have been written in a couple of continents and with USA based writers it was probably either side of the BBMAs. It could have been started 'as one thing' in April in South Africa before the BBMAs other songs that reference Style including Two Ghosts started early in the year. The "ended up where it is" with those writers would be after the BBMAs, when they got back to the USA from July. This would be at the end of the album and he was singing it daily within 3 months.

Similarity to Taylors songs

It has the same chord progressions as Style and is also very similar to out of the woods as this video on Twitter shows. He called it a love song in the made in the AM interview (6 mins) and that it wasn’t literal in another. I do love this James Cordon bit and I love his Taylor smile so much.

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Louis] I might never be your knight in shinin' armour I might never be the one you take home to mother And I might never be the one who brings you flowers But I can be the one, be the one tonight

Grapejuice, has the perfect (get it) call back to this verse, along with 'Red' and 'Pay for it' and I love him for it:

"I was on my way to buy some flowers for you (ooh) / Thought that we could hide away in a corner of the heath / There's never been someone who's so perfect for me / But I got over it and I said / "Give me somethin' old and red" / I pay for it more than I did back then"

[Pre-Chorus: Liam] When I first saw you from across the room I could tell that you were curious, oh, yeah Girl, I hope you're sure what you're looking for 'Cause I'm not good at making promises

Promises come up again in Woman "Promises are broken like a stitches is", which is interesting if both Woman and part of Perfect are written after the 2015 BBMAs.

‘Know what you are looking for’ is interesting. In "Say don't go" and the 1989 TV Vaults in general Taylor did not get what she was looking for. At 23, dating a 19 year old Taylor told us she didn’t get wavy she needed. Her most recent ex, JG was 29. (yes - JG was the age Harry is now! Imagine if he did that) So I kind of stand by this line.

The start refers to the night they met. Which neither has ever confirmed, I think it was in 2011 (see timeline) Many look at the coat he tries on in the music video, which matches both his Up All Night Tour outfit (from December 2011) and the 2012 Kids Choice Awards. The awards are fun though. The Up All Night DVD also has it.

[Verse 2: Niall] I might never be the hands you put your heart in Or the arms that hold you any time you want them But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment 'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time

Urgh I choose to attribute 'love from time to time' to one of the 6 other people writing this. To me this line always sounds like a boy-band heartthrob priority playing out in the writers room. No wonder it took time and HS1 to overcome this.

However, this does speak to a theme of them not being available to each other because of their careers and 1D punishing schedule. If I could fly's "I'm missing half of me when we're apart" and Half the World Aways " So you're not my girlfriend / Don't pretend that makes us nothing / Tell me you don't miss this feeling" speaks more honestly to the interplay of his band image, schedules and priorities which Taylor referred to Suburban Legends.

[Chorus: Harry, All] But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms And if you like having secret little rendezvous If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do Then, baby, I'm perfect Baby, I'm perfect for you And if you like midnight driving with the windows down And if you like goin' places we can't even pronounce If you like to do whatever you've been dreamin' about Then, baby, you're perfect Baby, you're perfect So let's start right now

Here are Haylor themes we know and love, Driving at midnight (Style, HYGTG, Wish You Would) generally going from a high schooler to superstar overnight (placed they can’t pronounce like Cannes), and hidden love/hiding (I Know Places, Slut!)

[Bridge: Harry] And if you like cameras flashin' every time we go out Oh, yeah And if you're looking for someone to write your breakup songs about Then baby, I'm perfect And baby, we're perfect

The camera’s flashing is good imagery and his voice brings to life how personally challenging it was for them both in a way I Know Places didn't with very few words. Taylor also refers to this imagery in Is it over now?

But the break up songs is a low blow and I assume the part he regretted to the point of not wanting to sing it. In a later interview Harry said:

“The only time you really think, ’is this song too personal?’ is if you think about, ‘is this going to be really annoying for the other person?’ Because I do [care],” he finished.

Which I think the break up song line would have been very annoying.

If you made it through that reward yourself with Grapejuice at Wembley 🍇

[gogogodzilla]

Chapter 12

Summary: Last chance, Reader ✧ masterlist ✧ ao3 ✧ wattpad ✧ ✧ previous chapter ✧ next chapter ✧

The weight of your sunglasses was almost agonizing against the bridge of your nose as you leaned your head against the cool glass of the backseat window. 

“Well,” Hank huffed, “that was fun, let’s do it again sometime.” 

You scoffed, “Yeah, right.” You wished you’d never left your apartment. Visiting Elijah was a mistake. 

Hank’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, taking you in for a split second, “Y’alright, kid?”

“Fine.” 

Your answer was quick. Too quick, and Hank could tell. You winced, preparing for Hank’s line of questioning. 

He let out a sigh, and his gaze met yours for a split second, “What’s his deal with you, anyway?” 

You were less swift with your response this time.

“His deal is that he’s a manchild who can’t handle criticism,” you crossed your arms, “He’d rather bring up the past and play mind games than stop a goddamn civil war.” 

“Speaking of the past,” Hank cleared his throat, “what was all that about his brother?”

You turned to look out the window, taking in the snowy landscape that passed by in a blur. Connor hadn’t said a word for the 20 minutes you’d been in the car. 

“You can’t tell anyone.” Your request felt childish, but you knew Gavin wouldn’t want you telling anyone his business, especially Hank. 

“Jesus Christ,” Hank lets out an exasperated laugh, “fine, I won’t tell anyone.” 

You nodded, satisfied with his answer. “Gavin and Elijah are half-brothers,” you sighed, “he doesn’t like to talk about it. I met Gavin through him when I was working at Cyberlife and the rest is shitty history.” 

“Being an asshole must run in the family.” 

You threw your head back onto the headrest as you huffed out a laugh. It sure did. You swallowed thickly, your mind moving on to your next move. There has to be some connection, you just haven’t seen it yet. 

“What do we do now?” You whispered.

Hank’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, clearly grappling with the same dilemma. “We go back to the precinct and… figure it out.” 

“Good plan, Lieutenant,” you scoffed although you didn’t have a better plan. 

Connor shifted in his seat and you sat up straighter, eager to hear what he had to say. You mostly just hoped that he didn’t let Kamski’s words bother him too much. “Actually, Lieutenant Anderson may have a point. There has to be something we missed in the evidence we’ve collected so far,” he echoed your earlier thoughts. He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world. 

“I hope you’re right, Connor,” you muttered as you leaned back in your seat. 

You followed Hank into the bullpen, and Connor trailed silently behind you. Fowler barked out your and Hank’s last names and you froze in your tracks. 

“Shit,” you uttered as you made your way to Fowler’s office, Hank and Connor hot on your heels. 

You all filed into Fowler’s office, and you were sandwiched between Hank and Connor once again. 

“I know how dedicated you all are to this case,” Fowler began, sending a pointed glance in your direction and you looked away. His less abrasive tone didn’t bode well for you. You winced, preparing for whatever bad news he had to deliver. Hank crossed his arms tightly over his chest. Connor shook his head slightly beside you, almost like he was waking up. Just in time for the end. 

“You’re off the case. The FBI is taking over.”

Your eyes went wide, and you looked between Hank and Fowler, silently begging Hank to do something. 

“What?” Hank furrowed his brows, looking at you and Connor before turning his gaze back to Fowler. “But, we’re onto something! We… We just need more time. I’m sure we can—” 

Fowler cut him off, “You don’t get it. This isn’t just another investigation, it’s a fucking civil war!” 

Hank’s hands dropped to his side, “Fuck that! You can’t just pull the plug now. Not when we’re so close.” He looked back at you and you pressed your lips into a thin line. 

“Sir,” you interjected, “is there anything you can do?” You hesitated for a moment, “Please, we just need more time.” 

Fowler’s eyes softened for a moment. “There’s nothing I can do. Hank, you’re back on homicide and the android returns to Cyberlife… Doctor, your fate depends on how this turns out.” 

Your heart sank at the news. You should’ve known it was going to come to this. Androids were the reason you were here and without them…

“Yes, sir,” you croaked out and you rushed out of his office. Your heart raced, and you began to pace in front of Hank’s desk.  

Hank followed you, scowling as he sat at his desk.

Connor was quick to sit on the edge of Hank’s desk, “We can’t just give up like that. I know we could have solved this case.” You could tell he was frustrated. You were too. You hovered next to them, your back facing Fowler’s office.

“So, you’re going back to Cyberlife?” Hank queried, looking up at Connor. 

Connor sighed, briefly meeting your gaze before turning back to Hank, “I have no choice… I’ll be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed…” 

“They can’t just take you away,” you breathed, and your chest tightened at the thought of losing him. Cyberlife had taken enough from you. 

Connor turned to you, meeting your gaze fully. “For what it’s worth, I’ve enjoyed working with both of you… That’s not just my Social Relations program talking, I- I really mean that,” his eyes narrowed and he furrowed his brows, “at least, I think I do…” 

Movement in the background caught your eye, and you forced yourself to look away. You clenched your fists as you watched Perkins enter the precinct, “Here comes Perkins, didn’t take too long for the FBI to come swooping in like the vultures they are.” 

“I know the answer is in the evidence we collected. If Perkins takes it, it’s all over,” Connor leaned forward, attempting to convince Hank. 

Hank leaned back in his chair, “There’s no choice! You heard Fowler, we’re off the case.” 

“Oh, so now you wanna follow the rules?” You quipped, raising an eyebrow. 

Hank narrowed his eyes at you, and Connor interjected, sounding more frantic, “If I don’t solve this case, Cyberlife will destroy me.” 

“Please, Hank,” you pleaded. You resisted the urge to drop to your knees and start begging for his help. Worst-case scenario, you could just cause a distraction yourself. You wouldn't mind punching Perkins in his stupid fucking face.

Hank sighed before pushing himself up. He looked between the two of you, and you watched him with bated breath. “Key to the basement is on my desk,” he muttered and Connor stood there, frozen,  “Get a move on!” 

You lunged forward and grabbed the key off of Hank’s desk, clutching it tightly in your hand. You met Connor’s eyes and motioned for him to follow you. 

You tried to look inconspicuous as you strode toward the archive room. You pulled open the double doors and Connor quickly followed you through. You came to a halt just before the glass door with ‘Evidence Server’ glowing green across it. You turned to Connor and avoided his gaze.

“Be careful,” you thrust the key onto Connor’s chest, attempting to ignore the lump that was forming in your throat, “please.” 

He laid his hand over yours on his chest, “I will.” A grin tugged at his features as he gently pried the key from your grip. 

Quick footsteps behind you caught your attention and you whirled around, your eyes narrowing as Gavin flung open one of the doors. 

“Go,” you hissed as you pulled away and began marching toward Gavin.

You watched him disappear into the room before the muffled sounds of shouts on the other side of the wooden doors caught your attention. Hank must’ve been successful at creating a distraction. Good.

“Sweetheart?” Gavin questioned as his eyes darted from your face to the door to the evidence server. 

You grabbed the lapels of Gavin’s jacket and pushed him towards the white brick walls. He stumbled blindly backward, and you slammed him into the wall. Your grip tightened and you snarled,  attempting to look furious. Gavin raised his hands in surrender. You pressed your body close to his, hoping that it would help deter him from moving. 

“Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me.” You were kind of enjoying the charade you had going on. Of course, you were still upset with him over this morning, but you had more important things to worry about right now. 

“Fuck, sweetheart,” he breathed, letting his hands rest on top of yours. “I- I’m sorry, alright? I shouldn’t have said those things to you,” he was rambling now and his words were running together, “It’s none of my business who winds up in your bed.” 

“Damn, right,” you growled. 

He sighed before looking back at the door to the evidence room, “What the hell is going on?” 

You chewed the inside of your cheek, formulating a reply, “Just making sure I’ll still have a job in the future and, y’know, stopping a potential civil war.” 

“What the fuck have you gotten yourself into, sweetheart?” Gavin questioned, gently pushing you away from him, and you let him. 

 “Don’t worry about it, just,” you paused, dropping your arms to your sides, “don’t get in the way.” 

Gavin ran his hands through his hair before responding, “Don’t do anything stupid, okay?” 

You nodded and pulled him in for a hug. He scoffed but wrapped his arms tightly around you. You stayed like that for a few moments, before Gavin pulled away. He sauntered out of the hallway and you watched, praying that Connor could figure out where Jericho is. 

You sent a thumbs-up to the closest security camera. You thought Connor would be proud of you for scaring the daylights out of Gavin.

[unovasrose]

time capsule thread: plasma confession with @/luckynatured ft. @/twilightheater's moral support

summary: it's not right to keep secrets from people you love, so Rosa bites the bullet.

Have you ever kept a secret from someone you cared about just because you’re afraid that they won’t look at you the same way after?

Her own words to Red still haunt her, but it’s been almost two weeks and Rosa has moped enough.

While avoiding Hilbert had been a necessary evil while she recovered and got her head on straight, it’s only made her miss him more. She eyes her phone warily. She’s long since resigned herself to this conversation having a painful outcome; however, it still needs to happen if she even wants to continue being friends with him...

Besides, what would he do? That’s right, he’d just rip off the band-aid, like he always does, so she wouldn't have to angst for weeks on end over how this would affect their friendship.

A glance at her watch reminds her that it’s much too late for any reasonable person to be out and about but if she waits any longer, she’ll probably lose her nerve. She takes a deep breath and makes a grab for her phone.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] hey, I know it’s sorta late but… can we talk? like, in person

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] I can meet you somewhere if it makes things easier.

—

When he heard his phone vibrating, Hilbert didn’t expect to see Rosa’s name flashing on the screen. How long had it been since they last spoke with each other? He would be lying if he said that he hadn’t gotten worried as the days passed.

It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. As he read the contents of the texts, though, he got an uneasy feeling. He didn’t know why. This was Rosa, she’s never given him any reason to feel uneasy. Maybe it was because she asked to talk in person after they didn’t see each other for so long?

Yeah, that had to be it. What was it she wanted to talk about?

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Sure, I’m open to talk.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] I’m in Black City if you want to meet around there? It’s close to Undella Town if that makes it easier for you.

Black City could get pretty crowded, so if Rosa wasn’t comfortable with talking about whatever it was there he was more than willing to go to Undella Town. It was starting to get pretty quiet around this time of year.

—

The buzzing of her phone rattles her more than she cares to admit. A small part of her — the nervous wreck within her — had been hoping that Hilbert had long since turned in for the night. But apparently, much like his hometown, Hilbert doesn’t sleep.

She glances back at her clock. It would take her much too long to fly to Black City from Village Bridge, but Undella would be a good middle ground. Elliot could make that flight in about twenty minutes... maybe even less if the winds are in their favor. Best of all, it’s finally fall, so the beach-side town will be relatively sleepy. If things go south, well... at least they won’t make a scene.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] Okay, thank you. Again, I’m sorry… I know it’s super late.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] Can I ask you to meet me in Undella? Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to make it to Black City ‘til about midnight. I can be there in 20.

Her hands are shaking so badly, she’d have dropped her phone ages ago if she hadn’t been firmly grasping it between both her hands.

—

Black City was a city that never slept, so it made sense that Hilbert would be up this late. As much of a morning person as he was, he found a certain kind of solace in being up this late. In fact, he wouldn’t consider this time of night ‘late’ at all, but that’s a whole other thing.

The fact remained, Rosa had agreed to Undella Town. That was probably the best bet. As previously mentioned, Black City never slept, so…there were still the couple of crowds that Hilbert had to squeeze through to make it to Undella Town (and that’s ignoring the fact that he’d still have to walk through Route 16).

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] If I leave now I should be there in 20 to 30 minutes.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Depending on how long it takes me to get out of Black City; it’s still kinda active this time of night.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Be seeing you! :)

With that, Hilbert got his jacket and grabbed his keys. Then it crossed his mind that maybe he should bring Michelle with him. If only so he’ll have some counter for the wild Pokemon he could encounter on the way, but she loved swimming through Undella’s shores anyway.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Do you mind if I brought Michelle with me? She won’t listen in on our conversation or anything like that. She loves night swimming, so she’ll probably be too occupied to want to listen in anyway.

—

Twenty to thirty minutes... no matter how long, she’d wait for him. If anything, it’ll give her time to steel her nerves.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] of course I don’t mind! I was planning on bringing at least Elliot with me… let’s meet at the beach in front of the pokécenter, okay? i’ll see you then.

As soon as she’s done scheduling a meeting time with Hilbert, she finally drops her phone in panic. The knots in her stomach are making her sick. Shit. Is she going to be able to do this? Frantically, she picks up her phone again and haphazardly smashes the keys as she texts the only person who’d understand what she’s feeling right now.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] Red, help… I think I fucked up!!!

His reply comes soon after.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Okay first, can you tell me what happened?

Rosa forces herself to breathe a sigh. Thank Arceus that he responded. She has no idea what the time difference is between Johto and Unova but she’s glad that Dialga had been in her favor.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] I… messaged him on a whim tonight. asked him to meet up with me so I could tell him about… you know

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] not the feelings thing, but the other thing

She hides half her face in one hand. Hopefully, Red knows what she means.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] and now, I’m supposed to meet him in like 20 minutes to talk but I suddenly don’t feel like I can do this

She flops onto her bed spread-eagle like a defeated Staryu, moving only to check her phone when Red replies back.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] You can, and I know it’s hard to accept but you have to. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] It’s like we talked about, you just have to get it over with. Because the sooner you do, the sooner you can both move past it and go on with your friendship. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] but I know that’s much easier said than it is done. It’s going to be hard for you to do and I know it’s going to hurt. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] But from what I’ve gathered about the guy so far… I think he’ll end up being glad you told him in the end.

It’s what she expected to hear… and also the reality slap that she needs right now. Red’s absolutely right. Things just haven’t been the same between her and Hilbert since… pretty much the Hall of Origins, but especially since her conversation with the former Kantonian champion. The secret weighs down on her too much to even carry on with their friendship properly and she knows things won’t regain a sense of normalcy until she’s come clean… as if there’s anything normal about their situation anymore.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] yeah… I know what the right answer is. I’m just so afraid. He means so much to me, even as just a friend, and I don’t know what I’d do if he were to walk away from me after this.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] But also… it just doesn’t feel right being close to him and hiding this from him

She chews on her bottom lip, contemplating her next message. It’s something she almost accidentally brought up during their last conversation but, at the time, it had felt much too heavy and would have immediately outed her to Red as well. The situation hasn’t really changed but, but fuck it, if she’s going to be sharing secrets tonight, she might as well go all in.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] can I ask you something, Red?

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] if someone you have come to love and trust recently ever told you that they used to be a part of Team Rocket, like while you were actively fighting against them on your journey… how would you feel about it?

It takes a bit for Red’s next reply to come in, so much that her pulse actually spikes when her phone buzzes to life.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Conflicted at first, I’ll admit. I’d wonder why but, personally the why and how aren’t all that important to me anyway. People end up part of these teams for lots of reasons, and though I do loathe Team Rocket not everyone who is part of it is necessarily a bad person. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] What would matter to me is what they do despite that old connection to the team I hate, but the problem is already pretty much solved by the key words about all of it: they used to be part of it. Not anymore, the person they were back then is likely not the same person they are today. With ties cut with Team Rocket in present day and assuming they're the type of person i could come to love and trust, I’d be able to forgive their involvement. [ ��� • sms ⇢ from Red ] I feel like it would speak volumes to me that they would’ve wanted to tell me the truth too even with that history. It shows how much they trust me. So in the end… [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] it probably wouldn't change how I feel about them [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] So if Hilbert is worth it, it won’t change how he views you either. He’d probably just need time.

Her eyes widen a bit more with every text. When she had shot off that last loaded text of hers, her expectations of what she’d get back had been very different than what was on her screen now, even if she had been hoping that this would be the case. She holds no doubt that Red meant every word he said. Suddenly, the lump in her throat doesn’t seem so hard to swallow around.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] …I really, truly hope he feels the same way you do about this. i’d like to think that I’m a good person, Red. everything I did was because I wanted to protect pokémon… and I’ve fought tooth and nail to redeem the wrongs that I turned a blind eye on in the past. but of course, I can’t judge myself in the end.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] my entire life, I’ve been keeping secrets just to save my skin but I don’t want to keep secrets just to keep him. if I can’t be honest with him, I don’t deserve him.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] he’s suffered so much at the hands of my old group… some of which I’m surprised he’s shared with me at all. all the more reason why I can’t NOT return that type of honesty.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] so, I guess… I'm telling him tonight. let’s see where the chips fall.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] and Red? thank you so much for listening to me. you’re a good friend.

She didn't say all that just to get a pat on the back, so she's surprised by Red's incoming barrage of supportive texts. As she reads them, her smile grows wider.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] I can’t speak for him, but I think he will really. surely he values your friendship that much. It’s honestly what you deserve, don’t settle for anything less. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Bad people don’t fight tooth and nail to right their wrongs like that, owning up to your mistakes honestly takes more effort than it does to just avoid making them in the first place. And people are bound to screw up, it’s a bump in the road. You’ll get through this Rosa. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] And it’s no problem, I’m on your side through this and I’ll help you get through it if I can at all. Keep me posted on how it goes if you can, okay? But no pressure if you can’t either, and good luck anyway. 🍀

Red probably doesn’t know it, but that small four-leaf clover at the end of his text means the world to her.

A quick glance at the clock reminds her that she'll be late if she doesn't leave soon.

Though it’s still early September and decently warm most days, the nights are starting to bring with them the inevitable chill of fall so she throws on a sweatshirt and slips on a pair of worn hi-tops. The sand’s bound to get everywhere anyway. Despite her nerves, she ventures a glance at herself in her bedroom mirror. Other than the subtle dark circles underneath her eyes, she at least looks… presentable. Not that it matters, anyway. She takes one last peek at her phone — Red’s last few texts — for strength and then heads out the door.

All she has is her courage and a green lucky charm to get her through this but at least, at the end of the night, she’ll be able to say she did it.

Once outside, she releases her Flygon amid a shower of sparkles. Elliot is more than thrilled at the opportunity to take a cool nighttime flight, so he cries out excitedly and offers his head down to his trainer for pets. A smile ghosts across her face as she strokes the smooth skin. Once she’s lavished enough TLC on the pokémon, she climbs up on his back and sets off for Undella.

Surprisingly, they manage to beat Hilbert and Michelle to their rendezvous point.

With Elliot returned to his Luxury Ball, she finds herself alone in the quiet of the shore. Undella’s normally turquoise waters are painted a deep indigo now, to the point where she can't tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins. Her only comforts are the stars and the moon overhead, casting their gentle glow down on the beach. She balls her hands into fists and shoves them into the pockets of her sweatshirt. Her heart is pounding so hard in her chest that she fears it'll break her ribs. Why does it feel like this is the most difficult thing she'll ever do?

After a few minutes of rolling waves and nighttime breeze, the eerie calm is broken by Hilbert and Michelle's arrival. She glances over her shoulder to greet them with a forced smile. Time to face the music.

—

It didn’t surprise Hilbert to find that Rosa had already beaten them to Undella. He didn’t know where she and Elliot had been coming from, but between the lingering crowds surrounding the Black City borders and the long walk through Route 16, he would have been shocked if he got here first.

Michelle had been walking alongside him too, which may have added to the time that it took Hilbert to get here. Samurott weren’t exactly known for their walking speed, after all. She had a solemn look on her face, but the warrior’s expression seemed to fade into glee when she took note of the water.

Once they got close enough to the shore, Hilbert stopped to give his starter a pat on the head, and then nodded. Michelle took that as her cue to dive right into the water.

As she swam further and further into the ocean, that was when Hilbert finally caught sight of Rosa. He jogged over with a smile, absolutely oblivious to her inner turmoil.

“Hey! Hope you didn’t wait too long.” The fact that Rosa’s smile seemed forced didn’t escape him. He wasn’t going to pry about it, though. Whatever it was she wanted to say, he wanted to make sure there was no pressure or anything like that.

—

“No worries. We got here not too long ago.” The corners of her lips twitch upward a bit more, more genuine this time around.

Hilbert’s smile does all sorts of unfair things to her, though he truly has no idea, does he? She inhales sharply and turns her back to him in an attempt to steel her nerves.

“Thanks for coming, especially on such short notice,” she says softly, digging one of her heels in the sand. “First, I wanna apologize if things have seemed kinda weird between us lately.” The avoidance, mainly. After being used to spending so much time together, it had been jarring even for her. She can only imagine how he must’ve felt... if he had noticed, that is.

“I've had a lot on my mind and it was just easier to…” Run? Hide? She's been doing both pretty well up to this point.

She shifts uncomfortably and slides her trembling hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt before they betray how terrified she is. “Anyway…”

Why does it feel like it would be easier to confess her feelings to him right now than to have this conversation? Even with how terrified she is of rejection, she would take that a thousand times over what's bound to be his reaction when she finally comes clean. However, a confession like that would be meaningless in the shadows of what she needs to say.

“Listen, Hilbert...” she turns to face him suddenly, her eyes finding his. “I need to tell you something important, something that I should have probably told you long ago, but I was so scared to...”

Her bottom lip quivers. Arceus, please, don't let her cry now.

“Even now I'm so terrified because there's no way you'll ever look at me the same way once you know. But I don't want to keep secrets... not from you. You're too important to me.” Her hands are balled into fists so tight that her nails are digging crescents into her skin. Just rip the bandaid off, Rosa.

She unclenches her fists, her eyes downcast. “I… used to be a part of the original Team Plasma.”

The Plasma that Hilbert fought fiercely against during his journey. The Plasma that killed Jude and tried to kill him. The Plasma that might very well end their friendship for good.

—

Of course, Hilbert noticed when Rosa hadn’t been talking to him lately — after spending so much time together, how could he not? He just figured she wanted space for some reason, and didn’t want to pry too much.

Not that he could work out why she’d need space in the first place, but that’s a whole other issue.

“Rosa?” It did make him worry when Rosa said that she had been scared to tell him…well, whatever it was. The thought that she’d be scared to tell him anything stung a bit, but after how hard it was to tell her about Jude…well, he really wouldn’t be one to talk, would he?

Hilbert’s smile had faded gradually as Rosa spoke, but it was gone by the time Rosa got to the point. What replaced it was this mixture of shock and confusion.

…Well. That’s definitely some kind of secret to keep.

And she wasn’t lying. That much was obvious; she had avoided him for weeks leading up to this, she literally just said that she was terrified to even be telling him this in the first place, why would any of that lead up to a lie? Especially about something like this, and especially when she knew that he lost a dear friend to them?

The only answer to that question was simple: she wouldn’t. A lie would be crueler than keeping the truth from him, and Rosa wasn’t a cruel person.

As much as he appreciated her being honest about this, it’s not something he would’ve ever suspected. Rosa was nothing but kind to him and his pokémon, for the entire time they’d known each other. He couldn’t have thought up a person who was the furthest from the Plasma Grunts he fought if he tried.

The group he met in Driftveil crossed his mind, and things started to make a little more sense from there. Maybe she fell into that category too — good intentions that had been taken advantage of? He couldn’t be certain unless she chose to elaborate, but he just…couldn’t see her be anything but kind towards pokémon. Rosa was probably expecting him to be angry, but Hilbert was honestly more confused than anything.

“…The original Team Plasma. As in, the one I fought.” It’s more statement than question.

A moment passed as he absorbed the information before he spoke again, “And, uh…why tell me this now? Is it because I told you about what happened with…?”

—

“W-what?”

Like the wild card that he is, Hilbert manages to throw her off with his response. Knowing of his well-placed disdain and hate toward Team Plasma, she’d been expecting him to be upset, even angry… not confused and as oddly calm as he seems. As to why she decided to tell him, well…

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t always plan on telling you. When you opened up to me about Jude, you made me not want to tell you even more at first. And I mean, how could I? Team Plasma hurt you and your pokémon so much through your journey. They took a close friend and teammate from you… I figured that if I were to tell you that I was once one of them, you’d hate me. You and Carmen especially… and that would have broken my heart.”

Two hot tears suddenly streak down her cheek and she swipes them away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Arceus dammit, can she please make it through this conversation without turning into a complete mess?

“But then, the more I thought about it…” some of that with Red’s gentle prodding, “I realized that this is NOT a secret I want to keep from you. You trusted me enough to open up about something so deeply personal and painful, and that meant so much to me. I’ve wanted so badly for you to trust me because I lo-…” she pauses, her lips forming around a word she most definitely shouldn’t say right now. “…I-I care about you so much.”

“And, secrets like this? They tear people apart when they come to light unexpectedly.” She would know. Just look at her very missing father. “At the end of the day, no matter what you think of me, at least you heard this from me. Because I chose to tell you. Because I trust you.”

—

Hilbert was quiet as Rosa explained herself. It was hard not to be, he just needed to absorb the information he was just given.

So…originally, she didn’t want to tell him about her former affiliation, especially after he told her about Jude. As much as he might hate to admit it, that was probably fair. The fact that he lost a pokémon to Team Plasma wasn’t really a secret, and neither was the fact that it was the reason he fought as fiercely as he did in the first place. There was a point in time where his main reason for beating Team Plasma had been soley to avenge Jude.

And it was true that he hated all of them in that time, but then he stormed N’s Castle and learned the truth about Team Plasma. That not everyone in Team Plasma was llike the one who killed Jude. That the whole thing was Ghetsis’ doing; how he had manipulated not only N, but the people that joined Team Plasma because they genuinely believed in that ideal.

Between that and observing Rood’s group in Driftveil for that week, it was safe to say that his opinion about Team Plasma had changed, somewhat. The split between Rood’s Plasma and Neo-Team Plasma admittedly made that change a little easier. He could direct any hatred or anger at Neo Plasma, while Rood’s Plasma had taken a more sympathetic light.

And Rosa? Maybe the same could be said for her too — after all, she used to be a part of the Plasma he had fought. Not only that, didn’t she help fight Neo Plasma when they tried to freeze Unova over? He wasn’t sure why she’d think he’d hate her if she fought against the team she used to be a part of.

And honestly? It was a little heartwarming that she trusted him with that big a secret. He wondered if that’s how she felt when she told him about Jude.

“Well…” He couldn’t think of anything to say for a moment.

“Thanks for telling me. I really appreciate that level of honesty, you know? I’d much rather hear it from you than just find out about it somewhere down the line.”

—

Her shoulders slump slightly, most of the tension bunched up beneath her shoulder blades suddenly released. That’s… it?

Granted, she hadn’t expected much of a response in the way of words. She’d just dropped a hell of a bomb on him and he’d taken it in surprising stride. But what shocks her the most is the emotion behind his words, across his face. He doesn’t seem... angry. Not even a little.

She has never been as confused and conflicted as she is at this very moment.

“I... you’re welcome...?” she replies uncertainly.

In none of her nightmares, in none of the versions she’d concocted in her mind of this very moment does this conversation end like this. Maybe she’s sorely miscalculated Hilbert’s anger toward Plasma all along...

I feel like it would speak volumes to me that they would’ve wanted to tell me the truth too even with that history. It shows how much they trust me. So in the end... it probably wouldn't change how I feel about them. So if Hilbert is worth it, it won’t change how he views you either...

Her eyes widen as Red’s texts suddenly come back to mind. What he’d said, how he would’ve reacted had he been in Hilbert’s shoes… it’s mirrored in Hilbert’s own words.

What if her miscalculation hadn’t been just about Hilbert’s thoughts of Plasma, but also about how much he cares about her?

Briefly, she presses her palm to her heart... still wildly beating, like she’d just finished running for her life. A heart that beats for him, whatever the reason... Arceus, what does she do now?

Realizing that he probably thinks she’s acting super-weird right now, she shakes her head and takes a step back.

“I guess I should be thanking you too… for being so understanding about it, I mean. You have more right than anyone else to be mad, and you’re not…” A pause, in which she takes a deep breath. “So… thank you for not turning your back on me. I can't fully express how much that means.”

[leonardoeatscarrots]

While goofing around in Discord for a bit, I ended up writing a quick short story the other day. Thought I'd share it here.

We open with the sound of gunfire...

A scraggly little man runs through a bombed out village in the French countryside. With him, he carries nothing but the clothes on his back and the papers in his pockets. Not a weapon on him as his gun was emptied long ago, and it's weight abandoned. His appearance is just as meaningless: brown hair, brown eyes. Streaks of white trailed from his forehead to his chin where a coat of dust and dirt had been carried down by trails of sweat, all that was washed caught in the creases of his face. He couldn't have been more than 20, but his soul felt much, much older. Even as he dodged bullet after bullet with youthful ease, his worn face burned through, juxtaposing the scene into something unbelievable. None of this was believable. None of this felt real.

As the sun stretched a tired hand over the horizon and grabbed the French ruins to pull itself up, the soldier started to worry. There was nowhere to go. The German camps already knew he was here, and without the dark, it wouldn't be long until they found him. Farmland stretched for miles in almost every direction save for the east, where beyond the river, the blackened skeletons of trees stood together in naked unity. The other side was either leveled by artillery or laid with more Germans, but surely the charred posts could provide at least a minute more coverage. A minute more was all he needed.

It was towards the middle of this final sprint where the pavement began to hurt beneath his feet. His boots smacked along the cobblestone almost rhythmically, though he could feel his gait grow clumsy. **Thud. Thud. Thud.** The machine gun followed, blindly reaching its hands through the twilight in hopes of grasping something still alive and squirming. **Thud.** *RATATATATATATATAT.* **Thud.** *RATATATATATATATATAT.* A drop of sweat fell from his chin. The bridge was in view now. It wouldn't be long until-

A light. A pale blue light flashed just beyond the first few lines of trees. Like a candle or lantern it seemed to flicker with a kind of uncertainty. All at once the overwhelming racket of machine fire subsided. The sounds of his feet, the creaking of his bones, the chatter of his teeth all stopped. Even the wind seemed to stop its groans. Someone was there, and regardless of being friend or enemy, they were waiting.

So entranced by the glimmer in the wood he'd made it to the bridge before he'd even noticed, and by that time had paused… As he stared into the glowing light he realized how curious it was, and yet how terrible. And among the hubbub he'd decided how little an extra minute really meant. Robbed of all other options he jumped.

The icy waters took him gracefully. He plunged in like so many of the civilians before, and like them, he dove to touch the river's rocky bed.

The current swept him along for what felt like miles, though it was very likely less than that. Flakes of white fell into the water around him, floating at his side, catching in his hair, only to be swept away again by his continuous thrashing… he never did learn to swim... Ash, he thought. That's what it must've been. Yet it didn't crumble in the waves or disperse into finer particles. And the air was sweet of honey, not the stale smoke of the village.

When the water finally began to thin he caught onto a branch bowing over the bank and started to pull himself out and onto the shore. There he collapsed. His woolen coat was heavy enough when it was dry, while wet it was even more burdensome, and not nearly as warm. With desperate hands he clawed at his belt until he had the garment off, then cast it to the ground with a wet *slop.* Next to come were his boots. It was only then, after being relieved of the cold pressures, that he could put his mind together for a moment.

Petals, he realized. All over the ground and clumped along the river's edge. What he thought was ash in the water now appeared to be cherry blossoms. All above him the trees were in bloom, crowning the pink skies with branches black as coal and flowers soft as waves of the sea. The wind rocked them gently but sent no chill down his spine as he took up his belongings and wandered barefoot into those woods, listening as the birds warbled softly. Just one more minute, he thought. Just one minute more and he'd go back…

“Hail! What brings you to this part of the woods?”

Stunned, the soldier turned to locate the source of the call. Just a few meters away another man stood, tall and round. His torso seemed to be a cage built from intricately woven wires. The head and limbs were of similar construction but also displayed simple facial features cut from sheets of weathered brass. He wore no clothes save for a cloth wrapped around his waist. Inside his chest a morning dove rested on a crossbar, cooing gently to itself. None of this seemed to shock the soldier, he simply stared on with hollow eyes, marveling at the monument before him. It was odd, by all means, but shock in this moment would be too much.

“Have you gone mad, friend?” it continued, leaning forward with hands on its knees, moving with such human fluidity. Someone had taken the time to weld on fingernails, he noted.

“Mad? Well… more than probably.”

The brass man hummed, the bird cooed once more, thinking about what he'd just said. “Well, you should come with me to the aviary.”

[purplerakath]

What I think the Owl House Season 3 Would have Been

I’m trying to use what we got to reconstruct what could have been, as best I can. I have a few notes before we get into this in earnest.

First is that Thanks to Them is probably the most accurate to the Season 3 that could have been, while the other two were later in production so rewriting is easier. So 3x01 is a lot more re-editing, while 3x02 and 3x03 are more rewriting.

I also think that due to how 3x01 plays, it’s the majority of the season’s runtime.

Escape from the Human World (Eps 1-10)

So the timeskip between the immediate aftermath of King’s Tide to the actual plot of Thanks to Them is roughly the entire in-plot time of the first two Seasons combined. It has been 2-3 months since Luz and the others arrived. Which to me feels like this is where the majority of the episodes would go.

I also feel like the separate plot threads in Thanks to Them were re-organized to fit into one episode. Camilla and Luz’s scenes feel earlier than the Hunter/Luz Beloshunt. And then the Hexolio treasure hunt feels later on still.

Worrying about what to feed the Demon Realm kids would be easy scenes in Ep 1-2 of a season, with hints of Belos around foreshadowing the end of the ep block. Luz in class is a good mid-point moment, establishing where the plot is ending (Haunted Halloween) and how their failures weigh on her. Then Belos gets into Hunter, slowly growing more powerful until we get to the end. And the Hexolio Treasure hunt would be the final two eps of the block.

The opening montage covers more or less a good set of things that would be one of-episodes, and what isn’t there is in Willow’s scrapbook. We also have the Witch Hunter Wannabe Jacob to be an interim villain while Goo-Belos skulks around attacking bunnies. A slice of life with ominous angst hanging over it.

Back to School (Eps 11-14 or 11-15)

So this is a bit fuzzier, the best use of this space is three-fold.

Establish what happened in the Boiling Isles

Establish the weapons and tools going into handling the Collector

Spacing out the events from the first act from the third act.

I figure the Hooty backstory goes here, a better explanation for how Eda and Lilith were un-collected. And what the Collector is and what they need to do to stop him. On the side of the Eda team in this season.

This means a smaller role on Luz and team Hexside as they work through their baggage from the end of Act 1, hatch Luz’s palisman, check in on the surviving Hexside encampment, and whatever the real plan was with Boscha and the angry kitten. I do think Kiki is the boss fight at the end of this segment, but I feel like it’s a lot more of a ‘Luz and co get a break before the actual endgame’ space.

This feels like it should be the shortest portion, the only way it gets longer is if they put any backstory beats in here for lore junkies.

Nightmares Real and Imagined (Eps 15-19 or 16-20)

So I think the bridge point between the two sections happens as we saw. Collector nabs everyone, starts torturing our heroes cause Belos said it was a good idea. I don’t know if Belos starts in Raine or just ends up in them in a longer season run.

It would make sense to burn a few ‘characters that I guess exist but nobody likes’ such as Terra or the other Coven Leaders who aren’t people we like. No longer having them as concerns if they’re just- withered husks after Belos is done.

A lot happened in the 55 minute version of this section, but I can see each section (the nightmares, the Collector’s games, the travel across the island) being more or less their own episodes. While Belos does Belos nonsense in the background. Culminating in ‘breathing’ and the Collector realizing where Belos has gotten to.

The other advantage to a longer run is more Papa Titan trying to get Luz attention (probably also in the previous section as well, but more here). That someone is out there trying to help. He’d also be the right way to make Light Glyphs the anti-Collector spell. 

Luz ‘dying’ is the end of the first half of the finale. And the second episode opens on her in the space between. Then Titan Luz and fighting and NOW EAT THIS SUCKA! It feels like the right tempo when you look at say Season 2′s ending.

Now, here’s where I get greedy.

And they Lived Happily Ever After (Ep 20)

See, I can see the ending credits + postcredits scene as its own episode. Visiting with each of the characters a little bit to set-up that no, the story didn’t end there. It feels too long for a stinger on a 20 minute episode, but I don’t know how feasible it’d be as a standalone.

But I want it as a standalone, so we have more than just a glimpse of who everyone is, we get to actually enjoy some dialog. Del telling Hunter he’s doing a good job. Boscha being pissed she’s washed up while Willow went pro. Whatever weird pirate life Amity has going on. How Amity and Lilith became mentor and student again. What is Vee up to other than baseball.

This isn’t strictly needed, but it would be the right tonal end for the series as a whole. As, yes, sure, fighting genocidal colonizing bastard has been a staple of the show. A huge focus of the show is caring about these characters. So seeing them living their lives would matter more than watching one gooey bastard get stomped on.

No matter how deeply satisfying that was.

[dustedmagazine]

King Creosote — I DES (Domino)

Photo by Other Voices

At the beginning of the end of I DES, Kenny Anderson’s latest King Creosote album, we hear an open fifth. Someone better versed than I in the lexicon of music tells me that open fifths are ambiguous. Further, she tells me that, because B# is just C, the implied goal, to her, of naming the 36ish-minute song in question “Drone in B#” is to achieve a sense of opacity. Rightly or wrongly, I take this to mean that B# both does and does not exist, like an unattainable parallel world — like, perhaps, the afterlife. This occurs to me because time and what is to be done as it passes and frays and comes to an end is the unavoidable subject running through Anderson’s lyrics on I DES.

On the second song, “Blue Marbled Elm Trees,” a buoyant rhythm and shimmering pipes take us to the scene of a speculative (but certainly windswept) funeral. With the assurance that “no I shan’t complain,” our narrator walks us to the edge of their future final resting place to show us how they’ll be laid “down to sleep/…under earth two meters deep.” Then come the memories, also not worthy of complaint. The unabashed joy of “laughing with my girls” and the rueful bitterness of regret projected onto “only a dozen or so of the loves of my life [who] cannot contain their grief/and they weep real tears/of all those wasted years.” It isn’t score-settling, it’s account-taking, and, here, the tally comes out alright: “I had the best life offered up by this blue marble/or any alien world.”

The narrator of the next song, “Burial Bleak,” is less at ease with the inevitable. It could be the same character from “Blue Marbled Elm Trees,” shaken out of their terminal fantasies by a real confrontation with death: “at a burial bleak/I'm thinking that maybe dying's just not for me.” Where our guide in “...Elm Trees,” imagines solace in gratitude and letting go, whoever relates “Burial Bleak” promises to “greedily…cling to [their] life.” The theme carries through “Dust,” the song that follows, which holds the fear and resolve of “Burial Bleak” up to the acceptance of “...Elm Trees” and sees only resignation. Ashes to ashes and all that. In keeping with the mixed feelings that may tumble out of that maxim, the music of “Dust” is all shifting synthesizers: silvery textures, intermittently bitten by the plunge of sharper notes, gleaming then darting away. The sound and feel is unsteady yet consuming. By the end of “Burial Bleak,” Anderson’s singing is clear and determined, a fist pumped into the opulent wheeze of an accordion and triumphant, stately strings. But when he repeats “someday/you too/will be dust” for the last time, his voice strains over the eponymous refrain then disintegrates into a billow of sound.

Much of I DES resides, lyrically, in this immense and ambivalent half-light – the “grief” and “wasted years” of “...Elm Trees,” the “lymphatic…lunatic” narrator of “Walter de la Nightmare” pulled towards “the last chance saloon,” or the desperate appeal of “Please Come Back I Will Listen, I Will Behave, I Will Toe The Line.” We do, however, sometimes spin and land on a more playful and ecstatic square. The rapid handclap/knee-slap bang of the beat that drives the spieling, reeling “Susie Mullen” shatters, in the best way, the elegiac mood that precedes it. First, the effect is jarring, like, where’s my solemnity gone, but as the song rushes forward and Anderson’s nearly frantic rap is filigreed with fuzzy keyboard intrusions before breaking into a long, bright bridge, you get the sense of a release. The big questions and morbid musings seem, from that angle, to have been set aside. “Susie Mullen” gives I DES both an aural boost and a welcome deviation in tone, but even here, in the opening line “are we 20 years too late?” Anderson’s nagging subject, the past and its hold on the present and what remains of the future, isn’t completely discarded.

I DES is an ambitious, moving work. It places the incisive melancholy of Anderson’s tenor within a complex, often soaring musical environment. Rather than merely complementing his voice, the accompaniment pushes him to compete for space. It’s a beautiful and sometimes overwhelming listen for the sheer magnitude and vivacity of sound, something like the headlong vigor of Spiritualized brought alongside the elegant cloudy ruins of Elbow or The National. But if competition is the right framing, Anderson, as vocalist and storyteller, ultimately bows out. Even if the title of “Drone in B#” is nothing more than a notational in-joke and the open fifth simply felt right in the moment, there is something meaningful in the fact that the last statement by such a distinctive singer and prolific lyricist is to omit his voice. On an album that so adeptly draws out the enigmatic, ongoing, and unknowable – or, yes, ambiguous and opaque – nature of living and dying with ourselves and others, perhaps it is appropriate, after all, to give drones, the great foundational sustainers, the last word.

Alex Johnson

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

How fast can each person morph / how did this change from the beginning to the end of the series?

So I can't give you an answer in seconds, but I can take a stab at what we do have.

Some morphers are faster than others

All of the kids get faster at morphing throughout the war

Some morphs seem to happen faster than others

Morph time's probably more than 20 seconds, definitely less than 5 minutes

Some morphers are faster than others. Cassie being the fastest morpher on the team comes up as early as #2 when they're exploring bird morphs, and becomes a major plot point in MM1 and #34 among others. This seems to be part of the estreen "knack" that Ax mentions, since Cassie is faster than Ax (#17) despite Ax knowing more of the theory of how morphing works. (Although MM4 implies he's never morphed at all before he came to Earth, which suggests he hadn't gotten to that module of his training yet — I love the headcanon that he can only morph at all because Elfangor illegally slipped him the ability at some point.) Marco seems to be consistently the slowest morpher, which threatens him with nothliting in #3 and #21.

All the kids get faster at morphing throughout the war. This one's most obvious in the opening of #54, when Rachel has time to do two morphs — and smush Tom like a bug — in the time it takes most of the controllers to complete just one. But Marco also notes it in #51 when he and Tobias are up against the morph-controllers and their own skill is obvious against these amateurs.

Some morphs seem to happen faster than others. Dolphin (#4) and spider-monkey (#11) are two the kids mention finding relatively easy, whereas the transition itself for fly (#6) and eel (#29) are both mentioned as particularly slow and horrible. I've got two headcanons for that — the first is that the morphing works smoother when it's got less "work" to do (e.g. big mammal to big mammal vs. big mammal to tiny insect). The second is that the kids' own comfort with a morph either speeds up or slows down the process, not always to the point where severe emotional distress sabotages the whole thing (e.g. Marco in #35) but maybe to the point where you're going to be real slow about becoming a fly if you don't particularly want to be one.

Morph time's probably more than 20 seconds, definitely less than 5 minutes. In #51 we see Ax fall off a bridge as an andalite, sink, and come back up as a shark in the time it takes Marco and the governor to speak ~4 lines of dialogue, which I'd very roughly time at about 20 seconds. Contrast that with MM1, when Ax and Marco just barely demorph and remorph in the time it takes them to fall from the edge of Earth's atmosphere to the ground, a trip that takes ~6 minutes according to scientists with too much time on their hands.

So. An estreen with years of experience who is motivated to morph fast and is using a morph they're comfortable with (let's say their also-human best friend who donated the DNA) might be able to get it down to 10 seconds. A new kid who doesn't want to morph and hates the morph they're becoming (e.g. David becoming a cockroach for the first time in #20) might take over 3 minutes.

[rozcdust]

I know how this story goes

pt. 2

Pairing: Rindou Haitani x f!reader

Genre: Crack, SMAU

Word count: 800ish

Warnings: Violence, substance abuse, profanity, irresponsible behaviour, reckless driving, reader is a cocky bitch, rindou hates her guts 🤪

Synopsis: Bonten needs a driver for a job. You just so happen to be Rindou’s fuck buddy with a talent for speeding and knowing the map of Tokyo’s back streets like the back of your palm. Rindou hates you.

pt. 1 | next

“But wouldn’t using the new highway get us there faster? It’s both shorter and has higher speed limits, so we’re less likey to get chased by cops.”

You shook your head at Kokonoi, getting a bit frustrated at this point.

“Blondie, if we use the new highway, sure, it cuts us about 20 kilometres, but it is also more crowded, we’re more likely to be seen and it’s directly on your rival gang’s territory. Old highway is safer in every way, and as far as I understood the fucking assignment, I’m supposed to keep your asses alive.”

“Old highway it is.” Mikey said, causing a triumphant smile to spread across your face.

“Excellent. How many of you plan to go on this mission?”

“5.”

You snorted, making Rindou give you a warning look.

“Absolutely fucking not,” The tone of your voice let Mikey know this was not something he could debate you on, “I have 4 seatbelts. Kick someone out.”

It was Rindou’s turn to snort.

“You use fucking seatbelts?”

You turned your chair to look at him, a smirk on your face.

“Unless you want to be flying through the windshield, yes, you need to have a fucking seatbelt on.”

“If I have to be in the same car as you, I’ll take flying through the fucking windshield.”

“Excellent, don’t get into my fucking car at all then. I’d hate to look at your fucking face for longer than 5 minutes anyways, makes me want to scratch my eyes out.”

“You didn’t say that when you begged me to fuck you.”

“It’s your face, not your dick dumbass. Why do you think we fuck with the lights off?”

Rindou looked close to popping a blood vessel.

Silently, Kakucho slid Kokonoi 10000 yen.

“Alright boys, seatbelts on.” You smiled as they settled into your car. Ran, Sanzu and Kokonoi sat in the back, Rindou being left to in shotgun, much to his dismay.

He crossed his arms.

“No.”

You raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not putting a fucking seatbelt on, I’m not a child.” He was almost pouting at this point.

You sighed, leaning over him to open the passenger door.

“What are you doi- FUCK YOU.”

Gracefully, and with the sweetest smile on your face, you shoved your boot into his side, pushing him out of the car onto the concrete.

He stared at you from the ground, furious.

“Rindou, just get into the fucking car and put a fucking seatbelt on.” Kokonoi said, pinching the bridge of his nose, done with both of your antics.

With a lot of complaining, Rindou did as he was told, getting back in and turning around to flip off Kokonoi.

You plugged your phone into the aux cord, offering to Rindou to pick something.

He looked at the phone as if it personally offended him.

“You fucking suck, Rin. Ran, Sanzu, you’re in charge of the aux, you’re the only fun ones in this fucking car, put something vibey.”

As they did, you smiled, getting out of the parking lot and onto the road.

Rindou loudly exhaled through his nose.

“This is the best you can do?” He sneered, but you ignored him.

He realised he made a mistake when you got out of the narrow alley onto the main road, and he ended up clutching his headrest, praying to whatever god there is that he doesn’t die.

You were swerving the car wildly, passing everyone and almost crashing into the cars from the opposite direction, all while increasing your speed, and it only got worse when they got the highways.

Sanzu was having the time of his life.

“FASTER! FASTER! FASTER!” The idiot was manically giggling, Rindou would have turned around to fucking punch him if he weren’t fearing for his life right now.

Ran looked happy as a clam in the middle, seemingly not bothered by being thrown left and right every three seconds.

Kokonoi was clutching the seat under him and the headrest in front, brushing his fingers against Rindou’s.

Rindou will die before he admits it, but he took Koko’s hand and held it as if his life depended on it, as they shared a look and silently but mutually agreed they were the only sane ones in this car filled with suicidal and reckless maniacs.

You got them to their destination in record time, almost twice as fast as if it would take them if someone normal was driving.

When you pushed the breaks, Rindou understood why you forced them to put on seatbelts.

“See you in an hour boys.” You smirked, lighting up a cigarette as they got out of the car.

“Thanks for the ride baby!” Sanzu exclaimed, quickly leaning over to plant a kiss on your face, and Rindou tried to ignore the ugly feeling growing inside his stomach.

He most definitely was not jealous.

“The fuck kinda psychos are you putting your dick in Haitani?” Kokonoi murmured, clutching his chest.

“Hey! I heard that!”

Taglist:

@rindous-wife @marrymemanjiro @kampfkuchen85 @camilosa @shadoweepingscream

If you’re in bold I can’t tag you for some reason ://

[katherynshoward]

𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞; { 𝐝.𝐦. 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 }

SYNOPSIS; you catch draco eyeing pansy parkinson at a party despite him insisting he has no eyes for her. no one likes a liar. all characters are aged up to 20 in their 6th year and it’s the early 2000s. i repeat, there are NO underage characters in this. hogwarts functions as a college.

RESTRICTIONS; 18+ only. i don’t consent to minors viewing this content.

WORD COUNT; 4.9k

WARNINGS; smut, edging, bondage, name-calling, degradation, blow jobs, hand jobs, rough sex, size kink, sex toys, alcohol, drugs

The night was growing old, but yours was far from over. Three drinks down and another in your grasp, you could feel the effects of intoxication overwhelming you by now. You were never much of a drinker, but this was a Slytherin party. It would be considered nearly an insult to not finish what was supplied. And as much as it was a Slytherin gathering, it was also your birthday celebration. Of course, the birthday girl was expected to indulge in the night more than anyone. You felt special as this event was already contesting with one of the better Gryffindor House parties of the year.

You hadn’t expected your boyfriend to make an appearance this evening. He thought himself above parties as his arrogance would lead him to believe. Yet when Draco emerged from the men’s dormitories so late into the festivities, Theodore Nott could be heard howling his excitement and rooting Draco on. The young man quickly thrusted a drink into Draco’s hand and began urging him to ‘loosen up’ over several other hoarse voices that were worn out from yelling over the music. You turned away and smiled to yourself, taking another sip from your goblet.

The commotion over Draco’s appearance would draw more attention to him than he cared to receive. If he was truly here to enjoy himself, it was unlikely he would ever partake again after the spectacle Theo put on. 

But by Draco’s protest you could faintly hear, it became obvious Draco did not come to celebrate. He was irate. A soft tap on your shoulder a moment later alerted you and you spun back around.

“Break this up. It’s four in the morning.” He said.

“Don’t be a party pooper.” You frowned. “I see you have a drink. I think Nott was on the right idea.”

“I’m tired. Silencing charms aren’t working.”

“One drink and I’ll break it up. For me? You may even thank me later.” You winked and Draco subtly rolled his eyes.

Pushing his free hand into his pocket, he began drinking away at his beverage and walked away. You sniggered to yourself, bemused by your own wit. You were the only person in the world Draco would yield to at this point and it felt vigorous. Knowing you had the solidity to command Draco by sex appeal alone. He could hardly resist how tempting you were and obeyed without resistance.

You knew you would marry him one day.

It could have been predictable Draco was a lightweight and Nott gave him a particularly strong drink. Theo himself was a heavy partier and could take as many drinks as a 7 foot three hundred and fifty pound man and still feel fine enough to play beer pong efficiently. Draco was never the type to drink or engage in any kind of activity involving impairment. He seemed to think it stunted his magic. Something he wasn’t keen on for reasons you couldn’t identify. But after thirty minutes had passed, Draco was visibly impaired. He was trying to conceal it which only made it more obvious.

You purposely hid yourself away when he came looking for you, having held up his half of the deal. You giggled with another Slytherin girl, watching as Draco was clearly looking for you without much success. Yet when his eyes fell onto Pansy Parkinson, his gaze seemed to act a little too familiar with her. His eyes rested on her backside, lingering far too long to be an accident. You shot a look of malice to the girl beside you. She looked at you and shrugged her shoulders.

When you looked back at Draco, he was now observing his surroundings to make sure no one saw that. He was still aware enough to be mindful of consequences. It occurred to you then that he wasn’t that drunk. That excuse wouldn’t hold to defend his wandering eyes.

You’d have to remind him that his eyes were meant only for you.

Walking towards him, his eyes widened a bit as though you startled him. But he quickly relaxed again.

“I was looking for you.” He held the goblet upside down, showing there was nothing left in it.

“How do I know you didn’t just dump it?” You said.

He huffed out a vexed sigh.

“Maybe you should have been watching me if that was a concern.”

“I was watching you. I saw everything.” You smirked and quickly flicked your eyes towards Pansy.

Draco began massaging the bridge of his nose in a visually exasperated gesture. How he would dig himself out of this one, he seemed unsure. You crossed your arms over your chest and smiled.

“Fine. I’ll just deal with it.” He grimaced and nearly began walking away.

“Excuse me. You think I’d let you off the hook that easily?” You half chuckled. “I catch you burning holes into Pansy’s arse with your eyes and you think you can just go about your night?”

“I’m sorry, darling. Truly, I feel a bit fuzzy.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I mean, honestly. You know how I feel towards Parkinson. That was highly uncharacteristic of me. I do only have eyes for you.”

“Prove it.” You challenged him.

“What do you want?” He sounded skeptical.

“Hm, it depends. Whatever might satisfy me.”

As you said this, you wrapped his tie around your hand and pulled him closer to you. Your lips met with his. He did taste like alcohol. You knew he wasn’t a cheater, you just wanted to give him a hard time. He was the most fun to peeve of anyone as he always took everything so seriously.

Maybe if he made it less fun, he wouldn’t always be at the butt end of every joke.

You used your tongue to part his lips and leaned in closer to him, pressing your chest into his as you stood on the tips of your toes to better level yourself with him. He was still taller, but Draco leaned down into you to deepen the surprisingly erotic moment. Which was also unlike him. A benefit of the drink.

He pressed one hand gently against the nape of your back, traveling lower until his hand would rest directly over the curve where your back met your ass. He pulled you closer into him with the same hand and returned your kiss tenfold. Your pussy began throbbing already, taking you a little off guard. Draco never kissed you in such a venereal way to elicit this kind of response from your body. Maybe you would encourage him to drink a little more. He was more relaxed. Even the devil’s lettuce could do him some favors.

Draco typically preferred to keep this intimacy between the two of you. But now, the heat of his breath and the way he pressed his pelvis into you signaled that for once, he was a bit looser. You loved every moment of it. Of course, he still pulled away from you first with dazed eyes.

“You can show me your proof in the dormitory. If I broke up this party now, we wouldn’t have our privacy. Would we?” You stared up at him with big eyes.

Draco swallowed hard and modestly nodded, setting the goblet down on a table beside him.

You signaled for him to follow you by gesturing your head forward. When you took a left up the stairs, you made sure to sway your hips more than usual with each step. Halfway up the set of stairs, you glanced back to see if his attention was fixated where you intended. Just as you hoped, his watchful gaze was lingering on the curvature of your hips and bottom. He looked up at you. You bent forward a little to expose more of your panties beneath your skirt and continued up the stairs.

“Like the view?” You joked, giggling a little.

Though you couldn’t see him, your mind’s eye already pictured Draco shaking his head to himself.

You reached the room you shared with a few other girls first and pulled him inside by his collar, slamming the door behind him by shoving him into the door with such force, the foundation shook. You pressed yourself into him and sunk into his lips with ardent force. Draco forcibly grabbed onto your buttocks, squeezing hard. You pushed his hands away and planted a firm smack on his cheek that cause his hair to fall over his face. It actually looked better that way. 

A soft breathy chuckle escaped your lips and Draco quickly grabbed hold of your wrists, making you spin around so that your back was now pressed against him. He pushed you onto the nearest bed and mounted you, grinding himself against you. You could feel him growing harder with each passing moment.

“Watch it, Malfoy. You’re biting off more than you can chew.” You warned him, already having an idea of how this wanted to go.

He began undressing himself quickly, getting rid of his button up shirt and tie first. You could hear him fumbling with his buckle now.

“Try me.” He sounded almost angry, but in a lustful way.

As he always did, he placed two fingers into your mouth to pull your head back while he unzipped his trousers. But this time, you bit down. He hissed and pulled away. You promptly kicked him away while he was distracted and reached for your wand in your waistband.

“Accio!” A chair came hurling towards you.

With another flick of your wand, you pushed Draco into the chair and acted quickly to bind his hands behind him with a temporary binding hex.

“What exactly are you doing here?” He sounded annoyed again and you laughed.

“What satisfies me.”

You shrugged and got up. Getting on your knees in front of him, you took his belt off for him and teasingly snapped it in front of him. You got back up and tied his hands behind the chair, careful to not cut off any circulation. But to be certain it would be difficult for him to escape, you placed a sticky charm on the belt.

“Too tight?” You asked, peeking your head over his shoulder.

Much to your surprise, he chuckled and shook his head.

“I didn’t know you were into bondage.” He observed. “You know your knots. It’s not too tight.”

“Maybe next time, I’ll let you tie me up. But I think you deserve this.”

You circled back around in front of him.

“Now, your punishment. You can’t touch me. Or yourself.”

“That’s it?” He asked.

“Oh, love. I’m not going to make this easy. Not even a little.”

His eyes narrowed on you and you returned the same look. You used your wand again to lock the door behind him and began circling around him. First, you traced your fingertips along his clavicle. He felt hot from the alcohol around his neck. His head followed you, looking around to the other side when you emerged from behind him. Casually, you ran your hand over his hair before grabbing a fistful and snapping his head back to expose his adam’s apple. You placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

“Safe word is baboons.” You whispered against him.

“That bad?” He asked with a smile. “I might act out again.”

Again, you placed another firm smack on his other cheek. He was aroused by this as you noted his pants move a little.

“Don’t be a pig. If you want something, you don’t resort to childish antics. You take them like a man.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He snarled back when you brought his head forward and let go of his hair roughly.

You walked away and positioned yourself in front of the bed. Still turned away from him, you began to strip off your skirt first. He loved your ass the most. The creaking of the chair told you he was either shifting uncomfortably or already attempting to work himself out of his restraints. You made sure to struggle with getting the skirt past the girth of your thick bottom, bending over slightly to make it appear even bigger. Draco sighed at the sight of your panties finally peaking through. A designer pair he bought you as part of an early birthday gift a week ago. Again, the chair creaked. Your skirt finally hit the floor.

You took no time to remove your top, already braless. Turning around to face him, he immediately looked at your breasts

“You weren’t wearing a bra?” Draco quickly observed.

“What? You must hate the idea of other men looking at my hard nipples. Don’t you? Maybe I wanted them to stare. It’s my birthday, after all.”

You shrugged and sat on the bed, which made your thighs appear wider. Relaxing onto your elbows, you kept your eyes on Draco who remained just as fixated on your figure.

“They know better.” Draco said, referring to the men of his house having a certain moral code. Specifically when it came to significant others and staring.

“You didn’t.” You retorted, a little pleased with your quick response that would have angered him. It’s not like he could do anything now.

You lifted your legs up to gently pulled off your panties and wiggled them up your legs, removing them from your ankles. Now your slit was exposed to Draco. Teasingly, you opened your legs before quickly shutting them again with a laugh of mockery. He angled himself down slightly, almost as if to get a better look.

“I can tell you want to touch me already and I’ve barely started.” You swung your panties around your pointer finger before slingshotting it at Draco. “This is gonna be fun.”

“You have no idea.” He said.

You propped your heels up on the bed while keeping balance on your elbows to make sure he was still watching you. But it seemed as though he couldn’t look away even if he wanted to. With your legs now spread open, you used one hand to trail gently down your navel to meet with your nether lips. Draco squirmed again, this time flexing his arms. He was maneuvering an attempt to escape. But the sticky charm he was unaware of would make that process much more difficult. Slowly, you began massaging yourself where your clit would be while he watched. His pants appeared to subtly move again.

Draco groaned out.

“Are you already about to cum in your trousers?” You giggled out.

“My pants are killing me. It’s — I’m hard.”

“Obviously. Maybe you shouldn’t wear such tight pants all the time. Although I do like how it accentuates your bulge.”

“What? People can see that?”

You tossed your head back and laughed. Getting up from the bed, you quickly moved onto his lap to straddle him. The heat between your legs caused him to tense even more. Draco tossed his head back and gently groaned again, already physically quelled by the influence of your tempting body. He was going to be easy to break. Only to you.

Your slit met with the outline of his erection. You began grinding against it and Draco’s breathing sped up, growing deeper with each breath. He was now squeezing his eyes shut, attempting to calm his arousal. It would be embarrassing to cum now.

“Are you alright, love? If you say pretty please, I might be kind and let you out of these painful restraints.”

Draco nodded, his eyes still shut tight.

“Please, for the love of god. I’m fucking dying.”

You got back up off his lap and spread his legs apart sensually, running your hands up and down his thighs. This elicited another involuntary response from his body. Close up, you could see his v line flex with the straining of his abdomen. It was arousing you now. The heaving of his chest and the outline of his neck tightening. Observing how his body naturally responded to you without sex was extremely lubricious. Inciting sexual desire in you. Your nipples were now painfully hard in a satisfying way.

You finished unzipping and unbuttoning his pants, slowly pulling him out of his boxers. It was true, he was completely solid. He was enjoying this even more than you were. The thought started to make you wet.

“Wow, you’re kind of a whore.” You smiled up at him, resting your hand around the base of his cock. “You love being tied up and helpless, don’t you?”

“You better hope you tied this belt tight enough.” He warned.

“Or what?” You teased, licking up his shaft. His arms moved again to release himself.

Draco snapped his head back up now to look directly down on you.

“I will fuck the absolute shit out of you.” He pressed through gritted teeth.

“I’d like to see you try.” You smiled up at him and winked, starting to squeeze the base of his cock as you moved up and down with your hand.

Using your other hand, you began massaging deeply into his pelvis while jerking him off. You used a little spit to lubricate him which only seemed to deepen his arousal. You began speeding up in slow increments, using your hand to stimulate the area beneath the head of his cock every time you moved up. He leaned back into the chair once again, somewhat straightening out his body. Again, he was attempting to get out.

Now moving fast, you focused your attention closer to his head. Every time you felt him contract in your hand, you’d let go. This frustrated him visibly.

“Fuck you.” He mumbled out a few times.

With this, you began using your mouth to stimulate the base of his cock while still jerking his head. Draco moved up in a sharp movement that told you he was now close. When you felt that familiar pulsating sensation, you immediately pulled away and walked off.

“You fucking bitch.” He breathed out heavily.

“You love me.” You cooed out while looking through your panty drawer.

“And you’re so god damn lucky I do.”

“Ah, here it is. I think I’ll go first. And then you. I’m not done with you” You pulled out a vibrating toy.

It was a simple muggle toy and relatively small, but it was effective. Of course, there were many magical toys, but you somehow preferred these ones. With five different settings based on speed and frequency, you really couldn’t go wrong with these little guys. They were simplistic and nearly comforting.

You positioned yourself back on the bed the same way you had before, certain Draco could see everything. You switched on the middle vibrational setting and moved it gently against your clit. Immediately, you gasped out before relaxing into it. It was slightly cold due to the make of it, but your warmth would immediately change that and it would become comfortable.

This time, you didn’t care to watch Draco. You were far more invested in pleasing yourself now. Making yourself cum while leaving him high and dry would be the sweetest punishment. Laying your head back onto the bed and closing your eyes, you began using your other hand to insert two fingers inside of you and stimulate your g spot by curling your fingers up while the vibration of your toy continued to hum against your clit.

You heard something, although you figured it was merely Draco once again enjoying himself too much. That was fine. If he could cum without being touched, it wasn’t as though you could prevent that. You squirmed beneath your toy, feeling heat rising in your core.

Time passed, although you weren’t sure how much. But you could now see the horizon turning a deep blue color and morning was almost upon you. And with each passing moment, you felt yourself getting closer. Your abdomen tightened and small little shocks throughout your body indicated you were now closer than ever. Easing into your climax, you cried out with ecstasy. And even though the quivers of your orgasm pulsing through your body were intense, they weren’t enough to satisfy you the way Draco’s cock did.

You wondered if he was worth quenching that thirst right now. But remembering how he could slide into you as though you were made for him, there was no second guessing. You needed him inside of you.

Slowly, you got back up and looked at Draco who was still hard, his large cock resting against his abdomen. It twitched slightly when you looked at him and your lips pulled up into half of a grin.

“Shall I go again or is it your turn?”

“I quite enjoyed the show.” Draco said.

You began walking back towards him and tossed the vibrator into the air a few times, catching it each time it fell back down. When you knelt in front of Draco again, he visibly tensed.

“I think we should try the strongest setting. What do you think?” You asked him while holding up the toy for him to see.

“I guess that would depend on what you already believe I deserve.” He let out a breathy chuckle. “I would think you’ve already made up your mind.”

“You know me so well.”

Switching the setting up to the highest vibrational speed with a fast frequency, you didn’t hesitant to trace the vibrator up his shaft and tease it around his tip. This was exactly the response you had been yearning for. Draco nearly cried out which was an accomplishment in and of itself. While his body leaned away from it, his pelvis gravitated into the touch of the vibrator. His body was communicating all green lights and his words didn’t protest.

He fucking loved it.

All you could think of now was having him inside of you. Watching him break beneath the weight of his carnal lust was so painfully arousing, you could feel your wetness traveling down your thigh. It was becoming more torture for you to refrain from having him. His legs were tensing so hard, the muscle in them was now clearly visible. He was practically shaking now.

This was all for you. Not Pansy. Not anybody. He was yours.

You angled the vibrator against his shaft and began sucking on just the tip of his cock. Again, a few subtle whimpers escaped his lips as he was attempting to control himself. You swirled your tongue around this part of him, focusing again on the area just beneath the tip where it met with the rest of his cock. He was absolutely reeling with the intoxication of you.

And just as you had hoped, you finally felt his hand close around your neck. He had worked himself out.

Knowing what was to come, you let go of the vibrator. Not a moment of hesitation and Draco had one hand wrapped around your neck and the other, tangled roughly in your hair. He began fucking your face, forcing you to gag on him as you took his full length down your throat. You wondered if this is where he would decidedly cum. Mentally, you’d prepare yourself for the warm liquid that always caught you a bit off guard.

You braced yourself on his legs, feeling him invest a lot of strength into using your mouth. He was raging with lust and that was just how you wanted him. It was difficult to get him this way, but when he was, it was all you ever wanted.

He pulled you off of his cock by your hair and smacked your face more gently than the treatment you recently subjected him to. But he knew you loved being treated this way. It just took effort to be able to get him to act upon it. 

He lifted you to your feet and quickly picked you up, throwing you onto the bed. It took you a moment to gather yourself, the impact startling you. But when you did, you were feeling pain from your arousal. You needed him to fuck you. And it seemed that was what he was readying to do.

“I already warned you I would fuck you silly if I got out. So now we can see who the whore is.”

Lifting you back up, he forced you into a straddling position against him as he held you up by your ass. He didn’t hesitate to start slamming his erect cock into your pussy that was already dripping wet. Your preparation had made this part simple. It felt as though you were already gaping, ready to receive him. And just as promised, he fucked you mercilessly.

You cried his name out loudly, assuring anyone in close proximity would know Draco was pounding into you. The clapping of your thighs against him also presented loud enough to issue a noise complaint.

Holding onto him to keep yourself supported up, you bit into his shoulder to stifle your cries that only grew louder. The way he felt inside you was perfect. Your pussy fit over his cock like a glove and the slight curve of him made it so he scraped frequently against the nerve endings of your g-spot. It wouldn’t take long to make you see stars this way.

The way his strength was able to hold the full weight of your body while simultaneously fucking you meant you were now his to do with as he pleased. You were completely at his disposal. He was much stronger, taller and more agile. The only advantage you had over him previously was having him tied up. And he even managed to undo those difficult binds.

Again, he pulled you off of him and set you back down on the bed. Quickly, he removed the rest of his trousers and climbed on top of your trembling body. He placed an endearing kiss on your forehead and wiped tears away on both of your cheeks. You often cried with overstimulation and now was a perfect example.

“Now, I’m going to fill you up and I don’t ever want to hear you doubt my devotion to you ever again.” He spoke gently, seeming to mock what was to come.

“No woman in this world can hold a candle to the riches of your sweet cunt.”

“Then take it.” You taunted him through a few shallow breaths.

He flipped you over onto your stomach and angled you so that your ass was now in the air. You could hear him pump himself a few times before thrusting his cock back inside of you. Gasping out, you grabbed hold of the bed sheets and took all of him into you.

Draco loved this position because he could feel you deeper. On the seldom occasion he would cum inside of you, he preferred to be as deep as possible. Sometimes, due to his length, he would go a little too far. But he had more recently acquainted himself with a healthy medium he was able to maintain. You also felt more of every inch in this position. And because of leverage, he could move much faster and harder. This was perfect for the times either of you wanted rough sex as simple as it was.

Each thrust was mind numbingly pleasurable. Draco eventually placed his hand over your head to keep you against the mattress. The precise angle felt better for both of you. But the idea that he only did this for his own pleasure made you wetter. It was the idea of your only purpose here being to please him. You loved it.

Your core tightened when you felt that familiar sensation that indicated Draco was ready to cum. His hips tensed and jerked more upwards while his cock would start pulsating. And when you felt his warm liquid fill you up, you nearly cried with elation. It was your favorite place for him to cum. You had been on birth control for awhile and never risked pregnancy, but the thought of him claiming you in such an intimate way made you happier than words could say. You sighed out when he pulled out of you, quickly followed by his cum dripping from your cunt. Quietly, you let your body collapse onto the bed. It was a good thing this was your bed. Your roommates may not have taken kindly to all the body fluid on their sheets.

Draco laid himself down behind you and hugged you close to him, burying his nose into your shoulder. You began caressing his soft cheek with your knuckles.

“I love you. I love only you.” He whispered.

His arm moved up between your breasts so that his hand could cradle your chin. Despite his callouses, he had the most gentle touch you had ever known.

“I just hope you’re prepared to be my wife once we graduate.”

With large eyes, you gazed back onto him with a soft smile.

A loud knock on the door alerted both of you.

“Draco, lad! We know you’re in there fuckin’ the lovely birthday gal, but there’s been a bit of an accident, mate!” Theo’s voice sounded through the door. “I think someone stopped up all the toilets and it’s leaking from the pipes when anyone tries to flush!”

“It’s your fault, you prick.” Blaise could now be heard talking to Theo.

“Shut it, bell end.” Theo whispered back. “I’d really appreciate if ya could help me out, friend!”

“You better go handle that.” You joked at Draco as he rolled his eyes.

Draco started getting up and fetched his clothes with sophisticated poise.

“I don’t suppose this is over?” He asked you while pulling his boxers and trousers back on.

You shook your head with a coy grin.

[heauxplesslydevoted]

Three’s Company

Summary: Naomi goes to lunch with the newest member of the diagnostic’s team.

A/N: Listen, I will not rest until Tobias and Ethan are friends again.

~v~

“It’s not going to be as bad as you’re making it out to be, Ethan. Above all else, Tobias Carrick is a doctor and a professional.”

Ethan resists the urge to roll his eyes at his girlfriend. This situation isn’t her fault, and it’s not like Naomi can help the fact that she’s optimistic. He still huffs under his breath though. “Being a doctor isn’t synonymous with being a professional. Trust me, Tobias is nothing of the sort.”

The news of Tobias Carrick not only coming to Edenbrook but also joining the diagnostics team hasn’t been well received. On top of a pretty tense exchange between Bloom and Ethan, Harper also made it known that she wasn’t a fan, thankfully not as outwardly as Ethan had.

Naomi however, has remained neutral. She doesn’t have history with Tobias like Harper and Ethan do, only knowing him through their biased second hand accounts. Ethan grumbled that he’s arrogant–though the same can be said about him as well–and selfish, but Naomi isn’t one to judge someone without knowing them. And besides, he pitched in to help save her last year, so for the time being, Tobias Carrick has a few brownie points with her.

“You’re being dramatic. He’s been a doctor as long as you have, he went to the same prestigious medical school that you did–”

“He graduated at number two,” Ethan interjects.

At that dig, Naomi huffs. “You’re being ridiculous. And petty, for no reason.”

“Bloom went over our heads and hired him, so I’m automatically suspicious. I apologize for not believing this wasn’t done specifically to annoy me.”

Naomi can concede to it being a bit suspicious, but she isn’t going to admit to this conspiracy of all roads leading back to Ethan. She’s not going to needlessly feed into his ego and rile him up.

The two of them continue their trek throughout the halls of Edenbrook in silence, their fingers loosely interlocked the entire way there. Naomi revels in it, because she knows it’s the calm before the storm.

Before they cross the threshold to the office, Naomi stops Ethan in his tracks. She cranes her head back so they can look each other in the eye. “Listen, like it or not, Tobias is here, and until he does something that warrants your hostility, at least be cordial. Our patients don’t deserve us at anything less than our best.”

Ethan pinches the bridge of his nose, and silently counts to three, attempting to steel himself.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.” Raising their joined hands, Naomi brushes a fleeting kiss across his knuckles. “Now stop pouting, Ramsey, we have work to do.”

Ethan untangles their hands only to open the door for Naomi. Once she steps inside she’s greeted with the sight of Tobias fiddling with Ethan’s coffee maker. He looks and flashes them a sly smile. “Mornin’, lovebirds! Ready to get to diagnosing?”

Ethan flashes Naomi a quick look. This is going to be a long day indeed.

~v~

So Tobias’s first day with the team wasn’t smooth sailing like Naomi wanted. Ethan and Harper made it clear that his former friend and roommate wasn’t wanted anywhere near the team, whether it be through passive aggressive eye rolls, thinly-veiled exasperated sighs, or outright aggression via Ethan that spiraled into a tense argument. Naomi remained neutral, corralling all of the attention back to the task at hand: helping their patient.

Naomi isn’t interested in spending another day babysitting these grown adults, so hopefully day 2 is a lot more smooth.

And so far, she seems to be getting her wish. Morning tasks were distributed without a fight, and after their morning huddle, Harper went downstairs to prep for a surgery she has coming up later. The remaining 3 members of the team are all in their own little corners of the office, Ethan typing away on his laptop, Tobias lounging on the couch, and Naomi sitting at their large desk, a pile of books and printed copies of online articles all spread out in front of her.

The words are all starting to blur together, her focus slipping away with each second that ticks on. Being in the office isn’t doing anything for her creativity or brainstorming power. She needs a break.

Naomi closes her textbook and pushes out of her seat, tired of studying. She makes her way over to Ethan’s desk, observing his hunched shoulders and the deep line between his brows. She rounds his desk until she’s standing directly in his line of vision. “You know what? I think it’s time to take a break. How about you and I get out of here and get something to eat?”

Ethan tears his eyes away from his computer screen long enough to look at Naomi. He frowns softly. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to take a raincheck. On top of the actual work I have to do for this team, Leland is demanding that I put together a presentation for the board meeting at the end of the week.”

“About what?”

“About the team. Cost versus benefit, outcomes, methodology, etc. Basically, he wants me to sell the diagnostics team to him all over again.”

“Sucks to be the boss at times?”

“De facto boss,” Ethan corrects. “Remember, this team is supposed to be a democracy now. Anyway, I want to get this presentation done as quickly as I can so I can stop thinking about it.”

“I could go for some lunch,” the third person in the room speaks up. Naomi and Ethan both turn around and see Tobias staring back at them. “Oh sorry, am I interrupting the private conversation the two of you are trying to have in our communal workspace?”

“What do you want, Carrick?”

Tobias’s eyes bounce back and forth between the couple. “Naomi wants to escape these four walls and get food. You aren’t available, and I am.” He shrugs. “What are you in the mood for, Valentine? I could go for some Italian, and there’s a good place a few blocks from here.”

“She’s not going to lunch with you,” Ethan grits out possessively. 

Naomi’s head whips around faster than she can stop herself. Since when did he get to make decisions on her behalf, especially when it’s not work related?

A small smirk settles on Tobias’s face. Naomi’s physical response to Ethan’s declaration does not go unnoticed by him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know your name was also Naomi Valentine. Whatever the case, I wasn’t speaking to you.”

“Naomi doesn’t–”

“Naomi doesn’t need an advocate to speak on her behalf because she’s an adult,” Naomi interjects sharply.

Whether she wants to accept or decline Tobias’s invitation to lunch, it’s her decision to make, not Ethan’s. His tumultuous relationship with Tobias is not her burden to bear, and he’s not going to force it upon her.

And just to prove it to him, Naomi turns around, her full attention back on Tobias, eyes alight with defiance. “You know what? Italian sounds delicious.”

~v~

20 minutes later, the unlikely duo is nestled into a corner booth of the Italian restaurant Tobias suggested. It’s a nice family owned joint that is currently experiencing a lunch rush. Every inch of the place is bustling with activity, the aromatic smell of sautéed garlic fills the air, soft music playing in the background. And while Naomi has yet to try the food, the restaurant is warm and inviting, and she likes it.

“You know, I’m really shocked you decided to take me up on my offer,” Tobias says, cutting into Naomi’s silent appraisal of their surroundings.

“I wasn’t going to turn down a free meal,” Naomi responds smoothly.

“A free meal?”

“Of course. You invited yourself, so you’re paying, Dr. Carrick. I’m thinking of ordering dessert, too.”

An easygoing smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she speaks, and Tobias laughs. “I meant it because loverboy wasn’t too happy with it.”

“As much as I respect Ethan’s opinions on things, they don’t dictate my life. His issues with you have nothing to do with me, and if you think you can use me as a pawn to piss him off further, I’d advise you to think again.”

This young woman is brazen and full of sass. Tobias likes it. “It wasn’t my intention, I swear. It’s no secret that I’m not a welcomed member of the team, and you happen to be the only one who doesn’t roll your eyes or sneer whenever I speak. You are the closest thing I have to an...acquaintance, I guess.”

Naomi’s defenses deflate slightly at his shocking display of earnestness. She was expecting some display of bravado from the attending, so this has thrown her for a loop.

Tobias is nervous. She picks up on that energy almost instantly.

“Well like I said, their issues with you have nothing to do with me. I try to give everyone a fair shake.”

“I can respect that.”

“But in the interest of said fair shake, you have to answer a question for me. What are you doing here?”

“Here, in this restaurant?”

“At Edenbrook,” Naomi clarifies. “Kenmore is a level one trauma center, it was saved from getting snuffed out when it merged with Solomon, you guys stole my research candidate which brought in a lot of grant money. You had a decent gig there, so why did you come to Edenbrook? Why did you accept a position on Ethan’s team?”

Tobias shrugs. “I hit my threshold at Kenmore. I was at the top of the food chain, I had seen everything there was to see, done everything there was to do. I was...bored and restless. Edenbrook got injected with new blood, everything is new and exciting. Bloom said he wanted to take the team to new heights, and he offered me more money than I know what to do with to be a part of the vision.”

“Okay so who’s to say you’ll be satisfied just being a member of the team? How do I know you won’t attempt to stage a coup and take Ethan’s position?”

“Relax, sweetheart, I’m not gunning for your boyfriend’s spot.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart. There’s no need to be condescending.”

“I apologize. But Ethan’s spot on the team is safe. I don’t need Leland breathing down my neck and micromanaging me the way he does Ethan.”

Naomi’s eyes roam his face. He doesn’t have any tells, no eye shifting or twitching, no sudden movements with his hands or mouth, he doesn’t fidget in his seat. She has no reason to believe he’s lying, so she takes him at his word. “Okay.”

“Any other burning questions?”

“Why aren’t you and Ethan friends?”

Tobias doesn’t immediately answer, opting to take his sweet time to think on it. He pulls his lip in-between his teeth, before shrugging. “We’re too similar. Too driven, too ambitious, too stubborn. Two people can only go on the same path for so long before a collision happens.”

“It got ugly because you two wanted the same girl?”

Tobias scoffs. The faceless woman that he was adamant that he was in love with is at the bottom of his list of concerns. “She was just the tip of the iceberg.”

That manages to catch her interest. Naomi sits up in her seat and leans forward slightly. “So what happened?”

Naomi can see the exact moment that Tobias withdraws from the conversation. His posture gets stiff again and he averts his gaze.

“Okay, riddle me this, Carrick,” Naomi continues. “Ethan told me he reached out to you after you had your falling out, but you rebuffed him. Is that part true?”

“He called and asked if we could talk, I said no. I didn’t hear from him again until everything happened with Leland last year.”

“You didn’t want to make amends?”

Making amends and having his old friend back did sound nice once upon a time, but being friends with Ethan again means being in his shadow again. And that’s what led them to this whole thing in the first place. Tobias sighs and scrubs his hand across his jaw. He came here to eat a plate of ravioli and maybe annoy Ethan, not pour his heart out. What is it about Naomi Valentine and those big brown eyes of hers that makes him want to twist himself inside out and spill his guts? Is she some sort of siren?

“Making amends means I’d have to own up to my wrongdoings. I’d have to swallow the fact that I torpedoed our friendship,” Tobias confesses before he even realizes the words are out of his mouth. “Admitting fault and being vulnerable isn’t my strong suit.”

She doesn’t mean to, but Naomi giggles. And that giggle turns into a laugh. A loud one that attracts the attention of a few patrons, a hard feat to accomplish in the middle of a bustling restaurant, but she does it with ease.

“I’m sorry,” Naomi says once she finally calms down. She takes a deep breath before continuing. “God, no wonder you two were best friends. You are just as emotionally constipated as Ethan.”

“Emotionally constipated?” Tobias’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline at the blunt statement. And once the shock wears off, he laughs along with. “Touché, Valentine. Touché.”

~v~

Across the way, at the bar on the other side of the dining room, Ethan watches as his girlfriend and his former friend carry on like two bosom buddies. 

Ethan decided to follow them approximately 10 minutes after they left, sheer curiosity getting the better of him. Before he could stop himself, he was in his car and at the restaurant, seated far enough away from them so he’s out of their line of vision, but close enough to see.

Naomi is in the zone, talking excitedly and Tobias sits there, soaking it all up like what she says and does is gospel. Their friendly interaction stirs irritation in the pit of his stomach, but it’s when Naomi lets out a boisterous laugh does he reach his limit. Ethan’s grip on the small tumbler in his hand tightens, and it’s a miracle he doesn’t end up with a million tiny shards of glass in his palm.

What on earth has Tobias said to make Naomi laugh like that? And why is he laughing with her?

Ethan doesn’t like it one bit, for a multitude of reasons. He doesn’t like other men being around Naomi–it’s ridiculous and sexist of him to feel this way, but Ethan is a possessive caveman, and he makes no bones about it. Seeing her actually laughing with Carrick of all people and enjoying his company makes him want to throw the drink ware he’s currently holding.

Deciding enough is enough, Ethan slams the glass down onto the bar and stands up. After dropping a $20 bill on the counter he makes his way over to Naomi and Tobias, unadulterated jealousy and alcohol fueling every step.

Tobias notices him first, and he jerks his head in Ethan’s general direction in order to get Naomi’s attention. She turns around and her eyes go wide at the sight of Ethan.

“Ethan? What are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood.”

Now her eyes are narrowed. “You finished that big presentation you had to work on?”

Ethan sniffs haughtily. Leave it to her to throw that back in his face. “I decided that a break was okay.”

“And you coincidentally ended up at this restaurant?”

“Yup.”

Naomi stands up, muttering a quick “excuse me,” in Tobias’s direction and grabs Ethan’s hand, pulling him away. They nestle into a quiet corner of the restaurant, far away from the table, closer to the kitchen. The door constantly swings open and closed, as the waitstaff goes in and out.

Once they get a moment of quiet, Naomi glares at Ethan, the expression on her face nothing short of annoyed. “Are you spying on me? Because spying on me implies that you don’t trust me.”

“What? Of course I trust you!”

“So what are you doing here, Ethan?”

Ethan bites the inside of his cheek and rocks on the balls of his feet. “Okay, so I was spying.” Naomi opens her mouth to say something, but Ethan beats her to the punch. “It’s not because I don’t trust you! It’s him that I don’t trust.”

“Tobias has been nothing short of a gentleman,” Naomi says and Ethan snorts. “He’s acting a lot of a lot more mature than you are, I can say that much.”

“That’s not fair.”

“No, what’s not fair is you treating him like he’s a criminal when he’s given you no reason to do so.”

“He’s given me plenty of reason, Naomi!”

“The last time we saw Tobias, I was near death and he helped save my life,” Naomi says, and that’s more than enough to get Ethan to shut up.

Ethan’s heart slams against his rib cage with enough force to make him think the organ is trying to leave his body. Months have passed since the assassination attempt, but the mention of it is enough to cause Ethan to go into a panic.

“And the time before that, we stole a patient right out from under him, and before that we got into a fight at a freaking hospital softball game,” Naomi continues. “You haven’t been all good, and he hasn’t been all bad, so stop pretending to have the moral high ground.”

“This past year, you made a lot of strides in your personal life. You battled a lot with your mom, but you came out of it, a more well rounded individual, so do not let Tobias’s presence cause you to backslide. I’m not saying he has to be your best friend, but I refuse to tolerate this type of nonsense past today.”

He takes a moment to digest what she’s saying, begrudgingly of course because he doesn’t really want to admit that he hasn’t been behaving like the mature, adult professional that he usually is.

Ethan nods and places a kiss on Naomi’s forehead, his lips lingering there.

“Are you listening to me?”

Ethan kisses the apples of her cheeks, inwardly smirking as he feels Naomi smile. “I promise you that I’ll keep myself in check from now on.”

“And if you don’t, I will.”

The threat causes Ethan to lose focus. She clearly doesn’t mean it in a seductive way, but he can’t help that his brain instantly goes to the gutter when she’s involved. Now he wants nothing more than to be alone with her, with any flat surface readily available.

“Yes ma’am,” Ethan murmurs before capturing her lips with his own.

Naomi doesn’t allow herself to get swept up in the kiss, because she knows Ethan is using it to distract her. She untangles herself from his grip and pulls away before he’s able to get any more leverage.

“Can we go back to the office now?” Ethan asks.

“Absolutely not. I came here to have lunch, so we’re having lunch.”

Ethan frowns. “You still want to go through with this?”

“I didn’t come here to teach you a lesson, and I’m actually enjoying Tobias’s company, so I’m staying. And you’re staying here too.”

“No.”

“You followed me here, you don’t have a choice.”

Ethan reluctantly follows Naomi back to the table, where Tobias is studying the menu. He doesn’t even look up when he hears footsteps approaching. “I’m debating on if I want the ravioli or the chicken parm, which one–” his voice falters as he sees Ethan.

“Look who’s decided to join us for lunch!” Naomi says brightly, steamrolling over the building tension. She pushes Ethan into an empty chair, not giving him a second to turn away.

Tobias opens his mouth to object, “But–”

“I’m going to head to the restroom,” Naomi says. “And one of you guys is ordering me a limoncello, because Tobias is treating.”

She flounces off, not giving either man a chance to respond or argue with her.

Tobias laughs. “Is she always like this? So bossy?”

“Naomi is unapologetically assertive,” Ethan corrects. “She makes no bones about it.”

“The scary part about it is I’m 100 percent going to order her a limoncello, because she’s not the type of person you say no to.”

This time it’s Ethan’s turn to laugh. It’s nice to know he’s not the only unsuspecting sap that cannot say no when Naomi turns on her charm.

Once the laughter tapers off, the former friends are plunged into silence. Ethan checks the time on his watch, watching the seconds stretch on. He needs Naomi to come back. Seriously, how long does it take to use the restroom? He spares a quick glance at Tobias, who’s pointedly not making eye contact with him either.

Eventually Tobias speaks up, “Look, I didn’t come to Edenbrook to cause any trouble. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that came with more money than I could count.”

“Naveen started this team with the most honorable of intentions,” Ethan says. “This was his life’s work, and he entrusted me with it. You cannot possibly understand the loyalty I have to him, so forgive me if I’m extremely protective over it and skeptical of your motives, which haven’t always been pure.”

“I’m just here to save lives, and work on the most fascinating medical cases of our generation. I know how important this team is, and I’d never intentionally disrespect Naveen like that.”

Ethan nods. That’s all he can really ask of Tobias. “Then I guess we’re good.”

“Good.”

“Great.”

Another beat of silence passes and Tobias awkwardly drums his fingers along the stem of his water glass. “So...you and Valentine?”

The question is out of left field and Ethan’s brows furrow in confusion. “Uh, yeah, me and Valentine.”

“I like her,” Tobias says definitively. When Ethan glares at him, Tobias rolls his eyes. “Not like that. Relax, I get it loud and clear that she’s off limits. Besides, I know you’re head over heels in love with her.”

A scarlet flush creeps up Ethan’s neck at Tobias’s matter of fact declaration. “Love? I’m...we don’t...I don’t–”

Tobias smirks. “Oh man. You’ve got it bad.”

That much, Ethan is willing to share. “Yeah, I do.”

“Naomi did say we’re both emotionally constipated, and that blubbering you just did proves her point,” Tobias teases. “But don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

The L-word has floated around in the back of Ethan’s mind for months, but he’s always been able to squash it down, locking it away in the deepest recesses of his brain. But hearing someone else say it is something entirely different. Ethan can’t run away from the thought.

Tobias has known since last year. He suspected something when Ethan came to defense during the softball game, but it was confirmed as soon as he saw them together after the incident with the senator. He had never seen Ethan so out of sorts, not even when they competed for the affections of the same woman back in school. Naomi is different. She has the power to bring Ethan to his knees.

“I hope you know that you’re punching way above your weight with that one,” Tobias adds teasingly.

It’s something Ethan thinks about constantly. Naomi could do so much better than him, but every day she chooses him. “Absolutely.”

“And for what it’s worth, she’s just as much into you. The woman gives you heart eyes whenever you’re around. It’s disgusting, to be quite frank.”

The sentence warms Ethan from the inside out. He’ll never get over knowing Naomi wants him just as much as he wants her.

Thankfully Naomi chooses that moment to come back to the table, giving the men something else to focus their attention on. She settles into a seat next to Ethan, and he immediately wraps an arm around her, his fingertips stroking her arm. Tobias observes the fleeting moment of intimacy with a private smile.

Naomi’s eyes flicker back and forth between the men. “Everything okay over here?”

Tobias and Ethan both look at each other, a silent moment of understanding passing between them. Ethan nods. “Everything is fine.”

Naomi smiles. Maybe there’s hope for them yet. “Good. Now let’s flag down a waiter and get some food.”

~v~

Tags: @mvalentine @choicesaddict5 @professorkingslay @maurine07 @aka-calliope @bluebellot @whimsicallywayward15 @blossomanarchy @takemyopenheart @jamespotterthefirst @fanmantrashcan @whatchique @ao719 @x-kyne-x @colourmeshy @paulfwesley @the-pale-goddess @writinghereandthere @ramseyandrys @perriewinklenerdie @aworldoffandoms @thatcatlady0716 @drakewalker04 @canknot @hatescapsicum @lapisreviewsstuff @senseofduties @badchoicesposts @ethandaddyramseyx @chasingrobbie @zodiacsign1 @choices-lurker @my-heart-beats-for-ya @adrian-motherfucking-raines @riverrune @edith-eggs1 @thatysn @bellcat2010 @blainehellyes @cecilecontrera @junehiratas @choices-love-affair @openheart12 @caseyvalentineramsey @desmaranj @nazario-sayeed @aestheticartsx @ruinedbypixels @nooruleman @rookie-ramsey

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Sunday 27 July 1834

6

1

very fine morning F69 ½° at 7 am -  sat writing in her room till eleven and not at all with her last night - reading - ready at 7 this morning and looking at maps till 7 ¾ - breakfast at 7 ¾ - prayers (ourselves and George) from 8 50 to 9 1/2 - A- and I off in little char at 9 57 – very pretty drive along the lake shallow and reedy along the margin, and at Duing or Douin [Duingt] at 11, a small village – little auberge and a few cottages and the chateau – at the foot of the mountain de Déré [Col Bassac Déré] – agreed with our cocher to take us to the head of the lake for 2fr. more (7+2=9fr.) – there in 25 minutes at 11 ½ a sort of little port - a house and stabling and coal depot and 2 or 3 flat-bottomed carriage boats to take to Annecy the coal (like anthracite) from the mountain d’Entreverne [Entrevernes] a little to the south of the head of the lake - and wood and one of the boats was laden with a yellowish friable, clay earth -  ¼ here walking about - the lake from Douin [Duingt] narrower road more confined, and prettier – the hoary green-speckled, calcareous mountains very fine - back at D- in 25 minutes at 12 ¼ - stopt ½ hour at the little auberge (belonging to the people who kept it) for A- to eat her cold chicken – the woman had lived in service at the chateau and volunteered going with us to see it – called Chateauvieux [Châteauvieux] built on a little promontory that seems almost or quite to close the lake when seen from the other end of the lake – it was before the revolution of 1791 the property the marquis de Sales whose son the present marquis is now anxious to buy it but the present proprietor M. Berthé, who married a Genevese and spends his winter at Geneva, asks 100,000fr. and the marquis only bids 90,000fr. the house and all about it, nice little gardens and terraces, are all mal entretenus, but nothing is done now that M. and Madame Berthé have lost their only child a boy of six years old - before his death they kept a pension here and the chateau was full of people - among them many English - the chateau took us 40 minutes - off again at 1 25 back at Annecy at 2 33 – a few light drops of rain at 2 ¼ for about 10 minutes – very good road all the way, shaded with walnut trees – walked about Annecy - good and largish town – most of the streets arcaded as is common in Italy - went into the 2 principal churches, not handsome but full of people – walked up to the castle – a barrack, so not allow to enter the court without permission which not worthwhile to ask for - a large pile of building -looking not very ancient perhaps abut 12th or 13th century - off from the hotel de Genève (the only one to go to) Annecy at 3 33 – rain not heavy at 4 25 for about 20 minutes - at Alby [Alby-sur-Chéran] at 5 10 - Alby [Alby-sur-Chéran] beautifully situated at the edge of the plateau above the deep stream but at the foot of a cluster of green, wooded hills - glimpse of the old castle tower farish to the left - little church and town – and deep bedded stream and handsome white stone bridge,  one high arch over it and ascend the hilltop and fine new road cut out of the rock – very fine, and beautiful and picturesque here – well cultivated well wooded fine country  - and fine mountain drive all the way from Annecy - still the white Salève-like, steppy mountains, but more wooded - neat farm houses scattered tho’ rather thinly all around - the Savoy valleys less populous than the Swiss - Albens at 6, neat little town – here we got into the great highroad from Geneva to Chambery which we left at St. Julien [St. Julien-en-Genevois] - still the same fine, cultivated, wooded, rich, beautiful country and excellent road as before but rather wider - road all today (as yesterday) almost everywhere lined with trees - willows, Lombardy poplars (the tall, pyramidal) great many walnuts, and a few elms and apple trees - At Aix [Aix-les-Bains] at 7 25 – 1200 strangers –not a bed to be had – the maître de poste recommended my going to la poste at Chambery – the commis we had from there, to go about with us, said La parfait union was the best hotel -  he went with us to see the baths, the bains Romains discovered about 3 years ago, in the garden of Madame Perrier, and the Roman arch near the pension of Madame Charpentier - this last has 10/. a day including board and lodging par personne and 5/. for servants - chez Madame Perrier, and at La poste 7/. a day and 3/50 for servants - tasted the water at the source –slightly sulphurous – not near so strong as at Harrogate – a very abundant spring – the swimming bath struck me as very small – not more than 5 or 6 yards square – what they called L’Enfer (the men’s vapour bath) was hot and suffocating enough to deserve its name - A- could not even put her head into it - the thermes or bains Romans are very well worth seeing - perhaps the most perfect to be seen anywhere except at Rome - they say, there would be much more found if the garden was more searched into - the water goits - corridors supported by 1 row of round and 1 of square low pillars communicating (supplying) with the large square piscinum, are perfect as are many of the square earthian vapour tubes (like fine brick) communicating with the vapour bath above - the Roman arch was never much ornamented and the ornaments there were are much worn and obliterated - off from Aix at 8 8 grieved over being in the dark, but it could not be helped - Alighted at  La Parfait Union, in a quiet little square en face de la cathedral Chambery at 10 - dinner at 11 - fine day in spite of the slight shower at 2 ¼ and 4 25 pm F71° at 12 55 tonight

[adhd-disaster-willie]

home is wherever you are tonight

summary: Alex and Willie are suffocating beneath their respective parental figures, so, barely 20 and scrambling to just breathe, they leave LA. And they also slow dance.

notes: this was gonna just be a like 800 word fic of them dancing but I have no self control so I ended up with this monstrosity. (also, maybe listen to apple pie by lizzy mcalpine while reading)

word count: 2,600

---

“I been runnin' 'round

Try'na find a place where I can breathe

But me oh my

I found you

Under an april sky

And you feel like

City life, apple pie baked just right

Home is wherever you are tonight”

---

The early morning tastes like coffee and Willie’s breath mints, gentle laughter lingering on his lips. And Alex has never been a morning person, but with the first rays of sun in his eyes and boxes crammed into every empty space in his car, he thinks that maybe he should wake up early more often.

The road seems to stretch endlessly ahead of them, but Alex can’t tell if the tension in his chest is anxiety or anticipation. Willie squeezes his hand in reassurance as he starts the car and they take a deep breath in unison, realizing it’s maybe the first time they’ve ever been able to truly breathe.

They’re several miles down the highway, shoved in between cardboard boxes and the dry August heat; and Alex’s car is cramped and smells of fast food and summer and Willie Willie Willie. Alex adjusts his grip on the steering wheel, mumbling the words to whatever song is playing on the clunky, staticky radio. The whole world seems softer, with the sun dipping just below the horizon, the last dregs of light sticking to the clouds and painting them pink. Alex sighs contentedly, a grin tugging at the ends of his lips. Willie has their hand stuck out the open window, giggling into the rushing air like it’s telling him the whole world’s secrets. And with their other hand gripped in his own, no reason to let go ever, Alex thinks that the secrets of the universe are laid right out on the dashboard for him to hold.

“What’s so funny?” Alex asks, although it’s less of a question and more a reason to hear Willie’s voice.

“We’re running away together,” Willie replies breathlessly. He laughs again, throwing his head back and stretching his arm farther out the window like he’s trying to touch the clouds.

“Well I wouldn’t quite say we’re running- oh okay.” The last part is in response to Willie putting their index finger over Alex’s lips and looking at him like he’s crazy.

“Yes we totally are. Buzzkill.”

Alex huffs, but it doesn’t hold any weight and is laced with a smile. “I’m driving, idiot. Stop- okay move your hand please.”

“Make me.”

“Willie.” Alex’s fixes a stern gaze on him, just long enough to send them into a fit of giggles before he turns back to face the road. It’s several minutes of comfortable, soft silence before Alex sighs in resignation. “I guess you can say we’re running away.”

“Ha!” Willie pumps his fist, narrowly avoiding smashing the ceiling. And really, considering the age of Alex’s rickety car, smashing would probably be the right word.

Alex raises their intertwined hands briefly. “Here’s to running away.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Willie cheers. They crinkle their nose and kiss Alex’s knuckles, hugging their hands to his chest.

“That’s…” Alex shakes off the crimson tint to his cheeks. “You’re not drinking anything.”

“Not yet,” Willie replies, waggling his eyebrows mischievously.

Willie falls asleep with the sun, something that’s baffled Alex for years. The sky is twinkling with stars and the horizon with city lights, and Willie’s curled up around a pillow, their cheek pressed against the window, breath fogging up the glass. Alex shifts slightly to turn down the music, maneuvering around cautiously to reach the knob without letting go of Willie’s hand. He can’t help from humming under his breath, it’s an older Queen song, one Alex remembers listening to with tangled headphones, huddled in the corner of the gym to avoid the atrocity of dodgeball.

“Love of my life…” Alex trails off, mouthing the lyrics. Beside him, Willie stirs slightly, mumbling something incoherent.

“Hmm?” Alex likes having conversations with a mostly asleep Willie, it’s incredibly entertaining.

“Love you more.” Eyes still closed, Willie pats Alex’s cheek and nods decidedly. “Mostest.”

“Is that so?”

“Love of my life!” Willie sings along loud and off-key, voice slurred with sleep. “M gonna love you forever.” They fall back, last bits of consciousness gone, and Alex blinks back surprised tears.

“And ever,” he finishes softly, squeezing Willie’s hand. Forever sounds nice.

The rest of the drive floats by like a spring breeze snaking through a field of long grass. Willie wakes up at some point, eats an ungodly amount of popcorn and screams the lyrics of American Idiot out the window at the bustling city, like it’s the last time he’ll ever get to hear the song. Alex can’t help but laugh loudly when a conservative looking old lady glares at them, utterly scandalized.

“I think you just ruined her night,” Alex quips with mock seriousness.

“As I should!” Willie flops back into the seat, adjusting their tangled seatbelt and looking at Alex with a lopsided grin.

Alex laughs for what’s maybe the millionth time today, and it hits him that this is the most he’s ever involuntarily smiled in a day. It’s half past 8 and he’s settled at the base of a tree with Willie perched on a branch just above his head, rambling on about color theory or something equally as confusing. The drive would’ve taken 4 hours without Willie pulling on Alex’s elbow and squealing for him to stop at everything mildly interesting, but Alex isn’t entirely complaining, even if his back is sore.

It’s odd, to be leaving LA, but Alex thinks that everyone knew he couldn’t stay there his whole life, not with the church on his drive to work and the streets full of too many people that know him too well. And maybe he didn’t like change, but it can’t be that much of a change if Willie is still there with him. Willie grounds him. So do Luke and Reggie and Julie and Flynn, but in a different way. His parents tied him to the floor, his friends root him, let him grow and have a place to come home to at the same time. And Willie? Willie is the ground. He is the soil and the curling grass to Alex’s timid tree. Willie is home, wherever they may be.

“2 miles,” Alex states, pulling gently on Willie’s ankle, letting them know that he wants to look at them. Willie hops down and Alex winces even when they land safe and sound on their feet.

“Why do you do that?” Alex questions huffily, crossing his arms over his chest.

Willie gives a half shrug. “ ‘S fun.”

“For you, maybe.”

“Hmm.” Willie drapes their arms around Alex’s neck, pulling him into into a gentle kiss. Kissing Willie feels like rain after months of drought, sun breaking through a canopy of trees, and Alex is sure that it always will, until they’re old and grey. Alex smiles against his lips, pulls apart and rests his forehead against Willie’s, biting his lip in a soft smile. “C’mon.” He clasps Willie’s hand and sticks it in the pocket of his hoodie, bumping their shoulders together. “Lets go home.”

“Home.” Willie breaks out in a grin that glows like the full moon on a clear night. “Yea.”

---

The apartment complex is wedged in between a suspicious looking butchery and a quaint little antique shop with butterflies painted on the dusty windows that Alex reminds himself to take Julie to at some point, when his friends all inevitably visit in the whirlwind that they are. The pale yellow wall paint is peeling and the stairs are much more wobbly than Alex is comfortable with, but he lets out a breathless, bubbly laugh at the sight of it. His parents aren’t there, nor is Caleb, or any of the things back in LA that were suffocating them both to the point that they booked it, half-broke and with only 2 months of warning.

Alex swings their hands, looking at a very bouncy Willie with his eyes blown wide from excitement. “Hey, we’re home.”

“We’re home!” Willie grabs Alex’s face roughly, fumbling to kiss him with their hands shaking and lips curled up in a giddy beam. They settle for holding him in a crushing hug, swaying them back and forth gleefully.

“You’re excited,” Alex chuckles, brushing at his crumpled hoodie when Willie breaks away.

Willie sticks his tongue out childishly. “So are you, admit it.”

Softening, Alex cups Willie’s cheek and exhales softly. “Of course I am.” He crinkles his nose affectionately as Willie leans up to peck his cheek. “Now-” Alex stacks as many boxes as he can fit in his arms. “Lets do this.”

---

It’s 2am and Alex is completely and utterly exhausted. Half the boxes are open, they unpacked most of it just looking for the air mattress. His record player is resting on the counter, there’s a pile of books in one corner and several trashbags of clothes in another. Willie is sitting crosslegged on the floor trying to work the portable air pump and scowling at the still deflated mattress like it stole his wallet.

“Y’know, you’d think they would provide some sort of instruction book,” Willie says poutingly. They fall back onto the wooden floor with an annoyed sigh.

Alex looks up from where his head is buried in his arms, sitting on the single bar stool they’d managed to fit in the car. “There was an instruction book, speed bump. You threw it out because you claimed that ‘everyone knows how to work an air pump!’”

“But I’m not everyone!” Willie whines. “You should’ve warned me.”

“I… okay.” Alex bows his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lets blow up the mattress and call it a night, okay?” He lowers himself to the floor, hovering over Willie and tucking a strand of hair behind their ear. “Give me the pump, I’ll figure it out.”

“Hmm.” Willie hauls themself up, yawning loudly. They settle themselves in Alex’s lap, head tucked into his shoulder while Alex wraps his arms around them and fiddles with the mattress.

“M gonna fall sleep here,” Willie mumbles into Alex’s shoulder.

“Yea?”

“Mhm, g’night.” Willie burrows further into Alex, tucking his hands into his hoodie pockets.

Alex exhales, a fond smile tracing his face. He lifts one hand to card his fingers through Willie’s long hair, using the other to blow up the mattress. Willie groans in frustration at the loud noise and Alex has to fight a laugh.

“Alright get up, we have to- Willie.” Willie’s latched himself onto Alex like some sort of leech, pretending to be asleep despite the soft giggling escaping his lips.

“William,” Alex says, snickering. Willie doesn’t budge. “Pretty boy,” Alex tries. That always works.

Willie melts, lifting their head and flushing bright red. “Stop taking advantage of me,” He grumbles as he stands, pulling Alex up with him.

“Stop letting me,” Alex retorts with a teasing chuckle.

But instead of flopping unceremoniously onto the mattress like Alex expects, Willie pads tentatively to the wide window facing the flickering city and lets out a breath of awe. He hugs himself firmly, brushing his thumb over his bicep. Alex approaches them and snakes his arms around their torso, perching his chin on their shoulder and humming in question.

“I’m okay,” Willie answers the unspoken question, nudging Alex’s head lightly. “It’s just overwhelming but like…” he pauses, eyebrow furrowed in thought. “In a good way. It’s a lot, but it’s all good.”

Alex nods in understanding. “Yea, I agree.” He intertwines their fingers, rocking back and forth. “Lots of good.” He presses a kiss to the top of Willie’s head, lingering for a moment to relish in his presence.

“It’s beautiful,” Willie remarks, eyes raking over the bright city lights. It looks so distant and yet so familiar at the same time.

“You’ve seen the city a million times.”

“Ok, but this is a different city,” Willie responds. It’s true. It’s like the same puzzle with all the pieces arranged differently, except for one in the middle that the whole rest of the world revolves around.

Willie wriggles in Alex’s grip and spins around, tossing their arms over his shoulders and fidgeting with the hood of his sweatshirt. “Dance with me,” he says, voice soft and silvery, a whisper of cloud waltzing across the moon. Alex raises a doubtful eyebrow.

“You wanna dance… Willie, we’re exhausted.”

“No, no, no,” Willie shakes his head slowly, eyes squeezed shut for a moment. “Just-” They settle one hand one Alex’s shoulder and the other on his hip. Humming a gentle, lilting tune, they begin swaying side to side, drumming his fingers to a beat only in his head. “Dance with me.” He presses an idle kiss to Alex’s lips, chapped from the wind and laced with fresh apples . “Please.”

Alex hums in consideration, moving Willie’s hands to hold them in his own. “One second.” He ducks out of Willie’s arms, earning a squeak of protest.

Alex has had his record player for years now, Ray gave it to him as a Christmas present when he was 15 and he definitely cried. He’d gone through 3 boxes packing his records and Willie had looked… mildly concerned. But ha, who’s laughing now? The vinyl starts, popping occasionally in the way that makes Alex giggle with joy. Alex steps back proudly, floating back over to Willie and mimicking their previous position, one hand on their hip and the other on their shoulder. Willie smiles fondly at the song choice, Apple Pie by Lizzy Mcalpine, though he knows that nothing else would’ve fit.

“Remember the first time we listened to this song together?” Alex asks as Willie stumbles over his feet.

Willie nods. “Course I do, hotdog. You got sooo blushy.”

Alex shrugs nonchalantly. “Well, you kissed me so it worked out.”

“It did,” Willie whispers.

Alex spins them messily, laughing aloud when they slam into his chest without warning. "Very graceful," he remarks sarcastically.

Willie scrunches his face affectionately, pecking the tip of Alex's nose, singing gently as he draws back. "Home is wherever you are tonight."

It’s a tender moment, until Willie steps on Alex’s foot and snickers an apology. “Oops-”

“Ow, Willie. You don’t know how to slow dance do you?” Alex teases.

“Ok-”

Alex sighs warmly, god sometimes all the feelings were just so big and overwhelming. “Just, c'mere-” He draws Willie closer to him, embracing them like he’s the only thing in the world. And maybe, for the moment, he is. Willie tucks his head into Alex’s shoulder, breathing in his scent, lavender and dust; and Alex follows suit. His eyes flutter shut and he hums contentedly, heart giving a leap at the sheer domesticity of dancing in the empty living room in their pajamas, Willie tracing slow, sleepy circles on his back.

They’re hardly dancing anymore, really, wrapped up in each other like the sea and the shore at high tide, swaying to their synced heartbeats. The unfamiliar walls and creaky floorboards, cold beneath their socked feet, suddenly begin to look like home beneath all the strangeness and Alex can’t help but grin.

Alex’s home is in the crook of Willie’s neck and the light curve of his spine; the scent of rainstorms and cotton holding him close like he’s prone to break. And perhaps one day he will break, fall apart in Willie’s arms. But with the scratchy record humming in the background, and Willie’s body melting into his own, he thinks that their arms would be the best place to fall apart in.

---

art i made :)))

[sevendeadlymorons]

Okay i know you're full right now, but i really wanted to request something🥺👉👈

So this MC is basically a duplicate of Levi(mentally and probably a bit physically), so Levi x GN!MC on a date?

Yes omfg 🥺

Otaku Date Night

Pairings: Levi x GN!MC

Words: 2,134

———————————————

You smiled at your phone as you texted him, watching him goofily send a spam of emojis and talk on and on about his new favourite anime he’s been watching; several links flooding the chat as he continued to send you trailers, pushing you to watch it with him.

Texting Levi was always the best part of your day. It was a time where you could relax and be yourself without fearing judgment. You two were so alike, it made you feel comfortable in his space and you always seemed to blush at the way he poorly tried to hide how flustered he is that he was talking to you so casually.

“Um... MC?”

A message popped up suddenly, his tone suddenly quite serious from what it previously was

“Yeah, Levi?”

You texted back, quite curious of what he’d eventually ask you. He’s normally very jittery, but tonight he was more so; his texts taking a bit longer than usual, his text bubble popping up then disappearing just as fast as if he was carefully planning out what to say

“So I’ve been meaning to ask you something for a while now... and it’s ok if you say no! But...”

You laughed slightly at how cute he sounded nervous. You texted back a quick question mark to urge him on and continue his sentence, his text bubble popping up pretty fast after reading your response. You could imagine him now; sitting in his room, crossed-legged on the floor, retyping his sentence millions of times to get it right. You chuckle as an image of him talking to Henry, his fish, for reassurance pops into your head.

You looked down and he’d already responded, your eyes quickly skimming over the words.

“I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date! With me...”

You stared wide-eyed at the screen. A mixture of pure happiness and shock overwhelming your emotions. Levi had been friend-zoning you for a while now, so you really thought that all hope was lost. But this text... it said otherwise.

You read over it again, taking in his words, still not fully convinced this is real, but it is. This wasn’t a dream. Levi really just asked you out.

You hugged your phone to your chest, almost squealing in excitement before tossing your phone to the side and running out the door to Levi’s room, wanting to tell him yes to his face, and also to see that flustered look he always has on his face.

His door was oddly unlocked for once as if he expected you to come charging in. So you busted down the door, locking eyes with Leviathan who was, as you expected, sat with his legs crossed on the floor, wrapped in a blanket. His face turns bright pink as you scream the words ‘yes’ and throw yourself on to him, toppling over from the impact, desperately wrapping your arms around his neck as he says nothing in return, just instinctively wraps his arms around you as well and squeezes you tight.

When you two pull apart, and the excitement had subsided, you both realised what you’d done and laughed nervously; leaving space between the two of you. You can’t believe you just came in and hugged him like that... you looked at his face, slightly embarrassed, and noticed he looked just as embarrassed as you, but his cheeks and ears were bright red and his mouth was curled into a sappy smile. He began to speak after a few seconds of silence, his voice timid and cautious. “Y-Yes? You mean it?” He manages to stutter out, gripping onto your arms tighter when you nod at him shyly, his sappy smile turning into a huge grin as all his doubts drain away.

He sent you back to your room to get changed since you were only wearing shorts and a baggy t-shirt and Levi learnt that the hard way when reality finally kicked in and he looked down at you and nearly fainted.

You looked at the time and it was a few minutes past 9 at night. You’d both agreed to meet at the entrance at 9:30, giving you roughly a bit over 20 minutes to get dressed. You sighed as you messed with your hair in the mirror. You honestly expected to just relax tonight and turn on some anime and stay up till hell knows what time in the morning, but you guess you were pretty ecstatic for your date with Levi too.

Your cheeks flushed red at the thought and you had to turn away from the mirror. You decided to start picking out some outfits from your closet. But since Levi didn’t actually tell you where you two were going, you felt pretty nervous about what to wear. Do you go casual or formal...? God damn it, Levi...

“Where are we going?”

You shoot him a quick text after frantically worrying about what to wear for the occasion and he replies back almost immediately.

“You’ll find out!”

You sighed, not feeling any better about the situation. You pinched the bridge of your nose and just went with the first thing you saw in front of you. “I guess you can never go wrong with this?” You mumble to yourself, holding up a moderately formal shirt. You strip down out of your pajamas and slip into the shirt and jeans that you found lying on the floor. They weren’t too creased so you thought it wouldn’t really matter. You slipped on your socks with tiny sheep on and walk over to the mirror, admiring your handy work. “I’m sure Levi won’t mind how I look...” You say to yourself, still stressing over the fact he could’ve actually put effort into something for once and made the date a fancy restaurant or something...

You sigh once again, slouching on your bed and picking up your phone to check the time. You still had around 10 minutes so you still had a bit of time to do something with your hair? You’re not sure what but you’re going to try...

After a long, gruelling 5 minutes of dragging your hairbrush through your tangled hair, it was finally somewhat presentable, the ends curling slightly and it actually looked fluffier than ever. You smiled and felt a bit more confident in how you looked, slipping on your shoes to finally go meet Levi at the door.

As you were walking down the stairs, you saw Levi standing patiently at the door, twiddling his fingers and biting his lip nervously. You felt a massive relief rush over you as you saw him wearing pretty casual clothes, like you. “Thank fuck...” you say under your breath as he finally spots you, walking up to you excitedly and you flash him a sweet smile. He holds his hands behind his back, his face as red as ever as his eyes skim over you, letting his jaw drop open slightly from the mere sight. “Nice to know you like how I look, at least. A little heads up of what to wear would’ve been nice too!” You blurt out, startling him and making him visibly nervous with that shy smile of his. You laugh and rub his arm, indicating for you two to go, Levi quickly snapping out of it and rushing after you.

You walk silently down the quiet streets of the Devildom, admiring the lights that cascade around you and hearing the sounds of owls hoot in the trees nearby. You look over at Levi to see him very clearly anxious, his pinky finger subtly brushing against yours as if he wants you to hold it. You turn bright red and hide your face from him, facing forward once again. You take a deep breath and gradually connect your pinky with his, hearing him gasp as he looks down and sees you holding onto him. His heart skips a beat as he thinks back to all the anime’s he’s seen where the two main characters would walk down an autumn road; leaves falling down gently around them while they both shared a scarf.

You felt Levi slowly disconnect his finger from yours, feeling quite self-conscious. Maybe that wasn’t what he wanted...? You look down at your feet, embarrassed, but before you knew it, Levi had grasped your hand in his and you were now walking hand in hand... with Levi

You couldn’t contain your excitement as you gave his hand a tight squeeze, feeling him flinch but more or less stay calm. The walk was peaceful after that. Walking towards wherever the hell you were going with him with his fingers entwined in yours, a comfortable silence filling the air around you.

“A-Are you cold?” He breaks the silence and looks at you, concerned when he could feel you shivering against his shoulder.

“A little...” You reply back, shyly, your shivers even more visible than before as your teeth started to chatter. He digs through his bag and pulls out 2 pairs of gloves and a scarf. You giggle as he clumsily wraps the scarf around your neck then hands you the other pair of gloves, pulling on his own then going back to warming up your hand when you’d successfully put on your gloves too.

“That better?” You hear him say, more confident than usual. You blush and nod, resting your head on his shoulder as you continued to walk with him by your side.

At least 15 minutes pass and you still hadn’t arrived. You looked over at Levi suspiciously. “And you’re sure you actually had something planned?” You ask him, concern in your voice, but it’s not like you actually cared. You were spending time with him and that’s all that mattered to you. He nodded back, keeping his eyes glued straight in front of him. You hummed doubtfully but kept on walking.

You felt the night breeze flutter around you and a chill was sent down your spine. A single crispy leaf lands on your shoulder while you walk underneath a wilting tree. Levi picks it off for you and crunches it in his hand, admiring the satisfying sound it made; your laughs echoing around you both while you squeeze each other's hands happily.

A few moments pass and Levi stops in front a giant tree, causing you to stop in your tracks too and look up at the enormousness of it, your mouth wide open. You’ve never seen anything like it. When you lower your head again, you notice Levi standing behind the enormous tree. A switch in his hand. You raise your eyebrow at him and laugh.

“I was thinking of what to do on our date and I couldn’t think of anything particularly special...” He starts off, his thumb trembling over the power button of the switch as you step closer towards him. “So I really hope... that you'll like this...”

He suddenly clicks the button on the remote and the entire tree lights up. You watch intently as bright colours and flashing lights appeared everywhere you looked, and they only kept coming as the fairy lights spiralled up the length of the tree, filling the air around you with a warm feeling as the lights reached the trees, more light cascading down like raindrops from the sky. You felt tears well up in your eyes when Levi stood next to you, skittishly wrapping his arms around your waist to watch the view with you. He filled it with all your favourite colours so that the sky looked like an endless rainbow and you were no longer stood in the dark, but in what felt like a wonderland.

You turned to face him and wrapped your arms around his waist, thanking him, your tears staining his clean t-shirt until he pulled you away and offered you a large lollipop in the shape of a heart, the words “I love you” drawn on in what looked to be frozen strawberry syrup. You laughed and took it from him, offering him to share it with you as it was literally the size of your head. He steps closer and licked it, making a dramatic “Mmm” noise with his lips and watching you laugh again, his cheeks flushing all shades of pink and red as he realised just how madly in love with you he was. He steps closer and wraps his arms around your neck, burying your face into his chest and nuzzling into your head.

You spend the next few hours sat on a nearby bench with him, watching the lights flicker around you and the glow illuminate the crisp leaves under your feet, Levi’s arm securely wrapped around your shoulder as you huddle together, sharing a scarf.

[mindofharry]

here’s some vampire harry!!!!! pls treat him with the love and respect he deserves <3

“Honey, this is just water under the bridge” Your mother, Joanne, reassured you. She placed a rogue piece of hair behind your ear. You were both sitting on your bed, cuddling like you were 10 years old again. Getting fired, from your dream job for no apparent reason at all has basically broken you. Your mother is trying to reassure you, that it was meant to happen - that everything happens for a reason. You just want your job back.

“We’ll start job hunting again, next week. Ok?” Joanne said, you sighed and rolled over on your sighed. Your mum rubbed your back and took all the dirty cups from your room with her as she left your room.

You tried to sleep, to try and forget everything that had just happened that afternoon. But, your mind was occupied and too busy. So you decided you better start looking for some jobs, even interviews. Even though you still live with your mum, you still need money. Not just for yourself, but your mum too. All the money that comes into the house is coming from you and the jobs you have. You were finally comfortable with money, for the first in your life. But the world just really hated you at the moment.

You walk over your desk and sit down, opening up the second hand laptop you bought yourself for christmas. It’s nothing special like a mac, but it does the job. Once you’re logged in, you open google and type in ‘JOBS IN MY AREA’. You didn’t go to college and you barley passed high school, you’ll be lucky if you even get a job at the local book store.

You needed to stop this, punishing yourself. It’s not your fault, you remind yourself.

Nearly falling asleep at your desk, you decided to head to bed. Tomorrow will be better.

**

Tomorrow is not better. It’s worse than yesterday. You couldn’t even bare to open your laptop after being so disappointed last night. And you’re mum kept trying to reassure you, but you felt responsible for this.

Your mum couldn’t work, she’s not well and she’s in denial about it. She goes to AA meetings and talks with therapists, but she just can’t stay sober. You’ve tried to get her into working, but she manages to fuck it up everytime. Your mum is good mother, she took care of you and did the best she could. But sometimes you just wished she’d just stay sober, for even a week. So you could be a normal 19 year old, go out for drinks and hang out with friends. But you know she’s not a normal mum. And that’s something you just have to live with.

“Morning, love” Joanne said sipping on her ‘tea’. You knew it was alcohol so you gave her a pointed look.

She sighed and poured the drink down the sink. “Good, now go brush your teeth and we can talk” you say pulling your hair up. You mother shook her head and sighed. “I’m the mum here, Y/N. Don’t treat me like i’m the teenager” she said and you laughed. Really? This is how today’s going to go? the universe really hates me, you thought.

“You just hid vodka from me mum” you say and she sighed walking over and kissing your temple. “I’m sorry, ok? I’m trying, lovey” she said and you could tell how hard she was trying to keep together. you nodded and smiled, this was going to be a good day. Bite your tongue, Y/N.

“Yeah, i know. Now go get ready, i need help job hunting” you say and she nodded making her way out of the kitchen and up to her room. You sighed and put the kettle on. You walked into the pantry and took the vodka she had opened and poured it down the sink. Let’s see how long it takes her to notice.

You sat down with your cup of tea and one for your mum, opening up the paper and your laptop.

When your mum came back in, she looked a lot nicer and healthier. The shower did her good.

“So i saw someone looking for an assistant on facebook” Your mum said logging into her facebook on your laptop. You smiled to yourself, she really cared about you. “His name is harry i think, something along the lines of needing someone to sort out his schedule which you’re pretty good at” she said showing you the post. A few, actually a lot, of people had already liked the post and there was people sharing their CVs in the comments begging for a chance. You didn’t have the heart to tell your mum that this person wasn’t going to accept you.

“I mean, you can apply for other jobs but i think it’s perfect for you” She said biting her nip nervously. You nodded smiling in reassurance. “Yeah, it’s perfect mum. Thank you, i’ll try and get an interview. I also found a cleaning job too, so that’s good. Both jobs look like they pay well” you say with a shrug.

Joanne nodded and kissed your temple. “You’ll get a job. Don’t worry about it.”

After sending your CV to multiple possible bosses, you shut your laptop and turn your phone off of silent. Job hunting is a pain in the ass and exhausting, all you can do now is make lunch and hope for the best.

**

You were braiding your mothers hair when you got the call. You were both having a girly night as your mum hadn’t drank a sip of alcohol all day, it was definitely something to celebrate.

“Is this Y/N L/N i’m speaking with?” the voice asked, he sounded so bright and chipper. And he was irish too.

“This is her! how can i help you?” you asked and the man cleared his throat and paused for a second. “I’m offering you a job. the job” he said and you almost dropped your phone. You put it on your leg, on speaker so your mum could hear and you could multitask. You brushed the ends of your mum hair and let out a shaky breath.

“Do i need to come in for an interview?”

“Well, me and the boss would like to get to know you, get a feel of how you work on your own and with help. just like a test run, but if i’m being honest the is yours” he said and you could almost cry. “You’re exactly the kind of person Harry, my boss is looking for Y/N” he said.

“I’m niall by the way, i’m harry’s personal assistant” Niall said and you smiled.

“Well, when can i come in?”

After settling some stuff with Niall, who is kind of your boss too you were free to hang up. your mum squealed and pulled you into the tightest hug ever. “I told you, everything happens for a reason! you were exactly who they were looking for, babe” your mother said caressing your cheeks. You kissed her temple and nodded.

“You’re the best, you know that?” You said and your mum shrugged. “Eh, i’m okay” she giggled, you sat back down on the couch.

“Lay down, mum. We’ve got it sorted now”

You were going in to the offices, or as what niall called STYLES x MALIK, harry styles and zayn malik are both the bosses of the fashion company they both created. They have a headquarters in the states, but they’re just starting up a new headquarters in england, as harry and zayn grew up here and would like to see their families a lot more. Niall basically told you their whole life story over the phone, which you were very thankful for. Saves you the googling.

It was a tuesday morning, when you got the go ahead to pop in. Niall said to look nice, but casual. Like you’re going out for a dinner with your partners family. So you pull out your best high waisted flare jeans, an orange stripped shirt and tucked into your jeans. You topped it off with your lucky platforms and some jewellery. You left your hair natural, and the same with your makeup only some lip gloss and mascara.

“You look beautiful, honey”

“Thanks mum” You grinned pulling her into a hug. You placed your bag over your shoulder and took the car keys from the bowl at the front door. “I’ll be back soon, ok? Go for a walk or something” you say squeezing her hand, before leaving.

20 minutes away from you, is a angry, grumpy vampire. Niall was sat in front of harry, with a grin on his face.

“She’s literally perfect harry” Niall try to reason, but harry was having absolutely none of it. He wanted to rip that blonde son of bitch heart out.

“Niall, i didn’t want her though.” Harry said standing up from his desk, opening up a file and pointing at a picture.

“i wanted her”

Harry was pointing at a girl, blonde hair, blue eyes and great blood. He had tasted her before and worked his magic into getting her an interview - of course, she doesn’t remember him though. But this Y/N girl, he didn’t want her and he never agreed to having her come here today.

“You’ll have to fire her or make up some excuse, fuck i need something” Harry mumbled placing a hand over his eyes, Niall walked over to the fridge in the corner of harrys office he opened it up and took out a bag of blood pouring it in to a small glass. He placed it on the table standing in front of a frustrated vampire.

“She’s really good, Harry. You’ll regret it if you don’t let her do the test run” Niall said before walking to the door. “And she’s hot as fuck” he added leaving the room.

Harry hated being the bad guy, usually he’s a nice person. More lively, a bit like niall. A lot more quiet though, he’s pensive and reads people really well, one of his many talents as a vampire.

Harry was born in 1908, to a wealthy family. He had caring parents, a loving sister and good future a head of him. Until he met liam payne, they met in university decided to work together. The next thing you know, liam had his fangs in harrys neck and he was immortal. The first few years were hard, he was wreck less and did everything possible to get even a drop of blood. He met zayn five years after being turned, and he was sort of like the alpha of their ‘pack’ so to speak. He taught harry all he knew about control and using powers to get what you want, but only when you so desperately need it. They met niall in the 70s, he was freshly turned and needed help. They took him under their wings, and here they are today with a fashion company and a load of money in their pockets.

“What’s all the fuss about?” Zayn asked walking into harrys office with a few files in his hands. Harry huffed and sipped on the blood niall had poured for him. “I’m closed” harry said sitting down on his chair, zayn laughed and shook his head. “You have an interview in 5 minutes, get it together styles” Zayn said and dropped the files on his desk.

“Whether we hire or not, be nice. Her file is there, read it, study it. And keep those fangs to yourself” Zayn warned pointing at harry, then walked out of his office. Harry sighed and opened the file, stopping in his tracks when he saw your face.

You’re beautiful, so fucking beautiful.

He could tell the photo was professionally done, and you definitely had gotten someone to take it in a rush. Your CV is also a mess, but harry thinks it’s endearing. God, you’ve hypnotised him already. Harry could feel your aura through a picture, how the fuck was that even possible?

“She’s here” Niall said through the glass door. Harry nodded and cracked his neck, let’s get this over with then.

He could see niall biting his lip as she walked up, he couldn’t keep it in his pants for 2 seconds.

Niall opened the door and harry watched the girl walk in, her flares and platforms got his attention. She’s perfect. For him. Niall was still checking her out, so harry cleared his throat. Niall smirked and shook his head walking out of the office.

“Take a seat” Harry said and you smiled, sitting down. “I just want to say, i’m really grateful for this opportunity” you say, and harry nearly rolled his eyes. She’s too beautiful for a sob story. “I appreciate it” you say, and harry nodded quickly wanting to move away from anything emotional.

“um, so we don’t need you” He lied and you nearly choked on you own spit. Your eyebrows furrowed and you flushed a bit. Harry could see niall shaking his head. Damn you, super human hearing.

“Don’t need me? Niall said that i was just what you were looking for” you say, not angry just confused. Harry was impressed at how well you could keep your feelings in check, but he could feel how agitated you were becoming.

“Well, he’s wrong” Harry said and closed the file. “Have a nice day” He said with a fake smile. You couldn’t believe this. Fuck this.

“Fuck you” You said grabbing your bag and hoisting it up onto your shoulder. “Woah, Woah, what’s going on in here?” Zayn asked his hands in the air.

“Ask him, thanks for nothing” You say moving to walk out of the office. You needed to get out of here. “Just wait” Zayn called out, you stopped and sighed turning around.

“You’ve got the job” zayn said and your eyes widened in shock. “You start this friday, niall will email you detail. Use this week to treat yourself, on me ok?” Zayn said handing you a 50 dollar note. Who are you to deny money? You nodded and smiled at him. “Thank you” you say and he nodded.

“Don’t disappoint me”

**

You got yourself a coffee on the way home, you were a little overwhelmed and you needed to calm down before you went home to your mum. You just hope she didn’t do anything stupid while you were out.

“Mum, i’m home” you called out handing your bag up on the hanger. You got no response, so you looked around the house. Nothing in the kitchen or bathroom. The only places left are her room and living room.

You walked into the living room, to see your mum passed out on the couch a bottle of wine and an empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table. you sighed “Oh, mum” you said tears welling up in your eyes. “Why do you keep doing this” you mumbled picking up the wine and empty bottle, you put them away and cleaned up the cup. After that, you placed a blanket over her.

“You’ll get better soon, mum. I’ll be able to pay for it. We’ll have everything we’ve ever dreamt of and more” You say, kissing her forehead.

The next couple of days, you were nursing your mother back to health and used the 50 dollars your new boss gave you to by some groceries. Your mother really needed some hangover snacks, and she needed a lot of them. Luckily, you’ve been doing this a lot longer than you should’ve.

“Mum, i’m off to work” You said peaking through her door. She wasn’t talking to you at the moment.

“Alright, there’s medicine on the counter downstairs, snacks and stuff too. There’s no alcohol and no money, so don’t even try” You warned closing her door. God, this was so hard. You wondered how long it would take to be fired from this job.

You arrived early at the office, niall greeted you and took you to your own little office. It was nothing huge, but you absolutely adored it.

“Hey, don’t worry about harry” Niall said and you nodded. “I’m not, don’t worry” you reassured him smiling as you put down your diary.

“Good, well i’ll leave you to it” Niall said and you grinned at him.

“Good luck”

“Why?”

“You’ll need it”