#swift cross platform

[nikparihar]

Whichever technology you choose, staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the app development landscape is crucial for success in this fast-paced industry

[samanthablake02]

How App Interface Design Is Evolving with AI and User-Centric UX Trends

App Interface Design's Evolution: AI and User-Centric UX Trends Consider this: The average smartphone user touches their device over 2,600 times a day. For heavy users, that figure soars past 5,400. Each tap, swipe, and pinch interacts directly with an interface designed to guide them. But are those interfaces truly serving users in 2025, amidst accelerating technological user-centric UX trends and the pervasive influence of AI in design? The traditional ways we conceived of and built interfaces are rapidly transforming, driven by sophisticated algorithms and a renewed, imperative focus on authentic user-centric design.

The AI Paradigm Shift in Interface Creation

Artificial intelligence isn't merely a tool add-on; it signifies a profound paradigm shift in how we approach the very foundations of app interface design. Overtly, AI automates routine tasks. Subtly, it augments creativity, analyzes colossal datasets with unprecedented alacrity, and stands poised to recalibrate the designer's role entirely. This isn't science fiction anymore; it's the operating reality for forward-thinking design teams.

AI Assisting Design Workflows

Integrating AI assistance into workflows offers tangible improvements in efficiency and opens avenues for novel design possibilities.

Automation of Repetitive Tasks: Tedious activities such as image slicing, code generation for basic components, or initial layout variations can be handled by AI. This frees designers to concentrate on more complex problem-solving, creative conceptualization, and strategic thinking. Think of AI not as replacement, but as a highly efficient junior assistant handling the groundwork.

Generating Design Variations: Based on established brand guidelines, user data, or even initial wireframes, AI algorithms can generate a myriad of design options in moments. This velocity allows for rapid iteration and comparative analysis, potentially unveiling design directions a human might not have considered within the same timeframe.

Predictive Analytics for User Behavior: AI's capacity to sift through vast quantities of usage data identifies patterns and predicts user actions with increasing accuracy. This predictive power directly informs design decisions, allowing interfaces to pre-empt user needs or present information most relevant to an individual's predicted journey within the application.

Ethical Considerations and Bias Mitigation

As AI becomes more entrenched in the design process, acknowledging and actively mitigating inherent biases is absolutely paramount. AI models are trained on data, and if that data reflects societal biases (racial, gender, ability, etc.), the AI will perpetuate them in its design outputs.

Vigilance is required to audit the data sources used for AI training.

Testing AI-generated designs across diverse user demographics is crucial to identify and rectify unfair or exclusionary outcomes.

Maintaining human oversight in crucial decision points of the design process safeguards against automated discrimination or ethically questionable design patterns. Designers become stewards, ensuring the AI serves human well-being and inclusivity.

The Core of User-Centricity in 2025

While technology sprints ahead, the raison d'être of design remains constant: serving the user. User-centric UX trends are less about adopting flashy tech and more about a deeply empathetic approach that prioritizes genuine human needs, contexts, and emotions. In 2025, "user-centric" holds a more nuanced, sophisticated meaning than ever before.

Understanding Evolving User Needs

User expectations aren't static; they morph with technological fluency and societal shifts. A truly user-centric design understands this fluidity.

Hyper-Personalization: Beyond simply using a user's name, personalization now demands interfaces that adapt content, features, and even visual style based on real-time context, historical usage, preferences, and predicted needs. This requires a granular understanding of individual users, facilitated by AI analysis.

Accessibility as a Universal Standard: Designing for accessibility is no longer an afterthought or an optional feature; it is a fundamental requirement. This encompasses not only compliance with guidelines (like WCAG) but designing intuitively for users with diverse cognitive, visual, auditory, and motor abilities from the outset. Inaccessible design effectively excludes large potential user bases.

Emotional Design (Kansei UX): Moving beyond usability, designers now consider the emotional resonance of an interface. Does it feel joyful, trustworthy, calming, exciting? Kansei engineering, originating in Japan, studies how users feel about products. Applying these principles to app interface design fosters deeper user engagement and loyalty by consciously eliciting positive emotional responses.

Measuring and Iterating on User Experience

Good design isn't guesswork; it's an iterative process informed by data and direct user feedback. Measuring the efficacy of designs is foundational to refinement.

Employing robust analytics to track user flows, completion rates, points of friction, and feature engagement.

Conducting diverse forms of user research: usability testing, interviews, surveys, and contextual inquiries.

Utilizing A/B testing and multivariate testing to compare design variations head-to-head based on quantifiable user behavior metrics.

Establishing continuous feedback loops, allowing designers to remain responsive to evolving user sentiments and needs over the product lifecycle.

Synergizing AI and User-Centric Approaches

The true power emerges not from choosing between AI-driven or user-centric design, but by strategically intertwining them. AI, when wielded through a user-centric lens, can elevate interfaces to new heights of relevance, adaptability, and intuitiveness. Conversely, user-centric design principles provide the ethical and humanistic framework that prevents AI from creating sterile, unhelpful, or biased interfaces. This confluence marks the frontier of advanced app interface design.

Designing Adaptive Interfaces

Adaptive interfaces change dynamically based on individual users, their context, and even their momentary state. AI is the engine that makes this feasible on a large scale.

Real-time Customization via AI: Imagine an interface that changes button size for a user walking in bright sunlight, or adjusts complexity for a novice versus an expert user within the same application. AI processes data streams (device sensors, usage history, explicit preferences) to make these interface adjustments happen in the moment.

Contextual Awareness: An interface that knows you're driving might simplify controls; one that knows you're in a quiet library might suggest different features. AI enables applications to understand and react to the user's current environmental and situational context, presenting information and interactions most appropriate to that specific scenario.

Leveraging AI for Deeper User Insights

AI's analytical capabilities allow us to move beyond simple clickstream data to glean profound insights into user motivations, difficulties, and implicit desires.

Beyond Basic Analytics: Instead of just seeing where users click, AI can help understand why they might be hesitating at a certain point, what task they are likely attempting based on partial actions, or how their usage patterns compare to others with similar profiles.

Identifying Implicit Needs: Users often struggle to articulate exactly what they need or want. AI can analyze vast datasets – including user support interactions, social media sentiment, and aggregate usage patterns – to uncover latent needs or points of frustration that users themselves haven't explicitly mentioned.

Building Trust in AI-Powered UX

As AI's role becomes more overt (e.g., a chatbot, a recommendation engine, an interface that visibly rearranges itself), building and maintaining user trust becomes critical.

Transparency in AI Decisions: Users appreciate knowing why something is being recommended, why the interface changed, or why certain options are presented. Explaining the basis of an AI-driven interaction fosters confidence. Avoid 'black box' scenarios where the AI's actions seem arbitrary.

Maintaining Human Oversight: For critical decisions or sensitive interactions, the system should allow for human intervention or fallback options. Users need assurance that they aren't solely at the mercy of an algorithm and can access human support if needed. This hybrid approach leverages AI's strengths while providing a safety net and building trust.

Practical Guide: Navigating the Evolution

Making this transition isn't automatic. It requires a deliberate approach to strategy, a willingness to adapt, and a proactive stance against common pitfalls. Think of this section as laying out actionable considerations for design teams in 2025.

Strategies for Adoption

Successfully integrating AI in design and doubling down on user-centric design demands a multifaceted strategy.

Education and Upskilling: Design teams require new literacies. Understanding basic AI concepts, data interpretation, ethical AI principles, and advanced research methodologies are no longer niche skills; they are becoming foundational. Organizations must invest in continuous learning.

Iterative AI Integration: Do not attempt a monolithic overhaul. Begin by integrating AI into specific, well-defined areas of the design workflow or user experience where its value is clearest (e.g., content personalization, component generation, preliminary usability analysis). Learn from these early efforts and expand incrementally.

Collaboration (Designers, Data Scientists, Users): The future of design is profoundly collaborative. Designers must work hand-in-hand with data scientists to understand the potential and limitations of AI. Critically, users must be involved throughout the process – not just as passive subjects of analysis, but as active participants providing feedback on AI-driven features and adaptive interfaces.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

The path is fraught with potential missteps. Awareness prevents stumbling.

Over-Reliance on AI: Allowing AI to dictate design without human critique risks generic, soulless interfaces that lack true creativity or empathetic understanding. AI should augment, not supplant, human design intelligence.

Neglecting Human Testing: Believing AI analysis replaces direct human user research is a grave error. AI reveals patterns; qualitative user testing reveals why those patterns exist, uncovers nuances, and captures emotional responses AI cannot.

Ignoring Ethical Implications: Deploying AI-powered interfaces without rigorous ethical vetting can lead to biased experiences, erosion of user trust, and potential reputational damage. Prioritize fairness, transparency, and user control from concept to deployment.

Expert Perspectives and Future Trajectories

Looking ahead, the evolution promises interfaces that are profoundly intuitive, adapting not just to explicit commands but implicit desires and cognitive states. A prominent design leader remarked, "We are moving from interfaces a user learns to navigate, to interfaces that learn the user. The system adapts to you, not the other way around." Another researcher commented, "Ethical frameworks are no longer peripheral; they are the bedrock upon which we build AI-augmented experiences. Without trust and fairness, sophisticated interfaces will simply fail." Emerging areas like Neuro-adaptive UX, which seeks to interpret cognitive signals to tailor interfaces in real-time, or the integration of AR/VR elements facilitated by AI's spatial understanding, signal even more profound shifts on the horizon. The focus will intensify on creating interfaces that feel less like tools and more like seamless extensions of human thought and intent. My personal perspective is that while the technical possibilities are nearly boundless, the most impactful interfaces will be those that remain grounded in empathy, equity, and genuine value creation for the end-user, resisting the temptation of technology for technology's sake.

Key Takeaways

App interface design is fundamentally changing due to AI and refined user-centric UX trends.

AI automates design tasks, generates options, and predicts user behavior, requiring new ethical vigilance.

User-centric design in 2025 mandates deep personalization, universal accessibility, and attention to emotional response.

The synergy of AI and user-centric design enables adaptive, contextually aware interfaces and deeper user insights.

Success requires educating teams, integrating AI iteratively, fostering collaboration, and diligently avoiding pitfalls like neglecting human testing.

The future points toward even more intuitive, perhaps even cognitively aware, interfaces, demanding a persistent focus on ethical, human-first design principles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is artificial intelligence changing the design role?

AI Automates Mundane Tasks in Design The role pivots from execution toward strategic oversight, prompt crafting, and ensuring ethical outcomes.

What defines contemporary user focus in design today?

Emphasis Placed on Personalized Experiences and Access Design prioritizes individual needs, real-time context, comprehensive accessibility, and emotional impact.

What specific ways does AI benefit user analysis?

AI Provides Deeper Analytical Viewpoints Beyond clicks, it aids in understanding why actions occur, predicting needs, and revealing unspoken frustrations.

Are there major risks integrating artificial intelligence in user interface?

Key Concerns Include Bias and Reliance Excess Risks involve perpetuating data biases, neglecting human insight, and creating interfaces lacking emotional depth.

How should teams prepare for shifts in interface building?

Teams Must Learn Adapt and Stay Current Prepare through continuous education, iterative AI integration trials, and robust interdisciplinary cooperation efforts.

Recommendations

To effectively navigate the dynamic evolution of app interface design, prioritizing adaptation and learning is paramount. Embrace the potential of AI in design as a powerful collaborator, not a replacement. Simultaneously, deepen your commitment to user-centric design, anchoring every technological stride in genuine human needs and experiences. Focus on building ethical safeguards into your process from the outset. The fusion of intelligent systems and profound empathy will define the most impactful and successful interfaces of the future. Ready to future-proof your design strategy and create truly adaptive, user-loved applications? Connect with our team today to explore how leveraging the latest trends can elevate your product experience.

[full-stackmobiledeveloper]

React Native or Native: Which Is Superior for Developing Apps?

In today’s digital ecosystem, mobile applications are pivotal for engaging users and driving business success. One of the earliest decisions developers and business owners must make is choosing the right technology for their mobile apps: React Native or Native development. Each option brings distinct advantages and trade-offs depending on the project's needs, budget, and long-term goals. This blog explores the strengths and limitations of both approaches to help you determine which is superior for your app development journey in 2025 and beyond.

Understanding the Basics: What Is React Native and Native App Development?

React Native is a popular open-source framework created by Meta (formerly Facebook). It allows developers to build cross-platform apps using JavaScript and React. With a single codebase, developers can deploy apps on both Android and iOS, significantly reducing development time and cost.

On the other hand, Native app development refers to building mobile applications specifically for a single platform—Android or iOS—using languages and tools provided by the platform vendor. For Android, this usually means using Java or Kotlin in Android Studio; for iOS, it's Swift or Objective-C in Xcode.

Performance: React Native vs Native App Development

When it comes to performance, native apps generally have the upper hand. Because they’re built using platform-specific languages and APIs, native apps offer smoother animations, better response times, and faster execution. This is especially important for apps that require heavy processing, advanced graphics (like AR/VR or gaming apps), or deep integration with the device hardware.

React Native apps, while impressive in reach and flexibility, rely on a JavaScript bridge to communicate with native modules. This can introduce latency and performance bottlenecks in high-performance applications. However, for many standard use cases—such as e-commerce, social networking, or booking apps—React Native performance is sufficient and increasingly optimized with tools like Hermes engine and JSI (JavaScript Interface).

Keyword tip: Businesses often search for terms like React Native vs Native performance, making it a core comparison factor in decision-making.

Development Speed and Cost: Why React Native Wins

If you’re working with limited time and budget, React Native app development services may be your best bet. With a single codebase for both iOS and Android, developers can create apps faster and cut costs significantly, sometimes up to 40–50% less than building two native apps.

Furthermore, code reusability, live reloading, and modular architecture in React Native enhance development speed and team collaboration. For startups or MVPs aiming for rapid time-to-market, React Native offers a compelling solution without compromising on functionality.

In contrast, native development requires separate teams, toolsets, and codebases for each platform, effectively doubling the effort and cost. While this might make sense for enterprise-grade or mission-critical apps, it can be overkill for simpler projects.

User Experience and UI: Native Still Leads

Native apps are known for delivering a superior user experience. Since they’re built for a specific operating system, native apps can take full advantage of the platform’s UI guidelines, gestures, animations, and components. The result is an app that feels more integrated and intuitive to the user.

React Native tries to replicate native UI components but can sometimes fall short, particularly with platform-specific design elements or highly customized interfaces. While libraries like React Native Paper and NativeBase offer prebuilt components, native still excels in creating pixel-perfect, fluid UIs.

That said, React Native UI is constantly improving, and for many common use cases, it provides a satisfactory and visually pleasing experience. However, for apps where the user interface is a core differentiator, native development has the edge.

Maintenance and Updates: React Native Simplifies It

From a maintenance perspective, React Native simplifies updates due to its unified codebase. Bug fixes, feature updates, and performance improvements can be rolled out simultaneously across both platforms, streamlining app management.

Moreover, tools like CodePush allow for over-the-air (OTA) updates without requiring users to download a new version from the app store. This is a major advantage for agile teams that need to iterate quickly.

Native apps, however, need platform-specific maintenance and updates, which increases the workload and risks inconsistent feature parity between platforms.

Access to Native APIs and Device Features

If your app requires extensive use of native APIs, sensors, or background services (such as Bluetooth, GPS tracking, biometric authentication, or background video processing), native development offers direct access and better control.

React Native, while offering access to many native modules through libraries or custom bridging, can sometimes lag in supporting the latest native APIs immediately. In such cases, native development provides a smoother path to integrate cutting-edge features.

However, React Native has made significant progress in this area with tools like React Native Reanimated, React Navigation, and community-driven modules that support a wide range of native features.

Community Support and Talent Availability

React Native benefits from a massive and active open-source community. With thousands of contributors and extensive documentation, finding React Native developers is relatively easy, and solutions to common issues are readily available.

While native app development also has strong community support, especially for Android and iOS individually, it may require more specialized expertise, which can increase hiring costs and development time.

From a talent acquisition perspective, React Native offers broader flexibility. Developers familiar with JavaScript and React can transition into mobile development more easily than native development, which demands platform-specific knowledge.

Long-Term Scalability and Security

For apps requiring high scalability, robust security, and tight hardware integration—such as banking, fintech, or healthcare apps—native development is often preferred. The performance stability, access control, and OS-level security features make native apps better suited for enterprise-grade solutions.

React Native apps can scale well too, especially with proper architectural planning and the use of native modules. However, security can be a concern if the JavaScript layer isn’t handled properly. Obfuscation, secure storage, and regular audits are essential when using React Native in sensitive domains.

When to Choose React Native

Choose React Native app development if:

You need to build apps for both iOS and Android quickly.

Budget and time constraints are important.

The app doesn't require complex animations or high-performance hardware access.

You're building an MVP or prototype to test the market.

You want faster iterations and simplified maintenance.

When to Choose Native App Development

Choose native app development if:

The app requires maximum performance, such as 3D games or AR/VR apps.

You need to integrate deeply with device hardware or native APIs.

Security and scalability are top priorities (e.g., in fintech or healthcare).

UI/UX customization is a critical part of your user engagement strategy.

You have the resources to maintain separate codebases for iOS and Android.

Final Verdict: Which Is Superior?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The superior approach—React Native or Native—depends entirely on your project’s goals, complexity, and constraints. React Native is a great choice for startups, cross-platform solutions, and rapid development. Native development, on the other hand, remains unbeatable for performance-critical, secure, and UI-intensive applications.

Partnering with the right mobile app development company is key to evaluating your needs and choosing the best technology. Whether you opt for React Native or native app development, ensure that your chosen team has deep expertise and a clear understanding of your industry requirements.

[demensrage]

g for get some fun ⚊ • . with itachi and shisui uchiha

summary: training can be fun, but it's more fun when your favorite people decide to give you their full attention. under their care, training will always be fun.

cw: threesome, double penetration, oral (f/m. receiving), fingering, breeding kink, dirty talk, tits sucking.

wordcount: 6.6k

note: english is not my firts lenguage so please forgive me for the grammatical errors I may commit.

© demensrage 2024. do not plagiarize, copy, repost, feed to ai, or translate my works to any other platforms.

Your body trembled with pure rage, so intense that even your muscles hurts. You watched the sun rise on the horizon as you kept ranting, hurling shurikens over and over at the tree in front of you, as if those small weapons could tear away the burning anger from that public humiliation. The scene with your instructor was still seared into your mind.

"No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be anyone." Those words stabbed into your brain like a sharp kunai. How dare he say that to you? He was just a fool consumed by envy. Sure, you hadn’t awakened the Sharingan yet, but your life had been relatively peaceful. You hadn’t faced the darkness needed to activate those eyes that defined your clan.

After throwing the last shuriken, you let out a deep sigh and raised your hands to the sky, stretching. Waking up early to train hadn’t been the best idea, but you felt that need, that urgency to prove your instructor wrong. It didn’t matter that he thought you were destined for mediocrity. You knew your future would be different.

You were more angry than exhausted, and just as you walked to pick up the shurikens embedded in the tree, you realized there was nothing in front of you anymore. You frowned, puzzled, and quickly glanced around. No one was there. You clenched your teeth, biting the inside of your cheek, and cursed quietly.

Suddenly, you felt a soft tap on your head, a playful pat. You spun around quickly, ready to defend yourself, but the shurikens reappeared stuck in the tree as if they had never disappeared. And there, standing right in front of you, was Itachi, looking at you with an innocent expression, but his activated Sharingan told a different story. That intense crimson, with its perfect black tomoe, stirred a mix of admiration and envy in you. The power you so longed to have was right in front of you, and in him, it seemed so natural, as if it required no effort.

"You keep falling for the same trick," said a familiar voice behind you, full of amusement.

When you turned to face him, it wasn’t Itachi who moved, but Shisui, who in a swift and carefree motion, stole a kiss from you. It was fleeting, almost ethereal, but it left a burning spark on your lips.

Your heart skipped a beat as he looked at you with a playful smile, while Itachi stood still in front of you, calm, as if it had all been just another prank between friends.

You couldn’t understand what had changed that suddenly both Shisui and Itachi had started behaving in this strangely affectionate way. Shisui, usually playful but reserved, was now stealing kisses as if it were a regular thing, and worst of all, Itachi, who had always been colder and more calculating, didn’t seem upset or surprised, but... almost complicit.

When did it start being like this? You felt confused. It was as if overnight the dynamic between the three of you had changed without warning, and you were left stuck in the middle, not understanding the new rules of the game. You had trained with them for years, shared missions, laughter, and moments of tension, but they had never dared to cross that line.

You decided not to overthink it, letting it be, because for some reason, it felt... right. As if everything had finally fallen into place, as if this, what was happening between the three of you, was meant to be. It was a strange feeling, but comforting, as if you had been resisting something inevitable for a long time, and now, by letting it flow, everything felt in harmony.

"Did we miss something?" Itachi asked as he picked up your shurikens from the tree for you. His tone was calm, but his words snapped you back to reality. "You seem distracted." His gaze softened, and then he added, with a comforting calmness, "You know, you shouldn't pay attention to what your instructor says."

You watched him approach slowly, and before you could respond, Itachi smiled at you with a tenderness he rarely showed. With a simple but familiar gesture, he gently ruffled your hair. The usual coldness on his face had completely vanished in that moment.

Your breath caught for a moment when his lips brushed against yours with a softness you hadn't expected. It was a kiss so gentle yet deep in its intent, as if he'd been watching how you'd sought the same from Shisui and was now offering it to you on his behalf.

Your thoughts, still a bit disorganized by the sudden change in his behavior, quieted completely. Itachi's kiss had something different. Where Shisui was playful, Itachi was measured and sure.

The question surged back into your mind, like an echo reverberating in your thoughts. You had lost count of how many times those small, intimate gestures had become so commonplace. It had all started in the privacy of one of their rooms, stolen moments that now seemed not to matter at all. The brush of their hands, the glances that lingered a little longer than usual, the silences filled with meaning… Everything had evolved into something much more open, and intimacy had ceased to be a secret.

It was as if they were claiming you as part of them, as if you somehow belonged to their world. You were theirs, only theirs. Right? You always had been, hadn’t you? On reflection, there had never been another friend in their lives besides you. They never talked about other girls with that kind of closeness, and you never saw them interact with other women in a romantic way. Really, they were always where you were.

The realization clicked in your mind immediately, like a gear perfectly fitting into place. You weren’t theirs; they were yours. That idea, once vague, now shone with clarity. They were your friends, your confidants, but also something more. They belonged to you just as much as you did to them.

Itachi was only older than you by less than three months, but that had never been an obstacle. You had known each other since infancy, sharing laughter and tears in a corner of the world that had always belonged to the both of you. Then came Shisui, who joined the friendship you and Itachi shared. He fit in instantly, as if he were the missing piece of a puzzle that had always been incomplete.

Now that you thought about it, they had always orbited around you. You hadn’t noticed it at first, but every gesture and every word took on new meaning. The way they protected you, how they comforted you in difficult moments, or how they allowed you to sleep on them when fatigue overtook you. It was a subtle but profound bond, built on years of trust and loyalty.

You could remember those moments when they carried you in their arms when you asked for help, those instances of vulnerability where you allowed their closeness to envelop you like a warm coat. You tried to recall a time when they weren’t by your side, and it was like searching for a shadow in the dark: it simply didn’t exist. Not even the one time they had denied you something felt real.

They were always there, always ready to offer their support. You were the center of their world, and they were yours. With each revelation, the feeling of belonging grew stronger. It wasn’t just friendship; it was a bond that transcended simple companionship. You were important to them, and the idea that they also belonged to you began to settle deep within your soul.

With every look you shared with Itachi and every laugh exchanged with Shisui, you realized you had never been alone. And now, as you accepted that the love and intimacy they offered you weren’t just gifts but a promise, you felt yourself opening up to a future that had always been there, waiting to be claimed.

"You’re distracted again," said Itachi, frowning as if he could see through the façade you were trying to maintain. "If it’s because of what the instructor said…"

"It’s not that," you replied immediately, letting out a radiant smile that lit up your face. The sunlight seemed to reflect off your cheeks as you tried to downplay his words. "It’s just that I woke up really early."

You couldn’t simply admit that, more than ever, you liked the idea of being part of what they had agreed upon in private. It was a secret that pulsed between the three of you, a connection that felt more intense with each little gesture, each shared smile. Now that you thought about it, the idea of what was happening, though it still lacked a defined name, filled you with a warmth you couldn’t ignore.

Shisui, who had been a step behind, moved a little closer, his smile full of complicity. "Maybe we should train together," he suggested, with that playful air that was so characteristic of him. "That way we can make sure you don’t get lost in thought for too long."

The idea of spending time alone with them, training and joking around, filled you with a barely contained excitement. It was a perfect moment, an opportunity to explore that bond that was forming, that connection that felt more natural with each passing day. You knew you liked what was happening, and now that you were starting to accept it, the possibility of it all becoming something more filled you with anticipation.

You nodded immediately, feeling the excitement grow inside you. "That sounds perfect," you said, carefully taking the shurikens from Itachi’s hand, your fingers brushing his for a brief moment that sent a pleasant shiver through you.

Shisui watched you, a mischievous smile on his lips. “Are you ready to be defeated?” he asked, his playful tone contrasting with the seriousness of the training.

“Defeated? I think you’re mistaken,” you replied, feeling the adrenaline start to flow. “I’m not going to let that happen.” With every word, your determination grew stronger.

“Come on,” Itachi said, his voice firm but filled with a strange warmth. “Show me what you’ve learned.”

With a confident smile, you got into position, feeling the solid ground beneath your feet. You knew your strength lay in hand-to-hand combat, and you were determined to use that to your advantage. However, part of you was aware that, with Itachi and Shisui as your opponents, the odds were against you. Both were prodigies, and while training with them made you better, you knew you’d need more than strength to take them on.

With a swift movement, you launched yourself toward them, knowing the key would be staying unpredictable and taking advantage of any opening you could find.

You let yourself fall heavily onto the grass, exhaustion taking over every muscle in your body. Drops of sweat trickled down your forehead, some lost in the grass while others continued their path down to your jaw. Your chest rose and fell rapidly, desperately seeking oxygen to calm your body’s frantic rhythm after the intense training.

“Just five minutes, okay?” you gasped, covering your face with the back of your left hand while the other rested on your stomach. The contact with the cool air helped you recover, but you knew those five minutes would likely turn into more if you didn’t get up soon.

From your position on the ground, you heard the calm footsteps of Itachi and Shisui approaching. Itachi crouched down beside you with his usual calmness, while Shisui plopped down heavily next to you, letting out a dramatic sigh.

“Five minutes, you say,” Shisui commented, clearly less exhausted than you but pretending to be amusingly exasperated. “I’m surprised you’re not asking for ten yet.”

Itachi looked at you with a small smile on his lips before gently lowering himself onto the grass as well, although remaining more composed. “You’ve improved a lot,” he remarked in his calm tone, as if the combat hadn’t affected him as much.

“I have the best trainers,” you replied with a tired smile, still covering part of your face with your arm. Even though you were exhausted, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of inner satisfaction from Itachi’s words and Shisui’s complicity. After all, training with them was a privilege, and every day made you improve just a little more.

Shisui chuckled softly, gazing up at the sky. “Of course, we’re a marvel,” he joked, though there was a hidden sincerity in his tone.

“It’s not just because of us,” Itachi retorted, looking at you warmly. “You have talent, and you know it.”

Those words made your heart skip a beat. You had heard compliments before, but when they came from them, the impact was different, deeper. You knew both of them were honest with you; they would never tell you something just to make you feel better.

You moved your hand away from your face, feeling the slight coolness of the air as you absentmindedly played with the hem of your leggings, which fit your body like a second skin. “Thank you,” you murmured softly, not taking your gaze off the clouds beginning to cover the sky, trying to maintain calm amid the intimacy of the moment.

The light weight of Shisui’s head settled on your stomach, and a shiver ran across your skin when he left a brief kiss on your thigh, his warm breath marking every touch. You didn’t say anything; you just began to tangle your fingers in his hair, playing with the softness of his strands. The movement of your hands felt almost instinctive, as if they had always been meant to touch him that way.

Itachi, for his part, was equally serene in his actions. His fingers brushed your cheek gently, using his knuckles before taking your chin between his fingers, leaning closer to you. His deep gaze captivated you, as if he were asking permission for what would come next. There was something in his eyes, a mix of tenderness and restrained desire that always managed to disarm you.

You nodded softly, barely a movement, but enough for him to notice. One of your hands left Shisui's hair, gliding down his neck, while your lips met Itachi's in a kiss that shifted from soft to intense in a matter of seconds. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, seeking entry, and without hesitation, you allowed him in, opening your mouth to feel the kiss deepen, becoming more demanding.

Shisui began to leave a line of soft, teasing kisses on your thigh, his mouth slowly advancing while the warmth of his lips spread across your skin. You felt his skilled hands lift the fabric of your top with the same calmness with which he placed each kiss, until his lips found your abdomen. A shiver ran through your body as his warm breath touched your exposed skin.

Each kiss that traveled up toward your neck heightened the anticipation in your body, until finally, his lips reached your collarbone, lingering there with a longer kiss. Itachi pulled away with his characteristic control, leaving space for Shisui to continue, but not without looking at you one last time with that intensity that always disarmed you.

Shisui's lips finally reached yours, capturing you in a kiss that was as heated as Itachi's, but different in its own way—more playful, more wild. The differences between the two had always fascinated you, the way they could complement each other, and now more than ever, you realized how surrendered you were to the delicate balance they shared.

Everything began to take a different path, one that blurred the lines between friendship and something deeper. Itachi's hands found their way under your top, his fingers soft and determined squeezing your breasts through your sports bra, creating a sensation of warmth and desire that made you hold your breath.

“You can say no if you don’t want to,” Shisui murmured against your lips, his voice low and tempting. He gently tugged on your lower lip between his teeth, sending a pleasurable shiver through your body, before licking it with a sweetness that left you yearning for more.

“You don’t have to agree if you’re not comfortable yet,” Itachi added, his tone firm but understanding, as if he were genuinely considering your feelings at that moment. His gaze remained fixed on yours, searching for any sign of doubt or discomfort, making sure you didn’t feel pressured.

“Yes, I want to,” you said, feeling the decision flow clearly in your voice. You exchanged glances with them, a mix of excitement and anticipation filling the air between you.

“Let’s go somewhere else,” Itachi said, helping you to your feet with a firm yet gentle gesture. His hand felt warm around your wrist as he guided you. Shisui followed, his presence close to you reassuring, a reminder that you weren’t alone in this.

Itachi led the way, while Shisui stayed by your side, ensuring you felt comfortable.

Finally, they arrived at a small clearing, secluded and tranquil, surrounded by trees that offered a sense of privacy. The place was illuminated by the soft light of the sunset, creating a magical atmosphere.

“Is this okay here?” Itachi asked, looking around to make sure it was the right spot.

You turned to look at him, feeling a knot of nervousness forming in your stomach. God, they were fucking beautiful; the sunset light illuminated their faces in an almost ethereal way. “Yeah, um…” you began, unsure of how to articulate your thoughts.

Itachi, ever perceptive, noticed you had more to say. With a slight smile, he tilted his head, encouraging you to continue. “No one comes here, just the three of us, and now you,” he said, his voice calm and confident, like an anchor in the midst of your confusion.

You felt a little more relaxed at his assurance. You knew there was a shared trust between the three of you, an understanding that went beyond words. Gathering your courage, you decided to speak.

“Just… I don’t know exactly how… how to proceed,” you admitted, feeling the heat in your cheeks. “I don’t want you to feel pressured, or for this to change what we have.”

Shisui stepped forward, his expression gentle. “No one is pressured. We want you to feel good and safe with us. We’re here for you, no matter how you want this to progress.”

Shisui’s words were like a balm, soothing your anxieties and allowing you to open up to the possibility of what was to come.

You gathered the courage to approach Shisui, your trembling lips pressing against his as you nervously took Itachi’s hand, not wanting to leave him behind. The contact was electrifying, and although your nerves were on edge, you felt it was time to let go.

Itachi’s hands moved firmly, finding your breasts and squeezing them over the fabric of your top, his fingers sinking into you with a mix of desire and possession. Heat built up quickly, elevating the tension in the air.

Shisui broke the kiss, but only to tilt your face toward Itachi, forcing you to look into his dark, deep eyes. “Kiss him,” he murmured as he began to leave kisses and nibbles on your neck, his hot, wet lips trailing sensations that made you shiver. It was as if each touch ignited a spark of desire within you.

You let yourself go, feeling how Itachi responded to your body, his hands gripping you with an intensity that made you gasp. The pace became more frantic, the air thick with a mix of sweat and desire, and you found yourself caught in the whirlwind of their caresses.

The next thing that happened was instantaneous: your shorts and panties disappeared, leaving you completely exposed. Itachi gently pushed you to the ground, and as he removed your top and bra, you felt a chill run through your body. Your hands instinctively closed around your breasts, and you squeezed your legs together, a blush flooding your cheeks as the reality of the situation hit you.

It was the first time you were completely at their mercy, vulnerable and exposed. But as their gazes met yours, a spark of trust ignited within you. They weren’t just men; they were your friends, your protectors. With a trembling breath, you decided it was time to let them take control.

Carefully, you began to uncover your breasts, feeling the cool air caress your skin. Both of their eyes shone with a mix of desire and possession, and although their expressions were dark, you felt them consuming you with their gaze. They shared a brief knowing glance before leaning in, and in a simultaneous movement, each took one of your breasts in their mouth.

A gasp escaped your lips as you felt the warmth and wetness of their mouths on you. Your hands found their necks, pressing their heads closer, binding their lips to your body with a need you hadn’t anticipated. Each suck, each caress, sent waves of pleasure coursing through you, making you lose touch with reality, leaving only the fire that burned in your chest.

Your breasts were a delicacy between their lips, each suction resonating in your mind like an echo of pure pleasure. Shisui focused on one while Itachi alternated between biting and licking the other, creating a rhythm that made your body respond with a ravenous desire.

Itachi’s hands slid down to your waist, exploring your skin as his lips moved with devotion, each kiss leaving a mark of his hunger. “You look so beautiful like this,” Shisui murmured, the vibration of his voice sending a wave of pleasure straight to your stomach.

As both of them dedicated themselves to you, desire took over, filling you with a need you could barely control. You arched your back, seeking more contact, more of them.

The way Itachi cheekily nibbled on your nipple and then licked it to soothe the burning sensation was pure lust. You let yourself go, feeling the pleasure intensify with every movement.

Meanwhile, hands began to make their way between your legs, and the feeling of two fingers parting your folds made you gasp. Shisui’s smile was mischievous, his mouth still busy with your breast, and you felt the tension building. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he murmured against your nipple, his words sending a wave of heat that made you shiver.

Itachi, wasting no time, joined his hand with Shisui’s, their fingers working in perfect sync as he moved up to kiss you with a possession that made you feel like you had no escape. His lips took over yours, filling you with a mix of desire and urgency, while his other hand twisted and caressed your nipples between his fingers.

Shisui gave your clit a pinch, eliciting a cry of pleasure to escape your lips. Before you could process it, he dipped a finger inside you, making you moan as your hips arched to receive him. “You like that, huh?” he whispered with a mischievous grin, as he began pumping in a slow, teasing rhythm.

Itachi, not missing the opportunity, began to stimulate your bundle of nerves, his fingers moving expertly as his dark eyes focused on you. “Look at you, so soaked for us,” he murmured, his voice filled with desire. The heat inside you increased as you lost yourself in the pleasure.

“See how that makes you feel?” Shisui continued, adding a second finger, increasing the intensity. “You can’t deny how much you like it, can you? Let it all flow out.”

The words made it even more intense. With each thrust, your body responded with a mix of moans and sighs, the pleasure building up more and more.

Itachi leaned closer, his lips barely touching your ear. “You want more, sweetie? Tell me,” he said in a seductive tone. “We won’t stop you, I want you to moan our name.”

“Yes!” you exclaimed as Shisui added another finger, curling it inside you and pressing that sweet spot that made you lose your mind. The pleasure intensified, and your legs spread wider, wanting to be filled even more.

Itachi’s hands gave one last tug to your nipples, a gesture that left you even more turned on. When he pulled down his pants, you couldn’t help but stare brazenly, your eyes fixed on his crotch, ready to discover what he was hiding.

“Sit on my face, sweetie,” Shisui said, his voice thick with desire. The command was a tantalizing whisper, and you couldn’t resist. Without a second thought, you moved, placing yourself on top of him as your body vibrated with anticipation.

With one movement, you dropped down, feeling his mouth find you just as you settled in. Shisui's fingers continued to pump inside you, and the combination of his mouth and hands brought you to the edge of ecstasy.

Itachi watched you, his gaze filled with desire, and that only made the situation even more intense. "That's it, that's how I like it," Shisui said, keeping up his pace as your hips moved, enjoying the pleasure they gave you.

Itachi brought a hand to his cock, fucking his fist as he watched you ride Shisui's mouth, who had his hands wrapped around your thighs, keeping you pinned down on him.

You bit your lip as you felt his tongue tease your entrance, an overwhelming heat running through your body. Your gaze connected to the sight before you; fuck, your mouth was watering just watching it. "Open that pretty mouth for me," Itachi said, his voice thick with desire.

You couldn't resist the temptation. With a brazen gesture, you opened your mouth, ready to please him. The mix of sensations, of pleasure and desire, enveloped you as you let yourself get carried away by the moment.

You took him like a good girl, wrapping your lips around his length, slowly, feeling every inch as you kept eye contact with Itachi. He watched you with overwhelming intensity, his jaw tense as you let your tongue run along his length.

Shisui's muffled moans against your center only increased the pressure in your body, your legs shaking as he devoured you mercilessly, his tongue moving skillfully. Itachi let out a low growl, his hand tangling in your hair, gently guiding you as you sank deeper into the rhythm they both set for you.

You rolled your hips harder as you felt Shisui's hands squeeze your ass, forcing you even closer to his mouth, even though you already felt like you were as close as you could be. His tongue worked relentlessly, finding every spot that made you shiver, while his fingers dug harder into your skin, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

The wet sound of his tongue moving in you and your own moans, muffled by Itachi's pressure in your mouth, created an intoxicating mix that made you lose yourself in pleasure.

You sucked harder, following the rhythm Itachi set as he looked at you with desire in his eyes. His moans were soft but deep, and every sound that came out of his mouth motivated you to keep going, to give him more. Your tongue brushed his skin with precision, tasting every part of him as you took him deep, letting yourself be guided by the heat and urgency of the moment.

"You're doing so well," Itachi whispered, his fingers tangling in your hair, guiding you gently. His caresses on your head were a contrast to the intensity of the moment, filled with a strange kind of tenderness as he watched you with his dark, piercing eyes.

Shisui, beneath you, increased the pressure of his tongue, causing a moan to choke from your throat, vibrating against Itachi. “Fuck, keep it up,” Shisui growled, his voice muffled by your skin, as his hands gripped your hips tighter, controlling your every movement on him.

You were so close that you couldn’t help but sob in pleasure, the sounds escaping your lips in the midst of your work. Every caress, every brush of Shisui’s tongue, and every thrust from Itachi brought you to the edge, and the heat in your abdomen grew, threatening to spill over at any moment.

“That’s it, let yourself go,” Itachi murmured, watching intently as you lost yourself in the pleasure they both offered you. His soft voice was like a balm, and even though you felt exposed, there was something incredibly liberating about letting yourself go in the moment. The combination of his words and Shisui's actions had you wanting more, more and more, as the pleasure built up inside you.

You felt it coming, that boiling point where the pressure became almost unbearable. Your hip movements became erratic, the need to release all that tension intensifying. Still, you tried to continue your work, holding yourself on the edge as you rode the rising wave of orgasm.

Moans escaped your lips, each sound becoming an echo of the pleasure flooding your senses. Shisui, sensing your struggle, increased the pressure of his tongue, while Itachi looked at you with a fire in his eyes that made you feel even more alive.

"That's it, let yourself go," Itachi repeated, encouraging you. You let yourself fall into the abyss, the wave of pleasure crashing against you, taking you with it. Euphoria enveloped you completely, and in that instant, everything else disappeared.

Itachi pulled away from your mouth, gently caressing your cheek with his fingers, his gaze filled with complicity and desire as your head rested on his thigh. The warmth of his skin was comforting, like a refuge after the storm of pleasure.

Shisui, for his part, caressed your ass before pulling away from you, leaving you with an empty feeling that contrasted with the recent satisfaction. His absence was palpable, but the way they both looked at you, with a glint in their eyes that promised more, filled you with anticipation.

“Are you okay?” Itachi asked, his voice low and soft, as he watched you carefully, as if to make sure you were comfortable after the intense experience. “Yes,” you whispered, your lips swollen and wet, voice shaky from the mix of exhaustion and desire.

Itachi smiled, a glint of satisfaction in his gaze. “You’re amazing,” he murmured, stroking your hair before looking up at Shisui. “Ready for another?” Shisui asked, his tone playful and teasing. “Because I see you ready for more.”

With a slight nod, you braced yourself for what was to come, the air thick with anticipation and desire. You felt the electricity between them, the way they both shared this moment, and you couldn’t help but feel anxious for what was to follow.

“Stay like that, baby,” Itachi said, moving closer until he was behind you. His hands found your wetness, two fingers sliding gently, feeling every response from your body as Shisui settled in beside you.

You felt Itachi's presence behind you, his lips and teeth leaving soft bites on the skin of your neck, the combination of pain and pleasure lighting up every nerve. Itachi held you against his chest, his hands firmly on your thighs, controlling your movements with ease.

As Shisui aligned himself with your entrance, the atmosphere was charged with palpable tension, and with a deep inhale, your body braced itself for what was to come.

Shisui's thrust was firm and deep, slowly filling you as your walls tightened around him, instinctively squeezing him. A gasp escaped your lips as you felt him push his way inside you, stretching you in a delicious way. Your hands gripped his shoulders as your legs wrapped around his waist tighter, trying to adjust to the sensation invading your body.

Itachi, behind you, continued to place soft bites and kisses on your neck, his hands running up and down your sides, fueling the fire already burning within you.

Each thrust from Shisui made your body tremble with a mix of pleasure and need. His movements were slow, but each one was deep, filling you completely and stretching the time between desire and satisfaction. Your breathing became erratic as your head rested on Itachi's shoulder, who continued to spread soft caresses over your skin, his lips tracing a path of heat on your neck.

Shisui's lips found your breast, his tongue teasing your nipple as his hips continued to thrust in a deliberate rhythm. The feel of his mouth combined with the deep movements of his hips made you moan, your body trapped between them, every inch of your skin being claimed by them.

You felt each movement with overwhelming intensity, completely filled by both of them as they moved inside you with such precise synchronicity that it left you breathless. The slow, calculated thrusts seemed to have a purpose, allowing your body to adjust to the intrusion as the pressure inside you grew with each second.

Shisui held you firm against his chest, his hands sliding up your thighs with a contrasting softness to the strength of Itachi, who behind you controlled the pace with measured movements. Each time they thrust, a moan escaped your lips, as you felt them rub against each other inside you.

“More, please.” you gasped, rolling your hips in search of more. The plea that escaped your lips echoed in the air, a sound of desire that motivated them both even more. Shisui smiled against your skin, understanding your need, and began to increase the speed of his thrusts.

Itachi, sensing your impatience, adjusted his pace, causing the two of you to move in perfect harmony. The heat inside you intensified, each deep stroke causing sparks of pleasure to course through your entire body.

“That’s good, baby,” Shisui murmured, punctuating each thrust with a possessive touch as his mouth moved between your breasts, licking and nibbling at your skin.

Itachi, ever attentive, brought a hand down to stroke your clit, adding a new dimension to the wave of pleasure washing over you. “You like it like this?” he asked, his voice soft and commanding. “Yes, yes, yes,” you whimpered in pleasure.

Your response was almost a cry of need, and that only fueled the desire that burned between the three of you. Shisui held you tightly, his movements now more intense, hitting that sweet spot that made your body arch towards him.

“That’s it, baby, let go,” he murmured as his hips slammed into you, producing a wet sound that filled the air. Itachi, noticing your growing pleasure, increased the pace of his caresses on your clit, his fingers moving with precision and firmness.

“You’re so beautiful like this,” Itachi said, watching as you writhed and moaned between them. The combination of their bodies, the pressure and the friction made you feel like you were about to burst, pleasure building in your belly as they both continued to take you higher.

Heat built up inside you, each thrust intensifying that feeling of fullness that was driving you crazy. Your legs wrapped around Shisui’s waist, clinging to him as Itachi continued to stimulate your clit with forceful, precise movements.

“You’re perfect,” Shisui murmured, his raspy voice filled with desire as his hips moved harder. Your body responded to his every move, feeling your walls tighten around both of them, causing a strangled moan to escape your lips.

“Give me more,” you begged, feeling the pleasure begin to consume every corner of your being. Both men looked at each other, a spark of complicity passing between them as they intensified their pace, bringing you to the edge.

“I’m so close…” you breathed out, each word laden with need. With every hip thrust and every caress of Itachi’s fingers, you knew you wouldn’t last much longer. You let yourself go, and in that instant, you decided that the only thing that mattered was this approaching ecstasy.

The waves of pleasure swept over you mercilessly, your body shaking violently as your climax washed over you, drowning your moans in an almost primal scream. The contractions inside you intensified, squeezing both men with each wave, bringing you to a place where time and space seemed to fade away.

Shisui held you firmly, making sure you didn’t collapse as Itachi continued to thrust deep, taking every moment of your ecstasy. The mix of sensations was overwhelming; The heat, the pressure, and the kisses they both bestowed upon you, all came together in a whirlwind of pleasure that left you breathless.

They both filled you, you felt your walls being stained by warm jets of semen. When Shisui and Itachi pulled out of you, you felt their seeds dripping from your pussy.

The warmth of his lips on your skin made you feel even more connected to them, as if each kiss was a silent promise of care and devotion. His hands moved slowly up your hips, drawing soft circles that sent shivers of pleasure through your still sensitive body.

“Are you okay?” Shisui asked, his voice low and full of tenderness as he looked at you with those dark eyes that seemed to understand you better than anyone else.

You nodded, feeling the mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. “Yes, more than okay.”

Itachi leaned in to kiss you again, his mouth so soft and tempting. His warm breath on your lips made you want more of them, more of that connection that had grown between the three of you. In that instant, everything that had happened before faded away, leaving you with only the desire to be here, with them, forever.

[scorpioriesling]

This Love

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Pairings: Bodhi x reader

Warnings: angst

Summary: Despite his best efforts, you seem unaware of Bodhi's unyielding yearning for you -- and what you do next feels like a stab right through his heart.

SR’s Note: This is part three to Blank Space & How You Get The Girl! Oh my God guys this series has turned out exactly how I wanted it to -- all from one simple ask! If you have ideas or requests, please always share them with me; look how far this one has taken me, LOL. I promise to get to them all in time. <3

Tags: @mellowmusings @rcarbo1 @lilah-asteria @kitsunetori @velarisdusk @nctsawrus @freakishfandomfiend @paintedbyshadows @poeticbookwormcat @lreadsstuff @desprrssooo-espresssooooo

(inbox me or comment if you'd like to be added!)

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

You practically twirled around the library Friday morning as you gathered your things. Markham had been satisfied enough with your work that he was allowing you to oversee battle brief this morning, giving you more of a voice than he had let you have before.

And the thought of seeing Bodhi there...

You grinned to yourself, reminiscing on the night prior. How the wind whipped through your hair, how his hands felt holding your waist...

Maybe you should've been a rider, he'd said. You remember turning to give a retort and then-

Blush colored your cheeks at the memory of his lips on them.

Don't tell me you're still daydreaming about last night.

Jesinia raised an eyebrow at you. She hadn't exactly been happy with you when you returned in the early hours of the morning, and not just because you woke her up. She seemed to like Bodhi and the danger he put you in less and less.

And if I am?

You winked at her, and she shook her head.

Whatever -- you'll do as you please. Just remember what I said; don't get too attached.

You sighed, favoring the sweet memories over the harsh reality. It wasn't long until Markham was waiting on you by the library entrance, preparing to head to battle brief. There was no hesitation this morning, nothing holding you back; in fact, you were excited for the meeting.

:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Battle brief was nothing short of a disaster.

Markham droned on, re-reading over the work you'd set on his desk yesterday morning while Duvera crossed and wrote notes on a scribe tablet. He had said you'd get to speak more this morning; however, it seems he was doing all the talking.

When you looked out into the crowd, a small smile crept onto your face when your eyes met Bodhi's. He grinned back, his eye contact weighing heavily on you. Violet sat next to him, and caught onto what was happening. She gave you a small wave, winking as she stared between the two of you.

"...and now, for this weekends assignments."

You were pulled from your stupor when Duvera handed the tablet to you, and you stood with confidence, taking the middle of the platform. However, when you glanced over the writing, your heart sank.

"T-this weekend's outpost assignments," you began, your voice trembling. You didn't dare read faster than you could speak, but something in your chest tightened at the thought of Bodhi being put in such a dangerous situation.

You'd read all the way down the list, but your hands began to shake as you read the final assignment.

"Athebyne outpost assignments," your voice quivered, and tears stung the backs of your eyes. You read all of the names down to the very last line, and your voice cracked.

"B-Bodhi Dur-ran."

When you looked up again, you found an impassive gaze on his face as though he were only given a simple homework assignment. Next to him, Violet's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she put both hands on his shoulders, shaking him.

"That'll be all for today; you'll leave immediately and return Sunday night. Be ready for classes Monday morning."

Markham's voice was drowned out by the sound of the passtime bell, but you stayed frozen in your spot. Duvera took the paper back from you, a worried look passing over her face as she studied you. You watched as Bodhi rose to stand, getting lost in the crowd of students.

"Maybe," Markham said quietly, leaning toward you so only you could hear. "This weekend, you'll find yourself a little less distracted."

A look of disbelief soured your expression as you stared back at him, yet he only offered a small, sly grin.

"Y-you made these assignments?" You sounded weaker than you liked.

His smile widened, and he let out a long breath.

"I'll see you Monday morning, Y/N."

You stood, utterly immoveable as the hall cleared out. The professors made their way up the stairs, and you only saw Duvera's worried gaze before two familiar green eyes appeared before you.

"Hey Y/N!" His voice was much more cheerful than you'd heard it before. It took a moment before you were able to look at him, actually look and force a response out.

"Oh... hey, Aaric." Your mind raced, thinking of this weekend and Bodhi and how unprepared he'd be (based on your research) and that you wouldn't be able to see him-

"You ready for tonight?"

All the thoughts faded from your mind as the first year stared at you expectanatly.

You shot him an apologetic look. "Tonight?"

He chuckled. "Yeah! It's Friday, remember?"

You furrowed your brows. "Friday.... Friday..." You worked hard to remember, but all your mind kept circling back to was Bodhi.

Then it hit you.

"Oh! Oh my Gods, that's right," you said in realization. Immediate panic filled your veins as you weighed your options; in truth, you hadn't really wanted to go out with him anymore, especially after the week you'd had.

He grinned. "So, I'll pick you up at seven tonight? For our... date?"

You opened and closed your mouth, trying to formulate some kind of excuse when your gaze caught on the disappointed male who'd halted his approach. Bodhi stood, ramrod straight as his fist clenched around the strap of his pack. His eyes darkened, his lips pressed into a scowl.

A hand flew to your mouth before you took a step toward him.

"Bodhi, I-"

"Forget it." He said, glaring at Aaric before turning his gaze back to you. "I was just coming to say goodbye, anyways."

Emotion clogged your throat as you quickly stepped to him, avoiding Aaric's confused expression. Bodhi turned to leave, but your hand clasped his shoulder.

"Bodhi, you have to understand-"

"Oh, I understand perfectly." He says, his tone clipped. His eyes swirled with unfurled anger as he gazed down at you, and your chest ached. "Have fun on your date."

You sighed, tears stinging the back of your eyes. It couldn't end like this, he needed to know the truth.

"Bodhi, please..."

Your words were lost as he blended into the crowd once more, and your throat tightened when you realized how real the possibility of never seeing him again was.

When you turned back, Aaric's expression was all but distant.

"I've clearly missed something here, haven't I."

:* ✧･ﾟ: *

That night, you sat in your bed, crumpling up what felt like the hundredth used tissue of the night. Alone in the silence of your dorm, all you were left to do was think -- Bodhi, where he was, the danger he was in. Not to mention, how you left things with him before he departed.

You sniffled as another wave of tears threatened the back of your eyes.

Around midnight, you began to drift off, favoring dreams of the brunette rider appearing outside your window and whisking you away into the night. You only felt more crushed knowing there was no possibility of that happening.

Not too long after, the door creaked open and Jesinia flanked your bedside, taking in the paper mess around you.

What's wrong? Her worried expression had the tears threatening to spill over. Is it Bodhi? I thought you had a date with Aaric tonight.

You sat up, signing back to her.

Yeah... "did", you emphasized. I cancelled it after completely forgetting about it, and then simultaneously screwing everything up with Bodhi all at the same time.

You buried your face in your hands, and Jesinia placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.

I'm so sorry, Y/N. I had no idea Markham was sending him to the outposts-

Yeah, well it is more of a punishment than assignment, you signed back angrily. I can't believe he'd send Bodhi into danger, all because he and I have been spending time together.

Jesinia sighed. Markham is... a piece of work.

No kidding. You shook your head. Things were just left so bad before he left, and now Aaric hates me -- rightfully so -- and now I'm left to wonder if I'll ever even see him again.

Jesinia huffed. You can't get caught up in thinking this way, she signed. Take it from me -- I'm dating a rider too, you know. I understand the feeling.

You gave her a small smile. I should have listened, not gotten so attached. A tear slid down your cheek, and your friend leaned in to hug you. What if he doesn't come back?

And, what if he does? She signed. Besides, if you hadn't gotten so attached, you might never experience this feeling again.

You chuckled. Since when were you an advocate for Bodhi? You were right, us being together is only a recipe for disaster.

She smiled, placing her hand over yours atop your leg.

Since I realized my best friend was in love.

:* ✧･ﾟ: *

You Are In Love

[pink-petal-horns]

Pink Collar, Black Leather

Frank Castle x Bimbo!Reader

Warning: 18+, Dominance, Brat taming, Crying, Degradation, Rough Fingering, Spanking, Praise/Daddy Kink, Overstimulation, Size Kink

(I revamped this story up a bit and made it longer).

You were always too soft for someone like Frank Castle.

Too sweet. Too clueless. Too pretty in your bubblegum gloss and glittery rhinestones. A little dolly draped in pink, wobbling around in platform heels like you didn’t know the way the world worked—and maybe you didn’t. You lived in your own plush, pastel fantasy, speaking in breathy giggles and pouty whines, like reality didn’t dare touch you. And Frank? Frank was blood, grit, and bullet casings.

He should’ve ignored you. Should’ve walked the other way the moment you batted those lashes at him and asked if he “always wore so much black, or if he was just shy.”

But fuck if you didn’t look good doing it.

Sitting cross-legged on his couch, phone clutched in manicured hands, your glossy lips twisted into a pout, legs swinging slightly as your tiny pink skirt rode higher with every move. The matching baby tee stretched tight across your chest, rhinestones spelling “baby” over your tits like a dare.

You were a goddamn problem.

And worse—you knew it.

“Frankie,” you whined, voice syrupy and sweet, “I’m booored.”

Frank didn’t look up, still at the table, methodically cleaning his weapon like he hadn’t already been distracted by the flash of your thighs for the past half hour. “Go find somethin’ to do, then.”

“But I wanna do something with you,” you huffed, tossing your phone aside with a dramatic little sigh. You stretched—arms above your head, chest arching forward, a sliver of skin peeking out where your shirt rode up. You didn’t even realize how your nipples poked against the fabric. Or maybe you did.

Frank’s jaw ticked. His eyes flicked up, cold and hot all at once.

“You keep actin’ like that,” he muttered, voice low and dangerous, “you’re gonna get yourself in trouble, sweetheart.”

Your smile turned sugary. Innocent. Deadly.

“Oh no,” you cooed, twirling a piece of hair around your finger. “Big, bad Frank gonna punish me?”

Snap.

Frank’s patience shattered like glass.

In a flash, he was in front of you, massive hand wrapping around your wrist as he yanked you to your feet. You gasped, stumbling into him, heart thudding as his dark eyes bore down into yours.

“Think you’re real fuckin’ cute, huh?” he growled.

Your lips parted, breath caught in your throat. Then—“Mhm.”

Frank gave a low, amused snarl, shoving you back onto the couch. “Yeah. Real fuckin’ cute. Like a fuckin’ toy someone left out.”

His hands slid up your thighs, rough and calloused. He flipped your skirt up with one hand, exposing your sheer pink panties underneath. He stared. Let out a sharp breath through his nose.

“Jesus Christ.”

“I got them for you,” you murmured, biting your lip. “Do you like them, Frankie?”

His grip turned bruising, one hand on your thigh, the other at your jaw, tilting your face up. “You gonna let me ruin ‘em?”

“Please,” you whispered, trembling.

That was all it took.

Frank tore the panties down your legs in one swift motion. You squeaked, legs instinctively trying to close, but he growled and pushed your thighs apart, spreading you wide. His eyes dropped to your dripping pussy and he grinned.

“Already fuckin’ soaked,” he muttered, dragging a finger through your folds. “You’re sittin’ here makin’ a mess of my couch and you’ve got the nerve to act like you’re innocent.”

You whimpered, hips bucking at his touch.

“Frank—”

His hand cracked against your inner thigh, the slap sharp and unforgiving. You yelped.

“Did I say you could talk?”

Tears welled in your eyes instantly. “I—I just—”

“You just not used to bein’ told what to do,” he muttered, voice rough. “Spoiled little brat. Need someone to knock some fuckin’ sense into you.”

His fingers returned to your cunt, slick and hot. He rubbed lazy circles around your clit just to watch you squirm.

“So sensitive,” he said, almost fondly. “Could probably make you cum just from this.”

You nodded furiously, lips glossy and parted. “Uh-huh, uh-huh—please—”

“You beg real nice, baby,” he said, curling two fingers at your entrance. “But I think I need to see how dumb you really are.”

Then he plunged them inside you.

You cried out, back arching as your cunt stretched around his thick fingers. He started pumping them fast, deep, curling them ruthlessly against your spot.

“Fuck—Frank—”

He didn’t let up. Just kept fucking you with his fingers, watching your pretty face twist in pleasure, pink rhinestones glittering over your tits as your whole body shook. “Look at you. Cryin’ already.”

You whimpered, nails scratching the couch, mascara smudging with fresh tears.

“Dumb little bimbo can’t even handle my fingers.”

“I—I can!” you sobbed.

Frank pulled his fingers out—slap—right to your clit. You jerked, sobbing harder.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not—I’m not, I promise, I just—I just wanna be good—”

Frank paused. Tilted your chin up.

“You wanna be good for me, baby?”

You nodded desperately. “So bad. I just—I wanna be your good girl, Frankie, I wanna make you feel good—”

He stood. Undid his belt slowly, pulling his cock free—and fuck, he was big. Thick and heavy, veins prominent, tip already wet.

Your mouth dropped open.

Frank smirked. “Cat got your tongue?”

You reached for him, practically drooling. “Wanna suck it—please, lemme—”

But he grabbed your hair and pushed you back.

“No. You’ve been a fuckin’ brat all night. You get what I give you.”

You mewled, nodding as he moved between your legs, lining himself up.

“You want me to fuck you dumb, sweetheart?”

“Yes,” you gasped. “Please, please—need it—”

He shoved into you with one brutal thrust.

You screamed.

Your pussy clenched around him instantly, body jolting at the stretch, eyes rolling back as he filled you deeper than you’d ever been. He didn’t stop. Didn’t let you adjust. Just grabbed your hips and started slamming into you, relentless and merciless.

“Frank—oh my god—Frank—!”

You were a mess in seconds. Drool slipping down your chin, tears running freely, body shaking with every rough thrust as he fucked you into the couch. Your pink skirt was bunched at your waist, tits bouncing in your tight shirt, glittering under the dim lights.

“Look at this fuckin’ pussy,” he groaned. “So tight, squeezin’ me like a goddamn vice. Can’t even take it, can you?”

You were sobbing now. “I—I’m tryin’—”

He slapped your ass, hard. “You’re takin’ it. You’re mine.”

Your legs trembled, and you felt your orgasm building fast—too fast.

“Frank—gonna—gonna—”

He pressed his hand against your stomach, right where his cock bulged inside you. “You gonna cum on my cock, baby? Gonna cream all over me like the needy little whore you are?”

“Yes!”

You shattered.

Your entire body locked up, mouth open in a silent scream as your orgasm ripped through you like a wave. Your cunt clenched around him, dripping all over his cock and the couch beneath you.

But Frank didn’t stop.

He just fucked you harder, chasing his own high, watching you sob and twitch, overstimulated and broken.

“Gonna fill this fuckin’ pussy,” he growled, voice rough. “Gonna stuff you full, make sure you remember who owns you.”

You moaned helplessly, too fucked-out to answer.

Frank slammed into you one last time, thick cock pulsing as he spilled inside you with a guttural groan. He held you down, twitching in your spent cunt as your eyes fluttered and your head lolled.

When he finally pulled out, his cum leaked down your thighs, pooling beneath you on the cushions.

You blinked up at him, dazed and teary.

“…Did I do good?”

Frank chuckled, crouching in front of you, thumb wiping at the tears on your cheeks.

“You did real good, sweetheart.”

You smiled, dreamy and dumb and perfect in your little pink collar.

[defrosted69]

My Laker Star P.3 (Kang Haerin)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hey everyone. Here's a finale of this series. After a long sleep in this platform, I have returned briefly. I hope you all enjoy this one. And one last tip from me, I suggest you listen to the song "First Love" by Hikaru Utada throught out the story, especially at the end of this one. I promise you, you wont regret it.

(7.3k words total)

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With everyone looking asleep, her light footstep led her through each room of the hostel, and she had to double-check to make sure everyone was still groggy from yesterday's schedule. She didn't have to open the third door any farther since her Unnie's heavy snoring was audible.

"Welp, at least I know she's knocked out."

She thought to herself before once again tip toeing her way to the living room. With a swift motion, she turned their TV on, sat on the couch, covered herself with her blanket and switched the program to...

The NBA channel.

"Welcome everyone to a chilly night here in downtown LA as we are in for a treat for an exciting match up between the home team, Los Angeles Lakers and hot winning team in the east, The Indiana Pacers. Tonight we'll get to see a match up of Point Guards between Y/N McDaniels and Tyrese Haliburton. "

"That's right Mike, tonight we'll get to see the NBA best passers duking it out to see who's the best passer in the NBA and lead their team tonight to victory. Will the Pacers extend their winning streak to 5 games or will they fall to the 10th seed Lakers?"

"Y/N with the ball. Bringing the ball half court. A screen from Wood and he's bursting to the lane and throws it down right at Myles Turner! Wow!"

"Oohhhh. Right at the face of Myles Turner Mike! That's all elevation. Wow! This kid is incredible man"

Haerin's eyes had never been so wide with joy as she watched you play your heart out on the court. Every shot you fired, she'd hop up and down, leaving her seat, but she'd understand she shouldn't make too much noise. Her smile never left her face while the game went on. But perhaps this was also her weakness since while she's engaged on the game, she frequently, if not always, forgets about her surroundings.

"With 12 seconds left, the lakers trail by 1 and we all know where the ball is going. Y/N is doubled team. Here we go, Austin looking, Looking, passes it to Y/N. Doubled team, crossed to the left shoot-OHHHH!! Fouled and-1, 4 point play by Y/N! How did he do that?!"

"Hehe, Your so good Y/N!"

"Oh he's cute."

Haerin flinched hearing another voice next to her. Her head has never turned so fast in her entire life and so did her member who chuckled seeing her reaction.

"U-Unnie?"

"Hmm? Why are you looking scared? Did you lose your parley?"

"My what?"

"Nothing. But why are you watching basketball? I never knew you liked that sport."

Danielle yawned slightly as she sat comfortable on their couch. She awoke inadvertently by sliding out of bed while dreaming she was leaping out of a plane. Haerin's cheering was the first thing she heard, which jolted her awake. Because Haerin seldom celebrates or cheers.

"Uhhh ummm... Uhhh.."

Haerin used her normal mental lag to make it appear as if she doesn't know, while also buying time so Danielle lost interest in the issue. Knowing that she has a short attention span, Haerin used this to her advantage, making her believe she had no knowledge.

And somehow it works.

Danielle was weary of watching Haerin say nothing and stare at her like a cat. So she did what the majority of her members do, and by that she meant herself. She pounced for Haerin, cuddling her like a gigantic teddy bear, and Haerin simply accepted her faith. In her opinion, this was the ideal circumstance for getting Danielle to stop pestering her about the channel and why she would rather watch and experience the excitement and delight of basketball alone. Even if she has members who adore her like she is their own sister, Haerin was still holding back her excitement for athletics.

As Haerin glanced at the television, she spotted you being interviewed, and her normal poker face changed into a smile as she saw the team win and you being named the game's best player. Of course, given that you are the team's top player, it is unavoidable, but your accomplishments always strike a chord with her.

Because she has followed your path as well as her own, she knows the difficulties and sacrifices you have made to become who you are. In a way, she believes that whatever you achieve in the league, she achieves as well.

She felt such a strong connection to you. It was a rare occasion in which you could relate to someone. She doesn't look up to this idol, but she can connect to their experience. You can't help but support someone no matter how different you are. Haerin was in the Kpop sector, while you were in the professional sports world. Two different worlds, yet she idolized and looked up to you because she admired your narrative and couldn't help but compare it to hers.

Many others may label her clinging, insane, or too committed to a fake link that does not exist, but Haerin thought it was genuine. The instant she saw you dribble down the court in the house Kobe constructed, she knew you were the guy she would look up to.

Despite her claims that you are her idol, as a Kpop idol, she is repeatedly asked in interviews who her idol is, but she can't speak your name without recalling a sad experience. That trauma prevents her from properly revealing who she looks up to. There were several opportunities to utter your name, but when she opened her mouth, there was only stillness and heated air.

"Hmm? Basketball? You two liked watching basketball?"

A smaller girl asked them as Hanni woke up from her deep slumber. She was ready to face whatever they had today and what she didn't expect to see first thing in the morning is their TV on and set on the NBA channel.

Of course, it's not as if they don't watch sports; it's just that they don't watch them all the time. The majority of them understood what basketball was and how it was played, but none of them were big fans of the sport in general. If Hanni classified them as fans, they'd fall within the casual group. Only heard about it and saw excerpts on Twitter or Instagram.

"Hmm? Oh no It was just there when we opened the TV. Probably Manager Oppa was watching NBA replays last night before he left."

Danielle spoke on Haerin's behalf as a cover, and she smiled slightly, grateful for Danielle's reasons. It may have been a falsehood, but Haerin appreciated her efforts to cover for her.

"Ah I see. Well I'm going back to bed. Don't tell Minji thought."

And with those words stated, Hanni returned to her room to continue her nice sleep. The group did not appear to have any planned activities for the day, therefore it was a rare occurrence when they had a day off. With their notoriety, they seldom had days off, but they used them to rest. Danielle released go of Haerin's grasp and gazed at the girl before speaking.

"Okay you gotta tell me now why you like Basketball and why are you hiding it."

Haerin's eyes expand slightly, despite her customary blank expression. She didn't expect Danielle to be that tenacious about something because she typically loses interest quickly. But this time it was the opposite: Danielle wanted to know the truth behind Haerin's passion of basketball. Her curiosity couldn't be contained, and she'd do anything to find out why.

"Because I'm simply a fan of it Unnie. There's nothing too deep to talk about it so stop whatever your thinking Unnie."

Haerin's response took Danielle by suprise litterally and figuratively for 2 reasons.

 One, When Haerin said those words, Danielle noted how her brow wrinkled downwards, as if she was furious at her for asking such a question. She felt as if she had insulted her in some manner she didn't understand. All she did was ask an innocent inquiry.

Secondly, This was the first time Haerin had spoken to her in such a chilly and menacing manner. The group has been together for three years, and they recognize each other even when they close their eyes. They can readily identify who is who when given a description. Despite this, Haerin was never as frigid in her responses to any of them. Haerin's statements conveyed a hostile tone, which both scared and worried Danielle.

This was nothing the Haerin she knew about that's why she was left speechless and stunned to say anything back at her. She couldn't formulate any thoughts on how she could reply back towards her. Seeing the shocked and stunned face of Danielle, Haerin sighed a long one before standing up saying

"Sorry, I'll go somewhere for now. I'll be back before dinner Unnie."

As she rose up from her seat, she went to her room to change into a shirt and joggers, covered by a Nike jacket. She then grabbed her basketball, which was on her floor. All Danielle could do was watch Haerin depart their dorm, astonished and perplexed as to what had gotten her so defensive about the subject.

"Did I touch a sensitive topic for her? But why?"

Danielle pondered that concept as she lay flat on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling, seeking to connect the dots. And trying to find what she was seeking for.

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"Well that's the end of our season. What's your plan Y/N?"

As the squad finished their final game of the season, everyone in the locker room had different reactions to how their season ended. Some believed they did well, while others felt they could have done more to strive for a postseason seed berth, but the odds were not against them because health was the clear asterisk for this squad. Many of their major players went on to miss over half of the season combined. You and Austin Reaves were the only two players on the club who never missed a game during the season, but it wasn't enough.

Add in dubious coaching throughout the season, and the entire roster wondered if their coach ever trusted them. Players who were doing admirably were suddenly forced to take DNPs due to an experimental roster that had never played together before. It felt like they were competing against each other because no one knew what sort of play style they all had. Everything was just a mix of terrible luck and dubious coaching that led to this team's season-ending ouster.

"I don't know. After the exit interview later, I'll either sleep or sleep."

"I get you man but how's you and that Korean chic?"

Austin's inquiry simply made matters worse for you, as the thought of the season ending tonight left a bad taste in your mouth. And now AR had to bring up the subject with you and Yunjin. Heck, the entire Lesserafim was something you had to consider.

Relationships are something you're not sure you're ready for. Although you are dating Yunjin, there are serious uncertainties about whether you actually loved her or were simply swept up in the moment. Obviously, everyone in Lesserafim was lovely and attractive in their own right, but there was something lacking. When you think back on your time with Yunjin, you notice something is lacking.

You don't know what it is but you wanted to know more about it.

"Still dating. I'm planning to head to Korea later on actually. Take a break or something. I need to clear my mind after all this Laker stress man."

AR could only laugh at you, knowing it was the wisest thing to do after this disastrous season. Your body needs to recuperate after working so hard for the team. It was sad that you accomplished so much to keep the Lakers afloat in the standings, but it wasn't enough. Your amazing comeback against Milwaukee, your 57 points against the Bulls, your clutch three-pointer against the Celtics, resulting in their sole loss of the season, and lastly, your 1,000 assists, making you the youngest to accomplish this achievement.

All of that effort went for naught, as the Lakers couldn't even get a whiff of the eighth spot beginning in February. Since then, the Lakers have fluctuated between the 10th and 12th seeds in the last week of the regular season. Obviously, the media was criticizing you for not being able to lead the club to victory, given that LeBron is retiring, AD's contract expires this offseason, which means he's gone, and this will now be your team.

But having 2 hall of famers on your roster, yet you can't win?

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless will surely have a field day with your name tomorrow morning. But you just let the so called analytics talk whatever they want because that's what makes them relevant. All you can do is accept the criticism and be better for the next season.

As you ended your farewell interview, you informed the reporters that you attempted to accept responsibility for your mistakes this season and improve for the next. Although several individuals attempted to hint to the coaching problem, you just responded that some plays were supposed to work and others did not. Shading individuals is not something you do while you are still relatively new to the league. You are practically sealing your legacy at this time.

However, with the exit interview behind you, the disappointment lingers as you drive. Your mind was continually reminding you that you could have done better, but that is how it is. The season ended unexpectedly due to a variety of factors. Aside from the fact that the season ended earlier than intended, you may have also considered AR. Did you truly adore Yunjin? You didn't want to be disrespectful to Yunjin or anyone in Lesserafim since we were discussing sentiments. One false action and all may be ruined in an instant.

Checking your phone, the image of you and Yunjin glowed under the screen and somehow, the smile you used to have begin to disappear. Surely this was a normal feeling right? After all it's just a wallpaper.

"I need to see her"

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With each stride Haerin took, the court got closer to her. Nobody in the firm, including her members, knew about this location behind their company, which was often utilized for rubbish disposal. But Haerin spotted a court with a sturdy hoop. The green patch was visible in the little gaps under the concrete floor, yet it did not upset Haerin at all.

She dribbled the ball one time before releasing a pure mid-range from 15 feet away from the basket.

Only for it to brick the basket, Haerin laughed as she missed her first shot. She waddled to catch the ball and fired it from the board for her second shot. Haerin was dressed comfortably, similar to her rehearsal attire.

As the ball swished through the net, Haerin's smile seems to get bigger and bigger at every shot she made. She was making easy shot such as Jumpers and running layup but as time goes forward, Haerin decided to intensify her shots.

As she dribbled the ball away from the basket near the 3-point line. She took one deep breath before dribbling the ball forward with her body in a propelling angle. As the ball bounces off the hard concrete ground, she crossed the ball towards her left hand and started to sprint while dribbling the ball. With the net nearing her sight, she stopped her dribble before turning her back against the net. She half shifted to the right before fully rotating to the left for a hook shot that swished through the net.

As the ball bounced off the ground she giggled as she finally done perfected one of your move. She wasn't just loving the game of basketball but she also loves the iconic moves of the NBA legends and all-star.

But despite her love of the game, she couldn't forget the painful memory that comes at the cost of enjoying basketball.

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She was introduced to the sport at a young age by her uncle who's a crazy fan of basketball. She recalls the times she was invited to watch her uncle play the sport in some local gym. The joy and smile he had while playing the sport was what got her hooked. But as she picked up a ball, everyone suddenly started telling her that the sport isn't for her.

"Kid, you should play with barbie dolls and houses. This game isn't for you."

Those words from her uncle's teammate still haunts her to this day as they labeled her sport by her gender. As young as Haerin was, that was first true heartbreak for her because she felt helpless and devastated to hear those. And she would have just brushed those thoughts aside if it wad kids around her age but no, it was adults who told her to stop dreaming about playing basketball.

Her uncle of course defend Haerin to the point, everyone almost got into a scuffle only for the GYM owners to separate them apart. But despite the fight not continuing, the damage had already been done to her as all she can do was look down as her uncle walked her home.

"Say Haerin. Wanna shoot some mini hoops?"

"No need uncle, I'm not born to play that sport.."

Her uncle sighed as he regretted having Haerin watch her game. He didn't expect those dudes to call out a child like that who just wants to have fun. He ruffled her hair as Haerin pouted at that action. She had always hated it when her hair gets shuffled unexpectedly and this was no different.

"Uncle-"

"Tell me Haerin. Did you enjoy watching me play basketball?"

"Of course!"

"Do you want to play the sport?"

"But I'm not allowed to.."

Her uncle chuckled seeing her cute niece look down in shame. Life have always been a suprise to many and right now, Haerin thinking that Basketball is only played by one gender is false.

"Haerin-ah, Nobody should stop you from enjoying what you want. If it makes you happy, you should chase it and never look back."

"But Uncle-"

"Haerin-ah, Don't follow the crowd, my dear child. Instead, listen to your heart and create your own path. True happiness comes from within and when you stay true to yourself."

The smile that her uncle had that day showed her a bigger picture. Despite people wanting to pull you down, there will always be someone that will support you through and through. Haerin believed in the words of her uncle and stayed true to herself.

Basketball became her sport as she grew older, and her parents were very supportive of her. Despite her peers playing and growing up with gentle games, Haerin likes to dribble and shoot like Curry in their garden, envisioning her shots as game winners.

But as Middle school comes around, she was once again faced with adversity that had her scarred for life.

It was during their Physics Education period and their teacher wanted them to play sport games. Some groan some were smiling and Haerin had her poker face on, but internally, she was smiling ear to ear. As they all went to the school GYM. Haerin immediately picked up the basketball and what happened next was something she didn't expect to happen.

"Eh? Why are you picking up a basketball Haerin? Don't tell me your... Into that stuff."

As one of her classmate said that, everyone else followed to stare at her and at that exact moment, her heart began to act differently. Their eyes suddenly became so big and their shadows tower over her making her feel like she's surrounded by giants.

Her heart starts racing, beating erratically against her chest like a trapped bird desperately seeking escape. The air around her seems thick and suffocating, making every breath feel labored and shallow.

Her mind spirals into a vortex of irrational fears and negative thoughts, amplifying each sound and sensation until they become overwhelming.

A distant murmur transforms into a deafening roar in her ears, while the touch of fabric against her skin feels like prickly needles. Panic takes hold, gripping her tightly in its invisible claws, leaving her helpless and vulnerable.

Every attempt to regain control only fuels the anxiety further, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of fear and distress. It's as if her body is betraying her, turning against itself in this unexpected battle for sanity.

She couldn't handle it anymore as she dashed through the crowd, holding and closing ears from the murmurs that echoed through the area. Her heart beating so loud telling her to keep running and never look back. Tears falls off her cheeks as her eyes had uncontrollably started shedding her tears without her command.

But unlike before, She had nobody to run into.

Her uncle had died, leaving pleasant memories of Haerin to keep her sane in the harsh world they were living in. But her passing meant she'd lost her primary source of support and idol. Haerin was left alone to confront the world of misery and agony, and she was currently submitting to it all.

She couldn't handle everything on her own.

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Haerin groaned and gazed at the ball for a few seconds before continuing to dribble away from the hoop. Since then, Haerin has kept her passion of basketball to herself, never sharing her excitement for the sport with anyone. Her parents were surprised that she wasn't sweating every day shooting hoops in the backyard, but instead watching YouTube videos in her room.

She had closed the door of enjoying the sport with others and decided that this sport is only for her to enjoy and nobody else.

It didn't matter if she would harshly push anyone who tries play basketball with her, it didn't matter if it was her own members who wanted to play with her. She would immediately decline and ignore their invitation.

dribbling the ball, Haerin shoot a long 3 pointer that sinks right into the net effortlessly. And her shot wouldn't go unnoticed.

"Nice form"

A sudden voice alerted Haerin as she flinched and froze on the spot. As the ball rolled further away from her, it stopped once it reached your foot. You kneeled down to pick up the ball and gently gave Haerin a chest pass to which she managed to barely catch. She was star struck to see you face to face with her.

"Ummm...I'm sorry to ask this but are you.. Y/N McDaniels?"

Haerin shyly asked as you laughed and nodded your head at her. Your arrival in Korea was unexpectedly faster than what you thought. The private Jet that the Lakers provided you not only drived so fast but it felt like a 10 minute ride. Technology sure is scary.

"That I am. You shooting hoops?"

"Ah yes!"

Haerin suddenly pulled her smile back immediately despite seeing you in person. But she also felt like her demeanor of playing alone changed when you arrived. It felt like she was still playing by herself and alone. She shook her head off that thought and shoot her shot, but it bricked the rim as you jumped in and grabbed the ball.

Knowing the rules, Haerin went under the basket ready for a rebound as you took the ball out and shot a wide open 3 pointer, only for it to brick as Haerin chased it down and grab it. This process continued for quite sometime with the only words exchanged between you two were "Nice one" and "My ball". Some would argue this was awkward to be in but Haerin didn't feel like it. She felt so naturally free whenever she's on the court but with someone sharing the court with her? She never thought about it until you came.

As the two of you sat down to catch your breaths, You offered Haerin an extra water bottle you had in your bag to which Haerin shyly accepted. With the two of you sitting quietly, you decided to break the ice and speak first.

"So, what's your name?"

"Vanessa Kang..or you can call me Haerin.. Sir."

You laughed at her formality with you but dismiss it since it didn't bother you one bit.

"No need to be formal Haerin. It's just us two hoopers here anyway."

"Umm...Its just your my idol and It's not easy for me to drop the honorifics."

Haerin fidgeted her fingers as she looked down. She didn't know how to act in front of her idol because, most of the time, she is the one who draws attention due to the large number of her supporters. But, right now, she's a fan and you're the idol, so the positions are reversed.

"It's fine Haerin. I'm not that old yet anyway."

"Yeah 3 years apart.."

"What?"

You blinked a couple times before staring at Haerin who's face was completely red. She just dropped an important information about you and now her identity was fully blown. Haerin gulped before turning her head to look at you with a complete red face.

"I'm guessing your a fan of mine?"

"Ummm......yes.."

Haerin soften her voice on the last part as she wasn't confident on being your fan but your sharp ears managed to hear it. You laughed full heartedly at her as she looked at you confused. Was her approach wrong that you got the wrong idea or she had something on her face?

"Sorry, Sorry I just find it cute how your being shy admitting being a fan of basketball."

"Ummm...I just don't want people to see me differently.."

Your smile slowly disappeared after hearing the words that Haerin spoke. What she said raised your curiosity as you didn't understand what she meant by it.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I just... Went through a tough time of people accepting that I like basketball more unlike other sports.."

Although you haven't heard much about her tale, her voice was enough to tell you that she went through hardship while trying to play the sport that she loved.

"Haerin, Happiness doesn't come from the words of others, it comes from the voices of your heart."

Haerin widen her eyes as your words reminded her of the words spoken by her own uncle. She looked at you as you gave her a warm smile.

"Don't let others dictate your happiness, Make it your own Haerin."

She felt her uncle's nostalgia in your words. Even if the words were altered, the message remained the same. To be joyful regardless of what others say. That was what her uncle had told her about life in general, not just hoops. She aspired to be an Idol because she enjoyed dancing to music. She wanted their music to be heard and enjoyed by their listeners.

Your comments triggered a deep memory for Haerin, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Not long later, she lost control of her tears and began weeping. You worried when you saw her break down because you didn't know what to do. You chose to softly touch her back while Haerin sobs slowly. You weren't very good at emotional scenarios like this one, and you thought it would calm her down. You didn't have your handkerchief when you really needed it.

As Haerin calmed down, she wiped the remaining tears on her eyes away before looking at you with a soft stare.

"Thanks and.. Sorry for crying out of nowhere."

"It's fine. That's okay. Maybe we can shoot hoops again to clear your mind?"

Haerin laughed at your idea, but she nodded, knowing that it would undoubtedly help her clear her mind. As the two of you proceeded to play hoops, Haerin's cat curiosity took over, and she questioned why you were here in the first place.

"Y/N, can I ask why your here in Korea?"

She said after passing you the ball in a perfect bounce pass. You chuckled at her question before releasing the shot for a 13 feet jumper.

"I'm just here to confirm something is all."

"Really? What's it about?"

"My own feelings"

Haerin widened her eyes slightly before handing the ball back to you, since this surprised her. Someone in the country seemed to have taken interest in the guy she adored. She isn't sure whether she would be joyful or sad. She may be thrilled since a celebrity like you like someone from her nation is something she should be proud of. Sadly, that wasn't her.

Haerin quickly flushed scarlet as she thought about it, because it came out of nowhere and was so strange for her to think about. Her cheeks were flaming, and her heart was beating faster as she watched you dribble the ball up to the rim. She swallowed nervously, as that unexpected notion had forever altered her perception of you.

.

.

.

Haerin had seen you around the corporate building for weeks, but as the days passed, the grin on your face faded, which bothered her. She wanted to ask you about this, but all she could do was shoot hoops with you to alleviate your concerns. But the more she learned about your position, the more she questioned if she was even suited to be around you. Your statements showing your perplexity and irritation with Yunjin make her feel like she's nothing more than a pillar of strength for you.

She doesn't mind it, but she wished she was in Yujin's position.

Even if she is your wall of support, she hoped that a small part of herself is what you are seeking for instead. Since the prospect of you entering her life, her attitude toward you has drastically altered. She found herself doing something she didn't often do, which surprised her members. When she shoots hoops with you, she wears everything from light makeup to red lipstick and blush. Minji observed this recently, and as the group's leader, she had to ask her why their beloved cat has been acting strangely lately.

"Haerin? Can we talk?"

"Oh, sure Unnie."

As Minji enters her room, she looked around her room to see nothing out of the usual. So she took her seat on the edge of her bed.

"I was just wondering, What are you doing outside? You seem to be going outside lately. Is there somewhere your visiting?"

Minji's questions didn't have any vile intentions in them but rather a voice, of a worried and curious leader. Haerin wanted to shake her head to deny her claims but your words rang through her head. She wanted to find that happiness and she knows she can't fully enjoy that happiness alone. She needed to take a step forward away from her comfort zone and see what lies beyond.

"Yeah, I have been playing basketball again."

"Really? That's so cool!"

Haerin couldn't believe it. Someone aside from her said that the sport she's doing is something amazing. She was expecting the usual reaction from her previous encounters of this confession yet this time, it was the opposite.

"Unnie, you don't find that... Weird?"

"Of course not! Why would I find you playing basketball weird. In fact I want to see you play. Oh, Maybe we can all play basketball sometimes! I can set up a date-"

Minji couldn't continue her statement because Haerin cut her off with a warm, tight embrace. For the first time in her life, Haerin felt relieved that she no longer needed to close the door. She felt less alone than she had in a long time. For the first time in a long time, she met someone who understood her.

"Unnie.."

"What’s wrong Haerin? Do you want to invite the members too? I'm sure they would love to play with you."

"No Unnie, I'm happy. I'm just happy and thank you."

Minji couldn't understand where Haerin was coming from, but with her appreciation, she could only see it as a positive thing. As Haerin continued to hug Minji, she realized she might need some help with the preadicament she was facing.

"Unnie, Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it Haerin-ah?"

"Umm.. Is it okay.. For a girl to like a guy.. Who's like trying to like fix their relationship that don't seem to work and, she's acting as the guy's support, but he doesn't know that the girl has developed feelings for him. Or is that wrong?"

Minji pondered on this thought as this was something she wasn't familiar with. But with her expertise in watching K-Drama on the television, she has one answer for that one.

"If that's the case, I suggest the girl to stop being the guy's support because as I see it. She's becoming a rebound for the guy. Well unintentionally that is."

When Haerin heard those words, she stopped her breath for a moment as a little pain struck her heart. Being labeled a rebound is the last thing she wanted to be termed. But when she thinks back on her time with you, she was your rock, and every tale she hears about Yunjin tears her heart apart.

That wasn't happiness for her.

Perhaps it was time to listen to her Leader's advice and be the person that she has always been. A girl who loves performing in front of her fans and enjoy playing basketball.

"Yeah, Your right Unnie. Anyway I'll be at the court now."

"Okay, Alright. Be back before dinner okay? And stay safe."

Haerin chuckled hearing the words of their eldest and leader as she identically sounded like her own mother with her tone and delivery.

"I will."

With a clear understanding of what she needed to do, she made her way to the court where she had become accustomed to meeting you. With every step seeming to be loaded with the few memories you two shared, it felt bittersweet that she was willing to let go of everything in such a short period of time. During that period, she became aware of numerous things she had previously avoided.

Being able to enjoy basketball without being bothered by others, finding satisfaction in the company of others, and generally enjoying life. Despite the brief time together, she has become connected to you, which is the terrible part. She's terrified of facing you now. She is unsure how she will deal with you after this, or if it is best to simply withdraw from your life for ever.

What Hurts more is she's letting go of her idol.

The person she looks up too.

The person she admire so much.

The person she fell in love with.

And

The person that will break her heart.

Just thinking about the night hoops you played and the late-night food tour across Seoul makes her melancholy. Haerin had become a tourist during the day and a wall of support at night. Haerin was eager to be at your side, and she couldn't remember how many times she ran to the court only to be your ear and shoulder to depend on.

As this idea occurred to her, it became more difficult for her to continue her trek towards the court since her eyes were already filled with tears for you. She had never thought that loving someone could be so difficult. She never considered the possibility of love since she never took such things seriously. She couldn't understand why her Unnies were so obsessed with romantic dramas and other aspects of love.

But now she realized, what love is.

And she got the bitter part of it.

Taking a deep breath, she continued on with her walk as she spotted you sitting on the bench watching the passing cars go by. Your presence alone makes her heart flutter and make her knees go weak. As you wave and smile at her, the heat crept it's way up her cheeks as she continued her descend on the stairs towards the court. But her eyes never left you and as soon as she took one misstep, her foot slipped and was stumbling to-

"Gotcha. You alright Haerin?"

Your buffed arms managed to catch her fragile small body as she directly stared at you with admiration and with love. Her heart raced faster than it was earlier and this was a scene straight out of the romance movies. After catching herself, she immediately pushed you away standing up by herself as her action caught you by suprise

"Haerin? Is everythin-"

"Please... Let's stop seeing each other."

As hard as it is to hear someone say that to you, Haerin is the one who is most saddened. By confessing those words, she is letting go of all the memories she has with you. But, more crucially, she is willing to let you go.

"Y/N, The last few weeks has been nothing but a blast I had with you and nothing can replace those moments with anyone. You thought me what it means to be happy once again but more importantly, you helped me realize how to enjoy basketball once again."

"Haerin.."

"I became your wall of support and ear whenever you visit Yunjin and I understand that. You and Yunjin are meant for each other and probably trying to fix the relationship you two had. I don't want to be a nuisance to both of you once you two figured it out.."

As her emotions have caught up to her words, she tried to suppress the tears that was slowly falling down her cheeks as she immediately Wipes them off. With every second passing by, her heart was being torned apart.

"You know Y/N, because of you, I enjoyed things that I usually don't do. Like applying lipsticks, using the eye liner, using lip tint, applying blush on, and wearing cute clothes. Before I'm only doing those because I'm a Kpop Idol but with you, I enjoy doing them because of you. "

"Haerin.."

"I want to say goodbye, but that would be too sad and I don't want this to be the end of us meeting. So Y/N.."

A soft breeze passed you two by as her hair danced with the air showing a long haired beautiful angel crying.

"I hope to see you again."

With those last words spoken by her, her heart has completely shattered into thousand pieces. She couldn't look you in the face or else she might breakdown completely. So turning her back around, she was ready to let you go and move forward in her life.

"Preety Kang, who said this is the end?"

You smirked as Haerin stopped on her tracks. Your voice still had a huge effect on her as you took steps closer to her. Panic began to rise all over body as she didn't know what will happen next.

"You said you were a nuisance? I called you a ball of sunshine."

"Stop it..."

"You said I showed you happiness? How can you be so sure when YOU'RE my happiness."

"Please.. Stop.."

"All my life, I have watched opportunities slip by my hands. And Days I spent with you were the opportunities I didn't slip by. Because of you, I learned who I am."

"Y/N..."

"Kang Haerin. I'm not letting you go anymore. My heart beats for you and only you. If your not ready now, I'll wait and I'll keep waiting until our paths cross again. Because if Love didn't happen, I wouldn't have met you."

"......"

"Kang Haerin, The girl I love is you."

Haerin had never twirled so fast her life as she spinned back towards you and jumping into your body as you catches her. Her tears couldn't be controlled anymore as she cried her heart out not out of sadness this time. But in happiness.

"Y/N!!"

"I'm here Haerin. I'm here."

As you stroked her hair, Haerin buried her face in your chest, weeping gently as she heard your heart's lovely rhythm. She couldn't believe her modest wish had come true. For you, the decision was not simple. The way you went to korea hoping to connect with Yunjin failed. You tried your best to make your heart beat for her but despite the efforts, Haerin was the one chiming your heart.

Every time you go closer to Yunjin, your mind only sees one cat, which was unjust to Yunjin. You had to tell her the truth, but Yunjin was the first person to say farewell to you. She knew the minute you first dated her, your heart couldn't hold her. No matter how hard she tried, she could see straight through you, and when she saw you smiling genuienly, she knew someone had already stolen your heart.

And she didn't want your friendship to be broken due to one-sided passion. As terrible as it is for her, she genuinely loved you and chose your happiness above her own. She understood that love needs sacrifices, and she was prepared to make the biggest sacrifice of her own love for your love story.

You shed your own share of tears as Yunjin said her farewell to you because despite not fully loving her, a part of your heart truly did loved her genuienly and honestly. It felt heart breaking despite not truly loving her. It confuses you but with one door closes, another one opens.

As you looked at your lock screen, the picture of you and Yunjin was difficult to remove. But, knowing that you and Yunjin had failed, you pinned all of your hopes on one girl. The girl who has been with you since your arrival and is the only one who has remained in your head and heart.

Haerin, your constant companion and supporter during your time in Korea. Her temperament and beauty are too appealing not to notice her. Not only that, but she keeps you smiling and understands how to connect with you. She was everything you didn't realize you needed. You still recall the day your heart sang for her. When you were rushing away from a paparazzi at night, her warm little hands entwined around yours, and her charming grin brightened the darkness. At that same moment, you knew your heart was pounding for Kang Haerin rather than Huh Yunjin.

You were so stupid because you figured it out too late and today was suppose to be day you told her everything but it seems Haerin was the first one to beat you too it.

"Do you mean it?"

Haerin gazed up to meet your gaze, her cat-like eyes looking more lovely than ever. You nodded, stroked her hair, and returned to burying her face on your chest. Her behaviors made you laugh because they were so charming.

"I love you Y/N.."

She backed away, sneaking a quick kiss on your cheeks before whispering gently. Thinking you hadn't heard her, you bent down to kiss her forehead, making her blush even more.

"I love you too, My Laker Star Haerin. Hehe~"

You smiled wholeheartedly at her, just like Haerin did, despite her cheeks going red. Both of you were experiencing the joys of love as fate brought your hearts together.

As Yunjin looked down at the building's glass windows, she watched the guy she genuinely loved embracing a girl he deserved. Her heart ached to see you with someone else, but she knew you were the one known as "Right Person, Wrong Time." She smiled sadly as she shed one final tear staring at you.

"I hope you treat him right Haerin. Because he was once My Laker Star too."

.

.

.

[soulshaped]

see, the life i've had

remus lupin x reader | friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, slow burn

a/n: year 2!!! lmk if you want to be added to the taglist :)

part one

wc: 3.7k

The lights in St. Mungo’s flicker ominously above two resting bodies. One, lies incredibly still, for every slight movement causes an avalanche of pain. Her head lulls to rest on her right shoulder as she drifts in and out of a restless sleep. The other, rests a gentle hand on hers, subconsciously feeling for a pulse even in his dreams. Inside him, there is the dormant wolf, who senses the rushing of blood through her veins. It smells all of the weak, unable bodies surrounding him; they are so open, so vulnerable. 

It is the wolf who ultimately pulls Remus out of his slumber, desperate for his attention. The full moon draws closer and closer, gradually becoming a beacon of light against the sweltering heat of August nightfall. He almost yearns for its beauty as his eyes blink open to the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital, the same ones he’s spent all summer basked in instead.

The room is empty and eerily silent, showing no other signs of life besides his mother’s quiet, shallow breaths. His father is nowhere to be seen and Remus’ stomach twists in rage, the wild aggression of the wolf rising like bile in his throat. It’s a Saturday, he should be here. And yet his chair on the other side of the bed remains unoccupied, as always. Remus wants to be angry, he wants Lyall to enter the room with the same guilty look on his face, he wants to grab him by the shoulders and shout at him until his lungs run out of air, until his throat aches. He wants to unleash the wolf festering inside of him–pacing in the trapped corridors of his mind, scratching angrily at the walls. 

Hope makes a small squeak of discomfort in her slumber, and Remus looks down to see his hand wrapped around hers in a tight hold, squeezing. He stands, pulling back and releasing her in an instant. He approaches a gloomy scene outside the only window in the room and holds his own hand warily, as if it were a loaded weapon between his fingertips. 

The wolf has been getting harder to tame in the past few months. Remus initially thought it was merely a byproduct of his own shock and distress over Hope’s illness, but perhaps he was wrong. Maybe instead, it’s seizing more control of Remus as it ages alongside him–as Remus grows older and stronger, maybe the wolf does as well. Maybe one day, he will wake up to find himself wholly unrecognizable, more wolf than boy. 

There’s a distinct pounding in his right temple at the mere thought of it all, and he is suddenly incredibly thankful for the silence. If this is the case, if this is the life he’s been assigned, if his father has already sensed these subtle changes in him, even before he has, then he supposes Lyall is right to pull away from Remus. He is only human. 

-

On September 1st, Lyall sends Remus off to the Hogwarts Express with a terse nod, his eyes cast down at the linoleum hospital floors. They’re bloodshot, the wrinkled skin around them red and puffy. Remus hasn’t felt sympathy towards him in a long time, so he says nothing and turns to walk away from him. He keeps walking until he reaches King’s Cross, the hospital now miles away, where his father can no longer hurt him. 

Remus subtly steps through the threshold and onto the hidden platform, for the very first time on his own. He remembers how his mother, who once stood so strong and tall, had gently grasped his trembling hand, just last year. The overwhelming loneliness strikes him in a single, swift motion as he watches the waves of parents bidding their children farewell with warm embraces, soft kisses. He frantically attempts to swallow the lump building in his dry throat, comforted only by the familiar train awaiting his arrival, by the smoke billowing out of its chimney. Then, he hears something great through all of the noise, it feels like home. He weaves through the dense crowd with his baggage in tow and tries to follow the faint sound of James’ loud whoops coming from somewhere in the distance. 

“Remus! Over here!”

A glimpse of untidy black hair accompanied by a hand waving back and forth in the air. His pace quickens, his heart beating in anticipation. Contact with the boys has been sparse over the holidays, only a handful of letters from them–mainly from James–that have kept him up to date on what they’ve been up to. James spent practically the entirety of his summer preparing for the upcoming Quidditch tryouts (with Peter tagging along, as always) while Sirius was very unwillingly dragged to various, supposedly mandatory Black family events. Remus’ own letters remained concise and vague so as to avoid telling them how his days passed by holed up in a hospital, accompanying his dying mother. 

“Hiya Remus!” Peter waves.

“Hi.”

James and Sirius seemed to be wrapped up in an animated conversation, the former motioning his hands in the air comically as if to mimic a broom. There’s another, smaller boy there, standing off to the side besides them, his hands shoved deep into his black trousers. He looks an awful lot like Sirius if he was permanently in a bad mood–his long black hair framed his grimacing features, his lips pulled tautly into a frown. And next to the enthusiastic pair, he seems especially out of place. 

“Remus! There you are!” James exclaims, clapping him on the back.

“Took you long enough to come help me, James will not stop talking about Quidditch.”

James looks affronted. “It’s the first year we can actually make it onto the team. And I heard–”

“Remus, meet my little brother, Reggie. Say hello, Reggie.”

Sirius tugs on the boy’s elbow gently, prompting him to step closer into their circle. 

“I’m not a child, my name is Regulus,” he murmurs angrily, ears flaring red. 

Sirius waves him off. “He’s a bit of a grump today, aren’t you Reggie? Mum’s been nagging him all summer about how he must get into Slytherin, lest she ends up with two disappointments for a son instead of just the one.”

Regulus rips his arm out of Sirius’ hold, storming off towards the train. Sirius rolls his eyes and sighs dramatically. 

“Nasty temper, that one.”

-

Sirius was much more anxious about the Sorting Ceremony than he let on. Remus saw it in the way his legs bounced underneath the dining table, in the way he gnawed on the pads of his fingers. When Regulus was called up to the stool, the oversized Sorting Hat fell to his small shoulders for no longer than three seconds before Slytherin was announced. Their table erupted into loud cheers, ushering Regulus into an empty seat. But for a second, Remus could’ve sworn he saw his eyes nervously dart over to where they sat, where Sirius was sporting a similar grimace to Regulus’.

“Should’ve known, Regulus would never dare disappoint Mother dearest.” 

He recovered almost immediately, returning to his usual antics with James. But when they returned to their dorm, he was the first one to bed without a word. 

The rest of September passed quickly. Remus fully occupied himself with his classes and coursework, hoping it would be an adequate distraction from Hope, from Lyall, from the wolf. It meant, however, that the full moon at the end of the month came just as quick. It was particularly painful. Madame Pomfrey found him in a fetal position on the dusty, wooden floorboards of the Shrieking Shack, shivering from the cold. He had been too exhausted, too close to death to even reach for the blanket resting on the bed behind him. 

When he finally came to, in the hospital ward, Madame Pomfrey was applying Essence of Dittany to the cuts across his bare abdomen, etched deep into his flesh. 

“Rough one, was it?”

Remus grunted in agreement, nodding slowly. His throat ached from the dryness; it could’ve been from his screaming or the wolf’s howling–he couldn’t remember. Pomfrey reached over with a glass in one hand and lifted his head with the other, tilting some water into his mouth. It was gentle, as gentle as a mother’s touch. 

“Thanks.” 

“Anytime, darling.” She rests the glass on the bedside table gently and turns to leave. 

Remus, feeling safe and warm in her kind presence, thinks this is a good time as any to confide in her. 

He clears his throat. “Madame Pomfrey?” 

“Yes, Remus?”

“My transformations… my condition. I feel like–well, I feel as though they’re getting worse, like, er, harder to control. Even when it’s not the full moon.” 

She nods, as if knowing this was coming all along.

“You’re quite right, Remus. It’s normal for a growing boy of your age, at least from what I’ve gathered. There aren’t many books on the matter, as I’m sure you know, but from what I have read, puberty can be an especially difficult time for a werewolf.” 

Remus doesn’t know what to say. Is it possible? All of his darkest thoughts, ones he’s tried so desperately to bury, the wolf getting louder and louder with each passing day–could all of it be attributed to something as normal as puberty? He doesn’t respond. 

“I can only imagine what you’re feeling, Remus, since all of the other boys your age have much to deal with already. It seems as though it will improve steadily though, with age. You’ll grow out of it before you know it.”

She squeezes his hand in reassurance, but Remus does not feel any better, he feels angry. Madame Pomfrey has only reiterated what Remus has been repeating to himself on a loop, only really saying that this is the hand he has been dealt in this life, only pitying him. He doesn’t need her pity, or anyone else’s for that matter. All he needs is a chance at a different life, a normal life. A chance to live in a body that belongs solely to him.

A day later, Madame Pomfrey finally allows him to leave the ward. He returns to his dorm, walking as slow as ever on unsteady legs, staying close to the walls of the castle to avoid being knocked over by an oblivious student. 

Sirius confronts him as soon as he walks through the door. 

“Hey! Where have you been?”

“Remus! I got in, I’m a new chaser for Gryffindor!” James exclaims, practically jumping up and down.

“Congrats! That’s great, James,” he states, trying to rest his weight on the wall behind him, subtly. 

“Thanks, I really–hey, are you alright? Where have you been?”

“I, uh–I was visiting my mom at the hospital, St. Mungo’s? She’s, um, she’s–well, ill.”

“Oh,” James' face falls in an instant, “I’m sorry, mate.”

“Sorry, Remus.” Peter murmurs. 

“No, no, it’s alright. She’s been in all summer.”

“Bloody hell, Remus, you didn’t say anything…” Sirius has a pitiful gaze in his eyes. 

“It’s really okay, she’s doing fine,” Remus says dismissively. “So, er–how’d tryouts go?” 

“Great! I was out of my mind with nerves, like you wouldn’t even believe, but when I finally got my hands on the Quaffle…”

The conversations flow quickly after that, to Remus’ relief. He tries not to wonder what their reactions would be to finding out the real truth, how they would respond if they knew where he really goes every month, or what they really sleep next to every night. 

-

The days of winter pass by him like a dream. It’s easy to get lost in isolation, especially on the castle grounds that seem to stretch on forever, especially when Remus has so much to hide. The Marauders continue to set up traps for unsuspecting students, planning pranks filled with as much mischief as they can manage without getting expelled. To maintain a sense of normalcy, Remus joins in with as much enthusiasm as he is capable of, which is not much. He hopes it is enough to quell any suspicions, any accusations that they might make about his withdrawn state. On the eve of his thirteenth birthday, however, the dream ends. 

He’s resting against his headboard, rereading the book you’d given him last year for a third time, a painful crick developing at the nape of his neck. Just as he moves his hand to massage it, hoping to smooth away some of the pain, James, Peter, and Sirius burst through the door like fireworks. 

Remus curses, looking up to see them all hunched over, hands on their knees and breathing deeply as if they’d just done laps around the castle. Sirius is gripping a piece of parchment tightly in his right hand. 

“What’s happened? Did you lot get caught for the Dungbombs?”

“Remus…” James breathes out, finally looking up to meet his eyes. 

Remus has never seen him look so serious before.

“What? What is it?”

“Remus, w–”

“We know, Remus.” Sirius says, sudden and loud, eyes darkened. 

Remus feels like he’s been plunged into the depths of the Black Lake, the cold water rushing over him, coating every bit of his flesh. He can’t breathe, he can hardly even think. 

“We know you’re a werewolf,” James says. He straightens out his back and puffs out his chest, almost in a subconscious attempt at confidence.

“Y-You… I’m a– what are– what?” 

“Your disappearances, we didn’t know what to think at first and well… with your mom… we thought maybe it really was just nothing,” James starts. 

“But we’d already been keeping track, see,” Sirius opens the crumpled parchment to reveal a set of dates and accompanying notes. 

James continues. “We dropped it for a while, not knowing what it was, but then… then we found something in our Defense books… about werewolves.”

“It lined up, your disappearances, with every full moon. Without fail.” 

Remus suddenly feels anger seize him, shaking him. He’s been observed by the people he thought were his closest friends, like an insect under a microscope. They’ve been watching him, biding their time, doing research. To do all of this, to confront him with his own lies, just so they could leave him and never speak to him again. 

“So I suppose you’ve got it all figured out then, right? Tell everyone how clever you are, how dangerous I am, how they should all stay away from me?”

“Remus, we would– we would never do that!” James shouts, looking incredibly wounded. 

Remus suffocates the guilt threatening to seep into his gut, burying it with more anger instead. 

“Right,” he scoffs, “why else, then? For your own enjoyment?”

“Bloody hell, we wanted to help you! But all you ever do is shut us out!” Sirius snaps. 

Remus doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t believe them, he refuses to. 

“It’s true, Remus, we just wanted to help. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone.” James says softly, and at this moment, Remus thinks he looks older than he is, more mature. He shrinks into himself and feels even smaller. 

“You’re not… afraid? Of me?”

“Of course not, you’re our best mate. It doesn’t change that.”

“We’re the Marauders, remember?” Sirius grins and the familiarity of it soothes Remus a bit.

Peter nervously fidgets with the hem of his sleeve, his eyes still glued to the floor. Sirius nudges him roughly and he stammers,

“W-We– Y-You’re still our friend, Remus.” 

“Thanks… I’m sorry for not telling you guys.”

“I-Is your mom really sick?” Peter looks up, eyes wide and rounded.

“Er– yeah. She is, but I don’t actually visit her every month… I go to the Shrieking Shack for my… transformations.”

“Are you the ghost then? The one people can hear?”

“Yeah, Peter,” Remus can’t help but smile, thinking of the wolf as a ghost haunting the Shack, “I guess I am.”

As March comes to a close, Remus feels lighter than he has in a long time. He had permitted the boys’ interrogation of the werewolf with great hesitance, not really knowing how to act around them now that they knew the depths of his secret. On one sunny day, a day that smells particularly like spring, James gives Remus a picture. It was the castle, basking in the hues of the setting sun, captured from high up, almost eye level with the very top of the Astronomy Tower. He can see the tall trees in the background, their growing leaves, moving with the breeze.

“I took it during practice today!”

Euphemia and Fleamont had gifted him a magical camera for his birthday, so James has taken to carrying it with him everywhere. 

“Wow… thanks, James. Godric, it’s really amazing. ‘ve never seen anything like it.”

“Glad you like it, mate. Thought of you when I took it.” James grins, patting Remus on the back amicably as he walks to the bathroom. 

Remus falls asleep quickly that night with the picture tucked safely underneath his pillow like a secret prayer. Maybe he will wake up in a better life, a life made just for him. 

-

Remus doesn’t see you anymore. He’d been used to ignoring your smiles, your small waves as you passed him in the halls. He’d been used to focusing his eyes on anything but you in shared classes, been used to the twinge of guilt that would settle uncomfortably on his chest when he felt your stare burning holes into the side of his head. He should’ve known that you would stop trying eventually, one day. He should’ve anticipated it. But after a while, when he could no longer feel your eyes on him, when he stopped seeing you, he wasn’t used to that at all. It’s for the better, especially now that the Marauders knew about him. If he’d let you stay, let you get closer and closer, it would only be a matter of time before you found out about him too. He was naive to ever expect that he could have continued feeding lies to his closest friends. He doesn’t need you to be one of them.

And yet, now that you’re refusing to acknowledge him, he finds it safer to look in your direction once again. His eyes float towards your seat in classes, in the Great Hall, and his ears catch your loud laugh more often than not. He tries not to think about it.

In early June, he spots Lily turning the corner and waits for your inevitable appearance – the pair of you rarely went anywhere without the other. It never came, however, Lily remained alone as she approached the Marauders with vigor. Remus fights the innate urge to hide behind Sirius, Lily’s determined stare sending a shiver down his spine. 

“Hiya Evans, alright?” James smirks, leaning against the cobblestone wall. 

“Remus, could I speak to you for a second?” Lily asks, pointedly ignoring James’ existence.

“Er– I guess?”

Lily begins to walk away from them and Remus turns to face his three friends, all adorning equally shocked expressions. James’ eyebrows are nearly overlapping with how furrowed they are. 

“I’ll, uh… meet you guys in the Great Hall in a bit.” 

He has to break into a small jog, as much as he possibly can, to catch up with her. She slows down beside him, but doesn’t say anything for a while. The corridors are emptying quickly with dinner starting so soon. It’s completely silent before he knows it, only the soft sound of their soles hitting the ground. 

“Listen, Remus… I like you.”

“Huh?”

Remus’ gaze turns to Lily, seeing her cheeks tinged with pink.

“I-I mean, as a person,” she blurts, “I like you as a person, a friend even.”

“Alright, me too… I guess?”

“Well, the thing is… she’s my best friend.”

“Huh?” Remus repeats, utterly confused. 

Lily stops abruptly, nearly stomping her feet in frustration.

“(Y/N), she’s my best friend! So just… just stop being so daft and ignoring her, will you? It’s really rude, Remus, and I don’t want to start hating you as well.”

Remus stays silent, his brain seemingly unable to form even a single cohesive sentence. 

“I thought you two were friends. It seems that she thought so as well, but what do I know?” 

With that, Lily storms away, leaving Remus all alone, wrapped in the silence – though his rushing thoughts are enough to keep him company.

-

On the last day of exams, Remus decides to go on one more walk around the grounds, savoring the heat from the sun as much as possible. By the end of the week, he’ll be at St. Mungo’s once again. 

He sees you sitting alone by the Black Lake, with a book, of course. He settles into a seat beside you, the wet grass seeping into his robes. You don’t look up from your book, refusing to acknowledge his presence. He reaches for the chocolate frog in his pocket, that he’d charmed to not melt. He’d put it there after Lily’s conversation, just in case. You’d been difficult to find alone though, perhaps a fault of his own doing. He places it just in front of you. 

Remus watches your eyes flicker ever so slightly to the frog, then back down to your book. He’s not dejected though, not yet. Instead, he pulls out your copy of Rebecca, the same one he’s been rereading all year. He feels you peek at it out of the corner of your eye. 

In almost a whisper, he says, “My mum… she’s ill.”

You finally look up at him, but it’s his turn to avoid your stare. He doesn’t say anything more and you turn away once more. This time, however, he hears you rustling through your bag. You pull something out, laying it down in front of him, mirroring his own actions. He recognizes it immediately. 

It’s a book, wrapped in the same bow, with the same delicate trim as the year before – The Count of Monte Cristo, the book you’d been reading when he found you behind the tapestry. 

“I was going to give it to you for Christmas, but…”

“I know. Sorry I’ve been a bit of a prat.”

“Yeah, you have,” you say bluntly. 

But your lips, they’re pulled into a grin. Remus smiles back, even brighter. 

He reads the book all the way to St. Mungo’s, comforted by your notes scribbled in the margins.

-

taglist: @daydreamandforget @whatdoyxumean

[margeoww]

I love love love your toto fics!!! can i req one where it's like based off of illicit afairs by taylor swift? specifically the bridge part?

A Thousand Cuts

back to my masterlist

pairing: toto wolff x reader

summary: In the quiet, fleeting hours of the night, love feels fragile yet intoxicating. You swore this would be the last time, but forbidden hearts always return to the places they shouldn’t.

a/n: i really hope that you like it, i tried my best 😢

You promised yourself this would be the last time.

Standing in front of the mirror, your reflection mocked you, as if it could see straight into your unraveling heart. The dim lights of the train station flickered behind you, blurring into the fogged window. The announcement echoed through the platform, calling for a destination you’d memorized far too well.

This is it, you told yourself, gripping the edges of the seat as the train rattled through the city. One last time. One last night.

But you knew the truth. It wouldn’t be the last, just as it hadn’t been the last time before. The thought made your stomach twist, guilt settling into its usual corner alongside the yearning.

When you reached the hotel, your chest tightened. You hesitated at the door, the keycard warm in your trembling hand. The hallway was eerily quiet, your footsteps the only sound until you stood before the door.

You didn’t knock; you never had to.

Inside, Toto sat at the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his tie undone. He looked up as you entered, the faintest trace of relief flickering in his tired eyes.

—I wasn’t sure if you’d come. —he said softly, his Austrian accent curling around the words.

—I wasn’t sure either. —you admitted, closing the door behind you. The lock clicked, sealing you both in this fragile, fleeting world where nothing else existed.

—You always come back. —he murmured, standing. His presence filled the room, broad shoulders, sharp lines, the commanding air he carried even in moments like these.

—I shouldn’t,. —you replied, but your voice wavered.

—And yet. —he said, stepping closer.

He stopped just short of you, close enough for you to feel the heat radiating from him. For a moment, neither of you moved. It was always like this, a dance of restraint, a futile attempt to draw lines in the sand when the tide always washed them away.

Then he reached for you, his hand curling around your wrist as if anchoring you to him. —Why do we keep doing this? —he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You didn’t answer, because the answer was too raw, too painful. Instead, you closed the distance between you, your lips brushing his in a kiss that tasted of desperation.

The hours that followed were a blur of tangled sheets and whispered confessions. His hands memorized you, his lips traced paths over your skin as if he could map out every inch of you before the sun rose. And you let him, because you didn’t know how to stop.

—Stay. —he murmured, his voice rough and pleading. His fingers trailed down your arm, his touch lingering as if he feared you might disappear.

—I can’t. —you whispered, though every fiber of your being screamed for you to stay.

—You can. —he insisted, his forehead resting against yours. —Just this once.

But you both knew it wasn’t that simple.

The morning arrived too soon, sunlight creeping through the curtains and shattering the fragile cocoon you’d built around yourselves. You sat on the edge of the bed, pulling your clothes on in silence, the weight of the inevitable goodbye pressing down on you.

—You don’t have to go. —he said, his voice steady, but his eyes betrayed him.

You turned to him, your heart breaking at the sight of him, disheveled, vulnerable, and entirely too much for you to bear. —We can’t keep doing this, Toto.

His jaw tightened, and he nodded, though the defeat in his eyes was unmistakable. —I know.

But neither of you moved.

Finally, you crossed the room, your hand lingering on the doorknob. You glanced back at him one last time, trying to memorize the way he looked in that moment—the way his shoulders sagged, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides.

—I’ll see you. —you said, your voice barely audible.

And then you left, the door clicking shut behind you.

The cool morning air hit your face as you stepped onto the street, and the tears you’d been holding back finally fell. You swore to yourself it would be the last time.

But deep down, you knew you’d be back.

[xiaq]

I'm seeing a lot of folks online and IRL who are (understandably!) excited about Kamala's momentum after the debate (and T Swift's endorsement) last night. But I want to caution people against holding her up as some infallible, ideal candidate. Read the fact-checking transcripts from BBC and NPR. Understand what her position is on subjects that are important to you. Her platform is significantly more moderate than it used to be because she's trying to appeal to Republicans that are disillusioned with their candidate (it's working!).

But that means that if you care about things like the genocide which continues in Gaza, the expansion of fracking and other environmental concerns, decriminalizing border crossings, student loans, disability, and healthcare policies, you need to be attentive to the platform she's running on and the new promises she's making, not what she may have said or promised in the past

If she wins this, it will certainly be a win. Kamala is far and away the best candidate. But a Kamala win won't signal the end of the work we need to do. I don't want to dampen anyone's excitement, but holding any human being up as a faultless icon is a recipe for disappointment.

[unconventional-lawnchair]

We'll heal together: Chapter Six

Seven Taylor Swift

Sirius Black x Reader (Past) / Severus Snape x Reader (Platonic-Past)

Masterlist

Summary: The reader reminisces on some old friends of hers. Harry starts seeing a curious fox.

Cw: Use of {Y/N}, Mean Snape, Slut shaming, Curses, Avery and Mulciber, Fights, mentions of child abuse, toxic friendships (please reach out if I missed something}

Wc- 5462

A/n: This is mostly more filler for the characters relationships

You only stopped when you reached the road. Looking all around, you allowed yourself to transform back. You truly hoped that you already passed the hardest part of your escape plan. You knew you had to get to king's landing, there were other trains to take you to and from Hogwarts Valley, as to how to get there…

You wondered, slowly raising your wand to the street and took a deep breath. Here goes it. “Lumos.”

You gave it a few minutes before you grew anxious and began to look around the street. It felt like an hour had passed, maybe more, but the moon hadn't even shifted in the sky. “Heyy! Witch in distress here!” You wiggled your arms about. “Lost and uhm.. stranded and all!” You shouted and put your hands on your hips. Tapping your foot, you clicked your tongue and began to wonder if the Knight Bus was even a thing anymore.

As if to spite your skepticism you suddenly heard the rowdy bus. Eyes snapping up to it with a bright smile. That's more like it.

~~

You could have sworn the Knight Bus drove more responsibly in your younger years. Maybe you were just used to the humdrum of muggle life, the slow and easy. Regardless, you managed to get to kings crossing in one piece. Shifting into a fox and hiding in one of the upper compartments in the near empty train was simpler then you thought it would be. 

So much nostalgia rushed through you as you passed the magical barrier to the platform. You walked and skittered past people, hiding in their luggage and hopping from cart to cart to get inside the train. You walked down the mostly empty train car, beady eyes taking in the familiar interior. It felt like it was from another lifetime. A lifetime that was so cruelly ripped from you.

~~ 

“Excuse me!” You heard a high pitched feminine voice call out to you. Turning your head, you saw a young girl. She had long red hair that reached her back, bright green eyes and a stern determined look. Pulled together with a slight pout, she looked ages wiser than her baby cheeks would lead you to believe.

“Uhm.. Hello?” You called back, turning to look at her fully. You weren't used to people coming up to you without your parents present, most who were forced to be meek and reserved, respectful with you as if you were the superior. At least, that's what your father always told you and everyone else around. As if the memory reminded you, you straightened your back and tried to put on a sour expression of indifference that your mother taught you to do. She was the  master of it after all. “How can I assist you?” You asked in a much more mature and collected tone.

The red head seemed physically thrown for a loop at your sudden change in demeanor. She waved it off as she looked back at her father who was hovering around her sobbing sister, Petunia having an absolute fit and sobbing louder whenever their parents even glanced where you two stood. You winced and turned up your lip. 

Lily’s look turned apologetic, before she looked around quickly and waved her parents off.

“I found someone, mum, da! I’ll be fine!” She called back as you looked around her form to get a better look at the three family members. They looked… Well, a lot like your family’s friends. Snobbish and thick headed. Who you assumed was her father called over.

“Good! Good! Don't be late!” He dismissed her, not looking up as he offered Petunia a stuffed doll and her mom didn't even acknowledge her as she tried to appease the little terror they created. They looked relieved as they left their little girl in the middle of the train station alone. At least your parents knew you were meeting the Potters. Well, you were, if your parents' poor planning didn't end up with you missing your meeting time.

“Was that your sister?” You asked with a gawk, and Lily slowly nodded.

“Unfortunately. I actually was coming to ask you, did you uhm.. Get summoned by a letter too?” Lily leaned closer to you and you purse your lips. What an odd way to phrase it, but you didn't think about it for too long.

“You’re looking for platform nine and three quarters, yeah? Here.” You took her hand without thinking. She was nice, she was like the sun and it brought you a bit of a gooey feeling. Watching that unfold gave you an unexplainable protective feeling of the red head, so you pulled her along. Lining up your carts.. You gestured to the wall and she gave you a scandalized look. “What?”

“The wall. You run at it.” You implored and the girl scoffed. “I may be new to this, but I'm not an utter fool.”

“Like to make a wager?” You mused, allowing yourself to be more playful, she reminded you of the safety James brought you, she was such a soothing presence, you slipped into yourself easily. “Ten Galleons says I walk straight through that wall.”

“What on earth are Galleons?” Lily asked in a bemused tone and your eyes shot open wide at the question.

That's how you met Lily Evans. Your best friend for the next ten years of your life. 

You two eventually made it to the train, walking down the train car corridor, laughing at some stupid mistake Lily had made, leading to a domino line of luggage falling over and crashing open. You two ran as fast as you could to the train before you were spotted. 

“Merlin, we are lucky the Blacks didn't notice that!” You giggled, and Lily gave an easily bright but confused smile. “Blacks?”

You tilted your head at her, your smile remaining but turning confused. What a strange girl. She didn't want to talk about Hogwarts out loud? Now she expects you to believe she hasn't heard of the Black family? It was like she was completely foreign,

“Blacks, the pureblood family?” You pushed and before she could respond a voice called out to her from down the corridor. You both looked up and saw a boy, slightly taller than you both, with an annoyed look as he gestured for her to follow him to his compartment. Lily looked at you and gestured over. 

“Lily?” You asked as you made it to the door and slipped in. you raised your luggage above your head as the black haired boy lifted up Lily’s and put it away for her.

“Oh! Right! My name is Lily, Lily Evans.” She lit up and held out her hand. You mirrored her look and took her hand in your own. 

“{Y/N}! {Y/N} {L/N}.” You introduced and she nodded, mouthing your name as if to get used to the feel on her tongue. You began to shift and make faces at her, trying to copy her, until she noticed and playfully shoved you.

You fell on your seat in a fit of giggles and looked across from you, seeing the quiet boy was already staring at you. You tilted your head and leaned forward, feet kicking out from under your seat. “Hello! Nice to meet you! I’m-”

“{Y/N} {L/N}. The {L/N} family is quite famous.” He snarked back in a sarcastic tone and your face fell, slowly leaning back into your seat. Right. Being around Lily had you forgetting who you were. She was a dangerous kind of fun.

“Yeah...” You mumbled and the boy sneered.

“You are aware Lily Evan’s is muggle born, yeah?” he challenged and your jaw went slack. Oh Merlin, you didn't even think about that. Your father would have your head if he knew you were running around with Mudb- Muggle borns. But Lily was nothing like how your father described, she was quite fun and smart, at least to your twelve year old brain. 

“Is that true?” You asked Lily in a low whisper and Lily pursed her lips. Seems this wasn't the first time she was asked this.

“.. I am.” She answered cautiously and Snape watched you like a hawk as you pouted and deflated. “My dad would be so mad if I told him I was friends with a Muggle born. I am already pushing it with the company I keep, he says.”

Lily pouted and she looked like a kicked puppy, her eyes big and pout heart breaking. You three sat in silence for a moment before Lily spoke up again.

“Do you have to tell him?” She asked and your head snapped over to her. “What? Of course I do.” You mumbled and she narrowed her eyes.

“Why?”

“W-well he's my father, and I can't lie to him.” You argued and she tilted her head.

“But why?”

That stunned you for a moment. When you were younger, the fear of lying was debilitating. Your father could always look into your mind and sort anything out for himself, so the more truth you told the less you would have to deal with the pain. He was cruel and your younger mind has made him out to be an all seeing eye, just daring you to slip up so he could show you just why people feared him. Just why you should fear him too.

“I..”

“He wont find out, I won't tell a soul, would you Severus?” 

The raven haired boy, Severus, seemed stunned by the question. Of course, he caved, and muttered a ‘no.’

Lily had that effect on people. One look in her eyes and you would do anything you were asked of, she had you and Severus wrapped around the very pinkie finger she used to promise you her silence since day one.

Little did you know, a few more months to come, and she would be much the same with you. Lily, Severus, and {Y/N}, would be names that would find themselves in each other's company for years to come. Their names and the tragedy that would follow.

~~

It was morning by the time the train stopped at the Hogsmeade station. You huffed and dragged yourself to your paws. Once you scampered off the train it was much easier to follow the trail. Students were in their classes, and truly, no adult seemed to give a damn about you. You were just another woodland creature. If you did manage to catch someone’s eye, it wasn't hard to lose it in the edges of the forbidden forest.

You chose to stalk deeper into the forest, eventually being able to follow the river up stream, the one that ran straight from the Black Lake. Once you made it out and stumbled across the field. A feeling settled in your stomach you remembered all too well. Regret, hurt, pain, your ears pinned back,you remembered the day so clearly, as you stared at the tree that used to represent your little trio’s friendship. It was hard, being both Severus Snape and James Potter’s friends. When Lily told James around year 3 that if he wanted to impress her to lay off of Snape, you two thought it would be the end of their stupid fights.

That lasted exactly two years.

~~

It has been days since you got your acceptance letter. The weekend that followed you had been a whirlwind of meeting the most remarkable people to ever work as Aurors, working alongside heroes everyday.. Well, from the inside of your cubicle. Your relationship with Alastor moody was shaky at best, but you went in with an impression to make. You weren't just there because your father, or your family, the very two things that did everything in their power to try and stop you from getting in. You came back to school Monday on cloud 9, you felt remarkable for the first time in your life and not because you were told you were.

Not from some suck up, or from your blood status obsessed family. You were remarkable because you worked to get to that point on your own. You had to remember to thank Slughorn for introducing you to the people who ran the program at his Slug club.

There was one person you had not been able to talk to since you got your letter. Severus. Being in the same house you would figure that you two saw a lot of each other. However, he had made some new friends. Friends you didn't exactly like. Avery, for example. He had been trying to get in your good graces since you met him, you knew why, it was painfully clear he wanted the connection to your father and you refused to be a vessel for that. He also spent more time with Mulciber as well.

That boy was a piece of work. You had made your feelings on him known to Snape early on in their twisted little friendship. He had done horrid things to the muggle borns, not to mention how he seemed to get some sick gratification from targeting the weaker women of the school. He had a passion for making any witch with what he called a ‘loud mouth’ his personal target. You had managed to avoid him, aside from a few crude comments here and there about your blood status and making himself known to your father as a potential suitor.

They were vile and whenever you mentioned the behavior to Snape he would simply scoff and go on rants about how you and Lily were never around because you two seemed to worship the ground the boys who tormented him for years walked on. You would always counter by saying he wasn't exactly innocent in their interactions, but it would always dissolve into stupid and petty fights. He would go for blood every chance he got, making sure you knew he prioritized Lily in every interaction. 

Maybe that was when your friendship started to crumble. You knew what he said was to hurt you, that he would never truly mean it. Just like his accusations that you cared more about Potter than him, the length of your friendship meant nothing, and you knew he cared for you more than he cared for most.

And you him.

It got exhausting, however, taking his hurt for yourself. Putting it all on your shoulders as he lashed out for any evidence you cared for him still. It hurt to grow up, clinging to people you knew were bad for you. Severus Snape was bad for you. Saying that out loud broke your heart, because you were still young, and you would still always care for him, you didn't know a thing he could do or say to you that would push you away. Not for long. Because he was someone you knew, someone not many people got to know. 

Severus Snape, the boy who would nag you for not bringing your cloak to Quidditch games but allow you to use his. Snape was the one who would nag you for your grades and give you his study notes. The boy who would absolutely ruin your confidence in potions after a simple mistake, and bring you candy from Honeydukes as an apology. Maybe that was it. He never said it. All the times you told him you cared for him like the rain cares for the breeze, Like how kindling cares for fire. You cared so much you made something dangerous, and it destroyed you.

Still, you held onto that hope that maybe, maybe. He would come around and put down his pride just,,, set it aside for you. It never happened. It did happen for Lily, but she never had to try for him. She didn’t know the times you had to pick up the pieces of him she shattered. It wasn't her fault, not her fault he refused to say it. He would let you know when you hurt him, never that he cared. He would let Lily know he cared, but never when she pushed him too far.

Yet you were the one to destroy it. You always took the blame. You let it happen, as what you had was turning fragile, and you weren't ready to give up on him just yet.

So here you were, walking down the halls to go and tell Snape the news, Because he was your friend, and because he never had to guess if you cared or not. This was his chance. He just needed to show he cared.

You made it to the dungeons but paused as you heard familiar voices fill the halls. You quickly froze and slipped behind a pillar to hide away. Bloody hell, what's your luck? He’s with the two nimrods.

“You know, even if she's a bit of a harlot.” You heard Avery quip and you rolled your eyes. You prayed  for whatever poor soul the boys were talking about.

“She's always around those boys, heard she's doing Remus. A half blood? Go figure,” You heard the snake that was Mulciber speak up next. Your face turned sour and you narrowed your eyes. No.. He wouldn't let them talk about you like that, right? You bit your cheek and continued to listen.

“I wouldn't be surprised if she's doing all of them. That Potter boy and her have been friends since they were kids, can't say I'd keep a witch around that long if she didn't help me out once and a while.” Avery snickered and Mulciber chuckled.

‘True, and that Peter kid is like her pouch pooch. Maybe that's why Sirius hates her so much, shiny new toy and he doesn't have all the boys attention anymore.”

You took some even breaths and steadied your hands that shook with this sudden shock of nausea. Come on Snape. Say something.

“Talking about friends, Snape, you're close to her yeah? Ever had a go?” 

Snape continued to look at his book with a bored expression, “I wouldn't touch her if she paid me.”

Your heart broke. Your eyes closed tight and you clenched your chest. You should of just walked away.

“Why's that? Too busy day dreaming about Evans? Cant say ive ever had a Mudblood before.” Mulciber snarked and Snape's book slammed closed.

“Don't call her that. Don't talk about her like that.” 

That was your last straw. You turned sharply on your heel and walked past them. Dashing right up the stairs, You did not spare them a glance. If you had, you would have seen the look of shock and guilt all over Snape’s face. 

You didn't remember running, or what you were thinking. But there you were, at the Fat Lady, trying to hide your tears in your sleeve as you knocked. You tried to mutter acknowledgement to the painting as she cooed and tried to comfort you as you waited, but nothing but a sob came out.

The door opened and you faced Marlene. The girl gasped and didn't even think before she pulled you in and closed the painting.

Next thing you knew, you were wrapped up in a warm blanket you knew to be Peter’s, a cup of warm brown liquid you used for steam to clear your nose enough to breathe. You knew this mug. It was Remus’s. You tried to stifle another onslaught of tears, as Marlene robbed your back from where you laid on her lap.

Peter was helping to take off your shoes and talking about his day to you. He knew you weren't listening, but giving you something to fill the silence. Remus had gone to get James, and Lily was rushing down the stairs when she heard you were in tears. Mary and Alice were not far behind.

When everyone was there you begrudgingly told them what happened. You watched their expressions. Your heart melted a bit, at how they seemed to react to the news. They were repulsed, not just for Lily, but for you. You had never seen James so calm, so careful with his words despite his clear anger.

You set the drink down and slowly melted into the comfort you friends offered, not even noticing as James dragged the boys aside to talk about something. You just let yourself be coddled as you did your best to forget Snape’s words.

~~

The next day was better. You had Remus escort you back to the Prefect dorms, your walk was quiet but you felt safer then you had that entire day. He made an excuse to Slughorn as to why you weren’t there for your duties. He was even there early to your dorm in the morning to make sure you got out of bed on time and got ready. Honestly, you felt guilty, enjoying his presence so much. 

You went through most of the day like that, until your free period. You were shocked to see Remus wasn't waiting for you, instead, Lily was. You smiled and you both linked arms to walk down to the field. You were still mad at Severus, so you hoped he wasn't there. On some degree, you have to admit, you wanted to yell at him, shout and tear him apart like he did to you.

But you couldn't. Because he was your friend, and because he never had to guess with you. He knew. That hurt worse.

As you both made it down to the Black Lake, you and Lily froze at the sight laid out in front of you.

Snape, dangled upside down by his ankle as James and Sirius threw taunts his way.

“James Potter!” Lily shouted and ran down the hill, you weren't really thinking before you shouted a spell at James, “Expelliarmus!”

His wand was smacked out of his hand, and next came Lily’s palm across his face. Sirius gave a low whistle at the contact. You ran down and slowed Snapes fall, “Severus! Are you okay?” You asked and tried to help him up. 

“Get off of me!” He snapped at you. You flinched away with wide eyes and he snarled at you. “Always to the rescue, huh, {L/N}? Compensating for your name sake?” 

He shouted out in anger and you let him. Again, letting him tear you apart. But this was different. He didn’t stop. He didn't calm down. His words just got sharper. You waited, this was the first time he berated you in front of a crowd.

“You see what they've done to me for years and you still pick them! You still hang around them! I don't need your pity! I don't need your help!” He snapped and Lily walked over cautiously, knowing your choice to handle Snape’s temper was always to let it pass. She didn't want to aggravate you. “Severus-”

“Not now you worthless Mudblood!” He shouted, eyes still narrowed on you. That gave you the perfect view of his eyes going as wide as an owl as he realized what had left his lips. He turned on his heel and stared at Lily whose jaw was slack and eyes turning glossy. She turned sharply and began to run off, and you let your face fall into your palms.

Remus was by your side in a second, wrapping his arms around you and ignoring Snape as his mouth opened and closed like a fish, muttering pathetic apologies. 

“Let’s go.” Remus muttered, you could feel how he was tensing, holding himself back, You simply listened. Everything had happened so fast. You just remember how he looked at you when you glanced back. Pathetic. He looked like he was going to fall to his knees. If he did, Remus didn't let you see it. Last thing you saw was James running after Lily towards the castle. As Remus leads you off to docks, away from everyone's eyes.

~~

You winced at the memory, eyes slowly lidding as you carefully stalked around the place it all happened, eyes locked on it, like it would come running after you. Once you had made enough distance you dashed off to the school. Slipping passed the gate with practiced ease, your eyes trailed up and your mawl dropped open in shock. Dementors? What in Merlin's sweet name were they doing here?

You pushed the thought aside, you didn't want to think about it. The great thing about having them as guards, however, not a single one noticed you as you made it to the school grounds.

You looked around before hurrying off and around the field. You stopped as you noticed the Quidditch court, with red ribboned boys flying around. It took you exactly three seconds to ponder if James Potter’s son would be in Gryffindor, and on their team.

If a fox could click their tongue, you would. Hurrying out further across the bridge, you snuck your way under the large tarps that covered the scaffolding. Slipping your way up and over, you managed to get a viewpoint from between the benches. 

You didn't have to look long. As if on instinct, your eyes found him. A seeker too, you wondered if he was as cocky as James in the field. Slowly, your little tail began to shuffle around in excitement. He looked so much like James, but you could also see the boy you held all those years ago. 

He was running his heart out, you watched his eyes follow after something you couldn't see, before he launched himself forward with a brilliant smile. Oh that smile.

~~

“{Y/N}! Sirius! Come in!” You heard Lily's voice call from the living room. You and him were holding gifts, you had brought an empty photo album and several of your enchanted photos from Hogwarts, ready to sit down with Lily and make a time capsule of sorts for Harry when he went. Something with a cheesy ‘now it's your turn’ at half way for him to finish off.

Sirius had brought some dishes he made with your help, so Lily and James didn't have to cook for the next few months while Harry was still small.

“Where is my nephew?!” Sirius demanded in a playful rawr, walking into the living room, shoving the dishes onto James who sighed and waxed on about being forgotten for a tot. As he passed you to get to the kitchen you got on your toes and kissed his cheek, that seemed to satisfy the attention quota of his.

You walked deeper in and lit up at the sight of Lily, handing over the little bundle to Sirius. He looked so happy holding Harry, it made your heart flutter. You bit your lip and tried to fend off the baby fever.

Setting down the book and photos you walked over to Lily. She held the couch to stand and when you opened your arms she practically collapsed into yours. You giggled and pressed your nose to her cheek and she gave a sigh of approval. “Missed you.” She mumbled and you nodded. “Missed you too.”

You broke away from each other with a quick peck on the cheek, and you turned to meet the wrap of blankets in your fiancés arms.

“Oh, look at you.” You cooed and Sirius smiled at you. “Cute one, ain't he?” 

“Very.” You agreed and reached over to let him grab your finger. He lit up in a smile and you mimicked it, sticking out your tongue and gave a delighted gasp when it made him giggle. Sirius chuckled. 

“I've never been good with kids.” You admitted sheepishly. 

“Neither of us. Guess we have our exception.” He teased and you rolled your eyes fondly at him. “For now.” You whispered against his sleeve and Sirius's smile twitched before James returned and spoke up. 

“Now that you're here, we wanted to talk to you about something before Remus gets here.” He mused in a serious tone, arm wrapping around Lily's waist as she leaned into him. You felt your heart swell with how love struck Lily looked at James. 

“Oh?” Sirius mused and rested Harry in your arms. You looked down at him and smiled, he again, returned it with a fit of giggles. Oh he was just precious. Oh wow, James Potter, the kid you wouldn't have trusted to watch your owl for a weekend had a small human. One he needed to make sure stayed fed. And breathing. 

“Good luck little guy.” You mumbled to him, in your own little world. “You're gonna need it. Call Auntie {Y/N} whenever you need me.” You gushed.

James fell silent for a moment as he watched you coddle his son. Lily smiled brighter as she looked at Sirius, no other word to describe him but love sick. Absolutely destroyed with what he was seeing. 

“About that.” James cut in and you looked over at James with a pout. He laughed before you could even snap at him. “Before you kill me.”

“We were looking into a godparent for little Hars.” Lily whispered and your eyes widened, looking at Sirius. 

“I wanted Sirius, Lily wanted you.” James continued and you gave the most offended expression you've ever made. “How dare you! I've known you since diapers!”

“Exactly what I told Lily when I tried to argue what a horrible idea it was.” James snickered and Lily hit him with her elbow. 

“So, we compromised. A godmother and godfather.” Lily finished and your jaw went slack, you looked at Sirius with wide hopeful eyes and he returned the look. 

“Y-yes! Yes of course!” You declared quickly and Sirius nodded vigorously before he pulled James into a tight hug. “I'll keep him safe.”

You walk up closer to Lily and she leans her chin on your shoulder. “And I'll make sure he's a proper bloke.” You quipped and Sirius playfully scoffed. “Define proper bloke.”

“Not you.” You teased and he wet his lips with a bright smirk. You turned to Lily and James, tucking Harry on your shoulder. “You two should get some rest. We'll watch Harry for the rest of the day.” You mused and Sirius didn't complain. Taking Harry from you.

“Oh, {Y/N}, you really don't-”

“Go go! Begone! It's godparent bonding time!” You scolded and James laughed, nudging Lily. “I'll run you a bath.” He muttered into her hair and she sighed blissfully. “Sounds like heaven.”

Oh they were love.

You and Sirius stayed that whole night. Cleaning up around the place, taking care of Harry, and keeping the volume low.  Remus came over and you and him worked to distract Harry and Sirius took a nap. That really only consisted of him staring at the muggle tv and flicking through channels. When the actual parents returned you and Sirius went home.

You went home and had one of the most vicious fights you had ever had. 

~~

You shook the thought from your head as you watched Harry land. Slipping through the benches and squeezing your body onto the platform you watched from above before you hurried down the stars behind a fluffy haired girl. She ran on the court, joined by a very familiar redhead. 

You stopped just outside the pitch in the grass, watching as everyone packed up and Harry talked to his friends with such life in his eyes. Your own eyes trailed up to his scar before you tilted your head. You still had a lot of questions on your mind. But now, now was time for observing. His smile, it reminded you so much of your days within these walls. The days you spent with James and Lily, running down the halls and making fools of yourself. You hoped he was having a similar childhood.

You watched him for a few minutes, before he seemed to register your presence. His eyes flicked over to you and you two shared eye contact.

Harry could have sworn to Merlin that the look you gave him, he'd seen before. Just like that, in the meer moments you were there, you were gone. Slithering your way into the forest and into a small den. You scratched your neck out, shaking your fur vigorously, a sign of stress as you tried to figure out what to do next. You didn't want to leave Harry, you didn't want him out of your sight ever again, but you also didn't want Moody sending an Auror strike to find you. Eventually, you relented. You'd go back, practice your apperation again and again until you were able to make it from Wesley's to the forest. You knew you could do it, you'd done it from farther away. You took a deep breath and transformed back.

Time to unrust some wheels.

[ingek73]

…

About 150 people carrying St George’s Cross flags, shouting “you’re not English any more” and “paedo Muslims off our street”, were greatly outnumbered in Leeds by hundreds of counter-protesters shouting “Nazi scum off our streets”. Skirmishes broke out between demonstrators and punks – in town for a festival – in Blackpool, with bottles and chairs thrown.

In Bristol, police kept protesters and counter protesters apart before a group headed to a hotel used to house asylum seekers.

The need for urgent political intervention was stressed by the government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, Lord Walney, who told the Observer that new emergency powers may be needed. “The system isn’t set up to deal with this rolling rabble-rousing being fuelled by far-right actors,” he said.

“I think home office ministers may want to look urgently at a new emergency framework – perhaps temporary in nature – that enables police to use the full powers of arrest to prevent people gathering where there is clear intent to fuel violent disorder.”

Keir Starmer held a meeting of senior ministers on Saturday in which he said police had been given full support to tackle extremists who were attempting “to sow hate by intimidating communities”. He made clear that the right to freedom of expression and the violent scenes over recent days were “two very different things”.

Last week’s riots followed the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on Monday. Axel Rudakubana, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims were spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat. In the wake of these messages, far-right protesters – guided by social media – gathered in cities across the country.

A key factor in this spread of online disinformation involved Elon Musk’s decision to allow rightwing activists such as Tommy Robinson back onto his social media platform X, said Joe Mulhall, director of research at Hope not Hate, the anti-fascism organisation. “The initial disinformation and anger was being perpetrated by individuals on Twitter, for example, that have been previously deplatformed,” he said. “And now they’ve been replatformed.”

Robinson was permanently banned from the platform (then called Twitter) in March 2018, then reinstated in November last year, after Musk bought it. “We hadn’t seen any significant numbers at any demonstrations since 2018,” Mulhall added.

An example of the danger posed by the misuse of social media was revealed in Stoke-on-Trent, where police were forced to deny there had been a stabbing, countering claims made on social media. “There is growing speculation that a stabbing has taken place as a result of the disorder today. We can confirm this information is false and no stabbings have been reported to police or emergency responders, despite videos fuelling speculation on social media,” police said.

The danger of such intervention was stressed by Ben-Julian “BJ” Harrington, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for public order, who condemned social media disinformation as a cause of last week’s disorder.

He said: “We had reports today that two people had been stabbed by Muslims in Stoke – it’s just not true. There’s people out there, not even in this country, circulating and stoking up hatred, division and concerns in communities that they don’t care about, don’t know and don’t understand.”

[dreamcubed]

enchanted | fred weasley x reader

song; enchanted [taylor swift] pairing; fredweasley x fem!ravenclaw!singer!reader genre; s2l, f2l, fluff word count; 2,1k timeline; goblet of fire warnings; mentions of anxiety, mentions of drugs summary; maybe volunteering to sing at the yule ball would mean that your crush would finally notice you, and maybe you could have a wonderfully enchanting night as a result

masterlist

i might consider a speak now anthology... but not until after lover and reputation are done. i just had to use this song for this idea...

"please don't be in love with someone else."

————————————————

The purple sparkles glistening on your cheekbones gave your complexion an ethereal type of blush, accented by your magnificent lilac princess gown that spilled out at your hips. Your hair was perfectly styled, with delicate purple butterflies pinned in various places. This was a night that you had been rehearsing over and over for weeks now - and you couldn't fuck up this moment.

With a squeeze on your arm from your nearest and dearest friend, Jean, you gave a tight lipped smile and moved towards the stage. It felt as if the world stopped when you gripped the microphone in your hand, and silence fell upon the ballroom. You had been unable to think of a good introduction, so decided that delving right into the song was the best course of action. You heard the guitar begin.

"There I was again tonight Forcing laughter, faking smiles Same old tired, lonely place."

As you opened your eyes, you scanned the crowd for the one person whose eyes you wanted pinned on you: the tuft of ginger hair that you had gazed at longingly from a distance for so long. You could tell him apart from his twin brother, quite easily tonight as while George was partnered up with Angelina Johnson, Fred remained dateless. It could only have been a personal choice, as he could have had any girl he wanted.

Including you.

"Walls of insincerity Shifting eyes and vacancy Vanished when I saw your face."

Your eyes locked on to his, and you remembered the moment you first laid eyes on him back in first year.

***

The glance of you, an awkward eleven year old, towards a ginger-haired boy at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Well, one of multiple ginger-haired boys. And, despite another of them being identical to him, he stood out to you like the shiny full moon in a starry sky. Maybe it was the cheeky grin he had on his face as he watched what appeared to be his elder brother realise that something had been shoved down his pants, or maybe it was the fact he seemed to be brimming with confidence.

For a shy child such as yourself, seeing someone of such the opposite genre, unafraid to be loud and proud— it was a spectacle. You were in awe.

And that was when he turned around and caught you staring. Heat rushed to your ears and you immediately turned away, hiding next to your mother, hearing the sound of his pleasant laughter in the background. You didn't think you would fancy someone at Hogwarts so quickly, and even young naïve you knew that it would be an all-consuming crush.

***

"All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you."

Never had you had his, and everyone else's, full attention quite like this. It made you feel like the goddamn belle of the ball, which was nerve-wracking but exhilarating. You gripped the microphone tighter, letting more memories flood over you, including the first time you exchanged words with Fred.

"Your eyes whispered, 'Have we met?' 'Cross the room your silhouette Starts to make its way to me."

***

Your first charms lesson, practising a simple levitation charm with feathers: a class that you happened to share with who you learned to be the Weasley twins. You couldn't help but glance at him every few seconds, to the point that you lost control of your feather and it went flying in his direction. Eyes growing wide out of shock, you quickly scurried out of your seat and over to where they were sat.

"This yours?" who you now knew to be Fred asked.

You nodded.

"Here you go," he said, passing it over with a smile, "Be more careful next time. You're lucky it's just a feather."

Embarrassment swarmed over you, and you wordlessly nodded yet again, grabbing the feather and hurrying back to your seat.

***

Despite such a humiliating first interaction, you grew in confidence over the years, and your crush on him became less debilitating.

"The playful conversation starts Counter all your quick remarks Like passing notes in secrecy."

***

"Hey, Y/N, you were at Jean's party over the Summer, you saw Cho grinding up on Cedric in the living room didn't you?" your Gryffindor friend asked you as you walked past their table to your own. You stopped walking and chuckled.

"No, I didn't. I spent most the time upstairs."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah with the druggies."

You shook your head at her.

"You act like such a goody-two-shoes at school but you're secretly a party animal."

"Y/N L/N, a party animal? No way," Fred Weasley piped up from nearby.

You shrugged, "You wouldn't know. You didn't even get invited."

You watched as amusement flitted over his eyes at your remark. "Touché, L/N."

***

"And it was enchanting to meet you All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you."

You began walking to one side of the stage, soaking in all the attention being on you which would have driven you to a panic attack in first year. It still made you scared, but you could handle the feeling a lot better these days.

"This night is sparkling Don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck Blushing all the way home."

People began cheering as you picked up your volume.

***

In third year, you got assigned to be Fred's partner in a potions practical, as Snape did not let the twins be paired up under any circumstances. Despite your hatred of the man, you couldn't blame him for that move. And in that instance, you thanked him.

"I'm a lot luckier than George."

"What do you mean?" you asked as you laid out all the ingredients.

"He's partnered with a Slytherin guy, I'm with a pretty Ravenclaw girl."

You froze, relishing in the compliment without trying to appear too embarrassed. "Uh, thanks."

You heard him chuckle, "Like you've never heard it before."

Not from anyone but your mother.

***

"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you."

When you had found out about the Yule Ball, you had been sick to your stomach thinking about seeing Fred with another girl. Every time he had briefly dated over the last few years had killed you, and this was no exception. So, you had thrown yourself into rehearsals and almost entirely isolated yourself, only to find out that Fred hadn't asked anyone and had come alone.

"The lingering question kept me up 2am, who do you love? I wonder 'til I'm wide awake."

Why, though? Why hadn't he asked anyone? Why did he choose solitude and embarrassment over a lovely night of dancing and eventual making out?

"And now I'm pacing back and forth Wishing you were at my door I'd open up and you would say 'Hey, it was enchanting to meet you' All I know is I was enchanted to meet you."

You had spent a lot of time wishing he would ask you, and as you entered the second chorus, you found yourself shutting your eyes and dreaming that he would kiss and hug you when you left the stage. Telling you that he was so incredibly proud of you and that you were the most beautiful girl in the world.

"This night is sparkling Don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck Blushing all the way home."

You opened your eyes and let yourself have another glimpse of his face.

"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew This night is flawless Don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck Dancing around all alone."

Alas, you did not have a date, and would likely be spending the rest of this evening dancing exclusively with friends— or maybe even alone, if they were busy with their dates. But, a girl could dream, and you could so easily imagine Fred approaching you and asking you for a dance.

"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you."

***

You frowned as you saw, for the first time, the Weasley twins in the Hogwarts library. For some reason, you highly doubted that their intentions were educational. Regardless, they appeared lost.

"Need some help?" you offered, beckoning all your courage to do so.

"What? No, we're good. We're fine," Fred said quite too suddenly.

You raised an eyebrow, "I'm not here to snitch, you just seem a bit confused."

They exchanged a look with each other.

"Okay," George sighed, "We're looking for the sludge based charms section."

***

"This is me praying that This was the very first page Not where the storyline ends."

This was was your second to last year of Hogwarts, and you couldn't have that be the end of your interactions with Fred. You needed to have more than that, you needed to communicate your feelings, you needed to feel his embrace. Unfortunately, you were a coward with love, and so you were going to extreme means to attract him so he would do the initiating. Rowena knows you were desperate.

"My thoughts will echo your name Until I see you again These are the words I held back As I was leaving too soon."

In a moment of adrenaline rush bravery, you firmly locked your eyes on to the man you had pined after for years. You hoped he was close enough to the stage to realise that you were looking at him.

"I was enchanted to meet you."

And as the backing vocals picked up, you lowered your microphone and gave a nervous smile as you watched his face contort in shock. He raised a finger and gestures to his chest, as if to say, "Me?"

You nodded, raising your microphone again.

"Please don't be in love with someone else Please don't have somebody waiting on you!"

The corners you had stood in, the people you had hidden behind, the conversations you had avoided— they were history. You had overcome your fears, and it only took you nearly six years. Now, no matter what came of this, you couldn't look back and regret not confessing.

"This night is sparkling Don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck Blushing all the way home."

Maybe he felt the same, or at least had the potential to feel the same. Maybe he had realised that you were no longer the awkward eleven year old with a nose that was too big for her face and a haircut that did nothing for her features.

"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew This night is flawless Don't you let it go I'm wonderstruck Dancing around all alone."

The crowd had melted away, and you couldn't even hear your own anxiety as you let the song absorb you. You refused to let yourself live to regret this moment.

"I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you."

A part of the song that you could officially say did not describe you: he knew. Fred knew. He knew that you were enchanted to meet him, that your thoughts echoed his name, that you had held so many words back. And with that thought, you let yourself return to Earth, settling in the middle of the stage as you gently sung the final words.

"Please don't be in love with someone else Please don't have somebody waiting on you."

Cheers erupted from all around you: Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts. You took a bow, unable to wipe the grin off your face as you were applauded, deciding to ignore for that moment any consequences of your actions. That continued when you left the stage and your friends greeted you with hugs and compliments— until Jean pulled you aside and muttered.

"You looked at him."

"What?" you feigned confusion.

She gave you a look, "Don't play dumb. You sang the song at Weasley."

"I- yeah," you admitted.

"Well, don't leave him waiting."

This time, you were genuinely confused, "What?"

She nudged her head to her left, where you turned to see that Fred was patiently waiting for you to finish talking to your friends. "Go get him, girl."

You took a deep breath and nodded with a smile, walking towards the man who held your heart.

"Hi," you murmured, feeling shy again.

"Hi," he said softly, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Did you like my-?"

"I loved it," he cut you off.

You smiled abashedly.

"Can I have this dance?" he asked as the music began picking up again.

You accepted his extended hand, "You can have every dance."

And Fred grinned.

———————————————

masterlist

written; 17/03/2024 —> 07/04/2024 published; 07/04/2024 edited; —/—/——

[the-kr8tor]

Thread The Needle

Pairing: Hobie Brown x Fem! Reader/ Spider-Punk x Fem! Reader

Total word count: 48.6k (complete)

Synopsis: You've been pining for your best friend of ten years, unbeknownst to you he's also hopelessly in love with you. Will your final college project bring you closer and finally admit your feelings? Or will it drive a wedge between you?

Tags: Best friend! Hobie, fashion student! reader, fem! Reader. Best friends to lovers, idiots in love, lots of pining, is it still slow burn if they're already in love? Hurt/comfort, FLUFF. Specific warnings are listed per chapter.

Disclaimer: I have no experience in fashion design or went to school for it. I've based my knowledge on my own research and what I've seen in various media.

*I don't consent to having my work translated/ published on other platforms*

All images used are from pinterest

Main Masterlist

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1 - Pin my heart

CHAPTER 2- Loose thread

CHAPTER 3- Knee Socks

CHAPTER 4- Threadbare

CHAPTER 5- Woven Wheel

CHAPTER 6- Lace

CHAPTER 7- Crossed Stitch

CHAPTER 8- Out of Style

CHAPTER 9- Threaded Through

CHAPTER 10- Parallel Cut

EPILOGUE

TTN one shots (Spoiler Warning ⚠️)

Classroom inspo

Chapter 8 outfit inspos

TTN secrets (Spoiler Warning ⚠️)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Submitted by the readers ❤️

Chapter 8 fanart by @thesevenofstaves

TTN Memes by @hunx147 (Spoiler Warning ⚠️)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

Songs recommended by readers to listen to while reading ❤️

Spotify playlist

From the start by Laufey, Chemtrails over the country club by Lana Del Rey, good old fashioned lover boy by Queen, Just a friend to you by Meghan Trainor, I bet on losing dogs by Mitski, Everything in you by adventure time, What a wonderful world cover by the Brooklyn duo, me and your mama by Childish Gambino, A thousand years by Cristina Perry, Tis the damn season by Taylor Swift, thousand years cover by new found glory, Outset island by Hot freaks, Lacy by Olivia Rodrigo.