#taron egerton au

[nuggets-and-french-fries]

Hello lovely,

I would like to request an imagine with Jimmy. Something similar to that one scene in the first episode in the restaurant but before the smutty part comes they are somewhere on the balcony with a glass of wine and talking about constellations and watching the Perseids. And after some time spent together on the balcony they end up in his house in bed where he makes sure to take care of her 😽. Thanks!

PS.Make it as smutty as you wish

Note: Hi lovely, thank you so much for your request. I want to apologize for this taking so long. Truth be told, I had a hard time with the smut so I added only a little bit but I can assure you that there is some juicy Jimmy Keene smut to come so please know that I'm not jipping you, I just had a hard time coming up with good smut.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this imagine and if you have any questions, comment or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

===

Chewing her lip nervously, y/n had no idea why she’d even agreed to go on a date with her sister’s former high school crush and big shot, Jimmy Keene. She had always viewed him as cocky, big headed and extremely egotistical. It made her stomach churn if she was being completely honest.

When she had run into him at some sort of gathering her ‘friend’ Samantha was hosting and he approached her with that stupid smug smirk on his face, she knew he wanted something. It was the same look he had given her when he begged her to do his homework for him so he could go off and bang Courtney and her band of blonde headed goobers.

She so badly wanted to roll her eyes and turn in the other direction but when Samantha walked up to them and practically agreed for her and then walked off as though she was wanting to play matchmaker, y/n gave Jimmy the biggest unenthusiastic smile she could muster and if he was being honest, her unenthusiasm did something to stir his insides. He liked her and knew he had to have her.

Unfortunately for her, y/n was a people pleaser and even though she had a deep-rooted grudge against the man in front of her, she confirmed Samantha’s words and earned herself a sleezy wink and cringy hand on the arm. Yup, she needed a hot shower where she could scrub the gross feeling away.

She didn’t stay at the gathering much longer. She could constantly feel Jimmy’s eyes scanning her body and she had to get out of there if she wanted to stop feeling like someone’s next meal.

Yuck!

Flashing forward a few days, y/n was standing in front of her full-length mirror regretting her choice for asking her co-worker Mandy for help on what to wear. The little black dress she wore seemed to hug her in places she didn’t think were possible. She felt a little too over dressed and that made her go back to the reason she really hated James Keene.

*FLASHBACK*

It was the week before prom and so far, no one had asked y/n or her twin sister Kayla to attend the event with them and normally that would bug them, but they had made a pact this year that if no one asked, they would go together and have the best time they could.

However, just two days before the said event, one of Jimmy’s teammates, Devon walked up to the pair whilst they were at their lockers getting ready for their next class. He had a plan that was sure to earn he and his friends the biggest laugh.

“Ladies.” Devon said, leaning against the locker next to y/n’s.

“Can we help you?” Y/n asked sassily. She knew plain and well who Devon was and of his  grotesque reputation.

“Easy little lady. I just  wanna talk to your friend.” Devon said making goo-goo eyes at her sister. Y/n tried to hold her breakfast down at how nauseating this kid was being.

Y/n looked to Kayla as if to check she was ok with it. Kayla nodded and gave y/n the go ahead to walk to class.

“I’ll see you in a minute.” Y/n said to Kayla but pointing her intense gaze at Devon in warning. She didn’t trust him in the slightest.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Y/n was pulled from her thoughts when a knock sounded from her front door. She shook out her disgust and collected her things as she just wanted to get this date done with and because she didn’t want that man entering her apartment.

“Shall we go?” Y/n asked as she opened the door but to her surprise, when she looked up, she saw her sister standing there.

“Go where?” Kayla said with a teasing tone.

“Uh, n-nowhere.” Y/n stuttered. This could not have been worse timing.

“Uh ha. Well it’s good to see you too.” Kayla said as she let herself in.

“Kay, I love you, I really do but you gotta go.” Y/n said.

“But I just got here.” Kayla whined in protest as y/n shut the door and followed her to the kitchen.

“I know and we can catch up next week. You gotta-“ Y/n started before another knock on the door echoed through the apartment.

“Oh, I see, you have a hot date. I guess that would explain the slinky black dress.” Kayla chuckled. Y/n panicked.

She knew her sister hated James Keene more because of how he stood her up at the prom all those years ago.

“Please just stay here.” Y/n begged, hoping Kayla would listen but as per usual, the younger twin didn’t.

“Y/n, stop being so weird. I’ll answer the door, you get your things.” Kayla offered. She really was a sweet soul and y/n knew that if she saw Jimmy, she’d probably murder him.

“Kayla, don’t open that door.” Y/n called as she rushed to stop her sister, but it was too late.

“What the fuck do you want. She has a date and your interrupting.” Kayla snapped as she recognized Jimmy immediately. Kayla could feel her blood boil. How could he dare to show his face at a time like this.

“Kayla, he is my date.” Y/n said as calmly as she could knowing her sister was about to fly off the handle.

“That pig is your date!” Kayla all but squealed. Y/n simply nodded.

“Now that she knows, can I come in?” Jimmy asked.

Both women turned and glared at him.

“No. Just give me a minute. I’ll be right out.” Y/n said. Jimmy nodded and held his hands up as he walked away from the door to give them space to talk.

“How could you not tell me.” Kayla seethed.

“Kayla, how could I? You and Tom have been traveling god knows where and you landed on my doorstep without notice and besides, I didn’t want to go on this date in the first place, but Samantha agreed on my behalf, and you know how much of a bitch she can be when people don’t give into her matchmaking shit.” Y/n explained, not aware that Jimmy had heard her words.

“You had every opportunity to tell me when I walked in.” Kayla responded. Y/n knew that she had a point but, in all fairness, she thought that her sister was Jimmy.

“Kayla, can we please put a pin in this and talk about this later. I just want this date to be over and the sooner I can leave, the sooner I can come home.” Y/n begged. Kayla wasn’t happy about it but agreed reluctantly.

Yep, Jimmy heard that too and to say that his ego wasn’t bruised would be a lie.

=

The date with Jimmy hadn’t been going that bad. They had had a nice dinner and surprisingly, y/n really enjoyed hearing his stories and getting to know the real him but a part of her wondered why he was painting himself as this good kid when in fact she knew what he had gotten himself into and knew that his reputation around Chicago wasn’t exactly the greatest.

Sipping her wine and leaning over the railing of his balcony to watch the stars dance across the night sky, she took a deep breath and felt herself relax even though Jimmy was standing so close to her.

“Y/n, can I ask you something?” He asked as the perseids started. Y/n was amazed by their beauty and magic and smiled.

“Sure.” She answered, curious as to what else he could want to know. She had already told him things she never thought she would.

“If you didn’t want to go out with me, why did you decide to?” He questioned.

Y/n sighed. If she was being honest, she didn’t know why.

“You heard that?” She questioned in reply, attempting to dodge the question. Jimmy glanced at her and nodded.

“Look Jimmy, I’ve heard things about you, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to give you a chance after what you did to my sister.” Y/n answered carefully. Jimmy turned his gaze back to the sky, thinking of what to say next.

“Is that why your sister was mad?” Jimmy asked.

“Mad is an understatement, Jimmy. You hurt her deeply.” Y/n told him.

“I guess I deserve that.” He muttered.

“You laughed in her face after she confronted you and asked why you had stood her up. Jimmy, she had a crush on you, and you broke her that day. It was the hardest thing to see. She cried herself to sleep for weeks after that.” Y/n explained. Jimmy just listened as he tried to recall those events.

“I knew something was up when you sent Devon Andrews over to talk to her. I didn’t want to leave but she insisted it was ok. Kayla was over the moon when she heard that ‘the Jimmy Keene’ wanted to take her to prom. To her, it was like her dreams were coming true but then you stood her up and I had to break it to her that I saw you with Kimberly Smith….in a not so appealing position.” Y/n said.

“I thought I heard someone that night, but Kimberly told me I was being stupid.” He admitted.

“The worst part was that she had worked up so much courage to talk to you and then you told her that you’d never be with someone like her and proceeded to laugh in her face in front of the whole school. You made her feel unwanted and worthless. Took her a long time to come back from that and then she met her husband.” Y/n spoke.

Jimmy downed the rest of his wine. He had no idea what to say.

“I remember the look on her face when she ran past me. I hated you then and I hate you still, so, in answer to your question, I guess I agreed to the date because I wanted to see if you were still the pig I knew you to be and from the things I’ve heard, you still are.” Y/n said calmly.

“Wow, thanks.” He muttered.

“Jimmy, you do it to yourself. There is no reason for you to act like that. From what I’ve seen tonight, you have potential to be the gentleman I know is in there, but you have to stop thinking that you are better than everyone else and the womanizing, that would have to stop too.” Y/n told him honestly.

Jimmy smiled a little at that.

“You sound like my grandmother.” He slightly chuckled. Y/n smiled.

“What made you want to ask me out?” Y/n asked, now curious.

“I saw you talking to Samantha, and I don’t know, I thought you looked hot. I figured I’d ask but then you gave me that unenthusiastic smile, and well, you had me hooked.” Jimmy admitted with a cheeky smile.

“Is that it?” Y/n asked. Jimmy shrugged.

“Ok, fine. I’d always had a crush on you but knew you were out of my league. I never knew how to talk to you, so I thought that if I made you do my homework, I’d get to talk to you more but then Devon and Courtney did what they did, and I did what I did. I knew I had blown it.” Jimmy confessed.

“You’re being serious?” Y/n asked. Jimmy nodded.

“Then when I got the invite for Samantha’s Brunch, I decided to go in the hopes that you’d be there, and you were. Eventually I worked up the courage to talk to you and then you gave me that unenthused smile. It made me more excited for our date.” He told her.

“The fact that I was unenthusiastic made you more excited. Jimmy, do you know how gross that makes you sound?” Y/n responded.

“I’m realizing that now.” He said and y/n chuckled.

“Jimmy, why don’t we start over now that we aired out that dirty laundry.” Y/n suggested.

“I’d really like that.” He replied and y/n smiled genuinely for the first time that night.

Both of them smiled at each other and that’s when they felt it. The unmistakable feeling of needing to be closer.

“Can I kiss you?” Jimmy whispered as he and y/n leaned in closer. Y/n bit her lower lip in anticipation and nodded, letting a small hum of allowance escape her lips.

Jimmy slowly connected his lips with y/n’s in a very heated, hungry and passionate kiss. One that left them both feeling light-headed, weak in the knees and hot for each other.

=

Jimmy’s kisses assaulted her body and set it on fire. His hands were strong and skilled, his lips well trained and his tongue, it should be registered as a weapon of mass destruction. The way it methodically lapped at her most sensitive area had her writhing in absolute pleasure. Never in her life did she think that she would be under this man, but she could see why he had so many women after him. He was for lack of a better word, a devilish sex god.

“Oh fuck.” Y/n gasped as Jimmy removed his fingers slowly. The sensation giving her belly butterflies.

“I’ve been thinking about this for so long.” Jimmy whispered, making y/n gaze up at him. She didn’t know whether to be turned off by that admission or turned on by it but with the way her body was feeling at that moment, she chose to let those words fuel her lust for him. She was enjoying this way too much and she really wanted the full Jimmy Keene experience.

“Shut up and fuck me.” Y/n moaned out as she felt Jimmy’s fingers teasing her.

Jimmy chuckled lowly and gave her a naughty smile.

“Yes ma’am.” He replied. Oh god this was good.

=

The next morning as the sun beamed in through the curtains of the lavish and expensive looking master suite, y/n woke with a start. Somewhere there was a loud whirring sound, and she was not appreciative of it. She was someone who hated being woken up early on the weekend. She viewed weekends as a time of rest and relaxation, not noise and chaos.

Y/n growled lowly and attempted to stretch but when she felt her body protest, she remembered the absolute pounding she received from the man no longer next to her. That’s when she realized that it must be him making such racket.

She gently maneuvered her sore, stiff and somewhat bruised body from the confines of Jimmy’s bed to go and see what he was up to but as soon as her feet hit the ground, the bedroom door opened to reveal Jimmy carrying a tray of assorted foods.

Eggs, toast, bacon, fruit and some sort of weird looking pastry. Not to mention whatever the fuck he felt was important to blend early in the morning.

“Morning beautiful.” Jimmy said, coming to a stop on his side of the bed.

“Morning. What is all of this?” Y/n asked, finding it difficult to watch his movements as her body was still facing the door.

“Sore?” He asked, dodging her question.

“What do you think genius.” Y/n snapped a little. Jimmy looked at her and raised his brow.

“Not a morning person I see.” He replied.

“Not on the weekends and especially not when someone wakes me up with their fucking noise.” She told him. Jimmy nodded.

“I’ll remember that for next time.” He said, making y/n’s brows shoot up.

“What makes you think there will be a next time?” She questioned with a hint of distain to her voice. Or maybe it was just sleep.

“Well, I assumed after you kept screaming my name over and over again last night, there would be a next time.” He said cheekily.

Y/n blushed and shook her head as she finally moved her body to lay back against the pillows.

“Cocky bastard.” Y/n muttered but made sure it was loud enough for him to hear.

Jimmy smirked at her.

“Try that again and maybe there will be a next time.” Y/n told him. She really did mean what she had said the night before. He really needed to tone down his actions if he wanted to get further in life.

“You’re right but I really would like it if we could do this again.” Jimmy said genuinely.

“The sex or dinner?” Y/n questioned.

“Dinner but I wouldn’t mind the sex part either.” He teased.

“Alright you horny prick, I’m starving. Let’s eat.” She replied as she made grabby hands toward the tray of assorted goods he brought up for them to enjoy.

===

[holdmeclosertinytaron]

RHW: Chapter Six

Story Page / Playlist / Wattpad / AO3

A/N: Chapter six!! @brayndilyn and I spent so long working on this chapter, and this was the chapter that made me want to go to NYC even more than I already did! I hope you enjoy!

Word Count: 7.5k

Warnings: Explicit language, angst, talks of neglectful parents, narcissistic behaviours

February 20th, 2022

Boston was amazing. Liliana didn’t get to see as much of it as she would have liked but she also had the best time at her first ever signing. As they drove down the street to Barnes and Noble at Boston University, Liliana saw the line of people waiting to get in. There must have been almost a hundred people there, if not more, and she’d been so overwhelmed that she got teary. 

Evelyn quickly wiped the tears away and reminded her that this was for her to enjoy and that tears would ruin photos and she didn’t want that. They’d laughed together then and Liliana took her phone out of her bag to video the line, sending it to Taron with a wtf, this is intense. They’re here for me! Asfasfas x. He’d texted back pretty quickly with a keyboard smash of his own.

He made her promise to remember him when she was a super famous author and she’d laughed at him, telling him to bugger off and that she would text him when she was in the hotel that night. 

Having Taron only a text away, and only an hour behind now that she was in the States rather than the six hours when she was at home, had eased so much of her anxiety when it came to the US tour. She knew that he would give her whatever support she needed without question. Whether that was sweet support where he told her how amazing she was, or the tough love kind of support where he told her to stop being a wimp and get on with it because this is what she’d worked hard for and these people where there to prove to her that she is worth so much more than she thought about herself.  

Liliana’s feelings for Taron had grown exponentially since she got back from Aberystwyth. There hadn’t been a single day since they got back where they hadn’t texted one another constantly, and Liliana still smiled like a giddy school girl whenever his name popped up on her screen. His texts were the notifications she prioritised and for the first time in years she’d started to keep her phone on loud rather than silent. She didn’t want to miss one of his texts. 

Taron was the first person she thought of when she woke up in the morning and he was the last thing on her mind before she fell asleep at night. He consumed her every thought. The depths of her feelings was unlike anything she’d known before and they scared her because she was very aware of the fact that it wouldn’t go beyond a friendship with him. She tried to tell herself that she was content having Taron back in her life, hoping that if she told herself enough she would start to believe it. 

After Boston, they headed to New York City where she spent the first day in another book signing. The queue of people waiting to get in went around the corner and she was so confused as to how so many people knew who she was and why they wanted to meet her. 

Evelyn talked her down from a panic attack and reminded her that she did the whole thing three times in Boston so she could do it again. They got out of the car and Liliana waved to people in line before heading inside. 

She racked her brain to try and remember what had been said in the meetings leading up to leaving where she’d been told how to act and what not to say and do. Evelyn told her to relax in those meetings so she hadn’t really paid much attention which hadn’t proven to be a problem until now. 

‘Ev,’ she whispered into her ear as they got to the area they would be talking, ‘I’m scared. This feels different to Boston. It’s a whole new crowd. I don’t know what I’m doing.’ 

Evelyn turned to her with soft eyes. ‘Liliana, you’re fine. You’re going to read the first chapter of the book after you say hello and introduce yourself. Then, you invite people to ask questions but you only take three. If anybody asks you about your family and growing up, you smile and tell them that you’re thankful for all of the lessons you learnt because without those, you wouldn’t be here right now. If someone asks you anything about a romantic relationship, you tell them whatever you want. Don’t go overboard though. If someone asks about the second book, you tell them that you can’t divulge such information at this time but as soon as you can it will be on your social media and the website for them to look at.’ 

‘And if they ask anything else?’ 

‘Then you use that GCSE Drama to good use and make something up on the spot. You’re in love with an actor, surely you know some ways to pretend.’ 

‘Ev!’ Liliana cried, eyes wide and mouth agape. ‘You did not just say that to me.’ 

‘It’s the truth.’ 

‘Oh honey, you’re so in love with him it’s painful,’ Jacob piped up when he was done with the conversation with the manager of the store. ‘Even I can tell you’re in love with him.’ 

Liliana fake cried at them. ‘I really should have brought other people with me. You’re useless. Let’s get this over with.’ 

‘Oh wow, babe, you can have a little more enthusiasm than that.’ 

Liliana glared at Evelyn and took her jacket off, throwing it at Jacob who laughed at her and guided her to where she needed to be. 

‘Remember, you’re amazing. You’re strong. You’re a badass bitch with a book and two of the best friends in the entire world.’

‘I have the meanest friends in the entire world,’ Liliana called back with a cackle. She could do this. She could read the first chapter of her book to a group of people she had never met and then she could sign books and take photos with people. ‘I’m ready. Let’s do this.’ 

‘I’m sorry miss,’ the manager said sheepishly, ‘but the doors don’t open until ten. We have an hour until that happens.’ 

All three of them burst into fits of laughter. They weren’t usually known for their punctuality as a group. Liliana on her own was the most punctual person, but as soon as she was around Evelyn and Jacob she was useless. They all huddled together at a table in the corner and discussed Boston and what they planned to do on their day off in New York. Evelyn had a glint in her eye when she listened to Liliana list off all the things she wanted to do but she wouldn’t give in whenever she was asked about it. 

That evening, after hitting two different bookstores and meeting more people than she thought possible, all of whom praised the book and gushed about how much it had helped them, Liliana, Evelyn and Jacob headed for dinner with the CEO of Condé Nast, Robert Saurberg Jr. 

Liliana had the fanciest meal of her life at the Loeb Boathouse restaurant in Central Park and she wished that it wasn’t such an important dinner so that she could send photos to Taron who had the day off from filming. 

During the dinner, Robert asked if she would be up for interviews with different magazines under his umbrella where she would give exclusive access to her life. She asked if she could think about it. In the whole process of writing her book and publishing it, she never intended to become famous, and the idea made her anxious. 

After that, dinner went on swiftly and they all had a great evening drinking and getting to know Robert, who gave them exclusive recommendations on places they should eat in the other cities they would be heading to after New York. 

***

Liliana was reading in bed when her phone buzzed next to her. It was their last day in New York so she got to spend it doing whatever she pleased, starting with a lazy morning reading in bed before she got up and headed out for the day. 

She let herself get to the end of the page before putting her bookmark in and closing the book. 

Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you. Go to Washington Square Park at 11:30. There is a surprise waiting for you! T x 

Liliana read the text five times. The first time she laughed because he’d used Taylor Swift lyrics that fit exactly how she’d felt about New York. The second time, she wondered what could possibly be at Washington Square Park waiting for her. The third time she wanted to make sure that it was actually Taron who had sent the message. The fourth time, she noted that it said to be there for half eleven and it was already ten. The fifth time, she wondered if Taron was in New York. 

He couldn’t be. He had been called to stay in New Orleans for an extra few days to reshoot a couple of scenes. She thought that maybe he had planned something for her to do which started at the park so she climbed out of bed and trudged to the bathroom to shower. 

While she was putting her hair up into a simple ponytail to keep it out of her face during the day, Liliana decided that she would get an Uber to the park to make her life a little easier. The price tag pained her a little but everything she did on the trip was being put on the company card so it wasn’t coming directly from her bank. 

***

Liliana stopped in her tracks when she got to the archway at Washington Square Park. With arms held open ready for her to step into, and a smile bright enough to outshine Times Square, Taron waited for her. Liliana took a deep breath and ran to him. She almost knocked him down with the force of her hug but he managed to stay upright, holding her tight. 

They hadn’t seen one another in almost a month but being together made it seem as though they hadn’t been apart at all. 

‘Welcome to New York, little bird,’ he chuckled against her hair as he swayed her softly. ‘How’s this for a surprise?’ 

‘Perfect. How come you didn’t tell me you were here?’ Liliana wouldn’t let him go. She rested her head against his chest and relished in being in his arms again. He was firm against her front and she wondered if he’d worked out some while being away. ‘I’m in New York, Taron. Like actually in New York. America!’ 

A group of people walking past turned to smile at them before continuing on their walk. Taron tipped his head at them in a polite gesture before prying Liliana out of his arms so that he could look at her. His hands rested on her shoulders and he pushed her back ever so slightly to gain eye contact. 

‘I am so proud of you, Lil, you have no idea.’ She hugged him again and he laughed happily. ‘Mam says she’s proud too and that you need to text her ASAP to tell her about the trip or she’ll have you.’

***

New York was beautiful that day, unseasonably warm with blue skies and the sun beaming down gentle rays. The cherry blossoms had begun to wake from their winter slumber and blessed the city with pink trees of heaven, petals floating down and dancing on the ground around their feet. 

Liliana and Taron had walked around a little bit before they found a seat near the fountain to sit for a little while and catch up properly. They sat so close together that their thighs would have melded together had they been any closer. Liliana took time to take in her surroundings when the conversation fell to a natural lull. 

The park was full of NYU students who were back in school after winter break, coffees in hand to try and keep them awake for their classes. Everywhere Liliana looked, the park buzzed with students, tourists, street performers and so many dogs she thought she might die. Whenever they came across a dog, she asked to pet it, kneeling down and getting excited. 

As she admired a group of friends laughing together close to the fountain, taking photos of each other and having what seemed to be a fun day, somebody jumped on the piano close to the archway and started to play an instrumental version of a song Liliana would know anywhere. 

Sign of the Times played and she closed her eyes to let the music wash over her. It was her favourite song, by her favourite artist, and she had to take a deep breath to control the quiver of emotion that bubbled in her throat. 

Taron watched her tilt her head back to the sky and listen to the music, her lips turning into a soft smile. He grabbed her hand and looked at her in excitement when she looked at him, eyebrows furrowed until she realised what he was about to do. 

He pulled her closer to the piano and twisted her into his body so that he could wrap his arm around her waist. They danced together to the music and Liliana smiled at him, beginning to sing along with the song. 

‘Just stop your crying, have the time of your life,’ she sang quietly. Taron was in love with her voice and decided not to join in the singing just so he could enjoy it a little longer. ‘Breaking through the atmosphere, and things are pretty good from here, remember everything will be alright.’ 

‘Are you?’ Taron asked when she stopped singing to the music. 

‘Am I what?’ 

‘Having the time of your life?’ 

Liliana nodded. There were tears in her eyes but she smiled widely at him. ‘You have no idea. I still can’t believe that you’re here.’ 

‘I missed you and needed to see you,’ he admitted. 

He continued to waltz her around happily and she threw her head back to bark a laugh when he almost stumbled over. He pouted at her but then joined in her laugh. They didn’t care that they were in public and were being watched by hundreds of other people. They were two people, enjoying one another’s presence and being in the moment. 

When the song ended and they stopped dancing, everyone around them erupted into cheers and applause and they both blushed profusely. Taron grabbed Liliana’s hand and looked at her, silently asking if she trusted him. She nodded before they took off running out of the park, laughing loudly. 

It reminded Liliana of running through the rain back in Aberystwyth the year she left for university. They’d been on top of Constitution Hill cloud watching when the rain started. They had to run down the hill and onto the seafront to find shelter. They were soaked by the time they got there. 

‘I want to show you some of my favourite places,’ Taron said when they were a block away from the park. ‘If you’re up for it? I know you wanted to do touristy things but-’ 

‘I want to see New York through your eyes,’ she smiled at him. ‘Tourist attractions be damned. Show me New York, T.’ 

The rest of the morning was spent wandering around the West Village where they passed countless rows of brownstones. Liliana thought they were some of the most beautiful houses she’d ever seen and kept stopping in front of them to just admire them. She couldn’t help but peek into the windows of them and wonder what the person living there was like. What they did for work, how much they loved living in New York, how often they had guests over for dinner parties on Friday evenings. 

She loved London and she loved her flat but she wished she had even a sliver of green space that she could use to create a garden like the occupants of the brownstones had. Hell, she’d take a balcony she could put planters on. If it weren’t for Matilda she could have easily packed up all of her belongings and moved into one of the many brownstones she’d passed that day. 

Taron obliged every time she wanted to admire one, stepping back and watching as she took it all in. He couldn’t stop smiling at her. Though he wished he could read her mind so he knew what she was thinking as she stood with her arms by her sides and her head tilted up to look at the houses. 

‘You know,’ Taron started as they headed to Bleecker Street, where his favourite record shop was, ‘I love the anonymity that this part of the city affords me. Granted, I have quite a bit wherever I go but here I feel like I don’t have to put on appearances just in case. I can do whatever I want and be me and that’s enough, you know?’ 

Liliana wrapped her arms around his bicep, leaning on him as they walked. ‘I understand. I can tell you don’t have a mask on. It’s like when we got to Aber at Christmas, you just took this deep breath in the car and there was a different version of you in front of me. I like this version of you. I like all versions of you but this one is my favourite.’ 

Taron took a deep breath and smiled at her, whisking her into the record shop. They spent almost an hour rummaging through bins of vinyls. When they were at opposite ends of the shop, they would call to the other to show them music from when they were little, and when they were next to one another, they would slide whatever they’d found in front of the other person with a cheeky grin. 

In the end, Liliana bought five records, one each for Evelyn and Jacob and three for herself. Taron bought himself and his mum the same record of music they’d listened to in the car when he was younger and he bought the Rocketman soundtrack for Liliana as a joke. She loved it and vowed to play it all the time. 

They had worked up an appetite shopping for records so they headed to Magnolia Bakery where he asked her once more if she trusted him. 

‘You need to stop asking me that,’ she laughed. ‘I trust you wholeheartedly. And I hereby respond to every future time you ask if I trust you that unless I state otherwise, I trust you with everything.’ 

Taron headed inside to buy a cupcake while Liliana waited outside. She stood on the sidewalk and saw the bookstore across the road so she crossed over to look in the windows. There, on the shelf staring back at her next to a bunch of tote bags and other books that she’d read before, was her book. 

Emotion rushed over her as she truly realised what was happening. She was in New York City and was going to other cities across the States, with her best friends from work celebrating her book. 

And she was with Taron. The book was the reason she was with Taron. She’d invited him to the book launch but had no idea if he would actually show up. Part of her had hoped he wouldn’t go. She’d poured everything into the book but was unsure how she would handle seeing him again and reliving the entire thing. 

But he had shown up and it turned out that inviting him had been the best decision she could have ever made. 

‘I wondered where you’d gotten to,’ he said when he stood next to her. He saw the book and looked in her eyes through the reflection of the glass. ‘I saw it in New Orleans too and I realised that the book-’

‘If it weren’t for the book, we wouldn’t be here right now. We probably wouldn’t have gotten back in touch,’ Liliana finished for him, turning to face him with a sad smile. ‘I’m so glad you came to the book launch.’ 

‘I’m so glad you invited me.’ He handed over a tub. ‘It’s banana pudding, don’t look at it like it’s some weird alien thing.’ 

‘And banana pudding is…what, exactly?’ She took the tub from Taron and looked at it sceptically. 

‘It’s bananas, a firm custard and cake pieces. I got a large because you have to really indulge in this stuff. If you can’t finish it, I got an extra spoon.’ 

'We can share it,’ she said, offering him the tub. ‘I don’t mind.’ 

‘I promise, the second you have some you will no longer want to share it.’ 

Liliana took her first bite. Her eyes instantly closed as she moaned happily around the mouthful. ‘Okay so this is what heaven is like. Good to know.’ 

Taron laughed at her before guiding her down the street so they could head towards Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side. They come across a small street fair on Houston Street and stop to admire the New York themed artwork. 

Liliana had made light work of the banana pudding but left just under half of it, which Taron finished for her. He’d asked if she was sure and she told him that if she ate anymore then she would pop and she wanted to enjoy the rest of their day. He laughed but obliged, eating the rest of the pudding with the same spoon Liliana had used. 

After Liliana purchased a small piece of artwork that she wanted to put up in her living room to remember the trip, they found themselves at a cocktail bar to ‘rest their feet’ as Taron had suggested. 

Liliana was so grateful that Taron was there and had shown her all of his favourite parts of New York, or at least as many as he was able to in their one day there. He’d promised that one day they would go back and spend a few days exploring the city fully and Liliana couldn’t wait. At the start of the day she’d planned to go to all of the touristy areas but somehow going everywhere but to those places made her feel like she’d really experienced New York City. She beamed over the perfect day she’d experienced over a Manhattan, a joke because of where they were. Though she didn’t enjoy the drink as much as she thought she would. Taron had laughed at her initial reaction, her face scrunched up tightly. 

‘I thought it was going to be sweeter,’ she grimaced, taking another sip because she refused to leave it after what it cost. 

They laughed again at some of the things they’d done and the characters that they’d seen during the day, like the guy with a cat on his head. Liliana had had the best day and she had loved every single minute of it and of getting to spend time with Taron. 

Three drinks later, the sun had started to set and the winter chill set back in. Liliana wrapped her arms around herself as they continued walking through the city, soaking up every possible minute they had together. 

‘What do you think about heading back to my hotel to relax for a bit? We could get pizza and watch something on the TV? American Netflix is so much better than ours.’ 

Liliana nodded enthusiastically. ‘That sounds really good. I’m freezing and want to relax before tomorrow’s travel day.’ 

Taron pulled his phone out of his pocket and ordered them an Uber to get back. ‘You have two options for food, actually. We can get pizza, or we can order room service. Either way, we’ll nip to the liquor store near the hotel and get something to drink. Or we could get a drink from the bar, actually.’ 

‘As much as room service is always a good idea because…good food, I’ve had it so much these past few days. Plus, I’ve come all the way to New York and I haven’t had a single slice of pizza which is a crime, I believe. So I vote for pizza. And we can get drinks at the bar. It’s too cold,’ she laughed. 

‘Pizza it is. Come on, the Uber will be here in a minute. I’ll order pizza to the hotel. There’s this place called Joe’s and they do the best pizza! What would you like on it?’ 

Liliana thought for a minute, going over the options in her head. ‘I’ll just have a regular old Pepperoni, please.’ 

***

The Uber pulled up outside Taron’s hotel and Liliana stepped out and stared at him in amazement.

‘This is your hotel?’ She asked, her arms once again wrapped around her middle. Taron nodded. ‘My room is on the 16th floor. Room 1653.’ 

‘No way!’ Taron chuckled. Liliana could hear the fake shock and she stared at him, blinking three times in quick succession. 

‘You knew?’ 

‘I may or may not have had this whole thing planned out with Evelyn for a week or so,’ he admitted. ‘I swore her to secrecy but I knew I wanted to surprise you today and what better way to end the night by both being in the same hotel?’ 

‘So this is why she was acting so sheepish the other day at the book signing. I’m gonna kill her.’ 

Taron laughed. ‘Don’t kill her. It was all my idea, promise. Come on, let’s go get a drink.’ 

Their pizza was waiting for them at reception when they got there and Taron took it from the counter happily before he headed to the lift to get to his room. He decided that they would order drinks via room service so that they could eat sooner. 

Liliana’s stomach grumbled loudly in the lift and Taron lifted the pizza box to her nose, circling it in front of her, in response. She eyed him grumpily and put her hand just under the waistband of her jeans to pull them away from her skin. 

‘I am so uncomfortable in these clothes,’ she complained. ‘I might nip to my room and get changed before food, if that’s okay?’ 

‘No need,’ Taron smiled. ‘I’ve got a hoodie and bottoms you can borrow.’ 

Liliana’s heart fluttered at his offer. The last time she’d borrowed his clothes had been at Christmas when she stayed at his house for the night. 

Stealing clothes from a man was a very intimate thing to her. Even when she’d had casual flings with someone, she’d never borrowed their clothes until she knew that they meant something to her. They never meant anything to her. Taron meant everything to her. 

‘Thank you, that sounds nice.’ 

They sat together on Taron’s bed, their legs crossed and a box of pizza in front of them. Taron had bought the large pizza so that they could share, but it was big enough that Tina, Rosie, Marie and Matilda could have had some and they would all have been satisfied. 

Taron had thrown Liliana a black hoodie and a pair of joggers when they got to the room and she put them on happily in the bathroom. His hoodie felt like a giant hug and it smelled like him. She kept lifting the neckline up to inhale his scent and he’d caught her a couple of times but never mentioned it to her. 

There was something about the intimacy of being in his bed, in his clothes, with his knees touching hers that made her feel vulnerable. More vulnerable than she’d been in a long time. 

Between touring different time zones and talking about her childhood more than she ever had, as well as being away from her safe space at home, Liliana’s vulnerability exploded and she couldn’t help the tears that fell. 

Taron looked at her with sad eyes and immediately moved the pizza to the bedside table so he could pull her into his arms. The position was awkward but Liliana didn’t care. She needed the comfort that Taron was giving her. 

‘Do you want to talk?’ Taron whispered into her hair softly. ‘If you do, remember everything will be alright.’ 

Liliana pulled away from the hug and wiped her eyes even though she still cried. She lifted the hem of the hoodie up to her ribs. The tattoo that she’d gotten five years prior when she was writing the book for the first time and thinking back to Taron being in her life sat proudly. 

Taron refrained from reaching forward to run his fingers over it. Instead he looked at the tattoo again and then up to Liliana who slowly pulled the hoodie down and used the sleeves to make paws over her hands. She was starting to withdraw slightly. 

‘That’s a lyric, right? A Harry Styles one? From that song we danced to earlier.’ 

‘It is,’ she sniffled and wet her lips. ‘But it’s also what you used to tell me when we were teenagers and I was worried about leaving for university. You always told me that everything would be alright. So as much as it’s a tattoo to represent a song that means more to me than I could ever put into words, it’s also a tattoo to represent a friendship I missed more than anything, and a person who I loved.’ 

Her admission was too much for her and the floodgates opened once more. She sobbed aggressively on the bed with her head in her hands and Taron held her in his arms again to try and comfort her. But it didn’t work. 

The one thing that he’d been able to do so easily for so long was impossible that evening. He wanted to text his mum and ask her what to do but he needed to have his full attention on Liliana who was struggling to breathe. 

He held her top half while manoeuvring them so that they were laid down on the bed, Liliana’s body rested in the crook of Taron’s body and his arms wrapped tightly around her. He rocked her slightly and hoped that the new position would allow for her to breathe a little easier. 

Liliana still cried but she was calmer thanks to being able to breathe better. She looked up at Taron through wet eyelashes but closed her eyes again when Taron wiped under her eye. He looked at her with concern and she felt awful for putting this on him. 

‘Talk to me?’ He asked her tentatively, tucking a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear so that she didn’t eat it. ‘If you want to.’ 

‘I want to tell you everything,’ she told him before closing her eyes to try to stop herself from crying more. ‘But I’m scared.’ 

‘Scared of what?’

‘Scared that you’ll think differently of me. That you won’t want to know me when you finally know the truth. I’m scared that I’m going to lose you again.’ 

‘Lil,’ he whispered, tears starting to well in his eyes. ‘I promise you won’t lose me again. I’m never going anywhere.’ 

Liliana took a deep breath and opened up completely. She bared her soul to Taron and told him about the day she was pulled out of school and found out about her dad cheating on her mum and how she’d spent weeks crying herself to sleep because for eleven years she’d woken up and fallen asleep in the same house as both of her parents who told one another that they loved each other and then it was all pulled out from under her. 

She admitted that she hadn’t seen her dad since she was twelve and that he hadn’t once tried to reach out to her in all that time. The last time she’d seen him was when her mum told him that she hoped he wrapped his car around a tree and died. 

Taron gasped when he heard that and held her close but stayed quiet. It was the most she’d ever told him and he wanted to listen to her, to let her talk and tell him everything that she wanted to. 

Liliana told him about the way her mum had truly treated her throughout her teenage years, and how she’d spent more time doing things that her mum should have been doing, like cooking and cleaning and doing the shopping, than anything else. She missed out on her teenage years and she hated that she’d never get them back. She was twenty at fourteen. 

When she explained that there’d been a time in her teens when she had thoughts that she didn’t ever want to think about again, just so that she could escape the constant pain she was in, Taron cried with her. He held her even tighter and told her that he was there and she cried harder. 

‘I’m sorry you went through all of that. I didn’t know.’ 

‘I didn’t say anything,’ Liliana said, finally looking at Taron. Both of them had red eyes and snotty noses and she leaned back into his chest and held him close, inhaling his scent. ‘I didn’t want anybody to know what was really going on. That’s why I applied to Edinburgh. I wanted to be as far away as I could get so that I could start somewhere new without the cloud of Eliza and my childhood hanging over my head. I never got to be a teenager properly. I never got to go on holiday or dance in the rain or go to house parties and get drunk with all of my friends or go to concerts because I was too busy parenting myself.’ 

‘Lil.’ 

‘It’s fine. I got used to it pretty quickly. And I thought that maybe once I left for uni, things would change. I was naive enough to think that space would improve my relationship with my mum but it didn’t. It made it worse. Every time I go back to Aber to see Matilda I sit and wait for the comments from mum. She doesn’t love me. She pretends she does to other people but she doesn’t.’ 

‘Oh Lil, I’m so sorry.’ 

Liliana sniffled and started to cry fully again. She hadn’t ever told anybody how her mum felt about her before and it felt both freeing and terrible to tell somebody. ‘She told me herself, on Christmas morning. I went to the kitchen for a drink and she came in after me. I thought she wanted a drink herself but she just turned bitter for no reason. She told me that she was glad I moved away because it meant she didn’t have to pretend to love me anymore. I spent the rest of the day upstairs on my own.’ 

So that was why she’d been crying on Christmas day. Taron couldn’t do anything but hold her even tighter. His heart had shattered into billions of pieces and he wanted to use the pieces of his heart to patch up Liliana’s. 

‘Liliana, look at me,’ he said after a few minutes of letting her cry. He tilted her chin up with his thumb and let his heart break even more when he saw just how much the sparkle in her eyes had died. ‘Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to tell me all of this. I wish I’d have known sooner, mum and me would have helped or-’ 

‘You couldn’t have helped,’ Liliana replied, licking her lips to wet them again. ‘Nobody could have helped. It happened, I grew up, I wrote a book and I only go back home when I really have to. And that’s only to see Matilda. And now it’ll be to see your mum too. I missed her.’ 

Taron looked at her for a moment and took a deep breath. Liliana could feel his chest move against hers as he breathed. 

‘Lil, there’s something I need to tell you,’ he whispered after a few seconds, pushing the strand of hair behind her ear again after it had fallen. ‘On Christmas Eve when I spent time with you and Matilda, I realised…that you’ve never been just a friend to me.’ 

‘Taron…’ Liliana warned. ‘Please.’ 

‘There’s always been something there but I never let myself act on it. I think I started to realise when you were getting ready to leave for uni but I didn’t want to hold you back. I knew you needed to leave, even if I didn’t know just how much you needed to leave until right now, and me telling you how I felt would have held you back. You just bared your entire soul to me and I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of sorrow before. You deserve so much more than what you’ve had. 

‘You deserve a family who will always show you love, and who will mean it. I want to be that family for you. I’ve always wanted to be that family.’ 

Taron leaned closer to Liliana until their noses touched. She could feel his breath on her lips and she froze, gulping hard. It’s all she’d ever wanted but it was too much all at once. She leaned back as Taron leaned in, her head screaming at her to get out of the bed, the room, the hotel, the city. She wanted to be anywhere but there. 

Taron watched as she scurried off the bed, making some excuse about needing to be up early to head to Philly. She grabbed her clothes from the chair in the corner and her bag and left the room, letting the door slam loudly behind her. 

Her heart was beating so fast. She ran to the lift and pressed the button over and over until it dinged and the doors opened. It wasn’t until the doors closed behind her that she realised Taron hadn’t followed her like she thought he might. 

Taron lay on his bed and rested his elbow over his eyes. He was pissed at himself for even thinking that it was a good time to tell Liliana how he felt. She had just opened herself up to him fully and in a way he’d wished she would for years. Her vulnerability was clear and he’d held her for almost an hour while she told him why she was the way she was. She had explicitly told him that she’d struggled to open up to anyone and he still took advantage of her vulnerability to tell her that he had feelings for him. 

But he was also confused. He thought he’d read her right. She told him that she’d loved him, and the way she said it very strongly implied that she was still in love with him. He thought they’d made progress until she shut herself down again like she had so many times before. All he wanted was to know why, and to have her know that he was there for her.

He decided that he needed to step back and respect Liliana’s very clear boundaries. There must have been a reason she was so reserved. Everything she told him had affected her badly so maybe she needed time to realise that he was there for her. 

Even though he was mad at himself for doing what he did, he couldn’t bear the thought of Liliana thinking he was mad at her for leaving him. He still wanted to be there for her, despite not knowing when he would see her next. He texted Evelyn asking for their return information to London but didn’t answer any of her questions that followed. 

Liliana’s room was pitch black when she got back but she couldn’t bring herself to switch on the light. She was too sad and too weak to do anything but drop her bag on the floor near the door and stumble her way to the bed. The bed was made from housekeeping earlier in the day but she didn’t attempt to pull the covers open to climb into them. She curled up on top of them and pulled the neckline of Taron’s hoodie closer to her face where she could inhale his scent. 

Her heart broke into millions of pieces as she lay in the dark, her mind replaying what had happened in Taron’s bedroom. She curled herself up more and let the tears fall. The thought of having to continue the book tour made her want to cry more. She’d always been good at putting on a fake smile, throwing her hair up and pretending like everything was fine but she didn’t know how she would manage that when she hurt the way she hurt. 

***

February 21st, 2022 

The next morning, Liliana woke up with the worst headache she’d had in a long time. She’d only had an hour and a bit of sleep and was feeling it. 

She fished through her bag for the Tylenol she’d bought in Boston and took two with the lukewarm water on the bedside table from the day before. The room was still dark despite the curtains being open and she checked the time on her phone. 

She could have stayed asleep for at least another hour but she didn’t want to have the same dream she’d had all night. Taron had confessed that he had feelings for her and she’d left him in his room alone. It played on repeat all night until she woke up with tears in her eyes. 

What had started out as the best day she’d ever had, exploring a dream city with Taron and feeling so free, turned out to be a nightmare. She hadn’t expected to tell him about the years leading up to her leaving for university but it happened and she wished that she could take it all back. 

Above all, she wished that she could take back leaving his room without explanation. She wished she’d have pulled away when he leaned in to kiss her, something she’d wanted him to do for so long, to tell him that he was moving too fast and she couldn’t change gears so quickly. Not after revealing her deepest, darkest thoughts to him. 

She should have told him that it wasn’t that she didn’t feel the same way about him and that she was happy to finally know that he was on the same page, but she just needed him to hold her and tell her that everything would be okay again. That she wasn’t broken after everything she’d been through. 

There was so much that she should have done. What she could have done. Instead she had run back to her room like a coward and wouldn’t be able to see him until they were both back in London. The only way she could have apologised to him before being back home was to go to his room before she left and do it. But she refused to wake him at four thirty in the morning. The chances were that he wouldn’t want to see her again anyway so it was for the best that she didn’t.

Evelyn eyed her suspiciously as she climbed into the car but she ignored her best friend. She sat in her seat, fastened her seatbelt and put her earphones in to listen to music. It was only a little under two hours to their next destination but it seemed to take forever. 

Liliana had to stop herself from crying multiple times during the drive and struggled to keep her composure. The hoodie she’d borrowed from Taron was still wrapped around her top half and she curled into it, inhaling Taron’s scent and wishing she could change everything that happened the night before. 

During the drive she started to text Taron, typing out an entire paragraph before deciding that it didn’t sound right so deleting it. She repeated it multiple times until she gave up altogether. There was no way that he would want to talk to her after everything that happened. He wouldn’t want her anymore. 

Liliana somehow managed to get through the few days in Philadelphia without breaking down into tears every time she talked about the book. Evelyn and Jacob sensed that something had happened, especially with how sad she’d been and how Taron asked for their return info, but Liliana wouldn’t tell them anything. 

When they were headed to LA and Seattle, Liliana realised that she couldn’t give Taron nothing so she texted him to apologise for running out. She told him that she’d get his clothes back to him when she was back in London and that she hoped the last bit of filming went okay. The text was short compared to how she normally texted him but she wanted her apology to be in person so that she could see his response. Not to mention that the way between telling him and his response would kill her.  Though she didn’t receive a response at all. It was radio silent from Taron’s end and it hurt but she understood. He didn’t want to speak to her and she couldn’t blame him.

[euphternal]

podcastin' with the taron family .° ༘ 🎧 ⋆ 🎙️ ₊˚ෆ

epistle: just a lil sumthing ...

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ ୭ 🧷 ✧ ˚. ᵎᵎ 🎀🪞🕊️🤍✨

ever since you and taron have been stultified out of your minds with lockdown . you both thought of starting a podcast with helping the fact that you guys have nothing else to do … from creating a safety net for your guys’ fanbases to create a more positive environment for the people who are mentally struggling ❤️‍🩹 .

the taron family always post twice , weekly with podcasts episodes with special guests . obviously with elton john to hugh jackman <33

the podcast is an amazing outlet with how much you both love to ramble infinitely towards each other , promoting how healthy your relationship is and to starting to advocate for important and relevant topics in the world .

running forward from starting in mid 2020 with the world stewing with racks on racks of toilet paper straining with this corona spreading like a wildfire .

you and taron have started trying for a baby !! luckily , you were both able to welcome a beautiful and healthy daughter and son , who are fraternal twins <3 your podcast is a perfect platform to talk about parenthood . from ups & downs to milestones where you guys would never forget <3

taron would non-stop ramble how insanely astonished , amazed and proud he is about you a being a first-time mother and him being a first-time father 🥹 the kids would absolutely love being on the podcast episodes too 😭

there is so many soft moments on the podcast , with silent moments of taron staring longingly at you with so so so much love radiating from him , funny moments with silently watching your babies having hiccups for their first time , taron forgetting his words as usual , the taron family all dressing up festively for annual celebrations , you and taron teasing about your new , exciting upcoming roles in movies / series , the list keeps on growing .

you guys are just insanely blessed for coming up with this idea <33

🫧🎀

[thecrackshipdiaries]

Taron Egerton and Sydney Sweeney

Requested: anon

[applesfallingfromblondehair]

Cannes 2019 was a whole wedding mood, wasn't it?

Pictured: the groom and his groomsmen

Pictured: the groom and his stylist (we miss you Gar, come back)

Pictured: the groom, fully dressed and taking a tea break for the nerves

Pictured: the groom, on his way to the venue

Pictured: meanwhile, the other groom

Pictured: "am I really wearing a Bond Tux™?"

Pictured: "is my fiancé really wearing a Bond Tux ™ and why didn't anyone tell me he'd try outshining me on my our big day?"

Pictured: "alright you know what, we look fucking good together so I don't mind"

[f1-birb]

Whole day I’ve been thinking about Lando in suit and it gives me a wedding Au sort of where Lando is sending his future husband sneak peek of his suit. And in background there is his best man telling off Lando for doing it

That is adorable, I love that a lot

I was hit with Kingsman (the movie) vibes and have had a Kingsman/James Bond/spy au rattling around in my head all day, Pierre/Lando or Charles/Lando calling to me specifically

[romkole]

Cheggsy as camp counsellors

[silverwolfdesign]

🡒 🔫 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 • 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 & 𝘛𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥

I Got you. 

[beasanfi1997]

"Your orders, Chamberlain?" Asked Galadriel

"Find the Stonewood Gelfling," SkekSil ordered.

At the Twilight Realm, the Garthim broke down the portale and Midna turned and saw the Garthim ransacking the store. They moved a barrel and pulled back a rug, revealing a trapdoor, which opened, revealing Grottans.

Later, they were handcuffed and standing outside of the Twilight Realm.

"Ten pieces of silver for Rian from Stonewood Clan," Gothel said, offering the exact amount of money.  The Grottans said nothing but remained silent.  "Lock them up!" SkekSil ordered.

Later, the Garthim pushed a wagon into the river, and as it began to sink, Rek'yr the Dousan, Onica the Sifan, and Maudra Mera the Spriton surfaced.

"Twenty pieces of silver for Rian from Stonewood," SkekSil said, offering the double amount of silver. Like the group of some Gelflings from different Clan before them, Rek'yr, Onica, and Maudra Mera remained silent and glared at SkekSil. "Take them away!" SkekSil ordered.

Galadriel frowned and shook her head, not at all liking SkekSil's method of hunting down Rian.

Later, SkekSil and Galadriel were at a castle.  A group of people were gathered nearby, watching, and Rian and JB turned up in disguise.

"Poor Princess Carolina," Princess Zelda said.  "She's never harmed anyone!"

"SkekSil's gone mad," Link said.

Inside of the castle, SkekSil was interrogating Princess Carolina and her family.

"We found this Sifan talisman on your property," SkekSil said.  "Have you been harboring Gelfling?"

"Our castle is always open to the weary jugglers," Princess Carolina said.  "Have mercy, Chamberlain."

"I am placing you and your family under house arrest until I get to the bottom of this," SkekSil said, as she and Galadriel turned to leave.  "If what you say is true and you are innocent, you have nothing to fear."

"But we are innocent!"  Princess Carolina protested.  "We know nothing of those Gelflings!"

SkekSil closed the door and barred it with a spear, before he turned to Galadriel and said, "Burn it."

"What?" Galadriel said in shock.

"Until it smolders," SkekSil said, handing a torch to Galadriel.  "These humans are traitors and must be made examples of."

Galadriel frowned and said, "With all due respect, Chamberlain, my Brother and the Silver Elves were trained me not to murder the innocent."

"But you were trained to follow orders," SkekSil said. Galadriel backed toward the house as if to burn it, but doused her torch in a barrel of water with a defiant glare. "Insolent coward," SkekSil said, before he took a torch and held it up to the castle, setting it on fire as well.

The cries of Princess Carolina and her family came within and Galadriel jumped through the window into the burning castle as Rian watched in concern. Galadriel broke down the door and she and Princess Carolina's family ran out. Galadriel handed the children to Princess Carolina and Prince Ivaldo and they both left, giving Galadriel grateful smiles.

[samanthahirr]

Kingsman & Robin Hood AU (Hartwin)

Inspired by a Writer Bingo card meme called “Why I Didn’t Write It,” here’s my most-beloved story idea I never wrote:

Picture if you will a mashup of Taron Egerton’s films Kingsman (2014) & Robin Hood (2018), in which younger-son-of-an-earl Eggsy meets King Harry on the Third Crusade (round about 1190 A.D.). Obliged to keep this brash young lordling from getting killed, Harry tolerates Eggsy’s presence in his council meetings and gives Eggsy much-needed advice to listen and learn before weighing in on matters of war and politics. Eggsy quickly comes to worship Harry, and as Eggsy matures into a noble and intelligent young man, Harry becomes enamored with him. The two begin a passionate affair, which Harry’s chief advisor Merlin disapproves of (Harry can’t afford to show such partiality for one earl’s family over the other earls’ without unbalancing the carefully calibrated politics of his court).

Eggsy falls in battle and is captured, and while the war front moves on, Harry arranges to covertly pay Eggsy’s ransom. Fearing Harry’s inevitable distraction should Eggsy turn out physically or psychologically damaged by his time in captivity, Merlin insists Eggsy be sent straight home to England with no reunion. Harry dispatches Merlin to deliver the ransom and escort Eggsy to England, where Merlin must wrangle the growing dissent over this war among Harry’s court. Harry gives Merlin a love letter to deliver to Eggsy on their voyage back to England. Eggsy arrives home brokenhearted over his separation from Harry, and is surprised by news that his older brother has died in the intervening two years, making Eggsy the new heir. Eggsy resents his father’s overprotective control and efforts to keep his sole remaining heir home on the family estate. After a few months, Eggsy convinces the earl to let him go attend the court, as his older brother had done.

At court, Eggsy falls in with his dead brother’s friend group of other young lords, and he quickly realizes that they are French sympathizers and potential traitors to the crown. Eggsy tries to take this information to Merlin, but Merlin won’t grant him an audience, paranoid that rumors of Harry’s partiality for Eggsy may yet follow them home from the war. So Eggsy resolves to spy on these men himself in order to protect Harry’s interests. Using the intel he overhears, Eggsy poses as a bandit to rob couriers carrying messages between the upstart English lords and the French prince, and he intercepts a shipment of French gold intended to hire mercenary assassins. Eggsy’s bandit persona gains notoriety and becomes known as Robin Hood. Meanwhile, Merlin sees Eggsy badmouthing Harry’s policies right along with that group of dissenting lordlings at the court and thinks worse and worse of Eggsy.

After a year of separation, news comes that the King is returning to England, and Eggsy learns of a plan to ambush and assassinate Harry on his way to court. Eggsy rushes to warn Harry in the guise of his bandit persona. “Robin Hood” waylays Harry in a rainstorm at night, Harry tries to get the upper hand before recognizing his Eggsy, and the reunited lovers kiss desperately in the rain….

And the remaining plot becomes a confused mess of action, passion, mistrust, feigned betrayals, assassins, and (hand wave) a happily ever after.

As much as I adore this sprawling epic of a story, I can’t properly define it…because it feels like three separate genres, and the tones and pacing don’t match up. It’s a sweeping war-time romance in the first half, and then it’s a political intrigue plot in the second half, not to mention the whole vigilante action story that has to live up to the myth of Robin Hood! I’ve imagined multiple different endings for this epic, and none of them feel right…and I think that’s because I don’t know which genre’s conventions to use to determine a satisfying ending.

This confusion plus the daunting amount of historical research I would have to do to tell this tale believably (ugh, noooo) means I’m never going to write this story. But it sure is fun to imagine the love, the battles, the pining, the spying, and the grand passion of it all!

[holdmeclosertinytaron]

RHW: Chapter Four

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A/N: Chapter four already!! This chapter is cosy and cute and so festive, which feels so weird considering the current heatwave in the UK. I remember writing this and @brayndilyn writing so many cool bits for it so thank you! I hope you enjoy.

Word Count: 10.9k (A longer one than before!)

December 23rd, 2021 

Liliana stared at the front door for longer than what was deemed normal. It looked the same as it had when she was a teenager, and she couldn’t decide if that was good or bad. It had been her safe space for so long and now it reminded her of a time she would rather forget. But she still felt the pull of safety. 

She had been home no longer than an hour before she walked out of the front door again. By the time she got there, her legs burned and she wished she’d been to the gym more over the years. It had been over a decade since she’d done the walk and the hills seemed to be steeper than they once were. At one point she thought she might give up. 

Yet she’d made it, and stared at the door for almost ten minutes before she lifted her hand to knock three times, just as she’d done many times before. In the twenty seconds between knocking and the door opening, Liliana thought about walking away so many times. The door opened before she could turn away and her lungs expelled so much air she thought she might faint. Tina stood in awe, her eyes welling up the second she laid eyes on Liliana for the first time in fourteen years. 

‘Oh sweet girl,’ she whispered as she saw her tear stained cheeks and red nose. Tina stepped outside and wrapped her arms around Liliana to usher her into the house. ‘Come on in where it’s nice and warm. You look so cold.’ 

Liliana let Tina guide her inside before she sniffled once more and tried to stop herself from sobbing. Even in the hallway, she felt emotion wash over her. It had been so long but it felt like yesterday. In that moment she wasn’t a successful thirty-something year old with a career and a life she was proud of, she was a shy, timid teenager who didn’t know what the hell she was doing. 

Tears fell down her cheeks and she breathed two shaky breaths before Tina’s arms were wrapped around her to try and give her a little bit of comfort. ‘It’s okay, let it out. You’re safe. You’re here. I’ve got you.’ 

Tina’s gentleness only made Liliana cry more. Tina should have been mad at her. Liliana wouldn’t have blamed her for being mad. She’d promised that she wouldn’t be a stranger but that’s exactly what she’d done. She’d left Aberystwyth and the only people who’d ever cared enough about her to try and help. Being back in Tina’s house, being comforted by her, being welcomed back with open arms, it was all too much. 

‘I’m sorry to just turn up like this,’ she mumbled quietly, pulling away from the hug to wipe her eyes and look at Tina. Her skin was a little more translucent than it had been before and she had a few more lines around her eyes and mouth, but her eyes were still the beautiful green they always had been. Tina exuded comfort, beauty, love…safety. ‘It’s just been…a day and I didn’t know where to go.’ 

‘There’s no need to apologise, the door has always been open to you.’ Over the years Liliana had grown a thick skin. She’d had no choice. But somehow, Tina’s words sliced straight through to her heart, through layers of armour that she’d formed to stop herself from being hurt again. ‘I missed you.’ 

Liliana sighed sadly and wrapped her arms around her body. ‘I missed you too. So much.’ 

‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ Tina asked with a gentle smile. Liliana nodded as she followed her into the living room. ‘Is it still two sugars and a dash of milk?’ 

‘Yes please.’ 

Tina nodded and left to go to the kitchen, leaving Liliana on her own in the living room. It was like walking into a time capsule. The checked wingback chair sat in the corner of the room near the window, though it had been moved closer to the fireplace for the Christmas tree. Photos and trinkets lined the fireplace. 

Liliana was taken back when she saw a photo of her and Taron at their high school prom. Liliana had worn a floor length black dress with silver details and spaghetti straps. Taron’s suit was black and he’d decided to wear a bow tie instead of a long tie like most of the other lads in their year had gone for. They looked happy in the photo. 

They were looking at the camera with wide smiles on their faces. Taron’s arm was around Liliana’s waist and she’d rested her head on his shoulder. Her mum hadn’t been interested in anything to do with prom so Liliana had to get excited on her own. Tina had taken her to buy a dress and had offered for her to get ready at their house. She’d been the one to zip up her dress and take photos that she could look back on. 

Liliana wiped the tears that had pooled under her eyes as she looked away from the photo, needing to not think too hard about how much she’d hated the lead up to prom. How much she’d hated her teenage years. 

The rest of the living room was practically the same. The TV was in the same corner near the doors leading to the dining room, though it was no longer the bulky one she used to put pound coins in; the mirror above the fireplace still had polaroids from the 90s stuck into the frame; the rug under the coffee table still hid the coffee stain that had occurred one afternoon when she and Taron had been reckless and decided that they could move the table out of the way without moving the drinks even though they knew it was probably a bad idea; and the walls were still full of family pictures. 

As Liliana looked around, she saw that time hadn’t stopped like she’d imagined it to. Photos that she’d grown up seeing had been swapped for photos of Rosie and Marie, who looked so much like their big brother. Photos of them all as babies sat side by side and Liliana smiled at them. Taron had always wished for siblings. She was just sad that she couldn’t have been there with him. 

‘Here you go, lovely,’ Tina said as she walked out of the kitchen, two cups in hand. She passed one to Liliana who took it with a thank you. ‘Make yourself comfortable.’ 

Liliana immediately sat on the wingback chair, her legs curling under her as if no time had passed. ‘Is Taron not here?’ 

Tina shook her head and turned the TV volume down so that they didn’t have to speak too loudly. ‘He nipped out with the girls. They should be back soon though. If I remember rightly, they went to get some last minute gifts or something. I was too busy watching my programme to remember what he’d said properly. But you know what he’s like with being last minute with everything.’ 

‘I do,’ Liliana laughed softly. ‘I really am sorry to just barge in like this. I know that it’s the day before Christmas Eve and you’re no doubt extremely busy. You always were at this time of year.’ 

‘Nonsense. I always have time for you, Lili.’ Liliana took a deep breath, feeling so content and relaxed despite the pit in her stomach. ‘What I said when you were younger still stands. You never have to apologise for coming here, ever. The door has always been, and always will be open to you. No questions asked.’ 

Tina grew quiet and Liliana watched her intently. ‘But you want to ask me something now. I can tell.’ 

‘Okay maybe this once I have a question. And you don’t have to answer if you’d rather not, I just want to make sure. Is everything okay?’ 

Liliana took a shaky breath and nodded. ‘It’s fine.’ 

Tina tilted her head ever so slightly at the younger girl curled up on the chair opposite. She’d been transported back twenty years, when Liliana was eleven and her parents had just broken up. Liliana had sought refuge at her house and had spent hours on the chair in the corner, wrapped in a blanket crying to herself. 

As Tina looked at Liliana, she saw the same timid child she’d known two decades before. ‘Liliana.’ 

Liliana’s eyes pricked with tears again and she tried her best to not let them spill. She grabbed the blanket from the basket next to the chair and wrapped herself in it like she used to do as a child. A tear fell down her cheek as she shook her head at Tina who looked at her with gentle eyes and a sad smile. 

‘It took less than an hour for her to make a comment,’ she sniffled. ‘I couldn’t stay there so I left. I didn’t even know where I was headed until I got to your door. God I feel so stupid. I’m a grown adult and I can’t stop crying because-’ 

‘Lili,’ Tina whispered, placing her tea on the coffee table to walk over to Liliana. She wrapped her arms around her top and held her close, tears threatening to fall from her own eyes. ‘I’m so sorry. But listen, you are not stupid. You’ve gone through so much and if you need to let it out, you let it out okay? I love you.’ 

***

Tina turned the TV off completely when the front door opened and three sets of feet tapped against the doormat. Liliana wiped her eyes one last time and plastered a smile on her face as she tucked herself a little further into the chair. Tina smiled at her and silently asked if she was okay, to which Liliana nodded. 

‘We’re back!’ Taron exclaimed as he walked through the door to the living room, three bags in each hand and two little helpers behind him with a bag each. ‘Lil?’ 

He looked at her with a gleaming smile until he saw that she’d been crying, her eyes red and slightly puffy. Despite her feeling glib and not herself, her being in the house made it feel more like home for him. He’d missed seeing her in the house and he had a rush of emotion as he took a deep breath, putting the bags down on the floor by his feet and walking over to her. 

‘Are you okay?’ He asked as he hugged her tightly when she stood up to greet him properly. 

‘I will be,’ she replied, hugging him back just as tightly. ‘I just needed to get out of there.’ 

‘Tell me more later?’ Liliana nodded at him, her smile no longer forced. Rosie and Marie walked up to Taron and looked at Liliana curiously. ‘How silly of me. Lili, these are my sisters, Rosie and Marie. Girls, this is my oldest friend, Liliana.’ 

Liliana smiled at the girls who looked between her and Taron. Marie looked at her the longest, eyebrows creased in the middle as she tilted her head. ‘Oldest? She doesn’t look old.’ 

Taron, Liliana and Tina laughed between themselves. ‘I meant I’ve been friends with her for a very long time. She’s the same age as me, and don’t go calling me old again, madam.’ 

Liliana smiled at the girls who beamed up at their big brother, love radiating from them all. ‘It’s so lovely to meet you both. Taron has told me so much about you. Are you excited for Christmas?’ 

‘Yeah!’ They shouted at the same time, turning their attention to her fully and nodding their heads rapidly. ‘We went to the shops and bought ingredients to make mince pies. They’re our favourites.’ 

‘They’re mine too,’ Liliana said. ‘Your mummy used to make them when I was your age and I’d gobble so many up that they gave me a tummy ache,’ she admitted, remembering the year she’d spent two hours curled on the chair holding her stomach and trying not to cry. 

Tina laughed at the memory. ‘Girls, what would you say if Liliana helped us bake the mince pies this year?’ 

‘Really?’ Marie said with wide eyes. ‘Yes!’ 

‘Liliana, would you like to bake with us?’ Rosie asked, blinking at her in anticipation. 

‘Please!’ Marie begged with a gappy smile. 

Taron smiled in awe. His sisters were never quick to open up to somebody new but they’d taken no time at all to want Liliana to join in their festive activities. He’d always known Liliana was special but the way his sisters reacted to her solidified it for him. 

He smiled at Tina who was already smiling at him. Neither of them had to speak to know what the other was trying to say. They’d said the same thing many times before. 

‘That sounds so fun, thank you. Does Taron bake with you?’ The girls shook their heads. ‘He doesn’t? Well that’s not very Christmassy. Taron, will you help this year?’ 

‘I will.’ 

Rosie and Marie stared at him in shock. ‘But you never help!’ 

‘I do so,’ he defended. ‘I’m the chief taste tester, thank you very much.’ 

Rosie pouted. ‘But you never help us bake them, silly.’ 

Liliana tutted at him playfully. His lips tilted into a grin as the girls headed to the bathroom to wash their hands. Tina left them alone for five minutes while she prepped everything she needed to in the kitchen. 

‘I’m very happy that you’re here because I missed you in the two hours it’s been since I last saw you, but how come you’re here?’

Liliana tried to ignore his comment about missing her. Even though she’d missed him too, she didn’t want to read too much into anything. Part of her thought that maybe he meant it in more than a friendly way but she’d had a hard afternoon and wasn’t in the best space to be analysing anything so she stayed quiet. 

‘Mum kicked off. She told me that I’m not here enough and that I clearly don’t care about her or Matilda,’ Liliana said, wrapping her arms around herself again. ‘Her exact words were that I shouldn’t have run off to Edinburgh and London. I just had to get out. I didn’t realise where I was going until I got here.’ 

Taron wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his body, pushing her head gently to his shoulder so that he could rest his chin on top of it. He took a deep breath, trying not to let his anger show. 

‘I’m glad you came,’ he whispered into her hair. ‘Do you want me to come to dinner tomorrow? So you have a buffer with her? I would also, rather selfishly, like to meet Matilda. If it weren’t for her I don’t know if we’d have reconnected.’ 

‘I’ll be okay,’ she said into his chest, inhaling his scent and willing herself not to cry again. ‘I just have to get through the next few days and then I’ll be home and happy again. It’s all good.’  

Taron pulled away from the hug and held her at arms length so he could look at her properly. Her eyes were red still and he lifted his thumb to wipe a stray tear from the corner of one of them. ‘Please let me come. I don’t want you going back there when you don’t know how she’ll react. I want to make sure that you’re okay.’ 

Liliana nodded, letting him pull her back in for a hug. They only pulled away when Rosie and Marie ran in telling them that they needed to wash their hands before they baked. Taron saluted them and Liliana smiled widely. 

Being there, with Taron and his mum and sisters was everything she’d needed that day. It felt like home. The only thing missing was Matilda. 

***

After an afternoon of baking and Tina insisting that Liliana stay for dinner, everyone was cosy in the living room with a Christmas film and pizza. Liliana had taken the same chair she’d always sat in and Taron sat on the floor in front of her while his mum and sisters took the sofa. 

Liliana had spent half of the movie looking at the back of his head and she caught herself noticing how much she wanted to run her hands through his hair. She thought about how soft it would feel between her fingers and how his eyes would fall closed at the contact. 

She noticed how Taron would vibrate with joy each time he laughed at the film. Not the superficial, obligatory chuckles at the funny bits, but deep belly laughs that he really meant. It made her want to join in with him, to feel the burn of her abs after laughing hard for a few minutes.

Each time he did it, Tina would glance over and smile at him before her eyes caught Liliana watching him with an enamoured smile. Liliana had been caught a few times and Tina shook her head each time before she moved back to the film. 

Liliana watched Rosie and Marie cuddle into their mum and she wondered if this is what a normal family looked like at Christmas. Happy children and parents who were full of nothing but love and affection. It seemed odd to her that she never realised it could be this way instead of the tense, passive aggressive Christmases she had always experienced. 

Her eyes fell closed momentarily and she could so vividly see herself in the future at Christmas with Taron’s arm wrapped tightly around her waist pulling her into his side, and their child in her arms as they decorated their own Christmas tree. 

The vision caught her off guard and she shook her head a little to snap herself back to reality and Elf playing on the TV. She had to fight to keep her focus on the film, and only the film, for the rest of the evening, even though she could feel Taron laugh and feel his elbow resting against her knee as he got into a more comfortable position. 

‘Why don’t you stay here tonight,’ Taron suggested as the movie was drawing to a close. He’d turned himself around so his elbow rested on the seat of the chair, his hand falling to Liliana’s knee softly. ‘It’s getting late and baby it’s cold outside.’ 

His sing-song voice made Liliana smile and he smiled just as wide, happy that she looked happy. He watched her intently as she tried to think of a reason not to stay. She’d always been the same and it was nice that he could still predict what she was thinking. 

‘Mam and I were planning on watching Die Hard as soon as the girls are in bed and we’ll probably make adult hot chocolate. I promise it won’t be a bother.’ 

Liliana pushed her tongue into her cheek and tilted her head at him. Even after all those years, he could still read her like a book. ‘That sounds really nice actually. Thank you. But only if you’re sure it won’t be a bother. I know you just said that it wouldn’t but I also don’t want to-’ 

‘Liliana, love,’ Tina said from the other side of the room, trying to ignore the way that Taron’s hand caressed Liliana’s knee and her hand rested on top of his softly. ‘I insist that you stay the night. I don’t want you walking back at this time of night. It’s dark and cold. I’ll get the spare bedding from the cupboard when the girls are settled.’ 

‘She can have my bed,’ Taron said quickly, turning his attention to his mum. A soft blush fell to his cheeks when he saw her looking at his hand but he made no moves to pull away from her. ‘I’ll sleep on the sofa.’ 

‘Taron, I’m not letting you give up your bed for me. I’ve slept on a sofa before and you’ve had a long day with driving us here and then going out. It’s not a big deal.’ 

Taron shook his head at Liliana and raised his eyebrows at her playfully. ‘I don’t want you sleeping on the sofa. I want you to be comfortable.’ 

Liliana gulped and tried to hide her feelings, knowing that he’d be able to read her easily if she moved her face even a tiny bit. 

‘I’ve fallen asleep on this sofa more times than I care to admit while I’ve been drunk. It’s like a second bed to me at this point.’ 

‘Taron…’ 

‘Lil…’ 

They stared at each other for a while, silently arguing about who got the bed and who was on the sofa. Until Taron winked at her and she fell into a fit of giggles, pushing him away from her jokingly. Her eyes gleamed as she watched him and she thought again to how wonderful  life would be with him. 

‘I’ll sleep on the sofa, mam. And don’t worry, I’ll get the bedding in a bit.’ 

***

‘Are things still bad?’ Tina asked Taron. 

He looked down at Liliana who had curled into the corner of the sofa and fallen asleep halfway through the film. When she’d first started to drift off, Taron had grabbed a blanket for her and wrapped it around her body. 

‘I think so,’ he replied after making sure that she was definitely asleep. ‘She still shrugs it off though. I don’t think I even realised how bad it is until I got back home and she was here. It’s like I was a teenager again and I felt so helpless.’ 

‘It made me feel fifteen years younger, that’s for sure,’ Tina chuckled quietly. She watched as Taron looked back at Lili. He fought back tears as he thought about how much he wanted to help her. ‘She looks so peaceful.’ 

‘I don’t want to wake her to go to bed.’ 

Taron looked at her and felt his heart shatter in his chest. The skin underneath her eyes was a deep purple and despite being asleep, her lips quivered as though she was going to start crying at any given moment. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and turned back to the film, ignoring the looks that his mum was giving him from her seat. 

When the credits rolled and Tina started to tidy away the mugs they’d used and the bowls that were still half full of chocolate, Taron gently woke Liliana up. 

‘Lil? I’m really sorry to wake you but the film’s done. Shall we go to bed?’ 

Liliana peeled her eyes open and groaned. ‘How long have I been asleep?’ She looked at the TV just in time for the last credit to roll and her eyes widened. ‘I’ve missed the film. Taron, I’m so sorry.’ 

‘It’s fine,’ he assured her, pulling her up from the sofa with ease. ‘You clearly needed the sleep. Come on, I’ll take you upstairs and get you something to sleep in.’ 

Liliana followed Taron up the stairs and into his childhood bedroom. Normally she would have taken it all in but she could barely keep her eyes open. She knew that she was exhausted but she didn’t realise the extent to it until she got to Taron’s and was able to relax. 

Taron pulled open his drawers and grabbed a white t-shirt. ‘There’s a t-shirt here and I’ll just go grab you some joggers.’ Liliana took the top from him and waited as he got some black joggers from the bottom drawer. ‘There’s a spare toothbrush in the cupboard above the sink. It’s a green one I believe. You can use that and any of the toothpaste that’s in there. My charger is plugged in next to the bed so you can charge your phone if it needs it, I’ll charge mine tomorrow. There’s plenty of blankets on the bed but if you do find yourself needing more, there are some spares at the bottom of my wardrobe.’ 

‘Thank you, Taron,’ Liliana smiled, pulling him in for a short hug. ‘I really appreciate this. I’ll see you in the morning?’ 

‘Good night, Lil.’ 

December 24th, 2021

Matilda watched TV wrapped in a blanket Liliana had given her years before, her eyes glued to the Christmas film playing. She hadn’t noticed Liliana walk into the house until she felt a gentle kiss to her hair. 

‘Morning, little bug,’ she said as she fell backwards onto the sofa next to her sister. ‘What’s this you’re watching?’ 

‘The Christmas Chronicles. It’s good. Where were you last night?’ 

Liliana turned to Matilda and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ 

She’d woken up in Taron’s bed that morning when he’d knocked at the door to see if he could get himself some clothes. As he got himself ready in the bathroom, she put her own clothes back on and neatly folded Taron’s until she could find out where he wanted them. 

‘Thank you again for last night,’ she said when he came back into the room, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He was casual yet he still looked handsome. His hair was messy in a way that looked intentional, and his chin and jawline was dotted in hairs that he hadn’t shaved yet. Liliana, however, looked like a mess with her hair thrown into a bun at the top of her head and the same clothes as she’d worn the day before; leggings and a giant jumper. ‘It’s just what I needed and it was nice to not be at home.’ 

Taron pulled her in for a hug. ‘You’re welcome. Come on, I’ll give you a lift home.’ 

‘It’s okay, I can walk.’ 

‘Nonsense.’ 

They walked down the stairs and into the living room where Tina sat with her morning cuppa. The girls were eating breakfast at the coffee table but they both looked up with beaming smiles when they saw Liliana. Something twanged in Taron as he watched his four favourite women in the same room together, all happy to see one another. 

‘Thank you for last night, Tina. I don’t know what I would have…just, thank you.’ 

‘It was lovely having you,’ Tina beamed the same smile as Rosie and Marie, and stood up to wrap her arms around Liliana in a warm hug. ‘And it was even nicer to see you and catch up. I’m so proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished. Don’t be a stranger, okay? Merry Christmas.’ 

‘I won’t be. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, girls. I hope Santa brings you lots of presents tonight!’ 

In the car ride back to Liliana’s house, she’d been quiet. Taron grabbed her hand and held it delicately, aware that she needed comfort but not enough to overwhelm her. 

‘Do you still want me to come for dinner later?’ He asked as he turned onto her street, the house coming into view in the distance. ‘To help with your mum?’ 

Liliana sighed. ‘I do. I just need to make sure that my mum is okay with it first. If she hasn’t got enough food then I’ll never hear the end of it. I’ll text you?’ 

‘No problem,’ Taron smiled as he pulled up. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over the centre console to hug her. ‘I’ll see you later, hopefully.’ 

‘See you later, hopefully,’ Liliana repeated as she opened the door. ‘Thank you again for last night.’ 

‘One day you’ll stop thanking me.’ 

‘That day isn’t today.’ 

‘I stayed at Taron’s,’ Liliana replied to Matilda after a little while. She turned her attention to Matilda who’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘He’s a good friend. I knew him when I was your age and then we fell out of touch. It wasn’t until recently that I started talking to him again.’ 

‘Okay.’ 

Liliana breathed a laugh at her sister’s response before getting up to make herself a cup of tea. The floor of the kitchen was cold under her feet but she didn’t want to walk all the way back through to the hallway to get her slippers. 

‘Have you had any breakfast yet, Tilly?’ She called through to the living room. 

‘No.’ 

‘Do you want tea and toast with me? It’s about as good as my breakfast skills go.’ 

‘Yes please. Can I have two sugars?’ 

‘God you’re more like me than I thought,’ Liliana laughed, switching the kettle on and grabbing the bread from the cupboard. ‘Toast and a tea with two sugars coming right up.’ 

***

‘Good morning, babe,’ Eliza said as she walked into the kitchen not long after Liliana had cleaned up from breakfast. She wrapped Liliana in a short hug as though she didn’t remember what she’d said the night before. Liliana was used to the behaviour but it always stung when it happened. ‘Have you guys eaten?’ 

‘Yep,’ she said through a fake smile. 

Hudson walked into the kitchen and yawned loudly, startling Liliana a little. Matilda followed him in, jumping to try and land on his back. She fell to her feet in a fit of giggles and Hudson turned to tickle her sides. 

Liliana watched and her heart cracked a little. Not that she would ever admit it to anybody, no matter how much she trusted them, but she was jealous of Matilda and Hudson. She’d dreamt of having that relationship with her dad for so long but it never happened. She could only hope that one day her own children would have that relationship with their father. 

‘So, Liliana, what have you been up to since the book launch?’ Hudson asked when he sat at the table with his morning coffee. He looked directly at her while he spoke and Liliana shifted in her seat under his gaze. 

She remembered the day that Eliza introduced her to her new boyfriend. It had only been a few weeks after her dad left and Liliana was still hurting from everything that happened. Liliana couldn’t remember much from that time in her life, just little snippets that came to her at the most inconvenient of times.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like Hudson. He was nice and he never treated her as anything other than a daughter, but he was oblivious to the way her mum had treated her. Either that or he knew and he just didn’t care. Their relationship was strained because she hadn’t ever been comfortable enough to get close to him, but she appreciated him trying. 

‘It’s been a lot of meetings with the publishers,’ she said as her phone buzzed on the table. Taron had texted. ‘And lunch meetings to discuss a second book.’ 

‘Already?’ Hudson asked, amazed. ‘When is that going to be out? You’ve only just published this one.’ 

‘They want another manuscript within the year.’ 

‘Wow.’ 

‘Yeah,’ she laughed. 

She checked her phone quickly and smiled at Taron’s message. A photo of the girls stuffing their faces with mince pies and a message telling her that they said they were the best they’d ever made. 

‘I actually have a book tour around the UK in January.’ Hudson hummed into his mug as he took a sip of coffee. ‘It’s nothing major, just a few bookshops that stock the book. I’ll be there to sign books and meet people.’ 

‘It all sounds a bit go go go,’ he chuckled. 

Eliza had joined them at the table but had remained silent, listening to her daughter and husband talk. Matilda had gone back to the living room to finish the film and Liliana’s phone buzzed on the table again. 

Are we on for tonight? X 

‘Hey mum?’ Liliana asked and took a deep breath. ‘Do you remember Taron? My friend from school?’ 

Eliza looked up from her phone. ‘I do.’

‘Well we’re back in contact and he’s in Wales visiting his mum and sisters for Christmas. I was wondering if he could join us for Christmas Eve dinner tonight? I know it’s really last minute but I just thought it might be nice. I can brave the shops this morning if you don’t have enough food or anything. Or he can just not come, that’s also fine.’ 

‘Nonsense, of course he can come!’ Eliza said through a large grin, her phone now on the table in front of her. 

It wasn’t lost on Liliana that her mum was probably just excited because Taron was now a famous actor and he was going to her house. It was something she’d tell all the women at her weekly coffee morning in the village hall just so that she would have some attention on her. 

Liliana was a published author but she knew for a fact her mum hadn’t brought it up to anybody there. Even though she’d known some of the women since she was a baby and they would love to know that she had become successful in her own right. Eliza only cared that Taron was famous. Though Liliana was still flabbergasted at how happily she’d responded but decided to roll with it

‘Now there’s a kid who is always there for his family. Shame it never rubbed off on you, ey?’ 

In an instant, Liliana’s good mood had been tarnished by her mum. Not that it surprised her in the slightest. Liliana would have been okay with Christmas being over already so that she could go back to London and not have to deal with her mum in person for at least a couple of months while she was working. If it weren’t for Matilda, she wouldn’t have gone home for Christmas at all. But she didn’t want to miss out on seeing her little sister. 

She was grateful that Taron would be there for dinner. Her mum would spend more time fussing over Taron to make any comments about Liliana and her life. Or at least she hoped she wouldn’t make any comment in front of Taron. 

We’re on for tonight. I apologise in advance for how my mum will react. She’s got a real life movie star coming for Christmas dinner, can you believe that? X 

Amazing! I’ll be there for five. Omg a real life movie star? She’s also got a bestselling author there too, don’t forget that x 

Oh but that’s not nearly as successful as an actor, don’t you know? I already want this day and this season to be over x

You are extremely successful, Lil. I’ve just talked to mum and she doesn’t need me tonight (a bit rude if you ask me, lol) so I can get there earlier if it would help? X

I don’t want to put you through that much of my mum. You don’t realise how bad she’s going to be. I’m sure she’ll want to kidnap you and keep you as her own child. Also that is very rude x

I’m not coming for your mum. I’m coming for you, and for Matilda. I’ll see you later. You’re awesome, don’t forget that x

***

‘Does anybody want apple pie and custard?’ Eliza asked after she’d cleared the plates from dinner. Hudson and Taron immediately took her up on her offer but Liliana remained silent, even when her mum looked at her expectantly with harsh eyes, clearly annoyed that Lili was ignoring her when Taron was there. ‘What about you, Liliana? I know it’s your favourite.’ 

‘What about Matilda?’ Liliana asked in response.

Eliza looked between her two daughters. ‘Matilda can have some too. I was going to ask her next.’ 

‘She can’t,’ Liliana said as nicely as possible, not wanting to cause a scene with Taron there. ‘She’s allergic to apples so she can’t have any apple pie.’ 

Eliza’s smile faltered instantly and she looked at her youngest daughter with sadness, a sadness Liliana never got to experience. ‘Oh fuck. Matilda, I’m so sorry sweetheart. It completely slipped my mind when I was at the shop.’ 

‘It’s okay mum,’ Matilda said with a smile. ‘I don’t want dessert anyway.’ 

Liliana knew that she was lying. She always wanted dessert. It was her favourite part of any meal, and the only reason she ate all of her vegetables. 

‘Do you have ice cream, mum?’ Liliana asked quickly, trying to problem solve. Eliza nodded. ‘Okay cool, we’re sorted then. Tilly, I brought some mince pies home earlier. I made then yesterday with Taron and his family. Do you want a couple of those with some ice cream? Or custard? Just ice cream on its own? Bananas and custard? The options are endless and I’ll make sure to get you whatever you want.’ 

Liliana wanted Matilda to know that she wasn’t a second thought, that she would do anything for her. Taron’s heart swelled as he watched. He loved how attentive Liliana was, and his mind raced with thoughts he’d not had before, of her and of him, of them together. 

‘Can I have mince pies and ice cream, please?’ 

‘Of course you can, little bug. Mum, you sort the apple pie and I’ll sort Matilda’s out for her. Nobody has to go without dessert.’ 

***

‘Liliana, are we still going to read our book tonight?’ Matilda asked, big brown eyes looking up at her sister. They reflected the lights on the Christmas tree and looked like a clear night where the sky was covered in a blanket of stars. 

‘It wouldn’t be Christmas Eve if we didn’t,’ Liliana replied softly. 

Matilda jumped off the sofa and ran to the corner of the room to get the book. It was the same tattered copy that Liliana had been gifted when she was little. A relic of happier times. Liliana took a deep breath as Matilda passed it over and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. 

It hadn’t bothered her for many years but something about that year triggered her. She’d seen what a happy Christmas could look like without resentment. It was happy and peaceful and the complete opposite to Christmasses when she was Matilda’s age. 

Taron noticed Liliana’s shift in emotion and leaned over Matilda to take the book gently. Liliana didn’t move until Taron’s voice sounded over the music playing from the TV. 

‘Do you think I could read it to you this year, Matilda? I haven’t read it in such a long time but it’s one of my favourites.’ 

Matilda looked at Liliana who had come back to reality long enough to nod with a small smile, her lip still pulled into her mouth. Taron smiled over at her in response before he opened the book and cleared his throat ready to give the performance of his life. 

For as long as Matilda had been alive, Liliana had been the one to read The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve, cuddled up on the sofa with the Christmas lights on and some music on the TV. It was a few uninterrupted minutes that they both looked forward to each year. 

It bothered her when anybody else tried to encroach on their time. Not even Eliza or Hudson came to the living room when the girls were reading. But Taron was different. Liliana loved that Taron was there. She loved that he was so happily getting involved in making the day memorable for Matilda. 

By the time he’d gotten to the second page, Liliana’s mind had wandered away from the story and to Taron again. He’d moved to sit on the floor in front of the sofa between Liliana and Matilda so they could both read the book over his shoulders. When she looked over at Matilda, she saw the giant upturn of her lips and the excited bounce of her leg and she found herself smiling. 

Even though she watched Taron silently, her mind screamed at her. As she watched him read to her little sister, his voice changing with each sentence, everything clicked into place. Liliana wanted Taron like she’d never wanted anybody else before.

He was the kind of man who read a story to her little sister on Christmas Eve with so much enthusiasm that Matilda probably wouldn’t want Liliana to read it again. He was the kind of man who would drop everything when she needed him. He was the kind of man who treated her like a person and not somebody who was broken. He was perfect.

Ever since she and Taron had rekindled their friendship, Liliana had experienced flashes of romantic feelings, and Evelyn had picked up on them multiple times, but she’d always convinced herself that she was simply touch starved and reading too much into everything. She probably would have felt that way about any man giving her attention. 

But somehow it felt different. In the almost two months since she’d seen him again for the first time in over a decade, she’d been happier than she had been in a long time. When she thought about Taron, she could do nothing to hide the smile that made its way to her lips, or the slight pink sheen that showed up on her cheeks. 

Despite her feelings, she was aware that there was very little chance that Taron would ever feel the same way about her. He had always been that way around her. He’d always been super friendly and willing to do anything for her. 

But as she sat there, listening to Taron read The Night Before Christmas to Matilda, something clicked and she admitted it to herself for the first time. Liliana had feelings for Taron. 

All at once she saw him in a different light. 

The way he lit up when he read, the way his fingers curled around the page before he’d finished it so that he didn’t have to take long breaks between reading, and the way he kept turning to Matilda with wonder in his eyes. She adored it all.

Taron had always been conventionally attractive, with his purposefully messy hair and his light eyes that shone in certain lights. Liliana had always thought he was handsome, but her new feelings went beyond his looks. 

Liliana was attracted to his being. To the way he treated his family; to the way he cared so deeply about everyone he knew; to the way he showed up for her even after everything she’d done to him before; to the way that he listened to every word somebody was saying, really trying to be there in the moment. Liliana was attracted to his soul. 

All she wanted, for Christmas and for life, was for Taron to feel the same way about her. She wanted for him to love the way she pulled funny faces at random points in the day just because she could. She wanted him to love her dance breaks in public when she heard a song she loved. She wanted him to love her the same way that she loved him. She wanted him to love everything about her the same way that she loved everything about him. She wanted him. 

Putting her feelings into the universe was both exhilarating and scary. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest to the point where her top moved with each beat. Her lips were dry from breathing through her mouth and her eyes blinked continuously. 

At some point during her epiphany, Taron had turned to look at her and had clearly said something with the way that his brows furrowed at her. It was then that she realised she had zoned out completely and missed the rest of the story. 

‘Sorry, what did you say?’ She asked with a shake of her head. ‘I think I zoned out a little. Too much apple pie.’ 

She blinked and looked past Taron to try and calm down. Having his attention on her was all too much and she knew that if she looked at him she would probably say something stupid. Or God forbid, she would do something stupid. 

‘I just asked what you normally do for Santa after the traditional book reading has ended.’ Taron was still on the floor with the book in his lap, except Matilda had joined him and rested her head on his shoulder. 

It reminded Liliana of the vision she’d had the night before. A peaceful Christmas with Taron. Now more than ever she wanted the vision to become a reality. 

She smacked her lips and said, ‘Well we usually leave out a mince pie and milk for Santa-’ 

‘He can’t drink alcohol because he’s driving,’ Matilda said through a yawn. ‘So it’s milk only.’ 

‘That’s a very good point,’ Taron smiled. ‘So milk and a mince pie for Santa.’ 

‘And then a couple of carrots for the reindeer,’ Liliana added. ‘Matilda, why don’t you go and get the stuff and put it on your Christmas plate for him?’ 

Matilda jumped up quickly and had to hold on to Taron’s shoulder to stop herself from toppling over in excitement. ‘Okay! Can I give Santa one of the biscuits we made yesterday too, please?’ 

‘If you’d like,’ Liliana smiled.  

Matilda tootled off to the kitchen leaving Taron and Liliana alone in the living room. 

‘Taron.’ 

‘Lil,’ they both said at the same time. A chuckle escaped them both as Taron nodded at Liliana. ‘You go ahead, Lil.’ 

‘Thank you so much for being here today,’ she said strongly, yet quietly. ‘It made the day much more bearable than it would have been had you not have been here. And thank you for being so good with Matilda. I think she needed this as much as I did.’ 

Taron placed his hand on Liliana’s knee and tilted his head at her, eyes sparkling in the lowly lit room, lips pink and wet from where he’d licked them only a second prior. ‘She is such a sweet girl. The way you are you with her, I’m not surprised she’s obsessed with you.’ 

‘I don’t know,’ Liliana breathed through a laugh, her head shaking in amusement, ‘I think she might like you more than me now! You brought her Schloer, she wanted to sit next to you at dinner and she let you read the book tonight. That’s not small when it comes to Matilda. She’s as protective of me as I am her so clearly you made an impact.’ 

‘That’s shit and you know it. She loves you so much that it radiates from her. You know when you went to the bathroom after dinner she told me that she wants to be like you when she grows up? She adores you, Lil, and nothing will ever take that away. She may like me, but she loves you.’ 

Liliana’s heart swelled at Taron’s words. Matilda had always wanted to be like her sister but she put it down to not seeing her very often so she, apparently wrongfully, assumed that it was Matilda’s way of feeling like Liliana was there more often. But to hear that she wanted to be like her, it made Liliana well up. 

‘It’s been so nice to see you more and to meet her. I understand why you love her. She’s easy to love because she’s a lot like you. The way she acts and the way she loves others. You and Matilda? You have this intense aura around you as though it’s the two of you against the world. If you’re together, nothing bad can happen.’ 

Liliana swallowed the lump in her throat and sniffled once, blinking at Taron with a wobbly smile. ‘Sometimes I worry that she’s too much like me.’ 

‘That wouldn’t be a bad thing,’ he said quickly, his thumb rubbing her knee softly to comfort her. ‘You are the most amazing, strong, courageous person I know and she is lucky to be growing up with your traits. Matilda being like you means that the world is a little bit brighter than it was before, because you brighten up the world, Liliana.’ 

The pang of feelings swallowed Liliana whole and she had to uncross her legs and shift her body a little. Taron had told her many times before that she was a force of nature but the way he spoke to her then, with his hand caressing her knee and his eyes directly on her so that she knew he meant every word he said, it felt different. 

It wasn’t like friend Taron telling her that she could do anything she wanted as a way of supporting her. It was more. It meant more. 

‘Santa’s things are ready,’ Matilda said as she walked back into the living room, tearing the tension between Liliana and Taron in half. They both turned to her with wide smiles and Taron clapped his hands together once. 

‘Oh wow, Matilda, this looks amazing! I’m sure Santa is going to love it all. Especially the biscuit. Look at how cool that is!’ 

Matilda looked at him with a smile filled with pride and when she’d placed the plate on the fire surround like tradition, she took one of the biscuits from it and handed it to Taron who took it with a gentle, thankful pout. 

‘I brought this one for you. Me and Lili decorated them yesterday before she came to your house. I thought you might like one.’ 

‘I love it, thank you. Come here.’ 

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and Matilda happily wrapped hers around his middle, holding him tightly. Liliana fought back tears as she watched their hug. Matilda hadn’t ever been comfortable in the presence of strangers before but she was so happy to let Taron in, and hug him before she went to bed. 

‘Right, missy, I think it might be bedtime now,’ she said after their hug. ‘It’s getting a little late and you know what happens if you’re not asleep before ten thirty.’ 

‘I’m going!’ Matilda exclaimed, rushing to open the living room door. ‘Bye Taron. It was nice meeting you. Merry Christmas!’ 

‘Merry Christmas, little one.’ 

‘I’ll be right back,’ Liliana told him as she followed her sister. ‘I just want to tuck her in and make sure that she’s okay. Wait for me?’ 

Taron nodded and Liliana left the room. His heart was full. Her heart was heavy. 

‘Leaving so soon?’ Liliana asked as she descended the stairs. 

Taron pulled his arm through the coat sleeve while he looked up and nodded. ‘It’s getting late and I was hoping to catch the girls before they go to sleep. I might nip by the pub too and see a few mates from school.’ 

Liliana nodded. She was sad that he had to leave. She didn’t want to be left alone with her thoughts, unsure as to what she might do, especially after the realisation she’d had that evening. It still gnawed at her as she got to the final step, eye level with Taron, and in a moment of what could only be described as madness, she wished that he would lean forward and kiss her goodnight. 

She was so wrapped up in her own head that she physically couldn’t form the words she wanted to say to thank him once more for being there, and wish him and his family a Merry Christmas. All she could do was watch him, lip tucked between her teeth and chest rising at an ungodly pace. 

Taron stared at her as well, the same look on his face that he’d had when they were eighteen and running through a storm. She still couldn’t decipher what exactly the emotion was. Maybe concern? Nerves? There was no way to know unless she asked, and she wasn’t going to ask him. 

They stared into one another’s eyes for what felt like several minutes, but in actuality had only been seconds. They didn’t say anything. Taron gulped and Liliana licked her lips. 

Taron broke the silence first and said, ‘Merry Christmas, Lil.’ 

Liliana was aware that there was more he wanted to say. Something on the tip of his tongue that could possibly have changed the entire trajectory of their friendship. But he didn’t say it. He wished her a Merry Christmas and pulled her in for a quick hug. 

‘Merry Christmas, T,’ she mumbled against his chest. 

It was the first time she’d called him ‘T’ in as long as she could remember and the lump in her throat bubbled back up. It made her think back to being teenagers and being so wrapped up in leaving Aberystwyth that she hadn’t taken time to appreciate Taron the way that she should have. The way that he deserved. 

‘Taron, I’m sor-’ 

‘I’ll see you in a few days?’ He asked, interrupting Liliana who hummed her response before opening the door for him. 

Taron headed up the path to his car, clearly having made his mind up about something. Liliana stood in the doorway and wrapped her cardigan tightly around her middle. She watched him walk away and climb into his car, turning the engine on quickly before he fastened his seatbelt. 

Only once he turned the corner onto the main road did Liliana close the door and head back to the living room where she was left alone. Her mum and Hudson weren’t back from the pub yet so she had time to sit in front of the Christmas tree and process everything. 

‘You like him,’ she admitted to herself again. ‘You like him as more than a friend and that’s terrifying because he’s Taron. But you like him.’ 

Being around him and his family at Christmastime had shown her how good life could be and how happy she could be when surrounded by the right people. It had shown her how good of a man Taron had grown up to be. Not that she was surprised, but it confirmed for her what she had always suspected about him, that he was good to his core. 

While thinking about Taron and her newly realised feelings was lovely and made her insides melt, there was the huge problem that her feelings likely weren’t reciprocated. The thought broke her heart. 

But it was true. There was no way that he could like her the way that she liked him. He was good, he was handsome, he had the perfect family, he could have anybody he wanted. He would be crazy to take on the emotional baggage that Liliana carried with her everywhere. 

It didn’t help that Liliana was convinced that she was unloveable. The few relationships she’s had over the past ten years had never gotten past the casual dating phase, and her mum had told her so often that she was selfish and horrible that she had started to believe her. It was inevitable that she would end up alone. 

Liliana had started to come to terms with the fact that she would be the cool, single auntie to Matilda’s, Evelyn’s and Jacob’s kids when Taron waltzed back into her life. For the first time in a long time, she felt a sliver of hope. 

The hope that maybe someone could care about her the way she’d craved for so long. She didn’t dare cling onto that hope too tightly. She was too rational for that because she knew how fast life could change. But right there, in front of the Christmas tree with Christmas carols on the TV, she allowed herself to believe it could be real for a moment.

***

‘Did you have a good day?’ Tina asked as soon as Taron walked into the living room. He flopped on the sofa next to her and put his hand on her knee. 

‘It was really nice.’ 

‘How is she?’ 

‘She’s okay,’ Taron said, though he wasn’t sure if she was okay or not. He could tell that there was something she wanted to say before he left but he was so overcome with emotions that he hadn’t felt in years that he had to leave before he did anything stupid. 

‘Her little sister is adorable. The same as Lili was at her age. It was like looking at a mini version of her. And they’re so alike. Matilda radiates the same energy as Liliana.’ 

‘And…’ Tina pressed. She knew when Taron was holding back and not telling her everything that he wanted to. It was her superpower as his mum. He looked at her with sad eyes, tears starting to build on his waterline as he took a shaky breath. 

‘I have to be in her corner. She still doesn’t have that. I need to not let her get away again. I can’t. I just…I’m still in-’ 

‘I know, love. I know.’ 

April 30th, 2007

‘That one looks like a boot.’ Liliana pointed to a cloud above them, her eyes squinted against the harsh sunlight. ‘It’s the boot of the man before. He’s been looking for it everywhere in his house but he can’t find it. He doesn’t know that it’s fallen under the unit near the door but his back is so bad that he can’t bend over so it’ll stay there for months until someone else finds it.’ 

An hour before he had been in his living room writing his university applications with his mum until his phone buzzed with a text from his best friend. 

Wanna meet me at Constitution Hill? The sun is shining and I need to be outside! 

Of course, Lil. But you’re aware it’s going to rain in like an hour right? 

I don’t care, there is sun now! Rain be damned. I’m not afraid of rain. 

Only for you will I risk getting a cold from being stuck in the rain. See you there shortly. 

The sun had been shining when they first got there and even though they could see the rain clouds starting to build to the East, Taron was happy to indulge Liliana and her need for some sunshine. He knew she probably just needed to get out of the house. 

Taron turned his head away from the sky to look at Liliana who kept her eyes forward. He watched the way her lips moved as she spoke, the way her eyelashes fluttered against the tops of her cheeks each time she blinked, the way that her nose twitched when she sniffled when pollen had attacked her. 

She lay with her limbs outstretched like a lizard with her face aimed directly at the sun, wanting to soak in every ounce of warmth that she could. It didn’t take her long until she started to point at the clouds and come up with stories for each one. 

In school Liliana was a shy, quiet girl who put her head down and got on with her work. She had a small group of friends but she never really joined in on their activities, instead reading at the table. 

But when she was alone with Taron she came out of her shell. She was the girl who skipped down the road instead of walking because she thought it was more fun; the girl who rushed home to get home from school to watch The Sarah Jane Adventures; the girl who was so wildly funny that everyone she spoke to wound up belly laughing at some point. 

Taron basked in her silliness as much as he could. She wanted to go to Edinburgh for university in September and he planned to go to London to drama school. 

‘There’s a lizard there.’ 

Taron couldn’t take his eyes off of her. ‘I’ve never known anybody able to tell a story like you, Lil. You’d make a great author you know.’

‘Tell me another joke,’ she said as she turned to him, a small blush creeping to her cheeks when she saw him looking at her already. ‘I’m destined for nothing.’ 

‘Lil…’ 

‘I’ve come to terms with that.’ 

Liliana sat up and tucked her knees to her chest. She sat in silence and stared at the sea in front of her. From the top of Constitution Hill she could see miles and miles of sea and she wondered what was beyond the horizon, in places she’d never been before. She wondered if those people had a better time than her. 

Taron watched her intently as she stared forward, his chest growing tight at the emotions running through him. He wanted to take away her pain, to be the person to make her feel better. He wanted to tell her that she was amazing and that he would do anything for her. 

Taron knew that something happened at home for Liliana to want to run away to the top of the hill but she kept quiet, refusing to talk to him about it.

Liliana and her mum had argued about university and she didn’t want Taron to know. He would try to comfort her and tell her that it was her decision, but she needed to stew on her feelings for a little while. Though it was becoming harder and harder to not cry. 

Even though she felt comfortable around Taron, and despite her school girl crush on him that she thought would disappear but didn’t, there were some things she didn’t like talking to him about. University was one of them. 

At one point in life they swore that they would go to the same university so that they could be close by and see each other whenever they wanted. But the older Liliana got, and the harder things got at home, she decided she wanted to go further away. She wanted to go to Edinburgh, a whole new country that was far enough away from home that she could get away with not visiting often. 

Taron wanted to take a gap year before going to London like he’d always planned, and Liliana knew that leaving him behind would be the hardest thing she’d ever do. 

The clouds that were only an hour ago a bright white against a clean, blue sky had started to turn a deep grey and looked like they could burst without warning. 

‘Lil, those rain clouds are getting closer. Maybe we should head back down before we get soaked,’ he suggested. But Liliana didn’t move. She continued to stare ahead of her, her eyes void of emotion. She tried to reign in the tears that wanted to fall. ‘Lil? Is everything okay?’ 

He put his hand on her shoulder and she turned to him with a smile that he knew wasn’t real. Her real smile made her eyes sparkle and dimples to sink into her cheeks. This smile was small and her eyes looked dull and lifeless. 

‘Yeah, of course. I just wanted to enjoy the view a little more. But you’re right, we should probably head back now.’ 

As they approached the funicular to head back down to the town, Taron spotted the sign warning people that it was closed because of the coming storms so they had no choice but to walk back. 

Not even halfway down the hill the rain moved in and poured over them. They were soaked by the time they got to the bottom and started to run as fast as they could to the seafront where they could try to find some shelter. 

Taron saw an empty doorway and pulled Liliana into it, pulling her into his front so that they would both fit. He looked down at her and she looked up at him, the gleam slowly returning to her eyes. 

‘I’m sorry for getting you stuck in a storm,’ she spoke over the lashing rain. ‘We shouldn’t have come out.’ 

‘It’s fine,’ Taron replied, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. His hand trailed down her cheek softly and he gulped before pulling away. ‘There’s nobody else I’d rather be stuck in a storm with than you.’ 

He watched her as she wrapped her arms around his middle and held him close, her head on his shoulder and her eyes closed. He couldn’t tell if her face was wet with rain or if she’d been crying too. The tiny sniffle she tried to conceal confirmed that she had, in fact, been crying. 

As he looked at her, her eyes closed and lips trembling, he realised that his heart was going to well and truly break when she left for university. He’d always adored her but his adoration had turned into something more akin to love over the months. 

There was no way that Liliana couldn’t feel his heart beating in his chest as he realised how he truly felt. He’d always had a suspicion that her home life was less than perfect but she would always just tell him that it was fine and that was it. 

He wanted to reach out and kiss her right there in the doorway, to tell her that he would always be there for her no matter what, that he would look after her against all the evil that she would face. But he knew that she had to leave to feel better. To kiss her would stop her from leaving and doing the thing she needed to do for herself.

Instead he vowed to always be there for her, through everything.

[thelvrsera]

.• ☕️ THELVRSERA — DIRECTORY

01 RULES + REGULATIONS

RESOURCES TO HELP 🇵🇸🍉

BASIC DNI CRITERIA !!.

I do not write smut (I’m 17).

please be respectful and patient when it comes to requests!! I don’t have much time between school and work, so it’s hard to write from time to time.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion here!! Please do not think your opinion is better than anyone else’s (it’s an opinion for a reason).

02. WORKS IN PROGRESS (updated 03/13/24)

9-1-1 WIP’s

a family to love *AU* (dad! evan buckley x mom!reader) | the science project (eddie diaz x reader) | two boys, one question (eddie diaz x reader)

TARON EGERTON WIP’s

secrets left unspoken (eggsy unwin x reader) | the good the bad and the chosen *SERIES ON HOLD* chapters 1-5 (jimmy keene x agent!reader) | end of beginnings (taron egerton x author!reader) | begin again *AU* (dad! taron x mom! reader) | he said, she said (taron egerton x reader)

03. MASTERLISTS

9-1-1 ☕️

| evan buckley, eddie diaz |

TARON EGERTON 🎟️

| eggsy unwin, jimmy keene, dennis “asbo” severs, ethan kopek |

SERIES 🪷

| the good the bad and the chosen, begin again, a family to love |

9-1-1 taglist : @that-general-simp , @oliverstarksbae , @whizzie123 , @oliviah-25 , @tryingfears , @meyocoko

main taglist : @nuggets-and-french-fries

taron egerton taglist : @euphternal

[euphternal]

pink sweetheart AU 💓

haiii, this is AU about famous!y/n with quiet life!jimmy keene AU! with you being everyone’s hotline in social media, but one particular close convict sticked to you like honey 🍯

if you wanna request anything into this AU or talk about this, feel free to send them thoughts through my inbox &lt;3

ENJOY MY HUNNIES !!!

taglist: @thelvrsera , @stilessbaseballbat , @nuggets-and-french-fries , @humilityshown , (let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist!!)

1. pink sweetheart 💓

2. part two of pink sweetheart 💓

3. inbox ask one

4. inbox ask two

5. inbox ask three

6. inbox ask four

7. inbox ask five

8. inbox ask six

9. inbox ask seven

10. inbox ask eight

11. inbox ask nine

[andthesunrisesagain]

Reprise des créations

Hello à vous !

J'espère que vous allez bien ☺️

Pour information, je vais reprendre petit à petit les suggestions de faceclaim pour des avatars qui m'ont été faite fin août ! J'ai été pris dans l'inspiration de l'écriture sur rpg (ça faisait longtemps dooonc j'en ai profité) + le boulot qui m'a un peu roulé dessus mais je retrouve l'envie et le temps de grapher par ici 🌈

Je vous remets ci-dessous les suggestions faites, que j'ai classé par "personne qui me les a suggéré" pour être sûr d'en faire au moins 1 par personne (chaque saut de ligne = changement de personne) 💌 Je ne les ferais pas toute, mais ça vous donne une idée de sur qui je pourrais grapher ! Les barrés sont celles déjà faites, l'ordre ne veut rien dire aha et je mettrais à jour au fur et à mesure.

Merci pour votre patience et une belle soirée ✨

Adelaide Kane

Maia Mitchell

Lee Jieun

---

Sophia Di Martino

YolanDa Brown

Steve Toussaint

Michael Sheen

---

Keanu Reeves

Robert Pattinson

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Jason Statham

Pia Kristine Cruz

Anya Chalotra

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Rome Flynn

Miles Teller

Paul Mescal

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Thylane Blondeau

Ashley Simone

Charles Leclerc

Francisca (Kika) Gomes

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Natalie Dormer

Alina Kovalenko

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Salma Hayek

---

Yvonne Strahovski

constanze saemann

suki waterhouse

kaia gerber

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Jung Hoyeon

Hanna Kleit

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Amita Suman

Adut Akech

Zhou Jieqiong

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Anson Mount

Alexander Siddig

Celia Rose Gooding

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Amelia Zadro

Shanina Shaik

Keri Russell

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Chase Sui Wonders

Havana Rose Liu

Gracie Abrams

Nelson Grosjean

---

Mylène Farmer

Carla Gugino

Sasha Alexander

Virginie Efira

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Taron Egerton

Harry Styles

Nicholas Galitzine

Taylor Zakhar Perez

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Withney Peak

Gavin Casalegno

Sean Kaufman

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Andrew Garfield

Ariana DeBose

[applesfallingfromblondehair]

That difficult second album cover.

Maybe.

Maybe one day we will write that Rock Boys AU @its-a-soft-science 👀

[shortdevil-sans]

This AU was inspired by The Owl House itself, and with some plot changes! The events of AA and TOH will be in this story but combined!

I ship any of these!

NaruMitsu

FranMaya

Klapollo

Juniethena

TrucPearl And... **drumroll**

DiegoMia

Ships that are, for example, Phoenix x Maya and Edgeworth x Franziska (and a fuck ton more) will not be allowed in this AU! Anyone who ships them will be blocked (personally) by me!

Song that suits this AU the MOST:

Music that inspired me to do this:

Character reference in this AU

Nicholas = Luz

Miles = Amity

Franziska = Hunter

Maya = Willow

Larry or Gumshoe = Gus or Hooty

Pearl = King

Mia = Eda

Diego = Raine