#the year of otp 2023

[simon-x-billy]

Simon x Billy

The Year of OTP: January

Chapter 1: Where’s Giuseppe WTF?

January prompt: Historical au (because 2015 counts as the past)

Note: Simon x Billy is a slow-burn m/m fic; turns NSFW (male/male, consensual) beginning tamely at Chapter 7.

Meet the OTP: Simon Lewis, author and star of The Mortal Instruments, who keeps writing himself into his novels; and Billy Delaney, Irish handsome devil and international chef of mystery; and also Italy. It’s sort of like a threesome. TMI AU: Instead of Simon Lewis being only a character in the best-selling YA series, he is now also the author of that series. TW: References to having been cheated on, bad language, bad humor, Irish-isms, calling young people criminals, making fun of Americans, LGBTQIA+ themes, having to wait for the NSFW chapters to show up.

Masterlist || ao3 || Next

Chapter 1: Where’s Giuseppe WTF?

———/Simon/———

OK, fine, baggage claim was a little rough. Finding baggage claim was a little rough. Finding Customs was a little rough. Customs was Customs. I mean, what’s to know, they look at you suspiciously, and if you smile excitedly cuz you’re in a new country, they look at you suspiciously some more, and you start wondering if they’ve noticed something you haven’t.

At least that’s how I felt. Like, maybe I have a single very long nose hair or something horrifying like that. I don’t know? They’re Customs. They notice shit like that.

On a positive note, they’re just fine communicating with people who only “have” one language. They asked me if I had Italian, and I kept waiting for them to finish their sentence. You know? Like, do I have Italian… Food? Relatives? Then they were like, “Do you have any other languages?” And I’m thinking, maybe I caught one in-flight. Planes are well known for making people ill. Or I could’ve caught something cool, like Norwegian! In fact, I could’ve had it my whole life and it’s just never had any symptoms. You never know.

Meanwhile, the train ran on time. And the Red Sea parted. Two impossibilities amounting to miracles.

So yeah, sure, I’d done some prepping for the trip. I refuse to reveal my sources as they are completely mortifying. OK fine, it wasn’t even an app. It was a book. With pictures in it. More specifically, the one my parents used when they planned their trip to the Amalfi Coast.

I used it to plan Our Trip. The one that became My Trip. Flying solo. In so, so many ways.

Believe me, and you need to trust me on this one: Never propose to a girl you met in costume. And if you did and it turned out great, shut up. And mazel tov. May all your children have bar and bat mitzvahs with a good dj. And puppies.

Just remember, your first impression of her is while she’s cosplaying someone else. You might find you’re falling for a personality that isn’t really her on the inside. The whole thing is exhausting. Because my beautiful but cruel shiki found somebody else to cosplay with.

She revealed this shortly after breaking up with me.

No, Simon. I do not choose you. No, Simon. I never choose you. Said every girl ever.

She gave me lots of reasons why. Constructive observations for my next relationship, she said. So at least I had something to think about on the plane to Naples that made me feel really good about myself. For 22 hours including two layovers and a bonus train ride from the airport to downtown Naples. (Trust me, just fly into Rome. Why didn’t it occur to me to fly into Rome?)

I once read a book where the most flamboyant, exciting character said something of extreme poetry and wisdom. (Because poetry and wisdom can both be extreme. Whatever.) It went a little something like this: “Unsolicited advice is just criticism.” Ok fine, I’ve read it more like 25-30 times. Alright look, I can’t be coy. I wrote it. And 25-30 is how many revisions my editor tried to convince me to take it out. (I won.)

I like stories that stretch out over like 20 books in a series. You get to stay with the characters you love until you finally stop re-starting the series the minute you close the last page of the last book. Again.

I think I’d be a vampire irl. And I have thought a lot about it. I mean a lot of thinking on this topic. And you can’t convince me that fairies and werewolves are even in the running for best paranormal destiny.

I like stories where choosing to be a vampire is one of the safer bets. Because you’re already dead.

Don’t start. I’ve fought table top duels over this and I refuse to go over that ground again. Take my word for it. You want to be a vamp.

She was a vamp. I was a vamp. (D, because who else?) We thought we were made for each other. Until she didn’t. Think that anymore. I guess she’d been not-thinking that anymore for months and months. And here I am, presenting her with a trip to Italy where I was going to propose. I had it all planned out. I mean I had it all planned out. Because that’s how I roll. (A 20-sided die, obviously.) Ugh. So when she says she doesn’t want to leave the city, I’m like, “But it’s Italy! And me!”

Turns out the trip wasn’t the only thing she didn’t want.

Turns out she was also being quite literal about not leaving the city. And so, like the heartless traitor she is, she abandoned Brooklyn for the Upper West Side and a yoga instructor with a man bun and half a million followers on Twitter.

Half a million? What even is that? I mean, I get 100 followers -- wow, friend, you are on fire! I get a million followers -- wow, somewhat famous person, you are on fire! But, like, what’s halfway between the two?

So the “hot yoga instructor” -- her words, not mine -- is a person that exists. I told her that she didn’t have to be mean about another, hotter guy. And you know what’s coming next. You totally do.

The hot yoga instructor is an instructor of hot yoga.

But since I mentioned it, she laughed and said he is also a hot instructor, of yoga.

Thanks. I don’t feel angry tears at all when I think about that.

Anyways, I was talking about trains in Italy running on time, and somehow I land on vamps. Welcome to the brain of Simon Lewis, enjoy your stay.

Oh my god. There’s a McDonalds here. It’s like a crime against Italian humanity. “That should be illegal,” I announce to no one in particular. Followed by “Shut up, Lewis, that guy over there is staring.” And yes, I do use my last name when I scold myself out loud in public. Because people find that attractive and charismatic.

So the train in Italy running on time is actually my problem. “My driver” isn’t due for another 30 minutes. Which means I get to spend an additional 30 minutes enjoying my own company some more. And also avoiding talking to any strangers. Which is particularly difficult in the Naples train station. And even more unlikely when you’re standing in the same spot forever and ever.

I’m full of my mother’s dire predictions of criminal young people offering their services to help you find your way around the train station. And when that fails, they’re supposed to start begging for money. And when that fails, Oliver and the Artful Dodger pick your pocket. So put your money and your passport down the back of your underwear or something equally unworkable when you’re dealing with Customs.

That little gem was actually written in the margins of the travel book. By my mother. So I wouldn’t forget to keep it in my pants. “Simon, don’t forget about the criminal young people. Keep it all in your underpants.”

So standing here looking like I’m waiting (and waiting and waiting), I’m an easy target. But as my t-shirt says, I’m from Brooklyn. We do not pay people to tell us where we are and which line to stand in. It’s a matter of pride. Unbelievable. Being from Brooklyn, I understand trains. I can find my way around any train station in the world. Hubris! But it’s true. Even in foreign alphabets. It’s in my blood, it’s in the East River, it’s in the soot-flecked air we New Yorkers are born breathing.

So here I am in the Naples train station with my underwear full of credit cards, IDs, and my emergency contacts laminated in both English and Italian. And now I also have that hot tingling in my eyes and the slight burn in my sinuses that threaten angry tears again.

I’m supposed to see a little old man with a big old mercedes, holding up a sign saying “Simon Lewis.” His name is Giuseppe and he came very highly rated on travelbookie.com. Very highly rated.

So, ok, ummm- This guy is definitely not Giuseppe. He doesn’t look that much older than I am. He’s an awfully chatty Irishman named Billy. So I’m like, “What’s Billy in Italian?”

“Fuck if I know,” he laughs. “They just say Beelee. Which puts me off every time, if I’m honest. God bless ‘em, they’re beautiful people, right, but Beelee is so wrong.”

“What’s your last name?”

“Delaney.”

“So in Italian, you’re Beelee Day-la-nay.”

“Y’speak Italian then, do yeh?” he laughs.

“Fluently. This app taught me how to say ‘dog’ and ‘blouse’ and I leveled up really fast — one of my great talents, by the way.”

“Leveling up, is it? Or Italian?”

“Italian. Certo. That means ‘certainly,’ but you use it kind of like you would use ‘obviously.’ Why is it pronounced ‘chair toe?’ No seriously, I’m asking.”

“Obviously,” he snorts, ignoring my lingual curiosity. “Are you mansplainin the language of the place I live to me?”

“Certo.”

Billy rewards me with a low chuckle. It may have been low and just a chuckle, but it was real. Being a connoisseur and collector of bad puns and dad jokes, I have a finely tuned ear for real laughter, as opposed to the usual laughing-just-to-be-nice.

“So I’m better off with Beelee Daylanay. I’ll have a talk with my boss and ask him to use my full name or nothin at all.” That at least gets a snort out of me. Until he says, “What about you? Are you lookin forward to bein Seemon? Sorry, mate. I think yours might be worse than mine.”

———/-/———

We’ve been talking all this time and I forgot to look out the window. As if I’m not on my dream vacation. Runner-up, actually. I’m holding my best dream vacation (Venice) for when Ms. I Do Lewis actually says, “I do.” And I will not book the rooms til after she does.

“Sorry, what was that?” I’ve been staring into space and ignoring Mr. Daylanay, who is now looking at me funny in the rear view mirror.

“Nothin important. Where’d you go, mate?”

“New York to Frankfurt to Milan to Naples. I flew out of JFK.”

“I’ll pretend to know where that is. No,” he says, “I meant just now. You disappeared behind your face.”

Um… “I did what?”

“I’ve been the only one enjoyin the sound of my voice, apparently, since you went quiet about five minutes ago. So where’d you go? Back behind your face,” he prompts.

“That’s an awfully private question, Mr. Daylanay. I’m not sure we’re good enough friends for letting you behind my face.” I kinda stumble on the word friends, cuz, well, we’re not.

“What. Is that like bein let in to visit the little man behind the curtain? That sounds a bit-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know how it sounds.” I make sure to roll my eyes loudly so he can hear. My mother always says she can hear my eyes rolling from the next room.

“Cagey one, aren’t ya?”

“Nosey, intrusive one, aren’t ya?” I counter.

He bobs his head and gives me a simple, “Ok.”

And now it’s gone quiet. I decide to disappear behind my face again for a while. I quite like it there. Maybe one day the whole world will join me. (Obscure movie reference, don’t bother.)

“Does she have a name?” he breaks into my sinking mood.

“What- Why?”

“Well, Seemon, because every story worth tellin about people generally has a name or two in it. Unless yer feelin all avant-garde while you're busy behind your face, contemplatin. Things.”

Ok, now I’m starting to get tired of his persistence. “I like to think of her as She Who Shall Not Be Named.”

“Like Voldemort. In a nighty.”

The bark of a laugh just erupts out of me before I can stop it from encouraging him. “That is the most disturbing image I’ve ever had.” My dull ache of a mood evaporates as quickly as it came, uninvited and unwelcome on this trip.

“You’re off the hook for now, but if I see you again, I’ll want to hear more about Ms. She Who Shall Not Be Named.”

And just like that, I’m annoyed again. “No.”

“Ok,” he says again.

———/-/———

While apparently spending more time behind my face, I realize I’ve ignored over 45 minutes of the view in a foreign country. Again I’m annoyed. Isn’t he supposed to be narrating the countryside or something? Giuseppe would be narrating the countryside. I frickin paid for that narration.

“So what am I looking at?” I lob at him.

“Naples.”

“Funny.” I hope he can hear my eyes rolling.

“Hold up, I haven’t finished! That great U-shape, right, that’s the Bay of Naples. The city herself is over there in the distance, all the way at the far end of the bay. All the wee towns strung out and all bunched up against the sea as tight as can be sketch out the shape of the bay and on along to the Sorrentine Peninsula -- where we’re goin. The big blue bit beyond the bay-”

“Is the Mediterranean. Yeah, I got that much.”

“Nah, mate. You don’t. See, it’s the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is just the part of the Mediterranean between the boot of Italy and Spain.”

“Thanks so much for the oceanography lesson.”

“Bit tetchy, aren’t yeh?” he says, eyeing me in the rearview mirror. “Look, mate. I’m sorry if I rubbed ye up the wrong way with makin conversation. I’m just not used to fillin in on the guest delivery service. That’s a specific kind of hospitality. Mine might be a bit more suited to conversatin across a bar. In that situation, all of this would have been charming.”

I can see him smiling at me in the rearview, trying to reset the mood.

“So you’re a bartender, not a driver. But you do work at the hotel. Right? Or…”

“Yeah sure’n I’ve been known to fill in at the bar when I’m needed.” He clarifies, “Acourse it’s the height of the high season, and all the staff are absolutely inundated with guests. It’s a busy kitchen, and no mistake.”

“So you’re not a bar-”

“Aaaaand, here we are,” he declares, pulling off the road going way too fast into what appears to be open air. But when I don’t feel us driving off a cliff, I open my eyes to see an ornate iron gate, a tile roof, a million flowering bushes, and more than one fountain.

“Allow me to be the first to welcome yeh to the Hotel Terrazze di Limoni. I’ll just fetch your bags, shall I?”

———/Read More/———

Masterlist || ao3 || Next

———/Disclaimer/———

I’ve stolen liberally from Cassandra Clare, TJKlune, and all m|m authors I’ve ever read.

[beescake]

oh to trust another troll w a sharp object against yr head

[yearoftheotpevent]

AO3 collection + FAQ Prompt List 2023 - alt text under the cut

January

first kiss | mission fic | fake dating | "whenever I look at you..." | snow | historical au

February

valentine's day | pollen/fear gas/truth serum | established relationship | "if i kiss you, will you shut up?" | different | mermaid au

March

fresh starts | road trup | getting back together/mutual pining | "make me" | acceptance | fairytale au

April

pranks | canon divergence | (seemingly) unrequited love | "no, i'm not dating your brother" | peace | university au

May

flower language | sick fic | pet/child acquisition | "who are you" | sunshine | fantasy/medieval/dark knights of steel au

June

wedding/proposal | saving the world | (accidental) love confession | "you aren't what i expected" | downpour | soulmate au

July

vacation together | power swap | enemies to lovers | "batman won't like this" | stars | coffee shop au

August

au of your choice | time travel | meet cute/blind date | "you're the only one i could turn to for help" | storm | vampire/werewolf/dc vs vampires au

September

high school/college sweethearts | hurt/comfort | meeting the family | "i wrote this for you" | flood | shifter au

October

couples costume | test messaging | identity shenanigans | "you can't bench me!" | lightning | sports team au

November

life changes | de-aging | secret relationship (reveal) | "be careful what you wish for" | growth | music/band au

December

holidays together | crack treated seriously | moving in together | "that's my favorite thing about you" | forgiveness | tattoo parlor/flower shop au

[ayrennaranaaldmeri]

[miakate-writes]

New Year's Eve/Day romance prompts 🥂🪩

(a/n: i hope everyone has had a great year and if you haven't then i hope 2024 is better <;3)

New Year's Eve 🥂

the classic "hold my drink"

"fancy a dance?"

finding somewhere quite to sit if one of them gets overwhelmed

being a unit when people are having a conversation ("where are A and B?" "have you two got any plans for the new year") even if they're not married :)))

looking after the other when they get a little too tipsy

kissing at midnight :)

New Year's Day 🪩

"cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day"

having a little two-person clean-up team whether the party was hosted at their house or not

when they finally go to bed they end up sleeping in for hours and staying in bed watching new year's episodes of all their favourite shows

making new year's resolutions with each other and trying to hold each other accountable

(HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE, THANK YOU FOR THE AMAZING SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN ME THIS YEAR AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE IT NEXT YEAR <3)

[pinkyjulien]

🟨 VP SUMMARY : 2023

It's that time of the year again, can't believe we're already at the end of 2023! And for the occasion, I've decided to freshen up my VP template of last year :3 So many things happened, including the release of Phantom Liberty of course, and the final update (tm) signing the end of Cyberpunk 2077

I'm sad that it's officially over, tho I'm excited for everything already announced (live action, Orion...) and whatever else they have planned for us (new comics, novels? another anime? spin off games?? who knows)

One good thing with having the final state of a game tho is that we can go wild with mods without fearing any big change in the game's structure 😳👉👈

Here's to 2024 with more VP, more mods, more posters, more LORE and more High Voltage 💚🔧🦝💛

▶ Template available on my google drive

wee throw back to my previous summaries 🥺

[blackwood4stucky]

call of the moon | aspen blackwood

mini series: across oblivion's edge

james “bucky” barnes x steve rogers | mcu | 🅴 | 🔞

word count: 3694 | complete

tags: fantastical elements, omegaverse, werewolf au, some blood and violence

The change was by no means new to him, he was true to this barbaric lifestyle, but that meant little as his spine crackled with the shift. It was a cruel fact of life, pain. - A ruin is what became of the beast's home, but beauty can still be found in the wilds.

bingo fills + event prompts

@afgomegaversebingo | scent marking

@anyfandomangstbingo | werewolf au

@anyfandomdarkbingo | revenge

@anyfandomgoesbingo | breeding

@badthingshappenbingo | wiping the other’s tears away

@buckybarnesevents: babb2023 | wet & messy [jan prompt]

creatures & cryptids: into the wilds bingo | lycan

@eclipsingbingo | first time

@fandombingo

mcu card | omegaverse rpf card | identity reveal

@fandom-free-bingo

valentine’s edition | werewolf au world book night edition | free space

@kinky-things-happen | knotting

@marvel-smash-bingo | free space

@multifandom-flash

april | free space march | enchanted forest omegaverse | scent fetish

@stuckybingo | free space

@stuckygeekevents: stucky geek bingo | laceration

@ultimatechrisbingo | free space

@yearoftheotpevent | august: au of your choice

read: ao3 | ffn | sqwa

mini playlist

[800db-cloud]

does anybody have the image that looks like this. please. asking for a friend

[alexversenaberrie]

ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS

Maul wanted to get rid of Palpatine. She wanted her planet free.

They had much more in common that they thought before.

[artificial-absinthe]

For the @yearoftheotpevent , using the prompt Mutual pinning.

I gave a lighter gladiator armor to Soundwave. I tried to make it bulkier as it was, but it turned out much more slender.

I love his slender shapes so much that I'm unconsciously unable to draw him otherwise, it seems.

[missedthememo]

Catradora scene cuteness

continuation of this post

and a poll here

...nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other...

...you promise?... I promise...

...you matter to me...

[dumplingsjinson]

Hiiii could I request some New Year’s Eve prompts that are sexy/suggestive maybe? If that makes sense? 😅

List of New Year’s Eve (but make it sexy) prompts

“Let’s create some of our own fireworks going into the New Year’s, hm?” Character A says, grinning a little as they continue to straddle Character B’s hips, and Character B rolls their eyes, hands tightening around their waist. “That’s not as sexy as you think it sounds, sweetheart,” Character B says. “But that aside, I’d love to.”

“We’re starting/ending the year with a bang, right?” “…What type of bang are we talking about?” “The type where our neighbours will probably hate us for but can’t do anything about it because everyone else will be partying late into the night, anyway? We should definitely utilise that, no?”

“I’m sure the firework displays will be great and all, but I want to pay all of my attention to you tonight. Only you. Is that okay?” “I… I can do with that.” 

“There are people downstairs, and countdown is about to begin—” “I don’t care. I’ve been patient all night, but you have me completely fucked up for you. Plus, wouldn’t the noises downstairs help cover up all of the noises you’re about to make?”

“I wanna go into the New Year’s, doing something a little more… Exciting. What say you?” 

“Don’t worry, the fireworks tonight will drown out any noises I’m going to make because of you.”

“I’ll be honest… I’ve been wanting you so goddamn much since the start of this year, when I laid my eyes on you at that New Year’s party.” “Well, now that you’ve got me where I am, why don’t we end this year by having your wish coming true?”

“I have a few ways for us to spend the last day of this year and none of them require us to leave the bedroom. How cool’s that?”

“If you’re good tonight then I’ll fuck you into next year, hm? There’s only an hour left, I’m sure you can hold out a little more for me, yeah?” Character A murmurs into Character B’s ear, stroking a hand down their thigh. Character B’s breath hitches in their throat as they feel the vibrations amp up, muscles contracting around the vibrator they agreed to wear for the night; not realising Character A would be so ruthless with the control they have. 

“My New Year’s wish this year was to have you under me/on top of me just like this and I think it came true just in time.”

[yearoftheotpevent]

hi everyone! just a reminder that, while we're not running new prompts this year, the collection will remain open for anyone that's catching up or coming to the challenge late. we still want to see what you create!

[seanfalco]

Keep Y’Warm

Nathan Young x f!Reader

Word Count: 1.3k Tags/Warnings: flirting, suggestive themes, pretty tame really Prompt: I decided to participate in @/yearoftheotpevent‘s Year of the OTP (except using reader inserts).  For January’s prompt I chose ‘Snow’. a/n: Struggled with breaking out of some writer’s block, so I’m not sure how I feel about this one, but I’m glad I finished something.

“I can’t believe they’re makin’ us do our community service outside in this weather,” Nathan whined, half heartedly scraping his snow shovel through the wet slush that covered the sidewalk in front of the Community Centre.  “Look, my trainers are already soaked through!” he cried, lifting a wet sneakered foot as evidence.  “I can barely feel my toes!”

“Maybe you should’ve worn more weather appropriate attire,” Shaun drawled indifferently as he passed, a steaming cup of coffee in hand.

“Well maybe some of us don’t have weather appropriate attire!” Nathan countered, sneering at the back of the probation worker’s head.

Shaun paused as he opened the door.  “That’s not my problem,” he shrugged, sparing a dry look for Nathan before pushing the door open with his shoulder and heading back into the warmth inside.

An incredulous scoff left Nathan’s mouth as he gaped after the man.  “Fuckin’ prick!” he muttered, crouching down to grab a handful of wet snow and flinging it against the window in harmless retaliation.

“At least y’have a coat,” you muttered, huddling further in on yourself against the cold to keep your teeth from chattering.  The thin long sleeved shirt you had on under your jumpsuit did little to protect from the icy wind that cut through you and threw heavy wet snowflakes in your face.

Nathan looked over at you, a frown pinching his brows.  “Don’t’cha have one?”

“I do, but I left it at my stepmum’s.  I didn’t think I’d need it yet,” you grumbled, blowing on your frozen hands in an attempt to thaw them somewhat.

Nathan’s frown deepened in thought for a moment.  “C’mere,” he exclaimed, unzipping his coat.

At first you thought he was gunna offer it to you and you were about to protest, not wanting him to freeze either, until it became apparent he had something else in mind, holding his coat open for you and beckoning you over.

“Get in here.”

“I don’t think we’re both gunna fit,” you snorted, looking at him doubtfully.

“Will yeh shut it and just get over here?  I’m losin’ th’rest of my body heat!”

Heaving a fond sigh, you did as he asked and moved closer, letting him wrap his arms and the sides of his coat around you.  Almost instantly you felt warmth seep into you and you pressed your face against his chest, trying to get as close as possible. “Better?” Nathan asked, pulling back to get a look at you, a goofy grin on his face. “Yeah actually,” you replied, distracted by the snowflakes caught in his long lashes and the faint smell of his body spray. “Ugh, get a room,” Kelly muttered, rolling her eyes. “C’mon, let’s just get this done!” Alisha whined, interrupting the moment.

“Yeah, th’faster we get this done, th’sooner we get t’go back inside,” Curtis added, attacking the pile of snow in front of him with renewed vigour.

Instead of freeing you, Nathan simply picked up his snow shovel and shrugged.  “This might be a bit awkward, but at least we’ll be warm,” he chuckled, his breath fanning warmly against your cheek.  “I’m not lettin’ y’freeze on my watch,” he exclaimed, and you shuffled backwards as he attempted to continue clearing the sidewalk, smiling to yourself.

With every movement, however, you were reminded of just how close you were, hyper aware of his body pressed up against yours.

“Nathan!” Kelly groaned, her expression contorting in disgust as she passed, clearly overhearing his thoughts.  “You’re disgustin’!”

“What?  I can’t help it!” he laughed, carefully avoiding your curious look.  

By the time the walk was clear–no thanks to you and Nathan, who mostly goofed off–and Simon had spread a layer of salt down, your cheeks and nose were flushed from the cold, and even Nathan’s coat wasn’t doing much to protect you any longer.

“C’mon, let’s get back inside,” you exclaimed impatiently, wriggling your toes uselessly in your sneakers.

“Don’t hafta tell me twice,” Nathan huffed, finally freeing you from his jacket and you all hurried inside to warm up.  

Hastily toeing off your wet trainers as soon as you hit the locker room, you shucked your jumpsuit and hung it in your locker to let the sopping legs drip dry while Nathan plopped down on the locker room floor to pull his shoes off.

“I think there’s somethin’ wrong with my toes!” he cried, stripping his soaked socks off. “Look they’re turnin’ white and I can’t feel ‘em!”

“Sounds like th’beginning stage of frostbite,” Simon observed, leaning over from his locker to get a better look.

“Frost bite!?” Nathan yelped, his head whipping up frantically.  “Are my toes gunna fall off?” he cried, gesturing wildly toward his bare feet.

“They might,” Simon murmured, wearing a tiny mischievous grin.

“Not if we get them thawed out,” you interjected quickly, throwing Simon a dirty look as you passed him, grabbing Nathan by the arm and hauling him to his feet.  “C’mon,” you urged, dragging him to one of the shower stalls across the room and yanking the curtain shut behind you.

“Get th’hot water on!” Nathan whined, twisting the faucet handle all the way to hot.

“No, wait!” you yelped, smacking his hand way to dial it back.  “We only want luke warm.”

“But I’m freezin’!” Nathan countered, pouting at you as the water spluttered on.

“If you go to hot too fast, you’ll scald yourself and not even feel it,” you explained.

Nathan frowned, taking your words in with a grain of skepticism.  “Alright, fine!” he finally cried, unzipping his coveralls.

“Here lemme help y’with that,” you murmured, reaching out to grab hold of his arms to stabilize him as he shrugged out of the top half of his jumpsuit.

“Your hands are like ice!” he yelped and you couldn’t help but snort in amusement.

“Yeah, no shit!  I’m just as cold as you are!” you countered, reaching out to feel the temperature of the water.  “Okay, I think that’s good t’thaw out with and then we can crank up th’heat some more,” you murmured.

Nathan nodded, shedding the orange jumpsuit completely and sticking his feet under the stream of warmish water.  “I’m never opposed t’turnin’ up th’heat,” he joked, giving you a cheeky grin.

“You’re such a flirt,” you chuckled, shaking your head ruefully before stripping the rest of your undergarments off while Nathan’s back was turned.

After a few minutes, his feet seemed to return to a normal pinkish colour, but when he turned to tell you he could feel his toes again, his gaze fell to your bare chest and the words died on his tongue.  

“Well, hello there!  If it isn’t my favourite girls!  When did this happen?” he asked, unable to tear his eyes away as he pulled you into his arms.

Grinning, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders as the water rolled over you, pressing your chest against his, just as you had earlier when he’d wrapped you in his coat, except now there were considerably fewer layers between you.

“Wanna tell me what you were thinkin’ bout earlier that Kelly overheard?” you asked, glancing up at him, the water plastering his curls to his head.

Nathan’s chapped lips pulled into a smirk at the thought and he shifted against you, his cock slowly stirring in response, pressing against your hip.  “It had somethin’ t’do with wishin’ we were wearin’ less…” he replied, his gaze flicking over your face.  “Kinda like we are right now.”

“Look’s like y’got your wish,” you murmured, arousal tingling through you to pool low in your gut and between your legs.

“Will y’look at that,” Nathan teased lightly, though his voice had turned husky.  “Would y’like t’know what else I was thinkin’ about?” he asked, dangling the implication tantalizingly before you, his chest rising and falling against yours with each breath he took waiting for your answer while the water trickled down your bodies, warm seeping into you.

“I think I’d rather you show me.”

@super-unpredictable98​ @salvador-daley​ @elliethesuperfruitlover​ @firstpersonnarrator​

[suga-parade]

"Saving the world" but your world is one person

for June's @yearoftheotpevent

[sofya-fanfics]

Holidays Together

Fandom : Fairy Tail

Relationship : Gray x Juvia

My Year of the OTP 2023 contribution for the prompt : Holidays Together.

I’m sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.

Summary : Gray looked at the window again. The clouds were white, the snow would fall soon. He hoped this would not delay their return to Magnolia. He would not tell anyone, but he could not wait to be home, especially to see Juvia again. Christmas holidays were approaching and Gray wanted to spend it with her.

Disclaimer : Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

@yearoftheotpevent

AO3 / FF.NET

The train was traveling at full speed. Gray watched the landscape pass by. There was still an hour left before arriving in Magnolia. Team Natsu were returning from a mission that had lasted several days. He looked at his companions. Erza was sleeping next to him. Wendy was sitting across from him. She was holding her head in her hands, trying to ignore her motion sickness. Carla had her paw on her arm, trying to give her some comfort. Poor Wendy, Gray thought. If only he knew a way to help her feel better. On the other hand, he felt no empathy for Natsu who was groaning on the seat next to him. The further the train moved, the sicker he got. His head was resting on Lucy's lap, who was stroking his hair. Happy was giving him some air with a magazine that the celestial wizard had bought at the station.

Gray looked at the window again. The clouds were white, the snow would fall soon. He hoped this would not delay their return to Magnolia. He would not tell anyone, but he could not wait to be home, especially to see Juvia again. Lately, he often thought about her. He felt like she was always on his mind and in his heart. His feelings had only grown stronger in the six months they had spent together before he infiltrated Avatar. Christmas holidays were approaching and Gray wanted to spend it with Juvia.

The train arrived at the station and when it stopped, Natsu ran out. Gray rose from the seat and went out onto the platform. They were finally home. He smiled and told himself that it was time for him to see Juvia.

******

After reporting to Makarov, Team Natsu was finally free to celebrate Christmas. The guild had been decorated for the occasion. There were tinsels, fairy lights, figurines of reindeer, Santa Claus and snowmen. A large tree was in the center of the room. The atmosphere in the guild was joyful and festive. Gray was sitting at a table with Erza. He had not drunk the beer mug that Mirajane had served him. He was busy looking at the people entering the guild.

“She'll be here soon,” Erza said.

Gray jumped. He was so focused on the guild door that he forgot Erza was with him. But he would never confess it to her. He was too afraid that she would take offense.

“Who are you talking about ?” He asked, feigning ignorance.

“Juvia. She's the one you're waiting for.”

Gray blushed. He could not deny it. Erza could not help laughing lightly.

“It was obvious,” she said, taking a sip.

Gray opened his eyes wide. Was he that transparent ? He suddenly felt someone approach him and arms wrap around him from behind. A scent he knew all too well intoxicated him.

“Gray-sama ! Juvia is so happy to see you. She missed you so much.”

Gray smiled. He put his hand on hers and squeezed it.

“I missed you too.”

He never thought he would have missed Juvia so much. With her arms around him, he felt like he was at home, like it was the only place he felt good. Erza left discreetly to give them more privacy. Juvia sat down next to Gray and a huge smile lit up her face when she realized that the ice mage had not let go of her hand. She asked him questions about his mission and Gray answered her.

Christmas music was heard. Gray usually did not care about Christmas. For him, it was just another day. But for the first time in his life, he wanted to celebrate it.

“Do you have anything planned for Christmas ?” He asked.

Juvia shook her head.

“Usually Juvia celebrates with Gajeel. But this year, he plans to celebrate with Levy.”

“So… Would you like to spend the holidays together ?”

He blushed and looked away, embarrassed. He was not used to making this kind of request. He glanced at Juvia. She had her hands over her mouth and she was moved.

“Juvia would be very happy.”

She threw herself into his arms. Gray managed to catch himself from falling out of his chair and he put his arms around her waist. This year, Christmas will be special for him thanks to Juvia.

The end