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dibidibidismynameisleeknow · 16 days

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Friendsgiving

Pairing: Mingyu x (AFAB) Reader. Non-idol au

Synopsis: Just a little love story, reader and Mingyu are down bad for each other.

Characters: Mingyu, Wonwoo, Seungkwan, Jihoon, O/C Ava as Jihoon's girlfriend

Warnings: none, it's fluff, maybe a few innuendos and swears, nothing serious, Seungkwan is a menace. Despite there being no smut I still don't want minors interacting, it makes me comfortable, I'm an adult.

A/N: I was feeling inspired by S1 E9 of Friends. Fun fact, I don't decide who to write for, I let the fic tell me. The word count is almost 3,800. This is fiction.

~~~~~

🐶: Hey, any plans for Thanksgiving?

🌸: Hey Mingyu, no, I’m going to stay home this year

🐶: You’re going to be alone?

🌸: Yea, that’s okay, I’m sick of always traveling for the holidays

You figured that was the end of your conversation with Mingyu. You honestly didn’t mind not having plans for the holidays. The thought of extra time off work and not being around a bickering family for Thanksgiving was too enticing to pass up. Matter of fact, you were rather looking forward to it; maybe explore the city some more, see if any cute cafes or restaurants were open. The possibilities were endless. Your daydream of a peaceful Thanksgiving was interrupted by the ringing of your cell phone. Mingyu.

“You can’t be alone for Thanksgiving!” Mingyu refused to accept your reasoning. “As much as I would like to respect your boundaries. I am afraid that I cannot. I’m pretty sure that not being around people you care about during the holiday season is unconstitutional. I’d hate for you to have to pay a fine. Is that what you want? Do you really want to have to fight to pay the ticket like you did your parking ticket?”

You let out a snort, amused by Mingyu. “You put too much thought into that.” He really was too cute for his own good. At this point in your friendship, you’d do anything to protect him, to make sure no one hurt him. (Even though it was looking like you might be the one to break his heart).

“Mingyu, I’m tired. I just want to relax this year. Are you trying to get rid of me or something?”

“No. Stay here. Stay with me.” The line was filled with a moment of silence. You had never expected Mingyu to invite you over for a holiday. Was he cute? Yes. Do you enjoy every second you’re around him? Also yes. “This is our first Thanksgiving together. Please.”

“Why is this so important to you?” There was a slight possibility that you’d give into his plea.

“You’re important to me. I’m thankful for our friendship. I want you here.”

Mingyu was honestly the sweetest person to grace this planet. The more you got to know him the more you could feel yourself falling for him more and more. At this point it was getting bad. The thought of Mingyu caring so much was enough to bring tears to your eyes, but you didn’t want to worry him, so you tried your best to hold them in.

“I do a Friendsgiving every year. I’d really like you to be a part of it. There’s no travelling involved except maybe to my place, but that doesn’t count because you and I live pretty close to each other.”

“That does sound kind of nice actually. Thank you, Mingyu.”

“You’re welcome. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Text me the details.”

🐶: Saturday, come over whenever, it’s an all day thing

🌸: Do you need me to bring anything? Who am I going to meet?

🐶: Bring yourself and a positive attitude about spending the day with me! As for the guest list, I guess you’ll have to come and find out

🌸: Mingyu -.-

🐶: Fiiiiiiinneeeeee… Jihoon and his girlfriend are bringing dessert, Seungkwan is bringing drinks, and Wonwoo in typical Wonwoo fashion is bringing games. I’ve got the meat ;)

🌸: LOL I can’t wait to taste your meat Mingyu

🐶: I’m sure you’ll love it, you might even want seconds ;D

~~~~~

Mingyu ended up texting you Friday morning asking if you minded arriving extra early Saturday morning to help him prepare everything. Every year he underestimates how much work actually goes into hosting a holiday party and his social circle only seems to be growing. As important as Mingyu is to you, and as important as Friendsgiving is to him, you couldn’t imagine turning him down. You wanted this holiday to be perfect for him. If anyone deserved it, it was Mingyu.

🐶: Actually, do you mind spending the night instead?

🌸: Mingyu! That’s quite a jump in this friendship. Very risque, not demure

🐶: I’m worried about you going out in the holiday rush and I wouldn’t mind your help decorating, if you don’t mind.

🌸: Anything for you

“Oh, Kim Mingyu. How I don’t deserve you.”

~~~~~

Thankfully Friday night rolled around quickly and you were oh so grateful that Mingyu wanted you to spend the night… for convenience sake. Traffic was already wild and you could only imagine that it would get worse. After quickly packing an overnight bag you ordered dinner to have delivered to Mingyu’s place, you knew you two would be in for a long night, and day tomorrow. A token of your gratitude as well.

The evening with Mingyu went well, much better than you anticipated. The evening was spent decorating, prepping whatever food you could and overall just enjoying each other’s company.

“This feels oddly domestic,” you noted, while placing a few decorations.

“It’s nice though, isn’t it?”

You hummed in agreement with Mingyu. “Anytime spent with you is wonderful.”

Even with you both busy preparing for tomorrow’s dinner, Mingyu still made sure to pull you in for a hug. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

You soaked in his warm embrace but you couldn’t help but long for more and to be held by Mingyu more often.

“We should hurry up and get this done. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” As much as you didn’t want that moment to ever end, your heart needed it to.

~~~~~

“Hey, now that we’re done, did you want to hang out and watch a movie or something, or would you rather head to bed?”

“I kind of want to get to bed. Do you mind if I shower?”

Mingyu scrunched up his nose and looked you up and down. “Please do.”

The gentleman he is (aside from his earlier comment) led you to his bathroom and carried your overnight bag for you. “If you get tempted to use my soaps, help yourself. I know I smell irresistible.”

“Get out of here,” you laughed. He does smell good, maybe I’ll have to take him up on that offer.

You were just about to finish up your shower when you heard a faint knock on the bathroom door.

“Come in! Sorry, did I take too long?”

“You’re fine. I just wanted to bring you a warm towel. I threw it in the dryer for you.”

“You’re amazing. Thank you.”

The person who falls in love with Mingyu will have no idea how lucky they are. Hopefully they’ll treat him half as amazing as he treats you, and you’re just friends. Just a friendly self reminder.

Stepping out of the bathroom and about to trail to the living room to get some sleep, you felt Mingyu’s arms wrap around your torso and pull you into his much taller, stronger and bigger frame.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Mingyu questions, almost as if you had done something wrong.

“The living room to sleep. Duh.”

He lowered his head closer to you, as if you couldn’t hear him clearly from his normal standing position, making your knees weak in the process. Still holding you, he spun the two of you around. “My bedroom is that way.”

“That was hot.”

“Yeah? You think so?” You could almost hear the smirk on his face, which means…

“Shit. Did I say that out loud?”

“You sure did sweetheart. Make yourself comfortable. It’s my turn to shower, I’ll be there with you in a bit… if you want.”

“Yes, please. I mean sure, if that’s cool with you. It is your bed. I don’t mind, if you don’t mind.”

Mingyu’s room was really nice, and his bed was huge and looked ridiculously comfy. You just couldn’t wait to get in it, you knew the second your head hit the pillow you would be out for the night. It would be rude to fall asleep without saying goodnight, right? You thought to yourself. Climbing into Mingyu’s bed you realized you were right, it was comfy like you anticipated, and it smelled oddly like lavender, just like your own bed. You did happen to mention in passing to Mingyu that you purchased a lavender bed spray that was supposed to help you relax and fall asleep. It was possible that he decided to give it a try when he found out how much you liked it. You also noticed that off to the side of his bed, atop the nightstand was a white noise machine, similar to the one you have at home. Either you had more in common with Mingyu than you thought or he just paid really good attention to you. If the second option was the case, you didn’t realize how much you meant to Mingyu, which only made your heart race even more.

“I didn’t know you liked white noise while you slept,” you noted as Mingyu climbed between the sheets.

“I don’t,” he replied before rolling over to turn it on. “I bought it because you were spending the night. The least I could do to thank you for your help was to make sure you were as comfortable as possible.”

“And the lavender spray?”

“For you.”

“Seriously, Mingyu. How are you still single?”

Mingyu rolled back over to face you and his arms found their way around you again and pulled you closer to him. Figuring it was okay, you rested your head on his chest. Just laying there listening to his heart beat.

“I’m just waiting for someone very special and specific.”

You hummed in acknowledgement before starting to doze off in Mingyu’s arms.

~~~~~

The next morning you noticed the bed was significantly cooler than it was last night. Mingyu’s presence was significantly therapeutic and you found yourself missing it. Oh, this is bad.

“Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?”

“I think that was the best I’ve ever slept. Thank you for doing all of that for me.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You deserve the best.”

“I think I just might have to spend the night more often.”

“My door is always open for you, princess.” What’s with the pet names? You decided just to shrug it off, even though it made your head spin and your heart flutter. Oh, Kim Mingyu, you’re going to be the death of me.

~~~~~

In the kitchen you were greeted with the sight of a very domestic Mingyu, again. You watched and admired while he paced around the kitchen trying to throw everything together. There was still quite a bit to do for the evening but Mingyu couldn’t look happier. He was just glad that a few of his favourite people would be there to celebrate the holiday with him. Plus, he also looked adorable in his apron, so you wouldn’t complain one bit. You’d be lying to yourself if you hadn’t thought of husband material Mingyu once or twice in the past.

“Alright, how can I help?”

Thankful for your help, Mingyu pulled you in for yet another hug. Is this going to be a constant thing? My heart can’t take much more of this. At this point it was a miracle that Mingyu couldn’t feel your heart race with the proximity of your bodies, you were sure that your heart would beat out of your chest any moment now. What you failed to realize though was that Mingyu also didn’t want to let go, but the knocking on his apartment door demanded his attention.

Slowly, one by one his friends started to trickle in, making sure to say hi and introduce themselves to you. They all seemed very friendly, and you really wanted to make a good impression.

“It’s so nice to have another girl in this friend group,” Jihoon’s girlfriend Ava gushed, coming in to hug you. She seemed very sweet, you could see yourself turning into good friends. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard so much about you!”

You glanced from Ava to Mingyu, back to her, before glancing back to ask Mingyu, “you talk about me?”

“Talk about you? He doesn’t shut up about you.” Ava answered for him.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Jihoon panicked, pulling Ava off of you. “Let’s go help Wonwoo and Seungkwan set things up.”

Thinking they were out of earshot Ava tried to whisper to Jihoon. “Wow, Mingyu wasn’t lying when he said she’s really pretty.” It didn’t turn out that way though, she might as well have yelled it.

“You think I’m pretty?” you teased.

“You have a mirror, don’t you?” For the first time since you met Mingyu, you finally caught the blush creeping up on his cheeks and his red ears. You couldn’t help but chuckle at how cute Mingyu looked when he was acting shy.

“Let’s go play some games. I’ve got asses to kick.”

“Oh, you’re on.”

~~~~~

While Sackboy was a game that called for teamwork, Seungkwan and Mingyu seemed to have formed an alliance to try and sabotage you. Ava caught on pretty quickly and managed to talk Jihoon on backing you up against them. It involved a lot of throwing each other’s character off the edge and losing lives and slapping each other…in the game. Multiple levels had to be restarted. Thankfully Wonwoo got the boys to start playing properly so the night could go on, and you often got to the finish line first. Never against Wonwoo though, you knew he’d probably get to the finish line first, but your ego was well fed after coming first against Seungkwan.

Seungkwan huffed out in annoyance, “Mingyu, your girlfriend cheats!”

“She’s not my -”

“Maybe you just suck,” you fired back.

You caught Wonwoo leaning in to tell Mingyu, “she’s cool. I like her.” At least one of his friends tried to be subtle. But you missed Mingyu saying back, “yea, I like her too.”

Things started to die down a little bit more as dinner rolled around, but with Seungkwan’s competitive streak you all knew the peacefulness would be short-lived. Almost as if he could read everyone’s mind, Monopoly was dropped onto the coffee table.

“Alright, I want a rematch.”

Trying to remain calm, Jihoon rubbed his temples, almost as if Seungkwan pained him. “Dude, you’re embarrassing yourself. Just take the loss.”

“Yeah,” Ava whined. “We like her, don’t scare her off.”

Mingyu was getting ready to step in and have Seungkwan back off and leave you alone but he found your hand on his knee enough to stop him.

“If he wants to lose, let him. Just know Seungkwan, this game takes a while so be prepared to suffer.”

Mingyu couldn’t help but enjoy that you and his friends seemed to be getting along so well. He also really enjoyed watching you absolutely destroy Seungkwan every chance you got.

“My money is on Seungkwan,” Wonwoo chimed in as you and Seungkwan started to set up the game.

“Thank you. I’m glad that someone believes in me.”

“My money is on you losing,” Wonwoo clarified. Maybe everyone else also enjoyed how things were going between you and Seungkwan. Mingyu didn’t realize that he stuck two of the most competitive people in a room together.

Jihoon was the first to pull out his wallet. “Alright, I’m in.”

Seungkwan let out a groan of defeat as he fell backwards onto the floor. Jihoon used this sulking episode as an opportunity to divide the winnings amongst everyone that bet on you instead of Seungkwan. Which was everyone.

~~~~~

The night had turned out amazing, as you expected. You found yourself really enjoying yourself and your new found friends. It was much nicer than spending the holiday at your own apartment and it was a nice change from your regular holiday plans. Which you made sure to tell Mingyu, you really couldn’t be more grateful that you had been so important to be included in this little tradition.

“Ava, did you make this pie?” you asked. “This is absolutely amazing.”

She blushed at the praise. It really amused you how someone could go from being so bold one minute to so shy and quiet the next.

Mingyu figured it was probably time to get involved with the conversations. He had been rather quiet the past little while just taking in his favourite people, and watching to make sure you were having a good time. “We’re convinced that’s the reason Jihoon is dating her.”

Jihoon just shrugged at his friend’s accusation. “Who doesn’t love free dessert?”

“You really like it?” Baked goods were Ava’s love language and it meant a lot to her when people could bond over good food.

“I love it! Seriously, I want to climb inside and live in this pie. I think I want to marry the pie.”

This time Wonwoo was not so subtle with his next comment, “damn Mingyu, you’ve got some competition.”

At this point Mingyu gave up. There was no possible way that you didn’t know about his feelings for you. He wanted his friends' help on how to bring it up and what to say, but he didn’t expect it to turn out like this.

“Yeah, I’m actually kind of jealous of the attention that pie is getting.”

Seungkwan jumped on the opportunity of embarrassing Mingyu. “It’s getting more attention than you.”

“Seungkwan, be nice or I’ll kick your ass at another stupid game again,” you threatened. Mingyu couldn’t be more thankful that you were deflecting the situation away from him and not making him feel even more embarrassed and awkward than he already was.

The day started to fade bringing Friendsgiving to an end. It seemed like a good time to start cleaning up and gathering your belongings, you wanted to get home and rest a little bit before it got too late.

“Are you leaving?” Mingyu asked, his voice laced with a hint of disappointment.

“Shortly, yeah. I just wanted to help get things cleaned up.”

“Oh, I don’t want you to leave,” he pouted.

“What about me?”

“No, Seungkwan, I definitely want you to leave.”

“I feel like you’re picking favourites and it’s not me.”

Mingyu tried his hardest to get his friends to leave, but his friends seemed to sense his wish of wanting to be alone and spend more time with you that they took their time leaving. Except Jihoon, he was glad to finally be heading home and had to pull Ava off of you.

“Mingyu give me her number, and don’t fuck this up.” On the bright side, at least his friends approved of you. But the big picture: did YOU approve of Mingyu? Could he be what you deserved? What you wanted?

Seungkwan said his goodbyes before gently (but purposely) knocking you into Mingyu, forcing him to catch you.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to push you under the mistletoe.”

“The what?” you glanced up and there it was, a very out of place decoration. “That’s the wrong holiday,” you noted, almost as if you were unsure. But you did know for a fact that neither you nor Mingyu put that decoration up.

“I thought you two could use the push.”

Wonwoo could see Seungkwan’s life flash before his eyes, if Mingyu’s facial expression was anything to go off of. “Dude, you better start running.” Seungkwan almost didn’t want to believe Wonwoo, but Jihoon did, and pulled their friend away, leaving Wonwoo behind with you and Mingyu. “I’m so sorry about him. I hope you stick around. It was lovely meeting you.”

You exchanged your goodbye with Wonwoo before turning back to Mingyu. Poor Mingyu, cheeks tinted red, so embarrassed and worried that his friends scared you and that he might lose you after his feelings were aired out so blatantly. This evening was supposed to be fun and relaxing, his feelings weren’t meant to be a part of it. He didn’t want to put you on the spot like that, it wasn’t his reason for inviting you over, he honestly just wanted you around. When he asked his friends on how he should go about telling you his feelings he didn’t mean that exact day, or even a day when they were around. Actually, they most definitely were not supposed to be there when he confessed his feelings. But here he is, forced to come out and say something. Mingyu’s trance was disrupted when he felt your hands work their way to the nape of his neck, forcing him to maintain eye contact with you.

“I lost you there for a second.”

“I’m so sorry about all of this, this is not what I expected. I don’t know what’s wrong with them. Are you mad? Let me grab your bag and I can walk you to your car.” Mingyu stopped in his tracks when he heard you quietly say,

“I would have kissed you without the mistletoe.”

“You what?!”

“Kiss her! Kiss her!” Seungkwan and Ava chanted from down the hall. Right. Mingyu was too wrapped up in his own existential crisis and didn’t make it back into his apartment. He muttered a quick “assholes” before pulling you back into the apartment, and making sure the door was locked and inaccessible from his nosey friends.

“So, rumour has it, you have a crush on me?”

“Fuck it,” Mingyu sighed. “Yeah, I do. I have for a while actually. You were not supposed to find out this way.” You tried to reassure Mingyu that it was really okay, and figured he must have forgotten what you said previously about the mistletoe.

“Mingyu, I like you too, so much. You’re the most amazing person I know… as for the mistletoe.” you brought his attention back to the decoration. “We can’t break tradition, can we now?”

Mingyu watched as you stood up on your tiptoes closing the distance between the two of you. He wasn’t sure how to go about it, he hadn’t ever expected it to happen, but was relieved when you seemed to have everything under control. Despite trying to remain calm, cool and collected, nothing could have prepared him for what your lips on his would feel like. He couldn’t help the smile that came across his face and finally gained the confidence to return your affection back. When he realized you weren’t going anywhere he pulled you closer, silently hoping this moment wouldn’t end. Things only intensified when you ran your hands up his side and across his chest before stopping your hands on either side of his face and pulling away as Mingyu’s phone went off with a text notification.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Mingyu.”

Seungkwan > did you kiss her yet?

Ava > how was it?!

> also, we heard you, there’s nothing wrong with us

Wonwoo > except EVERYTHING

Jihoon > freaks

> I was talking about Ava and Seungkwan by the way

Ava > rude, enjoy sleeping on the couch

> add her to the group chat

Mingyu chuckled and showed you the conversation, a silent ask if you wanted to be a part of that mess. You handed Mingyu your phone, you couldn’t be happier to be welcomed into the group.

“Oh no, what did I get myself into?” you joked.

#mingyu x reader #mingyu fluff #mingyu fic #seventeen fic #friendsgiving

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clarisse0o · 2 months

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Camp Wiegman-Part 26

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military Universe

Words: 5k

TW: Violence

Masterlist

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Wednesday, December 23; 8:00 PM - Home

A few days have passed since I returned to Barcelona. I’ve never enjoyed a vacation so much. There hasn't been a single moment of boredom. Mapi has practically been living at my place since I got back. As usual, her parents are off living their own lives without her, so she’s living hers without them. Sunday was fantastic. Joan was over the moon when we took him to the amusement park. He hadn’t realized I’d be staying for two whole weeks, so when he understood I’d be here longer than usual, he was ecstatic.

I haven’t told him yet that I’ll be leaving earlier for New Year’s, but he’ll probably be too busy to notice. As always, my mom and Marcus will take him to celebrate New Year’s with friends who have a child his age. In any case, I’ll make a resolution to keep in touch with him more regularly. He’s missed me so much that she hasn’t left our side even once. Not during our movie and TV marathon on Saturday, not during our day at the skate park the next day, and especially not when we went to the ice rink. Those were incredible days.

Today, we decided it would be a relaxation day. Joan is at a friend’s house, so we spent our morning at the beauty salon. We got waxed and had our nails done for Christmas Eve. My family will be coming over tomorrow. I usually take care of myself, but this time we wanted to be pampered. Well, it was mainly Mapi who was dying for it. She couldn’t let go of the idea. So, I sucked it up and wore clothes that didn’t require me to undress completely. She’s lucky I appreciate the results. We continued the day with lunch at a restaurant in town, and then we went to the pool. It was so much fun. It seems like it just opened, so there weren’t many people, and we could relax as we should.

Now, here we are, standing in line for the cinema. It must be around 8:00 PM. It’s a way to do something relaxing without being cooped up in my room. I found out while she was in the shower that she’s been harassed by Ana. Apparently, Ana is sorry and wants Mapi back. I was relieved to see she hadn’t responded to any of the texts, but also slightly hurt that she hadn’t told me. I respect her silence, though. I haven’t brought it up with her, afraid she might shut down. That doesn’t stop me from being a good friend. I noticed she’s been glancing at her phone whenever she gets the chance today. I sense she’s about to crack, so I’ve done everything in my power to keep her busy. It’s clear she’s not doing as well as she pretends, although I imagine our days full of activities help her not think about it.

It’s time to pay for our tickets. I don’t even know what movie we’re going to see. I let Mapi choose since I haven’t been keeping up with new releases while I was at Camp Wiegman. We have similar tastes, so I’m not worried. Mapi insists on stopping by the concession stand for some popcorn. I take the opportunity to grab a drink, which she ends up getting too. We then have our tickets validated and head into our theater. We’re half an hour early, so I’m not surprised to find the place empty. We settle in a corner at the top. Mapi is never quiet during a movie, no matter where we are. She has the annoying habit of commenting on every action. Needless to say, it annoys everyone around us. It used to irritate me too, but over time, I started commenting with her. We’ve gotten to the point where if we’re watching a movie at home, we pick one we’ve already seen to make sure we understand the content.

I still make the effort to go to the movies with her, thinking I can always rewatch the film online if it seems good. It reminds me that Lucy had offered to lend me some movies, but she never did. I doubt she remembers. That conversation must have been over a month ago. I feel a pang of guilt, realizing I haven’t written to her since returning to Miami. Then again, she hasn’t written to me either. After all, she’s just my supervisor; I shouldn’t worry. She’s made it clear more than once that we can’t be friends while I’m her student.

"Isn’t that Miller and Bryan down there?" Mapi asks me.

I scan the area, looking for two heads that could be our friends. I smile when I spot them a few rows below us, completely on the opposite side. It’s impossible for them to see us. I notice their little gestures of affection, which are so cute.

"Yeah, it looks like it."

"Should we call out to them? I mean, we could see them at the same time."

"They’re on a date, leave them alone. We’ll catch up with them after the movie."

Mapi nods in agreement. The lights dim shortly after. To be honest, I’m still having a hard time seeing them as a couple, but they’re so adorable. To think that a few years ago, it was us as a couple and them as best friends. At least Mapi and I were lucky not to lose each other. She clumsily apologized for kissing me spontaneously. I couldn’t blame her for needing affection. Few people manage to stay on good terms with their ex, but I’m glad we did. She was my rock back then, and I won’t forget what she did for me. My feelings were mixed when we first reconnected, but I quickly pushed them aside, realizing it wasn’t mutual anymore. I never knew if that was truly the case, but I guess she was just protecting herself.

The ads fade away, and the movie begins. As I predicted, Mapi comments on every action, but today it’s a bit different. She also starts complimenting the women in the film. She seems to find them beautiful and amazing She’s lucky I’m lesbianand find some truth in her words; otherwise, I’d get bored quickly. I join in, telling her my preferences. I’ve always preferred brunettes, even dark-haired ones,I find them more attractive and mysterious.

“Tell me an actress you find hot.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Just because. Someone you’d want in your bed.”

“I don’t want anyone in my bed.”

“You know exactly what I mean! Like if you had the chance to go on a date with an actress... Or a celebrity, whatever. Who would you choose?”

“Your question is really dumb.”

“Come on, play along. Give me a name.”

I think about it, running my hand through my hair. I have no idea. I don’t have a favorite actress or anything like that.

“I don’t know. Mila Kunis?” I say randomly.

“Mila Kunis?” she repeats. “Hmm… Not bad, true. Does she look like Bronze?”

I roll my eyes. And there she goes again, bringing up the subject. I don’t know what’s gotten into her with Lucy lately, but she keeps asking me questions about her.

“No,” I shut down.

“Oh, sorry. It’s just that I wonder what she looks like. I have the right to be curious. Here, compare her to Mila Kunis so I can get an idea.”

I can’t believe it when she pulls up a picture of the actress on her phone. I already know she won’t leave me alone until she gets her answers. I sigh and look at the photo carefully to make a comparison.

“Lucy has a much finer nose and much fuller lips. As for her eyes, they’re almond-shaped and green, much more sparkling than the dark eyes Mila Kunis has in this picture. And her hair leans more towards a brown shade than black.”

Mapi nods seriously. She seems to be creating an image of my supervisor in her head. Her silence makes me wonder if I went too far with my details. I realize just how much I’ve observed her to know so much about her appearance. She finally turns to me with a small smile forming on her lips.

“She must be cute.”

“She is.”

“Is she taller than you?”

I think back, trying to recall moments that might give me an answer to this question. I nod eventually.

“Yeah. But only by a few centimeters.”

“So, you claim you’re not interested in her, but you can tell me details like that about her?”

A smug smile spreads across her face, and I realize my mistake. I knew it was a bad idea to tell her all that.

“You’re exasperating, Mapi.”

“And yet, I didn’t even point out that you called her Lucy. So that’s her little name?”

I groan at her teasing. I slowly run my hand over my face to avoid losing my temper.

“Where’s her part in her hair?”

“Mostly in the middle, but sometimes she moves it to the left side.”

The words slip out before I can hold them back. I’m surprised myself at how easily I answered. How did I retain such subtle information about her? Damn brain. Mapi mocks me without restraint.

“Just as I thought.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Oh, no, not at all,” she smiles foolishly.

“Yeah, whatever,” I mumble.

I sink into my seat, crossing my arms, clearly upset that my mind could betray me like that. How did I answer so instinctively? Lucy is my supervisor. Sure, she’s beautiful and attractive, but that doesn’t mean I’m interested.

Mapi tries to insist one more time, but she’s met with "shhhhht" sounds from all around. I think we’ve reached our chatter limit. It doesn’t seem to calm Mapi, who starts laughing at every scene that’s even slightly funny. No matter how much I ask her to calm down, it feels like she’s doing it on purpose to annoy our neighbors. They’re starting to get really angry, but fortunately, the movie is coming to an end. I wouldn’t have bet on our safety if it had lasted any longer. We hurry out of the theater as soon as the credits roll to avoid facing the hateful glares of the other viewers. Sometimes I wonder if we’re really civilized. Right now, I’d say no. I instantly regret our rush when we run into the one person we would’ve wanted to avoid on this earth. Mapi instinctively takes a defensive stance in front of me. Feli doesn’t take her eyes off me for a second, as if I’m the only one there.

- "Ona-..."

- "Don’t talk to her," Mapi interrupts in a sharp tone.

- "That’s not for you to decide."

- "Forget it. Let’s go, Mapi..."

I grab her arm, and I couldn’t say if it’s to pull her away with me or to stop her from doing something she might regret—or not. Mapi stays rooted to the spot, glaring daggers at my ex. I can understand her urge to tear her apart for what she did, right here and now. However, this is neither the time nor the place. All I want is to get out of here. I realize that’s not her intention when she violently shakes off my grip.

- "Get out of the way," she growls.

- "No," she says, stepping forward. "You know, Ona... I thought I’d see you again after what I injected you with."

A shiver runs down my spine as she admits this, never taking her eyes off me. No... I can’t believe it. She didn’t just say that.

- "I’m disappointed to see you in such a normal state..."

I feel myself wavering as she manages to slip past Mapi’s defenses to stroke my hand. Her gesture, which should be gentle, sends me spiraling back into a whirlpool of memories. I’m disconnected from my senses until Mapi’s fist slamming into Feli’s face brings me back to reality. Her punch is so powerful that she crashes to the ground, her mouth agape.

- "That’s for what you did to my best friend. And this is for sleeping with my girlfriend, you bitch!"

Her words are followed by a kick to her stomach. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mapi this angry. I’m so caught up in the scene that I jump when an arm wraps around my shoulders. I struggle against the unexpected contact, but calm down when I see Bryan by my side. Meanwhile, Miller is grabbing my best friend by the waist, pulling her away from Feli before the situation escalates further. Security has been called. They arrived just in time to restrain my ex, who was about to fight back. The guys managed to defuse the situation by announcing our departure. However, Mapi isn’t willing to leave it at that.

"Don't let her go!" she spits out. "She's gone mad, and she's stalking my friend. She even just admitted in front of everyone that she drugged her to get her back! You better not let her follow us, or I'll press charges against you!"

"Mapi, that's enough," says Miller, trying to calm her down.

"No, it's not enough! That bitch deserves what’s coming to her!"

"Let's just leave, please."

Bryan nods and leads me towards the exit. Thankfully, Miller is strong enough to drag Mapi out with us after apologizing to the officers. I'm struggling to process the whole encounter. It feels like I'm in shock. Mapi keeps cursing under her breath to vent her frustration, which isn't helping me pull myself together. If the guys hadn't intervened, things could've gone really wrong. It's only when we get outside that Mapi notices my state. She immediately pulls me into her arms.

"Are you okay?" she murmurs.

I want to answer her, but no words come out. I try to nod to reassure her, but it’s all lies. Feli drugged me. She really drugged me to make me relapse. How can I be okay? I can't even tell if she went further because I have no memory of it. For all I know... No, I don't even want to think about it.

"How about we forget this whole incident by grabbing a drink?" Miller suggests. "We wanted to catch up, so now's the time."

Mapi agrees without consulting me, so I have no choice but to go along. Miller drives us there in his car. Mapi and I are in the back. She's set her anger aside to try to lift my spirits. It's a lost cause, but I appreciate the effort. When we get to the bar, I wait just long enough to order a drink before excusing myself. I need to be alone and get some air. Mapi didn’t want to let me go out alone, but Miller convinced her. I couldn’t be more grateful. I sit on the curb once outside, burying my head in my arms to collect my thoughts. The evening has gone by too fast. I can't fully grasp everything that happened. After a while, I pull my phone out of my pocket and fidget with it, debating whether to call her or not. I realize I should've done it days ago. I muster up the courage to do it now. One ring... Two... Three... My heart stops when the beeping ends.

"Hello?"

Her voice echoes in my head. I can't find the words to speak. My lower lip trembles so much it affects me. I never thought hearing her voice would make me feel so relieved.

"Ona?" she presses, sensing my silence.

I let my head fall back into my arms as a sob escapes, one I can't hold back. Why do I always turn to her only when I’m not okay? She deserves so much better, even if she doesn’t want me as a friend.

"I'm sorry for calling so late..." I say between sniffles.

« It’s not late in Manchester " she replies calmly. "What's going on?"

"No... I—We’re halfway through the week... I- I should’ve called you much sooner," I murmur.

"It doesn’t matter, as long as you're okay. But you're not, are you?"

"I'm sorry for only talking to you when I need something," I say, choking up.

"Hey, that’s not true, and you know it."

"Yes, it is!" I cry out.

"Don’t raise your voice like that," she scolds me.

"S-sorry... I-I shouldn’t have."

She sighs long and hard, making me cry even harder. I feel so pathetic. I shouldn’t have called her now. I couldn’t even talk to Mapi, so there’s no way I’d be able to do it with Lucy either. I should've waited until I was more composed.

"Hey, Ona. I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to tell me something. Anything," she orders sternly.

"You don’t have the right to give me orders from afar," I say, managing a weak smile.

I joke to lighten the mood. I hear her laugh, which warms my heart. I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand and tighten my jacket, remembering I’m wearing hers. I couldn't find one that suited me when we were at the mall. I guess it’s because I’m already too attached to this one.

"I have every right over you. Have you forgotten?"

"It seems I have," I murmur.

"Enough joking... You didn’t call for no reason, did you?"

I groan, shaking my head. I feel foolish now that she's voicing the truth. I would've hung up a long time ago if I were her.

"Come on, spill it. You wouldn’t have called if you didn’t need to."

I rest my head on my arm, thinking for a moment. I do need this, that’s for sure, but how do I say it without breaking down completely? A silence falls between us that neither of us breaks. She’s waiting for an answer.

"It’s her..." I finally whisper.

"Her? You’ll have to be clearer if you want me to understand anything," she chuckles.

"Feli, my ex, the junkie. S-she’s the one who drugged me the other night. W-We ran into her with Mapi, and she admitted it. I—"

"Hey, calm down. Why are you reacting like this? Isn’t this supposed to be good news?" she asks. "It proves it wasn’t you who did it. That’s what you wanted to know, right? I think it’s a good thing. You didn’t relapse on your own."

How does she manage to find something positive in this mess?! I’m tearing my hair out, tormented. I know she's trying to reassure me, but she’d change her tune if she knew how seeing him again affected me. She can't know because she doesn’t know what he put me through.

"Well... If you say so..."

"Come on, dry your tears. You look so much cuter with a smile on your face."

She’s really trying to cheer me up. I smile timidly and run my fingers under my eyes to wipe away the black streaks of makeup that have probably run.

"So, how’s your vacation going, besides all that?" she suddenly changes the subject.

"Good... I’m enjoying it like you advised me to. And you?"

"Same here. I’m seeing my family and leaving for Portugal early tomorrow morning for a few days."

"You’re so lucky. I wish I could go back there too..."

"I can imagine. How’s Mapi? Is she doing better?"

"Yeah, she’s okay. We’re spending all our days together."

"Do you already have plans for New Year’s?"

"Yeah, I’m heading back to Manchester early. Leah and Alessia are hosting a party at their place."

"Oh. So Mapi agreed then."

"Yeah, it’ll be good for her to get a change of scenery. It was either that or we’d spend the night alone at my place."

"I see," she laughs. "That wouldn’t be the worst thing either."

"For you, maybe, but definitely not for Mapi. She’s never experienced anything like that at home."

"That’s a shame. Do you already know where you’ll be staying before school starts again?"

I stay silent. Honestly, I haven’t thought about it. Lucy laughs heartily. I hide my smile, rubbing my cheeks against the sleeves of my jacket. Damn. I’ve missed hearing her laugh so much.

"You haven’t thought about it, have you?"

"Not really, no," I admit with flushed cheeks. "I guess I’ll try to negotiate a spot with the Leah and Alessia, and if they can’t put me up, I’ll get a hotel room."

"A hotel?" she scoffs. "Don’t be silly. If you really have nowhere to stay, let me know, okay?"

"Oh no, don’t worry. I’ll manage."

"I’m serious. I’m not going to let you stay on the streets. Knowing you, you’d get lost."

"Ha ha ha, very funny!" I laugh sarcastically.

"It’s true," she giggles. "By the way, where are you? I can hear cars passing by."

"In the street, outside," I say with a smile, knowing how she’ll react.

"Excuse me?"

I can picture her frowning with a stern look on her face. Why am I still smiling like an idiot? Lucy must have this effect on me.

"I’m in the street, outside a bar," I repeat.

My smile widens even more. She’s definitely going to scold me. I start an unconscious countdown in my head. I reach zero just as she raises her voice through the phone.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!"

"No."

"Oh, so let me get this straight. One bad moment, and you’re ready to get wasted? If that’s your plan, you’d better head home!"

"Relax, I’m not alone. Mapi’s with me."

"And that’s supposed to make me feel better?" she grumbles. "She was with you last time too!"

I laugh, realizing she’s right. That night, she left me for her girlfriend, and she wasn’t in any better shape than I was. I don’t think Lucy noticed when she had her on the phone. If she had, she wouldn’t have trusted her to get me home. One thing I know is that I did the right thing by calling her. Without her, I would’ve ended the night with a brain in pieces.

"I’m with two other friends. I don’t intend to drink. If I did, I wouldn’t be sitting on the curb talking to you. I’d be inside drinking."

"Hmm," she says, skeptical. "You’d better text me every five minutes to update me on your sobriety once this call is over."

"If you want," I say with a smile. "Aren’t you going out tonight?"

"No. I have to get up early, so I’m enjoying a quiet evening in my apartment."

"Oh, I’m bothering you then."

"Don’t be ridiculous. I’m happy to talk to you."

"Oh really...? Me too," I admit. "I never thought I’d miss your bossy attitude this much. I keep thinking about what you’d say when I’m in an awkward situation," I chuckle.

"It’s been a while since you’ve called me that. I hope you’re at least listening to that little voice if you’re hearing it."

I hold back a laugh. If she knew all the trouble Mapi has gotten me into... I’d end up doing more than just laps.

"Come on, you have to tell me all the nonsense you’ve been up to now."

I finally laugh softly. My long silence must have given me away.

"No, it’s better not to."

There’s a silver lining to the distance after all. She can’t reach me, let alone intimidate me with her eyes and gestures.

"I’m not kidding. If you come back as that little kid from the very beginning, you’re going to hear from me."

"Hey!" I exclaim, offended. "That girl is long gone."

"Hmm, she’d better be."

I jump when a hand lands on my shoulder. I look up to see that it’s just Mapi. She’s leaning her head to the side with a small smile. I relax my muscles and timidly return her smile.

"Feeling better? You seemed really upset when you came out."

"Yeah... I’m feeling better," I reassure her without taking the phone from my ear.

"Who’s on the phone? Is it the person who managed to bring that smile back to your face?"

"Hmm," I shrug. "It’s Bronze."

I instantly regret being honest when I see a dreamy smile appear on her lips. I’ve just fueled her imagination. Those mental movies of hers won’t be going away anytime soon

- "Hey, I thought I told you not to use my name anymore," comments Lucy through my phone with a hint of playfulness.

- "I'll call you whatever I want!"

- "What does your boss want?" asks Mapi.

- "Nothing. How's your hand?" I ask, noticing an ice pack on her fist.

- "Hurts, but it was worth it," she giggles.

Both of them start talking at the same time, as if they're having a conversation with each other even though they can't hear each other. I don't know where to turn my head. I can't even decipher their words. I groan as I run my hand over my eyes.

- "For heaven's sake, shut up!" I groan.

I open my eyes again when the silence finally falls. I glance at my best friend, who is staring at me with wide eyes.

- "Thank you," I sigh. "How's your hand?" I finally ask Mapi, noticing the ice pack on her fist again.

- "Hurts, but it was worth it," she giggles.

- "Thanks again..."

- "It's normal," she smiles softly. "Well, I'm going home. Don't stay out too late."

I nod as I watch her go back inside. I groan, massaging my temples. I hope she won't be too upset with me for raising my voice.

- "You guys just gave me a headache."

- "At least now you know how it feels when you drive me crazy," Lucy giggles.

- "Are you kidding? I've never yelled in your ears, and I'm not that crazy!"

- "Oh yes, you were! At least, you used to be," she giggles. "You still have your moments, but now I find it adorable as long as you don't overdo it."

- "Oh, come on," I mumble, hiding my blush.

- "The worst was during exam revision when you wouldn't let anyone say anything to you."

- "Hey! Sometimes it was worth it, I was right!"

- "It only happened once!"

- "Once, but that question was on the exam! Believe me, I answered it correctly."

- "Well, good for you, if you can remember things like that."

- "Yeah."

- "Okay, I'm going to let you go; you must be expected. Enjoy your evening, but not too much."

- "Already?"

I have a hard time hiding my disappointment. I would have preferred to spend the evening talking to her. Am I crazy for wanting that?

- "Yes," she laughs. "Enjoy your time with your friends. We'll have plenty of time to talk when you get back. And don't forget to moderate, or even avoid alcohol, okay?"

- "I'm twenty, Luce. I can moderate myself."

- "Hmm, you never know.The past proved me wrong."

- "Not here. Do you have Snapchat?"

- "Snapchat? Why are you asking?"

- "If you give it to me, I could send you pictures of my drinks to make sure I'm not drinking."

- "Of course," she laughs. "Even if you send me a picture of a soda, who’s to say you haven't mixed it with vodka? I'd need to smell the drink instead, don't you think?"

- "As far as I know, there's no app that can do that yet."

- "You're silly," she giggles. "Okay, I'm letting you go. Don't forget I want texts. I wouldn't want you to do something stupid again."

- "I promise. Goodnight, Lucy."

- "Goodnight to you too, Ona. Don't stay out too late."

I put away my phone after we hang up. Now that I'm alone again, all my thoughts come flooding back. I sigh as I stand up. I pat my jeans to get rid of any dirt that might have clung to them. My butt is cold now from sitting on the ground. That wasn't very smart of me. I look at my phone, which is already vibrating. I smile when I see the handle, which I guess is her Snapchat: LBronze22. Wow, I can't believe it! I didn't expect to get it. My request was just a joke. I could know her whole life if she posts stories regularly. Then again, it's not impossible that she might block me too. I add her immediately on the app, then I head back inside. They're talking about the couples that formed among the people who were with us in high school. The room goes quiet when I sit down.

- "Don't stop on my account," I say.

- "How are you feeling?" Miller asks me.

- "Better. I just needed to step out."

I catch Mapi's smug smile, which I quickly avoid. She can smile all she wants because I do feel better thanks to Lucy. Thinking of her, I decide to kick off the fun by sending her a picture of my glass of soda. I caption it saying it's my one and only drink. I also take the initiative to write her a message, as she asked me to do regularly. I force myself to join the conversation to reassure my friends. I ask about some people I liked back then. The evening continues here for another good hour. I kept texting Lucy discreetly so as not to attract Mapi's attention. We decide to leave the bar around half past midnight. When I told Lucy, she seemed happy that I was being reasonable for once. Our last message exchange happens just as Miller drops us off at my place. We wished each other goodnight. I didn't want to bother her any longer, and besides, I planned to go to bed once I was in my room. I go to the bathroom first, then I join Mapi. Unlike the past few nights, it's Mapi's turn to hold me as we sleep. That's why I adore her. I don't need to talk or pretend with her. She knows me too well for that. Luckily for me, sleep caught up with me before I reached the point of insomnia.

#woso #lucy bronze #woso community #barca femeni #ona batlle #woso soccer #lionesses #sefutbol fem #ona batlle x lucy bronze #mapi león #mapi leon

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the-au-collector · 4 months

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The Links On Vacation

Since summer is almost here I have to wonder what kind of vacationer each of the Links are…

Wild - Does not sit down. Explores everything. Takes lots of pictures. Eats at every restaurant (rip his wallet) and makes friends with the chefs. He’s the kind to drive in a random direction just to see what he’ll find. No plans, no maps except for a severely outdated atlas, just a camera and ready to explore. You probably won’t hear from him for the whole vacation (both because he forgot his phone and because he left the boundaries of cell service 3 hours ago). But then again Wild is just Like That everyday.

Hyrule - is hanging out with Wild most of the time. Also explores places, but prefers going to natural parks and the like. Ran out of cell service 5 hours ago probably decided to camp with the bears.

Wind - glued to the beach. He doesn’t leave the beach. He’d sleep on it if he could (and he has). You’re lucky if you manage to pull him out of the sea long enough for him to eat lunch. Always covered in sand. Has a perfect tan.

Warriors - the usually over-stressed parent who’s decided that THIS is the vacation on which he relaxes. He spends 90% of his time chilling on the beach ignoring the chaos. Gets the worst sunburn known to man, cries about it for 3 days (both because it hurts and the beat red face clashes with his hair).

Time - doesn’t know how to vacation. He tells himself he’s going to properly relax this time, but he ends up doing work instead because he doesn’t like doing nothing. His preferred vacation is staying home and doing work around the house. He will enable the others’ shenanigans, though. Gave Wild $100 to drive wherever, packed sandwiches for Hyrule for when he disappears. Time also always gets the best deals on rentals. He knows people, but never elaborates on how he knows them. The Links have various theories.

Legend - the itinerary man. He’s the vacationer who has every moment of his vacation planned down to a T. Knows every place he’ll stop, every place he’ll see, the exact time of the wait lines… except Hyrule and Ravio always force him to change his plans. If he’s the one renting, he always somehow finds the most overpriced places. He’s not allowed to make the rental plans anymore because of this.

Twilight - the over-stressed parent who needs a vacation from his vacation. He’s the one making sure he knows where everyone is because if he doesn’t he’ll implode. He doesn’t actually know what he’d do on an actual, relaxing vacation because he has to worry about Wind getting sunburns, Wild vanishing off the face of the earth, and Hyrule getting eaten by bears

Four - the “sleep is for the weak” vacationer. He knows how to vacation, he just doesn’t do it. He doesn’t like to sit still, his mind is too loud, so he tends to prefer to go to huge attractions over the wilderness any day. Will take a city over a beach in a heartbeat.

Sky - the “sleeps the whole time” vacationer. His life is usually so hectic and busy, he ends up sleeping 16 hours the first day and missing out on all of the fun stuff. Then he’ll go to bed early the next because he got exhausted from trying to do so much, then sleeps too long again, then—it’s a cycle.

+Bonus!

Ravio - the splurger. He’s usually so tight with his money, but Ravio wastes no expense on vacation. Will be booking every trip to the spa, sauna, and hot spring he can find. Will be eating at the most expensive restaurants. Will be making Legend pay.

Malon - the only one who gets to relax vacationer. Malon refuses to let her vacation be ruined. The Links know and respect this. They also know Malon will fight anyone who gets in the way of her vacation.

#linked universe #lu wild #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu warriors #lu time #lu legend #lu twilight #lu four #lu sky #lu ravio #lu malon

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cissyenthusiast010155 · 11 months

Text

The Morally Grey Ch 5: Make Me Feel ~Peggy Carter xFem Scientist!Reader

Peggy and Reader go out on a proper date, to dinner. And then you drive her home… What on earth could happen…?

Mommy… Master List

Requests & Prompt-List

Warnings: NSFW, teasing, kissing, mommy kink, drinking, etc.

Enjoy (:

This was the first time you’d been on an actual date date in a long time… You’d gotten all dressed up and everything— dress, heels, makeup, and all.

You took a deep breath and entered the restaurant. You spotted Peggy after we second. She had beaten you there, and your jaw dropped once you saw her. She looked stunning…

You walked up to the reserved table for the two of you, and you sat down across from the brunette.

“I… you look… stunning…” you stammered, your face getting hotter by the second.

Peggy blushed and smiled at your words.

“Thank you, love… You look so beautiful.” The woman sighed in delight.

Now it was your turn to blush even harder.

“So, how did you grow up?” You asked, trying to pivot and make some light conversation.

“England.” Peggy hummed, “One brother, and we had our bouts of fun. Always being told to reign it in…” she chuckled lightly.

You chuckled lightly along with her.

“I know the line… ‘That is no way for a young lady to be behaving!’” You mocked the adults in your childhood, giggling at your own raised voice.

“Goodness, Yesss!” Peggy hissed with laughter, “That tone is spot on!!”

You both laughed each other out, until the waiter came to take your drink orders. After which, you continued your conversation.

“What about your childhood…?” The brunette asked.

“Hmmmm… I was the weird, outcast just growing up, interested in science and pants…” you hummed with a light chuckle.

Peggy hummed and nodded along with a smile.

“Ever been in love?” You threw it out there.

“Yes…” the woman sighed, “Twice. Both died.”

“Oh my…” you gasped lightly, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright, Love. They’re both in past chapters of my life” Peggy reassured you.

You two continued to talk about last relationships. She informed you of her situationship with Sousa, whom you had met. You talked about some of your past partners, especially the ones with funny stories. And you both talked about discovering your sexualities, when, where, who, how, etc. Then your conversation turned to work.

“Ok, so how did you end up at the SSR…?” You asked curiously.

“Ahhh Well… I was a code breaker at one point, loved the work, but hated being undermined constantly. Then my brother got me a job offer at the SOE; a job that led me into working in the SSR during the war with Dr. Erskine. And I just stuck around after, thinking it would be the same… it wasn’t…” she chuckled lightly at her ignorance and arrogance back then,

“But I stayed. And I make it better day by day. And in the end, I love my work.” She resolved with a sigh.

“That’s nice.” You sighed, empathizing with her love of her work, but frustration in colleagues.

“What about you? How did you end up an extremely well funded scientist/inventor…?” Peggy posed you the same question, as your wines arrived.

You paused to order your meals, before you continued.

“Well, I was always interested in the sciences since I was a young girl. My parents came from old money but my mother died at childbirth and my dad when I was early-young woman, so I got all their assets early on. Determined, I started my career as a scientist and researcher. People always have something to say, but I learned to ignore them, and that’s how I’ve gotten where I am today…” you told your story.

“So you have mommy issues…?” Peggy hummed, while you were taking a sip of your red wine.

You nearly chocked at her words, your whole face going best red. The brunette took a sip of her wine.

“I’m just joking, Darling…” She reassured you, when she realized that she had completely paralyzed you.

Her words thawed you back into reality.

“Oh um sorry… Y-yes, I have what one might call mommy issues…” you stammered.

Peggy’s eyes widened at you actually answering her theoretical question. Her mouth dropped slightly in shock. But she quickly came back to her regular self.

“Well, I’ll be sure to remember that…” the woman teased, winking while she spoke.

Your breath caught in your throat. You thought you couldn’t get any more red in the face. You were wrong.

Overall, the dinner went really well. You talked about it all it seemed, about past relationships, your jobs, your childhoods, and much more. You found your heart get all warm every time you made the woman laugh. And that she blushed every time you complimented her. You two bounced off of each other extremely well all night long.

You two are your meals and drank your wine, truly enjoying each others company. You prolonged your night having dessert and then another glass of red wine… Neither of you wanted the night to end.

But alas, the restaurant had to close… You both sighed in contentment as well as longing. You collects your things and walked out with the brunette. She was about to hail a cab, but you insisted that you give her ride home, as it would be safer.

“I insist, Peggy please.” You told the brunette, squeezing her arm lightly to show her you were being serious.

“Oh alright, but you really are too kind, Darling…” Peggy finally relented with a smile and a blush.

“It’s just down the block” you mused aloud, indicating to where the car was parked.

“Lead the way then” the brunette hummed, linking her arm to yours.

You nodded and led Peggy down the street and to your car. You two got in the back and your driver started the drive to Peggy’s apartment. The drive was pleasant and mostly silent for most of the drive. That was until your eyes met the brunette’s once more, and before you knew it, your lips were on hers, and her lips were on yours. The kiss was a bit more heated and passionate than last time, most likely on account of the alcohol.

But before you could take it anywhere else, the car had reached Peggy’s apartment. And that left the two of you in a bit of an awkward silence. Eventually, you broke it.

“Thank you… For tonight, it was lovely…” you spoke softly with a smile.

“I had a marvelous time…” Peggy agreed, smiling back, but something on her lips was unsaid.

You looked at her in light puzzlement.

What was she—?

“Come home with me”

Your whole throat, mouth, and lips ran dry in that moment. Your eyes went wide and you were almost speechless. Peggy now understood you better, and knew that this was you processing her words, so she let you have your time. After a minute or so, you finally managed to string a coherent through together.

“We’re both intoxicated…” you whispered nervously.

Peggy pursed her lips and nodded.

“I understand. Perhaps another time…?” She gently asked.

“Yes, I’d very much like that…” you said with hope filling your eyes now.

The same hope came across Peggy as you spoke.

“Alright. I look forward to it, Darling.” She breathlessly confessed, before kissing you one last time and then leaving the car.

~~~

Peggy Carter Masterlist

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br1ghtestlight · 10 months

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they're wearing their raincoats so for me this is already a 10/10 episode. love when they wear their raincoats!!

not big bob and tina going on the toddler rides at amusement parks together. LESS THRILL MORE CHILL. truly two autistic peas in a pod <3

big bob is seventy five (at least according to louise) this is important lore. also this means bob's dad is the same age as his gayass old man landlord who flirts with him every other day FJDMDJDKSMS according to my caculations big bob would've been 29ish when he had bob which means he met lily when they were in their early twenties. that also means (assuming that lily was the same age as big bob) lily would have been around 43 when she died although the math doesn't add up 100% if you consider her being born in 1941 because it would mean this episode takes place in 2016 which it doesn't. am i overthinking this one-off line where louise guestimates big bob's age??? yes i am thank you VERY MUCH.

LMAOO NOT THE BIG BOB REPUBLICAN DOOMER ARC OH NOOO

big bob making conversation while spending the day with his very young grandchildren: so have you considered that the world is terrible and people are awful and we should all kill ourselves? thoughts?

(im sure that isn't what bob meant its just funny to imagine big bob depression posting circa 2013 tumblr @ his grandkids all day)

ALSO this implies bob has been talking to big bob more regularly lately which is great. they're working on their relationship. a little bit :)

BIG BOB FOR REAL BEING A QANON TRUTHER EXCUSE ME???? THE FUCK. ohh he's literally a doomer he's watching videos about the upcoming apocolypse and how to ration food. HE'S A CLIMATE CHANGR DOOMER ITS SO OVERR im sorry thats so funny im obsessed w/ him

also our first time ever seeing (what im assuming is) bob's childhood home!! very cute. and he made them cookies

BIG BOB COMING TO VISIT BOB AT HIS RESTAURANT???? HUGE WIN???

why is big bob calling bob randomly to talk about how the world is ending and tigers are going extinct what is GOING on. at least he believes in climate change??

"like he's getting ready to..... leave the party. so he doesn't feel bad about telling everyone how much the party stinks" DONT TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT if there's an episode where big bob dies its over for me. like its done <- there won't be but i would be very very sad IF THERE WAS. to be fair we gotta kill off linda's parents too though

aww they're texting regularly <3 i like how you can ALREADY see how much bob and big bob's relationship has improved since the start of the show where bob Literally thought his dad hated him and that he was a disappointment. see what actual open communication can do for you!! im happy bob has at least one parent he can talk to kinda sorta? HE SHARES HELPFUL TIPS SO THAT BOB CAN SAVE HIS FAMILIES LIFE HES TRYING TO HELPP :(

"and today its just gonna be him. and them. and the giant cloud of darkness that follows him wherever he goes" funnily enough thats also what people say when talking about me :3

GRANDPA HUG!!!!!!!

"pop pop how much cotton candy is TOO MUCH cotton candy" "i dont know. three??"

LMAO FOR SOME REASON THAT REMINDS ME OF THIS FUCKIGN QUOTE. big bob when gene comes out to him as genderfluid like

wharf day with pop-pop!!! wharf day with pop-pop!!!!!

grandpa needs a little bench time. im ALWAYS saying this tbh

"don't get any tattoos that your parents can see" FUN GRANDPA he's definitely a better grandpa than he is a dad bcuz he was not doing this shit w/ bob when he was young i can tell you that much

OMG I LOVE TEDDYS RAINJACKET?? sorry i live in a rainforest its my god given right to comment on people's rainy day fashion. its like my one job

"i need to ask you guys A HUGE favor. can you try to take a good picture of me" teddy u are literally always hot this shouldn't be a problem. you're DRIPPING sex appeal. except this is for a handyman website so maybe less sexy?ANY PICTURE I TRY TO TAKE OF MYSELF I LOOK LIKE A MURDERER FJFMDNFJDKDNDJXHXH

louise shows up whenever she goes and figured out the best way to Cause Problems and i respect that about her. that takes real talent and dedication

one thing about the belcher kids they WILL end up locked inside a fortune telling clam in wonder wharf

he's sooo baby

everything is so okay bob dont even WORRY. big bob is asleep on a bench and the kids are stuck inside a giant clam they've done more dangerous stuff like twice this week already. at least they're inside??

"its fun when your dad shows up to. check on your grandpa"

ITS SO EASY FOR YOU BOB WITH YOUR CHARMING LOVEABLE FACE

do you not trust me with the kids :( noo big bob they literally (kinda) trusted GAYLE with the kids for AN ENTIRE WEEKEND u cant be worse than her at taking care of them. she was making them do some shit that Kids should not be doing. anyone remember the pretty paws

??? why was he just randomly like oohh we should win that gorilla for the kids. he loves them SO MUCH im gonna cry <3 he literally loves them and wants them to be happy. he SPOILS them. he's such a good grandpa and such a terrible dad lmfao

"are we being punished? for being helpful and delightful??"

if i was walking around an amusement park and i heard a robotic fortune telling clam SCREAMING for somebody to help it escape i would get the fuck outta there so fast sorry kids. you might be on your own w/ this one

i dont know why bob is acting like he doesn't lose the kids four times a week MINIMUM those mfs will run off anywhere if given half the chance. they live for the thrill

"we lose 'em and then we find them. that's our thing" ?? what did he mean by this

WHY ARE THEY LOOKING FOR "CUTE" TOOLS this subplot is so funny im kinda obsessed. mechanics for the girlies

HOW DO YOU MAKE A TAPE MEASURER LOOK SCARY........

teddy is scaring the hoes nooo. its okay teddy i would hire you maybe(??) well. yknow

IM A GENTLE PERSON :( teddy i will always be your biggest fan wtf he's literally so sweet. he wouldnt hurt a fly

silly <33

LMAO not louise just lying there and saying help us. help us. help us into the microphone she's so cute and SOOO over this whole situation

TEDDY IS HAPPIEST WHEN HE'S EATING BOB'S BURGERS THATS SO SWEET WTF

he's a good grandpa :(

SOMETIMES YOUR GRANDPA CAN BE A LITTLE DARK ABOUT LIFE AND NEGATIVE. YOU MEAN LIKE YOU LMAOO

if you keep saying stuff like that around your grandkids they're gonna believe you.... and then it might actually come true. so maybe don't say horrible stuff about the future to people who will have to live in that future </3

IM NOT ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THATS **BECAUSE** OF MY GRANDKIDS what if i cry right now. he literally loves them so much he's such a good grandpa!!! wtf Anyone else thinking about amelia right now. the ending

AAWWW THIS EPISODE WAS SO CUTE IM OBSESSED WITH BIG BOB he was such a terrible father but he's the best grandpa and he loves these kids SO MUCH. genuinely. and im so happy that his relationship w/ bob is getting better and that they're on better terms. also the subplot with teddy was adorable i always love teddy and linda subplots. they're BESTIES. maaaybe my favorite episode from this season so far but honestly they've all been so great that there's like five different episodes competing for that spot. and we're still only eight episodes in!!! absolutely everything i wanted from an episode with big bob (even if lily wasn't mentioned. SAD!! oh well there are other episodes) and i loved learning more abt his relationship with his grandkids and that dynamic ^_^ <33

#txt #bob's burgers #episode review

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theharrowing · 1 year

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headcanon - What would the ideal vacation look like with each member? 🌸 Feeling inspired by your spring break theme ☺️

hello, my darling Mallory! 🌷

i love that we are continuing on with a theme! i am definitely taking some of my observations from soop and bon voyage, but i will admit that i have not seen every season of things, and people change over time anyway, so it's all fun and games. and i am adding a reader character to the mix, for fun. and yes, i know i already mentioned joon and museums, but...come on, we all follow his instagram lmao.

an ideal vacation for the members:

Namjoon - a trip with Namjoon is a series of one-way tickets, with a stack of brochures that he has picked up along the way for various trails, monuments, galleries, and museums. you have to pack for every kind of weather, wearing only the most comfortable shoes, because the two of you will be on your feet a lot, more likely to sleep in hostels than hotels. Namjoon is adorably frantic, going from one place to the next while sprinting through topics of conversation, and you keep always make sure he never loses anything important along the way (like his passport!!!) Namjoon talks to every little creature along the way, and you smile to yourself as he sends yet another cat photo to his hyung with the message, "Look! It's you! 😻" and at the end of your long treks through nature and along marble and cement floors, you get dressed up for whatever gastropub and wine bar he finds to end the night in.

Seokjin - this man is finding a hotel central to the nearest theme park, and he is also checking to see what is in theaters. sure, you could watch a movie back home, but you could also watch it anywhere, and anyway, Seokjin is excited to see what kinds of snacks the theater might have. he looks up the finest of dining, and the most interesting food carts, making friends with every manager or chef he can manage to talk to. in the evening, Seokjin is eager to return to the hotel and relax, giving you exactly fifteen minutes of peace before his laptop gaming session turns into incoherent shouting.

Yoongi - Yoongi is a wildcard, because you are never sure if he is going to want to get up early to explore nature with his camera before the morning fog has fully settled, or sleep in until almost noon and find somewhere quaint to have breakfast or lunch. you can always expect a history and architecture lesson, however, and you always come prepared to stand and sit around a lot while Yoongi talks to locals and looks things up, snapping photos and getting lost in his thoughts. he will make reservations to fancy restaurants, stop at dinky holes-in-the-wall, and if a game lines up for a sport he enjoys, the two of you will have the best seats. sometimes you will hotel hop to see different parts of an area, and other times, you will rent a camper van and hit the road for long stretches before settling somewhere in the middle of seemingly nowhere. there are always quiet moments, but they are never dull.

Hoseok - in the first few days of the trip, you always sleep later than Hoseok to give him time to do his hair and choose from one of the many, many outfits that he brought with him; he takes time getting ready, and he is not ashamed. once you finally do head out, he likes to sightsee close to the hotel, tasting local food and taking in scenery. he might want to go to a museum or on a hike, but he is the most interested in walking through the streets and people-watching while finding somewhere to grab a cup of coffee and sit outside before finally going to the high-end shopping centers. Hoseok is just as active at night, finding a concert to attend or somewhere to dance. as the trip wears on and he becomes worn out, hotel robes, room service, and cuddling up with you becomes his favorite things.

Jimin - you absolutely never know what to expect from Jimin, which is what makes traveling with him so exciting. although he is happy to try local food, nothing brightens his day more than finding Korean spots, and he will probably return there a few times during your stay, ordering different things each time. Jimin will do sightseeing, go to museums, and attend events, but he does not stay in one place for too long, always taking you by the hand and dragging you off to your next destination. pack several swimsuits when going on vacation with Jimin, and several outfits for various kinds of nightlife scenes.

Taehyung - luxury, luxury, luxury. Taehyung likes the penthouse suites, the jazz clubs, renting out that hideously expensive golfing room in Vegas. he also likes to jump into the ocean wearing the clothing he intended on wearing all day, caring very little about the chaos in the moment, just for the sake of being impulsive. you truly never know where Taehyung is going to drag you off to, but you always pack way more clothing than you would ordinarily need, and expect several very lavish shopping sprees. everyone you meet gravitates to Taehyung and becomes his friend, and he winds up getting you into clubs and events that have very short guest lists.

Jungkook - although Jungkook has many interests, he is the type to follow your lead. whatever you want to do see, wherever you want to go, Jungkook is making reservations and looking up logistics to make it happen. he is very eager to get your insights and learn from the locals, and will suggest plenty of sightseeing and restaurants, but only once he is a little more familiar with his surroundings and has an idea of what the area has to offer. he is not a pushover, though; if he finds an event he wants to go to, he will speak his mind, and if there is something he's not into, he will let you know. but he is definitely along for the ride, for the most part, excited to see where you will lead him.

find more headcanons in my master list!

#bts headcanons #bts imagines #bts x reader #seokjin x reader #namjoon x reader #yoongi x reader #hoseok x reader #jimin x reader #taehyung x reader #jungkook x reader #spring break ficstravaganza 🌞

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lottiecrabie · 1 year

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could we maybe have a blurb pfms blurb where they go on vacation together and are kinda domestic almost? :)

i love when i post something angsty and then without fail people go. so can we get Not That actually😁😁 (i’m sorry y’all pfms is so easy to make angsty😭😭)

but the band having their first show kinda far away from town and so they have all have a little road trip together so they can play their gig is so 🤭

like obviously she’s explicitly invited bc matty is Not playing without her there to cheer him on and she has to come up with some good excuse so her parents let her go. she of course has to lie bc if she Ever pronounced the words ‘my bf is having an out-of-town gig can i go’ she would be forcefully brought to the confessional IMMEDIATELY. instead, she invents some bullshit excuse abt a friend her parents love and church, and they let her go for a single night.

she sits in the middle of the backseat between matty and adam. they play some rock music that makes her blush just a little bc it’s the exact songs matty puts on when they’re fucking in his car. he gives her purposeful side glances, smirking at her, and she nearly picks her fingers bloody trying to smother the pavlov desire it brings out of her.

matty falls asleep pretty quickly, dozing on her shoulder as she chats with his mates. she holds his hand, rubbing at his palm, a soothing rhythm that has him sighing contently. they make fun of him, whispering to her that they’ve never seen him so pathetic.

when they get to the city, there’s not much time to fuck around before soundcheck. matty still steals her away to eat, saying some bullshit line about how he needs quiet to ready himself for the gig. the guys all make fun of him for his very clear lingo for a quickie. she blushes as matty tugs her away, refusing to deny or confirm any rumors.

they do end up actually eating, sitting at some diner-like restaurant as he practically spills all his worries to her. she holds his hand, trying to talk him down his unnecessary stress, and they share a dessert together.

they do not even fuck, instead walking around the city and sightseeing. when it gets slightly colder, matty offers her his leather jacket. it’s a funny contrast to her white summer dress, but he assures her it’s very punk rock.

matty sings a choir song at soundcheck, smirking at her as he praises lord and jesus. she giggles, sipping on his cheap free beer he discarded.

the gig goes wonderfully. she stands at the very center of the crowd, dancing to his songs, drinking more awful cocktails. matty always looks at her purposefully when he plays a song about her, winking.

they stick around when another band goes up, dancing and drinking. she loses him in the crowd for a short while as she slips out of the busy club to smoke a cig with george. when she goes back inside, matty immediately spotting her and finding her, he smells the smoke on her. he shakes his head disapprovingly, trying to talk her out of a habit. she just laughs at his hypocrisy, flicking his nose.

they sneak away somewhat early when matty’s hands start growing restless, grabbing her ass and waist as they dance, licking her neck. the cheap hotel they rented for the night feels impossibly far away— instead, they hook up in the alleyway near the club, tipsy and giggly.

they do miraculously make it to their hotel room. matty takes a burning shower. she ends up joining him, and although the start of it is very focused on the task of washing themselves, they do inevitably end up fucking in the shower.

once they’re out, clean and lazy and sleepy, they fall in the bed almost immediately. matty asks her about the show as he cuddles her, front pressed into her back. she whispers all her favorite parts, linking her fingers with his hand limping on her waist. cars and laughters ring outside. they fall asleep smiling.

the next day, ross knocks at their door obnoxiously early, telling them it’s time to go. they gather their few things, eyes sleepy and small as they make their way back to the car.

this time, she’s the one who falls asleep on matty’s shoulder. he’s perfectly still, afraid she would move if he even breathes. again, the boys make fun of him, but he’s not much bothered.

they drop her off two streets away from her house. she plants a kiss on matty before leaving, throwing her bag over her shoulder, grinning so wide her cheeks could tear.

#pray for my soul #ask #blurb

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12timetraveler · 1 year

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Long post incoming. A couple pictures at the bottom but more photos to come I promise. Posting under the read more just so y'all don't have to deal with scrolling the whole thing.

Tombstone Redemption was a lot of fun and a lot of stress.

On the first day my friends and I decided to spend the day exploring and having fun and save the actor stuff for the second day. Mostly it was just exploring shops, finding all the red dead special items we wanted to buy, and just people watching. It was quite hot but we managed to keep cool for most of it and enjoy the town.

I ran into one Hosea cosplayer who was super sweet and seemed very excited to see Bessie. That was a big highlight I saw him a number of times throughout the weekend and he always made me smile. He seemed a little shy so I didn't get to talk to him too much which was a shame because he seemed so sweet. But I didn't want to push it and make him uncomfortable.

On day two I woke up early and got dressed and left the hotel around 9:30am to go line up for the autograph session. I expected it would take a couple hours but I did not realize just how long it would take.

11 hours.

I was in line. In the Arizona heat, for 11 fucking hours. Sometimes in shade, sometimes not.

The line stretched down the road and around the corner and around the lot of an abandoned motel. The autograph session didn't officially start until 11am. So already I was lining up an hour and a half early and I was so far back it was insane.

There were also people who hadn't gotten their autos the day before who had passes to get them first, and that held up the line quite a bit.

But I was determined. And honestly I still thought we'd be in line for maybe a couple hours. Oh how wrong I was.

Within about 5 hours we had only moved up maybe a third of the length of the line (honestly that is probably generous.) We started taking shifts out in the sun, the others going into one of the nearby restaurants to drink water and eat a little food.

Some time after noon I started feeling off. I was just not right. It's kind of hard to explain but I just was so tired, a little dizzy, a little nauseous. Just off. Nothing notably concerning but just not right. Assumed it was just heat and lack of sleep.

But I also began having panic attacks because I was starting to worry I'd never get to the front of the line. That I'd never get to meet Curzon (or any of the others but at this point if I only got to see Curzon I'd be happy.)

I'd calm down from the panic attack and then I'd start feeling off, then I'd get back into my head and start another panic attack, then I'd calm down and feel wrong again. It was a bit of a cycle.

After a time I finally asked my friend to wave down one of the paramedics that were passing out water because it occurred to me I have a history of high blood pressure and I was feeling some of the symptoms of my bp rising. My friend's dad walked me over to the paramedics who took me into the ambulance and checked me over.

My BP was the highest I've ever seen it. Something like 198/128. Not ideal.

The paramedics kept me in the air-conditioned ambulance to keep an eye on me and make sure I was okay. My BP went down pretty easily in the ambulance and I started feeling better. I just needed to get out of a sun, away from the lines, somewhere cool to just calm down and cool down. So I went back out to the line, though I was told very firmly to stay in the shade. So I wasn't really in line so much as I was standing in a shaded spot near the line just chilling with whoever was taking a shade break.

The line started making some progress, we finally moved into a shaded area, and I rejoined my friends in line. I was feeling optimistic that we'd get through the autos before the Q&A, which we had tickets for.

But then the line seemed to stop once again. And with the door leading into the saloon where the autograph session was being held in sight, they halted the line and told everyone they'd be back after the panel. Some of our line friends saved our spot in line, and we headed to the panel.

It was nice to sit down, though the hall the panel was held in had no AC so it was toasty. The actors were delightful, very humble and sweet and funny. Curzon hardly said a word, as per usual from him. But I did get to stand up and ask my question, which I directed at Curzon, and he gave a very sweet answer about how he loved filming the intimate moments he had with others in camp, like Dutch. (Video to come of this)

The panel ended and the actors filed out of the building first, walking down the isle and giving high fives to those they passed. Curzon was a little distracted, but my friend and I called out his name to ask for a high five. He stopped. Grabbed my hand in both of his, and kissed my hand, giving me a little smile as he continued out.

Well I of course melted into my seat, falling over on my friend and absolutely losing my shit. Ben seemed amused by this and gave me a little pat on the shoulder as he passed (which unfortunately was my only interaction with him at this con 😭)

I lost my mind. I can still feel Curzon's hands clutching mine, can see him so clearly leaning down and lifting my hand to his lips and giving me just a sweet little kiss on my hand, giving me a little squeeze before letting me go and continuing on. Just thinking about it now makes me want to absolutely sob.

After that the actors got on their trolly to get back to the saloon. So we hurried out to get back to the line.

And we waited probably another 30 minutes, maybe more, before we finally got in.

I started in Bens line but my friend needed to leave and we wanted to meet Curzon together so we jumped over to his line. He was so sweet to her, joking with her dad and giving her big smiles. He asked permission before wrapping his arm around her, which was very sweet, and we took some pictures and he gave her a hug, and then she had to leave.

Now it was just me standing there staring at the man who has been the center of my hyper fixation for two+ years at this point. I was a stammering, stumbling mess as I told him how much Hosea meant to me. How many friends I've made because of the character, how much I love the character. He asked what I liked most about Hosea and I told him it was Hoseas wit and cunning, as well as his kindness after everything he's gone through. (I was definitely too shy and flustered to say it was because I think Hosea is incredibly handsome). He asked me to go tell "the big guy" that, since he never listens (he was referring to Dutch).

I bashfully told him that if he couldn't tell, I was dressed as Bessie. He let out a little scoff and nodded like it was obvious, which made me smile (it was probably obvious from the picture I was carrying as a prop and the giant print I had him sign, but I kind of like to think maybe he'd heard rumors of the silly lady dressed as his wife. Or maybe he saw my Instagram posts idk.) He wasn't rude about it at all, just a little amused huff and a smile.

I had him sign a few things, and he took so much time and care to sign them all. Finally it was time for the picture.

I will post my pictures once I get home and can get them on my laptop. I'm not... Horribly thrilled with them. I was using my nice DSLR camera and maybe I should have just used my cellphone. The lighting in the saloon was terrible and my face is positively glowing with sweat. But hopefully a little editing will help. God I hope so.

He was very sweet, pulling me close for the picture. He liked to say "outlaws for life," to help people relax and smile more.

After the picture we talked a little bit more, I can't even completely remember entirely about what. I discussed a little server I have with some friends where we basically just moon over Hosea. He asked where I was from and I told him. Apparently he has some connections to Utah (I won't go to into it, but he's out this way quite often apparently. Man likes to travel.). Finally we started wrapping things up as folks started lining up behind me to see him. He asked me if he could give me a hug which I of course said yes to. He pulled me into a big, tight hug, and we probably spent like 15-20 seconds just squeezing each other tighter and tighter. He didn't loosen his grip until I did, and when we stepped back he said something like "I could feel all your energy in that hug."

We said our goodbyes and I moved on to get out of his way.

After that I floated around to a few of the other tables, but I could feel myself really fading now that I'd seen Curzon. I went and saw Rob Bogue (Red Harlow). He was an absolute sweetheart, and his handler (the person who you pay for autos and stuff) asked if I'd ever play a remaster/remake/re-anything of revolver. I told him absolutely and that I'd actually tried to get my hands on revolver before the con.

After him I went and saw Sam (Mary-Beth). She was a ray of sunshine. So sweet and chatty and just happy to see folks. Her handler gave me some water and they let me kind of hang out at the table for a bit (I was sweating more and more and after I admitted I had been in the ambulance for a bit they were super worried for me). She was in love with my dress and had me do a little twirl so she could see it better.

Then I went to see Kaili (Susan). I didn't get a picture with her but she had no line so we just chatted. I told her about the guinea pigs, particularly our sweet Susan. Then we gossiped about Curzon a little which was fun. They're buddies and she seemed so happy to see someone who loves Curzon/Hosea so much. Then she asked for a hug and I love hugs so I was all for it.

I was about to head out when I spotted Mick and I knew I had to go see him, plus he took card and I was out of cash. He was so funny oh my god you guys. I introduced myself and we chatted a little. He grabbed my fan and started fanning me and was like "MaryJane I'm your biggest fan!" Then he had me open my parasol so we could take a picture under it XD he made me laugh during the picture and it's honestly such a cute shot. He was just so sweet and funny I loved chatting with him.

At this point I knew I was just done. I hadn't gotten to meet so many of the people I was excited for. Not Ben or Peter or Alex, Jo, Gabriel (ugh my heart I wanted to meet him so bad), Steve not to mention Rob himself. Ugh I missed so many of them that I'm so sad about. But I knew I needed to just go back to the hotel and breathe, shower, relax. Plus, money. 😅

So even after the day going so long, basic spending all day in line in the desert sun, having to sit in the ambulance, having many panic attacks, and only eating one meal, ugh today was still heaven. Just for those last couple hours interacting with Curzon. He seriously was so sweet and genuine and made me feel so special. And that hug was one of the best things I've felt in a long time. God I needed that. He gives great hugs. 100/10 would recommend. And he smelled so nice and clean, no overwhelming cologne or anything, just crisp and clean. God I could have stayed in that hug forever but I didn't want to hold up the line.

All-in-all, today ended up being very good. Absolutely nothing went like I expected but it was still an absolutely incredible experience. I just wish I hadn't frozen up so much, and that I'd been able to find the words to express just how much Hosea means to me. Because I definitely didn't do it justice.

But at least I didn't cry in front of him like I thought I would. Now I'm just laying on my air mattress listening to sweet music and thinking over it all, making sure I get it all written down before any of it slips my mind. There are things I'd do again if I could but honestly I'm so happy with how the day went, and the convention went.

#tombstone redemption #curzon dobell #convention #hosea matthews #Bessie Matthews cosplay #cosplay

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frogs-with-tea · 8 months

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I think the One Piece Sound idea is Galaxy-brained. It has so much potential! The setting can be so rich, both in scenery and emotion: they’re all seeing the water and the sky and the forest all the time, but they all grew up there and they’re kinda stuck there so they don’t notice the beauty unless something brings their attention to it. And the potential for the characters! The main crew are 20-somethings living in a tourist trap - the older adults are going to consider their minimum-wage dead-end jobs (or lack thereof, looking at Luffy, king of the bums as far as they’re concerned) to be a sign of their laziness or whatever.

I’d like to think that Nami runs scams on the boardwalk to fleece tourists as legally as possible. She supports Luffy’s search for the One Piece bc she wants to be rich and famous.

I’d like to think Luffy is the goofy guy selling t-shirts out of Usopp’s van with absolutely incredible good luck (no matter what happens, he always bounces back). He’s always at every single one of Zoro’s kendo tournaments: he was the only person cheering Zoro on at Zoro’s first competition, where he foolishly challenged the current champion and got his ass beat to hell. Zoro calls him captain as an inside joke between them; they were friends first out of the group and they are each others ride-or-die. Everybody thinks Luffy is just a childlike dumbass until Luffy sets out to challenge and take down cruelty and greed in the town.

Since he was young, Sanji wanted to go to culinary school but he’s afraid to leave the town: ‘Zeff needs me, the restaurant needs me’. (‘If I leave, the Vinsmokes will find me’) After Zoro gets pregnant, Zeff is on Sanji’s ass constantly about mating/marrying the Cactus. Zeff’s views are a little old fashioned but his heart is in the right place. Sanji has the self-esteem of a flea so he’s really conflicted about it. When he finds out that people are looking down on Zoro bc he got knocked up by ‘just a line cook’ he goes nuclear (I’m thinking about a parallel between this mis-characterization of him and his bounty posters in canon being caricatures of him)

Usopp runs a “Ghost Tour!” that is 200% bullshit and he changes up the locations and stories every couple months. It is the highest-rated attraction on Trip Advisor for the town.

Robin works at the library and she’s got an extremely morbid sense of humor, which terrifies Luffy/Usopp/Chopper BUT she’s doing a lot of the reading research on the treasure and she helps in the search a lot.

Anyway, all of this is to say I think you’ve got a really winning concept on your hands and I wish you all the luck and energy to see it through!

Hey there!! It makes me really excited to hear that you're so passionate about my AU ideas!! I've actually laid out a lot of my ideas on my personal blog @spock-smokes-weed, all under the tag #one piece sound au.

My ideas for Nami and Usopp is that they would be the ones experiencing the most "my life is in a rut" type feelings since they don't have much outside of work and the straw hats. Nami works at a bait shop with her sister, cus I thought it would be fun to position Nami in the old-school economy of the town, fishing. I thought it would be a fun setting for Nami cus she's both a getting dirty with her hands kind of person and a girly girl. With Usopp, in my mind, he's that one friend who's always bouncing from job to job. If this AU is about early 20s eunni, then we all have a friend that can't seem to find a job that makes them happy or they can tolerate. Usopp is an artist at heart and a big personality, I think he'd find it hard to get fulfillment bussing tables or washing cars.

Luffy is pretty straightforward. Living in his van with his dog (Chopper), being a menace to society.

And honestly, I don't see Zeff being the traditional type at all or would give Sanji any grief about marrying Zoro. Since he exclusively hires ex-cons to work on his staff, and already has a non-traditional family with Sanji, I can't see him thinking marriage would solve any issues between Sanji and Zoro. Zeff is a big feature in the story and Sanji's biggest pillar of support, but his advice mainly comes down to "just do the right thing and take responsibility." He just wants Sanji to step up as a father and not run out like Judge did to him. Sanji doesn't react to Zoro being pregnant well (at first. he's terrified of being a father, and that causes him to lash out) and Zeff very much gives him some tough love about stepping up and taking responsibility for his actions.

And for a note about the Vinsmokes, with this AU I'm not looking for a pure 1:1 with canon. So they might be evil royalty in canon, but since I'm taking inspiration from slice-of-life, I'd rather refit them to fit tropes from that genre. I have two posts on Judge specifically and my ideas for his roll in the story, but the TL;DR is that he's a narcissistic deadbeat who only resurfaces in Sanji's life to take advantage of him and ask for money.

As for the other straw hats, I have a post here about where I think they'd fit into the town.

Also, I have a post about Zoro's focus of the story, mainly being his battle with his strength and masculinity and his struggle with the judgment he gets from the town around him.

This was all super long but I just get so excited when ppl say they like my au and all I want to do is share all the ideas I have cataloged (both on here and in my brain)

#ask box #non art #one piece #one piece sound au #sorry it took me a min to get to this '#you can only do embedded links on desk top and i was at work all day

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raisinchallah · 9 months

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you know working a 7 hour early close shift on christmas eve recently really made me so insane because its like wow the realization i think id genuinely enjoy and be able to survive food service long term if i was working shorter shifts because these 10 hours make me feel like barely a person at the end and like 7 hours my feet and back didnt even hurt the way they do after my regular shifts idk its this constant push and pull i find the actual work of the job a million times more satisfying and easy than working as a cashier at a sleepy store despite it being hard physical work on an insane time crunch where its actually funny ive loved like weird intense time pressure time management video games often themed around food making for a long time and i guess ive fully realized i actually enjoy it in reality as well but its like so many parts of the industry are just designed to chew you up and spit you out like in some ways working an understaffed 2 man line on a holiday lunch was kind of exhilarating that i managed to do it so well but like i made one fuck up at the end when all my energy was gone and the general manager who was waiting tables had to yell at me despite you knwo i did a really fucking good job the rest of the time and the chef defended me and said i did a good job but its like u do all that and u get nothing in return simply a return to normal you know no more money for doing something that insane one fuck up and its like none of it happened the fact its always so intentionally lightly staffed that people call out sick and ur utterly fucked and its abnormal for people to take breaks is just like this literally does not have to be like this.... but tbh with my insane sleep problems keeping me from early morning work and difficulty with social situations and that i simply come off as weird and off putting in a way that inhibits me getting a lot of jobs restaurant back of house jobs really do meet a lot of those criteria so idk maybe this really is how its gonna be for a long time.... tho of course other problem is the insane misogyny of kitchens lol coworker said this was the least misogynistic kitchen they'd ever worked at and yeah most of my coworkers are really good and respectful and thank god the management and my chef do not hate women lol but a lot of the random other cooks straight up do not even speak to me or make fun of random shit i do or dont listen to women who are literally their bosses lol and so i dont really know how id deal with that in a more serious way if i worked somewhere worse than this

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kyuponstories · 4 months

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Hey so I'm interested in knowing more about Oh Coffee Boy. Like what's the plotline and how'd you come up with it. (⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆

YAAAY, an OCB ask!! 🥹❣️I appreciate your interest, love! 💞

This is a bit long, so buckle up lol. 🤠

I came across a post here on Tumblr a few years ago (on an different account). @one-time-i-dreamt, to be exact, where people submit dreams that they've had. I can't find the exact post, but I wrote it down in my notebook to never forget lol:

"I got hired for a job at McDonald's in the next town over, but I took a wrong turn & ended up at a maid cafe themed McDonald's instead. 'The manager was like, 'Well, we can just transfer you to this store since you're here and we're understaffed.' They called up the store I was going to work at without asking if I wanted to transfer."

I thought that'd make a hilarious plot line for a show, and it's like the great Toni Morrison said, "If there's a book you want to read and it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." Even tho this will be an animated series, the point remains!

My goal is to make mainly Black (girl) joy stories where brown & dark-skinned Black girls are the leads in multiple fun genres like rom-com, adventure, fantasy, etc. And because I'm an introvert, most of my MCs end up being so as well. In the beginning, the idea was for a slice of life about an introverted Black girl finally working up the courage to get a job after years of social anxiety (gotta make it hit home a bit lol). Thought it'd be a really cute SOL, but never really added onto it.

Fun fact! My grandmother and brother argue every morning. I kid you not. It's always because my grandmother loves coffee. So he makes her a cup of coffee every morning. The problem? She doesn't always finish it.... usually never. But what she will do is NOT care about it until it gets cooler. And then ask him to heat it up for her multiple times throughout the day! 🙃 So big bro complains about it. When my mom was in the hospital, we told the nurse about how grandma is with coffee. Gave her a good laugh when I put the stubborn woman on speaker so she could hear firsthand how it was the first thing she mentioned. 😂

Now, at some point, we starting calling my brother "coffee boy". My mother rarely drinks coffee, and usually drinks tea. At some point, he basically declared "If I'm coffee boy, then you're tea girl", so now he always makes the two of them coffee when they want it while I'm over their tea lol. The funniest thing about it is that mama rarely wants tea, but grandma always wants coffee. 😭At one point, I started dramatically singing "Oh, coffee boy" like the song "Oh, danny boy". And then it clicked! Like magic! ⭐ The title, the main character, his household. My family thought I was CRAZY when I ran upstairs and started writing it out lol. But yeah, those two are the inspo behind OCB! ☕As well as the dreamer who submitted that dream, of course (s/o to you, whoever you are! ✌🏾)

Just realized that I've never really made a summary/bio for this show LOL. Basically, Akachi is a guy in his early 20s who lives with his grandparents who he helps manage a barn with. He hates coffee, a drink he's forced to make every morning for his coffee-loving grandmother. Not only is it disgusting (which my brother also thinks lol), but his grandmother never finishes it. When Akachi takes an Uber to show up to his new job in the city, he shows up at the right restaurant, but the wrong location! Before he can object, however, he's transferred to the understaffed MegDonald's branch (spelled intentionally lol). Turns out Akachi is not only a great chef, but a coffee-making expert that has all of their customers coming in for a cup.... much to his dislike. To top it off, his co-workers are incredibly goofy and cosplay every day! Will the boy survive working at this new job?

Thank you for this ask again, really appreciate your interest in Oh, Coffee Boy! 🥰Writing it is so much fun, hope it'll be even more fun to watch! ❣️

#ask #answered #wip: oh coffee boy #OCB #ocb ask #There's so many fun facts behind this series lol #hope I get to share them one day!#this ask made me so happy lol #sorry if I rambled too long kdsldkjsj #I cut off like 2-3 paragraphs at least😭😭#fallover19 #writeblr #writing community #fanime #fanime community #black writeblr #black writers on tumblr

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river-ocean · 2 years

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Hi 👋🏼

For the Valentine's day prompts, could I ask for Piarles + prompt no. 3?

Thanks :D ❤️

Piarles + “But I thought you never liked valentine's day?" "Surprise!"

oh this is so fun thank you for this one!!! <3

Pierre was never big on holidays. He loved to be with his family, but it didn’t matter much to him if it was a holiday or a random Tuesday. What mattered to Pierre was being with his loved ones, and he didn’t think he needed a holiday to give him a reason for that.

Charles, on the other hand, loved holidays. He loved the decorations and the activities and the general pomp and circumstance of it all, whether it was a birthday or New Year’s Eve or Bastille Day or April Fool’s Day.

(Pierre especially laughed about him celebrating Bastille Day, since Charles was always so offended when people assumed he was French.

“I am celebrating for you, mon amour,” Charles would claim.

Pierre knew that was a lie.)

Charles was the one who loved holidays, so Charles was the one who was in charge of deciding how they would celebrate, and Pierre was happy to go along with it.

One day in late January, Pierre was preparing dinner for the two of them in his Milan flat, and Charles was grumbling about something at the table.

“What’s wrong, calamar?” Pierre asked, sensing that Charles needed someone to vent to.

“All of the restaurants I am trying to make reservations at are fully booked for Valentine’s Day,” Charles whined. “You would think that being a Formula One driver would make this easier, but apparently everyone in the country wants to have dinner in Milan on Valentine’s Day,” he added.

“Why don’t we order takeout and watch one of those cheesy romcoms you love instead, hmm?” Pierre offered.

“You love them too!” Charles replied, feigning offense, but agreed that it could be nice for them to have a night in, one of their last chances for chill night before the season started back up.

Pierre laughed and went back to preparing their dinner, already plotting how to make this night special for Charles.

———————————————

Pierre spent the next two weeks calling every florist in Milan to find one that could make the elaborate flower display he wanted for Charles.

Being a famous racing driver might not have helped Charles get a reservation, but it did mean that Charles was occupied for most of the day on Valentine’s Day with the Ferrari livery reveal, which gave Pierre plenty of time to prepare his surprise.

The florist delivered the flower display in the early afternoon, and Pierre hung balloons and streamers throughout their flat. He had candles lining the entryway, and planned to light them just before Charles returned.

When Charles messaged him to let him know that he was on his way from Matabele, however, Pierre realized that although he had a flower display, he didn’t have an actual bouquet to give Charles. If he wanted to go full romantic gesture, he probably needed a bouquet.

He headed out of their flat and ran to the nearest florist, grabbed the first red bouquet he saw, and ran home. Just as he walked through the door, he got a message from Charles that he was 10 minutes out.

Perfect timing, Pierre smiled to himself, and sent Charles a 😘 in response.

Pierre put the bouquet on the dining table with his card for Charles and set to work lighting the candles. He lit the last one as he heard Charles’ key in the door, and Pierre ran to grab the bouquet and card.

Charles opened the door and stopped in his tracks, looking from the candles to Pierre and back to the candles, taking in the scene of the flat with wide eyes.

Once he processed everything, Charles dropped his bags and ran to Pierre, throwing his arms around him and nearly knocking the bouquet from his hands.

“But I thought you never liked Valentine’s Day?” Charles asked after planting a kiss square on Pierre’s lips.

“Surprise,” Pierre smiled, handing the bouquet to Charles.

“Oh, carnations! My favorite. Thank you, Pierre,” Charles smiled fondly at his boyfriend, placing another kiss on his cheek.

Pierre had thought they were roses, but after seeing Charles’ face light up, he silently vowed to bring Charles carnations any time he saw them from that day forward.

#valentine's day prompts #piarles ficlet #f1 rpf #piarles

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endlessbittersweetdreams · 1 year

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SUMMARY: Robyn and her friends join Jake and his group for some fun in the sun. Also, Robyn is put in a situation where a hidden talent is revealed.

AUTHOR'S REQUEST: Please reblog this chapter if you like it! No author likes it when their work becomes buried. Also, as always, please comment after reading. I value your input.

SONG CREDITS: "Fast Car," by Tracy Chapman

IMAGE CREDITS:

🌟Cast Pictures: Not mine!! Definitely not mine!

🌟Baseball and Glove: cpastrick @ Pixabay

🌟Karaoke Sign: Nikola Duza @ Unsplash

Simone let out a little sigh as she paused outside the door of a small office in Brooklyn. She knew she was a tad early, but with Frank it was best to be prompt. He was a busy man, and he didn't have time to dawdle. And so, after checking her makeup and making sure her clothes were just so, she opened the door and stepped inside. It was an unusually warm autumn day in New York, and she barely felt the slight breeze that came from a standup fan near the door. She stepped up to the receptionist's desk, not taking the time to smile as the petite woman couldn't be bothered to look up at her.

"Name," the receptionist greeted, her tone flat.

"Simone Hughes."

The receptionist checked the schedule, frowning a bit. "You're early."

"Yes. I know that." When the other woman finally looked up at her, Simone plastered on a smile; the kind that she usually reserved for restaurant guests when she knew they would be big tippers.

"I'll let Mr. Kessler know you're here," the brunette stated before she got out of her seat and knocked on the door. "Mr. Kessler, Simone Hughes is here to see you," she said as she opened the door.

"Send her in."

Not much of a people person. Are you? Simone thought as she brushed past the receptionist, who returned to her station without giving her so much as a smile. As she entered the office, she was a bit taken aback by the mess. Papers were strewn across the desk, and a filling cabinet drawer was left open. The room, unlike the main office, was a comfortable temperature thanks to the air conditioner in the window.

Frank Kessler was a man in his 50s with salt and pepper hair, and a handsome face bearing age lines and a scar on his upper lip. Dressed in a white shirt and a pair of blue jeans, he looked nothing like the stereotypical vision of a private investigator.

"Sorry about the mess. You know how it is." Frank stood up from his seat behind the desk, giving her a warm smile. "It's always good to see you, Simone," he said, gesturing for her to have a seat.

"And you as well," Simone acknowledged with a smile and a nod. She sat down in one of the leather chairs, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her lap. "How is Jackie?"

"She's great. Taking over the world one restaurant at a time. She sends her love." Frank returned to his seat, eyeing Simone curiously. "So, who do you want me to investigate?"

Simone reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded-up printout of the Chic Spaces article covering Robyn's career. After unfolding it, she presented it to Frank. "This woman."

Frank's eyes quickly scanned the article, and he narrowed his brows in confusion. "Why do you want me to look into a interior designer? She rip you off?"

Having predicted that Frank would ask her this question, Simone decided to go with the truth. Why not? She had nothing to hide. "No. Let's just say that I'm ... concerned." Frank's right eyebrow shot up in curiosity, and she continued. "Jake has become rather close to this woman. I want to be certain that he won't be hurt."

Not at all surprised by this, Frank considered Simone's request for a few moments. "All right. I can do this for you. My fee isn't cheap." Simone seemed unconcerned, and Frank grinned. "But seeing as you're a friend, we can work out a payment plan. I should warn you, though. This is going to take some time. Especially since she's not from around these parts."

Simone gave him a nod. "I'm certain it will be worth the wait."

Robyn sat in the back of a taxi cab, gently nibbling on her bottom lip as she watched the city pass her by. On her lap was a paper sack, neatly rolled shut to protect its contents. A little flutter formed in her stomach as she realized she was getting closer to her destination. Closer to 22W. Closer to Jake. It had been nearly a week since they'd last seen each other. The driver maneuvered through the city streets, while Robyn's thoughts traveled back to the day Chloe told her about Jake's decision to wait for her. The romantic in her smiled at the thought, but the anxious part of her worried that he would eventually grow tired of waiting. After all, there was no telling how long it would be before she'd be ready to pursue another relationship. What if Jake moved on?

The cab pulled up to the curb, and Robyn reached for the door handle. "Will you wait for me, please? I won't be long."

"Anything ya want, doll. It's your money."

Choosing to ignore that remark, Robyn stepped out of the cab and onto the curb. It had been two months since she'd set her eyes on this place, and she smiled to herself as she took it all in. The outside was decorated for the autumn season, complete with elegantly carved pumpkins and barrels filled with orange and yellow flowers. Through the window, she could see Jake's co-workers in the midst of enjoying Shift Drinks. Nicky was, going by the looks of it, engaging in light banter with Ari. Sasha, Will and Eric were seated a ways down the bar. And then, there was Jake. He stepped up to the bar, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, a cigarette between his lips. His dark hair was a little messy, and the soft glow of the lights highlighted his features nicely.

Damn, he looked good!

She pulled out her cell phone and accessed the text messages, typing a brief message:

Jake, I'm outside the restaurant.

- Robyn

She pressed SEND and then returned her gaze to the man in question. A few seconds later, he was pulling his phone out of his pocket and looking at the screen. He turned his eyes to the window, giving her a smile and ignoring his co-workers' playful teasing as he made his way to the door.

"Hey," he greeted as he stepped outside. "You doin' all right? I haven't heard from you since --"

"I'm fine," Robyn assured him with a genuine smile. "I had myself a good cry. Watched my favorite films. Spent time with my girls. Threw out everything that reminds me of Ethan. Except Luna, of course."

"And how is the famous Luna?" Jake wondered, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Missing you, I think." Jake raised a brow and let out a little laugh. "No. Seriously. She never warms up to a person so quickly. I think you have a fan." She held out the paper sack that she was clutching, and he raised his brows as he took it from her. "Your clothes."

"You mean, you're finished holding them hostage?" Jake teased.

"Oh, yes. And I assure you that they were well taken care of. I even laundered them for you. But I must warn you, I used lavender-scented dryer sheets. So you may want to let them air out. Unless, of course, you don't mind smelling like flowers." Jake's expression fell flat, and she grinned at him again. "I'm sorry I didn't return them to you earlier, but I've been busy."

"Clients keeping you on your toes?" Jake inquired, tossing his cigarette to the cement and grinding it out with the toe of his boot.

Robyn nodded. "Yes. That, and the girls insist on turning ladies' night into something that occurs every other night. They're afraid that I'll fall into a depression and lock myself up in my flat."

"They're just worried about you," Jake assured her.

"I know. And I appreciate it. Staying busy does keep my mind off of ... certain things. My employer, Rebecca, walked in on me as I was in the middle of a meltdown. Seems Ethan thought he could charm his way back into my life with flowers, a stuffed bear, and a pathetic apology card. Rebecca caught me as I was about to murder the poor bear. I was this close to cutting it open with a letter opener when she walked in." Jake had to chuckle at this. "She took me out to lunch and demanded an explanation. And she told me something: I can either feel sorry for myself, or I can pick up the pieces, dust myself off ... and discover new things."

"So which option are you going with?"

"Option B. As I told you before, I lost who I was when I was with Ethan. It's time that I find myself again, apart from him." She paused for a moment, not certain how he was going to react when he heard this next part. "Apart from any man." She took note of the flicker of disappointment that passed over Jake's face, and she decided to give him some hope. "That's not to say that I'll remain single for the rest of my life. I'm not a nun, and I've no interest in joining a convent. I simply need to focus on learning about myself. Discovering new things; new passions." She gave him a small smile. "I'm even looking into taking a few classes. Dance. Art. Pottery. That sort of thing. Who knows? If I take that pottery class, there may be a handmade bowl or mug in your future."

Jake's heart warmed at that thought as his gaze turned in the direction of the inside of the restaurant, watching as his co-workers began to file out of the bar. Looking down at Robyn once more, he said "We're going to Home Bar. Join us. Could be fun."

Robyn considered it for a moment, but shook her head. "I'm a bit done in. I think I'll pass."

"But I'll see you tomorrow. Right? Will said he invited you."

"Yes, I will be there," Robyn confirmed with a nod. "And not just because Chloe said that she'd never forgive me if I were a 'no-show'," she added with a smirk. After sharing a brief moment of comfortable silence, she favored him with another smile. "I'd best be off, then. I'll see you tomorrow."

Jake gave her a nod, watching as she slid into the back of the cab. As the taxi pulled away, he could feel his heart skipping a beat at the prospect of spending time with Robyn. Maybe tomorrow would be even better than he thought.

Jake and Will were the first to arrive at the baseball field, deciding to play a game of catch before everyone else arrived. As they tossed the ball back and forth, the sun casting long shadows along the ground, their conversation meandered between the upcoming game and the topic of a certain British brunette.

"So, do you think she'll show?"

In spite of himself, Jake felt a flutter of anticipation build within him. Keeping his response casual, he shrugged. "Yeah. Why wouldn't she?" Will fell silent for a few seconds, and Jake took note of his friend's expression. "What?"

"Nothing," was Will's response. When Jake gave him a skeptical look, he relented. "It's just ... what are you doing, Jake?" The bartender furrowed his brow in confusion, and Will elaborated. "With Robyn, I mean."

Jake narrowed his eyes at his co-worker, refraining from tossing the ball back to the other man. "What are you getting at?"

Will sighed, choosing his words carefully. "Look, Robyn just went through a bad breakup."

"I know that, Will. I was there," Jake retorted, his voice laced with irritation. "Your point?"

"My point is ... she's vulnerable. I just don't want her to get hurt again."

"And you think I'll hurt her?"

"Come on, Jake. You know how you are with women. You move from one to the next, and --"

Jake's glower intensified, his grip on the ball tightening. "It's not like that with Robyn. She's different." He paused for a moment, studying Will closely. "You don't think I care about her. Do you? You think I'm going to fuck her and then leave her." He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head as his annoyance turned to anger. "I don't believe this." He took a few steps toward Will, closing the space between them. Standing face to face with his friend, his voice took on a threatening tone. "I don't have to justify myself to you. What Robyn and I do is our business, and you need to stay the fuck out of it."

Taken aback by the intensity of Jake's anger, Will swallowed hard. Not wanting to start a fight, he simply nodded in response. He wanted to say something in the hopes of diffusing the situation, but the sound of laughter captured their attention. Jake was the one to end their little staring contest, his eyes moving to look at the three women who had just stepped onto the field. Robyn, standing between Sam and Chloe, was the first to pick up on the tension between Will and Jake. She frowned as Jake turned on his heel and made his way to the bleachers, sitting down and snatching up the catcher's mitt.

Will let out a weary sigh before he turned to the three women, giving them a smile. "Hey, ladies! Glad you could make it!" he called as he jogged up to the group.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Chloe said, just before she shared a lingering kiss with him. "Happy birthday, baby," she murmured.

"Ugh! Get a room already!" Sam quipped as she rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you, too, Sam," Will joked as he cuddled with Chloe.

Robyn glanced at Jake, who seemed to be stewing on the bleachers. As she stepped up to Will, she softly inquired "Is everything all right?" as she eyed Jake once more.

"It's fine. Nothing serious. We were just debating pitching techniques."

Robyn nodded, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. Wanting to get to the bottom of it, she wished Will a happy birthday and made her way to the bleachers. Jake was staring out into the field, moving the ball from mitt to hand, his jaw clenched tight.

"Hello, Jake," Robyn greeted as she approached him.

Jake's expression relaxed a bit, his jaw unclenching. "Hey."

Robyn blushed as Jake took in her appearance for the first time since she'd arrived on the field. She wore a simple light grey tank top, a pair of black shorts that showed off her legs, some sneakers, and a New York Mets baseball cap. Her face was free of makeup and her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, calling attention to her natural beauty.

She sat down on the same seat as Jake. Not close enough to touch, but not too far away. She turned her head to look at him, studying his posture and demeanor. He hadn't relaxed much since her arrival, and she couldn't help but be concerned. "Is everything all right between you and Will?"

With a shrug, he answered "Yeah. Just had a difference of opinion. Are you a fan of the Mets?"

Robyn grinned. "Yes. I am."

"Uh-oh. Well, that just may be a deal-breaker," he teased.

"I take it you're not a fan?"

Jake shook his head. "Naw. But I'll give you a pass, just this once." He gave her a smile. "I'm glad you made it."

"So am I. Though I admit I've never played." Jake raised a brow at her, and she chuckled. "You seem surprised. I've watched a few games with Chloe and Sam. So I'm not unaware of what is involved. It's simply that I've never had the opportunity to play. I thought I would wing it."

"Well," Jake began with a grin as he stood up, "we'd better get started on your first lesson. Pick up a bat and follow me."

Robyn let out a little laugh and did as she was told, following Jake to the home plate. He positioned himself behind her, a playful glint dancing in his eyes. He knew that what he was planning was, most likely, a very bad idea. Terrible, even. But he simply couldn't resist taking the opportunity to flirt with her. Just because she wasn't ready to pursue a relationship just yet, that didn't mean that he couldn't let her know that he was still an option.

"First, you need to stand up straight." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, his touch sending subtle shivers down her spine.

Trying to ignore what she was feeling, Robyn straightened up a bit. "Like this?"

His face was close to her own, his breath tickling her ear. A faint blush graced her cheeks as he said "Perfect." He began to move his hands from her shoulders, making sure that one of his thumbs brushed against her skin as he did so. He smirked to himself when he saw the way she was reacting to his touch, listening to the two quiet little gasps that she let out as he rested his hands on her hips. "It's all about balance, Robyn. You need to make sure your feet are in the right spot and your weight is even. Adjust your stance a little."

Robyn moved her feet a bit, trying to block out the images that barraged her mind. Images that involved being alone with Jake in his apartment, pinned up against a wall with him behind her as he did things to her that made her legs tremble and her heart pound. Off in the distance, she could see Will, Sam and Chloe watching this flirtation. Sam gave her a thumbs up, while Will simply shook his head and exchanged a few words with Chloe before walking away.

The rest of the players, all of whom were Will's friends and co-workers, arrived on the scene. While most of the group settled for glancing in the direction of Jake and Robyn, Scott could be heard yelling "Are we here to play ball or watch a bad porno?"

Jake gave Scott the finger. "Sorry about that. He has no filter. Remember?"

Robyn said nothing, clearing her throat and shaking her head. Like that would erase the erotic thoughts that were bouncing back and forth like ping pong balls? Oh, if only!

"And last, but not least: the grip. Yours is almost perfect. You just need to overlap your fingers a little more, like this." He reached out and gently adjusted her grip, his fingers brushing against hers and sending a jolt of electricity through the both of them. Jake couldn't help but smile when he saw how his touch affected Robyn, taking notice of the fact that her skin was flushed. "The key is to relax your grip a little," he continued. "You don't want to slow down your swing, so you need to find perfect balance." He stepped away from her, and Robyn felt disappointed by the loss of physical contact. "Now, take a few practice swings. And if it helps, when you're swinging at the ball ... just pretend that it's Ethan's face."

"I'll keep that in mind," Robyn said with a laugh as she swung the bat a few times. "So tell me something, Jake: how do you know so much about baseball? Were you on a team?"

"Yes, actually. During my junior year of high school." Robyn stopped what she was doing, only long enough to look at him over her shoulder. "You seem surprised."

"I am. I didn't realize you were a team player," she answered, just before she went back to taking practice swings.

He chuckled. "It was all part of the adults' plan to rehabilitate me. I had some aggression that needed to be worked off. Simone insisted that I try out, and so I did. Imagine our surprise when it turned out that I was actually good."

Robyn stopped swinging when she heard him mention Simone, and she walked next to Jake as they made their way to the bleachers. Tilting her head to the side, she inquired "Her opinion means a great deal to you. Doesn't it?"

Jake shrugged. "Well, she raised me. I trust her."

Robyn watched him carefully for a few seconds, an uneasy flutter in her stomach. Something about Simone had her on edge, and she worried about the influence she had on Jake. Though he didn't admit it, Robyn could tell that trying out for the baseball team hadn't been something he truly wanted to do. He'd done it merely to appease Simone, and Robyn couldn't help but wonder about the lengths Jake would go to to please the woman who'd raised him.

"Jake, I --"

"All right, people! Time to gather 'round!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Quit bossing us around, old man!" one of the players called as the group slowly congregated on the field.

"Have you signed up for Social Security yet?" teased another.

"Ha, ha! Very funny, guys. I may be 30. But baseball is my game, and I can still kick your ass." Rolling his eyes at the playful murmurs coming from a few of his friends, Will continued. "Okay. First, I want to thank everyone for coming. I know some of you came a long way." He gestured to two of the men. "Mike. Alex."

Alex grinned. "Why would I pass up a chance to kick your ass?"

"And besides," Mike began as he eyed Becky, who was standing next to him, "I didn't want to miss out on meeting your New York friends."

"Hey, can we move this along?" Heather chimed in with a smirk.

"Yeah! Some of us are still drunk!" Scott added, letting out a belch to emphasise his point.

"Oh! Is that what that smell is? I thought something died," Sam commented, waving a hand in front of her face.

"And that's why you're going to be the umpire," Will announced, pointing at Scott. "Less chance of you seeing your breakfast in reverse if you're not running from base to base."

Scott shrugged. "Fine with me." Eyeing Sam, he added "Gives me a chance to chat this one up."

"Keep in mind that I'll be armed with a bat, and I won't be afraid to use it," Sam retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"Armed, gorgeous and dangerous. I like that combination."

"Oh, please. Like you could handle me."

Standing between Sam and Scott, Robyn couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself. Should she warn Scott about Sam, or let him find out for himself? Sam had a tempestuous spirit, and it would take a miracle for any man to win her over.

"All right. Time to pick teams," Will declared. "As always, Jake and I are team captains. And since it's my birthday, I get to pick first."

"Just don't hog all of the good players this time," Jake remarked with a smirk.

"Hey. Whose birthday is it?" Will retorted, surveying the group. "Chloe."

"Big surprise," Sam remarked with a scoff as Chloe moved to stand next to her boyfriend.

Jake pretended to take his time selecting the first member of his team, acting as though he were considering their speed and skills. Finally, after much fake deliberation, he gave Robyn a nod. "Robyn."

Just before Robyn moved to stand next to Jake, Sam elbowed her playfully. "Told you he'd pick you."

Within a matter of minutes, Jake and Will had selected their teammates. Sam, Eric and Heather joined Jake's team. Meanwhile Becky, Alex and Mike were chosen by Will. As the sun beamed down on the baseball diamond, Jake was the first to step up to the plate. Standing next to Robyn, Sam watched with amusement as she noticed the way her friend stared at Jake as he took on the proper batting stance.

"Look at you. Practically drooling over him," she quietly teased.

Robyn scoffed. "I am not drooling. I am merely ... observing him. You know, for the purposes of learning."

"Yeah. Sure. Is that what you call staring at his ass? Learning?" Sam paused for a moment, and then turned her head to the left. "He does have a great ass, though."

Smirking to herself, Robyn allowed her naughty side to come through. "Mmm. You'll get no argument from me."

With an air of confidence, Jake swung the bat and made contact with the ball. As the ball soared through the air and Jake raced around the bases, his teammates cheered while the opposition scramble to catch the ball.

Having heard the friends' conversation, Heather shook her head. "Oh, Lord. Don't tell me Jake's snagged another one," she muttered to herself as Sam shoved Robyn forward, indicating that it was her turn to step up to the plate.

"Yeah," Eric replied as he took a few practice swings with his bat. "Rumor has it, they were hot and heavy a few months ago."

Heather lifted a brow. "And he's still interested in her?" she asked with surprise. "I guess some things do change. Back when I was working with him, he bounced around from one woman to the next. I can't tell you how much money I won, betting on whose tail he'd end up chasing."

Eric and Heather watched as Robyn swung the bat, striking out. "Yeah. Well, must be something about her to keep him interested. It's probably the accent. Some people are into that."

Robyn could feel her heart pounding as she prepared to swing again, the pressure mounting. She glanced nervously at Will, who stood tall on the pitcher's mound as he wound up for pitch. As the ball hurtled towards her, Robyn instinctively swung her bat. She cursed under her breath as Scott, crouched down behind her, called out "Strike two!"

"That's all right, Robyn! You got this!" she could hear Sam call out to her.

Taking in a deep breath, Robyn shook off her disappointment. She adjusted her stance, refocused her gaze on Will, and decided to put Jake's advice into practice. She clenched her jaw as her eyes locked onto the ball, imagining Ethan's face emblazoned on it. The ball flew toward her, and this time her luck changed. She swung her bat, her body moving in perfect harmony with her mind, and struck the ball with a resounding crack that echoed through the air.

As the ball soared through the field and Jake took the chance to run for home plate, Robyn's heart leapt with joy as she sprinted toward first base. Her teammates cheered her on, their voices becoming background noise as she pushed herself to run faster. When she reached first base, her excitement and pride were evident.

Two hours later, Robyn shook her head and watched in amusement as a bucket of water was dumped over Will's head. Standing next to Jake, she inquired "Is that how you Americans celebrate a victory? By dumping ice water on each other?"

Jake chuckled and shrugged. "Well, someone forgot the Gatorade. Guess they had to improvise." He looked over at Robyn, smiling in amusement when he saw the state she was in. Some of her hair had come free from the ponytail, and a layer of dirt practically decorated her from head to toe. "Looked like you had fun out there."

Robyn took off her baseball cap and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I did. Though I'm sorry we lost."

"Don't worry about it."

They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked across the field, reveling in the breeze that ruffled their hair and cooled them off a bit. As they approached the stairs that led to the locker rooms, Jake came to a sudden stop. When he turned to face her, Robyn's steps came to a halt and she looked up at him curiously.

"We're going out tonight. You should join us."

"Home Bar?"

Jake shook his head. "No. Nightcrawler's in Manhattan. It's this place that Will likes to drag us to every year. This music is shit and the place is a dive."

"You make the offer sound so tempting," Robyn said sarcastically.

He let out a little laugh. "Yeah. Well, I'll be there. So ..." And then, dropping his smile and giving her a look that made her heart race, he added "Seriously. You should come. Could be fun."

She observed him for a few seconds, considering his offer. Although she longed to spend more time with Jake, she knew she had to be careful. Going by the way he touched her during their impromptu batting lesson, combined with the way she reacted to his touch, it was quite clear that their sexual attraction was still high. She wanted him. He wanted her. There was no doubt about that. It seemed that no matter where they were or what they were doing, they were drawn together by some invisible, magnetic force. But she knew that she couldn't afford to jump into another relationship, sexual or romantic, just yet. She had to tread lightly if she wanted to protect herself, as well as Jake. She didn't want to be caught on the rebound. She deserved better than that, and so did he.

"All right," she relented. "Text me the details, and I'll see you there."

The moment Robyn saw the neon sign that bore the word KARAOKE, she wanted to retreat into the relative safety of the taxi and go home.

"Karaoke? Jake said nothing about karaoke," she commented, staring up at the sign in horror.

Slinging an arm over her friend's shoulder, Sam grinned. "Relax, Rob. So there's karaoke. Big deal."

"Yeah. You don't have to sing if you don't want to," Chloe assured her.

"That's what you said the last time we went to a place like this. That was just before you two dragged me onto the stage and practically forced me to sing that Madonna song."

"Okay. First of all, you could have escaped at any time," Sam pointed out.

"I tried, but you kept pulling me back!"

"Second of all, you know you had fun."

"I was faking it," Robyn argued.

"Relax, Rob. It'll be fine," Chloe began. "Just focus on having fun and enjoying yourself. Let your hair down and live a little." As though able to read her reluctant friend's mine, she added "And if you try to make a run for the door, I will make you regret it. This is Will's birthday, and you're not going to ruin it by being a stick in the mud."

Robyn stared up at the sign again, feeling as though the word "karaoke," was taunting her. "All right. Fine. But don't even think about signing me up for a song. My singing days are over." She pulled the door open and entered the bar first, completely unaware of the mischievous look Sam and Chloe were exchanging behind her back.

As the three ladies entered the bar, the lively sounds of laughter and music filled the air. The space was dimly lit, adorned with colorful neon lights flashing on the walls. To their right was a long wooden bar that stretched along a wall that hosted an array of shimmering liquor bottles.

Robyn's gaze wandered across the crowd, catching glimpses of groups of people huddled around tables and sitting in crowded booths. On stage was a woman who was doing her best rendition of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and Robyn cringed every now and then when the performer hit a note that made her voice sound a tad screechy. She would have felt sorry for the woman if not for the fact that she seemed to be enjoying herself, in spite of her lack of singing chops.

"Oh! There they are!" Chloe said enthusiastically, leading the way to a booth occupied by Will and his group.

Will, sitting at one end of the booth, immediately got up when he laid eyes on Chloe. "Thanks for coming," he said, giving her a sweet and chaste kiss. "I saved you a seat," he announced, gesturing to the empty space next to Heather.

"Aww! Thank you. That's so sweet."

Sasha grinned at Robyn, waving her over. "Come, Kitty Cat. You sit next to me."

Robyn gave him a small smile as room was made for her, reluctantly taking Sasha up on his offer. It wasn't that she disliked him. She had grown quite fond of him, really. It was simply that she was never truly prepared for his antics, and she often found herself the target of his embarrassing and crass remarks.

Taking note of the disappointed expression on Robyn's face, Sasha gave her a pat on the leg. "Don't worry, Kitty Cat. Your scratching post comes soon. Baby Jakey always late."

"And he always leaves us with the tab," Heather remarked with a shake of her head.

Sam pulled up a chair and straddled it, making herself comfortable. "Where's Scott? Is he at home, licking his wounds?"

Will gave her a little smile. "He's at work. He doesn't scare easily, but I think he's terrified of you."

"I warned him about her," Robyn began. "But he just wouldn't listen. Poor man never saw it coming."

"That's right!" Sam declared. "I am a wild spirit who will be tamed by no man." She craned her head to the left, her eyes settling on the stage in the center of the room. "Be right back. Karaoke is calling my name. You coming, Clo?"

Chloe gave Sam a nod, and Robyn watched as her friends approached the man in charge of the lineup of performers.

"You're not going with them?" Will inquired.

"I'm afraid not. I'm here to observe only."

"You and Jake have something in common," Heather commented. "The day he gets up on stage and sings will be the day Howard stops fucking his employees."

"Ah! Speak of the Devil," Sasha said with a smirk, watching as Jake approached the group. "Baby Jakey, late as always."

"Fuck off, Sasha," Jake retorted, turning around the vacated chair and settling down in it.

The Russian brought a hand to his chest, feigning offense. "Such language!" he exclaimed before he suddenly reached over and covered Robyn's ears. "And in front of a lady, no less!"

"Get your hands off of me!" Robyn protested, swatting his hands away.

"Ooh! Such attitude from the Kitty Cat." Tapping the tip of her nose with his index finger, he grinned at her. "I like it."

Robyn laughed. "You are so odd."

"You have no idea, Miss Kitty."

Robyn shook her head in amusement and then cast a glance in Jake's direction, locking gazes with him as he gave her a smile. Though he wouldn't tell her this, he was happy to see how well she was settling in with his odd collection of friends. He certainly didn't need or want their approval, of course, but he loved seeing her let her hair down and enjoy herself while outside her comfort zone.

Chloe and Sam returned, each carrying drinks that they'd ordered from the bar. "So I leave my chair for ten minutes, and you think you can take it over?" Sam playfully clicked her tongue at Jake.

"Never said I was a gentleman." Jake smirked and took a swig from his beer bottle.

Sam gave him a lopsided smile before she turned her attention to Robyn. "Here, Rob. I ordered your favorite," she announced, holding out a pink fruity drink decorated with an umbrella.

Once Sam settled down in a chair, Chloe looked around at the group. "Does everyone have a drink? Good. I'd like to propose a toast to Will." She raised her glass, and everyone followed suit. "Will, you may be over the hill and sporting a few grey hairs. But you age like fine wine, and I'm thankful for every moment I spend with you"

"Aww! That's so sweet," Robyn remarked.

"Yeah! So sweet, I think I just threw up in my mouth," Ari said with a sarcastic grin.

"Okay. Let's wrap this up before we all do that," Heather teased. Raising her glass once again, she exclaimed "To Will!"

"To Will!" the others repeated, clinking their glasses together.

The two lovebirds leaned toward each other, whispering sweet nothings before they exchanged a kiss. While most of the group erupted into hoots, hollers, and teasing words, Jake remained silent. His eyes were practically glued to Robyn, taking note of the flicker of sadness that crossed her face as she averted her gaze and fiddled with the blue umbrella in her drink.

When her eyes met Jake's, she gave him a smile that was meant to be reassuring. She knew that she was being selfish; that her happiness for Chloe and Will should override any sadness she felt at the moment. But she couldn't help it. She missed the days when she had someone she could be sweet and romantic with. Just because breaking up with Ethan was the right thing to do, that didn't mean that she wasn't lonely.

Sensing Jake's concern without him having to voice it, she mouthed "I'll be okay," and then focused on her drink.

The group's attention was drawn to the stage once more when the announcer's booming voice filled the room. "And now I present to you ... Chloe and Sam!"

Robyn watched with amusement as the women in question approached the stage with enthusiasm, the crowd erupting into cheers when the introduction to Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' rendition of I Love Rock 'n' Roll boomed over the speakers. She couldn't help but admire their bravery, wondering if there would ever be a day when she'd cast her fears aside and join them on stage.

Chloe and Sam's voices rang out, clear and confident, as though they had transformed into rock stars. Their eyes sparkled, their bodies moving with fearless abandon as they seemed to feed off of the infectious energy emanating from the crowd. Everyone in the room seemed to be enthralled by the ladies' performance as they tore through the iconic song, and Robyn's smile grew as her friends danced along to the rhythm of the music.

When the final notes echoed through the bar, the room erupted into applause. Chloe and Sam stepped down from the stage, their faces flushed as they returned to their friends.

"You two were amazing, as always!" Robyn commented, raising her glass to her friends.

"Eh. I could do better," Sasha commented with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"On what planet?" Ari elbowed him in the side, and he whined in an over-dramatic display of pain.

As the night progressed, Robyn enjoyed herself more and more. But when she caught Chloe and Sam exchanging a few glances, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew her friends well, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were up to something. She chose to brush off her unease, however, assuming it was her paranoia getting the best of her.

Once again, the announcer's voice blared over the speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen! Up next we have the radiant, the ravishing ... Robyn Hewitt!!!"

Robyn, caught in mid-sip, nearly choked on her drink as her eyes became wide with shock. After choking and sputtering for a few seconds, she narrowed her gaze at Chloe and Sam. "What did you do?" she growled.

"Umm ... Robyn Hewitt? Are you here?" the announcer inquired, standing up on stage as he scanned the crowd.

"Oh, lighten up!" Sam said before taking a sip of her drink.

"Yeah. Have fun, Rob. If it helps, we chose your favorite song."

Her name was called once again, and Robyn's heart skipped a beat as she looked to the other group members for help. Not one of them - not even Will or Jake - rose to the occasion. "You will pay for this," she warned, only half-jokingly.

"Come on. You know you want to," Sam said with a smirk, sliding two shot glasses of whiskey toward Robyn. "We even bought you some liquid courage. So drink up and then get your British ass up there."

Once again, Robyn looked to the other group members to rescue her. And once again, she was denied. She thought about it for a moment, considering making a run for the nearest exit. But Sam was right. There was a teeny, tiny part of her that was tired of living in fear. Besides, she'd done things that were far crazier than this. Right? She once went sky diving, for crying out loud! And she was afraid of a little humiliation?

Heaving out a sigh, Robyn relented. She shook her head and made a sound of disgust, her eyes scrunching shut after downing each shot.

"Robyn Hewitt, this is your last chance!" the announcer warned.

"I'm coming!" Robyn bellowed grumpily as she slid out of the booth, stomping her way to the stage.

"And here she is, ladies and gentlemen. The lovely, the --"

"Oh, enough," Robyn snapped, her reluctance and displeasure overriding her sense of decorum.

The man seemed to wilt under her angry gaze, and he called out "Robyn!" before he stepped to the side.

The crowd clapped as Robyn adjusted the microphone, her hands shaking slightly as she took in a deep breath. The blue and pink lights danced upon her face, bathing her in an almost magical glow that outlined her features. The introduction of a familiar song played through the speakers as Robyn closed her eyes, letting out a few calming breaths and holding onto the mic stand for dear life. The crowd hushed as Robyn sang the first few lines of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car, her voice quivering a little as fear settled over her.

"Louder!" someone bellowed, making Robyn jump a little.

"Come on, Rob! You can do it!" Chloe called.

"Go, Rob!!!" Sam chimed in.

Robyn opened her eyes for a moment, looking over the crowd and keeping her gaze focused on a random wall. This was a technique she'd taught herself years ago. She found that if she sang to a wall or some other lifeless object, as opposed to a group of people, her nervousness wouldn't be so strong. It seemed to work, and she found herself filled with a strange sense of euphoria.

Gradually, her voice gained strength and began to weave effortlessly through the melody. Though her voice didn't have the quality of a professional, it was pleasant. And when she felt brave enough to look at an actual person, she found her gaze settling on Jake's face. His heart seemed to skip a beat as he smiled at her, listening to the warmth and soul that emanated from her voice.

When she reached the chorus and the crowd began to cheer for her, she smiled as her confidence grew. The rest of her performance flew by in a blur, and she couldn't help but feel proud of herself as the crowd applauded and her group cheered her on. She returned to the table, blushing furiously as her friends showered her with praise and cheers. And though Sasha insisted that he could do better, she could tell that even he was impressed.

Robyn settled down in her seat and watched as the server brought over a tray full of freshly made drinks. Sam raised her shot glass in a toast, and the others followed suit.

"To Robyn! Kudos to her for removing that stick from her ass and having a good time!"

"To Robyn!" everyone called, clinking their glasses and bottles together.

Chloe leaned toward Robyn, giving her a smile. "See? Told you you could sing."

"Yeah. Well, don't think I'll make it a habit. This is a one-time thing," Robyn retorted, taking a sip of her drink. Her eyes drifted over to Jake, who was shaking his head at her. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that you surprised me. Again."

Robyn, quite pleased with herself, sat up a bit straighter. Giving him a proud smile and a wink, she replied "Good. I like keeping you on your toes."

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