#which took me a full two hours and i just have rough poses and key frames

[jaeminscoffee]

Apologize | L. Hc

Pairing- Lee Haechan x reader

Genre- Initial angst, smut

Word count- 5.54k

Warning(s)- thick skinned oc, ego problems, argument, Hyuck almost hit's Y/n, angry/rough yet slow sex, riding, orgasm control, stern and slight brat tamer!hyuck, overstimulation. Lmk if i missed out any.

Synopsis- Why do you have to apologize when clearly Lee Haechan is to be blamed too?

Awkward. 

That's how you'd coin the atmosphere around you and your boyfriend the past dating weeks.

Guilty.

That's how you'd felt ever since the day you'd decided to act out. For being a hypocrite and for being a pain in the ass. 

Embarrassed. 

That's how you'd felt after realising that you'd lashed out on him for no rational reason. For losing your temper at him hanging out with a female who'd coincidentally been your rival. She loved him, and god knows if she still does. 

Worried. 

You're anxious that your pettiness would drive him away from you to someone better, possibly the said rival and so you're worried. 

But would you want to play the saint's role and go apologize? No. 

You can't, not while knowing what his reaction would be. Knowing Lee Donghyuck, he'd get cocky. He'll do anything and everything in his power to indulge you in embarrassment. Guilt trip you a while later and demand you'd be a good girl from then forth. Why would you want to do that? Come to think of it, he's one to be in fault too. 

Knowing full well that you'd have a distaste towards Lena, Donghyuck should've known better than publicise the fact that he'd openly hung out with his girlfriend's rival. 

He owes you an apology too when you word it that way. 

Haechan's mood can be summarized in three words, confused, frustrated and disappointed. 

You are the only one glowing in his eyes and he made sure you'd know that. And for someone like him being treated with such disrespect, he was fuming. 

It's not that he intentionally went ahead and planned a hangout with Lena, it just so coincidentally happened that one of his groupmate's her boyfriend, so meeting her was inevitable and Haechan was more than ready to explain it to you, in a calm, civil manner. 

But you just won't listen. 

Not to mention the holiday you'd planned all over last week for a road trip with the gang now seems to be the last thing on his mind now when that was the same thing he'd been so hyped up about. 

You just had to spoil it all for him. 

That explains why Haechan's furiously throwing his clothes into the baggage in order to calm down before whatsoever he's about to face while planning out a strategy to talk things out with you before the trip. 

Surely, his ego's too big to apologize that quick but at the same time, he wasn't petty enough to spoil the atmosphere during the trip, the gang didn't deserve that.

And so with one last cloth thrown into his luggage, he seals the zip and grabs his car keys from the side table with a new-found determination to resolve the conflict before the traveling that's going to take place in three hours to four from now. 

Haechan's going to make it right and he'd make sure of it.

You weren't expecting Haechan's visit at the same time you aren't shocked that he's entered your private space with no prior notice, you'd given him the spare keys afterall. 

"Y/n, we need to talk" 

You hear him close behind you but you pay no mind, continuing to walk back and forth from your wardrobe to your bed, where your package lay spread out, folded in a neat manner and ready to be put inside the luggage you'd get along for your vacation later that evening. 

"Y/n, I said we need to talk." Haechan says with a lot more sternness than before, his voice octaves lower than his usual bubbly voice. 

"I think the talking can wait until later, Donghyuck." you reply with a flat tone, calling out his governmental name in order to irk him up.

"No it can't. Speak it out, love. Let's resolve this now" He reached out to hold your forearm to turn you around so that you're facing him, the look of distaste on your face adding up to his rotten mood. 

"What's there to talk about, Hyuck? I'd told you time and time again that i don't like you around her and what do you do? Go hang out with her! Oh to have a boyfriend who actually listens to you" you peel yourself away from him as though his touch disgusts you. 

It didn't. 

It's just the courage that you'd gathered up to make sure you'd ask for forgiveness on call before the trip was all thrown out of the window due to Haechan's surprise visit. With him in front of you right now, you could do nothing but blurt out the words coming up first without censoring it and you were aware of that. 

That Haechan's ready to put up a fight. 

"She just so happened to be in the group, Y/n i told you that a hundred times already" 

"And she just so happened to be the same person who'd been nothing but rude to me because you chose me over her, totally understandable" you reply in sarcasm. 

"What do you expect me to do then? Ask Sungchan not to bring her along?" He replied with the same venomous tone you carried, slowly growing tired of this pointless argument. 

"No, Haechan. I would've appreciated it if you'd come and told me yourself that she was there! I hate that I had to find it out from Jaemin who didn't even know I was kept in the dark from that information! That made me feel like I knew little to nothing about you!"

"You know that's not true, princess.." Haechan answered with a softer tone, feeling guilty at the fact that your voice had grown smaller and smaller with each passing word. 

"I do not know what's true at this point, Hyuck. I don't even know if you love me enough to let me what's going on in your life at this point."

"Don't cross the line, Y/n."

His voice goes back to the sternness it first carried as a warning. Getting mad at him for not informing you things is one but questioning his love was another. That's not a topic up for speaking. 

No one can question his feelings, which is so genuine that if a stranger were to walk past the couple you two make they'd know from the first look that Haechan's head over heels for you. He'd kill anyone for you, that's how much he loves you. 

"I'm crossing the line? Me? Are you sure, Donghyuck? Because from how I remember it, you did it the first time by hanging out with your girlfriend's enemy without her knowing! Do you even know what would've been my possible thought process at that time?" You ask furiously, 

Haechan was dubious to pose out an answer, so he just let you continue your rant. 

"Do you know how i felt when i saw the story you'd put up with her right next to you being all clingy? How I felt when you didn't pick up my calls or reply back to my texts when I tried reaching out for some sort of assurance that whatever you have with her is platonic and that you're still mine? How i felt when Jaemin was going on about how much she'd been laughing at all you were doing and how you'd enjoyed the reaction?" Your voice quivers the more you continue.

"The answer is no. You don't know anything so just, stop trying to spoil this trip for me and let's take a break. We need it." 

"Break?" Haechan inquires with extreme shock evident in his voice.

"Yes, a break. Maybe that'll help you realise who you actually have feelings for." 

"Y/n that is so uncalled for, you're making a mountain out of a molehill! Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" You flinch at the sudden raise in his voice which had your knees buckle due to the loudness, which, for that matter, you'd heard only once before when you were being careless with dangerous kitchen tools. 

"This is a whole load of bullshit, doll. Do you not trust me enough?" Haechan nears you, his voice dropping low due to frustration, hurt, and disbelief. He'd never seen you be this petty before. 

You back away with each of his step forward, "Maybe I don't! Which is why i think i deserve a bre-"

"Come again?" He strides closer, his gaze growing darker, more stern, angry, with each step. In an utter furious state as you for starters, were questioning his feelings. And now had been questioning your trust for him. 

"I said I don't know if I trust you enough now, Haechan! I'm telling you i need a brea-" 

"Enough!" He took one last step and you'd had no space between you and him, with the wall behind you acting as a barrier to block you from escaping. 

The sudden act of force posed to your body by Haechan practically slamming you onto the wall made your back and the back of your head hurt from the impact, and a groan escapes your lips, but all the softness was long gone from Haechan's features as he didn't show any signs of inquiring if you're okay or not. 

No.

He seemed like he would murder you if you'd dare speak up now. You'd successfully pushed his last button. 

"You're being over dramatic, darling. One, don't act as though you've never hung out with the guys I'd specifically asked you not to. Two, yes, i hung out with her and so what? Was it a date? Was I the only one there alongside her? No. It was a group meeting that, for a matter of fact, I'd invited you to join but what did you do? You said you didn't want to tag along." 

"What's gotten into you, doll. You've never reacted this way before" Haechan reaches out to caress your cheeks, which made you flinch at the contrast of his actions, his words and his expression at that point of time. 

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." You don't. Which resulted in him harshly grabbing your chin, tilting it up to see a slight quiver on your lips. 

"And speak up. You seemed to have a lot to question just a moment ago, what happened now?" See, this is exactly what you hated. That one way or the other, he'd have you cornered, feeling small with him clearly making it evident who has the upper hand. 

"Nothing, Haechan. Nothing happened. I did have a lot to question and i still do, don't think i'd get scared of you by you acting all barks and no bites. I still need a fucking break why don't you understa-!" 

The grip he had on your chin tightened, his other hand raised in reflex, hovering in the air as though it's ready to strike you any minute.

"Know your limits, Y/n. This is pointless and if you're still sane enough to be considered the Y/n i started dating then you'd know you're being irrational and it's starting to fuck me up." 

"And? You're going to hit me for that? You think i'm not the Y/n you started dating? You're no less than me, Donghyuck!" You try pushing at his shoulders in order to create space, that only makes Haechan drop his hands from your chin to your hands, pinning it to the walls, hard enough to prevent any movement. 

"I'm not going to hit you, doll. You know that." Haechan sighs.

"Do i? Do I really?" You're practically shaking part from fear, part from anxiousness and part from the fact that you know you're making things harder to settle down. 

"I'm telling you, it was nothing but a harmless hangout and I'm sorry for not letting you know, but..can we just move on? Forget this? This is so pointless." 

"Must be pointless enough for you, Hyuck. Not for me. I mean it when i say i need a fucking break or else I'll make shit even worse. I'm heading over to Jeno's, meet you at the campsite." You jerk yourself away from Haechan's vice grip. Giving him one last look with those broken eyes of yours, you head over to your luggage and grab it, before heading out of the door in a quick movement, preventing Haechan from even blurting out the first syllable of your name. 

When he hears the door slam all the way from the living room, he loses it. 

"Goddammit, why did you decide to act up now of all times."

You're actually happy the group is big enough to take two travel vehicles because you didn't bump into Haechan after that heated argument you had back at the apartment. 

You, Jeno, Jaemin, Mark and Jisung went out in one car while Renjun, Chenle, Shotaro Haechan and Sungchan followed close behind in the second vehicle. 

You'd almost completely forgotten about all that took place with the guys constantly cracking out jokes, lame one considering Jeno, Mark and Jisung's dynamic had been put together to make this really chaotic, pointless yet hilarious conversations. 

"No, dude literally. Sung has a point! Waffles literally are just pancakes with abs-Y/n stop giving me that look" Mark tries justifying. 

"Mark, you're making my head hurt please stop." Jeno lets out a sneer from the driver's seat while Jaemin, who's seated beside you, pats your head in pity. "I go through this all day every day, love. You'll get used to it eventually. If you don't, though, we'll plan a strategy to just lock Mark up in a freezer or something." 

"Seems like a plan to me" you shrug at Jaemin, leaning down to rest your head on his shoulder as your neck had started to cramp from the funny positions you'd craned it in to get into a comfortable position. 

Jaemin welcomed you with a gleeful squeak, pulling you closer by snaking his hands between your body and the seat to wrap it around your waist which only made things more comfortable for you. 

A tiny nap before the actual escapade wouldn't hurt now, would it? 

"Guys! Chenle's on facetime! Say hiiii!" you hear Jisung say in a sing-song voice, but you did nothing to get up to greet the lad, instead snuggling closer to Jaemin when you felt his other hand come up to your head and thread through the tresses. You let out a sound of appreciation which made Jaemin's chest rumble from the chuckle he'd let out. 

"Oh man! I wanted to show Y/n this cool beetle we caught." 

Haechan, already sour from the incidents prior, had been uncharacteristically quiet. When inquired about he'd say "Ah, i didn't sleep at all last night so I'm feeling a little blue". The boys had granted him permission to just recharge and sit back while they made the road trip spicy. 

Obviously, Chenle wanted to show off to his best friend that he could still be the life of the party with or without Jisung's presence and so decided to facetime the guy. 

Curiosity strikes Haechan at the sound of the younger's idea and sits up straight in order to look into Chenle's screen while still making sure he is out of the frame. 

"Y/n's asleep?" Renjun inquires from Chenle's other side, peeping into whatever's being displayed on the screen. The image of you all cuddled up with Jaemin filling it up. 

Haechan could do nothing about it, other than fume silently in anger while the guys coo at your cuteness, "You need to wake her up soon though, we're 5 minutes away from the cabins," Sungchan says from the driver's seat. 

"I'll just carry her out, I'm pretty sure I'll be sent to the depths of tartarus if I woke up this sleeping beauty. " Jaemin hushes with a lopsided grin and Haechan well, seemed like he'd rupture any moment. 

Hypocrite. 

You'd woken up minutes before reaching the destination due to the rocky ride. 

Jeno had decided to derail at the last minute, exclaiming he'd found a shortcut to the place when in all reality, it was a longer route. You weren't complaining though.

The view change definitely helped you calm your wits, almost as though you never were in a bad mood so you'd decided to leave that behind for your city life and just decided to go with the flow of nature from this point forward.

And you'd only silently hoped your boyfriend would've been doing the same.

"You okay, princess?" you snap your head to look at Jaemin who'd broken you out of your trance. "Yeah, why'd you ask?" you reply, smiling at him. 

"You seemed a little lost..?" he states almost as though questioning himself whether they're the right choice of words. "Oh? I guess I'm just in awe of the view, it's ethereal" you look out of the window once again, Jaemin following you suit. 

"You're in awe of the view when you get to see yourself in the mirror everyday? Wow." Jaemin smiles at you with a teasing glint evident on his face. 

"Yo if Haechan would've been here you'd be spitting out your death rights" Jeno voices out with a chuckle. "Nah, Y/n would stop him from murdering me, I've got free will" Jaemin replies, shooting you a wink. 

You smile at their tactics with a shake of your head and just hope to spread this same joy to Haechan, and apologize, and get it over with, just like how he'd wanted. You're thankful to have this time off from him, the boys helping you unknowing of your fight with Haechan.

You're going to make this right. 

Sungchan and team reached first a few minutes away from the campsite near to where the cabins were located, oblivious to the fact that you guys had derailed. 

Haechan hadn't spoken a word ever since he saw his girlfriend all over his best friend, much to Renjun's dismay. 

Renjun didn't bother inquiring though, no matter how enthralled he'd been, he kept quiet to himself because from the looks of Haechan's face, there is a high chance that his neck would be snapped if he tried talking to the lad. 

Haechan still didn't utter a word even while helping unload the trunk as he'd not want to come of as a useless ticking time bomb so he decided to power work and lend an extra hand, also being the first to stomp his way towards the cabin he'd be sharing with you, mindful to not lock it incase you'd arrive. 

Oh now you owe him an apology, alright. 

You'd reached not that long after the first group of guys. 

You were a little disappointed that the pretty motions of the trees flying past you had come to a static. But nevertheless, content at the sight of nature all surrounding you.

You make your way towards the cabin you'd be residing in after the guys constantly insisting that they do not need your help and that you deserve to rest up. 

You open the door without thinking much, a smile of bliss apparent on your face only for it to morph into a petrified look at the sudden moment of you being pulled into the room and the door aggressively being slammed shut. "Ah!" 

"Did you have fun?" You open your eyes to see Haechan, a little too intimidating for you to keep an eye contact, talk to you with a smirk on his face. 

"I asked did you have fun, doll face, i need my answer to that" his other hand comes up to your cheeks, caressing it just like how he'd done this morning, this time, with much more softness that before which had a sick feeling boil up at the pit of your stomach. 

"H-huh?" you question, genuinely confused on what he's talking about. 

"Was it fun having full attention of your boyfriend's best friend? Was it fun throwing yourself completely at him? Hm?" His gaze darkens, scaring you a little, "Haechan what are you on-"

"Save it. Strip." 

Haechan orders while walking away towards the bed after making sure he'd shut the bolt tight to prevent anyone from barging in. 

He seats himself down dead in the middle of the bed, waiting for you to comply with a raise of his eyebrows. "Hyuck, let's talk this-" 

"Talking things out with you had never been an option, love. I need to show you who's in charge here all over again. So, be quick, strip before i do it myself." His voice carried a threatening tone to it, which stopped from rebelling against his words, knowing you'd just be digging your own grave then. 

You slowly reach out to the buttons of your shirt with trembling hands, unbuttoning them one after the other at your own pace which seemed to slow for Haechan. "Faster. Leave the skirt on." 

Haechan puts out his next order, leaning forward to rest his elbows over his knees, his eyes following the moment of your hands which were now tugging your shirt away from your body. 

"Oh, Y/n..You were all over Jaemin, your body flush against his when you'd worn no fucking bra inside the shirt?" oh no.. 

"Drop to your knees."

"Hyuck, listen to-"

"I'd not talk if i were you, darling. Do not fucking speak unless spoken to or you're just going to make things worse for yourself. Drop." He said with a lot more sternness and venom, the tone in his voice almost making it seem like he's disgusted with your entire being. 

Oh how the tables have turned. 

You do as he said and drop to your knees, not caring of the fact of how your knees scrape against the wooden tiles. "Crawl up to me." 

You don't fight it, your entire being wanting to shrink and just disintegrate into dust from all the embarrassment you're being put through which, weirdly, only added to the growing arousal between your legs. 

You slowly crawl up to him, not too slowly, being mindful not to piss him off any further. The uncomfortable feeling on your knees and the stickiness gathering on your panties were given a blind eye as your main goal remained to not tick Haechan off anymore. 

"Good girl.. So you can follow orders when asked to, huh?" you somehow managed to make out that he wasn't really posing the question at you so you decide to stay silent, eyes on his shoes and your hands on your knees. 

If you were to describe the look Haechan carried the exact moment with you kneeled down in front of him, you'd describe it as one that the hunter carries while his prey falls right into his trap. You felt small. 

"Look at me, doll" He leans forward further as you silently look up at him. 

A fond smile makes its way onto Haechan's features at your subtle innocence. He reaches out to grip your chin in a firm yet soft grip, tilting your head further up. "How pretty.." 

His palm engulfs your entire face as you lean into his warmth, forgetting ever so slightly about the grave trouble you'd gotten yourself in. His fingers trail up the side of your face, the thumb soothing your lips. A firm press following right after in a silent order, you comply. 

You open your mouth a little wide for Haechan to slip his digits in, which he does. You raise your gaze higher to look at him before wrapping your lips around his fingers, sucking it as though your life depends on it. 

"It's a pity I have to ruin you so that you'd know just how bad you've been." he growls, pulling you up with a sharp tug of your chin as you lift yourself off the ground and onto Haechan's lap while he crashes his lips on yours. 

You let out a whimper as the rushed kiss you two share, your hands finding home at Haechan's shoulder to keep yourself anchored, only for him to grab both your hands and lock it behind your back with his own. 

The kiss is messy, very sloppy, rushed and anyone crazy enough to be watching it would know who has the upper hand as Haechan lowers his lips to your jaw, scattering red-purple marks all over. His free hand goes up to your hair, brushing the strands out of the way in a very contrasting manber from his roughness at your jaw. 

He makes a makeshift ponytail out of your hair and yanks it back hard enough to expose more of the neck as you let out a sound of pain. "Haechan, slow down p-.. Please" you whine out 

"Don't fucking tell me what to do, love." He bites particularly hard at your soft spot, making you bite down hard on your lips to stop any extremely loud, pornographic sounds from escaping your throat.

Haechan wasn't having any of that bullshit. 

With a swift move, you're under him. Your panties are long thrown somewhere behind your boyfriend, your skirt still in place but lifted up to your torso to expose your glistening flower to him. 

You felt helpless. 

All exposed to him, all worked up from just a short make out, eyes blown out from pleasure and neediness. You must've looked pathetic in his eyes.

"Please.." you beg for nothing in particular, just getting the sudden feeling to be Haechan's good little girl else he would snatch away all your source of pleasure with just a blink of his eyes. 

"Hm? Please what, darling?" His fingers graze over your wetness, letting out a smug 'tsk' as your essence spread all over his fingers. 

"Pl-please!" you choke out and the feeling of his warmness touching you where you needed him the most, slightly embarrassed at how sensitive you'd gotten just from a little manhandling from his end. 

"Go further than just a mere please, Y/n. Or is it that you're already too far gone to say shit that's coherent?" he thumbs at your clit with all the wetness that's collected. 

"Good. I like you just like that. Dumb, needy and an obedient little girl. Will you be nice throughout your punishment and not make it harder for the both of us, love?" 

You moan out in reply when you feel a slender finger of his slip into your hole with ease. "Yes! Yes, I'll be good, just please.." you whine in submission. "Please don't stop.." you become breathless pretty quick. 

"Oh I won't, doll face. Don't worry about that." Haechan states as though he has something planned for you, which is part true. But he also wouldn't dare stop as he watches your expressions morph into a state of bliss. 

"Haechan..!" you jolt when he inserts a second finger, picking up speed, which pulled you dangerously close to your first high. 

"Oh my? Cumming already? I thought you were better than this, babe" He talks as though he isn't just drilling his digits into your wetness. 

The adding of pressure on your clit was the last string to topple you over to the edge, your hips lifting high off the bed, eyes screwed shut as you indulge yourself in pleasure, only for you to choke out a cry when you feel Haechan throw a hand over your hip, pinning to the bed, his head now between your legs, lapping out the last bits of your orgasm. 

"Hyuck, wait! I'm sensitive!" you reach out to place your hand on top of his head, not sure whether you want to pull him closed or tug his head away. 

You feel his lips form a smirk, his free hands moving down to insert digits in you while his tongue worked magic on your clit.

"That's the point, darling. Now stay put or I'll make sure you come more than just twice."

You pull yourself out of your dilemma and tug him closer, hearing him mumble out a "good girl" against your clit. 

There's something so sinful about the squelching sounds of his fingers driving in and out of you, the way he laps at your clit, making sure to slurp all your essence up which had the knot tighten at the bottom of your stomach once again. "Close again?"

"Uh-huh!" you let out in a screechy voice that would've had you cringing if you weren't so far gone into pleasure. You hear a growl from below you, the last anchor being left off the hook. 

"Good, let go for me." 

And you oblige. You twitch in overstimulation as Haechan slurps up your essence all over again, leaving you drained, tired and twitching beneath him. 

Haechan pulls himself up once he's satisfied enough, his chin glistening, a lopsided grin present on his face, "Taste yourself for me" He mutters quickly before clashing his lips onto yours while he keeps himself hoisted with one hand, the other working on removing his jeans. 

He shifts your position again after quickly making a move of discarding his shirt across the room, leaving him to be as bare as you.

Haechan pulls you up, making you sit up as he watches you basically drool over his shaft, his smirk only growing wider with pride. "Hungry for more, babe?"

You nod enthusiastically, not trusting your voice. And you thank the lords as Haechan didn't force you to speak up this time, "Then you have to work for it, darling. Go ahead, ride me." 

You waste no time and get to work, shocking both yourself and the lad at your tireless nature as you pump him a few times before aligning his member along your entrance, you don't plan on going slow as you just sit yourself down, engulfing him completely inside you, earning a satisfied groan from Haechan. 

Haechan brings his hands to rest them upon your hips as you slowly lift yourself up once again, reaching out to hold his shoulder for support before easing down, you feel his thighs twitch underneath you. 

"Oh love, you're amazing" Haechan praises you as you bounce to keep the motion going, picking up the pace to make him feel better as his fingers dig into your sides. 

"Hyuck.."

You soon grow tired though, your legs giving out from tiredness, causing you to slow down, "Hyuck, i can't.. I-i'm tired" you almost let out a sob. 

"Aw my, my poor baby.. Too bad, i can't help you here, love. Work for the pleasure, work to please me, come on, don't disappoint me all over again, doll" 

You let out an actual cry out of desperation, using the last bit of strength you could muster up to keep the action going, gasps and breaths of exasperation leaving you with each bounce. 

The look of complete submission, wanting to please him and determination made Haechan growl as he feels you clenching around his members, making him unintentionally buck his hips up to meet your hips in the middle, earning a yelp from you. 

"Haechan, I'm close..pl-please" you cry out louder with each of yours and Haechan's hip moment, the melanin of his skin covered in sweat, glistening in the dimly lit cabin, his face morphed into that of utter bliss and the sinful sounds he let out makes you grow frantic.

"I can feel it, darling. I can feel it. I'm close too. Let go for me" 

You cum with a loud cry, as your actions seize up completely to help you calm down. You jump when you feel his palm come in contact with your ass, 

"I asked you to cum, baby. Not to stop. Keep moving just a little bit more, I'm almost there" He growls at you, both his hands finding refuge on your ass. 

"I can't, I really can't! Hyuck,-" You cry out real cries, fresh tears falling out, 

"Move." Haechan commands paying no attention to your pleas. After all, this is your punishment. 

You bounce up slowly again, your entire lower body protesting in pain, as you sob, working up the heat beneath once again. 

The sight Haechan got pulled him ridiculously close to his high, your hair disheveled, tears running down your face, sobs leaving your throat as you try your hardest to keep moving. 

Haechan wanted you to come one last time.. 

So the moment he felt himself twitch inside you, he removes one hand from your bottom and brings it to rub your clit in rapid motions. You're sensitivity getting the best of you as you drop down on him completely with a cry loud enough you're pretty sure the others heard you. 

You both end together, with a loud growl escaping Haechans throat as he lazily thrusts up to ride his high out, immediately stomping when he hears your cries and how you've shut your legs tightly close

"It's okay, it's over, baby, you did so well.." he's quick to pull you into a warming embrace, cooing at you, wiping your tears away. 

He doesn't speak up for a while, humming soft tunes to calm you down. 

"Hyuck.. Listen I'm sorry-" you start with a hoarse voice.

"Shh, no. You don't have to apologize for anything, just rest up, hm? I'll wake you up before dinner"

[elliethesuperfruitlover]

Hello, could you do a Misfits Nathan X Fem reader one shot where Nathan and reader open their Christmas presents, and Reader surprises Nathan with a positive pregnancy test, and he is shocked, but happy, and then they go to Nathans mum's house for Christmas dinner and announce the news. His Mum then talks about how Cute Nathan was as a baby, and embarrasses him, and reader laughs and smiles at hearing stories of baby Nathan. (sorry this request is long) Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Baby’s First Christmas

A/N: This is a request based prompt, one of the Christmas ones. I’m not sure if the other will get out by Christmas, but I’ll try my best. A lovely and fluffy Nathan x reader one. This is a double request, so I answered the request to this one, but they contain the same material. Makes it much easier for me lol.

Warnings: none really, very fluffy, but breastfeeding, food, small mention of coitus

Cheeky Tag List: @misskittysmagicportal, @robertsheehanownsmyass, @joz-stankovich, @badsext, @super-unpredictable98, @the-freckled-luba, @wasabimia, @iamsexytrash, @midnightseance, @the-novel-on-the-left

“Good morning love.” Nathan said, holding Lily above you, where she stared at you, a bit deftly, but you know it was because she didn’t really know what to expect. Either way, you smiled and sat up, letting her into your arms.

“Good morning to you too. How’s she been today?” you ask, cheek brushing against Lily’s head, curls tickling you.

“Very good. When I walked into her nursery, she was already awake and just gawking at me, y’know like babies do. She’s been very sweet though.” Nathan said, averting his eyes as you lowered your shirt, Lily latching herself immediately.

  Even though it’d been months since Lily’s birth, Nathan still looked away when you breastfed. It’s a natural thing, but his response was always “Yeah, but I feel like I’m being disrespectful if I think about sucking on ‘em too.” You chuckle as you think about it, and suddenly remember that Christmas was upon the two of you. You moved from out of bed, and slowly walked to the living room, where Nathan lay by the tree, striking a pose. Multiple gifts were piled under the large pine tree, and Lily broke away from her feeding to look at the tree, eyes full of wonder.

“Aw, bless. Look at her little hands!” Nathan said, walking up to you two, kissing the top of Lily head once more, making her let out a very cute giggle.

   Her hands were reaching out to try to touch the lights, but you two knew better. Lily had the tendency to pull at things, like any other baby, and it would end in disaster. He smiled at his daughter, and you sat on the floor as Nathan brought you presents, Lily happily tearing at some of the wrapping paper. Both of your parents, (even Nathan’s dad) were very supportive of the pregnancy, as shown through seeing them in-person, as well as the gifts you two received. Lily received a new pacifier, as well as a couple pairs of clothes from each side of the family, and she squealed upon seeing the tassels lined upon one of the shirts. Whenever either of you wore anything with string on an outfit, Lily could and would spend HOURS picking at the string and giggling at it. You were amazed at how much time she could spend playing with it. Neither of you could leave your hair down, or else it would be at the hands of Lily Young, who would pull at it, and never let go.

“Okay, time for coffee and breakfast, huh Nathan?” you asked, smiling up at him. There were still presents under the tree, but as per the household rule, if you got hungry, you’d eat, even if it’s time for presents. 

 Nathan cooked a simple breakfast, eggs and bacon, and the two of you happily ate, and as Lily grabbed at the two of you, you remembered the Christmas of last year, which was much more different than this one’s.

“Merry Christmas babe! I got you a pre-tree present to open right in bed!” you yelled, wakingNathan up from his sleep. He smiled upon seeing you, smiling at him, as the past few weeks you’d been a tad bit ill.

“Ah, Merry Christmas day to ye’ too. What’ve you got for me, huh?” he said, reaching for the gift. His chest peeked out from the top of the sheets, and you couldn’t help but reach your hand out and rub it, him smiling at the gesture.

  You’d had a bit of a guess that you’d been pregnant for a couple weeks, as your period was a month late, which hadn’t happened in almost 10 years. You’d also been sick for weeks on end, and it was pure torture for you to experience. Nathan had even noticed, and when he noticed you were having a particularly rough day, he’d make you a light dinner, and rub your back and feet. He’d picked up a small job, and was trying to make ends meet for your minimal apartment. So, when you thought about pregnancy, and how many times Nathan was just too horny for protection, the dots started to connect. So, you got a pregnancy test, as well as an ultrasound, and wham bam, shanglang (and a shalalalala), you’re pregnant with Nathan’s kid. You accepted it, and the two of you had been talking about kids for a while. You decided to tell him in a way he could accept better. Instead of a more serious talk, it was a gift.

“This a tampon or something?” Nathan asks, holding the test in his face, looking at you. You shook your head and laughed, and pointed at the plus sign. Nathan glanced at what you were pointing at, and it took a moment for another emotion to fall upon his face. It was joy, and he went forward to hug you.

“You could've told me you were pregnant love.” Nathan muttered into your neck, and hugged you a bit tighter, satisfying your senses. You smiled at his reaction, and as his lips moved to your stomach, where he began talking to your baby, and a few tears slipped from your face. He moved back up to kiss your lips, and the two of you stayed in bed for a bit of celebration before moving downstairs to look at the rest of your presents.

  Your brain took you back to the present, and Nathan had Lily in his arms, and she was reaching towards his chest, and you both laughed. She had a tendency to grab toward people’s chest, it was her favorite place to cuddle, and if you two had to go in public with her, strollers would have to be forgotten. It kept her from fussing, and kept everything calm.

“Alright, we need to get ready to go to me mam’s, alrighty?” Nathan said, after cleaning breakfast up and heading upstairs.

“Fine, you can get Lily cleaned and dressed while I shower, then we can swap after I’m done, alright?” you say, grabbing your clothes from the closet. Nathan nods his head, and you kiss Lily’s forehead before heading to the bathroom, taking your time to get ready. 

 It’d been a very busy few months with a new baby, and learning to adjust to her in your lives. You and Nathan used to go out for weekly dates and enjoy each other’s company, but you couldn’t even remember the last time you two went out together. It was ages ago. Even if it was to your family, you were grateful to get out of the house and see other people. A few minutes later, you waltzed out of the bathroom, fresh as a rose, and Nathan eyed you up and down, smirking at your form. 

“You are very beautiful and I have the very strong desire to bang you, but I promise. When Lily’s being tended to by family, that ass is mine.” Nathan whispers, kissing your neck before handing Lily over to you, who was drifting off to sleep. 

  Your job was going to be very easy until you two had to drive to Nathan’s mum’s house, which might cause unwanted chaos with Lily. If she woke up in a car, she could either A. fall back asleep. B. immediately start crying, scaring both you and Nathan, or C. stay calm and be her usual, bubbly self. Either way, you were happy to be out of the house. Once Nathan emerged from the restroom, dapped out in his grey suit, you two gathered your baby bag, keys, and adult snacks (bc Nathan accidentally ate baby snacks and he wasn't happy about it) and walked out of the door with time to spare. The ride was very calm, and as he drove, you sat in the back of the car and your thoughts drifted back to last year’s Christmas.

“Come on baby, can’t be late!” you yelled through the door to Nathan, who was taking his sweet time in the bathroom.

“I gotta perfect my hair, my mum can’t know we’ve been shagging as a reason for the season!” he yelled back, and you heard the water run once more.

  You rolled your eyes with affection, and went to the living room, and got a glass of water to help cool yourself down. You were nervous about telling Nathan’s mom, as anyone would be, but you just couldn’t shake the anxiety off. Nathan eventually emerged from the bathroom, and you two rushed down the steps of the apartment, trying not to be too terribly late to the Christmas dinner his mom has prepared for you two. You rarely ever saw her, but goodness, could that woman cook up a storm. You always left her place stuffed and ready to crash into bed due to a food coma.

  Upon arrival, you shivered in your seat, and got ready to tell Nathan’s mom the big news as soon as you entered, but every time you felt good about it, your anxiety shut you down. She offered you a glass of wine, but you had to turn her down, and she just blamed it on the fact that you were driving, and Nathan loved himself a pint. When dinner arrived, your stomach turned itself into knots, and all you wanted to do was scream. When she began carving the turkey, your brain farted, and all of a sudden you blurted out.

“Ms. Young, I’m pregnant so….that’s why I didn’t really want any wine, I’m sorry, I’ve just not been feeling up to it lately.” and a small tear fell from your eye.

“Aw, love, don’t feel bad, that’s wonderful news. Never expected Nathan to be one for children, but I’m very happy about this. I’ve got some lovely stories and pictures from when he was a little babby.” she replied, putting your hand over yours.

  You giggled and thanked her, Nathan coming from behind to kiss the top of your head, but preparing for the stories about to be told. His mom showed you pictures of Nathan with mall Santa, as well as the Easter bunny. He was cringing at the thought of himself doing anything even remotely cute. She showed you pictures of him chasing after the family dog, and even one of him with an academic achievement award, one for reading.

“I didn’t know you were literate Nathan. Now I know to get you books for your birthday, you twat.” you say, teasing Nathan, much to his dismay.

“Oh, he really likes reading, let me tell you. He would plow through so many books, I thought of renting out the library for him. He would never stop reading this one.” she said, looking over at him, who was nose deep in his old copy of The Hobbit. A faint blush covered his cheeks, and his mom ruffled his curls, and Nathan smirked at her, thanking her.

  You returned back to the present, and Nathan looked over to you, kissing your hand. You two smiled, and as you headed to his mom’s house, you knew it was going to be much better.

“Nathan, how are you. And his lovely partner, AND SWEET BABY LILY AWW!” his mother said, fawning over the three of you. Lily cooed at her grandmother, and was handed over to her, happily accepted.

  You all stepped into her apartment, and brought in the baby bag, almost forgotten in the car. You helped out in the kitchen with Nathan’s mom as Lily played in the living room, watching her father look at childhood photos. Nathan took his daughter from her playpen, and held her up to the pictures, talking to her quietly. You glanced from the kitchen, and worked the dough for quick pie, Nathan’s mom catching you slacking a bit.

“He’s a keeper, honey. And you are too. You should hear the way he talks about you to me. Nothing but love and admiration in his voice, and even now, talking to Lily. He doesn’t really open up much, not even to me. But the way that he’s talking to Lily right now is really lovely.” she says, looking at you.

“Yeah. He’s been super supportive during everything and I seriously couldn’t be happier. He’s so wonderful. Always talking to Lily and being so gentle with her. You raised an amazing son.” you said, smiling.

 When the food was ready, the lot of you piled into the living room, and ate a full meal, plus desserts. Lily was fully asleep by the time you all were wrapping everything up, and Nathan’s mom offered you two the guest room to stay in for the night. Nathan happily accepted it, and you slept peacefully that night, thankful of the support in your life.

Masterlist

[saelwen]

Pure Blood

Maedhros x Oc

Chapter One

Summary:  We all born with white blood which symbolizes our pure soul. As we grow up, our blood can change to red and become darker if we begun doing cruel things. The darker the blood, the cruel you are. Mine’s occur to be pure white but will continue to be after i meet my soulmate?

Warning: None

Words: 2k

A/n: This idea come from a wonderful anon. I want to thank him/her for let me use this idea! Also the moodboard is by me!

Masterlist

When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me tales about ancient folk. The fairest and graceful of all Eru's children, the elves. She told me about the war and all the death that three simple jewels created. The betrayal and destruction between kin. And the love between different races.

I was always fascinated by these tales, always asking her for more. She would sit me on her lap and braid my ink-black hair while she told me the stories. Father didn't like much that mother told me those types of stories, saying that they would fill my little pretty head with wrong ideas and that would bring me a life full of sin.

We lived on a small cottage deep in the woods. The nearest town is a six hours ride away from my house which was good since I don't like obnoxious noises of the town.

Father work on our little farm, taking care of the animals and the garden. I sometimes help him with milking the cows and harvesting vegetables and fruits which he would sell on the town market.

Mother is a seamstress. She makes the most beautiful gowns that i ever seen. You could see the noble maidens wearing her gowns on the most fancy feast in all Middle-Earth. She have a shop in the town but recently she is working more on her atelier at home. I asked her why but she only shrugged her shoulders and answered "Why not".

My parents were soulmates which in nowadays were really rare. People don't belive in love and soulmates anymore, making the world dull and lifeless. But i witness they love and passion for each other. Hell, I'm the fruit of they undying love.

I use to daydream about the day me and my soulmate will meet. Fantasying about how they will look or they personality. I'm a sucker for romances so i spend most of my late nights reading novels in my comfy chair by the window.

"Rose! Come here, please!" the warm voice of mother grabbed my attention from the book in my small hands.

"I'm coming, Mother!" i yelled back while putting the book back in the shelf. I look in the mirror beside the bedroom door, adjusting my light green gown and try to tame my curly black hair into a low ponytail. I had the palest skin that anyone have ever seen. Father calls me his little snow flake since my skin remind him of the cold snow. My eyes were the color the meadow grass in summer time.

I walk out of my bedroom and go downstairs to the kitchen where i find mother cooking dinner by the small fireplace. Her black hair was pulled into a braid with silver hairs coming out from the darker ones. She looks over her shoulder and smiles gently.

"There you are, lady! Do you mind cutting some bread for dinner, sweety?" she asked as she return her attention back to the pot in the fire. I nod and grab the bread knife and a loaf of fresh bread. I start cutting the bread as mother begins humming a old song. I join her with my humming and start swaing my hips slowly, soon follow by mother, who start spinning gracefully through the kitchen.

Our laughter rings through the small kitchen as we joke around, singing tavern songs and dancing together. As we dance together, I didn't notice the front door open and father walk in.

He coughs and look at us with his hairy brow lifted, trying to hide a smile on his lips but failing miserably,

"Well what do we have here?" his rough voice sounded through the house, making mother's green eyes bright like two little starts.

"My love!" she said as he embrace her gently, kissing her lips softly. "I've missed you."

He next pulls me into a bear hug, kissing my forehead gently. "I've missed you both!" he said with a big smile.

"How was the market today, Father?" i asked as i return back to the bread, cutting it slowly.

He sighs and sit at the table, rubbing his rough hands against his face. "Not good, little snow flake." he said through his hands. Mother looks to him with worry eyes as she returns back to the pot. "There's new farmers in the market selling better vegetables and fruits than mine....People are favoring them...."

I nod slowly and look to him, seeing the dark circles under his brown eyes. He have been working so hard on the farm and the market that he almost don't have time to rest or have some alone time with mother so i thought on a brilliant idea.

"Tomorrow i can go to the market and you can stay here with mom, Dad." he frowns at my words and shook his head.

"No, little snow flake. I don't want you go alone to that town full of sins." he growls tirely, resting his back against the chair's back. I roll my eyes and smile gently.

"You don't have to worry about me, Dad. I'm a big girl now! I can defend myself." i said with a grin, knowing full well that he knows I'm talking the truth since he taught me some fighting moves when i was a child.

He sighs and nod, smirking up to mom as she giggles. "Very well then... Tomorrow you shall go to the market BUT if you notice any funny business, you come right home. Okay?" i nod excited and gave a kiss on his cheek.

"Yes, Dad!" i said as i finished cutting the bread. I pose the knife on the counter but as i do that, i slice my finger on the sharp blade. A hiss fell from my lips as i quickly look down to my finger, seeing pure white blood oozing out from the wound.

"Are you okay, Rose?" mom said while she grab a wet cloth. She grabs my hand and look carefully to the wound, a relief sigh escaping from her lips. "Still pure as the day you were born, huh? I'm glad." she murmured as she clean my wound.

We all born with white blood which symbolizes our pure soul. As we grow up, our blood can change to red and become darker if we begun doing cruel things. The darker the blood, the cruel you are.

Mine's is still pure white which can be pretty rare since I'm 22. By now, it could be a little darker just for a little lie or for stealing something but since I've never done any of those things, I'm pure as the day i was born.

"There! All done!" Mom said with a warm smile. She grabbed the pot from the fireplace and put it on the table while dad took out our bowls and spoons. I put the bread on a basket and put it on the table.

We sat and start eating dinner, listening to dad's stories from the market and laughing at his jokes.

~~~~~~

"Balmoral Town" his voice was rough and hard, making the small folk of the night look at tall elf in surprise. "Let's hope i don't get trouble in here." Maedhros murmured as he walk through the small town.

He enters on the busy tavern, removing his hood from his head, letting his silky red hair fall down his back. He walks to the bar's counter and call the servant.

"What can i get you, elf?" the old man with red face and stains of soup and beer on his white shirt, asked. His hair was dirty blond and looked like hay. There was a big nasty scar on his cheek that come from the corner of his mouth to his ear.

"Do you have a empty room?" Maedhros asked while he looked to his surroundings, notice most of the people in there was drunk.

The old man turn back, grabbing a rusty key and then turn to him, throwing the key to the counter. "Upstairs on the left." he said roughly.

Maedhros thank the old man and go upstairs, following the man's instructions. He enter the small room, having to bend down a little so he don't with his head on the ceiling, and sits with a tire sigh on the bed.

He took his boots off and throw them to the corner of them room, along with his pack and sword. Then, he lies down and groans in pleasure as he feels the soft mattress hugging his back.

His eyes begun feeling heavy and so his body. Taking a deep breath, he let his body and mind relax, letting sleep take over him.

"Tomorrow is a new day." he mumbled as his eyes fluttered shut.

Hey Guys!!! Here the first chapter of Pure Blood!!! I hope you enjoy its as much i did writing it! Feel free to comment and tell me what you think!

XOXO

[phoenix-downer]

Brought to Life

Roxas/Naminé. Alternate Universe. Romance. Based off of the Greek myth Pygmalion. ~3000 words. For @scoobysnack1107​. 

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There was nothing Naminé liked more than art.

She started out by drawing on spare scraps of paper her father left around his workshop. Little scrawls and scribbles with pencil stubs as she watched him sculpt works for his many clients. He was the most respected sculptor in the city, and he always had a long list of commissions to work on. 

When Naminé wasn’t helping her mother with chores around the house, she spent every spare moment watching her father at work. Once she was old enough, he enlisted her help and then formally signed her on as an apprentice. From then on, every spare moment she spent in his workshop honing her craft. She learned to work with a variety of mediums—wood, stone, clay, metal—but marble was her favorite. It was easy to mold and yet resistant to shattering, and she loved the feel of its texture beneath her fingers and its slight translucence that mimicked human skin. 

As the years passed, Naminé developed a reputation as something of a prodigy. People began to ask her to craft special orders under her own name and not her father’s. And when she wasn’t working in her father’s workshop, she worked with a master painter in the city and learned his secrets, too. By the time her twentieth birthday had arrived, she had quite the following of her own and was set for a life of steady work and happy clients for both sculpture and painting. 

There was just one catch. She had no one with which to live her life, and her parents were not getting any younger. They worried about who would take care of her once they were gone and urged her to find someone to marry.

“The two of you are still young,” she told them as she added the finishing touches to a painting of their splendid city during its summer festival for the goddess Aphrodite. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I have clients enough to last me for the rest of my days.” 

“Naminé, we’re not worried about your ability to provide for yourself,” her mother said as she took a seat on one of the workbenches. Her blond hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her blue eyes were filled with worry for her daughter. “Ever since you were little, we’ve known you’re talented, and your hard work has ensured you’ll be able to take care of yourself for the rest of your days.” 

“What we’re worried about is that you’ll be lonely,” her father said. His dark hair had a few streaks of gray in it now, but his blue eyes were as intense as ever, and Naminé knew he had many years of life ahead of him yet.

“Lonely?” Naminé set her paintbrush down. Why should she be lonely with such a happy family and so many happy clients? Her parents’ friends were wonderful too, and she never lacked for company if she so desired it.

“Don’t you want someone to spend the rest of your days with?” her mother said. 

“Oh, like a husband?” 

Her parents both nodded, and she glanced outside. She often saw young men pass by their shop when she worked into the twilight hours; it was on the way to a rather seedy part of the city, and she was less than impressed by the effects of alcohol, gambling, and prostitutes on the young men. Didn’t they have any respect for their wives and families?

Naminé sniffed. She had no use for a husband who would drink himself into a stupor, gamble her hard-earned money away, and then spend the night using the body of some poor woman whose name he couldn’t even be bothered to remember, all while his wife waited lonely and unsatisfied at home for him to come home at the crack of dawn to pass out and sleep the morning away while she did the chores. She would rather be alone forever than be miserably married to such a man. 

“I’m not interested in any of the men I’ve met,” she said. “I’m not interested in marriage at all.”

Let her parents think what they would about her words, but she would not be persuaded to chain herself to a miserable marriage. She had never met a man she would be interested in marrying, and she doubted that would change. There were plenty of good men in the world, but the ones she knew were all already married, and she had no taste for adultery or affairs. 

Her parents dropped the subject for now, but every now and then it would come up in conversation. One breezy autumn day, as they ate lunch on the terrace of their home, it came up again, and with a vengeance.

“Naminé,” her father said, not even trying to hide the exasperation in his voice, “if you don’t ever meet any young men, how would you know you’re not interested in marriage?” 

“It’s true. You spend so much time in the workshop and hardly any time at all meeting people your age,” her mother said as she sipped her goblet of wine. 

“I have a lot of work to do,” Naminé replied. “If I work hard now, I can build a good reputation for myself and have more flexibility when I’m older. Then I can think about marriage.” 

There was no point in rushing. Right now, her career took center stage. Marriage could come much later… if at all. 

Her mother daintily patted her mouth with her napkin. “Do you even know what you want in a husband?” 

Naminé thought for a moment. “Someone kind and caring, someone loyal and true. A man who would defend me from harm and never betray my trust. A man who would love me and want to be with me always.” 

Her father brightened. “Those are all good qualities. Why don’t I inquire with a matchmaker about—”

She shook her head. “It’s okay, father. I don’t think such a man exists. Or if he does, he’s already happily married to someone else.”

Her parents dropped the subject once more, but their conversation haunted her. She had little faith her dream man existed, but her life as an artist had taught her that she could create things out of nothing. She could make things a reality that had only existed in her head before.  

She stayed in the workshop after she’d finished the day’s work. A big hunk of marble had been delivered yesterday, and she had let it sit there, unsure of what to do with it. It was far too big to make a bust out of, and no one had commissioned her to make any full-body sculptures lately. 

But tonight, she had just the idea. Grabbing some wire, her fingers worked swiftly and deftly to craft a basic human figure. Then she took a large lump of clay and shaped it around the frame to get an overall idea of what she wanted the sculpture to look like. 

Content with what she had so far, she went to bed, physically tired but mentally alert. The next few weeks she spent building a full scale model and then added tacks at key points. Once she was happy with their locations, she transferred the tacks to the block of marble to get a sense of scale. 

This next part was what she’d been looking forward to the most. Mallet and chisel in hand, she went to work bringing out the man trapped inside the marble. A dynamic pose to emphasize his movement, to make him seem real. A broad chest and wide shoulders, strong enough to wield a sword and protect her from harm. A resolute expression on his face, because he was passionate and driven. And yet his eyes needed to look at her just right; had to be both both determined and gentle. 

This process took months, especially because Naminé still had her clients’ commissions to work on. She usually only had time to work on the sculpture of the man during the evening after her other duties were fulfilled, and she spent many a late night working on him. But as he became more and more lifelike with each passing day, she was more determined than ever to finish her work. Now she was using a more specific set of tools; tooth chisels and claw chisels and rasps and rifflers. 

When at last the sculpture before her matched the image in her head and the models she’d made, it was time to sand the uneven parts down with a special rough stone called emery. The color of the marble shone through in this process as a thin patina developed over its surface, and she also added a sealing compound to make the marble practically glow. 

Now for the reason she’d studied painting: so she could paint her own statues. She gave the man blond hair and blue eyes with Naples yellow and Egyptian blue. His hair was brighter gold than her own, so bright it was like the daffodils that grew in her family’s garden. And his eyes were darker blue than her own, as blue as the water in the fountain reflecting the color of the tiles beneath it. She painted his skin and clothes with a variety of other fine pigments. Dragon’s blood, lead white, and lamp black contrasted nicely with his hair and were what she largely used for his clothes. 

At long last, after over a year’s worth of work, she was finished. She set her paintbrushes down and stared at her creation. This was what she had worked so hard on, what she had poured hundreds of hours of sweat and tears and the occasional drop of blood into. Her ideal man. His golden hair swept up towards the sky, and his blue eyes gazed down at her. The robes draped from his arms and legs were so realistic they almost seemed like actual clothes, and his striking pose made him look like a warrior or messenger coming down from the heavens to protect her.

She brought her hand to her cheek, and it was hot. Was she really… blushing? Just from looking at a statue she’d made? How was this even…

She ducked her head and then looked back at the statue, mesmerized by her own creation. He was handsome and dashing, tall and strong and true. Loyal and faithful because he knew only her, knew only her touch which had spent hours bringing him into being. 

It was a good thing he wasn’t real. Otherwise he would be disloyal, just like the others. Just like her first love who had—

She cleared her throat and looked away. She wouldn’t think about that man and how he’d broken her heart, finding shelter in the arms of another woman instead of her arms. Because now she had a man that would never leave her, never abandon her, never betray her. 

Maybe he wasn’t real, but she couldn’t risk her heart on a real man again. 

Right?

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Though the statue was, by her father’s estimation, her greatest work yet, Naminé refused to sell it. She didn’t even want other people seeing it lest they get any ideas. Very rarely did she keep any of her works for herself, but this one was an exception. She was keeping it for the rest of her days.

She found her eyes drawn to it often as she worked, and her blush returned when she glanced at it. It was so lifelike, so realistic, that she couldn’t help but be drawn to it. No, to him. Referring to him as an it felt wrong. The more she looked at him, the more she felt he had a soul trapped in the rock, much like his form had once been trapped in the rock.

Late at night, after her father had gone to bed and the other workers had gone home, she’d taken to lingering in the workshop to spend a few more moments with him. As she gazed into his eyes one summer night, the moonlight shining on his face, a thought occurred to her.

“I haven’t given you a name yet.” 

She pressed her fingers together as she thought. He needed a name, a fitting name…  

“You were hewn out of marble, out of rock…” She smiled. “Roxas. Your name is Roxas.”

He gazed at her steadily, and her blush spread up her cheeks. The name was perfect, just like he was perfect. She reached for his hand and wrapped her fingers around it. Her hand fit perfectly in his, and she sighed. 

“Roxas, I think I love you.” 

Her breath caught in her throat. Had she really just said those words out loud? Was she really in love with a statue? How awful, how could she have let this happen—

Ashamed, she fled from the workshop and retreated to her room and buried herself under her blankets. This had gone on for too long. Roxas had bewitched her, heart and body and soul, and a statue so powerful must be cursed with evil magic. She had to get rid of him as soon as possible before some disastrous fate fell upon her and her family. 

But the thought of losing him, the thought of losing her beloved Roxas, made her heart sink. Could she so easily throw him out when she had made him? Cast him aside like her first love had cast her aside? 

Still, this obsession wasn’t healthy. She needed to do something about it. Tomorrow was the first day of the festival for Aphrodite. Maybe, if she went to the goddess’s temple and prayed, Aphrodite would send her a real man that would make her forget all about her infatuation with a statue. 

Yes, that was what she would do. Satisfied now that she had a plan, she was able to go to sleep. But as she slipped from consciousness, it was Roxas’s chiseled marble face that lingered in her mind.

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Naminé rose early the next morning for the festival so she could carefully select some choice flowers from her family’s garden to offer as a gift to Aphrodite. It wouldn’t do to approach the goddess empty-handed, and so Naminé made sure she had an offering worthy of the city’s deity.

The flowers selected, she made her way to the sanctuary of Aphrodite, where the altar of Aphrodite rested. Throngs of people surrounded her, as the festival was already underway, and it took quite some time before she made it inside the sanctuary, let alone to where the altar was. But at last it was her turn to offer a gift to the goddess, and as she did, she made a wish, her voice barely above a whisper.

“If it so pleases you, Aphrodite, I would like to wish for a husband in the likeness of my Roxas.” 

In her heart of hearts, she knew the wish was not entirely true. She didn’t just want a husband in the likeness of Roxas, she wanted Roxas to be her husband. But she was still too ashamed to admit her true desire, so she went home and returned to the workshop. A particularly wealthy patron had requested a bust of him and his wife, and she wanted to get at least a little work done for his request today. 

But when she entered the studio, Roxas was there waiting for her. He looked even more handsome and lifelike than ever, and a strange urge came over her. Her feet carried her to him, as if she was being carried along by the breeze. She cupped his cheek, and she could’ve sworn his skin felt soft beneath her touch. 

“Roxas,” she said, her voice breaking. “My dear Roxas. How badly do I wish you were real.” 

His blue eyes steadily gazed back at her as she stroked his face. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her mouth against his in a sweet kiss, her eyes fluttering shut as she indulged the fantasy that had taken root in her heart from the moment she’d named him. To her surprise, his lips felt warm. She leaned back a little, her lips parting and her eyes widening, then kissed him again.

This time, she didn’t stop kissing him, even when his lips grew warmer and his skin grew ever softer against her touch. And then his arms went around her and he was kissing her back. A soft cry caught in her throat as he did. This was real. He was real, and he was holding her in his arms like she’d dreamed he would.

She remembered. She remembered everything. Why no man she’d ever met could satisfy her. No man in this life, anyway. Why her heart was so drawn to a statue of him, to this man she loved with all her heart. Her Roxas was in her arms, and all was right in the World again. 

When they finally broke apart, she was breathless. She would’ve fallen if he hadn’t caught her and gently pulled her up.

“Naminé,” he said, his voice breaking as he looked into her eyes and caressed her cheek. 

She hugged him again. “Roxas—”

He held her and comforted her as she cried, reassuring her that their long separation was over, that he was here and they were together again. 

“We promised, remember? ‘We’ll meet again,’” he said, smiling as he repeated the words she’d told him so long ago. “So here I am. It wasn’t the way I was expecting, exactly, but what matters is that I’m here and we’re together.” 

“Yes.” She found his hand and held it. Even when her mind had forgotten him, her heart hadn’t. Her body hadn’t either; it had guided her through the long process it had taken to bring him back to life, and it was responding so wonderfully to his touch. 

He scooped her up in his arms. “Shall we?” he said as she laughed lightly. 

“Yes, we shall.” 

As he carried her out of the workshop and to the house, she couldn’t take her eyes off of his face. They were together again at long last, and she wanted to make the most of every moment.

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A/N: This fic was written for @scoobysnack1107​! Rokunami is dear to her heart, and she’s poured so much love and effort into the Rokunami fandom. I wanted to write something for her to thank her for that, as well as to thank her for supporting me :) 

This guide was really helpful in terms of how to make a marble sculpture, and I drew heavily on it when I wrote the descriptions of Naminé making the sculpture of Roxas. Also, thank you to @rapis-razuri​ for looking over things for me and providing suggestions and feedback!

Hope you all enjoyed! 

[imagine-loki]

Deceptive Blankets

TITLE:  Deceptive Blankets

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT:  One-shot

AUTHOR:  latenightpeony

ORIGINAL IMAGINE:  Imagine finding Loki in your bed.

RATING:  T?

NOTES/WARNINGS:  All fluff, no smut here today, folks.

_________________________________________________________________

Today was the day he was going to do it. Everything up until this point had worked out perfectly, and things were falling into place; he had finally decided to demand that you would become his partner. Willingly, of course.  

He was currently in your apartment, hoping to leave a few gifts for you to come home to. Things were fine until he heard the jingle of keys right outside the door of your apartment, a full hour and a half earlier than he expected. Considering he wasn’t entirely invited into your apartment, he quickly dipped into the closest room to avoid detection.

~

Sighing, you all but slammed the door behind you, glad to be home. It was a rough day as always, with an extra load of work thrown on top of your things to do, but the coziness of your home was nearly enough to relax your nerves. Paying little attention to the rumbles from your stomach, you turned for your bedroom, saving food for after the nap you planned to take. 

You quietly slipped into your room, kicking off your shoes, ready to fall into a nice sleep. However, your bed seemed much…fluffier, than usual, with a few added inches. You couldn’t tell whether or not it was your imagination, so didn’t pay much mind to it. The fluffier the better, actually, as it seemed more welcoming. Dropping your bags and coat to the floor, you plopped down on your bed. But to your confusion, you sunk much deeper into it than you thought. Actually, you had phased through the “blanket” entirely, with a golden hue outlining your body where you connected with it.

Speechless, it only took you a few seconds to process what had happened. You stood up and faced your bed before diving your hands into the illusion, testing to see how much of it was fake. You didn’t expect to make contact with a face, nor did you expect it to yelp. You yelped in response, pulling your hand back, and the blanket faded in a wave of gold to reveal the greasy weasel sprawled out in quite the suggestive pose. Wiggling his eyebrows and flashing a confident smile, he stood (or in this case laid) his ground, holding your gaze…in your bed.

“Well, you’re home early,” he said with a chuckle. “I thought I had at least an hour and a half.”

“…What…are you doing? In my house…and in my bed?” you more mumbled than asked, your eyes looking over his outstretched body.

“My eyes are up here, dear.”

Dear? That was a new one. You two usually engaged in friendly banter, with you calling each other names, always playfully. It always warranted weird looks from the others, even some “just date already”’s every now and then, much to your embarrassment. Your eyes were still locked on his frame when he gave a few snaps, pulling you from your thoughts.

“Eyes.” He reinstated with a smirk.

Blushing embarrassingly, you locked eyes with his. “How did you get in?”  

Unfortunately, you were only answered with a wave of his wand, dismissing the very valid question. Sitting up, he reached over to your nightstand ignoring your protests because you did NOT him want to see or read whatever you had in there, but instead, he pulled out a box of chocolates. He held out the box like a peace offering, which you took reluctantly, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“I’m offering you these chocolates in exchange for your eternal presence by my side.”

You stared at his expectant face for a minute before shaking your head to clear your thoughts.

“Are you…asking me out?”

“If that’s what you want to call it, then yes.” He said as-a-matter-of-factly, tapping a finger on the box in your hands. “It has all of your favorites, so there is no issue, yes? Good.” He stood up, not waiting for a response, and instead plucked your coat from where you left it on the floor and tossed it to you, it landing over your head. “I have a dining reservation in two hours, but we should go for a walk beforehand for some fresh air.” He added before leaving you with your thoughts as he stepped out of your bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Looking at the chocolates, you tried to process what had just happened. Came home, tried to take a nap, fake blanket, found a Loki, and now a relationship with a surprise dinner reservation? Which he agreed to for you…not that you were going to object to it anyways.  

But hey, you now have a box of chocolates and a god for a boyfriend, right?

[viogsquad]

jealous - david dobrik

authors note; tried to upload this just and tumblr wouldn’t let me so lets try again! feedback is appreciated so please send it in. also had to use some smut that i wrote for another fandom cause wow my mind went blank for this one. word count; 2.4k. warnings; dom!david, hint of sub!david, oral.

You knew that you should have been focused on the video that David was playing for you but your concentration was focused on something else, David completely aware of what you were thinking after being together for so long. It was something so straightforward, just the way his hands clicked on the keys as he wrote out his title, the skilled hands that edited the video with such ease after doing YouTube for so long. You were completely gone and it was all because of something so simple.

“Are you even watching the video or are you just going to keep staring at my hands?” David asked, eyes shifting to look over at you. Your heart raced at the thought of being noticed, your dirty thoughts clearer than you had expected. “Tell me what happened in the video,” David teased, knowing full well that you wouldn’t be able to give him a clear answer.

You shrugged your shoulders and looked to the side in an attempt to avoid his gaze. “Jason pretended to be Natalie - “

“That was the last vlog but nice try,” David interrupted, smirk spread across his face as he returned his attention to the laptop. “And just remember that you are still being punished, twenty-four hours to go.”

You playfully rolled your eyes at David before grabbing hold of your phone, twitter seemingly more entertaining than the silence that filled the room as David double checked for any editing mistakes that might be there unnoticed. You couldn’t focus on anything else though, just sinful thoughts about your boyfriend and how he turned you into a mess whenever the two of you were alone together.

It had been nearly a week on pure teasing, coquettish text messages sent whenever he was out filming, playful hands under the table during dinners and he was driving you crazy. You regretted flirting with Jeff jokingly for Jason’s vlogs, your punishment put into place as soon as the video had been uploaded and David had seen the clip, twitter going wild as they made up false rumours that did nothing but anger David.

Your mind went back to the last time you were together - his hands pressed against the skin of your neck, teasing you and making you think of all the times you had been against the wall in the same position, all of them full of sin and impurity. The feeling of his hard cock pressed into your thighs as he whispered filth in your ear, going over every punishment you would receive when the two of you were alone and the podcast was finished. You could remember every touch of that night, the bruises left on your skin a friendly reminder every time you sat down.

You were desperate for his fingers and to feel his cold rings pressed against your skin. Work had been taking over his life, his popularity increasing by the day and interviews with big companies coming out of nowhere. By the time he got home after a long day of filming, his first thought was getting some sleep and cuddling up with the woman that he loved so he could be fully refreshed for the next day where another day of filming would happen.

All you had thought about during a dinner with your friends were David’s fingers pounding in and out of you as he made conversation with his friends over the table, so calm and collected yet completely aware of the thoughts that you were having. Your hand was in his as you attempted to drag it to your thigh, David giving you a quick smirk before removing himself from your grip - he knew exactly what he was doing. All you had got over dinner was some teasing, his hand only returning to your thigh when you were making conversation with Corinna. People took note of your silence and the look in your eyes, glazed over and sexually frustrated which somehow you managed to get out of, the excuse that you didn’t feel good coming in handy.

David felt like a teenage all over again when he received those texts from you, mentally thanking Jason and Natalie for leaving him alone in the car while they nipped into target. You were alone in your shared bedroom, the words written out in the text almost convincing David to leave his friends stranded so he could drive back home and have you pinned to the mattress like you wanted. Photos of your dressed in his favourite lingerie came through afterwards, different poses that showed off your delicate curves mixed in with most explicit photos of your naked body that was on show for him.

Then there were the times when you would be alone in bed and you would picture how pretty David’s hands would look when they tied to the headboard, the marks that would be along his wrists from the rope and his attempt at escaping. He looked most beautiful when he was laid on the bed and begging to cum, tears in his eyes as he watched you use his thigh to get yourself off.

“I need you,” you whispered once you had come back to reality, your phone thrown to the side of your body as you faced David.

“Busy and remember - “

“I’m still being punished,” you cut off, your words mocking and face twisted into a frown. “Doesn’t change the fact that it’s been nearly a week since you fucked me.”

Your eyes widened at David’s sudden movements, his hand wrapped around your throat with no pressure as he looked you dead in the eyes, showing you that he didn’t care for the bratty behaviour that you were performing. “Don’t wind me up,” he muttered, voice low and his tone portraying how tired he was. “Suck my cock and I might just give you something in return.”

“Yeah?” You smiled, tongue flicking out to lick your lips as you leaned over and pressed a kiss to the corner of David’s mouth.

Nothing else needed to be said, your body sinking to the floor and in between David’s legs as you looked up at him. The laptop he was working on placed to the side of his body as he moved his body to lower his joggers and boxers. The nerves that were in your stomach was soon replaced with lust as David signalled for you to do the rest, his desire for your mouth stronger than he was willing to give on. He had missed you completely - your mouth, your touch, just everything.

“Such a good girl,” he whispered, hands wrapping around your hair where he tugged gently and signalled for you to hurry up, fully aware that he would soon be bombarded with tweets about where the vlog was.

David was warm in your mouth and heavy against your tongue as you struggled to take all of his girth. His moans were sinfully sweet as he helped you move up and down his cock by the grip in your now messed up hair, curls slowly tangling together and his grip was so tight that you worried for the headache that would come with his release. You knew that you were in for an immoral night, a week without each other’s touch being poured into one session but you were soaked at the thought of it and all you could picture was being pressed into the bed sheets as you sang David’s name until the sun rose in Los Angeles.

The whimpers and whines coming from David’s pretty mouth should have caused concern that you would get caught in the act, Natalie only down the hallway and even though you weren't going to stop, you didn’t want to traumatise the poor girl even more than she already was from living with the two of you. With David’s mind and body weakening with every passing moment though, all you could think about was bringing him to the place that he desired the most so you could get your own release.

David’s dominance changed form completely as he neared his ends, too rough to keep his grip on your hair and his hands instead flattened against the white sofa as he slightly thrusted his hips upwards, your throat constricting as he forced the tip of his cock to meet your gag reflex. David gave you permission to do your own thing for a while as you struggled to recover from the fucking you had received, your breathing uneven and all over the place as you moved your hand along his cock. His words were like heaven in your ear as he praised you wholly, words boosting your confidence with every passing second.

With darkened lips and saliva dripping down your chin, you flicked your tongue out and licking along your bottom lip as you attempted to tease David. His face was emotionless though when you looked up at him, entirely unimpressed with your sudden attempt at teasing him and failed attempt at switching the rules. David would let you have your fun in the bedroom, the ropes already planted under the bed where you would continue to relieve him of his stress.

The emotionless expression that weirdly suited his face was soon replaced with pleasure though when you swirl your tongue around the head of his cock, continuing a few times until he was whimpering above you all over again, desperate to feel your warm and wet mouth around his length. Cheeks were hallowed as you bobbed up and down without stopping, keen to get David to his peak so you could remember the taste of him and the way he looked down as he came down from his high for the next time, he punished you.

“Come up here and give us a kiss,” David moaned, leaning down to grab you by the shoulders when your hands continued to move up and down his length, not willing to give up. “I said get up here, you’ll get a taste later.”

Looking up at David was fake innocence, small hand still wrapped around his cock as you made him promise. His mouth was slightly open and eyes half-closed as he nodded once before gulping, pulling you up so you were stood in front of him.

He looked so beautiful as you glanced down at him, a sheet of sweat glistening on his forehead, cheeks a rosy red and chest heaving up and down as his hands wandered up your thighs and under the oversized t-shirt you had thrown on after you had been in the shower.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss your thighs. “Need you so bad.”

“Have me then.”

With one quick movement that had you gasping out loud, David had picked you up and was dragging you down so you were laid across the sofa. Your underwear was pulled down your legs and thrown onto the floor before David’s hands were gripping your thighs and pulling them apart so you were fully exposed for him. The slight pain from his fingers digging in subsided as you grabbed David by the shirt he was still wearing and finally felt his mouth on yours, his breath warm as it mingled with yours and stole all your breath away all over again. You tugged on his brown locks and pulled him closer, one hand moving up to settle on your cheek as put a week's worth of missing kisses into one.

His hands gripped your thighs once again as he dragged you back against the cosy sofa, your legs wrapping around his waist. Touches up your thigh had you mewling and begging for more, words you kept for him spoken as you begged and pleaded with David to either give you his mouth or his cock.

“Going to fuck you with my cock before anything else, girl,” he said, silencing your desperate pleads with a few simple words and turning your body into a wanting mess.

David had twisted you around so you were on your hands and knees, his hands burning your skin with every touch as he brought you into the correct position that he knew would have you screaming out and waking up the neighbours, along with poor Natalie.

David’s hips snapping against your ass had you screaming out, his breath hot against your ear as he leaned over your body and whispered filth in your ear, reminding you of what was to come once he had managed to upload the vlog. The words he spoke would be repeated in your head when you were alone with nothing but your fingers and the thought of David.

“Always take my cock so well, don’t you?” David praised, his head buried into your neck where left kisses and marks that you would struggle to cover up the next day - it would make decent vlog footage for everybody else. “My girl, yeah? Mine.”

David wrapped one hand around your throat as he dragged you up, your back pressed against his chest. His thrusts are not soft or passionate, that would be in the morning when he praised you for being such a good girl the night before, instead they were rough and full of desperation. His thrusts relentless, words broken up as whimpers slip from his mouth and the noise contrasts perfectly to the filth that spills out of him when he speaks.

The anger from your flirting with Jeff finally came out to play as David bent you back over, his fingers sure to leave bruises on your skin from where he was holding you still to stop you flying forward with every thrust of his hips. You moaned David’s name like a prayer with every thrust, your lines blurred as you looked down at the sofa and allowed pleasure to take over your body.

David’s thrusts got harsher as he brought himself and you closer to the brink, the two of you finally getting what you had been craving. Stopping for a quick moment, David pulled out and twisted your body around so you were laid on your back, your skin glistening under the living room light and your hair a mess as it spread out across the sofa

David’s head moved to your neck as he thrusts resumed, his teeth sinking into your skin whenever it felt particularly good. “I love you,” David whispered, his mouth against yours. “I love you so much.”

You breathed out heavily as you placed both of your hands-on David’s face, moving his head so he was looking at you directly. His thrusts didn’t stop but he was sure his heart did when he looked at you properly, an absolute angel in David’s eyes.

“And I love you.”

[cilldaracailin]

A Kind Of Magic

Here is the next part. Thanks for all the Tumblr love :)

10

“There is nothing like a shared interest to draw people together.”

They cleared away all the breakfast dishes and tidied the kitchen, Taron washing and Robyn drying as before. They also took the time to dress each other’s stitches.

“Did Doctor Keane give you any tablets like I got some?” Asked Taron as he tapped the dressing to Robyn’s shoulder.

“Yeah she did. My prescription finished on Thursday morning. I just have to go and get these stitches out next week.”

“Your shoulder still looks bruised though. Isn’t it still sore?”

“If I lay on it with direct pressure yes but I can move about and lift and stretch.” She felt Taron run his finger down the tape to keep it secure and stuck on the dressing. “Thanks Taron.”

“Anytime.” He said as he pulled the strap of her top back up.

She got to her feet and kicked her shoes off. “Garden.” She said simply and skipped out into the deck and onto the grass before turning back. “Suncream.” She said as she walked past Taron who had been following her but stopped as she walked back into the apartment and into her closet in the bedroom before she walked out again. “Case.” She said but turned and walked back into the bedroom. “Purse.”

Taron couldn’t help the fully belly laugh that he made as he watched Robyn walk around her apartment from one room to another just randomly saying words and it felt so good, but at the same time quite sore and unpleasant as his side hurt to laugh like that.

“Key.” She returned holding a tiny key in her hand and walked to the laundry room. She opened the door, disappeared for a second before coming back lifting a very heavy looking case.

“Whoa, that’s heavy Robyn!” He went to give her some help but with ease, Robyn lifted the case up higher and onto the island. “You are a little freakishly strong.” He said as he watched her put the small key in the lock and open it.

“Lifting three and four years old builds some serious muscle. I don’t know if this is something you want to see inside of. It will completely change your opinion of me.”

“Why?” Asked Taron intrigued.

“Well this is my case from Florida that I had great intentions of coming home to pack properly after I went to the 7/11 to get my turtles, which I never actually got by the way. Anyway, after I left you in the hospital…” Robyn gave him a sad smile. “I had about an hour to pack up the rest of my things before I needed to leave for the airport so I literally just threw everything in.”

Taron moved a bit closer to her. Although he was hurt when he found out she had left him so suddenly, he hadn’t really thought about how Robyn had felt as she packed up to leave so quickly to return home. As much as he was upset with her departure it must have been just as horrible if not worse for Robyn.

“I just want the suncream but yeah. It’s in here somewhere, in this mess.” Robyn heaved her case open. “Left or right?”

“You haven’t unpacked this yet?” Asked Taron as she unzipped the left side.

“Erm no. Haven’t really had the motivation to do it.” She walked away and back into the laundry room and carried out a white wicker laundry basket. “Might as well sort the washing out too. You really don’t have to watch this Taron. Not going to be very interesting at all. Ya know girly delicates and dirty clothes.”

Taron pulled a stool over and sat on it, feeling the need to sit rather than stand, his body feeling tender and rough. “We have already crossed barriers that others haven’t. I think we might be past the dirty laundry stage.”

“Okie dokie.” Replied Robyn as she started pulling clothes out and throwing the majority of them into the laundry basket. Pants, t-shirts, bras, shorts and bikinis as well as many pairs of socks were put in along with some jeans. Robyn stopped when her hands pulled out the blue polo shirt she has been wearing the in the 7/11. It was still frayed at the bottom from where she had cut it to use the material as a bandage for Taron’s arm, the back-left shoulder covered in her blood and it was littered with spots of Taron’s blood too. She turned to look at him before moving over to the bin beside her kitchen door. “Well I don’t need that any more.” She then pulled out the jeans she was wearing and threw them into the bin too. “Or those.” The white pair of converse she was wearing were next but she dropped them in the laundry basket for a wash. She wasn’t quite willing to part with an expensive pair of shoes that cost her more than half a day’s wages.

“I am pretty sure my ripped white t-shirt is in a bin too. Couldn’t really salvage it when someone decided to rip it in half.” Taron tried to lift the spiralling mood and was glad to see that Robyn had thrown the clothing out that she was wearing in the 7/11 because he had done the exact same thing once he was given back his belongings that he came in with in the hospital. It was a reminder he didn’t want and it seemed Robyn was thinking the same.

“I was updating your boring white t-shirt look. It needed some rips.” She welcomed how Taron quickly made a little joke about the clothes they had been wearing when everything went to shit in the 7/11 and she returned to her case, making quick work of pulling out more dirty clothes and finally at the bottom of the left side of the case she found the bag of suncream she was looking for. “Ah-ha!” She said proudly as she pulled the canvas bag out. She left the suncream on the island and closed her case over, zipping it fully. She lifted it off the island and kicking her laundry basket across the floor she put both in the laundry room to the side, closing the door behind her.

“Robyn!”

“What?” She asked as she came back to stand beside Taron, opening the bag of suncream.

“You are seriously going to leave that in there like that?”

“Yeah, I will fix it later. I really am not in the mood for clearing out the rest of it and sorting the washing? Ugh not happening right now.” She enjoyed the disapproving look he gave her. “I told you your opinion of me was going to change. I only wanted the suncream for us.” She turned the bag upside down, emptying it all out onto the island. “Ok factor fifty for you and I shall take this ten.”

“Ten? Absolutely not. I saw your sunburn in the 7/11, I even rubbed the aftersun in. Factor fifty for you too.” Taron took the ten away leaving the bottle of fifty.

Robyn grinned. “That was because I didn’t use any suncream. I will be ok with ten and you can take the fifty. I already have a very good base. I am normally not this colour. I just tan easily and took full advantage of my weekends on the beach.”

Taron got off the stool. “Let’s compromise with a twenty-five then.”

“Twenty-five for you and fifteen for me? Ten for me? Or I could go straight for this factor four tanning oil.” Robyn picked up the brown bottle.

Taron grabbed the bottle from her. “No tanning oil. Seriously? Tanning oil?”

“I love a good beach holiday and I like a tan. Tanning oil helps, near the end of the holiday. Not at the start.”

Taron pulled two bottles towards him. “Twenty-five for me and fifteen for you.”

With the suncream factors agreed on and rubbed in, Taron making sure he got Robyn’s shoulders, both Robyn and Taron took to the garden and a sun lounger each, Taron on his back, a soft pillow under his head, Robyn sitting up reading a book. His right side was still giving him hell after laying on it all night and lying on his back was the most comfortable position for him. Robyn had asked him to tie the strings of her top behind her back after he had finished rubbing her suncream in. ‘Tan lines’ she had simply said and he obliged tucking them in the back of her top. As the time passed on, his had opened the remainder of the buttons on his shirt and the heat of the sun felt just perfect on his shattered body.

Robyn had given him free reign over the music and he would ask Alexa to change the song or artist but he had settled on Elton John who was playing through the speakers which Robyn had connected to her Alexa so the music could be heard inside and out. It was exactly what he was sure Doctor Hart would have been expecting of him. Relaxing, listening to music and it was pure heaven. He sang along every now and again, having to stop when he gave it too much gusto, his whole body protesting but he definitely enjoyed it when he heard Robyn joining in at times too.

She had thrown back the doors to her bedroom too, turning off the air con and letting the late summer fresh air filter the whole way through her apartment. She took a glance every now again to Taron as he lay with one leg bent, his arms down by his side, his whole pose looking stress-free, his eyes closed, his breathing easy. His open shirt fluttered in the breeze and the bruising on his ribs and side still looked very sore, even a week after he had been hurt. Seeing how much slower Taron moved that morning, his hands moving to his side as he turned too quickly or bent the wrong way, Robyn knew he was trying to hide how much discomfort he was still in despite the strength of his pain killers. In saying that, the picture of Taron lounging easily in the sun was another image she was adding to her album of him in her mind. It was her perfect idea of a very lazy Saturday.

For three hours they lay in silence, the music enough for both, Taron dozing in and out of sleep. He wanted to pocket this feeling of surreal tranquillity and pull it out whenever he felt stressed or his anxiety start to rise. Every now and again he would look to Robyn and she looked just as peaceful as he felt. He watched her mouth the words along to whatever song was on as she flipped through the pages of her book. He couldn’t explain how much he enjoyed her company and he took delight in the fact that there was no pressure for them to talk or make conversation and it was a wonderful easy atmosphere surrounding them. He felt like she knew what he needed before he even needed it and he needed this rest. The angst and worry that had plagued him were slowly leaving his body as the sunlight and warmth crept in. As much as he loved his family, he knew he would never get respite like this at home. His mam would be almost fussing over him, being overly concerned which he loved about his mam but it was the not the attention he needed right now. He knew Robyn was keeping a very close watchful eye over him too, just doing it in her own stealthy way, letting him just rest in the silence, but ready to move to him if she needed.

Their quiet was interrupted by a ringing phone, Taron turning his head as he recognised his ring tone. He went to move, a grimace filling face, a groan leaving his lips and he had stop getting up as his head felt light and his delicate chest twinged.

“I got it.” Said Robyn as she jumped to her feet. “You stay.” She saw how Taron’s whole body froze as he experienced a serious wave of pain as he moved off the low lounger. It just added to number of times she had watched him cringe so far that day and she wasn’t liking it.

She walked into the bedroom from the garden and picked up his phone from the bedside locker where he had left it and brought it back out to him. Taron had sat up very gingerly and moved so his legs were either side of the seat and she handed him the phone, watching as his eyes lit up as he read the name on the screen. Robyn hadn’t looked but knew it must have been somebody special for the call to get such a reaction.

“Elton, hey!”  Robyn’s head turned twice as Taron answered the phone. “My mam yeah? Ahh man thanks Elton. No, I am ok. I’m good. I’m really good. I’m at a friend’s house. Yes, her name is Robyn and what else has my mam told you?” Taron looked to Robyn as he spoke on the phone and patted the sun lounger beside him for her to sit down and she did so copying the way he was sitting. She listened to the one ended conversation as Taron spoke to who she could only presume was Elton John. She had never seen Taron’s face light up so much and his eyes shone as he laughed and joked and spoke to his good friend, but she did notice how a frown tinged his features every now and again, his hand going to his side or his head. “I haven’t been doing much singing, no. I have to wait until my ribs heal up but Robyn and I are going to have an Elton/Freddie sing off.” Taron’s smile spread wide. “I haven’t heard her sing a lot but I know she can sing. I will represent, don’t you worry though with the looks I am getting now, I have a feeling I should be a little worried.” Robyn smirked and nodded. The conversation lasted two or three more minutes, Taron assuring his friend that he was ok and thanking him very much for the phone call. Taron said his goodbyes, wished Elton’s family well and ended the call, casually placing the phone down on the lounger between himself and Robyn.

“So, Elton John regularly calls you on a Saturday morning?” Asked Robyn.

“Yeah.” Shrugged Taron with a breezy tone but as he looked to Robyn who was raising an eyebrow at him, he had to laugh. “My mam phoned him to tell him what had happened and let him know I was ok. He is holding a charity action in a few weeks time and just wanted to make sure that I would be able to attend it after what happened. We are supposed to be singing together but he told me I was only to do so if I could.”

“Elton John was just calling you.”

“Robyn.” Grinned Taron, watching her eyes light up.

“Let me freak out for a little bit ok? It’s Elton John!”

Taron chuckled but his laughter was disrupted his phone ringing again. “Let’s play guess the celebrity caller.” Robyn grinned as he picked up his phone.

“Ahh this is a celebrity we both know.”

Robyn looked at him puzzled until he answered the call. “Hey Richard!”

“Richard!” Echoed Robyn.

“Let me put you on speaker mate. Robyn is here too.”

“Hello my fake co-star girlfriend.” Laughed Richard.

“Hello my fake boyfriend.”

“It is good to hear your voice Robyn.”

“You too Richard.”

“Taron, I have literally been calling you for the last two days.”

“Aww sorry mate. I have been sleeping for the last two days. I have made one phone call and that was to my mam.”

“So, you made to Robyn’s then?” Asked Richard, so glad to hear his friend’s voice. He had been worried when he had been getting through to Taron’s voice mail for the last two days.

“Yeah I did.”

“And she let you in? Robyn, I thought you would know better than to let strange men into your house!”

Robyn laughed. “You would think I would but I guess not and I don’t know if I count you two as complete strangers. I mean we did spend a whole night together.”

Another round of laughter filled the air.

“Taron how are you mate?”

“Yeah I am good Richard. Getting there and you? How are you?”

“Make up has had to cover the bruises but I am good too, Straight back into it. It’s been a good distraction.”

“Richard, can I just say something before, we have a catch up?” Robyn’s tone of voice turned serious.

“Sure Robyn.”

“I am so sorry for leaving you in the hospital Richard and for the letter I wrote and leaving all the responsibility of dealing with the fall out of what happened in the 7/11 with you because it was something that should not have been left to you to deal you. You were affected as much as Taron and I by what had happened and we all needed to talk about it but I got scared and ran away, which is a normal Robyn reaction. I am trying to be better. Taron has helped a lot and is teaching me that its ok to let people in but I just cannot apologise enough for what I did. I am really really sorry.”

As she spoke Taron reached over and took her hand.

“I am only going to say it once, but you do not need to apologise to me.” Said Richard over the phone his voice sterner than Robyn’s. “I am firm believer in things happen for a reason and this, whatever happened between us, happened for a reason. I won’t lie, when I found the letter, it took a while for me to process it and I don’t think I was the best person to speak to Tina but I imagine that by now all that air has been cleared and Taron is going to be ok, me too and you as well Robyn. It was you who held us all together in the 7/11 and whatever happened after that, might have been done in haste and because you were scared and had your own responsibilities but it’s done. You two have probably had that conversation by now so let’s leave it there. We know we will always be bonded by what happened and know we can turn to each other when we need to and that is what is most important.”

“Jesus did you two take lecture lessons after we met? You are both seriously knocking it out of the park with these speeches.” Robyn might have answered Richard’s touching words with her usual defensive sarcasm but she could feel the burden of guilt and worry she had been carrying about leaving Richard leave as he spoke and she wished he was there so she could give him a very grateful squishy hug.

“So, we are all forgiven and know that we can talk to each other when we need to?” There were a firm yes from Taron and Robyn. “Great. So, what have you two been up too?”

A long light-hearted conversation followed as the three caught up with each other, telling stories of their last three days, Richard very jealous of the baking Taron had been tasting as well as their chilled-out time in the garden. Richard was up to his eye in script changes and re-shoots. It was relaxed and carefree chat, jokes and giggles being thrown about and when the phone call ended, the three had made a promise to meet up when their individual schedules allowed it.

“So, can I expect any more phone calls from your friends?” Asked Robyn. “Maybe Hugh might give us a call, sing us a song…” She grinned.

“I can call him if you want.” Said Taron as he went to look for his number in his phone but Robyn pulled his phone from his hands.

“I was messing, God no.”

“Seriously, though, I can do that.”

“I know you can but you won’t. I am going to put this phone back now.” Robyn got up from the lounger, walked back to the bedroom and put the phone on the locker beside the bed.

“You’re a Hugh fan?” Asked Taron as she walked back.

“Have been since is Oklahoma days. He’s an amazing performer.”

“Did he come to Ireland on his tour?”

Robyn pulled her lounger closer to Taron’s so they could lay comfortably back down in their own space but closer than they had been before. “Yeah, he did and I missed out on a ticket at first. The two nights sold out so fast but two days before the concert Claire sent me a link saying more tickets had been released and I bought one. Right in front of the small stage and it was the best one hundred euros I have ever spent.”

Taron enjoyed the smile on her face. “Right so I know you like Hugh Jackman and that you like to bake, that you don’t really sleep and you work with children. I don’t know much else. I think it’s time for twenty questions.”

“Only if I get to ask twenty in return.” Taron rose an eyebrow towards her. “Just because I like your work and enjoy your movies doesn’t mean I spend my days googling you. I honestly don’t know a lot about you. It’s only fair.”

“Ok then. First question. When is your birthday?” Asked Taron.

“Twenty-second May, eighty-eight.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? May twenty-second?”

“Nope.”

“The day Rocketman was released?”

“Yep. I even went to see Rocketman on my birthday, brought my mam with me.”

“It’s destiny Robyn. Definitely destiny.”

She laughed. “Ok well when is your birthday and I can see if I have any connection to it at all.”

“November tenth, eight-nine.”

“Yeah no. Nothing. I have nothing. Guess it’s not meant to be!”

Taron reached over to swot at Robyn but she dodged him, giggling. “Eight-eight?” He questioned. “You are older than me.”

“Older and wiser.” She replied laughing as he went to playfully slap her arm again. “Only by six months.”

“Six months.” He repeated.

“My turn.”

Questions were fired back and forth and while Taron learnt that Robyn hated scary movies, was an only child, could speak Irish and had two degrees, Robyn learnt that Taron would eat anything put in front of him, adored his little sisters, could speak conversational Welsh and had his own degree.

“Two degrees and two diplomas?” He asked.

“I have been studying since I was eighteen. Couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do after college the first time and because what I wanted to do is so bloody specialised I kind of fell into childcare. I literally finished my second degree last year and I am done.”

Taron admired her pure determination to get back up after been knocked down when she applied for the same masters twice and failed to get it both times.

“It wasn’t nice being told we love your experience but your grades don’t encourage us to take you on. I am not an exam person. The pressure of having your entire year graded on a three-hour exam does not suit everyone. My college grades never reflected what I could do. I have always wanted to work with dolphins since I was a little kid and that is heart breaking to hear, that your marks were not good enough. The dolphin therapy diploma for me was giving all those who said I couldn’t do it, or that it didn’t exist, the finger but like I said, the field is so specialised it is hard to get into it. I kind of went back to work with the kids with my tail between my legs after that but then the promotion happened and I felt like I was doing something right and I realised that I was good at what I do, which spurred me to go and get the childcare degree. Worked my arse off, got my one one and once again shoved in the faces of those who said I couldn’t.”

“I love that take no bullshit and determined attitude you have except when you were standing up to those maniacs with guns but I know it is hard to get back when you have been told you are not good enough, or you won’t make it. It’s not easy to keep going after hearing that.” Taron shared some his own experience of auditions that didn’t go the way he wanted.

They moved onto hobbies and interests both talking their experiences of being in choirs since they were kids, both having sang in church and school choirs.

“Ok favourite skill you have learnt from your work.” Asked Robyn.

“Even though I didn’t get to do it on set, learning to shoot three arrows for Robin Hood was a pretty amazing experience.”

“I was in an archery club in college, the first time I went to college.”

“I am telling you Robyn, destiny! But seriously, archery?”

“Yeah seriously. I can’t shoot three arrows but it was good fun. Good responsible fun.” She added. “I shoot with my left hand though.”

“Left hand?”

“Yeah I know. I am one of those people who can use both hands for doing things!” She laughed. “No, my mam is left-handed and I just find things easier with my left and shooting arrows was one of those things. We met twice a week and it was a good laugh. Went to a few competitions too. Now I was never competition material but it was a great group of friends and we had a good time together.”

Taron smiled. “Maybe we need a shoot off as well as a sing off.”

“I haven’t shot a bow in years. Actually, the last time I did was when I was on holidays a couple of years ago and I hit the centre of the target first time. Complete fluke but it made those people watching stop and stare for a minute. I think we will stick to a sing off.”

“I am going to ask you the same question. A skill you have learnt during your years of working with children apart from reverse phycology”

“One of the girls I worked with, who has now left, well she and I could change thirteen nappies in ten minutes.” It was not the answer Taron was expecting and it made him laugh so hard for a good minute before he managed to somewhat control himself. “I am also a master of paper plate animals.” Robyn added with a very serious face which she could only for long as Taron giggled more, her own face changing with laughter. “And am a very good referee and negotiator.”

“Referee?” Asked Taron, still chuckling.

“Hell yes. You have one red truck and two children want the red truck; you learn to mediate quickly. Three-year olds are fierce headstrong little things.”

The changed the topic to allergies, hospital visits and favourite place in the world.

“Aber for me, Aberystwyth in Wales is my favourite place in the whole world. I am not allergic to anything and my latest hospital visit has been my most exciting.”

“Here, my home is my favourite place and I wouldn’t call it an allergy as such but mosquitos love me but I don’t love them and I have no appendix or tonsils.”

“Mosquitos?”

“Ugh I get eaten alive and some of the bites swell. I am sure I have a picture of one on my arm that looked like a swan. I have lots of littles scars on my hands and arms from them too.”

“Lovely.”

“Not so much but yeah.”

“And I think I understand your liquid panadol comment now. You have been in hospital twice?”

“My appendix was horrible. I sat college exams with a rumbling appendix not knowing what it was, sat in A&E for a long time before I was admitted and then in surgery, they realised my appendix had burst.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah key hold surgery turned into proper surgery and an eight day stay in hospital. It wasn’t nice, let me tell you. It was pretty frightening. I reacted to whatever medicine they were giving me and I started to cough up blood.”

“Jesus Robyn.”

“Yeah, like I said it was frightening, I was ok though, just had to take it easy at home after and I have four scars instead of one. My tonsils were nowhere near as complicated. When I started working in the creche, I was ill every six weeks or so with my tonsils so after six months my doctor referred me to a specialist and three weeks later no more tonsils. I have health insurance, so it happened quickly and touch wood…” Robyn tapped her head. “I have been sore throat free since. I have a fabulous immune system though. Working with children, you become immune to almost everything.”

“I don’t think I want another hospital experience like the one I had or any like yours either but I could do with a stronger immune system at times, especially on set. It can take quite a toll on me after a few weeks and I just get run down and ill. Makes my days harder. I just want to sleep but have to be up at five am to get to set.”

“I can only imagine. Your work comes with such expectations and you to be ‘on’ all the time. At least I can hide in the office if I need too.”

“I might come and hide in your office, or actually, maybe I will just hide out here in your garden instead.”

“Even when it’s raining?”

“Even when it’s raining. I don’t mind the rain.”

“My garden is not as much fun when it rains.”

“Well then I can just lay on your couch.”

“I think it might be time for me to change my locks.” Laughed Robyn.

“Don’t you dare.”

Another easy quiet fell between the two, Robyn lay back on her lounger, while Taron did the same on his, the afternoon sun still glorious on his skin. He enjoyed getting to know Robyn and he secretly loved the fact that she honestly knew nothing about him. It was refreshing and he saw that she genuinely wanted to get to know him and willingly shared as much information with him as he shared with her. She was naturally funny and he loved how easily she made him laugh. It was another feeling he was going to bottle up and keep for when he needed a pick me up.

[alitheamateur]

The Grind: A Wedding

A/N: I’m unsure of how many parts it will take to cover everything I want include in this most anticipated story of nuptials for our cherished Liv, and Colton. But, I do hope you relish in part one. I love you, all! This process will be written, obviously. But, lots of pictures will be included, creating some sort of a photo album for you, as well. *I do not own any images you see*

Warnings: Language.

June bride. It always sounded so… so, Cosmo. So, cliché, and posh. So typical. And so no me. And oh yet, here we are. The sunny Saturday of June 22nd. Finalizing the last pins to my loose, naturally blonde hair. Colton’s only requests for that day including the blonde. And the down-styling. And the chocolate cake which I think he somehow requested because he knew it was my favorite. 

Things were elegant, and still understated. There was not to be a single sequin, or rhinestone. The only beads permissible were pearls, and that was only if extremely necessary. My boycott against bedazzle made the dress shopping a nightmare, as it seems this generation prefers all the sparkle. But in the hands of Tia, who can weasel and tantrum her way into situation, I found the most perfect cut of silk in Pittsburgh. My mother ground her teeth a little. The back hung low, flowing down the airbrushed bronze of my spine. The lush shine of the material cuddled, and stretched around the swell of my bottom, and a slit climbed my left thigh. I was reluctant about it. My scar from the frightful skiing incident of 2010 was on full display, marked horizontally along the meaty flesh of my upper thigh. 

“If that asshole won’t marry you, damn it, I will, LC.” Tia sniffed as I met her eyes in the full-length reflection of the mirror.

Even on my wedding day, still posing up a good threat to snag me away from my groom.

“You look… you look phenomenal, Liv, dear. I can’t wait for him to see you.” Sweet Beth gracefully dotted away the salty residue from the full tears marking down her cheeks, as she daydreamed about her sons soon nuptials.

I squirmed at the foreshadow of Colton’s inappropriate groans and beady glances once he saw me in my dress. The dress. The one I never would’ve imagined I would try on in a private dressing room, much less parade in front of a crowd full of snapping cameras. But, love gives a girl some bold bravery, it seems. The sensual dip of the snug gown would be worth the raise of conservative brows in attendance once I saw Colt’s intrusive eyes turn black with the burying of his desires.

My mother strapped me into the buckle of my heel while Andrew snapped a few intimate snapshots of the moment on my phone. He was a member of Colton’s groomsman squad, but he’d spent a chunk of the day prepping at my side, and relishing in the bliss to come. 

“Have you heard his vows, Drew? I mean, did he have you like, proof them or something?” I searched my clutch the folded note of worn paper where my own vows were scribbled down, and handed them to Sara for safe keeping until time.

“By proof them, do you mean have I checked to make sure they aren’t loaded with expletives?” He brought over my bouquet as I stood to finalize the approval of my reflection before my solo photos around the archway outside. “Yes, Liv. I read them. And that’s all you’re getting.” He sealed his mouth, and threw away the insinuated key.

I barely recognized the penetrative gazes of the woman staring back at me. My jaw was held at a confident angle, eyes lined thick with tasteful faux lashes, and hips slightly swelled with the weight of womanhood and true love. Colton had changed me in every way that made me better, before I even knew exactly who I thought I wanted to become. His many a kiss, countless moonlight confessions wrapped in the sheet of the bed we shared, and simply the way he watched me take my first morning sip of coffee constituted everything my naïve soul needed to recognize love in its most intimate state. I couldn’t wait to touch him in his suit at the altar. To let him still the trembling of my hands as we exchanged rings, and seal what I already felt with our first kiss as man, and wife.

Sara gently interrupted your thoughts, stuffing a dainty pink handkerchief into your clutches around your bouquet. 

“Because I know you’re going to need this. And, because I know for a fact you’ve forgotten your something borrowed. I used it on my wedding day.” She kissed my cheek.

I wouldn’t have married Colton on this day, the day of his choosing, if Sara couldn’t have been here. I adored my Tia, and Drew, and each other person who was here with me in this adopted home of Pittsbugh. But my wedding day, the only one I know I’ll ever have, I needed my Sara to hold me in a moment just as this one.

A rattling tap echoed from the other side of the heavy oak door, capturing the attention of every eye in the room.

“Liv?”

Colton.

“Liv, baby? You in there?”

My face fell with haunting nerves, and Tia ran for the knob to answer his faint callings from the hallway.

“He can’t see me, Tia. No way! Don’t think of letting him in here.” I ordered.

“Relax, will you? I’m going to step outside with him, okay?”

Tia barely opened the door into a crack large enough for a toddler to squeeze through, and disappeared. I worked my busy hands at the ribbon flowing from the stems of my peony bouquet, scolding myself for even considering the worst reason for his unexpected visit.

I held my breath when she re-entered the overly crowded dressing area, purposely holding back her smile longer than necessary.

“He said he just wanted to hear your voice. That’s it. And only from behind the door, of course.”

Tia, and my mother ushered my prep team toward the reception area to check out the final touches, giving Colt and I a moment of solace, and a deep breath after the bustle of wedding day jitters. When the last person escaped, I wiped the sweat from my palm, and turned the door handle, carefully standing far away from the minimal crack.

Just as my fingers peeled around the door, I felt the familiar heat of his rough-skinned fingers grasping perilously for mine.

“Fuck, I needed this.” He moaned satisfactorily, and my side of the door bounced back towards me as he fell onto it from the opposite side. My touch alone fed his nervous withdraws from being apart for only two days. “I needed you. Just for a minute, at least.”

I played with his fingertips.

“Someone isn’t getting cold feet, are they?”

I could hear the tap of his black dress shoes we had bought last week for the occasion.

“Well, Drew had to talk me off the ledge a couple hours ago.”

I froze, and my bones nearly calcified into fossisl with the stillness his sentence bought over me.

“Woah. Hey, I’m only kiddin’, Livvy. Breath, baby. It was just a joke. Clearly, a poor timed one.”

Colton kissed the solo ring on my finger, staking his claim. “You ain’t gettin’ rid of my ass that easily.”

I wanted to kiss him. Those minty lips, now probably stained with a celebratory shot of whiskey were the only things my consciousness would focus on.

Maybe if we both closed our eyes first, then touched lips for just 2 seconds?

“How dedicated are you to this whole ‘no seeing each other thing’?” I thought out loud, Colton took the question as one directed at him.

“Trust me, angel. I’d give absolutely anything to see you right now. See how amazin’ I know you look, as usual. But, I think we both know you’d instantly regret breakin’ that little tradition you were so persistent about.”

He was right. I had just enough Indiana in me to keep hold of those age-old small-town traditions like not seeing your groom before the ceremony. And first dances, and flower girls.

“But, since I’m here, how about we go ahead and trade letters? I know Drew was going to do the swap for us, but I’ve got mine me if that’s cool with you?”

What a difference time can grace upon us.

I mentioned one evening, months ago, scrolling through websites while doing some planning, how I thought the idea of writing letters to each other was such a touching sentiment. Never expecting another word, much less even an initial response from my stoic, silent man. But, to my much pleasing surprise, Colton simply agreed with an “okay,” never the slightest inkling of protest in his voice. Love had done a number on this bitter, complicated man, too. A hard one. And it suited him mind, body, and soul.

“Yes, but under one condition?” I parted towards to counter to find my own letter addressed to him.

“Name it.”

“I don’t want you to read it until you’re back in your room.”

I slid the sealed envelope into his hand, holding my palm upward for his.

“I love you, Liv. I am so fucking crazy in love with you.” Colton whispered, almost breathlessly.

“I love you, you handsome brute. Now, go. Before I ruin what little makeup I still have left.” 

I didn’t latch the door until his footsteps were no longer detectable, not wanting to miss the sounds of his closeness to me. Seated on the antique velvet of the elegant armchair at the foot of the bed, I delicately tore open the letter.

Liv,

You marvelous creature. You are a necessary electricity that shocks my heart to life every single day that I’m near you. My spirit is broken, and it’s only fucking hope is in your hands. Thank you for taking my hand, and warming me with your irreplaceable light. Naturally, we both know I’m not a verbal man, but it seems in writing you this letter, I may have found my newest, most favorite way to try and express how I feel about you. Nothing about you loving me makes sense, but it’s one mystery wave that I will ride until there is no life left in me with no questions asked. Yours is the only hand I want to hold, and get lost in the swell of life with, laughing, crying, and standing still along the way when need be. This day, the day you foolishly take my name as your own, and vow to be my wife will surely be the most precious day I have lived. Only second to the moment I met you.  I swear, when I’m with you, it’s like the air tastes better, even. You have stroked my ego like a vicious woman in love, and you’ve stomped it out when I needed the harshest of reality checks, just as I deserved. I hope as long as you’ll have me, I can be the solace you need in the most troubling of days. And the strong tower you need when you feel scared or threatened. I’ll be the laugh when you’ve seemed to have misplaced your own, and the tears when yours don’t seem to satisfy whatever grief falls on you. Always, Livvy. It’s you. You and me, against the strongest of odds, we will come out on top. Can’t wait to see you. Soon. You know where to meet me.

I love you.

Colton

Waterproof mascara was a myth, whipped into a lie at the hands of Colton Ritter and his hidden talents with a pen and paper. I read his confessions three times, memorizing it like it was a secret that I was afraid would be torn away within minutes. All along, I’ve been the one in our household staking a claim to literary topics, and standing on my platform as an English major. But this, the handwritten romance of his raw admissions, blew me away, along with every mediocre talent I thought I wielded. Someone I had foolishly often discredited as “simple” or “distant”, had force-fed me to eat the sour swallow of “crow”, penning words that probably belonged alongside the most magical of love letters through fictional history.  In my opinion, anyhow. Not the that object of the affections in said letter would be biased in the least.

. . .

Colton

I obeyed her commands, as I usually do. Happily. And waited until I was seated at the bar in my suite across the grounds from her before opening the letter. I wanted to drag her up the courthouse steps long over 6 months ago, but this place wasn’t so bad. Like it would be, with her taste. I even liked it, actually. I’d never tell Liv though, and have her thinking for a minute that any of this exhausting, unnecessary, wedding shit mattered to me. I would’ve married her in our living room with Mac ordained if I thought she wouldn’t have minded. But, I adore her. More than any should adore another human, truthfully. And I knew this day, with all the people she loves in attanedance, is what her heart needed. So, I shut my fucking mouth, and smile when I’m told like a good husband would. But, I’m not wearing those damn cufflinks. She’ll have to harass me for that one later, and I’ll ask forgiveness. Or, distract her with my mouth the way she likes so much.

I drank down another shot of the aged brown liquor, sucking in its warm after bite between my teeth as I opened the neatly sealed envelope she marked with my name.

 Colt,

The mightiest of men could never steal my love for you. To most, your eyes may be the darkest, most dangerous pools of heartache and pain. But I only see the glow of a man who the world just doesn’t deserve to know. Whatever I have needed you to be, you have truly surpassed any responsibility as the man I love, and my heart shouts a thousand words of gratitude. You kickstarted the first pangs of real love within me, and sometimes I foolishly believe that there aren’t two people in the entire world who share as much love as you and I. The weight of your hand within mine is the only courage I have ever felt, and it somehow seems my most insatiable moments of weakness are both caused, and cured only by you. You’ve respected me as your equal, never pointing out my many flaws as a failed strong woman, and secured my every longing for my destined lover, and companion. I never truly believed in any definition of eternity, until I woke up one morning without you by my side and realized I never wanted to live another day without you in it. You have believed in me, encouraged me, and monumentally coached me. In the ring, and in life, I find that we are a team fit for whatever battle seems to threaten us, destined to come out victoriously hand-in-hand. I know you will only do justice to your newly deemed titles of husband….. and daddy

Surprise, my love.

-L

Did she know what she was saying? Was this some sort of reference to the future that I wasn’t understanding? Was she applying that term as some sort of kinky slang that people use these days? It was like my mind told me I should freeze, and clam up with horrified dread at Liv’s very, very unplanned spilling surprise. But yet, as I read the word again silently to myself, then again, aloud, this time, my pulse never quickened with fear. I didn’t feel like shattering this fucking glass of bourbon against the brink of the bar where I sat alone. I couldn’t even squander up the slightest glimmer of resentment at the birth-control of hers that had apparently faltered.

Daddy. Dad. Pop.

My feelings only went directly into running over all the things I’d want he… or she to call me. And all the ways I’d hear it fall from Liv’s sinfully pink lips when she spoke to the little runt about me. Would she let me use my name if it was a boy? Could I take her to the gym with me unsupervised while Liv was working, even though it was probably no place for a little girl?

The itch my skin felt already from feigning for the feel of her touch, and needing her to fill the void between my embracing arms enlarged to a dull ache now. I woke this morning already drunk, knowing for a fact I hadn’t had a single drop of liquor, simply from the joy of knowing I would finally make an honest woman out of her today. And now, I could feel my heart crawling and leaping and vibrating with gladness like I never imagined humanly possible. For a once worthless fucker like me, especially.

A tear dolloped onto the ink of her swirly handwriting, and my toes curled inside these leather vices around my feet. I hadn’t cried like this since I broke my first knuckle when I was 16. But ever since Liv had waltzed her way into my life, it seemed tears were becoming a familiar foe of mine.

“You read the letter?”

“Shit!” I shook and sniffled, whipping round to see Andrew arming into his suit jacket.

“Yeah. Yeah… I uh, I read it.” Andrew was one of the only friends I really ever allow myself to smile with.

“You are one lucky man, Colton Ritter. You better know that. As if Liv wasn’t enough of a gift, now….”

“You knew? This whole time, you knew?”

He grinned. “Guilty. But you’re not allowed to hit me and stain the tux.”

I stood, dismissing myself from the stool, and carefully folding the fateful paper into my pocket. “How far along is she, Drew? When did she find out?”

Drew shook his head like I knew he would. “You know you need to hear all that from her, man. I can’t ruin that for you guys.”

He was indeed right. I wanted to watch her snub back tears as she told me about the tests I’m sure she had taken behind my obviously inattentive back. I envisioned in my mind the way her eyes would get all glassy and wide when I hugged her belly and told her I loved her more than life, and I would kill for her if it ever came to that.

“Half hour till showtime, Colt. Look alive.”

TAGS: @eap1935 @mollybegger-blog @miidailyinspiration @littleluna98

[bboongobbang]

Hello new blog~! Can I request​ for RFA + V an Saeran reactions on MC being a piano prodigy? Thanks in advance! /huggeu

Hello!! *hugs u back*

JAEHEE:

She thinks your piano playing is beautiful, asks you to play for her after a stressful day

You sit down at the piano, fingers poised over the keys

“What should I play, Jaehee?”

Usually she’ll ask for something slow

Moonlight Sonata and Clair de Lune are her favorites

But instead she comes up behind you on the piano bench and wraps her arms around you from behind

She leans her head on your shoulder, lips grazing the outside of your ear

“Surprise me.”

You look down at the expanse of ebony and ivory before you, and then

You close your eyes

You start off with one note

And then an arpeggio in that scale

And you build based on that- the movement of your fingers simply second nature to you as you focus on the movement of Jaehee’s breathing against you

You’re no longer in control of this piece- the notes dance to the tune of Jaehee that is playing in your mind

And when your improvisation trails off, Jaehee sleepily nuzzles your cheek

“What was that one called, MC?”

“I think I’m going to call it ‘Jaehee.’”

YOOSUNG:

He took piano lessons as a kid, just like all korean kids do

But it was always for a recital or a specific performance of some kind

It always felt very strict to him

So he’s blown away by the way you play, the way you feel the music and the way you play like the music is a part of you

His eyes are wide whenever he watches you play for him

which is all the time, at his request

He doesn’t really care much for classical music, because it’s all stuff he had to learn how to play

But he loves it when you play contemporary themes

He didn’t realize the piano was such a versatile instrument

He shyly asks you if you can teach him how to play again

You sit him down on the piano bench and sit down behind him, legs on either side of him

He automatically goes into the rigid playing position from all his piano lessons

You put your hands over his, fixing his pose

“Relax, Yoosung. Why are you so stiff?”

You eventually get his fingers to relax and you flip to the page for one of his favorite songs

You help him play at half speed, as he still remembers the notes and he is a very skilled player, if a rigid one

“Okay. Now I want you to do that all again, but close your eyes.”

“What??”

“Close your eyes. I’ll help you play the notes, but I want you to feel it.”

You guide him through the blind session, your hands over his the whole time, and you can feel him start to melt into the melody

He can feel the difference too, and he’s eager to try again

JUMIN:

When he comes back to the penthouse and finds you missing, he’s not extremely worried

You were, after all, free to the premises of the entire building

And you were often gone to the gym or to the cafe downstairs

But after checking all of the usual places and finding you nowhere, he gets a little nervous

He hadn’t even bothered to ask his security chief about your whereabouts, but he turns to him now

“She said she was going to the orchestra hall, Mr. Han.”

He approaches the empty hall, slightly skeptical until he hears the sound of beautiful piano music coming from inside

He enters the hall as quietly as he can, standing against the back wall with a smile slowly growing on his face

The stage and the stands are both empty, but you’re seated at the piano, eyes closed as you play one of your favorite songs, Yiruma’s River Flows in You

He can’t believe he never knew this about you, and he can’t tear his eyes away from that look of absolute peace on your face

When your song draws to a close his applause rings out through the hall

Embarrassed, you start to move away from the piano as he walks towards you

“No, love, please stay. Play another for me.”

He’s amazed when you can play any classical piece that he requests

And even more amazed when you confess that you usually visit the hall when it’s empty to play the piano

He immediately orders a grand piano for the penthouse so you don’t have to play in an empty hall

707: 

He saw your piano videos a long time ago 

But he doesn’t bring it up until all the Saeran issues have been solved and you two move in together

But he surprises you one day

With a keyboard that he built himself

It has the full piano range and three working pedals

But it has literal thousands of instrument capabilities

Including one that is just Saeyoung screaming at different pitches

You two mess around with it for hours, laughing at some of the more ridiculous ones

Elizabeth the 3rd’s meow autotuned to the whole range

Car horns

He asks you to play something serious

So you straighten up into proper posture

Fingers over the keys and feet flat on the floor

And play Etude No. 3 in a soundfont of Vanderwood’s disinterested (and heavily autotuned) “Ya…”

Saeyoung is losing his shit as you continue to play as if you were in front of a crowd in an orchestra hall

And you solemnly stand up and bow when you’re finished

He wipes tears of laughter from his eyes and switches it back to the default piano setting

“Baby I’m sorry I couldn’t finish this sooner. You must’ve been so sad, with no piano in the apartment”

He doesn’t answer when you ask him how he knew to get a piano for you

ZEN:

OH BOIIII

DUETS DUETS DUETS

ACCOMPANIMENTS ACCOMPANIMENTS ACCOMPANIMENTS

Literally he is OVERJOYED when you first play for him

He brings you with him to the practice room for the first time

And you light up when you see the piano there- it’s been months since you’ve been able to play

When you tell him you can play he’s excited 

But he sure as hell wasn’t expecting you to tap out a full-on 5 minute jazz improvisation

“Babe, how are you so perfect for me??”

He gives you the piano music for the musical he’s rehearsing for

It’s easy compared to the pieces you usually play, but you help him practice for as long at he needs to

Once his self-allotted time is over, though, he leans over the piano to kiss you on the nose

“Okay, I’m done~~ So show off for me now, okay?”

You’re happy to oblige

His face lights up when he recognizes the opening of “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera

And you swear you see stars shining in his crimson eyes when you start to sing Christine’s part

He’s the only one in the room but he makes you feel like you’re playing for the real opera with the undivided attention he gives you

He comes in perfectly with Raoul’s verse, and nearly reels back in shock when you nail the high note in the ending

As soon as you’re done he’s all over you with kisses

“Why didn’t you tell me you were so talented?? You have to perform for the director, he has to give you a part”

He bugs and bugs you to audition with him, and he’s super determined to get you on stage

SAERAN:

He’s been living with Seven for a few months now, but recovering from a traumatic experience like Mint Eye takes a lot more than months

So he still has a lot of sleepless nights

He’ll call you often, and you do your best to talk him to sleep

But it’s been bad lately

So when you offer to let him sleep at your place for a few nights he definitely accepts

You wake up in the middle of the night to find that he’s not there

So you shuffle out of bed and into the living room

Saeran is sitting on the couch, staring out the window

You sit down next to him, curling into his side

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”

“No, no, it’s not your fault. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“I don’t want you to spend all night here alone. Want me to play some music for you?”

He’s heard you play before, but usually only scales or pop songs

So when you sit down at your piano and weave a soft melody out of thin air he’s taken aback

But the lull of the notes instills in him a sense of comfort that he realizes he’s been missing these past few nights

He can’t tell if it’s the music or the person playing it

And it could very well be both

But he finds his eyelids drooping, his mind finally able to feel the fatigue of his body

When you realize he’s asleep you stop playing and pull a blanket over him

It’s the best sleep he’s had in years

V:

Oh boy he loves you even more for it

The two of you are at one of V’s friends’ exhibitions at a local cafe

It’s very artsy kind of place, with a grand piano that is free for the public to use

And when you arrive someone is currently seated at it

But once they leave V turns to the now-empty piano

“I remember when my mom had me taking piano lessons. I wonder if I even remember anything from it.”

“Oh, I still play,” you say with a laugh, trying to downplay it

“You do?”

V’s face lights up, and you realize too late the mistake you just made

“Can you play something for me?”

He’s already ushering you to the piano before you can protest

And as you sit down you think about what kind of song V would like

You settle on a piano version of La Vie en Rose, with arpeggios and fills

V is rendered speechless while you play, and he hugs you afterwards

“MC, I had no idea!”

“Oh, it’s nothing really...”

Won’t stop giving you praises

sorry these are so late!! i’ve only been back a week but it’s been a rough week T_T i’ll try to update more....

[insideabunker]

Halloween: Part 1 of 2

A Clexa Star Wars Halloween AU

“Oh, honey, you look so cute!”

Lexa rolled her eyes as her mother approached, camera in hand, ready to capture every moment of the awkward humiliation she’d agreed to suffer through.

“Mom… Please, don’t.”

It was too late.  Lexa's mother was already snapping pictures as Aden danced around, overjoyed to be out of school and in costume, free to fully inhabit the role of a tiny Darth Vader.

“Lexa! Lexa! Look at me!”

He pranced around, nearly bouncing off the walls with frantic energy, his nervous excitement palpable as he ran up and down the hallway, wielding his red lightsaber wildly.

As overstimulated as she felt by the chaos of it all, Lexa couldn’t help but smile at her little brother, secretly acknowledging what a miracle it was he had so much energy to spare. Only a year earlier, they’d been celebrating Halloween from the confines of an isolated hospital room, Aden’s chemotherapy having weakened his immune system to nearly nothing. Lexa remembered holding the exhausted, hairless boy as he’d stare sadly out his window, watching as other children ran around in costume and prepared for the night's revelry.

To add insult to injury, Halloween happened to be Aden’s favorite holiday, and his inability to participate, coupled with nausea from his treatment, combined with the stress of his Neuroblastoma, and his parent's constant worry, had created a perfect storm of overwhelming emotion for the worn out, terrified five-year-old.  Lexa had held his head in her lap all night long, stroking this fevered brow as he’d sobbed, repetitively wailing about how profoundly unfair the ordeal was.

In comparison to that holiday, Lexa would take a hyperactive, wild Aden any day.  Secretly, she counted her blessings that her brother was alive and happy, and healthy enough to guilt her into the embarrassing couple’s costume she’d begrudgingly agreed to.  She checked her reflection in the hallway mirror, groaning as she took in the sight of herself clad head to toe in a stormtrooper outfit.

“Just kill me now,” she thought.  At the very least she’d have a helmet on.  Surely that would provide enough anonymity that her friends and neighbors wouldn’t realize that she was dressed as a commando from outer space.

Even with the crushing embarrassment of the get-up and her near panic at the idea of being recognized, Lexa had found it hard to say no to the whole affair.  One year before, in the quiet darkness of the hospital room, the matching costumes and outlandish theme had been her promise to her baby brother.

The words played on a loop in her mind, as she adjusted her outfit in the mirror.   “When you get well baby boy, we can go together.  Just you and me; matching costumes and everything.”

He’d nodded his sweaty brow and curled into her a little further.  “Anything I want?”

“Anything you want.”

Of course, he’d wanted Star Wars.  That part hadn’t been a shock.  The multiple series of movies had become a lifeline during his lengthy and terrifying treatment.  The originals had been Lexa’s favorite when she was young, and as Aden suffered through radiation, and chemotherapy, and surgery, she’d used them to connect with and inspire him.  They had become a framework for every conversation she and her parents had with Aden about illness,  treatment, and being brave in the face of uncertainty.  After all, he was five.  It was much easier to explain mental resilience and fear of the unknown when they were using the force and Luke Skywalker as metaphors.  

The only problem was, the movies had stuck in a way that they’d never imagined.  Post-cancer, Aden was now a Star Wars junkie, and as she watched him prance around in his Darth Vader outfit, Lexa couldn’t help but feel like she’d created a monster.

She glanced over at him as he continued to practice his lightsaber moves.  “You’re positive you’re feeling up to this, right buddy?  You’re sure you’re gonna make it around the whole neighborhood?”

Aden halted in the middle of the hallway, planting his feet firmly and pointing at her with a gloved hand.  “I find your lack of faith disturbing!”

She rolled her eyes.  “Great,” she thought.  “He’s memorized the lines.”

Lexa held out her hand for him, motioning towards the front door.  “Alright kiddo, come on.  Let’s get this show on the road.”  A moment later they were posing for pictures on the street corner.  Her father beamed with pride at the sight of his two children.

“You two look terrific.  Best costumes on the block, I tell ya’!”

Lexa smiled, as she accepts the old pillowcases he handed to her and Aden.  “Thanks, dad.  When should we be home by?”

Her father cracked a mischievous grin as he checked his watch. Silver-haired and clean-cut, he had always looked a little too handsome to be a marine biology professor, Lexa thought; more like someone who would play one in a movie. He cocked his eyebrow as he considered the time.  “Well, the party starts at 7:00, but people probably won’t start showing up until 7:30.”

He glanced over at his wife giving her a questioning look.  “I think you we can let you keep him out until 8:00.  That is, if he’s feeling up to it, AND…”  Joe paused, giving his son a stern look.  “He promises to go to bed as soon as you get back.”

Aden jumped up and down, a drawn-out plea of “but dad” barely escaping his mouth before his mother interjected.  “Aden Gerald, that’s already half an hour later than normal.  You’re still getting better. No buts. Take it or leave it.”

Aden hung his head glumly, resigning himself to his fate.  “Ok, fine.”

Lexa patted the small boy’s back smiling reassuringly.  “Don’t worry buddy.  I'll bet we can hit at least five blocks before then.”

With that, she turned back to her mother, who was busy snapping one last photo.  Cynthia Woods smiled at her daughter, making sure to chide her with the kind of sensible advice only a fifth-grade teacher could deliver.  “Make sure you two walk on the well light part of the street and stay in the neighborhoods you know.”

Lexa rolled her eyes.  “Mom, I’m 20, not 10.  I promise I can handle this. Besides, we live in Marblehead, Massachusetts, not East St. Louis.  We don't exactly live in a rough neighborhood.”

Cynthia nodded.  “Well, all right then, but make sure to bring him home early if he runs out of steam.”

Lexa cocked an eyebrow, looking down at Aden, who was back to jumping around, his lightsaber making swishing sounds as it cut through the air.  She dawned her stormtrooper helmet and gave her mother one last look.  “I wouldn’t worry about that.  The force is strong with this one.”

Clarke stared at her appearance in the screen of her phone, raising one eyebrow as she snapped a selfie.  She flipped the device over in her hand, typing off a quick message before pressing the send button.

Just behind her, a still dressing Wells struggled to adjust his boots, trying not the stumble over the lab equipment he’d just finished putting away.  His phone dinged, and he glanced at the screen, laughing when he saw the tweet Clarke had just posted.

“‘Oh, the things I do for my best friend,’ eh?”

Clarke smiled at him.  “How many girls do you know who would fill in on a couple’s costume this nerdy when their best friend’s girlfriend gets the flu?  I mean, come on… Finn and Rey?”

Wells grinned at her devilishly, nearly knocking a beaker over as he failed in an attempt to shrug on the leather flight-jacket that completed his outfit.

“Hey, you act like this wasn’t your thing back in the day.  I distinctly remember a little girl who was obsessed with Princess Leah, and used to compete with me to see who could do a better Wookie impression.”

Clark shoved her best friend.  “Yeah, when we were six. I’m not the one who had an R2-D2 alarm clock into high school.  I branched out.”

Wells stuck his tongue out at her playfully.  Shoving a binder full of lab notes into his book bag, and shutting down the autoclave that had been sterilizing equipment.  “I think you mean you got popular.”  He began walking are the room as he spoke, making sure everything was shut off for the evening .”

Clarke rolled her eyes.  “What’s your point?  It’s not like I got popular and suddenly forgot you.  I seem to remember my insisting you always be included in everything I did with my popular…” She drew out the word for emphasis, making air quotes as she spoke, “friends.”

Wells nodded.  “Yes, and you know how much I’ve always appreciated you not forgetting us little guys when you suddenly got cool.”  He smiled, winking at her as he shut off another piece of equipment.  “But, my point is that you didn’t admit to liking this stuff after that.”

Clarke sighed.  “Ok, ok…  Your point is a legitimate one. But, in all fairness, if I hadn’t toned down my enjoyment of that stuff, neither of us would have been invited to parties in high school.  She furrowed her brow. “Which would also mean that you would never have met Raven.”

Clarke smiled, remembering the night the beautiful, brilliant girl had met her shy, chess club captain of a best friend.  The two had been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college.

Wells shut off the final set of lights and grabbed his keys off the counter.  “Also a good point.”  He held the door open for Clarke as they exited his office in the small lab.

“Remind me again why we had to change in your lab, instead of your apartment?”

Wells smirked, locking the door behind him.  “Raven is still contagious, and honestly?  I didn’t think you could handle the projectile vomit.”

Clarke recoiled.  “Ew. Thanks for that image.”

They made their way out of the building quietly, Wells shutting off lights as they went.  As the hallways of the marine laboratory grew dim, Clarke grabbed her phone, using it to light their path, and noting the time on the screen’s face.  

“When did you say this thing started again?”

“7:00, but My advisor told me that I should wait until around 8:00, or I’d be stuck standing around, awkwardly making small talk with professors.”

“I still can’t believe you’re going to you’re professors Halloween party.”

Wells rolled his eyes.  “He’s not my professor, he’s my advisor, and he’s the best in his field, so I want to be in his good graces.  Besides, it’s free drinks, and it isn’t going to be all faculty.  Apparently, they throw a costume party every year for their neighborhood.  He’s from Marblehead. Apparently, we went to school with his daughter.”

Clarke groaned.  “Hold on a minute. I thought this was going to be in Salem. You didn’t tell me this party was going to be in our hometown.  Wells, what if we run into Finn, or some of his friends?”

Wells sighed as they exited the building, making their way to his old Chevy station wagon, parked by a sign that  “Cat Cove Laboratory.”

“Clarke, people don’t care about it as much as you think.  I mean, some of his friends have been saying nasty things, but everyone knows those guys are jerks.”  Wells sighed, his face filled with compassion.  “Raven told me that all of your friends are ok with what's going on with you.  Besides, everyone thinks Finn is an asshole for doing what he did.”

“Wells,” Clarke paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. “My boyfriend of almost four years broke up with me in a text after I admitted to him that I’m bisexual.  Then he followed it up by sharing topless selfies I’d sent to him with half the guys we know.”  Clarke’s voice broke a little as she continued, betraying her attempt at nonchalance.  “Half the world had seen me naked. It’s humiliating.”

Wells patted his friend on the shoulder, giving her a sympathetic look.  “Griffin, you’re the painter who’s mural is decorating the side of the art building at our old high school.  You graduated in the top ten percent of our class and got a merit scholarship to Tufts.  Most importantly, you’re the funny, smart, loyal girl, who never forgot her best friend when she became one of the most popular kids in our class.  You’re an amazing person.  A few people seeing your boobs doesn’t change that.”

Clarke avoided Wells’ gaze, nodding solemnly as she wiped at the stray tears her friend's speech had elicited.  “Thanks, Wells. You always know what to say.”

Wells smiled, pulling his friend into a hug, and rubbing her back in soothing circles.  “Anything for the girl who saved me from getting beat up by Bobby O’Brien freshman year.

Clarke laughed, sniffing into Wells' shoulder.  “Ugh, he was such a jerk.”

A moment later, calm and adequately soothed, Clarke released her grip, and the two climbed into the car.  The engine coughed and sputtered, rumbling to life reluctantly, after a few tries.  Wells breathed a sigh of relief as he flipped the headlights on, adjusting his mirrors and winking at Clarke.

“The old girl has still got it.”

Clarke nodded, patting the fraying console gently.  “That she does.”

The old Chevy pulled off the gravel parking lot and onto the street.  Wells cast a glance over at his friend, trying to read her demeanor.

“You know, if you aren’t feeling up to this, we don’t have to go.”

She waved her hand, dismissing his concern.  “Wells, I’m fine.”

He nodded as a comfortable silence fell over the car, his mind wandering to the many questions he’s been reserving since Clarke’s breakup with Finn.  Considering the idea tentatively, he finally decided that now seemed as good a time as any to start asking some of them.

“So how did you know exactly?”

“Hmm?”  Clarke cocked her head, casting him a sideways glance.

“How did you know that you were bisexual?  I mean, I always kind of wondered, what with the number of Tegan and Sara albums you own, and all those posters of female soccer players.”

Clarke punched him in the bicep and Wells giggled, fending her off with his free arm.

I’m kidding!  I’m just joking!  But really…” Wells paused. “You started dating Finn sophomore year.  Wasn’t it hard to come to that realization given that you’ve never…”  He paused again trying to choose his words as carefully as possible.  

“Given that I’ve never what?”

He shrugged.  “You know…  I just think it would be hard to know that for sure if you’ve never tried doing anything with a girl.”

Clarke rolled her eyes dramatically.  “So, you’re saying you weren’t sure you were into girls until you awkwardly kissed Becca Simmons at Octavia Blake’s sweet sixteen?”

Wells nearly choked on his laughter as the embarrassing moment flashed through his mind, filling it with images of himself as a gangly, heavily bespectacled teenager.  He remembered swaying on his feet in the middle of the Blake’s living room, second away from vomiting, having proven that he had no idea how to hold his liquor.  None the less, he’d been determined to make a move on the pretty, freckled girl in front of him.

Ultimately he’d leaned in, sliding his lips against her’s, only to have them slide right off again, thanks to the combination of her heavy chapstick, and his poor balance.  He’d stumbled sideways, planting a kiss on her eye socket instead, and smearing her makeup in the process. Then, in an almost seamless transition, he’d doubled over, vomiting all over the girl’s shoes.  It had been a bad night, to say the least.

“Ok, you make a good point.  But, what was it though?  I was just wondering.”

Clarke shrugged.  “Honestly, I think part of me always knew.  The thing is, Finn and I started dating before I’d had a chance to do any real self-reflection about sex and sexual identity.

Clarke ran her finger through the fog on the window, tracing infinity symbols. “Anyway, even though I had those question in the back of my mind, I never completely figure things out until last year.  Finn and I were at separate colleges, and for the first time, I finally had some distance from him, and from all of the crazy emotions that went along with our relationship.  The distance gave me a chance to think.”

“About girls?” Wells interjected.

She wiped away her window designs with the back of her hand.  “Yes, but more specifically about my feelings about other girls.  I started realizing that all my life I’ve tended to idolize certain women.”

The old car lurched over a pothole as they made their way down Canal Street. Clarke shifted nervously in her seat, thoughtfully piecing together an explanation that would make sense to her old friend.  “Don’t make fun of me, but I do think that the female athletes I’ve hero-worshiped are an example of this.”

Her admission had Wells feeling smug, though he did his best to hold back his smirk as he waited for her to elaborate.

“I mean, obviously I respected them because they were talented, but I also think that some of that hero worship was my way of justifying my attraction to them.  Even in school, there was one girl in particular that I admired in a way that went a bit beyond just looking up to her.  It was more like…”

Clarke stared at the worn out car mat under her feet, settling on the right words, though hesitating to say it out loud.  “It was a more like adoration.  I would notice her whenever she was around, and when she was, it made me so nervous.”

“You never talked to her?

Clarke shrugged.  “I mean we talked, but it was never anything that constituted a real conversation.  I was always way too intimidated to do anything more than making small talk with her.”

She ran her hand over the window again, the cool of the glass soothing the tips of her fingers.  “I always thought that nervousness was born out of respect, or maybe even a bit of jealousy, but eventually I realized it was an attraction.  Subconsciously, I think my reluctance to get to know her was my way of avoiding having to deal with those feelings.”

A dedicated listener, Wells remained silent, nodding thoughtfully as Clarke finished her explanation.  Never one to jump to conclusions or offer rash commentary, he took his time in responding at all.  “That makes a lot of sense.”

He stared out at the road as they rolled down the nearly empty street, continuing to process Clarke’s explanation without comment.  A few moments later he cleared his throat and cast a curious glance at his friend. “What was the moment you were sure?”

Clarke groaned, reluctant to admit to her best friend that her tastes were as predictable as he probably assumed.  “Well, that one particular girl from high school…”

“Yeah?”

“I thought about her a lot when I was sorting through this stuff, freshman year.  I tried looking her up on Facebook, but her account had been deactivated. Instead, I found myself constantly looking at her picture in the yearbook and our varsity team photo, trying to figure out why I was so tongue-tied around her.”

“Wait!”  Wells stole an excited glance at her before snapping his gaze back to the road, reluctant to take his eyes off the darkened street on a night when children were so likely to be darting back and forth across it.  “You’re telling me this girl was someone who was on the soccer team with you?”

“Yes.”  Clarke nodded, watching as Wells developed a smile that could rival that of the Cheshire Cat.

“I knew you were into those soccer girls!”  He glanced at her again, winking.  “Anyway, go on.”

“I spent a lot of time wondering why I’d never felt comfortable getting close to her, even though we were on the soccer team together for four years, and even though we ran in some of the same circles.  I kept telling myself it was just intimidation, or that it was because I was competing with her.  I had a million rationalizations for it.  Then, about a month after summer started, I saw her.”

“You hung out with her?”

Clarke shook her head.  “No, I literally saw her, standing on the platform across from me in the Park Street T station.  I got off the Red Line coming from Davis, and there she was.  She was just standing there, waiting for a train, and the only thought in my head was how amazing it would feel to kiss her.  It just popped into my head, and before I could shake it off, or rationally it, she was gone.”

“Wow.”

“Yep.”

“So, that was the moment you knew for sure?”

“Yes.  Once I’d figured it out, I felt I had to be honest with Finn about it. I sat down with him a few days later and told him that I still loved him.  I said that even though I still wanted to be with him, I thought it was important that I be able to acknowledge it. He said that he needed time to think, and I said that was ok.”

Clarke gazed out her window, refusing to look at Wells.  “A week later, while he was up at his family’s lake house partying with his idiot lacrosse buddies, and I got a text saying he was breaking up with me.

“Was that when…”

“Yes.” Clarke cut him off not wanting to re-hash how a slanderous social media post and several half-naked photos of her had made their way from a lakefront bonfire in New Hampshire, to the inboxes of half the men with whom she’d gone to high school.

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“Wow!”

“Yep.”

The clanking and groaning of the beaten up old Chevy were the only sound as an uncomfortable silence settled over the two.  Wells continued to concentrate on the road, contemplating his friend's story, while Clarke stared out the window, transfixed by something off in the distance.

“Clarke, the thing is, Finn is an asshole. I don’t just mean he’s become an asshole recently.  He’s always been an asshole.  We all think so; Raven and I, most of our friends, and basically everyone except his lacrosse buddies.  I never said anything in high school because I knew how you felt about him, but honestly… He’s a grade A, top-shelf, 100%, fully certified asshole.  What’s more, his parents are basically our town’s leading asshole making factory."

Wells gripped the wheel a little tighter as he rattled off the list of offenses.  “His older brother, Spencer, nearly got expelled from school for plagiarism until his father donated money for a new athletic center.  His other older brother, Graham, drunkenly drove his Range Rover through the side of a boat that was sitting in dry-dock.  His oldest brother, Tripp, lost his bid for state senate because he got caught cheating on his wife with a girl who was basically underage. Plus, Finn’s dad is the scumbag selectman who keeps voting against building more affordable housing in town.”

He sighed, “I know you’ve been having a rough time with the breakup, and I don’t blame you, but I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re not with him anymore.”

Clarke nodded, patting her friend on the shoulder.  “I know.  I am too."  She paused. "Happy, I mean. The truth is he had d become a pretty bad boyfriend long before the breakup."

"Bellamy’s up at UNH with him," she added after a moment.  "He told last year that he’d caught Finn a few times, fooling around with other girls at parties.”

“That dickhead!” Wells’ jaw clenched, his hands tensing on the wheel even further.  “Clarke, if I see him again I swear I’m going to punch him in the face!  He’s not nearly good enough for you!”

“I know.”  She patted Wells’ shoulder again, giving him a brave smile, heralding to her sometimes overprotective friend that she was over the shaggy-haired, rakish boy who had broken her heart.

Slowly, Wells relaxed, smiling back at her as he patted her thigh with a large, sturdy hand.  “You know what, forget that guy.  Tonight, you and I are going to cut loose, drink up my advisor's booze, and forgot all about school, and ex’s, and small-town drama. What do you say?”

Clarke winked.  “I dunno,” she paused, casting a serious glance at him as she dropped her voice low and attempted an impression that ultimately sounding more like John Wayne than Harrison Ford.  “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Wells laughed at her use of the Han Solo quote, a favorite movie line from their childhood.

“That’s the spirit, Clarke!”

Lexa stepped through the front door, brushing a few drops of water off the white vinyl of her sleeve before removing the ill-fitting plastic mask that had been bobbing around on her head for hours.  She set the offending garment next to her, and pulled the elastic from her hair, shaking it free and running her fingers through the wavy, brown mess.  She closed her eyes, enjoying how good it felt not to have her hair tied up anymore, or to have her face hidden inside the mugginess stormtrooper helmet.

“Dad! Dad! Dad!”  Aden came crashing through the door just behind her, crossing the living room in leaps and bounds as he made his way through the sea of party guests towards the man clad in the denim shirt and blue pants that were synched up too high.  “Look how much we got!”

Joe Woods turned around at the sound of his son’s elated voice.  A twinkle gleamed in his green eyes, which were hidden behind oversized, wire frame glasses.  He wore a bright red knit cap; a full-bent billiard pipe clutched in his toothy grin.

Lexa rolled her eyes as she approached him, holding out her pillowcase, so her father could see their haul.  “Jacques Cousteau again, eh old man?”

Her father laughed maniacally, peering into her candy bag.  “What can I say kiddo?”  He winked at her, shifting until he was hovering over his son’s outstretched hands.  “I’m predictable.”

Joe stared into Aden’s pillowcase, stroking his stubbly chin as she considered the contents.  Finally, he looked up at Aden.  “Well, no doubt about it young man.  You beat your sister this year.”

Aden’s face light up at those words, as he began bouncing on his toes.  “I got more than Lexa?!”

His father nodded, turning to his wife, who had just come striding in from the kitchen, carrying a tray of hors-d'oeuvres.  

Lexa smirked, staring at her mother’s outlandish, solar system print dress and curly orange wig.  “Miss Frizzle I presume?”

Cynthia nodded, “It’s an oldie but a goodie.”  She gazed down, examining the contents of her children’s pillowcases.  “Your father’s right.  Aden wins this year.”

Lexa frowned.  “You know, Frizzle’s wildly experimental teaching methods always seemed overrated to me.”

“Huh!”  Her mother put her free hand to her chest, feigning offense as she headed off into the sea of guests, intent on distributing the food before it was cold.  “By the way Lexa,” she called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the crowd.  “Anya has been looking for you.  She’s in the kitchen.”

Lexa rolled her eyes as Aden began a victory dance around her.  She stuck her tongue out at him playfully before she conceded to his joy. “Alright, alright. All hail Aden, king of Halloween!”  Lexa dropped her pillowcase, kneeling in front of the tiny boy and tickling his sides until he was writhing on the floor, helpless with hysterical laughter, and pleading with her.

“Stop! Stop!”

Satisfied, Lexa stood, holding out her hand to her brother.  “Here, gimme your candy, and I’ll hide it for you until tomorrow.”

Aden clutched his pillowcase a little tighter and looked at his sister skeptically.

“Aden, you have to go to bed.  I’m just putting it somewhere safe, so the guests don’t eat it while you’re asleep.”

He furrowed his brow.  “Promise?”

“Promise.”  Reluctantly, the tiny boy handed over his bounty, and Lexa slung both bags over her shoulder as she made her way through the swinging door and into the kitchen.

Wells held the door for Clarke as they made their way from the heavily jack-o-A dedicated front porch of his advisor’s home into the living room.  The blonde couldn’t help but be in awe of how much attention to detail had been put into the party decorations.  Orange and black streamers ran up and down the banister of the stairs, and every table, shelf, and mantle had Halloween paraphernalia completely covering it; from bowls of candy to synthetic cobwebs to fake severed zombie hands.  What was more, the room was buzzing with conversation, and nearly overflowing with party guests.  Over in the corner, a headless horseman was talking to Micky Mantle, while on the couch, a slightly-too-short Abraham Lincoln appeared to be putting the moves on a female ghostbuster.  By the fireplace mantle, Freud, Einstein and Teddy Roosevelt seemed to be deep in conversation. Here and there, astronauts, movie stars, long-dead politicians, ghosts, zombies, and two different men dressed as Beethoven, milled about talking and grabbing food off of a platter carried by a woman dressed as Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.

It was a lot to take in, and Clarke remained a fly on the wall as long as she could, until she felt Wells tugging on her arm, leading her over to a man in a red, knitted cap.

“Clarke, I want you to meet my advisor, Professor Woods.”  He turned to the middle-aged man.  “Professor, this is my best friend, Clarke.  She’s filling in for my girlfriend tonight.”

Clarke held out her hand to the handsome, silver-haired man.  He took it eagerly. Enveloping her tiny palm in his robust and leathery grip, he shook it enthusiastically.  “So happy to meet you, Clarke.  Any friend of Wells' is a friend of mine.”

His smile was genuine and welcoming, and Clarke found herself beginning to relax.

“Clarke Griffin.  Pleased to meet you too, Professor.  By the way, I like your Steve Zissou costume.”

Professor Woods chuckled, giving her hand a final shake before he released it.  “Actually, I’m supposed to be Jacques Cousteau, but the Zissou character was based on him, so you’re very close.”

Professor Woods looked Clarke over for a moment, mulling over something.  “Griffin, eh?”  He pursed his lips, scrunching one eye halfway shut in contemplation.  “Your father wouldn’t happen to be Jake Griffin would he?”

Clarke’s eyes widened upon hearing her father’s name.  “He would!  Do you know him?”

The professor’s face light up, his strong jaw turning up into a warm smile once again.  “I’ve known you dad for almost twenty years!  We met working on a big construction project up in Gloucester.  He was the lead marine engineer on a pier renovation, and I was the chief environmental officer.  Brilliant guy, your dad. Just brilliant.”

Professor Woods paused, suddenly noticing Clarke and Wells’ costumes.  He beamed when he realized the theme.  “Aden! Come take a look at this, buddy!”  The professor smirked, as he looked them up and down. “My son will flip when he sees your outfits.  He’s a real Star Wars nut.”

Wells perked up at the statement, looking around the room for the individual who apparently shared his passion.  “Oh, yeah? Is he in college too o…”

Wells trailed off when he felt a small hand tugging his pant leg.  He looked down at the little boy clad in black robes; a Darth Vader mask pushed up above his forehead.  The child smiled up at him sheepishly.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Wells waved down at him, slightly astonished.  “Is this… I mean…  Sorry.” He paused, looking back and forth between the professor and Aden.  “I just figured that your son would be a little older.”

The little boy beamed up at the two college students, ecstatic to have a real life Finn and Rey in his home.  He looked over at his father before turning back to Wells and smiling eagerly.  “I was a surprise.”

The three adults burst into awkward if not genuine laughter, as Professor Woods grabbed the tiny boy, hoisting him up on his hip.  Settling into his father’s side, Aden locked eyes with Clarke and smiled shyly.

“Hi.”

Enamored with the funny little boy, Clarke leaned down. She gave him a warm smile and extended her hand.  “Hi there, I’m Clarke.”

Faced with a pretty girl in a Rey costume, Aden became uncharacteristically nervous.  He smiled back at her bashfully, tentatively grabbing two of her fingers in his tiny fist, and shaking them.  “I’m Aden.”  He looked over her costume, smiling as he took in every detail of the beautiful girl.  “Can I tell you something, Clarke?”

She nodded.

He leaned forward, whispering in her ear.  “Rey is my favorite.”

Clarke smiled at him, leaning towards his tiny ear as she whispered back.  “Mine too.”

Professor Woods watched the exchange, charmed by how at ease the girl was with his young son.  He adjusted Aden in his arms, bouncing him a bit.  “Aden here was our later in life baby, but our daughter is your age.  Wells, I believe she graduated from Marblehead High the same year that you did.  She’s here tonight, actually.  She came all the way home just to take her little brother trick-or-treating."

He hoisted the tiny boy in his arms.  "You two should say hello.”

He cupped a hand to his mouth, calling over the hum of the crowd.  “Lexa?”  Professor Woods looked around, searching the room for any sign of his daughter, but coming up empty.  “Where did she get off too?”  Unable to make heads or tails of the faces in the crowd, he turned back to the young people in front of him, failing to notice the way Clark’s eyes had gone wide.  “Well, no matter.  I’m sure you’ll run into each other eventually.  The night is young after all.”

Aden yawned, resting his auburn head against his father’s broad shoulder, his face betraying the telltale signs of exhaustion.  Professor Woods rubbed his son’s back soothingly, and Aden nuzzled further into his shoulder, his eyelids beginning to droop.  “Anyway, you two,” the older man nodded to Clarke and Wells.  “Looks like I should get this one to bed.”  He hiked the boy up on his hip and jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen.  “Drinks are in there.  The house rule is that those eighteen and over can help themselves to whatever they like, so long as they agree to turn over their car keys for the evening.”

Wells nodded.  “No problem, Professor.  My house is only a few blocks from here.  We can walk home.”

Professor Woods held out his hand, and Wells fished his key ring out of his trousers pocket, depositing them into his advisor’s waiting palm.  Joe tucked them into a nearby drawer.

The professor adjusted his son in his arms, extending his free hand to Clarke once more.

“Miss Griffin, it was a pleasure meeting you.  Please, tell your father that I say hello.”

Clarke nodded nervously, hoping the professor wouldn’t notice that her palms were now sweating.  “I will, of course.”  She swallowed nervously.  “By the way, Professor, is there a bathroom around here I could use?”

He pointed through a doorway.  “Down that hall, second door on the left.”

With that, Professor Woods started up the staircase.  Wells had barely raised his hand to wave goodnight to a half-sleeping Aden when he felt himself being tugged out of the room.  Clarke’s sweaty palm gripping his hand like a vice as she frantically pulled him down the hall.

“How could you not tell me this was Lexa Woods house?!”

“He was adorable,” Lexa mumbled, simultaneously trying to chew a mouthful of caramel apple.  She ducked, putting an arm up to fend off her giggling attacker, as Anya tossed a stale candy corn at her.  “He was determined to beat our record, even after it started raining.”

Anya rolled her eyes.  “It was barely drizzling.”

“There were big, fat raindrops, Anya!”

“Whatever, it only rained a little.”  She threw a few more candy corn in Lexa’s direction, popping a final one in her mouth with a smirk.  “I might be a little impressed.”

Lexa ducked, dodging the rain of rock-hard novelty candy.  “Admit it woman; you’re as happy as I am that he’s doing so well.”

Anya rolled her eyes, trying not to give herself away as she turned away slightly to hide her smile.  “It’s possible.”

Lexa smirked, picking an abandoned donut hole off the counter, and tossing it in her cousin’s direction.  “How’s the application going by the way?”

Anya shrugged.  “I won’t hear back about the academy until May, but I’m not worried.”

Lexa smiled at her beautiful, cocky cousin.  Anya had always been tremendously confident, and it was little wonder why.  At 5’ 7” the gorgeous, slender twenty-one-year-old cut an imposing figure.  Her perfect, slightly tan skin, high cheekbones, and sharp eyes had always set her apart from the crowd and made her the obsession of every teenage boy in a three-town radius.  What was more, she was smart, athletically gifted, and seemingly impervious to self-doubt.  Anya was the kind of person who was instantly good at everything she put her mind to, the type of person who never failed at things.  Lexa had worshiped her older cousin as a child, had envied her as an adolescent, and relied on her almost exclusively for advice as an adult.

“What I still can’t believe is that uncle Gus and Uncle Nyko didn’t kill you when you told them you were dropping out of school to become a police officer.”

Anya rolled her eyes, snatching a piece of candy out of Lexa’s hand.  “Don’t let them fool you.  My dads act like they’re heartbroken about my not finishing school, but they’re secretly gushing over the fact that I’m following in their footsteps.”

Lexa took a bite of a peanut butter cup.  She chewed it greedily, savoring the taste before washed it down with a swig of beer.  “So you think you’re gonna get picked up for the academy?”

“I’m pretty confident,” Anya replied casually.

“That sure, huh?”  Lexa popped the remaining bit of Reese’s in her mouth, devouring it in a single bite.

“Of course.  Even if I hadn’t aced the civil service exam, and even if my fathers weren’t retired police officers, I’d still be an international adoptee, who speaks two languages, and who was raised by gay dads.  Let’s be real here.  Those things make for a pretty unique candidate, and the BPD is in the middle of a huge diversification effort.”

Lexa grinned mischievously.  “So being Kyrgyzstani give you an advantage?”

This time, Anya threw an entire mini bag of skittles at Lexa.  The tiny, red bag smacked the brunette in the face before plummeting to the floor.  Anya furrowed her brow, feigning righteous indignation, though she knew full well Lexa was only joking.  “Jackass, the term is Kyrgyz, not Kyrgyzstani, and I know you know I was adopted from Nepal.”

Lexa nearly choked laughing as she tried to swallow the candy in her mouth.  The misnomers were a running joke between her and her cousin.  Anya would pretend to mix up her sexual orientation, and she would act as though she couldn’t remember where Anya had been born.

“How is the whole sapiosexual thing going for you anyway?”  Anya gave her cousin a devilish grin. “Or was it Polysexual?”

“It’s just gay Anya.”

The taller girl smirked, knowing the information full well, as she’d been the first person to whom Lexa had come out.

Lexa stared at the floor, kicking at a discarded piece of candy that had landed near her foot.  “It’s fine.”

A moment of awkward silence passed before it became clear that Lexa had no intention of elaborating.

“That’s it?  Come on, Lexa!  It’s been nearly six months since you broke things off with Costia.”

Anya handed her cousin another slice of caramel apple from the tray on the counter.  “At least tell me you’ve gone on a few dates?”

Lexa shrugged, making sure to avoid her cousin’s gaze as she accepted the sweet.  “No, but it’s is fine.  I’m not still upset about Costia.”

She kicked at the floor again.  “Honestly, I’ve just been busy with other things.  Aden was just finishing his treatments when we broke up, and then I had to finish the transfer process from State to MIT, and then there were the summer prep courses in Boston.”

Lexa took a bite of the caramel apple slice.  She chewed slowly, happy to have a reason to not to speak.  Finally, she looked up at her cousin.  “It’s was a lot.  I haven’t had time for a love life.”

Anya sighed.  “I’m still pissed about what the girl did to you.”

Lexa shot her cousin an understanding but frustrated glance.  “She didn’t DO anything to me, Anya.  She just couldn’t handle everything that was going on.”

Anya jumped off the counter, her face conveying a look that practically screamed: “are you serious?”  “Lexa, supporting a significant other when their life gets hard is, literally…” She leaned forward, repeating herself for with added emphasis.  “LITERALLY, the barest of bare minimums that you should expect from a girlfriend.”

“She was going through a lot too!”

Anya’s hands flew into the air wildly.  “Adjusting to college life and pledging a sorority isn’t exactly the school of hard knocks!”

Anya groaned, cupping her palms to her forehead.  “Lexa, you ought to be angry at her.  She cut and ran when you needed her most.  That’s not ok!”

Lexa folded her hands behind her head and sighed in exasperation, her fingers weaving together through her wild, brunette mane.  “Ok, fine! I’m angry that she bailed on me!  There, I said it!  Are you happy now?”

“Yes!  You deserve to be mad at her!”

The two cousins seethed at each other for a moment; their tempers slowly returned to a manageable level.  When cooler heads finally prevailed, Anya returned to her seat on the counter, and Lexa leaned back against the refrigerator, allowing the cool of the metal door to sooth her flushed skin.  She glared over at her cousin.

“I’ll admit, I was a little mad when she broke up with me.  To be honest though, by the time Costia and I ended things, I ‘d pretty much fallen out of love with her anyway.”

Lexa sighed, closing her eyes in an attempt to collect her thoughts.  “Costia was everything I could have asked for in a high school girlfriend.  She was outgoing, fun, up for anything…”

“Not to mention hot and rich.”

Lexa clenched her jaw, trying not to be frustrated with Anya’s cheek.  “Yeah, sure… But, she was also shallow, and self-involved, and she didn’t handle adversity well at all.  Plus, she wasn’t good with Aden, and you know how I feel about that.”

Anya nodded. “Right, right… You don’t trust people who aren’t good with kids.”

“Honestly, sometimes I wonder if I ever loved her, or if what we had was just…”

“Great sexual chemistry?”  Anya cut her off, smirking.

Lexa glowered at her cousin.  “As accurate as your insight is, it’s still unbearably annoying when you finish my thoughts for me.”

“Can I help it if I know you better than most?”  Anya winked, beaming at how well she knew her the younger girl.

“You know, you don’t know everything about me.”  The statement was a challenge, and Lexa knew it.  She waited with bated breath for her cousin’s inevitable smart-ass response.

Anya smiled evilly, staring her down as though she was a snake about to lash out at her prey.  “I know Costia wasn’t the person you really wanted to be dating in high school.”

Lexa froze, wondering what the sly girl was insinuating.  “What do you mean?”

Anya’s smile only widened as she leaned forward on the counter, her eyes narrowing.  “Two words. Clarke. Griffin.”  Anya stressed each syllable carefully, drawing the name out, popping the K in Clarke for added emphasis.  “You had a huge crush on her.  Don’t you even try denying it.”

The accusation hung in the air like the fallout from a nuclear bomb.  Lexa’s pulse began racing madly, and she felt all the blood rushing from her legs to her face, where she was sure a furious blush was now forming.  “How the FUCK do you know that?!”

Anya jumped down from the counter again, patting her cousin’s shoulder as she headed towards the door to the back hall.  “I was your roommate in every hotel we stayed at, at every soccer tournament we attended, for three years.  You, my dear, have an annoying habit of talking in your sleep.”

Anya began to push the door open but turned back to Lexa to add a final thought.  “Actually, it was really more moaning in your sleep than talking.”

She grinned triumphantly, watching as the blush in Lexa’s face turn a deep crimson.  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to use the commode.”

With that, Anya disappeared through the swinging door, only to reappear a second later, eyes wide.  Lexa stared at her; sure she had come back to deliver additional humiliation.

“Have you returned to watch me die of shame?”

Anya stood utterly still, dumbfounded and unable to speak for a good thirty seconds.

“Anya?”

Finally, the slender woman’s attention snapped back to her cousin.  “You know the old expression ‘speak of the devil?’”

Lexa frowned, unsure of how the adage was relevant.  “As in, ‘speak of the devil, and he’ll appear before you?’”

Anya nodded.  “Yeah, that’s the one.”

“Yes, Anya. Obviously, I know that expression.”

Anya snorted a bit as she attempted to speak, holding back laughter as best she could.  “Well, you’re never going to guess who I just saw walk into your downstairs bathroom.”

Wells nearly tripped over his own feet as Clarke pulled him hurriedly down the dimly light hallway.  At the second door on the left, she took a sharp turn, drawing them into the half-bath seconds ahead of another party guest who’d just exited the kitchen.  

“Sorry, we’ll just be a minute.”  The blonde looked at the startled girl apologetically, abruptly shutting the door in her face a second later, and locking it for good measure.

Secure at last in the confines of the tiny bathroom, Clarke proceeded to unleash an angry diatribe against her friend.

“HOW!”  She smacked him on the shoulder.

“COULD!”  She smacked him again.

“YOU!”  Smack, smack.

“NOT TELL ME!”  Smack, smack, smack.

“THAT YOUR ADVISOR’S DAUGHTER WAS LEXA WOODS!”

She continued to punch his shoulder, glowering at him furiously.  None of the blows honestly hurt, though they were hard enough that Wells could tell she was upset.

Wells raised his hands defensively trying to fend off the tiny girl.  “Whoa! Whoa!  Clarke, I don’t understand!  Why are you so upset?”

The blonde groaned, dropping her hands as she sank into her friend's chest and moaned loudly.  Wells, still unsure of his circumstances, resigned to let her keep seething until she explained.  A moment later, Clarke straightened up, cupping her forehead in her hands.  She leaned back against the counter, dropping one hand onto the sink, and pinching the bridge of her nose with the other.  Her brow furrowed, and she screwed her eyes shut tightly.

“Wells… Remember the girl I mentioned to you earlier?  The girl from high school?”

Wells stared at her blankly.

“My crush? The girl I ran into at the T station?”

Her friend's eyes grew wide with realization, his mouth hanging open.  “Wait!  That was Lexa Woods you were talking about?!”

Eyes still shut tight, fingers still pinching the bridge of her nose, Clarke nodded.  “Yes!  Wells, why didn’t you mention that she was your advisor's daughter?”

Wells shook his head dumbfounded.  “Clarke five different girls in our school had Woods as a last name.  I honestly didn’t realize it was her.  Besides, I didn’t know it mattered to you until just now.”

Clarke sighed, looking up at him glumly.  “Wells, what am I going to do?  I could barely put two words together around her in high school, and that was back when I was confident and had everything going for me.  How am I supposed to talk to her now, when humiliating, nude photos of me are being spread around like the common cold?”

Wells smiled down at his friend.  He gently placed one of his large hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.  “Clarke, you’ve still got everything going for you.”  He chuckled at the pouty face she made when she looked up at him.

“Clarke…”

“What?”

Wells placed his other hand on her free shoulder, staring at her thoughtfully.  “Have you seriously had a secret crush on Lexa Woods since high school?”

She nodded, breaking their eyes contact and staring at her feet.

“Lexa Woods, who was president of the student body our senior year?”

She nodded.

“Lexa Woods, who made co-captain of the girl’ varsity soccer team as a sophomore?”

Another nod.

“Lexa Woods, who graduated second in our class?”

Clarke finally looked up at him.  “Only because you got a C in wood shop.”

Wells grimaced at the reminder, frowning.  “The same Lexa Woods on who most of the guys in our school had a crush?

It was Clarke’s turn to frown now, her jaw setting in annoyance. “Yes.”

“The same Lexa Woods that was so well liked that nobody made so much as a sideways comment about it when she came out?”

“Yes, Wells.”

“And, I mean… Lexa didn’t just come out.  She came out, and suddenly she was dating the head cheerleader.  It was like Costia Greene flew out of the bisexual closet the second that Lexa told people that she was gay.”

“What’s your point, exactly?” Clarke deadpanned.

“Just that Costia Greene was seriously attractive.  A huge bitch to be sure, but super hot, none-the-less.”

“Ok, I get it!”

Snapped out of his train of thought, Wells cocked a half grin, trying not to laugh at the annoyed look on Clarke’s face.

“You know, you were really popular in high school, but Lexa… That girl was on a whole other level.  I honestly can’t think of a single person who didn’t like her, and she was pretty much friendly to everyone.”

Wells grinned down at his best friend sympathetically.  “Well Clarke, you set a seriously high bar for yourself.  Then again, I’m glad to see your standards have gone way up since Finn.”

Clarke punched him in the chest, still annoyed, but finally feeling less sensitive.  “Wells, stop teasing me.  What am I going to do?”

The tall boy raised his shoulders, cocking his head to the side in an admission of his uncertainty.  “No idea, kid.  Then again, there are so many people here that you might not even see her.  Plus, I’ll be with you the whole night.  If we end up running into her, and you get tongue-tied, I’ll just wingman the hell out of you.”

Clarke looked at him skeptically.  “You are going to be my wingman?  Wells, I love you, but you could barely talk to girls when you were single.”

Wells cocked one eyebrow, giving Clarke a profoundly smug look.  “Hey, my game has improved considerably since high school.  Not to mention, it’s easier to talk to girls when I have nothing at stake personally.”

He grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around as he opened the door, and lead them back into the now empty hallway.  “Besides, you don’t have a lot of other options.”

Wells held up a finger, eyeing at the door across from them.  “Look, the kitchen is right through there.  You wait here and take a moment to pull yourself together. I’ll grab us a little liquid courage.  Sound good?”

Clarke nodded, waiting until Wells had disappeared through the swinging door before she collapsed against the wall with an aggravated sigh.

“Anya, stop messing with me!”

“I’m not!”  Anya crossed her arms over her slender frame, a freshly formed, shit-eating grin complementing the already smug expression on her face.  “I swear to you; I just saw Clarke Griffin pull some guy into the bathroom.  She’s here Lexa, and apparently, she’s making out with your parent’s party guests.”

The hallway door swung open suddenly, startling both girls into stunned silence.  A tall, dark-skinned boy entered the kitchen and locked eyes with Anya awkwardly, apparently unsure of what to say.  Finally, he raised a balled fist to his mouth and cleared his throat nervously.  “Um, the bathroom is free now, if you still need it.”  He grinned sheepishly.  “Sorry for taking so long.”

Anya narrowed her eyes menacingly, intent on giving the intrusive young man a piece of her mind.  “You know, most people would consider hooking up in the bathroom of someone else’s home to be a social faux pas.”

The young man was taken aback by Anya’s insinuation.  He looked at her in astonishment, his mouth opening and closing a few times as he fumbled for a response. “You think I… ”  He looked over his shoulder and then back to Anya.  “That we…”  He pointed at his chest.  “You think that I was fooling around with the girl that pulled me into the bathroom?”

Anya’s arms crossed over her slender frame defensively.  She cocked her head to the side, her expression growing even more skeptical and annoyed.  “Dude, I just saw you, and the other half of your couple’s costume disappear behind a locked bathroom door, which I might add, you didn’t reemerge from for a good ten minutes.  Am I supposed to assume you were playing charades in there?”

The young man rolled his eyes at her, becoming irritated with Anya’s accusations.  “Look, I understand why you’d think that, but you’re mistaken.  That girl is just my friend, the couple’s costume doesn’t mean anything, and she pulled me into that bathroom because she…”

He trailed off, finally noticing Lexa, still leaning against the fridge.  Wells stalled, searching for a way to censor himself.  “She went through a rough breakup recently.”  He looked back and forth between the girls nervously.  “She wanted to talk is all.”

Understandably empathetic to the boy’s plight, Lexa shot Anya a look that practically screamed: “back off.”  She turned to Wells, smiling at him apologetically.  “I’m sorry to hear your friend’s having a rough time. I hope she’s ok.”

Wells nodded, his eyes still locked on Anya’s.  “She’s fine now.  She just needed to vent.”  An intense few seconds passed before the boy finally broke off his stare-down with Anya.  He turned toward  Lexa, glancing at the refrigerator she was propped up against.

“So… Professor Woods told me that the drinks were in here.”  Lexa nodded, pushing herself off the fridge with her foot, and popping the door open for him.  She held it wide, revealing an assortment of beers and white wines. She simultaneously pointed to the counter, where a few bottles of red wine sat, half-drunk.  “Help yourself.”

Well scanned the contents of the fridge and counter-top, carefully considering his options.  He gave Lexa a tentative smile.  “Look, I don’t want to overstep my boundaries here, but it’s been a bit of a long day.  I don’t suppose you have anything a little strong, do you?”

Lexa hesitated a moment before deciding that the young man was probably responsible enough to handle a little hard liquor.  “Of course.”  She smiled at him understandingly.  “Bourbon or vodka?”

Wells bit his lip sheepishly.  “Would one of each be ok?”

Lexa nodded.  “Sure, coming right up.”  She disappeared into a small pantry off the side of the kitchen, returning a moment later with two very full solo cups.  “This should be more than enough to help you unwind.

Wells accepted them with an appreciative grin, trying not to spill as the cups changed hands.  “Thanks, I owe you one.”

Somewhere in the interim, Anya had settled back against the counter.  She starred at Wells, suspiciously certain that the familiarity of the young man’s face was more than a fluke.  She pursed her lips.  “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Wells set his jaw as he faced the less friendly of the two girls.  “No. No, I don’t think so.”

Anya strained her eyes, staring at him as though she could read his mind.  “Are you sure, because I could swear I recognize you.”

Wells turned back to Lexa, decided that the beautiful but surly girl’s line of questioning was his cue to cut and run.  “Thanks again for the dr…”

The sound of fingers snapping and feet hitting the floor cut him off, and before he had a chance to duck out of the room, Anya was in front of him, a huge smirk on her face.

“I do know you!  You’re the guy that vomited all over Bill Simmons’ sister at Octavia Blake’s sweet sixteen!”

The corners of Wells' mouth immediately turned down into a deep and sullen frown.  For a brief moment, he was filled with the strong desire to take both of the drinks he was holding, and pour them over the head of the irritating girl in front of him.  He took a deep breath, allowing himself a moment to calm down.  “Yeah.  That was me.”

Anya clapped her hands together, the boy’s annoyance only serving to egg her on.  “I knew it!”  She stepped backward toward her cousin, nudging her in the arm.  “You should have seen it, Lexa.  It was the most epic party foul I’ve ever seen!”

Lexa grimaced, not so grossed out by the story that she didn’t feel bad for the young man.  “Sorry about her,” she sighed, shooting Wells an apologetic look.  “She gets a little obnoxious when she’d had a few drinks.”

Wells stared at them, his mouth set in an emotionless straight line that did little to cover his aggravation.  “I’m sure.”  His clenched his jaw, raising the plastic cups and tipped his brow slightly.  “Thanks again for the drinks.”

Lexa nodded back at him, as Anya snickered behind her.  “Yeah.  The hard stuff is in the far left cupboard in the pantry if you need refills.”

He grimaced at Anya, rolling his eyes as she continued to stifle her giggles.  “So great running into you Anya.”  His tone was pure sarcasm, and he let the acid of it linger for a moment before pushing his way through the door, and disappearing back into the hallway.”

Lexa immediately turned on her heels, punching a still snickering Anya in her shoulder.

“Ouch!  What was that for?”

The younger girl rolled her eyes.  “You can be such an ass!  You embarrassed that poor guy.”

Anya’s pupils rolled up towards the ceiling, and she tilted her head back, groaning dramatically.  “Oh, come on!  The guy should have a sense of humor about it.  I mean, if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?”

Lexa stared at her as though she’d just missed the most obvious point in the world.  “Anya, that’s literally the opposite of what you were just doing.”

“Oh, please! That guy needs to grow thicker skin.”

Lexa fought against the impulse to shift the conversation into an actual debate, knowing full well that her hard-headed cousin would never concede the point.  A tougher, more loyal best friend Lexa could never have asked for, but her cousin was also profoundly self-righteous and stubborn to a fault.  Once Anya had made up her mind that she was right about something, there was little point in drawing out an argument with her.

Lexa growled, grabbing two more beers out of the fridge and handing one to her cousin.  “Look, just try to be nicer if you run into him again.”

Anya huffed, as she made multiple attempts to pry the beer’s cap off with the bottom of a lighter.  “Ugh, fine.  I’ll be nice to him.”  She made a few more attempts, growling in frustrating when each one failed.

Lexa shook her head at her iron-willed cousin, snorting as she laughed at the girl’s antics.  She held out her hand. “Give it here.”

Anya handed the beer and lighter over dejectedly, seething at the self-satisfied look her cousin gave her.  Lexa positioned the bottle cap against the edge of the Bic, pressed the plastic lighter into the cap and flicked her hand, popping it off with ease.

“Takes practice.”  She grinned triumphantly, handing back the beer and lighter, knowing full-well that Anya hated nothing quite so much as when Lexa bested her at things.

Anya scowled, taking a sig of the beer and ignoring her cousin's subtle gloating.  A beat passed before she remembered what they had been discussing.  “So wait… we still need to address the fact that Clarke Griffin is here, in this very house.  Not to mention, she just broke up with her boyfriend.”

Lexa shrugged and continued to sip her beer distractedly.  “So what?”

“So, that means she’s single, Lexa!  How are you not more excited about this?”

Lexa cast an annoyed glance at her cousin.  “Anya, I can’t just snap my fingers and make her interested in me.  It doesn’t work like that.  She’s straight.”

Anya pushed herself off the counter.  “So you say, but I’ve heard differently.”

The comment was enough that Lexa’s paused, her hand halfway to her mouth for another sip of beer.  She scrunched one eyebrow, staring at her cousin skeptically.  “What is it that you’ve heard exactly?”

Anya's face turned up into the coy smirk, the kind of look she always harbored when she had privileged social dirt to levy.

“And, what will you give me if I share this highly classified information?”

Lexa rolled her eyes, grabbing a small box of Mike & Ikes form her pillowcase full of candy, and tossing it at Anya.  “Would you stop playing around and just tell me?”

“No dice.”

“Ugh, fine! Take the whole thing!’’  Lexa grabbed the sack, well aware that the bounty of candy was what Anya wanted.  She shoved the stuffed bag into her cousin's eager hands, frowning.  “Just don’t touch any of Aden’s!”

“Fine.”

“Good.  Now, tell me what it is you’ve heard.”

Anya didn’t say a word.  Instead, she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket, holding up a finger when Lexa began to protest.  With the highest precision possible, she tapped the screen repeatedly, scrolling through what appeared to be a group text.

“Aha,”  She beamed up at Lexa when she found the conversation for which she had been looking.  “Read it.”

Lexa accepted the phone and stared down at the group conversation.  She read slowly, her heart beginning to race with each new line of text.

“Oh, g-d…”  She trailed off, her eyes growing wider as she reached the last portion of the conversation.  “Jesus Anya… That’s so awful.  Poor Clarke.”

Anya reached out for the phone as Lexa handed it back to her, shaking her head as she gave the saved conversation a final once over.  “Ugh!”  She stuck out her tongue, grimacing.  “I still want to punch that Collins prick.”

Lexa shuffled back and forth uncomfortably, feeling awkward in the knowledge that everything she’d just learned about Clarke came by way of old text message gossip.  Part of her wanted to feel elated at the possibility that the affections of the beautiful girl might genuinely be available to her, rather than merely remaining the distant daydream of her high school days.  

However, a more significant part of Lexa was incapable of feeling anything but heartbroken for Clarke.  For the life of her, Lexa couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to do something so deliberately and mercilessly cruel to the charming, effervescent girl who’d once invaded her thoughts on a near constant basis.

Lexa took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts.  She ran a hand through her hair, and looked at her cousin, unsure of what to say.  Luckily, Anya was ready with advice.

“You should make a move.”

Lexa grimaced, screwing up her face as though Anya’s suggestion was the most ridiculous counsel ever given.  “Are you crazy?  Considering what she’s just been through, I’m sure the last thing she wants is some girl she barely remembers hitting on her.”

Anya groaned, holding up the phone again and dangling it in front of Lexa  “Look,” she pointed to the date stamp on the first message.  “That conversation took place more than four months ago.”

Anya shoved the phone back in her pocket and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest.  “Clarke and I are both friends with Harper McIntyre, and not two weeks ago she mentioned that Clarke had said was ready to get back out there.”

Lexa considered the information carefully, a thousand scenarios regarding how to start a conversation with Clarke running through her head.  Overwhelmed, she dropped her elbows to the counter and buried her face in her hands.

“Ugh!  Why did she have to show up tonight of all nights!”  Lexa groaned desperately.  “I could barely form a sentence around her when I was her soccer captain!  How am I supposed to talk to her now, when I’m wearing this ridiculous costume?”

Anya shook her head at the pathetic ball of angst that had replaced her ordinarily confident, unsinkable cousin.  “You need to pull yourself together.”  Anya took a long drag of her beer, mulling over the conversation she’d had with Harper.  “You know, McIntyre did mention that she’s had a long-standing crush on some girl from MHS.”

Lexa groaned again, turning as she sank to onto the kitchen floor in defeat.  “Oh my g-d, I’m sure it’s Octavia Blake!”  She sighed.  “Those two were inseparable in high school.  They were basically all over each other.”

“Baby Blake?” Anya scrunched up one side of her face, clearly disagreeing with the idea.  “I seriously doubt that, Lexa.  That girl has been permanently attached to one or more parts of Lincoln Forrester for as long as I’ve known her.”

Anya attempted to swig her beer, but snorted on her laughter a second later, sending liquid pouring out her nose.  “I’m pretty sure Linc’s balls have taken up a permanent residence in her purse.”  She choked on more beer as she continued the laugh at her joke.

Anya stared at her unfortunate cousin who was still crouched on the ceramic kitchen tile, forehead resting on her knees, and arms wrapped protectively around her shins.  She nudged Lexa with her foot, finishing the final swig of her beer and tossing the empty bottle into the recycling bin under the sink.  When Lexa made no move to get up, her cousin grumbled in frustrated impatience.  “Ok, seriously… You're ridiculous.”

Anya crossed to the refrigerator, yanking the door open to retrieve another beer.  As she bent down to peer at the available selection of hooch, something on the far kitchen counter caught her eye.  She smirked, straightening up and staring down at the downtrodden girl balled up on the floor.

“Hey, Lex…”

“What,” Lexa’s exasperated voice was barely a whimper, muffled by the sound of the knees that his her face.

“I think I just figured out a way for you to talk to Clarke.”

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[therealkk]

Alright! I’m home, settled and have completed a full week back at work, post Christmas in

Meiko wearing my antlers

Colorado! I thought I’d post a “how our Christmas went” type of blog, since Lauren took the time to do so too!

  We started Christmas Eve with Mitchell’s family. Breakfast, and stockings, and a little bit of time just hanging out. It was low-key and drama free. 4 pups, 9 people and Christmas Cheer.

After we had finished celebrations with them, we decided it was time to finish up packing, and spend some more time with Kitten before we left her for the week. (This was the longest we’ve ever left her, I was feeling really guilty.)

We had an uber come pick us up, and we nervously, and excitedly packed all our luggage in the back of her explorer, and headed on our way to the airport. I don’t fly very often, and actually, the last time I was on a plane was 2009 when my stepdad passed away. I was a little nervous and unsure how quickly we’d be able to get through security, and even more worried about how my anxiety would be on the plane. I don’t have a normal and rational fear of the plane crashing (and honestly I personally would never be afraid of that…) My anxiety about flying is ridiculous and silly, but it’s very real.

Mitchell and I decided to get to the airport early.

Never. Again.

It’s been ages since I’ve flown, and even longer since I’ve flown on my own (those of you that followed me from LiveJournal will remember the last time I flew alone was 2007 to Texas.)

Last time I flew things were a little different, and being three and a half hours early for your flight was no big deal.

So Mitchell and I thought nothing of getting to the airport a little early, put our anxieties at ease, and have a little time to relax before hopping on a plane full of complete strangers.

Imagine our surprise when we got there and our airline had a sign saying no one was going to be at the counter until 2 hours before flight. We had 2 checked bags, which meant we couldn’t go through security or anything until they were at the counter. So we had a long 1.5 hour wait… we sat, and talked, my anxiety rose, people stared at us.

Mitchell and I post security, showing off our attire.

oh, pause! I forgot to tell you! We went to the airport in our Christmas PJ’s (Mitchell’s Christmas Pikachu PJ’s and my Bumble PJ’s) wearing our Pikachu hoodies and a santa hat, and I had antlers and Mitchell had Pikachu ears on top of our santa hats! We both had these fabulous christmas light necklaces that I found on amazon.

Once employees showed up at the counter, we lined up (took a good 30 minutes to get through the counter) and we headed off to security! Everything went smoothly, and the photo above was us celebrating finally making it through security! We wondered down to our gate, found it, and then decided it was time to find a place to get some food and a drink or two.

We stumbled across this place called Africa Lounge. We sat in the bar, Mitchell ordered a “large” beer (which to our surprise was HUGE) and I got their alcoholic coffee. It was super delicious, we sat, ate some food and gushed about how excited we were to be on our very first vacation!

After our meal at the Africa Lounge, we continued on to the nearby bookstore, picked up a bottle of water (mitchell has to take some congestion meds when he flies, and we both felt we needed to hydrate.)  We picked up a few fun souvenirs for Lauren and Elisabeth, and headed to the gate. We got t

Successfully boarded on the plane!

here just in time for boarding, and loaded on the plane. We got settled, my anxiety went down a little, and we sat back and relaxed.

  While on our 2.5 hour flight to Denver, we goofed off, closed our eyes, and made friends with the girl sitting next to us (bless her heart, I may have accidentally caught her in the background of some of our selfies.

Mitchell played some games on his phone, I listened to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on Audible and we both took turns watching out the window.

We didn’t fall asleep at all, but we did close our eyes, our flight left at 7, and landed at 10:30. We had been up since 8am, and with a mixture of holiday stress, and traveling stress, we were exhausted!

About 15 minutes before landing we turned off our music and chatted about how  excited

Sleepy, but incredibly happy to be on vacation!

we were to get to Colorado and see our friends. We also looked out the window and guessed what we could see.

  We came to the conclusion that we could see Colorado Springs, which is where Lauren’s parents live, and what we assume was a bunch of other nearby towns.

The plane has landed! 

Our flight was pretty uneventful, we had some turbulence, that the flight attendants were spooked by, but honestly it wasn’t bad at all. It did cause one of the bathroom doors to fly open, but I bet it wasn’t closed all the way.

  Once the plane had landed they told us we could turn off airplane mode, and we texted Lauren to let her know we had landed.

We got off the plane, and Mitchell went to the bathroom while I explored a nearby gift shop.

I looked for snacks but decided to just wait until we left the airport.

While walking to baggage claim, we found this guy, so we both decided to pose with him, I don’t have a copy of the photo of me, because it is on Mitchell’s phone, and I’m too lazy to ask for it. :D

We wondered our way down the escalator, to the train, and then to baggage claim.

Once at baggage claim, we heard several people pointing and saying “They were on our flight!”

All day people were snapping photos of us, pointing, and cheering us on. The flight attendants, and everyone we came in contact with loved our outfits and Christmas spirit. How else would one travel on Christmas eve?? :P

Our bags were the first off the plane (WIN!) and we headed out to get in the car with Lauren and Sidney!

Lauren’s photo of her stocking goodies

Once we got to their house, we had a snack and went to bed, we were exhausted! We woke up the next day to a delicious breakfast cooked by both Sidney and Lauren, and enjoyed their company.

  We all had agreed that we’d spend the day at home just relaxing. So we did, and it was wonderful. We opened stockings, ate yummy food and played games together.

later in the evening, Lauren’s parents came, we had dinner, opened some wonderful and

Christmas Dinner, sorry, I had eaten most of it already

thoughtful gifts, and enjoyed the company. It truly was one of the best Christmases we’ve had, ever. Good food, good company, lots of happiness, and love. I am so grateful for Lauren and Gene inviting us into their home on such a major holiday! We are so lucky to have such loving and caring people in our lives!

  Ken and Kathy (Lauren’s parents, two people I have always adored) brought some gifts for everyone, and some delicious Christmas dinner!

A thoughtful ornament made by Lauren’s Family

After Christmas dinner we hung out a bit more and went to bed. We didn’t have any solid plans for the week, but I think the plan for Monday was to go into Denver and look at the Capitol building, get brunch and explore a little.

  We woke up Monday morning, and Lauren told us that the Capitol building was closed, but we could still go into the city if we wanted, we ended up deciding to not do so, but we did go to the COOLEST museum Mitchell and I have been to.

Lauren took us into Denver to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Boy was it busy there! So many people had the same great idea we had, but that didn’t stop us! We spent a whole 5 hours at the museum and still didn’t see everything. I’ve included some of the photos we took there, below.

We came home that night, and relaxed, played more games, and enjoyed good food.

Tuesday, we went into Denver, saw Lauren’s work, and went to the 16th Street Mall and

went into the cutest little store called I (heart) Denver and bought souvenirs for Mitchell’s mom and our friends Katy and Adam.

  Then, we went to REI to rent snowshoes, for our snowventure the next day! The REI we went to was MASSIVE. As a Seattleite, I honestly have never seen an REI as huge as this one. It was amazing!

We came home after a very long day out (another 5 hours) without lunch, starving, and exhausted. We ate dinner (Noodle soup made by Lauren.) 

After dinner, we sat down and worked on our D&D characters with Elisabeth and Lauren.

Lauren, Gene, Sidney and Elisabeth have been playing D&D for quite some time, and Lauren has been inviting me to play for just about as long as she’s been playing.

Mitchell and I discussed it and decided we wanted to give it a try while we were in Denver, so that night we sat down, created our characters, and played the first half of our very first D&D adventure!

We were off to a rough start, both rolling 1s, but I ended up having much better luck the rest of the game and kicked major butt.

We played for about an hour that night, and had a blast, but by the end of the evening, we were exhausted. I went to bed after we finished D&D for the evening, Mitchell stayed up and played video games with Sidney.

The next day, Wednesday, We woke up early, layered up, and took the snowshoes up to the Rocky Mountains.

It was just Mitchell, Lauren and I, but we were all super excited to snowshoe together!

We packed up, got in the car and headed toward the mountains. Lauren took us to Estes Park. It was a little bit of a drive, but it wasn’t too bad. I enjoyed looking around, we drove through Boulder, and even drove past the hotel that inspired The Shining.

As we climbed higher we saw our first snow flurries (first for the entire visit, Denver didn’t get any snow, it was colder here in Seattle!)

We pulled into the park, only to have a ranger tell us it wasn’t safe for her car. He directed us to another area (Devil’s Gulch) to snowshoe. So we turned around and headed there. Sadly there wasn’t enough snow to snowshoe, but we did hike! We saw some amazing sights, and several elk! It was all around a great time!

We came home that evening, and went out to dinner at a vegan restaurant called Native Foods. (There’s one in Oregon, and I plan on visiting it!)  The food there was DELICIOUS, and I wish we had one locally!

After dinner,

The last photo I took at Lauren’s house

we came back, finished out or D&D, I made butterbeer and then we headed to bed.

Thursday, we woke up, hung out, and Lauren and I went to return the snowshoes that we sadly didn’t get to use, and we came home, relaxed, since it was our last day there, and played games. I went to bed around 9pm. We had to be up and out of the house by 3:30 am.

We packed everything up that night, and said our goodbyes to Elisabeth, (Sidney was already in bed) and set our alarms for our early wake-up.

We sadly woke up, loaded up the car and headed to the airport before anyone else was awake for the day.

G

ene came with Lauren to drop us off. We said our goodbyes and headed in. The atmosphere in the airport this time wasn’t quite as chipper, and the lines were longer. We waited 45 mintues to check our bags, and then 30 minutes through security. Then we had to ride the train to our flight. We got some breakfast at Dunkin Doughnuts, and then we got to the gate with just 5 minutes to spare before they boarded us.

Our flight home was uneventful, I slept most of it, and woke up just in time to see this beautiful view!

Overall, it was a wonderful way to spend our Christmas. Mitchell and I had a great time, and definitely plan on visiting again! We both agree that this was the best way to spend our favorite time of the year!

Below, are some photos I didn’t include in the post, mainly Lauren’s cat Pippin.

  A Christmas to Remember. Alright! I'm home, settled and have completed a full week back at work, post Christmas in…