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dsspicable‌; esme.

gimme some tough guy nuisance patient who can’t be reasoned with for my soft student nurse to fall in love with !

barely five minutes into her long awaited break, just having taken a seat, her pager buzzes. esme can easily warrant a guess as to which patient she was being summoned for. stretching aching muscles, she sighs softly as she heads to their room, gathering their notes from the end of their bed. “ listen, i know you’re fed up. but perhaps if you were just a little more co-operative with staff, you’d be out of here a hell of a lot faster. ” femme offers probably unwelcome advice, gaze drifting from the paper work up to the other. “ and for god sake, stop fiddling with your IV cannula. you are not a child. ” he’d become a regular in the ER and quite the talk of the students nurses — though this had been his longest stay to date. no stranger to his charm and rugged good looks, esme can’t help but soften expression as she sees his evident discomfort. “ can i get you anything for the pain ? or maybe you’re finally ready to tell me what happened exactly ? ”

              cooperation had never been a soft skill taren found himself capable of —– or at least it was not in the face of authority or genuine kindness. he didn’t really like either; despising the idea of someone standing above him, wanting to constrain or control him, even if said control was merely a plea to remain in bed as doctors tended his wounds.       “ i am being cooperative, “     he points out, his hand lifting carefully to nod his head towards where the cannula connects the iv bag’s tube to him,     “ i let them shove a needle inside of me. “      perhaps not without a threat or two, empty words of someone who knew he needed help – at least, this time he admits he did – but who wouldn’t stop the reflex of fighting it, anyway. his hand falls back to lay besides him and he has to breathe out a laugh; a quick flash of good looks shining through the bruises marking his skin as a smile tugs on his lips. she seemed to be their trump card every time – when he acted up, esme was right there – and for reasons unbeknownst to him, he allowed it, even now concentrating to ignore the iv pierced into him.     “ the pain’s not half bad, “    he lies. it comes and goes in waves, muscles and jaw clenching each time it does, trembling with the strength of it.     “ ‘m pretty sure i already told you —– i slipped. “    another lie and he’s getting less and less creative with it.      “ can’t you just.... sit?  please. for a minute, at least..? otherwise, i’m gonna go mental being here on my own any longer. “      

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sonixs‌; andi.

plot : our muses hs sweethearts going through a rough time.  open: m / f / nb

ANDI DIDN’T UNDERSTAND why they were in a rough patch. sure , they had had their ups and downs and it was EXPECTED when you’ve been dating someone since you were fourteen years old. but this was DIFFERENT it wasn’t just one rough spot , it had been months of fighting and months of avoiding the issue and now it all boiled down to THIS.  “ do you even WANT to be with me anymore , ” she asks with a shaky tone in her voice , scared to hear the others answer. “ because you don’t act like it and i – i just need to know what’s going on here. i CANT live like this anymore. ”

          the upset was written in bright colours on the lines and features of his face, just like it had been for too long now. cameron barely remembered when it had started or what had started the decay into their misery, but he remembered; was reminded of the existence of it every. single. day —– it was exhausting.      “ andi, “      her name is a whisper under his breath, spoken softly and with all the love he still has for her. it’s a   ‘ don’t be silly ‘  and an attempt of comfort, trying to stop tears before they can begin to dwell. it also buys himself time and he finds himself look away, head turning in a flash of shame, as he realises it’s what he wants: all the time in the world to avoid her question.       “ i– i mean–  “     he pauses, panic in his own heart because he doesn’t know the right answer —– or rather, he does, but he doesn’t know whether he can genuinely say it.      “ i love you. i do. i will always love you, but– “      his shoulders lift, helpless in his own answer,       “ i just think that maybe, considering how long we’ve been, you know... us, i guess..? that we should perhaps have some time to ourselves... or something. “

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angelenrgies‌; cartier.

cartier  had  two  talents  :  acting  ,  and  deflecting  blame  .  never  failed  to  place  anything  that  went  wrong  on  anyone  else  ,  was  so  convinced  she  could  do  no  wrong  that  it  caused  self - awareness  to  suffer  greatly  .  had  been  expecting  the  male  to  apologize  ,  show  a  semblance  of  guilt  for  the  trainwreck  that’d  been  her  actions  over  the  course  of  the  last  few  weeks  ;  can  barely  mask  the  shock  she  feels  when  he  reacts  in  the  exact  opposite  manner  .  “  excuse  me  ?  ”  the  femme  breathes  out  ,  struggling  to  properly  process  his  response  .  “  i’m  broken  ?  well  ,  i’m  so  fucking  sorry  .  i  thought  i  had  someone  to  lean  on  ,  that  maybe  i’d  finally  found  someone  who  could  help  me  out  ,  but  it  sounds  like  you  see  me  just  like  everyone  else  does  .  i  guess  it’s  always  me  against  the  world  .  the  only  thing  that’s  on  me  was  being  stupid  enough  to  think  otherwise  .  ”

            he  wants  to  shake  her  until  either  the  nonsense  he  constantly  hears  coming  from  her  topples  entirely  out  of  her  or  the  mess  in  her  head  miraculously   gets  shaken  into  something  sensible   —–  he doesn’t,  of  course,  but  he  sure  wishes  he  could.          “ are.  you.�� kidding.  me?! “        voice  full  of  disbelief,  he  would  be  speechless  if  it  wasn’t  for  the  annoyance  burning  underneath  his  skin,           “ you  can  lean  on  me !!  you  have  been  leaning  on  me  the  whole  goddamn  time  throughout  all  of  this.  but  there’s  only  so  much  i  can  do  !! “      hands  get  thrown  into  the  air,  exasperatedly.      “  fuck  it,  fuck  whatever  game  you  are  playing  here.  you  win !!  if  the  goal  is  driving  me  nuts,  driving  me  away  from  you,  congratu-fucking-lations, cartier.  you  won.  “ 

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hcneybcby‌; angel.

♡

— even though the rest of her family chose to be involved in the sons, angel didn’t want that life. she chose an education and a brighter future than gangs and running guns. deep down she hoped that her dad was looking down on her, proud that she broke away from a violent cycle. now that she was in college, she tried her hardest to focus on her studies but from time to time a certain boy who was in all her classes tended to catch her eye. he was a total dreamboat but there was no way he’d ever be interested in her. her face flushed a bright red when her professor announced they’d be working in groups and he put them together. “i, uh — is there a day that’s good for you to get together to start working on the assignment?”

           school had always meant a little bit more work to atlas than it had to his other peers. spending the majority of his childhood and his adolescent years on the road, travelling behind a father who happened to be deployed across the entire country, he had never been in the same school for long. of course, teachers had always met him with understanding — and much to his stress level’s dismay, the expectation that atlas would catch up on the material he’d been missing out on, while also learning what was on schedule now and already preparing what was to come. it was needless to say, his grades were never great — except the athletic ones. he was much better at sports, much more comfortable proving his brawn than his brain as well, and thus the offer of a baseball scholarship did not surprise anyone. how much more work college turned out to be, however, did —– and how much teachers still loved their freaking group assignments !! atlas hated them; every  ‘ always the new kid in town ‘  did whether or not those times were long gone and so did everyone who, at times, perhaps felt a little bit dumb like the picture-perfect storybook jock himself. dammit.     “ i’m free on – “     he paused to think of the days which were full of practice, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the realisation that it was, of course, every day and he looked up at angel ortiz, the possibly smartest girl in school, and he did genuinely not know whether to curse or cheer his luck. in the worst case, she’d probably save his grade and merely think of him as yet another idiot – which wasn’t too bad, was it? – and still, he could feel his stomach turning at only the idea of it.     “ – sorry. “     had he been staring? he wasn’t sure.     “ i’m... honestly, i’m a little tight on schedule right now. would seven pm be alright? then we can do this any day. if not, i’ll have to talk to the coach, see which practice i can miss. “     which already sounded too jock, if you asked him.      “ also means we could start today..? i could come to yours right after practice or you come to the field and i’ll drive us to mine..? “ 

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cixatrix‌; natasha.

Open to: m/f/nb Based on: This. Muse: Younger fc for Natasha Viteri (if you prefer her older fc, let me know).

She couldn’t help how her lips lifted even as she approached the cramped cell the other was confined. “It must be my birthday,” she noted with a greeting nod. Natasha hadn’t expected for someone to stand up for her at the nightclub. With the surrounding of the crowd, most would have chosen to stand along the sidelines to watch - as if it were some kind of roadside show. “Thank you, by the way. It’s not often that someone steps up - how brave of you. So, how can I thank you besides bailing you out?”

              as it turned out, the explanation as to why someone deserved a fist aimed directly at their face – no matter how good you thought it was – did not actually stop the police from arresting you. it was unfortunate really, and yet atlas could not find a single tinge of regret in him, not even if it meant spending the night in a jail cell. slumped on the floor, his back leaned against the concrete wall, he’d already accepted his fate, when the sound of someone approaching had him look up.     “ you’re actually thanking me? “    he couldn’t hide his surprise — about her gratefulness and her being here to begin with.     “ —– wait, are you okay? “    that was the better question. the end of the argument had gone missing on him as security had kindly ushered him outside, like he was the bad guy only because he’d been first to throw a punch. at the prospect of getting out, atlas couldn’t help but push himself up to step closer towards the bars separating them.    “ seriously? “     and a small incredible laugh pushed past his lips,    “ honestly, if you bail me out, you don’t need to do anything else. “

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mrsxbrightsidex‌; marcus.

There was no honor among thieves, but Marcus liked to set boundaries. Its what made his chaotic existence sustainable. Among his boundaries were the poor and disenfranchised. There was no point in taking from people like him, when so many lived with so much. The pretty Ferreira granddaughter; for example, was fair game. With a crooked smile, he pours two generous shots of tequila. Approaching her cautiously, he merely raises his eyebrows. “I’m more of the ‘keep it till its worth more’ type.” Marcus responds with a sensible shrug, handing her the drink. Without waiting for her, he tilts his head back and allows the clear liquor to burn against his throat. Once finished, he merely looks back down at her with a mischievous glint in his eye. “You don’t remember my name, do you?” He knew how to talk his way out of most things, how difficult could she be?

         her eyes narrow in loud and clear scepticism at the ridiculous answer he gives her. she knows she’s spoiled, living an entire life in luxury others could never begin to imagine and without ever having to fear her existence, but even if she lowered her standards the apartment she’s found herself in seems shabby.     “ what on earth do you mean to buy if you really need to wait for more money? “    charlize asks, taking the drink before she adds with a smile and a twinkle in her eye:      “ no offence. “     bringing the glass to her lips, she throws her head back to empty it, shuddering ever so slightly at the sensation it leaves in her throat. his question surprises her — at least half as much as it annoys her. of course, she remembers his name !! or would probably if she had some time to think about it. truth be told, she doesn’t usually bother with names of people who’re supposed to stay in her past.     “ you are feeling incredibly smart, aren’t you? “    and with an exterior no less confident than his, she steps closer, only to lean past him and place her glass on the closest bit of free surface. she may be smaller, but she’s not intimidated by size.     “ sweetie, it takes me a single call for someone to find me your name, the ones of your family, new or old friends... everyone you’ve ever worked or gone to school with —– do we really want to play that game though? i was hoping we could solve this peacefully, you know– “     she grins almost a litte playfully,    “ –for old time’s sake. “

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riptidcs‌; riley.

 riley  needs  to  stop  ,  he  knows  that.  but  there’s  something  about  fighting  that  just  fuels  him.  he  knows  it’s  not  healthy  and  he  also  know  that  he  genuinely  does  love  cain  ––  he  wants  to  be  together  ,  so  why  does  he  keep  sabotaging  himself  ?  “  i’m  looking  at  you.  ”  he  says  ,  despite  the  fact  that  he  barley  is.  it  was  too  hard  to  look  at  him  when  he  knew  he  was  possibly  slipping  out  of  his  fingers  for  real  this  time.  finally  ,  he  turns  his  body  to  fully  face  the  other  ,  pushing  aside  any  screaming  voice  in  his  head  telling  him  to  stop  being  vulnerable  ,  to  just  keep  fighting  with  him.  “  of  course  i  fucking  love  you  more  than  he  does.  ”  he  speaks  ,  though  the  venom  in  his  voice  has  dialed  down.  he  keeps  his  eyes  on  him  despite  the  fact  that  he  looks  away  ,  and  despite  the  fact  that  riley  can  feel  his  heart  sink.  “  cain.  ”  his  voice  is  pleading  this  time  ,  watching  him  walk  away  from  the  door  but  not  moving  to  go  after  him.  “  cain.  ”  he  speaks  again  ,  this  time  getting  up  and  moving  to  the  doorway  where  cain  was  now  packing  his  gym  bag.  “  don’t  go  back  to  him.  ”  for  once  in  this  whole  conversation  ,  riley’s  tone  is  soft.  not  begging  ,  but  the  emotion  in  his  words  is  present.  “  i  do  fucking  ––  i  love  you  so  much  it  fucking  kills  me  sometimes  and  i  just  hate  that  we  do  this.  we  fight  and  we  leave  each  other  and  we  go  fuck  other  people  and  then  we  just  .  .  .  do  this  shit  all  over  again.  ”  as  he  speaks  ,  it’s  almost  like  riley  realizes  something.  “  if  you  want  to  go  back  there  then  .  .  .  go.  ”  unlike  before  ,  this  isn’t  said  out  of  spite  ––  he’s  being  serious.  “  i  want  to  stop  doing  this  shit  ,  cain  ,  but  i  don’t  fucking  know  if  we  can  stop.  so  if  you’re  going  to  be  happier  with  jaxon  ,  then  i’m  not  going  to  argue  that.  ”  

he  has  never  been  someone  to  believe  that  love  is  meant  to  be  easy,  always  taking  the  picture-perfect  love  stories  friends  and  family  share  with  a  grain  of  salt  because  you  never  know  what  happens  behind  closed  doors  —  but  their story?  it’s  ugly;  a  beautiful  beginning  suddenly  ruined  by  the  writers  spilling  their  ink,  to  a  point  where  it  is  known  for  their  mess  instead  of  their  love.  cain  wants  to  disagree,  raise  his voice  until  riley  has  to  look  at  him,  properly this  time,  because  he’s  too  loud,  carrying  their  issues  outside  again  but  he  can  barely  find  the  energy  to  roll  his  eyes.    “ yeah... right. “    it’s  easiest  to  think  like  that,  to  hold  onto  snide  remarks  and  the  sprout  of  doubt  in  his  heart,  to  close  his  ears  to  the  sounds  of  riley’s  voice  –  so  familiar  and  yet  such  a  rarity  to  hear  with  a  tint  of  anguish  –   it’s  the  only  way  which  gives  him  enough  strength  to  rip  his  gym  clothes  from  their  bag  and  shove  a  jacket  in  instead,  a  second  pair  of  shoes,  anything  else  which  seems  useful  enough  without  actually  taking  himself  away  from  their  home.  he  doesn’t  want  to  leave.  he  knows  it  before  riley  is  standing  behind  him,  but  his  hands  only  sink  as  riley  speaks —–  it’s honestly stupid.  it’s  infuriating  how  easy  the  wind  is  taken  out  of  his  sails,  even  though  he  should  keep  packing,  he  should  end  their  problems  once  and  for  all.  but  his  shoulders  sink,  even  further  if  that  is  possible,  when  he  has  to  admit  defeat.    “ i  don’t  want  to  leave,  “    it’s  a  decision  theoretically  easy  enough  to  admit,  but  the  muscles  around  his  spine  tense  because  it  doesn’t  solve  anything  still,  does  it?    “ i  don’t  want  anyone  else  to  make  me  happy. “    and  words  cannot  describe  the  turmoil  currently  taking  place  in  cain’s  heart.  his  eyes  are  pressing  shut,  jaw  clenching  in  the  desperate  attempt  to  bite  the  sorrow  clinging  to  his  throat  away.    “ i  don’t  think  anyone  else  can  make  me  happy,  but– “    his  head  begins  to  shake  like  a  silent  plea  of  body  against  mind:  don’t  say  it.  “ i  mean,  are  you  happy? “    because  he  isn’t  and  it  reads  in  every  fibre  of  his  body,  broadcasting  in  bright  colours  in  the  way  he  cannot  bear  to  even  turn  around  to  riley  now.     “ is  this  what  you  want  the  rest  of  your  life  to  be  like;  to  fight  the  person  you  love?  let  me  break  your  heart  or  choose  to  crush  mine?  is  that  it? “ 

[yxungblccd]

scvcnt‌; sienna.

plot: give me a girl has amnesia, and her boyfriend, fiancee, husband best friend, etc (and you’re either helping her to remember you or you’re adding fake memories because you always liked her)

As they walked down the beach of the beach house her parents suggested they all go since she spent most of her time there since it was near the aquarium where she’d work. She couldn’t remember being there but she could understand why she loved it, it was beautiful and peaceful. She was walking alone along the beach when she felt someone grab her from behind and she turned smiling, “Hey you,” she said with a laugh. They’d insisted on going since they were apparently so important to her. 

      it was still weird – to say the least – to look at the love of your life and know they were looking back without the memories which had morphed your relationship into something special. the years they had spent together? not gone but suddenly a one-sided memory. atlas had felt his heart stop when he first found out, only the support of his family and hers dragging him out of the depressing slump he had been in —— he did not wish this upon anyone... but even he had to admit if there was the perfect time for a tragedy which led to forgetting, it had been then. their last fight had been recent, the news of their break-up not even having reached family yet and the mistake he had made? forgotten, like it never even happened. a light-hearted smile was spread across his lips as he’d jogged up behind sienna, an arm gently sliding around her waist.     “ how are you feeling? “     he asked, always concerned ( for one reason or another ) about her state,    “ any sense of... familiarity being here again? “

[yxungblccd]

riptidcs‌; riley.

 a  sigh  passes  through  parted  lips  ,  eyes  rolling  at  his  comment.  he  knows  he  sounds  bitter  because  he  is  bitter  ,  but  there’s  apart  of  him  that  was  happy  to  see  him  come  back  through  the  door.  “  i’m  not  starting  anything.  i  was  just  asking  a  question.  ”  riley  states  ,  his  tone  softer  ,  but  still  bothered.  hearing  the  name  roll  off  of  cains  tongue  just  made  riley  more  frustrated  ,  a  balled  first  repeatedly  tapping  on  the  side  of  the  couch.  why  him  ?  why  couldn’t  cain  just  come  home  ?  except  ,  riley  knew  why.  “  you’re  just  trying  to  get  a  reaction  out  of  me.  you  wanna  go  suck  jaxon’s  dick  ?  be  my  guest.  he’ll  never  love  you  the  way  i  do  ,  so  it’s  whatever.  your  call. ”  he’s  peeved  ,  refusing  to  make  eye  contact.  “  i  never  had  a  hissy  fit  ,  cain.  ”  he  points  out  ,  finally  looking  at  him.  “  you  could’ve  come  when  i  was  working  ,  we  both  know  that.  but  you  didn’t  and  you  knew  i’d  be  there  so  i  can  only  assume  you’re  full  of  shit.  you  wanna  come  home  ,  cain  ?  fucking  come  home.  this  is  stupid.  ”

his  shoulders  sink  with  the  silent  sigh  which  escapes  cain  and  he  allows  shiftlessness  to  push  him  backwards  until  shoulders  meet  the  door  frame  he’s  walked  back  in  through  —  into  their  apartment  and  into  the  life  he  cannot  leave  behind.    “ you  aren’t  even  looking  at  me, “    he  points  out  and  the  smile  –  because  he  believes  himself  right.  because  he’s  convinced  it’s  the  petty  start  for  yet  another  fight  –  is  audible  in  his  voice.  but  there’s  a  vulnerable  nuance  to  it  as  well,  almost  pleading  —  for  riley  to  still  be  able  to  look  at  him.    “  so  what?  what  if  i  want  a  reaction?!  one  which  isn’t  you  telling  me  to  go  back  to  someone else.   fuck !!   how  can  you  even  say  that?  “    in  the  same  breath  as   ‘ i  still  love  you ‘  no  less.  it  spites  him,  in  a  way  which  has  his  heart  aching  and  the  only  solution  to  numb  the  pain  is  allowing  the  heat  of  anger  to  flood  his  system.    “ do  you  love  me?  more  than  he  does?  “    the  question  is  unfair,  in  many  ways,  but  he  needs  to  ask  it  anyway.  although,  he  doesn’t  expect  to  be  looked  at  right  after  —  or  seen  through,  rather.  it’s  his  gaze  which  moves  away  this  time,  fleeing  to  stare  at  the  floor.    “  i  just –  “    his  brain  is  wrecking  itself  for  an  explanation  which  detonates  the  assumption  into  invalidity  but  he’s  got  nothing.  of course, he  came  here  because  he  wanted  to  see  riley.  of  course,  he  wants  to  come  home,  but  riley  is  right.    “  this  is  stupid,  “    cain  agrees  and  he  pushes  himself  away  from  the  door,  heart  aching, to  grab  and  pack  his  gym  bag. 

[yxungblccd]

riptidcs‌; riley.

open  to  m / f / nb. based  on  plot  two.

 all  their  friends  said  they’d  get  tired  of  this  wicked  game  of  back  and  forth  ,  but  anytime  they  came  back  to  him  ,  riley  would  let  them  –––  and  vice  versa.  this  time  ,  of  course  ,  being  no  different.  they  haven’t  been  back  at  their  shared  apartment  in  a  few  days  ,  and  riley  barley  flinches  when  they  enter.  “  are  we  speaking  again  then  ,  or  what  ?  ”  words  slice  through  the  silence  between  them  ,  though  his  eyes  barley  shift  from  the  television  screen.  “  already  tired  of  whatever  fuck  buddy  you  had  ?  ”

he  has  no  memories  of  their  last  fight  which  separated  them,  nor  the  reason  which  had  had  him  storm  outside  to  leave  the  other  behind  again,  for  real  this  time  — or at  least,  that’s  what  he  had  said  back  then.  it’s  long  become  a  blur  of  them  all,  one  fight  after  the  other  blending  into  a  massive  one  which  should  keep  him  away  but  it  doesn’t.    “  don’t  you  start  again,   “     cain  mutters,  attempting  but  failing  to  meet  the  sharpness  of  riley’s  tone.  instead,  he  sounds  exhausted  –  and  is  it  not tiring?  forever  making  the  same  mistakes.    “ no  worries,  i’m  just  here  to  pick  up  some  stuff,  then  i’ll  be  right  back  at  jaxon’s. “     adding  a  name  because  he  knows  from  experience  it  makes  it  worse,  especially  when  it’s  not  the  first  time  he’s  mentioned  that  particular  someone.    “ are  you  over  your  hissy  fit yet? “

[yxungblccd]

godkllers‌; dean.

open  to  :   all  genders  ;  21+  !     //     rules about  :   dean  is  a  dirty  cop  who  works  for  an  organized  crime  group  ;  your  muse  has  done  something  to  piss  the  group  off  ,  leading  to  an  officer  being  assigned  to  protect  them  until  they  are  no  longer  in  danger  .  inside  connections  made  sure  that  that  officer  would  be  dean  ,  so  that  he  could  take  care  of  kill  them  before  they  caused  any  more  trouble  …   but  he’s  starting  to  have  second  thoughts  .

          it  was  well  after  one  in  the  morning  ,  but  dean  was  more  awake  than  ever  .  not  only  was  he  not  allowed  to  succumb  to  sleep  any  time  soon  ,  but  the  caffeine  that  saturated  his  blood  kept  such  a  thing  from  being  possible  entirely  .  it  was  his  own  home  that  he  was  sat  on  the  porch  of  ,  rather  someone  else’s  ─  someone  who  was  nearly  a  stranger  to  him  ,  but  whose  fate  and  his  own  seemed  to  be  tightly  intertwined  .  his  heartbeat  was  uneven  ,  a  unmelodic  thud  that  he  could  feel  pounding  against  his  chest  ,  but  his  thoughts  were  as  clear  as  they  had  ever  been  as  he  considered  his  options  .  neither  of  them  sounded  particularly  appealing  .  the  officer  let  out  a  sigh  ,  released  the  the  last  puff  of  smoke  from  his  lungs  into  the  chilled  air  ,  and  tossed  the  butt  of  his  cigarette  into  the  yard  .  he  didn’t  usually  smoke  ─  only  when  he  was drunk  or  his  nerves  were  fried  .  right  now  ,  he  was  experiencing  the  latter  .  

          he’d  been  asked  to  do  bad  things  before  ─  intimidate  witnesses  ,  tamper  with  evidence  ,  report  any  potential  rats  before  they  had  a  chance  to  cause  trouble  ─  but  never  before  had  he  been  told  to  kill  someone  .  if  you  asked  him  yesterday  (  hypothetically  ,  of  course  )  whether  he’d  do  it  ─  to  line  his  own  pockets  ,  to  keep  his  job  ,  to  take  care  of  his  family  ─  he  would  have  said  yes  in  a  heartbeat  .  but  it  wasn’t  so  cut  and  dry  now  that  the  order  had  fallen  into  his  lap  .  something  in  him  hesitated  .  dean  shook  his  head  as  he  finally  stood  from  the  step  he’d  been  perched  on  ,  as  if  the  action  could  somehow  fling  away  his  intrusive  thoughts  ,  and  made  his  way  back  into  the  house  .  he  wasn’t  expecting  them  to  be  in  the  living  room  when  he  made  his  entrance  ,  and  his  sudden  awareness  of  their  presence  was  like  a  boulder  weighing  on  his  gut  .  he  hoped  not  looking  would  help  alleviate  the  nagging  feeling  ,  pointed  his  gaze  to  a  chip  of  paint  on  the  corner  of  the  coffee  table  .     “  you  can  get  some  sleep  ,  ya  know  ?  i’m  gonna  be  here  all  night  .  ”

             ever since she was a young girl, skylar had had her her difficulties when it came to keeping her nose out of the business it did not belong in. it had started innocently with the typical reason to fight between a younger sister and her beloved brother; her always being just a little too curious about the things he was up to, and over the imagination of a child playing local detective it had eventually led to her start in a journalism career —– and she was good. words came out of her with a brazen ease, writing marquee articles which left the readers with bated breath and she had an almost reckless spirit of discovery, never shying away from diving deeper and deeper int to the matter until the breath caught in her lungs. it was, however, only a matter of time until she went too far, stepping inside a story she not only had no business in but one which was not supposed to be told, which people would kill for to ensure that it never was.

             she was wrapped in the faux security of a blanket, a large cup of tea in her hands to warm and more importantly still her fingers from shivering. although, the officer outside was supposed to ease her nerves – as far as she knew he was only there to protect her, after all – it was a constant reminder as well of the danger she had gotten herself into. her gaze flickered, meeting the man who walked inside and she smiled, a faint tug on her lips but a genuine one.     “ i don’t mean to disregard your work, “    she spoke,     “ but i find sleeping not all that easy with a bounty on my head. “       letting go of her mug with one hand she pulled the blanket a little further to her to free the space on the couch next to her; an offer and truth be told, a bit of a plea as well. she would not mind a conversation to take her mind of everything.    “ would you like a tea? something to eat? i don’t know, a book perhaps? “     her gaze wandered across her small home, wondering what else she could offer to make his stay a little more comfortable. he was only here for her and because of her, after all, and sitting alone on her front porch did not exactly seem worthwhile.    “ they, uhm... “     she tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear, attention wandering back to him,     “ they wouldn’t send a single person if greater dangers were to be expected, right? you’re not... risking your life being here, are you? “

[yxungblccd]

mrsxbrightsidex‌; marcus.

Open to Females: Your muse is a rich girl from a powerful (and corrupt) family, my muse is a thief and member of organized crime. After a one night stand, he steals her jewelry. Now, your muse tracks down his apartment and demands her jewelry back.

“Stalker, much?” were the first words out of Marcus’ lips, followed quickly by a relaxed smirk. In all his years of thieving, this was a first. Sure, people sent P.I.’s or filed police reports, but for a mark to show up at his place? It was either gutsy or profoundly stupid. Never the less, he keeps his cool, pulling his door open and signaling her to step in. The last time he saw her, she was stepping into the shower after a night well spent. She looked different in the harsh day light. Without all the make up or glittery dresses, she almost looked normal. Still, he knew a girl of her wealth and connections was anything but. “Want a drink?” Never mind that it was ten in the morning or that his ratty apartment was a mess, he steps into the kitchen and pulls out a bottle of tequila. “I didn’t take you for the type to hunt down one night stands.” Marcus converses, easily avoiding her pointed gaze. He knew why she was here. But if he’s learned anything from years on the streets, its the ability to evade and distract.

           if charlize had learned anything from her grandfather and the iron fist he reigns his empire with, it was that betrayal is something deeply personal. it doesn’t matter if it is the head of another dynasty or merely an unimportant servant — or a thief who she has to admit wasn’t half bad in bed and whose crooked smile makes her want to smack the audacity off his face just as much as it’s reminding her how easily it lured her to invite him back to her hotel suite.      “ don’t flatter yourself too much, “      she sneers as she steps inside the flat, pushing the door shut behind herself with the heel of her shoe if only to add the gesture of being too good for this,     “ we both know i’m not here for you. “    and yet, she does not deny the offer of a drink, despite the time and despite what would probably be a ‘ normal ‘ reaction.     “ so, are you as quick to pawn your booty as you are to leave it or are my jewels still here? “ 

[yxungblccd]

riskydesiresxxlovexx‌.

“Shhh, shh,” he comforted her tenderly, trying his best to soothe down her hysterics and shaking form. “Please stop crying and look at me for a moment. Please look at me. It’s me, Rystan. You’re here with me and I vowed to always keep you safe from anything at all no matter the cost. It was just a dream. It’s not real,” Rystan spoke slowly and simply in his usual quiet and calming tone of voice but this time, there was also a very soothing undertone added to it. He regretted not trying his best to end the meeting with his fellow lords earlier so that he could get back earlier to check on his darling wife. Thankfully he had managed to catch her as she was sobbing and thrashing hard on their bed, shrieking slightly at one time even. Lately, his wife had seemed to be rather under the weather and had been plagued by a couple of nightmares during these past few nights. 

             the tremor of tears spilling from fear-tinted eyes was still shaking her shoulders, breath still caught in her lungs from the scream she was not sure was merely another part of her dream or her first step back into reality, and her heart was still racing from the horror it’d just experienced. lately, the supposed to be silent nights in the safety and comfort of their home had turned into nothing but nightmares for kelila — ones which she knew she did not need to fight alone, but in her dreams she always was. her gaze lifted to meet her loving husband’s and immediately the comforting warmth of safety washed over her fear frozen features. taking a slow breath, she closed her eyes in an attempt to calm her beating heart as well, but alas it was in vain as instead another surge of tears threatened to escape her.       “ but what if it wasn’t merely a dream? “    the beginning of a sob had her lean entirely into his frame, face buried hidden in his chest,    “ if these nightmarish horrors are to be considered a bird of ill omen? “    

[yxungblccd]

kupids‌; katherine.

god, he’s right. she does know him, she knows that despite the want to call somewhere home, he finds himself unraveled in strangers that could never know him the way she did. she knows that somewhere in that steel-guarded chest of his? there’s parts of his heart yearning to be touched, for the first time in forever. and god, she wants to be selfish. she wants to tell him to stay, to make him stay. even the idea of sleeping alone in the dark, with the stain of his lips the only thing to remind her that he was here, even that wasn’t enough. because now that she’s tasted the forbidden fruit, it yearns and aches, it tugs and breaks. and she wants him, in ways nobody could have wanted another person. just say, just —- be selfish for one point in your life. but she doesn’t, and she’s not. her touch is faint, her heart fluttered sadly in the sharp cages of her chest  —- not nearly as protected, not nearly as under lock and key as his. and he’s smart, so smart. to keep it that way. however, she can’t be angry with him. where others would thrash around and pout, beg and plead for him to fall asleep with her, to just bathe in the presence and afterglow of what this was —- katherine hadn’t. she was far too kind, far too selfless, and far too entranced with the idea of maybe. maybe he can’t, but maybe he will. so instead she smiles, beneath the twist of a kiss, between parted lips. the shallow of his breath sounds like a request, for her to know that it’s not her  —- that he never has the pleasure of waking up before the sunrise, arms wrapped in warmth. but she wanted that for him, she wanted his peace. “i know.” her voice is a gentle hum, fingertips placed on either sides of his cheeks, and she kisses him. the taste of his lips is no longer forigen, no longer an idea of what could be. it’s craving, a crazy hunger that was beginning to set forth under her skin, warming her veins, making her toes curl. it was sweet mumbling in heartless whispers from a boy who swore he couldn’t love  ;  couldn’t stay. katherine blake, did not believe him. and if that was her own undoing? if her pride and her humble ability to see the best outcome, in him — in this? if that was her downfall? she’d throw herself to the wolves each and every time. she’d watch as they tore her heart limb from limb, and willingly put it on the line, for him. it was silly, considering the idea had never plagued her mind until this moment, until she was a goner. taren was the boy who ruined others, but katherine? what was she? would she become a new version of herself? would she be the girl who broke others in search of something to fill the abandonment? the loss of her purity? in exchange for nothing but an experience. is that would he would become for her? now that nate was out of the picture, why else would he stay? but he promised  —- he promised not to hurt her. would she believe that as well? or were they just words strung together in an orchestra of what she wanted to hear? and then he kisses her again, and her thoughts differ into nothing. he speaks, and the sweetness is coated in honey, she can taste it on his mouth, like her favorite candy. baby blues, almost iridescent, flutter open, trailing down his features. she wants to know what he looks like when he cares. “you won’t.” it’s so simple, like she could see it, just as clear as yesterday, or tomorrow. it’s as if she knows, for a fact, that taren could be the greatest good in her life. that she could be his. it’s so confident, in light of her vulnerability. in light of being naked, in light of being inexperienced, in light of being his for the first time. that’s her confidence, that’s where she chooses to place it ——  in him. her thumb drapes down his lower lip, towering over him with a quiet hover. and if hurting her is a reason for him to stay? if hurting her will allow him to find home in a soft white duvet, in careless breathing? “you could stay..” it’s another whisper, this time, optional. her tone of voice, it’s telling him to consider it. to think about it, to give the idea a second thought if he must. but it’s his choice, it’s always his. she’s lost in the moment, she lets herself give away secret parts of herself, for him to lock away with the rest of his misfortunes. he teases her folds, the muscles in her jaw visibly flexing. pastels and hues of red taint her lips in a crimson stain, she parts, and sucks in a quiet gasp. trembling fingertips are shepard into a calm, interlacing with his, and giving her a sense of ease. his words are descriptive, it’s easy to follow instructions, but the sound of his voice? husky and yearning, practically begging to feel her? it does something to katherine, it turns her on, it pushes her to want more, to be more. god, she wanted him. her tongue darts out to wet her lips, she sucks in a breath, nodding her head and rolling her hips. fingertips, once cold are draped in warmth as she touches him. his length between her hands, guiding down inside her trembling legs. she edges his tip, and in a single motion, he’s inside her —-  she’s his. her frame is lowered, one hand on his chest, the other on the mattress by his head. it takes a moment to adjust to his size, it almost hurts. you can tell by the expression on her face, furrowed brows and glossed lips. “fuck,” another string of curse words are assembled in beautiful poetry. in a devastatingly slow motion, she can feel her body relax, walls tightening around his member as she takes all of him. her body fighting the surge of pleasure that escaped pale features in the form of a moan. she repeats the same motion, rolling her hips up, and back down until she has a set rhythm. it’s passive, and quiet, it’s slow and unsteady — she can feel all of him, every tiny thrust, each movement, the pain is there but only as background noise as the pleasure begins to take reign. she sits upright, dulled nails scratching down the slope of his chest, leaving nothing but half-hearted red streaks in their wake. she finds her grip on his shoulder to balance herself, still gaining control, but not of the sounds that filter between them. she’s entirely out of her element with the gentle gasps, the humming moans, the way his name sounds etched on her lips, the way it would always sound from this point on, the only way she would remember it. he was big, especially for her first time. but god —– she wanted to make him ache. she wanted to drive him crazy. so she moved slow, as he told her, stopping at the head each time and teasing her clit, until the break of a second orgasm threatened to drench the both of them. again, again, and again, she takes every inch. “oh my god,” it’s mumbled, and she kisses against the crook of his neck, hips rolling faster, her endurance picking up as his cock went deeper. wet kisses of soft, admiration, turn desperate and needy. she’s finding spots on his neck that cause his breath to hitch, she’s marking them for later —- to remember. if sex was this good between two people who claimed to not be in love, she couldn’t have imagined what it must have felt like to be with someone you cared deeply about. she could understand why slips of passion could make someone spew romance in between tangled sheets, or why the girls in her books accidentally muttered that four letter word while they were under someone else. the muscles in her stomach twitched, they tightened, her legs shaking, tighter. and so, in the moment, the scared self conscious brain fluttered shut, and the lively need of another opened. he told her to tell him how she liked it – what it felt like. she can feel his body moving, against hers, in perfect rhythm as his hips met somewhere in between her movements. “just like that,” it’s breathy, she can barely understand herself with her mind leaping. her hips roll again, and she’s purposely grinding against him, harder this time, muffling any sound he might make with another harsh kiss, teeth skimming his lower lip. “harder–” a whisper, and it’s something entirely different, something entirely out of katherine blakes aspect, but she wants more, she needs more. “i need you-” katherine wasn’t a begger, she didn’t plead or pout, or push. but if she ever needed anything, right now, this was the moment. she brushes her nose against his, a sly smile caught in a breathy whine. “i love it when you say my name..” that four letter word. she could love things about him, love things he said  — it didn’t mean she loved him. it didn’t mean that at all. but what if .. one night she might? what if she could? what if she wanted to?

xxx

[yxungblccd]

ethan and cameron.

   there was so much uncertainty to cameron’s words that ethan felt it pull at the strings of his heart, wishing he had an answer for the other on anything  —  if only to make the situation he had brought on easier for his friend.  “  of course  i’m not going to laugh, cam.  ”  his tone fell softly, not hesitating for a moment in attempting to reassure his best friend. something deep in ethan’s chest ached reach out for the other male and find a way to show him that it was all going to be okay, make him see that he would figure things out even if it felt complicated for a while. more than anything cameron’s happiness mattered to him, enough to put above his own time and time again, because in a way it was the same  —  seeing cameron smile made him smile,  just like his familiar laugh spread a warmth through ethan’s chest,  while knowing he was unhappy pulled like a knot deep within his stomach until he could think how to make it better. he wanted to be able to give cameron the answers, to help him by somehow saying the right thing and yet finding an answer to the question felt impossible.  “  it’s  —  i uh, don’t know the best way to describe it.  ”  he shook his head gently, a hand raising up to rack back through dark curls as he glanced down rather than risk catching his best friend’s gaze. it was easier that way, not having to see if there was curiosity on his features to whether it were him ethan might be talking about.  “  it’s like, when you see someone and your heartbeat starts racing, or you think they might be leaning in and you hold your breath.  ”  shoulders raised in a soft but uncertain shrug.  “  that, uh, doesn’t tend to happen with a girl.  ”  he didn’t know if that was the answer cameron wanted. if it was even helpful when surely his best friend would know by now if he felt butterflies when there was a guy who he could be interested in. when it came down to things ethan knew that he wasn’t the best for representative ideas of romance, that when he fell for someone it was fast and hard and as often as that process had hurt him, it didn’t then hinder the belief that he would still fall in love for good one day.  “  can i just show you?  ”  he asked quietly after a moment, not waiting for an answer before shifting just enough to retrieve his phone and earphones from his pocket. words had never really been his strong point, at least as a form of expression when it came to feelings and instead there was a potential to ramble  —  not like music. scrolling through the device he stopped on the track he knew cameron hadn’t heard, that he had written for only himself as he held it to him with slight uncertainty tracing his features.  “  this, uh… well this is how i feel when there’s a guy. i know it’s over-romanticised — but i guess it’s how i know.  ”  his lips pulled into a slight smile, shoulders raising into a soft shrug at his best friend as he met his gaze.  “  just please don’t look at me while you listen to it, and lie even if you hate it.  ”  the words fell as a gentle side-note, his standard rule for the strange vulnerability from sharing something which made him uncertain even with cameron. who he would trust with his life normally. especially when he didn’t need to voice the words for it to feel obvious who it was the piano piece presented his feelings towards. at least it was easy to grin at the recollection of multiple tea parties with cam’s sister, the memory enabling far more of the tension to slip from his shoulders than he realised he was still holding on to.  “  if you’re going to be late for our plans i don’t know what else you expect to find.  ”  he argued back with a small grin, fondness for the female evident in his tone. his own younger sister was a plane ride away, regrettably enough that he saw her far less often than he would like, but his best friend’s family had always been more than just welcoming to ethan.  “  yeah  —  yeah, of course i’m sure.  ”  he answered quickly, a shake of brown curls pushing aside any possibility that he might want cameron to leave. it would be weirder to be alone now, questioning what had just happened rather than letting things settle normally between them.  “  you can take the bed by yourself if you want,  i’m happy to sleep on the couch.  ”

in a twist of irony cameron was sure only he could find, the stuttering lack of a detailed answer was more of a response than ethan perhaps considered it to be. it meant it was something you felt in the depths of your heart, always there but never something you had to worry about or wonder why it happened, where it was coming from, how you knew — you just did. in the same way cameron knew how to breathe, how to have a talent for all kinds of sports, how he knew he loved his family, loved his friends, loved his best friend more than them all. it wasn’t something you needed to be taught. maybe he knew too? maybe he wasn’t uncertain, but an overall insecurity he thought he’d long overcome was making a reappearance; bringing his hands to shake, his heart to beat rapidly against his chest and his skin to flush — and not in a good way, not in a leaning in to kiss someone way. it felt an awful lot like having to hold a presentation in front of an entire class of people you barely knew, mid-puberty and without the confidence the following years would – thank god – bring. cameron’s gaze lifted, eyes flickering briefly over the other and then he smiled, a small breath huffing out of his nose which could only be described as a laugh, because like the true best friends they were, ethan suddenly seemed to be nervous as well. “ show me? “ for a split second confusion, or more confusion rather, washed over cam’s features, his shoulders subconsciously leaning back as scepsis filled heart and mind – what was he going to do? what could he do without doing, well, what he couldn’t do and kiss him? – before it was easily swiped by the appearance of earphones. “ oh. “ a song, obviously it was going to be a song, and relief let his heart sink back into his chest from where it had beat rapidly in his throat, shoulders slouching, gaze falling to the small earbuds — and it almost felt like disappointment instead, but what was there to be disappointed about? the naive thought, sparked in the same split second, that maybe, just maybe he was going to lean in, not to kiss but to linger? to minimise the space for wandering thoughts and allow them to clear? that was silly. “ wait, it’s a new one? “ he didn’t know why but it surprised him. he wasn’t talented like ethan in said respect, he didn’t have an ear for music like his best friends and his commentaries rarely knew how to reach beyond the complimentary, but he was offered to listen to them still, forced at times to listen to his friend, subconsciously or not, humming the melody infinitely until a new line came to mind — and now there was one about love, a heartfelt one, which he knew nothing about? his lips parted, the question as to why lingering on the tip of his tongue but stopped from falling by a single thought: maybe it’s about you. “ uhm... “ for the first time in probably ever, he was glad his skin was prone to flush, already reddened cheeks impossible to turn even brighter at such admittedly plausible and yet entirely conceited thought. “ sure. i’m– i’m not looking. “ his eyes fluttered shut, the remains of tension narrowing his brow ever so slightly into the indication of a frown, and the middle and ring fingers of each hand lifted to press lightly onto his ears in the same concentrating and outside noise cancelling pose he naturally listened to songs in if expected to give his thoughts, to feel something, to understand what ethan was feeling for a guy — no, for him. cameron sat quietly as the music began to play, unmoving aside the slightly too quick breath heaving his chest, the nervous habit of chewing on his cheek and the wariness which wandered across his features. in all honesty? he did not know how to react, if he could react at all in a right way to an over-romanticised piece which was meant with love nonetheless and written about him — and if he couldn’t, whether his reaction was bound to be wrong, doomed to hurt his friend in a state so vulnerable because of him. his hands moved, enough to bury his face underneath sprawled fingers and hide whatever expression he had held until then. the melody – the gentle tunes of a piano, warm notes played with lingering affection – it made his heart feel heavier with the knowledge that ethan genuinely was in love with him, enough to dedicate an entire song to the single feeling. all the while, he didn’t even know if he was feeling anything for guys —– but did he need to? did he need to find out how he felt about all of them or only about the one who mattered? “ ethan? “ despite the music still merely reaching for its end, his voice was quiet, a hesitant gentleness turning down the volume in plugged ears, “ can you– would you close your eyes for a minute? please? i’m not– i’m not doing anything, i promise. “ which, he realised, didn’t sound promising but the nerves were audible in his voice and he hoped it was enough of a reason for his best friend to bear with him. taking a deep breath cameron waited until his friend closed his eyes before he moved as cautiously as it was possible, in an attempt not to have the dip of sofa cushions underneath his shifting weight reveal his intention. his breath was caught still in his lungs, terrified it might betray him if the rapid beating of his heart, banging against his chest in a nervous speed he was convinced had to be audible, didn’t already —– and he leaned closer towards his best friend, brown eyes wandering over features so familiar, which he yet did not remember when he’d last seen them up so close, if ever. if he wanted to, and besides his promise a part of him did, he could probably tilt his head and allow the bridge of his nose to brush against ethan’s cheek. his eyes fluttered shut and he swayed, unsure whether it was the couch dipping away underneath his knees or the same nervous dizziness which had almost caused him to headbutt the first girl he ever kissed. reflexively, his hand reached out, pressing flat against ethan’s chest to support his weight, his breath finally escaping him in a shaking exhale and his skin flushed in a bright embarrassed red. “ sorry, “ he breathed quietly, not daring to look up, too afraid to meet the gaze of eyes which had possibly jumped open again — and yet he did not want to pull away again either. his fingers gently brushed against ethan’s chest, picking an imaginary piece of fluff off of it as he simultaneously picked his brain for anything to say. “ it’s... ehm... it’s a beautiful song. “

[yxungblccd]

florencia and jaxon.

“northbury-“ florencia raised her eyebrows as she let the town, or rather, village roll of her tongue. “never heard of northbury. i’m from the east coast.” she nodded slowly. “a lot of cubans reside in florida.“ the girl pushed her hair out of her face and pulled her hair up in a bun because it had started getting extremely hot at this point and all she wanted was her air conditioned car. which was probably not going to happen any time soon. “she?“ florencia raised her eyebrows again and she chuckled. “your truck or whatever is called nancy, and my car’s a she too? do you always refer to cars or anything of the sort as– women?“ she chuckled as she followed him back over the path towards her car. “i don’t think i could tell you.“ she said with a small chuckle. “i know nothing about cars. all i know is that the front of it is currently smoking and while sitting in it it smelled of gasoline. i figured that wasn’t a good thing.“

“ is fine. never been to the east coast either. “ and although, admittedly he had probably heard more of florida and its cities, he would be just about as lost in either one of them as she must feel in his home. he smiled, eyes following hers to ‘ old nancy ‘ before falling to the ground briefly in a manner which could almost resemble embarrassment. he knew it wasn’t uncommon to give names to the machinery you worked with every day – or at least it wasn’t here – but he couldn’t help the hesitation which came with wondering whether it seemed to be offending to name them all after women. “ we did have a thresher called ‘ grandpa joe ‘ once !! had to take him apart when he cost us half our harvest. “ which was probably not what she was interested in hearing, but jax had always carried the small town friendliness many anticipated to find in a place where everyone knew everyone, where you were just as close to your neighbours as to your family, where even strangers were met with an open heart. “ guess that’s why every vehicle is a woman? you’re much tougher. “ which was why he gave merely a nod at the mention of smoke. while always looking dramatic, it didn’t have to mean anything severe. the gasoline smell, however, had him reflexively walk a step faster. “ how old is she? “ he wondered, 

[yxungblccd]

niamh and jax.

「 ♡ 」- NIAMH HAD LONG AGO given up on holding grudges against jax. maybe it was because she felt some guilt over the broken relationship, but she also knew that his happiness would always bring somewhat joy to her even if it meant that it wasn’t with her. sometimes she wondered who was in his B E D with him. the one that they were supposed to share for the rest of their lives. of course it ended up in her shedding tears, but she could never bring herself to surpass her pride & just C A L L him. when the opportunity arose to have a reason to see him, she ceased it. now she didn’t regret a thing. not when the topic of marriage was being dicussed between the two of them. for long she didn’t believe in the if you love something, let it go saying, but now she was Q U E S T I O N I N G it because having separated from jax made her realize that nothing made sense without him. a slight smile etched on her features as she pulled back to look into his eyes. tender fingertips pressing against the sides of his neck. her name falling from his lips so E F F O R T L E S S L Y, this time with much less anger. for a moment, she pretended to stumble to find her keys, not wanting to let go of the subject just yet. but soon she heard the jingle from her pocket. “you know why ??” the girl began before unlocking the door, her hands quickly moving back to support herself in his A R M S. “everyone is born with one person that compliments them. one person that can’t be replaced by any other person. i know i wasn’t necessarily a romantic person when we were together, but god  now am i a believer.” she pressed her lips together for a moment. a soft sigh falling from them. “L I S T E N, we both fucked up. more so me than you, both of us know that. fact i just can’t get over you. no manner how many guys i try to date, my love rests with Y O U.” eyes closed as she once again rested her head against his shoulder. being close to him was the first taste of comfort she had in a long time. she missed it dearly. “you always did say i was bossy, but we A R E getting married.” her words rang out boldly.

            a gentle frown grew on his ever sceptical features, the short-lived smile already fading into the forgotten. her words sounded idealistic in a way neither of them had ever quite bothered to think in — of course, there was their daughter which existed nowhere but in the happy future they had anticipated for themselves, there was the ballet studio and his family’s workshop supposed to give them the life they wanted with each other, but in all their wishes for the perfect ‘ happily ever after ‘ they had known it included work. they had known it wouldn’t be easy, and if their break up was an indication to anything than that it had indeed not been. and now the person who had seen the world as realistic as him had found some rose coloured glasses along the way.      ‘ that doesn’t make any sense, ‘      he wanted to say, but instead the tip of his tongue ran over his bottom lip as though wiping the scepsis off his own lips. but it was dumb. it was wrong. how would fate even work in such a random and ridiculous way? he couldn’t find it in himself to believe her for just a single second, he didn’t even believe in fate for fuck’s sake — he could, however, work with facts, and she was right on that one. the dates he had had, the women he met, even those which had made it into his apartment more than once and without the necessity of fleeing early in the morning before simple sex could turn awkward, they all had two things in common: they weren’t niamh and no matter how hard they tried or how hard he tried to fall in love with them, he didn’t. he didn’t even care about the vast majority of them to a point where, if it had been their number showing up on his screen and asking him to pick them up, he would have found an excuse not to.         “ no. “          his voice was quiet in response to hers, lacking the passion but not the determination her decision to marry each other had carried.          “ i know you’re bossy, but this isn’t going to be it. “          his words coincidentally underlined as his foot kicked the door shut behind them, the sound carrying through the otherwise silent apartment. his eyes briefly wandered through the unfamiliar space, deciding eventually that the couch seemed like a good enough place and careful as can be, he carried the woman in his arms over, lowering her into the soft cushions.         “ this isn’t something you can just decide !! that’s not how it works, niamh. that’s not going to make it work. “     and he paused, his free arms now coming to cross in front of his chest in a nothing but determined stance. he was being serious, and yet the smallest hint of a smile tugged at the left corner of his lips.    “ besides, i’m not going to let that be the story of how we got engaged. “