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#and then third cap--they ARE dating--they are living together--and he messed up as a boyfriend (AGAIN)

serenityseventeen · 4 years

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Seventeen Vocal Unit: how their first kiss with their s/o will be like (Scenario/Imagine)

Woozi:

You went into Woozi's studio after your ears were blessed by a beautiful, muffled song. When you opened the door, the song was more clear and you smiled.

Jihoon looked over his shoulder.

"Woahhh, sounds good!!" You said, taking the seat by Woozi. "And this is just the demo?"

Jihoon looked away from your eyes, which made you smile.

"Why? Is it a love song?" You reached over to the mouse and clicked play.

"Well, I guess you could say it is a love song.." Woozi covered his face with his black cap. Was he embarrassed by his song? He's usually never embarrassed about his songs, is it because it's a love song?

The song played and the delicate words that he sang we're about a man who is in love with a girl who is beautiful and outgoing. The man expresses his emotions and how he doesn't know her feelings.

"Is this a sad song?" You asked after it was over.

"No, not technically.. it's just about a man who wants to know about... a girl." Jihoon replied, briefly looking at you.

"Ohhh? Whyyy?? Someone you like?" You teased, trying to hide your true feelings toward him. You two wouldn't have a chance and you thought that he just thought of you like a friend. "Is she pretty?"

He didn't reply, probably shy that you were asking such a question. Maybe you two weren't close enough for him to tell you that.

"Well, if you made a song-"

Jihoon swiftly turned to you, placing a peck on your lips. You froze and Jihoon turned back to his computer.

"It's about you so just shut up." He said.

You let out a shy smile and giggled. In the corner of your eye, Jihoon was also smiling.

Jeonghan:

"I guess I'll go now.." Jeonghan said after he walked you to your house.

"Okay, get back to the dorm safely." You replied. Jeonghan and you just finished your third date but it still wasn't official. You knew for sure that you liked Jeonghan.

He gave you a sweet smile, taking steps backwards slowly. "Okay, I'm going now.. you should go in your house."

"I'll see you off first." You said, giving him a smile and moving your hair back. You wanted to spend more time with him but you knew that he had a lot of work and he shouldn't stay out for too long.

"No, you should go inside. I'll be going!" He shouted, further away from you.

"Okay! Make sure you get some rest!" You shouted back, waving.

You could see him smile before he turned and started walking forward. Letting out a sigh, you turn back to your own house door and walk toward it, fumbling in your purse for your keys.

Suddenly, you heard footsteps from behind you and you quickly turned around, hoping to see Jeonghan.

Jeonghan had ran toward you and he stopped on your front porch.

"Why are you back? I thought-"

"I forgot something." Jeonghan said with a smile while panting a little.

"What did you forget?" You asked, a bit flustered.

He took two steps toward you and cupped your face, planting a nice and warm kiss on your lips. Your heart raced.

After the kiss he took a few steps back. "I'll see you on our next date."

He waved goodbye and for real, he walked back. You couldn't stop thinking about him.

Joshua:

Joshua and you have been in a relationship for almost a year. You had invited him over to help you organize as a little date and you both come across some of your baby pictures.

"Woah, you look so cute in this one. Look at your little chubby hands!" He held out the picture to you.

"Oh my god! What was I doing???" The picture was of you in a playground, a bit messy.

Joshua laughed and looked through the next batch of photos in the box.

"Who's that?" He asked, holding up a picture of you and your cousin.

"That's my cousin, he's a doctor now I think."

He let out a "ohhhhh" as if he meant to say "I didn't need to know that".

Joshua giggled at some of the photos and then he would say "awww" to some.

"I'll get more pictures if you like, I'm pretty sure their on top of the wardrobe." You stand up from the living room, where it was a mess with all your old photos.

You walk over to your bedroom wardrobe and see a cardboard box sitting at the top.

You quickly walked over and attempted to get it but you were a little too short. By tip toeing you were able to pull the box a little. You just did your best to try and take it off the wardrobe.

All of a sudden, your hand slipped and the box fell off the edge of the wardrobe. Instinctively, your cover your head in defense but the box never hit.

Slowly, you opened your eyes and saw Joshua's arm, that was muscular.

"If it was too high, you should've asked me." He said from behind you.

You turn around to face him. "It was fine, not a big deal."

He smirked a little and then replied, "Weren't you covering your head in fear just now?"

"It was just instinct!" You replied, but your mind suddenly got flushed when your eyes saw how close Joshua's face was in front of yours.

His arm slowly went down, the box giving a clank as it hit the floor.

His eyes stared down at your lips and you couldn't help but stare at his. Joshua wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you into a passionate yet gentle kiss. It was the first time he was kissing you and you were a bit nervous but it seemed like a moment you were waiting for.

You placed your hand on his arm, one on his chest, returning his beautiful, long awaited kiss.

DK:

After finishing dinner at your house, Seokmin kept insisting on doing the dishes but of course, you didn't want that.

So you both ended up doing the dishes together.

There was a silence between the two of you. You both had been in a relationship for almost a month but small things still made you shy.

Talking about shy, your hand was bumping into his while both of you washed the dishes. Your face flushed with red because even the simplest gestures made you feel shy.

Your heart was beating too fast so you tried to avoid his touch.

Dokyeom smiled, which gave you butterflies.

Finally, Dokyeom stopped scrubbing the dishes and turned to look at you.

Nervously, you turned to face him too. The eye contact you two shared gave off a romantic atmosphere.

"What is it?" You asked, shutting off the water. Seokmin took off his gloves and pulled you closer to him, his hand on your wrist.

He leaned in slowly and locked his lips with yours for a few seconds before pulling back.

"I'll.. I'll go play with your (preferred pet).." DK said, going over to your (preferred pet).

The kiss was simple but it made your cheeks flush and your heart race. You couldn't stop smiling.

It was your first kiss as a couple and you couldn't get over it.

Seungkwan:

Laying down on the couch, both of you watched a romantic-drama-school korean drama at your house for a first date.

"Daebak." Both of you said at the same time when the main character found out that their boyfriend was cheating on them with their sister.

"Want some snacks?" You asked, sitting up.

"What kind of snacks?" He didn't take his eyes off the TV.

"I'll just bring the whole thing." You replied jokingly, going over to your kitchen and grabbing some unhealthy chips and stuff.

When you return, the drama is even more intense, it turned out the main character's mother was actually the daughter of her biological dad and her real parents were her ex boyfriends' parents.

"Gosh, this drama is too damn confusing! How do they expect us to understand when they just start spitting all sorts of twists??" Seungkwan said. "Can you give me one?"

You sat down on the couch beside him, the snacks in your hand. "Okay, open up!" You hold out the snack and almost give it to him but instead, bring it back your own mouth.

"What? You won't feed me? Fine, I'll get my own-" when he reached out for the chip bag, you pull away jokingly, a chip in your hand.

"Are you perhaps- HUHHH are you being greedy right now??? Why? You want all these yummy snacks to yourself!??? I bought these snacks for us to eat!! You don't want to continue watching??? Are you-"

Quickly, you peck his lips to make him shut up.

"HEY! IM TALKING SERIOUSLY ABOUT THESE SNACKS AND YOU- YOU JUST-"

"why why what's wrong?" You teased, placing a snack on your mouth.

Seungkwan surprisingly put his arm around your neck and pressed his lips on yours, eating the snack off your mouth.

"mmmm... No wonder, these taste great."

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anon911andbuddie · 4 years

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Buck and Eddie are dating but no one noticed they are together or said anything. They decide to use really bad pickup lines with each other at work just to laugh at their friends cluelessness

Thanks for the request! Hope you like it!!! - Blu 💙

They had been dating for a good month, but no one seemed to notice. They remained professional at work, but other then that Buck and Eddie were together all the time. Always touching. Always staying close. Kissing each others necks. Cheeks. Pretty much anywhere they wanted.

Eddie thought that at May’s graduation party someone was bound to notice. They stayed close for all of it and Buck was waiting on Christopher hand and foot. He followed him around like a puppy. It wasn’t like too much changed when they got together officially. The only thing that was different was Buck slept at his place more often. They rarely slept alone, unless one of them had a 24-hour shift.

Hen walked in that morning giving Chim his coffee. Bobby was making breakfast when Buck walked over to Eddie. He plopped down in the chair next to him rubbing his leg against his.

“Morning everybody.” Buck smiled then turned towards Eddie, “ If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.”

Eddie chuckled, while Hen spit out her coffee.

“That’s interesting Buck, but can you stop hitting Eddie for five minutes.” Chim grinned.

Bobby laughed along with Hen before the alarm went off signaling an emergency. Later that day Eddie watched Buck argue with Chim about who cleaned the truck better. He only did it to get a rise out of Chimney, but Eddie just laughed at his boyfriend anyway. Eddie could barely concentrate on what Bobby was saying to him, because Buck chose that moment to bend over. He sighed liked a teenager which only made Bobby raise an eyebrow.

“Hey Buckley...” Eddie yelled, “Aside from being sexy, what do you do for a living?”

Chimney rolled his eyes, but Buck just grinned widely at him. They were having fun messing with the team, but it was getting a little ridiculous by the end of the third day. No one seemed to realize that their playful banter was authentic, but they Eddie knew that they were used to the looks and flirting so it was obvious they weren’t going to notice unless one of them stepped it up.

Throughout the day they threw out things like:

Buck: “If you were a Transformer… you’d be Optimus Fine.”

Eddie: “I must be in a museum, because you truly are a work of art.”

Buck: “I wish I were cross-eyed so I can see you twice.

Eddie: “ Feel my shirt. Know what it’s made of? Boyfriend material.”

Although the team was getting a kick out of the pickup lines, no one even looked at them twice. Buck was becoming even more frustrated, so he did the only thing he could think to do.

“Diaz...” Buck smiled grabbing Eddie’s shirt, “Is your name Google? Because you have everything I’ve been searching for!”

Before Eddie could even laugh at him, Buck kissed him passionately. They both felt like they were home. They had agreed to keep things professional at work, but Buck wanted the team to know.

“Holy shit.” Chimney sighed, “I think I missed something.”

“Are you guys together?” Hen asked.

“Took you long enough Henrietta.” Buck rolled his eyes.

“Congratulations.” Bobby grinned.

“Thanks Cap!”

“And we will keep it professional from now on.” Eddie swore.

Bobby shook his head. The rest of the day passed without any serious emergencies, so Bobby let them cut out early. He wanted them to be with Christopher and being that they were always busy it seemed like the right thing to do. Once they were in the car Eddie leaned over and kissed Buck.

“Life without you is like a broken pencil…pointless.” Eddie said softly.

“Aww.” Buck chuckled, “That was so sweet.”

Eddie rolled his eyes as he pulled out of the parking lot. Buck was a sap, but he loved him.

@s--s-l

#anonymous #Anonymous Ask #LOVELY ANONS #love you guys #We love you #buck x eddie #team buddie #buddie fic #buddie prompt #Buddie #evan buckley x eddie diaz #eddie and buck #eddie x evan #eddie diaz x evan buckley #911 fic #tv: 911 #911 on fox #by blu

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ofpackandpride · 4 years

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Good time

A/N:Takes place post season 6B. Erica, Boyd, Allison, Aiden, Josh and Tracy are all alive in this, Jackson,Isaac, Ethan and Hayden never left and Kira is returning from training.

Pairing: Derek Hale x Male Reader

Requested by: @softboi-vibes

Derek’s loft became the unofficial official place for pack meetings and the place where a good portion of the pack lived, mainly Derek, his bitten, and the twins. He more or less adopted the chimera pack after he came back and found out about what happened while he was gone and how you and the rest of the chimeras, excluding Hayden, were living in what used to be the Dread Doctors lair.

His loft and life becomes a lot more lively after that.

Now having an oddly domestic life with the teenagers he turned years ago teaching the younger betas and being care-free and messing with each other, the twins that are now trusted packmates instead of the Alphas they fought long ago.

Derek thought it was nice having a large home with lots of people, until he decided not as much so when you’re trying to be romantic and you have teenagers yelling at each other or causing trouble.

After a full week of repeated attempts of trying to surprise you with something romantic that constantly got annihilated by the other pack members, he was ready to scream. First Lydia found a way to get Erica drunk and that was a disaster, then Theo and Malia got into a fight which took Scott to defuse, Mason spraining his ankle while Allison and Chris trained him for being second-in-command for stand in Alpha Liam, Josh had short circuited the school while trying to get a fix and Corey had to sneak him out, Peter made comments on Kanimas which made Tracy and Jackson aggressive towards him. To put it simply, Derek was done with everyone and everything, he just wanted to have a day for the two of you without something happening. So when you walk into the loft to tell Derek that you got Stiles to have Scott take the pack on a vacation he was about to cry in frustration, why couldn’t the two of you just be alone? You saunter over and straddle Derek as he leans back on the sofa “Scott thinks this will be good for packbuilding. Melissa and the Sheriff get a nice dinner date, Peter and Chris can do whatever it is they do together, the teenagers will probably shop around a little and sight see. Stiles and Lydia get what’s happening and are convincing Scott that it’s fine that we are going to stay here.” You explain as you smile down at your boyfriend

You drop your voice down to a whisper as you continue “It’ll be just us and no interruptions, Der.” Leaning down, you press your lips to his and your hands rest on his shoulder, pressing against his front as his hands slide down your sides. “Just one more day, then we get a week of just us.”

——

You were lying underneath Derek on his bed as the two of you made out, his hands riding up your chest to remove your shirt as you broke away and lifted your arms so he could remove it, Derek taking his own shirt off as soon as he got rid of yours.

You feel Derek’s hand tug at your pants as he kisses you again, you put your hand on his as you break the kiss.

You give him a breathless “Wait” and he immediately shoots off of you like a rocket.

“Oh my god, Y/N” Derek says as he looks like he’s torn between running and holding you. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

You sit up and lean forward, silencing him with a reassuring kiss and not moving till he responds by kissing back. “You didn’t hurt me, you didn’t rush me. I just wanted to ask you something.”

Derek nods, still looking like a sad puppy. “Yeah?”

You smile and lean back, pulling him back over you into the position you were in before as you whisper “Be gentle? This is my first time.” against his ear.

Derek tenses from above you, looking down at you with eyebrows raised in shock. “You’re a virgin!?”

You laugh and smile up at him. “Yeah, You’re my first everything. Crush, Date, Kiss, you were my first for all of those.” You tell him as the two of you adjust so he’s on his back and your head is on his chest.

You can feel him the gears turning in his head before he finally asks you “So that time we snuck away during Lydia’s party?”

You nod and give an acknowledging hum. “Yup, ”

You trace patterns on Derek’s stomach and glance down, seeing the tent in his jeans. “No wonder you were so responsive.” He says, causing you to playfully slap his abs.

“It was my first time getting a blowjob, of course I was going to be responsive.”

“Then that time in the Camaro when we were waiting for Stiles?”

“Uh huh, first time giving you a bj”

Derek lets out a quiet ‘fuck’ before he pauses and asks “Then this is?”

You move so you’re on top of Derek and smile down at him. “Me placing my trust in you and hoping you’ll make this night unforgettable” You tell him before leaning down and kissing him, breaking contact just long enough to say. “You don’t have to be gentle”

Derek didn’t need anymore encouragement. He grabs your hair in one clawed hand and puts his mouth to yours, sliding his tongue against yours as his free hand cuts your sweatpants from your waist.

You let out a noise of protest that turns into a moan as you fumble his belt buckle in your hands while he slides sharp nails down your back light enough to only sting before grabbing your ass.

He flips the two of you over and lets go of you just long enough to slide his pants off before hovering over you, one hand searching the nightstand while the other held your face and slid a thumb into your mouth.

You close your eyes as you wrap one hand around yourself, holding his hand with the other, satisfied at the way Derek’s breath hitched when you did that as he retrieved the desired item.

You whine when he moves his hand away, opening your eyes when you hear the click of a cap, annoyance turning into arousal as you watch him put lube on his fingers.

He smirks and leans down, running a fang against your lower lip. You open your mouth for him in a breathy moan and grab his hair when he lightly bites your lip, his tongue sliding into your mouth as a lubed finger teases your hole.

You were about to tell him to hurry up when he slides a finger in, causing you to moan and tighten around his finger, bucking your hips into his.

Derek gives you a little approving grunt and eases in another finger, curling them upwards to hit your prostate. You moan into his mouth as you press back against him, putting your arms around him in an attempt to keep him close as if he’d leave. Sliding a hand down your front, he takes the two of you in his hand and lazily strokes causing you to jump between trying to hump into his hand and press back against his fingers.

Derek murmurs encouraging praise into your ear as he lets go of himself to hold only you, adding in a third finger and pumping them in and out of you slowly, making small thrusts and twirls against your prostate with his fingers.

“Derek, please just fuck me already” You say, trying to sound commanding but only sounding needy and impatient.

He chuckles against your neck and moves off of you with a cheeky grin, grabbing the lube and squirting a generous amount onto his length. “Are you ready?” Derek asks you, adjusting positions so your legs were to the sides of his waist and pressed up against him.

“Yeah, Der, please. Please fuck me already” You beg, not caring how you sounded.

Derek nods and lines himself up, grabbing into your hips as he slowly slides into you. Both of you moaning when he enters you, Derek at your tightness and you at the stretched feeling. “Fuck, Y/N. So good for me, so tight” he moans as he presses in a little further

You don’t say anything in reply, moaning loudly as he brushes against your prostate. You put your arms back around him, pulling him down to you to reconnect in a kiss as he begins bottoming out.

Derek pauses once he’s all the way in. “You OK?” you nod quickly and try to move your hips, not succeeding in much as he is holding you still with an iron grip. “I need you to say it for me, how are you feeling?”

“Good, so fucking good. Move, Der. Please, I need you right now. Need you so fuckin’ bad. Don’t wanna be able to walk in the morning.” You blabber, putting your head in the crook of his neck, whining in an attempt to make him start moving. Letting out a little chuckle on how needy and desperate you sound, enjoying how you are already begging for him.

“Slow down there, Baby. Maybe we should start a little slow, I don’t wanna hurt you.” Derek reasons, now knowing this is your first time.

“Don’t care, I’ll heal, need you now” You tell him, holding onto his shoulders.

Derek pauses for a second before responding. “If it hurts, or you’re uncomfortable, say something and I’ll stop. Got it?”

You nod against his neck and give a little mh hm.

“Got it?” Derek asks you again.

You groan into his shoulder. “Yes, Derek! I got it, now fuck me!” you whine, moaning when he slowly pulls himself nearly all the way out and pushes back into you.

“Like that?” Derek taunts, repeating the process in a slow rhythm.

“Fuck, yes. ” You beg, moaning when he pulls back and buries himself in you again.

“So good for me” Derek’s growl reverberates through his chest as he sucks a hickey on to your jaw.

You let out little moans consisting of pleasured little whines, whimpers and ‘Derek’. You can tell he likes when you moan his name, he would make this rumble in his chest or give you a firmer stroke all while keeping his tortuously slow pace.

“Derek, please!” You whine as he sucks a spot on your neck that makes you melt, Derek sliding back into you just as you relaxed, making your hips just and sliding more of him inside of you.

“Please, what? baby boy.” You can hear the smile in Derek’s voice as he talks. “You gotta tell me what you want.”

You were already blushing,this made it even worse “Iwantyoutofuckmeintothemattress.”

Derek’s hips stuttered into a pause as his eyebrows scrunched, replaying what you said in his head. Smiling when he figured it out.

You didn’t like the smile he had on his face, like he was about to do something he shouldn’t.“I’m sorry, what? I didn’t hear you.”

You repeat what you said, mumbling into your shoulder.

“One more time?”

Groaning, you quickly say “I want you to fuck me into the mattress so hard I can’t walk in the morning!”

Moaning when Derek pulls out and flips you over on to your stomach, your erection caught between you and the covers as Derek pressed you down into the mattress. “I heard you the first time, just wanted to hear it again” Derek teases you, ignoring your grumble.

Tilting your head up as he presses his muscular chest against your back, teasing your hole by rubbing his tip against it as he nips at your ear. “You sure you want me to be rough? I don’t mind-”

He cuts himself off with a hitched breath when you press back against him, moaning as his tip pushes in to you. “Fuck, Y/N.” Derek groans as you test his self restraint

“Derek, I swear to god if you don’t fuck me right now I’ll-” You get cut off as Derek slams into you fully, causing you to moan and arch your back against his toned chest.

Derek putting more of his weight on you as he continues with fast, sharp thrusts. “You’ll do what, exactly?” Derek asks from behind you ear, pushing your head into the covers and teething at your throat with a threatening growl.

Caught in the pleasure of Derek hitting all of the right spots inside if you and him marking your neck. Reduced to the blabbering of Derek’s name and begging for more.

“That’s right, you’re so good for me. Go ahead, make some noise. Fuck you’re so hot, Y/N” Derek praises you while he works at your neck, loving the way he can feel you moaning as he marks you up.

You could feel yourself nearing the edge, that familiar warmth spreading through you as you fisted the sheets, Derek must have picked up on it since he slid a hand down your front and wrapped a large hand around you.

Moaning loudly when jerks you to the fast pace of his thrusts, moving your hips to try and escape and chase the overwhelming pleasure at the same time. “You close, baby boy? Huh? Gonna cum for me?” Derek gruff voice growls from behind your ear, hips stuttering in their lost rhythm as you tightened around him when you came with a moan of his name.

Derek following you into orgasm moments later, a reverberating rumble sounding from his chest as he presses as far as he can into you, lowering you flat against the bed and pausing his movements as he came inside of you.

You give a pleasure sigh when he lays his weight on you, placing his head into the crook of your neck near the areas he marked only minutes ago, feeling his hairy chest against your back as you are happily trapped against the bed beneath his weight.

“Was that good?” Derek quietly asks, sliding his hands up your arms and holding your hands.

You let out a content hmm as you feel yourself drifting off.

“I’ll take that as a yes” Derek interprets as he listens to your breathing and your heart return to a resting rate.

After a few minutes of content post-orgasmic bliss Derek goes to move off of you, pulling out in the process.

You whine at the loss of his warm body, causing him to chuckle. “I’ll be right back, I’m just starting the bath.”

You reply with a grunt and a weak thumbs up from a hand that never left the bed. A minute later you are being scooped up, immediately resting your against Derek. Being lulled to sleep by the bounce of him walking as he carries you.

“Ok, in you go” Derek says as he begins to maneuver you in a way he can place you into the tub without just dropping you. You let out a whine and press into him more, smiling when he gives you an irritated sigh. “I will drop you” Derek says in a serious tone.

You reply with a quiet “Jerk” as you get into the tub with his help, sighing contentedly when the hot water touches you.

“See? Nice isn’t it” Derek says, easing you into the rest of the way into the tub as you close your eyes.

Replying with a pleased ‘hmm’ you slide down a little farther and say “In.” Derek replies with a confused “Huh?” as you turn to him and open a sleepy eye. “Get in” You tell him as he smiles and gently nudges your back.

You move forward and sit up a little, leaning back against him when you feel his legs slide alongside yours and arms wrap around you.

The two of you adjust positions for a few seconds until you are in a position where Derek is able to clean you off.

Dozing off somewhere after Derek cleaned your hair and started on your body, only waking after he came back in and dried you off after putting new sheets on the bed. Falling straight back asleep as soon as he covered you up.

#teen wolf x male reader #teen wolf x male! reader #teen wolf x reader #teen wolf x male!reader #teen wolf #derek hale x reader #derek hale x male reader #derek hale x male!reader #derek hale x male! reader #x reader #x male reader #x male! reader

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lolas-writings · 3 years

Text

Hello loves!! I have an actual fic to share with you and not a few hundred word drabble like usual ^.^

I know y’all like rarepairs as much as I do so I’m introducing you to a new one today! I wrote a cute IidaCamie fic yesterday for Camie’s birthday as well as to celebrate the occasion for the @iidacamiebigbang that I’m a mod for hehe. You can find the fic on AO3 here or you can just read the fic below. And if you find this rarepair interesting, please feel free to check out our Tumblr or our Twitter. Enjoy!

~~~~

“Babe?” Camie calls out as she walks through the front door of her and Iida’s shared apartment. The door clicks softly as it closes behind her, eliminating the light from outside and casting their apartment in a blanket of shadows.

The lights are out, all except for the lamp edging the boundary between the foyer and the living room. Odd, because Iida should be home by now and he always complains about not seeing well when it’s dark.

“Tenya?” Camie calls out again, letting out a huff when she gets no response. She pouts as she removes her shoes and sets them to the side, noticing Iida’s worn sneakers are in their usual space, perfectly symmetrical to each other and perpendicular to the wall. If his shoes are here, then where is he?

The soft thud of socks on wood flooring echoes through the apartment as Camie ventures further inside. She passes the lamp and the lighting gradually grows dimmer, urging her to turn to the wall on her left and search for the light switch. Before she can flick it on, however, a blue piece of paper stuck on the wall beside the switch catches her eye.

‘Look on the coffee table :)’ it reads, written in Iida’s distinct penmanship. Camie smiles at the note and takes it off the wall, folding it carefully and tucking it into her pocket before she turns around. The coffee table stands directly behind her, and after her eyes adjust to the low lighting, she can make out a perfectly wrapped yellow box resting on top.

“Aw, babe, you shouldn’t have!” She calls out playfully as she approaches the present. She’s lying, of course, because it’s her birthday and she deserves to be spoiled. Something, luckily, Iida is surprisingly good at.

The blue ribbon on top comes off first, followed by the tape holding the yellow wrapping paper around the box together. It comes apart easily, meticulously, a careful calculation on Iida’s part to leave the wrapping paper in one piece for reuse later. What a dork.

After unwrapping the box, Camie carefully lifts the lid and immediately squeals when her eyes land on what’s inside. Soft black fabric, fuzzy and soft and two sizes too big, but that’s how Camie likes her sweaters. Hanging off of her shoulders and bunching up around her hips, just like how Iida’s sweaters fit.

She reaches in and pulls the sweater out of the box, unfolding it and admiring the clothing more fully. She first saw this sweater four weeks ago in the window of her favorite mall store while on a date with Iida. Oversized, extremely fluffy, and with the word, “Baddie,” written in white across the front. Exactly her kind of style, and she would have dragged Iida into the store to get one for herself if they hadn’t been on their way to meet up with their friends. Iida really does pay attention.

As she fawns over her new sweater and considers putting it on then and there, another blue note catches her eye, this time from the bottom of the box. ‘Now go check the kitchen :)’ this one reads, another silly smiley face signing the note. This note, too, gets folded and tucked into Camie’s pocket before she ventures to their kitchen, fluffy sweater in hand.

This time, the box is blue with yellow ribbons. Similarly sized and wrapped, the only difference being the color swap. She sets the sweater on the counter beside the box before tearing, not literally, into this present.

Inside is white, a stark contrast to her sweater. When she reaches in to pull the new article of clothing out it feels rougher, like denim, and sure enough, when the fabric unfolds she’s staring at a new pair of strategically ripped white skinny jeans. Something that’s been on her To-Buy list for ages. She squeals again and hugs the pair of jeans close to her chest.

Just like the first box, at the bottom lies another blue note. ‘You know, your shoes look a bit cluttered. There’s a random box taking up their space…’ Camie can’t help but giggle at this particular note. Knowing Iida, he probably took this opportunity to subtly tell her to start organizing her shoes better. Maybe she will, after all the thought and time Iida spent arranging this birthday scavenger hunt. You know, for a day or two before the chaos resumes.

Camie pushes that thought aside as she returns to the entryway of their apartment, opening the door to the closet where their shoes and heavy coats are kept. On the floor, in the midst of her mess of a shoe collection, is another box. Smaller than the previous two, but wrapped just like the first with yellow paper and blue ribbons.

Camie sinks to the floor and sets the sweater and jeans on the ground beside her. She doesn’t even bother taking the time to sit properly before reaching into the closet and pulling the box out, making quiet work undoing the wrapping paper and ribbons.

The box itself is not plain and wordless like its predecessors. This box clearly has the logo of Camie’s favorite designer shoe brand slapped on top, bold and proud. She wastes no time ripping the lid off to reveal what’s inside.

Black ankle boots with a chunky heel and studs on either side of each shoe. The same shoes she saw a random woman wearing in line at the grocery store two weeks ago. Camie remembers enthusiastically asking the woman where she got them, how much they cost, are they comfortable, and all the important questions, but Iida had stood wordlessly beside her observing the different pastries that were on sale that day. At least, that’s what she assumed, she had no idea he was listening in on their conversation.

This time, she doesn’t squeal; she laughs, wholeheartedly and unabashed, the sound echoing off the walls around her and surrounding her in her own disappointment. She really must stop secretly chastising Iida in her head for seemingly not paying attention.

She sets the shoes on the floor beside the sweater and jeans, freeing up her hands and allowing her to pull the now empty shoebox completely from the closet and into her lap. Just as she suspected, there’s yet another small blue paper with a note written on it. ‘I hope you don’t mind, I tidied up your dresser and vanity.’ She smiles again and folds and tucks the note into her pocket with the other two. After replacing the lid on the box, she retrieves her clothing and shoes and makes her way to their bedroom.

The room is dark just like the rest of the apartment, the only light source being the lights surrounding her vanity mirror. It’s enough to illuminate the single box resting perfectly centered on top, wrapped in blue paper and yellow ribbons.

She approaches the vanity soundlessly, the carpet muffling the sound of her footsteps. When she’s standing just in front of the vanity, she sets the rest of her treasures delicately on the matching chair before setting her sights on the newest box.

Just a few tugs on the ribbon here and a few flicks of her nail to the tape there is all it takes for the wrapping to fall away and reveal the box within. It’s plain again, like the first two boxes, but smaller like the third. And just like all of the previous boxes, the lid comes off easily and reveals another treasure inside.

A sleek, shiny leather newsboy cap rests inside, a stripe of white across the bill standing out against the inky blackness of the rest of the cap. She’s never seen this item before, surprisingly, but it falls perfectly within her style choices and even matches the rest of the outfit… Oh. Oh, what an absolute dork her boyfriend is.

“So?” A deep, familiar voice pipes up from behind her, startling her into dropping the hat back into the box. Camie huffs and turns around to glare at Iida, putting her hands on her hips.

“You so need to stop doing that.”

“Doing what?” Iida smiles and leans against the doorframe. “Giving you birthday gifts?”

“Being a total stalker.” Camie tutts and crosses her arms, a pout on her lips that juxtaposes Iida’s poor confused expression. It’s almost funny how he’s remained too dense to recognize her jokes after all these years. “I’m kidding, Tenya.”

Camie covers her mouth to suppress a giggle when Iida lets out a relieved sigh. He’s too serious sometimes but it never ceases to be absolutely adorable. After tapering down her short-lived giggle fit, Camie walks over to Iida and throws her arms around his neck, pulling him down just enough to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

“You are superbly a dork.”

Iida’s cheeks flare red at the attention, but he reciprocates Camie’s hug without a second thought, his arms wrapping soundly around her waist. “Maybe, but you love it.”

“I love you, idiot.” Camie rolls her eyes but doesn’t bother pulling away from their hug.

“Hm, that too.” Iida hums and places a matching kiss on Camie's cheek, causing them both to smile. “Happy birthday.”

#iidacamie #iida tenya #bnha iida #my hero academia iida #camie utsushimi #bnha camie #mha camie #bnha rare pair #mha rarepairs #Lola Writes

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lokiarsene · 4 years

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due to the last post, i present to some of u this idea: possessive akiren, who views goro as a beloved rival special to his life and special to him specifically.

akiren knows their competitive relationship holds them together and, like goro, doesn’t want it to change (goro outright tells you he will not allow you to change in rank 7, because who you are now--the way you think, the way you act--is the person he doesn’t want to lose to). goro wants to be a rival to the akiren who will never bow down from his principles, from what he believes in and will fight for. and it’s very obvious now that akiren feels the same way about him.

think about it. goro is similar to akiren. goro is the foil, the dark mirror, of akiren. goro is the second protagonist to akiren. they state repeatedly how they are similar despite being on opposite sides of certain positions (PT and detective; they improvise a showtime, an act that the game establishes as something characters have to work out on their own and wish for on a specific object. goro and akiren have no need of this: they act on instinct, impulse, much like how goro describes a jazz improv session.

goro is the only character akiren freely describes his past to without needing to have it pulled out of him. goro is the only character akiren gains no PT benefit from being with: it’s a purely personal growth and experience, a way for akiren to match himself with someone of equal talents and determination, thereby proving that who he is and what he believes in isn’t so unwelcome in society. finding out in the engine room that goro is likewise ostracized only makes this bond even more intense when they meet up in the third semester, despite the possibility of akiren’s player-determinate hesitation in them teaming up, because heres the thing: it doesn’t matter if you are hesitant about it. akiren and goro will still work together no matter how you feel about it.

akiren does not tell the PT that he is spending so much time with goro, or that he has his number. akiren does not immediately go to the other PT when he sees how messed up the world is, albeit because goro shows up post haste to discuss it with him. and can we just stop to think about what that says about goro? how the first thing he does when in an impossible crisis is find the one person he knows is on his level and reliable? a person who, if he was likewise caught up in the dreamworld, goro would have no hesitation forcing him out of as a way to save him (he says so on a jazz bar date)?

akiren’s possessiveness over goro can go so far as to damning his friends to a dreamworld, a world of lies, if it means he doesn’t have to lose goro--and goro likewise will acclimate to this dreamworld because he doesn’t want to lose akiren, either. they settle with a lie because, if they give in to their darker impulses--if they sacrifice their principles for just a moment--they are selfish lovers, but lovers all the same.

maruki specifically uses the engine room moment to pull at akiren’s heartstrings when his other friends’ happiness is not enough to change his mind. maruki specifically appeals to akiren’s fixation on goro to tempt him into taking the offer. maruki specifically appeals to goro, in the boss fight, about not throwing away his life and starting over again with joker in a paradise. maruki appeals to both boys’ desire to be together--akiren never having lost him, and goro with a chance to live out the “meet a few years earlier” clean slate/conscience wish that current events make impossible.

this is a bit of a rambly post but... i guess to just cap it off, i think it’s...... really remarkable that in the end of royal, in the true end, the only two things about the PT that remain with akiren are morgana and goro’s glove. his other friends drive off, giving him a chance to escape. sumire spares him a passing smile and nod as she moves on to her future. akiren lets go of everything else except for goro and morgana, the latter whom he considers family and genuinely cares for. losing morgana was never an option for akiren of course, but holding onto goro’s glove was completely optional, and only can be explained by a fixation, a fascination, an appreciation--a possessive coveting and a love. the other PT deserve and get their chance to heal and move on, but akiren will always carry one special part of his past with him, refusing to give it up.

plus he would totally kill teddie as revenge for flirting with his boyfriend lmao

#rambles #meta #long post #p5r spoilers #akeshu #shuake

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sweetcheol · 4 years

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college boyfriend!sehun

—genre: fluff

—au: college, friends to lovers

—pairing: oh sehun x reader

—song to listen to while reading: fall again — klang

—word count: 2.2k

—warning(s): mentions of sex, sehunnie being the best boyfriend ever, choking on chips ??? (but it’s nothing bad, i promise)

sehun was your netflix binging partner before he was even your friend

okay ... he was your netflix binging partner before you even knew his name

you guys were in an ethics class together

and it was one of those common classes everyone in uni had to take no matter their major, so it was like 60 of you in a huge ass classroom

so you resorted to the only alternative to keeping you awake during 2 hour long, powerpoint based, boring lectures:

yoy got the best out of your netflix subscription plan

god bless airpods bc you could just hide them with your hair and nobody ever noticed anything

except for sehun

who conveniently sat one seat to the left on the row above you

so he had the perfect view to your laptop screen

and had watched the whole fifth season of peaky blinders with you

of course he never told you bc that... that would have been kind of weird

so he just kept to himself and tried his best to keep on being your anonymous netflix partner

he had even started to buy himself some snacks to munch on during class and was truly living his best life

until you finished peaky blinders ... and were about to start watching crash landing on you

sehun just ... sehun loved that show, okay?

so when he saw the intro pop on your laptop he started choking on his shrimp chips, creating a commotion

like ... even the professor stopped talking and asked him if he was okay, causing everyone to turn around and face him

red-faced, choking him

even you, who had paused the show and turned around in your seat so quickly he thought you’d cracked your neck

and in that moment, sehun did the only thing he could think of

which in that case meant bolting straight out of the classroom coughing like a madman

and just like the concerned netflix partner classmate you were, you had walked out right after him

“yah! don’t run, let me help you!”

and tbh ... sehun had never expected to turn around and come face to face with you, holding a bottle of water for him to sip on

that alone helped him stop coughing

he reluctantly accepted the water while turning beet red in the face

so the two of you sat down on a set of stairs that were near the classroom while sehun drank his water

he was trying his best to zone you out, eyes set on the floor and only focusing on the bottle in his hand

bc that had been ... embarrassing, to say the least

and he had asked you, in the smallest voice possible to please wait until class was over to pick ur things up bc he didn’t wanna go in and then interrupt the lecture again

so you granted him his wish

and when people started piling out of the classroom, you were like well

and sehun didn’t even say anything to u before he walked back inside, took his backpack with him and walked away

so you were like ???? as you stashed your laptop in ur bag and walked back to your dorm

you didn’t see him the next class

and since the room was so big you were like wtf did he sit someplace else

you couldn’t even watch your show in peace that day bc ... what had you even done to him

the lesson after that ... you were resigned

whatever was his problem you wouldn’t mind

but then someone placed a blue thunder gatorade on your desk with a hot pink post it pasted on the cap

“spare airpod ???”

and sehun was sat on the chair next to yours, drinking from his own gatorade bottle while he waited for your response

so you fished the earbuds from your bag and extended your hand, one of them resting on your palm

sehun took it

and the two of you watched the third episode of the show together

the two of u didn’t speak much though

he’d muttered a soft “thank you” when returning the airpod when class was done and that was it

but then he sat next to you the following lesson

and the next one

a couple of weeks after that he started giving you bags of chips and cookies alongside the gatorade

until you had finished a couple of dramas

... and the semester

the two of you were quite bummed the last day of classes

bc neither of you had seen the other one in any other classes so you were sure you weren’t in the same major

and sehun had only said “it was very nice meeting you” after the last class was over

and that was it

or u thought

until half-way through the summer, you had finally found enough willpower to clean your backpack

and had found a cute little note on the bottom of it

from none other but your cute, tall classmate

“maybe we could hang out and actually talk sometime?” alongside his phone number

and at first you were like oh a month has gone by, he won’t remember me

but then you wrote a simple “hey, it’s (y/n) from ethics”

and sehun almost ... choked once again when he read it

bc he though you just weren’t going to text him at all

and so the two of you started talking

he was very funny and easy-going, so you became friends pretty fast

you texted all through-out the summer

and ofc sehun told chanyeol, his best friend and roomate, about it

which prompted chanyeol to tease him 24/7 abt how he should just ask you out

and sehun was like “it’s not like that”

but everyone could see it was like that

so sehun was like ... okay i might

and he was like “so i was thinking ... maybe we could go to the movies”

and you were like !!!!!! red code !!!!!! alert !!!!!! oh my gOD

bc you had been like ... crushing on him ever since the chip incident

and answered him like “yeah that’d be nice”

a few days after you went to the movies

and were both a mess at first but the date actually turned out pretty well bc you went for dinner afterwards and everything ran out pretty smoothly

sehun was like OOOOOOH YEAH I’M UR BOYFRIEND NOW ... right after he walked you to your door

but you weren’t complaining bc you liked him a lot too

SO NOW

onto the relationship

ngl you are like low-key done with him the week after you start dating bc he is ... a little shit

like if he feels he isn’t getting enough attention he’ll go like “(y/n) that’s so unfaiiiiiiiiir”

but then he’ll start playing around with vivi and you’re standing there like okAY

and if you tell him he’ll get all sassy and go like “i knEW u just can’t live without me”

but then when you spend enough time with vivi and he starts running to you instead of sehun ... he goes like “wAIT (y/n) he’s MY son wtf”

but inside he’s like “that’s OUR son oh my god”

gets low-key jealous of all the lead actors of the dramas you watch together

like suddenly you’ll turn around and he’s pouting

but he forgets about it halfway through the episode

even though you two aren’t in the same class anymore he likes studying together

and is always buying snacks for your study dates

he’ll study for like 15 min and then will start pouting bc he wants kisses

wears a lot of hoodies and sweatpants but will also clean up somedays bc he wants to look nice for you

will very subtly leave his hoodies at your dorm

he thinks it’s romantiquè

and you’re very grateful for it bc he’s very tall and thus his hoodies are very cozy

you kinda want to kill him sometimes but he’s definitely the kind of guy that calls you at three am just because he wants to talk to you“i just wanted to hear your voice”

and he’s just laying in his bed smiling like a fool while you tell him about your day

you both end up constantly falling asleep over the phone but neither of you mind

and then chanyeol enters the apartment and sees him passed out on the couch with his phone in hand and your name on his screen

it’s safe to say sehun’s not going to live it down

i don’t think he’d be a big fan of pda

so in public, you kinda only hold hands

he might give you a little kiss from time to time but that’s pretty much it

oh but in private ... he can’t keep his hands off you

and your butt

he gives the best hugs ever??? and it doesn’t help that he loves hugging you

forehead kisses

so so so many forehead kisses

definitely takes advantage of his height

for that, and for placing stuff on high places so that he has to help you on getting them down

lowkey touches your butt when he’s doing it

okay but when you’re ... doing the do

sehun’s a switch

i feel like he’d either be such a whiny sub or a very ... whiny dom (but he’d still be very soft ngl)

(i mean he’s the spoiled maknae for a reason)

favorite thing ever is when you ride him and he can just hold your hips really tight and guide your movements so they can match his

moans so fucking loud you’re sure your entire floor can hear the two of you

i’m not sure he’d be a very kinky lover

like i feel he’d be pretty vanilla

but i mean ... he dances ... his hips can ... do things

so it’s not like it’s anything bad, you know ????

a huge fan of hickeys

but on more ... private places

like he’ll never leave one on your neck

but your chest is a completely different story

bc he doesn’t leave them so that people can see them

he leaves them so he can see them and remind himself that you’re his

that you chose him

that was really sappy

he’s a dance major

and he’s always asking you to go with him to practices

both bc he loves being with you and bc he likes it when you watch him dance

he’s a tease and we all know it

he’d run his hands over his hair and smirk all the time bc he knows you’re looking at him

sometimes he even takes off his shirt and acts like it’s just bc of the heat

and you blush so hard and he’s just like 😌

but also when he has a show or presentation or something

he gets so so so so nervous

but then he spots you in the crowd and just smile a bit bc you’re there, supporting him, and that’s all that matters

his phone background is this selfie the two of you with face masks on

you had your hair up in a bun and both of you were lounging in sweats

you had been playing around with snapchat filters and accidentally took the sweetest photo ever

so he asked you to send it to him

and he set it up as both his lock screen and his home screen

yours is a mirror selfie you took when you were watching him practice

you were taking a photo and when sehun noticed he came to give you a kiss on the cheek

and it was the sweetest thing ever

he literally sends you each and every selfie he takes

and sometimes goes like “hey does this look okay?”

and sometimes it’s more like “your boyfriend is so hot wth”

and just as he takes so many selfies so he can send them to you

he also likes taking photos with you

literally everywhere you two go

he either takes a selfie or asks someone to take a picture of you

and everyone he asks always thinks you’re the most adorable couple ever

bc the love you two have for each other is like so obviously there

and he gets so soft whenever people tell him that

even when it’s chanyeol who says it

truth is chanyeol loves you because of how happy you make sehun

he once told you when you got back home from a club

and like ... you were kinda, slightly, a little bit drunk

and hearing him say that only made you feel like you were walking on clouds even more

bc if anyone asked you to describe just how happy sehun made you ... you were sure you weren’t going to find enough words to describe the feeling

even though he usually is like hell yeah i’m a cool bf

he gets really sappy at night (and when’s drunk)

and goes on and on about how much he loves you and he’s happy he found you

bc you always get that look in your eyes that make his heart melt

bc he’s the sweetest boyfriend ever

and it doesn’t help that he’s my ult bias bc i reallyyyyyyyy wanna date college!boyfriend sehun 🤧

#requests are open :)#exosnet #sehun scenario #sehun smut #exo scenarios #exo smut #sehun imagine #exo imagine #sehun boyfriend au #exo boyfriend au #type: [bulletpoints]#marwrites

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third-rail-vip · 4 years

Text

20 OTP Questions

Tagged by @tarberrymentats thank you so much for the tag! <3

I’m going to tag @minuteminx @asaara-writes @pchberrytea @mayihavethisdanse @potatocrab @laurelsofhighever and anyone else who wants to, tag me because I’d love to see your OTPs!!

I might have gone a bit overboard, so I’ll put most of this under the cut…

Mac x Ivy

1. Who can outdrink the other?

Oh, definitely Mac. They learnt that the first night they met, not that she was trying to keep up it’s just Ivy is a thorough lightweight. He didn’t like questions, she can’t help but ask them, so the deal was one shot per question. She is smol and cannot hold her booze. Two centuries on ice and she seems to have lost some of the tolerance she built up in college. Magnolia had to tell Mac to make sure she got to the Rexford ok. Of course, en route she picked up multiple jobs and talked Fred into giving them 500 caps for going to Hallucigen. Mac was gobsmacked, it was the beginning of a beautiful if unexpected friendship.

These days if you give her too much, you’ll find her sat on the floor in the corner of Railroad parties with Tinker Tom talking conspiracy theories.

2. Who says “i love you” more?

Probably Mac, but not because he loves more, but because he’s definitely the more vocal of the two of them. Words are one of his main love languages. Plus, he’s lost a partner before (which Ivy hasn’t) and there were things unsaid in that relationship that he’ll always regret, so he knows the importance of telling the people you love how you feel, and telling them often. Ivy is more of a show than tell, even though she’s the type to fall first, she’s been hurt before by exactly that so she’s slower to use the words and breaks them out less often. She shows she loves him through her actions.

3. Who has trouble sleeping alone?

Very much Ivy, not that Mac doesn’t to some degree, but this is a scary new world for Ivy and she feels very much safer having someone there. She was a wreck when he was away in the Capital Wasteland and really struggled to sleep at all. She is more likely to not be able to get to sleep if she’s alone. Mac is more likely to have a disturbed night, waking up feeling an absence.

4. Who swears more?

Ivy. She may look sweet but she really can have a foul mouth. She will basically swear for Mac as well. He’ll cut himself off and she’ll fill in the blank. She resists the urge, or at least desperately tries to pick other words at the last second when the kids are about. It doesn’t always work well.

5. Who does more of the housework?

It’s shared. Ivy makes more mess though, she’s clean but untidy. She seems accumulate way more stuff than Mac does, and boy does she spread it around the house. She’s also very distractible, so he can get back and find a half-risen loaf in the kitchen, which she’ll have left, having had a thought about something she wanted to draw while it was still in her mind. So, the sketchbooks are out in the living room, but then she’ll see a sketch of Mac and remember she was going to fix the arm on his duster again. And so on and so forth. Mac isn’t without guilt, there are always comics on various surfaces, left open (taking up maximum room) to show Ivy or the boys the best bits. If Codsworth had lungs, he’d hyperventilate. She will tidy up after herself though, when she realises she’s left everything all over. I mean, nobody wants to hear a Mr Handy cry pre-recorded tears.

6. Who forgets their anniversary?

They don’t technically have an anniversary, actually getting together was a bit of a messy and protracted process. The easiest date to remember is Halloween when they first met in Goodneighbour. Maybe one day they’ll have an official anniversary for something else, but for now.

7. Who steals the duvet in their sleep?

Sometimes they can have a bit of blanket tug of war going on depending on who got into bed first. Ivy was nesh even before the war, but two hundred years on ice has done her no favours. She gets criminally cold hands and feet. If they were just sharing a bed before they got together, Ivy would 100% steal that duvet, but these days she just wraps around her mercenary and they sleep like a little two person blanket burrito.

8. Who keeps the other awake at night with their snoring?

Neither keeps the other awake. Mac is the one who snores, but they are little damn kitten snores, like his sneezes. If anything is going to keep Ivy awake, it’s him falling asleep first and her just silently going “awwwwww” at her adorable boyfriend.

9. Who finds stray animals and begs the other to let them keep them?

This is totally Ivy and cats. They have dogmeat of course, but he’s his own man and he’s always welcome with them, but he’s not really theirs. Ivy love cats, she will sneak off to play with settlement cats when she should be doing far more minutemen type activities. They are definitely slowly accumulating cats at their most regularly visited settlements.

10. Who usually makes dinner?

Ivy enjoys cooking most out of the two of them, and she’s rather good at it. Getting better all the time as well since her and Codsworth are doing their best to remember and collect pre-war recipes, or at least work out how to make equivalents. Mac is a reasonable cook, but over the years he’s generally been happy to exist on pre-war ‘just add water’ kind of food, rather than cooking from scratch, which is definitely Ivy’s jurisdiction. But if she’s cooking, and if he can persuade Codsworth to leave them to it, he loves to cook with Ivy. Even more so when the kids want to get involves too.

11. Who plays their music out loud?

Oh god, they both do. The pipboy radio is always going. Turning it right up and singing along is almost mandatory. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you might catch Ivy playing the guitar or the piano and singing. She’s usually shy about it, but she’s good. She’s performed once at The Third Rail as a birthday present.

12. Who hogs the bathroom?

Given the opportunity of a hot shower in Vault 81, you will lose Ivy for so long you’d think she’d drowned. Drenching herself in enough scolding hot water to supply a minor settlement, truly is the most self-indulgent of self-care. Mac isn’t the biggest fan but he can be persuaded. The only time he’ll hog the bathroom is when it’s time to keep that goatee in tiptop condition. He’s very particular about it.

13. Who gives the most compliments?

Like with saying ‘I love you’ most, Mac is definitely the one who lays on the compliments. He learned early on that Ivy isn’t used to being complimented like that, or at least, it’s been a very long time since she was treated that way. He’s almost made it a personal mission to set that right. How easily she blushes at them is just an added bonus.

14. Who usually starts/causes arguments between them?

They aren’t an argumentative couple, from past experience, Ivy does not cope well with that kind of confrontation within a relationship. They are more likely to snark if something has annoyed them, but are actually really good at reading each other’s body language for when something they’ve done has upset the other. But if it comes down to it, Mac is more likely to be the one to get into a more heated discussion about something that’s upset him. Ivy is the one to calm a situation. The only time they’ve had an actual stand up row was during Blind Betrayal.

15. Who isn’t afraid to embarrass the other in public?

They aren’t afraid of a bit of public bantering, and will definitely play up for an audience if they’re in the right mood. Ivy is a little more inclined to publicly tease Mac in one way or another, but that might be more because Mac suspects she can deal it out better than she can take it, rather than her being the more equipped to do it. Although when it comes to quietly flustering her in public, that is very much Mac’s jurisdiction.

16. Who gives the other cringeworthy pet names?

There’s a definite teasing edge to most of the nicknames they call each other, they’re both more comfortable with being called them when there isn’t too big of an audience around. But I guess Mac would be more embarrassed by Ivy’s habit of calling him anything beginning with ‘sweet’ – it’s not good for his tough mercenary image, you know. Mac doesn’t care who hears him call Ivy ‘angel’, he’s being calling her it for so long (way longer than they’ve been together) but he might draw the line at shouting ‘kitten’ across Diamond City marketplace. Most other names they call each other are more along the lines of compliments or abbreviations of their names.

17. Who fusses over the other when they get sick?

Ivy is definitely the more diligent medic, and a very well qualified worrier. So when Mac is hurt, she’s all over that, and he regularly jokes that she carries enough gear to set up a small field hospital with her at all times. Not that that habit hasn’t saved their asses on multiple occasions. Mac is more likely to get genuinely scared if Ivy is badly hurt or sick because of past experience. When it comes to just being a little bit poorly, Mac will milk it like an absolute drama queen. Ivy is a soft touch and will let him. But she’s also very good at telling when he’s better and is just looking for extra attention. She’ll make up ‘treatments’ to see if he’ll keep up the charade and how committed he is to being waited on hand and foot.

18. Who finds it impossible to stay angry at the other for long?

For a guy who can mature a grudge like a fine wine, Mac has never ever been able to stay mad at Ivy. Not even in those early days when she was ‘useless’ and they barely knew each other. Mac melts at those big brown eyes, even if he tries to keep the frowns on the surface, all the anger goes in an instant. It’s rare for her to get angry at him, but if the hurt is real then she can hang onto it until he’s shown that he’s earned back her trust. It took him a while to win her back after coming back from the Capital Wasteland having not sent word at all since he left.

19. Who clings to the other for comfort when they’re sad or scared?

Ivy would be the first to cling to Mac when she’s scared, in fact she was, after very early close call. That experience rather reinforced Mac as a safe place for her, bearing in mind she’s known him from just a week after escaping the vault, he’s definitely been a grounding presence for her. When something is wrong, the first place she will seek comfort is in his arms, even from long before they were together. Mac doesn’t break down until they’ve known each other for a lot longer, but he feels safe enough by then being that vulnerable with Ivy – it’s difficult because he has always had a habit of putting himself in a protector role in so many of his relationship with people that allowing himself to be seen as scared or even sad is difficult for him. But once those floodgates are open, nothing would stop him from seeking comfort from her, even when things are awkward between them.

20. Who is more ‘physically passionate’? (hugs, kisses, or maybe more…)

When it comes to big public displays, it would probably be Mac (not in the early days though, he was definitely more private then) but he likes it known that they’re together – especially to that one dude from diamond city security who keeps hitting on her. Ivy is more for subtle displays in public; holding hands, cheek kisses etc. Although there was one incident…anyway. Privately they are equally likely to be all over each other.

#otp 20 questions meme #this turned out big!#mac x ivy #then i met you #maccready #robert joseph maccready #ivy kendrick #maccready x sole survivor #maccready x f!solesurvivor #sole survivor #my art #gorgeous screenshot by mayihavethisdanse

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minsugapie · 4 years

Text

Mary’s Song: part 1a (1426) - Is this Jungkook?

• • • • • •

Jeon Jungkook wasn’t just your anime-loving, manga-drawing, hair-pulling, ex-neighbour. You hadn’t even spoken to him since he had moved away. But the world worked in funny ways because...

He was probably the reason you were still alive.

• • • • • •

“And our daddies used to joke about the two of us

Growing up and fallin' in love

And our mamas smiled, and rolled their eyes

And said, "Oh, my, my, my”

• • • • • •

previous // current // next

masterlist

• • • • • •

Tags : @minhyuksfatgf @igotarmyofarohas @dixonsbugaboo @thealexalcala @salty-for-suga @worshiphoseok @okaysoplshelpme @jeonlovers

• • • • • •

HEY this isn’t the greatest but it gives us the basic background of y/n so yeah please enjoy 🥺

• • • • • •

Your boyfriend had finally gone to work.

You quickly went to the hall closet where you’d set a small duffle bag behind the Christmas decorations. Daily, you’d put an item of clothing and some sort of supply needed, so he wouldn’t notice. Today was the day when you’d leave with only a three full outfits, a brush and your toothbrush. On a piece of paper, you wrote down the numbers of all the important contacts on your phone, also writing down the number of an old friend which your mother made you write down in case you needed something.

This wasn’t the first time that you’d wanted to run away from him, but it was the first time you’d had the courage to actually go through with it. It was actually the 5th. The first and second times were similar situations —he’d gotten physically aggressive with you. The third time was was when he’d started tracking you and monitoring your phone. The fourth time had been after he admitted to seeing other women after work because you weren’t enough to keep him satisfied. And the fifth time, which happened a week ago, was after he’d forced you to have sex with him when you’d clearly not wanted to. It was the final straw for you. You’d been saving up some cash ever since the first time you’d thought of leaving him.

You couldn’t tell your mom what was going on, at least not right now. She loved Nic, and you didn’t want her to leave her business and help you out. Nic had proved himself to be a dangerous man, and she couldn’t do anything in case he hurt them to get to her. You were sure that he was going to go after you. So after leaving your phone connected to it’s charger beside the bed, you locked the door, slipping the key into your money pouch in case you ever needed to come home.

You tried to avoid all the neighbours as you walk out of your apartment building, not wanting him to see any interaction on the security cameras. When the only thing that you met was the cat, you walked to a specifically selected hair salon that you knew were cash only and didn’t have public security candles nearby. You asked for them to as quickly and efficiently change your hair.

Once your hair was shorter and the complete opposite colour, you made your way to the train station and hopped on the first train to the city in which you knew the old friend whose number you had lived.

You wore a cap and a mask, covering your face as much as possible from any cameras at the train station. Paranoia took over as you started regretting what you were doing. Nic was a cop. He had to have ways to find you, and you wanted to lessen the chance of being followed by him.

You found a payphone a few blocks from the train station, wanting to call someone as soon as possible, slightly debating whether you actually wanted to. Did you want to bring him into this? He could end up getting hurt if he helped you…that is if he was willing to help you out.

You’d known him a lifetime ago; you’d taken baths together; you’d been each other’s first kisses. With that kind of history, it wasn’t foolish for you to think that he would at least let you crash at his place.

Besides, Nic knew nothing about him because Jungkook graduated before you started dating —and you never told Nic about him. Taking out the paper with the number written, you put a quarter in the payphone and hesitantly dialled the number.

It took a few rings and your almost hanging up before it was picked up. “Hello?”

“Is this Jungkook?”

“Uh, yeah, who’s asking?” His voice was deeper than it had been the last time you’d heard it. Of course, your mom and his still spoke daily and you got word about him, but that was it.

A wave of regret went through you, and you changed your mind, “You know what, Bun, just forget it. This was a bad idea…” You hadn’t meant for the old nickname to slip but it you couldn’t help it. You used to call him Bunny Boy when teasing him and then it gradually shortened to Bun. You hadn’t used it in years, since he’d moved away, so you were surprised that it came out so easily.

“Y/N?”

“Uh yeah,” you answered, putting a hand over your eyes because you knew you couldn’t hang up now.

“It’s been so long! How are you?” He sounded excited to talk to you again. However, there was an underlying scepticism behind his voice.

You cleared your throat, getting ready to answer his question in a whisper. “Listen, can I ask for a favour? I’ll tell you why later but can I crash on your couch for a few days?”

“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up,” he immediately replied. Jungkook was always such a kind person and did whatever he could to help the people that he loved. Even after all this time, he hadn’t changed.

• • • • • •

You were surprised when he pulled up beside the payphone in a nice car. When Jungkook had left, he hadn’t had the most secure plans, but it seemed like he’d made a decent living for himself so far.

You got into the passenger seat after taking a look at your surroundings, making sure nobody was looking at you or following you. You barely had your seatbelt on, and he was already speeding up. You took a good look at him —he’d only gotten better looking with time. Equally cute and hot, you didn’t have to wonder how you’d once held a heart-wrenching crush on him.

“So are you going to tell me what this favour is all about? I thought you were living with your boyfriend…” Jungkook asked, only taking his eyes off the road for a second to look at you.

Taking a deep breath, you vaguely explained, “I’m in a toxic and unhealthy relationship so I ran away.” You couldn’t tell him the whole story. After all, you hadn’t seen him since before you even started dating your boyfriend.

“Well, in the case, you’re absolutely able to stay until you figure this out,” he finally replied as he pulled into the parking garage for his apartment. When you were awkwardly standing beside each other in the elevator, he added, “I should let you know that I have two roommates and we all have a large internet following so they make videos in the apartment sometimes.”

“I don’t know really anything about the internet anymore, but as long as I stay out of it, then it should be fine,” you whispered, shying away from the hallway security cameras as you waited for him to unlock the door.

After Jungkook opened the door for you, you waited to see the roommates, but it was quiet. The thing you immediately saw was the bright red couch that you b-lined for since you knew it was going to be your bed. You put down the small bag down beside the couch and sat.

Jungkook sat beside you, and it was awkward. The apartment was silent while you sat with perfect posture, looking at your hands in your lap. “So do you still draw?”

Jungkook cracked a smile at your question. “A little, I guess. I do some graphic design from time to time and I’m creating a webtoon that’s pretty popular.”

“Oh, geez! So the answer is a yes then?”

Jungkook looked away and stood. “Uh, yeah, so I should go work on it…”

You got the feeling that he didn’t want to be around you at the moment, but honestly, it didn’t affect you that much. That last time you’d spoken to each other had been a mess, and you were constantly at odds since you’d both gotten into high school.

At this point, you were honestly just grateful for his generosity. After he closed himself into his room, you took a deep breath and took in your surroundings. It seemed cozy enough, a point that was proven when it only took you 5 minutes to fall into a deeper and more comfortable sleep in a long time.

You didn’t have to worry; you didn’t have to be scared.

Jungkook, who you’d once considered your knight in shining armour, was only meters away.

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bohrapbois · 4 years

Note

A short fic of the cast all reuniting after quarantine? Lots of hugs and fluff included please!

I’m so sorry that this took so long! Suddenly had loads of things on my plate and then this slipped my mind... I’m sorry! But here it is, and it was hella fun to write!

Words - 2,000+ (This will also be posted to AO3 cause god damn we need more fluff right now)

Relatsionships - None! Just pure friendship fluff!

“Holy shit Ben,” Gwil eagerly grabbed the shorter man, pulling him close and burying his face in the mess of uncut curls. “God, it feels good to actually get to see you again, actually being able to hug you again!” He felt Ben nodding against his chest, and maybe they looked a bit insane standing on the pavement hugging a little touch starved, but it had been so hard not being able to do this. They’d both gone slightly insane stuck inside, but knew it was for everyone’s safety.

Lockdown had eased as the cases dropped, and maybe three o’clock in the morning wasn’t the best time for Ben to text his fellow London residing friend, but the following morning at a reasonable time, they’d sped walked towards each other at a meeting place and just hugged.

“I know mate,” Ben chuckled, squeezing his arms around Gwil’s waist a few times before pulling back. They both keep an arm around each other, friends not caring what others think about them and start walking. They weren’t far from Gwil’s house, and as many places were still closed, they’d just have to make do with kettle instant coffee and some pastries from Tesco. “I think I would’ve gone insane if I kept staring at the walls any longer”. He shoved his sunglasses slightly higher up his nose, the sun unreasonably bright for this time of year.

Gwil laughed and nodded, pulling Ben closer to his side and giving him a gentle shake, “you really hate not doing anything, don’t you Benny?”

They kept the conversation light for the morning walk until finally, they got back to Gwils, kicking off their shoes by the front door and wandering into the kitchen. In the couple of years of knowing each other, these two had been over to each other’s places many times, sometimes unannounced, so it was nice being in a familiar place for Ben as he jumped up to sit on the edge of the table, legs dangling over the side as Gwil went around and made their drinks.

Although they’d talked most days, video called with the others and the group had basically been a vital support for each other, it was still better getting to see each other in person. Voices were clearer, didn’t have to worry about the internet connection or going out of shot, and somehow, conversations were easier.

They sent off a picture of them together to Joe as they moved into the living room, Gwil’s partner happy to let them bond as she went to work in the little office. Now with a couple of bottles of cheap wine and a Pot Noodle each, they relaxed on either side of the sofa and flipped on the TV. Although lockdown had been eased a bit, didn’t mean the world was A-Okay again, so day drinking and junk food eating was still acceptable.

Finding a terrible film, Ben threw the remote between them and tucked his feet under Gwil’s thighs, pulling out his phone to send a few more texts to Joe.

The hardest part of being back with one friend is realising you can’t meet up with the others straight away.

Taking a long sip of wine straight from the bottle, Ben kept the conversation airy, didn’t want to make Social-Butterfly-Mazzello upset he was still stuck inside with his mother. Catching up with the redhead, Ben read off the texts to Gwil, letting Joe know what the other mans opinions were at the same time as enquiring more information himself until eventually, they were on a second film and maybe a bit too tipsy.

“I miss the guys,” Ben sighs, head leaning back on the arm of the chair as his legs tangled with Gwils on the sofa, “not that I don’t love you too, mate,” the blond chuckles, wine spilling slightly onto his chin as he took another swig of the basically empty bottle in his hand.

“ ‘ know what you mean,” Gwil had long since finished his bottle, eyeing up the last one they swore they wouldn’t touch, much like the one Ben is emptying now. “Somehow seeing you here makes it harder?” Fuck it. He’s going to get drunk with his best friend on a Wednesday at 5pm. He grabbed the bottle, loosening the cap and flicking it off somewhere across the room. He reached for the glasses his darling had brought through awhile back, and with unsteady hands, filled both glasses without spilling too much.

“Yeah, exactly,” empty bottle now placed on the floor, Ben sat up, shoulder propped up against the back of the sofa. He didn’t grab his glass straight away, needing a moment to think. “We getta see each other but not them? And Joe is being extra careful cause of his mum, it just… are we selfish for meeting up?” He glances over at Gwil, who was just about to take another drink but stopped, frowning slightly and lowering the glass from his lips.

“What? No!” He shook his head a little too long, “Joe knows about England, he’d be more surprised if we didn’t … get drunk like this,” he gestured towards the wine splashing around in the glass, finally bringing it up to his lips and taking a sip. Nothing like cheap corner store rose when having a philosophical talk. “Yeah it’s shit, but come on, we gotta celebrate being able to actually go outside again”. His words would probably have more impact if they were actually inside, but Ben was nodding anyway.

“M’kay, I kinda guess,” Ben rubs across the soft stubble starting to come through on his chin, “gonna make it better when we can actually see them all, ya know? I can’t wait to actually meet baby Leech,” reaching over and grabbing his glass, Ben does a small cheers gesture. They hadn’t been able to meet the new addition yet, and although they’d all been dubbed Uncles and Auntys, they hadn’t gotten to cuddle and bicker on who’d be best. Allen had been keeping them all updated on his pride and joy, and Ben had already printed off a photo to add to his wall.

-----------------

It was a few months later when they were all able to meet up again. Summer was coming to an end, evenings becoming shorter and colder, but that didn’t mean Joe’s hands weren’t sweaty to the touch. Lockdowns around the world had been eased, then brought back in place, and it had been an entire shit show really. He was glad he’d had his mom with him, he didn’t look over the precious time they spent together, but when a Gwil had sent over some flights in the group chat a few weeks ago, asking if the lot stuck in America wanted to come to Britain, he’d actually cried.

Arranging to stay at Bens for an undiscussed amount of time (“Joe, you can stay however fucking long you want, ‘kay? Always got a spare bed for you, buddy”), Joe had checked with his mother if she’d be alright, and she shooed off any of his fears, saying it’d be nice to get to see her grandbabies and other offspring, she’d hardly be alone. So, he packed up his stuff and set off.

Rami and Lucy were coming too, and Joe was practically shaking in anticipation. When he spotted them, and they spotted him, they rushed to each other and had a massive hug, full of giggles and tears.

“Oh my god have I missed you guys,” Joe kissed Lucy’s forehead and Rami’s cheek before giving each one an individual hug and rib repositioning. It was great that they could touch and hug each other again, and Joe thought that he’d never stop doing it if he can.

“Seeing someone other than Lucy is a miracle,” Rami joked, arm wrapped over Joes shoulder and pulling him up against his chest again. He loved his girl so much, loved the future they were building together, but months trapped in a flat was hard for anyone. It made them stronger in some respects, but they’d had more arguments then than the rest of their relationship. He got a teasing punch on the arm from his girlfriend, who wiggled her way under his other arm and here they were again, the group hug they’d all been daydreaming about for weeks.

There was still precautions taken in the airport, with spacing and temperature checks done at the gates, minimal contact with crew and workers, and god damned hand sanitizer everywhere. It still felt odd how quiet things were. There was an air of caution in everything everyone did now, but they had to get back to normal, had to keep going, so here they were.

The plane journey was as long as ever, but somehow felt longer. Lucy and Rami were moving to their London residence for a bit, had her family to see and get a break from the craziness from America, so they were telling Joe about all the renovations they were going to do when there.

“Rami wants to do the garden, but I’m not sure, you know?” Lucy, sat in the middle chair, explaining the plans her boyfriend had been rambling to her for the last month or so, “a great actor, maybe not the best gardener”. Joe nodded along and laughed as the couple started a light hearted bickering, and maybe he teared up a bit again because he was actually able to see them again, and he wished the plane could land faster.

---------------

In London, Gwilym and Ben were in a similar situation. Setting up the blonds flat for the little get together, they kept fussing over the smallest of details although they knew that no one would really mind if the pillow on the sofa was on the left side or the right, but it kept their minds off of things.

Disappointingly, the Leech family wouldn’t be joining them tonight. They didn’t want to risk the baby getting sick, but had agreed to come at a later date and meet them in smaller groups. It would have to do, but it didn’t mean the conversation wasn’t a bit disheartening.

They tried to ignore the time as they cooked the party foods and reorganised the alcohol in the fridge for the third time, but when Bens phone pinged on the kitchen counter, they both scrambled to look at it.

“They’re on their way!” Gwil announced, grinning over the screen as another text came in, this time a photo. Ben unlocked the device, and they beamed down at a photo of the three people they can’t wait to meet up with again.

But now it’s the whole ‘how long do we have to wat?’ game, and suddenly Ben was convinced his shirt wasn’t right and had to change about five times before walking back out of his room with a slightly lighter coloured shirt.

It was as he was running a hand through his still long hair and trying to tame it when his doorbell rang. Gwil leapt over the back of the sofa and skidded to the door as if it was his life mission to get to it at a surprisingly quick rate. He flung open the door and saw the tired trio light up in excitement just as Ben shoved his way into the doorway under the Welshmans arm.

There was a moment where no one moved before chaos ensured. Ben and Joe instantly wrapped each other in the biggest hug they’d ever done, the blond tucking his nose against Joe’s neck and letting a few relieved tears pass his eyelashes as he squeezed the air out of his American.

Gwil was tall enough that he could wrap both Rami and Lucy in a hug, laughing up at the sky as the joy of the whole thing finally sunk in. The couple didn’t mind, instead competing on who could actually get closer to their tallest friend.

After a few minutes, it was time to rotate the hugs. Ben loved being squished between Lucy and Rami, both smothering his cheeks in kisses and getting the emotional man to laugh in glee. Maybe some tickling was involved, but it had been long overdue anyway, and it made them all laugh as they watched one blond chase the other blonde down the pavement with happy threats of tickling her to death.

Joe and Gwil rocked back and forth as they hugged, Gwils hand on the back of Joes head and holding him close to his chest as Joe rubbed across his spine to remind them both that yeah, they were here, were hugging, and had gotten through a global pandemic without going mad.

It was only when a shrill alarm started screaming from inside the flat that the reunion was broken. They all jumped and startled, looking through the open door and seeing a thing layer of smoke. “Oh shit my pizzas!” Ben yelped, jumping past everyone and rushing into the flat.

Ah, yep, nothing had actually changed.

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moonraccoon-exe · 4 years

Note

Hey! Sorry I had some pre-midterm tests to deal with! :/ anyway, for the supportive characters and stuff for gladnis, could I see stuff with glaives, the other chocobros, and... up to you! (A little bit of little sister Iris would be heavenly though...)

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGAIN, SWEET MUFFIN, I AM HERE TO DELIVER yo pizza

I don’t know if these two asks are the same person (are you? :o) BUT LOOK AT THAT. SAME WANTS, SAME NEEDS, SO I SHALL PLEASE THE THIRST. And I hope it’s ok to put these two asks together? They’re asking for nearly the same, so I thought it was ok, but if either of you have any troubles with it, you tell me, okie? :3

BUT HERE I AM, ANSWERING THIS DELIGHT OF AN ASK ALKSDJFG YES. GLADNIS DEARS, I MISSED THE OTP.

Anyways, these are gonna be shorter for each character as they’re plenty, but they’ll form one big post so I hope you like it! :3

How other characters (besides papa Regis) support Gladnis:

Noctis

My boy is…slow.

He’s really smart, he’s just…very dense.

He’s known both Iggy and Gladio since he has memory, he’s just…very, very…v e r y dense in these matters. Very. Like. Very.

Ignis literally TOLD him about his crush on Gladio MULTIPLE TIMES.

Did Noctis catch it? OF COURSE NOT. He thought Ignis just over worried about his personal relationships, and never noticed he spoke about Gladio in ways he never spoke about others. And same the other way around, Gladio also spoke about Iggy with Noct AND THE IDIOT STILL. DIDN’T TIE ANYTHING TOGETHER.

Sixteen year old Gladio, blushing crimson red, messing with his uniform: “Do you…do you think…Ignis will think i look stupid? Or…maybe…or maybe if I do something to my hair…”

Noct just be like lmao why are you so stressed over a uniform you dummy thing what does ignis care anyway lol

He knew via Ignis. And of course he didn’t get it.

“Today was really nice. Gladio and I went to the park and just spent a nice while talking…I hope…maybe we can have a second date soon…”

Noctis is like yeah that’s nice

“And it’s official now! I don’t know why, but it just makes me more nervous, but in a good way. Is it normal? I’ve never…I’m just so happy, from among all people, Gladio chose me? AMONG ALL PEOPLE NOCT.”

yeah that’s nice specs :)

Noctis thinks Ignis is just talking about friendship, and when he uses romantic terms like date or boyfriend he THINKS IGNIS IS JOKING BECAUSE WHY WOULD HE BE TALKING SERIOUSLY

noctis pl…please

He finished processing it for real HAVING TO SEE THEM KISS.

Noct was talking with Gladio, chatting chattering, then said bye. Gladio was going through a hallway, Ignis appeared, they said hello, then hugged, and proceeded to kiss.

Noctis.exe Processing data.

Ignis and Gladio spent the while hugged snuggled and talking, and smooched again.

Noctis.exe Processing, please be patient.

Ignis and Gladio held hands and started going away together.

GASP

“OHMYGOD WERE YOU FOR REAL!?!?!?!??!”

Noctis.exe has short-circuited

Noctis supports them, just acts like he doesn’t give a damn.

Noctis is The Teenage Brother; will go Ew at everything romantic they do in front of him.

Gladnis snuggle.

“Eeeeewwwwwwwwww”

Gladnis smooch.

“UGH- UUH- EEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW”

Iggy pokes Gladio’s nose and Gladio proceeds to pepper his face in smoochies.

*noctis gagging noises*

Gladio may shove Noctis in between them on purpose to annoy him. There were have them, Gladnis smooching with a much smaller Noctis trapped in between their chests, flailing, screeching, completely ignored and about to explode.

Noctis is the Worst wingman.

“Hey Noct, do you think Iggy will like me in this outfit?”

“eh”

he’s busy with the face buried in a cushion while he rots in boredom, DON’T INTERRUPT HIM.

“Hey Noct. Do you think Gladio already has one of these? I want to get him one but not sure if he has one already.”

“yeah”

Yeah what? Noctis you’re not helping

Noctis does as Regis and will sometimes use his power to get these two to be together, but, unlike Regis, he won’t say shit about it and will even deny it.

The prince requires of his chamberlains in this room which is conveniently empty and there just casually happens to be a secret door for the roof on this particularly starry night.

“I. FORGOT. OK? I FELL ASLEEP EARLY, I WAS TIRED, COR NEARLY SET ME ABLAZE IN TRAINING, I FELL DEAD ASLEEP, I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT DOOR, LEAVE ME ALONE.”

Noctis is a gossipy little shit, but in a good way.

“Omg Iggy guess what today Gladio spoke about his cap ripping, see, I already told you what you can get him for Crystal Day, hm? HM? YOU’RE WELCOME.”

Also uses it to his favor.

“Ten gil and I tell you what Ignis wants to do for his birthday. He told me. Hm hm. For real. TEN GIL I SAID.”

Prince Noctis PROTECTS HIS BELOVED BROTHERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH TEETH AND NAILS, OK?

There’s this magazine that put up some tabloid stupid article that distorted something Ignis said and made Gladio look bad.

Noctis is alone in his office, feet on the desk, swinging a little on the chair, phone to the ear, and FREAKING AN G R Y.

“Yes, that’s what I said; put the article down and make another one clearing it. No, I’m not your boss, but I still request it. I will request it only once more. No? Then how much do you want for the brand? I will buy it and do it myself. Yes, I will buy it. My name and occupation? Prince Noctis CXIV, why? Oh? Aah, so NOW you want to put it down? How nice of you, guess you only needed time to re-consider it, right? It’s ok, it happens to the best of us, how kind of you.”

Ignis is trying to help Noct walk out of some place without being asphyxiated by the media, so he gets the spotlight.

“Mister Scientia! There’s rumors you and the Shield of the prince are DATING?”

Ignis freezes a little.

Noctis proceeds to let out tHE BIGGEST BURP OF HIS LIFE.

Next day tabloids “Prince Noctis BURPS LIVE! OOPS!”

The media are RUNNING STRAIGHT TOWARDS GLADIO.

Noctis is JUMPING BEFORE HIM TAKING HIS JACKET OFF AND DOING AN IDOL POSE.

“HAVE I TOLD YOU GUYS I’LL BE HAVING A BIIIIIIIIIIIG BIRTHDAY PARTY NEXT WEEK!?!?!”

Socially Awkward Ultra Timid prince Noctis actually stood there POSING for the cameras for ten minutes to get them distracted from the relationship announcement.

“Prince Noctis will host Huge Extra Most Expensive Billionare Birthday Party OF HISTORY!! WOW!!”

((big birthday party was pizza time with the chocobros lmao))

If Gladnis ever have a misunderstanding or problem, Noct is the first they go with. Noct is there to comfort them individually, and, smart boy as he is, he also figures out the mistake and plays a big role at fixing it.

“What? Oh no, that’s not what he said. Or not as you think. He meant…”

“Oh? Oh no, that’s not what he was doing!! Ahahah you dork, no! Actually…”

Noctis keeps asking “When are you dorks getting married?” to embarrass them and make them go shy.

Joke is on him when they DO GET MARRIED.

Noctis keeps complaining that how dare they be boyfriends, how DARE they be boyfriends, MAKING HIM, THE ACTUAL PRINCE, THE THIRD WHEEL?????

But whenever Gladnis have the slightest misunderstanding, Noctis is first to go SMACK SENSE BACK INTO THEM HOW DARE THEY GET UPSET WITH EACH OTHER

Noctis has also used his title to make reservations in restaurants that clear THE WHOLE RESTAURANT just for Gladnis lmao

Noct has always hated that when he makes a reservation, they clear THE WHOLE RESTAURANT like NO, why would he want to dine in an empty place!? Not like he goes out often, but he’s learned that his title has that accidental effect, so guess who’s using it for Gladnis anniversary dinners.

When they want to get fancy, or when Noct wants them to go fancy, at least. Normally they just go for noodles the DORKS

Noctis covered half their wedding without even being asked because HE LOVES THEM AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO MUCH AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

((the other half was Regis and he was so upset he wasn’t allowed to cover it all, this dummy papa))

Noctis best supportive baby bro, please hug him.

Prompto

You knew about fanboy #1, but where is fanboy #2?

In the bushes, stalking them, snapping surprise photos to show them later.

“Prompto, that’s creepy.”

“BUT IF I TELL YOU I’LL TAKE PHOTOS, IT WON’T BE NATURAL ANYMORE, AND YOU TWO SHINE BRIGHTER WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW YOU’RE HAVING A PHOTO TAKEN. I’M HARMLESS, WHY IS IT CREEPY.”

Prompto that’s not the point, just…don’t.

How Prommy knew about Gladnis, hm?

It wasn’t that exciting, pretty modern way to know.

Noctis told him via text lmao

“DUDE I HAVE GROSS NEWS, YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT.”

Nocto! >:|

Prommy’s reaction was sort of cute, though. He’s a bit sharper than Noct to notice these things, but he still didn’t expect it. He thought about the two as a couple because he liked the sassy interaction, but he wasn’t sharp enough to see it wasn’t sass, it was ACTUAL FLIRTING. He was so used to the two being good friends it just. Didn’t occur to him that it was a real thing and not just him seeing things.

Noctis tells him via text.

Prommy is gasping OUT LOUD.

He gasped so loudly and sharp he chocked onto his own saliva and fell off the bed.

He ended up repeatedly swinging the feet in the air and against the mattress and squeaking. Squeaking.

“I KNEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW IT”

says the boy that didn’t know it

Prompto’s trying to talk about it all day with Noctis.

Noctis talks about it for three minutes then goes “Uuuuuuuuuuuuuggggghhhhhhhhh can we please nOT”

Noct is just Like That with everything that isn’t videogames or fishing, have mercy on him.

“Dude, and who told who? Dude, have they kissed already? Does lord Clarus know, omg. Dude, DUDE, DOES LORD CLARUS KNOW OHMYGOD”

“PROMPTO I DON’T KNOW”

Prompto’s THIRSTY for gossip and news on his new favorite ship.

Prompto’s stalking them on social medias waiting for the first of them to drop the first hint of romantic something. Why? Just to squeak about it. There’s literally no other use for it.

Prompto’s now Asking and not stopping.

Training with Gladio? “WHO TOLD WHO. HOW DID IT HAPPEN. SINCE WHEN DID YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM. WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST DATE, CAN I KNOW THAT? HAVE YOU TWO ALREADY KISSED. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE. GLADIO, TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH”

Hanging with Ignis? “WHO TOLD WHO. HOW DID IT HAPPEN. SINCE WHEN DID YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM. WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST DATE, CAN I KNOW THAT? HAVE YOU TWO ALREADY KISSED. WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE. IGNIS, TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH”

Arcade with Noct? “NOCT, WHO-”

“PROMPTO I DON’T KNOW”

Prompto’s always asking about their relationship to either of them when he gets the chance. He could talk about it ALL DAY and go on and on.

“Why are you so interested in our relationship, Prompto?”

“I DON’T KNOW, IT’S JUST SO WEIRD, I’M SO CURIOUS. It’s like…its. It’s you *takes a fry* and it’s him *takes another fry* and it’s…*puts fries together* and it’s you.”

…prompto, don’t.

Prompto is the Anti-Noctis.

Gladnis snuggle. Noctis goes Eeeww

*Prommy puts a hand to his chest and aaw’s*

Gladnis smooch. Noctis goes EEEEEEEEWWWWWW

*Prommy clutches chest chest and whimpers*

Ignis proceeds to poke Gladio’s nose who then proceeds to pepper his face in smoochies. Noctis is gagging.

Prommy’s hiding his face in his hands and SQUEAKING into a pillow.

“NOCTO HOW ARE THEY SO CUTE I DON’T UNDERSTAND.”

Prompto’s always doing shitty photoshop pictures of Gladnis that are ridiculous on purpose just to make them laugh.

Prom is there to yell NO when Noctis makes a mean comment.

“UGH YOU TWO ARE SO DISG-”

“NOOOOOOOOO! YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE, KEEP DOING YOUR STUFF”

“Stinky dorks-”

“NO!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVEBIRDS!!!!!!! CUTE!!!!!!!”

“EW go get a roo-!”

“WE’RE LEAVING, YOU MAKE YOURSELVES COMFORTABLE, OK, IGNORE THIS ASSHAT”

Prompto. He. He made Gladnis puppets.

Ignis is too busy, like absolutely fucking loaded of royal stuff and so he’s away and unable to reach? Aaw, don’t be sad big guy. *puppet Ignis proceeds to smooch him*

*Puppet Ignis proceeds to give Gladio a million cheesy compliments and pick up lines in an unnecessarily high pitched voice*

*Puppet Ignis is nuzzling at him and insisting on kissing*

“PROMPTO STOP”

It’s not Prompto, it’s Pocket Ignis, you rude ungrateful ass.

Gladio’s not annoyed, he’s actually pretty amused XD

Gets tired of Prompto not leaving him alone, though? Gladio’s going to be “Ok you conviced me, come here Iggy” and tries to make out with the puppet, hence making a hysterical Prompto screech and try to run away.

Same goes for Ignis. Gladio’s away on some Crownsguard or Shield training at the outskirts? Away and gone and missing?

PUPPET GLADIO IS IN THE HOUSE, BABY, DON’T WORRY, HE’LL SMOOCHIE YOU IN THE MEANWHILE.

There we have an Ignis quickly striding across the flat escaping while Prompto tries to catch up with him with his cheesy pick-up lines and pet names with the Puppet Gladio.

When Gladio asked Prompto if he wanted to be his bestman for the wedding, Prompto nearly freaking had an aneurysm the poor eager hyped thing.

Best supportive buddy ok, pls hug.

Nyx

He knew via Gladio.

Because guess who’s Gladio’s WINGMAN AYEEEEEEE

Cor, actually

BUT NOT THIS TIME. This time Nyx bby. Cor was Advice Man. Nyx was Accomplice Mate.

Gladio would tell Nyx his progress with his crush. Nyx would always listen because it was so stupidly adorable.

It started because both would take longer in the training halls than the rest so they’d often meet at the shower/dressing room, and conversation started little by little. Conversation on Ignis first came up when a sixteen year old Gladio was being a bit clumsy, dropping his stuff and putting his shirt backwards and stuff, so of course an amused Nyx had to ask.

“I’m…we’re…some friends and I are going out tonight but…there’s…there’s this guy I like and I’m a bit nervous and…”

Nyx Romantic Aid Buddy senses tingled.

25 year old Nyx thinks IT’S SO CUTE OMG THE TEENAGE SHIELD HAS A CRUSH THAT’S SO AMUSING LMAO so he tried to help

Helped Gladio gather his stuff, dress nice, and calm down by talking smooth and cool with him, and inspired him to go ask that boy out or, if not, at least impress him.

From that day on, Nyx would ask just casually how things were going with the crush, and Gladio would inform.

And it went on for YEARS lmao both as a crush and when they were already boyfriends and so on

Gladio first kept informing him of what he THOUGHT Ignis thought of him but no advances

“You know, Gladio, it’s been quite a while since you first told me of your crush and you still haven’t asked him out?”

“IT’S NOT THAT EASY TO ASK A GOD OUT IN A DATE, I’M SORRY I’M SUCH A MORTAL.”

Nyx kept encouraging him day after day after day, and it was perhaps partly the reason Gladio dared say anything. either because he was inspired or just annoyed lol

When they started talking about it, at first Nyx had no idea who the crush was and Gladio forgot to tell him alkajsd

One day when Nyx first started insisting Gladio ask him out, Gladio insisted he couldn’t do it and after a long while he just went “it’s just…it’s…it’s…Iggy? you know…the prince’s adviser?”

Nyx went .u. ohno that’s adorable best friend crush

Guess who now is not being very subtle on it (thankfully Iggy won’t notice lmao)

Every time Nyx sees Ignis now, HE FLINCHES AND GOES ALL EXCITED LIKE GASP “HELLO IGNIS :D”

Ignis is ??? h…hello mr glaive that never before spoke to me until now out of nowhere and so excitedly and daily??

Nyx can’t HELP IT HE’S SO EXCITED IT’S GLADIO’S CRUSH OMG THEY’VE SPOKEN ABOUT HIM SO MUCH HE CAN’T HELP BUT GET ALL EXCITED

Also, whenever he gets the chance, he freaking. MISLEADS IGNIS ON PURPOSE TO MAKE HIM GO WITH GLADIO.

“Mr. Ulric, would you happen to know where lord Drautos is?”

“n- YES. YES OMG YES YOU ASKED THE RIGHT GUY, HE’S AT THE EAST WING, THIRD FLOOR, MAIN HALL.”

Guess which Amicitia is holding guard in that room.

Nyx is accidentally bumping into either of them when they’re together trying to make them fall into each other into a romantic awkward hug that will turn into an adorable ask out for a date.

Nyx this isn��t a romantic tv show it doesn’t work like that you just made Gladio drop his candy

Nyx is giving Gladio A THOUSAND NOT SUBTLE SIGNS when he sees him with Ignis

Gladio is trying to have a casual, normal conversation with Ignis.

From above Ignis’ head he can see, at the other end of the hallway, a HYSTERICAL NYX JUMPING, BOUNCING IN HIS SPOT, FLAILING THE ARMS, MAKING FACES, MOUTHING SOMETHING, AND MAKING SIGNS OF “HUG HIM”, “KISS HIM”, “TELL HIM”, “YOU CAN DO IT”

Gladio is unable to focus in what Ignis is telling him because Nyx is flexing like a gorilla while making strange faces.

Nyx throws Gladio into meeting with Ignis without preparing him.

Nyx and Gladio are standing at a hallway just talking and chatting casually and GASP IGNISISCOMINGGOGOGOGOGOGOOG *SHOVES HIM INTO THE OTHER HALLWAY MAKING HIM NEARLY FALL AGAINST IGNIS*

Nyx thinks Gladio is ignoring him when he’s making signs to him so he’s now literally MAKING SIGNS TO HIM, like. A cardboard piece with a message on it NYX WAS TRYING TO GIVE GLADIO DIALOGUES LMAO HOW IS HE SUCH A DORK

Nyx is switching the conversation to Ignis if Ignis is passing by.

Gladio and Nyx are talking about some food stall they both seem to know and AH YES IT’S SO NICE YOU THINK THAT OF IGNIS, GLADIO

Gladio’s constantly made a blushing, nervous mess in these situations when Ignis turn to look and Nyx just KEEPS GOING.

When Gladio told Nyx he had finally asked Ignis out and he said yes, Nyx stood on the bench and literally roared out “Yes” to the roof with the arms open and down like a dinosaur screeching.

Every time Gladio is talking with Ignis now, or hugging him or anything, when he looks up from behind Ignis, there’s Nyx alone or with his other two friends making thumbs up and nodding and JESUS LORD CAN YOU NOT STARE GUYS, STOP.

Best Romance Aid Buddy, please hug.

Libertus

Libertus knew via Nyx.

Libertus wasn’t the slightly shaken. He had this blank face on as he kept drinking from his smoothie. Calmly put it down.

“Weren’t those two brothers?”

Libertus is still a bit lost in the royal families’ relationships.

Nyx is sharing slight harmless gossip on the situation with Libertus. Libertus doesn’t really care much but he’s happy to hear Nyx. Not like he has lots of options anyway lmao

“He ALMOST asked him out this time but he shied away again, dammit.”

“Bummer.”

“I know.”

“LIB, HE SAYS IGNIS DROPPED A HINT TODAY, THAT’S A SIGN.”

“nice”

“I KNOW.”

Libertus is busier in his own stuff and world to care about people he rarely interacts with, but Nyx’s excitement slowly catches his attention with time.

Even Libertus can’t be saved from some cute romantic story.

Eventually, it’s Libertus who approaches Nyx for the gossip.

“Yo. How is Shield boy doing?”

“THEYWENTOUTALONEINANONOFFICIALDATE BUTTHATCOUNTSASADATERIGHT OMG MY BOY IS PROGRESSING”

“Nice.”

The curiosity, of course, leads him to start spying a bit as well.

There we have Ignis standing in a hallway reviewing some papers when he feels a stare, so he turns and there, in the distance, is some Glaive that’s never spoken to him, smiling at him, and waving.

what the hell

Now every time Nyx gets all hyped because he’s seeing Gladnis interact, Libertus gets dragged along so he just stands there and stares too.

Nyx is the “IMPRESS HIM, HUG HIM, YOU’VE GOT HIM NOW KISS HIM” guy. Libertus is the kind to make *index fingers goes into the O formed by other hand’s thumb and index* signs at Gladio.

Libertus is going with Amicitia junior to get a laugh from how she talks about Gladnis.

“And the other day Ignis went to our house and he helped papa prepare dinner, and it was very delicious and I had a wonderful time, Ignis is great and I always tell papa to adopt him and sell Gladdy at the market.”

Libertus finds little Iris’ sister talk funny.

Libertus is shoving condoms into early-relationship-stages-Gladio’s pockets so they fall off while he’s talking with Ignis just to make them both embarrassed.

“Gladio?”

“I DIDN’T. PUT IT THERE, NO, IT’S NOT- NO, I REALLY MEANT JUST DINNER, THIS WASN’T- NO.”

When they do start having sexual interaction, though, Gladio just gets free condoms now and joke is on Libertus.

Libertus just wants to have fun.

Crowe

Crowe’s confused, but hell does she support that.

“I THOUGHT LITTLE GLASSES KID WAS ACE?”

Why was Nyx the only one that wasn’t surprised, where are you two dorks getting all your info from omg

Crowe noticed before Nyx told her.

Crowe’s sharp on this one. She did think Iggy was ace, but she wasn’t 100% sure because she could see the signs.

Crowe’s like (ಠ‿ಠ) every time she sees them interact after the first time he caught a first glimpse of a sign.

Sort of like how Libertus started waving hello at Ignis from afar, except she’s much sneakier and hasn’t been caught and does the creepy (ಠ‿ಠ)

Crowe’s trying to set them up every time. Indirectly.

She’s asking Luche to smack Pelna without him knowing Drautos will be watching so Drautos is chiding Luche and Pelna for their kidly fight, getting Drautos busy and distracted a bit, Cor will be curious and will approach and ask what’s going on, Gladio will look for Cor because he’s late for his training, so he’s going to ask someone if they know where Cor is, and Crowe is SO MAKING ANOTHER OF THESE LARGE PLANS TO HAVE IGNIS BE THAT ONE PERSON AT QUESTION REACH.

Crowe this is unnecessarily intrincate stop

Crowe’s giving flirting advice to Gladio, too

Glaive Trio = Gladio’s Wingmen Squad

Nyx is the supportive cheering guy. Libertus is the sexual jokes dork. Crowe is the STYLE ADVISER.

“Sweetie, you don’t want to tell him that. Unbutton the collar, your hair a bit more like…this, chin up, and you give him a look like you don’t care about anything. You grab his shoulder. And now a smolder as we practiced. Voice deep. Tone smooth, but sound a little raspy. And you say. Hey.”

Crowe’s giving Gladio a Judging Look every time he says he wasn’t able to ask Ignis out. It’s enough to make Gladio feel embarrassed and little (in a good way that makes him go YEAH IT’S NOT THE BIG THING I CAN DO IT.)

“You’re such a nerd with your condom jokes, Libertus.”

Crowe is making condom jokes, too, the double faced nerd.

Crowe is telling Gladio she could lend him her bike to impress Ignis.

“Just a problem, Crowe.”

“Hm?”

“…I don’t know how to ride this. And he does, so I don’t think he’s gonna be impressed.”

Dork.

Crowe is trying to make Gladio grab that Sexy Attitude, BUT HE’S JUST. TOO MUCH OF A NERD, HOW DOES HE HAVE ANY REPAIR.

Crowe SLAPS HIM WHEN HE SAYS HE’S NOT WORTHY OF IGGY.

“OF COURSE YOU’LL NEVER BE WITH THAT MINDSET, WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU YOU ARE? EXACTLY. WORTHY. NOW GO GET YOUR DATE WITH THAT BOY.”

((it’s nice slap, no worry))

Crowe is the dangerous (harmless) threatening friend that will insist as in REALLY insist for asking the crush out.

Nyx tells her and Libertus for the tenth time that Gladio chickened out last minute again.

Crowe is going over to Gladio.

“It’s not that hard, boy. I swear to the Six, if you don’t do it, I’ll do it for you.”

“I…I can’t…”

“…”

“Ok, I’m going.”

Crowe actually. WENT WITH IGNIS.

Gladio’s standing in the hallway internally screeching so hard his face is red and he’s about to have a heart attack while flailing all over the place, and Crowe’s getting to Iggy.

Gladio thinks she’s just kidding and will just walk past him.

Crowe’s tapping Ignis on the shoulder and now they’re talking.

Gladio’s on the floor spazzing.

He can’t live anymore bye.

Crowe’s just making casual talk with Ignis lmao just did it to make Gladio have that breakdown because AH YOU DIDN’T LIKE HOW IT FELT, DID YOU? DID YOU???? WELL NEXT TIME I’LL DO IT FOR REAL SO YOU ASK HIM OUT NOW, BOY.

Crowe’s stealing Iris when Gladnis want lonely time but don’t want Iris to like. Suspect anything kajsdka.

Crowe’s clearing the area for Gladnis when they’re all smoochie snuggly and some idiot like Luche is about to walk by.

Hey Luche. *throws a towel to his face*

Crowe is warping to Gladnis when they’re about to smooch just to startle them lmao

Crowe’s having more fun than Libertus

Sometimes, after or while making out with Ignis, Gladio looks up and Crowe’s on the other end of the hallway like (ಠ‿ಠ) *eyebrow wiggle*

Crowe no

Crowe’s always. ALWAYS. The one finding them the secret spots in the Citadel when they want a quicky.

Gets them the tools, too *eyebrow wiggle*

Good girl Crowe approves.

Cor

*HYPERVENTILATES*

DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED HERE, YOU KNOW I FUCKING LOVE COR WITH A PASSION

He knew about it through Regis because…fanboy #1 had to tell all his friends of course.

Cor is mid sandwich when Regis KICKS HIS DOOR OPEN

“CORHAPPYNEWSIGNISANADGLADIOAREOFFICIALLYDATINGNOW”

Cor still has his mouth half-opened for the bite he was about to take. Regis is welcoming himself in his office and grabbing a chair and sitting all while rambling near screeching

“YOUSHOULDHAVESEENIGNIS’FACEOMG BOYWASBEAMINGWITHJOYITWASSOCUTE HEWASLIKEANDIWASLIKEITOTALLYHAVETOASKHIMSOIDIDANDGUESSWHATHAPPENEDITWASSOCUTE”

Regis was so excited he left without having had one word from Cor.

Cor sat there in silence with the sandwich in his hands while his brain processed what just happened.

When he understood he just smiled, lifted the eyebrows, thought “who would have thought”, and continued eating his sandwich.

Have mercy on him, he’s dry and cold and a stone.

Cor was always Gladio’s Advice Man. Nyx encourages, Cor guides.

Cor is petting Gladio on the head every time he’s pining or moping about being unable to ask Iggy out.

Cor is Practice Dummy for Gladio’s attempts at how to confess.

It didn’t work lol

Gladio told Cor about his crush. IGNIS TOLD COR about HIS crush. COR KNEW ABOUT IT BEING A MUTUAL THING. BUT DID HE SAY SOMETHING. DID HE FUCKING. SAY SOMETHING.

NO. COR LEONIS DIDN’T SAY A FUCKING THING.

“Wait you knew all along? Why didn’t you tell any of us!? It would have made it much easier, we’d have known it was mutual and we’d have confessed earlier.”

“…it wasn’t my secret to tell.”

COR >:|

Cor is the most supportive uncle you’ll ever find. From afar. Very quietly.

Cor is there to support Clarus too when Clarus becomes a Lost Papa on the matter. Doesn’t understand much as Cor doesn’t have a similiar experience, but a buddy can always listen.

Cor is there to support Ignis when he becomes a little insecure as to if it’s alright to be dating someone from the second most important family of all Lucis and maybe Eos.

Cor is there to support Gladio when he becomes a little insecure as to whether or not he’s being a good partner as he thinks Ignis deserves because it never feels like he’s doing enough.

Always having his mug of coffee with him, of course.

Ignis’ parents are forcing him into extra training time?

Oh my what a shame I have no extra space for that….bUT YOU CAN ALWAYS COME INTO MY SIX PM TRAINING WITH ANOTHER MATE BUT I DON’T THINK YOU’LL HAVE TROUBLES WITH SHARING RIGHT?

Ignis himself is overdosing on work and refuses to listen even to Gladio.

Cor is KNOCKING HIM OUT. ACCIDENTALLY. DURING TRAINING. A C C I D E N T A L L Y.

Ignis is nervous about dinner with the Amicitia.

Cor secretly made sure to put Clarus in a really good mood before work shift was over.

“I’m sad. I have watch on the main hall at five, so it won’t be over in a good couple hours, and Iggy finally had some free time today…”

Cor is fucKING SNATCHING THAT WATCH. NO ONE IS PAYING HIM FOR THESE EXTRA HOURS BUT DOES HE FUCKING CARE.

Boys went out late at night and were home pretty late. Clarus was angry.

“They were at my place. Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Cor :0

it fine they young let them live

who would have thought that under that stoic face there was such a nice devil, Cor

Cor is always number one person they go to when they want to share some Gladnis thing in conversation. It’s just so easy to talk with him, he has no expressions and doesn’t answer, it’s like talking to a lamppost.

He does give advice or comfort if needed, though.

Cor always comes up with holidays plans or discounts for the two.

“Do you look up holidays for two on your spare time just to tell us?”

“…they pop up randomly in my computer.”

Cor you don’t use your computer.

Cor is a bit too honest. Doesn’t mean any harm, he’s jsut being honest.

“You don’t want to kiss Gladio today. He’s stinky.”

COR

Cor dealing with Gladnis in the everyday

“Ok, we’re in for our sparring session today, we-”

“Cor can I go smooch Iggy? He’s over there at the window :3″

“…”

“No. Defeat me and you can”

“D:”

“Ok, today’s session-”

“*Ignis’ sad puppy eyes*”

“-is cancelled, I heard Gladiolus is at the fifth floor, go look for him and say hello for me.”

he’s not giving preferences lmao he just has to train Gladio but couldn’t resist Ignis’ unintentional sad puppy eyes. WHO IN THIS WORLD CAN.

Cor is answering for them to the media.

“Mister Gladiolus, is it true you and Ignis Scientia are dating?”

“No, we’re not.”

“No, I was asking-”

“I’m not.”

“…I was-”

“No.”

Cor sees the struggle they go through with the media and Noct jumping in to save them and thinks it’s very noble so let’s give the boy a break, and be the shield ourselves.

Cor is now bodyguard for the Gladnis in public.

“Mister Amicitia!”

“Yes?”

“No, I mean Mister Amici”

“Y e s ?”

Media tries to go to Ignis

“…m…mister…Scienti-”

Cor’s popping out of nowhere with his dead face like

“Y E S?”

Cor’s using the Gladnis to encourage them to train harder.

“If you want to save him you have to defeat me.”

“COR, NO, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT, THAT’S NOT HOW- NO”

“And I’m not having mercy on you, hm”

“BUT WHY WOULD YOU PUT GLADIOLUS IN A CAGE, HE’S NOT EVEN CONSCIOUS”

Ignis is tied to the ceiling somehow

“COR NO”

“Get through me and he’ll be safe”

“COR THIS IS NOT PEDAGOGIC.”

They won only once. Because Ignis broke out of the cage. and maybe they had Nyx help. And maybe Cor was blindfolded.

He’s the Legend, you can’t just win against Cor like it’s nothing.

Uncle Cor picked Gladio’s wedding suit.

Uncle Cor will be the most hysterical loving grand uncle but we’re not there yet akldsjf

Uncle Cor good boi he approves and likes yes yes

Iris

NOW HERE IS THE TEA.

S I S T E R I N L A W I R I S

Iris the Adorable and Equally Frightening. Iris the Badass. Iris the kiddo. AS HER ROLE IN GLADNIS.

Iris was like nine or ten when Gladnis became official.

You know fanboy #1 and fanboy #2. BUT THIS IS FANGIRL #1 BABY GIRL IRIS IS ABSOLUTELY HYSTERICAL FOR GLADNIS.

Iris likes Ignis and has always done. She once asked Santa Crys that Clarus adopted Ignis because he’s just such a good Big Bro.

Iris did genuinely asked Clarus once to adopt Ignis and sell Gladio at the market.

She loves Gladdy wholeheartedly, it’s just Sibling Stuff.

Ignis has always been good to Iris since even before he and Gladio were a thing, and it’s always been genuine, not just that “get the little sibling love to have easier access” thing.

Ignis and Iris even spend time alone without Gladio.

Ignis has gone to pick Iris up from school.

Ignis has given Iris his jackets if it’s cold or raining.

Ignis has cooked for Iris a million times.

Ignis has been her confidant for YEARS for things she feels too shy to share with anyone else, even Gladio.

Why do I feel I’ve already written Ignis-Iris headcanons and these exact same?

Ignis constantly lets Iris use him as model for make-up or nails or hair.

Iris constantly sews plushies for him. Ignis has a whole shelf full of little and big plushies he’s been gifted.

Iris will go to Ignis if she sees him and try to drag him home since she was like seven.

Ignis nearby? Yes, papa, we’re taking him home. What do you mean no? I will feed him and make a bed for him in the living room.

Iris, he’s not a pet aksjdf

Iris and Ignis have their own little bubble and Gladio’s not allowed in, I’m sorry

There they are the two dorks. They’re talking. They’re talking about SOMETHING. What is it? What is it? YOU WILL NEVER KNOW. WHY THEY ARE GIGGLING, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.

Iris spoke so much and for so long about Clarus adopting Ignis that Gladio was a bit scared of how she would manage the news of them in a relationship because that would cut the option of adopting him.

Iris took it surprisingly well.

A bit too well.

Iris screeched.

Iris jumped out her window.

Her room is on the second floor.

It’s fine, she’s trained since little because the little shit could never sit still and Cor had to do something to at LEAST teach her to land since age 5 because the gods know this child needs to know how to land.

Iris ran around the house for an hour before she got tired and collapsed in the grass, and even there she kept flailing and screeching.

Clarus arrived home to Gladio calmly watching TV eating ice-cream while a nine year old Iris was sprawled on a side of the house like her sould abandoned her.

Iris is a Prompto equivalent of The Asker.

“HOW WAS IT. WHO TOLD WHO. WHERE DID YOU GO. HOW MANY DATES HAVE YOU HAD. HAVE YOU ALREADY KISS. WHY HADN’T YOU TOLD ME BEFORE. WILL YOU MARRY HIM. GLADDY TELL ME MORE.”

Someone is knocking on Gladio’s door at two a.m.

“Gladio have you told him you love him.”

Gladio closed the door in her face.

Iris never stopped trying to drag Ignis home even when she was already 15.

There she is, calmly going, grabbing Ignis’ wrist, and saying nothing while heading to Clarus’ car.

Family dinner at the Amicitia, nothing is going on, nothing relevant has happened for months, everyone is quiet and

*LOUD FIST SMASH ON THE TABLE*

“YOU HAVE TO MARRY HIM OR I’LL BE SO FREAKING ANGRY, GODS DAMMIT”

The happiest motherfucking day in Iris’ life was when Ignis called at her door, sat down on her floor, and said “Would you be so kind as to teach me to make a moogle plush toy myself? I’d love to make one for Gladio.”

Iris taught both Gladio and Ignis to sew moogle plushes AND SHE WAS SO HYSTERICALLY FREAKING C LO S E TO TELL EACHE OTHER “HE’S MAKING ONE FOR YOU TOO OMG THE COINCIDENCE, WHAT WERE THE ODDS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

Iris is fan #1 of Prompto’s Gladnis photos and is always asking him to show her.

Iris gets some of those photos framed. She’s not even gifting them to them, she’s just putting them at the livign room because LOOK AT THIS HAPPY FAMILY, THAT’S MY BROTHER IN LAW AND MY BROTHER AREN’T THEY THE MOST BADASS ADORABLE COUPLE IN THE WORLD AREN’THEYGODDAMMIT!!?!??!

Gladio is annoying Iris on purpose.

“Gladdy, I’m gonna have Iggy kick your ass.”

Ignis is very much ready to kick Gladio’s ass if Iris asks him for it.

Iris likes to cause little harmless misunderstandings between the two just for the sake of it.

“?? Ignis? I thought I’d bring the tools.”

“?? No, I was told I’d bring the tools? What are we cooking if no one brought the food?”

Iris is containing the laugh from the living room.

“Hey, I thought I’d forgotten my scarf here?”

“No, you took it home with-”

“…”

“Iris.”

“IT WASN’T ME, WHY DO YOU THINK EVERY TIME IGNIS COMES HOME LOOKING FOR SOMETHING AND DOESN’T FIND IT IT’S ME WHO TOLD HIM THAT JUST TO HAVE HIM COME OVER? PFFT.”

Iris sometimes gets gifts to give to Gladio so HE can give them to Ignis

“Iris, I already give him a bunch”

“IT’S NOT ENOUGH GLADDY”

Iris alongside with Prom is always trying to get them nice, romantic dates. Cheesy sometimes. Overly cheesy sometimes.

There you see the whole scenery Prommy and Iris put up together in a garden, a tiny table and cushions for a comfy date, in a little silk-drapes tent decored with lights, candles, and a couple flowers.

“Iris we just wanted to watch dumb cartoons”

“SHUT UP THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ROMANTIC”

Not like Iggy and Gladio are complaining but omg the EFFORT

You know what sorta sister in law Iris is?

Gladio and Ignis are having a private conversation at the garden.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?”

Iris from somewhere in the universe

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY FOREVER”

Honestly how badass is Iris here, you pick on her, she brings forth her TWO BIG GUARDIAN BROTHERS

Iris be. Cutest most troublesome most supportive sister in law since she’s a kid, ok? SHE’S MORE INTO GLADNIS THAN GLADNIS THEMSELVES.

AND THERE YA GO AKLSDJFGKLHJAD

Aaaaaah man, this took quite longer than I expected, but was it worth it! I had lots of fun with it, and I hope you enjoyed it too? I REALLY HOPE SO BECAUSE THIS IS FOR YOU ALSKJDFDLGKJ

Also, I hope the midterm thing went okie!! Sending you lots of happy raccoonie thoughts for school to be gentle and go FANTASTIC! ( ´ ▽ ` )

Thanks for the ask and LOTSA MAGIC YAYS FOR YOU! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

#gladnis #gladio #ignis #ffxv headcanons #coonanswers #yay gladnis!#gonna post papa regis in a bit :3 #i had it before this one but i wanted these two posted the same day lmao

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gryffindorcls · 5 years

Text

Please Tell Me I’m Awake Right Now

(Part 5)

For Marinette, being invited onto the set of a Gabriel photo shoot was a dream come true. It was inspiring. While she waited for Adrien to finish with the photographer, she decided to draw in her sketchbook.

Designing allowed her to enter her own private bubble. The rest of the world melted away as she concentrated on a sketch of an evening gown. Her pencil moved hurriedly against the paper in an attempt to document her idea before it was lost.

“Wow,” an unknown voice said causing Marinette to jump, “that looks exquisite. May I have a closer look?”

Marinette looked up to see a smiling woman with curly brown hair and kind eyes.

“I...uh,” Marinette stumbled over her words, “sure.”

She cautiously handed her sketchbook to the woman who studied her design with what appeared to be a trained eye.

The woman pointed to the skirt on Marinette’s sketch, “Is the embroidery on this section on an overlay?��

Marinette nodded, “Yes, ma’am it is. I was also thinking of adding some embellishment to the neckline, but I wasn’t sure. The more I think about it, the more it seems like too much.”

“Good eye,” the woman complimented, “You should definitely go with your gut. I think there can be elegance in simplicity.”

“You’re right,” Marinette nodded in agreement, “Thank you for the advice.”

The woman’s smile grew. “You are very welcome, mademoiselle. Anyway, my name is Noelle. What’s your name?”

“I’m Marinette,” she said confidently, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Marinette. May I ask what brings you to today’s photo shoot?”

“Uhm...well, that would be Adrien.”

“Ahhh...so you’re the girl all the interns were talking about. They told me that Adrien had a friend on set today, but they didn’t tell me that you were so pretty...and talented for that matter.”

“Yeah, isn’t she amazing,” a third voice entered the conversation.

Marinette turned to see Adrien standing behind her. She blushed as he situated himself next to her. He snaked his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.

“Good day, Adrien,” Noelle greeted him cheerfully, “I was just having a conversation with Marinette, and she was kind enough to show me some of her designs. Can we expect to see her back in the future?”

Adrien looked down at Marinette. “I hope so. Only if she wants to come, that is.”

Marinette modded enthusiastically. “Can I really?”

“I’ll have to ask, but I would love having you here,” he responded.

“That would be amazing...but, Adrien, I don’t want to make things difficult for you and your father,” Marinette said softly.

Adrien took her hands in his. “Princess, you know I would do anything for you. Having you here would be awesome. I’ll ask my father. Don’t worry about him.”

“It’s not your father I’m worried about.” She gently squeezed his hands.

Marinette knew that Adrien’s home life wasn’t the best. It was difficult for her to fathom how a man who has so much could be so cold towards his only son. It wasn’t as if Adrien was a difficult child. No, he was polite and obedient. After learning that her partner was none other than the Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir’s outrageous personality definitely made more sense in her mind. No one should have to live their lives without being able to speak their mind...especially someone like Adrien.

“Oh, you two are precious!” exclaimed Noelle.

They had forgotten that she was there. Marinette blushed, and Adrien scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh, kids. It’s fine. Enjoy your young love. Besides, it would be great to see you back again one day Mademoiselle Marinette. If you do return, bring more of your sketches. I would love to see them,” she turned to Adrien and continued, “I’ll put in a good word with your father. I enjoyed seeing you happy today. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile like that.”

“Thank you, Noelle!” Adrien smiled brightly.

“Anytime, young Monsieur Agreste.” Noelle turned to walk away. “Have fun, little lovebirds! See you later!”

Adrien and Marinette waved as Noelle disappeared into the crowd of people cleaning up after the photo shoot.

“Wow, Marinette,” Adrien sounded excited, “You really impressed her. I told you that you were amazing. Noelle even wants to see more of your designs!”

“Yeah,” Marinette nodded, “She was really nice.”

“Wait...do you know who that is?” Adrien asked.

“Uhm...not really. She said she was talking to some of the interns behind the scenes.”

“Noelle is one of the designers who works for my dad, but a few years ago she was put in charge of Gabriel’s internship program for university students. She’s their mentor.”

Marinette’s mind went blank. She tried to recall every interaction that she had with Noelle in the past thirty minutes and started to panic.

“Ohmygosh!” she exclaimed pulling on her pigtails, “I had NO IDEA! I hope I made a good impression!”

Adrien chuckled and pulled her into a hug. “You made a wonderful impression, Princess. How could you not?”

“Adrien!” Marinette blushed and nestled her head under his chin. He squeezed her tighter. “You are the most amazing and talented person I know.”

“Thanks, kitty,”

“It’s the truth.”

“Still, thank you.”

Adrien nodded and released Marinette. He then took her hand, bowed low, and kissed her knuckles.

“Now, my lady,” he said with his signature Chat Noir smirk, “I believe I was purrr-omised a date. Would be so kind as to join this poor, humble cat for a ride in his chariot?”

Marinette giggled and looped her arm around his. “My sweet prince, I am ready for whatever you have planned. Lead the way!”

They walked through the slowly disappearing set with their arms linked together. Marinette was enjoying his closeness. Adrien radiated warmth, and she soaked it in. She was so unbelievably in love with this boy that it made her dizzy.

Marinette soon became lost in her lovesick thoughts, and she stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. Adrien’s strong arm kept her upright, and they continued walking. Marinette suddenly realized just how safe her new boyfriend made her feel. He had proven time and time again that he would always be there to support her--literally and figuratively.

“Adrien?” she questioned softly.

“Yes, Princess,” he responded, eyes filled with adoration.

“Thank you.”

“Princess, it’s no big deal. Did you really think I was going to let you fall?”

“No...I’m not thanking you for that. Well...I mean...thank you for not letting me fall on my face. I’m actually thanking you because you’ve always been there to support me...especially as Chat. There have been countless times that you put yourself in harm’s way to keep me safe. Thank you.”

“My lady, Paris needs you. I need you. I’ve lost too many people in my life, and losing you...well, I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”

This made Marinette frown. She thought back to all the times Chat had risked himself for her. She remembered the instances he had thrown himself in front of her or done something reckless. There had been times in which she truly thought she had lost him. Were it not for her miraculous magic, he would be gone.

“Kitty, I need you, too,” she said while tightening her grip on his arm, “You mean everything to me. I can’t lose you now that I have you. Please promise me that you’ll be more careful.”

Adrien took a deep breath. “My lady, if I had to make the choice between you or me, I would always choose you. However, I will try to jump in harm’s way only when necessary if it would make you feel better.”

“It would.”

“I also wouldn’t mind sticking around for a while. My life is suddenly a million times better, and I really don’t want to do anything to mess this up. I would definitely like to enjoy spending time with the most beautiful, intelligent, and creative human being in the universe.”

Adrien finished by placing a loving kiss on the side of Marinette’s head. Butterflies exploded in her stomach and she emitted a tiny squeak.

“I know I keep saying this, but do you even realize how adorable you are?” Adrien said, his voice dripping with admiration.

Marinette nudged his shoulder with her own. “You make it sound so one-sided, Chaton. It seems like you think that you’re the only one benefiting from this relationship.”

“I wouldn’t say that, but I definitely do consider myself the luckiest cat in the world. I’m still trying to figure out how I earned the love of someone as incredible as you.”

“You showed me the capacity of your heart. Honestly, it was your inner beauty that struck me to my core. The fact that you are devastatingly handsome is an added bonus.”

“Princess, you flatter me.”

“Adrien, I literally couldn’t speak coherent sentences around you until a few weeks ago. If anything I am the main beneficiary of this relationship. The amount of love you show me makes my brain want to melt.”

“OHMYGOD,” a small, whiny voice groaned, “Baseball cap kid was right. You two are insufferable!”

Plagg zipped onto Adrien’s shoulder while Tikki phased through Marinette’s purse in a huff. The red Kwami glared at her counterpart.

“PLAGG!” she scolded, “You stop that right now. Leave them alone. They are young and in love. They. Just. Started. Dating.”

“But, sugar cube,” he complained, “they’re all mushy, and I know this isn’t just a phase. My kid is one lovesick kitten. He’s so romantic--it’s sickening.”

“So what? It’s their relationship. Besides, I know you secretly love it.” Tikki rebutted.

Plagg groaned again, and Tikki grabbed him.

“Sugar cube!” he complained.

“Be quiet, Plagg!” Tikki then turned to the now silent couple, “Sorry about that, you two.”

Tikki dragged Plagg into Marinette’s purse. An angry growl emitted from the bag.

“It’s so small in here!” Plagg grumbled.

“QUIET!” Tikki hushed.

The noises and movement in the purse eventually ceased, and both teens turned to look at each other. Adrien was the first to laugh, and Marinette started shortly after. The duo laughed until they cried. The laughter made her stomach begin to hurt.

When Marinette finally calmed down, she nuzzled her head into the side of Adrien’s neck. He returned her affection with a contented sigh.

“We do not have a normal relationship,” she stated plainly.

“Would you really want to have it any other way?” Adrien mused.

“No, I love us,” she smiled.

“Us,” he said reverently, “I’m so happy there’s an us. I still can’t believe it.”

“Well, you better believe it, kitty, because you are my boyfriend, and we are currently on our first date.”

“Oh, my love..this is just the walk to the car. I fully intend to sweep you off your feet before the day is over.”

“Who says you haven’t already?”

“Wanna bet?”

Adrien swiftly removed his arm from hers, placed it on the small of her back, and used his other arm to scoop her up. She squealed with delight as he carried her the remaining distance to the car.

“See, I told you that I still needed to sweep you off your feet,” Adrien teased.

“You seem to have short-term memory loss, kitty. You picked me up like this last night, too. Remember?” she laughed.

“Ahhh, but today is not yesterday, and you deserve to be romanced each day.”

“You’re too much.”

“But you love it.”

“I do.”

“And you love me.”

“I really do.”

The look Adrien gave Marinette conveyed nothing but pure love and adoration. It was the kind of look she had seen her parents give each other. She always wanted a love as good and pure as theirs, and she had found it. She knew that Adrien was going to be her forever and that they would love one another more with each passing day.

“Ahem,” a voice said ending their moment.

Adrien instinctively held Marinette tighter as they both looked up to see an amused Nathalie standing next to the car. The assistant looked like she was trying to stifle a laugh.

“Hello, Nathalie.” Adrien gracefully lowered Marinette to the ground and stood up straight.

“Hello, Adrien,” Nathalie turned to Marinette, “Good afternoon to you, as well.”

“Hello, ma’am,” she said doing her best to look the woman in the eyes.

“Adrien, please remember to have your driver take you to each destination today. You are expected to be home at 7 o’clock tonight. Your father wants you to be well rested for the gala tomorrow.”

“Yes, Nathalie,” Adrien said while taking Marinette’s hand and leading her towards the vehicle.

Nathalie began again. “And Adrien...”

He stopped in his tracks. “Yes?”

“You may want to have a conversation with your father tonight about some of the more recent developments in your life.”

“Right, could you please ask father if it’s okay to speak with him when I get home?”

“I will make sure he is available.”

“Thank you, Nathalie.”

A small, genuine smile spread across Nathalie’s face as she looked at the young couple.

“Have fun, Adrien.” Before he could respond, she promptly turned on her heel and walked in the opposite direction.

“I guess I’ll be talking to father tonight,” Adrien stated without emotion.

“Do you want me to come with you to talk to him?” Marinette asked.

“No, let me deal with him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I actually have this strange and unfamiliar feeling that everything will work out.”

“Maybe my luck is finally rubbing off on you.”

Adrien simply smiled in response. Marinette moved closer to him and laced her fingers around the back of his neck. She tousled the ends of his blond locks, and he shut his eyes. He slowly closed the remaining gap between them, and she followed in suit. They shared a chaste kiss that left them both with love-struck expressions.

In a sudden motion, he pulled away from Marinette. “Enough about my dad. Today is about us.”

“Sounds good to me, kitty,” she giggled.

He opened the car door and pulled out a bouquet of a dozen red roses. “My lady, these are for you.”

“Oh, they’re beautiful!” she exclaimed, taking the flowers.

“Not as beautiful as you,” he purred.

Marinette blushed, and Adrien took her free hand.

Adrien bowed and gestured towards the vehicle. “Our chariot awaits.”

He helped her into the car, closed her door, and got in on the other side. Once they were in the backseat, they laced their fingers together.

For Marinette, this really was a dream come true. All of it--the photo shoot, the fashion, her prince charming. She was soaring, and she didn’t intend to come back down to Earth any time soon.

<—Previous Next—>

AO3

Fanfiction.net

#Please Tell Me I'm Awake Right Now #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fic #ml fic #fanfiction #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrien x marinette #adrienette #lovesquare #part 5 #ao3 #ao3 fanfic

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angstylittlelemondrops-blog · 6 years

Text

“Chill Day” Ethan x Reader Imagine requested by @littleblue5mcdork

Warnings: Swearing (of course) and fluff.

(GIF credit to @slytherinnpride )

“Ethan, Baby I’m here.” I shouted as I walked in to my boyfriend Ethan’s house, but I was greeted with silence.

I knitted my eyebrows together as I placed my bag on the floor where my shoes laid, and continued to take cautious steps throughout his home.

After calling out for him multiple times, I sill didn’t get an answer. I bit the inside of my cheek anxiously. This isn’t like him at all.

The sound of clattering dishes came from afar followed with a “Fuck me!”. I held my confused expression as I made my way towards the kitchen.

Peeking my head in I find my little brunette boy frantically frying something on the stovetop. His hair was a disheveled mess, and it only got worse as flames shot up from the skillet.

“Oh fucking shit, fuck-Ah!” He began to scream in a panic as he threw the flaming pan in to the sink.

I couldn’t hold it in any longer; I burst in to a fit of laughter. He spun around on his heels so fast he could’ve gotten whiplash. Seeing my giggling figure fall to the ground unable to stop, Ethan’s face grew a shade of red as he laughed as well.

“You weren’t suppose to see that.” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“What were you doing?” I asked as I came out of my laughing spell.

He looked down to the floor.

“I was trying to make you a quesadilla. Like the one you always get from chipotle.” He sent me a small smile, and I picked myself up.

“Ethan you didn’t have to do that. It’s okay though, we can order out.” I gently wrapped my arms around his slim torso, and buried my face in his chest.

He pouted before smiling once more, and took my hand in his before dragging me to the living room. He kept repeating ‘I have an idea’ over and over again. He took me to the couch and pushed me down on to it, and he continued to giggle like a school girl as he ran around the house.

He finally returned with a box and plopped it in front of the television. I gave him a strange look as he opened the box, revealing his Nintendo 64.

“Let’s stream Mario Party!” He smirked.

My eyes widened before I returned his facial expression confidently. He knows how competitive I get when we play this, but I hope everyone is prepared for a lot of yelling.

“You’re on nerd.” I challenged.

He set up the camera and computer before we both got comfortable on the couch.

The fans didn’t know about our relationship yet; they knew we were good friends, but not that we were dating.

—————

“Ethan what the actual fuck!” I shouted through my gritted teeth. He stole my star for the third time, and I was beginning to get tired of his shit.

He laughed hysterically while clapping his hands. I made sure to glare at him as if my life depended on it.

“Sorry baby cakes you were the only other person with a star. Plus, I have so many coins it would be pointless to steal those.” He cheekily winked at me to fuel my anger.

“Don’t talk to me.” I grumbled for myself to hear.

“What was that?” He cupped his ear with his hand and gave me a side-eyed look.

“HAHA!” I pointed to the television as he landed on the bowser space.

His head snapped towards the screen and he screamed in fear. Bowser had decided to even out everyone’s coins, and I couldn’t feel angrier.

“Yes! Yes!” He cheered with pure ecstasy, and jumped on the couch.

I rested my chin on the palm of my hand and grumbled multiple profanities.

——————

Ethan of course won 4/5 rounds we played, and continued to brag about it as we were answering questions that fans were asking.

“Can you shut up Ethan. We get it, you won.” I snapped at the grinning boy beside me.

He rose his eyebrows at me with an amused on his face.

“Is someone salty that they stink?” He began to lean forward, inching his face closer to mine.

“Ethan d-don’t.” I glared at him as he wrapped his arms around me.

“That they lost really really badly.” His lips were hovering beside my ear, and I tensed up.

He knew what he was doing to me. He knew how to press my buttons. I glanced at the chat which was going crazy with speculations and caps lock.

“Ethan you little shit get off of me.” I screamed at the top of my lungs, before pouncing on him and lightly pressing my fingers against his sides.

He let out a bunch of high pitched screams and pleas as I tickled his sides.

“Okay, okay I’m sorry please stop.” He cried out with what little breath he has left.

I smirked and got off of him, leaning back in to my spot on the couch.

“Alright that’s enough for the stream today guys.” He breathed with a sigh of relief.

I watched as the chat continued to freak out and beg for explanations, but Ethan ignored so the fans are left on edge and did his outro.

“Well that’s a good way to freak the fandom out.” He chuckled softly.

I began to giggle along with him, and laid my head on the arm rest of the couch. Once we settled down I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. He looked over at me with a serious look on his face, and his chin rested upon his palm. I could feel the couch dip closer and closer to me till I felt his presence right above me.

I fluttered my eyes open to see Ethan’s face inches from mine, and his arms on either side of me. His hot breath fanned against my face as his beautiful blue eyes scanned every inch of me. I tilted my chin upwards expecting him to give me what I wanted, but he suddenly relaxed his arms letting his body fall on to mine. I groaned at his action, but let out a soft chuckle as I ran my fingers through his hair. He sleepily hummed, as he situated his head on to my chest.

I let him fall asleep, and I continued to rub his back while I focused on whatever movie was on. He shifted slightly and picked his head up.

“Wait.” He brought his face close to mine and gave me a quick peck on the lips without a warning.

“Okay now I sleep” he hugged me closer, leaving me with a flustered face.

———————

#ethan nestor x reader #ethan nestor imagine #crankgameplays imagine #crankgameplays #crankgameplays x reader #fluff #youtuber imagines #teamiplier imagines

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andyl394 · 6 years

Text

FESTIVE PROMPT - Bucky Barnes x Reader

Request: 13, 47 and 42 Bucky x reader? - Anon

13. “You didn’t really think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?”

42. “Oi! That’s my hot chocolate!”

47. “You made gingerbread zombies?”

Pairing: Bucky x Reader!No gender specified

Word Count: 4,124

Warnings: Just cursing, a lot of fluff. A lot. Like... IT’S CHRISTMAS LET ME BURY YOU IN FLUFF. ~Maybe~ a little bit of angst at the start, but it’s real quick <3

A/N: Hello! I got carried away in this one, I was doing this to Thanksgiving, but got caught up in a lot of stuff, oh well. I really hope you enjoy this and the Prompt list is right HERE. I’m going to post one more today because I had to repay for what I didn’t post. (btw, the requests are open only for the prompts!)

MASTERLIST

You entered the living room, frowning your brows in confusion when you didn’t see anyone on the couch. Usually, everyone was watching TV at that time, you even got slightly worried until you remembered it was Christmas and all of them were with their loved ones.

Peter was with his aunt, Tony, Vision, and Bruce; Natasha and Wanda were with Clint and his family; Sam invited Steve, Sharon, and Bucky to meet his grandmother and you… Well, you were alone.

Nobody remembered to invite you to their parties or they simply didn’t want you there; you wouldn’t know.

Sighing, you went to the kitchen and prepared the breakfast you never made: Pancakes. There were a few reasons why you hadn’t made it before.

First of all, you didn’t know how to do it.

Second, you knew that if you made for yourself, you would have to make for everyone and you weren’t confident in your cooking skills to let other people taste it.

But, well, again, you were alone in there.

“Hey, Friday, can you please pick a music from my playlist and put it on the speakers?”

“Yes, I can, Y/N.” When your favorite song blasted through the tower, you opened a smile, starting to dance around the kitchen as you mixed all the ingredients.

You had done already a huge mess when you felt someone in the room with you, but everyone was out, so, rocking your hips, you grabbed a knife from the knives’ holder and threw it to whoever was at the door.

You gasped when Bucky dodged it with eyes wide open and a surprised scream came out of your mouth

“Oh my- I’m so sorry!” He rested his palm on the wall and took a deep breath, eyes closed and one hand on his chest as if he was having a heart attack, and he probably was. Well, you had literally just thrown a knife at his face, so… “Are you okay?” You got close to him, not touching him, but with your hand next to his cheek, only to make him turn so you could check if you had hurt him.

“Good morning to you too, doll.” Bucky breathed out, nodding his head at your question before looking around in the kitchen; there were way too many dirty dishes to a simple task and you knew that. “Wow. This looks a little, huh, chaotic.” You chuckled, turning on your heels and continuing to do your pancakes.

“It’s my first time, give me a break… So, what are you doing here?”

“I live here, remember?” You would’ve laughed if Steve’s voice didn’t catch your attention.

“Buck?”

“In the kitchen! Being attacked with knives and all!” He laughed as you rolled your eyes, feeling slightly guilty.

“Good morning, Y/N. You ready Bucky?”

“Morning Cap.” You muttered, flipping the last pancake and successfully placing it on your plate before starting to search for the damn honey that Stark always hid.

“Yeah, huh, I think I am,” Bucky said as he opened the fridge, moving some stuff before he grabbed it and placed on your hand as if he didn’t do the cutest thing ever, you mumbled thanks before sitting in front of your plate.

“Ok, let’s just eat something and then we’ll be on the road with Sam and Sharon.”

“Ugh, great.” You muffled a laugh at his groan, you knew he didn’t really hate Sam, they simply had this bro-hate. But Sharon, oh boy. How he hated that woman.

“And you, Darling?” Steve asked as he moved around the kitchen, ignoring the mess you had made. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” Both of them lifted their eyes at you as you were eating, trying to ignore the exchange of looks they gave to each other.

“So… What are you going to do? It’s Christmas… Why don’t you spend with your friends? Or go visit your parents?” Cap almost dropped the pan at his friend’s words, you couldn’t blame him. He didn’t know.

“Huh… My parents hate me. That’s why I went to Xavier’s School. They’re not very fond of… ‘freaks’, like me. And I don’t have any friends, nobody invited me.” You shrugged even though it pained you to say that out loud. “I was just going to do some pancakes and… I don’t know, maybe go to the gym.”

“Mr. Rogers, Mrs. Carter is here.” You didn’t saw the looks they gave each other as you ate your tasteless and crunch pancakes, you must’ve left a little bit of eggshell in it.

“You guys ready?” She asked excitedly as Sam walked in with her, you ignored the fact that she didn’t even look at your face and that she placed her purse in front of your plate, almost pushing it out of the counter.

Sam rolled his eyes behind her back, making Bucky chuckle at his annoyed face.

“I’m sorry guys, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go.” Sam and Steve frowned their brows as you looked confused at him.

“Why?” She asked and he simply shrugged.

“I’m dating Y/N, we’ll spend the day together, right, babe?” You were still choking on your pancake when he wrapped his metal arm around your waist, sending her a fake smile as you chugged on the water that Steve handed to you.

“Right.” Breathing out, you controlled the giggle as he started to tickle your sides. “Bucky and I are totally dating, completely in love.” He chuckled when you tried to escape his grip and elbowed his ribs lightly.

“Aw, I’ve always shipped you guys.” She smiled while Sam denied with his head behind Steve and Sharon, not because he didn’t “shipped” it, but because of what Buck was doing; leaving him alone with them.

“Why don’t you come too, Y/N?” Sam gave you two a toothed grin, making you cough again.

“Uh, I don’t want to bother, really.”

“Oh, sweetheart, believe me, you’re not going to.” He laughed and hugged you two before whispering: “You little shits are not leaving me alone with Barbie and Ken.”

Bucky laughed loudly and squeezed you again.

“C’mon, doll face. Don’t leave us alone.” They tried to smile sweetly, batting their eyelashes and making you laugh, nodding your head as they cheered.

“I’ll get ready and make my bags.” You smiled excited and Bucky winked at you before giving a light slap on your butt; it simply was your relationship with him.

You liked him and he knew it, the same goes for him. Bucky liked you and you simply knew it, but you two never actually said to the other.

Knowing that you probably wouldn’t do a lot of things, you didn’t pack all of your clothes; just a few cozy ones to spend the day and some for sleeping. You smirked before speaking in a mocking voice:

“Didn’t you learn not to sneak up on me?”

“You ready, darling?” Buck said from the door and you chuckled, turning to him and excitedly nodding your head.

“Ready as ever.” You frowned your brows at his extended hand and he laughed before getting your bag and your hand.

“We’re dating, remember?” Denying with your head, you giggled and let yourself get pulled by your ‘boyfriend’.

You climbed into the back sit with Sharon and Bucky; there was a huge discussion over what would be everyone’s sits.

Sharon wanted to go with Steve in the back seat, but two super soldiers didn’t fit in there together with a third person and the quick trip would get really long with Buck arguing with Sam if he was on the front.

So it was decided that Steve would go in the passenger’s seat and you’d have to go in the middle of Bucky and Sharon, as said, it wasn’t a long trip.

Three hours tops, but you were easily bored and you couldn’t stand Sharon’s humming anymore, so you simply plugged your earphones and rested your head on James’ chest, grumbling as you placed your legs in the middle of his, ignoring his cocked brows and smirk.

“Oh, shut up.” He chuckled, hugging you and getting your hand to play thumbs wrestle, ignoring Sam’s confused glances from the rearview mirror.

“Eyes on the road, Samantha.” Bucky teased, making him scoff and deny his head.

“Only if you stop choking Y/N, Jasmine.” Both of you laughed loudly, James burying his face in your neck and making Steve crack a smile; he actually did ‘ship’ you two. “I’m worried you’ll kill them.”

He simply thought that you two made a cute pair, besides the fact that Bucky always seemed a little happier when you were around.

“I’ll kill them with LOVE, mate!” Quickly everyone in the car was laughing and chatting, even with Sharon.

Now, it wasn’t that you didn’t like her, you just thought that her relationship with her grandma’s ex-soulmate was a little weird. She was badass, you wouldn’t take that from her, but Sharon could be a little invasive, sometimes.

The truth was; you were tired.

You had been on a two-week mission in London and only got back the day before. Yawning, you caught Bucky’s attention when you winked repeatedly, trying to shoo away Sandman, but the bastard got the best of you when your ‘boyfriend’ laid your head more on his chest, snuggling you even further to comfort.

“Sleep, love. I’ll wake you up when we get there.” Humming, you accepted his offer, getting lost in his warmth and scent, it danced right under your nose, caressing your skin and lulling you even further to sleep. But, what was it? Taking a deep breath, you could finally sense it.

James smelled like cinnamon, wet wood and fresh out of the oven bread, it was sweet but with a hint of nature. You couldn’t understand how he smelled like that. But you loved it.

“Y/N?” You groaned, pressing more your cheek on to his vibrating chest, was he laughing? “Hey, darling. We’re here, wake-up, love.” When you felt his cold hand on your cheek, you yawned and nodded, still not fully awake as you moved away from his warmth.

“Sure, Buck. Whatever you say.” When you heard the sound of his Polyvore, your eyes snapped open only to meet his dorky grin.

“Sorry, but you look really cute when you’re sleepy.” Rolling your eyes and feeling your cheeks getting hotter, you stretched yourself as you moved to get out of the car and help Steve with the bags.

You liked Steve, he was a nice guy; he always helped you with whatever you were doing.

You needed to go running three in the morning? Just let him pee and put some shoes.

Testing your new weapons? He just went to grab his shield and he’ll be right back.

He would do anything to help the person that Bucky was head over heels in love with. That was something you didn’t know, never had you heard of him loving you.

“I’m sorry he asked why you didn’t go spend time with your parents,” Steve said quietly, lifting his eyes at you and sending you a sympathetic smile.

“It’s okay, Cap. No harm was done. I know he wouldn’t say something to hurt me.” Rogers stopped for a second, analyzing the small smile on your face, he followed your dreamy eyes and smiled when he saw Bucky staring at you lovingly as Sam waited for someone to open the door.

“I know this might be a joke, but I think you two look good together.” Snapping your eyes at Steve, you started to stutter incoherent words, blushing hard when he chuckled at your reaction. “C’mon, Y/N. You like him, he likes you… I mean, why not?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You knew Steve meant business when he rolled his eyes; He never did that. At least not to you.

“I think you do, darling.” Steve smiled, closing the trunk as you chuckled, denying your head and walking to the porch where the rest of them stood.

“Let me get these.” Bucky was on taking the stuff from you, holding everything in one hand and smiling gently at you as he hugged your waist with his other arm.

“Ma! Open up, woman!” You chuckled with Sam’s shout, laughing even harder when a muffled voice screamed back.

“STOP SCREAMING! I’m going, I’m going!”

“You’re screaming!” Stifling a laugh on Bucky’s vibrating chest, you took a deep breath, trying to recompose yourself as the door flew open.

“About time you came to visit this old lady, Mr.” She narrowed her eyes at her grandson before suddenly cracking up on a smile and opening her arms as Sam threw himself on them.

“I’ve missed you, ma.”

“Ow, I’ve missed you too, my muffin.” After she let go of Sam, his Grandma took a good look at the rest of you, her eyes scanning both couples, smiling widely at the sight of Steve. “Oh! Captain Rogers! My mother spoke a lot about you!” Steve frowned slightly, but still kept a smile on his lips.

“Ma’s mother was one of your showgirls, Cap.” His eyes lit up, a smile ripping his face.

“Oh! I remember her! Darlene, isn’t it?” She nodded quickly her head, happy that the Captain America remembered her mother. “She was a feisty one, always picking fights with the other girls.” He chuckled, he always got that way when speaking about his old time.

“Darlene is related to Sam? Oh gosh, if I’m allowed to ask, where does all the stupidity come from, then? Because Darlene was one of the smartest ladies I ever got to meet.” Bucky spoke, making the woman at the door turn her eyes at him, laughing lightly before answering.

“From his Grandfather; that his soul rests in peace.” Laughing, you caught her attention, a small smile on her lips as she spoke: “Now, who’s the pretty one, and why isn’t Sam’s arm around them? I knew you were stupid, but not at the point of letting these one get taken by someone else, boy.”

“Ma!” He interrupted, making you and Bucky laugh.

“I called dibs first.” Rolling your eyes, you elbowed his side, making him laugh even harder, kissing your temple and tightening his grip on your waist.

“I’m Y/N, Ma’am.” She smiled at the way James reacted, observing how both of your eyes had this loving sparkle; it was something that she didn’t get to see so much nowadays.

“Pleasure meeting you, Y/N. Well, come in, Sam will show your rooms.” Exchanging a quick glance with Buck, you two held back a chuckle when you noticed that she didn’t talk to Sharon.

“C’mon, shitheads and Y/N.” Sharon and Bucky faked an outrageous gasp before following him with Steve and you laughing loudly. After quickly letting his things in his room, Sam started to lead everyone around. “Well, this is your guys' room.” He said with a devilish smile playing on his lips.

You widened your eyes when you realized you would have to share a room with Bucky.

“What?” You both whispered nervously.

Sam got closer, noticing that Sharon and Steve were too busy talking about god knows what, only to maliciously whisper.

“Well, dear Y/N, you had your own room, but since you and this shithead would leave me with Ken and Barbie to spend the day together, then you will.”

“I would?” You frowned your brows in confusion. “You didn’t invite me, Sam.” He looked at you as if you had just said something stupid.

“You were on an undercover mission without any source of contact for two weeks, how did you expect to be invited? I was actually expecting you to be asleep just so I could wake you up and tell you to be ready in five minutes to go to Las Vegas, you’d dress up to impress and then you’d have a surprise to actually end up here.” He smiled widely when he finished telling you his mastermind plan.

You hummed, crossing your arms as Bucky facepalmed his face, denying with his head and chuckling softly.

“You’re a dick, you know that?” Sam laughed loudly before embracing you in a hug.

“You love me and you know it.” Bucky crossed his arms before mocking a gruff:

“Their boyfriend is right here, Birdbrain. Back off.” You laughed, getting rid of Sam’s arms before getting his hand to pull him into the room.

“Hey, no sexy stuff! My room is right next to yours, keep it down!”

“Can’t promise that! It’s your fault!” Sam denied with his head while Bucky blushed at your words; he knew you were joking, but the words still caught him.

“Be outside in two hours, ok? I’ll let you have some sleep before taking you guys to a walk around the place.” He said and you silently thanked him; you still needed some rest.

Closing the door behind you, there was nothing you could do but to drop your stuff and take off your shoes on your way to the bed. Sighing heavily, you stretched yourself before trying to get comfortable under the cushions.

You were almost sleeping when you noticed Bucky’s awkwardness as he stood on his feet next to the bed, not exactly knowing what to do. It made you release a groggy giggle.

“C’me here, darling.” Opening your arms and lifting the sheets, you smiled at his tinted cheeks and Bucky slowly approached you, laying at your side as you quickly rested your head on his chest, covering both of you before hugging his waist.

A satisfied and pleasant purr came out of you when he sneaked his arms around your frame, burying his face in your hair and relaxing as your scent invaded his system.

No words were exchanged; you both simply enjoyed the moment of intimacy and comfort before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

“Wake up you little fucks!” Sam realized the mistake he made when both of you shot out of bed in a split of second, Bucky already aiming his gun at Sam while you lifted your hands, ready to burn him inside out. “Hey, Hey! I’m sorry! Calm down!”

You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down while Bucky barked curses at Sam, repeating how that was stupid and that one of you could’ve killed him.

“You said two hours!” Sam looked at you, raising his brows at your remark

“It made three already!” Looking at the clock on the nightstand, you sighed; he was right. “Well, since the two sleepy beauties slept too much, you’ve missed the tour, I would’ve let you sleep more, but Barbie insisted on getting you two downstairs to the dinner. Be there in one hour.”

Rolling your eyes, you went to the bathroom, already taking your clothes as Sam got out of the room, leaving Buck to lie down again.

After taking a shower, you changed into something simple, jeans and a cozy sweater that Wanda had knitted for you. It was actually really beautiful, you had found it on your bed when you arrived back at the tower.

Since she couldn’t give it to you in person, she decided to leave it with a note.

You waited for your James to get ready as you thanked Wanda and chatted with her on your phone, shortly after, Bucky stepped out of the shower with a sweater very much like your own, causing giggles to fall from your lips.

Getting downstairs with Buck on your heels, you walked on where the dinner would happen. Steve and Sharon were already sat on the table chatting with Sam’s relatives while you and your “boyfriend” went to the kitchen, leaving them behind after being introduced to his sister and her family.

“Can we help in something?” You asked, making her look over her shoulders, stopping the humming of a song to smile and nod her head.

“Can you set the table, please? The plates are on the third cabinet and the dishes are on the second drawer.”

“Sure, thing.” Smiling at James’ words, you grabbed the dishes while he grabbed the plates, chuckling when you playfully shoved his side to grab the dishes, even though he wasn’t in your way; He laughed, starting to get on your way in purpose, making you laugh even harder and give a light slap on his bum. “Hey!”

You both got quiet and turned around with blushed cheeks when Sam’s grandmother chuckled at your exchange.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just… happy to see a young couple of soulmates in love.” The light blush got deeper as you looked at your shoes, finding them interesting before finally grabbing the dishes.

“Hey, Y/N, are you feeling ok?” Sharon asked; her brows furrowed when she noticed your red face.

“Hum? Oh, yes. I’m fine.” Steve looked back at Bucky putting the plates on the table; he held the same expression as you.

The dinner passed by awkwardly for you two, both desperately wanting to say something but at the same time scared of looking into each other’s eyes.

You both knew you had to talk about it, but you were too occupied with creating little gingerbread families with Sam’s niece and nephew, they seemed to have liked you.

You slapped a hand when you saw it moving to the mug of hot cocoa that Ma – everyone learned to call her that – had so dearly made for you.

“Oi! That’s my hot chocolate!” Bucky raised his brows, staring at your eyes seriously before cracking up in a hearted laugh. He was about to give a funny come back when Sam’s niece tugged his sweater.

“Look at what I made!” You smiled, watching him do an exaggerated impressed face, expecting the little girl’s deed.

“You made gingerbread zombies? That’s amazing!” The girl smiled widely, her cheeks getting rosy and you couldn’t help but wonder why you weren’t with him.

Steve’s words wandering through your mind.

Why not?

You got up, smiling and extending a hand to Bucky.

“I’m sorry, princess, but I need to talk to your prince, a little bit, is that okay?” She looked at you suspiciously, but nodded her head anyways, quickly getting her attention back to the gingerbread zombies.

Bucky grabbed your hand, following you out of the house, you didn’t need to explain, he simply knew it. He felt it.

You two just started to walk, fingers intertwined, following the path until one of you had the courage to say something.

“Thank you.” He lifted his eyes from his shoes, stopping as you two reached a small frozen lake, it wasn’t snowing, but it was really cold.

“For what?” You shrugged; turning on your heels so you could be totally in front of him, Bucky took your other hand stroking your knuckles with his thumb.

“If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be at the tower eating cereal or, I don’t know. You’re just so… ugh, perfect.” You rested your forehead on his chest as he laughed, wrapping his arms around you carefully.

“Me? Look who’s saying.” He mumbled, resting a kiss at the top of your head. “Besides, you didn’t really think I’d let you spend Christmas alone, did you?

You shrugged, to be honest, the way the team treated you still confused you a little bit. You weren’t used to some types of affection, like the one you witnessed, of having a family.

But the Avengers quickly turned into it, into your family. And you honestly couldn’t believe that you thought that they had forgotten you, everyone had messaged you, asking if you had gotten to the tower safely. Clint facetimed you so you could talk to Wanda and so you could meet his kids.

Tony called you so Peter could finally enjoy his Christmas, apparently, in his own words: the food tasted like sand because he didn’t know you had gotten back.

Everyone cared for you and you have never felt so loved, until that moment.

Bucky backed away slightly, grabbing your chin gently and lifting it so you could look him in his eyes.

“I’ll never let you feel alone, okay?” His whisper made your heart get warmer just as he also kissed your forehead calmly. “You know I like you, but what you probably don’t know, is that I love you, Y/N. Deeply.”

A smile plastered your face; your heart seemed to finally get into sync with Bucky’s when you kissed him.

It was gentle, so soft that it almost seemed like a dream.

“I love you too, James.” He smiled into the kiss, getting you in his embrace again before lifting your eyes to watch the stars.

“Y/N? Merry Christmas.”

Condemn to a forever tagging: @fangirlandnerd@noones-girl1980 @hopelessgarbage @elaacreditava @myplaceofthingsilove @curlycals

Occasional Tag: @becaamm

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thefaeriereview · 4 years

Text

Blitz: Hollywood Player

https://ift.tt/32C9vNg

Hollywood Name Game, Book 3

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: September 17, 2020

She has zero friends . . . and is wary of men, living life as a recluse.

His only friend is 90 and when she dies, he’s adrift.

Can a dyslexic actor and a shy loner find happiness together?

Famous from the time she was fourteen, London Russell lands the cover of Sports Illustrated to cap off her modeling career. Leaving the fashion world behind, she follows her dream of becoming a singer-songwriter. Thanks to an ex-boyfriend’s vicious attack on her, London becomes a recluse who turns out hits but never tours—and can’t trust a man. Her life changes course when she encounters a Hollywood screenwriter and director and agrees to write the theme song for their next movie.

Knox Monroe grew up as America’s darling, a child actor featured on several popular television series. After his mother’s betrayal, Knox drops out of sight, returning years later to make the successful transition to adult roles. A known womanizer and loner, Knox meets London by chance. Through her connections, he winds up with the lead role in a new movie.

Will London be able to open her heart and move past Knox’s player reputation? And will Knox knock down the emotional fortress that he’s built around his heart?

In Hollywood, anything’s possible. . .

Hollywood Player is the third book in the Hollywood Name Game series. Each book in the series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Other Books in the Hollywood Name Game Series:

Hollywood Heartbreaker

Hollywood Name Game, Book 1

Release Date: August 6, 2020

From internationally bestselling romance author Alexa Aston comes a stunning new Contemporary Romance series. Book One in the exciting Hollywood Name Game series has arrived. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Being late to an interview lands her the biggest job opportunity of her life.

He may be rich and successful—but he’s just this side of miserable.

Can a wannabe be The One for the biggest star in Hollywood?

Cassie Carroll came to Hollywood with big dreams that never materialized. Acting isn’t even on the back burner anymore—it’s completely off the stove. Working for a third-rate agent, Cassie hopes to land a new job that will give her credibility, as well as help pay the rent. Late to her interview, she swerves to avoid hitting a dog—and totals the car of Hollywood’s leading action superstar. Surprisingly, she walks away from their encounter with a job—as the sexiest man alive’s personal assistant.

Rhett Corrigan is bored with the movies he makes and the drop-dead gorgeous model he’s dating. He’s afraid that Hollywood has typecast him—and that he’ll never be able to break out of his action mold and try new acting challenges. When Cassie Carroll literally slams into his life, she brings a breath of fresh air and common sense to his world. She pushes him to be a better actor and a better man

Can these friends become lovers—and can their love survive—in a tabloid-happy town that thrives on rumors and backstabbing?

Read Free with Kindle Unlimited

Hollywood Flirt

Hollywood Name Game, Book 2

Release Date: August 27, 2020

From internationally bestselling romance author Alexa Aston – Book Two in the exciting Hollywood Name Game – a stunning new contemporary romance series. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

She’s Hollywood royalty whose trail vanished a dozen years ago.

He doesn’t do relationships and thinks commitment is a four-letter word.

They Google each other . . . and sparks fly . . .

Sydney Revere, the daughter of a famous movie couple, left Hollywood behind over a decade ago. Christened The Wild Child by the media, she reinvents herself as a serious student who becomes an attorney and marries a safe, predictable man. When her husband cheats on her and the law loses its glitter, Sydney returns to Hollywood. Her father hires her to storyboard his upcoming movie, No Regrets—and then stuns Sydney when he offers her the job as his assistant director.

Dash DeLauria is a rising actor who hasn’t trusted a woman since his mother left. He’s now the guardian of his mentally-challenged brother. Dash is looking to grow professionally and after he wins the lead in No Regrets, he finds he’s lost his heart and soul to Sydney. With both their careers on the upswing, life is sweet.

But Sydney’s ex-husband isn’t finished with her yet. Discovering who she really is—and that she’s wealthy—he tracks her to California, ready to start over with her again.

No matter what it takes . . .

Hollywood Flirt is the second book in the Hollywood Name Game series. Each book in the series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Read FREE With Kindle Unlimited

Coming Soon:

Book 4 – Hollywood Double

Book 5 – Hollywood Enigma

Excerpt

“Bunker!”

London looked up and saw a dog bounding her way. Before she could react, the golden flash crashed into her table, spilling her glass of tea everywhere. She opened her mouth to speak and the dog jammed his nose into her crotch. Mortified, London tried to push it away.

“Bunker!” she heard a second time. Looking up, London saw Seth Walker dashing toward her, a leash with a dangling collar in one hand. No, not Seth Walker. The actor who played Seth Walker in her favorite movie franchise.

The one whose name escaped her as he arrived at her table.

His cobalt blue eyes looked even bluer against his tanned face and sun-kissed blond hair. If Adonis had come to life, he would be this man.

“I’m going to kill you,” the actor growled, frowning at the dog. “I mean it.”

The golden retriever buried his nose against her leg.

London burst out laughing.

“I apologize for my dog’s lack of manners.” He reach to latch onto the dog but Bunker was having none of it. He wriggled even closer to London, mashing her skirt against her. The man’s hands froze. She knew he hesitated because it might be hard to get a decent grip on the dog without invading London’s very personal space.

“I give up,” he said in frustration. “Do you think you could help me out?”

“It’s my favorite thing in life to help a man in need.”

Wait . . . was she flirting? She never flirted. Ever. Ever. Ever.

He smiled then, exposing even, white teeth against his tan. Amusement lit his eyes.

“Hand it over.” She reached out and he surrendered the collar, still attached to the leash.

She pried the dog’s nose away from her and looped an arm about him as she slid the collar over his head and lowered it to where it sat loosely around his neck.

Bunker’s owner knelt and tightened the collar. “I won’t fall for that look again,” he told the dog.

“What look is that?” she asked.

He grinned. “The pathetic one that tells me his collar is too tight. The one that got me to loosen it up, which was all the invitation he needed to slip out of it and make his way lightning fast to the most beautiful girl on the block.”

London sensed the blush creeping up her neck. To distract herself, she reached out to pet the dog. Her fingers glided through his silky, golden fur.

“Mind if I sit?” the handsome actor asked.

“Be my guest.”

He sank into the chair next to her and ran a hand through his thick hair. London suddenly wanted to run her fingers through his hair and not Bunker’s. She averted her eyes and focused on the dog again.

“I owe you a drink. At the least. For Bunker’s impertinence. And for making this mess.” He glanced at his watch. “I guess it’s too early for a glass of wine.”

She grinned. “It’s never too early for wine. I spent a lot of years in Tuscany. I’m surprised my father didn’t give me wine in a sippy cup for breakfast.”

He laughed and she liked how his eyes crinkled up when he did. How the smile touched his mouth as much as his eyes. Seth Walker didn’t smile much on screen but this actor did in real life. It made her pulse quicken. Suddenly, she recalled his name. Knox. Knox Monroe.

“Then wine it is. Anything in particular strike your fancy in the middle of the afternoon?”

“I love a good red. No matter what time it is.”

He gave her an appreciative nod. “A good red for a beautiful redhead. I like it.”

About the Author

Award-winning and internationally bestselling author Alexa Aston lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She’s a binge fiend (The Crown and Ozark are favorites) who enjoys travel, sports, and time with her family.

Her historical romances bring to life loveable rogues and dashing knights, while her contemporary romances are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.

Contact Links

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

BookBub

Promo Link

Purchase Link

Amazon

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1dffsummerexchange · 7 years

Text

Cut to the Feeling

Written For: @showingthroughtome

Written By: @fromherlips

Pairing: Niall/OFC

Word Count: 16,000

Warnings: language, mentions of sexual content and alcohol

Summary:

Lennox Sloane was always taught that you shouldn’t make assumptions about anyone unless you wanted to make an ass of yourself. Unfortunately, that lesson never stuck with her as much as the lectures on safe sex (no glove, no love), texting while driving (it can wait), and the proper way to consume alcohol (liquor before beer, you’re in the clear).

A story about night classes, snarky remarks, and learning lessons the hard way.

As far as Lennox Sloane was concerned, there was a special place in hell for classes that started at eight in the morning, as well as night classes. Everyone who has ever attended a college class could vouch for her. No material should be taught at the ungodly hour of 8:00 a.m., especially on a Wednesday morning after Power Hour on Tuesday night or Friday morning after Trivia Night on Thursday. There was also something particularly tortuous about having to stay on campus long enough to watch the sun set.

Lennox avoided both the dreaded night and 8:00 a.m. classes for two years, breezing through her freshman and sophomore year with decent (not perfect, but close enough) schedules. She would never admit to it, but she nearly shed a tear while scheduling her classes for fall and spring semester of her junior year. The class selection was atrocious, only a section or two for each required class offered in the worst time slots. She heavily debated not taking the classes, but couldn’t risk not graduating on time because she refused to succumb to the two worst times a class could be held during.

So, after only two weeks of classes, she declared herself done. Finished. Finito. She was sprawled out on her friend Kaia’s bed, complaining loudly about how her semester was going to be an absolute nightmare.

“I’m going to spend so much money on campus trying to keep my stomach from not growling in the middle of a lecture,” Lennox groaned, sliding her body closer to the edge of the bed. Her shoulders teetered on the edge, her mousey brown hair dangling towards the floor. She could feel the blood begin to rush to her head, immediately pulling herself back up before it started to hurt.

“Your apartment isn’t that far from campus, Len,” Kaia pointed out, looking over her shoulder. Lennox was supposed to be working on an assignment like Kaia, but she needed to take time to properly vent about her crappy schedule. She truly felt that she could fully express her hatred for it after experiencing it for nearly ten days. “You could easily walk back between your big gap between your early afternoon and night class.”

Lennox scoffed, rolling her eyes at the suggestion. It wasn’t that Kaia was wrong. She was right, actually, a common occurrence within their friendship. “That’s beside the point,” Lennox said. “It’s the principle behind it. I can’t sleep in and now if I want to do something on a Monday or Wednesday night, I have to wait until after eight!”

“At least it’s not on a Friday,” Kaia said. “Your schedule could be worse, Len. Think about that.”

“Kaia, I love you dearly and appreciate your optimism, but Mama Lennox wants to complain,” she said, earning a laugh from her best friend.

They had a nice balance in their friendship. They met during spring semester of their freshmen year after Lennox pointed out that they had three classes in a row together. They spent the rest of the spring sharing notes during the week and sharing bottles of vodka they bought with their fake IDs on the weekends (okay, and sometimes during the week).

Where Lennox lacked in a positive attitude, Kaia made up for with her optimistic comments. She always let Lennox vent to her while also giving her subtle reminders that what she was complaining about wasn’t actually a big deal. Lennox wasn’t quite sure what she was offering to Kaia in terms of their friendship, but she liked to think that she was fiercely loyal to her best friend. She nearly ended up on the Wall of Shame at an apartment for punching a girl who Kaia’s ex-boyfriend hooked up with while they were still dating. It was a drunken mess and Lennox didn’t go back until a few weeks later when she was sure that something else more dramatic happened at a party there that could trump her moment.

“There’s got to be some sort of saving grace in all of this,” Kaia said, shutting the cover on her notebook. She turned her chair around completely, facing Lennox straight on.

Lennox racked her brain, trying to play along with Kaia’s usual game. If Lennox wanted to complain, she had to expect that Kaia would try to make her find the silver lining in every situation. The trouble with that was that sometimes there just wasn’t a silver lining. Not everything had a bright side. Sometimes things just plain old sucked.

“Well, that Niall Horan kid is in one of my classes,” she admitted. “I didn’t realize that he was in the same major as me.”

“Niall Horan as in the Niall Horan that you’ve been low-key stalking on campus since you nearly made out with him at every single party during the end of freshmen year?” Kaia asked, quirking a brow. “Sounds like a fucking silver lining to me.”

Lennox shook her head, rolling over so she was laying on her stomach. “Not quite,” she said, sighing. “I’m about 90% sure that he’s been dating that Hattie girl since last year. They’re everywhere together. I swear to god, they’re like fucking conjoined twins or something.”

Kaia snorted, rolling her eyes at Lennox’s dramatics. “They could just be friends,” Kaia pointed out. “Have you tried to do any digging?”

“Social media gave me nothing but more pictures of them together,” Lennox said. “I tried asking around last year, but everyone pretty much shrugged, said they didn’t know him, or said that they probably were dating but they didn’t know for sure. It was absolutely useless.”

“Well, regardless of his relationship status, he’s still the silver lining of your awful classes,” Kaia finally said. “No ifs, ands, or buts.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

There was an unspoken rule amongst college students that no one should dare to break. College was meant to provide the classroom freedoms that didn’t exist in primary or secondary education. There were no dress codes (Lennox never wanted to hear the word ‘skort’ again), required gym classes, and certainly no seating charts. The latter, however, didn’t matter. College students were creatures of habits. Only a true heathen would try to change their unofficial assigned seat after the first two classes of the semester.

On Monday evening after an excruciatingly long day–one that started off with Lennox having to run to campus because she overslept and resulted in an afternoon nap at her apartment while she was supposed to be getting classwork done–the last place that she wanted to be was her night class. Despite coming home before her class, Lennox couldn’t be bothered with changing out of her borderline pajama like ensemble. It was the trifecta of a college girl's’ essentials: skintight leggings to make her butt look good, an oversized t-shirt that she nicked off of an old boyfriend, and a baseball cap to hide the fact that she hadn’t washed her hair since Friday evening before she went out to a frat party.

Lennox waltzed into class five minutes before the professor arrived, sulking towards the last row in the back corner of the room. If anyone took unofficial assigned seats too seriously, it was Lennox. She lived by the rule that you should choose wisely on the first day of class because that is where you’ll be for the remaining fifteen weeks of the semester. The seat in front of her used to be occupied by a girl that she knew from a biology lab that they had together freshmen year. This day, however, there was somebody new.

Niall Horan decided to fuck up the equilibrium of the classroom and change his seat in the third week of classes. What would normally be punishable by at least two weeks’ worth of glares was met with a small smirk as Lennox looked toward the ceiling to thank the higher power for making this happen. Sure, he might have been dating Hattie Redmond, but what better way to find out than by slowly befriend him throughout the semester?

The first day was a slow start to her end goal of friendship. It was a lecture-centric class with no group work or time to converse with anyone. Before Lennox could even get in a word, Niall had his bag packed and was out of the room. She tried to catch up but gave up when she saw him meet up with Hattie, walking out of the building side by side.

Their class on Wednesday night seemed a little more promising. She purposely arrived early so she could see him walk in, forcing them to at least make eye contact. She leaned back in her seat, switching between catching up on what she missed in one of her group messages and the reading from her class that morning. When Niall walked in, Lennox’s eyes averted upwards, waiting for the moment they locked with his. Sure that she had his attention, she curled the corners of her lips into a faint smile before looking coyly back down at her textbook. The polite route seemed like the way to go, rather than aggressively trying to befriend him (though that could be a later option if her first choice seemed to fail).

The professor lectured nearly the whole class again, but there was something different this time. In the pauses between slides and explanation of the vague points, Lennox heard a faint, muffled voice. She furrowed her brows, slyly looking left and right to see if anyone in the back row was whispering about something. Everyone was looking towards the front of their room, their lips pressed tightly together. Lennox shook her head, convincing herself it must’ve been from another classroom or a figment of her imagination.

Until she heard it again. And again. It wasn’t until there were ten minutes left in class that she realized that the mumbled voice was coming from Niall in front of her. She stopped paying attention to the professor, focusing in on what Niall was muttering between his statements.

“That’s not right, but okay,” Niall mumbled. Lennox stifled her laughter, but it sounded more like a sneeze. Slowly, Niall craned his neck, looking over his shoulder for a split second to flash Lennox a cheeky smile. As far as she was concerned, that was ten steps forward in their one-sided budding friendship. Niall didn’t stick around after class and still met up with Hattie afterwards, but Lennox left class feeling that she and Niall had a little secret, an inside joke that could spark something.

Lennox wasn’t typically this patient. If Niall were somebody she saw regularly at parties, she’d merely take a shot, stumble into him and compliment him on something stupid. She once told a guy that he had nice eyebrows and ended up staying the night at his apartment. Niall, however, either stopped going out or had better taste than the dodgy frat parties that Lennox and her friends liked to attend while they waited for people to turn 21 or get fake IDs. It foiled her usual plans, leading her to use alternative, less drunken methods (unless the opportunity arose).

Something about the fourth week of class made Lennox feel a bit luckier. Sure, she had her fist exam of the semester on a Friday morning at eight, but her night class for the week required group work both days. Lennox played her cool as the professor suggested everyone just work with the people around them. She didn’t bother looking at anyone next to her, staring at the back of Niall’s head while she waited to see if he would turn around. He wasn’t looking around at anyone either, merely staring forward at something.

Fucker, Lennox thought, internally groaning. She rolled her eyes, lifting her hand slowly before she tapped on his shoulder. He turned around, his legs swinging out into the aisle. He quirked a brow, waiting for Lennox to say something.

“Need a partner?” she asked.

“I do, thanks,” he said. “Lennox, yeah?”

“Mhm,” she hummed. “Niall?”

“Yup,” he replied, popping the ‘p’ sound loudly. “Hold on,” he said, sliding out of his seat. He grabbed the desk, turning it around so he was facing Lennox fully. He sat back down, fixing the papers that fell out of order during the move. “Okay, that’s better.”

“I don’t even know where to start with this,” Lennox said, picking up the rubric by the corner before waving it in the air.

“Me either,” Niall said. “I usually wait until I hear everyone else talk about what they’re going to do or for someone to ask the professor for help and eavesdrop on their conversation. Could be considered cheating, but I like to think of it as primary research.”

Lennox snorted. “Very resourceful,” she said, shaking her head at Niall. “I normally strategically place myself around people who look smart so that if the dreaded group work ever comes up, I won’t have to contribute much.”

“It seems that our group of two is going to get us a fantastic grade in this class,” Niall said.

“We’ll be fine,” Lennox assured him. “I might be an occasionally lazy student, but I’m getting my degree dammit and I need this class to graduate next year.”

“I feel you,” Niall agreed. Niall opened his mouth to say something else but soon became distracted by the group to his right. His body perked up, leaning towards them to catch a glimpse of their conversation. The second they were done with their first point, Niall leaned forward towards Lennox. “I have an idea.”

The hardest part of assignments was getting started. The two of them finished nearly half of the group work by the time class was dismissed, everybody filtering out at their own pace. Niall and Lennox packed up together, straightening out their desks before walking out of the room together.

“Don’t skip out on me on Wednesday, okay Lennox?” Niall said, standing back so she could walk out of the room in front of him. “We have to present out absolutely brilliant group work so we can wow the rest of the class.”

Lennox laughed, waiting for Niall to catch up to her before she walked away from the room. “Oh, I’ll be here,” she told him. “Hopefully in something other than leggings and a t-shirt, but I can’t make any promises.”

“Oh, I assumed that was the group’s dress code. That’s what I was going to show up in on Wed–hey Hattie!”

Lennox tried her hardest not to scowl, but she could feel her brows furrow as Niall’s attention averted from their conversation. Hattie stood in her usual spot near a group of high-top tables full of campus newspapers and magazines. She waved at Niall, slipping her iPhone back into the front pocket of her denim shorts. Lennox followed Niall towards Hattie, unsure if she should just say goodbye before she was subjected to the ‘Are they or are they not dating?’ debate up close.

“Hattie, this is Lennox,” Niall said, introducing the two girls. Lennox and Hattie shared the same pathetic wave, both smiling without their teeth in the polite way that girls always seemed to do when they meet someone for the first time.

“Cute shorts,” Lennox said, looking down at Hattie’s distressed cut-offs. She paired them with a blue and white vertical striped off-the-shoulder blouse that Lennox had been eyeing at a boutique the previous month. “I should get going. My friend and I have a hot date with a bottle of wine and tonight’s episode of The Voice.”

“Ooh, I love Adam and Blake,” Hattie chimed in. “Have fun!”

“Isn’t Adam just positively dreamy?” Lennox asked, batting her eyelashes. “Nice meeting you Hattie! I’ll see you Wednesday Niall.”

“See ya Lennox,” Niall replied, slinking his arm around Hattie’s shoulder. Lennox turned quickly on her heels, eyes narrowed forward. She walked the ten minutes to her apartment scuffing the bottom of her sneakers against the sidewalk, kicking pebbles along the way.

Kaia was waiting on Lennox’s couch with a bottle of rosé already opened. The episode was paused, the opening title frozen on the screen. She dropped her backpack next to one of the chairs at the small kitchen table, her shoulders still slumped without the bag weighing her down.

“Get over here bitch, we’re already fifteen minutes behind!” Kaia chirped. “I’ll pour the wine.”

“Fill it up!” Lennox cheered, kicking off her sneakers quickly before hopping over the arm of the couch to sit next to Kaia. “I wonder if tonight will be the night where Adam and Blake finally kiss…” she said, her voice trailing off into a giggle.

“I hope so,” Kaia sighed. “There’s so much tension between them.”

“So, I have a Niall Horan update,” Lennox said, holding out her hand for Kaia to pass the glass to. “He changed his seat in class and is now sitting in front of me.”

“And?” Kaia asked, settling back down onto her side of the sofa.

“We got partnered up for group work, which was all fine and dandy,” Lennox explained, pausing to take a sip of her wine. “And then mid-conversation on our walk out of class, he saw Hattie and introduced me to her.”

Kaia winced. “Ouch.”

“He put his arm around her shoulder and I have no fucking clue if they’re dating or not,” Lennox groaned. “This is ridiculous but I can’t just ask him.”

“Saturday Night Lennox could,” Kaia pointed out.

“Ah yes, but Saturday Night Lennox cannot meet Niall Horan because she will do stupid things that would make class very uncomfortable,” she replied. “So, now I’m stuck over analyzing his friendship-slash-relationship until I can figure it out myself. Maybe I should follow them sometime.”

“Maybe you should hush, drink your wine, and let me unpause this so we can watch some auditions,” Kaia suggested, nudging Lennox gently in the side with her elbow.

“Ugh, fine,” Lennox said. “But we’re talking during commercials!”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Niall Horan was, by far, the worst person to sit behind during class. He didn’t throw things over his shoulder or draw attention to the back of the room while Lennox tried to spend the boring parts of the lecture scrolling through her Instagram feed. He was, however, an absolute menace.

On the outside, Niall appeared to be a fairly normal guy. His demeanor was unimposing, too chill to be an issue. Lennox had never been in a class with him before, so she couldn’t be sure whether this was a regular occurrence or a special treat because of the class or professor. Throughout class, Niall would mumble snarky comments to himself about what the professor was saying, only loud enough that Lennox could hear. Or at least, she was the only person who didn’t pretend not to hear them. At least five times a class she had to stifle her laughter, trying to pass it off as a coughing fit to avoid a stern glare from the professor.

It was impossible to pay attention with Niall muttering things under his breath, let alone keep a straight face. She, without a fail, would smack Niall between the shoulders if he seemed to be going overboard during class, not that it ever stopped him from making the comments. In fact, it might have served as motivation for him.

They were six weeks into the class and had a midterm coming up in a couple of weeks. Lennox couldn’t focus on what the professor was saying about the structure of the exam, too preoccupied by listening to whatever nonsense Niall would whisper under his breath.

“I’m going to kill you!” she squealed, shoving his shoulder hard enough to separate them as they walked out of class side by side. “You’re going to be the reason why I fail this class and never graduate college. I’m going to be a student forever!”

“Lennox Sloane, you’re being very dramatic right now,” Niall told her, rolling his eyes. “I’m trying to make the class more enjoyable for you and now you’re putting the blame on me for a hypothetical failing grade? That is just plain rude.”

“You’re just plain rude for trying to distract me during class!” she argued, her palm pressed against his shoulder, seconds away from shoving his body away from hers again. “I need to do well on the midterm! How am I supposed to know what’s going on in class with you making some salty-ass comments about god knows what?”

“You live for my comments, don’t deny it,” he said. “Don’t act like you’re the only one who needs to do well! I lose out on class material too trying to think of those things to say.”

“Well shit, that’s not my fault!” she said, snorting. “All I’m saying is that if I have anything less than a B on my midterm, there will be consequences that I will make you face. Mark my words.”

Niall shuddered, pretending to be terrified by her empty threat. “I’m shaking in my boots,” he deadpanned.

By this point they would have split ways, each on their way to their respective destinations. Instead, they stood by the high-top round tables that Hattie usually occupied, neither seeming like they were in any rush to get moving.

“Where’s Hattie today?” Lennox asked, looking around the open area of the building’s atrium.

“Oh, she had some sort of group thing tonight, I don’t know,” Niall replied. “I’m supposed to go meet up with her later.”

“Oh okay,” Lennox replied, nodding. He doesn’t know where she is. That didn’t really mean anything, though. He could’ve just been a terrible boyfriend who didn’t care to know where his girlfriend was. “Well, you know the drill…The Voice is on tonight. Kaia might get mad if I make her miss any of the blind auditions. They’re our favorite part. We like when they make us cry.”

“Cry?” Niall asked, raising his brows. “You cry watching a music competition show?”

“Don’t act all high and mighty,” Lennox said. “First thing, music competition shows are always mega-emotional because these people are all insanely talented and haven’t had it easy. But also, The Voice has these dramatic back stories on some of these contestants and air them before their auditions and there are some real tear-jerkers in there. You don’t know what you’re missing out on.”

“Maybe I don’t,” he replied. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your place so you don’t piss your friend off.”

“Both Kaia and I appreciate it,” she said, bowing to him. “Tell Hattie I said hello!”

“Will do,” Niall said. “Hey Lennox, wait,” he added, stopping her as she began to turn on her heels. She pivoted around toward him again,

“What’s up?”

He opened his mouth to say something, leaning in. Before he could get a word out, he shook his head, seeming to stop himself. “Nevermind. I’ll see you on Wednesday,” he said.

“Alright Niall, see ya later,” she said, holding up a peace sign to him before heading towards the doors. She wanted to overanalyze Niall’s last minute decision to not say anything at all with Kaia when she got back to the apartment, but she was certain that her best friend was getting sick of her constantly bringing up Niall.

To be honest, Lennox wasn’t sure where her sudden fixation on Niall came from. Sure, she’d tried more than once to make something happen with him their freshmen year (which he either forgot about or chose not to bring up), but she spent the entirety of their sophomore typically unaware of his existence, unless she spotted him with Hattie around campus. Even then, it was pure curiosity than anything else causing the pique in interest. But now Lennox had no explanation as to why she was beginning to pine after a guy who was potentially in a relationship with the gorgeous girl that he seemed to be inseparable from.

While she and Kaia split a bottle of wine and shed a tear or two watching blind auditions, Lennox’s thoughts drifted periodically to what Niall might have wanted to say. Did he have a question? Was he just bluffing, prepared to make another salty comment just to mess with her? What could he possibly have wanted to say that made him change his mind?

Niall Horan was both to blame for any sleep loss or failing grades on important midterms. That was Lennox’s declaration and she was sticking to it. She was thankful that she didn’t have an early morning class on Tuesdays, making her tossing and turning all night less painful when it came to waking up to her alarm the next morning. Luckily, the restless sleep was a one night only occurrence, partially because Lennox insisted that she, Kaia, and their friends Frieda and Carmen take advantage of Power Hour at a local bar that was lenient with IDs and generous with their pours.

Lennox ended up passed out in her only her tiny denim shorts face down into her mattress, completely bare from the waist up. She wasn’t sure what time they ended up getting home because she ran into a guy she talked to during the previous spring who bought her a few drinks, no doubt in hopes that she would leave with him. Instead, her friends rounded her up and helped her into the back of an Uber before she could do anything she regretted.

The entire night should have been considered a regret. She woke up the next morning reeking of stale alcohol with her makeup still caked onto her face. When she checked the clock, she realized that she only had thirty minutes to shower, eat breakfast, and get ready for her eight a.m. class. She scrambled around the apartment, fighting the urge to vomit every time she made a sudden movement. Why did she convince herself that getting plastered on a Tuesday night was a good idea? Under no circumstances was it ever a good idea to need assistance getting into the back of a car on a run of the mill Tuesday evening. And yet, that was how Lennox spent her evening and there was nothing that was going to change that.

She ended up skipping her class at eight, texting one of the girls she knew in the class that she wasn’t feeling well so she could ask to borrow her notes. Lennox hoped that she hadn’t seen any of her drunk Snaps before she got a chance to delete them that morning. Lennox was only slightly ashamed to admit that she had two iced coffees and a massive breakfast sandwiches delivered to her apartment through Postmates, too hungover to attempt to make her own breakfast.

If the midterm in her night class wasn’t coming up, Lennox would have skipped her full day of classes entirely to lounge in her bed and watch Law and Order: Special Victims Unit all day until her roommates got home from work and classes. Instead, she attempted to make herself somewhat presentable, trying to shower away her sins from the night before. Why she ever thought to mix liquors and beer was beyond her, but she was certainly feeling it in the pit of her stomach and the pounding in her head.

Lennox piled damp hair into a bun on the top of her head, her face free of makeup aside the concealer underneath her eyes. Her outfit was something that she would sleep in any other night, a pair of leggings and an old ratty sweatshirt from her older brother’s college. The fall weather was starting to make nights chillier, the entire campus easing out their fall wardrobe (aside from guys, they worked the tragic combination of cargo shorts and flip-flops all year round).

She strolled into class only a few minutes before it started, dragging her feet behind her as she made her way to the back of the room. When she and Niall made eye contact as she walked down the aisle, he cocked his head to the side, raising a brow in confusion. Lennox groaned as she sat down, immediately slumping down into her seat.

“You doing okay back there?” Niall asked, turning around in his seat. “You look like hell, no offense.”

“Plenty taken,” she scoffed. “I feel horrendous. Power Hour and beyond got the best of me.”

Niall winced. “Ouch,” he hissed. “Suppose I shouldn’t ask you for a drink tonight then, huh?”

Drink? With Niall? Lennox cursed her bare face, hoping that her cheeks didn’t go completely red without any foundation on them. “Don’t even mention the word ‘drink’ around me,” she said. “I’m never drinking again.”

“So I won’t see you at the Kappa Sigma party on Friday? Or Sigma Nu on Saturday? Or–”

“I get it, I get it, I go to a lot of parties,” Lennox groaned. “Hey wait, how do you know that?”

Niall shrugged. “That’s where we met freshman year,” he said. “Plus, I have friends who talk. You’re quite the hit.”

“Not sure if that’s a good thing or not,” Lennox admitted.

“Oh shit, not like that,” Niall immediately said, his cheeks flushing a faint shade of pink. “Are you aware that there are fights about which team gets to have you for Flip Cup? I’ve heard people have even paid to make sure that they have you for a guaranteed victory.”

Lennox snorted. “It’s true, I am a not-so-secret weapon,” she said.

“I’d believe it,” he said.

“When did you stop going to parties?” Lennox asked. “I stopped seeing you them at the beginning of fall semester sophomore year.”

Niall shrugged. “Not sure, really,” he admitted. “Hattie doesn’t really go to parties so…I don’t know. I normally just pregame with some friends and chill at my apartment.”

Lennox nodded. “Cool,” she replied. “Well, you know, if you ever need to find me on a weekend, you know where.”

“Maybe I’ll have to tag along sometime, for old time’s sake,” he said, winking at Lennox.

She pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say after that. She was saved by the bell, or rather, their professor walking into the room. Inwardly, she let out a sigh of relief, watching as Niall spun back around towards the front of the classroom. The professor spent a majority of the class lecturing on new material, his overpowering voice making Lennox’s head pound even harder. By the end of the class, he was reminding everybody about the midterm in two weeks. Everyone collectively groaned, earning a hearty laugh from their professor.

Lennox rubbed her temples as the classroom began to empty out. Niall remained seated, packing his backpack up slowly. She saw him take a peek at her as he bent down to put away his notebook, his eyes watching her curiously.

“You sure you’re feeling okay?” he finally asked, turning around completely.

“Feeling like a million bucks,” she told him. “Can I Uber back to my apartment?”

Niall laughed, shaking his head at Lennox. “Come here,” he said, standing up. He stood in the aisle next to Lennox, facing her with his arms outstretched. “Have you eaten anything today?”

“Just my big breakfast,” she replied. “I was too lazy to make lunch or dinner.”

He rolled his eyes, flexing his fingers to get her attention. “C’mon, we’re getting something to eat. I’m starving,” he said, offering a hand to help her up.

“Alright,” she sighed, taking his hands. “Can I request chicken fingers and french fries?”

“Onion rings too?”

“A man after my own heart,” Lennox joked.

Most things on campus closed around six when most of the commuters left, leaving very few options for Niall and Lennox to dine without venturing off campus. They ended up at a place called Rusty’s, one of the few places on campus that took dining dollars and meal swipes aside from the dining halls. They sat at a small table near the bar, watching the red light blink on the buzzer as they waited for their food.

Lennox sipped quietly on her pop, waiting for Niall to finish up a text he was sending. She made sure her roommates knew that she was coming home late, omitting the part about grabbing a bite to eat with Niall. They knew all about him and she was certain if they found out where she was, she’d get far too many eggplant emojis sent her way and one thousand prying questions the moment she walked through the door. Besides, this was just friends getting food. Hattie was probably busy that night or waiting for Niall back at his place. For all Lennox knew, he was just killing time before he went to meet up with her somewhere.

She tried to shake it out of her mind, focusing on anything else. Luckily, Niall set his phone down at the moment their buzzer went off.

“I got ‘em,” he told her, sliding out of his chair before walking back towards the front counter. Lennox didn’t even argue, stretching her legs out underneath the table while Niall was gone. She scrolled through her message notifications, letting Kaia know that she was, indeed, feeling slightly better than she was this morning, but not much. She ignored her reply asking her what she was up to, choosing to wait until she was back in her apartment so she wasn’t lying when she said she was just chilling at home.

Niall balanced the tray full of their food, maneuvering through the tables until he was able to set it down in front of Lennox. “Okay, so I wasn’t sure if you wanted ketchup so I got a lot,” he told her, pointing to the smattering of ketchup packets filling the empty space on the tray.

“I like it, but please tell me you’re not one of those heathens that puts the ketchup directly on the french fries instead of dipping them in,” Lennox said, immediately picking up a fry and taking a bite from it.

��I’m offended you’d even ask, of course not,” he replied. “You’ve got me all wrong, Lennox.”

“Just call me Len, but never Lenny,” she told him. “Much easier to yell.”

“Is that so?” he asked, wriggling his brows.

“Oh god, not like that,” she groaned. “Like…I don’t know, it was easier when I played sports in high school! I’m just not going to say anything. I’m eating my dinner in silence.”

Niall laughed, ripping open a few packets of the ketchup. He squirted them onto the edge of his plate, immediately picking one of the onion rings up to dip it in. “This dinner would be very boring if it was just the two of us eating. I might have to start talking to the food.”

“Be my guest, weirdo,” Lennox snorted, ripping off a piece of a chicken finger. “So that midterm is going to destroy my soul.”

“I’m not ready for that class to complete fuck me yet, but I think it might happen after that exam,” Niall agreed. “We should study next week considering it’s clear that neither of us are ready to tackle it on our own and as far as I know, we don’t have any other friends in the class to mooch answers and notes off of.”

“Ugh, biggest mistake this semester was buddying up with you and not one of the smart people in the first couple of rows,” Lennox said, smirking before folding a fry into her mouth.

“That was hurtful,” Niall said, clutching a hand to his chest. “I’m going to revoke my studying invitation.”

“Aw, don’t do that Niall,” Lennox whined. “Study after class on Monday?”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” he said.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lennox and Niall were fully equipped when they scoped out their nook on the only floor of the library that wasn’t a quiet zone. Lennox provided the caffeine and water while Niall took care of sustenance. They took up an entire table for six with just their belongings, laying out their textbooks, notebooks, and articles from the professor amongst their feast.

Their professor lectured the entire class about one of the last lessons listed on their study guide from the week before. Lennox tried to pay attention the whole time, but she could feel her mind drifting elsewhere periodically. There were holes in her notes that she hoped Niall’s notes could fill. His muttering during class had significantly decreased, but Lennox had a feeling that it would come back around after the stress of the midterm relinquished its grasp on them.

“What coffee did you get?” Niall asked, picking up the cup to the right of Lennox’s notebook. Before she could tell him, he picked it up and took a sip, scrunching his nose. “Is this shit black?”

“Sometimes I like black coffee!” she argued, grabbing her cup back from him. “Not my fault you needed sixteen shots of caramel in yours.”

“It wasn’t sixteen,” he muttered. “My coffee tastes happier than yours, by far.”

Lennox rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her perfectly normal drink. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she said. “I like black coffee and you drink gross, warm beer. To each their own, my friend.”

“Don’t you even try to compare beer to coffee,” he replied. “Come on, black coffee is on a whole other level of gross.”

“Agree to disagree,” she said. “Are we going to debate beer and black coffee right now or are we going to study so we can pass this course?”

“I don’t know, this debate is pretty important,” he joked. “Fine, fine, want to start going through the study guide and filling it out? I’ll set up a Google Doc for us to share. What’s your e-mail?”

“Just my first and last name at G-Mail,” she told him.

“Lennox…Sloane,” he said slowly, his fingers tapping against the keyboard. “Okay, sent!”

Lennox opened up her e-mail invitation, clicking on the link to bring her to their shared document. While she flipped to the front of her notebook, she heard Niall’s keyboard again, his giggles taking up the space between the clicks of the keys. Lennox ignored him, finding the section of the notes that corresponded with the first point on the study guide. She looked back towards her screen to make sure she was in the right place, but her eyes drifted to a message written in red Comic Sans at the top of the page.

Fuck u Sloane

She shook her head, immediately highlighting Niall’s message to her and erasing it. In its place, she used Georgia in an aqua color, typing something else for Niall.

Suck a dick :P

Niall snorted, clearing out her message before adding a new one of his own.

Right back atcha

Is that an invitation?

Naughty…

Lennox was glad she was wearing foundation that day, her cheeks surely flushed beneath the layers of makeup.

What do you call sexting through Google Docs?

Niall snorted, nearly kicking Lennox’s shin under the table. She smirked to herself, waiting to see if Niall would reply and continue their game.

Not sure if sexting has gotten that advanced yet.

True, guys still think that unsolicited dick pics are the best that they can do.

Heyyyyyyyyyyy (That’s supposed to be a secret)

Pretty shit secret if you ask me

Rude. Invitation has been revoked.

Thank GOD.

“Double rude,” Niall said, erasing their entire conversation so their study guide wasn’t tainted with their…conversation. Lennox didn’t even know what that was. Playful banter? Flirting? She tried to shake it out of mind, doubling down on actually getting a semblance of studying done that night. The longer they sat at the table trying to compare notes to fill out the guide, the clearer it became that their legitimate studying was going to have to be done when they were separated. Sure, they got a majority of the study guide filled out, but it took nearly three hours to finish a page and a half because of all of their pissing around.

Lennox and Niall were in hysterics as they walked out of the library, both clutching their stomachs. Niall had tried to throw their garbage out and missed entirely, his coffee spilling out onto the tile floor next to the trash can. In his attempt the retrieve the spilled cup, he slipped on the coffee and fell straight onto his ass. Where Lennox would have been beyond embarrassed, Niall laughed so loud that somebody peeked their head out to glare at him.

“Sorry man!” Niall told him before pushing himself off the floor. “Oh yeah, you’re enjoying this, now aren’t you?” he asked. That was around the time they both burst into laughter and moved their fit to outside of the library’s doors.

“Okay okay okay, in all seriousness, are you okay?” Lennox asked.

“Not sure. Might need you to check my ass for bruising,” he said.

“Nice try,” Lennox said, shoving his shoulder to push him away from her. “You can examine your own ass in a mirror at your apartment.”

“Worth a try,” he joked. “So, same place Wednesday after class?”

“We’re never going to get any actual studying done, you know that, right?” she asked.

“Oh, I know,” he replied. “So…”

“I’ll pencil you in,” she told him. “You know, you should feel very special. I missed watching The Voice tonight for this.”

“You really made a huge sacrifice to be here tonight, thank you Lennox,” Niall deadpanned.

“Asshole,” she snorted. “Alright, well, it’s getting fucking cold out here, so I think I’m going to sprint to my apartment now to get warm again.”

Niall laughed, shoving his hands into the pocket of his shearling lined denim jacket. “Alright Len, see you on Wednesday.”

“You too,” she said, taking a few steps backwards before turning completely on her heels. She had only taken a dozen steps before she heard Niall’s voice calling her name. When she turned around, he was still standing with his hands in his pocket, his upper body turned towards her. “Forget something?”

“Yeah, uh, could you just text me when you get home?” he asked. “Just to make sure…ya know.”

“Okay Niall,” she said, waving and she spun back around. “Have a good night!” she called out with her back turned to him. She smiled at the ground beneath her feet, the bounce her step not lost on her.

Niall was a shitty study partner, but Lennox wasn’t much better either. Their study sessions on Wednesday after class and Sunday afternoon weren’t much more productive than Monday night in the library. At least their study guide was completed with more details than they could wrap their heads around. Because of the excess of information, both of them seemed to lose interest less than an hour into trying to learn the material. The conversation would start to drift further away from the course, veering off into stories about party fouls, their friends (mutual or not), and their other classes that week.

On Sunday, Niall greeted Lennox with the largest cup of coffee she’d ever seen in her life and a small pill bottle full of ibuprofen. She was, as he suspected, not in the best shape. Her head was still pounding and there was still the feeling of needing to vomit lingering in the pit of her stomach. But hangover be damned, she was making it to study with Niall. It was all Kaia could tease her about the night before, pulling Lennox away from every guy she was trying to talk to. Granted, Kaia would’ve pulled her away from the guys in general (friends don’t let friends make mistakes like that), but she would always giggle something about not wanting be with anyone but Niall.

Lennox had caved and told Kaia about their partnering up to prepare for the midterm. She might as well have told her they were having wild sex right on the table at the library by the way Kaia reacted to the news. It was all she could talk about. Even when Lennox rolled out of bed and ran into Kaia in the kitchen (she’d passed out on their couch rather than going back to her own apartment across town), she wiggled her eyebrows and asked if Lennox was up so early so she could be with her “beloved Niall.” It was the reason she didn’t cancel, but that was beside the point.

It seemed only appropriate since they’d suffered through the trouble of studying together that they’d celebrate finishing the exam as well. Niall had finished before Lennox, giving her a small wave as he’d walked out of the room. Lennox was on her final essay question, her hand starting to cramp up the closer she got to the bottom of the page. She nearly let out a sigh of relief as she finished off her conclusion, setting her pen down with a loud click against the desk. The professor gave her a nod of acknowledgement as she handed over her exam sheet, hiking up her backpack so it stopped falling off of her shoulder. There were a few students still taking their exams as she walked out of the room, happy to be finished not only with the exam, but half of the course.

“Lennox!”

She jumped, her heart beginning to race. She spotted Niall sitting at a chair across from the classroom, hopping out of his seat when he saw her.

“Why are you still here?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Thought we should get celebratory drinks,” he said. “Unless you’re still feeling the drinks you had this weekend.”

“I could probably handle a drink or two,” she told him. “You sure?”

“Fuck yeah, need a drink after that exam,” he said. “You okay to go from here or do you need to go back to your apartment?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine,” she told him. “Fina’s?”

“Is there any dodgy off campus bar better than Fina’s?” he asked. “Worst beer in the city.”

“Cheapest beer in the city,” she corrected him. “First round’s on me!”

Lennox recognized some of the faces at the bar when they walked up to grab their side-by-side seats at the end of the wrap-around counter. Some of them were tenured professors, others the younger adjuncts that she’d had for a random elective here and there. Then there was the two token 21-year-olds settling into the corner of the bar, celebrating the halfway mark of the semester and completion of a midterm from hell.

As promised, she ordered the first round of drinks, flashing her ID to the bartender before he started to fill the cups with the cheapest beer on draft. They both clinked together the rims of their glasses, already laughing before they took the first sip.

“So bad,” Niall complained, going back into for a second sip.

“The worst,” Lennox agreed. “Speaking of the worst…the exam was a piece of shit and I hate that class.”

Niall snorted, setting his beer down on a bar napkin. “That study guide was useless,” he said. “All of that half-assed studying for nothing!”

“Students of the year right here,” she said. “I’m just glad it’s over and now we’re almost done with the semester. Kind of.”

“Still another seven or eight weeks to go,” Niall reminded her.

“Well which is it?” she asked, raising her brows. Niall hesitated to answer, taking a sip of his beer instead. “Oh my god, Niall do you not know when this semester ends?”

“Sometime early December,” he replied with a shrug. “Don’t give me that look! I have other things to remember.”

“Mhm, okay, like what?” she asked, pursing her lips.

“You know, stuff,” he mumbled. “I dunno!”

Lennox snorted. “You’re lucky you’re cute,” she said.

“Aw, thanks Len,” Niall cooed. “You’re much too kind.”

“You’re starting to become a massive pain in my ass,” she said, wagging her finger at him. “You’re a major distraction in class, what with all of your smartass comments.”

“The one’s you constantly laugh at? Yeah, I can hear your snickers, even if you try to be quiet,” he said. Lennox rolled her eyes, ignoring Niall’s observation. Before either of them could say anything else, Niall’s phone vibrated on the bar. He flipped it over to look at the front screen, the screen showing a call from Hattie. Instead of answering, he merely ignored the call and flipped his phone back over.

Lennox felt her stomach tie into knots. Why was Niall ignoring his girlfriend? There was an overwhelming amount of guilt that washed over her when the realization hit. Even if these drinks were strictly platonic, Niall still probably had a girlfriend and as far as Lennox knew, he had blown her off last week on Monday and Wednesday after class and now tonight.

“Ah, you know what, I’m really sorry Niall but I think that I might still be nursing that hangover,” Lennox said, bringing her hand down to graze her stomach. “I think I should probably call it a night.”

“Wha–okay,” he stuttered. “Can I walk you home?”

“I’m fine. You can finish up my beer,” she said, motioning to her half-full glass. “I’ll see you in class on Wednesday.”

“Yeah, okay, see you Wednesday,” Niall muttered, chugging the rest of his beer.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lennox didn’t know why she did it. After class on Wednesday, instead of waiting for Niall, she bolted. She mentally cursed him for calling her name, practically jogging to catch up with her before she could push through the doors leading to the exit.

“Len, where ya going?” he asked, the sound of his footsteps ceasing. She let out a sigh, turning on her heels so she was facing him. “Sorry, didn’t mean to chase after you. I just…I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry Niall, I made plans with Kaia to work on a paper at her apartment and she gets mad if I’m late,” Lennox lied. In truth, Kaia was already at Lennox’s apartment because she tended to hang out there most of the day after classes. She might as well move in rather than keeping her cheaper apartment across town where she lived with two people she wasn’t even close with.

“Oh okay, sorry to keep you,” he apologized. “I guess I’ll see you Monday then?”

“Yeah, Monday,” she said hurriedly, waving briefly before she bolted out of the door. She felt awful blowing Niall off, but she wasn’t sure how to act around him. She didn’t want him ignoring Hattie when she was around. Lennox hadn’t even seen Hattie waiting around for Niall in weeks, not since before they started studying for midterms. They used to be attached at the hip. It was rare to spot either of them on campus without one another. And now he was ignoring her calls while he was out for drinks with Lennox and lord knows what else.

Lennox tried not to overthink it, not at least until she had Kaia sitting in front of her ready to listen to her barrage of venting. She was in serious need of girl talk, one over a big glass of wine with somebody who wasn’t going to judge or steer her in the wrong direction.

Kaia could sense Lennox’s frustration the second she walked into the living room, groaning the entire time it took for her to open a fresh bottle of wine.

“I’ll get the glasses,” she announced, standing on the tips of her toes to get the nice glasses from the top of the cupboards. Lennox poured them a generous amount each, motioning for Kaia to follow her back to her room. Kaia grabbed the glasses while Lennox carried the rest of the wine. The second the door to Lennox’s room shut behind them, Kaia handed her a glass and plopped down onto the edge of her bed. Lennox sat in her light blue desk chair, immediately taking a long sip of her drink.

“Spill,” Kaia instructed.

“Niall Horan,” Lennox grumbled.

“You’re going to need to be more specific dear,” Kaia said. “What has he done?”

“Well, we’ve been hanging out and what not as you know,” she started. “And the other day we were out for drinks and I saw that Hattie was calling him and he flat out ignored her call instead of like…texting her and telling her he was busy. I don’t know, it rubbed me the wrong way. And then I realized I hadn’t seen her in a while and that made me paranoid that he was blowing off time with his girlfriend for me?”

Kaia nodded, pursing her lips while she took in what Lennox had explained. “Are they definitely dating?” she asked.

“Well I mean, I never asked,” she replied. “But it’s heavily implied.”

“Could they have broken up?”

“Ew, so I’m a rebound? Pass.”

“I’m just saying,” Kaia replied, rolling her eyes. “Lennox, you’re looking too far into this. You and Niall and friends and while you might have thought it was rude that he ignored his maybe girlfriend’s call, he might have thought it would be rude to you to answer it or text her in the middle of having drinks with you.”

“Oh,” she breathed out. “I suppose that’s true.”

“Yeah you big ole worrier!” Kaia said, grinning at Lennox. “Now, since we’ve only covered about half of your worries, what else is going on?”

“What do you mean only half?” she asked.

“Oh come on, I still see that look in your eyes. There’s more to say,” Kaia replied. “Tell me more, Leonard.”

Lennox rolled her eyes at her freshmen year nickname, flipping off her best friend. “That was all that was bothering me,” she said. Kaia raised her brows, peering over the rim of her wine glass as she took a sip. Her glare told Lennox that Kaia knew she was full of shit. It was going to be a long night if Lennox didn’t start talking, but she wasn’t even sure of anything. Her feelings were a tangled mess, a dangerous web that would no doubt end in somebody being hurt, most likely herself.

“Fine, if you’re not going to talk, I’m going to do it for you,” Kaia grumbled. “I think you like Niall Horan. More than you did freshmen year when all you wanted to do was shove your tongue down his throat and take him back to your room.”

“But he probably most likely has a girlfriend,” Lennox whined. “I hate that I don’t even fucking know. Like, it’s driving me absolutely nuts.”

“Just call him and ask,” Kaia said.

“I can’t just ask him that!” Lennox hissed. “I’m not calling Niall at all. I think I just need a break from him.”

Kaia rolled her eyes. “Leonard, you’re being ridiculous right now,” she said. “If I didn’t love you, I’d smack you upside the head.”

“You smack me upside the head all of the time,” Lennox reminded her. “Look, even if you say that it’s not complicated, for me it is. I…I dunno K, I really don’t.”

“Awww babe,” Kaia cooed. She leaned forward, reaching towards my desk to set down her glass of wine. “I’m sorry everything’s a mess right now. Wanna get frozen yogurt? My treat? It’ll make you feel better! It’s the best way to forget about your problems, especially boy problems.”

Lennox nodded, taking one final sip of her wine. They both put on jackets from Lennox’s closet, bundling up to brace the fall nighttime breeze. The conversation shifted away from Niall to their plans for the weekend. Kaia mentioned a few different parties that the frats were having, but none of them sounded all that interesting to Lennox. There was always the option of pre-gaming at her apartment and heading for the clubs, just with a smaller group than usual.

The list of weekend plans continued as they walked around the corner to the main street. Lennox’s rent certainly reflected the close proximity to one of the main drags in the city, but the convenience of being able to walk around the corner from her building to have access to food and entertainment was well worth it.

Lennox and Kaia knew the girls who were on working the counter at Berry Berry, which meant too many free samples and a generous employee discount. Lennox and Kaia took up their usual spot on the hot pink tufted sofa that faced the floor to ceiling window looking out onto the street. They shared their concoctions with each other–Lennox went the mega sweet route while Kaia went from something lighter and fruity–while they enjoyed the unique mix of 90s pop and mid-2000s punk rock.

“Hey! Look, isn’t that Hattie?” Kaia asked, interrupting their moment of peace.

Lennox squinted, her eyes averting to the girl standing on the opposite side of the window. “Shit, yeah,” she confirmed, hoping Niall wasn’t nearby. Instead, she was greeted by somebody else much taller and blonder than Niall. She nearly dropped her cup when she saw the guy bend down for a kiss, which Hattie obliged to.

“Holy shit,” Lennox said.

“Well this just got interesting,” Kaia commented, spooning a large glob of frozen yogurt into her mouth.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

How do you tell somebody that their girlfriend is cheating on them?

How do you nicely let your guy friend know that you saw their maybe girlfriend kissing another guy outside of Berry Berry?

GPA calculator

How to nicely break it to someone that you saw their girlfriend kissing someone else?

Lennox’s search history was an absolute mess. It had been three weeks and she didn’t know how to process what she had seen. Either she had seen Hattie cheating on Niall or she had just witnessed a completely normal and not morally wrong kiss. How was Lennox supposed to bring it up now? Oh hey Niall, are you and Hattie dating? Why? Oh because I saw her kissing somebody that wasn’t you. Oh yeah, you are dating? Sweet, good luck with that.

She felt awful distancing herself from Niall, but she wasn’t sure what else to do. She could feel the confession sitting on the tip of her tongue every time they partnered up for group work in class. Lennox slipped out of the room and disappeared before Niall could track her down to talk after class. She was being a grade A coward and wasn’t afraid to admit it. Ashamed, sure, but this was not the type of confrontation that she wanted to deal with.

Her extensive googling didn’t help her in the slightest. She was given mixed answers, some telling her to mind her own business, others telling her that it would be the right thing to do, especially if he was her friend. It made her head spin, all of the options that she was supposed to follow. The best way to keep herself from becoming too overwhelmed was to subtract Niall from the equation completely, even if that meant losing the most entertaining part of her Mondays and Wednesdays.

After years of hating to be ignored by people, Lennox should have expected that Niall would fight back. She wasn’t sure when it was going to happen, but she had an inkling that he wasn’t going to let her play games and give him the silent treatment out of the blue (from his view, at least).

Lennox packed up her backpack at lightning speed at the end of Wednesday’s class, fully prepared to bolt out of the room to avoid Niall since the Hattie sighting. Before she could even take two steps, Niall stuck his arm out into the aisle, stopping her in her tracks.

“Avoiding me?” he asked.

“I would never do such a thing,” she replied. “Worried that I’ve forgotten about you?”

He laughed, slowly lowering his arm so it fell back at his side. “Something like that,” he said. “Would you wait up for me today?”

She nodded, fingers curling around the straps of her backpack while she waited for him to pack up his own belongings. They were the last two students left in the room, the building seemingly empty after their class let out. Hattie wasn’t waiting for Niall. Lennox wondered if maybe he had found out for himself before she remembered that Hattie hadn’t been around after class since the beginning of the semester.

“So what’s up Lennox?” Niall asked, leaning against the wall right outside of the classroom. They didn’t wander far, standing too close to be face-to-face in Lennox’s opinion.

“Not too much,” she replied. “You know how it can get towards the end of the semester. Lots of projects and what not.”

“Yeah, I understand,” he replied. “Just wanted to make sure. You’ve been…well…kind of weird since we got drinks after midterms?”

“Oh,” she breathed out, pretending to be surprised by his observation. “I hadn’t realized. I’m sorry, things have just been, you know…”

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “Well, for what it’s worth, I missed ya and your disgusting black coffee.”

Lennox’s eyes averted from Niall’s gaze to the floor, the heat rising to her cheeks. “You’re an ass,” she finally said, chuckling softly. “You just miss having somebody to pester, don’t you?”

“Duh?” he said, almost as if it were a question. “And, if you’ll have me, I’d love to pester you this weekend. We’re having a pre-game at my place before we head out to a party on Saturday. It won’t be a frat party, so do you think you’d consider going to just a regular old apartment party?”

“I go to non-frat parties, dweeb,” she scoffed. “I suppose I could come to your pre-game. Is it cool if my friends come?”

“The more the merrier,” he replied. “So…you’ll be there then?”

“I’ll see you on Saturday.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

16 times.

That’s how many times Lennox announced on Saturday that she wasn’t going to Niall’s pre-game. Kaia originally had planned for it to be a drinking game amongst the groups of girls that were getting ready at Lennox’s apartment, but they would have for sure gotten some kind of alcohol poisoning only an hour into the night. Still, she kept count, marking tallies in lipstick on the mirror until their friend Mickie told Lennox to “shut the fuck up.”

Her room was torn apart, clothing piled up in tiny dunes across every surface. She couldn’t see her bedding beneath the sea of jeans, crop tops, body suits, and dresses that she decided were not worthy. For a solid half an hour, she had sat in the middle of her mess in just her bra and thong, internally panicking about the night. Or at least, she tried to keep it internalized. Instead, panic struck across her face, rendering her absolutely useless.

She was overthinking everything. What did it matter if Niall invited her over to his apartment? They were friends. That’s what friends did. Hattie would be there and Niall would be all over her as he should be because they were probably most likely dating. Well, at least until Niall found out that Hattie was kissing somebody else. Unless that was their arrangement?

That was the moment Lennox decided that she needed to be absolutely sloshed. There was no chance at over-thinking everything if she could barely see straight. She enlisted the help of her friends to get her dressed and finish her makeup, declaring that she was going to take at least three shots before they left for Niall’s and that there was nothing that any of them could do to stop her. And they tried. They attempted to replace her vodka shots with water, but she ended up locking herself in her room with the bottle and a shot glass, counting out each as she took them.

Kaia was the only one who could drag Lennox out of her room, coaxing her into the bathroom so she could do last minute touch-ups. She’d ended up wearing her typical party uniform, a pair of skintight black jeans ripped at the knees and a long-sleeved black bodysuit with a plunging-v. Kaia expertly smoked out her makeup, adding a nude gloss over her lips to perfect Lennox’s pout. She examined herself in the mirror, fluffing her loosely curled hair before smirking.

“You good now?” Kaia asked.

“Totes,” she said. “Who’s calling the Uber?”

“I got it,” Kaia said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Round up the troops!”

It took five minutes to wrangle up all of the girls, everyone gathering near the door. They ordered an XL car that was only a minute or two away from the building. They shuffled into the elevator, everyone taking their final selfies before their Snap stories became absolute drunken messes full of embarrassing videos and potentially incriminating photos, ones that would certainly be screenshotted for future blackmail (more like Instagram collages or birthday posts on social media).

Lennox ignored the text from Niall asking if she was on her way. Kaia caught her smiling at her phone’s screen, peering over her shoulder to see what the fuss was about. She nudged Lennox’s arm, trying to get her attention. When Lennox looked over, Kaia was wiggling her eyebrows and making kissy faces. Lennox merely rolled her eyes, settling back into her seat while she waited for the drive to end.

One of the girls knew the code to the building, punching in the numbers as fast as possible so they didn’t have to stand out in the cold for much longer. His apartment was on the third floor towards the back of the building. There was no question where the pre-game was, the music echoing down the hall. The group was met with loud cheers and a heavy bass when they walked into the apartment. There were probably ten or so guys spread throughout the overlapping kitchen and living room. Lennox’s eyes scanned their faces until she spotted Niall popping the cap open of a beer bottle.

Kaia poked Lennox in the small of her back, making her jump. Lennox glared at her friend, swatting her hand away. “What?” she hissed.

“Go get your man!” she said. “You look hot and if Niall doesn’t see that, I’m sure one of the four guys that are currently whispering about you now would gladly take his place.” The second Lennox’s eyes snapped to where Kaia was pointed, the guys all looked away, taking sips of their drinks.

“Whatever,” she grumbled. “Who took the drinks from my place?”

“Red,” Kaia said, referring to their friend Diana aptly nicknamed for her fiery locks. “Lennox, be smart!”

“Yeah yeah,” she said, craning her neck to spot Diana and her trusty backpack that always served as the transport for their drinks. Lennox grabbed a Twisted Tea, pulling the tab open with ease. She planned on meeting up with Kaia again, sponging onto her best friend to put off seeing Niall. Her plan was, no surprise, foiled by Niall himself.

“Len, you made it!” he announced, holding his arms wide open for a hug. Lennox wondered if he tried to get himself purposely drunk early in the night too or if he was just this friendly always. “Was going to ask if you needed a drink but it appears you’ve got that covered.”

“Always travel with my own stash,” she said, gently shaking the full tall can back and forth.

“Well, if you want something other than that, I’ve got some liquor in my room that I suppose I could share with you,” he said.

“Secret shots before the party?” she asked, quirking a brow.

He nodded. “Sounds like a bad idea to me,” he said. “Find me before we go and we’ll do them, yeah?”

There wasn’t any need for Lennox to find Niall before they left for the party. They hardly separated the entire night. He fought to have her on his Flip Cup team (he agreed to do his roommate’s laundry for a week), stayed to her left when they decided to switch over to the dice game, and plopped down onto the sofa next to her when she decided to take a water break. The more they drank, the harder it became to pry them away from each other.

“Lennox is a funny name,” Niall said, giggling into her ear as they took a break from the action of the pregame. Somebody had started up a game of beer pong, one that they had no interest in partaking in or watching.

“Niall is an even funnier name,” she replied. “Buncha silly names around here.”

“Len…nox…” he said slowly, drawing out the syllables for dramatic effect. “It’s a nice name though.”

“Thanks,” she said. “What time is it?”

“Almost ten. We should probably get going to the party…” he pointed out. “Still wanna take a shot with me?”

“I promised, didn’t I?” she replied. “Tell everyone we’re going soon. It’s going to take my friends at least ten minutes to fix their makeup before they head downstairs to the party.”

Niall stood where he had been sitting on the couch, cupping his hands around his mouth to create a makeshift megaphone. “It’s party time!” he yelled. “We’re leaving in ten! It’s on the first floor here!”

Lennox giggled at Niall’s announcement, finding humor in everything she could. He nearly tumbled off of the couch when he tried to get down, losing his footing on the edge. Instead of being embarrassed, he merely laughed, his voice cutting through the music.

Niall held out his hand to Lennox, wiggling his fingers until she gave in and slid her hand into his. He squeezed gently, leading her through everyone until they disappeared deeper into the apartment. They stumbled down the hall before Niall tugged them into a room off to the right. He flicked the switch to turn on the overhead light before shutting the door behind them.

“Your room is so clean,” she commented, looking around at its spotless nature, much different than her disaster she called a room. “Do you have accent pillows?”

“They look nice, don’t they?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at her. He knelt down in front of his dresser, pulling open the bottom drawer that was full of beer and bottles of liquor. Lennox had a stash of her own, hiding her favorite bottles of wine and splurge-worthy vodkas at the top of her closet so she didn’t have to share them unless she wanted to. “What are we taking shots of?”

“Whatever,” she said, sitting down on the edge of his bed. She immediately pressed her palms against the mattress, subconsciously working out how comfortable it was. Firm, but not too firm–focus Lennox! “Make it double.”

“You trying to blackout tonight?” he asked, stifling a laugh. “Alright Lennox Sloane, double the shots you wild thing.”

“Long week,” she lied. It had been a fairly easy week, but there was no way she was telling Niall now about what had been bothering her for the past three weeks. “Why’s your room so clean?”

“You’re very fascinated by my tidiness,” he said.

“Not sure if you’re aware, but most men are slobs,” she replied. “I once hooked up with a guy who had to fish out plates and empty chip bags out from under his comforter before…you know…”

Niall’s face scrunched up, his lip curling up at the corner. “That’s…fucking disgusting,” he said, chuckling. “I like a clean room.”

“You sure you don’t just clean it every weekend just in case you have visitors?” she asked, wagging her brows at him.

“It’s like this all week, Len,” he said.

“Ooh, you’re prepared all days of the week?” she asked, moving her palms further behind her so she could lean back. “My room’s a mess right now.”

“Why is that?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against his dresser. A bottle of Fireball sat on the top behind him, along with two empty shot glasses.

She shrugged, looking away from Niall. Or rather, looking away from his broad shoulders and toned muscles flexing beneath the fabric of his t-shirt. “Couldn’t find the right outfit,” she explained.

“I think the outfit you settled on is great, really,” he told her. Lennox looked at him out of the corner of her eye, watching the way his swallowed hard as he eyes struggled to stay focused on her face. “Um, so, shot?” he asked, clearing his throat.

She smirked, pushing herself off of his bed. “Sounds great,” she replied. The alcohol started to make her feel a bit braver. She took a few more steps closer to Niall, leaving little space between their bodies after he had poured the shots. Her eyes averted from his only momentarily while she grabbed the shot glasses from him to ensure she didn’t accidentally spill.

“Cheers,” they said simultaneously, clinking their shot glasses together before tilting their heads back to down the shots. Lennox hissed, her eyes immediately closing as the alcohol ran its course. She could feel the cinnamon burning in her nose, her throat temporarily on fire as she tried to keep the shot down.

“Still want a second?” Niall asked, reaching his arm back to feel around for the bottle. Lennox merely nodded, unable to tears her eyes from the single drop of alcohol glossing over the corner of Niall’s lips. The moment he ran his tongue along his bottom lip was when Lennox forced herself to look away, staring at the ceiling instead. The Fireball smelled even stronger as Niall poured a generous amount into both of their glasses.

Lennox took a deep breath, staring at the amber liquid as it swished back and forth in the glass. They repeated the same process, toasting to the night before taking the second shot in their series. This time Niall was the one to hiss, his lips curling in disgust. Lennox merely laughed, though she wasn’t feeling that much better. A second shot wasn’t the best idea, something she’d surely regret when she couldn’t get out of bed the next morning.

“Heyyy,” Niall whined, grabbing their glasses and setting them behind him. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“S’cute,” she told him, watching the way his face reacted.

“Yeah?” he asked, brows quirked. His stubble looked even darker in the low lighting of his room, dusted perfectly across his jaw. His stare was intense, boring through Lennox as the room started to close in on them.

“Yeah.” Lennox inched forward, her hips leading while the space between their bodies closed. She pushed her chest out, watching Niall’s eyes busy themselves to find someplace else in the room to look.

“Interesting,” he hummed, his hands fidgeting at his sides. His body tensed up, his back rigid as she continued to move closer.

“Do you think anyone has actually left yet?” she asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

“Don’t really care,” he replied, leaning down until their foreheads nearly touched. Lennox froze, her lips parted as Niall started to further bridge the gap between them. She could smell the cinnamon on his breath, fanning across her neck. Niall brought his hand to the side of her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. There was a split second where their lips brushed, enough time for Lennox to snap back to reality.

She turned her head abruptly, stumbling backwards. “I can’t,” she mumbled, her cheeks burning red. “I…I gotta go. I’m sorry Niall.”

Lennox didn’t care what it looked like as she stormed out of Niall’s room, hurrying past everyone that still lingered in the living room instead of heading down the party. Kaia caught onto Lennox’s arm before she could reach the door, stopping her in her tracks.

“I need to leave,” she told her best friend. Instead of arguing with her, Kaia nodded and called an Uber for the two of them to share back to Lennox’s apartment. Kaia didn’t force Lennox to tell her anything about what had happened, though she did ask if it had something to do with Niall. Lennox merely nodded, resting her head on Kaia’s shoulder for the rest of the drive.

As suspected, Lennox spent a majority of the night staring at the toilet water with tears streaming down her face. Kaia helped keep her hair out of her face, rubbing circles into her back while periodically asking if Lennox was alright. She dry-heaved for a short period of time before she finally felt well enough to at least finish taking off her makeup and brush her teeth. Kaia tossed the piles of clothes off of Lennox’s bed, pulling back the covers for her friend. She let Lennox know that she was going to sleep on the couch, leaving her with a full tumbler cup of water and a bottle of ibuprofen on her bedside table.

Lennox felt wretched when she woke up the next morning. Her head felt like it weighed ten tons, her stomach twisting into nauseating knots. She nearly vomited the moment she rolled over onto her stomach, pathetically reaching her arm out to grab the edge of the small trash can underneath her desk. She puked on top of the crumpled up sheets of paper and makeup wipes, hoping this was the last time that she would need to puke for the rest of the semester.

She felt absolutely drained, completely empty from head to toe. There was hungover and then there was whatever heinous feeling that Lennox was suffering from. She still felt like she was asleep, her eyes barely opened as she rolled onto her back. She felt around for her phone, tucked underneath the pillow next to her. She could barely make out any of the notifications on the screen, everything a complete blur to her. She ignored them for the time being, setting her phone back down before passing out again.

Lennox repeated the process of waking up to puke two more times before staying awake at noon. She felt less than stellar still, but she was certain that there was going to be no more puking for the day. The headache hardly subsided, but that was something she would deal with for the day if it meant no more heaving the contents of her stomach into the trash can that she would surely have to throw out.

She tackled the notifications on her phone next, turning the brightness all the way down so the blue light of the screen didn’t hurt her eyes in the dark. She scrolled through the Instagram notifications, pausing over a string of messages Niall had sent her the previous night.

Len im sry if i didsomethign

R u ok????

Cnwetalk?

Lennobx plwedse

There were a few new messages from that morning, ones that were more comprehensible than the ones clearly sent while he was drunk the night before.

Hey Lennox, look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay this morning, after everything.

Lennox replayed the night before in her head. She was so preoccupied with trying to make herself too drunk to dwell on the Hattie incident that she didn’t even think about the fact that she was flirting too heavily with Niall. For gods sake, she nearly made out with the boy (amongst other things) in his room.

Hey Niall. Look, I’m sorry too. And I feel like shit, but I’m alive so…

Thank god you’re okay. I was worried. You ran off and you, well WE, were really drunk and I just wanted to make sure you made it home.

I wasn’t even thinking, I’m sorry.

You don’t need to apologize. What happened to you last night though?

In your room?

Yeah

Lennox’s fingers froze, hovering over the keyboard at the bottom of her screen. She would have preferred to have this conversation in person, but there was no way in hell that she was going to be able to leave her bed until the next day. She couldn’t keep putting it off and letting it get between the two of them. She let out a deep breath, typing out everything she hadn’t been able to say out loud.

I would’ve rather told you in person, but whatever. There was one night that I told you that I was going to Kaia’s apartment to work on a paper, but in reality I just went back to my place where Kaia was and we ended up going out for frozen yogurt. While we were there, I saw Hattie kissing somebody else outside and got freaked and didn’t know how to tell you. So I just…ignored you. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to meddle, but I also didn’t want you to be blindsided by it.

Wait what?

I’m sorry Niall. I should’ve told you.

Told me what? I’m really confused, Lennox.

That I saw Hattie kissing somebody else?

Why would that matter?

What do you mean why would that matter? I saw Hattie cheating on you!

Lennox…holy shit, have you thought that Hattie and I were a couple?

………….

Lennox, please.

You’re always with her!

We’ve been best friends since we were kids. She doesn’t know a lot of people here besides me and her boyfriend Peter. Which is probably who you saw her with.

I’m going to go die in a hole now. So…I didn’t see Hattie cheating on you two weeks ago then?

No, you saw Hattie making out with her boyfriend of a year. Is this really why you’ve been so weird lately?

Partially. I also got mad at you when you ignored her call when we were out for drinks that one night because I thought you were blowing off your girlfriend.

I would very much like it if we weren’t having this conversation via text message right now.

I feel like death. You can’t see me like this. Or smell me like this.

Lol. Noted. But just to clear the air…I am not dating Hattie, nor anyone. I’m very single.

Just to clear the air…I’m going to go into hiding for the next twenty years.

Will you be in class tomorrow?

I think it’s best if I’m conveniently absent this week.

Lennox come on.

She told herself not to reply anymore. She was only digging herself deeper into her hole of embarrassment. She couldn’t believe that she assumed for over a year that Niall was dating his best friend who had a boyfriend of her own. She was mortified, sure, but more so pissed off at herself for not asking him about Hattie in the first place.

She read over the last message he sent to her, pointer finger tapping the edge of her iPhone. She sighed, her thumbs gliding against the keyboard.

Hattie = friend?

Hattie = friend. That’s it.

Lennox grinned, locking her phone before setting it down next to her.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Lennox, as promised, didn’t show up to class at all that week. Without even asking, Niall sent her pictures of the notes, not even pushing her to talk further than a “thank you” with a smiley face emoji. She was happy that he was respecting her space, but she wasn’t sure what came next. It had been established that Niall was single (very single, in his exact words), yet Lennox struggled with how they were supposed to act around each other now.

She would be lying if she said that her ego wasn’t hurt slightly. She felt like an absolute idiot, not only for misinterpreting a friendship, but for skirting around the issue for nearly the entire semester. It was the week of Thanksgiving, leaving only three weeks after the holiday before final exams and projects. It was stupid to be upset that she felt like she had wasted an entire semester under a complete wrong assumption, only due to her own fear of asking the truth. What would have happened if she had asked only a few weeks into class, curiously inquiring like any friend or acquaintance would? Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Kaia sent Lennox good luck texts before her class on Monday night, partially to ensure that Lennox actually showed up. She assured Lennox that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. In reality, nothing between Niall and Lennox had changed, yet it felt like everything was different when she was walking to class. Really, things had only changed from her side. The person she had once thought was in a committed relationship turned out to be single, and well, she was certain that Niall knew that she wasn’t seeing anybody either.

She had her roommates help pick her outfit out for the first time all semester. Lennox wasn’t one to care about what she wore to class. It didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, but she wanted to put forth a smidgen of effort for her debut after crawling out of her dark hole of embarrassment. In truth, she really only swapped out her oversized sweatshirt or t-shirt (depended on the weather) for a cute cardigan and flowy tank top combination, courtesy of her roommate Elaine. She had on a new pair of fleece lined leggings, the insides still soft and smooth against her legs. Cognac leather riding boots replaced her usual pair of worn out Adidas sneakers, completing the cute, but still casual look.

Lennox was running a few minutes earlier so she had planned to wait outside of the classroom until class started, slipping in at the last second to avoid awkward small talk with Niall. She froze as she walked through the doors closest to the classroom, her eyes landing on Niall leaning against the wall. She took a deep breath, exhaling loudly before continuing forward. Niall’s eyes looked up from his phone as the heels of Lennox’s boots clicked against the tiled floor. He immediately smiled, lifting his arm to wave.

“Hi Niall,” she said, drumming her fingers against her thigh nervously. “I…really don’t know what to say,” she admitted.

“Me either,” he replied. “I…I dunno, I thought if I caught you before class started, we could talk. But now that we’re here…” his voice trailed off.

“Talk after class then?” she asked.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” he agreed. “Shit, now I’m not gonna be able to focus all class.”

“Welcome to my world,” she joked. “You’ll finally understand how I’ve felt sitting behind you all year.”

“Hardy har har,” he said, letting Lennox walk into the classroom first. Niall was right though. It was impossible to focus on anything the professor was saying, more than usual. Her mind raced with what they could talk about it when class was over. There was a lot to discuss and catch up on. But at the same time, they also had a clean slate, one without any preconceived ideas about each other.

The singular thing that Lennox heard come out of her professor’s mouth was that Wednesday’s class was canceled, not that Lennox was going to go anyways. She had plans to leave after her eight a.m. class on Wednesday to make the two-and-a-half-hour drive back home for the holiday and long weekend. Still, it was nice to know that she wouldn’t be missing anything, especially given her absence for both classes the previous week.

Lennox and Niall waited for the classroom to empty out before packing up their bags, taking their time to leave. Even when they made it outside of the class, they lingered near the tables they usually stood around, practically fiddling their thumbs while silence ensued. Finally, Lennox did what she hadn’t done the entire semester.

“Do you want to hang out at my apartment?” she asked, bypassing any of the awkward small talk they would have no doubt exchanged.

“Right now?” he asked.

“Yes, right now,” she confirmed.

The corners of Niall’s lips curled up into a smile. “Sounds great,” he said. “Lead the way.”

Niall and Lennox walked side by side down the sidewalk, their breath visible in late November air. The silence, for once, didn’t feel uncomfortable between them. They needed to talk in person still, sure, but for the first time all semester, everything felt right. There was no guilt, no endless curiosity, not even the lingering feeling of humiliation (okay, maybe just a little).

“Oh, I didn’t know you lived in this building,” Niall commented Lennox walked up to one of the main doors to her apartment. “I have a few friends who live on the second floor here.”

“Really, who?” she asked, fumbling around the side pocket for her keys.

“Liam Payne and Harry Styles,” he replied.

“Oh, yeah I know them!” she said, leaving out the part about one of her friends hooking up with both of them in the same weekend last year. Niall had probably heard about that story. It was a wild weekend right after exams and nothing good ever happened when there were no classes to worry about for a month.

They rode the elevator up to her floor with a few other people, putting a pause on their conversation until they had a moment of privacy. Niall smiled at her from across the elevator, immediately scrunching his nose up to make a funny face when she noticed. Lennox rolled her eyes, unable to fight the smile that spread across her face.

“I’m going to suggest that you stay in my room while I go break the news to Kaia that we will not be watching tonight’s episode of The Voice together,” Lennox explained. “If she or my other roommates see you, they’re going to pounce.”

Niall laughed, nodding as she began to strategize outside of the door to her unit. “Okay, sounds good,” he said. “I can hide out for a bit.”

“It won’t take long, I promise,” she assured him. The door was already unlocked and her room was to the left of the door off of a short hallway, allowing them to sneak in unseen.

“Did you clean for me?” he joked, noting the rare pristine nature of Lennox’s room. She wouldn’t admit it to him out loud, but she did clean proactively just in case this had happened. Her smirk gave him the answer that she could never utter herself. “Alright, go sort out your TV show stuff and I’ll be here snooping through your drawers.”

“Perv,” she scoffed. “I’ll save you some time: bras and panties are in the top drawer,” she said, winking before turning on her heels. She could hear the TV loudly in the living room, followed by Kaia’s cheers for whoever was performing.

“Lennox! You’re missing a good ass episode!” Kaia yelled, looking over the back of the couch to spot her friend.

“Hey, so, I’m going to need a raincheck for tonight’s episode,” Lennox said, trying to keep her voice as low as possible.

“What the fuck, why?” Kaia asked, furrowing her brows.

“Because Niall is currently in my room,” she replied.

“Say no more!” she said, shooing Lennox away with a flick of her wrist. “Go do what you’ve been waiting the whole semester to do. Wait, no, basically your whole college care–��

“Thanks Kaia!” Lennox said loudly, cutting off her statement before she could finish it. Kaia whistled as Lennox walked back down the hall towards her bedroom, shaking her head at her friend’s antics.

Niall was sitting on the edge of Lennox’s bed when she walked back into her room, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up from his screen, immediately setting his phone down when he saw that it was Lennox. “All good?” he asked.

“Totally cool with it,” she assured him. “Soooo….” she hummed, rocking back and forth on the tips of her toes.

“Did you really think I’ve been dating Hattie this entire time?” Niall asked abruptly, his brows pinched together.

“Uh, yeah,” Lennox admitted. “Since last year, actually. I just always saw you two together and when I asked around last year a lot people said yes and a few said they didn’t know but probably so I just assumed.”

“Why didn’t you just ask me?”

Lennox shrugged. “Wasn’t really sure how to bring it up,” she said. “I mean, it didn’t really just come up in conversation and if I brought it up, I’d either seem like I was extremely nosy or was interested for my own selfish reasons.”

“I see, I see,” Niall said. He puffed his cheeks out before letting out a long sigh. “I’m torn between thinking this is really hilarious and also being really mad at myself for not making it more clear earlier in the semester.”

“Making what more clear?” she asked.

“I dunno, lots of things,” he replied. “I forget that people here don’t know that Hattie and I have known each other forever and that she has a boyfriend that goes to school about thirty minutes away, so he’s not really around campus. I also should’ve probably made it a bit clearer that I’ve been trying to flirt with you all semester.”

Lennox pressed her lips together, struggling to stop the smirk from pulling up the corners of her lips. “Ah, yes, that would’ve been convenient information,” she coughed out. “So now here we are…you…me. The air has been cleared…” she rambled, sliding her sock clad feet across the hardwood floor to move closer to her bed.

“It has indeed,” he agreed, watching Lennox inch forward at her own painstaking pace. Niall rested back on his elbows, using his legs to push off of the floor and move his body further back onto the mattress. One leg at a time, Lennox planted her knees onto either side of Niall, straddling his waist. Niall’s hands snaked underneath the soft knit of her cardigan, pushing it off of her shoulders until it pooled at her sides. She removed it all together, tossing it across the room so it was out of the way.

“So this is nice,” she murmured, her gaze locking with Niall’s. His hands rested on her waist, his thumbs slipping underneath the hem of her tank top. “You sure Hattie isn’t going to burst through the door right now and yell at me for making out with her boyfriend?” Lennox joked, dragging the tip of her finger across the stubble on his jaw.

Niall groaned, rolling his eyes. “Please don’t talk about other girls while you’re on top of me,” he begged. She nodded, tucking her hair behind her ears to stop the loose strands from falling onto her face. Niall parted his lips in anticipation, his eyes starting to close before their noses brushed. At the last second, she redirected her proper kiss a little to the left, kissing only the corner of his mouth. “Lennox Sloane, I never pegged you as such a tease,” he sighed.

“Just a fun new thing I’m trying out,” she said. “I think I’m a fan. What about you?”

“Not a fan,” he grumbled, pushing his lips out into a dramatic pout.

“I’ll take that into consideration then,” she murmured, gently pressing her fingers against his cheek. She tilted her head to avoid bumping noses with Niall, parting her lips enough to trap Niall’s top life between hers. She felt his body relax beneath her as he kissed back, tilting his head to the opposite side before taking the reins. His hands settled onto her hips, holding her body steady while they continued to find their rhythm.

Lennox wasn’t sure at what point Niall had flipped her body underneath his, or how long they had ended up making out on her bed. Niall’s hands made calculated movements, slowly migrating from the safe area on her hips up to the skin beneath her ribs where her high waisted leggings ending. She shuddered at his touch, momentarily breaking their kiss before Niall drew her back in. She smiled into their kiss, another momentary pause that made Niall groan.

“You’re very impatient,” she hummed, running her thumb along his bottom lip as she pulled away.

“I’d like to think that I’m very patient,” she argued. “I’ve wanted to do this all semester, remember?”

“Ah yes, very true,” she replied. “I suppose we should continue to make up for lost time now, shouldn’t we?”

#Niall Horan #1dff #1dff summer fic exchange 2017

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