#choicesmaychallenge

[luxurylives]

@choicesmaychallenge - Day Twenty-Three: Nostalgia

Thank you @bexsketch for this amazing drawing of Colt Kaneko 🤗

#ride or die: a bad boy romance #choices rod #choicesmaychallenge #choices fanart #ride or die

[missameliep]

Bonds of Sea and Fire - Part 1 (Blades of Light and Shadow)

Book: Blades of Light and Shadow Pairing: Tyril x Arwen (MC - F!Elf) Summary: What if Tyril accepts the offer to share the bunk with Arwen? The first scene takes place in Chapter 4, after the ship is hit by the storm, and the next one after Chapter 5. Word count: ~2.500 Rating: PG-13

Notes: * English is not my native language; * This is my first attempt writing for this book and the characters. This fic has been forever on my drafts and got much longer than expected; * All characters belong to PixelBerry.

This is my submission to Choices May Challenge - Day 21: Sleep. @choicesmaychallenge​​ and @kinda-iconic

Tagging a few of you who might enjoy reading this: @princess-geek​ @ownworldresident​​ @dianalend​​

“Tyril can sleep with me.”

The feminine voice resonated in the confined room below deck where the group’s sleeping arrangements had quickly escalated to a quarrel between the rogue and the elf. The boldness of her suggestion silenced everyone for about two seconds and drew every pair of eyes to Arwen, who did not know where those words – or the courage to express them – came from.

There’s no denial the younger elf is flirty, her tongue – acquainted with the most charming words – and eye-catching beauty have been used in her advantage numerous times before leaving Riverbend. But this was not the same.

Tyril, the first elf she remembers seeing beyond her own reflection, stirred her curiosity and has been on her mind more often than she’d like to admit, competing for the attention that was supposed to be focused exclusively on rescuing her brother.

That sentence conveyed more of her desires than it was prudent to communicate. However, was she ever prudent? If Kade were here, he’d spill out the answer in the blink of an eye.

A sensible person could’ve just offered to sleep on the floor, it would not be a first time for her, or just try to reason with them – it’s not that hard for her to get Mal’s attention at least.

Instead, she just invited a stranger to share the bed with her - and wished nothing more than for him to accept it.

Surprised gasps broke the brief silence and Arwen’s heart fluttered at the sight of Tyril’s flushed cheeks while he tried to collect his words. The elf’s skin turning into a lovely shade of purple before her eyes, reminding her of the fields outside Riverbend peppered with asters during springtime.

It’s almost comical that someone with such a stern facade could so easily blush, she thinks, and the corners of her lips pull upwards.

Inquiring her about the offer, Tyril’s blue eyes remain fixed on her face, oblivious to Mal’s words dripping with jealousy. The two pools of blue twinkle and the intensity of his stare is almost unbearable, as if he could unveil every secret of her soul if he looks long enough into her eyes. But this exchange doesn’t last. His long black hair whips, covering his face, when he turns around and it’s all over.

Tyril lowers his gaze, a persistent blush on his cheeks, and inhales deeply, recomposing himself to address the others.

Does he think I said what I said out of mockery? she ponders, while the group continue the conversation, And why would I even mind if he wouldn’t take on my words seriously?

Arwen is stricken by the ridiculousness of the suggestion and the grin fades from her lips.

*****

The two’s soft voices chant a gleeful tune as old as time.

Merely murmurs compared to the roar of the storm.

A lightning crash, casting its light through the port window and illuminating the storage room and its occupants.

One of Arwen��s hands hold Nia’s, while they leaned against one another, the other holds tight at the side of the bunk, nails digging small crescents in the wood.

Inhaling deeply, Arwen closes her eyes and sings another verse. And another one.

Not a moment of respite since leaving Riverbend, she ponders. The first time at the sea can be her last one. What a shame would it be to have her adventurer career cut short before it even began!

The angry waves crashing against the hull of the schooner, spewing salty water on the deck, still echoes vividly in her ears. In her memory engraved the feeling of her stomach churning when the treacherous deck tripped almost every soul’s feet, including hers, while the impetuous wind slammed cold raindrops against her face like ice-cold crystals.

Below deck, on the cramped room, only the elf’s voice sang the last verses of the old song.

Nia’s lips were slightly opened, but only the softest sounds of her respiration came out. The Priestess’ body had finally surrendered to sleep.

The roar of the ocean declined as if in response to Nia’s prayers to the Light. The baskets scattered on the floor remained that way, instead of crashing against one another as they did moments before.

Arwen lowered Nia’s body on the mattress and adjusted the blanket around her shoulders. One smile at Threep curling around the woman’s feet on the top bunk, fast asleep, and she climbed down the stairs. When her feet touch the ground this time, the ship sways more gently. The worst is over. Cheerful voices resound from above, confirming her assumption.

Exhaustion dawns on her at once and her body weights a ton when her head at long last touches the thin mattress. Lying on her back, however, Arwen couldn’t drift to sleep.

Hands entwined over her stomach, her mind was set free from fear and insisted on reliving every word she shared with Tyril tonight. Lord Tyril from Undermount. That’s probably why he’s so majestic – unlike her. Being a noble must have that kind of effect on an elf. Even his armour looked dignified shining under the moonlight, not even the king’s soldiers sported those kinds of suits of armour.

Looking at the scratches on the wood, at the carved names and crude drawings, she hears the screaks of the floor at every thump of boots getting closer.

The faint light from the lamps hanging outside illuminated the silhouette of the men. First, Mal’s smaller frame crossed the threshold, then Tyril’s.

The elf towers behind the other, and without a word, the rogue grabbed a blanket lying atop one of the benches and moved out of the way. A few of the baskets scattered on the floor were pushed aside to clear the space, but the man didn’t lie down immediately.

The elf also stood still like a statue.

What could he be expecting? she considers, looking at him midway to the bunk and to a bench. Could he be thinking about my offer?

Her body stirs, and she props her chin on her hand, indicating she’s awake and looking at him. She wishes to say something, but before she does, he finally moves.

The dull sound of the boots on the wooden floor after each of Tyril’s cautious steps around a barrel. When he sat down, his weight caused both the bunk and Arwen’s stomach to sink. The clanging of the armour resounded when he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“You sleep against the wall,” the elf commanded in a low voice. But almost immediately added, possibly trying to sound less rude, his voice barely above a whisper, “I must remain here, facing the door, if you allow me.”

“Why?” The question leaves Arwen’s mouth too quickly, even though it didn’t matter the reason. Perhaps she only desires to hear his voice, to carry on this conversation and replace the sound of the thunder with his whispers.

“I must be ready in the eventuality of an attack.”

“Attack? But then I’ll be trapped –” she started to argue in a hushed tone, but bit her tongue when his head swivelled to face her, and his voice, unexpectedly soft, cut her off, “Rest assured, as long as I’m here, I will keep you safe.”

Besides Kade, no one ever vowed such thing. For many years she has not needed anyone to protect her, but it was still nice to hear someone say the words, and Arwen acquiesced. Her tired body moved on the small bed, and her back rests against the wooden wall. Eyes open wide trying to catch the sight of his hands swiftly working on the fastenings of his armour on the dark.

The clinking of each piece being removed and placed on the floor increased the thumping of her heart.

When the last piece reached the floor, her blood froze in anticipation.

From the moment she saw him at the street, her unruly mind has deliberated about Tyril and his sky clear blue skin more times than she’d like to admit.

Once his head laid on the mattress, his damp black hair splayed, and droplets of water sprinkled Arwen’s arm. His skin and hair exuded saline water and something else she couldn’t quite define; but mostly he smelled like the sea.

To finally have another elf at arm’s reach was more than she ever dreamed. Her mind raced and her curiosity was impossible to refrain. Finding out everything about him is vital to learn more about herself – a whole existence longing to belong and the elf lying next to her possibly got the answers she’s searched for so long.

Hopefully, during their journey, there will be time to ask him each and every last one of her questions.

Pursing her lips, she bites her tongue for now and observes him. Taller than herself or anyone she’s ever met, his back was just like a wall in front of her.

Arwen lifted her head from the bed, propping herself on one elbow, peaking at him. The black hair clinging to the side of his face like a river streaming down to his neck and her eyes lowered catching a glimpse of the hilt of the sword, tightly encircled by his hand.

“Are you comfortable?” she asked in a hushed tone, close to his ear, aware he wasn’t sleeping or comfortable in that position, assuming he must be accustomed with plush mattresses and a kind of luxury her eyes never seen.

His head swivelled only a little. “Are you?” he whispered his own question in return, and she smiled.

“I could list at least five worse places I could be sleeping right now,” she replied, and her voice filled with amusement was barely above a whisper. “And worse company.”

A huff escaped his mouth, and she pondered if he sighed in displease or let out a laugh at her remark. She hoped it was the latter. Maybe she made the corners of his lips turn upwards again.  

“Do you want to scoot closer?”

“This position is satisfactory.”

She hesitantly touched his arm, hand brushing the crimson shirt, and leaned forward, speaking very softly into his ear, “You’re almost falling from the bed.”

No word left his mouth, and his muscles tensed.

“I won’t bite,” she insisted and smiled at him when he looked at her over his shoulder. Obliging, he moved a little closer, still holding the sword tight and keeping his knees bent.

“How can you sleep holding that?”

“But I must be ready –”

“Mal is closer to the door,” she whispered, “They'll get him first, and you’ll have time to reach for your sword.”

“I heard that, Kit!” the rogue hissed. “Stop flirting with elf-boy and go to sleep already!”

Covering a fit of giggles with her hand, she teased in a breathy voice, “Green doesn’t suit you, Mal!”

The man left an exasperated sigh, “Just be quiet and let me sleep!” and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, most likely a string of profanity.

“Just say a word and I’ll toss him overboard.”

“Nah, he’s nice. We better keep him.”

“As you wish,” he replied, “But I cannot promise I won’t do it eventually.”

Did he make a joke? she ponders and smiles. “Fair enough.”

Breathing deeply, she contemplated Tyril lying immobile, and for a long moment studied his breathing and silhouette. Thoughts about him and the elves at Undermount filled her mind until she drifted off to sleep, just to wake up minutes later with a scream trapped on her throat and ragged breathing.

Regaining conscience, her hand rubbed her face, wiping beads of sweat and she tried to calm herself. The images from the Shadow Court and the macabre glare from Kade were all her imagination.

At least for now.

Unlike her dream, she trusts when the time comes her new companions will be there too, and this thought makes her smile.

When morning comes a few hours later, finding the place beside her at the bunk empty and cold doesn’t make her smile. On the contrary.

*****

Flotilla – The Sailor’s Lament – The next evening

Another long day filled with events that a lifetime at Riverbend could never provide left Arwen’s body exhausted.

Lying on her back, hands entwined over her stomach, she ponders about the latest discoveries and the journey ahead.

The body next to her stirs, and lets out a quiet purring sound. A smile curls her lips, at the thought the Priestess starts to resemble Threep.

She looks at her friend fondly, the one she promised Scholar Vash to protect, but she desires to share the bed with someone else.

Unable to sleep, the elf collects the gauntlet from the satchel beside the small bed, puts it on her hand and leaves the small room and its stagnant air.

Closing the door behind her, the sounds from the patrons’ chatter downstairs reach her ears. Arwen moves quietly towards the end of the narrow corridor, where a small window overlooks Flotilla and lets the moonlight inside.

Lost in thought, she stays there for a moment, observing the numerous ships docked, swaying gently with the high tide.

Her contemplation is disturbed by the creak of a door opening and heavy footsteps pacing behind her.

Turning around, she’s met by Tyril’s infuriated expression.

When he recognizes her, he stops pacing and his hand moves from the hilt of the sword. She waves at him and three long strides bring him to her side.

“Bad night?”

“Bad company, I suppose.” He sighs and shakes his head slowly. “If only the room had a window…”

“What did Mal do this time?” the elf asks with a small smile, trying to hide her amusement and meet her companion’s enraged blue eyes.

“What did he not do, that’s the appropriate question!” he groans and looks at her. Without catching his breathing, he rants, “That man will drive me insane with that incessant chatter! I demanded him to stop, so we could sleep. He agreed and the ill-omened noise started! I tell you; he must be faking it to annoy me. It’s impossible for a human to be that loud. A thunderstorm is not as loud as him!”

Her snicker was faster than the hand that tried to cover it.

“Sorry,” she said, raising her hand apologetically. Knowing Mal and his mischief, the snores are a ruse to infuriate the elf.

“I would laugh too, if I was the one hearing this ridiculous narrative…”

Standing beside her, his arms crossed over his chest and his blue skin bathed in the moonlight reminded her of the night he joined the party. Even with his face peppered with red from the mayor’s blood, he looked beautiful and terrifying as a rainstorm.

Just as he does now, but much less terrifying.

“Guess last evening’s company seems more tolerable now.”

His eyes wavered from her face and fixed at the moon.

“The company was adequate,” Tyril replies, at last, his voice almost as low as a whisper, and the same purple hue tinting his cheeks.

“Well… If you said so earlier, maybe you could have gotten yourself a better sleeping arrangement,” she winked playfully. “Unfortunately, my bed is at its maximum capacity tonight.” The young elf chuckled.

His chest heaved and he struggled to stifle a chuckle and, finally, his lips curled up into a slow smile, rounding his cheeks.

“I will keep that in mind,” the elf spoke softly, no trace of the previous surliness on his voice or expression.

A rush of blood flooded Arwen’s face. Cupping her warm cheek, she covered the unusual blush and averted his intense gaze, the same stare from the previous day at the ship, as if all the constellations twinkled inside those orbs.

The pair remained quiet for a long while.

Numerous questions trapped on Arwen’s mouth; at that moment, she can’t trust her tongue, nevertheless.

Therefore, both stared at the sky, enjoying the comfortable silence, until a gush of cold wind convinced them it was time to return to their respective rooms.

#choicesmaychallenge #blades fanfic #tyril x mc #blades of light and shadow #tyril starfury #choices fanfic

[samgtt700]

Waves

KamilahxMC

@choicesmaychallenge, day 9 prompt Truth. Thought I would finally get in on this months challenge. @kinda-iconic.

Tags: @mrskamilxh, @wildsayeed, @made-me-deep-blue, @thequeenofbaddecisions, @iam-the-fuckin-queen, @witchesplayatnight, @kamilahsqueen, @kamilahsayeed-owns-me, @kamilah-sayeed-let-me-love-you, @h-doodles, @playallthechoices, @kamilahforever, @kamilahsayeet2063, @kamilah-the-bloodqueen. @helpconfusedpersonhere, @scarlet-letter-a0114, @nydeiri. Let me know if you want to be tagged. My tagging system is playing up so if your not tagged properly. Let me know please.

My Masterlist

Alice walked along the shallow waters of the Californian coastline, the waves crashing in the distance. Enjoying the peace and tranquility she long desired after all the chaos she went through, all the hours of training, preparing for the toughest fight of her life and changes that altered everyone’s existence. The wind ruffling her hair before pushing it behind her ear. The sand shifting beneath her bare feet, waves lapping at her feet, the cold water barely noticeable to the constant warmness she felt, in her heart, having never been alone since the day she walked into their interview room, not knowing what she would find, who she would find, how her entire world would be so involved with one person. Remembering the moment their eyes met in Adrian’s conference room, but only when she spoke about ancient Egypt did their eyes truly meet, Kamilah looking at her properly for the first time. The sun long set and though she would never witness another sunrise. It was something she had learnt to live with, like many things. But what she gained was so much more than she could have ever hoped for.

It had been twenty years since that day in the Opera House. Alice walked up the sand dunes and sat, admiring the view, boats in the distance lit by their beacons. The moon shimmering, the waves singing their tune. She still missed Jax, struggling at first not talking to him everyday. Her heart aching every time she thought of him but over time, it changed. Her feelings towards it all changed. Like the guilt finally lifted. Freeing her. Unburdening her. Able to finally accept that he was gone and never coming back. A hard truth but one she had faced. But not alone in any of it, Kamilah at her side, not letting her go through any of it alone. Understanding the pain of losing a loved one, knowing eventually she would lose her entire family to time. Kamilah had been at her side, their vows only a further commitment of how deep and true their love was for each other. Alice admiring her wedding band, it was the best decision she ever made, marrying Kamilah and she hadn’t regretted a single second of her life with Kamilah.

“I thought it was me who was suppose to escape Adrians parties.”

Alice turned her head. A small smile appearing on her face. “Thought I would get the jump this year.”

Kamilah softly chuckled before sitting behind her wife, Alice’s back pressed up against Kamilah’s chest. “How you feeling?”

“Well enough. Was thinking about Jax.” Alice was honest with her wife.

“Hmm...” Kamilah rested her head on Alice’s shoulder, “he would have loved to be here.”

“I use to feel so guilty about being here in his place.” Alice admitted. Twisting her wedding ring. Feeling everything she got because she was alive. “I wouldn’t have so much if we switched places.”

Kamilah wiped away a few stray tears on Alice’s face. “I wouldn’t have this peace. Wouldn’t have been happy the last twenty years.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten married.” Alice beamed. “I wouldn’t have opened the youth centre.”

“You’ve done incredible work. Jax would be proud of you. He wouldn’t want you worrying about what could be but rather how happy you are.” Kamilah holding Alice close, kissing her softly, her lips lingering. “We’ll never be able to repay him but we can remember him. For who he was. And live a life he would be proud of.”

“I wish I could tell him everything.” Alice sniffled.

“He knows. Trust me.” Kamilah promised. “Jax knows. He knows what you’ve done to honour him. How we left an empty seat for him at our wedding. How his Katanas sits in a glass box because of you.”

“I just wanted to do everything I could-“

“And you have.” Kamilah rubbed her arm. “Listen to me Alice. You’ve done everything you could, that day you were the reason we won. Jax did his part, he made his decision. Like all of us.”

“I accepted what he did. I just wish it didn’t have to be him. I wish he didn’t have to be the damn hero.” Alice fidgeted. Kamilah grasping her hand. Her fingertip grazing over her wedding ring.

“Jax made his decision.” Kamilah was forever grateful for what Jax did. “But I’m glad it wasn’t you. I don’t think I could live without you again. Four days without you was too much.” She wrapped her arms around Alice, pulling her close. Her heartbeat thumping, Kamilah kissed the side of her head, her lips barely an inch from her ear, her voice but a whisper. “I get an eternity with the most remarkable person on the planet.”

“Hey you two!”

Alice and Kamilah saw Lily sprinting down. “There goes the peace.”

“Shh.” Alice slapped Kamilah’s hand.

“Adrians speech is about to start. He wanted to see if Alice was up to talking.”

“We’re skipping this year.” Alice answered. “I’m content right here.”

“Of fucking course. You know I’ll have to say a few words about Jax now.”

“I’m sure you find the words Lily.” Kamilah narrowed her eyes.

“I’m sure I will.” Lily gulped before disappearing back towards the party.

“What did you do to make her run so quick?”

“The usual.” Kamilah smirked smugly. “Did the opposite to you.”

“Threatening me seemed to be a turn on right?” Alice giggled when Kamilah squeezed her tight.

“I’ll never forget it.” Kamilah had regretted the wording she used and Alice had never let her live it down. “It took me decades to forgive myself after Lysimachus died. I think the truth is you never fill it. But it changes. And you adapt.”

“Will it ever change? That feeling of not having a brother around?”

“I have Adrian. It helped fill the void.” Kamilah admitted. “And you have me. I will always be there for you. To make sure nothing can hurt you.” She pressed a kiss to Alice’s temple. “You are my forever and I will forever be there for you.”

“Your my forever too.” Alice closed her eyes. Leaning back into Kamilah’s arms, letting Kamilah just hold her. “I love you.” She never imagined Kamilah would become her entire world but couldn’t be more content and happy where she was, in the love of her life’s arms. She savoured every moment with her, despite having an eternity with each other. It would never be enough.

“I love you so much.”

#choicesmaychallenge #kamilah sayeed #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed x mc #bb mc #bloodbound #choices kamilah sayeed #choices: bloodbound #bloodbound kamilah #bloodbound kamilah sayeed #bloodbound fanfic #choices fanfic

[raleighcarrera]

understanding

platinum | raleigh carrera x mc (cadence dorian)

~2k words | M

raleigh and cadence have an understanding. for the @choicesmaychallenge day 27 prompt of the same name.

they have an understanding. if he enters through the front door, she’s supposed to come in through the back. cadence isn’t allowed to text or call late at night, anymore, and when they do get together, after they’re done, under no circumstances can she ask him to stay.

because he’s weak, and he will.

at this point in his career, he should be better at saying ‘no’ to his pr team and his manager and everyone who pretends to know what’s best for him. it’s not like he gives a shit what anyone else wants -- and the advice of a few old stuffy suits has hardly held him back before. 

but being with him has only ever hurt her, and that’s difficult to stomach, even though he knows it’s true. so maybe they have a point, when they say that he should give cadence her space -- at least where the public is concerned. that’s probably what fiona and the rest of her team wants for her, too. even if cadence is too nice to say it, tying herself to walking disaster, raleigh carrera -- r&b’s time bomb -- is something that’s certainly left her in more bad conversations than good ones.

he knows because he’s seen the things they all say about her, online. she’s never brought it up to him before, but he’s not blind. it isn’t just her -- it’s any girl he’d be with, any woman the fans could pick apart and the media could judge. though cadence has seemed to attract more negative attention than other models or actresses he’s been out with in the past, for whatever reason. that’s probably his fault, somehow, too.

so -- he found himself a new girlfriend, who’s so desperate for fame she’ll take any press she can get, and now he and cadence have an understanding, instead of a relationship. 

it’s... something. it isn’t ideal, especially because it obviously wears on her. it certainly isn’t what he wants, but her public image is positive, now, so maybe that makes his suffering worth it. 

he pegged her as a goody-two-shoes from the moment they met, and she’s never grown out of that, even with all the fame and fortune in the world at her fingertips. like someone who’s never been to the principal’s office before, cadence follows his terms to a t, and doesn’t ask him to stay even though he wants her to. 

she doesn’t ever slip up -- she never calls at the wrong time, never accidentally gets caught by paparazzi sneaking in somewhere she isn’t supposed to be, and part of him wants her to do that, too, so that ending this ridiculous charade can be out of his hands. 

cadence doesn’t, though. she won’t. 

put simply... that sucks. 

for someone whose livelihood revolves around being able to put words together poetically, he can’t quite find a way to express how he feels about this shitty, stupid situation -- to her or anyone else. most of the time, it makes him unfairly angry at her, that she doesn’t mess up, that she doesn’t force him to call it all off, that she doesn’t ask for more. the rest of the time, raleigh finds that he’s annoyed with himself for being such a martyr -- for being a fucking coward.

she really does deserve better. 

a good guy would cut her off completely. he should do the right thing and give cadence a clean break -- set her free. say or do something so hurtful she’ll have no choice but to never think of him again.

he isn’t a good guy, though. he isn’t a martyr. he’s selfish, and if she’s going to keep sneaking around with him so willingly, he’s going to keep taking advantage.

at the crux of it, that’s what he’s best at: taking. 

though he wonders, as she falls apart beneath his hands, whispering the most beautiful exhales of his name, how anyone could be expected to give this up. even in his heyday, when he’d made a point of never ever seeing the same girl twice, raleigh doesn’t think he could have turned his back on this -- on the way cadence always shakes under his lips, on the rosy tint that covers the full apples of her cheeks when he twists his hips just right, on the shape of her beautiful mouth when she wails the walls down. 

silence surrounds them afterwards, when she finally comes back to herself. there used to be a time when this moment was his favorite part of the evening, when she’d let raleigh keep kissing her until she started hiccuping because he wouldn’t let up enough for her to catch her breath. back when they were together for real, he used to rely on the comfort of the companionably hushed moments they shared, especially after she made him come so hard he saw stars. 

now the quiet that fills the room is stifling. cadence pulls the bed sheet all the way up to her neck.

this should be the ideal situation -- they can be together, mostly, and it doesn’t have to hurt her. so why does it feel like such a disaster?

raleigh turns his head and catches a glimpse of her face, pained where she’s already watching him from her side of the bed, and realization washes over him. right. because it is hurting her.

he doesn’t know what to say to her, but she finally has mercy on him and takes it out of his hands. “i can’t do this anymore.”

raleigh pushes up onto his side, staring at her. “what?”

cadence purses her lips, and he watches with a dawning horror as her wide, expressive eyes turn glassy. she shakes her head. “i don’t want to do this anymore, raleigh. not like this.”

he studies the expression on her face, looking for weak points he can exploit. god, you are such a shitty, shitty person, his mind scolds. “why?”

“because --” a rough exhale cuts her off. he keeps staring at her even as she flops on her back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. then whatever dam’s been holding the words back within her breaks, and she unloads on him, all at once, the words tripping out in one breathless rush. “i don’t want to sneak around anymore. i don’t like keeping this a secret. i hate -- that we never get to spend any real time together anymore, i hate having to see you with her everywhere i turn, i hate -- i hate the way i feel when i leave here, i hate that it doesn’t bother you more.” her head turns on the pillow to look at him pleadingly. “why doesn’t it bother you more?”

raleigh clenches his jaw, trying to remember to think before he speaks for once. “cadence... of course it bothers me.”

she shakes her head. “but why doesn’t it bother you more? why doesn’t it bother you enough?”

he lifts a hand to rub roughly at his eyes, pressing his fingers into them until he sees spots. the last time they had a conversation this self-reflective, he was high out of his mind. what he wouldn’t give to go back in time, just this once. 

“i guess i’ve had longer to get used to this than you have,” he answers, though even he can hear how the words ring hollow. she deserves a better explanation, he’s not so out of touch that he can’t see that. the expression on his face twists into a grimace. “you know what it’s like to date me. you don’t want that.”

“maybe i do.” 

he huffs, rolling to the edge of the bed. he sits on the edge of the mattress, staring out the window. his back is to her, and they’re up on the fifty-second floor, but there’s nothing he wouldn’t give for some idiot with a camera and a telescopic lens to get a peek in here, now, and put him out of his misery. “well, i don’t want that for you.” there. that’s the honesty she deserves.

raleigh can hear her shifting in the sheets behind him. the mattress dips as she gets up. “you don’t get to just decide that for me.”

he keeps his eyes resolutely trained on the window, even though he can see her in his peripheral vision, tip-toeing around the bedroom, picking up the pieces of her outfit. “i do if i’m the one that has to watch it ruin your life.” 

“being with you didn’t ruin my life. i never said --”

“you didn’t have to.” he hasn’t smoked in years, but the sight of her, there, half-dressed in his bedroom when he turns his head around to finally look at her, makes him crave nicotine desperately. “because i saw it on my own. and i’m not going to be responsible for that.”

“so -- fuck what i want, right?” it’s probably good that he’s made her angry. it’ll make it easier for her to leave him behind, and he won’t have to listen to that rasp in her voice, the thick sadness that won’t leave. “god forbid any of us dare to go against the whims of raleigh carrera.”

“look, what do you want me to say?” he bites out, annoyed. “that i’m no fucking good for you? that you should stop wasting your time here and move on with your life, already? i’ve said it a hundred times. you never listen.”

he gets a good look at her, then. cadence is half-dressed and pissed, in her skirt and bra, holding her shirt in one hand. her hair is a mess, and she’s glaring at him -- beautifully, like she does everything else. she is so fucking pretty. it makes him sick.

“i want you to be honest with yourself! i want you to admit that you feel something. i want things to go back to the way they were, when we were together and happy, raleigh.” her eyes narrow in that rare way he’s seen them do, sometimes -- that once in a blue moon moment when she’s about to say something mean. “i don’t want you like this anymore. i want all of you, or nothing. no more halves.”

so that’s it, then. he swallows, wordlessly slipping out of bed to reach for his own clothes, dressing silently beside her. they don’t touch at all -- not like when they’d undressed, earlier, frantically kissing and tripping over each other’s feet on their way to the bed. she’s obviously waiting for him to say something.

“i’ll walk you out.”

“raleigh.”

he’d been hoping to avoid looking at her. it was going to make getting her out of here a lot easier, but the sound of her voice, cutting through his thoughts like that, makes it impossible. god, is he weak. 

he steps into her space, grabbing her face in his hands. immediately, cadence sighs like this is what she’s been waiting for; she sinks against him, letting him push her mouth open with his tongue, letting him pull at her hair, letting him take, take, take.

she hiccups when he finally lets her up for air. the sound makes him weirdly emotional -- nostalgic in a painful way -- and he shuts his eyes as fast as he can, in the hopes that it’ll be before she notices. 

cadence touches him so gently -- more than he deserves -- and that lets him know that he wasn’t as subtle as he was hoping for. raleigh blinks his wet eyes open, and she hiccups again, drawing a laugh from him against his will. 

she laughs, too. then she lets him gently brush her hair back off her face -- lets him finish helping her get dressed. she lets him walk her all the way downstairs, and lets him kiss her goodbye in the lobby, and lets him watch her leave out the front door to the sound of shouting questions and the sight of camera flashes. 

they do understand each other. 

he just hopes she's right.

#raleigh carrera #platinum #raleigh carrera x mc #cadence dorian #raleigh x cadence #raleigh x mc #myfic #long post #choicesmaychallenge #i wrote this so fast i hope it's good :\ i know i usually just write happy stuff on here #raleigh is such a tough one for me i never feel like i'm doing him right #anywayYyYyYy enjoy :') happy may 27th #yes i did wait until it hit midnight where i live to post this

[kinda-iconic]

The best thing I never planned

This fanfic was written as an entry for Day 7 of the Choices May Challenge and as a request from a previous prompt list.

Thank you so much for the requests anon and @adriansbiss​! I know that it’s not too long, but I hope you enjoy it all the same - apologies for the wait!

Prompt #80: ‘I didn’t drive all the way over here just to say ‘hey’’ from the amazing angst/fluff prompt list  for Adrian x MC (Amy)

Choices May Challenge (Day 7) prompt: Surprise

Warning: Suggestiveness - don’t really know how to describe it!

It isn’t the best, but it’s reasonably alright...

Word Count: 1544

Tagging: @bloodboundismylife​ @adrianadmirer​ @god-save-the-keen​ @lexilooloolovessenatorraines​ @senator-adrian-raines-wifey​ @bellaraines​ @shelley-parah​ @bbchoices​ @choicesmaychallenge​ @kamilah-the-bloodqueen​

‘I didn’t realise that you were back!’

Lily makes her way into the kitchen, only pausing to collect a bottle of wine found begotten on the rack beside the counter-top. She carefully removes the cork, placing the bottle onto the side as she reaches into an adjacent cabinet; she takes out two glasses, placing them gently beside the bottle. 

‘I presumed you would be out all night,’ she focuses on the bottle, pouring a sample of wine into each before turning her attention back to Amy, who is sat on the couch, staring absent-mindedly into the distance. ‘It’s not like Adrian to kick you out this early...’ 

‘He’s got a lot on his plate, Lil,’ she sighs softly, her voice quiet and uncertain, ‘I said I’d help him organise the rota for the interviews this week.’

‘And he didn’t ask you to stick around?’

Amy looks at her with a quizzical expression, scrunching her nose in befuddlement. 

‘Was he meant to?’

‘You’re his girlfriend!’ She carries the glasses over to the living room, setting them on the coffee table as she slumps down beside Amy, ‘I thought he’d at least invite you back to his place...’ 

‘I can’t expect him to drop everything for me, Lily.’

‘Well I do,’ she takes a sip of her wine, ‘you’re bending over backwards to pick up the slack. He could at least show you some appreciation.’ 

‘He made me breakfast in bed this morning,’ she pauses momentarily, smiling with bashfulness as she recounts the memory, ‘and he treated me to lunch.’ 

‘That’s just him being professional, Amy.’ 

‘I guess so, though I don’t think he invites all of his employees to his penthouse to spend the night.’

Lily shakes her head, an amused laugh escaping her. 

‘He’s probably invited one or two to stay in his guest suite if they’re unable to get home,’ she swirls the wine around in her glass, her eyes transfixed on the crimson liquid, ‘but not into his bed.’ 

Amy opens her mouth to retort, but a sudden rap at the door causes her to hesitate; she looks at Lily, her brows narrowed in confusion. 

‘Were you expecting someone?’ 

‘No...’ she places her glass back onto the table, ‘at least not that I know of.’ 

The pair rise from their seats, slowly heading in the direction of the doorway. They share a brief look of befuddlement before Lily opens the door; Adrian stands before them, a bountiful bouquet of red roses tucked in his arm. He greets her with a warm smile, his gaze softening as it settles on Amy.

‘Hi…’

‘Adrian?’ She folds her arms across her chest, tilting her head as she studies his expression, ‘is everything okay?’

‘Yes of course,’ he shuffles on his feet, nervously adjusting his blazer with his free hand, ‘why wouldn’t it be?’

‘Well…I only saw you an hour ago, and now you’re-’

‘Standing at your door in the early hours of the morning?’

She responds with a curt nod; he chuckles softly, shaking his head.

‘I guess I do owe you an explanation for that now, don’t I?’

‘It would be a good start,’ she steps to the side, gesturing for him to enter the apartment; he does as instructed, greeting Lily with a friendly smile. Once he is inside, she closes the door, turning swiftly on her heel to face him. 

‘You know…’ she walks over to him, reaching up to caress his cheek, ‘if you just wanted to say hello, you could have used the phone.’

‘I didn’t drive all this way just to say ‘hey’, Amy.’

‘Then what did-’

He looks down at the bouquet, his eyes glinting with mischief; the roses remain tucked in the crook of his elbow, their stalks wrapped delicately in brown paper. 

‘Well, firstly I wanted to give you these,’ he holds them out to her, his once gregarious smile dissipating into one of adoration, ‘I really am grateful for everything that you’ve done for me these past few weeks... and for all the times before.’

‘You know I’d do anything for you,’ she takes them from him, her fingers briefly ghosting over his own, ‘but you really didn’t have to get me anything...’ 

‘I wanted to,’ he lowers his gaze to the floor for a moment, ‘it’s not everyday that someone willingly volunteers to scour through contracts for 12 hours.’

‘It’s not every day that you have to save the world from a blood-thirsty vampire either, but we seemed to manage that alright.’

He lets out a hearty laugh.

‘I can’t fault you there,’ he looks up at her once more, and as he begins to speak, Amy is able to notice a hesitation in his voice, almost as if he is scared to continue, ‘there’s...urm...there’s actually another reason why I came over tonight.’

‘Oh?’

He runs a nervous hand through his dark hair, resting his palm at the nape of his neck. 

‘I... I was wondering if you’d come back to my place tonight?’ He smiles sheepishly, reaching forward to straighten Amy’s collar, ‘I managed to read a few more contracts after you left, and I think... after all of our hard work recently... we both deserve a break.’

Lily’s eyes widen in surprise, her mouth agape; she crosses her arms, a stunned gasp escaping her.

‘Is this your attempt at making a booty call, Raines?’ she quirks a brow, acknowledging his words with a cheeky grin, ‘color me impressed.’

‘A...A what?’ He looks between the pair, his brows furrowed in perplexity before settling his gaze on Amy. ‘What does that mean?’

‘A booty call?’

He nods, though both Amy and Lily can sense the uncertainty in his answer.

‘It’s when you contact someone to ask them if-’ Lily pauses, glancing up at him in a hope that he has realized the meaning behind her words, but he stares back at her, clearly bewildered; she shakes her head, stopping herself short, ‘it doesn’t matter; I think it’s pretty clear from your reaction that this isn’t your intention.’

‘Oh...okay,’ he looks at Amy, pouting in puzzlement, ‘but what does it mean?’

‘I think that’s a conversation for later, Adrian,’ she glares at Lily, who simply shrugs, ‘you want me to come over tonight?’ 

‘Y-yes, but only if you’d like to.’

‘Of course I would,’ she wraps an arm around his, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, ‘though it is a little bit of a surprise.’

He tilts his head, his lips curling into a brazen smirk.

‘I’m full of those.’

‘You are indeed, Mr Raines,’ she cups his face, wiping the remnants of her lipstick away with the pad of her thumb, ‘just give me five minutes and I’ll have packed an overnight bag.’

He feigns disappointment, his bottom lip quivering in jest. 

‘I had hoped you’d be packing for more than that.’

‘Did… did you want me to stay for a couple of nights?’

He remains quiet for a moment, unsure as to whether he should go on, but after some time he decides to continue, his voice taking a sincere tone. 

‘I was actually hoping that you’d stay indefinitely,’ he wraps his arm around her, drawing her closer to his chest, ‘that’s if…that’s if you’d like to.’

She looks up at him, her eyes widening in excitement.

‘You want me to move in with you?’

He nods, kissing her temple.

‘I don’t know what to say…’

‘Hopefully yes,’ he kisses her head once more, his lips lingering against her skin as he talks in a hushed whisper, ‘I’m done pretending, Amy; I love you, and I want to spend an eternity by your side...which would be a lot easier if we resided in the same place.’

She giggles, nudging him playfully; he takes her hand in his, placing her palm in the space just above his heart.  

‘Is it too much?’

‘No, I…I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.’ She rests her head on his shoulder, meeting his curious gaze, ‘why didn’t you ask me when I was with you earlier? Or even a couple of weeks ago...’

‘I wasn’t sure as to whether I should; in all honesty, I...I thought that, after everything that happened with Rheya, it might have been a lot for you to process at once. I didn’t want to overwhelm you too soon.’ 

‘Imagine how it would’ve sounded if you had…’ her excitable smile fades away, but it is quickly replaced with one of mischief, ‘hi Amy, I know that you’ve just come back from defeating the most powerful vampire on the planet, but do you fancy shacking up with me?’ He raises a brow. ‘Not the right term?’

‘Not the one that I would choose,’ he reaches his hand towards her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, ‘but I must admit it’s not far from the truth.’ He holds her close, savoring the warmth of her touch, his hand finding the curve of her waist.

‘So...is that a yes?’

She smiles giddily up at him, cupping his cheek before guiding his head down to meet hers; she leans in closer, capturing his lips in a tender kiss.

‘As if you’d ever have to ask.’

#choices: stories you play #playchoices #choices fanfic #choices bb #bloodbound #adrian raines #adrian x mc #choicesmaychallenge #day 7 #prompt #surprise

[axwalker]

Wacky Drabble #41: Now and Then 2

This will be a mini-series , and I’ll be using the weekly prompts of the lovely        @emceesynonymroll   WACKY DRABBLES.

This week is prompt  #41: Can you move? It will appear in bold in the text.

I’m also participating in the May Challenge hosted by  @kinda-iconic​  Today’s prompt is #9 Truth. 

Synopsis:   The story of Alexis’s and Drake’s friendship since they met when they were 10 years old until they become roommates after college. (AU)

MASTERLIST

Warning: No one under 18 should read my stories. Angst, Mention of a character’s death (Jackson).  

Pairing: Drake x ?, Alexis x ?

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry

Word count: 1596

Thank you to @pedudley​ who beta read this!  I LOVE you 💕💕

Permatag list: @mskaneko @pedudley @burnsoslow @ac27dj @twinkle-320

@kimmiedoo5 @marshmallowsandfire @loveellamae @lauzales @pug-bitch @debramcg1106 @ravenpuff02​

Wacky drabbles: @dcbbw @texaskitten30 @bebepac @pedudley @bbrandy2002 @katedrakeohd @sirbeepsalot  @bobasheebaby @loveellamae @flutistbyday2020 @soheila-1996 @kingliam-rys​

2007  

 Lexis tried not to make any noise when she left her room; if her mother caught her, she’d be dead. She went to the kitchen and filled her backpack with Drake’s favorites: Doritos Nacho Cheese, Reese’s pieces, and a bottle of Mountain Dew.

 She took her bike to Drake’s house. Getting into his room was no problem, he had taught her how to climb the trees in his garden to access through his window. Lexie saw Drake staring at the ceiling with the same sad expression he had in his eyes since his father had died one week ago.

 She stood at the foot of the bed, looking at him. “Come on, Drake! Let’s go,” she said as she looked for his sweatshirt.

 Drake furrowed. “Where?”

 “To the beach. You haven’t been to school or out of this house all week.”

 Drake was torn; he wanted to go out, but he felt too numb to make an effort. “It’s almost 9:00, and It’s like one hour from here!”

 She raised her hands. “So? We’ve done it tons of times before.”

 He stood up and put on the sweatshirt. There was no persuading Lexie when she got an idea into her head.

 When they arrived at the beach, they laid down on the blanket Lexie had brought; She plugged her earphones on her mother’s IPod and gave one of them to Drake.

 For a while, they laid next to each other in silence, looking at the stars Jackson loved so much and listening to The Beach Boys, his favorite band.

 God Only Knows started to play. She raised the volume. “Your dad loved this one, he always repeated it two or three times when we went camping.”

Drake nodded as his eyes watered at the memory of his dad singing out of tune with the Beach Boys.

 After a few songs, Drake finally spoke. “It’s so weird. This morning I was waiting for him to knock at my door and tell me breakfast was ready, and then I remembered that he’s not here anymore because he had to protect that duke!” He seethed. “He cared more about his job than he cared about me.”

 Lexie took his hand and squeezed it.

 “You know that’s not true, Drake. He was always there for you. He took us camping, he taught you how to fish, he coached our team on weekends. He loved his job but not as much as he loved you.”

Drake shrugged. He would never admit it to her, but Lexie always knew how to make him feel better. His stomach growled.

 “Hungry?” Lexie asked.

 “I didn’t eat dinner. Bas put chorizo in the pizza.” Drake grimaced. “Plus, he wants me to talk about dad all the time.”

 She gave him a conspiratorial smile and grabbed her backpack. “Don’t worry, Walker. I got you.”

 They ate their snacks quietly for a while.

 “My mom is coming tomorrow with Savvie. For the… funeral,” he said, gloomily.

 Her stomach dropped. She had heard her mom and her abuelita talking about it, the previous night. They were sure that Bianca was going to take Drake with her to Texas.

Lexie couldn’t imagine her life without her best friend. They did everything together. They shared their deepest secrets. She was the only one that knew about his crush on that stupid Jenny Stone; He was the only one that knew about her secret dream of finding her dad.

 “Are you going to Texas with her?” Lexie asked, scared of the answer.

 He wasn’t sure about anything. “I think so, Bastien says that I’ll like Texas, though. He says my mom’s new husband has a stable with a lot of horses and I’ll be able to live with Savvie again.”

 Lexie nodded, she knew how much Drake missed his mom and sister, so she tried to be supportive. “I’ll miss you a lot Drake, but we can Skype all the time. Maybe I can be friends with Savvie too.”

 Drake wanted to live with his mom and his sister again, but the idea of leaving his football team, his school and Lexie terrified him.

 He stood up and picked some stones. He threw one on the ocean’s still water. It skipped five times. He turned at her smirking. Her record was three. 

 “Please, Walker. That was pure luck” She stood up and took a stone from his hand. She threw it but it only skipped twice. She snorted, frustrated.

 He chuckled. “You’re such a sore loser.” He took another stone. “Look, I show you. When you throw, flick your wrist at the end and let go of the rock. It will spin and make it bounce,” he said as he threw one at the water. It skipped five times again. He turned with a smug look in his face.

 She rolled her eyes. “Show-off.”

 He sat on the blanket again, quietly playing with the sand for a few minutes before he asked, “how do you think heaven is like?”

 Lexie sat next to him, cross-legged. “I think it’s a place where you’re always happy. Abuelita is convinced she’ll see grandpa Ramiro again. I guess you can do whatever you want, and you’re never scared or angry. I bet Jackson fishes all day while he drinks his beers and listens to The Beach Boys,” she said.

 Drake chuckled, “Do you think there’s beer in heaven?”

 Lexie answered, confidently, “Sure! Why not?”

 After another stone-skipping contest, Drake checked the time in his luminous watch. “It’s almost midnight, Lex. Let’s go back or your mom will kill us.”

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

Three days later they were all in the O’Brien house for the luncheon after the funeral.

 Bianca had arrived that morning with Savannah and, Larry, her new husband. Elena had disliked the woman since she had set foot in the funeral home. It wasn’t anything she did in particular, but her whole attitude seemed off.

 Maybe it was because she was playing the part of the perfect mother around her new husband, after she had abandoned Drake when he was barely eight years old. Jackson was a good man and tried to justify Bianca, but Elena never understood. She wouldn’t abandon Lexie for anything in the world. But for the boy’s sake she was going to try to be nice to her. Elena hoped that Bianca would allow Drake to spend the summer in Cordonia.

 Elena was worried about Lexie, her little girl was going to be crushed after his departure. She and Drake were thick as thieves. Lexie was trying to act all grown-up and supportive, but Elena knew how much she was going to suffer.

She worried about Drake even more. In the last two years, Elena had learnt to love him as a son. He was incredibly smart and mature for his age and had a heart of gold. Her own heart tugged, thinking about how terrified Drake must be feeling. He was barely twelve years old, had lost his dad and was about to leave the country with a woman he had seen once in four years.

 Elena went to check the table where she had set the food and saw that almost all the pie was gone. She went to grab another one in the kitchen, where she saw Bastien and Bianca arguing.

 “He is your son! He’s expecting you to take care of him. Fuck Bianca, you haven’t changed at all!” Bastien yelled.  

 Bianca answered, calmly, “I just got married and Larry doesn’t want kids for now. Leona will take Savvie but she doesn’t want a boy doing pranks around her property.” She smiled, obsequiously “Plus, it’s only for a while.  When Larry gets use to the idea, I’ll come back for him. You can take care of him until then, Bas. I know Jackson left the kids his cabin. Can you move there with Drake?”  

 Elena couldn’t believe her ears. She was cutting the pie so angrily that she almost cut the table in half.

 Bianca snapped at her, “I’m sorry, dear, but this is a private conversation.”

 Elena placed the knife on the table to avoid accidentally – or not so accidentally- stabbing Bianca. “It’s me who’s sorry, dear, pero esta es mi casa (but this is my house), so I go wherever I want to. And you need to hear the truth, so I’ll tell you. First, I’m still in shock that you weren’t here the second Jackson died, Drake needed you. And most of all, I’m disgusted that you’re seriously planning to abandon that sweet boy again, because, in theory, a boy his age needs his mother.” Bianca was about to reply, but Elena raised her hand not giving her the chance to interrupt her. “But honestly, you’re doing him a favor. You’re clearly incapable of seeing what a great boy he is, how smart and compassionate. I’m sure you don’t even know anything about him. Did you know that he is on top of his class? That he loves animals? Which is his favorite football team? Anything at all?” Bianca couldn’t answer any of those questions, so Elena added, “you don’t deserve him, and sure as hell, you don’t deserve to be called a mother.” Elena turned to Bastien. “Don’t worry, we’ll be here to help you out with him, but do Drake a favor and keep him as far away as possible from this… woman.”

 Bianca’s lips formed a thin line. She crossed her arms over her chest, before replying, “I love my son, but I have a right to have a life too when I’m still young.”

 Elena shook her head as she spoke. “You didn’t hear a word I said.”

 Bianca left with Larry and Savanah the next morning, Drake didn’t see her again for another six years.

#wacky drabbles #tw character death #tw grief #choicesmaychallenge #kinda-iconic #drake walker

[choicesmaychallenge]

Prompt list announcement:

Hello everyone! I am very happy to announce that, after a few hours of debating and short-listing, I have finally settled on the prompts for the ‘Choices May Challenge’.

The prompts are as follows...

1) Hope

2) Adventure

3) Beginnings

4) Escape

5) Photograph

6) Rescue

7) Surprise

8) Reward

9) Truth

10) Goodbye

11) Birthday

12) Nightmare

13) Reunion

14) Comfort

15) Loss

16) Sunset

17) Focus

18) Mistake

19) Denial

20) Forgiveness

21) Sleep

22) Laughter

23) Nostalgia

24) Honesty

25) Promise

26) Loneliness

27) Understanding

28) Consequence

29) Memories

30) Reality

31) Blessing

Requirements for entry:

All things that are submitted to this challenge will be put on a master list for that specific prompt; masterlists will be posted the day after as, due to time zones (and the fact that where I am in the world means that I am asleep when over half of the world is awake), I need to allow a certain amount of time to pass so that I do not forget to include people.

There’s no set guidelines as to what can be presented for this challenge. However, when entering an edit, piece of fanart or a fanfic for this challenge, please could you include this blog and my main (@kinda-iconic) in your tags; this will make it a lot easier for me to find and reblog your work! #choicesmaychallenge

Thank you all ever so much for taking the time to read this; whether you chose to take part or not, I really do appreciate you reading this post.

Best wishes,

@kinda-iconic (Amy)

#choices: stories you play #playchoices #prompt list #choicesmaychallenge

[melodyofgraves]

It Feels Like Home (Nia x Aurora(F!ElfMC))

A/N: I’m super late for this but I wrote a little drabble for Day 22 of @choicesmaychallenge

And since yesterday was also my name day, I decided to treat myself to some Nia x Aurora fluff.

Words: around 400

Tagging: @scalpeljockeybrycelahela @nextheirofslytherin + @kinda-iconic

She really enjoyed listening to Nia’s voice.

She loved the cheerful humming whenever her love woke up in a particularly good mood and the sweet, quiet melody that would come from the kitchen when she was too focused on following the recipe to notice the elf came home already.

She loved the soft whispers before they fell asleep and the happy “good mornings” she would wake up to.

And she loved when Nia was talking. About anything.

Whether it was telling her about her day, reminiscing about their old travels or just sharing what’s been on her mind lately, Aurora always listened attentively.

Sometimes, she wished she could take every one of these little sweet moments and keep it in her memory forever, every detail and every word.

But if there was anything she learned over all those years was to live in the moment. So she would just smile, rest her head on the back of their couch and listen to her love’s story.

Nia’s voice was sweet and soothing and calm. And it made Aurora feel this fuzzy warm feeling in her chest. During those moments, it really felt like home.

She didn’t really interrupt her, she didn’t want to. 

But there were some days when Nia had something particularly exciting to say.

And her eyes would shine even brighter than usual and her cheeks would flush this adorable pinkish colour that Aurora loved so much.

And then a giggle would escape her love’s mouth, slowly transforming into full laughter. The elf especially liked the one when she would forget herself, laughing so hard she had to lean on the back of the couch, the one with a little hiccup and happy tears forming in her eyes.

And she would join her in that happiness and they would just sit there, laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

And then Aurora would slowly stop, gazing deep into those beautiful brown eyes.

“I really want to kiss you right now.” she would say and the blush on her love’s face would become even darker.

“What’s stopping you?” Nia would grin, her breathing still a little uneven, and lean a little closer.

Then Aurora would gently press her lips against Nia’s, their kiss slowly becoming more and more passionate.

And after they needed to finally pull away, foreheads resting against each other while they tried to catch their breath, Nia would giggle softly and Aurora would smile. And they’d hold each other a little longer because neither wanted to let go yet.

And the elf would think to herself, “Yeah, it really feels like home.”

#nia ellarious #blades of light and shadow #choices fic #nia x aurora #choicesmaychallenge

[castorrel]

@choicesmaychallenge - Day Seventeen: Focus

Commission for @luxurylives of Colt Kaneko

#choicesmaychallenge #ride or die #ride or die: a bad boy romance #choices rod #choices fanart

[sakuramiyawakii]

idk if im late, but if i am im so sorry @kinda-iconic 😿 but anyway here's my submission for day 5- photograph for the @choicesmaychallenge !! 💜 i rarely participate in challenges but im trying to join in as much as i can!

i decided to sketch four of my favorite female characters in choices (i mostly do digital but my tablet's broken) and edited them so they look like photographs to match the theme! 🥰

#choicesmaychallenge #playchoices #choices #choices stories you play #kamilah sayeed #bloodbound #charlie smith #distant shores #quinn kelly #endless summer #nia ellarious #blades of light & shadow

[bobasheebaby]

At Last- Following Her Heart Wedding

Pairing: Athena x Perceval

Word count: 5,613

Warnings: tear jerking fluff, drama, 🍋

Summary: Athena and Percy finally have their wedding.

A/N: I know. I know, about time, don’t worry any gaps in the story will be filled in with time. After this we shall be moving forward to babies in a new series that features them married and expanding their family since my muse is showing that more clearly than the lead up.

A/N2: Leo’s ceremony borrowed from PB, my own twist added. Vows are completely mine.

A/N3: prompt is from the Grey’s Anatomy prompt list requested by @loveellamae 12 “You were like coming up for fresh air. It’s like I was drowning and you saved me.” — Derek Shepard Percy prompt will be bolded.

A/N4: the beautiful commissioned artwork at the end was done by the insanely talented @somewillwin​thank you so much for the gorgeous pictures that capture my couple so perfectly. (Pictures definitely helped me finish this too.)

A/N5: a HUGE thank you to @loveellamae for prereading and to @sirbeepsalot​ for prereading, being my cheerleader along the way and being the best damn beta reader ever! Love you boos!

A/N6: Written as part of @choicesmaychallenge​ hosted by @kinda-iconic​ for day 16 Sunset. 

Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the taglist.

Disclaimer: I only own Percy, Alex and Bailey, the rest I’m borrowing from PB.

Athena turned to face Percy as the first streak of color kissed the sky. Purples, pinks, and oranges painted the sky, the brilliant colors reflecting across the ocean as they joined hands.

She beamed at him, her caramel eyes sparkling in the light of the tiki torches that lined the silk runner marking her aisle. He looked at her with such love and devotion that tears pricked at her eyes. This is it.

Everything she’d been through, conquered, and endured led her to this very moment. From the second she stepped onto the private plane her future was uncertain. There had been a chance that she would become a queen and rule beside a kind and benevolent king. There had been a time when she believed they were in love and that she belonged by his side. She had thought she’d lost her only chance at true happiness the night he called another woman’s name.

It was now clear to her that each and every step had her here, to him.

Every moment of pain dissipated as she stared into his twinkling hazel eyes. Nothing else mattered. She was where she belonged. Every tear she shed in hurt or anger was worth it in the end.

It no longer mattered that the importance of his title had been thrust upon them as they planned their special day. Everything was as it was meant to be. She was finally following her heart and marrying the man who saw her for her and not what she could be by his side.

She lightly squeezed his hand as she turned toward Leo, a groomsman turned officiant at the last minute. It was a change that might leave any other bride reeling; for her, it felt fitting. Nothing had gone according to plan since she stepped on Cordonian soil. A wedding officiated by a friend seemed more intimate and felt right.

This is going to be fun. Her eyes leveled with Leo’s sea green. Far from perfect, yet perfectly us. She stifled a laugh when he winked as he started to address the crowd.

“I know I don’t spend as much time in Cordonia as I used to, but for an occasion like this, I was happy to return home. Today, I’m here to help celebrate the wedding of Athena Morgan, and my close friend Perceval Hunter, the man who’s lucky enough to wed her. Originally I was meant to be in the wedding, but shit happens and I was more than happy to step in for my lifelong friend. Someone had to marry them, might as well be me.

Enough about me, let’s get to the marrying part, shall we?

There are many different wedding traditions around the world … some that involve more leaping over fire pits than others. But at its heart, every wedding is about one thing: the love between a couple and the bond they have chosen to share.

Here in Cordonia, we like to think of marriage as a promise. The promise that you will renew your love and commitment to one another every day that you are together.

Just as planting a seed is not enough for it to grow into an apple tree, speaking your vows is not enough for a marriage to truly flourish. But if you nurture and cherish one another, your relationship will always grow stronger.”

Percy gently squeezed Athena’s hand as they both nodded, turning to face one another.

“Good. Now, I believe you wanted to recite your own vows.”

Percy’s thumb brushed across Athena’s knuckles as she started to speak. “Percy, meeting you was purely by chance, but the stars truly aligned the day that brought you into my life.” She glanced down at their joined hands.

“When I met you, I was questioning every decision I ever made since coming to Cordonia. What I had thought was a sure thing had unraveled. I had been ready to leave but something kept me here. I know now that it was you.”

She smiled as he mouthed ‘I love you’ while giving her hand an encouraging squeeze.

“That night on the train you claimed my heart. You were the piece of me that had always been missing; finding you has made me happier than I could ever put into words.

Each day with you is a new adventure I will never forget. I vow to cherish every moment we share over the years and to love you more each and every day.

I’m so thankful you came into my life and that I get to call you my husband.”

“That was beautiful.” Leo smiled, nodding to Perceval.

“Athena, when we met I felt a spark that I never thought I’d ever feel. You called yourself broken, but I have only ever seen you as strong and courageous.

I’ve always called you my Doll, and I led you to believe that it was because you were broken that night, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I saw a woman who carried a strength within her, a woman who deserved to be cherished. I have never been as drawn to someone as I am to you.

You make me the happiest I’ve ever been, and I’m the luckiest man in the world to have your heart. I promise to only make you cry tears of joy. I will strive every day to make you feel as cherished and loved as you deserve.

No matter what the future brings, I can’t wait to experience it with you by my side.”

“Thank you both. Now, would the ringbearer please come forward.”

Chance yipped as he stood from his resting place by Percy’s feet. He took the few steps forward to Leo before carefully dropping the tulle bag into his outstretched hand.

“Thanks buddy.” Leo said, patting Chance’s head.

Chance gave a happy bark before he trotted back to Percy’s feet, where he plopped down, resting his head on the sun warmed sand.

Athena softly laughed at Chance as she delicately plucked the warm vintage band from Leo’s palm. Chance quickly becoming attached to Percy was one of the many reasons she found it so easy to let down her guard and let him into her heart. She couldn’t help but wonder, if Maxwell had not begged her to take in the abandoned corgi would she have still followed the same path? Was she always meant to be standing here in front of the man that swept her off her feet and helped piece her shattered heart back together?

“Perceval Hunter, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you vow to love her, comfort her, and cherish her, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in times of joy and in times of trial, till death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Athena Morgan, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you vow to love him, comfort him, and cherish him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in times of joy and in times of trial, till death do you part?”

“I do.”

Athena carefully slipped the vintage golden band onto Percy’s finger, the deep etchings and five small diamonds glinting in the light of the flickering flame as the sun slowly sank below the horizon.

Percy held her hand in his left as he slowly slipped the diamond band onto her finger. The seven diamonds creating a gentle, sparkling curve in the waning light. The band wasn’t a perfect match to his mother’s ring, but would compliment it well enough. While she felt honored that he loved her enough to give her his mother’s ring the rings were mere symbols of their love. The old and new would blend perfectly no matter what, maybe she’d pass them both down one day.

Athena glanced at her hand adorned with the rose gold ring, her smile stretched as she imagined her heirloom teardrop ring sitting in front of it. She once again locked eyes with Percy, her husband, unshed tears shined back at her matching her own.

“By the power vested in me by the kingdom of Cordonia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May this blessed union be sealed with a kiss!”

She tenderly cupped his bearded cheek the world around them melted away. The man who really saw her now finally hers in every sense of the word, and she was his.

Her head tilted up, her lips meeting his in a soft, love-filled kiss that echoed every word they spoke to each other and every unspoken word held in their hearts. They pulled apart, her hand slipping into his as the sounds of cheering filtered into her reverie from their guests mixing with the roar of the waves meeting the shore.

They made their way down the aisle in the sand, Chance happily trotting behind them. It was impossible to miss the one solemn face amongst the happy crowd of friends and loved ones. She felt a small twinge at the pain etched in his face. She looked up at Percy, unwilling to allow her happiness to be dampened. One glimpse of Percy’s smiling face and all pain instantly melted away; she was exactly where she belonged.

--

Athena’s eyes crinkled as she beamed at the photographer taking pictures of her and Percy in multiple poses; Chance sat firmly at their feet.

The photographer looked down at his digital screen. “Could we get a few shots without the dog?”

Athena laughed. “You’d have better luck rubbing sandpaper on a tiger's ass than getting Chance to leave Percy’s side willingly.” She instantly thought of the first night they’d spent together. They’d fallen asleep talking as they waited for Chance to fall asleep. Percy’s patience and understanding when dealing with the corgi was merely one of a million reasons he captured her heart.

The photographer sighed. “Okay, then. Can we have the groomsmen and bridesmaids?”

Athena’s eyes grew wide and her smile dropped a bit as Maxwell came towards them with the grey top hat he promised he’d only wear during the reception settled on his head. “Maxwell! Top hat!”

Maxwell looked at her sheepishly as he pulled the top hat off. He slowly moved to place it on a chair. “Can’t I just take one picture with it?” He looked at her with puppy dog eyes. “Please little blossom?”

Athena let out a sigh. “One picture …”

“Yay—”

“At the end.”

Maxwell made a show of slumping his shoulders in defeat as he laid the hat on the seat. “Okay fine,” he agreed as he joined the group, a smile once again present on his face.

The photographer snapped away, pictures of the entire wedding party, the groomsmen with the bridesmaids, groomsmen, bridesmaids, a few of just Athena staring off at the water. With the last of the natural light waning, he called the maid of honor and best man forward.

Alex smirked as he slipped his arm around Bailey. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Red.”

Bailey forcibly rolled her eyes. “I’m not the only redhead here, you know.”

“Only one I’m interested in, besides she looks a little … preoccupied.” He replied, his eyes falling on Olivia, who was thoroughly engrossed with her phone.

“I already told you I’m seeing someone.”

“Are they here? Would love to meet the lucky guy or gal that caught your eye.”

Bailey swallowed. How was she supposed to answer that? They were both there, but not with her. Drake couldn’t date her publicly and, since the trip to Applewood, Liam had taken her out less and less. She hadn’t been to a public event with him since the Homecoming Ball.

She understood -- or that’s what she kept telling him. Maybe it was herself she was telling. He had just made a public admission of his love for her cousin, who was now married to another man. Liam had to tread carefully for all three of them. A relationship held within palace walls was becoming tiresome, but she still cared deeply for both. She could endure.

She gave a soft, hopefully not too forced smile. “No, he couldn’t make it.” The lie twisted in her gut, but she couldn’t tell him the truth.

Alex hummed in response and she noticed his hold on her waist loosened. “His loss.”

She just nodded, fearful she might backtrack and admit the truth.

“Just one dance.”

She looked up at him in surprise.

“A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t have to stand by on the sidelines just because her boyfriend was too busy.”

The words felt like a gut punch. He wasn’t too busy, they just weren’t official. Was that the word? He told her every day he loved her -- they both did -- yet they all came to the wedding as ‘singles’.

Maybe she could dance with Liam, but she knew they’d both feel guilty about Drake the entire time. Drake didn’t dance, or maybe he did since college, but even so their minds would remain elsewhere.

Her other options were Leo, who seemed to be having an argument with his wife on the phone, and Maxwell. Maxwell was sweet, but she knew she’d never be able to keep up with him on the dance floor.

Her sage green eyes met his olive green. She gulped, the look in his eyes could nearly rival the one Perceval had when he looked at Athena. “Okay, one dance.”

--

Percy led Athena to the portable dance floor that was laid out on the soft sand as the opening notes began to play.

At last

My love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song

They gracefully glided around the floor in perfect step. Her caramel eyes sparkled with love as she looked up at him. “This is all like a dream. To think that you talking to me that night would save me.” She shook her head. “Thank you for really seeing me.”

“I should be thanking you. You saved me.” He twirled her out pulling her closer once she returned to his arms.

Oh yeah yeah

At last

The skies above are blue

My heart was wrapped up in clover

The night I looked at you

She looked up at him with questioning eyes. “How did I save you?”

“I was a bachelor partly by choice. Most of the women I dated had a different idea of what it meant to be noble. It was all status to them. You were like coming up for fresh air. By the time I met you, I’d resolved to never getting married. You get me in ways that no one else did. It’s like I was drowning and you saved me.”

I found a dream, that I could speak to

A dream that I can call my own

I found a thrill to press my cheek to

A thrill that I have never known

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Why don’t we just say we saved each other?”

He smiled. “I like that.”

He playfully dipped her, both laughing and smiling as he pulled her back into his arms. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She tilted her head up, giving him a tender kiss.

Oh yeah yeah

You smiled, you smiled

Oh and then the spell was cast

And here we are in heaven

For you are mine ...

At Last

Athena blushed as they pulled apart as she suddenly remembered all eyes were on them.

--

The sound of silverware clinking against crystal filtered through the air, drowning out the soft sound of the waves kissing the shoreline a few yards down the sand. Athena’s cheeks tinged pink as she looked to her husband, her stomach flipped at the thought. A year ago she would have never thought she would be across the ocean and married to a man who made her feel like she was walking on air.

As much as she loved kissing him, doing so on command felt strange. She smiled as Percy tucked a stray curl behind her ear. He rested his palm on her cheek as he leaned down, planting a chaste kiss on her lips.

“I love you,” he whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes staring into hers.

“I love you too.” Her fingertips brushed across his bearded cheek. “Everyone is watching.”

“Let them.” He replied giving her another peck on the lips before reluctantly pulling apart.

“Okay you two lovebirds.” Alex chuckled, sending Percy a wink. “Save it for the wedding night.” He raised his champagne flute. “I’d like to propose a toast.”

Athena bit back a giggle; she was sure Tabitha was fuming somewhere in the crowd at Alex’s impromptu toast.

“I’ve known Perceval for a long time, since the day I met him back in boarding school he has always been the kind of guy you could count on. He was always down to Earth and hated the title he was born to, even if it got us both out of trouble with the dean.

The one quality he always said he wanted in the person whom he married was someone who could see past all the etiquette and titles and see who he really is. You don’t need to spend much time with Perceval and Athena to see that she does in fact see him for who he is, regardless of title.

Athena, I have spent more than half of my life being friends with Perceval, and I have never seen him as happy as he is with you. I wish you both a long and happy union full of love and joy. To the bride and groom.”

Athena lifted her champagne flute as the sentiments were echoed across the sand.

“I guess it’s me.” Bailey giggled as she stood, brushing down her knee length skirt. She turned to face the newlywed couple, smiling at her cousin with tears in her eyes.

“Athena, you are my cousin and best friend; more than that, you are my sister. You have always been happy, but, when Uncle Nick and Aunt Pat died, I noticed your eyes didn’t shine as brightly until you met Perceval.

Perceval, you are the kind of man I always pictured Athena marrying; you are kind and caring and you love my cousin completely. I know that with you by her side that her smile will never falter.

While Uncle Nick and Aunt Pat can’t be here today I know in my heart that they would be proud of the woman you’ve become and welcome Perceval to our family with open arms.

So welcome Perceval. I wish you and Athena all the love and happiness in the world. To a long and blessed union.”

Damnit Bailey. I told you not to make me cry. Athena thought blinking back tears welling at her cousin's words. She took a second small sip of the dry champagne before setting the flute back onto the table.

“You okay?”

She looked to Percy as his hand covered hers. “I’m fine, you worry too much.”

--

Athena looked up as Tabitha tapped her shoulder. “It’s time for the cake cutting.” Tabitha said, smiling sweetly.

Athena looked back at her barely touched meal. Between speaking with guests and the million excited butterflies swarming in her stomach, she’d barely been able to enjoy the menu Percy had planned. She turned back to Tabitha, taking Percy’s outstretched hand. “Okay.” I’ll just eat later when things calm down a bit.

Athena and Percy stood in front of their three tier buttercream frosted cake. The adorning fresh roses almost seemed to sparkle under the twinkling fairy lights. She glanced up at him as the cake knife glided through the cake.

Everything still felt so surreal; the entire day was like she was floating on a cloud. All the tears she spilled during the planning of their wedding no longer mattered. Their day was here, and it was everything she dreamed of.

She picked up a bite of cake turning to Percy, her husband. Her cheeks hurt from grinning so widely all day. She held the sweet confection to his lips.

“Smash it in his face!”

She shook her head at Alex’s request.

Nothing could dampen this day. It was utterly perfect; they were finally husband and wife. Even if the heavens opened up and rained down on them she knew she would still look up at him with a smile on her face and love in her heart, laughing at the surprise shower.

She carefully took the delicate bite from his fingers, her eyes closing as the flavors exploded on her tongue. It was as delicious as the day she’d picked it.

“You have a little cake right here.” He said pointing to the corner of her lip.

“Can you get it for me?”

She gently sighed as his arms slipped around her waist and kissed her.

Her heart soared as she envisioned their life together. Their home would be filled with so much joy and laughter.

“Could today get anymore perfect?”

“I have a few ideas …”

“Oh?”

He nodded, his eyes sparkling brightly.

“I’m listening …”

--

Bailey’s arms hung loosely around Alex’s neck as they swayed on the dance floor. She should have known that Alex would pick a slow song, he didn’t believe she was really dating someone and it wasn’t like she could confess the truth.

The truth. What was the truth? She was with Liam and Drake, or that’s what they said in private. Outside the palace she couldn’t hold hands or kiss either one of them. Liam had taken to avoiding the topic of him dating and his search for a queen, instead pushing reporters to the coming nuptials of Duke Perceval and Athena.

Bailey hadn't missed the way his jaw tensed every time he brought up the wedding, yet he did it time and time again. She couldn’t help but wonder what he would use as a buffer now that the wedding was over. Would he ever introduce her as his girlfriend and potential queen? She glanced up at Alex. Is that what she still wanted?

All this time, had she been subconsciously pulling away from them? Why else hadn’t she voiced her concerns to Liam and Drake?

Bailey quickly looked away, trying to force the unbidden thoughts away. She loved Drake and Liam, she was just being stupid. She shouldn’t be questioning their feelings for her; they loved her too, right?

She sucked in a breath as she met Liam’s eye. She couldn’t miss the hurt etched on his face even from so far away. Her stomach knotted because she didn’t want to hurt either one of them; she just didn’t like being hidden.

How the hell had Drake handled it for so many damn years? No wonder Athena fell for Perceval. He was available and showered her with affection no matter where they were. He always made her feel loved and cherished . She wanted that, not to be a secret in the night.

She shifted her arms, unconsciously moving closer to Alex. Her heart hammered in her chest as he tightened his hold on her hips. She knew she should pull away, tell him to put more space between them.

Instead, her body leaned in closer, the heat of his body soaking into hers. What was she doing? Tell him it was a mistake, step back.

She tilted her head up, her lips slightly parted to speak. Her head felt cloudy and she lost the ability to speak or even breathe as he leaned down. She needed to step back, push him away, something, anything to stop him but she couldn’t. It was as if her body was frozen, but not in fear. Did she actually want this? Did she want to kiss him? She couldn't want this, she shouldn’t be letting him get so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips.

Turn your head!! Stop this. Time seemed to slow. Or was he just giving her a chance to stop him?

Why wasn’t she stopping him?

Her breath hitched as his lips inched closer to hers. What was she doing? She was taken -- she already gave her heart away. Push him away, this is your last chance!

His lips were soft and warm as they met hers, and her arms instinctively pulled him closer. It was as though her brain short circuited as all thoughts of telling him this was a mistake ceased. All thoughts left her mind, leaving only the way his palms went flat on her back as he pulled her closer.

Her body was flush to his as they stood still in the center of the temporary dance floor. When had they stopped dancing?

She gasped as his lips pressed harder to hers, their lips moving together in tandem. Her body tingled, every nerve ending alive. What was even happening?

She pressed herself closer to him, acting purely on instinct. His grasp tightened and his tongue swiped against her lip. God, what was she doing? Did she want this more than she thought?

She pulled back, leaving them both stunned. “I … I …” she stuttered stepping backward. Tears stung at her eyes. She wanted it, but she shouldn’t. “I’m sorry.”

His hands fell to his sides as he watched her retreat with wide eyes. “It —”

She shook her head, “I shouldn’t have,” she said as she turned and ran towards the crashing waves.

Alex stood stunned. He could still feel her lips against his. She kissed me back. He wasn’t even sure why he leaned in in the first place. He had every intention of respecting her, it was just a dance between friends. He hadn’t expected her to move closer to him; he hadn't planned on kissing her. It was as if they were drawn to each other much like a moth to a flame.

The moment he leaned in he had been sure she would push him away but she didn’t. Did she want it too? He was pulled from his thoughts as a firm hand gripped his shoulder. He looked up into whiskey colored eyes that flickered as though they were on fire.

“What the hell -- she told you she had a boyfriend and to back off!” Drake growled through gritted teeth. Anger coursed through him and it took everything in him to not deck the piece of shit in the face.

Alex shook the shock from his face. “Maybe instead of getting in my face you should be more concerned with the reason a guy would claim to be too busy to escort someone as great as her to her own cousin’s wedding.”

“She said that?” Drake felt like he’d been hit by a Mack truck. Is that how she feels? Confusion filled his mind. Things had been complicated from the beginning but he thought they were all as happy as they could be given that they remained hidden. Sure, it was hard to pretend she was only a friend, but it’s what they needed to do.

“Yeah,” Alex gave him a cocky grin, “maybe instead of being pissed at me you should go tell off the piece of shit that made her go stag.”

Drake saw red; this asshole had no fucking room to talk. He continuously made unwanted advances towards Bailey and now he wanted to make him and Liam out to be the bad guys?

The pulsing pounding of the blood rushing in his ears was all he could hear as he clenched his fist.

He pulled his fist back, intent on showing Alex what happened when he walked around like a smug arrogant bastard who could have whomever he wanted.

He stepped forward, the anger leaving him as his fist collided with Alex’s jaw.

“Drake! What the hell?!”

Drake shook his head as Liam’s surprised shout reached his ears. “This piece of shit kissed Bailey.”

“What do you care? It’s not like you’re her boyfriend.” Alex's eyes sparkled as he made the simple connection. “I mean, how messed up would that be? Dating her but no one knows.”

Drake stared slack jawed. Did this fucker figure it out? Would this cocky bastard expose them all?

“Besides, it’s not like she didn’t kiss me back.”

Drake and Liam shared a stunned look as both men felt their stomachs sink.

“She what?” Liam questioned trying to make sense of what was unfolding. He’d been surprised when he saw Bailey dancing with Alex, so to hear he kissed her and she returned it had him reeling.

“She kissed me back. Guess that boyfriend of hers can’t keep her satisfied, which is not surprising since he couldn’t be bothered to join her for her cousin’s wedding.”

“Do you want me to hit you again?”

“Sure, maybe it’ll actually hurt this time.”

Drake drew his arm back ready to land another blow, intent of wiping the smirk from Alex’s smug face.

“Drake, stop!”

Bailey’s voice froze him in place.

“What are you doing?” Her heart pounded in her chest. She’d gone to the shore to clear her mind only to be pulled from her mixed up thoughts by the sounds of shouting.

She pulled away because she was scared. Scared of how much she wanted it and how far she’d let it go. Scared of what her jumbled feelings meant for her Drake and Liam. Did they even have a chance anymore? Did they ever truly have a chance when they had to remain hidden?

Drake turned, the hurt in his eyes enough to punch all the air from her lungs. “You kissed him back?”

Shit! She needed to talk to them, to explain all she was feeling, the hurt of being hidden and the confusion that led to her kissing back Alex. That’s gonna be an awkward conversation. As much as she knew they needed to speak, she knew it couldn’t be there with everyone watching. Double shit! The realization that one bad decision had derailed Athena’s wedding weighing heavy on her shoulders.

Thena is gonna be so pissed! Her eyes scanned the guests looking for her cousin. “Where is Thena?”

“Athena and Perceval ducked out before shit hit the fan.”

--

Percy and Athena stumbled into their room locked in a heated kiss. She wildly clawed at his jacket, pulling the garment down his arms, the linen fabric landing in a heap before the door clicked close.

Since the moment she said ‘I do,’ she felt an intense pull to be claimed by him. Every cell in her body screamed for him to show her, tell her, make her his.

Her fingers threaded in his obsidian locks and she let out a breathy sigh, her head tilting back as he trailed kisses along the slender slope of her neck.

She stumbled backwards, her hands fell to his chest, her fingers frantically undoing his buttons. She was desperate with need. She needed to feel every inch of him pressed against her.

She moaned, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as he peppered kisses across her collarbone and down her chest.

Desire prickled across her skin. “Percy,” she gasped, “I need you ...”

He looked up, the hunger in his eyes mirroring her own nearly taking her breath away. “The bed …”

She shook her head. “Too far.” The few steps to the bed felt like miles; if she waited any longer her desire would surely consume her alive. “Need you now.” Her hands dropped to his belt, fingers nimbly working it free.

He let out a feral growl, his hand gliding over the curve of her hip. His fingers caught the smooth fabric, hiking it over her hipbone as he spun her. Her back pressed into the wall as she shoved his pants down his thighs, his hardened length springing free.

She never felt such overwhelming desire before. She was positive she wouldn’t survive if she waited much longer.

To be skin to skin, his body against hers. Every movement took too long. Each second moving forward at a tortuously slow pace.

His hand ghosted her hip as he gripped the back of her thighs lifting her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, breath catching in her throat as he rubbed against her clothed core.

Please.

Her hands rested on his shoulders as he bunched her dress around her waist. She whimpered as he pushed her white lace thong to the side.

So close, yet still so far. Each passing second only made her desire grow. How much longer could she wait?

Her head fell back with a gasped yes as he slowly inched into her.

She finally felt complete, giving herself over to him entirely.

She clutched to his back as he thrust into her. Her walls squeezing around his length.

Her fingers curved into his back. It felt so good. Did it always feel this good? Was it possible they somehow were more connected?

Her mind swirled, overwhelmed by feelings. Every stroke broughther closer to the edge.

Her back arched and legs shook as she came with a soundless scream, her pulsing walls bringing him to completion.

He brushed her hair back as she looked at him with a dazed expression. “I love you.”

She smiled dreamily. “Love you too.”

He slowly lowered her to her feet, his arms holding her steady. His lips brushed across her sweaty hairline as he kissed her forehead. “Better?”

She nodded, “yes … bath and then round two.”

“Or … round two in the bath.”

“I like the way you think.”

Feedback fuels me, feel free to scream I can take it.

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#athena x percy #perceval hunter #athena morgan #trr au #the royal romance au #the royal romance #prince leo #at last #at last: following her heart #at last: following her heart wedding #following her heart wedding #following her heart #fhh #wedding fluff #fluff #ns*w #lemon #long post #read more #choicesmaychallenge

[luxurylives]

@choicesmaychallenge - Day One: Hope

Thank you @dejavidetc for this amazing drawing of Reed 🤗

#choicesmaychallenge #choices fanart #bachelorette party #choices bachelorette party

[missameliep]

Second Chances: Chapter Fifteen - The Proposal (Part 2)

Book: Desire and Decorum – Modern AU

Notes: * English is not my first language. * All characters belong to Pixelberry. * I want to thank @princess-geek for being my beta on this chapter and @noesapphic​​ for her advice. Thank you, sweeties! 💚

This is my submission to Choices May Challenge - Day 18: Mistake. @choicesmaychallenge​ and @kinda-iconic

Word count: ~2.600

Tagging: @frugalchoicer​​​ @fairydustandsarcasm​​ @itsbrindleybinch​​ @dianalend​​ @lorirwritesfanfic​​ @princess-geek @tinypenguincheesemachine​​ @marlcasters​​ @i-put-the-sin-in-sinclaire​​ @desireepow-1986​​ @annie-napier​​​ @choicesyouplayandmore​​​

If you want to be added or removed of the tag list, just let me know.

“Thank you for bringing the subject up, Ernest. I wanted to ask Eliza about university on our ride, but our conversation got diverted by other pressing matters...” Lord Vincent smiled at the young man, before his gaze returned to his daughter’s unsmiling face, “How are you enjoying university so far, darling?”

This is definitely not the way I pictured this conversation would ever happen. Not in a public place, and definitely not in front of Sinclaire, of all people.

“Uni is… good,” she replied, and her fingers encircled the stem of the glass of white wine, which was refilled several minutes before but left untouched.

“I expected you to be more excited, darling,” Lord Vincent said, a small crease between his brows, “Especially after our conversation.”

Taken by a sudden interest on the content of the bowed glass, Elizabeth averted her father’s gaze. Why did Sinclaire even ask that? It this a tricky question? Will I say something and he’ll be like ‘Oh! Are you positive? That is not what Felicity told me...’

Slowly gulping half the content of the glass, she bid her time.

Don’t be paranoid. Breath.

The burning sensation that invaded her stomach warmed its way up to her cheeks and maybe would fill her tongue with words. Just say anything before it gets even more awkward.

“I… I’m adjusting dad,” she forced a half smile and stole a sideways glance at Hamid, praying he could find a way to interrupt this conversation. Eyes flicking from her father to Ernest Sinclaire, and measuring her words, she explained about the different methodology and the formal ambiance she must get used to, for a lack of better words to convey trying to survive a hostile environment.

“Maybe you could provide Elizabeth some advice, Ernest. I’m certain you could help – Excuse me.” Lord Vincent took his mobile out of his pocket and with a frown stared at the screen for a moment. “Sorry. I must take this.”

Elizabeth glanced at him rising to his feet and distancing from the table, and Hamid caught her eye, flashing a knowing smile.

“If you need any help,” Ernest started and she looked back at him, “I could offer you some advice, or help you with essays. I keep copies of mine.”

Her eyes rounded with surprise, and she replied with a small smile, “Thank you. I might hold you to that offer.”

Hamid gulped the remaining of the coke, studying Sinclaire’s face while he and Elizabeth talked about her professors, and the man offered pointers on how to deal with them.

“In Brazil, I was considered super formal… too British, my friends said,” she mused. “But since I’m here… well, I feel too Brazilian! How awkward is that?”

“It’s perfectly normal,” Hamid reassured her, alluding to his own experience. The small crease between her brows disappeared while he told her time would help make things easier.

“I sure hope you’re right,” she said softly, chin resting on her palm. “I don’t have your charms to transform my social awkwardness in something cute.” Hamid chuckled, and she continued, “The other day, I touched Professor Burke on the arm. He almost jumped out of his skin! I was so embarrassed! I almost took off running!”

“As I said, he’s an excellent professor, but very strict.” The corner of Ernest’s lips curled up, and he advised, “You should work on that. Most people do not appreciate being touched. Specially by a stranger.”

“Just for the record,” Hamid said facing Elizabeth, his most alluring smile playing on his lips, “what he says is true when it comes to the Englishmen. I for instance don't mind being touched. At all. In public, anything from the waist up is acceptable.” He winked at her, making her cheeks inflame and her foot to kick his ankle. He flinched but kept smiling and his eyes flicked to the other man, who shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

Politely, Ernest excused himself and Elizabeth’s eyes followed him walking away, mobile in hand. “Do you think he actually received a call or it’s just an excuse to escape the company?”

“Why would he want to escape such a delightful pair as ourselves?” Hamid feigned shock and his words were followed by a knowing look from Elizabeth. “Oh, you mean me?” The man chuckled.

“Why have you decided to torture me today?”

“Look who’s talking! That kick hurt,” he objected and she glared. “I was just helping you out. And it’s not my fault if you and Sinclaire are too fun to tease.”

She shook her head slowly and drank the wine.

“You’re mean, dude.”

“Hey! You’re the mean one,” he retorted, with a grin. “The poor guy came here expecting a date with a gorgeous woman and look what he got himself into! Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Absolutely not,” she said, unable to stifle a giggle. “But my grandmother probably will not be as pleased if she finds out…”

A waiter approached them and asked about the desserts and Elizabeth requested them to be served once their companions return to the table.

“I hope they come back soon. I want my dessert. And yours,” Elizabeth said with a pout, drawing a smile from her friend, whose eyes moved from her face to scan their surroundings. With the passing of time, many tables emptied. The large room was getting quieter, and less waiters moved back and forth carrying trays. No indications of their companions return and no eyes upon them.

Taking advantage of the fortuitous occurrence, placing his arm on the back of her chair, Hamid leaned closer and asked into her ear, “Do you want go back to my flat and hang out some more?”

Her face swivelled just enough to catch the sight of his beautiful brown eyes, then at the smile dimpling his cheeks. Don’t forget where you are!

She drew in a deep breath and her eyes lowered to the table. “We’re together since this morning, aren’t you tired of me?”

“I don’t think that’s even possible!”

“Hmmm… I’m a little tired of you,” she teased, still averting his eyes.

“Cruel lady!” he exclaimed, clutching his chest, “You wound me!”

The mocking hurt on his face soon faded and his characteristic wide grin replaced it. For an instant, she considered how cute his silliness was and the way these small things could make her smile.

Reminding him of her previous commitment to Briar, she declined the invitation, even though it was hard being responsible whenever his gaze meets her like this, with this kind of intensity.

“Are you sure?”

Breaking eye contact, she nodded. “I must go home, and you, sir, must tidy your place and write your dissertation. I know you’re behind the schedule…”

“You could help me,” he suggested with a sweet tone, “I’ll let you organize my notes and pet my cat.”

“Tempting. But I can’t read your notes. Even when they’re in English. Your handwriting is undecipherable, dude.”

“You could just sit there and be my muse.”

“Stop dallying, dude!” Her index finger poked his chest twice, before Hamid grabbed her hand and pulled it to his open mouth, threatening to bite it. Her free hand covered her mouth just in time to muffle a low squeal. Smiling, the man kissed the tip of her finger and inched closer. Impossible to ignore the closeness and the impropriety of their behaviour, but she didn’t ask him to stop. His hand enveloped hers, and her heartbeat accelerated. If he insisted, she was not sure if she would still say no.

Tapping of shoes grew closer, and instead of the waiter, this time, Earl Vincent and Ernest Sinclaire approached the table. The younger man’s face flushed at the sight of the couple’s closeness and his hand hung in the air with hesitation, before touching the back of the chair to reoccupy his seat.

Hastily Elizabeth pulled her hand back and Hamid’s arm slowly retreated, leaving the back of her chair. Lord Vincent’s grave voice drew their attention, while he told being summoned to an urgent meeting; therefore, he couldn’t stay for dessert. Since he’d have to leave immediately, he had asked Sinclaire to drive Elizabeth home.

“We shouldn’t trouble, Mr. Sinclaire, dad,” she said softly, “I can take a cab.”

“It won’t be an inconvenience,” Ernest Sinclaire replied and explained he was going home as well. “Unless you’d prefer a different arrangement,” the man said politely, casting a subtle glance at Hamid.

Sharing a quick look with Hamid, she finally acquiesced and with the matter settled, the Earl of Edgewater kissed his daughter’s forehead and bid farewell.

**********

Elizabeth and Hamid walked side by side. Her hands crossed in front of her chest, his enlaced on his back. Between them the safe distance they’re used to. Sinclaire trailed behind. The trio stopped next to the lift’s doors and the woman casted a look at the lawyer, eyes fixed at his phone.

Without people speaking about marriage and babies, maybe I could ask Sinclaire about the volunteering.

The doors opened with a ring, and the trio walked inside. Ernest’s blue eyes fixed on the flashing numbers beside him, and Elizabeth leaned closer to Hamid.

“There were paparazzi outside…” she said in a lower conspiratorial tone. Stirring more gossip about them is what she desires the least. “I don’t want to give your mother an ulcer, so…”

“You’re very considerate,” Hamid said, a hand on her back, guiding her out of the lift. “Won’t you mind being photographed with Sinclaire?”

Suddenly, she halted, and her hair whipped his shoulder. There wasn’t jealousy on his tone or expression while he waited for her answer. Elizabeth’s mouth opened and closed, no words leaving her tongue; she hasn’t considered this possibility and didn’t know what to respond. Why would they photograph us? It’s obvious we’re not a couple! But they could print it anyways… and start a rumour.

Before she could reply or Hamid could say anything else, Ernest’s low voice cut the air between them and he excused himself in order to make sure the car was already outside. A thoughtful gesture, she considered, that he would worry about her lingering at the pavement, even though she didn’t ask him that or tell him about the paparazzi.

Two men exited another lift and moved toward the doors, and Elizabeth took a few steps, casting Hamid a look over her shoulder. The man followed her to a more secluded spot, away from the exit doors.

“Have a safe flight tomorrow,” she said softly when he stepped closer. Her tongue would never utter this, but she already misses him, even though he was right there in front of her.

Hamid thanked her and they exchanged two air kisses. His hand lingered on her waist, keeping her next to him, and her arms pulled him in for a quick hug. Elizabeth’s throat felt tight, and she took a deep breath. Why am I like this? she ponders, releasing him from her embrace, I’ll see him in a few days.  

They said their goodbyes, and over her shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Hamid watching her leave with Sinclaire. His lips curled into an unconvincing imitation of his smile.

**********

The black SUV’s door closed, and Elizabeth sunk in the caramel leather seat. Her green eyes fixed at the clutch on her lap, avoiding looking outside.

Silently, Ernest’s eyes focused on the street ahead, and the ramble of the engine was muffled by the classical music that started playing one of Chopin’s Nocturnes.

Once they turned around the corner, Elizabeth’s eyes roamed freely. They quickly studied the interior of the luxury car, then stole a sideway glance at the driver: a serious expression, blue eyes focused on the traffic ahead and lips pursed into a thin line.

The numbers changed on the dashboard’s clock once more and the instrumental melody remained as the only sound.

Ernest Sinclaire is not a man to indulge himself with chit-chat, and Elizabeth is not the talkative type either. Even though he was friendly before, they certainly aren’t friends; thus, there’s a limited number of topics she’d feel comfortable to speak with him, and mostly were already object of conversation during lunch. Would it sound rude if I just asked him about the volunteering?

When she caught him stealing another sideways glance at her, she shifted on her seat and wondered if he was struggling to find for something to say as well.

“Are you all right?” he asked, meeting her gaze.

“Yeah, I am. Thanks for asking,” she lied through her teeth, flashing one polite small smile. Her eyes fixed at her hands resting on her lap, pondering if tabloids will start spreading rumours about them. “I’m sorry. I guess this wasn’t a good idea…”

“Driving you home? Because they took pictures of us?” he asked, and she confirmed. “You should not mind that, or you will give up the control of your life.”

Her fingers tucked some curls behind her ears, and she pondered over his words, which reminded her of her father’s advice earlier. “I don’t know how to do that…” she muttered under her breath.

“I actually am thankful you accepted riding with me. I was hoping to have a moment alone with you, so we could talk.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened and she struggled to not let her mouth hanging open. Oh, no!

Her hand curled around the strap of the seatbelt while he continued speaking about his conversation with her father this morning.

Why is this strap so tight around my neck? she wondered and pulled it away from her neck, just to have the strap return to the same position a second later. Why is this stupid thing… Pulling the strap again, it retreated with a snapping sound this time, and Ernest stopped talking and his eyes darted to her.

Slowly, the car came to a stop at the red traffic light, and he swivelled and pointed to a spot over her shoulder. “You can adjust the height over there.”

Mouthing a quiet thank you, she turned around and did as he said. Great! Now he thinks I’m an idiot!

Ernest resumed driving and once the noise from Elizabeth twitching with the seatbelt stopped, he asked without looking at her, “How long did you work at the Public Defender’s office?”

“About a year.”

“How did you like the work?”

“I loved it,” she said, and the corners of her mouth pulled up, just reminiscing about the experience. “It was really great, I learned a great deal, which made it so hard when I had to quit…” she trailed off and looked outside.

After a silent moment, he asked the reasons why she left, and without giving him the details, she mentioned the decline of her mother’s health a year ago made it too hard to handle her care, uni and the internship.

“Sorry,” he said, and his jaw clenched. “Sorry about your mother. I didn’t mean to pry –”

“It’s alright,” she cut him off.

Another turn, and the car was slowly approaching her father’s house, and she was thankful they both would be free from the awkwardness.

“I have a proposal for you,” the man blurted out, eyes gazing at her, and she flinched. “Would you be interested on hearing about a work opportunity?”

“Work?” she echoed, and her lips rounded with realization, “Oh! That’s what you wanted to talk about!” 

His brows knitted in confusion at her words, and he questioned, unconcealed surprise on his tone, “What did you think I wanted to talk about?”

“Oh! I… I…” she stuttered.

Obviously, she wasn’t going to tell him about her mistake, and she blames their grandmother’s recurrent efforts on matchmaking for this. Her fingers raked her hair, and she let it fall, partially covering her burning cheeks. “Sorry... What kind of opportunity...?”

#choicesmaychallenge #desire and decorum #ernest sinclaire #prince hamid #desire and decorum fanfic #playchoices fanfiction #desire and decorum modern au #second chances

[samgtt700]

Memories

@choicesmaychallenge, obviously I’m unoriginal with my title but day 29 prompt. @kinda-iconic.

Tags: @cheeto-choices, @wildsayeed, @made-me-deep-blue, @thequeenofbaddecisions, @iam-the-fuckin-queen, @witchesplayatnight, @jackievarma, @kamilahsayeed-owns-me, @kamilah-sayeed-let-me-love-you, @h-doodles, @playallthechoices, @kamilahforever, @kamilahsayeet2063, @kamilah-the-bloodqueen, @helpconfusedpersonhere, @scarlet-letter-a0114, @nydeiri, @tigerbryn11 (I cant tag you for some reason, I tried but your blog can’t be found), @lifesadance96, @justastranger-passing, @paodequeijofeliz-blog. Let me know if you want to be added!

Kamilah x MC

⚠️ Warning: more fluffy than angsty! ⚠️

Kamilah finished cleaning up after dinner, enjoying having a few days alone with Alice, helping her deal with the loss of her family, she had dealt with losing humans in her life, but for Alice. This was the first time she was dealing with it, and she had helped her as much as a wife could, but knew Alice had her own ways of dealing with it. Drying her hands on the tea towel before folding it neatly and placing it on the kitchen counter. Glancing towards Alice whose back was turned to her. Normally she would talking her ears off whenever they were home alone. Asking about her day despite the fact she was just gardening. Alice would ask random questions but had no idea about half of what she doing. But it was endearing she still tried.

“You okay?”

“My family’s photo album arrived today.” Alice answered. Flipping through pages, sniffling.

Kamilah detected the sadness in her voice, having learnt everything about her wife in the decades of their married life. “I thought they were arriving tomorrow.” She walked over. Grabbing it and opening it up to the first page. Seeing baby pictures. “Is this you?”

“Yeah. That’s baby Alice.” Alice couldn’t help but smile at picture of her giggling in her fathers arms. “I had no idea what I would become.”

“My beautiful wife?” Kamilah small smile appeared every so often, but it was undeniably always in the presence of her wife.

Alice turned to see Kamilah’s smile, “suppose someone had to make an honest woman out of you.”

Kamilah shook her head. “I was surprised your niece didn’t get them.”

“I think my mother wanted me to have them. So I could always look at them.” Alice answered, flipping the page. Seeing a photo of her graduating college. “So I could look back.”

Kamilah gently rubbed Alice’s back, feeling her words became harder, her eyes glistening. “To be able to have photos to remember your family. I envy you. I wish I had a photo of my family, as frustrating as my cousin Cleopatra was. I could show you exactly what they looked like.”

Alice closed her photo album. “Your not upset with me for hav-“

“No.” Kamilah reassured her. “I could never be upset with you for wanting to keep these. They are your family, and what made you the incredible woman I love.”

Alice saw the blank pages at the back with a note, pulling it out and reading it aloud. “Sweetie. Fill these blank pages of your new life. I want our family’s story to have you and your wife. Love mum.” Her tears hitting the note. “Ps. Make sure you smile in your first photo. You have a great smile.” She softly chuckled. Wiping her tears. Kamilah stepping away before coming back with a photo frame.

“I think this should be the first one.”

Alice picked it up. Kamilah and her together in their wedding dresses. Smiles on both their faces, Kamilah’s eyes on Alice. Not even noticing the photographer. “It’s a beautiful photo.”

Kamilah opened the back. Handing Alice the photo. “I’ll let you have the honours.”

Alice placed it in. Smiling through her tears. “I can’t believe my mother wanted me to have these. I just thought she’d give them to my niece.”

“We can give them to her to add photos to. We don’t need to fill all these pages. I find it hard to believe you have enough photos for twenty pages.” Kamilah noted. Kissing Alice’s cheek. “We have plenty of time to make memories. To fill these pages with our happiest moments.”

“True. Our trip to England has been long planned.”

“I’m glad I can take you around the world. Show you everything that defined me.”

“Did you ever go to England?”

“Gaius and me were there to catch the boat to America. It was the new beginning we desired for the vampires.”

“And look what it got you.” Alice pressed her lips to Kamilah’s in a sweet kiss. “Might have taken time to get that new beginning but I don’t think the vampires could be safer.”

“All the fighting, the battles, the wars I fought in to make vampires safe from the humans who hunted us.” Kamilah wrapped her arms around Alice in a loving embrace.

“Turned out we just needed to reveal the truth.” Alice slid her hands up Kamilah’s arms to her shoulders.

Kamilah nuzzled Alice’s neck, inhaling her perfume. “I still can’t believe you picked me sometimes.”

“I think you bewitched me.”

“I can cast spells now?” Kamilah’s muffled voice echoed. A small laugh leaving her throat.

Alice giggled when she felt Kamilah’s lips on her neck. “You know what that does to me.”

“Why do you think I do it?”

Alice rolled her eyes. “I don’t think those memories can go in my families photo album.”

Kamilah pulled back, raising an eyebrow at her wife. “Your not planning on putting our honeymoon photos in this are you?”

“Maybe some.” Alice’s eyes gleamed with mischief.

“You know we were naked for half our honeymoon right?” Kamilah remembered the moment Alice told her when she booked their honeymoon but refused to tell her where. A surprise, one well worth waiting for when they landed in France. Their first night spent at dinner in the Eiffel Tower, before travelling to the countryside where Alice had booked them a few nights at a French chateau. It was beyond gorgeous, and Alice revealed the place was for a sale. Kamilah insisted they buy it so they could enjoy France whenever they wanted.

“You sure?” Alice asked. “It’s beautiful but we wouldn’t be here much.”

“Yes. Imagine being able to visit France and staying here. In our own personal chateau. Where I could worship you like the queen you are.” Kamilah’s lips explored a trail up Alice’s naked back. Not a single scar on her, her skin so smooth, so perfect and it all belonged to her. It belonged to her for eternity. She pressed her lips to Alice’s shoulder before resting her chin on Alice’s shoulder. Seeing her look at the house on her phone. “What are you double checking? My people will look over it and tell me it’s value and I’ll make a good offer.”

“I’m reading the history. I wondered if any other star crossed lovers lived here.” Alice couldn’t help but wonder if there were others who found their way here. If they were star crossed lovers.

“I think you shouldn’t worry about them.” Kamilah closed the app on her phone. “I think you should just worry what we’ll eat for breakfast every morning we’re here.”

Alice turned enough for Kamilah to capture her lips with her own. Nipping at lower lip before feeling her hand trail down her side. Shivering when her nails scraped down her side.

“Wait.” Alice wiggled in Kamilah’s arms. “We haven’t got our photo of the day.”

“Haven’t you taken enough photos?” Kamilah groaned. Pushing off Alice and laying on the bed, the sheets covering her up enough, a hand propping her head up. “You have insisted on that many photos.”

“I need a photo of the landscape before we decide to buy it.”

“Really? It’s a pretty good view from here.” Kamilah glanced outside. The moon shining over the chateaus lake just outside the door.

“I’ve got a better view.” Alice insisted. Kamilah turning back with a smile, Alice capturing the photo. “A much better view. I think the curves of the landscape from here is perfect. You can’t do anymore to make it better.”

Kamilah sighed. “Just let me buy the chateau will you as a honeymoon gift.”

“We can discuss it later.” Alice threw the sheets aside. Pouncing on Kamilah with a flurry of kisses.

“And. We were dressed enough at times for me to take photos.” Alice pushed onto her tippy toes. Meeting Kamilah’s faraway gaze, realising she wasn’t listening, smirking a little. “The divorce was finalised yesterday. I suppose we won’t be able to put us in there. My mother won’t be that disappointed I will have to put another vampire in there. It will just have to be Lily and Adrian. I’m sure they will compete very well.”

“Yes. Yes.” Kamilah nodded. Not really listening until she felt Alice pinch her hard. “Hey!”

“Did you not hear a word I just said?”

“Ah...” Kamilah smiled. “We were talking about our honeymoon?”

“Sure... You just agreed us divorcing was a yes yes.” Alice laughed. Kamilah narrowing her eyes. “Now. Listen please.”

“I can’t enjoy thinking back on our honeymoon?” Kamilah suggested. “Your telling me you don’t think about certain parts.”

“I do. I remember my camera and how many photos I took-”

“Of the landscape. I remember your excuse now. You insisted the curves of the landscape in front of you needed a photo to remember them by so you could look back fondly on our honeymoon.”

“So I don’t catch you looking at those photos every now and then?!” Alice wiggled her eyebrows.

Kamilah softly kissed her, her lips lingering before moving to gently nip her ear. Her voice barely a husky whisper. “I don’t need photos to remember exactly what I did to you.” Her nails scraping down Alice’s back, arching into her with yearning. Feeling her body pressed up against Kamilah’s. Alice biting her lower lip, Kamilah smirking. “So when are we going to buy that chateau?”

“I love you too. But never.”

#kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #choicesmaychallenge #kamilah sayeed x mc #bloodbound #bb kamilah sayeed #choices bb3 #bb mc #bb kamilah #bloodbound Kamilah sayeed #bloodbound Kamilah #mc x kamilah sayeed #bloodbound mc #mc #mc x Kamilah

[krsnlove]

Memories

A/N: This serves as both a prompt request from @alj4890​ and the entry for the @choicesmaychallenge​ for “Escape”. 

Pairing: Bryce x Casey, Ethan x Casey

He steadies himself with two hands placed on either side of the front door. With his head dropped down, he inhales a breath of fresh air through his nose and exhales out his mouth a few times before working up the nerve to knock on the door.

He knew he shouldn’t be here. Anywhere but this particular house, his conscience persisted. He tried. All night in fact. The insomnia he’s suffered the past few days would often lead him on walks through the city.

He was successful at keeping away from her neighborhood those other nights. The same neighborhood which held plenty of memories for him.

The familiar street he would often walk with her at the end of a 12-hour shift. The mailbox placed in the middle of the sidewalk doubling as the finishing line for their first foot race. The lamp post he climbed after their first kiss while serenading her, and her neighbors, with his own rendition of Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl.

The small staircase leading to her home. The cement steps they would sit on through the night and into the early morning when they were granted time off.

The same cement steps where she pulled him up from and into her home.

The same cement steps where she stood on and confessed her need for space from him.

He takes another breath before knocking on the wooden door. He hopes his late-night disruption goes unanswered although a small part of him knew better.

It isn’t long before the sound of the chain lock being removed from the opposite side of the door is heard.

“Casey, I--,” Bryce stops mid-sentence, caught off guard by the figure standing before him.

“Lahela,” Ethan greeted him with an arched brow. “A bit late to be out knocking on doors.”

Bryce flashes him a practiced smile.

“Trouble comes out only after midnight,” he said with a shrug and a forced laugh. The joke falls on deaf ears bringing with it an awkward silence between the two.

“Ethan? Who--,” Casey’s voice is heard behind the door before Bryce sees her, dressed in a white button-up shirt. No doubt belonging to the lanky man standing beside her.

“Oh. Hey Bryce,” she greeted him with an expression of both wonder and confusion.

“Hey Cas’. I know it’s late but you mind if I can talk to you for a bit? It’ll be quick.”

Casey nodded her head before turning to Ethan.

Bryce turned back, allowing the couple some privacy. He closes his eyes for a brief moment, the sound of a whispered conversation going on behind him.

A cool breeze brushes past allowing a moment of tranquility, another added confirmation of the decision he made earlier to transfer to a hospital across the nation.

Leaving without good-byes was his plan but Bryce knew himself. Knowing how he would act in the coming weeks and months after leaving, his thoughts would become relentless.

Here he was, attempting to put whatever he shared with Casey to rest, a sort of mercy he granted himself. 

He studies the cement steps below.

Ironic how these were the same steps he had fallen in love with her only for her to now be standing here with the man she had fallen in love with, he thought with a sad smile.

“What’s up, Lahela?,” Casey’s excited yet, cautious voice brings Bryce out of his thoughts as he turns to face her again. 

“I know I shouldn’t be here at this insane hour,” his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes as he begins, “But I got some exciting news...,”. 

Tagging: @alj4890​ @vickypoochoices​ @kinda-iconic​ @anotherbeingsworld

#bryce x casey #bryce lahela #choices bryce #bryce lahellyeah lol #Ethan x casey #Ethan ramsey #choices ethan #ugh idk where this came from #I don't even play anymore #new monthly goals #choicesmaychallenge

[kinda-iconic]

The One Date You Should Never Forget

This fanfic was written for Day 11 of the Choices May Challenge.

Day 11 prompt: Birthday

Author’s Note: I’ve had this one in the works for a while, though never thought that I would be posting it here, for I didn’t think it was particularly good; but it fits my prompt, so after a bit of editing, I decided I was going to post it anyway!

Summary: It’s Amy’s birthday... but has everybody remembered?

Pairing: Adrian Raines x MC (Amy)

Tagging (if interested): @bloodboundismylife​ @adrianadmirer​ @bbchoices​ @adriansbliss​ @god-save-the-keen​ @choicesfannatalie​ @shelley-parah​ @senator-adrian-raines-wifey​ @lexilooloolovessenatorraines​ @bellaraines​ @clansayeed​

Word Count: 3′400+ (Sorry in advance!)

Amy glances at the monitor, her eyes instinctively drawing to the bottom right corner as she tries to read the time; her shift is coming to an end, but as the minutes tick by, the young mortal can’t help but reflect on the events of the past 24 hours, or rather the lack of. She tries to refocus her attention on the pile of contracts that lay discarded on the desk in front of her, absent-mindedly skimming through its contents before retrieving an orange highlighter from the pencil pot; her eyes drift back to the beginning of the paragraph, re-reading each sentence as if trying to scan the paper for a particular collection of words, but soon finds herself unable to concentrate.

‘You look as bored as I am.’

She turns to the source of voice, a warm smile enveloping her lips as she notices him for the first time; Adrian stands in the doorway, leaning against the lintel as he drinks her in, tilting his head as if to get a better picture; his arms are crossed, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to the folds of his elbows.

‘I thought that I was the only one who is allowed to mope.’

She giggles, her smile widening as he takes a step towards her.

‘I can’t remember that being in my contract…’

‘Oh it is there alright,’ he wraps his arms around her shoulders, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple, ‘somewhere underneath the clause about how it would be inconsiderate of you to look this beautiful during work hours…’

‘I must have missed that,’ she responds with giddiness, leaning into his touch as he nuzzles his face into the crook of her neck, ‘I guess that must be directly under the paragraph that states that I am permitted to date my Boss.’

He chuckles softly, shaking his head in amusement.

‘Then I suggest you read over it again… just to see if there is anything else that you have missed.’ He flashes her a cheeky smile, ‘if I’ve learnt anything during my time as a CEO, it’s that you always read between the lines – and the small print.’

She quirks a brow.

‘Oh really?’

‘Yes,’ he nods in agreement, squeezing her gently, ‘small print can be sneaky.’

‘Like you aren’t yourself,’ she looks up at him with a soft smile, reaching up to touch his cheek, ‘you went straight to flirting… and I didn’t even get a hello.’

He tilts his head slightly, pouting in jest at her words.

‘Well I suppose, being the gentleman that I am,’ he kisses her cheek, ‘that I should remedy that.’ He turns away from her, linking his hands behind his back. She watches him in confusion, a nervous laugh escaping her. When she speaks, her words are soft and gentle, the intonation in her voice rising as she queries his actions.

‘What on earth are you doing?’

‘Starting this interaction again,’ his cheeky grin returns, accompanied by a wink, ‘as promised…’

He ponders back over to her, leaning in to kiss the top of her head; he opens his mouth to speak, but a bashful laugh escapes him.

‘Is this the part where I wish you a good evening?’

She shakes her head in disbelief, her lips curling into a bemused smile.

‘You really are unbelievable…’

‘Oh we knew that already,’ he runs a gentle hand through her hair, letting it rest on her shoulder as he gazes down at the papers in front of her, ‘so, what have you been up to in the past couple of hours?’

She follows his gaze back to the pile, her brows furrowed.

‘Annotating contracts,’ she places the document down, a defeated sigh escaping her, ‘though I don’t seem to be making any headway. This is the tenth one, but I just feel like I haven’t made enough progress tonight.’

‘That makes two of us,’ he hesitates for a moment before continuing, ‘but I’m afraid that it is something we must do, and not a job that we can put off for much longer.’

‘I know; I guess I just wish that there weren’t so many contracts to go through.’

‘There’s usually not this many, I must admit…’ he chuckles softly, retrieving one of the papers from her pile; he holds it at arm’s length, skimming over the details before looking back at her, ‘though I am rather excited to see what may come from our new business partnership.’

‘As am I,’ she taps the paper with the edge of her pen, ‘though just looking at all of these makes my head hurt.’

‘Are you feeling alright?’

‘Yeah,’ she glances down at her hands, nervously adjusting the hem of her skirt as it has begins to ascend slowly up her thigh, ‘I was…I was actually wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight? We’ve been at this for hours and I think we could both do with some time away from the office.’

‘I want nothing more than to spend the evening with you,’ he runs a gentle hand through her hair, ‘but right now it’s...’

‘You don’t want to go tonight.’

‘It’s just… it’s not a good time,’ he sighs defeatedly, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, ‘when all of this is over, and I have confirmation that the trail is going ahead, then you and I will go somewhere; there’ll be no business calls…no deadlines,’ he inclines his head towards her, capturing her lips in a soft kiss. After a blissful moment, Adrian pulls away, his once sorrowful smile replaced with one of contempt. ‘I know it’s not ideal, but if any of that is to happen, then I need to buckle down; you know I can’t mix business with pleasure at the moment-’

‘It’s fine,’ she bites her lip, her cheeks reddening in her embarrassment, ‘we can just go another night.’

He responds with a curt nod, his gaze softening as he quickly notices her disappointment.

‘Thank you for being so understanding,’ he takes her hand, turning it over in his before pressing a tender kiss to her palm, ‘I honestly have no idea what I would do without you.’

She flashes him a sad smile before glancing back at the paperwork, now left begotten on her desk.

‘You would probably get a lot more done than what you are now,’ she tips her head subtly in the direction of the documents, ‘you might have managed to read over a couple more in the time that you’ve spent talking to me.’

‘Mmm that’s true,’ he kisses her hand once more, his lips ghosting her skin as they travel from the pad of her thumb to the inside of her wrist, ‘you seem to be quite the distraction.’

She collects the pile of completed contracts before pushing them against his chest, her voice taking an almost urgent tone.

‘Well, this distraction believes that it’s about time you go back to work, so that she too can continue doing the task that she has been set.’

‘Indeed,’ he sighs in feigned defeat, ‘these contracts won’t read themselves.’

He heads back in the direction of his office, but it is not long before he turns with suddenness, quirking a brow as he studies her questionable demeanor.

‘Was there a particular reason as to why you wanted to go tonight?’ He folds his arms across his chest, regarding her with a mixture of adoration and intrigue, ‘did they update the menu at one of the restaurants?’

She shakes her head, smiling faintly up at him before focusing her attention back on her work.

‘I just fancied a little break, that’s all.’

‘Okay,’ he tips his head in acknowledgment, though he is able to sense the slight irritability in her voice, ‘well make sure that you do take that break, alright? Even if it’s just to sit at your desk and create those little origami frogs that you used to make.’

She nods in haste, her smile appearing a little more genuine.

‘I will.’

He looks at her for a moment before retreating into his office, gently shutting the door behind him. Once she is sure that he has gone, Amy collects the paperwork from her desk, tapping the ends to align the documents, forming a neat pile in her hands. She opens the desk drawer in the hopes of finding room to store the papers, but a small card catches her attention; she reaches down for it, but stops abruptly as her ears pick up on the sound of movement in Adrian’s office. As the sounds begin to dissipate, she finds herself staring down at the card, decorated by images of flowers and cake. She gazes at it momentarily before tucking it away, letting out a despondent sigh as she watches it disappear from her line of sight.

‘Happy Birthday to me, I guess.’

Less than an hour later, Amy finds herself perched on the edge of Adrian’s desk, her legs dangling over the edge as she watches him read over her work, his brow furrowed in concentration.

‘Well?’

He looks up at her, his focused expression dissipating into one of contempt; he smiles, placing the document on his desk.

‘It is really good,’ he lets out a sigh of relief, ‘you did some incredible work; the attention to detail is exquisite,’ he raises a brow, ‘and the colour coordination is a nice touch.’

‘I thought you might like it,’ she runs her hand along her thigh, ‘I like to keep myself organised… and what better way to do so than having a system that, though can be occasionally flawed, has withstood the test of time and continues to impress the Boss.’

He chuckles softly, resting a gentle hand on her back, his fingertips slowly inching under the material of her jumper.

‘You could just make me a cup of coffee and I’d still be impressed by you.’

He shuffles closer, his hand travelling up her back; she gasps at the touch, playfully hitting his arm as she removes herself from beside him.

‘You do realise that your actions are not particularly professional right now, don’t you?’

He shrugs, his eyes glistening with mischief.

‘What you and I do behind closed doors is not exactly considered to be the business of my other employees, Amy…’

‘But we are still in your office!’

‘Yes,’ he smiles brazenly, his fingertips finding the curve of her waist; he pulls her closer, her knees mere inches from his chest, ‘but if my observations are correct, the door is closed.’

She quirks a brow.

‘But is it locked?’

He thinks for a moment, his mind lost in thought; after a minute, he sighs in defeat, removing his hand from underneath her clothing.

‘No, it isn’t.’

‘So… anyone could walk in if you think about it.’

He reaches up to caress her cheek, taking hold of her jaw as he moves closer, inclining his head towards hers; she subconsciously leans into his touch, meeting him halfway before connecting her lips to his. After a few seconds he pulls away, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as it lingers mere inches from her own.

‘Is that what you think? Or what you are hoping for…’

She smirks, capturing his lips once more; the kiss starts off as soft, but it is not long before Adrian deepens it, his fingers clasping onto her hair as he instinctively pulls her closer, moving her legs so that they are on either side of his hips.

‘Mmm…’ she sighs in contempt, ‘maybe a little bit of both.’

He rests his forehead against hers, a hearty laugh escaping him.  

‘One of these days, you are going to get me into trouble,’ he kisses the tip of her nose, ‘you know that, right?’

‘I count on it…Boss.’

The pair begin to get comfortable, but before long, the door to his office flies open, causing Adrian and Amy to break their focus; Lily enters the room, accompanied by a rather puzzled Kamilah. She takes a couple of steps forward before stopping, noticing the intimacy of the couple’s embrace. Her eyes widen at the sight, her mouth slightly agape in surprise.

‘Ah, well I see that this might not be the best time…’

Adrian clears his throat in annoyance, narrowing his brow as he glares at their unexpected visitors.

‘You know it is polite to knock, Lily.’

‘I know, but…’Lily shifts her attention between the pair, who stare back at her, the shock of the intrusion causing Amy’s cheeks to redden; she pulls away from Adrian, removing herself from his grasp, ‘I wanted to surprise Amy, and I thought that… well, knocking wouldn’t have the same affect.’

Adrian frowns in befuddlement.

‘Surprise her?’

She swiftly makes her way out of the room, returning only moments later with an abundance of parcels, wrapped delicately in brown paper. In her other hand, a lone balloon tied around her fingers, the helium taking it higher than originally anticipated.

‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMY!’

Adrian remains silent, focusing his attention on the young vampire as he regards her in shock and disbelief. He turns to look at Amy, his eyes widening as the realization of the date dawns, ‘it’s...it’s your birthday?’  

She nods bashfully, bowing her head as if trying to avert his gaze; she begins to play with the hem of her skirt, her eyes trained on the threading. Adrian takes a step towards her, placing a gentle hand on the curve of her waist. 

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ He reaches up to caress her cheek, running his thumb across her bottom lip, ‘it is nearly over…’

‘You were busy,’ she whispers softly, ‘there was too much to do here; it wasn’t important.’

‘Amy…’

‘Wait a minute…’ Lily chimes in, holding up her hands as if they are helping her to process what is happening before her; she looks between the pair, her voice tinged with shock and befuddlement, ‘are you telling me that Adrian FORGOT your Birthday? And you didn’t think to remind him?’

Amy shakes her head, nervously tugging at the sleeves of her jumper.

‘We had a lot to do today, and I didn’t want to bother him.’

‘You didn’t want to tell your boyfriend that it was your birthday… because he was busy?’

Lily looks at the faces around the room, her brows narrowing in confusion as she focuses her gaze on Adrian; he shuffles uncomfortably on his feet.

‘I honestly can’t believe what I’m hearing.’

‘Don’t try to make him feel any worse than he already does,’ Kamilah interjects, regarding Lily with an icy glare, ‘when you’re a CEO of a billion-dollar company, it’s easy to forget things…’

‘Like your own girlfriend’s birthday?’

Adrian lowers his gaze to the floor, the upset of forgetting evident in his expression; he runs a dejected hand through his hair, his palm resting at the nape of his neck. He exhales slowly, training his eyes on Amy as he focuses his attention on her once more.

‘The new dress that arrived this morning…the invitation to dinner…’ she nods; he lets out a defeated sigh, his voice lowering to a soft whisper, ‘Amy I… I’m so sorry.’

She remains silent for a moment before responding, shrugging halfheartedly.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ her previous excitable smile has disappeared, replaced with a nonchalant frown, ‘it isn’t important.’

She turns her attention back to Lily, her bashful demeanor soon dissipating into one of intrigue and giddiness.

‘Can we just focus on something else? Like maybe how beautifully wrapped these gifts are?’

‘Amy, I…’ he takes another step forward, his hand instinctively reaching for the small of her back, ‘I…I really am sorry.’

‘It really isn’t worth worrying about, Adrian,’ she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, biting her bottom lip, ‘it’s just a day…’

‘But it’s the day you were BORN!’ Lily exclaims, her fingers loosening around the ribbon of the balloon as it floats up to the ceiling, ‘the day you were given to us.’

A bashful smile blesses Amy’s lips as she lowers her gaze to the floor, her cheeks a shade of crimson. ‘Given?’ She hesitates for a moment, a slight chuckle escaping her as she tries to conceal her embarrassment, ‘you’re making me sound like an object that you’ve gained over the years.’

‘Not an object,’ Lily skips over to her, energetically pushing a delicately wrapped parcel into her arms, ‘more like a gift.’

Amy begins to untie the ribbon, its golden threading shimmering in the light as she removes it from the package, fixing it into a bow around her wrist. She looks up at Lily, her words etched into her mind like a nostalgic pop song.

‘That’s so cheesy and you know it.’

‘Oh it is,’ Lily giggles, gesturing to the gift laid out before her, ‘but you know how poetically inclined I can be…’

Amy shakes her head, a soft giggle escaping her. 

‘You’re a goofball!’ 

‘Tell me something I didn’t know,’ she chuckles in excitement, gesturing to the present, ‘now come on, Ames; I’ve been waiting to give you this for ages! I even had to ask Kamilah to stash it away so that I didn’t cave in and move your Birthday forward a few days...’

Amy looks over at him, quirking a brow.

‘That insufferable, huh?’ 

‘She wouldn’t stop talking about it until I agreed,’ Kamilah runs her hand through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck, ‘and I didn’t want to find out what she had planned had I said no.’

‘I-’

‘I apologise for interrupting,’ Adrian takes another step forward, wrapping his arm around Amy’s waist, ‘but would it be possible for me to talk to Amy in private?’

Lily chuckles, clearly oblivious to his meaning.

‘Of course you can! We’re not exactly stopping you.’

He pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.

‘I meant alone… in my office.’

Lily thinks on his words for a moment, clearly befuddled, but it isn’t long before the realization hits.

‘Oh!’ She gestures to the door, ‘you want us…to…’

‘Please.’

Kamilah places a gentle hand on Lily’s arm, carefully leading her out of the room. Adrian waits until they are out of earshot before closing the door behind them, swiftly turning his attention back to Amy.

‘Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?’

‘Because you… you were so busy, and-’

‘That’s not an excuse!’ He runs an agitated hand across his face, his gaze softening as he looks at her, his eyes laden with guilt, ‘I love you, I… I should have remembered.’

‘We all forget things from time to time…’

‘But not your birthday, Amy,’ he shakes his head in disbelief, a humorless laugh escaping him, ‘I would have planned something special; a candle-lit dinner…a trip to that cocktail bar that you’ve always wanted to visit…’ he bows his head, ‘instead I dragged you to my office and handed you dozens of contacts to annotate!’

‘It hasn’t been that bad…’

‘Hasn’t it?’ He looks up at her with suddenness, ‘I forced you to work, I… I told you that I was too busy to accompany you to dinner.’ He sighs, glancing at the present that lay discarded on his desk, ‘were you ever going to tell me? That I had forgotten…’

She shakes her head.

‘I pretty much knew that it had slipped your mind when you didn’t mention it this morning.’

‘And was I the only one? That forgot…’

She responds with a curt not. He exhales sharply, running a disappointed hand through his hair.

‘I am so sorry, Amy,’ he reaches up to caress her cheek, running his thumb across her bottom lip, ‘I will do everything in my power to make it up to you.’

‘You really don’t have to, Adrian. I told you it doesn’t matter.’

‘It does to me,’ he retorts, a rashness to his voice, ‘you mean the world to me, Amy; I cherish you with everything that I am, and I mean it when I say that I will make it up to you.’

She smiles sadly up at him, her fingers tugging at the lapels of his waistcoat; he wraps his arms around her, holding her close to his chest. 

‘Is that a promise?’

‘Yes,’ he rests his forehead against hers, leaning in to kiss the bridge of her nose, ‘it most certainly is.’

#choices: stories you play #playchoices #choices fanfic #choices bb #bloodbound #adrian raines #adrian x mc #choicesmaychallenge #day 11 #prompt #birthday