#i just want to go to an old bookstore with someone with coffee and sit in a niche hidden corner in the dark and just read or listen to music

[sleepy-vix]

i wish i knew someone who liked reading as i do

#i know 2 people who like reading but one of them reads only fantasy YA and the other only reads booktok books :( #i wish i knew someone who liked the classics. thriller. horror. the uncanny. the disturbing. the philosophical and the revolutionary #idk #i just want to go to an old bookstore with someone with coffee and sit in a niche hidden corner in the dark and just read or listen to music #or do nothing but sip our coffee and just... yeah. idk #not in a romantic way #not even in a wholesome platonic way but in a more... grotesque we hate the world and we want to disconnect from reality kinda way #mini rant #me when #/not serious i am just... longing? idk... #sleepy vix

[butwhyduh]

How would Jason Todd react to a reader that is super into the book she’s reading she bumps into him as Jason and then again as red hood and had to save her at the same time

🥺 that’s so flipping cute

Warning: none

Jason looked at the spines of the books on the shelves. He was currently in Gotham’s oldest bookstore that had ancient books that were far too expensive for Jason. He used to walk past the stores and look in the window wishing he could go in. Now that he had a little bit of money, Jason went fairly regularly to buy a book for his collection. Of course Wayne Manor had almost all of these books but these were Jason’s books, not Bruce’s.

He bent down to look at an old book on the bottom shelves. The spine was cracked and yellowed with age. He gently grabbed it and as he stood up, he felt a body run into him. Soft flesh and the hard corner of the book pressed bodily against him. Jason held the book high with one hand and steadied the person with the other.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!” You yelped. You had been reading and walking, a terrible habit. You took a step back to look at the tall fit handsome man in front of you. He was covering his shape in a baggy hoodie and jeans but it’s harder to hide when you run into someone. You flushed instantly.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” he said subconsciously rubbing his collarbone where the hard corner of your book had shoved into him.

“Did I hit you?” You asked. “I feel terrible.”

“I’m fine,” he replied. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I mean I jabbed the heck outta myself with the book but that’s my fault for walking and reading,” you said with a laugh. “Is your book okay?”

“Yeah, all good,” he said looking it over.

“Crime and punishment? Wow. Light reading?” You teased. He nodded while looking down.

“I’ve already read it. I just don’t have my own copy,” Jason said. He thought you were cute but he was a little disoriented. He had planned to look at old books in silence.

“What’s with guys reading depression books?”

“It’s not- okay it is. But I don’t just read depression books. What are you reading?” He quipped and his heart beat a little faster when you grinned up at him while shoving the book behind your back. It was adorable.

“I don’t want to say,” You answered while evading him looking over your shoulder to see.

“You don’t want to say? Is it bad? Bodice ripper or something?” He teased. “Fairy porn?”

“No,” you protested. “Take me out for coffee and I’ll show you.”

“Coffee hu? There’s a place across the street,” Jason answered. “Count it as done. Show the book,” he said with his hand out.

“How do I guarantee that?” You turned sharply to press the book against the shelf when he tried to look behind you.

Jason put his arm high up on the shelf above your head. You could see how tall and handsome he was. “Trust me. I’m taking you out for coffee,” he said seriously. You gulped.

You didn’t have an answer, a quip. All you could think about was the man before you that held your attention like a good book.

He slowly reached behind your back and you could smell his pleasant aftershave as he grabbed the spine of the book.

“The Ethics of Superman: Man or Menace? And you said my book is serious? I didn’t peg you as the type to read this kind of book, I’ll admit,” Jason said. He didn’t want to act like it but if you were obsessed with superheroes, he was disappointed.

“It’s for college. My debate class. I was hoping to read the important part without buying it,” you admitted. He nodded knowingly.

“I get that. Coffee?” He said sitting the books on the table.

“What about your book?” You asked.

“Not the one I want,” he replied while looking at you. Jesus, this man was intense.

You both went to shop across the street and over coffee, talked about books you actually liked. You found out that, yes, Jason did read depression books but also loved Jane Austen books. You laughed at the idea.

“Are you laughing at me?” He asked, pretending to be wounded.

“No, no. It’s not everyday that a big tall strong guy says he likes Pride and Prejudice,” you laughed. He grinned at you.

“Wow judging a book by its cover,” he teased.

“Hey now, I judge all books by their covers. Not just your cover,” you said and he raised an eyebrow. “That did not sound the way I meant it. I mean-“

“I get what you mean,” he replied before taking a drink of his coffee. “One cannot be always laughing at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty.”

“Are you quoting Jane Austen? Keep that up and I’ll be taking you home,” you whipped before taking a drink of your own coffee. Jason choked on his drink. His eyes were wide as he cough.

“Sorry! Sorry,” he said. His cheeks were bright red. You noticed cute freckles across his nose as well as you grinned at him with a giggle.

His phone rang and Jason looked at it with a frown. “It’s work. I have to go. Sorry. Can I have your number? Call you sometime?”

“Sure,” you said before telling him. He sent you a quick wave text. “Call me sometime. Maybe you can quote some Shakespeare or something next time.”

“Next time- sure, yeah,” he said before racing out the door.

A few weeks of texting and calling and even a few meet ups when Jason wasn’t busy with his night job had you quite strung along. You caught yourself grinning at his texts and waiting for his calls. Talking about books with him had your passion for reading at an all time high. When you weren’t thinking of the tall handsome reader, you were reading.

So much so that you always had a book in your hand. Jason had warned you to not walk and read but have you ever really listened to anyone?

Now it wasn’t your fault that an idiot drove a motorbike on the sidewalk as you meandered to the bus stop. Jason wasn’t always watching you but when you left Gotham U late in the evening, he found himself watching and following from the rooftops.

Just as you went to take a step, an arm grabbed you around the waist and you felt yourself swing on a rope. You shrieked as you swung up to a rooftop. You grasped at the red masked man that grabbed you as you looked down to the street level.

“Oh my god!” You gasped before you even turned to look at the man before you. The Red Hood stood tall and imposing as he let go when you were safely on the roof.

“How many times have I told you to look when you’re walking? Don’t read and walk. You were almost ran over by a motorbike,” the vigilante said exasperated. You frowned. The voice was disguised but the tone and word use was familiar.

“Jason?” You asked with sudden clarity. He froze. “You’re- seriously?”

It suddenly made sense. How he was so fit and muscular for a librarian. How he had so many random bits of knowledge. Why he was almost always radio silent at night.

“I don’t know who-“ he started but you were already reaching over to the helmet. “Stop,” he said. He clicked the locks open and making sure no one could see either of you, he removed the helmet.

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” he said slowly with a wary look on his face as he tried to gauge your reaction.

“Okay. Okay,” you repeated. You sat down while avoiding the edge. “Hu. Were you following me?”

“No. I just happened to be there. Sorry about the roof. I know you’re not a big fan of heights,” he said.

“Yeahhh.”

“And I hate to say this but the only way off the roof is to jump,” he added.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Why don’t we go back to my place and I’ll tell you more,” Jason suggested.

“And when you say jump…”

“Grappling hook, swing down to the street or across to another building. I won’t let you fall,” he added. You looked at him and down to the ground before sighing.

“Fuck.”

He put the helmet back on and opened an arm to grab you. You grasped him so tightly that it hurt a little. He walked you to the roof edge and you inhaled quickly before burying your face in his jacket.

“Fuck,” you repeat.

“We’re going to the building across the street, okay? Just breathe,” he said and you nodded without looking. He shot the grappling hook and grabbed you tight before jumping. The feeling of free falling before the rope went taunt pulled a scream from your throat. Suddenly the arch of the swing went a different direction and you shrieked.

“Got you,” he said before swinging up to a different rooftop. It was probably a minute before he could peel you off of him. “We’re here. Come on.”

Jason pulled you to the emergency staircase on the outside of the apartment building. You groaned as you went down a few floors to an apartment. Jason opened the window and you both crawled in.

“I guess I have a long story to tell you,” he grimaced. Over the next few hours he told you everything. After he had exhausted himself with as much info as he felt he needed to say, Jason looked over at you.

“You’re telling me that you’ve had an apartment a few blocks from Gotham U and you never told me?”

Jason laughed, surprised.

“I mean, I’ve been going all the way across town when this place was here. You owe me so many bookstore dates,” you replied.

“Oh yeah, I can do that,” he sagged in relief. You sat in his lap and pulled him into a hug.

“Don’t ever fucking swing me around the city ever again,” you muttered before kissing him. He nodded before letting you push him back on the couch.

#jason todd x reader #batboy x reader #red hood x reader #Jason Todd fluff #red hood fluff

[corrodedcoffins-blog]

History Repeats Itself

masterlist

note: first jess one-shot!!! (and i'm actually proud of it???) also i say their baby is one but i don't know babies to well so if she's too advanced for a one year old, just cut me some slack

warnings: teen pregnancy, food/eating

word count: 4.7 k

♡ summary: Being a teen mom is hard but without any help it's even harder, after saving up enough she can finally move to Stars Hollow to be closer to her baby's father

♡ Jess Mariano x reader

request ✓

The bus ride down was long, and it only got worse as 1-year-old Caroline woke up from her nap and decided to let everyone know of the inconvenience. Finally after the long months of working and saving up she had enough to move to Stars Hollow, unlike Jess who had a parent to send them and an uncle to stay with, she saved up and made it happen. She wanted Caroline to be around her father, and she wanted to be close to Jess.

And Y/n’s always loved the idea of a small town, a place where you felt safe, a place she would feel safe raising her child in, a place that wasn’t $2,500 a month for a closet. Here she could give her daughter a lot more, here she would have a support system in Jess and Luke. Unlike what her parents would give her.

By this point in the bus route it was only the mother and daughter and a couple strays, she saw the messy haired boy sitting on a park bench close to the bus stop, of course he had his nose in a book. She started packing up Caroline’s stuff, tucking her blanket and toys in the basket of the stroller.

When she got to the bus doors, Jess quickly made his way to help her lift the stroller down the steps, when the stroller was once again on the ground Jess squats down getting face to face with his little girl, “Hey, Care!” “Daddy!” He lifted her up by her armpits. When the little girl was out of her seat and in her dad’s arms, her mom stacked their bags on the seat.

“Hi! You’re so big! Really she is. She’s growing up so fast.” “Well she can walk way more stable now. No more scaring, mommy that you’ll fall if I look away for a second.” She says the last sentence in baby voice while she tickles the girl’s belly to make her giggle and their foreheads to rest on each other’s.  

“So you gonna show us around?!” “‘Around’?” They continued their walk around the gazebo area, walking towards Luke’s. 

“This is it, that's the record shop, that’s the bookstore, that's Luke’s, and that’s all you need to know.” “Well where’s the bank, I might need to rob it later.” “You’ll find a job. And if you don’t then work at Luke’s, he could do with the time off then maybe he’d get off everyone’s backs.” “He’s probably stressed with you always causing trouble.” “Me? Trouble? Nooo, I’m a peach.”

-

Jess had the baby today since Y/n was off to find a job, her first stop was the most promising. Luke let her know that a friend of his needed extra staff at their Inn for an event that was coming up, someone who could be an assistant of sorts. So after wearing her most capable looking top, and best fitting jeans. She kissed Caroline’s check and yelled goodbye to Luke and Jess as she began her walk.

When she walked inside she saw a man at the front desk on the phone. Waiting to ask for directions, she hung around the man’s desk, busying herself with some pamphlet. She couldn't help but listen to the man’s angry English in his french accent.

Suddenly he hung up the phone and got back to writing whatever he was writing, without looking up and with an annoyed tone said, “Yes?” “I was looking for Lorelei, I’m here for-” “The assistant job, yes.. Follow me.” He walked quickly to wherever it was they were going, mumbling along the way, “Of course, an assistant. Just what we need around here. Not like I don’t already do most of the work around here.”

He opened the door for them, it ended up being the kitchen they were now in. A tall woman holding a to-go coffee cup that said ‘Luke’s’ on it and a shorter woman in an apron fighting with a scruffy man about vegetables, which look to be parsnips. 

“The mini-you is here.” “One little comment, Micheal. I’m not saying you’re incapable. I just want more help with organising events so I focus on planning!” “Whatever.” Turning on his heels, Micheal walked out the doors making his way back to his desk. 

“So you’ve met Micheal! Sorry, we usually don’t let him around the new people but we're a little short-staffed. Let’s head to the dining room.”

They sat down at a table in the dining room, Lorelei asked all the important questions, and Y/n was perfect, now she was just asking the things she’ll tell Sookie later when the woman asks about the new hire.

Taking a sip of her sixth coffee this morning Lorelei asked, “So, are you new to town? I haven’t seen you around before.” The girl was stirring milk into her second coffee as she responded, “Yeah, I am. I just moved here with my um- my daughter, closer to her dad so…” 

Since it was of course the time most adults got horrified, thought she was a bad kid, and though she didn’t get that vibe from Lorelei, it was at least bound to shock her. “You’re daughter? How old are you? Wait- I know, it’s on your resume. I mean- I’m, deja vu y’know? Abba did say ‘the history books on the shelf are always repeating themselves’.” 

She must have seen the confused look on the young girl and explained, “I had my daughter when I was sixteen.. And came here to get a job, so just getting major deja vu. Well then, since I know what you’re going through, I won’t put you through the short mental torture of waiting for a call I was gonna do and just tell you you got the job.” “Oh, thank you! I really need this, I can’t thank you enough.” “Just change her name to Lorelei and we’ll call it even.” “deal.” Those two would get along great, much to Luke’s misfortune.

-

Y/n sat at the counter with Caroline in front of her sitting on the counter while she played with her mother’s hair. Jess was filling up cups of coffee and serving customers while he listened to Y/n’s words.

“So until you go back to school, you’ll have Caroline during the day here and when I’m done work I’ll take her.” “No, you’ll never have a break. After work you go to your house, relax then grab her after dinner.” 

Jess may have this ‘I only care about myself’ attitude but that never included Caroline and Y/n, he’d kill for either of them at any given moment. He always put them first. If thought Y/n needed a break, she was getting a break whether she wanted it or not. 

Just as the girl was going to thank him she was interrupted by another girl around their age coming to sit down at the counter, two over from her. 

“I have the book you lent me.” She said, unknowingly interrupting the conversation since Jess was facing the coffee machine to make a new batch when she sat down. “Oh, thanks.” He muttered, notably not turning to face her.

On the inside Jess felt guilty. Why did he feel guilty? He didn’t do anything, he and Y/n weren’t together, nevermind the fact that all he did was lend Rory a book. As friends. Because they’re friends. But nonetheless it almost felt like cheating. Jess and Y/n may not be together officially but that didn’t mean that they both didn’t love each other. And not just because they were the parents to a beautiful little girl. Jess had always wanted more, he’d let the girl know that more than a handful of times, and she let him know it wasn’t unrequited, yet something always came between them.

You’d think having a baby together would bring them closer, and in some ways it did; they trusted each other more. But they also fought more and being the dumb teenagers they were, they didn’t have the emotional ability to move past that and build the relationship they both wanted. And then when they felt they were ready to, Jess was sent to live with his uncle. Just another fork in the road. But now they were living in the same town and had a good system, and people to support them. It was the perfect time, everything was going right, they could feel all the feelings that never really left resurfacing.

“Okay, I have to get to work. You’ve got her?” “Yeah.” “Bye, baby, I love you. I’ll see you in a little bit, but you get to spend all day with daddy.” “Bye-bye, mommy!” 

She said bye to Jess after she walked around the counter and handed him Caroline, muttering a small ‘go see, daddy’ that Rory most definitely heard.

When the door finally chimed shut Rory shot up to follow Jess to the table he was now setting Caroline up at. She watched his gentle movements as he readjusts her shirt and places crayons and paper in front of her, which she got right into scriballing away. 

“She’s yours?” “Yeah.” “.. So that girl is your girlfri-" "I’ve got work to do.” 

-

The warm atmosphere of the dinner is a stark contrast to the cold winter air. Noticing Jess and Caroline are nowhere to be seen she assumes they were upstairs and makes her way up the stairs. Half-way up the flight of stairs she could hear her little girl’s loud giggles. She quietly opens the door to see Jess holding Caroline above his head, as if she was flying.

When she first got pregnant everyone told her Jess wouldn’t be a good dad, that she can’t rely on him for anything. God were they wrong. She doesn’t think it’s possible for her baby to have a better person as a dad. She sadly doesn’t get to watch the scene for much longer as she’s spotted by little Caroline.

“Mommy! I see daddy ‘morrow?” “Yes, you get to be with daddy all day tomorrow too.” “Yay!”

As the conversation between them goes on, Jess lets his little girl plant her feet back on the ground and starts collecting some things she’ll need during the night before she comes back here tomorrow, he then starts getting Caroline’s shoes on her feet. While Y/n sits on the couch next to their little girl.

“So who was that girl this morning?” “Who?” 

Jess always did this, it was a tell tale sign that he didn’t want to talk about it, but that’s never stopped Y/n before. “You know who.” Of course having to be difficult, Jess gives her a fake confused look, as if he’s never met another girl in his life. 

“The one returning your book.” “Oh, that girl.” “Yeah, that girl.” “She’s nobody.” “So you just lend books to ‘nobody’s now?” “Care, where’s Mr.Wiggle?” The girl lets out a gasp and reaches out for Jess to help her off the couch, when he does she runs into the closet where she previously hid while playing hide and seek a couple hours earlier. 

“What? Don’t want Care to hear about her new step-mom?” “Don’t call her that.” “What? Care? Only you can call her that?” “No, don’t call Rory Care’s ‘step-mom’.” “Rory! I get her name!” 

Jess was a quiet guy, but not this quiet, especially not with Y/n. He didn’t want to talk about Rory, maybe because it was weird talking about another girl with your baby momma. And yes it was weird for Y/n too, but for a completely different reason, she assumes. She liked Jess, and has since before she even knew about Caroline.

“C’mon, Jess, it’s me. I want you to be happy.” Sure Rory made him happy, but only because she was the only friend he had here, it wasn’t the way Y/n made him happy. Before he could deny for words again Caroline came back running into the room with her stuffie in her hands. Having already said her goodbyes, she opened the door and walked out.

“Caroline, wait hun! I think you should go for it Jess.”

She walked out the door, closing it behind her, leaving Jess to stare at where she disappeared. He decided to take her advice, just maybe not the way she meant it

-

Y/n helped Caroline pack more snow onto their snowman. Caroline wanted to do it after she heard Luke complaining about town events again, he stopped complaining when he saw how excited the girl was. They had Mr.Wiggles off the side learning against the tree, using him as a reference. 

“Mommy, no. Mr.Wiggles has more hair.” 

Caroline was getting very comfortable ordering her mother around, but in this instance Y/n let it slide, poking more sticks on the top of the snowman’s head to mimic Mr.Wiggle’s spiky hair. 

“That’s good!”

Lorelei and Rory were just one snowman down, both told Caroline they thought she would win and encouraged her before she even started. Since they were so close, they could hear the scene that had just played out. 

“Tough age, wait till you get to the terrible twos. ‘No’ is all you’ll hear.” Lorelei said, kindly as her and her own daughter walked past them. Y/n let out a laugh at the comment before she asks, “You guys done already?” “No, but after Michelangelo over there busted out the power buffer, and when Caroline busts out her cuteness, what chance do we have?” “I see your point.” “So off to Luke’s we go.” “We’ll see you there in a bit.”

-

Y/n was standing talking to one of the decorators when she saw Lorelei and Sookie step out of the kitchen, quickly finishing her directions she wrote down a note on her clipboard then made her way to meet them at the entrance of the dining room.

When Sookie sees her, she asks, “What’re we looking at today?” Sookie was really fun to work with, like Lorelei she was very chill as a boss, but Sookie was also so kind and always took it upon herself to make sure Y/n has eaten and that her and Caroline are taken care of. She could tell the woman was going to make an amazing mother.

“This is last on the list.” She replied, after she took a quick glance at her clipboard, then continued, “We’ve got trumpets, the madrigal singers-” “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m not playing squire of Bracebridge.” 

Sookie and Lorelei must have finally told Jackson to play the squire, they told her earlier in the week that they were playing to ask at the last moments so he had to. It was a flawless plan, especially when Jackson can’t say no to Sookie.

She saw that Lorelei and Sookie were just ignoring him, so she played along and continued down her list, “All the servers are lined up. This is just for the recorder players and harpists.” She stopped at the recorder players and let Lorelei talk to them, “Hi. Lay some on us, guys.” 

The two recorder players played the soft tube they were going to come accustomed to in the next few days. The three of them shared positive looks and when their playing came to an end, Sookie said, “Hey, you cats really know how to blow those things.” Lorelei continued Sookie’s comment by saying, “You’ve got the gig. Y/n here will call you later with the details. Thanks.” 

Recorder players started packing their things, Jackson started again on the fact that he wouldn’t play the squire, and the three women continued to ignore him.

“When do the quests arrive?” “Thursday at four on their own jet.” “After buying out the whole inn.”

“Must be nice to have money.” Y/n added, checking off and writing down more notes on her clipboard.

“You know what struck me today?” “-Was it the fact that I am not the squire?-""We’re crazy for doing this.” “We’re beyond crazy.” It did feel crazy, Lorelei told her they’d never done a function this big before and that’s the reason they hired more help. Like her, but also that they were planning to do a lot more big things like this, more weddings, and such. 

“We’re ‘Anne Heche speaking her secret language to god and looking for the spaceship in Fresno’ kinda crazy.” “Oquinis no-goodo noto.” Sookie said, causing Y/n add, “Il ecnatra dos guidan.”

Their nonsense was once again interrupted by Jackson, “And spring this on me at the last minute too. I mean, that’s just manipulative.” Suddenly a cook pops his head out of the kitchen, saying calmly, “Sookie- fire!”

Sookie rolled her eyes softly, this happened far too often, before saying, “I gotta get back in the kitchen. You guys handle the harps?” Both women nodded and replied in unison, “You got it.” 

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll play squire Bracebridge if that’s what you want.” Everyone knew he would cave eventually. Sookie patted his arm and said a quick, “Thanks, sweetie.” before walking back into the kitchen to hopefully deal with the fire. “As long as it’s not just because I fit the costume.” Jackson looked back at Lorelei and Y/n, Lorelei had a grin on her face while Y/n wore a tight-lipped smile. “It’s because I fit the costume, isn’t it?” He followed after Sookie.

Lorelei put her arm around Y/n and led them to the harpist, “Go ahead.” The harpist played the same tune as the two recorder players. But just as the woman started, Lorelei got a call. She patted Y/n’s arm, “I have to take this, you handle the harpist.”

The girl tried to stay calm, nodding her head and going back to listening to the music. Lorelei trusted her, yes it wasn’t a big job by any means, but still it was a step into a bigger role down the line.

-

The next day, Sookie and Y/n had all the waiters/performers in the dining room going over what their job was. And teaching them the old English words to use for things.

Sookie was just telling Rune that he couldn’t just talk like an old man whe Lorelei came in with a disappointed look on her face, and let them know the dinner was off.

The three women, as well as Rory and Caroline were now sitting at a table at Luke’s, Caroline was happily eating her pancakes, plain just as she liked and completely unaware of the collective disappointment of the group.

Lorelei has really welcomed Y/n into her life. She may not be Jess’s biggest fan, but she would always help another teen mom out. Especially since she sees so much of herself in Y/n. She’s grown to really love the girl in the short time they’ve known each other. And aftering hearing Y/n didn’t have her family in her life she was more than happy to help and maybe become that family for her one day. Just like Mia did for her.

“I’ve got 30 pounds of aged beef, trays and trays of trout, mountains of prune tarts. I diced pumpkins until my hands turned orange. I’ve got pumpkin hands!” Sookie showed the table her hands, it apparently caught Caroline’s attention since she grabbed Sookie’s right hand and held it in her left while she continued eating. Sookie lets her hand rest in the little girl’s while she freaks out more and asks Lorelei, “How can you stay so calm?” “There’s nothing we can do about it.” 

Rory was just as upset, mostly because she knew how hard her mother worked on the planning, “I can’t believe they got snowed in.” Y/n hasn’t told Jess, but she’s become pretty close to Rory, the girl sometimes comes to the Inn and helps around and Rory’s become kinda her only friend, that was until Rory invited her to the record store with Lane. After that day she had two friends. 

After knowing Rory more, she realised how much she and Jess have in common, and even though Rory has a boyfriend she can tell there’s an attraction to Jess she’s trying so hard to hide. 

Y/n zoned out for a moment, looking outside, she was upset that the first event she helped organise wouldn’t even happen. She was broken from her stare out the window from Caroline jumping in place while sitting on her mom’s lap, the cause of which was Luke coming to the table. 

“You girls want anything besides coffee?” He asked, adding on with a pat on the girl’s head, “Or pancakes?” “Hey, what about Luke?” “What about him?” “He eats, and Jess eats. Doesn’t Jess eat?” Sookie directs the question at Y/n, before the girl could say anything Luke cuts her off, “What’s she doing?” “I think she’s inviting you for dinner.”

Getting distracted while trying to convince Luke to come to dinner, the four decide to still put on the dinner for the town. Like an out of control slumber-party.

-

The dinner was going great, the secret amazing part of inviting the town was that Y/n and Caroline could actually meet everyone. Miss. Patty and Babette loved Y/n and Caroline (mostly Caroline), Caroline loved Kirk, and everyone loved that Caroline could do whatever she wanted and Talor wouldn’t say anything. And Y/n got to meet Paris after all the stories she’s heard.

Caroline and Y/n were in line for the horse drawn carriage rides, when Caroline saw her favourite person, Lane. “Laney! I ride with you!” Lane, before agreeing, made eye contact with Y/n to make sure it was okay. Y/n gave them the go ahead and helped Caroline get settled. After their carriage left she made her way to the next one. Telling the driver it’s just her.

It was nice to get a break from everything. It was quiet and peaceful. Well that was until Jess ran up and hopped on the carriage next to her. Without a word he put the blanket that was over the girl’s legs on his too. 

“I thought you and Care were going together.” “She’s one ahead, with Lane.” “Ahhh. Well it’s two to a sleigh no more, no less. So you were breaking the rules, you're welcome for saving you.” “You could have hurt yourself.” “Aw, you care about me.” “You are my baby's father.” 

She wished she just agreed with him. She didn’t just care for him because he was Caroline’s dad, and she doesn’t think she says it enough. But then again, maybe it would mess things up if she admitted that. But that decision was made for her.

“I’m touched.” “Jess. I don’t mean it like that. I care about you, Caroline or not.” 

Trying to change the topic to something she thought was more lighthearted, she says, “So, how are things with Rory?” “There are no things with Rory.” “C’mon, Jess, we can talk about this stuff-” “Why are you so insistent that I date Rory?” 

She wasn’t expecting that outburst. Not from Jess. He rarely ever yelled at her, and when he did it was always misplaced anger, never actually angry at her. This time it was her, it was what she said.

“I just want you to be happy-” “C’mon, Y/n. Be serious.” “I am. I want-” “If you want me to be happy so bad, why won’t you give me a chance?!” 

He turned his face to her, looking right into her eyes, she could see the hurt in his. Did she put it there?

“What’re you-” “Since we found out about Caroline, I’ve tried and tried to help you realise that I love you. And not how you mean ‘I love you’. I don’t love and care for you because we have a family and I have to. I love you, because I want to. I want to be with you. And I know it will be hard, but I’ll do the work.” 

If she had more social awareness at the pent she would have hated that the coachman heard all of that. But after what Jess said, the look in his eyes; that was so full of love. She felt like it was just them two in the world. No, that it was just their little family in the whole world. He and Caroline were all she would ever need.

“I love you too, Jess. I have for so long, long before Caroline, but I thought you wouldn’t want to be tied down to me, especially after I had Caroline, that any sign I thought you gave me was all in my head.” “It’s not.” 

He brought her in closer to him, an arm around her shoulders and when her arms wrapped around his waist he left a kiss on the crown of her head. The small kiss brought her eyes up to him, which led to their first real kiss in one year and nine months. 

His lips were softer than she remembered, but they still fit into hers as if they never left.

She broke away from their reuniting kiss to place her head in the crook of his neck, wanting nothing more than to be close to him.

“My mom didn’t want me to come home.” She took her head out of his neck to look at him fully. They were always that person for each other, the one you can tell your problem to and they knew when to help and when listening was enough. Right now, she knew listening was enough.

“I’m sorry, Jess.” “It’s fine. Just sucks.” “I know. Well, Care and I will always want you to come home.” After her words, he brought her closer than before. She was always just what he needed. 

Wanting to change the subject, Jess nodded his head to the snowman Y/n and Caroline built. “It’s good.” “What?” “Your snowman, well Caroline’s snowman I'm sure she’d want me to say.” “You know which one’s ours?” “Definitely shows her personality… It kinda looks like Mr.Wiggles.” “That’s what we were going for. But everyone thinks the one on the end is going to win.” “Really? It’s so overdone.” “I agree.” “You and Care’s should win.” “Agree again.”

-

The dinner was filled with Jess and Luke confused at what exactly was in the food, Jess and Y/n trying their best to keep Caroline sat which about half an hour in they gave up and just let her walk around the lobby, as well as saying hello and talking to everyone at the table. Having an interesting conversation with Mrs.Kim about grace, ‘helping’ Kirk by sitting on his rolling food cart, and even talking with Paris for a while. 

Overall it was a great night. Even better when Jess, Y/n, and Caroline got to their shared room, putting Caroline asleep together for the first time in a while. And falling to sleep in the same bed together, holding each other, listening to each other’s breaths, as well as Caroline’s. Everything was just how they both always secretly wanted. And now get to have openly and freely. 

- 

In the morning Y/n got up early since she was technically working, and she still was when Luke, Jess, and Caroline left to open the diner for the day. It was around noon when Y/n finally left, walking to Luke’s to spend the day with her two favourite people. Which was when she saw Michelangelo’s snowman fallen to a large pile of snow on the ground.

She didn’t even have to think for a second to know that Jess did it. Sometimes he did the weirdest things to show his love.

The bell rang as she pushed open the door, she sat down next to Caroline, saying ‘good morning’ and getting one back before she made her way to the counter.

“I saw what you did.” “What’d I do?” “Caroline will be happy she won.” “Anything if my girl’s win.”

#jess mariano #jess mariano x reader #jess mariano x fem!reader #jess mariano x female reader #jess mariano x y/n #gilmore girls #gilmore girls fic #milo ventimiglia #rory gilmore #lorelai gilmore #emily gilmore #teen mom!reader #teen mom

[manjibunny]

Pretty When You Cry

Synopsis: Everything seemed to go so well for you and your best friend, Chifuyu, until you discovered your feelings for him...

C/W: Angst, no comfort, friendship breakup, mentions of gang fights and wounds, mentions of death (no one dies tho), imagery from Greek mythology if you squint, messy as hell, reader is emotionally unavailable and doesn't know how to deal with their feelings, Chifuyu deserves better :/ W/C: 4k + words A/N: Welp, off to a good start in the new year. As previously mentioned in a post, this fic took me a good while to finish. This fic is basically me reflecting on a situation that occured many, many years ago. I was so foolish to destroy something great in favor of keeping my heart safe, but today I'm old enough to know that love is a complicated thing, even if it's just platonic. Tagging luvs @avatarofstars @kokonoiscoconut @nanamikentoseyebags (look, this is the fic I rambled to you months ago!)

Glossary: 

Moira = Also known as the fates; Greek goddesses of fate

Atropos = Greek for “unalterable”/ “inflexible”: one of the three Moira; the goddess that cuts the thread (symbolizes life), making her the one that decides ones inevitable fate 

Love is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Stalking its prey and disguising itself as an innocent feeling of adoration, it lulls you into a false sense of security. It’s a soft voice in your head that gently whispers to you, advising, begging, demanding you to lower the walls you’ve built around your heart.

“It’s ok” It’ll whisper to you in an encouraging voice “It’s ok to lower your guard. It’s ok to feel vulnerable. It’s only human that you want to love and be loved”

You were 15 years old when you caved, and you caved for none other than Chifuyu Matsuno. 

You wouldn’t have looked twice his way if the circumstances were different.To you he was a troublemaker, someone you’d forget about after graduating highschool. But just like in a classical Greek drama, the Moira already sealed your fate, dooming you to fall right into Chifuyus warm embrace. At the darkest time of your life, he was the sole candle that illuminated the night of your melancholy. His light helped you navigate and keep the demons of the night away. In a way, Chifuyu was your personal safe haven. 

Befriending Chifuyu felt like finally putting the last piece into the puzzle. But no matter how strong a bond is, if the Gods demand the ties to be severed, so it be…

Your lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Not being used to running this much, your legs began hurting as you stormed through the familiar streets. You ignored the voice calling not too far behind you, begging you to stop, to return to him, to talk to him goddamnit. You ignored the pain that shoots through your legs with every step you take and his desperate cries. Your heart thudded against your ribcage as you finally arrived at your destination: Your home, your fortress. You shakily searched for the keys of your home, taking them out of your pocket. Thank God, you found your keys just in time. You swiftly opened the door and entered, not looking back as you slammed the door a bit too loudly behind you. Once you entered your home, you slumped down right before the door, not even bothering to turn on the lights. With trembling hands you brought your knees closer to yourself. Engulfed in the darkness of your home, you were left alone with the memories of Chifuyu Matsuno, the man that the fates have tied you to. 

Memories of golden days rushed through your brain. Memories of sitting next to Chifuyu in a cute cafe near your university. You and him have been friends for a while now, not imagining what life would be without the other. 

“Look what I’ve found at the bookstore” Chifuyu mused excitedly, “It’s a manga I used to read back in highschool!”

You playfully rolled your eyes at your best friend “Wow, and here I thought you would start reading real literature” You giggled before taking a sip of your coffee. 

“This is real literature! Ai Yazawa knows how to write compelling, and most importantly, real characters. Take this manga for instance-” He scooted closer to you, taking the manga out of his backpack before opening it. Being so close to him, smelling his fresh cologne that he recently started to use, and seeing the excited glint in his eyes as he got ready to rave about the manga, made you feel at ease. Without knowing it, Chifuyu would always calm your nerves. 

You took a look at the opened manga on the table. Inside you saw beautifully drawn panels. As you took a closer look, you noted that the characters have been drawn very detailed. You especially took note of the extravagant jewelry.

“This manga -” Chifuyu pointed at a panel of two women sitting on what appeared to be a dining table.

“- covers so many serious topics. It covers romance, breakups, loss, grief, loneliness, and much much more!” he sighs “Listen, I know you might think this is silly, but I really want to reread this manga series with you because I feel like you could relate with the characters.”

Humming, you gently took the manga from Chifuyus light grip, your hand lightly brushing against his. You inspected the manga closer, flipping through the pages and skimming through the speech bubbles sporadically before closing it. Upon closing the manga, you teasingly side-eyed your best friend.

“‘Nana’? Really?” You chuckled as you handed the manga back to him.

“I heard of this manga. Man, I wouldn’t have thought that you’d be into that” sighing, you continued your teasing remarks. “Who would have thought?Just when I thought I knew everything about you, I’m learning something new” 

Chifuyu flushed at your taunts. He took the manga back and brought it close to his chest.

“I know, I know. Who would have thought that a feared gangster would be into that stuff”

“Feared? You’re Chifuyu Matsuno, not Sano Manjirou”

Throwing a glare at you, you knew this was Chifuyus way of asking you to shut up. You chuckled at Chifuyus blushing angry face. Adorable, you thought to yourself as you took another sip from your coffee. 

“I’m just joking. If ‘Nana’ is so important to you, I’m willing to give it a shot” You grinned at him “But we need to find the Saturn shaped earrings. I don’t know much about the plot, but I can tell these characters got style”

Bittersweet memories of you and Chifuyu sitting side by side in silence reading his favorite manga shot through your head. You’d discuss the themes with him, but most importantly, the jewelry of the manga. As it turned out the Saturn shaped earrings were made by the real life designer brand Vivienne Westwood, and staying true to your words, you dragged Chifuyu to a department store that sells Vivienne Westwwod pieces. 

You remember entering the department store and being met with the smell of expensive perfumes and the bright colors of designer bags. As you walked further and further into the store, mesmerized by the sheer luxury money could buy, you finally spotted the familiar logo that you’ve been looking for. You grabbed Chifuyus arm and began moving closer to the Vivienne Westwood stand, excitedly pointing at it. 

“Fuyu, look! We found it!”

You remember him chuckling at you,  you remember the way his eyes sparkled in amusement. But more importantly,  you remember forgetting for a second about the earrings upon gazing into his eyes. A wave of emotions so sweet rolled over you, you swore you were drowning in honey. Or perhaps you were drowning in the oceans of his eyes? Brilliant turquoise pools  that seemed to drag you deeper and deeper into them, and for the first time in your life, drowning didn’t seem so scary anymore. 

Either way, Chifuyu managed to take your breath away that day. 

Your hand felt heavy as you mustered up all the strength to lift it to your ear. The metal saturn in your lobe, the earring you and Chifuyu got, felt so cold against your fingertips as the memories kept on replaying. 

As it turned out, the earrings were way above your budget. Staring at the rhinestone encrusted studs, your mind began to crank the numbers. 

“If I save up, I might get these earrings… in about three months”, you muttered under your breath mindlessly, eyes still focused on the price tag of the earrings you wanted to wear for so long. 

You remember Chifuyu Chifuyu placing his hand on your shoulder and smiling warmly at you. 

“You know, I always wanted us to have a friendship bracelet…” He trailed off, looking at you expectantly. The gleam in his eyes tells you that Chifuyu is trying to say something, hinting at something that you should understand. 

“Yeah? What does that have to do with the earrings?” You bluntly stated, oblivious to his effort to get you to understand what he was trying to say.

“Dummy, you should stop hanging out with Baji-san. His stupidity is rubbing off on you” Chifuyu teased. 

“Hey! Now that is insulting, you know? I’m way smarter than he is” You rolled your eyes at your best friend, feeling irked at being lumped into the same category as your dumbass friend, Baji. You were about to bark back an insult about his stupidly round face, or his dumb, edgy hair from middle school, literally anything, just to shut him up. However, knowing how you get defensive, Chifuyu cut you off, not letting you insult him.

“What I was trying to say was, we could also have friendship earrings. You pay for one earring, and I for the other.” 

You were left speechless. Chifuyu’s words hit you like a brick, the meaning behind them slowly sinking in. He would pay half the price for the earrings that you wanted so desperately… 

The sweet gesture makes you feel fuzzy deep inside. He knew how much you wanted the earrings, so he wanted to make sure you got at least one earring. So thoughtful of him, he cares for his friends a lot… Warmth spread across your body, as you met Chifuyu’s seafoam eyes gazing softly at you. You could make out his trademark smile and a pink hue grazing his face. For the first time, Chifuyu looked different to you. 

Side eying the price tag, you were brought back to reality.  These earrings were still expensive, even if Chifuyu paid half the price. You didn’t want him to spend his money on you, especially on jewelry. 

“You don’t have to-”

“I insist. Besides it’s not like you’re getting the earrings to yourself. We’ll share”

“Still, I would like to-”

“Listen” , Chifuyu cut you off mid sentence once again.

“I will get you the earrings one way or another. If we walk out without the earrings today, I will come back and get the earrings another time. I know how much you want them, so please, let me at least help you out”

Your stomach churned, Chifuyu’s words hitting you right in your heart. Trying to be annoyed at him turned out to be futile, his stubbornness and insistence on getting the earrings made you feel appreciated. You meant a lot to him, and Chifuyu would go out of his way to prove to you that you are dear to him. 

You sighed, giving up on all your counterarguments to stop Chifuyu from his plan. 

“Fine, but promise me you’ll always wear your earring, ok?”

Chifuyu grinned victoriously at you, his hand reaching to find yours as he softly pulled you towards the counter.

“Of course. I just want to see you happy”

Walking out of the store, you and Chifuyu wore the earrings.  You wearing your earring on your right ear, and him wearing his earring on his left ear, you walked through the busy streets of Tokyo in silence. Still unable to comprehend how Chifuyu was able to convince you to have friendship earrings - expensive designer friendship earrings no less - you racked your brain on how you’d thank him. To your surprise, Chifuyu took the initiative. 

“The earring suits you a lot. I’m glad I can share this experience with you”

“Gosh Chifuyu, ever the charmer” You teased back, trying to play it cool. He didn’t need to know that his loving words were your kryptonite. 

“Oh, I know I’m charming” Chifuyu chuckles as he stops and attempts to tuck your hair behind your ear to look at the earring. 

“But I mean it. The earring suits you a lot; you bring out its beauty” Chifuyu gazed into your eyes “I love that we share the pair, you know? Now everyone will know that we are two halves of one whole”

You rolled your eyes at him, your heart beating faster and heat spreading across your face as you heard the latter part. 

“You are such a sap, Fuyu. This is why Kazutora and Baji make fun of you” 

“Hey!”

Chifuyu took his promise seriously; he never took off his earring. He knew how important it was for you to see the shining silver metal on him, and wearing the earring meant to him to commit to you and your friendship. 

Sitting on the cold floor of your apartment, you remembered how your friendship turned into something different, into something that scared you.

As time went on, the boundaries between friendship and romance seemed to blur, and your feelings for your supposed best friend seemed to get more confusing. You found yourself daydreaming about the blonde man, worrying about his well-being and wondering who he's hanging out with when he wasn’t with you. Was he with Baji? The gang? With someone else? Someone prettier? 

You’d have to snap yourself out of your thoughts on numerous occasions. What was going on with you? Why the hell did you think about Chifuyu possibly going out on dates, and why did it break your heart? 

One particular event seemed to open your eyes to what you felt towards Chifuyu, your best friend. 

Worry filled you as the nth text went unanswered. A wave of dread washed over you as the alarms went off in your head after remembering that Chifuyu was supposed to be in one of the shadiest parts of Tokyo, bashing some punk's head. Or getting his head bashed by some punk…

Remembering the way you were practically on your knees, your hands clasped together as you prayed to any God and entity that came to your mind, was bittersweet to you. God, you loved him more than you respect yourself. And you still do. 

You remembered that the only thing that was able to stop your uncontrollable sobbing was the familiar sound of your doorbell ringing. Chifuyu…

It was truly remarkable how you were able to sense the person behind your front door was none other than your best friend.  One moment, you were a sobbing mess on the floor, and the next, you were a sobbing mess at the door. You remember throwing yourself into the arms of a barely standing Chifuyu, almost knocking him off his feet. Tears soaked his already dirty gang uniform, but neither of you cared. All that mattered to you was that he was in your arms in one piece, alive and breathing. 

Chifuyu held you tight. Seemingly having forgotten about his own painful bruises, he softly stroked your tear stricken cheek, cooing reassuringly to you as you felt his warm embrace engulf you. 

“It’s fine” Chifuyu would whisper “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere” He knew you so well. He knew you would worry after not responding to any calls or messages, too busy to fight alongside his friends to pick up his phone, so Chifuyu mustered up the little energy he had left and limped to your home. As realization hit you, you couldn’t help but feel your heart flutter. You still shook in his arms, tears still falling down your eyes, but for a different reason.

You couldn’t deny it any longer: You were hopelessly in love with Chifuyu, and that fact alone made you unable to sleep. The memories still fresh in your mind of you rolling around in your bed, trying to find fault in the blonde man. You didn’t want to love him as much as you did, so trying to fall out of love seemed like a viable option. You thought hard of his stupid face when he read his favorite manga. But he looks so cute. His crazy devotion to his friends, he would do the most reckless things just to help. But he is so loyal and loving. You thought about his lame jokes, which you still laughed about because how could you not? No matter the way you looked at him, Chifuyu seemed beyond perfect, too good, in your eyes. With a defeated sigh, you gave up trying to find anything wrong with Chifuyu. There wasn’t anything wrong with him.

As time went on, the feelings you’ve been fighting so hard wouldn’t leave. Like a wolf stalking its prey, it was always a step right behind you, breathing right into your neck as it waited to swallow you whole. You feared loving Chifuyu, but you feared not loving Chifuyu as well. 

So you withdrew from Chifuyu. Despite the stabbing pain you felt inside your heart as whenever you saw the disappointed and saddened face from the blonde whenever you’d decline hanging out with him, you knew that you had to stay away from him. Maybe the feelings would fade away on their own? You kept trying to tell yourself that loving Chifuyu wasn’t an option. It was either get your feelings under control or never see Chifuyu again. Guilty thoughts spread in your mind and followed you to your sleep, making you unable to rest. How could you ever think about leaving Chifuyu like that? 

But oh, the Gods above must be laughing at the spectacle, wheezing as your mind was clouded by the fear of committing. At last, overwhelmed by the dread and lack of sleep, no clear thought was formed as you confronted Chifuyu one last time, to cut the string that connected you two. Everything was a blur, you could barely remember the exact words you uttered to your now ex best friend, but one thing you could never forget, and that was his face. You remember clearly his eyes shooting wide as your words sunk in, his eyebrows knitting together. Chifuyu opened his mouth, to ask you, no, to beg you to stay, but you were unable to look him in the eye with a clear conscience. So you ran to your home. 

A loud bang behind you brought you back to reality. Of course Chifuyu wouldn’t just accept defeat. He’d do anything to get you back. 

“Please, let’s just talk it out!” Chifuyu demanded behind your door, the banging on the door not faltering. He’s going to hurt himself, you thought, wanting to open the door, and bandage his throbbing hands. In another life, you’d profusely apologize for even thinking about abandoning Chifuyu. In another life, you’d have the courage to face the hungry wolf and allow it to consume you; you’d embrace the beast that was love and come to the understanding that love’s bite isn’t as painful as you originally thought. In another life, you’d give love a chance. But fate is anything but nice, and now you have to suffer through the consequences of throwing away your friendship.

You clasped your hand over your mouth, muffling the sobbing to the best of your abilities. Tears streamed down your face, and judging by the shakiness of Chifuyu’s pleas, you weren’t the only one crying. 

“I know you’re listening to me, so please, I can’t just let you cut ties with me like that! Talk to me, we can fix whatever is bothering you!”

And God knows the cruelest answer to the begging of a broken hearted man is silence. But how could you respond when your mind is so loud? Every fiber in your body was screaming, demanding you to answer Chifuyu, to ask for forgiveness and pour your hearts out on him, but you couldn’t allow yourself to open the door. So you didn’t answer him, forcing yourself to remain quiet as the man behind your door couldn’t admit defeat just yet. 

“Please, we can even pretend this never happened. I just need you to talk to me”, Chifuyus voice trembled, still of the opinion that his words full of agony could reach you. You had to finally end it, so you took a deep breath to calm yourself. Collecting the little energy that you had left, you were sent the final blow that burned the bridges. 

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” your words dripping with poison, you projected the disgust you felt towards yourself onto Chifuyu.

“Can’t you see that I just don’t want to be around you? Things have changed, Chifuyu, so be a fucking adult about it and accept my decision”

And with that, the knocking stopped and Chifuyu remained quiet. You held your own breath as you felt regret wash over you. You said way too much. Your words so mean and hateful, words you didn’t even mean, have effectively broken Chifuyu’s will and heart. The silence became so overbearing that you assumed he might have left already, until you heard his voice right behind your door.

“I’m sorry you had to put up with me. I know that it must have been hard for you to make this decision, but you have every right to end our friendship if it feels wrong to you. I accept and respect it, I really do, although it pains me to let you go like that” Chifuyu stayed silent for a moment, his voice still shaky when he continued “I will always treasure the time that I have spent with you. And despite the way that you’ve decided to end it…. I can’t hate you. Goodbye”

And just like that, Chifuyu left and took a piece of your heart with him. You felt numb, never having anticipated that you’d lose yourself in the process of letting go of Chifuyu. It’s for the better, you tried to tell yourself, but your broken heart knew better. Your attempt at standing up failed, your legs and arms weren’t able to carry you to your bedroom, so you remained seated on the cold floor, your back still pressed against your door. Before you knew it, sleep had taken over you, kidnapping you to a time and place much merrier. 

Dreaming of gleaming seafoam eyes contorted in pain as tears rolled down his rosy cheeks, you couldn’t even escape Chifuyu in your sleep, but oh, he still looked so pretty to you. You wanted to reach out to him so desperately, but you just couldn’t move. You didn’t even have the chance to admire him any longer, as a knock on the door awoke you from your slumber. Groaning, you cursed at the person that had woken you up. Grumbling, you managed to stand up with shaky legs. The person behind the door seemed eager, the knocking not seeming to end anytime soon. So, you opened the door to see an empty hallway. Were you imagining things? Have you gone insane at this point? Or did someone play a childish prank on you? 

Feeling fed up, you attempted to slam the door shut, however, something was blocking it from closing. You saw a small package from a familiar online retailer and mentally slapped yourself. Of course you’d get whatever you’ve ordered at the worst time possible. Bending down, you stretched your arms to pick up the package, until you spotted something silver on your doormat. All thoughts about the package left your mind as you inspected the shiny object, already dreading what it was. 

In your hand, you held a small saturn shaped earring, the perfect twin to the one you were wearing. 

“No”, you breathed out, as your suspicions got confirmed. The silver Vivienne Westwood earring Chifuyu wore as a symbol for your friendship. He must have taken it off and placed it on the doormat after I demanded he’d leave… You knew that this was ultimately what you wanted, cutting contact with Chifuyu to fall out of love, but holding the symbol of your friendship in your hand was a special kind of pain. 

So you took the earring inside, having forgotten about the package, and went to your bedroom. Heading to grab your jewelry box, you placed the Chifuyu’s earring inside. With a heavy heart, your hands moved to your ear, slowly taking off your own earring and placing it right beside the other one. You knew this was the right thing to do, after all, at least the earrings could be a perfect pair together.

#chifuyu matsuno #chifuyu x reader #chifuyu angst #ghostqueues #chifuyu x reader angst #tokyo revengers chifuyu #tr chifuyu #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo revengers angst #tokyo revengers x reader angst #tr x reader #tr angst #chifuyu matsuno x reader

[mymelodymia]

Autumn days 🍂 Dad!Tony stark x daughter!reader

summary: your feeling a bit down, so your father does something special for you.

Warnings: none <3

+•°+*°•++•°+*°•++•°+*°•+

You had always loved the fall. The cool wind, the mesmerizing outdoors, the rain. You loved everything about it. Your favorite being the cozy vibe it gave off. Never failing to cheer you up while in a bad mood.

tony took note of how down and upset you were feeling all of a sudden. He woke you up very early. Like 5 am kind of early that day.

"Hmmmmm" you groaned, not wanting to wake up.

"Sweetheart come on i have something planned for you" you only sighed and stretched your legs out, pulling your blanket down. Tony poked your now slightly exposed stomach, in order to wake you up more.

You hopped out of bed, going to your bathroom. You heard tony rummaging through your wardrobe. When you came out of the bathroom, you saw a very comfy outfit sitting on your bed waiting for you.

Which included a soft white tee, a comfy sweater, a hat, sweatpants, and boots. You smiled at the decent looking outfit, giggling you took it and walked back into the bathroom, you also brushed your teeth and hair, walking out you saw tony in the same spot. But he had clearly gotten up to do something.

You saw him sitting comfortably on your white sheets, with an outfit identical to yours.

You sat down next to him, Smiling to yourself.

"Come on, lets go eat" he said taking your hand and standing. Walking toward the door and into the hall, where you asked him a question.

"What are we gonna do today" you asked curiosity as you walked past the living room and into the kitchen, where there was fresh pancakes. You giggled to yourself.

After you finished your meal, tony lead you out the door, and made sure to turn on the heater on the car.

You arrived at a parking lot of a coffee shop. That was connected to the most beautiful town you had ever seen. Looking like it was straight out of pinterest.

You both walked into the small coffee shop. You sat down and simply talked to your father, about what had been bothering you. But you also accidentally just drifted off into talking about a Disney movie.

Once you finished this short activity, you both walked down a beautiful path, decorated with leafs, given that it was quite early, no one was driving. No whooshing cars even near you.

You saw a small bookstore and decided to go inside, where you were greeted with a very sweet old man running the place. And even gave you free tea/coffee.

You both bought a few books that looked interesting, you also got a few bookmarks, the price was quite average. You were glad there was finally a bookstore with affordable products.

Tony took the bag from the elderly man, and held the door for you. Walking down the same path you saw a movie theater, and tony was already prepared.

"Look! They're playing that movie we wanted to see" you said pointing toward the colorful lights coming from this cinema.

And tony waved two tickets in front of your face. You laughed at him.

After your movie was over you and tony were worn out. And walked down the beautiful path you had grew quite fond of one last time. You saw a bench and decided to sit for a few moments. You sat down patting the space next to you for tony.

You rested your head on tonys shoulder, and he put an arm around you.

"I had a really great time today dad. Thank you, i love you" you said looking off into the distance. "I love you too baby"

You both stopped at a pumpkin patch before you left. Tony promised to carve them with you this weekend. So you now had someone to look forward too.

You most definitely fell asleep on the ride home. Holding the two pumpkins in your arms in order too "protect them" in your words.

When you arrived home, tony told you to go and get a shower and you did just that. There was a pear of pajamas on your bed, that tony was definitely wearing as well. About 15 minutes later you came down to see your favorite fall movie ready to play on the large flat-screen. And a few candles lit on the fireplace in order to make a warm environment.

You sat at the couch, only to fall asleep again. With your father holding you.

+•°+*°•+

Tags

@animealways // @white-wolf-buckaroo // @tonystark-au // @yummyangy // @zebralover //

#tony stark x daughter reader #dad!tony stark #daughter reader #tony stark #tony stark x stark!reader #tony stark x reader #marvel mcu #x reader #hehehe #fall #avengers

[darth-aces]

Sorting Through Books

You worked at a bookstore. One of those bookstores filled to the brim with books. In the front the books were positioned in it’s appropriate genre and alphabetical order, but the moment you step in the back you’d find yourself confused, as everything had been sort of thrown together in heaps of books. It was an old bookstore and it was recently sold to a new owner who was having you reorganize the shelves. You didn’t mind the task as it kept you busy and away from most people throughout the day which was great for any introvert.

Despite the seclusion, you weren’t lonely because you had company with you. You had a buddy with you that accompanied you as you worked. Her name was Maru, a grey tabby cat that wandered into the bookstore when the new owner bought the place and has forever made it her home. Every now and then you’d also find wandering customers looking at the books that you were trying to organize.

Today started out as any other day, book after book you managed to get a decent portion of it placed into piles that you could later arrange onto shelves.

By then you were in need of a break and made your way to the nearest coffee shop. Maru, as she always did, followed you to the front door of the shop where you told her to wait as you made your order.

When you get your drink you made your way outside where you saw Maru with a stranger, petting and praising her as they gently gave her pets on the head. You let the stranger continue petting Maru as you walk past, not wanting to disturb them and too shy to claim ownership on a neighborhood cat.

Although, you hadn’t noticed that Maru had quickly gotten up to follow you, which in return led the stranger to follow Maru.

You had already situated yourself in the back ready to go back to work when you begin to hear someone’s footsteps.

“Huh, never thought a cat would be into books.” They said. This remark made you smirk, intrigued by this stranger already.

Maru eventually walks in and sits right next to you. You immediately go to pet her before greeting the stranger that had walked in right behind.

“Hi, are you a friend of Maru’s?” You jokingly ask them. You get a good look at them. You thought they were cute, but you can’t help but to be drawn to the I will not come home drunk tee shirt they had on.

“Oh I suppose I could be. We just met and I kind of tagged along.” They answer hesitantly, a little embarrassed that they just followed a cat they don’t even know.

“Are you drunk now? Is that why you followed a cat into a random bookstore?” When you say this their face is confused before looking down and realizing that their shirt might make for a weird first impression.

“I swear I’m a hundred percent sober, your cats just adorable and I couldn’t get enough of her.” They frantically say to try and regain some control of the conversation.

“Okay, I believe you, but how do I know you’re not some weird cat stalker?” Maru at this point has cuddled up next to you taking a nap. A slight pause in the conversation arose when they began to think of their response.

“How do you know the cat isn’t the one stalking you?” Now you’re confused.

“What?”

“She follows you every where I’m guessing, considering how easy it was for her to follow you here today, she must do it pretty often. That being said, why don’t you ever think she’s the one stalking you?” You give one look at the sleeping Maru, stunned and speechless that you’ve never considered this and yet it took just a few seconds for a stranger to point it out to you.

“Even if she was a stalker, I don’t think I’d mind. She’s too cute and she helps me with the books. If you ask me I think that’s a fair price to pay for a little cat stalking.”

“Well if that’s your answer I think I’d have to confess that I’ve seen you around and maybe I was stalking you a little bit and sort of followed you and her here because I thought you were attractive. Now that I’m saying that out loud it is weird, but I swear if you told me to leave and forget about all this I’d understand. I’m just saying stuff now-“ their voice got quieter in hopes that not speaking at all could help them out of their never ending spew. You let out a little chuckle charmed by how dorky but also sweet their confession was.

“You’d be right in saying that I could banish you from this shop, but truthfully I think you’re too cute to just let you leave. How about we go out for coffee tomorrow and you can stalk me all you like.” You say smiling at them.

“Great, that sounds good. Not the stalking bit, just the coffee.” Once again their voice quiets down the moment they realize they’re not being as cool and collected as they originally hoped. You even hear a mumble of a “Great now I think I’m just embarrassing myself.”

You nod at them, smiling at how entertaining they are when they’re nervous. You then pull out a pen and a little notepad that was next to you. On the paper you write your name and number and tore the paper out for them. “My names y/n by the way.”

They take the paper, looking down at it with pure joy plastered on their face. “Thanks, I’m Bella.”

They fold the piece of paper and place it in their pocket.

“So I’ll see then, I promise no more stalking for both you and Maru. Okay, bye y/n. Bye Maru!” You two wave each other goodbye as they walk out of the store. You’re overjoyed and your smile hasn’t left your face since they walked in.

“Jeez Maru, I didn’t think you’d be such a good wingman.”

You give Maru all the pets they desire before going back to work.

#bella ramsey #bella ramsey fluff #bella ramsey x reader #bella ramsey x y/n #bella ramsey x you #bella ramsey fanfic #bella ramsey tlou

[elli3luvs]

sitting on my lunch break as a barista rn kicking my feet and giggling at ur ellie coffeeshop au. requesting a oneshot where ellie & reader are coworkers at a coffeeshop/bookstore or whatever and they have a crush on each other !! love ur writing <3

a/n: AHH I LOVE THISS i want to be coworkers with ellie <;/3 and I'm so glad you are liking the coffee shop fic!! it makes me so happy to see you guys enjoying it so much haha

cw: AWKWARD ELLIE, like so awkward i love her, mr. beast mention LMFAOO

wc: 800

you needed to be working. if your manager ever happened to look at the cameras, you would be reprimanded for sure. but, you couldn't help it.

you sat behind the register peering around a bookshelf to look at the coffee shop in a snug corner. the bookstore you worked at wasn't huge but when the local coffee shop proposed opening a small area in your store, your manager happily agreed.

it was small enough to only need 1-2 workers a day. today just happened to have 1 person working.

ellie.

a smile crept on your lips as you thought of her name. she was the main barista at the small coffee shop, maybe even the manager? you didn't deal with the shop much but all you knew that was when ellie worked, you couldn't help but stare. she was kind enough to bring you a cup of coffee some days. when you were crazy busy and there were no tasks at the shop she even jumped in to help you with customers.

you would always tell her you were fine but she would wave you off, ringing up customers as if she originally worked at the bookstore.

she snuck into your heart with her small acts of kindness.

you tear your eyes away from her to scan the small store, seeing if any customers were in. to your surprise (and benefit) there wasn't.

it was time.

you hop off the small stool you were seated on and made your way over to ellie.

"slow day, huh?" you shove your hands in your apron as you approach her.

she laughs, nodding her head, "yes it is! feels like the shift is never gonna end. i don't think i've seen more than 4 people today." her sleeves were rolled up to reveal her forearm tattoo as she washed some spare dishes. that damn forearm tattoo always got you blushing.

you look out the window, "i thought since school was out today some kids would stop by."

ellie clicks her tongue, "kids don't read anymore. they are all about their ipads and... what's, what's that one youtuber called?"

you look back at her and shrug, "i have no clue. i don't keep up, too old." she looks like she's racking her brain to find the answer.

"mr. beast? i think that's who the kids are into. or is it someone else?" ellie was wondering out loud, scrubbing her last cup. you furrow your brows at the name.

you have never even heard of him before.

"i don't know him," ellie hums in acknowledgment, shaking her hands free from the water, "maybe we will get busy soon. only have about 2 hours before we close up."

ellie wipes her hands on a towel before leaning against the counter, eyes locking on yours, "maybe. we don't usually have many customers before we close, though." she looks in between you and the floor like something is bothering her.

"that's true." you finish out the conversation, settling in a sort of awkward silence. her eyes were darting back and forth while her bottom lip was tugged between her teeth, "well, i'll go tidy up my side of the store. bye bye!"

even if you wanted to sit and talk to ellie all day, you couldn't just completely abandon your job. you go to turn around but her saying 'wait!' pauses you in your tracks. you look at her with curious eyes.

"are you, uh, doin' anything tonight?" her hand rubs the back of her neck as she peers at you with a look in her eyes you can't quite place.

this was perfect.

you never thought ellie would be the one to initiate so this was a pleasant surprise. she always seemed sort of reserved so you figured you would have to be the one to shoot your shot.

you clasp your hands in front of you, a smile forming, "no, i'm actually free tonight."

ellie lets out a small breath of relief, "wanna go to the arcade? play some mortal kombat? if... if that's what your into, of course. we could definitely play something els-"

"that's perfect, ellie," she smiles at your reassurance, "meet you at the back doors after we get through closing?"

she gives a thumbs up, cringing slightly at her action, "sounds perfect!"

you wanted to tease her for her awkwardness but you couldn't do that to her. not yet at least.

maybe one day.

#ellie williams imagine #ellie williams x you #ellie williams fluff #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams

[crappymixtape]

you're never far behind • part one

when your dad calls and needs your help at home in hawkins you can't say no, but when you arrive back in town you uncover a friendship you thought you'd lost a long time ago | ( 6.2k, angst, tiny fluffies, best friends to strangers to friends to lovers, steve x reader, steve x you )

Y O U ‘ R E N E V E R F A R B E H I N D 🎶 long time, wild rivers

“Was so good of you to come, hon. It’s a lot for your dad to do on his own, especially on delivery days. Can’t lie, sure is nice to see your face around again too! Need a warm up?”

“Please? Thanks, Georgie.”

“Sure thing, sweets.”

Steam lifted from the mug on the counter in front of you as Georgie filled it with more hot coffee. The diner still looked the same as it had when you’d left four years ago. Black and white checkered tiles, worn red plastic seat tops sparkling dully in the florescent lighting from above, the smell of french fries and Georgie’s perfume mingling in the air.

You’d arrived home, home in Hawkins, the night before and had only been to the diner and the post office, but people were already talking about it. Word got around fast. Your dad had been stubborn about it at first, but after he knocked over a couple of shelves in the shop he knew he was in over his head.

He owned the only bookstore in town, Turn A Page, for the last twenty years and took pride in the fact that he didn’t need any help doing it. But then he broke his leg falling off a ladder in the front yard trying to clean out the gutters and it took him a full week to call you.

“Hello?”

“Hey, scout. It’s me, doin’ okay?”

“Dad, yeah I’m good. Just finishing up a few things for a deadline. Everything okay down there?”

Silence.

Your dad was never quiet, so you knew it wasn’t good.

“Dad,” your tone was flat, firm, uninterested in bullshit and he hummed for a second longer, buying himself a bit more time, but gave in when he heard you suck in an anticipatory breath.

“It’s fine! It was just a little tumble. Cleaning out the damn gutters is a mess, but the x-rays came back showing a clean break, which is great news by the way! And I’ll only need crutches for a couple of months–”

“A clean break? X-Rays? Dad! C’mon, what the hell?”

“I didn’t want to worry you, I’m really fine down here. It’s just that, you know crutches, they’re kind of clumsy and hard to get the hang of and–and I bumped into one of the shelves at the shop and well…”

“And well?” you pushed, heart dropping from your throat after realizing it wasn’t as bad as you’d thought.

“Well, I hate to ask you. To be a burden, your old dad…”

“Dad,” you softened a bit, holding the receiver to your ear as you twisted the cord around your finger, waiting for him to just spit it out.

“Think you could come down for a month? Just to help me around the shop, get things set up for my stupid crutches? Maybe help me interview someone to putter around and do the stuff I can’t do just yet?”

“Yes. Of course I can. Dad, I really wish you’d ask someone else to come do the gutters. It’s not like you’re gonna all of a sudden need hearing aids or a walker just because you’re asking for some help.”

“Hey now, I manage just fine on my own. I raised you by myself, gutters ought to be a damn cake walk.”

You huffed a small laugh and shook your head, leaning against the wall in your kitchen, “Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re lucky I never take vacations.”

“And what a trip, huh? Come stay down here in Hawkins for a month and maybe you’ll wanna stay this time,” you could hear his smile on the other end as you let out a small groan.

“I doubt it, but I’ll hear your pitch when I get down there.”

“Perfect. It’ll be good enough you won’t even have any questions at the end.”

“Mmhm.”

Silence again, but this time it was warm. Like you were sitting next to your dad on the old brown couch in the living room back home watching Family Ties and eating microwave whatevers while you laughed so hard you cried. Maybe you did miss it a little.

“Okay, dad. I gotta go, I’ll catch the bus down after I let work know.”

“Thanks, bub. I really do appreciate it.”

“It’s okay, I want to.”

“Alright. You know I love you.”

“Yeah, love you too.”

“You headed over to the shop? Can I send you with a coffee and cinnamon roll for the boss?” Georgie asked with a sweet smile, her long earrings dangling just below her jawline as she turned toward the pastry case.

“He doesn’t need anymore sugar, Georgie,” you chided, but your tone didn’t hold any heat as the older woman turned back around, cinnamon roll boxed up tidy in one hand and a to-go cup of black coffee in the other.

You leveled her with a look, but the smile tugging at the corners of your lips gave you away. “Fine. But maybe make some croissants or something with less–” you waved your hand toward the sticky-sweet-frosting-coated rolls in the case, “–well, just less.” Both of you started laughing and Georgie gave you a wink.

“Okay, sure. I’ll see what I can whip up.”

“His heart thanks you,” you sighed, shaking your head and getting up from the counter. “I’ll be back tomorrow I’m sure,” leaving some cash on the counter you shouldered open the door, bell jingling brightly above you, and stepped out onto main street.

The sun was out, warming everything in the bright early morning light. You could already feel how it wanted to heat up, wanted to make your skin feel too hot and bright. Pink and red like ripe strawberries, wanted to kiss it and dot new freckles along your nose and cheeks. The ones you’d hated when you were younger, but liked now for whatever reason and even though it was September, summer was clinging on a bit longer refusing to let go, and down town was buzzing with activity. People were bustling around getting ready for the day, shops opening and setting out their signs on the sidewalk, pulling people in to browse and seek refuge in the late afternoon heat.

After the old antiques place closed up next to Family Video your dad was quick to jump on it and lease the space, seeing the potential it had and wanting to put action to his passion for books.

He and your mom divorced when you were young, too young to understand or ask questions or get lost in the whys and the only memory you had of her was a glowing, glittering thing. Dark, tight curls and lavender, eyes warm like burnt caramel, hugs pulled close and while you don’t remember you were at least thankful that it was a happy one.

Growing up you swore that love was real, swore you’d find someone to sweep you off your feet like they did in all those Disney movies, but as time spun on you realized that maybe love was a story people told themselves as a distraction. Like looking through magazines full of pictures of places far, far away and telling yourself someday you’d visit when you knew you really wouldn’t. Your dad, despite his own history, felt differently.

He thought love was a wonderful, all-consuming thing that wrapped itself around you like hot cocoa after being out in the snow. A beautiful give and take. Terrifying honesty and openness that would set you free once you surrendered and even though he had remained single after your mom he still believed it.

“Morning, bub! Oh coffee, thank god. And a cinnamon roll? Remind me to stop by the diner on the way home, Georgie’s a sweetheart.”

“Yeah well, I told her you don’t need anymore of this,” you said, shoving the box at him from across the front counter, “Or broken bones won’t be your only worry.”

“Hey, now. Let me have this,” he grumbled back, taking a drink of his coffee, but then his expression softened as realization came over him. “Ah, I forgot to tell you. It’s game night, so we’ll close up shop and just head over to the high school after,” he said casually, opening up the register.

“Game night?” you started, worried there was some weekly canasta game he’d failed to tell you about, but he laughed and waved you off.

“Game night. Basketball. You know, round orange ball? Throw it into a hoop?”

You firmed your lips into a line and rolled your eyes. “Yes. Okay. I get it. Are we cheering on anyone specific?” you asked expectantly, tossing your bag behind the counter, taking your name tag from the drawer and pinning it on your shirt.

“No, but if we didn’t go we’d be a disgrace to the whole community,” he stated very matter-of-factly and you shook your head.

“Okay, okay. Game night. Great, can’t wait.”

“Listen, I’ll buy us popcorn and soda and do the whole thing. Just like you’re back in high school,” he bribed and you looked at him skeptically over your shoulder.

“I don’t want to be back in high school.”

“C’mon, it wasn’t that bad was it? Besides, we’ll see a couple of your old friends I’m sure.”

“Friends?” you felt your stomach flip over at the sudden rush of memories that flooded your mind right there on the spot.

Red licorice, filling the van with hazy smoke, juice too sweet and mixed with bad vodka, late nights floating weightless in pools while the moon hung overhead.

“Yeah,” your dad’s face scrunched up in thought, digging for names, and when it finally hit him he jabbed a finger at you. “Eddie Munson for one! He’s around here. And that Buckley girl, she manages Family Video now and…” his eyes lifted to the ceiling, thinking, and then, “Oh! God, I need more coffee. Steve, Steve Harrington. He took the coaching job last year. Best one we’ve had in a long time.”

Steve.

Steve Harrington.

Your brain felt like it had disconnected from reality. Like it was scrambling to try and figure out what exactly your dad had just told you and the look on your face was apparently making that all too obvious.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just thought you’d like to–”

“No! No that’s great,” you cut him off, trying to give him a big smile and thankfully he took it as you turned around to face the bookshelf again, “Can’t wait to catch up.”

Everything was a mixture of cheers and boos and the clock buzzing and the slap of the ball on the court and you tried to ground yourself in it all, but it felt like you were drowning. It was so familiar, but so foreign and as you watched the kids on the other side of the court you tried to remember what it was like. Laughing with each other or sneaking booze into paper soda cups or not caring at all being attached at the face in the stands.

You might have been able to get a grip on shit, might have waded through the night just fine, but there was something else that held you tight like a vice.

Messy brown hair, moles and freckles like tiny constellations scattered across his skin, the same old dirty pair of Blazers on his feet, the curve of his mouth, the way he propped his hand on his hip.

Steve.

Your best friend.

Was your best friend.

You knew you should’ve been watching the game, should’ve been paying attention so that you could hold at least a semi-decent conversation the next morning in the shop, but you couldn’t pull your eyes away.

Coach Harrington.

Was he the same as he’d been before you’d left? Smug and cocky, but all warm and soft underneath. Shotgunning a beer one minute and holding your hand tight and close in his the next. Singing loud enough in the car his voice cracked and broke until he fell apart into laughter and looked over at you with those eyes. Burnt caramel, warm honey, flecks of gold and green and deep and–

“Hell of a game! My god, paper’ll have a heck of an article tomorrow,” your dad’s voice shook you back to reality and when you looked back up at the scoreboard the time read 00:00.

“Yeah, yeah damn. Great game,” you laughed weakly and tried to smile at your dad, eyes flicking back over to the sidelines to see Steve and the rest of the team were gone. Because of course they were. The game was over.

“Well. Don’t feel like you gotta come straight home,” your dad said, giving your arm a squeeze, “I know you probably wanna catch up with your friends.”

“Dad–” you started, brows furrowing together as you pinched the bridge of your nose between your fingers, “I really don’t feel like we’re friends, it’s been years since–”

“Oh don’t be silly, time doesn’t matter,” he waved a hand dismissively at you and stood from the bench, a crutch under each arm, “Just go say hi already. Scaredy cat.”

“Excuse me–” you protested, offense all over your face as you got ready to dig into him, but it stalled on your lips as you heard the metal slam of a door across the gym. It was a knee jerk reaction to look up and as you did you wished you hadn’t.

Your eyes met Steve’s, his faded navy baseball hat working overtime to contain all that hair, and while it was only for a split second it felt like a lifetime. You’d been thinking all night about what you were going to do, what you’d say, and maybe you secretly hoped he’d give you a smile but you were met with something worse.

Indifference.

Not so much as a smile or a nod or half-hearted wave, his lips in a firm line, or was it a grimace? It couldn’t be, but then he was looking away and shoving open the gym door into the parking lot.

“Excuse you–” your dad retorted, but when you didn’t sass him back he waved a hand across your eye line. “Hey, you in there?”

“What?” fell out lamely and your head whipped back around.

“You were about to take me to school on something, but…” he drifted off, eyes flicking up to the door Steve had just left through.

“Oh, I just mean–it’s just–it’s been so long. You know? They’re probably busy and–”

“Bub, you don’t know until you try. You’re gonna want someone your own age to talk to while you’re in town. Look, I’m already driving you nuts,” he laughed and reached over to give your shoulder a little poke.

Rolling your eyes you jammed your hands into your pockets and jerked your head toward the door, “C’mon old man. You can drive me nuts at home.”

“Alright,” he chuckled and clumsily followed after, still getting the hang of his crutches. “But promise me you’ll get out every now and again while you’re here? Please?”

Looking down at the old gym floor covered in scuffs and dents and dings you sighed. Was this the wrong decision? Should you have stayed home? Just sent someone else to help out? “Okay. Sure. I promise,” you murmured opening the door for your dad and walking out into the night.

The next morning you were up again early, throwing on a pair of jeans and a band tee, Chucks beat up and snug on your feet. The exact opposite of what you were supposed to wear to work back in the city, but it was a surprisingly welcome change. No presentations to creative leadership, no manuscripts to screen, no deadlines and no phone on your desk ringing off the hook. Just the smell of books, the lilt of the bell on the door and too much time to think.

Think about last night. About how you still had nearly a month left in Hawkins. Had no idea how you were going to spend it and no idea why god’s name you were still thinking about him.

About Steve.

About the look, or non-look, he’d given you.

And while you couldn’t blame him, it didn’t make it sting any less.

Hand on your closet door you moved to shut it, but your eyes caught a flash of red. A box on the top shelf. You’d taken most everything with you when you moved to Indianapolis for college, but had apparently missed that.

Pulling it down you blew the dust off the top of it and lifted the lid slowly to find a pile of forgotten memories looking up at you. Throat tightening, a flood of unexpected emotions poured over you, wrapping themselves snug and warm around your heart.

Polaroids of a younger version of yourself grinning up through the frame, joint dangling from your lips, a pair of sunglasses perched on your nose. One of Steve and Eddie mid-jump into the quarry on the hottest day in July. Robin laughing, cheeks stuffed too-full with grapes on a dare to see how many she could fit in her mouth. Nancy’s tiny frame enveloped by Jonathan’s big arms, his hand outstretched to block the lens, both of them grinning like mad.

You felt a small laugh fall from your lips as you gently set the box on your bed, gathering the polaroids up and setting them aside to find more things at the bottom. An old half-smoked joint stub, a lighter, a button with “Nancy for President!” on it, movie tickets and a couple pieces of popcorn, an old Family Video name tag, and something bright hiding under a pair of 3D glasses. Reaching in, your fingers softly lifted it from the box.

Tiny little strings of thread twisted together in a messy braid. Your three favorite colors, purple, green and pink tangled together in a promise you’d made Steve all those summers ago and you felt your chest squeeze. Guilt. Regret.

“God, I’m terrible at this, it looks like shit,” Steve grumbled, tongue poking out between his lips in concentration as he tried to braid his strings together.

Both of you were sat on the floor of your room, knee to knee with your back against your bed, radio playing Pet Shop Boys in the background. The last rays of sunlight fell through your window and danced across the bare skin of your legs, fan on the ceiling pushing too-warm air around the room.

“It doesn’t look like shit, it’s fine–” you tried for reassurance, but the small smile playing on your lips gave you away.

“Fine. That’s not ‘good’ or ‘great’. It makes it sound like–” Steve started to protest, but then he glanced over to see your fingers deftly twisting together his favorite colors – yellow, blue and orange. “Christ, yes it does look like shit! Look at yours, are you kidding me?” he flung a hand out for emphasis and you let out a laugh.

“Shut up! I’ve been doing this since second grade or something stupid, cut yourself a break,” you reached across your lap to shove him, expression softening as he shook his head.

“No, no way. You can’t wear this. People will ask what idiot tried to make you a dumb friendship bracelet in the dark with two left hands,” and he started to ball it up, but your hands covered his, head dipping down to look at him properly.

“Steve, it’s not about what it looks like,” you chided gently and he huffed a sigh, but you gave him a little smile, “Best friends forever, right?”

“Best friends forever,” he mumbled back, your little motto, but when he looked up at you his frown softened.

Silence lingered then for a moment between the two of you, his eyes still looking into yours as you floated in the soft light that filled your room, your hands pressing into each other. The last bits of sun and summer holding you tight in its warmth.

Steve’s lips parted as he stared at you, the look in his eyes making you feel like all the air had been pulled from your lungs, like your room had fallen away and all that existed in that moment was you and Steve.

“D’you have to go?” he murmured.

“I–” you stuttered, suddenly unsure of your answer, waffling on what had been such a sure decision just a few of months ago. To get out of Hawkins. To find something new. Something away from Steve and leave all of this behind.

“Just stay.”

“Steve…” your voice was barely above a whisper, eyes looking and searching his as he untangled a hand from yours and settled it gently on your cheek.

“Stay,” he whispered and as he leaned in slow and steady you swore time stood still, his lips pressing into yours, warm and soft like they held summer and promises of forever.

“Didja fall in up there? Cos if you did, I can’t climb the stairs to help you, bub,” you sucked in a gasp, your dad’s voice pulling you out of the spiral you’d fallen into, tears welling up at the corners of your eyes. Hastily wiping your arms across your face you tossed the bracelet back into the box and shut the lid, shoving it back up on the shelf you’d found it on.

“Yeah! Sorry, just trying to find my other shoe,” you lied, voice wobbling a little as you hurried over to your dresser mirror to make sure you didn’t look like you’d been crying.

“Alright, meet you at the car!” he called up the stairs and you took in a breath, trying to steady yourself.

“It’s fine. You’re fine,” you whispered to your reflection.

And somehow you’d managed to gather yourself together before hopping into your rental car, driving you and your dad down the road to the diner for coffee before work. The sun was out again, but it didn’t hold as much heat as it had the day before and you opted to open the windows instead of cranking the AC.

“You sure you want it hot?” you asked your dad, shifting into park at the curb.

“Yes, I’m sure. Coffee is brewed hot, why would you cool it down?” he shot back indignantly and you huffed a laugh.

“Alright, no one’s judging, I just–” shutting your door you poked your head in through the window, “–it’s gonna be warm again today. Cold is nice sometimes!”

“Hot, please!” your dad yelled after you as you pulled the diner door open, waving him off with a dismissive hand.

“Mornin’, hon! The usual?” Georgie greeted you warmly, earrings dangling past her jawline and bright in the light from the windows.

“Yes, please, but make mine cold if you can?”

Saddling up at the counter, your fingers idly flipped the plastic pages of one of the menus while you waited, the sound of bacon sizzling in the kitchen. It was odd, the comfort this place offered you, but it was needed this morning and you settled into it easily like a warm hug. Like seeing an old friend and you were so content you didn’t hear the bell on the door ring behind you, but the voice that followed was louder than your heart pounding against your ribcage.

“Gigi! Need a coffee and bacon, egg on toast to-go this morning.”

You nearly fell off your stool to hide under the bar, but opted instead to be an adult and hide your face behind your arm, propping an elbow on the counter and tossing your gaze off in the opposite direction.

“Stevie! Lord have mercy, that game gave me a couple of new gray hairs,” the older woman teased playfully and the laugh he gave back made your stomach flip over.

“Sorry, we’ll do better next time, promise.”

“Good, you better. S’on me this morning.”

“G, you don’t have to do that–”

“Yes, I do! Don’t you fight me on that, I’ve got a mean south paw.”

Steve laughed again and you wanted to die as he sat on the stool one over from you, drumming his fingers on the counter and shaking his head, “Okay, okay. You win.”

“That’s right. I do,” and Georgie busied herself with getting his coffee, barking back his order to the cooks just as yours came through the bus window.

Shit. No way to leave undetected now.

“Alright, sweets. Here’s your dad’s coffee and I had Hal whip up a little whole wheat toast with scrambled eggs. Better than a cinnamon roll?” Georgie gave you a very pleased look and you felt like you were going to collapse in on yourself as you moved your hand away from your face to take the two coffees and box of food.

“Thanks, Georgie,” you mumbled sheepishly, keeping your eyes straight ahead, but you could feel him looking at you.

Clearing your throat you left a wad of cash on the counter before turning to leave, looking everywhere except that damn stool. You made it halfway to the door before his voice stopped you in your tracks.

“Thought that was you.”

Your breath caught in your throat and you wished running out of the diner had been an acceptable response to both the panic rising in your chest and Steve’s clipped tone, but you didn’t and instead turned around to finally face him.

“In the flesh,” you joked lamely and immediately wanted to kick yourself.

He was studying you as though he were looking for something. Eyes still warm like honey, mouth firmed in the same line they’d been pursed into the night before, brows unamused and pulled in at the middle. He didn’t laugh.

“Had enough of the ‘big city’?” he mocked, tongue jamming into his cheek as he watched you uncomfortably shift your feet on the checkered tile floor.

“Yeah, smells worse than cow shit if you can believe it,” you were shocked at how quickly you were thinking on your feet and almost grinned at him, but his reply knocked you down a peg or two.

“I could’ve told you that,” he grumbled, turning in his stool to look back at Georgie, the older woman flicking her eyes back and forth between the two of you like she was watching a tennis match. In fact most everyone else in the diner was watching now and you felt heat rise in your cheeks.

“Well, I’ll be here all month, so knock yourself out,” and before he could throw anything back at you, you hurried out the door to the car and didn’t look back.

The conversation with Steve, if you could even call it that, was all you could think about for the rest of the day and your dad knew something was up, but he didn’t push you on it. You had to go back and fix the books you’d put in the wrong place in your mess of distraction after lunch and when you finally came around the back of the counter to get a drink of what was mostly melted ice now than iced coffee, your dad gently prodded.

“Georgie say anything this morning?”

“Yeah. Said she’s only feeding you whole wheat toast from now on, so get used to it,” you grumbled and he smiled, gently grabbing your hand before you could stalk away to hide in the rows of books.

“Did anything else come up?” he fixed you with an expectant look and you frowned.

“No.”

“No?”

Closing your eyes you loosed a sigh and put your face in your hands. “Everyone here hates me,” came out muffled through your fingers and your dad let out a belly laugh.

“Hates you? Says who?”

“Everyone.”

“Bub, no one hates you,” he reached over to yank your hands away from your face and gave you one of his I’m dad, listen to me looks.

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one running away from shit,” you argued back, folding your arms tight across your chest and his expression softened.

“Least you came back? I’d say that takes some courage,” he countered, lifting his brows for emphasis and poking you gently with the end of one of his crutches.

You frowned and he laughed again, reaching over to pull you into hug. “Listen. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Most of the time these things are cleared up with a simple conversation,” he said, holding you out at arm’s length.

“Simple conversation? Yeah I don’t think so–”

“You haven’t even tried,” he cut you off and gave you a stern look, “Y’know, I’m not as dumb as I look.”

“I didn’t say that–”

“Promise me you’ll talk to him. Even if it sucks at first, just try it.”

You sharply exhaled a short puff of air through your nose, looking down at the floor not wanting to give in, but you could feel your dad staring holes into you.

“Fine. Fine. I’ll try,” you conceded, kicking a toe into the base of the counter and your dad shoved your shoulder playfully.

“That’s the ticket, and you know I’m always here for advice,” he wiggled his eyebrows at you and you rolled your eyes, a small smile playing on your lips.

“No offense, but no thanks,” you teased, walking back to keep stocking the shelves and he called after you.

“I’m like, twenty-two years older than you are! I know a lot!”

“Sure you do, dad! I’m sure you do.”

Cleared up with a simple conversation.

Sure. Right. Of course. But where were you supposed to even have said conversation? How were you supposed to ask Steve if he wanted to talk? Just waltz up to him on the street and casually see if he wanted to have a sit down with you? There was no way you were going to be able to muster up the courage to approach him at the diner and after that fated morning you made sure to arrive before or after he grabbed his usual 7:30am pick-up.

It wasn’t until you were closing up shop again on Friday that your dad reminded you of the plans you’d made. Well, that Hawkins had made for you.

“Better giddy up, gonna miss tip off,” your dad was digging around in the counter drawer for the keys as you finished sweeping the entryway.

“Tip off?”

“Yeah,” he stopped his search long enough to give you a look and then went back to digging, “Game night.”

Oh, fuck. Right. Game night. Because all of Hawkins shut down at five on Fridays for basketball and god forbid you miss it.

“Think I’ll stay home,” you mumbled, eyes on the floor, but you could feel the judgement your dad was throwing across the shop at you.

“And miss out on quality time with your old man? Before I’m all wrinkly and need an actual wheel chair?”

“That’s not fair,” you flicked your eyes up to frown at him, pointing a finger for emphasis and he grinned.

“You drive, I’m a little–” he shook a crutch at you and it was like you could physically feel yourself giving in.

“As soon as you get rid of those? I’m gone,” you grumbled and he laughed, an Aha! coming from behind the counter as he finally yanked the keys from the drawer.

“Lock up, I’ll start hobbling,” tossing the keys at you, you barely caught them and as soon as his back was turned you stuck out your tongue. What? Maturity is overrated.

The gym was packed. Your dad had failed to mention Hawkins was playing their rival team from the next town over and you tried to get a grip on shit. It took everything in you to not look at Steve as the starting line up was introduced, and you managed somehow, but once the game started you couldn’t help yourself.

Stealing a glance, you felt your pulse flutter against your neck. God he looked good. Same faded navy baseball cap snug over his mess of brown hair, hand propped on his hip as he yelled plays from the sidelines, jaw clenched on the wad of gum in his mouth and you grumbled under your breath, but your heart told a different story as it hammered against your ribs.

You sat with your arms folded across your chest, determined to be unhappy and miserable for the entirety of the game, but somehow every time Hawkins made a three-pointer or nailed all of their free throws after a foul you felt yourself softening until there were only two minutes left. The game was all tied up and you were a screaming mess.

“C’mon!” you yelled, hands cupped around your mouth as you stood up with the rest of the fans, “I can play better than these guys!”

Your dad had to bite back a laugh as he did his best to ignore you, trying not to bring attention to how invested you’d become. The rival team hit another bucket from the three-point line and you groaned along with everyone else, Hawkins down by two with 0:30 on the clock.

The point guard on the other team called a timeout and usually everyone would sit down, but the entire gym was still on their feet, anxious and watching as time ran out quickly.

Steve huddled his team up, gathering them around his clipboard and you craned your neck to try and see what was jotted down, but it was covered up by all the heads in the way. Watching as he talked to the boys you noticed how he was firm, but still soft. Decided, but encouraging, and when the buzzer went off you could just make out what he yelled at the team.

“Remember, it’s not about what it looks like! Long as you’re trying!”

Your breath caught in your throat.

It’s not about what it looks like.

Your words.

And you were so caught up in it all you didn’t hear the crowd when Hawkins hit the last three-pointer to end the game with a win. Didn’t hear your dad cheering next to you so loudly his voice cracked. Didn’t feel the bleachers shaking with all the jumping and bustling about. All you could see was Steve and as the team rushed him after the win he looked up and met your gaze, a flicker of a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

“A photo finish, scout!” your dad grabbed your shoulder, other hand throwing a fist into the air, “Good game, boys!”

“Oh,” fell out, the sound of everything rushing back in against your eardrums, and you quickly put your fingers to your mouth to whistle, “Good game, Tigers!”

“Still don’t have to come home right away,” your dad was looking back over at you with a knowing smile on his face, “Georgie’ll give me a ride.”

You bit in your bottom lip, wishing you were unsure of what you wanted, but your eyes looked over at Steve and you knew what your answer was going to be.

Simple conversation.

“Yeah. Alright. I’ll stay, but don’t get too excited,” you grumbled, cramming your hands into the pockets of your jeans as the gym started to clear out.

“Great! I mean–cool,” your dad tried to recover, tried to not sound too excited, but his outburst gave him away. The next look you fixed him with was enough of a cue and he hobbled away after Georgie, making his way out with the rest of the crowd and leaving you there awkwardly in the stands.

Your eyes scanned the gym and couldn’t find Steve, but it was the same as it’d happened last time. He was gone soon as the game finished and then reappeared after a little while. Probably giving the boys a post-game run down or something, so you tried to make yourself look busy.

Reading the plaques on the walls, looking at the Hawkins hall-of-fame jerseys hung up in the rafters, the signed championship balls in cases along the walls, including the one signed by Lucas Sinclair.

A smile pulled at your lips and you put a hand on the glass, reading all the names one at at time, pausing just a little longer at Lucas’ signature. He was always so sweet.

“Taking a stroll down memory lane?” someone spoke up behind you, startling you a bit as you sucked in a gasp, and when you turned around to see who it was you wished you hadn’t.

Steve’s voice was a little less harsh than it’d been earlier in the week, but he still wasn’t smiling as he stood there in the empty gym looking at you like he was trying to dissect things and you felt your chest squeeze.

“High school, the best days of your life,” you mock swooned and he cracked just a tiny bit, the smallest little smirk, and you held onto it. Tucked it into your back pocket and saved it for later.

“Yeah. Bunch of bullshit if you ask me,” he retorted, feeding off your sarcasm and then turned abruptly and walked out the side door.

You stood there for a minute, confused. Didn’t he just agree with you? But then he was poking his head back in through the doorway, looking expectantly at you with those warm, brown eyes.

“Are you coming or…?”

Shit, you muttered and half-jogged to catch up as he disappeared out of view of the door frame.

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x fem #steve harrington stranger things #steve stranger things #steve x you #steve fanfic #steve x reader #steve x fem #steve harrington series #steve harrington fic #steve harrington request #request #ask

[quellmythirst]

Billy's Books

Summary: A colegue sends you on search to find a secret bookstore in a back alley and you find something a bit more interesting than your next read.

Pairing: BookStoreOwner!BillyRusso x Bookworm!Reader

Words: 3.3k

Warnings: SMUT 18+ ONLY, fingering, flirting, PIV, kissing, teasing, swearing, bookshop AU!, Readers name is Holly but is only mentioned once.

AN: This may be the most self indulgent thing I have ever written. I recommend all the books mentioned and hope you enjoy.

The sun is pelting down on you today. You didn't know it could even get this warm in New York, somewhat surprised at the trickles of sweat beading down your back. The dark green sundress which had very light material is doing fuck all to help you cool down as you pace the streets looking for the bookstore one of your coworker has recommended. Karli said that it was the cutest little thing tucked into the side of a building in Hell's Kitchen. 

     You're almost around the corner that Karli marked on the map she gave you when a man passes you. His shoulder accidentally knocking with yours as he passes, throwing your bookbag to the ground, "Hey! Watch where you're going," you shout after him, picking up each one and dusting them off. The man doesn’t stop, his shoulders shrug while he continues to walk quickly away.

      You lose sight of him while focusing on getting the sidewalk grit off your precious books and figure he probably lives around here. Not surprising as this store seemed to be in a residential area.

       Walking for a few more minutes you find the shop you were looking for and Karli was right. The outside is adorned in plants, someone's bike nestled right at the door and an adorable display of classic horror novels in the window. The books are surrounded by antiques meant to compliment the source material. You try to rein in your laughter as you see someone has placed Mary Shelley's classic on top of a grave stone. “This is my kind of place,” you think to yourself.

      The doorbell chimes as you enter, the smell of dust, coffee and old books permeating the room. Taking a big ol whiff you bask in the scent, before a loud cough catches your attention and your eyes dart towards the counter. You feel heat creep up your spine and the urge to burrow into yourself. Someone just caught you doing another fucking weird thing in public, this is “why we don't leave the house,” you think, but outwardly you plaster a smile on, ignoring whoever they were and head towards the stacks.

       "Can I help you?" a deep baritone comes from your left as your peering through the very tame looking romance novels. 

       "No, all good, I know what I'm-" you stare up at the man, all sharp lines and hard features except for the smart smile on his lips. Your face must say something you don't want it to because he just stares, before chuckling to himself.

      "I wanted to apologise, I was in a hurry when I bumped you earlier,"

    "Thanks, but it's fine. Happens a lot,"

"What people bump into you?"

       "Yeah, some days I think I might as well be the Invisible Woman,"

"Now that can't be true," his eyes glance over you, catching on the large bag of books on your arm, "Woman as beautiful as you,"

     "Whatever you say," you roll your eyes. Was he hitting on you? Unlikely. That never happened, you weren't lying when you said you felt invisible. Who could blame people though, with your nose always in a book it was hard for people to see your face and you liked it that way. 

      "Let me get you a coffee," the man says, tilting his head back towards the small sitting area near the back.

      "It's really fine, I just need to find my book and I'll be on my way,"

"What if I look for your book while you take a seat?"

     "Oh," shit, you think. Well, maybe, if you don't die from embarrassment at him possibly knowing what it is. He won't. You had only ever met one man who didn't think romances were 'porn for women' and he was long gone. "Ok, sure. It's called The Never King by Nikki St Clare. You probably don't have it, I've been looking for a physical copy for ages and am yet to find one,"

     "I'll take a look. Go and take a seat, I'll bring you out a coffee and I'll be in the back,"

"Thanks," you smile as he slides your coffee across the table. He gives you a small nod and when you peer up from taking a sip he's gone. 

     The coffee is delicious, even though it's a million degrees outside the air conditioning is cooling your skin. Sticking your hand into your bag you pull out 'The Dragon Bride,' and start to read. You're just getting to the good part when you feel a set of eyes on you.

     " Adventurous reader aren't you," the man smirks, his eyes flicking to the cover and you immediately put the book cover down. "Can't say we get a lot of those in here, mostly just old folk who want some Dickens. Though I guess you want the same," he winks.  

      "Oh, my God." You plant your head on the table, feeling heat take over your skin, "kill me now," you mumble, unable to ever look this guy in the face again. No-one had ever even noticed what you were reading before, content with just ignoring you. Fuck, you figured this would be the same.

     "I found your book," he says, holding it up like a child who won an award at school, "it does come with a condition though,"

      "What?" You ask, rolling your head to the side so you can peek at him over your arm.

 "I want to know what it's about and I'd like you to tell me over lunch,"

      "Just let me die," you roll your head back into the safety of your arms, hoping that maybe he'll just leave the book and leave you alone to perish.

     "Where's the fun in that?" This guy, you didn't even know his name and he was the first person who wanted to know about your stories. Maybe lunch wasn't such a bad idea? You've been itching to rant to someone about The Never King for ages and now- he wouldn't like you after that. Your ex had described your rants as 'annoying, boring and painful.'

"Please just one lunch, then I'll give your book and you can go," 

     "I don't eat with strangers," you mumble into your arms.

"That's an easy fix. Billy Russo," he extends his hand towards your crossed arms.

     "Holly," you say, taking his hand and sitting up. Surprisingly you don't detect any judgment on his face, instead he's just smiling waiting for you to say something else. "What's for lunch?"

    "There's a sushi place down the road, just give me your order and I'll call them,"

"They deliver?"

"Only here. We made a deal a few years back. It's why I bumped you actually, I was late with their coffees." 

After ordering Billy takes a seat opposite you, his long fingers flicking through the book and raising a brow at the things you knew he would be reading. "So tell me what you like about it," 

"Are you comfortable?' You ask, knowing how long your lectures can go for.

   " Yeah, so go!"

"Well, it's a Peter Pan retelling. But different. So way back when Pan's shadow was stolen and to try and find it and gain back his power on Never land he kidnaps all of the Darling women on their 18th birthday. Because you see he thinks he can find answers in their memories………" You go on and on about it, gushing about the romance between the lost boys and the fierceness of Pan. How Winnie is the kind of woman you wished you had been at 18. It seems like forever and all the while Billy watches you. Smiling and asking questions. Real questions about how things work and why they were happening. Honestly you'd never had such a great conversation about it until now. He seems to genuinely enjoy listening to you. 

  "Should I read it?" He asks, stuffing sushi into his mouth. You hadn't even realised it was here, too busy talking and explaining the narrative.

   "I guess? What kind of books do you normally like?"

"Dark horror, usually where the main character makes some kind of error for selfish reasons and ends up becoming something horrific."

     "I mean maybe? Pan seems to be alot like that. Can I have my book now?"

"Oh yeah sure," he slides it into your bag, "no charge,"

    "You can't- this is no way to run a business," you shake your head, "first coffee, then lunch and now this? How can you even afford to run a store if you're just giving things away all the time?"

   "It's not all the time and only for smart little bookworms,"

"Does this work a lot?"

   "Does what work?"

" You know, the whole, charming the pants off women with books and sushi,"

     "Is it working now?"

"Not what I asked,"

     "Truth be told, you're the first person my age to come in here in a long time. It was just nice to talk to someone about something they love,"

"Oh," so he wasn't flirting. Just lonely, you know what that's like and it was nice to chat to someone who wanted to listen for once. "Can I come back tomorrow?" You ask, sliding the book into your bag.

   "One condition," he pulls a book from his pocket, "read this and tell me what you think,"

"Ok sure. 'Lore Olympus'' you read aloud, "Is this a comic? What's it about?" 

    "I think you'll like it," he says, cleaning your plates as you flip through it.

"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow," 

     "We open at 10, come whenever you like,"

XxXxXx

"A CLIFFHANGER!" you shout as you enter the small bookstore the next day, slamming the door open so hard that you don't even hear the soft bells chime. You stomp upto Billy with gusto you didn't know you had and throw the book at him, "how dare you recommend me a book that ends on a cliffhanger!"

        "Whoa, whoa!" He says as he catches the book in one hand, "I'll get you the second one, Princess. Geeze, I've got it right here," he reaches below the counter and pulls out another comic. "But this one has a cliffhanger too, just so you know."

    "And the next one?"

"Comes out in a few months,"

     "Evil! Why would you do this?"

"So I take it, you liked the book?"

      "Liked it?! I loved it,"

"Then I got some more things for you. Because that isn't the only Hades and Persephone story, but they're-"

      "They're what?"

"Come with me," he saunters around the counter, flipping the lock on the front door closed before his hand falls to your lower back and leads you out to a storage room. 

    "So this is all-"

"Yeah, Greek myths retold and some of the steamier romances. They aren't super popular with my regular crowd, but I like to keep them on hand," your hand brushes over the Madeline Miller section, smiling at all the works that surround it. You'd never heard of Katee Roberts, but the Neon Gods seemed to call to you. “This one's my favourite,” he leans over you, his breath fanning down your neck as his hand grips your waist. His hand pulls out 'A touch of Darkness," and you like the way it sounds. 

    "What's it about?" You ask your voice softer than it's even been, as his nose nudges your ear.

"Hades worshiping his queen," his hand slides around your front, fingers spreading over your tummy and pressing your ass into him, "tell me Princess, have you ever been worshiped?"

     "I ah-"

"Gone all shy on me? You were so excited to tell me all your Pan fantasies yesterday," Fuck. You can't think, not with that musky cologne mixing with the scent of old books, those give hands wrapping around you and his coffee stained breath on your ear.

    "Billy, I-" 

"Yes, Princess, tell me what you want," you feel your heartbeat race as his lips trace your neckline, his fingers creeping down as his other hand wraps around your neck twisting your head so he can press his lips into yours. It was all passion, hungry, and desperate need as he pressed his semi hard cock onto your ass. "Do you want me to stop?" He asks, his fingers graze the hem of your skirt, dancing softly up your inner thigh. 

   "No, keep going," you press back into him. His palm cups your pussy that’s soaking through your panties. Rubbing gently over you and forcing soft moans from your lips. Twisting your arm back, holding his face to your neck. 

 "May I?" His fingers toy with the line of your panties, the only thing separating you from the delicate touch of his strong fingers.

   "Please," you arch back, trying to get him closer.

"Such good manners, Princess," he thrust his fingers into you, his thumb toys with your clit. Your breath hitches while you chant his name, feeling that tingle building in the pit of your stomach and when his teeth sink into your neck and inferno burns inside. You need to cum, need it so badly.

   "Look back at me," he says, tilting your head so he can look at your face, "want to see how pretty you look when I make you cum for the first time," holy shit, you'd never heard anything so hot in real life ever. It made the fire inside grow and grow until it consumed you and you burst all over Billy's fingers.

   "Holy, fuck." You pant, breathless as Billy spins you, cornering you against the shelves with his body. His thickness pressing unto your thigh as your lips meet and your hands twine around his neck.

   "Want me to slow it down?" He asks, his fingers spreading your juice over your lip and your tongue flicks out to meet them. 

   "There's more?" You ask, brain still half soaked in bliss.

"I've always got more for a Princess, like you," his other hand works fast to unclasp the dark black jeans he was wearing. "Let me borrow your hand," his voice sultry and smooth, his fingers circle your wrist, bringing it down to the hard length in his pants, "Touch me," he lets out a deep moan when your hand encloses around him, your thumb flicking over the huge head of his cock. 

 “It's so big," you gulp, staring down at it growing even larger in your hand, "it won't fit," 

    "Oh, it'll fit," he smirks, wrapping his hands under your ass and lifting you into the air. Your back pressing into the hard shelves behind you and the firm, muscular form in front. You grind onto him, using your hand to press his head into your clit and rubbing along it. 

   "Fuck," he groans, "I need to be inside you," his hips jerk, trying to hold himself back, "can I? Will you let me feel your insides on my cock, Princess?"

   "Please," you beg, adjusting so that he was lined up, "maybe just-"

"I'll go slow, ok. You tell me if it's too painful," you give him a curt nod. Surprised when his lips connect again with your neck, one hand on your ass and the other massaging your breast. He presses in, stretching you out in the most delicious way, you feel your pussy begin to pulse as the veins on his cock rub against your inner walls.

    "I don't think I can-"

"Yes, you can. You can take all of me," he presses in harder, his nails digging into your nipples through your blouse, his teeth latching onto your neck while his cock fills you so full you think you might die.

   "So full," your pussy pulses around him, his cock throbs in response.

 "You ready?"

"Yes," you thrust back only for him to squeeze on your ass.

    "Hold still, I don't wanna drop you,"

"Ok," you link your arms behind his neck, staring up at his eyes that are darker than midnight, you can't tell where his pupil and iris part. You think you might actually be hallucinating. But when he starts to move, his hard thrusts fucking into you, you know it's real. There's no way your brain could come up with something this hot.

   "Fuck, your pussy is so tight," his hands grip harder on your ass, "so fucking wet," he pants reaching down to kiss you again, "feeling it dripping down my cock," 

   "Feels so good," you moan in response 

"Do me a favor?"

   "Yes,"

"Play with yourself for me," you snake your arm down between you keeping the other latched onto his bicep, your fingers dance over your clit once and you feel your body begin to shake, "Did I tell you to stop?" He narrows his eyes at you, it seems more playful than commanding but you do it anyway. 

You feel your body twitching, your eyes rolling back into your head and when his cock rubs over your g spot you see stars. Wordless moans falling from your mouth, your nails dig into his biceps and you fall, your head lolling back into the shelves. 

   "Do it again," he growls, pressing you deeper into the shelf, his body now flush with yours his hand clasping around your neck, holding your gaze to him, "I want you to cum with me,"

   "Can't, " is all you manage to make out.

"You will," he stops thrusting. Grinding his cock into your sopping cunt, his pelvis grinding into your overstimulated clit and making your whole body shiver. "Be a good princess and cum for me,"

   “Billy, fuck. Yeah, like that.” You say in broken form between moans. His fingers dig deeper in your throat, his other hand snaking into your hair and tugging it back. Now only his cock and your legs wrapped around him were keeping you upright. You squeeze tighter, you didn't want it to stop. 

   “Yes, squeeze me harder,” he pulls, harder on your hair, “I'm so fuckin close,” 

“Cum, Billy, I'm gunna cum,” you moan into his mouth, his speed picking up just thrusting out a bit. Pressing you into the shelf as hard as he can.

   “I need to pull out,” 

“No, please. Full me up, don't fucking stop,” a loud growl leaves his throat as he pounds into you and you think you'll have bruising on your back tomorrow, though you can hardly find yourself giving a shit.

   “Cum, cum Princess, fuck I'm going to-” together you let out loud, delirious moans and you think you hear laughter on the street behind. Both of your bodies shake as you sink to the ground together, finding your legs are no longer working.

   “You ok?” You ask, peering over at Billy who was heaving his breaths and shaking his head.

“Yeah, I didn't plan on that. You know, I just couldn't help myself,”

   “I was there too, also not planning it. But do you-” you stop your train of thought. He saw you, like really saw you and in that moment he had wanted you. It's not like you can take it back now. 

  “Can I ask you something?”

“I mean, after we just did I think it would be rude to say no,”

   “Do you want to go on a date? Like not in my store? Maybe a picnic or something?”

“I'd love to. But first,” you say standing on shaking legs and helping him up off the ground, “you’re going to help me pick a new book,”

   “I meant to when we got here, but your intoxicating,”

“So any suggestions?”

Taglist:

@imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @wheresthesunshinesblog @fictional-hooman @sweetheart-im-the-boss @noortsshift @misstimeless @restingbitchsblog @nyctophiliiiiaaa

#billy russo smut #female!reader x billy russo #billy russo x you #billy russo fanfic #reader x billy russo #billy russo x female reader #the punisher fanfic #billy russo x reader #billy russo #billy x reader #bookshop au

[rebelliousstories]

I’ll Never Forget You

Relationship: Robert “Bob” Floyd x Adelaide “Honey” Corbin OC

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Warnings: Slight Angst, Fluff

Word Count: 1,481

Part of the Young Love and Old Money Series

Chapter 10//Chapter 12

Main Masterlist: Here

Summary: No matter how far you stray from people you love, eventually, you find your way back to them.

January 1st, 2018

Another year, another party. If there was one thing that the Navy knew how to do, it was throw a New Year’s party. Bob was sitting and observing his co workers who were drinking and having fun. He checked his watch; 3:00 AM. Three hours into the new year and he was wishing he was home. Holidays just didn’t feel the same here in Washington versus home. For starters it was actually freezing outside, versus the cool forty degrees outside in his home town. He decided that it was finally time to turn in for the night, so Robert bid his farewells and left the party.

He walked to his barracks and enjoyed the cold night air. His mind drifted to his family and what they were doing this day. Tomorrow was going to be back at work for him, but tonight he could just be himself. As Bob made his way back, he admired the snow falling around him. Even after living there for six months, he couldn’t get over the snow and the cold.

The warm building was a stark contrast to the outside. Bob pulled his coat off, and made his way over to the communal coffee pot in the common area. He was going to need a tea if he wanted any chance of going to bed. The tea was brewing, and all he wanted was to go to bed. Once he finally had his drink, Robert went to his room only to discover a letter on his bed. It was from his parents. Someone must have delivered the mail while he was out for the day. Anyways, he eagerly tore open the envelope to see what awaited him. But the handwriting wasn’t that of his mother, father, or even his siblings. No this was handwriting he hadn’t seen in almost seven years.

Dear Robby,

I know I haven’t spoken to you in years. But I need your help. I’m trapped.

~

October 23rd, 2017

One of the few times Adelaide was allowed off of her leash, and could go where she pleased was when she went off to the bookstore. It was her favorite place to be in the world. There was no one to bother her, ask her invading question, or even expect anything out of her. She was allowed to be herself. On this particular day, Adelaide found refuge in the bookstore to get away from her husband. The questions about children, and her family just became to much.

She needed out, in more ways than one. Stuck in an unhappy, loveless marriage. Stuck in the same old town with no one that likes her here. All she wanted was out, but the universe wasn’t that kind. It kept her here, in this sad town, with people that couldn’t care less about her. The only reason her husband cared was because she came with a hefty dowry as the last available daughter of the Corbin family.

“Addie? Is that you, hun?” A soft, sweet voice touched her ears. The young woman in question pulled her nose out of the book she held, and saw a woman that she never expected to see again. Mindy Corbin. Her mouth hung open for a minute or two, in utter disbelief of what she was seeing. Why was she willingly coming up to Adelaide.

“Oh Addie. It is you darling!” Mrs. Floyd exclaimed, coming closer to the young girl. Adelaide stood up quickly, and was promptly tackled by the older woman. Mindy squeezed Adelaide tightly. She didn’t know what to do.

“It’s good to see you, Mrs. Floyd.” She was still a little confused as to what was happening. The older woman pulled back sharply.

“It’s Mindy to you, hun. You know this. My God. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen ya, baby.” Mindy took her time looking over Adelaide. The younger woman looked beautiful for her age, but there was something older and more pessimistic in her eyes.

~

I met with your momma recently. She’s just as gorgeous and sweet as ever. I wonder where you get that from?

~

“Right. Sorry Mindy. But yes, it’s been almost ten years since I’ve seen you in person.” Adelaide gestured for Mindy to sit down across from her at the table she occupied in the cafe. A look of shock and realization came across the older woman’s face.

“Ten years? Are you sure that’s right?” Her books were set on the table next to Adelaide’s.

“Yep. Ten. I’ve been married for six of those so, yeah. Ten.” The sad smile that seemed permanent came onto her face. Her parents kept her from going outside without supervision when she was fourteen, so she was only able to see Robert in secret every so often.

“Oh yeah. How’s your husband? We heard all about it in the local paper.” Mindy looked excited to hear about the information; Adelaide wasn’t so keen.

“He’s… good. Umm- how is…how’s Robby? I saw he made it into the aviation program.” She tried to change the subject fast to one that would be pleasant for both woman. But nothing got past Mindy Floyd. After having five children, her ears and eyes sharpened to that of a hawk.

“He did. He also graduated from Weapons Fighter school. But now he’s stationed over in Washington for the time being. He should be moving to Lemoore sometime in the next year. Bobby could never handle the cold to well.” The pure joy that crossed her face to talk about her son was refreshing to Adelaide. She loved being around someone that wasn’t afraid to show their emotions.

“That’s great. If you don’t mind me asking, why are you being so nice to me? Did Robby never show you the letter that I sent?” Adelaide questioned. She was still confused at this whole interaction.

“Oh that. Well Bobby knew that you wouldn’t say none of those nasty things. Sure he was angry for a minute cause he thought they was true. But me and his daddy sat him down and explained that your writin’ wouldn’t have been that shaky if you did that willingly. Plus there were tear stains so I just knew. He wanted to contact you but by the time he came home from basic, you moved and we had no clue where to find ya. We didn’t even know if you were still in the state.” That made a little bit of sense. Mrs. Floyd talked so fast that Adelaide had a hard time of processing the information. He didn’t hate her. Thank goodness. Mindy was still talking but Adelaide didn’t listen. He didn’t hate her. He knew that she was lying in the letter. And he was successful in the Navy. She couldn’t be more proud of him.

~

I found out that you didn’t hate me for what I said. One of these days I’ll have to tell you about it. I couldn’t believe my ears when your momma told me that. These last few years, I spent them thinking you hated me and never wanted to see me ever again.

~

“Addie? Baby? You okay? You in your head over there.” The older woman put her hand on Adelaide’s, pulling the lady out of her thoughts.

“Mindy, do you think you could help me out? I need help getting out.” She begged, looking hopeful at the woman who became more of a mother than her own.

“How can I help ya, baby?” And the plan was set in motion.

~

Your momma is helping me get this letter to you. I can’t do it by myself. Austin reads any mail that comes out to me. So if you respond I won’t know till Mindy tells me. I can’t give you my number to call me, because of the leash I’m on. I’m truly trapped Robby, and I need help. You’re the only person I can think of to help me. Please. If I continue along this path… well, I don’t think I can take it much longer. Please send any letters to your folk’s house. I miss you everyday Robby. I’ve never forgotten about you. I’m so proud of the man you have become in the Navy.

I love you.

Your Honey,

Adelaide Elizabeth Corbin

~

Robert couldn’t believe what he was reading. Adelaide was still in that same town. She never left. He sprung from his bed and grabbed a piece of paper, a pen, and sat back down with his phone on the nightstand. He looked at the clock; 4:00 AM. Robert had the day off tomorrow. He’d be damned if he didn’t write this letter. He was always going to be there for Adelaide. Even after all these years, if she needed help, he was going to provide anything and everything he could.

He was going to answer her call.

Tag: @blessupblessup

#rebelliousstories #writing #top gun imagine #top gun #top gun maverick imagine #top gun maverick #bob floyd imagine #robert bob floyd imagine #bob floyd #bob floyd x oc #robert bob floyd #young love and old money #robert floyd imagine

[deijiyong]

Navigation: Next Part | Story Masterlist | Masterlist

2015 April 26th - Taeyong accosts you at the bookstore

Thank goodness for the weekend

Sundays were your favorite day of the whole week

You were able to go off campus and explore the neighborhood around SNU on Sundays which is how you found a small bookstore with a friendly old man running it

You were able to sit outside with a mountain full of books to read

However, this time, you had gone there with a purpose

You had a list of books your professor for Korean Language had recommended to you in order to practice reading

Child books up to a Korean translation of the first Harry Potter book

You’re searching through the shelves and stacks of books for your mission

You barely hear someone come in

Don’t even hear the glass-panned door slide open 

Only when they call out their greeting do you glance towards the entrance briefly

The person in the doorway causes sweat to break out on your hands

You close the children’s book you’ve been studying in your hand and try your best to discreetly make your way back to the old man with your stack of books

He sees you coming and is already holding out his hands to receive the books from you

However Taeyong stops you short

YN?

You turn and bow in greeting, choosing to turn back to the owner and hand the books over

He doesn’t seem to take the hint as he sidles up to you; eying your books

Children’s books?

For studying

She speaks!

The old man tells you the price and you hand him the notes needed to pay for the stack of books

He gives you the change and starts packing them in a plastic bag

I’m sorry

I didn’t mean to be rude

You weren’t

I kind of wanted to be friends

You thank the old man when he hands you the bag of books and turn towards the door; Taeyong stands between you and your exit

He stares at you and it’s only then that you remember what he said

He wanted to be friends

Friends with you? The girl that had no friends on campus?

The girl that was known only to talk to her teachers?

Why?

Why not? Everyone needs friends

Why me?

You seem to have plenty of friends

I know it goes against societal decorum here

But you didn’t make friends at orientation

So there was no way for me to reach you through the girls in your dorm

You go back the opposite way, taking the long route to leave the bookstore

It doesn’t stop Taeyong from following you; obviously determined

Don’t you want at least one friend here?

Not really

You can hear him scoff and it chars something in you

Why does he think he knows you so well? He had nothing to go on

You round on him just at the coffee booth outside your dorm

Look, I don’t know what you think you know about me

But I’m sure it’s wrong

So please leave me alone

YN, come on, be my friend

That’s all I want

You stare at him for a long moment

You sigh and give in

Fine, we’re friends

Really?

If it will get you to leave me alone

Let me see your phone

My phone?

Come on!

You pull your phone out, unlocking it before he can tell you to

He pauses for a moment when he stares down at it

Your own eyes stare down and realize you had put the picture of you and Changkyun from graduation as your background

That’s my best friend from back home

You don’t know why you defend your background

He was basically forcing himself into your life right now

Cool

Taeyong had said it rather nonchalant, but you can tell something about the picture bothered him

He plays around on your phone for a bit and you let him

You choose to turn and grab a coffee from the coffee booth just behind you

The lady that runs it already making your americano before you can ask for it

You only turn back to him when the coffee is in your hand

Done?

You only have 5 contacts?

A girl like you? Only 5?

It’s weird

You take your phone back

Taeyong’s name at the bottom of your contact list stands out sorely

The only weird thing is you barging into my life

Why not bother Jisoo, mr. idol?

I see her plenty (he shrugs)

What’s with the Mr. Idol nickname

Isn’t that what you are?

An idol-in-training?

So you’ve heard about that?

Girls gossip

Taeyong shoves his hands into his pockets as you both walk towards the stone bench across from the coffee stand

He settles in next to you, quietly waiting as you sip on your coffee

What?

I didn’t say anything

That’s what worries me

You seem to be someone that’s always the center of attention

Why are you so quiet

Trying to figure you out

You don’t talk about yourself

Yet you seem to have friends back home

But the last time someone wrote you was last month

It’s odd, but fascinating

So much for personal space

You stand and stare down at him, taking another sip of coffee

I’m going to go study

Books to translate

I’ll see you around

You promise yourself to find a new bookstore after today

A new coffee stand on campus

Maybe you’ll just buy yourself a Keurig from IKEA

You were not going to meet Taeyong ever again

Note: I know not everyone celebrates, but I just wanted to say Happy Holidays. I hope things are going good for everyone.

#monsta x fanfic #monsta x fanfiction #mx fanfic #mx fanfiction #changkyun fanfic #changkyun fanfiction #i.m fanfic #i.m fanfiction #changkyun x reader #i.m x reader #nct taeyong #beside u (ck ff)

[novelmonger]

Sharon Carter, Natasha Romanoff, Laura Barton, Peter Parker, Maria Hill, Ned Leeds, Peter Quill.

From this ask game

Go grocery shopping with - I'm definitely noticing a pattern here - I always wanna go grocery shopping with the moms! A trip to the grocery store with Laura Barton would be very normal, and I feel like she'd be the kind of mom who'd send each of her kids off to fetch something, so it would be a very efficient, smooth process. Because I would definitely want the kids to come along too. Maybe I could help them pick out a fun dessert or treat to share too. Because I'm also coming over for supper, right? Right?

Have lunch with - Sharon Carter was the first person I thought of for having lunch with, and after a bit of puzzling over it, I think it's because I just really want her as a big sister. She's so kind and considerate, while also being sharp and tactful and brave and confident. I'd like to think she'd put me at my ease right away and find things for us to talk about. She's the kind of person who knows how to ask the right questions and really listen to the answers. Maybe, if we got to the point where she trusted me enough to talk about more personal matters, I could also ask her about Steve ;)

Have coffee with - Maybe it's just because of the opening scene of Civil War, but Natasha was the first person I thought of for coffee. (I would be drinking tea, of course.) Nat would be a great person to people-watch with in some little cafe on the street. She'd probably be miles ahead of me at guessing what kind of jobs people had or what errands they were running. But she'd also be very laid back and ready to laugh.

Go thrift shopping with - I think Quill would be fun to go thrifting with, because he'd probably get super excited about old stuff that reminds him of his childhood, and he'd probably do the real-life version of one of those changing-room montages where he models a whole bunch of wacky outfits that I give thumbs up or thumbs down for. It would probably revolve more around what he's buying and trying on rather than what I'd be looking for, which suits me just fine because I hate shopping for clothes and need as many distractions as I can get.

Explore a museum/art gallery/aquarium with - Picture this: Some kind of science or space museum, with Peter Parker in tow completely geeking out and talking a mile a minute, rattling off a bunch of interesting facts and things you barely understand, practically bouncing up and down like a little kid and occasionally doing something awkward and endearing like bumping into someone but then catching their coffee for them before it can spill. Doesn't that sound like a great day? I think so!

Go the library/bookstore with - You know what? I'd be really curious to see what sort of books Maria Hill would go for. I know so little about her; I think it would be very enlightening! She also strikes me as a very chill person who would be completely content to let me browse around and wouldn't rush me.

Have as a plus-one at a wedding - I don't care what anyone says. If I have to go to a party, I want Ned Leeds at my side. We can be socially awkward together, and I'm sure we'd find something nerdy to talk about that would actually be interesting to us, even if everybody else at our table ignored us or gave us funny looks. Also, I don't think Ned knows how to dance, so we'd either sit out the dancing or do some kind of weird boogie off in a corner that would involve lots of laughter. And you know he would wear the most stylish hat in the room ;) I would be proud to be on his arm.

#ask and you shall receive #a2on1break #ask games

[schuylerpeck]

Hey, my little trip feels like a pilgrimage and I love you.

Getting off the train, my feet brought me on a familiar path before I even realised. The sundial that marked the "almost~there" threw me out of my reverie and I tried to go further, regretting it with every step forward. It felt like these dreams you try to force back after the alarm was snoozed, five more minutes of fighting to keep the story on track. It never works well enough and I stopped when I saw the apartment block at the end of the street, not knowing what I was looking for anyway: the flat, the old piano and the furniture had been sold years ago.

Don't you wish you could knock at a stranger's door and say "Someone I lost but still love lived there, and there's a ghost of the child I was in this place. I'd like to offer them to leave with me, can I enter"? I wish, but in this world we can't, and this echo of little me will stay there, running in the corridor laughing, haunting someone else instead of me. Still, I hope their joy will be heard.

I never liked nor hated this city before, but now it holds hostage both an unfinished story and many memories. It's not a healing, more a bandaid, to roam in the museum, forgetting to eat or drink, finding peace for a few hours hidden at the heart of a place that smells of grief and grime, a place on which I can't extend any forgiveness yet.

But I come back again and again, despite, in hope the laughter of a friend can lift this fog, in hope eight thousand voices can mend my heart for a little while. And they do live up to my hopes: softened by their light, my heart gets torn open by a line in unison —A moment for the poet's play, until there's nothing left to say— and appeased by another —Come on in, the fire's warm, dull the blade and dance some more.

There's something about crowds singing together, isn't there? So along with the safe harbour of slightly cracked paintings, this something I can't seem to pinpoint will be my gift for you today, for no other reason than we're here in this world at the same time. I hope you sleep tight, when night reaches you. I don't know you but I love you.

Hey, the heater kicks on and I love you.

the sky yawns blue after 3PM and I race to get all my best living in before the sun sets. in the last few weeks, I’ve grabbed coffee with a writer I admire, watched the snow fall in bright flakes from a warm bookstore with a friend, and woken up in the middle of the night to feel the dog sneak closer into my arms. this bliss — this joy in feeling at the steering wheel of my life. saying I've decided to take the scenic route, but finding eighteen wrong ways of getting there. taking a hill too quickly and bracing when the earth beneath me groans and gives; realizing the driver’s seat can be terrifying.

sadness feels too sticky to write about, though with every letter, I love to watch the picture of you grow clearer and want to honor your honesty with my own. there’s a book of poems I’m writing. I’m proud of it. when I flip through the pages, even as pencil- and tear-stained as they are now that I’m elbow-deep in editing, I think it may be the most important thing I’ve ever done, but it also feels like tracing the outline of a gash the skin hasn’t stitched over fully yet. I don’t know if I can stand raw to the world, let alone in the solitude of my room.

have you ever felt too stained by the world, by your past, you don’t know where to begin in washing it away? I know we were here before everything could touch us. I know we are still here, still ourselves, resting just beneath this feeling. there’s a mineral spring not far from this road. let me patch up the tires and we can wade there for a while. this spot in the hot bath of the earth, to sit in the quiet and let the weight of what we carry lift a little, is my gift to you, if for no other reason than we’re here, experiencing the happiness and pain life has to offer in this world at the same time. we can breathe in the steam and watch the canopy move above us, held in the forest’s palm. we can talk about it all or we don't have to say a thing. the trees will keep watch for us. let’s close our eyes.

I hope you sleep tight, when night reaches you. I don’t know you, but I love you.

#idkybily #this is made me tear up with every read #thank you #i don't know you but i love you #poetry #poems

[wordsafterhours]

Songs About You: Chapter 3

Surprise, 2 updates in one day!!! I couldn't wait to post this and it's unedited, as. well freshly finished. Oh and I actually wrote something of length--not sure when the next update will get posted, but I will start working on it soon.

Word Count: 3.9K

Masterlist

_______________________________________________________

A few days had passed since her interaction with Rowan at the bookstore and for some reason, Aelin still found herself going through the exchange in her head over and over. She chalked it up to the fact that he liked leatherbound books and nothing else. She owned a bookstore for goodness sakes, how could she not appreciate someone who liked a good book?

With a frustrated sigh, Aelin threw one of the many decorative pillows off her bed, narrowly missing Fleetfoot who was idly playing with a rope toy on the floor.  Fleetfoot startled a bit at the resounding thud of the pillow, and she felt instantly bad. “I’m sorry girl, mama didn’t mean to scare you.” 

Aelin rolled out of bed and scooped her puppy up; it was breakfast time for them anyways. The hardwood floors of her bedroom and hallways were cool against her naked feet, but she didn’t mind in the least… It was just another reminder that fall was rapidly approaching. And with fall, came the snows of winter and Yulemas, which was the best time of the year. 

After artfully making it down the stairs with a wiggly puppy in hand, she turned the corner into the kitchen and set Fleetfoot down before preparing her food. Once that was done, she brewed herself a cup of coffee and pulled out a container of overnight oats from the fridge. 

Aelin wasn’t a good cook, but her parents had been, and the kitchen reflected that.  It was large and open, with a live-edge wooden bar top that allowed you to sit, eat, and visit with whoever was slaving over the stove. The countertops were a beautiful dark stone, and the cabinets were soft sage green—the combination balancing one another perfectly. 

Apart from the bar top, which she had helped her dad pick out, her favorite part of the kitchen was being able to stare out the massive window directly across from the bar. The view was unparalleled, showcasing the Staghorns and forest in all their glory. Sometimes, when she was attempting to cook in the kitchen or had friends over, she’d open the massive window, inviting the wilderness in like an old friend. 

With a final bite, Aelin set her bowl down into the sink and cast a longing glance out the window—what she wouldn’t give for one more Sunday breakfast with her parents, feigning disgust when they danced with one another and exchanged sappy kisses. She longed for home and this house hadn’t been “home” in a long time. She wasn’t sure if she even knew what that word meant anymore, which broke her heart a little more than it already was. 

A cold nose pressed against her calf, signaling Fleetfoot was not getting the attention she wanted now that breakfast was done. “Want to go play outside, girl?” 

Those were the magic words, and the puppy instantly became a frenzied mess, moving a million miles a minute. Aelin chuckled and walked towards the back door, opening it wide. Fleetfoot shot out and off the porch, tumbling in the wet morning grass. It was fortunate she had not named her Grace. 

Aelin took a seat on the porch and sipped on her coffee, savoring the sweet hazelnut flavor. Sweets were her ultimate weakness and while she tried to limit her intake, it was futile. The sun was just starting to peak over the mountains, bathing her backyard and trees in a beautiful, warm glow. It was small moments like this that Aelin was thankful for this life and glad she had chosen to stay in her childhood home, no matter how hard it had been and still was.

A familiar vibration tickled her legs, signaling some sort of alert on her phone.  She slipped it out of her robe pocket and glanced down. A few notifications from socials, an unopened text in the Bad Bitches group message, and most recently a text from Chaol. Her boyfriend was probably texting to tell her that his plane was about to leave. His assignment had wrapped up early and their mutual friend Dorian was on the southern continent, therefore he had no reason not to come home early. 

Aelin wasn’t unhappy he was coming home early, she had missed him, but lately it seemed they fought or disagreed more than anything. They had been dating for nearly six years, having met at Orynth University.  Dorian had introduced the two when Chaol transferred schools from Rifthold to Orynth their junior year. All her friends, apart from Elide, had met at OU, and they had never looked back.  It wasn’t until after they had graduated, that Chaol made his feelings for Aelin known, and after some major convincing on his part, that they started dating.

It had been sunshine and Kingsflame or so Aelin thought, but apparently, she had been in denial about how dating was supposed to go. Her boyfriend on more than one occasion, especially lately, kept broaching the subject of living together and progressing towards really making their life “one”. On one hand, she could understand where he was coming from, however it just made her scared. Made her feel trapped. Conflicted. Loved. Lost. Guilty. 

Tapping in her passcode, she opened his message:

C: Hey baby!  About to board, be home soon. Are we still on for dinner and going out with the group?  

Godsdamnit. She’d forgotten they’d made plans to go out with their friends tonight. Sundays were usually strictly lounge days or “family” dinner time at whoever’s turn it was to host the get together that week. Aelin didn’t feel like going out, what she really wanted to do was watch crime shows or read a good book with Fleetfoot cuddled in her lap. 

A: Yes! So excited to kiss your face and tease Elide mercilessly in front of whatever guy she’s having us meet.  I also have a big secret to tell you. Come over after you land. XX

Aelin scrolled through her phone, giving him time to answer if he still was able to. A notification banner lit up at the top of her phone, but instead of being for a text, it signaled an email’s arrival. Immediately she clicked into the application and started skimming it.  The two books she had ordered for Rowan and the one for Lyria were due to arrive by the end of the week, which was unusually fast considering where they were coming from. Maybe Mala had a sense of humor and wanted her to suffer through another tense interaction with the brooding male—she should be so lucky. 

It was almost 9:00 and it seemed like a respectable time to text on a Sunday morning… unless one went to temple to pay homage to their gods. Aelin decided to chance it and fired off a text to Lyria letting her know to come by Friday afternoon to pick up the cookbook. 

One text down, one to go, she thought to herself whilst fiddling with her phone. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to text Rowan now to let him know the book would be in or just call him the day of. He ended their conversation previous conversation civilly and she didn’t want to push her luck by texting him on a Sunday morning. 

Text.  Don’t text. Text. Don’t text. An internal conflict warred within her for another twenty minutes before she decided to seek guidance from the Bad Bitches group. 

A:  SOS E: Did my goddaughter eat another book again?

L:  Elide, I told you she’s MY goddaughter!!  

E: I thought we agreed to share???

A: For Mala’s sake, y’all can share custody of the dog! Now I repeat S.O.S.

E: Yes?

L:  We will table this custody thing for another time. What’s up, A???

A: Remember that conversation I told you about with the angry book guy earlier this week? Well, his books will be here, but I can’t decide if it’s appropriate to text him on a Sunday to let him know they’ll be here on Friday. 

E:  WHAT???? How come this is the first time I’m hearing about Angry Book Guy? Y’all suck.

A: Sorry, Elide! I didn’t want to interrupt your mystery date the other night.  So, I vented to Lys over alcohol and take out…  L: I thought you knew, or I would have told you. Anyways, Aelin had some hot guy with silver hair, a man bun, tattoos, and muscles for days accuse her of having an attitude and providing shitty service. E:  He sounds HOT! But also like a total douche.  L: I vote that Aelin has to sneak a picture of him on Friday and show us. Hot Book Guy needs a face.  A: I would never. That’s so unprofessional and how would it not be obvious? L: Live a little! Hell, tell me the time and I’ll get a picture. I can be covert like a ghost leopard.    E: Operation: Paparazzi sounds great to me A: Remind me why I put up with you two???  L:  Because it’s your curse, and you love us.  Also, I vote you put your big girl panties on and call him with the ETA.  E: Lys you’re a genius!  A: Excuse me, that was not part of the plan. I was asking if I should text or not text. If I won’t text him, why would I call the man? M: I clearly see I’ve missed quite the conversation. 

L: Manon, help Elide and me convince Aelin she needs to call that man 

M: The Aelin I know is confident and doesn’t take attitude from anyone. What’s up with you?? Where’s my firebreathing bitch queen at? 

Aelin didn’t want to admit that her friends were right, but they were. She never acted like a cowering puppy who was getting scolded for stealing off the counter.  But something in her felt off lately—off into her very core. If she owned that now, she wasn’t sure what she would look like on the other side. Maybe when she had more energy or didn’t feel quite so lost, she would stop treading water in this lake of avoidance and denial.  Regardless, that couldn’t and wouldn’t today’s problem. 

A: You are all dead to me. If die because this man flips shit, Manon gets custody of my daughter.  Nothing’s up, I’ve yet to have my second cup of coffee.

E: That’s rude! It wasn’t even my idea.  L: I’m confident I can steal Fleetfoot’s affection. Stop deflecting with threats of withholding your dog.  M:I’ll buy you the biggest piece of chocolate hazelnut cake and bring it by the store tomorrow.   A: That’s not fair, using my only weakness against me! L: You heard Blackbeak, get to it my friend. Give us the deets tonight when meet at Moonies.   E: Just think of the cake!  M: Maybe I’ll bring you the entire cake…. Lol A: Menaces. You are all menaces. I’ll see you tonight with Chaol. If I live that is. 

With her final reply, Aelin flopped back on the swing, cursing her friends more than she already had. If she wasn’t such a glutton for Emrys’ cake, she wouldn’t be about to poke the proverbial bear.  She scrolled through her pictures, searching for the picture of Rowan’s contact information. It was now 9:45 and perhaps a better time to contact someone on a Sunday morning. 

She punched in the numbers and lifted the phone to her ear, listening to it ring. Seconds before she was about to hang up, a lilted and sleepy hello sounded on the other end. Instantly, panic bloomed in her chest and her face felt like it was on fire. She should have sent him a text, but here she was waking him up instead. The gods hated her today. This had to penance for using her puppy as a pawn amongst her friends. 

“Hello?” his warm, accented voice said again. 

“Oh, uh, hi there! I’m so sorry to bother you but I, uh, I said I’d call when I had information on your books and I just got that and IknewIshouldhavejusttextedorcalledtomorrowImsorry,” she rushed out. 

Great, not only did she wake up the beast, but she also sounded like a godsdamned idiot. 

“Aelin?” 

“Yes?” she whispered. 

“I didn’t understand a thing you said after books.”

Aelin wanted nothing more to hang up the phone and beat her head into the porch railing. “I was just calling to let you know your books will be here Friday afternoon if you wanted to come pick them up.” 

“Definitely did not get that out of your first statement. I’m not sure if I will be in town on Friday but I can look at my schedule and give you a ring at the store when I know.” 

Somehow, Aelin had missed how inviting and warm his voice was before—most likely due to their respective anger and attitudes. The cadence and flow of his words, combined with an accent she couldn’t quite place, stroked across her like that of a lover’s. She could listen to this sleepy, pleasant version of Rowan infinitely. 

“Sounds great! I’m sorry if I woke you up. I should have just sent a text message; it is Sunday after all.”  She could hear rustling on the other end of the phone line and the idea of him shirtless and tousled on the other end had her face burning once again. 

“It’s not a big deal. I’m usually up by now but I had a late night. I’ll give you a ring when I know about Friday. Bye, Aelin.” 

The line went dead before she could answer. His abrupt termination of the conversation was the wake up she needed, a reminder of who Rowan was and was not. He was gruff. An ass for lack of better terminology. A customer. 

He was nothing to her. Just a pretty face with a honeyed voice who preferred leatherbound books.

______________________________________________________________________________

Chaol had arrived at Aelin’s house a little after four and Aelin was glad for a bit of normalcy and monotony to pepper her Sunday. She was used to spending Sundays with him and they hadn’t had the luxury of spending one together in over a month. Naturally, he almost tripped over Fleetfoot when he opened the door and Aelin smiled when she introduced her as the “big secret”. It was clear Chaol wasn’t expecting the dog to be the surprise and while he didn’t seem thrilled, he at least tolerated the pup; that was all Aelin could hope for at the moment. 

They tucked into the take-out Chaol had brought with him when he showed up, just enjoying one another’s company and catching up as couples did.  Aelin found herself laughing and relishing in the fact that she truly was happy to have him home. Eventually, conversation led to kissing and kissing led to retreating upstairs. Three orgasms and a nap later, had Aelin rolling out of bed to get ready for Moonies.

“One last kiss?” Chaol pleaded pulling her back into bed. 

“That’s what you said five minutes ago. We’re going to be late if I don’t get up now,” she chided but her tone was anything but serious. 

Chaol ran a calloused hand through her blonde locks, stopping along her jaw and pulling her close, their lips barely a whisper apart. She could feel his words as he spoke them. “We’re always late to pick them up.  Besides, they’ll understand.” 

She smiled against his lips and acquiesced his request for one more kiss, which was really like another ten.

“This is me leaving,” she advised with a wink. With that, Aelin traipsed into the bathroom and slid into the shower. She took care in her routine, wanting to be an absolute tease all night. What was the point in having a boyfriend if you couldn’t still rile him up every once in a while?

While waiting for her hair to dry, she leafed through half her closet before settling on an outfit. She���d bought a bodysuit while Chaol had been gone and she knew he’d hardly be able to contain himself all night. She slipped on a black thong and followed it with the body suit, taking care not to pop a button off the back of the neck. The bodysuit was nude with a black lace overlay, halter neck, and open back—it fit like a dream, and she was so glad she had listened to Lys and bought it. Dark wash jeans and black heels completed the ensemble. 

She did a light make-up, a red lip, and added her mother’s diamond studs for a bit of sparkle. Her hair fell in curls down her back, hiding just how much skin was exposed. She loved the confidence the outfit gave her, and she relished momentarily in feeling like herself. Like the Aelin who knew she was the most beautiful woman in the room. Like she could set the world on fire with just one look. 

Chaol wasn’t in the bedroom when she came out and Aelin figured he must have been downstairs already. He was used to her taking forever and usually resigned himself to watching tv until she was ready. A white button down hanging on her bedpost caught her eye and she slipped it on before exiting the room.  She wanted her exposed back to be a secret for just a little later. Secrets were fun. So was being a tease.

“Ready,” she sing-songed down the stairs. 

Chaol flashed her a smile that reached his warm copper-brown eyes that she could easily see for once because he’d taken time to style his chestnut hair. When they had first started dating, he wore it so short, but after she’d admitted she loved how rugged he looked with longer hair and scruff, he’d kept it as such. His outfit was simple in the way that only a guy could get by with—a black v neck t-shirt, dark jeans, and black boots. 

Aelin slipped easily into arms, leaning her cheek against his shoulder.  He was 6’ 1”, a whole six inches taller than her, which meant she fit nicely against his chest, but he didn’t have to lean too far to kiss her. No one liked cricked necks. 

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

The car ride to pick up Lysandra and Manon from Lys’ house was filled with companionable silence. Aelin lived west outside Orynth, and it was somewhere around a thirty-minute drive to downtown. Her parents had enjoyed the calm and peace that came with living where they did, such a stark difference from the ever-bustling city life. During college, she had lived on campus, eager to be where all the action was, but after all that she had been through, there was a calm that could only be found in the wilderness. Mountains and pine trees were like a security blanket she could not live without. 

Chaol fired off a quick text to Lysandra, indicating they were outside waiting. Shortly, Aelin saw the apartment complex door open. Both her friends looked stellar and ready to take on the town. Manon was dressed in a bright red dress and white heels, her blonde hair pin straight. She looked like absolute sin on legs. Lysandra was wearing a loose green button down, French tucked into light jeans, and a white bralette showing where her buttons were undone. Black heels similar to Aelin’s adorned her feet. 

“So, did y’all happen to look up the location of this bar? It’s literally in the boonies like your house, Aelin.  No offense,” chimed Lysandra as she slid into the backseat of the truck. 

“Hello to you, too. And offense taken. My house is nicely located,” Aelin tossed over her shoulder.

“I’ve heard of the bar from a few of my coworkers, but I’ve never been inclined to look it up. I’m quite content with going the Thirteenth,” replied Chaol. 

“If anyone asks, I was not at a bar other than my own,” added Manon, casually. 

The Thirteenth, on 13th St., was owned by Manon and her family, and the group was there several times a week. But at Elide’s insistence, they were trying out a new place that was apparently located in “the boonies”, whatever that meant.

“Babe, can you put Moonies into the GPS, please?”  

Aelin did as she was asked and internally cringed when the map did indeed show it was out of the way. “It’s in the Bristlecone district. I don’t think I’ve been on that side of Orynth in years,” she whined. The Bristlecone district was on the very edge on the city, due northeast. If you were trying to go to the coast through the Staghorns, you’d past through the district on the way out. 

“This guy better be hot.  There also better be eye candy for me to look at. And guys to buy us drinks,” Lysandra muttered, a displeased tone peppering her words. 

“Girls, if we don’t like it, we can leave.  Elide will be too distracted with her man to care,” Manon offered up, trying to soothe everyone. 

They filled the remaining twenty minutes to the bar with idle chit chat and questions about Chaol’s visit to Rifthold. Before they knew it, they were pulling up outside a weathered wood-building with a giant lit crescent moon and flashing, scrawled “Moonies”. 

“Definitely couldn’t miss it,” snorted Chaol as he parked. The sign was like a flashing beacon, signaling a weary traveler home. Aelin wouldn’t openly admit it, but she thought the sign was charming, and reminded her of Yulemas lights. 

Chaol politely held the door open for them and slipped his hand in Aelin’s as she was the last to filter in before him. He pulled her back for a quick kiss and a small blush colored her cheeks—he wasn’t usually into PDA and maybe absence had worn his views down a little. Whatever it may be, she was going to enjoy it. Besides, he still had no idea about the body suit being as revealing as it was. 

She looked around the bar and didn’t see Elide, which was weird since she was the reason they were all the way out here to begin with.  Aelin pulled out her phone and asked her where she was. There was a fair amount of people in the bar, and she didn’t see an open table.  

“Chaol, can you find us an empty table? We’ll get drinks and possibly find Elide in this crowd.” Aelin asked sweetly, giving him her best doe-eyed look.  

“With that face, how could I say no?”  he crooned before lightly taping her nose with his index finger. Behind her, Aelin heard her best friends faking gagging.

“Don’t be bitches,” she hissed, tossing a glare over a shoulder. 

“Here take my shirt, it’s kind of hot in here,” Aelin lied as she shimmied off the white button down and pressed it into her boyfriend’s waiting hands. She said nothing else and turned to catch up to her friends.  Ever the tease though, she couldn’t resist looking back and winking at Chaol, who was standing there, mouth open. Aelin:  1, Chaol: 0. 

Too caught up in herself and the high she was riding; Aelin missed the fact she was walking right into someone until it was too late. Her breath caught and she tried to remain upright as the thud of hitting into something registered in her brain. She felt one hand encircle her right upper arm and lay flat against her exposed back, the foreign touch setting her skin on fire.

Aelin was still trying to ascertain what was going on and when she finally looked up, surprise seized her whole body. “You,” she whispered.

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tag list:

@rowanaelinn @theresyourfireandblood @backtobl4ck @leiawritesstories @morganofthewildfire @jorjy-jo @rowaelinismyotp @theresyourfireandblood

#rowan #rowaelin #rowan whitethorn #rowaelin au #rowaelin fanfiction #throne of glass #throne of glass fanfiction #aelin #rowan x aelin #aelin x rowan #slow burn #chaol #lysandra #elide lochan #manon blackbeak #tog #wordsafterhours #fanfiction #cliff hanger #moonies #songs about you

[sam-winchesters-my-bf55]

Yuri x Reader hcs!!

WARNINGS: this contains topics like self-harm and depression. If you struggle with either of these topics, please find help. Theres people who care about you and dont want you to do harmful things to yourself, i promise. The self harm and depression topics will be at the end. (Divider from Virus-Xenon on deviant art) ALSO SLIGHT SPOILERS BUT NOT REALLY

Yuri ended up confessing to you first. You both would read books together and you both annotate in the margins. So, naturally, she wrote her confession in the margin, hoping you would see it.

"Um, is it alright if you read by yourself today? I wrote an important note in the margin of the book."

You two are always going to bookstores and then walking to a quiet river or park, sitting together and reading.

She never really understood PDA, but she will do the small things, like holding your hand or letting you sip her tea.

She definitely likes to be more affectionate privately.

Speaking of privately, she never wanted to even reveal the relationship you two have in the first place. It was only revealed to the other club members because Sayori blabbed to Monika and Natsuki and they came to you and Yuri about it. (She was so embarrassed)

She loves to try teas with you. (She doesnt really like any of the teas you two try, just preferring one or two)

Idk why but i feel like she would be the kind of person to go to old record stores or libraries with you as dates

Even though she doesnt drink coffee, she has a small collection of china coffee cups. (Or just really really old coffee cups)

She is very good at calligraphy and she writes that way when she has to send someone a letter.

You two poem compare all the time. (Not just in the club)

You swear poetry is her love language. Shes always giving you little romantic poems about how much she loves you or how nice you looked on your last date.

She is also very good at making little sweets (Like cookies or newtons)

WARNING: TRIGGERING TOPICS BEYOND THIS POINT!!!!

When you found out she SH, you help her slowly stop. Even though she has relapses sometimes, you two still work to get her clean from it, and you assure her every time that your never mad at her.

You asked her if she SH because of depression, she told you it was part of it, but it was mainly because it gave her a sense of stability and it made her feel other things she didnt normally get from day-to-life due to her lack of friends.

#ddlc #doki doki literature club! #yuri #yuri ddlc #yuri x reader

[ageofxail]

Sometimes I just have to stop and sit down and reflect on the things this one particular book I own has been through. It’s only forty years old, but it has seen some life.

Specifically, said book is the 1983 edition of the United Kingdom’s Norwegian Buhund National Club Stud Book. It’s literally a maybe hundred page book containing photographs and three generation pedigrees of the couple dozen Buhunds that lived and actively showed in the U.K. at the time. It’s a mint green paperback book that was thrown together as cheaply as possible, probably cost about five pounds for a copy if I had been after it in 1983.

By the time it reached my hands, it was already worn on the spine and has at least eight different stains in them. Some are coffee, some are tea, maybe one or two are water. They’re old enough to no longer hold the scent of what made those stains, but they’re noticeably _something._ Someone, at some point, spent some time pouring over and memorising the family trees of a bunch of sunshiney little spitzy dogs, just as I do now, today, in the next century over.

At some point, that book ended up in a box, and it was donated to a used bookstore. Or maybe sold, I don’t know. This book, printed in Lancashire thirty-nine years ago, found its way into a used book store with no hint of who its previous owner was apart from the note in the inner binding that says “Hygge’s grandfather is on page seventy-eight! That’s who gave him his quirkiness!” 

Who is Hygge. What quirks did Hygge’s grandfather have? All I know from this story is Hygge’s grandfather is a particularly handsome wheaten Buhund named Abu, who was the son of Olaf and Polly Perkins, children respectively of Trump, Fanna, Snorre and Pensive. Cross referencing those pedigree names with a few different pedigree databases tells me Abu sired 28 Buhund puppies across eight litters. Who, in turn, sired or damed an additional two hundred puppies. And that’s just accounting for registered pups. I can’t find one two generations down from Abu named Hygge, but maybe someone’s Buhund bred with a different breed, and there was some Buhund mix out there named Hygge whose owner loved him so deeply they requested some information about where he came from. I don’t know. I can’t confirm that, but its wonderful to think about that hypothetical dog named Hygge who was, along with his mysteriously vague “quirks,” very loved by someone. 

Sometime after this book, somehow, left the hands of Hygge’s owner - maybe they passed away, and their books got lotted up into a thrift store? Maybe they changed hands a few times? It wound up in a store in York. I have no way of knowing how long ago it arrived at that shop, only the listing for the book itself was posted on AbeBooks in 2016. Four years before I saw it, myself.

Including shipping, I paid $54.38 to have this book wrapped up and sent to me in America. Three months passed, and I still hadn’t gotten that book in the mail. I reached out to the bookstore itself, and asked if there was a problem, only to find out the store’s previous owner had unexpectedly passed away a few weeks prior and it was still being sorted what was going to happen to all of these books, as he had neither any staff nor family to take over the shop. My reaching out to them let them know that there was an AbeBooks account to check for orders, and it got a ton of that shop’s books sent to where they needed to go. I received not only the studbook, but a whole box of dog books - antique training guides written in the late 1800s, a couple mid-2000s trick idea books, picture books featuring currently recognised breeds, and I cherish each and every one of these books/

But not one of them is as clearly, personally loved as that 1983 Buhund Studbook. 

I added my name, where I bought it, and when I, eventually, have a Buhund of my own, I’m going to paste a picture of them into the blank Notes section in the back of the book. And when I pass away? I want that book to go to someone else who also loves Norwegian Buhunds, and I want that stranger’s love of Hygge to be known to someone else. 

#flying false colours ;; ooc #fuck im emotional #who let me fall in love with this breed #who let me pour everything i learned about researching hsitory into researching Buhunds #i NEED to share these emotions with someone and the dash is going to read this #maybe