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emy-loves-you · 4 years

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Sanders Sides AU-gust Day 3: Soulmates

Your shadow is the current silhouette of your soulmate. Only you and your soulmate can see your shadow. Shadows of animals and objects (non-humans basically) can be seen by everyone. Most people have human soulmates that grow up with a human shadow. Logan is not most people.

Logan POV, Intrulogical, Prinxiety and Moceit

Day 2 | Masterlist | Day 4

Logan was smart.

At just four years old, Logan could count to one thousand, tie his shoes, and knew how to read books meant for kids twice his age. Logan knew other things too. He knew that the earth moved around the sun, not the other way around. He knew that Mrs. Smith didn’t like Mr. Smith and that they were getting a ‘dee-vorce.’ He knew that rainbows were like giant water mirrors. And he knew what soulmates are.

Soulmates mean different things to different people. They appear as shadows, but your shadow is actually your soulmate’s shadow. Logan didn’t really understand how that worked, but he didn’t ask about it. Mama’s shadow disappeared when she was little, and she doesn’t like to talk about it. Logan didn’t understand why Papa married Mama if they weren’t soulmates, but he didn’t ask. Because Logan was smart, and he knew that if he asked about their soulmates, they would ask about his. And while Logan didn’t know a lot about soulmates, he knew that his shadow was different.

Logan’s soulmate was big. Bigger than Mama and Papa. Sometimes Logan would lay in bed and his soulmate’s shadow covered him like a blanket. It made him feel safe and protected. One time Logan was almost hurt by a big doggie, but the dog saw Logan’s shadow and ran away. Logan knew that big shadows weren’t good. He heard about how Susie from down the street had a ‘peddle-file’ for a soulmate. But Logan knew that his soulmate wouldn’t hurt him.

Sometimes the shadow would change into something smaller, closer to Papa’s height. Sometimes the shadow grew so big that Logan couldn’t see the end of it. But most of the time, Logan’s shadow stayed the same size and shape. Logan knew it wasn’t normal to have a soulmate that changed shape. He knew it wasn’t normal for his shadow to have long, spindly arms with pointed fingers. He knew that most shadows didn’t have long devil horns, or give off an aura that scared all animals and most humans away. Logan knew that Mama and Papa wouldn’t understand if he told them.

Because Logan was smart enough to know that his soulmate wasn’t human.

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Logan was brave.

Most people wouldn’t see that at first glance. Logan was a 17-year-old nerd. He was such an oddball that even bullies steered clear of him (Logan never commented on that. He knew it was his soulmate’s aura scaring them away. Which was interesting since human shadows don’t have detectable auras). Logan always had his nose in a book. Most people expected him to be a teacher’s pet, but Logan never answered questions. He never reached out to others, and he never spoke unless he was spoken to, so most people didn’t know how brave Logan actually was.

Even those who considered themselves close to Logan didn’t see him as brave. In fact, most people saw him as emotionless. He rarely smiled or spoke out of turn. He was the perfect child in terms of behavior and intelligence, but he never showed signs of actually enjoying the world around him.

But there was something that Logan enjoyed: his shadow. While it was disappointing to have no one to talk to about his soulmate, Logan wouldn’t give his soulmate up for anything. It was fascinating to watch, and every time Logan interacted with his shadow he felt safe and loved. Most people would scream if their shadow’s jaw unhinged to impossible lengths, most likely to swallow something whole. Logan watched with rapt attention, itching to write it down. He never recorded anything about his soulmate, paranoid that someone would find it. Instead, he attempted to memorize every new detail on his soulmate. His soulmate was 8 feet tall exactly, with an extra four inches added for the horns. While his largest form was immeasurable, his smallest form stood at 6 ft 6 in with no horns to see. Logan assumed that this form was meant to mimic a human, though he had no other data to support that hypothesis. Logan’s soulmate was also extremely fast, occasionally moving its limbs at a speed that Logan couldn’t track with his eyes.

Logan participated in activities that made sense to him yet baffled others. He spent hours holed up in his room, his shadow comforting him as he read a book. He ran for an hour every afternoon, though he had no interest in joining any races. He also went to the gym every other day. Logan’s logic behind this was that he needed to be quick and strong in case his soulmate meant him harm (this was a lie and Logan knew it. Not only did Logan still believe that his soulmate wouldn’t harm him, he also doubted that he could physically run away from a creature that could potentially travel at inhuman speeds, much less fight one. The truth was that Logan wanted to have something vaguely in common with his soulmate). While Logan liked to read philosophy and chemistry books, he could also be seen reading books on soulmates, fairytales and cryptids. While Logan did not believe that humanity was aware that Logan’s soulmate existed, he hoped he would one day find something that would even slightly match his predicament.

Logan was actually reading another book about soulmates as he sat under the apple tree outside of the library. The tree’s shadow loomed over him, but Logan could still easily see his soulmate’s silhouette. He wasn’t sure if that was a soulmate-thing or a my-soulmate-isn’t-human-thing. That’s actually why he was reading this book: Everyday Occurrences for Soulmates. It was mainly a description of how soulmate customs were treated around the world, but Logan hoped that it would give him more insight into how human shadows should look and behave.

“Get back here, freak!” Logan’s head snapped up to see another teen run past him. Logan vaguely recognized the patchwork hoodie from his biology class. Virgil Storm, Logan’s memory supplied. Emo and social outcast. Logan watched as another group of teens chased after him. Virgil continued to run until he tripped and fell. Logan stood up as the gaggle of teenagers approached Virgil. This won’t do at all.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The teens looked afraid for a moment before they turned and saw Logan approaching.

The one in the middle laughed. “Run along, nerd, before you end up like this freak!” Micheal Scott, if Logan’s memory was correct (it always was). Senior, quarterback, was held back three times.

Logan continued to step forward, ignoring the way his shadow lashed around his ankles. “Virgil has done nothing to warrant your ire, Micheal.” This was true; Virgil talked less than even Logan did. Other than being exceptionally talented in art, Virgil was essentially a nobody (and while Logan knew that looks could be deceiving, he- like everyone else- saw reason to interact with Virgil).

Micheal scoffed. “Of course he does! He’s a freak and he deserves to be put in his place-”

Now, Logan was very smart. He knew that acting violently would most likely result in negative consequences. But Logan also knew that Virgil didn’t deserve Micheal’s… anything, Micheal’s an asshole. But either way, Logan knew what it was like to be the odd-one-out. And while Logan was nervous of the consequences, when he heard Micheal call Virgila freak, Logan’s bravery shined through.

Logan was satisfied to feel Micheal’s nose break from under his fist. Those visits to the gym were actually useful. Huh. Logan watched impassively as Micheal fell down to his knees. Logan kneeled so that his face loomed just above Micheal’s. Micheal started shivering, and Logan couldn’t tell if it was him or his shadow that was causing him distress. He also didn’t care. “If you even look at me or Virgil the wrong way I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell. Understood?” Logan’s voice remained cold and emotionless. While his surge in confidence was making him slightly uncomfortable, it produced the intended outcome. Micheal blanched before scurrying away. It took only a look to get the other teens to do the same.

Logan knelt down next to the now safe teen. “Are you alright?” He held out his hand for Virgil to grab.

Virgil stared at the hand in shock, seemingly surprised that someone had stood up for him. “Yeah, thanks.” He took the offered hand, pulling himself up onto his feet. His sketchbook fell out of his hand, which Logan didn’t realize was even there. Logan bent down to grab the sketchbook for Virgil when he froze.

The sketch was of some kind of fae/eldritch horror combination. The creature’s face was youthful, appearing to be a man in his early twenties. Its arms were long and spindly, and his nails were sharpened to a point. It wore a white prince suit with a red sash. But what really grabbed Logan’s attention was the pair of devil horns that sat on top of its head.

Logan looked up at Virgil, who was suddenly pale and shaking. “Virgil, what was your inspiration behind this piece?”

Virgil grabbed the notebook and shook his head. “It’s nothing, just a nightmare I had. Nothing more.” He went to walk away.

Logan grabbed Virgil by the hoodie sleeve. “Please do not lie to me.” Virgil stared at Logan in horror. Logan stood there, feeling his desperation claw at him. “Please,” He whispered. “Please tell me I’m not alone.”

Because Logan was brave, and he didn’t want to be alone anymore.

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Logan was observant.

While his observations didn’t help him in finding his soulmate, it did help him take care of his two new (and only) friends.

Virgil Storm apparently had a soulmate similar to Logan’s, as did Virgil’s best friend Patton Heart. Virgil also had a nightbond, a rare form of soulbond that allowed soulmates to visit each other in their dreams. Apparently, the creatures did not have a name for their species. Roman, Virgil’s soulmate, appeared to have very little knowledge on his species. While this did disappoint Logan, he was still grateful to have someone to share his findings with. After knowing each other for over a year, the trio were never seen apart, finally having friends who weren’t scared away by their shadow’s dark auras.

Virgil and Patton both had similar opinions to Logan on their inhuman soulmates, mainly that it was more fascinating than terrifying. Virgil was interested in the darker aspects of their soulmates, while Patton was just happy that he had a soulmate. Logan grew to care for the two teens. While Virgil was quiet and awkward around others, Logan learned that he was actually very snarky and cynical. Patton pretended that life was perfect, but Logan had seen enough to know that Patton only genuinely smiled when thinking about his soulmate. Logan had become quite protective of the two, as his shadow tended to scare off more potential threats than Virgil’s or Patton’s did.

Logan was currently running around the perimeter of the highschool as he waited for his friends to finish their activities. He had asked if they would like to join him, but Patton was asthematic and Virgil detested running. So, it had become a common occurrence for Logan to do his running while Patton and Virgil participated in their after school clubs.

Logan allowed his mind to wander as he completed another lap. He was disappointed that he’s so far unsuccessful in terms of meeting his soulmate. None of them had met their soulmates in person, even Virgil. According to Roman, the creatures had a much deeper connection to their souls compared to humans. He had also said that the creatures wouldn’t be found by their soulmates until “our loves are ready.” Ready for what, Logan didn’t know. But that didn’t stop him from exhausting every possible way to find his soulmate.

Logan saw a flash of yellow and almost tripped over his feet. Not stopping as to draw suspicion, he glanced towards the forest behind the school and saw something… odd.

Standing at the edge of the treeline was a man. He was tall and young, probably in his mid 20s. He wore an impeccable black suit with yellow accessories, which was odd since he appeared to have came from the forest. Logan followed his gaze and just as the gym doors opened. Patton sprinted out of the school, most likely grabbing something from his car. Logan watched as the man’s gaze followed Patton as he walked towards his car. Logan tsked as he darted into the treeline, attempting to not be spotted. The man was stalking Patton, and that was not acceptable. But Logan was observant, so he’d learn more about the man before making his move.

Logan had just reached where he’d last seen the man when he noticed something important: his shadow wasn’t moving. Any time Logan was heading towards potential danger, his shadow would move erratically around his feet, as if it was trying to stop him. Any time potential danger was heading towards him, Logan’s shadow would lash towards the danger, it’s natural aura deterring most creatures. But his shadow wasn’t moving. It was calm. Complacent.

Logan was so busy analyzing his shadow that he almost hadn’t realized that the man wasn’t there. Logan felt a chill go down his neck and he spun around, to find himself less than a foot away from the man. Logan stifled the urge to scream. His shadow wasn’t acting up, and Logan trusted his soulmate to protect him. But now that he was almost touching the man, Logan quickly realized something. How his smile was a hair too wide. How just standing close to him made Logan’s fight-or-flight reflexes go haywire.

Logan was observant, but it didn’t take much to realize that this man isn’t human.

Logan cleared his throat as he forced himself to articulate a response. “Hello. Might I ask why you’re trespassing into a high school to observe minors?”

The man looked guilty (bullshit) as he spoke. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met before.” He held out his hand, presumably for Logan to shake. “My name is Declan Brown. I was sent by the school board to observe the school’s management of extracurricular activities-”

“Stop.” Logan suddenly said, resisting the urge to physically shake his head. A part of him was already nodding along to what he said. It’s a perfectly reasonable assumption- Logan did his best to shove the thought away. The creature obviously had a talent in mental manipulation.

The (not)man gaped for a second. “Excuse me?” He seemed shocked. The thoughts became more intense and repetitive.

Logan started rambling, less focused on his words and more focused on getting Declan’s (that’s probably not his name) manipulations out of his head. “Stop lying to me. No member of the student board would support stalking a minor from the school’s perimeter. Check up on your human facts before stating such a bold lie. And will you shut up with the thoughts!” Before Logan could acknowledge what he had said, the thoughts ceased completely.

The creature looked at Logan with unguarded curiosity. “Who are you?”

Logan crossed his arms as he ignored how terrified he felt. “My name is unimportant for this conversation. Now I’ll ask again: Why are you stalking my friend?”

Logan’s shadow chose that moment to respond, shifting forward so it brushed against the creature’s ankles. Logan then realized that not only did he seem to acknowledge Logan’s shadow, he also didn’t have a shadow. Which means that he has a soulmate. The creature stared at the shadow before laughing. “Ah. That makes much more sense.”

Logan frowned. “Please answer my question.”

The creature’s smile seemed more genuine as he held out his hand again. “Call me Janus. I was sent by Roman to check on his soulmate. And I wanted to check on my soulmate at the same time.”

Logan blinked as he processed the information. The creature knew Roman, so it was most likely the same (or similar) species. And since it was staring at Patton…

Logan grabbed Janus’ hand, giving it his firmest shake. Logan was not submitting to this creature. “My name is Logan. I assume you are Patton’s soulmate, correct?” At Janus’ smirk, Logan tightened his grip. “If you harm him in any way- physically, emotionally, you name it- I will find a way to make the rest of your existence a living hell.”

Janus laughed as he also tightened his grip. “He’s gonna LOVE meeting you.” Logan remained impassive, knowing that a single sign of weakness could cause his end.

Because Logan was observant, and no way in hell was he letting his friend get hurt.

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Logan was loved.

Logan never really realized that. Sure, his parents said that they loved him, but Logan never really depended on his parents the way most children did. When Logan had a question, he read a book. When Logan was scared, his shadow protected him. When Logan was hurt or lonely, his shadow would comfort him. Most people depended on their parents to raise them. Logan raised himself. Most people saw shadows as a way to find their soulmate. Logan saw his shadow as a friend.

Maybe that’s why at 21 years old Logan confidently (and drunkenly) states that he’s never felt true love. Sure, he’s felt kindness and support (Patton and Virgil) but he’s never felt love. Sure, some nights he has long conversations with his shadow and lets himself believe that the way it twists and turns means that his soulmate can hear him. Sure, he sees Janus a few times every year (Logan knows by this point that Janus is letting himself be seen. Logan never told Patton about meeting Janus and they have yet to officially meet. If Janus wanted to be seen by Patton or not seen by Logan he could) and every time he begs to learn more about his soulmate. But that’s not love (he never says that around Janus. The creature can smell lies like Logan smells Patton’s perfume).

Maybe that’s why he drunkenly kisses a stranger at his 21st birthday party, ignoring the fact that he’s too short and his hold doesn’t feel safe.

Maybe that’s why when he goes to visit Patton weeks later and sees only a note that says His name’s Janus he crumples it up and throws it away. Maybe that’s why when Virgil texts him the same day simply saying Found my soulmate TTYL, Logan lets hope claw its way through his chest. Maybe that’s why when the sun sets and Logan gets no sign from his soulmate he curls up in a ball and sobs. Maybe that’s why he decides that he can’t wait any longer and he leaves his shitty apartment in the middle of his shitty town and heads towards the shitty forest that he knows is empty but he has to try.

Maybe that’s why when Logan’s so deep in the forest that he can’t find his way out and the moon hangs high over his head and he hears wolves in the distance he doesn’t get scared or sad. No, Logan gets angry. Angry at the world for rejecting him because of his menacing shadow. Angry at Patton and Virgil for leaving him for their own soulmates. Angry at his soulmate for making him believe for 21 fucking years that he had a chance at being truly happy.

A wolf broke through the tree line, lowly growling as he approached Logan. Logan growled right back, his irritation and heartbreak and anger clouding his judgment. The wolf howled, and Logan screamed. It was an odd feeling. Logan hadn’t screamed in a long time. He trusted his shadow to protect him, so he never screamed in fear. But the way his throat burned from his anger was exhilarating.

The wolf lunged, and it took Logan a few moments to realize that it never reached him. Logan heard a satisfying crunch as the wolf head landed inches from his feet. Logan looked up and saw a monster of nightmares.

It was at least 8 ft tall, with long, spindly limbs sharpened to a point. Green horns protruded form his head, and his eyes glowed acid green. His bloody teeth stretched into a too-wide grin, and Logan did not smile back.

Instead Logan screamed again. But it wasn’t out of fear (never out of fear). It was out of anger, and exhaustion, and relief, and something else that Logan couldn’t name. He lunged at the creature, wrapping his arms around the black and green tunic as he continued to scream. The creature continued to smile, using his too-sharp claws to hold onto Logan’s back. And Logan broke. He started to sob, losing the ability to stand as he leaned further into the creature’s chest.

They stayed there for almost an hour, Logan sobs being the only sound in the vicinity. Eventually, the creature spoke up. “It’s nice to finally hold you, Logan.” Logan continued to stay silent, burrowing his face into the creature’s chest. “My name is Remus. I know that it hurts, but you weren’t ready until now. I wanted to come get you the moment I saw your shadow, I swear. But I’ve always been there, even though ya couldn’t hear me. And I promise I won’t leave ya ever.”

Logan felt himself smile as he relaxed further into the creature’s his soulmate’s hold, listening to Remus babble out apologies and promises. Logan allowed himself to finally feel.

Because even though this was the first time they touched, Logan knew this wasn’t the first time they’d met. Remus had always been there to support Logan, even if he was hiding in Logan’s shadow. He was always there, and even though Logan was hearing him for the first time, Logan knew that he was in love with Remus.

And as they separated and Remus asked if Logan was okay, Logan let himself admit it. “I love you.”

And Remus repeated him, with no doubts or uncertainty. Because even though Logan refused to believe it before now…

Logan was loved.

#sanders sides #AU_gust_2020 #soulmate alternate universe #intrulogical #moceit #prinxiety #logan sanders #remus sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #Janus Sanders #my fic

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lorirwritesfanfic · 3 years

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A Promise - Part 2: The Trouble With Growing Up

Author's note: I‘ve been daydreaming about this story for way too long and it was time to write it again. What are the odds that I managed to post it on the birthday of the wonderful person who requested it? ...😏😁 Happy birthday, @missameliep! ❤ I hope you like this part (despite the angst 🙈) [Leading characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios and original characters are creations of the author]

Book: Desire & Decorum (modern day AU) Pairing: Prince Hamid x MC (Daphne) Rating: M Word count: 5073 Reading time: ~20min Summary: On her way to meet Hamid before his wedding ceremony, Daphne finds herself remembering of her own mistakes. Based on the prompts: AUgust 2020 - Childhood friends AU + Arranged Marriage AU / 1000 Times

Warning: This piece contains adult material (bullying, description of side effects of mixing alcohol and ecstasy) that may be disturbing/offensive for some people. Reader discretion is advised.

Istanbul, August, 2020

Car honks and shouts from different directions filled the air as the rain poured down the streets, making the traffic heavier than usual. Inside the taxi, Daphne looked out the window absentmindedly. It's been a couple years since her last visit to İstanbul and as much as the city changed, she barely paid attention to it. Her mind was somewhere else.

London 2007

Daphne stepped out of her father's car and walked towards the entrance of her house in silence. Right behind her, Vincent followed his daughter in hopes to figure out what made her change her mind about staying with him for the weekend. Unfortunately, the Earl of Edgewater had a hard time understanding his young girl sometimes.

She was about to press the doorbell when her father placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, are you sure nothing happened when I was away?"

The young girl frowned at the tone in her father's voice. She knew how much he had tried to make her feel welcomed in his home. Alas, he was never the problem.

She turned to him, giving him a genuine smile despite her sadness. "Yes, dad. I'm sure. But..." She trailed off, biting her lip in worry.

"You miss your mother."

The girl nodded.

"Okay," he said, caressing her cheek softly.

Daphne turned back to the door, pressed the bell and waited. It didn't take long for the door to be opened. The young girl rushed to her mother's arms as soon as she spotted her.

"Mama..." The girl sobbed, burying her face on her mother's soft night robe.

"It's all right, darling," Mary cooed, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "Say goodnight to your father and go upstairs."

The young girl pulled away from her mother and turned around to hug her father. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, dear."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, my dear. Sleep well."

Once Daphne disappeared from view, Vincent spoke up. "My apologies for waking you up in the middle of the night. She couldn’t sleep and kept calling you. I didn't know what to do."

"Don't worry about it. She can be a handful sometimes."

"Mary, I—" His brows furrowed as he searched for the words. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"If you think I can help, sure. What is it?"

"I'm trying to get closer to her, but every time I think we made progress, the next moment it feels like we didn't. It's been four years. What else do I have to do to be worthy of her love?"

Mary took a moment to steady herself. She had no doubts he was a wonderful person. But to see him so eager to earn Daphne's affection reminded her of the man she fell in love with.

"Vincent, if you think she doesn't love you, you're sorely mistaken. But she's not as outgoing and loquacious as your son. Sometimes she keeps her feelings to herself because she needs time to understand them."

"Oh..." He nodded in understanding. "What do I do then?"

"Be patient. She'll come to you when she's ready."

"I'll try."

Mary couldn't help but smile. It was sweet of him to try, yet she knew he'd struggle to succeed. After all, impatience was one of the many traits their daughter took after him.

"Have a goodnight, Vincent."

"Goodnight, Mary," he replied and returned to his car once she closed the door.

As time passed by, the young girl's gloomy behaviour didn't change. If anything, her mood got worse at each passing day. Soon, her parents and friends began to worry.

"Daphne?" She opened the door to her daughter's room and frowned as she spotted the young girl curled up on the window sill staring blankly at the sky. "Your father called again. He wants to know if you're still joining him and the boys on the trip to Edgewater."

"Okay..."

"Is that a yes?"

The girl gave her shoulders.

Mary inhaled sharply. "Daphne, you don't have to go. But you need to tell me so I can understand what's going on."

"There's nothing to tell, mum."

Yet, the dull tone in Daphne's voice told her otherwise. Fortunately, she knew just exactly what to do.

"We have a guest today and I prepared biscuits. Do you want to go downstairs and join him?"

"Whatever..."

"That was mean..." A young male voice commented. Disappointment was clear in his tone.

Her eyes widened as she immediately recognized the voice.

"I'm sorry, dear. I think she's not in the mood to see anyone again," Mary said, closing the door to Daphne's bedroom.

Again?! He was here before?! Her brows knitted together in a frown.

"Okay..." The voice replied.

Everything went quiet for a moment. But as she heard steps, Daphne rushed to the door and opened it. "Wait!" She yelled.

To her surprise, she found her mother grinning whilst her friend leaned against the wall nonchalantly.

"Impressive!" Mary praised.

"Thanks, Mrs. Wang."

"Have you thought about joining the theater at school, Hamid?"

"I haven't. But if a talented actress like yourself thinks I should, I'll add it to my list of options of clubs to join next year," he answered.

"Well, aren't you a charmer?" Mary chuckled. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

"Okay." He then turned to his friend. "Hey, stranger," Hamid greeted her with his trademark smile that seemed to get more mesmerizing as the boy grew older.

"You played me!" Daphne gasped.

"I had to. You didn't show up at school, you’re taking forever to text me back, you cancelled movie night on Sunday, you didn't open the door yesterday... Should I go on?"

Daphne shook her head, avoiding his gaze. "Sorry..."

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing..."

"Liar..." He murmured.

"Hey!"

"You are. You said to Briar you were sick and you're not. You're lying to me right now. Why?"

"It isn't like that, Hamid. I just..." Daphne looked down at her hands. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay. Then we will not talk on the way to Ernest's house."

"What? You're not mad?"

"I'll save that for later because right now we're going to have a Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero competition and you're my partner. Mrs. Wang already gave you permission, so hurry up."

"I don't know, Hamid..."

"Daph, look at me," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to talk about whatever happened this weekend at your dad's. I just need you there with me."

She eyed him confused. "How do you know it's about my dad?"

"Wild guess..." He shrugged.

"But how do you know it?"

"Because you always get upset when you visit him."

The girl chewed on her bottom lip. She didn't want anyone to think her father was the reason why she was upset. She was happy to be close to him. The problem was everyone else.

"I mean it. You don't need to talk about anything if you don't want to. But I miss my best friend," he said with an encouraging smile.

"I thought Yusuf was your best friend..."

"I have two best friends. You're my best girl friend."

"Girlfriend?" She eyed him in confusion.

"As in two separate words, Daph. You're a girl and my best friend," he corrected.

"Oh!" Now it makes sense.

"Anyway, you'd better go grab your coat. They're going to start in fifteen minutes, there are gelatos at stake and only you can beat Ann on Through the Fire and Flames solo."

The girl chuckled and went back to her room to change clothes and join her friends.

Hours flew by whilst the group of kids played video games and junk food. Laughter and occasional spats could be heard by anyone who passed by Mr. Sinclaire's townhouse. But given how loud the kids were, the Master of Ledford Park was obviously not at home. Fortunately, whenever he finds out about his son's little gathering, it'd be old news that his wife would make sure smooth things over.

Unluckily, the fun afternoon grew a little tense when Daphne's half brother arrived. Much like his mother, Harry was often rude to his older sister and always found a way to make it clear she was an intruder in his family.

"Ah, damnit..." Briar mumbled as she watched Daphne and Hamid finish the song of the round with perfect score.

"Briar!" Annabelle chided.

"I told you not to say it out loud," Edmund mumbled.

"But I am frustrated!" Briar nagged.

"It's all right. Briar is a sore loser," Daphne teased and grinned as her friend responded by sticking her tongue out.

"Cheater..." Harry grumbled.

Daphne's head whipped towards her half brother's direction. "What did you just say?"

"I said you're a bloody cheater because it’s what you always do. You cheat!" The boy sneered.

"You're talking gibberish, Foredale. Settle down," Hamid said, in an attempt to end the argument.

"Oh, excuse me. Are you talking to me or to her?" Harry stood up, lips twisted in a scowl. "Because this bastard cheated her way to my home and stole not just my father, but my name too."

Gasps spread through the room as Harry glowed at his sister, whose face reddened as anger pumped through her veins.

"Mate, don't." Edmund warned.

"Am I wrong?! She and her mother are ruining our family!"

"Harry, stop it!" Annabelle chastised.

Daphne could feel herself being pushed to the limit. She heard those offences more than once, but tried to hold back at school or her father's house to avoid getting in trouble. But this was a neutral ground and Harry had gone too far. "You take that back!"

"Take it back?" He sniggered in a way that reminded her so much of the countess.

"Harry, you'd better stop insulting Daphne right now or you can see yourself out of my house," Ernest warned.

"If he doesn't, you don't have to call security. I'll kick him out myself." Hamid glared at Harry.

"Why are you all defending her?!" Harry shouted.

"Harry, stop it right now!" Briar yelled.

"You know what? I don't care!" The boy spat and turned to Daphne once again. "Your mother is a homewrecker and you're a bloody cheater. Do I have to say it louder, you little bastard?"

With her features clouded by rage, Daphne stomped into Harry's direction with her hands balled into fists only to be held back by Hamid. "Shut the fuck up, you dickhead!"

Whilst Briar and Annabelle stared aghast at Daphne fighting against Hamid's firm grip, Harry was about to raise his hand when Ernest and Edmund stopped him. To prevent things from getting worse, Hamid carried the furious young girl out of the house, making sure to cover her mouth in case she had more bad words to say.

Once they arrived in the backyard, Hamid sat Daphne down on a patio chair and glared at his friend. "Are you mad?! You can't drop F-bombs like that just because there are no parents around. What if the staff heard you?"

The girl didn't say anything or look him in the eye. Instead, she simply bit down her lip and fiddled with the buttons of her coat.

"Daphne?"

Worried that he could have been a little too harsh, he crouched down to look at her and spotted the tears rolling down her cheeks. Without a second thought, he sat beside her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

Hot tears ran down her face. Tears she had been holding since Saturday night, when she was at her father's townhouse. But she couldn't control them anymore. So she just hid her face on her friend's chest and cried.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

"Why? It's not your fault that my brother is an arsehole."

"Daph..."

She pulled away from his embrace and scowled. "Don't look at me like that. I've seen you say a lot worse when you're watching football matches."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "I'm not judging..." His smile quickly faded as images of what happened earlier came to view. "This fight with Harry... He's the one who upsets you when you visit Lord Vincent, isn't he?"

"Yeah…” She sniffed. “But he's not the only one."

Hamid clenched his fists. He only had the misfortune of meeting Countess Henrietta a couple of times, but it was obvious to him how much she disliked Daphne. The young girl disrupted the image gentry folk had of the Foredales and she could be a threat to the countess Henrietta's sons. "Harry is a spoiled brat. We just tolerate him because of Edmund."

"But he still is my brother. I always wanted a sibling and the only one I have hates me."

"You don't know if he really hates you. For all we know, he's just repeating what the countess says. You have all the reasons to have to hate him and you don't. Why would he hate you?"

The young girl gave her shoulders. "I don't know... But I know I don't want to spend the entire summer with him."

"And you don't have to."

"But dad wants me to go to Edgewater with them. What should I tell him?"

"The truth."

"I can't!"

"Daphne, your dad has to know why you don't feel comfortable staying in his house."

"But what if he gets mad at Harry? Or his mom?"

"That's their problem. Besides, he's going to find out about the fight anyway."

Daphne's eyes widened. "Oh my god, it's true! Bollocks..."

The boy failed to suppress a laugh.

"What? Oh..." She covered her mouth with both hands.

"It's fine. You know I won't tell."

The girl nodded and rested her head on her friend's shoulder.

"I just wish I could've protected you from all of this mess..." He sighed.

"You can't protect me from everything, Hamidciğim."

He draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close once again. "But it doesn't mean I won't keep trying."

Istanbul, August, 2020

Daphne was pulled out of her reverie by her body suddenly being pushed forward and held back by the seat belt followed by a loud honk. The taxi driver began to yell in Turkish and gesticulate things to the other cars then glanced at her through the rear view mirror.

"I'm sorry for my language, miss. These Sunday drivers never learn..." He shook his head and twisted his lips in a sneer.

"It's all right, sir."

For a moment, she was thankful Hamid told her to fasten her seat belt at all times whenever she’s in Turkey. He did try to protect her as much as he could from anything that could potentially hurt her. Yet, he was never so good at stopping her from hurting herself.

London, 2016

Daphne's fingers slowly hovered the keys of Lady Dominique's grand piano as Chopin's Prelude in E minor came to an end. Applause erupted in the room. But given how the professional musicians playing since the beginning of the night didn't earn the same attention from the guests, she knew most of those praises were insincere. Still, she looked at the crowd applauding her and bowed her head.

The young viscountess walked around the lounge unamused. The reception was anything but a party most teenagers would expect to host. Instead of a pub crowded with people her age flashing their brand new IDs to get wasted, dance or make out in dark corners, Daphne was surrounded by British politicians, nobility and gentry folk at her father's opulent lounge. Obviously, this wasn't her idea of a party to celebrate her graduation. Or her father's. But at some point in her life, she stopped butting heads with her grandmother. It was easier to simply smile and concede.

After making her rounds to mingle with the guests, Daphne excused herself for a moment and stepped outside. Sitting down on the patio chair, she looked out at the dark moonless sky embellished by the stars. Spring night breeze softly ruffled some locks of her hair when her back and shoulders were covered by a large coat that smelled just as good as its owner.

"I knew you'd be here," Hamid said as he sat down next to her and handed her a champagne flute. "Congratulations, canım¹."

"Thank you."

They clinked glasses and took a sip of the light gold bubbly drink.

"I didn't expect you to be here tonight," she began.

"Why?"

"You're a Cambridge student now. I thought you'd be at a nightclub with your girlfriend and uni friends."

"I still prefer the company of my best girl friend."

"I don't think your girlfriend would approve what you just said," she hinted.

"Fortunately, I no longer have to worry about that," he said before taking a long sip of his champagne.

"Did you break up with Ida?"

"No. She broke up with me."

"What happened?"

"What always happens... " He sighed.

"Hamidciğim, a relationship will only last if you open up to your partner."

"I'm aware of it. But I'll only do it when I'm in a relationship with someone I truly love."

Daphne turned to him, studying his features. "That was the problem, wasn't it?"

He nodded in silence.

"Aw..." Daphne intertwined her arm with his. "Someday you'll find a girl worthy of your love. And she'll be the luckiest person ever."

He smiled ruefully, avoiding her gaze for a second. "Enough about me. This is your night, viscountess. What are your plans for the summer?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't know?" He stared at her confusion. "This is your last summer before you get overwhelmed by textbooks, deadlines, posh fabrics and creepy mannequins at Central Saint Martins. We have to think of something."

"Not all mannequins aren't creepy."

"So was it just the ones in your old bedroom?" He teased.

She elbowed him playfully, making him laugh. As they grew quiet, she began to speak. "I thought about going on that trip I told you about the last time you were here."

"The one where you'd visit the cities and opera houses your mother sang in Europe? That's fantastic!"

Her lips curled upwards. He obviously would love that idea. He was the impulsive one of all her friends. It was one of the many things she adored about him. "I just wanted to do something fun with no worries about etiquette and tabloids." Her smile weakened as she continued. "But it was cooler in my head when Annabelle and Briar were coming with me..."

"They bailed on you?"

"Ann got an opportunity to take a summer course in Sussex and Briar will stay here to help Mrs. Daly at the bakery."

"Oh..." He went silent for a brief moment then spoke again. "I can go with you."

"It's all right. You don't have to... It was a silly idea..."

"No, it isn't. I know how important this trip is to you and I'd love to be there with you."

Her heart fluttered at the idea. Ever since her mother passed away, traveling to visit the seven cities Mary sang in her years as an opera singer was Daphne's biggest dream. The thought of having her favourite person beside would make this journey even better. Alas, Hamid has always been a popular guy. He certainly had other plans and chances were neither of them included her.

"Hamidciğim, it's okay. Really. I know you must have other plans. Besides, I was going to ask for a refund or reschedule anyway."

He immediately made a disgusted face in response. "That's a preposterous idea! You're so not doing that."

"Hamid, I don't want to impose..."

"You say it as if it'd be such a burden to travel across the best cities in Europe with you. We're going, Daphne. Accept it," he said with a playful grin. "Now stop with this nonsense and help me get my train tickets."

Daphne agreed with a smile watching her friend produce his mobile from his coat to buy the train tickets.

...

Amsterdam, 2016

It was quarter to three in the morning when the taxi rolled to a stop in front of the Ambassade Hotel. Daphne, however, barely noticed anything that happened during most of the night after the "new friend" Hamid made at lunch insisted they should try a pink heart shaped pill at the nightclub. Of all the many impulsive and silly acts she could choose to make whilst traveling abroad, getting high as a kite was the dumbest one.

"Daphne?"

Struggling to open her eyes, she shifted on the backseat.

"Daphne, wake up. We're here."

"Mmm?" Her eyes fluttered open, she smiled. Somehow, in the dimly lit backseat of a car and with her foggy vision, she could see him clearly. And he looked as handsome as ever. "Hi..."

"Welcome back, canım. Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Her grin went wider and she slid closer to him, rubbing her face on his chest in a cat-like way.

"Uh... Okay..." Caught by surprise, he failed to hide a smile, but proceeded to hand his credit card to the driver. "Here you go, sir."

"Oooooh! Platinum card!" She enthused. "You're so posh, Hamidciğim!"

"So are you. You paid for the drinks tonight, remember? Thank you," he said once he received his card back.

"Oh, that's right! I have one of those too!"

"Yes, we're indeed very posh and fortunate. Now let's get you out of here." He then climbed out of the car and helped her get out.

"Bye, mister driver!" Daphne waved.

With one of her arms around his shoulder and supporting her by the waist, Hamid brushed the loose strands of her face, tucking them behind her ear. His brows knitted together as he gazed at her in worry. "How are you feeling?"

"Sweaty, tired…” She squinted her eyes, trying to focus. “You look blurry..."

"It'll get better. How about nausea? Chills? Hallucinations? Do you feel like you're going to faint?"

"No… I'm fine, Hamidciğim, you don't have to—" But as she took a few steps forward, her legs weakened. Still, she never hit the ground. Holding her close to his body, Hamid's arms wrapped around her legs and back and hoisted her up, carrying her into the hotel.

"You're so strong..."

"Did you realise it just now?" He asked once they stopped before the elevator.

"Nah..." She said as she pressed the button to call the elevator. "Everyone in school knows you're strong. The highlight of the day was when you took off your shirt after a match. All the girls and some of the guys swooned every time you did it."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Everyone missed those moments."

He stepped into the elevator, still carrying her.

"Daphne?"

"Mmm..."

"Press the button to the floor where our suites are. My hands are kinda busy here."

"Oh!" She giggled. "Sorry..." She looked at the elevator control panel as her brows furrowed as she tried to remember the right floor.

"It's the eleventh floor, Daph."

"I knew that..." she scoffed.

For some reason, he chose not to make a joke about it. Instead, he changed back to the previous subject.

"Daphne?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you miss seeing me shirtless as well?"

"No." She made a face, offended by the idea of her objectifying him the way the entire school did. "I miss all of you."

His forehead creased in surprise.

"You are incredibly handsome. But the most beautiful part of you is on the inside," she explained, poking his chest with her index finger.

"Why thank you."

"Don't mention it..." She said between yawns, resting her head on his shoulder. "You changed your cologne."

"I did. This is the one I use at night now."

"I like it... It's so you."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." She replied, using the hand resting on his neck to caress his hair. "Do you remember that expensive wine we stole from Edgewater cellar four years ago?"

Goosebumps spread along his skin at the gentle touch, but he still seemed impassive. "Yes. What about it?"

"You smell like that wine..." She paused for a moment, thinking of the words as her fingers continued to idly caress the back of his head. "Sweet, strong, enticing..."

He didn't say a word, but it was obvious that he looked surprised by her compliment.

Just then the elevator doors opened and they stepped out of it, walking towards Daphne's suite.

"I still prefer the smell of your aftershave though."

"Do you?"

She nodded. "It smells like summer mornings on the beach. Fresh, warm, invigorating..."

"I didn't know that..."

"Now you do."

Once they stopped by her door, he put her down, but still held her. "Can you find your key card on your own?"

"Huh?"

"The card that opens the door, Daphne."

"Oh..." She opened her clutch bag and fished out her ID and three different cards, including the one that opened the door to her suite. "It's one of those, isn't it?"

He pressed his lips together, fighting back a grin. "Yes. This one." He pulled the key card from her hand and placed it inside the lock. "You can put the other ones back in your purse."

"Okay..."

Hamid leaned her against the wall and released her for a moment to open the door only to see her sliding down. "Allah kahretsin²..." He mumbled as he bent down to help her.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault. It's mine. It's all my fault..." He said as he picked her up from the floor and carried her inside.

Once they were finally inside the suite, he sat her on the bed and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he had a glass of water and her toiletry bag in his hands. "Drink."

She obeyed without questioning.

"What do you use to remove makeup?"

"Makeup wipes and a cream..." She said, placing the glass on the nightstand. "It's that package." She pointed to the product and reached for the makeup remover cream. "Thank you. Now turn away."

"Excuse me?"

"Turn away."

"Why?"

"Because I look ugly when I remove my makeup. I don't want you to see it."

His lips curled up. "I highly doubt you'd ever look ugly."

"You're saying it because you haven't seen it."

He chortled. "Okay." He then turned away and waited.

"Hamid?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you say it was all your fault?"

"Because it is. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have met Amani, went to that dodgy nightclub, drank that much, had a Molly..."

"No, it wasn't. I told you to get her number. I told you to go out with her. You didn't want to leave me here, so you had to take me with you so I wouldn't feel alone."

"I didn't have to. I only went out because you agreed to go out too. By the way, I'm pretty sure Amani wanted both of us."

"She did?" She stared at him unsure of what he was talking about, but as he gave her a knowing look, she understood. "Oooh... Really?"

"Yep."

"Okay..." She giggled. "She would be very disappointed though. I mean, what could a bloody virgin like me do that would please a runway model and Cambridge's hottest bloke?"

"I'm not even going to comment on that..."

"Of course you won't. You're too much of a good friend and a gentleman to admit you wanted to bring me back here then go back to end the night with her."

"I..." His brows furrowed, as though he was truly struggling to understand her. "No. What I meant is that we could've stayed here. Or just went out somewhere else," he insisted.

"But you wanted her. And it's fine! I get it. I was the stupid one who took a Molly in hopes that my best friend would want me more than he obviously wanted that insanely gorgeous girl."

"What?!" He turned back to face her.

"Don't look at me!" She snapped.

Startled by her tone, he faced away from her again. "Why would you think I don't want you?"

"Because you don't. You always date these tall and beautiful Muslim girls, who also happen to be way more fun, successful and mature than I am."

"Daphne, I—"

"Save it, Hamid. I don't need your pity or excuses. I know it's not going to happen. You're off limits," she spat.

He turned back to look at her once again. "What are you talking about?"

"I have to wash my face."

"No, you have to answer my question first."

"No, I don't!" She tried to stand up, but once again, her legs gave in.

And one more time, he promptly held her. "Daph, I told you're too weak to walk on your own now. You have to wait until the side effects fade away. Come on, you need to sleep."

"No. I have to wash my face first!"

"Fine..."

Taking her to the ensuite, he held her as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. They exchanged glances through the mirror a few times, even though she tried to avoid them.

She shouldn't have said anything, but it slipped. As "the fun" side effects of ecstasy began to fade, she only had the bad ones still going. And among them, a feeling she didn't foresee began to emerge.

When they returned to the room, he helped her out of her clothes, put on her pyjamas and tucked her into bed.

"Are you leaving?" She asked.

"No. I'm staying with you tonight."

"Then come to bed."

"I"ll just crash on the couch..."

"Please?"

He nodded and proceeded to remove his jacket, shoes and shirt. After placing them on the chair nearby, he crawled into the king size bed, keeping a respectful distance from her.

"Daphne, I still need to know what you meant."

She let out a tired sigh. "We have different lifestyles, goals in life... You still see me as the little girl you need to protect. That's why you don't want me."

"Canım, you got it all wrong. I don't—"

"I know it can't be. And it's okay."

"Daphne, please..." He shifted on the bed to gaze at her. "We need to talk about this."

"We really don't, Hamidciğim," she whispered, cupping one side of his face.

She shifted to the other side and closed her eyes, hoping to look asleep as naturally as possible. At least, there were two things she could take advantage of getting high on ecstasy: faking to doze off fast and pretending not to have any idea this conversation ever happened.

Istanbul, August, 2020

Honks incessantly created a cacophonic and odd symphony as the traffic grew heavier. Daphne looked back at her phone and read the last messages Hamid sent to her one more time.

Did he mean it as a friend as always? Or did he ever feel something else? Something more than an attraction to the idea of a life with freedom, away from the burden of following the footsteps of his parents? And if so, would it change the course of their lives? Her stomach fluttered at every thought that tortured her with impossible scenarios of this love she could never have.

"Miss, is everything okay?" The driver asked, looking at her from the rear view mirror.

"Yes. I'm fine." She faked a smile. "Is it going to take long, sir?"

"I'm afraid so. Traffic always gets crazy when it rains."

"Can you take a different route?"

"I can, but it's a bit longer."

"How much?

"Three kilometers."

"Will we get there faster?"

"Yeah."

She looked out the window and at her phone again. It'd take forever for her to get there if they waited. So, against her best judgement, she ordered. "Take the longer route and step on the gas."

"Yes, ma'am."

_____

¹ My darling

² Damnit

#choices fanfic #desire and decorum fanfic #prince hamid #hamid x mc #desire & decorum modern day au #au_gust_2020 #childhood friends au #arranged marriage au #lorirwritesfanfic #lorircreates #tw drug abuse #reader discretion is advised

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slashyrogue · 4 years

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AU-gust Day #31: Vampire & Coffee Shop AU

The first time Will walks into Take A Sip he’s nervous.

Newly divorced and still not good at social situations, he doesn’t know how to do this.

The vampire coffee shop is open to all types, vampire or otherwise, and yet he still feels all eyes on him like he’s not welcome. The barista at the counter smiles and her fangs make Will’s body ache for something he’s been denying himself for far too long.

“Hello, welcome to Take A Sip! What can I get you?”

She’s blonde, looks young but probably isn’t, and her eyes are a shade between blue and red. The nametag on her apron reads, Mischa, and when he talks Will is sure he sounds as nervous as he feels.

“Coffee,” he says quietly, “Black coffee.”

“Cream? Sugar?”

“No, thank you.”

Mischa rings him up, eyeing him in that way vampires always seem to do, and when he pays Will is sure she can hear the fast beating of his heart.

“The name?”

“Will.”

“Thanks, Will. We’ll have your coffee up soon.”

He moves to stand with the other people waiting, all pale and obvious vampires.

This was a stupid idea.

Molly had known Will’s tastes were expanding the last year of his marriage when his excitement was down to zero in the bedroom. He’d found vampire porn online, clicked on a whim, and then spent every night devouring all he could find.

“I’m not enough anymore,” she said, handing him the papers, “I know it and you do too.”

He remembers signing without argument, and while he misses her it’s not because of sex.

Will just misses having someone to talk to, someone he feels comfortable with, and someone who makes him laugh.

His friends mostly went on Molly’s side, all but Bev who is way more social and knows more vampires than Will does. Which isn’t hard because Will knows exactly zero.

“Take A Sip,” she’d said, wiggling her eyebrows, “Lots of hot vamps hang out there and the owner is really nice. He’ll look out for you if he sees anyone being...all mind-y.”

Mind manipulation wasn’t even a thought in Will’s plan but now he worries if he’d even notice.

“Will!”

Will looks up and sees his cup sitting on the counter. He takes it just as someone else does too.

“Oh,” the man says, smiling with very pointed fangs.

He’s blonde, young looking, and way too good looking for Will.

“I think this is mine.”

The vampire grins, and Will feels oddly dizzy. “I see that. Hello, I’m....”

“Your blood is ready, Steven.”

Will looks up, his mind clear, and sees a man behind the counter with red eyes glaring at the vampire. “Oops,” Steven says, grinning.

“I guess I looked an easy target,” Will mumbles, “Thanks.”

The man frowns at him. “Are you alright, Will?”

He blinks, and suddenly tears are in his eyes. “I’m fine.”

The nametag on the man’s apron says ‘Hannibal’ and while he can’t see fangs it’s not hard to guess he’s a vampire. A second later he reaches over and hands Will a bagged scone. Their fingers brush and he shivers. “You don’t have to---”

“Yes, I do. Mind control can drain a human quite quickly and you’ll be even more vulnerable during your stay. This is my establishment and I want every patron to feel safe here.”

Will nods and walks away, feeling warm even before he takes his first sip.

The coffee is good, great even, and when he sits down Will looks to see Hannibal watching him. He nods and Hannibal nods back.

Will stays for the next few hours, sipping his coffee and letting it go cold.

No other vampires come near him, and he wonders if it’s because he’s doing something wrong. He wants to just experience vampire sex once, and if his fantasies are all wrong he can go back to porn.

He sighs, taking the last sip, and moves to stand only for someone to appear at his side.

It’s Mischa.

She hands him a clear pink drink. “On the house,” she says, smiling.

Will frowns and takes the drink. “Thank you.”

He sits down and takes a small sip.

It tastes like strawberries and he reminds him of home.

Will spends the rest of the day in Take A Sip and is given several ‘on the house’ things including a sandwich which he eats with Hannibal’s eyes on him. He’s working his way up to saying something, anything, by the time darkness falls and it’s nearly time to close.

The patrons all start to disperse but Will stays, nursing his fourth drink, and when it’s down to him he stands.

Hannibal is there within seconds.

“I imagine you were confused today.”

He smiles. “Confused, yeah, but well taken care of.”

Hannibal smiles at him. “I am utterly fascinated by you, Will, and was from the moment you entered my establishment. I did not wish for you to leave.”

Will blushes and pushes his glasses up on his nose. “This...this doesn’t usually happen in real life.”

Hannibal takes Will’s other hand and kisses his knuckles. “I assure you, this is happening.”

He swallows the lump in his throat. “I...came here for a reason.”

“The same reason most humans do,” Hannibal purrs, brushing his knuckles with a cold thumb, “I expect you’re interested in sharing a bed with a vampire.”

He nods.

“I regret to inform you that I am not interested in that with you.”

Will feels the rebuff and tries to move away but Hannibal pulls him closer.

“I wish to know you before I taste you. If that is...acceptable.”

He nods. “Yeah.”

Hannibal smiles and his teeth seem even larger. “Would you care to have dinner with me tomorrow evening at my home?”

Will licks his lips. “Yeah, that’s...that sounds okay.”

“Wonderful.”

He feels the loss when Hannibal lets go of him and when he turns he sees Mischa at the door.

“My sister is impatient.”

“She’s your sister?”

“Yes, we’re...quite close. She encouraged me to keep you here today.”

Will smiles at her. “Thanks I guess.”

Mischa grins.

Hannibal pulls a card out from his apron and hands it to Will. An address is printed on it.

“I assure you, I do not give these cards out.”

“You just happen to have them on you?”

“Always,” Hannibal says, “I have only ever given out two of them. One to a young woman with an abusive husband that I took care of and now you.”

Will blinks. “I think you just told me you killed someone.”

“I said ‘took care of’ and that can mean many, many things.”

He laughs. “I guess. I...I’m gonna...”

Hannibal nods just as Mischa opens the door and Will feels his eyes on him when he walks toward her. “Thanks,” Will says again, “I...I think....”

“He likes you,” she whispers, “He doesn’t like anyone but he likes you. That’s important. I hope I see you again.”

Will walks out into the night, feeling warm and excited.

The card in his pocket is full of possibilities, and yet he wonders if this will end like Molly. How far can two people go because of a new found fetish? Will frowns, pulling on his seatbelt, and is about to pull away when someone knocks on his window.

It’s Hannibal.

Will rolls the window down and he sets a bag inside.

“I made you something to remember me by,” he purrs, eyes suddenly seeming even more red, “I did not wish for you to...forget.”

He smiles. “I don’t think I’ll forget today for anything.”

“Goodnight, Will. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight.”

Will pulls away, blushing, and he waits only a block before he opens the bag.

The cupcake inside is dripping red with strawberry filling, and on top is a candy fang.

He laughs.

He doesn’t even know Hannibal yet and he already likes him.

#au_gust_2020 #vampire coffee shop #hannigram au

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pio-hxh-art · 4 years

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Felt motivated for this one ! It’s the 11th prompt Farm/Ranch AU... But did it differently ! And late ! @augustwritingchallenge

#au_gust_2020 #hunter x hunter #killugon #friendship #gon #killua #magicbean

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mari-onberry · 4 years

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AU-gust 2020 day 2: college AU

read on ao3

Shaggy was nervous to pack up for college for three distinct reasons: 1, he didn't want to move away from home, 2, he didn't know how to fit all his belongings in his car, and 3, he didn't know what to expect of his roommates. He had already figured out how he would bring Scooby along, in fact, that was one of the main factors he researched when looking for colleges and apartments to stay in. He was able to find a great apartment that allowed pets, but he would have to live with 3 roommates. Not ideal, but it would do for now.

Nonetheless, he shoved as much stuff as possible in the back of his car and started the two hour commute to University, Scooby in the passenger seat.

Two hours goes by fast while listening to music and singing along with your dog.

So numbers 1 and 2 were done, even if he was hesitant at first. Now, the third worry was approaching fast. He knocked on the door, fairly sure at least one of his roommates was home, with the car parked out front.

Sure enough, one of his new roommates opened the door. Fred, he assumed, the other guy along with two girls. He thought it was rather unconventional to stay in a house with two guys and two girls, at least for college students, but he was willing to stay anywhere that would take him. Plus, the rent there was cheap.

“Shaggy, right?” The guy who was probably Fred asked.

“Yep. Fred?”

He nodded and invited Shaggy inside. The tour was short, since there were only basically four rooms: a living room and kitchen combination, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. The kitchen was small but functional enough, and the living room had a space for a TV that hadn’t been filled yet. It was already decorated, and the only space left untouched was Shaggy’s corner of the boys’ room. He also realized the two girls weren’t home.

Shaggy introduced Fred to Scooby while they waited for the other two to get home from the store. Plus, Shaggy was trying to procrastinate unpacking for as long as possible; packing in the first place was hard enough.

Soon, though, he had to give in and do it. He didn't have that many bags, since he didn't like to keep that much variety of clothes, and didn't have many possessions to bring over, but he did bring a mattress and sheets. Once that was done, the place was already starting to feel like home. His bed was the farthest from the door, in the opposite corner from Fred’s. They were pretty much the only pieces of furniture there, since that was about all that would fit. Fred did have some sort of desk though, and it was covered in nicely folded clothes. For how clean and crisp he seemed, he apparently was hesitant to make himself at home, too. They had both not talked in a while; they were strangers, after all.

“So, Fred, how long have you been here?”

“A couple days, actually,” Fred explained. They would start school in a few days, so it made sense Shaggy was the last to arrive. Velma had been the first, but the three of them had known each other beforehand. Fred told Shaggy about how they all met-- Velma and Daphne knew each other as kids, and they met Fred in high school. He had been the new kid at school, but that didn't stop him from fitting in with Daphne and Velma perfectly.

Still, they needed another tenant to pay for rent, since they had an extra space. None of them expected to immediately bond with Shaggy.

Once Velma and Daphne made their way back, they introduced themselves. They had grocery bags with them, which was more than a little distracting to Shaggy, but he told them he would try and only eat things he bought himself.

He introduced them to Scooby, too, but he was tuckered out from the ride, and was already taking a nap on Shaggy’s bed, so they left him alone.

Shaggy had already taken a liking to them, and he could see how good of friends they were. Usually, this would be a little worrying to him, but they seemed eager to include him. So, the 3rd item on his list no longer scared him. Still, there would be school in a couple days, so he wasn’t completely relaxed.

The other three didn't seem relaxed, either, although Velma and Fred both seemed more excited than stressed.

They watched a movie Shaggy had never seen, The Princess Bride, but it seemed to be one of the group’s favorites. It was actually a really fun movie, which were his favorite kind, so he returned the favor by making them a special recipe of grilled cheese sandwiches (which was mostly just a ton of cheese). Daphne said it was fine for him to use her ingredients, and that they should all be able to share.

“So, Shaggy, how did you end up here?” Daphne asked, having finished her sandwich almost as fast as Shaggy.

“This school or this apartment?”

“Uh, both, I guess.”

He thought for a moment. Really, he had always rationalized it as being the easiest choice. He never really thought about it all that much. “It just seemed like the right fit. I couldn’t go without my dog, so I ended up here.” Now, he was glad he didn't give it that much thought. Maybe it had allowed fate to take his course, and him to find these three people.

Once school started, they saw each other less. Shaggy and Velma both had classes in the morning, and sometimes carpooled, but it was not often that their schedules lined up perfectly. When Shaggy got home, usually the rest of them had left for their own classes, and he would hole up in his room to study. There was good to it, though, because it was easier to study with no one else home.

He walked Scooby during these afternoon breaks as well, and it was a nice opportunity to clear his head. That didn't mean his mind didn't tend to wander towards the subject of his roommates. By 5:00, they were usually all home again. He loved to watch them banter more than anything else, especially when they didn't notice he was listening in. An outside perspective of their relationship was interesting.

Mostly, though, he noticed the love. Of course, they loved each other platonically, they were close enough for that much to be obvious. He also saw they were in love with each other, just a little asymmetrically. Worst of all, none of them seemed to realize this.

He tried to give hints. When they all crowded on the couch to watch something on Fred’s laptop, they tended to sit in a pattern. Shaggy, then Fred, then Daphne, then Velma. That made it easy for Shaggy to notice how Daphne would cling to Fred during especially scary parts (so would Shaggy, but that’s beside the point). During particularly mushy points, though, Velma seemed embarrassed to sit by Daphne, and Shaggy could definitely see the tension between them.

Fred was probably the most clueless out of all of them. When they would cook a meal together, which was about once a week, Fred would usually just watch over all of them, looking over their shoulder. It was a small kitchen, so this was probably for the best, but it was a good time for Shaggy to watch him, while he was busy cutting vegetables. Fred was a hands-on person, and this was true even in his free time. He would put his arm over the girls’ shoulders, and hand them the right knife or pan, and read them the recipe. It was sort of like a dance, so much so that Shaggy was surprised how easily he fit in between them. Of course, he loved to cook, but cooking with his friends was even better.

And then they would eat, and Fred thanked them for the meal and offered to do the dishes, even though he had done his own part in helping. He was selfless in the best way, the way that made every interaction with him seem like a team effort.

So, yeah, maybe Shaggy had his own feelings for Fred. But that didn't mean he would admit that to himself, and it especially didn't mean he would stop noticing the subtle ways the others were in love. Most of all, it didn't mean he was prepared to act on these feelings.

One morning was a bit different from their usual routine. It was a weekend, which meant no classes, but Shaggy worked at a convenience store on weekends, and Velma volunteered at the school, so they usually wouldn’t see each other until the afternoon, any way. Shaggy of course didn't expect them to wake up as early as he had to for work, so his mornings were always more lonely than his nights.

But this morning, the other three were already awake. Well, it seemed like they wanted to be awake, but they had fallen asleep in a pile on the couch. Nonetheless, there was a breakfast of now-cold pancakes on the table. He smiled, ate quickly so he wouldn’t be late, and left, but not before draping a blanket over his friends.

When he came home, they were busy with studying. It was a weekend, but they still had work. He was glad they hadn’t slept the whole day, but he also wished they could do something together. They hadn’t really done much outside of the apartment, and Shaggy had tons of ideas. They were pretty much actually friends now, but there was no time for going out together. Maybe the gesture that morning had been their way of telling him that they did care about him.

He went into his shared room with Fred, mostly exhausted, but he still had some homework to do. Maybe he would take a nap first, or--

“Shaggy! Welcome home.”

“Oh. Hi, Fred.” For some reason, Shaggy had expected to be met with silence. “Um, thanks for this morning. It was nice to have a real breakfast.”

“Of course.”

Shaggy sat down on his bed and pulled a few things out of his book bag.

“Hey, Shaggy. We were thinking of going out tomorrow for dinner and a movie. It’s okay if you can’t come, but we really wanted you there.”

Shaggy was a little stunned. It was a surprise that he had been invited in the first place, but the way Fred worded it made it seem like he was still an odd man out. “Sure. Sounds fun.” He rushed to get his homework done quickly so he wouldn’t have any to do tomorrow.

Daphne helped him with dinner that night. He had expected them to order something in or make something frozen, but she insisted they make something from scratch. Shaggy was fine with this; it was one of his favorite pastimes, plus homemade food usually tasted better. They made a pasta dish that Daphne had come up with, derived from something she had as a kid. Shaggy found it relaxing to chop vegetables as she stirred the pot of pasta, the hot stove heating up the room that had a tendency to get cold the closer fall got to winter.

They cooked in silence until Daphne said, “I wanted to cook tonight, since we’re going out tomorrow.” It was a simple sentence, but it explained a lot to Shaggy. He wondered if she had as much of a passion for cooking as he did. Maybe she just liked the company.

“I’m glad,” Shaggy responded. Then, he said, “I’m excited for it, but I think I’ll prefer your cooking.”

She laughed, her face turning red. She brushed it off, though. The stove was rather hot, after all. “Thanks, Shaggy.” Silence again, other than the boiling water. “Before you came, I usually cooked alone. It’s not nearly as fun that way.

He would have to agree. He always had Scooby to keep him company, of course, but he preferred the eating part. “I’m glad I chose this place to live.” It was likely they never would have met otherwise; none of them take the same classes as him. He shuddered to imagine a world where he hadn’t met them, even though he had only known them for a month or so.

“Me, too.” Daphne reached over and put a hand on his arm. When their eyes met, though, she quickly went back to stirring the pot.

Shaggy’s heart pounded in his chest, and his cutting of mushrooms quickened.

After dinner, Shaggy popped popcorn, sure they were going to watch a movie, which was their usual routine for Saturdays. Sure enough, he found the other three sitting on the couch, Fred’s laptop loaded up some animated movie, which Daphne explained was My Neighbor Totoro. A couple days ago, Shaggy told them he had never seen a Ghibli movie, so they obviously had to show him one.

This time, though, Shaggy fell asleep, and they let him sleep until the movie was over. He had worked hard in anticipation for their day out tomorrow, so they decided it would be best to let him rest.

He woke up in bed the next morning, the sun already high in the sky. Greeted by the smell of pancake leftovers from yesterday, he hurried out of his room to the kitchen. The other three were already eating, and he sat down where he fit perfectly. Scooby was also already up, begging for scraps. Shaggy felt like part of a family, if four college students and a dog counted as family.

He decided it did.

Once at the movie theater, they decided Velma and Shaggy would save seats while Daphne and Fred got the popcorn. The theater wasn’t even close to full, but it was nice to be a little early. They ignored the blaring of the before-show ads and whispered over them. No one really minded them talking over the ads, after all.

“How’s school going?” Shaggy asked. He always had a little more trouble with small talk when it came to Velma, but she didn't seem to care.

“It’s going fine.” She fidgeted in her chair, but he didn't blame her; the seats in this theater weren’t the most comfortable.

He guessed she must not have much to say because good grades came easy to her. She did spend a lot of time studying, but he wasn’t sure if all of it was for school. She did have a lot of random knowledge.

“So, what’s the movie gonna be?”

“The Lodge."

“Wait, isn’t that a horror movie?” He sounded panicked.

“Yeah, I think it’s somewhat scary. We can watch something else if you prefer, though.”

As easily as Shaggy got scared, he actually did like horror movies, and he was pretty sure Daphne was the same way, although she was braver than him when it came to real life. “No, it’s fine. You’ve seen me watch horror movies before though, I’m usually not peaceful.” He laughed.

Her voice was a bit shaky when she told him, “You can hold my hand if you find it necessary.”

The loud ‘boom’ at the start of a new preview made him jump and he took her up on the offer. When Fred and Daphne came back with the popcorn, he let go for a while to eat, but once the movie started, his hand was back in hers, and he grabbed Fred’s as well. He tried his best not to scream at every jump-scare, and he had no interest in hiding his face while his hands were occupied.

Still, despite everything, Shaggy could confidently say that was the most fun he had ever had at the movies.

The night wasn’t over, though. They still had dinner to go to.

They couldn’t exactly go to a fancy restaurant, not that they really wanted to, so they went to Denny’s. It was actually getting pretty late after the movie anyway, so they had to take into account what would be open. None of them minded the crowded room full of the smell of fried food. In fact, Shaggy quite enjoyed it. Plus, as the night went on, more and more people started to leave.

They were laughing about a subject none of them could remember the beginning to when Fred stopped with a serious look on his face, although he was still smiling. “Shaggy, I, uh, we have something to tell you.”

Shaggy was startled enough to instinctively grab Velma’s hand to the left of him, the feeling similar to a jump-scare. “Okay,” he said, but inside he was panicked. They must’ve given me this great day so they could kick me out of the house earlier, he thought. He mostly knew he was being overly dramatic, but his brain was working under capacity and he couldn’t think of any other logical explanation.

Or maybe...

“Wait, Fred, can I say something first?”

Fred nodded, the look on his face confused, but he thought maybe Shaggy had caught onto what was going on.

“I know you guys are close, and you’ve known each other for so long. But I think we’ve become really good friends in these past few weeks. So, I get it if you don’t feel the same, but I’d rather you give me more of a chance before you kick me out.”

Fred looked a little stunned, and so did the other two. Daphne spoke up next. “Wait, Shaggy, did you think we were going to kick you out?” She sounded sad, and the tone of her voice matched her friend’s faces.

“Well, when I heard Fred speak like that, I thought...” He was a little relieved, but his worry hadn’t been completely dropped. “Not to mention how much you guys love each other.”

As Fred and Daphne were busy trying to console Shaggy and tell him they were, in fact, not kicking him out, Velma was caught on that last statement. “Shaggy, what did you mean by that?”

“By what?”

“Why would our love make us want to kick you out?” She asked, her voice quieter when she reached the word ‘love’.

“Well, you guys are obviously in love, I just don’t want to get in the way of that.”

Their jaws dropped.

“What? You still haven’t noticed?” He was as surprised as they were. “The way you act around each other, I just thought--”

Fred laughed first, and Daphne and Velma joined him. “Shaggy, I think I should say what I came here to tell you before you go any further.” When Shaggy agreed, Fred said, “Shaggy, meeting you has been one of the best things to happen to all of us. We have you to thank for being us closer, and I have a feeling this will be my favorite year yet.”

Daphne seemed content with what Fred said, but she had one more thing to say. “I also have you to thank for helping us realize that there’s something here.” She took hold of Velma’s hand, and then Fred’s, and brought their joined hands together and held them in front of her heart. “In loving you, we’ve learned to love each other.”

“Love?” Shaggy asked, and the full question was implied.

“Oh, sorry, maybe I shouldn’t speak for everyone.”

“No, what you said was accurate,” Velma said, and Fred’s silence was enough to prove he agreed.

Shaggy reached across the booth to take Fred’s hand. They had finished eating a while ago, so there was really no reason to stay. “Let’s go home.”

photo credits:

x x x | x x x | x x x

#au_gust_2020 #scooby doo #mystery gang #poly gang #mari writes #mine

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xauroraxborealisx · 3 years

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Day 14: Vampire AU

Title: Nauseous

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

What’s this? AN UPDATE! After all this time? Well, yes <3 Enjoy!

#Netflix and Chill #yugioh #ygo #puzzleshipping #au_gust_2020 #fic update #next chapter #so very sorry for the wait #I'm back on that train now

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glimmerglanger · 4 years

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AUgust - Oh, Worm (p1)

Written for AUgust (Day 2: College). So, I saw that “College” was my prompt for the day and, uh, I may have recalled the “Oh,Worm” verse and anyway, here we are. Obikin, intro to sugar daddies. (Sugar Daddy 101?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The thing was, Obi-Wan tried to take down the profile that he had - allegedly - made the night before as soon as he realized what had happened. He really had. He’d scrambled to pull his phone out from the time Bant asked him if he’d had any hits yet on his profile.

That had been before he’d even seen the photos on the app; he definitely hadn’t managed to take a picture of himself at that angle, no matter what Bant said, or how innocent she tried to look with her huge eyes.

He’d absently thrown something at her, whatever was within reach on the desk. It would later turn out to be his notes for a paper he’d been working on for nearly two months, but that was neither here nor there. She’d ignored the scattered paper and said, “Obi-Wan, wait, listen, did you even look to see if anyone swiped on you?”

“No one’s going to swipe on me,” he snapped back, glaring down at his phone screen and feeling his teeth click shut even as a blush spread up his cheeks.

“Well?” she asked, her tone soothing. “What’ve you got?”

Obi-Wan stared at his phone, feeling something like horror and something like shamed embarrassment making a home in his chest. “A date,” he said, carefully, “I suppose. Tonight. If I want it.”

The app that Bant had so kindly signed him up for was not a dating service, precisely. Or, rather, it was, Obi-Wan supposed. It was just a dating service that allowed for, well. The exchange of goods or services.

“I’m a biology professor,” Obi-Wan complained, later, as Bant was going through his closet. “I have my PhD. Now you want me to - to sell my body.”

“It’s more renting it,” Bant said, absently, ignoring Obi-Wan’s goran of misery and the thonk of his head against the wall. She poked her head out of the closet. “Oh, stop it. It’s not like that. You’re just going to offer some… companionship. It’s all perfectly above board. You don’t actually have to…” She made a complicated motion with her hands, which brought a flush of red to his ears.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Obi-Wan said, crossing his arms. He had an afternoon lecture in less than two hours. He couldn’t just keep standing in his room, trying to find clothing appropriate to…. What he was possibly going to do.

“You did last night,” Bant said. “You agreed with me. Come on, Obi-Wan. This may be the only way to get funding for your study on platyhelminthes.” Obi-Wan cast her a baleful look. The state of their department’s finances was a constant source of dread, one he didn’t particularly want to consider.

She only raised an eyebrow at him, her recently shaved head all pink from the sun she’d gotten as she pointed at him. “Now, come on, tell me some more about your sugar daddy.”

Obi-Wan groaned. “Please,” he said, “don’t call him that.”

Bant shrugged, turning back to his closet. “I’m just calling him what he is. What did you say his name was? Skywalker?”

Anakin Skywalker had… requested that Obi-Wan accompany him out to some kind of gala. According to some quick online snooping, Skywalker was some kind of extreme sports junkie; apparently he flew very fast planes and had made a name by designing a proprietary type of fuel injector and….

In all honesty, Obi-Wan barely remembered to change his car’s oil on time. He got lost in the technical jargon and set aside the computer. Apparently, the fuel injector had become very popular. Skywalker had made a small fortune off of it and then made that fortune bigger by redesigning some kind of flight controls.

All of that had led to some kind of awards dinner. One that, apparently, Skywalker had been unable to find a date to on his own.

And so he had, well, not quite hired Obi-Wan. Just… retained his services. With the understanding that, in return, Obi-Wan might get some sort of, well, financial compensation.

“What if someone in the department finds out?” Obi-Wan asked, sitting on the edge of his bed and staring at the floor. Bant had laid out clothes that she insisted brought out his eyes. Based on the pictures she’d posted, he rather doubted that Skywalker was interested in his eyes. They hadn’t really been the focus of her selected shots.

“That you went on a date?” Bant asked, absently twirling around in his little desk chair. Obi-Wan glared at her. “You’re allowed to do that. Tenure track doesn’t prevent dating.”

“No.” He scowled. “What if they find out I’m a… a… what did you call it?”

“A sugar baby,” she said, breezily, and he winced. She shrugged. “I don’t see why they would.”

“Wonderful,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Excellent. I’ll just get ready then, shall I?”

Obi-Wan still had nice evening wear. He’d not had much opportunity to wear it, but it fit well enough, after he put Bant’s less-than-helpful selections away. He tugged the sleeves straight, hoped that he wasn’t expected to dress in some other fashion - the messages he’d gotten from Skywalker had said it was a black-tie event - and did what he could with his hair.

And then he waited, having serious regrets about giving Skywalker his address. Skywalker had thought it important that they show up at the gala together, and Obi-Wan had been off his balance enough to agree, but, really, giving some man he met through an app his address had been…. Well.

Not one of his prouder moments. He sighed and adjusted his cufflinks. It had been, really, longer than he liked to think about since he’d been on a date. He was teaching more classes than he liked, and so many of them were full of freshmen - he didn’t remember some many people wanting to take Intro to Bio when he was going through school - and his current research was--

Someone knocked at his door. Probably Skywalker. He hoped it was Skywalker, if Quinlan had decided to stop by, the evening promised to get more awkward. He straightened his tie, blew out a breath, and headed for the door.

He opened it without hesitating, refusing to allow himself to pause. A tall man stood on the other side. It took Obi-Wan a moment to recognize Skywalker from his pictures online. He looked different with his hair combed back, wearing a suit instead of pilot’s gear. He was… stunningly attractive, moreso in person, somehow, than he’d looked in his pictures.

A hot tinge of worry, of knowledge that he was about to get in far, far over his head, spread through Obi-Wan’s gut.

Skywalker stared back at him, blinking rapidly and looking Obi-Wan up and down. Obi-Wan wondered, vaguely, if he was meeting expectations. A part of him - a quite large part, really - hoped that Skywalker would simply realize he’d made a mistake, turn around, and leave. Instead, he stared.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and said, “Well, hello. You must be, well. Do I call you Anakin?”

Skywalker looked up to meet his eyes, dragging his attention away from whatever had snagged it somewhere lower down. “Yes,” he said, and cleared his throat, flashing Obi-Wan a smile. “And you must be Obi-Wan. Ready?”

Obi-Wan considered. He could still, he supposed, say no and turn around, strip off his suit and go to review the results of his last round of testing on his specimens, but-- But he’d promised Bant he’d at least give the entire… arrangement a try.

The department, it seemed, needed him.

“Yes,” he said, pulling the door shut at his back and stepping forward. Skywalker really was a bold one, putting a hand on Obi-Wan’s back as they walked down the path to the driveway. Obi-Wan shivered down his spine and swallowed. He’d always enjoyed a fancy gala, anyway.

#AU_gust_2020 #obikin #my writing #college au #oh worm #the sugar daddy au i guess #day 2

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onnoffwrites · 2 months

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Fandom: Magic Kaito Characters: Hakuba Saguru, Kuroba Kaito, Nakamori Aoko Tags: Crack, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch Summary: Look, it was not Kaito's fault that Saguru didn't like him, okay?

Day 11: Farm/Ranch au for AUgust 2020

#AU_gust_2020 #my fic #dcmk #i dont even know what tags i should use lmao #backlog

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ygocollablove · 4 years

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@augustwritingchallenge‘s 2020 monthly prompts have come to a conclusion, and YGO Collab Love would like to present all its members who participated this year!

Before that, I would like to give thanks/applause to @cieryuu for creating the banner above (and another round to @darkmagiattack/@crshrs for making the template). Look how adorable it is! <3

There are many pieces still in progress even after the challenge’s end day, and we are excited for the day that the fics will all come to completion. Otherwise, please give love and comments and feedback to the pieces listed below!

For Art submissions...

scemo vampire yami Bakura by @crshrs Vampire AU Rating: Teens and Up Blood warning

For General Audiences...

Step One College, Step Two Take Over the World by Souless_Robot ( @soulessrobot ) Status: COMPLETE College AU Characters: Chazz Princeton & Ojama Brothers Summary: “Step one: get into Neo Domino University,” Chazz lifted one finger and waved it in his spirit partners’ faces. “Step two: get a Ph.D. in dueling. Step three: get hired to teach at Duel Academy. Step four: take over the school.”

Dueling Royalty by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Modern AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba will block you on Twitter.

Diagnostic Don’ts by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Characters: Jack Atlas, Seto Kaiba, Alexis Rhodes, Duke Devlin, Atem Summary: Dr. Seto Kaiba very much does not want any fellows in his diagnostic department. Unfortunately the hospital administrator Atem has different ideas. That's how Kaiba ends up with three fellows in his office. It's a good thing Kaiba doesn't plan to keep them for very long. He'll bet Wheeler he can get them to quit by the end of the week.

Mr. Jounouchi Will See You Now by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Role Reversal AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The CEO of Jounouchi Corp. is known for being charming and lucky—not just a shrewd businessman who bravely took over the company for his alcoholic dad. Seto Kaiba is a bright kid who really needs to pay for his brother’s eye surgery.

Succ's to be You. by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Flower Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is the worst at office plants.

For Teens and Up...

Cafe Nervosa by Elexica ( @elexica ) Status: COMPLETE Coffee Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Good morning, Domino! Dr. Seto Kaiba runs a call-in psychiatry radio show, and whether he wants to or not, he's listening. His sound engineer, Joey Wheeler, unfortunately has to listen too.

All the King's Men by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Soulmate AU Pairing: Rivalshipping (Chazz Princeton x Jaden Yuki), Spiritshipping (Jesse Anderson x Jaden Yuki), Supreme King x Chazz Princeton Summary: Or Chazz is the Supreme King's soulmate but not Jaden's.

Wasted by Elexica Status: COMPLETE College AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba gets drunk at Mokuba's fraternity initiation party and does the cute orientation leader's calculus homework. He's bad at flirting, but he's good at math.

Blank Slate by KitsunePhantom09 ( @kitsunephantom09 ) Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Everyone has a mark signifying their soulmate. Yusei doesn't.

The Voice in My Head by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The month leading up to when you meet your soulmate is the only period in your life where you will hear another voice in your head, their thoughts streaming through your mind. For Jounouchi, it's hell.

Demon Days by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey never meant to be permanently assigned to earth after the events that take place in the Garden of Eden. Still, now that he is he really wishes he would stop running into his least favorite demon. Unfortunately, it seems the creator has other plans.

Cancelling the Apocalypse by Elexica Status: ONGOING Chapters 1/3 Post-Apocalyptic AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Are Joey and Kaiba drift compatible?

Straight to the Top by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Band AU Characters: Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Yuugi Mutou, Chazz Princeton, Jaden Yuki Summary: Joey is a folk singer trying to break into the mainstream with her childhood friend Yugi. Too bad she gets nothing but problems most from the Kaiba corp record label run by the young CEO and music prodigy Seto Kaiba.

A Good Match by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Superheroes/Superpowers AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Or, Kaiba and Jounouchi can't wait for the whistle to start fighting.

Good Eggs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Farm/Ranch AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is forced to work as a farmhand the summer before college. Joey doesn't mind the company.

Mercy by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba's a bit tied up at the moment.

Who You Gonna Call by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Treasure Hunters AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Ghost hunter Joey and skeptic Kaiba enlist Yugi's help in answering the question: Are ghosts real?

For Mature audiences...

And Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Vampire AU Characters: Yusei Fudo Summary: Rule #1: Never answer when you hear them knocking.

Dark Web by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Pirates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: You wouldn't download a car. Kaiba would.

The line that stands between us is 100 lives worth living by SwordsAndSwongs ( @blue-eyed-priest ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 8/32 Pairing: Prideshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem), Rivalshipping (Kaiba x Yuugi Mutou), Stoicshipping (Kaiba x Priest Set), and Puppyshipping (Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In a world full of multiverses, who will Kaiba meet? Is it his Pharaoh, his enemies, his few friends? Or is it himself, waiting at the end of every step taken?

Demon in a Bottle by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba overdoses.

Addicted (You’re My Favorite High) by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Yusei has never felt like this before, and he desperately doesn't want it to end.

Netflix and Chill by auroraXborealis ( @xauroraxborealisx ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem) Summary: When the department of Human Resources from Kaiba Corp decides it is in the company’s best interest to send some of its employees on a team-building seminar for a whole weekend, Atem does not think his bonding experience with his colleagues will turn out to be this intense. Especially when he is thrown into a downward spiral of strange events with the one coworker he dislikes the most: Yugi. Now, they must work together to survive and figure out all the clues to make it back home.

Enemy Fire by KitsunePhantom09 Status: ONGOING Chapter 5/? Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Jack has just escaped a horrible alpha, but is in dire straits – heavily pregnant and out on the streets in the middle of winter does not bode well. But as his darkest hour arrives, so too does his savior.

Catalysts for Kindling by bewdofchaos ( @atems-leather-pants ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem), Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In the eight months that Yugi and Atem have been roommates, they have formed a fast friendship over their fondness for coffee, late-night study sessions and video games. But recently, something has not been quite right. When Yugi receives a mysterious parcel, he is sent on an unexpected journey where each new step makes him reconsider everything he ever knew to be true… but mostly his relationship with his roommate.

The Dark Woods Circus’ Monster by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Circus AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Once, the circus was meant to wow and inspire its audience with feats of grandeur. Now it horrifies and terrifies them with unholy creatures of man's own design.

Time to fight fears, for once and for AUll by Seiyofira ( @seiyofira-doesntknowshiet ) Status: COMPLETE Chapters 11/11 Summary: These will be some scattered works for AU-gust 2020, which will either revolve around Yu-Gi-Oh! DM or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, I will put the used AU prompt as well as either YGO or JJBA at the beginning of each chapter. They do not build a consistent story!

For Explicit audiences...

Forgiveness by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: An angel is offered as a sacrifice by a cult to appease their lord.

Scrubs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The door to the supply closet doesn't lock, but that doesn't stop Drs. Kaiba and Jounochi from having an intimate moment.

Embrace me, Love. It's been a long day. by Cleopatra ( @writelovetomeempress ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 20/33 Pairing: Flareshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem x Yuugi Mutou) Summary: Atem is gone, back to the Afterlife when the Ceremonial Duel was complete. A piece of Yuugi's heart went with him. Kaiba, with all his genius and all his tech, has found a way to use the Quantum Cube to claim the victory he was denied. Per a reluctant deal, Kaiba brings Yuugi along. All the bravado in the world couldn't prepare Yuugi for that final goodbye, and with shaky hands, he broke their world completely.

Porcelain Wings and Shattered Dreams by Life_0r_Death ( @life-0r-death ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/17 Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Paradox has come to take his revenge against Yusei Fudo, but a former king will sacrifice himself for the love of the greater good. Too bad sacrificing doesn't mean death, but a perpetual prison of different worlds, different dimensions where Jack gets to witness what could have been.

For fics Not Rated...

Doin’ Time by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Childhood Friends AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey is trying to get a contraband cell phone in Juvie Hall. Kaiba is a little more ambitious.

A huge round of applause for everyone who participated and who are still fighting the good fight of completing their fics! We hope to join again next year and provide a plethora of amazing YGO-related fics for you all to read! Congratulations everyone!!

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emy-loves-you · 4 years

Text

Sanders Sides AU-gust Day 18: Bodyguard

When Logan signed up to be the bodyguard of a wealthy (and questionable) man’s son, he thought it would be an easy job. Just sit in the background and make sure the kid doesn’t get killed. He didn’t expect the kid to be his age. Or flirty. Or dating his ex. Logan POV, eventual Analogince with parental Moxiety

Day 17 | Masterlist | Day 19

Logan sighed as he twirled the ballpoint pen between his fingers. He was sitting in the middle of a cafe, filling out a crossword puzzle. He took a sip of his chamomile tea and bit back a grimace. It was exceedingly bitter; the coffee shop he normally went to served much better drinks. But he wasn’t here because of the drinks. He briefly looked up from his crossword to quietly observe the real reason he was here. On the other side of the cafe, scrolling through his phone while he sipped on an iced coffee, sat Virgil Tempest Sanders, son of Patton Sanders and heir of Sanders Financing.

Logan thought back to everything leading up to this moment. Before this, Logan was commonly hired to take out corrupt politicians and gang leaders. So when he got a call from Patton Sanders to be a bodyguard, he was shocked to say the least. Patton Sanders was seen as the epitome of goodwill; he frequently donated to charity, has never spoken ill will towards anyone, and always had a smile on his face. So it was extremely odd for him to contact an assassin who was frequently hired by much more sinister individuals. But apparently Logan’s skills impressed Mr. Sanders enough to provide Logan a more permanent (and well-paying) job.

The job was simple: shadow his son any time he was out of the house. Virgil was kept on an extremely short leash after he was ‘kidnapped’ 5 years ago. He was only gone for a few months, but it was enough to essentially put him on house arrest. Virgil was only allowed to be out of the house between 10 AM and 5 PM. Mr. Sanders paid Logan to watch Virgil during these hours. When Logan had first learned about the job, he’d nearly scoffed in disbelief. He didn’t want to be babysitting a child! But after hearing about what wages he’d earn, Logan quickly changed his tune.

It was also shocking to learn that Logan actually wasn’t babysitting a child. Virgil was 23 years old; shockingly close to Logan’s own age. The age surprised him for several reasons. First of all, why was Virgil kept on such a short leash at 23 years old? Sure, he was kidnapped for a few months (which Logan doubted was an actual kidnapping. It was more likely that Virgil ran away) but that still didn’t warrant such restrictions for an adult. Second of all, Virgil still looked like a teenager. He had an extremely youthful face, with large brown eyes hidden beneath an oversized purple hoodie. He was actually quite attractive, almost as attractive as-

Logan figuratively shook the thought away, attempting to focus on the crossword puzzle. There were a few words that he was stuck on, but he was most likely going to stay here for a while. One of the perks to this job was that Virgil only tended to go to four places: this cafe, the local library, a small music store on the other side of town, and the local park. Still, Logan had been following this pattern with Virgil for the past two months. A small part of Logan, the part that smiled slightly when he managed to shoot someone directly between the eyes, wished that something would happen to spice things up-

“Amir.”

Logan looked up and was surprised to see Virgil leaning over his shoulder, staring at the crossword puzzle. “What?”

Virgil smirked. “‘First name that can mean ‘prince.’’” He took the ballpoint pen from Logan’s hand, which he had been lightly nibbling on. Logan bit back a gasp as Virgil deliberately ran the pen against Logan’s bottom lip before using it to write ‘AMIR’ on the crossword.

Logan examined the paper and was surprised to see that it was the correct answer. He blushed as he turned back to Virgil, who had a smug look in his eyes. “Th-Thank you, Mr…?”

Virgil smiled, settling down in the seat across from Logan. “Call me Tempest. And you are?”

Logan smiled at the use of Virgil’s last name. He felt like he should at least reciprocate. “Adstrum.”

Virgil smirked. “Glory. Immortality.” He gives Logan a once-over before practically purring. “Divinity.”

Logan blushed at the implications. “I’m sure my parents meant ‘star’ when they named me.”

Virgil laughed before his expression darkened. “So, how much is he paying you?”

Logan put on a faux-innocent expression, but on the inside it felt like his blood had turned to ice. Mr. Sanders specifically said that Virgil couldn’t know about Logan unless absolutely necessary. Logan thought he’d been subtle and inconspicuous. “Who is paying me, exactly?”

Virgil sighed. “My father. Look, you almost fooled me at first. If I wasn’t always watching my back, you would’ve fooled me. But nobody ever visits this cafe because their coffee’s shit.” He gestured to Logan’s tea. “And I’m guessing the tea is too judging by how much you face screws up when you drink it. You could’ve been just a regular customer, but I’ve seen you at the library and the park, and I don’t doubt that you were at the record store too. And the people around here get really gossipy, so I knew that you were only here on the days that I showed up.” He leaned back in his chair, a smirk on his face. “So I’ll ask again: how much is he paying you?”

Logan looked him in the eye before sighing. “Too much to say no.” He carefully folded up his crossword puzzle. “Though I’m quite uncertain as to why this job exists in the first place. You obviously have no intention on running away again-”

“Running away?” Logan looked up to see Virgil confused and slightly angry. But Logan had dealt with enough people to see the acting for what it really was. “I was kidnapped and held against my will!”

Logan scoffed. “Kidnapped?” He straightened his tie as he spoke. “You disappeared in the middle of the night from a building whose security rivals the White House. There was no sign of struggle, nor was there a ransom note. Either your kidnapper was an extremely intelligent individual who wanted more than just money from Mr. Sanders, or you left on your own free will. And judging by my observations and personal experience, I’m inclined to believe the latter.”

Virgil stared for another moment before laughing. “Well, would you look at that! You’ve got a brain to match your bark. And I assume you bite, too. Because there’s no way you’re some random civilian. So, what’s your real job?”

Logan coughed. “I must admit, I’m not used to having my job description be, ‘keep client alive. ’”

Virgil blinked, and Logan suddenly felt like he’d said something wrong. “You stressed the word alive. ” Now it was Logan’s turn to blink. “You wouldn’t need to stress it unless there was something specific about keeping them alive.” His eyes suddenly lit up. “Are you an assassin?!”

Logan blushed. “Essentially. But now I am your bodyguard.”

Virgil vibrated in his seat. “How many people have you killed? Do you usually kill good people or bad people? Or does it only depend on the money? I wouldn’t blame you for that. The economy sucks.”

Logan chuckled. “I mainly target corrupt politicians and gang leaders. I turn down any jobs that involve families or children.”

Virgil mouthed the words ‘corrupt politicians and gang leaders’ before gasping. “Do you know Logan Croft?”

Logan blinked. “How do you know that name?”

Virgil gasped again, stars in his eyes. “Are you Logan Croft?” Logan decided to nod his head. Virgil already knew about his job, and his father was paying Logan. It wouldn’t hurt to give out his name, just this once. “Oh my gosh, you’re the guy who killed Jacob Smith four years ago! How did you do it? They say he was impenetrable behind his gang and-” Suddenly his phone ringed. “One moment, please.” He pressed the phone up to his ear, and Logan could hear his boss’ muffled voice on the other end, though he couldn’t understand what he was saying. “Hey, Dad. Yeah, I’m at a cafe. Yeah, I can come home for lunch. See you then. Bye.” He turned back to Logan with a grimace. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go. Maybe we can have a full conversation next time?”

Logan nodded. “I ask that you don’t tell Mr. Sanders about our conversation, or that you know about having a bodyguard. I’m afraid he might fire me if you do.” Or expose me to the world.

Virgil nodded. “Of course!” He stood there awkwardly for a moment. “Well, you know where I am… see ya, bye!” And with that, Virgil walked out of the cafe. Logan waited a few minutes before following. It was just to make sure that Virgil got home safe. It was part of his job, after all. It wasn’t because he found Virgil interesting and funny and cute-

Logan frowned, shaking away the thought. He would not get attached to Virgil. It would only serve as a cruel reminder of Roman. Roman and Logan had met in middle school and dated for several years. But Roman had fallen in love with another man a few years ago. And while Logan is polyamorous, it was dangerous enough to be attached to one civilian. So, they broke up on friendly terms. Logan had never felt so… empty, after leaving Roman. It had felt like Roman had taken Logan’s ability to be happy. Logan hadn’t fully smiled or laughed since their breakup…

Except for today, when he’d talked to Virgil. Virgil reminded Logan of Roman. He was charismatic, sarcastic, and funny. And with every butterfly that formed in Logan’s belly, a new knife stabbed him through the heart. Being with Virgil would only remind Logan of what he could no longer have with Roman. So, Logan would keep his distance (even if he could no longer do so literally).

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

When Virgil got home that day, he had a brief lunch with his father before retreating to his room for the day. Once he got there, he immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket and started texting his boyfriend.

V- (3:05 PM) Hey, your ex’s name was Logan Adsrum Croft, wasn’t it?

R- (3:06 PM) Yeah, why?

V- (3:06 PM) Guess who my hot new bodyguard is ;)

#sanders sides #AU_gust_2020 #bodyguard au #analogince #logan sanders #patton sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders

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thevikingwoman · 4 years

Text

AU-gust 2020 - Prompt 11: Farm/Ranch AU

It’s no longer August, but who cares. More AU. based on these prompts from @augustwritingchallenge. This one is is explicit and was a lot of fun. I had some clear images in my head, and the smell summer in my nose. For @dadrunkwriting too.

AU-gust masterpost.

Fandom: Dragon Age, Words: 1871,

Read this on AO3 || Part 2

Iwyn Lavellan x Solas | Modern AU | porn with plot-ish? roamance? Rating: Explicit. Sexual content, oral, handjob, summer, flirting, flash-fire romance.

Hay

Iwyn Lavellan had forgotten how quiet it is at the farm. She can glimpse the light from the neighbor’s house across the field, and another across the road, but she can’t hear any of them. The only sounds are the cicadas, singing themselves through the night, and the far gurgling of the river.

Above her, twinkling stars in the vast expanse of the sky.

She breathes in, and out, and closes her eyes. Her brother was probably right – a vacation will do her good. Her memories of the farm are hazy and beautiful, of long summer days full love, picking sweet ripe berries and swimming in the river. She hasn’t been up here since Branwen took over the farmhouse, and she’s a little ashamed she hasn’t visited him, but he’ll be back in 4 days. All she has to is feed the hallas, and maybe he needs a vacation too.

The next day she decides to go to the river for a swim. The river isn’t far, bordering the edge of the property, behind the fields. The hay here is the best of the world, she remembers Grandfather telling her, of how they shipped it all the way to the Dales. Now there is only a small field left, mostly used for their own hallas, but the memory makes her smile, and the just-cut hay smells the same. Dusty and warm and full of summer.

Half lost in memories, she crests the hill and stops. Someone is loading bales of hay into the bed of a gleaming silver truck.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

She hurries over to the guy, tall and broad-shouldered and bald.

He turns, and frowns.

“Who are you?”

“The owner of the hay you’re stealing.” It’s technically her brother’s, but it’s the same thing.

“I think you are mistaken. This needs to get in before next week, and my neighbor, Branwen Lavellan, asked me to help while he was out of town.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m Branwen’s sister, Iwyn. He didn’t tell me he’d asked you for help.”

“And he didn’t tell me he had a sister, let alone such a beautiful one.”

He smirks and she suddenly notices his lush lips and sharp cheekbones and sharp, blue eyes. She blushes. She’s barely dressed, wearing a thin sarong over her one-piece bathing suit. Dark green, it plunges deeply in the back and front, the fabric covering her breasts held together with a string of golden beads. It’s more suitable for a Riviani beach than a farmland river, or arguing with beautiful strangers in the middle of a field.

“And I didn’t know he had such beautiful neighbors,” she says, trying to regain her balance.

“I’m Solas.”

He pushes up his sleeves, and holds out his hand. She shakes it, his long fingers wrapping around her hand, warm and a little sticky from the heat. She doesn’t mind.

“I’m going to the river.”

She points ahead, as if her bathing suit wasn’t a clue.

Solas nods. “Have a nice swim, Iwyn. I hope to see you around.”

She walks away, and she can feel his gaze on her back. She needs to cool down, and not just from the merciless sun.

The day after Solas is back, hauling the hay from the rest of the field. He’s on this side of the hill now, and she can watch him from the front porch of the house. He waves when she comes out, and she want to stay and watch, his solid arms lifting bale after bale. It would be strange though, to watch someone work while doing nothing.

Iwyn walks out to him with two filled water bottles. She tosses one to him, and he catches it and drinks, tilting his head back exposing his long throat.

“Thank you, Iwyn.”

“You’re welcome.”

She picks up a bale, and heaves it into the truck. Picks up another. Solas looks surprised, raising both eyebrows almost comically, then he goes to work to.

“I thought you were on vacation?”

“It didn’t feel fair to have you work on the farm when I’m here too. I don’t mind helping.”

“You’re certainly more than capable.”

She wipes sweat from her brow.

“Is this a competition?”

“I was merely noticing your strength and grace.”

She blushes. It must be the heat.

“I’m not sure throwing hay is graceful, but thank you.”

“Your grace is evident in your every movement, Iwyn.”

“Like when I was wearing a bathing suit yesterday?”

“Like that, yes.”

He doesn’t blush, but his cheeks are reddened a little from the sun, and his nose is dotted with freckles. Despite his imposing figure, he looks cute.

“Where do you live?” she asks. She’d not heard of any of the neighbors selling, but maybe her brother forgot.

“I just purchased the property at the end of the road. Your brother’s property borders my own.”

“You purchased Mythal’s house?”

“I suppose so, if you mean the yellow house at 535?”

“No one has lived there for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, Grandfather used to tell ghost stories about it.”

“I assure you, I have seen no ghosts.”

“That’s a relief.”

The talk while they work, Solas has purchased the house to use in the summer, and plans to rent it out during the rest of the year. Iwyn learns he’s a professor, teaching ancient history. She tells of her childhood visits to her grandparents, of all the secret places and shortcuts. Ever so often, they stray into flirting again, the heat of their conversation rivaling the sun above them.

She grabs some water, and it’s gone a little hot, but she’s very thirsty. She hands the bottle to Solas, and picks up some more hay. She turns to toss the bale and bumps right into him as he’s doing the same, water bottle already empty. She’s thrown off balance but he catches her, and now she’s trapped against his broad chest.

“Graceful, you said.”

She smiles at him. He doesn’t let go of her.

“I certainly feel off-balance.”

She kisses him, briefly, on the lips she’s been thinking about since yesterday. They’re soft, not rough or chapped even though he’s been working in the sun. He doesn’t allow her to pull back before his lips are on hers again, hard and soft and when he opens his mouth, she does the same, letting him in, stroking and moving and pressing their bodies closer. She gasps when his hands find her ass, pushing his leg between hers.

He nipples tighten despite the heat, and she shudders and moans. She wants more, now, and she tears at his shirt, running her hands up his back, his skin under her palms. Solas moans into her mouth, and she bites his lips, gently. He gasps and presses closer as if it’s possible.

“Iwyn, --” he kisses her jaw, his hand travelling downwards, pulling at her skirt. “Iwyn. Can I?”

“I want you, Solas.”

They’ve just met and maybe it’s reckless and maybe he will be her brother’s neighbor for years, but those are fleeting thoughts, much less important than his fingers stroking her thigh, than the sound he makes when she kisses his throat. She wants him, and she wants him now.

She leans back and works on the buttons on his shirt, and his hand slide under her skirt and up, up right where she wants them. He runs his fingers over her panties, teasing her, rubbing softer and harder, making her wet and wanton. She pushes his shirt is off his shoulders, and slides her hand over his pale skin, finding his pink nipples. She pinches, and is rewarded with a deep groan. She does it again.

He kisses her viciously, and she grinds against his hand, moving her own to his obvious erection, rubbing his cock through his pants. She works on the fly, but he grabs hold of her and lifts her, seating her on the truck hatch.

His hands rest on her thighs, spreading her legs. They are long and elegant and rough from the work. He stands between her legs and he kisses her again, deeply and thoroughly.

Iwyn takes the chance to tease him again, his nipples, his cock. He bucks against her hands, and his hands are back on her sex, teasing. His thumb circles her clit and she tilts her hips up, seeking his clever fingers.

“More, Solas. More.”

He pauses, and pulls down her panties, all the way down her legs and off her feet. His hands eagerly push her skirt aside and up and she is unashamed. No one should come by, and she doesn’t care if anyone does.

“Iwyn, I want –” he looks her in the eyes, and licks his lips. “Can I taste you?”

She nods and he drops down, pulling her forward and draping her legs over his shoulders. He licks and licks again and it feels very good. She is scrambling for anything to hold onto with her hands, stroking his head, grabbing straws on the truck bed. He isn’t slow or teasing anymore, and he knows what he is doing. Her pleasure spirals and everything blurs into to hot, soft, hard, touch, blue sky above and she screams his name and comes.

He brings her down gently, kissing her inner thigh, and she reaches for him, wherever she can touch, his shoulders, his ear. He shudders with the latter, and she does it again, and sits up while she pulls him closer.

She undoes his pants, and now she’s not interrupted. His cock is large and hard, the head red and peeking out from the hood. She pumps him, gently and then harder, until he groans and buries his head in her shoulder. She moves faster, twisting her hand a little, keeping the same pressure. She wants to know what makes him shudder, what makes his cock pulse in her hand, just like that.

“Solas, do you have protection?”

“Not –” she presses her thumb to his slit, and circles the sensitive skin around. “—not here. Iwyn, I’m –“

She wants to feel his thick hardness inside of her, but for now she just nods, and increases her speed a little, her other hand tweaking a nipple.

“Come, Solas. Come for me.”

He stiffens and jerks and groans, sticky warmth flooding her hand. She holds him through it, and she wipes her hand on some straw. He kisses her or she kisses him, and somehow they both end up on the ground, half way in the shade of the truck.

She is sticky and sweaty and everything smells of warm grass and summer. She is too hot to move, and too hot to stay, but she likes the nakedness of him next to her. The sky is still blue, she is leaving a few days, but summer feels endless, the heat stretched across the centuries. She wants it to be endless, shimmering, just the two of them half naked in the field forever.

“Do you want to come to dinner,” she asks. “Tonight?”

“Yes.”

The straws tickle her. There’s two tiny fluffy clouds in the sky. She kisses his shoulder.

#au_gust_2020 #dragon age fanfiction #au fanfiction #solavellan #solavellan au #solas x iwyn #solavellan fanfiction #ranch au #I just wanted solas working in a field #so here we go #Iwyn wanted it too #hehhe #hello iwyn you are having sex in public AGAIN #I do have all sort of backstory ideas here but ah #flash fire #chosen as opposite to slow burn #viking writes #published 9/4/2020

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slashyrogue · 4 years

Text

AU-gust Day #5: Post-Apocalypse AU

Will Graham is tasked with the impossible.

There’s been rumors that an alpha is being kept at Verger Ranch.

Alphas have, of course, been extinct for nearly thirty years after The Void. Year after year followed with no alphas presenting at adolescence and soon enough the already strained relations between the second genders broke.

Betas weren’t alphas.

But the omegas didn’t let their needs define them and they thrived, even as their ranks started to dwindle after every skirmish with the betas.

When they were told of an alpha being kept at Verger Ranch it seemed like a trap but Will volunteered. He was unmated and one of their strongest. Even if it was a trap he was sure he’d get out alive.

The minute he lays eyes on the alpha, everything changes.

Haninbal Lecter made an error.

He kept to himself for a very long time, watching the war between beta and omega with amusement. There is no need for him to take sides, even as the last alpha.

Alphas are only made to care for their mates and he has none.

When he’s taken by the betas and brought to the beta leader, Mason Verger, he expects to overtake them soon.

Days, weeks, months, and years pass.

He’s broken down, used, and abused but shows no weakness.

None of these lessers are his mate.

Even if he dies here he won’t give them the satisfaction.

The minute he lays eyes on the omega, everything changes.

***

Will pants in his ear, whimpering as he fucks him, and when Hannibal bites down his whole body feels the bond.

“Fuck,” Will sighs, “That...fuck.”

“You’re welcome.”

He feels Will’s hand on the back of his head and presses a kiss to his mating bite.

“The elders are gonna kill me.”

Hannibal lifts his head. “They’ll have to get through me first. They all will.”

Will smiles at him. “You’ll fight the world for me, Alpha?”

He bares his teeth. “Yes.”

#au_gust_2020 #hannigram au #alpha beta omega #alpha hannibal lecter #omega will graham #my aus #post apocalypse #kinda lol #not failed twitter attempts

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missorgana · 4 years

Text

like a tattoo kiss

pairing: karolina dean/nico minoru

fandom: marvel’s runaways

rating: general

word count: 4228

warning: swearing

summary: Nico doesn't get nervous. Except around pretty people. Especially around pretty people. (tattoo parlor AU)

(it’s been 84 years... Finally, i am writing!! life and uni has been extremely messy, so i’m just so glad to be creating again uwuu. this was meant for the @augustwritingchallenge but alas... i miss my alien and witch girlies!! thank you to my baby @griffinbellamy for beta reading <333 you are Everything. hope you enjoy this mess!!)

read on ao3

Nico doesn’t get nervous.

Or rather, she’s not the type of person to be nervous. Especially while working.

Her parents weren’t over the moon when she told them what line of work she was aiming for, not that she needs their permission or anything, but they’d warmed up to her internship over time.

Many times she had tried to explain why exactly she liked her art to be expressed through ink on skin, but parents just don’t understand some things. All hail rebellious teenagers, or something.

Amy’s always been supportive, because she’s an angel, Nico thinks, and her sister managed to get them along, somehow.

In the end, they were probably just happy to get her out of the house more.

By a string of luck she had found a local tattoo parlour, well, actually, the city’s best, and they were willing to take her on, along with her best friend, coincidentally.

And the boss kept an eye on her and Alex to make sure they didn’t misbehave, but just like herself, he wasn’t the type to mess around with the things he was passionate about.

They had always been excellent lab partners way back, considered each other their partner in crime, no less.

And over time, they both were allowed to work more freely. Even to the point of taking their own clients, albeit only walk-ins, for now.

This week, a little thing about Nico’s inability to get nervous might be changing, but she only knows that when a walk-in comes along late Friday afternoon.

It’s actually an hour and a half before closing time, that is, and they weren’t expecting much more people besides reservations.

But low and behold, when the bell above the door rings, Nico glances up to the sight of two young people, surely the same age as her and Alex.

And while the guy wears a leather jacket, messy brown hair that she isn’t sure which direction it was meant to go, the girl following behind him has her blonde hair in a braid over her shoulder, and is, unlike her companion, more appropriately dressed for the weather which has been abnormally hot this season.

The stranger tugs the cardigan on her shoulders over her white dress just a little. She looks impatient, poking the guy’s shoulder and saying something low and unintelligible.

Did Alex have to pinch her side to get the attention he wanted? Looks like it, yes.

Because holy shit.

Nico sort of feels like a deer in headlights, which is a joke, this is not anywhere near a situation like that, and a stupid metaphor, anyway.

But her previous string of keeping her cool, not letting her nerves overtake her entire being, is getting, well, thrown out of the window at this moment.

Alex likes to call this her “bisexual panic”. He’s a little bit of an asshole.

Well, they both are, but it doesn’t matter, because if Nico has to hear him tease her about “being a wreck around pretty people” one more time, she might just lose it.

It’s fine. She’s a customer, a civilian like herself, keep it together.

Thing is, this might just be the prettiest girl she’s ever laid her eyes upon. Sounds melodramatic, she knows.

This stranger looks like an extreme polar opposite of herself, in terms of fashion sense, anyway, but it wouldn’t be the first time.

She likes tall people, too.

Also, the blonde turns her head, seemingly surveying the parlour with a skepticism in her eyes that Nico’s seen many, many times, but it doesn’t faze her, because those eyes are the clearest blue possible.

She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, and Nico notices a small cross hanging around her neck.

Again, not exactly the community she herself hangs around, which might explain why she’s, tragically, never seen this person before now, but Nico’s experienced far too much shit to be judgmental.

“You done staring?” Alex’s voice mumbles on her left side, swiftly passing by to greet the two potential clients.

Guess he’s just earned himself another eyeroll. Or a death stare, maybe.

Her voice of reason gets to her, despite the, ugh, panic, and if she just runs this on their autopilot measure of things, as usual, it’ll all be fine.

Yes, definitely.

This isn’t some fairytale land, Nico tells herself, it’s not like this is your moment finally meeting the love of your life, or whatever, and you’ll live happily ever after.

She’ll most likely never see her again. She’s just very, extremely pretty- no, beautiful. Can’t blame her for being a little dumbfounded, right?

Alex is the kind of person who could make meaningful conversation with a toddler, a parrot, or a brick, if he really wanted to, so Nico’s glad to let him do most of the talking, as always.

He usually explains the basics to the clients, asks them about the design they have in mind (if they have an idea to begin with, that is), and that’s usually when he pulls Nico out from her thoughts, especially in situations like this where there’s more than one customer in the parlour at the time.

Given that their boss has more or less left them in charge of the shop till closing time today, however, she decides to make her way into the conversation herself.

“We’re getting matching tattoos!” the brunette guy tells them eagerly, a smug grin on his face, and judging by the impatience visible on his companion’s face, Nico has a feeling this wasn’t her idea.

She still sports a fond smile, though, despite her still not looking totally convinced of her… friend? partner?’s idea.

Alex nods politely, his customer service smile put on like he owns the place, and makes sure to present her to their soon-to-be canvases, “We’re interns here, Nico and I, but we got plenty of experience, so you’re in safe hands.”

And now, the girl looks directly at her. She might just mentally combust.

Nico has always hated those romantic traditions, and Valentine’s Day, and love at first sight, please, what vomit inducing bullshit.

She has to remember that, especially now, because a way too pretty girl looks at her up and down, very subtle and quick, so much so that it could be missed, but the bright smile she gives her makes her heart jump in her chest.

Nico smiles back, of course. She’s not an asshole.

“This is Chase and Karolina, by the way.” her best friend tells her, because administration, obviously, even though his voice definitely isn’t forgetting her and her panic, but fuck that.

Karolina.

She brushes another lock of hair out of her face, and Nico’s struggling to keep her attention on the transaction. She can’t be like this right now, nope, as sweet as the smile with pink lips staring her in the face is.

“So, you got a design?” Nico then inquires, once the pricing and everything is out in the open, knowing too well Alex will tease her more the longer she stares, and well, doesn’t know what to do with herself, so she might as well get on with it.

“A ‘C+K’ should do it, really, Oh! Can you do a heart?”

And Karolina sticks her tongue out at her companion, but he laughs nonetheless, like he can’t hold it back, bumping her shoulder.

They’re a couple.

Of course.

Nico should’ve seen it coming, she guesses, if she wasn’t so hung up on how pretty this girl was, it should’ve been obvious.

Ugh, it doesn’t even matter, anyway, because there wouldn’t even be a chance.

She’s a customer, she reminds herself, that’s like, the most unprofessional that could be. And even if they weren’t, and even if it was different, Nico could never tell if the girls she liked were into her or not. Or the boys, for that matter.

The partners previously always made the first move on her, which Alex explained by her being the most stubborn person he knows. Whatever.

Without Nico not realising much else conversation, it seems fitting that Alex takes on Chase’s shoulder blade, while her canvas turns out to be Karolina’s upper arm.

Alex and her cleaned the sketch up they brought, their clients both approved, and here they were.

It’s simple, really, a pink heart, with an added arrow through it because Alex likes to turn everything as extravagant as possible. And the initials, of course.

And Nico’s more than used to being close to total strangers like this.

Like, with most areas of the body, even. But those other people weren’t the prettiest girl in the world, so, you know.

And to make matters worse, once Karolina’s seated, and Nico’s sanitized the area, tracing the outline, the too pretty stranger starts talking. She knows this doesn’t sound like a bad thing, but Nico was already nervous, and far from an expert at small talk.

The blonde does seem to know how to lead a conversation.

Because the outline finished, glancing up to make sure the client’s still on it and not chickening out, wouldn’t be the first time, the pretty girl gives her another sweet smile, too sweet, really, and states, “I like the way you work.”

Nico has to blink a few times, because she’s not sure she quite understands what that means. Maybe she’s too used to lewd jokes from her peers that everything turns into an innuendo by now. Fucking hell.

So she opts for a, “You do?” as a reply.

Karolina nods. Gracefully, she has to describe it, not overly excited or eager, though the intention’s definitely there.

“I mean, you looked really concentrated a couple seconds ago. I don’t know. You’re gentle.” and she finishes her sentence with a shrug.

Gentle. Nico has never in her wildest imagination expected someone to associate that term with her. She’s never been called that.

Maybe her insides get a little fluttery. So what?

She’s not a giggling schoolgirl, she can keep her composure, and she does, but hopefully without the coldness she usually goes for when something doesn’t go as expected.

This girl doesn’t deserve that.

And honestly, this is feeling way too intimate way too fast.

The boys are already bantering about whatever video game they’re apparently both into, because, somehow, Alex manages to keep his lines straight while laughing at dumb puns and other ridiculous Alex-things.

Also, can this girl stop staring at her?

If Nico couldn’t control herself as well as she could, she might’ve been blushing. It’s only been ten minutes, come on, now.

Karolina seems a tad more… curious than most of her clients, anyway.

It’s like she’s observing every line she makes, at least, what she can crane her neck enough to follow.

So, inclined to distract herself from the thought of a pretty girl watching her, she asks, without thinking too much, “What are you studying?”

Nico’s got an excuse, cause her wrist is resting on the armrest, fashioned with an university pride bracelet, seriously.

The girl blows a hair away from her nose.

“Philosophy,” she tells her, in a shy, half-embarrassed tone, “Not my parents’ first choice.”

So Nico has to scoff. “Welcome to the club.”

The fact that they can have a laugh at this notion, a proper one, not as loud and bashful as the boys, but fuck them, this is like treading the deep waters of the pool, knowing someone’s holding your hand.

She doesn’t know where that comparison comes from.

…

It’s kind of excruciating, the way the session comes to a both disappointing and long awaited end.

The tattoo’s easy, and Nico’s nonsensical pining, or whatever it is, can’t just last here forever, she knows.

Karolina stayed quiet once they’d established their mutual bond of parents not trusting their decisions, besides the occasional humming, which she probably didn’t even realise she was doing, and offhand remarks to the boys about them being more serious.

The girl had seemed eager to get this thing over with when they came in, but once Nico announced her arm bandaged and in need of rest, she didn’t exactly miss the now anything but eager pout.

It’s not like she said anything, but Nico thinks her reading of people is improving. She’ll convince herself of that, anyway, to support the logic in her head.

The boys had fun, but she didn’t expect any less of Alex.

The fact that he’s made friends with multiple clients, or “established connections”, as he calls it, with the elder ones, seems exhausting to Nico.

She does envy him, though.

At least, she wishes she had that skill set right now, to have gotten a lot more meaningful conversation out of this meeting.

Don’t be fooled, she knows when a crush of hers is off limits, but who knows, maybe they could be friends. Not that they seemed to have much more in common, but, you know.

Karolina just seemed special to her brain, or heart, or whatever.

Doesn’t matter anymore, does it?

Chase proudly shows her their matching marks, which Nico would roll her eyes at if she could, and Karolina laughed with a sigh.

Nico’s got a sense that she’s, still, not all in on this. Too late now, she supposes.

And she’s never understood couple tattoos anyhow, because in Nico’s relatively short life on earth so far, she’s learned that most things come to an end.

It’s not necessarily pessimistic, or at least she tells herself that, because graduating was nice, and then she started an internship, so maybe endings really just mean that you’re ready for beginnings.

Sounds ridiculous when she thinks about it, but maybe they discuss that on Karolina’s philosophy course, who knows.

Besides, seems odd they would do it without mutual approval on both parts.

But of course, Nico doesn’t know these people at all, so who is she to ponder on their relationship?

And so the couple pay their bill, Alex exchanges numbers with Chase, because of course, and Karolina lingers just long enough that Nico suspects she might have something on her mind.

The blonde has a hand on her hip when she says, “He’s ridiculous.”

Nico doesn’t know if it was meant for her ears or the taller girl simply thinks out loud, but none or the less, she’d feel rude not to respond.

“It was nice meeting you guys,” is what’s coming out of her mouth, as casual as possible, emphasis on guys, “and hope you like the tattoo, regardless.”

Karolina scrunches up her nose, which is, um, adorable, like her words were troubling, but she still nods, more than once, “Definitely.”

And the girl looks to the side again, the boys fistbumping and Chase already snapping a picture of his mark. He’s stupidly proud of it, huh.

Nico can’t say he’s unlikable, can she? Maybe that’s part of his charm.

“You coming?”

And Karolina laughs again, sticking her tongue out, but starts moving when he almost bounces out the door, his attention immediately taken by a very important text message, it seems.

“Your art’s gorgeous, Nico.” she says over her shoulder, “See you around, right?”

And it’s said like a matter of fact, a law of nature, as if Karolina had searched for her work on the display walls, carefully eyeing the artist name labels.

She couldn’t have sounded any more sincere.

Nico nods, before she mentally combusts.

And the girl and her flowing dress are out the door in a flash, and if Alex’s laugh is any indication, Nico’s flushing beet red.

Gorgeous.

…

As if she received a small static shock, that’s how the weekend passes by for Nico.

Fast enough that she sits, on Monday, failing to remember anything noteworthy she spent her time with.

Well, she stayed over at Alex’s, since he swore to introduce her to Wolfenstein, whatever that word means. It turned out to be a game about killing nazis, so yeah, her interest was won soon enough.

Not that this is the point or anything.

The point’s more like in the evening, when the boss has a family emergency and needs them to close up alone, which they are fully capable of, mind you, and a familiar face walks through the door.

It’s not the first time customers have returned, far from it.

Whether it be one of many patrons of the parlour, who they both have been introduced to by now, or the many new friends Alex is so brilliant at making.

Today, though, Alex does show off a knowing smile, but it’s pointed right at Nico, and she kind of wants to pinch him and his ever annoying smugness away.

And he doesn’t even stay to greet their former client or anything. Looks like his plan is to leave her to her own devices, spotting Chase outside and swiftly swinging out the door in one fluid movement.

Asshole.

And well. Nico’s one again faced with this girl, who made her blush too damn much for just one meeting.

Karolina’s wearing blue jeans this time around, and a crop top, damn, she cannot imagine that white leather jacket is giving much warmth on a foggy day like this one.

She waves. Nico has to wave back. It’s not like she was supposed to clean this chair or anything.

Seems like duties are put on hold around the prettiest girl ever.

Her smile comes off shy, but Nico can’t imagine anyone feeling shy around her. Well, she’s come off rather terrifying, more like, to the local school bullies back in primary school.

They made her sick, she had fists, and her all-black wardrobe was certainly helpful in that mission too.

Then, in the thought of punching bullies, Karolina’s in front of her, seemingly, consciously, leaving her some space, which she’s grateful for.

Common decency, Nico supposes, but also, a reminder that this infatuation needs to fade if she wants to remain some form of contact with the blonde.

Her very real, very annoying boyfriend laughs outside. Nico wishes she didn’t sound so bitter.

It’s fine, you know, they’ve met one time.

Nico wants her luck to be different, but since that’s out of the picture, she wants to be her friend. Very badly.

If she could just open her mouth, dammit.

“Hey,” she starts, finally, judging by Karolina’s hesitant silence that she expects her to put out the first word, “Good to see you again. And so soon.”

The last part with a quick laugh, would sound weird, or judgmental, otherwise. Not the perfect second impression.

Is the second impression even a thing?

Karolina chuckles herself, thank god, but squints her eyes a bit and scratches her arm, “The tattoo’s looking nice, I think.”

Nico doesn’t know if there’s a question laced into that statement, but the tall girl shrugs the jacket off just enough for her to view the work, and so she moves a tad closer.

It does look nice. Still needs to heal, extremely fresh, but nice.

Definitely one of the better couple tattoos she’s done, Nico tells herself.

And she nods, and Karolina settles her jacket properly, and that subject is dealt with.

Now what?

Maybe this was all the blonde came to talk to her about. Makes sense, but also, a tiny disappointment settles in Nico’s stomach.

It’s not like she had high expectations though, hell, she didn’t even expect to see her just three days after the meeting.

It seems Karolina meant what she said. See you around.

But that’s just politeness, Nico figures. Artist and client.

She doesn’t know if she can ever learn from Alex’s mastery of the social art, to be honest. Stupid Alex things.

“So-” the girls find themselves speaking at the same time, and Nico chuckles awkwardly, but the blonde smiles too warmly for it to matter. “You were saying?”

And Nico’s about to answer, only she notices a third person joining Chase and Alex.

A relatively short girl, pushing her glasses up her nose and purple-dyed hair in two small buns.

And she kisses Chase on the cheek. Which, of course, friends do that. Nico and Alex don’t, but then again, they fistbump and shove each other more than anything else.

She can’t help but furrow her brows. It’s probably nothing, she thinks, forget about it.

“I was just thinking, if you wanna see some of my non-tattoo art one day.” Nico shrugs, better make it as casual as possible.

And Karolina’s eyes light up impossibly, and her nose scrunches up again when she smiles. Nico didn’t notice her freckles last time, weirdly.

“I’d love that, Nico!” she says, of course, looking excited and adjusting her ponytail, “I figure Chase wanna show Alex some of his gadgets. Something like that. I don’t know.”

That they can both laugh at. Doesn’t surprise Nico, given that Alex has been honing his coding skills since he was like fifteen.

She wasn’t even surprised when he offered to hack the school system and change her stupid history grades. It’s not like she agreed. But oh, did she consider it.

Nico scratches her neck. She wants to escape the conversation, which she’s experienced too many times to count, but also, she wants to stay there forever. Not that usual.

“Honestly, Alex has been talking about him. A lot.” she tells the blonde with a huff, and she smiles fondly, “Be careful he doesn’t steal your boyfriend.”

Nico’s been organizing the table in front of her during the conversation, it’s natural for her to do something with her hands, especially, well, now that she’s able to be nervous, apparently.

But it’s like something suddenly shifts.

When Karolina doesn’t laugh at her remark, Nico looks up, and the tall girl is frowning.

It looks wrong on her face, even though her nose is still scrunched, just the way it was with that smile a few minutes ago, making her feel these weird flutters somewhere deep in her chest.

So, naturally, Nico’s about to ask if she’s okay, because she’s suddenly terrified she’s said something wrong, or implied what her thoughts, somehow, until, “Chase? My boyfriend?”

Okay, Nico doesn’t really know what to say now.

Given her tone, Karolina’s clearly not comfortable. Maybe she’s ashamed of Chase? But that can’t be it, they got tattoos together, for goodness’ sake.

“Yeah? Sorry, did I say something wrong?”

“Oh, no!” the blonde looks confused, but reaches her arm out, like she’s going to touch Nico’s shoulder, but she doesn’t, “Or I mean, Chase. He isn’t my boyfriend.”

Her tone is stern without being angry. Elegant.

It’s now Nico’s own turn to frown. Shakes her head at herself.

“I’m so sorry.” she says, and tries to form a longer sentence in her head, without sounding desperate, “I didn’t mean to assume anything. I just, well, the tattoo looked like a couples tattoo, is all.”

And she tries a small smile, unsure if this relation’s already gone to hell after a weekend, but luckily, the tall girl’s frown is gone as fast as it appeared, and she’s biting her lip.

Nico’s more relieved than anything that she’s smiling back.

Then Karolina shakes her head, “Chase is an idiot.”

Again, like an unspoken, mutual understanding, they both laugh. Nico cannot for the life of her tell where this conversation is going.

And so the blonde continues, “It was a stupid bet. The tattoo, that is.”

Now, it does take a second, but it clicks in Nico’s brain. This is also new, and she didn’t know she could be more nervous, but here we are.

“I see.” she replies simply, glancing out the glass door, and figuring the bright haired girl out there must be Chase’s girlfriend.

Karolina chuckles. “They’re adorable.”

They’re looking at the same thing, it seems, so Nico can only nod, and wonder, if this is all, and the blonde is going to step out the parlour, and if the misunderstanding will be forgotten or not.

And they stand there for what seems like forever, but Karolina doesn’t leave.

No, she turns back to Nico, licks her lips, and folds her hands in front of her, “I’m sorry. I mean, God, I must be bad at flirting.”

Flirting?

This is going a little too fast for her. And now Karolina looks nervous too, but continues, impressively not stumbling over her words, “I mean, boys aren’t my thing. I-uh, I wasn’t sure if I should come, but Chase insisted I should make a move.”

Nico knows what’s going on. And she can’t say Alex was wrong when he said the blonde was “totally into her”, despite her very concerned, real protests about the very real boyfriend. Or well, very not real, it turns out.

So, instead of thinking of the nerves still sitting right beneath her skin, Nico lifts an eyebrow, trying to make sure what’s happening isn’t some imaginary dream scenario that’ll end in a blink.

“A move?”

The tall girl shrugs, biting her lip again. “Please tell me if this is crossing the line. I just…. you’re very pretty, is all.”

That’s fucking adorable.

“You think I’m pretty?” Nico replies, feeling her smile grow too stupidly bright. It’s not long before the girl in front of her mimics it.

Fuck, Nico, you’re going soft.

Alex is going to tease her for weeks after this. But she’ll worry about that later.

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