#but i could Never share her enthusiasm for her mc

[paraliveimaginesblog]

hiii :'3 may i ask for funny headcanons for bae, yohei and zen where mc gets drunk and when the boys try to help her return home, mc rejects them saying that she already has a boyfriend and is waiting for him, ..so in summary mc drunk doesn't recognizes them and thinks they are a stranger trying to flirt XDD tkm *hugg*

Allen Sugasano:

Allen is a little bit at a loss of what to do. You didn’t recognize him? Did you hit your head? He wondered if he had that to worry about as well as your drunken state but… He knows a way to get you to recognize him! You might not understand every word coming out of his mouth, his words starting to blend together the longer he went on about hip hop, but you certainly recognized the enthusiasm. You threw your arms around Allen and cheered, asking when he got there; you humbly request that he take you home as you’ve had far too much, and you were beginning to attract ‘unwanted attention’ from some randos in the bar.

Anne Faulkner:

They can’t help but laugh at your response to them, giving a flirty grin and saying your loyalty only made you more attractive. They made a pinky promise that their intentions were entirely pure and that actually, your lover had contacted them to make sure you got home safe. They could answer any and every question about themselves that you used to investigate this strangers claims, deciding to call Anne real quick just to double check; you seemed soothed at hearing their voice, big smile on your face as you promised to come home safely to them. Anne turned back around after the phone call ended, asking if you were ready to be escorted home now to which you eagerly nodded.

Hajun Yeon:

Hajun can’t help but test the limits, still staying within a respectable range but flirting with you in a much more obvious manner. When you ignore his responses and even tell him to fuck off at a certain point, he has to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing too obviously. He knew he had to get Anne or Allen’s help after purposely irritating you, as you certainly wouldn’t believe this flirtatious ‘stranger’ had your best interests in mind, but he couldn’t wait until he got to speak with sober you again. He could only imagine the look on your face when he explained the previous night’s experience.

Yohei Kanbayashi:

Yohei can’t help but mutter that you’re a pain in the ass, having dealt with more than his fair share of annoying drunks. This drunk just happened to be the person he loved so he couldn’t just toss you on your ass and call a cab; he had a duty as your boyfriend to see you safely home, even if you didn’t recognize him as such. He kept his distance and walked you most of the way back, listening as you rambled on and on about how you wanted to see him, and how you wished he’d accepted your invitation out because you just wanted to cuddle with him. Embarrassing, and he’d be sure to keep your drunken ramblings to himself, especially because he found it almost cute how you spoke about him without holding back.

Zen Gaho:

Would bring him to tears if he thinks about it long enough. He knows you not recognizing him in your drunken state would make things a little more difficult when it came to getting you home safely, and he never had doubts about your loyalty whether drunk or sober, but seeing your strong response to ‘other’ men touching really gets to him. He can see that your loyalty is just as fierce as his whole-hearted dedication to you, and he promised to be on his best behavior so drunk you could realize he was trustworthy.

#Paradox Live #Paralive #Paradox Live Imagines #Paralive Imagines #Paradox Live x Reader #Paralive x Reader #Zen Gaho #Yohei Kanbayashi #Hajun Yeon #Anne Faulkner #Allen Sugasano #Zen Gaho x Reader #Yohei Kanbayashi x Reader #Hajun Yeon x Reader #Anne Faulkner x Reader #Allen Sugasano x Reader

[lizmindpalace]

So you know that we had an eclipse in North America today and I saw a post about the brothers never actually observing an eclipse before and I had to write this.

-

"I don't get what's the fuss with this moon thing, the damn thing is there all day and night long every day, every year".

Lucifer's fingers rubbed his closed eyes as a sigh left his body, it was always the same thing when it came to his young brothers.

"We do not have a sun, idiot, that's what makes the trick", the yawny voice of the youngest of the seven uttered with a notable tone of annoyance, his eyes were closed but had they been opened, a roll in them would show how much irritant he found his older brother's words. 

"I find it romantic". Asmodeus sighed, "Satan told me all about human beliefs in legends and books. It's like a kiss between two lovers separated in time and distance, so they can only see each other once in a lifetime and share a love kiss".

Another sigh and a giggle followed that statement, however, the effect those words had left in the group made them stay quiet ever since they had been informed about the assignment regarding the 2024 solar eclipse up in the human world. Lucifer had been mesmerized for a while, but it was the first one to notice the thoughts going through his brothers' minds.

"No..."

"It should be a great occasion to visit the human world and get to see MC!"

Lucifer sighed once more, as he would usually do when they were around. 

"Yes!" The other five shouted. 

"And there will be food!"

"Wait, wait... hold on, you're not actually thinking on kissing MC? Are ya? Cus I'm not gonna allow it, no way under my watch".

"You're so predictable as always, loool". Leviathen mocked.

"Im not! I mean if someone had to do it, then it'd have to be the great Mammon, for I was her first ". 

"Can you please stop talking about being the first as suggesting intercourse and clarify it's all about a pact and you were the first just because you're the most stupid of us?" Satan rolled his eyes.

"Hey whadayamean by that? Show some respect to your older brother, besides..."

"Stop all of you" the eldest nagged at them. "This is no time to avoid your responsibilities, and certainly it's no time for interrupting MC's daily occupations, furthermore..."

The buzz of a phone interrupted his course of thought, his sharp gaze led him to Mammon, and his body, as it was an automatic response, he took the phone from his grasp despite his complaints, however, he was surprised to see, it had not solved the issue and all his brothers had stopped paying attention to him, as their attention had been drawn by the device in their hands. 

Another buzz coming from his pocket finally made him look at the screen of his phone:

 >>> It's crazy, I remember that back in primary school my science book said this year there would be a solar eclipse, and I was like "I'll be more than 20!, That's a long time from here". And the time is here, guys. I'm so excited.

The message had started a discussion with replies from his six brothers, that didn't lack enthusiasm.

>>> I know you cannot be here, yet, I got something for you. 

Lucifer pulled up the attached picture and he smiled as in her hand, there were seven pairs of funny glasses that were probably made of cardboard, and each one was in a different colour. His smile grew wider as he saw every pair had a handwritten word in it: their names.

>>> It's some kind of silly souvenir. I'll give them to you once we get to see each other again. I wish you were here.

A feeling of dread and nostalgia struck the eldest and a sigh escaped his lips again, although immediately afterwards he felt a persistent gaze on him.

"Lucifer", his brothers harmonised, and he stopped himself from rolling his eyes at them, just because he knew he could use his pleads to get a double benefit. 

"Only if you guarantee that you'll improve your grades". 

The six of them nodded in agreement, a tiny accomplice smile bloomed in their faces. That was the first benefit he acknowledged their little trip would bring as consequence. 

Only a few seconds after the door had been knocked at, it opened. A shocked expression followed by the brightest of smiles they had ever known welcomed them; a warm embrace was the cherry on top. That was definitely the second benefit he had foreseen. 

An unexpected third arose when they were reunited in the local park, all of them surrounding a bench under a tree; the blue sky suddenly was losing brightness, it was as it was getting cloudy, but no clouds were around, it felt different, it was an odd kind of darkness. The birds started flying towards their homes, and they went quiet, the sunlight was soon hidden by the moon. The pretty spring day had turned into night for a moment. Lucifer looked at his brothers, impressed by the phenomena, he also stared at his human and her excited smile. 

It was a brief spectacle, but it felt magical; a shiver ran down his spine as the solar ring was drowned in darkness, it sort of reminded him to when he had fallen out of grace but in a better sense, despite being so old, he had never lived such a show of the immensity of nature... everyone, including his six demon brothers, was admiring in awe at the sun being swallowed by the moon, while wearing their black glasses, while a person with a speaker explained the science behind it. 

When the sun shone again over their heads, the girl opened up their arms to hug them, a hug which all of them returned.

For some reason they were grateful to be alive in that precise point of time where all they had got to know each other, to spend time with one another, they were all glad to witness the event of the century together. 

#just baked #obey me #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me satan #obey me leviathan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me fanfic #obey me fic #obey me fluff #eclipse #drabble #lmp:obeyme #lmp:obeymeff #fanfiction #fluff #lmp:ff

[hannahlikeso741]

HL Girls smelling male MC's perfume Part 2

Did you think I forgot about the girls? Of course not. A continuation of the little blurbs previously written with MC as their lover now. Perfumes listed for each character and credits to @cranberryletters and @hogwartslegacyreactions.

Boys Edition : Part 1, Part 2

Girl's edition : Part 1

Anne Sallow: Bvlgari's Wood Essence

Anne never understood why MC still comes to visit her. She did allow him, as long as he came alone since the events with her brother. MC always turns up every week without fail, even as her health was failing. He deserved better. Anne can feel her health deteriorate as the curse takes her life, the healers stumped on what to do. She would only drag MC down, waste his youth caring for her when the wizarding world has so much to offer him. She didn't want to be a burden, telling MC that he didn't had to come just because he felt sorry for her as she lay bed ridden. She didn't need his pity. She didn't expect MC to pull her into a hug, reassuring her that it was nonsense, he wasn't going anywhere. If anything, he said, she needed him more than ever. Anne sighed as she hugged him back, burying her nose into his shirt that contained that scent. Oh the cedarwood and cypress that mingled with a tinge of citrus that comforted her so like that scarf he gave her so long ago. MC admitted he does want to care for her willingly, for he was in love. So be it. Life can be cruel, but they have each other.

Poppy Sweeting : Jo Malone's Poppy & Barley

She quietly asked MC what they will be doing with all the beasts in the vivarium after MC graduates. MC gave some thought and decided to give them to good homes, as he wants to explore the magical world and their beasts. Poppy nervously asks if there is room for her in his plans. MC nodded to her overjoyed heart. Poppy was ecstatic to see the many beasts they encountered on their travels, be in it in the wild, poacher rings or being put to use by the local wizarding population as pets or as farm beasts. MC too, shared her enthusiasm as he learns more about the wizarding world. On a chilly night on top of a mountain, Poppy found herself unable to sleep. She got up to find MC not by her side, but by a small fireplace, muttering to himself as he documents what happened to them that day. MC looked up, smiling at her. Poppy felt a breath of content as she looked at MC with adoration, watching him get up and give her a kiss on the forehead. Poppy would never tire the scent of his cologne, the wheat and barley notes laced with blackcurrent, fig and musk gives off a honeyed scent of home for her. MC puts out the fire and went back to bed with her, holding her tight. No matter where she is, Poppy is home as long as MC is with her.

Imelda Reyes : Frederic Malle's Geranium Pour Monsieur

She did it! She finally got the cup for Slytherin and her hard work paid off at last. Imelda proudly showed the Qudditch cup for all of Hogwarts to see, joining in the frenzy of her team mates. When the celebration high was over, Imelda quietly went to the side of the Quidditch arena where no one could see her, where MC was waiting. He gave a smirk that made her knees go weak, as she landed in his arms. She began to tell him on how she scored all her points while MC listened intently. Imelda secretly counted her blessings that MC wasn't too keen on playing, he would have made for tough competition. MC then brushed away the few stray hairs that came out of Imelda's pony tail, his scent teasing her nose. Oh she hated that scent at first but now, Imelda relishes in it. That fresh sharp mint laced with clove and cinnamon tingled her nose and seduced her every sense. Imelda would never admit how giggly and happy MC's touch made her felt. She was done the minute MC gave her a kiss on her lips, whispering before kissing her with passion. Imelda melted at his words. "That's my girl."

Natsai Onai : Issey Miyake's L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme

Come on, focus MC! Natty called out as they dueled each other at the belltower courtyard just to merely sharpen their skills. MC gave a knowing smirk that Natty braced herself for. Oh he played dirty, casting a Flippendo that made her turn in the air, but she didn't expect Accio as she felt that force pulling her directly on MC. Oh, she is really making a plan to make sure her feet are back on the ground so she can make her move, MC didn't play fair. What she didn't expect was MC to give her a passionate kiss. Natty smiled as she held MC tight, inhaling that fresh citrus scent that gave way to the warm hint of nutmeg and sandalwood. To make it even more alluring, MC's body heat and sweat made it even stronger, making Natty's head swirl as she forgot MC's move on her earlier. He's smart on how to make it up to her with those smooth moves. What Natty didn't count on was the both of them parted rather hurriedly and tried to compose themselves when Lucan Brattleby cleared his throat.

Samantha Dale : Tom Ford's Mandarino di Amalfi

Why does he keep wearing that perfume?! Samantha is going to go nuts if MC wears that every time they cross paths. Her friends are saying she is going insane, or maybe she needs to plug her nostrils. One of her friends even teased the fact she might be attracted to MC just by scent alone. She rolled her eyes on that thought. What she didn't count was MC approaching her after class. Samantha is trying not to breath when MC approaches, but her nose betrays her. That teasing citrus, now laced with some jasmine and the slight spice of pepper made its way into her brain again. This time, the perfume was more... musky? Why oh why she was cursed with a sensitive nose. Please MC, be quick about it. Samantha had to pause for a bit when MC asked if she would like to go out with him. Her jaw dropped as her friends gasped, that one friend had that 'told you so' expression on her face. Samantha found herself nodding as MC kissed her hand, saying that he plans to take her to a nearby lemon farm for their first date. She will never admit it, but inside, she was screaming with glee.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy characters #character reacts #hogwarts legacy headcanons #male mc #poppy sweeting #natsai onai #imelda reyes #samantha dale #anne sallow

[when-life-gives-you-lemons-if]

any scenario with monroe and bookworm mc? pretty please? 🥺

Under the cut...

You stand in the bookstore aisle, stretching your arm as far as it can reach to grab a book that has piqued your interest. Just as your fingertips brush against the spine, a hand swiftly swoops in from behind you, effortlessly snatching the book off the shelf.

Surprised, you turn around to find Monroe, Nugget's teacher, holding the book you were reaching for with a playful smile on their face.

"Well, it seems we have a mutual interest in bird-related literature," Monroe says, holding up the book titled "Mating Ritual of Birds" alongside the one you were trying to reach.

Their eyes meet yours, and there's a spark of connection that feels almost electric.

You chuckle, a mixture of surprise and delight coursing through you. "You just saved me from a strenuous stretch. Thank you, Monroe. You always seem to appear at the right moment."

Monroe's smile widens, their gaze fixed on you. "You're referring to the grocery store, aren't you? Maybe it's more than coincidence. Perhaps it's fate bringing us together. Speaking of which, how's our little Nugget doing?"

"Nugget is doing great," you smile. "Lost a tooth yesterday, and almost throw a tantrum, thinking it wouldn't grow back."

"Ha! Trying to convince Nugget must have been hard, but it sounds like you handled it well."

"I think I did," you grin.

Monroe's eyes twinkle, and you can't help but feel charmed by their presence. You tell them about your day, the places you've been and the things you've done. It feels natural to talk to Monroe, as if you have known each other for a long time.

As time passes, the conversation shifts from one topic to another, with Monroe never missing a beat. They tell stories of birds that make you laugh until your sides hurt and share secrets of luscious trees in far away places that could only be seen through dreams. As they speak, their enthusiasm and passion for nature is obvious—something which resonates deeply within your own heart.

"Are all teachers that passionate about books and nature or is it just you?" you smile.

"It's that obvious?" Monroe, chuckles, keeping their eyes on you. "I don't think it's all teachers, but my sister does say that my obsession with birds is a bit too much. If you ever get to meet her, please run when she starts talking about how I got a bird tattoo."

"You have a bird tattoo? Now, I want to know," you laugh.

Monroe shakes their head and puts a hand up as if feeling embarrassed, "Nooo, that's story is going to be for another day... I'll tell you what."

Monroe inches closer, their breath hot on your face and the scent of their coconut shampoo flooding your senses. As they place the book back on the shelf, their emerald green eyes lock onto yours with a magnetic hold that makes your heart race. Their arms brush against yours, electrifying every inch of your skin. You stand there stunned, unable to break the spell they seem to have cast upon you.

"If you come back next weekend and we meet here again..." Monroe hesitates, their eyes searching yours as they move closer. "I promise to tell you all about my bird tattoo."

Your heart races as your faces are barely touching now. This time, you can feel Monroe's breath on your lips.

"You want to see me again here," you whisper, anticipation coursing through your veins.

"Yes," Monroe's voice is low and deep. Their hand reach up to stroke the side of your face, but stop midway. "Let's make it... a book date. Two people who enjoy reading books, meeting at a book store and..."

Monroe pauses, keeping their eyes on your lips while electricity dances between you both.

"And...?" you breathe out, almost daring Monroe to take what they want.

"And... I..."

Too late as someone walks in the corner of the bookstore where the two of you are standing and you both move away from each other.

"I think, Ummm... I should go," Monroe says, running a hand through their hair. "I'll see you next weekend?"

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak. Monroe smiles at you then turns away and quickly disappears from sight. You can still feel their presence lingering in the store, like a warm summer breeze on your skin.

Not sure what just happened but feeling as if you just experienced something magical, you pick up the book Monroe was looking at before and make your way to the counter to pay for it. As you leave the store, you realize that no matter what happens next weekend, this moment has already been seared into your memory forever—an enchanting encounter with the mysterious teacher at the bookstore.

#wlgylemons #monroe #stay away from the teacher

[damn-it-a-hogwarts-legacy-blog]

Hey! Have you ever thought about any headcanons if Ominis and MC decided to have children? I know the fandom is a little on the fence about Ominis having children of his own (some want him to be a dad, others want him to be a godfather to Sebastian's kids). But I was thinking about... what you think about Ominis having children (or even just one child) who is blind like him? I think this would make Ominis feel like it was his fault his child is blind, but MC loves their baby even more. 🥺

Oh my god I love love love the idea of Ominis having kids, he would be such a good dad 💚 God I feel so disorganized, I need a better tagging system, but I've explored Dad!Ominis here, here, partially here, and here, and I'm always more than happy to return to the subject. I am extremely grateful you gave me an excuse to write more :)

I have had ideas of Ominis being blind due to the influence of dark magic (because injuries inflicted using dark magic usually can't be healed, so congenital dark magic disabilities don't seem so far-fetched), and I could see it being a reason why he would have a child who was blind, too.

I started exploring this in meta, but it quickly devolved into a narrative, so here you go lol:

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

Ominis had gone his entire life believing he was blind purely by coincidence. He felt he had simply been given a handicap by fate, and as he had never known anything different, he had no trouble at all accepting it. He had not even been aware of the fact that his blindness was unique until MC had explained to him one day in their sixth year that not every blind person had eyes that looked like his. Having recently learned of incurable maladies stemming from dark magic, she had idly wondered if it was a consequence of the dark magic the Gaunts insisted on using. Still, it meant little to Ominis, and he went about his days as normal, simply happy to be sharing them with his beloved MC and not with his family.

When Ominis was wed to MC, he thought nothing of his blindness. Her happily trembling lips had touched his as they sealed their bond before friends and family, and then again that night as they shared their wedding bed for the first time. He needed nothing more in the world to be happy.

It was not long before talk of a baby filled their home, and Ominis eagerly helped MC prepare. His lack of vision did nothing to dampen his excitement; he was overjoyed each time his hands skimmed over his beautiful wife's stomach and felt their baby—a brand new life they had created together—growing each day.

Ominis was full of nothing but hope and enthusiasm for the nine months they awaited the arrival of their child. He could barely stand the wait. He looked forward to giving someone the happy childhood he had never been given himself, raising a child with the love of his life in a safe home far from the dark magic and misery of the Gaunts.

On the day of their child's arrival, Ominis had all but rushed to be with MC the moment the healers allowed him. He carefully held his newborn son, memorizing every tiny feature and listening to the little coos and babbles with so much joy he thought his heart might actually burst. MC had also been overjoyed, but seemed hesitant about something.

It was then that the healer entered the room and broke the news to Ominis. Their son had been born blind—much in the same way Ominis was, in fact. Where pupils should have been, his son's eyes were only a starry blue. He was otherwise healthy and quite happy to be held by both his parents.

Ominis' heart grew impossibly heavy in his chest, and he felt MC's hand reach out to touch his arm as he slowly sank next to his wife on the bed, still holding their baby who yawned and peacefully fell asleep.

It felt as if Ominis’ world was collapsing in on him.

Tears stung at Ominis' eyes as he immediately remembered the conversation he and MC had had years ago as students. He held his son to his chest as a sob escaped his lips, followed by whispers of apologies. There, next to the wife he felt he had disappointed and the healer he was sure would hate him, Ominis mourned for his baby’s sight. He had tainted their happy little family with the dark magic that coursed through his veins, and there was no going back now. He cursed himself and the Gaunts for forever haunting him in a shadow that constantly lingered behind him. He thought he had escaped his family’s terrible influence, but in that moment he felt he never would.

Ominis had been contemplating how he could ever face his wife again when MC's voice finally pulled him from his despair. She rubbed his shoulder and murmured his name.

When Ominis turned toward her voice, she smiled and reached up to gently wipe the tears from his face. Her voice was soft and calm as she hushed him.

Ominis had managed quite well on his own and lived a happy life, MC noted as she gently pushed a strand of his hair back in place to watch it fall again—so what was stopping his child from doing the same?

Ominis bit his lower lip. It was so much more than the blindness alone. It was the blood of a violent and despised family that was now part of his own son. It was the reminder that those same people would forever color his life—and now his son's life, too. And it was Ominis' fault for thinking he could escape his birthright of pain and suffering.

MC reached a hand up to Ominis' face again and cupped his jaw in her hand. He closed his eyes with a sigh and leaned into her hand. Ominis had already defied all expectations by choosing to abandon his birth family for the family he had chosen with MC. Perhaps the Gaunts could leave physical reminders of the past, but they could never choose his future.

MC loved their baby wholly and unconditionally. It mattered little to her that he was blind like his father. Like her love for her husband, her love for her child was completely unaffected by his appearance or his ancestors. All that mattered was the three of them forging their destiny together.

#hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt x mc #headcanons #Isabel Greymoore

[whatisreggieshortfor]

Passions

Lewie x MC

Lewie’s favorite thing in the world is to see his best mate talk. So he doesn’t take well to the person that takes it away.

TW: references to sexual harassment

If he had any passion in the world, it would be wrapped in his favorite thing to do.

Because Lewie’s favorite thing to do in the world was listen to his best mate talk about something she loved, something she was zealous about, invested in. From the time they met in a Mum & Me class as children he could sit and listen to her for hours about her interests, even as they changed as they got older.

He would sit in awe as Brylin talked about dinosaurs. Watched mesmerized as she went on tangents about Greek gods and goddesses. Paid every bit of rapt attention as she gushed in detail about whatever stuck her fancy at any given time as they grew older.

The only thing that had ever compared was when he was on the pitch playing the game he loved, but if he had to decide between the two he always knew he’d hang up his footie boots without a second thought.

Brylin spent hours, days, memorizing statistics and strategy as she dived headfirst into the sport he was passionate about, sharing in his enthusiasm like he always shared in hers.

So it killed him when he needed to leave her, his platonic best mate, to go to training.

The longest they had ever spent apart before was one of them had a family trip growing up, and now he was going to be leaving for three months.

But the whole time he was gone, he would think about anything he could remember from her diverse rants and it would bring a smile to his face.

Lewie wasn’t stupid though, as much as his teammates ragged on him about it, he knew why her happiness brought his own to the surface.

His nan and his mum had been on him to just admit his feelings for years.

He was a go the distance guy, pursuing someone only when he felt it would become something with years down the line ahead of them.

So when training ended, he vowed he would finally tell her. He didn’t want to leave for away games without her wearing his jersey number, or have to see her sitting in the regular stands at home games instead of the family section where significant others got to be. He wanted to spend every success and every failure, every win and every loss with her.

Brylin was Lewie’s grand prize win, and she always had been.

But when he came home, he was shocked at what he saw.

Brylin- bright, zealous, beautiful, independent Brylin wasn’t what he remembered.

A coworker she’d been working with in the months he was gone trailed around her at the pub she met him at, never leaving them to have a chat and catch up, like a perpetual shadow.

At first, Lewie thought she found someone while he was gone, but then he actually watched them interact. The man had mentioned something about a movie he’d seen, and Lewie felt his chest swell with affection and anticipation as Brylin geared up to add her own input.

Until the man shut her down.

“Brylin, can’t ya stop gobbing for one bloody minute?”

And in that moment, Lewie saw the flicker die in her eyes. She stopped talking, losing the passion in her voice as she apologized for saying too much. And his heart shattered, wishing she could see the beauty in her eyes when she was raving about what she loved. It was a beauty unmatched by any other he’d ever seen, and this nobody had bullied that out of her.

Lewie gaped, unsure where the confident take-no-shit woman he had grown up with disappeared to be replaced with the one that awkwardly smiled and gestured for the man to continue.

So Lewie cut in, “Sorry, mate, what do you do again?”

He groaned, “I’m stuck interning in the company for now, but won’t be long before I become the new VP.”

“Dad run the place or something?” It’s the only thing he could think to explain how this guy could shut her down. She loved her job, she wouldn’t risk it by talking back to the wrong guy.

“Uncle,” the man smirked, his overly friendly hand reaching out and tugging Lewie’s best mate into his side by her hip- not noticing the way she tensed up.

Oh, bloody hell. From the look on her face, Lewie could tell this was something she’d been dealing with for the months he’d been gone. He remembered her saying she’d be stuck acting as a tour guide for the new person joining the company.

So Lewie ‘spilled’ his drink, sending the beer covering the man’s clothes, “Oh bloody- I am so sorry, mate!”

Brylin but back a smile, he could see it, not caring for the splashes of beer that would no doubt stain her clothes as her coworker glared and stomped his way to the loo. “Thank you so much.” She practically sagged in relief, and he was finally able to give her the hug he’s been itching to give her since he saw her again.

“Bloke needs to keep his hands to himself and his mouth shut.”

Brylin giggled, finally looking like the girl he knew, “I’ve tried to tell him I wasn’t interested, but I don’t actually know how much pull he has.”

“Lucky for you,” Lewie grinned, “I have a solution. My team needs a new PR manager.”

She looked at him incredulously, “Lew, I’m just an assistant.”

He shrugged, “I already gave them your résumé. Planned to tell you that your interview is in two days, but our trainer says it’s a formality.”

Her coworker came back a second later, scowl still present on his face as he grabbed her arm, “Come on, we need to go so I can change.”

Her brow furrowed as she pulled her arm back, “Why do I need to leave?”

“My girl isn’t staying out without me.”

“I’m not your girl!” She snapped back, trusting Lewie, as she always had about everything, that she wouldn’t be screwed out of her career.

“She’s mine.” The footballer offered confidently, but if you knew him as well as she did, you could hear the anxious underpinning of his tone.

The man scoffed, but before he could open his mouth Brylin was jumping into the leap of faith her best mate gave her, “I am. I only agreed to let you meet him so that you’d finally leave me the bloody hell alone!”

Due her raised voice, patrons all over the pub were looking their way, leaving her coworker trying to grasp at how to control the conversation, before he finally smirked, “Hope you enjoyed your job then, cause I’ll make sure you don’t have one.”

“I don’t want to work for a company that would employ someone like you.” She answered defiantly, letting herself lean into Lewie’s side as the man angrily turned and shoved his way out the door. “Ah!” She cheered, looking at her best mate, “I could kiss you!”

Lewie knew a lot of things, but something he knew the most was how to read Brylin. He knew her expressions, her personality, it was like he could read her thoughts at times.

So he mustered up every ounce of courage he ever had in his body, taking hold of her hips and spinning her around to face him.

And then he kissed her.

His fingers shook slightly, a tremor he couldn’t shake from the fear that he made the wrong move.

But then she was pressing back.

Not to push him away like he half expected, but pushing into him. Embracing him, returning the kiss.

As she pulled back, a smile broke out across her face, highlighting the joy and zeal he had always loved to bring out in her eyes, “It’s about time.”

Lewie laughed, holding her tighter, “What can I say? I gotta follow my passions.”

#litg #no villa au #litg season 6 #litg double trouble #litg dt #litg lewie #litg lewie x mc

[natashadied4oursins]

Not S#xting

Notes: I’m still working on this fic, but I want to share something to make myself feel like I’m being productive. It’s gonna be a long while until this fic is ready to be posted.

Summary/Context: Bucky and MC are “just friends” and have been through a lot together at this point in the fic. He’s sick of hiding his feelings for her, but she refuses to let him tell her how he feels (because she’s an insecure idiot). Bucky has no choice but to relentlessly and suggestively flirt with her instead. (FYI: MC lives with the Avengers in the compound, but she’s a civilian).

Pairing: Bucky x female MC (no name or physical descriptions of her in this chapter)

Fandom: Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Word Count: 1565

Warnings: 18+ only, sexually suggestive comments, inappropriate flirting, talk of sexting, idiots in love, brief descriptions of sexual acts, cute pet names

Not Sexting

BUCKY: Miss me yet, doll?

That was how Bucky started every conversation since leaving for his first mission several days ago. He couldn’t text every day and his calls wouldn’t come through clearly, so I was always relieved whenever I was able to hear from him.

Of course, I always tried to come up with a smart ass remark in return. I didn’t know why I couldn’t just admit that I missed him, and I wanted him to come home so I could wrap my arms around him and not let go for a month.

Oh, god no!

That was too much. Clingy. A smart ass remark was much better.

ME: “No. Wanda’s a great cuddler, so I’m good thanks!”

BUCKY: “You miss my cuddles?”

ME: “No. I have Wanda for that.”

BUCKY: “But if Wanda wasn’t there…you would miss my cuddles?”

ME: “I didn’t say that!”

BUCKY: “It was heavily implied.”

ME: “No, it wasn’t.”

BUCKY: “Don’t lie, doll. I told you to be a good girl for me, remember?”

BUCKY: “And I told you what I’d do to you after the last time you misbehaved.”

I let out a small whimper, my heart racing, clutching the edge of the kitchen counter. I tried to shake the image of Bucky bending me over his bed and screwing me from behind while smacking my ass and praising me the entire time.

Dammit…

BUCKY: “Did I scare you again, doll?”

Smug bastard!

Did he know that every time he sent me anything suggestive I ended up on my bed with my fingers inside myself soon after? It would never be enough, of course. I wanted his fingers inside me—anything of his, really…

ME: “No!”

ME: “Whatever!” Did I seriously just type that?

BUCKY: “I can just imagine your eyes widening like a deer in headlights.”

“Nuh-uh!” I said out loud at the screen as if he could hear me.

BUCKY: “Not a deer. A bunny. A scared, little bunny cornered by the big, bad, ravenous wolf ready to devour her. Slowly. Savoring all of her until she begs for mercy…”

I stared at the screen wide-eyed—like a damn bunny!

I could just imagine Bucky in his Winter Soldier getup stalking me in the woods, quiet and deadly. Maybe he would take me against a tree. Maybe on the dirt. I would fight him but, of course, he would overpower me and make me his…

Dammit, why couldn’t he ease up on the suggestive remarks?!

I re-read each word carefully.

It was a joke! Someone got to Bucky’s phone, and I knew exactly who.

ME: “Seriously, Sam? Are you getting back at me for backing up Wanda the night of the cookout? Was Notting Hill really that bad?”

BUCKY: “It was a pretty cheesy movie, bunny, but I liked it.”

BUCKY: “You looked so cute trying not to cry at the end!”

I rolled my eyes; he was being so childish. Was that what passed for entertainment on the quinjet? Prank text messages?

The sudden ringing of my cell phone made me yelp. It was Sam, of course. I could just imagine him cracking up on the other end.

“Hi Sam,” I said with overtly fake enthusiasm, “You big perv!”

There was static on the other end, and I could barely make out Sam’s voice.

“…Buck…said…call…you ok?”

Bucky must’ve read what Sam wrote me. What would he think about the nasty and just, plain wrong fantasies my sick brained conjured up?

“Are you calling to say you’re sorry?” I chuckled. “Are you actually sorry or are you sorry you got caught?"

“Why would…. sorry? What’d…do?!” He sounded surprised and defensive.

My back stiffened and the blood drained from my face as I realized Sam didn’t know what the hell I was talking about.

“I can’t hear you very well,” I licked my chapped lips, “but, um, did you use Bucky’s phone to text me just now?”

“No! Why….Is…emerg...cy?”

No, no, no…

“I’m sorry I still can’t hear you very well. Um…it’s not an emergency. Sorry. Bye. Be safe!”

I ended the call and held my breath. I carefully set the phone back on the counter, and stepped back, watching it…waiting for it to…I don’t know…blow up or something.

Was I really supposed to believe Bucky texted that? Sure, he’d called me “bunny” before, but…his “prey?” Not that I would’ve minded if it was actually him, but it was kind of hard to believe.

Bucky liked to flirt to boost his ego. He liked to make me squirm. That’s what it was. He was just taking it to the next level. I would have to talk to him about that when he came home. He was going a little too far…wasn’t he?

I yelped when my text notification sounded. Was it somehow louder or was I going crazy?

SAM: “Did you want me to call you just so you could call me a ‘perv’?!”

ME: “I didn’t want you to call me. Why do you think that?” I was afraid I already knew the answer.

SAM: “Because Bucky told me! Are you guys messing with me?”

Damn, damn, damn.

ME: “Yes! I’m sorry! I guess it wasn’t really funny, was it?”

Let it go! Please, Sam, just let it go!

SAM: “Leave the pranking to your brother, girl.”

I nearly collapsed against the kitchen counter. He bought it. Oh, god that would’ve been so embarrassing…

SAM: “HOLD UP!”

No!

SAM: “Wait, wait, wait!”

No, no, no! Should I just turn off my phone? If I didn’t read what he was about to type then it’d be like it never happened. Right?

SAM: “You accuse me of using Bucky’s phone to text you…and you call me a perv…”

SAM: “You guys are sexting!!!”

SAM: “Bwahahahahahahaha!”

I could just imagine Sam cackling, drawing everyone’s attention. Oh, god, everyone was about to find out!

ME: “NO! We are NOT doing that!”

ME: “NOW you’re being a perv!”

SAM: “Oh my God!”

SAM: “Is that why he always power walks to the bathroom whenever he’s texting? And he has that dorky smile on his face when he comes out?”

SAM: “I didn’t need to know THAT…but it’s hilarious!”

ME: “He’s not doing THAT!”

SAM: “I knew you two would eventually get together, but DAMN! Not what I expected.”

SAM: “No judgement!”

SAM: “Whatever makes you happy, momma!”

ME: “You don’t know what you’re talking about! We’re not doing anything like THAT, so don’t start spreading lies!”

SAM: “Oh, I’ll keep my mouth shut for now, but EVERYONE will know soon enough! You two are joined at the hip. You’ll slip up eventually. Might as well come clean.”

Dammit! I actually stomped my feet. I muttered the words as I typed.

ME: “You’re wrong, Sam. So, just get that idea out of your head RIGHT NOW!”

SAM: “I’m sure you have your reasons for keeping it a secret. I’ll respect that. They won’t hear it from me.”

SAM: “He’s already out of the bathroom? He looks waaay too relaxed. Oh, please, God, give me something to make me forget!”

“You’re wrong, you’re wrong, you’re wrong,” I muttered to myself.

Bucky didn’t do…what Sam thought he was doing in the bathroom. Maybe Sam was bored! Maybe he was pranking me!

BUCKY: “Did you have a nice conversation with Sam, bunny?”

ME: “Don’t call me that!”

Oh, god, please don’t call me that because it’s already doing things to me…

BUCKY: “No. It’s too late. You’re my bunny now.”

ME: “Are you high? Did you come across any strange-looking plants on your travels?”

ME: “Have Steve check you out or something.”

BUCKY: “Hey, this is all I’ve got until you agree to hear what I want to say to you.”

Why was he talking about that? There was no reason to bring that up!

BUCKY: “We’re landing soon, bunny. I can’t wait to come home and kiss your cute, little, bunny nose!”

ME: “You are SO high!”

BUCKY: “High on YOU, bunny.”

ME: “I hate you.”

Oh, god. He was about to land who-knows-where and might have to fight who-knows-how-many armed HYDRA agents and I told him I hated him? Idiot!

ME: “I don’t hate you.”

ME: “Sorry.”

BUCKY: “I forgive you bunny.”

BUCKY: “This time.”

He didn’t know when to stop, did he?

ME: “Can you just focus on the mission please?!”

BUCKY: “Are you worried about me?”

ME: “I didn’t say that!”

ME: “Just be careful!”

BUCKY: “Aww! Don’t worry, bunny. I’ll come home to you soon.”

ME: “You’re freaking killing me, you know that?!”

BUCKY: “No, I’m not. I have too many plans for you.”

I grumbled as I rubbed my thighs together, the tingly feeling between my legs intensifying.

The dots on the screen told me he was typing more, but they disappeared. Either the team landed or the connection died.

Good. I wouldn’t be hearing from Bucky or Sam for the next few hours. I was still very tempted to bury my phone under the living room couch cushions just in case.

I turned off my phone instead, headed to my bedroom, and got on top of my bed. My messed up, depraved fantasies fueled the fire in my aching body. I pulled down my jeans and shoved my fingers in my underwear.

I really should’ve bought another toy after I got rid of the Captain America dildo.

#bucky x female character #bucky x female reader #avengers fic #mcu fic

[sketchguk]

How would ravenclaw mc and soonyoung handle long distance? Who would be the one that needs constant assurance etc? I've just always been curious about long distance relationships!

I think Soonyoung would be a mess if he had to suffer through long distance !! He finally got the girl of his dreams after a long, arduous, and painstaking journey. And now, you want to separate them?? That's cruel 💔

Soonyoung would send SO many letters. His owl must be sick of him. But with every letter sent and received, it brings a smile to both of their faces, so it's well worth it <3 Plus, mc is sure to send a letter back (no matter how brief) despite how busy she is !!

And oh boy, is she busy !!!! She spends her summers studying, interning, volunteering, saving the world, etc. It's no wonder Soonyoung misses her so much. They probably had an argument about how much she overworks herself !! There were times where they went weeks without a real conversation - just simple exchanges here and there (yes, we love angst in this household). But that is totally unacceptable !! So after that fight, they were able to work out a system !! They began to have weekly talks via floo. Soonyoung's parents and his sister are always so concerned with how many hours he spends with his head in the fireplace. But he's just a boy in l*ve !!!

They are both absolutely smitten with one another. Mc has so much to tell him - everything she's learned throughout the week, all the internship drama, plant updates, and of course, the enormity of how much she misses him. Despite how tired she is, she realizes just how much she needs Soonyoung in her life. (He is definitely the one who needs constant reassurance!). Talking to Soonyoung is the highlight of mc’s week, and she always feels remorseful when she can't give him the attention he needs. Yet Soonyoung will still take what he can get because he always listens with palpable enthusiasm !! The love is evident in the way he looks at her with his undivided attention. But he only wishes he could have her in his arms :-( There's nothing he wants more than to feel her breath against his neck while she plays with his recently cut hair (which she thinks is very sexy by the way!!!).

And of course, during their weekly floo calls, he's so excited to tell her about the family of tadpoles he's found at the brook behind his house. He wants to show her the new dance he's been casually working on !!! And he hopes to share all the seemingly little mundane details of his life.

On some nights, Soonyoung would fly mindlessly to clear his head, but he often loses track of time. He never has a particular destination in mind, so it takes mc by surprise every time she hears a light knock on her window. He could have been flying for an hour, maybe two. Who knows? But he misses her so much, so he found himself at her house unannounced in the middle of the night without even realizing it !! And no, she wasn't sleeping despite how often he urges her to get plenty of rest. So then they both climb into bed, exhausted, before falling asleep with her head tucked beneath his chin in a tangle of limbs :-(

And once Soonyoung passes his apparition test, you already know he's going to abuse that power !!! Unless, of course, mc decides to settle down with him by that time 🥺

#p.s: mc has been saving up all her money to gift soonyoung the new firebolt for his birthday #that baby can travel 150mph in 10 seconds #ask #anon #horanghae agenda

[xaharadesert]

Genius MC - Headcanon

Arcana Characters (Main 6) x MC

A/N: this one is for @dontmindthissimp! I very much appreciate you telling me to take my time; it makes me feel less guilty about only now getting to your request haha! Please let me know if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes :) requests are open!

❤️Julian❤️

He’s absolutely delighted by your intelligence

Not to sound pretentious, but he really appreciates the opportunity to talk to someone who takes interest in the same subjects as him

That’s not to say he doesn’t enjoy messing around with his friends who don’t consider themselves intellectuals, but there’s something refreshing about being able to exercise that part of his mind without worrying over offending anyone who might not understand

If you need someone to ramble to, or bounce ideas off of, he’s always willing to listen

He’s one of the few people who will genuinely be just as excited about the next great scientific discovery right alongside you

🧡Portia🧡

Personally, she’s never placed too much value on how book smart she was

So she doesn’t really understand what you’re talking about most of the time

But regardless, she’s your number one supporter!

Whenever you’re doing smart things, she’ll be right beside you hyping you up and bringing you snacks

You’re also her go-to whenever she has a question about literally anything

She feels like there’s a pretty high chance you’ll have the answers she’s looking for

💛Lucio💛

Sounds like the perfect excuse for him to brag about how amazing you are :)

He doesn’t always understand what you’re talking about; he could if he really wanted to, but that’s the problem— he finds it a bit boring

But that’s not gonna stop him from fully supporting you and telling everyone what a genius you are

Whatever resources you need/want to expand your knowledge, he’ll find for you

It might be a little stressful at times; there’s an ever increasing amount of pressure on you to know everything

💚Muriel💚

It’s a nice way to fill the silence, in his opinion

He doesn’t always understand what you’re talking about, nor does he care to learn, but it’s become a part of his life that he doesn’t think he could live without

The constant background noise of you mumbling intellectual nonsense to yourself is comforting, and the silence begins to sound strange

His favourite part is when you start talking about something that you’re particularly passionate about, and you suddenly become loud and animated

Both he and Inanna do their best to return the energy

💙Asra💙

His knowledge aligns more with magical than with science and math, but he still supports your interests and adores your enthusiasm

Sometimes he’ll ask you a question about something he knows you’re interested in just to hear you rant happily about it

It’s a bit funny to see your shared living space; it’s a mix of crystals, tarot cards, herbs, pages of formulas, heavy books, and spill ink

Somehow the two of you still manage to work together in perfect harmony

Opposites attract, after all

💜Nadia💜

She loves having someone around that can keep up with her when she starts discussing more intellectual topics

In fact, she sometimes needs a moment to catch up to you

She’s often preoccupied with running Vesuvia, so she relies on you to bring her news about developments within the scientific community

Her expertise aligns mostly with mechanical engineering, but she’ll do her best to broaden her horizons to discuss other topics with you

Overall, she’s just thrilled to have a partner that shares her less common interests

#the arcana #arcana #the arcana game #the arcana hc #the arcana headcanon #julian devorak #asra alnazar #count lucio #julian arcana #julian headcanon #Julian x mc #Portia arcana #Portia devorak #Portia x mc #lucio arcana #lucio headcanon #lucio x mc #Muriel arcana #Muriel headcanon #Muriel x mc #Asra arcana #Asra headcanon #Asra x mc #Nadia satrinava #Nadia arcana #Nadia headcanon #Nadia x mc

[shroudcore]

Speak now, or forever hold your peace. (II)

Summary: You crash the wedding with Grim and Ortho. Unlike the others, proposing isn’t on your mind. You come with a very different approach. 

An angstier take on Ghost Marriage. Idia x GN!reader. Reader is MC, or takes the role of MC in this story. (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

Warnings: none

If the students of NRC thought they’ve seen Eliza at her angriest, they were wrong. The fury she displayed now was incomparable. While Idia fawned over your dramatic anime-worthy entrance, the new interruption was getting on her last ghostly nerve.

“Guards! Seize them!” she roared. Immediately, the ghosts went into action. Idia held his breath as he watched the obedient ghosts charge at you, Grim, and Ortho. He hoped you didn’t barge in with no plan. If you didn’t come equipped with useful items, you would end up like everyone else. 

Chubby, determined to get rid of the intruders that caused distress to his beloved princess, was eager to get rid of you. (”Simp”, Idia muttered) However, eagerness wasn’t enough against an opponent equally as determined. As soon as he got too close, an unknown force threw him backwards to where Eliza floated, shocking the princess.

“Chubby! Are you alright?”

Idia, on the other hand, was elated. 

“Th-that’s so OP!” he exclaimed. He knew you heard him, because your gaze flicked to him for a split second before looking away. Embarrassed, Idia shut his mouth. He’d expected at least a smile. 

After Chubby’s failed attack, other ghosts attempted to face your group. They only met the same fate. Confused, they could only pay their apologies to the princess and watch on in helplessness. Just what did you have up your sleeve? Who did you get such an SS-tier item from?

“Princess, it’s impossible to stop them!” the last of Eliza’s guards told her. For the first time that night, she looked afraid. 

Grim guffawed, while you smirked. A familiar look. It was always there before you jumpscared an enemy, or before you checkmated a poor opponent. Idia might have thought it was kinda hot. At the moment, he was oblivious to his gaping mouth, and how wildly his hair blazed. What were once lightly blushing tips were now an alarming red—a level of ferocity never seen from him before. 

“You can’t touch or hurt us!” boasted Grim, a devious smirk on his face. “We had some he—mprfgh!” He was abruptly cut off by Ortho’s robotic arm covering his mouth. Idia’s brother shook his head at your noisy dorm mate. 

“Release my big brother now!” he demanded. Idia grimaced, but didn’t feel too worried. As long as Ortho was with you and your anti-ghost protective shield, he would be safe. 

As expected, the ghosts were affronted. 

“How dare he order the princess like that?”

“You ought to be punished for your insolence!”

“To intrude on a royal wedding and speak disrespectfully! 

“Send them to the gallows!”

One talked, and one talked over the other. Soon, all that could be heard was an unintelligible susurrus of disembodied voices. One ghost had enough of it, and shouted to Eliza: “Princess, the kiss! Do what must be done!” 

“NO!” You and Ortho yelled at the same time. You continued to walk towards the makeshift altar as your two companions followed close behind. Ghosts rushed to block your path, but you pressed on as your invisible shield threw them back. It looked absolutely badass. Well, anything you did was cool to Idia, anyway. 

 “Out of my way!” You commanded, strong and unwavering. He’d seen you annoyed and angry before, but never up to this point. It basically radiated off of you that a danger warning could be floating above your head. 

“S-so intimidating... “

“So scary!”

Sure, this wedding crasher looked like you, but something was different. An unexplainable sinister aura wreathed you tonight. Was it your glare, or was it that regal suit you wore? Idia must have been too distracted by you, that he only noticed now how your cape seemed to drag shadows with it. You were a villain... much like one of the villains from his video games! And something else that was familiar. 

Whatever it was and wherever it came from, there was a menacing presence in the hall tonight. 

All were silent, except for the wind whistling through the hall. If one listened more carefully, they would hear drowned-out cackles. But it is just the wind, right?

“Wh-who are you?” Eliza finally asked. The ghosts who were ashamed at being unable to seize you began to form a protective ring around their princess. Eliza herself, Idia noticed, was starting to curl in on herself—her presence shrinking the closer you approached. “What do you want?”

“The groom,” was all you said, staring her down as if eyes alone could exterminate the ghost in front of you. 

“Idia?” she asks weakly, glancing at her tied-up groom. Idia said nothing and did nothing but look at you, attempting to telepathically communicate his panic. You barely even looked at him. 

“He’s mine.” 

Hold up—?

More gasps and chatter. They sounded less like whispers and more like the buzzing insects he heard whenever he snuck out at midnight. The world spun. Idia stared at you open-mouthed. 

If he were asked to describe his state of mind at this moment, it would be similar to a loading screen. Suddenly, everything you did together played back in a 1.75x supercut sequence. 

Mine. 

Mine. 

Mine.  

“Wh-what?” Eliza sputtered. “What do you mean?” 

You answered her, voice losing the steadiness it possessed just moments ago. “You have the man I love.” 

Wha… 

KDJAFCKSAJHDKACBSXCJSIEUDS?

Idia.exe has crashed. Reboot? 

~~

The audience’s reactions were varied. Some students on the floor were amused by the spectacle and could have used some popcorn (and a comfortable position) during these times. Some were horrified and disappointed by the idea of the prefect being in love with Idia Shroud the shut-in. Some were much too confused to feel anything. 

“Pardon…? What did I just hear?” Azul asked the floor.

“Puppy love,” Lilia wept, sniffling very loudly. “You know, this reminds me of when I was young...” 

“Whaddaya mean when you were young?!” Floyd snapped. His irritability had spiked up even more when you arrived. His position prevented him from witnessing the events. Everyone on the floor could feel his bad mood rolling off of him in waves. 

“Hey! Watch your tone when speaking to Lilia!” scolded Sebek. 

“... Are they acting?” Leona mumbled. 

“Oh, this better be an act.”  said Vil.  “... though it does not seem to be.” The last part of his observation remained unheard by anyone else, except for Rook. 

“I believe we are witnessing a genuine love confession,” added the Chasseur d’Amour himself, voice soft as he sighed dreamily. “Engrave this moment into your memories, everyone! We are fortunate to witness it…”

But no one shared his enthusiasm about the situation. The others expressed their displeasure by groaning and complaining. “... well, even in this state we are in?” he added as a follow-up. 

~~

Reboot. 

You once fell asleep on Idia’s shoulder after finishing a movie. It was something you both only watched to make fun of, but you were apparently too tired to give your top-tier jokes and meme references. The contact sent his heart into overdrive as he froze, begging for option boxes to appear and help him. The flames of his hair blazed so brightly that it woke you back up. It was embarrassing, and sometimes he would remember it late at night and cringe. 

It was happening again, but worse. Any moment now, he was sure that he alone could burn down the cafeteria, if not the whole school. This was stupid. Why did he get that worked up over an obvious act? A mere ploy to get the ghosts to release him?

Reality catches up and deals him triple attack damage. Crowley probably put you up to this. You were probably annoyed that you were forced to do this, weren’t you? That’s why you couldn’t even look at him. It had to be the cruelest joke that fate ever threw his way. 

“I can’t say I don’t understand you, Princess,” you tell Eliza, forcing a smile. “Idia is perfect, is he not?” He felt your eyes on him. This time, it was he who couldn’t quite meet your gaze. Looking down at the floor was all he could do; it couldn’t judge his blushing face. Only when the warmth in his cheeks faded did he feel it safe to look back up again. 

“You see him, don’t you, Princess?” Your voice began to falter, losing the confidence and authority in it that scared the ghosts. “He’s so much more than what everyone else thinks! We agree on that, don’t we?”

Eliza’s face softened, nodding. “Yes. I’ve seen how these people insult him!” she tells you, gesturing to the ‘failed princes’ on the floor.

“But we’re still different,” you stepped closer, but still far enough so that your invisible anti-ghost forcefield wouldn’t activate. “You don’t want to marry Idia, you want to marry your fairytale prince.” 

Eliza appeared to be genuinely confused. She looked around at her companions, before turning back to you. “What do you mean?”

“You’re in love with your ideals, not the person himself,” you explain. “You only chose him for his appearance. Am I right? His personality, likes and dislikes, and possible flaws don’t matter to you.”

Eliza seemed deep in thought. While she was silent, you release a bitter laugh and threw your hands up.  “I mean, do you even know what his favorite candy is?”

Pomegranate drops. You asked to have some, but he refused to give you any. He wouldn’t tell you why, but he let you assume it was his favorite and didn’t want to share because of that. 

That wasn’t it, though. Maybe he’d tell you once you were both out of here. 

“You’ve never stayed up until 4am just to join him on a raid!” You waved your hands wildly, lost in your rant. Whether Eliza understood you or not, you seemed to have stopped giving a damn. 

“Weak!” he teased, noticing your drooping eyelids and reduced concentration. Deep down, he felt bad for keeping you up late.  “Look, it’s fine if you need to rest.”

“Nah, let’s finish this. What are you going to do without me?” you replied, smirking.

“You don’t even have 4-hour conversations with him on Magicord VC like I do!” 

It lasted up until 3am. You two were laughing at memes. He could hear a groggy Grim complain in the background about the noise. 

“Alright. Here’s a question, princess. How much would you risk for the man beside you right now? Bet that’s where we’re different...”

Eliza’s gaze darted back and forth between you and Idia. Even the other ghosts were silent, waiting for your next words. 

“... because if you ask me, I would risk everything! That’s why I’m here wearing this stupid suit!”

It’s not real. It’s not real. The emotion behind every word was a punch to the gut. If you kept this up, he might need a healer soon. Ever since he realized he was falling, he tried to quell the sparks of hope you ignited whenever you did something nice for him. All that hard work was gone. Each word you uttered was gasoline. 

“To think that if I arrived minutes later… th-that I would never see him again!” A sob escapes your throat, your intimidating persona crumbling.

No, don’t do that. Idia wanted to reassure you that he was still there and he was okay, but he couldn’t. It’s part of an act. It’s part of an act. 

“So please… just let him go.” The front you wore has completely dissolved. There you were, reduced to a sobbing mess in front of a ghost princess and the students of NRC. 

You weren’t the only one. All traces of anger or fear have vanished from Eliza’s face. Instead, she put her hands over her mouth. The princess had been moved to tears. Finally, she turns to Idia. “Idia, they seem to l-love you very much… ”

“That’s right.” You wiped your tear-streaked face and pointed an accusing finger at the ghosts. “And all of you! Are you going to enable her forever? Encourage her shallow ideas of what love should be?” 

They all looked down, unable to meet your eyes. 

“You have no right to just snatch him up and claim him as yours,” you told Eliza with an unfaltering resolve, despite your tear-covered face and your crumbled front of strength. “Did you never think… that there could have been someone waiting for him to return?” 

“I-I never meant to!” Eliza cried. “I was so blinded by my own happiness. I never thought… never even considered…” 

“Princess, it’s alright. We all make mistakes.” Chubby told her, trying to be reassuring. 

“Tell me, intruder. How else am I going to find my prince?” she asked you with no trace of hostility. You stopped for a while, staring at her. 

You must not have expected the question. Idia saw you look at him—it was the longest time you’d looked at him all evening. Clearing your throat, you began to explain. You fumbled a bit, scratching the back of your neck and tugging at the hem of your coat as you explained what a perfect partner should be. 

As you spoke, Idia was enthralled by your voice and most of all, the knowledge you possessed about love and romance. He hadn’t seen this side of you before. How did he ever think that a hundred dating sims could make him a romance expert?

“Is that so?” she sighs, bowing her head. “I understand now. I’m so sorry… for causing you so much grief.” 

She turns to her companions, giving them a sad smile. “There’s only one thing to do. Everyone, we must stop this wedding.” 

Idia wanted to fall to the floor in relief. At least a few exhausted sighs and weak cheers could be heard from the wedding “attendees”. You fell to your knees, exaggerating your gratitude. 

“Thank you, princess!”

“But Princess… what about your happily ever after?” Chubby interjected. 

“I can’t tear two lovers apart!” Eliza wipes a few of her own tears, then turns to you. “I was deeply moved by your words. I dream of having a lover like you,” she sighs dreamily, probably imagining her future lover already. 

While the students of NRC rejoiced at this victory, Idia’s heartbeat quickened in fear. What if Eliza decided to take you for herself?

“Princess…” Chubby muttered, sighing. Eliza only gave him a reassuring smile. Phew. Idia relaxed, grateful that she doesn’t have the idea… yet. He didn’t know what to do if that thought became reality. 

Eliza turns to address the hall with a smile. “I have decided.” Everyone waited with bated breath for her announcement. Idia squeezed his eyes shut and silently urged her to announce their departure already. 

“Idia and I will not be married anymore. She smiles wide, and clasps her hands together. “However, there will still be a wedding!”

Your smile faded. “What… what do you mean, princess?”

She beams. “To make up for my mistake, I will make sure that Idia and his lover are married tonight!” 

~~

To be continued.

Tagging: @teashopwritingzz @twistedcrumbs 

Well, that was long. To think that I was planning for the story to be a one-shot! Once again, keep an eye out for Part 3. Thank you for reading! 

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

#twst x reader #twst fic #idia x reader #idia shroud #idia shroud x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #rewritten

[jokertrap-ran]

(时空中的绘旅人—For All Time—)  罗夏 SR 「波波雪糕」 Rorschach SR [Bobo Ice Cream] Painting Story Translation: Azure Island

*For All Time Master-list / Rorschach’s Personal Master-list *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Card is Free Event-Obtainable. *T/N: Ice cream hotpot is just… fondue, of sorts.

“The taste of summer is delicious.”

His figure never failed to attract my attention. His overwhelming confidence when surfing is similar to that of Poseidon, the one who directs the waves of the sea.

✥ Chapter 1: 造浪池 Wave Pool

MC: AHHHHHH!!

Rorschach: Don't worry, (Y/n). I'm holding onto you.

That’s what he said, but the ferocious artificial waves that came at me made my control over my legs falter.

Rorschach: You don’t need to firmly ground yourself on it all that hard. Try to feel the rhythm of the wave.

MC: I feel nothing! Absolutely nothing!

I faintly heard the sound of his low chuckle and my face instantly heated up.

It's all his fault!

It was only because Rorschach had mentioned that he was good at surfing that the curiosity even started taking root in me.

And that was precisely why I’d invited him to be my coach for today and ended up trying out the cruise’s popular surfing simulator.

But now, looking at the situation I was in, I couldn't help but regret having bugged Rorschach to become my personal surfing coach for the day when I'd clearly overestimated my athletic prowess.

MC: I’ve overestimated my motor skills...

My low mutterings under my breath were completely blocked out by the rolling of the artificial waves.

Before I had the time to react, Rorschach had reached out to extend a gentle hold around my waist as he swiftly plucked me out of the surfing simulator.

Rorschach: Looks like you still need a personal demonstration from your dear coach.

He walked down to retrieve the surfboard, tied his feet to the ropes and slid smoothly onto the waves with practised ease.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

Rorschach: Look, (Y/n). The waves are a little big, but don't fret. You are now riding it…

Due to my having dragged him out of his room in a hurry, Rorschach was dressed in clothes that were at risk of getting utterly ruined by water at any given moment.

However, he didn’t seem to mind it at all and continued sharing with me the technique of how he rode the waves along with how it felt to ride one.

Although he looked no different from his usual self now, I could sense that he'd broken free of the chains of gravity, now soaring freely.

His pose was as carefree as that of an unshackled seagull. Faint droplets of water splashed all about. His gallant confidence was way brighter than even the sun itself.

All eyes were now on him, firm and unwavering. Even the professional coach was giving occasional nods from where he stood not too far away.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

Rorschach: Ack—!

MC: Watch out!

I'd somehow unwittingly grabbed his hand the moment I heard his yelp.

Although I knew that doing so wouldn't do anything to help stabilize him, I still did it anyway. Do first, think later, as it goes.

Rorschach: Ahem. Pardon me, my tongue slipped.

MC: RORSCHACH!

I couldn't help but bristle in anger, seemingly having thought that he had been in danger of flipping over. However, I never asked why he still didn't let go of my hand.

The warmth from his palm was similar to a reassuring promise, telling me not to fret any longer.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

Through Rorschach's patient coaching and my unremitting endeavours, I finally managed to strike and maintain my balance on the surfboard for a few minutes with him holding onto me as support.

MC: And this is JUST a surfing simulator…

MC: I suppose you can say that I've now experienced a smidge of the true terror that is the sea.

Rorschach: Mother nature's no weakling, that's for sure, but people will always find a way to go up against her when the need arises.

Rorschach: What do you think? Was today's experience satisfactory in your book?

I vigorously nodded.

MC: Of course I'm satisfied with it! But I think it's better to actually head out to the beach and watch you ride the waves rather than cooping you up here as my coach.

Rorschach: ...Why does that feel like you've just given me a negative review?

MC: Huh? Why would I?

Blame you and your flamboyant popularity.

I silently groused.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

✥ Chapter 2: 冰激凌火锅 Ice cream Hotpot

Just then, a familiar figure not too far away caught my attention.

MC: Hey, Rorschach? Look, over there. Isn't that Feng Junhao?

Rorschach: The little rascal can’t keep to himself, can he?

A small water gun attached to his waist, looking left and right, he looked like a little officer, here to inspect things.

Being distracted, he didn’t notice both of us as we approached him. He bumped into Rorschach’s leg with a resounding smack.

Feng Junhao: Huh. It's you guys again.

Rorschach: You don't sound too happy

Feng Junhao: Hmph.

He avoided the question but fixated his gaze on me.

Feng Junhao: (Y/n), why do you like hanging out with this guy so much?

My face inexplicably flushed a deep shade of red

Rorschach: You don’t understand, do you? My artistic flair will naturally attract other artists to me.

Feng Junhao didn’t refute Rorschach; an unusual occurrence.

Feng Junhao: Hey, Rorschach…

We exchanged a dubious glance with each other.

Feng Junhao: ……

Feng Junhao: Nevermind.

Before we could even reply to him, he ran away.

MC: Rorschach, I think we should follow him and see what he’s up to.

Rorschach: Agreed.

We tailed him from a distance, watching as he walked into a fine dining establishment before coming out with a glum look on his face.

Rorschach shook his head, walking up to him.

Rorschach: Okay, little devil. What are you up to this time?

Feng Junhao seemed rather unfazed by our sudden appearance.

Feng Junhao: … The ice cream hotpot I want to eat is only sold here.

Rorschach barked out in laughter.

Rorschach: This establishment’s members-only. Let’s see, how about you and (Y/n) go take a seat and I’ll buy one and bring it over to you guys?

Feng Junhao: You’re not making fun of me? You’re buying it for me??

Rorschach slightly bent down, ruffling his hair.

Rorschach: It’s rare to see you being so honest. Consider it a reward.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

The ice cream hotpot, a dazzling array of vibrant colours and fresh ingredients exuding cold air all around, was placed on the table.

Just looking at it alone was enough to make people feel a little cooler under the scorching heat of summer.

Feng Junhao’s eyes shone bright, seemingly satisfied beyond measure at having his wish fulfilled. He had a brief exchange with Rorschach before heartily digging into the ice cream before him.

Rorschach: Is it tasty?

Feng Junhao: Can the ice cream that yours truly favours not taste good!?

Rorschach: My turn to dig in then.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

Rorschach reached out and unceremoniously dug a big hole into the sweet treat.

Feng Junhao: Hey, hey, hey! Isn’t the whole hotpot supposed to be mine!?

Rorschach: Hm? When did I ever say that?

Rorschach: I was the one who bought it, and I was also the one who brought it here.

Rorschach: I’ll let your ungratefulness slide, but why are you so adamant against sharing?

Feng Junhao: E-Even if that’s so… too much ice cream does no wonders to your teeth and stomach, so let me shoulder this burden alone.

Rorschach: No way. As a gentleman, I do not advocate kid bullying actions.

Feng Junhao: Who’s. The. Kid. Here!

Rorschach: Plus, (Y/n) and I have been out in the sun for so long, so we need a little dessert to replenish our energy.

Rorschach: And since you’ve already helped us taste-test it with such enthusiasm, I’m now sure that we can eat it without a worry!

Feng Junhao: Can’t you just go buy another?

Feng Junhao: (Y/n) likes chopped peanut snow cones, not ice cream hotpots. Right?

Feng Junhao winked at me, making me nod in response, albeit reluctantly.

Rorschach: I see you always acting so manly, but you choose to “threaten” a girl now?

Rorschach: Heh, looks like I should let you have a taste of how vicious society is out there.

⊹ ˚✩ ━━━━━━━ ∘◦ ✥ ◦∘ ━━━━━━━ ✩˚ ⊹

Rorschach: Here, (Y/n). Open up.

I subconsciously did as he instructed and a strawberry, carved into the shape of a rose and topped with some ice cream, was swiftly delivered into my mouth.

Feng Junhao: AH!? But that’s the nicest strawberry I left for last!

As the two of them bickered on, I smiled, my eyes closing to form crescent moons of happiness.

Yup, the taste of summer truly is delicious.

#时空中的绘旅人 #For All Time #Otome #Translations #Netease #罗夏 #Luo Xia #Rorschach #諏訪部 順一 #Suwabe Junichi

[dat-silvers-girl]

SPOILERS for Year 6 Chapter 18 and later

OKAY I JUST REALIZED THIS BUT HEAR ME OUT-

Tagging my fellow Rowan lovers/friends because I think you may like this?

@weasley-adoptee @wandsandrings @adellovesrowan @carewyncromwell @carmilla-the-bird

So we know that Jam City apparently “had to” kill Rowan off in Year 6 Chapter 18 because we know in canon she’s not the youngest Professor at Hogwarts.

BULLSHIT!!!!!

That “canon” problem could have EASILY been avoided by making it so Rowan DID become the youngest Professor, but AT ANOTHER SCHOOL!

Imagine this: Rowan is gravely injured by a considerably less lethal curse (than Avada Kedavra at least). Her parents now are terrified of literal attempted murder, and decide to switch her school for her last 2 years of education.

Rowan could be left with scars like the ones @immagrosscandy once made? And once she has recovered in the Hospital Wing, we visit her, and she gives MC the news.

NO ONE IS HAPPY ABOUT THIS. ROWAN DON’T WANNA LEAVE. MC DON’T WANT HER TO LEAVE. BUT MC KNOWS THEY’LL BE SAFE SOMEWHERE ELSE. THERE IS CRYING. THERE IS GONNA BE A TEARFUL GOODBYE. THERE WILL BE THE PROMISE THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE BEST FRIENDS! THERE WILL BE THE PROMISE OF WRITING TO EACH OTHER AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!

And you know where Rowan goes? The Brazilian Wizarding School, Castleobruxo! Maybe let’s assume she has some family there. And that’s when Alanza comes in! (Alternatively, Ilvermorny is also an option, but I’m just saying.)

And because we had to let go of Rowan because of Rakepick’s antics, the Circle of Khanna could still be made in her honor. And once we’ve thoroughly kicked Rakepick’s ass, write to Rowan about it, and she replies “I’d normally pummel her with my extensive vocabulary of profanities, but I’m not going to write them down. I hope you gave her a couple punches from me.”

BONUS: The Head Kid TLSQ

MC writes to Rowan that Dumbledore offered us the position. Rowan writes back saying she’s proud of us, and also writes some stuff in Portugese (with translations), while excitedly telling us that she’s picking up the language and getting better, and how amazing Castleobruxo is. MC misses her extremely so we can’t share her enthusiasm very much even when we try. The whole “Dream Rowan” conversation could happen, instead, when Rowan sends MC a letter encouraging them to take it up.

In the end, MC sends her another letter saying we got the position and the badge, and we go the extra mile of even sending her the badge so she can see it. Rowan is already doing excited SQUEEEEEEEEEE at breakfast because she’s so proud of her bestie… and she sees that MC sent her two badges- one with MC’s name, and one with ‘Rowan Khanna’ on it. In the letter, MC has written, “Thank you for encouraging me, Rowan, but I will always feel like this position should have been yours. I may be the Head Girl now, but I choose to stand in your place. In the meantime, I requested Dumbledore get a badge for you too. You’re still my Head Girl, and that will never change. I hope you find it as shiny as I do.”

And Rowan fucking cries, like “That’s my best freind, right there!” Feeling a little bad that MC misses her so much, she sends MC her badge back with a letter and a surprise.

“Thanks for getting a badge for me, MC! I love it! Now you take yours and put it on, and remember that we now have matching badges! I miss you too, and I know you do as well, so I decided to send you a gift- the very thing that began our friendship in the first place. You’re my best friend, and I’m trusting you with this. Take care of it, yeah? Love you!”

Lo and behold, Rowan has sent MC the item from the beginning of the game- The scarf, hat, or sweater. AND WE. FUCKIN. TREASURE IT. LIKE WE DO ANYWAY.

As for the future, she tells us that she wants to continue studying at Castleobruxo and become a professor there. And MC and friends will be supportive!

Bottom line is, A LOT OF LETTERS.

TAKE THAT JAM CITY SHITHEADS! I FIXED YOUR PLOT LIKE I ALWAYS DO!

#rowan literally had no reason to die #jam city writers are just full of wet straw and shit #look at how much potential THIS has! #hope you guys don't get mad at me for the tagging #i just want you to see! #i think we all agree that Jam City fucking sucks #there are worse ways to let go of your best friend than death ya know? #rowan khanna #hphm #hogwarts mystery #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery mc #hphm mc #hogwarts mystery rowan #hphm rowan #hogwarts #harry potter #hphm year 6 #hphm year 7 #hphm spoilers

[prideymcprideface]

This Can’t be Happening (Levi x F!MC)

Warnings: NSFW!, Strong language

Word Count: 1363

I glance at the time on my laptop, 2:34 am. Ugh. I slam it closed, the screen never changing from the home screen of the game I was playing. Everything I had done to distract myself was failing. I couldn’t keep my mind from wandering. The kiss (M/C) and I shared a couple of days ago was haunting me. No matter where I go, what I do, it’s always playing at the back of my head. 

I plop myself onto my floor, laying down to gaze up at Henry 2.0, “I wish I was like you. You wouldn’t be afraid of her, would you? You’d march right into her room and tell her how you felt.... show her even.” Henry waves his little fins in understanding. I smile to myself.

What am I so scared of? Rejection? No, (M/C) has been clear in her feelings for me. So why can’t I just be straight forward with her? Tell her I love her. Levi. Just do it. You can’t keep stressing like this! 

I run a hand through my hair. My thoughts are racing, still, all revolving around (M/C). Fuck it. Just try, you dumbass.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I stalk towards the door, heart pounding. If I don’t tell her now, I never will.

*Knock Knock* Even my knock sounds unsure. I turn from the door, now that I was moments away from seeing (M/C), I wasn’t sure I could do it. 

“Levi? You okay?” (M/C)’s voice stops me dead in my tracks. I gulp and turn to look at her. I can’t meet her eyes.

“Ha.. yeah, I was gonna see if you wanted to hang out,” I nervously scratch the back of my neck, “But it’s late so I decided to just... leave. Sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered.” 

Her eyes narrow, she obviously doesn’t believe me. “So, you ding dong ditched me? Kinda rude.” She joked.

“I ding dong what now?” (M/C) laughs at my confusion. 

“Just come in here, Levi. I was about to come see if you were down to watch a movie, anyway.”

“Really?!” Dude, chill it’s a movie, my smile falters “I mean, you were?” I say this time with noticeably less enthusiasm.

“Yes,” She rolls her eyes and grabs me by my arm, pulling me into her room, closing the door behind us. “I was thinkin’ about you, and thought ‘hey maybe we could cuddle and watch somethin’!’ And here you are, like you read my mind or something.”

“Yeah I was thinking about you, too.” My face flushes, 10x more than it should have at such a simple confession. But once I glance to (M/C) and find her smiling so brightly, my bravery is fueled. “Ever since we kissed, I can’t really think of anything else.... but you.”

“It was quite a kiss, wasn’t it?” She scoots closer to me, placing her arms around my neck. The human playfully twirls a strand of hair between her fingers. “Very. Memorable?”

“Mmm, very.” I’m caught up in her presence. The way she’s tilting her head while studying my face, the gentle caress of her fingers through my hair, the way a small smile is seemingly always on her lips. Everything pulls me in.

“I love you, Levi.”

That didn’t just happen. No way. No way! Someone like her would NEVER say something like that to me... a demon. Nope. 

“Levi?” (M/C) Is holding my face, inches from her own. “Levi! Hello, earth to Levi!”

I blink, once, twice, “Holy shit you really said that..... I- I thought I imagined it, oh my heck.”

“Do you not-” 

“Yes! No! Yes!” What are you saying, Levi?! “I love you! So much. Too. I love you, too!” 

I would’ve have spent the next 5 years drowning in self-pity if (M/C) hadn’t pulled me in - drowning me in her scent, instead. 

She loves me. Ha. She really loves me.

I pull back from her hug, only to smash my lips into hers. I scoop her into my lap, leaning back onto her bed. My every sense is focused in on her, and I can’t get enough.

We separate to catch our breaths, our hands still gliding over each other, exploring.

“I’m bad with words,” 

“Levi, that’s okay,” (M/C) tries to comfort me.

“No it’s not, but let me make it up to you,” I bring her ear down to me, so I can whisper, “Let me show you how I feel.” I can hear her breathe hitch in response to my words. She only nods.

Once again my lips are on hers, more intense this time. Devouring her, exploring her more than I ever have before. Our bodies move together perfectly. When I grind up into her, she’s pushing down onto me. Our rhythmic movements get me harder and harder, until I’m straining uncomfortably against her.

In one swift movement, I trap her underneath me. She still manages to rub against my clothed dick, driving me crazier with each movement. 

“You did this to me,” I lay down on top of her, roughly pressing myself into her abdomen. “I want you so badly, (M/C). Can I have you?”

“I don’t know, Levi, can you?” She looks at me through her lashes, a teasing smile on her lips. 

“Please.”

“Of course you can, Levi.” She rolls her hips into mine drawing out a small groan from me. “You can have me however you like.” Fuck.

Without another word, her large pajama shirt is discarded across the room. I eagerly tongue my way across her exposed chest, her scent causing me to lose myself in her. I suck across her collar bones, I nibble and lick her nipples, I leave mark after mark up and down her stomach. She’s wriggling underneath me, and I love it.

She palms against my erection, reminding me I’m still confined by my pants.  I raise myself from her for just as long as it takes me to rid myself of my clothing, then, I’m right back on her. It’s her turn now to wiggle out of the silky pair of panties she has on. The whole time, she pumps my dick in one small hand, teasing my tip with her thumb. 

I feel her line me up with her entrance, my cock twitches in anticipation. She notices and a small hum shows her appreciation for my readiness. 

“Ready?” Her smirk is back. But before she can get the satisfaction of once again teasing me, I thrust into her. A load moan escapes her, her head falls back onto the pillow. With every drive into her, an equally satisfying sound meets my ears.

(M/C) can barely speak, aside from various moans and my name. And all I can do is watch as her cunt practically sucks me in, I go faster and faster, chasing my release, my thumb rubs circles on her clit. I can feel (M/C) tense, her breathing picks up, cueing me in that she’s just as close as I am.

“Cum with me, (M/C).” I speed up, and unapologetically slam into her bringing us both to our breaking points. “Fuck!” My thrusts falter as I spill my seed into her. Her nails dig into my arms as her walls pulse around me, the extra stimulation has me seeing stars. We come down, both panting and heads spinning. I collapse next to her, pulling her small frame against me. Her hair tickles my nose, but I just nuzzle closer.

“Mm, I love you, (M/C).”

“Levi, you’re awake? It’s about time, dude, I thought you were dying or something, you started breathing so weird.” (M/C) wakes me.

My eyes snap open. I’m in (M/C)’s bed... She’s typing at her laptop. I had fallen asleep while we were studying together.... Which means-

“It was a dream?” I ask, my heart drops. I dreamt that, of course I did, she would never love you back. 

“By the way,” (M/C) meets my gaze, a knowing smile written across her face, “I love you, too.”

#OBEY ME #obey me shall we date #obey me leviathan #obey me levi smut #obey me levi x reader #obey me levi x mc #om! leviathan #swd leviathan #leviathan smut #obey me fic #obey me imagines #obey me short fic #first person levi

[beelspillowpet]

Brothers reactions to a fem disaster bi MC who swoons over like every fem demon they see in the devildom?

Just got finished screaming over how much I LOOOOOVE THIS PROMPT. BI DISASTER YEEEEAAAAHHHH

Thank you for being the first to request something from me! 😭😭😭 I apologize in advance that these hcs aren't SUPER FOCUSED on the MC being a female themselves, but I tried my best with sneaking it in there when I could!

I've decided that along with MC, the brothers are also bisexual for the prompts too! You can be a mess together! <3 Sorry it took so long!

~

Lucifer

Oh. You seemed so interested in that girl who passed you by. You were smitten, he might say. Never mind it, he didn’t want to assume anything of it. Maybe you were just really fond of that girl's appearance.

The next girl he spotted you talking with, he was a bit concerned. You shouldn’t be off making friends with just ANY demons. They could be plotting to take your soul if you aren’t careful. Your palette seemed to be meshed, you were now talking to boyish women and feminine men. It was starting to come together for him now that you are, in fact, bisexual. A truly chaotic one, at that.

Over the next few weeks, he sees you flourish more and more with your obsession over women and men together. It’s not like you’ve forgotten about him, far from it. In fact, sometimes he listens to you rant about how beautiful this girl is at RAD, talking about her eyes or her lips. Other times he listens to you cry over how absolutely GORGEOUS this man is. He will never admit that he finds your taste in men and women to be quite similar to his. Almost exactly the same.

He listens to you sometimes talk to his brothers about how unrealistically, unreasonably cute, that girls are. You don't have nearly as much energy talking about men than you do women, but it's still there. He doesn’t really indulge you as much as he should, but he gives you enough input to invite you to keep ranting about BEAUTIFUL women and men.

Mammon

Same, dude. Same.

Mammon is a powerful bisexual, and you are the one who made him realize this(?!). He pretends he's not listening to you half the time, but he's hanging on your every word. When you two hang out, sometimes you push your D.D.D to his face to show you another model you've found on Devilgram. "His abs are SMOKIN' hot, Mammon, look!!" He has to agree. He's got a nice body. "Look at her soft face! She's SO unbelievably cute! And those curves, oof!”

He's watching you swoon and he can't believe it. You're both chaotic disasters, swooning over man and woman alike. You put much more life into your talks about women than you do men, and it worries him sometimes that he might not actually give him the time of day whenever he works up the courage. When you talk about those cute women, he does mostly still think about you. You have such beautiful eyes, and soft hair, when he's allowed to touch it. He wonders why you haven't seen it yourself.

At some point he let's it slip that he, himself, may or may not be bisexual, when you catch him scrolling through Devilgram of some of the models you've shown him in the past. The two of you spend hours on end, swooning over every male and female in sight.

Leviathan

You two are feral bisexuals. Especially fond of girls. Leviathan and you have both played those H-games. You know the ones. He catches you from time to time, listening to ASMR of girls patting your head or talking you through a rough patch in your life. He definitely knows when you're listening to lewd audio clips of women too.

He thinks for a while that you're a lesbian, and he's completely fine with that. It isn't until your attention abruptly SHIFTS when you find a SMOKIN' HOT anime boy that he realizes you are a disaster of a bisexual. Sometimes it's like a day and night shift with you. When you see girls at anime conventions you swoon uncontrollably. Gripping his arm and giving those compressed SCREECHES from the throat with shut lips. He can't help but think you're hyperbolic sometimes.

Deep down inside, he feels the exact same way. It's just too embarrassing to act like that though. But even though he feels that way, he watches you shuffling over to the cosplayers and otaku girls and asking for pictures. If you're lucky, you might even score a number from one of them! How dare you have better social skills than him? It's SOOO not fair??

He decides one of these days he'll take a page out of your book. He'll happily geek out about girls to you (especially if there's a Ruri-Chan cosplayer!?) and occasionally about the guys too. You both lean towards females anyway, and he's glad he's found someone just like him.

Satan

Oh. Girls? Guys? He's here, and he's listening.

He doesn't have any picture books, but the way the books describe some of the women? *chef's kiss* He loves it! He's watched you attempt to capture their beauty on paper (or tablet and laptop!) and smiles at your attempts. He calls them attempts because that's what you call them. "Nothing I do can truly capture the beauty that is any female that exists here." And he AGREES.

He finds your ridiculous chanting of GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS to be a riot. He joins in if it means pissing Lucifer off with the noise pollution. When you shift to guys, he's still as vocal as before. You probably aren't that great at drawing guys yet, but that's cool. He appreciates your enthusiasm. You catch him staring at you from time to time, and you wonder if he ever thinks you're as cute of a girl as the other ones you two fawn over.

Like a distorted clock, you talk about girls for at least two hours of his time, and then another hour about boys. He can't believe how much energy you put into loving women. He wonders if you're like Asmo, and just appreciate women a little bit too much. After all, the previous mention of chanting GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS is still fresh on his mind. You really are a messy bisexual, but you're his favorite messy bisexual, at least.

Asmodeus

OH HECK YEAH. YOU BOTH ARE A WRECK!

GIRLS. BOYS. GIRLS. BOYS. It's a never ending cycle with you two. It's like you're rabid animals, constantly going out to The Fall for the scoop on the next hottest guy to walk in. When you see a girl though, it's like you're straight out of a cartoon. You don't howl or whistle or anything of the sort that may be unsightly or rude but you ARE WATCHING. RESPECTFULLY.

You and Asmo are unashamed when it comes to flirting with men and women alike. You share tips that have worked in the past for each other, and having the Avatar of Lust give you pointers is a nice bonus overall. Asmo thinks for a while that you are a normal bisexual, but he's proven wrong when you find a group of beautiful women, who you hyper focus on for the next few weeks. He's honestly impressed.

It's like your attraction to men has almost disappeared, and he worries that perhaps you don't love him more than any woman you run across in the Devildom anymore. Your attention to men is still there with passing comments of "yeah he's really cute" but you're RIGHT BACK to the topic of GIRLS. he can't blame you. Women are QUEENS, just like you're an absolute QUEEN to him. He's more than happy to indulge some lewd talk about women, and you both spend hours doing exactly that most nights.

Beelzebub

Oh, that's cool. Someone else in this house likes both men and women. He's glad you're comfortable sharing so much with him. Usually when you do go for jogs in the morning, he watches you at his side while he listens to you. There's apparently this blonde woman with dark skin and she looks absolutely DIVINE. His brain focuses on imagining a pretzel with salt sprinkled over it, and he drools. He likes that thought, very much.

It's when you see said jogger does he truly realize your fixation on women is something to be feared.  You're practically floating when she jogs by, almost wanting to go after her. Beel stops you, and asks if you're okay, worried that you might trip over your own feet if you swoon any harder. He thinks its cute. You start to dress like this jogging woman, wearing her color scheme in hopes that she'll notice you. Maybe he'll try to help and play wingman for you.

He doesn't open up about it at first, but eventually he does finally speak up when you bring up a man you see at the gym with him from time to time. He blushes a bit because he knows immediately who you're talking about. You like that guy, and Beel really likes him too. When you two see him at the gym, you both swoon a bit too much. While spotting Beel one time, he passed by and Beel nearly dropped his weights on his chest. This caused a bit of attention your way and flustered, you helped Beel set the weights back up and make sure he was okay. That wasn't the first or last time an accident happened at the gym either.

At the Fangol games, it's even worse, somehow. You sit as close as possible to the field, and halftime is your FAVORITE time. All those cute cheerleaders? Cheering for their teams? You forget in all the glory that is the ABSOLUTE BEAUTY OF WOMEN that you're supposed to be rooting for Beel. You spend the rest of the game reimagining the routines that were performed, and Beel is right there admiring them too. Quietly, at least. You're a bit too enthusiastic about your love for women, and Beel thinks you're cheering louder for them than you are for him when he's playing. He doesn't mind it too much though. He'd probably be the same way, provided he let loose a little more.

Belphegor

He doesn't bother with you. It's like you talk a mile a minute, only interested in girls for the most part. Occasionally you'll talk about a hot guy, and well, he's listening but... It's sort of hard for him to fall asleep with all your rambling about women. With such detail, it's like you're trying to give him material to imagine while he sleeps.

Belphie tries his hardest not to tell you to quiet down sometimes. He's forced to come to RAD, he's stuck by your side, mostly because your taste in men and women are quite similar to his. He's been sorely lacking on the cute girls and guys here at RAD, but he can count on you to provide eye candy for him. Not that he's going to act on it. Most of the time, he's too busy trying to block out your constant rambling. He notices it's mostly about women.

He thinks you're insecure at first, trying to appeal to him, presumably a straight guy, while appearing interested in men to seem straight too. He let's it be known for your comfort, if you like girls more than guys, then it's fine. He's not one to care or judge others on their interest. An anarchist at heart, and your chaotic bisexuality freak-outs are what he lives for. If you were more quiet about it, he would find it easier to fall asleep to. He manages to do that a few times.

Let's it slip while talking about a dream he had that he's interested in guys too. Maybe a little more than you are, though. 50/50 at best. He doesn't really encourage you to talk more about the girls you absolutely DROOL over, but whenever you two are out and you spot a woman, he's always side eyeing you and telling you to wipe your mouth. He sometimes makes a show of it, teasing you by panting like a dog, or telling you to heel. It's all in fun though, and he lets up before it gets too embarrassing.

#om! #obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me swd #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphgor

[alccaddsccup]

The Proposal (chapter 1)

this is my idea of what i think could’ve happened if somebody made a certain proposal. I intend for this to be about three chapters, but i have no specific release schedule. I hope you enjoy!!

Miss Parsons x MC

warnings: fluff and a literal crumb of angst

“Miss Parsons, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

Miss Parsons looks to Clara with wide eyes and she nods encouragingly

“Why Mr Konevi, I’d be delighted to accept” Mr Konevi stands from where he was kneeling to place a chaste kiss on Miss Parsons hand and all the guests in attendance of the Viscount and Viscountess’ wedding reception applaud politely. Mr Parsons beams with pride as he wipes a tear from his eye

“I never thought I’d see the day where my beloved daughter got engaged. I surely thought she would remain a spinster!” Miss Parsons turns to her father with a tight smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes

“Of course not father, I was simply saving myself for the right man” she is barely able to contain a grimace as she says this, but the unpleasantness is soon replaced by a feeling of warmth as Clara embraces her tightly and whispers

“I am so proud of you, my Annabelle. This is all means to an end, we will soon be able to live out our days in peace as wife and wife” Miss Parsons’ heart flutters at the thought of spending her life with her, without interruption or questioning. As Clara lets her go, Mr Chambers approaches

“I believe congratulations are in order miss, Mr Konevi is quite the catch!” Mr Chambers winks which causes Miss Parsons to giggle “I assume you and Mr Konevi have the same… arrangement that the countess and I have?” Mr Chambers lowers his voice as he says this in order to remain unheard by the party guests

“Indeed sir, we each know where our hearts truly lie” Miss Parsons’ gaze flits to Clara who is engaged in conversation with Mr Konevi. Clara catches her eye and smiles softly, a delicate blush blooming across her cheeks “Then I think this union will be most joyful, miss!”

—————————————————————

Clara knows she shouldn’t be feeling like this, but she can’t help the way she squirms uncomfortably

“They make a lovely couple, don’t they?” someone whispers the question from behind her

“Indeed, they are perfectly suited.”comes the reply. It was Clara who was perfectly suited to Annabelle, not Mr Konevi. But she held her tongue and resumed her focus on the ceremony before her

“With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Mr Konevi’s deep voice rings out through the church as he places the ring on Miss Parsons’ finger, but Miss Parsons’ focus is not on the ring but on Clara instead. She gives her a small smile and the countess does her best to return the expression

“Forasmuch as Mr Yusuf Konevi and Miss Annabelle Parons have consented together in holy wedlock, I pronounce that they be man and wife together. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen” The pair turn to face the crowd hand in hand with polite smiles on both their faces before walking back down the aisle with everyone else in the church following shortly after.

Once inside the wedding hall, the newlywed couple are given various compliments and well wishes but Clara is nowhere to be seen.

“Yusuf my dear boy, your mother would be so proud of you right now.” Madam Raisa embraces Mr Konevi tightly and he returns the hug with just as much enthusiasm “Thank you, it warms my heart to hear this” As Madam Raisa releases Mr Konevi she turns to the new Mrs Konevi and grabs her hands “I hope you will pay Yusuf’s family a visit in the Ottoman empire one day, they would love to meet you” A brief wave of panic runs over her at the thought of leaving the country and leaving Clara behind but she masks it well “I’ll be sure to meet them as soon as I’m able” Madam Raisa gives the pair a final smile before allowing the next person in the line to congratulate them

“Annabelle, you make your father proud!” Mr Parsons embraces her briefly before shaking Mr Konevi’s hand “And you sir are most welcome to move in to Hazelvale manor as soon as you are able”

Annabelle rolls her eyes subtly “Father, we will be living at the Edgewater estate, as we have already discussed several times”

“Yes of course, but I just don’t understand why-“ Annabelle suddenly spots Clara on the far side of the hall looking down and a little lost “excuse me father, I must see to something” she quickly crosses the hall and grabs Clara by the hand before leading her out to the deserted hallway

“Annabelle, what’s this about?”

“I could not bear to see you so sad for a second longer” Annabelle kisses Clara’s cheek softly whilst rubbing small circles on the outside of her hand “Please, my love, tell me what is bothering you?”

Clara sighs “I know I’ll sound foolish but-“ Annabelle puts a finger to Clara’s lips

“Nothing you say could possibly be foolsih” she tucks a strand of Clara’s hair behind her ear before trailing a delicate finger down her cheek

“I suppose I’ve been feeling jealous. So many people have been saying that you and Mr Konevi are a perfect couple but that simply isn’t true!” Clara pulls away from Annabelle to gaze out the window “We are the perfect couple, and I feel so frustrated that no one else can know or understand” Annabelle joins her by the window, placing one arm around Clara’s waist “Clara, you know I love you with every fibre of my being, nothing that other people say will affect my love for you” she pulls Clara closer “and our love is so pure and wonderful that no one will ever understand. Is it so bad that our feelings remain between only a select few?”

“I suppose there are worse fates. Thank you Annabelle for letting me share this burden with you” Annabelle turns Clara’s face towards her own with her hand on her chin “of course, it is my duty as your wife” She places a tender kiss on Clara’s lips before resting their foreheads together “should we head back inside?”

“Hmm, not yet. Perhaps I may have another kiss before we return?” the pair move towards each other at the same time and their lips meet in another kiss. Clara pulls Annabelle to her body as she deepens the kiss, their tongues mingling together. After a few moments, the pair pull apart breathlessly

“We can return to the party now” Clara smiles demurely at Annabelle before going to rejoin the rest of the party, holding each other’s hand until they reach the door

#playchoices #choices stories you play #choices #desire and decorum #miss parsons #annabelle parsons #miss parsons x mc #choices d&d #choices desire and decorum #annabelle x mc

[jerzwriter]

Delaying the Inevitable: Chapter 35: For Good

Book:                   Open Heart 3 (Post Series) Pairing:                Tobias Carrick x MC, Ethan Ramsey x MC Rating:                 Chapter:  Mature             Warnings:            Discussions of traumatic memories, parental substance abuse; emotional issues. Summary:           Extended Series WIP – Love Triangle.  In this chapter – Ethan, Casey and Tobias all examine their past, and the impact it has on their present as Casey decides where her future lies.   Category:            Extended Series (WIP) A/N:                     FINALLY! Oh, my I thought the final chapter would never be done! And I’m really hoping my covid brain allowed me to do it justice.  This has been a long and crazy ride that started almost a full year ago, before Open Heart 3 Ended.  When the fandom was still pretty active.  I am so grateful to all of you who have followed this story, some with an enthusiasm I will never understand, from the start. To say writing this has been a learning experience is an understatement.  There is a lot I wish to say, and I may write more about it in the coming days, but for now, I give you the final chapter.  Thank you for taking this ride with me. A/N 2:                  This chapter is dedicated to readers who have written to me over the past year and bravely shared their own stories.  Your words have touched me, your trust has humbled me and, yes, you impacted this story and how it needed to be told.  You opened my eyes to so many things, and I am forever grateful for the lessons.  I will always keep your confidentiality, so your names are not mentioned here, but you know who you are, and this chapter is yours.

A/N 3:                 Songsipiration  “For Good” 

SERIES MASTERLIST

CHARACTERS BELONG TO PIXELBERRY STUDIOS

Her legs were unsteady as she barreled through the hall.  There was no time to process the past twenty-four hours.  It had descended upon her and those she loved like a whirling tempest determined to forever shift the landscape of their lives.  Once formed of solid bedrock, the ground beneath her had dissolved into piles of shifting sand, and she needed something to hold on to, a life preserver to carry her through.  And, in a peculiar way, Louise had provided it for her.  

All eyes were upon her as she approached the nurses' station with a hellbent fire in her eyes.

“Where is she?” Casey demanded.

“Dr. MacTavish,” the head nurse attempted to soothe, “everything is OK.  We have protocols in place, and we wouldn’t let her….”

“Is there an approved visitor list?” Casey snapped.

The nurse lowered her eyes.

“No, there isn’t. We’re lucky that the nurse on duty knew the situation, or she could be sitting at his side right now.  In his condition, do you think that is what he needs to wake to?  Now, where is she?”

No sooner had the nurse pointed in the direction of the waiting room before Casey was on her way.  Her breath caught at the sight of Louise, her back hunched as she silently stared out the window. It would have been impossible for her to know how many wounds the sight of Ethan’s mother would open, but it became apparent quickly.  Her composure began to slip, and her body began to tremble, but she was not about to concede.  She was here to protect Ethan and avenge all that Louise had destroyed.  She was drowning in a sea where there were no simple answers, no right, no wrong, and she desperately needed clarity in something, and this is what it was.  

Louise turned around and gasped when she came face to face with Casey.  Their eyes lingered on each other before either spoke.  Louise remembered the young woman being compassionate and kind and hoped to find those mercies in her now.  But as she scanned her face, she couldn’t find a trace of either. Casey’s blue eyes steel daggers that Louise felt slicing through her soul.  She averted her eyes; there was nothing to do but prepare for the onslaught that she had known was inevitable.  

“The audacity!” Casey spat. “The absolute audacity of you to show your face here! Now! How dare you, Louise!”

The older woman’s tiny frame appeared to shrink even smaller.  She couldn’t argue; every word Casey spoke was true.  A truth she had attempted to bury not once, but twice in her lifetime. She probably wouldn’t be standing here if she had stopped to think.  But the impulsivity that had defined her life in so many ways delivered her to where she stood.  It was only now that she realized how unprepared she was for the ire she was about to receive.  

“Casey,” Louise said nervously as she slowly lifted her head.  “I figured I’d have to face Alan first, but I should have known...  I knew you would be by my son’s side.”  

Casey laughed bitterly, the pale attempt at flattery angering her even more.

“You knew? What the hell would you know about your son? Your son?  You don’t have a son, Louise.  Your son is gone.”

“Gone?! You don’t… he didn’t….”

“No, he’s alive, fighting for his life, at least.  Fighting to stay here for the people who love him, and that does not include you. Your son,” she spat.  “Alan has a son.  Hell, Naveen does, but you? No … you forfeited that right.  The last thing Ethan needs is you.  The one person who made him feel like nothing for more than half of his life.  So you can just get your things and get the hell out of here now because I assure you, you will see Ethan over my dead body.”

“Casey… I know… I wish… I know I deserve your scorn… but there is so much that you don’t understand….”

“You’re right, I don’t, and I never will.  You see, I can’t imagine turning my back on anyone that I love, never mind my own child!”

“I thought he’d be better off without me, Casey,” Louise wailed as she attempted to explain.  “Both times!  I know who I am!  I knew what I was capable of, and I couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t stick around to see the disappointment in his eyes.”

“The disappointment in his eyes? Is that what you feared?  So you were protecting yourself.  Because the disappointment… the heartache… it was still there. Ethan still had to endure it, even if you didn’t have to see it.  But I did.  Alan did.  The people who loved him and tried to clean up the mess you left again did. We all paid the price for your actions, but at least you were spared.  That makes me feel so much better.”  

Louise bit her lip and turned away in shame.  How could she make Casey understand when she barely understood herself.  

“I truly believed I was doing what was best for him.  Alan was the better parent, the reliable parent who didn’t have the baggage that would weigh Ethan down.  When I came back… I thought it could be different,” she yelped, stifling tears. “And it was going so well… but I heard those voices again.  They said I wasn’t good enough, I didn’t deserve it, and they were probably right. I started using again to shut them up, but they only became louder.  I knew what was coming.  I didn’t want Ethan’s life to become calls from the police at 2:00 AM because I was wandering around some parking lot, not even knowing my name.  I didn’t want to start turning the anger I had inside on those around me, and I knew I would.  I know what happens to the families of people like me because that’s the family I grew up in.  And I didn’t want to put Ethan through that.”

“Louise, we’re doctors. We knew damn well what was at stake. That’s why we tried to get you help, but you….”

“I was losing, Casey! I was falling off the cliff, and I did not want to take him, take any of you, with me. I saw the way Ethan looked at you, the way you looked at each other.  You were building a good life, and the last thing you needed was me dragging you down.  You both deserved a life free of me.”

“So instead, you abandoned him? Did you really think that wouldn’t hurt?”

“I wasn’t thinking logically.  I thought he’d be OK. He had you… and…”

“He had me? That’s your excuse? Because not only is it pathetic, it’s wrong. He didn’t have me; he didn’t have anyone.  After you abandoned him, he shut me out.  He shut Alan out.  Why love anyone when love just walks out that door. Right? That’s the lesson you taught him.  That’s your legacy!  That’s the voice he heard when he shoved me out of his life the same way you shoved him out of yours! You nearly destroyed him, and then he turned around and nearly destroyed me!”

“Wait, you… and Ethan… you’re not together?”

“No, Louise.  You destroyed us when you destroyed him.”

“I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t know….”

“Of course, you didn’t. You weren’t there.”

Casey took a long breath and felt the heated emotion welling inside her turn into steely resolve. “There is only one thing that’s important right now: Ethan surviving, and I don’t see how you can be beneficial towards that. I want you to leave.  If Ethan survives, we’ll tell him you were here… when he’s strong enough. He can decide if he wants to see you, but you will not see him until then.  I will make sure of that.”

“But you’ll tell him that….”

Casey rubbed her temples and turned away.  “Louise, I said all I’m going to say.  Leave your number with the nurse on duty.  If you hear from us, Ethan lived and is willing to see you.  If you don’t… well, then at least one of those things didn’t happen.”

Not giving Louise a chance to respond, Casey stormed out of the room without paying attention, careening into someone as she turned the nearest corner.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s my fault,” she apologized.  “I wasn’t looking, and…oh.”

Her eyes took on a new layer of sadness when she looked up and saw Tobias’s outreached hand.

“I’m sorry,  I….” she sputtered.

“Were you here to see Louise?” He asked.

With adrenaline still coursing through her veins, she became defensive.  

“Yes. And I know what you’re thinking! But I only came because she had it coming! She doesn’t get to just breeze in here because she wants absolution!  She doesn’t….”

“Hey, hey, slow down, Case,” he pleaded, instinctively wrapping a comforting arm around her. Then reality dawned on him.  With an ache he had never felt before welling in his chest, he took a step back.  

The way he retreated from her and the broken expression in his eyes ripped at Casey’s already tattered heart.  The past year required her to push her feelings aside, put on a brave face, and do what was best for all.  She had done it with such finesse that it should have been easy for her to put on one more performance.  But every person has a limit, and Casey had reached hers.  She was standing mere inches away from Tobias, but the chasm that was building between them left him unreachable.  Her heart sank, and it was only then that she realized that Louise had inadvertently provided her with a temporary escape.   But now, as her anger melted away, despair rushed in to fill the void it left behind.  Her world was awash in grey, and this time, Casey refused to lift the paintbrush in an attempt to paint a brighter sky.  

“I’m not upset… well, not about this,” Tobias whispered.  “I was headed down here, probably to do the same thing you did.  I just… I understand.”

“Oh,” she demurred. “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to… I just….”

“It’s OK.”

“How are you?” she asked, unwilling to meet his eyes.

“Me,” Tobias chuckled sadly. “If I had to pick the shittiest day of my life, this runs neck in neck with when my Dad died thinking I still hated him.  But, hey, I survived that, right? I’ll survive this, too.”  

“Life’s about more than survival,” Casey swallowed.

“Yeah, well… sometimes that’s the best we’ve got.”

“It didn’t have to be this way…,” she choked.  “You…and me… you know, it didn’t have to be….”

“Yes, it did,” he interrupted.  “Yes, it does.  This is killing me, but nothing has changed since last night.  You… we need this time.”

“Time… apart,” she murmured.  

“Yes,” he said, caressing her cheek.  “Time apart.”

Casey clenched her eyes tightly and nodded in silence, biting her lips in a valiant attempt to stop her tears from falling.  

“When Sienna called… I rushed down here.  I didn’t pack my things the way we planned… you know… so they’re all still at hom…” the word caught in her throat.  “I mean, at your place… and…”

“Shhh, shhh,” he soothed. “It’s OK, Casey.  We can work that out.  If it’s easier, I can pack your things for you….”

“No!” she snapped. Her mind raced back to the last time her heart was shattered, and Ethan neatly packed her belongings.  Every memory they shared, her whole life, lined up neatly in cardboard boxes to be carried away like nothing ever happened. “I need to be a big girl and do this, Tobias.  No matter how much it hurts.”

He nodded sadly.  “Where are you going to stay?” he asked with a pained voice.  

“I’ll get a hotel room for a night or two until I figure things out.”

“I don’t like the idea of you being alone. Why don’t you just stay….”

“No, Tobias.  Don’t you get it? I can’t be there with you. That was our home,” she cried. “ We shared so much there, and now, knowing that… our future…”  she trailed off.  

“I know,” he breathed. “I wish we didn’t have to… it’s just….”

“I know,” she said, placing her hand atop his.  “I know,” she smiled, lifting the paintbrush out of her pocket and beginning to paint pretty lies.  “I’ll be fine.”

Tobias knew her too well; he knew she was putting up a false front, but he didn’t deny her.  Sometimes we have to try on different roles before they become a reality; he was attempting to do the same thing himself.

“OK.  Do you want to take the day off?”  He asked.

“No, I’ll be on shift in four hours, as expected,” she answered with a sad smile.  

“Then I’ll see you then,” he nodded awkwardly as they parted.  

The world was the same place that it was just 24-hours before, but the landscape was forever changed.

~~~~~

A few hours and very little rest later, Casey shuffled into the team’s office.  Harper jumped up and greeted her with a warm embrace.   Peering over Harper’s shoulder, her eyes locked with Tobias’s, but he quickly turned away.  Her face contorted as she let out a gentle snort. This was all too familiar, and she took solace in one thing… for now, only she and Tobias knew of their situation.  There was enough to deal with, and fielding questions from people whose hearts would be in the right place was something she did not need.  

“Is there any word on Ethan?” She asked.  

“Nothing new,” Tobias answered from across the room.  “But he hasn’t gotten worse and, right now, that’s a good sign.”

“I know it will be difficult for us to focus today,” Harper stated.  “Maybe we could set up a schedule to check on him.  This way, no one is away too long, and we can keep each other updated.  After all, he’d be furious if we let our patients suffer because we’re worried about him.”

“I say that’s an excellent idea,” a voice called in from the door.  

“Naveen?” Casey asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Helping a friend,” he smiled.  “Well, several of them, actually.  With Ethan…” he stalled. “Well, I told the board I would step in temporarily to help with the team.  I need to keep busy right now, and the hospital is where I want to be.  Temporarily,” he emphasized.  "I’m sure my boy will be back up here in no time, and then I will return to fishing.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Tobias smiled, patting Naveen on the back.  “It’ll be nice having you around.”

After a brief meeting, Naveen asked Casey to remain behind.  She poured them each a cup of coffee and sat next to her grand-mentor on the sofa.  

“While I love the opportunity to work with you again…” she sighed.

“… I wish it wasn’t like this,” they said in unison.

“One would think doctors would get used to the unpredictability of life,” Naveen said, tapping her hand.  “I’ll let you in on a little secret; we never do.”

“I’m learning that,” she said as she sipped her coffee.

“I talked to Tobias earlier.”

“Oh?”

“I know that you were both looking for new positions before… but, with things as they are, I asked if he would consider suspending his search, just until things are sorted out.”

“And?”

“He agreed to pause his search for now.”

“Oh,” she answered, looking down at her cup.

“I thought he might have….” Naveen stopped when he saw the distant look in Casey’s eyes, and like the top diagnostician he was, he knew.  

“No,” she smiled weakly, “he hadn’t told me yet.”

“I see.  Well, I was going to ask the same of you.  Do you think that….”

Naveen trailed off as Casey stood and walked silently to the window.  She stared pensively down at the street below.  Her mind was being pulled in a multitude of directions… she wanted to check in on Ethan, she wanted to talk to Tobias, she needed to pack her things… and find a place to live.  How did everything end up here?  It had been her dream to be on this team.  These people had become her family, Edenbrook her home, and now, they needed her in more ways than one.  She turned around and leaned against the window's edge.  With her head held high, she looked at Naveen and spoke in a voice that came out far more confidently than she had anticipated.

“I am afraid I can’t make the same promise.  I’m sorry, Naveen.  I don’t have any immediate offers, but when a suitable one arrives… I need to move on.”

Naveen pushed his glasses up his nose and walked toward her.  

“I don’t know if I have ever been more proud of you than I am right now, Casey, and I’m glad you won’t be staying on.”

“You… are?” she asked nervously.

“Yes.  Because no one is infallible.  You had one critical flaw that prevented you from becoming the best doctor… no… it prevented you from being the best person you could be.”

“And what is that?” she asked with growing concern.  

Naveen took both of her hands in his.  

“My child, you put the needs of every patient, of every person you cared for, above your own.  That level of empathy is admirable, but there is only so long anyone can bear that much of a burden before it erodes them. Edenbrook has taught you well, and you have given your all to us, but it’s time for you to put Casey first. Trust me, the patients will be cared for, the institution will still stand, and it will stand stronger because you were here.”

Casey’s head fell into Naveen’s shoulder as she fought back the tears.

“Let it go, my child. You’ve been through so much, and there is no shame in letting it out.”

“Naveen,” she sniffled, “I feel like you just gave me permission to be… free.”

“As much as I would love to give that to you, that is something that you can only gift yourself… and you just did.”

“But… but some people are more than just patients to me. They’re people I love, and how do I leave them behind?”

“Casey, you fight for those you love.  You give them your all.  No favor is too big or too small.  You fight for them.  But it’s OK to fight for yourself with the same gusto, and….”

“And?”

“… and sometimes, you should let them fight for you just as hard.”

He took her by the shoulder and looked into her eyes.  

“Go where life takes you, my dear. The people who are meant to be there will end up by your side.  It’s inevitable, and you couldn’t stop it if you tried.  It’s what brought us all together, and it all works out if you let it.”

Naveen gave Casey a quick hug and smiled.  “Now, I believe we have work to do.”

“We do,” she smiled. “Are you going to see Ethan now?”

“After I speak with Dr. Reynolds.  We need to adjust schedules, but it won’t be long.”

“Naveen,” she called, stopping him in his tracks.  

“Yes, my dear?”

“Do you… do you think he’ll be OK?”

“I do,” he smiled. “He has to be.”

~~~~~

A few hours later, it was Casey’s turn to check in on Ethan.  She was grateful for the elevator, which stopped on every floor, allowing her just a few more minutes to close her eyes and shut out the world. But when the door opened on her floor, the tiredness dissipated when she heard Alan’s agitated voice.  Fearing the worst, she rushed to his side.

“Alan, what’s wrong?”

He turned to her with a grin so bright that she immediately knew it wasn’t agitation but relief.  

“I was trying to reach you and Naveen! Ethan’s awake! He’s awake, and he asked to see you!”

The nurse gave Casey the usual speech as she walked her to Ethan’s room.  

“He is still in and out, and he needs to rest ….”

“Excuse me,” Casey said politely, holding up her ID.  “I’m a doctor here, remember? I think I can handle this.”

“Oh! Of course, but even doctors need to keep their visits short.”

“I know that too,” Casey smiled, “now get out of my way because I need to see him!”

The whirling and beeping from the machines helping Ethan in his fight were the only sounds when she entered the room.  Ethan remained still, eyes firmly shut as she sank into the chair beside his bed.  She took his hand in hers and smiled as a calming breath escaped her.  She could be patient now.  For the first time since he was rushed into surgery, she was confident that those eyes would open, that she’d see them again.    

“When you want attention, you really go all out, don’t you?” she chuckled nervously.  “If you ever do anything like this again, you won’t make Ethan Ramsey because I swear I’ll kill you first.  You better know that” she swallowed.  “Because I will.”

She slumped back in the chair and closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his warm hand in hers.

“No, you won’t,” he whispered, in a voice so low that she thought she imagined it.  But when his hand gently squeezed hers, she startled, her eyes opening to lock on his once again.

“Ethan,” she gasped, “Oh my God! You’re….”

Taking his hand in both of hers, she lowered her head and began to weep.  

“Do I look that bad?” he breathed, wincing in pain.

“Ethan,” she gasped, ignoring his attempts at humor.  “I thought we were going to lose you.”

“I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Well, we have a team of doctors here who were not so sure.  Don’t you ever do this to me again!”

“I won’t,” he whispered, the faintest of smiles on his lips.

“I’m holding you to that.”

“Are they doing a decent job caring for me? Or do I need you to read my chart to me?”

“You’re not on the clock right now, and with the amount of painkillers being pumped into your body… how about you let us take care of you for a bit?”

“Only under duress.” He attempted to chuckle, but it quickly turned into a grimace. “Are you OK?”

“Me? I’m not the one lying in that bed.  I’m just fine.”

“I saw how scared you were… when I,” he swallowed.  “I’m sorry for worrying you so.”

“You never have to apologize for worrying me, Ethan.  That’s what we do for those we care for.  It’s the price we pay for experiencing love.”

“I know, and, Casey?”

“Yes?”

“I remember,” he whispered.

“Remember what?”

“Everything. Everything you said.  I remember every word.”

“You… you do?”

“It helped more than you know.  It reminded me of how much I mattered, and it helped me hold on.  But, don’t worry,” he half-smiled.  “I’m not holding you to it.”

“You’re not?”

“People say things when they think… we see it every day.”

“But I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean.  I do love you, and the thought of losing you, it was… I was terrified, Ethan.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean….”

“You know what,” Casey interrupted, “none of that matters right now.  All that matters is you getting better, and you will.  I’m sure of it.  We will have time for other things later, but now… you just need to rest and get better.  Can you do that for me?”

“I can,” he grinned.  

“Good, now, I’m going to leave now because I already hear Naveen yelling that I’ve overstayed my time.”

“Is that really happening? I thought I was hallucinating.”

“No,” Casey chuckled, “he’s out there, and others will be soon.  A whole lot of us love you, Ethan Ramsey.  Please, no more stunts like this to prove it, OK?”

“You have my word.”

With a kiss to his forehead, she left the room.

~~~~~

Tobias tried to be patient when he heard that Ethan had woken up.  He was anxious to see him, but he figured there were at least a handful of people his buddy would want to lay his weary eyes on before he saw his mug. So, he waited.  He had been staring through the window into Ethan’s room for over twenty minutes now.  A hell of a way to spend his dinner break.  He told himself he would only go in if Ethan were awake. He had enough interruptions already today.  And now, with his free time dwindling away, he wasn’t sure if he was more apprehensive about getting some time with his friend or missing his chance.  But when he saw Ethan stir, a gentle smile on his lips as he woke, Tobias knocked on the door.  Nothing was going to keep him away.  

“Tobias.”

“Hey, buddy,” Tobias muttered, gently tapping Ethan’s leg.  “I’m so glad you pulled through.”

“Really?” Ethan smiled, though clearly in pain.  “That means something coming from you.”

“Yeah, well, even during our darkest times, I never wished you dead,” Tobias snickered. “And I’m confident you never wanted me dead either.”  

Ethan stared at Tobias blankly, his discomfort aiding him in preventing a smile.  

“OK, so maybe I should take that back,” Tobias laughed.

“I’m joking,” Ethan grinned wearily. “I’m glad we’re both here.  So, what’s my prognosis? Is it as rosy as they’re telling me? Or is it just the shit we feed our patients when we want them to keep their spirits up?”

“You do that? I thought you were Dr. Honesty?”

“Well, I never considered it a lie, per se.  Just a way of offering some hope. What I’m asking you is, do I have hope?”

“You have hope, Ramsey. You have hope.”

The silence between them was simultaneously awkward and comfortable, the wan smiles on their faces tilting more toward the latter.  

“How is the team doing?” Ethan asked.

“Miraculously, we’re managing to stay afloat.”

“I’ll be back….”

“I have no doubt that you will be, after a long recovery, sir. We’re not letting you rush this. Even Naveen jumped back in; we’ll hold down the fort.”

A look of exasperation crossed Ethan’s face.

“Hey,” Tobias replied. “That’s what we do for people we care about, so cut the shit.  I promised to put off the job search until you’re back on your feet, someone has to be an asshole to the interns, and we both know it’s not going to be Naveen.”

“Is Casey staying on too, then?  For now?”

“No,” he answered matter of factly.  “She’s still searching, and she’s made it clear if the right opportunity arises…” he paused, choking on his words, “… she has to.”

“I don’t blame her,” Ethan sighed.

“I can’t say I do either.”

“Tobias… I know I apologized before, but now I see it even clearer.  I never should have interfered.  I hope you and Casey will both….”

“Stop, stop,” Tobias interrupted him.  “What’s done is done. We can’t move backward, only forwards.  Besides,” he smiled sadly, “you and me… broken-hearted over the same woman?  We’ve played this game before.”

Ethan stared blankly at the ceiling, letting his thoughts gel before speaking.

“I’m not broken-hearted anymore,” he replied softly.  “But I’m… sad? Coming to terms? But the one thing I know is after coming so close to the end is… I want to live.  You know? It is so clear now.  How much of my life did I waste just surviving? That’s not the goal. When we send our patients out that door, do we want them to survive? Or do we want them to live?”

“We want to live,” Tobias assured.  “I want you to live.”

“Good,” Ethan smiled, “because I plan on it.”

“Do you…” Tobias hesitated. “You know what, never mind…,” he stood up. “I should….”

“No, T, talk to me.  Do I what?”

“Do you need… her? In order to… live?”

“Do I need… who?”

The look on Tobias’s face answered Ethan’s question without words.

“Casey? Tobias, I already told you I was out of line.  She’s your present and my past, so I ….”

“I told her we needed some time apart,” Tobias blurted.  “She needs some time… to think.”

“You… you broke up with her?” Ethan asked in astonishment.

Tobias shrugged.  “I guess I didn’t think of it as breaking up with her at that moment.  I thought we’d take an indefinite pause.  Just give her some space to think, you know? But since then, I’ve had to face it… indefinite pause means we’re not together.  Giving her space to think means she may never come back.  So, yeah.  I guess I broke up with her,” he said, wiping a tear from his cheek.  “Too late to change my mind now.”

Ethan was without words temporarily, looking away as a myriad of emotions grappled to take center stage. He wasn’t sure who the victor would be; finally, guilt grabbed the microphone.  

“I’m sorry, Tobias. I… I feel like this is my fault.”

“Well, you didn’t help,” he chuckled.  “But I can’t put the blame on your shoulders.  Casey fell in love with me, I have no doubt about that, but I don’t know if she was fully out of love with you when she did.  I didn’t think it would matter, you know, I figured… I loved her… I love her… so much that I thought it would work out.  That we could overcome anything together, right? Then, at the first chance to prove that to her, I failed.  Not because I wanted to, but because I let my own goddamn demons get in the way.”

“Yeah,” Ethan snorted, “I know what that’s like.”

“So there is more than one thing at play.  I love her more than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything.  I want her by my side, but… I need to be sure she wants to be there. That’s why I set her free.”

“Well, I hope she comes back.  I know how much you love her.”

“You mean that?” Tobias asked with surprise.  “That’s what you want? She’s a free agent Ethan; she could choose you.”

Ethan let out a groan as he attempted to shift his weight.

“Hey, take it easy,” Tobias said as he jumped to assist.  “We can talk another time.”

“No, I’m going to be in pain for a while.  There’s no time like the present.  You asked what I wanted.  I want to be happy.  I want all of us to be happy.”

“Yeah,” Tobias smiled. “So do I.  And right now, that means you getting well.”

“And it means you finding peace.”

“And it means Casey….” Tobias stopped, “Finding what she wants.  Regarding you, regarding me, regarding… everything.”

After a few minutes, Tobias broke the uncomfortable silence.  

“So what is the deal with you and Sonia anyway?  That woman is far too smart, spunky, and beautiful to be hung up on you!”

“Oh, you think she’s hung up on me,” Ethan laughed.

“Well, she was out there all night waiting.  I’m sure she’s gonna be pissed you woke just after she left.”

“All night, huh?”

“All night.”

“I don’t know what the deal is yet, or if there is any deal at all.  I’ve been in love with Casey for so long, and I was convinced that if I didn’t have her, I could never love again….”

Tobias snorted in silent agreement.

“… but, sometimes, when I’m with Sonia, I start feeling things that I didn’t think I would be able to again.  I still love Casey, but… then again… if I really did, would I feel anything for Sonia?  There was a time when it would not have been possible.  Maybe it’s like you said; how do you know when one love ends, and another begins?”

“I don’t know, buddy. I don’t know.  We just put one foot in front of the other and keep working at it.  The answers will come when they should.  At least, I hope they will.”

“All this philosophical talk from Tobias Carrick?  It’s almost like one of us had a near-death experience.”

“I’m glad you’re here, buddy.  Even if your sense of humor still sucks.”

“I’m glad you’re here, too. We’re all going to be OK.  I know it.”

“I suppose.  I also suppose I should get back to work.  My boss is out of commission right now, but he’s still an asshole.”

“He sure is,” Ethan grinned.

“You do have another visitor queued if you’re up to it.”

“Who?”

“Floria.”

“Oh, Jesus! I forgot she was with me.  How could I….”

“Relax.  Blood loss and losing consciousness may have had something to do with it. We’ll all let you slide.”

“Is she OK?”

“Yes.  She had a concussion, and they kept her overnight, but she’s heading home.  She wanted to see you before leaving.”

“So, you missed your chance to pull the life support on her? Huh?”

“You know I wouldn’t have,” Tobias smirked.  “We actually… we sort of made peace.”  

Ethan cocked an eyebrow at his friend.

“Don’t look at me like that. I have matured,” Tobias said, waiving Floria in.  

“There is hope for you yet, Carrick,” Ethan grinned.

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Floria smiled.  “But, in the end, I guess he’s all right.”

“I guess you don’t totally suck either.  But don’t go telling anybody I said that.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she smiled.  “I have a rep to uphold too, you know.”

Tobias nodded with a smile, then turned back toward Ethan.  

“I’ll leave you two to it.”

Floria took one look at Ethan, and tears sprung to her eyes.  

“Stop it,” he insisted. “I’m fine.”

“I don’t know that this constitutes as fine,” she insisted.  “It seems more like lucky to be alive and hoping….”

“Hoping nothing… I will be fine.  I promise you.”

“Well, I will hold you to that, Ethan Ramsey.”

“I’m so glad you weren’t seriously hurt.”

“I wasn’t.  I wasn’t at all.  When we were still in the car, I looked over at you, lifeless, groaning in pain… I wanted it to be me instead.  I wanted that so badly.”

“Don’t say that, Floria!”

“But it was my fault, don’t you see?  You wouldn’t have been on your date with Sonia, not heading into Cambridge, if it were not for me.”

“I was giving a friend a ride like I had many times before. There is no….”

“I asked you on purpose. I could have gotten there just fine on my own, but I wanted to make you late for your date because… I was jealous.”

“I should have known,” Ethan said with a frown as Floria turned away in shame.

“I’m sorry, I….”

“Oh, no.  No, no, no.  I didn’t mean it like that.  I meant that I should have known it would be hard on you.  With everything that had happened with us… I should have been more sensitive.  I’m sorry too.”

They clasped hands and smiled.

“You really don’t have to apologize.  I certainly have wreaked enough havoc, and I hope you know that I am truly sorry.”

“Floria, stop.  The past is the past, and I don’t want to look that way anymore.”

“Well, then I guess I should tell you about my future.  I am here to say goodbye.”  

“Goodbye? That sounds awfully final.  What’s going on?”

“Last night, after the accident, I called my mom.  She… was so happy to hear from me, and when I told her about the accident, she just cried. My father was the devil himself, so I never felt guilty for hating him, for removing him from my life.  But I always painted my Mom with the same brush. I blamed her because she didn’t protect me, didn’t protect herself.  Sometimes, I hated her more than I hated him because I felt she should have known better.”

“Floria, I think….”

“Let me finish.  I’ve known for some time now that she did the best she could with the knowledge and ability she had at the time.  But I still couldn’t forgive….”

“And now?”

“It’s time, don’t you think? After all this time, she still wants to see me. She wants me in her life again… I have to give it a try. A real try. Before I live to regret it.”

“I’m so happy to hear this. Of course, she’s still there; she loves you.  She always has. I’m glad you finally see it.”

“So, I’m going to stay with her for a bit.  In Baltimore.”

“In Baltimore?” he exclaimed.

“I know,” she smiled, “I said I’d never go back there.  But I think it’s time I put those demons to bed.  I have as many good memories there as bad, and it’s time I start remembering them too.”

Floria’s heart melted as she looked into Ethan’s eyes. They hadn’t looked upon her in quite that way since their days back at Hopkins.  She realized just how much she needed his acceptance and forgiveness, and at that moment, he granted it without saying a word.

“I’m so proud of you, Floria.  How long will you be gone?”

“Indefinitely.  I gave Dr. Reynolds my resignation this morning.”

“You what?!”

“It’s fine.  I need a new start.  I need to heal, and that will not happen for me in Boston.  It’s time for me to move on.”

Ethan clutched her hand tighter and smiled.

“Look at you, all grown up.”

“It’s about time, don’t you think?” she laughed.

“You’ll keep in touch?”

“Of course!” She said, standing up from her chair.  “Someone will need to yell at you if you aren’t following your doctor's orders.”

“Well,” he chortled. “I’m sure you’ll have some competition there.”

“The more, the better,” she smiled.  “Thank you, Ethan.”

“For what?”

“For letting me in when you had every reason not to.  For making me realize that I am worthy of forgiveness, too, because it’s the only way I was able to begin to forgive myself.  This… right now… none of this would be happening if it weren’t for you, and I’m forever grateful.”

“I wish you all good things, Floria.  I really do.”

Cupping his pale cheeks in her hands, she leaned over and kissed his forehead.

“Same to you, Ethan. Same to you.”

With a final glance over her shoulder, she was on her way.

~~~~~

Two days later.

“I still don’t like the idea of you being in that place by yourself,” Rose said as she hastily tossed her daughter’s clothes into a box on the bed.  

“Mom, I’m subletting one unit in a building with 299 more.  I won't be alone.”  

“A building full of strangers isn’t what I’m referring to, smart ass!”

“They’re not all strangers, Rose,” Sienna added.  “Most people in that building are hospital staff, and everyone loves Casey.”

“Yes!” Casey said with a scowl, “It’s very convenient.  This way, the hospital rumor mill will know that I’ve been dumped again in no time. It’s nice to know they’ll have a leg up on it.”

“Oh, stop it!” Jackie admonished, “we’ve got your back.  Let people try to fuck with you!”

“I don’t want to broach a sore subject,” Aurora interrupted, “But Bryce just texted.  He said he and Tobias should be back here in about twenty minutes.”

“That gives us enough time,” Rose replied. “These are the last of her things.”

Casey had been doing her best all morning, allowing the practical physician in her to take over. Her belongings needed to be packed, and she needed to move out.  No emotions, just tasks, and it had been working for her until now.  

She wasn’t sure if it was the mention of his name or watching Jackie tape up the final box.  Maybe it was the thought of leaving her key on the counter as she walked away or the knowledge that she may never see this place, which was so precious to her, again.   But whatever the reason, all the bravery she had fostered began to crumble.  She found herself sinking into the couch, clutching the blanket that she and Tobias had snuggled under countless times against her chest, and then her tears started to flow.  

“I guess…. it’s easier to leave here without him here, you know?” She cried, “I can pretend it’s not real.”

“But Casey,” Sienna said, rubbing her friend's back.  “As much as it hurts, you can’t do that.  It has to be real.”

“I still don’t know why he had to do this!” Jackie chided.  “I call bullshit! You love him. He loves you….”

“Sometimes it takes more than love,” Rose said, rubbing a hair out of Casey’s eyes.

“Does it, Mom? Because I thought love was strong enough to conquer anything.  That’s what I believed.  That’s what I watched between you and Dad my whole life.  It’s supposed to be enough.  It’s been enough for the two of you.  Maybe it’s just me.  Maybe I’m not enough.  No one has that much faith… in me.”

“Casey! Stop that!” Sienna yelled.

“Oh, baby girl,” Rose said, taking her daughter in her arms.  “We need to talk."

“Do you want us to leave?” Sienna asked.

“Oh, no,” Rose smiled. “You should all hear this. Plus, you may have wisdom I don’t, and Casey needs all of us right now.  You see, love is a wonderful, powerful thing. It's what makes life worth living. Heaven knows when I leave this world one day, you, your Dad, and all of the people I’ve held in my heart will be what I am most grateful for.  But love isn’t black and white. It has so many different shades, and, sometimes, it hurts.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Casey cried.

“Casey, I’m your mother. Your happiness means more to me than anything else in this world.  So, when I see you like this… it breaks my heart.  It would be so easy for me to be angry with Tobias.”

“You see!” Jackie exclaimed.

“But I’m not.”

“Oh,” Jackie demurred.

“Baby, you’ve been through so much in the past couple of years.  You fell in love, you’ve lost, you learned to forgive, to try again, and love again.  You’ve seen your career rise to heights that blew away your wildest dreams.  You’ve grasped opportunities with both hands and made them yours, and you’ve let others pass you by.”  

“Mom! I didn’t do that because….”

“Shh shh shh.  Let me finish.  You’ve been through so much, baby, and it’s easy to see how it could leave you… confused.”

“But I’m not….”

“Aren’t you?  Tobias didn’t make this choice because he doesn’t love you.  He just knows that uncertainty is not a foundation to build a strong relationship on. For him, it’s an act of self-love, sure. But it’s also an act of love for you.”  

“Really?” Cassey protested, “How do you see that?”

“Do you think he doesn’t know who you are? Tell me when you’ve put yourself above anyone else.”

“Mom, that’s not fair!”

“It’s fair,” Sienna chimed in. “I mean, you turned down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay behind with T.”

“It’s not that clearcut! I stayed because my career isn’t the only thing that matters to me! I’m already in a position that people with twice my experience would kill for. I wasn’t exactly sacrificing!”

“But weren’t you,” Rose answered.  “Weren’t you? Casey, if Tobias had been on board from the start, what would you have done?”

Casey looked down at her hands.  “I don’t know.”

“Yes,” Rose disagreed, “you do.”

“And Casey,” Sienna said nervously, “I think you need to be honest with yourself in other ways too. I told you what I thought about how you reacted when Ethan said he still loved you, it was….”

“Intense,” Jackie finished. “We all wondered why your reaction was so strong… including Tobias.  I know you didn’t want to hurt him, but how could it not?”

“Then, he hears you talking to Ethan before surgery,” Rose said, shaking her head. “Even though the circumstances were exceptional, you can’t blame him for having doubts.”

“But why can’t he see that’s not what I meant! I love Tobias. Why doesn’t he see that?”

“He does,” Rose stated. “I know he does.  But does that mean that you don’t love Ethan?”

“Mom!”

“Answer me, Casey.”

“I love them both, OK!” She sobbed as she jumped to her feet.  “I love them both! And I don’t understand it.  I don’t know how it happened, and I don’t even know what it means! Tobias was my future, and Ethan was my past, and I was fine with that! Then I saw Ethan lying there, and I just… I lost him twice already… I couldn’t bear the thought of losing him again!  But that doesn’t mean… I don’t know what it means.”

“Well,” Rose smiled. “That’s what you need to figure out, baby.”

“How? How do I do that? Because my mind has never been cloudier, my heart has never been more broken, and I’ve never been so uncertain of everything.  How do I find this goddamn clarity everyone keeps talking about!”

“You will,” Rose said. “It may not be tomorrow, it may take longer than you like, but it will come. I’m sure of it.”  

“And what happens during that time? I could lose them both, Momma.”

“Yes, you could.  But I promise you, if you do, then neither was meant to be.”

Casey fell into her mother’s waiting arms, and as the seconds passed, her friends joined in until they were in a tearful huddle on the couch.  As she absorbed the wisdom her mother imparted to her, Naveen’s words also came back to her mind:

“Casey, you fight for those you love.  You give them your all.  No favor is too big or too small.  You fight for them.  But it’s OK to fight for yourself with the same gusto, and….”

“And?”

“… and sometimes, you should let them fight for you just as hard.”

Casey’s heart didn’t stop aching; the pain remained ever as strong.  But surrounded by all that love, the words finally started to seep in. By the time she emerged from the huddle, she had finally placed her confidence in the one thing she had needed most of all…. herself.  

~~~~~

Several days later, Ethan was well enough to be moved to a regular room.  While that was a sign of great progress, it also had its drawbacks, like the ability for multiple visitors to be present at once.  After years of cultivating a reputation as a curmudgeon, Ethan wondered why many people wanted to see him.  But all of his protestations were in vain because everyone knew he could send them away. Yet, with each person who stopped by, his smile grew that much larger, and everyone became that much more comfortable than he would be OK.

“Oh, you mean he never told you about when Casey called him a goddamned diva?” Alan laughed.  

“She what?” Sonia asked with wide eyes.

“Alan, I’m sorry, but I was there,” Baz interrupted. “She called him a goddamned diva but then asked if he would prefer spoiled child or entitled jackass.”

“Oh, my God!” Sonia gasped, “and what did you say?”

“I told her spoiled child fit the bill,” Ethan sighed.  “Now, is this why I fought to live? So you miscreants could mock me while I’m still in my hour of need?”

“Well, that may not be the reason, but you have to admit it’s fun,” Baz laughed.

“Fun and educational!” Sonia squealed.  “Oh my God! Casey is my new hero! Seriously, none of us are worthy of being in the same room as her.  Am I clear?”

“Well, that would be a pity,” Casey said, entering the room, “because it sounds like fun in here, and I want in on it.”

“Oh, if you’re willing to grace us with your presence, we will honor having you here,” Sonia bowed. “Plus, I want to learn at the feet of the master! Has anyone else ever called him a diva, jackass, and spoiled child and lived to tell the tale?”

“In fairness, many have called him that and worse,” Casey smiled.  “However, it’s generally not to his face.”

“And that is why you are the queen!” Sonia affirmed.

“Am I really allowed this many visitors at once?” Ethan whined.

“Private room,” Baz shrugged, “you can have as many as you want, and you know you want us.”

“Eh-hem,” Alan cleared his throat loudly and gave his son a knowing look.

“Ah, yes.  Well, as much as I do love all of your company….”

“I knew he’d finally admit it!” Baz smiled.

“But I need to ask you to leave for a bit.”

“Is everything OK?” Casey asked.

“Yes, there is just someone here I need to see and… I’d like to do it alone, well… alone with my father, that’s OK.”

Casey’s eyes went wide. With all the chaos that had taken place, she all but forgot about Louise.

“Ethan, are you sure?” She asked nervously.  

“Yes,” he smiled.  “If I’ve learned anything, it is that I can’t let my past continue to control my present nor my future.  This has to be done.”

“But your still not a hundred percent well, Ethan, and the stress….” Casey stammered as Sonia’s eyes searched Ethan’s face.

“Are you able to handle this?” Sonia asked him.

“I am.”

“And I’ll be right there,” Alan assured.

“Then I say you do what you need to in order to start your new chapter,” Sonia smiled.  “I have faith in you.”

“Thank you,” Ethan smiled.

“Do you want to get coffee?” Sonia asked Casey, “I really do want to hear all of your legendary tales.”

“Well, I don’t know if they’re legendary….” Casey answered.

“Oh, they are,” Baz added as he intruded on their plans.  “I’ll tell you about the time that….”

Alan turned and looked at his son when the door closed behind them.  

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“It’s time, Dad. I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”

~~~~~

Ethan’s eyes were closed when she entered the room, and he kept them that way until he heard her take a seat in the chair placed a short distance from his bed.  He could hear her sniffling noises, and it made his hair stand on end when he realized that he would know those sounds to be her anywhere. There are some things biology won’t erase, even if we want to.  

He took his time, opening his eyes only when he was ready.  But in the end, he did so a bit sooner than he would have chosen to, mainly to spare his father any further discomfort.  He found her gaze fixed upon him, swollen eyes and a weary smile on her lips. He noted that she looked years older, yet she still looked the same.  

“Ethan,” she muttered. “I’m so glad to see… to see you’re alive.  Thank you… thank you for agreeing to see me.”

“Why did you want to come?” He asked, gravity present in his voice.  “How did you even know?”

“It was on the news… I… I saw the accident and when they said your name… I came here right away but… but it was thought best to wait…. I really appreciate you seeing me.  I was happy to know you were going to survive, but this is so much more than I could have….”

“Louise,” Alan said softly, trying to stop her from spiraling anymore.

“I’m glad they made you wait.  I did need to have more strength to do this.”

“I understand,” she grimaced.

“Really? Because I don’t. I don’t understand why a child of any age should feel anything but comfort if their parent is visiting them during a crisis.  I know the world doesn’t work that way. I see it every day in my work.  I’ve lived it myself, but even so… I’ll never understand it. But then again, I don’t have to. I only have to accept it.  After all, I’m not a child anymore, am I?”

Louise looked down at her hands as she picked at a loose cuticle.  Biting her lip as regret and shame consumed her, she had already steeled herself for this.  Whatever Ethan needed to say, she needed to hear.  She had denied him so much in his life that whatever he needed now, she would give, so she sat and waited.

“Do you know when I stopped being a child? The day you left.  My life as I knew it was over, and I was left to doubt everything that I ever believed to be true. Eleven.  Eleven years old is far too young to become an adult.  It’s too young to lose hope, but I did.  You robbed me.  You changed me.  I stopped letting people in.  I didn’t believe in love or even happiness.  I became successful, sure, but there was a void that work could never fill no matter how hard I tried.  It took more than two decades for me to attempt to change that, and I only did it because of the love of a wonderful woman.  One who didn’t give up on me no matter how much I pushed her away.  She made me believe that she would love me and, unlike you, she wouldn’t leave.  And I was happy.  For a brief moment in time, I was happy! Then you came back, and my life felt so complete.  I felt whole. Everything was falling into place for the first time in nearly forty years, and I felt… joy! Then what do you do? You abandon me… again without so much as a note to say goodbye.  It destroyed me, Louise.  It destroyed me.”

Ethan looked over at Alan, who sat at his side.  His father nodded, silently letting him know that he had his back, no matter what, and Ethan smiled.

“I know I have to take responsibility for my own actions.  I’m an adult, and I have to take accountability.  But I found myself back in the place of a shattered 11-year-old boy who had lost faith in everything, most of all himself.  So what did I do? I behaved just like you. I turned on those who loved me the most, my dad, Casey… I destroyed someone I loved,  someone I never wanted to hurt, because it made me feel like I had control when, clearly, I had none.  I ran. I abandoned, and I had no regard for the damage I left behind.  Who does that sound like?  We are more alike than I ever care to admit, but there is a big difference.  I will never let it happen again.  I know you have an illness, and I know that broken people hurt others, but that doesn’t make the damage any less real.  I can work to make myself better, but the scars will always be there. And the scars I’ve inflicted on others, they will bear them forever too.  And I can’t do this anymore.”

He shifted in bed, then sat up tall, not letting the throbbing pain in his side stop him as he spoke.

“I am choosing to forgive you.  I am choosing to do so because I want peace in my life, and holding on to the anger and fear will not let me find that.  I need to be at peace, and I truly hope that you find yours as well.  I want you to be happy, and I want you to have a life that you can be proud of.  I sincerely do, but… that life can not include me.  Being abandoned by you once left me with a gaping wound.  Being abandoned by you twice led me to inflict the same wound on others. I don’t know what being abandoned by you for a third time could do, and I’m not sure I could withstand it.  At this point, I’d have to be a fool to believe that it could not happen again.  So, this time, it’s not your choice.  It’s not in your control. It’s in mine. I am setting myself free. This is the last time we will meet, and I wanted to give you the courtesy of a goodbye.”

“Well,” she replied stoically, “that’s much more than I had offered you, so I will take that as a kindness.”

“I’m grateful to you,” she smiled toward Alan, “I’m grateful that you did such a wonderful job under dreadful circumstances… thanks to me… to raise such a wonderful man.”

Louise stood to her feet, clutching her purse in front of her as she tried to control her quivering lip.

“Thank you for seeing me; it means more to me than you’ll know.  I’m glad you’re getting a second chance at life, Ethan. Please, don’t blow it. And while I have no right to say it, I hope you know that in my own twisted way, I do love you and wish I could have been the mother you deserved.  I hope you find everything you ever dreamed of and more.  Goodbye, Ethan,” she swallowed.

“Wait,” Ethan said, extending his hand.  “I wish you the best… Mom.”

And with that, she was at the door.  

Alan looked at his son with more love than he ever thought could fit in his heart, a tear streaking his cheek.  He laid his hand on Ethan’s knee.

“I’ve never been more proud of you than I am right now, son.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Ethan gasped.

“How do you feel?”

“I feel… I feel … free. I feel free.  And…”

“And?”

“Like I could really use a hug.”

“Lucky for you, I always carry some extra around,” Alan smiled as his son collapsed in his arms.

~~~~~

An hour later, Sonia peeked into Ethan’s darkened room, retreating when she saw his lights were off.

“No, Sonia, come here,” he bellowed.

Although it was dark, he could see the brightness of her smile as she made her way across the room.

“What are you so damn cheery about?” he smirked.

“Oh, I wouldn’t define it as cheery. I would just say… I’m so proud of you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, Ernesto.”

“Oh, Jesus, I thought we were beyond that….”

“Not on your life! Oh, wait, that’s a bad joke, considering you know… maybe I should….”

“Would you just shut up?” he laughed.  

“Fine.  I am amazed that the arrogant, emotionally constipated man who walked into that waiting room all those months ago could stand up for himself… so well… and with such grace.  Really, I’m so proud of you.”

“Jesus, did my Dad give you every detail? Trust me, I’m sure he sold it as something it’s not.”

“He said you told him to!”

“Ah, as if any were stopping him,” he grinned.  He caught Sonia’s eyes in the dim light of the room, and he couldn’t miss how bright they shined, they always did, but today, they were radiant.  

“I need to thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“For everything.  For being a friend, for making me laugh, for being quirky and irritating enough to make me want to show up on time for therapy just to spar with you.  For tolerating me when I hadn’t acted as well as I should have, for putting me in my place when I need it and… in recent times… for being here for me, when you didn’t need to be.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” she smiled.  “That’s what friends do.”

“Is that what we are? You and I? Friends?”

Sonia shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I know I’m Sonia, and I know you’re… God, I guess you are Ethan. When we’re together, we’re Sonia and Ethan, and whatever that is, or isn’t, doesn’t matter.  All that matters is… I like it, and I think you do too. Does anything else really matter?”

“No,” he smiled.  “I guess it does not.”

“Hey,” a voice called from the door, “I just wanted to… oh, shoot, I’m sorry, I didn’t know anyone was here.  I’ll come back….”

“Casey,” Ethan called, “no, please stay… I actually… I want to talk to you.”

He looked at Sonia, “Would you mind?”

“Oh, of course.  It’s late, and I was planning on heading home. But I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“Please do,” Ethan said with a grin.  Then it was the two of them.

“I like her,” Casey smiled, “She is spunky AF.”

“AF?”

“As fuck.”

“I know what AF means. What I don’t understand is your insistence upon using the term.”

“Is this why you wanted to talk to me, Ethan?”

“No,” he laughed. “It’s not.”  

“Alan shared most of your story with Sonia and me.  I know we both think you’re pretty brave.”

“Brave? It took me how many years to finally do what I needed to do….”

“Hey! You needed time to figure out what that was, and you did.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.  I don’t think most people would ever muster up the courage to do what you just did with their parents, regardless of their relationship.  So how do you feel?”

“I feel free, Casey. I feel like the biggest weight has been lifted off of my back, and now that it’s gone, I wonder why it took me so long to let it go.”

“Well, that’s the beauty of hindsight,” she smiled.  “I don’t know if you are aware, but Louise and I had words.”

“I’ve heard a bit.”

“I was hard on her, and perhaps it was warranted, but I still feel bad.  I don’t know her full story, but from the little I do… I can tell she was a victim too, and… while it doesn’t make it right, it still….”

“You don’t have to explain, Casey.  I understand. In fact, I have Naveen work with my attorney to set up a trust for her so that she’ll be cared for.”

“Ethan, really?”

“I can’t have her in my life.  But, without her, I wouldn’t be here.  She has an illness, and I don’t want to know she’s living on the street when I live in a penthouse.  Does any of that make sense?”

“It makes perfect sense. And it speaks to who you are, Ethan. Before, when I said I couldn't be more proud of you? Well, you just broke your own record.”

“Hah,” he laughed, “nothing like nearly dying to bring forth all sorts of clarity.”

“Hmm.  Clarity,” Casey mumbled.  “I’m hoping I don’t have to face death again to get some of that myself.”

“Casey?”

“Yes?”

“Why haven’t you told me that you and Tobias broke up?”

Casey looked up, stunned.

“Oh, ah… several reasons? Not the least of which is that compared to you almost dying, I guess I didn’t think it ranked as very important… to you, that is… not to me,” she added meekly.

“Are you OK?”

“Me?  Sure. Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied as she began to shake her head from side to side.  “No, no. That’s a lie,” she said, stifling a sob. “I’m not fine.  I’m horrible.  I’m sad most of the time.  And I’m confused.  And angry, really, really angry… mostly at myself.  I’m completely out of my mind, at least 80% of the time, so I’m all of those things, and….”  

“And none of them are fine.”

“No,” she smiled sadly. “None of them are fine.  Tobias thinks I’m still in love with you, so clearly, he can’t be with me.  All he ever did was love me, and now I have left him feeling nothing but doubt.  And who can blame him, really?”

“Are you?”

“Am I?”

“Are you still in love with me?”

Casey pulled her chair up close to his bed and then wrapped his hands in hers.

“I love you, Ethan.  I love you with every bit of my heart, and I always will… but I’m not in love with you anymore.  But you see, the love I have for you is so strong, so, so strong that… I couldn’t understand it.  I didn’t know how to categorize it.  I’ve been so confused, and there was no clarity, until….” she thought of her mother’s words. “Until right now.  I’m sorry, do you… do you still love me?”

Ethan reached up and touched Casey’s cheek with a tender smile.  “Oh, Casey.  I will love you until I die, which hopefully won’t be anytime soon.”

They both giggled, happy for a reprieve before he continued.

“You and I, what we shared… it was the real thing, you know, and if things had been different….”

“I know,” Casey said, nodding through tears, “I know.”

“But we have to take the cards that we were dealt and…. Follow me on this, OK?”

“Sure.”

“I still love Louise. I do.  I can’t help it.  But she broke me, not once but twice.  I gave her my heart a second time, knowing how badly she had shattered it the first, and she did it again.  I don’t know if I could withstand it a third time, that kind of pain… might be too much for me to bear, so I had to let her go.  And now that I have, I know it was the right choice.”

“I’m happy for you,” Casey smiled, “I know you needed that peace, and I’m glad you found it.”

“So am I, and now, I’m giving it to you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m so sorry, Casey. For doing to you exactly what Louise did to me.”

“It’s not the same, Ethan. She’s your mother, and….”

“Of course, it’s not entirely the same, but you can’t deny the similarities.  You loved me like I had never been loved before.  You gave me that precious gift, and how did I repay you? You handed me your heart, a heart that I had damaged, and I promised to protect it, and then I dropped it.  I never wanted to hurt you, Casey,” he said through tears.

“I know you didn’t….”

“But I did.”

“Yes,” she swallowed, “you did.”

“There are only so many times people can go through pain like that.  I’d never feel safe with Louise again, and I know you’d never feel safe with me.”

“You know, Ethan, that’s where you’re wrong.  Because I can feel safe with you, just not in… not that way.  You see, our love, it didn’t die. It transcended. You are and will forever be one of the most important people in my life.  You are my soulmate, but soulmates can take on different roles.”

“That’s exactly how I feel, too.”

“You do? You? Believe in soulmates?”

“I do, Casey.  I held on to you so tight, and I held on because I didn’t want to lose you.  But now I see….”

“You never could.  We never could.  We’re inevitable, Ethan, just….”

“… in a different way than we thought it would be.

“So, we’re good?” Casey smiled.  

“We’re better than good. I haven’t gone and destroyed your belief in magic and destiny and all that happy BS, have I?”

“Of course not!  I still believe in magic, in fate… in love. I believe in it more than ever because now I know it’s real.”

“If you play that song from Wicked, I’ll be forced to never speak to you again.”

“You lie.  You’re stuck with me, and you know it.”

“I am.  But hey, why don’t you get out of here and go work things out… I’m sure there is someone who would be very happy to hear about this.”

“I’m afraid it’s just not that simple.”

~~~~~

Casey had her duffle bag tossed over her shoulder as she walked out of the employee entrance.  It was a crisp evening, and she had come to enjoy her new commute, a three-block walk to the hospital.  It was a little hard to get used to at first, going home to an empty place.  It was something she had never done before.  First, it was her family, then roommates, then lovers… but there was something both humbling and terrifying about calling “home” a place that belonged to her and her alone.  

Even though they had promised to remain friends, she and Tobias had limited their interactions to work and dealing with minute details.  A wok of his that she accidentally packed, her earings that he found on the side of the bed.  Each of these interactions hurt more than the next, and if she were to be truthful, she worried about the day when they would no longer exist.  Could they keep that promise? Or would their relationship peter away upon the last time they found something that belonged to the other?  

It seemed a little sill to her. After all, he had something that belonged to her that she wasn’t quite sure she’d ever get it back, and that was her heart.  Ethan was right. She could find Tobias right now.  She could run and tell him that she figured it all out. She was in love with him, and he was the one she wanted to be with.  It had all the makings of an epic rom-com ending.  Yet, as she wandered down the lonely streets that led to her temporary home, she couldn’t bring herself to call him.  And she couldn’t even say why.

~~~~~

One Month Later

He pushed his glasses up his nose and stared at the paper trembling lightly in his hand.  A cautious smile spread on his lips as his eyes bounced between the letter and the confident young woman who sat before him.

“Is this your final answer?”

“Naveen,” Casey smiled, “This isn’t Jeopardy.”

“Then I take that as a yes and,” he bit his lip to stop his voice from croaking, “as much as I am going to miss you, I am so proud of and delighted for you.  Come here!” he said, rising to his feet and rushing around his desk. “I need a hug!”

Casey smiled as he clutched her in his grip.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for you, and I am going to be so proud to tell everyone who will listen that I handpicked you for Edenbrook back in the day.”

“What about Ethan’s role?” she asked.

“We’ll leave that out,” he grinned.  

“Have you told anyone yet?”

“Only my parents.  I wanted to tell you first.  The timing is perfect, with Ethan coming back next week… at least part-time.”

“Yes, and Tobias has only just started looking again, so…. Oh, dear, I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK,” Casey shrugged, “I know he started his search again.  He told me.”

“So, you’re speaking again?”

“We never stopped speaking; we just… haven’t spoken much.”

“You miss him, though. Don’t lie to me.  Grand-mentees know all.”

“I do,” she lamented. “But, I keep thinking of something you told me.”

“Me? Oh, tell me what it is! I love when I know I’m part of the story.”

“You said to go where my life takes me.  The people who are meant to be there will end up by my side.  It’s inevitable.  And sometimes… I have to fight for myself and let others fight for me.  The way I would fight for them.”

“I think you extracted the wisdom from my words, but let me give you just a few more.”

“Oh my….”

“If you know what you want regarding Tobias, don’t let stubbornness stand in your way either. Life is too short, Casey.”

“I know.  But I know I need to learn to stand on my own two feet, and I have no business promising myself to anyone else until I can say I’ve done that on my own.  I know it’s a risk, and I won’t lie, I’m a little terrified, but I agree with you. What’s meant to be will be. We couldn’t even stop it if we tried.”  

“I am so full of wisdom,” Naveen beamed.

“You certainly are.”

~~~~~

It was an unseasonably cool morning, even for Boston.  Still, the sun was shining bright, and there was not a cloud in the sky as Casey walked to meet Tobias.  He had offered his place, but she couldn’t bring herself to go.  She considered asking him to come to hers, but that wouldn’t work either.  They settled on meeting in the Public Gardens.  Neutral grounds.  And it was early enough that the only interruptions would come from chipmunks and pigeons, maybe an errant jogger or two who Casey believed had no business being up at that time anyway.  It would work.

He was surprised to receive her text.  They’d been keeping their distance outside of work, much to his chagrin. He had asked for time, she respected it, and now, as the distance between them grew, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had made the biggest mistake of his life.  But there was no turning back.  When she asked to meet, he quickly agreed though he couldn’t fight the sinking feeling that settled in his stomach.

He arrived before her, already perched on the bench and looking out over the pond when she approached.  It was so serene, so much like home, that the temptation to throw her arms around him and just… stay… was great.  It would have been so easy, and he would accept it with joy.  At any other time in her past, that’s precisely what Casey would have done.  But when landscapes change, they change the players too. The patterns of old may have provided comfort, but that was not enough anymore.  She knew she deserved better. She wanted, no she deserved, greatness in all things… in her profession, in her life, even in her heart…, and they wouldn’t be derived in her comfort zone.  

“Hey,” she said, surprising even herself at how quickly and genuinely her smile came to her face.  

He jumped up at the sound of her voice, his blue eyes locking with hers.  They embraced instinctually for what they thought would be a moment, but neither could let go.  It had been six weeks since they felt the warmth of the other, and only now had it become clear how desperately it was needed.  How could they let go of it freely?    

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me.”

“Come on, Case.  Do you think I’d ever turn an opportunity to see you down?”

“I would hope not, but I really don’t know.  How are you, Tobias?”

“Me,” he chuckled. “I’m peachy! Never been better.”

“OK, stupid question,” she said, nudging his shoulder.  

“How about you?” He asked. “You doing OK?”

“OK is a good assessment. And I’ll take it for now, but one day, I really hope it will be better.”

“So, why’d you call me out here at this ungodly hour? I know you’d rather wrestle a baby tiger than be up this early, so I know this isn’t for chit chat.”

“I suppose I should get to the point because no amount of chatter will make it easier to say.  I wanted to let you know before I told anyone else. I’ve accepted another job offer. My last day at Edenbrook will be next week.”

“Oh,” he sighed cautiously. “I see.  Well, I’m happy for you. I know you’ve wanted out for a while, so… what lucky hospital snagged you?”

She dragged her hand over his forearm without looking at him and took a steadying breath.  

“George Washington.”

He tiled his head, doing his damndest to keep the already sad smile on his face.  “So, DC it is? It’ll be good for you,” he whispered, tying to make himself believe it true.

“Maybe it will,” she shrugged, “or maybe it won’t.  But one thing is certain: I'll never know if I don’t try, and I owe it to myself to give it a shot.”

“You’re right.  It’s a phenomenal opportunity, and I have no doubt in my mind that you’re going to shine.  Are you happy?”

“Happy?” she said turning away, “I’m looking forward to the opportunity.  Happiness… that may follow.  I imagine only time will tell.”    

“Do you have a place yet?”

“No.  But the realtors are working on it, and I have suite lined up until then, so... it shouldn’t be long.” 

“Have you told my Ma?” he laughed nervously.

“No, Tobias.  I really haven’t been able to bring myself to talk to your Mom.  Although, I probably should call her once I’m settled.”

“She’d like that,” he smiled.  “She doesn’t hate you, you know.  She hates me.”

“She does not hate you,” Casey laughed, once again prodding his arm.

“Don’t bet the farm on that one,” he chuckled sadly.  

“Will you… will you keep in touch with me, Tobias?  You promised we’d stay friends, but since everything has happened… we haven’t even talked.  And I miss you.  I miss you so much.”

“I miss you, too. Pretty much every minute of every day. So, yes.  I will keep in touch... eventually.”

Casey’s face fell and as she pulled a bit further away.  

“Oh?” she gulped.

“Look. I can’t imagine my world without you in it, so I can’t say goodbye for good.  But it’s still so hard.  I was in love with you for so long before you even knew, and I thought it would be easy to go back.  I was an idiot to think I could do that after knowing what it meant to have you by my side,” he let out a deep breath and turned away as Casey fought valiantly to keep her tears in check.  When Tobias regained his composure, he continued.  “So yeah, I’m going to keep in touch, but we’re going to have to take it slow. OK?”

“I understand,” she lamented.  One hand wiped a tear that had fallen from her eye as the other gently caressed his face.  “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.  It still doesn’t seem real.”

“Oh, believe me, I know. Sitting here, accepting this all... not fighting like hell to get you to stay.  It’s killing me.”

“So then why aren’t you fighting?” she asked.

“Because I love you too much to do that.  I want you to find you.  I want you to be all you can be, how could I say I love you and deny you that?” 

“It was you,” she sobbed, “You should know that.  It was you all along, Tobias.”

“What do you mean?” he stuttered. 

“You said I needed time to choose between you and Ethan.  But I figured it out quickly.  I love Ethan, and I probably always will.  We have a bond that will probably never be broken, not unlike the one that you two share.  But I wasn’t in love with him anymore.  He was my past.”

“I should have known that.”

“How could you? My mind was so muddled that I didn’t even know what I was thinking at the time. You were right. I had to figure it out, and I now I have.  Ethan was my past.  But you… you were my future.  You were my home.”

“Were?” he whispered. “Does that mean our ‘temporary pause’ has become a full stop?”

Casey swallowed hard then took his hand.

“It means I’m going to DC. It means I thought the choice I had to make was between you and Ethan, but then I realized there was another choice all along, and that choice was me.  I love you, Tobias, and I would have never taken this risk if you hadn’t set me free.  The thought of losing you was too great to bear, but once you were… already gone… I had to think of what I would if I had no one to think of other than myself.  I realized, I had to give it a shot.”

Tobias shook his head as his legs bounced nervously, his hands falling to his pockets as he pressed his lips together.  He would have traded anything a chance to press rewind, but life didn’t work that way.  

“I should have gone with you,” he sniffed.  “When you got that offer, I should have been on the plane to DC with you that night. By now, we’d be there, living our lives, finding our place in this world, and instead… You’re going to be seven hours away, and I get to live with the crystal clear knowledge that every problem I put forth had a solution.  I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You weren’t ready, and you can’t be mad at yourself for that.”

“Oh,” he guffawed, “Oh, yes! Yes, I can.  I can blame myself for a long, long time.”

“And what will you gain?  You were right.  We needed time.  I needed time to understand who I was and where I belong, and now, maybe you need the same. I don’t think our story is over, we just don’t know the end.  And it’s scary, but when the time is right... we’ll both lift a pen and write the one that is best for both of us.  I know that.  I know that in my heart.” 

“You sound so mature.”  He shoved her shoulder to try to make light.  “Almost like a grown-up,” he smiled.

Casey did her best to offer a genuine smile, and to her surprise, it came easy.  

“It’s overrated,” she chuckled. 

“Oh, don’t I know it.”  He took her hand in his, his heart aching as he wondered if it was the last time, hut he he had to let her know what was in his heart.  

“I need you to know something before you go.  No matter what the future holds for us… every day, every hour I spent at your side was a precious gift I never thought I’d receive.  I wouldn’t trade a single kiss, touch, or a single night in your arms for anything in this world.  Even if it means having to live with the pain of losing you for a lifetime, it will have been worth it just to know, for a brief moment in time, what it was like to be yours.” 

Her lips began to quiver and her eyes lowered, a single tear rolling quickly down her face.  He raised his hand to wipe it away before it had a chance to fall, and she raised her hand to his.  Holding it fiercely in her own. 

“I love you, Tobias.  I love you so very much.” 

“I love you, Casey, and you have my word, I always will.”

As the Boston began to come to life around them, they leaned into each other, their lips meeting, perhaps for the last time. It was a kiss goodbye and a kiss hello. It marked a beginning, and it marked an end.  Its uncertainty made the bitter taste all the more sweet as time stood still around them.  When they finally willed themselves apart, they were both unsure of so much.  But they knew three things to be true.  That dull aches in their hearts would not subside anytime soon.  They were still in search of themselves, but they would have never realized that if they had not first found each other.  

But most of all, they knew their story was unfinished and that, one way or another, they too were inevitable.  

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