#i know it looks really simple and kinda... effortless :/ but i tried my best with coloring here

[jejciu]

no requests so i drew clay and mercy instead :) but just slightly different.

#mercy doesnt look as different bc i changed his hair so many times at this point its just................. #anyway!!!! i had fun with this one!!!! #i know it looks really simple and kinda... effortless :/ but i tried my best with coloring here #midground #rysunki #yes im posting drawings @ 2am on sunday yes im stupid :) #wait i guess its monday already #thats even better lol....

[inkykeiji]

Hear me out, dabi teaching you how to touch yourself. 👌

omfg anon please he’d fuckin live for this shit!!!

❅ cw: 18+, kinda dubcon/manipulation, dabi’s a lil mean

❅ words: 1.9k

You’ve been living with the league for a few months now—Toga had found you somewhere, on the streets cowered in some dirty back alley or something, he’s not really sure, he can’t remember—and Dabi’s been having a hard time keeping his hands to himself ever since.

He’s always finding excuses to touch you, dragging heated fingertips down your arm, always slightly hotter than normal body temperature, or placing a large hand on the small of your back as he guides you from one room to another, a blazing handprint searing through the thin material of your shirt.  

Can you really blame him, though? He can’t help it; it isn’t his fault you’re so fucking cute.

And he’s always got those sapphire eyes on you, too, couldn’t pull them from you even if he wanted to, gaze instinctively drawn to you every time you’re in the same room as him, an addict desperately chasing his next fix.

He definitely would have fucked you already, he’s absolutely sure of it, if Toga wasn’t attached to your hip 24/7. As a result, he knows he has to make the most of every minute alone he gets with you, and when you come trudging down the stairs in the middle of the night with you lips set in a deep pout, looking absolutely exhausted—pretty eyes sunken into your skull and hair mussed up in a way that almost looks artful on you—well.

It makes him want to fucking ruin you.

You’ve been on edge recently, and he’s 90% sure he knows why. Your rooms are right next to each other; it isn’t like he can’t hear those soft little noises you make in the middle of the night, breathy little whimpers that eventually morph into soft whines, Dabi listening the entire time as your pleasure quickly fades into frustration.

He pities you; the poor thing, she doesn’t even know how to get herself off properly. It’s definitely beginning to take a toll on you, he thinks, as you drop down on the couch next to him, slumping a little, eyebrows permanently knitted and eyes glaring at the TV.

Honestly, it would be a disservice to you if he didn’t help you.

“What’s a’matter with you?” he asks, glancing over at you, eyes indifferent, just the right amount of curiosity sown into his voice.

Your body stiffens for a moment, completely frozen next to him, before it relaxes again, a little huff of annoyance leaving your lips.

“Nothing,” you mumble, picking at your cuticles, pout still etched into your face.

“It’s not nothing, and we both know it,” he sighs, schooling his expression into one that mimics concern, just a hint sprinkled over his usual apathetic look, careful not to overdo it on the way his forehead wrinkles just a little, like he’s genuinely worried about you.

Head quirking to the side in question, your eyes narrow slightly, brow furrowing.

“You’re having trouble getting yourself off, aren’t you?”

“What?” You choke on the word, sputtering and coughing as you vigorously shake your head, desperately trying to wheeze out the word no, to deny it, and he chuckles, comforting you, tells you it’s nothing to be embarrassed of, promises you it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and—

“I can help, y’know,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders, like he’s offering you an extra pen and not an orgasm.

But those four words force a sharp intake of breath through your nose, eyes widening as you stare at him, your heart beginning to race while warmth settles deep in the pit of your stomach, already beginning to coil.

And he knows, knows the smirk curling on his lips doesn’t go well with his mask of casual concern, but he can’t help it, not when the softest, neediest little whine slips from your lips, pupils blown and eyes glazed as you stare at him with pure unadulterated want.

He’s almost got you.

“Whaddya say?” he asks quietly, almost tenderly, upper body turning towards you as nimble fingers tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. “Hmm?”

“I-I—I don’t—I’m not—”

“Let me help,” he urges. “Let me make you feel good,”

And it’s so gentle, so sincere, his body marginally leaning towards yours, enticing, that your head’s nodding before you’ve given it permission to, bottom lip caught between your teeth as you suck on it unsurely, gazing at him through your lashes.

You end up between his spread legs, on the floor, his large hands holding your thighs wide open as he stares at your reflections in the mirror propped up against his wall, dark azure eyes slowly sliding down your body as you try in vain to bury your head in his neck, face burning with embarrassment.

He got this mirror specifically for this occasion, he tells you, thought it’d be the best way to teach you, he says.

A soft, pitiful whimper escapes your lips, soaking into the skin of his neck as you nuzzle against him. He had been…anticipating this?

“Don’t hide,” he chastises softly with a click of his tongue, voice vibrating against your back and breaking through your thoughts. “How are you supposed to learn if you aren’t watching? Look at how pretty this pussy is,”

Your entire body jolts as the rough pad of his index finger skims over your clit, two fingers almost caressing your slit, down and then back up again, pulling his hand back slightly to admire the way your slick gleams on his fingers in the dim light of his bedroom.

“Already so wet for me, huh?” he breathes, lips tickling the shell of your ear. “Do you think about me when you touch yourself, hmm? Do you think about my fingers? My cock?”

Oh, it’s so embarrassing, your entire body flushing at his naughty, invasive questions, and they send another intense rush of warmth to your core, bitter shame settling on your tongue.

“Answer me,” he commands, voice firm but quiet, giving your clit a superficial slap that has a loud cry spilling from your throat.

“Yes!” you squeak, word muffled by his skin. “Y-Yes,”

“Yes what?”

Please don’t make me say it, you want to whine, tears of humiliation flooding your eyes. Another slap lands against your clit, harder this time, making your back arch against him.

“Yes, yes, I-I think of you when I touch myself,” you whimper, whole body trembling, eyes shut tightly to keep the tears stinging your eyes from leaking out, wishing his mocking coo in response didn’t make your stomach swoop the way it does.

Praises fall from his lips as his calloused fingers rub small, quick circles into the sensitive bud, interspersed with your sweet, breathy little moans, telling you how good you are, such a good little girl for him, how he fucking knew it, fucking knew that you were thinking of him every night while you desperately stuff your little cunt full of your fingers, the words whispered into your hair as you smush your face against his neck.

“C’mon baby, look at yourself. You’re so beautiful,” his words taper off into a hoarse, quiet whine as his fingers run along your slit again.

You peak out from your safe spot against him, unable to help the gasp that escapes your throat as your eyes connect with your reflections. Hooded eyes find yours, practically glowing, breath hot against your cheek, his chin hooked over your shoulder.

He looks like a fucking god like this, smoldering gaze burning a hole right through to your very soul, ebony hair tousled just right, voice just a hint deeper than normal, husky and guttural.

Watch me, he instructs, your eyes immediately snapping to the apex of your thighs reflected in the mirror, practically mesmerized as he sinks a finger into your fluttering little hole, a soft whine breaking in your chest.

“Shh,” he hushes you. “Watch me,”

Pumping his finger a few times, he works your cunt open enough for him to comfortably insert a second, your head falling back against his shoulder at the pleasant stretch. A chuckle vibrates in his chest, fingers thrusting twice before he curls them, laughing fully as your body jolts.

“Mm, think I found something,” he mutters in your ear, curling his fingers again and smirking when your emit a sharp, involuntary cry. “Yep, definitely found something,”

“Oh God,” you breathe, hips rolling a little to meet his fingers mid-thrust as he works up a steady rhythm.

“Feel good?”

“Uh-huh,” you nod fervently, the back of your head resting against his collarbone, lips parted slightly, eyes slipping shut. “So good,”

“Perfect. Now, do it yourself,”

Your eyes snap open as he removes his hand completely, whimpers of protest falling from your lips as you shake your head, cute, pathetic little ‘no!’s catching in your throat. Sapphire, dark and shimmering, stares at you expectantly through the mirror, Dabi raising an eyebrow when you don’t immediately start moving.

But it’s awkward and you’re clumsy, heat seeping into your cheeks as you fumble a little, stiff movements a stark contrast to his effortless fluidity.

He tries in vain to guide you, delegates what to do and exactly how to do it, but your wrist is beginning to ache, your fingers beginning to cramp, sick of unintentionally edging yourself.

“I can’t,” you wail loudly, frustrated tears blurring your vision. “I can’t, I can’t, not like you do, Dabi, please, t-touch me,”

“Aw, don’t be a greedy little brat,” but he’s chuckling as his fingers snake down your body.

It’s cute, he tells you, voice laced with condescension, that you can’t do anything for yourself, slapping your hand away and pushing two of his fingers into your dripping little pussy again, a pathetic little moan of relief spilling from your lips, body melting back into his.

“Can you at least play with your clit for me, baby?” His tone is almost patronizing, like he’s unsure if you’ll even be able to manage such a simple task, and you whimper out his name, nodding eagerly as your fingers find the swollen bud.

He sounds unaffected, for the most part, and you’d probably think he was, if it weren’t for his cock, hot and hard and throbbing through his flannel PJ pants and pressed flush against your back. He’s rutting against you just a tiny bit, hips rocking against you in minuscule motions as his gaze focuses on his fingers.

“Open your eyes, angel, and watch my hand, yeah? I won’t always be around to make you cum, you know,”  

You do know that, you do.

But it’s hard. It’s hard to watch him, to concentrate on his actions, to even keep your eyes fully open and in focus when they’re continuously rolling back in your head, broken whimpers and high pitched whines leaking uncontrollably from your throat, climbing in volume with each harsh thrust of his fingers, with each swipe over your clit of yours.

“Yeah, that’s it,” he praises, voice strained ever so slightly. “Be a good girl, make a nice mess all over my fingers,”

And so you do, pathetically desperate to be good for him, gushing on his fingers only a few seconds later as your pussy clenches, mewling out his name like a mantra.

“What’re you gonna do next time, when you need to cum and I’m not around?” he asks, after your breathing has begun to calm.

“Doesn’t matter,” you reply simply, eyes still closed, body gone boneless against him. “I’ll never be able to do it as good as you can anyway, so why bother?”

#dabi x reader #dabi smut #todoroki touya x reader #ANON i am SO SORRY this sat in my drafts for like a week and a half or something!!!! #GREAT concept thank u for sharing #i hope i did it justice!!!! #absolutely did not mean to write this much but what else is new eh??? #sweet anon 🥺 #clari gets mail #dabi #todoroki touya #‘spicy dabi that i’m posting in a few hours’ she said twelve+ hours ago #so sorry #tw dubcon #tw manipulation

[honorguk]

dating➔ park jinyoung

» navigation | REQUESTED

what it’s like to date jinyoung from GOT7 (based on my assumptions)

────✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ────

─ • OVERALL:

your typical korean boyfriend :3

will carry your purse, open doors, pull out chairs - a gentleman, as you’d expect

you’d definitely slap his butt every time you see it, and he’d definitely get his revenge

posting each other on your instagram pages, most likely a bad picture with a stupid caption

brings you cut up fruit when you’re studying too :3

and then he will stay in your room while you study and annoy you and you’ll remember why you never let him in your room while you study

move in together at around the 6-months mark

building ikea furniture together and dancing around the living room to christmas music way too early in the year is a MUST

both of you would point to weird and ugly-looking characters in cartoons and say “that’s you”

are you lovers? best friends? siblings? who knows!!

(well maybe not siblings…)

(you’re everything but siblings)

a very supportive dude ,, would visit any competition/game/showcase you are in, as well as a zoom call just to cheer you on

have those matching lockscreens and even probably matching profile pictures on instagram (but he’d only agree to it as a dare, or a penalty)

i can see you guys working out or doing some kind of sport together hmmmm

again, slap the butt please and thank you

wouldn’t often express his love for you verbally, but would definitely constantly buy you things, and write about you in songs, and that’s more than enough for you <3 (i mean, why wouldn’t it be hehe)

─ • DATES YOU GO ON:

(he looks so attractive in his gif oh my god oh my god)

he’d take you to the park for a picnic, and you’d convince him to stay there long enough to stargaze

it’s very equal between who chooses the dates - you’d pick a restaurant one week, he’d take you to a fair the other

but he always pays, no exceptions (didn’t i say gentleman?)

a lot of holding hands and showing you off & constantly taking pictures with each other (and the press love it, as well as the fans)

but both of you use the pictures to clown each other on social media because that’s how real couples operate

it’s all very domestic, and he loves to buy things for you, so not only are you heavily in love whenever you leave the house together, you’re also heavily spoiled (in the best ways ;) )

─ • PET NAMES:

because both you still slightly cringe at any cutesy names you give each other, it’s most ironic when you call him ‘babe’ and he says ‘honey’

but those are the ones you guys started using nonchalantly a few months into the relationship, mostly because it’s easier than saying your names at this point

and when you do say each other’s names, it feels like you’re being scolded and laugh it off, opting to go for the nicknames instead

and as much as he wants to be cool and effortless with his love towards you, his heart still melts whenever he receives a message from a contact he specifically labelled ‘princess’

─ • WHILE ON TOUR:

you talk with jackson more than jinyoung, but that’s because jackson steals his member’s phone whenever your boyfriend tries to contact you (as he usually does with the other members’ phones)

you’d give him enough space to work on his performances and practice and interact with fans, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t secretly wish for him to bombard you with updates

and he knows that what you want, so every moment he has something to say, you’re the first person he tells

sending back and forth a lot of pictures and videos and stupid voice messages

like you’d send a photo of a person or character, and underneath you’d send an audio mimicking their voice, and he’d do that back (and you could carry on for ages)

simply a lot of spams of heart emojis, really

and it makes you both blush insanely hard every time

─ • ARGUING/MAKING UP

it would be very rare, and whenever arguments did happen, they were sorted very quickly and apologies were exchanged within an hour

yet, it’s not always that vanilla(cross thru) simple

yelling matches would sometimes occur, yet only once or twice has it ended in a really ugly way, with both of you spending the night and even the next few days apart

he would be the first to apologize in times like those, and would risk his entire reputation and career just to be back with (he’d miss practice and work in general to be with you, to show you how much he needs you)

and then you’d cry and collapse into his arms and all that gushy stuff as he runs his hands through your hair and kisses your temple

if it’s not too big of a deal but both of you are still stressed and huffing, you’d make the first move to grab his collar and kiss him harshly, and he’ll happily return the gesture until you kiss out your anger (and perhaps it escalates to more..)

─ • NSFW:

primarily a dom, but you made him a switch 100%

lowkey kinda likes when you dom him (if you do) but will never admit it :/

soft dom, romantic most of the time 

has a playlist prepared, or some unfunny series to play in the background (friends *cough cough*)

if you really really really ask him to be rough, he will be and go all out, and to be fair, he’ll lose himself a bit

that rough side includes choking, spanking, some degradation, marks…. But his head would be so clouded and he’ll be a bit shy and embarrassed about doing all of that in hindsight

but his baby enjoyed it so he did too (mostly..he still felt bad)

but usually, like i said, it’s very loving and soft </3 how cute

not too huge on aftercare, but enjoys baths and showers together afterwards

probably took a few pics of you in your lingerie for ‘personal use’ ;)

#got7 #kpop #got7 imagines #got7 jinyoung #jinyoung #park jinyoung #got7 park jinyoung #got7 reactions #got7 scenarios #kpop scenarios #kpop imagines #got7 fluff #got7 angst #got7 smut #got7 jinyoung smut #got7 jinyoung angst #got7 jinyoung fluff #got7 x reader #park jinyoung x reader #kpop reactions #kpop fluff #kpop angst #kpop smut #got 7

[so-i-dont-forget-again]

So I Don’t Forget Again: A Breath of The Wild fanfiction

Entry 208: Zora’s Domain

 Sidon made me breakfast. He made things I had taught him to make back at Hateno, he had to wake up very early to get the ingredients on time. He tried to hide it, but I could see he was a little sleepy through the whole day, he’s had such little rest. I really appreciate this, him just focusing on me, almost like there’s nothing else, but I don’t want him to push himself. Though I want to thank him all the same. He just makes me feel so special and safe, in a way unlike anything else, I guess. I feel like he really sees me, like he truly wants me. I don’t know how to describe this, but I want to. I want to pour these feelings into these pages, have him read this so he can know just how much he means to me, how he’s an irreplaceable part of my life, how he

I just want him to know as amazing as he finds me, I find him to be just the same. He’s much more eloquent with words than me, so maybe he’d know how to write this, but I want to at least try, even if this is just kinda incoherent thoughts by now.

We went to market, it’s a bit away from town, but that’s because it’s more of a trading area so Hylians and Gorons and others can get there easier than going through the canyon to the town. We did some shopping but we heard a lot of rumors. A new hero appearing, one who couldn’t be the reincarnated one. A hero who did not wield the blade of evil’s bane but a trident, instead of working in service of the princesses, or royalty, or goddess they worked for the people, a blond gender ambiguous Hylian who slew a massive, fearsome beast all to get ingredients for a medicine for a gerudo woman’s sick husband they didn’t even know, a person who helped the descendants of the champions calm all the Divine Beasts soon after their rampages began, a person who is a brother to the strong gorons, a person who had begun to teach others how to fend for themselves, on and on it went, even false or exaggerated tales. They were all about one simple person who served the people for their sake and nothing else. This person was not grand or flashy, they were only recognized since tridents are an uncommon weapon and even more uncommon for hylians outside of the royal family to be blond, two odd, eye catching characteristics and people made the connections from there. Sidon told me it just seemed fitting that the “Hero of the People” would wish to use all his peoples’ fighting styles, a person who was strong with all their power, their best qualities united.

I guess it is fitting. Before being the chosen hero or whatever felt like a burden, but this time, it felt different, it didn’t feel bad, like there’s this cumbersome weight I just can’t carry. I’m being called a hero for things I have done already, not things I’m expected to do, I think that’s the difference. I think Sidon could tell too. He admitted he was a little nervous about this, but if I did react badly, he wanted to be beside me so he could comfort me and not have me over hear this some other place far away and for my thoughts to go dark again. And we had the whole day to be together so we could do something fun to get my mind off it.

We had a lovely walk back. Bossa Nova kept trying to steal some of the ingredients we ended up running part of the way as he chased us. He even tried nibbling on my hair to get my attention. Sidon tried scolding him, but Bossa Nova didn’t care. After gifting a Hearty Radish he calmed down, but Sidon said I shouldn’t spoil him, that he’ll just take advantage of that and eat through all my non-meat supplies sooner or later. But then he just looked at me for a moment, smiled and shook his head before turning back to the trail ahead. When I asked him what that meant he told me he couldn’t find my behavior endearing and that I need to learn how to say ‘no’ sometimes. I guess he is a prince, he has to make decisions for his people, and he’ll likely have to say ‘no’ sometimes, but how can you say no to a cute hungry capybara! Besides I don’t think he would have stopped trying to knock us over till he was fed so I don’t think it could have been THAT bad. Just a treat. He’s a good boy, he needs the love. Sidon then gasped and said this must be why Bossa Nova likes me more now. It was clear he was play acting, playing up the moment but his reaction did get Bossa Nova to charge at him and knock him into the river for hugs. Much of the fruit started floating down river and it took a while to collect it all.

We cooked lunch together, a fusion between Rito and Zora cuisine. I always love cooking with him, well I just like cooking, but especially with him. Food reflects it’s culture and traditions, cooking is literally making something to help the other keep living and making it enjoyable all the while. I don’t think I need food, not anymore at least, but I can still enjoy it, making it and tasting it with others. Eating and cooking with others feels different than on your own, it only makes sense, food reflects people and so more people would surely make it taste better. All this to say I just really enjoyed lunch. And Bossa Nova still ate his meal so giving him his treat was not spoiling him! He didn’t eat his whole thing though, but that’s not the point! He still ate it… I guess it’s because I don’t get hungry I don’t see the point in having scheduled meals. Sidon said that was not the point, the point being Bossa Nova acting bratty to get whatever he wants. But could it be so bad, all he ever wants is food or extra affection.

Sidon asked if I knew how long I can hold my breath for. Much of his kingdom is underwater and he wanted to show more of it to me. Zoras really are made for the water, even the shape of their heads are kind of like arrows so they can effortlessly pierce through it. I know fish need fins to swim, I wonder how fins help Zora swim. They’re just stunning racing past, or at least Sidon is. Even with my complete zora armor set swimming can be a struggle but for him it’s effortless, he can go in circles and make twists and turns so quickly. Light seems much starker underwater, either bright or dark, I notice his glowy parts much more, I still can’t tell if they’re always glowing or if the glow activates when he’s in shade.

His home underwater looks similarish to land with similar plants, but there are also very different ones I don’t even know where to begin describing them. Some are kind of like flat dishes and others more spindly, then there are others that are wrinkly, I’ve never seen plants like those in the rivers before. There are some like stone, Sidon says they’re called coral and are plants oddly enough. Many of these only grow in the domain, but there are similar ones in the ocean. I wondered if any could be used in cooking, as they are plants zoras have never tried and Sidon was rather keen on assisting me if I tried working with them.

His kingdom underwater is so much larger than on the surface. Sidon and his people could so easily be separated from the rest of the world and be just fine. Their most important places like the throne room are on the surface so others can more easily reach them. That is something he’s always had been so appreciative of his ancestors for doing. His people, they’ve always been distant from the rest of Hyrule whether they lived solely underwater or some place out of reach or hidden away, of all times this current era is likely the closest they have been to others even with being separated by a distant canyon still. He doesn’t like this distance, even if it is better than before. After the champions fell and the hylians had no leader, everyone mostly went their own ways and more of a divide was created between everyone, sure there’s trade and the mail service but other than that, nothing, no alliance promises or at least documents stating they were at peace with one another, there’s nothing except for the few individuals who sought out pay from others, that’s why he finds what I’m doing to be so incredible. This legend I’m making just by being myself, becoming something or someone everyone can connect too or want to strive for. A kind of hero he could only have dreamed of. I told him I can’t do anything like uniting everyone, I’ve just lived with them and gotten to know them, he however, someone who knows how to lead others, someone who can understand and relate to others so easily or through his sheer determination, his hunger to know others better, wanting those connections, he could become someone who could lead and unite hyrule. He told me uniting hyrule again was going to be a monumental task, surely one he could not handle on his own, he’d definitely need someone who’s on good terms with everyone, and more importantly a partner by his side, someone he could lean on during the rough days, someone who could emotionally support him and just be by his side, just someone precious to him to keep close.

How tenderly he held my hands and stroked them with his thumbs, and just that way he looked at me. I don’t know what I was feeling but it was so warm, and soft, and like my chest was fluttering. Just… how he wants me, not just for what I can do, he just wants me. He wants me to be there because he just wants to share his life with me, I just happen to get some additional satisfaction since I know I get to help, but even if I couldn’t I KNOW he’d want me to be there with him and it just…

It means so much to me.

Today was just so nice.

After leading me to my room he collapsed on the bed. I don’t know about him, but I know swimming definitely takes a lot of energy and he was already working with little sleep, at least this way I know for certain he’s getting rest. I hope nobody comes here looking for him. For now, I guess I should get some sleep myself.

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#loz #botw #loz botw #legend of zelda #breath of the wild #legend of zelda breath of the wild #link #wild link #botw link #breath of the wild link #sidlink #link x sidon #sidon x link #fanfic #fanfiction #botw fanfic #botw fanfiction #loz botw fanfiction #loz botw fanfic #breath of the wild fanfic #breath of the wild fanfiction #sidfa #so i don't forget again #soidon'tforgetagain

[oo-hazel-oo]

The Lucky Batch

hey y’all! i’ve been working on this for a hot minute — turns out i am incapable writing anything shorter than 5,000 words, so sorry in advance for how long this got. a huge thank you to @cosmicghostie for being the ultimate writer's cheerleader and to the rest of the lucky batch for giving me such amazing characters to work with! you all genuinely brighten my day, so i hope this brightens yours! ♥︎

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Lucky: a few days in the life of Clone Force 37’s unofficial therapist

content warnings: blood/injury, weapon use, lots of emotional distress (but also some fluff to make up for it!!)

Thumbs didn’t know when he had become Clone Force 37’s unofficial therapist. It just kinda happened.

His original role as the squad’s battle strategist shifted after he realized that his usual skill-set wouldn’t be helpful to a squad who typically threw strategy out the window.

Yet even without a set strategy, the unconventional group somehow had a relatively high success rate when it came to their missions. Thumbs had assumed it was their unpredictability that gave them an advantage. Or the fact that each of them had unique abilities, unlike any soldiers he had ever met.

However, the longer he was with Clone Force 37, the more he started to notice just how special his batch-mates were.

The twins, Foxy and Pepper, had caught his attention first. Both were skilled in their own ways, but what stood out to Thumbs was how each was fiercely protective of the other. He wasn’t sure what the pair had gone through to end up on the Clover, but he couldn’t help but notice the weight of Foxy’s quiet around strangers or the subtle promise behind each sticker that Pepper placed. Thumbs knew more than anyone, love was always accompanied by fear.

He saw this fear in Master Kenhla, every time she glanced towards the two padawans she had come to mentor. Despite her powerful posture, Thumbs could see how she carried the galaxy on her shoulders; not so that she could manage more, but so her brothers could bear less.

Brothers like Rane and Skip, who had lost everything, everyone, before finding their place with the Lucky Batch. Or Sparks and Ryder, both of whom blamed themselves for tragedies of the past.

They all had lost so much… Yet, by some miracle, they had found each other.

Thumbs would do anything to make sure it stayed that way.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

This particular day had started normally, which for Thumbs meant wincing as three screaming forms barreled towards where he sat knitting at the back of the ship. He set his needles down, knowing he would not be getting back to work anytime soon.

“Here we go,” he mumbled under his breath as his batchmates shouted from across the hull.

“THUMBS!!!”

The small stampede, which was revealed to be Sparks, Ballast, and Luna, raced towards him, each one attempting to outpace the other.

“Oh Maker, Ballast, what did you do?”

The batcher in question skidded to a stop, mock-offense written across his face. “I didn’t-”

Thumbs gave each of his batch-mates a once-over, scanning them for injuries. “Should I get Pepper? Is anyone hurt?”

“Not yet,” the two mechanics both mumbled under their breath.

Thumbs sighed in equal parts relief and exhaustion. Ballast and Sparks had been ‘friendly’ rivals for as long as he had known the pair. Unfortunately for him, their rivalry often extended outside the realm of mechanics and into the everyday affairs of the Lucky Batch, with Thumbs usually acting as the chosen mediator of these disagreements.

Sparks pointed at Ballast, pleading his case. “He ate all the cookies Jack made me!”

“You’re overreac-”

“And drank all my caf.”

Now Thumbs understood the near-murderous look on Sparks’ face.

His brother had always done so much for the batch and asked for very few things in return, one of those things being his morning cups of caf: a simple but necessary pleasure that allowed him to function throughout the day.

Thumbs brought his attention back to the pair in front of him, wondering whose word to trust more. Then he brought his gaze down, to a much more reliable source.

“Luna, what happened?”

The padawan looked up nervously, her eyes partially hidden behind choppy bangs. Thumbs smiled when he noticed she was wearing the mittens he had knit for her. He had originally made pairs for both her and Brisk while they were stationed on a colder planet, but now Luna liked to wear them for fun, claiming they made her look like an ewok.

The young girl shrunk from the attention that was suddenly on her, moving closer to Ballast’s side.

“I…”

“What happened is he drank all my caf.” Sparks stepped forward, jabbing another accusatory finger towards Ballast. “The caf that prevents me from strangling my brothers when they get on my nerves.”

Thumbs spoke up, attempting to diffuse the rising hostility. “I thought you didn’t even like caf, Ballast. I always see you drinking that tea Jackal likes.”

The mechanic shifted on his feet nervously. “Well, I…”

Thumbs looked towards his brother curiously, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. Something about the whole dispute seemed off, almost like Ballast was covering for someb-

“Wait,” a small voice piped up from behind the three brothers. “B-Ballast didn’t take your caf, I did.”

“You-” Sparks spun towards the voice with an instinctive glower before recognizing its source. His features softened almost instantly. “What?”

Luna shrugged sheepishly. “I wanted to see if it was good… It was! And Master Ken said I was exceptionally energetic during our training afterwards.”

Thumbs fixed his gaze on Sparks expectantly, curious how he would react to the young batcher’s confession.

“I’m sorry,” she continued, wringing her mittened hands. “I know I should’ve asked.”

Sparks cleared his throat awkwardly as he waved off her apology. “No, it’s uh... It’s fine.”

Luna’s expression remained uncertain and Ballast elbowed Sparks in the side, urging him to reassure the young girl.

“Really, I mean... I shouldn’t even be drinking that much anyway,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily.

Ballast grinned at Sparks, eating up the moment.

Thumbs couldn’t help the smirk that crept onto his own face as well. For a squad of soldiers who had fought countless battles and overcome powerful enemies, they sure did surrender fast when it came to their padawans. No one onboard the Clover was immune to their effortless charm.

Luna eventually looked up at Thumbs, seeking his own approval, which he happily granted with an encouraging thumbs up.

There was a welcome moment of silence before Sparks’ head jerked upwards once more.

“Wait, what about my cookies?”

“Hmm...” Ballast looked to the floor dramatically, feigning deep thought. “You mean the chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt and a fine caramel drizzle?” He smirked before continuing. “I have no idea.”

Sparks took two threatening steps towards Ballast and within seconds the two of them were chasing each other throughout the Clover with Luna giggling in their wake.

For the clones, who quite literally were forced to grow up too fast, the padawans’ presence reminded them of what a childhood should be. It kept them grounded, desperate to preserve that feeling for the young girls for as long as they could. And if that meant that Luna could get away with stealing Spark’s caf, then so be it.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

That evening’s supply trip was supposed to be easy. A quick in and out operation to gather necessary materials for the coming weeks. But it had already been three hours since Ballast, Sparks, and Foxy’s expected return and no one on the Clover had received an update on their whereabouts.

Thumbs wasn’t someone who paced often. While the rest of the galaxy seemed to be in constant motion, Thumbs always tried his best to remain still at its center. But the longer he waited for his batchmates’ return, the more he felt like he was spinning off his axis, unable to stop the repetitive trajectory of his feet throughout the hull.

He wasn’t even aware of his own movements until they were interrupted by the sound of distant yelling. Strained shouts echoed from outside the Clover’s walls, nearly imperceptible amidst the intensifying wind. Their tone, panicked and desperate, was more bone-chilling than the rain that had started to fall around them.

Storms had always scared Thumbs. He hated seeing flashes of lightning, understanding that the explosion of thunder would follow, but never knowing when. Deep down he knew that thunder was harmless, that lightning posed the greater threat, but at least it was quick, unexpected, gone in a flash. Thunder was slow, deafening, inevitable.

When the Clover’s ramp finally lowered to reveal a bloodied Sparks cradled in Ballast’s arms, he knew that the lightning had passed.

This was the thunder.

Thumbs watched in silence as his brothers stumbled into the hull of the ship, a trail of mud and blood left in their wake. Ballast and Foxy eased Sparks onto the closest bunk, removing his armor to better assess the injury. Luna and Brisk dashed into the room, their eyes widening at the horrific sight. Luna’s breaths came in labored bursts as she called for Pepper, tears streaming down her face.

The squad’s medic came running, following the worried gaze of the two young girls who stood near the bunks. He spared a brief glance at Foxy before quickly donning a pair of gloves and shouting orders to nearby batch-mates. Hearing the commotion, Master Kenhla arrived and immediately ushered her padawans out of the room, not wanting them to witness the sight of their brother in pain.

While before Thumbs had been unable to sit still, now he felt frozen, cold as the ice on Hoth. His brothers were right in front of him, yet he felt as if he were watching the scene unfold from millions of miles away.

He kept thinking back to that morning — Sparks had been fine, albeit cranky over his lack of caf, and now…

Thumbs hated it. He hated how things could change so quickly.

He watched as Ballast, usually explosive in his mannerisms, now held Sparks’ hand in his own, whispering words of comfort as his brother lay motionless on the cot.

Thumbs suddenly felt sick to his stomach, a shrill ringing filling the air around him. The echoes of a memory that had been stagnant for years, forced into the depths of his mind, suddenly emerged:

An argument, a battle, another brother gone. A hand desperately squeezing his own before going limp, devoid of all life.

Another hand, this one from the present, landed on his shoulder, dragging him out of one nightmare and into another. A voice was speaking, asking if he was alright, telling him to sit down.

Thumbs’ guilt only increased. Hands that should be helping his fallen brother were instead on his own shoulders, urging him towards the nearest seat. He shrugged them off with an uncharacteristic roughness, finally taking a few shaky steps towards Sparks.

He had almost made it to the bunk when the same pair of arms wrapped around his torso, pulling him back.

“Thumbs, stop,” the voice urged. “You need to let Pepper help him. There’s nothing you can do.”

He knew the words were supposed to be comforting. He had spoken the same ones to almost every soldier who had come to him burdened with the invisible weight of survivor’s guilt. Sometimes it was what they needed to hear; other times, it wasn’t.

The last thing Thumbs saw was an oxygen mask being lowered onto his brother’s face before eventually succumbing to the arms around him, letting himself be removed from the scene.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Thumbs woke up the next morning with a headache.

Foxy, who had been the one to escort him out of the room the night before, filled him in on what had happened during the supply run.

Apparently as the trio had made their way back to the ship, bandits had intercepted them. The ragtag group of thieves were lacking in both numbers and artillery and hadn’t been particularly difficult to subdue. Sparks had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in the unforgiving crossfire of a supply trip gone wrong.

Thumbs wished he had been there. Maybe then he could’ve shouted to his brother in warning or pulled him out of harm’s way. Stars, he would’ve jumped in front of the deathly bolt himself if it meant Sparks was still standing at the end of the day.

The two of them had grown close over the past few months, especially after Thumbs learned the story behind Sparks’ name. He could tell that his brother’s outwardly gruff attitude was just a shield used to protect the sensitive, guilt-ridden soldier beneath. Even one offhand criticism of his work as a mechanic could bring him back to the accident and a past he wished desperately to forget.

Because of this, Sparks would often work through the night, losing himself in the wires and circuits of the ship to ensure he didn’t make the same mistake twice. Thumbs was always at his side reminding him to take breaks, to drink water when he was thirsty, to eat when pangs of hunger hit...

But there was little he could do for Sparks now as he lay unconscious in the hull of the Clover.

Pepper had done everything he could, luckily managing to stabilize their brother within a few hours of the incident. Sparks was slowly showing signs of improvement — he had even woke up briefly in the early hours, mumbling something about watering Percy, before slipping back into the depths of unconsciousness.

Percy was the name of one of Sparks’ plants, something Thumbs discovered after walking in on his brother affectionately repotting it in a moment of assumed privacy.

He smiled at the memory, shaking his head in disbelief. It was just like Sparks to be worried about keeping his plants alive while he was barely clinging to life himself.

With nothing to do but wait until his brother woke up, Thumbs made his way into the hull of the ship where he found most of the batch engaged in a lively game of Dejarik. It was a tradition, meant to keep the batches' spirit alive when faced with tough times.

He almost started towards them when he felt a presence to his left, distanced from the laughter of the others.

Thumbs’ gaze landed on Ryder as he stared out of the cockpit window absent-mindedly, though he knew from his expression that his mind was anything but absent.

Thumbs approached slowly, not wanting to startle the squad’s weapons specialist.

“Hey Ry, you alright?”

Ryder glanced up, a flash of surprise illuminating his expression, before looking back down, his face once again shrouded in darkness.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” A barrage of laughter sounded from the other side of the room, where everyone was still gathered. “Think I’m gonna go for a ride though.”

“Oh, okay…” Thumbs replied, wanting to say more to his obviously-distracted brother. “Mind if I tag along?”

“You always do,” Ryder said, shooting him a small smirk.

“Hey!” Thumbs laughed, punching his shoulder lightly.

Ryder chuckled, nodding for Thumbs to follow him to the far corner of the hull. Once there, he opened the weapons cabinet, extracting a couple blasters and holstering them on his form.

Thumbs looked at his brother questioningly.

“Just in case,” Ryder said, carefully checking over his chosen artillery.

Thumbs nodded quickly, admonishing himself for not thinking more practically, especially after what happened with Sparks. It was a dangerous thing to give the galaxy the benefit of the doubt.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The planet they were currently docked on was beautiful. The hues of its rolling hills were softened by the dying light, the gentle breeze transforming the tall grasses into golden waves. The sky’s colors evolved with each passing minute, all evidence of the previous night’s storm lost to its changing shades.

It was Thumb’s favorite time of day. At dusk the light never seemed harsh; it was sympathetic, understanding. It hovered, never fully settling, like a cloud. But dusky light was also ephemeral. Thumbs wished he could freeze it, trap it in a jar and release it when he needed its soft companionship.

He knew too many people like dusk: perfect, until they were gone.

“It’s pretty here,” Thumbs eventually broke the silence, a welcome distraction from his own thoughts.

“Yeah,” Ryder replied as his eyes traced the horizon, “It is.”

“That why you’ve been coming out here so often?”

Thumbs knew his brother liked to take his speeder out on rides whenever he needed a break from the confines of the Clover. He would even accompany him from time to time. But recently he had been escaping much more frequently and Thumbs couldn’t help but worry that something else was going on.

Ryder chuckled lowly. “I didn’t think anyone noticed.”

“Hey, you’re kinda hard not to notice.” Thumbs smirked, gesturing a hand towards his brother’s head: “Ya know, cause of the hair.”

Ryder grinned, blowing a stray strand out of his face. “Yeah, sure thing curly.”

Thumbs ran a hand through his own coily locks with a shy shrug.

The two brothers fell into a comfortable silence as fireflies blinked to life around them. Thumbs pretended they were shooting stars, closing his eyes and wishing for the speedy recovery of Sparks back onboard the Clover.

After a while, the air seemed to become heavy and Thumbs could tell that Ryder needed to get something off of his chest.

His suspicion was confirmed when he heard his brother sigh deeply, preparing to speak.

“Lately…” he started, tugging on the end of his turquoise braid. “I’ve been thinking a lot.”

Thumbs nodded and moved to sit beside him in a subtle gesture of comfort.

“About them?”

Ryder nodded, knowing Thumbs was referencing his past squad.

“I’ve been having the dreams again.”

Thumbs’ face fell. He remembered the night he found out about Ryder’s nightmares as if it were yesterday.

He had been awake in the hull of the ship, too afraid that something bad might happen if he allowed himself the privilege of closing his eyes. Ryder had started tossing in his sleep, muttering the names and numbers of unfamiliar clones. Thumbs shook his brother awake, eventually guiding him outside of the ship when he struggled to regain his breath. The two of them had sat on the Clover’s ramp until long after the sun rose, each finding comfort in the other’s presence.

Since then, the nightmares had decreased, but every now and again they would return. The guilt would return.

“In the dream, I’m back on the venator,” Ryder described, his voice hoarse. “First there’s the flashing lights. Then voices, their voices, but they eventually fade away and then there’s just static. For a moment, everything is quiet, just a faint buzzing...”

Thumbs gave his brother’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, letting him know he was still there, still listening.

“And then I’m in the escape pod. As I’m drifting away, I look back towards the ship, but it’s not the venator anymore. It’s the Clover.”

He paused, swallowing thickly.

“And then it’s just gone. Swallowed by fire.”

The unsettling images unearthed feelings that Thumbs never had the courage to voice out loud, but the anxious thrumming of Ryder’s fingers on the side of the speeder reminded him of his current task: to show his brother that he was there for him now, regardless of what happened in the past.

“Ry, I know there’s not a lot I can say. But know that they would’ve been so proud of you, of the soldier and brother you’ve become,” Thumbs reassured gently. “We all are.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Ryder mumbled.

Thumbs frowned, knowing his brother wasn’t convinced.

“Well, this was supposed to be a surprise, but it looks like you need it now.”

Thumbs pulled out the pack he had brought with him, rifling through it until he found a small bundle. He nervously presented it to Ryder, who observed the way it had been carefully packaged in colorful gift wrap and adorned with stickers, most likely donated by Pepper.

“I made this for you,” Thumbs spoke as Ryder opened the parcel. “It’s a blanket, obviously, but it’s… Well, it’s got a little more to it than that. Each row of stitches is made of yarn from all the different places we’ve been to as a batch. Thought it could be cool to see how far we’ve all come. But I also know how important it is to you that we honor our pasts, so down here,” Thumbs pointed at the bottom left corner, “I stitched in the names of CT-2019 and CT-1882. And over here is General Lyle’s.”

Thumbs looked up at Ryder, trying to gauge his reaction.

“I know it doesn’t change anything, not really, but I thought maybe it could help you sleep at night.”

There was a long moment of silence as Thumbs began to doubt the impact of his gift. The whole idea was starting to sound stupid now. Maybe if he had-

“I… Thank you, Thumbs.” Ryder finally spoke, his voice cracking slightly. “Really. It’s- It’s perfect.”

Thumbs grinned, glad to see the glimmer of hope return to his brother’s eyes. “Of course, anything for my vod.”

Ryder held the blanket close, tracing his finger over the carefully stitched names of his old squad. His eyes scanned over the various colors and textures that Thumbs had incorporated, recognizing yarn from planets they hadn’t been to in years. How long had his brother been working on this?

He was just about to ask when a subtle movement drew his own gaze downwards. Thumbs was quietly bouncing his right leg, a nervous habit that Ryder had picked up on throughout their time together. He doubted that Thumbs was even aware of his own anxious mannerism, but Ryder could tell that something was on his mind.

“Hey, vod?” Ryder placed the blanket down, his focus now on his brother.

“Yeah?” Thumbs replied, still staring straight ahead.

Ryder thought back to something his companion had told him just moments ago, something that had made him feel important, valuable, seen.

“People notice you too.”

 Thumbs chuckled, thinking back to when he invited himself to join Ryder on his impromptu speeder trip just hours before. “Yeah, I guess my constant pestering makes it hard not to.”

“Yeah...” Ryder continued, almost hesitantly. It would be harder getting through to his brother than he thought. “But we also notice why you do that.”

“And why’s that?” Thumbs asked casually, not quite sure where Ryder was guiding the conversation.

“Because you care.”

At this, Thumbs finally met his brother’s eyes, confusion painting his features. The words were simple, yet something about them did not fully compute.

“No matter how many idiotic things we pull, you’re always there for us.”

Thumbs held his brother’s gaze, considering his words intently, before looking down to his feet. He frowned before mumbling something, barely audible above the light breeze:

“Not when it counts.”

The words sliced through the air, contrary to the soft tone in which they were spoken. Ryder couldn’t help the immediate snap of his head towards his brother.

“What do you-”

“Yesterday, with Sparks,” Thumbs interjected, his voice gaining strength. “No amount of pestering could’ve helped him.”

There was something about the way Thumbs was speaking — something that Ryder had missed before, something familiar — that was unravelling with each passing moment.

“But he’s okay now, he’s fine,” Ryder tried to console, his brow furrowed.

Thumbs scoffed. “That was just luck. I heard what Pepper said: If his injury had been just an inch to the left…” He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly.

“Well, luck is kinda our thing,” Ryder said, repeating words that Pepper had spoken to him when he first joined the batch.

“But I don’t want it to be!”

Ryder looked up in shock. In the entire time he had known Thumbs, he had never once heard him raise his voice. But shock soon turned to concern when he noticed the tears streaming down his brother’s face.

“I don’t want to rely on luck,” Thumbs choked out, his voice softening. “Not… not when it comes to the people I care about.”

Helplessness.

Ryder was well-acquainted with the feeling — the image of his former general on the other side, the wrong side, of an escape pod window, forever etched into his memory. He tried to think of something to say that could comfort his brother, but the only words that came to mind were the ones Thumbs had already spoken to him moments before.

The whole batch knew that Thumbs had always struggled to take his own advice and that reminding him to do so never seemed to have an effect. It was unusual to see him in such a vulnerable state, something the former-strategist was well aware of as he avoided his brother’s gaze, shame written across his tear-stained features.

Ryder cringed at the sight, knowing he would need to take a more unconventional approach to offer his brother reassurance, one that would hopefully provide him with a fragment of control in a galaxy that seemed to feed on chaos.

Ryder nodded once, steeling himself, before reaching down and pulling his twin blasters out of their respective holsters.

“You know,” he started, attempting to keep his voice level, “I got these from CT-2019 and CT-1882. They were graduation gifts.”

Thumbs turned his head curiously, wiping away a stray tear in the process. A small part of him fought back the urge to smile: unlike his brother, he had been given craft supplies and a book for graduation.

“I could teach you how to shoot ‘em, if you want.”

Thumbs looked towards his brother incredulously.

“Ry, I’ve shot a blaster before...”

Ryder exhaled breathily, a playful grin gracing his features. “Ah, not ones like these. These here are DC-17 hand blasters.” He held his weapons in front of himself reverently. “They’re more powerful than your standard blaster, more efficient too.”

Thumbs hesitated, his confusion at the sudden shift in topic still evident, before nodding slowly.

“Alright, sure.”

Ryder spent the next few minutes guiding Thumbs through the best way to handle the blasters — helping him correct his stance, improve aim, and prepare for recoil. The process was strangely reassuring, giving Thumbs something tangible to hold onto, something he could control.

“Hey, Ryder?” Thumbs asked, looking down at the weapon in his hands, the echoes of its former owners serving as a comforting reminder that those who were gone could still protect their brothers who lived to fight another day. Maybe when Thumbs was gone, he could do the same.

“Thank you.”

Ryder had just begun to respond when a noise sounded from behind them.

Thumbs startled and spun on his heel, impulsively throwing the first thing he could think of towards the nearby bushes: Ryder’s blaster.

He mentally facepalmed as his brother jumped off of the speeder, aiming his remaining blaster towards the sound. He held out a hand as he crept closer to the bushes, silently telling Thumbs to stay back.

A tense moment passed, before a tooka revealed itself from behind the bush.

Thumbs sighed in relief before looking up at Ryder guiltily.

“Probably not the best use of the blaster,” he said with a cringe.

“What, you wanted to shoot it?” Ryder questioned breathlessly, a smirk growing across his features.

“No, of course not!” Thumbs smiled, relieved that his brother didn’t seem upset over his moment of panic. The tooka sauntered up to him, rubbing its head against his legs.

Ryder retrieved the discarded blaster and walked back towards the speeder, the remnants of a smirk still visible on his face. “Well, looks like good things can come from bad luck.”

“Yeah,” Thumbs huffed, looking down at the small animal by his feet. “Guess so.”

And maybe that’s what Clone Force 37 was: a group of outcasts who were all in the process of turning their histories with bad luck into good things — good luck.

“C’mon, hop up,” Ryder said as held out an arm. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

Thumbs let himself be pulled into the speeder, the firm grip of his brother’s hand a silent reassurance: I’m here for you.

He leaned back, his eyes reflecting the stars that had started to appear above. He wondered how many of them he couldn’t see, how many millions of lives were being lived just out of his view.

Thumbs glanced over to the brother at his side, thinking about how lucky he was to have crossed paths with him, with all of them, in a universe of infinite proportions.

“We should probably pick up some caf for Sparks on the way back… I know he’ll want some when he wakes up,” Thumbs spoke, laying all the way back in the speeder.

Ryder nodded in agreement as they lurched forward. The sun had finally disappeared from view and the two soldiers soon became mere silhouettes against the dimming night sky.

But anyone familiar with Clone Force 37 knew that they were so much more than two small blips on the horizon:

They were brothers.

And Thumbs was positive that nothing in the galaxy could ever change that.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

@the-lucky-batch @lavenderstaars @lynnpaper @foxlock @maygalodon @mango-peachjuice @radbatch @letsunity @burnthashbrown27 @generaltano @catboy-tech @cosmicghostie @namesmox @monako-jinn-stories @longearedowlfromouterspace @lusiawonder @just-another-dreamerr

#the lucky batch #clone force 37 #fam force 37 #cf37 thumbs #cf37 sparks #cf37 ryder #cf37 ballast #cf37 luna #cf37 foxy #cf37 pepper #cf37 kenhla #cf37 brisk

[rose7420]

Hey!! For the G/t prompts that you're doing, can I request 28. "Don't worry, I'll be careful." ?? :D The reader could be friend's with Giant Loki (she always visits the tower and they just met and bonded really quickly lol), but her parents fight a bunch. Loki knows about this and decides to go see if his little friend is okay, so he teleports in front of her house, towering over it. Y/n's mom knows about her daughter's friendship with Loki and comes outside to greet him with Y/n, asking him if Y/n could stay with Loki for the next few days because of their situation.

Here we are! If anyone ever needs to talk about family problems I’m always here to listen.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful” Loki says to Y/N’s mother, holding y/n close to his chest. He stands up casting an immense shadow over their house. “Hey Loki?” Y/n asks.

Loki looks down to his small friend. “Yes y/n?”

“Do you think we could go somewhere else other than the tower? I kinda wanna get out.”

Loki’s heart softens and he lifts her to his shoulder, her tiny weight barely perceptible.

“Of course. I believe I know just the place.”

His steps carry them to a secluded tree surrrounded by flowers of every color.

Loki leans his back against the tree exhaling a long sigh.

“Would you perhaps like to talk about what happened?”

Next to his ear, every movement and sound she makes is audible. She shifted and took a deep breath of her own.

“They’ve just been fighting… all the time, I-I thought that they l-loved me enough to stop fighting. To stop the arguments, I don’t feel like so have a family anymore.” She scooted closer to his neck, her body trembling with the tears she tried to keep back. He gently pressed her closer right under his jaw.

“I can’t imagine how much that must hurt you. But no matter what I’ll be here for you. “

He knew his voice must shake her in her very bones.

“Thank you Loki.”

“You’re welcome my dear. Are you ready to return to the tower?”

She agrees and he teleports them into his very room.

“Now, since you will be staying with me for awhile would you like me to fix you a bed of your own?”

When together, y/n rarely slept in a bed of her own. She usually dozed off upon his broad chest from the gentle movements that his breathing caused.

It fascinated Loki that a simple, effortless movement such as his breaths could move an entire person.

“I’ll just sleep on your c-chest.” Loki smiled and laid out on the bed, his long form dwarfing y/n’s as he deposited her onto him. She struggled to find balance and he lessens the effect of his breathing to make it easier for her to walk.

“Can you read to me?” She asked shyly, craning her head towards his face still laying on her back.

“How about I tell you a story of my own?” Loki suggested. She nodded enthusiastically turning over onto her belly to properly look at him; her head resting in her hand with propped elbows.

Loki told her of adventures Thor and he had taken, of how he had overcame his depression and how he had coped with the abuse form his father. Y/n stayed wide eyed listening to every word, laughing at Thor’s antics. Finishing his tales he noticed a significant lift in her mood, happy that he could help her. Soon she was off to sleep and he covered her with a large protective hand wishing only the best for his small friend.

#giant #giant loki #giant/tiny #loki #tiny #family problems #fluff #tiny reader #small

[iwantitiwriteit]

Love Lockdown - Part 3

Lovesick

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader

Summary: Chris braces himself for his FaceTime with you.

Warnings: Angst, Pandemic backdrop, Profanity

Notes: First In My Feelings Monday™ on books! Hopefully there’ll be more musings as the weeks go on, but I loved the whimsy the mindset added to me day! 🥰 This part was kind tough to write cos it required me to get into an opposing mind frame from the Reader, but a fun challenge nonetheless! Read the previous part here!

As much as he loved Winter in Boston, it was Spring that really captured Chris’ heart.

He’d been watching the beautiful day pass by outside his home office window while he took a few remote meetings with his team. Lockdown didn’t mean shutdown, for Chris at least, as he’s in preparation mode for an upcoming virtual press junket.

However, as soon as those glorious words, “That’s all for today,” were uttered, he upped and gathered his jacket, Dodger and headed for the front door.

“Going for a walk!” He called over his shoulder, his way of saying he’d be back soon.

“Alright, let me grab my jacket!” Scott said in response. Chris sighed and laughed to himself as he waited by the door for his brother. “What?” Scott asked when he got to Chris, who was shaking his head at his brother’s self-invite. He just laughed lightly as they bounded for the street, locking the door behind them.

It took Chris some growing up to appreciate this season. Truly appreciate it. But he’s so glad he does now. There’s a polarity in its elements that make it unique from the other seasons. 

The bright sun peeks from behind thick clouds every so often, fully exposed and giving light gloriously. The flowers, shy and budding in March, are now in April, with just a little time, bold and in bloom. The trees billowing in the cold wind are unaware of their own fierce presence, so gentle in their saving grace that is their shade.

Kind of complex, Spring in Boston. Could be perceived as annoying in its inconsistency of temperature within a 24 hour period; cold one part of the day then hot the next. But he loved that not everyday or every hour was the same. Kept him on his toes in a way.

 He couldn’t help but imagine how you’d like it here at this time of year. How he’d like you here with him. To have you on this walk right now. To hold you close when the sharp wind cuts through, chilling you both. You’d say what you always say when you snuggle up to him for warmth; that your southern bones feel the cold more than he does.

Maybe it’s true. Or Maybe it’s a lame excuse to be closer to him. Either way, he’d never complain. He loves it. He loves you.

Chris smiles to himself at the thought. Yeah, you’d love it here in the Spring. Definitely more than you did in December. What a start to a shit show that turned out to be. Chris hates to think about it. But his brain can’t help but go back there sometimes.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Scott asks, walking alongside his brother.

Chris lets out a long breath. He’s back there right now. But it doesn’t start and stop there. December makes him think of January. January makes him think of February. Then March, and before he knows it, he’s been through the chain of events that led you two here: Him in Boston, and you in Tennessee. In love but hurting from it. In the midst of a pandemic? Your relationship is just as uncertain as the end to the world’s madness.

Chris kicks himself at the painful memories. Shaking his head, he looks over to Scott who is patient as his brother finds his words.

“I’m thinking that despite the craziness of the last few weeks, months even, and being on lockdown...”

“Uh-huh…” Scott says knowing there’s more

“In an odd way, I’ve felt more free than I have in a while.”

“How’s that?”

“Well… hasn’t it been kinda great being, ya’know, solo...?” Chris eludes, not wanting to say the actual words.

“Huh? Oooooh!” Scott says as he catches Chris’ drift.

Chris won’t lie; the last 3 weeks away from you have been headache free. The bachelor lifestyle coming back to him with ease. He’s spent enough years on his own to know how to revel in the perks of singleness. No side eyes when he’s yelling at CNN or football, no being told to do stupid, necessary chores that can wait til he’s ready, and no one to get hurt when he’s inevitably fucked up in some way or another.

“Only problem is, I’m the only one of us who’s actually single.”

“Right… I know, and don’t get me wrong! I feel really lucky she hasn’t left me yet, and that she’s stuck it out with me for this long. I really can’t imagine my life without her.”

“But…” Scott prompts.

Chris is hesitant as he starts again. “But lately, guiltily...I wonder if that would be such a bad thing. If we were to… ya’know,” Chris makes weird hand motions that Scott eventually interprets as “breakup”.

“It’s a wonder you’re any good at charades.”

As much as he feels bad and knows he could’ve done some things differently, handled some things better, Chris is sooo frustrated with you.

“Why won’t she just tell me what she’s really thinking— exactly what she’s feeling. I’m not a fucking mind reader! You would think it’d be easy for her, considering what she does for a living, I don’t get it man.”

Scott waits for his cue for Chris to ask the golden question, but when he doesn’t hear it, he looks over at his older brother. Chris looks every bit a boy that’s absolutely lovesick, kicking the rocks in his way, pouting down at his feet. “You want my opinion?” Scott eventually offers.

“Please. I don’t think Dodger’s gonna give me anything good.” Chris bends down to pet the pup quickly before continuing their walk

“I think she has told you what she’s feeling— just not explicitly from her mouth.”

“If that’s the case, then her shutting down every time we’re addressing an issue is supposed to mean…?”

“You’ve got to give her some room to emote, cos you can be a bit, well, you know.” Chris did know, but it didn’t make it sting any less.

Accusations from past girlfriends of him not listening, only hearing, what’s been communicated have not gone unnoted. That, coupled with his bubbling emotions have led to many a breakup in his life. Relationships demoted to damn near flings the way women have come and gone from his life. But what he has with you couldn’t just be another relationship for the books. Chris wants to break the cycle with you… for you.

“I thought I was doing that when I suggested we social distance separately. Then last night she made it very clear that I was very wrong.”

“I could’ve told you that you were very wrong. Tax free.” The two men make their way back to the house. Looking at his brother before him, all sad and distraught, Scott was not going to let him start his own pity party.

“I don’t want to lose her. She’s the one. She’s my one. I know it.”

“Then don’t lose her.”

“When’s anything EVER been that simple?”

“I’m not saying it is, but if you know she’s the one, don’t give up so easily bro. Try everything in your power to give her the relationship she deserves. And she will do the same for you. But, if the problems still persist, then maybe, it would be for the best if…” Scott trails off as he sees his brother’s eyes start to look like those of the dog by their feet. “Look, I’m just telling you from personal, very recent experience, that it isn’t all that bad being friends on the other side of it all.”

“Ugh, God! I think I’d rather have a limb caught off and force fed to me than try to be friends with her if we ever… I can’t even say it.” Chris pokes his tongue out like he’s tasted something awful.

“You’re being hella dramatic right now.”

“But bro, I’m not even exaggerating!” The brothers laugh as they walk up the driveway. As they cross the threshold of the front door, Chris’ reminder for your FaceTime call sounds off, echoing in the foyer. He turns it off and looks up at his brother. “That’s the call to my love’s fate” he tries to joke.

Scott wears a soft, empathetic smile “Everything’s gonna be just fine. No matter what.”

Chris tries to wear some optimism, but the possibility of this being the end of your relationship tugs at him. He won’t let it get a hold of him. “Thanks, bro. I’ll see you later. And DO NOT eavesdrop.”

“Whaaaat??? I would never!” Scott feigns offense. Chris looks unconvinced. “Dodge and I are gonna enjoy an afternoon movie, isn’t that right Dodgey Wodgey?” 

“Dodger’s not even buying it. Stop it.”

“Yeah, that was weird. See ya later, man.”

Chris takes the stairs to his bedroom two by two. He sets up his laptop, making sure to plug in its charger; wouldn’t want it to die on this call.

He paces around the space in front of his desk. As many video calls as he’s done the past few weeks, none of them were as important as this one. Nervousness washes over him. He decides to embrace it; it’s natural, and a good sign. He still cares. He can only hope you do, too. 

The digital clock strikes 2. It’s time.

He calls you, the laptop ringing for a while longer than his beating heart can take. His heart sinks and doubts creep in. Is this is it? Is she done with me? No fight, no… nothing? This can’t be it. But then the ringing ceases and the screen says “connecting”, a sigh of relief involuntarily escaping him.

He can’t help but beam, proud he knows you better than his negative thoughts do. Happy that you wouldn’t leave him high and dry. 

Then he sees your face. Your beautiful face. The natural lighting of your room bouncing off your gorgeous, brown skin. Your hair is the perfect combination of defined curls and loose wisps, neat but not overly so. You are the epitome of effortless, natural beauty. He almost feels like he’s seeing you for the first time.

“Hey baby! For a second there, I thought you wouldn’t answer,” he nervously chuckles. 

You smile at him but it doesn’t reach your eyes. He senses your apprehension, even through a screen. He hadn’t done a good job of setting up this conversation with peace of mind for you, now that he thinks about it. “We need to talk” is almost always followed by some heavy, unwanted shit. Not that this talk will be easy, but he most certainly doesn’t want you thinking the worst. He genuinely wants to talk; explain his fuck ups and frustrations. And try to listen.

He figures since he’s put you two here, it’s his job to steer this ship to calmer, nicer waters. Here goes. He tries some small talk, anxiety making him ramble. “So, how’s the… weather? That’s a stupid— ugh, I’m sure it’s, like, hot. You’re down south, where it’s hot—”

“Chris?”

“Yes honey?”

“I don’t wanna do this with you.”

There it is; his worst fear. Losing you. No. He was determined to let his optimism win. Determined that his ears were deceiving him in this moment.

“What do you mean?”

Chris is too all in to go down without a fight, and  fight for you he was prepared to do.

Part 4 | What’d you think?

#chris evans fanfiction #chris evans fan fiction #chris evans imagine #chris evans one shot #chris evans x black reader #chris evans x reader #chris evans x you #chris evans x y/n #chris evans x female reader #chris evans x poc!reader #chris evans x woc #love lockdown series #chris evans series

[clacing]

The eye emoji is for art but I feel it fits for writing too! 👀 🥰 📝 👉

🌈 ✨ 🕵️‍♀️

First of all THAT’S SO MANY THANK YOU!!!!

 the 👀 a piece where i tried something new

Gonna say be the thing that buries me here, for a few reasons! First of all, I tend to be very longwinded when writing, and rarely manage to keep myself under 10k, so trying to keep it to 2k for the zine was a really a challenge. I thought I could do it until I realized I’d made up enough lore and worldbuilding to fill an actual novel, and when I realized I’d already wasted more than half of the allotted word count just to set the story up. I had to completely change the way I usually write, and think of it less as a story followed from beginning to end and more as a snapshot of the wider story. Entire scenes I’d written out ended up being scrapped and mentioned as an aside in the final version. POVs had to be swapped and edited accordingly. It was all about figuring out how to fit the most story in as little a word count as I could, and honestly, I loved it! I had never been creatively challenged like that.

What’s more, I had the privilege of collaborating with @astrumumbrae​, and that also influenced the story! I’m usually very wishy-washy when it comes to descriptions (I always joke that all my stories take place in a void), but since the piece had to be illustrated, I had to make things clear in the text - and some details we had to figure out together, going over the drawings and deciding what colors would look best on Catra, or what Catra and Adora’s weapons of choice would be. It was just really fun, and I’d never done anything like that, but it definitely improved the quality of my writing and made the whole experience for me!

🥰 a piece i’m really proud of and why

brave face talk so lightly (hide the truth). I’ve actually been thinking about it a lot lately and I kinda wish I could go back to it. Looking back on my fics I do think most of them come off too cheesy or too self-indulgent, but this one I’m honestly fond of. I’m usually also very slow and a fic like that would have taken me at least a month; I wrote it in three days, writing non-stop, and I loved every second of it.  Maybe it’s because I had the outline ready for months before I started writing, so the whole sequence of events was always clear to me, but damn, writing had never felt so effortless and so satisfying. I think I’ve managed to capture exactly the feeling I was going on in not-too-many-words and I’m really glad it’s my most popular fic.

📝 a line or paragraph i’m really happy with

UHHHHH SHIT THIS IS HARD. So many. I’m gonna pick a couple that I can think of right now, and that’s only for published WIPs, otherwise we’re going to be here all day:

She looks different almost every time Adora sees her, but her software is set to recognize Catra’s soulprint in all of her incarnations and it’s already downloading everything it has on her, words quickly flashing across Adora’s vision.

Then Catra notices her staring, and Adora waves the words away. She might not remember her, but she already knows everything there is to know about her - like her previous disappointment, Catra is a constant of hers, a wrinkle in her personal timeline. Some of Catra’s code is embedded into Adora’s programming to allow for better soul recognition and improved fighting ability, a vaccine that grows more and more elaborate with every one of their interactions.

Catra smirks at her. Adora fears that, one day, Catra’s coding will override her own, and she’ll be eaten up - corrupted beyond repair.

&

It’s almost scary, sometimes. Adora feels with Catra the way she thinks old married couples are supposed to feel - not the newness, the freshness of discovery, but the simple, quiet comfort of knowledge already acquired, of bones being able to rest. She wonders if Catra feels the same way about her. She wonders if Catra will get tired of her, at some point, if she’ll want more from her life than Adora is able to give her.

& This is technically cheating because I wrote it in 2019 but..... it was published in 2020 so.... 😶

"Someday you will have to face it, you know. The emptiness."

"I said shut up," Catra snapped. "I'm perfectly safe, respected, with no one to tell me what to do. I have friends, a family, and a kingdom. I don't know what you think I should feel empty about."

"All that power," Double Trouble tut-tutted, almost pitifully, "all that unconditional love, self-love, familial love. And something's still missing, isn't it?"

And when she kept avoiding their gaze, wishing they could stop, just stop for one damn night, they lifted her chin up towards them with a single clawed finger. "Oh, kitten," they mumbled, "now that you finally got what you needed, I was hoping you'd figured out what it was that you wanted."

👉 a WIP i’d like to try and finish next year

Definitely how you besiege me (and feed me). That fic’s just proof of my longwindedness and slowness and I’d like it to stop haunting me 😔 But yeah I said I’d try to put out chapter 5 before the end of the year, and then only the epilogue is left.

I also really hope to finish the “estranged childhood best friends meet again” AU. It’s gonna be three chapters and I’ve had the first one ready for a while but I can’t publish another WIP before I finish HYBM.

🌈 favourite colouring

Mmmh so full disclosure, when it comes to SPOP I kinda just use the same coloring on everything and make a few adjustments ghgfhgh if it ain’t broke don’t fix it

✨ a set where i tried something new & 🕵️‍♀️ a detail i’m really proud of

Conflating the two because they’re about the same gifset. When I got the request for that one I honestly had no idea how to go about it because the quote seemed so metaphorical to me and I couldn’t figure out what scenes to use, but THEN something unlocked in me and I figured out all the metaphors at once. My favorite has to be “Catra stealing the moon for Adora” as in “allowing Glimmer to escape”.

#Anonymous

[emotionally-imbruised]

A Tail of Their Own II: You’re Welcome

“It’s nice to see that humans never change.”

Word Count: 7.7k

One of the first things Harry learned about Y/N, was that she was basically an open book. Any question he asked, she answered. Usually, her reply was with a sarcastic quip or sassy comment, but nonetheless, she would still tell him an answer to anything he was curious about. Sometimes he even felt he asked too much, but how could he not? She was a mermaid after all.

Their first week together had been interesting, to say the least. Y/N had taken up residence in one of the extra bedrooms down the hall from his own and had slowly been adapting to life on land, all with Harry’s help, of course.

She was extremely thankful for everything Harry had done for her within that week. He always gave her the space she needed, would check-in to see if there was anything she needed, and was just always there to make sure she was taken care of. He didn’t make her feel like a burden, and Y/N was convinced he’d never understand just how much she appreciated that.

The two of them had bonded much more than either was anticipating, which was shocking and exciting to both. Y/N always had a hard time trusting humans, but somehow this particular trip onto land changed that entirely. She was glad it was Mitch and Sarah who had found her on that beach because if it weren’t, who knows where she would have ended up? And who knows if she would have ever met Harry because of it. Now, that was a thought she didn’t like thinking about.

Harry found himself warming up to Y/N way faster than he expected too. He was still well aware that the entire situation of her just being there was not normal, but half the time it was so easy for him to forget.

She was magnetic. There was just something about her that not only drew Harry in but captivated everyone else too. Maybe it was the way she presented herself. Always calm, cool, collected, and very curious about the world around her. However, she was also completely unafraid to speak her mind if she felt so inclined, something which Harry learned the hard way on numerous occasions.

The first time was about two days after the two of them had met. Upon finding Y/N resting in his bed, Harry had been insanely busy with work. If he wasn’t at the studio, he was at a meeting, and if he wasn’t in a meeting, he was planning. Having a career in the music industry was stressful and overwhelming, so when the opportunity came for him to finally be able to go home, he took it and ran.

Y/N had only seen him in passing during those first two days. They’d spent her entire first night talking about, well, everything, but after that, she barely saw him. He had given her the rundown of how certain things in the house worked, told her to welcome herself to anything, and to call him if she needed to as well (leaving a cell phone at the house with only his personal number in it). It was simple enough, and Y/N made do, but that particular night was different.

Harry had arrived back at the house earlier than he had the other two nights, and with three large shopping bags. Having spent the last couple of days piecing together odd clothing items to make something that Y/N could wear, he got somewhat of an idea of what size she wore and what she liked. This was mainly so that she could actually wear something other than the clothes Sarah had given her as well as a couple different t-shirts of his own.

On his way home, he stopped at a nearby shop to gather a few different items. Unsure of what she’d like, Harry settled on what he assumed to be the basics. Some jeans, a couple pairs of shorts, two dresses, a handful of shirts, and a sweater. He was pretty proud of himself for picking everything out and only hoped that the items would fit, and that she would like them.

The way Y/N’s face lit up when he told her the bags were all for her, was something Harry knew he’d never forget. She was unable to form a proper sentence due to her excitement, which soon lead to her pleading with him in attempts to find a way she could possibly pay him back.

“S’alright, really,” Harry explained as he watched her excitement slowly fade into stress. It was apparent Y/N was not used to someone doing something like this for her and simply did not know how to address it. “I figured you could use a few other things to wear.”

“You really didn’t have to do that, Harry,” Y/N sighed. “I would have figured something out. That money you left me yesterday, I used it to go buy some underwear and a bra. You’ve done so much already, and all I’ve done is taken advantage of it.”

He couldn’t help but feel his cheeks burn in embarrassment about just how blunt she was, but nonetheless, he knew he had to stand his ground. “You haven’t, Y/N. Please, just take them. I’m not even sure if they’ll fit you or if you’ll like them, but they’re here for you anyways.”

“I’m sure I’ll love them,” she responded defeatedly, before hesitantly reaching for the first bag.

Y/N grinned widely while taking each item out so she could get a good look at them. Not once did that smile falter as she inspected every piece of clothing, explained how much she liked it and proceeded to thank Harry all over again.

A similar smile stayed planted on Harry’s mouth as he watched her do this, and before he knew it, she was about to pull out the last item. This one he knew would be her favourite, for the minute he saw it, he instantly thought of her.

Y/N felt her breath hitch when she pulled out the final item, a dress, and she couldn’t help but stare at it in awe. It was a sundress, one that wasn’t too long or too short, and could easily be worn casually or dressed up. The material felt soft and smooth between her fingertips, which she really liked, but what she loved, even more, was the design.

It was white and had an effortless yet stunning floral print covering most of it; and to make matters better, each flower outline was a different colour. Various shades of pink, purple, blue, and green were all delicately stitched into the white fabric, creating an effect that reminded Y/N of something completely different, yet very special. Her tail.

“It’s beautiful, Harry.”

“I thought you’d like that one best,” he replied. “If none of them fit, I’ll make sure to exchange them an-.”

His words were cut off when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him in for a tight hug. After a tense, unexpected moment, Harry eventually melted into her embrace and returned the gesture. “Thank you so much.”

“S’no problem at all,” he tells her as she moves away to look up at him again.

“You’re too nice to me,” Y/N then stated. Harry was about to ask what she meant by that but never got the chance once she started speaking up again. “I uh, I figured out how to make coffee. Can I at least pay you back with a cup of that?”

He thought about asking her still, curious as to why someone could have it in them to not be nice to her but decided to drop it. “That would be lovely.”

The two of them made way to the kitchen, and Y/N got right to work or tried to at least. She took a bit longer than the average person as she studied the machine for a moment while trying to remember which buttons she had to press. Harry couldn’t help but laugh when she jumped after pressing the wrong thing and caused hot water to start spewing all over the place. She recovered quickly though, Harry gave her that much, but he still burst into laughter when she managed to turn it off and scowl at him.

A few moments later, Y/N walked over to sit on the barstool beside him with two steaming hot mugs, focusing intently on trying not to spill anything. Once she was settled, they engaged in conversation. Harry explained how busy work was, to which she nodded in understanding before telling him how she really hadn’t gotten up to much without him there; having been a bit nervous about leaving the house on her own unless it was quick.

He wanted to know why she was nervous but hadn’t found it within himself to ask her about that yet. Although, he was still insanely curious as to why she ended up on land in the first place. However, his thoughts were interrupted when a loud gasp sounded from beside him, and a pair of hands gripped onto his left forearm.

“What! What’s the problem?”

“You!” Y/N replied with a shocked expression as she rotated his arm in her grasp. He watched what she was doing, and then he saw it. “You’re a hypocrite.”

His mermaid tattoo. He hadn’t even thought about that and had to internally smack himself when she looked up to him and waited for a response. “I uh, well.”

“You give me a hard time because,” she paused to hold up air quotations and mimic his voice, “‘mermaids aren’t real,’ but yet, here you are with one permanently on your arm!”

He couldn’t tell if she was actually upset or not, but as he observed the slightest of smiles tug at her lips after a moment passed, he knew she wasn’t. So naturally, he had to play along.

“You know, I was really hoping you wouldn’t notice,” he started dramatically. “Because the truth is, I’ve known about mermaids for years now. I was sworn to secrecy, though. The whole ‘me not knowing what to do when I found one in my bed’ thing? That was fake.”

“I hate you.”

“Ouch, hate is a strong word, Y/N.”

A small chuckle left her mouth although she tried really hard to cover it up. “So, you lied then? I don’t think I’ll be able to trust you after this, Harry. I may never forgive you.”

“No?”

“Nope,” Y/N shook her head before looking down at the tattoo again. “Also, I don’t know what other mermaids you’ve seen, but we’re usually not that… exposed.”

“Fair enough,” he laughed and looked down at the ink as well. “Guess I kinda left it open for interpretation.”

“Whatever you say,” she responded as she stood up with their now empty mugs and walked around the island to place them in the sink. “It’s still going to take me a while to forget this.”

Harry grinned at just how hard she was trying to act serious and thought of ways to break her facade; an idea springing to his mind when his gaze fell on the long retractable hose that was attached to the sink.

Suddenly, he leaned across the counter to grab ahold of the hose with one hand and pointed it in her direction.

“Oh, really?”

Y/N watched with a narrowed gaze as he placed his other hand on the tap in preparation to turn it on and spray water at her. “You wouldn’t.”

“Wanna bet?” Harry challenged, knowing full well what would happen if she got wet and was unable to dry herself fast enough. Just to mess around with her a little bit, he turned the water on and had to stifle another laugh when it hit her square on the arm.

“Harry!” The annoyance was clear in Y/N’s voice as she grabbed a nearby dish towel and wiped away the water from her skin.

“What?” He asked innocently before turning the water on again and watching as it soared past her and hit the stainless steel fridge on the other side of the room.

She turned to look at the mess he just created before slowly facing him again with wide eyes. “What are you, twelve?”

“On a scale of one to ten, yes,” Harry replied nonchalantly before spraying the water at her again, and laughing as she desperately tried to dodge it.

“Can you not? I’m not particularly feeling like growing a tail today.”

“Oh, but being a human is just so boring.”

Y/N went to sass him back but had to cut herself off when more water came flying her way, and she ducked behind the counter for cover. There was no way she was moving from her spot until she decided on an escape plan, so she desperately tried to come up with one. After a quick moment of viewing her surroundings, she decided that her best option was to just make a break for the doorway. Slowly, she got into position and was just about to go when she noticed how things were quiet, too quiet, and soon halted her actions.

“Harry?”

Nothing. Just dead silence. Y/N waited for another minute and debated on peeking over the counter to see where he’d gone to, but there was no need for a second later he appeared around the corner with a full glass of water.

A small shriek left her mouth as she scrambled away from him. She eventually got to her feet in time without getting wet before booking it out of the room. Harry was right after her though and continued chasing after her for another fifteen minutes. He didn’t intend to actually soak her to the extent of her turning back into a mermaid, but the two of them were having fun. And it was a nice break from reality for both with everything else that was going on around them.

As the days went by, the two grew even closer. After that night of messing around in the kitchen, they started making it a routine to just simply be around one another whenever they could. They played cards, listened to music, watched movies, and talked about the day’s events whenever Harry returned home.

It was a good system, but Harry still had those lurking thoughts about not really knowing why Y/N ended up on land, or if she was planning on just up and leaving one day soon.

Soon enough, that day came. It was over a week since he’d first met her that Harry decided to address the topic just so he could have an idea of everything; specifically how she ended up on that beach. It wasn’t that she had become a bother to him or anything, that wasn’t the case at all. But after he helped her from the shower and talked to her for most of the night — getting the lowdown on mermaid history, until she eventually decided to go off to bed. As soon as she was gone, he called Sarah.  

Sarah explained to Harry how she and Mitch found Y/N, what had happened, and their process of bringing her back to his house. Other than the entire situation being completely abnormal, he didn’t really question anything. However, just before she was about to hang up, Sarah mentioned the way Y/N kept looking out at the water nervously, almost as though something, or someone, was watching her. She didn’t know what it was and told Harry he should try and figure it out.

He agreed but decided to give Y/N some time to maybe mention it to him herself. She never did, and that bugged Harry all week.

It wasn’t that he felt she was trying to hide it from him, it had just never really come up in conversation. So, Harry decided that he was going to make it a topic of discussion.

His plan was not to overwhelm her, because realistically, he just wanted to know if there really was something out in the water, or if it was something else entirely. He really didn’t know what he was getting into, but if there was a possibility of being able to help her in any way, he was all for it. She’d become somewhat of a friend at that point, and friends helped friends.

When he got home that afternoon, he was surprised to not find her roaming around the main floor. Usually, she was in the kitchen attempting to cook something, or curled up on the couch in the living room with one of the many books he’d already read. But that day, she wasn’t. In fact, there was no sign of her being downstairs at all.

Maybe she’d gone for a walk? Harry wasn’t too sure, and just when he thought about calling the cell phone he gave her, a small sneeze sounded from upstairs, and he knew there was no need.

After taking his shoes off, he gradually made his way up the staircase. Once he reached the top, he went to go left towards the bedroom Y/N was staying in only to find it the door wide open with no one inside. Confusion washed over him again, but then he heard the faint intro song of a tv show from down the hall. More specifically, his room.

Slowly, he turned on his heel and started walking towards his bedroom. Sure enough, when he got there, the door was partially opened while an episode of Queer Eye played on the huge television screen. He quietly pushed the door open to reveal Y/N wrapped up in a blanket and leaning against the headboard, not taking her eyes off the screen once to acknowledge his presence.

Her hair was in a lopsided bun, tied up loosely with a hair elastic she must’ve found laying around somewhere, which he could just barely notice beneath the sizeable black hood she had pulled over her head. She was wearing his hoodie and a pair of his track pants, and although he wasn’t exactly expecting to come home to that, he couldn’t help but notice how content she seemed to be.

Harry then leaned against the doorway, grinning as he observed just how focused she was on what was happening during that episode, all while mindlessly remaining curled up against his mountain of pillows. It was quite the scene, that was for sure.

“You cold?”

He knew that by speaking up he’d get some sort of reaction, and sure enough, as soon as he did, a loud gasp left Y/N’s mouth.

“Oh!” She started and began scrambling to stand up from her spot on the bed. “I uh, I didn’t know you’d be back so soon.”

“So you decided to watch Queer Eye?” He chuckled at how flustered she was becoming. “In my room.”

“Well, yeah,” Y/N responded, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other. “I wanted to watch something and couldn’t figure out how to work the TV downstairs, so I came back up here, and your screen was on. So I just…”

“Made yourself at home?”

“Well if we’re being technical, you did tell me to do that,” she grumbled and looked away, not noticing just how hard Harry was trying to keep himself from laughing. “I’m sorry ok! Your bed is really comfy, and it was just easier that way. I also got pretty cold so I kind of, just, stole your clothes I guess.”

“M’not mad, Y/N,” Harry told her as he pushed away from the doorway and walked into the room. “I’m just teasing you.”

“Why do humans do that so much?”

He cocked his head to the side to look at her oddly. “What do you mean?”

“These jokes and teasing all the time,” she began to explain. “Mermaids don’t do that.”

“Oh, so mermaids don’t know how to have fun?”

“No, we do, I’m just saying we’re less childish. But at least it’s nice to see humans are still that way.”

“Still that way, huh?” Harry questioned while raising his eyebrows, knowing she was hinting at something. “Please do elaborate on that.”

Y/N hadn’t even realized what she let slip out until Harry called her out on it, but she was extremely casual in playing it off. “Well, I already told you how I was born on land. I’ve seen my fair share of humans and know enough to see how similar many of you act.”

“Ah yes, I know you did but you never actually explained that story to me,” he fired back, knowing that this was his chance to get some more information and only hoped that she’d share it. “That’s all I know is that you were born on land. You told me all about mermaids and how they work, but you never told me about yourself, Y/N. And, well, you’re the only mermaid I actually know.”

“I-,” Y/N started and stopped as she let her gaze fall down to where she was mindlessly twiddling her thumbs. Should she tell him? Would he even believe her backstory and how it tied into why she ended up on land, or how she was trying to avoid returning to the sea? She wasn’t sure, but as she slowly met his gaze again, she decided that he at least deserved the benefit of the doubt. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like I’m keeping things from you, that wasn’t my intention. But it’s a really long story, Harry.”

“Good thing I’ve got time then, yeah?” He asked while smiling warmly at her. “Only if you’re comfortable in sharing, I’d love to hear all of it. Was thinking we could go get some food and maybe chat there?”

Returning the smile and instantly feeling more relaxed at Harry’s reassuring words, Y/N nodded. “Lead the way.”

Y/N quickly ran to her room to change into something different, making sure to neatly fold up Harry’s clothes and leave them on the edge of her bed seeing as she was in no hurry to give them back. She then threw on the other dress Harry had purchased for her a few days prior. It was a soft blue colour, with sleeves that went to her elbows and a little black belt around the waist. It didn’t catch her eye as much as the other dress did, but it was still stunning in her opinion.

Once she was ready, she quickly took her hair out of its bun and let it fall down freely. She almost just left it the way it was, but after taking a look in the mirror, she decided on brushing it before finally rushing down the stairs to meet Harry.

It was hard for her to ignore the blush burning her cheeks when he said how nice she looked, but nonetheless, she returned the compliment (even though he was still wearing the same outfit as before) and the two of them soon headed out to Harry’s car.

“Can I drive?” Y/N asked as they approached his vintage model Jaguar.

“No.”

“Why not?” She continued to press, slightly offended by the fact that he didn’t even consider letting her.

“Do you know how to drive?”

“Well… no.”

“Exactly.”

He had a logical point, and she knew it, but driving was one thing Y/N had always wanted to try and thought that maybe Harry would let her eventually. But for the time being, she reluctantly climbed into the passenger side of the car and pouting for the whole ride to the restaurant.

It didn’t take long for the two of them to get seated by the host, and they both wasted no time in reaching for a menu to search for what they wanted to eat. By the time the waiter came to take their order, Harry had decided on ordering some pasta, but Y/N seemed to be struggling.

“I uh, I’ll just have the Margherita pizza, thank you.”

She was nervous, that much Harry could tell just by observing the way she kept looking at everything around them. So instinctively, he tried to diffuse the situation.

“It’s nice out today,” he started casually and leaned back into his chair, thinking a casual conversation might help. “Not too hot.”

“Yeah,” Y/N muttered as she glanced around yet again. “It’s great.”

There was no emotion in her voice whatsoever, and that was when Harry knew something was up. “Is everything alright, Y/N?”

“Yeah no, everything is fine,” she told him before finally making eye contact again. “It’s just, there’s a lot of people here, and they all seem to be staring at us.”

Harry then moved his gaze to take in their surroundings as well. Sure enough, there were at least three tables of people gawking at them while subtly trying to take pictures. This was something Harry was used to happening, but he felt bad for how it made Y/N uncomfortable. So again, he changed the topic.

“Right. Uhm, try to ignore them if you can. They-.”

“That’s easier said than done, Harry,” she cut him off. “I can hear what they’re saying. I just don’t know why us getting food is any of their business.”

The last part of her statement got unintentionally louder with each word, and Harry had to watch with wide eyes as she sent a glare at one of the people sitting close by. He hadn’t really explained the whole part of him being a celebrity to her quite yet. To be honest, he never felt the need to, but now he couldn’t help but think about how that may be a conversation they have sooner rather than later.

“You’re right,” he started calmly and waited for her to look at him again. “But all we can do is ignore it. They’re harmless, I promise.”

“If you say so.”

“I know so,” he responded before leaning onto his elbows. “Now that we’re here though, why don’t we talk about what you were saying back at the house.”

Y/N was surprised by his sudden change of topic, but she played along and eventually stopped thinking about the other people around her. It was just her and Harry. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“How about at the beginning?”

“Okay,” she nodded and got right into it.

The next ten minutes or so was spent by Y/N telling Harry a very detailed story. She started off by talking about a merman who spent quite a bit of time on land, more than the average mermaid. He loved exploring and was fascinated by the land itself and what it had to offer. Eventually, he met a woman, a human, and they fell madly in love. After that, the merman never returned to the ocean and made an entirely new life on land with his soulmate.

“That’s a lovely story, but what does it have to do with anything?” Harry asked, just as the waiter placed their food on the table in front of them.

“See, that couple I mentioned? Those were my parents,” Y/N explained, and Harry nodded in understanding. “A few years after they got married, they had me. And I was raised on land for the first seven years of my life, with so much love. I always knew I was different. My parents never kept the part of me that was indeed a mermaid hidden, and with that, we all learned how I differed from a regular mermaid as well.”

“And how is that?”

“Well, like I told you last week, mermaids can manipulate water. What I did was nothing compared to what a proper mermaid can do. I’m weaker when it comes to mermaid abilities; however, being on land is where I thrive. Water takes longer to affect me, and I tend to blend in with humans better.”

”Okay, interesting.” Harry hung onto every word that she said, but still going himself to be insanely curious about it all. “Where are your parents now?”

“I don’t know,” she told him with a shrug. “I got separated from them one night when I was seven. It was pretty disastrous, and I promise to tell you that story another day… but, yeah. I’ve been on my own since then. I ventured off by myself and never really felt a need to stay in one place for too long. I’ve explored every ocean on this earth, alone, and even got into a bit of trouble along the way. Especially recently.”

“Surely it couldn’t have been that bad,” he scoffed and looked at her amusedly. All she did was purse her lips in response, and Harry knew right away that something was up. “Unless it was…”

“You’ve seen or read Twilight, right?”

Harry looked at her skeptically, genuinely curious as to where this conversation was going now. “I have, yes. But please do explain how the hell you know what Twilight is.”

Y/N was insulted by what he said and made no effort to hide those feelings when she scoffed disapprovingly. “Just because I’ve lived underwater for most of my life doesn’t mean it was under a rock, Harry. Of course, I know what Twilight is.”

“How did you expect me to know that?” He argued defensively, not being able to hold back a few chuckles as Y/N let out a huff and crossed her arms over her chest dramatically. “Ok, sorry, you were saying.”

“Oh, so now you're interested.”

“Y/N, just tell me the damn story.”

“Fine,” she grumbled and shifted in her seat. “Like on land, mermaids have laws and rules that are put in place to make everything run smoothly. They’re relatively easy rules to follow and don’t get broken often because mermaids are rather peaceful creatures. However, because of how dangerous it can be for us to get exposed, there are systems in effect that can enforce the rules if need be.”

“Ok,” Harry stated with pursed lips. “And how does Twilight play into all of this?”

“I’m getting there,” Y/N hissed and glared at him, letting him know just how badly he was getting on her nerves. “In Twilight, there’s the Volturi, the ones that enforce the vampire laws. Mermaids have the same type of thing, but we just call them the royals. They once had a leader who went missing quite a few years ago, but they’ve done a good job at keeping the peace since then and are greatly respected.”

“Are they as aggressive as the Volturi?”

“No. Well, as far as I know, no.”

Harry thought about Y/N’s explanation and really tried to wrap his head around it all, and what it all had to do with her. “Did something happen between you and these royals?”

Y/N fell silent as she used her fork to start picking at the pizza that remained on her plate, making sure to avoid Harry’s gaze as she did so. “I guess you could say that.”

“Well, what happened?”

She stayed quiet, causing Harry to start feeling a bit uneasy about it all. This time, he shifted in his chair before dropping his voice into a whisper and speaking up again.

“Y/N, what did you do?”

Another sigh left her mouth before she let go of the fork and finally made eye contact with him again. “I royally pissed them off, that’s what I did.”

So many questions ran through Harry’s mind as he processed what she said, however, he was only able to actually form one of them into a sentence. “Is that why you ended up on land?”

Y/N nodded.

“And I dug the hole I was already in even deeper when I let Mitch and Sarah help me. Humans aren’t supposed to know about mermaids. That’s the oldest law we have, and I broke it.”

“But your father,” Harry tried to reason. “Obviously, he did the same.”

“Yeah,” she laughed unemotionally and looked away from him so that he wouldn’t see the tears forming in her eyes. “But there’s a reason I haven’t seen my parents since I was seven, Harry. I haven’t been able to trust anyone since then.”

And it was true, the day she lost her parents, Y/N also lost her ability to rely on others without assuming they had poor intentions.

The sadness in her voice as she explained this, crushed Harry. It blew his mind that someone as carefree and sweet as Y/N had gone through so much, yet still somehow managed to have a smile on her face. And as he thought about it a bit more, he started understanding why she would be so reluctant to trust others.

The thing was, Y/N wasn’t afraid of the world, she was scared of the things it consisted of. Far too many times had she been burned simply by believing someone actually was looking out for her. Realistically, it had always been her against the world. What a lonely life to live.

Her story was a topic she tried extremely hard to avoid. It made her feel vulnerable and weak, two things she was not but, somehow, Harry managed to make her feel comfortable enough to open up about it. He was one of the few people, out of many mermaids and humans she’d come across in life who simply wants nothing but the best for everyone around them. It was an extremely rare feature for someone to have, Y/N realized but was something she greatly admired.

Harry's want to know about her, not as a mythical creature, but as a friend… as an equal was a concept Y/N had trouble wrapping her head around. But yet, here was with someone she’s only known for a week, feeling like she’d known him for so much longer. She could only hope that one day, Harry would know how much that meant to her, because thanks to him, she felt a little less alone.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” Harry finally spoke up after a few moments of silence. He wasn’t sure what to say but figured that could be a good start.

“It’s alright. Sorry to dump that all on you.”

“You didn’t dump anything on me,” he explained. “I was the one who asked, and I should be the one who is sorry for making you talk about it.”

“You know, it’s not something I do very often,” she explained. “But it is nice to open up every once in a while.”

“I could only imagine.”

“Yeah... But thank you for making me feel safe enough to do so.”

Harry just smiled warmly and couldn’t ignore the warm feeling that was bubbling inside of him. “You’re welcome, Y/N.”

The two then fell silent again when the waiter approached with their bills. Still, Y/N felt terrible for letting Harry pay for her meal, but decided not to express her feelings when Harry sent her a narrowed glance.

Once everything was paid for, they left the restaurant and made way to the parking lot again. Y/N expected them to start heading back to the house then, however, it seemed Harry had other plans.

As he was driving the highway, Harry made a last-minute decision to go to the beach instead of going home, and that left Y/N very confused.

“What are we doing here?” She asked as they pulled into an empty dirt parking lot.

“I thought some fresh air would do you some good seeing as you’ve been stuck in the house all week,” Harry answered as he put the car in park and started climbing out of the driver's side. “Unless you want to be lame and just sit here alone.”

“I am not lame,” she argued as he started walking away and she had to scramble out of her seat to go after him.

“Then let’s go.”

“The least you can do is wait!”

“Nah, you can catch up.”

He didn’t have to look back to know that Y/N was scowling at him, but just continued down one of the paths and smiled to himself when she eventually fell in step with him.

“You’re a lot to deal with.”

“Mhm,” he murmured while shaking his head. “Says the mermaid.”

Knowing it’d be a losing battle if she continued arguing with him, Y/N didn’t respond and decided to let him win this round and remained quiet for the rest of their walk.

When they reached the stretch of beach, Y/N couldn’t help but smile. Although she still had no desire to return to the ocean so soon, merely being near it made her feel relaxed. It was the only home she’d ever really known, and she hated the fact that she had basically been forced away from that.

The sun was just beginning to set, and it added a warm, peaceful glow to everything around them. There weren't very many people, which Y/N and Harry both appreciated. It was pretty much just them, a family attempting to build a sandcastle,  and a few surfers catching some waves in the distance. Even the food vendors to their left and a place to rent surfing gear on their right were utterly empty aside from the people working in them.

“I always wondered what it’d be like to surf,” Y/N spoke up first, cringing as she watched someone wipe out. “Looks pretty complicated though.”

“Do you want to try?” Harry asked and nodded towards the surf stand as they took a few steps onto the warm sand.

Y/N glanced at the massive waves that were further out and started shaking her head. “I know for a fact, that will not end well. Also, mermaid… remember?”

“Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t want anyone else to find out, huh?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“Alright, I guess I won’t give you a hard time about it then,” Harry sighed and looked over his shoulder at the stand. “But I’m going to do it.”

Without another word, he started walking away from her and towards the shack. Y/N watched with a raised eyebrow as he started talking to the person working, before walking over to the multiple surfboards laying in a row nearby and picking one up.

A chuckle left her mouth as she watched him struggle with carrying it, but Harry didn’t care as he walked right past her and continued towards the water. “I have an hour with this thing, so let’s see how it goes.”

Once he reached the water's edge, Harry shamelessly took off his shirt and tossed it on the sand, before picking up the board again and going into the water. He didn’t go as far out as the other surfers by any means, just far enough that when a wave came in he could attempt to stand up and let it take him back towards shore.

Y/N found a comfortable place on the sand, watching him and his many mishaps. Each time a wave came in, he’d try to stand on the board but would end up losing his balance and would fall into the water, causing her to laugh. In some weird way, every time he fell seemed funnier than the last, and Y/N thought she might lose her breath because of it.

After at least five tries, Harry finally found his footing and even made it all the way back to shore. He dramatically bowed as Y/N clapped and cheered, before deciding to back out, regardless of there not being much sunlight left at that point.

“Bet I can do it again.”

Y/N was sure he could too, but this time she thought maybe she’d mess with him a little. She watched as he swam back to the same spot and waited for another large enough wave. As soon as there was one, he stood up on the board again and sure enough, was able to keep his balance.

He had an arrogant grin on his mouth when he looked at her, and that when she decided to shake things up. By just looking at the water that was in front of him and nodding, Y/N was able to create a wave of her own that went entirely against the tide.

Harry hadn’t noticed what she was doing until it was too late. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when a wave started to form in front of him and seemed to be coming his way at full speed. Eventually, his board came in contact with that wave, and he was lurched forward off the surfboard, and into the water.

By the time he resurfaced, Y/N was laughing harder than she’d ever before. And it only grew more intense when she noticed him glaring at her disapprovingly.

“You think you’re so funny, yeah?” Harry called out as he began his trek back to shore. “Must be nice to make water do whatever you want it to.”

“Oh, don’t be such a grump,” she responded. “I had to bring that ego size down a notch somehow.”

“Whatever,” he grumbled while trudging onto shore with the surfboard in tow. “I have the right to have a big ego, doing that was hard work.”

“I think you made it seem a lot more complicated than it actually is, Harry.”

“I’d like to see you try,” he scoffed while plopping onto the sand next to her, thinking about how he really should’ve brought a towel.

“I’m not going all the way out there,” Y/N told him firmly. “But I’ll show you that I have better balance.”

Without another word, she stood up and started dragging the surfboard back to the water. The tide hadn’t come back yet, so Y/N used that to her advantage as a way to keep herself from getting wet. Once another wave came in, she set the board on the damp sand and pushed it as the tide started retreating again. With a quick breath, she kicked off her shoes before running over the wet sand after the surfboard and leaping onto it before it got too far.

Part of her was ready to face plant as she tried to gain her balance, but much to her (and Harry’s) surprise, she didn’t. Although she wobbled slightly after first getting on the board, Y/N quickly recovered and was able to glide along in ankle-deep water with ease.

Harry watched with a wide grin as she did this and noticed just how excited she got over sticking the landing. He then observed as she manipulated the waves again to change her direction so that she was moving sideways. Once they locked eye contact, she started mimicking a surfer's stance before beginning to dance as she continued gliding.

“Ok show off; we have to return that thing before it gets dark.”

Knowing he was right, Y/N listened to what Harry said and nodded before changing her course of direction again, and going back to shore. Once she came to a complete stop, she hopped off the board and started dragging it back towards Harry again. “Don’t be jealous because you know you wouldn’t be able to do that.”

“Whatever you say,” he replied while taking the surfboard from her hold and lifting it up, all while avoiding her gaze. “I’ll go return this. We uh, we don’t have to leave just yet if you don’t want. S’pretty cool here once the sun is down and the stars come out.”

His suggestion made Y/N smile. It was apparent he didn’t want their little outing just yet, and to be honest, neither did she. “I’d like that. I’ll um, I’ll wait right here.”

Harry returned the smile and nodded before going back to the surf shack. She watched him go before turning back around and making her way back towards the water.

Way off in the distance, the sun was just about to disappear over the horizon; leaving warm streams of pink and purple in its wake. The waves had calmed down, no surfers were out still trying to catch the biggest one, and the only sounds were that of the calm tide coming in momentarily before going right back out.

Y/N really liked viewing the ocean this way. It was one of the prettiest things she had ever seen. She hadn’t witnessed a sunset while on land since she was a child and to be there seeing it, with Harry, was more perfect than she could have ever imagined.

She heard someone approaching behind her and waited patiently for Harry to join where she was standing… but for some reason, the sound just stopped abruptly.

“It’s pretty here, isn’t it?” Y/N asked out loud without turning back around. However, he didn’t answer. She gave him a second, furrowing her eyebrows as to why he wouldn’t respond, but still nothing. “Harry?”

“Try again.”

A surprised gasp left Y/N’s mouth when instead of Harry, a female answered her, and she wasted no time in whipping around to see its source; her breath hitching once she did.

Standing behind her were a man and a woman. They were wearing regular human clothes, but Y/N knew they were far from being actual humans with their identical black hair, pale skin, and the familiar seashell clip that pinned the woman’s long hair away from her face. The same clip that matched the starfish one that rested in Y/N’s hair.

“Oh, no.”

“Oh no is right,” the merman who had spent an entire night chasing her replied as he stepped took a step forward, causing Y/N to take a step back.

She then looked at the mermaid, who just grinned maliciously as she too began stepping towards Y/N’s timid figure.

“You’re a long way from home, Y/N. I guess it’s time that we all go back there now, don’t you think?”

#harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fluff #harry styles smut #harry styles writing #harry styles preferences #1dff #harry styles au #mermaid!y/n

[sunflwrvolume6]

someone lost, something gained [36]

This is a huge step, a leap forward that she won’t ever be able to take back. And if this all ends disastrously, she will not only lose the only man who’s held her interest in three years but the man who has made her happy through such a horrible time. She meant what she told Antonio. She didn’t think she would ever smile again after Granddad passed, and that thought alone terrifies her.

[ao3 ☆ wattpad part one | part two]

[previous ☆ masterlist]

[get tagged here]

note: not going to lie, this is 4k of pure tooth-rotting fluff. i almost split it into 2 chapters/posts, but here it is in all its glory.

Veda frowns at her reflection, smoothing down the front of her dress. It’s too much, she knows it is, but Hattie had been adamant about this particular outfit. She’d said that if Niall didn’t want to take Veda to bed immediately after seeing her in this dress, then he’s either stupid or just not that into her. Veda crosses her fingers and hopes her cousin is right.

But she still walks out of the bathroom and into Hattie’s room with doubts swirling in her mind. “Are you sure I’m not, like, showing too much?”

“Veeeeee,” groans Hattie as she tosses her book aside. “Look. Yes, your back is exposed, and yes, maybe it’s a deeper neckline than you’re used to. But you don’t look like a two-dollar prostitute, so it’s a win.”

“Well, thank god for small mercies.” Sighing, Veda makes her way back to the mirror, calling over her shoulder, “What should I-?”

“Oh, step aside. Your favourite cousin is here to save the day. Sit,” Hattie orders with a vague gesture toward the tub.

Veda rolls her eyes but obeys while Hattie rummages through the bag Veda brought downstairs with her. Hattie comes up with an eyeliner pencil and bottle of foundation. She warns Veda to stay completely still -”Or I will stab you in the eye and not feel bad at all” - then gets to work. Veda follows every command, tilts her head up and down and side to side. She even manages to somehow control the twitching of her eyelids as her cousin applies mascara.

Finally, Hattie steps away and beams. “Hey, you actually look somewhat presentable.”

“Hey, you’re actually kinda being an ass.”

Hattie yelps when Veda goes to stand. “What do you think we’re doing? We aren’t done!”

“I’m supposed to be meeting him soon,” Veda protests, and Hattie shoves at her shoulders until Veda sits again. “If I’m late, I’m blaming you.”

“Worth it.”

Forty minutes later, Veda is slipping her feet into a pair of nude peep-toe heels, courtesy of her cousin who heard about the date finally happening and went shopping. She sighs and checks her reflection again. Dark red lips, perfect winged liner, curled lashes, and a touch of peach on her cheeks make her look entirely different than her every-day face. The mass of curls pinned on top of her head is definitely a change from her usual bun, and Veda will never waste the time again.

But even she has to admit Hattie’s magic has made her look incredible.

“Be home by Cinderella, or the carriage turns back into a pumpkin.” Hattie drops to sit on the couch and cocks her head. “Better yet, don’t come home at all.”

“Wow, you really think I’d put out on the first date?”

“For Niall? Yes.”

Veda pauses before collapsing into giggles. “Okay, yeah. You’re right. Don’t burn down the house.”

“I’ve been cooking since I was six. I think the house will be standing when you come home in the morning.”

Veda slides her phone into her purse and steps out onto the stoop, pulling the door shut behind her. Someone whistles sharply across the street, and she checks that Nonna isn’t watching before she raises her middle finger at Antonio. He laughs, shaking his head, and tells her to have fun. He really doesn’t need to add the lascivious wink - she hears the innuendo in his voice - but he does anyway.

“I’ll tell Nonna you’re pestering me, Ant.”

“She gets one look at’chu, she’s gonna wonder where you’re goin’ all dolled up. You really want questions right now?”

“I’ll tell her tomorrow,” she giggles as she makes her way down the block to the subway.

The sun edges closer to the horizon, but the heat of the day is nowhere near dissipating. Veda’s heels click against the pavement, joining the cacophony of fellow pedestrians moving to and fro. The restaurant is just ahead.

Her heart beats faster in her chest the closer she gets.

Hattie made sure Veda was out of the house in time, but Veda didn’t make sure she was actually ready for this.

This is a huge step, a leap forward that she won’t ever be able to take back. And if this all ends disastrously, she will not only lose the only man who’s held her interest in three years but the man who has made her happy through such a horrible time. She meant what she told Antonio. She didn’t think she would ever smile again after Granddad passed, and that thought alone terrifies her.

Niall is quite possibly the most wonderful she could ever love like this, and losing him would be just as devastating as losing Granddad.

Love. Far too early for that, Mitchell.

Light streams through the enormous windows, catches on Niall’s dark hair like a halo around his head. He’s staring down at the phone in his hand; his thumb taps at the screen, he pauses, then his thumb taps again. The process repeats five times before Veda’s phone vibrates against her side. She steps out of the foot-traffic, digging through her purse until she comes up with the device.

From: Niall > I’m excited to see you

It is such a simple message, but it brings a smile to Veda’s face until her cheeks hurt. She locks her phone and looks at him. He’s gorgeous. His face falls when he sees she’s read the message but isn’t responding. She swallows down the sudden surge of nerves and eases her way through the evening crowd.

“How many times did you write that message only to delete it again?”

His head snaps up, and his smile falters as his gaze skims over her body. “Fuck, Veda, you look - wow. You’re gorgeous.”

“Oh. Um, thank you. Hattie did all the work. I just played the role of live-action Barbie.” Her face heats up at the way his eyes are still on her. She steps forward to kiss his cheek. “You look amazing, too.”

And he really, really does. The gunmetal grey of his V-neck brings out the blue in his eyes, and his dark jeans only accentuate the muscles they hide. Veda’s mouth grows dry as she stares, fragments of a dream worming its way to the forefront of her mind. She wants to feel beneath her fingertips the stubble along his jaw, the soft strands of his hair between her fingers.

She wants to make him look as turned inside-out as he makes her feel.

Ever a gentleman, he holds the door open and waves her through. She laughs softly.

“This is just so you can stare at my ass, isn’t it?”

“I’m only a man, Ve-Veda,” he chuckles as his hand settles on her lower back, a steady point of warmth that rapidly overtakes her entire body.

Veda will remember nothing of the decor, none of the faces they pass as they follow the host to their table, or the aromas of meals that mingle in the air. All she can focus on is how his hand hasn’t moved. The way his fingers brush against the hem of her dress above the curve of her ass. The rush of her heart as it desperately tries to push oxygen through her veins instead of the desire to lead him to the bathroom.

As much as she loathes the loss of contact, Veda is thankful when they sit. His touch was far too distracting, and it is nearly impossible to be on your best behaviour when all you want to do is feel more of that touch in places unsuitable for public audience. He grins at her from across the table; his eyes hold a knowing gleam, and she wonders if he’s thinking the same thing.

She barely spares a second to check the menu, ultimately deciding on a salad. He frowns slightly, opens his mouth, but she shakes her head. The confusion on his face disappears when she explains she only eats like a pig at home. Being out in the real world means she has to use the manners Granddad worked so hard to teach her. Niall laughs and tells her she’s doing a great job.

“So, I have to admit something. I’ve been wanting to ask you out for, well, too long.”

Veda cocks her head. “Why didn’t you?”

“I didn’t want to make you feel like I was pushing myself onto you.”

She can’t help it - she starts giggling. “Sorry, sorry. It’s not funny. I mean, it kinda is? It’s why I don’t text you every day asking you to come over.”

“You should have. DB and I would’ve loved to spend more time with you.”

Ellie’s words echo in her mind, and Veda drops her gaze to stare at the glass of water. She doesn’t want to voice the doubts, but she knows she needs to. She has to know.

“Can I ask why? You wanted to ask me out, I mean. Aren’t you worried that this is just me, like, latching onto the first person who shows me a teeny tiny iota of stability during a life-altering event?”

“Well, I wasn’t before!” He taps his finger against his glass and laughs quietly. When he looks at her again, there’s an earnestness on his face that astounds her. “No, I’m not. Veda, I figured out a long time ago that sometimes, you make a choice and it turns out to be the worst fucking decision of your life. But it’s a lesson learnt, and you move on and try to remember that lesson.”

“But what if it turns out this is just my brain craving affection and comfort after I lost my best friend?”

He smiles softly, reaches for her hand, and she lets him link their fingers together. “Then I can’t be too upset, can I, that I’m the one who got to offer it to you.”

“Nope, nope, nope,” Veda mutters as she blinks rapidly, but the burning remains in her eyes. “I can’t do this. You are too damn perfect. What the Hell.”

The stricken expression on his face is replaced with amused exasperation, and he lifts her hand to press a kiss to the back of it. She bites her lower lip to stop her giggles, even as the server arrives with their meals, and Niall sticks his tongue out at Veda.

The date seems almost…effortless. As if it’s merely one of their hang-outs in a restaurant instead of her house. Even the knowledge that this is changing their relationship isn’t enough to make Veda panic for long. He keeps her laughing with stories of his childhood, and she tells him more about her life with Granddad, even the tale of her throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the street while he taught Hattie how to ride a bike.

She never wants it to end.

“Where to next?” she asks as he leads her toward the door.

“Well, I figured you weren’t the type of girl who would be content with sitting in the dark for two hours while watching a film that may or may not be awful.”

“You guessed right.” Veda frowns when he hails a taxi, his hand tight around hers. “You’re not gonna tell me, are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“You’re lucky I trust you.”

“I’ll do my best not to fuck that up then.”

Veda stares at him for a moment then shakes away the feeling that he is far better than she deserves. Everything he’s told her has been pleasant, wonderful. Even the strained relationship with his brother pales in comparison to her own familial ties. She doesn’t tell him that, though. It isn’t a competition, and she would hate to ruin the atmosphere of the evening. She would take the win in a landslide, anyway.

Niall helps her from the backseat, his hand solid and strong and not releasing her even after she’s on her feet. His lips brush against her cheek, and Veda ducks her head to hide her smile as they step away from the cab so it can drive off. She squeezes his hand then turns toward their destination. She pauses, blinks at the dark blue building and bright yellow letters.

“IKEA?”

Niall shrugs and shifts his weight. The lot lights wash his eyes an icy blue, but there’s so much warmth there. “Has a date ever done this with you?”

“No, I can say with absolute certainty that this is incredibly unique.” She bites her bottom lip at how uncomfortable he looks, as if he’s afraid he has messed this up. She sighs, touching his cheek with her free hand. “You were right. A movie would have been cliche, and I am so not dressed for anything requiring more than walking. Niall, this is perfect.”

His gaze drops to her lips, but he doesn’t kiss her like she desperately hopes he will. Wants him to. Instead, he smiles and loops his arm with hers. She waits to pout until he’s not looking at her. Why won’t he just kiss her already? He has had ample opportunity, and she’s practically begging for it by this point. After all, it was only a month ago that she kissed him. It’s his turn now.

He suggests a game as they walk through the aisles, pointedly following the arrows on the floor unlike the other people. The rules are simple, he says: Find the most ridiculous items on the shelves to decorate a home with, and whoever has the weirdest collection wins.

“What’s the prize?” she asks even as she adds a tray printed with ugly Santas to her list.

“If I win, I… hm. I get another date with you.”

“And if I win?”

“Another date with me.”

Veda giggles, presses her face into the side of his arm. “So either way, we both win?”

“Exactly.”

She tugs on his arm after a moment, and he follows obediently to the mini-home setup. His face scrunches up once inside, his eyes darting around the small space. Veda understands his distaste for the tiny home - the idea of leaving less of an imprint on the environment is nice, but she needs more room to move.

This, though, seems more like -

“Are you claustrophobic?”

“I am,” he admits with a self-deprecating chuckle. Nervous. Anxious.

“Shit. I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head. “Don’t be. How could you have known?”

She immediately steps out of the display, pulling him with her, and Niall draws in a deep breath once they’re back in the aisle. He squeezes her hand gently. Forgiveness. With an apologetic smile, she gestures for him to lead the way.

The kids’ section instantly catches her attention. Not the bedding or furniture, but the toys. She never really had playthings as a child, since Olivia wasn’t much of a mother, so Veda, without shame, checks out the stock of every store she steps foot into. Granddad started her plush animal collection, and Veda adds to it every chance she gets.

Niall doesn’t judge her for her excitement over the stuffed dogs and teddy bears and penguins. In fact, he even moves away to look in other bins, holding up various creatures for her scrutiny. She falls a little more for him because of it. For once, she feels like she doesn’t have to hide a part of her.

That she can show everything she is, and he won’t think less of her.

“Veda! Oh, my god, come here.”

Veda turns away from the pandas and makes her way through the cramped aisle to his side. Her eyes widen, and she gasps at what he’s found. “Holy hell, they’re amazing! They’re bigger than DB!”

“It’s ridiculous.” He pauses, resting his hand on her back, and she meets his eye. “Want one?”

“No, it’s okay. I don’t need it.”

He frowns as his fingers catch her chin, hold her head still so she can’t look away. “Ve-Veda, I didn’t ask if you needed it. I asked if you wanted it. Yes or no, no thinking allowed.”

And what else can she say except “Yes”?

His smile lights up his entire face, and he lets her go to dig through the bin. She raises a brow when he comes back victorious with a plushie in his hands. He lifts a shoulder jerkily, explains that the ones on the bottom haven’t been touched by gross hands nearly as often as the ones on top.

Veda accepts the reasoning - it’s logical, after all - and reaches for the shark. He takes her purse so she can clutch the stuffed animal to her chest. She knows her grin is too wide, too childlike, but the heat beneath her ribs overwhelms any potential embarrassment.

No guy has ever offered to buy her a stuffed animal, let alone a three-foot shark.

Once he’s paid for the blåhaj, as the tag proclaims, and a new leash for David Barkie, Veda follows Niall back out to the car park. He wraps his arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple, and they walk in silence toward the nearest subway stop. A heady thrumming kicks up in her veins, singing praises of how wonderful the night has been.

How amazing Niall is, even before he’s given her one of the best dates she’ll ever remember.

Her mind suddenly stutters to a halt as they stand together on the subway, scarcely an inch between them though there’s no need. They’re the only ones on within a two-seat radius. She groans as her head drops back. He stares at her with a question in his eyes. Veda sighs and wonders how to explain what she’s thinking. What comes out is:

“This date wasn’t terrible.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” he asks, the words slow and purposeful. Like he doesn’t want to offend her or be offended himself.

“Yes and no.” She exhales sharply and decides to go all-in. “Okay, so you remember how we met because of my friend Ellie’s wedding? Well, I was the maid of honour, and I gave a speech about Chris and Ellie’s first date.”

“I’m guessing it was terrible?”

“The worst. She called me after, and I swear, I almost fell asleep as she told me because it was just… so boring. There was no chemistry! But she went out with him again, and now they’re all gross and in love and married. So I said I wanted a date like that. Something terrible that lead to an amazing love like that.”

Niall nods slowly, and Veda leans into him when the car sways, coming to a stop. “Well, I suppose this could be our second date, because me coming over after your granddad passed was a terrible time for you.”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Veda laughs, the sound watery but bright. “I think I’ll take the perfect first date considering how long it took to finally get to it.”

Niall steps out onto the platform first, reaching back for her hand. His brows are drawn together, a slight downturn to his lips, and Veda wonders what he could be thinking about. What could have made him so serious so quickly? When he strokes his chin, she realises he’s putting her on.

“The perfect first date?”

She rolls her eyes but plays along. “Yep. Almost guaranteed you’ll get a kiss at the end of the night.”

“Anything I can do to make it happen?” he asks, pulling her closer when a group of men walk past. Not even nine-thirty and they’re already drunk. One of them whistles under his breath, his gaze heavy on Veda’s exposed skin, and Niall hurries her along.

“Keep being you, I suppose.”

Nonna stands in her doorway, watches as Niall and Veda approach, but she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t even wave. Veda appreciates that, though she would like a bit more privacy as she comes to a stop at the top of her stoop.

Setting the shark down at her feet, Veda stares up at Niall through the glow of the porch light, at the soft curve to his lips and the way his eyes shine. She steps further into his space and thanks the inventor of heels as she kisses Niall’s smile away. His hands settle gently on her hips, warm even through the fabric of her dress, and she wraps her arms around his neck to bring him closer. His heartbeat is rapid against her, or maybe it’s hers that is fluttering so quickly beneath her ribs.

Nearly every single neighbour is peering through their windows when Veda finally pulls back, and she huffs out a quiet laugh. “And here I thought living in a small town would be the only way to get this kinda nosiness.”

“They worry about you,” he whispers, shrugging, and Veda kisses him again. God, she is falling too hard for him, and she doesn’t want to stop.

“Thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it.”

Niall is the one who kisses her this time. One hand cups her cheek, and she chases the taste of wine and chocolate on his tongue. Heat flares up in her belly as his fingers press firmly into her skin. She wants more than this slice of perfection.

She wants him, any way she can have him.

The invitation is on the tip of her tongue, the plea for him to stay the night, for the night to never end. But then he’s pulling away, putting a sliver of distance between them, and her body goes cold without him. He whispers a goodnight, his lips brushing hers once more, then makes his way down the stairs.

Veda watches him walk away and wishes she’d asked him to stay. Her mind catalogues all the things she’s going to tell Granddad about tonight, about how amazing and unique and unexpected it was, before -

Right.

She can’t tell him anything. Tears burn in her eyes at the reminder. Granddad would have loved Niall, and Niall would have loved Granddad. Granddad will never meet Niall. So Veda does the next best thing: She grabs the stuffed shark off the stoop, carries it inside, and sets off to find Hattie.

#someone lost something gained #nurse!niall #niall horan fanfiction #niall horan #nhff #1dff #one direction fanfiction #slowburn #mourning/grief #slsg #unnknown writes dumb stuff

[rosie-janeposie]

Gold Charms Part 2

Chapter 2: Green with Envy   

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24974863/chapters/60500830#workskin           Summary:          

Andre watched Ellie unscrew the top of the green bottle. Murphy’s hand was resting gently on her knee. This little exchange was either missed or ignored by everyone but Andre. He honestly was jealous of how detached the two could be from the world when they wanted. Perhaps he was naive, or he was shallow, but he just wished to have a boy look at him like Murphy looked at Ellie.

Notes:          

Hello, my Lovelies!

Two uploads in one day. I wish I could say I am skilled, but, I had this chapter done before "Simple Charm." Actually this was my first idea for Gold Charms: Two-shot, it just didn't have quite the same light-hearted feel I like for Murphy and Ellie. But, I couldn't scrap this chapter because I honestly loved it very much.

Hopefully, you guys will appreciate it as well!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hogwarts Mystery Characters.

I do however own Ellie Bennett (So Yay Me!)

(See the end of the chapter for  more notes.) ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*            

 Andre blinked, “You want me to watch out for Charlie?”

 “That’s not what I meant at all,” McNully noted as he held out his wand hand. Andre noted McNully had his left pinky finger painted a soft baby blue, while his index was shiny silver.

 In fact, Andre could remember a time when McNully had his whole right hand-painted gold. I seemed nowadays McNully would always have at least one to two nails painted with odd colors. It was certainly an interesting fashion choice, Andre noted, but he didn’t want to embarrass his friend either.

 Andre sighed, shaking his head. He had not been following his friend’s train of thought as close as he thought. “What do you mean then?”

 McNully quirked an eyebrow. He paused briefly “There is a 68.9% percent chance that Charlie Weasley is the one to watch when it comes to Seekers here at Hogwarts.” The hands started to go. Andre let his eyes follow their movements; the colors were slightly distracting,  “You know-” The entryway to the common room opened as four Ravenclaw girls came walking into the circular room. McNully’s words died. They were snickering amongst themselves. Andre wished he could have taken a photo at the soft look that crossed the Commentator’s face as he whipped his head around to look at a bespectacled redhead. McNully’s girlfriend, Ellie.

 The redhead was smiling as she tried to reach over and jokingly push a girl with evidently singed two-toned hair, “Skye, you’re terrible!”

 “Listen, all I am sayin’ is he is barkin’ up the wrong tree with Haywood,” Skye noted as she took a seat next to Andre on the couch. She carelessly discarding her bookbag on the floor in front of the sofa.

 A dark-hair girl, Rowan, smiled as she flipped a strand of hair over a shoulder, “Yes, well, I think Ben’s crush is cute.”

 Another redhead chirped in pulling over a stuffed armchair to make an impromptu circle, “If we were first or second years maybe…” She sat in the blue chair, Tossing her feet over the side of the armchair, “Now, I kinda feel bad that he is unable to read the context clues. Bennett, what’d you think?”

  The first redhead merely shrugged, “Ben’s Ben, I don’t think he’ll actually ask her. He had a harmless crush on Rowan,” ignoring the outburst from Rowan, “Then he had a harmless crush on Liz. Just leave him be.” The redhead stopped behind the blond, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she leaned over the back of the couch, “Hey, you.”

 McNully leaned back into the cushions to give her a small peck on the lips, “Hey yourself.”

 Andre smiled at the pair in front of him. It was a relief to everyone in the Ravenclaw common room when the news of the two became official. At least until their friend groups became subject to candy moments like this. The Seeker grabbed the pillow, in-between him and Skye, tossing it at the pair, “I have virgin eyes!”

 “Virgin eyes that have a thing for Orion,” Rowan muttered. Andre stood up, “No!” Her eyes widened as she tried to place space between them. “No!” She tried to dodge him in between the couches and the coffee table that they were sitting around.

 Tulip pulled her legs up to her chest avoid getting stepped on, “Why can’t we all just get along…” she jokingly whined.

  “No!” Rowan squealed as Andre managed to grab her cloak. Their friends broke into laughter as Andre pulled Rowan onto the couch. He had her pinned so she wasn’t able to move as he started to pinch her cheeks. “HEY!”

 Andre was laughing as he continued to pinch her cheeks, “Sorry, I just want you to have effortless rosy cheeks.”

 “STOOOOP!” Rowan whined she has attempted to push Andre off her. “I don’t want your fashion advice!”

 “Never!” Andre joked, keeping her pinned to the couch, but his assault on her cheeks stopped. Their laughter filled the common room, earning some dirty looks from fellow Ravenclaws.

 Ellie giggle as she stole another peck from Murphy, “I’ll be back.” her hands slid up his chest and off his shoulders.

 McNully smiled before he turned his head to the wrestling pair on the third couch, “Orion, huh?

 Andre sat up, letting Rowan pull herself out from where Andre had pinned her. “You.” The Seeker pointed at the Commentator, “And you!” He turned the Ravenclaw Chaser, “Will say or know nothing.”

 “Aw, someone’s shy!” Tulip piped in as she smirked.

 “More like embarrassed,” Skye snickered, ignoring the glare Andre was sending their way.

 The evil redhead snickered, “How cute!” Andre blushed with embarrassment and turned to look away and cross his arms. “Andre…” Tulip let her snickering stop. “I didn’t mean to push it too far…”

 “It’s fine.” Andre huffed, “I highly doubt Orion feels the same.” He stated as he sat back into the cushions. His cheeks were flushed, was it that obvious that he was interested in the Ravenclaw Captain. Perhaps he was naive, or he was shallow, but he couldn’t resist the carefree smile that was always present on the other boy’s face. Andre would do anything to have that smile directed at him. “I can’t tell what he is thinking most of the time, you know…”

 What part of the smile was because of Orion optimism, and what part was because of him?

 “Orion is high most of the time,” Skye noted as she pulled her legs up and sat sideways. She had a hand under her head for support. “But Orion is not as ditsy as he pretends.”

 Murphy readjusted his seat, “As much as I hate to admit it, Skye has a point.”

 “Watch it, blondie.”

 “What I mean is,” The blond continued, “If you talk with Orion, there is an 89.9% percent chance you will get your answer.”

 Rowan stretched before looking at her best friend’s boyfriend, “You have a stat for that?”

 “I have a stat for that…” Murphy replied plainly. Rowan’s raised her eyebrows before shrugging, who was she to argue.

 The sound of footsteps coming up the stone stairs filled the common room. Soon Ellie reappeared, dressed in a simple ivy green sundress and a gray cardigan over top, her feet were bare, pattering against the stone floor as she made her way over to her group of friends. “Really?” Tulip piped up, “Bare feet on this floor?” Ellie’s small but handsome tuxedo cat. “Tell her, Binx! It’s all nasty, tell all the nasty stuff people bring in.” The redhead cooed at the small black cat. Binx let out a mew of neither agreement nor dismissal as he walked lazily around the circular room.

 Ellie rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to Murphy. In her hand were two small colorful bottles. Andre noticed Murphy held his hand out to look at the colorful bottles that Ellie was holding, one was silver in color while the other look similar shade of green as her dress. Murphy moved his right arm to rest behind Ellie, he left hand moved the bottles, so the green bottle was visible, “This new?”

 Ellie shook her head, “No. I’ve had it, just I’ve never used it.” Murphy shrugged. Ellie relaxed into Murphy’s side, “Anything exciting happen today?” She asked innocently, looking between Skye and Murphy.

 “Potions was eventful as always.” Skye shrugged as she tried to hide the very evident burnt hair.

 “I was wondering why you’re hair was burnt,” Rowan noted as she pushed herself further back on the couch. “Fire potion?”

 “More like she tried to speed up her potion brewing. Skye has never been one for patience.” Murphy chuckled as he felt Ellie reach for his left hand.

 Andre smirked as he looked at the Chaser, “If you decide to blow up the dungeon, can you make sure you get that awful tapestry.”

 Skye quirked an eyebrow, “There’s a tapestry in the potions room?”

 “Of course, Andre would know there was a tapestry in the potions room.” Tulip snorted, “Everyone else is avoiding Snape glaring at them, while Andre is stirring his potion glaring at the woven string.”  

 “That woven string makes the room even more unbearable.” Andre joked as he watched Ellie unscrew the top of the green bottle. Murphy’s hand was resting gently on her knee. The distinct scent of nail polish hit his nose.

 Skye huffed, “Well, I heard you guys had an interesting Care For Magical Creatures class.”

 Ellie adjusted her glasses, the brush still in her hand, “Well, any class with Barnaby and Charlie is interesting…” Ellie started, as she adjusted Murphy’s hand looking at his left fingers. Murphy merely watched with mild interest as she reached for his ring finger. “Their Firecrab, apparently, was ill.”

 “I’ve never smelt as much sulfur as I did today.” Rowan mutter as she pinched her nose, “I was horrible.”

 Ellie started to carefully paint Murphy’s ring finger, a ghastly muted green color. Her nose scrunched in disgust, “It wasn’t that bad.”

 “You and Merula were off chasing a bowtruckle. You two didn’t have to smell it, “ Rowan whined.

 Murphy leaned towards Ellie, not moving his hand, “Ah, you’re leaving me for Merula, I see how it is.” He gave her a fake pout as he jutted out his lips.

 Ellie looked up and gave him a quick peck before she returned to her task at hand, “You are the only one who deals with my bullshit,” Ellie whispered. Pinching his finger as she attempted as she rolled Murphy’s finger removing any excess paint off the sides. She dipped the brush back into the nail polish and started possibly the second coat.

 This little exchange was either missed or ignored by everyone but Andre. He honestly was jealous of how detached the two could be from the world when they wanted. Andre was surprised at the sudden weight rolled onto him, “It was horrible.” Rowan cried dramatically as she laid across the seeker’s lap.

 “And you say I am dramatic,” Andre noted with a chuckle, it was like having a little sister he thought as he tried to push Rowan off. “Skye, help…”

 Skye shook her head, examining her own fingernails, “Oh no… you are on your own.”

 “Traitor.”

 “Whiney.”

 “Bitch.”

 “Chicken shit.” Skye retorted with a smile on her face, “Just say the word, and I will be sure to help you get on our fair Captain’s radar?”

 Murphy snorted as he looked across the way, “I wouldn’t trust her.” Skye’s protest was lost in his next comment, “There’s a 72.5% chance that she will screw up your chances.”

 Skye shrugged, “Orion is hard to read…”

 “Listen,” Murphy spoke, trying to play cool, “I can do some research and see if Orion is interested in anyone.”

 Ellie let out a snort, “Yes, the blind leading the blind.” She uttered, smiling at her boyfriend before tapping his nose, “It will certainly be entertaining to watch.”

 Murphy looked shocked, and playfully grabbed his chest with his dry hand, “You act as though I didn’t pick up on the signals.”

 “I practically had to tell you ‘Ask me out, dumbass’.” She noted the smile on his face.

 Murphy shrugged, “Still a signal…”

 The group laughed, cause more Ravenclaws in the common room to glare. After a moment, Andre starting to feel the circulation in his legs go, “Damn your heavy…” Andre quipped, trying to push his dark-haired friend onto the floor.

 Rowan shot up from Andre’s lap, her hand tossing the tail of his scarf over his face. “How rude…” Rowan had a mocked offended look on her, “And here I was feeling sorry for your love-life.”

 “Coming from the one who doesn’t want a love-life…” Andre quipped g,ently tugging on Rowan’s dark hair.

 “Children,” Ellie spoke up, examining the final product on McNully’s finger, “Fight nice…”

 Rowan rolled her eyes with a smile, “but, Mom…”

 Andre let out a laugh, “Mom, She started it!” imitating a child ratting on their sibling.

 “If you can’t fight nice, then you can’t fight together…” Ellie started pretending to take up the maternal role, “Now, behave, or you won’t have dessert.”

 Tulip stuck out her tongue to tease the pair across the way, “Ha-ha, you got in trouble by Mom…” The redhead joked as she tried to set her back against the chair. There was a brief pause before her eyes were wide-open, quickly she sat up, “Hey Rowan, when is our essay due for Ancient runes?”

 “Tomorrow,” Rowan began as she turned to look at the other redhead, “You forgot all about it.”

 Tulip gave a sheepish smile, “I kinda forgot about it.” She noted, “I was busy though with the whole snooping into Rakepick thing…”

 “That was your know decision,” Ellie sang as she wiped more paint off the side of Murphy’s finger.

 Tulip folded her hands as she stared at the dark-haired girl, “Please help?”

 Rowan sighed before rolling her eyes, “Fine, but you so own me.” The girl stood up, dusting off her uniform. She cracked her back, “But we are going to the library, there will be fewer distractions for you there.”

 “You don’t know me very well then,” Tulip quipped before sticking out her tongue.

 Rowan turned to pick up her bookbag, “Ellie coming?” She asked, looking at the girl dressed in green.

 Ellie shrugged as she stood up slowly, Murphy gave a noise at the sudden movement. “Yeah, I should start my Divination assignment anyway…”

 “While you ladies go to the library,” Skye began, she pointed back and forth between herself and Murphy, “We’ll deal with Andre and the Captain.”

 “Do I get a say in this?”

 Murphy answered quickly, “No.”

 Ellie rolled her eyes before gave Murphy’s hand a gentle squeeze before she started down the stairs to the dormitories. “Good Luck, Andre, you’ll need it with those two.”

 “Thanks…” Andre mumbled with his head in his hands.

 “ELLANA BENNETT, WHY ARE YOU WALKING BAREFOOT ON THIS FLOOR? IT’S DISGUSTING!” the distinct voice of Badeea resonant up the stairs.

 Tulip threw her hands in the air agreeing with the statement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Notes:        

Ta-dah!

Seriously Ellie, gets some shoes on!

Be sure to leave a comment and/or kudos down below!

Until next time!

~Rosie 🌹

#hphm #hphm rowan #hphm mc #hphm orion #hphm andre #hphm skye #tulip kasaru #nail polish #part 2 #gold charms #Ellie Bennett #Murphy mcnully #andre egwu #binx the cat #fanfiction

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ @sasuhinabigflash2020​​ || Day Nineteen: A Beautiful Choice ] [ Hyūga Hinata, Hyūga Hanabi ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

[ Previous ] [ Next ]

“...are you sure you want me to go with you?”

“Of course. I asked you, didn’t I?”

“Well yeah, but...I mean…” A hesitation. “...we haven’t exactly...been that close.”

“Which is why I asked you, Hanabi.” Looking over from the driver’s seat, Hinata gives her little sister a smile. “...a lot of things in my life have been changing lately. And I want this to be one of those things that changes. You and I have a lot of lost time to make up for...don’t we?”

The younger Hyūga sibling gives a sheepish glance. “But this is, like...a really big deal.”

“Mhm.”

“So shouldn’t you ask some girlfriends or something to go with you?”

At that, Hinata hesitates. “...I...don’t have too many of those. Besides, you know all about this sort of thing, don’t you?”

“...I do?”

“You know, what’s…” Hinata pauses, searching for the right word. “...what’s in and whatnot.”

That earns a snort. “Didn’t think you’d care much about that, honestly.”

“Well, maybe...I should.”

“Nah. You should just get what you want. I mean...you’re only gonna wear it once. Who cares if a wedding dress is in? It’s about looking how you wanna look on your wedding day!”

Mulling that over as she turns off the highway, Hinata eventually nods. “...you’re right. See? This is why I brought you along.”

“Pffft, keep saying that. Wait until I recommend you wear something hot pink and mini.”

At that, she blanches. “...that is not happening.”

“Pink is the new black, right?”

“And wedding dresses are meant to be neither!”

Hanabi just laughs as they pull into the right lot, the bridal shop looming up as Hinata parks right at the front. “But white is boring, ‘nata.”

“It’s also traditional,” is the sniffed reply.

A brown brow perks. “...says the one going against her father’s wishes in marrying this guy, huh?”

Hinata gives a cool glance. “Father has no dictation over what I’m going to...to do with my life anymore.”

“...yeah. I know. And that’s awesome. Now come on - let’s go get you a fancy dress!” Hanabi hops from the car, momentarily glued to her phone as they walk inside.

Immediately, two employees greet them with wide smiles. “How can we help you?”

“Sis is gettin’ married!” Hanabi announces with zero decorum, making Hinata jolt in embarrassment. “And now she’s gotta look the part!”

Thankfully the clerks just both laugh, and then start prattling on about current trends, classical looks, and many other things Hinata mostly tunes out as they become overwhelming, instead looking at various gowns as they’re given a quick tour.

“Do you have anything in mind?”

“Um...not really,” she admits sheepishly. “Just something on the more...traditional side. Nothing short, or...oddly colored.” A pointed glance is given to Hanabi, who snickers.

“Well, that still boasts a wide array of choices! We have a complete guide to all our current gowns here.” One clerk hands her a rather large three-ring binder, which Hanabi immediately snatches. “Or you can just start browsing and see if anything catches your eye! First, however, let’s go ahead and get your measurements marked down so we’ll know how to tailor it for you.”

Immediately embarrassed at all of the touching and looking, Hinata does her best to hold still as every aspect of her person is jotted down. One associate then disappears as the other starts showing off various gown styles.

“This was all the rage last spring - the lace is intricate and yet not too busy, so it’s elegant without being over the top, as they say. And it has an optional train that can be up to ten feet!”

“Oh, um…” Hinata’s brow furrows at the thought. “I...probably don’t want much of a train, actually.”

“Sure! It’s a bit of a fading trend, so you probably won’t see many in our collections anyway.”

Nodding, Hinata then hesitates. “Can I just...take a look around for a while?” Alone? she thinks to herself, finding the employees a bit...stifling.

“Of course - just let us know when you find something or if you have any questions.”

Smiling briefly to be polite, she can’t help a small sigh of relief as they round a corner into another aisle of gowns. “My goodness…”

“Gotta love being mobbed, huh?”

“Mhm.”

“That’s how it was last year when I went prom dress shopping.” Seated on a stool, Hanabi looks up from the catalogue with a deadpan expression. “You’d think I was buying a wedding dress with how much fussing they did. Like...man, it’s not that deep.”

“Deep?” Hinata asks as she flickers through a rack of dresses.

“Like...it’s not that important. I’ll wear it once and then donate it to Goodwill or something.”

“Or keep it for other formal events.”

“Nothing for school though - I don’t wanna be caught dead in the same dress twice.”

That earns a skeptical look from the older sister before she buries back into the gowns...and then pauses.

...oh.

Revealed from the cluster of dresses is one of a shining, simple fabric. No lace, no beads, just...effortless elegance. Strapless, it has a shawl-like top that drapes back down over the torso with a moderate A-frame skirt.

...it’s perfect.

Taking the hanger out, Hinata lets it drape freely, falling more and more in love with it as she looks.

“Hey, did you -? Whoa…”

“...do you like it?”

Setting the binder aside, Hanabi hops from her perch and gets closer. “That’s really pretty! Kinda basic, but like...in a cool way.”

As if summoned, one of the clerks reappears. “Did you find something?”

“...I think so. Can I try it on?”

“Yes, of course!”

It takes a little finagling (Hinata going crimson as her bust fails to fit), but they manage to squeeze her into the gown. Hanabi, from her spot, gives a grin and two thumbs up before beginning to take pictures with her phone.

Turning to the mirrors behind her, Hinata examines each for a different angle. It really is perfect. Simple, elegant...nothing ridiculous. Just...a dress to wear on the happiest day of her life, when she finally gets to marry Sasuke Uchiha.

“...I’ll take it,” she then affirms, earning a clap from the attendant.

“A beautiful choice! We’ll get it fitted to your measurements right away and call you when it’s finished! You’re going to have a lucky beau with his jaw on the floor when he sees you in it.”

Smiling softly at her reflection, Hinata simply nods.

The sisters take their leave once all details are settled, returning to Hinata’s car and heading back out onto the road.

“You looked so frickin’ pretty, ‘nata.”

“Thank you, Hanabi.”

“Can I show my friends?”

“I guess there’s no harm in that.”

“Yeah, it’s not like any of them know Sasuke. He’ll never see it.”

“...you really think it suited me?”

“Chyeah. He’s gonna flip when he sees you in it. But like, in a good way.”

That earns a snort. “...I hope so.”

“I know so. Like you said, I’m the expert.”

“...thank you for coming with me.”

“Sure! Need help picking out anything else?”

“Hm...I’m not sure. But if I do, I’ll let you know.”

“Sweet.”

     I’msofarbehindI’msosorry. Basically I had a very hellish weekend and just...didn’t have heart to write for a few days. Technically it bled into today but I wanted to get at least ONE piece done @~@ Hopefully tomorrow I can grind more out, it just...depends, aha~      BUT ANYWAY! About the actual drabble, lol - a wee scene in modern featuring the sisters. No Sasuke for once! But I always need to give Hinata (and Hanabi) more love, and some sister bonding. And what better way than dress shopping together?      The dress I tried to describe is actually here - hopefully I did okay in words, but here’s the picture just in case! It just felt very ‘Hinata’ to me lol      Anywho, I’d best call it a night. Apologies again for falling so far behind, life is just...blegh, aha. I’ll try and catch up soon - and if not, we’ll just run a few days late! But either way, thank you for reading~

#sasuhinabigflash2020 #shbf2020 #sasuhina #hyūga hinata #hyūga hanabi #best years of your life [ au ]

[peaky-shelby]

Margaritas [3]

READ PART 1 & PART 2

Pairing: first pov!reader x Chris Evans

Request by @tfandtws : Heyo! I’d like to request number 21 with chris evans from the friends prompt list. A friends to lovers kinda thing., if that’s ok. Anyway, can’t wait to read more of your work and thank you for tagging me.

Request by @tits-out-for-cevans : Hewwo! Can I request no.8 from the friend’s prompt list? I know it’s cliche but I just looooove the best friends turn lovers genre 😅

warnings: too many feels, hits close at home, cursing

words: 1.561

author’s note: I hope you enjoyed this story💖

Prompts:

21. “I turned to a friend for comfort, and instead I found everything that I’ve ever been looking for my whole life.„

8. “I’m not in the friend zone„ “you’re mayor of the zone!„

I liked this neighborhood, it was calm and simple. Walking down these streets from the school to my house was very therapeutic, you saw Ms. Loralai’s bakery that was always decorated according to the season and she always waved to people walking outside from the window, a friendly woman she was. Right across from the bakery was the park, which usually when I returned home was filled with kids but having stayed late at work, trying to forget yesterday’s events with Chris, it was already dark so the kids where in and the parents too. In the corner to my house was Mr. Richard’s dinner, he was old but still made the best cup of coffee and the best bagels. Unable to control myself I walked in and he greeted me with the same old smile, looking up for just a second before returning to cleaning the counter.

“You’re in late!”

“Yes.. lots of paperwork.” I explained but he wasn’t buying it.

“You’re a kindergarten teacher, what kind of paperwork could you possibly have?”

“You’d be surprised.„ I tried to joke. He raised his head again, his eyes examining me like he was Dr. Phil, until he threw the towel behind his shoulder and crossed his arms “what’s wrong kiddo?”

“Nothing..” I like, smiling, then looked down, knowing very well he could see behind that smile as easily as he breathed “it’s nothing.” I paused “the school wants to do a field trip and I offered to help with the arrangements, that’s why I stayed in late but I’m here now so...” I looked up again, sighing “could I have my bagel please?”

Richard went inside the kitchen, which made me sigh in relief and let down my guard. He came back with a paperbag that had my name written on it. I clapped in excitement when I saw it and threw my body over the counter, trying to snatch it from him but he pulled back quickly, making me full in the counter in disappointment. “Hey!!”

“Did something happen at the reunion last night?”

“No!” I answered, groaning as I stood up on my feet again and rubbed my belly that had crushed against the counter earlier.

“Was Christopher there?”

I hesitated, looking away. I heard him sighing but I didn’t look until I felt him nudging me on the shoulder with the paperbag. I snatched it before he could pull away this time. “Psst!” He called, asking me to look at him so I did.

“Sometimes you gotta let go.”

“I did let go! That’s the problem! I had let go! And he just came in pulling me back and I hate him for it—“ realizing I snapped, I took a breath to relax “he’s nothing like you remember him Richard, he’s all grown and Hollywood like... he’s not Christopher, he’s Chris Evans.”

“He’ll never be Chris Evans to us! Especially not to you! Whatever he did I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you...”

“I know he didn’t..he’s just an idiot!”

“Then he’s exactly the Christopher I remember!” Joked Richard, And surprisingly a laugh escaped my lips. After saying goodnight and the usual ‘I’ll see you tomorrow’ lines, I left the dinner and headed to my house. Little did I know there was another surprise waiting for me there. He was sat on my doorstep, playing with his kiss, eyes locked on his hands, he didn’t even know I was there. I stood still wondering if he’d notice but apparently his keys were really entertaining. “What the hell are you doing here” I asked. His entire body stiffened, he rose to his feet, his eyes locking with mine. ���Aren’t you supposed to be in Germany or something?”

“I missed the plane..”

“Then...” I struggled trying to find the perfect repsonse “You should have taken the next one!”

“I almost did but—“

“No! No buts— please! No buts!”

“I wanted to apologize! For yesterday! I feel like shit for what happened!”

“Fine, apology accepted, you can go now before you make it worse.”

“No! Listen to me please! I have to say this— I’m an idiot for what I did! As asshole, I wasn’t thinking, I had too many beers and too many thoughts, stupid thoughts! When I saw you two months ago on the party... after I left I couldn’t stop thinking about everything you said and yesterday when I saw you again I... I had to do something—“

“You mean do me?” Maybe the comment was inappropriate but I was mad and hungry and I could smell bagel and I couldn’t help myself. It clearly caught him off guard because he almost laughed but quickly reminded himself that he had to be serious.

“I’m trying to make a speech here.”

“That’s didn’t go so well yesterday did it?”

“I hadn’t written it down yesterday!”

I held back, my eyes softening. “You wrote it down?” He looked at his feet, hands in his pockets “the basics, so I don’t mess up again!” He raised his eyes again. I nodded so he’d continue.

“When you told me you left me all these years ago, it was weird, I was.. confused, we were supposed to be friends not lovers, you were like my sister and I was dating Lindsay at the time So I pulled back, I was scared and then when I broke up with Lindsay and I had time to process it, I thought it was too late so I didn’t say anything and I didn’t try and then I just didn’t know...” he paused “I thought you’d have moved on I never imagined that you still liked me, that you still wanted to give this a shot even tho you saw me at my worse and most jackass moments.”

“That’s true I did” I agreed.

“And yet you still...”

“I still loved you.” I finished the sentence for him.

“You did and when I realized I got scared again, like I was 17. That stupid 17 year old boy.”

“Very stupid” I agreed again, stepping a little closer to him.

“And then on the reunion I thought ‘I can’t let you go’ again!”

“Sometimes you gotta let go.” I repeated Richard’s words, making another step closer to him.

“Yeah well I don’t wanna let go!” He spat out, his eyes finding their way to me as he closed the gab between us with his large step. “I want this! All of this! The sloppy kisses, the awkward first dates— you ones said to me, I turned to a friend for comfort, and instead I found everything that I’ve ever been looking for my whole life.”

He remembered what I told him. How?

“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize but you are everything I’ve looked my whole life for and I’m in..I’m all in I promise—“

“Chris..”

“I want you to be able to worry about us breaking up! You can worry about us breaking up-“

“Chris!” I raised my hands, stopping his speech. I was still holding the The paperbag and the food smelled delicious, it was very hard to focus on Chris when I was this hungry “this is all very sweet! You are—“ I cut myself, finally processing what he said last. You can worry about us breaking up.. “I can worry about us breaking up?”

“Because that means we have something.” He answered, his hands on my cheeks, stroking me gently. He stepped even closer. The bagel fell of my hands, the noise of it hitting the ground, making me focus despite his breath against my face. “Chris..” I whispered, shaking my head “you move all the time.. and I’m here.. you’re there, wherever there is..”

“I’ll be filming in Boston for my next work, it’s a tv show, so I’ll be here with you.. I start in two weeks. So it’s only two weeks in Europe promoting endgame and then I’m here, all yours.”

“And what about after that tv show?”

He stepped even closer, which I didn’t even know was possible at that point. He balanced his head on mine “we’ll figure it out.”

“We..” I whispered before he leaned in and his lips landed on mine. After all these years, I finally tasted his lips and it was like god’s gift. The kiss was so effortless but so unique at the same time, it was like all the exes, the cries and falls were all so we’d stand here together, kissing. A sloppy, awkward kiss. His nose rubbed against mine as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, he hand travelled up and down my back while put my arms around his neck.

We broke apart for a second only to take a breath and he smiled “you’ll give me a chance?” He asked and I simply nodded “but— before I give you the chance you need to go buy me a new bagel!” I paused, smirking “and a margarita!”

“Ugh I love margaritas..”

“You do?”

“They remind me of you!”

“You little cheesy romantic shit!” We both laughed and I could swear he was blushing but the beard was hiding it. I leaned in again, leaving my mark on his lips. Before I even noticed his had swooped me off my feet, my legs were wrapped around his body, holding on to him for dear life.

#imagines #chris evans fic #chris evans fan fic #chris evans x oc #chris evans x reader #chris evans #chris evans imagine #steve rogers

[allenmendezsr]

The Algorithm Diet

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/the-algorithm-diet/

The Algorithm Diet

 Buy Now

    Attention: For any human struggling to lose weight and keep it off…

Breakthrough research has identified why the human brain gets worn-down and STOPS us from making the healthy decisions we know we should be making…

Dear reader,

Do you find it hard to stick to your diet or exercise plan after a while?

Have you ever been committed to losing weight in the past but fallen short?

Probably. And if you’re like the rest of us, it’s vital that you see this following breakthrough-research. Why?

What if I told you that there is a strong chance that you are suffering from a condition that you have probably never even heard of?

I realize that’s a bold statement, but it turns out that losing weight and staying on track is actually simple. But only after your address the real problem.

And guess what…

7 Weight Loss Industry LIES:

Fat burning pills work

Fruit has too much sugar

Carbs make you fat

Fats make you fat

Eat 6 meals per day

Don’t eat after 7pm

At this very moment there is a force at work in your mind that is working against your body.

Let me ask you this:

Have you ever started your day off great only to watch it all unravel at the end? Maybe you had a healthy shake for breakfast and a salad for lunch but by the end of the day you completely derailed?

As it turns out, that’s very common. In fact, scientists have found that the later it is in the day, the worse it gets.[study 1]

It’s a phenomenon called “Decision Fatigue”[study 2] and it’s preventing you from making healthy decisions (even though you want to).

Researchers believe that the average person makes more than 30,000 decisions each day and in a study [study 3] conducted at Cornell, they found that people make an average of 226.7 decisions per day about food. That’s right…

Researchers at Cornell found that the average person makes

About Food – Every Single Day[study 4]

That’s an exhausting amount of decisions. But why does that matter to us?

When you exhaust your limited reserve of willpower by making decision, after decision, after decision, it’s not long before you burn out.

Decide to eat a healthy shake for breakfast = less will power

Decide to skip the 400 calorie “coffee” drink on your way to work = less will power

Decide what to snack on at work = less will power

Decide what to eat for lunch = less will power

Decide to go to the gym after work = less will power

Decide to pickup a “healthy” dinner on way home = less will power

Decide to have an apple as a snack = less will power

Decide to go to bed on time = less will power

As you see, the real reason you’ve been unable to lose weight and keep it off is not your fault… well, actually it is kinda’ your fault – it’s you’re brain’s fault.

When you go on a diet – even after just one day of making “healthy” decisions, you’re pushing yourself closer to mental fatigue. Push yourself for a week, two weeks or even a month and you’re all but guaranteed to fail.

Hello yo-yo dieting. Hello uncontrollable cravings…

Hello decision fatigue.

In fact, decision fatigue is why many of the people that we consider geniuses (from Albert Einstein to Steve Jobs to Bill Gates) all wear a uniform.

When asked why they wear the same outfits everyday, both Barack Obama (former USA President) and Mark Zuckerberg (CEO of Facebook) brought up the importance of conserving mental energy by reducing the amount of decisions they have to make on a daily basis.

Barack Obama

“I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” – Barack Obama

Mark Zuckerberg

“I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this [facebook] community.” – Mark Zuckerberg

And while I’m certainly no genius, I can attest to the powerless feeling of reaching the limit mentally and suffering from decision fatigue.

Hi, I’m Kevin McMillian, and.. I’m going to tell you why getting a six pack was a complete waste of my time.

Now, don’t get me wrong – it all started out great…

I dropped weight quickly. I started looking noticeably better. Even my clothes were getting looser by the day.

I figured this whole fitness thing was going to be pretty easy. All I had to do was follow the workout and eat according to the plan and I would be set.

And it actually worked.

I found a great workout program and followed it the letter. I added in the most effective dieting strategies that I knew of at the time.

After a couple of months I was RIPPED. I had six pack, square pecs, and a V-shaped torso.

My Previous Plan

Eat low carb

Workout 6 days/week

Do lots of cardio

Track everying

The problem? My plan was completely unsustainable.

To get in shape, I had to exhaust ALL of my willpower and go all-out.

Evey time I ran into the store to pick out some “diet” food I ended up a little more drained…

No beer. No chips. No bread. Yes spinach. Yes eggs. Yes bacon (not complaining about this one).

There were a never-ending amount of decisions I had to make, and each of those decisions had to conform to my strict diet and workout schedule.

After two months of telling myself “no” or “yes” and making sure that I made all of the right choices – I was drained.

I felt like I had nothing left.

So I did what everybody does after their diet is over.

I had a couple of drinks and some pizza to celebrate. No big deal… until my one night celebration turned into a week-long “break” and the week-long break turned into what seemed like a never-ending downward spiral.

Almost as quickly as I had lost the weight – I gained it all back.

I was exhausted – my brain was tired and I just needed a break.

After a few months I did try to get back into my routine but I just couldn’t do it. A few of the attempts worked for a while, but after each try I fizzled out sooner.

The more times I tried – the worse I did.

Attempt #2 – burned out after 1 month

Attempt #3 – burned out after 2 weeks

Attempt #4 – quit after first “pizza weekend”

I couldn’t figure out at the time why I wasn’t able to do what I had done in the past. But there was one thing I did know – my willpower had finally emptied out.

I eventually came to terms with the fact that I just couldn’t maintain this level of conditioning. And to be honest…

I Just Gave Up Trying to Lose Weight

I wanted to live a “normal” persons life AND be in great shape.

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat and workout like all of those Instagram gurus, and to be honest, I had no desire to.

So instead, I just let go and relaxed a bit.

I threw out all of the obsessive practices and micro-managing strategies I used to follow.

This time, I was focused on getting in a couple of workouts every week, eating a wide range of macro-nutrients and staying consistent.

But to be honest, I kinda’ lucked out stumbling upon a few strategies that made all of this truly effortless.

What I found went against everything I THOUGHT was needed…

You don’t need to go on another low carb diet.

You don’t need to workout  every single day.

You don’t need to do hours of cardio.

In fact, all you have to do is follow a proven system and STAY CONSISTENT.

And that’s exactly what I was able to do.

I focused purely on what delivered results the quickest… and threw out everything else.

After just 4 weeks I was seeing dramatic results.

My energy levels were higher (both mentally and physically)

My body fat percentage was dropping

My 6 pack was coming back

My confidence was up and I finally felt content with my body again

After that, I optimized each element and created a flowchart that made it all automatic – I call it an algorithm for fat loss.

What exactly is an algorithm?

al·go·rithm

“a process or set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps…”

And no, the banana is not upside-down. That is actually the correct way to peel a banana 🙂

So, long story short – I found a simple process (algorithm) to follow that makes losing weight easy and I’ve created a clickable flowchart to walk you through it.

It takes the most important “laws” of weight loss and incorporates them into your day-to-day life so that you follow them without even thinking about it.

No more decision fatigue

No more yo-yo/rebound weight gain

It’s all laid out so that you can lose weight while eating whatever foods you want… and it will feel natural because it’s not a typical, restrictive diet plan.

In fact, the Algorithm Diet works because it’s not a typical diet.

It’s NOT:

a ketogenic diet. …

a vegetarian diet. …

a vegan diet. …

a raw food diet…

a carb-cycling diet…

a juicing diet…

or any other traditional diet…

…because traditional diets don’t work.[study 5]

Instead of following some hardcore diet with restrictive rules, I recommend focusing on the only 3 fundamental “laws” of weight loss – and forgetting what doesn’t really matter.

The Only 3 Fundamental

“LAWS”

Of Fat Loss

In order to lose weight there are only 3 “laws” that must be followed:

LAW #1 – Consume less energy (calories) than you burn.

LAW #2 – Don’t screw up your hormones following an extreme diet.

LAW #3 – Stay consistent to see long term results.

… nothing new here, I know.

The real struggle isn’t in knowing what you must do – it’s in actually doing it without getting burned out.

If you were to ask me what the most important thing you can do to lose weight is – my answer would simply be: “Stay Consistent in doing what works.”

And you know what makes staying consistent easy? It’s getting fast results without killing yourself.

Let me ask you this…

If you followed a system that combined strategic workouts with eating the right foods (in the right amounts) easy and natural for you, would you lose weight?

Of course you would.

When eating right comes automatically you don’t have to worry about being able to stick to your diet. You just do it without even thinking about it and without realizing that you’re even on a “diet.”

The Algorithm Diet is the most simple, natural, mind-free, and willpower-free way to lose weight in existence.

But don’t let that word “simple” make you think this program isn’t potent. It is.

I know how to get ripped and I’ll show you how… plus I’ll show you how to STAY ripped.

And in order to make that happen we’re going to fix your body as well as your mind.

We’ll take the scientifically-proven steps to losing weight and turn them into a process you follow automatically.

You will be as lean and as fit as you want. It’s literally up to you how far you take it.

Here’s how we’ll make that happen:

[smolfangirl]

A million little lights

So, here’s finally a fic I’ve been working on longer than I expected (the finale kinda ruined my motivation for a bit). A Thank you to @sky-girls for helping, and I hope you enjoy this!

Shadows stumbled over Luna’s walls as she laid in bed, her mind haunted by Matteo’s words. Sleep should have come hours ago but every time she tried to dive into the tiredness lingering in her veins, it slipped away until she once again felt wide awake.

It will light up all the times I think of you but look at it, look at it closely – it’s turned off and I think it will never light up again.

Like a broken record, the pain of those words crushed down on her again and again, until her eyes were glued on the ring, this huge blue reminder on her finger that she envisioned so clearly even in the darkness of her room. So many things gone wrong between them, so many lies and accusations and things half-meant but yelled out, so many wrong paths they had been walking and yet, this hurt her the most.

Luna had tried hating Matteo. She had, and with all his mistakes it should have been easy, it should have been as effortless as skating by the beach in Cancún. It wasn’t. On the contrary. Every time she tried, she felt reminded of her first dance lessons on skates, of chafed knees and bruises covering her skin, of falling and of being out of control. That’s what trying to hate – or, dare to dream, forget – Matteo felt like. And there he basically admitted he succeeded over her, that he moved on. Forever.

Her eyes still fixed on the ring, teardrops began running down her cheeks. They left wet stains on her pillow, spreading out while she clung onto the memories of a time where she trusted him without a bitter taste on her tongue.

She pulled the ring off. 

Her fingers wandered over its surface, when out of nowhere, a small light escaped from the tip. Luna rubbed her eyes, then checked the clock on her bedside table (the digital lines formed a time way too late for a school night), but before she got the chance to declare it an imagination it appeared again.

Matteo.

As stupid as it sounded, her first thought went to the chico fresa. Recalling his words took no longer than the blink of an eye. The ring works. This afternoon it broke her heart, now it picked up some of the shattered pieces from the floor. What if he suffered the same fate, despite his big announcement, restless and his mind resolving around their fight(s), around them, around her?

Somehow, the next morning came quicker than she was prepared for. Luna wore the ring with the heavy awareness of its constant blinking and glowing, and her fingers couldn’t help but play with it all the way to the hallway.

As expected, Matteo leaned against the wall, attention on his phone, his face the picture-perfect mask of someone with a master degree in hiding their feelings. Luna straightened her shoulders, walked up to him and cleared her throat.

Her heart sank in her chest when he ignored her.

“Matteo?”, she asked, her voice fraying at the end. Finally, he looked up. “Luna.” No friendliness warmed his tone, nothing that gave the notion that they even knew each other. Her grip on the ring tightened and magically she found it lighting up again. It was all the hope she needed.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Baffled, the hand holding his phone sank. “No, why?”, Matteo blurted out before his eyebrows shaped a frown, his head turned away as if to avoid another expression of a truth he attempted to hide.

The smile on her face came naturally, another silver lining on an otherwise dark sky. “Is there… are you…”, the words in her head shaken up from the hurricane of emotions storming through her, Luna only stuttered, “Like, did you think about me? Last night?”

Seconds passed with no reaction, awfully long seconds where he stared at her, eyes wide open but his expression cold as stone.

“No”, he spit out, “I told you I won’t, what about that did you not understand?” (Maybe she’d been wrong, about hating him at least. When he snapped at her like a furious dog, she could imagine a world where their lives weren’t entangled together.)

Luna looked down on the floor, her eyes roaming the ring, now only blue. No light, no hope. “Nothing”, she whispered before he left her standing alone.

In class, she channeled her full attention towards the teacher, if only to avoid thinking of the disastrous conversation with Matteo. However, Luna still struggled to follow the explanations about chemistry – the only chemistry she cared about was the one between Matteo and her a year ago, when their interactions made her feel like a bubble of happiness protected her from everything bad. And not like she was drowning in an ocean of misery.

As Nina leaned to her, she shook that thought off, hoping her best friend didn’t ask anything about class. Or worse, Matteo. “Hey, Luna… your ring is blinking”, Nina muttered, “Is it supposed to be doing that?”

Her head snapped down to her finger. Indeed, an irritating frantic blinking emerged from the ring. Lost, she grunted, “I have no idea.”

During the next lesson, their teacher demanded she put that ring in her backpack.

Matteo’s knees felt like jelly while he hurried away from an (hopefully) oblivious Luna. Panic settled in his stomach, spread up to his lungs where oxygen ran short. How did she know? It couldn’t possibly be the fault of this stupid ring he bought out of an even more stupid idea, an ordinary ring that she somehow refused to take off. And it killed him every time he saw it, because he caused this pain in his chest himself, because she said she only wore it for good luck. Because he acted like a fool, or he felt like one, a fool who never got anything right, who watched the control dripping out of his hands until it dissolved into nothingness. Because he felt they turned into an irresolvable mess and he lacked the ideas on how to fix it, fix them.

He entered the classroom to find Gastón leaning against their assigned table. With slow steps, he searched for a sense of calmness and only after a couple of seconds did Matteo feel like he could breathe again.

However, he didn’t seem to look like it. “Hey, Matteo, are you alright?”, Gastón greeted him before he even got the chance to put his backpack down. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or couldn’t you sleep again because I…”

Without warning, he blurted out the one thing repeatedly crushing down on him like a tsunami – “Luna still wears the ring I gave her and I need to find out if it blinks.”

Gastón paused. “It… blinks?”, he asked, suspicion leaking through. “I don’t know”, Matteo said, “But I need your help to find out.”

“If I’m gonna help you with this – and I still believe you should just ask her, by the way – I need you to do something, but it won’t be hard for you.” Gastón leaned into the cushions of the sofa in the corner of the Jam&Roller, gaze full of expectation on Matteo.

Matteo swallowed. Perhaps Gastón had a point about just asking Luna, but then he remembered the look Luna could give him, not the one with a delicate smile sitting at the corners of her mouth but the one full of disappointment, of bleeding hearts and lost hope.

“What do you need me to do?”, he replied. A grin showed up on Gastón’s face, a reliable sign of a pun coming up. Matteo already regretted asking. “You gotta be over the moon. Go full astronaut.”

Well, that should be simple. Thinking of Luna was his easiest task, something that came so natural like breathing. Thinking of her pulled him up, made him run when his feet felt glued to the ground. Like walking he never wondered how it happened, because it simply did.

Matteo didn’t say that out loud though. He just nodded.

“Good”, Gastón said, “Then let’s go.”

Luna sat close to the bar, waiting for Nina to show up. Or at least for Simón to come over for a quick talk, since the boredom started to mess with her head and Matteo sat in the other side of the room and she shouldn’t stare at him so often, she really shouldn’t. Looking at him made her realize the pain eating her up from inside, made her overthink things that passed through her mind too many times already.

Her eyes got stuck on the ring again.

“Hey, moon girl, nice ring”, someone commented out of nowhere. In fact, as Luna lifted her head, she found Gastón leaning against the table. “Gastón, hi. Are you looking for Nina? Cause I haven’t seen her either.” The boy only grinned, though she wondered why he hid his hands behind his back. “That’s alright, I can talk to her later. That ring you’re wearing… it’s new, isn’t it?”, he commented while he leaned over to inspect it, his hands still out of sight.

With a grunt, she nodded. The light had disappeared, leaving a coat of disappointment over her heart and it costed all her self-control to avoid glancing in Matteo’s direction. “Where do you have it from?”, Gastón kept asking and finally Luna understood why Matteo sometimes wished for his best friend to shut up.

An explanation sat on the tip of her tongue, however a light distracted her, caught her attention. Her head leapt up like a reflex and her gaze found Matteo so easily as if she owned a built-in compass guiding her to him wherever she was. He rested on the sofa, the exact same position still, head turned in her direction. Though she probably imagined him staring at her, because the harshness in which he told her he’d never think of her again remained engraved in her brain.

“Oh, it’s blinking!”, Gastón pulled her back to reality, “Fancy, fancy. I hope you’re not going to lose it, moon girl.” With that, he left her behind, the questions and confusion multiplying.

Luna grew used to it. She grew used to Matteo ignoring her, to him looking right through her whenever their paths crossed, to him hiding until she wondered if this school consisted of secret hallways known exclusively to him.

At the same time, she grew used to the constant light from the ring, to the constant rollercoaster of gaining and losing hope it kept her trapped in. Yet, it felt like a lightning house too, that guided her even when she had no idea where it tried to lead her. With every blue glow, Luna wondered where she’d end up in case she followed these mysterious clues.

It crossed her mind again as she sat by the dining table along with her parents, though her mom’s tamales managed something Luna failed to do on her own – to push any thoughts of arrogant strawberries or blue rocks aside.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t say the same about her dad. “Luna, little princess, where is that ring from?”, he asked before the tamales got stuck in her throat and she began coughing so hard, her lungs burned. She should have figured with how big Matteo’s gift was, how it covered half her hand (not literally) her parents would notice at some point. Yet, she had no clue on what to answer.

“It’s new”, she spat out under the observant eyes of both her mom and her dad and despite it not being a lie, she felt like the whole truth hid in the back of her throat, somehow worse than making up an explanation.

“Where’d you buy it? It looks like something from those chewing gum vending machines”, her mom inquired. By then, Luna put the cutlery down. The tamales would only taste bitter on her tongue now. “Matteo got it for me”, she admitted, only to get the single-handedly worst question. “And why is it blinking?”

I honestly don’t know and I’m about to give up on him and this silly ring, Luna thought.

“Probably a stupid joke. Can I please go to my room? I have this project for school that I need to finish.”

It was by accident that Luna saw Matteo again. It had to be an accident, because in school he continued to hide away from her eyes and the ring continued to blink while her heart continued to ache. She sat by the lockers, where she tied her skates, a task not quite easy with a huge ring on her finger. Still, she refused to take it off, her brain coming up with lame excuses every time she considered to put it away or hand it back to him.

The first thing to jump into her awareness were his footsteps. A certain melody formed by how he walked into the room, Luna recognized him before he appeared behind the corner.

Her hands froze on the spot.

Like an arrow seconds before being released into the air, his body seemed tense in its movements from his fingertips to the curls of his hair. Matteo turned his face completely away from her, gaze focused on his locker, something completely unusual for him. Or unusual for the old Matteo. The old Matteo lit up around her, the old Matteo smiled and threw mischievous looks around the room as if they didn’t cost anything and when they landed on her, he added an extra smile. The old Matteo owned too much grace to ever look stiff and uncomfortable.

Luna missed the old Matteo.

She stood up, her heart sped up its rhythm, but there would be no pulling away, not this time, not when she felt more at eye level with him than usually.

“Matteo.”

He turned around, his brown eyes landing on her, wide and bold and she noticed he took half a step back and it occurred to her he might not want things to be fine between them, might not want her back.

Luna shook the thought away. If all his feelings had faded into nothingness, he wouldn’t have given her this ring, he wouldn’t ignore her or give her a stare built up of a cocktail of emotions or now look away.

So, now or never.

“You said the ring works.”

A pause. Music came from the rink, a muffled sound just like the chatter from the café. It felt surreal to stand with him like this, it felt like being in school at night or walking through a store after it closed. Somehow familiar yet strange and scary.

“I didn’t mean it”, Matteo snorted. “But it does”, she replied, hoping her tone came across less harsh than it rang in her own ears.

He crossed his arms and took another step back until his shoulders hit the locker. “What do you want, Luna? I need to get ready for training.”

A realization hit Luna that moment. No anger overshadowed his voice, no denial, he wasn’t like all the other times they’d been fighting. Instead, the shyness of a wild animal colored his movements, recolored his eyes who fixed his ring. Her ring. His ring he’d given her (whatever) and that lit up stronger than ever before.

Luna slowly skated towards him.

Matteo took a deep breath, sharp and distinct. She tilted her head only to find his face close, so unbelievable close and suddenly, their lips touched.

For a second which felt like eternity and nothing at the same time, they stayed like this. Doubts came up, doubts if this ended in another disaster, doubts if she made the wrong choices again.

But then he pressed his mouth harder against hers, a silent but powerful plea and her whole head filled with emptiness. For once, there was no need for him to bow down or for her to lift her head some more, for once their height difference felt completely right and Luna thought she should wear her skates even more if it involved more kisses like this.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Luna pulled him closer. In return, his hands supported her waist but not without gently stroking over her back, not without sending shiver after shiver over her spine so even when she remembered they were standing by the lockers, she couldn’t possibly care.

He was the first one to break apart, pulling her into a hug. Her eyes found the ring, the ring that of course lit up. With a chuckle, she whispered, “I have the theory you do think about me.” Matteo pressed a soft peck on her hair before he answered, “Honestly? All the time.”

#soy luna #lutteo #my sl fanfiction #thanks Disney for havng the same idea and nearly making me give up on this os

[2019dclmed]

Planning Port Adventures & Onboard Activities

Taking advantage of that Platinum status!

FYI in addition to the Disney Cruise Line website, we found “Rick Steve Mediterranean Cruise Ports Guidebook” and the Disney Cruise Line Blog Podcast’s Review of the 2018 Disney Cruise Line Med Cruise (Part 1 & Part 2) to be highly valuable.

Having never taken a European Disney Cruise, I had no real concept of how many Platinum cruisers might be sailing and thus, how competitive it might be to book our preferred Port Adventures. So being the risk-averse person that I am, I made sure to log on at midnight (even though I had to be at work at 8am). This time, luckily, it was effortless!

Our plans for this trip were:

Barcelona Planning

Hotel

For our one night stay, we took advantage of Kara’s Marriott Free Night Certificate. (Without this, we would have been very tempted to stay at the W, Renaissance, or Eurostars Grand Marina.) There were plenty of options, just none really close to the port. Ultimately the AC Hotel by Marriott Diagonal L’Illa was primarily my choice based on reviews, a higher potential to have two separate beds, and nearby a central shopping area. The shopping area was a factor as one of my great frustrations of international travel is the potential time and challenge of finding acceptable dining options, especially when I struggle with the native language. And of course, #DisneyStore! Finally, as we know we will be jet-lagged and already prefer quiet, calmer environments, we were additionally happy to avoid the popular Las Ramblas area.

Kara: With all the planning Gayle has done for us, the tiniest thing I could do is use a free night certificate for this hotel. In total it is costing us 2.42 EUR!

Tour

We were slated to arrive at BCN at 9am. Thus, to work to adapt to the time change and presuming our hotel room wouldn’t be ready that early, we needed to decide how we’d spend our few hours in Barcelona. After considerable research, we determined we really weren’t interested in the normal tourist sites of the city (including La Sagrada Familia, blasphemy, I know)! Kara voicing no preferences, I pitched my now go-to in any new city - a food/chocolate tour! (On the last study abroad, I had a chocolate tour booked in Rome that ultimately didn’t come together. However, the one I did in London was phenomenal and can’t wait to do it again!)

Most options started at 10am, so all of those were out. Quite happily we booked the Old Town Chocolate Tour from Barcelona Chocolate Tours. We selected the noon departure for this light two-hour experience for 59 Euro pp; it is gratefully limited to a maximum of 13 people. (We’re only slightly worried about making the meeting time!) The tour was described as:

Visit the chocolate museum of Barcelona and learn about how chocolate is fabricated today, a long process where starts from a cocoa tree. Discover the chocolate tradition in Barcelona by visiting the old town and the three most famous shops boasting the best chocolate in Barcelona along with a glass of champagne, coffee or tea, according to the group’s request. Meeting point at the Museum of chocolate .

Kara: After reading Dan Brown’s “Origin”, I am intrigued by La Sagrada Familia and many other sites in Barcelona. That said, given we have only a few hours in the city and knowing we’ll be exhausted, I think the chocolate tour will be a much better use of our jet lagged time to both see a bit about the city and to enjoy some sweets.

Sunday, May 26, 2019 - Day at Sea

Tonight, since we will have time to get ready and it’s Formal Night, we are dining at our beloved Palo. We really appreciate having this as a Platinum benefit. While we tried the Brunch once, we are the dinner lovers, especially the pappardelle and Chocolate Souffle (for me). I have a saying, the best desserts are souffle, brulee, and flambe!

As for the Port Adventures, this cruise will be a genuine “adventure” for us. Typically we cruise as an unplugged, relaxing vacation from our jobs. Not this time! Nope! If we’re flying all the way to Europe, we’re going to make the most of our location. So here is a chronological order of our Port Adventures and a little reasoning for them. (I like to include Disney’s official description so I can compare it to my actual experience later in the blog and to serve as a resource to future DCL Med cruisers!)

FYI we are doing only Disney Cruise Line Port Adventures. Why? Because unlike every other area of our lives, Kara is more risk-averse… to missing the ship! Doing some research, she’s not wrong. The majority of what we are doing, how long it will take, and where we are going is nowhere close to the ports. Additionally, the last time I was in Rome, we experienced a public transit strike! Also, we’re not really interested in taking a train to the next port and sleeping in a train station!

Kara: And, YES! I have no desire to watch the cruise ship sail away without me on it in a country where I don’t speak the language at all.

Monday, May 27, 2019 - Naples

Amalfi by Boat & the Splendor of Sorrento (NP41) - Gayle only

For awhile I was booked on Kara’s (below). However, the more and more I read, I just knew I had no interest in spending 90 minutes of my trip at Pompeii. I tinkered with Capri for a bit, but it just didn’t seem interesting enough, especially since I had only minimal interest in the Blue Grotto. I had wanted to take a tour of the Amalfi Coast during the last study abroad, but it wasn’t offered on one of our free days. Now I’m hoping for relatively calm seas to not overrun my Bonine and because high seas mean most of this gets cancelled and replaced by a tour of Naples. Fingers crossed!

9.5 Hours to 10 Hours - $175 (age 10 and up)

The Amazing Amalfi

Drop anchor and have lunch in the seaside town of Sorrento—then take a guided tour through the cobblestoned streets.

On this adventure you will...

Take an approximately 75-minute drive to Sorrento.

Upon arrival at Sorrento, enjoy an optional guided walking tour of the historical center or have approximately 45 minutes of free time to explore the Corso Italia neighborhood, a flower-lined main thoroughfare. Or choose to visit the Correale Museum, where you can admire antique furniture, porcelain and Neapolitan paintings.

Savor an authentic Italian lunch included in this tour."

Re-board your motorcoach for a 75-minute drive, passing Mt. Vesuvius to Salerno.

Board a private motor launch, and enjoy spectacular views during a 45-minute cruise along the stunning Amalfi Coast. Note: This ride can be bumpy. Guests who suffer from motion sickness are advised to take precautions.

Arrive in the town of Amalfi and embark on a guided walking tour of the historical sites of this charming "white village."

Enjoy 1 hour of free time to sightsee independently or shop for souvenirs.

Reboard the motor launch for the cruise back to Salerno. There, board the motorcoach for the return drive to Naples.

Make a 30 minute stop at a local cameo factory during your transfer back to Naples and the pier.

Timeless Pompeii and the Flavor of Sorrento (NP06) - Kara only

(I’m writing this for Kara since we’re not currently in the same location.) This one is simple: CHEESE!

Kara: Here’s my additional commentary. First, I’m shocked Gayle and I decided to do separate things on one day of this trip - that’s very unnatural for us. As to why I chose this one, I am trying to fit a LOT into this trip so I can get an idea of what I love about Italy and what I might not be all that interested in spending more time with on a future trip. I’m not particularly excited about Pompeii, but I feel like it’s a must do in Italy. We won’t do Pisa or Venice on this trip so in the vein of fitting in as much as possible, Pompeii stayed in the list.

8.5 Hours to 9 Hours - $155 (age 10 and up)

Seaside Charms and Ancient Ruins

Sample Sorrento’s farm fresh fare and walk the ruins of the city buried in the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

On this adventure you will...

Drive about 75 minutes, passing Mt. Vesuvius, to the seaside town of Sorrento.

Arrive at a local farmhouse and learn the process of producing mozzarella cheese and enjoy a sample of their products, such as fresh mozzarella and salami.

Return to Sorrento’s main center and take an optional guided walking tour of the historical center.

Enjoy 60 minutes of free time to explore Corso Italia, the flower-lined main thoroughfare of the town, and the Correale Museum, home to antique furniture, porcelains and Neapolitan paintings.

You’ll have 90 minutes for lunch (not included).

Drive about an hour to the famed ancient city of Pompeii, buried by volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Upon arrival to Pompeii, walk to the entrance gate, approximately 15-minutes where your tour begins.

Embark on a 90-minute guided walking tour of the ruins of this buried city.

Make a 30 minute stop at a local cameo factory before the transfer back to Naples.

Drive 30 minutes back to Naples.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - Rome

Vatican Behind the Scenes and Panoramic Drive (CV105)

Having been to Rome twice (& kinda being over it at this point, except for the gelato), I told Kara to pick whatever she wanted. We soon figured out we’d have to choose a little of everything or a lot of one thing. So she decided to do a deep-dive at the Vatican, especially with some of the more behind the scenes & access features. (Plus, now it looks like we might be back here next year for another study abroad….)

Kara: I’ve ALWAYS wanted to visit Rome. I am so excited about visiting the Vatican. The papacy intrigues me and the art and history associated with this state is intense. I would love to see more of Rome, but with only one day I thought it would be best to use our dollars to get the absolute best possible tour of the Vatican we could.

10 Hours to 10.5 Hours - $259 (age 10 and up)

Experience Masterpieces That Inspire

Immerse yourself in the works of Michelangelo―from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica.

On this adventure you will…

Take a 90-minute drive from Civitavecchia to Rome, where you’ll join an exclusive walking tour inside Vatican City.

Discover the smallest state in the world with a 3-hour guided tour of the Vatican Gardens, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter Basilica.

Enjoy a unique walk behind the scenes of the Vatican. See the exterior of Pope Emerito House, the Vatican Radio Station, the Academy of Science, the Pope’s former Summer Residence, the Vatican government Palace, a piece of the original Berlin Wall and the Fontana dell’Aquilone, a lovely fountain with water games.

Look at St. Peter’s Basilica from behind and admire the Cupola from a very singular prospective. Take photos in the Vatican Gardens and discover one of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Visit the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, Candelabras and the Chapel of Pio V before entering the Sistine Chapel to admire one of the greatest masterpieces in the world.

Experience Michelangelo’s frescos, magnificent works that changed the course of arts forever.

Be escorted through a special access to St. Peter’s Basilica, which will allow you to avoid long lines. Discover the largest church in the world and stroll through its aisles while admiring Michelangelo’s “Pieta” and the beautifully carved Bernini Pulpit.

Enjoy 90 minutes of free time at St. Peter’s Square to have lunch, explore on your own or shop for souvenirs.

Re-board the motorcoach and Take a panoramic drive past some of Rome’s highlights such as Circus Maximus, Palatine Hill and Colosseum.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - Florence

Cooking lesson at Castello del Trebbio (LV95)

THIS is the one we are most excited about! I’m eager to experience the Italian countryside, as I’m not really a city mouse. Also, after we did a glassblowing PA on the West Coast Repo, we know that hands-on “experiences” are more valuable and satisfying to us. Additionally, anything that involves food is right up our alley. Kara can really cook; I cannot. So this should be highly entertaining for all involved!

Kara: I get to cook fresh pasta in a castle!

7 Hours to 7.5 Hours - $315 (age 21 and up)

An Authentic Italian Experience

Take a cooking lesson at a wonderful medieval castle located in the Tuscan countryside.

On this adventure you will…

Embark on a scenic 1-hour and 45-minute drive to Castello del Trebbio located in close proximity to Florence.

Arrive at a true Tuscan medieval castle with a fully equipped, modern kitchen perched atop a hill with a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.

The castle was built by the Pazzi family, an old Florentine nobility that rivaled the prominent Medici clan. Today, Castello del Trebbio is an artisanal producer of olive oil and wine, as well as a destination for special events. It is owned and run by the Bai Mario family of winemakers.

Explore parts of this beautiful old castle and the cellars with your guide.

Learn how to prepare pasta dough and tomato sauce using fresh and local ingredients from the resident chef.

Enjoy hors d’oeuvre and the meal you helped to prepare accompanied by wine.

Return after lunch to the motorcoach for the drive back to your ship in Livorno.

Part of the Culinary Adventures series - Celebrate the stories, cultures and flavors of the places you'll visit with cooking classes, wine and dessert programs, and epicurean adventures that include a dash of something extra.

Thursday, May 30, 2019 - Monte Carlo

Monaco, The Marina and The Little Train (V01)

We really struggled to choose a PA in this port. There were components of all of them we weren’t interested in. The main reasons we chose this one are 1) that’s it’s a half-day (vs our three previous full days) and 2) we enjoyed a similar “little train tour” on a PA in Key West. If the seas are such that we have to dock elsewhere, which I’ve read has happened previously, we won’t be sad to miss this. (Actually, I would only be sad to miss the Grand Prix circuit, only because of that epic scene in “Iron Man 2”. But I can’t talk about it, because I’m still traumatized by “Avengers: Endgame”....)

4.5 Hours to 5 Hours - $108 (age 10 and up)

Tour the Town

Afterward, enjoy some free time to explore Hercule Harbor on your own.

On this adventure you will...

Take an approximately 45-minute drive along the scenic Corniche to Monaco.

Ride an escalator and elevator up the cliff and enjoy an approximately 45-minute guided walking tour that includes external visits of the Oceanographic Museum, the Prince's Palace (which has been the home of the royal family since the 13th century), and an internal visit of the Monaco Cathedral. Note: This tour includes approximately one mile of walking at a leisurely pace, part of which will be on cobblestones and/or uphill. Wear comfortable shoes. Note: Guests—including children—wishing to enter the cathedral must ensure that shoulders and knees remain covered. You can wear shorts that reach below the knee and tank tops as long as you bring a sweater or scarf to wrap around your shoulders. An inside visit may not be possible due to official ceremonies, weddings or funerals.

Next, board a little open-air tourist “train” for a 30-minute tour through Monte Carlo, and ride along the harbor and Grand Casino as well as on part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit.

Reboard your coach for a 15-minute drive to the harbor to enjoy a refreshing beverage and approximately one hour of free time to explore on your own.

Drive back to Villefranche along the Middle Corniche.

Disclaimer: I (Gayle) am a travel agent with Authorized Disney Travel Planner agency - Off to Neverland Travel. Contact me today for a no-obligation quote!

Next up: Departure! (Day -1)

#2019dclmed #disney cruise line #disney cruise #disney magic #cruise #magic #travel agent #mediterranean #med