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melancholymetropolis · 2 months

Text

Exchange

plot: In which a Bridesmaid finds out she accidentally got married in Vegas months prior.

pairings: Clan Leader!Gojo Saturo x Lawyer!Reader

genre(s): Second Chance; Accidental Marriage

warnings: unedited (mostly). Golden Retriever/ Fox Au. Gojo is a goofball and makes Y/N laugh a lot. She is very much anti-marriage, but open to love. COMEDY. Couple's Banter. Lots of fluff. Gojo fell first and hard. New Love.

a/n: this will be a mini series with weekly updates.

w.c: 3.5k

“You have gotten even more beautiful since the day you left me.”

My eyes immediately widen from the sentiment. The air in my throat had become thick and my hands had begun to shake. I almost didn’t recognize his voice. Its cadence was a distant memory; one I had left behind months ago. In Vegas, of all places. It was the way he said “beautiful” that transported me back in time. It was the first thing he said to me. In a dark club, under neon lights and a cloud of smoke. He didn’t use basic, sexually charged words to get my attention. He was respectful, I liked that about him. He had been the only guy to introduce himself and offered to pay for my drink properly. He called me things like “beautiful”, “gorgeous” and “breathtaking”. Those three little words had meant more to me than whatever bullshit the other guys were doing.

His electric, blue eyes seemed to glow in the low light. They never wandered anywhere else but my face when we talked. He seemed genuinely interested in everything I had to say. From me saying that it was my first time in Vegas to how much I hated crowded spaces. I had only come to the club to celebrate a friend’s engagement and was labeled the designated driver for that night. If I recall, he said my job was “honorable” and applauded me for taking it seriously.

And, in an effort to make up for our lost drink, he gave me his number. Told me to call him when I was free.

Gojo’s eyes were just as I remembered. So bright and powerful— almost inviting to look into. He wore a navy blue suit to compliment the intimidating orbs and brighten his pale complexion. His unruly, white hair had been combed back with a singular curl setting in the middle of his forehead. The silver watch on his wrist looked heavy and vintage— possibly a family heirloom of some sort. I had forgotten how tall he had been. Even though I had worn six-inch heels, he still was a few inches taller than me. And I definitely was not a short woman.

“I left you?” I said, finally coming back to earth. “I don’t recall ever doing such a thing.”

A sly smirk began to form on his face. “Oh really?” He replied, taking slow steps towards me. “That’s mighty convenient on your end.”

“How so?”

“It relieves you of any guilt.”

A painful silence fell between us. Our eyes locked in a heated exchange, while our hands remained by our sides. I couldn’t deny the connection we had—couldn’t forget the spark.

“Bride or groom?” I asked, turning my back to him.

The tall man grew closer to me. He took his stance about two feet away from my spot on the balcony. He placed his forearms on the edge and leaned forward. There was a painful aura lingering above his head. Something was wrong. It was more than simply not seeing me for a few months. It wasn’t my habit of escaping in the middle of the night. It was complicated and conflicting.

“Groom,” he sighed, looking at the beautiful countryside of Japan. “I'm guessing you're here for the bride, given the Bridesmaid dress.”

I hummed in disagreement. “I know them both, actually. We worked at the same law firm for a couple of years. I believe I introduced them to one another, all those years ago.”

“Oh, okay,” Gojo snickered. “A divorce lawyer playing cupid. And I thought I saw everything.”

A quiet giggle fell from my lips. “That's right. Consider me a walking paradox.”

“That you are,” he replied sweetly.

The tension from earlier had broken and was replaced with a sense of familiarity.

It was nice.

A few breaths later, Gojo opened his suit jacket and pulled out a white envelope. He handed it to me.

I gave him a questionable look. “What's that?”

“Open it and you'll see,” was all he said before placing the envelope into my hand.

I lifted the tab and pulled out a folded piece of paper. At the very top was the letterhead for the Clark County Department of Records in Nevada State. The letter read:

Dear Mister Gojo Satoru,

We are pleased to inform you that your marriage license has been processed successfully and your certificate will be arriving at your residence in 3 to 4 weeks.

As of April 25, both you and Ms. Y/N L/N are legally m—

“Nope,” I said, folding the letter and shoving it back in the envelope. “No the fuck we aren't.” I handed it back to Gojo. “Over my dead fucking body.”

“You hate me that much, sweet pea?” he chuckled.

“I don't know you to hate you,” I replied, stuffing the envelope in my clutch purse. “And I would like to keep it that way.”

“You're breaking my heart, Y/N,” Gojo replied. His tone was still playful but there was a twinge of sadness in it. “Surely being married to me couldn’t be that bad.”

I scoffed and plucked a flute of champagne from the waiter’s tray. I took a big gulp of the bubbly beverage and sighed deeply.

Fate must've had something against me. I must've done something extraordinarily vicious in my past life to warrant such treatment. Marriage? The whole thing felt like a nightmare. I spent my whole life running from the false institution that was called “marriage”. It's a contract that almost always ends poorly. From spouses cheating on the other to emotional abuse and gaslighting— I had seen the most stable of unions crumble after a few decades. Families broken apart by secrets, betrayal and unfortunate circumstances. Men and women alike pleading for one more chance to correct their mistakes. And if that doesn't work, greed takes over. The desperate struggle for power between the couple and how it always ends badly.

Marriage wasn't something I was particularly fond of. I didn’t see my sentiment changing any time soon. Even if the tall drink of water before me was legally my husband.

I finished the rest of my beverage and placed it on a different waiter’s tray. I took several more deep breaths and turned my back to the white haired man.

The alcohol had sedated the raging storm of emotions swirling in my being. A somber feeling eased into my heart, but I quickly shoved it back down. The blasting music in the background had made it abundantly clear that we couldn't do this here. Not now. Not at my best friends’ wedding.

“I just need time to think this over. Figure out my next move,” I reached in my purse and pulled out a business card. I placed it on the railing. “Call me tomorrow afternoon and I'll tell you how I'd like to proceed.”

“Wait, Y/N—”

“Goodnight, Mr. Gojo.”

I didn't even look back as I walked away from him.

“Come on, Jessica,” I practically begged. “There has to be a way to end this shit sooner.”

“I hate to break it to you, Y/N,” my colleague sighed. “But there isn't. As you could imagine, a lot of people accidentally get married in Vegas. The number is close to about 50,000 couples. And a little less than half of them get their union annulled. Meaning, divorce court is overloaded with requests, follow ups and cases. If you file your paperwork today, you probably won't get a response for 1 to 3 months. Even then, the annulment might not even go through.”

“Because I was already married to him for six months without me knowing?” I said, pinching my nose bridge.

“Yup. To the judges eyes, it might not look like a mistake. He can still deny your annulment.”

My head was pounding and my mouth dry. An unknown fear started creeping up my spine. When I thought of the goals I set out for myself, for my life, marriage was never on the vision board. Especially not an accidental one. And definitely not one with a white haired, blue-eyed, Japanese man. However, he seemed to be awfully giddy about the union. Gojo sent upward of twenty text messages asking me how I was feeling or if I needed anything. He, also, suggested having lunch together to talk everything over.

I looked out the cab’s window, watching the restaurant come into view. The place was clearly exclusive and very expensive. The right side of the establishment was made entirely of glass, overlooking the ocean just below the cliff. The sun was high in the sky and the clouds danced across her warm light. Waiting patiently in the front of the establishment was a familiar flock of white hair. The taller man had been shrouded in black this time. His overcoat perfectly matched the crisp suit underneath. The stark white shirt seemed brighter in the light; it made his chest glow.

He looked entirely too perfect. As if he wanted to deflect my attention from something else.

“Okay, Jess,” I said, pulling my gaze away from him. “I would like to survey all my options before I make a final decision.”

“Take all the time that you need, Y/N,” she replied in a sympathetic tone. “I will assist you in whatever way I can.”

“Thank you,” I smiled. “I will ring you soon.”

The car came to a gentle stop at the restaurant’s doors and I quickly ended the call. I thanked the driver once more and opened the car’s door. I barely had time to place my high heel on the pavement before a flock of black appeared in front of my door. A pale hand flickered in the doorway with outstretched fingers. I could only see his glowing chest and black attire from that angle. Not his face. I swung my other leg out of the other vehicle and took hold of his hand. The taller gentleman takes a firm grip and aids me out of the cab. As I rise from the leather seat, my eyes ease up his glowing chest and broad shoulders. They cascade up his broad shoulders and slender neck. His sharp jawline was relaxed and his plump lips in a soft smirk. Round sunglasses rested on his nose, covering his electric eyes. His white hair was messily styled atop his head and, also, seemed to glow in the sunlight.

With my bag resting on my shoulder, I used my hand to close the car door behind me. Gojo held my hand tightly as he started to walk to the restaurant. The fingers were warm against my cool ones. It felt nice and. . . comforting. I didn’t have the desire to pull away from him. The realization we were still holding hands didn’t dawn on me until he dropped my mine.

“Let me take your coat, Mrs. Gojo.”

And just like that, the cocky bastard ruined a perfectly good moment with a couple of words.

I allowed him to slip my trench coat from my shoulders and settled in the seat before me. The taller gentleman slips off his jacket and takes the seat across from me. A toothy grin plastered on his lips as he eased the round sunglasses off his face. His eccentric eyes were already glued to my face. His gaze was unwavering. It was almost like he was waiting for me to say something in response to his little comment. The white haired man was ready for battle.

Unfortunately for him, I left my bulletproof vest at home.

“Do you come here often?” I asked, bringing a glass of water to my lips.

Those bright blue eyes flickered to my lips. They darkened at the sight of such glossy softness and lingered on them even after I had placed the glass back on the table. It was almost like he was in some sort of trance. Lost in a memory that he treasured and never wanted to part from.

I cleared my throat. “Mr. Gojo?”

“What gloss is that?” He questioned, abruptly breaking his gaze from my mouth.

“It’s from Juvia’s Place,” I answered with a raised eyebrow. “Why?”

“It just looks so good on you,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I want to buy you a lifetime’s supply.”

“You’re laying it on a bit thick there, don’t you think?

“That’s what you do when you’re on a date.”

“This is not a date,” I deadpanned.

“Sure it is,” Gojo chirped. “I mean why else would we be in such a romantic establishment.”

The wife joke seemed to be a warning shot in hindsight. The taller gentleman was trying to test the waters to see just how far he could push me. I left him stranded the day prior. In mid sentence. He was not able to plead his case, explain his side of the situation. I had laid my intentions out to him loud and clear. I wanted zero parts in this relationship. Our union was supposed to be limited anyhow. A vacation fling that went on a little too long for anyone’s liking. At least for my liking. The marriage was clearly a mistake and one I wanted to rectify quickly. However, any time I clearly displayed my disinterest in our union, Gojo was quick to deflect with a quip. That meant he wasn’t going to take anything I said or did seriously. I would have to approach this matter from a new angle.

I would have to play his game and play it well.

The waiter walked over to the table and set down our menus. “Is there anything I could get started for you?”

I hummed sweetly and looked over at Gojo. “What do you recommend? I’ve never been here before.”

The man’s chest practically swelled at the sentences. A new source of pride pumping through his veins. A sly smile fell on his lips as the words started to pour from his lips. In Japanese.

“What dishes do you have without shellfish? She’s allergic.”

The question caused my eyebrows to shoot up.

I didn’t remember disclosing that information to him. At least, in the past twenty-fours that we had reunited. That could only mean that he remembered the little tidbit I shared all those months ago. Six months to be exact. He carried that information with him for half the year, almost like he intended to use it again. His memory must’ve been impeccable, which was why he was able to recognize me at first glance at the wedding. Looking back, I didn’t even notice him until he approached me on the balcony. I had been seated with the rest of the wedding party, practically on a stage overlooking the venue and I still didn’t spot him. He would be hard not to notice. He was one of the only people I knew with stark white hair and was under the age of eighty. Along with those electric blue eyes that pierced me like a needle. The chemistry we had was undeniable and I knew we shared a mutual attraction to one another.

Would that be enough to have a fulfilling marriage?

The waiter skated away with our orders and Gojo’s eyes locked back with mine.

“So, how long are you in Japan for?” He asked, bring a glass of water to his lips.

“Originally, I was supposed to only stay two weeks for the wedding,” I answered, tapping my hand on the edge of the table. “But, a potential client just called and asked for a consultation. They are from New York but live in Japan temporarily. So, the answer is a little unclear for me at the moment.”

The taller gentleman sighed, amused. “It seems like I have a little bit of time before we part ways once again. The heavens have truly blessed me this time.”

“And just what do you intend to do with that information, Mr. Gojo?”

“I’d like to convince you to remain Mrs. Gojo for the rest of our days together.”

“As in for the time being? While I am in Japan?”

Gojo smirked at that comment. “As in for the rest of your life, sweetheart.”

I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms across my chest. “And how exactly are you going to get me to do that?”

Gojo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His pink lips spread into a full blown smile. Those blue orbs sparkled dangerously as they flickered over my face. He seemed to be brimming with excitement. He wanted nothing more than to display his nefarious plan and keep me entangled in his spider’s web.

“Originally, I planned on going the traditional route,” he conceded. “Showering you in gifts, expensive dinners and maybe a romantic weekend trip to Nokonoshima Island.”

“Buying a woman’s love? That is very traditional.”

“I know, but you are not a traditional woman,” he observed. “You are a divorce attorney. You are used to men attempting to buy a woman’s affection.”

“Very true.”

“So I came up with a proposal.”

“Do tell.”

“As you said, you don’t know me to hate me. Which means you don’t know me to like me either. And I, personally, think I am pretty fucking awesome.”

I chuckled, loudly. “You’re that confident, huh?”

“I am. Which is why I am suggesting that, for however long you are in Japan, we hang out.”

“Hang out?”

“I would like to use this time to get to know each other. Continue what we started back in Vegas. Before you left me.”

“I didn’t leave you.”

The white haired man scoffed and leaned closer to me. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s not lie to each other. You practically ran your pretty booty out of my hotel room the moment the sun came up.”

“That’s not true!” I interjected with a smile.

“It is true! And you had the nerve to leave me a couple of twenties on the nightstand like I was sorta cheap whore you met on the street. I never felt so violated in my life.”

A fit of giggles burst from my lips, shattering the remaining wall we had between us.

“That was never my intention! I just felt bad for ripping the buttons off of your Armani shirt. So I gave you some cash for dry cleaning.”

“There’s no need to explain yourself, Y/N. Your message was loud and clear,” he sighed dramatically, leaning back in your chair. “I was just your sexy little secret for the weekend. No plans of marrying me. You just wanted to hit it and quit. Leaving me to deal with the pain of your absence alone. Not even a cover to keep me warm, just the memories of our last rendezvous.”

“You’re such a drama queen,” I laughed, shaking my head.

“However,” Gojo replied, completely ignoring my comment. “Unlucky for you, I have decided to get revenge by blackmailing you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“If you don’t hang out with me while you’re in Japan, I am gonna tell everyone you snore in your sleep.”

“I do not!”

“And you are a blanket hogger!”

“Blasphemy!”

“And you got me pregnant while we were in Vegas.”

A slew of laughter erupted from my being and I could feel tears beginning to prick the edges of my eyes. “ That is not even scientifically possible."

"It is so!" He laughed. "Why else would I have morning sickness and swollen ankles?"

"Gojo, please. I cannot breath. . . !"

"How could you attempt to abandon your child, Y/N?" He crossed her arms over his chest and playfully shook his head. "I am not fit to be a single mother and take care our baby alone."

"Well," I paused and attempted to catch my breath. "You should've just kept your legs closed and this wouldn't have happened."

The taller man let out a dramatic gasp and placed a hand to his chest. "Did you. . . did you just try to slut shame me? After you basically paid for my services? How dare you?"

I lifted a glass of water to my lips; a weak attempt to calm my explosive chuckles down. I gulped the cool drink down and placed the glass back on the table. In the same instance, the waiter started to place our meal before us. There had been a collection of small plates carrying different items on them. Some had stir-fried vegetables and garnish, while others had different kinds of sauces. The bigger plates had anything between sashimi and grilled fish to sauteed pork and beef. Once the waiters were done plating, our table was suited for royalty. All the different dishes came together to create a marvelous spread and their aromas were simply magical together.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a little bit of everything,” Gojo replied, meeting my gaze over the food. “I hope that’s okay with you.”

Like a light switch, the playful (borderline pain in my ass) was tucked away from view and replaced with a dashing gentleman. Familiar feelings started to bubble in my chest. Ones I had tucked away months ago. A small wave of adoration danced between our beings. Along with attraction. The little exchange, our unorthodox banter, had lightened the tension that was between us since we reunited. It made room for why we were originally drawn to each other. His playful, almost youthful, side was almost like a cushion in my high-stress daily life. He breathed cool air into my hot tempered mind and gave me a sense of mental clarity I never experienced. It was easy for me to like him. To be attracted to him. To lust for him. But to love him?

That seemed like a different story.

“It’s perfect.”

---------

Part II

a/n: don't fight me y'all! i've been adulting something fierce. as previously mentioned, this will be a series and i will post updates regularly. if you would like to be on the official taglist, let me know.

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slippingkim · 6 months

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GUESS WHO IS BACKKK

how have you been? life has ben quite crazy here but im a survivor🤭!

when ever you feel ready and back into the groove with writing could you please write about Sunoo who was in previous relationship ( he broke up with reader ) so after a few years they spot each other at a store and Sunoo goes to greet reader only for the reader to look way more mature and grown. In the end somehow they end up have desperate sex , Sunoo telling reader how much he misses them?

- 🐍

✦ an ex’s dream ✦

A/n: haiiii I’m good just my classes got a little overwhelming and family stuff and I saw enha on Wednesday so preparing for that was stressful too but I’ve adjusted!!

— ✰ nsfw|mdni

warnings: smut, unprotected sex, reader pov, manipulative-sn, cursing

pairings: dom!sunoo x subfem!reader

Writing time: two hours 🥲

━━━━━━━━━━🌊━━━━━━━━━━

Today you were shopping for a nice new cocktail dress at the mall, something you’ve done as tradition even before you and sunoo broke up two years ago, as a gift to yourself for the change in weather. You found a cute short black dress with rhinestone accents that matched perfectly with the silver heals you picked out earlier and put them on immediately. It felt a bit formal to only walk around the mall in but you felt pretty and that’s all that mattered in your opinion.

As for sunoo he was shopping for the new Prada drop that happened a couple days prior, a small messenger bag caught his eye along with a puffy beret and some sunglasses that he didn’t end put putting on. These picks satisfied his interest for shopping today since he wasn’t a big fan of the activity.

You two headed for the exit in the west wing of the mall when you saw him standing against the wall staring off, he looked breathtaking his hair slightly grew out framing his face perfectly his jawline was more defined since the last time you saw him and he looked significantly more fit your jaw was most definitely on the floor at this point.

Sunoo quickly snapped out of his zone to see you staring at him, your stare made him dizzy seeing your slim dress that showed your long legs and eventuated your boobs so well he almost fainted. Your hair was longer than last time as well, you looked like an angel in his eyes.

The truth was neither one of you ever really moved on from your previous relationship, it was a messy break up that left you two both missing a piece of your hearts this was the first time you two had seen each other in two and a half years what was the big deal in saying hi?

Sunoo walked over with a growing smile, while you stood with the same wide eyed stare. “Hey, y/n.. how’ve you been?”He said looking you up at down as a familiar heat grew inside him. “..I’ve been well” you said giving him a suspicious glare as the same heat grew inside you something you haven’t felt since you saw him last.

You two chatted for what felt like an eternity, reconnecting about anything and everything that’s happened in the past few years before he offered to show you his new apartment and new puppy named 시시 knowing whole heartedly that that’s not what he wanted to do at all. In his eyes you were just a gullible as before, falling into every one of his traps.

Sunoo drove you to his place, it was spacious and comfortable his puppy was cute too it was only about 5 months old which made you melt into a puddle it was almost like he got a dog just to lure you back in, which is something he’d definitely do.

“Did you miss me y/n?” He asked suddenly in a sort of manipulative manner. “I’ve moved on if that’s what you’re asking.” You said with confidence but sunoo could see right through that lie. “I bet I could make you miss me~?” He said walking behind you to hugging you from behind pushing his hard into your lower back, you were left speechless by this moment as your panties slowly moistened. His grip tightened around your waist as you let out a stained gasp. “..sunoo?” You said squirming in his forceful grasp, you couldn’t deny that you liked what he was making you feel but it all felt too soon.

He turned you to face him pushing you against the kitchen counter before crashing his lips into yours, kissing you hungrily like he’s been urning for this moment since the last time he’s saw you. Placing small bites on your lips as it felt like he was swallowing you whole, while you made muffled whimpers against his lips.

He began to trail up your dress, continuing the kiss tipping your head back slowly taking hold of your panties and pulling them to the floor. Letting go of the kiss as he unzips his own pants and pulling down his boxers revealing his erect veiny cock. You gulped nervously as he pulled you into a straddle on the kitchen counter.

His tip positioned at your entrance and entered you slowly making your mouth pour out with stained moans as he began to pound into you desperately. “..f-fuck s-sunoo” you said as he grazed your G-spot with every hard thrust. His soft grunts and flesh slapping against yours filled the room as he buried himself into your cunt, almost begging for a release.

“..I-I’ve missed your cunt so bad y/n~” you groaned breathlessly as his thrusts got slower, you could feel him twitching inside you he seemed to be edging himself just to feel more of you. His thrusts sped up again as he held you close to his chest, fucking you at a desperate pace once more.

You two were sweaty messes while sunoo still pounded into you making your hair stick to your face as you neared your end feeling yourself cum on sunoos buried cock when he pulled out as his length leaked cream all over your stomach, spewing like a small fountain.

You two panted as he put you back down to his feet your knees wobbled together, you grasped his chest for support. Kissing up his neck in approval for the last few minutes. “Please stay?” He asked softly, you nodded with a smile. Before he picked you put and took you upstairs to clean you and put you in a large t-shirt of his just like old times. “I love you sun..” you said with a warm smile almost like you two never broke up.

#eva’s anon 🐍 ~#engene #enhypen #enhypen fic #enha fanfic #enhypen ships #enhypen smut #enhypen engene #enhypen hard hours #sunoo hard thoughts #sunoo imagines #sunoo scenarios #sunoo x reader #sunoo smut #dom!sunoo

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moonlightspencie · 9 months

Text

isn’t it?

Description: Years after the battle at Hogwarts, reader runs into an unlikely old friend. A simple invitation to tea leads to much more.

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x fem!Reader

Warnings: alcohol consumption, slow burn babyyy, draco talking about traumatic events in the hp series, me being an american writing about folks in the UK (do not come for me),

Word Count: 10k

A/N: im a draco apologist, what about it. anyways, he gets a redemption arc in this. they’re like 20-23 in this. also had to make my own gif cause most malfoy girlies are 14 year olds from tiktok & don’t appreciate tom in his 20s. logging off forever now

check out the playlist!

Winter was one of my least favorite times of the year because of how horrifically frigid it got. I was never a fan of the cold months. At least not when it was so cold that my fingers would be numb from standing outside for a couple of minutes.

But, it could also one of my most favorite times for the days like this one.

I stepped into the bookstore, glancing around in the soft lighting at all of the cheery decor. They hadn’t yet taken down their Christmas decorations, so twinkling lights were still wrapped around the bookshelves. Snow fell gently outside, making the warmth inside that much more cozy.

I walked around the small shop, looking up and down various shelves until I found the section I was looking for. I started sorting through the various history books, picking out a few that piqued my interest. I slid down a little further, stopping only when I saw that I was encroaching on a stranger’s space.

I turned my head, making sure I hadn’t already gotten too close, when I saw a familiar, bright, blonde head of hair.

“Malfoy,” I breathed out.

His head turned quickly, wide eyes searching for the person who had accidentally called his name. They somehow widened even more when he recognized me and muttered my name, more to himself rather than as a greeting. I found myself walking towards him almost on instinct.

The last time we’d seen each other was years prior. His father had called his name from across the ruins of Hogwarts to join them. He’d stood still and unmoving, up until the point his mother’s voice finally convinced him. He glanced at me briefly before he walked away from the rest of us, and I had assumed I’d never see him again.

We always had a complicated relationship. Even more, it seemed Draco had very complicated feelings about me.

We were friends, for all intents and purposes, but it was a secretive kind of friendship. He was a Slytherin, from a very prejudiced family, and was quite frankly a bully much of the time. I was a Gryffindor, friends with Potter, and though I was a half-blood, I didn’t care for the idea that blood purity had any say in the value of a wizard. That had caused some tension early in our friendship before I knocked a little sense into him. Though, it still caused some problems for us. Especially after his parents heartily disapproved of me in our fifth year.

We’d been friends for nearly a year at that point. He had, rather foolishly, decided to introduce me to his parents over holiday, assuming they would also be willing to love me despite my disdain for blood-purity ideals. We’d left in uncomfortable silence, and, soon after, Draco had explained that his father had instructed him to stay away from me.

Of course, he hadn’t listened.

We still spent time together when we could, even when I’d begun to notice his increasingly tired eyes and gaunt state of being in sixth year. He never let me find out what the matter was until it was too late, however.

I hadn’t seen him after the night Dumbledore was killed until the battle at Hogwarts. Now, I was seeing him in a bookshop in London. A muggle bookshop.

“What…” I started, unsure what to say now. “Wow. It’s good to see you.”

He was silent, staring back at me in shock.

“I’m sorry, um, how’ve you been?” I asked.

He cleared his throat. “I’ve, uh— Fine. I’m fine.”

“What are you doing here? In London, I mean?”

“Searching for something to read,” he said, the ghost of a chuckle leaving him.

“In a muggle shop?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I know, it’s probably strange to see me here.”

“It’s strange to see you anywhere. It’s been…”

“… A long time.”

I nodded in agreement. He looked down at the books in my hands.

“I see you’re still interested in muggle affairs.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, looking at my books. “After leaving Hogwarts I wasn’t really interested in becoming an auror anymore, so I started writing. I do a lot of writing for wizards interested in muggle history. I generally write a lot of magazine pieces, and I’m working on a book now.”

“Wow,” he said with brows raised. “That’s incredible.”

“Thanks. Are you doing anything… I don’t know. Like, for a job?”

“No. That was never really on the table for me, anyways, with my family’s—“ he sighed. “You know. All of that.”

“Right,” I nodded with half a smile. He’d always been raised with the idea that he’d be living off of the generational wealth. “What are you looking at here?”

“I still need hobbies, so I’ve taken up a lot of reading. Muggle fiction books have been particularly interesting to me lately.”

“Huh. Never expected that to come out of your mouth.”

He raised his brows quickly, nodding along slowly. He looked back to the book in his hands.

“They tend to think that witches are evil, mythical creatures. They also don’t believe that giants or dragons or werewolves exist. They’re all viewed as freaks to the muggles,” he said, looking back at me. “Most of the time, we’re all seen as the villain in their stories.”

I shrugged. “Yeah. Everyone sees things differently. Usually the hatred comes in when they don’t care to learn about people who aren’t like them.”

He swallowed, looking down once again.

“I’m beginning to realize that much more, now.”

We both went quiet for a few seconds as a question was formulating in my head.

“Would you like to come over to mine for some tea?”

His eyes snapped to mine. He furrowed his brow, obviously not expecting the invitation.

“Really?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

He just stood there, unmoving like I was going to burst out laughing at him at any moment. He watched me with wary eyes, not responding.

“If you want to,” I added at last. “I don’t want to pressure you.”

“Uh, that would be nice. Yes.”

“Okay. Um, I’m going to go buy these now.”

I held up my books, then turned for the register. I finished after a few minutes, lingering near the door until he followed after with his own bag.

“So, where you do you live?” he asked as we walked out into the cold.

“Guildford. In Surrey.”

“How do you usually—“

“Take my hand,” I said, holding out my free hand.

He switched his bag over to the opposite hand, putting his cold one in mine. In a flash we were on my street. He looked up at the street lamps that were starting to turn on as the sky dimmed slowly. I let him take in his surroundings for a moment.

“Ready?” I asked after a beat.

He looked at me, snow sticking to his eyelashes.

“Ready,” he confirmed.

We started forward on the sidewalk, heading in the direction of my building.

“Are you still in Wiltshire with your parents?”

He nodded. “Yes. Though, I don’t see them much anymore. I’m usually out for most of the day if I can help it.”

“You don’t get along much anymore?”

He shrugged. “They disagree with a lot of my choices.”

“I see.”

We stepped into the foyer of my building, walking up to the third floor and wandering through the hall until we got to the door of my flat. I suddenly turned, his brows raising slightly as I looked at him.

“I feel like I need to tell you that I don’t live anywhere particularly… Special.”

“I don’t mind,” he shrugged.

I nodded, a small smile on my face as I unlocked the door.

It felt strange to have anyone in my flat, let alone someone I hadn’t seen for years after they’d betrayed my friends and myself. Usually, I only had over a few very close friends every few weeks. I wasn’t exactly prepared for company, and I felt that it showed as I pulled down two mismatched mugs. He lingered in the kitchen with me, looking entirely uncomfortable, his hands repeatedly clenching and releasing as if it would relieve whatever anxieties he was facing. I gave him a soft smile after setting the mugs on the counter near him.

“This cabinet here,” I started, pointing at the one next to the oven, “has all the teas. You can choose whichever one you’d like.”

He nodded, moving forward towards the cabinet as I filled the kettle with water. I set it on the stovetop, turning it on. He nervously looked through the various tea flavors for a few more seconds, then turned to me.

“Which one would you like?”

I looked at him, noticing that he hadn’t picked for himself yet.

“Are you asking in earnest, or do you need a recommendation?”

His cheeks flushed slightly as he gave me a small smile.

“Both.”

“I’d love an earl grey. I’ve got one that has some lavender in it as well, and it is delightful.”

He nodded quickly, pulling down two tea bags.

“That sounds nice.”

I smiled to myself, a little out of sorts at how polite he’d become. We waited in a strange kind of silence until I heard the water beginning to bubble in the kettle. I pulled it off the heat, filling the mugs Draco had popped the bags into earlier. He looked at me curiously.

“You know,” he began, pulling my attention to his amused face, “you’re supposed to wait until the kettle whistles.”

I shrugged. “I prefer to get to it before it starts up. I’m almost never too busy to have to listen to that horrible whistling.”

He laughed softly, nodding his head in understanding. I led him to the small table in my kitchen, and much to my surprise, he took the seat next to me rather than across the way. It was quiet for a minute or two, neither of us really sure what we were doing in my kitchen together.

“Can I ask something?” he blurted out.

“Sure,” I replied with a nod.

“Why did you invite me here?”

I shrugged. “I thought it might be nice to talk. It’s been a long time.”

“But I haven’t spoken to you since… You know. What’s the use in trying to talk to me now?”

“You agreed, didn’t you?”

He smirked, but it was a more gentle kind than what he would usually pull back in the day. Not full of cocky disdain for others, and more a way to tell me that I’d bested him with the simple phrase. It was nice.

We sat quietly for a few more minutes, each sipping our tea. I suddenly realized, only after inviting him into my home, that I had no clue what to talk to him about. I let out a soft breath, looking at him to find him already looking in my direction. I gave him a soft smile that he returned. Though, it quickly fell, and the both of us tilted our heads down again.

“I’m sorry,” he said suddenly, “for leaving that day. When my mother called me over.”

I looked at him in surprise, staring up from my teacup.

He continued, “I should’ve stayed with you. With all of you. I was just in so deep at that point, and I couldn’t say no to her. And I know that isn’t an excuse, but I didn’t know what to do anymore. I was sure that the second something went sideways again, after all that I’d done, I would probably be the first one to die. I don’t know why nobody killed me in the meantime before V-Voldemort and the others came back with Potter.”

“Where did you go? After the room of requirement was set on fire?”

“I hid,” he mumbled, looking down at his tea. “I’ve always been a coward. I think I’ve deserved everything that’s happened to me after all of that.”

We sat after that, sipping our tea like nothing had been said to begin with. I looked back at him. He’d changed so much in the few years he’d been gone, and yet he was so different. He looked practically the same. Maybe a little healthier. He acted like a new person, though. All of that youthful bravado was gone, and what was left was quiet and remorseful and entirely not like the Draco I’d known in school. It shocked me more and more the longer we sat.

I sighed softly. “Draco?”

He looked at me with wide eyes.

“You haven’t called me that in forever.”

“I haven’t seen you in as long.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Yeah. I suppose so.”

I took in a breath, watching him a few seconds longer before I spoke.

“You know it’s never too late to change things, right? I know that you and your mother both made some decisions we never would’ve expected you to at the end, there. Harry told me.”

“That means nothing. I’ve always despised Potter. I was cruel to him every day, but he still saved my life. You all fought. You were all brave. Not giving him up one time was nothing compared to what all of the rest of you did.”

“You can still change things now, Draco.”

He shook his head.

“It’ll never be enough. I walked away from all of you when we thought Potter had died. I know you saw me doing it, too, and I know you were disappointed in me for it. Probably hated me,” he said, a humorless chuckle leaving him for a moment. “You were standing there by Granger and Weasley, and I looked at you right before I started across the courtyard, and you were already looking back at me. Looked like you could’ve killed me yourself.”

I swallowed, not taking my eyes off of him the entire time he spoke.

“I wanted better for you. I’d always hoped you would really, sincerely change for the better at some point, and it just never seemed to come,” I mentioned with a half-hearted shrug. “When I saw you walking out just in front of Luna, I hoped it meant you would stay with us. That you’d changed sides after Harry had gotten you out of the fire. Watching you leave after that…”

“I know. I’m shocked you even spoke to me in the bookshop.”

“I was shocked to see you at all. Especially in a muggle bookstore. I know you’d gotten off the hook after the war because of what you did for Harry, but honestly, I never thought you’d change. Not really, anyways.”

He nodded, looking away from me again. He only glanced back up once I continued speaking.

“But you have, now. That much is clear. You’re kinder now.”

“I don’t think I am.”

“You agreed to have tea with me. You willingly had a conversation with me in that bookstore rather than walking away from me. I thought for sure that you would when I saw you there.”

He shook his head. “I might have if it was anyone else. I wouldn’t do that to you, though. You were the only person who was kind to me in school. You’re the only one who really cared or noticed something was wrong in sixth year.”

“Do you really not see it?” I asked, laughing incredulously.

He furrowed his brow. “What?”

“You never would have told me any of this before. Draco, I know that you had done some horrible things, but it’s not too late to be different. And you’re already so different.”

He merely stared for a moment or two.

“I think I should go,” he said quietly. “Thank you for inviting me.”

He stood abruptly, walking off towards the kitchen door. I followed after him, just barely reaching him as we reached my entry way. I reached out, grabbing his wrist. His eyes were wide as he turned his head towards me, casting his gaze towards where my hand held him from going any further.

“Just…” I sighed, putting on a smile. “Don’t be afraid to send an owl sometime.”

He nodded, his voice small, “Okay.”

I finally let him go, watching him take his coat and bag of of books, and walk out the door.

A few weeks later I sat at my desk at home, unable to get past a terrible bout of writer’s block. I hadn’t considered when writing a book that it wasn’t simply writing a long article. I had to craft each chapter in a meaningful way, and unfortunately, that meant that I had to get anything at all on paper. I sighed hard, needing an outlet for my dramatics. Suddenly, an unfamiliar owl was at my window. I opened it up, and the owl dropped a letter right on my window, staring almost curiously at me.

You requested that I send an owl sometime. I hope that you meant it, otherwise you can feel free to ignore this letter. Assuming you did mean it, I’d like to invite you to lunch on the thirteenth of February. I hope you’re well.

Draco

I looked up at the owl on my windowsill.

“Just a moment,” I said to it.

It chirped lightly in response. I quickly picked up some new parchment and a quill, scribbling out a response before I folded it and put it in an envelope. I reached into my bottom desk drawer, giving the owl a treat before handing off the letter.

“Thank you. Go home, now.”

The owl flew off into the sky, leaving me with a smile and an even emptier brain.

The date he’d suggested was less than a week out from when he’d sent his letter, and it arrived much sooner than I was expecting. He’d sent another letter soon after mine had arrived, telling me the time and location, and soon enough I was pulling on my shoes in order to leave.

I showed up outside of the café. Surprisingly, another muggle location. I walked inside, being greeted by a hostess.

“Hi, I’m supposed to be meeting someone here, um…”

“She’s with me,” Draco said, coming up near the hostess stand.

I smiled at him gratefully, my demeanor obviously edging on discomfort. He led me back to our table, pulling out my seat for me.

“Thank you,” I said, scooting in a little closer. “So, why this place?”

“Easier to make reservations and avoid judgements eating at muggle restaurants. They’re not exactly familiar with the Malfoy name.”

“Ah,” I nodded in understanding. “Makes sense. Well, it’s nice here.”

“It is. They have great soup.”

I laughed, looking down at the menu.

“What?” he asked with a smile.

“It’s just weird. Being here with you, and… talking about soup.”

“We could talk about sandwiches if you’d like.”

I laughed again, finding him doing the same. The afternoon ended up delightfully strange. We finished our food, and found ourselves on a walk around town, chatting about what we’d been doing in the years since we’d last seen one another.

In the final moments, I’d convinced him to visit another bookstore with me the following week.

It started to become a bit of a habit, really. We’d keep finding new places to bring one another to, and, for me, new excuses to keep seeing him. I didn’t necessarily have feelings for him, but I couldn’t deny that I found myself enjoying his company much more than I had as a teenager.

One chilly night in March, I’d come home from dinner with a friend absolutely wiped. I was more than ready to head off to bed after sitting around on my couch for a rerun of an old favorite show.

Though, halfway through the episode, there was a knock on my door. I walked over the front door, wand in hand as I wasn’t expecting any visitors at night. I looked through the peephole, hiding away the wand when I recognized the face outside the door. I opened it right afterwards.

“Hey,” he greeted, standing just outside my door.

My brows raised on instinct as he looked a little inebriated.

“Hi,” I said mindlessly. “What are you doing here?”

He looked down to the floor, shrugging a little. He rubbed at his face before he looked back at me.

“I might’ve been at the pub down the street. I thought about you there,” he swallowed. “Thought it might be nice to see you.”

“Do you want to come in?”

He nodded silently, stepping past me into my apartment. I shut and locked the door, turning to see him looking around the space. He looked back at me after a moment, a confused pout coming across his face as his eyes dropped to my outfit.

“Were you busy?”

I shook my head. “No, I just got home a bit ago.”

“Where’d you go?” he asked, toeing his shoes off to leave them near mine.

“Got dinner with Luna Lovegood.”

“Oh,” he nodded. “She still… Herself?”

“Draco,” I scolded.

“Sorry.”

I helped him take his coat off as he started struggling with the sleeves.

“Luna’s still an absolute sweetheart, as she’s always been,” I mentioned as I draped his jacket on a coat hook.

He wore a sage green sweater under the jacket, and it brought the slightest smile to my face that he still preferred his house colors when he wasn’t decked out in all black. He started wandering into my flat, looking around the living room.

“I like your home,” he said at last.

“Thank you,” I replied with a small laugh. “I’m going to go get you some water. Probably some ibuprofen too. It might help prevent a massive headache tomorrow.”

He nodded, not quite paying attention as he started walking around again. Once I gathered the cup of water and the medicine, I was at a loss. He’d escaped the living room. I walked around, checking the bathroom first, before finding my bedroom lamp on. I stepped into the room, finding him plopped down on my bed. This time, I couldn’t help but laugh fully.

He lifted his head with a quirked brow.

“What?”

“You. Laying there like you’ve just had your very first drink.”

“You’ve got a comfortable bed.”

“I’m aware,” I nodded, kneeling on the mattress next to him. “Come and drink some water, now.”

He sat up with a groan, accepting the ibuprofen and the cup from me. He drank down the water quickly, letting out a sigh as he handed back the empty cup.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, dropping back down.

He was quiet for a few seconds as I set down the empty cup on my nightstand, just staring at the ceiling.

“Is it okay that I came here?”

I furrowed my brow, laying on my back next to him.

“I’m happy you showed up here rather than going and causing trouble someplace else.”

“You’ve always been a good person,” he said with a sigh. “Why were you ever friends with me? I was awful.”

“Seemed like you needed someone good in your life. You were surrounded by some truly terrible people,” I mentioned with a chuckle. “When we ended up seated next to one another in potions and you actually laughed at jokes I made that weren’t at the expense of another person, I realized you might not be totally hopeless.”

He laughed. No— he giggled, covering his face with his hands.

“You know, my other friends hated you,” he said, voice muffled.

I reached over, pulling his hands away from his face. He smiled softly as I did, watching me as he continued talking.

“They all thought I went crazy for being friends with you. Blaise told me I was going to get kicked out of Slytherin if I kept it up, and Parkinson was really upset because she wasn’t the only girl around me anymore.”

“I always thought she had a crush on you.”

He hummed. “Yeah, I think so. It was kind of annoying, to be honest. At first I liked the attention, but it got old very quickly.”

“I can imagine.”

“You know what I always thought?”

I shrugged. “No clue.”

“I thought for forever that Potter had it bad for you. Up until he started crushing on the Weasley girl, I was convinced.”

“Really?”

“Mhm,” he nodded, looking back at the ceiling. “Either him or Longbottom. They were always around you.”

“Because we were friends,” I said with a laugh. “I still see them sometimes, you know?”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. I haven’t seen my school friends since, well, everything happened.”

“You’ve seen me, at least.”

He smiled a little.

“That’s true. Nobody else, though. Maybe that’s a good thing.”

“I think it probably is.”

A silence fell over us for a few moments. I stared at the sheets in between us, brushing my fingers across them.

“Why are you so nice to me?” he asked, voice just above a whisper.

“Why would I be cruel?”

He sighed dejectedly. “I deserve it. I was— I’ve done terrible things.”

I sighed softly. “I know what you’ve done, Draco. I was kind of there for much of it.”

A smile tugged at his lips, though he shoved it away just as quickly as it appeared.

“There’s still a lot you don’t know,” he said at last. “You wouldn’t stick around if you did.”

“I would.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

I fell silent again for a minute or so, milling over what to say next in my head. I heard him let out a soft breath, and turned my eyes to watch him. His hair was messier than usual, with his natural waves sneaking their way out of the gelled constraints they were usually stuck in. His skin glowed in the soft lighting of my bedroom, especially now that the constant dark circles he’d worn for the past few years were gradually fading away with time.

He called my name in question. I hummed in response, turning my body to face him, listening as he started speaking again.

“I just,” he sighed, taking a moment. “I wonder if things would’ve been different if I told you back then. Or anyone.”

“It might have changed things a little, but at that point, do you think you would’ve been able to avoid what you had to do?”

He shook his head. “No. It just might have been nice for someone to know.“

“I think you would be too stubborn to tell anyone, though,” I said with half a smile.

He smiled back, looking down at the mattress as he nodded.

“I definitely would’ve been. That’s part of the reason I never told you in the first place.”

I raised a brow. “What was the other part?”

He swallowed, looking at me again.

“I was worried you might put yourself in danger.”

“How?”

He snorted a laugh. “If you think I was stubborn, you have got to know that you were much worse. You probably would’ve tried helping me at the worst possible moment and gotten yourself killed.”

I scoffed. “I’m not that dumb.”

“You could act like it sometimes.”

My eyes widened as he hid a smile.

“Oh, so you do still like to make fun of me, huh?”

“Old habits are hard to beat.”

“You still secretly like dancing?”

His smile fell a bit as he thought it over.

“I haven’t really had a reason to since… Everything.”

Whatever came over me in that moment to drive my actions could possibly be instinct to comfort an old friend. It could’ve been the need to reach out to someone clearly in pain. It could’ve just been that I wanted to touch him. I scooted closer, resting my head on his chest. My hand rested on his stomach, and I felt him sigh softly through it. He didn’t say anything, but I did feel him go a bit rigid.

I lifted my head up when I noticed the stiffness in his body.

“I-I’m sorry, I should’ve asked first,” I rushed out, “Is this okay?”

His cheeks turned slowly pink as he stared back at me, nodding.

“I, um,” he let out a quick breath, “Yes. I just don’t really ever—“

Understanding dawned on me. “Oh. Well, it’s just like a hug.”

He stared back once again, unmoving for a few moments. I furrowed my brow in question as he looked away from my face.

“The only person, um, who ever really hugs me is… mum.”

I watched him quietly, unsure what to say. It had always been evident that he never had a shot at a normal childhood, but I hadn’t considered how much of that normalcy was completely stripped from his life. He closed his eyes.

“I don’t know why I said that,” he said quietly. “That’s so humiliating.”

“No, no,” I said, brushing some of his hair from his face before quickly pulling away. “Not at all. That isn’t your fault.”

“If I wasn’t such a horrible child…”

“It may have helped to make real friends, but you were raised in an echo chamber of hatred. For the longest time you didn’t know how to be anything but mean. Clearly, if your own father didn’t even hug you as a child.”

He bit the inside of his cheek, nodding slowly.

“Plus,” I added, “things are so different now. I saw you starting to change a little back then. I wasn’t the only one to notice either, you should’ve seen my friends’ faces when you smiled at me in passing on the way to classes the first time. Since then, things have changed tenfold. Why not lean into that?”

He nodded again, giving me the faintest smile imaginable. I settled back against his chest, finally feeling his arms carefully wrapping around me. They just barely rested over top of me, not dissimilar to how an adult would try to hug a toddler. I let one arm stretch across his torso, holding him tightly, and, eventually, he held me just as tight.

I opened my eyes to sun-washed sheets, and a breathing pillow under my head. I tilted my head up, seeing him still absolutely passed out. His breathing came soft and steady, and he looked utterly at peace. I only looked away from his sleeping form when he started stirring. He let out a soft little groan, his arms tightening around me slightly. Only after he gave a sigh did I have the nerve to look back at his face.

“Good morning,” I said.

He smiled softly. “Morning. M’sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep here.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind,” I looked down at our clothes. “Just a bit unfortunate we fell asleep in these clothes. Not the most comfortable.”

He laughed. “Yes. Maybe next time it would be better not to be wearing trousers. I think I’d personally prefer some flannel pajamas.”

“I’m partial to sleep shorts.”

He let out another small laugh, as did I. His cheeks were tinged pink as he looked back at me, though I can’t say I didn’t feel the heat rising in my face as well.

“How are you feeling?”

He shrugged lightly. “Surprisingly fine. Thanks for taking care of me last night.”

“Any time, Malfoy.”

I reluctantly pulled myself out of his arms, sitting up in the bed. I stretched out my arms above my head, then turned to him once again to announce I’d be back in a moment. I found myself doing my usual bathroom duties in a kind of haze. There was a smile stuck to my face that I couldn’t quite get rid of. I chose not to look into it too much, especially as I reentered the bedroom to find him rubbing at his sleep-ridden eyes.

“There’s an extra toothbrush I left in the bathroom for you. It should be the yellow one next to mine,” I mentioned.

He gave me a small smile, nodding his head.

“Thanks.”

I hummed in response. “I’ll be in the kitchen. Tea and toast sound okay?”

“You don’t have to do that,” he said, standing up.

I merely raised a brow at him as he drew closer. He silently conceded, following me out of the bedroom in order for each of us to get to what we needed to. I filled the kettle, put the bread in the toaster, and somehow managed to spill my entire cup of water all over the floor after setting out the mugs. I grumbled to myself, getting down with a towel to clean up my mess.

“Clumsy one, aren’t you?” he asked with a laugh as he found me crouched down on the floor.

I looked up to where he stood near the sink, feigning annoyance at his cheery state. I stood up, crossing over to wring the towel out.

“Wait,” he exclaimed, though too late.

I stepped forward, not seeing the bit of spilled water I hadn’t cleaned up. I slipped and, in an attempt not to tumble to the floor, grabbed onto his arms. He laughed at me as I regained my balance, earning him a furrowed brow and a hidden smile of my own.

“Don’t laugh at me.”

“It was funny,” he defended. “You should’ve seen your face.”

I squeezed his forearms briefly before beginning to drop my hands. Though, the way his face dropped as I did so kept me from completely breaking contact.

“Are you okay?”

He swallowed. “Yeah, I’m— It’s fine.”

I quirked a brow, unbelieving.

“I’m not buying that. What’s wrong?”

He looked down, his eyes quickly darting to where my hand was placed on his left arm. I took in a breath.

“Oh,” I said quietly. “Do you… It’s still there, isn’t it?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes.”

I firmed my hold on his arms again, gently rubbing my thumbs against the fabric of his sweater.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s my own fault.”

“I’m still sorry. I’ve never thought about the fact you’d always have to hide it.”

He breathed out slowly, shakily, still looking down.

“Is there any way to rid yourself of it?” I asked after a beat.

“No,” he shook his head. “There are some charms I can use temporarily to hide it if I need to, but nothing permanent works. It’s forever.”

I nodded, looking back at his face until he met my eye. He cleared his throat, pulling his arms from out of my grasp.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”

“I’m used to it. I haven’t forgotten your little attitude every time you spotted me with Harry or one of the others.”

I reached down to grab the towel I had dropped.

He rolled his eyes playfully. “I couldn’t help it. You were so likable, and they were just...”

“My friends. So watch it, Malfoy,” I scolded with a smirk.

“Right,” he nodded, fighting a smile himself. “Everyone has their flaws.”

I scoffed out a laugh, lightly slapping his shoulder with the back of my hand. He laughed, leaning against the counter.

“Right then, you can pour your own tea,” I noted as I wrung out the towel.

“You’ll still get the toast though?”

I furrowed my brow as I tossed the towel down, turning to him.

“Only because you don’t know where I keep the plates or else you’d be on your own.”

He gave me a knowing smirk, taking the kettle just before it began whistling to fill both of our mugs. I took down the plates, setting the toast on each of them before getting the butter and jam set out. We set to work, side by side, on preparing our breakfast. It felt oddly normally as we went about our business, putting everything away before we sat at the kitchen table.

We found ourselves laughing over nothing in particular before we knew it, and, eventually, it was dark outside once again. The surprise on his face told me all that I needed to know as he looked out the window and declared that he should probably be going on his way. I walked him to the door, watching as he gathered his things again, and as he apparated away.

Our owls were sent back and forth over the next few weeks, and though we saw each other frequently, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander on the days we didn’t have much communication. Frankly, it wandered a great deal even when we were together. Usually to his eyes. The way he’d look at me when we’d stop talking. Or the way he’d smile when we did some silly activity together. Or his laugh when I’d make a stupid jokes. Or his hands.

May came quickly, and with it came warmer weather. It was nice to have my windows open whenever it wasn’t raining, and it was absolutely wonderful to have lakeside picnics or nighttime strolls through the nearby park as the month bled into June. Those little outdoor escapades started to become a habit. A way of being out in the world together with nobody else around.

Not that alone time was necessarily important to us. It certainly didn’t make my cheeks flush with heat every time we sat completely by ourselves on a picnic blanket with favorite snacks of mine that he’d somehow remembered and brought along when he showed up at my door. I most definitely hadn’t made a habit to lie to myself about the entire ordeal.

“Walk?” he asked after we’d finished playing a game of wizard chess.

I nodded. “Of course. It’s a gorgeous night, we may as well enjoy it, right?”

He smiled, standing and taking my hands to help me off the ground near my coffee table. We pulled on our shoes, and headed out. It was warm, and the most gentle breeze went through the new leaves on the trees as we passed them. He made silly conversation with me as we kept on, so much so that we’d lost track of the time. I could only tell it had been a while when my legs started growing a bit tired.

We sat on a bench nearby after our walk through the park, relishing in the warm night air of the summertime.

“The moon looks beautiful tonight,” I commented.

He hummed in agreement.

“It does,” he said, suddenly putting on a small smile. “That’s one benefit to me staying out all hours of the night with you.”

I laughed. “Oh dear. You may just have to stay over again. How horrible. It’s not like you can apparate home at any moment.”

“This is your fault, you know? You just have to live so far away,” he said in feigned annoyance, ignoring the last sentence I’d spoken. “Maybe I should just make friends elsewhere.”

“Yet, you still accept every time I suggest some kind of activity for us to do rather than finding new friends. Why’s that?”

“You’re… Different,” he whispered, like it was some miraculous secret.

“How?”

He sighed softly. “People back home, what I grew up with— It’s nothing like this. Everyone is cold. They all care so much about the wrong things.”

“You think I care about the right things?”

He smiled softly. “You care about me. That’s enough.”

“Who would’ve guessed Malfoy would become such a softie,” I mentioned with a smirk. “Oh, how things change.”

“Some things don’t,” he said with a shrug. “You still somehow choose to be my friend.”

“All that childhood bullying and teenage depression captivated me.”

He furrowed his brows, an unbelieving laugh passing his lips. We sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, looking around at the park as it was washed in moonlight. I felt his fingers brush against my hand, and I willingly opened my palm to him. He slid his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together and giving a gentle squeeze.

“Look up,” he said quietly, and I obliged. He pointed up at the stars in the clear sky. “There’s a constellation there. Just between the… It’s right by ursa major, the plough constellation.”

“Mhm,” I hummed along.

“Right along here,” he traced a line of stars in my vision. “Do you know what that constellation is called?”

“Can’t say that I do, no.”

“Draco. It was called that because it kind of resembles a dragon. I don’t know for sure if my parents named me because of the constellation, but I like to think so.”

I smiled, glancing at him rather than the stars. He looked at peace as he stared up into the sky, his thumb gently rubbing against my hand. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye after a minute, at which point I looked back into the night. The stars really were beautiful that night. They looked brighter than normal, and the constellation patters I did recognize were easy to spot. Now, there was a new one I wouldn’t soon forget.

I heard him sigh next to me after a few minutes, and turned my head slightly to find he was already looking at me. This time, neither of us looked away.

“You’re my best friend,” he said, almost too quietly to hear.

Unsure of what to say in that moment, and wanting to do more than offer a smile, I leaned my head against his shoulder. He let out another soft breath, dropping his head against mine. I brought our connected hands up, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his.

“When was the last time you were in Hogsmeade?” I asked quietly.

He gave a soft chuckle to that.

We walked down the street the next day in the afternoon, everything looking quite different now that the weather was quite warm.

“It’s strange not being here in the wintertime,” I noted.

He nodded. “It is. I haven’t been in years.”

We walked up to a familiar building, and I reached out to him. I grabbed his hand, pulling him into the pub. We were offered a seat, but not before receiving several stares.

“You might not want to be holding my hand in front of everyone here,” Draco leaned in to whisper.

“I’m not terribly worried about being seen with you, you know?” I whispered back in reply. “Anyone who knows me is already aware that we used to be friends.”

We sat at the table, placed our orders, and were left alone once again. He let out a breath, looking a bit uncomfortable.

“Seriously, don’t worry about all of them,” I said, leaning on the table. “Half of everyone in here were secretly on the wrong side anyways. They just fly under the radar because they don’t come from a powerful family.”

“Still. I don’t want to drag you down with me.”

“You aren’t. Besides, I’m used to people judging me for being around you.”

He deadpanned. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“My point is that I don’t care about being seen with you. Okay?”

He swallowed, sighing softly.

“You make it terribly difficult to try and protect you.”

“Probably because I don’t need to be protected. Stop worrying about me so much,” I stated with a laugh.

“Can’t help it,” he replied, a small smirk on his face.

Our drinks were brought to the table, along with some assorted appetizers.

“Just don’t tell your parents that we’re friends this time,” I joked, hoping that wouldn’t strike a chord.

He snorted. “I already have.”

I straightened in surprise, looking at him with curious eyes. He glanced at me, a partial smile on his face when he saw my shock.

“And you’re still allowed to live with them?”

“It’s been a long time since they’ve tried to make decisions for me like that. After practically forcing me to become a, uh—“

“Yep.”

He nodded, thankful he didn’t have to say it.

“After that happened, my father laid off. Mother still worries for me, but she knows now that at least I’m safe. That’s all that’s ever really mattered to her.”

“They still hate me, though?”

“Pretty much,” he said with a curt nod.

I smiled to myself, sipping at my drink. He shook his head.

“You look pleased with yourself.”

“I’m sorry to say, but I don’t really feel too terrible that they don’t like me.”

“I know,” he said.

I looked back up to see a small smile on his face as well.

“Also, most of that smile is because I haven’t had a butterbeer in a terribly long time.”

Two months flew by after our visit to Hogsmeade. Though, it was filled with almost daily visits with one another. Usually, he’d just show up and keep me company as I wrote. Sometimes, he’d even give input when I asked for it, or let me read him chapters to see how it sounded. His sleepovers even became more frequent, and part of me had to wonder what on earth anyone would think of it if they knew.

I’d told my friends bits and pieces of what had been taking up so much of my time over the last eight months, but not quite the whole story. Luckily, they hadn’t been too angry with me for it. Most of them were rather indifferent, especially after I’d told them about how he’d changed. I never expected them to forgive him, though. I wouldn’t believe how different things had become if I hadn’t seen how he’d changed for myself.

But he truly did. And it was incredible.

During the breaks I’d take from writing, he was usually excited to tell me about the muggle books he’d been reading. Sometimes out of surprise at the content, and sometimes just because he appreciated the writing.

The icing on top was being with him and running into Ron and Hermione. The looks on their faces when he was gentle and kind in their interaction was absolutely priceless. She’d written me days later to ask if I’d found his long-lost twin, not quite believing that he was capable of being anything but who he used to be. But, as I’d repeatedly told Draco himself: it’s not only possible for people to change for the good, it’s probable for those who care to.

So, our days passed comfortably. He only became more kind and, frankly, affectionate, as time went on.

It was on a beautiful August evening when he knocked on my door, our plans already set in place.

I tugged the door open at the sound and took him in, my brows raised slightly. He was in a white button-down and a black sweater vest. There was a messenger back slung across his chest, one hand with a silver ring adorning it held the strap. His cheeks were slightly pink from the weather outside, and he practically glowed. For lack of a better word, he just looked pretty.

He furrowed his brow, looking back at me.

“Everything alright?”

I nodded fast. “Yeah. You just look really nice today.”

“Oh,” he replied, cheeks suddenly flushed. “You also look nice. I like your blouse.”

“Thanks.”

“I brought something,” he said, giving me a shy smile.

“Okay,” I said curiously. “Are you going to at least take off your shoes?”

He shook his head. “No. In fact, you should probably put yours on.”

I furrowed my brow, though I listened anyways. I started pulling on my shoes.

“I thought we were going to have dinner here first, and then go to the cinema.”

“Change of plans,” he shrugged.

“Alright,” I laughed, still unsure.

He pulled a small object out of the bag he carried, unfolding the cloth around it to reveal a small stone statue. I quirked a brow, looking down at the little object.

“What’s this?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“On the count of three, reach out to it and hold on.”

“Draco, is this a portkey?”

“One…”

“Is this one even legal?”

“Two…”

“You’re insane.”

“Three.”

We both held onto the small statue, and in an instant we were in some alleyway. I took in a sudden breath, feeling out of sorts from the transport.

“Where did you get that?”

“My family has had it forever,” he said, wrapping it back up and tucking it into his bag.

“Where are we?”

He smiled at me, taking my hand. I followed him along blindly, until he lead me into a building. I looked around at the tall ceilings and the beautiful chandelier that hung in the middle.

“Wow,” I said, mostly to myself.

He walked us up to the front desk, greeting the clerk in French. My eyes widened as they continued a conversation, ending only when he took a key from her. He then began leading me towards the elevator, still not loosening his grip on my hand.

“I didn’t know you spoke French.”

He smirked as he pressed the elevator button.

“I brought a few things with in my bag, but I didn’t bring any clothes. I thought we could get whatever else we needed here.”

I quirked a brow as we stepped into the elevator. He hit the button for the right floor.

“How long were you planning on staying?” I asked with a laugh.

“Just tonight and daytime tomorrow. We could stay longer if you want to?”

“No, that’s plenty,” I replied, a smile stuck to my face. “This is crazy.”

“Is it?”

“Practically clinically insane.”

He laughed, pulling me out into the hall. He walked us down the hallway, opening the right door when we arrived, and letting me walk in ahead of him. The room was huge. It had a beautiful sitting area, and judging by the height of the curtains, I was sure the windows would be gorgeous. He called me over as he entered the bedroom through large double doors, and I took it all in. He dropped his bag and flopped down onto the huge mattress.

“Whoa,” I said finally, shaking my head. “I don’t know what else to say.”

I fell down next to him on the bed, smiling over at him when he turned his head to me.

“You like it?”

“This is too much, Draco. Really,” I began. “But, it’s amazing.”

“I have one more thing to show you before we get dinner.”

“What else could there possibly be?”

“You’ve seen the eiffel tower before?”

I shook my head. “Only in pictures.”

He stood quickly, and I sat, watching him circle the bed. He grabbed the tall curtains, pulling them apart with force. I stilled before scrambling to my feet and meeting him at the window. I looked out the practically-floor-to-ceiling windows to see the tower glittering against the night sky. I sighed, absolutely wonderstruck.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? One thing I’m sure the muggles got right.”

I laughed, unbelieving, turning to throw my arms around his middle. He held me against him, resting his head on top of mine as we looked out the window again.

“We’ll have all night to stare out the window if you’d like to, but I don’t think the restaurant we’re eating at will wait as long.”

I looked at him, a smile still stuck to my face. He smiled back, just as gently, tucking some hair behind my ear. I felt my heart beat a little faster then, especially as he didn’t look away from me this time. Usually at this point, one of us would have come up with some clever distraction from whatever tension laid between us. It was silent, but not uncomfortable. There was almost a whisper of ‘tell the truth’ floating there, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to open my mouth to speak. He moved forward the slightest bit, though before anything could happen, he did speak.

“We really should go,” he said as a whisper. “Our reservation is in five minutes, and I’d feel horrible if we missed it.”

He gave a boyish smile, one that I couldn’t help but to return, even if I’d secretly hoped for a different outcome. I nodded silently, accepting his hand again once we walked to the door. We apparated near a relatively quiet street, stepping out onto the sidewalk in order to integrate into the other pedestrians. We walked into a small restaurant hidden through a wall. I hadn’t expected him to take me to a wizards-only restaurant, but especially not one that had me forcefully closing my jaw after it had involuntarily dropped.

“Dray, this is incredible, but it might be a little above my pay grade,” I mentioned, leaning in a bit to speak quietly.

He hummed. “That’s why instead of splitting the bill how you like, I’m just going to pay for it.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not fair.”

“Just let me be nice,” he said, turning the tables to scold me for once.

“Are you sure I’m not underdressed?”

“You look beautiful. Quit worrying.”

I attempted to drop my hand from his as he spoke with the hostess, though his grip only tightened a bit. I felt my cheeks flush a little when he flashed me a knowing smirk and the raise of a brow. We started walking back into the restaurant behind the waitress after a moment.

I spoke quietly as we went, “What, are you trying to romance me now, Malfoy?”

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

“Maybe I am. Are you opposed?”

I hid a smile. “No.”

“Thank Merlin for that,” he muttered under his breath, earning a laugh from me.

Dinner was beautiful, and wildly delicious. It definitely helped that I wasn’t terribly worried about the bill. I also can’t say I hated the idea of his family’s money going towards the meal of a wizard who was against practically everything they stood for. It felt like a small victory. Though, it was a bit strange to be surrounded by wizards who weren’t preoccupied with staring at us.

We stepped out of the restaurant, and rather than zipping someplace else, he was determined to walk to our next destination. He held my hand in his like he was afraid he’d lose me if he didn’t, swinging our arms along without a care.

“You seem happy,” I commented.

“I am,” he affirmed, bumping into me slightly. “I’m with you, for one. Plus, we haven’t received a single sideways glance from anyone around here. It’s nice that you’re the only person who knows me.”

I smiled to myself at that, letting him start swinging our arms again. He grinned over at me as we walked past crowds of people that grew increasingly larger. We probably looked ridiculous, but I certainly didn’t care. Not when I’d never seen him happier.

“So, I’ve got a question for you,” I said.

“Go on, then.”

“Why did you bring me to Paris?”

He glanced at me again, eyes a little wider. I raised one brow in question. He cleared his throat.

“Uh, I don’t know if you remember, but we were in some class. I don’t know which one, I think it was in second or third year,” he shrugged with a slight laugh.

“Oh,” I said, drawing his attention away.

We both looked up, suddenly seeing the peak of the tower come over a building. He made a decision to table my question, instead opting to tug me along as he started running ahead. We bolted forward, avoiding tons of people as we came up on the glittering structure, out of breath from both the run and the laughter at how silly we’d become over a hunk of metal. We walked the rest of the way until we were close enough to really look up at it. I held onto his arm with my free hand, resting my head against his shoulder.

“Wow.”

He let out a heavy breath. “Yeah.”

We stood quietly for a few moments, just to take it all in. The only thing I could really hear was the beat of my own heart and indecipherable conversation being had by the other people nearby. I finally looked back at him, and somehow he was still more gorgeous than everything else I’d seen that night.

He looked at me, a glimmer in his eye as that same old sweet smile showed on his face.

“So, what was the rest of that story?” I asked.

“Ah,” he said with a curt nod. “Well, in that class, someone had asked about portkeys. But before the professor had started to explain it, they called on you to pick anywhere in the world you’d like to go. I guess to demonstrate that a portkey could be enchanted in order to get to that place. You said you’d want to go to Paris and see the Eiffel tower.”

“You remembered that?”

He merely nodded. I tilted my head.

“How did you possibly keep that in mind after all this time?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve… I just remember when it comes to you.”

“That’s crazy,” I laughed. “I don’t understand how you could remember something that happened in a class almost ten years ago. We weren’t even friends then.”

“Well, I,” he began, eyes going starry and somehow prettier than they’d ever been, “I suppose I’ve always loved you.”

I fell completely quiet, about one billion thoughts speeding through my head. Only one rose above the others: I love you. But I still wasn’t saying it. Why wasn’t I saying it? Why wasn’t I saying anything at all?

“Sorry, that was too much to—”

I interrupted what would surely be a lively rambling session from him, and threw myself at him, our lips finally connecting for the first time. As soon as the shock wore off for him, he kissed me back. His lips were soft and careful against mine, his arms wrapping around my middle to pull me in closer, and my hands pressed against his chest. I smiled into the kiss, leaving a few lingering pecks against his lips before we broke apart.

I looked at him, taking in everything that I could about that moment. I sighed.

“You’re so pretty,” I said softly.

That definitely wasn’t what I meant to say.

He laughed. “Yeah?”

“Sorry,” I groaned with a laugh of my own, leaning my forehead against his chest.

He lifted my face with one hand under my chin, pressing one more soft kiss to my lips.

“I love you, is what I meant to say,” I noted.

“I knew this trip was a good idea.”

“So this was the plan from the start, hm?”

He smirked. “Not the plan. Just a hope.”

We went back the hotel room, thought not without my genius idea to grab a cheap bottle of wine first.

It felt more fitting than champagne given that we’d spend the rest of the night staring out of the window and laying lazy kisses on one another.

We found ourselves back at my flat a week later, almost as if nothing had changed. But really, everything had changed. Completely and totally.

We sat on my couch, our tea cold from sitting without any attention on the coffee table in front of us. He talked to me about nothing for hours, and there’s nothing else I’d wanted to be doing than wasting away the day with him. It had quickly become my favorite activity.

“You know,” he started, “inviting me over for tea that day after I’d made quite the reputation for myself was probably a stupid idea.”

“But?” I prodded.

“But,” he said, pressing a kiss to my lips before continuing, “I am utterly thankful you did.”

“Aww. My pretty boy,” I cooed, earning a groan from him.

“You can’t keep calling me that.”

He grabbed my hand as I reached to pinch at his cheeks, kissing my knuckles softly.

“Yes, I can. You secretly love it.”

He blushed. “I love you. There’s a difference.”

I sighed, cuddling into his side. “Does this mean you’re going to take me home and introduce me to your parents as your girlfriend, now?”

“I’m pretty certain I’ll have to.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I’m going to inherit the manor one day.”

“And?” I questioned, laughing.

He kissed me again, speaking quietly against my lips.

“You won’t be my girlfriend forever,” he said with a smirk. “Gotta make sure you’ll like the place.”

#draco malfoy #oh kill me already #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy fic #draco malfoy fanfiction #draco malfoy fluff #draco malfoy oneshot #draco malfoy angst #harry potter #hp #hp fanfic #luna still hates jk

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thetarttfuldickhead · 3 months

Text

If When Jamie is named England’s captain a few years from now and he’s asked about inspirational figures and captain role models, he will not stop singing Isaac’s praises. Just, the way Isaac runs a tight ship and won’t tolerate any nonsense but always has their backs and makes sure there’s a lot of fun, too, silly stuff that keeps the team close and happy and mutually supportive; keeps them feeling like family, almost. It’s Ted’s heritage, the seeds Ted planted, but Isaac’s nurtured and sustained them, tended to the garden and kept it in bloom, and added some vibrant saplings of his own.

Jamie probably names a couple of other people too, whoever was in charge when he played for Man City, someone from his academy days or England’s under-21s, people like that.

He doesn’t mention Roy. And no one asks about it, and no one thinks anything of it—

—except for Roy, who watches the interview with Keeley curled up against his side on their couch and who notices the omission with a wild jumble of hurt and wounded pride and shame and jealousy (all mixed up with the shocking, burning pride he feels for Jamie, England’s captain, fucking hell).

Because Roy knows he wasn’t a great captain for Richmond, yeah, and was a horrible captain for Jamie (though to be fair, Jamie was a horrible person to captain, and Isaac isn’t likely to have been able to handle him at full-on prick either, only Roy’s not fantastic at being fair to himself, so), but he’s still Roy fucking Kent, the best on any team he’s ever been on and Jamie’s fucking childhood idol and his fucking everything now, so to have the little prick not even mention him…

He sulks. He tries not to, because he knows it’s silly and it’s Jamie’s big day, isn’t it, and Roy’s not going to ruin it by having A Feeling, but the feeling(s) persist and he walks through the afternoon with his scowl several shades darker than normally.

“What’s the matter, babe?” Keeley asks, and Roy’s long since given up trying to bullshit her so he spills. Keeley nods and listens and gives him a hug and a kiss and tells him that yeah, you’re gonna need to let that go or actually talk to Jamie about it, because she has long since taken a stand on not sorting their shit out for them.

And she has a thing with Rebecca that afternoon (only it’s the first Roy’s ever heard of it, so he can’t help but wonder if she had a thing with Rebecca prior to Roy’s confession), so when Jamie gets home, bouncing through the door like a puppy on speed, it’s just Roy there to greet him and tell him how amazing he is and yes, of course Roy watched the announcement, your hair looked fucking fine, yes, Keeley saw it too, no, don’t worry, she’s just out for coffee, she’ll be back for dinner and let you know how very impressed she is, and it’d be easy to just let it lie, put the lingering regret away and bask in Jamie’s joy, but they’d said they’d try not do that anymore, not cover stuff up when there’s the chance they might fester, so when Jamie furrows his brow and cocks his head to the side and asks if he’s okay, Roy takes a deep breath:

“It fucking hurt my feeling when you didn’t mention me, when they asked about captains that have inspired you,” he says, and then adds before Jamie can reply, “I know why you didn’t and that’s… that’s fucking fair, innit, but. It also made me wish that I’d been. Better. A better captain. For you.”

“Yeah,” Jamie says after a long, silent moment. He’s wearing that slightly blank look he adopts whenever someone’s caught him by surprise and he’s trying to figure out how to react. “Um. Sometimes I wish I’d been less of a prick, too, you know.”

Roy nods. He knows. And it’s not absolution, and it neither erases or rewrites any of their past mistakes, but it eases the ache in Roy’s chest all the same.

“We’re better now,” he offers, to Jamie, to himself.

“Yeah,” Jamie agrees with a small sigh. He grabs hold of Roy’s hand, tugging him along as he sits down on the couch, and then he curls up against Roy’s side, same as Keeley did just hours ago. “You’re a great fucking coach, though” he tells Roy seriously. “Me favourite, swear down.”

Roy snorts a laugh as he puts an arm around Jamie. “Better fucking be, considering how many blowjobs I’ve given you this week alone.”

“Mm, fucking mint, those,” Jamie agrees thoughtfully, then jabs a finger in Roy’s side. “Oi, this is the part where you tell me I’m your favourite player.”

And oh. That’s perfect, innit. “You’re not my favourite player,” Roy says, carefully not looking at Jamie.

The noise Jamie makes are equal parts disbelieving and outraged. “Um, excuse me, mate?”

“You’re not,” Roy insists, feeling a smile tug at his lips as he innocently adds, “It’s probably Isaac.”

And Jamie huffs a laugh against his neck. And Jamie says you’re an arsehole. And Jamie says you’re me favourite arsehole, though.

You’re me favourite everything, man.

And Roy holds him tight and breathes him in and, for the moment, believes him.

#huh #that got away from me #have a sudden sunday ficlet i guess?#jamie tartt #roy kent #keeley jones #isaac mcadoo #royjamiekeeley #ficlet #my stuff

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goddessonstage · 1 month

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i noticed your requests are open, so im passing by to leave a little note ♪

what do you think about the kamado siblings seeing an older sibling figure in reader? theres not enough platonic and familial works !!

(you can put this request at the back of yor priorities, feel free to discard it if you dont like it)

family again !

∘ incl. tanjiro kamado, nezuko kamado

∘ reader: gender-neutral, no pronouns specified

∘ content: platonic, fluff, slight angst, headcanons, reader knew the kamado family prior to the start of the story, reader is a bit older than them

∘ note: i love platonic/familial works sm omg 😭 there fr needs to be more of them

btw, i'm very sorry that this work came out later than anticipated! school had me drained but spring break starts so i'll be much more active :)

∘ you knew tanjiro and nezuko back when they lived in the mountains with their family. you were a bit older than them, but you liked spending time with them nonetheless. you lived in the village with most of the others, but you often climbed up the snowy mountains to see them and the rest of their family. you would usually help kie, their mother, with her work and help with taking care of her children. and when tanjuro died, you spent most of your time with the rest of the kamados.

∘ during the time when most of the kamado family passed, you were on a trip to visit your family, who lived a couple towns away. upon visiting the kamado family again, you didn't see them. you only saw 5 graves. the house you once used to visit frequently was completely tidy, but you noticed a splatter of dried up blood. you had no clue what had happened, and you could only leave with mixed thoughts in your head.

∘ you eventually moved out from the village and moved to a different one, nearby the bustling streets of asakusa. as the years passed, you eventually moved on from whatever had happened with the kamado family, but you couldn't help thinking about them every now and then.

∘ you walked down the streets of asakusa. it was night, but the streets were still extremely busy and crowded. you noticed commotion going on, and as you walked to the source of it, interest piqued, you recognized the cause of the commotion being tanjiro himself.

∘ after the streets settled down and people resumed with their night, you slowly approached tanjiro with a concerned look on your face. he would almost immediately recognize you, but he would urge you to follow him so he can go check up on nezuko.

∘ as you two walked back to the udon stand he left nezuko at, you two managed to catch up on most of what happened. hearing that the rest of his family passed was devastating, but you didn't want to press on the matter in case it was still a sensitive topic for him. you weren't well informed on the topics of "demons", as most of your family didn't believe in them. it was a bit difficult to believe that nezuko was a demon at first, anyway. she seemed less hostile and more calm around you, leaning her head on your shoulder as tanjiro continues to fill in on what you had missed while he and nezuko were slaying demons.

∘ TANJIRO is extremely respectful towards you, trying to help you with your duties. if you are asked to do something for another person, he'd insist on completing it for you, no matter how easy or difficult the task is. he isn't the most opposed to bringing nezuko on missions, but if he's given a mission nearby your place, he might consider dropping her off at your place, knowing that she'll be safe under your care.

∘ if he has to stay at the butterfly mansion, he'll most likely invite you there so you can help take care of nezuko. as time passes by and he recovers, he'll treat you to a nice meal or anything else you might want in return for taking care of his younger sister. he'll constantly thank you for your good deeds, no matter how much you tell him that you don't need to thank him. he's very grateful for your help.

∘ although he's taken the role as sort of the "mother" of his friend group, he realizes that it's nice to depend on someone every once in a while. you helped him realize that, with your "motherly/fatherly" personality and your instinct to help and protect the people you care about. because you aren't well knowledgeable on demons, he likes to tell you about them so you are more cautious about them and stay safe.

∘ NEZUKO would most likely see you as kie or tanjuro -- probably kie since she was more present in her life. she adores your company, and likes to play with your hair when tanjiro drops her off at your place. she can't really communicate with the bamboo in her mouth, but she tries to communicate with you with hand gestures, body language, or things like that.

∘ if you have longer hair, she likes to play with your hair and style it into different hairstyles. if you keep a specific hairstyle, or if you had a specific hairstyle back when she was human, she may want you to style her hair into that hairstyle. "for old times", tanjiro says.

∘ she doesn't really eat much, nor does she complain, so she's quite easy to take care of -- just watch her for a bit and keep her company so she doesn't feel lonely.

∘ she likes to hug you or just be by your side in general, clinging onto you like a baby koala occasionally. if you're doing something as simple as making a snack, she'll want to watch your every move with sparkling eyes.

∘ she might pick up on some of your traits, as well!

#demon slayer #demon slayer x reader #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #kny #kny x reader #tanjiro kamado #tanjiro #nezuko #nezuko kamado #💌 aurora's works

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shirohige-pirates · 10 months

Text

Just Like Fire

CisFem Reader x Portgas D. Ace

CW: angst, language, erotic, violence, serial killer, stalking, poisoning, over-bearing controlling parents, attempted forced marriage, possible dub-con, Munchausen by proxy (aka Factitious Disorder), wildly cute and fluffy despite the warnings. 18+ only

Summary: You're Sabo's biological sister in this AU. After college you moved in with your dear brother and his two sworn brothers in order to avoid going back home. You and Sabo despise your family equally.

Chapter 5: Sick

Sabo pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath before letting it out slowly. You’d just got done telling him about how the date went, and the threat that was obviously in Inchiji’s words. You could tell he was trying not to lose his temper.

Ace was trying as well, and you were almost certain you could see flames flicker around him. You hadn’t asked how Ace or Luffy were cursed, such a question was often considered highly rude in the first place, but you figured the two would show you when they were comfortable enough with it.

“Are you alright, at least?” Sabo asks finally.

You nod. “He was polite otherwise.” You admit. “Honestly, if things had ended sooner, I almost think I would’ve voluntarily considered a second date.”

“You know how mother would’ve reacted.”

“Yeah, but the devil you know and all that.” You sigh. “I mean, he seemed almost reasonable. Reasonable in the sense that I could have possibly just been honest with him.”

You wave your hand as Sabo looks at you. “No, that option’s long gone.”

“Yes, well, we’ll just have to hope he doesn’t try to push for some sort of accelerated timetable.” Sabo grumbles.

“… What do you mean by that?” Ace asks, piping up for the first time since you and Sabo had started talking.

You hesitate to put it to words and Sabo picks it up for you. “Nobility and all, is nothing but traditions, right?” He starts to explain. The way he looks at Ace makes you think that your brother had been giving his brothers a primer on things prior to your moving in. “Courtship has its own traditions, and usually takes a couple years from first date to an engagement announcement. All the rules and bullshit must be done properly. But in some cases the time can be condensed.”

“Most notably,” you say in a very quiet voice. “When one person involved is chronically or terminally ill.”

Putting it to words almost makes you feel defeated. A heavy silence comes over the three of you and Sabo sits down across from you, his face twisted in frustration. Your condition wasn’t widely known – your parents mostly kept it under wraps as you grew up, but if it could be used to herd you into the result they desired, then you were certain it would come out.

“What if you weren’t sick anymore?” Luffy asks. Ace nearly leaps out of his skin hearing his younger brother directly behind him. You and Sabo look over at him.

“Holy hells, Luff! When did you get here?” Ace swears, hand on his heart for a second.

“Marco said you took off from the station in a hurry, and I saw Sabo’s car speed by afterward.” Luffy says plainly. “Usopp dropped me off. He an’ Zoro were worried I’d be distracted.”

“Do you mean some sort of deception?” You question.

“No, let’s get Chopper an’ Traffy to look at you.” Luffy asserts.

“But… it’s uncurable, that’s why I -.”

“Traffy’s cured the uncurable before!” Luffy interrupts, stepping past Ace. “He saved his hometown, and they told him it was impossible. Chopper’s amazing with medicines too, maybe he can improve your medication!”

“Luffy, I…” You aren’t sure what to say. He seems so sure and adamant, but you’re torn. If you hope now and nothing comes of it, it’ll be heavier to go forward later.

“We won’t force you,” Sabo says. “But it’s better than my idea.”

“Better’n mine too,” Ace admits quietly.

“I’m almost afraid to ask.” You glance between Sabo and Ace, putting your hands up before either could say anything. “No, I am afraid to ask, keep it to yourselves.” You say with a small laugh.

Sighing, you lean back into the recliner and consider things for a moment. “Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction.” You mutter, before looking to Luffy. “I would be honored to be assisted by your friends, Luffy.”

“Yes!” Luffy jumps up in a cheer before turning to Sabo. “I need your help getting Traffy freed up.”

“Yes of course.” Sabo says, getting up and following Luffy as the two leave the house abruptly.

You look toward where they left and back to Ace in confusion. “Are they… going to kidnap him?”

Ace laughs. “Nah, he’s busy, they’re just going to help him free up some time so he can see you. Sabo’s good with the paperwork, so he went with Luffy to untangle the red tape.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Hungry?” Ace asks. “I know you said you didn’t eat much, and if your stomach’s settled, I can make you something.”

“Yeah, I could go for something. I can-.”

“Ah-ah-ah.” Ace puts a hand on your shoulder before you can get up and gently pushes you back into the recliner. “Just… relax for a bit. I promise I won’t make it spicy.”

“Very well.” You agree, letting yourself sink into the recliner a little.

Ace brings you something warm to eat on a tray, and a cup of tea to go with it. You were almost upset by the fact that he could make tea so perfectly. You’d spent ages perfecting your skills because you enjoyed it, but you had to admit that Ace did it better.

You eat a few bites, and you realize how hard everyone is working for your sake. You haven’t even been living with them for a full month, and you’d think Luffy had been your friend for years. It was almost more comfortable around Ace than it was with your own brother, not that there was any discomfort between you and Sabo.

It would be more comfortable if he wasn’t so good looking. No, it wasn’t that he was good-looking, he was, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that smile. The freckles. The way his hair shifted when he tilted his head to get your attention. That glint in his eyes when he challenged you to a drinking contest. The ease with which he braced you against that hose so you could destroy the books.

It was how comfortable it was to be alone with him like this.

How much you wanted to just -.

“Whatever’s on your mind is heavy enough I can feel the weight of it over here.” Ace says quietly his eyes on the TV. He glances over at you with an apologetic smile. “If you need more space, I can go to my room.”

“Sp-space? Why would I need more space?” You question, genuinely confused. If anything, you didn’t want to be left alone with your worries – Ace was a welcome distraction.

Ace’s face goes a little pink and he rubs the back of his head. “It sounds silly to say it out loud, but I mean, a guy you thought you could trust basically threatened you. I thought, without Sabo here, maybe I was making you uncomfortable? Since, uh, I mean, you don’t know me that well…”

You blink a few times, processing his reasoning. “Ah, oh – no, no – I mean… I mean, I k-know I can trust you, that’s – it’s not the same thing. We don’t know each other that well, but we know each other well enough – and I mean, I, that is…” You stop and put a hand over your face before collecting your thoughts.

“Thank you.” You say finally, moving your hand away and looking over at him. There’s a little confusion on his face, but that smile’s already forming. “I didn’t thank you for earlier, so thank you… And please, um… stay. I don’t-,” you look away, that smile’s already too much for your heart right now. “Want to be alone right now.”

Ace leans back into the couch, giving you that damnably good smile. “Sure.”

As you eat a little more, and begin to relax, you feel yourself starting to drift off. You say something to Ace, and he takes the tray away as you fall asleep. The day had been exhausting, even if the most stressful thing had been a conversation, somedays your body just couldn’t take it.

But it was a lot easier to relax and rest when you could trust the people around you. Back home, sleep never really felt much like rest.

When you come around you aren’t sure how much time has gone by, but Sabo and Luffy are back. The noise of them returning had woken you up a little bit, but it was Luffy’s excitement that pulled you completely out of your nap. Ace was glaring at the younger man from the couch, but his expression softened when he saw you smiling as you stretched in the recliner.

“Sorry, (Y/N).” Luffy offers up hastily as Ace yanks him onto the couch.

Sabo smiles down at you. “Sleep well?”

“I think so. How’d it go?” You ask, sitting up properly. Sabo’s smile nearly answers your question before his words do.

“Thanks to Luffy’s network, Law and Chopper will be able to see you on Tuesday. It’s a good two weeks sooner than I expected we’d be able to manage, considering how in-demand Law is.” Sabo explains. “But Luffy’s, er, mentor Shanks is a friend of two surgeons, and he asked Hongo and Crocus to cover Law’s scheduled surgeries. Chopper was much easier, Marco’s covering for him on Tuesday. Now the only question is – do you want me to sort out getting you out of work Tuesday? Or do you want to handle that yourself?”

“I… hm.” You think about it for a moment. “I would love your help, brother dear. I’m not really sure what I should or shouldn’t say in that situation.”

Sabo smiles. “It’s your first job, I’m happy to help.” He sits on a chair across from you. “I’ll record it for you, so you can learn from it if you want.”

You laugh a little and shake your head. “No, I’ve seen your theatrics at work, I can’t really do things that way.”

“If that’s all then I’mma go back to work!” Luffy says, jumping up from the couch.

“Oh, Luffy, wait a moment.” You call out as you scramble to get out of the recliner before he dashes completely out of the house.

He turns toward you as you open your arms for a hug. “Thank you.” Luffy’s face lights up as he comes over and gives you a hug. The air is pushed out of you as he lifts you up in the excitement of his actions, but he doesn’t hurt you.

“Luffy!” Ace and Sabo yell as he sets you back down.

“S’alright!” You gasp, coughing a little. “It’s alright.”

Luffy crouches down to look at you while you catch your breath, and when you straighten up, he very carefully gives you a gentle hug. You chuckle a little as you return it and the young man beams at you before he dashes out of the house with an energetic, “You’re welcome!”

“(Y/N)?” Sabo questions, coming over to you, a worried Ace not too far behind him.

“I’m okay, truly. He pushed the wind out of me, but that was it.” You admit. “I was caught off guard more than anything else.”

Your smile fades even as you keep your feet, and Sabo gives you a gentle hug. “Nervous, lil’ Spark?” He questions.

You nod. “Yeah.”

“Whatever the result, it’ll be okay.” Sabo says reassuringly.

“We’ll be here too,” Ace adds. “No matter what.”

“I just… I don’t know what to think.” You admit taking a step back and walking toward the kitchen. Ace and Sabo exchange glances and you give them a weak smile. “If… I mean, if they can cure me, then what… what were our parents doing all this time? If they can’t cure me then I suppose nothing changes, but… this sucks, Sabo.” You say the words and tears start to run down your face.

“I know… I know I’ve been doing my b-best, but it’s always there. It’s always a factor in every. Single. Damned. Decision.” You take a step back as you see Sabo step toward you and put a hand up as you start wiping your eyes. “Sorry, I… I’ll be f-fine, I just…” The words die on your lips, and you start crying again.

Frustration makes it harder to stop, and you’re embarrassed to be crying in front of people. You’re glad you kept yourself together while Luffy was here, you were already being a burden for two of them as it was, and the youngest had the softest heart. It takes you a couple of minutes to get yourself calmed down. Ace is already in the kitchen making some tea, and Sabo’s giving you the softest smile he can, holding a small box of tissues toward you.

“It’s okay.” He insists. “You don’t have to be okay in front of us.”

Your breath hitches in your chest and you nearly start to cry again. Sabo gives you a hug before you can get your face cleaned up, and you brace yourself against him until you can get the new round of emotions under control.

“That was dirty,” you pout quietly as he strokes your hair softly.

“Perhaps.” He admits. “Feel better?”

“Perhaps.” You answer and the two of you start to laugh. By the time you step back from him you’re almost fully laughing, as you wipe your face with another tissue.

Sabo motions to the breakfast bar as Ace pushes a cup of tea toward one of the seats for you.

“You boys are like to spoil me.” You say with a smile as you sit down and wrap your hands around the warm cup.

“It takes far more than a few hugs and a cup of tea to spoil someone.” Ace offers with a smile.

“It’s been a hug and two cups of tea between us.” You correct.

“Already hugged my sister, huh?” Sabo questions. “Luffy lasted longer.”

“I gave her a ride home on the bike!” Ace’s face starts to go red. “I didn’t hug the air out of her lungs like he did.”

“Ah, so you didn’t even hug her correctly. Made her do all the work.” Sabo teases, and you nearly sputter in your tea.

Ace motions as if he means to strangle Sabo, a tight, irritated, toothy grin on his face. “Look here you little shit-.”

“I’m taller, and older.” Sabo insists.

“You’re – By a TECHNICALITY!” Ace exasperates, turning away to make more tea for him and Sabo.

“Technicality?” You question quirking an eyebrow toward Sabo.

“According to the story,” Sabo begins.

“Garp wouldn’t lie.” Ace huffs.

Your brother grins at you. “According to Garp – ah, Luffy’s grandfather – Ace’s month was pregnant with him for twenty months.”

You almost choke on your tea, setting the cup down hastily.

“Why – how?!” You question.

Sabo and Ace exchange glances and Ace sighs. “My dad was wanted by the government.” Ace says. “Right or wrong, well, it was over twenty years ago, so I try not to think about it anymore, but Mom and Garp were both concerned about some stuff.”

You can’t bring yourself to ask with words, but Sabo sees your expression. “You know how the W.G. gets. The concern was, that they would try to abort his child.”

“Ah.” You say flatly, nodding a little.

“So anyway, old gramps said mom just… refused to have me.” Ace says, setting a cup of tea down for him and Sabo as he sits across from you at the breakfast bar. “An act of will, a side effect of some curse no one knew about, who knows.”

“But, back to the more light-hearted part of all this, Ace insists he’s older because he was conceived before I was.” Sabo says, giving you a devious grin.

“But your birthday is -.” You start to ask and Ace grumbles under his breath.

“January 1st,” Sabo answers on his behalf.

“Then you’re about 9 months… Oh. Oh I see where this is coming from.” You admit with a soft laugh. “If you had been born 9-10 months after conception your birthday would’ve been just before Sabo’s.”

“Exactly!” Ace says.

“But you weren’t.” You say, a neutral expression on your face.

Ace sighs and slumps against the counter. “Siblings.” He grumbles.

“You’re older than me, if it makes you feel better.” You say with a smile as he looks up at you from underneath a mess of hair. “I’m three years younger than Sabo.”

“… I’m trying to sort out the fact that you’re Luffy’s age, and there’s no way I would’ve guessed that.” Ace admits. “I knew you were Sabo’s younger sister, but I thought maybe by a year.”

“Years of growing up in a noble household change one’s disposition.” You shrug. “I envy Luffy’s capacity to still act so young.”

Ace starts to say something and then stops. “Wait, you graduated college at twenty-two!?”

“Twenty-one…” You offer hesitantly. “My birthday’s next month.”

Ace looks at you agog and then turns to Sabo. “You said she was kind, you didn’t say she was a genius!”

“I graduated from college early too!” Sabo snaps back, his ears red. “Don’t tell her I said she was kind!”

You look back and forth between the two of them, feeling like the cat that just caught the canary. You let them bicker for a little bit, and even agreed when Sabo insisted the only reason the two of you completed college so young was because you’d had all kinds of tutors and professors to help you. Both of you had completed your general education when you were sixteen and had enrolled in college when you were seventeen – the earliest you could be on your own legally.

“Still, it’s amazing to me.” Ace admits after the conversation calms down again. “Luff and I barely completed our general education.”

“You and Luffy had spent years in the jungle in his grandfather’s wild drive to have you both enlist.” Sabo says, obvious irritation on his face. “Plus, you both have respectable jobs, don’t let it bother you.”

“Envy works in all directions,” you say as you push your empty teacup toward Ace. “I would love to be able to do the job you do. Everyone at the station is so much livelier and more interesting than the people where I work. Ah – not that anyone’s mean or anything, there’s just a very different energy.”

“We’ll have to find time for you to visit again.” Ace offers with a smile. “Everyone’s been asking about you since the day we destroyed all those books.”

You feel your face heat up a little, but you smile from the warmer feeling in your chest. It was nice to be appreciated simply for being you, and not because you were nobility or any other such useless designation.

“Oh! We could celebrate your birthday there!” Ace offers with a wide smile, and you nod in response.

“That sounds delightful.” You agree.

“It’s decided then.” Sabo says. “May the city refrain from any and all shenanigans on July 15th.”

#just like fire #portgas d ace #x reader #portgas d ace x reader #reader insert

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vacantgodling · 3 months

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I'm curious about Jafor 👀 also that's a cool name how/why did you pick it

thank you thank you for asking!

so honestly the reason i picked his name is super lame, i wanted to have a name similiar to 'jenna' (as in, starting with a j + he's in jenna the reaper) and i didn't want to just name him jafar cuz that was boring so i named him jafor LMAO. literally just changed a letter and called it a day.

but onto who he is: jafor is jenna's cousin -- essentially. so to explain him i have to explain jenna's birth which i think i have very briefly but here's the super short version:

yknow how in fairy tales (specifically stuff like rapunzel for instance) there's a whole "yeah these people asked a witch to help them conceive a child but then the witch asks for their firstborn in return" scenario. yeah that's literally how both jenna and jafor were technically "acquired." kashmira (jenna's mom who has foresight) saw that she and adunni would have a child but she wasn't sure how they would get the child bc in her vision neither of them were pregnant, and then 18 years prior to jenna the reaper starting (cuz jenna is 17 in the book lol) kashmira is approached by a couple who are having a hard time conceiving and after asking around they hear she's a witch and they're desperate. kashmira feels bad about asking for their firstborn but that's kind of the Law of that spell, and adunni reassures her that they can always say no. so she tells them, they agree, and then she gives them the spell (though with the caveat that whenever the two of them have sex the wifey will end up pregnant. it actually ends up breaking up their marriage despite kash telling them this upfront and she feels really bad about it lowkey) but that's how she and adunni ended up adopting jenna. then they moved to the small town of braebrooke to raise her.

the reason jenna and jafor are kind of cousins, is because witches (in this universe) don't usually have bio families (though they can its just kind of rare and even in bio families a lot of taking in friends and adopting and found family scenarios are a thing. also bc a lot of witches were hunted down by both humans and reapers alike TM) but their extended coven network kind of acts like a "family" of sorts. kash doesn't have formal coven ties, but adunni still interacts with many covens (which is why she travels so much-thinking about her and estel i realize randomly that i have a Thing for traveling partners LMAO that are still deeply in love despite the distance but moving on) and one of the members she's close to (idk this member's name yet unfortunately) similarly to kash offered a child bearing spell and received the child who is jafor in exchange.

part of the reason (in this universe) that the childbearing spell works like this where the witch Has To take the firstborn child is because basically the first born child is the one that has the most magic potential; as they are literally manifested from magic, and then after they're born it "cures" the blockage in the parents to have children. these children p much 100% of the time will become witches and while it's not the only way that witches come into being its pretty common. jenna and jafor by proxy also have Very strong innate magic because they were literally formed from magic-and in this universe no magic is "off limits" to learn but every witch has (1) power that essentially they were birthed with or that comes to them very naturally. jenna's is the power of manifestation and tbh i still have to figure out what jafor's power is.

but onto him specifically! jafor is older than jenna, by 2 years or so, so he's like 19-20-ish. he has the opposite form of autism than jenna-jenna is very socially inept (but not shy she just doesn't get social cues) and she's more quiet and flat affect; jafor is "literally always smiling to the point where its kind of creepy to some people" and he's an absolute chatterbox he will talk your fucking EAR off and then still keep going. he also tends to care more about social norms than jenna does-he also didn't really have a friend like carlos growing up that got him so he became really stressed about being socially accepted and he thinks its amazing how jenna literally does not give a shit about that.

he doesn't really show up in the narrative until jenna and yehna start sharing a body because he comes back with adunni from her visiting his branch of the coven. he and jenna know each other but they haven't hung out often and he's already kind of on his path to becoming a full witch. it makes jenna jelly cuz not only does she have to deal with this reaper shit but kash said she can't start looking for the witch king (how you become a witch) until she's at the bare minimum graduates high school LMAO. but overall jafor and jenna have a funny little relationship; he laughs at everything she says and kind of follows her around like a puppy whenever they hang out and while he's no carlos, jenna does enjoy hanging around him :)

#s: jenna the reaper

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ronweasleysleftnut · 1 year

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3 from the romance prompt and 5 from the smut prompts with Steve please <3

Prompts:

This is me trying not to scare you away.

Please kiss me already.

This turned more into an angst to romance/fluff (didn't end up adding smut) lol but I hope you like it anyways <3

T/W - This story does involve mentions of physical abuse. If you don't want to read about that, I suggest you please skip this story and catch me in the next one <3

Opening Wounds - Steve Harrington

It was hard to get close to Steve. Although he seemed like a happy, cool guy on the outside, he had a lot of problems. Him and Y/n have been friends since they were kids, although he's never even opened up to her, not really.

At their high school graduation however, when his parents didn't show, Steve revealed a side of himself she had never seen before.

He had problems with his parents, that was noticeable from the moment she meant him, but she never really knew the extent of them. She knew they traveled a lot, and she had a feeling (although never confirmed) that his dad had a lot of... anger. But she never, ever, thought that they'd miss an event as big as his graduation.

Steve shrugged it off at first. We arrived early, we were supposed to meet our families beforehand and direct them to their seats before the ceremony started. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington however, never showed. Steve was left alone watching the other students direct some sort of family, even Y/n.

When she came back to where he was standing in line, he smiled as usual. "Hey" Y/n said, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Did your parents never show?" She asked, and Steve's smile only faltered for a minute before he responded "Nah, they're still out of town" he says, "But it's fine" He waves it off, and in doing this removes Y/n's hand from his shoulder.

She can tell he's upset though, his smile doesn't go quite to his eyes. It never does when he talks about them. "Steve..." She starts, but before she can speak again she hears their principal call in front. "Everyone to your places please! We're about to start" He yells, and Y/n looks between the principal and Steve a couple times before biting her lip "We'll talk after" She says, "Of course" Steve responds, and he lets her run off to her proper place in line.

The ceremony went smoothly, names were predictably butchered but at least no one tripped on stage. Afterwards, the students and parents were sent to the gym for an after party. When you entered, there was a photo booth for families to take a picture with the graduate.

Steve walked in, reluctantly, by Y/n's side with her parents. When they got to the photo booth however, he refused to come in. "C'mon Steve!" Y/n said, trying to pull him into the booth "You're practically family anyways!" But the boy removed her hand and took a step back, "It's fine, really" He said, and the same fake smile appeared on his face "I'll just wait out here" but when Y/n got out of the booth, he was gone.

She excused herself, letting her parents go off into the party as she ran out of the gym. She looked both ways down the hallway, and when she didn't see Steve, she just continued walking. She looked around at the people crowding the hallways, but she didn't see him anywhere. Finally, right when she was about to give up, she remembered a place he might be.

Steve tended to skip class, a lot. And although in his Junior and Senior year he stopped doing so as much, he still had the same place he'd go to when he needed a break from class. It was an old drama room, practically the size of a closet. No one went in there anymore since Hawkins got a new drama room years prior. And so one day, Steve broke the lock, and since then he's been going in there.

Y/n walked to this same room now, and when she saw the door slightly ajar, she knew he'd be there.

She cracked the door open more, slipping into the dark room. Steve had previously moved some supplies into the room as well, food, entertainment, and a light source. "One thing my parents are good for, money" She remembered him saying the first time he had shown her the room.

The boy was sitting in the corner, his legs curled into his body and his eyes staring at the ground in front of him. He wasn't crying, but she could see the sadness in his dead eyes. Y/n tiptoed over and slowly sat herself down next to the boy, alerting him of her presence by bumping her knee against his own.

"Hey..." She whispered, and he finally looked over at her and grunted in response. "You left" She continued, stating the obvious to the boy. "I... I just couldn't be in that room" He said, looking away from her again. "I'm sorry" She says, looking away too "I didn't even think of that" But Steve shakes his head at this, "It's not your fault, you don't have to take care of me" Although Y/n felt like she did have to take care of him, especially since he didn't have anyone else to do so.

She looked back over at him, and gulped before reaching her hand over to his own and intertwining their fingers. "Steve" She said, and when he didn't respond she continued "Steve you're my best friend, and I love you more than anyone else in this world" At this he finally looked up, although his eyes were still trained in front of him "I just... I want to know what's wrong"

He bit his lip before turning his head to the girl, and for the first time in her life, Y/n saw Steve with tears in his eyes. She had never seen him cry before, not when he fell, not when his parents yelled, not even when his pet dog died. "I don't want to scare you away" Steve said quietly, his voice hoarse from lack of speaking.

Y/n felt her heart sink at his words, and she scooted closer to the boy, placing her other hand in his and holding them tight. "You could never scare me away" she says with finality, but Steve still looks away, not meeting her eyes. "Steve" She says, her voice hard and determined as she moves so that she's sitting in front of him, "Do you understand? Nothing you say could ever scare me"

He finally looks up and meets her eyes, the tears already gone. "I love you, Y/n" He says, and she can tell by the way he says it, that he means it. "And I want to tell you everything. I always have, but I've been so scared" Y/n gulps, taking it in, but she nods and prompts him to continue.

Steve takes a moment before he speaks, starting from the beginning. "My dad, when I was younger, when he got mad... well he hit me" Y/n's eyes widened at his words, but Steve's own face stayed solid as he continued "Mom didn't like it, but she didn't stop it either" Steve nods at his own words, and Y/n repeats the motion herself, squeezing his hands in reassurance. "When they started going on vacations, it was like heaven. They'd be gone, and I'd be left alone with cash to buy whatever food I wanted. I could have friends over, and, as I got older, I could have parties." He smiles at the last part, but then his face solidifies again as he continues "But it was also really lonely... I started calling my mom, but she only answered sometimes. At first they'd come home every holiday, but then they didn't" he shrugged at this, "I got used to living alone. I just never thought they'd miss this..."

He looks down again, and Y/n sits in front of him in silence for a moment, taking in all that he just told her before responding. "Steve... I'm sorry, I just- I never knew it was this bad" He shrugged, "I never told you" Steve always said he was with his grandparents for the holidays, but now Y/n realizes he must've been at home alone.

"Stevie..." She whispered, and scooted into the boy, hugging him close. His arms wrapped around her as well, and when they pulled apart their faces were inches from each other. "Y/n..." he whispered, "Steve" she responded, their breath mixing at how close they were. "Thank you" He said, his mouth moving closer to her own "Of course..." She responded, but the last part of her sentence was blocked out by Steve's lips meeting her own.

She felt all his pain in the kiss, but all his passion as well. She kissed him back with just as much emotion, and they only pulled apart when they were both out of breath. "I have something to confess" Steve says with a laugh, and Y/n nods "I've been wanting to do that for ages" He whispers breathily, their mouths still closer than normal.

"Come to holidays with my family" She responds, her voice just as quiet as his own. And maybe it was the bliss of their first kiss, or maybe it was Steve's clarity after finally opening up, but he nodded. She smiled, and continued "I know you don't want to seem weak, but trust me, opening up is the strongest thing you've ever done"

They sit there for a little longer, Steve wrapping his arms around Y/n and her head resting against his warm chest. Until eventually they get up and head back to the party, not wanting Y/n's parents to question her absence for too long. Steve goes in with her, greeting her parents with his usual enthusiasm. And as she watched Steve walk around the gym, she knew he'd be okay.

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burgundybmw · 2 years

Text

Munson's Mixtape

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Cunningham!Reader

Word Count: 3,720

Warnings: None.

Summary: Chrissy has been acting weird, and like a good big sister Y/N drives to Hawkins from Notre Dame to check in on her. Only to find out she has plans to meet up with Eddie Munson. Things take a turn for the worse and now Y/N gets wrapped in to the horrors of Hawkins. Hey, at least she has the company of the guitarist she was sweet on back in high school for comfort.

Author’s Note: And that's the end! It's so bittersweet to finish the fic that got me back into writing, but all good things come to an end eventually. I'm so beyond thrilled that everyone stuck with it this long! Hope you guys enjoy it! Further down the line I might post an epilogue, but we'll have to see what the future holds.

Final Track

The hot summer wind was whipping against Y/N's face as she drove down the familiar roads to Hawkins High School. Her mind wandered to Eddie, a welcomed train of thought as she nervously grasped the leather steering wheel of her Buick Regal. It was graduation day; he was finally crossing the stage after six long years. Y/N was so proud of him for accomplishing what no one else thought he would. It was bittersweet to think about, Chrissy would have graduated too. She'd be buzzing with excitement about going to UCLA in the fall. They would have gotten dinner with their parents that evening, just like they did when she graduated two years prior. Y/N tried to not let her grief cloud the joyous occasion, but she couldn't help it. Especially considering one of the surprises she had in store for Eddie.

She got the idea from a couple of comments he's made in the past few months. Eddie always talked about Y/N cheering him on, whether it was for his live shows, DnD campaigns, or graduation it didn't matter. It wasn't subtle, Eddie's fascination with her cheer uniform. She didn't mind it at all, which was why she dug out her old Hawkins cheer outfit and wore it today. It needed a lot of work to be done to it, a new zippers and loosened seams. Her body had changed a lot since high school, but the thought didn't cause the overwhelming panic and guilt like it used to. It was just a fact of life. Y/N put on her uniform, saw that it didn't fit, and brought it to the tailor's to get it fixed. It was still a bit tight on her, but she didn't think Eddie would mind it. The only thing she had to worry about was the skirt riding up the back, and she knew Eddie certainly wouldn't mind that at all either.

Everything was all taken care of. Uncle Wayne, Steve, and the kids were all coming to see their friends cross the stage. Robin, Nancy, and now Jonathan Byers, were all graduating alongside Eddie. Max was out of the hospital, all of her injuries healed after months of doctor's visits and physical therapy. She had to wear thick glasses in order to see properly, but they didn't bother her in the slightest. There was hope that with time her eyesight could improve but the girl didn't care either way. She said she was happy to be alive, that it was enough. They all survived an ordeal and now it was time for celebration.

The parking lot was packed with cars of all the different family members off to see the ceremony. Y/N managed to find one at the edge of the lot and rushed out to meet the rest of the gang. She was running late due to some preparations for Eddie's graduation present. She didn't mean to wait last minute, but Eddie was a major distraction leading up to the big day. The loves bites on her chest were evidence enough of that.

One thing she didn't consider was the amount of attention she would get once she walked into the school's auditorium. Students and family members were all staring at her. Eddie had told her that after the prom, she was the talk of the Hawkins high student body for weeks. People who never spoke to him before were asking all sorts of questions about her. Was she really dating him? For how long? Did they sleep together?

Eddie always answered the same way. Yes, since March, and none of your fucking business. He wasn't used to all of the attention, people avoided him like the plague most of his high school career, and for the past few months the only attention he got was negative. After the prom, everyone wanted to know about Eddie "The Freak" Munson. Gareth, Jeff, and the rest of Hellfire did their best to keep the gossip crowd at bay, but you can only do so much in high school. That's why graduation day was such a relief, no more bullshit. Y/N and Eddie could start planning the future together. For once, everything was going right. No worries about the Upside Down or shitty parents. It was just her and him, and the rest of the gang now too. Y/N loved her new little family with all of her heart. She just hoped Chrissy could see her as well.

"Cunningham! We're over here!" Y/N turned her head to see Steve waving his arm over the crowds of people. Their whole group took up an entire row of seats.

"What's with the cheer get up?" Miked asked as Y/N made her way into the row. She knew she looked a bit ridiculous, everyone else was dressed up for the occasion while she walked around in a tiny spandex skirt and pom poms.

"It's a surprise for Eddie-" Y/N began before Max interrupted.

"Ew. I don't wanna hear about your weird sex stuff"

"It's not that!" At least not entirely. She'd be lying if that wasn't part of the reason she decided to wear the uniform.

"Alright enough. Everyone sit down the ceremony is about to start!" Steve chastised with his hands on his hips. Y/N couldn't help but giggle to herself as she took her spot next to him. She was the last seat in the row towards the center aisle, exactly where she instructed Steve to save her spot. It was all a part of her plan, something that she knew would cause a mild spectacle. It was all for Eddie though, he would love the drama.

The faculty and staff of Hawkins High made their way onto the stage, with Principal Coleman at the head of the line. He walked up to the microphone, tapping it a few times before announcing the start of the commencement. He began by offering a moment of silence to all the students who should have been graduating that day but wouldn't, a solemn reminder of all they had lost. Y/N could feel the soft touch of Joyce's hand on her shoulder when they read the list of names of students who died. Chrissy was the third.

"Are you okay sweetie?" Joyce asked in a soft whisper. She was sitting behind Y/N in the other row next to Chief Hopper and the rest of the parents.

"Yea I'm alright" when she was young, Y/N used to feel jealous of Will and Jonathan. Their mother was one of the kindest women she had ever met, a stark contrast to her own. She used to think about what could have happened if Joyce had adopted her instead. At the time she felt guilty about it, felt as if she was abandoning her sister in her mind. Deep down she knew she would never trade the time she had with Chrissy, not for anything else in the world. Despite everything that happened, Y/N's relationship with her sister was something she'd never regret.

"And now, I'd like to introduce the class Valedictorian of 1986... Miss. Nancy Wheeler"

Nancy walked on stage with the same grace and power she had during the fight against Vecna. Her chin held eye and flawless posture. Y/N didn't know she had earned the title, but it didn't surprise her. Nancy was one of the smartest people she knew, and secretly one of the toughest too.

"Principal Coleman, Trustees, Faculty members, family, friends and of course, my fellow graduates of the class of 1986, it is a pleasure to be here today with all of you honoring this occasion" Nancy began, voice clear and strong through the microphone.

"Hawkins has been through many tragedies within the past three years and it's difficult to feel celebratory knowing that. Under normal circumstances, I would have stood up in front of all of you today and gave my thanks to the school, my fellow classmates, friends, and family. I would have cracked a few lame jokes about how good it is to finally leave high school, or how excited we all are to start our lives. I would have quoted C.S. Lewis or Mark Twain, something witty and clever that would get a few nods of appreciation from Ms. O'Donnell and others..."

The room was dead quiet, everyone laser focused on the girl behind the podium. Nancy took closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them once more. A moment of altruistic reflection before she spoke again.

"Yet, I can't bring myself to do that today. I can't stand here knowing there was someone else who deserved this spot more than me. I think about how if Barbara Holland hadn't died in 1983, she would have wiped the floor with me. I think about Fred Benson, who would have complained about taking VP when he was so close to beating me for first place. I think about Patrick McKinney, who I used to tutor in Calculus, coming up to me and thanking me for getting him here today. I think about Chrissy Cunningham, who would have been thrilled that her sister was here to watch her cross the same stage she did two years ago. I think about Eddie Munson, who almost didn't make it here today. Who fought tooth and nail in the hospital and within these walls to graduate this year. I think about every person who's missing from this room and wonder why they were taken from us. Why them? Why then? Why now?"

Y/N could feel her eyes fills with tears as Nancy spoke. For the past few months everyone told her how sorry they were for her loss, or how it's not good to dwell on the grief she felt. That she needed to move on, move forward. It was like they didn't want to acknowledge it, death. It was easy to talk about, but not to fully understand. Well wishes and 'in our prayers' are nice sentiments, but that's all they are. Sentiment. This was honesty.

"You're all probably wondering why I am giving such a solemn speech. It's graduation day, we should all be in high spirits. I don't disagree. I know some of us are in denial that we made it here today, expecting the other shoe to drop at any moment. Others are angry that the supposed golden years are behind us now. We want to bargain our way out, hold on to adolescence just a bit longer, not ready to enter the world as adults. It's depressing to know that most of us will not see many of your faces again after this day. Yet, we must accept it is a fact of life.

We can allow ourselves to grieve, feel the pain that comes with loss, but still find joy within the everyday. We can celebrate today, our accomplishments, and still remember those who never got the chance too. We cannot have life without death, happiness without sorrow, peace without discord. You cannot see the light without the dark that surrounds it. I want to remind all of you today, that although this is the end of one stage in our lives, we do not have to forget everything that happened thus far. Every day we will continue to learn, grow, and develop into the people we are meant to be. We will go many places in life, and we will remember those who helped us get there. A wise man once said, your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it...

So, congratulations class of 1986, go make your future a good one"

The room erupted into applause, a full standing ovation. There wasn't a dry eye in the building after Nancy's speech. It was exactly what everyone needed to hear in that moment, even if they didn't necessarily want to. Y/N was proud of her. She didn't plaster on a smile, say a few nice words to make everyone feel good. Nancy was sincere. There had been a dark cloud over Hawkins since the gate to the Upside Down had opened and now it felt like the sky was opening up again. There was hope for a better tomorrow, a rainbow in the dark.

Principal Coleman began announcing all of the names of the class of 1986. Robin was the first of the group to cross the stage. Everyone in her row was whistling in shouting in congratulations. The sudden applause caused her to stumble a bit as she walked off stage, but she recovered quickly. Jonathan followed next, a small smile on his face as his mother and brother applauded him within the crowd.

Y/N was patiently waiting for Eddie's name to be called. With each passing student her heartbeat faster in her chest. She debated about whether it was appropriate given Nancy's speech, but she had already come this far. There was no turning back. She just hoped Eddie would like it, it would be mortifying if he didn't.

"Are you guys ready?" Y/N asked, her palms sweating as she gripped her pom poms in hand. They all nodded their heads, the time was quickly approaching.

"Eddie Munson"

As soon as his name was called Y/N stood up and moved out of her row. Eddie was about to walk on stage when he noticed her there, eyes wide with shock to see her in her old uniform. The same uniform she wore when she was a student at Hawkins High. With the biggest smile she could manage, Y/N began her yell.

"Let's go Eddie! Let's go!"

She had clapped her pom poms twice, crossed her arms before raising them up again. The same cheers she did at every basketball game.

"Let's go Eddie! Let's go!"

With every word all of her friends raised up their signs. Steve at the head with Lets, Dustin after him with Go, and Will, Mike, El, Lucas, and Max, holding up each letter of his name; spelling out the cheer she shouted in the auditorium.

"Let's go Eddie! Let's go!"

His entire face lit up as she cheered. Eddie looked at her, all of his friends, the people he loves more than anything else in the world, shouting his name with astonishment. He knew they'd all be there, but this was something he never expected. Principal Coleman had to call his name twice before he finally made his way on to the stage. Eddie rushed through the handshake with the Principal, grabbed his diploma, and immediately raced down stage again. The graduation cap on his head fell to the floor as he ran to Y/N in the center aisle. He opened his arms out wide and grabbed her by the waist, spinning around in a circle with a big toothy grin. She abandoned her pom poms, too focused on hugging the man she loves in return.

"Did you like my cheer baby?" Y/N asked in between her fits of giggles.

"Totally worth the six years I've spent here to see that, sweetheart"

After the brief reprimand from Principal Coleman for disrupting the ceremony, Eddie left her to return to his seat. The rest of graduation went smoothly, filled with cheers and applause. Y/N snuck out after all of the graduates threw their caps into the air, returning to her car to grab the present she made for Eddie.

She waited outside of Eddie's van, present in hand, for everyone to come out of the high school. Y/N could see some students and their parents walking towards the cars, but there was no sign of Eddie just yet. Knowing him, he was probably talking to everyone else inside wondering where she was. After a few moments she finally spotted that familiar mop of long brown hair, it was time.

She yelled his name from the other side of the parking lot. Just like when he got off stage, Eddie raced over to her. His graduation gown fluttering in the wind like Superman's cape.

“Congrats Grad!” Y/N shouted as he ran over to his beloved van. Eddie didn't hesitate to pick her up and sit her on the hood. He stood between her legs and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, the tip of his graduation cap pressing against her forehead.

"Why thank you my fair lady, you know I couldn't have done it without you" Eddie was playing with the seem of her skirt, the one that was much too short to be appropriate for practice.

"I'm sure that's not true" Y/N had offered to help him with his studies once he got out of the hospital, but he shot her down. All of his success was his doing and she was all the more proud of him for it.

"Of course it is sweetheart. If you weren't there to support me, be there for me, I would have never crossed that stage today" Eddie began, his hand traveling up under her skirt, "it would have been such a shame if I didn't. I would have never been graced to you in this uniform again cheering my name. Do you think I could get a repeat performance later tonight?" There was no denying what he meant, the wolfish grin and the hand on her ass was a dead give away.

"Easy there tiger, no fraternization on school property"

"But I'm not a student anymore, aren't I?" Eddie didn't give her a chance to speak before he kissed her again. His tongue slowly entering her mouth with a groan. It pained her to pull him away from her, but she knew if they continued she would never be able to hold herself together.

"No you're not, but don't you want to open the present I got you?" Y/N said as she waved the small box in front of Eddie's face. He looked at the small box in her palms, the brown paper folded neatly at the corners with a wax seal at the top. There was writing in a language he quickly recognized in the top corner in black ink, the letters swooping and interloping in a beautiful style of calligraphy.

"Baby... You didn't" Eddie said in awe as she placed the present in his waiting hands.

"I did. Now open it up, see what's inside"

Eddie gently undid the wax seal connecting the paper together, not wanting to risk ripping her hard work. Inside was a cassette tape, the cover decorated with the same art on his Hellfire Club t-shirts. Y/N had asked Will to paint it for her, she didn't want to mess up the design with her horrible art skills. Eddie flipped the other side to find a list of all the songs on the tape.

"Sweetheart..." he held the tape like it was something precious, a bar of gold rather than some cheap plastic. Eddie read over each line on the cassette over and over again as if it contained all the secrets of the universe within. A sense of déjà vu washed over them both. When Y/N thought about what to give Eddie for his graduation present, this was the only thing she wanted to do. The mixtape he made for her 2 years to the day was her most prized possession, he put his heart and soul into that tape and she wanted to do the same. This time, it was without any pretense. Every song she picked was tailored to her experience with him. It was the soundtrack of their love.

"Well? Do you like it?" Y/N asked after a moment. Eddie looked up at her, his eyes wet and glassy. She instantly knew he understood her message loud and clear.

"Like it? Y/N, shit, this is the greatest gift I've ever been given" he wrapped his arms tightly around her, pressing sweet kisses all over her face, "I love it so much sweetheart, there aren't even words in any language real or fictional to explain it. I'm gonna listen to this everyday until the ribbon inside is torn to shreds"

"I'm so glad you like it Eds, I love you" Y/N held his grinning face in her hands and pulled him in for another kiss. Eddie returned it in kind. She felt as if everything had fallen into place in that moment. Vecna was gone, Eddie had finally graduated high school, and now she was back on track at Notre Dame. After months of trials and tribulations, it was all over. It was like she could finally take a deep breathe again, fill her lungs with oxygen and swallow the gentle air Eddie let out between each touch of their lips.

"I love you too sweetheart"

"Ya know, since we're both going to be in Hawkins for awhile..." Y/N didn't get to finish the end of her sentence. The chorus of complaints from Steve's BMW interrupted their moment. They were all heading to Enzo's for dinner that evening, all to celebrate their friends' achievements. It was Y/N's idea. It was the same tradition she had with her sister after every major event. Whether if it was for dance recitals, gymnastics tournaments, or academic accomplishments, they always went to Enzo's. Sometimes their parents joined, other times it was just the two girls. Y/N wanted to carry on the tradition with her new family, the one she found for herself.

Y/N hopped off the hood of the van and hopped inside the passenger seat, Eddie following closely behind. He opened up the cassette tape and popped it into radio. The campy melodies from the Rocky Horror Picture Show filled their ears as Eddie drove out the parking lot. Y/N lowered the window down and watched as the woods behind the Hawkins High slowly disappeared from view. The rain from this morning had finally cleared away, leaving a bright sunny day in its wake. In the distance, Y/N could see a large rainbow over skies of Hawkins. She couldn't help but think it was a sign from Chrissy. That maybe somewhere her sister was looking out for her, letting her know that she was okay, that Y/N would be okay too.

Ever since she passed, Y/N thought about Chrissy finding her somewhere over the rainbow.

It wasn't until that moment Y/N realized she had found her own.

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