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rose-tinted-glasses671 · 11 months

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Echo Chambers Inside A Neighborhood (ch. 3)

read the rest: masterlist

tag list: @junosbugs @lovelyladymayyy @specialagentmonkey @elle-writes-things @anotherrickinthewall

“Sweets, it’s one drink at a shitty pub, not a fucking car.” Sydney handed her card over to the bartender to cover your beer as you considered plucking the plastic out of her hands and gently placing it back into her pocket.

“I’m fucking pathetic! I can’t even afford a beer anymore!” you shouted over the lively 6 p.m. chatter. The Hickory Lane Pub was a crowd favorite amongst the locals, and amongst you and your friends. Shitty establishment, but the vibes were never off, and the drinks were good. Plus, the owner’s son was an old friend of Sydney’s so he always gave her a discount on food.

“My love,” Sydney rested a gentle hand on your shoulder, looking at you dead in the eyes with the most serious expression on her face. “You have to give yourself a break. The last of your tip money is gonna go towards that shitty washing machine and you don’t get your paycheck until Friday.” The sincerest of smiles formed on your friend’s lips, pleading with you to understand. “You’re slowly figuring shit out, and you’re doing it well.”

You scoffed, realizing your own stupidity because Syd was right. You were finally getting back on track after everything was seemingly falling apart. Maybe it was time you took a break.

So you sat in your favorite pub with your best friend and enjoyed a couple of cold beers, your mind constantly wandering back to the man you’d left in your flat eleven hours ago. It wasn’t that you were avoiding him, or that you were uncomfortable being around him. No. You just didn’t know what to expect when you got back, and that made you a little nervous.

Would he be mad that you left this morning?

Would his things take up all the space in the living room?

Oh, God forbid you would have to move your garage sale chaise lounge into your room, a mocking voice in your head interjected your thoughts.

It was pointless being nervous when there was literally nothing you could do to change the circumstances now. You’d been the one who was all too pleased to let a stranger share a living space with you. Now you’d be the one to deal with the consequences.

At 6:33, you decided it was time to stop being a pussy and go back to your flat, so you quickly said goodbye to Sydney and then walked out into the still freezing December weather. Your pace quickened as you approached the Tesco, needing a minute of reprieve from the cold and a box of tampons. The last of the money in your checking account was gonna have to be enough to cover it.

You wandered into the store, heading to the back where you knew the tampons were located. It was supposed to be a quick in and out on your way home, but you were stopped dead in your tracks at the sight of a familiar head of moppy brown hair.

For a second, you stood frozen in time as you watched Ethan bend down to grab something from the bottom shelf, then stand up and throw it into his basket before sliding an arm around a girl’s waist. Whether it was fear or humiliation that immobilized you, you didn’t know, but your brain yelled at you to turn around and run away while your body forced you in place in the middle of the aisle.

The air around you buzzed as you watched Ethan’s head turn to look at you, surprise etching onto his face when he noticed who was standing before him. For a second, he stood frozen too, but when he dropped his arm from around the girl’s waist and started towards you, his lips forming words that your ears didn’t have the capacity to hear, you were finally able to move.

And move you did, doing a full 180 and speed-walking out of the Tesco like your ass was on fire. Fuck the tampons, you’d sooner shove the plastic applicator up there than share the same air as Ethan Campbell again.

In the distance, you heard Ethan’s voice yelling out your name, trying to get your attention, but you weren’t having any of it. Fuck this, fuck this, fuck this.

You maintained your speed as you walked home, although you did slow down the more your legs grew tired of the exercise. A couple glances behind you and it was becoming evident that Ethan had every intention of following you home. What the fuck was he doing?

You broke out into a run, feeling genuine fear for your safety as the man behind you continued to follow. Approaching your building, you took another peek behind you, noticing that Ethan had grown closer, but was now standing frozen.

You stopped as well, a fearsome anger building in your chest because of the entire ordeal, your lungs constricting with the effort it took to push a breath out. He had just scared the absolute living shit out of you, and for what? Just for a laugh?

“What the fuck did you think you were doing, asshole? Chasing a woman down just to give her a scare?” You were fully facing Ethan now, your back to the building door. You pulled your mace out of your pocket and kept you finger poised over the button in case the fucker tried something with you. “You pathetic, useless piece of shit! I dare you to fuck with me. I DARE YOU!” You were screaming at the top of your lungs, the words barely able to leave you, but you were fucking furious and not ready to back down.

Even from several feet away, you saw Ethan’s entire demeanor change. Where he was once confidently chasing you through the streets, he was now cowering away, slowly backing up until he turned around and just walked away in the other direction.

All that could really explain what just happened was the mace. You looked at it, then back at Ethan’s retreating form, a triumphant smile taking over your features.

“Was he bothering you?” a deep voice you recognized well broke the silence looming in the air. Your smile faded as you turned to face your flatmate.

Standing face-to-face with the chest of the 6’4 giant, his arms crossed over and his stance wide and ready to pounce, you noticed how immaculately built the guys was; like the Gods themselves had had their hand at sculpting his physique. You were never so shallow as to only ever care about a man’s physical appearance, but you were a woman. One who noticed a nice body here and there.

“How-” You cleared your suddenly dry throat, your heartbeat refusing to settle down to its regular pace. “How long have you been standing there?” you finished your question, voice coming out a touch breathless.

“’Bout a minute. Came down to throw away the trash,” Ghost pointed a thumb at the black trash bag sitting by the door. “Saw you running this way and a guy following you.” Ghost’s eyes narrowed under his balaclava, looking over at the man walking away.

You let out a sigh, the real reason why Ethan cowered away becoming clear.

Choosing to let go of the defeat you felt, you plastered a fake smile on your face. “Don’t worry about him. Just my ex,” you waved your hands through the air. But when Ghost turned his narrowed gaze onto you, you knew he didn’t believe your words.

“He go around chasin’ you often?” Ghost’s eyes roamed all over your face, as if picking it apart for any signs of an untruth. That simple perusal was making your body flush with a heat it hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Heh,” you let out a nervous chuckle, shifting your weight from one leg to another. “No…”

Ghost just grunted in response. “He’d be smart not to bother you again.”

His deep voice, smooth as whiskey, had not gone unnoticed last night, or this morning. It’s just that you had other things on your mind to worry about, so it wasn’t until now that you noticed how the timbre was making your heart flutter.

“I’ll do him the service of not telling him that,” you joked, trying to distract yourself from your body’s inappropriate reactions to a man who just trying to be a decent guy.

“Head inside,” Ghost said, picking up the trash bag next to him. “I’m gonna throw this out.” His voice was so assertive that you felt like you had to listen to his every command or face the consequences. This little dynamic between the two of you was jarring; you never let someone tell you what to do. But something inside made you want to listen to Ghost. To not disappoint him.

Strange.

As you made your way up the stairs, the hours from the day prior started catching up with you. Your feet ached, your back hurt, and you were getting a headache because you hadn’t eaten since lunch.

At least you had your leftovers to look forward to.

As soon as you turned the key in the lock and opened the front door, the aroma of something hit you square in the face. It smelled decedent and made your mouth water, your stomach grumbling even louder as you stepped into the flat and placed your purse on a chair. That’s also when you noticed that the stove was covered in pans and the counters were littered with vegetables and bottles of spices.

“Don’t mind the mess,” Ghost said as he entered through the front door, removing his shoes before closing the door and returning to the kitchen.

“You’re making food.” You said it as statement more than a question because something about seeing a hot man in the kitchen making dinner was messing with the wires in your brain.

“Steak and mashed potatoes,” Ghost confirmed, looking up at you for a second. He watched for a second how you looked at him in wonder, as if this was a sight you’d never witnessed, before returning to the task at hand. “You’re more than welcome to join me if you’d like.”

And secretly, Ghost hoped against all hope that you’d say yes.

“Uh,” you let out a breathless chuckle, still a little dazed. Of course you wouldn’t be delusional enough to assume that Ghost had made dinner for you.

“Or you can stick with your Indian. Not a problem for me,” Ghost lied. But it was a big problem for him. He wanted you to eat the food he made.

“Yeah. Why not?” You decided a fresh, home cooked meal was probably better than your two-day old leftovers anyway.

A small smile tipped the corners of Ghost’s lips up, though it was hidden by the fabric covering his face. You’d never know how happy those words had made him.

Feigning indifference, Ghost gestured to the dining table. “Have a seat then.”

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dilemmaontwolegs · 7 months

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Running From The Flames {Epilogue 2/2}

Pairing: Pierre Gasly x OFC Warnings: none but it’s the end 😭

F1 Masterlist || Previous Chapter

Pierre had gone on the first airport run just after sunrise to pick up his parents before going back a few hours later to get mine.

“Thank you, my love,” I said as I stole a fleeting kiss from him while I tried to make breakfast for Clare and dodge a half-asleep Addie as she made a protein shake. “Did you not sleep well, sweetheart?”

She had her own hotel room but since Sydney was the one with the blender she had sauntered across the hall barefoot with the tub of powder and grumbled a good morning to us.

“She was on the phone to her boyfriend all night,” Sydney teased before catching the apple she tossed at him with the quick reflexes he got from his father. He was still laughing as he took a bite of it. “Yum, thanks, sis.”

I placed the bowl of cereal at the table for Clare and pushed her chair in before putting the kettle on for a round of tea for their grandparents. “So Elias? He’s a sweet kid.”

“Not a kid,” Addie corrected before the blender roared to life and I waited for it to turn silent again.

“Fair enough, he’s a nice young man - like his father. Have you two been hanging out for long?”

Addie rolled her eyes as she poured the shake into a bottle. “No one says ‘hang out’ anymore. We have been on a few dates and yeah, he’s nice, but it’s just a bit of fun.”

I winced at the word and looked around to see if Pierre had left the room yet and thankfully he had. “Don’t let your father hear that. Just make sure you’re being careful okay, sweetheart?”

“She means, make sure Elias wraps it before he taps it!” Sydney yelled from the living room.

An irritated growl rumbled from his sister as she slammed her bottle on the bench. “Shut up, Sloth!”

“Ma!”

“Addie, please don’t call him that,” I sighed as the recurring argument began, simultaneously with the headache that always joined it. “Syd, focus on getting ready. We need to leave soon.”

It was a miracle everyone made it to the race track on time on Sunday. It may have been simpler to herd bulls than it was to coordinate everyone that had travelled across the world to witness Sydney's first F4 race.

It was only after leaving the hotel that the nerves finally hit me. I had no more distractions of getting everyone organised and suddenly I was young again as I remembered the worry of watching Pierre race. But this was much worse.

Pierre found me in the corporate boxes above the pit lane. Few people were there yet, but it would be full by the afternoon when the F1 race began.

“Relax,” Pierre soothed as he wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. His warm lips softly brushed my cheek and I felt some of the tension leave my body. “He’s smart like his mother, he’s not reckless like I was.”

“God, I hope Clare still wants to be a chef when she grows up. I don’t think I could handle going through this again.”

Pierre laughed softly and started to lead me back inside where the stairs to the garage were. “Be brave just a little longer.”

There were more people in the garage there to support Sydney than there were mechanics and I felt emotion swell in my chest when Sydney walked in with his race suit on and helmet in hand. Clare was clapping wildly from Uncle Charles’ shoulders and Addie broke out in a grin as she recorded the moment.

“Go fast, Flash,” Addie said seriously, and he didn’t even complain about the sloth reference as he nodded and returned her hug. “But drive safe.”

“Will do,” he promised before he turned to Pierre and I. My arms started to open and he dove into the hug as Pierre’s arms came around us both. “I can do this, right?” he whispered.

“Of course you can. You can do anything you put your mind to, honey,” I assured him as his father kissed his head and echoed the sentiment.

“We will be proud of you no matter what, mon fils. It doesn’t matter where you finish, just enjoy the moment.”

I watched how his sincere words eased our son's mind and Sydney stepped back with a nod, even managing a small nervous smile. My arm curled around Pierre’s waist as we watched Sydney climb into the cockpit and pull his helmet on. “Have fun,” I said after pulling my headset on. “We love you.”

I could almost see his cheeks turn pink from beneath his visor but he managed to mumble a reply. “Love you too.”

“Bri,” Pierre groaned, “mon ange, my ribs.”

“Shit, sorry, love,” I apologised as I eased my grip on him. “I’m okay, I’m okay. I can do this.”

“You just have to watch,” Pierre laughed.

“Just you wait,” I warned with a laugh of my own. “You say that like it’s easy, but you’ve never been on this side of the fence.”

Pierre fell silent as the single seater car left the garage and followed the other drivers around the track to stop at the starting grid. The formation lap speed already had my heart pumping hard but as that finished I knew it would be a whole lot faster in a few short seconds.

Five red lights set the mark.

Pierre’s hand slipped into mine.

Four red lights.

His fingers trembled before squeezing tight.

Three red lights.

I chanced a glance at my husband and saw his bottom lip pinched between his teeth. “I’m scared,” he whispered.

Two red lights.

I reached for the gold chain only to remember it was around Sydney’s neck. The gold pendant with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe had brought me plenty of luck over the years and I prayed it did the same for Sydney too.

One red light.

Dropping my hand back to Pierre’s, I squeezed him back. “He’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

Lights out and away we go.

#pierre gasly x oc #Pierre Gasly x poc!oc #formula 1 fanfic #formula 1 imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #formula one imagine #formula one fanfiction #pierre gasly fanfic #pierre gasly imagine

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space-blue · 10 months

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Hi! I like your Arcane anaylses :) I wanted to ask for your opinion on why Sevika is celebrated and Marcus gets shamed? I mean, they basically did the same thing. Both betrayed their "friend(s)" - Vander and Grayson - for their personal beliefs.

Heya Anon, thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my meta! Hope you enjoy me disagreeing with your premise x'D

Sevika and Marcus have nothing in common imo. At no point in the show is it established that Sevika and Vander are friends. There are no outward signs of friendship. The person standing next to Vander and joking with Vander, and left in charge in episode 2 is Benzo.

We meet Sevika in a confrontational scene where she's against Vander. Vander doesn't meet her or anyone else's needs in that scene. He puts them all down and enforces, as he's been doing for years, The Status Quo. He doesn't listen, he's doing this meeting to reinforce that nothing should be done and enforcers left alone. Vander is ruling. He's the leader of the Lanes.

Sevika and Vander in that moment have conflicting interests. Sevika wants change. Sevika wants to lash back while Vander wants everyone to stay under the heel of Piltover, hoping that if they don't fight back the boot won't squeeze.

You can't blame Sevika for thinking that's crappy. She's making a life choice informed by her analysis of the situation. We don't know when she made her decision either, or for how long she's been hostile to Vander.

I'd argue too that there's a strong argument that Silco already has Sevika as an ally at that time :

He's famously untrusting.

The chemist I nicknamed Syd is at Vander's place riling people up with Sevika, and next scene he's manufacturing Shimmer for Silco, which can't be an easy process.

Silco has people spying on Vander AND his kids.

I think this telegraphs that Sevika has potentially been on his side for a while and was at the Last Drop to undermine Vander.

That's rough life politics. What can you do? You can't blame Sevika for having dreams of her own and seeing Vander as a massive obstacle on the way. Again, she's never shown to be one of his cronies and we have no clue about the nature of their relationship besides the fact she used to respect him. But we know so did Silco, and Vander has changed a lot.

On the other hand, Marcus has a very bad start…

He's an enforcer with a chip on his shoulder. I made this post theorising as to why… And it's whack and may be totally wrong, but it's clear Marcus is shown as going above and beyond in his hate of "trenchers". He uses slurs, is violent towards even children, and is happy to take bribes and underhanded deals in his goal of dragging said trenchers to jail.

He's also a doofus who doesn't realise what he's getting into. Blinded by his hatred and wading into dangerous waters. He's not smart enough to come on top and ends up being a tool.

Also… he's a COP. He's part of a system. He has a boss who he's NOT friend's with as far as we see, but he's her explicit subordinate and gets thrown around the office after disobeying her.

He put Grayson in a bad spot and led her to her death, failing his entire organisation by then not coming clean. He keeps dirty secrets that weigh him down, while Sevika is shown to be blunt and entirely truthful to Vi, Jinx, and even Silco.

He goes behind people's back, and sure, Sevika goes behind Vander's too. But Marcus is paid in literal blood money and never comes clean. Sevika is fine being open with her allegiences once shit hits the fan, and she's there for ideology, not self interest.

We don't know the details of Sevika's dream, but we know she keeps Silco on his toes. Silco's dream is the Nation of Zaun. Independance. Not the erradication of Piltovans.

Meanwhile Marcus just wants to throw children in jail, and DOES, again behind everyone's back.

Sevika is a bull. Marcus is a snake.

Sevika is making life choices and chosing who will serve her interests. She chose the anti hero who wants freedom for her oppressed people. Marcus is THE OPPRESSOR and a shitty one to boot who disobeys the very order he serves.

Funniest of all, I don't think Marcus was betraying Grayson. Her death was not part of "the deal". That asshole truly just wanted to arrest a kid and glean the recompense of a job well done. But there's no hint that he was trying to unseat Grayson.

In a way he's just as zealous as Sevika. He follows his hate and prejudices and she follows her principles. She doesn't mind bashing her own people to get to her goals, but Vander is literally doing Grayson's job for her. He's a freelancing cop and an enemy of any Zaunites dreaming of independence.

Vander has a stance, and Sevika has the opposite one.

The only person who perceives betrayal is Vi. But Vi is a child and doesn't understand politics at all. She's completely blinded by her love for Vander and her mindset of 'everybody is my enemy'. If she slowed down a bit, she might notice she and Silco want the exact same thing. Literally. A better world for Powder, and everyone like her. Vi is poisoned against Silco by Silco and Vander's fateful clash. It's perfectly understandable! I don't think it'd be easy to have her not be rightfully prejudiced against Silco.

But she IS our eyes for a lot of the story. We perceive Vander a lot through her extremely rose tinted view.

Sevika probably doesn't couch her own siding with Silco as a betrayal…

That being said, we don't know their backstory. Maybe Sevika was friends with Vander when they were younger? We have a picture of young Silco at the bar with Vander… did she know them both? Because then we can do anything you want.

My favourite take being that she took Silco's side after Vander's betrayal, but stayed out and public and was careful not be 'seen' with Silco. She's a true believer. I think if she had hesitations, learning Vander was sucking Grayson's toes most likely fully turned her away. That's just my prefered fanon, but if you have a fanon theory of her being Vander's friend, of course it'd colour your view. I just don't think the canon reactions of both characters really compare.

#anon ask #arcane #arcane meta #vander #silco #vi #jinx #sevika #marcus #arcane marcus #arcane vi #grayson #thanks for the ask

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nolita-fairytale · 1 year

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still into you | carmen 'carmy' berzatto | chapter three: saturday

summary: you, syd, marcus, and carmy celebrate a job well done. carmy finally relaxes, while you catch up with old friends. you and carmy talk about your future.

warnings: swearing, no use of y/n, she/her pronouns, drinking & smoking, suggestive language.

word count: 4.7k

listen to: wake me - bleachers | love you for a longtime - maggie rogers | perfume - del water gap | miss simone - sara bareilles | (playlist here)

read: chapter two

(banner by @allthefandomstogether)

Saturday

The sun glares too brightly for it to be early morning, as Carmy begins opening his eyes. It dawns on him that this is the first night in the last few weeks he’s slept through. After blinking his eyes open a few times, he wraps his arms around your waist, curling his body around yours, only to close his eyes again as he drags his lips, softly across your skin.

“Morning,” you say sleepily, your lips curling into a smile as you feel his touch.

You’ve been up for a bit, but haven’t been ready to start the day. You’re enjoying the stillness too much now that most of the chaos is finally behind you.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he says, leaving a soft kiss on your cheek. He presses the tip of his nose against the side of your face, before burying his face in your neck.

You snuggle up to him, enjoying this change of pace. It feels good – having the luxury to sleep in. You had, after all, stayed up till two in the morning last night, taking a trip down memory lane.

“How’d you sleep?” you ask, as Carmy breathes you in.

God he loves the way you smell, the way you feel against him.

“Good,” he mumbles. “What time is it?”

There’s no panic in the way he asks you for the time and it may be the first time in a long time that he doesn’t feel hurried.

You hum in response, reaching for the side table where your phone sits. He protests, letting out a dissatisfied groan as you move away from him. He’s unhappy with the thought of getting out of bed, but before he knows it, you’re sliding back into place, satisfying him once again as you curl your body into his.

“Shit,” you say, as soon as you see the time. “It’s almost eleven.”

“Fuck it,” he says back defiantly, earning a giggle from you.

It’s not like you have anywhere to be till later this evening – till the James Beard Foundation’s reception they’re hosting as a job well done for last night’s event.

You enter your passcode, as soon as you see the message notifications from Syd and Marcus, all time stamped from various hours ago.

Sydney: WE ARE HUNGRY.

Marcus: Heading down for breakfast. You guys up?

Carmy hugs you closer to him with no intention of letting you go. He wouldn’t dream of getting out of this bed. He can hear his phone alerts going off at the same time, from both of your phones,, as the three of you blow up your shared group text. The sound of the pings only further his agitation, making him want to sink into this mattress and never leave.

You: We’re just waking up. Stayed up too late last night.

Sydney: Ew.

Marcus: Yeah didn’t need to know that, chef.

You: Get your heads out of the gutter!! Not like that.

You follow up your text with an eye roll emoji.

You smile as you Syd sends back a ‘side eye’ emoji.

Marcus: Ok we just ate breakfast. Heading to check out The Strand and explore the neighborhood some and get a good cup of coffee.

The next text Marcus sends is just a dumpling emoji and question mark, reminding you of the promises you made last night.

“Baby.”

“Hm?”

You hurriedly type a message, noticing Carmy’s growing impatience with the notifications.

You: We’ll rally by 1 pm.

Marcus: Dope.

Syd: Heard.

You: Have fun!!

Carmy groans, taking the phone from your hands and throwing it somewhere onto the floor on his side of the bed.

“Carmen!” you protest with a giggle, finally turning your body so that you’re laying on your side to face him.

“No more phone,” he grumbles, as he returns to you, pulling you in closer to him, your bodies now chest to chest.

You smile, leaving a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” he admits, against his wishes. “But I just wanna stay here for a little longer. Before we have to get up.”

“Let’s order room service then. Stay in this bed till we have to meet up with Syd and Marcus,” you suggest, knowing he’ll like your offer.

“Fuck yes,” Carmy groans, happily.

“My girl thinks of all the best things.”

You love it when he calls you his girl, the term of endearment bringing a warmth to your soul you never knew you needed.

“It’s why you love me.”

He hums in response.

It is one of the many reasons he loves you.

“It is.”

“Carmy?” you say.

“Hm?”

“I love being your girl.”

He smiles.

“I love you, sweetheart.”

You spend the afternoon with Carmy, Syd, and Marcus, and you’re relieved to discover that it feels like everyone’s taken a breath. The four of you take the subway down to Chinatown, letting yourselves explore while consuming as many pork dumplings as humanly possible. It’s a completely different pace than the last two days. You’ve all slowed down a little – you’re letting yourselves enjoy the city more – and it feels damn good to be home.

It’s an afternoon well spent. You part ways till it’s time to rally one last time at the James Beard House for the celebratory reception. It’s one last big push for your social battery, and you’re surprised that Carmy hasn’t tried to get out of it yet. Between the big announcement from last night, the media people that will be there, and all of the networking that goes on at these things, he’s just resigned himself to pushing through it with you.

You spot him across the room, practically backed up against the wall with a glass of champagne in hand that he’s holding onto for dear life. Your friends have cornered him in what looks like a love-fest that’s caught him completely off guard.

“Carmy, everything was… fantastic,” Liz compliments, mid-conversation with your boyfriend.

“And it’s so good to see you!” Maya adds as she joins the conversation. She gives Carmy a big squeeze and he looks a little surprised.

“Beautiful job last night. Liz is right. Everything was incredible and congratulations on the expansion,” Maya continues.

“Yeah, thank you for coming. It means a lot,” Carmy replies.

They exchange over a few different topics and Carmy tries his best to be the conversationalist that he’s never felt he was. He digs deep for it, knowing that these are two important people in your life. He feels more comfortable asking questions than answering them and with Liz, it’s a little easier considering they have shared experiences.

How’s the new restaurant gig? Did you ever figure out that one dish? Did they ever fire that one guy that everyone hated working with?

And with Maya it’s more: How’s the new baby? I hear you were working for a new brand as their creative director. How’s the promotion been?

It’s not that he doesn’t love your friends – it’s that conversing with them one-on-one feels like an enormous pressure no matter how much you swear they love him. Carmy is relieved to see you approaching, as you make your way towards where your friends have cornered him.

“Hey, I hope you guys don’t mind me stealing this one away,” you say, giving Carmy the out he so desperately needs.

“Of course not.”

Carmy shoots you a ‘thank you’ glance, and you take his hand in his, leading him away.

“Please do not leave me alone at this party again,” he mumbles to you.

“I won’t,” you reassure him. “But there is someone I want to introduce you to.”

He sighs, and you can tell he’s at the end of his rope.

“One more?”

“One more.”

You lead him over to a friend of yours that he’s seen you talking to at the bar: a darker skinned man in glasses, the hair on top of his head braided down to the nape of his neck.

“Carmy, I want you to meet my friend, Gregory. Gregory has a restaurant out in Portland and was at the dinner last night,” you say as you introduce him to Carmy.

“Carmy, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you from this one,” Gregory says, warmly.

“Thanks for coming, man,” Carmy replies, humbly.

“Gregory and I spent the summer at JBF chef bootcamp together,” you continue, hoping it rings a bell in Carmy’s head.

“Oh yeah,” Carmy says, his eyes lighting up as soon as he realizes that he’s that Gregory. “It’s great to meet you too.”

“I feel like you’ve been doing a lot of TV lately,” you say to Gregory, hoping to spark some conversation.

“Yeah. It’s been a great way to keep the momentum going for the restaurant, you know? Uh… you guys ever think of it?” he asks, earning a funny look from you and Carmy.

“Oh no,” Carmy says, practically shuddering at the idea. “No, that is a thing of my literal nightmares.” He gestures towards you, shyly as he continues, and he’s so glad he has you as a social crutch in settings like these. “Besides, if we ever did… it’d be more her thing. Or- or Syd’s maybe.”

“And I just started a new job so,” you add in.

“Oh, where are you at now?” Gregory asks curiously.

“Sustainable food system start up. I’m their culinary education director.”

“Oh shit! Congratulations. That’s like… the perfect thing for you,” he says.

“Totally. I was ready for a little more consistency and uh, it’s kinda nice with one of us workin’ the whole 9 to 5 thing,'' you reply, with a smile.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. But it was great to meet you, Carmy,” Gregory says, excusing himself from the conversation. He turns his attention to you, a kind look in his eyes. “Always a pleasure catching up.”

You watch as Gregory exits, and you can see the envious look in Carmy’s eyes.

“You’re ready to go,” you state.

“I- if you wanna stay, I can-.”

“No, no. I can see it on your face, Bear,” you interrupt him, giving his hand a tight squeeze. “I’m ready to go too. So… let’s get out of here.”

He nods in response, relieved that you picked up on it. He’d be willing to stay if you’d wanted to stay, and he’s so glad that you’re ready to go.

You know him so well.

Carmy turns to you, lowering his voice as he asks:

“Think uh… you wanna head back to the hotel… take advantage of the tub while we still can?”

“Sir, are you trying to pick me up?” you ask back, playfully.

“You’re ridiculous,” he chuckles in your ear. Carmy leans in once again, his voice huskier than before as you feel his hand on the small of your back, pulling you closer against him.

“And yeah. I am.”

With a wicked smile on your face, you agree to his request, more than willing to head back to the hotel and get naked as soon as possible. In classic you-and-Carmy fashion, you find Syd and Marcus, before Irish Goodbye-ing the rest of the party. The five minute walk back to the hotel feels longer, as you can feel both of your social batteries have reached their lowest point after a full weekend.

You cannot wait to get to the end of your night, as you both stand in the elevator, but it seems your plans will have to wait a little longer. You and Carmy aren’t the only ones in the elevator. There’s a man with his young son and you sigh impatiently as the kid continues to push each and every button for ever floor.

“No! Not that one!” the father warns, as the kid’s little hands over the ‘emergency stop’ button. The kid turns to him and his father beckons him back over. He shoots you an apologetic look.

“So sorry.”

“It’s okay,” you say, trying your best not to sound too annoyed.

The elevator continues to make unnecessary stops, thanks to the child’s antics, as both you and Carmy become increasingly more frustrated. Maybe you’d have the patience if you weren’t at the end of your rope either, but at this point, your feet hurt from the heels you’re wearing, and you cannot wait to take them off.

Finally, the elevator reaches the man’s floor. He and his child exit the elevator, before turning to you as the doors remain open. He looks to Carmy as his son takes off in the other direction, trying to race his father back to their hotel room.

“Thank you again for you and your wife’s patience,” he says politely, as he stands a few feet outside of the elevator, trying his best to placate the two of you.

“Sure,” Carmy mumbles, unconvincingly.

“I gotta-,” the man says, nodding towards his child, as the elevator doors begin to close.

You can hardly wait till the doors are fully closed before letting out a laugh at Carmy’s lack of effort. The elevator begins to move again and thankfully there’s only one more stop: yours. It’s quiet, save for the sounds of the elevator moving, when you finally say something.

“Carmy.”

“What?”

“You didn’t even try to fake it!”

“You didn’t say anything!”

You laugh again, and he scoffs, unable to hide his distaste for the interaction.

With a shrug he defends himself with, “I’ll like our kids.”

To your delight, the elevator reaches your floor, and as the doors open, it feels like freedom. You follow Carmy down the hallway and to your room, practically flinging the door open and letting out a sigh of relief that you’ve both made it through the evening. Carmy’s flicking on a few lights while you beeline straight to the bathroom so that you can get to the naked and tub part of the evening as quickly as possible.

He’s absolutely right that you should take advantage of the ridiculously large bathtub before you go home tomorrow.

By the time the tub fills, you’ve already queued up a great playlist, as you and Carmy navigate your setup for the night. You're situated differently this time: your backs resting on opposite sides of the tub, your feet are on the inside, closest to the wall, while his rest on the outside of you, closest to the edge of the tub.

Carmy is quiet. And it’s not like you’re expecting to have a conversation like last night’s, especially since you’re both drained from three days of social interactions in a row. But there’s something different about tonight’s silence – he’s more pensive than normal – and you can practically see the gears turning in his head as you go to ask:

“What’s on your mind, babe?”

He waits a beat, the sound of your voice taking him out of his mind and back into reality.

“I just uh…” he starts, wondering if you’ll think he’s gone mad before he admits, “...can’t stop thinking about what that guy said.”

“What guy?” you inquire.

“In the elevator,” Carmy replies.

You shoot him a funny look, because you have no idea what he’s talking about. It’s certainly not the answer you expected either.

“You know. That he assumed we were married,” Carmy clarifies, his face pink. You’re not sure if it’s from the hot water or the thoughts swimming around in his head.

“Okay… he’s a… stranger. He was probably too busy keeping his kid in line to be looking for a ring on my finger,” you reply.

Truthfully, you hadn’t given it much thought at all, and the fact that Carmy’s so hung up on it surprises you.

“I know but…” he trails off, looking away from you for a second. He shrugs, a blush running across his cheeks before asking, “Do you… even want to get married?”

You’re not sure where this is coming from as you stammer out, “I-, uh-, I wouldn’t mind being married to you,” the surprise in your voice evident.

“That’s great,” he says sarcastically, in regards to your lack of enthusiasm.

“No! I-, I’m sorry. You kinda just… caught me by surprise is all,” you apologize, seeing the disappointment on his face. You sit up a little, reaching for one of his hands. “Actually, I would give up any and all feminism up right now in order to become Mrs. Carmen Berzatto.”

You’re only being playful and he shakes his head with, “Yo I’m being serious,” the slightest smile threatening the corners of his mouth.

“Baby I don’t know if using the word “yo’ counts as an initiator for a serious conversation,” you chuckle.

“Fuck,” he sighs.

But he does like the sound of it: Mrs. Carmen Berzatto, and he’s not willing to give up on this conversation just yet. He thinks back to when Natalie called you her sister-in-law, and he wonders why he hadn’t brought this up months ago.

He waits a beat, before finally saying:

“Let’s get married.”

The words fall out of his mouth with the same kind of casualness he’d use when suggesting you pick up Thai food for dinner on your walk home from the restaurant.

“Okay, Bear,” you agree, easing your way back to your previous position in the tub. You press your back against the wall once more, closing your eyes and allowing yourself to sink a little deeper.

You wait for him to say something. Anything. You almost think he’ll take it back, or tell you he’s joking, because you’re not sure he’s even being serious in the first place. It’s such a casual request for a not-so-casual thing that there’s no way he could….

But he doesn’t say anything, and his silence is more than alarming. Your eyes snap open as you begin to sit up a little taller once again.

“Carmy, what do you-. I mean, are you being serious?” you ask, your voice softer this time.

He thinks about it for a second before answering with, “Yeah.”

Your heart is pounding in your chest as you lean towards him, “Like right now? Are you-, like, proposing right now?”

“Well I don’t have a ring,” he begins, apologetically, which isn’t entirely true.

He has a ring. But he hadn’t brought it with him to New York thinking there’s no way he’d do it here. Because what if it had gotten lost in transit, or stolen on the subway, so he’d given it to Richie to hold onto while you were out of town.

“...But yeah. Why not? Let’s get married,” he repeats himself.

And this time, you’re sure he’s serious, leaving you, once again, speechless.

“Okay, hold on,” you stammer, in sheer and utter shock that this is happening. “Uh… let’s think this through.”

“Uh oh,” he teases, taking the upper hand.

“Oh shut up. We haven’t even talked about marriage yet, Carm! I-. There are lots of things we should… you know, discuss,” you explain, justifying your surprise.

“Like what?” he asks, unconvinced.

You think about it for a minute.

“Well for starters… I don’t want to have a huge wedding,” you admit.

“No. Definitely not,” he agrees, with a sigh of relief.

It’s not either of your styles. Thank God.

“Something small… maybe?” you suggest, hopeful.

“Like at the courthouse?” he says.

“Yeah,” you agree with a smile. “Though I think I’d like to have some sort of celebration after. For all of our friends and family, you know? Even if it’s just like… a dinner or something.”

“Yeah,” Carmy confirms. “That uh-, that sounds nice.”

“And no, you can’t cater it, nor will it be at the restaurant,” you state, making sure that’s clear before he even has the idea.

“I never said-,” Carmy begins to protest.

“But you were thinking it!”

He lets out a short laugh, shaking his head, because you know him too well.

“Do we invite your mom?” you ask, hesitantly.

He shoots you a look – the kind of look that says ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.’

“Carmy, she’s going to want to be there,” you insist.

You know they don’t have the best relationship, but you know it would be wrong not to.

“Do we have to?”

“I… think so.”

“Fine. But Mom gets invited to the after party. That’s it,” he negotiates firmly.

“Yeah, okay,” you agree.

You’re glad that’s settled.

“Should I get you a ring?” he asks you. He doesn’t want to spoil the surprise – that he already has a ring for you. And since the conversation seems so practical, he takes it as an opportunity to set you up for a surprise.

It’s not like you’ve pulled a few over on him in the past few years. No, definitely not.

“I mean, probably eventually,” you reply plainly. “But the ring’s not what’s important to me.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll take you over a ring any day, babe.”

He smiles, unsure of how he got so lucky.

“Should I get you one?” you ask, since you’re on the topic.

“What?”

“A ring.”

“Oh,” Carmy sounds, a little surprised by the question. He thinks about it for a second. There was no harm in skipping straight to wearing wedding bands, was there?

“Maybe just one of those bands made out of silicone… you know. That I can wear in the restaurant.”

“Sounds like something I can work with,” you smile, nodding your head with a sense of accomplishment.

“So it’s settled then. We’re getting married,” you state casually. It’s almost so casual that it’s painful as you giggle.

“Yeah,” he answers with a stupid, lovesick grin on his face.

“Should we shake on it?” you ask, and you’re only half-joking.

He shakes his head, grabbing your hands and pulling you closer to him in the bath tub, “How did I end up with such a silly fiance?”

Fiance.

It’s the first time you’re hearing it out loud, and you like the way the word sounds coming from him.

“And no, we will not be shaking on it,” Carmy continues, leaning in towards you as he sits up straight. “I can think of a lot more things we could do to consummate this decision.”

You raise an eyebrow, giggling as you lean in towards him, moving slowly through the water.

“In that case, I would love for you to show me,” you say, your voice soft as your lips are mere inches away from his.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

read: chapter four

taglist: @allthefandomstogether @gaysludge @sobshoney @harrysmatcha @starbritestarlite @tpwkkmila @cool-girl-is-hot @nunya7394 @galaxyprincess51-blog @carmensberzattos

#carmen berzatto x you #carmy berzatto #carmy x oc #the bear hulu #the bear fx #jeremy allen white #carmen 'carmy' berzatto #carmy berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto #carmy berzatto headcanon #the bear headcanon #carmy berzatto imagines #carmy berzatto fluff #make my heart surrender #still into you

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nathanroyalscotts · 3 months

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heya, folks! como estão?

sou veterana no mundinho dos jogos de rpg, mas até então nunca tinha passado aqui pela tag de 1x1. depois de tanto ficar observando, decidi criar vergonha na cara e fazer meu blog para me divertir por aqui também. enfim, podem me chamar de madu, tenho 24 anos e atendo por pronomes femininos (para mais infos, clicar aqui).

no momento, estou mais do que aberta para novos plots, e vou deixar algumas ideias que estou sedenta para colocar em prática abaixo do read more, caso tenha interesse em jogar comigo, é só entrar em contato pelo chat ou deixar o like que eu vou até você.

give me toxic exs that can’t get away from eachother. both act different and unruly when they’re together. they shouldn’t work, and they clearly dont because they broke up but there is a connection that keeps pulling them both into coming back.

we’re working on a movie/show together and we just finished our first kissing scene but when the director said “cut” we kept kissing a little longer because it was so good — and now there’s a weird tension between us because you’re dating someone else/i’m dating someone else/we’re both dating someone else but damn i want to keep kissing you

gimme a plot where muse a and muse b have been broken up for a little while, but one day muse a asks to meet up and confesses that they never told their parents that they broke up and they need muse b to pretend they’re still together and go to some family event with muse a. cue pretending to still be in love, arguing about why they broke up in the first place, fake kisses that turn hungry, all the yearning and pining, one of them still being in the love with the other !! the possibilities are endless (preferência por muse b)

Give me she’s an actual bitch but she’s a sub in bed and secretly attracted to him. And he’s an absolute sweetheart, a goofball but a dominant in bed and he pursues her even though she’s an absolute bitch to him but in bed he’s always in charge. (preferência por muse fem)

ok but who is going to give me f/f pop star x famous actress where they’re both each other’s biggest supporters and the actress goes to see her at her world tour in the vip tent and is singing along to every song and is so heart eyes at her superstar girlfriend ?? and in turn the pop star is always arm candy at award shows and writing songs about how much she loves her girlfriend and it’s just tooth rotting fluff ?? and there could be angst with time apart and conflicting schedules but they’re truly just so down bad for each other ?? hello ??

muse a and muse b are insanely different, so people are constantly shocked when they find out they’ve been friends for a long time. no one who imagine that’s not all they are, because they’ve been friends with benefits for a long time now, self-sabotaging their own relationships at times and swearing it’s just some fun until they find someone permanent. but of course feelings start to get involved and neither of them is willing to admit it because that would just fuck up what they have, right?

muse a and muse b were everything, their first real love and now that they’ve broken up neither of them are dealing with it like they should.i just want to see messy exes who truly adored each other, getting drunk on the weekends and showing up at doorsteps, not dealing with jealousy, always ending up tangled together even when it just makes everything worse. just angst and pining and desperation.

um plot inspirado na relação taylor x travis, uma cantora/atriz it girl que está se relacionando com um atleta famoso.

agora alguns casais que adoraria fazer plots inspirados, os nomes em negrito são os que tenho preferência em fazer, se não tiver nenhum marcado é porque não existe nenhuma preferência.

nathan x haley (one tree hill)

brooke x julian (one tree hill)

syd x carmy (the bear)

andie x ben (how to lose a guy in ten days)

penny lane x russell (almost famous)

patrick x katarina (10 things i hate about you)

tom x shiv (succession)

tara x jax (sons of anarchy)

evelyn x celia (the seven husbands of evelyn hugo)

daisy x billy (daisy jones and the six)

sally x harry (when harry met sally)

marianne x connell (normal people)

frances x nick (conversations with friends)

joey x rachel (friends)

#1x1 br #1x1 brasil #1x1 rp br

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kvetchlandia · 1 year

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Syd Shelton Brick Lane, London c.1978

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destinyc1020 · 2 days

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Speaking of the trades, they are really pushing Glen Powell lately and I wonder if it’s going to work. There have been many circumstances where Hollywood tries to tell the public who the next star is instead of it happening organically and it backfires. It’s like they almost actively reject the person. I have no opinion on the guy, really. He seems talented and likable enough and I’m looking forward to watching his new Netflix movie this weekend.

Lol all I could think about was JE when you said how Hollywood tries to push certain people instead of allowing it to happen organically lol 🤭🤭 His team works overtime boy! 😅

But anyway, speaking of Glen....I actually have a different view? I actually think he has a good chance at being the next "movie star" Anon.

He was already in "Top Gun: Maverick" with freaking Tom CRUISE. His film "Anyone But You" with Sydney Sweeney also did tremendously well at the box office, even to the surprise of most in Hollywood, and I'm sure that was in part due to him, and also in part due to Glen and Syd's fauxmanship that they heavily pushed during the press tour 👀....

Also, pretty soon, this summer, he'll be seen in the summer blockbuster "Twisters". This dude is definitely going places...I can feel it. He seems to know which films to pick if he wants to be a star. I don't see him doing too much indie film work.... and that's okay... that might not be his lane lol. He can leave the indie films to Timmy, Austin, Josh, Mike, and Paul lol 🤭

And let's not forget that "Hitman" also dropped to streaming.... So.... I def see him going far Anon! 😊 I'm not even shocked that Hollywood is pushing him right now. He has all the workings of a "movie star". He's nice-looking, he's charming, he has a mega-watt smile lol, he does blockbusters, etc.... Like, I totally GET IT.

I guess we'll see how well his career goes? 🤷🏾‍♀️ So far, it seems to be off to a good start.

At least with Glen, I can see why they are pushing him... whereas with JE (at least at the time), I didn't really understand where all the hype was coming from, and the dude STILL has never led a film before or even been in anything box-office worthy. 👀

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welightthefire · 2 years

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Table For Two ~ Part Five

In collaboration with @ageofnations

Jake Kiszka x OC x Josh Kiszka

Summary: “What started out as a new job unexpectedly became something more for Sydney Baker. There’s only room at the table for two… How will she navigate her feelings and come to a decision? How can she choose between two sides of the same coin?”

Warnings: fluff. lots of it

Word Count: ~8k

taglist // playlist // masterpost

A/N: besties in jake’s lane, this is for you (sorry for the late post; i’m slacking today ~Al)

Part Five

During the week, Syd and Jake spent more time talking with each other at work. There were short instances where they would lock eyes through the service window and shoot each other shy smiles from afar. Sometimes, in passing, Jake would rest his hand on the small of her back as he walked by in a gentle gesture to make her aware of him. He had gone out of his way multiple times to finish his side work early so he could go out to the dining room and help Syd finish hers just so he could have another excuse to talk to her. Danny didn’t mind at all because everything was getting done, but every now and again, Jake would lock eyes with his younger brother from across the empty dining room who would simply raise his eyebrows at him in response.

Jake had yet to mention anything about his feelings towards Syd to Sam, but he also was never the best at hiding things. He opted to stay quiet more often than not when something was on his mind or he was going through something, unlike the other two, who seemed to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Neither of his brothers pushed him on it. Sam was glad that Syd was expanding her friendships, especially with those whom he trusted the most. He loved to watch her bloom in front of his very eyes, something he had learned over the years was not the easiest for her to do. He was aware there was something more going on between Syd and Jake and despite wanting to call his older brother out on it, stayed silent and observed from the sidelines. He knew how Syd could get when she got worked up and never in a million years would do something to put her in a precarious situation.

It was nearing the end of the shift on Friday night and the others had plans to go back to Green’s for a trivia event. Josh had been talking about it all week, trying to rope as many people as he could into going so he could have a semi-solid team. He really wanted to go to try and win a round of drinks for everyone, but Syd had opted out the first time he brought it up. Even though she was a bookworm and knew many random facts, the last time at Green’s had brought out a side of her that she wasn’t ready to share again, especially now that her coworkers were also her friends.

Jake had taken her lead and made an excuse of his own - something about wanting to focus on whatever song he was working on - but didn’t tell anyone that he had finished the song a week earlier. It was the same one he was stuck on before he went to the park with Sam and Syd. The rest of that night, he spent his time holed up in his room plucking away at the strings as the melody came to him seamlessly. Thoughts of Syd rushed through his mind. Little snippets of the time they had spent together thus far.

The sparkle in her eye when she genuinely smiled.

How all of her teeth showed when she laughed too hard.

The way her green eyes crinkled at the corners when she was excited.

The plump pout of her lips when she was focused on putting an order together.

By the time it was three in the morning, he had accomplished his task and was exceedingly happy with the way it sounded. Whether he had found his muse, he wasn’t sure. What he did know was that without her presence, he never would have finished it.

Instead of taking his usual smoke break out in the back lot, Jake hung his apron on one of the shelves and made his way through the steel doors to the dining room. The area was mostly empty, save for a few patrons who were sitting at the bar and a group of loud teenagers in the back corner. Typically, it would be odd for it to be so slow on a Friday night. With the weather warming up and discounted beer specials at Green’s, a lot of their later-hour business was drawn away. Jake had to admit, it was a nice change of pace.

He sidled his way over to where Syd was standing with her back turned to him. She was getting ahead on her side work, taking the time to replenish the condiment caddies that topped the old wooden surfaces. In his approach, he thought about what he would say to her. He was certain he had formed some kind of a crush on the young woman, that much was true. There were some moments when he thought she might feel the same way, but there were other times when he wasn’t so sure. She wasn’t outwardly flirty with him, but her voice shifted in tonality when she spoke to him, unlike how it sounded when she spoke to the others. There seemed to be a softness in the way she carried herself around him; a vulnerability of sorts. While she still kept herself guarded at work, day by day he could see her resolve slipping away when they interacted.

Jake had decided to go out on a limb and see if she wanted to spend time with him one on one. He wouldn’t go so far as to call it a date, although he secretly had hoped it would feel like one. His plan was to do something low-key, yet romantic in a way that was effortless and casual. The nature of his idea was quite literally a variation of “Netflix and chill”, however, he didn’t have anything on his agenda that suggested the ulterior motive. Despite his nervous thoughts telling him not to, he moved closer to her and reached around her side to give her a swift poke in the space between her hip and her ribcage where the string of her apron wrapped around her middle.

Syd jumped up with a slight yelp in response and swung around to face Jake. The look in her eyes melted into an expression of wonder as her forehead relaxed from the brief fright. Jake chuckled at her features as she stood there with a hand on her chest and the other poised in the air like she was about to smack him. He couldn’t help but adore how cute she looked in her position of slight confusion.

“Why would you do that?” She groaned as she moved her free hand to shove him gently in the shoulder instead.

Jake stepped up beside her and took on the task of helping her replace the sugar packets that had dwindled during the shift from the coffee drinkers. “I couldn’t resist,” he smirked with a shrug.

Syd shook her head as she reached her arm over to grab one of the metal caddies from the table beside them. “Shouldn’t you be taking your break?”

“Probably,” he hummed, depositing a final packet. “But I have a question for you, Slip.”

Syd paused what she was doing and turned her body to face the man beside her. Her brows were furrowed in curiosity, but her emerald eyes stayed bright and wide. She leaned her hip against the ledge of the table and jutted her leg out for additional support. Jake briefly glanced down over her stature as his eyes roamed over the curves she was unknowingly putting on display before meeting her gaze again.

She raised an eyebrow. “Go on…”

“Do you have a favorite movie?”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, twisting one of the rings on her forefinger with the tip of her thumb. “Jake, you know I’m not the biggest fan of small talk.”

He laughed and nudged her arm with his fingertips before propping it back on the table beside him. “Just answer the question.”

Syd took her time pondering her response. She sucked her plump lower lip in between her teeth as she brought her index finger up to her chin and seemed to search the air above Jake for the answer. He had a good feeling she already knew precisely the title of her favorite film and was deliberately trying to get a rise out of him. He decided to play into her little game and matched her position, tapping his foot silently against the worn linoleum of the diner. After a few silent moments of the two standing there facing off, Jake spoke again.

“You gonna tell me?”

“The Wizard of Oz.” She blurted out as her eyes came down to meet his once more.

“I don’t think I’ve seen that one all the way through yet.”

Syd’s jaw visibly dropped as she comprehended his statement. “You what?! Jake, it’s a classic!”

“I guess so,” he shrugged.

Jake had never been super into watching movies. That was more his twin’s style. He opted to spend the majority of his free time playing guitar or reading whatever random musician’s autobiography had piqued his interest. Sometimes he’d stay up until three or four in the morning sitting in the dark simply watching the Food Network. He found that sitting through an entire movie often caused him to fall asleep. It wasn’t to say the films weren’t interesting, but they didn’t work his brain like he preferred.

“Why do you ask?” Syd questioned as she reached up to push a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well,” Jake paused momentarily as he considered his wording. The confidence he had mustered up was beginning to fizzle out the longer he thought about it. “I-I was wondering if you wanted to come over for a movie night or something.” He fiddled with the hem of his jeans pocket as his eyes darted down to his scuffed work shoes.

The idea was new for the two of them, and it excited Syd more than anything. She grinned while she thought over her response. “Only if you play for me.”

“Play?”

“I’ve yet to witness this talent of yours, mister,” she jested. “I come over, you play a song for me!”

The ultimatum was one he couldn’t turn down, and he was elated to see where the night took them.

— — —

Jake’s home wasn’t anything extravagant. It was a small upstairs apartment in the heart of downtown. It was located above an old antique store. The shop’s hours worked well with his schedule so he never had to worry about disturbing the owner or the customers when he was awake until all hours of the night. There weren’t any neighbors in his building either, for which he was grateful. He could exist in peace as if he were the only person in the world.

Upon walking up the creaky stairway, his front door opened up to the living room. Three large windows that looked down over the street lined the furthest wall while a small selection of Jake’s favorite guitars hung mounted on the adjoining wall where the television would normally be. A long, oak entertainment stand sat below them with a dusty Victrola record player directly in the middle. There were two sets of bookends placed on either side of it with records lined up between them. In the corner where the last window met the corner, a sleek acoustic guitar with a tobacco sunburst varnish rested its neck against the aluminum frame of a guitar stand.

Various pieces of art and old family pictures hung upon the wall around the windows. Most of the pictures were of Jake and his siblings as they were growing up. One of them captured a moment of the twins swaddled up in a bassinet together whereas another showed Jake with a huge grin on his face holding a brand new cherry red electric guitar with a large white bow stuck to it.

In the middle of the room, there was a small coffee table that housed a collection of random things; a wooden dish that held a vast array of different guitar picks, a book that was flipped over with its pages spread open against the smooth surface, a modest guitar amp running into an extension cord that led across the room into his kitchen. A scattered line of pedals adorned the carpet beside the leg of the table, some plugged in, others not. The plush sofa sat behind it with a mountain of pillows and blankets thrown on top along with his laptop and charger, and a plastic bag filled with snacks and other things from the local supermarket.

As Jake stood there in his sweatpants, he huffed and stared at the room trying to decide what to tackle first. Deciding it was best to clear the room, he got to work cleaning up the mess of pedals and unplugging his amp. They ended up being haphazardly piled on top of the coffee table and the entire piece of furniture was ultimately pushed to the far side of the room beneath the windows. Leaving the mound of stuff on the cushions, he worked to move the couch backward a foot or so towards the area of his kitchen that was supposed to serve the purpose as a dining room but instead acted as a space that usually housed more of his equipment.

Leaving one of the wooden end tables where it was set up, Jake stalked over to where the blankets were and heaved them across the room. One by one, they were laid out on the floor in layers, creating soft padding atop the rough surface of the old carpet. He made sure to lay out the comforter off his bed last to ensure the utmost comfort and set a large velvety throw blanket to the side. Every single pillow in the apartment was leaning perfectly along the length of the plinth base of the sofa and left a cushioned barrier against the rather firm structure.

Syd had texted him before he got in the shower, letting him know when she got home. She had said there were a few things she had to take care of before she left to head over to Jake’s place. His pulse quickened in a slight panic as he checked the time and realized exactly how much time he had spent rearranging his living room. Although he was nearly done bringing his idea to fruition, the most tedious part was yet to come.

Jake rushed down the hall to his room to get the spare guitar stands he kept in his closet. After speedily setting them up at each corner of the makeshift bed, he secured a dark sheet to each one with zip ties he had stored in his junk drawer. It created a nice canopy over the space, however, he wasn’t quite satisfied.

He took the box of icicle-style Christmas lights out of the bag and all but ripped it open to gain access to its contents. There was extra care put into stringing each piece around the metal tripods. He meticulously mapped out which string would fall where so there would be little to no effort plugging them into the extension cord.

The sudden sound of his phone ringing caught his attention as he worked. He thought it might be his twin since no one else bothered to call him at the late time of night, but was surprised when Syd’s contact displayed across the screen.

“Hey, what’s up?” He pressed the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he situated his laptop beneath the fort and pulled up her favorite movie on Amazon.

“Just letting you know I’ll be there in five.” Her sweet voice flowed through the receiver, resulting in a wave of ease washing over him.

“Sweet. It’s the red door next to Al’s Antiques. Just come on up. Door’s unlocked.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

Jake could hear the smile on her face before the line went dead. It still amazed him how in tune with her he was, despite only really seeing her at work. Whether it was due to his natural tendency to be observational or if he simply liked her that much, he couldn’t be sure. He had hoped that she would be receptive to his idea. From his visit to her apartment, he could tell that she enjoyed the cozier things in life. While he didn’t have plants hanging in front of every window or a snuggly feline companion to complete the curated space, Jake was positive that she would at the very least be surprised by the gesture.

Making his way out of the fort on his hands and knees, he made his way around the room to collect any of the trash he had left amid his rampant setting up of the room. He pulled two beers from the refrigerator and walked back over to the table beside the fort, flicking off the overhead lights as he passed by.

His eyes checked the time on the microwave from across the expanse of his living room. Syd could walk in at any second and he still didn’t have a shirt on. He all but ran to his room, nearly skidding into the wall at the end of the hallway as his bare feet pulled the rug with him. The contents of his drawers were strewn across his room as he had neglected to do laundry at all that week and settled on a worn white t-shirt that said “church of rock n’ roll” across the front in black. He slipped it over his head as he heard a quiet knock on the door and then the sound of the latch slipping open.

As he made his way back down the hall, an excited smile snuck across his lips. Jake shook his fingers through his hair at the back of his head before he lifted his eyes to where the front door was shut back into place. Syd stood there with a canvas backpack hanging off one shoulder as she toed off her sandals and pushed them next to where Jake’s boots sat next to the baseboard of the wall. The too-big cream cardigan fell off the ball of her shoulder exposing the thin strap of the army green tank top she wore beneath it. A dark pair of leggings covered the length of her legs while a pair of light-colored fuzzy socks covered her feet. Her hair was let loose, falling in random waves down her back. If Jake thought she was generally adorable, he didn’t have words to describe her in that instance.

Syd’s expression was unreadable as she stood there taking a moment to look around the new space. Her eyes traveled along the wall of guitars towards the windows and then down to the pillow fort that Jake had taken his time to construct. The warm glow from the lights caused her eyes to twinkle when she looked up at him with a soft smile.

“What’s all this?” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke. Jake walked up to her and took the bag off her shoulder, setting it down gently on the entertainment stand to the side of them.

Jake shrugged. “It was like this when I got home. I’m not sure what happened.”

Syd tried to fight the grin that was creeping up on her. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of a reaction to his joke, but she failed in controlling her smile and giggle. “You’re so full of it.”

She took a few steps towards the fort and touched the end of one of the zip ties holding the corner of the sheet to the guitar stand. She was impressed with his ingenuity but wondered why on earth Jake would randomly have zip ties hanging around in his home. He was creative, that was for sure, but she didn’t really take him for the fixer-upper type. She took it upon herself to explore the structure further, her curiosity taking over.

Jake, on the other hand, felt his nerves build up again as he watched her small frame crouch down and peer into the fort. From his viewpoint in front of the door, he could vaguely see a spot in the middle of the sheet jump up. He assumed Syd had decided to test its integrity. It was clear to him that she was interested in his project and wasn’t turned off by the idea.

“When I was a kid, I used to love building forts. I’d steal some of my brother’s and Ronnie’s stuff and just make a fort around my bed.” Jake rambled to fill the silence.

Syd poked her head up at the mention of the girl’s name. “Ronnie?”

“My little sister.” Jake chuckled. “I’m sure I haven’t mentioned her before.”

Syd hummed at the information and stood up, her eye catching the photos hung up on the wall.

“She was the one who would get me in trouble for it the most. She’d tell Mom that I stole her blankets and then I would get in trouble every time I made forts.”

“Well now you don’t have to worry about that, do you?”

“Exactly,” Jake beamed.

He watched as Syd worked her way over to the photos. Her fingers danced along the edge of the frame of the Christmas photo and moved up to delicately trace the outline of Jake’s shorter hair. She was so gentle in her actions as she viewed a part of Jake’s past that he held close to his heart. Not many people knew he could be so sentimental, but here he was, letting this anomaly of a woman inside his world.

“Is this the guitar your dad bought you?” She turned around to look at him with a soft smile.

“That’s the one.” Jake made his way over to join her and plucked the frame off the wall to admire the memory. He looked at the woman next to him with a grin identical to the one he was wearing in the photograph. “I didn’t think you’d remember that.”

Syd leaned in close to take another peek at the photo in his hands. The ends of her long tresses brushed against the skin of his forearm and made him shiver from the tickling sensation. “Of course I did. It’s important to you.”

His heart fluttered at her admission as he hung the frame back in its place and turned towards the fort. “So, do you like it?”

“I love it,” she smiled and bent down to crawl into the cavern, taking the spot the furthest inside.

Jake let out a bated breath and felt all tension rise off his shoulders. He was so relieved to hear her approval. The thought had plagued him the entire night at work that it would be too much, and he didn’t want to risk crossing any boundaries. Syd had earned a special place in Jake’s heart. There was a tenderness there that he hadn’t felt for anyone before and while he was aware that this wasn’t a relationship, he almost hoped it could be someday.

He found himself going out of his way to be around her. It was as if her presence was his drug; completely intoxicating. Jake was doing things for her that he had never done for any other girl before. Sure, he had a few flings in high school, but it was more so to entertain the social standard than anything else. There were never any serious feelings other than raging teenage hormones that required exploration.

“So, you said you like The Wizard of Oz?” He questioned as he bent down to join her.

“Yeah,” she breathed out as she pulled her knees up to her chest and tucked one of her feet beneath the other. “It’s one of my childhood favorites.”

Jake wasn’t oblivious to her subtle body language, as she spoke. “You comfortable? Hot, cold?”

“I’m alright…” she let her voice trail off, an obvious sign that she was holding back. Jake lifted an eyebrow, trying to extract the full truth from her while also reminding her that she could be honest with him. She smiled bashfully before she finally gave in and corrected herself. “Okay, I’m a little chilly,” she said, pulling her cardigan closer to wrap around her frame.

“Wait here,” he said before rushing to his room and pulling his last throw blanket out of the closet, a quilt that his mom had gifted him upon graduating high school. She had taken each of his soccer jerseys and team shirts and stitched them together into a large blanket. He didn’t bring it out much, afraid that the usage would cause the seams to fray and text to rub off, but he didn’t mind using tonight as an exception.

He returned to the living room with haste and smiled at Syd while he draped the cover over her. He was reminded of the night he was doing this same action after they returned from Green’s, although this time, she wasn’t already asleep by the time the gesture was completed. In fact, she was beaming at him while he worked, showing that same smile that made his skin prickle and stomach buzz.

“Good?” He somehow managed to breathe out once he was finished arranging the blanket.

She pulled the fabric to her chest and let her arms fall over the top of it, still smiling like an idiot at his kindness. “Perfect.”

Jake released a breath he wasn’t aware that he had been holding. He was pleased with her answer, glad that she didn’t feel the need to withhold the truth in her answer this time. He similarly situated himself as her, legs outstretched in front of him with his back resting against the pillows separating them from the rough edge of the sofa. Although they weren’t touching, he could feel her body heat radiating from her clothed shoulder, and it seemed to send electricity throughout his body.

Syd lifted the edge of the blanket closest to him. “Don’t let me hog all of the warmth over here,” she said.

He wasn’t necessarily cold, so he hesitated in her offer, but the idea of being even closer to her made his head spin. Although he knew she was halfway joking, he didn’t want to reject the proposition, so he scooted closer and took the fabric she was holding up, wrapping it around himself and letting out a pleased sigh.

“So,” she started again. She had dropped her hand back to the blanket, tracing over some of the letters and symbols in the various patches. “Soccer?”

“Yep, and no matter what Sam says to you, I was pretty damn good,” he said with a grin.

She giggled at his confidence. “Could’ve gone pro, huh?”

“Oh, absolutely,” he said, matching her sarcastic tone. He watched as the apples of her cheeks flashed a soft pink color while her laughter gained volume. He followed her eyes as they shifted about the fabric, and he began to point at each of the patches in her view. “This one was the first soccer team I joined, and all of the ones in this row are from the same team, just different years. There are travel teams, teams from middle school, and teams from high school all on this blanket.”

He paused, glancing up at her while she absorbed the information. He let his gaze drop before continuing. “This one-” he reached across her, causing the softest of breaths to hitch in her throat. “-is from my senior year of high school. Last time playing the sport,” he finished. He still had his arm hovering over her form when their eyes locked, and they shared a wordless moment before he slowly shifted back to his normal position.

Syd was the first to speak again. “So sentimental,” she noted with a huff.

“Says you,” he jabs, leaning forward to press the spacebar to start the movie. “Exactly how many times have you watched this movie?”

“I’m honestly not sure,” she said, almost sheepishly, looking down at her hands and beginning to twist her rings out of habit. “I watched it a lot as a kid, and I just… haven’t stopped really. It’s like a comfort movie.”

Her apprehension didn’t go unnoticed by Jake. From her tone to the way her fingers worked on the gold and silver bands decorating the digits, he could tell she was almost embarrassed at her admission.

“Hey,” he prodded delicately. Before he could talk himself out of it, he boldly grabbed the hand that was closest to him and held it with both of his in his lap. He gently began to spin the ring around, taking over the task she had assigned herself. She looked at him with her brows slightly furrowed, waiting for him to continue. “It’s cool how much you like it. I think it’s cute,” he admitted.

Syd’s expression relaxed as the tension fizzled from her shoulders. She glanced down at his hands, watching as his fingers danced around hers, and back up to his eyes. A spoken response was unnecessary, and she chose to reply to his kindness with a smile, to which he returned.

“Now, I just gotta figure out why you like it so much,” he chuckled.

She shook her head as she transferred her focus to the laptop in front of them. “I still can’t believe you’ve not watched it.”

He shrugged defensively. “Well, that’ll change tonight won’t it?”

As much as he promised himself that it would change, that he’d give his undivided attention to the movie, it was far from what transpired. Instead, he found himself watching Syd in the corner of his eyes, almost as if she was the star of the film. The way her eyes lit up like the morning sun each time one of her favorite parts would show itself on the screen. The way she’d sing and sway along to the jovial songs in each scene. It all reminded him of how she was at Green’s, singing and dancing without a care in the world, and even now, he couldn’t bring himself to look away from her. He unfortunately still couldn’t say that he loved the movie, considering he wasn’t paying attention to it at all, but he could confidently say that he loved how much she loved it.

Before long, she seemed to tire herself out, letting the songs and familiarity of the movie lull her to a more groggy state. Her singing and dancing had been reduced to the occasional squeeze of her hand that was still wrapped in Jake’s. She had let her head fall to his shoulder before she completely turned her body to his, placing her other hand on his stomach and nuzzling her nose into him. The position was awkward and uncomfortable for her, but with how cold the tip of her nose was against his collarbone, she didn’t seem to be worried about the discomfort. Her drunken and drowsy words from the night after Green’s rang through his mind.

Will you lay with me? You’re so warm.

He chuckled at the memory and glanced down at her while she cuddled against him. “Looking for some more warmth, are ya?”

She nodded, letting out a soft ‘mhm’ in response. It was obvious she was not going to make it through the entirety of the movie.

“Here,” he whispered, finally disconnecting their hands so he could lift his arm and place it around her, allowing her access to get as close to him as she pleased. He reached down, placing his hand under the bend of her knee to drape her leg over his. “How’s that?” he questioned once they both had made themselves comfortable again.

The hand that was originally placed on his stomach slid across his torso to wrap around his waist. She let out a deep breath at the proximity, inhaling his cologne and natural musk and letting it waft through her senses. She didn’t answer him, much too lost in her own world of comfort.

“Slip?” he tried again.

“Hmm?”

He huffed another laugh at her listlessness. “You’re comfortable, right?”

A mumble and a lethargic nod were all he received in response before she fully relaxed and her breathing evened out. He knew there was no point in it, mostly since she was already asleep and wouldn’t feel it, but he began to run his fingers against her scalp and through her hair.

He attempted to at least watch the last half of the film, but he found that it was hard to understand without the context the first portion provided. Instead, he rested his head against Syd’s and looked at the scene he was currently in. It all was perfect, exactly how he pictured it to be, and he wanted to live in it forever. Each time that he was around her, he felt something new. And each time he was this close to her, he could feel pure bliss along with an array of emotions he had yet to discover.

As he surveyed the area, thinking about the girl under his arm and wrapped around him, he caught sight of one of the many guitar stands that were serving as the structure that held the fort up. Whether it was the perfection in the situation or the sight of the stand that prompted the urge, he decided that he’d strum a few chords on his acoustic. He didn’t want to leave her side, but with the knowledge that she’d be in his home for the rest of the night, he felt secure in his decision to withdraw just briefly.

He waited awhile before detaching himself from Syd, working carefully to not wake her. The skills he had learned before came in handy to shift her into a more comfortable position, laying her to rest flush against the comforter rather than propped against the couch. He noticed a few strands of her hair had fallen in front of her eyes, so he gently brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. His last feat was to crawl out of the fort, with which he was successful.

He softly walked to where his guitars were hanging, careful to avoid the spots of flooring he knew would creak if they were stepped on. As soon as he grabbed the neck of the acoustic, he smiled to himself, overjoyed at the realization that Syd’s presence and company inspired him so much. Once he retrieved the guitar, he attempted to sneak another glance at the sleeping beauty, but he found that his line of sight was obscured by the top of the fort. He quickly and quietly propped the guitar up against the wall, shuffling to the kitchen to retrieve a pair of scissors from his junk drawer.

He cautiously began to disassemble the canopy of the fort, snipping zip ties, folding sheets, and moving guitar stands. Syd only stirred once while Jake completed the task, but she quickly fell back into her state of rest. As he finished cleaning the area, he smiled down at her peacefulness, glad to finally see her again, although it had only been a few minutes since he was wrapped up with her.

He used the sheets from the top of the fort to make a small pallet for himself in the corner of the room. They were placed on the floor beside the guitar he propped against the wall, a sufficient distance away to hopefully not wake Syd while also close enough to admire her.

The floor quietly creaked under him as he sat and placed the guitar in his lap. He plucked a few strings experimentally, seeing if she’d wake at the noise while he scoured his mind of what song he wanted to play. He settled on an easier one, one that made him think of her and one that was soft enough for the nighttime. The sweet melodies that filled the room only made him smile more, prompting him to sing along.

Eventually, the song lulled Syd to a brief state between wake and unconsciousness. Exhaustion still ran rampant through her body, so she didn’t open her eyes or move a muscle. She was unsure if she was experiencing the real sounds and comfort of the setting, but there was one noticeable difference that convinced her she was only dreaming: Jake’s absence.

She remembered falling asleep beside him, and she assumed he would’ve fallen asleep soon after she did. In the slim chance that had woken right when he left briefly, she continued to rest and indulge in the dreamlike state she found herself in.

She paid attention to the details of her surroundings. The warmth of the comforter was still prevalent and paired with the smell of him. She absentmindedly nuzzled into the fabric, trying to get as close to what she believed to still be Jake’s sleeping form. The noise that surrounded her was no longer Dorothy and her friends in Oz. It was the tune of a guitar, playing along to the husky humming and whispering of what sounded like Jake.

She assumed that her mind had formed another fantasy of finally being able to hear him play the guitar, this time while he sang along. She let herself live in the sensation of his song, letting it envelop her into another wave of deep slumber while she listened to the barely audible lyrics.

I'd give you the sun if you asked me

You could have all of the time

You could have the stars and the trees

When dividing up the universe, you could have mine

— — —

The sound of chirping birds and the comforting scent of coffee caused Syd to stir out of restful sleep. She untucked her hands from under her chin and stretched her arms out high above her head, feeling the pull on her muscles as they were pulled into motion. As she rubbed her eyes, the bright light of the morning sun revealed a slight change in scenery as opposed to when she had fallen asleep.

The blanket that was previously acting as a canopy was folded up neatly on the cushion behind her and most of the stands that were used to prop it up had been taken down and set to the side on the floor. The guitar that was previously mounted in the corner was now sitting on the remaining tripod that caught Syd’s attention. She didn’t recall him ever playing before she fell asleep and wondered when he had done it without waking her up. Jake was nowhere to be seen, except the space next to her was still warm from his body heat. She couldn’t help but blush at the fact that not only had she stayed the night at his apartment, but she had also slept next to him. It was completely innocent, yet out of character for her.

The only time she had ever spent the night at someone else’s home was when she and Sam had stayed up too late and she ended up passing out on his couch. It wasn’t that it made her uncomfortable to sleep somewhere else, she merely enjoyed her own bed too much and didn’t like to wake up without Delta there to greet her.

Assuming Jake had wandered off to use the bathroom, she rolled over into his spot and cuddled up to his pillow. She closed her eyes and took in the warm scent of his cologne that was becoming familiar to her. The corners of her mouth tipped up as she melted into the comfort, reminded of how closely she was wrapped up in him the night before.

As she lay there basking in her blissful state, her stomach rolled as Jake’s smiling face presented itself in her mind’s eye. He was so sweet to her in ways nobody ever was before. She had no idea what his thought behind the creation of the pillow fort was, but it had caught her by surprise in the best way. There was a giddiness she felt, a natural high as she lived in those moments with Jake. It was so intimate, yet lighthearted. There were no expectations, no rules that they had to follow.

Perhaps it was the inevitable flow of their friendship. Syd felt a different kind of connection with Jake than she did with the others, even Sam. There was a simplicity to it; a different kind of comfort where no matter where she was or what she was doing, it was safe with Jake. It was the same kind of feeling she had when she was younger and would go over to her grandparents’ home in the winter.

The way Jake made her feel was reminiscent of when she would sit in front of the fireplace with a steaming mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows while she wore her favorite pajamas. His presence was the same as how she would sit there on the floor while her grandparents sat on the couch behind her wrapped up together while the three of them watched The Wizard of Oz. His voice reminded her of the gentle way the snow would glitter and glisten through the illumination of the porch light. It was as if he was the embodiment of a cherished memory or a warm embrace.

The soft clunk of ceramic being placed on a table pulled Syd out of her thoughts. Through her sleepy haze, she gazed up at Jake with the utmost affection in her eyes. He had his palm wrapped around a mug as he stood there with a glint in his eye. Syd pushed herself up onto her elbows and shimmied her body over just slightly so Jake could take his spot back. As he moved to sit down next to her, he offered the coffee with a kind smile.

“Mornin’ slip,” his husky voice cracked as he spoke his first words of the day.

Syd adjusted herself and took the cup filled with dark liquid graciously. With her first sip, she shot Jake a thankful smile.

“How did you sleep?”

“Really good,” she responded quietly and moved her legs closer to Jake’s so they were touching. “But I think you owe me a song.”

Jake chuckled at her humor coming into play so early and clicked his tongue at her. He jut his index finger out in a sideways “L” shape and leaned forward to grab his guitar. “I’m not a singer, though.”

He situated himself so he was turned around, facing the woman before him. The body of the guitar was tucked under his arm, the polished wood cool against his skin. Jake grabbed the black pick that was wedged between the strings in his two fingers and strummed along the nickel strings one time through, creating a soft harmony between the open notes.

He took a deep breath to calm himself as his eyes locked with Syd’s. There was no need for him to be nervous around her, yet he found himself trembling slightly as he tried to ground himself. She picked up on his hesitancy and reached forward to brush a stray chestnut strand from in front of his eyes, letting her fingers linger against his cheek for just a moment. That was all he needed as she stayed poised and attentive while he strummed down the first chord he had written.

Syd closed her eyes as she listened to the simple back and forth of the chord progression. There were slight intricacies in the way that Jake played, plucking at a few of the individual strings before he played the second note again and repeated that pattern throughout the first verse. The music elicited the same emotion she was already feeling, except it was amplified to the point where she thought her chest might burst at the overwhelming feeling of it all.

You’ve been waiting for your lover…

When you’ll discover

she’s always there

Her eyes shot open at the smooth sound of Jake’s voice which caught her by surprise. His body was swaying back and forth just slightly while he worked the instrument with his nimble fingers. The expression on his face was peaceful as the soft line of his eyelashes dusted the tops of his cheekbones. Syd couldn’t find the words to speak as her ears absorbed the beauty flowing through the air around her.

As Jake finished the song, he let out a nervous laugh while the pretty girl in front of him sat staring at him with her jaw slack. “Okay, you’re scaring me, Slip.”

She snapped out of her daze, raising her eyes to meet his and she spoke softly. “What song is that? I’ve never heard it before.”

“I- I wrote it myself. Finished it just a few days ago actually.” Jake fiddled with the pick between his thumb and forefinger as he took a moment to look down at his busy hands.

“You wrote that?”

“Yeah, is it bad?”

“No! Not at all.” The corners of Syd’s lips quirked up in a soft smile as she took Jake’s restless fingers and intertwined them in between her own. “I really liked it.”

“Yeah? You’re not just lying to me?”

“I would never lie about this. Not to you.”

In the midst of the tender moment between the two, an abrupt chiming startled Syd as she jumped at the sudden interruption. She removed her hands from Jake’s and grasped her phone from the couch cushion behind her. An alert banner displayed across the screen.

Library before work

She hummed to herself as she got up and slowly started to gather her things. “I kind of wish we didn’t have to go in today.”

“You have somewhere to be?” Jake chuckled, wondering whether or not he should offer to bring her to work with him.

Syd stood there stuffing her feet into her sandals as she hoisted her backpack onto her right shoulder. “Yeah, I’m gonna try and make it to the library. Gotta feed the beast, ya know?”

Jake followed Syd outside and down the stairs to where her car was parked on the curb. He didn’t need to see her off, especially since he would see her again in just a few hours. All he wanted to do was prolong his time with her so he could soak up her presence. She opened the passenger side door and tossed her bag onto the seat as he stood there with his hands in his pockets. He fiddled with the in-seam when he cleared his throat.

“Did you really like it?” His tone carried a wave of hesitance as his eyes darted across her features, looking for any inkling of doubt.

Syd crossed the sidewalk until she was standing nearly right against him and reached forward to draw one of his hands up into both of hers. Her viridescent irises displayed nothing but absolute honesty as she looked up at him in earnest.

“I loved it, Jake.”

She leaned up on the tips of her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek that ignited a spark along Jake’s skin. Syd held the contact a few moments longer than necessary, not that he was complaining at all, and pulled away with the hint of a blush growing along the apples of her cheeks. She surprised herself with such a bold move, but at the sight of Jake’s warm smile, she was glad she had done it.

“I’ll see you at work, yeah?”

Syd saw his eyes flick to her lips and back to her eyes before he responded, almost breathlessly. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

She gave his hand one last squeeze before she moved to the driver’s side of her car. Jake returned his hand to his pocket and slowly backed away from the vehicle once he heard the engine start. He kept a smile on his face, but an aching feeling grew with the distance between them. He started to miss her before she had even left his property, but especially once her car had completely left his line of sight.

———

part 6>>>

Table For Two Taglist: @joshkiszkas @haleylovesgvf @loofypoofy @hoeforstevienicks @gretavanfleas @myownparadise96 @satanplayshisfluteforhim @tearsofbri @lvnterninthenight @gretavansteph @angelqueen99 @sammiejane22 @doodle417 @way-to-go-lad @fan-girl-97 @weightofdreams-gvf @ashabeannn @jenna-gvf @callmebymym @sammyslappers @gretavancreep @streamingcolors-gvf @ascendingtostardust @gretavanbitches @pinkcardinalsuitsam @josiee-gvf @shesawomaninadream @niallsboxx

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fire-emblem-drabbles · 2 years

Note

Hey Syd!! If you're taking jojo requests may I request Prosciutto + 11 and 12? Thank you!! 🙂💞

Pairing: Yandere! Prosciutto x reader

Prompt(s): "I want to touch you so much, I can hardly hold myself back". & "My heart, my love, my touch... It's all yours for the taking."

Description: With a grunt and a heavy sigh, you pull yourself into the strange machine and settle into it. Though it was comfortable, you can't help but be nervous you had to leave all your equipment with Charon. Not like you could use it in a simulation, but still... Your felt naked without a gun. You were alone here in this vault. But in one of these other chambers sat your father and you would have to pull him out...

Rating: sfw

Content Warning: yandere, simulations, there is so much gaslight gatekeeping girlbossing done by pros, cross over with fallout 3 because I wanted it but dw I just stole setting, umm imprisonment, manipulation, ask to tag

Word Count: 2092

Notes: Happy 4 am tumblr I am now making this fic your problem! I had a lot of fun with this one despite it being my first time writing pros sdlfkjsdfklj I hope I did him justice Taha but this idea came to me in a 1 am haze and I’ve sat here working on it for the past few hours.

Edited: The Same Day, actually. Don’t post things at 4 am folks they’re be riddled with mistakes

When you came here, you knew it was with a purpose. There was something you had to do. Someone you were here to see… to save, even. But as time went by, minutes melting to hours in pleasant nothingness, it was getting so hard to remember, and much easier to forget.

You weren’t use to such perfectness. But pretty blue skies and soft, green grass were welcome feelings; they certainly weren’t bad just unfamiliar. But what was it that you were use to…? Your hands felt empty often. Even in such a safe place, there was always a feeling of dread stalking you. As if you always had to watch your back.

But Tranquility Lane welcomed you all the same, with familiar and strange smiling faces.

“I don’t think I belong here.” You sit, idle, at the small park in the center of the cul de sac. You swing gently on a swing a little too small for your frame. You’re one true friend here, the only creature you felt you could trust, your dog sits silent at your feet. “Dogmeat…” The familiar name falls off your lips but you get the feeling that… this isn’t Dogmeat.

But, what other dog could it be?

“Do you remember how we got here, Dogmeat?” You look down to the dog that rests are your feet, watching the way his ears fold down at your words. “Where… were we before we moved here?” You hadn’t been here long, or at least you thought that…

“_____, there you are.” A smooth voice pulls you from your thoughts. “I was looking for you.”

“Oh, Prosciutto.” His name falls from your lips easily. You smile, just so he doesn’t worry over your long face. He was the first person to warm up to you here, after all. The only one that really opened up to you. “I’m sorry I was just… thinking, is all.”

“Thinking?” He pauses in front of you, sending a fleeting, unreadable glance to the dog by your feet. “What about?” He leans casually against the shiny pole of the swing set.

“You’ll think it’s silly…” For some reason, when he was near, it got harder to think. Harder to remember.

Easier to forget.

“But… I feel like I don’t belong here, sometimes.” You admit to him. Your eyes don’t leave Dogmeat. He stands and moves to sit behind you. Away from Prosciutto. “I mean… Dogmeat and I stick out like a sore thumb.” You laugh a little.

“I don’t think so.” He shakes his head as you meet his gaze. “You guys brought new life to this place. I’m glad you’re here.” He gives you a charming smile. One where you can see the little gap between his front teeth. It comforts you, if only a little.

“Thank you for saying that. But… Sometimes I get these dreams. Some of them are just strange… others, really scary.” You grip the chain of the swing, eyes trained on the perfect shine of Prosciutto’s shoes. You couldn’t even think of what they were called. Only that they were much fancier than anything you had ever owned.

“They’re just dreams, _____. I wouldn’t worry too much about them.” He sounds so confident. So sure of himself.

“They feel so real though.” You run your hands down the length of the chains, until you reach the bottom. You then stand, frowning as you catch his gaze. “The world in my dreams… isn’t very pretty. In fact, it’s ugly. It’s not easy to survive there.” You look to Dogmeat. “The two of us… Dogmeat and I. We wondered that wasteland. I never went anywhere without a gun in my hand.” Your fingers twitch against a trigger that’s not there.

“You know that’s not real though, _____.” Prosciutto grabs your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re safe here. Those dreams can’t get you.” He grows a little bolder, other hand grasping your shoulder. “I won’t let anything hurt you.” You feel your heart pound fast in a moment of embarrassment, before you compose yourself.

“I can take care of myself, thank you.” You retract yourself from him, and make a fair distance between the two of you. Ever careful, Dogmeat rises with you. You can tell he’s watching Prosciutto as much as you are now. “I thought… you would understand, but I suppose I was mistaken.” You shake your head. “Sorry to bother you, Prosciutto.” You turn to take your leave, going to return to the house that was yours. Or at least, that you claimed as your own.

“____, wait.” You pause as Prosciutto jogs a moment to catch up to you. The nice dress you’re wearing feels itchy and strange all the sudden. Too clean. “Please, I didn’t mean to brush you off, I just…” He sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Forgive me for being so bold… I meant only that if you feel scared, or that you fee you are in danger, you can rely on me.”

“Well…” You pause on the word, looking to Dogmeat before looking back to Prosciutto. “I suppose I forgive you.” You sigh. The next breath you take feels heavy and thick. “I think I’m just on edge. There’s definitely something wrong here. I’m gonna figure it out… but it would be nice if I could count of you while I do that.” Dogmeat whimpers, pulling on the skirt of your dress to get your attention. You pat his head to comfort him, keeping your eyes trained on Prosciutto.

“Oh dear…” You see Prosciutto sigh, and roll his eyes. You feel a sudden chill go through you, and the urge to defend yourself hits you. But your shock, your horror, keeps you rooted in place. The air has changed between the two of you. “You’re just too smart for your own good… and you ask too many questions, just like your father.”

“My father?” Realization hits you straight in the face. “W-wait those aren’t just dreams… this, this isn’t reality.” You take a step back, back into Dogmeat. But… it wasn’t really him.

Who was this dog? He wasn’t a dog at all... You remember. There had to be a person behind that facade...

“Prosciutto I…” Your head hurts, so bad. You know its not real. That this is a simulation. But you’re not in control here. “You keep… keep making me forget.” You hold your head, nails digging into your hair. This pain is worse than the shot of a gun, or the deafening blow of a grenade.

“Shh, you’re okay…” Prosciutto is ready to support you, take you into his arms and support your quickly crumpling weight. “You just need to relax. And forget. Just let me take care of it.” You’re powerless to escape his hold. To fight whatever power he has over you here.

“I… need to save my father. I gotta.. gotta leave…” You lean heavily on Prosciutto for support.

“Still so eager to leave me?” He sighs softly as he holds you. “Surely what I have to offer is much better then what you’ve faced in that wasteland. Why would you want to go back?” He huffs. Your thoughts are still thick, foggy like bad weather in the capital wasteland, but you manage to speak.

“People… need our help.” It was so far away but you could barely recall. Something your dad had talked about all your life… He wanted it so bad that you, too wanted it. What was that dream you shared…?

“People need you?” Prosciutto snorts. It's the most imperfect, the most ugly, you can recall him being.

You get the feeling the two of you have been in this situation before.

This wouldn’t be the last time.

“What about me? I need you! I want to touch you so much I can hardly hold myself back.” His words make you feel strange. You feel like that should make you recoil. If anyone else had said that to you they would be met with a bullet in the hand that dared grab you.

But Prosciutto just holds you tighter.

“Why do you have to make this so difficult? I play the perfect gentlemen every time. I take it slow. I play cat and mouse with you time and time again. But you always seem to remember that something isn’t right here.”

The world has changed, you think. That, or in your confused state, Prosciutto has taken you somewhere alone. No one else here could help you, though. They’re just as powerless as you.

Why were you fighting with Prosciutto again?

“_____, you’ve lit a flame I thought died in me centuries ago.” The number rings in your head. Prosciutto didn’t look older than 30… “My heart, my love, my touch… it’s all yours for the taking. I made this world for us to share.”

“I… don’t need anything like that.” Even as you said the words though, you doubted them. Were you anything without Prosciutto?

“Last time, you told me that you’d be trapped in the body a dog like your father then be forced to be with me.” You hear the words he says, but you can’t ascribe any meaning to them. They’re just as hollow as you. “Maybe this next time, you’ll tell me you love me.” Empty as you are, forced into this role, you can’t help but feel unhappy. Something compels you to speak-- a memory, nearly forgotten.

“You don’t… deserve my love.” You can hardly remember what those words mean, but they certainly have Prosciutto frowning.

“Well then I suppose it’s a good thing I can take it by force, isn’t it?” His words don’t carry the venom he wants them too. Your eyes have already closed, off to have another bad dream of a faraway wasteland with guns and wars.

Still, Prosciutto sighs.

You and your father have already been here for 3 months. It was taking longer and longer for you each time to recall this was a simulation but… would he always be able to stop you before it was too late?

Would he ever be able to convince you, the only person that had managed to capture his attention in all his years in this simulation, to love him?

When you came here, you knew it was with a purpose…

“...Prosciutto?” For some reason, you expect him to be lying right next to you in bed. But the spot remains cold and empty, crumpled blankets that had been once pressed clean and neat push aside in your restless sleep.

There was something you had to do.

“I… want to go see him.” Your heart beat fast at the thought of seeing him. Though still tired, you set about your morning as you usually would. The house felt more quiet than it usually did, but you paid it no mind. Just your still sleep riddled brain teasing you with the idea of maybe one day sharing a home with Prosciutto…

There was someone you were here to see.

As you leave your house, you’re excited to see him walking up your steps. “Prosciutto, hello!” Your voice is bright and cheery. He greets you with a smooth smile. “I wanted to see you.” You admit the words to him freely, happily.

He was so polished and perfect.

You felt like you didn’t compare, but it brought a strange sense of comfort over you regardless. He felt familiar.

He made you happy.

“I wanted to see you too.” His words have color rising to your cheeks. You don’t remember a time you felt so embarrassed. But that was okay… because Prosciutto was with you. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me this morning?” He holds his hand out to you.

Your hand twitched. It felt wrong that it was empty.

You eagerly take his offered hand.

“I’d like that.” You allow him to lead you away from your house, towards the street that lead out of the cul de sac. You feel the urge to look behind you, so you do for a moment.

A lone dog lays in the shade of a tree, tied to a post in the park. He looks so sad. But Prosciutto’s voice draws you back in.

“I’m happy you came to Tranquility Lane, _____. You brought new life to this place.” His words have a small smile crawl upon your lips.

“You think so?” You can’t help the girlish giggle that leaves you. “Honestly, I am too. I feel like I belong here.”

#yandere #proscuitto x reader #yandere proscuitto #ohhh I have feelings about this one #excited to release it to discord sfklsjdfkl

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indiacherish · 2 years

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Henrietta Iscariot

UNCG Theatre Presents

THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis

Directed by John Gulley

Costume Designer - Syd Lane

Lighting Designer - Joshua Way

Scene Designer - Dani Vanasse

2021

#judas iscariot #acting #actress #bfa #monolouge #theatre arts #stage play #stage makeup #stage costume #costume design #costume #college theatre #live theatre #theatre major #covid 19 #theatre #fake tears #drama #dramatic

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varioussighhorns · 1 year

Text

20230601

もう一ヶ月経ってしまったけど、

5月の連休に用事があって久しぶりに出かけてました。コロナ関係なくほぼ出かけないからあんまり関係ないのかなと思ってたけど、この感じは久しぶりだなあ、と、久しぶりな感触を味わっています。

ということで、長��の方に行く用事があっ��ので、途中、山梨に寄りました。

食事と喫茶　椿

山梨県甲府市中央4-3-2

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

以前お世話になっていた明治学校のカフェの店主さんのお店です。

こちらでも引き続き自分の音楽を流してくれているらしく、（たしか）定食屋さんって聞いていたので気になってました。

けっこうな門構えで。暖簾の前を少し行ったり来たりして、うろうろしすぎて周囲の人の目に背中を押され、扉を開けると、店主さんが「あらっ」となんか気楽に迎えてくれたのですぐに安心してしまいました。こうやって記事にするといろんなところをサクサク伺っているように見えるかもしれませんが、お店に入るまで、警戒する野生動物のような行動が必要な人間なので自分でもけっこう嫌になることがあります。自分は野生の動物なんだと思うと少し受け入れやすくなりますね。警戒というよりはただただ緊張してるだけなんで、普通に不審者と呼ばれることでしっくりくるのかとも思いますが、警戒と気の弱さの関係が垣間見れる貴重な時間かもしれません。

話が外れましたが、飲み屋みたいな入口だったけど内は落ち着ける雰囲気でホッとしました。通りも古くて、なかなかレトロな建物です。午後の日が差していて隠れ家的な雰囲気もありいい感じだなあと思いました。お年を召したお客さんと若いお客さんの座る背中を見てなんとなくそう思いました。

古い（明治とか大正とかで昭和では無いんだけど）飲み屋というか小料理屋で一人一人がしっぽり呑んでいるようなシチュエーションで、自分の音楽が流れているような、そんな情景を夢を見てる時があったんですが、ちょっとその感じに近いのかもなあ、と。勝手な自分の妄想をなんか1人でぶつぶつ考えていました。

さて、ご飯を食べに来たので、焼売の定食を。焼売を作るのが好きなので気になっていました。食の感想はおいしいとかそのくらいの表現しかできないので、あんまり参考にならないかもですが、はじめて食べる感じのとろけるような食感の焼売でおいしかった、再確認したくなる感じ。そして付け合わせもとてもおいしかったです。付け合わせでもご飯一杯いけそうでした。罪悪感の無い満腹感で近所にあったらいいのに、、、と。他にも食べたいメニューがあったのでお腹を空かしてまた来ます。食事に気を取られていましたが、喫茶のメニューもあります。夏にはかき氷も。

とまあ、こちらでも自分の音楽流れていて、たべながらゆっくり物思いにふけながら、客観的にじっくり聴けました。流れている変な音楽は自分の音楽ですね。なかなか不思議な空間かもしれません、ほんとに色々と再確認したくなる感じがします。

そしてその足でほんと久しぶりにAtelier Rustさんをちら見して先に進みます。休みだって知ってたんだけど、もしかしたらやってないかな、なんて向かう途中に軽い希望を持ったり持たなかったりしたもので、いざ目の前まで行ってみると、あぁ、とか言って勝手に残念な気持ちになるものでした。また来れる機会に、そんな気持ちで北の方に向かいました。

つづく。

10年前くらいにネットラジオか何かでよく音楽を聴いていた時期があってその頃にチェックしていたメモがあったので久しぶりに音楽を聴きながらキーボードを打っています。

Syd lane / We Chose The Bomb

曲が増えていて、いい曲でした。しっとりしてて。

#山梨 #食事 #定食 #喫茶 #甲府

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eddysocs · 2 years

Text

Introducing: Sydney Quinn

Fandom: Nine Perfect Strangers

Face Claim: Madison Iseman

Full Name: Sydney Lane Quinn

Nickname/Alias/Pet Names: Syd

Age: 25

Myers Briggs Type: INFJ

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor

Love Interest: Frances Welty

Occupation: Entrepreneur

Collections: Anything Depicting Lotus Flowers

Style/Clothing: Earthy. Sustainable fashion and biodegradable materials are things Sydney loves. She’s also a big fan of anything with a floral or leaf print.

Signature Quote: "Flower crowns and picnics, what ever happened to those?"

Plot Summary: Needing some time away after leaving her toxic and abusive ex boyfriend, Sydney is accepted to Tranquillum. Leaving her sister in charge of her healthy living startup brand, she hopes Tranquillum will help her find out what she really wants out of life and what path she should take. What she doesn’t count on is a new path being thrown her way in the form of Frances Welty.

Forever Tag: @arrthurpendragon, @borg-queer, @antonybridgertons, @foxesandmagic, @eleanorstulip

#oc: sydney quinn #fc: madison iseman #fd: nine perfect strangers

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rogeriswater · 2 years

Text

Don’t Leave Me Now

This work contains fictionalized versions of real events asnd people. Most details won’t be accurate to real life.

tags for this chapter: p.o.v changes, billy acting just a tiny bit jealous

October, 1967

~m.r~

"Honey, let's go! I have to get to the studio!" I stood at the door waiting for Billy. Ronnie and Sandy were sitting on the couch watching some cartoons. They've been living with us for about a month now. "Ugh, he's gonna make me late!"

"Billy's got to make his hair look nice for you, doesn't he?" Ronnie snickered. "You don't just get those curls overnight"

Billy finally emerged from the bedroom with his jacket in hand. "I'm coming!" He came over to me. "Do you really think I'd make you late for your first day?" I shook my head. He kissed my forehead. "We're going to Dean Street, right?"

"Yep. De Lane Lea Studios" I reminded him. I then addressed my two sisters cuddled on the couch. "I left the number of the studio on the fridge. Call if there's an emergency"

"Yep! Have fun, Maggie!" Sandy waved. I practically shoved Billy out the door. At the same time, he laughed at my excitement. I was just relieved that I was finally receiving some support from my husband.

...

Billy pulled the car up in front of the studio. "Are you sure they won't mind that I'm staying with you?" He asked me.

"I'm sure they won't mind" At least, I hope they didn't. I really wanted to use this as an opportunity for Billy to meet them. I was just hoping they would all like each other. "I'm sure they'll like you"

"Okay. Let's go in then" The two of us got out of the car. Billy walked round and took my hand in his. We walked in through the front door. The receptionist at the desk smiled at us. "Hi, I'm Maggie—"

"Robinson. You're Pink Floyd's new singer" The receptionist beamed. "Gosh, you're so pretty! And this would be your husband, I'm assuming?"

"This is Billy. Sorry, where are we going?" The receptionist guided us to the right room. We followed her directions. Upon entering the room, I noticed all the boys sitting together. Roger just so happened to be facing my direction. He saw me and immediately stood up and walked towards me.

"Sunshine!" He greeted me. He brought me into a hug. When he noticed Billy, he didn't let go of me but he just stared at him. "I see you brought Billy"

"I hope that's okay" I said.

"Yeah. It's fine" Roger's tone sounded indifferent. "I mean, we usually have a no wives or girlfriends rule for studio time"

"Look, if it's really that big of a deal, I can leave" Billy said. He spoke with the same tone as Roger. He eyed Roger. He was probably bothered by the fact that he still hadn't let go of me.

"No, you're already here" Roger finally let go of me and walked back over to the group. I could tell he was not happy with the fact that I had brought Billy along.

"Did he have to hug you for that long?" Billy whispered to me. "And why did he call you sunshine?"

"He was just being friendly. Now, come and let me introduce you to the others" I grabbed Billy's hand and dragged him over to the others. "Everyone, I would like you to meet my husband, Billy" Everyone waved at him. Except for Roger. He just rolled his eyes and tuned his bass. I went around, introducing everybody to Billy.

"You should know, we already know all about you" Syd said to Billy. "Maggie likes to talk about you"

Billy smiled, looking at me. "Really?" My cheeks flushed as I nodded.

"Why don't you go sit on that couch over there and make yourself comfortable?" Nick invited him to do.

Billy nodded. He quickly kissed me before walking over to the couch. Syd waved me over to him. I walked over to him and he gave me a piece of paper. "These are the lyrics for the song we're gonna record for the next three days" He told me.

"It takes three days for one song?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Well, if you want to make it right, it does" Syd smiled at me and pat my shoulder. "You'll do great" He walked off and I glanced at the lyrics. On the top of the page was Vegetable Man which I figured to be the name of the song.

I sat in a chair and allowed myself to read over the lyrics. I wasn't alone for very long though as I felt a presence in front of me. I looked up to see Roger. "Hi" I said to him quietly.

"Hi" He said back to me. He crouched down in front of me so that his face was level with mine. "How're you feeling about this?"

"I'm alright" I told him. "Still not sure how this whole process works"

"We'll play the song for you first. Syd will sing it first, and then you just sing it how he does. We'll do a run through of it, record our parts separately, and do a recording or two all together" Roger placed his hands on my knees. He rubbed them. "You'll get the hang of it. And if you need me for anything, just ask, alright?"

I nodded and smiled. "Alright"

"One other thing. When you get a moment, I'd like to discuss something in private"

"Of course" Roger removed his hands from me. He stood up and walked away. I looked towards Billy. I noticed he wasn't paying attention to me, but to Roger. I walked over to him. "Hey" I tapped my knee against his.

Billy looked up at me. "Hey"

I crouched and crossed my arms over his lap. I rested my chin on my arms. "You okay?"

"Fine" He sure didn't sound like it. "Love, after we're done here, why don't we go out dancing like we used to?"

I beamed at him. "You really mean that?"

Billy stroked my hair. "Absolutely"

"I love you, you know"

"Forever and always?"

I laid my head on his lap. "As long as you love me the same" I stayed like this for a moment with Billy, until heard my name being called. I parted from my husband and walked over to my band mates. Roger immediately moved so that he could stand beside me.

"Are you ready to hear the song?" He asked me.

"Yeah. Let me hear it" I told them. They began to play. I listened carefully to the way Syd was singing. I listened carefully to the melody and rhythm. I mentally marked the cues for when I would sing verses.

But the whole time I was watching Roger. I think he knew I was staring. He'd occasionally glance in my direction and flash me a smile. When the song was over, they all stared at me, waiting for me to say something. "I think I've got it" They all responded with a collective cheer.

~r.w~

Today was going really well. It seemed like Maggie was having fun. That made me both happy and relieved to see. It meant she was comfortable with us. I could've done without having him here though, but I wasn't going to say no to Maggie.

During breaks, Maggie would go sit with him. They'd whisper to each other. They'd cuddle together. He'd steal a kiss or two from her. It was irritating to watch.

Right now, I needed to discuss something with Maggie, and I was more than happy to interrupt her and Billy. "Can we talk now, sunshine?" I saw the way Billy's face twitched when I called her that. I found it amusing.

"Sure" Maggie said. She stood up. The two of us made our way outside. I leaned against the wall as she stood in front of me. There was a slight breeze that was gently blowing her hair. She was a lovely sight. "What did you want to talk about?"

"You look beautiful today"

She smiled and giggled. "Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, and there's something else. What's your maiden name?"

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"Just want to get to know you a little better, that's all"

"Fox"

"Maggie Fox" I tested it out. The name suited her, considering that she is one herself. "How would you feel about using it?"

"What do you mean use it?" She frowned a bit. "What's wrong with my married name?"

"Nothing" I told quickly told her. "But when you're famous one day, don't you want them screaming your name and not his?"

She furrowed her brows and chewed on her lip in thought. "I suppose you have a point" I was gonna be honest, the reason I suggested it was so I could have some illusion that she wasn't married. "I don't know. Let me think about it, alright?"

"Alright" I said. I grabbed her gently by the waist and pulled her closer towards me. She smiled and put her hands against my chest. I thought she was gonna try to push me away but she didn't.

"Rog?" Her soft voice spoke. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to hold you" I said. I touched my forehead to hers. "Friends can hold each other, can't they?"

"Not usually like this" She sighed, pulling her body away from mine. "I'm sorry, but my husband is inside and I don't want him walking out and—"

"Yeah, I get it" She walked inside first, and I followed behind her. The moment we stepped inside the studio, Billy's eyes snapped in our direction. He did not look too pleased with me. Probably wasn't happy I was alone with his wife. I wonder, did Maggie ask him to come today, or did he insist?

"Where did you two go?" He asked when he approached us. Was that suspicion I heard in his voice?

"We just went outside to talk" Maggie said. She touched his arm. "Don't act like this, Billy"

"Like what?"

Maggie narrowed her eyes at him. "You know exactly what" She let go of him and walked off.

When she was out of ear shot, Billy looked right at me. "I don't know what your intentions are with my wife, but I want you to stay away from her" The look in his eyes wasn't anger. It seemed more like desperation.

"That's gonna be a little hard to do considering we work together" I told him.

"You know what I mean. I've been watching you with her all day"

"Is that the reason you came with her today?" I questioned him. "Are you spying on her?"

Billy scoffed. "I trust Maggie completely. It's you I don't trust, Roger. I haven't since the day you came home with my wife"

"Would it make you feel any better to know that I have a girlfriend?" I couldn't believe that I was going suggest this. "Look, perhaps we could do a double date. You and Maggie, and me and Judy"

"If it'll prove to me that you're not trying to fuck my wife, then yeah, why not?" Billy walked away without another word. Jesus Christ, what does Maggie see in him anyways? Did she even have any other male friends besides us, or did he push them all away because he's scared someone is going to steal her away?

Nick approached me. "What was that all about?"

"What do you think of Maggie's husband?" I asked.

"Billy seems like a nice enough chap" I scoffed at Nick's answer. "Don't like him, do you?"

"No. And he doesn't seem to like me either"

"Maybe that's because you've been hovering around Maggie all day" Nick put his hand on my shoulder. "Look, I think you should try to get along with him"

I stayed silent as I crossed my arms over my chest. I stared right at Billy. He was currently having a chat with Rick. "Why should I?"

"Because we can all see that you care about Maggie. I'm sure she'd want her band mates and her husband to get along. So do it for her, alright?" I suppose I could try to be civil around Billy. But only for Maggie's sake. I didn't want her to hate me for it. I agreed to Nick's suggestion. He pat my back. "Good, but if you're going to flirt with her, don't do it in front of Billy"

Nick walked away. I looked over at Maggie, who was discussing something with Syd. She noticed me staring and smiled. How was I supposed to resist that lovely smile? Was I gonna stop flirting with her? No. Was I gonna do it when she was unaccompanied by Billy? Yes.

~b.r~

The band seemed nice enough. Syd, Nick, and Richard all made an attempt to talk with me. Maggie seemed to be in good hands with them. The only person I was weary about was Roger. I saw the way he's been making eyes at my wife, the way he's been clinging to her all day.

Maggie wasn't talking to me now. She would even look my way. And I understood why. I have no reason to act like a jealous idiot. I had nothing to worry about. Maggie loves me. She would never leave me. Especially not for someone like Roger.

"You doing alright?" Richard had come over to me.

"Yeah" I nodded. "Thanks for letting Maggie join. She's never seemed this happy before"

"It was Roger's idea to invite her" Hearing his name made my eye twitch. "But we all think she's lovely"

I knew I shouldn't but I had to ask. "There's not any sort of intentions towards my wife, is there?"

"Of course not. We've all got girlfriends and wives. Fans and reporters might get some ideas about her though"

"I wouldn't blame them. Maggie's the most beautiful girl in the world"

"We'll keep an eye on her though" Rick promised. Hearing him talk about her reminded me of a brother being protective of a younger sister. "I think we all see her as a sister of sorts, y'know" Well clearly Roger doesn't. I know he's got a sexual interest in her. Rick seemed to have read my mind. "Maybe not Roger, though. I know you're bothered by him. I'll keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't cross any boundaries"

"Thanks, Rick. I appreciate that"

He got up, but before he walked away, he said one last thing to me. "But maybe do try to be civil with him, at least when Maggie is around. The least both of you could do is to try and get along for her"

It put me at ease knowing someone in this band was respecting mine and Maggie's marriage. And maybe Rick is right. It wouldn't hurt to fake civility with Roger when Maggie's near. The last thing I want is to disappoint her.

I felt another presence sit beside me. I was happy when I saw that it was Maggie. "Love, I'm sorry for acting like a jealous idiot earlier"

She grabbed my hand. "Are we still going dancing afterwards?"

I smiled, kissing her forehead. "As long as you still want to, then yes" It was little moments like this that reminded me I was never going to lose Maggie. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Roger watching us. I smirked in satisfaction. He could try all he wants to take her away from me but it was never gonna happen. She was mine forever.

~r.w~

Enjoy your time with Maggie, Billy, because it's not gonna last much longer between you two. I really liked Maggie, and I can tell that she likes me too. Nothing was gonna stop me. I already felt like she was the one. Like she was my soulmate. I was gonna be with Maggie, one way or another. I just have to be patient and wait for her.

Oh, Maggie, my beautiful sunshine, one day you're gonna be mine.

#roger waters #roger waters x ofc #roger waters fanfiction #pink floyd #pink floyd fanfiction #maggie robinson #dlmn #my oc

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