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blouisparadise · 4 years

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Upon request, here is a rec list of bottom Louis fics with everyone’s favorite trope - sharing a bed! We hope you enjoy this list. Happy reading!

1) Just Like Live Wires | Explicit | 5427 words

Harry climbs into Louis' bed when he's cold. Louis pines.

2) Been Gone Way Too Long | Explicit | 8836 words

“This can’t be happening,” Louis says, banging his hand against the window. “This seriously can’t be happening right now.”

Things like this only happen in the movies. Things like this don’t happen in real life. There’s no way that he’s seriously been snowed in. There’s no way that the heating is broken. There’s no way that it’s going to take upwards of twenty-four hours and probably a lot longer for the storm to break and someone to come and rescue them.

“Just sit down, Louis,” Harry sighs from somewhere behind him. He sounds miserable, like he’s already feeling the cold.

Louis whirls around and points a finger at him. “Did you plan this?” he demands a little hysterically. He regrets the question as soon as it’s out of his mouth, but he thinks he’s got a valid point. It’s not like this storm just came out of nowhere - it has to have been on the news for a couple of days, at least. Plenty of time for Harry to have canceled this excursion.

3) I'm Trying Not To Make A Sound | Explicit | 10452 words

Louis thinks he could die right there. He can’t feel anything but the tingling sensation all over his skin. He’s throwing away all his past thoughts on trying to be straight and denying his reactions towards other men, he just wants more of this numbing feeling. Everything else is a long lost memory, can’t think of anything else besides, wow, this feels incredible.

4) Enjoy The Ride | Not Rated | 11103 words

The one where Louis, an omega more than tired of being treated as lesser than alphas, is forced on a road trip by his beta besties only to meet Harry who might just be the alpha he never knew he wanted.

5) Cuffed | Not Rated | 15254 words

What would you do if you were handcuffed to your enemy for 48 hours?

6) Up For It | Explicit | 18223 words

The one where Liam is Mr Organised, Zayn is too perceptive for his own good, Niall is a compulsive matchmaker, and Harry and Louis might just have the surprise to shock them all.

7) Holiday Greetings (And Gay Happy Meetings) | Not Rated | 18417 words | Sequel

Note: This fic has no smut, but it has omega Louis. The sequel has smut.

The one where Niall's dead car and and a foot of snow conspire to force Louis into spending time with an alpha he hates.... or does he?

8) The Aurora Zone | Explicit | 19633 words

The one where Harry is busy crossing off his bucket list while Louis is busy falling for the guy he's supposed to hate.

9) I Wanna Be More Than Friends | Not Rated | 20721 words

The one where Harry’s an alpha with no sense of smell, Louis’ an omega who isn’t allowed to scent his best friend, and that’s all they’ll ever be. Obviously.

10) Etched In Salt (Is A Cathedral Of The World) | Explicit | 24417 words

Note: This fic has BH mentions. It is also locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Louis asks for very few things in life, and they are: to solve cases, to keep bad people from doing their bad things, to get good coffee, to go home to a spacious apartment with nobody else in it, and to manage his stupid telempathy powers with minimal interference. And now he's stuck in a tiny cabin in a snowstorm in the middle of god-awful-nowhere with Harry Styles. Because of course he is.

11) Like A Siren In The Night | Explicit | 25868 words

“There is an infestation in my home,” Louis hisses, righting himself quickly and pushing his way past Harry, heading directly for the kitchen. He’s rather haphazardly dressed himself, a coat thrown on over a loose flannel shirt and black pants, slippers on his feet.

Harry resists the urge to sigh, closing the door and trailing behind him slowly. “What kind of infestation?”

For all he knows, Louis is going to claim that there’s a ghost infestation. Harry has no idea what the end game is here – all he knows is that Louis has found at least three complaints a week to bring up since he’s been living on Harry’s property, and he’s been living here for six months.

It’s way too many fucking complaints, is what Harry is saying. Especially when most of them are ridiculous to start with.

12) Always Come Back To You | Explicit | 28682 words

“I’ll do it,” Harry offers brightly. No one even blinks. “I’ll do it?”

Louis sighs irritably. “Shut up,” he orders, tossing a pillow in the general direction of Harry’s face. This is a terrible time for jokes, especially Harry’s lame, old people ones.

Not that it was an old people joke. Just that most of the time Harry’s jokes consist of knock-knocks or terrible puns. The type of jokes old people like, Louis’ pretty sure. His nan always finds them hilarious when Harry tells her one.

Harry bats the pillow out of the air without even blinking. “Be reasonable, Lou,” he says in his most reasonable voice.

Louis is perfectly reasonable, thank you very much, and he’s also frustrated and upset and tired and he really wants to punch something. Maybe he should have held on to that pillow a little longer.

“You’re not gonna fucking do it,” he snaps. “That’s the last thing I need.”

13) We’re Not Who We Used To Be | Explicit | 30611 words

“Harry…” Louis’ voice catches in his throat, thick with tears threatening to fall out, so he coughs to clear it before trying again. “Harry is Liam’s best man?” “You didn’t know?” Harry is standing at the entrance of the garage, mouth slightly open and face pulled together. He sets his bag on the ground and puts his hands on his hips. When he does that, he looks just like the Harry that Louis remembers (and loves, he thinks with an aching heart). “I’m sure I mentioned it,” Liam says, but Louis can tell he’s lying by the way he chews on his lower lip and twists his fingers together. “You’re all a bunch of dick heads, I’m getting in the car.” Louis isn’t sure if he’s being unreasonable. He has no idea what the protocol is when your ex-boyfriend shows up after three years and nobody bothered to give you a heads up. He’s pretty sure he’s allowed to be upset about it, even if it’s only for a bit.

14) Blind From This Sweet, Sweet Craving | Explicit | 31170 words

"So, I guess we'll go?" Louis asks later, when Harry has calmed down and eaten his weight in Chinese food. He plays with this chopsticks, spearing another piece of chicken and pops it in his mouth. "I mean, I wouldn't mind. We could make it an adventure."

Harry observes him, watches him seated across from him on their old living room carpet, with a container of food on his lap. He's fidgeting, avoiding meeting Harry's gaze–he probably knows that Harry's mad at him for ruining the one chance they had to get out of this situation. And he's not wrong, Harry is definitely very mad. Harry wants to strangle him and castrate him and smack him upside the head.

But he's also Harry's best friend, and despite everything, despite all the fuck-ups and the plot twists and everything just not playing out the way it should, he'd still rather be stuck in this situation with Louis than any of the other boys. He's got Harry's back, and in a weird, abstract way, he knows they'll be able to get out of this situation, together.

Harry sighs. "We're going," he says resignedly, his shoulders slumping.

Oh well. There are definitely worse ways to spend the weekend than pretending to be engaged to his best friend.

15) Welcome Back From The Friend Zone | Mature | 32584 words

The one where an idea to create a fake wedding with the sole intent to receive gifts from billionaires took a turn no one, but also everyone, saw coming.

16) Let Me Feel Your Heartbeat | Explicit | 34572 words

Harry is 98% sure Louis hates him. So he feels like his bewilderment is justified when the omega offers to help him through his rut.

17) Close To Nowhere | Explicit | 34589 words

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

18) Playing To Win | Explicit | 36732 words

Big Brother UK alumni Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles are selected for the UK vs Australia All Stars series with a massive one million dollar prize in the offing. They’re both fit and smart and would make a great alliance... if only they can stop their feelings from getting in the way.

19) If I Stay | Mature | 37226 words

Harry and Louis agree to a temporary arrangement that Harry can't seem to walk away from no matter how many times he tries.

20) The Space Between | Explicit | 39917 words

Harry Styles is the alpha rockstar who can’t sleep and doesn’t know why.

Louis Tomlinson is the omega PhD student who helps him figure it out.

21) Strangers In Love | Explicit | 42207 words

Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

22) Tangled Up In You | Explicit | 45152 words

Harry blinks once. And blinks again. And says, his voice dangerous: “Niall, did you get me a mail-order bride?”

Because what the actual fuck. It kind of looks like Niall’s just purchased a person. For Harry.

Niall blinks back at him for a few moments, before throwing his head back and howling with laughter. Harry throws a pillow at him. Hard. “No, what the fuck, Harry.”

“A prostitute then?” Harry also doesn't want a prostitute.

“Of course not!”

“A stripper?”

“No!”

Damn, he’s running out of ideas. He settles for launching another pillow at Niall’s head. Niall bats it away easily, still laughing. “Stop!”

“What did you get me, then?!” Niall must hear the tinge of hysteria in his voice, because he’s pulling himself together, trying to stop himself from laughing.

There’s still a big grin on his face, though, when he says, “I got you a professional cuddler.”

A professional…what. “What?”

23) No Going Back | Explicit | 56102 words

Sales reps Harry and Louis are bored with their jobs and their lives. After meeting at a conference in Cardiff they hook up, have a few too many drinks, and jokingly apply to become remote lighthouse keepers. Six months, just the two of them, looking after the southernmost lighthouse off the bottom of Australia. It’s not like their applications will be accepted. Right?

This is the story of how one choice - a left instead of a right, a go instead of a stop, a yes instead of a no - can change the future forever and that sometimes, taking that leap of faith, is worth the risk.

24) Waiting For The Tides To Meet | Explicit | 59873 words

Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate's. It's only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he'll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis' workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis' heart.

25) Swallow The Knife | Explicit | 76158 words

“You came,” Louis says, still breathless, clinging to Harry, uncaring that his sweat is getting all over Harry’s presumably clean dad shirt, or that he’s making Harry hold up all of his weight.

“Of course I came,” Harry says. He shifts, one arm curled underneath Louis’ arse, the other spreading wide in the middle of Louis’ back. “If I ignored you every time you pissed me off we would have stopped being friends a long time ago.”

Louis already knows that, of course. It doesn’t do anything to stop the pleased squirm in his belly every time Harry proves it, though. They fight like nobody’s business, both of them too stubborn to pull their punches when they’re arguing, and it used to get them in trouble, but they always make up.

Adrenaline makes Louis loose-lipped, and they both know it. He tightens his arms around Harry’s neck, buries his face in his hair. “I missed you,” he confesses, quiet. “Doesn’t feel the same up there by myself.”

26) Waiting On You | Explicit | 76584 words

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby.

Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes.

Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

27) Perfect Storm | Explicit | 80230 words

What do you do when your best friend asks you and your (now) ex to be the best men at his destination wedding? You can either tell him the truth, tell him you’re not together anymore, and deal with the consequences, or you can pretend you’re still together and roll with it, just pray you don’t spiral. Fake it ‘til you make it. You know, for the sake of the wedding.

Harry and Louis choose the latter.

28) Nothing Worsens, Nothing Grows | Mature | 102528 words

Another roadtrip AU featuring Harry as the misunderstood hipster, Louis as the bitter psych major, Liam as the one with the secret boyfriend, and Niall as the one who just wants everyone to be happy.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#bottom louis #top harry #larry #fic recs #sharing a bed #blp #blp fic recs

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risthebrave · 3 years

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day 16; “blush”

free-form; college au, omega louis, alpha harry

happy birthday @moonyblouie!

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m hungry,” Liam says, grimacing as he starts packing up his things. They’ve been studying here at the library for nearly three hours already but Louis feels like he’s barely made a dent. “Do you want to grab something to eat?”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Louis says immediately, eyes darting to the library entrance as the doors swing open and someone enters. Except it’s just an omega girl, messing with her scarf. He slumps, disappointed. He only glances back at the others when Zayn clears his throat, flushing apologetically. “You all go ahead though,” he assures them.

“You’re going to stay here?” Liam says, frowning. “I think we’ve studied enough, don’t you think? My eyes are burning, for fuck’s sake.”

“Just want to go over some of these concepts one last time,” Louis mumbles, ducking his head to hide the blush coloring his cheeks when Zayn sends him a knowing look.

“We can technically run through some more flashcards on the way,” Perrie chimes in, scrolling through her phone and most likely searching for a place. “Emma told me about this new place on Fourth that’s apparently really good.”

“No, really it’s fine, go on without me,” Louis stresses, pulling his textbook out of Liam’s reach when he tries to pick it up. “I think I need to do some independent revising anyway.”

“Are you sure, Lou?” Liam asks.

“If you’re really worried about the test, we can meet up again tomorrow,” Perrie says, clearly assuming that Louis is overwhelmed. Well, he is, but not because of that.

“I just really need to study by myself,” he insists. He should have come up with a better excuse for not going out with them and then come back to the library discreetly, he thinks frustratedly. But it’s too late now to backtrack. “Seriously, go on!”

“Just tell them the truth,” Zayn murmurs in a low voice, coughing right after. Louis shoots him a warning glance.

Unfortunately for Louis, Liam and Perrie both caught the exchange. “What?” they both ask in unison.

“Nothing,” Louis squeaks, cheeks turning even more red.

Perrie narrows her eyes, looking from his flustered face to Zayn’s exasperated one. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing. Zayn is stupid,” Louis says. He gestures to emphasize but ends up knocking over his pencil box, sending pencils and highlighters and other random crumpled up pieces of paper spilling onto the floor. He groans, chair dragging against the carpet as he drops to his knees to pick them up.

“It sounds like something,” Perrie continues to needle, crouching down to help him.

“It’s not a big deal,” Louis deflects, shoving a handful of pens back into the pink pouch. “It’s genuinely nothing, actually. There’s nothing to be told, just -”

“Louis is pining over some alpha that sometimes hangs out at the library when his friend is working as an aid,” Zayn blurts.

Louis sighs. “I hate you.”

��An alpha?” Liam exclaims, sounding confused.

“Your future alpha?” Perrie says, perking up immediately. “Lou, you need to tell me everything. Like, now!”

He groans. “There’s nothing to tell,” he grumbles. “He’s just… really cute. And he smells so good. And he doesn’t even know I exist.” He groans again.

“Yet,” Perrie says loudly, getting the attention of a beta from another table that glares at them. “He doesn’t know you exist yet,” she whispers, lips curling up into what Louis has dubbed her ‘scheming’ smile in the past.

“Oh, no,” he says, recognizing the look she sends Zayn. He shakes his head wildly. “No, no, no way. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s a big no.”

“C’mon, Lou, you’ve been fawning over this alpha for a month,” Zayn says and Louis makes an indignant noise, crossing his arms with a pout. “You need to just get it over with and talk to him.”

“Why can’t he talk to me?” Louis whines, tipping his head back with a sigh. “I’ve tried everything. Sitting attractively, looking for books in the aisle next to the one he’s standing in, wearing those low-neck tops that usually work like catnip.”

“Yeah, except every time he even gets close to looking at you, you hide behind a book!” Zayn accuses, narrowing his eyes. “Don’t deny it, I’ve seen it with my own two eyes!”

“That’s not true,” he insists anyway. “Alphas are dumb!”

“Well, that’s true,” Perrie snorts.

“Hey,” Liam complains, brows furrowing. He grimaces, considering. “Actually, that’s fair.”

“Alphas are dumb so you need to make it easy for him,” Perrie says seriously. “Go up to him. Let him get a whiff of your scent and see that pretty neck and he’ll be hooked, I’d bet a million dollars on it.”

Louis turns to Zayn. “I hate you,” he repeats.

“Perrie’s the one making a plan,” he complains, offended.

“I despise you.”

“Both of you, shut up,” Perrie says, clapping her hands together. “So obviously none of us are going to the cafe.” Both Louis and Liam groan, but for two entirely different reasons. “Quiet! This is important.” She turns to Louis with a solemn expression on her face. “What time does he normally show up?”

“Six thirty,” he answers reluctantly.

They all turn to look at the clock at the same time, right as the minute hand joins the hour hand at the big six. It’s six thirty.

“I hate all of you,” Louis decides, dropping his head into his hands.

“Okay, let’s practice what’s going to happen when he walks in,” Perrie rushes, eyes wide. “Lou, what does he look like?”

“What does who look like? What are we talking about again?” he asks, heart pounding in his chest. Any minute now, Harry Styles is going to walk through that door and his friends are going to embarrass him and ruin any chance of him ever being interested in Louis.

“He’s tall. Curly hair. Green eyes,” Zayn offers, and Louis throws the damn pencil case at him. “Dimples too.”

“Liam, pretend to be the alpha,” Perrie commands.

“Hi, I’m the alpha,” Liam says, voice monotone and face blank. Zayn masks his laugh with a cough.

Perrie is not impressed. “Give me something to work with,” she says. “We only have a few minutes and we need a plan.”

“Are we going to watch?” Zayn asks, sounding eager.

“No,” Louis says, right as Perrie and Liam say, “Yes.” He glares at all of them. “Don’t you dare! Harry’s going to think I’m so -”

“So his name is Harry,” Perrie grins. “Louis and Harry sittin’ in a tree -”

“Guys, I’m still hungry,” Liam says woefully, eyeing the clock.

“You know what? Let’s go, Liam,” Louis says, standing up abruptly. “I’m not doing this.”

Perrie and Zayn both protest but he brushes them off, shaking his head. He’ll just stick to his sensual reading tactics and hope it one day works. There’s no way he’s approaching Harry today, especially with his nosy friends in close vicinity.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” he repeats his words from earlier. He grabs his jacket and shrugs it on, pulling his books up and hugging them to his chest. “Liam, let’s -”

He freezes as the library door swings open and Harry steps in. “Shit.”

december word prompt challenge 12/16/20

#dwpc #word prompts #not a wip #freeforms #random abo free forms #yes it's still finals week #but technically i didn't have a final today #so somewhat better

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missameliep · 4 years

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Second Chances: Chapter Twelve - Push My Luck

Book: Desire and Decorum – Modern AU

Notes: * English is not my first language. * All characters belong to Pixelberry. * Portuguese words are translated on the notes in the end.

* Update: Many thanks to @princess-geek for being my beta on this chapter :)

Word count: ~4.200

Tagging: @cora-nova @frugalchoicer @fairydustandsarcasm @itsbrindleybinch @dianalend @princess-geek @averysheart-raleighsdick @tinypenguincheesemachine @lou-who-writes @desiree-0816 @mrsbriarmarlcaster @i-put-the-sin-in-sinclaire

If you want to be added or removed of the tag list, just let me know.

Most of the time, Elizabeth prefers not to be seen. The shyness prompting a natural inclination to hide from people’s eyesight and judgement whenever possible; genuinely comfortable away from the spotlight, she finds it much more enjoyable to be on her own skin when unnoticed.

However, when Hamid’s bright eyes met hers in the hallway, the significant gaze he casts at her fills her heart with joy. That’s the extraordinary power they possess: she doesn’t mind at all if the man sees her, it’s rather the opposite, since he seems to notice what only few others can. Even if she cannot help the heat creeping its way to her cheeks when they do, she always hopes his eyes fall upon her. Just like they did now.

“You should help me find it. I might be lost.”

Hamid’s smooth silvery voice reached her ears like music and her legs were eager to follow him wherever his invitation takes her, while her brain screamed about classes and responsibility. The broad smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes and produced the dimples she adores, chased those thoughts and any other away. Elizabeth’s cherry lips curled revealing a grin she didn’t struggle against which rounded her cheeks. A yes lying on her tongue waiting to be free like a caged bird.

Instinctively leaning towards her, his hand rested on her arm, fingers brushing against the emerald sweater. This proximity caused her heart to beat faster and louder, like it often does in similar situations, but not sufficiently loud to mute the world around them. The coughing beside her broke into their moment and caught her attention. Elizabeth’s head jerked to the side and Briar’s smirk reminded her where she was.

Oh, God! How long did I stare at him like a creep?

Reacting at the ignored presence, Elizabeth leaped back, while Hamid’s hand retreated to his side, but the smile remained on his lips.

“Sorry! Hamid Osmanoğlu that’s my friend Briar Daly.”

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Daly,” Hamid said and shook her hand.

“You too. But, please, call me Briar.”

“You look familiar… Were you in the attendance of my lecture here last May?”

“Oh! Right! That’s where I recognise you from!”

Elizabeth casted a puzzled look at Briar; the brunette’s dark eyes opened wide, a wordless statement and their gaze returned to Hamid.

“Great speech by the way,” Briar said flirty, a hand running through her long black hair.

“Thank you. I remember you posed a very interesting question at the time…”

They exchanged a few words on the subject under Elizabeth’s attentive gaze. Hamid shared a content smile with the brunette, before his attention shifted to Elizabeth once more, while she took the cup to her mouth.

“I am early for my presentation and I was going to offer to buy you coffee, but I see you already got one.”

“If you’ve told me you’d stop by, we could have had coffee together, Hamid,” Elizabeth said and drank the remaining of the cappuccino.

“Allow me.” While he took the empty cup from her hand to throw it on a bin a few steps away from them, Briar’s lips moved soundless with more questions than Elizabeth could answer in his brief absence.

“Since we’re past coffee time,” Hamid suggested, “maybe you could escort me to the right building, Liz…”

“Sorry, Hamid!” She looked at Briar and down to her hands. “I have a class –" Elizabeth was interrupted when Briar nudged her side.

“You still have time, Lizzy. And you can have my notes, if you’re late.”

“Okay. But I can’t go all the way to the other building,” she pursed her lips and looked up at Hamid.

“That’s fine. Just walk me back to the lift and keep me a little company…”

Elizabeth acquiesced and Briar observed when she smiled, and Hamid placed his hand on her back and they walked past other students.

“I’m sorry you came all this way and I can’t spend more time with you…” Elizabeth said softly.

“It’s alright. I should’ve checked with you first,” he said stopping a few metres from the lifts. His hand on her arm gently guiding her closer to the wall and out of the way of students rushing to classrooms. “For now, I’ll settle for a motivational speech and that good luck kiss you’ve mentioned.”

“With all your confidence, why you even need a motivational speech? We’ve talked about it, you’ll be great!” She giggled and added, “I’ll even let you borrow my Kafka’s reference…”

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, possibly triggered by the memory of their conversation the other day, and his gaze fixed on hers. “Great speech! Everything I needed to hear,” he said grinning, “I feel very motivated already. How about my good luck kiss?”

She cocked her head and Hamid mimicked her gesture, his eyes lingering on her cherry lips.

“Weren’t all those kisses yesterday enough?” asked Elizabeth.

“Do you mean the emojis, the gifs and the weird cat meme?”

“It’s funny! She kissed the cat!” she chuckled.

“It was in Portuguese. It made no sense to me…”

“I translated it,” she corrected him and mockingly pushed his chest, “Besides, I’ve seen you laugh at unfunnier things.”

He snorted and his hand trapped hers against his chest. Leaning closer, his soft voice reached her ear, his warm breath fanning her locks. “I don’t know about that...” With a smile, he tucked a curl of hair behind her ear, causing a flood of blood to rush to her face. “What I do know is that I was promised a good luck kiss. And I’m here to receive said kiss in person.”

Elizabeth lowered her eyes to their hands. The smoothness of his voice contrasting with the accelerated beating of his heart.

“One kiss?” she breathed her question.

“Unless you’re feeling generous… I wouldn’t mind receiving as many as those emojis.”

“One friendly kiss on the cheek?”

“Perfect.”

The curls bounced around her face when she scanned the hallway before moving closer. Looking up and palms on each side of his clean-shaved jaw, she cupped his face. Beneath her fingers, she felt the pulsation on his neck, almost as quick as her own, and his muscles moving when he swallowed. Elizabeth wonders if he ever feels the flutter of butterflies on his stomach, like she does.

Gently, his face was brought down to hers. Without averting each other’s gaze, faces inching closer, Hamid grinned. His mint breath impossible to ignore.

Elizabeth’s lips touched his left cheek, lingering there and she revelled on his velvet skin and delightful fresh scent.

Realizing how long she held him like that, she withdrew her hands at once. “There! Good luck!” she said while her fingers hastily tucked some curls behind her ears.

“Thank you!” he said softly, fingertips touching where her lips were a second prior.

“Sorry! I forgot about the lipstick!” she exclaimed unzipping the bag and fumbling with its content. “Let me clean it for you.”

“Why would I want it clean?” He winked when her eyes met his.

“You’re kidding?”

“No.”

“You can’t go to your presentation like this!”

“Why not? It’s my good luck kiss.”

“Don’t be silly.” A wipe was taken out of a package and soon she was brushing it against his cheek, and he did not protest. Bright eyes fixed on her face while she worked on the stain, an ear-to-ear teeth showing smile playing on his lips.

This smile is for me, she thinks and her heart thumps louder. If only things were different… Her chest heaved with a deep breath.

Wipe in hand, she stepped back, cherry red lips pulled, baring a fraction of her white teeth in a coy smile exclusively for him.

When his mouth opened to speak again, he was interrupted by a feminine voice calling his name.

“Hamid!” the voice called again, drawing their eyes and attention to the brunette and the hand resting on his shoulder. “What a nice surprise!”

“Miss Bowman,” said Hamid, the surprised expression turning into a polite and friendly smile. “How do you do?”

“I’m fine.” With confidence, she stepped closer and they exchanged two air kisses. “And I’ve told you too many times to call me Donna.”

Glaring at Elizabeth, the woman’s hand reached his chest.

Seriously, Hamid? Even Donna Bowman? At least Natasha wasn’t mean.

Elizabeth looked away, trying to hide her annoyance. The moist wipe squeezed between her fingers whilst she considered walking away. Instead, she stayed. Just friends, her mind repeats the mantra. Don’t make a scene.

“Are you meeting Felicity and she failed to mention it?” asked Donna.

“No. I’m here to see Elizabeth and convince her to attend my lecture. Have you two met?”

“Yes,” she replied flatly without looking at the other, “A lecture?”

“For the IR undergrads.”

“How exciting! Is it today?”

“It starts in exactly thirty-five minutes to be precise,” he said peeking at his watch.

“Maybe I should skip my boring class, then…” One long nail shining like a pearl raked a button of his shirt, and she lowered her tone. “How can I pass on the opportunity to learn more from my favourite intellectual.”

The man chuckled and its sound caused Elizabeth to grimace.

“Hamid, I must go,” Elizabeth spoke softly and tried to take a step, but Hamid reached for her. His hand encircled her wrist before she could walk away.

“Donna, could you excuse us?”

“Oh, of course. I’ll wait by the lift, Hamid.”

“It’s kind of you, but you should hurry to get a good seat,” he suggested with a smile and the smugness faded from her face, but she forced a collected expression when she agreed to leave.

“I gotta go to class now,” Elizabeth said, head hanging low, eyes fixed on the other woman’s shoe tapping on the floor in front of the lift’s doors.

Loosening his grip from her wrist, his hand slid to his side and he tried to meet her eyes.

“Are you upset?”

“No… I… 'Course not,” she stuttered, “I’m just late for class… and I hate being late.”

“Is that all? You know you can tell me anything, no?”

The lift door closed and her green eyes returned to his face. Arms crossed in front of her chest, she pondered for a moment.

“I’m just surprised you and Donna Bowman know each other. And Felicity too.”

“Haven’t I mentioned it?” She shook her head. “The event your friend mentioned, they organized it.”

“You’re friends?”

Hamid hummed, taking his time to answer. “More like acquaintances. I know Felicity’s father from Parliament, and he introduced us. I’ve met her and Donna in a few occasions…” he shrugged. “Why?”

“Nothing… I just wouldn’t assume that you… you knew them… or socialize with them,” she trailed off and bit at her thumbnail.

“Is that jealousy I sense?” he asked with a smirk.

“O quê?¹ Não²! It was just unexpected… They just don’t strike me as… as… your kind of people…”

“My kind of people? Which exactly is my kind of people?” his questions lilting with amusement.

“Never mind.” She bit the inside of her cheek and looked away. “I should go now.”

“Are you sure you’re not coming? I’d feel like a Rock star if you were on the first row cheering me on.”

“People don’t cheer on lecturers, Hamid…”

“I wouldn’t mind if you did,” he said softly, and she smiled back at him.

The buzzing decreased as the hallway emptied. His eyes studied their surroundings and he gave a gentle squeeze on her hand, “You’ve kept me company far too long. I’ll let you go to class.”

“Good luck!” She squeezed his hand back.

“Do I get another kiss?”

“Anytime I say good luck will you ask for a kiss?”

“Maybe…” he smiled, “Will it work?”

“Maybe if you ask nicely…” she teased, not meeting his eyes.

“I do everything nicely,” he said raising his eyebrows. “So…”

The cheeky grin playing on his lips prompted Elizabeth to smile back.

Moving closer, she stood on her tiptoes, placed her hands on his shoulders, and pressed a soft kiss to his right cheek. Her lips touched it with gentleness and caution to not taint his warm bronze skin; even though, deep down, she considered covering him with red marks to spite Donna Bowman.

Unexpectedly, his arms encircled her in a hug. After a moment of hesitation, her arms joined behind his neck. This was the closest they’ve been since the afternoon at the opera more than two weeks prior. His chin rested on her shoulder, cheek touching cheek, and a shiver ran down her spine. The fresh perfume reached her nose, and she shut her eyes to savour it. Wordlessly the hug lingered.

“Obrigado³,” he said softly.

Her eyes fluttered open hearing the Portuguese word. “What are you thanking me for, Hamid?”

“For being supportive and helping me with my presentation,” he replied, and the muscles on his face pulled into a smile. His arms loosen their grip and the heels of her boots touched the floor. Stricken by surprise, she looked down and mumbled, “Oh! You… It was nothing… you don’t need to thank me for any of that… I didn’t…”

“I want to,” he explained, “I consider myself lucky to have met you. You are unique.”

“You should…” She giggled; eyes fixed on his black shoes. “My awkwardness makes me quite unique.”

“I never met someone like you. And I already consider you a friend. A good friend.”

She smiled at his words and Hamid took a few steps to the lift, pressed the button and turned around to face her. “See you later.”

“Good luck,” she said softly biting her lip and his eyes lighted.

His index finger tapped on his cheek three times, and she inched closer. A peck too quick and too close to the corner of his mouth was pressed.

“I tainted you again,” she pointed out and pressed the wipe into his palm.

“Thanks!” he said beaming and walked inside the lift, not breaking eye-contact until the doors shut.

*****

“I still can’t believe Hot Turkish guy is the friend!” Briar spoke in a hushed tone while they walked past other students on their way out of the classroom. “I totally understand now. I too would smile a lot at my mobile!”

“I still can’t believe everyone knows everyone around here!” Elizabeth muttered, “It’s like we’re in freaking Manoel Carlos’4 Leblon5!”

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind.”

“Anyway, don’t get all possessive… I’ve met him first. I might try to hold my claim. He remembered me and my clever question.” Briar playfully nudged her and giggled.

“I wasn’t referring to you… He knows Donna and Felicity.” Elizabeth’s face contorted with a grimace when she uttered their names.

“Oh! That’s right. The lecture! Donna was totally lovesick after that. I overheard a lot of conversations about how dreamy Mr. Diplomat Guy was.” Briar mockingly batted her eyelashes.

“By the way she acted around him, I guess she’s still into him. The honeyed voice and those manicured nails on his chest like she owned him or something…” she huffed and bit one nail. “Ugh! And she went to his lecture.”

“You could’ve been there yourself; Hot Turkish guy came all the way here to invite you personally,” Briar said and pulling Elizabeth’s hand away from her mouth, she added, “And you can have manicured nails too if you stop biting yours.”

“I don’t want manicured nails,” she mumbled and Briar looked at her amused.

“Are you jealous of all your friends or just Hamid?”

“I’m not jealous!”

“Yeah, right…”

“I’m not! Why would I be jealous? It makes no sense. At all. Absolutely not. This is a preposterous idea… Absurd and… Just –" Briar shot a knowing glance and she stopped rambling. “I just don’t think Donna is a good match for him…”

“I would not worry about Donna if I were you.”

“Why?”

“He’s into you too.”

“He is?”

Briar’s head shook slowly from side to side and a sly grin parted her lips.

“It… It doesn’t matter… we’re friends. We both know it.”

“Just keep saying that until you believe it, Lizzy,” Briar teased and linked her arm with hers, “You can tell me if you’re in love with him. Don’t mind Ann’s words, I could never gossip about you…”

“There’s nothing to gossip about anyway.”

“It’s impossible to ignore all the sparkles flying around you and Hot Turkish Guy. You look lovely together, by the way.”

“Do you always call him that?”

“No, sometimes I call him Adonis too… And there’s a lot of other names I’ve been wanting to call him in private if our paths ever crossed again… but it’s wiser not to tell you now.” she laughed.

“Oh! You’re terrible.” Elizabeth failed to stifle a laughter, and they both giggled.

They took a few steps and Briar said looking at her, “He seems like a nice guy…”

“He’s really nice.”

“Not to mention he’s so easy on the eye…” She winked. “I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow! He’ll be such a perfect fit to our merry group.”

*****

The late afternoon sun casts a fading light through the large window of the room at the third floor. A glance outside and Elizabeth’s fingers reached for the lamp over the desk. For a moment, her gaze fixed on a few birds chirping at the garden bellow, before her undivided attention was back on the open book in front of her. The highlighter glided colouring the white pages.

The rapping on the door brought her eyes up from the notebook.

“It’s open.”

Her grandmother greeted her from the door. A white envelope on her hands caught Elizabeth’s attention.

“May I have a word with you?”

“Of course, grandma. Come on in.”

The pen put down on the desk, and with curiosity Elizabeth watched Lady Dominique’s quiet steps take her straight to the bench at the feet of the bed; swiveling the chair, she faced her and noticed the familiar worry crease between her eyebrows.

“We need to have a word about the tea with the Queen.”

“Did they set a date, grandma?”

“Not yet.” The woman said with a tone matching the seriousness of her expression. “But I’ve received an e-mail from the Queen’s press secretary that might upset you. They were looking into you and they found this article online.” A stack of papers was taken from the white envelope and offered to Elizabeth, who stood up and reached for them. Her eyes glanced at the first page.

“What language is this? I can’t read – Oh, my God!” She covered her mouth and all colour drained from her face.

“They included a translated version, dear.”

Gobsmacked, Elizabeth examined several pictures taken during her date with Hamid the day after they met: the couple strolling at Hyde Park, walking hand in hand at the Royal Opera’s entrance and the nearly kiss in front of the café. The flashing light that day instantly came to her mind, and she chastised herself for not paying more attention to it.

How did I not notice it before? she thought, while skimming through the article from a Turkish magazine who called her the mysterious British woman and included her to the long list of Hamid’s girlfriends.

“I can’t believe it… These photos…” she muttered under her breath.

“I assume they were interested in the man you’re with. It’s mostly about him,” she paused and didn’t try to conceal the judgement when her mouth opened again, “And his extensive list of lovers.”

“I’m just… so embarrassed,” Elizabeth said pacing back and forth while reading the translated version, “And a little surprised… I have such a boring life... I was never… And now this!”

“The article is not particularly flattering, but its content is not exactly harmful to you either. I had Mrs. Carlton’s do some research, and as far as she can tell, the pictures were not published by any tabloid in England. Thus, there is no reason for us to draw any unnecessary attention to it.”

“Good,” Elizabeth sighed, “Why did they send you this, grandma?”

“They asked about the status of your relationship with him.”

“My relationship? But… why?” Green eyes widened darting to the woman, she halted.

“Possibly for future social gatherings, conversations topics, the usual,” she replied patting the space next to her at the bench. Elizabeth complied and sat down.

Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial tone, Lady Dominique confided, “I suspect this was also a way for us to acknowledge they are aware of your liaison with this man.”

“Do you think they’ll investigate him if they think he’s my boyfriend?”

“Be certain they already did that, my darling. Regardless of the answer we will provide.”

“The article could pose a problem? Regarding the title?” asked Elizabeth with a small voice.

“Absolutely not,” Lady Dominique paused and looked Elizabeth in the eyes. “Although, it could seem odd you just arrived here and are already being spotted with an Iranian man.”

“He’s from Turkey.”

“You know what I mean.” The elderly woman waved her hands dismissively.

“No, I don’t.”

“I suppose this relationship could raise concerns with possible ties with… How should I put it? Extremists? Is that the word they use nowadays?”

“Extremists?” Elizabeth gasped. “Grandma, Hamid is a diplomat! His father is a State Minister.”

“You must understand, my dear, this is not only a social gathering with a dear friend. The Queen’s agenda is public. It would be mostly unpleasant if Her Majesty receives someone who might harm her image in the public eye. This is expected.”

“I can understand that, but Hamid is nothing like that... Are you suggesting that my friendship with a Muslim man is undesirable?”

The elderly woman pursed her lips, and Elizabeth couldn’t refrain from asking in a harsh unusual tone. “Is this a problem to you, grandma?”

“Don’t be absurd, Elizabeth!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t attend the tea...”

“You are not a child anymore, my dear. You have duties to fulfill. One day you’ll be the Countess, you can’t just avoid uncomfortable situations,” she said softly, “Besides, this relationship might pose a problem to your father as well.”

“How come?”

“Vincent receives so many criticism on his stand on the refugees’ question… I believe it might get worse if the word spread.”

“Dad knows about my friendship with Hamid,” she explained, “He never showed any sign of concern. On the contrary.”

The elderly woman flashed a tight-lipped smile and sighed. “My Vincent has a good heart, but he's not known for being a practical man.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard knowing she was the living proof of her grandmother's argument.

“Does father know about the article?”

“I believe we can solve this matter without disturbing him, don’t you agree?”

She nodded. There was so much teasing from her father she could endure.

“What should I tell them? Are you or are you not in a relationship with him?”

The question caused Elizabeth to frown and wonder if the Queen’s staff was truly interested in such information.

“We have a relationship, grandma. He’s my friend.”

The small satisfied smile indicating she was pleased with that answer. At least for now.

Heartbeat quickening, Elizabeth took her finger to her mouth and started biting at her cuticles. “Don’t,” Lady Dominque said softly and pulled her hand down.

“I can understand the reasons you would like him. I remember when Vincent introduced us at Edgewater, he was remarkably charming,” smiling, she whispered, “And tall and handsome.”

Elizabeth blushed at her grandmother’s words and muttered, “He’s more than that, grandma.”

“I am quite aware the times are changing. Vincent and I do not expect you to find a life partner at such a young age… Or at all, if that’s not your desire.” She gently patted Elizabeth’s knee. “However, if you’d accept a piece of advice, I would recommend you to be careful. To carry on a romantic relationship with someone with such a history… That list is extensive and it might only end –”

“Some are just friends,” Elizabeth interrupted repeating what Hamid told her once. Do I believe him?

“Associating with him could create problems regarding your privacy, which you always cherished. I predict your face on a tabloid article won’t be a one-time occurrence.”

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek. Her grandmother could be right. Would it be so horrible to pay this price for Hamid’s company?

They remained quiet for a moment, Elizabeth mulling on the facts she just learned and considering how to share the news with Hamid.

Lady Dominique tried to meet her gaze and her soft voice broke the silence. “If I could say so, a man like Ernest Sinclaire would provide a more suitable companionship. Such a friendship could do wonders for both of you.”

How on earth did this conversation shift to Sinclaire? Elizabeth frowned and gazed at her grandmother.

“I assume you are getting along better now. I noticed you had a pleasant conversation at dinner the other night.”

Three times they’ve been together so far and none of those encounters could be classified as pleasant, alternating uncomfortable silences, monosyllabic answers and trivial topics suggested by one of their grandmothers.

Frowning, Elizabeth supposes her grandmother was referring to their latest encounter when they talked about death penalty; even though they were both against it, somehow the subject led to a heated argument on something entirely different that she cannot recall and they spent the rest of the dinner glaring at each other.

“He is a discreet young man and would be a reliable friend.” The elderly woman’s hand touched her granddaughter’s knee again, trying to draw her attention back to her.

“I can’t see us becoming friends,” Elizabeth blurted out, avoiding her grandmother’s stare.

“I hope you might change your mind someday, my dear.”

“Have they answered if the Duchess of Sussex will join us?”

“They have not.”

Elizabeth mockingly pouted and the other woman gaped.

“Are you more excited to meet this woman than the Queen herself?” The surprise unconcealed in her tone.

“What can I say? I’m a fan,” she shrugged, “Can we take selfies there?”

“Elizabeth, I will have Mrs. Carlton forwarding you the email about the ceremonial once more. I presume you still have not read it. This is as important as your lessons from Law school. Even more, if I may say so."

The young woman stifled a giggle and promised to take the matter seriously from now on, even though she has read the e-mail several times and memorized everything she’s supposed to know about the ceremonial.

=========== Notes:

1. O quê? - What? 2. Não! - No! 3. Obrigado - Thank you 4. Manoel Carlos - A Brazilian soap opera’s author 5. Leblon - A neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro

#desire and decorum #desire and decorum modern au #hamid x mc #briar daly #playchoices #playchoices fanfiction #lady grandmother #second chances

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artlessdynamite · 5 years

Text

Just to see him smile

Summary: Every day at 4pm, Dan goes to the same diner and orders the same drink. On this day, something happens that Dan was not expecting.

Word Count: 2.9k

Warnings: none (I think)

A/N: This is the fic made for @phandomreversebang based on the prompt from @penisdinosaur whose lovely art can be found here. Also, an special thanks to @danhowellz for being an amazing beta who helped this fic be the best it can be!

[read it on ao3]

————-

The harsh glow from the red sign above the diner made Dan feel at home. Every day, he would head there for the malt-shakes and the very friendly waitress, Lou. The familiar surroundings and the flashiness of the neon lights made him smile with ease. He came to a halt right beside the door and left his bike laying on the pavement, not bothering to secure it. He never really needed to anyway.

Dan stepped inside, the bell over the door rang making the waitress look up to see who entered. Dan’s smile widened at the sight of her. She smiled at him, then encouraged him to sit with a nod of the head. He headed to his usual booth in the back that was still close enough to the counter so Lou could still go up to talk to him. He also really enjoyed the fact that the jukebox was so close to him. He really did enjoy listening to all the songs, even if most were not exactly his taste. At least, he would not admit that they were actually his taste.

He enjoyed spending time there because it helped him forget about the outside world. It was as if whenever he was inside the diner, he was in a different world altogether. The music playing from the jukebox, the neon lights all around him, and the bright red from all the booths and stools made him feel weirdly at peace. Looking out the window, watching as the cars went by made him lose track of time as if he was in a sort of daze. It helped him stop thinking, all that remained inside his mind was the tune of the song playing.

As another song played, which Dan didn’t know the title of, Lou approached his booth startling Dan.

She giggled. “I didn’t mean to scare you, Dan, but you do make it easy.”

“I’ll have you know that I am not usually this easy to scare!”

She smiled softly at him. “Okay, if you say so!” She looked out the window for a second before she returned her gaze to Dan. “So, what would you like today?”

Dan didn’t waste a moment before asking for a chocolate malt-shake.

“So just the usual then.”

“Yup,” Dan smiled.

“You should really eat something, you are looking skinny, sweetie,” She sighed before turning around.

Dan laughed as he saw her walk away while shaking her head disapprovingly. He went back to staring out the window, wondering if he should continue reading the book he brought with him. He decided to at least take it out of his messenger bag to look like he was doing something. Not that he would usually bother to do it, but the diner was buzzing with life and he wanted to at least appear busy so no one would bother him.

Just as Dan managed to find the book, the bell above the door rang. He usually didn’t bother to see who it was that came into the diner, but something made him look up at that moment. Dan was certainly glad that he looked up. The man standing by the door and looking around, certainly made him hold his breath for a beat too long. He was tall, maybe even taller than Dan which was unusual. His striking black hair was pushed to the side, a strand of his hair falling into his face. Dan could not help but see how his clothes made his lean figure look extremely attractive. None of it could have prepared him for the brief moment in which they made eye contact and the man smiled at him. The shocking blue of his eyes had Dan swooning over someone he did not know the name of.

He continued staring at the spot in which the man had been standing, before he walked away to sit on one of the stools. All kinds of thoughts raced around his mind.

Dan shook his head slightly hoping that would help him clear his mind. It did not help, but it did help him notice that Lou was smirking at him from behind the counter. He could not help but blush even more than he already was, something he did not notice he was doing until that moment. He could not help but notice how obvious he had been about the staring. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned. He could not believe he had done something so embarrassing.

He kept his head down for a few minutes, hoping to, at the very least, stop blushing. That proved to be more difficult than expected since Dan’s mind insisted on thinking about the man. Dan only looked up when Lou said his name next to his booth. She was smirking down at him with a glint of humor in her eyes.

“Was I really all that obvious?”

“You could have only made it more obvious by drooling all over yourself,” She smiled widely, “Which I am surprised you didn’t start doing.”

“Please tell me you are kidding!”

“No such luck sweetie, but hey cheer up, here is your shake and a slice of pie,” She placed the plate and glass gently in front of Dan.

Dan actually looked up at her, “You know you don’t have to keep giving me pie every time, right?”

“Oh sweetie, this time it’s not from me,” She turned and started walking away.

“What do you mean?” Dan called at her a bit too loud.

She laughed and walked back to talk to the counter, ignoring his question. He watched as she started to talk to the man which he tried to avoid staring at, in the chance that he would end up embarrassing himself again. He did, however, notice the glint of mischievousness in Lou’s eyes.

He begrudgingly looked away from her figure and turned back to his shake. He took a sip and opened the book, finally deciding that reading would be the best option. After reading a few sentences, he turned to eye the slice of pie suspiciously, wondering if he should eat it. After all, he wanted to show that he was annoyed at Lou for not answering his question. After a few seconds, however, he caved. He could not let it go to waste knowing how good the pie was at the diner. He took a small bite and closed his eyes enjoying the sweet taste of apples and the buttery texture of the crust.

Dan heard a chuckle followed by “Is the pie good?”

His eyes shot open only to find himself looking right into very blue eyes, which he noticed were not pure blue, but had green and golden speckles all over. Dan averted his eyes as soon as he realized what he was doing. He coughed once trying to not choke.

“I- uh- yes?” Dan mumbled.

The laugh that followed made Dan’s face heat up. Dan tried to not look at him but he couldn’t help it. His smile lit up his face and his eyes crinkled and Dan could not help but think that it was adorable.

“Sorry, sorry,” The man tried to hide the remnants of his laugh, “I’m glad you like it considering it was from me,” He stared at Dan’s surprised face for a few seconds before he spoke again. “Oh, how rude of me. I’m Phil.” He stretched his hand for Dan to shake.

Dan gave it a confused look before finally deciding to shake Phil’s hand. “I’m Dan.”

“Can I sit?” Phil said pointing at the other side of the booth.

Dan blinked a few times trying to process the fact that Phil would want to sit with him. After a few seconds he nodded, not feeling sure about his ability to speak. Phil smiled again and sat down.

“Soooo, what are you reading?” Phil asked.

Dan looked down at his book and blushed for what felt like the millionth time that day. “I- it’s nothing, just a book I found.”

Phil leaned his head to the side, studying Dan’s face. “Can I see it? Only if you don’t mind, of course!”

Dan grabbed the book and handed it to Phil, looking out the window not wanting to see his reaction to the fact that he was reading a romance novel.

“Fifteen…” Phil whispered as he looked at the cover.

All that could be heard was the flipping of pages for a few seconds, but Dan just continued to stare out the window. He felt as if Phil kept flipping through the pages for hours even if he had only had the book for less than a minute. He could not help but feel as if Phil would just scoff at him and walk away when he realized just what it was that Dan was reading. Phil spoke seconds before Dan spiraled into all the thoughts racing around his head.

“I read this a few months ago,” Phil said finally, “I liked it.”

Dan turned to look back at Phil when he said that. “You did?” Dan said barely above a whisper.

Phil smiled brightly, “Yes, yes I did, Dan.”

Dan was more than a little surprised that Phil did not judge him for his book choice as many other people would. He was even more surprised that Phil would have read the same book.

“What did you think of it?”

“The way that Jane feels makes me feel sympathetic towards her but I must admit, reading about a girl falling in love with guy is getting a little boring for me. I would prefer a story about two guys falling in love instead, wouldn’t you?” Phil looked at Dan to see his reaction to the statement.

Dan’s eyes widened, “I- I think I would prefer that as well.”

Phil seemed to want to say something else when Lou interrupted.

She placed a shake in front of Phil, “Here’s your shake! Sorry it took so long.” She smiled. “Would either of you like anything else? Dan? Anything?”

Dan shook his head and gave her a look trying to convey the fact that she interrupted.

She seemed to have gotten the hint because she nodded and said, “Call me if you need me then!” and she turned around but not before mouthing, “He’s cute,” to Dan.

“What were we talking about?” Dan asked.

“Never mind that!” Phil took a second before he spoke again. “So, how does Lou know you?”

“Oh, I have been coming here nearly every day for a few months.” Dan said shyly. It made him feel like it would show that he did not have any other things to do, which although not completely untrue, he did not want that to be known.

“Well, I understand why you would, I quite like it. It would be a great place for a date.”

“I- I wouldn’t know.” Dan mumbled, “I’ve never been here with anyone else.”

“This could be a date if you wanted it to be.” Phil said confidently, blushing soon after he said it.

Dan thought that perhaps Phil didn’t mean to say that. Even if he hadn’t meant it, Dan could not help but stare at Phil with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to respond but the words caught up in his throat. Even if he had said something, he wasn’t sure what the answer would’ve been.

“Sorry, I’m sorry if I was too forward, I’ll go!” Phil looked down and began to scoot out of the booth to leave.

At Phil’s words, Dan finally found the courage to speak up. “No, wait! I was just caught off guard.” Dan looked up at Phil, “It can be if you want, a date I mean. It can be a date. I think I would like that.”

“Yeah?” Phil asked sounding very doubtful, as if Dan would reject him.

“Yeah.”

The smile that spread across Phil’s face could light up the entire world. His eyes shone as if Dan had just made him the happiest person to ever exist. Dan couldn’t help but smile back.

He found it fitting that the song playing from the jukebox had the perfect lyrics for that moment. Just to see him smile makes my life worthwhile. Dan really did think that Phil’s smile could be something that would make anything worthwhile.

So Phil sat back down and they continued talking, ignoring all the previous awkward moments. Dan felt as if he was in a dream. He could not believe how easy it was to speak to Phil. It felt like time stopped all around them as the conversation flowed.

Dan learnt that Phil had moved here to find a place where he felt more comfortable. He said he had only been there for one week which is the reason why Dan had never met him before. He found out that he was one year older than Dan.

They also realized that they both wanted to travel all around the world. Dan and Phil both wanted to visit Japan at some point. Dan found out that Phil was obsessed with anything sweet. They found that they both preferred the chocolate malt-shakes over any other flavor. They found out so many useless facts about each other, but each of them treasured them as if they were a deep secret shared from trust.

There was also one other thing that they learned: they could not wait to find out more about each other.

At some point between all the talking, Dan tried to take a drink of his shake just to make a loud slurping noise. He looked down to notice that his glass was empty.

“Would you like another one?” Phil offered.

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly finish another one.”

“We could share one.”

“Oh, I mean if you would like to, we could.”

Phil smiled and called Lou over. Phil ordered another shake and Dan could not help but notice the surprised look that Lou made when she realized they were sharing. It was quite amusing for Dan to know that Lou would be so surprised over it.

When Lou brought over the shake and he saw the two straws he realized how much that reminded him of a romantic movie. And while he knew they were being far too cliché, Dan could not help but feel the moment was perfect.

So when they both went to take a drink, he didn’t move back and instead locked eyes with Phil. He got lost in them. The sweet taste of chocolate just made everything better. And if Dan would have stopped looking into Phil’s eyes, he could have found Lou staring at them with a wide grin and a happy glint in her eyes.

They tuned out everything around them, except the music and each other. So they didn’t even notice the diner beginning to empty as the remaining customers left.

The only thing that brought them out of their trance like focus on each other was Lou talking to Dan.

“Dan, sweetie, as much as I like you, we can’t keep the diner open for much longer. You’ll be able to see each other tomorrow.”

“I- it’s closing time already? I didn’t realize that it was so late already.”

“Of course you didn’t.” She shook her head and walked away to clean the counter.

“So, I guess we should head out?”

“Guess so,” Dan said in a defeated tone.

Dan went to take out his wallet when Phil stopped him and offered to pay. The look in Phil’s eyes told him that he would be disappointed if Dan refused to let him do that. So, he did.

They grabbed their things and headed out. Dan called out a goodbye to Lou as he walked out of the door.

“So, I had a good time.”

“I’m really happy about that, so did I!” Phil leaned his head to the side and seemed to question something.

Before Phil could say anything, Dan took a step forward and kissed Phil. He kept his eyes closed hoping that Phil wouldn’t pull away. Dan relaxed when Phil kissed him back. The warm feeling of Phil’s lips combined with the sweet taste of chocolate shake made it the most perfect kiss.

When he pulled back and opened his eyes, he saw as Phil stood there, with his eyes still closed, a faint smile on his lips and the red glow from the sign above highlighting his features. It made Dan hold his breath for a second too long.

When Phil finally opened his eyes, he smiled and asked if he could see Dan again.

“Of course you can! You know where to find me,” Dan looked up, gesturing to the neon sign.

He got up on the bike and was about to go when Phil told him to wait. Before he could turn to ask what happened, Phil was there and kissed him once again. When they pulled apart, they kept their foreheads together and Dan could feel as Phil whispered, “See you soon, Dan.”

“See you, Phil.”

At that, the sign above turned off and Dan rode off. The wind hit him as he went faster and he just closed his eyes and rejoiced in the amazing day that he had. He made a turn and arrived home.

That night he dreamed about soft lips, chocolate and blue skies.

#phanfic #phanfiction #phan

19 notes · View notes

calicoranger · 7 years

Note

fic asks! 10, 11, 17, 18, 22, 23, 34, 38, 44.

10. Favoritetrope/element/scenario in fic?uhm I don’t know about one in particular to be honest, I love all kind of tropes and scenarios aside from a very few ones - especially if they are cracky tropes/scenarios. I love cracky stuff (like the accidental baby acquisition??? I’m a sucker for that, it’s terrible but I love it)11. Least favorite trope/element/scenario?I remember from my days on livejournal the scenario “A is in love with B but is also currently in a relationship with C” that always ended up with C suddenly becoming the scum of Earth or abusive out of the blue so A could have left while remaining “nice” (as if breaking up with someone is something that makes you a bad person), which was really popular back then. I still see it floating around in certain fandoms (*cough*sherlock*cough*) sometimes and it’s just-bad

17. Any characters who you can’t stand to see in pain?(this question asked by you worries me a lot are youplanning something are you)Alright so I know I go all capslock when I talk aboutangsty fics (as it is rightful to do) but let’s be honest: I’m a sucker forthem. I will read your death fics and torture fics and “lets-break-this-character-in-every-way-possible”fics so I say, bring it on.(but nicely lou)(nicely)18. Favorite angst fic?ahahahAHAHAH I WONDERJokes left aside if favourite angst fic stands for thefic that broke your heart well the end of all things is the one that did it. Literallybroke my heart in a lot of tiny million pieces. Go read it.22. Biggest turn-ons in fic?I assume since both this and the next questions werein the porn section that we’re talking about kinks…if not I’m sorry I’m horrible but honestly what if not that.Anyway, uhm…slow/lazy morning sex, oral sex, dirtytalk, body worship, light bondage and rough sex but not *too* rough? Now I really hope it meant this kind of turn-ons otherwise I’m deleting23. Biggest turn-offs in fic?Watersports and I don’t know if watersports includesnumber two as well but if it doesn’t then whatever it’s called the thing thatinvolves number two, anything that gets gore-y, too much pain kink, underagesex, anything involving any kind of animal, alpha/beta/omega in general, mpreg,a lot of weird stuff I’ve witnessed during my years in the spn fandom that Iwish I could delete from my brain. 34. Do you like UAs (universe-alterations, when themain universe and characters are the same but one plot point/decision/outcomeis altered)?Uhm I’m thinking hard but I’m 97% sure I’ve never reada UA fic - I’ve nothing against them though, I just never happened to read them(if “everybody lives”/“character X never died” tropes areconsidered UA well then I think they are treasures, love me some denial)But honestly on a big scale it’s a sick idea and nowI’m imagining a 200k masterpiece that starts from changing one single plot point andfrom there you get a complete different story. Now I want this.38. How do you feel about genderbending? De-aging?Animalizing?Personally I have nothing against them, as long asde-aging and animalizing is not a kink (in that case it kind of disgusts me, nooffense) they just…not my cup of tea.

44. How fluffy is too fluffy?Okay this is a nice question, so- I don’t think thereis anything that is too fluffy in general, I think it all depends on the fandomand the characters you’re writing about. For example, a nice fluffy Pushing Daisies fic with Ned andChuck being sappy and taking a lovely stroll under the stars with asweet declaration of love and a kiss doesn’t bother me at all because it wouldn’tbe out of character for them, while the same thing, let’s say, with Will Grahamand Hannibal Lecter…that would make me cringe…Let’s say that when things start to go out ofcharacter, that’s the sign that you’re crossing the line between “sweet” and “toofluffy”.aaaand for 25 you’re right, better save it for uhm, private conversations, yep

send me fanfic asks

#calicocaptain #here we goo #some of these don't make sense I'm sorry #like not at all #I'm still confused by dirk gently okay let's pretend it's that and not the fact that I cannot even answer asks

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backonefish · 7 years

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ANNUAL WRITING SELF-EVALUATION 2016

@paynner tagged me in this (i hope this is still her name :p). And I’m super excited to do this even if I really don’t have much to say. But anywho, here goes.

1. List of works published this year:

A Whole New World

In a World Like This

(it hit me the minute I posted my second fic that both the titles were incredibly similar and it was too late too change. Le sigh. Tis life)

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

I know IAWLT was the more popular one, but I’m quite impartial to my first one, AWNW (what the hell are these acronyms? Is this what I get for naming fics after song titles?). It was the first one I wrote for the 1D fandom and it kind of took a life of its own. The minute I saw the prompt, the plot fell into place and I loved being able to write all the Disney into their banter. It was just so much fun to write. I don’t think I’ve written anything that has been that much fun and I kept having to tell myself to focus on actual life and not write.

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

Um… neither? I know I’m more proud of AWNW, so ergo, the other should be my least. But I really loved writing both and I’m quite proud of both. I mean they’re not literary masterpieces, but I liked them enough to publish… Having said that, there is still stuff I would like to change.

For AWNW, I still feel like the bet was a little too rushed and forced. I had to keep re-writing that part and wished I could’ve fleshed it out more. I also feel like I suck at endings, bc I get super into developing the plot and once I figure out how to end it, I rush into it so quickly and just want to be done. And then when I go back, I wish I had a full more bodied ending. I dunno if that makes sense, but it’s something I need to work on.

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

Can I pick two? I’m going to pick two. Both are from AWNW. (this part turned out to be quite long. sorreeee)

“I Just Can’t Wait to be King” is what wakes him up on Wednesday. It used to be what woke his parents up every day when he was a child and the Lion King was the best thing ever. Except he’s no longer a kid and karma’s a bitch.

Today when he drinks tea, he covers Simba’s face with a strategically placed thumb. He places the mug in the sink once he’s done, only to double back and place a kiss on Simba’s face. It’s really not Simba’s fault that his neighbour is an asshole who can’t respect sleeping hours.

That night, Louis stuffs his ears with cotton and hopes for the best.

---

On Thursday, hopes come true. For the first time that week, Louis is woken up by his alarm. Not some –

The angst filled notes of “Let it Go” comes thudding through the walls. Never mind then. Hopes are meant to be dashed.

---

It’s Friday and “Tale as Old as Time” is playing through his walls and really, being woken up every fucking day by a piano playing, Disney loving neighbour, is a tale as old as time. Tomorrow is Saturday. Surely, his neighbours understand the sanctity of a Saturday.

---

Surely he has been more wrong in his life? It’s currently 7:20 and Louis is lying in bed listening to a much improved version of “A Whole New World.” Neighbour #2 is getting better at this. Too bad the same can’t be said for Louis’ sleep.”

K, So I loved this bit bc I was quite proud with how things flowed. It was one of the first ideas that came to me about the fic and stylistically, I enjoyed the movement from one day to the next and the chance to incorporate the Disney songs into the transitions.

And

Perhaps he too should write a poem.

He pulls out a blank sheet of paper and chews his pen.

Harry. He’ll write a poem for Harry.

Hair that shines like a princess

No. He scratches that out and starts again. It’s still too soon.

Skin as soft as a petal

Hair as shiny as the sun

Eyes so – what rhymes with petal? Metal? Nettle? Kettle? Ah, yes. That will work.

Eyes as green as my kettle

Harry, you are my number one.

Dimples as deep as the sea

Lips that make me want to come

Heart as pure as can be

Harry, you are my only one.

Perfect. Literary genius, he is. This is Pulitzer Prize worthy. He rewrites the poem carefully on a fresh sheet of paper and then decorates it with hearts and flowers. He spends the rest of the day in eager anticipation for when he gives the poem to Harry.

Ten pm finally rolls around when Harry texts Louis to say that he’s home. Louis bounds over eagerly, knocking obnoxiously until Harry opens the door.

“Here,” he bypasses Harry’s greeting to thrust the poem taped to a bouquet of flowers he’d picked up on his way home.

“Lou,” Harry breathes, caught off guard, “What is this.”

“I wrote you a poem,” Louis points at the paper, rocking on his feet impatiently. “Read it.”

“Okay,” Harry says, floored. He places the flowers on the table and carefully pulls the poem free. He reads silently, lips mouthing along the words. When he’s done he looks at Louis, eyes wide and slightly teary.

“This is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me,” Harry says, voice wavering slightly.

“So you liked it?” Louis asks, shy all of a sudden.

“I loved it. Your kettle is very green,” Harry agrees.

Louis nods. He’s quite proud of that line. Harry reaches out to cup Louis’ jaw with one hand, poem still clutched tightly in his other.

“Your lips make me want to come too,” Harry whispers, leaning down.

This is my other favourite bc its so absurd. The poem is so bad. I love it. It’s crazy and stupid. It was the most ridiculous thing I could write and I did write it and it just worked with the nature of the fic. Also I could easily picture Larry being this ridiculous about shit (*cough* the wind makes nice waves) and being so in love with each other that they can’t see how bad it is. So yeah. These two pieces.

(also wow, apologies for all the grammatical errors in AWNW)

5. Share or describe a favorite review you received:

Ahhh, I love every single kudo, like, bookmark and comment. I’m still flabbergasted that someone would take the time to appreciate my fic in any sense. So thank you.

If I had to pick one (im sorry if this is cheesy) but I loved the comment paynner left on IAWLT. I wrote it based on her prompt but never in a million years would I expect her to leave such a heartfelt comment on my fic. Like, she picked excerpts she liked and commented on it, promoted it on tumblr and then even proposed to me (I said yes). It honestly doesn’t get better than that. Forever grateful.

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

Oh… um right before I started writing Larry. I used to write for other fandoms and stopped bc I was no longer inspired? And just real life got in the way and I didn’t see the purpose of writing anymore.

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you

This is super tough. I want to say the Harry and Louis I wrote for AWNW. They’re both so ridiculous and over the top. I never imagined writing them like that and it actually working.

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

Well one, I started writing again, and two, I’m writing RPF and AUs which I never imagined id do. But moreover, I wrote more comedic, light hearted fluff. I used to write angst bc I get angst and it was what I always wrote. So coming back into a completely different genre was nerve-wracking but also so much fun and quite rewarding. I got to be sillier in my work, insert more of my thought process into the characters, and actually create worlds.

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

I want to return to angst next year, and write a longer fic. Mainly, commit to something long enough to actually write it. The last time I wrote a multi-chaptered fic, I was so tired by the end of it and was the worst at updating. So yeah, commit to writing, create a proper schedule to write, and all that jazz.

Oo I also really want to develop my side characters more. Make them more well rounded and bodied and more central to the plot.

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

Can I just say all the authors in this fandom have been a huge inspiration. I’ve been reading fic for the past year and a half and I’m always so incredibly floored by the variety, talent, and uniqueness of each fic. So, yeah, a huge thank you to everyone who has written.

I will pick out three (bc I love doing things in threes) who have definitely been a positive influence.

Zarah5 (I hope that wherever she is, she’s doing amazing.) Stylistically, the way she writes… wow. The ability to convey emotion and fears through actions and dialogue only, is so unique and I’m in awe of how she does it. Her plots are so detailed and nuanced and just pull me under (see what I did there? I can be punnier than harry). Also her sentence structure? She embodied the characters as the narrators so well and utilizes that into unique sentence structures. I’ve yet to see someone who can write in such a manner.

@alienproof so I’ve commented on chelsie’s work about how she creates atmosphere. You read her fics and you’re instantly pulled into the mood of the world. Finding Lou? The Wonderlands? Omh, the wonderlands. Guys, you don’t understand how much I love that fic. I’ve never waited that eagerly for a fic update in my life. Her Louis and Harry are so much older, but so well written, their fears and motives and dynamic. And the atmosphere. It always boils down to the atmosphere and I love it.

@paynner . duh. I adore her writing. ADORE. Her fics are the best pick-me-ups you could ever need. They’re so funny, so smutty, so unique. Also she’s this plethora of prompts and every time I come across one of them, I’m like ooo I want to write it. Obviously, I went and wrote one. So, literally, she’s been the most positive influence. But yeah, I love her mind, I love how well she writes and I LOVE how somethin’ bout you was so different than her usual style of writing but it works so well! I remember only realising who the author was bc princess isn’t subtle at all, but otherwise I got so sucked up in the world and the plot and the unique way the love/hate dynamic worked that I couldn’t even tell it was her. Oh, also – how the hell did she manage to write so much in a year?

You people amaze me. And make me think, hey i should give this writing thing a shot too.

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

Lmao, my love for BSB? Im still amazed that I was able to insert them into a fic. I literally wrote three dates for Harry and Louis in IAWLT bc I wanted to write about the Backstreet Boys and then I went and named the fic after their song. Sue me, I’m trash for them.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

Write what you want. Write what’s fun. You’ll enjoy it more than if you try to write what other people want to read. Also write for fic exchanges bc it puts you on a deadline and provides you with prompts and gives you an automatic audience. (I guess this is mainly for newer writers, but I really have no new wisdom for experienced, established authors… )

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

Oh… finishing for sure. I’m working on a med school, friends with benefits fic, set in Canada which is multi-chaptered bc why not bite off more than I can chew. The entire thing is planned out, but I’ve been stuck on the third chapter and life is a thing that refuses to be ignored… so yeah. Lets see. But I’d like to get it finished this year.

keep everything crossed

14. Tag three writers whose answers you’d like to read. ;)

@donotdialnine and @juliusschmidt who I’ve recently been reading again. So much love for their work. And @sadamenoito bc i’ve read all her fics a few too many times. Dunno if you’ve done it already, but if you haven’t….

*All answers should be about works published in 2016. Also, you can skip any questions you hate or don’t want to answer, but please leave them on the list so that others can do them if they want. :)

#mine #i hope this isn't trash #thanks for tagging me j <3 #reminded me why i love writing again #fic things #writing #im gonna shut up now

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