#mine was wonderful way by hannah grace

[evie-sturns]

no one has to know what we do - Chris Sturniolo

summary: ever since you met the triplets in 3rd grade, youve had been closest with chris. you've never admitted it to anyone but you've been madly inlove with him for a few years now. the triplets 20th birthday comes around, they celebrate by inviting the friend group to their house for the weekend, what happens when you and chris are left alone in his bedroom, will things stay the same, or will you two be forced to sneak around.

contains: smut, fwb!chris, sneaking around friends, swearing, fluff.

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♫.. no one has to know what we do, his hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room..♫

I've known the triplets since i could walk, marylou and my mom met in highschool so i've grown up around the nick matt and chris my whole life. ive always been closest with chirs,

but i hate to admit the fact that i've been thinking about him differently, a lot differently. i've never though about matt in that way though, even though they're practically the same. it's something about chris's hair, i've always wondered how my fingers would feel laced through his brown locks while he rests between my thighs.

6:39pm, friday night.

i push open the sturniolos front door to find nick, chris, matt, madi, nate, and several other friends from highschool, hannah, grace and yolanda, leaning on the counter, all laughing with eachother.

''hey!!" chris says with a wide grin, running up to me and wrapping his arms around me. "chrisss" i smile back at him.

this weekend is the sturniolos birthday, they've invited madi, me, nathan, and 3 other friends round for friday night, saturday and sunday, for those three nights chris and i are sharing a room, alone.

he grabs my small tote brag i brought and chucks it into the spare room. i walk into the kitchen and greet everyone else, instantly getting dragged by nick into the living room.

"we're watching the grinch." madi declares, "fuck no! its the middle of fucking august" nick yells back, nate chimes in, adding something to the debate.

before i can open my mouth i feel a cold hand grab my arm, its chris.

my head swings around, my hair hitting his neck. "c'mon" chris says, taking me over to the couch and throwing himself down and patting the spot next to him. i flop next to him, cuddling close to his side as everybody else piles down, "so we're watching the grinch?" madi says with a cheeky smile, "no." nick instantly replies, switching the tv on.

the intro song to rapunzel blasts through the small room, a loud cheer comes from the 7 other people around chris and i.

i'm basically frozen, my mouth won't move and i can feel my heart pounding out of my chest. sure, chris and i have been friends forever but god hes been so physical the past few weeks its been hard to hold myself together.

"you okay?" chris whispers down into my hair.

"yeah!" i chirp back

"you seem nervous"

"im not."

im 90% sure he knows.

"im sorry this movie is ASS." nate says, interrupting the movie. "gotta say, i do kinda agree with you." madi replies, "i told you the grinch was better!" she says, earning a boo from nick.

nick leans over to me, "go get a boardgame from chris's room cause these fuck heads aren't happy with rapunzel." he tutts.

i heave myself up off the couch, "chris where do you keep your array of boardgames" i scoff, shaking my head with a smile. "first of all i dont have 50 boardgames i play" he laughs as he walks over to me.

i walk upstairs towards chris's room, him closley behind me still yapping about the fact hes not that big of a fan of board games.

i open the large wooden door to chris's room, the familiar sight filling my vision.

chris shuts the door behind us, i don't question it, he probably just wants to keep his room air conditioned. i look back at him,

"so where are the-" i start but get interrupted by chris's hand on my jaw, he looks at my lips then my eyes, then my lips before slamming his onto mine.

i kiss him back. of course i do? i've practically dreamt about this moment since i was 16.

"i know i make you nervous y/n" he rasps into my lips, his second hand grabbing my cheek as he walks us back, our lips still connected as my back hits the wall, pinning me down slightly with his mouth.

he pulls away for a second, scanning my face for a readable expression. "chris" i breathe out, running my hand through my hair.

"im sorry, im so fucking sorry i shouldnt've done that-" he starts, taking a step back, "chris." i interrupt him, reconnecting our lips.

"you make me nervous, really fucking nervous." i say into his lips, his hand finds its way to the back of my head, his fingers intertwined in my hair.

suddenly the door to his bedroom rattles, i instantly pull away, my head spinning round to look at the door which is being pushed open/

madi, matt, nick and 3 of our other friends walk in, all laughing with each other about god knows what, i scramble towards the closet, looking for any board game i can.

i pull out the despicable me version of 'game of life' which has several minions on the front. a small laugh exits my mouth before i join the small circle which has formed on the floor with our friends.

"y/n...." matt says with a laugh, grabbing the board game off me "despicable me?" hannah says with a scoff

"im sorry! chris doesn't have the collection of board games i expected!" i tease back.

"it'll be okay!" grace says, a somewhat optimistic smile painted across her face.

chris joins the circle of friends on the floor, sitting down opposite me. hes got a small panicked expression, his lips red and raw, his cheeks a deep pink. his eyes are fixed on mine.

"so whos gonna roll first?" nick chuckles.

(8:45pm)

madi won the boardgame about 30 minutes ago, i've been laying on the floor of chris's room with all of our friends, execept for chris.

he disappeared while everyone was celebratings madis 'epic' win.

"we've gotta play truth or dare.." yolanda says, "like the corny middle school shit you know?"

nick claps his hands with a goofy grin, followed by matt rolling his eyes but later agreeing.

"nick, truth or dare" grace laughs,

i stand up off the floor, walking out of chris's room while everyones distracted watching nick try to do a head stand.

the wooden stairs creak as i jog down them, i swing open the back door and im met with chris. he's sitting on the outdoor bench, scrolling aimlessly through his phone.

his head shoots up to look at me as i walk over to the bench, sitting under it.

"hey!" he says smiling, then putting his phone down on the armrest.

"how was despicable me game of life?" chris nudges me in the arm, a stupid smile on his pink lips.

"shut up!" i scoff, flicking his arm softly.

a silence fills the air, only sounds of distant cars vaguely humming in the background. chris runs a hand through his brunette hair, his long fingers peeking through the strands of his hair.

"um-" chris clears his throat.

"chris.." i whisper i start, then get off by his voice

"i dont think i'm ready for a relationship."

my heart sinks.

i didnt even say i liked him like that to his face?

"come with me." he declares, standing up abruptly grabbing my hand and pulling me inside.

everyone's hanging out in the living room, nobodys really paying attention to rapunzel anymore. nicks head shoots up "y/n come over!!" he smiles at me.

"we're gonna go get ready for bed, super tired." chris speaks for me. i run over to nick, giving him and matt a goodnight hug before returning to chris. he grabs my hand firmly then pulls me upstairs into his room, slamming the door shut behind us

my heart thumps as chris looks down at me, his hand reaches out for my chin, his other hand firmly gripping my waist as his fingertips lightly squeeze my waist. i stare at his lips, he stares at mine before colliding them for the second time today.

without another word his shirt is across the room, his necklace resting on his chest. my shirt follows, ending up somewhere around the room. "chris" i moan lightly into his lips as his hand snakes round to my back, unclasping my bra and letting it fall to the floor.

he frantically rips off his sweatpants, i shimmy my shorts down my legs.

the air surrounding us grows hot as i fall back onto his bed, "chris- we can't, nick always tells me that he'd kill me if i even though about his brothers sexually, i mean-" i ramble, but chris cuts me off.

"no one has to know what we do." he whispers, his hands intertwined in my hair.

my eyes switch from chris, to the amount of our clothes scattered across his room, the same room chris and i grew up in.

i nod "okay." a smile creeps across my face.

chris pulls off my panties, throwing them ontop of his desk. he pauses for a second, his eyes exploring every inch of my body. "oh my god." he mutters, "you okay?" he asks quickly while he pulls down his boxers, his hard length springing out. his dick is strangely perfect, "yeah, more than okay.." i whisper, my eyes fixed on his cock.

he nods "you've done.. this before right?" chris laughs slightly. "yeah- yeah" i giggle. "you're so pretty." he says, stroking his length while his eyes stare at my exposed body.

"ready?" he asks, his tip lightly pressing against my hole.

i'm not even fully processing whats happening right now, the boy i've secretly been practically inlove with for a few years is now about to fuck me.

"very." i tease, gripping the sheets for support. he pushes into me, a low whimper escaping his mouth "squeezing me so well." he stutters, bottoming out in me.

i let out a string of moans as i arch my back off the bed "so good, doing so good." he says, his thrusts rapidly increasing in pace and intensity. his fingers lace into my hair, tugging lightly but not painfully.

i let out a desperate groan "chris- fuck!"

he reaches a hand down and presses on my lower stomach, feeling how deep he is inside of me. "you feel me?" he says in between thrusts.

I squeeze my eyes shut, my vision fogged.

"i said you feel me?" he mumbles, his hair flopping with each time his tip hits my cervix.

"yes! yes-" i blurt out,

chris grabs my throat, pinning me down to the bed.

my eyes open in shock, a few short breaths exiting my mouth.

"finish, finish for me."

and with those words i do, i clench around him and release my built up orgasm. chris instantly lets go of my throat being careful not to push me too hard, he pulls out, painting my stomach with warm streaks of white.

"fuck...." he groans, throwing his head back.

i catch my breath as chris collapses next to me, he pulls me ontop of his body as he strokes my hair.

"you did so well." he whispers into my hair.

after a good 10 minutes of laying in silence i break it,

"um chris.."

"yes?" he replies.

"what are we.. now."

another silence fills the room "i dont know." he says, a bit of guilt in his voice.

he starts "i mean if you give me a few weeks we can put a label on us or we could just stay friends and forget this happened but i dont know if i want that because i really enjoyed this but i mean we could be friends with benefits-"

i interuppt his rambles "friends with benefits!?" i say with a small smile.

"if you want, could be fun like sneaking around.."

i nod frantically at chris's words "i'd like that."

-

(saturday 5pm)

after yesterday nights unexpected encounter chris and i have kept our promise, this whole day everyones been hanging out at the pool but currently we're in the bathroom, and hes fully inside of me.

"fuck-" he mumbles, slamming into me as i sit on the countertop. my bikini bottoms are pulled to the side as he pounds into me repeatedly, "close." he warns.

i clench around him, the knot in my stomach snapping as i release around his length with a scream of his name. he pulls out, orgasming on my thighs.

"you okay?" he asks, panting as he wipes my thigh with his hand.

i collide our lips together "yeah." i mumble into his mouth.

a few seconds pass before we pull away, he helps me down off the countertop as i catch my balance.

he grabs my hand and unlocks the bathroom door, he guides us both back to the pool, rejoining all our friends like we weren't fucking each other 3 minutes ago.

i lay down by the poolside, my legs shaking slightly from the intensity of the past events.

chris sits down next to me "you got a little something." he whispers with a laugh, quickly reaching down and wiping my thigh where we missed a spot.

(1 month later)

a month ago today chris and i were sneaking around at his 20th birthday party, for the past 4 weeks we've been meeting up at each other's houses, hooking up every time we get the chance. we didnt speak about anything, i think hes happy staying friends with benefits even though i want more, ive needed more for 3 years.

11:32pm

i roll over in bed, checking my phone one last time before i fall asleep. suddenly my phone frantically vibrates,

its chris?

i pick up the phone "chris its late..." i groan into the phone.

"i need to talk to you, can i come over.. please?" he asks innocently, "okay if you want to just talk, im so tired."

i hang up, after a couple minutes i hear the rumble of chriss car in my driveway, followed by his footsteps upstairs. he swings open the door to my room "hey!" he says nervously, jumping into bed beside me. "you alright?" i ask, holding his hand.

he stays silent for a few seconds, before starting.

"i think im in love with you?" he blurts out.

"you- what?" i repeat, confusion painted in my voice.

"i know, but for the past few.. years? ive liked you- alot.. and i dont just want you to be my fuck buddy anymore, i want to be more."

he takes a deep breath, i stay silent in shock.

"i feel the absolute exact same Christopher." i say, looking over at him.

"do you wanna.. make things official." he asks quietly.

i roll over ontop of him, smothering him in kisses "yes!" i laugh, wrapping my arms around him. relief washes over his face.

we lay still for a few minutes, "can i stay the night?" he asks with a laugh, "please do." i reply, my eyes fluttering shut.

we lay in silence for a few minutes, but a small laugh exits his mouth.

"yeah?" i smile into his chest.

"nothing it was just painfully obvious i was head over heels for you, how did you not guess" he laughs

"chris, im sorry but i was terrified to make a move purely because of how it wasnt obvious." i say, planting the 84th kiss of the night on his face.

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

#sturniolo triplets #sturniolo smut #matt sturniolo x reader #nick sturniolo #sturniolo x reader #chris sturniolo #sturniolo #matt sturniolo #chris sturniolo x reader #sturniolo fanfic #matthew sturniolo

[ferrisbuellers]

rb and share the first song you heard in 2021

#mine was wonderful way by hannah grace #this has been a tradition for me for like ten years #i feel like the first song i hear sets up the whole year #i can't remember what i heard first in 2020 but it probably sucked lmao #in the tags #random shit that no one cares about

[writer-k-pop]

Cousin Test

제가 시험에 합격했다는 말씀이세요? Are you saying that I passed the test?

Description: Your younger cousins are in town for a visit and they are finally meeting your boyfriend, Chan. They insist that he has to pass their test for approval and the test goes smoothly but their answer still needs some deliberations.  Warnings: None Genre: Fluff Word Count: 2.9k

Seventeen Masterlist | Masterlists

"What do you ladies want for lunch?" You ask your two younger cousins as they sit on the couch. They flew in a couple days ago and today they're meeting your boyfriend, Chan, for the first time in person.

The older of the two, Lina, shrugs, "Doesn't matter to me."

"Me neither." The youngest, Grace, says with a smile.

You lean against the counter, phone in your hands, "We kind of have to give Chan some ideas. He is paying for it."

Chan texts you again with another suggestion.

"Pizza?"

"What about pizza?" You ask your cousins and both of them nod quickly.

"I want pepperoni!" Grace tells you.

"And I want cheese." Lina puts in her opinion.

"Grace wants pepperoni and Lina wants cheese." You text Chan.

"We'll get one pepperoni and one cheese." Chan replies, "If we have leftovers then I have late night snacks."

You roll your eyes, "Meet you at the studio in 30?"

"Definitely." Chan texts back and you put away your phone.

"Alright, ladies, we've got 30 minutes to get our butts to the studio." You announce to your cousins, "Think we can do it?"

Lina and Grace stand on their feet, purses already secured around their bodies. "Heck yeah."

You chuckle and pick up your own purse.

As the three of you make your way out of your apartment building, Grace's excitement begins to grow.

"I can't believe we finally get to meet Chan!" She giggles and grips your arm tighter.

"You guys have been dating for like ever, you could've come visit us." Lina complains.

"We've been dating for like a year. And you also could've come visited me earlier. Plus with Chan's schedule..." You trail off.

"He should get a better schedule." Grace pouts.

"That what I keep telling him." You chuckle as the walk sign turns green and you lead the girls across the street.

25 minutes later, you stop across the street from Chan's private studio.

"I don't see the company building anywhere." Lina looks around at the signs that are plastered onto the buildings.

"We're not going to the company. We're going to his private studio." You correct her.

Grace tugs on your arm, "The light's green, come on."

"I'm going to make sure he's the guy for you." Lina says and sets her shoulders in determination.

You chuckle, "And how are you going to that?"

"I'm going to ask him questions." Lina says confidently.

"You're going to interrogate him." Grace rephrases.

Lina mulls the word over for a second, "I'm going to interrogate him." She confirms.

"Oh geez," You laugh, "Well, don't go too hard on him."

"No, we're going to ask him all the hard questions." Grace smiles evilly.

You turn into a building and head down the stairs with the girls following. At the end of the hall is Chan's studio door.

"What are these other doors?" Lina asks as you continue to pass by closed doors.

"Other studios that people rent out." You inform them.

"All these are studios?" Grace says in awe.

"Small private ones, but yeah." You say as you reach Chan's door.

You knock twice but there's no reply. So you punch in the code and slowly open the door. Lina and Grace press against your back, trying to get a peek inside. The lights are dimmed but Chan's nowhere in sight.

"He must be still getting pizzas." You comment and fully open the door, letting your cousins into the space.

Once inside, Lina and Grace begin walking around the space and doing little twirls. They've been dancing since they were little and that's part of the reason they wanted to meet Chan so badly.

You throw your purse onto the couch and lower yourself down while texting Chan.

"We're here. I let us in." You text him.

"This is so neat." Lina comments, setting her purse next to yours.

"I thought it would be smaller than this." Grace says and copies her sister's actions.

You glance around the room. It's about a third of the size of Seventeen's big practice room. And after spending a lot of time in that space, this one always seems small to you but to your cousins, it's a decent size.

"I just got the pizzas. Be there in five." Chan texts you.

"(y/n), do you know how to work this?" Lina asks, standing in front of the stereo system.

You push yourself back onto your feet, "Of course I do."

"This too?" Grace asks, pointing at the standing mic in front of her.

You nod, "I sometimes help Chan with his recordings."

"How does it work?" Grace's eyes light up and you take a seat in the desk chair.

After a few clicks, the computer logs on and you search for the right program.

"We use this program that combines all the different tracks together." You explain, Lina over your right shoulder and Grace over your left. "Pop these headphones over your ears and then Chan does some magic button pressing and hits record and then he starts singin'."

Lina lightly hits your shoulder, "You don't even know what he does."

You chuckle, "I can work the tech, I don't necessarily understand the magic behind the tech."

Grace goes back to stand in front of the wall of mirrors and starts lightly dancing. "I could stay here all day."

"Chan could too." You comment, staring lovingly at the girl as she raises her arms above her head. Her eyes intently watching to perfect the angles.

The door swings open and Chan shuffles through the doorway with two pizzas and a bag of drinks.

"Hey, I didn't know what you wanted to drink, so I guessed." Chan smiles at you. Lina and Grace quickly hide behind you, using your body like a shield.

Chan sets the food down on the small table and then turns his attention to the two girls who are hiding behind you.

"Hi. I'm Chan." He introduces himself. "It's so great to finally meet you two."

You glance down and chuckle at the two girls who are nervously looking at Chan. "This is Lina and this is Grace." You tell Chan their names because they aren't about to say it themselves. You pat them on the shoulders, telling them they should quit hiding behind you but they stay hidden.

"Why don't we eat? You guys must be hungry." Chan suggests and you can detect a hint of unease behind his eyes. You don't blame him. He wants to make a good impression on your closest cousins but they're not making it easy.

You guide the two humans attached to your sides to sit near the couch while Chan slides the table of food over. Sitting across from you makes Chan feel like this is more of an interview that a first meeting.

While he opens the pizza containers, you can't help but laugh at the girls, "You guys were so adamant about grilling him and now you're all shy."

"Shhhh." Grace shoves her finger against her lips, "You can't spoil our plans."

"Grilling me?" Chan asks, handing Grace a cheese slice, "I have to pass another test?"

"This is the most important test." Lina says as if the answer's obvious, "If you don't pass our test, you can't date (y/n)." With her growing confidence, Chan begins to relax slightly and he watches curiously as she picks out her pizza slice. You on the other hand, laugh out loud.

"Who gave you that authority?" You ask.

Lina shrugs while taking a bite.

"Well, I've passed all of (y/n)'s friends' test so I think I can pass one more." Chan says, up for the challenge and hands Lina and Grace napkins.

"Mmm, this pizza is good." Grace says happily with grease around her mouth.

"Better be. Jeonghan hyung's sister's husband owns it." Chan explains.

"Were they busy?" You ask, wondering if business was good.

Chan shrugs and picks up a slice, "The store wasn't packed but they were working like crazy in the kitchen. Probably had a lot of deliveries."

You nod and take a bite of your own slice.

"So." Lina sets her slice down and sips her drink, "Why do you like (y/n)?"

The question throws Chan for a loop and he nearly chokes on his food.

"Wow, you're starting with the hard questions first." He says once he can talk.

"We don't play it easy." Grace wipes her mouth and shakes her head.

"No you do not." Chan smiles, "Well, she's super smart and super amazing. She makes me feel super calm and relaxed and she always helps me whenever she can." Chan looks directly at you and a blush creeps onto your cheeks. "Not to mention she's ridiculously pretty."

"Hmmm." Lina ponders the question while Grace nods with a serious look on her face.

You try to hide your laughter at their tactics with another bite of pizza.

"Is she the prettiest person you've ever seen?" Grace throws another question.

"Of course." Chan replies immediately, "And the prettiest person I've even known."

"What's your favorite movie?" Lina questions him.

"What's yours?" Chan throws the question back at her instead of answering.

"Mine's any of the Harry Potter movies." She tells him straight up.

"I like Enola Holmes." Grace adds in her favorite with a cheesy smile.

You giggle and wipe some of the grease off her face. "You're how old and I'm still wiping your face for you."

Chan gazes at you and smiles, loving the way you interact with your cousins.

"Hello?" Lina waves her hand at Chan, "You still have to answer the question."

"Oh right," Chan returns his attention to the younger female. "My favorite movie, I think, is Inception."

"You think?" Grace questions his answer.

"It's hard to just pick one." You come to your boyfriend's defense, "It can change every now and then."

"Exactly." Chan agrees with you, "Like how your favorite song can change within a day or two."

"Mine doesn't." Lina says a-matter-of-factly.

"So your favorite song is still the Hannah Montana theme song?" Chan teases her.

"It is not!" Lina say, appalled that he would even think that, "I never even watched Hannah Montana."

"I did!" Grace raises a hand happily.

Chan laughs out loud and the sound is like music to your ears.

"(y/n), I'm full." Lina looks to you. On her plate is a half eaten piece of pizza.

"Is that your second?" You ask, making sure she had enough to eat.

Lina nods.

"Alright." You tell her.

"I'm full too." Grace says with yet another round of pizza sauce around her mouth.

"You," You say and grab a napkin, "Have a bit saved for later, don't you?" You wipe her mouth, making sure to wipe up every last trace.

Meanwhile, Lina has moved over to the stereo. "Hey Chan, can we turn this on?"

Chan and you look over before he gives you a questioning look and Grace joins her sister.

You smile at him, "Go ahead, I'll clean up."

Chan warmly smiles at you before standing and walking over to where your cousins were waiting for him. While he fiddled with the system and explained how it all worked, you cleaned up the table. The leftover pizzas fit into one box so in the throw away one, you placed the plates and napkins. Music begins to play through the speakers as you close the pizza boxes.

You wave down Chan and point outside towards the trash bins. Chan says "okay" with his hands and places his gaze on the girls as they clammer around him, asking for him to teach them some dance moves.

You are only gone for literally 3 minutes but when you get back, Lina and Grace are dead focused on copying Chan's body positions as he teaches them one of Seventeen's dance routines.

"Little higher... there." Chan looks at Grace's position through the mirror.

"So many details." Lina breathes out in an attempt to reset.

"Hoshi hyung always says the details have to be perfect so it looks amazing later." Chan repeats the words of his hyung as you take a seat on the couch, legs folded underneath you.

"Okay, what's next?" Grace asks and bounces, anxiously waiting to continue.

"Then you make three circles with your right arm and every time your right arm reaches the bottom of the circle, your left leg makes a small kick to the right." Chan explains slowly and then demonstrates even slower so the girls can follow.

You smile in recognition of the song. He's teaching them the chorus of 'My My.'

"That's it!" Chan says happily with a clap, "Can you do it faster?"

Watching as Lina and Grace speed up the small bit they just learned, you blindly reach for your phone. With the desire to capture some of this moment, you quietly start to video them.

"Yeah! That's it!" Chan exclaims and gives the girls high fives.

"Let's keep going!" Lina says and Grace nods in agreement.

For the next hour and a half, the girls learn the chorus and then proceed to perfect it under the watchful eye of Chan. About halfway through, you kind of lost interest and started scrolling through your phone. But whenever the girls called out to you to watch, you'd lock your phone without a second thought.

"Should we record it and see how good you look?" Chan suggests, your ears perking up to his suggestion.

"(y/n), will you record us?" Grace runs over to you, looking down at you on the couch.

You place a hand over your heart, "It would be my honor."

Grace giggles, "You're weird."

"That's what I've been telling her." Chan agrees, gesturing to himself.

You make your way in front of them and stand ready with your phone in your hands.

"Make sure you get all of us." Lina reminds you and points a finger at you.

"I will, I will." You reassure her.

"Ready?" Chan asks and the girls nod their heads. A second later, the prechorus to 'My My' plays through the speakers and you press record on your phone.

With the upbeat music and your cousins dancing in front of you with your beloved boyfriend, it's really hard to keep the phone steady to film them. All three of them flow through the moves effortlessly and all three look incredible while doing it. Sure, Chan has taught you some of their choreos in the past but seeing him dance with your closest cousins spurs something else.

When the section finishes, Lina, Grace, and Chan all let out a cheer and you stop the recording.

"Let me see, let me see." Grace tugs at your arms.

They watch the video and decide that it was okay but could probably be a little better. Chan gives the girls tips on what to focus on and they do a slow dry run before rerecording the whole thing. This time is even better and Lina and Grace are completely satisfied with it. As is Chan.

"Can we do this again tomorrow?" Lina asks you as you pick up your stuff from the couch to head to the attraction they wanted to see for the day.

"You liked it that much?" You ask in return and both girls give you nods.

"Are you saying that I passed the test?" Chan asks, raising an eyebrow.

"For now." Lina tilts her head upwards, acting mysteriously.

Chan and you chuckle.

"Unfortunately, I have schedules all day tomorrow." Chan gives the girls an apologetic smile.

Lina and Grace's faces fall in disappointment and Chan quickly tries to bring their hopes back up.

"But maybe, the day after, you could come visit the rehearsal studio?" Chan suggests, "And then you could also meet the rest of the members and show them the cool dance you learned."

At this, Lina and Grace light up with excitement while you give Chan a concerned look.

"Are you sure?" You ask him, unsure if he could be allowed to do that.

Chan shrugs, "Hyungs do it all the time so why can't I?" He then places a hand on the girls' shoulders, "How would you guys like that?"

"That'd be awesome." Lina says in awe.

"I wanna meet your members." Grace gives Chan the biggest smile she can manage.

Chan laughs, "I'll double check to make sure with everyone but I'm sure you guys can come visit."

"But if not, it's okay, right Lina? Grace?" You say to make sure they're not thinking it's a certainty.

Lina and Grace nod in understanding.

"Alright, ladies, then, you ready? We've got a palace waiting for us." You hold open the door.

The girls adjust their purses before giving Chan a hug and thanking him.

"You girls are so welcome." Chan ruffles Grace's hair and follows them towards the door.

Chan takes ahold of the door and you step away from it.

"Be careful and have fun." Chan tells you with a smile.

"You too. Thanks." You wink at him and he chuckles softly.

"Anything for you." Chan says and pecks your lips.

"Hey, who said you could kiss her?" Lina peeks out from behind you with an accusing look on her face. Grace is not far behind her, her best imitation of Lina's expression on her own face.

Chan holds his hands up in surrender, "Apologies but she is my girlfriend." He smiles goofily.

"She's our cousin." Lina playfully sticks out her tongue at Chan before grabbing my left hand. Then Grace grabs my right hand and they both start leading me towards the building's exit.

Chan's laughter mixes with yours as you're pulled away.

"See you later!" You call out with a look back.

Chan smiles and waves goodbye from the doorway. He watches until you've left the building and walk away. The smile on his face never leaving for a second.

#kpop #kpop imagines #seventeen imagines #seventeen dino imagine #seventeen dino #dino #dino imagine #lee dino imagine #lee dino #lee chan #writer-k-pop

[huenjin]

— rue's milestone celebration/follow forever.

i've always wondered whether to do this or not, but then here i am, three thousand and a little more followers later, doing this because i am so, so grateful to all and some a little more for hearing my insanity out.

i hit the milestone exactly on this blog's six months/half a year anniversary and i think i squealed about this to krissy because honestly, that is insane. i do not know what to say but all my head can scream is thank you, thank you, thank you— to every single person who decided to click on that follow button and follow me on this journey.

my writing is still messy. my blog is sporadically active and i die on you guys way too often. my activity is sometimes crazy but here you are and here i am, still hand in hand, together and for that, i must love you. i will love you. i will also be forever grateful for not letting go of me. thank you.

to every mutual, to every single person i talk to, to every single person i follow and see you on my dash just as you see me on yours, i secretly have a huge crush on you! squeals, bye!

�� :: you have a special message!

@aliceu ♡ @baekhvuns° ♡ @bangtantaegi ♡ @bearseungmin° ♡ @binniesthighs ♡ @bratlino ♡ @bxngchxn° ♡ @chaangbin° ♡ @chanluster° ♡ @decembermoonskz ♡ @delicatewerewolfsoul ♡ @formidxble ♡ @hwaven ♡ @http-chan ♡ @illicit-roses ♡ @itsapapisongo° ♡ @jeonginify ♡ @jeonqqin ♡ @jinned ♡ @jl-micasea° ♡ @kabira ♡ @legendaryoikawa° ♡ @lixesque ♡ @mochinnie° ♡ @moonlit-lixie ♡ @neo-shitty ♡ @nightshade-minho ♡ @popisdead ♡ @quokkacore ♡ @satanssmuts ♡ @seungmoomin ♡ @sleepylixie ♡ @sparklemin° ♡ @teasty ♡ @violethhj ♡ @vocalyunho ♡ @vogueinnie ♡ @youhn°

@baekhvuns ♡ my wife, my whore, and just mine. ki, baby, thank you for gracing me with your insanity. like i hate you lovingly for ruining me for everyone here on tumblr as much as you hate me for corrupting you with church girl fantasies. i love you and thank you for following me here even though i just has forsaken my atz + bts writing blog. thank you for that <333

@bearseungmin ♡ it's been a while since we spoke but omg, the way you write leaves me gasping, dawnie. can't wait to get back to reading your ricochet series and i also can't wait to catch up with you !!

@bxngchxn ♡ fuck, ryn, the way nara introduced you to me and i'm so glad because you are just such an insane human being and so pretty that you glow. i love you for being so nice, so optimistic and so mature about everything!

@chaangbin ♡ haze, babe, i go 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 every single time i text you because i love talking to you so much and i love being honest and downright real with you. i love making theories with you and i love spilling tea to you. we should probably start our own buzzfeed unsolved, tumblr edition.

@chanluster ♡ you crazy bitch, that's all i think every time i see you. your writing to the craziness you spew out, like ma'am, spare some talent for all of us here, yeah? also, talk to me, homie. i miss you spewing incoherent mess in my inbox. i love you, my art kid. one day oil painting won't be a bitch to you!

@itsapapisongo ♡ javi, you are so fucking supportive you make me cry. how can someone embody positivity as much as you do is what i will always be surprised over. also, your writing is so poetic i will cry again. ily, my home boy!

@jl-micasea ♡ the way i look upto you, mi. like you're my maternal figure here on this hellish site and i miss talking to you but that doesn't mean that i'll ever stop thinking of how impeccable you are. thank you for being an inspiration.

@legendaryoikawa ♡ THIS IS MY BITCH. OFFICIAL NOTICE. like hell, hannah, how are you still here? how are you still here and how are you still bearing with my insanity. thank you for naming me rue. thank you for loving me. thank you for telling me how to deal with it all. thank you for supporting me. fuck, i love you, baby.

@mochinnie ♡ i aspire to write headcanons like you write them, isa. thank you for so inspirational, for being so bold and strong and thank you for everything. and thank you for making me a whore for innie?

@sparklemin ♡ big brain nara. there's nothing better in the whole wide world than your prompt ideas and thoughts like they make me cry, scream and fall in love and that's the power they hold. nara, thank you for being such a warm person to talk to !!

@youhn ♡ my main girl, how have you been doing? i'm sorry for being such a trash person barely being able to catch up with you! i promise i'll open discord and respond to you, in a case where you haven't already forgotten your password! thank you for letting me be the genuine me and thank you for letting me open up to you! i love you!

— i most definitely must have forgotten few because going through the followers list when you have an active main account is so hard; just because i can't differentiate who's a moot for which account. i'm sorry for that. but thank you to each one of you because you are here. you are here to read my stories and hear the tales i have for you. to more to come <3

#rue shut up #achievements ✨

[castiel-kline]

cas and balthazar meet again post finale

This one really got away from me, and it got really long. I promise it does answer the prompt but I also made it super plotty for some reason. I hope you don’t mind!

Being taken by the Empty didn’t feel like dying. 

Of course, that’s what was happening to him, but it didn’t feel like that. It felt cold, and painful, and vengeful. Lonely and miserable and laced with glittering knives of regret.

It was his damnation. Not the traditional sense of the word, but true nonetheless. 

But if facing it meant he’d save his family? Save Jack from being subject to the same fate? He’d damn himself to this a thousand times over, without a single shred of hesitation. 

The Empty had him entirely covered in its goo, tendrils snaking under his skin and into his body from every angle. In through the eyes, the nose, snaking down his throat. Under the fingernails, into the ears, scraping through the tattered remnants of his grace and pressing down around his true form. 

It was agony. 

Eventually it subsided, and some of the inky tendrils retracted, leaving him gasping for air that neither existed in this realm nor was truly necessary. He collapsed in a heap, the Empty bubbling around him. He spared a glance up, wondering if the Shadow were nearby to gloat before sending them both into slumber. What he saw… well. Unexpected didn’t quite cover it. 

“Jack?” 

“Hmm. Guess again, Castiel.” 

“No.” Don’t you dare look like him.

“Oh, yes. Because it hurts you to look at him, doesn’t it?” The Shadow leaned down, condescension clear as day in its every move. So wrong on Jack’s face that it twisted something deep within him. It stared him down, watching him squirm, mania-painted smirk stretching wider. “Good. I want you to suffer, so that’s what you’re going to do.” 

“I thought you wanted your peace and quiet,” Cas managed, as more tendrils snaked out over his wrists and ankles. Dragging him a little bit further down, completely at the Empty’s mercy. Somehow he suspected that was the point.

The Shadow straightened, looking down Jack’s nose at him. 

“Of course I do,” It said, emulating Jack’s earnestness. Liar. “But I can’t!”

“What?”

“Wonderboy-” the Shadow gesticulated wildly in the direction of its facsimile body “-woke everybody up when he exploded all over me. So I don’t get to sleep, no, and if I don’t get to sleep then you definitely don’t get to sleep. None at all.” 

Quicker than a blink, the Shadow had fisted Castiel’s collar in its hands, bringing their faces inches apart. 

“At least,” It whispered, eyes wild with an energy Jack had never, and would never, possess. “I get to make you suffer like you’ve made me suffer. So I want you to look at this face, Castiel. Look at it, and know that it’s contorted in tears right now because Papa Bear abandoned him.” 

The Shadow threw him down, the goo swallowing him right back up. Submerged in the dark, he scarcely felt its weight. He was too busy drowning in a fresh cascade of guilt.

It yanked him back up, tendrils leaving him suspended in the middle of nothing. Some of them twisted at his feathers, pulling them just enough to be excruciating but not enough to rip them free. He screamed.

“Be quiet!” The Empty released him, and Cas fell back down, every fibre of his being crying out in pain.

The Shadow cackled, everything about it from the pitch to the cadence to the intention screaming wrong, wrong, wrong.

“You’re never going to regret this, are you?”

Cas glared at it, mustering up as much defiance as he could. 

“No,” he croaked. “Because saving my family? That’s worth dying a thousand deaths.”

The Shadow doubled over laughing again. Then, quick as a blink, kicked him across the face, sending him reeling backwards.

“‘Die a thousand deaths’? Please. You’re pathetic, you know that?”

Castiel pushed himself back up, following the Shadow’s pacing with his eyes. It walked with one arm tucked behind its back, the other gesticulating as it spoke.

“Death isn’t going to be enough for you, hmm. Oh, you know what you’ve never been able to take?” It spun back around, grinning down at him. “You can’t stand seeing the pain you’ve caused. And since you can’t see what’s left of your precious little family- not that they even care that you died, by the way- how would you feel about seeing the angels again?”

No. He must have looked visibly afraid, because the Shadow only smiled wider. 

“Not so pleasant a thought, hmm? Seeing as you killed most of them.” It laughed again, clapping its hands in an expression of glee that would have been endearing coming from Jack, but now simply served to be disturbing. “Oh, yes. It’ll be just like throwing a scrap of meat to a pack of starving dogs.”

Cas shook his head, but the Empty pressed on. It waved its hand, and Castiel was thrown some immeasurable distance away. He pushed himself to a sitting position, and watched in horror as the ground bubbled around him, and his brothers and sisters began to crawl their way out.

He recognized them, of course, because he’d taken care to never forget a single name. He saw Hael first, then Bartholomew, then Jonah and Efram and Ambriel and Samandriel. He saw Raphael, Uriel, Anna, Jophiel. He scrambled to his feet, unable to do anything but watch and wait for their wrath to undoubtedly descend upon him. 

Someone grabbed him from behind and pulled, running and dragging Castiel with them. He didn’t fight it, figuring that whoever had him was going to inflict a world of pain and there wasn’t a thing to do but accept it. They’d gone a fair distance, if there was such a thing as distance in nothing, before they stopped and Cas turned to face who had taken him. 

“Balthazar?” His voice came out strangled, as scarcely more than a whisper. 

“Cas,” Balthazar said, staring at him with something unreadable in his eyes. “Your wings…”

“Balthazar,” Cas repeated, finding himself unable to say anything else, mind swirling in an inescapable vortex of grief and guilt and pain. “I’m sorry, my friend. I’m so sorry.”

“What, for killing me? You weren’t yourself.”

“I was. That’s the problem.”

Balthazar just shook his head. “It’s going to take more than a stab in the back to get rid of me. You do know that, right?”

“If we weren’t already dead I’d offer you my blade to kill me. I deserve nothing more.”

“Castiel.” Cas forced himself to meet Balthazar’s eyes directly. “I know you, and so I forgive you. As I’ve told you before- nothing’s changed.”

Cas smiled bitterly. “Except me.”

“What happened to you?” Balthazar’s fingers traced the air where Castiel’s wings lay mangled and twisted in another dimension. “You look like you’ve been clawed apart by feral house cats.”

“I destroyed everything, Balthazar. So many times.” And he felt like he was being crushed under the weight of all his mistakes. Perhaps this was the torture the Empty preferred for him- giving him back a lost friend, giving him forgiveness- and then ripping it away again. Surely even someone as loyal as Balthazar wouldn’t want to associate with him after learning of the things he’d done.

“You, Cassie? I’ve only ever known you to do what’s right.”

“How can you say that when you saw me make one of my biggest mistakes? When I killed you because of it?”

Balthazar scoffed. “Mistake? Cas, you were trying to stop our control freak of an older brother from letting the other ones out to destroy the world. What about that is a mistake? Sure, Crowley was a bit of a snake, but come on. It can’t have been so long that you’ve forgotten your good intentions.”

Cas didn’t say a word, and Balthazar narrowed his eyes. “How long has it been, Cas?”

Cas sighed. “Nine years.”

“Nine years.” Balthazar’s eyebrows had shot all the way up. “Wow. Not long at all. So what could… no. Tell me you weren’t.”

Castiel frowned. “Weren’t what?”

“Weren’t still kissing the Winchesters’ asses for the whole nine years.”

“They’re my friends, Balthazar.”

“Oh, really?” Balthazar crossed his arms. “If they’re your friends, why did they treat you like one of the guns they keep in the trunk of their wretched car?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it, Cas?” Balthazar sighed, backing down a little. Nine years of death wouldn’t stop them from bickering, it seemed, though he did put a hand on Cas’ shoulder. An uncharacteristic attempt to show solidarity through the sarcasm.

“Look,” Balthazar continued. “What you do is your business, but… just tell me there was something good in those years. That it wasn’t just you running around trying to prove yourself to them.”

There was something, in fact, something he’d never expected. Something beautiful.

“I had a son,” he admitted. He’d often wondered what Jack would be like meeting angels that weren’t hell-bent on killing him. He’d imagined Jack meeting Balthazar, or Hannah, or Rachel or Samandriel, but it would never come to fruition. The best he would get was telling them about him, assuming he would be able to escape being choked and stretched and drowned by the depths of the Empty for all eternity.

“Why, Cassie, I’m impressed,” Balthazar said wryly. Oh no. Before Cas could interject and explain, Balthazar continued. “Looks like you really did get that stick out of your ass. And you put it right up-”

“Balthazar! He’s not mine, not like that. He chose me, and his mother was a friend. That’s all.”

Balthazar seemed to enjoy how flustered he was, but his tone was serious. “You adopted a human child?”

“No, he’s a nephilim.”

“Ah,” Balthazar said. “So they changed the rules regarding them in the past nine years, then?”

“No,” Cas said again, getting frustrated. He’d forgotten how much Balthazar loved to hear himself speak. Even if he had missed it, it was still mildly insufferable.

“Well, you rebel Cas, you. But, ah- who was the sire?”

Cas winced. “Lucifer.”

“Oh, my. That is unfortunate.”

“Yeah. Jack’s nothing like him, though. He’s… he’s very much like his mother. And I like to think he’s a little bit like me, too.”

Balthazar looked at him, somehow still reading him like a book after all this time.

“You spoil the poor child, don’t you?”

“I most certainly do not,” Cas huffed.

“Oh, yes you do. You’ve always been soft, but now you’re practically a down pillow.”

Cas’ smile was sadder, again. “I told you I’ve changed.”

“Maybe so. But we haven’t.”

“Thank you.”

Balthazar smiled. “I do have one question though, Cas.”

“Of course.”

“How did you die?”

Well. He supposed it would have had to be asked eventually. Unfortunately his hesitation gave Balthazar another opportunity to talk over him.

“Please don’t tell me it was for the Winchesters.”

“I love them.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes. “Of course you do. And unfortunately I love that about you. Well, go on. Tell me a story.”

Cas shrugged. “I made a deal with the Empty. My life for Jack’s, which- it wasn’t even a question. It said that when I was finally happy, it would take me.”

Balthazar frowned. “What did you in?”

“You know, I’m not really sure. But I managed to save Dean, and that’s all that matters.”

“Oh, Cas,” Balthazar muttered, sounding deeply sad. “Well, at least you were clearly a better father than our dear old absent God. That much is clear.”

Cas’ heart sank. He couldn’t not tell him, though he didn’t necessarily want to break the news.

“Balthazar.”

“What?”

“Um. A lot has happened since I’ve last seen you, and there’s a lot you need to know, but God- God was never on our side.”

--------

They walked aimlessly through the Empty, keeping aware for signs of their siblings or the Shadow, but oddly finding none.

“Well then,” Balthazar said, flippant as ever. Cas was nearly sure he was deflecting.

“That’s all you have to say? You’re not angry?”

“Nope.” Forced cheerfulness. “Never liked him anyway. Frankly, I’m surprised you even met the man.”

Cas paused and stopped moving, feeling something tugging at his grace.

“Cas, what’s wrong? Are you alright?” Balthazar had stopped too, hovering closer. 

A pocket of the nothingness in front of them seemed to pull itself inward, caving in like a black hole and then cracking open just a bit. Was this what it looked like when someone died and came to the Empty?

Hopefully not, because the distortion cleared and Jack was standing there. And it was painfully, obviously Jack, clearly indicated by everything from his posture to the grace Cas could feel reaching for his own.

Balthazar stiffened, preparing for a fight, but the minute Jack caught sight of Castiel the angel found himself with an armful of nephilim. He held on tight, feeling Jack trembling slightly.

Having connected the dots, Balthazar caught his eye over Jack’s shoulder and mouthed “down pillow.” Cas shook his head slightly, but turned his attention back to his son.

“Jack? Are you-”

“I’m getting you out, Cas,” Jack said, pulling back. “We’re both getting out of here.”

Balthazar’s stricken expression tugged at Cas’ heart.

“Just me?” Cas asked.

Jack’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“The other angels are awake, Jack. Can you…”

“I… maybe. But, Cas, I don’t… I don’t know them. Why…”

“It’s alright if you can’t,” Cas assured. “But if we can help them somehow, be that bringing them back or putting them to sleep… I need to try to make things right.”

Jack nodded. “I’ll try to help.”

Cas smiled at him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. “Thank you. And thank you for coming to get me.”

“Of course. I missed you,” Jack said, eyes wide. Cas felt something else inside him twisting.

Balthazar cleared his throat, and Cas gently turned Jack around to face the third member of their party.

“Jack, this is Balthazar. He’s a good friend.”

Jack and Balthazar looked at each other, Jack frowning and Balthazar smirking in a horribly misguided attempt to be friendly. The silence stretched on, utterly deafening. Jack broke it first.

“I… I met an alternate universe version of you that was not very nice.”

Balthazar didn’t miss a beat.

“Well, you know what they say. Don’t judge an angel by their alternate universe counterparts, right?”

That got a bit of a smile out of Jack, though he was still wary. Cas couldn’t blame him, so he kept in contact to keep him at ease.

“We need to find the Shadow. Make an arrangement so that we can take a few angels with us and the Empty goes back to peace and quiet,” Jack said. The self-assuredness was clearly a front, but somehow Cas felt as if he’d have time to help Jack through it. 

“Okay,” he said, nodding at Jack. Jack nodded back, and the three of them started walking. Into what, they didn’t know. 

But Castiel had the strangest feeling that it was all going to turn out alright.

#castiel #balthazar #spn #asks #prompts #napsterofficial #winchester critical #<bc of balthazar lmao #other prompts I am getting to y’all soon I promise!! #kitkat writes

[ffangirlingsince2001]

End of the Tunnel: XII

Description: It’s almost been a year since Freed Weasley was lost to the Battle of Hogwarts, and for George Weasley it might as well be an eternity. He is lost in the dark, no color to be found. Until suddenly there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Warnings: Today is nothing but fluff my dears, if you’ve read this far you deserve it.

MASTERLIST

***

Ron and Hermione’s wedding came two months later.

While some may have assumed it was because the young love birds couldn’t wait to get married, the rest of the Weasley offspring knew it was all about avoiding Mrs. Weasley’s love of overplanning.

George was helping his brothers hoist the tent, just as they had done for Bill two years before, and Hannah, upon Hermione’s request, was speaking to the Grangers. When she had first approached them, they had been nervous, and then relieved when she slipped in the small detail about her blood. It seemed Hermione didn’t have a lot of family, and had Hannah not been there, they would have been the only muggles in attendance. Truly, a daunting prospect.

Eventually the vanished to get ready for the ceremony, and their seats were replaced by the ever-radiant Fleur Delacour. Until that moment Hannah had only heard stories about George’s sister-in-law but there was no time to stare in speechless awe. Never one to be rude, Hannah introduced herself.

“Hannah Gladdis.”

“Oh yes, I know you,” Fleur said, “You’re my next sister-in-law, yes?” Hannah could only blink in shock. “You are with George, no?”

“Yes, yes, I’m with George, I just didn’t know people thought we were engaged.”

“Are you not?”

“No, we’re not.”

“In time.”

“I’m not sure about that, I’m not sure his mother likes me much,” she admitted awkwardly, and Fleur let out a soft laugh before taking her hands with her own.

“It does not matter if his mother likes you, it does not matter if his sister or his brothers like you, it does not even matter if his great aunt Muriel likes you. Does George love you?”

“Yes, yes I think so.”

“Do you love him?”

“With every bit of me.”

“Then you will marry him.”

“But-.”

“They called me Phlegm.”

“What?”

“His sister called me Phlegm. Hermione said it too. Even his mother let it slip a few times. And yet I remain.”

“That’s terrible.”

“It is life, and it is how I know that it does not matter if they all hate you. It does not matter if you are a muggle. It does not matter if you are part goblin.  If George loves you half as much as Bill loves me, you will marry him.” Hannah stared at her, swelling with her assurance. She let her eyes wander to George, dressed in his best suit as he chased a small toddler waddling across the lawn, sighing softly. “I look forward to your wedding, Hannah,” she said, standing, smoothing out the red satin of her dress before joining her husband close to the front row. Hannah watched as she pulled her child onto her lap, kissing the white tufts of hair with incredible fondness. Bill wrapped an arm around his wife and Hannah smiled, they were a perfect portrait of love, one that she couldn’t help but feel a tinge envious of.

The envy couldn’t last long though, not when George appeared, having given up his chase.

“Fleur wasn’t scaring you away, was she?” he joked, and Hannah quickly shook her head.

“Definitely not.”

“Good, wouldn’t want my family fighting.” They both blushed at his choice of words but said nothing as he linked their fingers together pulling her towards their seats. As they sat his hand found knee and gently tilted them closer.

They sat in comfortable silence as the chairs filled up around them. Sloane and Draco slipped into seats beside them, maintaining their invitation from a drunk Ron. Draco hadn’t been sure about coming, but Sloane had insisted, she wasn’t going to miss the marriage of two war heroes. The unlikely group didn’t say much as the final seats filled, and the pianist struck the first note of a classical song Hannah didn’t recognize.

The senior Weasley’s began the procession, dressed to the tee. Hermione didn’t have any siblings and Ron had too many to choose from, so they had forgone the mess of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Mrs. Granger came next, escorted by Harry, joyful tears already streaming down her face.

Then, in unison, the crowds stood, turning to watch as Hermione stepped into view. Hannah was unable to contain the gasp that slipped from her lips. Hermione looked like a fairytale as she stepped down the aisle, father guiding her towards the altar. There was no glitz and glam, no lace, only the softest white crepe but the simplicity of the dress only allowed her radiance to shine brighter. Someone had placed white flowers through her French twist and a simple veil hung over her eyes.

At the end of the aisle, Ron was bright red, eyes glossy as she approached him. He was wringing his hands nervously, subtly bouncing on his toes.

When she reached the altar, the vows began. George took her hand as they listened, running his thumb thoughtfully along the back of her hand. The vows moved quickly and when the officiant announced ‘you may kiss the bride’ Ron grabbed her, surprising both her and the audience by dipping her before melding their lips together. The crowd burst into applause, George hooting beside her as the two kissed for longer than anyone thought Hermione would have allowed.

The reception began instantly, Hannah watching in awe as the chairs turned into tables with the flick of a wand. A wonderful dance floor was situated in the center, soft golden lights turning beautiful patterns across the floor. Hermione had tried to explain how she had managed them a few days ago, but Hannah had left feeling only more confused than before, so she simply stared in awe.

The glasses were never empty, and the food was delicious. The conversation was never dull, and everyone was filled with overwhelming joy. Even when the cake tipped over in an incident involving Crookshanks, a garden gnome, and Harry smiles remained bright and cheery. Hannah recognized several people who had visited her bar, and they came over to say hello, surprised that she was there and promising that they would be stopping by to get another round of her firewhiskey. George recognized several more, introducing her to everyone who stopped to say hello.

The bride and groom were making rounds to the table when they stopped in front of their table.

“You look beautiful,” Hannah gushed, pulling her into a spare seat. Hermione blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“And of course, the ceremony was lovely, but you really know how to throw a party,” Sloane added.

“Oh, the party was all Ron, he’s rather good at planning when he sets his mind to it,” she admitted, twitterpation evident across her face. “I’m just surprised there’s no reporters trying to crash, we were getting requests all week. Of course, we told them no, but that hasn’t stopped them trying before.”

“Oh, that would be my fault,” Sloane admitted.

“Tell me all your secrets.”

“I signed it as mine. Anyone who comes around will be informed that I have claim on the story.”

“And they listen?”

“Oh yes, you’ll find I’m rather persuasive,” she said with an almost evil smile, “I’m not reporting either, but I thought you might prefer a bit of peace on your wedding day.” Hermione embraced her, thanking her repeatedly. Sloane only responded with a lopsided grin.

“The story’s yours,” Hermione promised, “Say whatever you like, and you tell the paper if they ever want anything the Weasley-Grangers won’t talk to anyone but you.” Now it was Sloane’s turn to hug her, both girls squealing ‘thank you’s as Hannah laughed. Hermione thanked their group one more time as Ron led her away, shining brighter than a new penny as he paraded around his beautiful wife.

George kissed her forehead before searching for his mum, and Sloane and Draco went to dance, leaving Hannah with a moment of silence.

A slow song filled the tent as the first dance began. Hannah watched as Ron twirled Hermione around the dance floor with unexpected grace from the gawky man she had seen trip over dust mites. Slowly, other couples joined them, and she looked around for George, hoping to earn her own dance, but he had disappeared.

“Could I steal a dance before my brother comes back,” a deep voice asked and when she turned, she was surprised to see Bill standing in front of her, a hand extended. She glanced around for Fleur, to ask permission, but she was nowhere to be found either. “It’s alright, she suggested it,” Bill said, and her worries disappeared, taking his hand as he led her to the dance floor. He spun her quickly into the correct position as they moved around their space on the dance floor.

“We’ll be lucky to have you in the family,” he said, and she blushed, laughing softly at his admission.

“Your wife said something similar earlier this afternoon.”

“I know, that’s why she sent me.”

“Oh?”

“We’re all glad you’re here, my mother especially. She raves about you to our father when she thinks no one’s listening, and when you left after Sunday dinner, she was a blubbering mess. You gave her hope, so if for a second you’re ever worried that someone doesn’t like you, I want you to remember that.” A tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away.

“I’m just not… the same.”

“Neither is George.”

“But I don’t know if he’s going to propose, and I don’t want to get my hopes up,” Hannah admitted, eyes flickering to her empty ring finger.

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and if that’s not unconditional love I’m not sure what is.” She blushed, eyes blurring a bit more.

“Do you really think so?”

“I know so. Speaking of, here he comes now,” Bill said before spinning her into the arms of her beloved boyfriend. He caught her with ease, adding a spin of his own before clasping her between his arms. When she glanced back to thank his brother, she found him already holding his wife as they swayed.

“Enjoying yourself?” George asked and she nodded.

“I am.”

“Wonderful, otherwise I’d have to fill you with more champagne.”

“Oh, I’m not sure I could handle another drop.”

“Nonsense. One can never have too much champagne.”

“I’m practically floating from all the bubbly.”

“That’s why you haven’t stepped on my toes,” he teased, and she gasped, batting his chest softly. “Only kidding, my love,” he said and then dipped her until her hair brushed the floor before sweeping her back into his arms, kissing her as he embraced her.

“I thought you didn’t dance,” she giggled breathlessly, and he shrugged.

“I’ve decided it depends on the dance partner.” He twirled her again, watching with awe as she laughed, stumbling into his chest. He pulled her close to kiss her, hand resting on her cheek. She loved kissing him, it felt like drinking sunshine and the way he held her like no one had before made her feel like a giddy schoolgirl.

“Wizard weddings are so beautiful,” she whispered, not completely meaning to say it out loud. “The decorations are next level.”

“Maybe you’ll get one of your own,” he said before his eyes widened, it was clear he too hadn’t meant to say that out loud. She giggled nervously, and in a desperate attempt to diffuse the tension he spun her around until they were laughing to hard to be nervous. They danced for hours, jumping around with friends when the violins picked up speed and swaying softly as they held each other when the music softened.

And that was how the night ended. With laughter, suggestive winks, and arms wrapped around each other until they were sure they were drunk on nothing but champagne and love.

#george weasley #george weasley smut #george weasley fluff #george weasley angst #george weasley fanfiction #george weasley fanfic #george weasley imagine #george weasley x reader #george weasley x reader fanfiction #george weasley x reader smut #george weasley x reader fanfic #George weasley x reader imagine #george weasley x reader angst #george weasley x reader fluff #end of the tunnel

[doubleattitude]

24/7 Dance Convention, Atlanta, GA: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

Sidekick Solo

1st: Charlotte Brayman-’Wonderful World’

2nd: Emersyn Lawson-’Beautiful Things’

2nd: Khylie Wilkerson-’Proud Mary’

3rd: Audrey Mikkelson-’Shake the Room’

4th: Brenna Ferrell-’Showstopper’

Mini Solo

1st: Mia Clark-’Dem Beats’

1st: Carrigan Paylor-’Orange Colored Sky’

2nd: Elizabeth Scott Lanier-’Bitter Earth’

2nd: Kaylee Schwamb-’See Me Now’

3rd: Ashley Otano-’Dark Matter’

3rd: AnaKate Danner-’Malfunction’

3rd: Ella Barnes-’Nobody’s Watching’

3rd: Layla Karadchy-’Tomorrow’

4th: Jasmine Pando-’Amelia’

4th: Georgia Beth Peters-’Come Together’

4th: Allie Plott-’Fire’

4th: Savy Luetchtefeld-’Sound of Silence’

5th: Lauren Fenton-’Boogie Shoes’

5th: Cora Wunder-’Faith’

5th: Rudie Bolton-’Still Don’t Know My Name’

6th: Isabella Shortridge-’In This Shirt’

7th: Bella Smith-’Against The Music’

7th: Sami Nix-’Bridges’

7th: Rose Mangan-’Make Someone Happy’

7th: Ruby Wilkes Petty-’Once Upon Another Time’

8th: Alessandra Gauger-’Morning’

9th: Kenzie Wagoner-’Recharge’

9th: Laila Taylor-’Riot Rhythm’

10th: Belle Brining-’Ain’t to proud to beg’

10th: Malea Moore-’Big Time’

10th: Gabi Brown-’Brown Skin Girl’

10th: Sydney Lawrence-’Everybody Wants To Rule the World’

10th: Lyrah Atkins-’Keep It Moving’

10th: Vivian Liu-’Opportunity’

10th: Channing Jones-’Tight Rope’

Junior Solo

1st: Giselle Gandarilla-’All Human Beings’

2nd: Nicholas Moreno-’Blue Lips’

2nd: Emme James Anderson-’Resume’

3rd: Mia Doyle-’Designated Harmony’

3rd: Brinkley Pittman-’Gravity’

3rd: Belle Richardson-’Seven Birds’

3rd: Leila Winker-’Takt’

4th: Addison Bradley-’Dynamite’

4th: Maddie Shaw-’Final Goodbye’

4th: Caroline Powell-’How Rare’

4th: McGowan Howell-’Resurface’

4th: Maely Weaver-’Staggered In a Configuration’

4th: Cadence Lyles-’Warrior Queen’

5th: Amanda Fenton-’Devil In Disguise’

5th: Emma Martin-’Dreams’

5th: Leah Midgett-’Mirror Mirror’

5th: Morgan Belyeu-’Older’

5th: Vanessa Johnson-’Over The Rainbow’

6th: Kaden Brown-’Resolution’

7th: Mollie Mikkelson-’Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’

7th: Gracie Elder-’No More Tears’

7th: Sloane Dawson-’TEA’

7th: Scarlett Liu-’Unaccompanied’

7th: Sydney Martin-’Vibeology’

8th: Isabella Burdo-’Dance, Dance, Dance’

8th: Estella Guzman-’No Contamination’

8th: Alora Freeman-’Sing to the Moon’

9th: Lila Jane Meadows-’Friend Like Me’

9th: Ever Martin-’Long Time Traveler’

9th: Ensley King-’Ruby Blue’

9th: Gracie Hawkins-’Smokestacks’

10th: MacKenzie Meissner-’Be Strong’

10th: Kinsleigh Gullette-’Despicable’

10th: Pierce Bevans-’Float’

10th: Stella Adamson-’Gamzatti Variation’

10th: Sophia Bell-’Waving Through A Window’

10th: Taylor Dillard-’Way Down We Go’

Teen Solo

1st: Brady Farrar-’Once More’

2nd: Oliver Keane-’Electric Pulse’

2nd: Georgia Greene-’Warning’

3rd: Preslie Rosamond-’Possibly Maybe’

3rd: Sophie Garcia-’Warrior’

4th: Emma Vaughan-’Tango’

5th: Camille Pepper-’1,000 Faces’

5th: Savannah Manning-’Line Thickness’

6th: Emery Sousley-’Birds of Paradise’

6th: Addy Beckham-’Fame’

6th: Natalie Bumgarner-’Lullaby’

6th: Angelina Brennan-’Woman’

7th: Loren Puchalski-’All The Time’

7th: Nika Nosova-’Epiphany’

7th: Sydney Jones-’Raise Your Voice’

7th: Jackson Smoak-’The Longest Time’

8th: Abigail McKinney-’Shout’

8th: Haley Midgett-’Smile to Me’

8th: Callaghan Johnson-Untitled’

9th: Hadley Snell-’Like This’

10th: Emmy Fuller-’Be Be Your Love’

10th: Tierney Denny-Lybbert-’Lean Back’

10th: Sophie Hunsicker-’Take Flight’

10th: Kayleigh Atterton-’Wild Is The Wind’

Senior Solo

1st: Xavier logan-’Self Memoria’

2nd: Thiago Pacheco-’I’m Naturally Platinum’

3rd: Lily Sledge-’My One and Only’

3rd: Kayleigh Everhart-’Thunderstruck’

4th: Grace Robinson-’Always;

4th: Wysdem Ceaser-’Blades’

4th: Niya Smith-’Down2Ride’

4th: Seth Gibson-’Identity’

5th: Chloe Jeffcoat-’As For The Fall’

5th: Dai Boyd-’Try A Little Tenderness’

6th: Alexandra Jinglov-’Action Reaction’

6th: Maika Takemoto-’Changes’

6th: Bella Mills-’Everywhere, Still’

6th: Shaeleigh Person-’Mine’

6th: Christian Butts-’Ohm Sweet Ohm’

6th: Brittany Willard-’Unchained Melody’

6th: Javon Moore-’Visions’

7th: Tristin Edsel-’And So It Goes’

7th: Belle Mason-’Drones’

7th: Saleya James-’Fix You’

7th: Lily Thompson-’Foolish Games’

7th: Savannah Folding-’Heart Shaped Birthmark’

7th: Kirsten Brown-’Trainwreck’

7th: Ella Samellas-’Without You’

8th: CJ Parker-’A Letter From France’

8th: Bailey Cerio-’Free Falling’

8th: Mallory McCormick-’Rose’

8th: Chloe Barr-’Still Light’

8th: Jalen Scriven-’TIME’

9th: Jasmyn Hopper-’Another Lifetime’

9th: Raven Rutledge-’A Pale’

9th: Sydney Scott-’Forsaken’

9th: Katelyn Midgett-’Georgia’

9th: Morgen Watkins-’Gonna Love Me’

9th: Ryin Corcoran-’Red Dust’

9th: Sophie Hooker-’We’ll Meet Again’

9th: Hannah Rivers-’Will You Ever Return’

10th: Blair Southerland-’Desperation’

10th: Izzie Bringle-’Hush’

Sidekick Duo/Trio

1st: West Main Studios-’Colors Of the Wind’

2nd: To The Pointe-’Wildside’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Carolina Collective Dance-’It’s Quiet Uptown’

2nd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Loves Me Like A Rock’

3rd: Carolina Collective Dance-’Proud’

3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’To Build A Home’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Even The Sun’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Fiyah Speak’

3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Nothing We Can Do’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Let Me Follow’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Down We Go’

2nd: The Royal Dance Academy-’Grieving’

3rd: Great Gig Dance Co-’Canon In D’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Addictive’

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Verlust’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Darkest Hour’

3rd: Studio 413-’Black Flies’

Sidekick Group

1st: Studio Powers-’Big Love, Small Moments’

Mini Group

1st: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Daisies’

2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Bones’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Hey Hi Hello’

3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’The Moment’

3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Wepa’

Junior Group

1st: The Southern Strutt-’A Young Mind’s Thoughts’

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Made of Stone’

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Swan’

2nd: Studio Powers-’Cry Me A River’

3rd: Milele Academy-’Save a Horse’

Teen Group

1st: Milele Academy-’Close Up’

1st: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Slack Jaw’

1st: Studio 413-’Social Media Overload’

1st: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Wooden Hymnal In C’

2nd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’He’s A Dream’

3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Shaken Lung’

Senior Group

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’I’m Delighted’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’What A Girl Wants’

3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Dying of Thirst’

Sidekick Line

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Mr Piano Man’

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Rainbow Brite’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Besties’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Dump Him’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Reflections’

Mini Line

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Fergalicious’

2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Brown Skin Girl’

2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Found A Good One’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’As Good As It Gets’

3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Back At It’

Junior Line

1st: The Southern Strutt-’This Place About to Blow’

2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Dance Apocalyptic’

2nd: The Southern Strutt-’I Will Leave The Light On’

3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Genesis’

3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Kill The Lights’

Teen Line

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Lay Them Before Me’

2nd: Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’

3rd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Midnight Street’

Senior Line

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Sunny Side of the Street’

2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Charlie Boy’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Deep Fried Flavor’

2nd: Great Gig Dance Co-’I’d Love to Change The World’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Layla’

2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Matter’

3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Full Bloom’

3rd: Studio 413-’Rumors’

Sidekick Extended Line

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Flying Solo’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Fly Kicks’

2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Wonderland’

3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’The Happy Disco Show’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Yacht Club Cuties’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Foot On The Gas’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Walk It Out’

3rd: Studio 413-’Girl Boss’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Work’

2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Earthquake’

2nd: The Southern Strutt-’The Wave’

3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Angels’

3rd: The Southern Strutt-’XR2′

Senior Extended Line

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Reception’

2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Here Comes The Boom’

Sidekick Production

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Chewy Chewy’

Mini Production

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Yacht Club Cuties’

Junior Production

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Ski-A-Rhythmdale’

2nd: Studio 413-’Electricity’

Teen Production

1st: exonerated

2nd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Southern Hospitality’

3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Bay 2 the A’

High Scores by Performance Division:

Sidekick Jazz

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Chewy Chewy’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Rainbow Brite’ 3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Dump Him’

Sidekick Hip-Hop

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Besties’

Sidekick Tap

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Mr Piano Man’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’ABC’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Shout’

Sidekick Contemporary

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Flying Solo’

Sidekick Lyrical

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Reflections’ 2nd: Studio Powers-’Big Love, Small Moments’

Mini Jazz

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Fergalicious’ 2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Brown Skin Girl’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’The Happy Disco Show’

Mini Ballet

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Concerto In D’

Mini Hip-Hop

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Fly Kicks’ 2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Found A Good One’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Back At It’

Mini Tap

1st: The Southern Strutt-’As Good As It Gets’ 2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Love Shack’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Jitterbug’

Mini Contemporary

1st: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Daisies’ 2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Bones’ 3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’The Moment’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’3000 Miles’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Fly Me To The Moon’ 3rd: Studio 413-’Helium’

Mini Musical Theatre

1st: The Southern Strutt-’Wonderland’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Yacht Club Cuties’ 3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Little Shop of Horrors’

Junior Jazz

1st: The Southern Strutt-’This Place About to Blow’ 2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Dance Apocalyptic’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Electricity’ 3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Kill The Lights’ 3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Genesis’

Junior Ballet

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Violin Fantastique’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Foot On The Gas’ 2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Walk It Out’ 3rd: Studio 413-’Girl Boss’

Junior Tap

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Sussudio’ 1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Here Comes The Sun’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Into the Night’ 3rd: Great Gig Dance Co-’Tiny Dancer’

Junior Contemporary

1st: The Southern Strutt-’I Will Leave The Light On’ 2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Swan’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’A Young Mind’s Thoughts’ 3rd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Off The Rails’

Junior Lyrical

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Made of Stone’ 2nd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Daisies’ 3rd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Firework’

Junior Musical Theatre

1st: The Southern Strutt-’First Day Fruge’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’The Gospel Truth’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Zero to Hero’

Junior Acro

1st: The WHEREHOUSE-’Day-O’

Junior Specialty

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Ski-A-Rhythmdale’ 2nd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Grease!’

Teen Jazz

1st: The Southern Strutt-’XR2′ 1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’I Hope My Life’ 2nd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Shake’ 3rd: Studio 413-’Body Language’ 3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Kick It’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Work’ 2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Earthquake’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’The Wave’ 3rd: Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Southern Hospitality’

Teen Tap

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Rock Your Body’ 2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Hook’ 3rd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Wooden Hymnal In C’ 3rd: Studio 413-’Gold Watch’ 3rd: The Southern Strutt-’Gold Watch’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Exonerated’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’ 3rd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Embrace the World’

Teen Lyrical

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Midnight Street’ 2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Angels’ 3rd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’This Particular Dream’

Teen Musical Theatre

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Groundhog Day’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Beetlejuice’ 3rd: Heather Wayne’s Dance Company-’Too Darn Hot’

Teen Acro

1st: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Oceans’ 2nd: Studio Powers-’Area 51′

Teen Specialty

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Lay Them Before Me’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Book of Love’ 3rd: Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Hip Hip Chin Chin’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Born to Be Alive’

Senior Jazz

1st: Studio 413-’Rumors’ 2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Human Nature’ 3rd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Saved By The DJ’

Senior Ballet

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Recomposed’

Senior Hip-Hop

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’Deep Fried Flavor’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Here Comes The Boom’ 3rd: North Georgia Dance and Music Factory-’Power’

Senior Tap

1st: Rhythm Dance Center-’What A Girl Wants’ 2nd: Great Gig Dance Co-’I’d Love to Change The World’ 2nd: Rhythm Dance Center-’Layla’ 3rd: Great Gig Dance Co-’Faith’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’I’m Delighted’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Charlie Boy’ 2nd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Dying of Thirst’ 3rd: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Full Bloom’

Senior Lyrical

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Matter’ 2nd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Tides of Lamentation’ 3rd: Dothan School of Dance-’It’s All Coming Back to Me’

Senior Musical Theatre

1st: Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Sunny Side of the Street’ 2nd: The Southern Strutt-’Too Darn Hot’ 3rd: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Might As Well Be’

Senior Specialty

1st: Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Reception’

11 O’Clock:

Sidekick

Studio Powers-’DANCE’

The Southern Strutt-’Flying Solo’

Rhythm Dance Center-’Besties’

Mini

Studio 413-’Helium’

West Main Studios-’Spiders’

Milele Academy-’Move Your Body’

Studio Powers-’Iconology’

Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Bones’

Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Daisies’

Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Found A Good One’

Rhythm Dance Center-’Fly Kicks’

The Southern Strutt-’Fergalicious’

Junior

Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Dance Apocalyptic’

Studio 413-’Girl Boss’

Rhythm Dance Center-’Foot On The Gas’

The Southern Strutt-’This Place About to Blow’

Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Kill The Lights’

Milele Academy-’Missy’

Studio Powers-’Cry Me A River’

Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Made of Stone’

Teen

The Southern Strutt-’The Wave’

Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Hip Hip Chin Chin’

Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Exonerated’

Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’Lay Them Before Me’

Oconee Youth School of Performance-’Poppin Party’

The WHEREHOUSE-’Changes’

Studio Powers-’Stand Up’

Milele Academy-’Close Up’

Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Southern Hospitality’

Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’

Rhythm Dance Center-’Earthquake’

Senior

Dothan School of Dance-’You’ll Never Walk Alone’

Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Reception’

Rhythm Dance Center-’What A Girl Wants’

Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Sunny Side of the Street’

The Southern Strutt-’Charlie Boy’

Great Gig Dance Co-’I’d Love to Change The World’

Studio 413-’Rumors’

Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Exile’

Milele Academy-’Get It’

Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Bitter’

Heather Wayne’s Dance Company-’Old Skin’

Smitty’s Performing Arts Center-’Where Is The Love’

Studio Showcase:

Milele Academy-’Close Up’

West Main Studio-’E R’

Variations Dance Studio-’Through The Cracks’

Upstate Carolina Dance Center-’Exile’

The WHEREHOUSE-’Changes’

The Southern Strutt-’Charlie Boy’

Studio Powers-’Stand Up’

Studio 413-’Rumors’

Rhythm Dance Center-’Earthquake’

Oconee Youth School of Performance-’Poppin Party’

North Georgia Dance and Music Factory-’Tap Dat’

Heather Wayne’s Dance Company-’Old Skin’

Gretchen Greene School of Dance-’Hip Hip Chin Chin’

Great Gig Dance Co-’I’d Love to Change The World’

Dancemakers of Atlanta-’Exonerated’

Columbia City Jazz Conservatory-’The Reception’

#dance #2021 #24/7 #atlanta #georgia

[neilmobile]

I watched not that many movies this year compared to others (I had a rough time this year, I moved to an island, I spent a good amount of time gripped by possible ptsd (maybe 2021 will be the year of therapy?)), anyway, lots were awful, which I have italicized, and bolded the best of.

1. Gemini Man 2. La Strada 3. My Fair Lady 4. The Rover 5. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 6. Adopt a Highway 7. Stuber 8. Addams Family (2019) 9. Old Man and the Gun 10. Frozen 2 11. Little Women (2019) 12. Joker (FUCK) 13. Crawl 14. Cutter's Way 15. Apollo 11 16. Maleficent 2 17. The Devils 18. Booksmart 19. David Wants to Fly 20. Rambo: Last Blood 21. 1917 22. Return to the 36th Chamber 23. Uncut Gems 24. Hold the Dark 25. Wheelman 26. Colour out of Space 27. Rocketman 28. Bad Boys 3 29. Rambo 3 30. Zombieland: Double Tap 31. Tank Girl 32. The Man Who Killed Hitler and then Bigfoot 33. Queen and Slim 34. Charlie's Angels (2019) 35. Animal Factory 36. His Girl Friday 37. Galveston 38. Annabelle Comes Home 39. In Fabric 40. Children of Paradise 41. 21 Bridges 42. State of Siege 43. Death on the Nile (1978) 44. Running on Empty 45. Birds of Prey 46. Evil Under the Sun 47. Enemy Mine 48. Metalstorm 49. Baseketball 50. Underwater 51. The Philadelphia Experiment 52. White Line Fever 53. Jumanji 2 (3?) 54. Defending Your Life 55. All is True 56. Tyrannosaur 57. Glass 58. Sleuth 59. Art of Self-Defense 60. Vivarium 61. Peanut Butter Falcon 62. Disappearance at Clifton Hill 63. Invisible Man 64. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (this sucked so fucking hard) 65. Murder by Decree 66. Official Secrets 67. Last of Shiela 68. The Gentlemen 69. Bloodshot 70. Sorry to Bother You 71. Cold War 72. Childhood of a Leader 73. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood 74. The Organizer 75. Clockers 76. Greener Grass 77. Great Expectations (1946) 78. Brief Encounter 79. Day Shall Come 80. Dragged Across Concrete 81. Decasia 82. Eve's Bayou 83. 4 Little Girls 84. What a Way to Go! 85. Extra Ordinary 86. The Wrong Missy 87. Gretel and Hansel 88. Undercover Brother 89. Amazing Grace 90. Once Were Brothers 91. Guns Akimbo 92. Happy Death Day 2U 93. End of Sentence 94. Extraction 95. Legend of Billie Jean 96. The Wraith 97. The Personal History of David Copperfield 98. Disciples of the 36th Chamber 99. Cats 100. Justice League Dark 101. Escape to Witch Mountain 102. Dante's Peak 103. Singin' in the Rain 104. EuroVison Song Contest: Fire Saga 105. Possession of Hannah Grace 106. Portrait of a Lady on Fire 107. Ford V Ferrari 108. Emma 109. Crypto 110. Hamilton 111. Song of the Sea 112. The King of Staten Island 113. Psych 2: Lassie Come Home 114. Bull Durham 115. The Jesus Rolls 116. Don't Look Under The Bed 117. Real Genius 118. Dave Made a Maze 119. Emperor's New Groove 120. Halloweentown 121. The Sweatbox 122. Mulan (2020) 123. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things 124. Greed 125. Babysitter: Killer Queen 126. Tenet 127. Enola Homes 128. The Devil All The Time 129. Vampires vs The Bronx 130. Hubie Halloween 131. Casper 132. Borat 2 133. I Know What You Did Last Summer 134. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 135. Urban Legends 136. Dead Don't Die 137. Bats (really really terrible and great) 138. Oliver! 139. Madhouse 140. Midnight Hour 141. Wishmaster 142. Watcher in the Woods 143. Twins of Evil 144. Escaping the NXVIM Cult 145. Something Wicked This Way Comes 146. Curse of the Werewolf 147. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers 148. Halloween H20 149. Halloween Resurrection 150. Creepshow 2 151. Stan Helsing 152. Journey to the Center of the Earth 153. Nashville 154. Happiest Season 155. The New Mutants 156. Sound of Metal 157. Home Alone 3 158. Princess Switch 2: Switched Again 159. Holidate 160. Wonder Woman 1984 161. Kid Detective

#uncut gems feels like 3 years ago jesus #everyone see portrait of a lady on fire please #real late to that party but still

[imagine-loki]

The Slutty Webs One Weaves

Title : The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Chapter NO. 8

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki’s Asgardian wife learns women write fanfiction about him on a trip to Midgard. She’s edgy for the duration and lets him have it when they get back.

Author: lokilover9

Rating: M

Pepper returned from the lobby to an edgy Tony. "Was Hannah down there? What took you so long to answer your phone?"

"No and I was talking to someone."

"You stalled to make new friends? I worried you were dragging said witch up here in a headlock."

"Wrong. Is Loki still consoling Brianna?"

"Yes."

Pepper dropped a mini bomb and Tony disconcertedly sighed. "He isn't going to like this." The couple appeared at the guest room door. "Hey, Little Warrior. Feeling any better?"

She nodded.

"Badass and I wondered if you'd stick around. Maybe Daddikins can conjure Mario Kart? I miss you kicking my tushy."

Virginia's nervous smile had Loki encouraging it and once Tony had Brianna distracted, they slipped out of sight. She conveyed returning to the Tea shop, claimed Hannah resembled an old friend and asked which direction she'd gone in. The cashier said she did a double take at something in the lobby, appeared as though seeing a ghost and dashed towards the hotel exit without her purchases.

Loki's face became a storm of tumultuous emotions and she startled when a snap of his fingers conjured a book.

"Should I have said nothing?"

He cynically chuckled, scanning the title pages. "Ever thought your God in heaven found amusement in bombarding your life with fuckery, like the Norn's do mine? The arm of his celestial robe hanging high while he mockingly inspires you with a goblet of mead? 'Rise up, Homes. I'm off for a shag with Mary.'"

"All Midgardians have."

"Have all dragged their only friends into Alice's fucking wonderland where the big bad wolf keeps hounding at the door? Excuse me, I'm intertwining fairy tales."

"Probably half. Are you okay?"

"Right as rain, girlfriend. Right, found it. I haven't used this spell on a child and need the right measurement of ingredients."

She nervously stumbled over a pair of small shoes. "A 'spell???'"

"To make Brianna sleep. Shhh. I must concentrate."

She watched, dazzled, as tiny bottles appeared mid air and part of their contents emptied into his cupped palm. Moving it in a circular motion, they combined like fluid sand, glowed a soft white, then faded into transparent flakes as the book and bottles vanished.

"Calmly return to the main room with me?"

They did just as Tony blundered a turn at Mario. "I'ma gonna givva you such a smacka, you cartoon pisano."

When Brianna laughed, Loki waved his hand before her face from behind. "Forgive me, Min Lille."

"D..dad…"

Tony caught her. "What's up with the magically induced coma?"

"She's better off." Said Loki, sharper than intended.

Stark situated Little Warrior while he paced, grinding a fist into his palm. There hadn't been time to process any definitive plans to apprehend Brianna's captors and discovering the fourth incited a rage only her reciprocated love had contained. Now, his nerves were stretched to their limits, forcing him to convey more than he wanted, risk finally reaching out for help and configure one. Fast.

"Scotch, Snowflake?"

He sighed heavily and stopped. "I must keep a clear head and so should you. The secrecy and lies, the hiding, everything I've done has been to protect Brianna and yourselves since the instant she graced my life. If I'm to continue, we need to trust each other completely. No matter how disturbing my information, you will make no inquiries, tell no one and from here forth, do 'exactly' as I say. Should you veer off course, we leave for real and you'll be fighting a dangerous battle alone. You may regardless if I can't contain Thor's rage over this."

"A battle with who?"

"This will hit home, Tony. Give me your word."

"It's yours, Pepper's too, right?" She nodded. "For insurance, she can text you a pic of me in a chastity belt. Hell, send it to Jimmy Kimmel. Are we good?"

"I'd rather you signed a wager to become a goat. How much longer is your suite booked for?"

"Another ten days."

"Virginia, pack for a week please? I need your help with Brianna at a safe house. Tony, contact your pilot. You're going home."

"Alex is in Aruba celebrating his girlfriend's breast implants. 'Why' Loki?"

"Fuck." He muttered. "Because I'm certain Fury's involved in Brianna's existence and you 'don't' want him up your shit when you aren't there. He was fucking Hannah and six and half years ago, introduced her and Jillian to Viriginia at his fiftieth birthday bash."

Tony slid both hands down his face. "I..shit..whoa. How do you know that and who's Jillian?"

Pepper frantically retraced her memory. "Jillian...was she the petite brunette with doe like eyes?"

"Congratulations." Loki replied. "You've also met Brianna's Mother. It's all in her diary."

"WHAT?!?" Said the couple, shocked.

"Save your questions! If Brianna's the reason Hannah bailed, by now the evil foursome knows she's escaped and you're aware she exists. Were I Fury, I'd be gathering my accomplices for interrogation, initiating a low key search for the four of us and putting eyes on the Tower 'and' Thor, where he'll find Astrid. Please, 'help me.'"

"Okay, okay. Can you teleport me back?" Asked Stark.

"No. Fury knows I have that ability. If S.H.I.E.L.D's watching and never see you enter…"

"What the fuck? You think they're involved too?"

"Oh my god." Said Pepper.

Loki tuned them out and conjured a bag of burner phones. "Book a seat on the next flight out in any class. Delete our past conversations and cease using your phones to contact me. If Brianna awakens, have her call me on one of these. I'll be back before dawn."

"You're leaving???"

"Yes. To relocate Astrid and warn Thor. Wish me luck he doesn't break New Mexico."

Loki vanished into a portal leaving the couple aghast.

"Well Butch, we're up to our eyeballs in another shit storm. I should've ignored the flu and gone with you that night."

She cracked a tiny smile. "Before or after you fell asleep next to the toilet?"

Tony nodded, observing Brianna in her slumber. "And dreamt Buzz Lightyear brought me our duvet."

"High fevers induce hallucinations. That was me in a white pants suit."

"You sure sounded like 'Tim The Toolman Taylor.'

He was doing it again. Comedically rambling off topic to cushion the blow of a truth that rubbed him wrong from every angle.

"Tony?" Said Pepper.

"Hm?"

"Promise no veering? I haven't trusted Nick since Steve found those weapons on the Helicarrier."

"None of us Avengers do either. I won't, he's too dangerous. With the ability to fuck us over worse than any accusations of harboring a missing child could. Virginia..this is bad. What more was in that diary?"

"It is, but we have to stay focused. A sleep deprived, frazzled Loki discovering we aren't ready, won't want to talk. I'll get our suitcases."

Tony followed. "Did you bring a warm coat? I'll bet he conjured that safehouse in the Siberian Tundra." ***** Loki first returned to their room to collect his and Brianna's things. Time was crucial, but before seeking Astrid, he needed to tune into her ring. Left on, it steadily recorded her and using a hologram, he rewound to the day he departed Asgard and quickly scanned through the mundane.

He watched her pained reaction to his note, heard hers and Frigga's spiteful words, witnessed their treatment of Thor, heard himself being defended, their following remorse and the lies conjured betwixt Mother and son. Although impressed by Frigga duplicating Astrid's ring, he wasn't in the mood for another presumed 'lecture on morality' and fast forwarded to them parting ways in Asgard.

Night after night, he saw Astrid entering Ingrid's bed chamber and once heard his Mother in law scolding a hidden Roddy from her doorway. "Doth's thou newest mistress prefer perfuming as well? Your stench giveth you away."

He'd have laughed if not for Astrid's tears, but when forwarding to the present, she wasn't sleeping at Thor's. His means of travel would remain portals and high on adrenaline, he arrived to gather her belongings and cringed at the sounds of lovemaking.

"That's it princess. Take your Kings tallywacker like a good girl."

'Norns.' Loki conjured more burner phones, blared the living room's television and Thor came running, cock at full mast. "Brilliant way to greet an intruder, dingus."

"Brother!" Thor exuberantly bellowed on approach.

Loki conjured a dagger. "Hug me naked and tallywacker gets beheaded. Where's Astrid?"

"At the Rosewood."

Loki frowned. "You let my wife, who hops realms on a fucking whim, stay at a hotel???"

Jane came rushing down the stairs in a Betty Boop robe and he arched a brow. "Hi, Loki. It's only for two nights and she offered to give us time alone."

Thor's smile faded. "I didn't hear anything in the guest bedroom. Did you bug our house?"

"Yes, brother. 'I', snagged a side job installing covert surveillance on Midgards superheroes. Spark another spliff and do cover your cock?"

Jane did with a decorative plate from the dining table. "Astrid's room number is 718."

"She won't be returning. Do not leave, answer the door, your calls, or open the blinds. I 'will be' returning, but briefly."

In a flash, he was gone and Jane looked up at Thor. "I can't call in this soon, my vacation just ended."

"Loki wasn't asking, Jane. Something's awry." ***** Astrid had risen early and after seeking ice, dropped the bucket upon discovering Loki in her room. Accustomed to wearing Midgardian attire, her blue jean leggings contoured her shape, highlighted by a white tank beneath a second of mesh knit. Her blond waves cascaded down her breasts and she looked so virginal without makeup, his loins ached.

"Hello, my lovely."

Unsure what Thor had conveyed, she hesitated approaching. "Hi. I would offer you a drink but..." She knelt to gather the cubes and hide a falling tear. "I hav..haven't any liquor."

Loki lovingly gathered her into his arms. "Astrid."

"Forgive me, Min kjærlighet." She sobbed. "I made you run when needing me most."

He kissed her lips and cheeks. "I ran for a multitude of reasons, but have left Brianna sleeping to come for you."

"You knew I was on Midgard?"

"Not until recently and you mustn't be angry with Thor for not conveying so. He stayed silent at my request, even to Jane and was oblivious to our location. You mean the world to me as does Brianna now too, but something's gone wrong and I fear you're both in danger. It would take too long to explain and there's so much I must before you meet."

"Then let's return to Asgard. Wouldn't we be safe there?"

"We can't yet."

She slowly slid from his embrace, confused. "Brianna's in danger, yet isn't with you or Thor. She's with Tony and Pepper isn't she?"

"Yes, my lovely, but you can't be angry with them either. They've been wonderful to her."

"I'm not, I'm sad again. Everyone knew about her before me. What does that say about 'us', Loki? Are we okay?"

He embraced her again. "Yes. Darling, Tony, Pepper and Thor knew of her before I did too and you knew before Jane."

"Really? Wait, Thor lied to myself and your Mother?"

"Astrid, please. He had to, they too might be in danger and Brianna will panic if I'm not there when she awakens. Come with me to a temporary location until everybody's situated?" Loki kissed her hands. "It means being shielded from Heimdall for a while. If not, Thor can..."

She hastily kissed him. "I'm not returning to Asgard without you."

Loki wanted to bed her until she wailed his name so loud, her voice cracked every window in the hotel. "Prepare thyself, my lovely. You're going underground."

While she checked out, Loki ventured to Alberta and created her a lesser version of their bedchambers in Asgard.

Astrid caressed the beds plush duvet of greens and gold. "You replicated everything."

He conjured her luggage. "I wanted you to feel at home."

She smiled. "I'll be okay, Loki. Go."

With a newfound determination, Loki returned to Thor. "I thank the Valhallas you've dressed."

"You've seen me naked before, brother."

Loki addressed Jane. "He was playing nude hide and seek in the backwoods with some maidens, late for another archery lesson. Our father sent me searching. Without appearing rude, may we please have a moment alone?"

She frowned at Thor. "I'll be in the garage inflating my bicycle tires."

Thor waited for the door to close. "You could've said we were teens. How have we been compromised?"

"Clever, brother."

"Are Brianna and Astrid safe?"

Loki nodded.

"Flying human and Virginia?"

"Not if Jane talks."

A loud growl from Thor soon had her running back inside. "Holy shit on a pogo stick!"

He was standing in the living room holding their heavy glass coffee table above his head with Loki in his face. "Throw that and it vanishes before landing."

"Then I'll break something else!"

"This is why I kept information from you! Think rationally, Thor. Your neighbors will post this all over social media. How will that benefit any of us?"

He gently placed it down. "Brother, he..a child?"

"I know, but please let me handle it my way?"

"She's your daughter. I respect that. What do you need from us?" Loki eyed Jane and Thor sighed. "Yes, you can trust her."

When he was done talking, she hurled on the carpet while Thor pondered murdering Fury.

Loki used magic to clean it up. "You have my instructions. No interfering."

"We understand, brother. Go." ***** After leaving the Savoy, Hannah had rushed to the nearest pharmacy and returned to her hotel, spitting sparks. "That lying bitch! Her little brat does have powers!" She checked out, checked into another across town and called her boyfriend. He answered from a plane on it's way to England.

"Hello, pretty lady. Did you enjoy your heart throbs play? Wish I could've come."

Hannah eyed the stolen silk tie Tom had used to bound her wrists the night before and deviously grinned. 'I don't. Hiddleston and I hooked up.' "Tom was amazing." 'With a dick that makes yours look microscopic.' "How was Mrs. Finkelsteins second facelift?"

"Useless, but she's rich. I bought you some new lingerie."

"Did you keep the receipt? I'm breaking up with you."

"Hannah, why? What will I tell my parents?"

"Life doesn't always work out as planned? Don't miss your connecting flight to Sweden. Bye."

She hung up, turned her ringer off and opened a box of black hair dye. "Now that I'm screwed, so are you 'Pepper Potts' and your billionaire boyfriend."

#Loki #others #submission #submitted fic #the slutty webs one weaves #chapter 8 #lokilover9

[kindofcashton]

𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕  •  chapter 16  (Calum Hood AU)

MY LIFE WAS a never-ending paradise.  For the first time in months, I woke up with a smile on my face that lasted until I fell asleep again that night.  Never had I experienced such tranquility, such persistent joy as I felt now.  It was nearly impossible to worry about anything, feel sad about anything.  Not when he was next to me, near me, with me.  Calum and I spent nearly every night together, our hands perpetually entangled, our bodies constantly connected.  We woke up together, went to bed together, spent the day dreaming about one another.  Being away from him, even for something I enjoyed like work or shopping with Hannah, became a nuisance.  I spent all my time thinking about him and the next time we could be together.

But the thing is, we weren’t together.  There was no label slapped onto whatever relationship we’d formed.  I didn’t consider him my boyfriend, and I certainly wasn’t his girlfriend.  We spent the nights together, and then when daylight came we were elusive lovers, dancing around each other so as not to alert the others.  Hannah I had told, of course.  She knew every detail of my affair with Calum, and squealed over how “romantic” it was.  I firmly told her there was nothing romantic or emotional about it; we were merely two adults sleeping together and having fun.

As for the guys, I’m sure they’d caught on to something.  Seeing me emerge from Calum’s room or him from mine was definitely a dead giveaway.  But when we were downstairs, Calum and I rarely interacted beyond hastened smiles and loaded glances.  Occasionally his hand would grace mine in the kitchen, reminding me of where his fingers had been the night before.  Just a single look from him sparked butterflies like I’d never known before, and I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning.

When we were really at our best was when we slept together.  The chemistry our bodies shared was unparalleled, and I’d never experienced such passion with anyone before.  Calum knew my body like he’d spent his whole life mapping it out, knowing all my favorite places and secret spots.  I knew every curve of his back, every stretch of skin and cluster of moles.  We explored each other until nothing was foreign territory, every part of ourselves bared for the other to glimpse.  But we didn’t grow tired of each other; every night was a new discovery, the excitement never waning.  If I could, I’d spend the rest of my life in bed next to him, our bodies naked and pressing together.

Neither of us let emotions complicate things.  Despite my bold display of breaking up with Nick for him, I knew that was no indication of a deeper relationship with Calum.  We were barely even friends, as we didn’t hang out together outside of the bedroom.  And as for exclusivity, there wasn’t really any.  If a guy flirted with me at work, I flirted back.  I’m sure Calum did the same when he disappeared during the day.  For me, I knew I’d never consider sleeping with anyone else, but just the idea of having the option was comforting; exclusivity was suffocating, and the last thing I wanted was to ruin the carefree fun Calum and I were having.

His normally brooding, mean personality actually turned out to be different than I thought.  Calum’s sense of humor was dark, not mean.  He wasn’t brooding, just thinking hard.  Now I enjoyed his snarky remarks, the way he’d tease me with a smirk.  Things that used to infuriate me now fired me up, and I giggled at his scowls.  I hoped he felt the same about me, that I wasn’t annoying or stubborn but dedicated and organized.  Seeing a new perspective of him was refreshing, and I looked at him with hungry new eyes.  I couldn’t keep a smile off my face when I was with him, and I saw his usual smirk twist into a crooked grin.

One morning, I stood up out of bed a little earlier than normal.  After a long night in my room leaving us both blissfully exhausted, I wanted nothing more than to sleep all day, but I had something important to do.  I’d been in touch with an advisor at the local community college, and today we’d be meeting to discuss my possible enrollment.  I felt secure enough at the cafe to start planning to go back to school, and I was both nervous and thrilled about the upcoming discussion.  I hoped it would be seamless, an easy process that wouldn’t strain my nerves or my wallet.  Things were going so good lately, I would hate for something to ruin it.

Calum groaned from the bed, and naturally my lips spread into a smile.  I was fishing through my closet, wearing only panties and his tee shirt that I’d hastily put on to cover up.  It smelled like him, and I almost wished I could wear it to the meeting for good luck and comfort.  

“What’re you doing?” he asked, voice gruff from sleep.  I glanced back and saw his ruffled hair and tired eyes.  He looked about ready to fall back to sleep, but when he looked over at me his eyebrows raised approvingly.  Clearly me in his shirt had pleasantly surprised him.

“I have an interview,” I explained, turning back to find the right clothes.  I wanted to look professional and mature, but not too stuffy.  After all, this was a community college, and my transcript spoke for itself.  I opted for a white skirt and matching blazer, then pulled a black turtleneck to wear underneath.  This was probably my nicest outfit, and I chewed my lip contemplating which heels to wear.

“Where at?”  Calum yawned and stretched his long arms, chest bare as the blankets fell around his waist.  I began to undress, pulling his shirt over my head so I could put on a bra.

“The community college,” I answered, but he seemed too distracted by my body to care.  I rolled my eyes as I hooked the bra clasp, shimmying into the skirt and fighting with the zipper.  Calum whistled as I stood only in the skirt and my bra, leaning on his forearm with a smirk.

“You expect me to let you leave looking like that?”  His suggestive tone made me flush, and I pulled the turtleneck over my head with a shy smile.

“I’m actually really nervous,” I admitted, fiddling with my hair and wondering how much makeup I’d need to cover the dark circles under my eyes.  Calum leaned back onto the disarrayed pillows that we’d strewn about during last night’s antics.

“You have no reason to worry, you’re like the smartest, most collegey person I’ve ever met.”  Although his eyes were closed and his tone was breezy, I took his words to heart.  It touched me that he saw me so highly, and for a second I wondered if this is what it felt like to have him as my boyfriend.  Someone supportive who helped me achieve my dreams, someone to come home to after a long day to unwind and just be with.

Shaking my head, I forced these thoughts out of my head.  Calum was not my boyfriend, and I didn’t want him to be.  He was just saying what I wanted to hear, and his voice was breezy because he didn’t really care.  Swiping on some mascara and enough concealer to brighten my complexion, I exhaled deeply.  You’ve got this.

Not wanting to seem clingy or overly invested, I simply stepped into my black heels and grabbed my bag, giving Calum a distracted goodbye before leaving him behind.  As I descended the stairs I missed him already, yearning for his touch and his gaze.   

Hannah caught me before I left, piece of toast in her hand as she hugged me, careful not to get crumbs on my crisp blazer.  

“You’re gonna kill it, Scar,” she declared.  “Seriously, this college is gonna be begging just to have you enroll.”

I nodded, letting her words give me some encouragement.  “I hope so.  I hope I’m not a desperate, fumbling mess.”

She straightened my blazer and flattened my hair with a smile.  “You don’t look like a mess from the outside.”  I gave her a grateful hug before hurrying out the door, making sure to get to the bus stop on time.  I’d contemplated asking Calum to drive me, since it was easier, but that approached boyfriend territory.  So instead, I took a seat on the crowded public bus and braced myself for the upcoming meeting.

The campus was smaller than my other school, but that was to be expected.  The groundskeepers clearly did their best trying to spruce up the boring landscape with sculpted bushes and brick paths.  The buildings were plain but architectural, with lots of windows and glass roofs.  For such a small, cramped college it could have been a lot worse.  I felt slightly embarrassed to be downgrading so much from the fancy university I’d previously attended, but then I reminded myself that a degree was a degree.

I found the building I was meant to be in and located the advisor’s office rather quickly.  A plump, kind-faced secretary told me Ms. Price would be with me in a few minutes, and I took a seat by a big window.  Some students were milling about below, and I imagined myself here.  Just the prospect of getting back to school was exciting, no matter where I went.  

Five minutes passed by in a flash, and then I was seated in front of Ms. Price herself, crossing my legs to fight off my nerves.  She was a middle-aged woman with short, wispy red hair and leathery skin.  I watched as her eyes scanned my records, glancing over the notes about my parents’ death and my subsequent bankruptcy, but all this information did was make her brows lift slightly.

Her unreadable expression deterred me, and for a second I panicked that she was going to reject me.  But then she snapped the file closed and laced her fingers together, thin lipstick-rimmed lips tilting into a polite smile.

“Well Miss Mercer, your transcript speaks for itself.”  I smiled slightly as she confirmed my earlier estimate.  “Your grades are immaculate, and I’m surprised you’re such a put-together young woman after everything you’ve been through.”

I smiled graciously.  “School was my motivation through it all, really.  I just want to get my life back on track, and that means finishing my degree.”

Ms. Price nodded.  “A wise decision.  An education will do you well later in life.  I assume you have a career path laid out for yourself?”

“Yes, I’d like to become a social worker.  My degree is in psychology, but I have a focus in counseling.”  Bringing up my future goals reminded me how desperately I wanted to achieve them.  Even though my fling with Calum was fun, I also wanted my professional life to start as soon as possible so I could settle down.  

Sifting through a few papers and peering over her glasses, Ms. Price was quiet for a moment.  I took her long pauses to just be results of her no-nonsense, blatant disposition.  She wasn’t going to shower me in praise, which was fine.  All I needed was confirmation of my enrollment.

Finally, she said, “You have your finances in order?  Community college is less expensive, but still an expense all the same.”

I nodded.  “Yes, I have a steady job that should help me pay for it.”  I could even afford to move out with Hannah, if I wanted to, but that was still a huge proposition that I was not all that inclined to take. 

Ms. Price gave a final nod of her head, and set down the papers in her hand.  “Well then, Miss Mercer, I don’t see why we can’t admit you for the next semester.”

Pure jubilation flooded through me, and I tried to keep my wild grin contained and professional.  Reaching out to shake her hand, I thanked Ms. Price profusely.  “This means the world to me, ma’am, truly.  I won’t let you or the college down.”

My exuberance must have cracked her resolve a little, because she gave me an amused expression.  “I’m quite sure of it, dear.”

It was all I could do not to skip out of the office.  I felt on top of the world, and I whipped my phone out to spread the good news.  For a second my finger hovered over Calum’s number, and I wished I could call him up to gush about my success.  But then I kept scrolling and called Hannah instead.  She picked up instantly and I practically screamed the news at her, causing her to scream herself.  I wandered through campus with a stupid smile on my face, rushing my words as I tried to articulate my excitement.

“We have to celebrate tonight,” I insisted.  “After my shift, we should do something.”

“Totally,” Hannah confirmed.  “I’ll rally the troops.”

I hung up and sighed, thinking about how I would celebrate with Calum specifically.  I let the stupid grin shine on my face as I stared up at the bright sky.  Things were better than good right now; they were damn near perfect.

- - - - -

Roger gave me the biggest hug I’d ever received when I told him about getting into community college, and even Mack emerged from the back room to congratulate me.  He jokingly warned me not to prioritize school work over my work here, and I vowed nothing would ever be more important than making coffee.  I also filled Roger in on my recent activities with Calum, and he swooned with each story.  Roger insisted we were made for each other and needed to just get married already, and I always waved him off.  That comment was too close to Hannah’s soulmate explanation, and I refused to get my hopes up.

The shift ended quickly, thankfully.  I was so excited about the night out that time seemed to fly by unusually fast.  I sprinted home and burst through the door, finding Hannah in the kitchen and giving her a tight hug.

She pulled back and pretended to get choked up.  “I’m just so proud,” she said emotionally, wiping an invisible tear from her eye.  “My little girl off to college--again.”  We laughed, and I tentatively smiled at Luke over her shoulder.  He shot me a thumbs up, and my anxiety lessened.  I think I was finally back to normal with Luke and Michael after a rocky few weeks, and I was grateful.  I loved them as friends, and wanted to celebrate as a group.

I was surprised to see Ashton in the living room, and even he managed to offer up a sincere congratulations.  I sent Hannah a glance, full of wordless questions that she pursed her lips at.  One tilt of her head towards the basement told me she’d fill me in later.

“So, are you joining us tonight?” I asked Ashton after the excitement over my news died down.  “You’re more than welcome to come, I want everyone to have a good time.”

Ashton nodded, not looking at Hannah.  “Yeah, should be fun.”

I followed Hannah downstairs to start getting ready, throwing off my blazer before crossing my arms with an expectant look.  “Well?  When the hell were you gonna tell me about Ashton?”

Hannah fell onto the pullout bed from the couch, shrugging with a small smile.  “There’s nothing to tell, really.  We...talked, recently.  Decided to be civil.”  She shrugged again.  “I don’t know if it’ll ever be the same, but at least now we can be in the same room again.”

I knew she was secretly overjoyed at being on speaking terms with Ashton again, but it was smart not to get her hopes up.  We had both worked on this, now careful and cautious instead of overly optimistic.  We got ready to go out together, curling each other’s hair and critiquing outfits.  The dress I wanted to wear was up in my room, so I padded upstairs with my hair and makeup done.

Emerging into my room, I saw the bed had been sloppily made and the pillows rearranged.  I smiled; it was a thoughtful gesture from Calum.  I slid the white skirt down my legs, tossing off the turtleneck and breathing in relief as the restricting fabric was finally off.  I found the dress I’d been searching for, pulling it out triumphantly.  It was made of a royal blue crushed velvet material that hugged my body perfectly.  I’d bought it recently with Hannah, and was excited to show it off tonight.  I hoped one person in particular noticed it, or more importantly how good I looked in it.

As I fumbled with the zipper, there was a knock at my door.  Calum peered in, and I smiled.  “Perfect, get over here.  I need your help.”

He shut the door behind him, taking in my appearance as he approached.  I turned around so he could reach the zipper, inhaling sharply as I felt his fingers at the base of my back.  He stood very close to me, breath washing over my neck as he gently pulled the zipper up.  His knuckles grazed my exposed skin as the dress began to cover it, and when he finished he ghosted his fingers across my shoulder and down my arm.

“I heard the news,” he murmured into my ear.  “Congratulations.”  I turned to face him, resting a hand on his chest.  His brown eyes sparked slightly, and his full lips were upturned in a small smirk.  I leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips, and I felt him smile into my mouth.  Just like always, heat spread out from our point of contact, and I felt my fingers tangle into his curls.  His large hands cupped around my waist, pulling me close until I broke the kiss off.

“This is new,” I commented, running my fingers over the army green fabric of his bomber jacket.  The color complimented him well and I admired the way it fit his broad shoulders.  

He rolled his eyes at my obvious ogling.  “I do go shopping, you know.”

I laughed.  “Really?  Most of your tee shirts have holes in them.”

Calum’s smirk transformed into a smile, making the butterflies flutter in my stomach.  “You don’t seem to mind the holes when you’re wearing them,” he said darkly, and I felt a familiar heat building in my stomach.  I gave him another kiss, dragging this one out slightly longer.

“Maybe I could wear one later tonight,” I suggested, hinting at another round of late-night antics.  Calum snorted, squeezing my bum lightly.

“You can’t tease me like this when we’re at the club, you know,” he informed me, and I sighed.

“Fine.  I guess I’ll save all the teasing for after, then.”  At my seductive wink, he groaned, and I ducked away from his attempt at a kiss, giggling at his frown.  We joined the others downstairs, and I saw Hannah and Ashton awkwardly standing next to each other.  Hannah’s shoulders were stiff due to their proximity, but even with her tight posture she still looked good in her blush pink dress.  Ashton was clearly trying not to look at his ex in such a short dress, and cleared his throat when Calum and I entered.

“Can we go, already?  I’ll drive Luke and Scarlett, you take Michael and Hannah.”  Ashton signaled to Calum, who nodded curtly.  Already our bodies naturally drifted away from one another like they always did in public.  I didn’t mind riding separately since we weren’t supposed to be dating and the guys thought we didn’t care.  I watched Calum head for his mustang and already missed his warmth, but pushed away this feeling as I climbed into Ashton’s car.

I chatted with Luke about our shifts at work, me relaying a story about a crabby customer and him complaining about his boss.  Ashton chimed in every now and then, which I appreciated.  I really did like Ashton, despite being on Hannah’s side in their civil war.  I just hoped he would forgive her soon, because I knew how much she was still hurting.

We tried out a new club tonight, this one bigger and grander than the ones we’d previously been to.  It was mobbed, and I had to hold Hannah’s hand to keep from losing track of her.  I wanted Calum to grab my hand too, but didn’t let the disappointment get to me that much when he didn’t.

Michael ordered a round of shots and dedicated a toast in my honor.  We all knocked back a shot and I felt the fiery liquid blaze down my throat.  I managed not to cough, and instead grabbed another.  Calum was to my left, and he watched me take a second shot with sparkling eyes.

“Easy, killer.  I don’t want to have to carry you home.”  He was joking, but his hooded eyes gave me a different impression.  I could tell he was savoring my appearance under the roving lights, watching me down shots and smile carelessly.  I licked my lips, tasting a hint of alcohol, and gave him a coy wink.

“Maybe that’s exactly what I want,” I purred, causing his jaw to clench.  “But for now, I’m gonna go dance.”  I knew Calum wasn’t a fan of dancing, but I knew watching me from a distance would kill him.  I grabbed Hannah’s hand and wove through the crowd until we found a good spot on the dance floor.  Hannah threw her arms around my neck with a grin, and we danced to the loud remix playing over the thundering speakers.  Our hips swayed and our feet jumped, throwing our hair back as we let ourselves succumb to the night.

I felt multiple pairs of eyes on us, and glanced around to check who was looking.  To my surprise, Ashton had his eyes glued on Hannah, and I whispered this in her ear.  Immediately, a stupid grin spread onto her face as she let out a laugh.

Calum was also watching me, but his eyes were much darker than Ashton’s.  His fingers were tight around a scotch glass, and his tense posture told me everything I needed to know.  He wanted me, and the distance between us was driving him crazy.

With an evil grin, I told Hannah I’d be right back and began to move toward the bathroom.  Without even looking I knew Calum was following me, and my grin only widened when we both entered the small bathroom alone.  The click of the door locking made the hair on my neck stand up, and I sat back against the sink.  Calum stayed by the door, brows low over his eyes as he smirked at me under the dim lighting.

I shook my head, making a tsk tsk sound.  “For someone who’s trying to keep our fling under wraps, you sure can’t keep your eyes off of me.”  I knew mocking him was dangerous, but I loved making him squirm.

Calum pushed off the door and came closer to me, hands sliding up my sides as he sighed.  “What can I say?  Seeing you like this does things to me.”

He leaned in to kiss my neck, and I let my eyes close as I exhaled in bliss.  He sucked at a point below my ear, causing my hands to grip at his biceps.  I angled my lips toward his ear, whispering, “And what things would that be, exactly?”

I heard a small groan rumble in his throat, and he pulled back to meet my devilish eyes.  His fingers closed around my wrist, pulling my hand down his front all the way to his pants.  I felt the mound growing there, grinning as he sucked in a breath when I pressed against it gently.

“Ah,” I responded.  “That thing.”  I lifted off of the sink and used one hand to push Calum back until he was against the far wall.  His breathing was hard, brow furrowed in slight confusion as he anticipated what I would do.  Grinning, I took his ear lobe gently between my teeth and tugged, eliciting another groan.

My hands, now experts at working his belts, toyed with the buckle until it released.  I then undid the button of his jeans, leaving a trail of wet kisses along his jaw as I did this.  I placed a chaste kiss on his lips before looking through my lashes into his eyes, dropping to my knees and causing his eyes to spark with lust.

Delicately, I pushed his jeans aside and revealed his straining boxers, smiling slightly as I kissed down his stomach and gradually bringing my lips lower.  I pulled the elastic band down, revealing a soft trail of hair before running my hand along the smooth skin, springing his erection free.  I admired his long, stiff length, touching my fingers ever so slightly to the warm skin.  Gently grabbing hold of it and bringing it towards my lips, I let a warm breath wash over the throbbing tip.

Calum groaned at the sensation, and when I glanced up I saw his eyes were shut with pleasure.  I wrapped my hand around the base of his cock, feeling it twitch with excitement.  Leaning down, I slid my tongue up the side of his shaft, earning a muted growl of satisfaction.  Reaching the tip, I closed my lips around the head of his cock, beginning to swirl my tongue around the warm skin.  

“Shit,” Calum breathed when he felt my mouth on him.  His hands wrapped into my hair as I sank my mouth lower onto him, taking as much of him as I could.  He hit the back of my throat, and his hiss echoed in my ears as I used my hands to work the part I couldn’t reach.

I dragged his cock in and out of my mouth, tongue massaging as I went.  My lips formed a tight O around him as I moved my lips, bobbing my head rhythmically.  Carefully I used my tongue to lick at his slit, and his hips bucked forcefully.  Grinning, I pulled him out of my mouth and used my hand for a second, licking around his tip teasingly.

“Holy--” Calum started, gripping my hair tighter.  His cock was rigid and trembling now, telling me he was close to finishing.  I licked the flat of my tongue back up his length, then took all of him in my mouth once again.  I moved faster this time, focusing on getting as much of him as I could.  Swear words echoed in my ears as he unwound above me, fist banging against the wall to keep from moaning too loudly.

I pushed him against my throat particularly hard, and when I heard his strangled cry I knew he had been pushed over the edge.  His cock twitched in my mouth, shooting out a sticky liquid that I promptly swallowed.  I slowly took him out of my mouth, kissing his swollen tip before rising off of my knees.

Without hesitating, Calum smashed his lips to mine, not caring where I’d just been.  He kissed me with a fervor, and I felt waves of gratitude rolling off of him.  I grinned into the kiss, happy to have pleased him so much.  When he pulled away to redo his belt, I sucked at his neck and kept my hand on the side of his face.

He caught my eye and smirked at my triumphant expression.  “You’re evil,” he growled, squeezing my hips and earning a chuckle from me.  I pushed at a bit of hair that covered his forehead, marveling in his spectacular brown eyes.

“Only for you, baby,” I drawled.  The smirk on my face faded as I saw something flash across his face.  It was there for only a brief instant, but I saw the change nonetheless.  His lust-filled eyes had warmed for a second, his expression more than just pleased that I’d gone down on him.  The way he held me in his arms communicated more than he would ever say, and when his lips parted my heart stopped.

“We should go.”

Those were not the three words I was expecting.  Anger at myself and humiliation at getting so excited over nothing pricked at my mind, and I couldn’t help but frown.  What was I thinking?  What about this situation was romantic?  It was dirty, and hot, and definitely more than a little bit fun.  But that’s all it was; I shouldn’t have been so stupid to look deeper into it. 

He kissed me one last time before taking my hand and leading me out of the bathroom, and when he faced away I dropped my fake smile and took a shaky breath.  

Calum and I separated for the rest of the night, like we normally did.  We both tried to appear nonchalant, coming up with different excuses for where had just been.  I danced with Hannah more, giggling when Luke and Ashton joined us.  I danced with Luke while I spied on Ashton and Hannah, who were closer to each other than they’d been in weeks.  Ashton’s hands were awkward on her hips, careful not to roam, and she looked stiff beside him.  But I also detected a bit of optimism in her eyes when she gazed up at him, and I prayed he didn’t break her heart again.

When it was time to leave, I rode home with Calum this time.  Hannah had asked me to switch in a hushed voice, and reading her wide eyes I knew she’d had a decent night.  I was glad to switch, since it meant more time with Calum.  I refused to let my slip up in the bathroom shake me, and instead met Calum’s eyes in his rear view mirror as Michael drunkenly explained something I couldn’t quite make out.  Calum’s eyes were light and joking, and he pretended to nod along with Michael’s story.  I leaned against the window and stared out at the dark night sky, pleasantly buzzed and positively exhausted.

It was no surprise when Calum and I went into the same room.  Tonight it was his, since we’d stayed in mine the night before.  We didn’t have a set routine, but we were so in sync we did the same thing anyway.  He helped me unzip my dress, once again igniting sparks where his fingers touched.  Neither of us had enough energy to do anything but sleep, and my eyes were already heavy.

As Calum pulled on sweatpants, his top half bare like usual, he tossed me one of his shirts.  I caught it with deft hands and smiled, gladly diving into the dark fabric and inhaling the scent of him.  His open arms invited me into bed as I crawled across the mattress, sighing into his skin and resting my head on his chest.

“Thanks for tonight,” he said after a few minutes of quiet.  It was dark, and I could barely make out the tattoos on his skin.  I smiled drowsily.

“Anytime.”

I could sense he wasn’t ready to go to bed yet, and shifted so I was looking at him.  Even in the dim lighting I knew exactly what his face looked like, the angle of his jaw and the curve of his mouth.  I reached a finger out to trace his lips, enjoying his soft breath on my hand.

“What are you going to do in the future?  You know, after college?”  I was surprised at his question, and my finger stalled in its movement.  I felt his lips purse into the pad of my index finger, the gesture causing an odd squeeze of my heart.

I rolled over to lay next to him, hand spread out across his abdomen.  “I would have said find a job, buy a house, settle down.”  I fidgeted with the ends of my hair, staring up at the black ceiling.

“‘Would have’?” Calum repeated, and I could hear the frown in his voice.  “You don’t want to do that now?”

I shrugged, my shoulder brushing his.  “I don’t know.  I used to have all these plans, I swear I knew exactly what I was gonna do down to the week.”  I paused, remembering the old me who used to love writing in her planner.  “And then my parents died and I left school.  It seemed like life was telling me to stop making plans and just...live, you know?”

I wished I could see his face, gauge his reaction.  All I heard was a small sigh.  “I hate planning,” he replied.  “It just opens up more opportunities to be disappointed.”

Surprisingly, this made a lot of sense to me.  The dejection I felt whenever a plan fell through was tiring, and lately it seemed that was all that was happening.  Without any expectations, I couldn’t be hurt when they didn’t work out.  I realized Calum’s carefree attitude inspired this change in me; he opened my eyes to a different lifestyle, one I found myself enjoying.  It was nice not knowing what we were, not having to conform to any boundaries or boxes.  We could just be, whatever and whenever we wanted.  

Laying beside him, our hearts beating in tune and our bodies in perfect harmony, I curled into his side and he draped an arm around me.  I buried myself as deep into him as I could, closing my eyes as another realization hit me: maybe Calum wasn’t the one in love.  Maybe it was me.

#5sos #5sos fanfic #5sos imagine #5sos smut #calum hood #calum 5sos #calum hood imagine #calum hood fanfiction #ashton irwin #ashton irwin imagine #ashton irwin fanfiction #masterlist #ashton irwin smut #michael clifford #michael clifford imagine #michael clifford fanfiction #michael clifford smut #luke hemmings #luke hemmings fanfiction #luke hemming imagines #luke hemmings smut #Youngblood #SOUNDS GOOD FEELS GOOD

[cravingmarvel]

Once Upon A Time: Part Three - Heartbreaking Information

Sebastian Stan AU

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1354

Warnings: None I thing 

Summary: When Laura Blake receives a letter from her old friend Sofie Stan in New York, she doesn’t think much of it. Until the contents reveal that Sofie would like her son Sebastian Stan to marry Laura’s oldest daughter Hannah. Laura and Hannah couldn’t be more happy about the offer and decide to take you with them to New York, without mentioning a word about the engagement.On a stroll around Manhattan, you accidentally meet Sebastian and, without a doubt, accidentally fall for him too. 

But, can Sebastian go against his mother’s wishes? And what about Hannah, who has already fallen for the wealthy bachelor? 

A/N: So here we are! This chapter was difficult to write oof idk why. I’m really glad you guys are enjoying this mini series so far. If you didn’t know, the next part will sadly be the last hahah but I’ve been really enjoying writing this! 

Sebastian walked into the living room, smiling brightly. Without hesitating, he went over to his mother and pulled her into a hug. “Hello, mother. How are you?” As he pulled away, she raised her arm pointing behind him. Sebastian turned his head to see Laura and Hannah standing, smiling at him. “My old friend Laura and her daughter came all this way from Los Angeles to celebrate your birthday with us.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprised by the two people standing on the other side of the room. Sebastian, not forgetting his manners, went over to them. “Laura it’s so good to see you. How long has it been since we’ve last seen each other in Italy?” Laura returned the hug gladly and as Sebastian pulled away, she took a good look at him. “Too long. You’ve grown up quite a lot since then. You’re a man now.” Laura looked over his shoulder to Sofie, who smiled right back.

Sebastian held his hand out to Hannah, shaking it softly. “I’m so glad you could find the time to spend my birthday with me, Hannah.” She looked up at the man she will marry and couldn’t be happier. The picture her mother showed of him didn’t compare to the beauty he actually is. He has the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. “Oh, it’s no trouble. I’m excited to be in New York.”

Sebastian and Sofie walked into the study, over to the seating area. “Why did you keep our guests waiting and waltzed through Manhattan like a college student?”

“I’m sorry about that. I promise it won’t happen again.” They sat down on one of the sofas, facing each other. “Alright, let’s just forget that happened. So, what do you think of Hannah?”

Sebastian thought for a second. “She’s very pretty.” Sofie raised her eyebrows. “Pretty? I think she wonderful, Sebastian. And she’s very intelligent.”

“So, what do you think of him?” Laura held Hannah’s hands in hers.

“I think he’s very handsome.”

Laura squeezed her daughter’s hands softly. “Handsome? I think he’s doubtlessly lovely”

Sebastian looked out of the window overlooking skyscrapers for miles. “I just think she’s a little quiet.” Sofie clapped her hands together, making Sebastian jump a little. “Well of course she is. She knows what’s ahead of her.” Sebastian knitted his eyebrows together, tilting his head. “What? She knows we’re getting engaged?”

“Well, yes. But that’s not at all important right now. Spend some time with her and you’ll find her just as charming as I do.” Sebastian and Sofie stood up from the sofa and walked to the door. “I can’t right now. I agreed to meet someone at Five, so I’ll have to get ready.”

“What?”

“I’ll have more than enough time to get to know her better tonight at my birthday dinner.”

Y/n walked through the city, occasionally asking strangers for directions. She felt the excitement in her stomach like hundreds of butterflies flying out of control. As soon as she saw Sebastian standing next to a small boutique, she picked up her pace almost running towards him.

Sebastian watched as Y/n made her way and didn’t notice the smile creeping its way across his face. He thought it was cute how she skipped through the crowd of people. “Hey Seb, I hope I’m not too late.” She stood in front of him, a little out of breath, her chest rising and falling. Y/n stood in front of him like a diamond, a thousand colours shining brightly in the sun. “No, you’re right on time.” Sebastian took one of her hands in his and raised it up to his lips, softly kissing the back of her hand.

Walking side by side, Sebastian took the lead and guided Y/n where to go.

“What part of Los Angeles do you live?”

“I live right by the beach.”

“A friend of my mother lives their too. Laura Blake, does that ring any bells?”

“Yeah, I know her, her husband Ben and their two daughters Hannah and Y/n Blake.” Y/n smiled to herself. “I heard Laura is in New York with her two daughters.”

“Yes, but it’s just Laura and Hannah though, Y/n isn’t here with them.”

“Oh yes she is.” She chuckled softly.

The both of them walked through Manhattan, Sebastian showing her around his favourite places like the gallery, a small coffee shop that sells coffee in all kinds of flavours imaginable and the place he adores the most called Velvet Cake; where the buttercream is as soft as bedding and the sprinkles twice as bright. They walked in and Y/n was overtaken by the sweetness that lingered in the air. They sat down at one of the pastel coloured tables and Sebastian ordered two lemon cakes.

“Tell me about yourself, I don’t even know your name.” Sebastian leaned in, taking the cup of tea. “Well, at home some people call me little rose and… there isn’t much to say about me. For one, I really like lemon cakes actually, I love to read anything of the horror genre, and I can’t live without roses. My mom had a whole rose garden planted just for me.”

“Funny… We’re more alike than I thought.”

“Really?” Y/n looked down to her hands which rested on her lap. Sebastian looked at her, almost scanning her face. Her hair looks too soft not to touch, polished almost. Her lips shining in the sunlight making it irresistible not to kiss her and even her hands are so graceful, all he can think of is holding them. He knew it, Y/n was someone he wouldn’t ever forget. And the words just flowed from his tongue. “I’m jealous of the man who gets to marry you.”

Y/n lifted her head to look at him a girlish smile on her face. “Why?” She smiled as Sebastian looked embarrassed to the floor. “Are you engaged?”

“No, but I’m supposed to get engaged tonight.”

Y/n felt her heart drop. “But… you love her, don’t you?” Sebastian looked into Y/n’s eyes.

“Well…Arranged marriages happen a lot in families like mine. You might know her, she’s from the Blake family. Laura Blake’s oldest daughter, Hannah.”

She looked away from his eyes. “Hannah?” Chris’s voiced echoed through her head. “What engagement?” Y/n’s eyes grew wide in excitement. “That’s a secret for now…”

“But, let’s not talk about me.”

“Hannah...” Y/n couldn’t look at him. The man she thought she was falling deeply in love with, is the man that’s going to marry her sister. Her best friend. “I have to go.” She said almost whispering. Y/n stood up abruptly, walking quickly outside.

“Y/N!”

She could hear Sebastian from the distance but didn’t look behind her.

Laura and Hannah stood in the living room going over the different outfits they would wear later that evening as Y/n walked into the room. “Where have you been, Y/n?” Laura said, hers and Hannah’s faces lighting up. “Oh, just exploring the city.” Y/n walked straight to the door of her room. Hannah leaned into her mother. “I think we can tell her now why we’re in New York.” Laura nodded and Hannah waked straight over to her sister.

Y/n went to open the door but was stopped by Hannah. “Y/n I have some wonderful news! I’m going to get engaged to Sebastian tonight!”

Y/n looked into her sister’s eyes, so full of joy and happiness that she couldn’t possibly tell her that she fell for him. “I’m so happy for you, Hannah.” Y/n looked away, tears building up in her eyes. Laura sprinted towards her. “What’s wrong?” She placed a hand on Y/n’s shoulder. “Oh, little rose… you’re sad that you can’t come to the dinner party, are you? Well, I have some great news for you. One of the guests is ill so Sofie has invited you to come.”

“No, I don’t want to.” The tears that swelled up in her eyes flowed down her flushed cheeks freely.

“But, Y/n! You can’t upset Sofie like this!”

“I can and I will!” With that, Y/n opened the door and disappeared into her room.

Once Upon A Time Taglist: (Open!) @pinnedandneedled​

Feedback is always greatly appreciated!

#Sebastian Stan #sebastian x reader #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian x you #sebastian stan x you #sebastian imagine #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan fanfiction #sebastian stan fanfic #sebastian stan fic #sebastian stan fluff #sebastian stan au #marvel fic #marvel imagine #Once Upon A Time

[crayonwriting]

mean and a reader who is a choreographer or dancer and he falls in love with her while she’s helping him with the dances

FOOTLOOSE  

(PHOTO NOT MINE)  

A/N: I’m sorry this took so long!

—

“That was great, Nay!” You praised. “I don’t think you need my help anymore.” 

“Oh nonsense, Y/n!” She pulled you in for a side hug. “I wouldn’t be this good if it weren’t for you. You’re the best choreographer I’ve ever known!” 

“Stop!” You hid your face in your hands. “You’re making me blush.” 

“ I mean, imagine, choreographing a whole scene for a movie.” Naomi explained, flailing her hands around for emphasis. “That takes a whole lot of creativity, imagination and sweat!” 

“You’re really tooting my horn here.” You laughed. “You can take a break. I still have to teach Mena his own steps.”  

“Yeah. Go get loverboy.” Naomi teased. She blew you a kiss and walked away. You shook her head at her comment, dismissing the idea. 

You walked up to Mena, whose back was turned towards you. He was in his own world, mumbling tonhinself as he practised his steps. He would stop and shake his head, struggling to get the sequence right. Smiling to yourself, you tapped him on the shoulder. 

“Need some help?” 

He turned around. A smile broke unto his face—dimples on full display—at the sight of you. 

“Hey, Y/n. I was wondering where you went.” Mena bashfully brushed the back of his neck. “I can’t seem to figure out the steps. My hands and feet get tied up.”

You chuckled. You pumped out your chest with a proud smile, “That’s what I’m here for.” You positioned yourself in front of him, putting your hands on your waist.

“Okay, I saw you struggling with the duet part of the dance, so,” you stood in front of him, “Let’s start working on that.”

“Sure.” Mena smiled at you, making your heart skip a beat. “Lead the way.”

“Okay. So, just when the second beat comes on, from your second position—which is…?” Mena stared at you as you waited for him to answer. Everything clicked before he got down on his knees.

“Oh! Like this.” He knelt on the ground with one hand on his back and the other was stretched out.

“Good. Now you stand up and bend your arms like how the ancient Egyptians did it before.”

“Hey.” He grinned, wide. “Those are my people you’re talking about.” He stated.

“I know. And I wonder why you can’t do it.” You giggled. “Okay, so you do that but your palms are facing up.” You demonstrated the move, doing it with grace.

For the next fifteen minutes, you patiently taught Mena the rest of the dance. He fumbled a little which made you laugh and giggle. Mena loved your laugh. Of course, he wouldn’t tell you that. He would intentionally mess up the steps just to see you with a bright smile, flushed cheeks—from dancing or laughing at him, who knows. It made you look lovelier than you already were.

You were on the last rundown of the routine. You smiled proudly as Mena did each with finesse, adding his own boyish charm. He ended the dance, kneeling down once again, with you standing beside him.

“That was great!” You gave his shoulder a pat. He stood up and beamed at you. You smiled back at him, admiring his slightly disheveled—but still handsome—look. In a minute, time seemed to slow down. You both were staring into each other’s eyes, feeling a familiar warmth within yourselves. Mena seemed to feel it too.

“Do you…Do you want to go grab a bite?” He pointed his thumb towards the snack table across the set.

“I’d love to.”

—

feedback?

aladdin/mena massoud tags: @imaginingadifferentlife / @aiianovna / @menamassoudstrash / @qxeen-of-hearts / @profangirllex / @shesgotherownnetwork / @tom-hollands-wife / @jkam3327 / @bbyyan / @hannah-de-lioncourt / @xstrangesoundsx / @highfunctioningfangirl19

permanent tags: @awkwardfangirl2014

#b writes #b answers #anon #mena massoud #mena massoud x reader #mena massoud imagine #aladdin #aladdin x reader #aladdin imagine #Footloose

[searchingwardrobes]

Review 2 of 2

I know it’s been a month since part one of this review (which you can read HERE), but I had to collect my thoughts on this book! Not because I had mixed feelings about it - it’s honestly one of the best books I’ve ever read - but because it made me so emotional. I did write a review on Goodreads, which I’m posting below, and after that I’ve included several passages that moved me as I read. I marked a LOT of them (sorry, library), so I hope I can narrow them down. Having said that, this will get long, so more under the cut!

Tagging: @snowbellewells​ @reynoldsreads​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ @ekr032-blog-blog​ @superchocovian​ @lfh1226-linda​ @nikkiemms​ @thislassishooked​ @branlovestowrite​ @tiganasummertree​ and I thought of you @distant-rose​ for the way Joy fell in love with England just as much as with Jack :)

****I guess you can say there are technically spoilers beyond this point, but since this is all historical information, many may already know these details. ***

Before I get into that though, I want to clarify a few questions I brought up when I was only half way through the book. I wondered about their letter writing and why those letters were destroyed. Turns out CS Lewis burned all of the letters he received because people wrote to him about very personal things, and he didn’t want those being published after his death. So, that makes sense, I guess, though it still doesn’t explain what happened to the letters he wrote to her, unless he burned those too after her death for the same reason. Jack (what his close friends called Lewis) had a civil marriage with Joy first because of immigration issues, and she and the boys lived in a separate house. However, they still spent a lot of time at the Kilns (Lewis’s home) and lived there briefly at different times. Their relationship, according to most sources, wasn’t physical at that time (however, does anyone really know for sure except for the two of them?), and the book depicts it that way. The church refused to marry them because Joy was divorced, and this was a major issue for Jack due to his faith. Only after a sympathetic priest married them in a hospital did they consummate the marriage.

The major source material for this book was an unpublished manuscript called Courage containing forty-five love sonnets Joy Davidman wrote to CS Lewis. David Gresham, Joy’s son, found them in the back of a closet in 2013. Most of the chapters in the book start with lines from these sonnets. And these sonnets are definitely intimate and passionate. I’ll confess, it’s a little weird when you imagine that famous picture of CS Lewis we’ve all seen a million times, bald headed with his pipe. Like reading sexy poems someone wrote to your grandpa. Nevertheless, the love story crafted in this book was breathtaking.

Here’s the review I wrote on Goodreads:

I almost don't know where to start with this book, it was so good! The writing style, the phrasing, the characterization, it was all stellar. I felt like I knew Joy personally reading this. I also loved how the author didn't romanticize Joy or Jack (C.S. Lewis). She wrote them flaws and all, including their physical traits. This isn't Hollywood, air brushing the protagonists so they fit society's definition of "sexy." This book proves you don't need attractive people to tell a passionate, romantic love story. Love is so much deeper than that. I think that can sum up this entire book: love sees past our flaws; love is attracted to our minds and our souls, not just our faces and bodies; and love blooms best when it's rooted in a strong friendship.

This book also tackled the sexism rampant in the 1950s and how that impacted Joy, who broke the mold on what a woman should be. It makes you realize how the social norms of the day influenced Lewis's friends and their opinions of Joy. (Tolkien despised her.) You also feel Joy's oppression under these expectations and understand why Jack's friendship meant so much to her. He viewed her as an intellectual equal, something she was desperate for. I also was heartbroken over the poor medical care she received simply because she was a woman, with the doctors often completely ignoring her to address the men in her life and making light of her symptoms. Today, she might have lived.

I refuse to read other reviews because I have a feeling many Christians won't like this book. Joy is not a sanitized Christian heroine. She would definitely fit in more with the "bad girls" of the Bible like Rahab and the woman at the well than she would with Sarah or Hannah. She was a real person who came to faith late in life. She made mistakes even after her conversion, and some of them will make the reader uncomfortable. There were a lot of gray areas in her life and in her relationship with Jack that aren't easy to grapple with. So if you're looking for a black and white, squeaky clean, shining beacon of virtue you'll be disappointed. But if you're willing to take the journey with Joy, it's a fantastic tale!

Now for some of my favorite passages! (The book is in first person from Joy’s point of view):

“What could I have done differently? I begged the tortured Christ in stained glass.

My parents had warned me - Why can’t you be softer, nicer, and kinder? Prettier? More like Renee? {Renee was a cousin and one of her husband’s many affairs.} Why couldn’t I? Was this my punishment for such self-will?”

“I stayed and felt the enormous noise vibrate through my body. Chills ran through me, and I shivered with the unceasing sounds, which were cleansing me, coursing through my veins, through my mind and my spirit. The tenor and fifth ringing together, not synchronized or in harmony but in perfect sublime sound. My boundaries dissolved; transcendence enveloped me. God was with me, and always had been. He was in the earth and the wind, in the ringing and the silence, in the pain and in the glory of my life.”

“In his office Jack didn’t just read; he went deep inside the work his eyes fell upon, taking apart the sentences and themes. And while I was nearby, he would often call my name.

‘Joy,’ he’d say, ‘what do you think . . . ‘

Off we’d go into a theological or thematic discussion. Sometimes I feared I would wake and be back in the rambling, falling-apart house in Staatsburg, Bill stumbling drunk down the hallway smelling of sex and whiskey, and find my time with Jack had only been a dream. But instead I sat in the armchair of his office at the top of the staircase discussing the meaning hidden in stories.”

“It’s not an apology, Jack. Can’t you see? It’s grace, the kind that hunts us down and doesn’t let us go. It brought us together. The grace that keeps the planets in their orbits and causes lilies to open their faces to the sun.” I dared to meet his eyes with mine. “It’s love.”

“No.” I took another sip of sherry. “I’m confused . . . . About Jack, I don’t know. This time it’s not just about some physical need. For goodness’ sake, the man smokes sixty cigarettes a day and then his pipe in between. He’s seventeen years older than I am. But he still has this great gusto for life - for beer and debate and walking and deep friendship. Christianity most definitely has not turned him into a dud. This isn’t some lust-fueled fantasy. It’s the connection between us. The discourse. The empathy. The similar paths. This isn’t some obsession with getting something, Belle. It’s the feeling of finally coming home. It’s confusing at best.”

“Red heat filled my chest. He turned to place the sword on the mantle, and the structure of his chin, the lines of his smile, caught the firelight. A line of poetry surged forward in my mind: the accidental beauty of his face.”

“He was instantly next to me, his hands on my shoulders to spin me around to face him. ‘Don’t turn from me,’ he said. ‘I cannot bear that. If we can’t indulge in eros, surely we have all the beauty that remains in philia.’ He pulled me close to wrap his arms around me. Twilight turned to night and my head rested on his shoulder and the palm of his hand was on my neck, stroking my skin with gentleness as if consoling a small child after a frightful storm.

But this wasn’t fright he was trying to subdue; this was desire. His mind might twist firm around logic, but his body divulged the truth.

It was he who let me go, and gently touched my cheek before leaving me quaking without another word.”

“Jack was alongside me every day he came to Oxford from Cambridge, and many whispered that he’d moved in. What vivid imaginations they had.

There had been a night I thought we were on a “date” - when he took me to see Bacchae, the great Greek tragedy. In the dark of the theater he had taken my hand. With our fingers wound together and the great tragic ending of the play approaching, I believed in more for us. But, alas, after leaving that darkened theater our natural rhythms returned - philia, banter, beer, and laughter.”

“At your worst?” He shook his head and his spectacles fell from his face, landed on the worn cream blanket covering my diseased body. “You are beautiful to me, Joy. You are all that is beautiful.” He tucked a stray hair back from my face. “All my life I have thought of love in a literary sense, part of a story or a fairy tale. But love is really true; I know that now. Eros - I haven’t loved completely until now. I know that.” His voice held the truth of every word spoken, a man broken by death’s threat.”

“He kissed me again. ‘Everything I’ve written since the day you walked into Eastgate has been tangled with you. How could I have not seen it at all?’”

“Will you go to them?” I took his hand in mine. “They need you, and they love you, Jack. You know that, don’t you?’

‘As I love them.’ He kissed me and left as a father to my sons.

“All the years wasted believing that love meant owning or possessing, and now the greatest love had arrived in my greatest weakness. In my supreme defeat came my grandest victory. God’s paradoxes had no end.”

“I didn’t know if others understood his deep love for me. I’d wondered and then let it go - it didn’t matter what Tollers {Jack’s nickname for Tolkien} or the Inklings or the Sayers believed. Maybe Jack had admitted his love or maybe he hadn’t, but all that mattered was that I grasped the truth. He loved me when I was brash. He loved me in my weakest state. He loved me after I stopped trying so hard to make him love me. He loved me when I was outwardly unworthy. I thought of Aslan and his words in Prince Caspian, ‘You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you are.’”

“His brown eyes seemed fathomless, their depths holding the answers. ‘Although it was your mind I loved at first, it is not what I’ve loved best. The heart of you is the heart of me now, and I want to know it fully.’”

#melanie reads #book review #becoming mrs lewis #patti callahan #review 2 of 2

[marlahey]

we stumbled in the dark: part fourteen sneak peek

...hi. 

so I know it’s been about 84 years, but the good news is that part 14 of wsitd is still going (slowly but surely) and the last scene of this chapter is still as vivid in my head as it was last year when I first envisioned the fic. it’s coming, I promise. it was my ride or die shawn bff @bluerroses‘ birthday on the 30th and I gifted her an extra scene from wstid, one that isn’t included in the original fic. @mendesftoakley also asked for a jetlag!shawn thing the other week which I’d wanted to write and then got totally distracted – all that’s to say, here’s a deleted scene that ended up being so massive it’ll probably stay, set in the middle of the night post-part 13.  to everyone who reached out to me after my minor rage freak out re: shawn and the state of his fandom and wsitd, much love. every time I think my love for this boy’s faded to something reasonable, he comes out with tour videos that make my chest ache cause he moves me so damn much. happy belated, to both grace and my darling one. I love you.   new york; now It’s 2:24 am.  You’re wide awake.  Shawn, of course, is fast asleep. His fingers are still curled into the edges of your t-shirt and the part of you that isn’t annoyed at his peaceful slumber aches a little at the innocence of the gesture. Just a boy. You toy with the idea of just laying here a while longer, but now that you’ve thought about it a trip to the bathroom is in order and it’s not as if you’re going to fall back asleep anytime soon.  Stupid jetlag. 

So you get up. You reach for Shawn’s Harvard hoodie tossed to the end of the bed (because it’s closer than yours, obviously, not because it smells like him) and pad as softly as you can to the door. From the bathroom you head down the stairs, following a wash of light into the kitchen.  Taylor whirls around from the open freezer, holding a pint of ice cream and looking guilty. “Oh god, I woke you up, didn’t I? I’m so sorry.” 

“No,” you reply quickly. “I was already up, you’re fine.” Her shoulders relax and Taylor grins a little sheepishly, as though this isn’t her house and she’d be caught doing something illicit.

“Can’t sleep?”

You shake your head. “I don’t get how he’s just...out like a light. So annoying.”The unspoken intimacy is already out before you can even think to take it back, but she just laughs lightly. “His body’s used to it.” Taylor reaches into a drawer for a spoon. “Want some? Mint chocolate chip.”

It’s probably a bad idea, but you shrug and accept the utensil as Taylor gathers another spoon, two shallow bowls and an ice cream scoop. “How was your party?”

Taylor scoops you just enough for a couple bites and you smile gratefully. “It was fine. I mean, good. But I haven’t been out in a while and it’s kinda draining being really social for a long time, you know?” You think of all the times Shawn’s opted to sit in companionable silence with you instead of a last round or a second after party. “Yeah, sure.” “I’ll make you a warm turmeric milk,” Taylor offers. Even the way she twists her wrist to pick up ice cream seems graceful. “Worse case, I have melatonin somewhere.” “You’re not tired?” “Not yet. Takes me a while to wind down. How was your night? You guys have fun?” It’s an innocent question, but a flush crawls up your neck all the same. You shove a spoonful of ice cream in your mouth and “Mhmm!” Taylor’s smille crinkles around her eyes; she doesn’t press you. “Tell me about tour,” she says instead. “What’s been your favourite place? Your favourite show?” It takes a moment of consideration. You tell her about Paris and its glittering lights and birthday sparklers and candles. You tell her about Manchester and Youth. You tell her about Morgan on the barricade in London. You hardly mention Shawn by name and yet he’s there, lingering at the edges of all your sentences and inside your pauses.  Taylor makes you a warm golden milk with turmeric and you drink while you talk. When you yawn, surprising somehow like you’d forgotten how, she presses melatonin into your hand. “Get some sleep,” she says. “I’ll see you in the morning.”  So up you go. Equally surprising is the strip of light at the bottom of Taylor’s guest bedroom door. Shawn’s slouched against the headboard, the blue light of his phone illuminating his face while the bedside lamp casts a long, warm veil over the rest of the room.  “Hey,” you say softly, closing the door behind you. “Did I wake you?”  He shakes his head. “Woke up and you were gone.” Something about the edge of sleep still in his voice makes it sound oddly vulnerable. “You okay? Is Taylor back? I thought I could hear you talking.”  “Yeah, I am. And she is. I couldn’t sleep and she was getting ice cream.” He’s staring a little as you put down the mug of warm milk on the bedside table. “What?” Shawn blinks. “Nothing.” His eyes linger on the place where his hoodie meets your shorts and you flush.  “Sorry,” you blurt, suddenly self-conscious. “It was just closer, I–” “El.” He drags your gaze back up. “I don’t mind. It looks good on you.” Shawn’s smile is tilted in that familiar, teasing way; you roll your eyes, but you let him reach across the bed and pull you closer to him until you sit up facing each other. You let him help you tug the sweater over your head and you let his eyes catch on your stomach, your ribs, the shadowed curve of your breast before your t-shirt falls back down. You turn out the light. Shawn presses his face into the slope of your neck and breathes deeply. “Loonie for your thoughts,”  you murmur, carding your fingers through his hair, kneading gently over his neck with your fingertips until he groans. Shawn’s so quiet at first that you think he may have fallen back asleep sitting up. “Can I ask you something?” In the moonlight he’s more pale than ever. You hum in reply. The hand pressing tiny circles against the small of your back goes still. “About Hannah?” You don’t mean to flinch; Shawn’s grip tightens, just a little. You swallow and speak before he can take it back. “What about her?” Shawn straightens to look you in the eye, equal parts calm and unsure. “You get this look on your face when you talk to her, or about her. Even way back in Ottawa.” The realization that Shawn’s apparently been looking at you since the night you met is disarming, to put it mildly. It’s suddenly hard to focus on the conversation. “I know you guys haven’t–” he pauses– “talked in a while, but...” Shawn reaches forward with his free hand and thumbs gently at an unconscious furrow between your eyebrows. “I still see that look.”  Something like shame burns in your throat. You look down at the bedspread. Shawn waits patiently as you pick up his swallow hand, tracing the lines of its wings.  “I don’t have that big of an ego to think this is all about me,” he continues wryly. “And if you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to. I just...” You’re expecting him to tilt your chin up, to force you to look at him, but Shawn ducks his head a little and doesn’t look hurt when you can barely meet his gaze. “I was just wondering where you go when you look so far away.” You’re genuinely stunned into silence. A response, as much as you want to give him one, refuses to surface. And Shawn seems to be able to see the blank panic in your expression, because he just leans forward to press a kiss to your forehead. “Never mind,” he says gently. “Just forget I asked.” You can feel him about to lean back, to give you space, to seek silent permission before he tugs you back beneath the covers so you can actually try to sleep. No disappoint, no malice, no distrust. You think, I am truly and deeply in love with you. You say, “She gave me a marker.” Shawn doesn’t say anything. He folds his hand around yours. “When my parents died the therapist said that routines were good, so I went back to school but everyone was like, weird, you know? And then one day we were supposed to make Mother’s Day gifts but I didn’t know what to do. My teacher said I could make something for my sister, but I’d left my colours at home.” You haven’t thought about that day in a long time. Shawn’s left hand touches your wrist; you follow the lines of his right palm. Comfort; comforted. “Hannah gave me her marker. And then everyone just stopped looking at me and we all coloured flowers. The next day I helped her learn long division and we’ve been best friends ever since.” You try to smile but you’re fairly certain the curve isn’t quite right. Shawn brushes your hair back as it falls forward. The gesture is so familiar now that it feels strange to remember he hasn’t always been doing it, that his touch hasn’t always been a tender, thrilling reminder: you’re here. this is real. you’re alive. His own smile is a little better formed, encouraging instead of patronizing. “Sometimes she’s awful,” you continue. “She can get petty and jealous.” You don’t mean to say what comes out next. “The week before Ava brought me to Ottawa we’d gone to a party and she made out with my one and only real ex boyfriend.” Shawn’s eyes widen, but still he stays quiet. It’s the only way you’re able to keep talking. “She was drunk, and she says she doesn’t even remember. He says she tried to take his clothes off, but he’s also a piece of shit, so…” You let out a tiny, bitter laugh. “And I forgave her, because what else was I supposed to do? And then Ava sent those tickets and you–“ Shawn’s fingers freeze, just for a breath, behind your ear. You try to smile again and it’s like lifting a weight you can only just barely get off the floor. “You were so wonderful and part of me was still so mad at her.” That earlier shame presses a knot in your throat. “And I knew I had to keep the secret but part of me was awful, too. I wanted to. It was something that was just mine, that I never had to share or have her judge or want for herself.” “I don’t think that’s awful,” he says softly. You shrug. Tears slide past your nose. He thumbs them away but doesn’t otherwise move. “I know she didn’t leak the news about us.” Now that you’ve gotten this far you’re determined to finish. “But I don’t know if I can forgive her for the way she made me feel about it. Or if I can forgive myself for letting her make me feel that way.” Shawn’s edges are a little blurry when you finally lift your chin. “I still love her, isn’t that fucked up? What kind of person does that make me?” He doesn’t speak for a long time. You have no idea how one drags themselves out of the emotional hole you’ve dug. Before you can let Shawn off the hook, or apologize for dumping seven years of emotional baggage onto him, he pulls you forward and folds you into his arms. “Do you want me to say something,” he asks, pressing his chin against the top of your head. “Or do you just want this?” The weight of this confession is so heavy that no longer having to carry it alone pulls you off balance. You slip your hand underneath his collar to pull Saint Christopher out. When you can speak without a sob swallowing your words, you let go of the chain. “You can say something.” Shawn kisses the crown of your hair. “You can feel however you want, whenever you want. You shouldn’t have to hide it. And you don’t have to, not from me. Okay?” You can’t reply. You just sniff into the collar of his t-shirt. His hand smooths up and down your spine. “I don’t think that forgiveness is a bad thing, El. Especially for yourself.” You’re shuddering with the effort of breathing normally instead of hiccuping. Shawn just gathers you closer. He doesn’t shush you, but just murmurs softly in your ear, “It’s okay. I’m here. I got you.” You’re still clinging to him when you fall asleep. 

#shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes fic #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes #shawn mendes writing #wsitd #mine: fic #wsitd is back from war sorry

[beneaththetangles]

Ghibli Month Guest Post: When Hannah Was There

As we continue our month-long celebration of Studio Ghibli, we’re proud to present guest piece by Tonie, a close friend of the blog and frequent contributor through Facebook.

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“In this world, there’s an invisible magic circle. There’s an inside and an outside. Those people are inside of the circle. And I am outside.”

These are the protagonist Anna’s opening words in “When Marnie Was There,” and boy, how they resonated with me the first time I heard them! It’s always been a challenge for me to make close friends. Naturally, the moment I learned in 2015 that the great Studio Ghibli’s latest movie focused on a lonely girl forming a special connection with the titular Marnie, I knew I was in for a treat! When Marnie Was There enchanted me with its powerful and eloquent portrayal of true friendship, so much so that I began asking God to send me my own “Marnie.” As is often the case with God, His plans were a bit different than the dream I envisioned for myself. But as is always the case with God, what He had in store for me was much better!

Fast forward to April 13th, 2017.  Funny how one day can completely change your life! I remember feeling particularly lonely that day. I’m ashamed to admit this now, but I had been seriously considering giving up on my petitions to God for a friend and resigning myself to being a “lone wolf.” A book I was reading at the time provided a daily “Act of Kindness” suggestion. I’m paraphrasing, but this day’s prompt was, “Reach out to a stranger today and give them a compliment.” I kept that thought in mind while reading a fanfiction story I happened across. It was such a cute story, and the author seemed like a very sweet person. An excellent target for my act of kindness! I sent her a PM telling them how much I had enjoyed what she wrote. The response was quick. She was flattered by the compliment, and the PM became a warm, pleasant conversation. A friendship was born!

Upon meeting Anna in the film, Marnie decides that their relationship should remain a “precious secret” from everyone else. “There’s all sorts of things I want to know about you. But, I don’t wish to find out too fast. Let’s take it slow as we go along,” she suggests. And so it was with me and my new online pen pal, a young college student named Hannah! We learned about each other gradually through fascinating discussions. Though we lived on opposite sides of the country, we bonded immediately and deeply. We discovered that we had a great deal in common, such as a love of writing and psychology, and similarly introverted dispositions. Best of all, we were both devout Christians! Hannah let me know how wonderful it was to talk to a kindred spirit. Befriending her classmates was hard, in part because many of them were somewhat hostile toward Christianity and faith in general. And she said that she hadn’t mentioned me to anyone in her life, for it was so fun having a “secret friend.”

It soon struck me that Hannah did indeed resemble my “dream friend” in the vein of When Marnie Was There, but not in the way I’d presumed she would. Anna was Hannah’s “fictional twin” far more than she had ever been mine.  Both girls were artists, for one thing, and fine ones at that. There was a bit of a physical resemblance, too, as their eyes were a pretty, unique shade of blue. Mainly, Hannah was deeply shy and had been struggling with bouts of depression since she was 12-years-old, but had been happier and more outgoing in her younger years. These lingering issues often crippled her ability to reach out to people. We learn early on in the film that 12-year-old Anna was once more expressive and had only recently grown moody and withdrawn.

Like I said, our God is full of surprises! It became clear that Hannah needed me more than I needed Hannah. She mentioned again and again how much she appreciated my unwavering faith in Jesus, which was stronger than her own. I spoke candidly about my experiences with anxiety and isolation throughout my life, and she said that my commitment to optimism was so inspiring.  Hannah considered me a mentor, so she told me, and she would ask for my perspective on various issues. She was like a sister to me, my little Anna, and I was her Marnie. Our anime counterparts even had oddly similar names, Tonie and Marnie, Hannah and Anna! In the film, Anna admires Marnie’s deftness at rowing the boat when the girls are on the lake together. “You are much better at rowing than I am,” she remarks. “Anybody can do it,” Marnie smiles, proceeding to teach Anna how to row by herself. Likewise, I was helping Hannah to (g)row in her faith and step outside of her comfort zone.

Of course, friendship is a two-way street, and Hannah was one of the most understanding, empathetic, and sincere people I’ve ever met. I felt so comfortable confiding in her.  In October of 2017, my mom and I were preparing a trip to Oregon by airplane. I had what I’m convinced was a precognitive dream before we left, wherein God told me to get on board without taking the mild sedative I used for plane rides. Traveling had triggered panic attacks in the past, I told Hannah, and the thought of riding a plane unassisted by something like that was a scary one. My friend was so encouraging! She urged me to take the leap of faith. She even drew a picture of me as a superhero to calm my nerves. I was so touched. I’d never been drawn before! My faith, combined with support from my precious friend, gave me the courage to do something I’m certain I couldn’t have accomplished alone. The plane rides to and from Oregon went perfectly well! I told Hannah as much when I came home. I’d conquered my anxiety, and she was so proud of me. During one tender scene in When Marnie Was There, Anna helps Marnie overcome her fear of the spooky, allegedly haunted local silo. “I don’t want anybody making fun of me, but I haven’t the courage,” Marnie whimpers. “You have courage! Look, you came up here,” Anna assures her. “You did well, Marnie. Real well.”

Time passed, and by late 2018, Hannah and I had only been talking about once a month for the past few months. She’d been increasingly engrossed in her hectic college life.  It seemed as though we were beginning to grow apart, and I kindly asked if she felt the same way. She did, and I admitted that I had sensed God telling me when we met that our friendship would be wonderful but temporary.  “I can’t promise anymore that I’ll be around to talk whenever you need me,” Hannah said. “My life is most likely only going to get busier. And you deserve so much better than that. You deserve a friend who will always be there.” Thus, we lovingly bid one another farewell in April of this year. I managed to send my final message to Hannah on the 13th, exactly two years since the day we met. That felt so poetic! We agreed that we couldn’t wait to meet face-to-face in Heaven someday. We thanked each other profusely for our friendship. She insisted that I never worry about her again, for I had changed her life. Her depression was gone, her faith in Jesus was stronger than ever, and she had recently made a new, younger friend whom she’d begun to mentor, just like I had mentored Hannah. She had even gotten a role in her high school’s production of “Newsies” and was learning to tap dance. Dancing was great fun!! In yet another beautiful scene, Anna joins Marnie at a party disguised as a flower girl. Marnie helps her bashful friend come out of her shell by dancing with her.

Near the end of the movie, Marnie tells Anna that she cannot stay with her any longer, and the two girls share a tearful, poignant goodbye. During the climax, Marnie’s true identity is revealed. She was the ghost of Anna’s grandmother as a little girl! “I have overcome many frightening things in life,” the elderly Marnie coos to baby Anna in a flashback sequence. “And Anna, so will you. After all, you’re my only grandchild. And you have my love now and forever.” Anna weeps openly, but she’s found perfect peace.

Strange as it may sound, this, too, has meaning for me! Hannah had told me that her battle with depression began when her beloved grandmother died. I believe that, by God’s grace and in a tiny, humble way, I was able to bring Hannah’s grandmother back to her in wisdom and love. To reunite her with her genuine self. If she were here with me now, I think she’d agree that she found her own “precious secret” in me. I know I found my own “flower girl” who needed a little help blossoming. Eerily enough, the Japanese word for “flower” is, in fact, “hana.” And, just perhaps, I also inspired mine to dance.

I will carry the lessons from this relationship with me wherever I go! First and foremost, that if you wish to avoid misunderstandings, it’s crucial for one’s hopes and dreams to be aligned with God’s will, not the other way around (Thankfully, the surprises in this case were all pleasant!). That no matter how isolated one feels, nobody should resign themselves to being a “lone wolf.”  It’s not Biblical, and God is constantly working behind the scenes. Valuable things often take time, but they’re well worth the wait. After all, if I met Hannah at a different point, I don’t think that my friendship would have made as deep an impact on her life. That the best of friends bring out the best in oneself!  I had anticipated finding the Marnie to my Anna when I was destined to be someone else’s Marnie. I know now that my faith is stronger than most and that my naturally cheerful disposition is a real miracle. A childhood friend of Marnie’s tells Anna that Marnie “had a lonely life, but she always lived it to the fullest. She lived life with a smile, determined to be happy.” I never required any help in that area. God had been providing me with everything all along.  And I know that I can be a great mentor to a friend in need. Would I have ever discovered these truths on my own? I highly doubt it. Hannah provided me with the objectivity I needed to gain a more nuanced, well-rounded view of myself, as I believe only she could have done.

Finally, the memories of our friendship are a reminder of the importance of never underestimating one’s contribution to this world! Every single decision we make affects something or someone, whether we see it or not. Hannah and I were both firm believers in the Butterfly Effect! I will eternally be in awe of the fact that my journey with her began with a random act of kindness, with a fanfiction story and a few sweet words.

I know we won’t understand everything until we get to Heaven. We need to wait a lifetime to see all the differences we’ve made here on Earth. But for however short a time, I did see the change I was making in one remarkable young lady’s life. Over the course of two incredible years and many conversations, I watched my friend evolve from a shy, anxious, depressed girl into a strong, cheerful Christian involved in her church and community and feeling very excited about the plans God had for her life! I told Hannah I would have rather had two years talking with her than fifty years with my old friends who hadn’t been half as good to me.  She was confident that God would continue to fulfill every purpose He had for me so long as I continued to trust Him, and unlike poor Marnie, my story has a happier ending! I view my life as a blank canvas waiting to be filled with glorious possibilities. At a period when I’d nearly given up on my dreams, meeting Hannah made me positive that there are other best friends to be found if you never stop searching and always keep your heart receptive to whatever and whomever God brings your way. I will be forever beholden to her for that alone. And Hannah knows that she has my love now and forever.

My final request to Hannah as a friend was that she would please watch When Marnie Was There, the last, perfect platonic love letter I could send to her. She promised me that she would. Thank you, God and Studio Ghibli, for creating such a life-altering movie!

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Your friendly neighborhood Asper-girl, Tonie is an amateur writer, daydream believer, part-time cloud cuckoo lander and all-around Jesus freak! Be sure to follow her on Facebook.

When Marnie Was There is available for purchase on Amazon.

#Anime #Christianity #When Marnie Was There #Omoide no Marnie #Studio Ghibli #Friendship #Ghibli Month #Guest Posts #Articles #Author: Tonie

[sharon6713]

Prompt List pt. 2

This is the second part to this post here! A lot of these have already been used in previous videos I’ve made, but I’m not opposed to using them again!

1. Someone Who Cares - Three Days Grace 2. Soldier - Gavin DeGraw 3. They Don’t Need to Understand - Andy Black 4. Confident - Demi Lovato 5. Be Somebody - Thousand Foot Krutch 6. Human - Christina Perri  7. This is War - 30 Seconds to Mars 8. In My Head - Jason Derulo  9. Broken - Seether & Amy Lee  10. Fight Song - Rachel Platten  11. Didn’t Know - Arden Cho 12. Matriarch - Veil of Maya 13. Rise Above This - Seether 14. Running with the Wolves - Aurora 15. Not Giving In - Rudimental ft. John & Alex 16. See You Again - Charlie Puth 17. Horrible Things - Creature Feature  18. Fade Away - We Came As Romans 19. Carry Each Other - Leagues  20. Bright - Echosmith 21. Thinking Out Loud - Arden Cho 22. Not Just A Girl - She Wants Revenge 23. Wildest Ones - Zayde Wolf 24. Castle - Halsey  25. A Little Taste - Skyler Stonestreet 26. Animal I Have Become - 3 Days Grace  27. Irresistible - Fall Out Boy  28. Good Time - Owl City 29. Who Will Love Me - Jerome Holloway 30. Always - Saliva  31. Figure .09 - Linkin Park 32. Better With You - Of Verona  33. You Were Never Gone - Hannah Ellis 34. This Kiss - Faith Hill 35. Degrassi season 10 theme song 36. Tale as Old as Time instrumental 37. Hedwig’s Song 38. High School Musical - High School Musical 3: Senior Year 39. Rescue Me - Kerrie Roberts  40. Teen Wolf theme song 41. Carry On My Wayward Son 42. A Series of Unfortunate Events theme song 43. NCIS theme song 44. The Lion Guard theme song 45. Pokemon theme song 46. Criminal Minds theme song 47. Love Doesn’t Stand A Chance - Lana Parilla  48. Powerful Magic - Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas 49. Emma’s Theme - Jennifer Morrison  50. Revenge Is Gonna Be Mine - Colin O’donoghue 51. Wicked Always Wins - Rebecca Mader 52. Take a Chance on Me - Brenton Wood  53. Breathe - Of Verona  54. True - Amaranthe 55.  I Knew You Were Trouble - Taylor Swift  56. Criminal - Disturbed  57. Just Like Fire - P!nk 58. Hymn to the Sea - Titanic Soundtrack 59. Throne - Bring Me The Horizon 60. Drown - Bring Me The Horizon 61. Just Like You - Three Days Grace  62. Beautiful Night - Arden Cho  63. You Always Believed - In This Moment 64. Lights Out - Breaking Benjamin 65. Won’t Back Down - Tom Petty 66. Last Exit to Freedom - Shobha  67. Girls Girls Girls - Motley Crue 68. Hold Me Down - Tommy Lee  69. Mayhem - Halestorm 70. Gold - Sleeping With Sirens 71. Headstrong - Trapt 72. Last Kiss - J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers 73. Beast Within - In This Moment 74. Through It All - Ashes to New  75. You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban 76. Bring Me to Life - Evanescence 77. Earth, Wind, Fire, & Air - Hex Girls (Scooby Doo) 78.  I’m a Hex Girl - Hex Girls (Scooby Doo) 79. Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston  80. Who’s Loving You - Jackson 5  81. Alone - Bullet for my Valentine  82. Pokemon theme song 83. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5 84. I’ll Be - Edwin McCain  85. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson  86. Here Without You - 3 Doors Down  87. Allstar - Smashmouth 88. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith 89. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day 90. All the Small Things - Blink 182 91. September - Earth, Wind, & Fire  92. Mr. Brightside - The Killers  93. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard 94. Somebody to Love - Queen  95. More Than a Feeling - Boston 96. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana 97. More Than Words - Extreme  98. Sweet Child O’ Mine - Guns N’ Roses  99. Dancing Queen - Abba 100. Livin’ on a Prayer - Bon Jovi 101. I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys  102. Stand By Me - Ben E. King 103. Summer of ‘69 - Bryan Adams 104. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion  105. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler 106. Let’s Get It On - Marvin Gaye 107. Heaven - Bryan Adams 108. Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder 109. My Girl - The Temptations 110.  December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) - The Four Seasons 111. Crazy in Love - Beyonce & Jay-z  112. I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston  113. I Want You Back - Jackson 5 114. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper  115. Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross 116. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston 117. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen  118. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson  119. Lean on Me - Bill Withers 120. Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey  121. The Melody Within - Rigoletto Soundtrack 122. Everything I Do (I Do It For You) - Bryan Adams

@niksixx @the--blackdahlia @tweakerwolf

#songs #videos #fan videos #fan edits #prompts